cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of feeding organic acids on selected intestinal content measurements at varying times postweaning in pigs.

Pigs weaned at 21 d of age (n = 72) were fed a 20% CP corn-soybean meal-based diet (control) with 1.5% fumaric or 1.5% citric acid added to observe the effect of these acids on the pH, chloride ion concentration (Cl-), VFA profile, and microflora population in the stomach, jejunum, cecum, and lower colon contents at -2, 0, 3, 7, 14, and 21 d postweaning. Feeding organic acids had no appreciable effect (P greater than .10) on stomach jejunum, cecum, or lower colon pH, Cl-, VFA profile, or microflora populations, except for increasing the concentration of fumaric acid in the stomachs of pigs fed fumaric acid. The pH of the gastrointestinal tract generally decreased from -2 to 21 d postweaning with no corresponding change in Cl- over time. No age effects on total anaerobic culture counts were observed except in the stomach, where counts decreased from -2 to 3 d postweaning. Clostridia counts generally decreased after weaning in all intestinal sections. Lactobacillus counts were usually lower at d 0 and 3 and greatest at d 7 postweaning in the stomach, jejunum, and lower colon, but no age effect was observed for concentration of cecum lactobacilli. Escherichia coli counts generally increased after weaning to 3 and 7 d postweaning. Intestinal content measurements were affected by postweaning age but were not affected by feeding organic acids.
Abnormal dreams and nightmare disorders.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the sleep stage and neurobiology of dreaming. The chapter presents two theoretical models for understanding dreams psychologically. The chapter reveals that there is only one diagnosis, “nightmare disorder,” for which abnormal dreaming is the primary feature. Nightmares are typically extended, elaborate dream narratives and usually occur during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep with increasingly disturbed affect culminating in arousal. Although the dreaming abnormality most closely associated with the aftermath of trauma is the posttraumatic nightmare, an additional, thought-provoking alteration is a substantial reduction in recall of dreaming—seen even in several studies in which dreams were elicited by laboratory awakenings from REM sleep. Nightmares are specific mental events arising from the areas of internal strain: a pressing, troubling impulse, feeling, concern, or experience is not able to be deal with and modulate effectively and intense anxiety or other unpleasant affect results. Frequent nightmares can occur in various psychopathological contexts with wide variability in their relationship to and implications for the overall functioning.
Gateway to the Syriac Saints: A Database Project

This article describes The Gateway to the Syriac Saints , a database project developed by the Syriac Reference Portal (www.syriaca.org) . It is a research tool for the study of Syriac saints and hagiographic texts. The Gateway to the Syriac Saints is a two-volume database: 1) Qadishe and 2) Bibliotheca Hagiographica Syriaca Electronica (BHSE). Hagiography, the lives of the saints, is a multiform genre. It contains elements of myth, history, biblical exegesis, romance, and theology. The production of saints’ lives blossomed in late antiquity alongside the growth of the cult of the saints. Scholars have attended to hagiographic traditions in Greek and Latin, but many scholars have yet to discover the richness of Syriac hagiographic literature: the stories, homilies, and hymns on the saints that Christians of the Middle East told and preserved. It is our hope that our database will give scholars and students increased access to these traditions to generate new scholarship. The first volume, Qadishe or “saints” in Syriac, is a digital catalogue of saints or holy persons venerated in the Syriac tradition. Some saints are native to the Syriac-speaking milieu, whereas others come from other linguistic or cultural traditions. Through the translation of their hagiographies and the diffusion of saints’ cults in the late antique world, saints were adopted, “imported,” and appropriated into Syriac religious memory. The second volume, the BHSE , focuses on Syriac hagiographic texts. The BHSE contains the titles of over 1000 Syriac stories, hymns, and homilies on saints. It also includes authors’ or hagiographers’ names, the first and last lines of the texts (in Syriac, English, and French), bibliographic information, and the names of the manuscripts containing these hagiographic works. We have also listed modern and ancient translations of these works. All of the data in the Gateway to the Syriac Saints has been encoded in TEI, and it is fully searchable, linkable, and open.
Angina following myocardial revascularization. Does time of recurrence predict etiology and influence results of operation

To assess the operative mortality and long-term results in patients undergoing repeat revascularization for recurrent angina, we analyzed 48 consecutive patients operated upon at New York University Medical Center between 1970 and 1978. Between January, 1970, and July, 1973, 15 patients underwent repeat revascularization with five operative deaths (33 percent). Thirty-three patients underwent similar operations from July, 1973, to July, 1978, with only one operative death (3 percent). Technical factors and improved methods of myocardial protection during the operation directly influence this decrease in operative mortality rate. The indication for reoperation was incapacitating angina developing within 2 months of the initial operation in 18 patients (early failures) and after more than 2 months in 30 patients (late failures). The early failures were most commonly attributed to technical factors (33 percent) and graft occlusion by exuberant pericardial scarring (33 percent). The late failures were commonly related to the development of new native coronary lesions (47 percent) and selection of an incorrect site for distal anastomoses (23 percent). The prognostic and therapeutic implications of these findings will be discussed in detail. Angina was abolished or significantly decreased in 90 percent of the survivors, and there were only two late deaths occurring 18 and 20 months postoperatively. These data indicate that patients undergoing repeat myocardial revascularization can be operated upon with low operative mortality rates and symptomatic improvement comparable to that of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass for the first time.
Electromyographic Study of Selected Muscles Involved in Movements of Upper Arm at Scapulohumeral Joint

