cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
First Report of Aster Yellows (16SrI-B) Associated with Potatoes in Alaska

During a disease survey conducted in 2009 in Alaska, one potato plant (Solanum tuberosum) with symptoms characteristic of aster yellows, such as apical leaves rolling inward, leaves turning yellow or purple, and presence of aerial tubers, was found in a commercial field. Total DNA was extracted from leaves, stems, and roots of the symptomatic and symptomless plants with a DNeasy Plant Mini Kit (Qiagen, Valencia, CA) according to the instructions of the manufacturer. A nested PCR was carried out with the first round primer pair P1/P7 followed by second round primer pair R16F2n/R16R2 (1,3). An approximate 1.2-kb PCR product was amplified from the symptomatic plant, but not symptomless plants. The PCR products from R16F2n/R16R2 were digested using restriction enzymes AluI, BfaI, BstUI, HhaI, HpaI, KpnI, MseI, and RsaI. The restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) patterns were compared with those from known phytoplasma strains (1) and they matched the patterns for aster yellows subgroup B (16SrI-B). After P1/P7 amplification, the nested PCR product of primer pair P1A/16S-SR (2) was purified with a MiniElute Gel Extraction kit (Qiagen), sequenced by GENEWIZ (South Plainfield, NJ), and the sequence data analyzed by iPhyClassifier software (4). The results indicated that the sequence (GenBank Accession No. HQ599231) had 99.65% similarity to 'Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris' reference strain (GenBank Accession No. M30790). The RFLP similarity was identical (coefficient 1.00) to the reference pattern of 16Sr group I, subgroup B (GenBank Accession No. NC 005303). To our knowledge, this is the first report on the molecular identification of aster yellows phytoplasma associated with potatoes in Alaska. The source of the phytoplasma and pathway of disease transmission is currently under investigation. References: (1) I.-M. Lee et al. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 48:1153, 1998. (2) I.-M. Lee et al. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 54:337, 2004. (3) C. D. Smart et al. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 62:2988, 1996. (4) Y. Zhao et al. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 59:2582, 2009.
Using information technology to improve surgical safety

Patient Safety Leading Article Series, 2004 Dr David W Bates of Harvard Medical School, and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, has for some years had a major interest in information technology in healthcare. Here, he continues our ‘Patient Safety’ series of leading articles, exploring how the tools of the modern era can help avoid harm in the surgical arena. Copyright © 2004 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
High placement of porous-coated acetabular components in complex total hip arthroplasty

The authors retrospectively evaluated the results of 56 hips in 51 patients with an acetabular deficiency who had a total hip arthroplasty with a porous-coated, cementless acetabular component implanted at a high hip center. Forty-nine cases were revisions and seven were primary operations. The mean height of the hip center was 43 mm above the interteardrop line compared to 14 mm for the anatomic center, threefold higher than normal. In contrast, the mean horizontal locus was reduced compared to normal (33 vs 37 mm for the anatomic center). Sixteen acetabular components were small (46-48 mm o.d.) and eight were miniature (40-44 mm o.d.). Despite superior placement of the acetabular component, 32 limbs were lengthened by the procedure. The mean preoperative Harris hip score was 51 (range, 28-93). At a mean follow-up period of 40 months (range, 24-64 months), the mean Harris hip score was 86 (range, 36-100). In 23 hips no radiolucent lines were present at the interface of the bone to the porous mesh, and 33 hips had a thin (0.5 mm), nonprogressive radiolucent line in one or more zones. No acetabular component had migrated and no problems occurred with the screws. Four hips (3 revisions and 1 primary operation) had a complete radiolucent line on one oblique view of the acetabulum. No acetabular component has been revised for loosening.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Octreotide for management of chylothorax following bidirectional Glenn in a three-month-old infant.

Background: Chylothorax developing after open heart surgery for congenital heart defects can be a challenging problem. Established therapies are not always efficacious. This report summarizes our experience using octreotide as an adjunct in the management of an intractable chylous effusion. Methods: The patient described underwent a bilateral bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis at 3 months of age. Postoperatively, the patient demonstrated significant quantities of milky fluid drainage from the right pleural chest tube. Initial management included diuretics, afterload reduction, and a non-fat diet. These maneuvers appeared to be effective. However, the patient experienced a recurrence of the effusion requiring re-admission to the hospital and re-insertion of a right pleural chest tube. Given the recalcitrant nature of the effusion, an infusion of octreotide was begun. Results: An octreotide infusion was begun at 1 mcg/kg/hr and gradually increased to 3 mcg/kg/hr. Chest tube drainage diminished allowing chest tube removal 13 days later. The octreotide infusion was weaned off over the subsequent 10 days without any further effusion problems. Conclusions: Octreotide may be a useful adjunct in the management of intractable chylous effusions following congenital heart surgery.
Thinking about Crime: Race and Lay Accounts of Lawbreaking Behavior

