cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Survey of fishes within a restored mangrove habitat of a subtropical bay

Abstract Mangroves provide essential habitat for juvenile fish species. Restoration and monitoring are important conservation tools to ensure the recovery and maintenance of coastal mangrove habitats impacted by humans. In this study, Baited Remote Underwater Video Stations (BRVUS) were used to non-invasively examine the relative abundance and richness of fishes within restored mangrove pools in Biscayne Bay, Florida, 15 years after replanting. The potential influence of several environmental factors on fish abundance and richness within the restored mangrove pools was also evaluated. Limited seine sampling was also conducted to provide a comparison of the current fish assemblage with that of two prior surveys using seine nets. Twenty fish taxa were observed in the current study, consisting of five families, two genera, and thirteen species. Several environmental factors emerged as significant influences on the presence and abundance of different fish taxa, especially individual pools. A comparison of CPUE between current and prior seine studies found an increase in forage fish taxa and a shift from taxa that prefer a range of habitats to mangrove specific taxa, indicating an increased ecological function of these mangroves as fish habitat.
Prebiotic Intake in Older Adults: Effects on Brain Function and Behavior.

This literature review summarizes the evidence for and against the impact of prebiotics on brain function and behavior in older adults. Current evidence generally supports the intake of prebiotics to increase beneficial gut bacteria concentrations. These bacteria appear to impact endocrine, immunologic, and neuronal communication along the gut-brain axis to alter brain function and behavior. Preliminary evidence in human studies consistently support prebiotics doses of ~ 5–10 g/d as safe to improve brain function (i.e., learning and working memory) and behavior (i.e., anxiety and mood). However, these studies are mainly of short duration (4–12 weeks) and limited to healthy, young, and middle-aged adults. More research is needed to identify a safe and effective dose, duration, and delivery method, particularly among diseased, older adults.
Nonmetropolitan residence and other factors affecting clinical trial enrollment for adolescents and young adults with cancer in a US population-based study.

Background Cancer survival rates in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) have shown slow improvements in comparison with other age groups, and this may be due to lower participation in clinical trials. Little evidence has been provided regarding how nonmetropolitan residence may influence clinical trial enrollment for AYAs with cancer. This study sought to determine whether AYAs from nonmetropolitan areas have lower rates of clinical trial enrollment than their urban counterparts and to examine factors associated with enrollment variation. Methods Data from the National Cancer Institute's 2006 and 2013 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Patterns of Care AYA cohorts were analyzed. Patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and sarcoma were included (n = 3155). Urban influence codes were used to measure the rurality of the county of residence at diagnosis, which was categorized as large metropolitan, small metropolitan, or nonmetropolitan. Logistic regression compared trial participants and nonparticipants while adjusting for patient and provider factors. Results Compared with AYAs from large metropolitan counties, AYAs from small metropolitan (odds ratio [OR], 2.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.57-2.64) or nonmetropolitan counties (OR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.23-2.81) experienced greater trial enrollment. AYAs treated at a hospital with a residency program (OR, 2.27; 95% CI, 1.63-3.16) or by a pediatric oncologist (OR, 4.02; 95% CI, 3.03-5.32) were associated with greater enrollment. There was a significant interaction between rurality and hospital size, which had the greatest impact on nonmetropolitan enrollment. Conclusions Clinical trial enrollment was higher among AYAs from nonmetropolitan counties than those from metropolitan counties, predominantly when they were treated at large hospitals.
Decision Making for Treatment of Persistent Sciatica

Lumbar disk herniations are among the most frequent causes of sciatica.1,2 Fortunately for patients, sciatica is generally self-limited and resolves within 3 months in 70 to 90% of patients.2 When ...
Cornelia de Lange syndrome and congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Abstract Purpose There is a known association between Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) and congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), with CDH being the cause of death in 5%–20% of CdLS cases. We aimed to identify and describe patients with CDLS and CDH. We hypothesized that CdLS would be associated with high-risk CDH and poor outcomes. Methods CDH Study Group patients from 1995 to 2019 were included. Those with CdLS were reviewed retrospectively. Rates of repair and outcomes were compared between patients with and without CdLS. Results We identified 9,251 CDH patients. Of those, 21 had confirmed CdLS. CdLS patients had a lower birth weight (2.2 ± 0.57 kg) than non-CdLS patients (2.9 ± 0.64 kg) (p Conclusions Infants with CdLS and CDH have a poor prognosis. However, CdLS patients who undergo repair can survive to discharge; therefore, the concomitant diagnosis of CdLS and CDH is not necessarily a contraindication to repair. Early recognition of these anomalies can assist with counseling and prognostication. Type of study Retrospective comparative study Level of evidence III
Limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy, ADNC pathology, and cognitive decline in aging.

