cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pathogenicity of entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae to Ixodidae tick species Dermacentor variabilis, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, and Ixodes scapularis.

Nymphal and adult ticks from three different tick species, Dermacentor variabilis Say, Ixodes scapularis Say, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus Latrielle, were treated with conidia and blastospores of the entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill. and Metarhizium anisopliae Metschnikoff. Dose-response experiments indicated that a critical concentration of fungal spores is required for infection and mortality. Over a 28-d time course, fungal suspensions of either B. bassiana or M. anisopliae at 10(8) conidia/ml resulted in 50-70% mortality in adult I. scapularis and R. sanguineus, but 60% mortality within 14 d postinfection and >90% mortality within 21-28 d postinfection. D. variabilis nymphs also were more susceptible than their corresponding adults, displaying mortalities ranging from 20 to 40% 28 d postinfection. I. scapularis nymphs, however, seemed to be slightly less susceptible than adults (45% mortality, 28 d postinfection). The addition of nutrients to fungal cell suspensions did not have any noticeable effects on mortality toward any of the tick species tested. Significant mortality against D. variabilis adults (approximately 65%) was noted only when B. bassiana fungal cells with growth media carryover were used as the inoculum against the ticks. Entomopathogenic fungi such as B. bassiana and M. anisopliae may have the potential for controlling populations of I. scapularis and R. sanguineus, and under certain conditions D. variabilis. Our results indicate that inoculum conditions can greatly affect successful virulence and subsequent mortality.
Hole transport in UTB MOSFETs in strained-Si directly on insulator with strained-Si thickness less than 5 nm

Hole transport is studied in ultrathin body (UTB) MOSFETs in strained-Si directly on insulator (SSDOI) with a Si thickness down to 1.4 nm. In these Ge-free SSDOI substrates, the Si is strained in biaxial tension with strain levels equivalent to strained-Si on relaxed SiGe, with Ge contents of 30 and 40% Ge. The hole mobility in SSDOI decreases slowly for Si thicknesses above 4 nm, but drops rapidly below that thickness. Relative to silicon-on-insulator control devices of equal thickness, SSDOI displays significant hole mobility enhancement for Si film thicknesses above 3.5 nm. Peak hole mobility is improved by 25% for 40% SSDOI relative to 30% SSDOI fabricated by the same method, demonstrating the benefits of strain engineering for 3.1-nm-thick UTB MOSFETs.
Homoploid hybrid speciation in a rare endemic Castilleja from Idaho (Castilleja christii, Orobanchaceae)

UNLABELLED PREMISE OF THE STUDY Hybridization is an important evolutionary force in the history of angiosperms; however, there are few examples of stabilized species derived through homoploid hybrid speciation. Homoploid hybrid species are generally detected via the presence of genetic additivity of parental markers, novel ecological and spatial distinctions, and novel morphological traits, all of which may aid in the successful establishment of hybrid species from parental types. Speciation and diversification within the genus Castilleja (Orobanchaceae) has been attributed to high levels of hybridization and polyploidy, though currently there are no examples of homoploid hybrid speciation within the genus. We employed multiple lines of evidence to examine a putative hybrid origin in C. christii, a rare endemic, known only from 80 hectares at the summit of Mt. Harrison (Cassia Co., Idaho). • METHODS We used granule-bound starch synthase II (waxy) sequences and 26 morphological characters to address hybridization between C. christii and widespread congeners C. miniata and/or C. linariifolia in an area of sympatry. Chromosomes of C. christii were also counted for the first time. • KEY RESULTS All 230 direct-sequenced C. christii individuals had the additive genomes of both C. miniata and C. linariifolia. Castilleja christii shares traits with both parents but also has floral characters that are unique and transgressive. Cytological counts indicated that all three taxa are diploid. • CONCLUSIONS We conclude that C. christii is a stabilized homoploid hybrid derivative of C. linariifolia and C. miniata and is likely following an independent evolutionary trajectory from its progenitors.
A 2-D Artificial Dielectric With ${0 \leq n for the Terahertz Region

We demonstrate a 2-D artificial dielectric medium suitable for the terahertz region by exploiting the characteristic frequency dependence in the phase velocity of the lowest order transverse-electric (TE1) mode of the parallel-plate waveguide (PPWG). This artificial medium exhibits a plasma-like behavior having a frequency-dependent refractive index that varies between zero and unity. Using this medium, we demonstrate the optical phenomena of total internal reflection and Brewster's effect, and also demonstrate a convergent PPWG-lens.
Tropospheric effects of time delays and angle of arrivals in the low elevation angle for radiowave propagation

Effects of tropospheric radiowave propagation were studied based on ray-tracing and parametric approach with empirical data, ECM (European Climatological Medium-range) data, supplied by the National Climatology Data Center in Asheville, North Carolina. Results indicate that time delays and angle of arrival errors vary dynamically in seasons, months, and regions. The error in both time delay and angle of arrival are higher than expected, and should not be neglected for higher accuracy requirements in elevation angles of less than 10/spl deg/.
The trend of interfaith marriage in the United States

