cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distribution of glyphosate-resistant and glyphosate-susceptible hairy fleabane (Conyza bonariensis) in central California and their phenological development

Glyphosate-resistant (GR) hairy fleabane was first documented in California in 2007. A preliminary study comparing plants from this population to a glyphosate-susceptible (GS) population determined that they developed more rapidly than the GS plants. However, it was not known if this was a general characteristic of all GR populations. Therefore, seeds of hairy fleabane were collected from 122 locations in central California. Plants from each location were grown and tested for resistance using a shikimate enzyme assay. Seeds from 90 locations germinated of which 27 % were determined as GR, 21 % as GS, and 52 % as intermediate/mixed. Plants from five GR and five GS populations, as determined by the assay, were randomly selected for comparisons and were grown in 2010/2011. Time taken by each plant to reach key phenological stages was recorded and converted into growing degree day (GDD) using a base temperature of 4.2 °C. The biomass of each plant was recorded at seed set. The five GR and GS plants had similar phenological development rates and biomass. Therefore, the differences previously identified between the two populations were not present in the additionally tested populations. The phenological development was hence described by a common GDD model with the plants requiring 374, 711, 970, 1289, and 1551 GDD, to reach the rosette, bolting, first bud, first flower, and first seed stages, respectively. This study shows widespread distribution of GR hairy fleabane in central California, provides useful information on biology of this weed for management, and suggests possible label changes to herbicide manufacturers.
Lipid Oxidation in Oil-in-Water Emulsions: Impact of Molecular Environment on Chemical Reactions in Heterogeneous Food Systems

: The susceptibility of lipids to oxidation is a major cause of quality deterioration in food emulsions. The reaction mechanism and factors that influence oxidation are appreciably different for emulsified lipids than for bulk lipids. This article reviews the current understanding of the lipid oxidation mechanism in oil-in-water emulsions. It also discusses the major factors that influence the rate of lipid oxidation in emulsions, such as antioxidants, chelating agents, ingredient purity, ingredient partitioning, interfacial characteristics, droplet characteristics, and ingredient interactions. This knowledge is then used to define effective strategies for controlling lipid oxidation in food emulsions.
Location and the Innovation Performance of Commercial GIS Companies

This paper looks at the role of firm size, location, and in-house research and development (R&D) in the innovation performance of U.S. firms in the commercial geographic information systems (GIS) industry. Data from a survey of 300 GIS firms are presented. The results suggest that innovation-intensity varies directly with in-house R&D spending (scaled as a proportion of company sales), but inversely with company size (total employment). Significant regional variations in the innovation performance of GIS firms are identified. It is argued that the geography of innovation is influenced by the spatial distribution of young and/or small firms, in that R&D-productivity is found to vary inversely with company size. An important finding is that creative inputs to support innovation are almost evenly divided between internal and external sources. A surprising result is that the academic community is not viewed as a particularly important source of new ideas for innovative firms. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of the survey data for future empirical work on the GIS sector.
A new spin on an unusual tail

The pTα cytoplasmic chain was initially thought to be dispensable for T cell development. A reanalysis of the pTα cytoplasmic tail now shows this domain plays a critical role in pre-TCR signaling.
An improved method for the detection of lipid on paper chromatograms.

Abstract A simple technique is described whereby, using an acid solution of protoporphyrin, as little as one microgram of lipid may be detected on paper chromatograms. This substance is bound to certain lipids and fluoresces in ultraviolet light. The protoporphyrin does not stain the paper and thereby permits color testing on the same chromatograms.
Mindfulness Meditation and Aromatherapy to Reduce Stress and Anxiety

Coping with symptoms of stress and anxiety is a challenging experience and continues to tax the resources and limits of modern conventional health care. In the past 25–30 years, western medical science has turned increasing attention to the psychological and physical correlates of meditation, with mindfulness becoming quite popular in recent years. An extensive literature reviewwas performed; themajority of articles were rated at level ll evidence based on a scale of l–Vll (l being the best evidence). Findings of the literature review support the evidence-based practice project of using mindfulness meditation as an intervention to reduce both stress and anxiety levels (Lee et al., 2007; Leite et al., 2010; Malini, Uddip, & Vivek, 2011; Piet & Esben, 2011; Ramel et al., 2004; Schreiner & Malcolm James, 2008; Toneatto & Nguyen, 2007). There was no prior research using a mindfulness intervention combined with aromatherapy to reduce stress and anxiety for hospitalized psychiatric patients. The purpose of this pilot project was to develop and implement a stress management activity to provide in-patient psychiatric patients with self-improvement techniques to help promote healing, wellness, and to better copewith increased levels of stress andanxiety.Mindfulness meditation was merged with aromatherapy to create aromatherapy enhanced meditation as a unique stress management activity.
Markov model-based phoneme class partitioning for improved constrained iterative speech enhancement