Objective To examine the impact of 3 pathologic groups, pure limbic-predominant age-related transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 encephalopathy (LATE) neuropathologic changes (NC), pure Alzheimer disease neuropathologic change (ADNC), and mixed ADNC with LATE-NC, on late-life cognitive decline. Methods Data came from 1,356 community-based older persons who completed detailed annual cognitive testing and systematic neuropathologic examination at autopsy to identify LATE-NC, ADNC, and other age-related pathologies. Persons were categorized into (0) a group without a pathologic diagnosis of LATE or ADNC (n = 378), (1) LATE-NC without ADNC (n = 91), (2) ADNC without LATE-NC (n = 535), and (3) mixed ADNC with LATE-NC (n = 352). We used mixed-effect models to examine the group associations with rate of decline in global cognition and 5 cognitive domains and then examined whether age modified associations. Results Compared to those without LATE-NC or ADNC, those with pure LATE-NC had a faster decline in global cognition (p = 0.025) and episodic memory (p = 0.002); however, compared to persons with pure ADNC, those with pure LATE-NC showed a slower decline. Those with mixed ADNC with LATE-NC showed the fastest decline compared to those with either pathology alone. Persons ≥90 years of age with mixed ADNC with LATE-NC had slower cognitive decline compared to those ≤89 years of age. Conclusion Persons with pure LATE-NC follow a slower trajectory compared to those with pure ADNC. Those with mixed LATE/ADNC have a steeper decline than individuals with either pathology alone. In addition, age may modify the effect of pathology on cognitive decline. These findings have important implications for the development of biomarkers and prognosis for late-life cognitive decline. Classification of evidence This study provides Class I evidence that LATE-NC and Alzheimer disease pathologic changes are associated with different trajectories of late-life cognitive decline.
Effect of hesitation sound phonetic quality on perception of language fluency

Nonnative speech differs from native speech in various ways, including different pausing patterns. There are two types of pauses: filled and unfilled. Unfilled pauses are silent. During filled pauses, speakers make a sound. Different languages use different sounds for filled pauses; this is described as phonetic quality. English speakers use “uh” to hesitate. Spanish speakers use “eh” to hesitate. When the phonetic quality of a hesitation sound is consistent with the hesitation sound used by native speakers, the hesitation sound is “native.” A hesitation sound with phonetic quality inconsistent with a native speaker hesitation sound is “non-native.” Production studies show that proficiency and speech community influence whether second language speakers produce native or nonnative hesitation sounds. However, no study has investigated the perceptual consequences using nonnative versus native hesitation sounds. This study investigates the effect of hesitation sound phonetic quality on perception of language fluency by comparing fluency ratings of sentences with nonnative hesitation sounds to fluency ratings of sentences with native hesitation sounds. This research answers questions such as: Do listeners judge non-native speakers to be less fluent when speakers produce non-native hesitation sounds? Is it beneficial for L2 learners to use native hesitation sounds to achieve perceived fluency?
The Promise and Peril of Human Rights Technology (Introduction)

The first two decades of the twenty-first century have seen a simultaneous proliferation of new technological threats to and opportunities for international human rights. New advances – not only the Internet, social media, and artificial intelligence but also novel techniques for controlling reproduction or dealing with climate change – make clear that scientific and technological innovations bring both risks and benefits to human rights. Efforts to protect and promote human rights have to take seriously the ways in which these technologies, and the forms of knowledge creation, production, and dissemination they enable, can create harms and be exploited to violate rights. At the same time, human rights practitioners must continue to seek creative ways to make use of new technologies to improve the human condition. This dichotomy is the central tension that animates both this volume and the emerging field of human rights technology. The overriding purpose of the volume, and of the University of Connecticut workshop that launched it, is to encourage human rights institutions, experts, and practitioners to take seriously the risks and opportunities of technology for the promotion and protection of human rights. The volume uses diverse case studies to examine how the dynamic of intertwined threat and opportunity plays out in a range of contexts. Case studies focus on assisted reproductive technologies, autonomous lethal weapons, climate change technology, the Internet and social media, and water meters. Considering the relationship between technology and human rights across these diverse areas reveals areas of both continuity and discontinuity in terms of how technology affects the enjoyment of human rights. We begin by laying out the principles that animate the project. These principles have been derived chiefly from international human rights law and practice, and also draw on the scholarly study of science, technology, and the law. Based on these principles, we define a “human rights” approach to the study of technology. Finally, we identify and analyze the cross-cutting themes that unite the book – power and justice, accountability, and the role of private authority – to chart a road map for further study of the relationship between technology and human rights.
Sequences in the Human papillomavirus Type 18 (HPV18) Upstream Regulatory Region regulate Viral Genome Replication, Establishment and Persistence

Abstract During persistent human papillomavirus infection, the viral genome replicates as an extrachromosomal plasmid that is efficiently partitioned to daughter cells during cell division. We have previously shown that an element which overlaps the HPV18 transcriptional enhancer promotes stable DNA replication of replicons containing the viral replication origin. Here we perform comprehensive analyses to elucidate the function of this maintenance element. We conclude that no unique element or binding site in this region is absolutely required for persistent replication and partitioning, and instead propose that the overall chromatin architecture of this region is important to promote efficient use of the replication origin. These results have important implications on the genome partitioning mechanism of papillomaviruses.
A sex-dependent role for the prelimbic cortex in impulsive action both before and following early cocaine abstinence.