(1970). The trend of interfaith marriage in the United States. Social Biology: Vol. 17, No. 4, pp. 253-259.
A model of saliency-based visual attention for rapid scene analysis

A visual attention system, inspired by the behavior and the neuronal architecture of the early primate visual system, is presented. Multiscale image features are combined into a single topographical saliency map. A dynamical neural network then selects attended locations in order of decreasing saliency. The system breaks down the complex problem of scene understanding by rapidly selecting, in a computationally efficient manner, conspicuous locations to be analyzed in detail.
Catechol estrogens and thrombosis: Lack of a direct effect of 2-hydroxyestradiol on platelets

Women who use the oral contraceptive pill are at risk for a variety of thromboembolic complications, but the precise mechanism is unclear. Since 2-hydroxyestradiol is a major metabolite of estradiol and possesses some of the structural and functional properties of catecholamines, we examined whether this compound might influence thrombogenesis, in particular whether it would exert an epinephrine-like effect on the platelet. In vitro, 2-hydroxyestradiol does not cause or potentiate aggregation or thromboxane release, nor does it prevent the rise in cyclic AMP caused by anti-aggregatory prostaglandins. While 2-hydroxyestradiol does not exert a direct effect on the platelet in vitro, it may play a role in thrombosis in women who take oral contraceptives through another mechanism.
FORTRAN routine to compute Born-Oppenheimer potential energy curves directly from spectroscopic data

A computer program that calculates Born–Oppenheimer potential energy curves of diatomic molecules directly from spectroscopic data is presented. Rather than performing the usual preliminary fitting of the experimental data to a single polynomial in the variable (v + 1/2), where v is the vibrational quantum number, the program contains an accurate built-in interpolation routine by which each experimental input point belongs to its own polynomial. The program is tested on the ground state of the H2 molecule and results are compared with the most accurate ab initio calculations available. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
K Uptake by Modern Estuarine Sediments During Early Marine Diagenesis, Mississippi Delta Plain, Louisiana, U.S.A.

ABSTRACT Marine sediment porewaters are commonly depleted in K+ relative to conservative mixing trends, but the mineralogical sink for K+ in the sediment has not been well characterized. Results are presented from a geochemical study of surface waters and porewaters and associated muddy sediments in the Mississippi Delta plain estuary spanning the salinity gradient from 0-12‰. Evidence of K+ depletion in sediment porewaters is integrated with scanning transmission and analytical electron microscopy (STEM/AEM) analyses of clay components to determine possible mineralogical sinks for K+ in the sediments. Conservative mixing between the freshwater influx from the Atchafalaya/Mississippi river systems and Gulf of Mexico seawater controls the surface-water major-element composition. Porewaters from the most saline site, however, are depleted in K+ by up to 33% relative to overlying water, implying uptake of K+ by the sediment. Textural characterization of the sediment at the same location by TEM indicates that it is dominated by aggregates of highly disordered smectite-rich clay material, which is mixed with a small component of more-ordered illite-rich material. AEM compositions obtained on the most smectite-like component in these aggregates indicates that the average K+ contents increase by up to 1.0 wt % K2O relative to similar smectite-rich clay in freshwater sediments. Ca2+ concentrations in smectite-rich clay decrease concomitantly, whereas Na+ concentrations are similar between the sites. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses confirm that smectite-rich clay from the freshwater site has a larger interlayer spacing than smectite-rich clay from the brackish-water site, consistent with exchange of smaller hydrated interlayer K+ (± Na+) for larger Ca2+ (± Mg2+). AEM data indicate that the discrete illite-rich component also takes up K+. The integrated porewater and sediment analytical data imply that uptake of K+ by smectite-rich clay is a rapid process (decadal) occurring at the earliest stages of diagenesis in estuarine environments upon exposure to brackish water. Our study shows that K+ uptake in marine sediments may not require the formation of authigenic minerals. Instead, exchange of K+ for other interlayer cations in smectite-rich clay and weathered illite may provide a substantial sink for K+ in the marine environment.
An Evaluation of Spearman's Hypothesis by Manipulating g Saturation

Spearman’s Hypothesis holds that the magnitude of mean White–Black differences on cognitive tests covaries with the extent to which a test is saturated with g. This paper evaluates Spearman’s Hypothesis by manipulating the g saturation of cognitive composites. Using a sample of 16,384 people from the General Aptitude Test Battery database, we show that one can decrease mean racial differences in a g test by altering the g saturation of the measure. Consistent with Spearman’s Hypothesis, the g saturation of a test is positively and strongly related to the magnitude of White–Black mean racial differences in test scores. We demonstrate that the reduction in mean racial differences accomplished by reducing the g saturation in a measure is obtained at the cost of lower validity and increased prediction errors. We recommend that g tests varying in mean racial differences be examined to determine if the Spearman’s Hypothesis is a viable explanation for the results.
Genetics for the paediatric surgeon

