cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recent Progress in Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is currently one of the deadliest of the solid malignancies. However, surgery to resect neoplasms of the pancreas is safer and less invasive than ever, novel drug combinations have been shown to improve survival, advances in radiation therapy have resulted in less toxicity, and enormous strides have been made in our understanding of the fundamental genetics of pancreatic cancer. These advances provide hope but they also increase the complexity of caring for patients. It is clear that multidisciplinary care that provides comprehensive and coordinated evaluation and treatment is the most effective way to manage patients with pancreatic cancer.
Memory, Memes, Cognition, and Mental Illness – Toward a New Synthesis

When memory became portable in the course of evolution, the information content of memory became replicable as memes. Propagation of memes started with imitation, but with the advent of human language, memes thrived and caused enhanced brain capacity for meme processing through cognition. Culture comprises of endemic memes that enter young brains and may be protective or pathogenic. Childhood nurturance and stress enter the brain as memes and cause epigenetic changes in genes for future resilience or vulnerability. Personal development is the process of interaction among the epigenetically determined brain, resident memes, and newly introduced memes. The selfplex, the sense of self, represents a dominant memeplex formed through development, and consists of several memeplexes usually known as roles. In certain persons, there may be conflicting selfplexes, one dominant and the other(s) repressed. Mental health is attained when there is a memetic democracy, where the selfplexes are tolerated, and may shift and adapt. Stress attenuates resident memes including selfplex and introduces stress memes that may awaken/ strengthen repressed memes, resulting in a memetic anarchy and a final common pathway psychiatric syndrome. Treatment of such syndromes should be geared toward both the brain state and suppression of pathologic memes. Broad spectrum and specific meme-directed therapies should be considered.
Comparison of Spinal Needle Deflection in a Ballistic Gel Model.

Background: Percutaneous diagnostic and therapeutic procedures are commonly used in the treatment of spinal pain. The success of these procedures depends on the accuracy of needle placement, which is influenced by needle size and shape. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine and quantify the deviation of commonly used spinal needles based on needle tip design and gauge, using a ballistic gel tissue simulant. Materials and Methods: Six needles commonly used in spinal procedures (Quincke, Short Bevel, Chiba, Tuohy, Hustead, Whitacre) were selected for use in this study. Ballistic gel samples were made in molds of two depths, 40mm and 80 mm. Each needle was mounted in a drill press to ensure an accurate needle trajectory. Distance of deflection was recorded for each needle. Results: In comparing the mean deflection of 22 gauge needles of all types at 80 mm of depth, deflection was greatest among beveled needles [Short Bevel (9.96 ± 0.77 mm), Quincke (8.89 ± 0.17 mm), Chiba (7.71 ± 1.16 mm)], moderate among epidural needles [Tuohy (7.64 ± 0.16 mm) and least among the pencil-point needles [Whitacre (0.73 ± 0.34 mm)]. Increased gauge (25 g) led to a significant increase in deflection among beveled needles. The direction of deflection was away from the bevel with Quincke, Chiba and Short Beveled needles and toward the bevel of the Tuohy and Hustead needles. Deflection of the Whitacre pencil-point needle was minimal. Conclusions: There is clinical utility in knowing the relative deflection of various needle tips. When a procedure requires a needle to be steered around obstacles, or along non-collinear targets, the predictable and large amount of deflection obtained through use of a beveled spinal needle may prove beneficial.
Analysis of Snake Toxin and Fibrinogen on Fibrin Formation using SEM and AFM

Fibrinogen, a plasma protein, when combined with thrombin, a plasma enzyme, produces fibrin, a fibrous mesh-like compound that begins the cascade reaction of the coagulation of blood. It is known that various snake toxins contain thrombin-like enzymes, which cause the same chain reaction. To analyze this phenomenon we present an approach to modify mica surfaces using silane-based thin films. This involves coating the surface with N-(6-aminohexyl) aminopropyltrimethoxysilane or 3aminopropyltriethoxysilane, and exposing the surface to human fibrinogen combined with thrombin-like enzymes (isolated from snake toxin). Current research has been able to successfully image unreacted fibrinogen and a thrombin catalyzed fibrin complex. The object of this research is simple; analyze and observe the effect of snake venom toxin on fibrin formation, using SEM and AFM imaging, in an effort to further understand the coagulation process. This presentation displays the images captured to date. 1 Luna: Analysis of Snake Toxin and Fibrinogen on Fibrin Formation using SEM and AFM Published by Scholarship & Creative Works @ Digital UNC, 2015
Brachial artery repair using the basilic vein as a reliable conduit in a 3-year-old child

