bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Crystalline orientation dependent photoresponse and heterogeneous behaviors of grain boundaries in perovskite solar cells
Authors: Jiang Chuanpeng , Zhang Pengpeng
Published: February 2018

Using photoconductive atomic force microscopy and Kelvin probe force microscopy, we characterize the local electrical properties of grains and grain boundaries of organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite (CH3NH3PbI3) thin films on top of a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS)/ITO substrate. Three discrete photoconductivity levels are identified among perovskite grains, likely corresponding to the crystal orientation of each grain. Local J-V curves recorded on these grains further suggest an anti-correlation behavior between the short circuit current (JSC) and open circuit voltage (VOC). This phenomenon can be attributed to diffusion-limited surface recombination at the non-selective perovskite-tip contact, where a higher carrier mobility established in the perovskite grain results in an enhanced surface recombination and thus a lower VOC. In addition, the photoresponse of perovskite films displays a pronounced heterogeneity across the grain boundaries, with the boundaries formed between grains of the same photoconductivity level displaying even enhanced photocurrent and open circuit voltage compared to those of the adjacent grain interiors. These observations highlight the significance of controlling the microstructure of perovskite thin films, which will be a necessary route for further improving the efficiency of perovskite solar cells.
Effect of annealing on structural changes and oxygen diffusion in amorphous HfO2 using classical molecular dynamics
Authors: Shen Wenqing , Kumari Niru , Gibson Gary , Jeon Yoocharn , Henze Dick , Silverthorn Sarah , Bash Cullen , Kumar Satish
Published: February 2018

Non-volatile memory is a promising alternative to present memory technologies. Oxygen vacancy diffusion has been widely accepted as one of the reasons for the resistive switching mechanism of transition-metal-oxide based resistive random access memory. In this study, molecular dynamics simulation is applied to investigate the diffusion coefficient and activation energy of oxygen in amorphous hafnia. Two sets of empirical potential, Charge-Optimized Many-Body (COMB) and Morse-BKS (MBKS), were considered to investigate the structural and diffusion properties at different temperatures. COMB predicts the activation energy of 0.53 eV for the temperature range of 1000–2000 K, while MBKS predicts 2.2 eV at high temperature (1600–2000 K) and 0.36 eV at low temperature (1000–1600 K). Structural changes and appearance of nano-crystalline phases with increasing temperature might affect the activation energy of oxygen diffusion predicted by MBKS, which is evident from the change in coordination number distribution and radial distribution function. None of the potentials make predictions that are fully consistent with density functional theory simulations of both the structure and diffusion properties of HfO2. This suggests the necessity of developing a better multi-body potential that considers charge exchange.
Kosmotropic effect leads to LCST decrease in thermoresponsive polymer solutions
Authors: Bharadwaj Swaminath , Sunil Kumar P. B. , Komura Shigeyuki , Deshpande Abhijit P.
Published: February 2018

We study the phenomena of decrease in lower critical solution temperature (LCST) with addition of kosmotropic (order-making) cosolvents in thermoresponsive polymer solutions. A combination of explicit solvent coarse-grained simulations and mean-field theory has been employed. The polymer-solvent LCST behavior in the theoretical models has been incorporated through the Kolomeisky-Widom solvophobic potential. Our results illustrate how the decrease in the LCST can be achieved by the reduction in the bulk solvent energy with the addition of cosolvent. It is shown that this effect of cosolvent is weaker with an increase in polymer hydrophilicity which can explain the absence of a LCST decrease in poly(N,N-diethylacrylamide), water, and methanol systems. The coarse-grained nature of the models indicates that a mean energetic representation of the system is sufficient to understand the phenomena of LCST decrease.
A compact fluorescence polarization analyzer with high-transmittance liquid crystal layer
Authors: Wakao Osamu , Satou Ken , Nakamura Ayano , Sumiyoshi Ken , Shirokawa Masanori , Mizokuchi Chikaaki , Shiota Kunihiro , Maeki Masatoshi , Ishida Akihiko , Tani Hirofumi , Shigemura Koji , Hibara Akihide , Tokeshi Manabu
Published: February 2018

Fluorescence polarization (FP) offers easy operation and rapid processing, making it implementable in molecular interaction analysis. Previously we have developed a unique FP measurement system using a liquid crystal (LC) layer and an image sensor. The system is based on a principle of synchronized detection between the switching rate of the LC layer and the sampling rate of the CCD. The FP system realized simultaneous multiple sample detection; however, the measurement precision was lower than that of the conventional FP apparatus. The main drawbacks were low light transmittance of the LC layer and insufficient synchronization between the LC layer and CCD. In this paper, we developed a new FP analyzer based on LC-CCD synchronization detection. By using a newly designed LC with high transmittance and improving synchronization, the performance of the system has been dramatically improved. Additionally, we reduced the cost by using an inexpensive CCD and an LED as the excitation source. Simultaneous FP immunoassay of multiple samples of prostaglandin E2 was performed. The error rate of the FP system is reduced from 16.9% to 3.9%, as comparable to the commercial conventional FP system.
Flexible high energy density capacitors using La-doped PbZrO3 anti-ferroelectric thin films
Authors: Lee Hye Ji , Won Sung Sik , Cho Kyung Ho , Han Chung Kyu , Mostovych Nicholas , Kingon Angus I. , Kim Seung-Hyun , Lee Hee Young
Published: February 2018

