cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Serotonin Reuptake Transporter Deficiency Modulates the Acute Thermoregulatory and Locomotor Activity Response to 3,4-(±)-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, and Attenuates Depletions in Serotonin Levels in SERT-KO Rats

3,4-(±)-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a ring-substituted amphetamine derivative with potent psychostimulant properties. The neuropharmacological effects of MDMA are biphasic in nature, initially causing synaptic monoamine release, primarily of serotonin (5-HT), inducing thermogenesis and hyperactivity (5-HT syndrome). The long-term effects of MDMA manifest as a prolonged depletion in 5-HT, and structural damage to 5-HT nerve terminals. MDMA toxicity is in part mediated by an ability to inhibit the presynaptic 5-HT reuptake transporter (SERT). Using a SERT-knockout (SERT-KO) rat model, we determined the impact of SERT deficiency on thermoregulation, locomotor activity, and neurotoxicity in SERT-KO or Wistar-based wild-type (WT) rats exposed to MDMA. WT and SERT-KO animals exhibited the highest thermogenic responses to MDMA (four times 10 mg/kg, sc at 12 h intervals) during the diurnal (first and third) doses according to peak body temperature and area under the curve (∑°C × h) analysis. Although no differences in peak body temperature were observed between MDMA-treated WT and SERT-KO animals, ∑°C × h following the first MDMA dose was reduced in SERT-KO rats. Exposure to a single dose of MDMA stimulated horizontal velocity in both WT and SERT-KO rats, however, this effect was delayed and attenuated in the KO animals. Finally, SERT-KO rats were insensitive to MDMA-induced long-term (7 days) depletions in 5-HT and its metabolite, 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid, in both cortex and striatum. In conclusion, SERT deficiency modulated MDMA-mediated thermogenesis, hyperactivity and neurotoxicity in KO rats. The data confirm that the SERT is essential for the manifestation of the acute and long-term toxicities of MDMA.
Supersaturated N2O in a perennially ice-covered Antarctic lake: Molecular and stable isotopic evidence for a biogeochemical relict

The east lobe of Lake Bonney, a permanently ice-covered lake in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, has a mid-depth maximum N2O concentration of 43.3 m mol NL 21 (.700,000% saturation with respect to air), representing one of the highest concentrations reported for a natural aquatic system. d15N and d18O measurements indicate that this is the most isotopically depleted N2O yet observed in a natural environment (minimum d15N-N2 Oo f279.6% vs. air-N2; minimum d18O-N2 Oo f24.7% vs. Vienna standard mean ocean water), providing new end points for these parameters in natural systems. The extremely depleted nitrogen and oxygen isotopes, together with nitrogen isotopic isomer data for N2O, imply that most of the N2O was produced via incomplete nitrification and has undergone virtually no subsequent consumption. However, molecular evidence provides little support for metabolically active nitrifying populations at depths where the maximal N2O concentrations occur and contemporary biogeochemical reactions cannot explain the extreme excesses of N2 Oi n Lake Bonney. The gas appears to be a legacy of past biogeochemical conditions within the lake, and in the absence of a significant sink and the presence of a highly stable water column, gradients in N2O produced by past microbial activity could persist in the cold saline waters of Lake Bonney for .104 years.
Fully Discharging Phases A New Approach to Biphasic Waveforms for External Defibrillation

Background —Phase-2 voltage and maximum pulse width are dependent on phase-1 pulse characteristics in a single-capacitor biphasic waveform. The use of 2 separate output capacitors avoids these limitations and may allow waveforms with lower defibrillation thresholds. A previous report also suggested that the optimal tilt may be >70%. This study was designed to determine an optimal biphasic waveform by use of a combination of 2 separate and fully (95% tilt) discharging capacitors. Methods and Results —We performed 2 external defibrillation studies in a pig ventricular fibrillation model. In group 1, 9 waveforms from a combination of 3 phase-1 capacitor values (30, 60, and 120 μF) and 3 phase-2 capacitor values (0=monophasic, 1/3, and 1.0 times the phase-1 capacitor) were tested. Biphasic waveforms with phase-2 capacitors of 1/3 times that of phase 1 provided the highest defibrillation efficacy (stored energy and voltage) compared with corresponding monophasic and biphasic waveforms with the same capacitors in both phases except for waveforms with a 30-μF phase-1 capacitor. In group 2, 10 biphasic waveforms from a combination of 2 phase-1 capacitor values (30 and 60 μF) and 5 phase-2 capacitor values (10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 μF) were tested. In this range, phase-2 capacitor size was more critical for the 30-μF phase-1 than for the 60-μF phase-1 capacitor. The optimal combinations of fully discharging capacitors for defibrillation were 60/20 and 60/30 μF. Conclusions —Phase-2 capacitor size plays an important role in reducing defibrillation energy in biphasic waveforms when 2 separate and fully discharging capacitors are used.
Symbiotic Seed Germination and Mycorrhizae of Federally Threatened Platanthera praeclara (Orchidaceae)

