cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Isolation and characterisation of the first microsatellite markers for Cyperus rotundus

Summary This is the first report of microsatellite markers for Cyperus rotundus. A total of 191 sequence-specific microsatellite markers were isolated and used to screen 12 accessions of C. rotundus and one accession of Cyperus esculentus collected from 10 different countries. Polymorphisms were observed in 49% of the markers tested, 22% of the markers were monomorphic and 29% had weak or no amplification. The best 57 markers are reported, and cluster analysis was used to analyse their resolving power. BLASTx screening of the contig sequences was also performed. Multiallelic loci over all samples ranged from 24% to 60%. The maximum number of alleles detected by the markers suggests a polyploidy nature of all C. rotundus accessions tested, except for the sample N25-Brazil. Chromosome number was determined for N12-Taiwan and used as an internal flow cytometry standard to estimate the amount of DNA within haploid nuclei of the remaining material. Chromosome numbers estimated for C. rotundus were 16 and 24. The markers identified in this study can be used for the identification of biotypes and detection of potential crosses of C. rotundus, to implement management practices for the effective control of this weed.
Cooperation in an infinite-choice continuous-time prisoner's dilemma

This study expands the parameters of the classic Prisoner's Dilemma (PD) by testing an infinite-choice, continuous-time paradigm. A total of48 subjects were presented with a scenario that maintained the structural aspects of the PD but allowed them to choose from an infinite number of cooperation levels and required them to make their choices continuously rather than at discrete points in time. Cooperation levels for each subject and the strategies the subjects employed were analyzed along with total points received and the dynamic properties of their choice behavior Results indicated that the predominant over-time behavior was one of oscillatory cooperation levels, that players tended to match their opponents' behavior, and that initial cooperation level bore no relationship to final outcome.
Communication after Job Transfers: Social Exchange Processes in Learning New Roles.

This study explores the role of communication in the adjustment process of transferees during the first 3 months at new locations. Research questions and hypotheses are based on social exchange theory. Through content analysis of interview data, descriptions of the process by which transferees learn their roles were developed. Longitudinal questionnaire data were used to explore the impact of feedback and communication relationships on adjustment and the impact of social support as a buffer against unmet expectations. Results suggest the importance of communication during the transfer process.
Strategies and Tools to Reduce Workplace Violence

The U.S. health care system is in the beginning of a crisis that can barely be comprehended. If projections are accurate, the demand for nurses will increase 40% and a 400,000-hour full-time equivalent registered nurse shortfall will occur by 2020. Not only are nurses leaving the field, but fewer candidates are entering. The reasons are unclear, but research has shown that nursing is a dangerous occupation--four times more dangerous than most other occupations. Protection from an unsafe workplace is guaranteed under Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations, and many national and international groups call for zero tolerance of workplace violence. Health care worksites must develop specific plans to minimize and prevent workplace violence. Additional research is necessary to determine which methods are most effective. This article examines the necessary components of a workplace violence prevention program.
Caught in a Maelstrom: Implementing California Marine Protected Areas

The first attempt to implement the 1999 California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) to establish marine protected areas (MPAs) ended contentiously in 2002. The initial MLPA process is examined by a statutory analysis and an analysis of stakeholder network relationships and beliefs. The failure of the initial MLPA process can be understood by a combination of factors: (i) Insufficient financial support from the California State government; (ii) Unclear, unranked and inconsistent statutory objectives; (iii) The application of a science-based process that excluded affected stakeholders; (iv) Implementing officials who lacked expertise in designing and managing political processes; and (v) A community of stakeholders who were polarized into coalitions of proponents and opponents of MPAs. The article concludes by discussing limitations of its methods and analysis and by offering strategies for learning from policy failures.
X-ray microdiffraction analysis of radiation-induced defects in single grains of polycrystalline Fe

Single-crystal diffuse X-ray scattering was used to characterize radiation-induced defects in individual grains of a polycrystalline proton-irradiated Fe foil. The grains were probed with an intense 1 µm X-ray beam to demonstrate that both polycrystalline and micrometer-scale samples can be studied with single-crystal-like signal-to-noise. Scattering was measured with an X-ray-sensitive area detector, which measures intensity over a surface in reciprocal space. By scanning the X-ray energy, the intensity was measured over reciprocal-space volumes. Since the sample is not rotated, the real-space scattering volume does not change. Methods to minimize experimental artifacts arising from the use of an area detector are described.
Knockdown of ERp57 increases BiP/GRP78 induction and protects against hyperoxia and tunicamycin-induced apoptosis

Supplemental oxygen therapy (hyperoxia) in preterm babies with respiratory stress is associated with lung injury and the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeos...
D-ADMM: A distributed algorithm for compressed sensing and other separable optimization problems

