cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Phase 1 Study of Bendamustine and Melphalan Conditioning for Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation in Multiple Myeloma

Abstract Bendamustine has efficacy in multiple myeloma with a toxicity profile limited to myelosuppression. We hypothesized that adding bendamustine to autologous stem cell transplant conditioning in myeloma would enhance response without significant additional toxicity. We conducted a phase 1 trial adding escalating doses of bendamustine to the current standard conditioning of melphalan 200 mg/m2. Twenty-five subjects were enrolled into 6 cohorts. A maximum tolerated dose was not encountered and the highest dose level cohort of bendamustine 225 mg/m2 + melphalan 200 mg/m2 was expanded to further evaluate safety. Overall, there was no transplant related mortality and only one grade 4 dose-limiting toxicity was observed. Median number of days to neutrophil and platelet engraftment were 11 (range, 9 to 14) and 13 (range, 10 to 21), respectively. Disease responses at day +100 posttransplantation were progression in 5 (21%), partial response in 1 (4%), very good partial response in 7 (33%), complete response in 1 (4%), and stringent complete response in 9 (38%). Six patients (24%) with pre-existing high-risk disease died from progressive myeloma during study follow-up, all at or beyond 100 days after autologous stem cell transplant. Bendamustine up to a dose of 225 mg/m2 added to autologous stem cell transplantation conditioning with high-dose melphalan in patients with multiple myeloma did not exacerbate expected toxicities.
Molecular nitrogen Carroll‐Yoshino v′ = 0 emission in the thermospheric dayglow as seen by the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer

[1] Molecular nitrogen (N2) Carroll-Yoshino excitation is of considerable interest in the analysis of EUV-FUV observations obtained from several solar system objects (Earth, Titan, and Triton). The fundamental c4′(0, 0) band at 958 A is a strong transition excited by photoelectron impact and hence is bright under optically thin conditions. On Earth c4′(0, 0) is optically thick near the altitude of peak photoelectron excitation and the emergent (0, 0) emission is weak. Past analyses of EUV airglow spectra focused on the roles of (0, v″ ≤ 2) photon redistribution and predissociation enhancement resulting from multiple scattering in accounting for reduced emission. The role of (0, v″ > 2) fluorescence was deemed minor. Now, high-resolution dayglow measurements by the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) made in September 1999 reveal c4′(0, v″ = 6–9) fluorescence bands much brighter than expected. The results of an analysis of FUSE dayside disk measurements are presented, and the observed (0, v″) emission is discussed in the context of results from a multiple scattering model. The c4′(0, 9) band in particular stands out as a potentially useful remote sensing observable.
Further Reflections on Archeological Interpretation1

THIS paper is a somewhat expanded version of an attempt to explain to European colleagues some of the elements of anthropological method and theory that underlie and condition the thinking of American anthropologists. In its original form (Ehrich 1961) it appeared as a contribution to the issue of Pamatky Archeologicke honoring the late Dr. Jaroslav Bohm, the Director of the Archaeological Institute of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences. Since Dr. Bohm was not only interested in methodological problems but had also contributed to the field (Bohm 1953; 1961), this seemed an appropriate topic. In the United States, archeology forms one of the subdivisions of that larger discipline which we call Cultural Anthropology, and the overwhelming majority of archeologists trained here today, with the exception of most Classical archeologists, Egyptologists, Medievalists, and a few other specialists, receive a thorough grounding in this subject. It thus becomes necessary to restate, in broad terms, the content of anthropology in the British and American sense, and the position of archeology within it (Ehrich 1950; 1958a; 1958b) before we explore the theoretical and methodological implications of this relationship in greater detail. Our summary definition of anthropology, then, is that it is the comparative study of man and his works. This of itself divides the subject into two major parts: Physical Anthropology, or man viewed as a biological organism in the meaning attached to the simple term anthropology in other European languages; and Cultural Anthropology, which comprises ethnology and archeology. If we accept "the comparative study of peoples and cultures" as a valid description of ethnology, we can then subdivide it further into its two major orientations which respectively have historical and nonhistorical objectives. The goals of historical ethnology are to reconstruct the actual history of cultural development both in general and in particular instances and to gain an understanding of the laws and processes which may be involved. The nonhistorical schools of ethnology, on the other hand, are much more concerned with the actual functioning of individual cultures, the interrelationship of their parts, the differential effects of people on their own ways of life, and the effects that particular cultural outlooks and practices have on the development of people within a given society. The information for these nonhistorically oriented studies normally derives from the discipline of ethnography, which entails the detailed analysis of individual cultures. Although the ethnographer primarily describes directly observable phenomena or attitudes via informants, he is interested in current cultural processes, while analysis of multiple ethno-
Online Tracking and Reacquisition Using Co-trained Generative and Discriminative Trackers