Abstract Molecular genetic techniques have transformed our understanding of the development of tumours. Some important concepts and facts are illustrated in this brief review. A good example from developmental biology are the master control genes, the Hox genes. Mutation analysis work on drosophila in the 1980s confirmed the presence of axial control genes. Genetic techniques later applied to xenopus and rodents showed that animals share these and other homologous genes and developmental mechanisms. Axial specification is outlined because of its historic and biological importance. The genetics of some common and some rare (but illustrative) conditions are then summarized. Advances in the biology of neuroblastomas is used to illustrate the importance of the application of genetic techniques to tumours. The human genome is mapped and it is expected that the use of recombinant DNA technology, antisense agents and transgenic techniques will lead to a better understanding of the genetic control of development, the pathogenesis of congenital anomalies and the characterization of tumour biology.
Photonic Bands in DNA Crystal-Based Frequency-Dependent Media

An eigenvalue equation for the wave number of an electromagnetic wave propagating in a photonic crystal containing frequency dependent material is presented.
Silencing State-Sponsored Rape: In and Beyond a Transnational Guatemalan Community

Although rape by soldiers occurred frequently during the recent civil war in Guatemala, rape survivors’ own accounts have been excluded from public testimonials of state violence. It is commonly assumed that cultural ideologies that blame and stigmatize rape victims are responsible for the underreporting of rape in war. Based on ethnographic research in a transnational Guatemalan community, this article challenges the claim that local culture silences survivors of state-sponsored rape. Rather, it demonstrates the ways national and international forces collude in the depoliticization of rape and the silencing of rape survivors.
Chemisorption of Benzene on Cu-Montmorillonite as Characterized by FTIR and 13C MAS NMR

Sorption of benzene onto Cu-montmorillonite was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and 13C magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR). Under anhydrous conditions, chemisorption of benzene in the interlamellar region of Cu-montmorillonite led to the formation of a dark red surface complex that exhibited a vibrational spectrum similar to that of doped poly-p-phenylene. When the benzene sorption reaction was carried out under high relative humidity conditions, polymerization of benzene did not occur. The FTIR spectrum of the surface complex formed under wet conditions exhibited vibrational bands that could not be assigned to those of the parent benzene molecule or to those of previously observed chemisorbed Type I or Type II complexes. 13C MAS NMR spectra of 13C-enriched benzene sorbed onto Cu-montmorillonite powder showed the presence of two groups of peaks that could be assigned to aromatic and aliphatic carbon respectively.
The centring dynamics of a thin liquid shell in capillary oscillations

The physical mechanism governing the centring of a hollow liquid shell in capillary oscillations, which has been observed in experiments, is investigated theoretically. First, the shell is assumed to be inviscid and to have a thickness that is much less than its spherical radius. A system of one-dimensional nonlinear equations of motion is derived using a thin-sheet model. From a numerical study the nonlinear effects of the wave are found to cause the core to oscillate slowly relative to the shell while the centre of mass of the whole system remains stationary. The effects of small viscosity are then considered in an approximation. Finally the strength of the centring mechanism is compared with that of the decentring effect due to buoyancy. The findings are consistent with the limited experimental information available.
Multiple gap junction genes are utilized during rat skin and hair development

The expression of four different gap junction gene products (alpha 1, beta 1, beta 2, and beta 3) has been analysed during rat skin development and the hair growth cycle. Both alpha 1 (Cx43) and beta 2 (Cx26) connexins were coexpressed in the undifferentiated epidermis. A specific, developmentally regulated elimination of beta 2 expression was observed in the periderm at E16. Coinciding with the differentiation of the epidermis, differential expression of alpha 1 and beta 2 connexins was observed in the newly formed epidermal layers. alpha 1 connexin was expressed in the basal and spinous layers, while beta 2 was confined to the differentiated spinous and granular layers. Large gap junctions were present in the basal layer, while small gap junctions, associated with many desmosomes, were typical for the differentiated layers. Although the distribution pattern for alpha 1 and beta 2 expression remained the same in the neonatal and postnatal epidermis, the RNA and protein levels decreased markedly following birth. Hair follicle development was marked by expression of alpha 1 connexin in hair germs at E16. Following beta 2 detection at E20, the expression increased for both alpha 1 and beta 2 in developing follicles. A cell-type-specific expression was detected in the outer root sheath, in the matrix, in the matrix-derived cells (inner root sheath, cortex and medulla) and in the dermal papilla. In addition, alpha 1 was specifically expressed in the arrector pili muscle, while sebocytes expressed both alpha 1 and beta 3 (Cx31) connexin. beta 1 connexin (Cx32) was not detected at any stage analysed. The results indicate that multiple gap junction genes contribute to epidermal and follicular morphogenesis. Moreover, based on the utilization of gap junctions in all living cells of the surface epidermis, it appears that the epidermis may behave as a large communication compartment that may be coupled functionally to epidermal appendages (hair follicles and sebaceous glands) via gap junctional pathways.
Development and Feeding of Fall Armyworm on Miscanthus × giganteus and Switchgrass

