cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Iridoid glycoside sequestration byThessalia leanira (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) feeding onCastilleja integra (Scrophulariaceae).

A small population of a polyvoltine checkerspot butterfly,Thessalia leanira fulvia (also known asChlosyne leanira ssp.fulvia), was found to useCastilleja integra as a larval food plant at a localized site (Burnt Mill) southwest of Pueblo, Colorado. Field-captured adult butterflies contained the major iridoid glycosides (catalpol and macfadienoside) of theCastilleja. The content of a third iridoid glycoside, methyl shanzhiside, was also relatively high in the collected butterflies even though most individualCastilleja plants at Burnt Mill contained little or no methyl shanzhiside. Only a few plants, restricted to a small area, did contain appreciable methyl shanzhiside. Most of the plants that lacked the ester methyl shanzhiside contained shanzhiside, the corresponding free carboxylic acid.Thessalia larvae did not normally methylate the acid to produce methyl shanzhiside. Larvae that stopped feeding at an early instar, but yet survived several weeks, did contain major amounts of methyl shanzhiside. It is suggested that only larvae that overwinter or otherwise enter diapause convert shanzhiside to methyl shanzhiside. TheCastilleja food plant also contained iridoids other than catalpol and macfadienoside, sometimes in major amounts, but these were never found in larvae, pupae, or butterflies.
Transformer Winding Frequency Response Data Analysis with Block Frequency Point Method

Frequency response analysis is an important method of detecting transformer winding deformation.Experienced professionals are able to judge winding deformation accurately by qualitative analysis of the frequency response data atlas.Firstly,the qualitative analysis methods for frequency response data are summarized.Secondly,according to the characteristics of the qualitative analysis,the mathematical morphology is introduced and the quantitative analysis for the amplitude difference is researched.The frequency domain is defined to divide the extreme points of the frequency response data into matched extreme point,shifted extreme point,lost extreme point,excess extreme point and the quantitative analysis for the extreme points is researched.Finally,the block frequency point method is proposed.The main points of the qualitative analysis for frequency response data atlas are mathematically presented with the block frequency point method,and the quantitative analysis for frequency response data is realized.The effectiveness of the method is proved by verification of an example.
A study on the muzzle flame detection method based on near infrared spectroscopy

Aiming at the flame detection at the gun exit, combined with the photoelectric detection principle, this paper presents a design of the silicon photocell detection based on the near infrared flame from the perspective of application. The signal amplification shaping was fulfilled by the precision instrumentation amplifier, and the real-time display and storage of the flame optical analog signal AD conversion results were realized through the embedded controller. The results show that this method can realize the detection of the flame at the gun exit and display the intensity of light.
Influence of acid etching and enamel beveling on the 6-month clinical performance of a self-etch dentin adhesive.

A randomized clinical trial was conducted to compare the whitening effectiveness and tolerability of two daytime, professional, hydrogen-peroxide, vital-bleaching systems. Adults who had never bleached their teeth were randomly assigned to use either 14% hydrogen- peroxide whitening strips or a marketed 9.5% hydrogen-peroxide custom- tray-based system. Maxillary arch treatment was twice daily for 30 min- utes for 9 to 21 days, depending on the labeled instructions for use. Whitening response was measured objectively as L*a*b* (which repre- sent three-dimensional tooth color from light to dark, green to red, and blue to yellow, respectively) from digital images of the maxillary anterior teeth, while comparative at-home tolerability was assessed from bleach- ing tolerability severity days (BTSD) scores. A total of 31 participants aged 18 to 64 were evaluated. At the end of treatment, the adjusted mean (standard deviation (SD)) ∆b* was -3.35 (0.37) for the strips and -1.67 (0.344) for the trays. Treatments differed significantly (P < .05) with respect to ∆b*, as well as to ∆L* and ∆W* values at the end of treat- ment. Overall, at-home strip use was better tolerated, especially with respect to oral irritation. BTSD means (SD) were 0.09 (0.25) and 0.38 (0.49), with treatments differing significantly (P = .036), favoring the strips. This comparative research demonstrated that at the end of treat- ment, the 14% hydrogen-peroxide whitening strips resulted in a superi- or, twofold reduction in yellowness and better in-use tolerability com- pared to the 9.5% hydrogen-peroxide custom-tray system.
Neurological and Psychological Constructs in Sheridan Le Fanu’s In a Glass Darkly