Although impulsive action is strongly associated with addiction, the neural underpinnings of this relationship and how they are influenced by sex have not been well characterized. Here, we used a titrating reaction time task to assess differences in impulsive action in male and female Long Evans rats both before and after short (4–6 days) or long (25–27 days) abstinence from 2 weeks of cocaine or water/saline self-administration (6 h daily access). Neural activity in the prelimbic cortex (PrL) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) core was assessed at each time point. We found that a history of cocaine self-administration increased impulsivity in all rats following short, but not long, abstinence. Furthermore, male rats with an increased ratio of excited to inhibited neurons in the PrL at the start of each trial in the task exhibited higher impulsivity in the naive state (before self-administration). Following short abstinence from cocaine, PrL activity in males became more inhibited, and this change in activity predicted the shift in impulsivity. However, PrL activity did not track impulsivity in female rats. Additionally, although the NAc core tracked several aspects of behavior in the task, it did not track impulsivity in either sex. Together, these findings demonstrate a sex-dependent role for the PrL in impulsivity both before and after a history of cocaine.
COMPARISON BETWEEN HEAT PUMP AND ELECTRIC HEATER FOR DRYING ONION SLICES

Food and agricultural products require drying to ensure that their nutritional value is unaffected during handling and storage. Numerous techniques of drying are in use. This work compares drying with a heat pump dryer (HPD) and an electric heater dryer (EHD) for Egyptian onion slices. Empirical equations were obtained to calculate the change of moisture over time. This comparison used the following criteria: moisture content, energy consumption, moisture extraction rate, specific moisture extraction rate, and drying time. The onions were cut into slices 3 mm thick and 15 to 20 mm long. The slices were dried at temperatures of 50, 60, and 70 °C and drying air velocities of 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4 m/s. The results indicated that a drying of 83% to 26% moisture content on a wet basis or from 4.88 gmwater/gmdm to 0.35 gmwater/gmdm on a dry basis was achieved in one stage in the multiple stages of drying. The experiments showed that the energy savings resulting from using HPD was 22.2%. The best value for the R2 of moisture content change over time was obtained by drying Egyptian onion slices according to different drying models for EHD and HPD.
The cultural politics of teacher strikes in the United States

Strike for the Common Good is a collection of essays edited by Rebecca Kolins Givan and Amy Schrager Lang that documents and investigates the inner dynamics of the 2018–2019 mass teacher protests i...
Tools for Biomakers: Reviewing Affordances and Challenges for K-12 Hands-On Making with Biology

While many digital or physical tools and construction kits have been developed for young makers, far fewer developments have focused on making with living materials, at DNA and cellular scales. In this paper, we review the affordances of various hands-on simulation tools and wet labs for K-12-aged biomakers to be used in school, home and science centers. We discuss how making with biology requires broadened conceptualizations of perceptibility, tinkerability, expressivity, and usability---features commonly considered in the research and design of digital and physical maker media. We conclude with a discussion of affordances and challenges we see in the current generation of tools and labs for supporting making with biology and in which ways these can be expanded to support learning, collaboration, and creativity that are valued in maker education.
Caring for Artifacts After Excavation-Some Advice For Archaeologists

As the concern for long-term curation of artifacts grows in the United States, more responsibility will fall on the archaeologist and the laboratory assistant to provide adequate care for artifacts during and after excavation. In this article various systems are presented for packing and storing the range of artifacts found on historic sites in North America. A list of suppliers of some materials mentioned in the text is included.
Mobile Bacterial Group II Introns at the Crux of Eukaryotic Evolution

This review focuses on recent developments in our understanding of group II intron function, the relationships of these introns to retrotransposons and spliceosomes, and how their common features have informed thinking about bacterial group II introns as key elements in eukaryotic evolution. Reverse transcriptase-mediated and host factor-aided intron retrohoming pathways are considered along with retrotransposition mechanisms to novel sites in bacteria, where group II introns are thought to have originated. DNA target recognition and movement by target-primed reverse transcription infer an evolutionary relationship among group II introns, non-LTR retrotransposons, such as LINE elements, and telomerase. Additionally, group II introns are almost certainly the progenitors of spliceosomal introns. Their profound similarities include splicing chemistry extending to RNA catalysis, reaction stereochemistry, and the position of two divalent metals that perform catalysis at the RNA active site. There are also sequence and structural similarities between group II introns and the spliceosome's small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) and between a highly conserved core spliceosomal protein Prp8 and a group II intron-like reverse transcriptase. It has been proposed that group II introns entered eukaryotes during bacterial endosymbiosis or bacterial-archaeal fusion, proliferated within the nuclear genome, necessitating evolution of the nuclear envelope, and fragmented giving rise to spliceosomal introns. Thus, these bacterial self-splicing mobile elements have fundamentally impacted the composition of extant eukaryotic genomes, including the human genome, most of which is derived from close relatives of mobile group II introns.
WILLIAM FAULKNER AND THE SOUTHERN LANDSCAPE. By Charles S. Aiken.

