cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural basis of substrate selectivity of E. coli prolidase.

Prolidases, metalloproteases that catalyze the cleavage of Xaa-Pro dipeptides, are conserved enzymes found in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. In humans, prolidase is crucial for the recycling of collagen. To further characterize the essential elements of this enzyme, we utilized the Escherichia coli prolidase, PepQ, which shares striking similarity with eukaryotic prolidases. Through structural and bioinformatic insights, we have extended previous characterizations of the prolidase active site, uncovering a key component for substrate specificity. Here we report the structure of E. coli PepQ, solved at 2.0 A resolution. The structure shows an antiparallel, dimeric protein, with each subunit containing N-terminal and C-terminal domains. The C-terminal domain is formed by the pita-bread fold typical for this family of metalloproteases, with two Mg(II) ions coordinated by five amino-acid ligands. Comparison of the E. coli PepQ structure and sequence with homologous structures and sequences from a diversity of organisms reveals distinctions between prolidases from Gram-positive eubacteria and archaea, and those from Gram-negative eubacteria, including the presence of loop regions in the E. coli protein that are conserved in eukaryotes. One such loop contains a completely conserved arginine near the catalytic site. This conserved arginine is predicted by docking simulations to interact with the C-terminus of the substrate dipeptide. Kinetic analysis using both a charge-neutralized substrate and a charge-reversed variant of PepQ support this conclusion, and allow for the designation of a new role for this key region of the enzyme active site.
An Iterative Procedure for the Polygonal Approximation of Plane Curves

The approximation of arbitrary two-dimensional curves by polygons is an importanttechnique in image processing. For many applications, the apparent ideal procedure is to represent lines and boundaries by means of polygons with minimum number of vertices and satisfying a given fit criterion. In this paper, an approximation algorithm is presented which uses an iterative method to produce polygons with a small—but not minimum—number of vertices that lie on the given curve. The maximum distance of the curve from the approximating polygon is chosen as the fit criterion. The results obtained justify the abandonment of the minimum-vertices criterion which is computationally much more expensive.
Optimization of wavelength stability in Er-doped superfluorescent fiber sources for gyroscopes

The mean wavelength vs. pump power,? (P), is strongly dependent on fiber length, L, in Er3+ superfluorescent sources for gyroscopes. Instabilities can be eliminated by optimizing L, reducing d ? /dT to the ? 5 ppm/°C intrinsic variation.
Hardware-based IP routing using partitioned lookup table

We present a search algorithm implementable by a parallel architecture based on partitioned forwarding table. This scheme effectively reduces the complexity of finding "the longest prefix match" problem to "a prefix match" problem. The main feature of this algorithm is twofold. First, it advocates intelligent partitioning of the forwarding table to enhance and parallelize the lookup operation. Second, it takes advantage of ternary CAM to achieve low lookup time. The resulting architecture has better throughput and much better update time than the traditional TCAM. Our experimental results show that such features can significantly elevate the flexibility and scalability of the next generation packet processing devices.
Religious “Threat” in Contemporary Presidential Elections

Recent presidential elections have drawn attention to the role religion plays in shaping how Americans vote and highlighted the political relevance of white evangelical Christians, an important group within the Republicans’ base of supporters. Evangelicals see themselves as in tension with a secular society, which affects their political behavior. Drawing on the venerable racial threat literature, I show evidence that evangelicals respond to “religious threat.” The more secularists in their community, the more likely white evangelical Christians were to vote for Republican presidential candidates in 2000 and 1996. These results hold for two distinct ways of identifying white evangelicals, using community data at different levels of aggregation. However, secularists do not appear to respond to the presence of evangelicals in their environment.
A Morphological Analysis of the Compsoneura sprucei Complex (Myristicaceae), With a New Combination for the Central American Species Compsoneura mexicana

Abstract Compsoneura sprucei represents a difficult species complex that has not been studied since the 1930s. Multivariate analysis of morphological data based on 454 herbarium specimens from 14 neotropical countries provided supporting evidence that Compsoneura sprucei is a complex of at least two species, one in western Amazonian South America, and the other in the eastern lowlands of Central America from Veracruz, Mexico to isthmian Panama. The gross aspects of herbarium specimen morphology, particularly of the dried leaves and fruit, have helped to perpetuate a broad concept of the widespread C. sprucei. Lack of detailed information for staminate flowers has also delayed understanding of the Compsoneura sprucei species complex. The name Compsoneura mexicana is proposed as a new combination for the Central American component. It is moved from synonomy under the name Myristica mexicana to valid species-level status in Compsoneura. Compsoneura sprucei sensu stricto is maintained for the South American c...
ITC and NMR Analysis of the Encapsulation of Fatty Acids within a Water-Soluble Cavitand and its Dimeric Capsule