Excepting "Green Tea" and "Carmilla," Sheridan Le Fanu's fiction is generally neglected by modern-day readers, yet his work reveals much information about the conduct of life in nineteenth century Ireland and England. Le Fanu's works should be appreciated for the insights he provides into the psychology of his characters; his fiction was written prior to what historians of psychology date as the formal establishment of the discipline in 1879, which occurred after his death. His fiction also illustrates the emerging medical specialty of neurology, although Le Fanu's later writings are more illustrative of his interest in the mystical works of Emanuel Swedenborg. His characters frequently suffer from "brain fevers" and other maladies that were the subject of intense debate in England, continental Europe, and America. His male characters in particular suffer from guilty consciences, and suicide is a frequent fate. Each of these aspects of Le Fanu's fiction can be found in the 1872 collection In a Glass Darkly, which purports to contain five case histories of the German metaphysical physician Doctor Martin Hesselius. In this chapter, each of the stories in the collection will be described and analyzed for Hesselius' use of psychological, neurological, or mystical explanations for the events occurring within the story. Hesselius' descriptions of psychological constructs are rather advanced for a physician discussing mental disorders in the nineteenth century. His theories within this collection of stories with respect to neurology and neuroscience, on the other hand, are much more representative of the eighteenth century, something that would be natural given that the stories contained in the collection were purported to have occurred in the latter decades of the eighteenth or early decades of the nineteenth century.
Visual end-effector position error compensation for planetary robotics: Research Articles

This paper describes a vision-guided manipulation algorithm that improves arm end-effector positioning to subpixel accuracy and meets the highly restrictive imaging and computational constraints of a planetary robotic flight system. Analytical, simulation-based, and experimental analyses of the algorithm's effectiveness and sensitivity to camera and arm model error is presented along with results on several prototype research systems and “ground-in-the-loop” technology experiments on the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) vehicles. A computationally efficient and robust subpixel end-effector fiducial detector that is instrumental to the algorithm's ability to achieve high accuracy is also described along with its validation results on MER data. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Mitochondrial Ca(2+) and regulation of the permeability transition pore.

The mitochondrial permeability transition pore was originally described in the 1970’s as a Ca2+ activated pore and has since been attributed to the pathogenesis of many diseases. Here we evaluate how each of the current models of the pore complex fit to what is known about how Ca2+ regulates the pore, and any insight that provides into the molecular identity of the pore complex. We also discuss the central role of Ca2+ in modulating the pore’s open probability by directly regulating processes, such as ATP/ADP balance through the tricarboxylic acid cycle, electron transport chain, and mitochondrial membrane potential. We review how Ca2+ influences second messengers such as reactive oxygen/nitrogen species production and polyphosphate formation. We discuss the evidence for how Ca2+ regulates post-translational modification of cyclophilin D including phosphorylation by glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta, deacetylation by sirtuins, and oxidation/ nitrosylation of key residues. Lastly we introduce a novel view into how Ca2+ activated proteolysis through calpains in the mitochondria may be a driver of sustained pore opening during pathologies such as ischemia reperfusion injury.
Reducing Conflict in International PoliticsThe Impact of Structural Variables

Since the end of World War II, most nation-states have been either directly or indirectly embroiled in the Cold War. The substantial conflicts between the mnajor antagonists have been reinforced by threats, counter-threats, and misperceptions of motives, interests, and sometimes even capabilities. Yet, these characteristics of post-1945 international politics are not unique to these years: major conflicts have characterized the history of the international system. Although we do not have any comprehensive theories of conflict, it is reasonable to suggest that this characteristic of the system is derived from at least two interdependent forces. Obviously, conflict may arise due to certain "objective" factors: the incompatibility of objectives interests, and so on between two or more parties (Boulding, 1962). But it may also stem from, and may be reinforced by, the nature of the international environment. That environment contains not only a vast number of actors, but also a wide variety of societal and cultural milieus. This heterogeneity in the environment is detrimental to the resolution of conflict in at least two crucial
Cognitive Enhancement and Personal Identity

Enhancement can be defined as the improvement of normal individuals. There are several categories of enhancement, including physical enhancement, cognitive enhancement, and moral enhancement. In this chapter, I focus on the argument that cognitive enhancement using pharmaceutical means could cause disruptive changes in personal identity. I distinguish between numerical and narrative identity. I argue that cognitive enhancement would have no effect on numerical identity, but it could affect narrative identity. Narrative identity approximates the common notions of identity because it is characterized as a first-person effort to construct a concept of self. Despite the potential effect on narrative identity, I argue for the permissibility of the use of cognitive enhancers. I maintain that psychological traits can change without disrupting psychological continuity. This view is supported by evidence that individuals experience a great deal of psychological change over time, and the evidence that even when those changes are caused by the use of medication, they do not always create a disruption in narrative identity. I conclude that cognitive enhancement is permissible even when it produces changes in narrative identity.
Integrating visual and chemical data to source chert artifacts in the North American Great Basin

