cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Periotic Morphology in the Trichosurin Possums Strigocuscus celebensis and Wyulda squamicaudata (Diprotodontia, Phalangeridae) and a Revised Diagnosis of the Tribe Trichosurini

Abstract The morphology of the periotic in the extant trichosurin possums Strigocuscus celebensis and Wyulda squamicaudata is described and compared with that of various species of extant and extinct phalangerid marsupials. The periotic morphologies of S. celebensis and W. squamicaudata show a number of similarities with those of brushtailed possums of the genus Trichosurus, strengthening the case for a monophyletic tribe Trichosurini consisting of these three genera. Comparisons with periotics of possums from the Tertiary Riversleigh deposits of Queensland that were previously assigned on the basis of craniodental anatomy to Trichosurus and Strigocuscus suggest that, despite some similarities, the three extant trichosurins may be more closely related to each other than to the Riversleigh taxa. A revised morphological diagnosis of the Trichosurini is provided, incorporating these data.
Clinical aspects of bovine virus diarrhoea virus infection.

Summary: Bovine virus diarrhoea virus (BVDV) infection of cattle results in a wide range of clinical manifestations. This article reviews the clinical responses associated with BVDV and discusses these diseases in terms of acute infection in immunocompetent cattle, fetal infection, infection in cattle immunotolerant to and persistently infected with BVDV and finally mucosal disease. Bovine virus diarrhoea virus (BVDV) was first recognised in the United States in association with outbreaks of acute and often fatal disease characterised by diarrhoea and erosive lesions of the digestive tract (54). Bovine virus diarrhoea virus has a worldwide distribution. Infection with the virus is common, as indicated by the high prevalence of seropositive cattle (22, 23, 25). The biology of BVDV is complex, and multiple and diverse clinical manifestations may occur in cattle infected with the virus (Table I). This diversity was difficult to understand based on previous explanations of pathogenesis. For example, bovine virus diarrhoea (BVD) and mucosal disease are two clinically distinct and different diseases caused by the same virus. Recent investigations have brought a better understanding by focusing on cattle born immunotolerant and persistently infected with BVDV, and the role of these animals in the pathogenesis of mucosal disease. This article will review the spectrum of clinical responses that occur in cattle following BVDV infection.
Vaccine Therapy for Lung Cancer

Evidence of lung cancer sensitivity to immune reactivity continues to accumulate. However, consistent therapeutic opportunities remain limited. Recently, as a result of increased awareness of immunoreactive components and new technological development, a new crop of therapeutic vaccines are being explored for the purpose of modulating immunity against lung cancer. This review summarizes the key investigative opportunities.
Attendance policies, instructor communication, student attendance, and learning

ABSTRACTThe authors utilized a quasiexperimental design across five sections of a managerial communication course (N = 150) to test the role of course policies and student perceptions of the instructor in influencing student absenteeism and three indicators of student learning: grades, affective learning, and cognitive learning. The experimental group received a class attendance policy containing a grade-related contingency. Results suggest that the three indicators of student learning are associated with different predictors. Moreover, the appropriate attendance policy sets the stage for learning.
Qualitative reasoning about approximations in quantitative modeling

Quantitative models are frequently used to analyze physical systems. A central problem in using quantitative models to reason about physical systems is that the complexity of the reasoning process increases drastically with the size and complexity of the model. Human modelers solve this complexity problem by introducing simplifying approximations. The resultant changes in the model tractability and behavior influence a modeler's choice of approximations. This paper addresses the question of how the behavior of a quantitative model changes when approximations to the model are introduced. We present results that show that model behavior changes in many modeling contexts can be derived by analyzing the model structure, the approximation, and the query to be answered. Our experience with a prototype implementation suggests that the techniques can be useful in the design of modeling support systems.
Pelvic actinomycosis and the intrauterine contraceptive device. A cyto-histomorphologic study.

350 pancervico-vaginal (Fast) smears over 30 months from women using IUDs contained Actinomyces organisms. 65 representative smears were randomly selected for immunofluorescence. Women had used IUDs for 12 weeks-10 years (average 4.48 years). In a group of women clinically indicated for hysterectomy 18/44 smears showed actinomycetes. Among 30 of those 44 13 cases had antecedent Fast smears demonstrating Actinomyces; these women underwent salpingo-oophorectomy as well as hysterectomy. Endometritis was present in all but 1 case (12/13). Adnexa in the Actinomyces group showed 11 cases of salpingo-oophoritis including 5 tubo-ovarian abscesses 3 of which were unilateral; no remarkable histology was found in the Actinomyces-free group. Other histological sections showing Actinomyces included those from patients who had cervicitis endometritis and pelvic abscesses. Cultures obtained from the IUD in 1 case of pelvic abscess grew Actinomyces israelii. 1 other case of pelvic abscess revealed dissemination of Actinomyces to the hepatic and pulmonary parenchyma. In the latter case IUD-associated material was observed in relation to the Actinomyces pelvic abscess. Actinomyces in the Fast smear occurred in isolated clumps revealing branching filamentous organisms and sulfur granules. This diagnosis Fast smear can identify users of IUDs who may have Actinomyces infection in the genital tract and who are at risk of developing clinical disease related to this infection.
Distinct adsorption configurations and self-assembly characteristics of fibrinogen on chemically uniform and alternating surfaces including block copolymer nanodomains.

