cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
How the Grass Became Greener in the City: On Urban Imaginings and Practices of Sustainable Living in Sweden

Far removed from a direct connection to the land and environmental feedback, most urban inhabitants have little choice but to rely on external sources of information as they formulate their understanding of sustainability. This reliance on analytical, scientifically produced, and highly technical sources of information—such as life-cycle analyses, carbon footprints and climate change projections—solidifies definitions of sustainable living centered on technological resource efficiencies while concentrating the power to define sustainability with experts and the industrial and political elite. Drawing on 14 months of ethnographic field work in and around Stockholm, Sweden, this paper explores how urban alienation shapes ideas about sustainable living among ecologically concerned citizen-consumers and how the urban focus on efficiency has led many to argue that the grass is now greener in the city. Meanwhile this ethnographic research demonstrates that the efficiency-based perspectives so dominant in urban settings are contested by other Swedes who argue that sustainable living also depends on localized connections to the land and communal self-sufficiency. Despite these contrasting perspectives, research presented here suggests that these views are united in the Swedish context by a historically-rooted concern for global equity. As such, the concept of “a fair share of environmental space” resonates with many Swedes who are concerned about human and environmental health, regardless of where they live or how they define or practice sustainable living.
Effective core potential study of multiply bonded transition metal complexes of the heavier main group elements

A computational study, using relativistic effective core potentials, is presented of transition metalmain group multiply bonded complexes, of interest in the context of catalysis and chemical vapor deposition of TM/MG materials. Model d0 transition metal complexes chosen are of the general form ClnME where M = Zr (n = 2), Ta (n = 3), and W (n = 4). Main group elements of interest are the tetrels (E = C, Si, Ge, Sn), pnictogens (E = N, P, As, Sb), and chalcogens (E = O, S, Se, Te). A comparison between calculated metric data and available experimental data for a wide range of TM MG complexes will help in further assessing efficient computational approaches to TM complexes, particularly of the heavier MG elements, as a function of metal, ligand and level of theory. In the present work restricted Hartree Fock (RHF) and Moller–Plesset second order perturbation theory (MP2) wavefunctions were employed. In most cases there are small differences between RHF and MP2 calculated geometries, with both methods showing good agreement with experimental data, suggesting these approaches will be suitable for the study of larger, more experimentally relevant models. Changes in ZrE bond lengths for E = chalcogen (upon going from RHF to MP2) suggest a fundamentally different description between the Zr-oxo bond and heavier chalcogens, a result supported by recent experimental data for a series of Zr-chalcogenidos. To date no examples have been reported of arsinidene and stibinidene complexes. Computational results show similar behavior among the heavier pnictogen complexes, i.e., LnM EH (E = P, As, Sb), suggesting that strategies used to synthesize phosphinidenes may be suitable in the search for the first LnM AsR and LnM SbR complexes. Additionally, calculations suggest that design of ligand sets which yield linearly coordinated phosphinidenes (and presumably As and Sb analogues) will lead to phosphinidenes with stronger metal-pnictogen bonds and increased thermodynamic stability versus nonlinearly coordinated examples. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A Phase 2/3, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Masked, 2-Year Trial of Pegaptanib Sodium for the Treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema

Purpose To confirm the safety and compare the efficacy of intravitreal pegaptanib sodium 0.3 mg versus sham injections in subjects with diabetic macular edema (DME) involving the center of the macula associated with vision loss not due to ischemia. Design Randomized (1:1), sham-controlled, multicenter, parallel-group trial. Participants Subjects with DME. Intervention Subjects received pegaptanib 0.3 mg or sham injections every 6 weeks in year 1 (total = 9 injections) and could receive focal/grid photocoagulation beginning at week 18. During year 2, subjects received injections as often as every 6 weeks per prespecified criteria. Main Outcome Measures The primary efficacy endpoint was the proportion gaining ≥10 letters of visual acuity (VA) from baseline to year 1. Safety was monitored throughout. Results In all, 260 (pegaptanib, n=133; sham, n=127) and 207 (pegaptanib, n=107; sham, n=100) subjects were included in years 1 and 2 intent-to-treat analyses, respectively. A total of 49 of the 133 (36.8%) subjects from the pegaptanib group and 25 of the 127 (19.7%) from the sham group experienced a VA improvement of ≥10 letters at week 54 compared with baseline (odds ratio [OR], 2.38; 95% confidence interval, 1.32–4.30; P = 0.0047). For pegaptanib-treated subjects, change in mean VA from baseline by visit was superior ( P P P = 0.002; week 102, 27/107 [25.2%] vs 45/100 [45.0%], respectively, P = 0.003). The pegaptanib treatment group showed significantly better results on the National Eye Institute–Visual Functioning Questionnaire than sham for subscales important in this population. Pegaptanib was well tolerated; the frequencies of discontinuations, adverse events, treatment-related adverse events, and serious adverse events were comparable in the pegaptanib and sham groups. Conclusions Patients with DME derive clinical benefit from treatment with the selective vascular endothelial growth factor antagonist pegaptanib 0.3 mg. These findings indicate that intravitreal pegaptanib is effective in the treatment of DME and, taken together with prior study data, support a positive safety profile in this population. Financial Disclosure(s) Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.
SPECTRA OF TYPE II CEPHEID CANDIDATES AND RELATED STARS