Research has shown that degrading acoustic background noise influences speech quality across phoneme classes in a nonuniform manner. This results in variable quality performance of many speech enhancement algorithms in noisy environments. A phoneme classification procedure is proposed which directs single-channel constrained speech enhancement. The procedure performs broad phoneme class partitioning of noisy speech frames using a continuous mixture hidden Markov model recognizer in conjunction with a perceptually motivated cost-based decision process. Once noisy speech frames are identified, iterative speech enhancement based on all-pole parameter estimation with inter- and intra-frame spectral constraints is employed. The phoneme class-directed enhancement algorithm is evaluated using TIMIT speech data and shown to result in substantial improvement in objective speech quality over a range of signal-to-noise ratios and individual phoneme classes. >
Mechanisms of berm development and resulting beach growth along a barrier spit complex

Weekly topographic profile measurements across a southward migrating recurved-spit complex throughout a summer period have revealed three different mechanisms of berm development, each reflected by a distinctive sedimentary sequence. Each mechanism dominates berm widening along certain sections of the active spit with transition zones separating each one. Along the straight beach sections where a net longshore transport is well developed, sand accumulates at the distal high-tide swash mark during neap tide. These sandy accumulations are neap berms which are later redistributed over the main berm by swash occurring at spring high water. The main berm grows vertically and horizontally as a result. To the south, along the middle portion of the recurved spit, swash bars or ridge-and-runnel systems actively develop, migrate, and weld onto the established berms. This is the second method of berm widening and results from an excess of sand carried into this portion of the spit due to the steadily decreasing transport of the longshore current system. Berm-ridges develop along the southernmost portion of the active recurved spit and represent the third and most rapid form of beach progradation. Wide, broad swash bars build nearly up to the spring high tide level. At neap high tide, the swash cannot extend over this feature. Wave energy is expended on the seaward margin of the swash bar initially developing a low-angle beach face. Rapidly, this beach face steepens and a new berm (beach face and berm top) is developed on top of the swash bar. This berm structure still retains much of its swash bar or ridge appearance, hence the term‘berm-ridge'. Numerous trenches dug into the beach provide data to model the distribution of primary sedimentary structures in recurved spits. Berm-ridges are the most important features along rapidly accreting spits, and structures associated with these features are volumetrically the most significant. Berm-ridges also develop arcuate, vegetated ridges separated by low lying, marsh-infilled swales. These features are commonly seen within barrier islands and designate former inlets.
Understanding Social Complexity Within the Wildland-Urban Interface: A New Species of Human Habitation?

The lack of knowledge regarding social diversity in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) or an in-depth understanding of the ways people living there interact to address common problems is concerning, perhaps even dangerous, given that community action is necessary for successful wildland fire preparedness and natural resource management activities. In this article, we lay out the knowledge and preliminary case study evidence needed to begin systematically documenting the differing levels and types of adaptive capacity WUI communities have for addressing collective problems such as wildland fire hazard. In order to achieve this end, we draw from two theoretical perspectives encompassing humans' interactions with their environment, including (1) Kenneth Wilkinson's interactional approach to community, (2) and certain elements of place literature. We also present case study research on wildfire protection planning in two drastically different California communities to illustrate how social diversity influences adaptive capacity to deal with hazards such as wildland fire. These perspectives promote an image of the WUI not as a monolithic entity but a complex mosaic of communities with different needs and existing capacities for wildland fire and natural resource management.
Can the Suppressive Activity of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells Be “Chop”ped?

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are one of the major negative regulators of immune responses. In this issue of Immunity, Thevenot et al. (2014) showed that in tumors, the suppressive activity of MDSCs is regulated by transcription factor Chop.
Early reading in Japan

Abstract Examines the various hypotheses proposed which attempt to explain the lack of reading problems in Japan. These hypotheses include the nature of the Japanese written language, different perceptual processes involved in reading Japanese, the interest of Japanese parents in teaching their preschoolers to read and the quantity of publications suitable for preschoolers. Cultural factors related to reading in Japan are particularly explored.
Conducting Clinical Research Using Crowdsourced Convenience Samples

Crowdsourcing has had a dramatic impact on the speed and scale at which scientific research can be conducted. Clinical scientists have particularly benefited from readily available research study participants and streamlined recruiting and payment systems afforded by Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk), a popular labor market for crowdsourcing workers. MTurk has been used in this capacity for more than five years. The popularity and novelty of the platform have spurred numerous methodological investigations, making it the most studied nonprobability sample available to researchers. This article summarizes what is known about MTurk sample composition and data quality with an emphasis on findings relevant to clinical psychological research. It then addresses methodological issues with using MTurk--many of which are common to other nonprobability samples but unfamiliar to clinical science researchers--and suggests concrete steps to avoid these issues or minimize their impact.
Pharmacological manipulation of Bcl-2 family members to control cell death

The commitment to programmed cell death involves complex interactions among pro- and antiapoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family of proteins. The physiological result of a decision by these proteins to undergo cell death is permeabilization of the mitochondrial outer membrane. Pharmacologic manipulation of proteins in this family appears both feasible and efficacious, whether the goal is decreased cell death, as in ischemia of the myocardium or brain, or increased cell death, as in cancer.
Three-Sinus Repair of Elastin Arteriopathy Associated Supravalvar Pulmonary Stenosis With Bilateral Branch Pulmonary Artery Involvement.