Visual tracking is a challenging problem, as an object may change its appearance due to viewpoint variations, illumination changes, and occlusion. Also, an object may leave the field of view and then reappear. In order to track and reacquire an unknown object with limited labeling data, we propose to learn these changes online and build a model that describes all seen appearance while tracking. To address this semi-supervised learning problem, we propose a co-training based approach to continuously label incoming data and online update a hybrid discriminative generative model. The generative model uses a number of low dimension linear subspaces to describe the appearance of the object. In order to reacquire an object, the generative model encodes all the appearance variations that have been seen. A discriminative classifier is implemented as an online support vector machine, which is trained to focus on recent appearance variations. The online co-training of this hybrid approach accounts for appearance changes and allows reacquisition of an object after total occlusion. We demonstrate that under challenging situations, this method has strong reacquisition ability and robustness to distracters in background.
Genotoxin-Induced Apoptosis: Implications for Carcinogenesis

Apoptosis is thought to be a programmed form of cell death which, when balanced by cell proliferation, contributes to the regulation of tissue homeostasis (1). An imbalance between apoptosis and proliferation may be a factor in tumorigenesis. Apoptosis differs from necrosis both morphologically and biochemically. Necrotic cells exhibit an early loss of the ionic gradient across the cell membrane and non-cell cycle dependent random DNA degradation subsequent to release of lysosomal enzymes (1, 2). in contrast, cells dying by apoptosis maintain ionic gradients and characteristically exhibit internucleosomal DNA fragmentation (IDF) before the loss of cell membrane integrity occurs (3). IDF results from the activation of a nuclear, Ca2+/Mg2+ dependent or pH sensitive endonuclease, possibly DNase I or II (4). Apoptosis appears to be related to arrest of the cell cycle (3, 5, 6). Induction of apoptosis often requires a proliferative stimulus and can be thought of as process of abortive mitosis.
(207) A Prospective Study of Catheter-Related Complications of Intrathecal Drug Delivery Systems

Intrathecal drug administration via implanted pump is an effective treatment for intractable pain and spasticity but can be compromised by catheter-related complications. To determine the etiology of catheter-related complications, we have studied prospectively the long-term performance of a one-piece catheter system. Data pertaining to catheter-related complications were collected at implant and at specified times during the follow-up period. Catheter implantation characteristics which might affect complications were assessed. Two-hundred nine patients were studied, with 1764 cumulative patient-months of catheter experience. Forty-nine catheter system complications occurred in 37 patients (7 complications related to the catheter itself, and 42 complications related to the implantation procedure). The nine month complication-free “survival” rate was 78.9% overall (95.5% for the catheter itself ). In the subset of 46 patients completing full 2-year follow-up, there were only two late-onset catheter-related complications. No specific catheter implantation characteristics were associated with the occurrence of complications. These data indicate that the incidence of complications for a one-piece catheter system is similar to that of commercially available two-piece systems, most complications are related to the implant procedure, and the incidence of long-term complications is very low. The data highlight the need for careful surgical technique during implantation of drug infusion systems. (Reprinted by permission of Elsevier Science from A Prospective Study of Catheter Related Complications of Intrathecal Drug Delivery Systems, by Follet KA and Naumann CP, Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, volume 19, pages 209–215,
LTR_STRUC: a novel search and identification program for LTR retrotransposons

Motivation: Long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons constitute a substantial fraction of most eukaryotic genomes and are believed to have a significant impact on genome structure and function. Conventional methods used to search for LTR retrotransposons in genome databases are labor intensive. We present an efficient, reliable and automated method to identify and analyze members of this important class of transposable elements. Results: We have developed a new data-mining program, LTR STRUC (LTR retrotransposon structure program) which identifies and automatically analyzes LT Rr etrotransposons in genome databases by searching for structural features characteristic of such elements. LTR STRUC has significant advantages over conventional search methods in the case of LTR retrotransposon families having low sequence homology to known queries or families with atypical structure (e.g. non-autonomous elements lacking canonical retroviral ORFs) and is thus a discovery tool that complements established methods. LTR STRUC finds LTR retrotransposons using an algorithm that encompasses a number of tasks that would otherwise have to be initiated individually by the user. Fo re ach LTR retrotransposon found, LTR STRUC automatically generates an analysis of a variety of structural features of biological interest. Availability: The LTR STRUC program is currently available as a console application free of charge to academic users from the authors.
Variety of foods and flavors affects selection of foraging location by sheep