Lay or commonsense accounts of the origins of criminal behavior may play a key role in sustaining a strong public appetite for harsh criminal justice policies and undergird large black-white differences in opinion in this domain. Using data from the nationally representative Race, Crime, and Public Opinion project’s 2001 survey, the authors develop an explanatory mode typology for accounts of involvement in criminal behavior. These include both individualistic and structural accounts of behavior in addition to a mixed-mode category. The authors identify key differences in the demographic and sociopolitical bases of the attributional types and find significant race differences in these attributional types. Attributions strongly affect how individuals wish to see public policy respond to the problem of crime and explain a small but significant fraction of the black-white difference in crime policy views.
Tree growth and age in an ancient Hawaiian wet forest: vegetation dynamics at two spatial scales

In this study I document the growth rate and age of trees in an old-growth montane Hawaiian wet forest and use these results to evaluate the cyclic succession model for forest dynamics. I used two methods to estimate the age of trees - the crown-class model and radiocarbon dating. Over 6000 trees belonging to eight species were tagged andmeasuredover7yonHawaiiIsland.Growthratesforthedominanttree(Metrosiderospolymorpha)wererelatively low (mean = 1.3 mm y −1 ) and varied with tree size and crown class. 14 C-based age estimates for 27 M. polymorpha treeslooselycorroboratedestimatesbasedonthecrown-classmethod.Theoldesttreedatedby 14 Chadamedianageof 647 y BP, placing it among the oldest documented angiosperm trees in the northern hemisphere. 14 C dating revealed that the upper canopy may be comprised of three distinct age groups of M. polymorpha trees of similar size, with the median age of each group separated by 200-250 y. The high density of large, very old trees in multiple groups is unusual for a tropical forest and indicates that forest development may occur through gap-phase regeneration at a fine scale and stand-level mortality at a coarser scale.
Vocal fold pseudocyst: results of 46 cases undergoing a uniform treatment algorithm.

Objectives/Hypothesis To describe treatment results and identify predictors of the need for surgical intervention in patients with vocal fold pseudocyst. Study Design Retrospective cohort study with longitudinal followup via survey. Methods Clinical records were reviewed for demographic information, VHI-10 score, and degree of severity of dysphonia. Videostroboscopic examinations were evaluated for presence of vocal fold pseudocyst, along with additional clinical variables, including laterality, reactive lesion, paresis, varix, and hemorrhage. Follow-up surveys were sent to all participants to evaluate current VHI-10 score and degree of vocal limitation. Results were analyzed to determine predictors of surgery and recurrence of pathology. Results Forty-six patients (41F:5M) with pseudocyst (40 unilateral: 6 bilateral) were reviewed. Twenty-three (50%) had reactive lesions, nineteen (41%) had paresis by clinical criteria, 10 (22%) had varices, and 6 (13%) had hemorrhage on examination. All underwent initial behavioral management (2–12 sessions of voice therapy; mean of 8 sessions). Seventeen (37%) eventually required surgical intervention. No demographic or clinical variables proved predictive of surgical intervention. Follow-up surveys were completed by 63% of patients, and 79% agreed with the statement that they were not professionally limited by their voices. Conclusion This experience supports behavioral management as an initial intervention in patients with pseudocyst, sufficient by itself to restore vocal function in approximately two out of three patients. Neither initial severity nor any of the studied clinical findings predicted the need for surgery. The large majority of patients with pseudocyst are able to be treated effectively without impact in their professional function. Level of Evidence 4 Laryngoscope, 124:1180–1186, 2014
The “Science of HRD Research”: Reshaping HRD Research Through Scientometrics

We explore opportunities for assessing and advancing Human Resource Development (HRD) research through an integrative literature review of scientometric theories and methods. Known as the “science of science,” scientometrics is concerned with the quantitative study of scholarly communications, disciplinary structure and assessment and measurement of research impact. The integrative review of scientometric literature showed importance in evaluating HRD research and publications, including citation analysis, citing behavior analysis, and Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) journal quality control process. We discuss three major implications for engaging HRD scholars in evaluating and assessing HRD research and scholarly communications for the quality control and self-regulation of HRD research.
Selective Exposure and Dissonance after Decisions

Well-known literature reviews from the 1960s question whether cognitive dissonance underlies experimental participants' selective exposure of themselves to consonant messages and avoidance of dissonant ones. A meta-analytic review of 16 studies published from 1956 to 1996 and involving 1,922 total participants shows that experimental tests consistently support the supposition that dissonance is associated with selective exposure (r = .22, p < .001). Statistical power exceeded .99. Advances in statistical methodology and increased attention to selecting appropriate tests of dissonance theory were essential to finally resolving this question.
Chronometric Studies of Lexical Ambiguity Resolution

