bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Venezuela's Gold Heist: The Symbiotic Relationship between the State, Criminal Networks and Resource Extraction
Authors: Ebus Bram , Martinelli Thomas
Published: May 2021

Venezuela is struck by a catastrophic economic crisis caused by widespread corruption, government mismanagement and lack of economic diversification. In 2016, President Maduro decreed the Orinoco Mining Arc: a large biodiverse region now destined for mining development. This article analyses harms inflicted on communities and environment following this development. Subsistence miners, local populations, and vulnerable ecosystems suffer in this struggle for power and wealth. Violent encounters by groups that aim to control mineral rich territories cause many local and regional conflicts. In these conflicts, state and criminal actors often collide or collaborate.
Non‐scarring patchy alopecia: What else, apart from alopecia areata?
Authors: Pisano Luigi , Di Pietro Michela , Santi Raffaella , Grandi Vieri , Bosi Alberto , Santucci Marco , Pimpinelli Nicola , Difonzo Elisa Margherita
Published: May 2021

A 67‐year‐old woman presented with a 3‐month history of patchy alopecia areata (AA)‐like hair loss and multiple painful enlarged lymph nodes at cervical, nuchal, and left axillary site. The patient was on follow‐up for IgM monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, stable for many years. A punch biopsy from a patch of the temporal scalp revealed the presence of B‐cell lymphoid infiltrates consistent with marginal zone B‐cell lymphoma (MZL). Other staging examinations were conducted to make a definitive diagnosis of nodal MZL with secondary cutaneous involvement. The patient showed a complete remission of the alopecia, without evidence of scarring, after immunochemotherapy for lymphoma.
Adaptation in the face of adversity: Decrements and enhancements in children's cognitive control behavior following early caregiving instability
Authors: Fields Andrea , Bloom Paul A. , VanTieghem Michelle , Harmon Chelsea , Choy Tricia , Camacho Nicolas L. , Gibson Lisa , Umbach Rebecca , Heleniak Charlotte , Tottenham Nim
Published: May 2021

Cognitive control is typically described as disrupted following exposure to early caregiving instability. While much of the work within this field has approached cognitive control broadly, evidence from adults retrospectively reporting early‐life instability has shown more nuanced effects on cognitive control, even demonstrating enhancements in certain subdomains. That is, exposure to unstable caregiving may disrupt some areas of cognitive control, yet promote adaptation in others. Here, we investigated three domains of cognitive control in a sample of school‐age children (N = 275, Age = 6‐12 years) as a function of early caregiving instability, defined as the total number of caregiving switches. Results demonstrated that caregiving instability was associated with reduced response inhibition (Go/No‐Go) and attentional control (Flanker), but enhanced cognitive flexibility (Dimensional Change Card Sort Task Switching). Conversely, there were no statistically significant associations with group (i.e., institutional care versus foster care) or maltreatment exposure and these patterns. These findings build on the specialization framework, suggesting that caregiving instability results in both decrements and enhancements in children's cognitive control, consistent with the hypothesis that cognitive control development is scaffolded by early environmental pressures.
Labor market competition over the business cycle
Authors: Monte Daniel , Pinheiro Roberto
Published: May 2021

With a duopsony model, we study how earnings inequality, firm size distribution, and labor market slack vary across local labor markets and the business cycle. In booms, due to high aggregate productivity, there is fierce competition with resulting high wages and full employment. During recessions, there is labor market slack and firms enjoy local market power. In periods in which the economy is moving into or out of a recession, there is an “accommodation” phase, with firms shrinking their labor forces and paying lower wages instead of competing for poached workers. We show that the impact of economic shocks on wage dispersion and inequality may vary not only due to the nature of the shock, but also based on which equilibrium the economy may have settled in.
The cohort effect of political change on language speaking: Evidence from Hong Kong
Authors: Zheng Xian , Zhou Yonghong
Published: May 2021

It has been proven that language is a symbol of culture and politics. This study investigates the cohort effect of Hong Kong's handover on the language spoken in adulthood based on the 2006 and 2011 Hong Kong population censuses. We find that Mandarin is more likely to be used by Hong Kong natives who were exposed to the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997 during their school‐age years, especially the generation that were exposed during their primary‐school years. This cohort insisted on speaking Mandarin, even when the political environment changed from 2006 to 2011. Our evidence reveals that the political change that occurs during one's school‐age years has a long‐term impact on an individual's behaviour in adulthood. Further discussion indicates that exposure to political change such as regime transfer during school‐age years impacts an individual's national identity.
Disentangling the correlated evolution of body size, life history, and ontogeny in miniaturized chelydroid turtles
Authors: Cordero Gerardo A.
Published: May 2021