Abstract This article presents an investigation, by means of electromyography, of the functions of the biceps brachii, the deltoideus, the latissimus dorsi, the pectoralis major, the serratus anterior, the cleido mastoideus, the teres major, the trapezius, and the triceps brachii (long head) in movements of the upper arm and the shoulder girdle at scapulo-humeral, acromioclavicular, and sternoclavicular joints. The procedure for collecting the data was established on the basis of records taken on twelve subjects; and the findings that are reported were based on 20 complete sets taken on five subjects.
Starting to Work on a Language

Before you go to the field for the first time, there are a lot of prepar­ations to make. You need to find a field site, gather the previous materi­als on the language, plan your early elicitation sessions, and work out how you’re going to find people to work with. You probably also need to apply for human subjects’ research approval and take care of the associated paperwork. In a field methods class, all of this is done by the instructor. Usually you are not permitted to look at previous materials, and instead in the class you will rely completely on your own data and judgements. This chapter is rather concerned with what to do when you arrive in the field or when you start your first class. Other chapters in this book describe the different preparations that you need to make before actually starting work.
Forming a Program: Funding and Organizational Issues

This chapter deals with some of the logistical aspects of starting a small spacecraft development program. It begins with a discussion of human resource needs, with particular attention being paid to student workers, as they are typically a key component of a university small spacecraft development program. Then, financial and other resource needs are discussed. Next, focus turns to strategies for organizing a small spacecraft program, before concluding.
Interleukin-17: Why the Worms Squirm

IL-17 is a cytokine known primarily for its role in inflammation. In a recent issue of Nature, Chen et al. (2017) demonstrate that IL-17 plays a neuromodulatory role in Caenorhabditis elegans by acting directly on neurons to amplify neuronal responses to stimuli and produce changes in animal behavior.
Repeated Measurement of Respiratory Muscle Activity and Ventilation in Mouse Models of Neuromuscular Disease

Accessory respiratory muscles help to maintain ventilation when diaphragm function is impaired. The following protocol describes a method for repeated measurements over weeks or months of accessory respiratory muscle activity while simultaneously measuring ventilation in a non-anesthetized, freely behaving mouse. The technique includes the surgical implantation of a radio transmitter and the insertion of electrode leads into the scalene and trapezius muscles to measure the electromyogram activity of these inspiratory muscles. Ventilation is measured by whole-body plethysmography, and animal movement is assessed by video and is synchronized with electromyogram activity. Measurements of muscle activity and ventilation in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are presented to show how this tool can be used to investigate how respiratory muscle activity changes over time and to assess the impact of muscle activity on ventilation. The described methods can easily be adapted to measure the activity of other muscles or to assess accessory respiratory muscle activity in additional mouse models of disease or injury.
A step-by-step guide to extracting winding resistance from an impedance measurement

Impedance analyzer measurements can be helpful in assessing inductor and transformer winding resistance and predicting winding loss, but the measured ESR does not directly correspond to winding resistance. Neglecting the effects of core loss and winding capacitance can yield significant errors in the prediction. A step-by-step method to account for such effects and extract winding resistance from an impedance measurement is described. The proposed methodology is applicable to both inductors and multi-winding transformers. Several measurements are needed in this method; one is to determine the effects of core loss and the others yield the impedance from which winding resistance is extracted to form a resistance matrix. The winding resistance of a transformer was determined experimentally and the interactions between the winding resistance, effects of core loss, winding capacitance and inductance and their contributions to the measured impedance are demonstrated.
Seasonal variation in behavioral thermoregulation and predator avoidance in a small mammal

Lay SummaryBehavior of pygmy rabbits varied seasonally to accommodate both thermal challenges and predation risk. We quantified selection of rest sites and activity during summer and winter to evaluate behavioral tradeoffs between thermal and security resources. Our work suggests that behavior might buffer individuals of this species against a changing climate, and it highlights the need for incorporating behavior into models of how individuals and populations of animals respond to climate change.
ARE OXYGENATED HYDROCARBONS IMPORTANT OIL DEGRADATION PRODUCTS AFTER OIL SPILLS

ABSTRACT 2017-186 Oxygenated hydrocarbons (OxHC) are major and persistent hydrocarbon degradation products that are formed after oil spills. However, there are still knowledge gaps related to forma...
Solar city, bike city, growth city: governance and energy in Davis, California