Languages such as English contain a large number of words with multiple meanings. These words are commonly termed "lexlcal ambiguities", although it is probably more accurate to speak of them as potentially ambiguous. Determining how the contextually appropriate reading of a word is identified presents an important and unavoidable problem for persons developing theories of natural language processing. A large body of psycholingulstlc research on ambiguity resolution has failed to yield a consistent set of findings or a general, non-controverslal theory. In this paper, we review the results of six experiments which form the basis of a model of ambiguity resolution in context, and at the same account for some of the contradictions in the existing literature.
Comparison of the heme-free and -bound crystal structures of human heme oxygenase-1

Heme oxygenase (HO) catalyzes the degradation of heme to biliverdin. The crystal structure of human HO-1 in complex with heme reveals a novel helical structure with conserved glycines in the distal helix, providing flexibility to accommodate substrate binding and product release (Schuller, D. J., Wilks, A., Ortiz de Montellano, P. R., and Poulos, T. L. (1999) Nat. Struct. Biol. 6, 860-867). To structurally understand the HO catalytic pathway in more detail, we have determined the crystal structure of human apo-HO-1 at 2.1 A and a higher resolution structure of human HO-1 in complex with heme at 1.5 A. Although the 1.5-A heme.HO-1 model confirms our initial analysis based on the 2.08-A model, the higher resolution structure has revealed important new details such as a solvent H-bonded network in the active site that may be important for catalysis. Because of the absence of the heme, the distal and proximal helices that bracket the heme plane in the holo structure move farther apart in the apo structure, thus increasing the size of the active-site pocket. Nevertheless, the relative positioning and conformation of critical catalytic residues remain unchanged in the apo structure compared with the holo structure, but an important solvent H-bonded network is missing in the apoenzyme. It thus appears that the binding of heme and a tightening of the structure around the heme stabilize the solvent H-bonded network required for proper catalysis.
Conformational and receptor binding properties of human EGF and TGF‐α second loop fragments

The solution conformation of the second loop fragment of human EGF, [Ala20] EGF (14-31), was determined using two-dimensional NMR homonuclear Hartmann-Hahn and rotating frame nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy. The results are compared with the conformation of the second loop fragment of human TGF-alpha, [Ala21] TGF-alpha(16-32), and with that of the second loop of intact EGF. Comparison of the two experimentally determined structures of the second loop fragments shows significant differences in the turn regions of each peptide. For the EGF fragment, hydrophobic side chain groups protrude away from the ring, whereas for the TGF-alpha fragment hydrophilic groups are directed away from the ring. Although these turn regions represent the putative receptor binding sites, neither second loop fragment binds to the EGF receptor. The biological activity is discussed in terms of the conformational differences found for the two second loop fragments.
Fertility and the Stability of Cohabiting Unions Variation by Intendedness

An extensive body of research demonstrates that children increase the stability of marriage, but it is unclear whether the same is true for cohabitation. Marital stability theories often assume fertility is intended, which is less likely to be the case for cohabiting births. Using the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth, we find that intended and disagreed-upon pregnancies (but not unintended pregnancies) reduce the risk of dissolution relative to women who have no pregnancy or birth. Relative to nonfertile couples, all pregnancies increase the risk of marriage over staying cohabiting, but there is little difference in the odds of stability or transitions after birth. However, relative to an intended birth, having an unintended or disagreed-upon birth increases the risk of dissolution. These findings suggest that normative pressures influence the union behaviors of cohabitors during pregnancy, whereas selection processes and rational choice considerations play a greater role after a birth.
Verification of simple hydration/dehydration methods to characterize multiple water compartments on tendon type 1 collagen.

Abstract A molecular model of collagen hydration is used to validate centrifugal dehydration force (CDF) and re-hydration isotherm (RHI) methods to measure and characterize hydration compartments on bovine tendon. The CDF method assesses fluid flow rate from flexor and extensor tendons expressed in (g-water/g-dry mass-minute) and hydration capacity of compartments in (g-water/g-dry mass). Measured water compartment capacities agree with the molecular model of collagen hydration [Fullerton GD, Rahal A. Collagen structure: the molecular source of tendon magic angle effect. J Mag Reson Imag 2007;25:345–361; Fullerton GD, Amurao MR. Evidence that collagen and tendon have monolayer water coverage in the native state. Cell Biol Int 2006;30(1):56–65]. Native tendon hydration has monolayer coverage on collagen hm = 1.6 g/g which divides into primary hydration on polar surfaces hpp = 0.8 g/g and secondary hydration hs = 0.8 g/g bridging over hydrophobic surfaces. Primary hydration is hydrogen bonded to collagen polar side chains hpsc = 0.54 g/g with small free energy or to the protein main chain hydration hpmc = 0.26 g/g with greater free energy of binding. The CDF method replaces the more time consuming water proton NMR spin-lattice dehydration (NMR titration) method, confirms the presence of three non-bulk water compartments on collagen (hpmc = 0.26 g/g, hpp = 0.8 g/g and hm = 1.6 g/g). This CDF method provides the most reproducible experimental measure of total tissue non-bulk water (TNBW). The re-hydration isotherm method, on the other hand, provides the most accurate measure of the Ramachandran water-bridge capacity hRa = 0.0656 g/g. The only equipment needed are: microfilterfuge tubes, a microcentrifuge capable of 14,000 × g or 4 MPa, a vacuum drying oven, an accurate balance and curve fitting ability. The newly validated methods should be useful for characterizing multiple water compartments in biological and non-biological materials by allowing direct measurement of water compartment changes induced by pH, co-solute salt, glycation and protein cross-linking.
Detection and Tracking of Multiple Humans with Extensive Pose Articulation