We report here NMR and Isothermal Titration Calorimetry studies of the binding of ionisable guests (carboxylate acids) to a deep-cavity cavitand. These studies reveal that the shortest guests favoured 1:1 complex formation, but the longer the alkyl chain the more the 2:1 host-guest capsule is favoured. For intermediate-sized guests, the equilibrium between these two states is controlled by pH; at low values the capsule containing the carboxylic acid guest is favoured, whereas as the pH is raised deprotonation of the guest favours the 1:1 complex. Interestingly, for one host–guest pair the energy required to decap the 2:1 capsular complex and form the 1:1 complex is sufficient to shift the pKa of the guest by ~3–4 orders of magnitude (4.1–5.4 kcal mol−1). The two largest guests examined form stable 2:1 capsules, with in both cases the guest adopting a relatively high energy J-shaped motif. Furthermore, these 2:1 complexes are sufficiently stable that at high pH guest deprotonation occurs without decapping ...
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome, Malignant Hyperthermia, and Serotonin Syndrome

Epidemiology Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is rare, diagnosed annually in 2,000 hospitalized patients in the US Recent studies suggest an incidence of 0.01–0.02% in patients treated with antipsychotic medications Risk factors
Black Magic and White Terror: Slave Poisoning and the Provostial Court in Restoration Era Martinique

While the early 19th century has often been treated as a continuation to the Old Regime in France's Caribbean colonies, the new legal world of the Empire and Restoration shaped changing realities of French slave society in important ways that preceded the better known legislative reforms of the July Monarchy. This article considers the colonial Provostial Courts that were created to address the threat of slave poisonings between 1822 and 1827 in Martinique. Court cases involving slaves accused of poisoning livestock, white masters, and fellow slaves illuminate the role of law in the control of unruly slaves, and provide a window onto planters' views of metropolitan justice. Ultimately, the poisonings became a symbol of the inadequacy of French legal forms in the colonial setting. The case of the Provostial Court demonstrates the sometimes contradictory effects of statebuilding in an age of Empire, and help complicate our understanding of the colonial relationship.
Assessing methanotrophy and carbon fixation for biofuel production by Methanosarcina acetivorans

Methanosarcina acetivorans is a model archaeon with renewed interest due to its unique reversible methane production pathways. However, the mechanism and relevant pathways implicated in (co)utilizing novel carbon substrates in this organism are still not fully understood. This paper provides a comprehensive inventory of thermodynamically feasible routes for anaerobic methane oxidation, co-reactant utilization, and maximum carbon yields of major biofuel candidates by M. acetivorans. Here, an updated genome-scale metabolic model of M. acetivorans is introduced (iMAC868 containing 868 genes, 845 reactions, and 718 metabolites) by integrating information from two previously reconstructed metabolic models (i.e., iVS941 and iMB745), modifying 17 reactions, adding 24 new reactions, and revising 64 gene-protein-reaction associations based on newly available information. The new model establishes improved predictions of growth yields on native substrates and is capable of correctly predicting the knockout outcomes for 27 out of 28 gene deletion mutants. By tracing a bifurcated electron flow mechanism, the iMAC868 model predicts thermodynamically feasible (co)utilization pathway of methane and bicarbonate using various terminal electron acceptors through the reversal of the aceticlastic pathway. This effort paves the way in informing the search for thermodynamically feasible ways of (co)utilizing novel carbon substrates in the domain Archaea.
Negative plasma potential relative to electron-emitting surfaces.

Most works on plasma-wall interaction predict that with strong electron emission, a nonmonotonic ``space-charge-limited'' (SCL) sheath forms where the plasma potential is positive relative to the wall. We show that a fundamentally different sheath structure is possible where the potential monotonically increases toward a positively charged wall that is shielded by a single layer of negative charge. No ion-accelerating presheath exists in the plasma and the ion wall flux is zero. An analytical solution of the ``inverse sheath'' regime is demonstrated for a general plasma-wall system where the plasma electrons and emitted electrons are Maxwellian with different temperatures. Implications of the inverse sheath effect are that (a) the plasma potential is negative, (b) ion sputtering vanishes, (c) no charge is lost at the wall, and (d) the electron energy flux is thermal. To test empirically what type of sheath structure forms under strong emission, a full plasma bounded by strongly emitting walls is simulated. It is found that inverse sheaths form at the walls and ions are confined in the plasma. This result differs from past particle-in-cell simulation studies of emission which contain an artificial ``source sheath'' that accelerates ions to the wall, leading to a SCL sheath at high emission intensity.
Third Annual Fecal Occult Blood Testing in Community Health Clinics.

