cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Male Rats Fed Methyl- and Folate-Deficient Diets with or without Niacin Develop Hepatic Carcinomas Associated with Decreased Tissue NAD Concentrations and Altered Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase Activity

Folate is an essential cofactor in the generation of endogenous methionine, and there is evidence that folate deficiency exacerbates the effects of a diet low in choline and methionine, including alterations in poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) activity, an enzyme associated with DNA replication and repair. Because PARP requires NAD as its substrate, we postulated that a deficiency of both folate and niacin would enhance the development of liver cancer in rats fed a diet deficient in methionine and choline. In two experiments, rats were fed choline- and folate-deficient, low methionine diets containing either 12 or 8% casein (12% MCFD, 8% MCFD) or 6% casein and 6% gelatin with niacin (MCFD) or without niacin (MCFND) and were compared with folate-supplemented controls. Liver NAD concentrations were lower in all methyl-deficient rats after 2-17 mo. At 17 mo, NAD concentrations in other tissues of rats fed these diets were also lower than in controls. Compared with control values, liver PARP activity was enhanced in rats fed the 12% MCFD diet but was lower in MCFND-fed rats following a further reduction in liver NAD concentration. These changes in PARP activity associated with lower NAD concentrations may slow DNA repair and enhance DNA damage. Only rats fed the MCFD and MCFND diets developed hepatocarcinomas after 12-17 mo. In Experiment 2, hepatocarcinomas were found in 100% of rats fed the MCFD and MCFND diets. These preliminary results indicate that folic acid deficiency enhances tumor development. Because tumors developed in 100% of the MCFD-fed rats and because tissue concentrations of NAD in these animals were also low, further studies are needed to clearly define the role of niacin in methyl-deficient rats.
Quality and Access to Care Among a Cohort of Inner-city Adults With Asthma: Who Gets Guideline Concordant Care?

Study objectives: Asthma morbidity is highest among inner-city populations. This study measured whether quality and access to care over time was concordant with National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) guidelines. It also identified factors associated with NAEPP guideline-concordant care. Design: A prospective, observational cohort study Setting: An urban academic medical center. Patients: A consecutive cohort of 198 inner-city adults hospitalized for asthma. Measurements: Detailed information about sociodemographics, asthma history, access to care, history of the current exacerbation, prescription and use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and -agonists, and other elements of NAEPP-concordant care (spacers, metered-dose inhaler [MDI] technique, peak flow meters, and action plans) was collected during the index admission and 1 month and 6 months after discharge. Results: In this predominantly low-income, nonwhite cohort, while 92% of patients had insurance and 80% had a usual source of care, 73% reported delays in seeking care. ICS were prescribed for 77% of patients prior to hospital admission, 83% at 1 month, and 67% at 6 months. Adherence with other NAEPP recommendations were 89% for receipt of MDI instruction, 68% for spacers, 80% for peak flow meters, 31% for written action plans for worsening, and 22% for written plans for attacks. In multivariate analysis, greater asthma severity and having a usual source of care increased the odds of receiving ICS, spacers, and peak flow meters. Care by a specialist increased the odds of receiving action plans. Patients who spoke mostly Spanish were less likely to be given spacers or action plans. Conclusion: Baseline problems with quality and access to care persisted over time. Better systems of care are needed to ensure that high-risk patients receive an appropriate step-up in the quality of ongoing asthma care. (CHEST 2005; 128:1943–1950)
Political Scientists' Evaluations of Sixty-three Journals

Professional journals are central in our professional lives. They are a primary means of communicating new ideas and research findings to other political scientists, and hence help record, however haltingly, our collective progress in understanding the political world. In a business where one's academic contribution is frequently taken as a tally of publications, the journals also function as an important instrument of professional advancement. Counts of vitae entries, however, seem to be generally weighted by judgements of quality; but the quality assessed quite often appears to be of the journal in which an article appears rather than the quality of the specific article. It is interesting therefore, and perhaps prudent to consider how the community of political scientists evaluate the journals in which we publish. This short note presents some data on this question.
Training BIG to move faster: the application of the speed–amplitude relation as a rehabilitation strategy for people with Parkinson’s disease

We have used the phenomenon that speed increases with movement amplitude as a rehabilitation strategy. We tested the hypothesis that the generalized training of amplitude in the limb motor system may reduce bradykinesia and hypokinesia in the upper and lower limbs in subjects with Parkinson’s disease (PD) across disease severity (Stage I, n=6; Stage II, n=7; Stage III, n=5). While studies have separately examined the relationship of amplitude to speed in reaching and gait, the same study has not reported the relationship for both limb systems. Moreover, the rehabilitation intervention, Training BIG, is unique in that it applies well-established treatment concepts from a proven treatment for the speech motor system in PD [Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT®)] to the limb motor system. Subjects (n=18) participated in intense practice (1-h sessions/4× week/4 weeks) of large amplitude movements involving the whole body (i.e., head, arm, trunk, and leg) while focusing on the sensory awareness of “movement bigness.” Testing procedures were designed to demonstrate the transfer of generalized amplitude practice to speed improvements during functional “untrained” tasks in “uncued” conditions with blinded testers. After therapy, the subjects significantly increased their speed of reaching and gait for the preferred speed condition. This effect was greater when the severity of the disease was less. The results support further application and efficacy studies of Training BIG. Amplitude-based behavioral intervention in people with PD appears to be a simple target that may be applied in different contexts for multiple tasks and results in improved speed–amplitude scaling relations across the upper and lower limbs.
Structure of polymers and fatigue crack propagation