Flexible high energy density capacitors were fabricated by depositing 6 mol. % La-doped anti-ferroelectric PbZrO3 thin films using chemical solution deposition on ultra-thin metal foil substrates. The integration of a LaNiO3 buffer layer on the flexible austenitic metal foil substrate resulted in substantial improvements in microstructure uniformity and density of the La-doped PbZrO3 thin film capacitors. The recoverable energy density and the energy loss of the flexible thin film capacitors were 15.2 ± 0.2 J/cm3 and 4.8 ± 0.2 J/cm3 at 1 MV/cm, respectively. The La-doped PbZrO3 flexible thin film capacitors showed no noticeable degradation in ferroelectric hysteresis behavior and the energy storage density even after 1000 bending cycles.
Anomalous compression behaviour in Nd2O3 studied by x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Jiang Sheng , Liu Jing , Bai Ligang , Li Xiaodong , Li Yanchun , He Shangming , Yan Shuai , Liang Dongxu
Published: February 2018

The structural stability of hexagonal Nd2O3 under pressure has been investigated by in situ synchrotron angle dispersive x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy up to 53.1 GPa and 37.0 GPa, respectively. Rietveld analysis of the x-ray diffraction data indicate that the hexagonal Nd2O3 undergoes an isostructural phase transition in the pressure range from 10.2 to 20.3 GPa, accompanied by anomalous lattice compressibility and pressure-volume curve. A third-order Birch-Murnaghan fit based on the observed Pressure-Volume data yields zero pressure bulk moduli (B0) of 142(4) and 183(6) GPa for the low and high pressure hexagonal phases, respectively. Raman spectroscopy confirms this isostructural transition, the pressure dependence of the Raman modes display noticeable breaks in the pressure range of 9.7-20.9 GPa, which is consistent with the change of Nd-O bond length. The pressure coefficients of Raman peaks and the mode Grüneisen parameters of different Raman modes were also determined.
Resistance change effect in SrTiO3/Si (001) isotype heterojunction
Authors: Huang Xiushi , Gao Zhaomeng , Li Pei , Wang Longfei , Liu Xiansheng , Zhang Weifeng , Guo Haizhong
Published: February 2018

Resistance switching has been observed in double and multi-layer structures of ferroelectric films. The higher switching ratio opens up a vast path for emerging ferroelectric semiconductor devices. An n-n+ isotype heterojunction has been fabricated by depositing an oxide SrTiO3 layer on a conventional n-type Si (001) substrate (SrTiO3/Si) by pulsed laser disposition. Rectification and resistive switching behaviors in the n-n+ SrTiO3/Si heterojunction were observed by a conductive atomic force microscopy, and the n-n+ SrTiO3/Si heterojunction exhibits excellent endurance and retention characteristics. The possible mechanism was proposed based on the band structure of the n-n+ SrTiO3/Si heterojunction, and the observed electrical behaviors could be attributed to the modulation effect of the electric field reversal on the width of accumulation and the depletion region, as well as the height of potential of the n-n+ junction formed at the STO/Si interface. Moreover, oxygen vacancies are also indicated to play a crucial role in causing insulator to semiconductor transition. These results open the way to potential application in future microelectronic devices based on perovskite oxide layers on conventional semiconductors.
Degenerate pressure driven modified nucleus-acoustic waves in degenerate plasmas
Authors: Mamun A. A.
Published: February 2018

The existence of degenerate pressure driven modified nucleus-acoustic (DPDMNA) waves propagating in a cold degenerate quantum plasma (DQP) system [containing cold inertialess degenerate electron species (DES), cold inertial non-degenerate light nucleus species (LNS), and stationary heavy nucleus species (HNS)] is predicted for the first time. The DPDMNA waves (in which the mass density of the cold LNS provides the inertia and the cold inertialess DES gives rise to the restoring force) are new since they completely disappear if the degenerate pressure of the cold DES is neglected. It is found that the phase speed (Vp) of the DPDMNA waves decreases with the rise of the charge number density of the stationary HNS for both non-relativistic and ultra-relativistic DES, and that the ultra-relativistic DES does not have any effect on Vp when β = 1, where β = Λc/Λe with Λe=ne0−1/3 being the average inter-electron distance in the DQP system and Λc being the constant (∼10−10 cm) for the DES. However, the ultra-relativistic DES does have quite a significant effect on Vp for β ≫ 1 and β ≪ 1, and the ultra-relativistic effect significantly enhances (reduces) Vp for β ≫ 1 (β ≪ 1). The DPDMNA waves and their dispersion properties are expected to be useful in understanding the basic features of the electrostatic perturbation mode in space and laboratory DQP systems.
Plant community predicts the distribution and occurrence of thick-billed grasswren subspecies (Amytornis modestus) in a region of parapatry
Authors: Slender Amy Lee , Louter Marina , Gardner Michael G. , Kleindorfer Sonia
Published: February 2018