Abstract In vitro culture of mycotrophic leaf-bearing seedlings of federally threatened Platanthera praeclara Sheviak and Bowles, a terrestrial orchid native to the midwestern prairies, is reported for the first time. Symbiotic germination was evaluated to: (1) determine need for cold moist stratification to enhance seed germination and seedling development and (2) identify the mycobionts that support in vitro germination and development. Germination was improved by exposing seeds to both 4- and 6-mo stratification periods; whereas seeds without stratification failed to germinate in a pilot study. Pretreatment of seeds with 6 mo of stratification combined with inoculation with mycorrhizal fungus derived from a seedling (Ceratorhiza sp., UAMH 9847) supported development of higher stage protocorms and some leaf-bearing seedlings of P. praeclara. Protocorms with developing leaf primordia were also obtained by coinoculation with strains of Epulorhiza and Ceratorhiza. Fungi derived from mature P. praeclara pla...
Fetal epicardial fat thickness in diabetic and non-diabetic pregnancies: A retrospective cross-sectional study.

Objective To evaluate fetal epicardial fat thickness (EFT) in diabetic and control pregnancies. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed in which fetal EFT was measured in the second trimester in 28 diabetics and 28 non-diabetic patients. Maternal BMI, estimated fetal weight, birth weight, fetal abdominal circumference, and subcutaneous fat thickness were also collected. Statistical analysis was carried out by means of chi-square, Wilcoxon rank-sum test, Student's T test, and linear regression as appropriate. Results EFT was significantly higher in diabetic (1.43 mm) vs. control fetuses (1.16 mm), P = 0.02. This relationship remained significant when controlling for covariates. Conclusions EFT was higher in fetuses of diabetic mothers vs. fetuses from controls. If confirmed in prospective studies, this may represent a novel marker for altered fetal metabolism due to maternal diabetes.
From Evolutionary Consciousness to Conscious Evolution

In Chapter 4, I gave an account of the “Human Revolution,” the emergence of the First Generation of Homo sapiens sapiens (HSS). Stepping on the evolutionary stage the Cro-Magnons represented the first life cycle of three Generations of HSS. The second life cycle, the Second Generation of HSS, was the era of the Agricultural Revolution. During the 10,000 years in which it existed, it saw the emergence of three successive civilizations. The Third Generation HSS, the era of the Scientific-Industrial Revolution, emerged during the Renaissance. Each generation came forth as a major quantum leap, a major transformation in the existence of HSS. Today we again live at the very edge of another massive evolutionary transformation—to the Fourth Generation of HSS. We are at the exit door of the design space of the Third Generation and try to prepare ourselves to take a quantum jump into the design space of the Fourth Generation. But we can jump-start this transformation only if our answer to the question of the “fictional superior creature from space” is a resounding yes. Yes, we are conscious of our evolution. Yes, we have attained evolutionary consciousness.
(Invited) P-Type Transparent Conducting Oxide Protection Layers for Sustainable Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation

Author(s): Chen, L; Yang, J; Lee, LJ; Klaus, S; Woods-Robinson, R; Lum, Y; Cooper, JK; Sharp, ID; Bell, AT; Ager, JW | Abstract: In this paper, we propose that a p-type transparent conducting oxide (p-TCO) can function as a selective hole contact and corrosion protection layer on photoanodes used for light-driven water oxidation. To prove the concept, NiCo2O4 was used as the p-TCO for n-Si protection in alkaline condition, and we show that this material has the requisite electronic structure, stability, transparency, and hole conductivity to achieve sustained and efficient solar water oxidation. The photoelectrochemical performance demonstrates the attractive combination of transparency and low-resistance hole conductivity in the NiCo2O4. Long-term testing indicates multi-day stability with minimal decrease in performance or observable corrosion of the Si photoanode. This works suggests that p-TCOs are promising as corrosion protection layers for stable water oxidation photoanodes.
Can Editing be Quantitated

In order to determine how uniformly editors handled their editing assignments and to determine which areas of manuscript preparation caused authors the most difficulty, manuscripts from the PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES were analyzed for the number and type of corrections made by the editors. Four broad defect areas were established: nomenclature, spelling, punctuation, and construction. The results suggest that there is a remarkable degree of uniformity among the editors who have similar training but different levels of editing experience.
Enhancement in CO2 adsorption capacity by propylsilane backfilling on ethylenediamine-modified SBA-15 in supercritical fluid

Publisher Summary Ethylenediamine (EDA)-modified polymers have been reported to adsorb CO2, but the operation temperature is limited to about 100°C because of the polymer substrates. This chapter presents a study in which EDA-modified solid sorbents were prepared using large pore mesoporous silica SBA-15. The thermal stability and the CO2 desorption temperature of the new materials were found to be similar to those of the regular pore size EDA-SBA-15. Desorption of CO2 gas was observed at 102°C and the sorbent remains stable in N2 in excess of 300°C. The study demonstrated that the CO2 adsorption capacity of the EDA-SBA-15 sorbents can be enhanced by a C3-backfilling treatment in supercritical fluid. The treatment releases those EDA head groups that are locked on the surface via hydrogen bond with surface silanol groups. When the silanol groups are eliminated and replaced by the inert C3 groups, the EDA groups released then can participate in reaction with CO2 molecules, hence the increase in adsorption capacity. The silane loading density data show that if all the sites that were backfilled with C3 groups are instead occupied by EDA ligands, the total EDA sites available for CO2 capture could be increased by 2.6–3.1 folds.
Algonquian Shamans and Puritan Saints