The fatigue crack propagation behavior of a very wide range of engineering plastics was examined. Crack growth rates per cycle were found to be a power function of the applied stress intensity factor range. In contrast tometals, the relative performance of the polymers examined was seen to vary widely, presumably because of major differences in structural features, viscoelastic response, and deformation mechanisms. For example, it was observed that resistance to fatigue crack advance was enhanced by the presence of crystalline regions and by the addition of rubbery inclusions.
Stimulation of fluid intake by nutrients: oil is less effective than carbohydrate

It has been thought that the ability of nutrients to reinforce ingestion is related to their ability to provide metabolizable energy. This implies that the reinforcing effect of carbohydrate should be similar to that of fat. To test this concept, rats were trained in an apparatus that infused water or nutritive solutions/suspensions into their stomachs every time they drank a sapid solution. Each training trial lasted for 1 day. Successive training trials were interspersed by 1-day periods in which the rats were infused with plain water and offered plain water or a tastant different from the training taste (i.e., taste paired with vehicle infusion). Three different sapid solutions were used: a sweet solution (saccharin), a nonsweet solution (NaCl), and a mixture of sweet and nonsweet. Starch or maltodextrin infusions strongly and consistently stimulated intake of these solutions. Oil infusions also significantly stimulated intake, but feebly and less consistently. Indeed, in the one experiment in which the only sapid fluid offered was saccharin, oil infusions had no significant effect. Two different oil suspensions (one fine and one coarse) were equally ineffective in stimulating saccharin intake. To determine whether some unsuspected flaw in the infusion experiments somehow produced invalid results, an additional experiment was conducted in which rats ingested starch or oil suspensions by mouth. Consistent with the infusion experiments, starch stimulated ingestion to a much greater degree than did oil. It is concluded that intragastric infusion of triglyceride oil is a less potent reinforcer of ingestion than is equicaloric infusion of carbohydrate.
Effect of Bale Ageing on Cotton Fiber Chemistry, Processing Performance, and Yarn Quality

The effects of ageing as a result of extended warehouse storage of baled cotton on fiber processing characteristics have not been extensively investigated. This study attempts to address this issue by characterizing some of the chemical and physical factors of the cotton fiber both before and after storage for 2 years, and by comparing any changes that occur with changes observed in yarn processing and resultant yarn quality. Results indicate that subsequent to storage, sugar content and moisture content both experience significant changes. Conductivity, pH, and wax content did not exhibit any statistically significant changes. Of the physical factors measured by HVI (micronaire, length, strength, uniformity, Rd, and +b), only +b exhibited a significant change. The changes in chemical components did not appear to have an impact on processing performance as inferred from the fact that fiber friction and yarn uniformity were not affected. Quality measurements on the resultant yarn, however, indicate a significant reduction in yarn strength. The primary conclusions from these results are that cotton aged for 2 years causes a detrimental effect on cotton quality because of the change in color grade, while a negative impact on yarn quality is seen as a result of decreased yarn strength. Possible causes for this observed decrease in yarn strength are discussed in terms of the measured chemical variables.
Use of machine learning for behavioral distinction of autism and ADHD

Although autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) continue to rise in prevalence, together affecting >10% of today's pediatric population, the methods of diagnosis remain subjective, cumbersome and time intensive. With gaps upward of a year between initial suspicion and diagnosis, valuable time where treatments and behavioral interventions could be applied is lost as these disorders remain undetected. Methods to quickly and accurately assess risk for these, and other, developmental disorders are necessary to streamline the process of diagnosis and provide families access to much-needed therapies sooner. Using forward feature selection, as well as undersampling and 10-fold cross-validation, we trained and tested six machine learning models on complete 65-item Social Responsiveness Scale score sheets from 2925 individuals with either ASD (n=2775) or ADHD (n=150). We found that five of the 65 behaviors measured by this screening tool were sufficient to distinguish ASD from ADHD with high accuracy (area under the curve=0.965). These results support the hypotheses that (1) machine learning can be used to discern between autism and ADHD with high accuracy and (2) this distinction can be made using a small number of commonly measured behaviors. Our findings show promise for use as an electronically administered, caregiver-directed resource for preliminary risk evaluation and/or pre-clinical screening and triage that could help to speed the diagnosis of these disorders.
Glycosylation Density in Cellular Homeostasis

