cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hotter days and droughts to continue through the 21st century

As heat waves become more frequent and droughts cause famines and drive up food prices, climate policies will need to account for changes in extremes in temperature and precipitation, as global mean temperatures continue to rise through the 21st century. Using HadGEM2, a new ocean-atmosphere coupled climate model, Caesar and Lowe investigated the effects of different greenhouse gas emissions scenarios on maximum and minimum air temperatures as well as on the amounts of rainfall in different parts of the world. The authors compared two scenarios through the 21st century, the first one with an aggressive mitigation scenario, in which global emissions begin to decrease in the early 21st century and reach nearly zero by 2100; the second scenario had no mitigation. The researchers' results show that extreme temperatures would scale with increasing mean temperature, at least until the middle of the 21st century: As air temperatures increase, countries across the globe would experience hotter days and an increasing number of heat waves, even with aggressive mitigation. However, mitigation may provide some amelioration, particularly through the second half of the 21st century; the northern midlatitudes would benefit most from mitigation measures, although northern South America and parts of the United States, Africa, and Asia could also avoid large increases in extreme temperature maxima by following similar mitigation policies.
Biogas prediction and design of a food waste to energy system for the urban environment.

Abstract Anaerobic digestion applied to the organic waste produced in urban environments could provide a critical solution to growing garbage problems while simultaneously reducing external energy requirements. As landfills across Canada and the rest of the world are filled to their limits, a carbon-neutral process which can locally generate electricity and heat while providing up to 50% volatile solid reduction is something to be seriously considered. This paper investigates the feasibility of urban anaerobic digestion, presents four techniques for biogas estimation – ultimate analysis, yield from molecular formula analysis, a novel computer simulation technique using Anaerobic Digestion Model #1 (ADM1), and a literature review of experimentally determined biogas yields. In addition, a case study for small-scale anaerobic digestion system design is presented for an urban building.
Impoverished Consumers and Consumer Behavior: The Case of AFDC Mothers

This article presents three dimensions of impoverished-consumer behavior-exchange restrictions, the consequences of these restrictions, and coping strategies-in a model developed through literature review. The consumer environment of welfare mothers is then employed to examine the perspective of this model. The article closes with suggestions for welfare reform and a discussion of the broader implications for consumer behavior.
Endoscopic endonasal surgical resection of tumors of the medial orbital apex and wall.

Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 235 South Eighth Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, United States Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery Ophthalmology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Soil microbial biomass and activity in organic tomato farming systems: Effects of organic inputs and straw mulching.

Abstract Organic farming is rapidly expanding worldwide. Plant growth in organic systems greatly depends on the functions performed by soil microbes, particularly in nutrient supply. However, the linkages between soil microbes and nutrient availability in organically managed soils are not well understood. We conducted a long-term field experiment to examine microbial biomass and activity, and nutrient availability under four management regimes with different organic inputs. The experiment was initiated in 1997 by employing different practices of organic farming in a coastal sandy soil in Clinton, NC, USA. Organic practices were designed by applying organic substrates with different C and N availability, either in the presence or absence of wheat–straw mulch. The organic substrates used included composted cotton gin trash (CGT), animal manure (AM) and rye/vetch green manure (RV). A commercial synthetic fertilizer (SF) was used as a conventional control. Results obtained in both 2001 and 2002 showed that microbial biomass and microbial activity were generally higher in organically than conventionally managed soils with CGT being most effective. The CGT additions increased soil microbial biomass C and activity by 103–151% and 88–170% over a period of two years, respectively, leading to a 182–285% increase in potentially mineralizable N, compared to the SF control. Straw mulching further enhanced microbial biomass, activity, and potential N availability by 42, 64, and 30%, respectively, relative to non-mulched soils, likely via improving C and water availability for soil microbes. The findings that microbial properties and N availability for plants differed under different organic input regimes suggest the need for effective residue managements in organic tomato farming systems.
Business models and operational issues in the Chinese online game industry

The rapid growth of Internet usage has enabled many new online communities to develop. A particularly interesting phenomenon that has arisen through Internet communities is the virtual world (VW) style of online game. This paper identifies the challenges that developers of VWs will face in their efforts to find viable business models. This is a single case study of China as an exploratory project to determine the issues surrounding business models for virtual world developers and users. The paper discusses the feedback effects between broadband adoption and online games as well as issues such as culture, history, Waigua, private servers, virtual property trade, developer control, governance, and regulation. In spite of the profitability of major Chinese VW operators, close observation of the Chinese case suggests that even the most successful VW operators are still in the early stages of their business model development.
The post-independence decline and rise of crop productivity in sub-Saharan Africa: measurement and explanations

