cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Early-Age Strength Assessment of Cement-Treated Base Material:

To avoid early-age damage to cement-treated base (CTB) materials, the cement must be allowed to cure before the pavement can be opened to traffic. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the utilities of the soil stiffness gauge (SSG), the heavy Clegg impact soil tester (CIST), the dynamic cone penetrometer, and the falling weight deflectometer for assessing early-age strength gain of cement-stabilized materials. Experiments were performed at four sites on a pavement reconstruction project along I-84 in Morgan, Utah, where cement stabilization was used in conjunction with full-depth recycling. Each site was stationed to facilitate repeated measurements at the same locations with different devices and at different curing times. Because of the considerable attention from the pavement construction industry for routine quality control and quality assurance programs, the SSG and CIST were the primary focus of the research. Statistical techniques were used to evaluate the repeatability of these devices and...
The Physiology of the Established Parasite–Host Association

Parasitic plants rely on their hosts for part or all of their nutritional needs. The exact level of host dependence varies among parasitic species that are accordingly classified as either hemiparasites that perform at least some photosynthesis in part of their life cycle or holoparasites. This distinction has important implications for the physiological function of the haustorium, which has the capacity to absorb nutrients from the host. This chapter focuses on the key physiological aspects of parasite–host association: the types of materials that are translocated from host to parasite and back, the mechanisms of nutrient transfer, selectivity in extracting specific nutrients, induced changes in the host that increase the flow of nutrients and parasite utilization of acquired material. The physiological processes that are associated with the mature haustorium, the transfer of materials and the relevant metabolic capacity needed to integrate with overall parasite metabolism are discussed.
Relationships Among Cortical Thickness, Reading Skill, and Print Exposure in Adults

This study investigated relationships among cortical thickness in the left-hemisphere reading network, and reading skill and experience in adult nonimpaired readers. Given the relationship between print exposure and reading, it is possible that print exposure is related to cortical structure. The pattern of correlations indicated that individuals with higher print exposure had better reading skills and thicker cortices. Furthermore, print exposure accounted for unique variance in cortical thickness in part of the left-hemisphere reading network after accounting for reading skill. This suggests that some of the variation in cortical thickness in adults might be attributable to reading experience, independently of reading skill.
IRF-4,8 orchestrate the pre-B-to-B transition in lymphocyte development

B-lymphocyte development involves sequential DNA rearrangements of immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy (μ) and light (κ, λ) chain loci and is dependent on transient expression of μ containing pre-antigen receptor complexes (pre-BCR). To date, genetic analysis has not identified transcription factors that coordinate the pre-B-to-B transition. We demonstrate that the related interferon regulatory factors IRF-4 (Pip) and IRF-8 (ICSBP) are required for Ig light but not heavy-chain gene rearrangement. In the absence of these transcription factors, B-cell development is arrested at the cycling pre-B-cell stage and the mutant cells fail to down-regulate the pre-BCR. On the basis of molecular analysis, we propose that IRF-4,8 function as a genetic switch to down-regulate surrogate light-chain gene expression and induce conventional light-chain gene transcription and rearrangement.
ApoA-I Mimetics: Tomatoes to the Rescue

In this issue of the Journal of Lipid Research, Chattopadhyay and colleagues (1) describe a novel mode of delivery of a bioactive apoA-I mimetic expressed as a transgene in tomato plants. This is one of the first, if not THE first, example of the oral delivery of an anti-inflammatory peptide and could be regarded as an encouraging prototype of a method for the delivery of a variety of peptide agents for pharmacologic benefit. These statements may seem reasonably straightforward, but reaching this potential beneficial goal required a great deal of earlier work.
One-way functions are essential for non-trivial zero-knowledge

If one-way functions exist, then there are zero-knowledge proofs for every language in PSPACE. The authors prove that unless very weak one-way functions exist, zero-knowledge proofs can be given only for languages in BPP. For average-case definitions of BPP they prove an analogous result under the assumption that uniform one-way functions do not exist. Thus, very loosely speaking, zero-knowledge is either useless (exists only for 'easy' languages), or universal (exists for every provable language). >
Theodore of Mopsuestia on the Exorcism of the Cilicium

The mystagogical catecheses of Theodore of Mopsuestia which were published for the first time in the year 1933 by Mingana have enriched our knowledge of the Eastern Liturgy in an unexpected way. Investigations have been made concerning the Eucharistic service which he describes. The rite of Baptism which he presents is of no less importance, as we find the more we study its details.
Habitats of Dionaea muscipula (Venus' Fly Trap), Droseraceae, Associated with Carolina Bays