We describe a method for detecting and tracking humans. Different from most of the previous work, we focus on humans with extensive pose articulations, under situations where there is typically only a single camera, multiple humans are present and the image resolution is low. In our method pose clusters are learned from an embedded silhouette manifold. A set of object detectors, each of which corresponds to one pose cluster, are trained based on a novel Object-Weighted Appearance Model. A probabilistic pose-based transition model is used to track multiple objects within a sliding window buffer, making use of the detection responses. The track segments in the sliding windows are connected sequentially into full trajectories. Experiments on a set of challenging surveillance videos are presented; these show good performance of our approach compared to standard pedestrian detectors, under difficult conditions.
Isolation of Arcanobacterium hippocoleae from a case of placentitis and stillbirth in a mare

Based on the scarcity of reports in veterinary medicine literature, it appears that Arcanobacterium spp. are rarely isolated from horses. Recently, a single isolate from vaginal discharge in a mare was characterized as a new species, Arcanobacterium hippocoleae. The present report describes a case of necrosuppurative placentitis and stillbirth in an American Quarterhorse mare. Numerous colonies of irregular, Gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria were observed by histological examination within fibrin lattice associated with placental lesions. Arcanobacterium hippocoleae was isolated in large numbers from the placenta, lung, and stomach contents. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of placentitis associated with Arcanobacterium spp. in a horse and the third reported isolation of A. hippocoleae from a horse.
Biomineralization of the Spicules of Sea Urchin Embryos

The formation of calcareous skeletal elements by various echinoderms, especially sea urchins, offers a splendid opportunity to learn more about some processes involved in the formation of biominerals. The spicules of larvae of euechinoids have been the focus of considerable work, including their developmental origins. The spicules are composed of a single optical crystal of high magnesium calcite and variable amounts of amorphous calcium carbonate. Occluded within the spicule is a proteinaceous matrix, most of which is soluble; this matrix constitutes about 0.1% of the mass. The spicules are also enclosed by an extracellular matrix and are almost completely surrounded by cytoplasmic cords. The spicules are deposited by primary mesenchyme cells (PMCs), which accumulate calcium and secrete calcium carbonate. A number of proteins specific, or highly enriched, in PMCs, have been cloned and studied. Recent work supports the hypothesis that proteins found in the extracellular matrix of the spicule are important for biomineralization.
Effect of Growth Parameters and Local Gas-Phase Concentrations on the Uniformity and Material Properties of GaN/Sapphire Grown by Hydride Vapor-Phase Epitaxy

The effects of flowrate variation and geometry on the growth rate, growth uniformity and crystal quality were investigated in a horizontal Gallium Nitride vapor phase epitaxy reactor. To better understand the effects of these parameters, numerical model predictions are compared to experimentally observed values. Parasitic gas phase reactions between group III and group V sources and deposition of material on the wall are shown to lead to reduced overall growth rates and may be responsible for inferior crystal quality. A low ammonia concentration is correlated with the deposition of polycrystalline films. A low V/III ratio and an ammonia concentration lead to poor crystalline quality and increased yellow luminescence. An optimum HVPE growth process requires selection of reactor geometry and operating conditions to minimize these parasitic reactions and wall deposition while providing a uniform reactant distribution across the substrate.
What Corporations Say They Do, and What They Really Do: Implications for Tax Policy and Tax Research

When Kaye Newberry asked me to address this group, I jumped at the chance for two reasons, other than an excuse to hang out next to Walt Disney World with everyone: (1) to offer an apology, and (2) to ask you some questions. A meeting of accountants to talk about taxation sounds like the setup for any of a thousand or so jokes. A meeting of accountants whose idea of an interesting lunchtime speaker is an economist should be the setup of a thousand more. Many of these jokes concern what a boring lot we are. The somewhat enlightened believe that accountants and economists aren’t boring people, but just get excited over boring things. Even within our respective academic disciplines, tax academics don’t get a lot of respect. Of course, the truly enlightened know that both stereotypes are untrue. I will not stoop to reply to the claim that we are boring people—after all, here we are at Walt Disney World, aren’t we? That taxation is a boring topic is demonstrably rubbish. In reality, it is boring only to those who are uninterested in human nature and in the institutions that have been designed to channel human nature to build productive civilizations. Taxation is about the relationship between individuals and the state, about honesty and trust, and about how a society designs institutions to try to overcome the free-rider impulse that threatens to undermine beneficial collective action. Two of these institutions, the public corporation and the corporation income tax, are under attack these days. Enron, WorldCom, Tyco, and others have caused a rethinking of the governance of public corporations, and a new set of laws. Corporate tax collections as a percent of GDP or total federal taxes have been in a steady decline for four decades. In 2003 there was a substantial cut in the taxation of dividends, and there are rumors that a second Bush administration could entertain a serious proposal to replace the income tax with a consumption-based tax.
Positive Drinking Consequences Are Associated With Alcohol Use and Alcohol-Related Problems Among Veterans Seeking Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder.

