cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modifications in food-group consumption are related to long-term body-weight changes

Background: Dietary patterns play an important role in the control of body weight. Objective: The aim of this study was to verify whether changes in some dietary patterns over a 6-y follow-up period would be associated with weight changes. Design: A sample of 248 volunteers of the Quebec Family Study were measured twice (visit 1: 1989 –1994; visit 2: 1995–2000). Body weight, percentage body fat, subcutaneous skinfold thicknesses, and waist circumference measurements as well as 3-d dietary and physical activity records were obtained at each visit. At visit 2, all participants filled out a food-based questionnaire examining changes in the consumption of 10 food categories. To further investigate the relation between changes in food-group consumption and bodyweight changes, a total of 51 food subcategories were identified from dietary records. Results: A self-reported decrease in the consumption of food in the fat group or an increase in consumption in the fruit group from the food-based questionnaire predicted a lower increase in body weight and adiposity indicators over time. A more detailed examination of the change in food groups between diet records revealed that increases in the consumption of whole fruit as well as skimmed milk and partly skimmed milk were the 2 food patterns that negatively correlated with the changes of each body weight–related indicator. Conclusions: These results show that changes in the consumption of some specific food groups are associated with body-weight changes. Such specific eating patterns could help to improve obesity treatment and prevention. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;80:29 –37.
Tregitopes switch on Tregs.

In this issue of Blood, De Groot and colleagues report the identification and functional characterization of Tregitopes, which are Treg-activating regions in the Fc portion of the IgG molecule. This important finding has the potential to bring understanding about a number of phenomena related to Ig, including tolerance to Ab variable regions, the tolerogenic properties of immunoglobulin-Ag conjugates, the weak immunogenicity of Fc fusion proteins, and the therapeutic and regulatory effects of clinical preparations of IVIg on autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
Research on academic literacy development in sheltered instruction classrooms

This article describes an extended program of research in sheltered instruction and the effects on the academic literacy development of English language learners. It also highlights the challenges of scaling up an instructional intervention. The intervention was the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Model, an approach that teaches subject area curriculum to students learning through a second language using techniques that make the content material accessible and also help develop the students’ second language skills. Three successive studies looked at teacher change over time and student achievement on standardized assessments and researcher-developed measures. Results of the three studies reveal that students with teachers who were trained in the SIOP Model of sheltered instruction and implemented it with fidelity performed significantly better on assessments of academic language and literacy than students with teachers who were not trained in the model. The article offers guidance for st...
The Integral Membrane Protein Snl1p Is Genetically Linked to Yeast Nuclear Pore Complex Function

Integral membrane proteins are predicted to play key roles in the biogenesis and function of nuclear pore complexes (NPCs). Revealing how the transport apparatus is assembled will be critical for understanding the mechanism of nucleocytoplasmic transport. We observed that expression of the carboxyl-terminal 200 amino acids of the nucleoporin Nup116p had no effect on wild-type yeast cells, but it rendered the nup116 null strain inviable at all temperatures and coincidentally resulted in the formation of nuclear membrane herniations at 23°C. To identify factors related to NPC function, a genetic screen for high-copy suppressors of this lethal nup116-C phenotype was conducted. One gene (designated SNL1 for suppressor of nup116-C lethal) was identified whose expression was necessary and sufficient for rescuing growth. Snl1p has a predicted molecular mass of 18.3 kDa, a putative transmembrane domain, and limited sequence similarity to Pom152p, the only previously identified yeast NPC-associated integral membrane protein. By both indirect immunofluorescence microscopy and subcellular fractionation studies, Snl1p was localized to both the nuclear envelope and the endoplasmic reticulum. Membrane extraction and topology assays suggested that Snl1p was an integral membrane protein, with its carboxyl-terminal region exposed to the cytosol. With regard to genetic specificity, the nup116-C lethality was also suppressed by high-copy GLE2 and NIC96. Moreover, high-copy SNL1 suppressed the temperature sensitivity of gle2–1 and nic96-G3 mutant cells. The nic96-G3 allele was identified in a synthetic lethal genetic screen with a null allele of the closely related nucleoporin nup100. Gle2p physically associated with Nup116p in vitro, and the interaction required the N-terminal region of Nup116p. Therefore, genetic links between the role of Snl1p and at least three NPC-associated proteins were established. We suggest that Snl1p plays a stabilizing role in NPC structure and function.
Assessment of three generations of mice derived by ICSI using freeze-dried sperm.