Elastin arteriopathy–associated supravalvar pulmonary stenosis is characterized by a thick intraluminal ringlike obstruction at the sinotubular junction of the pulmonary valve. Extension of disease into the branch pulmonary arteries is common. A three-sinus pulmonary trunk augmentation combined with bilateral branch pulmonary augmentation is presented. This approach normalizes the pulmonary trunk and allows optimal augmentation of the central pulmonary arteries.
Further Observations on the Effects of Head Position on Vertical OKN and OKAN in Normal Subjects

Vertical optokinetic nystagmus (VOKN) and vertical optokinetic after-nystagmus (VOKAN) were studied in three head positions (upright, lateral, and head-hanging) in normal subjects by use of full-field OKN stimulation. Mean vertical OKN gain asymmetry (downbeating > upbeating) was noted for the upright position at stripe velocities of 40, 50, and 60 deg/sec. In three subjects, mean VOKN gain asymmetry was eliminated in the head-hanging position, but only slightly reduced in the lateral position. In one subject, mean gain asymmetry was reversed in the head-hanging position. Down-beating VOKAN (usually about 2 to 20 beats) was found in 11 of 21 subjects in the upright position, but was not generally affected by position change. Upbeating VOKAN never occurred following stripes-down stimulation (appropriate stimulation). Inappropriately directed upbeating VOKAN did occur, however, after stripes-up stimulation at 60 deg/sec for 2 of 21 subjects. Downbeating after-nystagmus that was opposite to the direction of ...
Boron uptake by sunflower, squash and cultured tobacco cells

Boron uptake was studied in sunflower (Helianthus annuus cv. Ha301), squash (Cucurbita pepo cv. Early prolific straight neck) and cultured tobacco (Nicotiana tobacum L. cv. TXD Monsanto cell line) cells with the use of stable B isotpes and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Boron uptake increased linearly with increasing B concentrations in the uptake medium, did not exhibit multiphasic kinetics and was not saturable over a wide concentration range
The Pathway Between Conflict and Reconciliation: Coexistence as an Evolutionary Process

A normative sequence of six stages is proposed to describe the process of evolution from open conflict to harmonious coexistence, as well at its devolution from the latter to the former. The stages may be termed Confrontation , Truce, Collaboration, Cooperation, Interdependence and Integration. Each of the six stages constitutes an amalgam of practices, narratives and prevalent emotions in a relational “game” that tends to resist change. At the stage of Confrontation, each party assumes that any act of the other is motivated by ill intent, and active hostility prevails. In Truce or Freeze, acts of hostility are curtailed by a real or virtual “neutral zone” controlled by powerful third parties. The dominant emotions are resentment, anger, and mistrust. Collaboration retains some assumptions of ill intent while certain activities in common are carried out. The third party looses visibility, and the dominant emotions include ambivalence. Cooperation entails the assumption of neutral intent of self and other,...
A Simplified Linear Framework for Interpreting Patterns of Northern Hemisphere Wintertime Climate Variability

Abstract The principal patterns of variability of the extratropical Northern Hemisphere (NH) wintertime circulation are examined, based on 42 yr of data from the NCAR–NCEP reanalyses. The two-dimensional phase space defined by the two leading PCs of the monthly mean sea level pressure (SLP) field poleward of 20°N is used as a basis for surveying the structure of the geopotential height and surface air temperature (SAT) fields. Together these two patterns account for roughly half the variance of SLP on interannual time scales and longer, and virtually all the planetary-scale SLP trends over the 42-yr period of record. The leading EOF corresponds to the NH annular mode (NAM), and the second EOF resembles the Pacific–North America (PNA) pattern. The leading EOF of the monthly mean geopotential height field at various levels throughout the troposphere and lower stratosphere is well represented by linear combinations of these two SLP patterns, as are the intraseasonal and interannual SLP fields, the NAM, the N...
Putting scales into evolutionary time: the divergence of major scale insect lineages (Hemiptera) predates the radiation of modern angiosperm hosts.