Our objective was to determine if variety of dietary flavors and ingredients affected selection of foraging locations by sheep. We hypothesized lambs would forage in locations that offered a variety of flavors and/or nutritional characteristics and on foods that differed from their basal diet. We tested this hypothesis in four trials. During Trial 1, lambs were fed a basal ration of alfalfa pellets (2.41 Mcal/kg DE, 18% CP), and then offered a test diet that was a ground mixture of 58% barley, 20% alfalfa, 17% grape pomace, 4% soybean meal, and 1% minerals (2.69 Mcal/kg DE and 14.7% CP). The test diet was offered at two different locations, one that provided the diet with a variety of added flavors (apple, anise, unadulterated) and the other that provided the diet in only the most preferred flavor (apple or anise). Procedures were the same during Trial 2, except the basal ration and the test diet were the same and different flavors were offered at the variety (apple, anise, fresh forage) and monotony (fresh forage) locations. During Trial 1, when the test diet differed from the basal diet, variety of flavors did not affect foraging location (P>0.05), but during Trial 2, when the basal diet was identical to the test diet, lambs preferred to forage where there was a variety of flavors (P<0.05). During Trials 3 and 4, the test diet was offered in different flavors along with alfalfa pellets (Trial 3) or ground alfalfa (Trial 4) at the variety location, whereas the test diet was offered in the preferred flavor at the monotony location. During Trial 3, lambs spent more time at the variety location, and they ate more pellets than the ground test diet, even though the test diet had higher concentration of energy (P<0.05), evidently because macro-nutrients consumed/unit time was greater for pellets than for the ground test diet. In Trial 4, lambs spent more time and ate more food where there was variety of foods and flavors (P<0.05), apparently because alfalfa and the test diet were complementary in flavor and nutrition. Collectively, our results suggest lambs selected foraging locations based primarily on nutritional factors, but when nutrient content was constant, variety of flavors was important.
Resummation effects in the search of standard model Higgs boson at hadron colliders

We examine the soft-gluon resummation effects, including the exact spin correlations among the final state particles, in the search of the standard model Higgs boson, via the process $gg\ensuremath{\rightarrow}H\ensuremath{\rightarrow}WW/ZZ\ensuremath{\rightarrow}4$ leptons, at the Tevatron and the LHC. A comparison between the resummation and the next-to-leading order (NLO) calculation is performed after imposing various kinematics cuts suggested in the literature for the Higgs boson search. For the $H\ensuremath{\rightarrow}ZZ$ mode, the resummation effects increase the acceptance of the signal events by about 25%, as compared to the NLO prediction, and dramatically alter various kinematics distributions of the final state leptons. For the $H\ensuremath{\rightarrow}WW$ mode, the acceptance rates of the signal events predicted by the resummation and NLO calculations are almost the same, but some of the predicted kinematical distributions are quite different. Thus, to precisely determine the properties of the Higgs boson at hadron colliders, the soft-gluon resummation effects have to be taken into account.
Rapid genetic restoration of a keystone species exhibiting delayed demographic response

Genetic founder effects are often expected when animals colonize restored habitat in fragmented landscapes, but empirical data on genetic responses to restoration are limited. We examined the genetic response of banner-tailed kangaroo rats (Dipodomys spectabilis) to landscape-scale grassland restoration in the Chihuahuan Desert of New Mexico, USA. Dipodomys spectabilis is a grassland specialist and keystone species. At sites treated with herbicide to remove shrubs, colonization by D. spectabilis is slow and populations persist at low density for ≥10 years (≥6 generations). Persistence at low density and low gene flow may cause strong founder effects. We compared genetic structure of D. spectabilis populations between treated sites and remnant grasslands, and we examined how the genetic response to restoration depended on treatment age, area, and connectivity to source populations. Allelic richness and heterozygosity were similar between treated sites and remnant grasslands. Allelic richness at treated sites was greatest early in the restoration trajectory, and genetic divergence did not differ between recently colonized and established populations. These results indicated that founder effects during colonization of treated sites were weak or absent. Moreover, our results suggested founder effects were not mitigated by treatment area or connectivity. Dispersal is negatively density-dependent in D. spectabilis, and we hypothesize that high gene flow may occur early in the restoration trajectory when density is low. Our study shows genetic diversity can be recovered more rapidly than demographic components of populations after habitat restoration and that founder effects are not inevitable for animals colonizing restored habitat in fragmented landscapes.
Improving Fitness to Achieve Health: Shifting the Focus From Theory to Practice∗

Physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) represent complementary metrics of physiologic health, both of which are associated with substantial reductions in cardiovascular disease risk. While physical activity is a behavior generally measured using subjective methods, CRF is a metric of
SULFAMOYLATION OF ESTER ENOLATE ANIONS

Abstract Stabilized carbanions such as the α-carbanions of carboxylic acid esters react with sulfamoyl chlorides by nucleophilic displacement at chlorine which results in chlorination of the carbanion. Thus direct sulfamoylation of these carbanions with sulfamoyl chlorides fails. Conversion of sulfamoyl chlorides to N-sulfonylamines followed by addition of carbanions at -78°C results in sulfamoylation of the carbanion. The method has not been successful with carbanions from diethyl acetamidomalonate and ethyl diphenylacetate.
Business development programs for farmers assisted by sci-tech commissioners as practiced in Fujian

This paper explains and analyzes the four programs applied by the sci-tech commissioners in Fujian to assist the farmers for their business development.These models included(a) farmer's cooperative organization,(b) demonstration stations,(c) contract operations and(d) entrepreneurship.Through evaluation on the characteristics,approaches,successful experiences,and advantages and shortcomings of these models,the author offers his recommendations.
Pipeline Embolization Device for Recurrent Cerebral Aneurysms after Microsurgical Clipping.

