bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electric Field Stress in a Three Phase Common Enclosure Gas Insulated Busduct with FGM Post Type Spacer and Reduction with Metal Inserts
Authors: Sobhan Polamraju V. S. , Pakalapati Janaki , Gundavarapu Venkata Nagesh Kumar , Duvvada Deepak Chowdary , Bali Sravana Kumar
Published: December 2020

The establishment of supporting insulators plays a vital role in the continuous operation of the three-phase Gas Insulated Busduct (GIB), which primarily depends on the distribution of electric field stress on the spacer surface. Shape control is a technique used along the spacer surface to achieve uniform field intensity, but this technique can also lead to very irregular shapes. The Triple Junction (TJ) is the region where the field stress has to be reduced. Over a period, high field stresses along the spacer surface will result in a surface flashover and thus de-energize the complete GIB, leading to enormous losses economically. In this paper, a Functionally Graded Material (FGM) spacer for a three-phase GIB has been designed with more number of gradings and further field stress at TJ is minimized by inserting and reshaping the metal inserts (MI) at the end of the enclosure. By doping them with different permittivity values, functionally graded materials are spatially distributed with multiple filler materials to achieve uniform stress on the electric field. Simulation is carried out with the FGM and epoxy (post type) Spacers for different voltages and FGM gradings. With MI, the stress is minimized and an enhanced uniform field allocation along the surface is obtained.
Educators’ experiences and strategies for responding to ecological distress
Authors: Verlie Blanche , Clark Emily , Jarrett Tamara , Supriyono Emma
Published: December 2020

Research is increasingly identifying the issues of ecological distress, eco-anxiety and climate grief. These painful experiences arise from heightened ecological knowledge and concern, which are commonly considered to be de facto aims of environmental education. Yet little research investigates the issues of climate change anxiety in educational spaces, nor how educators seek to respond to or prevent such emotional experiences. This study surveyed environmental educators in eastern Australia about their experiences and strategies for responding to their learners’ ecological distress. Educators reported that their students commonly experienced feeling overwhelmed, hopeless, anxious, angry, sad and frustrated when engaging with ecological crises. Educators’ strategies for responding to their learners’ needs included encouraging students to engage with their emotions, validating those emotions, supporting students to navigate and respond to those emotions and empowering them to take climate action. Educators felt that supporting their students to face and respond to ecological crises was an extremely challenging task, one which was hindered by time limitations, their own emotional distress, professional expectations, society-wide climate denial and a lack of guidance on what works.
THE IMPACTS OF INDIVIDUAL INFORMATION ON LOSS RESERVING
Authors: Wang Zhigao , Wu Xianyi , Qiu Chunjuan
Published: December 2020

The projection of outstanding liabilities caused by incurred losses or claims has played a fundamental role in general insurance operations. Loss reserving methods based on individual losses generally perform better than those based on aggregate losses. This study uses a parametric individual information model taking not only individual losses but also individual information such as age, gender, and so on from policies themselves into account. Based on this model, this study proposes a computation procedure for the projection of the outstanding liabilities, discusses the estimation and statistical properties of the unknown parameters, and explores the asymptotic behaviors of the resulting loss reserving as the portfolio size approaching infinity. Most importantly, this study demonstrates the benefits of individual information on loss reserving. Remarkably, the accuracy gained from individual information is much greater than that from considering individual losses. Therefore, it is highly recommended to use individual information in loss reserving in general insurance.
Visiting Scholars Program to enhance career development among early-career KL2 investigators in Clinical and Translational Science: Implications from a quality improvement assessment
Authors: Robb Sheri L. , Kelly Thomas H. , King Victoria L. , Blackard Jason T. , McGuire Patricia C.
Published: December 2020

CTSI Career Development Award (KL2) programs provide junior faculty with protected time and multidisciplinary, mentored research training in clinical and translational science research. The KL2 Visiting Scholars Program was developed to promote collaborative cross-CTSA training, leverage academic strengths at host CTSAs, and support the career development of participating scholars through experiential training and the development of new partnerships. This manuscript provides a detailed programmatic description and reports outcomes from post-visit and outcomes surveys. Since 2016, 12 scholars have completed the program, with 6 scheduled to complete it in 2021. Post-visit surveys (n = 12) indicate all scholars reported the program valuable to career development, 11 reported benefit for research development, and 11 expansion of collaborative networks. Outcomes surveys (n = 11) revealed subsequent scholar interaction with host institution faculty for 10 scholars, 2 collaborative grant submissions (1 funded), 2 planned grant submissions, 1 published collaborative manuscript, and 3 planned manuscript/abstract submissions. The Visiting Scholars Program is a cost- and time-efficient program that leverages the academic strengths of CTSAs. The program enhanced KL2 scholar training by expanding their professional portfolio, promoting research development, and expanding collaborative networks. Resources to support the program are shared in this report to expedite the development of similar programs at regional and national levels.
The 2019 European Elections: something old, something new, something borrowed, and something green
Authors: Franklin Mark N. , Russo Luana
Published: December 2020