Organismal miniaturization is defined by a reduction in body size relative to a large ancestor. In vertebrate animals, miniaturization is achieved by suppressing the energetics of growth. However, this might interfere with reproductive strategies in egg‐laying species with limited energy budgets for embryo growth and differentiation. In general, the extent to which miniaturization coincides with alterations in animal development remains obscure. To address the interplay among body size, life history, and ontogeny, miniaturization in chelydroid turtles was examined. The analyses corroborated that miniaturization in the Chelydroidea clade is underlain by a dampening of the ancestral growth trajectory. There were no associated shifts in the early sequence of developmental transformations, though the relative duration of organogenesis was shortened in miniaturized embryos. The size of eggs, hatchlings, and adults was positively correlated within Chelydroidea. A phylogenetically broader exploration revealed an alternative miniaturization mode wherein exceptionally large hatchlings grow minimally and thus attain diminutive adult sizes. Lastly, it is shown that miniaturized Chelydroidea turtles undergo accelerated ossification coupled with a ~10% reduction in shell bones. As in other vertebrates, the effects of miniaturization were not systemic, possibly owing to opposing functional demands and tissue geometric constraints. This underscores the integrated and hierarchical nature of developmental systems.
Movement patterns of the White‐tailed Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla): post‐fledging behaviour, natal dispersal onset and the role of the natal environment
Authors: Engler Marc , Krone Oliver
Published: May 2021

Exploratory movements and natal dispersal form essential processes during early life history stages of raptors, but identifying the factors shaping individual movement decisions is challenging. Global positioning system (GPS) telemetry thereby provides a promising technique to study movement patterns on adequate spatio‐temporal scales. We analysed data of juvenile White‐tailed Sea EaglesHaliaeetus albicilla(WTSE) in north‐east Germany (n = 24) derived from GPS tracking to extensively analyse movements between fledging and emigration from the natal territory. Our goal was to determine the time point of fledging, characterize pre‐emigration movements and the onset of natal dispersal while investigating the influence of the natal environment. WTSE fledged at an average age of 72 days and showed strong excursive behaviour during the post‐fledging period regarding the number, distance and duration of excursions, yet with high individual variability. Excursive behaviour did not differ between sexes. On average, WTSE left the parental territory 93 days after fledging. The quantity of excursive behaviour delayed the timing of emigration and WTSE tended to postpone their emigration when foraging water was accessible within the boundaries of their parental territory. The overall results suggest that young WTSE assess the quality of the natal environment via pre‐emigration movements and stay in their territory of origin for as long as internal and external conditions allow for it. Our study is one of the first to characterize post‐fledging and natal dispersal movements of young WTSE to such an extent and applies modern techniques to understand related movements in relation to the natal environment. The results emphasize the urgent necessity for the extension of currently existing nest protection periods and guaranteeing sustainable management of potential breeding and foraging grounds for WTSE. Ultimately, the results are relevant for all large raptor species sensitive to human‐related disturbance, as they support the increasing importance of regulations with spatio‐temporal specifications for breeding populations of large raptors in densely human‐inhabited areas with increasing alteration of land.
Recent developments in the pathogenesis of pruritus in bullous pemphigoid
Authors: Sun Chao , Feng Suying
Published: May 2021

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is a common autoimmune bullous disease which mainly affects the elderly. The incidence of BP is gradually increasing and associated with high mortality. This disease is clinically characterized by intensely pruritic and widespread bullous lesions. Alternative therapy options for pruritus in patients with BP are limited primarily because pathophysiological mechanisms of itching in BP are still unclear. This review aims to explain crucial concepts of the pathogenesis of pruritus in BP. Vital findings in recent years will be summarized, and cofactors of the pathogenesis of pruritus will be discussed in detail. We will summarize knowledge on pathogenic factors in the immunologic level conducing to skin pruritus in BP.
Experimental analyses for electronic structure of barium zirconate‐strontium zirconate proton‐conducting solid solution
Authors: Matsuo Hiroki , Murakami Tatsuya , Otomo Junichiro
Published: May 2021

In proton‐conducting oxides, analyses for their electronic structure contribute to the understanding of interactions between defects in them. In this study, electronic band alignment of (1−x)BaZr0.8Y0.2O3−δ(BZY)–xSrZr0.95Y0.05O3−δ(SZY) proton‐conducting solid‐solution system (BSZY) which has high defect concentration and the deep valence band is experimentally investigated. By using thin‐film specimens for optical absorption measurements, absorption edges derived from electron transition from the valence band to the conduction band which was insensitive to the proton incorporation were clearly observed in spite of the high defect concentration. The obtained optical band gap energy increased from 5.61 to 5.89 eV with increasing x, which was consistent with a composition dependence of Zr(Y)O6 octahedral tilting. Ultraviolet photon‐yield spectroscopy (UV‐PYS) measurements under vacuum condition revealed that BZY and SZY had ionization energy of 6.98 and 7.31 eV, respectively, and thus the absolute energy levels of the valence band maximum and the conduction band minimum of BSZY were experimentally clarified. We propose that the combination of the optical absorption measurements using thin‐film specimens and the UV‐PYS measurements under vacuum condition is effective in evaluating fundamental electronic structures of proton‐conducting oxides.
Description of the growth hormone gene of the Australasian snapper, Chrysophrys auratus, and associated intra‐ and interspecific genetic variation
Authors: Irving Kate , Wellenreuther Maren , Ritchie Peter A.
Published: May 2021