ABSTRACT Observations of fall army worm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), larvae infesting plots of Miscanthus × giganteus Greef and Deuter ex Hodkinson and Renvoize prompted laboratory-based tests of survival, development, and feeding preferences on leaf tissue from M. × giganteus and switchgrass, Panicum virgatum L. Survival from hatch to pupation was >70 and 50% for fall army worms reared on switchgrass and M. × giganteus, respectively, although survival of the S. frugiperda rice strain was significantly greater than the corn strain on both crops. Developmental times from hatch to pupation or adult emergence showed effects of crop and S. frugiperda host strain, but analysis of an interaction revealed developmental times for the rice strain were similar on both crops, whereas corn strain larvae showed delayed development on M. × giganteus relative to switchgrass. Analysis of larval (10 d) and pupal masses showed a similar pattern, with effects of crop and an interaction (at 1...
A Hopf-power Markov chain on compositions

In a recent paper, Diaconis, Ram and I constructed Markov chains using the coproduct-then-product map of a combinatorial Hopf algebra. We presented an algorithm for diagonalising a large class of these "Hopf-power chains", including the Gilbert-Shannon-Reeds model of riffle-shuffling of a deck of cards and a rock-breaking model. A very restrictive condition from that paper is removed in my thesis, and this extended abstract focuses on one application of the improved theory. Here, I use a new technique of lumping Hopf-power chains to show that the Hopf-power chain on the algebra of quasisymmetric functions is the induced chain on descent sets under riffle-shuffling. Moreover, I relate its right and left eigenfunctions to Garsia-Reutenauer idempotents and ribbon characters respectively, from which I recover an analogous result of Diaconis and Fulman (2012) concerning the number of descents under riffle-shuffling.
A Review of: “Yonah Alexander and Michael B. Kraft. Evolution of Counterterrorism”

This set is a valuable documentary collection of speeches, television and other public addresses, including testimony before Congress, made by administration officials on terrorism and counterterro...
The Use and Effects of Student Ratings in Legal Writing Courses: A Plea for Holistic Evaluation of Teaching

This article reports a study of student ratings (sometimes called "student evaluations") of professors in law school legal writing courses. A review of the literature discusses factors that bias the student ratings and the ratings' unintended effects, including effects on grade inflation and course rigor. Among the survey's reported findings are that student ratings negatively affected rigor in the classrooms of 25% of the respondents and that 31% of the respondents believed the ratings contribute to a lessening of course rigor in law schools. The article concludes that undue weight is placed on student ratings in light of their biases and negative effects. It recommends that teaching be holistically evaluated through such means as peer classroom visits and teaching portfolios.
Collaborative work within Optical Engineering: Ethnography and curricular development

Ethnographic research is used to reveal the nature of collaborative optical engineering work between team members of different backgrounds. Observations in an academic environment are combined data derived from interviews with industry professionals.
USING ROUND TABLE LABS TO COMPLEMENT DIDACTIC LECTURES AND EXPERIMENTAL LABS

In an effort to teach the volume of material needed by physiology students as well as to enhance the student’s understanding of physiological mechanisms, a combination of teaching methods is being used at the undergraduate level. Didactic lectures are used to convey the mass of information needed, experimental labs are used to aid the student in visualizing concepts, and situational labs [called round table labs (RTLs) here] are used to provide an opportunity for the student to learn, in a risk-free setting, how to answer application questions. The RTLs utilize discussion, writing, verbal communication, and analytic thinking. The major emphasis of the RTLs is on the integrative nature of physiology. Use of the RTLs bridges the gap among the facts learned in the didactic lecture, the hands-on learning of the experimental lab, and the need to be able to apply what is being learned. Using this combination facilitates student learning such that the student reaches a level of proficiency with the subject beyond that which can be attained with the more traditional lecture-exam format.
Impact of Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B) on Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) Performance

The Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) has contributed to an increase in aviation safety by assisting flight crews with the resolution of conflicts that would have otherwise resulted in a mid-air collision. As TCAS uses secondary radar data, its performance could be improved with the greater positioning accuracies and sampling rates afforded by Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), the satellite-based surveillance system that will be a key component of the Next Generation Air Transportation System. In this paper, we present the results of research carried out to determine the impact of ADS-B on TCAS. Three encounter scenarios were modeled including two aircraft with a level flight path intersection, an intruding aircraft descending towards another aircraft and two aircraft using continuous descent approaches to minimum-spaced parallel runways. The models were then probabilistically evaluated for both the current TCAS system and a TCAS employing ADS-B. The simulations showed that small improvements in TCAS performance could be realized through ADS-B, with several other factors having larger impacts. Nomenclature τ = total time taken by the aircraft to the projected closest point of approach (CPA) maneuver aircraft t _ = time taken to safely execute the escape maneuvers, including aircraft pull-up time and time-toclimb to the designated climb/descent rate of 1500 ft/min g proces data t sin _ = time taken for TCAS to process the data received from external sources pilot
The development of visually guided reaching in monkeys reared without sight of the hands