Understanding protein–surface interactions is crucial to solid-state biomedical applications whose functionality is directly correlated with the precise control of the adsorption configuration, surface packing, loading density, and bioactivity of protein molecules. Because of the small dimensions and highly amphiphilic nature of proteins, investigation of protein adsorption performed on nanoscale topology can shed light on subprotein-level interaction preferences. In this study, we examine the adsorption and assembly behavior of a highly elongated protein, fibrinogen, on both chemically uniform (as-is and buffered HF-treated SiO2/Si, and homopolymers of polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate)) and varying (polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate)) surfaces. By focusing on high-resolution imaging of individual protein molecules whose configurations are influenced by protein–surface rather than protein–protein interactions, fibrinogen conformations characteristic to each surface are identified and stat...
A More Informative Approach for Characterization of Polymer Monolithic Phases: Small Angle Neutron Scattering/Ultrasmall Angle Neutron Scattering

Neutron scattering techniques have been used frequently to characterize geological specimens and to determine the structures of glasses and of polymers as solutions, suspensions, or melts. Little w...
Hexokinase 2 promotes tumor growth and metastasis by regulating lactate production in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a KRAS-driven cancer with a high incidence of metastasis and an overall poor prognosis. Previous work in a genetically engineered mouse model of PDAC showed glucose metabolism to be important for maintaining tumor growth. Multiple glycolytic enzymes, including hexokinase 2 (HK2), were upregulated in primary PDAC patient tumors, supporting a role for glycolysis in promoting human disease. HK2 was most highly expressed in PDAC metastases, suggesting a link between HK2 and aggressive tumor biology. In support of this we found HK2 expression to be associated with shorter overall survival in PDAC patients undergoing curative surgery. Transient and stable knockdown of HK2 in primary PDAC cell lines decreased lactate production, anchorage independent growth (AIG) and invasion through a reconstituted matrix. Conversely, stable overexpression of HK2 increased lactate production, cell proliferation, AIG and invasion. Pharmacologic inhibition of lactate production reduced the HK2-driven increase in invasion while addition of extracellular lactate enhanced invasion, together providing a link between glycolytic activity and metastatic potential. Stable knockdown of HK2 decreased primary tumor growth in cell line xenografts and decreased incidence of lung metastasis after tail vein injection. Gene expression analysis of tumors with decreased HK2 expression showed alterations in VEGF-A signaling, a pathway important for angiogenesis and metastasis, consistent with a requirement of HK2 in promoting metastasis. Overall our data provides strong evidence for the role of HK2 in promoting PDAC disease progression, suggesting that direct inhibition of HK2 may be a promising approach in the clinic.
"Hello ... I'm a doctor".

You may find yourself between the proverbial rock and a hard place when you receive directions from a physician that are in direct conflict with your system's protocols.
Opinion Formation and Expression

As has often been observed, the justices of the Supreme Court operate much like nine individual, autonomous law firms, at least up to the point of the judicial conference to discuss the case. Prior to the conference, each justice has participated in the decision of whether to hear the case, has presumably read the briefs prepared by each side, and has sat through (and perhaps participated in) the oral arguments. Even so, each justice’s initial opinion forms largely without input or influence from the other justices.
Atrial paroxysmal tachycardia in pregnancy: Case report of instance during labor

Abstract 1. 1. An instance of paroxysmal atrial tachycardia in labor, an unusual cardiac emergency during pregnancy, is presented. 2. 2. General principles of the treatment of disturbances of heart rhythm during labor are outlined. 3. 3. Drug therapy, particularly for paroxysmal atrial tachycardia, is summarized for the obstetrician who may rarely encounter such an uncommon experience. 4. 4. Use of a digitalis glycoside as the mainstay of definitive emergency treatment is emphasized.
Design of a molecular imprinting biosensor with multi-scale roughness for detection across a broad spectrum of biomolecules

