cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Authoritarianism and Gender Roles: Toward a Psychological Analysis of Hegemonic Relationships

The authors examined the relationship between authoritarianism and gender-role identity, attitudes, and behaviors. Using Altemeyer's Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) Scale, they found that high scores on authoritarianism were related to traditional gender-role identity and attitudes, rating political events concerning women as less important, and rating feminists and women as having relatively more power and influence in society. Authoritarianism was also related to the expression of anti-abortion views in essays and using arguments based on conventional morality, submission to authority, and punitiveness toward women seeking abortions. Finally, high scores on authoritarianism were related to participating in pro-life rallies and not participating in pro-choice and women's issues meetings. The authors offer speculations about the connections between social structures and individual psychological mechanisms.
EFFECTS OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S REMOVAL ON SPACE USE AND BEHAVIOR IN TERRITORIAL NEIGHBORHOODS OF BROWN ANOLES (ANOLIS SAGREI)

I conducted experiments using naturally established neighborhoods of Anolis sagrei to examine interactions between neighboring territorial males. I observed the behavior of groups of lizards before and after the removal of one lizard from the group. I measured space use using x and y coordinates of a 20 × 20 m grid. Focal lizards moved farther from the former resident's activity area center following his removal from the territory. Both neighbors and non-neighbors took over the newly vacated territories, suggesting that some neighbors were able to gain space. The behavioral display patterns of focal lizards did not change following the removal. These data indicate that neighboring males may pose a significant threat to territorial residents by taking space and resources. Additionally, these data provide no evidence that removal of one resident causes general social instability that harms neighbors. These findings have theoretical implications for studies of the “dear enemy” phenomenon and other relationsh...
Mouse Spermatogenesis Requires Classical and Nonclassical Testosterone Signaling

Testosterone acts though the androgen receptor in Sertoli cells to support germ cell development (spermatogenesis) and male fertility, but the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which testosterone acts are not well understood. Previously, we found that in addition to acting through androgen receptor to directly regulate gene expression (classical testosterone signaling pathway), testosterone acts through a nonclassical pathway via the androgen receptor to rapidly activate kinases that are known to regulate spermatogenesis. In this study, we provide the first evidence that nonclassical testosterone signaling occurs in vivo as the MAP kinase cascade is rapidly activated in Sertoli cells within the testis by increasing testosterone levels in the rat. We find that either classical or nonclassical signaling regulates testosterone-mediated Rhox5 gene expression in Sertoli cells within testis explants. The selective activation of classical or nonclassical signaling pathways in Sertoli cells within testis explants also resulted in the differential activation of the Zbtb16 and c-Kit genes in adjacent spermatogonia germ cells. Delivery of an inhibitor of either pathway to Sertoli cells of mouse testes disrupted the blood-testis barrier that is essential for spermatogenesis. Furthermore, an inhibitor of nonclassical testosterone signaling blocked meiosis in pubertal mice and caused the loss of meiotic and postmeiotic germ cells in adult mouse testes. An inhibitor of the classical pathway caused the premature release of immature germ cells. Collectively, these observations indicate that classical and nonclassical testosterone signaling regulate overlapping and distinct functions that are required for the maintenance of spermatogenesis and male fertility.
Layer characterization and photovoltaic properties of CdS/multi-wall carbon nanotube/n-Si device with an n-p-n transistor structure

A new type of n-p-n transistorphotovoltaic device based on CdS/multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWNT)/n-Si configuration was fabricated in a facile process. CdS quantum dots were deposited on fluorine-doped tin-oxide glass using a chemical bath deposition method, and MWNTfilm was coated on n-type Si substrate by airbrushing. The materials used for the n-p-n transistorsolar cells were characterized by multiple techniques including X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Raman, Ultraviolet visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometer, and I-V characteristic measurements. The CdS layer acts as a good n-type material for the transistorsolar cells. The thickness of the CdS layer can be controlled by the chemical bath deposition time to achieve different photovoltaic responses. I-V characteristic measurements show that the efficiency increases with increasing the thickness of the CdS thin layer. Compared with the tandem solar cells based on (p/n)–(p/n) semiconductor junctions, our n-p-n transistorsolar cell has a simple structure without using tunnel junctions or wafer bonding schemes for interconnecting the cells.
Ipilimumab-associated minimal-change disease