Habitat heterogeneity can have considerable effects on gene flow and migration across a region of parapatry. Describing habitat across a region of parapatry is important for the development of eco-evolutionary theory. Two subspecies of thick-billed grasswren (Amytornis modestus) share a region of parapatry between the South Australian salt lakes, Lake Eyre and Lake Torrens. While the two subspecies remain morphologically diverged outside the region of parapatry, it is not known what factors within the region of parapatry may affect migration and gene flow. In this study, we test associations between habitat differences and subspecies distributions and discuss whether ecological barriers could play a role in mitigating gene flow between the subspecies. We compare dominant plant species (1) between the allopatric ranges of the subspecies and within their region of parapatry, and (2) in relation to presence or absence of grasswrens within their region of parapatry. We found that the dominant plant species differed between grasswren subspecies in their allopatric range and in their region of parapatry, and also differed in the region of parapatry at sites with or without grasswrens. Specifically, grasswrens were absent in vegetation that is typical of sand dunes. These findings are discussed in light of evidence for secondary contact and hybridisation between A. m. indulkanna and A. m. raglessi, and susceptibility to introgression.
Transparency in authors’ contributions and responsibilities to promote integrity in scientific publication
Authors: McNutt Marcia K. , Bradford Monica , Drazen Jeffrey M. , Hanson Brooks , Howard Bob , Jamieson Kathleen Hall , Kiermer Véronique , Marcus Emilie , Pope Barbara Kline , Schekman Randy , Swaminathan Sowmya , Stang Peter J. , Verma Inder M.
Published: February 2018

In keeping with the growing movement in scientific publishing toward transparency in data and methods, we propose changes to journal authorship policies and procedures to provide insight into which author is responsible for which contributions, better assurance that the list is complete, and clearly articulated standards to justify earning authorship credit. To accomplish these goals, we recommend that journals adopt common and transparent standards for authorship, outline responsibilities for corresponding authors, adopt the Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT) (
docs.casrai.org/CRediT
) methodology for attributing contributions, include this information in article metadata, and require authors to use the ORCID persistent digital identifier (
https://orcid.org
). Additionally, we recommend that universities and research institutions articulate expectations about author roles and responsibilities to provide a point of common understanding for discussion of authorship across research teams. Furthermore, we propose that funding agencies adopt the ORCID identifier and accept the CRediT taxonomy. We encourage scientific societies to further authorship transparency by signing on to these recommendations and promoting them through their meetings and publications programs.
Lamellipodium is a myosin-independent mechanosensor
Authors: Oakes Patrick W. , Bidone Tamara C. , Beckham Yvonne , Skeeters Austin V. , Ramirez-San Juan Guillermina R. , Winter Stephen P. , Voth Gregory A. , Gardel Margaret L.
Published: February 2018

Significance

Cell physiology can be regulated by the mechanics of the extracellular environment. Here, we demonstrate that cell spreading is a mechanosensitive process regulated by weak forces generated at the cell periphery and independent of motor activity. We show that stiffness sensing depends on the kinetics of the initial adhesion bonds that are subjected to forces driven by protein polymerization. This work demonstrates how the binding kinetics of adhesion molecules are sensitively tuned to a range of forces that enable mechanosensation.
Monitoring ligand-dependent assembly of receptor ternary complexes in live cells by BRETFect
Authors: Cotnoir-White David , El Ezzy Mohamed , Boulay Pierre-Luc , Rozendaal Marieke , Bouvier Michel , Gagnon Etienne , Mader Sylvie
Published: February 2018

Significance

Many biological processes, including signal transduction pathways and gene expression regulation, require the assembly of multisubunit protein complexes in a temporally coordinated fashion. However, approaches to studying the dynamics and properties of multimeric complex assembly currently remain limited. We have developed a method to monitor assembly of trimeric complexes in live cells, using a specific combination of bioluminescence- and fluorescence-based energy transfer. We illustrate the potential of this technology to reveal ligand-activated assembly of ternary protein complexes involving nuclear receptors or G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and their effectors or regulators. We show that this methodology uniquely enables the functional characterization of nuclear receptor heterodimers and the demonstration of corecruitment of effector proteins to a GPCR.
Grief Therapy
Authors: Neimeyer Robert A. , Smigelsky Melissa A.
Published: February 2018

Death and loss are universal human experiences, yet understandings of and attitudes toward expressing grief have shifted across time. The earliest psychological conceptualization of grief pathologized “holding on” to the lost object, a notion that has since been rejected in favor of a conception of continuing bonds that can be adaptive in grief. Similarly, early stage theories of grieving suggested a linear progression toward resolution and acceptance of loss, which has been criticized in favor of approaches that allow for natural regulatory processes of attending to the loss and reengaging with a changed world. In sum, grief is no longer regarded solely as looking back on a past life with the deceased but rather is oriented toward creating and reconstructing a meaningful present and future that accommodate the loss and its impact.

