cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Do plant traits predict the competitive abilities of closely related species

Invasive species are a threat to every ecosystem. There is a strong incentive to predict which species will become invasive before they become too widespread and unmanageable. Different approaches have been advocated to assess invasive species potential. These include examining plant functional traits, quantifying competitive ability and phylogenetic comparison. In this study, we conducted experiments based on the above approaches in a multi-year, temporally replicated, set of experiments to compare these assessment methods to determine the invasive potential of Japanese chaff flower (Achyranthes japonica). We compared plant traits and competitive ability of Japanese chaff flower with two agricultural invasive species, Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) and tall waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus), and one endangered plant species, bloodleaf (Iresine rhizomatosa), in the Amaranthaceae. Additionally, we assessed the invasive potential based on each of these approaches and determined the degree of agreement between them. A relatively conservative assessment integrating all three approaches would be that the competitive ability of closely related individuals with similar functional traits would share invasive potential. In a greenhouse experiment, each of the study species and soya beans were grown as monocultures and were evaluated to assess the drawdown of an aboveground (light) and a belowground (nitrogen) resource. In a field experiment, each study species was grown at varying densities per 15-cm-diameter pot with or without one or two soya bean plants, to simulate relative densities for soya beans grown in 38- and 76-cm-wide row spacing, respectively. In addition, Japanese chaff flower seedlings were planted either as un-manipulated seedlings or as a seedling cut back to the soil surface at the four-node stage (cut Japanese chaff flower) at which point seedlings have reached a perennial growth stage. The greenhouse experiment showed that each species drew down light differently, but not nitrogen. Shading decreased the aboveground biomass of the species in comparison with unshaded controls. Nitrogen, however, increased the aboveground biomass of Palmer amaranth and Japanese chaff flower. In the field experiment, a competitive effect ranking was determined to be: tall waterhemp ≥ Palmer amaranth = cut Japanese chaff flower ≥ uncut Japanese chaff flower ≥ bloodleaf, with the competitive response ranking being the inverse. These results suggest that under specific conditions, these closely related species do exhibit similar competitive abilities. Furthermore, the invasiveness and not the life history or habitat of these closely related species appeared to be the driving factor of competitiveness.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Modern Parenteral Nutrition: A Review of the Current Evidence

Intravenous lipid emulsions are an essential component of parenteral nutrition regimens. Originally employed as an efficient non-glucose energy source to reduce the adverse effects of high glucose intake and provide essential fatty acids, lipid emulsions have assumed a larger therapeutic role due to research demonstrating the effects of omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on key metabolic functions, including inflammatory and immune response, coagulation, and cell signaling. Indeed, emerging evidence suggests that the effects of omega-3 PUFA on inflammation and immune response result in meaningful therapeutic benefits in surgical, cancer, and critically ill patients as well as patients requiring long-term parenteral nutrition. The present review provides an overview of the mechanisms of action through which omega-3 and omega-6 PUFA modulate the immune-inflammatory response and summarizes the current body of evidence regarding the clinical and pharmacoeconomic benefits of intravenous n-3 fatty acid-containing lipid emulsions in patients requiring parenteral nutrition.
A Distributed, RESTful Data Service in the Cloud in a Federal Environment—A Cautionary Tale

The costs and benefits are compared of running a large-scale, 24/7 data service in the cloud versus in-house in the context of being a Federal governmental agency. Even if costs and benefits are equivalent, which in our experience they are not, government budget processes, restrictions on uses of funds, and contracting procedures can have a significant impact on possible benefits of cloud computing.
Sleep disturbances and nocturnal symptoms: relationships with quality of life in a population-based sample of women with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome.

Study Objectives:To characterize the nature and impact of sleep disturbances on quality of life (QOL) in women with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS).Methods:Participants were 3,...
System design of dual-mode fluorescence image guided surgical system

We will overview the current status of fluorescence image guided surgical systems and then focus on system design of dual-mode fluorescence image goggle system. We will also discuss prototype development, system evaluation, and experimental results.
Abstract 2902: Phosphorylation of 12 lipoxygenase at Tyrosines 19 and 614 regulates its activity during beta4 integrin signaling

