cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM COMMUNITY GENETICS

Throughout the 20th century, investigators argued that genetics should be incorporated into ecological explanations (Collins 1986). C. C. Adams (1915) suggested very early in the century that emerging concepts in Mendelian genetics could help ecologists to explain the distribution of land snails in the genus Io. Genecology developed from 1920 to 1950, with research focused on intraspecific variation that anticipated ecological genetics, which developed in the 1950s and 1960s. Evolutionary ecology emerged in the 1960s, driven by empirical results in three areas (Collins 1986): ecologically significant traits like competitive ability had a genetic basis; some kinds of evolutionary change progressed within the time required for many ecological process to reach completion; and, natural selection operated over spatial scales sufficiently small such that microevolution partially explained the distribution and abundance of populations over relatively short distances. By the late 1960s, ecologists were also becoming increasingly sensitive to the level of analysis at which natural selection was expected to operate. Futuyma (1986:307) integrated these ideas in defining evolutionary ecology as ‘‘the analysis of the evolutionary origin of ecological phenomena with an explicit recognition of the distinction among, and the consequences of, selection at various levels (gene, organism, kin group, population, or higher).’’ While on sabbatical at Duke University in 1982, I discussed population genetics and ecology with Janis Antonovics as I worked on a study of the history of the integration of ecology and evolutionary theory leading to the emergence of evolutionary ecology (Collins 1986). My efforts to understand the intellectual issues that drove the integration led to the question: To what extent is the genetic composition of populations in a community a function of the other species comprising the community? Antonovics (1992) outlined a research program in community genetics that began to address this question. The papers for this Special Feature are the most recent use of genetics in ecology, but community genetics prompts a certain optimism for two reasons. First, as Neuhauser et al. (2003) show, our ability to model these interactions is improving. Advances in computational
A zoologist’s viewpoint on the Draft BioCode

The Draft BioCode (DBC) is the result of an attempt at unifying the nomenclatural Rules currently in force in different taxonomic domains (mostly zoology and botany), which are the result of a long historical process during which they have widely diverged in several important respects. The proposals of the DBC tend to extend several basic concepts and idiosyncrasies of botanical nomenclature to other fields, mostly zoological nomenclature. This is unfortunate, as in several cases the zoological Rules can be argued to be more appropriate, especially to meet the new challenges that biological nomenclature will be facing in the 21st century. The DBC is not ripe and its implementation in its present form should not be accepted by the international community of taxonomists, and particularly by zoologists. Among the many problems that would remain to solve before considering this possibility, the following ones are particularly stressed here: (1) the need of a better plan for this document and of a better technical terminology for nomenclatural concepts and tools; (2) the abandonment of absolute ranks and their replacement by relative ranks in the frame of a small number of nominal-series within which a Principle of Coordination is in force; (3) the adoption of more precise, stringent and unambiguous Rules for the nomenclature of higher taxa of the class-series; (4) the dissociation, in the nomenclatural process, between the stage of creation of nomina and that of their registration, which should not be compulsory; (5) the suppression of all prescriptions regarding the use of any language in taxonomic and nomenclatural publications; (6) the need of more stringent Rules for homonymy between “similar” nomina.
College students’ use of compliance-gaining strategies to obtain prescription stimulant medications for illicit use

Objective: To examine college students' illicit use of prescription stimulant medications and compliance-gaining strategies that they would use to obtain a stimulant medication.Design: A questionnaire-based study.Setting: Seven hundred and twenty undergraduate college students at a large, northeastern university in the United States were surveyed.Method: The study received approval from the university's Institutional Review Board (IRB). Students completed anonymous questionnaires outside of class time.Results: Respondents were more likely to use rationality and promise strategies to gain others' compliance. No differences in strategy selection for close friends and acquaintances were reported. Illicit prescription stimulant users scored higher in sensation seeking than those who reported no prior illicit stimulant use.Conclusions: A compliance-gaining perspective provided a better understanding of the strategies college students are likely to use to obtain prescription stimulants from those with a legitimate prescription.
11q23 abnormalities in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome as detected by molecular and cytogenetic analyses.

q23 chromosomal abnormalities and rearrangement of the mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene are important prognostic factors in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). However, the presence of 11q23 abnormalities does not always correlate with that of MLL gene rearrangement. We retrospectively compared the occurrence of 11q23 abnormalities (measured by karyotyping) and MLL gene rearrangement (measured by Southern blotting) in bone marrow from 311 consecutive adult patients with AML or MDS. 11q23 abnormalities were found in 18 patients (5.8%), of whom 7 (39%) did not have the MLL gene rearrangement. MLL gene rearrangement was detected in 35 patients (11.2%). Of these 35 patients, only 11 (31%) had cytogenetic evidence of 11q23 abnormalities. None of the 21 patients with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia had 11q23 abnormalities or MLL gene rearrangement. 11q23 abnormalities were associated with shorter survival than was a diploid karyotype. Both cytogenetic and molecular studies should be performed to detect 11q23 abnormalities in patients with AML or MDS.
Bringing Theory Closer to Home Through Active Learning and Online Discussion