We propose a distributed, decentralized algorithm for solving separable optimization problems over a connected network of compute nodes. In a separable problem, each node has its own private function and its own private constraint set. Private means that no other node has access to it. The goal is to minimize the sum of all nodes' private functions, constraining the solution to be in the intersection of all the private sets. Our algorithm is based on the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) and requires a coloring of the network to be available beforehand. We perform numerical experiments of the algorithm, applying it to compressed sensing problems. These show that the proposed algorithm requires in general less iterations, and hence less communication between nodes, than previous algorithms to achieve a given accuracy.
Molecular Mechanisms and Selection Influence the Generation of the Human VλJλ Repertoire

To define the λ light chain repertoire in humans, a single-cell PCR technique using genomic DNA obtained from individual peripheral B cells was employed. Of the 30 known functional Vλ genes, 23 were detected in either the nonproductive or productive repertoires. Specific Vλ genes, including 2A2, 2B2, 1G, and 4B, were overexpressed in the nonproductive repertoire, whereas some Vλ genes, such as 3R, 2A2, 2B2, 1C, 1G, and 1B, were overexpressed in the productive repertoire. Comparison of the nonproductive and productive repertoires indicated that no Vλ genes were positively selected, whereas a number of Vλ genes, including 4C, 1G, 5B, and 4B, were negatively regulated. All four of the functional Jλ segments were found in both repertoires, with Jλ7 observed most often. Evidence of terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase activity was noted in nearly 80% of nonproductive VλJλ rearrangements, and exonuclease activity was apparent in the majority. Despite this, the mean CDR3 length was 30 base pairs in both productive and nonproductive repertoires, suggesting that it was tightly regulated at the molecular level. These results have provided new insights into the dimensions of the human Vλ repertoire and the influences that shape it.
A small molecule agonist of an integrin, αLβ2

The binding of integrin αLβ2 to its ligand intercellular adhesion molecule-1 is required for immune responses and leukocyte trafficking. Small molecule antagonists of αLβ2 are under intense investigation as potential anti-inflammatory drugs. We describe for the first time a small molecule integrin agonist. A previously described α/β I allosteric inhibitor, compound 4, functions as an agonist of αLβ2 in Ca2+ and Mg2+and as an antagonist in Mn2+. We have characterized the mechanism of activation and its competitive and noncompetitive inhibition by different compounds. Although it stimulates ligand binding, compound 4 nonetheless inhibits lymphocyte transendothelial migration. Agonism by compound 4 results in accumulation of αLβ2 in the uropod, extreme uropod elongation, and defective de-adhesion. Small molecule integrin agonists open up novel therapeutic possibilities.
Thermoelectric Power of Bi And Bi1-xSbx Alloy Thin Films And Superlattices Grown by MBE

We have measured the thermoelectric power (TEP) of MBE-grown epitaxial Bi and Bi1−xSbx alloy thin films and superlattices as a function of temperature in the range 20-300 K. We have observed that the TEP of a Bi thin film of 1 fum thickness is in good agreement with the bulk single crystal value and that the TEPs for superlattices with 400 A and 800 A Bi well thicknesses are enhanced over the bulk values. For x=0.072 and 0.088 in Bi1−xSbx thin films showing semiconducting behavior, TEP enhancement was observed by a factor of two. However as Bi or Bi1−xx}Sbx well thickness decreases in superlattice geometry, the TEP decreases, which may be due to unintentional p-type doping.
Cardiac vagal control predicts spontaneous regulation of negative emotional expression and subsequent cognitive performance

The present research investigated whether cardiac vagal control (as measured by respiratory sinus arrhythmia, RSA) predicts an individual's predisposition to suppress negative emotional expressions. One hundred thirty-six participants watched either a negative film or a neutral film. Facial expressions were recorded during the film and subjective emotional responses were assessed afterwards. Participants performed verbal and spatial working memory tasks both before and after the film clips. We found that resting RSA modulated the degree of coherence between facial expressions of emotion and subjective emotional experience in the negative film condition. Specifically, participants with higher resting RSA expressed less but reported feeling just as much negative emotion as those with lower resting RSA. Moreover, higher resting RSA predicted smaller pre-film to post-film improvements in spatial working memory performance in the negative film condition, suggesting that expressive suppression among high RSA participants temporarily undermined the operation of working memory. In the neutral film condition, resting RSA did not relate to expressive or subjective responses or subsequent working memory performance. These results support the notion that cardiac vagal control reflects an internal marker of self-regulatory tendencies and suggest that spontaneous self-regulation associated with individual differences in resting RSA may temporarily deplete self-regulatory resources.
Perinatal stimulation and adaptation of the neonate