Although the derivation of mice by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) using freeze-dried sperm has been demonstrated previously, a comprehensive analysis of their viability, health, and fertility has not. The purpose of the present study was to determine the extent to which ICSI using freeze-dried sperm stored at 4 °C for 1–2 months from mice on either an inbred (C57BL/6J) or hybrid (B6D2F1/J) genetic background results in genomic instability and/or phenotypic abnormality in mice and two generations of their progeny. Fertilization rates (number of 2-cells per injected oocytes) using ICSI of fresh and freeze-dried sperm were similar within and between mouse strains, although fewer freeze-dried sperm-derived embryos than fresh sperm-derived embryos developed to blastocysts in vitro (C57BL/6J and B6D2F1/J) and liveborn pups in vivo (B6D2F1/J only). Nevertheless, once born, mice derived by ICSI using freeze-dried sperm in both mouse strains were healthy and reproductively sound. No major differences in litter size, weaning rate, and sex ratio were noted in the two generations of progeny (F2 and F3) of ICSI-derived offspring using freeze-dried sperm compared with that in the natural mating (control) group. Further, there was no evidence that either ICSI or freeze drying induced genomic instability, as determined by microsatellite analysis of the derived mice and subsequent generations when compared with both parental genotypes, nor were there differences in the number or types of pathological changes in any of the three generations of progeny. We conclude that viable, healthy and genomically stable mice can be derived by ICSI using freeze-dried mouse sperm stored in the refrigerator for at least 2 months. Further, because freeze drying is a simpler and more economical technique compared with embryo and sperm cryopreservation, the results of this study justify additional research to continue to develop and enhance the technique for the preservation, storage, and sharing of genetically altered mice.
Estradiol Treatment Redirects the Isotype of the Autoantibody Response and Prevents the Development of Autoimmune Arthritis

A number of clinical and experimental observations have been made relating elevated estrogen levels with the amelioration of autoimmune diseases, yet questions remain about the levels required for efficacy as well as the mechanism of disease inhibition. Using the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model, we have studied the effects of physiological, sustained levels of 17β-estradiol in preventing the development of autoimmune arthritis and analyzed the changes in the autoimmune response. Using time-release pellets of 17β-estradiol, arthritis development was significantly inhibited in three different strains of CIA-susceptible mice compared with the effect of placebo treatment, and serum estradiol levels similar to those of mice in estrus were found to be equally effective as higher estradiol concentrations. Analysis of the autoimmune response in the estradiol-treated mice indicated that T cell production of IFN-γ was markedly decreased, and significant decreases were also observed in levels of IL-10 and GM-CSF produced by lymph nodes cells from estradiol-treated mice. Although the total IgG anti-CII response was only minimally affected by estrogen treatment, a significant reduction in the levels of IgG2a anti-CII Abs and an increase in the levels of IgG1 anti-CII Abs were observed in estradiol-treated mice. These data indicate that estradiol treatment altered the Th profile of the autoimmune T cell response, which, in turn, altered the production of IgG Abs to an isotype that is poor at fixing complement, an important component in the immunopathogenesis of CIA.
Mainstreaming Third-Gender Healers: The Changing Perceptions of South Asian Hijras

Mainstreaming is the act of bringing public light to a population or issue, but it can have a deleterious impact on the individuals being discussed. Hijras comprise a third-gender group that has long had cultural and religious significance within South Asian societies. Described as being neither male nor female, hijras were once called upon for their religious powers to bless and curse. However, after the British rule and in the wake of more-recent media attention, the hijra identity has been scrutinized under a harsh Western gaze. It forces non-Western populations to be viewed in terms of binaries, such as either male or female, and it classifies them by inapplicable Western terms. For example, categorizing a hijra as transgendered obfuscates the cultural significance that the term hijra conveys within their societies. Furthermore, media representations of hijras cause consumers to view themselves as more natural, while hijras become objectified as occupying a false identity. This has caused them to be pigeonholed within the very societies that once legitimated their existence and respected them for their powers. With their cultural practices being seen as outmoded, and their differences from Western people be- ing pointed out in the news and on television, hijras have faced significant discrimination and ridicule. After providing a discussion of relevant Western and non-Western concepts, I seek to describe hijras and the effects of mainstreaming on their lives. Finally, I offer a critique of cur- rent research on this population and provide solutions to improve their plight.
Experimental Justice Reform: Lessons from the World Bank and Beyond

Rule of law orthodoxy—legal transplants from high- to low-income countries—has endured despite persistent critiques. A key reason for this, we argue, is the absence of positive theories of praxis that can instantiate essentially contested concepts such as rule of law. We discuss the emergence of one nascent alternative, the World Bank's Justice for the Poor program, locating it within broader turns to experimental approaches to development. In doing so, we argue that rule of law reform must be understood in the context of the politics of the relationship between development experts and the domestic political forums in and through which rules systems emerge. As such, a primary task of external agencies is to help forge and sustain such forums, to recognize the deep imbrication between the process norms of these forums and the nature of the rule of law being produced, and to ensure that the empirical foundations on which ensuing deliberations rest are both sound and accessible. We conclude with an explorati...
COLLAGEN METABOLISM IN OSTEOLATHYRISM IN CHICK EMBRYOS: SITE OF ACTION OF ß-AMINOPROPIONITRILE