The molecular imprinting technique has tremendous applications in artificial enzymes, bioseparation, and sensor devices. In this study, a novel molecular imprinting (MI) biosensor platform was developed for the detection of a broad range of biomolecules with different sizes. Previously this method has been applied to 2D molecular imprinting, where the height of the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of around 2 nm limited the maximum dimensions of the molecule that can be imprinted to create template-shaped cavities. In order to match the size of the imprinted molecules with the height of the SAM, we propose a model for 3D molecular imprinting where the analyte is sequestered within a niche created by the surface roughness. The SAM is assembled on the walls of the niche, forming a 3D pattern of the analyte uniquely molded to its contour. Surfaces with multi-scale roughness were prepared by evaporation of gold onto electropolished (smooth) and unpolished (rough) Si wafers, where the native roughness was found to have a normal distribution centered around 5 and 90 nm respectively. Our studies using molecules with size ranging on a nanometer scale, from proteins of a few nanometers to bacteria of hundreds of nanometers, showed that when the size of the analyte matched the roughness range of the gold surface, the molecular imprinting process was optimized for the best biosensing performance. After optimization, the MI biosensor platform enabled the identification and quantification of a broad range of biomolecules with great discrimination abilities. Hemoglobin under different pH values and several mutated fibrinogen molecules can also be well differentiated through the test.
The Nomadic Experiment

When the equestrian nomads rose to dominance in the Great Plains at the end of the eighteenth century, the bison was the largest mammal in North America, but it was not the largest animal ever to have inhabited the continent. Between twelve thousand and fourteen thousand years ago, during the last Ice Age, glaciers edged into the plains to the north and forests covered much of the plains to the south. In this period – the Pleistocene epoch – large herbivores now extinct such as the mammoth ( mammuthus primigenius ) and the giant bison ( bison latifrons ) foraged in mid-continental North America. As the Ice Age ended, global warming and human predation conspired to kill off the giant mammals (a lethal combination of anthropogenic and environmental pressures that foreshadowed the near-extinction of the bison thousands of years later). The extinction of the large herbivores coincided with the appearance of Paleoindian hunting societies in North America. The enormous glaciers of the Pleistocene epoch had lowered the sea level sufficiently to create a land bridge between Siberia and Alaska in what is now the Bering Strait. Paleoindians probably came from Asia to America between twenty-five thousand and twenty thousand years ago, and again between fourteen thousand and ten thousand years ago, while the Bering land bridge existed but glaciers did not block the migration.
A human factors systems approach to understanding team-based primary care: a qualitative analysis

Background Research shows that high-functioning teams improve patient outcomes in primary care. However, there is no consensus on a conceptual model of team-based primary care that can be used to guide measurement and performance evaluation of teams. Objective To qualitatively understand whether the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model could serve as a framework for creating and evaluating team-based primary care. Methods We evaluated qualitative interview data from 19 clinicians and staff members from 6 primary care clinics associated with a large Midwestern university. All health care clinicians and staff in the study clinics completed a survey of their communication connections to team members. Social network analysis identified key informants for interviews by selecting the respondents with the highest frequency of communication ties as reported by their teammates. Semi-structured interviews focused on communication patterns, team climate and teamwork. Results Themes derived from the interviews lent support to the SEIPS model components, such as the work system (Team, Tools and Technology, Physical Environment, Tasks and Organization), team processes and team outcomes. Conclusions Our qualitative data support the SEIPS model as a promising conceptual framework for creating and evaluating primary care teams. Future studies of team-based care may benefit from using the SEIPS model to shift clinical practice to high functioning team-based primary care.
Robust contracting with additive noise

Abstract We investigate the idea that linear contracts are reliable because they give the same incentives for effort at every point along the contract. We ask whether this reliability leads to a microfoundation for linear contracts, when the principal is profit-maximizing. We consider a principal-agent model with risk neutrality and limited liability, in which the agent observes the realization of a mean-zero shock to output before choosing how much effort to exert. We show that such a model can indeed provide a foundation for reliable contracts, and illustrate what elements are required. In particular, we must assume that the principal knows a lower bound, but not an upper bound, on the shocks.
Opening of Perforated Folding Cartons: From the Field to Testing

This study demonstrates how a human-hand opening process for a perforated folding carton can be mapped into a path for testing. A field observation was conducted to visually record opening patterns by an observation group. The most representative opening pattern was then repeated by another observation group in the laboratory, and the resulting opening pattern and movements were captured and mapped mathematically via Matlab. The opening speeds were calculated based on opening path that is used to compare the testing machine. A fixture attempting to mirror the opening path was developed for perforated folding cartons to be tested by using tensile testing machine. The study suggested that the process, involving the identifying opening pattern, guided test and fixture equipped testing, can be applied to replication of human-packaging interaction. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Investigating the ties between Muhammed ibn Abd al-Wahhab, early Wahhabism, and ISIS

ABSTRACTThis study reviews the popular and scholarly literature concerning the connection between the ideas of the eighteenth-century founder of Wahhabism, Muhammed ibn Abd al-Wahhab, and the foundational ideas of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). While the members of ISIS embrace many of the tenets of Muhammed ibn Abd al-Wahhab as laid out in the cleric’s most substantive work, Kitab al-Tawhid (Book of Monotheism), Ibn Abd al-Wahhab’s texts alone do not appear to sanction the violent compulsion with which adherents spread the faith. Recent studies that draw upon early source documents of the Wahhabi movement, however, make clear that Ibn Abd al-Wahhab was complicit in the early bloody wars of Wahhabi expansion; he encouraged violence in the spreading of the faith, as do leaders of ISIS today. Contemporary calls by ISIS leaders to reconstitute a modern caliphate, to evict crusading Western armies from the Middle East, to overthrow Muslim leaders in Middle Eastern states, and to disavow any conne...
Integrating International Service-Learning in an Academic Graduate Course: An Instructor and Student Perspective