The radiation of flowering plants in the mid-Cretaceous transformed landscapes and is widely believed to have fuelled the radiations of major groups of phytophagous insects. An excellent group to test this assertion is the scale insects (Coccomorpha: Hemiptera), with some 8,000 described Recent species and probably the most diverse fossil record of any phytophagous insect group preserved in amber. We used here a total-evidence approach (by tip-dating) employing 174 morphological characters of 73 Recent and 43 fossil taxa (48 families) and DNA sequences of three gene regions, to obtain divergence time estimates and compare the chronology of the most diverse lineage of scale insects, the neococcoid families, with the timing of the main angiosperm radiation. An estimated origin of the Coccomorpha occurred at the beginning of the Triassic, about 245 Ma [228–273], and of the neococcoids 60 million years later [210–165 Ma]. A total-evidence approach allows the integration of extinct scale insects into a phylogenetic framework, resulting in slightly younger median estimates than analyses using Recent taxa, calibrated with fossil ages only. From these estimates, we hypothesise that most major lineages of coccoids shifted from gymnosperms onto angiosperms when the latter became diverse and abundant in the mid- to Late Cretaceous.
Promoting Paternal Participation in Maternal and Child Health Services

ABSTRACTSocial service organizations face significant challenges involving fathers. This study presents the findings of a project between a maternal and child health program and a school of social work aimed at enhancing the organization’s capacity for engaging fathers in services. Results revealed that staff expressed a willingness to engage fathers but felt unprepared to do so. In detailing their experiences with the organization, fathers discussed the ways in which they had been engaged and their recommendations for improving those efforts. We conclude by advocating for the adoption of a bottom-up philosophy with regard to fatherhood program development and service delivery.
Abnormal Akt Signalling in Bladder Epithelial Cell Explants From Patients With Interstitial cystitis/bladder Pain Syndrome Can Be Induced by Antiproliferative Factor Treatment of Normal Bladder Cells

Objectives To determine whether protein kinase B (Akt) signalling and secretion of specific downstream effector proteins are abnormal in specific cell fractions of bladder epithelial cells from patients with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), as explanted bladder epithelial cells from patients with IC/BPS produce a frizzled 8-related glycopeptide antiproliferative factor (APF) that inhibits normal bladder epithelial cell proliferation and expression of several proteins known to be regulated by Akt signalling. A related secondary objective was to determine whether treatment of normal bladder epithelial cells with active synthetic asialo-antiproliferative factor (as-APF) induces similar changes in Akt signalling and specific downstream effector proteins/mRNAs. Patients and methods Cell proteins were extracted into four subcellular fractions from primary bladder epithelial explants of six patients who fulfilled modified National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) criteria for IC/BPS and six age- and gender-matched controls. Total and/or phosphorylated cellular Akt, glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), and β-catenin; total cellular JunB; and secreted matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) and heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) levels were determined by Western blot. MMP2, JunB, p53, uroplakin 3 (UPK3), and β-actin mRNAs were quantified by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Akt activity was determined by nonradioactive assay. Results IC/BPS cells had lower Akt activity, along with lower Akt ser473- and GSK3β ser9-phosphorylation and higher β-catenin ser33,37/thr41-phosphorylation in specific fractions as compared with matched control cells. IC/BPS explants also had evidence of additional downstream abnormalities compared with control cells, including lower nuclear JunB; lower secreted MMP2 and HB-EGF; plus lower MMP2, JunB, and UPK3 mRNAs but higher p53 mRNA relative to β-actin. Each of these IC/BPS cell abnormalities was also induced in normal cells by as-APF. Conclusion These findings indicate that IC/BPS cells have abnormal Akt activity with downstream protein expression abnormalities including decreased MMP2 and HB-EGF secretion. They also support the hypothesis that APF plays a role in the pathogenesis of IC/BPS via its effects on cell Akt signalling and HB-EGF production.
Pediatric Primary Care Involvement in End-of-Life Care for Children:

Objectives:To examine the relationship between pediatric primary care involvement and hospice and home health care use at end of life.Methods:California Medicaid data were used to estimate the relationship between pediatric primary care involvement and use of hospice and home health care using generalized estimating equations.Results:Of the 2037 children who died between 2007 and 2010, 11% used hospice and 23% used home health. Among all children, primary care was not related to hospice use and was associated with home health use, usual source of care (OR = 1.83, P < .05), comprehensive care (OR = 1.60, P < .05), and continuous care (low: OR = 1.49, P < .05; moderate: OR = 2.57, P < .05; high: OR = 2.12, P < .05). Primary care for children aged 15 to 20 years was related to hospice use, usual source of care (OR = 4.06, P < .05) and continuous care (low: OR = 4.92, P < .05; moderate OR = 4.09, P < .05; high OR = 3.92, P < .05). Primary care for children under 5 years was associated with home health use, us...
Short answer question case series: complex first-trimester bleeding

A 24-year-old female, gravida 2 para 1, about 7 weeks pregnant, complains of lower abdominal cramping and vaginal bleeding. On examination, she is afebrile with normal vital signs and has mild lower abdominal tenderness with no adnexal tenderness. Her urinalysis shows 7 WBCs, 1 RBC, 1+ leucocyte esterase, and no nitrates. The β-hCG is pending. Last week she presented to another emergency department with vaginal spotting and was told she was about 6 weeks pregnant. She brought her records from the other hospital including the radiologist's interpretation of her ultrasound. You are tempted to send the patient home with a threatened abortion, but decide to do a bedside ultrasound first. 1. What is your reading of the ultrasound images below? 2. How would the level of her β-hCG alter your interpretation of the ultrasound? 3. What is the appropriate disposition …
Health knowledge and health practices in Makeni, Sierra Leone: a community-based household survey