This paper compares the shamanism of seventeenth-century Indians in southern New England with the religion of the New England Puritans. The paper identifies shamanic elements within Puritan religion, focusing particular attention on the visionary experiences and social control the Puritans gained through praying, preaching, reading, and writing. Although the literacy and moralism essential to Puritan religion were absent in seventeenth-century Algonquian shamanism, the powers of Puritan literacy and moralism can be understood in shamanic terms.
Longitudinal Strain and Strain Rate Abnormalities Precede Invasive Diagnosis of Transplant Coronary Artery Vasculopathy in Pediatric Cardiac Transplant Patients

Transplant coronary artery vasculopathy (TCAV) is the primary cause of late graft loss in pediatric heart transplant recipients. TCAV is diagnosed using angiography or intravascular ultrasound; however, noninvasive methods remain elusive. We sought to define patterns of myocardial mechanics in patients with TCAV and to determine whether this can detect TCAV before invasive methods. In this retrospective study, we queried our heart transplant database to identify all recipients with TCAV since 2006 (n = 41). Echoes were reviewed from the last normal catheterization and at TCAV diagnosis, and from time-matched transplant controls (n = 33) without TCAV. Peak global circumferential and longitudinal strain and systolic and diastolic strain rate (SSR and DSR) of the left ventricle were derived using velocity vector imaging. T tests were used to compare both groups longitudinally and between groups at both time points. Longitudinal strain, SSR, and DSR were diminished in the TCAV group compared to the transplant control group at both time points. No differences were found across time points in either group. Retrospective modeling using a longitudinal strain cutoff of 15 % on echoes 2 years prior to TCAV diagnosis predicted development or exclusion of TCAV with sensitivity of 53 %, specificity of 89 % with an area under the curve of 0.8. Decreases in longitudinal strain measurements demonstrate that alterations in myocardial mechanics occur in patients with TCAV at least 2 years prior to invasive diagnosis. These early changes may be due to microvascular disease. This modality could aid in earlier treatment and intervention for this challenging problem .
Counting sequences

A Gray sequence is a counter sequence where the Hamming distance between successive states is one. A construction for any fixed odd distance between successive states is given based on error-correcting codes. Such sequences could be used in testing and fault diagnosis when sequencing through all possible input combinations. Sequences with the maximum possible difference between successive states, alternately n and n-1, are given. A characterization of such maximal change sequences is given. The most nearly uniform even difference sequences are described. The distribution of bit changes or transition counts for individual variables for a counting sequence is considered.
Taste aversion learning in horses

The ability of ponies to learn to avoid a relatively novel food associated with illness was tested in three situations: when illness occurred immediately after consuming a feed; when illness occurred 30 min after consuming a feed; and when illness was contingent upon eating one of three feeds offered simultaneously. Apomorphine was used to produce illness. The feeds associated with illness were corn, alfalfa pellets, sweet feed and a complete pelleted feed. The ponies learned to avoid all the fees except the complete feed when apomorphine injection immediately followed consumption of the feed. However, the ponies did not learn to avoid a feed if apomorphine was delayed 30 min after feed consumption. They could learn to avoid alfalfa pellets, but not corn, when these feeds were presented with the familiar "safe foods," oats and soybean meal. Ponies apparently are able to learn a taste aversion, but there were constraints on this learning ability. Under the conditions of this study, they did not learn to avoid a food that made them sick long after consumption of the food, and they had more difficulty learning to avoid highly palatable feeds.
Spaceflight results in formation of defective bone.

AbstractGrowing rats were flown on 19 day spaceflights aboard Cosmos 782 and 936 biosatellites. Spaceflight resulted in a prominent skeletal defect at the periosteal surface of the tibia diaphysis. The defect, termed an arrest line, was approximately 3 μm across and separated the bone formed in space from that formed following spaceflight. The bone matrix at the arrest line region was abnormal in that collagen fibers were preferentially orientated parallel to the periosteal surface. In addition, the bone matrix was hypomineralized. The altered bone was inferior to normal bone in resistance to abrasion and may be partially responsible for the decrease in torsiona strength observed after spaceflight
Multidisciplinary treatment for thoracic and abdominopelvic endometriosis.