A supracondylar fracture of the humerus is the most common upper extremity fracture in children with concurrent neurovascular complications. However, bypass grafting in the management of a pediatric open elbow dislocation with an arterial injury has rarely been reported in the literature. Hence, an adequate conduit for a vessel graft interposition remains questionable when a primary anastomosis is limited in an arterial reconstruction. The purpose of this study is to present a brachial artery reconstruction in a 3-year-old patient with an open supracondylar fracture of the humerus. In the clinical and surgical examination of the patient, an open wound in the left antecubital fossa presented with accompanying brachial artery injury. To repair the artery, a reverse end-to-end anastomosis was conducted using basilic vein graft from the ipsilateral arm under general anesthesia. The patient had palpable radial pulses in the postoperative clinical examination and was discharged without complications. The great saphenous vein (GSV) has proven to be the most common and the best conduit for arterial reconstruction of the upper extremity in the adult patients. However, the GSV graft is known to have the propensity for becoming aneurysmal in pediatric patients. Some studies have demonstrated the basilic vein as a suitable conduit in pediatric patients, in that it has durable patency, fewer branches, size compatibility for anastomosis, and proximity to the brachial artery. Our case confirms the safety of using this autogenous vein from within the zone of injury for arterial reconstruction, after a supracondylar humeral fracture. The management of pediatric elbow fractures accompanying vascular injuries can be technically demanding due to relatively small, delicate structures and concurrent neurovascular network. Nonetheless, a vascular injury should be treated with high level of suspicion and immediate intervention to avoid any limb ischemia or loss. In situations where the brachial artery is compromised and needs repair with a bypass, the basilic vein should be considered as a conduit for its greater accessibility and long-term patency.
The Billings Mastodon: A Terminal Pleistocene Locality in Santa Cruz County, Arizona

Skeletal remains of mastodon were found in southern Arizona in 1985. Radiocarbon testing indicates they are of Clovis age, but no artifacts were found. At the time this was the second find of Mammut americanum in Arizona reported with any detail. The find contributes to our knowledge of the Clovis-age genus Mammut in Arizona. It is another example of the extinction the megafauna at the end of the Pleistocene 13,000 cal yr BP.
Relationships among regional arterial inflammation, calcification, risk factors, and biomarkers: a prospective fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography/computed tomography imaging study.

Background— Fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography (FDG PET) imaging of atherosclerosis has been used to quantify plaque inflammation and to measure the effect of plaque-stabilizing drugs....
Chapter 27 – 1964 Dopamine and Reward Reinforcement

Dopamine is the key neurotransmitter in the reward system in the brain. Its release reinforces the repetition of behavior. Dopamine operates as a reinforcer in learning and in addiction.
A Game Theoretical Approach to Hacktivism: Is Attack Likelihood a Product of Risks and Payoffs?

Abstract The current study examines hacktivism (i.e., hacking to convey a moral, ethical, or social justice message) through a general game theoretic framework—that is, as a product of costs and benefits. Given the inherent risk of carrying out a hacktivist attack (e.g., legal action, imprisonment), it would be rational for the user to weigh these risks against perceived benefits of carrying out the attack. As such, we examined computer science students' estimations of risks, payoffs, and attack likelihood through a game theoretic design. Furthermore, this study aims at constructing a descriptive profile of potential hacktivists, exploring two predicted covariates of attack decision making, namely, peer prevalence of hacking and sex differences. Contrary to expectations, results suggest that participants' estimations of attack likelihood stemmed solely from expected payoffs, rather than subjective risks. Peer prevalence significantly predicted increased payoffs and attack likelihood, suggesting an underly...
Artificial Intelligence Education: Editorial Introduction

This issue of AI Magazine include five articles covering subjects of current concern to the AI education community. This editorial introduces those five articles.
Economic Inequality and Public Support for Organized Labor

When exploring the political response of citizens to economic inequality, scholarship primarily focuses on support for left parties and demand for redistribution. This article expands upon this literature by exploring whether inequality generates public support for a known inequality-attenuating force in society—labor unions. In contrast to prior work, which largely focuses on national levels of inequality, we focus on the effect of citizens’ firsthand exposure to inequality in their local context. We theorize that residing in a context with visible income inequality should generate support for expanding the power of unions and should do so by augmenting the perceived exigency of unions in advocating for the working class. Using observational analysis of national survey data, reinforced with matching, placebo tests, and a survey experiment, we find strong support for our theoretical expectations.
Expanding Anti-Stokes Shifting in Triplet–Triplet Annihilation Upconversion for In Vivo Anticancer Prodrug Activation

A strategy to expand anti-Stokes shifting from the far-red to deep-blue region in metal-free triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion (TTA-UC) is presented. The method is demonstrated by in vivo titration of the photorelease of an anticancer prodrug. This new TTA system has robust brightness and the longest anti-Stokes shift of any reported TTA system. TTA core-shell-structured prodrug delivery capsules that benefit from these properties were developed; they can operate with low-power density far-red light-emitting diode light. These capsules contain mesoporous silica nanoparticles preloaded with TTA molecules as the core, and amphiphilic polymers encapsulating anticancer prodrug molecules as the shell. When stimulated by far-red light, the intense TTA upconversion blue emission in the system activates the anticancer prodrug molecules and shows effective tumor growth inhibition in vivo. This work paves the way to new organic TTA upconversion techniques that are applicable to in vivo photocontrollable drug release and other biophotonic applications.
Regulating Protein Breakdown Through Proteasome Phosphorylation