Null mutations in the biosynthetic pathways for the formation of specific branch chains in Nand O-linked glycans result in compensation of epitope density in the remaining chains of the mutant. High-resolution mass spectrometry demonstrates that missing glycan epitopes such as LacNAc and Lewis moieties in mice with null mutations in specific Golgi enzymes are found on related biosynthetic structures. Similar glycan epitope compensation in mice missing the brain ganglioside GM3 has also been shown. These studies indicate that glycan epitope density on the surface of cells from different tissues is highly regulated. Lectin-glycan signaling interactions are sensitive to glycan density and provide a feedback mechanism for cellular homeostasis.
Operational Tests of Thyristor Valves for ±660 kV DC Power Transmission Project From Ningdong to Shandong

To attain higher transmission capacity and efficiency,UHVDC power transmission is increasingly applied in China.As one of its key equipment,it is necessary for thyristor valves to endure complete and effective type test to ensure that the design of the valves are correct.Based on the standard of IEC 60700-1 and after in-depth investigate and survey on existing operational test circuits,a new set of operational test device is developed and applied to ±660 kV DC power transmission project from Ningdong to Shandong.Key parameters of this device and typical test results of thyristor valves for this project are presented.Test results show that the development of the thyristor valves is successful.
Regulation of Stem Cell Self-Renewal and Oncogenesis by RNA-Binding Proteins

Throughout their life span, multicellular organisms rely on stem cell systems. During development pluripotent embryonic stem cells give rise to all cell types that make up the organism. After birth, tissue stem cells maintain properly functioning tissues and organs under homeostasis as well as promote regeneration after tissue damage or injury. Stem cells are capable of self-renewal, which is the ability to divide indefinitely while retaining the potential of differentiation into multiple cell types. The ability to self-renew, however, is a double-edged sword; the molecular mechanisms of self-renewal can be a target of malignant transformation driving tumor development and progression. Growing lines of evidence have shown that RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play pivotal roles in the regulation of self-renewal by modulating metabolism of coding and non-coding RNAs both in normal tissues and in cancers. In this review, we discuss our current understanding of tissue stem cell systems and how RBPs regulate stem cell fates as well as how the regulatory functions of RBPs contribute to oncogenesis.
Quantitative PCR shows propagation of Plasmodiophora brassicae in Swedish long term field trials

Clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae) is a serious soil-borne disease in brassica crops world-wide. We report on a time series of soil samples from Swedish long-term fertility trials started in 1957, 1963 and 1966, which were analyzed for the amount ofP. brassicaeDNA. The crop rotations included a brassica crop every 4 or 6years. All experimental sites with a 4-year rotation of oilseed rape, except one with calcium carbonate in the soil profile, showed high (>1000fg DNA g−1soil) levels ofP. brassicaeDNA after 9, 11 and 12 rotations. In contrast, detectable levels (>5fg DNA g−1soil) ofP. brassicaewere found only at one of five sites with a 6-year rotation of spring oilseed rape. In years with high levels ofP. brassicaeDNA, low yield was reported and a subsequent decline inP. brassicaeDNA in soil was observed. Different NPK (nitrogen/phosphorus/potassium) fertiliser regimes resulted in similarP. brassicaeDNA levels. The robustness and reliability of the method applied was verified by analyses of soil from individual plots compared with a mixture of plots and by repeated analyses of selected samples, which showed thatP. brassicaeDNA remained stable during dry storage.
Should We Evaluate Febrile Young Infants Step-by-Step in the Emergency Department?

* Abbreviations: ED — : emergency department IBI — : invasive bacterial infection In this issue of Pediatrics , Gomez et al1 present a new “Step-by-Step” algorithm for management of febrile young infants. Although bacteremia and bacterial meningitis, termed invasive bacterial infection (IBI),2 occur in only 1% to 2% of febrile young infants,3,4 clinicians fear “missing” these infections due to potential for mortality and morbidity.5,6 It is longstanding practice that young febrile infants undergo a “sepsis workup,” often including lumbar puncture, and many are hospitalized to expectantly treat for bacterial infection.7 More than 2 decades ago, various criteria (Rochester,8 Philadelphia,9 and Boston10) were developed to identify febrile infants at low-risk of bacterial infection, the so-called “low-risk” criteria. Application of these criteria allows for a subset of infants >28 days of age to be safely discharged from the emergency department (ED), with or without antibiotics. However, previous studies evaluating the performance characteristics of these criteria included low numbers of infants with IBI, and varied approaches to define the subjective features of well appearance.11 In the current study, Gomez et al1 prospectively validated a “Step-by-Step” approach among >2000 febrile infants ≤90 days of age across … Address correspondence to Paul L. Aronson, MD, Section of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, 100 York St, Suite 1F, New Haven, CT 06511. E-mail: paul.aronson{at}yale.edu
Ideal Webs, Moduli Spaces of Local Systems, and 3d Calabi–Yau Categories

A decorated surface S is an oriented surface with punctures, and a finite set of marked points on the boundary, considered modulo isotopy. We assume that each boundary component has a marked point. We introduce ideal bipartite graphs on S. Each of them is related to a group G of type Am or GL m, and gives rise to cluster coordinate systems on certain moduli spaces of G-local systems on S. These coordinate systems generalize the ones assigned in [FG1] to ideal triangulations of S.
Involvement of Lipid Raft Domain Signaling in Ex Vivo Maintenance of Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells.