The present report describes psychobiological studies of behavior around the time of birth. An adaptive, ecological perspective is presented in which stimulation of the fetus and newborn is purported to instigate adaptive postpartum behavior. Studies describing the perinatal sensory environment are reviewed, with a consideration of emergent sensory function of the fetus. It is asserted that afferent input associated with parturition perturbs the fetus and neonate, producing a general arousal state that facilitates breathing, suckling, and early learning. The view developed herein is that perinatal sensory input induces and canalizes the newborn's behavior, thereby regulating adaptive postpartum function. Deviations in afferent input may alter ontogenetic trajectories and compromise developmental outcome by reducing availability of conditions necessary for adequate postpartum adaptation.
LABORATORY CULTURING AND SELECTION FOR INCREASED RESISTANCE TO CADMIUM REDUCE GENETIC VARIATION IN THE LEAST KILLIFISH, HETERANDRIA FORMOSA

Populations exposed to environmental contaminants can undergo intense selection pressures, which in turn can lead to a loss of genetic variation. We assessed this loss of genetic variation in the least killifish Heterandria formosa for laboratory populations that had undergone eight generations of selection for an increased resistance to cadmium. Using microsatellite markers, we compared genetic variation between three selection and three control laboratory populations and between these laboratory populations and the source population. Heterozygosity was lower in each selection population than it was in its paired control population, with this difference being statistically significant in two of the three comparisons. This is evidence that adaptation to environmental contaminants can result in an overall loss of genetic variation. Furthermore, the laboratory populations had much lower heterozygosity than did the source population. The latter loss of genetic variation, probably a result of random drift, did not prevent the laboratory populations from showing a strong response to the selection for cadmium resistance. The loss of genetic variation resulting from maintaining populations in the laboratory demonstrates that it is important to maintain a large population size for such populations and that the potential for loss of genetic variation in laboratory populations is taken into consideration in ecotoxicology when extrapolating from laboratory to natural populations.
High-performance SRAM in nanoscale CMOS: Design challenges and techniques

This paper reviews the design challenges and techniques of high-performance SRAM in the "End of Scaling" nanoscale CMOS technologies. The impacts of technology scaling, such as signal loss due to leakage, degradation of noise margin due to VT scatter caused by process variations and random dopant fluctuation, and long term reliability degradation such as NBTI, are addressed. Design directions and leakage/variation/degradation tolerant SRAM circuit techniques to mitigate various performance and reliability constraints in conventional planar CMOS technology are discussed. Examples are given and merits discussed for cell isolation and strength preservation, thin cell layout, bit-line and word-line leakage mitigation, migration to large signal read-out, undamped bit-line, dual-supply, dynamic Read/Write supply, floating power-line, header/footer power-gating structures, Read- and Write-assist circuits, leakage/variation detection and compensation techniques, word-line and bit-line pulsing schemes, gate leakage tolerant design, and NBTI tolerant design. Alternative cell structures, such as asymmetrical SRAM, 7T, and 8T SRAMs, which decouple the cell storage node from the Read-disturb and half-select disturb to improve the SNM are discussed. Finally, some design issues and opportunities in emerging technologies such as FD/SOI and multi-gate FinFET are illustrated.
The circuit paradigm in modeling coupled nanomechanic-nanoelectronic dynamics

In this paper molecular arrays performing fast electronic switching combined with slow mechanical nuclear vibrations and switching are studied. Coherence is restricted to the internal dynamics of the molecules. Equivalent circuits for molecules performing optically induced electron- and proton transfer will be presented. The circuit paradigm is applied to study signal processors composed of arrays of molecules performing coupled nano-mechanic and nano-electronic dynamics.
Vaccinia Virus F9 Virion Membrane Protein Is Required for Entry but Not Virus Assembly, in Contrast to the Related L1 Protein

All sequenced poxviruses encode orthologs of the vaccinia virus L1 and F9 proteins, which are structurally similar and share about 20% amino acid identity. We found that F9 further resembles L1 as both proteins are membrane components of the mature virion with similar topologies and induce neutralizing antibodies. In addition, a recombinant vaccinia virus that inducibly expresses F9, like a previously described L1 mutant, had a conditional-lethal phenotype: plaque formation and replication of infectious virus were dependent on added inducer. However, only immature virus particles are made when L1 is repressed, whereas normal-looking intracellular and extracellular virions formed in the absence of F9. Except for the lack of F9, the polypeptide components of such virions were indistinguishable from those of wild-type virus. These F9-deficient virions bound to cells, but their cores did not penetrate into the cytoplasm. Furthermore, cells infected with F9-negative virions did not fuse after a brief low-pH treatment, as did cells infected with virus made in the presence of inducer. In these respects, the phenotype associated with F9 deficiency was identical to that produced by the lack of individual components of a previously described poxvirus entry/fusion complex. Moreover, F9 interacted with proteins of that complex, supporting a related role. Thus, despite the structural relationships of L1 and F9, the two proteins have distinct functions in assembly and entry, respectively.
The natural history of "failing" arterial bypass grafts in a duplex surveillance protocol.