12-Lipoxygenase (12-LOX) converts arachidonic acid to 12(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid 12(S)-HETE, an eicosanoid implicated in tumor angiogenesis, growth, and metastasis. We have demonstrated previously that 12-LOX interacts with integrin beta4 cytoplasmic domain by using yeast two hybrid system. Integrins are involved in metastasis by mediating attachment and migration of cells, as well as through transducing signals. Increased expression of 12-LOX and beta4 integrin have been documented in a number of carcinomas. The purpose of this study is to find out the mechanisms underlying the signaling pathways in 12-LOX mediated cancer progression. The phosphorylation of beta4 integrin, Src, and 12-LOX were analyzed using specific antibodies against phospho-tyrosine, phospho-beta4 integrin, Phospho-Src (pSrc). c-Src activity and association was determined in beta4 integrin immunoprecipitate. The HEK293 cells transiently transfected with wild type or dominant negative (DN) Src were used as in vitro models to study the regulation of 12-LOX activity. The 12-LOX product 12(S)-HETE was analyzed by using an analytical liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.12-LOX tyrosine phosphorylation sites mutants viz., 19, 295, and 614 were used to study the effect on its activity upon beta4 ligation. We show here that the cytoplasmic domain of beta4 integrin, can interact specifically with pSrc after beta4 integrin ligation in A431 cells. Herein we report that beta4 integrin ligation resulted in significant increase in 12(S)-HETE level in A431 cells, compared to that of unligated beta4 integrin. An increase in Src kinase activity was found in beta4 integrin ligation of A431 cells and inhibition of Src kinase by PP2 or DN Src significantly reduced 12(S)-HETE production. The ligation of beta4 integrin induces src activation, which resulted in tyrosine phosphorylation of 12-LOX. The residues that are important for 12-LOX activity and tyrosine phosphorylation were mapped to Y19 and Y614. We examined that 12-LOX mutants (Y19F and Y614F), showed 70% less enzymatic activity, compared to wild type 12-LOX. Furthermore, we showed that the 12-LOX activity modulated by these residues impacts migration in HUVEC cells. To our knowledge, this is the first report to show that Src kinase activity is required for beta4 integrin mediated regulation of 12-LOX, which may in turn regulate metastatic potential of cancer cells. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2902. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2902
Four-Rotor Aircraft' s Autonomous Navigation in Corridor Based on Vanish Point

Aiming at the phenomenon that the existed vanish point estimating methods are not suitable for the real engineering application,a new VQME algorithm to estimate vanish point was proposed. This algorithm was proved to be reasonable,robust and real-time and at last the feasibility was proved in engineering applications. At the same time aiming at the characteristic of four-rotor aircraft's under actuated and multi-coupled,a cascade multivariate RBF neural network PID adaptive control method was proposed too. With this adaptive control method and the stratagem of making the vanish point as the target,the autonomous navigation in corridor was implemented.
Domain Adaptation for Text Dependent Speaker Verification

Recently we have investigated the use of state-of-the-art textdependent speaker verification algorithms for user authentication and obtained satisfactory results mainly by using a fair amount of text-dependent development data from the target domain. In this work we investigate the ability to build high accuracy text-dependent systems using no data at all from the target domain. Instead of using target domain data, we use resources such as TIMIT, Switchboard, and NIST data. We introduce several techniques addressing both lexical mismatch and channel mismatch. These techniques include synthesizing a universal background model according to lexical content, automatic filtering of irrelevant phonetic content, exploiting information in residual supervectors (usually discarded in the i-vector framework), and inter dataset variability modeling. These techniques reduce verification error significantly, and also improve accuracy when target domain data is available.
On Orbit Calibration of Ocean Color Reflective Solar Bands

Abstract The on-orbit calibration program for ocean color sensors involves both methodologies of tracking the instrument radiometric response over time through solar and lunar observations and the vicarious calibration, or tuning, of the instrument calibration against in situ data sources. This chapter discusses calibration strategies that have been developed for heritage instruments (SeaWiFS, Terra MODIS, Aqua MODIS, MERIS) and are being applied to a new instrument (SNPP VIIRS).
Lights! Camera! Action Projects! Engaging Psychopharmacology Students in Service-based Action Projects Focusing on Student Alcohol Abuse.

Alcohol abuse continues to be an issue of major concern for the health and well-being of college students. Estimates are that over 80% of college students are involved in the campus "alcohol culture." Annually, close to 2000 students die in the United States due to alcohol-related accidents, with another 600,000 sustaining injury due to alcohol-related incidents (NIAAA, 2013). Students enrolled in a Psychopharmacology course engaged in action projects (community outreach) focused on alcohol abuse on our campus. Research has indicated that these types of projects can increase student engagement in course material and foster important skills, including working with peers and developing involvement in one's community. This paper describes the structure and requirements of five student outreach projects and the final projects designed by the students, summarizes the grading and assessment of the projects, and discusses the rewards and challenges of incorporating such projects into a course. Language: en
Carboniferous Fossil Plant Localities: In the Ouachita-Ozark Mountains Area of Arkansas

Arkansas plant fossils can be found on coal mine dumps and spoil piles as well as in road and stream cuts, which often expose the fossiliferous layers.
Higher Plasma Cell Burden Predicts for Early Death In Patients with AL Amyloidosis

