cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
WHOLE‐SYSTEM NUTRIENT ENRICHMENT INCREASES SECONDARY PRODUCTION IN A DETRITUS‐BASED ECOSYSTEM

Although the effects of nutrient enrichment on consumer-resource dynamics are relatively well studied in ecosystems based on living plants, little is known about the manner in which enrichment influences the dynamics and productivity of consumers and resources in detritus-based ecosystems. Because nutrients can stimulate loss of carbon at the base of detrital food webs, effects on higher consumers may be fundamentally different than what is expected for living-plant-based food webs in which nutrients typically increase basal carbon. We experimentally enriched a detritus-based headwater stream for two years to examine the effects of nutrient-induced changes at the base of the food web on higher metazoan (predominantly invertebrate) consumers. Our paired-catchment design was aimed at quantifying organic matter and invertebrate dynamics in the enriched stream and an adjacent reference stream for two years prior to enrichment and two years during enrichment. Enrichment had a strong negative effect on standing crop of leaf litter, but no apparent effect on that of fine benthic organic matter. Despite large nutrient-induced reductions in the quantity of leaf litter, invertebrate secondary production during the enrichment was the highest ever reported for headwater streams at this Long Term Ecological Research site and was 1.2-3.3 times higher than predicted based on 15 years of data from these streams. Abundance, biomass, and secondary production of invertebrate consumers increased significantly in response to enrichment, and the response was greater among taxa with larval life spans � 1 yr than among those with larval life spans .1 yr. Production of invertebrate predators closely tracked the increased production of their prey. The response of invertebrates was largely habitat-specific with little effect of enrichment on food webs inhabiting bedrock outcrops. Our results demonstrate that positive nutrient-induced changes to food quality likely override negative changes to food quantity for consumers during the initial years of enrichment of detritus-based stream ecosystems. Longer-term enrichment may impact consumers through eventual reductions in the quantity of detritus.
Neurocognitive models of schizophrenia: a neurophenomenological critique.

This paper argues that Frith’s (1992) account of the positive symptoms of schizophrenia in terms of a disruption of metarepresentational self-monitoring is inadequate in several specific ways. More ge
Argon laser treatment of lentigo maligna

A 64-year-old man had an irregularly pigmented lentigo maligna over the bridge of his nose. Melanin readily absorbs argon light, and the superficial location of this pool of epidermal and appendageal chromophore suggested that laser therapy might permit relatively selective lesion destruction. Argon laser surgery was performed on Nov. 9, 1981, and the treated site had remained clear to the time of writing. Selected patients with pigmented lesions may respond well to argon laser radiation, but close posttreatment clinical and histologic assessment is essential. (J AM ACAD DERMATOL 10:953–957, 1984.)
Adaptive neuro-control for spacecraft attitude control

The spacecraft attitude control which combines the concepts of artificial neural networks and nonlinear adaptive control, is investigated as an alternative to linear control approaches. Two capabilities of neuro-controllers are demonstrated using a nonlinear model of the Space Station Freedom. These capabilities are: 1) synthesis of robust nonlinear controllers using neural networks; and 2) adaptively modifying neuro-controller characteristics for varying inertia characteristics. The main components of the adaptive neuro-controllers include an identification network and a controller network. Both these networks are trained using the backpropagation of error learning paradigm. To ensure robustness of the neuro-controller, an optimally connected neural network is synthesized for the identification network. For the online adaptive control problem, a new technique using a memory filter for error backpropagation is introduced. The performances of the nonlinear neuro-controllers for cases listed above are verified using a nonlinear simulation of the Space Station. Results presented substantiate the feasibility of using neural networks in robust nonlinear adaptive control of spacecraft. >
Characteristics of polynorbornene and ethylene‐propylene terpolymer blends

In this study characteristics of polynorbornene (PNR) and ethylene-propylene terpolymer (EPDM) blends were examined in terms of compatibility, cocuring, and ozone resistance. For most of the blend compositions, two glass transition temperatures (Tg) at about −30 and −50°C were observed from differential scanning calorimetry data for both uncured and cured samples. The transitions correspond to the Tg's of the component polymers, suggesting that the blends are microheterogeneous. The two-phase blends are difficult to cocure as evidenced by the fact that tensile strengths of the blends, when plotted as a function of blend composition, deviate from the linear or additive behavior. Improved cocuring of the blends, however, can be achieved by matching the cure rates of the components. The ozone resistance of the blends containing 25 percent or more EPDM was substantially improved as compared with that of PNR. Therefore, the newly developed PNR can be used for applications requiring ozone resistance by properly blending it with EPDM.
Statistical model for whole genome sequencing and its application to minimally invasive diagnosis of fetal genetic disease