Background: Military service is associated with increased rates of heavy drinking. Widely used clinical practices (e.g., motivational interviewing) indicate that addressing both negative and positive drinking consequences is essential to effective treatment. However, research on effectively assessing positive drinking consequences in a clinical population is absent. Aims: The current study (1) evaluated the utility of the Positive Drinking Consequences Questionnaire (PDCQ), a measure previously validated in an undergraduate sample, for use with treatment-seeking veterans, and (2) evaluated relationships between positive drinking consequences and alcohol expectancies, pre-treatment alcohol use, and alcohol-related problems. Method: Ninety-seven veterans seeking treatment for alcohol problems completed an anonymous survey (97.9% male; mean age = 49.76[11.40], 67.0% Caucasian). Results: The PDCQ evidenced a single factor latent structure and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = .90). Positive drinking co...
Public Policy: Who Speaks for the Engineer?

Because of the increasing importance and pervasiveness of scientific and technological factors in public policy decision, there is a growing need for involvement of engineers and scientists in the formulation and evaluation of public policy at all governmental levels. The scope and magnitude of the technological information and evaluation required in the formulation of public policy today suggests that the efforts of engineering and scientific societies must be augmented by efforts of individual engineers serving as advisors and voluntary consultants. A variety of mechanisms are available of engineers desiring to participate in public policy decisions: participation in public interest groups, service on technical task forces, providing information to the general public through public television and newspaper columns, development of information for use in science and current events classes in schools, and participation in legislative committee hearings.
Possession music of the Shangana-Tsonga

Exorcism {mancomane) is one of the more important musical practices among the Tsonga of Mozambique and the northern Transvaal, involving possession dancing, playing of the special ncomane tambourine, from which the rite obtains its name, and the singing of spirit-specific songs. It is organised by a specialist diviner or exorcist known as the dzwavi, who is ‘licensed’ by the chief in return for payment, rather than appointed. Fees known as the mbulaxifuva are collected from patients; this term means ‘medicine- pouch loosener’, and the fee may be paid in beer, fowl or cash. Successful and well- attended exorcism rites thus tend to be a source of revenue for Tsonga chiefs (through diviners), and the participants and audiences which are attracted into the area provide part of the broad pyramid base necessary to maintain chiefly power and prestige
Environmentally Enhanced Fracture of Ceramics

This paper presents a review of our current understanding of environmentally induced crack growth in glasses, single crystal ceramics, and polycrystalline ceramics. It is shown that the rate of crack growth is controlled by the chemical activity of the active species in the environment as well as by the crack tip stress. A molecular model of a stress-induced chemical reaction between vitreous silica and water is described, and the implications of this model for predicting the effects of other chemical species on crack growth are discussed. Effects of chemical bonding in the solid as well as in the reacting solutions, on the crack growth mechanism are elucidated. Finally, the complicating effects of multigrain arrays on crack extension in polycrystalline ceramics are pointed out.
Particle Image Velocimetry Study and Numerical Simulation of Turbulent near Wake of Square Cylinder

The result of the experiment of vortex shedding from a square cylinder is important in comparing the precision of different models including Reynolds averaged Navior-Stokes(RANS) models in computational fluid dynamics(CFD).The experiment of vortex shedding from a square cylinder with the Reynolds number of 2.2×104 is done using particle image velocimetry(PIV).A comparison with the results of Laser Doppler Velocimetry(LDV) experiments carried out by other researchers in the same Reynolds number shows that the PIV instruments is effective in obtaining turbulent wake of bodies.Comparisons are also conducted with different RANS models(Realizable k-e model,k-ω shear stress transport(SST) model and Reynolds stress model) of the coefficients of damping ratio,strouhal number and the velocity profiles and turbulent kinetic energy profiles.It is discovered that the result of the k-ω SST model is much more precise in the aerodynamic parameter identification and flow field simulation mentioned above.
Environmental Transport and Fate

Publisher Summary This chapter appraises the transport and fate of pesticides in the environment. Significant advances have been made in defining and understanding the principles that underlie pesticide dissipation in the environment. It is a goal of environmental sciences to understand and deal with the complexities in nature by defining and sorting out underlying principles. These can serve as a basis for developing an assessment of chemical processing and its relationship to the health of the environment. This has led to better testing procedures and better environmental fate models, which in turn have given rise to better methods for predicting environmental behavior or fate before use or release occurs. Because of the complexity in the environment, and even in parts of the environment such as a pond, a cross-section of soil, or vegetation in contact with the atmosphere, environmental scientists have developed models for studying and for predicting or estimating transport and fate processes. There are two broad classes of models—physical models and mathematical or arithmetic models. The development of a predictive capability has helped focus efforts in industry and agencies toward marketing and regulating safer chemicals and restricting or eliminating those that are likely to pose significant risks, in many cases early in the development stage and before widespread use occurs.
A percutaneous technique of liver retraction in laparoscopic bariatric & upper abdominal surgery.