This descriptive paper aims to discuss and share perspectives on a graduate travel course that integrated an international service-learning component. The course (Cross-Cultural and Global Perspectives in Education) taught in Kenya during the summer of 2010 had four registered students. Accompanying these students were the course instructor, two University of Scranton faculty members and three alumni. This article describes the experiences of two participants –instructor of the course and one graduate student who had never traveled outside of the United States prior to enrolling in this course. The students gained perspectives on the diversity of the African continent in general and Kenya in particular. Through course assignments such as journal entries, reflections on pertinent readings, discussion boards and experiences visiting primary classrooms, students acquired deeper insights into the educational system in Kenya, which helped quell misconceptions about the country. The notion of triple identity – citizen in a community, nation and world – was experienced by the students. A critical pedagogy approach, Ignatian pedagogy, in-depth reflection, international service-learning and learning outcomes will form the framework of the article.
Infrastructure Development and Urbanization in China

The unprecedented infrastructure development in China has created huge opportunities for urban land development and economic activity. Recently, China has accelerated the construction of urban public infrastructure by investing as much as seven trillion Yuan ($1.03 trillion) during its 12th Five-Year Plan from 2011 to 2015. In this chapter, we provide empirical evidence on how different levels of infrastructure provision influence urbanization in China. By using a cross-sectional dataset from 650 Chinese cities, we examine the effects of infrastructure related determinants on urban expansion rates and urban land price. Additionally, we use the hedonic price model to explore the relationship between urban intra-infrastructure development and housing prices in the city of Shenzhen. The results indicate both intra- and inter-city infrastructure developments, including streets within cities, and inter-city express highways and railways connecting cities, have positive impacts on urban expansion. However, much of the convenience provided for intra- and inter-city commuters by streets, public transit and railways has not been capitalized into land price. In general, the findings clearly show that infrastructure has important effects on urban expansion rates, land prices, and subsequently, housing price. Finally, we examine whether recent infrastructure developments could help Chinese cities grow toward a sustainable future, and further discuss the challenges and critical issues associated with the current practice of infrastructure development in China.
Explaining gregarious behaviour in Banffia constricta from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale, British Columbia

Banffia constricta is an enigmatic Burgess Shale animal originally described by Charles Walcott in 1911 as an annelid, and more recently as a stem-group deuterostome. Interpreted, on the basis of anatomy, to have been bottom-feeders, there are few other data from which to draw interpretations of Banffia's life habit. A slab of Burgess Shale with a dense aggregation of B. constricta may indicate a gregarious habit for the animal, as taphonomic and stratigraphical data indicate an in situ origin for the assemblage. Clustering of individuals, high density of the individuals and non-random within-cluster orientation support the hypothesis that detritus-feeding B. constricta congregated to feed on a local, rich food source. Presumed opportunistic feeding aggregations have been documented in at least one other Burgess Shale taxon and have been described for other fossil benthic marine invertebrates. Extant benthic marine invertebrates such as holothurians and echinoids exhibit mass feeding behaviour and may serve as modern analogs for the behaviour represented by the B. constricta assemblage.
Influence of Kidney Transplant Status on Warfarin Dose, Anticoagulation Control, and Risk of Hemorrhage.

tudy Design To assess whether warfarin dose requirement, anticoagulation control, and risk of hemorrhage differ in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) compared with patients without kidney transplants (non-KTRs). Design Analysis of data from the Warfarin Pharmacogenetics Cohort, a prospective cohort of first-time warfarin users followed at two anticoagulation clinics. Setting Two outpatient anticoagulation clinics at two large, academic, tertiary care hospitals. Patients Adults aged 20 years or older starting warfarin for anticoagulation with a therapeutic international normalized ratio (INR) goal of 2–3 who were KTRs (n=65) or non-KTRs (n=1630). Measurements and Main Results Warfarin dose requirement, anticoagulation control, and risk of hemorrhage were assessed in each group. KTRs required an approximately 20% lower warfarin dose (4.7 vs 5.6 mg/day, p=0.0005) compared with non-KTRs. Genetic variants had similar effects on dose in both groups. Mean percentage of time in therapeutic range (PTTR) was similar among KTRs and non-KTRs. Although the proportion of patients achieving good anticoagulation control (PTTR ≥ 60%) was low in both groups, it was similar among KTRs and non-KTRs. KTRs had a higher risk of major hemorrhage (hazard ratio 2.1, p=0.0081), but this difference was not statistically significant after controlling for kidney function, clinical, and genetic factors. Conclusion KTRs initiating warfarin require lower doses and closer monitoring to optimize anticoagulation therapy. Additional studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Pediatric Granular Cell Tumors of the Vulva: A Report of 4 Cases and a Review of the Literature.