The ubiquitin proteasome system degrades the great majority of proteins in mammalian cells. Countless studies have described how ubiquitination promotes the selective degradation of different cell proteins. However, there is a small but the growing literature that protein half-lives can also be regulated by post-translational modifications of the 26S proteasome. The present study reviews the ability of several kinases to alter proteasome function through subunit phosphorylation. For example, PKA (protein kinase A) and DYRK2 (dual-specificity tyrosine-regulated kinase 2) stimulate the proteasome's ability to degrade ubiquitinated proteins, peptides, and adenosine triphosphate, while one kinase, ASK1 (apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1), inhibits proteasome function during apoptosis. Proteasome phosphorylation is likely to be important in regulating protein degradation because it occurs downstream from many hormones and neurotransmitters, in conditions that raise cyclic adenosine monophosphate or cyclic guanosine monophosphate levels, after calcium influx following synaptic depolarization, and during phases of the cell cycle. Beyond its physiological importance, pharmacological manipulation of proteasome phosphorylation has the potential to combat various diseases. Inhibitors of phosphodiesterases by activating PKA or PKG (protein kinase G) can stimulate proteasomal degradation of misfolded proteins that cause neurodegenerative or myocardial diseases and even reduce the associated pathology in mouse models. These observations are promising since in many proteotoxic diseases, aggregation-prone proteins impair proteasome function, and disrupt protein homeostasis. Conversely, preventing subunit phosphorylation by DYRK2 slows cell cycle progression and tumor growth. However, further research is essential to determine how phosphorylation of different subunits by these (or other) kinases alters the properties of this complex molecular machine and thus influence protein degradation rates.
The Nature of the Arab Uprising: An Analysis

Many scholars have pondered over the equation of the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) and its “exceptionality” without being able to reach a satisfactory answer to it: what makes this region so “resilient” to change, particularly given the rapid expansion of freedom elsewhere in the world. The Arab uprising of 2011 or what is known worldwide as the “Arab Spring” was deemed to be the harbinger of the end of the “curse/exceptionality,” the curse of this seemingly permanent state of underdevelopment, corruption, and dictatorship. But then that Arab spring itself has turned out to be rather an Arab “winter,” further vindicating the above prejudice, and pushing a lot of yesterday’s enthusiastic crowds to be disappointed and to curse the day they thought about overthrowing their “beloved” dictators. Drawing on other experiences elsewhere (mainly the spring of the European peoples in 1848 and the Fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989), this essay attempts humbly to participate in this debate and to offer, on the one hand, certain relativity both to the enthusiasm and disappointment that have accompanied respectively the Arab uprising. On the other hand, and besides reviewing the prolific literature that has been written about the possible causes of the upheaval, offers “tentative” notes that aim to participate in the general debate with no pretention of offering a comprehensive analysis to a movement whose ins and outs are still “blowing in the wind”.
Breaching of Mustang Island in response to the 8.2 ka sea-level event and impact on Corpus Christi Bay, Gulf of Mexico: Implications for future coastal change:

The results from an investigation of the coupled Mustang Island–Corpus Christi Bay complex, Gulf of Mexico, shows that the island was eliminated as an effective salinity barrier between 8.86 and 8....
Treatments and Health Outcomes of Medicare Patients With Back Pain.

Back pain treatments are costly and frequently involve use of procedures that may have minimal benefit on improving patients’ functional status. Two recent studies evaluated adverse outcomes (morta...
Benefits to Collection Development Librarians from Collaborating with “Community-Embedded” Librarians-In-Training

The 21st century collection manager encounters serious challenges in collection development (e.g., budget shortages, lack of skilled personnel, lower agency prioritization, and reduced available st...
Building the Problem-Solving State: Bridging Networks and Experiments in the US Advisory Specialist Group in World War II:

Hidden within the office of the Secretary of War during World War II was a little-known agency called the Advisory Specialist Group (ASG). Strategically located between the laboratory, the factory, the battlefield, and civilian bureaucracy, the ASG solved the complex problem of reconciling new technologies and new military operations. In doing so, it combined incongruous domains of activity, contributed to Allied victory, and opened a channel to the problem-solving state. It is easy to overlook or misunderstand the ASG, because it was born in processes, addressed problems, and took a form unfamiliar to historical institutionalists. Drawing on Padgett and Powell’s networked theory of organizational genesis and pragmatist theories of experimentalist governance, this article explains the ASG’s emergence, networked form, and experimentalist procedures. A founding moment for the problem-solving state, this case provides empirical and theoretical guidance to study its historical and ongoing evolution.
Meaningful Assessment in Patients with Acquired Brain Injuries

There are several key components to the meaningful and comprehensive assessment of patients with acquired brain injuries with respect to management of the upper motor neuron syndrome. Type of brain injury, trajectory of recovery, relevant concomitant complications, development of appropriate goals, and an understanding of resources available for patients are all factors to assess when developing a treatment plan. Using appropriate outcome measures will help monitor the efficacy of interventions and guide ongoing management of spasticity.
Insufficient Autophagy: A Novel Autophagic Flux Scenario Uncovered by Impaired Liver TFEB-mediated Lysosomal Biogenesis From Chronic Alcohol-Drinking Mice

