cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the contribution of shape attributes to recognition using the minimal transient discrete cue protocol.

Subjects were tested for their ability to identify objects that were represented by an array of dots that marked the major contours, usually only the outer boundary. Each dot was briefly flashed to make its position known, and a major variable was the time interval that was required to flash all the dots for a given shape. Recognition declined as the total time for display of the dot inventory was increased. Each shape was shown to a given subject only once and it was either recognized -- named – or not. Although the recorded response was binary, a large number of subjects was tested, which made it possible to derive regression functions and thus specify an intercept and slope for each shape. Shapes differed substantially in their slopes, which is likely due to the amount of redundant information provided by neighboring dots. Indices of shape attributes were also derived, specifically Attneave’s indices of complexity, mean curvature, inflection count, and symmetry. Three of the four shape attributes were significantly related to intercept and slope levels, but none made a substantial contribution. This suggests that these attributes are not essential properties that define shapes and allow for recognition.
Aphid facultative symbionts reduce survival of the predatory lady beetle Hippodamia convergens

Background Non-essential facultative endosymbionts can provide their hosts with protection from parasites, pathogens, and predators. For example, two facultative bacterial symbionts of the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum), Serratia symbiotica and Hamiltonella defensa, protect their hosts from parasitism by two species of parasitoid wasp. Previous studies have not explored whether facultative symbionts also play a defensive role against predation in this system. We tested whether feeding on aphids harboring different facultative symbionts affected the fitness of an aphid predator, the lady beetle Hippodamia convergens.
New Triangular Plate-Bending Finite Element with Transverse Shear Flexibility

References 1 Ishii, S., Niioka, T., and Mitani, T., "An Analytical and Experimental Study for Solid Propellant Combustion in an Acceleration Field," Combustion Science and Technology, Vol. 8, No. 4, 1974, p. 177. 2 Ishii, S., Niioka, T., and Mitani, T., "Combustion of Composite Propellants in Acceleration Field," TR-354, 1974, National Aerospace Laboratory, Miyagi, Japan. 3 Crowe, C. T. and Willoughby, P. G., "Effect of Spin on the Internal Ballistics of a Solid Propellant Motor," AIAA Paper 66-523, Los Angeles, Calif, 1966. 4 Enskog, D, "Kinetische Theorie der Warmeleitung, Reibung und Selbstdiffsion in gewissen verdichteten Gasen und Flussigkeiten," Svenska Vetenskapsakademiens Handi, Vol. 63, No. 4, 1922, pp. 44S.
Silicon monolithic acousto-optic modulator

This paper reports on the co-fabrication of RF MEMS radial contour mode resonators and photonic whispering gallery mode disk resonators on the same SOI substrate. By mechanically coupling the MEMS and photonic resonators, we have demonstrated a silicon acousto-optic modulator (AOM) which can modulate a 1550 nm laser at 288 MHz. An output RF power of −83.7 dBm is observed corresponding to a modulation of ±415 nW around a biased optical output of 3.98 µW. The AOM has a footprint of 50 µm × 30 µm and bandwidth of 24.2 kHz in vacuum due to a high mechanical quality factor (Q) of 11,890.
Advising and Monitoring CEOs: The Dual Role of Boards

The board of directors performs the dual role of monitoring and advising the firm’s management. At times it makes certain key decisions itself. We study the optimal board composition (of monitoring and advisory “types”) within a cheap-talk framework where the CEO and the board each may have private information about an impending investment decision, and their incentives are imperfectly aligned. When shareholders choose both the board composition and the allocation of decision rights between CEO and board, a non-monotonic relationship between CEO bias and board composition emerges. A key concern to practitioners and regulators is “CEO power”. Counter to conventional wisdom, we show that powerful CEOs who nominate board members themselves may in fact prefer a greater degree of monitoring intensity on the board than do shareholders. As a result, regulatory interventions (such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act) that attempt to strengthen the monitoring role of boards, may in fact be harmful in precisely those cases where agency problems are the most severe. Lastly, CEOs may be able to entrench themselves by choosing “complex” projects involving greater information advantage. In response, shareholders may commit to an advisor-heavy board to preempt entrenchment.
Recombinant trypsin production in high cell density fed-batch cultures in Escherichia coli

Fed-batch techniques were employed to obtain high cell density cultures (92-100 g DCW/L) of Escherichia coli strain X90 producing a recombinant serine protease, rat anionic trypsin, secreted to the periplasm. The specific growth rate was controlled to minimize growth-inhibiting acetate formation by utilizing an exponential feeding profile determined from mass balance equation. The volumetric yield of recombinant rat anionic trypsin was 56 mg/L, and the final cell density was 92 g DCW/L when the culture was induced in the late logarithmic phase. However, when the culture was induced in the early logarithmic phase, the volumetric yield was 13 mg/L and the final cell density was 14 g DCW/L. Thus, the induction timing is shown to have a significant effect on the final cell density as well as the overall volumetric yield of the recombinant protease.
Overview of natural and organic egg production: looking back to the future.