The growth hormone (GH) gene of the marine teleost, the Australasian snapper (Chrysophrys auratus), was identified and characterized from the reference genome showing it was approximately 5577 bp in length and consisted of six exons and five introns. Large polymorphic repeat regions were found in the first and third introns, and putative transcription factor binding sites were identified. Phylogenetic analysis of the GH genes of perciform fish showed largely conserved coding regions and highly variable noncoding regions among species. Despite some exon sequence variation and an amino acid deletion identified between C. auratus and its sister species Chrysophrys/Pagrus major, the amino acid sequences and putative secondary structures were largely conserved across the Sparidae. A population‐level assessment of 99 samples caught at five separate coastal locations in New Zealand revealed six variable alleles at the intron 1 site of the C. auratus GH gene. A population genetic analysis suggested that C. auratus from the five sample locations were largely panmictic, with no evidence for departure from the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium, and have a high level of heterozygosity. Overall these results suggest that the GH gene is largely conserved across the coding regions, but some variability could be detected.
The Death Penalty and Historical Change in Spain
Authors: Oliver Olmo Pedro
Published: May 2021

This article studies the long duration of the death penalty in Spain until its abolition in the Constitution of 1978. After analysing the plurality of theoretical approaches and possibilities offered by archival sources and specialised historiography (particularly those produced by specialists in the history of law and social history), I synthesise the Spanish answers to the major questions posed in the international historiographical debate on this issue. I then review the formality and the religious and juridical content of these “ceremonies of torment” in order to understand the scope of the practice of the death penalty in processes of social change: what did political power transmit from the scaffolds and what type of social impact was generated by public executions? How did the institutions that exercised the death penalty evolve? Why, during the transition from the Old Regime to the liberal state, was the death penalty used more regularly than before? How many prisoners were in fact executed, for what crimes, and using what procedures and techniques? Finally, after confirming that in the decades straddling the nineteenth and twentieth centuries the death penalty was on the decline, being counteracted by abolitionist discourse in the field of penal sentencing, I examine the functions played by political executions in the repressive dynamics of the Civil War and Francoism.
Prevalence of low back pain among intensive care nurses: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Sang Shuyan , Wang Jing , Jin Jiayao
Published: May 2021

Background

Low back pain (LBP) is a ubiquitous health problem affecting most of healthcare staff. However, there have been not effort to derive robust prevalence estimates of LBP among intensive care unit (ICU) nurses.

Aims and objectives

To determine the prevalence of LBP among ICU nurses.

Methods

A systematic review and meta‐analysis was conducted. Five databases were searched: Web of Science, PubMed, MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase, and CINHAL databases. Original research that reported the prevalence of LBP among ICU nurses using a 12‐month recall period were included. In order to assess methodological quality, we used a quality rating system which is specifically developed for LBP studies. Cochran's Q and the I2 test were applied to assess heterogeneity. Subgroup analysis was applied to identify factors that may contribute to heterogeneity. Presence of potential publication bias was assessed by using Egger's test and visual inspection of the symmetry in funnel plots.

Results

Twenty‐seven studies reporting data from 2004 to 2020 on the prevalence of LBP in a defined ICU nurses were included (participants:6258; range: 3‐1345). Twenty‐one (77.8%) studies were of “high” quality. Among the included studies, the lowest and the highest prevalence were found to be 34.5% and 100.0%, respectively. Meta‐analysis of included studies yielded a pooled prevalence of 12‐month LBP at 76.0% (95% CI, 69.0%‐81.8%). (I2 = 96.0%, Chi‐squared = 722, P‐value < .01).

Conclusion

LBP is prevalent among ICU nurses. Greater attention is urgently needed to address this burdensome health problem among ICU nurses, particularly with an emphasis to develop preventive strategies.

Relevance to clinical practice

The results of our meta‐analysis have important consequences for ICU nurse managers. Our finding of high prevalence rate of LBP among ICU nurses suggests that more attention should be devoted to develop and apply prevention programs for ICU nurses to manage this global issue.
Endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway mediates the early heat stress response of developing rice seeds
Authors: Sandhu Jaspreet , Irvin Larissa , Liu Kan , Staswick Paul , Zhang Chi , Walia Harkamal
Published: May 2021

A transient heat stress occurring during early seed development in rice (Oryza sativa) reduces seed size by altering endosperm development. However, the relationship between the timing of the stress and specific developmental stage on heat sensitivity is not well‐understood. To address this, we imposed a series of non‐overlapping heat stress treatments and found that young seeds are most sensitive during the first two days after flowering. Temporal transcriptome analysis of developing, heat stressed (35°C) seeds during this window shows that Inositol‐requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1)‐mediated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response and jasmonic acid (JA) pathways are the early (1–3 h) drivers of heat stress response. We propose that increased JA levels under heat stress may precede ER stress response as JA application promotes the spliced form of OsbZIP50, an ER response marker gene linked to IRE1‐specific pathway. This study presents temporal and mechanistic insights into the role of JA and ER stress signalling during early heat stress response of rice seeds that impact both grain size and quality. Modulating the heat sensitivity of the early sensing pathways and downstream endosperm development genes can enhance rice resilience to transient heat stress events.
The role of parental education on the relationship between gestational age and school outcomes
Authors: Bilsteen Josephine Funck , Ekstrøm Claus Thorn , Børch Klaus , Nybo Andersen Anne‐Marie
Published: May 2021

Background

Individuals born preterm may experience difficulties beyond the neonatal period, such as poorer school outcomes. However, whether these outcomes are modified by family factors is less well‐known.

