cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
EVOLUTION OF ADAPTATION THROUGH ALLOMETRIC SHIFTS IN A MARINE SNAIL

Variation in ontogenetic development among individuals may be a major contributor to morphological variation within species. Evolution of different growth trajectories might, for example, evolve as a response to varying ecological contexts of individuals living in different environments, or by life-stage or gender differences. The intertidal periwinkle Littorina saxatilis is strongly polymorphic in shell shape. We compared ontogenetic trajectories between life stages, local populations, and sexes to understand how different morphological end points are reached during ontogeny and what might cause these differences. Applying landmark-based geometric morphometrics, we captured shell shape variation for four Swedish populations of this species. We also derived a method to visualize ontogenetic trajectories described by the relationship of size to the multivariate shape space. We found that growth trajectories differed between individuals living in different habitats, as well as between sexes and maturity stages. Males living on rocky cliffs grew isometrically throughout life, whereas females from the same habitat switched from isometric growth as juveniles to allometric growth as adults. In contrast, males and females living on boulders grew allometrically as juveniles but changed to isometric growth at sexual maturity. Thus, in this species, ontogenetic growth seems influenced by habitat-associated selection as well as by gender and age-specific selection. These differing selection regimes result in ontogenetic shifts in allometry in three of the four groups examined.
Do sodium channels in biological membranes undergo ferroelectric-superionic transitions?

It is proposed that the sodium channels present in nerve and muscle membranes are ferroelectric in the resting state of the membrane. A threshold depolarization induces a phase transition of these glycoprotein macromolecules to a superionic phase, in which the conductance for sodium ions is high. This hypothesis explains the origin of the transient inward current and other channel properties and provides an approach to microscopic structure-function relationships. >
Adaptive management on public lands in the United States: commitment or rhetoric?

Adaptive management (AM) is the process of implementing land management activities in incremental steps and evaluating whether desired outcomes are being achieved at each step. If conditions deviate substantially from predictions, management activities are adjusted to achieve the desired outcomes. Thus, AM is a kind of moni- toring, an activity that land management agencies have done poorly for the most part, at least with respect to ground-based monitoring. Will they do better in the future? We doubt it unless costs, personnel, and future commit- ment are seriously addressed. Because ecosystem re- sponses to management impacts can ripple into the distant future, monitoring programs that address only the near fu- ture (e.g., 10 -20 years), are probably unreliable for making statements about resource conditions in the distant future. We give examples of this. Feedback loops between eco- system response and adjustment of management actions are often broken, and therefore AM again fails. Successful ground-based monitoring must address these and other points that agencies commonly ignore. As part of the solu- tion, publics distrustful of agency activities should be in- cluded in any monitoring program.
Treatment of a persistent iatrogenic cerebrospinal fluid-pleural fistula with a cadaveric dural-pleural graft.

Abstract Background context A cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-pleural fistula is a unique condition with which all spine surgeons need to be familiar, particularly those who use anterolateral approaches to the thoracic region. When direct suturing of the dural defect is not possible, techniques for indirect repair must be considered. Purpose To report a novel technique for repair of a thoracic CSF-pleural fistula with a cadaveric dural-pleural graft after failure of initial treatment with Duragen (Integra, Plainsboro, NJ) and fibrin glue. Study design/setting Case report/University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center. Methods The case of a 65-year-old female is presented. Results The patient represented 5 weeks after the initial operation (left-sided thoracotomy, partial T10–T11 corpectomy and removal of an intradural calcified disc) with dyspnea and severe positional headaches. Imaging of the brain revealed a subdural hematoma and magnetic resonance imaging of the thoracic region demonstrated a pseudomeningocele surrounding the postsurgical bed. She underwent a revision thoracotomy and CSF-pleural fistula repair. We addressed the dural opening indirectly by suturing a piece of cadaveric dural allograft to the thickened pleura, after Duragen and fibrin glue were placed over the dural defect. A lumbar drain and a chest tube were also placed. At 12 weeks post-op, the subdural hematoma had completely resolved and her chest X-rays demonstrated a significant decrease in the CSF-pleural collection. Conclusion Anterolateral thoracic disc surgery poses a great challenge to the spine surgeon but can provide the most direct way of decompressing the spinal cord as a result of ventral pathology. Some of the most difficult aspects of dealing with a CSF leak in this area relates to 1) the relative complexity of suturing the dura directly as it is at a considerable distance from the operating surgeon; 2) the manner in which the contralateral dura slopes away and is hidden from view; and 3) the relatively negative intrathoracic pressure, which encourages the persistent flow of CSF from the intradural to the pleural cavity. We speculate that with open thoracic surgery and the creation of a large potential space with an open dural defect, this technique provided an additional barrier against the formation of a CSF-pleural fistula. Using this technique, we intentionally create a pseudomeningocele into the corpectomy defect that is contained within the confines of our dural-pleural graft.
Threatened egotism, narcissism, self-esteem, and direct and displaced aggression: Does self-love or self-hate lead to violence?