To the Editor: We read with great interest the review of new drug toxicities in the onco-nephrology world. We would like to highlight a case of minimal-change disease and interstitial nephritis related to the use of ipilimumab. This drug has been described as causing acute kidney injury from interstitial nephritis as well as lupus nephritis in the past, but to our knowledge, there are no reported cases of minimal-change disease related to this anti-CTLA4 drug. Our patient is a 55-year-old male with a history of metastatic melanoma. He presented to the clinic with a 2-week history of lower extremity edema and was found to have acute kidney injury with serum creatinine of 2.97 mg/dl (prior baseline of 1.2 mg/dl). Further work-up revealed 9 g of proteinuria and a serum albumin of 2.2 g/dl. Urine microscopy was unrevealing. He became oliguric, and serum creatinine rose to 5.2 mg/dl. He underwent renal biopsy that showed an interstitium with marked eosinophilic infiltration and severe edema. Glomeruli were unremarkable on light microscopy, but electron microscopy showed diffuse effacement of podocyte foot processes consistent with minimalchange disease (Figure 1). He was treated with high-dose steroids (initially 2 mg/kg). Renal function improved and nephrotic syndrome resolved. One year after this, his serum creatinine was 1.65 mg/dl and he had no proteinuria on urinalysis. This case echoes the recommendation of Perazella et al. regarding the importance of rapid recognition, early steroid therapy, and renal biopsy to elucidate the cause of acute kidney injury related to this widely used drug.
Incorporating Writing into the Political Science Classroom: Using Writing Across the Curriculum Principles to Improve Student Learning Outcomes

With the restrictions of time in the classroom devoted to teaching, learning, and questions, professors often feel a tension to include writing as a part of their in-class work. The resistance to including writing in the classroom is felt by professors at all levels and years of experience. However, what we overlook as professors is how writing can help our students improve their critical thinking skills. This paper addresses many different ways that professors can include writing in the classroom and, in the end, receive better writing from their students on high stakes assignments. Common resistances are addressed as well as strategies for dealing with the balance of providing knowledge and including writing initiatives in the political science classes of all sizes and levels.
Flexible Water Hose Failures: A Case Study and General Design Considerations

Flexible water hoses (or flexible hose connectors) have become commonplace in recent years and provide a low-cost and convenient alternative to rigid pipe. Unfortunately, inadequate designs, particularly with regard to the selection of materials and material parameters, have made some hoses prone to failure. Such failures are often initiated by incidental exposure to corrosive substances commonly found in homes (including chlorides in tap water) that attack and corrode the stainless steel metal braid. A failure of the braid then leads to a rupture of the water-carrying tube. We evaluate the design considerations pertinent to flexible water hose failures and consider a recent failure scenario that illustrates some key points.
New Time Reversal Parities and Optimal Control of Dielectrics for Free Energy Manipulation

A dielectric’s ultra-wide band time-reversal spectrum dictates optimal control of “in-and-out” real-time energy flows in dispersive media.
Comparison of Heliothis spp. Larval Parasitism and Spicaria Infection in Closed and Open Canopy Cotton Varieties

Heliothis spp. larvae were parasitized by Microplites croceipes (Cresson) to varying degrees throughout the study. Parasitism was not significantly greater in larvae collected from the Okra leaf cotton (open canopy), but Spicaria rileyi (Farlow) Charles infection was significantly greater in larvae collected from Delta Pine cotton (closed canopy). A decline in parasitism throughout the study was observed.
Metallo-Organics Derived Tractable Resins for Ybco Superconducting Fiber Fabrication

Soluble resins were prepared by controlled hydrolysis of yttrium isopropoxide, barium isopropoxide and copper ethylhexanoate. The resins were converted to cohesive, viscous, fluid and precipitated states by the addition of different combinations of binary polar and non-polar organic solvents. Viscosity and spinnability of the resins were critically dependent on the solvent constituents. Continuous pre-ceramic fibers were spun from these resins and single phase YBa2Cu3Oy superconducting fibers with Tc=91.5K and ΔT=1.5K have been obtained.
The Institutional Determinants of Regulatory Policy Innovation: Evidence from State Renewables Portfolio Standards

In this paper, I evaluate whether elected regulators are more likely to accept risk in the policy adoption process and adopt untested policies compared to appointed regulators. Elected regulators face the prospect of reelection and may exhibit risk-aversion when adopting policies in order to safeguard their reelection chances. At the same time, appointed regulators face scrutiny from legislative and executive bosses and may exhibit risk-aversion when adopting policies in order to reduce the chance of backlash at the hands of legislative and executive bosses. Here, I compare how elected versus appointed state public utility commissioners approached the development of state renewable energy portfolio standards and determine whether elected regulators are more likely than appointed peers to adopt policies that have never before been tested in comparable settings (my empirical definition of riskier policy adoption). Using multiple statistical techniques, I find that elected regulators are more risk-acceptant than appointed regulators and argue that this behavioral difference stems from a difference in the expectations of the principals monitoring elected versus appointed regulators: while median voters (the principals of elected regulators) do not care for regulatory policy so long as their electricity rates do not increase, legislators and executives (the principals of appointed regulators) care about many facets of regulatory policy and may try to protect the interests of their benefactors and constituents against any attempts that could hurt those interests. Diminished oversight from median voters suggests that elected regulators have more opportunities for risk-taking compared to appointed regulators and also suggests that we not assume that taking policy responsibility away from elected officials will necessarily increase risk-taking in the policy adoption process.
Regulating Immigration at the State Level: A Focus on Employment