= 0.03 and p= 0.001, respectively). Currently defined threshold CDU criteria for prediction of graft failure may be excessively sensitive.
Effects of Parent Age at Mating on Reproductive Response of Glyptapanteles flavicoxis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a Larval Parasitoid of the Gypsy Moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae)

Glyptapanteles flavicoxis (Marsh) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a gregarious larval parasitoid of the Indian gypsy moth Lymantria obfuscata (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), that is believed to have potential for inundative releases against gypsy moth populations, because it can be reared in large numbers with few hosts. Unfortunately, sex ratios in laboratory reared G. flavicoxis are usually male-biased, hindering efforts to mass release this species for biological control by making the production of females costly. Because parental age at time of mating is known to affect the sex ratio in some Braconidae, we crossed haploid males and virgin females at 0, 1, 4, 9, and 16 d old with at least 10 trials for each of the 25 combinations. Numbers and sex ratios of progeny produced by females each day were recorded. Both progeny and sex ratios (percentage of females) among progeny produced by ovipositing females of G. flavicoxis decreased markedly over time, so only the first days production need be used in mass rearing. The reduction in the proportion and numbers of females among progeny as females aged is consistent with sperm depletion. Approximately 30% of females in all age classes mated to newly emerged males (day 0) produced all male progeny, whereas only 10-15% of those mated to older males failed to produce any daughters. When crosses with only male progeny were excluded from the analysis, females mated to males 1 d old had higher sex ratios in progeny than those mated to males in other age classes. In addition, females mated the day that they emerged tended to have progeny with the highest sex ratios.
Assembling the Iron Age Levant: The Archaeology of Communities, Polities, and Imperial Peripheries

Archaeological research on the Iron Age (1200–500 BC) Levant, a narrow strip of land bounded by the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Desert, has been balkanized into smaller culture historical zones structured by modern national borders and disciplinary schools. One consequence of this division has been an inability to articulate broader research themes that span the wider region. This article reviews scholarly debates over the past two decades and identifies shared research interests in issues such as ethnogenesis, the development of territorial polities, economic intensification, and divergent responses to imperial interventions. The broader contributions that Iron Age Levantine archaeology offers global archaeological inquiry become apparent when the evidence from different corners of the region is assembled.
Perioperative head injury management in the multiply injured trauma patient.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the multiply injured patient can be challenging to manage for trauma surgeons, neurosurgeons, and anesthesiologists due to the competing priorities of the diagnostic workup and treatment ofbrain injuries versus systemic injuries. TBI is the leading cause of death in trauma victims, accounting for approximately half of all trauma-related deaths. 1 Destruction of brain tissue occurs in two phases: the primary injury, which involves direct tissue damage at the time of the inciting event, and the subsequent secondary injury, which occurs due to ischemia, causing calcium ion influx and free radical accumulation. Primary injury is considered irreversible, and therefore therapy is directed toward minimizing the secondary brain injury by optimizing cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) and cerebral blood flow (CBF) and by aggressive treatment of intracranial hypertension.
Planar electrochromatography using an electrospun polymer nanofiber layer.

Electrospun polymer nanofiber stationary phases were examined for their application to planar electrochromatography (PEC). Separations were performed on polyacrylonitrile nanofiber ultra-thin-layer chromatography (UTLC) plates in 1–2 min using a ternary mobile phase. The influences of buffer concentration and pH, ratio of organic modifier, and development time on analyte migration distances were studied. Band broadening in this system was studied as a function of distance. The plate height initially decreased and then plateaued with a minimum plate height value as low as 11 μm. Nanofiber alignment considerably increased analyte migration rate, but larger spot sizes were noted when nearly complete fiber alignment was used. The easily tunable stationary phase thickness can be tailored to a given separation, where thinner layers promote faster separations and thicker layers are ideal for more complex mixtures. Compared to UTLC, PEC offers unique selectivity and decreased analysis time (>4 times faster over 1...
Gene induction in vessel wall injury

VSMC have been long thought to play a critical role in restenosis by proliferating and migrating from the vessel media to the intima, resulting in intimal hyperplasia. Recently, it has been suggested that the VSMC may play an earlier role in the events leading to restenosis, for example through the production of PDGF. The work described above suggests that the VSMC may mediate both the early inflammatory and thrombotic responses associated with vessel injury. Thus the VSMC may be involved in all phases of vascular injury, including thrombosis, inflammation, and intimal hyperplasia
[Study on HIV-1 drug resistance profile of 257 AIDS patients with failure on the first-line antiretroviral treatment in Henan].