Solutions to the climate and energy crises will likely involve large scale renewable energy technology deployment and of renewable energy technologies in building energy systems and transportation systems. But they will also require changes in lifestyle, behavior, and social organization. Solar heating and bicycle use are well-developed technologies that exemplify social-technological hybrids. Davis, California, has established a national reputation as a bike-friendly city and has been an international leader in supporting energy efficient housing developments. Support, however, has waxed and waned over the years. Davis provides an ideal case study to explore the conditions necessary to develop a sustained community commitment to passive solar design and human powered transport at a scale large enough to make a difference. This analysis points to the importance of local politics, municipal identity tied to an energy or environmental vision, and the organization of social capital to influence broad-based technological choice. Key words: solar heating, bicycle lanes, social capital, behavior, environmental politics.
Multi-leveled suppression of p53 function by HuR IncRNPs.

The advent of next-generation sequencing has revealed that the majority of expressed transcripts do not encode proteins (1). Many of them belong to a large and growing family of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), generally defined as transcripts larger than 200 nucleotides, typically transcribed by RNA polymerase II, spliced, and polyadenylated, but not translated into protein (2).
Linking small fruit and vegetable farmers and institutional foodservice operations: marketing challenges and considerations

The centralized nature of the United States food production, processing and distribution system makes it difficult for small fruit and vegetable farmers to serve as suppliers to institutional foodservice operations (IFOs), such as schools and hospitals. Due to age, economic and/or health status, it is often the clients of these foodservice operations who would benefit from increasing their consumption of locally grown fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, institutions are often limited in their resources and food preparation infrastructure, and lack market-based incentives to incorporate locally grown foods into their menus. This study identifies and suggests solutions to barriers that limit the ability of small fruit and vegetable farmers to serve as suppliers to IFOs. Data were collected through an extensive series of focus group meetings held with small-scale fruit and vegetable farmers in three South-Atlantic states. From these meetings, practical marketing considerations, such as payment terms, and processing, packaging and delivery requirements of supplying institutional foodservice buyers, were identified as obstacles to the efficient function of this market channel. Food safety challenges, including the related issues of obtaining (food) products liability insurance and food safety certifications, were also acknowledged among top concerns. A majority of the identified challenges were similar to those reported in other studies, but several were complicated by characteristics of farm production, limited food system infrastructure and marketing experiences in the study region. Several practical solutions to overcoming some of these marketing constraints are offered.
Simplified Seismic Evaluation of Structures Using Adaptive Pushover Analysis

A simplified procedure for evaluating the seismic performance and retrofit of existing low to mid-rise reinforced concrete buildings was first presented by Bracci et al. (ASCE J Struct Eng 123(1):3–10, 1997). The procedure is derived from the well-known Capacity Spectrum Method (Freeman, Prediction of response of concrete buildings to severe earthquake motion. In: Douglas McHenry international symposium on concrete and concrete structures, SP-55. ACI, Detroit, pp 589–605, 1978) and is intended to provide practicing engineers with a relatively simple methodology for estimating the margin of safety against structural failure. The procedure consists of constructing a series of seismic story demand curves from modal superposition analyses wherein changes in the dynamic characteristics of the structure (natural frequencies, mode shapes and linear viscous damping) at various response phases ranging from elastic to full failure mechanism are considered. Then these demands are compared to the lateral story capacities as determined from an independent adaptive pushover analysis, where the distribution of lateral forces is based on stiffness dependent story shear demands. The adaptive pushover analysis forms a critical aspect of the methodology which relies on a reasonable estimate of the failure modes of the structure. The proposed technique is applied to a one-third scale three story reinforced concrete frame model building that was subjected to repeated shaking table excitations, and later retrofitted and tested again at the same intensities. This study shows that the procedure can provide reliable estimates of story demands vs. capacities for use in seismic performance and retrofit evaluation of structures.
Andrea de Cervantes, nieta más querida de la abuela paterna, Leonor Fernández de Torreblanca, y Constanza de Ovando y Figueroa, la simpática sobrina de Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Por primera vez se presenta un trabajo completo sobre Andrea de Cervantes y su hija Constanza Ovando y Figueroa, hermana y sobrina, respectivamente, de Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. Sobre la hermana del autor de "La Galatea" hay unos 25 documentos legales; pero no existe ningun esbozo completo de su perfil, aunque era la nieta predilecta y favorecida de la abuela paterna, Leonor Fernandez de Torreblanca. Este articulo se basa exclusivamente en los documentos cervantinos, ya que a traves de ellos sabemos donde nacio Andrea, quienes eran sus ascendientes, con quien tuvo sus amores, como se ganaba la vida y en suma toda la biografia. No obstante, los documentos publicados no son siempre faciles de encontrar, ni estan todos editados con el debido rigor filologico. Por tanto esbozare los que se ha podido hacer con los datos no explotados, presentando una breve biografia de Andrea, asi como toda la informacion sobre su hija Constanza, fruto de amores con Nicolas de Ovando.
A survey of the molecular evolutionary dynamics of twenty-five multigene families from four grass taxa.