Abstract The US egg industry has grown dramatically in the past, with a significant component of that growth focusing on alternative production systems such as cage-free or range egg production. Constituents of this growth involving intensive egg production create uncertainty in relation to the future because of concerns about the impact of the cage environment on laying hen well-being. Both the commercial egg production sector and small producers using heritage strains of chickens, in flocks ranging in size from 100 to 3,000 hens, are responding by producing eggs in both cage-free and range settings. However, one of the current issues is that our knowledge base of how these alternative production methods influence egg performance and quality characteristics is limited to research studies that were conducted in the late 1940s and early 1950s. This information was collected with specific breeds, and not with modern lines of poultry that have been selected for very high rates of egg production. Therefore, an examination of alterative laying hen husbandry practices in the context of the current knowledge base would provide beneficial information to identify how these husbandry and feeding practices translate to modern strains of laying hens under cage-free or range production. Research on range or cage-free production done in controlled settings is limited, and additional studies relevant to egg producers wishing to expand cage-free and range egg production are needed.
Phylogenetics of Sabiaceae with Emphasis on Meliosma Based on Nuclear and Chloroplast Data

Abstract Sabiaceae include over 120 species of mostly trees and shrubs found in moist forests of the Neotropics and Southeast Asia. The family includes three genera, Meliosma, Ophiocaryon, and Sabia, the first being the most species-rich and the only one found at the present time throughout the entire disjunct distribution range displayed by the family. Sabiaceae resolves among early-diverging eudicots in familylevel phylogenetic studies, however, to date, no such studies have focused on the family or any of its members. Nuclear and chloroplast molecular data were used to infer phylogenetic relationships within Sabiaceae and among species of Meliosma. Sabia occupies an early diverging position in Sabiaceae and Ophiocaryon is nested within Meliosma, although monophyly of the latter cannot be rejected. Results show that Meliosma alba, found in China and Mexico, is monophyletic. The infrageneric classification of Meliosma, largely based on endocarp morphological characters, is evaluated in light of these res...
O Cebes e o movimento de reforma sanitária: história, política e saúde pública (Rio de Janeiro, 1970-1980)

This study analyzes the trajectory of the Brazilian Center for Health Studies (Centro Brasileiro de Estudos da Saude, Cebes) between 1976 and 1986. Its members devoted part of their time to communicating proposals for transforming the organization of sanitation in the country, presenting scenarios for the reformulation of its health policy. In this thesis, special attention is given to the members of Cebes who debated and took action on issues relating to the reformulation of the country’s health policy. The study is restricted to the analysis of Saude em Debate, a periodical published by Cebes, because of the importance it had in the area throughout the ten years until the Unified Health System (Sistema Unico de Saude, SUS) was established at the 8th National Conference on Health. The journal was selected as a source and object of study in a bid to understand its role in articulating the work of researchers and Brazil’s public health agenda. One of the focuses adopted relates to the involvement of the researchers and the academic community in its communication through this periodical. The research focuses on assessing how they developed this aspect of their work and sheds light on the target readership. The aim is to give a broader view of Saude em Debate: the profile of its contributors, the topics that appeared most often, the subjects that were prioritized, and the authors who published most in the decade in question. By so doing, I aim to demonstrate its importance to the process that has since come to be known as the Sanitation Reform. More than a communication channel, it becomes clear that Saude em Debate actually constituted a point of convergence between multiple interests, and an important medium for the formation and formulation of SUS.
Illumination of vein quartz textures in a porphyry copper ore deposit using scanned cathodoluminescence: Grasberg Igneous Complex, Irian Jaya, Indonesia

Vein quartz from the Grasberg Igneous Complex in Irian Jaya, Indonesia, displays a wide range of features when observed using scanned cathodoluminescence imaging on the electron microscope. Examination of seventeen samples revealed concentric growth zoning, quartz-filled microfractures, dark luminescence near sulfides, changes in crystal size and orientation from vein edges to vein centers, turbid growth zoning, and the truncation of concentric growth zoning. Individual features observed along two large photomosaic traverses from vein margins to vein centers coupled with trace element analyses from the electron microprobe allow determination of a detailed history of fracture infilling. The two traverses indicate a simple, two-stage history of crystal growth into an open fracture followed by mechanical closing of the fracture with resulting microfractures. Electron microprobe trace-element analyses show that the Fe content of quartz reaches values of up to 4900 ppm in dark-luminescent regions near sulfide crystals and decreases smoothly to ~200 ppm along traverses away from the sulfides. The solution to the diffusion equation coupled with existing experimental data about Fe diffusion in SiO2 indicate the duration of the diffusion was perhaps on the order of thousands of years.
Filtering Techniques for Accurate Identification of Clinician Hand Posture

Inertial and magnetic sensors are commonly used to determine orientation as they do not rely on a line of sight [1, 2]. There are many different techniques to fuse inertial measurement unit (IMU) data and obtain useful rotational data [1–3]. This study uses two separate data fusion techniques; a direction cosine matrix-based (DCM) technique and a quaternion-based Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) technique [1–3]. These techniques were altered based on performance metrics to weight sensor data when certain sensors proved not as reliable as others [2]. IMU sensors were tested on a hand mannequin and filters were developed using MATLAB software. Simulation results displayed a root-mean-squared error of less than .06° for each rotation angle. Experimental results maintained errors of less than 8° in each rotation angle.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
What constitutes Homo sapiens? Morphology versus received wisdom.