Objective To understand the current situation related to genotypic resistance in patients receiving the first-line antiretroviral treatment,but with with virologic failure,in Henan province and to compare the patterns of drug resistance in patients from different areas.Methods 276 patients with virologic failure on first-line antiretroviral treatment were selected in three different areas of Henan,in 2010.CD4 +T cells,virus load and genotypic resistance were measured and tested.Prevalence and mutations related to drug-resistant were analyzed.Results The overall prevalence of drug-resistance was 68.48％ in 257 patients,with non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTIs) as 67.70％.Rate of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTIs) was 54.09％,and protease inhibitors (PIs) was 1.18％.The prevalence rates of drug-resistance in A,B and C groups were 82.35％,97.47％ and 52.80％,respectively,and withs significant differences (x2=50.624,P=0.000).The Prevalence rates related to resistance of NNRTIs and NRTIs were also significantly different ( x2＝48.771,P=0.000 and x2=33.912,P=0.000).26.46％ of the samples had M184V/I mutation which was the highest NRTIs mutation among the 257 patients.The prevalence rates on resistance of A and B were 47.06％ and 49.37％,higher than that of C( 13.04％,x2=39.905,P=0.000)followed by TAMs,TAMs-1 and TAMs-2 which were 8.56％ and 4.28％.C had the lower prevalence of TAMs-1 thanA and B (x2=13.499,P=0.001).40.47％ of the samples harbored ≥1 TAM,with T215Y/F having the most,as 33.85％.31.13％ of 257 patients appeared most NNRTIs mutation K103N in this study,with the prevalence rates also significant different (x2=14.213,P=0.001 ) in the three areas.Two PIs mutations were detected in 257 patients:M461/L,(1.17％) and V82F (0.39％).However,none was detected in area A.Conclusion Different patterns of drug resistance were found in different areas of Henan province and should be treated differently.The work related to AIDS second-line antiretroviral therapy in Henan should be more opportune,rigorous and standardized. Key words: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; Antiretroviral treatment; Drug resistance
Qian, Nanxiu Politics, Poetics, and Gender in Late Qing China: Xue Shaohui and the Era of Reform Stanford, CA : Stanford University Press 376 pp., $65.00, ISBN 978-0-8047-9240-0 Publication Date: May 2015

This book represents Nanxiu Qian's boldest foray into modernity. Although she is the author and translator of several works on premodern Chinese women, Qian is less surefooted in the modern period....
Near-Field Thermal Radiation between Metasurfaces

Evanescent waves induced by thermal fluctuations can tunnel through nanoscale gap spacing, leading to super-Planckian thermal radiation. However, investigations of near-field thermal radiation of macroscopic objects have been limited to simple planar or effectively planar geometries until recently. Based on exact formulations including the scattering theory and Green’s function method, patterning thin films into 1D and 2D metasurfaces is found to increase the radiative heat flux by more than 1 order of magnitude in a certain range of thicknesses. The underlying mechanism of this counterintuitive phenomenon lies in the excitation of hyperbolic modes supporting high local density of states for broad frequency and k-space regimes. The radiative heat flux of a 2D metasurface increases monotonically with the thickness, while the heat flux of a 1D metasurface is not so sensitive to the thickness and is surprisingly higher than that of its 2D counterparts. The stark difference is attributed to the rapid-decay su...
Process Analysis from the Participant’s Perspective

Human service programs involve multiple types of services and participants. Thus, in this chapter we ask you to think about whom you serve and the services you provide. To accomplish this task, we need to focus on how participants were selected, measures that describe their relevant characteristics, and indicators of the program services they receive. Measurement is very important in this chapter, since the data can be used for a number of purposes. If you do impact analysis, for example, you will need data regarding participant characteristics and services received. You also might need to know about differential receipt of services, such as who came into the program and who graduated from it. Or you may want to conduct a process analysis wherein you describe how persons got into your program, their important characteristics, and what services they received.
Five Tools for Wealth Managers

The authors provide an operating manual for some useful, beyond-the-basics private wealth management tools. In this article, they have assembled a set of practical quantitative tools that private wealth managers can benefit from knowing and using. Believing wealth managers must embrace the tools of mathematics and statistics, they focus on five quantitative tools. Their presumed audience is a private wealth manager who has mastered the elementary quantitative toolkit. While the more-specialized tools presented in this article are developed in more detail elsewhere, the authors offer a curated selection of the large literature of private wealth management and attempt to convey the underlying intuition in plain English. Further, they offer shortcuts to implementing the calculations in Excel.
UN Peace Operations in Africa: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

This chapter offers a critical examination of UN peacekeeping operations in Africa. It provides a historical and contemporary narrative of UN peacekeeping operations in Africa, paying particular attention to the factors that impact the effectiveness and prospects for successful peacekeeping in Africa. An appraisal on the Libyan crisis in 2011 which put to test the UN’s emerging norm of the international community’s Responsibility to Protect (R2P) civilians from mass atrocities is examined to illustrate the complexities within which peace operations in Africa are expected to respond. The relationship between Africa and the UN system, as well as the capacity constraints facing African peacocking efforts, during and after the Cold War, is highlighted.
Autonomous navigation for reconfigurable snake-like robots in challenging, unknown environments