THEORY IS A VITALLY important component of every undergraduate sociology program. Social theory classes are the heart of the undergraduate major in sociology: in these courses, students take on the professional and disciplinary roles of sociologists. This paper reports on two strategies that enlivened our social theory class, generating both greater enthusiasm and involvement in the course as well as greater understanding of the theorists we considered and the theo-
Combined capacitive and piezoelectric transduction for high performance silicon microresonators

This paper introduces the Aluminum Nitride - High Aspect-Ratio Polysilicon and Single-crystal Silicon (AlN - HARPSS) process technology that for the first time enables combined capacitive (via air-gaps) and piezoelectric (via Mo/AlN/Mo piezo-stack) transduction in silicon micromechanical resonators. Lateral air-gaps as small as 150 nm have been realized for a 20 µm thick microresonator (air-gap aspect-ratio = 133∶1) while simultaneously improving the c-axis orientation of aluminum nitride sputtered on its top surface. Such a combined transduction has been demonstrated to efficiently harvest the individual advantages of both the technologies. A 100 MHz silicon microresonator under combined capacitive and piezoelectric transduction measures a ∼25 dB reduction in feedthrough compared to a capacitive-only transduction while measuring a 106% improvement in quality factor (Q), 10 dB reduction in insertion loss (I.L.) and a substantial suppression of spurious modes compared to a piezoelectric-only transduction.
Adherence to the Protest Paradigm: The Influence of Protest Goals and Tactics on News Coverage in U.S. and International Newspapers

Research shows that news coverage of protest groups that challenge the status quo treats them relatively critically. To develop a more precise understanding of such coverage, this study content analyzes an international set of newspapers (N = 220) to explore the relationships between a protest group’s goals and tactics on resulting news coverage. The findings indicate that a group’s tactics—more than its goals—play a substantial role in affecting coverage. Furthermore, the findings also show that the protest issue and location indirectly affect coverage through their relationship to a group’s tactics. Implications for journalists and protesters alike are discussed.
Cyber Charter Schools and Students With Dis/Abilities: Rebooting the IDEA to Address Equity, Access, and Compliance

This article takes up the question of equity, access, and cyber charter schools from the perspective of disability studies in education (DSE). DSE positions inclusion and educational access as social justice concerns. In doing so, we assert the importance of making visible the social justice implications of the current laws that impact cyber charter schools and students with disabilities. To this end we focus in particular on the Individual with Disabilities Act (IDEA) because it is the central piece of federal legislation that provides for the public education of students with disabilities. Our analysis suggests several changes in the IDEA and state level legislation in order for cyber charter schools to be an available and equitable option for students with disabilities.
Individual Differences in Eye Movements During Face Identification Reflect Observer-Specific Optimal Points of Fixation

In general, humans tend to first look just below the eyes when identifying another person. Does everybody look at the same place on a face during identification, and, if not, does this variability in fixation behavior lead to functional consequences? In two conditions, observers had their free eye movements recorded while they performed a face-identification task. In another condition, the same observers identified faces while their gaze was restricted to specific locations on each face. We found substantial differences, which persisted over time, in where individuals chose to first move their eyes. Observers’ systematic departure from a canonical, theoretically optimal fixation point did not correlate with performance degradation. Instead, each individual’s looking preference corresponded to an idiosyncratic performance-maximizing point of fixation: Those who looked lower on the face performed better when forced to fixate the lower part of the face. The results suggest an observer-specific synergy betwee...
Detection of propagating phase gradients in EEG signals using Model Field Theory of non-Gaussian mixtures

Model field theory (MFT) is a powerful tool of pattern recognition, which has been used successfully for various tasks involving noisy data and high level of clutter. Detection of spatio-temporal activity patterns in EEG experiments is a very challenging task and it is well-suited for MFT implementation. Previous work on applying MFT for EEG analysis used Gaussian assumption on the mixture components. The present work uses non-Gaussian components for the description of propagating phase-cones, which are more realistic models of the experimentally observed physiological processes. This work introduces MFT equations for non-Gaussian transient processes, and describes the identification algorithm. The method is demonstrated using simulated phase cone data.
Electronic Receptors for Tactile/Haptic Sensing

We discuss synthetic receptors for haptic sensing. These are based on magnetic field sensors (Hall effect structures) fabricated using standard CMOS technologies. These receptors, biased with a small permanent magnet can detect the presence of ferro or ferri-magnetic objects in the vicinity of the sensor. They can also detect the magnitude and direction of the magnetic field.
Effects of keyswitch design and finger posture on finger joint kinematics and dynamics during tapping on computer keyswitches.