Objectives

To investigate whether parental educational level modify the relationship of gestational age with completion of final examinations and grade point average in compulsory education.

Methods

This nationwide register‐based cohort study included singletons born in Denmark during 1995‐2001. We investigated the differences in the associations between gestational age (24‐44 weeks) and two school outcomes at 16 years according to parental educational level (lower (≤10 years), intermediate (11‐13 years), and higher (>13 years)). Mixed‐effect logistic regression and mixed‐effect linear regression were used to model completion of final examination and grade point average, respectively.

Results

Of the 425 101 singletons, 4.7% were born before 37 weeks. The risk of not completing final examination increased with shorter gestational age and lower parental educational level. For instance, among adolescents whose parents had a lower educational level, the risk increased from 23.9% (95% CI, 23.1, 24.6) for those born in week 40 to 36.6% (95% CI, 31.5, 42.1) for those born in week 28. For adolescents whose parents had a higher educational level, the corresponding risk increase was 5.9% (95% CI, 5.7, 6.1) to 10.5% (95% CI, 8.6, 12.8), respectively. Grade point average decreased with shorter gestational age in adolescents born before 30 weeks and with lower parental educational level. The associations between gestational age and grade point average were similar across parental educational levels. For completions of final examination, the associations with gestational age were weaker with higher parental educational level.

Conclusions

Shorter gestational age and lower parental educational level were associated with poorer school outcomes. Our findings suggest that parental educational level mitigates the adverse effects of shorter gestational age on some school outcomes.
Buddhism and race in the United States
Authors: McNicholl Adeana
Published: May 2021

Buddhist Studies developed alongside the rise of racial sciences and the colonization of so‐called “heathen” bodies, lands, and resources. Colonialism, race, and racialization have constituted the ways “real” Buddhism is positioned against “Other” Buddhisms. In this article, I provide an overview of scholarship on Buddhism and race in the United States. Racial whiteness has been constitutive of normative understandings of Buddhism. White normative understandings of religion have also impacted the religious and racial subjectivities of minoritized Buddhists in the United States. If we are to provincialize white religious and racial categories, I argue we must prioritize the religious and racial subjectivities of Asian American and other racialized Buddhists.
Correlates and Consequences of the 1918 Influenza in South Africa
Authors: de Kadt Daniel , Fourie Johan , Greyling Jan , Murard Elie , Norling Johannes
Published: May 2021

We study the demographic and economic correlates of the 1918 influenza or “Spanish flu” that killed an estimated 6% of South Africa's population. While the pandemic has received some attention in South African historiography and from social scientists in other contexts, little is known about its long‐term impact on the country. Bringing together data from a range of new sources, including population and agricultural censuses, household surveys, and the voters’ rolls, we provide analyses that show, first, the factors that (do and do not) predict flu mortality across South Africa's magisterial districts, and, second, suggest some important consequences of the flu. Our results reveal a large but short‐lived demographic shock, and detectable, if small scale, long‐term economic consequences.
Mucormycosis associated with COVID‐19 in two kidney transplant patients
Authors: Arana Carolt , Cuevas Ramírez Rafael E. , Xipell Marc , Casals Joaquim , Moreno Asunción , Herrera Sabina , Bodro Marta , Cofan Frederic , Diekmann Fritz , Esforzado Núria
Published: May 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) predisposes patients to bacterial and fungal superinfections due to the impairment of the immunological system. Among the associated opportunistic fungal infections, mucormycosis is one of the least frequent but with the highest mortality. We describe two cases of mucormycosis in two kidney transplant recipients, while they were hospitalized for SARS‐CoV‐2 pneumonia, with rhinosinusal and musculoskeletal involvement, respectively.
Thymic epithelial tumours in 51 dogs: Histopathologic and clinicopathologic findings
Authors: Yale Andrew D. , Priestnall Simon L. , Pittaway Rachel , Taylor Angela J.
Published: May 2021

Canine thymic epithelial tumours (TET) are uncommon and little is known about their behaviour. Previous attempts at histologic classification have varied, and as such reliable prognostic information is unavailable. The aim of this retrospective multi‐institutional study was to evaluate cases of canine TETs, irrespective of subtype, in order to identify useful histopathologic and clinicopathologic prognostic factors. Cases were included if the tumour arose from the cranial mediastinum and a diagnosis of TET was made on the basis of histopathology. Fifty‐one dogs were included. In addition to clinicopathologic data, histology samples were reviewed for the following features: mitotic count, percentage of necrosis, presence of Hassall's corpuscles, lymphocytic infiltrate, cellular pleomorphism and vascular or capsular invasion. The median survival time for all dogs was 449 days. The 1‐ and 2‐year survival rate was 52.6% and 26.3% respectively. On multivariable analysis surgical excision of the thymic tumour was associated with significantly prolonged survival; the presence of metastasis, myasthenia gravis and moderate or marked cellular pleomorphism were associated with significantly reduced survival. Additional studies are needed to further evaluate prognostic factors to aid treatment recommendations.
Displacement of center of mass in dogs in response to foot sensory stimulation
Authors: Izawa Kousuke , Fukunaga Koya , Hirota Yuji , Orito Kensuke
Published: May 2021

Objective

Evaluate center of mass (CoM) displacement values during four‐limb and three‐limb standing with limb suspension in dogs before and after applying sensory stimulation to a forelimb or hindlimb.