In this paper new estimates are presented for the path of TFP growth in African crop agriculture. With adjustment for the quality of inputs TFP growth rates declined from a rate of 1.5% per annum in the early 1960s to less than 0.5% per annum by the late 1970s. Since then the growth rate has risen steadily so by the early 2000s it was close to the levels achieved at the beginning of the period. These results follow from using a novel semi-parametric econometric approach to estimating TFP. Recent advances in panel econometrics are used to show the heterogeneity of TFP growth rates across countries. Expenditures on agricultural R&D, along with the reform of macroeconomic and sectoral policies have played a substantial role in explaining this pattern of TFP growth.
Opportunistic fair scheduling over multiple wireless channels

Emerging spread spectrum high-speed data networks utilize multiple channels via orthogonal codes or frequency-hopping patterns such that multiple users can transmit concurrently. In this paper, we develop a framework for opportunistic scheduling over multiple wireless channels. With a realistic channel model, any subset of users can be selected for data transmission at any time, albeit with different throughputs and system resource requirements. We first transform selection of the best users and rates from a complex general optimization problem into a decoupled and tractable formulation: a multiuser scheduling problem that maximizes total system throughput and a control-update problem that ensures long-term deterministic or probabilistic fairness constraints. We then design and evaluate practical schedulers that approximate these objectives.
The cell biology of touch

The sense of touch detects forces that bombard the body’s surface. In metazoans, an assortment of morphologically and functionally distinct mechanosensory cell types are tuned to selectively respond to diverse mechanical stimuli, such as vibration, stretch, and pressure. A comparative evolutionary approach across mechanosensory cell types and genetically tractable species is beginning to uncover the cellular logic of touch reception.
A non-parametric Bayesian diagnostic for detecting differential item functioning in IRT models

Differential item functioning (DIF) in tests and multi-item surveys occurs when a lack of conditional independence exists between the response to one or more items and membership to a particular group, given equal levels of proficiency. We develop an approach to detecting DIF in the context of item response theory (IRT) models based on computing a diagnostic which is the posterior mean of a p-value. IRT models are fit in a Bayesian framework, and simulated proficiency parameters from the posterior distribution are retained. Monte Carlo estimates of the p-value diagnostic are then computed by comparing the fit of nonparametric regressions of item responses on simulated proficiency parameters and group membership. Some properties of our approach are examined through a simulation experiment. We apply our method to the analysis of responses from two separate studies to the BASIS-24, a widely used self-report mental health assessment instrument, to examine DIF between the English and Spanish-translated version of the survey.
A selective view of stochastic inference and modeling problems in nanoscale biophysics

Advances in nanotechnology enable scientists for the first time to study biological processes on a nanoscale molecule-by-molecule basis. They also raise challenges and opportunities for statisticians and applied probabilists. To exemplify the stochastic inference and modeling problems in the field, this paper discusses a few selected cases, ranging from likelihood inference, Bayesian data augmentation, and semi- and non-parametric inference of nanometric biochemical systems to the utilization of stochastic integro-differential equations and stochastic networks to model single-molecule biophysical processes. We discuss the statistical and probabilistic issues as well as the biophysical motivation and physical meaning behind the problems, emphasizing the analysis and modeling of real experimental data.
Conductor-loss limited stripline resonator and filters

We report on stripline resonators on thin dielectric membranes that show dispersion-free, conductor-loss limited performance at 13.5 GHz, 27.3 GHz, and 39.6 GHz. The unloaded-Q (Q/sub u/) of the resonators increases as /spl radic/f with frequency and is measured to be 386 at 27 GHz. The measured results agree well with a new conformal mapping analysis. The stripline resonators are used in a micromachined state-of-the-art planar interdigitated bandpass filter at K-band frequencies. Excellent agreement has been achieved between the microwave model at 850 MHz and the 20 GHz filter. The micromachined filter exhibits a passband return loss better than -15 dB and a conductor-loss limited 1.7 dB port-to-port insertion loss (including input/output CPW line loss) at 20.3 GHz.
A hierarchical orthogonal space approach to three-dimensional path planning

A methodology for three-dimensional collision-free path planning by which planning is done in the three-dimensional orthogonal two-dimensional projections of a three-dimensional environment is presented, Collision checking is done in each of the three orthogonal two-dimensional subspaces using primitive path segments. A hierarchical-path search method is used to speed up the search process. This approach forms basis for spatial planning in environments where no a priori knowledge is assumed. The three orthogonal two-dimensional projections can be readily obtained from three orthogonal cameras in simple environments.
Experimental studies of nonlinearities in high density disk recording

Nonlinear amplitude reduction in high-density disk recording has been studied. Dibit responses were measured at two flying heights, and disks with varying coercivity, magnetic moment, and substantially different noise levels were used. It is shown that the nonlinear amplitude loss is reduced substantially at lower flying heights. Increasing coercivity or decreasing magnetic moment similarly reduces this loss. Measurements of disks with different noise levels indicate more reduction for the low-noise medium only at the lower flying height. By deconvolving isolated pulses, transition lengths for single transitions were determined at each flying height. It is also found that the nonlinear amplitude reduction curves scale with transition length at a fixed flying height, indicating a universal curve. >
Children's Planning of Classroom Plays with Adult or Child Direction