Chick embryos were sacrificed at intervals after simultaneous injection of BAPN and proline-C14, the collagen separated into neutral salt-extractable and residue fractions, and total hydroxyproline and hydroxyproline specific radioactivity determined in each fraction. Extractable collagen, measured as hydroxyproline, increased markedly and had a higher specific activity in BAPN-treated embryos than in corresponding controls. Hydroxyproline of the residue collagen in the treated animals, however, had a lower specific activity. When proline-C14 was injected 24 hours prior to BAPN, the specific radioactivity of the soluble collagen of treated embryos was similar to that of controls, in spite of the fact that the specific activity of the residue fraction was higher than that of the soluble fraction at the time of BAPN administration. These results suggest that the increased amount of soluble collagen in lathyrism induced by administration of BAPN does not arise from the collagen insoluble prior to administration of the drug, but rather that BAPN acts by blocking the formation of mature collagen fibers, perhaps by preventing the formation of cross-linkages between α-collagen chains.
Privacy Protection of Binary Confidential Data Against Deterministic, Stochastic, and Insider Threat

A practical model and an associated method are developed for providing consistent, deterministically correct responses to ad-hoc queries to a database containing a field of binary confidential data. COUNT queries, i.e., the number of selected subjects whose confidential datum is positive, are to be answered. Exact answers may allow users to determine an individual's confidential information. Instead, the proposed technique gives responses in the form of a number plus a guarantee so that the user can determine an interval that is sure to contain the exact answer. At the same time, the method is also able to provide both deterministic and stochastic protection of the confidential data to the subjects of the database. Insider threat is defined precisely and a simple option for defense against it is given. Computational results on a simulated database are very encouraging in that most queries are answered with tight intervals, and that the quality of the responses improves with the number of subjects identified by the query. Thus the results are very appropriate for the very large databases prevalent in business and governmental organizations. The technique is very efficient in terms of both time and storage requirements, and is readily scalable and implementable.
Censorship, Ratings, and Rights: Political Order and Sexual Portrayals in American Movies

Between 1966 and 1971, a remarkable change occurred in the regulation of the sexual content of American movies. A policy of government and industry cooperation in the censorship of sexual portrayals and messages in American general release movies disappeared. Indeed, the collapse of movie censorship appeared quite abrupt. In 1966 state, local, and industry censors nearly kept actor Elizabeth Taylor, in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, from turning into the camera and uttering “You son of a bitch.” By 1971, A Clockwork Orange would contain a scene of rape, frontal nudity, and an accelerated sequence depicting a menage-a-trois. Such a change signals a synoptic shift in the morality policy governing an industry with significant influence on public tastes.
“Who Protects and Serves Me?”: A Case Study of Sexual Harassment of African American Women in One U.S. Law Enforcement Agency

Researchers have given some attention to women law enforcement officers' experiences and perceptions of sexual harassment. Yet, few studies have determined how the interaction of gender and race affect African American women's perception of this workplace impediment. This article explores one group of women's experiences in a U.S. sheriff's department. Interview data gathered from 65 African American women who are active and former law enforcement officers provide a comprehensive examination of how African American women in nontraditional criminal justice occupations experience racialized sexual harassment. Differences in degree and frequency of harassment are found among the women in different cohorts based on their job tenure, marital status, and the race of their harassers.
Radioactive waste study released

A National Research Council (NRC) panel has concluded that the technology for safely storing radioactive waste is ready for confirmation in a test facility. At the same time, the panel proposed safety standards that are more stringent than standards currently proposed by some government agencies. The report, Study of the Isolation System for the Geologic Disposal of Radioactive Wastes, was funded by the Department of Energy as part of its effort to comply with a Congressional mandate to open a national radioactive waste storage facility by the end of the century. The Waste Isolation Panel of the NRC's Board on Radioactive Waste Management did not choose a specific site for the first U.S. repository because the state of current technology does not allow the U.S. to design, construct, and safely operate a full-fledged site. However, the panel's chairman, Thomas H. Pigford, of the University of California at Berkeley, believes that the goal established by Congress can be met.
Long-term inverter operation demonstration at Sandia National Laboratories

The performance of a utility interactive photovoltaic (PV) system relies on several key components within the system. The effects of long term operation on utility interactive inverter performance are the topic of this paper. Years of anecdotal evidence indicates that the PV module typically has a 1% per year degradation in performance; this is accepted by industry for how modules are typically rated and warranted. The inverter on the other hand has not undergone such scrutiny to investigate the effects that years of operation may have on the performance of an inverter. The effects of long-term field operation on utility interconnected PV inverters are the focus of the long term inverter evaluation test bed that is dedicated for years of operation. The outcome of this analysis will be factored into the inverter performance model. Sandia National Laboratories Distributed Energy Technology Laboratory (DETL) has recently completed the first re-characterization phase on inverters operating for two years. This paper reports on the effects of long term inverter operation on four residential inverters.
‘he danced his did’: an analysis