It has been widely asserted that low self-esteem causes violence, but laboratory evidence is lacking, and some contrary observations have characterized aggressors as having favorable self-opinions. In 2 studies, both simple self-esteem and narcissism were measured, and then individual participants were given an opportunity to aggress against someone who had insulted them or praised them or against an innocent third person. Self-esteem proved irrelevant to aggression. The combination of narcissism and insult led to exceptionally high levels of aggression toward the source of the insult. Neither form of self-regard affected displaced aggression, which was low in general. These findings contradict the popular view that low self-esteem causes aggression and point instead toward threatened egotism as an important cause.
The role of charged amphipathic helices in the structure and function of surfactant protein B.

Surfactant protein B (SP-B) is essential for normal lung surfactant function. Theoretical models predict that the disulfide cross-linked, N- and C-terminal domains of SP-B fold as charged amphipathic helices, and suggest that these adjacent helices participate in critical surfactant activities. This hypothesis is tested using a disulfide-linked construct (Mini-B) based on the primary sequences of the N- and C-terminal domains. Consistent with theoretical predictions of the full-length protein, both isotope- enhanced Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and molecular modeling confirm the presence of charged amphipathic a-helices in Mini-B. Similar to that observed with native SP-B, Mini- B in model surfactant lipid mixtures exhibits marked in vitro activity, with spread films showing near-zero minimum surface tensions during cycling using captive bubble surfactometry. In vivo, Mini-B shows oxygenation and dynamic compliance that compare favorably with that of full-length SP-B. Mini-B variants (i.e. reduced disulfides or cationic residues replaced by uncharged residues) or Mini-B fragments (i.e. unlinked N- and C-terminal domains) produced greatly attenuated in vivo and in vitro surfactant properties. Hence, the combination of structure and charge for the amphipathic a-helical N- and C-terminal domains are key to SP-B function.
Thyroid stimulating hormone and growth hormone responses to thyrotropin releasing hormone in anorexia nervosa.

Ten female patients who satisfied objective criteria for the diagnosis of anorexia nervosa were given 500 ug of thyrotropin releasing hormone. Thyroid stimulating hormone and growth hormone responses were measured in duplicate by radioimmunoassay. These patients had a low normal Δ thyroid stimulating hormone but a delayed peak response. In addition, these patients had pathological growth hormone release in response to thyrotropin releasing hormone infusion. Both delayed peak thyroid stimulating hormone and growth hormone response to thyrotropin releasing hormone have been reported for patients with hypothalamic disorders.
Hyperempiria, a new "altered state of consciousness" induced by suggestion.

If hypnotizability is essentially role-taking aptitude, as asserted by Sarbin and Coe (1972), and if the cognitive determinants of hypnotic ability are to be found in S's attitudes, motivations, and expectancies and in his ability to think along with and vividly imagine the suggestions he is given, as Barber (1972) has stated, then the use of suggestion to implement new role patterns which do not fit the traditional hypnotic paradigm should be a fairly simple procedure. If the perception of one's own awareness is a subjective phenomenon or an epiphenomenon, as behaviorists have long maintained, then the total number of possible role patterns involving "altered states" (or altered experiences) of consciousness which may be induced by means of suggestion should be roughly equivalent to the number of definitions of such states which it is possible to conceive or to imagine; for each of these imagined definitions may be communicated to a responsive S in the form of suggestions which define for him the nature of the changes which he is about to undergo in the perception of his own awareness. It is commonly known that the traditional "hypnotic" or sleeping trance behaviors were first manifested by people who were imitating the behavior of the retarded Victor Emmanuel, who was too stupid to realize that he was supposed to go into convulsions while standing under a "magnetized" elm tree on the estate of the Marquis de Puy&gur and went to sleep instead (Gibbons, 1973, p. 5). However, Ss who possess a high degree of role-taking aptitude and who are able to think along with and imagine vividly the suggestions which they are given should easily be able to adopt new forms of rrance-like behavior without requiring another Victor Emmanuel to model the appropriate responses for them! Considering the wide variety of induction methods currently employed, the absence of any reliable physiological correlates of hypnosis, and the speed with which hypnosis may be re-induced, the only essential prerequisites for a suc'An earlier version of this paper was presented at meetings of the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, Newport Beach, Calif., December, 1973.
The prognostic importance of polypharmacy in older adults treated for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML)