In the aftermath of a European Parliament (EP) election, there are normally two prominent aspects that receive attention by scholars and experts: the turnout rate and whether the Second Order Election (SOE) model proposed by Reif and Schmitt (1980) still applies. That model is based on the idea that, because EP elections do not themselves provide enough stimulus as to replace the concerns normally present at national elections, the outcomes of EP elections in any participating country manifest themselves as a sort of distorted mirror of national (Parliamentary) elections in that country. The mirror is distorted because those national concerns are modified, not so much by the concerns arising from the European context in which EP elections are held as simply by the fact that EP elections are not national elections. In particular, at EP elections, national executive power is not at stake. The same party or parties will rule in each country after an EP election as ruled there before.
Late Pleistocene glaciolacustrine MIS 3 record at Fagnano Lake, Central Tierra del Fuego, southern Argentina
Authors: Sanci Romina , Orgeira María J. , Coronato Andrea , Tófalo Rita , Panarello Héctor O. , Quiroga Diego , López Ramiro , Palermo Pedro , Gogorza Claudia S.
Published: December 2020

A late Pleistocene glaciolacustrine record was studied at Fagnano Lake (54°35´S, 67°20´W), central Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, southernmost South America. Two profiles from the Río Valdéz outcrop were collected for isotopic, geochemical, sedimentological, and geophysical analyses. The sedimentological characteristics, such as rhythmites, presence of dropstones, absence of fossil record, and scarce presence of organic matter, suggest deposition in an ice-contact lake, possibly dammed by the Fagnano paleoglacier. Organic matter of C3 plant origin suggests certain cold and wet conditions. A chronology of the late Pleistocene outcrop was obtained from five 14C ages resulting in an age-depth model. The time span covered 49.01 cal ka BP to 32.14 cal ka BP. Based on the thickness of the deposit and the calculated average sedimentation rate, the glacial environment could have been present in the study area prior to the last glacial maximum, in agreement with the Inútil-San Sebastián paleoglacier. Both glaciers flowed from the same mountain ice sheet in the Darwin Cordillera, which makes it possible to infer a different behavior of this ice cap from those of the Patagonian Andes, perhaps forced by different atmospheric dynamics and proximity to the wet and cold subantarctic air masses.
THE CYCLIC GRAPH OF A Z-GROUP
Authors: COSTANZO DAVID G. , LEWIS MARK L. , SCHMIDT STEFANO , TSEGAYE EYOB , UDELL GABE
Published: December 2020

For a group G, we define a graph

$\Delta (G)$
by letting

$G^{\scriptsize\#}=G\setminus {\{\,1\,\}} $
be the set of vertices and by drawing an edge between distinct elements

$x,y\in G^{\scriptsize\#}$
if and only if the subgroup

$\langle x,y\rangle $
is cyclic. Recall that a Z-group is a group where every Sylow subgroup is cyclic. In this short note, we investigate

$\Delta (G)$
for a Z-group G.
The Exonerative Deterministic: Uses of Neo-naturalism in Twenty-First Century American Culture
Authors: GIBBS ALAN
Published: December 2020

This article examines the resurgence of an especially deterministic form of naturalism in contemporary American culture, which can be linked to particular attributes of neoliberalism. In particular, neoliberal power is shown to have been exercised partly through what the author terms “exonerative determinism,” a discourse whereby those in power claim to have been forced by outside circumstances into morally dubious policies. Two neo-naturalist texts – Dave Eggers's novelYour Fathers, Where Are They? And the Prophets, Do They Live Forever?, and the television miniseriesThe Night Of– are employed as case studies in order to examine the discourse of exonerative determinism. The essay concludes with a brief examination of how this discourse has been more overtly employed during the Trump administration.
Maximum vocal intensity as a primary outcome measure in unilateral vocal fold paralysis patients
Authors: Johari S F , Azman M , Mohamed A S , Baki M M
Published: December 2020

Objective

To evaluate voice intensity as the primary outcome measurement when treating unilateral vocal fold paralysis patients.

Methods

This prospective observational study comprised 34 newly diagnosed unilateral vocal fold paralysis patients undergoing surgical interventions: injection laryngoplasty or medialisation thyroplasty. Voice assessments, including maximum vocal intensity and other acoustic parameters, were performed at baseline and at one and three months post-intervention. Maximum vocal intensity was also repeated within two weeks before any surgical interventions were performed. The results were compared between different time points and between the two intervention groups.

Results

Maximum vocal intensity showed high internal consistency. Statistically significant improvements were seen in maximum vocal intensity, Voice Handicap Index-10 and other acoustic analyses at one and three months post-intervention. A significant moderate negative correlation was demonstrated between maximum vocal intensity and Voice Handicap Index-10, shimmer and jitter. There were no significant differences in voice outcomes between injection laryngoplasty and medialisation thyroplasty patients at any time point.