This study examined the planning that occurred when children participated in classroom playcrafting with either adult or child leadership. In a first-/second-grade classroom in an innovative public school, we videotaped 11 sessions in which children volunteered to develop a play with small groups of classmates and seven sessions in which adult volunteers (parents and a grandparent) developed plays with small groups of children. The plays were crafted in one session of about an hour, and then usually performed for the class. More planning took place during child- than adult-directed sessions (averaging 92 vs. 35 percent of the session’s duration). The groups led by children were more frequently involved in planning of themes, planning of details of the themes, and especially in improvisationally mindstorming ideas than were the groups led by adults. In adult-directed sessions, the adults often planned the play before the children joined the activity, and the children spent most of the session in non-playplanning activities such as gluing and coloring puppets or rehearsal of lines designed by the adult in advance. We argue that opportunities to observe and participate in planning—which occurred more frequently in child-directed than adult-directed sessions—are important to the development of planning skills and of co-ordination of plans with others.
Searching Off-line Arabic Documents

Currently an abundance of historical manuscripts, journals, and scientific notes remain largely unaccessible in library archives. Manual transcription and publication of such documents is unlikely, and automatic transcription with high enough accuracy to support a traditional text search is difficult. In this work we describe a lexicon-free system for performing text queries on off-line printed and handwritten Arabic documents. Our segmentation-based approach utilizes gHMMs with a bigram letter transition model, and KPCA/LDA for letter discrimination. The segmentation stage is integrated with inference. We show that our method is robust to varying letter forms, ligatures, and overlaps. Additionally, we find that ignoring letters beyond the adjoining neighbors has little effect on inference and localization, which leads to a significant performance increase over standard dynamic programming. Finally, we discuss an extension to perform batch searches of large word lists for indexing purposes.
All males are not created equal: Fertility differences depend on gamete recognition polymorphisms in sea urchins

Behaviors, morphologies, and genetic loci directly involved in reproduction have been increasingly shown to be polymorphic within populations. Explaining how such variants are maintained by selection is crucial to understanding the genetic basis of fertility differences, but direct tests of how alleles at reproductive loci affect fertility are rare. In the sea urchin genus Echinometra, the protein bindin mediates sperm attachment to eggs, evolves quickly, and is polymorphic within species. Eggs exposed to experimental sperm mixtures show strong discrimination on the basis of the males’ bindin genotype. Different females produce eggs that nonrandomly select sperm from different males, showing that variable egg–sperm interactions determine fertility. Eggs select sperm with a bindin genotype similar to their own, suggesting strong linkage between female choice and male trait loci. These experiments demonstrate that alleles at a single locus can have a strong effect on fertilization and that reproductive loci may retain functional polymorphisms through epistatic interactions between male and female traits. They also suggest that positive selection at gamete recognition loci like bindin involves strong selection within species on mate choice interactions.
COMMUNICATING PEER FEEDBACK IN A TASK GROUP

Through an analysis of a feedback session among members of a small task-oriented group, the multifaceted nature of feedback was explored. Dynamism, trust, clarity, mood, and criticism emerged as important underlying dimensions of peer feedback. Additionally, this study explored the communicator style in giving feedback. Significant communicative differences across group members were found in their manner of giving feedback. Effectiveness of feedback was significantly related to the feedback's dynamism and with a verbally assertive style. This study appears to demonstrate that both feedback content and form influence judgments of feedback effectiveness.
Reviving Juvenile Justice in a Get-Tough Era

State and local jurisdictions throughout the United States enacted a wide array of new juvenile justice policies in recent years. Many of these policies were intended to make the juvenile justice s...
Exchange of Blood Between Pulmonary and Systemic Circulations via Bronchopulmonary Anastomoses

In anesthetized dogs, the dye-dilution technique was applied to detect the transfer of blood between the bronchial and pulmonary vessels. The injection of Cardio-green into the pulmonary artery did not show a double peak in the dye-concentration curve of blood in the azygos vein. This does not exclude the possibility of a shunt from the pulmonary artery to the bronchial veins because the flow of the dye may take longer to reach the bronchial veins than does that from the bronchial artery. The injection of the dye into the left ventricle with sampling of the blood in the left atrium showed a double peak in the dyedilution curve. The latter is interpreted to indicate blood flow from the bronchial arteries to the pulmonary vessels via the bronchopulmonary anastomoses. In five dogs, the mean value for bronchopulmonary flow was 8 per cent of left ventricular output. The corresponding flow values were increased in three dogs with chronic ligation of the left pulmonary artery, not increased in four dogs with pul...
Voodoo Dolls, Charms, and Spells in the Classroom: Teaching, Screening, and Deconstructing the Misrepresentation of the African Religion.