Objectives Our objective was to determine the effectiveness of 3 approaches to encourage completion of fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) in the third year of the intervention. Methods Between 2008 and 2011, a quasi-experimental intervention was conducted in 8 predominantly rural Federally Qualified Health Centers. Clinics were randomly assigned to enhanced care (screening recommendation and FOBT kit mailed annually), education (patients additionally received a health literacy appropriate pamphlet and simplified FOBT instructions), or nurse support (same as education but with nurse follow-up). Participants included 206 patients with negative FOBTs in years 1 and 2; ages 50-85, 80% female, 70% African American, and 52% had limited health literacy. The main outcome measure was completion of a third annual FOBT. Results Third-year FOBT rates were 48% overall, 34.2% enhanced care, 59.6% education, and 47.4% nurse support (p = .21), even after adjustment for sex, marital status, and health literacy. Conclusion All mailed interventions were similarly effective in sustaining rates of FOBT screening. Post hoc analyses of the results analyzed by health literacy skills found that patients with both limited and adequate health literacy skills were more likely to complete FOBTs when mailed simplified instructions.
Preventing Schizophrenia and Severe Mental Illness: A Grand Challenge for Social Work

Schizophrenia is a leading cause of disability and health expenditure worldwide and is associated with homelessness, substance use, familial and social isolation, unemployment, involvement with the criminal justice system, stigma, and excess mortality. Prevention may be feasible through intervention with help-seeking “clinical high-risk” youth with early symptoms of psychosis. A social work approach to psychosis prevention would build upon initial evidence that prevention is effective for this population and would add cross-disciplinary coordination of services, mobilization of community resources, and expertise in psychosocial interventions. Recent governmental funding priorities and policies have increasingly focused on early intervention for psychosis, making rapid change feasible. This substantial potential for change, the massive savings in the quality of lives that would accrue, and the broad impact across social work domains are consistent with the goals of the American Academy of Social Work and S...
Do biomass harvesting guidelines influence herpetofauna following harvests of logging residues for renewable energy

Forests are a major supplier of renewable energy; however, gleaning logging residues for use as woody biomass feedstock could negatively alter habitat for species dependent on downed wood. Biomass Harvesting Guidelines (BHGs) recommend retaining a portion of woody biomass on the forest floor following harvest. Despite BHGs being developed to help ensure ecological sustainability, their contribution to biodiversity has not been evaluated experimentally at operational scales. We compared herpetofauanal evenness, diversity, and richness and abundance of Anaxyrus terrestris and Gastrophryne carolinensis among six treatments that varied in volume and spatial arrangement of woody biomass retained after clearcutting loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations in North Carolina, USA (n = 4), 2011-2014 and Georgia (n = 4), USA 2011-2013. Treatments were: (1) biomass harvest with no BHGs, (2) 15% retention with biomass clustered, (3) 15% retention with biomass dispersed, (4) 30% retention with biomass clustered, (5) 30% retention with biomass dispersed, and (6) no biomass harvest. We captured individuals with drift fence arrays and compared evenness, diversity, and richness metrics among treatments with repeated-measure, linear mixed-effects models. We determined predictors of A. terrestris and G. carolinensis abundances using a priori candidate N-mixture models with woody biomass volume, vegetation structure, and groundcover composition as covariates. We had 206 captures of 25 reptile species and 8710 captures of 17 amphibian species during 53690 trap nights. Herpetofauna diversity, evenness, and richness were similar among treatments. A. terrestris abundance was negatively related to volume of retained woody biomass in treatment units in North Carolina in 2013. G. carolinensis abundance was positively related with volume of retained woody debris in treatment units in Georgia in 2012. Other relationships between A. terrestris and G. carolinensis abundances and habitat metrics were weak or absent. The lack of consistent community or population responses suggests the addition of a woody biomass harvest to a clearcut in pine plantations does not impact herpetofauna use of Coastal Plain loblolly plantations in the southeastern United States. We recommend additional research to examine relationships between woody biomass harvesting and rarer species or amphibians with high desiccation risk, particularly in other regions and harvesting systems.
Teaching the Competency of Family Case Conceptualizations

Teaching students and supervisees to develop family case conceptualizations has been a major challenge for many instructors and supervisors. However, when presented with cases that compare and cont...
Reliability evaluation of distribution systems with meshed network based on the minimum-cut set

According to the structure feature of weakly meshed network in high voltage distribution systems,a new algorithm of reliability evaluation is proposed based on the theory of minimum-cut set.The active failure of components is simulated by seeking node group components, and flow algorithm for weakly meshed network based on compensation method is adopted.The capacity constraints of components are considered, and meanwhile the effects of component plan maintanence and back-up power are taken into consideration.The realiability evaluation for the RBTS-BUS4 system and a practical distribution system are conducted.The system and nodal reliability indices are calculated and weak links are identified,which will help to provide guidance for the upgrading of power grids.
Teaching Reform & Practice of Botany Course for Agricultural Majors in Higher Institutions

Based on teaching practice of Botany course, this paper discusses how to adjust teaching focus and teaching content according to different specialty, in a bid to meet different needs. Besides using hanging pictures and modes to teach, teachers should make good use of modern educational techniques, and adopt various teaching methods to arouse students'interest. By scoring students' performance in experiments and field trips, more emphasis could be put on expriments and field trip, so that theory can be combined with practice. Students'ability in finding, analyzing and solving problems could be developed, so is their creative abilities.
Duplex Reflux: A Study of 105 Children