Conclusion

Maximum vocal intensity can be applied as a treatment outcome measure in unilateral vocal fold paralysis patients; it can demonstrate the effectiveness of treatment and moderately correlates with self-reported outcome measures.
The efficacy of essential amino acid supplementation for augmenting dietary protein intake in older adults: implications for skeletal muscle mass, strength and function
Authors: Ispoglou Theocharis , Witard Oliver C. , Duckworth Lauren C. , Lees Matthew J.
Published: December 2020

The primary aim of this review is to evaluate the efficacy of essential amino acid (EAA) supplementation as a strategy to increase dietary protein intake and improve muscle mass, strength and function in older adults. A sufficient daily protein intake is widely recognised to be fundamental for the successful management of sarcopenia in older undernourished adults. In practice, optimising protein intakes in older adults is complex, requiring consideration of the dose and amino acid composition (i.e. a complete EAA profile and abundant leucine content) of ingested protein on a per meal basis, alongside the age-related decline in appetite and the satiating properties of protein. Recent studies in older adults demonstrate that EAA-based supplements are non-satiating and can be administered alongside food to enhance the anabolic properties of a meal containing a suboptimal dose of protein; an effect magnified when combined with resistance exercise training. These findings support the notion that EAA supplementation could serve as an effective strategy to improve musculoskeletal health in older adults suffering from non-communicable diseases such as sarcopenia. Compliance is critical for the long-term success of complex interventions. Hence, aspects of palatability and desire to eat are important considerations regarding EAA supplementation. In conclusion, EAA-based supplements enriched withl-leucine offer an alternative strategy to whole protein sources to assist older adults in meeting protein recommendations. In practice, EAA supplements could be administered alongside meals of suboptimal protein content, or alternatively between meals on occasions when older adults achieve their per meal protein intake recommendations.
Resilience in a changing world: Indigenous sharing networks in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Authors: Solovyeva Vera , Kuklina Vera
Published: December 2020

Global change poses challenges for remote Arctic Russian indigenous communities in the Republic of Sakha. On the basis of interviews from the village of Khara Tumul (Oymyakonskiy ulus) and city of Yakutsk, we illustrate the manners in which sharing networks may be used to enhance resilience in remote conditions as these communities confront climate change, industrial development and limited support from authorities. We identified the main carriers (givers and recipients), location, relationships and mediators, objects, and social and cultural meanings of sharing practices both in daily life and in the case of extreme events. The circulation of goods, money, information and people between cities and remote communities ultimately combines traditional values and modern technologies.
Where’s the body? Reconsidering the concept of pedagogical content knowledge through research in music education with Dutch specialist preschool music teachers
Authors: Bremmer Melissa
Published: December 2020

This article reports an investigation into the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of Dutch specialist preschool music teachers with regard to teaching and learning rhythm skills from an embodied cognition perspective. An embodied cognition perspective stresses the intimate relationship between body, mind and environment. Through stimulated recall interviews, video analysis tasks, notebooks and semi-structured interviews, the PCK of six music teachers was explored. Regarding the content, a new form of bodily based PCK was found in the data: instructional gestures, representational gestures and guiding gestures that facilitate the learning of rhythm skills of preschoolers. Regarding its nature, this study demonstrated that the music teacher’s PCK presents itself as a multimodal form of knowing, distributed over language, sound, gestures, body positioning and physical actions. This study raises the question whether the body is marginalised in current conceptualisations of PCK.
Expanding Higher Education: China's Precarious Balance
Authors: Postiglione Gerard A.
Published: December 2020

China implemented an unprecedented expansion of higher education along with excellence initiatives that propelled more universities into the global rankings. Yet, the international influence of the higher education system pales in comparison to its economy. This paper argues that governance reforms in higher education only partially address the increasingly complex social and geopolitical realities. With more institutional and professional autonomy, universities and the academic research enterprise would be better placed and more inclined to find innovative solutions to urgent problems of domestic and global sustainability.
Patent foramen ovale: is it an incidental finding to ignore or a disease to follow?
Authors: Ossa-Galvis Maria , Balaji Seshadri , Swaminathan Sethuraman
Published: December 2020

The authors briefly present two clinical cases and discuss the approach to the management of an incidental finding of patent foramen ovale (PFO) in a young child. We discuss the current controversies in the management of PFO in this age group.
Acute respiratory infections in hospitalised infants with congenital heart disease
Authors: Ahuja Namrata , Mack Wendy J , Wu Susan , Wood John C , Russell Christopher J
Published: December 2020

Objectives:

To assess the overall burden and outcomes of acute respiratory infections in paediatric inpatients with congenital heart disease (CHD).

Methods:

This is a retrospective cross-sectional study of non-neonates <1 year with CHD in the Kid’s Inpatient Database from 2012. We compared demographics, clinical characteristics, cost, length of stay, and mortality rate for those with and without respiratory infections. We also compared those with respiratory infections who had critical CHD versus non-critical CHD. Multi-variable regression analyses were done to look for associations between respiratory infections and mortality, length of stay, and cost.