“New Orleans voodoo,” also called “creole voodoo,” is an amalgamation of an honoring of the spirits of the dead, a respect for the elderly and the spiritual life, African knowledge of herbs and charms, and European elements of Catholicism. It is a religion of ancestor worship that is unknown to us, and that we are not necessarily exposed to or included in. As such, it is something foreign to our own belief system. Being ignorant about what the religion entails, people in general stigmatize it as something not worthy to discuss, nor to practice. Unfortunately, popular novels like Voodoo Season (2006) and Voodoo Dreams (1995) by Jowell Parker Rhodes, and especially Hollywood’s production of horror movies such as White Zombie (1932), I Walked with a Zombie (1943), The Serpent and the Rainbow (1987), Voodoo Dawn (1998) or Hoodoo for Voodoo (2006), do not provide the public with a truthful background of the African, Haitian, or New Orleanean voodoo tradition. All too often these fictional sources fuel the already existing misrepresentations of the religion and represent it as something shadowy, highly secretive, and fearful. This differentiated introduction to New Orleans voodoo via Iain Softley’s film The Skeleton Key (2004) exposes students to the major characteristics of the religion, makes them aware of popular culture’s falsified voodoo construct, and teaches them how to deconstruct it. This interactive approach is student centered, appeals to their individual intelligences and learning styles, promotes critical thinking, and trains analytical skills.
Enhanced Productivity of a Supported Olefin Trimerization Catalyst

Treatment of dry silica with methylaluminoxane (MAO) followed by (FI)TiCl3 (FI = (N-(5-methyl-3-(1-adamantyl)salicylidene)-2′-(2″-methoxyphenyl)anilinato) gives a heterogeneous supported ethylene trimerization catalyst, s(FI)Ti, which exhibits productivity more than an order of magnitude higher than its homogeneous analogues. This increase in productivity is attributed to a decreased rate of catalyst decomposition, a process that is proposed to occur via comproportionation to an inactive TiIII species; immobilization retards this process. In addition, s(FI)Ti catalyzes trimerization of α-olefins with high selectivity. Based on regioisomer distributions, catalysis by s(FI)Ti involves the same active species as the previously reported homogeneous systems (FI)TiR2Me/B(C6F5)3 (R = Me, CH2SiMe3, CH2CMe3).
The concept of psychological health in rational emotive behavior therapy

The argument has been made that if Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is to survive and prosper in the 21st century, its underlying personality theory requires further development and clarification. In this spirit, the concept of psychological health in REBT theory is examined in the present article. The concept of psychological health in personality theories is discussed briefly, as are the core aspects of the REBT view of emotional disturbance. Given that necessary context, a definition of the essence of psychological health in REBT theory is proposed and discussed. The clinical implications of the proposed definition are then explored.
THE LUMBOSACRAL REGION

An attempt has been made to correlate the roentgenographic and anatomical findings at the lumbosacral junction by careful comparison with dissected specimens. Besides the statistical data on the various anomalies which occur in this region, two findings were of interest. The first was that the degree of osteo-arthritis present in a given case is always great deal more advanced than the roentgenograms would indicate, particularly as far as the posterior elements of the vertebral segments are concerned. The second was that there are confusing findings in the roentgenograms at times which, because of the varying projection of the central roentgen-ray beam and the asymmetrical development of the articular processes, will produce an appearance suggestive of failure of fusion, but in reality the segments will be found quite intact. The variations in the anatomical structure have been briefly discussed. The oblique, coronal (curved) plane is perhaps the most desirable for the human lumbosacral articulations, and the approach to the coronal plane should be considered the "evolutionary normal".
Effect of Joint Rotation on Dynamics of Structures

Results of study on effect of joint rotation on dynamic characteristics of multistory steel-framed structure is analyzed under 4 levels of assumptions regarding joint rotations; first 10 normal modes and frequencies resulting from analysis under each assumption are compared.
Contracts: Law in Action - Unconscionability