Dionaea muscipula (Venus' fly trap) is endemic to a restricted area of the Carolina's Coastal Plain, including southeastern North Carolina and northeast- ern South Carolina. Our understanding of Venus' fly trap habitats is based largely on a single published study focused on plants associated with pocosins in North Carolina. Little is known about Venus' fly trap habitats or microhabitats in other parts of the endemic range. This paper presents data on Venus' fly traps at Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve, SC, an area where the species occurs at the ecotone between Carolina bays and adjacent plant communities. Complex microtopography including hummocks, hollows, and Sphagnum carpets, was common at this eco- tone. Venus' fly trap seedlings were overrepresented in hollows; adult plants were overrepresented on Sphagnum. No vascular plant species were consistently associ- ated with Venus' fly traps growing at the ecotone. However, areas downslope, relatively closer to bays, and areas upslope, relatively farther from bays, were associated with indicator species, presumably reflecting an underlying moisture gradient. Areas with Venus' fly traps were characterized by relatively high plant diversity, high Sphagnum cover, low total vascular plant cover, and soil distur- bance associated with old vehicle tracks. Small, persistent openings in the shrub layer and soil disturbances that facilitate Sphagnum colonization may be important for maintaining populations of Venus' fly traps at the ecotone between Carolina bays and adjacent plant communities.
A Mouse Primary Hepatocyte Culture Model for Studies of Circadian Oscillation

Circadian rhythms regulate many aspects of behavior and physiological processes, and, through external signals, help an organism entrain to its environment. These rhythms are driven by circadian clocks in many cells and tissues within our bodies, and are synchronized by a central pacemaker in the brain, the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Peripheral oscillators include the liver, whose circadian clock controls persistent daily rhythms in gene expression and in liver-specific functions such as metabolic homeostasis and drug metabolism. Chronic circadian clock disruption, as in rotating shiftwork, has been linked to disorders including obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The mouse primary hepatocyte culture model allows the examination of circadian rhythms in these cells. This article describes a transgenic mouse model that uses a bioluminescent reporter to examine the circadian properties of a core clock gene Period2. Hepatocytes are isolated using a modified collagenase perfusion technique and cultured in a sandwich configuration, then sealed in a buffered medium containing luciferin for detection of whole-culture or single-cell bioluminescence. After synchronization by a medium change, cultures demonstrate coherent circadian period and phase measures of bioluminescence from the PERIOD2::LUCIFERASE reporter.
Effect of intrahypothalamic insulin on sympathetic nervous function in rats drinking a high-sucrose solution

Hyperinsulinemia has been associated with increased sympathetic nervous activity. However, direct injection of insulin into the hypothalamus of anesthetized rats produces sympatho-inhibition. This discrepancy could be due to confounding effects of anesthesia or insulin resistance on central neural function. The effect of injecting saline or insulin (3.0 or 30 mU) into the ventromedial hypothalamus on mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and renal nerve activity (RNA) was investigated in conscious rats and in rats anesthetized with urethan or pentobarbital. Insulin decreased RNA in conscious rats but had no effect in pentobarbital-anesthetized rats. In urethan-anesthetized rats with hyperglycemia, the insulin increased RNA. Drinking a 10% sucrose solution enhanced the sympathoexcitatory effect of insulin in the urethan-anesthetized rats but had no effect in the other two groups. The sucrose solution did not affect insulin sensitivity in any group; however, urethan anesthesia did produce insulin resistance. These data show that central effects of insulin are sensitive to anesthesia and do not support a sympathoexcitatory role for insulin in the ventromedial hypothalamus of conscious rats, at least in relation to the renal sympathetic nerves.
Super-resolution 3D tomography of interactions and competition in the nuclear pore complex

A selective barrier formed by intrinsically disordered Phe-Gly (FG) nucleoporins (Nups) allows transport receptor (TR)-facilitated translocation of signal-dependent cargos through the nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) of eukaryotic cells. However, the configuration of the FG-Nup barrier and its interactions with multiple TRs in native NPCs remain obscure. Here, we mapped the interaction sites of various TRs or FG segments within the FG-Nup barrier by using high-speed super-resolution microscopy and used these sites to reconstruct the three-dimensional tomography of the native barrier in the NPC. We found that each TR possesses a unique interaction zone within the FG-Nup barrier and that two major TRs, importin β1 and Crm1, outcompete other TRs in binding FG Nups. Moreover, TRs may alter the tomography of the FG-Nup barrier and affect one another's pathways under circumstances of heavy competition.
Two new families of Glomales, Archaeosporaceae and Paraglomaceae, with two new genera Archaeospora and Paraglomus, based on concordant molecular and morphological characters

Two ancestral clades of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal species were discovered from deeply divergent ribosomal DNA sequences. They are classified here as two new families Archaeosporaceae and Paragl...
Comparative toxicities of seven insecticides to house flies (Diptera: Muscidae) and Urolepis rufipes (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae).