We present low-resolution spectra for variable stars in the Cepheid period range from the ROTSE-I Demonstration Project and the All Sky Automated Survey, some of which were previously identified as type II Cepheid candidates. We have derived effective temperatures, gravities, and metallicities from the spectra. Based on this, three types of variables were identified: Cepheid strip stars, cool stars that lie along the red subgiant and giant branch, and cool main-sequence stars. Many fewer type II Cepheids were found than expected and most have amplitudes less than 0.4 mag. The cool variables include many likely binaries as well as intrinsic variables. Variation among the main-sequence stars is likely to be mostly due to binarity or stellar activity.
Normal mode analysis of three-dimensional propagation over a small-slope cosine shaped hill

Three-dimensional propagation over an infinitely long cosine shaped hill is examined using an approximate normal mode/parabolic equation hybrid model that includes mode coupling in the out-going direction. The slope of the hill is relatively shallow, but it is significant enough to produce both mode-coupling and horizontal refraction effects. In the first part of the paper, the modeling approach is described, and the solution is compared to results obtained with a finite element method to evaluate the accuracy of the solution in light of assumptions made in formulating the model. Then the calculated transmission loss is interpreted in terms of a modal decomposition of the field, and the solution from the hybrid model is compared to adiabatic and N × 2D solutions to assess the relative importance of horizontal refraction and mode-coupling effects. An analysis using a horizontal ray trace is presented to explain differences in the modal interference pattern observed between the 3D and N × 2D solutions. The detailed discussion provides a thorough explanation of the observed 3D propagation effects and demonstrates the usefulness of the approximate normal mode/parabolic equation hybrid model as a tool to understand measured transmission loss in complex environments.
Educating Engineering Entrepreneurs: A Multi-Institution Analysis*

Engineering entrepreneurship demands a broad range of skills and knowledge, extending far beyond technical expertise in anengineering domain. Motivation and proactive behavior, professional skills (e.g., communication, leadership, business), andcreativity in problem solving are among the attributes linked with successful entrepreneurship. An extension of the Center for theAdvancement of Engineering Education’s Academic Pathways Study, this survey- and interview-based study of engineeringundergraduates examines the potential of extracurricular activities to help students develop these entrepreneurial attributes. Quantitative analyses show positive relationships between entrepreneurial attributes and involvement in engineering and non-engineering extracurricular activities. Preliminary interview analyses illustrate how these activities foster entrepreneurial attributesand contribute to students’ engineering education experiences, in general.
Abstract 1594: Application of label-free microfluidic technologies for the enrichment, expansion and characterization of circulating tumor cells in pancreatic cancer

Introduction and Objective: Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease with a 5-year survival rate of less than 6%. By the time of diagnosis, less than 15% of patients have surgically resectable tumors, which is one reason why it has the highest mortality rate among all cancer types. Emerging evidence has pointed the importance of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the spread of cancers and metastasis. CTCs are believed to be the most promising cancer biomarkers available in blood. Recent reports also show that these cells could be a good surrogate biomarker for not only prognosis, but also for cancer detection and development of personalized treatment. We have developed an inertial microfluidic-based separation technique for high throughput and label-free isolation of CTCs. Methods: To investigate the isolation efficiency of our technology before running cancer patients’ samples, PANC-1 cells labeled with cell tracker dye were spiked into 1 mL of whole blood. Using this optimized platform we isolate CTCs from pancreatic cancer patients, followed by downstream analysis. CTCs are characterized using immunocytochemistry for heterogeneity studies among CTC population. Results: Our microfluidic device consists of a size based separation platform in which CTCs are separated from other blood components. This high throughput label free separation device was designed and developed by our lab. After more than 20 generations of device revision, an optimized flow rate of 2.5 ml/min for PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cell line has yielded a 95% recovery of these cells from whole blood, with cancer cells traveling to the second outlet and 80% of the White Blood Cells (WBC) to the first outlet. We have successfully isolated CTCs from over 100 pancreatic cancer patients. Among several patients we were able to characterize different subpopulations using the epithelial marker CK-19 and EpCAM, and the EMT-like marker ZEB1. Conclusion: The implementation of our engineering technology to the study of pancreatic cancer can present novel ways to confront major hurdles in cancer research, such as early detection and the lack of effective therapeutics. The isolation and expansion of CTCs, the heterogeneous population of cells that promote metastasis, can provide meaningful information to elucidate the process of pancreatic tumorigenesis to preempt its fatal result. Citation Format: Lianette Rivera-Baez, Eric Lin, Hyeun Joong Yoon, Meghna Waghray, Shamileh Fouladdel, Ebrahim Azizi, Max Wicha, Diane Simeone, Sunitha Nagrath. Application of label-free microfluidic technologies for the enrichment, expansion and characterization of circulating tumor cells in pancreatic cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1594. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1594
Initial Process in Urine Formation