(2010). William Faulkner and the Southern Landscape. By Charles S. Aiken. Geographical Review: Vol. 100, No. 2, pp. 287-289.
Economic Education and Social Change

The author discusses the proliferation of ideas throughout society and discusses the implications of this mechanism for social change.
Council and Hierarchy: THE TWILIGHT OF AUTONOMY

Desiring to provide for the peace and quiet of the bishop and his church as well as for the utility and security of the subjects of the land, we have finally concluded a general transaction, a concord, a composition, and an association with our beloved and faithful William. Philip the Fair If William Durant the Elder ever entertained any plans to play an active role in Gabalitan politics, in the event he never had a chance. After only four years his stay in Mende was cut short by an order from Boniface VIII to return to Italy and resume his previous duties in the papal states for which, it seems, his experience was invaluable. Shortly thereafter, on 1 November 1296, he died without having returned to Mende and was buried in Sta Maria sopra Minerva in Rome. A few weeks later, on 17 December 1296, Boniface VIII appointed his nephew, William Durant the Younger, to succeed him. WILLIAM DURANT THE YOUNGER (1296–1330) What we know about William Durant the Younger's early years is similar to what we know about his uncle, and just as scanty. He, too, was born in Puimisson, probably not long after 1266. He, too, must have studied law, but the circumstances of this are unclear. Probably he learned something from his uncle and perhaps he attended one of the centres of legal training in southern France. He may have gone on to a major university, but it is impossible to tell which one.
Small-angle x-ray scattering investigation of the solution structure of troponin C

X-ray crystallographic studies of troponin C (Herzberg, O., and James, M.N.G. (1985) Nature 313, 653-659; Sundaralingam, M., Bergstrom, R., Strasburg, G., Rao, S.T., and Roychowdhury, P. (1985a) Science 227, 945-948) have revealed a novel protein structure consisting of two globular domains, each containing two Ca2+-binding sites, connected via a nine-turn alpha-helix, three turns of which are fully exposed to solvent. Since the crystals were grown at pH approximately 5, it is of interest to determine whether this structure is applicable to the protein in solution under physiological conditions. We have used small-angle x-ray scattering to examine the solution structure of troponin C at pH 6.8 and the effect of Ca2+ on the structure. The scattering data are consistent with an elongated structure in solution with a radius of gyration of approximately 23.0 A, which is quite comparable to that computed for the crystal structure. The experimental scattering profile and the scattering profile computed from the crystal structure coordinates do, however, exhibit differences at the 40-A level. A weak Ca2+-facilitated dimerization of troponin C was observed. The data rule out large Ca2+-induced structural changes, indicating rather that the molecule with Ca2+ bound is only slightly more compact than the Ca2+-free molecule.
Solute Distribution and Mechanical Properties of Ultra-Fine-Grained Al-Mg Alloys

Ultra-fine-grained (d~200 nm) Al-Mg alloys exhibit outstanding strength due to both Hall-Petch grain-size strengthening and solid-solution strengthening. When the solubility limit is exceeded, some Mg segregates to grain boundaries. This impacts both thermal stability and mechanical properties. In this study, alloys with between 0 wt.% Mg (pure Al) and 10.5 wt.% Mg are made by ball milling powders in liquid nitrogen, and consolidated by hot isostatic pressing and extrusion. The alloys are exposed to temperatures up to 500 deg. C. Microhardness and tensile behavior are measured and correlated with the microstructure, as measured by local-electrode atom-probe tomography, X-ray diffraction, and electron microscopy.
The hydraulic properties of faults in unconsolidated sediments and their impact on groundwater flow : A study in the Roer Valley Rift System and adjacent areas in the Lower Rhine Embaymant

The hydrogeology of the Roer Valley Rift System is strongly influenced by the hydraulic properties of faults. The hydrogeological impact of faults is illustrated by examples from the SE Netherlands and the adjacent lignite mining areas within the Roer Valley Rift System. Hydraulic head discontinuities over the main faults in the latter area can be up to tens of meters as a result of extremely large groundwater extractions in combination with the relatively low conductivity of the main faults. Within the Netherlands, outside the mining areas, such large groundwater extractions do not take place, and groundwater fluxes are smaller. In this situation natural hydraulic head differences over the main faults are limited to several meters. Hydraulic head profiles over faults provide a first estimate of fault hydraulic properties that can be quantified using simple analytical solutions. The impact of faults on near surface processes is reflected in vegetation patterns and the structure of drainage networks, aquifer structure and hydraulic head patterns. Faults can thus be of great influence on transport processes in the sub-surface as well as on water-related phenomena at the surface, and should accordingly be taken into consideration in studies related to water management, contamination and environmental impact. Faults that have an enhanced vertical permeability are difficult to detect when horizontal groundwater flow is studied, which is probably the main reason why they are rarely described. These faults may, however, form important preferential flow paths to vertical groundwater movement. This Chapter is largely based upon: Bense, V.F., Van Balen, and J.J. De Vries, . The impact of faults on the hydrogeological conditions in the Roer Valley Rift System: an overview Netherlands Journal of Geosciences/Geologie en Mijnbouw, 82, 41-53, 2003.
Income, Relationship Quality, and Parenting: Associations With Child Development in Two‐Parent Families