Macroautophagy/autophagy is a dynamic process, and newly synthesized autophagosomes need to fuse with lysosomes to complete the full process, which is referred to as autophagic degradation or autophagic flux. Therefore, the proper number and function of lysosomes are critical for accomplishing autophagic flux. In a recent study, we found that chronic ethanol consumption impairs TFEB (transcription factor EB) function, which leads to decreased lysosomal biogenesis resulting in hepatic steatosis and liver injury in mice. Interestingly, using the autophagic flux assay recommended by the autophagy guidelines, we discovered a novel autophagic flux scenario, which we termed insufficient autophagy. Insufficient autophagy is a scenario in which cells have a decreased number of lysosomes resulting in the accumulation of early autophagosomes. Insufficient autophagy is marked by a partially increased autophagic flux, but the process cannot reach its full degradative capacity due to the lack of a sufficient number of lysosomes. Our work demonstrated that pharmacological or genetic activation of TFEB-mediated lysosomal biogenesis enhances autophagic flux coupled with mitochondrial biogenesis in protecting against ethanol-induced liver injury. Overall, these findings not only identified the steps in which chronic ethanol impairs autophagic flux, but also discovered insufficient autophagy as a novel previously unappreciated autophagic flux scenario.
Scrotal imaging in the Henoch-Schönlein syndrome.

Testicular involvement in patients with Henoch-Schonlein syndrome may occur in as high as 15 per cent of the cases. Scrotal imaging is extremely accurate in differentiating hyperemia (vasculitis) from impairment of blood flow encountered in torsion of the spermatic cord, the most common cause of acute scrotal swelling in children.
Investigation of sludge reduction and biogas generation in high-rate anaerobic side-stream reactors for wastewater treatment

The objective of this study is to investigate the mechanism of sludge reduction and biogas production in high-rate (<2.5 d) anaerobic side-stream reactors (ASSR) for minimizing sludge production during wastewater treatment. In the studied system, the daily generated activated sludge undergoes short anaerobic treatment in side-stream reactors and is returned to the main basin, instead of wastage. We chose 2–2.5 d for ASSRs based on the finding that activated sludge undergoes unique and effective hydrolysis during a short period of anaerobic digestion (AD), which is unavailable in aerobic digestion. The three activated sludge systems with 2.5 d ASSRs operated at 21–22 °C, 37 °C, and 55 °C showed the same efficiency of sludge reduction, indicating that for the purpose of minimizing sludge generation, ambient temperature will suffice for ASSR. Nevertheless, mesophilic ASSR showed significant and constant biogas production, which was absent in other ASSRs. These results indicate that in the activated sludge system with mesophilic ASSR, significant sludge reduction occurs inside ASSR. A short batch AD of activated sludge from this system also showed substantial methane production without anaerobic seed. These results suggests that activated sludge in this system already contains key anaerobic microbial community, making it possible to produce biogas in ASSR within such a short retention period. Based on these results, we propose a new schematic of wastewater treatment, which includes a high-rate ASSR and an anaerobic digester. This digester receives a small waste from ASSR, improving the speed and stability of AD compared to conventional AD.
Functional status at listing predicts waitlist and posttransplant mortality in pediatric liver transplant candidates

Functional impairment is associated with mortality in adult liver transplant candidates. This has not been studied in pediatric liver transplant candidates. United Network for Organ Sharing Standard Transplant Analysis and Research files were used to investigate functional status, waitlist mortality, and posttransplant outcomes in children younger than 18 years who were waitlisted in 2006-2016 for primary liver transplant. Functional status was categorized, by using the Lansky Play-Performance Scale (LPPS), as normal/good (80-100), moderately impaired (50-70), or severely impaired (10-40) by center assessment. Among 3250 children not listed as Status 1A, 62% had an LPPS score of 80-100, 25% had a score of 50-70, and 13% had a score of 10-40 at listing. Children with an LPPS score of 10-40 at listing were more likely to die while on the waitlist (standardized hazard ratio 1.85, 95% confidence interval 1.09-3.13, P = .02) in analyses adjusting for being on a ventilator, breathing support, or dialysis and other illness severity measures. For the 2565 children transplanted, an LPPS score of 10-40 at listing drastically increased mortality risk by 1 year posttransplant (hazard ratio 5.77, 95% confidence interval 3.05-10.91, P < .0005). LPPS scores of 10-40 and 50-70 both increased the risk of graft loss by 1 year. Functional status is an independent predictor of waitlist and posttransplant mortality in pediatric liver transplant candidates. Validated tools for the assessment of functional status in these children would improve our ability to predict mortality risk-and to appropriately prioritize them for transplant.
Remarks on Texture Coefficients of Polycrystals with Improper Crystallite Symmetry