Most people respond adaptively to loss by relying on their internal and social support systems. However, a significant subset of grievers struggles with complicated grief, which is characterized by intense longing for the deceased, causes impairment in various life domains, and extends beyond the period of grieving that is considered normal for the population and culture. Grief therapy is most appropriate and advantageous for grievers who self-identify the need for additional support, and this tends to happen among those who are struggling disproportionately. Complicated grief shares features with other common psychiatric diagnoses (e.g., Major Depressive Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder), as well as being characterized by distinctive separation distress regarding the deceased. Treatment for complicated grief targets the common symptoms among these disorders as well as the grief-specific manifestations of distress that are concentrated on issues of coping, attachment, meaning, and behavior.
Race, Ethnicity, and Sentencing
Authors: Ulmer Jeffrey
Published: February 2018

Much has been written about mass incarceration and how it has fallen especially hard on people of color. Given their representation in the U.S. population, for example, black and Hispanic males are far more likely than their white counterparts to be sent to jail or prison. Such disproportionality may be due to the greater involvement of blacks and Hispanics in serious street crime, especially violent crime, which would result in differential incarceration. It also could be due to discretionary decisions by criminal justice officials during arrest, charging, conviction—and, key to the focus of this article, sentencing—which might produce disparity, to the disadvantage of black and Hispanic men. Various theories seek to explain racial and ethnic sentencing disparity by focusing on characteristics of individuals and criminal cases, features of court organization and decision-making, and social contexts surrounding courts.

Literally hundreds of studies in the past 40 years and beyond have focused on sentencing decisions in local courts and unwarranted racial/ethnic punishment disparity, defined as racial/ethnic differences that persist after accounting for legally prescribed and perhaps case-processing influences. Some reviews of this large and mature body of literature have shown that young, black, and (to a lesser extent) Hispanic male defendants tend to receive more severe sentences than other defendants. In addition, reviews have noted how the sentencing role of race/ethnicity is often conditional on gender and other factors, and that racial/ethnic disparity in sentencing varies in connection with characteristics of courts and their surrounding social contexts. Future research on race, ethnicity, and sentencing should address disparity in relation to earlier (e.g., charging and conviction) and later (e.g., parole, probation, or parole revocation) stages of criminal justice decisions, as well as how the social characteristics of judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys affect disparity. Research studies should continue to examine how specific punishment policies (e.g., mandatory minimums, risk assessments, and sentencing guideline provisions and departures) may be the sources of racial and ethnic disparity.
Russia in Asia
Authors: Rieber Alfred J.
Published: February 2018

Throughout Russian history, domestic and foreign observers have sought to define the similarities and differences between Russia and Asia, combining symbolic and physical geographies, often as a corollary of Russia’s relationship to Europe. Both concepts and boundary lines changed as the Russian state expanded from the 15th century forward, from a small territorial base on the Upper Volga south and east, to incorporate territories inhabited by Asian peoples. Conquest was accompanied by uneven patterns of colonization and erratic attempts at conversion to Orthodoxy and russification. These processes varied in encounters with different populations and landscapes along four major frontiers, Pre-Volga and Siberia, the Pontic Steppe, Transcaucasus, and Trans Caspia. By 1914, the Russian Empire was a multi-national state that had not solved the fundamental problems of its self-perception as a civilization or the stability of its rule.
The 1924 Revolution in Sudan
Authors: Vezzadini Elena
Published: February 2018

The 1924 Revolution marked the first time in Sudanese history a nationalist ideology became the language of politics and was successfully employed to mobilize the masses. It was a part of a broader movement of anticolonial nationalist agitation that merits studying this Sudanese event as an illuminating example in world history of the period. Thousands of people from all over Sudan protested in the name of principles such as self-determination and the will of the Nation, and the right of citizens to choose their own destiny. Moreover, the movement that led it, the White Flag League, explicitly sought to include people from different backgrounds, statuses, professions, and religions, to counteract the colonial policy of reliance on ethnic affiliations and social hierarchies. Even though it was bloodily put down after only six months, the events of 1924 represent a revolutionary departure in the in the history of modern Sudan.
Atmospheric Circulation on Venus
Authors: Yamamoto Masaru
Published: February 2018

Venus is a slowly rotating planet with a thick atmosphere (~9.2 MPa at the surface). Ground- and satellite-based observations have shown atmospheric superrotation (atmospheric rotation much faster than solid surface rotation), global-scale cloud patterns (e.g., Y-shaped and bow-shaped structures), and polar vortices (polar hot dipole and fine structures). The Venusian atmospheric circulation, controlled by the planet’s radiative forcing and astronomical parameters, is quite different from the earth’s. As the meteorological data have been stored, understanding of the atmospheric circulation has been gradually enriched with the help of theories of geophysical fluid dynamics and meteorology.