Although Linnaeus coined Homo sapiens in 1735, it was Blumenbach forty years later who provided the first morphological definition of the species. Since humans were not then allowed to be ante-Diluvian, his effort applied to the genus, as well. After the Feldhofer Grotto Neanderthal disproved this creationist notion, and human-fossil hunting became legitimate, new specimens were allocated either to sapiens or new species within Homo, or even to new species within new genera. Yet as these taxonomic acts reflected the morphological differences between specimens, they failed to address the question: What constitutes H. sapiens ? When in 1950 Mayr collapsed all human fossils into Homo, he not only denied humans a diverse evolutionary past, he also shifted the key to identifying its species from morphology to geological age - a practice most paleoanthropologists still follow. Thus, for example, H. erectus is the species that preceded H. sapiens, and H. sapiens is the species into which H. erectus morphed. In order to deal with a growing morass of morphologically dissimilar specimens, the non-taxonomic terms "archaic" (AS) and "anatomically modern" (AMS) were introduced to distinguish between the earlier and later versions of H. sapiens, thereby making the species impossible to define. In attempting to disentangle fact from scenario, I begin from the beginning, trying to delineate features that may be distinctive of extant humans (ES), and then turning to the fossils that have been included in the species. With the exception of Upper Paleolithic humans - e.g. from Cro-Magnon, Dolni Vestonice, Mladec - I argue that many specimens regarded as AMS, and all those deemed AS, are not H. sapiens. The features these AMS do share with ES suggest the existence of a sapiens clade. Further, restudy of near-recent fossils, especially from southwestern China (∼11-14.5 ka), reinforces what discoveries such as H. floresiensis indicate: "If it's recent, it's not necessarily H. sapiens".
Parasitism of Geocoris (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae) Eggs by Telenomus reynoldsi (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) and Trichogramma pretiosum (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) in Alabama

Eggs of the bigeyed bugs, Geocoris punctipes (Say) and Geocoris uliginosus (Say), were collected in cotton fields in east-central and northern Alabama from 1983 to 1985 to determine seasonal levels of parasitism by Telenomus reynoldsi Gordh and Coker and Trichogramma pretiosum Riley. Total host density fluctuated from <0.1–3.6 eggs per plant from June to September with maximum densities occurring in late August and early September. The density of eggs parasitized by T. reynoldsi was linearly correlated with host density in 1984 and 1985. Parasitism by T. reynoldsi varied between 10% and 60%. In 1985, Geocoris eggs were deposited about equally on leaves and terminals before mid-June but primarily on leaves thereafter. Rates of parasitism were higher in terminals than on leaves during June. Rates of parasitism up to 58, 77, 27, and 31% were recorded in soybeans, corn, wild mustard, and crimson clover, respectively. T. pretiosum parasitized <1% of the Geocoris eggs in east-central Alabama and 0% in northern Alabama. Geocoris is newly recorded as a host for T. pretiosum .
Simultaneous Determination of Trace As,Sb,Bi and Hg in Soils by Hydride Generation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry

A method for the simultaneous determination of the trace contents of As,Sb,Bi and Hg in the same solution by Hydride Generation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry(HG-ICP-AES) was established by using 10% hydrochloric acid as the dissolved medium.The soil sample was dissolved in water bath with aqua regia for one hour,and then ascorbic acid-thiourea solution was added to reduce As and Sb in advance without influence on the content of Hg.The elements were determined by a new type self-designed hydride generator coupled with ICP-AES with 10% hydrochloric acid,0.5 L/min carrier gas and 10 g/L NaHB4-NaOH as reductants.This method solved the problems of the inconvenience of multi-element determination and more reagent consumption.The sample pre-treatment and determination were easy,rapid and had no memory effect.The detection limits of the method were 0.01-0.06 ng/g,the recoveries of standard materials were between 92.0% and 102.0%,and RSD was less than 5%.This method is suitable for the simultaneous determination of the trace contents of As,Sb,Bi and Hg in environmental samples.
Randomized non-inferiority trial of the vitalHEAT temperature management system vs the Bair Hugger warmer during total knee arthroplasty.