The orientation distribution function (ODF) in classical texture analysis is defined on the rotation group SO(3). For polycrystalline aggregates with crystallite symmetry defined by a crystallographic point group $G_{\mathrm{cr}}$ which is not a subgroup of SO(3), the improper group $G_{\mathrm{cr}}$ is routinely replaced by its proper peer (i.e., a subgroup of SO(3)) in the same Laue class. In this note we examine how the texture coefficients obtained from such a practice are related to their counterparts that pertain to the corresponding ODF defined on the orthogonal group O(3) as it should.
Magnetic Fields–The Source of Stellar Activity

These pithy quotes highlight the main reasons for discussing stellar magnetic fields in the context of exoplanet atmospheres and possible habitability.
Global partitioning of runoff generation mechanisms using remote sensing data

Abstract. A set of complex processes contribute to generate river runoff, which in the hydrological sciences are typically divided into two major categories: surface runoff, sometimes called Hortonian flow, and baseflow-driven runoff or Dunne flow. In this study, we examine the covariance of global satellite-based surface water inundation (SWI) observations with two remotely sensed hydrological variables, precipitation, and terrestrial water storage, to better understand how apparent runoff generation responds to these two dominant forcing mechanisms in different regions of the world. Terrestrial water storage observations come from NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission, while precipitation comes from the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) combined product, and surface inundation levels from the NASA Surface WAter Microwave Product Series (SWAMPS) product. We evaluate the statistical relationship between surface water inundation, total water storage anomalies (TWS; TWSAs), and precipitation values under different time lag and quality control adjustments between the data products. We find that the global estimation of surface inundation improves when considering a quality control threshold of 50 % reliability for the SWAMPS data and after applying time lags ranging from 1 to 5 months. Precipitation and total water storage equally control the majority of surface inundation developments across the globe. The model tends to underestimate and overestimate at locations with high interannual variability and with low inundation measurements, respectively.
Adolescent Metabolic/Bariatric Surgery: Effects on Obesity, Comorbidities, and Insulin Resistance

The high prevalence of severe obesity and data demonstrating childhood obesity tracks into adulthood suggest that these adolescents are at high risk to develop obesity-related comorbidities—such as insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, polycystic ovarian syndrome, fatty liver disease, and cardiovascular disease—by young adulthood. Diet, exercise, and behavior modification have limited success in providing significant and durable weight loss, while pharmacological therapy is currently limited in the pediatric population. Metabolic/bariatric surgery (MBS) in the adolescent population is emerging as an effective long-term option, as it results in sustained weight loss and improves obesity-related comorbidities. This chapter will review common MBS procedures, the indications for use, and the effects of surgery on obesity, associated comorbidities, and insulin resistance in adolescents.
Maturation of Lipophagic Organelles in Hepatocytes Is Dependent Upon a Rab10/Dynamin-2 Complex

Background and aims Hepatocytes play a central role in storage and utilization of fat by the liver. Selective breakdown of lipid droplets (LDs) by autophagy (also called lipophagy) is a key process utilized to catabolize these lipids as an energy source. How the autophagic machinery is selectively targeted to LDs, where it mediates membrane engulfment and subsequent degradation, is unclear. Recently, we have reported that two distinct GTPases, the mechanoenzyme, dynamin2 (Dyn2), and the small regulatory Rab GTPase, Rab10, work independently at distinct steps of lipophagy in hepatocytes. Approach and results In an attempt to understand how these proteins are regulated and recruited to autophagic organelles, we performed a nonbiased biochemical screen for Dyn2-binding partners and found that Dyn2 actually binds Rab10 directly through a defined effector domain of Rab10 and the middle domain of Dyn2. These two GTPases can be observed to interact transiently on membrane tubules in hepatoma cells and along LD-centric autophagic membranes. Most important, we found that a targeted disruption of this interaction leads to an inability of cells to trim tubulated cytoplasmic membranes, some of which extend from lipophagic organelles, resulting in LD accumulation. Conclusions This study identifies a functional, and direct, interaction between Dyn2 and a regulatory Rab GTPase that may play an important role in hepatocellular metabolism.
Species Diversity and Assemblages of Cerambycidae in the Aftermath of the Emerald Ash Borer (Coleoptera: Buptrestidae) Invasion in Riparian Forests of Southern Michigan

Extensive ash (Fraxinus spp.) mortality has been reported across much of the area in eastern North America invaded by emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire), but indirect effects of emerald ash borer invasion on native forest insects are not well-studied. We assessed cerambycid beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) species captured in baited cross-vane panel traps during the 2017 and 2018 growing seasons.Traps were placed in 12 riparian forest sites distributed across three watersheds selected to represent the temporal gradient of the emerald ash borer invasion from southeastern to southwestern Michigan. Although ash species originally dominated overstory vegetation in all sites, >85% of ash basal area has been killed by emerald ash borer. We captured a total of 3,645 beetles representing 65 species and five subfamilies. Species assemblages in southeast sites, with the longest history of emerald ash borer invasion, differed from those in south central and southwest Michigan, which were similar. These differences were largely due to three species, which accounted for >60% of beetle captures in southeast Michigan. Associations among site-related variables and beetle captures indicated cerambycid species assemblages were associated most strongly with abundance and decay stage of coarse woody debris. During both years, >90% of cerambycid species were captured by mid-summer but seasonal activity differed among and within tribes. Numbers of beetles captured by canopy and ground traps were similar but species richness was higher in canopy traps than ground traps. Results suggest inputs of emerald ash borer-killed ash can have temporally lagged, secondary effects on cerambycid communities.
The Twenty-First Chapter