This chapter primarily concerns filtration of fluid by the glomeruli. It begins with a detailed discussion of the forces involved in the production of an ultrafiltrate of the plasma at each glomerulus, including the variations in these forces and the filtration coefficient examined to date in a few species of fishes, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. It then examines the values for single-nephron filtration rates measured to date under control circumstances in representatives of all five vertebrate classes and some possible reasons for observed differences. Next, the chapter considers quantitative changes in whole-kidney glomerular filtration rates, single-nephron glomerular filtration rates, and the number of filtering nephrons under various conditions of hydration, dehydration, and salt and water loads and then evaluates the various hormonal, neural, and other factors, including autoregulation, that help to regulate single-nephron glomerular filtration rates. As a further consideration with regard to glomerular function, the chapter discusses the filtration of protein, its measurements, and its variation among vertebrates. Finally, the chapter considers the secretion of fluid by the renal tubules both as the primary process in urine formation in aglomerular nephrons and a contributor to urine formation in glomerular nephrons in a number of vertebrate species, even including some mammals.
Differential Effectiveness of Interdependent and Dependent Group Contingencies in Reducing Disruptive Classroom Behavior

ABSTRACTDisruptive behavior in the classroom negatively affects all students' academic engagement, achievement, and behavior. Group contingencies have been proven effective in reducing disruptive behavior as part of behavior interventions in the classroom. The Good Behavior Game is a Tier 1 classwide intervention that utilizes an interdependent group contingency to decrease rates of disruptive behavior. Previous research comparing the effects of the different group contingencies has been inconclusive, inconsistent, and unable to rule out sequence carryover effects. This study employed an alternating treatments design across three elementary classrooms to compare the effectiveness of interdependent and dependent group contingencies in decreasing rates of disruptive behavior. Results showed that the Good Behavior Game was effective overall in reducing rates of disruptive behavior and teachers found the intervention to be acceptable and effective. Additionally, improvements in teachers' global ratings of stu...
t-QuadPlace: Timing Driven Quadratic Placement using Quadrisection Partitioning for FPGAs (Abstact Only)

Conventional Simulated Annealing (SA) based placement methods for FPGAs generate high quality results in terms of wirelength and critical path delay, but at a high runtime cost. In case of modern multi-million gate FPGAs, SA-based methods for placement take a large portion of runtime in the FPGA CAD flow. In this paper, we propose a fast and efficient timing driven open-source analytical placement engine targeted at global placement for FPGAs followed by low temperature SA for detailed placement. Our global placement engine uses quadratic programming to minimize wirelength and employs dynamic net weights based on timing criticality between the nets to minimize the critical path delay iteratively. Experimental results show, on average, a 30% runtime improvement for our proposed global placer compared to VPR placer while having approximately the same critical path delay at an expense of 3% larger overall wirelength and channel width after routing with 20 largest MCNC benchmark circuits. The runtime improvement is seen despite the fact that our global placement engine is currently implemented in MATLAB. We expect our runtime to improve notably once we port the code to C. On combining the detailed placement runtime, our proposed approach performs faster for almost all the large circuits having more than 250 blocks. The results show that this placer performs faster global placement across all benchmarks, hence it is easily scalable with modern complex FPGA designs.
Adverse event reporting in oncology clinical trials - lost in translation?

Appropriately conducted randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) are considered the gold standard of evidence development utilized to define therapeutic standards for human disease. Thus, compl...
A Stereocontrolled Synthesis of δ-trans-Tocotrienoloic Acid

A consise stereoselective total synthesis of a naturally occurring polymerase β inhibitor, δ-trans-tocotrienoloic acid (2), is described. The key step in the synthesis is an acid-catalyzed cyclodeh...
Condorcet's Paradox in Puerto Rico (La paradoja de Condorcet y el caso de Puerto Rico)

This is the third of three papers by the author on Puerto Rico’s constitutional status. In this paper, the author revisits the voting paradox known as “Condorcet’s paradox” to explain the impasse over Puerto Rico’s constitutional status. Although Condorcet cycling is rare in politics, the author explains how the impasse over Puerto Rico’s status can be modelled as a Condorcet cycle and presents a possible solution to this stalemate: a simple range voting procedure.
Does increased duration of consultant presence affect length of hospital stay for unplanned admissions in acute paediatrics?: an observational before-and-after analysis using administrative healthcare data