Intraoperative and postoperative hypothermia occur commonly; mild hypothermia (34–36°C) is associated with adverse events. The use of perioperative warming devices has become routine, but currently available active warming devices may be limited in certain circumstances. The vitalHEAT™ Temperature Management System provides conductive warming (circulating warm water) around a single extremity together with a vacuum that is applied to the limb. In this randomized trial, we tested the hypothesis that the vitalHEAT™ system is non-inferior to the Bair Hugger® during unilateral total knee arthroplasty. Physical status I–III patients who were ≥18 yr-old were eligible to participate. The patients were randomly assigned to the vitalHEAT™ system (n = 30) or to Bair Hugger® (n = 25) warming. Intraoperative and first recovery room temperatures were recorded in both groups. The baseline characteristics of the groups were similar. In terms of the primary outcome measure, i.e., sublingual temperature measured within 10 min of recovery room arrival, the vitalHEAT™ system did not meet the criterion for non-inferiority. Specifically, the confidence interval for the difference between means included the non-inferiority margin (−0.5°C). In terms of the secondary measures, i.e., intraoperative esophageal temperatures, the vitalHEAT™ system also underperformed compared with the Bair Hugger®. The vitalHEAT™ system may have advantages over convective warming systems because it requires a much smaller body surface area; however, in this study of warming during total knee arthroplasty, it underperformed when compared with the Bair Hugger®, especially around and after the time of tourniquet release. Clinical trial registration number: NCT00711867.
The potential role of red blood cells in amyloid toxicity and Alzheimer?s disease

R Blood Cells (RBC) in the cerebral circulation are in intimate contact with the vascular system. We have shown that amyloid fibrils are readily transferred between the vasculature and the circulating RBCs. Although RBCs take up amyloids, the measured levels of RBC amyloids are very low. This is attributed to the transfer of amyloids back to the vasculature and the relatively rapid removal from circulation of RBCs that retain amyloid. The transfer of amyloid from RBCs back to the vasculature contributes to the spread of cerebral amyloid angiopathy found in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The oxidative stress triggered while the amyloid is still associated with RBCs, which is dramatically enhanced in the presence of metal ions like Cu (II), is thought to be responsible for the impaired RBC morphology observed in subjects with AD. These RBC modifications found even after the amyloids are removed resulting in impaired deformability and adherence of RBCs to the endothelium, both of which contribute to cerebral hypo perfusion. The increased oxidative stress and vascular adhesion is also expected to result in the transfer or reactive oxygen species to the vasculature which can trigger an inflammatory response. These studies suggest that although RBCs do not accumulate a significant fraction of the amyloid generated during AD, the transient effects of the interaction of RBCs with amyloids can contribute to cerebral amyloid angiopathy, cerebral hypo perfusion and inflammation that trigger neuronal dysfunction and AD. Joseph M. Rifkind, J Alzheimers Dis Parkinsonism 2013, 3:4 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2161-0460.S1.002
Host-Specific Functional Significance of Caenorhabditis Gut Commensals

The gut microbiota is an important contributor to host health and fitness. Given its importance, microbiota composition should not be left to chance. However, what determines this composition is far from clear, with results supporting contributions of both environmental factors and host genetics. To gauge the relative contributions of host genetics and environment, specifically the microbial diversity, we characterized the gut microbiotas of Caenorhabditis species spanning 200-300 million years of evolution, and raised on different composted soil environments. Comparisons were based on 16S rDNA deep sequencing data, as well as on functional evaluation of gut isolates. Worm microbiotas were distinct from those in their respective soil environment, and included bacteria previously identified as part of the C. elegans core microbiota. Microbiotas differed between experiments initiated with different soil communities, but within each experiment, worm microbiotas clustered according to host identity, demonstrating a dominant contribution of environmental diversity, but also a significant contribution of host genetics. The dominance of environmental contributions hindered identification of host-associated microbial taxa from 16S data. Characterization of gut isolates from C. elegans and C. briggsae, focusing on the core family Enterobacteriaceae, were also unable to expose phylogenetic distinctions between microbiotas of the two species. However, functional evaluation of the isolates revealed host-specific contributions, wherein gut commensals protected their own host from infection, but not a non-host. Identification of commensal host-specificity at the functional level, otherwise overlooked in standard sequence-based analyses, suggests that the contribution of host genetics to shaping of gut microbiotas may be greater than previously realized.
Hepatic porphyria: A narrative review

Porphyrias are a group of metabolic disorders, which result from a specific abnormality in one of the eight enzymes of the heme biosynthetic pathway. These have been subdivided based on the predominant site of enzyme defect into hepatic and erythropoietic types and based on clinical presentation into acute neurovisceral and cutaneous blistering porphyrias. This review focuses on hepatic porphyrias, which include acute intermittent porphyria (AIP), variegate porphyria (VP), hereditary coproporphyria (HCP), aminolevulinic acid dehydratase deficiency porphyria (ADP), and porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT). Of these, AIP and ADP are classified as acute porphyria, PCT as cutaneous, while VP and HCP present with both acute and cutaneous clinical manifestations. Porphobilinogen levels in a spot urine sample is the initial screening test for the diagnosis of acute hepatic porphyria, and plasma with spot urine porphyrin levels is the initial screening test to approach patients suspected of cutaneous porphyria. Specific biochemical porphyrin profile for each porphyria helps in determining the specific diagnosis. Pain relief and elimination of triggering agents are the initial steps in managing a patient presenting with an acute attack. Intravenous glucose administration terminates the mild episode of acute porphyria, with intravenous hemin needed for management of moderate to severe episodes. Liver transplantation is curative and may be needed for patients with a life-threatening acute porphyria attack or for patients with recurrent acute attacks refractory to prophylactic treatment. Of the cutaneous porphyrias, PCT is the most common and is frequently associated with a combination of multiple susceptibility factors such as alcohol use, smoking, hepatitis C virus infection, HIV infection, estrogen use, and mutations of the hemochromatosis gene. Regular phlebotomy schedule and low-dose hydroxychloroquine are effective and safe treatment options for management of PCT.
Accelerating fully homomorphic encryption using GPU