Abstract Ex vivo manipulation of hematopoietic stem cell populations has been well documented to result in loss of pluripotentiality, proliferative deficits, and a decreased ability to repopulate post-transplantation. These defects result from a multitude of factors, and here we examine the contribution of lipid raft-localized signaling complexes and pro-survival growth factors, such as hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), in mediation of these defects. Specifically, we have examined the effects of diffused oxygen and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on ex vivo culture conditions for preservation of hematopoietic stem cell potentiality. We hypothesize that the high level of diffused oxygen in traditional cell culture systems represents a cellular stress leading to differentiation and loss of potential. We further hypothesize that this effect can be mitigated by the pro-survival factor HGF. Human umbilical cord blood derived mononuclear cells were first isolated by a ficoll density gradient followed by immunomagnetic depletion of mature cell lineages. These lineage depleted cells (Lin-) were cultured on fibronectin-coated plates in serum free media and kept in a 37° humidified atmosphere. We supplemented the cultures with stem cell factor (SCF), Flt-3, thrombopoietin (TPO), and HGF, and then manipulated the available oxygen for the cultured cells between 18% (ambient) and 2–3% (hypoxic). The cells were harvested at various time points (24h, 48h, 72h, and 96h) and assayed for lineage cell markers in conjunction with surrogate markers of lipid raft formation by flow cytometry. Preservation of phenotypic cell surface markers such as CD34, CD133, and CD31 were assayed, as well as the presentation of c-met, the receptor for HGF. Results were validated by immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy for colocalization of receptor-raft complexes. We found that total lipid raft expression was upregulated in hypoxic conditions versus ambient, with a significant increase in a population of cells that highly expressed lipid raft markers. In addition, we found that cells cultured in the presence of HGF in ambient conditions showed a decrease in the presence of lipid rafts with a trend toward lower expression in those cells cultured with HGF. This population of cells demonstrated a specific preservation of CD34+ expressing cells, and decreased incidence of apoptosis in all compartment surveyed. Functional assays of colony-forming ability, SCID-repopulating activity, and competitive repopulation were also assayed, to correlate the upregulation of lipid raft domain presentation with relevant stem cell ability. Current focus of this investigation centers on the identification of the specific receptor signaling complexes associated with these raft domains.
Other String Constructions

In the previous chapters we have shown that heterotic orbifold models can provide the UV completion of orbifold GUT field theories. They provide a “fertile patch” in the string landscape. They naturally contain local GUTs where complete families of quarks and leptons reside. This leads to non-trivial Yukawa sectors with light active neutrinos due to a See-Saw mechanism.
Bystanders' Privacy

The growing adoption of Internet-connected devices has given rise to significant privacy issues not only for users but also for bystanders. The authors explore privacy concerns related to bystanders' privacy and present a taxonomy of the solutions found in the literature to handle this issue. They also explore open issues that must be addressed in the future.
Quick 96FASP for high throughput quantitative proteome analysis.

Abstract Filter aided sample preparation (FASP) is becoming a central method for proteomic sample cleanup and peptide generation prior to LC-MS analysis. We previously adapted this method to a 96-well filter plate, and applied to prepare protein digests from cell lysate and body fluid samples in a high throughput quantitative manner. While the 96FASP approach is scalable and can handle multiple samples simultaneously, two key advantages compared to single FASP, it is also time-consuming. The centrifugation-based liquid transfer on the filter plate takes 3–5 times longer than single filter. To address this limitation, we now present a quick 96FASP (named q96FASP) approach that, relying on the use of filter membranes with a large MWCO size (~ 30 kDa), significantly reduces centrifugal times. We show that q96FASP allows the generation of protein digests derived from whole cell lysates and body fluids in a quality similar to that of the single FASP method. Processing a sample in multiple wells in parallel, we observed excellent experimental repeatability by label-free quantitation approach. We conclude that the q96FASP approach promises to be a promising cost- and time-effective method for shotgun proteomics and will be particularly useful in large scale biomarker discovery studies. Significance High throughput sample processing is of particular interests for quantitative proteomics. The previously developed 96FASP is high throughput and appealing, however it is time-consuming in the context of centrifugation-based liquid transfer (~ 1.5 h per spin). This study presents a truly high throughput sample preparation method based on large cut-off 96-well filter plate, which shortens the spin time to ~ 20 min. To our knowledge, this is the first multi-well method that is entirely comparable with conventional FASP. This study thoroughly examined two types of filter plates and performed side-by-side comparisons with single FASP. Two types of samples, whole cell lysate of a UTI (urinary tract infection)-associated Klebsiella pneumoniae cell and human urine, were tested which demonstrated its capability for quantitative proteomics. The q96FSAP approach makes the filter plate-based approach more appealing for protein biomarker discovery projects, and could be broadly applied to large scale proteomics analysis.
Becoming a Reflective Librarian and Teacher: Strategies for Mindful Academic Practice, by Michelle Reale: (2017). Chicago, IL: ALA Editions, 144 pages, $57.00, softcover, ISBN: 978-0-8389-1529-5