Background Microsurgical clipping is regarded as the most durable treatment for cerebral aneurysms. Aneurysm recurrence after clipping is uncommon and is associated with an increased risk of rupture. Reoperation for recurrent cerebral aneurysms is particularly challenging because of adhesions and scaring, and it carries a higher rate of morbidity and mortality. Pipeline embolization as a treatment option for recurrent aneurysms has rarely been reported. Methods A retrospective analysis of patients who underwent Pipeline Embolization Device (PED) placement for recurrent aneurysms after clipping at two major academic institutions in the United States was performed. Results Seven patients were identified. The median time between initial clipping and diagnosis of recurrence was 13 years (range, 5–20 years). No morbidity or mortality was associated with PED placement. Complete occlusion was achieved in all patients with imaging follow-up. A history of prior clipping did not affect PED placement or outcome. Conclusions PED for recurrent aneurysms after clipping may be a feasible alternative to reoperation. In our experience, treatment with PED for these aneurysms is safe and efficacious.
Introduction: Interrupting the Harlot’s Progress

Pursued by men who judge her to be a “woman of pleasure”, Frances Burney’s eponymous heroine races through the Vauxhall sequences of Evelina (1778). Her first encounter with threatened sexual violence occurs after she and her Branghton cousins are surrounded by “a large party of gentlemen, apparently very riotous, and who were hallowing, leaning on one another, and laughing immoderately” (195). They “enclose” Evelina and her companions in a “circle” and “keep them prisoner” until one of the men draws the heroine toward him. Although Evelina eludes her first captor, a headlong escape puts her in the path of yet another threat. The heroine breathlessly recounts the second encounter: … with a swiftness which fear only could have given me, I flew rather than ran up the walk, […] I was met by another party of men, one of whom placed himself so directly in my way, calling out, “Whither so fast, my love?” — that I could only have proceeded, by running into his arms. In a moment, both my hands, by different persons, were caught hold of; and one of them, in a most familiar manner, desired to accompany me in a race, when I ran next; while the rest of the party stood still and laughed. (196)
The application of a cladistic analysis to the classification and identification of Weinmannia (Cunoniaceae) in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands

Les especes malgaches de Weinmannia sont actuellement difficiles a identifier avec les publications disponibles en raison a la fois de la pauvrete des caracteres qualificatifs utilises dans les cles d'identification et d'un nombre eleve d'especes non decrites. Cependant, des caracteres morphologiques nouvellement reconnus, en particulier ceux de l'inflorescence, peuvent ere utilises pour les diagnoses des sections et des groupes d'especes malgaches. Ces caracteres, employes precedemment pour une analyse cladistique du genre Weinmannia (BRADFORD 1998) sont appliques ici dans les diagnoses et une cle de determination des sections et groupes d'especes de Weinmannia a Madagascar.
What is judicial supremacy

Judicial supremacy is a concept frequently employed in both domestic and comparative constitutional theory but rarely carefully defined and systematically analyzed. Scholars typically either assume its meaning or quickly state how they are using the term before warming to their major theme, focusing on some other aspect of judicial supremacy: how did it emerge, what explains its acceptance by other branches of government, is it or should it be tempered in practice by courts not straying too far from the popular will, is it a good, bad, or practically necessary feature of a constitutional system? Jeremy Waldron's observation that the term has "no canonical definition" suggests that it is not always used in uniform fashion but rather in somewhat different ways in different contexts. Moreover, this range of uses helps to explain why, on only slightly closer inspection, various critics or skeptics of "judicial supremacy" around the world ― departmentalists, "hollow hopers," constitutional dialogists ― do not all seem to be making the same point, but appear to be interlocutors in a number of discrete conversations, differing in both the type and content of their arguments and the positions they are marshaled to support.This chapter attempts to provide the systematic analysis of the concept that is mostly missing and that is a prerequisite for understanding and assessing the several debates in which it plays a central role. It also aims to evaluate its usefulness as a concept in the toolbox of comparative constitutional theory. Part II identifies and disaggregates four distinct senses or conceptions of judicial supremacy in the relevant literatures, what I shall refer to as "interpretive," "attitudinal," "decisional," and "political supremacy" respectively. It also shows that corresponding to each of the meanings is a distinct opposing or skeptical position. Part III illustrates the multiple meanings by looking at recent resolutions of the same-sex marriage issue by different institutions and mechanisms ― courts, legislatures, popular referenda, courts and legislatures ― in many constitutional systems over the past decade. Part IV attempts to asses the utility of judicial supremacy as a concept in comparative constitutional theory by asking what and how much is at stake in the debates between each conception and its critics. The chapter concludes that, as delimited by the four senses identified, although not as sometimes exaggerated or conflated, it is indeed a useful, non-unitary concept. Its essential status in the field, however, likely turns on further comparative experience.
Children's Use of Memory Editing Strategies to Reject Source Misinformation.