Abstract 1893 Background: Recent data has shown that the level of immunoglobulin free light chain (FLC) is a prognostic factor for patients with AL amyloidosis. Approximately 25% of patients with AL amyloidosis have coexistent multiple myeloma (MM) with myeloma-related end-organ damage and patients may also present with 3 10% plasma cells (PC) in the bone marrow (BM) in the absence of any MM features. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of increased BM plasmacytosis in the absence of MM end-organ damage on early mortality. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of 263 consecutive patients with AL amyloidosis seen at Mayo Clinic within 30 days of diagnosis from July 2002 – April 2009, to compare the effect of PC burden among those who died within 90 days of diagnosis (n=88) and those who survived more than 90 days after diagnosis (n=175). Only those patients with documented BM PC were included in this study. MM end-organ damage was defined according to the CRAB criteria. Results: In those who died 3 10% BM PC were 57% and 55%, respectively. Overall survival (OS) was significantly shorter in the early mortality group when there was 3 10% BM PC present at diagnosis (25 vs. 54 days, p=0.006), but this was not observed in the group who survived beyond 90 days (Figure 1). In patients with 3 10% BM PC, troponin-T, ejection fraction (EF), and hemoglobin (Hgb) were significantly worse in the early mortality cohort but patients who survived beyond 90 days had significant increase in intraventricular septal (IVS) thickness and beta-2 microglobulin (Table 1). As expected, patients with 3 10% BM PC in both cohorts had significantly higher serum M-spike and involved FLC (Table). The same cohort of patients were analyzed substituting MM-related end-organ damage for 3 10% BM PC and similar results were observed with the exception of uric acid and calcium being significantly higher in the early mortality cohort with MM (results not shown). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that an excess of early—but not late—deaths occur in AL amyloidosis patients with 3 10% BM PC at diagnosis. In our cohort, this finding can be attributed to higher troponin-T levels, indicating more severe cardiac involvement as observed by worse cardiac function. These findings warrant additional investigation. Disclosures: Lacy: Celgene: Research Funding. Kumar: Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Millennium: Research Funding; Merck: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Genzyme: Consultancy, Research Funding; Cephalon: Research Funding. Dispenzieri: Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding; Binding Site: Honoraria.
Electrokinetically controlled fluid injection into unicellular microalgae.

Electrokinetically controlled microinjection is reported as an effective transport mechanism for microinjection into the wild-type strain of the widely studied model microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. A microinjection system using glass capillary pipettes was developed to capture and impale the motile cells. To apply an electric field and induce electrokinetic flow (e.g., electrophoresis and electroosmosis), an electrode was inserted directly into the solution inside the impaling injection pipette and another electrode was inserted into the external cell media. The viability of the impaled cells was confirmed for more than an hour under 0.01 V using the fluorescein diacetate/propidium iodide dual fluorescent dye based assay. The viability was also found to increase almost logarithmically with decreasing voltage and to depend strongly on the solution within the injection pipette. Successful electrokinetic microinjection into cells was confirmed by both an increase in cell volume under an applied voltage and electric field dependent delivery of fluorescent fluorescein molecules into an impaled cell. Our study offers novel opportunities for quantitative delivery of biomolecules into microalgae and advancing the research and development of these organisms as biosynthetic factories.
Nonlinear Elliptic Equations with Mixed Singularities

We study non-variational degenerate elliptic equations with mixed singular structures, both at the set of critical points and on the ground touching points. No boundary data are imposed and singularities occur along an a priori unknown interior region. We prove that positive solutions have a universal modulus of continuity that does not depend on their infimum value. We further obtain sharp, quantitative regularity estimates for non-negative limiting solutions.
Improvements in Kinematic Performance After Home-Based Bimanual Intensive Training for Children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy.

ABSTRACTAims: To evaluate the effects of home-based intensive bimanual training for children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy (USCP) on bimanual coordination using 3-D kinematic analyses. Methods: Seven children with USCP (aged 29–54 months, MACS level: I-III) received 90 hours (2 hrs/day, 5days/week for 9 weeks) of Home Hand-Arm Bimanual Intensive Training (H-HABIT) provided by trained caregivers. A bimanual drawer-opening task was evaluated with eight infrared cameras using VICON workstation4.6 before and after training to assess improvements in bimanual coordination. Results: H-HABIT training significantly decreased the time between one hand opening the drawer and the other hand manipulating its contents (p < 0.05) and increased the percentage of time when both hands were moving simultaneously (p = 0.001), which are indicators of improved temporal bimanual coordination. In addition, participants demonstrated a 26% decrease in trunk displacement (p < 0.05), a 30% increase in upper arm joint excurs...
The Myth of the Tech-Savvy Teen and the Clueless Senior Citizen: Revisiting Technology-Based Victimization Over the Life Course

It is a popular idea that younger people are more technology-savvy than their older counterparts. It is an equally popular idea that our oldest generation—senior citizens—is so clueless about new t...
Intersectionality and Engagement among the LGBTQ+ Community

As the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) community makes progress toward attaining equal rights, a growing body of scholarly attention is focusing on this increasingly visible...
Computational Approaches to Motor Control