Abstract Objective. To examine the effects of postural and keyswitch characteristics on musculoskeletal tissue loading during tapping on computer keyswitches. Design. We hypothesized that joint torques, stiffness and work parameters differ across keyswitch designs and finger postures typical of those observed during computer keyboard typing. We experimentally measured joint kinematics and calculated joint torques while tapping on different keyswitches in different postures, and analyzed the data using mechanical impedance models. Methods. Sixteen human subjects tapped with the index finger on computer keyswitches mounted on a sensor which measured vertical and horizontal forces. Miniature electro-optical goniometers mounted dorsally across each finger joint measured joint kinematics. Joint torques were calculated from endpoint forces and joint kinematics using an inverse dynamics algorithm. A linear spring-damper impedance model was fitted to joint torque, position, and velocity during the contact period of each tap. Subjects tapped in three postures approximating those employed during tapping on three rows of a computer keyboard, on four different keyswitches, resulting in 12 conditions. Results. More extended finger posture was associated with greater joint torques, energies, and stiffnesses, despite minimal differences in endpoint forces across posture. Greater keyswitch make forces were associated with increased forces, joint torques and joint stiffnesses, however this relationship was not monotonic. Conclusions. Joint torques and stiffness parameters differed across keyswitch designs and finger postures. Estimates of joint impedance and work provided a unique perspective into finger dynamics. Relevance Determining the causes of work-related musculoskeletal disorders is facilitated by characterizing workplace task biomechanics, which can be linked to specific injury mechanisms.
Automated tracking of yeast cell lineages

We propose a cell progeny tracking method that sequentially employs image alignment, chamber cropping, cell segmentation, per-cell feature measurement, and progeny (lineage) tracking modules. It enables biologists to keep track of phenotypic patterns not only over time but also over multiple generations. Yeast cells encapsulated in chambers of a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic device were imaged over time to monitor changes in fluorescence levels. We implemented our method in an automated cell image analysis tool, CellProfiler, and performed initial testing. Once refined and validated, the approach could be adapted/used in other cell segmentation and progeny tracking experiments.
Hydrochlorothiazide as the Diuretic of Choice for Hypertension: Time to Kick the Habit.

Early cardiovascular (CV) outcome trials of patients with hypertension used high-dose thiazide diuretic agents, often 100 mg of hydrochlorothiazide or 50 to 100 mg of chlorthalidone [(1–4)][1]. Although these studies showed consistently greater CV risk reduction versus placebo, the MRFIT (Multiple
Design of robust dynamic average consensus estimators

The block diagram for a general average consensus estimator is developed and we show how this can be used to easily identify properties of the estimator. This structure is then used to design average consensus estimators which achieve exact average consensus for constant inputs, are robust to initial conditions and switching graph topologies, and are internally stable. Additionally, the estimators have the optimal worst-case asymptotic convergence rate over the set of connected undirected graphs whose weighted Laplacian matrices have nonzero eigenvalues in a known interval [λmin, λmax]. Two designs are presented. The first is a modification of the polynomial filter estimator proposed by Kokiopoulou and Frossard [1] which is the optimal estimator having only one state variable. The proposed design is robust to initial conditions, but not robust to switching graph topologies. The second design uses root locus techniques to obtain higher-dimensional estimators in closed-form which are robust to both initial conditions and switching graph topologies. Plots of the worst-case asymptotic convergence factor of each estimator are given as a function of the ratio λmin/λmax.
Experimental Studies of Maglev Aerodynamics

A high speed moving track test system was designed and built for the testing of magnetically levitated vehicle (Maglev) models in the Virginia Tech Stability Wind Tunnel and aerodynamic tests were conducted on a vehicle configuration provided by NASA, Northrop-Grumman, and the Department of Transportation. The moving track test system was configured to match wind speeds up to 150 mph and to extend a sufficient distance upstream and downstream of the test vehicle model to provide a uniform flow field at the model nose and to simulate proper closure of the flowfield at the rear of the model. Extensive flowfield testing around the track system confirmed its capability to properly simulate the flow around the high speed tracked vehicle. The selected Maglev model was tested with the moving track system and aerodynamic forces and moments were measured. Hot wire anemometer surveys were used to examine the flowfield behind the model and the turbulence levels and transition location on the vehicle nose. Testing included direct measurement of skin friction at selected locations on the model. Separate tests were conducted with the track system removed from the tunnel to determine the effect of the track on the vehicle's aerodynamic behavior. Flow visualization tests were also conducted to verify the nature of the flowfield found in the velocity surveys. The resulting data will provide a much needed database for use in the design of future Maglev systems and for comparison with computer analyses
Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia: Spectropolitics and Immigration:

In the context of the Dutch immigration debate, tributes to the Holocaust and the memory of Europe’s dead Jews increasingly serve to dismantle multiculturalism as a failed paradigm and to drive a wedge between a revitalized, redeemed, color-blind, post-racial Europe and disenfranchized immigrant, minority and Muslim populations. Embedded in these invocations of the Holocaust and its moral imperatives is a ‘spectropolitics’ of tolerance, in which tolerance, staged as an essential touchstone of Dutch identity, supplies a differential norm that measures the civilizational and racial disjuncture between Europeans, minorities, and Muslims, and validates the new dual paradigm of Dutch citizenship and immigration policy: securitization and disciplinary integration. The centrality of the Holocaust as paradigmatic of Dutch and European racial history meanwhile sidelines the colonial past as constitutive of European identity; displaces an alternative understanding of race as (bio- and necro-political) instruments o...
Congenital Mesoblastic Nephroma of Infancy: Report of a Case with Unusual Clinical Behavior

Clinical and pathologic features of a case of recurrent congenital mesoblastic nephroma in a female infant are described. This is the first reported instance of clinically malignant behavior of this tumor, known to have a benign course as judged from previous reports in the literature. Presence of hypertension, infiltration of the ureter, and moderate focal mitotic activity were the three unusual features of this case which have not been previously described in congenital mesoblastic nephroma. The recurrent tumor responded well to actinomycin D, vincristine, and radiation, and there is no evidence of tumor 8 months after original resection.
Pheromone-Mediated Anemotactic Flight and Mating Behavior of the Sciarid Fly Bradysia impatiens

Bradysia impatiens (Johannsen) females emit a sex pheromone that elicits male upwind flight in the male, evidently via a mechanism of optomotor-modulated anemotaxis. Maximal male wing fanning and upwind walking to female body extract occurs between 5 h before to one h after the initiation of scotophase on a 16:8 LD. Mated and unmated females appeared to have similar quantities of extractable pheromone. The mating sequence appears relatively stereotyped.
Molecular Asymmetry in Prebiotic Chemistry: An Account from Meteorites

Carbonaceous Chondrite (CC) meteorites are fragments of asteroids, solar planetesimals that never became large enough to separate matter by their density, like terrestrial planets. CC contains various amounts of organic carbon and carry a record of chemical evolution as it came to be in the Solar System, at the time the Earth was formed and before the origins of life. We review this record as it pertains to the chiral asymmetry determined for several organic compounds in CC, which reaches a broad molecular distribution and enantiomeric excesses of up to 50%–60%. Because homochirality is an indispensable attribute of extant polymers and these meteoritic enantiomeric excesses are still, to date, the only case of chiral asymmetry in organic molecules measured outside the biosphere, the possibility of an exogenous delivery of primed prebiotic compounds to early Earth from meteorites is often proposed. Whether this exogenous delivery held a chiral advantage in molecular evolution remains an open question, as many others regarding the origins of life are.
Documentation of Complex Gynecologic Surgical Specimens by Videography

The examination of surgical resection specimens leads to their permanent disruption following dissection and fixation. Gross specimens are not routinely saved, necessitating photographic documentation of all interesting and complex specimens. However, in this study, only 56% (18/32) of malignant gynecologic resection specimens were photographed during dissection. Some photos lacked the quality required for diagnostic or educational use. Thus, a …
Integrity, ego depletion, and the interactive impact on counterproductive behavior

Abstract Integrity tests are widely used measures in organizational selection for predicting counterproductive behaviors. Research has identified elements of self-control underlying measures of integrity and reviews of integrity suggest that self-control may play a role in understanding how integrity predicts behavior. We examine how depletion of one's self-control resource (ego depletion) impacts the relationship between integrity and off-task behavior. Results indicate that when ego depleted, high and low integrity individuals were just as likely to engage in off-task behavior. Thus, temporary detriments in self-control negate the relationship between integrity and counterproductive behavior. Expression of integrity and avoidance of counterproductive behavior by high integrity individuals requires a corresponding level of the self-control resource.
The Mathematics of Philosophy: A Brief Review of My Work

Agassi has attacked subjectivism, for example, in his paper ‘Subjectivism — from infantile disease to chronic illness,’ and at first this made me wonder why I had been invited to contribute to the Festschrift. For much of my work in the philosophy of science and in statistics has a sub–jectivistic slant. To some extent I agree with him because, for example, I believe that the aim of a subjectivistic theory is to reduce subjectivism. But I believe it is impossible to cure the “disease” entirely, and that is where Agassi and I part company. I regard my basic position as so obvious as not to be worth defending directly and I thought it would be more useful to defend it indirectly by reviewing my work on the mathematics of the philosophy of science. It has a coherence that would be difficult to explain if my basic position was without merit.
Metal-Assisted Oxo Atom Addition to an Fe(III) Thiolate.