There is currently great interest in the development of methods for the minimally invasive diagnosis of fetal genetic disease using cell-free DNA from maternal plasma samples obtained in the first trimester of pregnancy. With the rapid development of high-throughput sequencing technology, the possibility of detecting the presence of trisomy fetal genomes in the maternal plasma DNA sample has recently been explored. The major concern of this whole genome sequencing approach is that, while detecting the karyotype of the fetal genome from the maternal plasma requires extremely high accuracy of copy number estimation, the majority of the available high-throughput sequencing technologies require polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and are subject to the substantial bias that is inherent to the PCR process. We introduce a novel and sophisticated statistical model for the whole genome sequencing data, and based on this model, develop a highly sensitive method of Minimally Invasive Karyotyping (MINK) for the diagnosis of the fetal genetic disease. Specifically we demonstrate, by applying our statistical method to ultra high-throughput whole sequencing data, that trisomy 21 can be detected in a minor (‘fetal’) genome when it is mixed into a major (‘maternal’) background genome at frequencies as low as 5%. This observation provides additional proof of concept and justification for the further development of this method towards its eventual clinical application. Here, we describe the statistical and experimental methods that illustrate this approach and discuss future directions for technical development and potential clinical applications. Contact: [email protected] Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Message passing and shared address space parallelism on an SMP cluster

Currently, message passing (MP) and shared address space (SAS) are the two leading parallel programming paradigms. MP has been standardized with MPI, and is the more common and mature approach; however, code development can be extremely difficult, especially for irregularly structured computations. SAS offers substantial ease of programming, but may suffer from performance limitations due to poor spatial locality and high protocol overhead. In this paper, we compare the performance of and the programming effort required for six applications under both programming models on a 32-processor PC-SMP cluster, a platform that is becoming increasingly attractive for high-end scientific computing. Our application suite consists of codes that typically do not exhibit scalable performance under shared-memory programming due to their high communication-to-computation ratios and/or complex commumcation patterns. Results indicate that SAS can achieve about half the parallel efficiency of MPI for most of our applications, while being competitive for the others. A hybrid MPI + SAS strategy shows only a small performance advantage over pure MPI in some cases. Finally, improved implementations of two MPI collective operations on PC-SMP clusters are presented.
REDUCING THE RISK OF MAJOR BLACKOUTS THROUGH IMPROVED POWER SYSTEM VISUALIZATION

Many blackouts occur with time scales that would permit emergency control by the operators. However, in order to perform this control the operators need to quickly know the state of system and implement timely, corrective control actions. This paper describes several visualization techniques that can be used to provide this information. Techniques discussed include the use of dynamically sized pie charts on transmission lines, the use of transmission line flow animation, and the use of contouring.
Mixing sex and alcohol in college: female-male HIV risk model.

College students seem to be at particular risk for HIV infection due to the normative pattern of sexual activity with multiple partners combined with high frequency and levels of alcohol consumption and inconsistent condom use. This study examined the relationships among communication about HIV with the last sexual partner and alcohol and condom use among female and male college students. Factors which might predict drinking were also explored. Three hundred and fifty heterosexually oriented undergraduate students completed the College Health and Academics Survey, providing information on their last sexual encounter. A direct relationship was not found between the amount of alcohol consumed and likelihood of using a condom. However, significant relationships were found between communicating with partner and condom use (for females and males), and alcohol consumption and communications (for males only). Different HIV risk models focusing on predictors of alcohol use were found for females and males. Implic...
Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 distribution among lipoproteins differs in type 1 diabetes

Background LpPLA 2 mass and activity have been variably related to cardiovascular disease risk, and the distribution of LpPLA 2 in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D), wherein cardiovascular disease risk is high despite normal or higher levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, is unknown. Objective To determine whether there are differences in the distribution of LpPLA 2 mass and activity across lipoproteins and their association with coronary artery calcium (CAC) in patients with T1D. Methods Men with T1D (n = 19) not on statins, with and without CAC progression, and men without diabetes matched for HDL cholesterol (n = 25) had lipoproteins separated by fast protein liquid chromatography. Results Both LpPLA 2 mass and activity were found within low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and HDL pools with more LpPLA 2 mass being associated with HDL (54% vs 44%; P -value 2 activity being associated with LDL (56% vs 40%; P value = .02). In T1D, more LpPLA 2 activity was associated with large- or less-dense LDL compared to those without diabetes. However, no difference in LpPLA 2 activity or mass between lipoprotein subfractions was observed between all groups, and there was no relationship between LpPLA 2 activity or mass and its distribution and CAC score progression in healthy or T1D men. Conclusion LpPLA 2 is found in both LDL and HDL and is distributed differently in men with T1D without any relationship to CAC score progression.
Quantum Noise Reduction in the LIGO Gravitational Wave Interferometer with Squeezed States of Light

The quantum nature of light imposes a fundamental limit on the sensitivity of ground based gravitational wave detectors. Squeezed states of light, produced via parametric downconversion in a non linear medium, have recently been employed to beat the quantum limit and extend the astrophysical reach of the most sensitive gravitational wave detector ever built.
Report on hematology photomicrograph transparencies 1965-1969.