In this last vision of John is both described the prosperous estate of the true church or kingdom of Christ here, and also the perpetual Sabbath of the children of God. All the other visions were mixed with labours, afflictions, and pains. This is full of peace, tranquility, and joy, incorruption, glory, and felicity.
Targetable Intercellular Signaling Pathways Facilitate Lung Colonization in Osteosarcoma

Outcomes for young people diagnosed with osteosarcoma hinge almost exclusively on whether they develop lung metastasis. The striking predilection that osteosarcoma shows for metastatic spread to lung suggests properties and/or lung interactions that generate tissue-specific survival and proliferation advantages. While these mechanisms remain overall poorly defined, studies have begun to describe biological elements important to metastasis. Mechanisms described to date include both cell-autonomous adaptations that allow disseminated tumor cells to survive the stressors imposed by metastasis and intercellular signaling networks that tumor cells exploit to pirate needed signals from surrounding tissues or to recruit other cells that create a more favorable niche. Evidence suggests that cell-autonomous changes are largely driven by epigenetic reprogramming of disseminated tumor cells that facilitates resistance to late apoptosis, manages endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stressors, promotes translation of complex transcripts, and activates clotting pathways. Tumor-host signaling pathways important for lung colonization drive interactions with lung epithelium, mesenchymal stem cells, and mediators of innate and adaptive immunity. In this chapter, we highlight one particular pathway that integrates cell-autonomous adaptations with lung-specific tumor-host interactions. In this mechanism, aberrant ΔNp63 expression primes tumor cells to produce IL6 and CXCL8 upon interaction with lung epithelial cells. This tumor-derived IL6 and CXCL8 then initiates autocrine, osteosarcoma-lung paracrine, and osteosarcoma-immune paracrine interactions that facilitate metastasis. Importantly, many of these pathways appear targetable with clinically feasible therapeutics. Ongoing work to better understand metastasis is driving efforts to improve outcomes by targeting the most devastating complication of this disease.
Bond behavior of iron-based shape memory alloy reinforcing bars embedded in concrete

Iron-based shape memory alloys (Fe-SMA) have shown a strong potential for strengthening applications in concrete structures. This paper presents an experimental study on the bond strength and bond-slip behavior of ribbed Fe-SMA bars embedded in concrete. A total of nineteen pullout tests were conducted to study the bond behavior of 16-mm Fe-SMA bars embedded in concrete specimens with different levels of passive confinement. Prior to specimen fabrication, the bars were pre-strained (at 4% or 8%) and then activated by resistive heating after concrete casting. The experimental study considered different activation temperatures (160 °C, 300 °C, and no activation) to evaluate their effects on bond performance. Five specimens with conventional steel bars were also tested to establish a direct comparison with conventional reinforcement. Unconfined pullout specimens failed by splitting of concrete in most of the cases, while confined specimens presented pullout failures and higher bond strengths. In general, the Fe-SMA bars presented similar bond performance as conventional steel bars. However, the bond strength of unconfined specimens was reduced with the activation temperature. For confined specimens, the activation temperature had a minor effect on the bond strength. Local bond stress-slip relations derived from tests have also been compared with two analytical bond-slip laws available in the literature. Finally, the transfer length of Fe-SMA bars in prestressing applications has been estimated based on the experimental data and a simple analytical model of the bond stress distribution along the embedment length of a bar.
C 14 ( d , n ) N 15 Reaction

Differential cross sections for ground-state neutrons from the ${\mathrm{C}}^{14}(d, n){\mathrm{N}}^{15}$ reaction have been measured at ${E}_{d}=3.53 \mathrm{Mev}\mathrm{and}2.786\mathrm{Mev}$ by a neutron spectrometer. A stripping peak implying ${l}_{p}=1$ is observed. The excitation function of the ground-state neutrons has been measured from ${E}_{d}=1.2$ Mev to ${E}_{d}=3.53$ Mev. A number of resonances were found corresponding to virtual states of ${\mathrm{N}}^{16}$. The angular distributions of neutrons associated with the 5.28-, 5.31-Mev doublet (unresolved) and 6.33-Mev levels of ${\mathrm{N}}^{15}$ were measured by photographic emulsion technique. A stripping peak characteristic of ${l}_{p}=0$ corresponds to the unresolved doublet, and ${l}_{p}=1$ to the 6.33-Mev state. The excitation function for all neutrons from ${\mathrm{C}}^{14}(d, n){\mathrm{N}}^{15}$ was measured both by "slow" and "fast" neutron counters. Several possible slow-neutron thresholds were found corresponding to excited states of ${\mathrm{N}}^{15}$. The sensitivity of the slow-neutron threshold technique was checked by the ${\mathrm{O}}^{16}(d, n){\mathrm{F}}^{17}$. Accurate values of these thresholds are reported.
Evolving Natural History of Metastatic Prostate Cancer.