Abstract Background Laparoscopic bariatric surgery requires retraction of the left lobe of the liver to provide adequate exposure of the hiatus and the stomach. Currently used approaches utilize retractors that require additional incisions and prolong operative time. Objectives A retrospective evaluation of the efficacy and safety of a percutaneous liver retractor in a large series of patients undergoing laparoscopic bariatric surgery. Setting Private practice, United States. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed on 2601 patients undergoing bariatric surgery from January 2011 to September 2015. A percutaneously introduced grasper (Teleflex MiniLap Percutaneous Surgical System, Morrisville, NC) was used to retract the left lobe of the liver in all cases. The retractor could be repositioned as necessary by releasing and regrasping the diaphragm at different locations. Results This technique was used in 2601 patients from January 2011 until September 2015. The average body mass index was 43.1 (range: 20.6–80.3). In all patients, this new method was found to be satisfactory to complete the bariatric procedure. The majority of procedures included laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, and gastric band placement. No intraoperative liver injuries occurred with use of the Teleflex retractor. Conclusion Percutaneous retraction of the liver using the Teleflex MiniLap Percutaneous Surgical System was found to be safe and effective in this large series of morbidly obese patients. The rate of complications involving this technique is extremely low. This novel method provides safe and effective retraction with less trauma and better cosmesis than conventional technique.
88. Structural Studies Into the Stability of Novel In Silico Reconstructed Ancestral AAV Vectors

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors have emerged as therapy preferred clinical in vivo gene transfer system. Yet, their sensitivity to pre-existing immunity (PEI) and low carrying capacity remain major drawbacks that limit broad applications. We previously hypothesized and have shown that ancestral species of AAV, which we inferred using statistical and bio-informatic approaches, and generated synthetically, have reduced susceptibility to PEI. Here, our ambition was to study from a biophysical and structural perspective the evolutionary process of AAV using these novel reagents, and to develop correlates of those measures with virus and vector phenotypes.By the means of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy and differential scanning fluorescence, we derive the thermostability profiles of 6 contemporary AAV serotypes (AAV1, AAV2, AAV5, AAV8, AAV9, rh32.33) and 3 ancestral AAV serotypes, called Anc80, Anc81 and Anc82 and differing from AAV8 in VP1 protein sequence by 9.3%, 7.8% and 5.3%, respectively. A theoretical structure of Anc80L0065 VP3 monomer was derived by homology modeling and compared to the crystal structures of AAV2, AAV8 and rh32.33.Structural modeling indicates significant sequence and structure differences between ancestral and contemporary VP3 protein subunits in loops I, IV, VII and VIII, regions that were shown to be involved in antibody and cell receptor binding. Surprisingly, Anc80, Anc81 and Anc82 showed an increase in capsomer melting temperature of approximately 20°C in comparison to AAV8, while vector genome is accessible at lower temperatures. Evolutionary intermediates between Anc80 and AAV8 demonstrate unique melting properties that permit the identification of a limited set of capsid determinants to the thermodynamic stability of AAVs. Our reconstructed phylogeny of AAVs emerges as a relevant tool for sequence-function analysis of AAV vectors.
Usefulness of 3D echocardiographic parameters of tricuspid valve morphology to predict residual tricuspid regurgitation after tricuspid annuloplasty.

Aims Tricuspid valve (TV) annuloplasty is an effective treatment for tricuspid regurgitation (TR). However, the impact of TV morphology on outcome of TV annuloplasty remains unknown. We sought to investigate the relationship between preoperative TV morphology and residual TR after annuloplasty. Methods and results Two-dimensional transthoracic and three-dimensional (3D) transesophageal echocardiography were performed in 97 patients with functional TR before and after surgery. 3D quantitative assessment including annular dimension, tenting height and volume, and lengths and tethering angles of the 3 leaflets was performed. The TV morphological score was derived from the preoperative 3D echocardiography to score a leaflet mobility, leaflet thickening, subvalvular thickening, and calcification. TR severity was determined by the averaged vena contracta measured from the apical and parasternal inflow views. Multivariable analysis revealed that a shorter total leaflet length ( P = 0.007), larger tenting volume ( P 61.0 mm, 61.0 to 53.5 mm, and 3.5 mL; and TV morphological score 18; each variable was associated with 0 and 1 point and 2 points, respectively. The TV-Echo score ≥2 was associated with significant residual TR with a sensitivity of 85.7% and a specificity of 71.0%. Conclusion In addition to tethering and short length of the leaflets, TV morphological abnormality predicted residual TR after TV annuloplasty.
Phytophthora infestans Effectors IPI-O1 and IPI-O4 Each Contribute to Pathogen Virulence.