"Contracts: Law in Action" is rare, if not unique, among contracts casebooks. It is perhaps the only casebook devoted to a "law and society" approach to first-year contracts. A new, 4th edition will be released shortly. We provide here an excerpt on the development of the law of unconscionability. We cover both roots in Williams v. Walker-Thomas and more recent branches, including the interplay between unconscionability doctrine and arbitration, payday lending, and the role of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Students find these materials an engaging way to understand both normative challenges presented by consumer contracting at the economic margins, and institutional limits on addressing those challenges.
Effective Constipation Treatment Changes More Than Bowel Frequency: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background/Aims The marketing of newer agents for treatment of constipation and irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) emphasize improvements in abdominal pain. However, it is not clear whether this observation reflects a unique visceral analgesic effect of these agents or is a general feature of effective laxation. We sought to determine the relationship between improvements in bowel frequency and decreases in abdominal pain in clinical trials of patients with constipation or IBS-C. Methods We searched "PubMed" and "Embase" databanks for clinical trials in patients with constipation or IBS-C, targeting publications that provided detailed data on bowel movement frequency and pain intensity before and after an intervention. We abstracted the results and performed meta-analytic and meta-regression analyses. Results Twenty-seven trials (16 constipation and 11 IBS) met entry criteria. Baseline weekly bowel movement frequency was low with 2.35 (2.07-2.64) with differences between constipation (2.00 [1.62-2.38]) and IBS-C (2.77 [2.40-3.14]; Q = 8.18; P = 0.002). Studies reported moderate pain levels (2.12 [1.81-2.42]) with comparable baseline levels in constipation (2.02 [1.63-2.42]) and IBS-C (2.35 [2.10-2.60]; Q = 1.92; P = 0.167). Treatments increased bowel frequency by 2.17 [1.88-2.47] and lowered pain ratings by 0.58 [0.49-0.68]. Meta-regression demonstrated a significant correlation between treatment-induced increases in bowel frequency and decreased pain ratings. Conclusions Our analysis suggests that reduction of abdominal pain observed in clinical trials of constipation and IBS-C is associated with laxation, and may not require specific drug mechanisms, thus arguing against a unique advantage of newer agents over traditional laxatives in the treatment of constipation and IBS-C. (J Neurogastroenterol Motil 2016;22:31-45)
Control of Interfacial Structure with Precursor Chemistry in Radial Core/Shell Nanowires of Zinc Oxide, Optically-Active Erbium, and Germanium

Germanium nanowires (GeNWs) with core−shell structures enhance the long-term chemical and photophysical stability of their surfaces. In this work, the preparation of Ge core nanowires surrounded by a zinc oxide shell containing erbium was achieved through the use of vapor−liquid−solid (VLS) methods followed by vapor transport processes. It is shown that surface reaction conditions considerably affect the morphology, composition, and photoluminescence properties of these nanowires, including, in some cases, the formation of shell alloy phases, such as Zn2GeO4, during annealing. All nanowire products were characterized by a combination of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and photoluminescence spectroscopy in both the UV/visible and the near-IR spectral regions.
Graded Marginal Recession: A Surgical Technique to Correct Small Angle Vertical Deviations.

Purpose To describe a novel muscle recession technique to surgically correct small angle vertical deviations in symptomatic adults with fusion potential. Methods A novel technique involving a graded recession of the medial and lateral poles of a vertical rectus muscle, combined with graded medial and lateral tenotomy of the muscle, was used to treat small vertical deviations. A surgical nomogram was developed based on the configuration of the procedure and its predicted effects. Four patients with small angle hypertropia ranging from 1 to 5 prism diopters (PD) underwent the graded marginal recession procedure and were observed for up to 3 years. Results Three of the four patients had successful correction of their strabismus and resolution of diplopia, with no complications or induced incomitance. One patient was initially orthotropic but showed a 2 PD regression 1 month postoperatively, eventually requiring additional surgery to achieve stable orthotropia. Conclusions The graded marginal recession can be safely and effectively used to correct very small vertical deviations in adults with fusion potential. A surgical nomogram can be created to guide predicted corrections in increments of less than 0.5 PD.
Complete Measurement of Supercontinuum on a Single Shot

We demonstrate the first single-shot technique for measuring the complete intensity and phase of a complex supercontinuum pulse. We use pulse-front tilt in polarization-gating cross-correlation frequency-resolved optical gating to cancel out all geometrical smearing effects.
Quadrature with Generalized Means

(1986). Quadrature with Generalized Means. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 93, No. 6, pp. 466-468.
Topics and Topic Management

The dispensing of information is as vital as the dispensing of medicine in pharmacy. My analysis of topic management aims to examine what gets talked about in the recorded patient consultations, how these content areas are managed in the sequential organization of actions, and how role construction may be transparent in the management of topics. All three aspects will be addressed interrelatedly for each topic area in the patient consultations.
Standards for autoantibody testing; Addressing future needs for autoimmune disease and cancer diagnosis

It is widely held that determination of increased levels of serum autoantibodies can play an important role in the diagnosis and, in some cases, management of many autoimmune diseases. It is also widely held that such testing is fraught with problems relating to accuracy and detection of clinically relevant autoantibodies. Attempts to standardize autoantibody testing by making available standard reference sera, have helped to some degree to improve the testing. Nevertheless, problems still exist and may be causing the delayed diagnosis of severely debilitating and sometimes fatal autoimmune diseases. This paper discusses current practice, as well as, possible new approaches intended to make more robust, autoantibody determinations in all fields of medicine.
Obesity and the built environment at different urban scales: examining the literature*