Results:

Of the 28,696 infants with CHD in our sample, 26% had respiratory infections. Respiratory infection-associated hospitalisations accounted for $440 million in costs (32%) for all CHD patients. After adjusting for confounders including severity, mortality was higher for those with respiratory infections (OR 1.5, p = 0.003), estimated mean length of stay was longer (14.7 versus 12.2 days, p < 0.001), and estimated mean costs were higher ($53,760 versus $46,526, p < 0.001). Compared to infants with respiratory infections and non-critical CHD, infants with respiratory infections and critical CHD had higher mortality (4.5 versus 2.3%, p < 0.001), longer mean length of stay (20.1 versus 15.5 days, p < 0.001), and higher mean costs ($94,284 versus $52,585, p < 0.001).

Conclusion:

Acute respiratory infections are a significant burden on infant inpatients with CHD and are associated with higher mortality, costs, and longer length of stay; particularly in those with critical CHD. Future interventions should focus on reducing the burden of respiratory infections in this population.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on CHD care and emotional wellbeing
Authors: Cousino Melissa K. , Pasquali Sara K. , Romano Jennifer C. , Norris Mark D. , Yu Sunkyung , Reichle Garrett , Lowery Ray , Viers Suzanne , Schumacher Kurt R.
Published: December 2020

Background:

Understanding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on paediatric non-COVID-19-related care, as well as patient and caregiver concerns and stressors, is critical for informing healthcare delivery. It was hypothesised that high care disruptions and psychological stress would be observed among paediatric and adult CHD patients in the early phase of the pandemic.

Methods:

A cross-sectional, international, electronic survey study was completed. Eligible participants included parents of children with acquired or CHD, adults with CHD, or caregivers of adults with CHD.

Results:

A total of 1220 participants from 25 countries completed the survey from 16 April to 4 May, 2020. Cardiac care disruption was significant with 38% reporting delays in pre-pandemic scheduled cardiac surgeries and 46% experiencing postponed cardiac clinic visits. The majority of respondents (75%) endorsed moderate to high concern about the patient with heart disease becoming ill from COVID-19. Worry about returning for in-person care was significantly greater than worry of harm to patient due to postponed care. Clinically significant psychological stress was high across the sample including children (50%), adults with CHD (42%), and caregivers (42%).

Conclusions:

The early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to considerable disruptions in cardiac care for patients with paediatric and adult CHD. COVID-19-related fears are notable with potential to impact willingness to return to in-person care. Psychological stress is also very high necessitating intervention. Further study of the impact of delays in care on clinical outcomes is warranted.
Galantamine beyond Alzheimer’s disease—a fact or artefact?
Authors: Naguy Ahmed , Husain Khaled , Alamiri Bibi
Published: December 2020

Galantamine is US-Food and Drug Administration FDA-approved for mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease. However, its unique pharmacological portfolio speaks to the idea of a pluripotent agent with a broad therapeutic potential. Here, authors briefly discuss these off-label clinical indications synthesizing the extant evidence.
How long do people stick to a diet resolution? A digital epidemiological estimation of weight loss diet persistence
Authors: Towers S , Cole S , Iboi E , Montalvo C , Navas-Zuloaga MG , Pringle JAM , Saha D , Thakur M , Velazquez-Molina J , Murillo A , Castillo-Chavez C , Norcross JC
Published: December 2020

Objective:

To use Internet search data to compare duration of compliance for various diets.

Design:

Using a passive surveillance digital epidemiological approach, we estimated the average duration of diet compliance by examining monthly Internet searches for recipes related to popular diets. We fit a mathematical model to these data to estimate the time spent on a diet by new January dieters (NJD) and to estimate the percentage of dieters dropping out during the American winter holiday season between Thanksgiving and the end of December.

Setting:

Internet searches in the USA for recipes related to popular diets over a 15-year period from 2004 to 2019.

Participants:

Individuals in the USA performing Internet searches for recipes related to popular diets.

Results:

All diets exhibited significant seasonality in recipe-related Internet searches, with sharp spikes every January followed by a decline in the number of searches and a further decline in the winter holiday season. The Paleo diet had the longest average compliance times among NJD (5.32 ± 0.68 weeks) and the lowest dropout during the winter holiday season (only 14 ± 3 % dropping out in December). The South Beach diet had the shortest compliance time among NJD (3.12 ± 0.64 weeks) and the highest dropout during the holiday season (33 ± 7 % dropping out in December).

Conclusions:

The current study is the first of its kind to use passive surveillance data to compare the duration of adherence with different diets and underscores the potential usefulness of digital epidemiological approaches to understanding health behaviours.
Assessing sugar-sweetened beverage intakes, added sugar intakes and BMI before and after the implementation of a sugar-sweetened beverage tax in South Africa
Authors: Wrottesley Stephanie V , Stacey Nicholas , Mukoma Gudani , Hofman Karen J , Norris Shane A
Published: December 2020

Objective:

To provide insight into the context and public health implications of the South African sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax (Health Promotion Levy; HPL) by describing SSB and added sugar intakes, as well as BMI, 1 year prior to, at the time of and 1 year after implementation of the HPL.