In a modified replication of a study by Held and Bauer, two monkeys were reared without sight of the hands. The animals were taught to reach toward a dowel stick they could see. When the hands were uncovered, neither prolonged hand watching nor inability to reach toward objects was observed. The animals reached toward gross objects on the first day and gradually improved. Thus, visual deprivation of the sight of the hands would not appear to hinder visually guided reaching as much as the Held-Bauer study would indicate.
Rethinking the state in urban outcasts

Wacquant’s treatment of the state’s role in producing urban marginality rests on outdated assumptions about a centralised state operating uniformly across one nation’s urban territories. More than a decade’s worth of urban scholarship focuses on a process more productively labelled ‘governance,’ which points to the multiplex relations among government, business, nongovernmental organisations and hybrid organisational forms in the production of urban inequality. While Wacquant gestures towards these ideas, a greater engagement with the range of extant empirical work on this subject is warranted.
Methods for Estimation and Prediction of Maneuverable Target Based on Kalman Filtering

Accurate estimation and prediction of track of the high-speed target are mainly studied in this paper. Some information is provided for our naval ships to practise anti-jamming and interception. The movement regulation of the target is hard to be described accurately because of the high speed movement of the target and underwater environmental complexity. Since the conventional estimation and prediction methods aren't suitable to the question, an adaptive and attenuation filtering arithmetic based on Kalman filtering is proposed. The mathematical model of a target moving in a plane is established and the corresponding filter equations are given. The advantage of the method is that the estimate value can be revised constantly, and the indefinite system model parameter and yawp statistical parameter can also be revised at the same time. It is not very sensitive to the influence of the filtering initial value. Simulation results of trail trajectory show that it can accurately estimate and predict the movement track of the enemy target.
Chapter Twelve: Mythmaker, Mythmaker, Make me a Myth

In this final chapter, I wish to turn to singularly emblematic moment in a masterpiece of Iranian cinema, Bahram Beiza’i Bashu: The Little Stranger (1989), when the rebirth of the nation is staged as the second birth of a child to a mother in the absence of her husband and thus as a fatherless immaculate conception. This moment I consider the most radical, the most liberating instance of the rebirth of the nation, aesthetically foretold in a sublime moment in Iranian cinema. By gendering the nation through an immaculate conception, the creative reconceptualization of the very idea of vatan/homeland gives the aesthetic intuition of transcendence a decidedly feminine perspective.
Genetic Counseling for FXTAS and Fragile X-Associated Disorders

Since its identification in 2001, awareness of fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) and other fragile X-associated disorders (FXD) has increased. The number of patients and families impacted by these conditions continues to grow. Families with and without a known history of fragile X syndrome (FXS) are impacted, as the FXTAS diagnosis may be the first FXD diagnosed in the family. Patients are usually identified based on their neurological findings such as intentional tremor, balance and gait difficulties, cognitive impairment, and brain MRI abnormalities.
Systems Biology: Salivary Gland Development, Disease, and Regenerative Medicine

There are multiple challenges currently facing clinical salivary gland research, encompassing a wide range of topics from understanding development to understanding disease etiology and from diagnosing disease to designing more effective, personalized therapies. Systems analysis complements traditional reductionist approaches, and the integration of these two approaches is starting to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the causal relationships leading to normal and abnormal biology. Understanding normal developmental processes is critical for understanding development of disease. Morphogenesis and differentiation are complex developmental processes involving orchestrated interactions between heterotypic cell types that have proven difficult to understand through reductionist approaches alone. It has become clear that it is not possible to understand the complex molecular, cellular, and physical process integration that is required for any developmental or disease process without the use of systems biology approaches. In this chapter, we demonstrate examples in the use of systems approaches to better characterize the difference between embryonic submandibular salivary glands grown in vivo and ex vivo as 3D organ explants and to identify potential signaling networks in heterotypic subpopulations of cells that lead to the prediction of a function for endothelial cells in salivary gland development. We conclude with examples of how systems biology-based approaches using both tissue samples and saliva from patients are currently being used in many laboratories to make progress in salivary gland disease diagnosis, understanding disease etiology, and informing therapeutic development for cancer and regenerative medicine strategies.
Δ(1232) and nucleon spectral functions in hot hadronic matter