Background and objectives Thoracic endometriosis is a rare form of extragenital endometriosis with important clinical ramifications. Up to 80% of women with thoracic endometriosis have concomitant abdominopelvic endometriosis, yet the surgical treatment is usually performed with separate procedures. This is the largest published series of the combination of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and traditional laparoscopy for the treatment of abdominopelvic and thoracic endometriosis. The objectives of this series are to further evaluate the manifestations of thoracic endometriosis, assess the multidisciplinary surgical approach, and discuss our institution's protocols. Methods This is a retrospective, institutional review board-approved case series of 25 consecutive women who underwent combined video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and traditional laparoscopy for the treatment of abdominopelvic, diaphragmatic, and thoracic endometriosis from January 1, 2008, to September 30, 2013. All surgeries were performed at a tertiary referral center by the same primary surgeons. Data were collected by chart review. Results Twenty-five patients were included, with a mean age of 37.7 years. Eighty percent of patients had catamenial chest pain, and in 40% this was their only chest complaint. Shoulder pain was noted in 40% of patients, catamenial pneumothorax in 24%, and hemoptysis in 12%. One hundred percent of patients were found to have endometriosis in the pelvis, 100% in the diaphragm, 64% in the chest wall, and 40% in the parenchyma. There were 2 major postoperative complications: 1 diaphragmatic hernia and 1 vaginal cuff hematoma. Conclusion Clinical suspicion and preoperative assessment are crucial in the diagnosis of thoracic endometriosis and allow for a multidisciplinary approach. The combination of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and traditional laparoscopy for the treatment of endometriosis optimally addresses the pelvis, diaphragm, and thoracic cavity in a single operation.
Tufted Apple Budmoth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae): Effects of Constant Daylengths and Temperatures on Larval Growth Rate and Determination of Larval-Pupal Ecdysis

The relationship of head capsule width (HCW) to instar number in larvae of tufted apple budmoth, Platynota idaeusalis (Walker), was determined under different conditions of constant daylength and temperature. Growth rate (increase in HCW with instar) decreased markedly under the short-daylength, low-temperature condition, which has previously been shown to induce larval diapause. Variation in both growth rate and number of instars increased under diapause conditions. Under all conditions, growth rate was lower in larvae which experienced more instars before larval-pupal ecdysis, yet mean size of final-instar larvae increased with total number of larval instars. The hypothesis of constancy of growth ratio was rejected for all conditions. There was not an absolute threshold of larval size at which larvae metamorphosed, but discriminant analysis demonstrated that larval size was more important to form determination than was instar number. Field-collected overwintering tufted apple budmoth larvae, which experienced short-daylength, low-temperature conditions, did not have discrete size classes representing specific instars.
Neurologic aspects of lymphoma and leukemias

Abstract The lymphomas and leukemias are a heterogenous group of hematologic malignancies with protean manifestations. Neurologic sequelae of the diseases have been recognized since the time the conditions were first described in the mid-1800s. Although our understanding of the various presentations of these blood disorders evolved along with our knowledge of malignancies, accurate diagnosis can still be difficult. It is critical for neurologists to have a high index of clinical suspicion to appropriately recognize their heralding features. This review’s focus is the relevant clinical neurologic features and diagnostic studies that identify leukemias and lymphomas affecting the nervous system.
Density of Anopheles sinensis and its growth or decay trend with season

Objective To obtain the density and growth or decay with season of Anopheles sinensis in Dandong,provide scientific evidence for malaria control.Methods Collecting the mosquito by mosquito net trap.Results The active peroid of Anopheles sinensis in Dandong was from June to October,the peak period was from July to August.The Anopheles sinensis occupied 18.5% in 2005,27.96% in 2006.Conclusion The malaria incidence rate was according to the growth and decay with season of Anopheles sinensis in Dandong.It was necessary to reduce being stung by mosquitoes for malaria control.
Weight, Weight Perceptions, and Health-Related Quality of Life Among a National Sample of US Girls.

Objective To examine associations between 3 weight indices (weight status, perceived weight, and weight status perception accuracy) and heath-related quality of life (HRQOL). Methods Data are for girls in the 2009 Health Behaviors in School-Age Children survey, a nationally representative sample of students in Grades 5 to 10 during the 2009/2010 school year (n = 5018). Controlling for sociodemographics, multivariate linear regressions examined associations between self-reported weight status (underweight/normal/overweight/obese), perceived weight (how children categorize their weight), weight status perception accuracy (underestimate/accurate perception/overestimate), and dimensions of HRQOL, including physical, emotional, social, and school functioning. Results Although obesity was only associated with poor physical and emotional HRQOL, perceptions of being overweight were associated with worse physical, emotional, school, and social HRQOL. Furthermore, girls who overestimated their weight reported poorer HRQOL than those with accurate weight perceptions. Associations of perceptions of being overweight and weight status overestimation with poor HRQOL despite, in most instances, the absence of associations between weight status and HRQOL suggest that weight status perceptions may not merely be a mediator of a weight status-HRQOL association but a significant independent correlate of poor HRQOL. Conclusion These findings raise the issue of whether there is a need to prioritize intervention efforts to promote better HRQOL by redefining the population of girls most at risk. Parents, teachers, and clinicians should be aware that, rather than overweight status, perceptions of being overweight (accurately or not) are associated with a poor HRQOL among girls. Future research should examine the potential negative effect of using specific body image terminologies on adolescents' psychological health.
Platelet-Rich Plasma Activates Proinflammatory Signaling Pathways and Induces Oxidative Stress in Tendon Fibroblasts