Abstract Background Granular cell tumors (GCTs) are rare soft tissue lesions that can involve the female genital tract, including the vulva. Although malignant tumors are aggressive and uncommon, benign and atypical lesions still have associated risks, including recurrence and multisite development. Cases Four cases of pediatric vulvar GCT are presented, including 1 atypical and 3 benign tumors. The atypical lesion occurred in a 3-year-old girl, to our knowledge, the youngest reported patient with GCT of the vulva. Follow-up information is available for 3 patients, ranging 0-12 years. Summary and Conclusion GCTs are an important differential diagnosis in patients with vulvar lesions. In the pediatric population, the tumors' risk of recurrence and multisite development require gynecologists to advocate for complete resection, careful follow-up, and thorough examination for additional tumor sites.
Abstract 14828: Comparison of Expression Profiling of the Vascular Endothelium in Patients With Heart Failure and in Healthy Subjects Using a Novel Methodology: Human Endothelial Sampling Coupled With Microarray Analysis

Background: In heart failure (HF), veins are chronically exposed to higher levels of endovascular pressure and of circulating pro-inflammatory mediators, which might contribute to a modified endothelial cell (EC) phenotype. We studied gene expression signatures in venous ECs collected from HF patients and compared to those from healthy subjects to gain insights into the pathobiology of the venous endothelium in HF patients. Methods: 29 symptomatic (NYHA Class II-III) out-patients with compensated HF (28% female, aged 50±12 years) and 16 healthy subjects (31% female, aged 38±9 years) were studied. ECs were collected from arm veins using endovascular wires. Magnetic beads coated with EC specific antibodies were used for EC separation; amplified mRNA was analyzed by Affymetrix HG-U133 Plus 2.0 Microarray. mRNA data were normalized and differential gene expression between HF patients and controls was studied using generalized linear regression models. A false discovery rate (FDR) of 5% was used to determine statistical significance. Signaling Pathway Impact Analysis (SPIA) identified possible biological pathways impacted in the vascular endothelium of HF patients. Results: No adverse events were observed. Peripheral venous pressure in HF patients was 8±3mmHg vs. 5±2 mmHg in healthy subjects (p Conclusion: We provide the first comparison of venous EC gene expression between HF patients and healthy controls. A large number of genes and signaling pathways of possible relevance to HF were differentially expressed among HF patents. These data can help generate novel insights into the pathobiology of endothelial dysfunction in HF by identifying yet unrecognized biologic pathways for more focused study.
Abstraction, Concrescence, and Identity in Descriptive Metadata

ABSTRACTDescriptive metadata is affected by the challenge of using language that is resilient to semantic transformation over time. Yet, part of this is directly related to a bibliographic rift between abstract and concrete elements. By exploring the materiality of information objects and how descriptive values are subsequently derived, ideological formations and their impact become apparent. An examination of the origins of abstract elements demonstrates their identitarian tendencies and the effect on conceptual organization. Alternatives offered by negative dialectics and critical realism are explored toward a different model of information organization and retrieval.
Policing Student Behavior: Roles and Responsibilities

This chapter provides an overview of school policing in the United States and critically examines variations in the roles and responsibilities school-based police officers assume across contexts. The author presents key research in support of school policing and research that reveals its negative consequences and unequal application based on race, social class, and disability status. The author concludes by offering recommendations on the roles school-based police officers should assume, if any, and suggests potential remedies for addressing inequalities in school disciplinary and policing practices.
Process engineering variables in the spray washing of meat and produce.

Recently, much attention has been focused on the safety of fruits and vegetables. Washing is a fundamental operation in the processing of produce. Aqueous spray energy can be, and often is, used to remove mineral, chemical, or biological contaminants from produce. A few advantages of spray washing over washing by dipping, soaking, or gravity rinse are increased energy directed to contaminants, reduced volume of water use and wastewater generation, and reduced water uptake by produce. The kinetic energy of the spray droplets produces the cleaning action. Increased spray pressure increases energy. If the energy is too great, produce may be physically damaged. If the energy is too little, the surface may not be cleaned. Indeed, studies on meat have shown that water pressures ranging from 1,379 to 2,070 kPa (200 to 300 psi) are effective in reducing microbial contamination, and a water flow rate of 7.5 liters/min is recommended. Water temperature >70°C has been found to reduce bacterial counts in carcass tiss...
Toward the identification of marijuana varieties by headspace chemical forensics