We retrospectively evaluated the prognostic significance of polypharmacy and inappropriate medication use among 150 patients >60 years of age receiving induction chemotherapy for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). After adjustment for age and comorbidity, increased number of medications at diagnosis (≥ 4 versus ≤ 1) was associated with increased 30-day mortality (OR=9.98, 95% CI=1.18-84.13), lower odds of complete remission status (OR=0.20, 95% CI=0.06-0.65), and higher overall mortality (HR=2.13, 95% CI=1.15-3.92). Inappropriate medication use (classified according to Beers criteria) was not significantly associated with clinical outcomes. Polypharmacy warrants further study as a modifiable marker of vulnerability among older adults with AML.
The utility of additional soundings for forecasting lake-effect snow in the Great Lakes region

Abstract The impact of initializing a mesoscale model with additional sounding data over the Great Lakes region is investigated. As part of the Lake-Induced Convection Experiment (Lake-ICE) field study during the winter of 1997/98, six supplementary Cross-chain Loran Atmospheric Sounding System (CLASS) units and three Integrated Sounding System (ISS) units were used in addition to those from the standard synoptic upper-air network. The three ISS units were in the vicinity of Lake Michigan, and the six CLASS units were in the data-sparse region of central and northeastern Ontario and western Quebec. The Pennsylvania State University–National Center for Atmospheric Research fifth-generation Mesoscale Model running on a doubly nested grid is used to simulate the lake-effect snow event of 4–5 December 1997. This model output from a 30-km horizontal resolution grid shows that the six CLASS soundings capture a warm layer below 850 hPa that appears to be the result of diabatic heating from the Great Lakes. This ...
The Finagle Point for Characteristic Function Games

The Finagle point is that point which comes closest — in the sense of distance — to dominating any other point in a given space. In this article, the space is the set of imputations of a simple characteristic function game, and the distance is the 11 metric in that set. It is shown that the finagle point can be computed by solving (in the minimax sense) a sequence of matrix games. Two examples are worked out in detail.
Kick-Starting a Strategy for Scooters

This is a field-based disguised case that describes a family business decision to enter a market and the consequences of that decision. The primary issue presented in the case is: “What should the family do now?” This issue is one that is not unfamiliar to many small business managers and owners. The case has a difficulty level appropriate for a senior level course in small business management, entrepreneurship, strategic management, marketing, or strategic marketing and can be used to stimulate discussion in MBA classes as well.
Gay Men’s (Non)Monogamy Ideals and Lived Experience

The current qualitative study uses a queer-feminist lens to examine variations in ideals and lived experience related to (non)monogamy among a convenience sample of 43 gay men in the U.S., primarily from the southeast. Data were collected in 2003 using in-person and online interviews and focus groups. The specific research questions were: (1) how is (non)monogamy characterized as an ideal?; and (2) what are the lived experiences of gay men doing (non)monogamy in their relationships? Results demonstrated (non)monogamy practices were differentiated by levels of emotional closeness, sex/physical contact, and how (non)monogamy was negotiated, each of which were on an independent continuum. Among this sample, points on the emotional closeness continuum ranged from ambiguity about whether emotional closeness could exist with another outside of the current relationship to being able to exist among multiple people simultaneously. The sex/physical contact continuum ranged from sex only with the current partner to sex with multiple partners. Finally, variations of how (non)monogamy was negotiated between partners ranged from ambiguous to explicit communication of rules and boundaries that also were fluid and open to consistent renegotiation by the partners. Most participants (72.1 %) held an ideal similar to traditional notions of monogamy, whereas other participants’ ideals were more flexible in terms of openness to (non)monogamy practices. However, the lived experiences of (non)monogamy were more varied and comprised of nine variations with the three most common being ambiguously open (22 %), semi-open unspecified (17 %), and monogamy unspecified (15 %).
Understanding Culture, Resilience, and Mental Health: The Production of Hope

The authors report on their multidisciplinary and longitudinal studies of Afghan families that included paired interviews with adolescents and adult caregivers. The authors argue that cultural values are the “bedrock” of resilience: they underpin the meaning attributed to great suffering, hope for the future, and a sense of emotional, social, and moral order to ordinary and extraordinary aspects of life. Remarkably, they show that war-related trauma is not the principal driver of poor mental health: traumatic experiences are linked to fractured family relationships and a failure to achieve personal, social, and cultural milestones. Resilience, meanwhile, rests upon a demonstration of family unity. In the context of structural disadvantage that includes poverty, crowded living conditions, and exposure to violence, the authors also show that cultural dictates come to entrap Afghans in the pursuit of honor and respectability, a core facet of psychosocial resilience. The chapter highlights linkages between psychosocial and structural resilience, cautioning against a simplistic view of culture as a set of protective resources. The authors discuss the ramifications of social policies that raise not just hope, but undue expectations without sufficient resource provision.
Enhanced Diapycnal Diffusivity in Intrusive Regions of the Drake Passage