Study Design

Experimental study.

Animals

Six clinically normal beagles.

Methods

A four force‐plate apparatus was built to assess static weight distribution. Dogs stood on the device with one limb in contact with each force plate. We created a plastic device to induce sensory stimulation so that lameness could not be detected visually when stimulating the paw. Experimenters confirmed the degree of lameness by walking before and after measurement. Body‐weight shifts were induced via suspension of each limb and transient sensory stimulation to the right forelimb or left hindlimb. CoMs of five postures were compared, with and without transient sensory stimulation.

Results

The four‐limb CoM was located cranial to the center of the X‐ and Y‐axis coordinates (X: −0.82 ± 9.12, Y: 61.00 ± 5.82). During three‐limb standing with suspension of either forelimb, CoM shifted backward toward the contralateral side compared to four‐limb standing. During hindlimb suspension, CoM shifted to the contralateral side. With right forelimb sensory stimulation, there were large CoM changes for both four‐limb and three‐limb standing (X: −34.53 ± 9.09, Y: 52.21 ± 6.88). CoM changes were small with left hindlimb sensory stimulation (X: 6.47 ± 13.86, Y: 69.41 ± 5.55).

Conclusion

CoMs during four‐limb and three‐limb standing were influenced by sensory stimulation of a forelimb and, to a lesser extent, of a hindlimb.

Clinical Significance

Static evaluation of CoM may aid clinicians in the diagnosis and recovery of forelimb lameness.
An Information Theoretic Study of a Duffing Oscillator Array Reservoir Computer
Authors: Shougat Md. Raf E Ul , Li XiaoFu , Mollik Tushar , Perkins Edmon
Published: May 2021

Typically, nonlinearity is considered to be problematic and sometimes can lead to dire consequences. However, the nonlinearity in a Duffing oscillator array can enhance its ability to be used as a reservoir computer. Machine learning and artificial neural networks, inspired by the biological computing framework, have shown their immense potential, especially in the real-time temporal data processing. Here, the efficacy of a Duffing oscillator array is explored as a reservoir computer by using information theory. To do this, a reservoir computer model is studied numerically, which exploits the dynamics of the array. In this system, the complex dynamics stem from the Duffing term in each of the identical oscillators. The effects of various system parameters of the array on the information processing ability are discussed from the perspective of information theory. By varying these parameters, the information metric was found to be topologically mixed. Additionally, the importance of asynchrony in the oscillator array is also discussed in terms of the information metric. Since such nonlinear oscillators are used to model many different physical systems, this research provides insight into how physical nonlinear oscillatory systems can be used for dynamic computation, without significantly modifying or controlling the underlying dynamical system. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first use of Shannon's information rate for quantifying a reservoir computer of this kind, as well as the first comparison between synchronization phenomena and the computing ability of a reservoir.
Enhancing Hierarchical Multiscale Off-Road Mobility Model by Neural Network Surrogate Model
Authors: Chen Guanchu , Yamashita Hiroki , Ruan Yeefeng , Jayakumar Paramsothy , Knap Jaroslaw , Leiter Kenneth W. , Yang Xiaobo , Sugiyama Hiroyuki
Published: May 2021

A hierarchical multiscale off-road mobility model is enhanced through the development of an artificial neural network (ANN) surrogate model that captures the complex material behavior of deformable terrain. By exploiting the learning capability of neural networks, the incremental stress and strain relationship of granular terrain is predicted by the ANN representative volume elements (RVE) at various states of the stress and strain. A systematic training procedure for ANN RVEs is developed with a virtual tire test rig model for producing training data from the discrete-element (DE) RVEs without relying on computationally intensive full vehicle simulations on deformable terrain. The ANN surrogate RVEs are then integrated into the hierarchical multiscale computational framework as a lower-scale model with the scalable parallel computing capability, while the macroscale terrain deformation is described by the finite element (FE) approach. It is demonstrated with several numerical examples that off-road vehicle mobility performances predicted by the proposed FE-ANN multiscale terrain model are in good agreement with those of the FE-DE multiscale model while achieving a substantial computational time reduction. The accuracy and robustness of the ANN RVE for fine-grain sand terrain are discussed for scenarios not considered in training datasets. Furthermore, a drawbar pull test simulation is presented with the ANN RVE developed with data in the cornering scenario and validated against the full-scale vehicle test data. The numerical results confirm the predictive ability of the FE-ANN multiscale terrain model for off-road mobility simulations.
Impact of Walking School Bus Programs on Self-Efficacy and Outcome Expectations
Authors: Cramer Nicole , Haviland Miriam J. , Zhou Chuan , Mendoza Jason A.
Published: May 2021