The toxicity of seven insecticides used for control of muscoid fly pests on dairies was evaluated against house fly, Musca domestica (L.). and its important biological control agent. Urolepis rufipes (Ashmead). The toxicity to U. rufipes (based on LC50’s) decreased in the order of dimethoate > permethrin > tetrachlorvinphos > fenvalerate > Pyrenone (pyrethrins + piperonyl butoxide) and dichlorvos > crotoxyphos. Male U. rufipes were 1.3 to 2.8 times more sensitive than females. This difference between the sexes appeared to be because of the smaller size (1.7 fold) of the males. The toxicity (µg/vial) of the seven insecticides to U. rufipes versus M. domestica revealed that fenvalerate and crotoxyphos were more toxic to M. domestica , dichlorvos and Pyrenone were more toxic to U. rufipes , and permethrin. tetrachlorvinphos, and dimethoate were equally toxic to both species. The significance of these findings to successful control of fly pests on dairies is discussed.
Side Chain Engineering in Solution-Processable Conjugated Polymers

Side chains in conjugated polymers have been primarily utilized as solubilizing groups. However, these side chains have roles that are far beyond. We advocate using side chain engineering to tune a polymer’s physical properties, including absorption, emission, energy level, molecular packing, and charge transport. To date, numerous flexible substituents suitable for constructing side chains have been reported. In this Perspective article, we advocate that the side chain engineering approach can advance better designs for next-generation conjugated polymers.
Improving Bit Flip Reduction for Biased and Random Data

Nonvolatile memory technologies such as Spin-Transfer Torque Random Access Memory (STT-RAM) and Phase Change Memory (PCM) are emerging as promising replacements to DRAM. Before deploying STT-RAM and PCM into functional systems, a number of challenges still remain must be addressed. Specifically, both require relatively high write energy, STT-RAM suffers from high bit error rates and PCM suffers from low endurance. A common solution to overcome those challenges is to minimize the number of bits changed per write. In this paper, we propose and evaluate the hybrid coset encoder to efficiently improve and balance the bit flip reduction for biased and unbiased data. The main core of the coset encoder consists of biased and unbiased vectors which maps the data input to a larger set of data vectors. Subsequently, the intermediate data vector that yields the least number of differences when compared to the currently stored data is selected. Our evaluation shows that hybrid coset encoder reduces bit flips by up to 25 percent over a baseline differential writing scheme. Further, our proposed scheme reduces bit flips by up to 20 percent over the leading bit-flip minimization scheme for biased data, while achieving very low decoding overhead similar to the Flip-N-Write scheme.
Differences in Tolerance of Broccoli and Cabbage Cultivars to Clomazone Herbicide

ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. cole crops, Brassica oleracea, herbicide tolerance, weed management SUMMARY. Clomazone herbicide is registered for cabbage (Brassica oleracea Capitata group) in the United States but not for other crop groups within the species. Greenhouse and field experiments were designed to compare the tolerance of broccoli (B. oleracea Italica group) and cabbage cultivars to clomazone to assess its potential for weed management in broccoli. Four broccoli cultivars (Captain, Green Magic, Legacy, and Patron) and four cabbage cultivars (Bravo, SC 100, Stone Head, and Vantage Point) were evaluated in all experiments. In a greenhouse experiment where seedlings were transplanted into potting medium containing clomazone at 0, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 parts per million (ppm), ‘Bravo’ cabbage was most susceptible. Its injury ratings and shoot weight reduction at 1.0 ppm were similar to ratings and shoot weight reduction for the other cabbage cultivars at 4.0 ppm. Among the broccoli cultivars, Patron was highly susceptible, exhibiting injury and shoot weight reduction similar to Bravo. Green Magic was the most tolerant broccoli cultivar, and it exhibited injury and growth reduction similar to the tolerant cabbage cultivars. In a field experiment where clomazone was applied pretransplanting at 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 lb/acre, 0.25 lb/acre caused moderate chlorosis to the susceptible cultivars, Bravo and Patron. At 0.50 and 1.0 lb/acre, most cultivars exhibited chlorosis at 2 weeks after transplanting (WAT); however, tolerant cultivars recovered and injury was often not observed at 6 WAT. At 1.0 lb/acre, chlorosis persisted until maturity on ‘Bravo’ and ‘Patron’ foliage. Clomazone did not reduce mean broccoli head weight or the percentage of plants producing market-size heads. Mean cabbage head weight for ‘Bravo’ was reduced by clomazone at 1.0 lb/acre. This study indicates that the variability in clomazone tolerance among broccoli cultivars may be similar to that among cabbage cultivars and suggests that the herbicide can be used safely on tolerant broccoli cultivars at rates that are recommended for cabbage.
Influence of Discussion Incivility on Deliberation An Examination of the Mediating Role of Moral Indignation

Isolating causal relationships is very difficult in natural discussion because discussion is, by nature, a causally complex interactive process. This study provides a novel approach to this problem by using simulated online discussion to experimentally manipulate message characteristics in a timed script that participants believed to be a discussion with other participants. In particular, we manipulated whether simulated online discussion partners expressed disagreement civilly or uncivilly. With this unique design, we examined how individuals differently react to opposing views in an online discussion setting depending on tone of disagreement expression. Our results showed that exposure to uncivil discussion results in increased negative emotions toward the other side, which in turn led to more closed-mindedness and more expression of disagreement with the discussion partner on the other side of the issue, although uncivil discussion and negative emotions are positively related to recall of the other sid...
Here Comes the Englishman