In the last twenty years, Cummings's line ‘he danced his did’; has been at the centre of almost every major discussion of the deviant language of literature. In the last two decades, hundreds of pages and scores of articles have been written which have attempted to assess and motivate its linguistic status and aesthetic success. Without question, ‘he danced his did’ has been more closely scrutinized and extensively analysed than any other single phrase in English literature.
Charles Darwin's paradigm shift

The publication of Darwin's 'On the Origin of Species' in 1859 created a paradigm shift from creation to evolution. Darwin showed that humans are part of nature, not above it, and that all animal life, including human, is related by descent from a common ancestor. His mechanism of evolution via natural selection is a powerful creative force that provided an explanation for the diversity of life. This dramatic change in world view from super naturalism to methodological naturalism has allowed staggering scientific advances in the past 150 years that transcend science and impact on the human psyche.
188Re Dose escalation in tumored mice by MORF/cMORF pretargeting

1565 Objectives All radiotherapy studies in xenografted animals using 188Re have thus far shown only tumor growth inhibition, including our earlier proof-of-concept study of MORF/cMORF pretargeting. Methods Tumor size reduction has now been achieved in TAG-72 positive LS174T tumored mice using the anti TAG-72 CC49 antibody and escalating 188Re radioactivity. A 188Re-cMORF tracer study was first performed to estimate the radiation doses achievable in the dose-escalating therapy trial. Results No loss of 188Re in tumor was observed over 90 h in mice pretargeted with MORF-CC49 antibody 48 h earlier. Infinite retention was therefore assumed in the subsequent dosimetric calculations. Both necropsy and imaging showed that the whole body radioactivity after 1 h post IV administration of 188Re was largely restricted to the tumor. These results were used to obtain the areas under the radioactivity curves (AUCs). The tumor to normal organ AUC ratios in all cases were greater than unity and varied from 3 (kidneys) to 48 (muscle). In the dose-escalation trials, sacrifice at fixed tumor size was at 6, 8, 13, 16, and 21 days for doses of 0, 350, 700, 1050, and 1400 µCi and the maximum dose to tumor was estimated at 2200 rads. A dose response was therefore observed both in tumor size and in time to sacrifice and a clear reduction in tumor size to the point of disappearance was evident in animals receiving the highest radiation dose. Histological examination of tissues from animals receiving highest dose showed no evidence of cytotoxicity in any normal tissues but clear evidence of radiation damage in tumor tissue. Conclusions Effective radiotherapy is achievable by pretargeting using MORF-CC49 and 188Re-cMORF.
Development of a Biofidelic Material Model for Brain Tissue

Computational simulations of brain injury mechanisms have advanced to a level of sophistication where in addition to capturing different anatomic regions, the computational mesh is capable of distinguishing white and grey matter in the brain. Brain tissue is typically modeled as an isotropic, viscoelastic material. Experiments have shown that the mechanical response of brain tissue to an external load varies depending on the location from which the tissue is harvested and also the direction of loading. Some researchers have developed anisotropic constitutive models by appealing to the composite material case wherein cylindrical axon fibers are immersed in a cellular matrix. Though such material models have been developed over a small sample, they have not been applied over the entire brain for simulation purposes.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Factors Influencing Nonprofit Resource Provider Support Decisions: Applying the Brand Equity Concept to Nonprofits

This exploratory research examines the influence of antecedent factors on resource provider (volunteers and donors) based brand equity for a nonprofit organization. The study, utilizing a telephone survey, applies brand equity for the first time to the nonprofit sector and provides initial empirical evidence of the multidimensional influence of brand personality, brand image, and brand awareness antecedents of the resource providers’ biased decision to support the nonprofit organization after controlling for the influence of altruistic volunteerism. This extension of the branding literature is adapted from the much more common customerbased conceptualizations of Aaker (1991) and Keller (1993). The results suggest an opportunity fornonprofits to compete for these vital resources by nurturing and leveraging the antecedent factors which create resource provider based brand equity.
Role of bile salt hydrophobicity in hepatic microtubule-dependent bile salt secretion.