Objectives This study aims to review whether implementation of increased duration of consultant presence is associated with reduction in length of hospital stay (LoS) in children with an unplanned admission to hospital. Method (design/setting/participants/interventions/outcome measures) An observational before-and-after study of all unplanned general paediatric admissions to a UK hospital between 1 September 2012 and 31 August 2015, comparing LoS and readmission rates before and after implementation of a policy mandating consultant review within 12 hours of unplanned hospital admission. Results 5367 inpatient admissions were analysed: 3386 prior to implementation of the policy and 1981 afterwards. There was no significant difference in median LoS between the two groups or in readmission rates at 24 hours, 48 hours or 7 days. However, among children who stayed in hospital for under 24 hours, and those who were discharged with a diagnosis of acute gastroenteritis, consultant review within 12 hours of admission was associated with a shorter LoS—respectively, 16 hours 23 min versus 15 hours 45 min (p=0.01) and 28 hours 46 min versus 19 hours 41 m (p<0.01). Conclusions Increased duration of consultant presence was not associated with significant impact on LoS, other than in admissions of brief duration and in gastroenteritis, where diagnosis is based on clinical judgement in the absence of objective diagnostic thresholds. Future studies should focus on whether these results are generalisable across other settings, and other measures of cost-effectiveness of early consultant review, given the major implications on resource and workforce planning of such policies.
Impacts of Climate Change on the Assessment of Long-Term Structural Reliability

AbstractGlobal climate change has triggered studies across various science and engineering fields. This study demonstrates the need to account for climate change in assessing structural reliability...
Some considerations in establishing the basic word order of Podoko

The basic word order of Podoko is not obvious. The monologue perfective presents a fixed VSO order, but for the imperfective and the dialogue perfective VOS is the most frequent, though not the only, order. The position of a focused element is established for the cases where word order is not fixed. Sentences with both subject and object present in nominal form but with another element clearly in focus are then examined. These show that subject precedes object when neither is in focus, pointing to the conclusion that the basic word order is in fact VSO.
Abnormalities of the T Wave and the U Wave

The T wave is even more susceptible to a variety of influences than the ST segment and thus is less reliable as a marker of pathological or physiological derangement since the majority of T-wave abnormalities are nonspecific. The T-wave axis in the frontal plane may differ from the QRS axis by as much as 50° before abnormality is present. T waves may be normal even in the presence of ischemia or infarction. Alterations in the T wave are common in children with diphasic or notched T waves in the anterior precordium being the most common pattern (see Figure 72). T-wave abnormalities may be of two types. There may be primary changes in repolarization due to ischemia or metabolic problems or changes in the sequence of depolarization, as is the case with conduction abnormalities.
Surface structural determination of UO2(111) using MeV ions

Abstract The UO2(111) surface was studied using MeV ions incident along the 〈111〉 and 〈110〉 directions. In addition, this surface was well characterized by LEED and Auger analysis. A resonance at 3.05 MeV for 4He elastic scattering from 16O made it possible to study the surface peaks for uranium and oxygen simultaneously. By combining previous surface studies with detailed analysis of the surface peaks and rocking curves for this compound material, an outward relaxation of (0.19±0.01) A was determined for uranium.
Slash application reduces soil erosion in steep-sloped piñon-juniper woodlands.

Mitigating runoff and associated erosion is a fundamental challenge for sustainable management of rangelands. Hillslope runoff and erosion are strongly influenced by ground cover; thus, a strategic management option exists to increase cover with slash from woody plant removal activities, particularly on lands experiencing woody plant expansion. Most studies assessing slash effects on runoff and erosion have been limited to moderate slopes; however, substantial portions of rangelands exist on steeper slopes where the effectiveness of slash application is less clear. On a steep (30% ± 5%) slope that had been encroached by pinon and juniper trees, we evaluated the effectiveness of slash in reducing runoff and erosion using a portable rainfall simulator (100-yr return period events). Although total runoff did not differ across slash levels, there was marginal evidence of a difference associated with vegetation cover. Sediment yield for plots with low vegetation cover (< 13% cover) was 3.4 times greater than those with high cover, while plots with slash present (≥ 30% cover) experienced 5.4 times less sediment yield than plots without slash. These results extend findings from moderate to steep slopes, highlighting the potential efficacy of slash application for reducing erosion in steep-sloped rangelands.
Advancing atmospheric river forecasts into subseasonal‐to‐seasonal time scales

Atmospheric rivers are elongated plumes of intense moisture transport that are capable of producing extreme and impactful weather. Along the West Coast of North America, they occasionally cause considerable mayhem—delivering flooding rains during periods of heightened activity and desiccating droughts during periods of reduced activity. The intrinsic chaos of the atmosphere makes the prediction of atmospheric rivers at subseasonal-to-seasonal time scales (3 to 5 weeks) an inherently difficult task. We demonstrate here that the potential exists to advance forecast lead times of atmospheric rivers into subseasonal-to-seasonal time scales through knowledge of two of the atmosphere's most prominent oscillations, the Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) and the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO). Strong MJO and QBO activity modulates the frequency at which atmospheric rivers strike—offering an opportunity to improve subseasonal-to-seasonal forecast models and thereby skillfully predict atmospheric river activity up to 5 weeks in advance.
Laparoscopic Exposure of Critical Anatomy in Rectal Cancer Surgery: Techniques and Examples