Wuttununohkomkooh knew of God long before the English settled on Noepe. For years, she and her husband, Pammehannit, had unsuccessfully tried to build a family, thrice conceiving and pouring their hopes into the promise of a forthcoming child, only to lose each infant within days of delivery. The would-be mother turned to Indian shamans and doctors for help, but their medicine was of no use; two more births ended just like the ones before. Wuttununohkomkooh's sixth pregnancy in 1638, then, was not a time of joy and anticipation but of overwhelming anxiety. Filled one day with a sense of impending doom, Wuttununohkomkooh went to a solitary field where she could grieve unrestrained. But as she bewailed her former losses and cringed at the prospect of another, an invisible herald brought her news that his master, the source of all life, was willing to spare her forthcoming babe if she petitioned him for mercy. The expectant mother took this message seriously and carefully followed the instructions. Some time later she bore a son, and within a few weeks it was clear that Wuttununohkomkooh's and Pammehannit's years of suffering were over; this child would live. Overjoyed, Wuttununohkomkooh dedicated the newborn, later known as Japheth Hannit, to serve the deity that had lifted the curse on her family.
The Organization of Prosecutorial Discretion

Discussion of prosecution reform is haunted by anachronistic conceptions of judgment and organization. These conceptions see professional judgment as inherently individual and ineffable and professional organization as inherently informal and opaque. The appeal of these conceptions is due in part to the assumption that the only alternative to the judgment and organization they prescribe is bureaucracy. In fact, post-bureaucratic forms of organization have become dominant in recent decades in several professions. They key elements of postbureaucratic organization are presumptive rules, root cause analysis, peer review, and performance measurement. Each of these elements can be found in recent reforms in prosecution, but the field, like the legal profession generally, lags other occupations. Although post-bureaucratic reforms are sometimes resisted as inconsistent with democracy, they are better understood as democracy-reinforcing.
Rcor1 Deficiency Disrupts Myeloerythroid Lineage Differentiation and Causes Severe Myelodysplasia

Previously, we showed that the co-repressor CoREST (Rcor1) is essential for the maturation of definitive erythroid cells in the mouse fetal liver. To elucidate Rcor1’s function in multilineage hematopoiesis in the adult, we conditionally deleted Rcor1 using Mx1-Cre . The loss of Rcor1 expression in hematopoietic cells led to the rapid onset of a severe anemia due to a complete block of erythropoiesis downstream of committed erythroid progenitors. By contrast, the production of megakaryocyte progenitors, megakaryocyte maturation and platelets were maintained. In the myelomonocytic lineages, although neutrophil differentiation was completely abrogated, the number of monocytic cells was significantly increased, resulting in a peripheral blood leukocytosis and monocytic infiltrations in the liver. Rcor1-deficient monocytes showed a 66% reduction in apoptosis and possessed ~100-fold more CFU-M activity than control cells. The CFU-M derived from Rcor1 deficient bone marrow could be serially replated up to 5 times; however, replating activity was entirely cytokine dependent. Defective myelomonocytic differentiation persisted following transplantation into wild type hosts for up to 12 months but did not progress to leukemia. To begin to understand at the molecular level how Rcor1 regulates monocyte expansion, we evaluated the expression levels of genes whose ectopic expression is associated with myeloid neoplasia. In Rcor1-deficient monocytes, Gata2 , Meis1 and Hoxa9 were overexpressed by 8- to 200-fold. Taken together, these data demonstrate that Rcor1 is essential for both erythroid and myelomonocytic differentiation and that its loss of function causes significant myelodysplasia. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
A study of agnostic hyper-heuristics based on sampling solution chains