Potato late blight, caused by the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora infestans, is one of the most destructive plant diseases. Despite decades of intensive breeding efforts, it remains a threat to potato production worldwide, because newly evolved pathogen strains have overcome major resistance genes quickly. The RB protein, from the diploid wild potato species Solanum bulbocastanum, confers partial resistance to most P. infestans strains through its recognition of members of the corresponding pathogen effector protein family IPI-O. IPI-O comprises a multigene family and while some variants are recognized by RB to elicit host resistance (e.g., IPI-O1 and IPI-O2), others are able to elude detection (e.g., IPI-O4). IPI-O1 is almost ubiquitous in global P. infestans strains while IPI-O4 is more rare. No direct experimental evidence has been shown to demonstrate the effect of IPI-O on pathogen virulence in the P. infestans−potato pathosystem. Here, our work has demonstrated that in planta expression of both IPI-O...
Integrative omics-defined redox, metabolic and functional responses to environmental metal exposure

Our previous studies showed that low dose cadmium (Cd) altered protein redox states resulting in inflammatory signaling, actin cytoskeleton disruption, and fibrosis. However, little is known about low-level Cd effects on the redox proteomic and metabolic regulation in pulmonary fibroblasts and potential impact on pulmonary health. To address this issue, we investigated low dose Cd effects using an integrative omics approach with biochemical and functional analyses. Redox proteomics was performed on lung fibroblasts and lung tissues of C57BL/6 male mice exposed to Cd (3.3 mg/L, 16 weeks). Lung tissues were also analyzed for metabolomics. Both redox proteomics and metabolomics identified a large number of mitochondrial proteins and metabolites altered by Cd, suggesting that mitochondria are sensitive to Cd-induced oxidation. Cd also increased nuclear translocation of thioredoxin-1 and stimulated myofibroblast differentiation and fibrosis as shown by smad transcription factor activity and subsequent differentiation marker proteins. Pathway analysis showed that PIP2 metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism with pyruvate and TCA metabolism, are significantly affected by Cd. The integrative redox proteomics and metabolomics with mechanistic and functional pathways provide a powerful approach to understand complex mechanisms of low environmental Cd in lung disease.
Identity is Constructed and Career Success is Subjective

This chapter examines identity and explains how identity is directly related to career development. It provides a close examination of three ideas: (1) identity is constructed, (2) identity is fluid, and (3) career success is subjective. The field of Human Resource Development is inter-disciplinary, which is noted in the introduction of Chalofsky et al. (2014, pp. xiix–l). There are foundational disciplines that undergird the field, including sociology, anthropology, psychology, management, education, economics, and philosophy (Chalofsky et al.). The ideas presented in this chapter find many of their epistemological roots in philosophy. Fundamentally, and likely tacitly, when a person approaches a point in their career development in which they are considering a career change, he or she is taking into account a personal sense of self, a social sense of self, and a roles-based view of self. In other words, the person asks “Who am I?” to which answers might be: I am a female, 53-year-old, single, lesbian. A person asks, to what groups or systems do I belong? These could be groups such as American citizen, and Episcopalian. A person asks, what is my profession (or what has my profession been?) These could be professor, educator, Human Resource professional.
Recent developments in the management of neuroblastoma.

Neuroblastoma was first described in 1864 by Virchow [44]. For the next 100 years, the primary approach to these patients was predominantly surgical resection. With the advent of multimodal adjuvant treatments using chemotherapy and irradiation in the 1950s and 1960s, coordination of multispecialty therapeutic interventions became important. By the late 1970s, effective neoadjuvant chemotherapeutic regimens enabled some inoperable tumors to be completely removed at the time of “second look” procedures. In the 1980s, advances in tumor biology and imaging gave new insight and novel prognostic indicators which helped determine the course of therapy. In the 1990s, treating poor risk patients with extremely high dose chemotherapy, irradiation, and allogeneic or autologous bone marrow rescue with or without surgical resection may finally improve the survival of these children.
Calculus with Analytic Geometry. By George F. Simmons

(1988). Calculus with Analytic Geometry. By George F. Simmons. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 95, No. 9, pp. 888-892.
The Association Between Perceived Athletic Competence and Physical Activity: Implications for Low-Income Schoolchildren.