In light of the failure of comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level in recent years and in the face of increasing concern about the impact of illegal immigration on local communities, many state, county, and local lawmakers have enacted their own laws and ordinances aimed at the undocumented population and the entities that employ them. Some laws address the employment of undocumented workers by requiring employers to utilize the federal government's Web-based "E-Verify" employment eligibility verification system to verify the work status of new hires. Others prohibit employers from hiring unauthorized workers and punish noncompliance with the denial of business licenses or contracts for work with a state, county, or municipality. Of course, it is already a violation of federal law to employ undocumented non-citizens, so any penalties for these violations are in addition to penalties already set out under federal law. These state laws raise troubling preemption issues that will only be resolved once the Supreme Court weighs in. Notwithstanding the Obama Administration’s avowed intention to enact legislation to usher in comprehensive immigration reform, there is no sign that the trend toward increased state and local immigration legislation will abate so long as there is a perception that major voids remain in the federal strategy to address illegal immigration. Focusing on employment -- the major magnet attracting undocumented immigrants across our borders -- this article provides an overview of existing state laws that seek to deter the employment of unauthorized immigrant workers and discusses the current status of federal preemption of such laws. These developments must be viewed in the context of the current federal regulatory scheme and federal worksite enforcement trends, as well as the larger history of federal authority over immigration.
The “I” of the Camera: What Is American about American Film Study?

For over a decade, the Hawaii International Film Festival has been the world's premier showcase for significant new films from Asia and for American films that, in whatever ways, contribute meaningfully to the enrichment of mutual understanding between Asia and America. Of all the exemplary features of the Hawaii Festival – the fact that all screenings are free to the community, for example – none has proved worthier than the annual Symposium in which we are all presently engaged. I have had the pleasure and privilege of participating in three of these events. There is no way I can exaggerate their importance to my own education in Asian cinema (this also means my education in cinema, as every Asian nation, like every Western one, has participated in its own way in the international history of film). The first was in 1985. At that time, I possessed little special knowledge of Asian films or the conditions of their production beyond what was expected of any conscientious American professor of film study. This was more than we were expected to know about Martian cinema, but not much more. Apart from the Apu trilogy and perhaps one or two other films by Satyajit Ray, few among us, in 1985, knew the work of any “serious” Indian directors or were familiar, except by hearsay, with the vast subcontinent of the Indian commercial cinema. Other than martial arts films, few of us had seen a single film from Hong Kong, Taiwan, or mainland China.
Some Comments on Perception in Monkeys

This chapter presents a few comments on perception in monkeys. The selected processes of perception neither exhaust all possibilities nor are they mutually exclusive. Many subprocesses undoubtedly exist, but as the process labels are taxonomic rather than explanatory, the selection is one of convenience: (1) attending refers to information-seeking and -selecting behaviors, (2) storing connotes the accretion of information for future use, and (3) integration occurs when the animal sorts among input and stored information for unique problem solutions. Although psychologists never denied that monkeys were capable of learning, they have had long lingering doubts about the other cognitive processes readily recognized in man. Many experiments described in the chapter made direct comparisons between monkeys and human beings. Memory may involve several stages, but losses with aging probably do not occur simply at one stage. Monkeys appear to be able to integrate stimuli from dissimilar modalities in addition to being able to employ cues from different visual stimuli. However, they fail to integrate both intra- and intermodal stimuli in few experimental situations.
META-HYDROXY BENZOYLECGONINE RECOVERY IN FETAL GUINEA PIGS. † 919

Cocaine (COC) is rapidly hydrolyzed to benzoylecgonine (BE), a major vasoactive metabolite measured in screening infants for prenatal exposure to COC. Recently, detection of meta-hydroxy benzoylecgonine (m-OH BE) has been suggested to improve identification of these infants. However the pathway of m-OH BE formation is unknown. This study was designed to determine if m-OH BE is a late metabolite derived directly from COC or via BE. Pregnant Dunkin-Hartley guinea pigs at 63 d gestation were injected i.p. with 10 mg/kg COC or BE. Amniotic fluid (AF) and meconium (MEC) from each fetus were collected upon sacrifice at 24 and 48 h post-cocaine; and 24, 48, and 72 h post BE injection. COC metabolites were quantitated by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. After maternal COC injection, recovery of COC in AF (75%) and MEC (88%) decreased from 24 (n=12) to 48 h (n=9). While BE levels post-COC injection declined in both AF (58%) and MEC (69%) from 24 (n=11) to 48 h(n=7), m-OH BE recovery in MEC increased (1600%). Similarly, after maternal BE injection, mean recovery of BE decreased from 24 (n=11) to 48 h (n=7) in both MEC (69%) and AF (64%), while m-OH BE recovery increased (633%) in MEC. By 72 h (n=11), BE recovery decreased another 85% in both AF and MEC, however m-OH BE was still present in MEC and unchanged from 48 h. There was no significant recovery of m-OH BE in AF after COC or BE injection. Colon from BE exposed fetuses were independently analyzed to determine if m-OH BE is formed in MEC or released into MEC. BE was present at 24 h and levels were undetectable by 72 h, however no m-OH was found. These results indicate that 1) m-OH BE is a metabolite of BE rather than of COC; and 2) levels of m-OH BE may be detectable longer in MEC than BE. Finally, failure to test for m-OH BE in MEC may result in underreporting of cocaine exposure. Funded by: Kapiolani MC& Children's Miracle Network, US Army HSC.No financial support received from US Drug Testing Labs.
Hospitalist-vascular surgery comanagement: effects on complications and mortality