BACKGROUND We characterize health knowledge and practices in urban and rural Makeni, Sierra Leone, drawing comparisons between areas served by community health workers (CHWs) with those that are not. We also inquire about causes of infant and maternal mortality and how they are understood in the local context. Our objective was to provide a baseline understanding of health knowledge and practices in Makeni during the implementation of a CHW program. METHODS We conducted 100 household interviews in Makeni City and rural villages in the surrounding area. We compared data between urban and rural areas to identify differences in health knowledge and practices. RESULTS Our sample size covered 855 individuals. Insecticide treated bednet ownership was lower in urban settings compared to rural populations (58% vs 94%; p<.001). With regards to maternal mortality, most respondents indicated 'no clinic' (lack of clinical care or skipped antenatal care visits) as the primary cause (n=35), followed by bleeding (n=17), 'lack of blood' (anemia) (n=11) and 'will of God' (n=11). CONCLUSIONS This initial survey of health knowledge and practices in rural and urban Makeni, Sierra Leone, highlights some simple opportunities for community health promotion, health education programming and behavioral interventions. Findings will inform future iterations of a CHW training module for community health education.
Physiological Roles and Cholesterol Sensitivity of Endothelial Inwardly-Rectifying K+ Channels: Specific Cholesterol-Protein Interactions Through Non Annular Binding Sites

Inwardly-rectifying K+ channels (Kir) have been implicated to play a major role in endothelial sensation of shear stress forces and suggested to constitute a primary flow sensor. The studies of our group focused on elucidating the impact of hypercholesterolemia on endothelial Kir channels and elucidating molecular, biophysical and structural basis of cholesterol-induced Kir suppression. In this chapter, we first review briefly what is known about expression of Kir channels in different types of endothelial cells and their role in endothelial function and then discuss in detail the mechanisms of cholesterol-Kir interactions. Briefly, endothelial Kir channels are suppressed by loading the cells with cholesterol and by exposing them to atherogenic lipoproteins in vitro and by plasma hypercholesterolemia in vivo. A series of studies revealed that cholesterol interacts with the channels directly stabilizing them in a long-lived closed “silent” state and that multiple structural features of the channels are essential for conferring their cholesterol sensitivity. There is also a significant cross-talk between cholesterol, caveolin-1 and a regulatory phospholipid PI(4,5)P2 in the regulation of these channels. Further studies are needed to determine the impact of cholesterol-induced suppression of Kir on endothelial function.
Here’s Looking at You Kid: When the Researcher Becomes the Sample

The quality of the K-16 science curriculum and the level of students’ science achievement remains a critical global concern. Science education has always chased the ever elusive goal of scientific literacy and dissatisfaction with students’ knowledge and ability typically leads to concerns about the science curriculum and science teachers. Eventually, stakeholders and policymakers focus on teacher education programs (i.e., graduate degree programs, preservice programs, and professional development programs) and those directly involved with the education of teachers. This concern often leads to discussions about whether teacher education programs are needed at all, or even detrimental. Needless to say, the audience for this book does not need to be convinced of the value and importance of systematic teacher education programs in science. Although many recognize that postsecondary science instruction is critically important, the overwhelming focus on the improvement of science teaching (conceptually and empirically) is at the K-12 levels. We strongly believe that many of the problems related to science instruction in K-12 levels should be a concern of those who teach science at the university level. That said, science teacher education is believed, by many, to be the root cause of many of the problems related to the quality of students’ learning of science.
ASEAN Economic Integration: Trade, Foreign Direct Investment, and Finance

Regionalism and Asia: An Introduction Trade Foreign Direct Investment Finance and Macro Issues.
70. Sidney’s Astrophel and Stella, Sonnet 75

(1969). 70. Sidney’s Astrophel and Stella, Sonnet 75. The Explicator: Vol. 27, No. 9, pp. 136-137.
Tournaments and Tail Risk-Taking

This paper studies how fund managers take skewed bets in tournaments in the investment management industry, assuming that a given fund manager constantly reexamines fund performance relative to her peers and takes a position with respect to skewness risk. I show that when a fund manager underperforms peers, she will gamble on trades with lottery-like returns. On the other hand, when a fund outperforms peer funds, its fund manager will take negatively skewed trades. Such skewness risk-shifting behavior is most pronounced in funds that face the most convexity in their payoffs. Moreover, younger and larger funds are less incentivized to adopt asymmetric investment strategies.
Child sex tourism: American perceptions of foreign victims

ABSTRACTChild sex tourism is a multi-billion dollar industry that affects over 2 million children per year. While thousands of these sex tourists are American, this has been an issue that is largely neglected in the United States (U.S.). This study investigated Americans’ perceptions of child sex abuse and its relationship to the offense location and the victim’s culture. An online self-report survey randomly assigned subjects to one of three identical vignettes of child sex tourism, differing only by location: U.S., Netherlands, or Thailand. The study found that individuals perceived sexual offenses committed inside the U.S. as more severe than offenses committed outside the U.S. and that sexual crimes were viewed as less severe when occurring in an Eastern “Other” culture as compared to Western cultures. These results are discussed as they pertain to legislative efforts designed to reduce the prevalence of American child sex tourists as well as the creation of measures to increase awareness of Americans...
Distal patellar tendon avulsion in association with high-energy knee trauma: A case series and review of the literature.