Laparoscopic colorectal surgery has considerably evolved over the past 20 years, with the development of an organized approach to performing laparoscopic colorectal surgery. During the past few decades, there have been significant improvements in outcome for rectal cancer with the introduction of total mesorectal excision (TME) for resection of low and mid rectal cancers. While laparoscopic colectomy for colon cancer is highly accepted, there has been a slower progression to acceptance of laparoscopic proctectomy for rectal cancer. Laparoscopic resection of rectal cancer has been primarily performed by highly experienced laparoscopic colorectal surgeons and has achieved acceptable short-term outcomes and long-term safety. However, with the proper technique and experience, laparoscopy offers superb visualization of the pelvic cavity, allowing for meticulous rectal mobilization and resection.
False or Misleading Traces

Various features of sedimentary rocks may be mistaken for evidence of behavioral activity by organisms. Physical processes producing spurious traces include current action, movement of fluids through sediment, lightning, displacement of ambient mineral grains, deformation of unlithified strata, and shrinkage of sediment. Chemical processes yielding potentially deceptive products in this context include differential precipitation or dissolution, silicification, dolomitization, and crystallization. False traces of organic origin include some molds of organisms and certain primary shell features.
Pseudolinkage of the duplicate loci for supernatant aspartate aminotransferase in brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis

Electrophoretic variation involving three alleles is described for the duplicated loci for supernatant aspartate aminotransferase (AAT-1,2), from muscle extracts of brook trout. Both loci exhibit largely disomic inheritance. Exceptional progeny types are proposed to be the result of a form of tetrasomic inheritance. Nonrandom segregation was found among the progeny of males doubly heterozygous for AAT markers; where so-called linkage phase was known, this nonrandom assortment was shown to be pseudolinkage (78.9 percent recombination). Analyses of joint segregation of triply heterozygous males for the AAT-(1,2) loci and for the single alpha glycerophosphate dehydrogenase locus (AGP-1) revealed true linkage of AGP-1 with one AAT locus (mean r = 11 percent), but pseudolinkage with the other AAT locus (r = 74 percent). Intraindividual variation for homoeologous multivalent pairing of two acrocentric with two metacentric chromosomes in males, but with bivalent pairing in females, is proposed to account for pseudolinkage and for the tetrasomically inherited types.
Birth Control and American Modernity: A History of Popular Ideas

How did birth control become legitimate in the United States? One kitchen table at a time, contends Trent MacNamara, who charts how Americans reexamined old ideas about money, time, transcendence, nature, and risk when considering approaches to family planning. By the time Margaret Sanger and other activists began campaigning for legal contraception in the 1910s, Americans had been effectively controlling fertility for a century, combining old techniques with explosive new ideas. Birth Control and American Modernity charts those ideas, capturing a movement that relied less on traditional public advocacy than dispersed action of the kind that nullified Prohibition. Acting in bedrooms and gossip corners where formal power was weak and moral feeling strong, Americans of both sexes gradually normalized birth control in private, then in public, as part of a wider prioritization of present material worlds over imagined eternal continuums. The moral edifice they constructed, and similar citizen movements around the world, remains tenuously intact.
Chemical Detection using a Metal-Organic Framework Single Crystal Coupled to an Optical Fiber

The quantitative detection and real-time monitoring of target chemicals in the liquid phase are made possible by combining the tailored adsorption properties of metal–organic framework (MOF) material and the precise measuring capabilities of an optical fiber (OF) Fabry–Perot interferometer (FPI) device. As the single-crystal MOF host adsorbs target analyte guests from the environment, its dielectric properties change causing the reflection spectrum derived from the FPI device to shift. A single crystal of HKUST-1 was attached to the end-face of an OF to form the sensor OF∪MOF (∪, union). The sensor’s response curve was accurately measured using low concentrations of the target analyte nitrobenzene, an explosive simulant. Additionally, the uptake rate of nitrobenzene into the MOF single crystal was characterized. The experimental results show that the sensor achieved quantitative and real-time adsorption measurements of a target analyte.
Public perceptions of the European power hierarchy and support for a single European security and defense policy

Many studies focus on overall support for European integration while less work has been done on explaining public opinion on specific policy areas, such as security and defense policy. We hypothesi...
Evaluation of 19 American Elm Clones for Tolerance to Dutch Elm Disease

Abstract Rooted stem cuttings of 19 American elm (Ulmus americana L.) cultivars and selections, and rooted cuttings of two non-American elm selections, U. carpinifolia Gleditsch 51 and 970 (U. glabra Huds. x (U. wallichiana Planch. x U. carpinifolia)), along with a group of American elm seedlings, were planted in a randomized block design. When the trees were nine years old, they were inoculated with a mixed spore suspension of Ophiostoma ulmi (Buisman) C. Nannf. and Ophiostoma novo-ulmi Brasier, the causal fungi for Dutch elm disease (DED). Analyses of variance showed highly significant variation among clones in foliar symptoms 4 weeks after inoculation and in crown dieback one and two years after inoculation. After two years, 13 of the American clones showed significantly less dieback than the American elm seedlings, and 18 American clones showed significantly less injury than a randomly chosen, unselected American elm clone, 57845. The American clones with the most DED-tolerance were cultivars ‘Valley ...
"Hey daktari, the mzungu no look good!".