Abstract Chemical forensics is a new field that collects and attributes chemical information of physical evidence to their sources. Ideally, from a chemical forensic analysis, one can identify chemical signatures of physical evidence and use them to classify or trace the source of it. Headspace chemical forensics is a subdiscipline of chemical forensics which attempts to detect origins or characteristics of physical evidence from headspace chemical signatures. To demonstrate the concept of headspace chemical forensics, marijuana samples with known levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) were analyzed by heated headspace solid phase micro extraction coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (HHS-SPME-GC/MS). Headspace chemical features representing phytocannabinoid profiles were selected based on retention time zones of total ion chromatogram (TIC). With this feature selection, variations of TICs collected from different botanical structures in the same group of marijuana variety was minimized before learning process. This analytical platform of headspace chemical analysis combining with machine learning algorithm provided a nearly non-destructive way to classify marijuana varieties without an analyst’s interpretation of chromatograms. The model was able to distinguish marijuana varieties with satisfactory performance. The experimental results demonstrated that headspace chemical analysis approach is a promising analytical platform for chemical forensics. The combination of headspace chemical analysis and machine learning data processing schemes offers a great potential to improve the scope of current forensic analysis of marijuana evidence.
Quantifying Change Through Time in Spider Assemblages: Sampling Methods, Indices and Sources of Error

Using a sample dataset from six sites in the Southern Appalachian mountains in the United States, I evaluate the usefulness of diversity indices and similarity/difference indices for monitoring the changes in spider (Order Araneae) assemblages through time. The Shannon index, Brillouin index, Simpson's index and Margalef's index were correlated with each other and were able to detect successional changes in two old clear-cuts as well as disturbance to a Beech gap forest possibly due to Beech Bark Disease. Turnover, Bray-Curtis similarity, and Morisita-Horn similarity also detected successional differences between the forest types and indicated the short-term and long-term changes in a mature forest stand. Seasonal changes (early to late summer) in spider communities were consistently higher than yearly changes. I identify and discuss the implications of various sources of error that will adversely affect the accuracy and efficiency of a monitoring protocol: sensitivity of indices to sample size, sampler bias, inclusion of juveniles, taxonomic uncertainty and stochastic sampling effects. Although gross trends are still apparent in the sample data regardless of these errors, more subtle changes may be obscured. It is these subtle trends which may be more useful to managers attempting to identify disturbance before irreversible damage occurs.
Ecosystem carbon in relation to woody plant encroachment and control: Juniper systems in Oregon, USA

Abstract The encroachment of western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) trees represents a substantial problem in Oregon rangelands because of the displacement of understory vegetation of importance to wildlife and livestock. Therefore, the control of this species is a common ecological restoration practice. However, western juniper control may also affect the carbon sequestration capacity for an area, although this effect is not well understood. Our study site was a paired watershed in central Oregon where western juniper trees were cut in one watershed (treated, 116 ha) and were left intact in another (untreated, 96 ha). Thirteen years after control, we quantified aboveground carbon stocks for western juniper trees, shrubs, grasses, and litter in both the treated and untreated watersheds. We also quantified belowground carbon stocks (roots and soil) in both watersheds at two soil depths (0−25 cm and 25−50 cm). Aboveground carbon stocks were 5.8 times greater in the untreated than in the treated watershed. On the other hand, root carbon stocks were 2.6 times greater in the treated than in the untreated watershed. Soil carbon stocks at both 0−25 cm and 25−50 cm depth were not affected by juniper control. Overall, total ecosystem carbon stocks (average 137.6 Mg C ha−1) were not different between watersheds. Most carbon resided belowground (soil 0−50 cm and roots); 84% and 97% of the total ecosystem carbon, respectively, was found in the untreated and treated watershed. Juniper control represents benefits such as habitat restoration for native wildlife, increased forage for livestock, and restoration of hydrological functions. Our study provides basis to suggest that the benefits of juniper control can be attained without substantially affecting the potential for ecosystem carbon sequestration.
Genetic Variability affects the Skeletal Response to Unloading

Mechanical unloading decreases bone volume and strength. In humans and mice, bone mineral density is highly heritable, and in mice the response to changes in loading varies with genetic background. Thus, genetic variability may affect the response of bone to unloading. As a first step to identify genes involved in bone response to unloading, we evaluated the effects of unloading in eight inbred mouse strains: C57BL/6J, PWK/PhJ, WSB/EiJ, A/J, 129S1/SvImJ, NOD/ShiLtJ, NZO/HlLtJ, and CAST/EiJ. C57BL/6J and NOD/ShiLtJ mice had the greatest unloading induced loss of diaphyseal cortical bone volume and strength. NZO/HlLtJ mice had the greatest metaphyseal trabecular bone loss, and C57BL/6J, WSB/EiJ, NOD/ShiLtJ, and CAST/EiJ mice had the greatest epiphyseal trabecular loss. Bone loss in the epiphyses displayed the highest heritability. With immobilization, mineral:matrix was reduced, and carbonate:phosphate and crystallinity were increased. A/J mice displayed the greatest unloading induced loss of mineral:matrix. Changes in gene expression in response to unloading were greatest in NOD/ShiLtJ and CAST/EiJ mice. The most upregulated genes in response to unloading were associated with increased collagen synthesis and extracellular matrix formation. Our results demonstrate a strong differential response to unloading as a function of strain. Diversity outbred (DO) mice are a high-resolution mapping population derived from these eight inbred founder strains. These results suggest DO mice will be highly suited for examining the genetic basis of the skeletal response to unloading.
Using Reinforcement Learning to Estimate Human Joint Moments From Electromyography or Joint Kinematics: An Alternative Solution to Musculoskeletal-Based Biomechanics.