The act of making a movement involves solving four kinds of problems: (1) We need to learn the costs that are associated with our actions as well as the rewards that we may experience; (2) we need to learn how our motor commands produce changes in state of our body and our environment; (3) given the cost structure of the task and the expected outcome of motor commands, we need to find those motor commands that minimize the costs and maximize the rewards; and (4) finally, as we execute the motor commands, we need to integrate our predictions about sensory outcomes with the actual feedback from our sensors to update our belief about our state. In this framework, the function of basal ganglia appears related to learning costs and rewards associated with our sensory states. The function of the cerebellum is to predict sensory outcome of motor commands and correct motor commands through internal feedback. Reward-driven optimal feedback control theory appears the most consistent framework to explain a number of disorders in human motor control.
Evaluation of Creativity Is Always Local

In this essay, I argue that evaluation of creativity is always local. What is considered creative varies from one place and one time to another. The result is that work that at a given time or in a given place is viewed as ordinary may come to be viewed as creative at another time or in another place. Similarly, wisdom and intelligence also need to be evaluated locally. Attempts to generate purely universal theories of what is “creative,” or “wise” or “intelligent,” inevitably end up imposing one set of values on contexts where those theories are not relevant, and may even be contraindicated.
Practical, corrected Kirkpatrick-Baez telescope for x-ray astronomy

Kirkpatrick-Baez (K-B) optics offer a means of imaging soft x-rays with modest resolution and a multi-arc-minute field of view at a cost far below the conventional Wolter design. Such a low-cost system could be useful for dedicated, long-time-line observation of astronomical x-ray sources from orbit. A K-B telescope consists of crossed arrays of parabolic mirrors at grazing incidence. The classic K-B telescope is subject to significant aberration arising from the interplay between the focusing of the fore and aft mirror arrays. We demonstrate here a corrected K-B prescription with aberrations reduced by an order of magnitude. We show, furthermore, that it is possible to construct such a system by constraining flat "slats" of commercially available glass in precision-milled grooves. The slats deform into shapes that adequately approximate the optimal figures, thereby yielding focusing better than the best version of the classic K-B telescope. The result is a new approach that greatly simplifies the task of achieving both useful resolution and high effective area for x-ray astronomy applications.
Slow Lawyering: How Law Practitioners Can Slow Down in a High-Speed World and Why It Matters

"Information overload," "digital detox," and "fear of missing out" are all unwelcome additions to modem jargon, defining the ambivalence with which we approach the infusion of information in our everyday lives and the speed with which we can access it. For law practitioners who find, manage, and integrate information for a living, this environment creates particular challenges. This article gives context to these challenges through the lens of human evolution, seeking to explain why individuals engage in counterproductive behaviors with respect to information and the speed that it is accessed. The article also discusses the reasons that technology, and the pace at which it bombards law practitioners with information, interferes with the effective practice of law. This article will then present four steps that may help law practitioners to think calmly, deliberately, and with focus in a world that comes at them at 670 million miles per hour.
Investigation and Analytical Description of Acoustic Production by Magneto-Acoustic Mixing Technology

Magneto-Acoustic Mixing Technology is a novel manufacturing method that combines two magnetic fields to produce high-intensity sonication for liquid-state materials processing. This method may be adapted to the manufacture of various materials that benefit from a combination of high temperature, magnetic fields, and acoustic energy. In this work, acoustic generation mechanisms are described in detail and found to be dependent on the skin depth of the induction currents. Analytical models of acoustic pressure are derived, based on two mutually exclusive vibration mechanisms, crucible and melt vibration. Additionally, grain size evidence of acoustic pressure distribution is presented as preliminary model validation.
/sup 197/Au(t,p)/sup 199/Au reaction

The level structure of /sup 199/Au was investigated via the /sup 197/Au(t,p) reaction induced with a 17 MeV triton beam. Essentially all of the L = 0 transfer strength is observed in the ground state transition. The distribution of L = 4 transfer strength follows the systematic behavior observed previously in the Pt(t,p) reactions.
Testing tumors from different anatomic sites for clonal relatedness using somatic mutation data

A common task for the cancer pathologist is to determine, in a patient suffering from cancer, whether a new tumor in a distinct anatomic site from the primary is an independent occurrence of cancer or a metastasis. As mutational profiling of tumors becomes more widespread in routine clinical practice, this diagnostic task can be greatly enhanced by comparing mutational profiles of the tumors to determine if they are sufficiently similar to conclude that the tumors are clonally related, that is, one is a metastasis of the other. We present here a likelihood ratio test for clonal relatedness in this setting and provide evidence of its validity. The test is unusual in that there are two possible alternative hypotheses, representing the two anatomic sites from which the single clonal cell could have initially emerged. Although evidence for clonal relatedness is largely provided by the presence of exact mutational matches in the two tumors, we show that it is possible to observe data where the test is statistically significant even when no matches are observed. This can occur when the mutational profile of one of the tumors is closely aligned with the anatomic site of the other tumor, suggesting indirectly that the tumor originated in that other site. We exhibit examples of this phenomenon and recommend a strategy for interpreting the results of these tests in practice.
Cytogenetic abnormalities in multiple myeloma: association with disease characteristics and treatment response