Under basal conditions, bile salt secretion by the liver is not affected by microtubule disruption. However, when a bile salt load is imposed on the liver, a microtubule-dependent secretion mechanism is recruited u. Lipid Res. 1988. 29: 144-156). We tested the hypothesis that recruitment of this microtubule-dependent mechanism is influenced by the relative hydrophobicity of the bile salts being secreted. Intact male rats were depleted of bile salts by overnight biliary diversion, pretreated with colchicine (a microtubule inhibitor) or its inac- tive isomer, lumicolchicine (control), and reinfused in- travenously with bile salts of increasing hydrophobicity (taurode- hydrocholate < tauroursodeoxycholate < taurocholate) at 200 nmol/min - 100 g. After 45 min, when steady-state bile salt secre- tion was achieved, tracer (3H)taurocholate was administered in- travenously. The colchicine-insensitive component of bulk bile salt secretion was constant at - 130 nmol/min - 100 g, and the colchicine-sensitive component increased from - 0 to 35 and 60 nmol/min 100 g, respectively, with reinfusion of the more hydrophobic bile salts. Retained bile salts accumulated in the liver and serum and were detectable in urine. Peak biliary secre- tion of (3H)taurocholate in control animals increased linearly from 15.3 to 18.0% administered dose/min with increasing hydrophobicity of the secreted bile salts (P < 0,002). In colchicine-pretreated animals, peak secretion rates decreased linearly from 13.8 to 9.2%/min (P < 0.001), with maximal inhi- bition in taurocholate-reinfused animals (P < 0.01). BID Utilization of a microtubule-dependent secretion mechanism increases with increasing bile salt hydrophobicity. This mechanism permits more efficient hepatic secretion of bile salts, but increases the susceptibility of bile salt secretion to microtubule disruption. We postulate that microtubule-dependent insertion of bile salt trans- porters into the canalicular membrane underlies the enhanced bile salt secretion observed when a bile salt load is imposed upon the liver.-Crawford, J. M., D. C. J. Strahs, A. R. Crawford, and S. Barnes. Role of bile salt hydrophobicity in hepatic microtubule-dependent bile salt secretion. J Lipid Res. 1994. 35: 1738-1748.
Initiation of human parturition. X. Substrate specificity of phospholipase A2 in human fetal membranes.

Abstract The substrate specificity of phospholipase A activity of fetal membranes and uterine decidua was investigated with the use of synthetic substrates, and emphasis was on the specificity of fatty acid esters in the sn -2 position of glycerophospholipids. Rat liver mitochondria were also used as an enzyme source for the substrate specificity studies. Phosphatidylethanolamine was found to be hydrolyzed more rapidly than was phosphatidylcholine by the phospholipase A activities of human fetal membranes and uterine decidua and of rat liver mitochondria. The phospholipase A 2 in fetal membranes preferentially effected the hydrolysis of phosphatidylethanolamines containing specific fatty acids in the sn -2 position in the following order: arachidonic acid > oleic acid > palmitic acid. No remarkable specificity for arachidonyl esters in the sn -2 position of phosphatidylethanolamines was observed for the phospholipase A activities of human uterine decidua or rat liver mitochondria. The results of this study are consistent with the view that human fetal membrane phospholipase A 2 that preferentially hydrolyzes the phosphatidylethanolamines that contain arachidonic acid in the sn -2 position is, in part, responsible for the highly selective accumulation of free arachidonic acid in the amniotic fluid of women in labor.
A Case of Fatal Serotonin Syndrome–Like Human Rabies Caused by Tricolored Bat–Associated Rabies Virus

Human rabies is a fatal disease, transmitted by saliva of infected animals, and the diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion. Very few cases are reported annually in the United States. We present a case of human rabies without a clear exposure history that masqueraded as serotonin syndrome.
A new species of Hibiscus from the Amazon basin.

A new species, Hibiscus amazonicus, is described from the Amazon Basin. Characters distinguishing the new species from its nearest relatives presented.
Heine und Schiller

Durch nahezu das gesamte Werk Heinrich Heines zieht ein Zug von Schiller-Anspielungen hindurch, aber es ist ein undeutlicher Zug: manches wird wortlich zitiert, anderes hat Heine falsch erinnert, und gelegentlich wird auch ein Vers auf den Kopf gestellt. Dennoch wird man, wenn man diesen literarischen Einsprengseln folgt, zunachst das Gefuhl nicht los, dass es Heine mit Schiller oft so erging wie Swift mit der Ankundigung an einer Jahrmarktsbude, der zufolge dort der groste Elefant der Welt zu sehen sei — auser seiner selbst. Erscheint Schiller wirklich, wenn er bei Heine erscheint? Erwahnt ist Schiller bei Heine immer wieder, selbst da, wo nicht direkt aus seinem Werk zitiert wird. Aber bezeichnend ist, dass er haufig einen ganzen Schwarm literarischer Trabanten um sich hat: er fuhrt ein Gruppendasein, ist stets zur Stelle, wenn von der deutschen Klassik gesprochen wird, aber auch sonst tritt er immer wieder in Gesellschaft auf: ein sonderlich groses Eigenleben scheint er in Heines Vorstellungswelt nicht gehabt zu haben. Zuweilen war es Heine auch wohl nur um eine generelle Verteidigung dessen zu tun, was andere zu Unrecht angegriffen hatten: Er spricht manchmal wie ein Schutzpatron, der sich der Verratenen und Wehrlosen annimmt, vor allem jener, die sich nicht mehr wehren konnen, weil sie gestorben sind.
Basis adaptation and domain decomposition for steady-state partial differential equations with random coefficients