Background: A walking school bus (WSB) consists of students and adults walking to and from school and promotes active commuting to school. Self-efficacy (SE) and outcome expectations (OE) are behavioral constructs associated with active commuting to school. The authors sought to assess the impact of a WSB program on child SE, and parent SE, and OE.Methods: The authors conducted a cluster randomized controlled trial of a WSB intervention from 2012 to 2016 among 22 elementary schools serving racially diverse, low-income populations in Houston, TX and Seattle, WA. Surveys collected data from third- to fifth-grade students and their parents, (n = 418) child-parent dyads, before school randomization and at the school year’s end. Child surveys included 16 SE items, while parent surveys included 15 SE items and 14 OE items. Scores were averaged from responses ranging from 1 to 3. The authors compared changes in SE and OE between groups over time and accounted for clustering using linear mixed-effects models.Results: The intervention group had increases in child SE of 0.12 points (P = .03), parent SE of 0.11 points (P = .048), and parent OE of 0.09 points (P = .02) compared to controls over time.Conclusions: As hypothesized, the WSB improved child SE, parent SE, and parent OE related to active commuting to school.
Modeling, learning, perception, and control methods for deformable object manipulation
Authors: Yin Hang , Varava Anastasia , Kragic Danica
Published: May 2021

Enabling robots to handle deformable objects requires careful integration of data-driven and analytic approaches.
The unstable queen: Uncertainty, mechanics, and tactile feedback
Authors: Rodriguez Alberto
Published: May 2021

Tactile feedback is a natural pathway to robot dexterity in unstructured settings.
Hexose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase blockade reverses prostate cancer drug resistance in xenograft models by glucocorticoid inactivation
Authors: Li Jianneng , Berk Michael , Alyamani Mohammad , Sabharwal Navin , Goins Christopher , Alvarado Joseph , Baratchian Mehdi , Zhu Ziqi , Stauffer Shaun , Klein Eric A. , Sharifi Nima
Published: May 2021

Inhibiting H6PD restores prostate cancer response to AR antagonists by normalizing glucocorticoid metabolism in mouse xenograft models.
Asymptomatic females: detection of antibody activity to gonococcal pili antigen by radioimmunoassay
Authors: Oates S A , Falkler W A , Joseph J M , Warfel L E
Published: May 2021

A gonococcal pili antigen preparation was used to detect antibody activity sera obtained from 322 culture-positive asymptomatic females and 150 negative controls. Pili were obtained from a culture of type 2 Neisseria gonorrhoeae (strain 2686) and labeled with 125I for use in a double-antibody radioimmunoassay test system. Of the 322 sera obtained from culture-positive, asymptomatic females, 276 (85.7%) showed antibody activity greater than or equal to 1.8 mug/ml. Negative controls were obtained from three different groups of individuals, and 130 (86.7%) had undetectable antibody activity. Sera from asymptomatic, culture-positive females were absorbed with three different strains of N. gonorrhoeae, one of these strains being the organism used for pili antigen preparations. The absorbed sera were tested for antibody activity, and in each case the activity in the absorbed sera dropped to an undetectable level. When the same sera were absorbed with N. meningitidis, N. catarrhalis, N. perflava, Escherichia coli, Herellea vaginicola, Mima polymorpha, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans, little, if any, decline in the level of anti-pili antibody activity was observed.
Bacteriophage typing of Shigella sonnei
Authors: Pruneda R C , Farmer J J
Published: May 2021

A bacteriophage-typing schema was developed for differentiating strains of Shigella sonnei. Sixty-seven bacteriophages were obtained from other collections, and 36 bacteriophages were isolated from sewage. From these 103 bacteriophages, a provisional set of 12 was chosen by computer analysis as being the most sensitive in differentiating strains of S. sonnei isolated in the United States. The provisional schema was used to type 265 strains from different geographical areas. It divided them into 87 different lysis patterns, and all 265 strains were typable. Smooth and rough colonial variants of the same strain had different lysis patterns, so the technique was standardized to type rough colonies only. Reproducibility was difficult to obtain until all conditions were carefully standardized. Changes in results were noted even on different lot numbers of Trypticase soy agar, which was defined as the standard medium. So that the medium would not be a variable, 100 pounds (ca 453.5 kg) of the same lot number was purchased. Bacteriophage typing was very useful in differentiating strains, and work should continue on establishing a standarized schema.
Detection of Haemophilus influenzae type b antigens in body fluids, using specific antibody-coated staphylococci
Authors: Suksanong M , Dajani A S
Published: May 2021