Purpose: Socioeconomic status (SES) may impact children’s physical activity (PA) behaviors and confidence to participate in PA. We examined how SES modifies the relationship between children’s perceived athletic competence (PAC) and moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA). Methods: Children (N = 1157; 45% male; grades 3–4) were recruited for the Fueling Learning through Exercise study. Free/reduced price lunch eligibility was used as an indicator of SES. Seven-day accelerometry (ActiGraph GT3X+) was used to measure daily MVPA, out-of-school MVPA (O-MVPA), and school-time MVPA. PAC was assessed using the Harter’s Self-Perception Profile for Children (6 items, scored 1–4; median split: high and low PAC). Results: MVPA and PAC differed between low-SES [n = 556; 41.6 (17.1) min/d; high PAC = 45%] and middle-SES children [n = 412; 49.6 (22.7) min/d; high PAC = 62%]. There was an interaction between SES and PAC for MVPA (P .05). Middle-SES children with hi...
A 75–110 GHz Sis Mixer With Integrated Tuning and Coupled Gain

A broadband waveguide SIS (superconductor-insulator-superconductor) mixer with no adjustable mechanical tuning elements for the 75–110 GHz band was constructed and tested. The design is a demonstration of a prototype receiver element in a focal plane array receiver. The large instantaneous bandwidth was accomplished with a broadband waveguide-to-microstrip transition and a scale-modeled microstripline circuitry. The transition to microstripline consisted of a waveguide single ridge 4-step Chebychev transformer. The last step of the ridge connected the waveguide to the microstripline circuit, which contained the SIS element in parallel with a thin film tuning inductor. The operation was double-sideband (DSB). The typical DSB mixer noise temperature, as measured between 79.5 and 110 GHz, was about 35 to 50 K at band center increasing to about 50–60 K at the band edges. The lowest mixer noise we obtained was 20 K at 80 GHz for a single untuned junction. For some junction geometries, gain was also observed between 80 to 110 GHz, with a maximum of +3 dB (DSB) at 100 GHz. No impedance transformers were used on the intermediate frequency (if) side. For several devices, negative dynamic resistance was observed on the first photon induced step below the gap.
The Byte-Size Revolution: Computers and Readability

(1979). The Byte-Size Revolution: Computers and Readability. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Western College Reading Association: Vol. 12, Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual Conference of the WCRA, pp. 96-104.
Regulatory Process/Structure for Future Nuclear Power Plant Licensing

A new regulatory structure is needed to license and regulate advanced reactors because (1) there will be design and operational issues associated with the advanced reactors that are distinctly different from current light water reactor issues, and (2) future applicants will use PRA and PRA insights in their license applications, and a regulatory structure that includes guidance on how to use PRA results and insights will help ensure the safety of these reactors. The objective is to develop, and implement, a risk-informed regulatory structure for the licensing of future reactors that demonstrates that the NRC mission of protecting the public health and safety is met. The approach involves four steps: (1) development of a technology neutral framework guideline for the regulatory structure, (2) subsequent derivation of technology neutral regulations, (3) formulating guidance for applying the framework on a technology specific basis, and (4) formulating technology specific Regulatory Guides. The first step, development of a technology neutral framework, is the subject of this paper.
A Two-Stage Stochastic Optimization Approach for Detecting Structurally Stable Clusters in Randomly Changing Graphs

We introduce a stochastic extension for the problem of finding nonhereditary subgraphs of maximum size in randomly changing graphs. The proposed formulation utilizes a two-stage stochastic optimization framework for identifying subgraphs whose structural properties can be preserved and repaired whenever the underlying graph's topology changes randomly. Particular focus is placed on finding nonhereditary subgraphs that represent a diameter-based clique relaxation known as an $s$ -club. A combinatorial branch-and-bound algorithm is developed and demonstrated to be computationally effective on various configurations of random and real-life graphs.
Active Commuting to School, Physical Activity, and Behavior Problems Among Third-Grade Children.

Background We examined factors associated with active commuting to school and the relationships of active commuting and physical activity to child- and teacher-reported internalizing and externalizing behavior problems in a sample of third graders. Methods The study sample consisted of 13,166 third graders enrolled in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999. "Active" commuters were children who walked to school and "passive" commuters were those who took the bus or were driven. Linear analyses evaluated differences in behavior problems by school commute, physical activity, and sports team participation after adjusting for sociodemographic, regional, and neighborhood factors. Results Overall, 11% of children actively commuted. Type of commute differed by sociodemographics, region, urbanicity, school type, and neighborhood safety. Active commuters had less general physical activity participation and sports team participation. Commuting type and general physical activity were not associated with behavior problems, but sports team participation was associated with fewer child-reported internalizing and externalizing behaviors as well as fewer teacher-reported internalizing behaviors. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate the ongoing need for creating and maintaining physical activity programs (such as sports teams) among school-aged children to optimize children's overall health and well-being.
Poly(Thioketal Urethane) Autograft Extenders in an Intertransverse Process Model of Bone Formation

Iliac crest autograft (AG) is the gold standard for bone grafting. Due to the limited supply of autograft, synthetic materials such as ceramics and polymers have been proposed as AG extenders to mi...
Relation between resting sympathetic outflow and vasoconstrictor responses to sympathetic nerve bursts: sex differences in healthy young adults

Previous studies have demonstrated an inverse relation between resting muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) and vasoconstrictor responsiveness (i.e., sympathetic transduction), such that those ...