Reinforcement learning (RL) has potential to provide innovative solutions to existing challenges in estimating joint moments in motion analysis, such as kinematic or electromyography (EMG) noise and unknown model parameters. Here, we explore feasibility of RL to assist joint moment estimation for biomechanical applications. Forearm and hand kinematics and forearm EMGs from four muscles during free finger and wrist movement were collected from six healthy subjects. Using the proximal policy optimization approach, we trained two types of RL agents that estimated joint moment based on measured kinematics or measured EMGs, respectively. To quantify the performance of trained RL agents, the estimated joint moment was used to drive a forward dynamic model for estimating kinematics, which was then compared with measured kinematics using Pearson correlation coefficient. The results demonstrated that both trained RL agents are feasible to estimate joint moment for wrist and metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint motion prediction. The correlation coefficients between predicted and measured kinematics, derived from the kinematics-driven agent and subject-specific EMG-driven agents, were 98% ± 1% and 94% ± 3% for the wrist, respectively, and were 95% ± 2% and 84% ± 6% for the metacarpophalangeal joint, respectively. In addition, a biomechanically reasonable joint moment-angle-EMG relationship (i.e., dependence of joint moment on joint angle and EMG) was predicted using only 15 s of collected data. In conclusion, this study illustrates that an RL approach can be an alternative technique to conventional inverse dynamic analysis in human biomechanics study and EMG-driven human-machine interfacing applications.
The electronic structure of FeV-cofactor in vanadium-dependent nitrogenase

The electronic structure of the active-site metal cofactor (FeV-cofactor) of resting-state V-dependent nitrogenase has been an open question, with earlier studies indicating that it exhibits a broad S = 3/2 EPR signal (Kramers state) having g values of ∼4.3 and 3.8, along with suggestions that it contains metal-ions with valencies [1V3+, 3Fe3+, 4Fe2+]. In the present work, genetic, biochemical, and spectroscopic approaches were combined to reveal that the EPR signals previously assigned to FeV-cofactor do not correlate with active VFe-protein, and thus cannot arise from the resting-state of catalytically relevant FeV-cofactor. It, instead, appears resting-state FeV-cofactor is either diamagnetic, S = 0, or non-Kramers, integer-spin (S = 1, 2 etc.). When VFe-protein is freeze-trapped during high-flux turnover with its natural electron-donating partner Fe protein, conditions which populate reduced states of the FeV-cofactor, a new rhombic S = 1/2 EPR signal from such a reduced state is observed, with g = [2.18, 2.12, 2.09] and showing well-defined 51V (I = 7/2) hyperfine splitting, aiso = 110 MHz. These findings indicate a different assignment for the electronic structure of the resting state of FeV-cofactor: S = 0 (or integer-spin non-Kramers state) with metal-ion valencies, [1V3+, 4Fe3+, 3Fe2+]. Our findings suggest that the V3+ does not change valency throughout the catalytic cycle.
Personality Characteristics and Acute Symptom Response Predict Chronic Symptoms After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

Objective: Despite consensus that personality influences mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) recovery, it has been underexamined. We evaluated the extent to which diverse personality and psychiatric symptom dimensions predict mTBI recovery. Methods: This prospective cohort study involved psychological assessments of hospital patients with mTBI (n = 75; median = 2 days post-injury, range = 0–12 days) and orthopedic trauma controls (OTC; n = 79) who were used for comparison in mediation modeling. Chronic symptoms were evaluated at 3 months after mTBI (n = 50) using the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT) symptom checklist. Linear regression analyses were used to identify the predominant predictors of chronic symptoms in mTBI. Modern mediation analyses tested the hypothesis that personality traits predict chronic symptoms through acute psychological response to injury. Results: In mTBI, trait psychoticism directly predicted chronic mTBI symptoms and was the strongest personality predictor overall. Furthermore, an internalizing personality dimension emphasizing negative affect/emotionality and detachment predicted chronic mTBI symptoms indirectly through enhancement of acute somatic complaints. In OTC, internalizing personality acted through the same mediator as in mTBI, whereas the effect of psychoticism was also mediated through acute somatic complaints. There was varying support for a moderated direct effect of personality traits at low levels of positive emotionality across models. Conclusion: These causal models provide novel insights about the role of personality in mTBI symptom recovery, highlighting the complexity of how psychological processes may interact to affect recovery and revealing that some of these processes may be non-specific to brain injury.
Load Carriage Exercise Increases Calcium Absorption and Retention in Healthy Young Women