Design:

Longitudinal dietary intake was assessed using a quantitative food frequency questionnaire (QFFQ) and BMI was measured via anthropometry.

Setting:

Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Participants:

Adolescents, young adults and middle-aged adults (n 617).

Results:

At baseline, median SSB intakes were 36 ml/d, 214 ml/d and 750 ml/d for those in low, medium and high consumption tertiles, respectively. SSB intake decreased by two times/week in medium consumers and seven times/week in high consumers between baseline and 12 months, equivalent to 107 ml/d and 536 ml/d reductions, respectively. These reduced levels were maintained in the following year (i.e. to 24 months). There was an overall decrease in the amount of energy consumed as added sugar in the low (−48 kJ/d), medium (−153 kJ/d) and high (−106 kJ/d) SSB consumption groups between baseline and 24 months; however, the percentage of total energy consumed as added sugar remained relatively consistent (between 10 and 11 %). There were small overall increases in BMI across low (0·6 kg/m2), medium (0·9 kg/m2) and high (1·0 kg/m2) SSB tertiles between baseline and 24 months.

Conclusions:

These findings suggest reductions in SSB and added sugar consumption contemporaneous to the introduction of the HPL – particularly for those with higher baseline intakes.
A dosimetric evaluation of a novel technique using abutted radiation fields for myeloablative total body irradiation
Authors: Chairmadurai Arun , Jayabalan Raghul Ramiya , Mani Thirumal , Gulia Abhishek , Agrawal Hari Mohan , Arya Rekha , Kaul Esha , Dhingra Nivedita
Published: December 2020

Background:

The present study reports myeloablative total body irradiation (TBI) on an isocentrically mounted linac by laying the patient on the floor and management of abutting radiation fields and partial shielding of lungs. Dosimetrical efficacy of this novel technique was evaluated.

Materials and methods:

In this retrospective study, dosimetrical parameters from TBI plans on whole-body CT scans of 46 patients were analysed. The prescribed dose to TBI was 12 Gy in six fractions delivered over a period of 3 days for myeloablative conditioning. TrueBeam STx platform Linac (Varian Medical Systems Inc., Palo Alto, CA, USA) was used to deliver opposing fields. Radiation fields were abutted to form a single large field using an arithmetic formula at source-to-skin-distance of 210 cm.

Results:

Discrepancies in dose calculated by treatment planning system were within 1·6% accuracy, and dose profile at the junction of abutting radiation fields was reproduced within 3·0% accuracy. The real treatment time for each patient was ~30 minutes/fraction. Monitor unit was weighted for multiple sub-fields to achieve dose homogeneity within 5·0% throughout the whole body, and the mean dose to lung was ≤10 Gy.

Conclusion:

Our abutting radiation field technique for myeloablative TBI is feasible in any existing linac bunker. ‘Island-blocking’ is feasible in this technique using multi-leaf collimator. This technique is cost-effective as it does not require any costly equipment than the readily available equipment in any radiotherapy facility. In general, TBI requires laborious planning procedures and spacious linac bunkers; this novel technique has the potential to change previously held notions.
Manipulation of Articulated Objects Using Dual-arm Robots via Answer Set Programming
Authors: BERTOLUCCI RICCARDO , CAPITANELLI ALESSIO , DODARO CARMINE , LEONE NICOLA , MARATEA MARCO , MASTROGIOVANNI FULVIO , VALLATI MAURO
Published: December 2020

The manipulation of articulated objects is of primary importance in Robotics and can be considered as one of the most complex manipulation tasks. Traditionally, this problem has been tackled by developing ad hoc approaches, which lack flexibility and portability. In this paper, we present a framework based on answer set programming (ASP) for the automated manipulation of articulated objects in a robot control architecture. In particular, ASP is employed for representing the configuration of the articulated object for checking the consistency of such representation in the knowledge base and for generating the sequence of manipulation actions. The framework is exemplified and validated on the Baxter dual-arm manipulator in the first, simple scenario. Then, we extend such scenario to improve the overall setup accuracy and to introduce a few constraints in robot actions execution to enforce their feasibility. The extended scenario entails a high number of possible actions that can be fruitfully combined together. Therefore, we exploit macro actions from automated planning in order to provide more effective plans. We validate the overall framework in the extended scenario, thereby confirming the applicability of ASP also in more realistic Robotics settings and showing the usefulness of macro actions for the robot-based manipulation of articulated objects.
Islam, Rawls, and the Disciplinary Limits of Late Twentieth-Century Liberal Philosophy
Authors: Idris Murad
Published: December 2020