We surveyed the molecular evolutionary characteristics of 25 plant gene families, with the goal of better understanding general processes in plant gene family evolution. The survey was based on 247 GenBank sequences representing four grass species (maize, rice, wheat, and barley). For each gene family, orthology and paralogy relationships were uncertain. Recognizing this uncertainty, we characterized the molecular evolution of each gene family in four ways. First, we calculated the ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous substitutions (d N/d S) both on branches of gene phylogenies and across codons. Our results indicated that the d N/d S ratio was statistically heterogeneous across branches in 17 of 25 (68%) gene families. The vast majority of d N/d S estimates were 1.0, either across phylogenetic lineages or across codons. Second, we tested separately for nonsynonymous and synonymous molecular clocks. Sixty-eight percent of gene families rejected a nonsynonymous molecular clock, and 52% of gene families rejected a synonymous molecular clock. Thus, most gene families in this study deviated from clock-like evolution at either synonymous or nonsynonymous sites. Third, we calculated the effective number of codons and the proportion of G+C synonymous sites for each sequence in each gene family. One or both quantities vary significantly within 18 of 25 gene families. Finally, we tested for gene conversion, and only six gene families provided evidence of gene conversion events. Altogether, evolution for these 25 gene families is marked by selective constraint that varies among gene family members, a lack of molecular clock at both synonymous and nonsynonymous sites, and substantial variation in codon usage.
Immune reprogramming via PD-1 inhibition enhances early-stage lung cancer survival

Success of immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has invigorated their use in the neoadjuvant setting for early-stage disease. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of the early immune responses to therapy remain poorly understood. Through an integrated analysis of early-stage NSCLC patients and a Kras mutant mouse model, we show a prevalent programmed cell death 1/programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) axis exemplified by increased intratumoral PD-1+ T cells and PD-L1 expression. Notably, tumor progression was associated with spatiotemporal modulation of the immune microenvironment with dominant immunosuppressive phenotypes at later phases of tumor growth. Importantly, PD-1 inhibition controlled tumor growth, improved overall survival, and reprogrammed tumor-associated lymphoid and myeloid cells. Depletion of T lymphocyte subsets demonstrated synergistic effects of those populations on PD-1 inhibition of tumor growth. Transcriptome analyses revealed T cell subset-specific alterations corresponding to degree of response to the treatment. These results provide insights into temporal evolution of the phenotypic effects of PD-1/PD-L1 activation and inhibition and motivate targeting of this axis early in lung cancer progression.
Together We Can: Increase Couple Functioning for Low-SES Families:

This study reviews how parenting efficacy and the coparenting relationship are influenced by a shortened and adapted Together We Can relationship program. Researchers were interested in determining...
Book Review: Arundhati Virmani, Political Aesthetics: Culture, Critique, and the Everyday

A rundhati V irmani , Political Aesthetics: Culture, Critique, and the Everyday , New York: Routledge, 2016, 214 pp.
Abstract 664: Surgery plus adjuvant radiation as a valid treatment option for primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCSNL)

Background: Recent studies of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) have found an association between cytoreductive surgery and survival, challenging the traditional notion that surgery is not beneficial and potentially harmful. However, no studies have examined outcomes after surgery plus adjuvant treatment. We investigated treatment-related outcomes for surgery plus radiation using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. Methods: The SEER database was queried to collect cases of histologically confirmed non-Hodgkin9s lymphoma within the CNS diagnosed between 1995-2014. Median survival times were determined by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Predictors of overall survival and cause-specific survival were determined using the Cox proportional hazards regression model. Treatment modalities were categorized as biopsy alone, biopsy plus radiation therapy (RT), surgery alone, and surgery + RT. Biopsy alone was used as the reference category. Subgroup analysis stratified patients by extent of surgical resection and recursive partition analysis (RPA) risk group. Results: We identified 5,417 cases that met search criteria, 39% of which received surgical resection. Median survival times for biopsy alone (n=1,824, 34%), biopsy + RT (n=1,460, 27%), surgery alone (n=1,222, 23%), and surgery + RT (n=911, 17%) were 7, 8, 20, and 27 months, respectively (p Conclusion: Surgical resection of PCNSL in the general population is more common than previously thought. Radiation therapy after surgery is associated with increased survival, regardless of the extent of surgical resection or the patient9s RPA risk category. Neurotoxicity, dosing, and effects of concurrent chemotherapy should be addressed in future studies. Citation Format: Connor J. Kinslow, Ali I. Rae, Alfred I. Neugut, Christopher M. Adams, Sameer A. Sheth, Guy M. McKhann, Michael B. Sisti, Jeffrey N. Bruce, Fabio M. Iwamoto, Adam M. Sonabend, Tony J. Wang. Surgery plus adjuvant radiation as a valid treatment option for primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCSNL) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 664.
Development of a novel ion-pairing UPLC method with cation-exchange solid-phase extraction for determination of free timolol in human plasma