In this paper, we study a simple hyper-heuristic that functions by sampling solution chains. A solution chain in this algorithm is formed by successively applying a randomly chosen heuristic to the previous solution to generate the next solution. Operating in this way, the algorithm can benefit from the accumulated effect of applying multiple heuristics. A key factor in this algorithm is the strategy for choosing the sampling length. We discuss a balanced strategy in a setting that contains two agnostic assumptions: First, we do not have detailed knowledge about the problem domain being solved except that we have access to the objective function and a set of predefined heuristics. Secondly, we have no information about the amount of time allocated for running our algorithm. We present a theoretical guarantee on using this strategy to choose the sampling lengths and derive some variants based on this strategy. Empirical results also confirm that these strategies deliver desired behavior. Finally, we briefly discuss the extension of incorporating a learning mechanism into the algorithm.
Analgesic-Related Medication Errors Reported to US Poison Control Centers.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the characteristics and trends of medication errors involving analgesic medications. DESIGN AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted of analgesic-related medication errors reported to the National Poison Data System (NPDS) from 2000 through 2012. RESULTS: From 2000 through 2012, the NPDS received 533,763 reports of analgesic-related medication errors, averaging 41,059 medication errors annually. Overall, the rate of analgesic-related medication errors reported to the NPDS increased significantly by 82.6% from 2000 to 2009, followed by a 5.7% nonsignificant decrease from 2009 to 2012. Among the analgesic categories, rates of both acetaminophen-related and opioid-related medication errors reported to the NPDS increased during 2000-2009, but the opioid error rate leveled off during 2009-2012, while the acetaminophen error rate decreased by 17.9%. Analgesic-related medication errors involved nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (37.0%), acetaminophen (35.5%), and opioids (23.2%). Children five years or younger accounted for 38.8% of analgesics-related medication errors. Most (90.2%) analgesic-related medication errors were managed on-site, rather than at a health care facility; 1.6% were admitted to a hospital, and 1.5% experienced serious medical outcomes, including 145 deaths. The most common type of medication error was inadvertently taking/given the medication twice (26.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Analgesic-related medication errors are common, and although most do not result in clinical consequences, they can have serious adverse outcomes. Initiatives associated with the decrease in acetaminophen-related medication errors among young children merit additional research and potential replication as a model combining government policy and multisectoral collaboration. Language: en
Phenotypic and Functional Characteristics of Human Schwann Cells as Revealed by Cell-Based Assays and RNA-SEQ

This study comprehensively addresses the phenotype, function, and whole transcriptome of primary human and rodent Schwann cells (SCs) and highlights key species-specific features beyond the expected donor variability that account for the differential ability of human SCs to proliferate, differentiate, and interact with axons in vitro. Contrary to rat SCs, human SCs were insensitive to mitogenic factors other than neuregulin and presented phenotypic variants at various stages of differentiation, along with a mixture of proliferating and senescent cells, under optimal growth-promoting conditions. The responses of human SCs to cAMP-induced differentiation featured morphological changes and cell cycle exit without a concomitant increase in myelin-related proteins and lipids. Human SCs efficiently extended processes along those of other SCs (human or rat) but failed to do so when placed in co-culture with sensory neurons under conditions supportive of myelination. Indeed, axon contact-dependent human SC alignment, proliferation, and differentiation were not observed and could not be overcome by growth factor supplementation. Strikingly, RNA-seq data revealed that ~ 44 of the transcriptome contained differentially expressed genes in human and rat SCs. A bioinformatics approach further highlighted that representative SC-specific transcripts encoding myelin-related and axon growth-promoting proteins were significantly affected and that a deficient expression of key transducers of cAMP and adhesion signaling explained the fairly limited potential of human SCs to differentiate and respond to axonal cues. These results confirmed the significance of combining traditional bioassays and high-resolution genomics methods to characterize human SCs and identify genes predictive of cell function and therapeutic value.
Face and content validity of variables associated with the difficult-to-sedate child in the paediatric intensive care unit: A survey of paediatric critical care clinicians.

Abstract Background Clinicians recognise that some critically ill children are difficult-to-sedate. It may be possible to identify this clinical phenotype for sedation response using statistical modelling techniques adopted from machine learning. This requires identification of a finite number of variables to include in the statistical model. Objective To establish face and content validity for 17 candidate variables identified in the international literature as characteristic of the difficult-to-sedate child phenotype. Methods Paediatric critical care clinicians rated the relevance of 17 variables characterising the difficult-to-sedate child using a four-point scale ranging from not (1) to highly relevant (4). Face and content validity of these variables were assessed by calculating a mean score for each item and computing an item-level content validity index. Items with a mean score >1 were rated as having adequate face validity. An item-level content validity index ≥0.70 indicated good to excellent content validity. Setting and participants Web-based survey emailed to members of the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury and Sepsis Investigators Network or the Society of Critical Care Medicine Pediatric Sedation Study Group. Results Of 411 possible respondents, 121 useable surveys were returned for a response rate of 29%. All items had a mean score >1, indicating adequate face validity. Ten of 17 items scored an item-level content validity index ≥0.70. The highest scoring items were requiring three or more sedation classes simultaneously, daily modal sedation score indicating agitation, sedation score indicating agitation for 2 consecutive hours, receiving sedatives at a dose >90th percentile of the usual starting dose, and receiving intermittent paralytic doses for sedation. Conclusions Computation of an item-level content validity index validated variables to include in statistical modelling of the difficult-to-sedate phenotype. The results indicate consensus among paediatric critical care clinicians that the majority of candidate variables identified through literature review are characteristic of the difficult-to-sedate child.
Evaluating genomic signatures of “the large X‐effect” during complex speciation