Prior research suggests considerable heterogeneity in the advantages of living in a two-parent family. Specifically, children living with married biological parents exhibit more favorable outcomes than children living with cohabiting biological parents and with married and cohabiting stepparents. To explain these differences, researchers have focused almost exclusively on differences in the levels of factors such as income, parental relationship quality, and parenting quality across family types. In this paper, we examined whether differences in the benefits associated with these factors might also account for some of the variation in children's cognition and social-emotional development. Focusing on children at the time they enter kindergarten, we found only weak evidence of differences in benefits across family types. Rather, we found that children living in stepfather families experienced above average levels of parental relationship quality and parenting quality which, in turn, played a protective role vis-a-vis their cognitive and social-emotional development.
Africa and the World Trade Organization: DISPUTE SETTLEMENT UNDERSTANDING

the dispute settlement understanding ( dsu ) , Annex 2 of the WTO Agreement, represents a major, if not the major, difference between the WTO and its predecessor, GATT. It provides a coherent and predictable timetable and system of consultation and enforcement of WTO obligations intended to reduce trade barriers and price-distorting policies and to maintain minimum uniform standards. Initially, under GATT, dispute settlements were processed primarily through diplomatic channels, but over time, they became more adjudicatory (Hudec, 1990 and 1993; Jackson, 1998; Zimmermann, 2005). However, this mechanism was significantly limited because each and every stage of the dispute settlement process – that is, referral of a dispute to a panel procedure, adoption of the panel report, and authorization of the countermeasures – required a positive consensus (WTO, 2003). This meant that the process could be delayed or blocked by a respondent or a losing party. Still, as Jackson (1998) points out, by the mid-1980s it was diplomatically very difficult for a respondent to block a request for a panel procedure. Even the blockage of panel reports was more rare than one would have expected. In a theoretical model by Chang (2002), the low propensity of blocking panel rulings is explained by diplomatic costs and the low degree of legal controversy. However, as the degree of legal controversy increased following agreements on non-tariff barriers of the Tokyo Round (1973–1979), the incidence of blockage of panel rulings also increased.
On the construction of Galois extensions of function fields and number fields

This paper consists of two parts and an appendix. In Part 1, we investigate Galois converings and consider the problem of reducing their fields of definition. We restrict ourselves to PSL 2 (Z/pZ)-coverings in Part 2. The results of Part t are applied to obtain Galois extensions with P S L 2 (Z/p Z) as Galois group. We show that if p is an odd prime such that 2, 3 or 7 is a quadratic non-residue modulo p, then PSL2(Z/pZ ) occurs as Galois groups over the rationals. To prove this, Shimura's theory of canonical system of models is used to reduce the fields of definition of certain Galois coverings. Previously, our result is only known for p = 3, 5 and 7. In the appendix, we discuss the classification of Galois coverings, which is necessary in verifying Weil's criterion in certain cases. We also indicate how to use the theory developed in Part t to show Hilbert's result that alternating groups can be realized as Galois groups over Q. This paper is based on the author's doctoral dissertation. He would like to thank Professor Goro Shimura for several valuable suggestion during the course of the research. Notation. For an associative ring S with an identity element, we denote by S x the group of all invertible elements of S.
Geodesic Lenses for Aerospace Applications

The properties of a class of geodesic lenses which have potential uses in microwave antenna applications are described. The promising features of these lenses include multiple beam capability and versatility of flush-mounting to a wide variety of surfaces, e.g., flat surfaces on aerospace vehicles and conical surfaces in the nose sections of aircraft and missles. An inflatable lens structure is attractive as a satellite antenna. Because of the circular symmetry of these lenses, coverage over 360° about the symmetry axis is possible. The beam position can be controlled in the transverse dimension by radial feed position giving two-dimensional coverage from a fixed lens. Beam positioning has been demonstrated in two lens models. Furthermore, the TEM and the TEo1 waveguide modes can be employed to obtain two modes of orthogonal polarization.
Exotic grass invasion impacts fitness of an endangered prairie butterfly, Icaricia icarioides fenderi

Fender’s blue butterfly is an endangered species restricted to fragmented, grassland remnants that are becoming increasingly dominated by tall, invasive grasses in western Oregon, USA. I performed a removal experiment to assess the impacts of structural degradation accompanying the invasion of Arrhenatherum elatius, tall oat grass, on butterfly fitness and fitness related behaviors. Clipping of A. elatius to native grass sward height resulted in 2.5–5 times as many eggs laid per leaf of host plant. Both male and female butterflies basked more frequently in areas removed of A. elatius inflorescences and upon encountering the treatment edge butterflies had a high rate of return into a large area removed of the grass inflorescences. Although butterfly behavior appeared to be affected by the change in sward height on the treatment edge, there was no evidence for the edge causing a disproportionate egg load. Invasion and dominance by A. elatius appeared to diminish host plant apparency which may result in overloading of eggs on conspicuous host plants, increased incidence of emigration, and a decrease in the likelihood of colonization because female butterflies appeared indifferent to larval resources beneath A. elatius inflorescences. Dominance of natural shortgrass prairies by tall stature grasses like A. elatius may be an insidious form of habitat degradation for grassland Lepidoptera worldwide, but it may go largely unnoticed because larval and adult resources can persist under the unnaturally tall grass canopy.
A molecular mechanical study of netropsin-DNA interactions.