Abstract A novel UPLC-UV method was developed for analysis of timolol in human plasma using a simple, fast, and cost effective ion-exchange SPE procedure, followed by separation on a C 18 UPLC column with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile, phosphate buffer, and sodium 1-octane sulfonate as an ion pairing agent. The method was fully validated according to US-FDA guidelines, and was found to be sufficiently accurate and precise for analysis of timolol in human plasma for clinical pharmacokinetic studies. The application of ion-exchange SPE cartridges for purification of timolol in plasma produced excellent percent recoveries and good sample clean-up, while the ion-pairing separation described here allowed quantitation of timolol without interference from endogenous sample components. The method lower limit of detection was 1.7 ng/mL and the lower limit of quantitation was 5.0 ng/mL, allowing for analysis of therapeutic concentrations of timolol in plasma.
Fear in Greek and Sanskrit Drama

This essay compares Greek and Sanskrit drama from the perspective of their aesthetic aims. It examines briefly the role of pity and fear in Aristotle as a point of departure for a more general study of emotion in Sanskrit drama, where fear comprises but one mood sought in the aesthetic experience. The discussion is based on the theoretical understanding of drama as elucidated by Bharata in the Nāţyaśāstra and Abhinavagupta in his commentary to this work.
New Reconstruction of Cranial Musculature in Ornithischian Dinosaurs: Implications for Feeding Mechanisms and Buccal Anatomy

The charismatic and diverse ornithischian dinosaurs exhibited some of the most extreme examples of cranial anatomy, inspiring decades of investigation into their muscular anatomy. Current ornithischian jaw muscle reconstructions, although parsimonious, pose concerns of small adductor muscles and caudally displaced insertions relative to mandibular proportions. Here, craniomandibular material of ornithischian genera spanning all subclades is reexamined for osteological correlates indicative of intracranial and oral soft tissues. M. adductor mandibulae externus (mAME) has traditionally been reconstructed as solely inserting along the caudal margin of the coronoid process for jaw closure. Here, a new mAME reconstruction is proposed in derived ornithischians, with the superficial-most mAME layer reconstructed as a rostrolabial expansion of muscle, exiting the cranium rostroventrally beneath a unique, laterally flaring jugal and inserting along the lateral surface of the coronoid process and its rostrally extending, shelf-like labial dentary ridge (LDR). Through previous dental microwear and morphological studies, ceratopsians, hadrosaurids, and ankylosaurs are known to have implemented a major palinal feeding component in their jaw motions, unlike other primarily basal ornithischians. This rostral fan-like extension of muscle in these derived clades would create a greater mandibular support system and mechanical advantage along the labial margin of the jaw, cradling the entire mandible while lifting it up into occlusion and retracting it. In hadrosaurids and ankylosaurs, this rostrolabially expanding muscle also acts in medial rotation of the dentaries about their long axes. With these new reconstructions, the notion of a novel, unparsimonious "cheek" muscle is rejected, with further discussion of plausible buccal soft tissues. Anat Rec, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Anat Rec, 303:347-362, 2020. © 2018 American Association for Anatomy.
The first cohort of prospective Fontan surgical planning patients with follow-up data: How accurate is surgical planning?

Abstract Objective Fontan surgical planning is an image-based, collaborative effort, which is hypothesized to result in improved patient outcomes. A common motivation for Fontan surgical planning is the progression (or concern for progression) of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of surgical planning predictions, specifically hepatic flow distribution (HFD), a known factor in pulmonary arteriovenous malformation progression, and identify methodological improvements needed to increase prediction accuracy. Methods Twelve single-ventricle patients who were enrolled in a surgical planning protocol for Fontan surgery with pre- and postoperative cardiac imaging were included in this study. Computational fluid dynamics were used to compare HFD in the surgical planning prediction and actual postoperative conditions. Results Overall, HFD prediction error was 17 ± 13%. This error was similar between surgery types (15 ± 18% and 18 ± 10% for revisions vs Fontan completions respectively; P = .73), but was significantly lower (6 ± 7%; P = .05) for hepatic to azygous shunts. Y-grafts and extracardiac conduits showed a strong correlation between prediction error and discrepancies in graft insertion points (r = 0.99; P Conclusions Although Fontan surgical planning can offer accurate HFD predictions for specific graft types, methodological improvements are needed to increase overall accuracy. Specifically, improving postoperative anatomy prediction was shown to be an important target for future work. Future efforts and refinements to the surgical planning process will benefit from an improved understanding of the current state and will rely heavily on increased follow-up data.
Villous adenoma depletion syndrome. Evidence for a cyclic nucleotide-mediated diarrhea.