AbstractA series of 105 children with vesicoureteral reflux into completely duplicated collecting systems was studied retrospectively. Of the children 64% were treated surgically, with two-thirds undergoing an ablative procedure and one-third undergoing common sheath ureteral reimplantation. The remaining 36% of the children were managed nonoperatively and followed for up to 11 years. Among these cases 89% of the kidneys had reflux into the lower pole moiety only and 11% had reflux into the upper and lower pole moieties. The spontaneous rates of reflux resolution were 85% for grades I and II, and 36% for grade III reflux during a median observation period of 40 months. These figures suggest that the spontaneous resolution of mild to moderate reflux into completely duplicated collecting systems is similar to that of identical degrees of single system reflux during a comparable observational period.
The Apocalyptic Angel

Thomas Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow: A Study of Its Conceptual Structure and of Rilke's Influence, by Charles Hohmann. New York: Peter Lang, 1986, 421 pp. $48.05.
Modeling functional network dynamics via multi-scale dictionary learning and network continuums

Although there is growing recognition and interest in the dynamic organization of the brain's functional architecture, the characterization and systematic analysis of such dynamic patterns are still largely under-investigated. In this work, we proposed a novel multi-scale dynamic dictionary learning framework which decomposes the input fMRI signals into functional networks via sliding/growing time window network analysis approach based on a fast dictionary learning method. As the functional networks are obtained at every possible temporal position and multiple scales within the framework, links across functional networks are then defined by the direct or indirect correlations between their temporal variation patterns. The identified links between networks are then concatenated into network continuums, which are the dynamic combinations of functional networks at various temporal segments. By applying the proposed framework on the task fMRI data from the Human Connectome Project (HCP) Q1 release, we have found that the network continuum has the capability of capturing the dynamic transition patterns of functional networks and providing an intuitive characterization of the network stationarity across time scales.
Financial Stability and Inflation Targeting

The inflation-targeting (IT) monetary policy framework has gained wide acceptance in the past 20 years. The defining features of flexible IT are first, the announcement of a numerical inflation rate objective; second, a stated tolerance for temporary deviations of inflation from its target in order to smooth output fluctuations; third, a set of institutional arrangements designed to enhance transparency and accountability; and fourth, a response to financial developments only to the extent that they affect macroeconomic forecasts. Underlying this fourth attribute are the ideas that price stability promotes financial stability, and that the use of monetary policy to achieve financial stability objectives generally increases macroeconomic volatility. The 2007–09 financial crisis has raised questions about the degree to which the conventional IT framework is conducive to financial stability. Although existing evidence is mixed on monetary policy's efficacy in attenuating financial booms, the crisis has spawned proposals to extend the IT framework to include a financial stability objective.
Hypophysitis: Evaluation and Management

Hypophysitis is the acute or chronic inflammation of the pituitary gland. The spectrum of hypophysitis has expanded in recent years with the addition of two histologic subtypes and recognition as a complication of treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Despite the increased number of published cases, the pathogenesis of hypophysitis is poorly understood, and treatment strategies are diverse and controversial. The diagnosis of hypophysitis generally requires histopathologic confirmation. The presentation and clinical course of hypophysitis varies. Hypophysitis can resolve spontaneously, relapse may occur, and some cases can be refractory to treatment.
How old is Kīlauea Volcano (Hawai‘i)? Insights from 40Ar/39Ar dating of the 1.7-km-deep SOH-1 core

Reliable estimates for lava accumulation rates are essential for interpreting magma fluxes to intraplate volcanoes and inferring the thermal and compositional structure of mantle plumes. Kīlauea Volcano’s (Hawai‘i) 1.7-km-deep SOH-1 scientific drill hole provides an opportunity to assess the lava accumulation rate and duration of the early shield stage for Hawaiian volcanoes. New 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages were determined for four SOH-1 tholeiitic samples. Combining these results with two previous 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages and the age of the drill-site surface flow, and correcting sample depth to remove intervening dikes, yields a good correlation (R 2 = 0.97) for a 4.4 m/k.y. accumulation rate, which may have increased to 5.9 m/k.y. during the last 50 k.y. These rates contrast with a predicted 40% decrease during the last 200 k.y. from a simple shield volcano growth model. Mauna Loa, a massive shield volcano that buttresses the north flank of Kīlauea, may have contributed to this nearly constant lava accumulation rate. Extending the correlation to the base of the SOH-1 core indicates that Kīlauea’s tholeiitic volcanism probably started by 240 ka. Assuming an ∼400 k.y. duration for the preshield stage, Kīlauea is much older than some previous estimates (ca. 600 ka versus 150–275 ka) and has been vigorously erupting tholeiitic lavas for at least the past 200 k.y. During this period, it has been competing with Mauna Loa for the higher-temperature output of the Hawaiian mantle plume, which is contrary to previous models. New models that assess the magmatic output and thermal history of the Hawaiian mantle plume need to consider a steep increase in magma supply during the transition from preshield to shield stages to explain the near-constant lava accumulation rate during early shield growth.
Management of Complications from Biliary Surgery