Abstract Modifications of Δ ( 1232 ) and nucleon spectral functions at finite temperature and baryon density are evaluated in terms of resonant scattering off thermal pions, as well as a renormalization of the vacuum Δ-width including vertex corrections. The interactions are based on effective Lagrangians of pions and baryon resonances, with underlying parameters (coupling constants and form factors) determined by the elastic πN scattering phase shift in the isobar channel, and by empirical decay branchings of excited resonances. Pion modifications are included via interactions in a pion gas, as well as standard Δ– and nucleon–hole excitations in nuclear matter. In hot hadronic matter, under conditions resembling thermal freezeout at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider (RHIC), the Δ exhibits a significant broadening of ∼ 65 MeV together with a slight upward peak shift of 5–10 MeV, in qualitative agreement with preliminary data from the STAR Collaboration.
A meta-analysis of the pique technique of compliance

A random-effects meta-analysis was undertaken to examine the effectiveness of the pique technique of compliance-gaining. Results indicated an overall significant effect of the pique technique on in...
Violent lyrics in heavy metal music can increase aggression in males.

Klinesmith, Kasser, and McAndrew (2006) demonstrated that handling a gun caused males to aggress more in an experiment where they spiked a cup of water with hot sauce, believing that another subject would drink it. They also determined that the increase in aggression was mediated by testosterone levels that were raised by handling the gun. This is a well-accepted, reliable and valid technique for measuring aggression in the laboratory (Lieberman, Solomon, Greenberg, & McGregor, 1999). We used the design of the Klinesmith et al study to weigh in on the controversy surrounding the role played by violent lyrics in heavy metal music in causing aggressive behavior, and whether such lyrics operate in the same fashion as the guns in the aforementioned study. Anecdotal arguments notwithstanding, the experimental evidence regarding this matter is quite mixed (Anderson, Carnagey, & Eubanks, 2003; Arnett, 1991; Ballard & Coates, 1995; Fried, 2006; Gowensmith & Bloom, 1997). Thirty-five male college students (age range = 18-22) were recruited from undergraduate psychology classes to participate in a study described as being about the relationship between auditory stimulation and taste sensitivity. The students received course credit for their participation. They were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups: A group that listened to heavy metal music that had been pretested and judged to have violent lyrics (n=11; the songs were "Bloodmeat" and "Limb from Limb" performed by Protest the Hero), and a group that listened to similar heavy metal songs pretested and judged to have no violent lyrics (n=12; the songs were "Bounce," "Old School Hollywood," and "I-E-A-I-A-I-O" performed by System of a Down), and a control group that listened to no music at all and sat silently in the room waiting for the next part of the experiment. Saliva samples were taken prior to and after an eight-minute music exposure, and the subjects also engaged in a bogus taste-rating task. Each participant was then given a cup filled with 115 mg of water and a bottle of hot sauce and was instructed to prepare a taste sample for the next experimental subject. The dependent variable was the weight, in milligrams, of hot sauce that the subject added to the cup of water which was weighed before and after the hot sauce was added. Unfortunately, a refrigeration failure damaged the saliva samples, precluding an analysis of the testosterone data. …
Peroxiredoxin-6 and NADPH Oxidase Activity

Peroxiredoxins (Prdxs) are a family of proteins which catalyze the reduction of H2O2 through the interaction of active site cysteine residues. Conserved within all plant and animal kingdoms, the function of these proteins is related to protection from oxidation or participation of signaling through degradation of H2O2. Peroxiredoxin 6 (Prdx6), a protein belonging to the class of 1-cys Prdxs, was identified in polymorphonuclear leukocytes or neutrophils, defined by amino acid sequence and activity, and found associated with a component of the NADPH oxidase (Nox2), p67(phox). Prdx6 plays an important role in neutrophil function and supports the optimal activity of Nox2. In this chapter, methods are described for determining the Prdx activity of Prdx6. In addition, the approach for assessing the effect of Prdx6 on Nox2 in the SDS-activated, cell-free system of NADPH oxidase activity is presented. Finally, the techniques for suppressing Prdx6 expression in phox-competent K562 cells and cultured myeloid cells with siRNA and shRNA methods are described. With these approaches, the role of Prdx6 in Nox2 activity can be explored with intact cells. The biochemical mechanisms of the Prdx6 effect on the NADPH oxidase can be investigated with the experimental strategies described.
Tumorigenicity and Organization of the Terminal Region of the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) Genome in LCLs Derived from Carcinogen-Treated Lymphocytes

It has been proposed that uncontrolled EBV replication in the oral pharyngeal region is critical for the development of EBVassociated tumors. From epidemiological studies it seems certain that environmental cofactors contribute to the development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The recent discovery of carcinogen-inducible transcripts under the regulation of DNA damage-responsive elements provides a model to explain how DNA damage could influence viral expression and viral DNA replication (1–3). We propose that virus expression and viral DNA replication could be influenced by exposure to chemical or physical carcinogens through DNA damage-induced chromosomal decondensation followed by the direct interaction of carcinogen-inducible trans -acting factors with viral sequences homologous to DNA damage-responsive elements within the viral genome. Exposure to environmental carcinogens could result in the circumvention of normally stringent control of viral gene expression and lead to uncontrolled viral replication. These phenomena would account for an increase in tumors in populations exposed to viruses and environmental carcinogens.
Better ABSITE performance with increased operative case load during surgical residency.