Massive secretory diarrhea is associated with some villous adenomas. The mechanism of this secretion is unknown but the character of the diarrhea resembles that of cyclic nucleotide-mediated diarrheas. We have compared the cyclic nucleotide metabolism of a large secretory villous adenoma with a nonsecretory villous adenoma, a solid, carcinoma and their normal mucosae. The adenylate cyclase, cyclic AMP content, and a cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase ratios in the secretory tumor were increased as compared to these values in the nonsecretory tumors and normal mucosae, a situation similar to that seen with cholera toxin-induced diarrhea. Our data suggest that the massive diarrhea in our patient with a secretory villous adenoma may be related to increased adenylate cyclase activity.
Higher incidence of acute lymphoblastic leukemia among adult hispanics in the Unites States.

2504 The incidence of childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in United States varies among different ethnic groups and has been shown to be highest in Hispanics. However little information has been published on the incidence of ALL in adults in the United States. We use data from the SEER registry (1990-2003) and California Cancer Registry (1998-2002) programs to document incidence of ALL among various ethnic groups. Materials and Methods: Both age-specific (5-year age groups) and age-adjusted incidence rates (AAIR) were calculated by gender and race/ethnicity using SEER registry data for the period 1990-2003. AAIR were also calculated for each year by gender and race/ethnicity for broad age groups (0-19 years, 20-54 years, 55 years or older). AAIR were calculated by socio-economic status (SES) and gender for the period 1998-2002 using California data. Results: During 1990-2003, AAIRs of ALL were higher in males than females and higher among Hispanic whites than other racial/ethnic groups overall, and across broad age groups. Overall incidence rates per 100,000 population were as follows: Hispanic White males 2.33, Hispanic White females 1.90, non-Hispanic white males 1.66 cases, non-Hispanic white females 1.23, Black males 0.94, and Black females 0.73. Age specific rates were highest among children 0-19 years for each racial/ethnic group. For each year during the 1990-2003 year period, AAIRs overall and by age-group were higher among Hispanic whites than among Blacks or non-Hispanic Whites. These results were consistent across SES categories within the California data with incidence rates highest among Hispanic whites in each SES group. Incidence rates per 100,000 population were 2.54 among male Hispanics of the highest SES, 2.38 among those of intermediate SES, and 2.47among Hispanics of the lowest SES. In comparison, AAIRs of ALL among non-Hispanic Whites at high, intermediate and low SES ranged between 1.73 and 1.45 cases per 100,000 population. Conclusion: Utilizing population-based data from the California Cancer Registry (1998-2002) and the SEER program (1990-2003), Hispanic Whites had higher risk of ALL than Blacks or non-Hispanic Whites regardless of socio-economic status or year of diagnosis. Of note, Hispanic whites not only have the highest incidence rates of ALL among children, but they also have the highest rates of adult onset ALL. The causes of most types of ALL remain elusive but are likely to involve an interaction between inherited susceptibility, environment, and hematopoietic development . Studies are needed to determine whether variation in exposure and polymorphisms in the genes that are important in the detoxifying pathway for environmental mutagens account for the higher risk among Hispanic adults.
Deformable mapping using biomechanical models to relate corresponding lesions in digital breast tomosynthesis and automated breast ultrasound images.

Abstract This work investigates the application of a deformable localization/mapping method to register lesions between the digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) craniocaudal (CC) and mediolateral oblique (MLO) views and automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) images. This method was initially validated using compressible breast phantoms. This methodology was applied to 7 patient data sets containing 9 lesions. The automated deformable mapping algorithm uses finite element modeling and analysis to determine corresponding lesions based on the distance between their centers of mass (dCOM) in the deformed DBT model and the reference ABUS model. This technique shows that location information based on external fiducial markers is helpful in the improvement of registration results. However, use of external markers are not required for deformable registration results described by this methodology. For DBT (CC view) mapped to ABUS, the mean dCOM was 14.9 ± 6.8 mm based on 9 lesions using 6 markers in deformable analysis. For DBT (MLO view) mapped to ABUS, the mean dCOM was 13.7 ± 6.8 mm based on 8 lesions using 6 markers in analysis. Both DBT views registered to ABUS lesions showed statistically significant improvements (p ≤ 0.05) in registration using the deformable technique in comparison to a rigid registration. Application of this methodology could help improve a radiologist's characterization and accuracy in relating corresponding lesions between DBT and ABUS image datasets, especially for cases of high breast densities and multiple masses.
Predictors of Unmet Need Among Informal Caregivers.