Abstract We present a navigation approach for reconfigurable snake-like robots to autonomously overcome unknown and challenging obstacles like stairs or large steps. To calculate convenient motions we use a planning algorithm that takes different optimization criteria like distance, time or energy into account. In addition, the current robot configuration, i.e. the combination of robot modules that make up the complete system, is considered while planning, whereby the planning algorithm can determine whether an obstacle can be overcome or not. To handle constraints like inholonomity of the robot we use a purely geometric planner together with an extension, the Secondary Nearest Neighbor Space, to increase the efficiency of the planning algorithm. Combining multi-stage navigation and motion planning with a follow-the-leader control method keeps the planning time unaffected from a changing amount of robot modules. The developed and implemented methods are presented and three different scenarios have been chosen for evaluation on a real robot: the reconfigurable snake-like robot KAIRO 3. The results show that our approach is very well-suited to distinguish different robot configurations and enables snake-like robots to overcome previously unknown obstacles fully autonomously.
Nonhemolytic passenger lymphocyte syndrome

BACKGROUND An 8-month-old recipient of a liver segment transplant had anti-D detected for the first time in her Day 5 posttransplant plasma and anti-C detected for the first time in her Day 55 posttransplant plasma. The donor's plasma contained anti-C and anti-D. Clinical and laboratory findings established a diagnosis of passenger lymphocyte syndrome (PLS). Hemolysis did not occur, because the recipient's blood group phenotype was, by chance, D– C–. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS To evaluate contemporary practice for diagnosing PLS, we conducted a retrospective 10-year literature review. RESULTS There were 31 studies (63 cases) of PLS of which eight cases (four studies) were hematopoietic stem cell and 55 (27 studies) were organ transplants. All eight (100%) hematopoietic stem cell and 52 (95%) organ transplants were associated with hemolysis. Of the four studies of hematopoietic stem cell PLS, three actively screened for posttransplant blood group antibodies. Of 27 studies of organ PLS, one actively screened for antibodies. Antibody screens detected five cases of hematopoietic stem cell PLS before hemolysis was apparent and two cases of organ PLS with antibodies without hemolysis. CONCLUSION Focusing on hemolysis, without a comparable effort to detect donor-derived antibodies diverts from the primary pathophysiology of PLS and limits capturing the full scope of the syndrome. Recognition of hemolytic and nonhemolytic subcategories of PLS is recommended. When feasible, an antibody screen performed on the donor's plasma when collecting the hematopoietic stem cells or before an organ harvest could result in an alert that the donor has formed an alloantibody(s) and the recipient is a risk for PLS. Alternatively, a routine antibody screen performed on the recipient's plasma 1 week posttransplant and, if negative, repeated 3 to 5 weeks posttransplant would detect any donor-derived antibodies and improve alignment of clinical practice with the pathophysiology of PLS.
The Ethiopian Revolutionary State

This chapter explores how the twin forces of post-war globalization and the imperatives of modernization changed the terms of power play between Ethiopian state elites and non-state actors to produce radical institutional changes. The Revolutionary State (RS) upstaged the old order but failed in many important respects to devise enduring institution that resonate with societal norms and changing needs. One consequence of the changes in the material basis of the state is the hyper-centralization of the state and the other is the institutionalization of a mixed bag of inclusion and exclusion, both of which undermined many laudable gains in the project of nation-state building during 1855–1974 in exchange for largely symbolic victories.
Association Analysis for Large-Scale Gene Set Data

High-throughput experiments in biology often produce sets of genes of potential interests. Some of those gene sets might be of considerable size. Therefore, computer-assisted analysis is necessary for the biological interpretation of the gene sets, and for creating working hypotheses, which can be tested experimentally. One obvious way to analyze gene set data is to associate the genes with a particular biological feature, for example, a given pathway. Statistical analysis could be used to evaluate if a gene set is truly associated with a feature. Over the past few years many tools that perform such analysis have been created. In this chapter, using WebGestalt as an example, it will be explained in detail how to associate gene sets with functional annotations, pathways, publication records, and protein domains.
The Rambler as Rotarian: H.L. Mencken's Samuel Johnson

This short essay takes stock of H.L. Mencken's portrayal of Samuel Johnson as the "first Rotarian" and as nothing more than a mouthpiece for the prejudices and defender of the authorities of his time. I suggest by contrast that Johnson was fully appreciative of the need for the writer to be at a distance from the prejudices of his age and that rather than a mind blinkered by deep national prejudices Johnson was in fact a "Good European" as cosmopolitan in spirit as he was English in his character.
Multimodel Representation and Management of Uncertainty

It has increasingly been recognized that none of the mathematical theories of uncertainty is best under all circumstances. It is thus advisable to resort to multimodel representation of uncertainty, with different models based upon different uncertainty theories. Simultaneous use of several theories requires that we can transform a representation of uncertainty in one theory to equivalent representations in the other theories. It is argued that equivalent representations should preserve the amount of uncertainty and the associated information. Properties of uncertainty-preserving transformations are overviewed.
Hepatitis C Within a Single Health System: Progression Along the Cascade to Cure Is Higher for Those With Substance Misuse When Linked to a Clinic With Embedded Support Services.