Abstract Studies of toolstone procurement and conveyance in the North American Great Basin have generated an extensive database of geochemistry and provenance over the last few decades, and, more recently, provenance analyses have been extended to fine-grained volcanics (e.g., andesite and dacite). By comparison, our knowledge of chert provenance remains poor, a significant deficit given the predominance of chert in many lithic assemblages in the region. In this study, we combine visual and geochemical methods to source chert artifacts from the central Great Basin. We use visual attributes to narrow down the potential sources of chert artifacts from Paleoindian sites located in east-central Nevada. We then employ chemical data, acquired by portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (pXRF), to discriminate sources of macroscopically-similar cherts and assign artifacts to those sources. The results of our study suggest that, by combining visual and chemical data, we can source chert artifacts in the region, thereby providing additional insight into prehistoric lithic technological and socioeconomic organization in the Great Basin.
Inhibitors of Enzymes in Biological Materials Used For Foods

Any compound that reduces the observed activity of an enzyme is an inhibitor, by definition. Compounds inhibitory to enzymes occur naturally in biological materials as well as being added intentionally or inadvertently during production, harvesting, or storage. Naturally occurring inhibitors include poly- phenolic materials such as the tannins; chelators of essential metal cofactors of enzymes such as phytic acid and ascorbic acid; the peptide inhibitors, especially those excreted by microorganisms; and specific proteins found in plants, animals, and microorganisms. Most of the pesticides and insecticides used are specific enzyme inhibitors, especially of acetylcholinesterase. Com- pounds such as ascorbic acid and sodium bisulfite are added to raw materials such as peaches and apples to prevent browning; these compounds are inhibitors of polyphenol oxidase.
Ebb Light, Flood Light: Red Light, Green Light for Larval Flatfishes

Flatfishes such as flounders belong to order Pleuronectiformes and are an interesting topic for K–12 activities because of their unusual shape, and they can be used to teach students about animal movement patterns as well as ecology. Some flatfishes use the flood and ebb tidal currents to travel into and remain in small estuarine creeks because the larvae cannot swim against currents. In this activity, students play the game Red Light, Green Light to learn about larval flatfishes and their use of position in the water column, as well as tides and currents, for movement within an estuary. Students also put this knowledge to practice by drawing pictures and answering questions about larval flatfishes and their movement. This activity addresses the Next Generation Science Standard of using a model to show the relationship between animals and their habitat. Impact Statement We created an original activity to teach early elementary students about movement patterns of animals. Terms such as tides, estuaries, flounder, larvae, and metamorphosis are defined to prepare students for more complex science. Science is often not a heavy focus in earlier grade levels, but it is possible to use active outdoor games (invoking multisensory learning through seeing and doing) to teach Next Generation Science Standards such as the relationship between animals and their habitat.
3D macroporous TiO2 inverse opal binary and ternary composite materials and their photocatalytic activity

This work reports the design of binary and ternary thin film based photocatalysts consisting of 3D macroporous inverse opal (IO) titanium dioxide, IO-TiO2, embedded with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and cadmium sulfide (CdS) thin film. The composite materials thus created are IO-TiO2–AuNPs, IO-TiO2–CdS, and IO-TiO2–AuNPs–CdS. The IO-TiO2 3D macroporous films are obtained by a liquid phase co-assembly method consisting of the simultaneous self-assembly of polystyrene (PS) nanospheres with a water soluble titania precursor. AuNPs and CdS thin films are integrated to the above IO-TiO2 by in situ synthesis and successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) methods, respectively. The composite materials demonstrated very good photocatalytic proficiency against an organic pollutant analog under UV and visible lighting conditions. The morphologies of the photocatalysts were imaged with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The elemental components were determined using energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) line analysis, and Raman spectroscopy. UV-visible spectroscopy was used to assess the photocatalytic efficiency of the composites in decomposing organic pollutant analog.
Analysis of half-tapered fiber coupling for microresonators

Although evanescent fields from tapered optical fibers with small diameters (<5 μm) enable efficient coupling to microresonators, fabrication and handling difficulties motivate the use of half-tapered fibers. As a prelude to microresonator coupling, however, we quantify just the coupling between two half-tapered fibers using fabrication, theory, design analysis, simulation and experimental verification. The dependence of coupling strength on taper diameter, fiber separation and coupling length are highlighted.
Lessons on Inequality and Capitalism: Perspectives from a Community College

Written by a former tenure-track community college faculty member and current community college administrator, this chapter offers the reader a different perspective on teaching inequality and capitalism based upon the type of higher education institution. Having taught at two community colleges, a private four-year university, and a public research university, the author discovered that the challenges of teaching the topic were very different depending on the type of institution. Readers of this essay will come away with valuable insight into the different approaches employed in teaching inequality and capitalism as a dependent function of the type of institution where it is taught.
In Defense of Ambition: Building Peaceful & Inclusive Societies in a World on Fire