Objectives This study investigates the relationship of caregiver demographics, caregiving intensity, caregiver support use, and aspects of the caregiving situation to a self-reported measure of unmet need among U.S. informal caregivers of older adults living at home with various conditions. Methods Response data from 1,558 caregiver participants interviewed by telephone during the December 2016 baseline period of the Outcome Evaluation of the National Family Caregiver Support Program were used. Caregivers who responded "Definitely No" to the question "Are you receiving all the help you need?" were classified as reporting unmet need. Logistic regression was used to find significant factors associated with unmet need among the full sample and among caregivers tiered by three levels of burden. Results Unmet need was reported by 22% of the caregivers. In a fully adjusted model, unmet need was predicted by higher levels of caregiving intensity, non-White race of the caregiver, and the caregiver not feeling appreciated by their care recipient. Other predictors associated with unmet need were no use of caregiver educational services, fewer respite hours, not living in a rural area, and caregiver having an education past high school. Discussion Caregivers who do not feel appreciated by their care recipient and non-White caregivers should be identified as potential targets for intervention to address unmet need, especially if they are also reporting higher levels of caregiver burden. Understanding the factors associated with self-reported unmet need can assist caregiver support programs in measuring and addressing the needs of informal caregivers to support their continued caregiving.
Corn yield response to sub-surface banded starter fertilizer in the U.S.: A meta-analysis

Abstract Sub-surface fertilizer application at planting (i.e., starter fertilization) is a common practice in U.S. corn (Zea Mays L.) production to improve early-season nutrient uptake, nutrient use efficiency, and plant growth, especially under cool and moist spring soil conditions. However, yield increases from starter applications can vary across production systems and environments. Here, we use a meta-analysis approach to quantify and generalize corn yield responses to sub-surface starter fertilizer applications in the U.S. and to understand the management and environmental factors that drive variability in corn yield response across previously published research. This meta-analysis summarizes peer-reviewed research from the U.S. published between 1990 and 2019. The dataset encompasses 474 observations from 23 studies conducted in various locations and includes information regarding management practices used and soil and weather conditions. We calculated effect size as the natural log of the response ratio, with the response ratio determined as corn yield with a starter fertilizer application containing nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) or N, P and potassium (K) relative to corn yield without a starter fertilizer application. Additionally, we investigated the impact of potential moderator variables on corn response to sub-surface starter fertilization (e.g. agronomic practices, soil properties, and weather conditions). On average, fertilizer sub-surface applied in the furrow or banded 5 cm to the side and 5 cm below the seed at planting increased corn yield by 5.2 %. Corn response to starter fertilization was consistent across many agronomic and environmental conditions including different tillage systems, previous crops, soil textures, and planting season weather conditions. Yield benefits decreased with increasing soil test P and K levels. Nevertheless, yield increases from starter fertilization occurred with soil test levels up to 500 % and 300 % of the P and K critical levels, respectively. In addition, corn yield benefits from starter fertilization decreased as corn planting density increased and as corn yield level decreased. Overall, this meta-analysis provides support for the use of sub-surface starter fertilizer applications to improve corn yield.
Active Existential in Lithuanian: Remarks on Burzio’s Generalization

Evidence from the Lithuanian active existential construction shows that Lithuanian has a type of VoiceP that assigns structural accusative case in the absence of a syntactically projected implicit argument in Spec,VoiceP. This construction violates Burzio’s (1986) Generalization and its later versions (e.g., Marantz 1991, Kratzer 1994, 1996, Woolford 2003, McFadden 2004, Legate 2014). This article offers a revised version of Burzio’s Generalization by proposing that while accusative case must be assigned by a thematic Voice, the assignment of accusative case by Voice may vary independently from the selection of a specifier
Toward a taxonomy of adaptivity for learning

Adaptive learning and personalization have long been of great interest to learning designers and educators, and recent technological advances that have opened up a range of new possibilities for ad...
Energy Management for Electric Aircraft via Optimal Control: Cruise Phase

The demand for energy savings and reducing environmental and noise impact has lead to an unprecedented interest and rapid development of electric aircraft technology. In order to improve the efficiency of an All-Electric Aircraft (AEA) during the cruise phase, this paper formulates the corresponding energy optimization as an optimal control problem (OCP). The OCP is formulated around minimizing the so-called Direct Operating Cost (DOC), a combination of time-related and battery charge costs. It is shown that this OCP leads to a singular control structure when the thrust is taken as the control input. We then proceed to derive the analytical solution on the singular arc using the Pontryagin’s Minimum Principle (PMP); moreover, the control structure and "junction" points are obtained through the numerical solver Tomlab. One of the main contributions of this work is considering the impact of the battery dynamics on the overall operating cost. In particular, by implementing the so-called Empirical Circuit Model (ECM) for the battery in our problem setup, we provide a comparative analysis on the effect of the battery modeling on the resulting optimal thrust profile.
Dynamic Sealing Using Magnetorheological Fluids

One obstacle in developing micropumps is their extremely low efficiency, compared to their macroscale counterparts. Thus the authors explore a dynamic sealing method for microhydraulic systems, using magnetorheological (MR) fluids: To minimize backflow under particular conditions, they identify the optimal combination of parameters, which occurs at the transition from attached to detached plug flow. This leads to a design space for gear pumps that can achieve high efficiency and accuracy, using current mechanical architectures and tolerances. Also, the optimal magnetic field intensity is investigated for different working conditions, and a metric for effectiveness is proposed.
Systems Engineering in the Information Age: The Challenge of Mega-Systems