This article tells the archival story of how Rawls invented a hypothetical Muslim state that he called “Kazanistan.” It examines drafts of The Law of Peoples from 1992 to 1998, Rawls's notes, his personal correspondence, and the sources preserved in his archives. I track Rawls's gradual interest in Islam, which resulted in his invention of Kazanistan during the final revisions, in March 1998. Contrary to the aesthetics of rigor and simplicity in ideal theory's methods, Rawls's actual method in his incursion into “comparative philosophy” and Islam was circuitous and contingent. And contrary to ideal theory's self-presentation as emerging from an ahistorical conceptual realm, the idealized abstraction of Islam emerges from Rawls's own history, or from an ideologically limited set of texts, conversations, and political debates about Islam. The genealogy of Kazanistan illustrates how liberal philosophy extracts data from other disciplines to construct other peoples, without regard for the surrounding disciplinary politics.
Gender, Sex, and Trust in Government
Authors: McDermott Monika L. , Jones David R.
Published: December 2020

As Americans’ trust in their government—most specifically Congress—has declined over the past half century, it has become increasingly important to answer the question of who does or does not trust government and why. Trust research tends to take for granted that sex affects trust—most studies control for it—but results have been mixed. This could be because researchers have been looking at the wrong aspect of gender, relying on the traditional distinction of sex rather than an alternative—the non-sex-specific distinction of feminine personality traits. These traits are communal in nature, and as such, they may lead to higher levels of trust in government. This article analyzes the potential effect of femininity, demonstrating that feminine personalities are significantly more trusting of our governing institutions than nonfeminine personalities.
The application of in utero magnetic resonance imaging in the study of the metabolic and cardiovascular consequences of the developmental origins of health and disease
Authors: Giza Stephanie A. , Sethi Simran , Smith Lauren M. , Empey Mary-Ellen E. T. , Morris Lindsay E. , McKenzie Charles A.
Published: December 2020

Observing fetal development in utero is vital to further the understanding of later-life diseases. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers a tool for obtaining a wealth of information about fetal growth, development, and programming not previously available using other methods. This review provides an overview of MRI techniques used to investigate the metabolic and cardiovascular consequences of the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) hypothesis. These methods add to the understanding of the developing fetus by examining fetal growth and organ development, adipose tissue and body composition, fetal oximetry, placental microstructure, diffusion, perfusion, flow, and metabolism. MRI assessment of fetal growth, organ development, metabolism, and the amount of fetal adipose tissue could give early indicators of abnormal fetal development. Noninvasive fetal oximetry can accurately measure placental and fetal oxygenation, which improves current knowledge on placental function. Additionally, measuring deficiencies in the placenta’s transport of nutrients and oxygen is critical for optimizing treatment. Overall, the detailed structural and functional information provided by MRI is valuable in guiding future investigations of DOHaD.
Seed retention of grass weeds at wheat harvest in the Pacific Northwest
Authors: San Martín Carolina , Thorne Mark E. , Gourlie Jennifer A. , Lyon Drew J. , Barroso Judit
Published: December 2020

Harvest weed seed control (HWSC) may control problematic weeds by decreasing contributions to the weed seedbank. However, HWSC practices will not be effective if plants have shed a great part of their seeds before harvest or if a low proportion of seed production is retained at a height that enables collection during harvest. The seed-shattering pattern of several weed species was evaluated over three growing seasons to determine their potential to be controlled with HWSC in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). The studied weed species were downy brome (Bromus tectorum L.), feral rye (Secale cereale L.), Italian ryegrass [Lolium perenne L. ssp. multiflorum (Lam.) Husnot], and rattail fescue [Vulpia myuros (L.) C.C. Gmel.]. Seed retention at harvest, seed production, and plant height differed among species, locations, and years. Environmental conditions influenced seed-shattering patterns, particularly the time plants started to shatter seeds and the rate of the shattering. Agronomic factors such as herbicide use, interrow space, or crop height/vigor also seemed to affect shattering patterns and seed production, but more specific studies must be conducted to determine their individual effects. Bromus tectorum, L. perenne ssp. multiflorum, and V. myuros had an average seed retention at harvest of less than 50%. In addition, the low seed retention height of V. myuros makes this species a poor candidate for HWSC. Secale cereale had average seed retention at harvest greater than 50%, and seed retention height was greater than 30 cm. The variability of seed retention in different species will make the efficacy of HWSC practices species and environment dependent in PNW winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping systems. Harvesting the wheat crop as early as possible will be crucial to the success of HWSC.
Fates of Paleo‐Antarctic Bottom Water During the Early Eocene: Based on a Lagrangian Analysis of IPSL‐CM5A2 Climate Model Simulations
Authors: Zhang Yurui , Grima Nicolas , Huck Thierry
Published: December 2020