In the cloud layer far from the surface (49–70 km altitude), superrotational flows (east-to-west zonal winds) exceeding 100 m/s and meridional (equator-to-pole) flows have been observed along with planetary-scale brightness variations unique to Venus. The fully developed superrotation, which is ~60 times faster than the planetary rotation, is maintained by meridional circulation and waves. For the planetary-scale variations, slow-traveling waves with stationary and solar-locked structures and fast-traveling waves with phase velocities of around the superroational wind speeds are dominant in the cloud layer. Thermal tides, Rossby waves, Kelvin waves, and gravity waves play important roles in mechanisms for maintaining fast atmospheric rotation. In the lower atmosphere below the cloud layer, the atmospheric circulation is still unknown because of the lack of global observations. In addition to the limited observations, the atmospheric modeling contributes to deep understanding of the atmospheric circulation system. Recent general circulation models have well simulated the dynamical and thermal structures of Venus’s atmosphere, though there remain outstanding issues.
Space Resource Utilization
Authors: Abbud-Madrid Angel
Published: February 2018

Throughout human history, resources have been the driving force behind the exploration and settling of our planet and also the means to do so. Similarly, resources beyond Earth will make space the next destination in the quest for further exploration and economic expansion of our species. The multitude of celestial bodies surrounding Earth and the space between them hold a vast wealth of resources for a variety of applications. The unlimited solar energy, vacuum, radiation, and low gravity in space, as well as the minerals, metals, water, atmospheric gases, and volatile elements on the Moon, asteroids, comets, and the inner and outer planets of the Solar System and their moons, constitute potential valuable resources for robotic and human space missions and for future use on our own planet. In the short term, these resources could be transformed into useful materials at the site where they are found to extend mission duration and to reduce the costly dependence on materials sent from Earth. Making propellants and human consumables from local resources can significantly reduce mission mass, cost, and risk, enabling longer stays and fueling transportation systems for use within and beyond the planetary surface. Use of finely grained surficial dust and rocks can serve for habitat and infrastructure construction, radiation protection, manufacturing parts, and growing crops. In the long term, material resources and solar energy could also be brought to Earth if obtaining these resources and meeting energy demands locally prove to be no longer economically or environmentally acceptable.

However, just like on Earth, not all challenges to identify, extract, and utilize space resources are scientific and technological. As nations and private companies start working toward extracting extraterrestrial resources, an international legal framework and sound socioeconomic policies need to be put in place to ensure that these resources are used for the benefit of all humanity. Space resources promise to unleash an unprecedented wave of exploration and of economic prosperity by utilizing the full potential and value of space. As we embark on this new activity, it will be up to us, humans on planet Earth, to find the best alternatives to use resources beyond our planet effectively, responsibly, and sustainably to make this promise a reality.
Soldiers in the Union Army
Authors: Foote Lorien
Published: February 2018

Soldiers enlisted in the Union Army from every state in the Union and the Confederacy. The initial volunteers were motivated to preserve the accomplishments of the American Revolution and save the world’s hope that democratic government could survive. They were influenced by their culture’s ideals of manhood and republican ideals of the citizen soldier. They served in regiments that retained close ties with their sending communities throughout the war.

Recruits faced a difficult adjustment period when their units were mustered into the US Army. The test of battle taught soldiers to value some drills and discipline, but many soldiers insisted that officers respect their independence and equality. Soldiers successfully resisted many aspects of formal military discipline. Army life exposed conflicts between soldiers who sought to create moral regiments and soldiers who displayed manliness through fighting and drinking. Establishing honor before peers was an important component of soldier life. Effective soldiering involved enduring the boredom and disease of camp, the rigors of marching, and the terror of battle. To survive, soldiers formed close bonds with their comrades, mastered self-care techniques to stay healthy, applied skills learned from their civilian occupations on the battlefield, and remained connected to their families and communities. Conscription changed the character of the Union Army. Officers tightened discipline over the influx of lower-class “roughs.”

Union soldiers generally demonized their enemies as inferior barbarians. Because of their interaction with slaves in the South, Union soldiers quickly shifted their support to emancipation. Although Christianity and ideals of civilized behavior placed some restraints on Union soldiers when they encountered southerners, they supported and implemented hard war measures against the South’s population and resources, and treated guerrillas and their supporters with particular brutality. In the election of 1864, Union soldiers voted to fight until the Confederacy was defeated.
American Food, Cooking, and Nutrition, 1900–1945
Authors: Veit Helen Zoe
Published: February 2018

The first half of the 20th century saw extraordinary changes in the ways Americans produced, procured, cooked, and ate food. Exploding food production easily outstripped population growth in this era as intensive plant and animal breeding, the booming use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and technological advances in farm equipment all resulted in dramatically greater yields on American farms. At the same time, a rapidly growing transportation network of refrigerated ships, railroads, and trucks hugely expanded the reach of different food crops and increased the variety of foods consumers across the country could buy, even as food imports from other countries soared. Meanwhile, new technologies, such as mechanical refrigeration, reliable industrial canning, and, by the end of the era, frozen foods, subtly encouraged Americans to eat less locally and seasonally than ever before. Yet as American food became more abundant and more affordable, diminishing want and suffering, it also contributed to new problems, especially rising body weights and mounting rates of cardiac disease.