Fragility creates the conditions for violent intrastate conflict. Its consequences contribute to global disorder and mounting threats to U.S. national security. Significant impediments to effective...
Immobilized α-Amylase for Clarification of Colloidal Starch-Clay Suspensions

Lake and stream pollution remains a major national concern. New regulations, either now in effect or to be imposed in the next few years, will limit severely the amount of solids that industry and municipalities can discharge into natural waters. Among the industries affected are those either manufacturing starch or using it in processes where some starch may get into waste streams. Because dilute starch solutions suspend other solid materials, they constitute a problem in waste treatment.
Atypical PKCs, NF-κB, and Inflammation

Complex biological processes, such as inflammation and cancer, rely on the crosstalk and activation of distinct cellular networks that control gene expression. Central to this process is the transcription factor NF-κB. In this chapter, we focus on the role of the atypical protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms (aPKC) in inflammation and cancer through the activation of this transcription factor in vivo. The aPKCs are key members of a network of kinases, adapters and regulators, such as p62 and Par-4, which confer functional plasticity and specificity to this critical pathway. Here, we summarize the molecular mechanisms that govern that network, learnt from the knock-out mouse models, to unravel its role and function in vivo.
Managing Presacral Tumors

Presacral or retrorectal tumors are uncommon. At the Mayo Clinic, a large tertiary care center, only 120 patients with retrorectal tumors were seen over a 20-year period (Jao et al. 1985). Uhlig reviewed the medical records of Portland Oregon’s major hospitals over a 30-year period prior to 1975 and identified 63 cases, approximately 2 per year in major metropolitan area (Uhlig and Johnson 1975). In a more recent report from Washington University in St. Louis, only 32 patients with retrorectal tumors were seen over a 22-year period ending in 2003 (Glasgow et al. 2005).
Effects of fat saturation and vitamin E on fatty acid and vitamin E status in platelets and prostaglandins and cholesterol concentrations in serum

The present study was conducted to determine whether increasing dietary linoleate and vitamin E supplementation interact to maintain a relatively andthrombogenic rado of thromboxane : prostacyclin. The influence of increasing dietary linoleate and d,l-a-tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E) on platelet fatty acid composition, phospholipase A2 activity, lipid peroxidation, serum thromboxane B2 (TXB2), 6-keto-prostaglandin Fia (6keto-PGFia) and aortic o-keto-PGFia concentrations was studied in 72 weanling male Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats were fed semipurified diets containing 11 or 18% of energy from linoleate (en% linoleate) and graded levels (0,100 or 5000 ppm) of vitamin E for 10 weeks. Vitamin E status was confirmed by platelet vitamin E level. Rats fed no vitamin E had the lowest platelet vitamin E and rats fed 5000 ppm vitamin E had the greatest platelet vitamin E (p<0.05). Lipid status was verified by platelet fatty acid composition. Platelet C18:ln-9 (oleic acid) was significantly greater in the 11 en% linoleate group than in the 18 en% linoleate group, and platelet C18:2n-6 (linoleic acid) was significantiy greater in the 18 en% linoleate group than in the 11 en% linoleate group (p<0.05). Increasing dietai'y linoleate from 11 to 18 en% had no adverse effect on thrombogenic potential as reflected in serum TXB2/6-keto-PGFia ratio. Serum TXB2 level and platelet lipid peroxidation (TBARS) were significantly greater in the vitamin E-deficient group than in other groups (p<0.05). Vitamin E supplementation had no protective effect on tiirombosis based on serum TXB2/6-keto-PGFia ratio. There was no interaction between increasing dietary linoleate and vitamin E supplementation on thrombogenic potential, as reflected by eicosanoid status,
Variance Component Testing in Generalized Linear Mixed Models for Longitudinal/Clustered Data and other Related Topics

Linear mixed models (Laird and Ware, 1982) and generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) (Breslow and Clayton, 1993) have been widely used in many research areas, especially in the area of biomedical research, to analyze longitudinal and clustered data and multiple outcome data. In a mixed effects model, subject-specific random effects are used to explicitly model between-subject variation in the data and often assumed to follow a mean zero parametric distribution, e.g., multivariate normal, that depends on some unknown variance components. A large literature was developed in the last two decades for the estimation of regression coefficients and variance components in mixed effects models. See Diggle et al. (2002) and Verbeke and Molenberghs (2000, 2005) for an overview.
Impact of Serum Cystatin C-Based Glomerular Filtration Rate Estimates on Drug Dose Selection in Hospitalized Patients.