Background:Tendon injuries are one of the most common musculoskeletal conditions in active patients. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has shown some promise in the treatment of tendon disorders, but little is known as to the mechanisms by which PRP can improve tendon regeneration. PRP contains numerous different growth factors and cytokines that activate various cellular signaling cascades, but it has been difficult to determine precisely which signaling pathways and cellular responses are activated after PRP treatment. Additionally, macrophages play an important role in modulating tendon regeneration, but the influence of PRP on determining whether macrophages assume a proinflammatory or anti-inflammatory phenotype remains unknown.Purpose:To use genome-wide expression profiling, bioinformatics, and protein analysis to determine the cellular pathways activated in fibroblasts treated with PRP. The effect of PRP on macrophage polarization was also evaluated.Study Design:Controlled laboratory study.Methods:Tendon ...
SU-G-IeP2-10: Lens Dose Reduction by Patient Position Modification During Neck CT Exams

Purpose: Irradiation of the lens during a neck CT may increase a patient's risk of developing cataracts later in life. Radiologists and technologists at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (NIHCC) have developed new CT imaging protocols that include a reduction in scan range and modifying neck positioning using a head tilt. This study will evaluate the efficacy of this protocol in the reduction of lens dose. Methods: We retrieved CT images of five male patients who had two sets of CT images: before and after the implementation of the new protocol. The lens doses before the new protocol were calculated using an in-house CT dose calculator, National Cancer Institute dosimetry system for CT (NCICT), where computational human phantoms with no head tilt are included. We also calculated the lens dose for the patient CT conducted after the new protocol by using an adult male computational phantom with the neck position deformed to match the angle of the head tilt. We also calculated the doses to other radiosensitive organs including the globes of the eye, brain, pituitary gland and salivary glands before and after head tilt. Results: Our dose calculations demonstrated that modifying neck position reduced dose to the lens by 89% on average (range: 86–96%). Globe, brain, pituitary and salivary gland doses also decreased by an average of 65% (51–95%), 38% (−8–66%), 34% (−43–84%) and 14% (13–14%), respectively. The new protocol resulted in a nearly ten-fold decrease in lens dose. Conclusion: The use of a head tilt and scan range reduction is an easy and effective method to reduce radiation exposure to the lens and other radiosensitive organs, while still allowing for the inclusion of critical neck structures in the CT image. We are expanding our study to a total of 10 males and 10 females.
The Form and Content of Recent Riots

The Report of the National Advisory Committee on Civil Disorders, Tom Wicker has written, "derives its most devastating validity from the fact that it was drawn by representatives of the moderate and 'responsible' establishment-not by black radicals, militant youth or even academic leftists."' No doubt Wicker is right, but, despite its laudable desire to "tell it like it is," the Commission was not insensitive to presumed political constraints. In the analytic parts of the Report the war in Vietnam, as a contributory factor to unrest in the nation and as a diversion of national resources, was all but ignored. Similarly, there was no discussion of the fiscal problems involved in implementing the Commission's recommendations for social change.2
A theory of causal mechanisms and Global Design-in-Motion

States operate in an open, interdependent system where national policies are shaped by global interactions and flows. Equally significantly, globalization of commodities, people, and services is undergirded by global rules, laws, organizations, and mechanisms of global compliance. Yet, we do not know enough about how global trade rules of the game get translated and modified in diverse countries. While many ideas offer theoretical expectations about compliance and cooperation, rigorous empirical analysis of how globalization is embedded in specific countries lags behind such theoretical development. This book builds a new theoretical framework, the Global Design-in-Motion (GDM) Framework , and conducts an original empirical analysis of how global markets and global order-design shape Indian trade politics. This focus resonates with an argument “against compliance” and shifts attention to how global rules are interpreted by governments and shape and transform Indian institutions and preferences in turn. In order to understand this complex transformation within India and other large emerging countries, the triangular framework proposes a set of relational causal mechanisms that interact across domestic and global jurisdictions and might explain the long chain of implementing globalization within countries. This book also offers a new perspective on India's ongoing transformations. I argue that India's trajectory of globalization can only be understood by relocating (or displacing) India from a predominantly national context to a more open, global framework where national politics and international regimes are not treated as dichotomous. Faced with a severe fiscal crisis, the Indian government liberalized its economy in 1991 in order to qualify for an IMF loan. Yet, between 1993 and 2000, trade liberalization slowed, and the government raised tariffs again. Despite the radical changes of 1991, a definite reversal in India's trade orientation was evident from 1993 to 2000 as the country returned to protectionist policies. India's global strategies were hesitant and inward oriented during the 1990s. The year 2000 saw another paradigmatic shift, bringing India closer to global markets. This time, a more open economic paradigm was sustained throughout the 2000s. By 2013, foreign trade in goods and services had increased beyond expectations, constituting 53.2 percent of India's GDP (World Bank 2013). The 1999-2000 reforms represent a turning point in India's ongoing reform trajectory; they transformed India into a more open, global economy.
The Effects of Instrumental Elliptical Polarization on Stellar Point Spread Function Fine Structure