Introduction The systemic therapies available to patients with metastatic prostate cancer (mPC) have improved dramatically over the past decade. Anecdotal experience suggests that the increased available lines of therapy have changed the profile of mPC to include a higher prevalence of visceral metastases. Materials and Methods A retrospective review of 472 patients with prostate cancer who died in 2009 and in 2016 was performed. Patients with metastatic disease who had imaging within six months of death were included. A total of 164 patients were eligible for analysis. Results Overall rates of visceral and distant metastases, including the lung, liver, adrenal, brain, renal, spleen, and thyroid, were higher in patients who died in 2016 as compared to those who died in 2009 (40.0% and 26.1%, respectively, p-value = 0.07). Forty-four percent of patients who died in 2016 used five or more lines of systemic treatments compared to 26.1% of patients in 2009. Conclusion The emergence of new systemic therapies for mPC is changing the natural history of the disease. Visceral metastases are being seen with increasing frequency than in the past. This observation is important for clinicians who are monitoring patients with prostate cancer to maintain a high suspicion for visceral disease.
Report of the Editor: American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics

The American Economic Journal: Macro­ economics was established in 2007 along with three other field journals focusing on micro­ economics, applied economics, and economic policy. As stated in the call for papers and on the jour­ nal Web site, AEJ: Macroeconomics focuses on studies of aggregate fluctuations and growth, and the role of policy in that context. Such studies often borrow from and interact with research in other fields, such as monetary theory, industrial organization, finance, labor economics, political economy, public finance, international econom­ ics, and development economics. To the extent that they make a contribution to macroeconom­ ics, papers in these fields are also welcome. The first order of business before the jour­ nal went into operation was the recruitment of a Coeditor. I was delighted that Steve Davis (University of Chicago) agreed to join. Steve and I have worked extremely well together. The second order of business was the recruit­ ment of members of the Board of Editors. This turned out to be easier than I expected, as nearly all the researchers we approached agreed to join. The Board of Editors consists of: Mark A. Aguiar (University of Rochester), Nick Bloom (Stanford University), Pierre Cahuc (Paris Pan­ theon), John Campbell (Harvard University), Yongsung Chang (University of Rochester), John H. Cochrane (University of Chicago, GSB), William Easterly (New York University), Jordi Gali (CREI), Martin Eichenbaum (Northwestern University), Erik Hurst (University of Chicago, GSB), Charles I. Jones (University of California, Berkeley), Anil Kashyap (University of Chicago, GSB), David Laibson (Harvard University), Jonathan A. Parker (Northwestern University), Maurice Obstfeld (University of California, Berkeley), Thomas Philippon (New York Uni­ versity), Chris Pissarides (London School of Economics), Valerie A. Ramey (University of California, San Diego), Christina D. Romer (Uni­ versity of California, Berkeley), David Romer (University of California, Berkeley), Thomas J. Sargent (New York University), Mark W. Watson (Princeton University), Ivan Werning Report of the Editor
Harmony, Intelligence, and Hearts & Minds: Applying the Principles of Special Warfare on the College Campus for Better Student Outcomes

There is a strong and growing consensus in academia that diversity provides value because it fosters better scholarship and improved student outcomes. The seasoned economics professor has witnessed sweeping and significant changes to almost every aspect of students, the university, and even key mainstream beliefs about economics. Beliefs regarding the best approach to teaching economics have failed to change despite the best efforts of economics education researchers. We offer a unique perspective, shaped by extensive experience in special operations military units (Army Ranger Regiment and Navy SEALs) of the nature of this problem and to a variety issues related to classroom instruction. We review our experience of implementing various changes over the last eight years at four universities and our successes and failures along the way. Sometimes an outsider can bring a different perspective on a problem that insiders, regardless of pedigree and competence within their field, fail to see. We bring to bear the principles of special warfare and the habits of special operations warriors on the various challenges facing the typical economics instructor.
Teaching Large Groups

Despite many innovations in teaching and learning methods, the 1 h lecture remains a mainstay of medical education. For many faculty, the lecture is seen as an irreplaceable way to inform students about essential aspects of important subjects. However, for some the lecture format conjures up visions of students sitting long hours in their seats, passively listening to an expert expound on an esoteric topic. A large body of educational research has cast doubt on the amount of learning that actually takes place during a traditional lecture. The data show that while this format can be an effective way to transfer knowledge to students, it is not more effective than other methods (Bligh, 2000). Further, the lecture is usually not the most optimal way to teach skills or change attitudes as compared to other methods. These findings are at the root of the movement to reduce the number of hours of lecture in the medical curriculum and replace them with the more “active” learning methods that are described in later chapters.
Oxidative stress based response of a transcriptional regulator, OhrR, from Burkholderia thailandensis (LB252)