ABSTRACTObjectives: Hospitalized vascular surgery patients have multiple severe comorbidities, poor functional status, and high perioperative cardiac risk. Thus they may be ideal patients for a collaborative care model. However, there is little evidence for a comanagement model on clinical outcomes.Methods: The two-year pre-post study consisted of a comanagement model where a hospitalist actively participated in the medical care of American Society of Anesthesiologist Physical Status Classification scale 3 or 4 vascular surgery patients. Outcomes were in-hospital mortality, length of stay, 30-day readmission rate, pain scores, and patient safety metrics.Results: With comanagement, patient complications decreased from 3.5 to 2.2 events per 1000 patients. (p = 0.045). Mortality decreased from 2.01% to 1.00% (p = 0.049), corresponding to a decrease in the risk-adjusted observed to expected mortality rate ratio from 1.22 to 0.53 (p = 0.01). Patient reported pain scores improved; more patients in the comanagem...
A Novel Kleefstra Syndrome-associated Variant That Affects the Conserved TPLX Motif within the Ankyrin Repeat of EHMT1 Leads to Abnormal Protein Folding

Kleefstra syndrome (KS) (Mendelian Inheritance in Man (MIM) no. 610253), also known as 9q34 deletion syndrome, is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by haploinsufficiency of euchromatic histone methyltransferase-1 (EHMT1). The clinical phenotype of KS includes moderate to severe intellectual disability with absent speech, hypotonia, brachycephaly, congenital heart defects, and dysmorphic facial features with hypertelorism, synophrys, macroglossia, protruding tongue, and prognathism. Only a few cases of de novo missense mutations in EHMT1 giving rise to KS have been described. However, some EHMT1 variants have been described in individuals presenting with autism spectrum disorder or mild intellectual disability, suggesting that the phenotypic spectrum resulting from EHMT1 alterations may be quite broad. In this report, we describe two unrelated patients with complex medical histories consistent with KS in whom next generation sequencing identified the same novel c.2426C>T (p.P809L) missense variant in EHMT1. To examine the functional significance of this novel variant, we performed molecular dynamics simulations of the wild type and p.P809L variant, which predicted that the latter would have a propensity to misfold, leading to abnormal histone mark binding. Recombinant EHMT1 p.P809L was also studied using far UV circular dichroism spectroscopy and intrinsic protein fluorescence. These functional studies confirmed the model-based hypotheses and provided evidence for protein misfolding and aberrant target recognition as the underlying pathogenic mechanism for this novel KS-associated variant. This is the first report to suggest that missense variants in EHMT1 that lead to protein misfolding and disrupted histone mark binding can lead to KS.
Universal and uniquely human factors in spontaneous number perception

A capacity for nonverbal numerical estimation is widespread among humans and animals. However, it is currently unclear whether numerical percepts are spontaneously extracted from the environment and whether nonverbal perception is influenced by human exposure to formal mathematics. We tested US adults and children, non-human primates, and numerate and innumerate Tsimane' adults on a quantity task in which they could choose to categorize sets of dots on the basis of number alone, surface area alone or a combination of the two. Despite differences in age, species and education, subjects are universally biased to base their judgments on number as opposed to the alternatives. Numerical biases are uniquely enhanced in humans compared to non-human primates, and correlated with degree of mathematics experience in both the US and Tsimane' groups. We conclude that humans universally and spontaneously extract numerical information, and that human nonverbal numerical perception is enhanced by symbolic numeracy.
Co-state initialization for the minimum-time low-thrust trajectory optimization

Abstract This paper presents an approach for co-state initialization which is a critical step in solving minimum-time low-thrust trajectory optimization problems using indirect optimal control numerical methods. Indirect methods used in determining the optimal space trajectories typically result in two-point boundary-value problems and are solved by single- or multiple-shooting numerical methods. Accurate initialization of the co-state variables facilitates the numerical convergence of iterative boundary value problem solvers. In this paper, we propose a method which exploits the trajectory generated by the so-called pseudo-equinoctial and three-dimensional finite Fourier series shape-based methods to estimate the initial values of the co-states. The performance of the approach for two interplanetary rendezvous missions from Earth to Mars and from Earth to asteroid Dionysus is compared against three other approaches which, respectively, exploit random initialization of co-states, adjoint-control transformation and a standard genetic algorithm. The results indicate that by using our proposed approach the percent of the converged cases is higher for trajectories with higher number of revolutions while the computation time is lower. These features are advantageous for broad trajectory search in the preliminary phase of mission designs.
Nonmeteorological Influences on Severe Thunderstorm Warning Issuance: A Geographically Weighted Regression-Based Analysis of County Warning Area Boundaries, Land Cover, and Demographic Variables