We present procedures and preliminary results from a study on the effects of instrumental polarization on the fine structure of the stellar point spread function (PSF). These effects are important to understand because the the aberration caused by instrumental polarization on an otherwise diffraction-limited will likely have have severe consequences for extreme high contrast imaging systems such as NASA's planned Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) mission and the proposed NASA Eclipse mission. The report here, describing our efforts to examine these effects, includes two parts: 1) a numerical analysis of the effect of metallic reflection, with some polarization-specific retardation, on a spherical wavefront; 2) an experimental approach for observing this effect, along with some preliminary laboratory results. While the experimental phase of this study requires more fine-tuning to produce meaningful results, the numerical analysis indicates that the inclusion of polarization-specific phase effects (retardation) results in a point spread function (PSF) aberration more severe than the amplitude (reflectivity) effects previously recorded in the literature.
Dangerous Liaisons: Deviant Endothelium NOTCHes toward Tumor Metastasis

In this issue of Cancer Cell, Wieland et al. uncover a feedback loop in which tumor cells, by augmenting Notch signaling, provoke a senescent and pro-inflammatory state in endothelial cells, promoting neutrophil infiltration, tumor cell adhesion, and metastasis. Interfering with this Notch-dependent crosstalk may be a therapeutic approach to block metastasis.
Extremely Stable Sodium Metal Batteries Enabled by Localized High-Concentration Electrolytes

Sodium (Na) metal is a promising anode for Na-ion batteries. However, the high reactivity of Na metal with electrolytes and the low Na metal cycling efficiency have limited its practical application in rechargeable Na metal batteries. High-concentration electrolytes (HCE, ≥4 M) consisting of sodium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (NaFSI) and ether solvent could ensure the stable cycling of Na metal with high Coulombic efficiency but at the cost of high viscosity, poor wettability, and high salt cost. Here, we report that the salt concentration could be significantly reduced (≤1.5 M) by a hydrofluoroether as an “inert” diluent, which maintains the solvation structures of HCE, thereby forming a localized high-concentration electrolyte (LHCE). A LHCE [2.1 M NaFSI/1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME)–bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) ether (BTFE) (solvent molar ratio 1:2)] enables dendrite-free Na deposition with a high Coulombic efficiency of >99%, fast charging (20C), and stable cycling (90.8% retention after 40 000 cycles) of Na∥Na...
Understanding how problem formulation in systems engineering influences system affordability: a systems thinking investigation

Systems engineering is promoted as the engineering discipline that facilitates success in the development of large-scale systems; yet these continue to significantly fail in all major dimensions: performance, cost, and schedule. Requirements are the cornerstone of this discipline because they often set the boundary conditions on which systems are developed, but their capability to influence system affordability seems questionable. The present research explores current practices of requirements engineering and, using systems thinking, investigates how they influence system affordability. A set of measures is proposed by the authors that would enable an active use of requirements engineering to facilitate the development of affordable systems.
Weaponry, Evolution of*

Humans have proven themselves to be infinitely ingenious at creating and using devices to overcome their limitations. From one perspective human history can be seen as a series of ever-more-efficient devices to help humans communicate, travel, trade, work, and even to think. Similarly, the history of violence, peace, and conflict can be seen as the history, or the evolution, of a series of ever-more-efficient devices to enable humans to kill and dominate their fellow human beings. The concept of an ‘evolution’ of weaponry is very appropriate, since the battlefield is the ultimate realm of Darwinian natural selection. With few exceptions, any weapon or system that survives for any length of time does so because of its utility. Nothing survives for long on the battlefield simply because of superstition. Anything that is effective is copied and perpetuated, anything ineffective results in death, defeat, and extinction. There are fads and remnants (the military equivalent of the appendix) but, over the long run, everything happens for a reason, and a valid theory of weapons evolution must make these reasons clear, explaining all extinctions and all survivals.
Relational Leadership and Gender: From Hierarchy to Relationality

We devote the next three chapters to developing an understanding of how leadership traits that were typically viewed as female, now form part of a broader leadership paradigm that is emerging within knowledge economies. This new leadership paradigm is called Complexity Leadership Theory. Though Uhl-Bien and her colleagues do not make specific reference to gender in their earlier papers, it is clear that their work offers important perspectives on the functioning of women within the complex adaptive systems that have come to characterize contemporary organizations. Uhl-Bien (2006:654–676) advances the “entity” perspective on leadership by including a “relational” perspective that describes leadership as socially constructed. This moves us beyond the age of “Great Man Theory” towards an acceptance of leadership as a social change process. Leadership hence becomes more about processes than about individualistic behavior. Uhl-Bien does not stop there however. With colleagues Marion and McKelvey (2007: 298–318), she places the relational perspective within the broader context of complexity leadership theory, and explains how the interplay between different leadership roles, which they refer to as administrative, enabling and adaptive, creates leadership opportunities for both men and women. These three essays form a critical bridge between those essays in this book that emphasize the unique capacities of women, and the broader perspective that these views of female leadership traits are also socially constructed and thus open to revision and change. Relational leadership becomes embedded in a broader leadership theory that allows us to see the traditional archetypes of male and female leadership as modes that emerge, shift and change within the complex dynamics of organizational life. This may allow both men and women to “shift gears”, and not find themselves hemmed in by gender stereotypes.
The structural mechanics of polyolefin fibrous materials and nanocomposites