Bacteria face a burst of oxidative species during host invasion. As a protective mechanism, they possess several proteins involved in inorganic peroxide sensing. However, much has to be discovered about the sensor-responder proteins involved in organic hydroperoxide (OHP) resistance, which is important since OHPs are more toxic. Burkholderia thailandensis, a soil dwelling bacterium, contains genes ohrR and ohr, that are involved in OHP detoxification, with the former encoding an organic hydroperoxide reductase regulator (OhrR), a MarR family transcriptional regulator, regulating expression of the gene encoding organic hydroperoxide reductase (Ohr). EMSAs revealed specificity of B. thailandensis OhrR for the promoter region of ohr, with half-maximal saturation of 3.6 nM. SDS-PAGE demonstrated formation of reversible, oligomeric species of OhrR on treatment with organic and inorganic oxidants. Conformational changes were indicated by reduced thermal stability of oxidized protein compared to its reduced form...
TRENDS IN EVOLUTIONARY ROBOTICS

A review is given on the use of evolutionary techniques for the automatic design of adaptive robots. The focus is on methods which use neural networks and have been tested on actual physical robots. The chapter also examines the role of simulation and the use of domain knowledge in the evolutionary process. It concludes with some predictions about future directions in robotics.
Parents' Time Is Worth Money

In Reply.— Richardson has raised several issues not fully addressed in our initial report which deserve careful consideration. We certainly agree that there may be opportunity costs to the parents. However, our program is offered selectively and would not be available to families if it imposed economic hardship that would jeopardize infant or family well-being. Of course, certain costs of child rearing are assumed by every parent choosing to have a child and most working mothers do tend to take some time from work after the birth of the child.
On the Mechanical Behavior of Advanced Composite Material Structures

During the period between 1993 and 2004, the author, as well as some colleagues and graduate students, had the honor to be supported by the Office of Naval Research to conduct research in several aspects of the behavior of structures composed of composite materials. The topics involved in this research program were numerous, but all contributed to increasing the understanding of how various structures that are useful for marine applications behaved. More specifically, the research topics focused on the reaction of structures that were made of fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites when subjected to various loads and environmental conditions. This included the behavior of beam, plate/panel and shell structures. It involved studies that are applicable to fiberglass, graphite/carbon and Kevlar fibers imbedded in epoxy, polyester and other polymeric matrices. Unidirectional, cross-ply, angle ply, and woven composites were involved, both in laminated, monocoque as well as in sandwich constructions. Mid-plane symmetric as well as asymmetric laminates were studied, the latter involving bending-stretching coupling and other couplings that only can be achieved with advanced composite materials. The composite structures studied involved static loads, dynamic loading, shock loading as well as thermal and hygrothermal environments. One major consideration was determining the mechanical properties of composite materials subjected to high strain rates because the mechanical properties vary so significantly as the strain rate increases. A considerable number of references are cited for further reading and study for those interested.
Poisonings with Suicidal Intent Aged 0-21 Years Reported to Poison Centers 2003-12.

INTRODUCTION: Few studies explore the clinical features of youth suicide by poisoning. The use of both social and clinical features of self-poisoning with suicidal intent could be helpful in enhancing existing and creating new prevention strategies. We sought to characterize self-poisonings with suicide intent in ages 0 to 21 years reported to three regional poison control centers from 2003-2012. METHODS: This study was a blinded retrospective review of intentional self-poisonings by those age 21 or younger captured by the Poison Information Control Network. Age, sex, substance(s) used, medical outcome, management site, clinical effects, and therapies were described using counts and percentages and analyzed using chi-square tests. We analyzed the medical outcome ranging from no effect to death using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Serious medical outcome was defined as death or major outcome. RESULTS: We analyzed a total of 29,737 cases. The majority were females (20,945;70.5%), of whom 274 (1.3%) were pregnant. Most cases were 15-18 year olds (15,520;52.2%). Many experienced no effects (9,068;30.5%) or minor medical outcomes (8,612;29%). Males had more serious medical outcomes (pCONCLUSION: Undiagnosed ADHD may be a potential underlying cause for self-harming behaviors in the very young. Gender-specific suicide prevention strategies may be more effective at identifying those at risk than traditional measures alone. Further study into admitting practices by emergency physicians is needed to understand the difference in critical care admission rates based on gender. Once identified to be at-risk for suicidal behavior, access to analgesics and psychotropics should be monitored by care-givers especially in those between the ages of 15-18. Language: en
Optimal, Approximately Optimal, and Fair Play of the Fowl Play Card Game

After introducing the jeopardy card game Fowl Play, we present equations for optimal two-player play, describe their solution with a variant of value iteration, and visualize the optimal play policy. Next, we discuss the approximation of optimal play and note that neural network learning can achieve a win rate within 1 % of optimal play yet with a 5-orders-of-magnitude reduction in memory requirements. Optimal komi (i.e., compensation points) are computed for the two-player games of Pig and Fowl Play. Finally, we make use of such komi computations in order to redesign Fowl Play for two-player fairness, creating the game Red Light.