AbstractStudies have shown that the spatial distribution of severe thunderstorm warnings demonstrates variation beyond what can be attributed to weather and climate alone. Investigating spatial patterns of these variations can provide insight into nonmeteorological factors that might lead forecasters to issue warnings. Geographically weighted regression was performed on a set of demographic and land cover descriptors to ascertain their relationships with National Weather Service (NWS) severe thunderstorm warning polygons issued by 36 NWS forecast offices in the central and southeastern United States from 2008 to 2015. County warning area (CWA) boundaries and cities were predominant sources of variability in warning counts. Global explained variance in verified and unverified severe thunderstorm warnings ranged from 67% to 81% for population, median income, and percent imperviousness across the study area, which supports the spatial influence of these variables on warning issuance. Local regression coeffic...
Providing graduated corrective feedback in an intelligent computer-assisted language learning environment

Corrective feedback (CF), a response to linguistic errors made by second language (L2) learners, has received extensive scholarly attention in second language acquisition. While much of the previous research in the field has focused on whether CF facilitates or impedes L2 development, few studies have examined the efficacy of gradually modifying the explicitness or specificity of CF as a function of a learner’s response to the feedback. Yet, the type and extent of CF needed by a learner, as suggested by Vygotsky (1978), sheds light on whether a learner is developing his or her abilities in a particular area and the ways in which they do it. This paper reports on a study that explores the design, effectiveness and learners’ perception toward a graduated (Aljaafreh & Lantolf, 1994) approach to CF, i.e., feedback that progresses from very general and implicit to very specific and explicit, in an intelligent computer-assisted language learning (ICALL) environment. The results show that the graduated approach to CF is effective in helping learners to self-identify and self-correct a number of grammatical issues, although an onsite tutor provides necessary remedies when the ICALL system occasionally fails to do its part. Implications for CF research, particularly on the notion of individualized feedback, are also discussed.
Algorithms in practice: Comparing web journalism and criminal justice:

Big Data evangelists often argue that algorithms make decision-making more informed and objective—a promise hotly contested by critics of these technologies. Yet, to date, most of the debate has focused on the instruments themselves, rather than on how they are used. This article addresses this lack by examining the actual practices surrounding algorithmic technologies. Specifically, drawing on multi-sited ethnographic data, I compare how algorithms are used and interpreted in two institutional contexts with markedly different characteristics: web journalism and criminal justice. I find that there are surprising similarities in how web journalists and legal professionals use algorithms in their work. In both cases, I document a gap between the intended and actual effects of algorithms—a process I analyze as “decoupling.” Second, I identify a gamut of buffering strategies used by both web journalists and legal professionals to minimize the impact of algorithms in their daily work. Those include foot-draggi...
Extent of differentiated gene expression in the human endothelium-derived EA.hy926 cell line.

Vascular endothelial cells perform many differentiated functions in processes such as angiogenesis, hemostasis, and inflammation. The number of recognized differentiated functions has increased rapidly in recent years, but there may be many more still unrecognized. The purpose of this study is to estimate the fraction of differentially expressed mRNA in a continuous human endothelium-derived cell line, EA.hy926. Random cDNA clones representing mRNAs from this cell line were labeled and used to probe blots of RNA from EA.hy926 cells and from cells of a relatively undifferentiated line. Of 49 random cDNAs, 5 cDNAs or 10% were found to represent mRNAs that are differentially expressed in EA.hy926 and in early passage umbilical vein endothelial cells. Since more than 10(4) different genes are thought to be expressed in the typical mammalian cell, our data indicate that about 10(3) gene products contribute to the differentiated properties of endothelial cells.
CYP2A6 is associated with obesity: studies in human samples and a high fat diet mouse model.

CYP2A6 (CYP2A5 in mice) is mainly expressed in the liver. Hepatic CYP2A6 expression is increased in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In mice, hepatic CYP2A5 is induced by high fat diet (HFD) feeding. Hepatic CYP2A5 is also increased in monosodium glutamate-induced obese mice. NAFLD is associated with obesity. In this study, we examined whether obesity is related to CYP2A6. Obesity genetic association study: The SAGE is a comprehensive genome-wide association study (GWAS) with case subjects having a lifetime history of alcohol dependence and control subjects never addicted to alcohol. We used 1030 control individuals with self-reported height and weight. A total of 12 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) within the CYP2A6 gene were available. Obesity was determined as a BMI ≥30: 30–34.9 (Class I obesity) and ≥35 (Class II and III obesity). Animal experiment study: CYP2A5 knockout (cyp2a5 −/− ) mice and wild type (cyp2a5 +/+ ) mice were fed HFD for 14 weeks. Body weight was measured weekly. After an overnight fast, the mice were sacrificed. Liver and blood were collected for biochemical assays. Single marker analysis showed that three SNPs (rs8192729, rs7256108, and rs7255443) were associated with class I obesity (p < 0.05). The most significant SNP for obesity was rs8192729 (odds ratio (OR) = 1.94, 95% confidence intervals = 1.21–3.10, p = 0.00582). After HFD feeding, body weight was increased in cyp2a5 −/− mice to a greater extent than in cyp2a5 +/+ mice, and fatty liver was more pronounced in cyp2a5 −/− mice than in cyp2a5 +/+ mice. PPARα deficiency in cyp2a5 −/− mice developed more severe fatty liver, but body weight was not increased significantly. CYP2A6 is associated with human obesity; CYP2A5 protects against obesity and NAFLD in mice. PPARα contributes to the CYP2A5 protective effects on fatty liver but it opposes to the protective effects on obesity.
A multimodal analgesic protocol may reduce opioid use after third molar surgery: A pilot study.