This is the first reported study of children's use of two metacognitive strategies, recollection rejection and diagnostic monitoring, to reject misinformation. Recollection rejection involves the retrieval of details that disqualify an event, whereas diagnostic monitoring involves the failure to retrieve expected details. First (n = 56, age 7 years) and third graders (n = 52, age 9 years) witnessed a staged classroom interaction involving common and bizarre accidents, were presented with misinformation about the source of these events, and took a memory test. Both age groups used recollection rejection, but third graders were more effective. There was little evidence that diagnostic monitoring influenced responses for bizarre events, potentially because these events were not sufficiently bizarre in the context of the stereotype induction.
Growth is Much More than Just a Strategy: It's a System

This note states that growth research demonstrates that growth is much more than a strategy and it happens when the right kind of leadership, internal environment and processes come together to create a small-company-entrepreneurial soul in a large-company body. The Growth System Assessment Tool that illuminates the presence of growth inhibitors, nonalignment, and bad growth behaviors is discussed, and students are provided with a mini-assessment model of this tool to use to start thinking about how to create their own System for enabling and promoting growth mindsets and behaviors. Excerpt UVA-S-0197 Rev. Oct. 10, 2011 Growth Is Much More Than Just a Strategy: It's A System Growth research has demonstrated that growth is much more than a strategy. Growth happens when the right kind of leadership, internal environment and processes come together to create a small-company-entrepreneurial soul in a large-company body. Growth requires experimental processes, an entrepreneurial mindset, iterative entrepreneurial learning, leadership that accepts entrepreneurial failures, and internal processes that mitigate the natural proclivities of human beings and organizations that inhibit growth. Growth is not a linear or reductionist process. It is a human process that is modeled better by biology and complexity theory than economics or physics. Growth is a change process that requires experimentation, learning and taking measured risks that can result in mistakes and failures—that contravenes the purpose of an organization, which is to produce standardization, predictability, reliability, and consistency. Growth requires the right mindsets, organizational environment, and processes. The mindsets, organizational environment, and processes that enable growth are different from the mindsets, internal environment, and processes that facilitate exploitative execution. That is the challenge—to manage those tensions or differences so that the result is both excellent growth exploration and exploitative execution. . . .
Cognitive Efficiency in Human–Machine Systems: Metrics of Display Effectiveness for Supporting Multitask Performance:

In this study, we define a metric for quantifying the cognitive efficiency (CE) of displays in human–machine systems and examine correlations between the metric and multitasking performance in a dr...
Biokinetic Analysis and Metabolic Fate of 2,4-D in 2,4-D-Resistant Soybean (Glycine max)

The Enlist weed control system allows the use of 2,4-D in soybean but slight necrosis in treated leaves may be observed in the field. The objectives of this research were to measure and compare uptake, translocation, and metabolism of 2,4-D in Enlist (E, resistant) and non-AAD-12 transformed (NT, sensitive) soybeans. The adjuvant from the Enlist Duo herbicide formulation (ADJ) increased 2,4-D uptake (36%) and displayed the fastest rate of uptake (U50= 0.2 h) among treatments. E soybean demonstrated a faster rate of 2,4-D metabolism (M50= 0.2 h) compared to NT soybean, but glyphosate did not affect 2,4-D metabolism. Metabolites of 2,4-D in E soybean were qualitatively different than NT. Applying 2,4-D-ethylhexyl ester instead of 2,4-D choline (a quaternary ammonium salt) eliminated visual injury to E soybean, likely due to the time required for initial de-esterification and bioactivation. Excessive 2,4-D acid concentrations in E soybean resulting from ADJ-increased uptake may significantly contribute to fo...
Dynamic VM allocation in a SaaS environment

Given the costs associated with a cloud infrastructure, dynamic scheduling of virtual machines (VMs) can significantly lower costs while providing an acceptable service level. We develop a series of forecasting models for predicting demand for VMs in a cloud-based software used as a software-as-a-service (SaaS). These models are then used in a periodic-review provision model which determines how many VMs should be provisioned or de-provision at each inspection interval. A simple provisioning heuristic model is also proposed, whereby a fixed reserve capacity of VMs is continuously maintained. We evaluate and compare the performance of these models for different model parameters using historical data from the Virtual Computing Laboratory (VCL) at North Carolina State University.
Evaluation of Rambouillet, Polypay, and Romanov-White Dorper × Rambouillet ewes mated to terminal sires in an extensive rangeland production system: Lamb production.