Polyethylene and polypropylene (PP) are very important polyolefin polymers and the fastest growing polymer family. This chapter discusses the strength properties of various forms of polyolefins, the effects of time and temperature on the mechanical properties of PP films and fibres, as well as the overall structural mechanics of polyolefin fibrous materials and composites. The chapter finally presents some insight into auxetic polyolefin structures. It is concluded that our knowledge in engineering nanocomposite polyolefin materials will prove invaluable in improving the range of commercially available products.
Infection Control and the Need for Family-/Child-Centered Care

Patient- and family-centered care (FCC) has become central to the delivery of medical care over the last 20 years and has been shown to improve patient outcomes. Infection control practices have the potential to greatly influence family centeredness and care providers, and hospital personnel must consider the potential impacts of isolation and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Approaching infection control with the perspective of FCC requires balancing patient safety and overall patient well-being. In this chapter, authors consider infection control and the benefits of FCC, family and sibling visitation, the use of playrooms, animals in healthcare settings including animal-assisted interventions, the potential adverse effects of infection control practices, and strategies to mitigate these impacts.
Appetite responses to high-fat diets rich in mono-unsaturated versus poly-unsaturated fats.

Abstract Background Modifying the type of dietary fat consumed may impact appetite, therefore having implications in weight management. Objective To test the effects of a 5-day, high-fat diet rich in poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and a diet rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) on markers of appetite. Methods Fifteen normal weight men participated in a randomized cross-over design with two controlled feeding trials (3d lead-in diet, pre-diet visit, 5d PUFA- or MUFA-rich diet, post-diet visit). The 5d diets (50% fat) were rich in either PUFA (25% of energy) or MUFA (25% of energy). At pre- and post-diet visits, subjects consumed breakfast and lunch test meals, rich in the FA corresponding to the 5-day diet. Fasting and postprandial subjective ratings of appetite were determined and blood draws were performed for 4h after each meal to determine changes in appetite hormones. An ad libitum buffet meal was given at the end of pre- and post-diet visits. Results Acutely, at the pre-diet visit, the PUFA-rich meal resulted in lower ghrelin (hunger hormone) (iAUC: -350.85 ± 60.70 vs. −233.16 ± 61.42 pg/ml/8h, for PUFA vs. MUFA, respectively; p Conclusions Acutely, a PUFA-rich meal results in ghrelin suppression and higher CCK. After a 5-day high-fat diet, PUFAs suppressed postprandial hunger while MUFAs did not change any measures of appetite.
Origin of improved depth penetration in dual‐axis optical coherence tomography: a Monte Carlo study

Recent studies have demonstrated that extended imaging depth can be achieved using dual-axis optical coherence tomography (DA-OCT). By illuminating and collecting at an oblique angle, multiple forward scattered photons from large probing depths are preferentially detected. However, the mechanism behind the enhancement of imaging depth needs further illumination. Here, the signal of a DA-OCT system is studied using a Monte Carlo simulation. We modeled light transport in tissue and recorded the spatial and angular distribution of photons exiting the tissue surface. Results indicate that the spatial separation and offset angle created by the non-telecentric scanning configuration promote the collection of more deeply propagating photons than conventional on-axis OCT.
Radial microstructural evolution in low burnup fast reactor MOX fuel

Abstract Examination of irradiated fast reactor mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel was conducted to analyze microstructural behavior and defect evolution as a function of radial position. The fuel analyzed in this work was irradiated to 3.4% fissions per initial metal atom (FIMA) in the Fast Flux Test Facility. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used to analyze microstructural features and fission product secondary phases. A dual-beam focused ion beam (FIB)/SEM was used to prepare several samples along the fuel radius for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) defect analysis. The microstructure near the center of the fuel pellet showed separated grain boundaries accompanied by fission gas bubbles. The fuel pellet did not reach the threshold linear heating rate (LHR) needed for restructuring, formation of the columnar or equiaxed regions was not observed. Metallic fission products aggregated in pores along grain boundaries near the pellet center, but no metallic precipitates were visible in the outer region. Moreover, no appreciable amount of insoluble perovskite phase was formed. The dislocation loop density is highest near the fuel central void but decreases past the mid-point of the fuel radius likely due to the self-irradiation effects. Dislocation lines follow an inverse trend, with the lower density observed near the hottest regions and increasing in the pellet outer radius. These results indicate that the thermal gradient in MOX fuels heavily influences the localized fission product morphology and defect behavior.
Interindividual Variation in CYP3A Activity Influences Lapatinib Bioactivation