Objectives Aerobic exercise (EX) reduces circulating ionized Ca (iCa) and increases parathyroid hormone (PTH), but the cause and consequences on Ca handling are unknown. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of EX on Ca kinetics using dual stable Ca isotopes.
Murine Sclerodermatous Graft-Versus-Host Disease, a Model for Human Scleroderma: Cutaneous Cytokines, Chemokines, and Immune Cell Activation

Murine sclerodermatous graft-vs-host disease (Scl GVHD) models human scleroderma, with prominent skin thickening, lung fibrosis, and up-regulation of cutaneous collagen mRNA. Fibrosis in Scl GVHD may be driven by infiltrating TGF-beta1-producing mononuclear cells. Here we characterize the origin and types of those cutaneous effector cells, the cytokine and chemokine environments, and the effects of anti-TGF-beta Ab on skin fibrosis, immune cell activation markers, and collagen and cytokine synthesis. Donor cells infiltrating skin in Scl GVHD increase significantly at early time points post-transplantation and are detectable by PCR analysis of Y-chromosome sequences when female mice are transplanted with male cells. Cutaneous monocyte/macrophages and T cells are the most numerous cells in Scl GVHD compared with syngeneic controls. These immune cells up-regulate activation markers (MHC class II I-A(d) molecules and class A scavenger receptors), suggesting Ag presentation by cutaneous macrophages in early fibrosing disease. Early elevated cutaneous mRNA expression of TGF-beta1, but not TGF-beta2 or TGF-beta3, and elevated C-C chemokines macrophage chemoattractant protein-1, macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha, and RANTES precede subsequent skin and lung fibrosis. Therefore, TGF-beta1-producing donor mononuclear cells may be critical effector cells, and C-C chemokines may play important roles in the initiation of Scl GVHD. Abs to TGF-beta prevent Scl GVHD by effectively blocking the influx of monocyte/macrophages and T cells into skin and by abrogating up-regulation of TGF-beta1, thereby preventing new collagen synthesis. The Scl GVHD model is valuable for testing new interventions in early fibrosing diseases, and chemokines may be new potential targets in scleroderma.
An ultrasonic instrument for measuring density and viscosity of tank waste

An estimated 381,000 m3/1.1 x 109 Ci of radioactive waste are stored in high-level waste tanks at the Hanford, Savannah River, Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, and West Valley facilities. This nuclear waste has created one of the most complex waste management and cleanup problems that face the United States. Release of radioactive materials into the environment from underground waste tanks requires immediate cleanup and waste retrieval. Hydraulic mobilization with mixer pumps will be used to retrieve waste slurries and salt cakes from storage tanks. To ensure that transport lines in the hydraulic system will not become plugged, the physical properties of the slurries must be monitored. Characterization of a slurry flow requires reliable measurement of slurry density, mass flow, viscosity, and volume percent of solids. Such measurements are preferably made with on-line nonintrusive sensors that can provide continuous real-time monitoring. With the support of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM-50), Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) is developing an ultrasonic instrument for inline monitoring of physical properties of radioactive tank waste.
A brief review on hybrid procedures in congenital heart disease

Hybrid approaches to management of complex congenital heart disease is a fast growing field. This is of particular importance in specific defects that cannot be dealt with ease and safety either in the surgical suite or catheterization laboratory because of certain patient and anatomic characteristics. This brief review outlines some of the defects in which a hybrid approach allows surgeons and interventional cardiologist to combine their expertise and provide the best approach to correct or palliate these defects with optimal outcomes.
Microstructure-sensitive small fatigue crack growth assessment. Effect of strain ratio multiaxial strain state and geometric discontinuities

Abstract Fatigue crack initiation in the high cycle fatigue regime is strongly influenced by microstructural features. Research efforts have usually focused on predicting fatigue resistance against crack incubation without considering the early fatigue crack growth after encountering the first grain boundary. However, a significant fraction of the variability of the total fatigue life can be attributed to growth of small cracks as they encounter the first few grain boundaries, rather than crack formation within the first grain. This paper builds on the framework previously developed by the authors to assess microstructure-sensitive small fatigue crack formation and early growth under complex loading conditions. The scheme employs finite element simulations that explicitly render grains and crystallographic directions along with simulation of microstructurally small fatigue crack growth from grain to grain. The methodology employs a crystal plasticity algorithm in ABAQUS that was previously calibrated to study fatigue crack initiation in RR1000 Ni-base superalloy. This work present simulations with non-zero applied mean strains and geometric discontinuities that were not previously considered for calibration. Results exhibit trends similar to those found in experiments for multiple metallic materials, conveying a consistent physical description of fatigue damage phenomena.