Complications of the biliary tree can result from a variety of procedures related to the common bile duct and its branches. Bile duct injuries can occur after gallbladder, pancreatic or proximal small bowel surgery as well as traumatic circumstances. These bile duct injuries can occur in a wide array of clinical scenarios and should be considered among the most challenging complications for surgeons—be they iatrogenic or traumatic in nature. Although a relatively rare occurrence, bile duct injuries portend significant morbidity and mortality for patients. The morbidity of bile duct injuries can be as high as 43 % and mortality can be from 1.7 to 9 %. Studies have reported clinical outcomes in patients with bile duct injuries to be good; however, quality of life may be poor with associated increased health care costs (Pekolj et al., J Am Coll Surg 216(5):894–901, 2013; Dolan et al., Surg Endosc 19(7):967–73, 2005). Approximately 80–85 % of bile duct injuries occur after laparoscopic cholecystectomy with rates of injury ranging from 0.11 to 1.4 % in laparoscopic cholecystectomy compared to rates of 0.1 to 0.3 % seen in open cholecystectomy (Dolan et al., Surg Endosc 19(7):967–73, 2005). If a bile duct injury is not recognized promptly, a wide array of complications can occur such as intraabdominal abscesses, peritonitis, biloma, anastomotic stricture, sepsis, and death (Mercado et al., Hepatogastroenterology 52(61):40–4, 2005). Thus, early recognition of bile duct injuries is crucial to the overall long-term outcome of the surgical patient.
A setting method of frequency bias coefficient for interconnected power grid based on Shapley value

To keep system frequency and tie-line power as planned and make full use of all AGC capacity resource in power system, an AGC coordinated control strategy for interconnected power grid is proposed based on Shapley value. Tie-line bias frequency control mode is adopted during AGC operation of interconnected power grid, and the state of system operation is divided into different grades according to absolute value of frequency deviation, when the system is in different grades the way of setting frequency bias coefficient is different, so the operations of AGC in different control areas are coordinated. Profit models of all control areas during the operation of AGC coordinated control are constructed, including the profit model of AGC capacity demand and the cost model of frequency regulation obligation. When power system is operating in coordination frequency control area, by periodically changing the setting of B coefficient according to the Shapley value of the cooperative game theory, the frequency regulation obligation cost is changed, and the profits of all control areas are optimized. Simulations are conducted on three-area interconnected power system, verifying the effectiveness of the proposed AGC coordinated control strategy for interconnected power grid based on cooperative game theory.
Multimodal management for acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis

Acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis (IFRS) is an aggressive sinonasal infection that is associated with a high risk of morbidity and mortality. Acute IFRS typically affects individuals with a deficient immune system and is characterized by a fulminant proliferation of tissue invasion by opportunistic fungal species. The early diagnosis and management of acute IFRS play important roles in improving the disease prognosis. The management of acute IFRS requires a multimodal approach that relies on both medical and surgical interventions. This article highlights general considerations for both the medical and surgical strategies for treatment of acute IFRS as a rhinologic emergency.
PlpA, a PilZ-like protein, regulates directed motility of the bacterium Myxococcus xanthus.

Summary The rod-shaped bacterium Myxococcus xanthus moves on surfaces along its long cell axis and reverses its moving direction regularly. Current models propose that the asymmetric localization of a Ras-like GTPase, MglA, to leading cell poles determines the moving direction of cells. However, cells are still motile in the mutants where MglA localizes symmetrically, suggesting the existence of additional regulators that control moving direction. In this study, we identified PlpA, a PilZ-like protein that regulates the direction of motility. PlpA and MglA localize into opposite asymmetric patterns. Deletion of the plpA gene abolishes the asymmetry of MglA localization, increases the frequency of cellular reversals and leads to severe defects in cell motility. By tracking the movements of single motor particles, we demonstrated that PlpA and MglA co-regulated the direction of gliding motility through direct interactions with the gliding motor. PlpA inhibits the reversal of individual gliding motors while MglA promotes motor reversal. By counteracting MglA near lagging cell poles, PlpA reinforces the polarity axis of MglA and thus stabilizes the direction of motility. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Deconstructing the 'Rosenfeld Curve': The Problem with Energy Intensities

As policy makers across the world seek to mitigate the growth in our demand for energy, examples of populations that appear to have achieved this end are of widespread interest. Since the early 1970s, electricity consumption per capita in California has stayed nearly constant, while rising steadily for the US as a whole. I use empirical data to estimate the fraction of the difference between California and the United States owing to policy independent characteristics such as climate, industry structure or demographics, and the residual fraction that may be due to policy measures aimed at saving energy. I analyze historical trends in the commercial, industrial and residential sectors using aggregate survey statistics from various sources. I find that for 2005 about 66 percent of the overall difference between California and the United States may be explained by structural differences between the two populations with the remaining third possibly a consequence of state policies to improve energy efficiency. I conclude that while a significant policy effect may exist, caution needs to be exercised in using the California example to inform expectations from similar measures in other regions. This example illustrates why using energy intensities as a basis for comparing populations can be fraught with peril.
Biomechanical Modeling of Human Skin Tissue Surrogates.