The ubiquity of the “two rules of speciation”— Haldane’s rule and the large X-effect— imply a general, special role for sex chromosomes in the evolution of intrinsic postzygotic reproductive isolation. The recent proliferation of genome-scale analyses has revealed two further general observations: (1) complex speciation involving some form of gene flow is not uncommon; and (2) sex chromosomes in male- and in female-heterogametic taxa tend to show elevated differentiation relative to autosomes. Together these observations are consistent with speciation histories in which population genetic differentiation at autosomal loci is reduced by gene flow while natural selection against hybrid incompatibilities renders sex chromosomes relatively refractory to gene flow. Here I summarize multi-locus population genetic and population genomic evidence for greater differentiation on the X (or Z) versus the autosomes and consider the possible causes. I review common population genetic circumstances involving no selection and/or no interspecific gene flow that are nevertheless expected to elevate differentiation on sex chromosomes relative to autosomes. I then review theory for why large X-effects exist for hybrid incompatibilities and, more generally, for loci mediating local adaptation. The observed levels of sex chromosome versus autosomal differentiation, in many cases, appear consistent with simple explanations requiring neither large X-effects nor gene flow. Discerning signatures of large X-effects during complex speciation will therefore require analyses that go beyond chromosome-scale summaries of population genetic differentiation, explicitly test for differential introgression, and/or integrate experimental genetic data.
Patient Evaluation and Preparation

The field of interventional radiology has evolved over the past 30 years into a well-established medical subspecialty. Increasingly, referring physicians rely on the imaging knowledge and technical expertise of the interventional radiologist to help guide and assist in patient management. As a result, it has become increasingly important for the interventional radiologist to have a fundamental knowledge about pharmacology, general anesthesia, and clinical management. This chapter presents essential elements that help establish a solid foundation for patient management and preparation for interventional radiological procedures.
Lower Extremity Amputations

Lower extremity amputations represent the end stage of atherosclerotic disease as well as diabetic pathology. The vascular surgeon must be familiar with all aspects of lower extremity amputations including indications, the technical aspects of the procedure, as well as the expected outcomes. This chapter will focus on patient selection, various amputation techniques, complications, as well as prognostic factors for successful outcomes of the amputation procedure.
Innovation in Integrated Electronics and Related Technologies: Experiences with Industrial-Sponsored Large-Scale Multidisciplinary Programs and Single Investigator Programs in a Research University

Abstract: University research innovations in integrated electronics are presented with a focus on the impact of industry support. University knowledge-based innovations are divided into discontinuous (or radical) and continuous (or incremental), with the relative contributions affected by program funding guidelines, program review methodology, industrial mentoring, and in-house industrial research and development in such a rapidly evolving industry. The impact of the Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) initiated in 1981, SEMATECH initiated in 1988 and the Microelectronics Advanced Research Corporation (MARCO) initiated in 1998 is highlighted.
The Ethics of Accepting a Bribe: A Comparative Study of Opinion in the USA, Canada and Mexico

This study compares the views on bribe taking of sample populations in the USA, Canada and Mexico. More than a dozen demographic variables are also examined to determine whether differences exist between or among subgroups. The survey found that most demographic variables showed significant differences in mean scores. Data used for the surveys came from the World Values surveys.
Baseline Attitudes and Impacts of Informal Science Education Lectures on Content Knowledge and Value of Science Among Incarcerated Populations

Many public audiences lack access to traditional science education. We examined baseline perceptions and the impacts of science lectures on incarcerated adults in two correctional institutions. Alt...
Central and peripheral pulse wave velocity and subclinical myocardial stress and damage in older adults

Background Arterial stiffness independently predicts cardiovascular disease. However, few studies have evaluated the associations of central and peripheral pulse wave velocity (PWV) with biomarkers of both myocardial stress (natriuretic peptide [NT-proBNP]) and damage (high-sensitivity cardiac troponin-T [hs-cTnT]) among persons without cardiac disease. Methods We examined 3,348 participants (67–90 years) without prevalent cardiac disease in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study (2011–13). The cross-sectional associations of PWV quartiles for central arterial segments (carotid-femoral, heart-carotid, heart-femoral) and peripheral artery (femoral-ankle) with NT-proBNP and hs-cTnT were evaluated accounting for potential confounders. Results Most PWV measures demonstrated J- or U-shaped associations with the two cardiac biomarkers. The highest (Q4) vs. second lowest (Q2) quartile of central PWV measures (carotid-femoral, heart-carotid, heart-femoral PWV) were associated with higher levels of NT-proBNP independently of demographic characteristics. The associations were less evident for hs-cTnT. These associations were attenuated after adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors, but the heart-carotid PWV-NT-proBNP relationship remained borderline significant (difference in log-NT-proBNP = 0.08 [-0.01, 0.17] in Q4 vs. Q2, p = 0.07). Peripheral PWV demonstrated inverse associations. Higher values of NT-proBNP were seen in the lowest vs. second lowest quartile of all PWV measures. Conclusions Central stiffness measures showed stronger associations with cardiac biomarkers (particularly NT-proBNP) than peripheral measures among older adults without cardiac disease. Our findings are consistent with the concept of ventricular-vascular coupling and suggest that central rather than peripheral arterial hemodynamics are more closely related to myocardial stress rather than damage.
Adaptive sports and recreation technology

Play and leisure activities are much more interest driven than other human occupations. They are chosen for the excitement, challenge, enjoyment, or feeling of competence that they provide. The more our life is filled with things that interest us, the higher will be our satisfaction with the quality of life (Kielhofner, 1985).
Laxative Use Does Not Preclude Diagnosis or Reduce Disease Severity in Clostridiodes difficile Infection.