Cysteinate oxygenation is intimately tied to the function of both cysteine dioxygenases (CDOs) and nitrile hydratases (NHases), and yet the mechanisms by which sulfurs are oxidized by these enzymes are unknown, in part because intermediates have yet to be observed. Herein, we report a five-coordinate bis-thiolate ligated Fe(III) complex, [FeIII(S2Me2N3(Pr,Pr))]+ (2), that reacts with oxo atom donors (PhIO, IBX-ester, and H2O2) to afford a rare example of a singly oxygenated sulfenate, [FeIII(η2-SMe2O)(SMe2)N3(Pr,Pr)]+ (5), resembling both a proposed intermediate in the CDO catalytic cycle and the essential NHase Fe-S(O)Cys114 proposed to be intimately involved in nitrile hydrolysis. Comparison of the reactivity of 2 with that of a more electron-rich, crystallographically characterized derivative, [FeIIIS2Me2NMeN2amide(Pr,Pr)]− (8), shows that oxo atom donor reactivity correlates with the metal ion’s ability to bind exogenous ligands. Density functional theory calculations suggest that the mechanism of S-o...
Effects of low-Z and high-Z impurities on divertor detachment and plasma confinement

Abstract The impurity-seeded detached divertor is essential for heat exhaust in ITER and other reactor-relevant devices. Dedicated experiments with injection of N2, Ne and Ar have been performed in DIII-D to assess the impact of the different impurities on divertor detachment and confinement. Seeding with N2, Ne and Ar all promote divertor detachment, greatly reducing heat flux near the strike point. The upstream plasma density at the onset of detachment decreases with increasing impurity-puffing flow rates. For all injected impurity species, the confinement and pedestal pressure are correlated with the impurity content and the ratio of separatrix loss power to the l -H transition threshold power. As the divertor plasma approaches detachment, the high-Z impurity seeding tends to degrade the core confinement owing to the increased core radiation. In particular, Ar injection with up to 50% of the injected power radiating in the core cools the pedestal and core plasmas, thus significantly degrading the confinement. As for Ne seeding, medium confinement with H98∼0.8 can be maintained during the detachment phase with the pedestal temperature being reduced by about 50%. In contrast, in the N2 seeded plasmas, radiation is predominately confined in the boundary plasma, which leads to less effect on the confinement and pedestal. In the case of strong N2 gas puffing, the confinement recovers during the detachment, from ∼20% reduction at the onset of the detachment to greater than unity comparable to that before the seeding. The core and pedestal temperatures feature a reduction of 30% from the initial attached phase and remain nearly constant during the detachment phase. The improvement in confinement appears to arise from the increase in pedestal and core density despite the temperature reduction.
Mixing Processes in High-Level Waste Tanks

Mixing and transport in large waste-tank volumes is controlled by the multidimensional equations describing mass, momentum and energy conservation, and by boundary conditions imposed at walls, structures, and fluid inlets and outlets. For large enclosures, careful scaling arguments show that mixing is generated by free buoyant jets arising from the injection of fluid or buoyancy into the enclosure, and by temperature and/or concentration gradients generated near surfaces by heat and mass transfer at walls, cooling tubes, and liquid-vapor interfaces. For large enclosures like waste-tank air spaces, scaling shows that these free and wall jets are generally turbulent and are generally relatively thin. When one attempts to numerically solve the multi-dimensional mass, momentum, and energy equations with CFD codes, very fine grid resolution is required to resolve these thin jet structures, yet such fine grid resolution is difficult or impossible to provide due to computational expense. However, we have shown that the ambient fluid between jets tends to organize into either a homogeneously mixed condition or a vertically stratified condition that can be described by a one-dimensional temperature and concentration distribution. Furthermore, we can predict the transition between the well-mixed and stratified conditions. This allows us to describe mixing processes inmore » large, complex enclosures using one-dimensional differential equations, with transport in free and wall jets modeled using standard integral techniques. With this goal in mind, we are constructing a simple, computationally efficient numerical tool which can be used predicting the transient evolution of fuel and oxygen concentrations in DOE high-level waste tanks following loss of ventilation, and validate the model against a series of experiments.« less
The Role of Comparative and International Research in Developing Capacity to Study and Improve Teacher Education

In this chapter, I propose a model to approach cross-national research based on my own work. I argue that international and comparative research that is collaborative, reflective, rigorous, capacity building, and policy oriented can allow learning at the ground level and produce useable knowledge for policy making and implementation and that this learning and development of expertise can occur within and across settings regardless of level of development. Moreover, I propose that the mere act of engaging in comparative and collaborative reflective inquiry already constitutes an intervention and brings about learning and a notion of normativity to the phenomenon under study, thus challenging the notion that research does not have an effect and that policy is “packaged” and borrowed. The comparative and international dimension brings an added layer to what can be learned from research as it illuminates what is possible in other contexts from a scientific and humanistic perspective.
Mynx Vascular Closure Device in Arterial Endovascular Procedures