Michelle Reale has constructed a book that demystifies metacognition as a reflective practice for ongoing personal and professional development. Such a practice may intimidate and even seem dauntin...
The long persistence length of model tubules.

Young’s elastic modulus and the persistence length are calculated for a coarse-grained model of tubule forming polymers. The model uses a wedge shaped composite of particles that previously has been shown to self-assemble into tubules. These calculations demonstrate that the model yields very large persistence lengths (corresponding to 78–126 μm) that are comparable to that observed in experiments for the microtubule lengths accessible to the calculations. The source for the stiffness is the restricted rotation of the monomer due to the excluded volume interactions between bonded macromolecular monomers as well as the binding between monomers. For this reason, large persistence lengths are common in tubule systems with a macromolecule as the monomer. The persistence length increases linearly with increased binding strength in the filament direction. No dependence in the persistence length is found for varying the tubule pitch for geometries with the protofilaments remaining straight.
Claiming the Abortion Narrative: A Qualitative Exploration of Mainstream and Social Media Reflections on Abortion

Popular culture representations of abortion reflect and reinforce powerful narratives about reproductive health and womanhood. Critical evaluation of how traditional media—such as film, television, and print—have depicted abortion illustrates the ways in which cultural representation can reinforce negative social myths of abortion. This includes the myth that abortion is rare and dangerous, as well as contributes to the overall stigma surrounding abortion. Additionally, these traditional forms of media often reinforce hegemonic perspectives, with minimal representations of poor women or women of color who are more likely to experience undesired pregnancy and abortion.
Discriminating aging and protein-to-fat ratio in Cheddar cheese using sensory analysis and a potentiometric electronic tongue.

ABSTRACT The objectives of this study were to evaluate the flavor and taste attributes of full-fat Cheddar cheeses with different protein-to-fat ratios (PFR) over aging time using a descriptive sensory analysis panel and a consumer panel, and to correlate these attributes with instrumental parameters obtained by the potentiometric electronic tongue. Three Cheddar cheese formulations (PFR of 0.74, 0.85, and 1.01) were produced in triplicate and composition was verified. Cheese was aged at 7.2°C and evaluated at 2, 5, 8, 10, 11, and 12 mo by a trained panel (n = 10) for 8 flavor and 5 taste attributes and using an electronic tongue for 7 nonvolatile taste attributes. Cheese aged for 12 mo was also evaluated by a consumer sensory panel for liking and intensity attributes. Principal component analysis was performed to discriminate cheese based on aging time and PFR, whereas correlation between sensory and instrumental attributes was assessed using partial least squares regression. Descriptive sensory analysis of flavor and taste attributes differentiated Cheddar cheeses over aging time, but not among PFR formulations. The electronic tongue distinguished changes among cheese samples due to PFR formulation and aging time. The electronic tongue proved successful in characterizing the nonvolatile flavor components in Cheddar cheese and correlated with taste perceptions measured by descriptive sensory analysis. Consumer evaluations showed distinctive attribute profiles for the 3 PFR Cheddar cheese formulations. Overall, higher fat content was associated with increased flavor intensities in Cheddar cheese and drove consumer acceptability and purchase intent ratings. The electronic tongue detected smaller changes in tastes (bitter, metallic, salty, sour, spicy, sweet, and umami) of the 3 PFR formulations over time when compared with the trained panelists, who detected no differences, suggesting that the electronic tongue may be more sensitive to tastants than humans and may have the capability for early detection or identification of problems in a batch of cheese during aging. Results suggest taste quality of cheese may be monitored using the electronic tongue with greater sensitivity than a trained panel, and may be more objective, rapid, and cost effective than human panelists.
Experimental Investigation of Roll-off Factor and Channel Spacing for >400Gb/s Coherent Optical Systems

Residual skew in coherent transmitter degrades system performance. To increase tolerance to the transmitter skew, roll-off factor of Nyquist pulse shaping, channel spacing are optimized for >400Gb/s coherent optical communications systems.
Influence of the Leaving Group on C–H Activation Pathways in Palladium Pincer Complexes