Surrogates, which precisely simulate nonlinear mechanical properties of the human skin at different body sites, would be indispensable for biomechanical testing applications, such as estimating the accurate load response of skin implants and prosthetics to study the biomechanics of static and dynamic loading conditions on the skin, dermatological and sports injuries, and estimating the dynamic load response of lethal and nonlethal ballistics. To date, human skin surrogates have been developed mainly with materials, such as gelatin and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), based on assumption of simplified mechanical properties, such as an average elastic modulus (estimated through indentation tests), and Poisson’s ratio. In addition, pigskin and cowhides, which have widely varying mechanical properties, have been used to simulate human skin. In the current work, a novel elastomer-based material system is developed, which precisely mimics the nonlinear stress–stretch behavior, elastic modulus at high and low strains, and fracture strengths of the natural human skin at different body sites. The manufacturing and fabrication process of these skin surrogates are discussed, and mechanical testing results are presented.
Trading Strategy and Behavior of Price in Futures Markets

This study examines the trading strategies of futures traders and the impacts on prices. Individual traders are momentum traders. They buy when prices are high (increasing) and sell when prices are low (decreasing). As a result, individual traders exacerbate price volatilities. However, we also find that individual traders consistently lead the changes in prices. That is, their net buy order imbalances and the contemporaneous and short-term future price changes are strongly positively related. Results support De Long et al.’s (1990) model that initial trades by informed speculators stimulate short term momentum trading. The overreaction caused short term momentum trading is dampened by institutional traders. We find that institutional traders employ contrarian strategy.
reply: Origin of life from apatite dating?

Mojzsis et al. reply — Sano et al. report a 207Pb/206Pb date of 1,459±160 Myr for apatite grains 25 μm in diameter, containing inclusions of isotopically light carbon, from a granulite grade BIF (typically 70% quartz, 10% magnetite, 20% mafic phases and sulphides) from Akilia island, Greenland, that was lithified before 3,850 Myr (12). To Sano et al., this suggests either that the apatites “grew about 1,500 Myr ago, or that they grew earlier than that but were subsequently affected by recrystallization, and/or diffusive exchange”.
Wang Bing, Classical Chinese Poetry in Singapore: Witnesses to Social and Cultural Transformations in the Chinese Community. Lanham, Maryland et al.: Lexington Books, 2018. xi, 189 pp. Tables, Bibliography, Index. US$ 90 (HB). ISBN 978-1-4985-3515-1; US$ 85.50 (eBook). ISBN 978-1-4985-3516-8

Why does poetry matter beyond the narrow circle of its practitioners? This question is the focus of Wang’s book as well as an urgent concern for all of us who care about the fate of the human imagi...
Impact of bariatric surgery on cancer risk reduction.

Obesity is second only to tobacco as a preventable cause of cancer in the US. By multifactorial and often additive mechanisms, obesity leads to the development and promotion of 40% of the cancers diagnosed in this country, including post-menopausal breast, endometrial, colorectal, kidney, liver and pancreatic cancers, among others. Though prevention of obesity should be the ultimate goal of thoughtful and effective healthcare practices, it remains a highly prevalent condition, and morbid obesity (BMI ≥40 Kg/m 2 ) can be refractory to lifestyle interventions in many cases. Currently bariatric surgery is an effective treatment strategy for individuals who suffer from morbid obesity or obesity with associated co-morbidities and fail to lose weight under a medically supervised diet and exercise program. The current review addresses seminal studies that have investigated the potential cancer prevention effects of bariatric surgery, demonstrating a positive impact mostly in post-menopausal breast and endometrial cancers. The controversial association between bariatric surgery and increased colorectal cancer (CRC) risk is also recognized and discussed. Finally, while bariatric surgery should not be routinely recommended as a cancer prevention strategy, it has the potential to decrease the risk for certain types of cancers as a collateral beneficial effect.
Mexican American mothers and the welfare debate : A history of exclusion

Abstract Mexican American women are a substantial portion of those receiving public assistance in San Antonio, Texas. As such, they will be among the first recipients to be cut from the welfare rolls. Although this is a trail blazing social experiment, a review of the past 30 years of welfare reforms reveals that Mexican American women's experience with welfare-work choices, which are at the heart of the welfare debate, have received little attention. While issues of race and racism in the experience of African American women are evident in this history, this article shows that the experiences of Mexican American women, including the effects of discrimination again them, have not yet been adequately portrayed in the literature.
Transfer robot task scheduling in semiconductor manufacturing