Abstract Background Common measures of evaluating surgical resident progression include American Board of Surgery In-Training Exam scores and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education operative case logs. This study evaluates the relationship between operative cases performed and American Board of Surgery In-Training Exam scores in general surgery residents. Methods A retrospective review of American Board of Surgery In-Training Exam scores and operative case logs was performed for postgraduate year 1–5 general surgery residents at a single academic institution (2008–2017). For each resident, the total number of operative cases logged from the start of their postgraduate year 1 until the end of each academic year was calculated and compared to their American Board of Surgery In-Training Exam scores for that corresponding year. Results At all postgraduate-year levels, there was a positive linear relationship between the number of cases logged and American Board of Surgery In-Training Exam percentile (slope, m = 0.23–5.2, R2 .01–.17) and scaled (m = 0.29–5.3, R2 .13–.37) scores. At the postgraduate year 1, 2, 3, and 5 levels, and with all residents combined, residents in the top quartile of cases logged performed significantly better on the American Board of Surgery In-Training Exam than those in the bottom quartile (P Conclusion Surgical residents who perform more operative cases do significantly better on the American Board of Surgery In-Training Exam than their peers. This association may be due to increased clinical experience, exposure to pathology, and/or individual resident motivation.
Investigation of a Digital Non-Foster RC Circuit Using Pade and Prony Approximations

Non-Foster circuits can be used to improve the performance and bandwidth of existing applications, and to enable new technologies such as acoustic cloaking. Although analog approaches for the implementation of non-Foster circuits have existed for some time, digital discrete-time implementations of non-Foster circuits have recently been introduced. Previous digital discrete-time implementations of non-Foster circuits used a backward difference method to design the digital non-Foster circuit. In this paper, Pade and Prony modeling methods are presented for the design of digital non-Foster RC series circuits. The performance of the proposed Pade and Prony methods are compared with the earlier approach using the backward difference method. The Pade and Prony methods were shown to better approximate resistance in the mid bandwidth region than the backward difference method for a positive capacitance and resistance as well as a negative RC circuit. Lastly, a prototype using the Prony method to design a digital positive R C series circuit was implemented on a microcontroller, with measured results closely matching theory.
Optimizing Temperature and Humidity for Rooting Hybrid Hazelnuts from Hardwood Stem Cuttings1

Abstract Hybrid hazelnuts are being developed as a new crop for the Upper Midwest for their ecological and economic value, but lack of economically viable propagation methods is a significant bottl...
The Buttonwillow Complex: A Proposed Western Stemmed Tradition Variant in the Southern San Joaquin Valley, California

In the mid-twentieth century, excavations at the Buena Vista Lake site (CA-KER-116) in the southern San Joaquin Valley of California resulted in the identification of a deposit dating from the earl...
Comparison of steroid-releasing stents vs nonabsorbable packing as middle meatal spacers.

Background A randomized controlled trial was held to compare nonabsorbable packs to steroid-eluting absorbable stents as middle meatal spacers after endoscopic sinus surgery in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Methods CRS patients were randomly assigned to receive either nonabsorbable Merocel packs wrapped in non-latex glove material (packing type A) or Propel steroid eluting stents (packing type B). Twenty-two-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) scores were collected preoperatively and postoperatively during the initial 4 debridements up to 3 months. Recording of the nasal endoscopy was also collected during all postoperative visits. In addition, Lund-Kennedy scores and middle turbinate lateralization scores, using a new visual analogue scale, were compared between the 2 types of packing. Results Forty CRS patients were prospectively enrolled in this institutional review board (IRB)-approved study. Patients with packing type A had significantly lower middle turbinate lateralization scores at their first (∼10 days) postoperative visit (p = 0.02 and p = 0.04, for left and right sides, respectively). This difference disappeared by later postoperative visits (from 20 days to 3 months). Overall, patients receiving packing type A had significant lower SNOT-22 scores at 20 days postsurgery (p = 0.05). This difference also disappeared at 1 and 3 months postoperation. There were no statistically significant differences in Lund-Kennedy scores. Conclusion In this study, nonabsorbable packing materials showed significant superior middle meatal spacing capacities as evidenced by greater middle turbinate medialization capability at the first postoperative visit. Additionally, patients with this type of packing saw improvements in their SNOT-22 scores at the 20-day postoperative visit. This study showed that there was no significant improvement in postoperative outcomes with drug-eluting stents when compared to nonabsorbable packing.
Measurement of Microcystin and Nodularin Activity in Human Urine by Immunocapture-Protein Phosphatase 2A Assay.