Background Vascular closure devices have been used to achieve hemostasis of percutaneous access sites following endovascular procedures, with reported decreased time for arterial control as well as decreased time to ambulation. We sought to determine rates and risk factors of postoperative bleeding complications and failures using these devices from a single institution experienced in the use of vascular closure devices. Methods All patients undergoing arterial endovascular procedures with percutaneous access between March 2010 and October 2015 at a single institution were identified and analyzed (n = 894). Patients undergoing endovascular aneurysm repair, open access, venous procedures, or upper extremity access were excluded. Comparison groups were formed between those using the Mynxgrip® (Mynx), Angio-Seal™, Perclose® vascular closure devices and manual pressure (MP). Patient demographics, intraoperative data, and postoperative complications were compared. Results A total of 615 (69%) patients received Mynx, 165 other vascular closure devices (VCD) ([14%] Perclose, 44 [4%] Angio-Seal), and 114 (13%) MP. MP patients were more likely to be diagnostic angiogram with smaller sheaths, while VCD patients were more likely to be interventions with larger sheaths. Univariate analysis identified age, atrial fibrillation, intervention (as opposed to diagnostic), and sheath size >5F associated with postoperative bleeding (P Conclusions Use of vascular closure devices has a low rate of bleeding complication, device failure, and need for operative repair. Bleeding is associated with increased age, interventional procedure, and end-stage renal disease. Mynx, Perclose, and Angio-Seal have similar rates of complications. Use of these devices are a safe option for groin vessel closure.
The long noncoding RNA Malat1: Its physiological and pathophysiological functions

Recent studies suggest that in humans, DNA sequences responsible for protein coding regions comprise only 2% of the total genome. The rest of the transcripts result in RNA transcripts without protein-coding ability, including long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Different from most members in the lncRNA family, the metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (Malat1) is abundantly expressed and evolutionarily conserved throughout various mammalian species. Malat1 is one of the first identified lncRNAs associated with human disease, and cumulative studies have indicated that Malat1 plays critical roles in the development and progression of various cancers. Malat1 is also actively involved in various physiologic processes, including alternative splicing, epigenetic modification of gene expression, synapse formation, and myogenesis. Furthermore, extensive evidences show that Malat1 plays pivotal roles in multiple pathological conditions as well. In this review, we will summarize latest findings related to the physiologic and pathophysiological processes of Malat1 and discuss its therapeutic potentials.
Discipline and Indulgence: College Football, Media and the American Way of Life During the Cold War

In his book Discipline and Indulgence, Montez De Oca vividly details the American Way of life during the Early Cold War period with a specific focus on the roles of college football and the media i...
ON THE EVOLUTION OF A MASSLESS SCALAR FIELD IN A SCHWARZSCHILD BACKGROUND: A NEW LOOK AT HAWKING RADIATION AND THE INFORMATION PARADOX

We exhibit an explicit foliation of Schwarzschild space–time by spacelike hypersurfaces which extend from Schwarzschild r=0 to r=∞. This allows us to compute the values of a massless scalar field for all space–time points which lie in the future of the surface on which we initially quantize the theory. This is to be contrasted with approaches which start at past null infinity and propagate to future null infinity. One of its virtues is that this method allows us to discuss both asymptotic Hawking radiation and what is happening at finite distances from the black hole. In order to explain the techniques we use, we begin by discussing variants of the flat-space moving mirror9 problem. Then we discuss the canonical quantization of the massless scalar field theory and the geometric optics approximation which we use to solve the Heisenberg equations of motion in the black hole background. Using the example of an infalling mirror, an analogue of the moving mirror problem, we show that, although our spacelike slices extend to r=0, we can avoid discussing an initial state which extends through the horizon. Furthermore, we show that in the same way we avoid having to deal with the singularity at r=0 when we first quantize the system. This discussion naturally leads to a suggestion of how to handle the question of what is happening when the mirror hits the singularity. In the last section of the paper we discuss a discretization of the computation which behaves in the manner we suggest and yet exhibits Hawking radiation.5 This formulation of the problem allows us to discuss all the issues in an explicitly unitary setting. The resulting picture raises some interesting questions about the information paradox.
Psychosocial Issues in Pediatric Oculoplastic Conditions

This chapter will highlight the relevant psychosocial issues for patients and families coping with ophthalmologic conditions affecting vision and appearance. We will begin with an overview of psychosocial functioning among pediatric patients with chronic health conditions. We will then review the limited literature exploring quality of life and psychosocial functioning as well as body image and appearance concerns among children and adolescents with ophthalmologic conditions affecting vision and appearance. Lastly, we emphasize the importance of providing psychosocial support for children and families coping with oculoplastic conditions as it relates to treatment decision-making; coping with medical and surgical interventions; managing social, developmental, and educational functioning; and enhancing quality of life during all stages of development.
Cerebral oxygenation during umbilical arterial blood sampling in very low birth weight neonates.