Cytogenetic abnormalities are found in most multiple myeloma (MM) patients. Although their prognostic value has been well studied, there are limited data on the association of primary cytogenetic abnormalities with disease characteristics and treatment response. This study was designed to evaluate these associations. This is a retrospective study including 2027 Mayo Clinic patients diagnosed with MM between February 2004 and February 2018 who had cytogenetic testing by FISH at diagnosis. Translocations t(4;14), t(14;16), t(6;14), and t(14;20) were associated with anemia, beta2microglobulin >5.5 µg/ml and ≥50% bone marrow plasma cells; t(4;14) was associated with higher serum monoclonal protein and plasma cell proliferation. Overall response rate to proteasome inhibitor (PI)-based treatment was higher for IgH translocations compared to trisomies (83% vs. 71%, P = 0.002), but was higher for trisomies with immunomodulatory drug (IMiD)-based treatment (87% vs. 75%, P < 0.001). Time to next treatment was longer with trisomies than IgH translocation with IMiD-based (32.1 vs. 18.4 months, P < 0.001) and PI + IMiD-based (44.0 vs. 27.4 months, P = 0.003) treatments. Outcomes were superior with PI + IMiD combinations in all groups. Our results show that t(4;14), t(14;16), t(6;14), and t(14;20) are associated with high-risk disease characteristics, and IgH translocations and trisomies may be associated with better responses to PIs and IMiDs, respectively.
Further Examination of Job-Related Social Skills Measures for Adolescents and Young Adults with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders.

This study utilized two measures of job-related social behavior for adolescents and young adults—the Scale of Job-related Social Skill Knowledge (SSSK) and the Scale of Job-related Social Skill Per...
Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Consult Series #55: Counseling women at increased risk of maternal morbidity and mortality.

Women should be provided with evidence-based information when considering options for contraception and pregnancy management. When counseling about health conditions and available treatments, healthcare practitioners should employ strategies that encourage the incorporation of informed patient preferences into a shared decision-making process with the patient. To optimize the health of women at risk of experiencing adverse health outcomes during or after pregnancy, counseling should be a continuous process throughout the reproductive life course. The purpose of this Consult is to provide guidance for all healthcare practitioners about counseling reproductive-aged women who may be at high risk of experiencing maternal morbidity or mortality.
A SARS-CoV-2 Variant with L452R and E484Q Neutralization Resistance Mutations.

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants t 23 hat reduce antibody neutralization and vaccine efficacy is of significant global concern. .
Testing the Reference of Biological Kind Terms

Recent experimental work on "natural" kind terms has shown evidence of both descriptive and nondescriptive reference determination. This has led some to propose ambiguity or hybrid theories, as opposed to traditional description and causal-historical theories of reference. Many of those experiments tested theories against referential intuitions. We reject this method, urging that reference should be tested against usage, preferably by elicited production. Our tests of the usage of a biological kind term confirm that there are indeed both descriptive and causal-historical elements to the reference determination of some natural kind terms. We argue that to accommodate our results and earlier ones, we should abandon the common assumption that any one theory of reference fits all natural kind terms. Rather, it is likely that some terms are descriptive, some causal-historical, some ambiguous, and some hybrid. This substantive conclusion is accompanied by a methodological one. Our experiments, like some earlier ones, found participants contradicting both each other and themselves. We argue that these contradictions indicate a lack of linguistic competence with the term. We conclude that these experiments have been faulty, because they test terms that are novel to participants and/or use fantastical vignettes. We provide some suggestions for future research.
Rivaroxaban-calibrated chromogenic anti-Xa assay in cirrhosis: Use to rule out disseminated intravascular coagulation.

Peritoneovenous shunts (PVSs) are used to relieve ascites in cirrhosis. Disseminated intervascular coagulation (DIC) is a complication of PVSs requiring immediate PVS removal. We report a patient who developed new elevations of prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) 6 hours after PVS placement, concerning for new-onset DIC. We address the key clinical question of distinguishing DIC from rivaroxaban effect on labs. The patient took rivaroxaban 3 hours after PVS placement, suggesting rivaroxaban effect. Rivaroxaban-calibrated anti-Xa level was in the expected treatment range. Over 12 hours, coagulation labs and rivaroxaban levels declined, with no evidence of DIC. The sudden PT/aPTT increase was attributed to rivaroxaban, however, the distinction between DIC and rivaroxaban effect was possible only with the rapid availability of rivaroxaban levels. While there are no US Food and Drug Administration-approved tests for rivaroxaban levels in the United States, this case demonstrates they can have significant clinical impact, encouraging more widespread adaptation of these assays.
The effects of maternal hypertension on the early neonatal platelet count.