A Peace Corps physician working in Africa recounts the challenges of obtaining prompt medical treatment for Trypanosomiasis and other tropical diseases in a country where emergency care is not readily available. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Laboratory and numerical modeling of the formation of superfog from wildland fires

Abstract Smoke from human-induced fires such as prescribed fires can occasionally cause significant reduction in visibility on highways in the southern United States. Visibility reduction to less than 3 m has been termed “superfog” and environmental conditions that lead to its formation have been proposed previously. Accurate characterization and prediction of precursor conditions for superfog is needed to prevent dangerous low visibility situations when planning prescribed fires. It is hypothesized that extremely hygroscopic cloud condensation nuclei from the smoldering phase of a fire can produce a large number of droplets smaller in size than in naturally occurring fog. This large number of small droplets can produce superfog conditions with relatively low liquid water content. A thermodynamics-based model for fog formation was developed. Laboratory generated superfog measured by a Phase Doppler Particle Analyzer determined that mean droplet radius was 1.5 μm and the size distribution could be modeled with a lognormal distribution. Experiments in an environmentally-conditioned wind tunnel using longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) needle fuel beds provided visibility, heat flux, temperature, humidity, and particle data for model validation. Numerical modeling was used to approximate the growth of a superfog boundary-layer with liquid water content values of 2 g m−3 or greater. The model successfully predicted previous superfog events.
Parent–child relationships following spousal/parental death: An application of relational turbulence theory:

The death of a family member is a difficult experience. Although implications of loss are felt on intra- and interpersonal levels, little is known about how it affects the relational functioning of...
A developmental approach to historical causal inference

Empirical historical research typically falls into one of three categories: the study of major historical events; the use of “history as data” to test general theories; and the study of the legacies of historical processes. We argue that because of data sparsity and dynamically unfolding processes, the study of major historical events is less well suited to design-based inference than other types of historical research. Drawing examples from our own work, we propose a set of research procedures for designing causally oriented work, and argue that the construction of a “timeline of relevant counterfactual nodes” can facilitate the organization of a research project investigating complex historical processes. The researcher can focus on relevant counterfactual moments as potential episodes of change using either statistical or qualitative techniques as appropriate, moving forward through the timeline and updating their beliefs about a hypothesized cause’s importance across the process.
Is the just transition socially accepted? Energy history, place, and support for coal and solar in Illinois, Texas, and Vermont

Abstract Given a myriad of challenges and technological advancement, the energy system has been constantly evolving and transforming, which requires compatible adjustments in energy policies. For regions with highly diverse energy sources, such as the United States, it's important to not only analyze public perceptions of various energy sources, but also examine relative levels of support for energy transition policies. We examine public perceptions of two energy sources, coal and solar energy, as well as the public's support for energy transition policies that assist the transition from coal to renewable energy, specifically solar. To better understand how place influences attitudes and policies of coal and solar, we sampled respondents from three areas with varying ties to coal and solar: Saline County, IL, Houston, TX, and Burlington, VT. Our results suggest that one’s place has an important effect in differentiating the public perceptions of renewable and nonrenewable energy and for support in an energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. While residents of places with historical attachment to coal mining have positive attitudes toward coal, our data show that they have even more positive attitudes toward sustainable energy sources. These attitudes hold for future development and government assistance. If federal or state governments seek to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (and consequently energy from coal, a major source of greenhouse gases), solar and other sustainable energy policies need to be targeted at places with historical ties to coal and other fossil fuels to ensure a procedurally just energy transition.
Magnetomyographic Recordings of Pelvic Floor Activity During Pregnancy and Postpartum: A Novel Non-invasive Approach