Objective This study was designed to assess the number of opioid doses available to patients from filled prescriptions after adoption, in 2017, of a multimodal analgesic protocol that included opioid prescribing to manage postoperative pain. Study Design Data were retrieved from records of the first 24 patients having third molar surgery in 2017 identified from appointment schedules. Inclusion criteria were American Society of Anesthesiologists risk classification I or II, age 18 to 35 years, and at least 2 lower third molars removed. The exclusion criterion was being treated for opioid addiction/abuse. The primary outcome variable was the number of opioid doses filled by prescriptions at each patient's discretion. The primary predictor variable was the multimodal analgesic protocol. Results Data from records of 24 consecutive patients were analyzed; 83% were females. Median age was 25 years (interquartile range [IQR] 12-29 years). Median surgery time was 35 minutes (IQR 27-32 minutes). The median number of opioid doses filled in 2017 was 4 (IQR 0-4). Conclusions The outcomes from this pilot study suggest that implementation of a multimodal analgesic protocol to manage postoperative pain, while limiting the number of opioid doses available to the patient, may be an effective strategy for a wider range of patients and procedures.
Field evolution of magnons in α − RuCl 3 by high-resolution polarized terahertz spectroscopy

The quantum spin liquid (QSL) -- a phase of matter with no ordered ground state -- is of fundamental interest as excitations in this phase may break the molds of bosons and fermions and develop more complicated properties. The honeycomb magnet $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-RuCl${}_{3}$ has emerged as a candidate for realization of a QSL. Although it orders at low temperature, an in-plane magnetic field of around 7 Tesla destroys the order; the nature of this transition is intensely studied. Here, the authors use polarized time-domain terahertz spectroscopy to study the spectrum of magnetic excitations in $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-RuCl${}_{3}$ in an applied field. Motivated by the unusual evolution of the spectra, the authors develop a linear spin wave theory to describe the data with strikingly good agreement. These results provide clarity for ongoing work on this compound, and inform future studies aiming to detect field-induced QSL states.
Foot and Ankle Deformities

Pediatric foot and ankle deformities are extremely common and span a wide spectrum of severity, affecting the bones, tendons, and muscles of the foot and ankle. Common disorders include a cavus foot, tarsal coalitions, clubfoot, flat feet, and bunions. Pediatric foot and ankle deformities are often associated with other syndromes and congenital deformity, such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida, arthrogryposis, skeletal dysplasias, focusing treatment not only on the foot and ankle but the entire lower extremity. Treatment includes both nonoperative and operative techniques including bracing and shoe lifts, osteotomies, and soft tissue procedures.
Antitrust in History

The antitrust world before 1890 looks barren when compared with today’s global antitrust industry. The most common antitrust laws in pre-modern societies condemned practices that had the perceived tendency to raise prices: forestalling, hoarding and price fixing. Enforcement was focused on retail markets and trade in essential foodstuffs, like grain. Laws intended to ensure fair prices are common throughout history. Rules prohibiting unfair or excessive prices raise the more general question of price controls in pre-industrial societies. The historical evidence is ambiguous. Laws prohibiting monopolistic or abusive conduct are less clearly evident than anti-cartel laws in pre-industrial societies, although a few references exist. Before the 20th century, courts and authorities lacked the tools of modern economic analysis, like mathematics-based theories of harm. This absence of modern economics meant that there was no clear distinction among “economic,” “social,” “moral” and “political” policy objectives....
A chalcedony-like variety of germania

A fibrous variety of GeO/sub 2/ (quartz type) was produced by hydrothermally. It has anomalous physical and optical procerties which are analogous to the corresponding form of silica chalcedony. Accordingly, this variety may be termed chalcedonic germamia. Refractive indices determined for single crystals of GeO/sub 2/ (quartz type) are slightly different from those previously reported. (auth)
Pathways of economic influence on adolescent adjustment.