Study objective Serum creatinine (Sc r ) concentration is used to calculate estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) for medication dosing. Serum cystatin C (CysC) concentration has been proposed as an adjunct or alternative to Scr . This study sought to evaluate the possible impact of using CysC in eGFR equations on drug dose recommendations in hospitalized patients with infections. Design Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. Setting Large academic tertiary care medical center. Patients A total of 308 adults with suspected or documented infections and stable kidney function who were hospitalized between 2012 and 2015. Measurements and main results Standardized Sc r and CysC measured at the time of antibiotic dosing were used to estimate GFR from the three Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaborative (CKD-EPI) equations using Sc r (eGFRCr ), CysC(eGFRCysC ), or a combination of Sc r and CysC (eGFRCr-CysC ), and these values were compared with estimated creatinine clearance (eClcr ) from the Cockcroft-Gault equation (standard of care for drug dosage adjustments). The eGFRs were categorized into five common dosage adjustment strata (lower than 20, 20-49, 50-79, 80-130, and higher than 130 ml/min), and agreement between equations was tested with the weighted κ statistic. Recommended drug doses varied considerably between the eClcr and the CKD-EPI equations (weighted κ [95% confidence interval]: eGFRCr 0.73 [0.68-0.79], eGFRCysC 0.42 [0.35-0.5], eGFRCr-CysC 0.65 [0.6-0.71]). If eGFRCr, eGFRCysC , or eGFRCr-CysC were used instead of eClcr to dose drugs, 11%, 12%, and 8% of doses, respectively, would be higher, and 12%, 38%, and 24% of doses, respectively, would be lower. Conclusion Significant discordance in drug doses was observed when the CKD-EPI equations were used in place of eClcr . When CysC was included in eGFR equations, recommended doses were often lower. Further study is needed to develop and test drug-specific dosing guidelines that incorporate alternate renal biomarkers and/or more contemporary eGFR equations.
Plant Growth Retardant and Initial Plant Height Affect Canna Lily Growth and Flowering

Abstract A study conducted in 2000 determined effects of two rates of Cutless and B-Nine/Cycocel tank mix and initial plant height on vegetative growth and flowering of Canna x generalis ‘Florence Vaughan’. Canna lily responded independently to plant growth retardant (PGR) treatment and initial plant height. Cutless suppressed vegetative height consistently up to 34% at the lower rate (25 ppm) and up to 41% at the higher rate (50 ppm) throughout the study, regardless of initial plant height. At first and second flower, increasing rates of Cutless suppressed vegetative height about 36% and 35–40%, respectively, and first and second flowering heights, 39–52% and 36–47%, respectively, with minimal effect on time to flower. Height suppression from B-Nine/Cycocel treatments was less than from Cutless with the greatest suppression, 12%, occurring at first flower. Differences in vegetative height among short, intermediate, and tall plants were most significant at treatment, decreased thereafter, and were not pre...
SP0109 HOT: DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF INFECTION RELATED ARTHRITIDES

Background: Management of infectious arthritis has evolved because of empiric knowledge, clinical studies, and emerging pathogens. For patients with bacterial arthritis, organism specific, effective anti-microbial therapy is essential, but assessment of co-morbidities, adequate joint drainage, and supportive care are also required. For patients with infectious arthritis an acute intervention is usually necessary, since delay in diagnosis often leads to unsatisfactory outcome. In some situations, the distinction between infection and a post-infectious inflammatory process may be challenging. Objectives: The goal of this lecture is to review management of septic arthritis in native joints. In addition, I will discuss Lyme arthritis and chronic chikungunya arthritis as examples of the broadening spectrum of infectious arthritis. Methods: This lecture will rely on my clinical experience and a Pubmed literature search. Results: In this HOT lecture, I will provide practical, up to date information about the diagnosis and management of septic (bacterial) arthritis of native joints. I will discuss longstanding treatment paradigms, as well as advances in management and areas of uncertainty. I will then consider two emerging infections, Lyme arthritis and chronic chikungunya arthritis, that illustrate the changing spectrum of infectious arthritis. Conclusion: It is the intention of this lecture to assist rheumatologists in management of patients across the spectrum of infectious arthritis. Accurate diagnosis and treatment are often challenging, but critical to satisfactory patient outcome. References: [1] Ross JJ: Septic arthritis of native joints. Infect Dis Clin North Am 2017; 31: 203-218. [2] Schoen RT: Musculoskeletal manifestations of Lyme disease. In: Basow DS (ed): UptoDate 2019. Waltham, MA. [3] Kennedy Amaral Pereira J, Schoen RT: Management of chikungunya arthritis. Clin Rheumatol 2017; 36: 2179-2186. Disclosure of Interests: None declared
The Trump Effect: Postinauguration Changes in Marketplace Enrollment