The levator ani muscles (LAM) are integral to pelvic floor support and injury to this muscle complex has been associated with pelvic floor disorders, but our ability to evaluate their neuromuscular integrity is limited. During pregnancy, gravidas undergo systemic functional and anatomic modifications, including pelvic floor muscular adaptations. Magnetomyography (MMG) is a novel and non-invasive tool to passively measure the magnetic fields generated by depolarization activity of muscles and offers a unique method to evaluate the LAM. We collected serial MMG data in a pregnant woman with singleton gestation. Pregnant woman performed LAM contractions (Kegels) with intervening rest periods. Kegel signals were isolated by using the frequency dependent subtraction (SUBTR) and independent component analysis (ICA) methods. Concurrent body-surface electromyography (EMG) was used to evaluate for accessory-muscle recruitment by placing bipolar electrodes on the perineum, abdomen, and thigh. Amplitude and spectral-related indicators were computed across moderate intensity MMG Kegel epochs: root-mean square (RMS) amplitude, power spectrum density (PSD) and relative PSD (rPSD) in three frequency bands. Indicators were extracted from two pregnancy recordings and one postpartum. Parameters were represented in terms of gestation and postpartum weeks. We observed that postpartum RMS Kegel amplitudes had lower values than seen in pregnancy. Changes in spectral indicators were observed between pregnancy and postpartum.
Peripheral nerve resident macrophages share tissue-specific programming and features of activated microglia

Whereas microglia are recognized as fundamental players in central nervous system (CNS) development and function, much less is known about macrophages of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Here, by comparing gene expression across neural and conventional tissue-resident macrophages, we identified transcripts that were shared among neural resident macrophages as well as selectively enriched in PNS macrophages. Remarkably, PNS macrophages constitutively expressed genes previously identified to be upregulated by activated microglia during aging, neurodegeneration, or loss of Sall1. Several microglial activation-associated and PNS macrophage-enriched genes were also expressed in spinal cord microglia at steady state. We further show that PNS macrophages rely on IL-34 for maintenance and arise from both embryonic and hematopoietic precursors, while their expression of activation-associated genes did not differ by ontogeny. Collectively, these data uncover shared and unique features between neural resident macrophages and emphasize the role of nerve environment for shaping PNS macrophage identity.
Epstein–Barr virus co-opts TFIIH component XPB to specifically activate essential viral lytic promoters

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with epithelial and lymphoid malignancies, establishes latent infection in memory B cells, and intermittently produces infectious virions through lytic replication. Released virions play a key role in latent reservoir maintenance and transmission. Lytic EBV transcription differs from cellular transcription in requiring a virus-encoded preinitiation complex that binds to TATT motifs unique to EBV late lytic promoters. Expression of 15 late lytic genes that are important for virion production and infectivity is particularly dependent on the EBV SM protein, a nuclear protein expressed early during lytic reactivation that binds to viral RNAs and enhances RNA stability. We recently discovered that spironolactone blocks EBV virion production by inhibiting EBV SM function. Since spironolactone causes degradation of xeroderma pigmentosum group B-complementing protein (XPB), a component of human transcription factor TFIIH, in both B lymphocytes and epithelial cells, we hypothesized that SM utilizes XPB to specifically activate transcription of SM target promoters. While EBV SM has been thought to act posttranscriptionally, we provide evidence that SM also facilitates EBV gene transcription. We demonstrate that SM binds and recruits XPB to EBV promoters during lytic replication. Depletion of XPB protein, by spironolactone treatment or by siRNA transfection, inhibits SM-dependent late lytic gene transcription but not transcription of other EBV genes or cellular genes. These data indicate that SM acts as a transcriptional activator that has co-opted XPB to specifically target 15 EBV promoters that have uniquely evolved to require XPB for activity, providing an additional mechanism to differentially regulate EBV gene expression.
Preventing Type 2 Diabetes among South Asian Americans through community-based lifestyle interventions: a systematic review.

Ethnic South Asian Americans (SAAs) have the highest relative risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the United States (US). Culturally tailored lifestyle interventions have the potential to promote South Asian diabetes prevention; however, the extent of their use and evaluation in US settings remains limited. This systematic review characterizes and evaluates outcomes of community-based lifestyle interventions targeted towards T2DM indicators among South Asians living in the US. A PRISMA-informed search of Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, and clinical trial registry databases using key words pertaining to South Asians migrants and diabetes indicators (glucose and insulin outcomes) was conducted of community-based lifestyle interventions published up until October, 31 2019. Of the eight studies included in the final synthesis, four interventions focused on cultural and linguistic adaptations of past chronic disease prevention curricula using group-based modalities to deliver the intervention. Hemoglobin A1c (A1c) was the most common outcome indicator measured across the interventions. Three of the five studies observed improvements in indicators post-intervention. Based on these findings, this review recommends 1) greater exploration of community-based lifestyle interventions with high quality diabetes indicators (such as fasting blood glucose) in ethnic SAA communities, 2) expanding beyond traditional modalities of group-based lifestyle interventions and exploring the use of technology and interventions integrated with passive, active, and individualized components, and 3) development of research on diabetes prevention among second generation SAAs.
On the Rényi Entropy of Log-Concave Sequences

We establish a discrete analog of the Renyi entropy comparison due to Bobkov and Madiman. For log-concave variables on the integers, the min entropy is within log2e of the usual Shannon entropy. With the additional assumption that the variable is monotone we obtain a sharp bound of loge.
Neuroticism predicts informant reported cognitive problems through health behaviors.