Ewe productivity (i.e., total number or weight of lambs weaned per breeding ewe) is a key indicator of lamb production efficiency. This study compared various measures of ewe productivity and ewe and lamb performance among ewes of 3 breed types mated to rams of 4 terminal-sire breed types in an extensive rangeland production system. Purebred Rambouillet ( = 212), purebred Polypay ( = 236), and crossbred Romanov-White Dorper × Rambouillet (RW-RA; = 231) ewes were produced from locally adapted Polypay and Rambouillet ewes and then annually mated to Columbia, Suffolk, Columbia × Suffolk, or Suffolk × Columbia sires for up to 4 yr, beginning at 1 yr of age. The cumulative number and weight of lambs weaned through 4 yr were greater for RW-RA (5.9 lambs and 153 kg, respectively) and Polypay ewes (4.9 lambs and 123 kg, respectively) than for Rambouillet ewes (2.9 lambs and 99 kg, respectively) and also were greater for RW-RA ewes than for Polypay ewes (all 0.74), but Suffolk-sired lambs had the heaviest adjusted birth weights ( = 0.01) and Columbia-sired lambs tended to have the lightest adjusted weaning weights ( = 0.12). Combined effects of heterosis and additive breed effects were associated with greater lambing rates in ewe lambs, larger litters at all ages, and substantially greater number and weight of lambs weaned for Polypay and RW-RA ewes than for Rambouillet ewes.
Wrist and Hand Injuries: MRI Pitfalls

Traumatic injuries to the wrist and finger are complex, and, in this chapter, we begin with technical optimization and progress to a detailed discussion of the most frequent wrist magnetic resonance imaging artifacts. We discuss the traumatic injuries of the wrist in terms of osseous injuries and ligamentous injuries. For osseous injuries, we describe the continuum of traumatic and stress injuries and their imaging appearances, with an emphasis on location. For ligamentous injuries, we provide an overview of the common ligamentous injury including both intrinsic and extrinsic wrist ligaments with a focus on normal anatomy. Finally, we discuss finger traumatic injuries including the ulnar collateral ligament injury of the thumb and common flexor and extensor mechanism injuries.
Functional MRI Motor Imagery Tasks to Detect Command Following in Traumatic Disorders of Consciousness

Severe traumatic brain injury impairs arousal and awareness, the two components of consciousness. Accurate diagnosis of a patient’s level of consciousness is critical for determining treatment goals, access to rehabilitative services, and prognosis. The bedside behavioural examination, the current clinical standard for diagnosis of disorders of consciousness, is prone to misdiagnosis, a finding that has led to development of advanced neuroimaging techniques aimed at detection of conscious awareness. Although a variety of paradigms have been used in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to reveal covert consciousness, the relative accuracy of these paradigms in the patient population is unknown. Here, we compare the rate of covert consciousness detection by hand squeezing and tennis playing motor imagery paradigms in 10 patients with traumatic disorders of consciousness (6 male, 6 acute, mean+SD age=27.9+9.1 years, 1 coma, 4 unresponsive wakefulness syndrome, 2 minimally conscious without language function, and 3 minimally conscious with language function, per bedside examination with the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised [CRS-R]). We also tested the same paradigms in 10 healthy subjects (9 male, mean+SD age=28.5+9.4 years). In healthy subjects, the hand squeezing paradigm detected covert command following in 7/10 and the tennis playing paradigm in 9/10 subjects. In patients who followed commands on the CRS-R, the hand squeezing paradigm detected covert command following in 2/3 and the tennis playing paradigm in 0/3 subjects. In patients who did not follow commands on the CRS-R, the hand squeezing paradigm detected command following in 1/7 and the tennis playing paradigm in 2/7 subjects. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of detecting covert command following in patients who demonstrated this behaviour on the CRS-R was 66.7%, 85.7%, and 80% for the hand squeezing paradigm and 0%, 71.4%, and 50% for the tennis playing paradigm, respectively. Overall, the tennis paradigm performed better than the hand squeezing paradigm in healthy subjects, but in patients, the hand squeezing paradigm detected command following with greater accuracy. These findings indicate that current fMRI motor imagery paradigms frequently fail to detect command following and highlight the need for paradigm optimization to improve the accuracy of covert consciousness detection.
Breast Cancer (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)

Invasive ductal carcinoma is the most common type of breast cancer, making up to nearly 70–80% of all breast cancer diagnoses. PET/MR imaging is useful for staging and restaging of locally advanced cancer, chest wall involvement, axillary or internal mammary lymph node metastases, or distant metastases.
Outcomes associated with mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors in heart transplant recipients: A meta-analysis.

Abstract Background Data evaluating mTOR inhibitor use heart transplant (HT) patients comes from relatively small studies and controversy exists regarding their specific role. We performed a meta-analysis of randomized trials to evaluate the efficacy and safety of mTOR inhibitors in HT patients. Methods We performed a systematic literature search of Medline and Embase through July 2017 identifying studies evaluating mTOR inhibitors in HT patients reporting effects on coronary allograft vasculopathy (CAV), renal function, acute cellular rejection (ACR), cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, and discontinuation due to adverse drug events (ADE). Data were pooled using a random-effects model producing a mean difference (MD; for continuous data) or odds ratio (OR; for dichotomous data) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results 14 trials reported at least one outcome of interest. Change in mean maximal intimal thickness was significantly reduced with mTOR (−0.04 [−0.07 to −0.02]) compared to calcineurin inhibitor/mycophenolate mofetil (CNI/MMF). Rates of CMV infection were also significantly reduced (0.26; [0.2 to 0.32]) with mTOR regimens compared to CNI/MMF therapy. ACR was more frequent with CNI-sparing regimens 6.46 [1.55 to 26.95]). eGFR was significantly improved with CNI-sparing therapies (mean difference 12.09 mL/min [2.43 to 21.74]), but was similar between CNI/mTOR versus CNI/MMF regimens (p > 0.05). Rates of discontinuation due to ADE were higher in mTOR-containing regimens (OR 2.15 [1.28 to 3.60], p = 0.01), while mortality rates were similar (OR 0.91 [0.61 to 1.37], p = 0.62). Conclusions mTOR-containing regimens can attenuate CAV and CMV risk in HT recipients. A mTOR/MMF combination preserves renal function but increases the risk of ACR.
Vaccinations in Rheumatology

Immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases has improved morbidity and mortality for a wide range of patient populations, including both children and adults with rheumatic diseases. While patients with rheumatic diseases are at increased risk for infections at baseline, the addition of immunosuppressive therapy amplifies this risk. Inactivated vaccines (e.g., influenza, pneumococcus) are generally safe, while many live vaccines (e.g., MMR, zoster) are contraindicated depending on the degree of immunosuppression (e.g., conventional DMARDs vs. TNF inhibitors). This chapter will provide vaccine-specific recommendations and summarize host immune response and vaccine safety and efficacy among patients with rheumatic diseases.
Well-posedness and analyticity of solutions to a water wave problem with viscosity

Abstract The water wave problem models the free-surface evolution of an ideal fluid under the influence of gravity and surface tension. The governing equations are a central model in the study of open ocean wave propagation, but they possess a surprisingly difficult and subtle well-posedness theory. In this paper we establish the existence and uniqueness of spatially periodic solutions to the water wave equations augmented with physically inspired viscosity suggested in the recent work of Dias et al. (2008) [16] . As we show, this viscosity (which can be arbitrarily weak) not only delivers an enormously simplified well-posedness theory for the governing equations, but also justifies a greatly stabilized numerical scheme for use in studying solutions of the water wave problem.
CyDER – an FMI-based co-simulation platform for distributed energy resources

The increased integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) is bringing a number of challenges to the power grid. These include reverse power flows in distribution systems and potentially tran...
Effects of marathon training on maximal aerobic capacity and running economy in experienced marathon runners

Maximal aerobic capacity (VO 2max ) and running economy (RE) are markers of running performance. A valid evaluation of RE may occur through allometric scaling of body mass (alloVO 2 ; ml kg -0.66 min -1 ), energy cost (EC; kcal kg -1 km -1 ), or percent of VO 2max (%VO 2max ). Little is known about physiological changes that occur in competitive runners over a marathon training cycle. The VDOT score, incorporating VO 2max and RE, enables comparison of race performances under different temperature conditions. This study’s purpose was to determine whether VO 2max and measures of RE change with marathon training, and to evaluate the relationship between these variables and VDOT. Eight runners (age 34±2 years; marathon <3:00 males, <3:30 females; five females) completed treadmill marathon-intensity-effort (MIE) and VO 2max tests at 10 and 1-2 weeks pre-marathon. Body composition (%BF) was determined using hydrostatic weighing. Paired t-tests were used to compare pre- and post-training values. The alpha level for significance was set at 0.05. Body fat decreased from 18.7±1.5% to 16.7±1.6%, VO 2max increased from 51.6±2.4 to 63.9±1.1 ml kg -1 min -1 , and %VO 2max during the MIE decreased from 82.1±2.0 to 72.3±3.2% (p < 0.05 for all). VDOT was significantly associated with alloVO 2 (r = -0.779, p = 0.039) but not with VO 2max (r = 0.071, p = 0.867). Experienced competitive runners may increase VO 2max and decrease %BF after a marathon-specific training cycle. The decrease in %VO 2max in a MIE is likely due to a higher VO 2max , as other measures of RE did not change significantly. In this cohort, alloVO 2 was negatively correlated with race performance.
Characterization of concanavalin A-binding glycoproteins from procyclic culture forms of Trypanosoma congolense, T. simiae and T. brucei brucei.

Concanavalin A-binding glycoproteins were obtained from procyclic culture forms (PCFs) ofTrypanosoma congolense, T. simiae, andT. b. brucei strains. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis revealed that glycoproteins of 38.5, 30.5, and 27 kDa were conserved between the different species and strains of the procyclic parasites. There were few similarities in the profiles of the high-molecular-weight glycoconjugates between the parasites. Monoclonal antibody analysis revealed that the 38.5- and 27-kDa glycoproteins were intracellular molecules and that they contained cross-reactive antigenic determinants. Surface biotinylation of PCFT. congolense K45/1 identified surface-accessible glycoproteins of 81.5, 59, and 38–42 kDa. By use of lectin blots and enzymatic deglycosylation studies, we demonstrated that the 81.5-, 59-, 38.5-, and 27-kDa glycoproteins contained N-linked oligosaccharide chains with both high-mannose-type and complex-type oligosaccharides, and the 81.5- and 59-kDa surface glycoproteins contained sialic acid residues. The glycoproteins identified in this study provide a starting point for further structure and function studies.
Evaluating compositional effects on the laser-induced combustion and shock velocities of Al/Zr-based composite fuels