Both deepwater formation and the obduction processes converting dense deep water to lighter surface water are the engine for the global meridional overturning circulation (MOC). Their spatio‐temporal variations effectively modify the ocean circulation and related carbon cycle, which affects climate evolution throughout geological time. Using early‐Eocene bathymetry and enhanced atmospheric CO2 concentration, the IPSL‐CM5A2 climate model has simulated a well‐ventilated Southern Ocean associated with a strong anticlockwise MOC. To trace the fates of these paleo‐Antarctic Bottom Water (paleo‐AABW), we conducted Lagrangian analyses using these IPSL‐CM5A2 model results and tracking virtual particles released at the lower limb of the MOC, defined as an initial section at 60°S below 1,900 m depth. Diagnostic analysis of these particles trajectories reveals that most paleo‐AABW circulates back to the Southern Ocean through either the initial section (43%) or the section above (31%), the remaining (>25%) crossing the base of the mixed layer mostly in tropical regions (up to half). The majority of water parcels ending in the mixed layer experience negative density transformations, intensified in the upper 500 m and mostly occurring in tropical upwelling regions, with a spatial pattern consistent with the wind‐driven Ekman pumping, largely determined by the Eocene wind stress and continental geometry. In the same way as present‐day North Atlantic Deep Water upwells in the Southern Ocean, our results suggest that the strong tropical and equatorial upwelling during the Eocene provides an efficient pathway from the abyss to the surface, but at much higher temperature, with potential implications for the oceanic carbon cycle.
Water Smart Cities Increase Irrigation to Provide Cool Refuge in a Climate Crisis
Authors: Livesley Stephen J. , Marchionni Valentina , Cheung Pui Kwan , Daly Edoardo , Pataki Diane E.
Published: December 2020

Water smart cities are increasing their use of irrigation and misting to cope with extreme heat and drought. This is being enabled by widespread use of rainwater tanks, stormwater capture and storage systems, and recycled sewage wastewater to irrigate street trees as well as private and public green spaces. These alternative water resources provide new options for cities to better withstand and function under extreme summer heatwave conditions with little or no impact on drinking water supplies. Small‐scale approaches to evaporatively cool urban animals, vegetation habitat, and people are showing initial success. However, ongoing testing and modeling are needed to understand the impacts of scaling up these interventions and to evaluate their cost‐effectiveness. We describe current innovations in irrigation of Australian cities to help policy development in other countries and cities experiencing similar climates with episodic summer heatwaves.
Dropstones in the Mar del Plata Canyon Area (SW Atlantic): Evidence for Provenance, Transport, Distribution, and Oceanographic Implications
Authors: Bozzano G. , Cerredo M. E. , Remesal M. , Steinmann L. , Hanebuth T. J. J. , Schwenk T. , Baqués M. , Hebbeln D. , Spoltore D. , Silvestri O. , Acevedo R. D. , Spiess V. , Violante R. A. , Kasten S.
Published: December 2020

A variety of gravel‐ to cobble‐sized rocks, recovered from the Mar del Plata (MdP) Canyon area (Western South Atlantic at 38°S) and interpreted as ice‐rafted debris, represent the first evidence that large icebergs have floated in the Falkland (Malvinas) Current from the southern polar high latitudes far northward. Detailed petrographic analyses identified the Antarctic Peninsula, sub‐Antarctic islands in the Scotia Sea, and Tierra del Fuego as plausible source areas. The drift process could have started as early as at the beginning of the last deglaciation, according to an age obtained from a cold‐water coral fragment associated with one of the dropstones. At the end of the Last Glacial Maximum, large icebergs have been supplied to the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, captured by those ocean current branches that circumvent the Falkland (Malvinas) Islands and entered the Argentine Margin. When the iceberg fleets approached the Brazil‐Falkland (Malvinas) Confluence Zone with its steep latitudinal temperature gradient, the icebergs got oceanographically trapped and melted off rapidly. The sediment load sinking down to the seafloor formed a dropstone blanket particularly where the MdP Canyon had incised into the continental slope. Here, mass‐flow processes, induced by local slope instability, and along‐slope sediment resorting, due to the erosional effects of strong and persistent contouritic bottom currents, favored local enrichment in dropstones in the form of a loose, coarse sediment drape inside morphological depressions. The bottom current velocity would be locally strong enough to rework this sediment, leaving coarse rafted debris as a lag deposit.
Role of Pore‐Scale Disorder in Fluid Displacement: Experiments and Theoretical Model
Authors: Wu Dong‐Sheng , Hu Ran , Lan Tian , Chen Yi‐Feng
Published: December 2020

The flow of multiple immiscible fluids in disordered porous media is important in many natural processes and subsurface applications. The pore‐scale disorder affects the fluid invasion pathways significantly and induces the transitions of displacement patterns in porous media. Extensive studies focus on pattern transitions affected by disorder under quasistatic or dynamic conditions, but how the disorder controls the pattern transitions from capillary‐dominated regime to viscous‐dominated regime is not well understood. Here, we combine microfluidic experiments and theoretical analysis to investigate the role of disorder in fluid displacement. We perform drainage experiments with four different disorders under six flow rate conditions and show that increasing disorder destabilizes displacement fronts for all flow rates considered. Based on the scaling analysis of pore‐filling events, we propose a theoretical model that describes the pattern transitions from compact displacement to capillary to viscous fingering as functions of disorder and capillary number. The effects of disorder on both capillary and viscous forces are quantified within the theoretical model. The phase diagram predicted by this model agrees well with our experimental results. We further elucidate the role of disorder in fluid displacement via energy conversion and dissipation. We find that increasing disorder enhances the capillary instabilities and induces more energy dissipated in a capillary‐dominated regime, with the dissipation ratio increasing from 28.3% to 56.7%. Our work extends the classic phase diagram to consider the effect of disorder and provides a better understanding of the impact of the disorder on flow behaviors by energy dissipation.
Transplantation of Wnt5a-modified NSCs promotes tissue repair and locomotor functional recovery after spinal cord injury
Authors: Li Xiang , Peng Zhiming , Long Lingli , Lu Xiaofang , Zhu Kai , Tuo Ying , Chen Ningning , Zhao Xiaoyang , Wang Le , Wan Yong
Published: December 2020