Personality traits have been linked to cognitive impairment, though work is needed to understand the mechanisms involved. Research also needs to consider alternative markers of cognitive impairment...
Neurobiology: A pathogenic tug of war.

Summary Pathogenic mutations in the kinase LRRK2 have been implicated in Parkinson’s disease. A new study shows that hyperactivation of this kinase reduces the processivity of autophagosomal retrograde transport in axons through an unproductive ‘tug-of-war’ between anterograde and retrograde motors, thus contributing to autophagy dysfunction and axonal degeneration.
Andean uplift, drainage basin formation, and the evolution of plants living in fast-flowing aquatic ecosystems in northern South America

Northern South America is a geologically dynamic and species-rich region. Fossil and stratigraphic data show that mountain uplift in the tropical Andes reconfigured river drainages. These landscape changes shaped the evolution of the flora in the region, yet the impacts on aquatic taxa have been overlooked. We explore the role of landscape change on the evolution of plants living strictly in rivers across drainage basins in northern South America by conducting population structure, phylogenetic inference, and divergence-dating analyses for two species in the genus Marathrum (Podostemaceae). Mountain uplift and drainage basin formation isolated populations of M. utile and M. foeniculaceum in northern South America and created barriers to gene flow across river drainages. Sympatric species hybridize and the hybrids show the phenotype of one parental line. We propose that the pattern of divergence of populations reflects the formation of river drainages, which was not complete until < 4.1 million yr ago (Ma). Our study provides a clear picture of the role of landscape change on the evolution of plants living strictly in rivers in northern South America. By shifting the focus to aquatic taxa, we provide a novel perspective on the processes shaping the evolution of the Neotropical flora.
COVID-19 related stressors, sex behaviors, and HIV status neutral care among Black men who have sex with men and transgender women in Chicago, USA.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted vulnerable populations, including Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) and transgender women (BTW). We investigated associations of COVID-19 stressors and sex behaviors with pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and antiretroviral therapy (ART) among BMSM and BTW. METHODS: As part of the Neighborhoods and Networks (N2) study, we conducted virtual interviews during peak COVID-19 infectivity in Chicago among BMSM and BTW (April-July 2020). Survey questions included multilevel COVID-19 stressors, sex behaviors, and current PrEP/ART use and access. Poisson regressions were used to examining relationships between COVID-19 stressors, sex behaviors, and PrEP/ART use/access. RESULTS: Among 222 participants, 31.8% of participants not living with HIV reported current PrEP use and 91.8% of participants living with HIV reported ART use during the pandemic. Most (83.3% and 78.2%, respectively) reported similar or easier PrEP and ART access during the pandemic. Physical stress reaction to COVID-19 [adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] = 2.1; confidence interval (CI): 1.3 to 3.5] and being in close proximity with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 (aPR = 1.7; CI: 1.1 to 2.8) were associated with current PrEP use. Intimate partner violence (aPR = 2.7; CI: 1.0 to 7.2) and losing health insurance (aPR = 3.5; CI: 1.1 to 10.7) were associated with harder ART access. Travel-related financial burden was associated with harder access in PrEP (aPR = 3.2; CI: 1.0 to 10.1) and ART (aPR = 6.2; CI: 1.6 to 24.3). CONCLUSIONS: Multiple COVID-19 stressors were found to interfere with PrEP and ART use and access among BMSM and BTW. Contextually relevant strategies (eg, promoting telehealth and decreasing transportation burden) to address COVID-19 stressors and their sequelae should be considered to minimize disruption in HIV biomedical interventions.
Clinically depressed and typically developing mother-infant dyads: Domain base rates and correspondences, relationship contingencies and attunement.

Maternal depression is associated with adverse outcomes in infants. Unfavorable parenting practices likely constitute one pathway of risk transmission from mother to infant, but definitional and methodological variation in the extant literature precludes a comprehensive or conclusive understanding of potential underlying mechanisms. This study aimed to illuminate the role of maternal clinical depression in mother-infant interaction by turning a microanalytic lens on four substantive relationship issues: base rates, correspondences, contingencies, and attunement. Several maternal parenting practices (aggregated into social, didactic, and language domains) and several infant behaviors (aggregated into social, exploration, and non-distress vocalization domains) were microcoded to 0.10 s from naturalistic hour long interactions of clinically depressed mothers (n = 60) and matched non-depressed controls (n = 60) with their 5-month-olds. Clinically depressed mothers spontaneously engaged their infants less didactically, were less contingent to their infants in social, didactic, and language domains, and were less attuned with their infants than were non-depressed mothers. Infants of clinically depressed mothers vocalized non-distress less than infants of non-depressed mothers. These differences unveil key disadvantages in the everyday lived experiences of infants of clinically depressed mothers. The findings advance understanding of maternal depression and its effects and have implications for identifying infants at risk on account of their mothers' clinical depression.