The 5-year experience with the 35 mm. photomicrograph transparencies used for hematologic identification in the College of American Pathologist’s Laboratory Surveys has been challenging and informative but at the same time somewhat frustrating. The net results have been productive in: (1) allowing individual participants to identify their needs for continuing education in morphologic hematology; (2) verifying interlaboratory variation; (3) demonstrating existing problems in nomenclature; and (4) pinpointing weaknesses and problems in field selection, preparation, and quality of slides for identification. This portion of the survey, utilizing photomicrograph transparencies, can be improved, should be continued, and hopefully will be accepted and utilized by the participants.
Confidentiality and integrity dynamic union model based on pre-authorization mechanisms

With the current access control model,a reasonable unified control over confidentiality,integrity and availability cannot be achieved; especially the dynamic random access request control is far from perfect,not only always leaving some weak points open to possible attacks,but also bringing some unavoidable security problems caused by user errors in practical applications. A kind of confidentiality and integrity access control model based on the pre-authorization mechanisms is put forward. By combining BLP model and Biba model,and introducing the preauthorization mechanisms,the reasonable control can be achieved over the dynamic random accesses activities. By making use of the condition control,the authority of subject performing the task is monitored timely,and granted or canceled dynamically. So the system's confidentiality and integrity can both be realized,while guaranteeing its high availability,which is advantageous to the two-way flow of information. Finally,the application example of the model is given and its security is proved.
Anodic Electrodeposition of a Cationic Polyelectrolyte in the Presence of Multivalent Anions

The electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) was used to investigate the deposition of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) with molybdate anions under anodic conditions. The PAH–molybdate complex was used as a model system to understand possible deposition criteria which may be relevant to the formation of proteinaceous films on CoCrMo hip implants. Data indicate that PAH deposition will occur above ∼0.60 V vs SCE if molybdate anions are present in the electrolyte above a critical concentration, and if the polymer concentration remains below a critical value. Numerical modeling and dynamic light scattering (DLS) studies were performed to understand the conditions that enable deposition to occur at these potentials. The results indicate that PAH–molybdate complexes form most efficiently when the polyvalent positive charge and polyvalent negative charge in the system are in an optimum range with respect to each other.
Structure-Guided Control of siRNA Off-Target Effects.

Short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are promising therapeutics that make use of the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway, but liabilities arising from the native RNA structure necessitate chemical modification for drug development. Advances in the structural characterization of components of the human RNAi pathway have enabled structure-guided optimization of siRNA properties. Here we report the 2.3 A resolution crystal structure of human Argonaute 2 (hAgo2), a key nuclease in the RNAi pathway, bound to an siRNA guide strand bearing an unnatural triazolyl nucleotide at position 1 (g1). Unlike natural nucleotides, this analogue inserts deeply into hAgo2’s central RNA binding cleft and thus is able to modulate pairing between guide and target RNAs. The affinity of the hAgo2–siRNA complex for a seed-only matched target was significantly reduced by the triazolyl modification, while the affinity for a fully matched target was unchanged. In addition, siRNA potency for off-target repression was reduced (4-fold increase i...
“Biomedical Workforce Diversity: The Context for Mentoring to Develop Talents and Foster Success Within the ‘Pipeline’”

Like all biomedical research fields, AIDS research needs the broadest diversity of experiences and perspectives among researchers in the field if creative advancements are to be achieved. Mentors and mentoring are the most important vehicles by which the talents of young scientists are developed. However, mentoring as a teaching and learning paradigm is very complex and idiosyncratic, and often inadvertently fails to provide the same quality and quantity of opportunity to aspiring scientists who are 'different' from those doing the mentoring. This article provides a theoretical and practical framework for understanding how differences of race, ethnicity, gender, skin color, social status and other identifiable characteristics can play into scientific development during mentoring 'within the pipeline'. It also serves as a foundation upon which mentoring in AIDS is considered by subsequent papers in this series. Finally, it goes beyond mentoring to propose systematic coaching as an effective complement to research mentoring to promote success, especially for individuals from underrepresented groups.
A Common-Mode Architecture for a Digital Holographic Microscope

We present a new design of the digital holographic microscope which supports use in extreme environments without any sacrifice to performance. This design has many advantages including cost, size, intrinsic stability and robustness against misalignment.
Anti-miR-203 suppresses ER-positive breast cancer growth and stemness by targeting SOCS3.