Abstract We present a novel approach for solving steady-state stochastic partial differential equations in high-dimensional random parameter space. The proposed approach combines spatial domain decomposition with basis adaptation for each subdomain. The basis adaptation is used to address the curse of dimensionality by constructing an accurate low-dimensional representation of the stochastic PDE solution (probability density function and/or its leading statistical moments) in each subdomain. Restricting the basis adaptation to a specific subdomain affords finding a locally accurate solution. Then, the solutions from all of the subdomains are stitched together to provide a global solution. We support our construction with numerical experiments for a steady-state diffusion equation with a random spatially dependent coefficient. Our results show that accurate global solutions can be obtained with significantly reduced computational costs.
Biological control of sentinel egg masses of the exotic invasive stink bug Halyomorpha halys (Stål) in Mid-Atlantic USA ornamental landscapes

Biological invasions have far reaching effects on native plant and arthropod communities. This study evaluated the effect of natural enemies on eggs of the exotic invasive brown marmorated stink bug Halyomorpha halys (Stal) in experimental plots comprising species pairs of 16 ornamental trees and shrub genera from either Eurasia or North America and in wooded areas adjacent to the plots. Sentinel egg masses were placed on leaves of Acer, Cercis, Hydrangea, and Prunus in the plots and in seven genera of trees and shrubs in adjacent woods. Overall, rates of parasitism and predation in experimental plots were low, accounting for only 3.8% and 4.4% of egg mortality, respectively. There were no significant differences in parasitism and predation rates between native or exotic plots or between plants of different genera. In 2015, predation was significantly higher in the experimental plots than in the wooded sites, but parasitism was significantly higher in the wooded sites. In the experimental plots, seven native and one exotic parasitoid species attacked sentinel egg masses. Six native parasitoid species attacked sentinel egg masses in the wooded sites. Parasitoids in the genus Trissolcus were more likely to attack egg masses in exotic plots than in native plots. There is no evidence that native natural enemies attacking eggs of the exotic BMSB were more prevalent in landscapes with native ornamental trees and shrubs than those with exotic trees and shrubs.
'Biogeneric' developmental processes: drivers of major transitions in animal evolution.

Using three examples drawn from animal systems, I advance the hypothesis that major transitions in multicellular evolution often involved the constitution of new cell-based materials with unprecede...
Hydrocarbon bio-jet fuel from bioconversion of poplar biomass: life cycle assessment

Bio-jet fuels compatible with current aviation infrastructure are needed as an alternative to petroleum-based jet fuel to lower greenhouse gas emissions and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Cradle to grave life cycle analysis is used to investigate the global warming potential and fossil fuel use of converting poplar biomass to drop-in bio-jet fuel via a novel bioconversion platform. Unique to the biorefinery designs in this research is an acetogen fermentation step. Following dilute acid pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis, poplar biomass is fermented to acetic acid and then distilled, hydroprocessed, and oligomerized to jet fuel. Natural gas steam reforming and lignin gasification are proposed to meet hydrogen demands at the biorefineries. Separate well to wake simulations are performed using the hydrogen production processes to obtain life cycle data. Both biorefinery designs are assessed using natural gas and hog fuel to meet excess heat demands. Global warming potential of the natural gas steam reforming and lignin gasification bio-jet fuel scenarios range from CO2 equivalences of 60 to 66 and 32 to 73 g MJ−1, respectively. Fossil fuel usage of the natural gas steam reforming and lignin gasification bio-jet fuel scenarios range from 0.78 to 0.84 and 0.71 to 1.0 MJ MJ−1, respectively. Lower values for each impact category result from using hog fuel to meet excess heat/steam demands. Higher values result from using natural gas to meet the excess heat demands. Bio-jet fuels produced from the bioconversion of poplar biomass reduce the global warming potential and fossil fuel use compared with petroleum-based jet fuel. Production of hydrogen is identified as a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel use in both the natural gas steam reforming and lignin gasification bio-jet simulations. Using hog fuel instead of natural gas to meet heat demands can help lower the global warming potential and fossil fuel use at the biorefineries.
Large Eddy Simulation of the Interaction Between Biogenic Volatile Organic Compound Transport and Chemistry within a Topical Forest Canopy