We present molecular mechanical calculations on the complexes of netropsin with dA6·dT6, d(TATATA)2, d(CGCGCG)2, and d(CGCGAATTCGCG)2. The complexes were model built using computer graphics and then completely energy refined. Our calculations are consistent with the observed AT preference for netropsin and suggest that mixed sugar pucker geometries should be more stable than uniform in netropsin complexes with poly[d(A-T)]·poly[d(A-T)] and poly(dA)·poly(dt). The netropsin·d(TATATA) and netropsin·dA6·dT6 complexes are significantly different in structure, leading to a possible reason why the observed thermodynamics of netropsin-association with poly[d(A-T)]·poly[d(A-T)] and with poly(dA)·poly(dT) are so different. We also model built and energy refined a structure of netropsin-d(CGCGAATTCGCG)2 using as a guide the nmr data of Patel [(1982) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 79, 6424–6428] and found a three-dimensional structure qualitatively consistent with the NOE enhancements observed by him. After our calculations were completed, we learned of an x-ray structure of a netropsin:d(CGCGAATTCGCG)2 complex, and we compared the structure found in our calculation with the x-ray structure.
Quantitative electromyography improves prediction in vocal fold paralysis

Objectives: Quantitative laryngeal electromyography (LEMG) using turns analysis can differentiate acute vocal fold paralysis from normal controls. The objective of this study is to determine if using both traditional qualitative LEMG measurements in addition to turns analysis improves prognostic accuracy in patients with acute vocal fold paralysis who demonstrate voluntary motor activity. Study Design: Retrospective review of LEMG data (qualitative and quantitative) and charts of patients with vocal fold paralysis on flexible laryngoscopy, recurrent laryngeal neuropathy, and varying degrees of motor unit recruitment. Methods: Laryngeal EMG using a standardized protocol involving qualitative (evaluation of recruitment, motor unit configuration, detection of fibrillations, synkinesis) and quantitative (turns analysis) measurements was performed. Prognosis was correlated with vocal fold motion recovery status (minimum of 6 months following onset) using positive and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV). Results: Twenty-three patients underwent LEMG for acute recurrent laryngeal neuropathy. All four patients with excellent LEMG prognosis recovered motion, whereas 17/19 patients with fair/poor LEMG prognosis were without motion at least 6 months following onset, resulting in a 100% PPV and 89.5% NPV. Conclusions: Integrating both qualitative and quantitative LEMG data improves prognostic accuracy in vocal fold paralysis patients who demonstrate voluntary motor unit activity. Laryngoscope, 2012
Kidney Damage and Renal Functional Changes are Minimized by Waveform Control that Suppresses Cavitation in Shock Wave Lithotripsy

Purpose: In studies to understand better the role of cavitation in kidney trauma associated with shock wave lithotripsy we assessed structural and functional markers of kidney injury when animals were exposed to modified shock waves (pressure release reflector shock pulses) that suppress cavitation. Experiments were also performed in isolated red blood cells, an in vitro test system that is a sensitive indicator of cavitation mediated shock wave damage. Materials and Methods: We treated 6-week-old anesthetized pigs with shock wave lithotripsy using an unmodified HM3 lithotriptor (Dornier Medical Systems, Marietta, Georgia) fitted with its standard brass ellipsoidal reflector (rigid reflector) or with a pressure release reflector insert. The pressure release reflector transposes the compressive and tensile phases of the lithotriptor shock pulse without otherwise altering the positive pressure or negative pressure components of the shock wave. Thus, with the pressure release reflector the amplitude of the incident shock wave is not changed but cavitation in the acoustic field is stifled. The lower pole of the right kidney was treated with 2,000 shocks at 24 kV. Glomerular filtration rate, renal plasma flow and tubular extraction of para-aminohippurate were measured in the 2 kidneys 1 hour before and 1 and 4 hours after shock wave lithotripsy, followed by the removal of each kidney for morphological analysis. In vitro studies assessed shock wave induced lysis to red blood cells in response to rigid or pressure release reflector shock pulses. Results: Sham shock wave lithotripsy had no significant effect on kidney morphology, renal hemodynamics or para-aminohippurate extraction. Shock waves administered with the standard rigid reflector induced a characteristic morphological lesion and functional changes that included bilateral reduction in renal plasma flow, and unilateral reduction in the glomerular filtration rate and para-aminohippurate extraction. When the pressure release reflector was used, the morphological lesion was limited to hemorrhage of vasa recta vessels near the tips of renal papillae and the only change in kidney function was a decrease in the glomerular filtration rate at the 1 and 4-hour periods in shock wave treated kidneys. Red blood cell lysis in vitro was significantly lower with the pressure release reflector than with the rigid reflector. Conclusions: These data demonstrate that shock wave lithotripsy damage to the kidney is reduced when cavitation is suppressed. This finding supports the idea that cavitation has a prominent role in shock wave lithotripsy trauma.
The neglected tropical diseases (NTD) initiative for Latin America and the Caribbean of the Inter-American Development Bank and the role of geospatial analysis in health programmes.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) (http://www.iadb.org/en/inter-american-developmentbank,2837.html) is the regional, multilateral development bank for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The largest source of external development financing for the region, the IDB support efforts by LAC countries to reduce poverty and inequality with the aim of bringing about development in a sustainable, climate-friendly way. Of the IDB’s 48 member states, 26 are borrowing countries which own majority shares in the institution. In 2010, the IDB approved an unprecedented 170 projects and US$ 570 million in grant financing. The IDB’s Social Protection and Health (SPH) division falls under the social sector and has a total of 56 staff working in the fields of health and social protection with the majority based in country offices of the borrowing countries themselves. The SPH division’s priorities in social protection are: (i) early childhood development (ECD), with focus on infants up to 3 years of age; (ii) youth at risk (in coordination with other business units); and (iii) poverty alleviation programmes.
Secretion of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF alpha) by postnatal rabbit alveolar macrophages.