As a major breakthrough, in 2009 Gentry introduced the first plausible construction of a fully homomorphic encryption (FHE) scheme. FHE allows the evaluation of arbitrary functions directly on encrypted data on untwisted servers. In 2010, Gentry and Halevi presented the first FHE implementation on an IBM x3500 server. However, this implementation remains impractical due to the high latency of encryption and recryption. The Gentry-Halevi (GH) FHE primitives utilize multi-million-bit modular multiplications and additions which are time-consuming tasks for a general purpose computer. In the GH-FHE implementation, the most computationally intensive arithmetic operation is modular multiplication. In this paper, the million-bit modular multiplication is computed in two steps. For large number multiplication, Strassen's FFT based algorithm is employed and accelerated on a graphics processing unit (GPU) through its massive parallelism. Subsequently, Barrett modular reduction algorithm is applied to implement modular reduction. As an experimental study, we implement the GH-FHE primitives for the small setting with a dimension of 2048 on NVIDIA C2050 GPU. The experimental results show the speedup factors of 7.68, 7.4 and 6.59 for encryption, decryption and recrypt respectively, when compared with the existing CPU implementation.
Anthropology is elemental: Anthropological perspective through multilevel teaching

Modern academia is a concomitant venture involving research, teaching, and service. This article outlines a reimagined service-learning project that provides research and teaching experience to undergraduate and graduate anthropology students. We teach graduate students to teach undergraduates to teach anthropology to elementary school children. We outline benefits of teaching anthropology to children who are considerably younger than the traditional undergraduate student—benefits to the children and to the undergraduate and graduate instructors. We examine student outcomes at the primary and university level and demonstrate how teaching can help university students more deeply integrate research experiences. While not without impediments, we propose this approach as an educational partnership model that can be adapted to suit any elementary school. Teaching anthropological research in elementary schools exposes a more diverse demographic of students to concepts including evolution, race as a cultural construct, and the impact of culture on humans. [applied anthropology, primary education, service learning]
Brief Report: Examining the Association of Autism and Adverse Childhood Experiences in the National Survey of Children’s Health: The Important Role of Income and Co-occurring Mental Health Conditions

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are risk factors for mental and physical illness and more likely to occur for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The present study aimed to clarify the contribution of poverty, intellectual disability and mental health conditions to this disparity. Data on child and family characteristics, mental health conditions and ACEs were analyzed in 67,067 youth from the 2011–2012 National Survey of Children’s Health. In an income-stratified sample, the association of ASD and ACEs was greater for lower income children and significantly diminished after controlling for child mental health conditions, but not intellectual disability. Findings suggest that the association of ACEs and ASD is moderated by family income and contingent on co-occurring mental health conditions.
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Examining the Effectiveness of Mobile Health Technologies in Using Self-Monitoring for Pediatric Weight Management

Abstract Background: Pediatric obesity is a public health concern related to multiple negative physical and psychosocial problems. While behavioral weight control (BWC) interventions are generally effective in decreasing pediatric weight status, these interventions are not able to reach the third of U.S. children currently classified as overweight or obese. Method: This review and meta-analysis examined the overall effectiveness of mobile health (mHealth) technologies employing self-monitoring, a central component of change within BWC, to decrease pediatric weight status. Results: Overall, a small, but significant overall effect size (d = 0.42) was found with the inclusion of nine eligible studies examining the effect on weight status. However, the quality of studies included within this weight status meta-analysis was weak, therefore limiting the interpretability of results. Analyses were also conducted examining the effect of mHealth technologies employing self-monitoring on secondary behavioral outcome...
Optically pumped dynamic nuclear hyperpolarization in C 13 -enriched diamond

We investigate nuclear spin hyperpolarization from optically polarized nitrogen vacancy centers in isotopically enriched diamonds with $^{13}\mathrm{C}$ concentrations up to 100%. $^{13}\mathrm{C}$ enrichment leads to a nitrogen vacancy electron spin resonance with a complex hyperfine structure and dynamic nuclear polarization enhancement profile. We show that strongly coupled $^{13}\mathrm{C}$ spins in the first shell surrounding a nitrogen vacancy center generate resolved hyperfine splittings, but do not act as an intermediary in the transfer of hyperpolarization of bulk nuclear spins. High levels of $^{13}\mathrm{C}$ enrichment are desirable to increase the efficiency of hyperpolarization for magnetic resonance signal enhancement, imaging contrast agents, and as a platform for quantum sensing and many-body physics.
Consequences of Overinterpreting Serum Creatinine Increases when Achieving BP Reduction: Balancing Risks and Benefits of BP Reduction in Hypertension.