CONTEXT On January 20, 2017, President Donald Trump penned his first executive order, which aimed to "minimiz[e] the economic burden" of the Affordable Care Act, signaling his intent to make good on promises to repeal and replace the law. This executive order, along with concurrent changes in political messaging associated with the transition in power and reductions in HealthCare.gov advertising, lowered Health Insurance Marketplace enrollment at the end of the 2017 open enrollment period. METHODS The authors used difference-in-differences and event-study models with weekly county-level Marketplace application data from 1,476 counties in 37 states to estimate the incremental enrollment loss in the postinauguration period. FINDINGS Estimates indicate a population-weighted decline of over 700 applications per county-week during the final 2 weeks of the 2017 open enrollment period relative to 2016, corresponding to a nearly 30% decline in applications submitted. A more flexible event-study approach that better accounts for time shifting of enrollment across open enrollment periods found a similar decline of approximately 660 applications per county-week associated with the postinauguration period (-24%). CONCLUSIONS The lack of political support for the law by the incoming administration seemingly had an immediate and significant downward effect on Marketplace enrollment nationwide.
Improving accuracy of visible-light OCT oximetry in rodents and humans

We developed a combined cross-correlation and graph-search segmentation techniques, to reliably extract the backscattered light spectrum so that we can improve the accuracy of retinal oximetry using visible-light OCT.
Performance Enhancement of Square-Ring Antennas Exploiting Surface-Wave Metasurfaces

This letter proposes a technique to enhance the performance of a square-ring antenna by exciting surface waves. An asymmetrical metasurface (MS) is utilized to control the surface-wave resonances at different planes. To excite the surface waves, various configurations have been considered, namely, square-ring element above, below, and within the MS. The latter design, with a 0.07 $\lambda _o$ height profile, provides superior matching and gain performances compared to the others. It operates from 3.8 to 5 GHz (27 $\%$ fractional bandwidth) with a stable realized gain up to 11.9 dBi in the broadside direction. A prototype of the structure, with a simple probe-feeding mechanism, was fabricated and measured. An excellent agreement was attained between the simulated and measured data.
History of traumatic brain injury interferes with accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer's dementia: a nation-wide case-control study.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) bear a complex relationship, potentially increasing risk of one another reciprocally. However, recent evidence suggests post-TBI dementia e...
Characterization of an ECF56-family sigma factor from Streptomyces venezuelae reveals a highly conserved regulome

Bacteria often possess alternative sigma factors that initiate the transcription of specific genes under environmental stresses, the largest and most diverse group being the extractyoplasmic function (ECF) sigma factors. The regulation of ECF activity is crucial for ensuring the distinct transcription of stress responsive genes only occurs under the appropriate conditions. While most ECFs are comprised of only the core σ2 and σ4 regions, a unique form of ECF sigma factor regulation also contains a C-terminal extension bearing homology to the NTF2 superfamily of protein domains. While previous work has shown that this NTF2 domain can affect transcriptional activity in vivo in ECF41 and ECF42, its role in the newly classified ECF56 subgroup is unknown. In this work, we show that truncation of the C-terminus of the ECF56 sigma factor SVEN_4562 of Streptomyces venezuelae upregulates its activity in a hybrid assay. Through transcriptomics in S. venezuelae, we found that this truncated ECF56 sigma factor has a highly conserved promoter sequence in vivo. Bioinformatic assays illustrated that deep branches of the Actinobacteria phylum contained putative ECF56 promoter motifs identical to those found in the S. venezuelae ECF56 regulon. We validated these findings through ex situ hybrid assays illustrating that truncated ECF56 sigma factors from phylogenetically diverse Actinobacteria activate transcription from these promoters. Importantly, our work shows that the genetic infrastructure of the ECF56 family of sigma factors is highly conserved and performs important functions yet to be understood in Actinobacteria.
Metals: structure and properties

Goals After reading this chapter the student will understand the following. Structure and properties of metals commonly used for making biomedical implants and devices. Use of different metals as biomaterials. Metals are extensively used as materials for biomedical implants, devices, and surgical tools. Some of the implants made from metals are shown in Figure 5.1. For example, metals are used for orthopedic reconstructions (implants for artificial hip, knee, shoulder, and elbow joints), fracture fixation (plates, pins, screws, rods, and nails), oral and maxillofacial reconstructions (dental implants and mini-plates), and cardiovascular interventions (stents, heart valves, and pacemakers). In general, metals used for biomedical applications should exhibit the following properties: high corrosion resistance, biocompatibility, high wear resistance, excellent mechanical properties. Most metallic biomaterials have a stable surface oxide layer that enhances their corrosion resistance properties. It is believed that the presence of this stable surface oxide layer is key to the biocompatibility of metals. The mechanical properties of the metal are important and should satisfy the requirements of the specific application in the body. For instance, when a metal is used to augment a bone, the elastic modulus of the metal should be ideally equivalent to that of the bone. If the elastic modulus of the metal is greater than that of bone, then the load experienced by the bone is reduced due to a phenomenon known as stress shielding. This can cause the bone to remodel to adjust to the lower load and eventually result in the loss of bone quality. In another example, stainless steel is commonly used for making coronary stents due to its well-suited mechanical properties. Stainless steel has good radial strength (due to its high elastic modulus of ~190 GPa), low recoil, good expandability, and sufficient flexibility, which makes it a highly preferred metal for making stents. Several metals such as titanium, stainless steel, cobalt–chromium alloys, nitinol (nickel–titanium alloy), tantalum, and magnesium have been used for a variety of clinical applications, with titanium, stainless steel, and cobalt–chromium alloys being the most commonly used metals. This chapter describes the structure and properties of these metals.
Differential price‐responsiveness of smoking behaviors among non‐Hispanic African Americans and non‐Hispanic whites in the United States