Protein A-rich staphylococci coated with Haemophilus influenzae type b antiserum agglutinate specifically with homologous bacterial cells or with cell-free supernatant fluids of cultures of the organism. Antibody-coated staphylococci were used to detect soluble antigens in body fluids of patients infected with H. influenzae type b. Cerebrospinal fluid from 36 cases of meningitis caused by this orgainsm showed positive coagglutination tests in 86% of patients prior to initiation of therapy. Antigens could be detected in 46% of sterile cerebrospinal fluid specimens obtained from the same cases 1 to 10 days after therapy. Soluble antigens were also detectable in sera (58%) and urine specimens (67%) of patients with H. influenzae type b septicemia, when such specimens were tested within 10 days of onset of illness. No antigen could be detected in body fluids beyond 10 days. The coagglutination test was positive in 57% of all body fluids examined; contercurrent immunoelectrophoresis (CCIE) was positive in only 27%. All specimens positive by CCIE were also positive by coagglutination. No false-positive reactions were noted by either test in body fluids from controls. The coagglutination test is simple, specific, and more sensitive than the CCIE method and could be a valuable tool for detecting antigens in body fluids of patients with various infections.
Contained indirect viable-cell membrane immunofluorescence microassay for surface antigen analysis of cells infected with hazardous viruses
Authors: Cloyd M W , Bigner D D
Published: May 2021

A microtechnique for an indirect viable-cell membrane immunofluorescence titration assay was developed using Friend murine leukemia virus (F-MuLV)-producing cells and monospecific rabbit antisera to F-MuLV structural antigens. The assay was sensitive and displayed little variation within or between assays. Since moderate-risk tumor viruses, such as recently discovered primate oncornaviruses or feline leukemia virus (FeLV), may be hazardous to laboratory personnel, the assay was adapted for containment of cells infected with such viruses. Cells producing gibbon ape lymphoma virus or FeLV were grown in class III containment cabinets and transferred in sealed flasks to a class II laminar-flow cabinet, where the assay was performed. This micromethod not only conserved reagents but also minimized the numbers of moderate-risk tumor virus-infected cells handled at one time. Centrifugation was contained using custom-made devices shown to form a gas-tight seal over microtiter plates. Interspecies reactivity of monospecific rabbit antisera against F-MuLV structural antigen gp71, but not against p12, was demonstrated for surface antigens on FeLV-producing cells.
Serotyping of Serratia marcescens: evaluation of Le Minor's H-immobilization test and description of three new flagellar H antigens
Authors: Traub W H , Kleber I
Published: May 2021

The H-immobilization test of Le Minor for determining flagellar (H) antigens was evaluated and compared with tube and slide H-agglutination tests. The test proved specific and easy to perform, and titration end points were clearly discernible. The degree of serological cross-reactivity between H antigen reference strains of Serratia marcescens was low. Consequently, this test was adopted for routine serological analysis of H antigens, using unabsorbed rabbit immune anti-H sera. As a result of using this procedure, three new provisional H antignes, designated H14, H15, and H16, are proposed.
Comparison of rabbit and pig plasma in the tube coagulase test
Authors: Yrios J W
Published: May 2021

A total of 627 clinical isolates of Micrococcaceae were characterized accoridng to their ability to coagulate rabbit and pig plasma, produce thermostable nuclease, and anaerobically ferment glucose and mannitol. By using these characteristics, 416 of the isolates were classified as Staphylococcus aureus and 211 as non-S. aureus. All 416 strains produced a 3 to 4+ clot formation in heparinized pig plasma, whereas 415 isolates produced a similar reaction in citrated rabbit plasma. All of the S. aureus strains possessed a thermostable nuclease, whereas only four of the non-S. aureus isolates exhibited this characteristic. The results obtained using heparinized pig plasma were almost identical to those obtained with commercial rabbit plasma.
Genetic transformation assays for identification of strains of Moraxella urethralis
Authors: Juni E
Published: May 2021

Studies of 31 strains of Moraxella urethralis have shown that 20 of them are competent for genetic transformation. This finding has led to the development of transformation assays for identification of newly isolated strains of this organism. Crude deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) samples from all strains of M. urethralis readily transform auxotrophic mutants of competent strains to prototrophy, whereas DNA samples from unrelated bacteria such as Acinetobacter, Moraxella, and Neisseria species uniformly fail to elicit positive transformation of mutant tester strains. One of the competent strains of M. urethralis investigated is a naturally occurring mutant defective in its ability to utilize citrate as a carbon and energy source. DNA samples from 29 of the 30 remaining strains of utilization; the one nonreacting strain is citrate negative and probably possesses the same genetic lesion as the citrate-negative mutant. Three organisms originally identified as strains of M. urethralis, because of their phenotypic properties, are probably incorrectly designated, since DNA samples from these strains failed to transform any of the tester mutant strains used in the present study. The transformation assay for M. urethralis is very simple and can be performed readily in a clinical laboratory. The entire procedure can be carried out in less than 24 h.
Isolation of Allescheria boydii from pleural fluid
Authors: Bousley P H
Published: May 2021

Allescheria boydii was repeatedly isolated from thoracentesis fluid from a patient with a right pleural effusion. Histological study of methanamine-stained pleural tissue revealed the presence of septate hyphae. After a thoracotomy and decortication, the patient's symptoms cleared, and he has remained asymptomatic over a postoperative period of 13 months.
Simple disk technique for detection of nitrate reduction by anaerobic bacteria
Authors: Wideman P A , Citronbaum D M , Sutter V L
Published: May 2021