// Naoshad Muhammad 1 , Sourav Bhattacharya 1 , Robert Steele 1 and Ratna B. Ray 1,2 1 Department of Pathology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA 2 Cancer Center, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA Correspondence to: Ratna B. Ray, email: // Keywords : breast cancer, miR-203, SOCS3, stemness Received : June 20, 2016 Accepted : July 19, 2016 Published : August 10, 2016 Abstract Breast cancer is a major public health problem worldwide in women and existing treatments are not adequately effective for this deadly disease. microRNAs (miRNAs) regulate the expression of many target genes and play pivotal roles in the development, as well as in the suppression of many cancers including breast cancer. We previously observed that miR-203 was highly upregulated in breast cancer tissues and in ER-positive breast cancer cell lines. In our present study, we observed that anti-miR-203 suppresses breast cancer cell proliferation in vitro . Orthotopic implantation of miR-203 depleted MCF-7 cells into nude mice displays smaller tumor growth as compared to control MCF-7 cells. Furthermore, miR-203 expression is significantly higher in ER-positive breast cancer patients as compared to ER-negative patients. We identified suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) as a direct target of miR-203. Here we observed that miR-203 expression is inversely correlated with SOCS3 expression in ER-positive breast cancer samples. Additionally, we found that anti-miR-203 suppressed the expression of pStat3, pERK and c-Myc in MCF-7 and ZR-75-1 cells. We also demonstrated that anti-miR-203 decreased mammospheres formation and expression of stem cell markers in MCF-7 and ZR-75-1 cells. Taken together, our data suggest that anti-miR-203 has potential as a novel therapeutic strategy in ER-positive breast cancer treatment.
Assessing erythrocyte filterability with 3μm pore size polycarbonate membranes at constant cell flux

Erythrocyte deformability for suspensions of washed cells was tested by measuring the initial pressure drop during constant volumetric flow through 3-μm pore size polycarbonate membranes. 1. Effect of white cell concentration - 2. Assessing erythrocyte deformability : a) Cell number density vs. hematocrit, b) the shear thinning of erythrocyte suspensions
Design and implementation of CCNY DC microgrid testbed

This paper presents the design, control, energy management, and implementation of the City College of New York (CCNY) direct current (DC) microgrid laboratory testbed. This facility was custom designed and implemented by researchers at CCNY with minimal off-the-shelf components to enable significant flexibility and reconfiguration capability. The microgrid consists of renewable energy resources, energy storage system and controllable loads, and can operate in either a grid-connected or an islanded mode. The design steps, requirements, and results of the developed testbed were discussed. Moreover, several operational scenarios were tested. The experimental results verify the applicability and flexibility of the developed microgrid testbed.
WalkSense: Classifying Home Occupancy States Using Walkway Sensing

Home automation systems can save a huge amount of energy by detecting home occupancy and sleep patterns to automatically control lights, HVAC, and water heating. However, the ability to achieve these benefits is limited by a lack of sensing technology that can reliably detect zone occupancy states. We present a new concept called Walkway Sensing based on the premise that motion sensors are more reliable in walkways than occupancy zones, such as hallways, foyers, and doorways, because people are always moving and always visible in walkways. We present a methodology for deploying motion sensors and a completely automated algorithm called WalkSense to infer zone occupancy states. WalkSense can operate in both offline (batch) and online (real-time) mode. We evaluate our system on 350 days worth of data from 6 houses. Results indicate that WalkSense achieves 96% and 95% average accuracies in offline and online modes, respectively, which translates to over 47% and 30% of reduced energy wastage, and 71% and 30% of reduced comfort issues per day, in comparison to the conventional offline and online approaches.
Fabrication, Testing, and Simulation of All-Solid-State Three-Dimensional Li-Ion Batteries.

Demonstration of three-dimensional all-solid-state Li-ion batteries (3D SSLIBs) has been a long-standing goal for numerous researchers in the battery community interested in developing high power and high areal energy density storage solutions for a variety of applications. Ideally, the 3D geometry maximizes the volume of active material per unit area, while keeping its thickness small to allow for fast Li diffusion. In this paper, we describe experimental testing and simulation of 3D SSLIBs fabricated using materials and thin-film deposition methods compatible with semiconductor device processing. These 3D SSLIBs consist of Si microcolumns onto which the battery layers are sequentially deposited using physical vapor deposition. The power performance of the 3D SSLIBs lags significantly behind that of similarly prepared planar SSLIBs. Analysis of the experimental results using finite element modeling indicates that the origin of the poor power performance is the structural inhomogeneity of the 3D SSLIB, co...
Musculoskeletal Pain in Pregnancy