ABSTRACT: Transforming growth factor-α (TGFα) is a cytokine secreted by stimulated alveolar macrophages (AM) in vitro and after in vivo particulate or hyperoxia exposure and has been implicated in the processes of postnatal lung development. It is unknown if AM TGFα secretion changes during normal postnatal lung development. After sacrifice of New Zealand white rabbits on postnatal d 0–2, 5–7, 9–10, 14, 21, and 28 and > 4 mo (adult), AM were isolated by discontinuous density centrifugation and placed in culture in the presence or absence of concanavalin A (ConA) for 24 h. Media were collected, and the concentration and isoforms of TGFα in AM media samples were determined by an epidermal growth factor/TGFα radioreceptor assay and Western immunodetection, respectively. TGFα was present in media of AM from the 1.06 and 1.08 g/dL Percoll densities, but not in the 1.10 g/dL density. Statistically significant differences in TGFα secretion by unstimulated and ConA-stimulated AM at the various ages were not detected until d 14 (p < 0.02). Western blot analysis of unstimulated AM media samples from d 0–7 rabbits demonstrated the presence of TGFα isoforms at 46, 30, and 14.3 kD. At later postnatal ages (≥ d 9), a single 14.3-kD isoform was present. In contrast, analysis of ConA-stimulated AM media samples showed TGFα isoforms at 46, 30, and 14.3 kD for all ages; however, the 6-kD mature isoform was present only in juvenile (d 28) and adult media. These results demonstrate an age-dependent effect on AM TGFα secretion and biochemical isoforms.
Plasma transport in the topside venus ionosphere

Abstract We have studied the extent to which certain transport processes affect ion composition and heat flow in the daytime, topside Venus ionosphere. Particular attention is given to the conditions that prevailed during the Mariner 5 measurements, at which time the topside Venus ionosphere appeared to be in a state of diffusive equilibrium. We have found that the ion composition is sensitive to the ion temperature, the ion temperature gradient, and to relative drifts between the ion species of a few m sec . The electron density, on the other hand, is very insensitive to these parameters. As a consequence, ionospheric models of the topside Venus ionosphere are not likely to yield definitive information about the ion composition, the thermal structure or the flow conditions, since at present only electron density profiles are available for testing model predictions. We have also found that a relative drift between the ion species of a few m sec induces an ion heat flow that is equivalent to a 1 K km temperature gradient. This induced heat flow could influence the energy balance in the topside Venus ionosphere.
Software metrics program for risk assessment

Abstract The Software Assurance Technology Center (SATC) has developed a software metrics program consisting of goals, attributes and metrics to support the assessment of project status, risk, and product quality throughout the life cycle. The objective of the software metrics program is to assess risk areas at each phase of the development life cycle and project them into the future. The software development goals in the metrics program are evaluated by a set of attributes that help to define and classify risks. The attributes must be “measurable” by a set of metrics. These metrics must be based on data that is collectable within the confines of the software development process and must also be relevant to the quality attributes and risk assessment. This paper discusses the SATC's software risk assessment metrics program which meets these needs and is currently being applied to software developed for NASA. At each phase of the software development life cycle, attributes will be identified and metrics defined. Project data is used to demonstrate how the metric analysis was applied at that phase for risk assessment, and how that information could be used by management to manage project risks.
Is the current BMI obesity classification appropriate for black and white postmenopausal women