Author(s): Wang, Yingning; Max, Wendy; Yao, Tingting; Keeler, Courtney; Sung, Hai-Yen | Abstract: Background and aims:nNon-Hispanic African Americans (African Americans) smoke fewer cigarettes per day (CPD) and are more likely to be non-daily smokers than non-Hispanic whites (whites). Little is known about how changes in cigarette prices might contribute to these differences. This study aimed to measure the price-responsiveness of smoking participation, non-daily smoking among current smokers and smoking intensity among daily or non-daily smokers for African Americans and compare the price-responsiveness estimates with those for whites.Design:nAnalysis of data from the 2009-14 National Adult Tobacco Surveys and cigarette price data from the Tax Burden on Tobacco report.Setting:nUnited States.Participants:nA total of 19 232 African American and 197 939 white adults aged 18+.Measurements:nWe used a three-part econometric model of cigarette demand to estimate the price-responsiveness of smoking participation, daily versus non-daily smoking and smoking intensity. The model controlled for secular variation, state-level anti-smoking sentiment and smoke-free air laws and socio-demographics.Findings:nIn 2009-14, 20.2% of African Americans and 17.7% of whites identified as current smokers; 70.2% of African American smokers and 81.4% of white smokers smoked daily. The price elasticity of smoking participation was significant for whites at -0.16 [95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.23, -0.09], indicating that a 10% increase in prices would reduce smoking participation by 1.6%, but not statistically significant for African Americans, and this racial/ethnic differential price responsiveness was not statistically significant. The price elasticity of smoking intensity was statistically significant for African American daily smokers at -0.29 (95% CI = -0.42, -0.16), but not statistically significant for white daily smokers, and this racial/ethnic differential price-responsiveness was statistically significant. The price elasticity of daily versus non-daily smoking among current smokers, and the price elasticity of smoking intensity among non-daily smokers were not statistically significant for either racial/ethnic group.Conclusion:nIn the United States, cigarette price increases may have stronger effects on decreasing daily smokers' consumption among African Americans than among non-Hispanic whites.
The Keds Are Alright: Community Collection of Ticks (Ixodida: Ixodidae) and Keds (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) From Hunter-Harvested Deer

Deer keds [Lipoptena cervi (L. 1758)] are ectoparasitic and hematophagous dipterans. Originally native to Northern Europe, L. cervi records in the United States begin in 1907 when they were found in Pennsylvania and New Hampshire. Subsequently, they have been recorded from several states and parasitize many native cervids (Artiodactyla: Cervidae) including white-tailed deer [Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmerman 1780)]. Concurrently, blacklegged ticks [Ixodes scapularis (Say 1821)], and cases of Lyme disease are increasing in prevalence in the Northeast. The continued expansion and increase in vectors and vector-borne diseases present an opportunity for study and community outreach. We used a combination of active and passive collection techniques, using deer hunters as community scientists, to collect ectoparasites of deer in Pennsylvania over two hunting seasons (2018–2019, 2019–2020). Community scientists were recruited through Facebook groups, e-mail, and hunting clubs. In total, 1,226 L. cervi and 1,954 I. scapularis were collected from white-tailed deer harvested by the community and deer processors across both hunting seasons. The community collected 298 L. cervi and 472 I. scapularis during the 2018–2019 season. In the same season, 529 L. cervi and 577 I. scapularis were collected from deer processors. For the 2019–2020 season, 225 L. cervi and 381 I. scapularis were collected by the community and 174 L. cervi and 524 I. scapularis were collected from deer processors. Benefits and drawbacks were identified for each collection method and a combination of both methods was found to be most effective in gathering specimens without sacrificing standardization.
Hamstring and Calf Injuries

Hamstring and calf injuries are common in athletes and may cause significant functional impairment. Etiologies range from acute strains to chronic overuse conditions. Accurate determination of injury location, severity, and mechanism is important for proper triage, treatment planning, and return to play discussions. This chapter describes the most common hamstring and calf injuries encountered in clinical practice: acute hamstring strains, proximal hamstring tendinopathy, distal hamstring injuries, gastrocnemius and soleus strains, medial tibial stress syndrome, chronic exertional compartment syndrome, and plantaris tendon ruptures. Specific injury characteristics, diagnostic features, and treatment recommendations are described for each condition. Most of these injuries can be managed effectively with appropriately targeted nonoperative strategies.
Multilingual Machine Translation Systems from Microsoft for WMT21 Shared Task.