AbstractDirect measurements of oceanic turbulent parameters were taken upstream of and across Drake Passage, in the region of the Subantarctic and Polar Fronts. Values of turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate e estimated by microstructure are up to two orders of magnitude lower than previously published estimates in the upper 1000 m. Turbulence levels in Drake Passage are systematically higher than values upstream, regardless of season. The dissipation of thermal variance χ is enhanced at middepth throughout the surveys, with the highest values found in northern Drake Passage, where water mass variability is the most pronounced. Using the density ratio, evidence for double-diffusive instability is presented. Subject to double-diffusive physics, the estimates of diffusivity using the Osborn–Cox method are larger than ensemble statistics based on e and the buoyancy frequency.
Log-linear Causal Analysis of Cross-classified Categorical Data

Although log-linear and log-multiplicative analysis of association between variables is useful, its major limitation has been a lack of association with causal analysis. The objective of this article is to introduce a causal analysis on the basis of an adjusted cross-classified frequency table having such counterfactual odds ratios between a treatment variable X and its dependent variable Y that would be realized if the effects of confounding covariates on the association between X and Y were eliminated. The author first clarifies that the attainment of statistical independence between X and the covariates is not sufficient, because the issue of collapsibility remains even under completely randomized treatment allocation, and then proposes a specific standardization method for covariate states to solve this issue. By assuming semiparametric regression models, the author then introduces a new method of retaining the causal effects of X on Y, and the possible dependence of those effects on the third variabl...
Management of multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis, disease of exacerbations and remissions, more prevalent than any other neurologic condition except syphilis, is seldom lethal and not always a crippler. Although there is no cure, integrated application of suggested available types of therapy will give more symptomatic relief than can be obtained for many chronic diseases.
On-line Overvoltage Monitoring Method Based on Contactless Induction Technique

A new on-line power grid overvoltage monitoring technique using contactless voltage sensor in stead of conventional capacitive divider is presented.Induction lines that are laid under the aerial conductor are used for getting induction voltage signal,and then the system voltage is calculated through voltage transformation matrix.Single-phase and three-phase models for simulation calculation are built by the alternative transients program(ATP),each model having stable and transient process.The result of simulation shows that the contactless voltage sensor can catch high-frequency signal,realize accurate measurement of system voltage,work stably and meet the requirements of overvoltage monitoring in power lines.
Review: Antioxidant supplementation does not reduce gastrointestinal cancer

Source Citation Bjelakovic G, Nikolova D, Simonetti RG, Gluud C. Antioxidant supplements for prevention of gastrointestinal cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet. 2004;364:1219-28....
New Limited Liability Company Legislation in New York

On July 26, 1994, Governor Cuomo signed legislation which will permit limited liability companies to be formed in New York State. When the law became effective October 24, 1994, New York was the 42nd state to enact an LLC statute. The limited liability company (“LLC”) is a new form of doing business which combines the advantages of a partnership’s flow-through tax treatment and operating flexibility with a corporation’s limitation on liability for shareholders. The LLC is potentially useful for businesses in which the owners desire limited liability, flow-through tax treatment, and control over management. LLCs are particularly well-suited for foreign investment, venture capital, joint venture, real estate, oil and gas and high technology transactions, as well as for family-owned and other closely-held businesses. LLCs are not likely to be attractive when it is expected that the interest of the business will be widely-held or publicly traded, because flow-through tax treatment is unlikely to be available to such business.
Clinical and Electrophysiological Characteristics of Incessant Atrioventricular Nodal Re-Entrant Tachycardia

Abstract Objectives This study investigated clinical and electrophysiological findings in patients with incessant atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT). Background AVNRT is the most frequent cause of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) and, rarely, incessant SVT. There are a few case reports describing incessant AVNRT. Methods Among 342 patients treated using ablation for AVNRT, we identified 8 patients with incessant AVNRT (2.3%). We describe the clinical and electrophysiological features of patients with incessant AVNRT and compare them with those of patients with paroxysmal AVNRT (n = 334). Results This study population consisted of 5 men and 3 women with incessant AVNRT. Patients with incessant AVNRT presented more frequently with the fast-slow form than those with paroxysmal AVNRT (63% vs. 14%, respectively, p Conclusions AVNRT can rarely present as incessant SVT, mimicking permanent junctional reciprocating tachycardia, and can be associated with tachycardia-associated cardiomyopathy. Catheter ablation in the slow pathway region leads to long-term success.
The effect of thyroparathyroidectomy upon phosphorus homeostasis in the adult goat.