Lapatinib is a dual tyrosine kinase inhibitor associated with rare but potentially severe idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity. We have previously shown that cytochromes P450 CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 quantitatively contribute to lapatinib bioactivation, leading to formation of a reactive, potentially toxic quinone imine. CYP3A5 is highly polymorphic; however, the impact of CYP3A5 polymorphism on lapatinib metabolism has not been fully established. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of CYP3A5 genotype and individual variation in CYP3A activity on the metabolic activation of lapatinib using human-relevant in vitro systems. Lapatinib metabolism was examined using CYP3A5-genotyped human liver microsomes and cryopreserved human hepatocytes. CYP3A and CYP3A5-selective activities were measured in liver tissues using probe substrates midazolam and T-5 (T-1032), respectively, to evaluate the correlation between enzymatic activity and lapatinib metabolite formation. Drug metabolites were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Further, the relative contributions of CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 to lapatinib O-debenzylation were estimated using selective chemical inhibitors of CYP3A. The results from this study demonstrated that lapatinib O-debenzylation and quinone imine-GSH conjugate formation were highly correlated with hepatic CYP3A activity, as measured by midazolam 1'-hydroxylation. CYP3A4 played a dominant role in lapatinib bioactivation in all liver tissues evaluated. The CYP3A5 contribution to lapatinib bioactivation varied by individual donor and was dependent on CYP3A5 genotype and activity. CYP3A5 contributed approximately 20%-42% to lapatinib O-debenzylation in livers from CYP3A5 expressers. These findings indicate that individual CYP3A activity, not CYP3A5 genotype alone, is a key determinant of lapatinib bioactivation and likely influences exposure to reactive metabolites. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This study is the first to examine the effect of CYP3A5 genotype, total CYP3A activity, and CYP3A5-selective activity on lapatinib bioactivation in individual human liver tissues. The results of this investigation indicate that lapatinib bioactivation via oxidative O-debenzylation is highly correlated with total hepatic CYP3A activity, and not CYP3A5 genotype alone. These findings provide insight into the individual factors, namely, CYP3A activity, that may affect individual exposure to reactive, potentially toxic metabolites of lapatinib.
Characterizing the role of intersecting stigmas and sustained inequities in driving HIV syndemics across low-to-middle-income settings.

Purpose of review In 2020, key populations around the world still have disproportionate risks for HIV acquisition and experiencing HIV-related syndemics. This review presents current data around HIV-related syndemics among key populations globally, and on the role of intersecting stigmas in producing these syndemics in low-to-middle-income settings. Recent findings Sex workers, sexual and gender minorities, prisoners, and people who use drugs experience high burdens of tuberculosis, sexually transmitted infections, viral hepatitis, and violence linked to heightened HIV-related risks or acquisition. Adverse sexual, reproductive, and mental health outcomes are also common and similarly amplify HIV acquisition and transmission risks, highlighting the need for psychosocial and reproductive health services for key populations. Summary Achieving the promise of biomedical interventions to support HIV care and prevention requires action towards addressing syndemics of HIV, and the stigmas that reproduce them, among those most marginalized globally.
Historical and modern fluctuations of lakes tanganyika and rukwa and their relationship to rainfall variability

This paper describes the fluctuations of Lakes Tanganyika and Rukwa over the last two centuries. Lake chronologies extending back to the late eighteenth century are derived from reports of European visitors, settlers and explorers and from oral accounts of the local peoples. The historical fluctuations are meshed with the modern record to provide a picture of the lakes' fluctuations until the late twentieth century. The historical fluctuations of the lakes are quite similar. The most important of these are low levels during the first half of the nineteenth century, very high stands in the last decades of the nineteenth century, and, around the turn of the century, a rapid fall to twentieth century levels. This pattern is ubiquitous throughout eastern Africa and is apparent in numerous other lakes, including Victoria, Naivasha, Stefanie, Turkana, Malawi and Chilwa. Driest periods were in the 1920s or earlier and in the 1950s. Lake Tanganyika returned to extremely high stands in the 1960s and has continued to maintain relatively high stands since that time. Lake Rukwa rose to high stands during the 1980s and maintained them for several years. An analysis of rainfall variability shows that these trends are generally explained by variations in catchment rainfall. However, the lakes' responses to rainfall variability are sometimes dissimilar because Lake Rukwa is a closed basin. Our results demonstrate the complexity of the rainfall/lake-level relationships and the need to use water balance relationships in order to interpret the lakes' historical or paleo-fluctuations in terms of rainfall.
Partitions of Unity and Covering Maps \(\circledast \)

This chapter contains a selection of technical tools. It is preparatory for best understanding certain proofs which occur in the remaining chapters.
Opening up Peer Review.

PEER review can be decidedly challenging—for authors who must absorb and respond to criticism of their work, for reviewers who invest their time uncompensated (and mostly unrecognized), and for editors who must sometimes make hard decisions on their fellow scientists’ work. But peer review can