American taste preferences themselves changed throughout the era as more people came to expect stronger flavors, grew accustomed to the taste of industrially processed foods, and sampled so-called “foreign” foods, which played an enormous role in defining 20th-century American cuisine. Food marketing exploded, and food companies invested ever greater sums in print and radio advertising and eye-catching packaging. At home, a range of appliances made cooking easier, and modern grocery stores and increasing car ownership made it possible for Americans to food shop less frequently. Home economics provided Americans, especially girls and women, with newly scientific and managerial approaches to cooking and home management, and Americans as a whole increasingly approached food through the lens of science. Virtually all areas related to food saw fundamental shifts in the first half of the 20th century, from agriculture to industrial processing, from nutrition science to weight-loss culture, from marketing to transportation, and from kitchen technology to cuisine. Not everything about food changed in this era, but the rapid pace of change probably exaggerated the transformations for the many Americans who experienced them.
Rural Indians and Technological Innovation, From the Chinampas of Xochimilco and Beyond
Authors: Conway Richard
Published: February 2018

When the anthropologist Paul Kirchhoff proposed a new definition of Mesoamerica in a landmark study from 1943, the first common characteristics he identified were technological and agricultural: the use of the digging-stick (coa) and “the construction of gardens by reclaiming land from lakes (chinampas).” For thousands of years, Native peoples across Mesoamerica drew on their technological innovations to devise bountiful kinds of farming that have been as diverse as the environments in which they were created. All of their farming systems required some degree of intervention in nature, be it through domesticating plants, tilling the soil, or altering the physical environment by making terraces and harnessing water supplies. On an essential level, then, technology and agriculture went hand in hand. Of the many kinds of Mesoamerican farming, the one that arguably modified the environment the most was a distinctive kind of wetland agriculture in which Nahuas—or Aztecs, the speakers of the Nahuatl language—constructed raised garden beds, known as chinampas, in the shallow, freshwater lakes of the Basin of Mexico.

At the heart of this zone of wetland agriculture was the ancient city of Xochimilco. There the raised gardens filled the surrounding lake of the same name, and eventually came to cover a vast area of some 120 square kilometers. The construction and the intensive cultivation of the chinampas required a considerable investment of time and effort, a good deal of technical expertise, and the mastery of specialist skills and knowledge, including hydrology and engineering so as to manage water levels in the lakes through complex irrigation works. The intensive farming of the fertile, well-irrigated gardens, which could be cultivated year round, yielded sizable harvests of maize and other crops. So productive was chinampa agriculture that scholars have considered it one of the most abundant kinds of farming ever devised. As a technological innovation and environmental adaptation, the chinampas were crucial to changes in Mexican history: they generated surpluses sufficient for urbanization and the rise of Tenochtitlan, one of the early modern world’s great cities, as well as the expansion of the Aztec Empire. The chinampas remained important for the provisioning of the capital long after the Spanish conquest, and in spite of the desiccation of the Basin of Mexico, they are still cultivated in a few places today.
Heteroplasmy for the Cytochrome b Gene in Podosphaera xanthii and its Role in Resistance to QoI Fungicides in Spain
Authors: Vielba-Fernández Alejandra , Bellón-Gómez Davinia , Torés Juan A. , de Vicente Antonio , Pérez-García Alejandro , Fernández-Ortuño Dolores
Published: February 2018

In Spain, management of the cucurbit powdery mildew pathogen Podosphaera xanthii is strongly dependent on chemicals such as quinone outside inhibitor (QoI) fungicides. In a previous report, widespread resistance to QoI fungicides in populations of P. xanthii in south-central Spain was documented, but the molecular mechanisms of resistance remained unclear. In this work, the role of the Rieske-FeS (risp) and the cytochrome b (cytb) gene mutations in QoI resistance of P. xanthii were examined. No point mutations in the risp gene were found in the three QoI-resistant isolates analyzed. For cytb, sequence analysis revealed the presence of a G143A substitution that occurs in many QoI-resistant fungi. This mutation was always detected in QoI-resistant isolates of P. xanthii; however, it was also detected in sensitive isolates. To better understand the role of heteroplasmy for cytb in QoI resistance of P. xanthii, an allele-specific quantitative PCR was developed to quantify the relative abundance of the G143 (sensitive) and A143 (resistant) alleles. High relative abundance of A143 allele (70%) was associated with isolates resistant to QoI fungicides; however, QoI-sensitive isolates also carried the mutated allele in frequencies ranged from 10 to 60%. Our data suggest that G143A mutation in cytb is the primary factor involved in QoI resistance of P. xanthii but the proportion of G143 and A143 alleles in an isolate may determine its QoI resistance level.
The Impact of Perceived Injustice on Pain-related Outcomes
Authors: Carriere Junie S. , Sturgeon John A. , Yakobov Esther , Kao Ming-Chih , Mackey Sean C. , Darnall Beth D.
Published: February 2018

Objective:

Perceived injustice (PI) has been identified as an important risk factor for pain-related outcomes. To date, research has shown that pain acceptance and anger are mediators of the association between PI and pain-related outcomes. However, a combined conceptual model that addresses the interrelationships between these variables is currently lacking. Therefore, the current study aimed to examine the potential mediating roles of pain acceptance and anger on the association between PI and adverse pain-related outcomes (physical function, pain intensity, opioid use status).