SUMMARY The effects of thyroparathyroidectomy upon phosphorus (P) homeostasis have been investigated in adult, castrated, male goats with respect to P net retention, dietary intake, absorption, excretion in urine and faeces and plasma inorganic P (Pi) concentrations. In goats which had been thyroparathyroidectomised (TPTX) for between 2 and 13 months the only change was a significant reduction in plasma Pi concentration (P 0·01 ).
Gemini J ‐band observations of RX J0806.4–4123

The detection of near-infrared (NIR) excess at the position of a star can indicate either a substellar companion or a disk around the respective star. In this work we probed whether a 2.5σ H -band flux enhancement at the position of the isolated neutron star RX J0806.4–4123 can be confirmed at another NIR wavelength. We observed RXJ0806.4–4123 in the J -band with Gemini South equipped with FLAMINGOS-2. There was no significant detection of a J -band source at the neutron star position. However, similarly to the H -band we found a very faint (1.4σ) flux enhancement with a nominal magnitude of J = 24.8 ± 0.5. The overall NIR-detection significance is 3.1σ. If real, this emission is too bright to come from the neutron star alone. Deeper near-infrared observations are necessary to confirm or refute the potential NIR excess. The confirmation of such NIR excess could imply that there is a substellar companion or a disk around RXJ0806.4–4123. (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Inequalities for Multivariate Normal Distribution

Probability inequalities for multivariate normal distribution have received a considerable amount of attention in the statistical literature, especially during the early stage of the development. This may be partially attributed to the fact that the assumption of normality is usually imposed in the applied problems and partially because of the mathematical simplicity of the functional form of the multivariate normal density function. Existing inequalities for the normal distribution concern mainly the quadrant and rectangular probability contents as the functions of either the correlation coefficients or the mean vector. This chapter discusses the inequalities that depend on the correlation coefficients only. It discusses Slepian's inequality that is an inequality for the quadrant probability α( k , a, R) as a function of the elements of R + (ρ ij ). The probability in question is that for which the random variables simultaneously take smaller values. As pointed out by Slepian in 1962, the correlation matrix R may generally be regarded as an indicator of how much the random variables X 1 …,X k hang together. Therefore, it is intuitively obvious that when the variables are highly correlated, with large ρ ij s, they should hang together more and are more likely to maintain the same magnitude. This view is confirmed by an inequality of Slepian that says that the quadrant probability is a monotonically increasing function of the ρ ij s.
Structure and Function of the Nail Unit

This chapter reviews the embryology and development, anatomy and cell biology, physiology, biochemistry, biophysics, and pharmacology of the nail unit.
Signet Rings Around the World

Esophageal and gastric adenocarcinoma of signet ring subtype is aggressive and portends a poor prognosis. This subtype of an already aggressive cancer metastasizes widely and can progress quickly. Hart and colleagues outline an unusual and specific metastasis following resection of signet ring esophageal adenocarcinoma. More frequent surveillance for resected patients may help identify metastases early.
The role of crystallography and the mechanisms associated with migration of incoherent twin grain boundaries

Abstract With twin grain boundaries playing an important role in numerous materials, it is important to understand their behavior across the full range of possible boundary plane orientations. This work examines the migration of 41 computed ∑3 nickel grain boundaries over a range of temperatures. The boundary plane orientation appears to play the determining role in the nature of the migration observed, which is evident when the data are plotted in the fundamental zone of possible boundary plane orientations. GBs whose boundary plane lie between ( 1 1 1 ) and ( 2 1 ¯ 1 ¯ ) exhibit thermally activated migration and the atoms do not move in a coordinated fashion. The remaining GBs, including the ( 1 0 1 ¯ ) GB, exhibit some form of thermally damped migration. The thermally damped migration is characterized by inverse temperature dependence where the GBs migrate faster at lower temperatures and move in a coordinated fashion involving Shockley partial dislocations. The inverse temperature dependence, which is confirmed by random walk simulations, appears to be consistent with dislocation drag, which could be related to the Shockley partial dislocations. At least one GB exhibits mixed mobility trends due to the presence of both thermally activated and thermally damped migration characteristics.
Designing manufacturable filters for a 16-band plenoptic camera using differential evolution

A 16-band plenoptic camera allows for the rapid exchange of filter sets via a 4x4 filter array on the lens's front aperture. This ability to change out filters allows for an operator to quickly adapt to different locales or threat intelligence. Typically, such a system incorporates a default set of 16 equally spaced at-topped filters. Knowing the operating theater or the likely targets of interest it becomes advantageous to tune the filters. We propose using a modified beta distribution to parameterize the different possible filters and differential evolution (DE) to search over the space of possible filter designs. The modified beta distribution allows us to jointly optimize the width, taper and wavelength center of each single- or multi-pass filter in the set over a number of evolutionary steps. Further, by constraining the function parameters we can develop solutions which are not just theoretical but manufacturable. We examine two independent tasks: general spectral sensing and target detection. In the general spectral sensing task we utilize the theory of compressive sensing (CS) and find filters that generate codings which minimize the CS reconstruction error based on a fixed spectral dictionary of endmembers. For the target detection task and a set of known targets, we train the filters to optimize the separation of the background and target signature. We compare our results to the default 16 at-topped non-overlapping filter set which comes with the plenoptic camera and full hyperspectral resolution data which was previously acquired.
Exploitation of the host cell ubiquitin machinery by microbial effector proteins.