Objective To examine the relationship between maternal hypertension and early neonatal platelet counts. Study design This single site retrospective cohort study compared initial platelet counts in the first day of life of infants born to mothers with preeclampsia with severe features (PSF) (n = 224) and infants born to normotensive mothers using multivariable logistic and Quasi-Poisson regression models. Result There was no statistical difference in initial platelet counts or likelihood of thrombocytopenia (aOR = 1.19, 95% CI 0.68-2.08) between infants born to mothers with PSF and infants born to normotensive mothers after multivariable adjustment. Initial platelet counts and thrombocytopenia risk were unaffected by the presence of maternal end organ dysfunction. Small for gestational age (SGA) status was the most significant risk factor for the development of thrombocytopenia (aOR = 2.24, 95% CI 1.13-4.30). Conclusion Maternal PSF does not directly affect neonatal initial platelet counts. SGA status confers the greatest risk of early thrombocytopenia.
Woodchuck Hepatitis Virus and Hepatitis B Virus as Related to Known RNA and DNA Tumor Viruses and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The hepadna virus family which currently consists of four members, including Hepatitis B Virus, (HBV), woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV), ground squirrel hepatitis virus (GSHV), and duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV), comprises a group of unique small DNA viruses with many common structural and biological features (1,2,3). Some of the major similarities include (1) a common virion structure consisting of a relaxed circular DNA of about 3.2 Kbp, (2) similar genome organization in which it appears that all the usable open reading frames which could potentially code for polypeptides >10Kd have the same polarity and order, (3) a similar replication mechanism involving reverse transcription of a full length RNA intermediate, (4) immunological cross reactivity of the surface and core antigens (5) the ability to maintain persistent infections in the liver and (6) tissue tropism primarily for the liver. Studies over the last decade have implicated two environmental agents in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in man, hepatitis B virus (4) and aflatoxin B1 (5). Initial evidence for a causal association between hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and HCC was based on an increased frequency of HBsAg in the serum of patients with HCC (4). This relationship has been confirmed by prospective studies reporting a several hundred fold greater risk for HCC among HBV carriers as compared to noncarriers within the same population (6).
Cerebral Ischemia in Antiphospholipid Syndrome

Central nervous system (CNS) involvement is common in antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS). In fact neurological manifestations were only second to venous thrombosis in a recently published prospective cohort of 1000 patients with APS [1]. In addition, some of the most debilitating clinical aspects of APS are the neurological and neuropsychiatric manifestations. Clinical manifestations of APS associated with the CNS include thrombo-occlusive events, psychiatric manifestations, and a variety of other non-thrombotic neurological syndromes [2] (see Table 6.1). Nevertheless, the specific role of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) in the CNS remains one of the least understood aspects of this syndrome. The mechanism of neurological involvement in patients with APS is thought to be primarily thrombotic in origin. However, there are many neurological syndromes where no structural lesions are evident in imaging studies of brain, suggesting aPL-mediated mechanisms other than thrombosis may be playing a role. Several investigators have found an interaction between aPL and nervous system tissue [3, 4]. aPL may interfere with endothelial cell function and promote procoagulant activity of endothelial cells [5–8]. IgG fractions from patients with aPL also increase mononuclear cell adhesion to human umbilical vein endothelial cells [9]. The pathogenic role of aPL in the development of thrombosis is supported by animal studies [8,
Prosecuting Adultery Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice After Lawrence V. Texas

In Lawrence v. Texas, the U.S. Supreme Court held that a state cannot exact criminal sanctions on adults engaged in consensual sexual conduct without it violating the individual's liberty interest under the Due Process Clause. The Court explicitly excluded any situation where coercion or unequal power led to the sexual conduct or where minors are involved. The implication for laws beyond those prohibiting homosexual sodomy is that any statute or regulation designed to enforce the views of a majority as to what constitutes good moral behavior is constitutionally circumspect. The Lawrence decision questions whether the U.S. military's enforcement of adultery under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) is now constitutionally circumspect. The application of Lawrence was first raised in a sodomy case in United States v. Marcum. In a fact specific opinion, the court declined to apply Lawrence. The Marcum decision has subsequently been read by lower military courts as mandating a case by case evaluation of adultery and sodomy prosecutions under the UCMJ pursuant to Lawrence. This article argues that this should not be the case. Marcum should be read for what it is: a side step of the issue presented in Lawrence. Accordingly, in light of the Supreme Court's decision in Lawrence v. Texas, prosecuting a member of the United States Armed Forces for adultery, in and of itself, is constitutionally circumspect.
Bruising the Rose: Becoming Beautiful in Gordon Bearn's Life Drawing: A Deleuzian Aesthetics of Existence