Abstract Background Patellar tendon rupture is rare in the general population. Typically, failure occurs proximally or at the mid-substance. Distal avulsion from the tibial tubercle in adults is rare and not well described in the orthopedic literature. Methods We present the largest series of patients with distal patellar tendon injury with associated multi-ligamentous disruption of the knee. A series of six patients with distal patellar tendon avulsion were identified at a single institution. The cases were reviewed and are presented. Results Each case of distal patellar tendon rupture was associated with high-energy trauma to the knee. There was multi-ligamentous disruption in all cases, associated tibial plateau fracture in one case, and a compartment syndrome diagnosed in another. We propose that distal patellar tendon avulsion is a distinct pathology of the extensor mechanism in healthy adults. When present, it should prompt clinicians to assess patients for occult knee dislocation, monitor their neurovascular status, and obtain an MRI to evaluate for associated multi-ligamentous injury. Conclusion We propose a modification to the Schenk classification to include extensor mechanism injury to help guide steps of operative intervention.
Cutting the Cloth

This chapter introduces the book’s two central figures: Ranulfo Juarez, owner of a Mexican-American corner store in Salem, Oregon, and Peter Wogan, a white anthropology professor from a nearby university. During a first meeting with Peter in 2005 at the store, Ranulfo’s humor, energy, and optimism are already apparent. The chapter ends with a flash-forward on Ranulfo’s ensuing effort to add a bakery to his store, with hints at the quest’s psychological and social dimensions.
An Analysis of Current Battery Technology and Electric Vehicles

The purpose of this paper is to describe current uses of battery technology for internal combustionengine vehicles and newer hybrid electric vehicle and battery electric vehicle alternatives. This paperwill also discuss the benets and challenges to alternative vehicle adoption. As battery technologyand charging infrastructure continue to advance, and drivers become more informed about thesetechnologies, adoption rates for alternative vehicles have the potential to increase dramatically,leading to a dramatic transformation of the auto and petroleum industries.
Luminescence differences between two complexes of divalent europium

Abstract We report a computational study of the photophysical properties of two divalent europium cryptates. Our calculations provide an explanation for the bright yellow luminescence of the Eu II -containing octaaza-cryptate compared to the less intense blue luminescence of the structurally similar Eu II -containing 222-cryptate. Calculations using time-dependent density functional theory with the B3PW91 functional, the Stuttgardt–Dresden relativistic core potential basis for europium, and SMD implicit solvation are used to compute the excitation and emission spectra of both complexes. Emission is also calculated with state-specific solvation. The results are compared with experimental luminescence data acquired in methanol. Natural-transition orbitals reveal similar spin-allowed transitions between the 4f and 5d orbitals on the europium ion in both complexes. For the 222-cryptate, the emissive state is hidden underneath the broad ultraviolet absorption; therefore, the state is not experimentally differentiated in the spectra, despite being present in the calculated spectra. For the octaaza-cryptate, the emissive state is observed as a separate band, shifted to lower energy than the broad ultraviolet absorption. Using ligand-field arguments, sharp differences in luminescence and the bathochromic shift of the emissive state can be attributed to a greater splitting of the 5d orbitals of the octaaza-cryptate relative to the 222-cryptate.
SoK: "Plug & Pray" Today – Understanding USB Insecurity in Versions 1 Through C

USB-based attacks have increased in complexity in recent years. Modern attacks now incorporate a wide range of attack vectors, from social engineering to signal injection. To address these challenges, the security community has responded with a growing set of fragmented defenses. In this work, we survey and categorize USB attacks and defenses, unifying observations from both peer-reviewed research and industry. Our systematization extracts offensive and defensive primitives that operate across layers of communication within the USB ecosystem. Based on our taxonomy, we discover that USB attacks often abuse the trust-by-default nature of the ecosystem, and transcend different layers within a software stack; none of the existing defenses provide a complete solution, and solutions expanding multiple layers are most effective. We then develop the first formal verification of the recently released USB Type-C Authentication specification, and uncover fundamental flaws in the specification's design. Based on the findings from our systematization, we observe that while the spec has successfully pinpointed an urgent need to solve the USB security problem, its flaws render these goals unattainable. We conclude by outlining future research directions to ensure a safer computing experience with USB.
Surveillance and Control Systems for Highway Tunnels

Unlike open highways, tunnels require special attention to maintain safety under normal and abnormal traffic conditions. Most modern tunnels, including their approach roads, require a centralized control system to meet these goals. Although not all tunnels require the same attention or installed features, they all have the following general features. [Note: The dimensions shown in this chapter are indicative guidelines. All English unit equivalents are soft (rounded) conversions of metric.]
Obesity and sarcoidosis: consequence or contributor?