An important part of a science aimed at the prevention of human dysfunction involves the development of empirically based models that identify processes of risk for or protection from emotional distress or behavioral problems over time. The present study developed and evaluated such a model that proposed two pathways through which family economic pressure was expected to influence change in adolescent internalizing symptoms (depression and anxiety) during the period from the eighth to the tenth grades. A total of 377 rural families in a midwestern state provided data for the analyses. The results were generally consistent with the conceptual model in that family economic pressure increased adolescent perceptions of family economic hardship, which, in turn, reduced the adolescent's sense of control or mastery over time. Lowered mastery was associated with increases in emotional distress. Also consistent with the model, prior levels of mastery appeared to reduce the magnitude of economic stress experienced by the adolescent, whereas prior emotional distress intensified the economic stress process. Although gender differences were found in these processes, the overall pattern of results suggests that girls and boys are both at risk for internalizing problems when families experience economic pressure. Implicatios of the findings for the dvelopment of effective preventive interventions with financially stressed families in rural areas are discussed.
Usability Testing — The DATech Standard

The DATech Standard Usability Test is devoted to the conformity and nonconformity of software with usability standards (ISO 9241 Parts 10 and 11). The methods are intended for usability experts. The professional tester of software is guided to restrict the test effort to those requirements that can be derived as being objective and valid. A statement on conformity is thus confined to the list of such requirements. On this basis the results achieved with a test are reproducible. A complete product test, as suggested by the verification approach of ISO 9241, can hardly be put into practice cost-effectively. Therefore, according to the DATech approach a product’s conformity with standards is being presumed until the reverse has been verified (so-called falsification approach). Such a proof is always linked to objective requirements derived from the context of use and user performance. Adhering to this test approach a product can be claimed as usable. If a deviation from the standard is suspected, it has to be proven by means of a separate procedure. In this case the impact of a suspected deviation on user performance is looked into. The virtue of this approach is not only seen in the stated defects and related impacts but also in its constructive contribution to quality improvement. Every ergonomie improvement helps save usage costs. Nowadays, it is not the purchase costs that “gives the user a headache” but the mostly underestimated usage costs. The application of the test method can therefore contribute to reduce these costs and simultaneously improve the quality of work.
Pattern of southern Laurentide Ice Sheet margin position changes during Heinrich Stadials 2 and 1

Abstract With concerns over rising global temperatures, ice sheet stability and implications for sea level rise, the responses of former ice sheets to past climate change provide useful insights into linkages between the atmosphere, cryosphere and oceans. One example is the behavior of the Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS) during Heinrich Stadials, times of cooler sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic. Using existing cosmogenic surface exposure ages, varve chronologies, radiocarbon ages, and optically stimulated luminescence ages from the southern LIS margin, this report tests the hypothesis that the southern side of the LIS advanced during times of surface cooling of the North Atlantic. This test reconstructs the timing of local glacial maxima and the times immediately pro- and preceding them, from multiple areas and compares them to the timing of Heinrich Stadial 2 (HS2; 26.6–23.6 ka) and to the timing of Heinrich Stadial 1 (HS1; 19.3–15.3 ka). During HS2 southern sector lobes (New England region, Huron-Erie Lobe, Lake Michigan Lobe, Green Bay Lobe and the Chippewa Lobe) advanced towards their maximum position, except for the Des Moines Lobe for which there is no applicable data. During HS1 these same lobes experienced substantial retreat, but the Des Moines Lobe advanced. Thus, the southern Laurentide margin behaved differently during the two Heinrich Stadials. This pattern may be attributed to differing east-west temperature gradients across North America and associated changes in atmospheric circulation.
Business, Leadership and Education: A Case for More Business Engagement in Higher Education.

Institutions of higher education prepare and develop students for the workforce, and in the coming decade, the challenge of workforce preparation will increase as the current workforce is retiring during a time of economic growth. Traditional higher education practice tasks faculty with developing appropriate curricula for students that will adequately prepare them for employment and leadership within an organization, but often this development lacks direct industry input into course content and design resulting in a gap between industry needs and graduate skills. This study addresses both current and perceived future educational and leadership needs of a workforce in an 11 county region in the north central United States. It explores potential strategies for mitigating the skills gap as it relates to organizational leadership skills, the evolving roles of faculty, and curriculum design and application, and develops a community alliance model for business, leadership, and education.
EARLY AND DELAYED CARDIAC COMPLICATIONS FOLLOWING HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION AND THE UTILITY OF BASELINE ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY IN RISK STRATIFICATION

Cardiologists are often involved in managing hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT) patients, both in risk stratification pre-transplant and in managing cardiac complications post-transplant. However, limited data exist to guide clinicians on the frequency of cardiac complications and on the role
The contribution of the rs55705857 G allele to familial cancer risk as estimated in the Utah population database