Background Hepatitis C is now curable for most individuals, and national goals for elimination have been established. Transmission persists, however, particularly in nonurban regions affected by the opioid epidemic. To reach goals of elimination, barriers to treatment must be identified. Methods In this open cohort of all individuals diagnosed with active hepatitis C from 2010 to 2016 at a large medical center, we identified patient and clinic characteristics associated with our primary outcome, sustained virologic response (SVR). We performed a subgroup analysis for those with documented substance misuse. Results SVR was achieved in 1544 (41%) of 3790 people with active hepatitis C. In a multivariable Poisson regression model, SVR was more likely in individuals diagnosed outpatient (incident rate ratio [IRR], 1.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5-2.0), living in close proximity to the medical center (IRR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1-1.3), with private insurance (IRR, 1.1; 95% CI, 1.0-1.3), and with cirrhosis (IRR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.3-1.5). Achieving SVR was less likely in those qualifying as indigent (IRR, 0.8; 95% CI, 0.8-0.9) and those with substance misuse (IRR, 0.8; 95% CI, 0.7-0.9). In the subgroup analysis of those with substance misuse, SVR rates were higher in those linked to the infectious diseases clinic, which has embedded support services, than those linked to the gastroenterology clinic, which does not (IRR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1-1.9). Conclusions Social determinants of health including proximity to care and poverty impacted achievement of SVR. Those with substance misuse, a high-priority population for treatment of hepatitis C, had better outcomes when receiving care in a clinic with embedded support services.
Regional Anesthesia and Readmission Rates After Total Knee Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND:Total knee arthroplasty is a commonly performed procedure and an important contributor to national health care spending. Reducing the incidence of readmission could have important consequences for patient well-being and relevant financial implications. Whether regional anesthesia techniqu
Developing a Problem-solving Intervention to Improve Self-Management and Transition Readiness in Adolescents with Sickle Cell Disease.

Abstract Purpose Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at risk for serious complications including increased morbidity and early mortality during their transition from pediatric to adult care. Self-management support may help improve transition outcomes in this vulnerable population. Interventions based on teaching problem solving skills have been shown to improve adherence to therapy for AYA with other chronic disease and is a promising intervention in SCD. We sought patient and parent perspectives on improving self-management and input on the development of a problem-solving education (PSE) intervention. Design and methods We held focus groups with AYA with SCD and caregivers to discuss barriers and facilitators of self-management, acceptability of PSE and intervention content and delivery. Results Five focus groups were held with AYA (n = 17) and caregivers (n = 15). Groups participated jointly to discuss self-management and then separately to discuss PSE. Data were analyzed using grounded theory and double-coded until thematic saturation was achieved. Conclusions Both groups endorsed PSE as an acceptable intervention. Barriers to self-management included wanting to fit in with peers (AYA) and trouble letting go (parents); facilitators included having a regular routine (AYA) and sharing responsibility (parents). Participants suggested meeting in small groups for PSE sessions rather than individually and adding group sessions for parents. Practical implications Understanding AYA and caregivers' perceptions of barriers and facilitators of transition in SCD can help us better prepare AYA for transition. The specifics both groups identified as helpful will guide intervention development.
Abstract 184: “I’m Gonna Have the Baby and It’s Gonna Go Away:” Communicating Cardiovascular Risk After a Pregnancy Complicated by Preeclampsia

Background: Preeclampsia (PE) affects 5-8% of all pregnancies and is an underappreciated risk factor for hypertension after delivery and cardiovascular (CV) disease and stroke later in life. Women ...
RELATIONSHIP CENTERED COMMUNICATION SKILLS TRAINING: COMMUNICATION WORKSHOPS INTEGRATED INTO GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION

Communication and Interpersonal Skills (CIS) is a core competency for all residency and fellowship programs as noted by the ACGME. Most programs have no formal curriculum in communication. The purpose of this study is to create a workshop that develops and fosters communication skills for trainees
Chapter 9 – Connections

Publisher Summary This chapter explores “Connections in Structures.” The connections thus constitute an intermediate condition between elements and systems and are not—strictly speaking—part of the elements themselves. For example, beams are attached to girders, walls, or columns; columns are attached to foundations, transfer girders, or other columns; and tension elements are hung from beams or inserted within truss systems. Wood is considered first. Aside from the use of metal straps, plates, and other more complex hangers and brackets, wood elements are typically connected using nails, bolts, and screws. Only lag screws, sometimes referred to as “lag bolts,” will be considered here. These fasteners can be used in two distinct ways: primarily as “dowels” inserted perpendicular to the direction of load, but also in “withdrawal,” i.e., subject to tension forces parallel to the direction of load. Steel structural elements are typically connected to each other using high-strength bolts or welds. Especially in so-called field connections—those that take place at the construction site—bolts are preferred. Often—when welding is found to be either necessary or expedient—it occurs at the fabricating shop, although field welding is sometimes unavoidable.
Phase II study of nivolumab (anti-PD1), tadalafil, and oral vancomycin in patients with refractory primary hepatocellular carcinoma or liver dominant metastatic cancer from colorectal or pancreatic cancers.