Hypertension is a known risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) death as well as the second most common cause of ESRD in the United States. Systolic BP reductions to levels below 140 mm Hg and even 130 mm Hg are associated with a slower decline in kidney function over the spectrum of kidney disease
Laser Action of H3 Color Center in Diamond

We report observation of room temperature laser action of the H3 color center in Type I diamonds. A low-cost green diamond, 2-mm thick, with polished parallel optical faces was used. The diamond laser was pumped by a 494-nm laser beam in a longitudinal arrangement and the laser action occurred from the 18% Fresnel reflections of the diamond faces. Peak absorption coefficients were near 3 cm-1 and gains were estimated to be 0.09 cm-1 for the H3 center. Decay times were sample dependent and ranged from 15–45 ns. No bleaching of the center was observed at excitation levels as high as 70 MW/cm2. This new laser is expected to have unlimited shelf life, and should be tunable over the H3 band from 500 to 600 nm.
Correlation of Patient Symptoms With Labral and Articular Cartilage Damage in Femoroacetabular Impingement

Background:Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) can lead to labral and articular cartilage injuries as well as early osteoarthritis of the hip. Currently, the association of patient symptoms with the...
Motivation and the Assessment of Sports-Related Concussion

This chapter provides a review of the limited information that is available regarding the impact of motivation on the neuropsychological assessment of sports-related concussion. We first outline what is known about the impact of motivation on assessment by identifying how the impact that differential motivation on baseline and post-concussion evaluations may obscure the true cognitive deficits of concussion. Next, we provide a review of two studies which provide some direct empirical evidence for differential motivation in baseline and post-concussion testing. This is followed by a review of possible causative factors associated with poor baseline motivation including: personality style, lack of education, and active misrepresentation. Next, the possible methods for identification of athletes with poor motivation on testing are presented. This includes both the use of objective measures of motivation and the identification of testing patterns consistent with poor motivation. Finally, the chapter concludes with the identification that more empirical research on each of the covered topics is necessary.
Airavat: security and privacy for MapReduce

We present Airavat, a MapReduce-based system which provides strong security and privacy guarantees for distributed computations on sensitive data. Airavat is a novel integration of mandatory access control and differential privacy. Data providers control the security policy for their sensitive data, including a mathematical bound on potential privacy violations. Users without security expertise can perform computations on the data, but Airavat confines these computations, preventing information leakage beyond the data provider's policy.Our prototype implementation demonstrates the flexibility of Airavat on several case studies. The prototype is efficient, with run times on Amazon's cloud computing infrastructure within 32% of a MapReduce system with no security.
Representing the Western Super-minority: Desirable Cosmopolitanism and Homosocial Multiculturalism on a South Korean Talk Show:

Airing on Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company (JTBC), a South Korean television network, Non Summit represents multiculturalism on the small screen through light-hearted, loosely structured deba...
A Simultaneous Bidirectional Single-Ended Coaxial Link with 24-Gb/s Forward and 312.5-Mb/s Back Channels

A bidirectional single-ended link is implemented without any replica circuits. Realized in 130-nm BiCMOS technology, we measure a high-frequency jitter tolerance of about 0.7 UI pp for the 24-Gb/s forward channel with 18.3-dB loss at BER < 10−12, while consuming 141.25 mW in the bidirectional drivers and receiver front-ends.
Latent typologies of DSM-5 PTSD symptoms in U.S. military veterans.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a heterogeneous condition that can be characterized by unique typologies of symptoms. To date, no study has examined predominant PTSD typologies using DSM-5 criteria. We used latent class analysis (LCA) to identify typologies of DSM-5 PTSD symptoms in 158 U.S. veterans who screened positive for this condition. A three-class solution provided the best fit to the data, described as Dysphoric (36.2%), High Symptom (34.0%) and Threat (29.8%). The Threat class had higher probabilities of intrusions and avoidance compared to the Dysphoric class; the Dysphoric class had higher probabilities of negative affect, anhedonia and externalizing behavior relative to Threat; the High Symptom class had high probabilities of all symptoms. Compared to the Threat class, the Dysphoric class was more likely to have a lifetime history of major depressive, alcohol and drug use disorders; the High Symptom class was more likely to have a lifetime history of alcohol, drug, and nicotine use disorder, current generalized anxiety, or to have attempted or currently contemplated suicide. The High Symptom class reported greater mental, physical and cognitive impairment and lower quality of life. These findings underscore the importance of a personalized approach to the assessment and treatment of DSM-5 PTSD.
Linking the behavioral assessment screening tool to the international classification of functioning, disability, and health as a novel indicator of content validity.