This paper studies a simultaneous scheduling of production and material transfer in a semiconductor manufacturing. The simultaneous scheduling approach has been recently adopted by warehouse operations, wherein transbots pick up jobs and deliver to pick-machines for processing that requires a simultaneous scheduling of jobs, transbots, and machines. However, both a large proportion of literature and real-world scheduling systems in semiconductor manufacturing consider only one side of the problem. We propose the most efficient solution for job shop scheduling problem (JSP) with transbots, significantly outperforming all other benchmark approaches in the literature.
Medical Evaluation of the Living Kidney Donor

Living kidney donors have voluntarily assumed the immediate risks of elective surgery, as well as the less well-defined medium and longer term risks to their future health, in gifting half their kidney function to another person. Yet despite this considerable responsibility placed on the living kidney donor, physician advocate, and transplant team members, protocols for the evaluation of potential donors may differ substantially between centers. While a number of published expert recommendations serve as a basis for most living donor protocols, including one for living donors in the United States, the United Kingdom guidelines, and the Amsterdam Living Kidney donor guidelines, variability in guidance regarding donors of older age, with hypertension, and evaluation of diabetes risk, baseline kidney function, and anatomical imaging requirements, persist due in part to the relative lack of detailed longitudinal outcomes data. This chapter seeks to provide a comprehensive approach to the counseling and medical evaluation of potential living donor based on a critical review of the available scientific literature on potentially adverse risk factors.
Medical student volunteerism and interest in working with underserved and vulnerable populations

The desire of medical students to eventually work with underserved and vulnerable populations (hereafter ‘service interest’), has been shown to be shaped by individual factors including job satisfaction and financial considerations. School-level factors such as required longitudinal primary care experiences and the availability of extracurricular opportunities to work with underserved patients also affect service interest, but little is known about the impact of student volunteer activities. This cross-sectional study gathered data from preclinical medical students via an online questionnaire. The data were linked to academic records, deidentified, and analysed using an ordinal logistic regression model with interest in caring ‘primarily for underserved or vulnerable populations’ as the outcome variable. Of 121 respondents (33% response rate), 24.8% expressed a definite interest, 55.3% expressed possible interest, and 19.9% expressed no service interest. Intent to work with the underserved was not related to age, sex, race/ethnicity, being from a rural hometown, academic qualifications prior to medical school, or anticipated debt at medical school graduation. Students with no service interest had a higher average academic performance in medical school and plans of subspecialising. When considering volunteerism prior to medical school, students in the highest and middle volunteerism tertiles had 5.68 (95% CI: 1.63, 19.81) and 4.34 (1.32, 14.32) times the odds, respectively, of having definite or possible service interest relative to those who were in the lowest volunteerism tertile, after adjusting for potential confounders. Volunteerism in a student-run clinic for the underserved during medical school was not correlated with service interest. Medical schools looking to enroll more students interested in working with underserved or vulnerable populations may choose to emphasise applicant premedical volunteerism record in their admissions decisions.
Synthesis of AABB-polydepsipeptides, poly(ester amide)s and functional polymers on the basis of O,O′-diacyl-bis-glycolic acids

A new class of degradable polymers—AABB-type polydepsipeptides (PDPs) composed of four building blocks—naturally occurring α-amino and α-hydroxy acids, fatty diol and dicarboxylic acid were synthes...
Let the question determine the methods: descriptive epidemiology done right

What does it mean to control for confounding, and when do we actually need to do it? To answer this, we need a well-defined research question, driven by the goal of the study. For descriptive goals, we explain that confounding adjustment is often not just unnecessary but can be harmful.
Estonia's success and Chile's failure

Este artigo oferece uma analise critica da falta de regulamentacoes de criptomoedas no Chile e o que este pais poderia ganhar seguindo a abordagem pro-criptomoeda da Estonia. Alem disso, a ausencia de regulacao no Chile e analisada com lentes comparativas da posicao do Chile e da Estonia do ranking global de combate a lavagem de dinheiro. A Parte A comeca com uma breve introducao ao blockchain e a tecnologia financeira. As partes B e C discutirao a legislacao de criptomoedas existente, ou a falta dela, no Chile e na Estonia. A Parte D tratara da historia recente de esforcos anti-lavagem de dinheiro da Estonia e do Chile. A Parte E examinara mais de perto outros fatores que tambem podem estar impactando a reducao, na Estonia, e o aumento, no Chile, de crimes economicos como a lavagem de dinheiro. Finalmente, a Parte F sera uma discussao sobre se uma abordagem “padrao unico” funcionaria e, particularmente, se o sucesso da Estonia poderia ser transferido para um pais de alto risco como o Chile por meio da adocao de legislacao pro-criptomoedas.
Diversity, Disagreement, and Expression across Liberal, Conservative, and Mixed Groups