The majority of people now live in an urban (or suburban) environment. The built (material) environment, its vehicular and pedestrian infrastructure, buildings, and public realm places, are the places used for working, living, and recreating. The environment currently favors and facilitates motorized vehicles generally, and private automobiles especially. The prioritization given to vehicles reduces opportunities for other, more active modes of travel such as walking and bicycling. Though the built environment cannot be said to directly affect human obesity, the built environment clearly has a relationship to obesity as a consequence of physical activity. Most concerning is that rates of obesity have risen as cars have become increasingly privileged, leading to places that favor driving over walking or bicycling. This review examines current empirical literature on the environment and obesity at 3 key urban scales: macro, meso, and micro. Other key issues examined include longitudinal studies and self-selection bias. Evidence for a relationship between urban and suburban environments and obesity is found in the literature, but the lack of longitudinal research and research controlling for self-selection bias remains underrepresented.
Cambrian trilobites as archives for Anthropocene biomarkers and other chemical compounds

Abstract This study examined well-preserved trilobite fossils from the middle-Cambrian (∼507 million years ago) Wheeler Shale of Utah to determine the proportion of original marine biomarkers compared to later chemical overprints. Using a technique to characterize multiple biomarkers simultaneously, the fossils revealed more about modern terrestrial ecosystems and anthropogenic influence than they did about early Paleozoic oceans. Plasticizers, flame retardants, petroleum byproducts, and insect repellent comprised up to 96% of all compounds present in the trilobite exoskeletons, whereas the rest included biomarkers indicating algae, vascular plants (e.g., conifers), and biomass burning inputs. Importantly, contamination occurred despite measures taken to minimize it, highlighting the pervasiveness of anthropogenic contaminants in fossils. These compounds provide invaluable data concerning regional anthropogenic alteration, even though scientific papers usually do not report the types and diversity of contaminants. Scientists must therefore record the composition and amounts of these chemical contaminants because the potential for overprinting could also bias other geochemical measurements, such as stable carbon isotopes, highlighting the need to constrain the sources of contamination within samples. Although the middle Cambrian fossils appear to be excellently preserved, their chemical composition is mainly an Anthropocene overprint.
DEFORMATION STUDIES OF QUASICRYSTALS

Classical crystallographic principles limit allowed rotational symmetries to that of space-filling geometries, such as cubes and hexagons. Space-filling geometries exclude all rotational symmetries except one-, two-, three-, four- and six-fold. It was surprising, and understandably greeted with varying degrees of trepidation, when Shechtman, et al. observed fivefold rotational symmetry (and complete icosahedral symmetry) in a rapidly solidified Al-Mn alloy.1 The sharp diffraction maxima also indicated long-range order, but the order was not periodic but quasiperiodic! The Al-Mn alloy belongs to a new class of alloys, given the name “quasicrystals”, with noncrystallographic rotational symmetries and long-range quasiperiodic order and which have since been reported in over 100 alloy systems.2 This new class of materials, fitting somewhere between amorphous and crystalline materials, has provided new research opportunities in crystallography, physics, chemistry and materials science.
Maternal Smoking, Alcohol, and Caffeine Exposures and Risk of Hypospadias.

Background We examined the association of hypospadias risk with maternal smoking and consumption of alcohol and caffeine. Methods We analyzed data from mothers of 2437 moderate/severe cases and 5472 nonmalformed controls born from 1997 to 2011 who participated in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS). Exposures were assessed by maternal telephone interviews. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) adjusted for mother's age, parity, race-ethnicity, education, vitamin/mineral supplement intake, obesity, and study center. Results Active smoking during the first month of pregnancy was associated with reduced risk, with smaller ORs for increasing quantity smoked; the OR for smoking >1/2 pack/day was 0.7 (95% CI, 0.5–0.9). Among nonsmokers, the OR for any secondhand smoke exposure was 0.8 (95% CI, 0.7–0.9). ORs for alcohol and caffeine consumption were near one and CIs included 1.0. In an analysis of joint exposures to smoking and alcohol and caffeine consumption, the only OR for which the 95% CI excluded 1.0 was for women who smoked, drank, and had low caffeine consumption (OR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.4–0.8). Conclusion Maternal exposure to cigarette smoke was associated with reduced risk, and women who smoked, drank, and had low caffeine intake were at lowest risk. We do not interpret these results to suggest that these exposures have overall benefit to a pregnant woman or developing fetus. They may, however, offer clues to help us understand mechanisms that lead to hypospadias. Birth Defects Research, 2017.© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
TGFβ inhibits IL-33-mediated mast cell activation in vitro and in vivo