Materials and Method:

This cross-sectional study used a sample of 354 patients with chronic pain being treated at a tertiary pain treatment center. Participants completed measures of PI, pain acceptance, anger, physical function, pain intensity, and opioid use status. Mediation analyses were used to examine the impact of pain acceptance and anger on the association between PI and pain-related outcomes.

Results:

Examination of the specific indirect effects revealed that pain acceptance fully mediated the relationship between PI and physical function, as well as the relationship between PI and opioid use status. Pain acceptance emerged as a partial mediator of the relationship between PI and pain intensity.

Discussion:

This is the first study to provide a combined conceptual model investigating the mediating roles of pain acceptance and anger on the relationship between PI and pain outcomes. On the basis of our findings, low levels of pain acceptance associated with PI may help explain the association between PI and adverse pain outcomes. Clinical and theoretical implications are discussed.
Updates in fetal spina bifida repair
Authors: Blumenfeld Yair J. , Belfort Michael A.
Published: February 2018

Purpose of review

To examine updates in fetal spina bifida surgical repair, as well as promising results emerging from translational medicine.

Recent findings

Although the Management of Myelomeningocele Study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health helped establish the neonatal benefits of prenatal spina bifida repair via uterine hysterotomy, also known as ‘open’ fetal surgery, fetoscopic approaches may yield better maternal and obstetric outcomes.

Spina bifida is a severe congenital malformation associated with significant neonatal and childhood morbidity and mortality. Although ‘open’ fetal spina bifida repair has become the standard prenatal surgical approach due to proven neonatal benefit, this approach is associated with significant maternal and obstetric risks. Recent developments from multidisciplinary clinical and translational research have highlighted the potential for novel fetoscopic surgical approaches to decrease maternal morbidity and reduce obstetric risks. Moreover, novel stem cell therapies coupled with in-utero medical approaches targeting the pathophysiological pathways associated with spina bifida are likely to make additional significant impact.
Clinical Application of Foci Contralateral Facial Artery Myomucosal Flap for Tongue Defect Repair
Authors: Pan Mengxiong , Ma Tao , Mao Junwu , Qin Xiaorong , Li Bo
Published: February 2018

This study aims to investigate the clinical efficacy of foci contralateral facial artery myomucosal flap (FAMF) in repairing the defect of tongue after tumor resection. There were 10 cases who received the operation to repair tongue tissue defects caused by tumor resection from January 2010 to January 2016. FAMF flap size ranged from 2.5 × 3 cm to 5 × 5 cm. All flaps survived after surgery, and no local necrosis occurred. For the donor and receptor sites of 10 cases, 8 cases got wounds healed at stage I, wound dehiscence of donor site occurred in 2 cases, and the dehisced wounds were healed after local cleaning. All 10 patients were followed up for 13 months to 5 years, with an average of 2 years and 4 months. No obvious deformity appeared on face after surgery, and there was no mouth floor leakage. After surgery, 3 cases had clinical manifestations of facial nerve marginal mandibular branch injury and returned to normal in 3 months. All patients had a limitation for mouth opening after surgery, 9 cases returned to normal after 1 year, and 1 case still had a mild limitation for mouth opening. There was no impact on patients’ eating, swallowing, language, or other functions. The foci contralateral FAMF surgery is simple and brings ideal plastic effect, high survival rate of flap, less donor site lesion, simple postoperative care, no breaking after surgery, and no impact on radical cure of tumor, which is suitable for repairing defect of tongue.
Using 6-Min Walk Distance Expressed as a Percentage of Reference to Evaluate the Effect of Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Elderly Patients With Interstitial Lung Disease
Authors: Igarashi Ai , Iwanami Yuji , Sugino Keishi , Gocho Kyoko , Homma Sakae , Ebihara Satoru
Published: February 2018

Purpose:

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program and the use of 6-min walk distance (6MWD), expressed as a percentage of the predicted value (%6MWD), to quantify response to PR in elderly patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD).

Methods:

This was a prospective, nonrandomized controlled study. Forty eligible patients with stable ILD (≥65 y old) were advised to attend an outpatient PR program for 3 mo. Thirteen patients completed the PR program and formed the PR group. Ten patients who did not attend the PR program were evaluated after 3 mo and formed the control group. Patients in the PR group underwent a comprehensive 3-mo hospital-based outpatient PR program, consisting of educational support and supervised exercise training, and attended the rehabilitation unit weekly.