Traditional therapeutic strategies for spinal cord injury (SCI) are insufficient to repair locomotor function because of the failure of axonal reconnection and neuronal regeneration in the injured central nervous system (CNS). Neural stem cell (NSC) transplantation has been considered a potential strategy and is generally feasible for repairing the neural circuit after SCI; however, the most formidable problem is that the neuronal differentiation rate of NSCs is quite limited. Therefore, it is essential to induce the neuronal differentiation of NSCs and improve the differentiation rate of NSCs in spinal cord repair. Our results demonstrate that both Wnt5a and miRNA200b-3p could promote NSC differentiation into neurons and that Wnt5a upregulated miRNA200b-3p expression through MAPK/JNK signaling to promote NSC differentiation into neurons. Wnt5a could reduce RhoA expression by upregulating miRNA200b-3p expression to inhibit activation of the RhoA/Rock signaling pathway, which has been reported to suppress neuronal differentiation. Overexpression of RhoA abolished the neurogenic capacity of Wnt5a and miRNA200b-3p. In vivo, miRNA200b-3p was critical for Wnt5a-induced NSC differentiation into neurons to promote motor functional and histological recovery after SCI by suppressing RhoA/Rock signaling. These findings provide more insight into SCI and help with the identification of novel treatment strategies.
Using intracellular plasmonics to characterize nanomorphology in human cells
Authors: Sohrabi Kashani Ahmad , Piekny Alisa , Packirisamy Muthukumaran
Published: December 2020

Determining the characteristics and localization of nanoparticles inside cells is crucial for nanomedicine design for cancer therapy. Hyperspectral imaging is a fast, straightforward, reliable, and accurate method to study the interactions of nanoparticles and intracellular components. With a hyperspectral image, we could collect spectral information consisting of thousands of pixels in a short time. Using hyperspectral images, in this work, we developed a label-free technique to detect nanoparticles in different regions of the cell. This technique is based on plasmonic shifts taking place during the interaction of nanoparticles with the surrounding medium. The unique optical properties of gold nanoparticles, localized surface plasmon resonance bands, are influenced by their microenvironment. The LSPR properties of nanoparticles, hence, could provide information on regions in which nanoparticles are distributed. To examine the potential of this technique for intracellular detection, we used three different types of gold nanoparticles: nanospheres, nanostars and Swarna Bhasma (SB), an Indian Ayurvedic/Sidha medicine, in A549 (human non-small cell lung cancer) and HepG2 (human hepatocellular carcinoma) cells. All three types of particles exhibited broader and longer bands once they were inside cells; however, their plasmonic shifts could change depending on the size and morphology of particles. This technique, along with dark-field images, revealed the uniform distribution of nanospheres in cells and could provide more accurate information on their intracellular microenvironment compared to the other particles. The region-dependent optical responses of nanoparticles in cells highlight the potential application of this technique for subcellular diagnosis when particles with proper size and morphology are chosen to reflect the microenvironment effects properly.
Downregulation of PA28α induces proteasome remodeling and results in resistance to proteasome inhibitors in multiple myeloma
Authors: Gu Yanyan , Barwick Benjamin G. , Shanmugam Mala , Hofmeister Craig C. , Kaufman Jonathan , Nooka Ajay , Gupta Vikas , Dhodapkar Madhav , Boise Lawrence H. , Lonial Sagar
Published: December 2020

Protein homeostasis is critical for maintaining eukaryotic cell function as well as responses to intrinsic and extrinsic stress. The proteasome is a major portion of the proteolytic machinery in mammalian cells and plays an important role in protein homeostasis. Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell malignancy with high production of immunoglobulins and is especially sensitive to treatments that impact protein catabolism. Therapeutic agents such as proteasome inhibitors have demonstrated significant benefit for myeloma patients in all treatment phases. Here, we demonstrate that the 11S proteasome activator PA28α is upregulated in MM cells and is key for myeloma cell growth and proliferation. PA28α also regulates MM cell sensitivity to proteasome inhibitors. Downregulation of PA28α inhibits both proteasomal load and activity, resulting in a change in protein homeostasis less dependent on the proteasome and leads to cell resistance to proteasome inhibitors. Thus, our findings suggest an important role of PA28α in MM biology, and also provides a new approach for targeting the ubiquitin-proteasome system and ultimately sensitivity to proteasome inhibitors.