The musculoskeletal system is a highly integrated network of bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and connective tissues that give shape to the human body and allow it to move. It supports other systems and provides the structure and stability to walk, lift, grasp, work, exercise, and perform activities of daily living. It is also highly susceptible to alterations in its internal and external environments, many of which can place stress on the individual components or on the system as a whole. Pregnancy causes hormonal and other physiologic changes that lead to weight gain, joint laxity, and varied biomechanics, all stressors that can induce musculoskeletal pain and provoke injury. Widening of pelvic joints, increased lumbar lordosis, gait deviations, compression of peripheral anatomy, abnormal pressure distribution, and a host of other factors make pregnant women susceptible to pain and dysfunction, commonly of the foot, knee, hip and pelvis, low back, and wrists. Most conditions are self-limited and respond to conservative treatment such as activity modification, postural support, soft tissue mobilization, and formal strength training. Injections of anesthetic and corticosteroid around tendons and into joints may serve a role in short-term pain management and pose no known risk to the developing fetus. X-rays and advanced imaging are usually unnecessary, though when indicated to rule out fractures, bone tumors, or other serious pathologies, they are also safe for the fetus and prospective mother.
INVITED EDITORIAL COMMENT: The State of Research in Finance

1. Mark Kritzman 1. is the CEO of Windham Capital Management in Boston, MA, and a senior lecturer at MIT Sloan School of Management in Cambridge, MA . (kritzman{at}mit.edu) As is true with most scientific fields, the state of research in finance ebbs and flows. Although some may argue this
Corporate tax policy and multinational corporations in the American states: Exploring the intervening effect of local fiscal decentralization

A small, but growing, body of literature examines how corporate tax policy affects foreign firm location decisions in the United States. Yet, existing studies have not investigated how taxing choic...
The impact of feeder school selectivity on predicting academic success in an allied health professional program.

UNLABELLED Admission committee members have the important task of selecting candidates who have the best chance of academic success in their professional programs. Graduate record examination (GRE) scores and grade point average (GPA) are typically given heavy consideration in the admissions process. The purpose of the present study is to assess the impact of feeder school selectivity on the ability of GRE scores and GPA to predict probationary status in entry level physical therapy students. METHODS Three hundred five (249 female, 56 male) students, who graduated from an entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy Program between 2001 and 2006, were included in this analysis. Feeder school selectivity was defined as either less selective/selective or more selective/most selective (US News and World Report 2005). Unpaired t-tests assessed differences in GRE scores and GPA between the less selective/selective and more selective/most selective groups. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis assessed the ability of GRE score and GPA to predict probationary status. Probation for at least one semester (Cumulative GPA 0.05). One hundred fourteen of the subjects attended feeder schools that were considered less selective/selective. Eighty-four students (28%( were on probation for at least one semester. Verbal GRE (ROC curve area: 0.62, p=0.001), Quantitative GRE (ROC curve area: 0.71, p<0.001), total GRE (ROC curve area: 0.69, p<0.001), total GPA (ROC curve area: 0.59, p=0.01) and undergraduate program rigor (ROC curve area: .64, p<.001) classification schemes were all significant predictors of probation. The optimal threshold values for Verbal GRE, Quantitative GRE, total GRE, and total GPA were 455 (sensitivity 61%, specificity 52%), 575 (sensitivity 69%, specificity 65%), 1025 (sensitivity 67%, specificity 61%) and 3.25 (sensitivity 64%, specificity 56%) respectively. The optimal threshold value for undergraduate rigor was 4 (sensitivity 70%, specificity 56%). DISCUSSION The results of the present study indicate feeder school selectivity, GRE scores, and GPA are all independent predictors of probationary status. Assessing feeder school selectivity in addition to GREs and GPAs during the admissions process may therefore be warranted.
The prevalence of major drug-drug interactions in older adults with cancer and the role of clinical decision support software

Abstract Objectives Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) represent an escalating concern for older adults attributed to polypharmacy, multi-morbidity and organ dysfunction. Few studies have evaluated the prevalence of major DDIs and the variability between DDI detection software which confuses management. Materials and Methods Prevalence of major DDIs was examined as a secondary analysis of outpatients aged ≥65 years. Demographic and clinical information was collected from electronic health records including age, sex, race, cancer type, comorbidities, and medications. All DDIs were screened by a clinical pharmacist using Lexi-Interact® and Micromedex®. Major DDIs were defined as Lexi-Interact® category D or X and/or Micromedex® category major or contraindication. Summary statistics of patient characteristics and DDIs were computed. Results Our cohort included 142 patients (mean age, 77.7 years; 56% women, 73% Caucasian). The mean medications was 9.8 including 6.7 prescriptions, 2.6 non-prescriptions, and 0.5 herbals. Lexi-Interact® identified 310 major DDIs in 69% of patients (n = 98) with an average of 2.2 DDIs per patient. Micromedex® identified 315 major DDIs in 61% of patients (n = 87) with an average of 2.2 DDIs per patient. DDIs mostly involved opioids, antiplatelets, electrolyte supplements, antiemetics, and antidepressants. Variability existed with the severity rating reporting of the clinical decision support software. Conclusions There was a high prevalence of major DDIs in older adults with cancer. Utilizing clinical decision support software was beneficial for detecting DDIs however, variability existed with severity reporting. Future studies need to identify the relevant DDIs with clinical implications in order to optimize medication safety in this population.
What you need to know about Europe's data privacy rules [Resources_At Work]

On 25 May, enforcement will begin of the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): a law covering any organization anywhere in the world that handles the personal data of EU residents. Many individual developers and small-business owners will need to make sure that their applications, services, and websites comply with the GDPR, even if they do not live in EU countries.
Less versus more radical surgery in stage IB1 cervical cancer: A population-based study of long-term survival.