This review essay develops Gordon Bearn's interpretation of Deleuze's philosophy as an aesthetic existential indicative of the creative practice of life drawing. Life drawing requires moving beyond various forms of representation that stultify the movement of becoming and limit our ability to appreciate sensuous singularity and intensive pluralities. Sholtz offers an original account of the singularity of sensual existence, amplifying the tenuous relationship between beauty and suffering, or the intensification of life, which Bearn courageously explores. The article addresses several important themes which are used to carve out a new aesthetico-ethical path of existing: beauty as imperfection, affirmation of pointlessness, the disarticulation of the aesthetic from the formal realm of art, the existential recognition of the eliminable multiplicity of possible paths, and the indeterminate nature of a true event.
Chapter 28 Incentive aspects of decentralization

Publisher Summary A resource-allocation mechanism is viewed as a gigantic information processing system. Such a system utilizes the knowledge dispersed among economic agents concerning their preferences, technologies, and endowments to determine how resources flow. The chapter discusses that information is transmitted between economic units and processed by them through computations that result in allocative decisions. Alternative mechanisms can then be compared in terms of their efficiency in processing information adequate for optimal decisions. The informational aspects of resource allocation mechanisms have been formalized and analyzed. From an informational point of view, an economic mechanism is thought of as an exchange of messages. In line with the tatonnement idea, an outcome is determined when the exchange of messages is in a stationary position. For the classical environments, in which the competitive mechanism is known to realize the Pareto correspondence, the problem has been whether there exist mechanisms that are informationally equally or more efficient but that still realize the Pareto correspondence. The realization of other correspondences has also been studied.
Simulating the impact of mental models on human automation interaction in aviation

This work proposes a computational approach supporting the simulation of human automation interaction in aviation. The development of an advanced human agent model that accounts for workload limitations, imperfect mental models and consequences on the operator's situation awareness provides new insight for future certification procedures regarding human interaction with complex automated systems.
Representation of Latinos and Blacks in screening for and enrollment into preventive HIV vaccine trials in New York City.

Abstract Introduction In the United States, Latinos and Blacks are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS, but have been underrepresented in HIV vaccine trials. We assessed screening and enrollment of Blacks and Latinos for preventive HIV vaccine trials conducted in New York City, 2009–2012. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted among 18–50 year old men and transgender women screening for four preventive phase 1 and 2 HIV vaccine trials. Demographic, recruitment, and behavioral/medical eligibility data and outcome of screening were examined. To determine factors associated with enrollment, a multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed. Results Among 6077 individuals who provided contact information, 2536 completed a phone pre-screen. 96 (1.6% of recruitment contacts) enrolled. Latinos were 35.7% of recruitment contacts, but 17.7% of those enrolled, whereas Blacks were 22.5% and 32.3%, respectively. Among all Latinos, nearly one third were excluded for being uncircumcised, an eligibility criterion for several studies. In multivariable analysis among potentially eligible potential participants, controlling for age and recruitment method, Latinos were less likely than Whites to enroll in a preventive HIV vaccine trial (aOR 0.52, 95% CI 0.28–0.95) whereas Blacks were as likely as Whites (aOR 0.99, 95% CI 0.59–1.67). Individuals recruited through print advertisements, social media/internet, referral, and other modes were more likely to enroll compared to those recruited through in-person outreach, controlling for age and race/ethnicity. Conclusions Targeted outreach has led to substantial inclusion of Latinos and Blacks, with Blacks comprising almost a third of those enrolled in these preventive HIV vaccine trials. Latinos, however, were less likely to enroll compared to Whites. Circumcision status as an eligibility criterion partly accounts for this, but further studies are warranted to address the reasons Latinos decide not to participate in preventive HIV vaccine trials.
Entropy for Any Ensemble

We use the method of the most probable distribution to show that the entropy for a general ensemble can be expressed by the maximum value of the disorder function of information theory, derived in Chapter 15 , subject to the set of constraints appropriate to the ensemble. We illustrate this in detail for a grand canonical ensemble with two kinds of particles. We treat a number of other ensembles practically by inspection, including an ensemble that relates to a Massieu function that is the Legendre transform of the entropy. By using a degeneracy factor to sum over energy levels, particle numbers, and volumes, we show that all ensembles can be related in a similar way to their associated thermodynamic functions, as observed by Hill.
The resource oriented authorization manager (ROAM)

The resource oriented authorization manager (ROAM) was created to provide a simple but flexible authorization system for the National Fusion Grid (FusionGrid). This system builds on and extends previous community efforts by both responding to access authorization requests and by providing a Web interface/or resource management. ROAM works with the globus resource allocation manager (GRAM), and is general enough to be used by other virtual organizations that use Globus middleware or X.509/TLS authentication schemes to secure a grid of distributed resources.
Patterns of MHR3 Expression in the Epidermis during a Larval Molt of the Tobacco Hornworm Manduca sexta