TPS4656Background: Treatment options for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver dominant metastatic disease from colorectal or pancreatic cancers are limited with poor overall survival. ...
An ergonomic shoulder for robot-aided rehabilitation with hybrid control

Over the past years, robot-aided rehabilitation has gained traction to regain lost mobility in upper limb due to stroke. In most cases, rehabilitative robotic devices have not considered movement of shoulder joint center (center of glenohumeral joint); however, this movement leads to misalignment of human joints with robot joints, which is undesirable in any circumstances. In this research, a 2 degrees of freedom (DOF) ergonomic robotic shoulder, namely RDS-2, was developed to realize full range of motion (ROM) for abduction/adduction and vertical flexion/extension. Two mechanisms, which were designed in our previous research, have been included to realize shoulder elevation/depression and shoulder protraction/retraction during shoulder movement. To control the exoskeleton, a simple hybrid non-liner control approach based on model robot’s dynamic model and its tracking error was developed. The stability of the controller was proved by Lyapunov stability. Experiments were done with slow, medium and fast pre-determined trajectories to see the efficacy of the used controller. The results show stability and robustness of used control approach for developed ergonomic shoulder.
Geographic Distribution of Away Rotations Impacts the Urology Match Process in the United States.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the geographic impact of away rotations on regional interview invitations and matching. METHODS AND MATERIALS Urology applicants who participated in the 2019-2020 cycle were invited to complete a survey postmatch. Questions covered demographics, scholastic achievements, number and region of away rotations, number and locations of interview invitations, and matching results. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t tests were used for continuous variables. Chi-square and fisher exact tests were used for categorical variables. RESULTS Of 349 applicants, 88 (25.2%) completed the survey. Geographic location was a top consideration for away rotation selection; 86% placed it in their top 3 with 40% selecting it as number 1. Furthermore, 36.4% “agreed” and 37.5% “strongly agreed” that geographic distribution of home and away rotations impacted their interview invitations. On ANOVA analysis, the ratio of regional to total interview invitations was higher among applicants completing a rotation (either home or away) in a specific AUA section (P .05). CONCLUSION Geography is a key driver in away rotation selection among applicants and may increase the proportion of regional interview invitations. However, match results were not associated with geography of away rotations. With unprecedented changes coming to the urology residency match cycle, these findings suggest that loss of away rotations may have limited impact on interview invitations or match result.
Probability of error as an image metric for the assessment of tomographic reconstruction of dense-layered binary-phase objects

Each image metric represents different characteristics of images. For instance, similarity metrics, e.g. Structural Similarity Index Metric (SSIM) or Pearson Correlation Coefficient (PCC), utilize correlation between two images to calculate similarity between them; error metrics, e.g. Mean Absolute Error (MAE) or Root-Mean Squared Error (RMSE), compute the pixel-wise error between them according to different norms. As each of them highlights different aspects, a choice of the metric for an application may depend upon characteristics of the images. In this paper, we will show some tomographic reconstructions of dense-layered binary-phase objects, and as the objects are binary, we propose Probability of Error (PE) as an image metric for the assessment of the reconstructions in contrast to other metrics that are not constrained to the range of values. PE is equivalent to Bit-Error Rate (BER) in digital communications as both of the signals of interest are binary, and we are interested to a bit-wise deviation of the reconstructions of their corresponding ground truth images.
Initial cancer treatment and survival in children, adolescents, and young adults with Hodgkin lymphoma: A population-based study.

BACKGROUND Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a treatable tumor affecting children, adolescents and young adults (AYAs; 15-39 years old). Population-based studies report worse survival for non-White children and AYAs but have limited data on individual therapeutic exposures. This study examined overall and HL-specific survival in a population-based cohort of patients while adjusting for sociodemographic factors and treatment. METHODS Data for 4807 patients younger than 40 years with HL (2007-2017) were obtained from the California Cancer Registry. Individual treatment information was extracted from text fields; chemotherapy regimens were defined by standard approaches for pediatric and adult HL. Multivariable Cox models examined the influence of patient and treatment factors on survival. RESULTS At a median follow-up of 4.4 years, 95% of the patients were alive. Chemotherapy differed by age, with 70% of 22- to 39-year-olds and 41% of <22-year-olds receiving doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (P < .001). In multivariable models, older patients (22-39 vs < 21 y; hazard ratio [HR], 1.53; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-2.10), Black (vs White patients); HR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.25-2.88), and Hispanic patients (HR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.06-1.99) experienced worse survival; among those < 21 y, Black race was associated with a 3.3-fold increased risk of death (HR, 3.26; 95% CI, 1.43-7.42). CONCLUSIONS In children and AYAs with HL, older age and non-White race/ethnicity predicted worse survival after adjustments for treatment data. Further work is needed to identify the biological and nonbiological factors driving disparities in these at-risk populations.