Abstract Background Standard surgical treatment for women with stage IB1 cervical cancer consists of radical hysterectomy. This study assesses survival outcomes of those treated with less radical surgery (LRS; conization, trachelectomy, simple hysterectomy) compared to more radical surgery (MRS; modified radical, radical hysterectomy). Methods Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database, we identified women Results Of 2571 patients, 807 underwent LRS and 1764 underwent MRS, all with LN assessment. For LRS vs. MRS, 28% vs. 23% were diagnosed with adenocarcinoma (p = 0.024), 31% vs. 39% had G3 disease (p 2 cm (p 2 cm (LRS 90.1% vs. MRS 88.2%, p = 0.48). Factors independently associated with increased risk of death included adenosquamous histology (HR 2.37), G3 disease (HR 2.86), tumors >2 cm (HR 1.82), and LN positivity (HR 2.42). Compared to MRS, LRS was not associated with a higher risk of death. Conclusions In a select group of young women with stage IB1 cervical cancer, LRS compared to MRS does not appear to compromise DSS.
Combined radiogenic (87Sr/86Sr, 234U/238U) and stable (δ88Sr) isotope systematics as tracers of anthropogenic groundwater contamination within the Williston BasinUSA

Abstract The Williston Basin has produced oil and gas from conventional structural and stratigraphic traps for more than 60 years. The advent of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing of shale in the Devonian-Mississippian Bakken Formation has increased the production of oil in this basin from areas that partially overlap the prairie pothole region of North America. Massive scale of oil production in the Williston Basin increases the risk of accidental releases of coproduced formation water (brine) into the environment. The prairie pothole region is named for a multitude of small lakes and wetlands that provide critical habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife. The increased risks raise the importance of developing robust tracers that can identify the source(s) and quantity of contamination of this premier wetland ecosystem. Radiogenic 87Sr/86Sr and 234U/238U isotope tracers are widely used in hydrological studies to detect potential sources of groundwater contamination. Here, we used paired 87Sr/86Sr and δ88Sr values in wetland water, which is essentially shallow groundwater at the Goose Lake and Fuller sites in Montana and North Dakota where produced water contamination was previously established. We also analyzed brines from the Bakken Formation and Mississippian Charles Formation to evaluate potential sources of contamination. This is the first attempt to combine these isotope tracers to estimate a magnitude of groundwater contamination by the oil-field produced water. Moreover, because U+6 is soluble in water under subaerial oxidizing conditions and the U+4 content is orders of magnitude lower (pg/g levels) in reducing brines, the 234U/238U isotope tracer is insensitive to brine contamination. However, it elucidates potential variability of uncontaminated end-members and, therefore, helps to improve the accuracy of estimated degrees of brine contamination based on binary mixing relationships. In addition, U isotopes in groundwater have a potential for detecting some U-rich anthropogenic contaminants (e.g., phosphate fertilizers). Using these isotopic systematics we confirm previous conclusions that surface water and shallow groundwater in two studied sites are variably contaminated by produced water and estimate the degree of the contamination at ∼7% in a sample collected close to a brine tank and
The Surgical Procedure: No Doc, No Shock!

The management of urinary stones has revolutionized in the past 30 years. It is principally attributed to advances in technology and medical therapy. Prior to the invention of very small telescopic instruments called ureteroscopes, many patients had their stones removed by open surgery. Imagine having a 10-in. incision to remove a ¼-in. stone! In this chapter, we will discuss the advances in stone management while paying special attention to the benefits and disadvantages of common technologies.
Hydrologic and Geochemical Implications of Waste Disposal Scenarios

Hazardous wastes are commonly disposed of by land burial with the intention of isolating the materials from man’s environment. The waste disposal site may or may not provide an environment in which the wastes can degrade. Burial sites vary greatly in their chemical and hydrologic environment and in their capacity to retain waste in or near the burial area. They provide an environment in which the waste may degrade to innocuous levels or become immobilized. Failure of waste disposal repositories may arise from inadequate design and construction because of insufficient knowledge of the required disposal environment for specific wastes. Repository design and siting requirements are specific to the chemical and physical properties of waste to be disposed. Consider, for example, four broad types of waste: 1) high-level radioactive waste 2) low-level radioactive waste 3) hazardous organic wastes 4) mixed municipal wastes
Accelerated apoptosis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from human immunodeficiency virus type-1 infected patients and in CD4 cross-linked PBMCs from normal individuals