Umbilical arterial blood sampling (UABS) has been associated with cerebral oxygen saturation (CrSO2) decrements in very low birth weight (VLBW) neonates. We sought to determine patient- and UABS procedure-related factors contributing to this effect. In this prospective cohort study, cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy was performed during UABS procedures in VLBW neonates. Analyses were conducted to determine subject- and procedure-related factors correlating with CrSO2 decrements. Thirty subjects (mean (±SD) 27 ± 2 week GA and 1058 ± 279 g BW) underwent 84 UABS procedures between 5 and 183 postnatal hours. Six (20%) experienced CrSO2 decrements, less than previously reported. Subjects with CrSO2 decrements had earlier GA and lower BW, though these were not statistically significant differences. CrSO2 decrements occurred with lower pre- and post-UABS pulse oximetry (p = 0.004; p < 0.001), lower arterial oxygen partial pressure (p < 0.001), lower baseline CrSO2 (p = 0.01), and faster “priming” blood reinfusion (p = 0.03) and saline flush (p = 0.02). UABS procedures appear to be associated with CrSO2 decrements more commonly among VLBW neonates already experiencing disturbances in cerebral oxygen delivery–consumption balance. Shorter durations of UABS procedural components may contribute to CrSO2 decrements.
Soybean Flower and Pod Response to Fomesafen, Acifluorfen, and Lactofen

Diphenyl ether herbicides are commonly applied POST in soybean to control weeds late in the growing season that have not been controlled by other previous weed management tactics. These “rescue” applications can occur during reproductive soybean growth. The effect of these herbicides on the developing flowers and pods is not known. Field research studies were conducted over 3 yr to determine how soybean flowers and developing pods respond to fomesafen, acifluorfen, and lactofen when applied at R1, R3, and R5 growth stages. Flower and pod counts in the nontreated check showed an increase (17.1, 5.8, and 2.21 at R1, R3, and R5 stage, respectively) and were statistically the same as the herbicide treatments 1 wk after treatment. Fomesafen, acifluorfen, and lactofen applied at 395, 420, and 219 g ai ha-1 at R1, R3, and R5 stage had no negative impact on soybean flowers and developing pods when compared to the nontreated check. No significant differences were observed in soybean yield between any treatments in all site-years of the study.Nomenclature: Fomesafen; acifluorfen; lactofen; soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr.
How Biosonar Information is Represented in the Bat Cerebral Cortex

In mammals, an auditory signal sent to the brain by the cochlear nerve ascends from the cochlear nucleus to the auditory cortex of the cerebrum through many intermediate nuclei. The auditory signal is projected in parallel to each level of the central auditory system, because of multiple projections from the cochlea. This multiple projection suggests that different types of auditory information or different attributes of the signals are processed both hierarchically and in parallel. Except for the auditory cortex of the mustached bat, Pteronotus parnellii rubiginosus***, however, little is known about how this multiple representation is related to functional organization beyond frequency representation.
The Space Between: A Previously Unrecognized and Pervasive Space in the Body May Hold Solutions for Cancer Metastasis, Immunotherapy, and Fibrosis Treatment

Around 2008, endoscopists David Carr-Locke and Petros Benias began to notice an unfamiliar pattern in the bile duct during endomicroscopy, which didn't look like anything they knew from pathology. Their confusion as to what it was persisted, so they brought their observations to their colleague, pathologist Neil Theise. Eventually, a larger group of researchers worked to figure out what exactly they were seeing in the bile duct samples. Their ultimate conclusion was that the structure is part of a network of connected interstitial spaces.
Content validity of the developmental care scale for neonates with CHD.

PurposeNeuroprotective developmental care is paramount for neonates with CHD. Although several developmental care scales exist, either they have not been psychometrically tested or were not designed for the needs of neonates with CHD. The purpose of this study is to describe item development and content validity testing of the developmental care scale for neonates with CHD, which measures five domains of the developmental care provided by bedside nurses to neonates in the cardiac ICU: sleep, pain and stress management, activities of daily living, family-centred care, and environment. Methods For this cross-sectional study, items were developed based on clinical expertise and the core measures for developmental care. In this study, seven experts provided content validity ratings of items for total scale and subscale fit and relevance. A content validity index was used to determine item retention. Item modifications and additions were based on expert feedback. Results Expert ratings provided evidence of content validity on 24 of 53 items within the five domains of developmental care. A total of 24 items were deleted, and five items with low content validity ratings were retained, because of conceptual importance, and revised. An additional 11 items were added based on expert qualitative feedback. Conclusions This study provided evidence of content validity of the developmental care scale for neonates with CHD by researchers and bedside nurses caring for these neonates. Further psychometric testing is warranted to provide evidence of internal consistency reliability, construct validity, and to identify variables that influence quality of the developmental care.
Management of Intracranial Hypotension and Cerebrospinal Fluid Leaks