A multitude of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) are emitted within the canopy air-space of tropical forests. These compounds undergo reactions with atmospheric oxidants (eg. Ozone O3, the nitrate NO3 or the hydroxyl OH radicals), which mainly originate above the canopy, and reaction products can subsequently condense to form secondary organic aerosols. Canopy resolving Large Eddy Simulation (LES) combined with a representation of atmospheric chemistry presents a valuable tool for a better understanding of the interaction between chemistry and transport processes. This requires the adequate resolution of concentration fields of reactants (BVOCs and oxidants) as well as the flow field inside the canopy. We present the results of an LES study with 17 layers inside the forest (2 m vertical resolution), which includes a simplified BVOC chemistry in order to estimate the export of BVOCs and their principal reaction products such as methyl vinyl ketone (MVK) and methacrolein (MACR) from a tropical canopy. These results are compared to field measurements of ozone, nitrogen oxides, isoprene, monoterpenes as well as MVK and MACR observed during a field campaign at the Cuieiras Biological Reserve K34 (2°36’32” S, 60° 12’33” W) tower from April 2014 to January 2015.
'Spacing Count:' A Metric for Identifying the Degree to Which Work Is Spaced out and Distributed over Time in Distance Learning and Online Professional Development Courses

The spacing effect is a well-documented psychological phenomenon that suggests that the more spaced out a person’s work in a series of tasks or a course, the more they will benefit from the activity. The spacing count is a metric described in this paper to measure the spacing of a participant’s work in an online professional development course over an established amount of time. This metric was developed with data from an actual online teacher PD course that was administered in Moodle. Through a series of data transformations from system log files, the process in this paper ultimately provides a frequency count of the number of intervals of a course set by the researcher (defined as the resolution) in which a participant completed substantive amounts of work in each interval (defined as the sensitivity). This metric is derived after a course is completed and data have been collected, but additional variations could be possible in future work to have it serve as a real-time analytic. Although this metric was developed in the context of a teacher PD course, it can be additionally applied to both general online learning and project management.
INCREASED RATES OF SMOKING CESSATION OBSERVED AMONG TRANSGENDER WOMEN RECEIVING HORMONE TREATMENT

Objective: According to the Centers for Disease Control, while 68% of adult smokers nationally desire to quit, only 6.2% successfully quit in a given year. Transgender women seen for hormone therapy at Boston Medical Center (BMC) are strongly advised to quit smoking before the start of treatment, not only due to general health benefits, but also because of the concern for increased thromboembolic events with estrogen therapy. Transgender men are given the same recommendation regarding tobacco as any patient. Methods: We retrospectively examined 156 patients' charts, 120 transgender women and 36 transgender men, from the Transgender Center at BMC. Thirty-five charts were excluded, as they did not contain smoking data (29 transgender women and 6 transgender men). Results: Twenty-eight transgender women (31%) were current smokers when they began treatment. Of those, 64% quit smoking over the course of initiating treatment. Of the 30 transgender men included in this study, 8 (27%) were current smokers when th...
Specialized volumetric thermometry for improved guidance of MRgFUS in brain.

Purpose MR thermometry is critical for safe and effective transcranial focused ultrasound. The current single-slice MR thermometry sequence cannot achieve all desired treatment monitoring requirements. We propose an approach in which the imaging requirements of different aspects of treatment monitoring are met by optimizing multiple sequences. Methods Imaging requirements were determined for three stages of MR-guided focused ultrasound brain treatment: 1) focal spot localization, 2) focal spot monitoring, and 3) background monitoring. Multiple-echo spiral thermometry sequences were optimized for each set of requirements and then validated with in vivo signal-to-noise ratio measurements and with phantom heating experiments. Results Each of the proposed sequences obtained better precision than the current two-dimensional Fourier transform (2DFT) thermometry sequence. Five-slice focal spot localization achieved two-fold better resolution with 1.9-fold better precision but two-fold longer acquisition compared to 2DFT. Five-slice focal monitoring achieved 2.1-fold better precision with similar speed but 12% larger voxels than 2DFT. Full-brain background monitoring was demonstrated in both axial (7.1 s) and sagittal (11.4 s) orientations. Phantom heating time curves were consistent across all sequences after correcting for resolution. Conclusion Multiple-echo spiral imaging significantly improves MR thermometry efficiency, enabling multiple-slice monitoring. Optimizing multiple specialized sequences provides better performance than can be achieved by any single sequence. Magn Reson Med, 2016. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
Transplant Outcomes of 9/10 HLA Matched Unrelated Donors (MUD) Treated with Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide for Prevention of Graft Versus Host Disease