Microcystins (MC) and nodularin (NOD) are toxins released by cyanobacteria during harmful algal blooms. They are potent inhibitors of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A (PP1 and PP2A) and cause a variety of adverse symptoms in humans and animals if ingested. More than 250 chemically diverse congeners of MCs have been identified, but certified reference materials are only available for a few. A diagnostic test that does not require each reference material for detection is necessary to identify human exposures. To address this need, our lab has developed a method that uses an antibody to specifically isolate MCs and NOD from urine prior to detection via a commercially available PP2A kit. This assay quantitates the summed inhibitory activity of nearly all MCs and NOD on PP2A relative to a common MC congener, microcystin-LR (MC-LR). The quantitation range for MC-LR using this method is from 0.050–0.500 ng/mL. No background responses were detected in a convenience set of 50 individual urines. Interday and intraday % accuracies ranged from 94%–118% and relative standard deviations were 15% or less, meeting FDA guidelines for receptor binding assays. The assay detected low levels of MCs in urines from three individuals living in close proximity to harmful algal blooms (HABs) in Florida.
Does the Number of Levels Fused Affect Spinopelvic Parameters and Clinical Outcomes Following Posterolateral Lumbar Fusion for Low-Grade Spondylolisthesis?:

Study Design:Retrospective cohort.Objectives:To determine how the number of fused intervertebral levels affects radiographic parameters and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing open posterolate...
Recycled arc mantle recovered from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Plate tectonics and mantle dynamics necessitate mantle recycling throughout Earth’s history, yet direct geochemical evidence for mantle reprocessing remains elusive. Here we present evidence of recycled supra-subduction zone mantle wedge peridotite dredged from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge near 16°30′N. Peridotite trace-element characteristics are inconsistent with fractional anhydrous melting typically associated with a mid-ocean ridge setting. Instead, the samples are best explained by hydrous flux melting which changed the melting reactions such that clinopyroxene was not exhausted at high degrees of melting and was retained in the residuum. Based on along-axis ridge depth variations, this buoyant refractory arc mantle is likely compensated at depth by denser, likely garnet-rich, lithologies within the mantle column. Our results suggest that highly refractory arc mantle relicts are entrained in the upper mantle and may constitute >60% of the upper mantle by volume. These highly refractory mantle domains, which contribute little to mantle melting, are under-represented in compilations of mantle composition that rely on inverted basalt compositions alone. Plate tectonics necessitates mantle recycling throughout Earth’s history, yet direct geochemical evidence for mantle reprocessing remains elusive. Here, the authors present evidence of recycled supra-subduction zone mantle wedge peridotite dredged from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge near 16°30′N.
SynTEG: a framework for temporal structured electronic health data simulation.

Objective Simulating electronic health record data offers an opportunity to resolve the tension between data sharing and patient privacy. Recent techniques based on generative adversarial networks have shown promise but neglect the temporal aspect of healthcare. We introduce a generative framework for simulating the trajectory of patients' diagnoses and measures to evaluate utility and privacy. Materials and methods The framework simulates date-stamped diagnosis sequences based on a 2-stage process that 1) sequentially extracts temporal patterns from clinical visits and 2) generates synthetic data conditioned on the learned patterns. We designed 3 utility measures to characterize the extent to which the framework maintains feature correlations and temporal patterns in clinical events. We evaluated the framework with billing codes, represented as phenome-wide association study codes (phecodes), from over 500 000 Vanderbilt University Medical Center electronic health records. We further assessed the privacy risks based on membership inference and attribute disclosure attacks. Results The simulated temporal sequences exhibited similar characteristics to real sequences on the utility measures. Notably, diagnosis prediction models based on real versus synthetic temporal data exhibited an average relative difference in area under the ROC curve of 1.6% with standard deviation of 3.8% for 1276 phecodes. Additionally, the relative difference in the mean occurrence age and time between visits were 4.9% and 4.2%, respectively. The privacy risks in synthetic data, with respect to the membership and attribute inference were negligible. Conclusion This investigation indicates that temporal diagnosis code sequences can be simulated in a manner that provides utility and respects privacy.
INFRARED SINGULARITIES IN D 2 DISORDERED INTERACTING SYSTEMS

We address the problem of infrared singularities in the perturbation theory for disordered interacting systems in $dl~2.$ We show that a typical sufficiently large interacting system exhibits a linear instability in the spin-triplet channel. In the density-density channel, although stability is preserved, a large number of soft modes is accumulated. These phenomena are responsible for the instability of the weak-interacting fixed point. Although generic, the unstable direction and soft modes are highly sample specific and cannot be effectively captured by conventional techniques based on an averaging procedure. Rather, the instability is determined by the largest eigenvalues of the polarization operator. We propose to employ the optimal-fluctuation method for evaluating the probability of such events.