Intracranial hypotension and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks may occur secondary to numerous pathologies, including trauma, iatrogenic injury, or even in a spontaneous manner. A diagnostic hallmark of intracranial hypotension is the presence of low CSF volume rather than low CSF pressure. As such, intracranial hypotension may occur in the setting of low, normal, or elevated intracranial pressure. The diagnostic evaluation of this pathology, in addition to localization of a potential leak, can be challenging, requiring numerous noninvasive and invasive imaging modalities, including computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), lumbar puncture, myelography, or cisternography. While medical management can provide symptomatic relief, definitive treatment of the source of the pathology depends on the etiology of the CSF leak. Depending on the source and localization of the CSF leak, less invasive means of CSF diversion may be sufficient, or patients may require definitive repair of the CSF fistula. Ultimately, proper evaluation and correct diagnosis of the pathology driving the CSF leak frame the paradigm for treatment of intracranial hypotension.
An Empirical Assessment of Georgia's Beyond a Reasonable Doubt Standard to Determine Intellectual Disability in Capital Cases

In Atkins v. Virginia, the Supreme Court held that execution of people with intellectual disabilities violates the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. In doing so, the Court explicitly left to the states the question of which procedures would be used to identify such defendants as exempt from the death penalty. More than a decade before Atkins, Georgia was the first state to bar execution of people with intellectual disability. Yet, of the states that continue to impose the death penalty as a punishment for capital murder, Georgia is the only state that requires capital defendants to prove their intellectual disability beyond a reasonable doubt at the guilt phase of the trial to be legally exempted from execution. This article is the first to provide an empirical assessment of Georgia’s “guilty but mentally retarded” (GBMR) statute, including its beyond a reasonable doubt standard of proof. In doing so, it fills a critical gap not only in the scholarly literature on the subject, but also for those who continue to litigate the issue. Its analysis reveals that no defendant facing the death penalty in Georgia has ever received a GBMR verdict for malice murder from a jury in the statute’s nearly thirty-year existence. Prior to Atkins, only one capital defendant had ever received a GBMR jury verdict at trial, in a felony-murder case, by meeting this extremely high standard of proof, thus exempting herself from the death penalty. The absence of any successful GBMR jury verdict in a malice murder case and the absence of any successful GBMR verdict in any capital case post-Atkins, in combination with Georgia’s lone status in imposing such a procedure, all contribute to the argument that the beyond a reasonable doubt standard, and the jury’s decision regarding intellectual disability in the guilt phase create, in the words of the Court, an “unacceptable risk” that capital defendants with intellectual disability will be executed in violation of the Eighth Amendment.
Predictors of severe intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm infants under 29-weeks gestation.

Purpose: Preterm infants <29 weeks of gestation are at risk for severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). Lower gestational age, birth weight, severe illness, as indexed by higher Score for Neonata...
A spectrum of approaches to health information interaction: From avoidance to verification

Abstract People respond to illness in a range of ways, and take different approaches to engaging with health information throughout the course of their illness. This study describes and explains th...
Retinal Detachment in Uveitis

Retinal detachment in uveitis is uncommon but can be difficult to manage and often leads to severe visual impairment and blindness. Retinal detachment can be classified as rhegmatogenous from retinal break, tractional due to inflammatory or neovascular membranes, exudative from serous fluid accumulation, or combined mechanism. The first step is to establish the correct diagnosis and the underlying etiology. Both non-infectious and infectious uveitis can predispose to retinal detachment, including cytomegalovirus, acute retinal necrosis, ocular toxoplasmosis, pars planitis, ocular syphilis and Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome. Surgical approach to repairing retinal detachment should always be tailored to each individual situation. Controlling inflammation pre-operatively is imperative for a successful outcome. Associated ocular co-morbidities are often present and may alter the surgical plan. Fortunately, with modern day surgical techniques, good outcomes are possible even in the most challenging cases of uveitic retinal detachment.
Low cost textile-grade carbon-fiber epoxy composites for automotive and wind energy applications

Abstract Carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites are highly desirable for automotive and wind energy applications due to advantages associated with weight reduction, high stiffness and strength, durability, and recyclability. The high cost of carbon fiber has been a limiting factor in its widespread adoption in non-aerospace applications. A low cost (estimated