A series of palladium pincer complexes supported by (iPr2P-C6H4)2CH2 (PC(sp3)H2P = bis(2-(diisopropylphosphanyl)phenyl)methane) was isolated and characterized. Different modes of C–H activation were observed for [{PC(sp3)H2P}PdX2] (X = Cl, OTf, Me, OAc). The thermal treatment of [{PC(sp3)H2P}PdX2] (X = Cl, OTf) induced a backbone C–H bond activation to generate the respective [{PC(sp3)HP}PdX] complex, while under similar reaction conditions [{PC(sp3)H2P}PdMe2] underwent a C–C reductive elimination that led to the formation of a Pd(0) dimer, [{PC(sp3)H2P}Pd]2. For the analogous diacetate complex [{PC(sp3)H2P}Pd(OAc)2], the C–H activation occurred at the phosphine isopropyl methine group to generate a palladacycle.
Parasitic Plants in Agriculture: Chemical Ecology of Germination and Host-Plant Location as Targets for Sustainable Control: A Review

Parasitic plants are among the most problematic pests of agricultural crops worldwide. Effective means of control are generally lacking, in part because of the close physiological connection between the established parasite and host plant hindering efficient control using traditional methods. Seed germination and host location are critical early-growth stages that occur prior to host attachment, and provide promising targets for ecologically sound management of parasitic weeds. Knowledge of parasite-host interactions, particularly chemical cues that induce parasite seed germination and mediate host location, should facilitate the development of novel management approaches. In parasitic plants that attach to host roots—e.g., Striga and Orobanche spp.—seed germination is known to occur only in the presence of chemical stimulants released from plant roots. The recent finding that these same chemicals promote the colonization of beneficial fungi has potentially important implications for the control of parasitic plants. Far less is known about the early stages of parasitic plants that attach above-ground to host shoots—e.g., Cuscuta spp. Seeds of these parasites lack germination stimulants, and it was only recently shown that foraging C. pentagona seedlings use airborne cues to locate and select among hosts. We review research on seed germination and host location by the major parasitic weeds that attack agricultural crops, and discuss the implications of recent findings for the development of sustainable and effective management strategies.
Military Expenditures and Income Inequality among a Panel of OECD Countries in the Post-Cold War Era, 1990–2007

Does military spending exacerbate income inequality? After the Cold War, many developed countries sought to reduce military expenditures in the face of a new security environment without the clear and present threat of large-scale international conflict. The literature has presented mixed evidence on the economic effects of military spending. Moreover, during this era analysts in the OECD have become preoccupied with the economic indicator of income equality. Our study examines the relationship between military expenditures and income inequality. Complementing the established literature on the subject, we find that these two phenomena indeed possess a positive relationship and it is unlikely that this association is due to random chance. Our results are robust to the inclusion of control variables common in the literature. These findings lead us to contemplate the historical and theoretical account of the peace dividend narrative.
Complications of Transthoracic Intracardiac and Central Venous Lines in Neonates Undergoing Cardiac Surgery

Neonates undergoing congenital heart surgery require central venous access for diagnostic information and medication administration. There are multiple options for central access including peripherally inserted central catheters, umbilical, central venous, and transthoracic intracardiac lines. We retrospectively identified all patients younger than 30 days who underwent cardiac surgery in a 1-year period. Data were collected on demographic and medical characteristics, adverse events, pre-emptive transfusion of blood products prior to line removal, and transfusion of blood products following removal of transthoracic intracardiac lines and central venous lines. In our cohort of 124 neonates, 176 transthoracic intracardiac lines were placed in 113 patients. Eighty-two patients had pre-existing central venous access including 35 umbilical venous lines, 21 PICC lines, and 18 CVLs. Ninety-eight patients received a CVL in the operating room by anesthesia. Five patients were transfused to correct laboratory derangement prior to transthoracic intracardiac line removal. Transfusion of packed red blood cells (pRBC) occurred after transthoracic intracardiac line removal in 25 patients. Thrombus formation was present in one patient with a transthoracic intracardiac line and three patients with CVLs. One patient underwent surgical intervention for repositioning of a transthoracic intracardiac line. There were no cases of cardiac arrest, extracorporeal life support, or deaths attributable to lines. In this cohort, transthoracic intracardiac lines were generally safe. There were very few complications of thrombus, infection, or requirement for surgical intervention; however, transfusion of pRBCs following transthoracic intracardiac line removal occurred in 20% of patients.
Charts for estimating nonlinear hogging and sagging bending moments

This paper presents charts for preliminary estimates of the nonlinearities associated with wave bending moments acting on a ship moving in a stationary sea. Deviation of the actual hull shape above the waterline from "vertical wall" is characterized by a flare coefficient. The charts show the influence of the flare coefficient, among other parameters, on a nonlinearity parameter which may be used to estimate the difference between wave hogging and sagging moments. Three application examples are given at the end of the paper to illustrate how the charts can be used in conjunction with linear strip theory results in order to estimate slightly nonlinear hogging and sagging moments.
Mother’s educational attainment and their young adult daughters’ fast food intake: The role of race/ethnicity