IDH1/2 mutated glioma has been associated with a germline risk variant, the rs55705857 G allele. The Utah Population Database (UPDB), a computerized genealogy of people in Utah, is a unique resource to evaluate cancer risk in related individuals. One hundred and two individuals with IDH1/2 mutant or 1p/19q co-deleted glioma were genotyped and linked to the UPDB. DNA came from blood (21), tumor tissue (43), or both (38). We determined congruence between somatic and germline samples and estimated the relative risk for developing cancer to first and second-degree relatives of G and A allele carriers at rs55705857. Somatic (glioma) DNA had 85.7% sensitivity (CI 57.2–98.2%) and 95.8% specificity (CI 78.9–99.89%) for germline rs55705857 G allele. Forty-one patients were linked to pedigrees in the UPDB with at least three generations of data. First-degree relatives of rs55705857 G allele carriers were at significantly increased risk for developing cancer (RR = 1.72, p = 0.045, CI 1.02–2.94), and specifically for oligodendroglioma (RR = 57.61, p = 0.017, CI 2.96–320.98) or prostate cancer (RR = 4.10, p = 0.008, CI 1.62–9.58); relatives of individuals without the G allele were not at increased risk. Second-degree relatives of G allele carriers also had significantly increased risk for developing cancer (RR = 1.50, p = 0.007, CI 1.15–2.01). Tumor DNA may approximate genotype at the rs55705857 locus. We confirmed this locus confers an increased risk of all cancers and especially of oligodendroglioma. No increased cancer or brain tumor risk is seen in family members of individuals without the high-risk G allele.
Functional Connectivity MR Imaging

Brain function arises out of interactions between brain areas. Neuroimaging studies of brain function are, therefore, concerned not only with activity in discrete brain areas but also with the interactions between areas. A variety of approaches have been developed to study these interactions. The simplest of these is to examine functional connectivity, defined as “temporal correlations between spatially remote neurophysio­logical events” [1, 2]. Because functional connectivity is defined as a correlation, it does not imply causal effects. The term effective connectivity is used to describe the “influence that one neural system exerts over another.” [1] This chapter is focused on the methods and applications of functional connectivity analyses. The reader is referred elsewhere for information about current approaches for inferring effective connectivity [3–6].
Ruthenium-catalyzed oxidation of silyl ethers to silyl esters

Abstract Direct oxidation of silyl ethers to silyl esters, using RuO4 formed in situ, is reported. The reaction was optimized to minimize formation of the corresponding carboxylic acid product whose formation pathway appears to be solvent dependent. The reaction is tolerant of halides, nitriles, nitro groups, esters, epoxides, and ketones.
Novel Pursuits:The Interactive Role of CEO’s Scientific Knowledge and Scientist’s Business Knowledge

While pursuit of novel innovation requires both business and scientific knowledge, often in an iterative manner, these two bodies of knowledge or their sources are not necessarily compatible. With ...
Scattering spectra from trace particles actively illuminated by a mid-infrared supercontinuum FTIR sensor

We measure and simulate the diffuse scattering return from sparse particles of RDX, caffeine, and acetaminophen deposited on substrates consisting of smooth aluminum, silicon, and glass substrates at a distance of 3.6 m using a mid-infrared supercontinuum FTIR sensor. The measured spectra show that molecular fingerprint regime contains reflectance peaks that can be used for chemical identification and the mid-wave infrared provides information for target orientation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that spectra obtained using our supercontinuum FTIR sensor can be accurately simulated using a Bobbert-Vlieger model. The Bobbert-Vlieger model can then be used to create a library that can account for the trace chemical, underlying substrate, and target orientation, for stand-off chemical identification.
Gender Matters: The Perceived Role of Gender Expression in Discrimination Against Cisgender and Transgender LGBQ Individuals:

Although violation of gender norms has been discussed as a fundamental component of and underlying foundation for anti-queer discrimination, less research has directly attended to how lesbian, gay,...
Evaluation of the urinary bladder using three-dimensional CT cinematic rendering.

Abstract Three-dimensional (3D) visualizations of volumetric data from computed tomography (CT) acquisitions can be important adjuncts to interpretation of two-dimensional (2D) reconstructions. Recently, the 3D technique known as cinematic rendering (CR) was introduced, allowing photorealistic images to be created from standard CT acquisitions. CR methodology is under increasing investigation for use in the display of regions of complex anatomy and as a tool for education and preoperative planning. In this article, we will illustrate the potential utility of CR for evaluating the urinary bladder and associated pathology. The urinary bladder is susceptible to a multitude of neoplastic and inflammatory conditions and their sequelae. The intrinsic properties of CR may prove useful for the display of subtle mucosal/luminal irregularities, the simultaneous display of soft tissue detail with high-resolution maps of associated tumor neovasculature, and the improved display of spatial relationships to aid pre-procedural planning. Further refinement of presets for CR image creation and prospective evaluation of urinary bladder CR in real-world settings will be important for widespread clinical adoption.
Code Is Your Partner in Thought

Writing about the buildup of technical debt, Ward Cunningham said, “Although immature code may work fine and be completely acceptable to the customer, excess quantities will make a program unmasterable, leading to extreme specialization of programmers and finally an inflexible product.” In this article, I’ll dig into the apparent paradox: how can code work fine and yet be unmasterable? Our code has characteristics of both a machine and pure thought. Technical debt arises when these do not line up. Software developers have a hard time seeing how weird this is because we’re too familiar with our subject. To help us see it from a nonprogrammer perspective, I’m going to try something a bit different in this column. What follows is a fictional conversation between me and a nonprogrammer friend.