MHR3, an ecdysone-induced transcription factor, was shown to appear in the abdominal epidermis of the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta in a pattern-specific manner as the 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) titer rises for the larval molt. The crochet epidermis that forms the hooked setae on the proleg is first to show MHR3 mRNA and protein followed sequentially by the spiracle, the dorsal intrasegmental annuli, the interannular regions, and finally the trichogen and tormogen cells. The protein appears in the nuclei about 8 h before the onset of cuticle formation, is present during the outgrowth of the setae, and disappears after epicuticle formation. In vitro studies showed that MHR3 mRNA induction in the crochet epidermis by 20E was more sensitive (EC(50) = 10(-6) M; 50% induction by 2 h exposure to 4 x 10(-6) M 20E) and did not require protein synthesis for maximal accumulation compared to the dorsal epidermis. The ecdysone receptor complex is present in both tissues at the outset of the molt and therefore is not a determining factor in these responses. Thus, in addition to the ecdysone receptor complex, region-specific factors govern both sensitivity and timing of responsiveness of MHR3 to 20E to ensure that this transcription factor will be present when needed for its differentiative role.
Picosecond pulse formation by transmission line discontinuities

We present a technique for transforming electrical step-like excitations into picosecond electrical pulses by using discontinuities embedded in a coplanar transmission line structure. We have experimentally demonstrated the formation of 3 ps pulses from photoconductively generated steps. Equations for the pulse amplitude/duration trade-off based on a lumped element approach are given and shown to be in agreement with the calculations of the element values.
A facile approach to hydrophilic, reverse zwitterionic, choline phosphate polymers

2-{2-(Methacryloyloxy)ethyldimethylammonium}ethyl n-butyl phosphate (MBP) was synthesized and polymerized by controlled free radical methods to afford a new set of “reverse zwitterionic” choline phosphate (CP) substituted polymers. The synthesis overcomes prior limitations associated with related CP-methacrylates, affording facile access to MBP homopolymers and MBP-containing diblock copolymers. Dynamic light scattering revealed the size of polyMBP in water, while cell culture assays showed polyMBP to have excellent biocompatibility and non-immunogenicity. The facile synthesis of MBP monomer, and the corresponding polymers, opens a new platform towards a diverse set of functional, hydrophilic biocompatible polymers.
Urinary Amino-acids on Phenylalanine–Tyrosine-supplemented Diets

IT has been previously demonstrated1 that feeding rats diets high in DL-phenylalanine and L-tyrosine caused the animals to excrete phenylpyruvic acid in their urine. Along with the excretion of phenylpyruvic acid, psychological tests on the animals revealed a disturbance in the temporal discriminate learning pattern. These experimental changes have been compared with those accompanying phenylketonuria.
Secondary structure of filamentous bacteriophage coat protein is preserved in lipid environments

1H nuclear magnetic resonance experiments have shown that the amide hydrogens of residues 30 to 40 of bacteriophage Pf1 coat protein in micelles undergo very slow exchange with solvent deuterons. The amide 1H resonances from these residues were used to monitor the structural stability of the membrane-spanning helix of the coat protein during the transition of the coat protein from its structural form, in the virus particle, to the membrane-bound form, in micelles. The helix was found to remain folded on the 10(-3) second time-scale of the experiment, which indicates that no major disruption or rearrangement of the central part of the protein structure occurs during the process of coat protein solubilization by detergent. The results also suggest that a helical peptide can associate with lipids without reorganization of its secondary structure. However, a general model for the insertion of proteins into membranes cannot be established from these results, because the mechanism of the detergent solubilization process may differ somewhat from that of the membrane insertion process.
The cultural structuring of mealtime socialization.

Two anthropologists treat mealtimes as cultural sites for socializing children into commensality, communicative expectations, and the symbolic, moral, and sentimental meanings of food and eating. Using ethnographic evidence, they indicate how mealtime comportment is embedded in practices and ideologies relevant to children's competent membership in their families and communities.
461 SUPPRESSED URINARY LH LEVELS IN INADEQUATELY TREATED PUBERTAL PATIENTS WITH CONGENITAL ADRENAL HYPERPLASIA

Radioimmunoassayable urinary gonodotropins and urinary 17 ketosteroid (KS) levels have been determined in 223 24 hour urine samples from 65 patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Results have been categorized by sex and, based on chronologic age, skeletal age and physical findings as prepubertal (Pre), pubertal (Pub) and postpubertal (Post). LH and FSH levels were divided into 2 groups based on KS, elevated (↑) or normal (Nl) for treatment adequacy. LH levels are significantly lower *(p<0.03) when KS levels are inappropriately elevated for age and stage of development in pubertal males and females. This effect is reversible with a significant rise of LH levels (18.1±13.0 to 64.2±34.2, <p 0.001) when KS were suppressed in 10 pubertal subjects. These data suggest that the elevated adrenal androgens in inadequately treated adrenal hyperplasia suppress developing pubertal hypothalamic-pituitary gonadotropin secretion.