Purpose of reviewSarcoidosis is a multisystem disease of unknown cause. Obesity can affect many physiological factors. The relationship between obesity and sarcoidosis is unclear, and can been described as posing a ‘chicken and egg’ scenario for the patient as it is not always clear whether it is a
Developmental regulation of oxygen sensing and ion channels in the pulmonary vasculature.

The increase in oxygen tension occurring at birth causes sustained and progressive pulmonary vasodilation. The oxygen-induced perinatal pulmonary vasodilation depends on the production of nitric oxide (NO) from the pulmonary endothelium and activation of various K+ channels in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. This chapter reviews a) the oxygen-sensing mechanism that stimulates endothelial NO production; b) how K+ channels sense changes in oxygen tension; c) whether hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), a well defined hypoxia-sensitive transcription factor in adult, contributes to the regulation of NO production and K+ channel activation; and d) whether and how dysfunctional K+ channels contribute to the development of pulmonary hypertension in the newborns.
Identifying and Addressing Safety Signals in Clinical Trials: Some Issues and Challenges

Reliable evidence is needed from clinical research about whether the interventions used in clinical practice are safe as well as effective. Regarding risk, safety is not established by failure to establish excess risk, such as obtaining confidence intervals for the relative risk of safety events that include unity. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. Rather, safety is established if available data about safety are sufficiently favorable and reliable to rule out the threshold for unacceptable risk, where this threshold should be determined by considering the strength of the evidence for efficacy.
Spring growth of Douglas-fir seedlings from two bud development regimes

The effect of two bud development treatments on post-dormancy shoot growth was investigated with 1-year-old container-grown Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) seedlings. A difference in the date of budset and number of overwintering primordia was obtained by applying 8-hour or 17-hour photoperiods in growth rooms during summer months. Seedlings were then chilled for 14 weeks at 4 °C and finally held 2 months at 22 °C under either an 8-hour or 16-hour photoperiod. The new shoot growth of seedlings with early budset had greater length, stem unit numbers, average stem unit length, and dry weight. Stem unit number of the post-dormancy seedlings was unaffected by photoperiod during flushing. Significant free growth occurred only in late budset seedlings and accounted for 40% and 46% of the fixed growth under 16-hour and 8-hour flushing photoperiods, respectively.
Gray matter differences in patients with functional movement disorders.

Objective To explore alterations in gray matter volume in patients with functional movement disorders. Methods We obtained T1-weighted MRI on 48 patients with clinically definite functional movement disorders, a subset of functional neurologic symptom disorder characterized by abnormal involuntary movements, and on 55 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. We compared between-group differences in gray matter volume using voxel-based morphometry across the whole brain. All participants in addition underwent a thorough neuropsychological battery, including the Hamilton Anxiety and Depression Scales and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. To determine whether confounding factors such as comorbid depression, anxiety, or childhood trauma exposure contributed to the observed structural changes, nonparametric correlation analysis was performed. Results Patients with functional movement disorders exhibited increased volume of the left amygdala, left striatum, left cerebellum, left fusiform gyrus, and bilateral thalamus, and decreased volume of the left sensorimotor cortex (whole-brain corrected p ≤ 0.05). Volumetric differences did not correlate with measures of disease duration or patient-rated disease severity. Conclusion This study demonstrates that patients with functional movement disorders exhibit structural gray matter abnormalities in critical components of the limbic and sensorimotor circuitry. These abnormalities may represent a premorbid trait rendering patients more susceptible to disease, the disease itself, or a compensatory response to disease.
Mesoscale correlation structure with single cell resolution during visual coding

Neural circuitry represents sensory input with patterns of spiking activity. Across brain regions, initial representations are transformed to ultimately drive adaptive behavior. In mammalian neocortex, visual information is processed by primary visual cortex (V1) and multiple higher visual areas (HVAs). The interconnections of these brain regions, over which transformations can occur, span millimeters or more. Shared variability in spiking responses between neurons, called “noise correlations” (NCs), can be due to shared input and/or direct or indirect connectivity. Thus, NCs provide insight into the functional connectivity of neuronal circuits. In this study, we used subcellular resolution, mesoscale field-of-view two-photon calcium imaging to systematically characterize the NCs for pairs of layer 2/3 neurons across V1 and four HVAs (areas LM, LI, AL and PM) of mice. The average NCs for pairs of neurons within or across cortical areas were orders of magnitude larger than trial-shuffled control values. Within-area NCs declined with distance between neurons, but for inter-area NCs the distance-dependence was mixed. NCs were higher for neuron pairs with similar tuning (i.e., signal correlations). To explore tuning-specific NCs in finer detail, we used an unbiased clustering approach to classify neurons based on their responses to orientated gratings. This analysis revealed biases in the coverage of spatiotemporal frequency space across HVAs, and relationships between orientation tuning biases and spatiotemporal frequency preferences. Using the resulting functional groupings, we found group-specific within-area and inter-area patterns of NCs, indicating functionally-specific subnetworks. Overall, these results reveal new principles for the functional organization and correlation structure across multiple cortical areas, which can inform and constrain computational theories of cortical networks.
Evaluation of a Subgrid-Scale Computational Fluid Dynamics Model for Ice Roughness