This study investigates apoptosis as a mechanism for CD4+ T-cell depletion in human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) infection. Although several recent studies have shown that T cells of HIV-infected individuals show enhanced susceptibility to cell death by apoptosis, the mechanisms responsible for apoptosis are largely unknown. By using a flow cytometric technique and by morphology, we have quantitated the percentage of cells undergoing apoptosis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from HIV-seronegative donors and from HIV-infected asymptomatic patients. The PBMCs were cultured without any stimulus or with staphylococcus enterotoxin B, anti-T-cell receptor (TCR) alpha beta monoclonal antibody WT-31, or phytohemagglutinin for periods up to 6 days. In addition, we sought to determine whether cross-linking of CD4 followed by various modes of TCR stimulation in vitro could induce apoptosis in normal PBMCs. Here we show that (1) patient PMBCs undergo marked spontaneous apoptosis; (2) stimulation of T cells of patients as well as normal donors results in increased apoptosis; and (3) cross-linking of CD4 molecules is sufficient to induce apoptosis in CD4+ T cells if cross-linking is performed in unfractioned PBMCs, but not if CD4 molecules are cross-linked in purified T-cell preparations. These observations strongly suggest that accelerated cell death through apoptosis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of HIV-1 infection. At the same time, our observations implicate cross-linking of CD4 in vivo as a major contributor to this mechanism of accelerated cell death in HIV infection.
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY | Forensic Applications

Gas Chromatography (GC) is one of the most widely used techniques in forensic science. Major applications include identification of drugs, toxicology, trace analysis, arson and explosion investigations and environmental forensics. Extraction procedures are commonly employed prior to GC analysis for preconcentration of analytes and to remove extraneous matrix interferences. Following extraction and GC separation, a variety of detectors are employed. However, the most important detector in forensic science is the mass spectrometer (MS) used in the electron impact (EI) mode. The purpose of this article is to review the major applications of GC in forensic science.
Biorepository and integrative genomics initiative: designing and implementing a preliminary platform for predictive, preventive and personalized medicine at a pediatric hospital in a historically disadvantaged community in the USA.

Current healthcare is evolving to emphasize cost-effective care by leveraging results and outcomes of genomic and other advanced research efforts in clinical care and preventive health planning. Through a collaborative effort between the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital (LBCH), the Biorepository and Integrative Genomics (BIG) Initiative was established to set up a pediatric-based DNA biorepository that can serve as a foundation for successful development of delivery platforms for predictive, preventive, and personalized medical services in Memphis, Tennessee, a historically disadvantaged community in the USA. In this paper, we describe the steps that were followed to establish the biorepository. We focused on domains that are essential for implementation of a biorepository for genomic research as an initial goal and identified patient consent, DNA extraction, storage and dissemination, and governance as essential components. Specific needs in each of these domains were addressed by respective solutions developed by multidisciplinary teams under the guidance of a governance model that involved experts from multiple hospital arenas and community members. The end result was the successful launch of a large-scale DNA biorepository, with patient consent greater than 75% in the first year. Our experience highlights the importance of performing pre-design research, needs assessment, and designing an ethically vetted plan that is cost-effective, easy to implement, and inclusive of the community that is served. We believe this biorepository model, with appropriate tailoring according to organizational needs and available resources, can be adopted and successfully applied by other small- to mid-sized healthcare organizations.
Treatment with 5-aza-dC Induces Apoptotic PARP1-DNA Adducts

5-aza-dC (5-aza-29-deoxycytidine, clinically known as decitabine) is used to treat some hematopoietic malignancies, but its mechanism of action is not defined. Here we identify a role for covalent PARP1-DNA adducts in cell killing by 5-aza-dC. We demonstrate that covalent PARP1- DNA adducts can be recovered from cells treated with 5-aza-dC alone or in combination with a PARP catalytic inhibitor. PARP1-DNA adducts are predominately 89 kD in length, contain the cleaved PARP1 fragment that is a signature of apoptotic cells, and bear the terminal neo-epitope generated by caspase cleavage. Smaller PARP1-DNA adducts bearing the apoptotic neo-epitope were also detected, but not adducts containing full-length PARP1. DNA-adducted PARP1 fragments thus provide a biochemical link between drug-induced PARP1-DNA adduct formation and cell killing. They support a model in which 5-aza-dC causes DNA damage that recruits full- length PARP1, which forms covalent adducts that induce apoptosis, resulting in PARP1 cleavage and cell killing.
No more than "slight" hearing loss and degradations in binaural processing.