Purpose: To use the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) to classify and describe the concepts of the Behavioral Assessment Screening Tool (BAST), a measure of ...
Genetic diversity of the U.S. collection of Chinese hemlock Tsuga chinensis (Franch.) E. Pritz. based on simple sequence repeat markers

The Chinese hemlock, Tsuga chinensis (Franch.) E. Pritz., is becoming more well-known in U.S. landscapes as the native U.S. species (T. canadensis (L.) Carr.) is under attack from the hemlock woolly adelgid. It is important to understand the genetic diversity and relatedness among accessions of T. chinensis to drive decisions about collections management, breeding methods, and forest or ecosystem management. We used SSR markers to evaluate the genetic diversity of 96 samples representing 35 accessions of Chinese hemlock held in collections in the U.S. Using 88 alleles from eleven SSR loci, we found high levels of diversity between and within accessions. Our results indicate that significant genetic diversity is available in the existing U.S. collections of T. chinensis, and, based on collection data, represents the wild gene pool well. This characterization of germplasm can be valuable in choosing accessions for use in horticultural and landscape applications or as part of a hemlock breeding program.
Reconstruction of Intrapelvic Defects Using the Free Anterolateral Thigh Flap: Expanding the Traditional Algorithm.

Background Reconstruction of intrapelvic soft tissue defects traditionally relies on regional pedicled myocutaneous flaps. However, there remain situations in which local options are unavailable. We review our experience treating intrapelvic defects with the anterolateral thigh (ALT) microvascular free flap. Methods A retrospective, institutional review was conducted from 2014 to 2018 of patients undergoing microvascular ALT flap reconstruction of intrapelvic defects. Four patients were identified in this cohort out of 92 total pelvic reconstruction cases. Results All patients underwent abdominoperineal resection (APR) for rectal cancer treatment. In the two male patients, pelvic abscesses and bladder leak necessitated soft tissue reconstruction after radiation and APR. In both, regional tissue options were unavailable, and a buried ALT free flap was used for soft tissue reconstruction. Both female patients developed rectovaginal fistulas secondary to their tumor burden, necessitating posterior vaginal wall resections. Prior surgical scars and ostomies made abdominal wall tissue unavailable; thus, free ALTs were used to eliminate intrapelvic dead space and reconstruct the posterior vaginal wall. In all cases, recipient vessels were the deep inferior epigastric artery and vein. Flap survival was 100%. Conclusions Pelvic reconstruction has traditionally been addressed with local/regional pedicled flaps. In cases where these are unavailable, the free ALT flap is a versatile option when buried for intrapelvic reconstruction or posterior vaginal wall lining. We also propose updating Cordeiro et al.'s classic vaginal defect reconstruction algorithm to include the free ALT flap for type IB cases in which the rectus abdominis is unavailable.
Food Allergy in Restaurants Work Group Report

Individuals with food allergy are at risk for accidental exposures, potentially resulting in allergic reactions that may cause significant morbidity and mortality. Dining out, including restaurants or take-out, account for a large proportion of severe reactions. Errors due to gaps in knowledge or miscommunication can easily occur on behalf of food-allergic individuals or restaurant staff, resulting in accidental exposures and allergic reactions. Improved legislation, training of restaurant staff, and practitioner-guided education are recommended to reinforce patient safety and prevent severe allergic reactions. This Work Group Report provides guidance with specific practices that practitioners may recommend, and that patients and restaurant staff may employ, for prevention and treatment of food-allergic reactions in restaurants.
Intraocular Pressure Following Prerandomization Glaucoma Medication Washout in the HORIZON and COMPASS Trials

Purpose To assess the effectiveness of topical ocular hypotensive medications in patients with open-angle glaucoma and to identify factors associated with postwashout intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation. Design Secondary analysis of prerandomization data from 2 prospective, multicenter, randomized clinical trials. Methods Fourteen hundred subjects (1,400 eyes, 781 from the HORIZON study of the Hydrus micro-stent and 619 from the COMPASS study of the Cypass micro-stent) with primary open-angle glaucoma who were using 0-4 classes of topical IOP-lowering medication underwent Goldmann applanation tonometry before and after a protocol-defined washout period. Results The mean (standard deviation) age was 70.7 (8.0) years and 55.6% were female. The change in IOP following washout for patients using 0 (n = 100), 1 (n = 705), 2 (n = 355), 3 (n = 214), or 4 (n = 26) medications was 0.2 (2.8), 5.7 (3.3), 6.9 (3.7), 8.8 (5.0), and 9.5 (4.1) mm Hg, respectively (P Conclusions Cessation of glaucoma medications results in a dose-dependent IOP increase in treated open-angle glaucoma patients. Two independent clinical trial cohorts exhibit similar levels of IOP elevation upon washout, using standardized methodology to estimate real-world medication effectiveness. Thicker CCT and history of SLT may predict reduced response to IOP lowering medications.
The Soft Pomeron and Nonperturbative Corrections in Quark-Quark Scattering

We consider elastic quark-quark scattering at high energy with fixed momentum transfer $t$ and perform factorization of soft-gluon exchanges into a vacuum expectation value of Wilson lines. Taking into account nonperturbative corrections whose structure is predicted from infrared renormalon analysis, we represent the scattering amplitude as an asymptotic series. In the region of small momentum transfer, where the nonperturbative corrections are dominant, the scattering amplitude is Gaussian distribution in $t$ with a slope depending on a nonperturbative scale. A nonperturbative origin of the soft pomeron is thus identified.
Perceptions of agency leadership and intent to stay: an examination of turnover in the child welfare workforce

Retention of the child welfare workforce is an ongoing challenge. In this study, we evaluate the association between child welfare workers’ perceptions of agency leadership and their intent to rema...
Captive Insurance Company Premium Loan Backs: Proper Investment or Improper Return of Capital?