In the present work, LEWICE-based ice-shape prediction results are presented when coupled to a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model using a discrete-element roughness method (DERM) prediction o...
A novel anti-HIV-1 bispecific bNAb-lectin fusion protein engineered in a plant-based transient expression system.

The discovery of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) has been a major step towards better prophylactic and therapeutic agents against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). However, effective therapy will likely require a combination of anti-HIV agents to avoid viral evasion. One possible solution to this problem is the creation of bispecific molecules that can concurrently target two vulnerable sites providing synergistic inhibitory effects. Here, we describe the production in plants and anti-HIV activity of a novel bispecific fusion protein consisting of the antigen-binding fragment (Fab) of the CD4 binding site-specific bNAb VRC01 and the antiviral lectin Avaren, which targets the glycan shield of the HIV-1 envelope (VRC01Fab -Avaren). This combination was justified by a preliminary experiment demonstrating the synergistic HIV-1 neutralization activity of VRC01 and Fc-fused Avaren dimer (Avaren-Fc). Using the GENEWARE® tobacco mosaic virus vector, VRC01Fab -Avaren was expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana and purified using a three-step chromatography procedure. Surface plasmon resonance and ELISA demonstrated that both the Avaren and VRC01Fab moieties retain their individual binding specificities. VRC01Fab -Avaren demonstrated enhanced neutralizing activity against representative HIV-1 strains from A, B and C clades, compared to equimolar combinations of VRC01Fab and Avaren. Notably, VRC01Fab -Avaren showed significantly stronger neutralizing effects than the bivalent parent molecules VRC01 IgG and Avaren-Fc, with IC50 values ranging from 48 to 310 pm. These results support the continued development of bispecific anti-HIV proteins based on Avaren and bNAbs, to which plant-based transient overexpression systems will provide an efficient protein engineering and production platform.
20 Adult Development and Aging

In this chapter, we address research and theory in adult development and aging that have the potential to be important for aging research in health psychology and for opportunities for practice in clinical health psychology of aging in the decade ahead. These areas include (a) personality and prediction of disease, especially the potential for early Alzheimer's disease and other dementias; (b) cognitive declines leading to physical health changes and the implications for research and treatment; (c) the importance of positive emotions in developmental health psychology; and (d) health services research, multimorbidity, and delivery of care in the context of self-management of chronic diseases—an applied branch of health psychology. Keywords: adult development; personality; dementia; cognitive decline; self-management
Quantification of the source, amount and duration of aspiration in the lungs of infants using gamma scintigraphy.

Abstract Background Aspiration can cause acute symptoms and chronic lung disease in the developing lung. However, the source of aspiration in infants is often unclear, making the choice of intervention difficult. Objective To quantify the source, amount and duration of lung aspiration in infants using gamma scintigraphy. Methods Two infants with clinical evidence of gastroesophageal reflux and oropharyngeal dysphagia swallowed formula radiolabeled with 99mtechnetium on Visit 1. Radiolabeled-formula was instilled by nasogastric tube on Visit 2. Lung aspiration was quantified over four hours and expressed as percent of total radioactivity administered. Results Aspiration was greatest with swallowing, compared to instillation, peaking between 2.0% and 2.4% within 30 min and between 0.40% and 0.65% within 20 min, respectively. Radioactivity remained above zero four hours after either administration. Conclusions Quantification of the source, amount and duration of lung aspiration in infants is feasible using gamma scintigraphy. The impact of aspiration accrual on clinical care deserves further investigation.
Automatic Machine Learning by Pipeline Synthesis using Model-Based Reinforcement Learning and a Grammar.

Automatic machine learning is an important problem in the forefront of machine learning. The strongest AutoML systems are based on neural networks, evolutionary algorithms, and Bayesian optimization. Recently AlphaD3M reached state-of-the-art results with an order of magnitude speedup using reinforcement learning with self-play. In this work we extend AlphaD3M by using a pipeline grammar and a pre-trained model which generalizes from many different datasets and similar tasks. Our results demonstrate improved performance compared with our earlier work and existing methods on AutoML benchmark datasets for classification and regression tasks. In the spirit of reproducible research we make our data, models, and code publicly available.