Abstract : As it makes the transition from the industrial age to the information age, the Department of Defense, like other government agencies and indeed like the global business community as a whole, is moving aggressively to leverage and capitalize on advances in information technologies. The result is a clear trend away from stand-alone component systems to ones that are richly interconnected and increasingly interdependent. We call these mega-systems. This paper focuses on the engineering of this class of systems which is characterized by increasing scale, the nature and pace of change of the technologies involved, the complexity of system interactions and, perhaps most important, the fact that a single organization rarely owns and has complete control over the mega-system. We hypothesize that engineering these mega-systems is inherently different from engineering large-scale but essentially well-bounded monolithic systems. We develop a framework to understand the differences between well-bounded systems and this new class of systems. On the basis of these insights, we propose an approach to engineering mega-systems that emphasizes experimentation over rigorous requirements definition and continuous evolution over a "grand design".
Recency of faulting and subsurface architecture of the San Diego Bay pull-apart basin, California, USA

In Southern California, plate boundary motion between the North American and Pacific plates is distributed across several sub-parallel fault systems. The offshore faults of the California Continental Borderland (CCB) are thought to accommodate ~10-15% of the total plate boundary motion, but the exact distribution of slip and the mechanics of slip partitioning remain uncertain. The Newport-Inglewood-Rose Canyon fault is the easternmost fault within the CCB whose southern segment splays out into a complex network of faults beneath San Diego Bay. A pull-apart basin model between the Rose Canyon and the offshore Descanso fault has been used to explain prominent fault orientations and subsidence beneath San Diego Bay; however, this model does not account for faults in the southern portion of the bay or faulting east of the bay. To investigate the characteristics of faulting and stratigraphic architecture beneath San Diego Bay, we combined a suite of reprocessed legacy airgun multi-channel seismic profiles and high-resolution Chirp data, with age and lithology controls from geotechnical boreholes and shallow sub-surface vibracores. This combined dataset is used to create gridded horizon surfaces, fault maps, and perform a kinematic fault analysis. The structure beneath San Diego Bay is dominated by down-to-the-east motion on normal faults that can be separated into two distinct groups. The strikes of these two fault groups can be explained with a double pull-apart basin model for San Diego Bay. In our conceptual model, the western portion of San Diego Bay is controlled by a right-step between the Rose Canyon and Descanso faults, which matches both observations and predictions from laboratory models. The eastern portion of San Diego Bay appears to be controlled by an inferred step-over between the Rose Canyon and San Miguel-Vallecitos faults and displays distinct fault strike orientations, which kinematic analysis indicates should have a significant component of strike-slip partitioning that is not detectable in the seismic data. The potential of a Rose Canyon-San Miguel-Vallecitos fault connection would effectively cut the stepover distance in half and have important implications for the seismic hazard of the San Diego-Tijuana metropolitan area (population ~3 million people).
UNIT 14B.1 Cell Culture Assay for Transient Replication of Human and Animal Papillomaviruses

This unit contains protocols for evaluation of replication functionality of papillomavirus genomes or subgenomic fragments. Replication is measured after transient cotransfection of the genome (or subgenomic fragment) with expression vectors encoding the viral E1 and E2 proteins. Input DNA is methylated at the adenine of GATC sequences by propagation in E. coli. DNA that replicates in mammalian cells will lose the adenine methylation and become DpnI-resistant, while residual methylated input DNA will remain DpnI-sensitive. After transfection, DNA extraction, and DpnI digestion, replicated DNA can be detected by Southern blotting as a full-length plasmid, since it is resistant to digestion. This assay can be used to map the genomic location of a functional origin or to evaluate replication activity of mutations in either the origin DNA sequences or the E1 or E2 proteins. Curr. Protoc. Microbiol. 24:14B.1.1-14B.1.18. © 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keywords: replication; transfection; HIRT extraction; Southern blot; papillomaviruses
A novel Iowa-Mayo validated composite risk assessment tool for allogeneic stem cell transplantation survival outcome prediction.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a curative option for many hematologic conditions and is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Therefore, prognostic tools are essential to navigate the complex patient, disease, donor, and transplant characteristics that differentially influence outcomes. We developed a novel, comprehensive composite prognostic tool. Using a lasso-penalized Cox regression model (n = 273), performance status, HCT-CI, refined disease-risk index (rDRI), donor and recipient CMV status, and donor age were identified as predictors of disease-free survival (DFS). The results for overall survival (OS) were similar except for recipient CMV status not being included in the model. Models were validated in an external dataset (n = 378) and resulted in a c-statistic of 0.61 and 0.62 for DFS and OS, respectively. Importantly, this tool incorporates donor age as a variable, which has an important role in HSCT outcomes. This needs to be further studied in prospective models. An easy-to-use and a web-based nomogram can be accessed here: https://allohsctsurvivalcalc.iowa.uiowa.edu/ .