ABSTRACT Pathogenic bacteria are in a constant battle for survival with their host. In order to gain a competitive edge, they employ a variety of sophisticated strategies that allow them to modify conserved host cell processes in ways that favor bacterial survival and growth. Ubiquitylation, the covalent attachment of the small modifier ubiquitin to target proteins, is such a pathway. Ubiquitylation profoundly alters the fate of a myriad of cellular proteins by inducing changes in their stability or function, subcellular localization or interaction with other proteins. Given the importance of ubiquitylation in cell development, protein homeostasis and innate immunity, it is not surprising that this post-translational modification is exploited by a variety of effector proteins from microbial pathogens. Here, we highlight recent advances in our understanding of the many ways microbes take advantage of host ubiquitylation, along with some surprising deviations from the canonical theme. The lessons learned from the in-depth analyses of these host–pathogen interactions provide a fresh perspective on an ancient post-translational modification that we thought was well understood. This article is part of a Minifocus on Ubiquitin Regulation and Function. For further reading, please see related articles: ‘Mechanisms of regulation and diversification of deubiquitylating enzyme function’ by Pawel Leznicki and Yogesh Kulathu ( J. Cell Sci. 130 , 1997–2006). ‘Cell scientist to watch – Mads Gyrd-Hansen9 ( J. Cell Sci. 130 , 1981–1983).
Formation of microporous membranes by biaxial orientation of compatibilized PP/Nylon 6 blends

Abstract Polymer blends comprising polypropylene, Nylon 6, and a compatibilizer were extruded and biaxially stretched. The as-extruded films with various compositions were characterized in terms of morphology, crystallization behavior, optical transparency, and oxygen barrier property. The blend films with all five compositions presented matrix-dispersed morphology with polypropylene as the continuous phase when the Nylon 6 composition is less than 55 w.t. %. The morphology was reversed when Nylon 6 composition increased to 65 w.t. %. As-extruded films exhibited high optical transparency and good oxygen barrier properties. The blend films were then biaxially, sequentially drawn at 155 °C to draw ratio of 2.5 by 2.5. Stretching of one of the blend films containing 30% polypropylene, 55% Nylon 6, and 15% compatibilizer produced a microporous membrane with through-pore structure. The pore size of such membrane was around 100 nm with a porosity of 52%. Formation of through-pore structure was sensitive to both the composition and the process where blends with less Nylon 6 concentration or lower draw ratio would not yield through-pore structure. The generation of through pores were attributed to cavitation of polypropylene on the polypropylene-Nylon 6 interface.
Systemic therapy following metastasectomy for renal cell carcinoma: Using insights from other clinical settings to address unanswered questions

Surgical resection for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) was first described several decades ago, but the appropriate role for surgery in coordinated multidisciplinary care has not been well-defined. The explosive development of new therapies for advanced RCC over the past 10 years has improved the outlook for patients, and there is now renewed interest in surgical metastasectomy for selected patients with metastatic RCC, moving away from the conventional dichotomy between surgery for local disease and systemic therapy for metastatic disease. Patients rendered disease-free after metastasectomy are at high risk of recurrence, but to date no postoperative medical treatment has been shown to be beneficial. Ongoing studies and relevant data will be reviewed to frame the multidisciplinary approach to patients with oligometastatic RCC and to outline future challenges and opportunities for advancing their care.
How Do We Balance the Long-Term Health of a Patient With the Short-Term Risk to the Physician?

Abstract Background There is a wide variation in practice patterns among emergency medicine physicians; many factors weigh into the medical decision-making process including the health of the patient as well as short-term risk to the physician. Objective The objective of our discussion is to illustrate specific scenarios where medical decisions are focused on the physician’s short-term risk, then to propose an approach to shifting the balance to the patient’s long-term health. Methods Using recent data on the evaluation, disposition, and outcomes of patients with low-risk chest pain in the emergency department, we calculate the risk of outpatient evaluation compared to the common practice of admission or observation. Results Patients with low-risk chest pain and negative initial evaluation in the emergency department with 2 normal cardiac biomarkers, normal vital signs, and non-ischemic, interpretable ECGs, have an extremely low-risk of a short term clinically relevant adverse cardiac event. There is a suggestion of a higher patient risk from admission, prompting consideration that continued evaluation of the chest pain as an outpatient may be safer than admission or observation. Conclusion A test/intervention should be done if the risk of a missed diagnosis or adverse outcome is greater that the risk of the test/intervention. Involving the patient in the decision-making process may help to shift the management balance from the physician’s short-term concern of their own risk, to the patient’s long-term health.
Performance of intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) as a reliability index under various distributions in scale reliability studies.