The relationship between mothers' educational attainment and their daughters' fast food intake and the moderating effect of race/ethnicity on the relationship was examined. The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79) and the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 for Children and Young Adults (NLSY79 CY) were used. Young women with mothers who received higher education were less likely to eat fast food. Race/ethnicity moderated the relationship between mothers' educational attainment and their young adult daughters' fast food intake. Through this study, we seek to understand the intergenerational relationship between mother and daughter and the effect of mothers' education on their young adult children's fast food consumption. Providing more opportunities for mothers to increase their educational attainment should be considered to reduce their children's fast food intake. Mothers' educational attainment should be focused on more closely for non-Hispanic Whites as a factor to reduce young women's fast food intake, and other economic factors should be considered to understand the role of mothers' educational attainment among African Americans and Hispanic/Latinas.
Response of acetyl-CoA carboxylase-resistant rice cultivars and advanced lines to florpyrauxifen-benzyl

Florpyrauxifen-benzyl and quizalofop were available for POST applications in 2018; however, little is known about the response of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase)–resistant rice cultivars and advanced lines to POST herbicides. A field study was conducted in 2017 and 2018 at Stoneville, MS, to characterize the response of ACCase-resistant rice cultivars and advanced lines to POST applications of florpyrauxifen-benzyl. The imidazolinone-resistant (IR) rice cultivars ‘CL163’ and ‘CLXL 745’, and ACCase-resistant rice cultivars ‘PVL01’, ‘PVL013’, ‘PVL024-B’, ‘PVL038’, ‘PVL080’, and ‘PVL081’were treated with florpyrauxifen-benzyl at 0 (nontreated control for each cultivar) and 58 g ai ha–1 at the four-leaf to one-tiller (LPOST) growth stage. At 14 d after treatment (DAT), PVL01 was injured 5% to 6% greater than CLXL 745, PVL013, and PVL081; however, injury was ≤10% at that evaluation for all cultivars. Similarly, injury was ≤13% for all cultivars 28 DAT. Mature heights were reduced for all cultivars except PVL013 and PVL081. Rough rice yield was ≥100% of the control for all cultivars except PVL081, PVL013, and CL163. Results suggest that florpyrauxifen-benzyl can safely be applied POST to rice cultivars grown in Mississippi as well as ACCase-resistant cultivars that are currently under development.
Sport Is the New Film

This collection takes note of two giant facts and one glaring historiographical gap: over the last decades, following the historical profession’s ‘cultural turn’, the sub-field of sports history ha...
Implant and Peri-implant Tissue Maintenance: Protocols to Prevent Peri-implantitis

In the absence of prevention protocols, early diagnosis and predictable treatment options for peri-implant diseases, the long-term survival of dental implants may be compromised. The purpose of the present review is to outline risk factors/indicators for peri-implantitis and propose current protocols (2015–present) for their control and disease prevention. Recent evidence suggests that factors including use of proton-pump and selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors, titanium-particle release, disruption of the implant-abutment connection, and prosthesis material/dimensions may increase peri-implantitis prevalence. Although the literature is still scarce, identifying these factors and developing appropriate maintenance protocols is imperative to prevent disease development. Peri-implantitis can be influenced by several risk factors/indicators that can be classified as patient related, clinical, and/or implant related. To facilitate the individualized patient risk profile assessment and guide clinical decisions, this review describes the impact of identified risk factors/indicators on peri-implant health and proposes preventive protocols based on the latest evidence.
Analysis of Head and Neck Primary Cutaneous Mucinous Carcinoma: An Indolent Tumor of the Eccrine Sweat Glands.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Primary cutaneous mucinous carcinoma (PCMC) of the head and neck is a rare pathologic entity that is an adenocarcinoma of the eccrine sweat glands. Though it has low metastatic potential, it does have a significant recurrence rate. Due to its rarity, its clinical features are not well-known. METHODS The authors searched the National Cancer Database (NCDB) for all cases of PCMC with primary sites of the skin of the head and neck confirmed histologically diagnosed from 2004 to 2016. Those with missing survival information were excluded. Kaplan-Meier (KM) and Cox proportional-hazards models were used to analyze the epidemiology and survival outcomes of PCMC. RESULTS The authors analyzed 289 cases. Females were more commonly affected (58.8%; P < 0.05) with the most common primary sites being the eyelid (41.9%) and scalp/neck (25.3%). The average age of diagnosis was 63.8 years (± SD 12.5). Almost all patients received surgery as standalone treatment (92.7%) with wide local excision being the common surgery performed (36.3%). Mohs surgery represented 15.2% of surgically treated cases. Mean overall survival (OS) was 11.4 years with 5-year and 10-year OS being 85.0% and 78.0%, respectively. Most cases were localized at diagnosis with only 2% metastatic at presentation. KM analysis indicated that surgical procedure type, age, tumor diameter, Charlson-Deyo Comorbidity Score, facility type, and stage were significant predictors of OS (P < 0.05). Cox proportional-hazards analysis did not reveal independent association of the aforementioned factors with OS. CONCLUSION Primary cutaneous mucinous carcinoma has an excellent prognosis with 98% of cases being diagnosed in Stage I and Stage II. As most cases present in the eyelid, special attention should be given to surgical treatment to ensure optimal aesthetic outcomes in this sensitive region. This study represents the largest cohort of head and neck PCMC studied to date.
Adherent cell depletion promotes the expansion of renal cell carcinoma infiltrating T cells with optimal characteristics for adoptive transfer.