BACKGROUND To optimize utility of laboratory testing for Clostridiodes difficile infection (CDI), the 2017 Infectious Diseases Society of America-Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (IDSA-SHEA) clinical practice guidelines recommend excluding patients from stool testing for C. difficile if they have received laxatives within the preceding 48 hours. Sparse data support this recommendation. METHODS Patients with new-onset diarrhea (≥3 bowel movements in any 24-hour period in the 48 hours before stool collection) and a positive stool C. difficile nucleic acid amplification test were enrolled. Laxative use within 48 hours before stool testing, severity of illness (defined by 4 distinct scoring methods), and clinical outcomes were recorded. RESULTS 209 patients with CDI were studied, 65 of whom had received laxatives. There were no significant differences in the proportion of patients meeting severe CDI criteria by 4 severity scoring methods in patients receiving versus not receiving laxatives (66.2% vs 56.3%, respectively; P = .224) by IDSA-SHEA, the primary scoring system. Similar rates of serious outcomes attributable to CDI, including death, intensive care unit admission, and colectomy, were observed in the laxative and no laxative groups. CONCLUSIONS Our study found similar rates of severe CDI and serious CDI-attributable clinical outcomes in CDI-diagnosed patients who did or did not receive laxatives. Precluding recent laxative users from CDI testing, as proposed by the IDSA-SHEA guideline, carries a potential for harm due to delayed diagnosis and treatment.
Transfer of MicroRNAs From Epididymal Epithelium to Equine Spermatozoa

All epididymal regions are lined with multiple epithelial cell types, each with different functions to provide the luminal environment for spermatozoal maturation. Epithelial cells also create apical blebs, which are released from the apical surface via apocrine secretion and disintegrate in the lumen, thereby releasing epididymosomes. Epididymosomes transport proteins to spermatozoa and contain microRNAs. We hypothesized that epididymosomes also transfer miRNA from epididymal epithelium to spermatozoa. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to determine miRNA profiles of epididymal tissue from caput and cauda, epididymal spermatozoa from caput and cauda, and epididymosomes and from caput, proximal corpus, distal corpus, and cauda. Pathway analysis was performed using DIANA tools on the miRNA unique to caudal spermatozoa. We found 66 newly acquired miRNAs in spermatozoa located in the caudal epididymis. Predicted pathways targeted by these miRNAs suggest a role in cell motility and viability and factors in oocyte and embryo maturation and development. These findings suggest that miRNAs are transported to spermatozoa from epididymal epithelium via epididymosomes.
PARTICIPATION AND SOCIAL CONNECTIONS IN A RECREATIONAL SENIOR SOFTBALL LEAGUE

Senior only communities have long been an option for adults over a certain age. A variety of activities and clubs are often available to residents of these communities. The purpose of this research project was to understand the lived experience of recreational softball players regarding players decision to play senior softball and to determine what social opportunities were associated with recreational senior softball leagues. A phenomenological research study was constructed to seek further inquiry into two research questions associated with this project. Participants were members of a senior living community and members of a recreational senior softball league. Convenience and snowball sampling techniques were utilized, and 25 interviews were conducted. The interview transcripts were analyzed for phenomenological themes by the research team. The researchers used Van Manen’s (1990) hermeneutical approach to analyze data. Trustworthiness was established by the use of a peer reviewer to assess the themes for accuracy. Themes associated with the first research question indicate that interviewees participated in softball for a variety of reasons, including having played softball as a younger adult, wanting to maintain a level of physical fitness, and for the social connections that participation in a softball league provided. Themes associated with the second research question found that participants enjoyed many social benefits from playing softball, including informal and formal social opportunities. In conclusion, the willingness and opportunity to play senior softball provided older adults the ability to maintain a certain level of physical activity and to engage in meaningful social interactions.
Low tension gas flooding for secondary oil recovery in low-permeability, high-salinity reservoirs