Results:

Change in the absolute 6MWD (Δ6MWD) in the PR group was not significantly different compared with the control group (P = .062). Change in %6MWD (Δ%6MWD) was greater in the PR group than in the control group. Baseline 6MWD was not correlated with Δ6MWD, but baseline %6MWD was significantly correlated with Δ6MWD and Δ%6MWD.

Conclusion:

PR had a beneficial effect on elderly patients with ILD in terms of exercise endurance. %6MWD might be more useful than the absolute 6MWD as an outcome measure of PR and as a predictor of response to PR in elderly patients with ILD.
Knowledge Translation
Authors: Rabinowicz Susan , Ray Sharon
Published: February 2018

Knowledge translation (KT) provides a lens to examine the process of moving research-informed knowledge into early intervention practice (P. Sudsawad, 2007). The process of KT entails cognitive, affective, and behavioral stages that are mediated by factors intrinsic and extrinsic to the practitioner. Facilitators and barriers to this process may exist at the level of the practitioner, practice environment, or research evidence (P. J. Manns, A. V. Norton, & J. Darrah, 2015). The conceptual framework described in this article utilized the Diffusions of Innovations Theory and the Ottawa Model of Research Use concurrently to examine factors that influence the process of KT for the early intervention (EI) workforce (J. Logan & I. D. Graham, 1998
;
E. M. Rogers, 1983
,
2003b). The information gathered from the utilization of KT frameworks can generate recommendations for change and tailor KT initiatives to meet the professional development needs of EI providers (B. J. Cunningham, P. Rosenbaum, & M. Hidecker, 2016
;
A. Hudon, M. Gervais, & M. S. Hunt., 2015
;
D. Levac, S. M. N. Clegg, C. Camden, L. M. Rivard, & C. Missiuna, 2015).
Prenatal HIV Testing and the Impact of State HIV Testing Laws, 2004 to 2011
Authors: FitzHarris Lauren F. , Johnson Christopher H. , Nesheim Steven R. , Oussayef Nadia L. , Taylor Allan W. , Harrison Ayanna T. , Ruffo Nan , Burley Kim , House Lawrence , Koumans Emilia H.
Published: February 2018

Objective

This study aimed to analyze prenatal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing rates over time and describe the impact of state HIV testing laws on prenatal testing.

Methods

During 2004–2011, self-reported prenatal HIV testing data for women with live births in 35 states and New York City were collected. Prevalence of testing was estimated overall and by state and year. An annual percent change was calculated in states with at least 6 years of data to analyze testing changes over time. An attorney-coder used WestlawNext to identify states with laws that direct prenatal care providers to screen all pregnant women or direct all women to be tested for HIV and document changes in laws to meet this threshold.

Results

The overall prenatal HIV testing rate for 2004 through 2011 combined was 75.7%. State-level data showed a wide range of testing rates (43.2%–92.8%) for 2004 through 2011 combined. In areas with 6 years of data, 4 experienced an annual drop in testing (Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, and Illinois). States that changed laws to meet the threshold generally had the highest testing rates, averaging 80%, followed by states with a preexisting law, at approximately 70%. States with no law, or no law meeting the threshold, had an average prenatal testing rate of 65%.

Conclusions

Prenatal HIV testing remained stable between 2004 and 2011 but remained below universal recommendations. Testing varied widely across states and was generally higher in areas that changed their laws to meet the threshold or had preexisting prenatal HIV testing laws, compared with those with no or limited prenatal HIV testing language.
Loss of pRB in Conjunctival Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Predictor of Poor Prognosis
Authors: Chauhan Sheetal , Sen Seema , Sharma Anjana , Kashyap Seema , Tandon Radhika , Pushker Neelam , Vanathi Murugesan , Chauhan Shyam S.
Published: February 2018

Conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common tumor of conjunctival epithelium. It is associated with risk of permanent visual impairment and has the capability to recur, metastasize, and cause death. Deregulation of cell cycle control has been reported in a number of malignancies. The aim of the present study was to assess expression of G1/S cell cycle regulatory proteins [retinoblastoma protein (pRb)/P16INK4a/cyclin D1] in conjunctival SCC. Forty-four prospective cases of conjunctival SCC from a tertiary eye care referral center in northern India were included in this study. American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging was performed and patients were followed up for 46±3.2 months. pRb loss was seen in 87% and overexpression of p16INK4a and cyclin D1 in 36% and 66%, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed reduced disease-free survival in patients with pRb loss (P=0.006). On univariate analysis, pRb loss (P=0.02), orbital invasion (P=0.03), and AJCC stage ≥T3 (P=0.03) emerged as significant high-risk features. On multivariate analysis pRb loss emerged as the most significant poor prognostic indicator in conjunctival SCC cases. Our findings suggest pRb loss to be a useful indicator of aggressive behavior and is recommended for identifying high-risk conjunctival SCC patients.