TGFβ is involved in many pathological conditions, including autoimmune disorders, cancer, and cardiovascular and allergic diseases. We have previously found that TGFβ suppresses IgE-mediated mast cell activation in human and mouse mast cells in vitro . IL-33 is a recently discovered member of the IL-1 family that functions as an “alarmin” stimulating mast cell responses and enhancing IgE-mediated activation. How TGFβ affects IL-33 signaling is now known. We find that mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells cultured in TGFβ -1, -2, or -3 showed reduced IL-33-mediated production of TNF, IL-6, IL-13 and MCP-1, in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, TGFβ also reduced expression of the IL-33 receptor ST2, as well as IL-33-mediated TAK1, IKB and ERK phosphorylation. TGF-β 1 injection suppressed IL-33-mediated production of systemic inflammatory cytokines in vivo. The role of IL-33 in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases is incompletely understood. These findings, consistent with our previously reported effects of TGFβ on IgE-mediated activation, demonstrate that TGFβ can provide broad and substantial inhibitory signals to activated mast cells. These data suggest possible therapeutic strategies to maintain mast cell homeostasis in autoimmune and allergic diseases.
Interstate Horse Racing Madness

The article summarizes the consequences of what would happen if the Interstate Horse Racing Act was strictly enforced.
Effects of Alemtuzumab on Disability and Cognition in Patients with Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS) (P5.356)

Objective: Evaluate the effectiveness and safety of alemtuzumab in patients with SPMS. Background: Alemtuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that selectively targets CD52, resulting in depletion and subsequent distinct repopulation of circulating T and B lymphocytes. In RRMS patients with active disease, alemtuzumab showed durable efficacy on clinical and MRI outcomes and slowed brain volume loss through 6 years despite absence of continuous treatment in the majority of patients. However, there is very limited data on the use of alemtuzumab in SPMS patients. The Cambridge Cohort study showed alemtuzumab reduced relapses and slowed disability accumulation in SPMS patients. Design/Methods: Real-world prospective analysis of treatment-resistant SPMS patients who were treated with alemtuzumab. Outcomes measures included baseline and 6-month post-treatment relapses, EDSS, timed 25-foot walk (T25FW), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test, and side effects. Results: A total of 15 patients were included in this analysis, with a mean age of 46.7 ± 8.3 years, disease duration of 15.6 ± 5.1 years, baseline EDSS of 7.0 ± 0.9, T25FW of 18.0 ± 12.6 seconds (N=11), and MoCA score of 24.1 ± 3.3. In the 2 years pre-alemtuzumab, 14 patients had 1 relapse and 1 patient had 2 relapses. Prior treatments included natalizumab (N=9), teriflunomide (N=2), dimethyl fumarate (N=2), rituximab (N=1), and PLEX (N=1). Six month follow-up showed EDSS improved by 0.5 ± 0.4 point (p=0.0004), T25FW improved by 36% or 6.4 ± 8.5 seconds (p=0.097), and MoCA score improved by 2.6 ± 2.6 (p=0.0018). One patient experienced a relapse. Three of the four patients with baseline internuclear ophthalmoplegia experienced improvement. Side effects included mild infusion reactions (N=1), transient platelet lowering (N=1), and mild fatigue lasting 2–4 weeks post-infusion (N=8). Conclusions: The positive results on disability and cognition suggest that alemtuzumab may provide a treatment option for SPMS patients. Additional larger scale studies are needed. Study Supported by: Not applicable Disclosure: Dr. Berkovich has received personal compensation for activities with Acorda, Avanir, Bayer, Biogen, Sanofi Genzyme, Novartis, Questcor, and Teva Neuroscience as an Advisory Board Member and a consultant.
Advances in the use of electrospun fibers for the central nervous system

Abstract Electrospun fibers are commonly used for tissue engineering purposes. The topography of nano- and microfibrous scaffolds enables cells to attach and migrate by providing a network that is similar to the extracellular matrix (ECM). The use of aligned electrospun fiber scaffolds is particularly relevant in spinal cord injury (SCI), where directed uniaxial axonal extension is required for regeneration. In this chapter, we review SCI pathophysiology and discuss the applications of electrospun fibers for SCI. We highlight state-of-the-art fibers for SCI and their use in cell and animal SCI models. While experimental approaches utilizing electrospun fibers in the central nervous system (CNS) focus on SCI, we also explore the potential use of electrospun fibers within traumatic brain injury (TBI).
What’s Special About Liquid Explosives?