The notion that a healthy democracy requires a public who discusses politics is based on the assumption that discussions expose people to perspective that differ from their own. That people general...
Beyond Boundaries: Towards Symbiotic Relationship Between Ecological Arts and Computational Thinking for Sustainability

In today's Anthropocene era, human-and-climate induced sustainability challenges threaten the livelihood of vulnerable communities across the planet. To mitigate the risks of sustainability threats, data-and-theory driven scientific models, artistic practices, and environment designs play a critical role. However, these methods alone fail to reach a broader audience and translate into public discourse for participatory collective action. In this paper, we present Beyond Boundaries, a renaissance that re-envisions the relationship between ecological arts and computational thinking to contextualize threats to sustainability at regional and global scales. We establish an integrated framework combining Earth remote sensing satellite time-series, half a decade of ecological arts, and a public exhibition to curate the symbiotic relationship between arts and science. Beyond Boundaries sheds new light on how synergistic associations among disciplines can inspire scientific inquiry, artistic imaginations, and civic engagement-and-discourse for sustainability.
Energy Absorption Enhancement for Multiple Impact Angles of a Rear Crash Attenuator

This research aims at developing a reliable finite element framework to investigate the specific energy absorption of a rear crash attenuator of an open-wheel-type IndyCar vehicle. The failure behavior was learnt based on various nonlinear finite element modeling techniques to simulate a crash as per regulations from the governing body of IndyCar, utilizing the continuum damage mechanics model. The sandwich structure material characterization for the tuning of the material model was done by the means of a correlation with experimental data and adjusting the non-physical input parameters in the software. Post-calibration, the development of the rear impact attenuator was performed with a finite element model. The failure modes were investigated for head-on and oblique impact angles. The specific energy absorption was determined for these configurations of impact by evaluating the force over the crushed displacement. The insights from the simulation were utilized to improve the overall specific energy absorption by 41.8% with a gradual deceleration value to that of the prescribed. Finally, the results were compared to the previous IndyCar structure and a new prototype was suggested with highlights of the refreshed results.
JA:2021-29. Surfacing for Strategy: Organizational Learning for the Strategic Development of an Expanding NIOSH AgFF Occupational Health and Safety Research and Outreach Center

Introduction: The Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (SCCAHS) is the newest NIOSH AgFF research center, established in 2016. As a young Center with a large mandate, SCCA...
A White Person Problem: Conducting White/White Treatment with a Social Justice Lens

In this paper, I advance the view that racism, experienced as an intrapsychic, interpersonal, cultural and socio-political phenomenon, is fundamentally a problem that white people are responsible f...
Insights into the Regulation of Ciliary Disassembly

The primary cilium, an antenna-like structure that protrudes out from the cell surface, is present in most cell types. It is a microtubule-based organelle that serves as a mega-signaling center and is important for sensing biochemical and mechanical signals to carry out various cellular processes such as proliferation, migration, differentiation, and many others. At any given time, cilia length is determined by a dynamic balance of cilia assembly and disassembly processes. Abnormally short or long cilia can cause a plethora of human diseases commonly referred to as ciliopathies, including, but not limited to, skeletal malformations, obesity, autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, retinal degeneration, and bardet-biedl syndrome. While the process of cilia assembly is studied extensively, the process of cilia disassembly and its biological role(s) are less well understood. This review discusses current knowledge on ciliary disassembly and how different cellular processes and molecular signals converge to carry out this process. This information will help us understand how the process of ciliary disassembly is regulated, identify the key steps that need further investigation, and possibly design therapeutic targets for a subset of ciliopathies that are causally linked to defective ciliary disassembly.
Sustainability and Communication

In response to growing global environmental problems and threats associated with global warming, organizations are recognizing that business-as-usual is no longer sufficient and that it is time to go to scale in responding to impending challenges. Effective communication is absolutely essential. Strategic communication is needed to alert, persuade, and help people enact sustainability initiatives within and between organizations. Strategic communication also orients our consciousness by inviting us to take a particular perspective, by evoking certain values and not others, and by creating referents for our attention and understanding. Sometimes effective communication is characterized by strategic ambiguity. Organizations face multiple challenges in terms of their sustainability-related communication. Some are silenced because of their fear of speaking out. For others, the messages they create are not processed because message recipients are unmotivated. Knowledge regarding the elaboration likelihood model of persuasion and the use of repetition are important tools when designing strategic communication. Communicators need to think critically about where their audience is in their understanding of sustainability and how to present information in an accessible way. Attention to message design and message framing can help. Interview data drawn from Aspen Skiing Company; Heifer International®; the City and County of Denver, CO; the Arbor Day Foundation; and ClearSky Climate Solutions illustrates the concepts being discussed.