Abstract Low Tension Gas (LTG) flooding has been established as a successful tertiary oil recovery method for low-permeability carbonate reservoirs with high salinity and hard formation brine (~200,000 ppm and hardness 19,000 ppm). LTG flooding recovers oil using two integral mechanisms: ultra-low interfacial tension (IFT) between oil and water, and mobility control using in-situ foam generated by injected gas. In the present work, the scope of applicability of LTG flooding has been extended to secondary oil recovery under the same reservoir conditions. Secondary recovery using LTG flooding has been compared to conventional secondary recovery methods such as waterflooding. Oil recovery was observed to increase by 16% OOIP (Original Oil in Place) as compared to waterflooding, even in case of micellar flooding without gas. On introducing mobility control during LTG flooding in the form of injected gas, the secondary oil recovery was observed to increase steadily up to 81% OOIP. Co-injecting gas and surfactant also exhibited lower pressure drop than waterflood, thus underlining the importance and efficiency of mobility control using foam in secondary recovery. Gas injection strategy was improved in terms of injected foam quality and onset of gas injection. When gas was injected only during drive, ultimate oil recovery was reduced to 70% OOIP. Chemical injection strategy was also modified to test the impact of different in-situ salinity profiles on oil recovery.
In case of recurrent wheezing and bronchiolitis: Think again, it may be a primary immunodeficiency.

Background Wheezing, starting early in life, is a heterogeneous medical condition caused by airway obstruction due to different underlying mechanisms. Primary immunodeficiencies are also among the risk factors that cause wheezing and recurrent bronchiolitis. ADA deficiency is a primary immunodeficiency, also a rare metabolic disease associated with multisystemic clinical findings. Objective This report will be helpful for adressing the importance of thinking primary immunodeficiency in case of wheezing and recurret bronchiolitis. Methods The patient was diagnosed by using a targeted next generation sequencing PID panel. Lymphocyte subsets were measured by flow-cytometry. Results Here we present an infant with ADA deficiency who admitted with wheezing and recurrent bronchiolitis as the first presentation. He was found to have wheezing, relative CD4+ T cell deficiency, and prolonged neutropenia. Conclusion Primary immunodeficiencies including ADA deficiency should be considered in infants with wheezing, recurrent bronchiolitis, lymphopenia and neutropenia.
The Implications of the Cultural Values of Individualism and Collectivism in the Formation of the Psychological Contract and Employee Commitment

We examine here employee commitment to the organization as an outcome variable of the psychological contract, generally defined as the employee’s perception of what will be received from the employer in exchange for work. As a context for the formation of the psychological contract, cultural values of individualism and collectivism are considered as antecedents in a proposed research model. The study is conceptual in nature, however, propositions related to the effect of individualism and collectivism on the type of psychological contract formed, transactional or relational, and the subsequent component of commitment realized, affective, continuance, or normative, are offered.
Democratic Norms of Earth System Governance: Deliberative Politics in the Anthropocene

Deliberative democracy is well-suited to the challenges of governing in the Anthropocene. But deliberative democratic practices are only suited to these challenges to the extent that five prerequisites - empoweredness, embeddedness, experimentality, equivocality, and equitableness - are successfully institutionalized. Governance must be: created by those it addresses, applicable equally to all, capable of learning from (and adapting to) experience, rationally grounded, and internalized by those who adopt and experience it. This book analyzes these five major normative principles, pairing each with one of the Earth System Governance Project's analytical problems to provide an in-depth discussion of the minimal conditions for environmental governance that can be truly sustainable. It is ideal for scholars and graduate students in global environmental politics, earth system governance, and international environmental policy. This is one of a series of publications associated with the Earth System Governance Project. For more publications, see www.cambridge.org/earth-system-governance.
Automatic Detection and Prediction of Cybersickness Severity using Deep Neural Networks from user’s Physiological Signals

Cybersickness is one of the primary challenges to the usability and acceptability of virtual reality (VR). Cybersickness can cause motion sickness-like discomforts, including disorientation, headache, nausea, and fatigue, both during and after the VR immersion. Prior research suggested a significant correlation between physiological signals and cybersickness severity, as measured by the simulator sickness questionnaire (SSQ). However, SSQ may not be suitable for automatic detection of cybersickness severity during immersion, as it is usually reported before and after the immersion. In this study, we introduced an automated approach for the detection and prediction of cybersickness severity from the user’s physiological signals. We collected heart rate, breathing rate, heart rate variability, and galvanic skin response data from 31 healthy participants while immersed in a VR roller coaster simulation. We found a significant difference in the participants’ physiological signals during their cybersickness state compared to their resting baseline. We compared a support vector machine classifier and three deep neural classifiers for cybersickness severity detection and prediction in two minutes’ future, given the previous two minutes of physiological signals. Our proposed simplified convolutional long short-term memory classifier achieved an accuracy of 97.44% for detecting current cybersickness severity and 87.38% for predicting future cybersickness severity from the physiological signals.
The Impact of Anthropomorphism on Consumers’ Purchase Decision in Chatbot Commerce

Numerous businesses have employed chatbots with a human-like speaking ability to assist customers with online shopping and customer service; however, it is uncertain whether or not these efforts wi...
Pathology of durable stable disease in melanoma patients treated with ipilimumab, nivolumab, or ipilimumab, and nivolumab combination therapy.

9567Background: As immunotherapy with checkpoint blockade becomes the backbone of melanoma treatment there is a need to better understand the biology associated with long term benefit. One particul...