The laboratory and clinical evaluation of a potassium nitrate-saturated disk for the rapid detection of nitrate reductase production in anaerobes was investigated. The optimal disk concentration and incubation time were determined by utilizing triplicate sets of quadrant plates prepared with supplemented brucella (Difco) blood agar and swabbed with a 24-h broth (BBL; 135 C thioglycolate) suspension of the test organism. Each set of plates received one control disk and three disks of varying concentrations of potassium nitrate (1 to 8 mg) with 0.1% sodium molybdate. All sets were incubated in GasPak jars for 24, 48, or 72 h, and subsequently sulfanilic acid and 1,6-Cleve's acid were added to each disk. A pink or red color change was indicative of nitrate reductase production. Eighty-eight stock isolates, 23 American Type Culture Collection strains, and 214 fresh clinical isolates were evaluated and compared with results obtained with tubes of preduced indole-nitrite medium (BBL) incubated for 7 to 10 days. The 6-mg disk incubated for 48 h yielded an overall agreement of 89% with the conventional tube technique, and fresh clinical isolates demonstrated better disk-tube agreement (93%) than previously frozen stock strains. The simplicity and ease of this disk test suggest its value as a preliminary screening procedure for nitrate reductase production. There were no false positives. Negative results by disk should be rechecked by tube.
Gram stain evaluation of the quality of sputum specimens for mycobacterial culture
Authors: Curione C J , Kaneko G S , Voss J L , Hesse F , Smith R F
Published: May 2021

A group of 34 mycobacteria, consisting of 25 Mycobacterium tuberculosis and nine strains of three other species, was isolated from 400 expectorated sputum specimens submitted on 148 patients from county-wide sources. Eight strains (24% of the total) were isolated from specimens evaluated by Gram stain to be oropharyngeal fluids. The remaining 26 strains were isolated from ungradable specimens and those primarily of lower respiratory origin. It was concluded that the random examination of sputum by Gram stain to determine the specimen's quality for mycobacterial isolation is not necessary.
Microcalorimetry as a tool for evaluation of blood culture media
Authors: Ripa K T , Mårdh P A , Hovelius B , Ljungholm K
Published: May 2021

Evaluation of optimal compositions of blood culture media has called for extensive and laborious work in comparative studies of large series of clincal specimens. Bacterial growth is accompanied by heat production, and calorimetry provides an analytical tool for its detection and quantification. A twin microcalorimeter of the heat conduction type was used to register heat effects in experimentally infected blood cultures. When studying Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, larger heat effects were produced with 0.05% sodium polyanetholsulfonate than with 600 IU of heparin per ml, which was also the case when using 10% sucrose. The addition of IsoVitaleX (BBL) increased the heat effects produced by the two species mentioned, whereas it had the opposite effect in cultures of Neisseria meningitidis. The present study indicates that microcalorimetry is a valuable and time-saving tool for the evaluation of optimal compositions of bacterial culture media.
Reactivation of Newcastle Disease Virus Neutralized by Antibody
Authors: Brugh M
Published: May 2021

In an effort to improve current technology for detection of Newcastle disease virus in convalescent birds, a procedure has been developed for efficient reactivation of virus that has been neutralized by antibody. The reactivation capabilities of fluorocarbon treatment, ultrasonic treatment, pH extremes, and proteolytic digestion were evaluated using the LaSota strain of virus. Reactivation was maximum after proteolytic digestion with either trypsin or papain, and reactivation effciency was up to 100%, depending on the enzyme used for digestion and the amount of antibody in the neutralization mixture. Reactivation at pH extremes was considerably less efficient than reactiviation by proteolytic digestion, and neither fluorocarbon nor ultrasonic treatments effectively recovered antibody-neutralized Newcastle disease virus.
Comparative complement fixation and serum neutralization antibody titers to herpes simplex virus type 1 and Herpesvirus simiae in Macaca mulatta and humans
Authors: Gary G W , Palmer E L
Published: May 2021

The serological relationship of herpes simplex type 1 virus and Herpesvirus simiae was studied. Antibody titers to these viruses were determined in 163 Macaca mulatta sera and 67 human sera by serum neutralization (SN) and complement fixation (CF) tests. Both groups of sera were also tested by CF with envelope and capsid antigens of herpes simplex type 1. By SN, the majority of the monkeys and all of the humans had a higher titer to herpes simplex type 1 than to H. simiae. By CF, with crude antigens the titers in the monkey sera were greater to H. simiae than to herpes simplex type 1, although four sera had equal titers to both antigens; the titers in the human sera were conversely higher with the herpes simplex type 1 antigen, except for four sera which had equal titers to both antigens. The capsid CF antigen of herpes simplex type 1 was reactive with the human sera but virtually nonreactive with the monkey sera; the envelope CF antigen of herpes simplex type 1 was reactive with both monkey and human sera but was somewhat less reactive than the crude herpes simplex type 1 CF antigen. In addition, serum samples from a patient recently infected with H. simiae were examined by CF and SN for antibody to both herpes simplex type 1 and H. simiae viruses. The serological profile indicated a positive correlation with the infecting virus. Although the SN titers did not conclusively reflect an infection with H. simiae, the CF titers were higher to H. simiae than to herpes simplex in later sera and thus appeared to be compatible with H. simiae infection.