Many published scale validation studies determine inter-rater reliability using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). However, the use of this statistic must consider its advantages, limitations, and applicability. This paper evaluates how interaction of subject distribution, sample size, and levels of rater disagreement affects ICC and provides an approach for obtaining relevant ICC estimates under suboptimal conditions. Simulation results suggest that for a fixed number of subjects, ICC from the convex distribution is smaller than ICC for the uniform distribution, which in turn is smaller than ICC for the concave distribution. The variance component estimates also show that the dissimilarity of ICC among distributions is attributed to the study design (ie, distribution of subjects) component of subject variability and not the scale quality component of rater error variability. The dependency of ICC on the distribution of subjects makes it difficult to compare results across reliability studies. Hence, it is proposed that reliability studies should be designed using a uniform distribution of subjects because of the standardization it provides for representing objective disagreement. In the absence of uniform distribution, a sampling method is proposed to reduce the non-uniformity. In addition, as expected, high levels of disagreement result in low ICC, and when the type of distribution is fixed, any increase in the number of subjects beyond a moderately large specification such as n = 80 does not have a major impact on ICC.
Affinity chromatography using enzymatically synthesized nucleotide-containing DNA binding polymers

A series of nucleotide-containing polyphenols has been synthesized by a simple, two-step enzymatic method. The binding properties of these synthetic polymers to complementary oligonucleotides have been evaluated using a commercially available oligo(dT)cellulose column. Complementary synthetic nucleosides were retained on this column to a greater extent than non-complementary synthetic nucleosides. These results suggest that the synthetic nucleosides prepared via this two-step enzymatic approach may have application as affinity matrices.
Making Sense of Students’ Fractional Representations Using Critical Incidents

This chapter explores ways in which I assess my teaching and interactions with pre-service and practising middle and high-school mathematics teachers. This assessment is then used to adjust my approach to teaching in an effort to improve my delivery of instruction. I identified two competencies to enhance: accurate empathy and intellectual flexibility. Accurate empathy required me to listen and try to understand the thinking, feeling, and behaviour of individual students and appropriately respond to them in effective ways. Intellectual flexibility is addressed by extending my ability to make connections among disparate ideas and experiences. In this chapter I investigate what happens when I exhibit accurate empathy and intellectual flexibility.
Cardiovascular Disease Risk

The precise genetic mutations that directly cause or play some role in coronary artery disease (CAD), cardiomyopathies, cardiac arrhythmias, and pulmonary artery hypertension have begun to be identified. The majority of the genetic mutations of hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathies have also been described. Many of the genes responsible for cardiac arrhythmias, such as long QT syndrome, have been identified as well. In this chapter, we will specifically address the genetics of CAD, hyperlipidemias, obesity, and other transmitted cardiovascular risks from parent to child. We will review the complex interaction of genetics and the environment that predispose families and children to cardiovascular disease and the implications for health and disease prevention. The understanding of the genetic basis of CAD and the interaction between genes and the environment may improve our prevention, treatment, and care of the sequelae of CAD.
Quantum Nucleation of Bubbles from Electrons in Liquid Helium at Negative Pressure

We consider the quantum, nucleation of bubbles associated with negative ions in liquid helium at negative pressure.
ROBUST PARAMETER DESIGN : A RESPONSE SURFACE APPROACH

An alternative of Taguchi's robust parameter design has been recently presented. However, neither Taguchi's approach nor the alternative approach is capable of dealing satisfactorily with the frequently encountered situations in which all the noise vari..
¿Regreso al futuro? La migración en el cruce entre el pasado y el presente, los hechos y la ficción en "Ibicaba: Das Paradies in den Köpfen" (1985), de Eveline Hasler

Este articulo analiza la novela historica de Eveline Hasler Ibicaba: Das Paradies in den Kopfen (1985) como una reflexion sobre los debates politicos en torno a la emigracion del siglo XIX. En su ficcionalizacion de los hechos historicos, Ibicaba contiene tambien reflexiones socio-psicologicas y filosoficas sobre los derechos humanos, una critica poscolonial a los asentamientos europeos en el extranjero y una invitacion para que se elabore una historia femenina de la migracion. Este ensayo defiende que la novela de Hasler es una invitacion a cuestionar el concepto de Heimat y otras construcciones identitarias en el mundo global de la actualidad.
Evaluation of the impact of a multidisciplinary intervention to increase pneumococcal vaccination rates in patients with advanced lung cancer.