To evaluate the relation between body fatness (%Fat) and body mass index (BMI) and to evaluate the validity of the BMI standards for obesity established by the NIH in older black and white postmenopausal women. Height, weight, BMI, and %Fat, assessed by DXA, were determined for 296 healthy, independently living women ranging in age from 50 to 80 years (M±s.d.; 64.4±7.8 years). Per NIH guidelines, 32% were classified as obese (⩾30 kg/m2, mean BMI=28.1±5.5 kg/m2). In contrast, using the %Fat criterion of 38% advocated by Lohman to define obesity, 47% of our sample was obese (mean %Fat=37.3±6.2%). A moderately high curvilinear relation existed between BMI and %Fat (R=0.82, SEE=3.57 %Fat, P<0.05). Race added meaningfully to the prediction of %Fat (P<0.05) such that for the same BMI, black women will have 1% lower body fatness than white women. Based on a %Fat ⩾38 as the criterion for obesity, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, performed separately by race, indicated that the currently accepted BMI cutpoint for obesity produced low sensitivity (69% and 61% for black and white women, respectively). Alternatively, BMI values⩾28.4 kg/m2 for black women and ⩾26.9 kg/m2 for white women to define obesity maximized classification accuracy. We conclude that current BMI categories may not be appropriate for identifying obesity among postmenopausal women. Furthermore, the relation between BMI and %Fat is different in black compared to white women but remains constant from the sixth through the eighth decade of life.
Reinvestigating the Clusters Koposov 1 and 2

We investigate the fundamental parameters of age, distance, and mass function slope for the poorly studied clusters Koposov 1 and Koposov 2. These clusters were discovered recently and tentatively classified as globular clusters. Using the Large Monolithic Imager on Lowell Observatory's Discovery Channel Telescope, we present photometry extending to V = 25, three to four magnitudes below the main sequence turnoffs for the clusters. We find the clusters have tidal radii of 15 pc and 10.7 pc and distances of 34.9 kpc and 33.3 kpc for Koposov 1 and Koposov 2, respectively. Studying the stellar content of the clusters, we use completeness-corrected star counts to reveal extremely faint total magnitudes of 2.01 and 0.03 in V, and steep Salpeter-like present-day mass functions. Finally, we show that the spatial positions of the clusters agree well with the position of the Sagittarius stream and conclude that these two objects are open clusters removed from the Sagittarius galaxy.
Abstract 3428: Validation and utilization of next generation sequencing in the clinical assessment of gliomas

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Background. Identifying prognostic and potentially therapeutic genetic alterations in gliomas is crucial to improve clinical outcome and guide future targeted therapies in this devastating disease. Here, we establish the feasibility of next generation sequencing (NGS) profiling of glioma samples in a clinical setting. Methods. We optimized and validated a 47 gene panel for use on both fresh and Formalin Fixed Paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue specimens in a CLIA-certified laboratory. Validation was performed in 27 samples by comparing mutation detection on two different NGS platforms, and we have since incorporated routine molecular tumor profiling into the standard workup of glioma patients seen at our institution. Results. From analysis of 120 clinical samples, we found disease-associated changes in 90 patients (75%). Overall 184 changes including disease-associated point mutations and variants of unclear significance were identified across 98 samples, resulting in an average of 1.85 mutations per sample and a range of 1- 6 mutations. This included 49 amplifications across several genes (EGFR, PDGFRA and KIT). Conclusions. The final validated assay allows for a cost effective and efficient analysis of a spectrum of clinically relevant and actionable biomarkers including point mutations, insertions, deletions and gene amplifications. Given the high fraction of tumors presenting with known disease associated changes, routine genomic profiling has the promise of improving patient outcomes and allow for access to targeted therapies. Citation Format: MacLean P. Nasrallah, Maria Martinez-Lage, Alan Fox, Shrey Sukhadia, Arati Desai, Donald M. O'Rourke, Steven Brem, David Roth, Jennifer J.D. Morrissette, Robert D. Daber. Validation and utilization of next generation sequencing in the clinical assessment of gliomas. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 3428. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-3428
Abdominal wall endometriosis: a surgeon's perspective and review of 445 cases

BACKGROUND: Abdominal wall endometriosis (AWE) is defined as endometrial tissue superficial to the peritoneum. AWE often is misdiagnosed and referred to surgeons for treatment. We performed a systematic review of published cohorts to quantify demographics, symptoms, and outcomes of patients having AWE. METHODS: An English language PubMed search from January 1951 to August of 2006 was conducted using several search terms for endometrioma. CONCLUSIONS: Twenty-nine articles describing 455 patients were identified and met inclusion criteria. The pooled mean age was 31.4 years. Ninety-six percent presented with a mass, 87% presented with pain, and 57% presented with cyclic symptoms. AWE was associated with a caesarian scar or hysterectomy in 57% and 11% of cases, respectively. The interval from index surgery to presentation was 3.6 years. Recurrence after resection was 4.3%. The most common presentation of AWE is the development of a painful mass after uterine surgery. Surgical treatment appears to result in a cure more than 95% of the time.