Background Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy is a personalized cancer treatment which involves generating ex vivo cultures of tumor-reactive T cells from surgically resected tumors and administering the expanded TILs as a therapeutic infusion. Phase 1 of many TIL production protocols use aldesleukin (IL-2) alone to establish TIL cultures (termed “PreREP” (Pre-Rapid Expansion Protocol)); however, this fails to consistently produce TIL cultures from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in a timely manner. Adding mitogenic stimulation via anti-CD3/anti-CD28 beads along with IL-2 to the fresh tumor digest (FTD) during TIL generation (termed “FTD+ beads”) increases successful TIL culture rates; however, T cells produced by this method may be suboptimal for adoptive transfer. We hypothesize that adherent cell depletion (ACD) before TIL expansion will produce a superior TIL product by removing the immunosuppressive signals originating from adherent tumor and stromal cells. Here we investigate if “panning,” a technique for ACD prior to TIL expansion, will impact the phenotype, functionality and/or clonality of ex vivo expanded RCC TILs. Methods Tumor specimens from 55 patients who underwent radical or partial nephrectomy at the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) were used to develop the panning method and an additional 19 specimens were used to validate the protocol. Next-generation sequencing, immunohistochemistry/immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry were used during method development. The phenotype, functionality and clonality of autologous TILs generated in parallel by panning, PreREP, and FTD+ beads were assessed by flow cytometry, in vitro co-culture assays, and TCRB CDR3 sequencing. Results TIL cultures were successfully generated using the panning protocol from 15/16 clear cell, 0/1 chromophobe, and 0/2 papillary RCC samples. Significantly fewer regulatory (CD4+/CD25+/FOXP3+) (p=0.049, p=0.005), tissue-resident memory (CD8+/CD103+) (p=0.027, p=0.009), PD-1+/TIM-3+ double-positive (p=0.009, p=0.011) and TIGIT+ T cells (p=0.049, p=0.026) are generated by panning relative to PreREP and FTD+ beads respectively. Critically, a subset of TILs generated by panning were able to degranulate and/or produce interferon gamma in response to autologous tumor cells and the average tumor-reactive TIL yield was greatest when using the panning protocol. Conclusions Removing immunosuppressive adherent cells within an RCC digest prior to TIL expansion allow for the rapid production of tumor-reactive T cells with optimal characteristics for adoptive transfer.
Direct metal contacts printing on 4H-SiC for alpha detectors and inhomogeneous Schottky barriers

Abstract Electrical characterization of several 4H-SiC Schottky diodes with Aerosol-Jet printed gold (Au), silver (Ag), and platinum (Pt) contacts was performed using forward and reverse current–voltage (IV) measurements. From these measurements, device parameters such as Schottky barrier height and ideality factor were determined; however, many of the devices exhibited nonideal behavior and inferior performance characterized by ideality factors significantly greater than one, disproportionate low voltage leakage current and low barrier heights. Forward current–voltage (FIV) characteristics were fitted to an inhomogeneous barrier height theory to explain the abnormal behavior exhibited by the printed devices. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of the device cross-sections was performed to investigate the printed metal and semiconductor epitaxial layer interface, which revealed the imperfections in the metal–semiconductor contact. Despite these irregularities, alpha radiation detection capability of these devices was still achieved with an energy resolution of 1.89% at 5.486 MeV, and the best achievable resolution at 0.51% with no energy degradation of 5.486 MeV.
The Wage Gains of African-American Women in the 1940s

The weekly wage gap between black and white female workers narrowed by 15 percentage points during the 1940s. We employ a semi-parametric technique to decompose changes in the distribution of wages. We find that changes in worker characteristics (such as education, occupation and industry, and region of residence) can account for a significant portion of wage convergence between black and white women, but that changes in the wage structure, including large black-specific gains within regions, occupations, industries, and educational groups, made the largest contributions. The single most important contributing factor to the observed convergence was a sharp increase in the relative wages of service workers (where black workers were heavily concentrated) even as black women moved out of domestic service jobs.