61Background: National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommends pneumococcal vaccination for adults 19 years and older with cancer. Currently at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) pneumococcal vaccination is not part of routine cancer care. A vaccination quality improvement project was developed to increase pneumococcal vaccination in lung cancer patients. The primary objective of this evaluation is to assess the impact of a multidisciplinary intervention to increase pneumococcal vaccination in patients with advanced lung cancer receiving intravenous anticancer therapy. Methods: Thoracic oncology clinic schedule and patient electronic medical records were reviewed prospectively from 01/01/2018 to 05/31/2018 by the clinical pharmacist to identify patients with advanced lung cancer eligible for vaccination. Patients list along with recommended vaccine type and schedule was emailed by the clinical pharmacist to clinical team (oncologist, nurse practitioner and practice nurses). Practice nurses obtained immu...
Assessing the accuracy of electricity production forecasts in developing countries

Abstract This study assesses the accuracy of time series econometric methods for forecasting electricity production in developing countries. An analysis of the historical time series for 106 developing countries over the period 1960–2012 demonstrates that econometric forecasts are highly accurate for the majority of these countries. These forecasts have much smaller errors than the predictions of simple heuristic models, which assume that electricity production grows at an exogenous rate or is proportional to the real GDP growth. However, the quality of the forecasts diminishes for the countries and regions, where rapid economic and structural transformation makes it difficult to establish stable historical production trends.
MARITAL STRAIN AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS IN SAME-SEX AND DIFFERENT-SEX COUPLES.

Objective This study examines the association of marital strain - as reported by each spouse - with psychological distress and considers whether the associations vary for men and women in gay, lesbian, and heterosexual marriages. Background Prior studies show that marital strain is associated with psychological distress. However, most studies rely on only one spouse's perspective and do not consider how appraisals of strain from both spouses may contribute to distress. Moreover, possible gender differences in these associations have been considered only for heterosexual couples. Method Analyses are based on 10 days of dyadic diary data from 756 midlife U.S. men and women in 378 gay, lesbian, and heterosexual marriages. Multilevel modeling is used to examine the association of self- and spouse-reported marital strain with psychological distress; actor-partner interdependence models (APIM) explore possible gender differences in these associations. Results Both self- and spousal-reports of marital strain are associated with psychological distress, with notable gender differences. The associations of self- and spouse-reported marital strain with distress are stronger for women in different-sex marriages when compared to men in same-sex and different-sex marriages. The association is also stronger for women in different-sex marriages compared to women in same-sex marriages, but for self-reported strain only. Conclusion Marital appraisals by both spouses are important for psychological well-being and may be especially important for the well-being of women in different-sex marriages.
The Great American Rights Bake Off: Freedom of Religion v. Freedom from Discrimination

Progressive actors are losing the battle to protect LGBT and reproductive rights from conservative claims of a right to religious discrimination. Increasingly, we are witnessing legal challenges pr...
Distinctions among Christians and Conservatives: Differential Associations among Ideological Values and Religious Orientations

In two studies, we examined how various ideological beliefs can distinguish among religious orientations. Ideology was defined as right wing authoritarianism (RWA) - conventional, RWA - aggression and submission, social dominance orientation (SDO), and traditional family values (TFV). Religious orientations were categorized as four common orientations: intrinsic, extrinsic, quest, and orthodoxy. Participants across the two studies ( n s = 285 and 507) completed self-report measures of demographic information, ideological values, and religious orientation. Personality traits were also assessed in Study 2. Regression analyses revealed that conventional RWA was the most consistent predictor of an individual’s religious orientation. RWA aggression and submission, SDO, and TFV also predicted unique variance in religious orientations. These results replicated across both studies, even controlling for personality.
Natural attenuation method for contaminant remediation reagent delivery assessment for in situ chemical oxidation using aqueous ozone

A Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA) assessment approach typically used for contaminant remediation feasibility assessment was developed here for remediation-reagent delivery assessment. Subsurface delivery of oxidants, such as aqueous ozone (O3) for in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) of groundwater contaminants, is naturally attenuated by oxidant demand and reactivity. We compared mixed reactor kinetic experiments, sand column tracer transport experiments, and reactive transport modeling and assessment methods to quantify natural attenuation kinetics, aqueous O3 solute transport, oxidant demand kinetics, and ISCO reagent delivery limitations. Sorption of aqueous O3 to quartz sand was observed during transport of O3 through water-saturated porous media. Pseudo 1st order decomposition rate constants of O3 bulk attenuation with transport were comparable to mixed reactor experiments without transport, and reactive transport modeling of miscible-displacement column experiments was used to quantify each attenuation process. Aqueous ionic strength was correlated with O3 decomposition rate constants, which was the dominant reagent delivery attenuation process. These results suggest that aqueous O3 decomposition and oxidant delivery attenuation can be predictable upon characterization of the sediment oxidant demand and dispersion, and increasing groundwater velocity during aqueous O3 injection can maximize transport distance for reagent delivery.