Background: Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a major complication of allogeneic stem cell transplantation (ASCT). The incidence of GVHD with conventional GVHD prevention is higher with HLA mismatched compared to matched donors, with 69% of patients (pts) developing grade 2-4 and 16% grade 3-4 acute (aGVHD) and more than half the pts developing chronic (cGVHD), as previously reported by us(Ciurea SO abstract ASH 2010). Here we report preliminary results of 9/10 MUD transplant pts receiving GVHD prophylaxis with post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCY), in addition to tacrolimus and mycophanolate mofetil (MMF). Methods: Patients were treated prospectively using a 9/10 MUD on a separate arm of a phase II clinical trial (2009-0266). Conditioning regimen consisted of Melphalan 140 mg/m2 on day −8 (100mg/m2 for pts ≥55 years or with comorbidities), Thiotepa 5-10 mg/kg on day −7 and Fludarabine 40 mg/m2/day on days −6, −5, −4, and −3. All patients received T-cell replete bone marrow graft. GVHD prophylaxis included PTCY 50mg/kg on days +3 and +4, MMF was given until day 100 and Tacrolimus until day 180 if no GVHD. Primary objectives were to determine the incidence of acute and chronic GVHD and non-relapse mortality (NRM), while secondary objectives included progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: 39 patients with median age of 50 years (range 20-64) received a 9/10 MUD with PTCY GVHD prophylaxis. 20 patients (51%) were women and AML/MDS was the most common indication for transplantation in 13(33%), NHL 8(21%), ALL 7(18%), AA in 4(10%) and CLL, CML/MPD, HL and MM constituted rest of the patients. Poor, intermediate and low risk cytogenetics were seen in 6, 8 and 4 patients with leukemia, respectively. 22 patients (56%) were not in complete remission at the time of transplantation. Median follow-up time for survivors was 35.9 months (range: 2.6–123.5). All patients engrafted the donor cells. Day 100 NRM for all pts was 18%.The cumulative incidence (CI) of grade II-IV aGVHD and gr III-IV aGVHD was 42% and 17%, respectively. CI of all cGVHD was only 20% and extensive only cGVHD was 13%. NRM for all pts was 36% at 1 year and 40% at 3 years. OS for all pts at 1 and 3 yr was 57% and 44%, while PFS at 1 and 3 yr was 43% and 39%, respectively. Conclusions: Post-transplant cyclophosphamide for prevention of GVHD which has been successfully used in haploidentical transplantation, resulted in a modest improvement in the rates of grade 2-3 and 3-4 acute GVHD compared to reports of standard GVHD prophylaxis for 9/10 MUD transplants. However, a promising low rate of chronic GVHD was observed. This approach can produce durable remissions for patients with hematologic malignancies who lack an HLA matched donor. ![Figure 1][1] Figure 1 Disclosures Andersson: Otsuka Pharmeceuticals: Research Funding, Research funding from Otsuka Pharmeceuticals Other. [1]: pending:yes
A Comparison Study of Parabolic Monge-Ampère Equations Adaptive Grid Methods

We consider two recently developed adaptive grid methods for solving time dependent partial differential equations (PDEs) in higher dimensions. These methods compute the adaptive grid based on solving an optimal mass transport problem also known as Monge-Kantorovich problem (MKP). The optimal solution of the MKP is reduced to solving Monge-Ampere equation and is known to have some nice theoretical properties that are desirable for the mesh adaptation. However, these two adaptive grid methods solve the Monge-Ampere equation differently and they are distinctly different in their approaches for computing the adaptive mesh over time. A comparison study to address these various distinctions between the two methods is presented. Several numerical experiments are conducted to illustrate the main differences between the two methods in terms of their mesh quality and performances.
Evaluation of Industry Relationships Among Authors of Otolaryngology Clinical Practice Guidelines.

Importance Financial relationships between physicians and industry have influence on patient care. Therefore, organizations producing clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) must have policies limiting financial conflicts during guideline development. Objectives To evaluate payments received by physician authors of otolaryngology CPGs, compare disclosure statements for accuracy, and investigate the extent to which the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery complied with standards for guideline development from the Institute of Medicine (IOM). Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional analysis retrieved CPGs from the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation that were published or revised from January 1, 2013, through December 31, 2015, by 49 authors. Data were retrieved from December 1 through 31, 2016. Industry payments received by authors were extracted using the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Open Payments database. The values and types of these payments were then evaluated and used to determine whether self-reported disclosure statements were accurate and whether guidelines adhered to applicable IOM standards. Main Outcomes and Measures The monetary amounts and types of payments received by physicians who author otolaryngology guidelines and the accuracy of disclosure statements. Results Of the 49 physicians in this sample, 39 (80%) received an industry payment. Twenty-one authors (43%) accepted more than $1000; 12 (24%), more than $10 000; 7 (14%), more than $50 000; and 2 (4%), more than $100 000. Mean (SD) financial payments amounted to $18 431 ($53 459) per physician. Total reimbursement for all authors was $995 282. Disclosure statements disagreed with the Open Payments database for 3 authors, amounting to approximately $20 000 among them. Of the 3 IOM standards assessed, only 1 was consistently enforced. Conclusions and Relevance Some CPG authors failed to fully disclose all financial conflicts of interest, and most guideline development panels and chairpersons had conflicts. In addition, adherence to IOM standards for guideline development was lacking. This study is relevant to CPG panels authoring recommendations, physicians implementing CPGs to guide patient care, and the organizations establishing policies for guideline development.