Listeners having, at most, “slight” hearing loss may exhibit substantial deficits in binaural detection [Bernstein and Trahiotis. (2016). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 140, 3540–3548; (2018). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 144, 292–307]. This study assessed whether such listeners also exhibit deficits discriminating interaural temporal disparities (ITDs) or interaural intensitive disparities (IIDs) and whether any deficits observed in those discrimination tasks would be accounted for by the interaural cross-correlation based model that successfully accounts for binaural detection. Thresholds were measured for detection of tones masked by noise in the NoSπ configuration and discrimination of ITD or IID. Gaussian noises (100 Hz-wide), served as maskers in the detection task and as reference and target stimuli in the discrimination tasks. Stimuli were centered at 500 Hz or 4 kHz. The latter were transpositions of stimuli centered at 125 Hz. Results demonstrate that listeners having, at most, slight hearing loss and who exhibit deficits in binaural detection, also exhibit deficits in ITD- and IID-discrimination. Coupled with appropriate decision variables, the cross-correlation-based model that accounts for elevated binaural detection thresholds among such listeners also accounted for their elevated ITD- and IID-thresholds. The deficits in all three tasks appear to stem from increased levels of stimulus-dependent, additive internal noise.
Muse: Scaffolding Metacognitive Reflection in Design-Based Research

While learning science research has explored approaches improving students' problem solving skills by introducing tools that support students in metacognitive reflection, this work has focused on problems with clear solutions, rather than addressing the question of how metacognitive reflection can help students develop their self-regulation skills, which help students understand and control their learning environment through planning, practice, and self-evaluation. This paper presents Muse, an in-action chatbot interface that prompts students to reflect metacognitively on their self-direction process in the midst of working on their independent research projects. Students participate in the Design, Technology, and Research (DTR) program, which provides several undergrads the opportunity to self-direct an independent research project by using the socio-technological model Agile Research Studios (ARS). Results from a case study suggest that Muse helps students identify time consuming habits and set aside less important tasks by giving participants the opportunity to act on their reflections and adjust aspects of their process that they deem less effective.
Ontogeny and shape change of the phacopid trilobite Calyptaulax

Major transitions in trilobite ontogeny have historically been defined based on the number and distribution of trunk segments, and articulation between the trunk and cephalon. This study documents additional morphological change across the meraspid-holaspid transition on the Ordovician phacopid trilobite Calyptaulax strasburgensis. An extensive dataset of silicified cranidia and pygidia collected from the mid-Ordovician Edinburg Formation of Virginia was subjected to a series of multivariate analyses, with a primary focus on the intersections and termini of furrows. Multivariate regression of partial warp scores demonstrates statistically significant change in allometric growth patterns over the course of development. These changes are concentrated in earlier instars, but are coincident in cranidia and pygidia. This sharp decrease in the rate of allometry, present in both tagmata, is expressed as significant breakpoints derived from a segmented regression, with the largest portion of allometric change found in the pre-breakpoint individuals. The term holeidos is proposed to describe the completion of form during trilobite development, independent of the completion of the thorax. The most dramatic change in shape during this period of ontogeny includes lateral glabellar expansion through deflection of the axial and palpebral furrows, possibly reflecting a change in the feeding habit during later development. Other morphological changes include the development of a more angular appearance to the anterior portion of the glabella, and anterior migration of the pygidial anterior margin. The appearance of these growth patterns in Calyptaulax extends the temporal range of these changes, some of which have only been documented in Devonian phacopids.
Urologic Complications of Friedreich’s Ataxia

Friedrich’s ataxia is an early onset hereditary condition that causes progressive neurologic decline. Common urologic symptoms include urinary frequency, urgency, and incontinence. Elevated post-void residuals are also not uncommon. Urodynamic testing may demonstrate detrusor overactivity and detrusor sphincter dyssynergia but usually the bladder compliance is normal. Urologic treatment goals revolve around emptying the bladder completely via intermittent catheterization or indwelling catheter and managing overactive bladder symptoms with medications or onabotulinum injections. Friedrich’s ataxia patients have a potentially high risk of surgical complications due to underlying respiratory weakness and cardiac pathologies.
Do ecolabels cheapen wines

Abstract While some studies find that ecolabels might impose price penalties to wines, several aspects remain unclear; particularly, if the mainstream consumers are, in fact, disliking ecolabeled wines; if there exists a systematic difference between organic and sustainable wines; or if the ecolabels’ purported negative correlation to prestige is robust. In this study, these questions are investigated with a choice experiment, which estimates the consumption utility of the ecolabels and of the relevant interaction effects. We find that consumers are willing to pay premiums for either organic or sustainable wines; the premium is especially prevalent in the higher percentile of the willingness to pay distributions. Appellations of origin play a role; the willingness to pays for the ecolabels are higher for wines from less-prestigious regions, but it diminishes for wines from higher-prestige regions. No eco-penalty is detected at the mean level, nor do the ecolabels penalize higher-priced wines within the examined price range. However, a small segment of consumer dislikes the ecolabels. Lastly, the preference correlates positively with the perception of quality implied by the ecolabels. We recommend wineries that target mainstream consumers to pursue ecolabels.