Abstract Laser-induced air shock from energetic materials (LASEM) is a laboratory-scale method for assessing the microsecond and millisecond timescale performance of conventional military explosives. The technique has been combined with optical emission detection schemes to evaluate energy release during detonation and post-detonation timescales from the combustion of metal powders and mixtures of metal powders and explosives. Recently, Al/Zr reactive composite powders have been synthesized via high energy ball milling with the aim of decreasing ignition thresholds while simultaneously increasing overall combustion efficiency and burn time. Here, we utilize LASEM to evaluate micron-sized 3Al:2Zr, Al:Zr, and Al:3Zr fuel powders and compare their behavior to micron-sized Al powder, a commonly used explosive additive. We observed a rapid ignition of Al/Zr powders instead of the delayed ignition of the secondary deflagration cloud that is observed for pure Al. The composites also demonstrated longer burn times compared to Al particles of similar size. We also observed enhanced laser-induced shock velocities for the composite samples, implying increased energy release in the microsecond time regime compared to Al. In addition, we present LASEM data using Al/Zr mixed with trinitrotoluene (TNT), and associated CHEETAH calculations. As expected, adding pure Al to TNT lowers the laser-induced shock velocity, and we observe a further decrease of this velocity when using composite additives. The complex interplay of the metals with each other and the TNT reaction products is yet to be fully understood.
Larger tsunamis from megathrust earthquakes where slab dip is reduced

A subset of megathrust earthquakes produce anomalously large tsunamis for their magnitude. All of these recorded ‘tsunami earthquakes’ in the past 50 years had extensional aftershocks in the upper plate. These include the two largest and most destructive earthquakes of that period, the 2004 Sumatra–Andaman and the 2011 Tohoku events. Evidence from the region of Tohoku indicates that normal fault slip in the upper plate during the earthquake may have contributed to the tsunami size. Here we present a numerical model that shows how a reduction of the dip of a subducting slab, on a timescale of millions of years, can result in an extensional fault failure above a megathrust earthquake on timescales of seconds to months. Slab dip reduction bends the upper plate so that the shallow part fails in extension when a megathrust rupture relieves compressional stress. This results in a distribution of extensional aftershocks comparable to that seen above the Tohoku megathrust. Volcanic arc migration and uplift data for Tohoku and several other tsunami earthquakes is consistent with slab dip reduction. The collection of more such data might identify other areas of tsunami hazard related to slab dip reduction. Tsunami generation by megathrust earthquakes is enhanced by extensional faulting in the upper plate when the subducting slab shallows, according to numerical modelling and observations from the Sumatra–Andaman and Tohoku earthquake–tsunami events.
Single-cell transcriptomic analysis identifies extensive heterogeneity in the cellular composition of mouse Achilles tendons

Tendon is a dense connective tissue that stores and transmits forces between muscles and bones. Cellular heterogeneity is increasingly recognized as an important factor in the biological basis of t...
Underwater Backscatter Localization: Toward a Battery-Free Underwater GPS

Can we build a battery-free underwater GPS? While underwater localization is a long-studied problem, in this paper, we seek to bring it to battery-free underwater networks. These recently-introduced networks communicate by simply backscattering (i.e., reflecting) acoustic signals. While such backscatter-based communication enables them to operate at net-zero power, it also introduces new and unique challenges for underwater localization. We present the design and demonstration of the first underwater backscatter localization (UBL) system. Our design explores various challenges for bringing localization to underwater backscatter, including extreme multipath, acoustic delay spread, and mobility. We describe how an adaptive and context-aware algorithm may address some of these challenges and adapt to diverse underwater environments (such as deep vs shallow water, and high vs low mobility). We also present a prototype implementation and evaluation of UBL in the Charles River in Boston, and highlight open problems and opportunities for underwater backscatter localization in ocean exploration,marine-life sensing, and robotics.
Ford's Underlying Controversy

Personal jurisdiction—the doctrine that determines where a plaintiff can sue—is a mess. Everyone agrees that a court can exercise personal jurisdiction over a defendant with sufficient in-state contacts related to a plaintiff’s claim. This Article reveals, however, that courts diverge radically in their understanding of what a claim is. Without stating so outright, some courts limit claim to a cause of action or its elements, while others understand it to encompass the controversy underlying the litigation. What’s worse, few have noticed that these discrepancies even exist, much less explained why. This Article does just that. Crucially, as we show, a court’s choice of definition—usually implicit—controls the scope of jurisdiction. It can force parties to litigate piecemeal and effectively foreclose restitution for under-resourced plaintiffs by shutting them out their home courts. This chaos harms litigants, disrupts the judicial system, and undermines civil procedure values. As of this year, it also flies in the face of Supreme Court precedent. We show how the recent decision in Ford v. Montana settles the matter and helps cohere personal jurisdiction with its underlying due process commitments.