Over the last decade, the use of Captive Insurance Companies ("CIC") has expanded from large entities to smaller, closely held companies when utilize the IRC 831(b) election. Correspondingly, the IRS has expanded its review of CIC arrangements, specifically targeting those CIC arrangements that utilize the IRC 831(b) elections for tax shelter reasons. To date, the vast bulk of IRS audits have focussed on the type of insurance provided by a CIC to its insured. In the future, additional IRS investigations may focus on the final transactions between the CIC and its respective owner, specifically circular cash flows created by premium loan backs from the CIC to the CIC owner.
Fluorescence Assay for Tolyporphins Amidst Abundant Chlorophyll in Crude Cyanobacterial Extracts

Tolyporphins are distinctive tetrapyrrole natural products found singularly in a filamentous cyanobacterial-microbial holobiont (termed HT-58-2) from Micronesia. The absorption and fluorescence features of tolyporphins resemble those of chlorophyll a, complicating direct analysis of culture samples. Treatment of the crude (unfractionated) organic extract (CH2 Cl2 /2-propanol, 1:1) of HT-58-2 cultures with NaBH4 in methanol causes reduction of the peripheral ketone auxochromes, whereupon tolyporphins (predominantly 7,17-dioxobacteriochlorins) exhibit a bathochromic shift (λabs ~ 676 → ~ 700 nm) and chlorophyll a (a 131 -oxochlorin) exhibits a hypsochromic shift (λabs 665 → 634 nm). Fluorescence excitation spectroscopy (at 368 and 491 nm with λem 710 nm) enabled detection of reduced tolyporphins amidst abundant reduced chlorophyll a (1:19 ratio), a detection sensitivity >5 times that without reduction. The resulting assay combines simple sample preparation from non-axenic cultures at microscale quantities (2 mL, 2 μm), absence of any fractionation procedures, and fluorescence detection. Tolyporphins were readily detected in cultures of HT-58-2 at reasonable growth periods in the absence of environmental stressors, which was not possible previously.
Isolation of the muricins : Evidence of a chemical adaptation against fouling in the marine octocoral Muricea fruticosa (gorgonacea)

Abstract Chemical comparisons of the closely-related Pacific gorgonians Muricea californica and M. fruticosa have shown that the much less fouled M. fruticosa contains four new esterified aminogalactose saponins assigned as the muricins-1 through -4 (1–4). The structures of these new saponins were defined by chemical degradation yielding the aglycone pregna-5,20-dien-3β-ol, and by extensive 1 H and 13 C NMR investigations. Muricins-2, -3 and -4 were found to possess 2-acetamidogalactopyranose components with unprecedented n-butyrate ester functionalities in the C-4', C-6' and the C-4' and C-6' positions, respectively. At approximately natural concentrations, the muricins were found to inhibit growth of the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum . The muricins did not, however, possess the ichthyotoxic, cytotoxic, or antimicrobial effects reported for numerous marine-derived saponins. The potential role of these compounds in contributing to the reduced fouling of M. frulicosa is discussed.
Thermal assembly of polysilicon microactuators with narrow-gap electrostatic comb drive

Surface micromachined, polysilicon fuse and weld microstructures are modeled, fabricated, and characterized. The current required to cut the thin, 2000 AA fuse is 30 mA, compared to 80 mA for a 2 mu m-thick fuse. For large currents, a simple model shows that the time to cut a fuse is inversely proportional to the square of the current. An aluminum microbridge is used to form a robust weld, connecting two polysilicon structures. The surface tension of the molten Al produces a force of approximately 15 mu M, which is about 100 times larger than electrostatic comb drive forces. A series of current pulses is used to melt the Al without destroying the weld joint. >
Abortion and Mental Health: What Therapists Need to Know

Abstract Unwanted pregnancy and abortion are common life events, and therapists are likely to work with clients who experience them. Legal abortion currently entails little physical or mental health risk; most women currently cope effectively with these life events without need of clinical intervention. But current abortion politics include efforts to make abortion a more threatening, stressful, and stigmatized experience and to create a “postabortion syndrome.” Using a stress and coping framework, we examine how antiabortion activists spread myths and misinformation aimed at women's appraisal processes, and discuss approaches therapists can use to enhance women's strategies for coping with abortion. We also discuss specific issues and useful techniques for counseling about abortion concerns, including cultural sensitivity and strategies for promoting positive sexual health.
New tricks from an itinerant intron.

A new mechanism for transposition by autocatalytic group II introns provides a working model for intron dispersal in eukaryotic genomes.