Liquid Explosives do not differ substantially from solid explosives in their density or perfomance. Naturally they are closer to the gaseous state so they are expected to have a strong vapour signature. The unique features of liquid explosives are ascribed to their homogeneity versus inhomogeneous solids. This uniqueness affects their initiation and propagation, but for those concerned with detection of liquid explosives should not be significant. Herein is a discussion of the basic principles of detonation, particularly as it impacts liquids, and a review of various liquids which have been used as explosives.
Establishing a Legal Basis for Food Regulatory Programs

Presented in the previous chapter was a description of what may be termed the machinery of the organization we call the government of the United States. It was shown to be made up of parts and subparts, each of which has a function in itself but nevertheless contributes to a singular general purpose which is to formulate and establish what the people want as public policy. In order to have adherence to the public policy, laws are enacted, interpreted and enforced within the instrumentality of the government.
Comprehensive Complication Index Validates Improved Outcomes Over Time Despite Increased Complexity in 3707 Consecutive Hepatectomies.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate trends over time in perioperative outcomes for patients undergoing hepatectomy. BACKGROUND As perioperative care and surgical technique for hepatectomy have improved, the indications for and complexity of liver resections have evolved. However, the resulting effect on the short-term outcomes over time has not been well described. METHODS Consecutive patients undergoing hepatectomy during 1998 to 2015 at 1 institution were analyzed. Perioperative outcomes, including the comprehensive complication index (CCI), were compared between patients who underwent hepatectomy in the eras 1998 to 2003, 2004 to 2009, and 2010 to 2015. RESULTS The study included 3707 hepatic resections. The number of hepatectomies increased in each era (794 in 1998 to 2003, 1402 in 2004 to 2009, and 1511 in 2010 to 2015). Technical complexity increased over time as evidenced by increases in the rates of major hepatectomy (20%, 23%, 30%, P < 0.0001), 2-stage hepatectomy (0%, 3%, 4%, P < 0.001), need for portal vein embolization (5%, 9%, 9%, P = 0.001), preoperative chemotherapy for colorectal liver metastases (70%, 82%, 89%, P < 0.001) and median operative time (180, 175, 225 minutes, P < 0.001). Significant decreases over time were observed in median blood loss (300, 250, 200 mL, P < 0.001), transfusion rate (19%, 15%, 5%, P < 0.001), median length of hospitalization (7, 7, 6 days, P < 0.001), rates of CCI ≥26.2 (20%, 22%, 16%, P < 0.001) and 90-day mortality (3.1%, 2.6%, 1.3%, P < 0.01). On multivariable analysis, hepatectomy in the most recent era 2010 to 2015 was associated with a lower incidence of CCI ≥26.2 (odds ratio 0.7, 95% confidence interval 0.6-0.8, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION Despite increases in complexity over an 18-year period, continued improvements in surgical technique and perioperative outcomes yielded a resultant decrease in CCI in the most current era.
Moving to the hinterlands: agglomeration, search costs and urban to rural business migration

Business location and relocation decisions tend to favor urban areas over rural areas, mainly due to the benefits derived from agglomeration economies. However, recent data from the USA show that rural counties have attracted some businesses from urban counties. This is the first study to focus on these relocations and to explore what locational factors drive these migration flows. We pay specific attention to measures of agglomeration in the form of urbanization economies, market potential and regional specialization. Using county-to-county relocation data, origin and destination characteristics and differences of those characteristics, we find that while traditional measures of urban agglomeration such as proximity to urban locations and population density as pull factors show statistical significance and the expected positive sign, the role of more specific measures such as regional specialization and market potential has the opposite or no effects on the relocation of businesses from urban to rural areas. A key and strong finding is that relocating establishments seem to prefer destination locations that are similar to their respective origins in most respects, except natural amenities where moving establishments prefer dissimilar locations. In particular, if relocation is to high-amenity rural locations, it takes place even in the absence of significant differences in other location factors.
17 Counseling Psychology

The genesis of counseling psychology is located in the early 20th century. This chapter examines the development of counseling psychology from its earliest roots in vocational guidance through its modern incarnation as a health service specialty with core values of inclusiveness and social justice. The development of counseling psychology is inextricably related to the social, political and economic development of America in the 20th century. Consideration is given to contextual factors that have shaped counseling psychology including industrialization, education, war, federal policy, space exploration and civil rights. The distinguishing characteristic of counseling psychology is its ability to adapt to larger social movements and forces in service of human adjustment. Keywords: counseling psychology; history; vocational guidance
Assessment of Sperm Chromatin Damage by TUNEL Method Using Benchtop Flow Cytometer

Routine semen analysis is the basic step in the laboratory evaluation of male fertility; however, it cannot explain why men are infertile even when the semen parameters are normal. Many studies evaluating sperm DNA integrity have demonstrated an inverse association between DNA fragmentation and fertilization and pregnancy rates. Advance molecular techniques allow the measurement of DNA fragmentation. A brief description of each technique is provided in this chapter. As these techniques are becoming more accessible to the clinical and research laboratories, the number of studies trying to relate DNA fragmentation with pregnancy outcome and fertilization rate is increasing every day. In this chapter we will describe the causes of sperm DNA fragmentation, highlight various techniques that are available to measure DNA fragmentation, and describe the measurement of DNA fragmentation by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay by flow cytometry and explain why TUNEL should be the method of choice in evaluating DNA fragmentation.