This report describes Microsoft's machine translation systems for the WMT21 shared task on large-scale multilingual machine translation. We participated in all three evaluation tracks including Large Track and two Small Tracks where the former one is unconstrained and the latter two are fully constrained. Our model submissions to the shared task were initialized with DeltaLM\footnote{\url{this https URL}}, a generic pre-trained multilingual encoder-decoder model, and fine-tuned correspondingly with the vast collected parallel data and allowed data sources according to track settings, together with applying progressive learning and iterative back-translation approaches to further improve the performance. Our final submissions ranked first on three tracks in terms of the automatic evaluation metric.
The Lives of Sumerian Sculpture: An Archaeology of the Early Dynastic Temple

This book examines the sculptures created during the Early Dynastic period (2900–2350 BC) of Sumer, a region corresponding to present-day southern Iraq. Featured almost exclusively in temple complexes, some 550 Early Dynastic stone statues of human figures carved in an abstract style have survived. Chronicling the intellectual history of ancient Near Eastern art history and archaeology at the intersection of sculpture and aesthetics, this book argues that the early modern reception of Sumer still influences ideas about these sculptures. Engaging also with the archaeology of the Early Dynastic temple, the book ultimately considers what a stone statue of a human figure has signified, both in modern times and in antiquity.
The t complex : a story of genes, behavior, and populations

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the major molecular, behavioral, and population features of the t complex as an illustration of the relevance of data gathered at one level of analysis for interpretations at other levels. Behavior may be a major factor in determining the frequency of t haplotypes in wild mice. Genes within the t complex appear to have important effects on mating preference, parental investment, and aggressive behavior. There are probably two ways in which behavior regulates gene frequency. First, it seems likely that there is selection for t haplotypes because possession of a t mutation enhances male aggressive behavior. In all other respects, however, possession of a t haplotypes appears to lower fitness and mice appear to be capable of behaviorally altering the transmission of these otherwise deleterious genes to their progeny. Genes within the t complex have a large number of pleiotropic consequences for behavior. Understanding the behavioral consequences of t complex genotype can elucidate, in turn, the process controlling the frequency of these genes in natural populations.
Only Partially Color-Blind: John Marshall Harlan's View of Race and the Constitution

Few nineteenth century justices are held in higher esteem than the first Justice John Marshall Harlan. Harlan’s reputation is based largely on his 1896 dissent in Plessy v. Ferguson. With its ringing endorsement of the concept of the “color-blind Constitution,” this dissent is at times viewed as embodying a commitment to modern concepts of racial equality.This article, which first appeared in the Gerogia State Law Review in a symposium marking the 100th anniversary of Plessy, argues that the scope of Harlan’s vision of racial equality is often greatly overstated. To be sure, in comparison to his colleagues on the Waite and Fuller Courts, Harlan was generally more sympathetic to the plight of African-Americans. However, even in this narrow context, Harlan’s approach was quite different than even the most conservative modern justices. Moreover, he showed much less solicitude for the rights of Native Americans and people of Chinese descent. The most consistent theme of these cases is a commitment to nationalism rather than a robust theory of racial equality.
Scalable microfluidics for single-cell RNA printing and sequencing

Many important biological questions demand single-cell transcriptomics on a large scale. Hence, new tools are urgently needed for efficient, inexpensive manipulation of RNA from individual cells. We report a simple platform for trapping single-cell lysates in sealed, picoliter microwells capable of printing RNA on glass or capturing RNA on beads. We then develop a scalable technology for genome-wide, single-cell RNA-Seq. Our device generates pooled libraries from hundreds of individual cells with consumable costs of $0.10–$0.20 per cell and includes five lanes for simultaneous experiments. We anticipate that this system will serve as a general platform for single-cell imaging and sequencing.
Spiro{bicyclo[4.2.0]octa‐1,3,5‐triene‐7,2′‐[1,3]‐dioxolan}‐8‐one

[6383-64-8] C10H8O3 (MW 176.18) InChI = 1S/C10H8O3/c11-9-7-3-1-2-4-8(7)10(9)12-5-6-13-10/h1-4H,5-6H2 InChIKey = UOQMBMQGBKMYTP-UHFFFAOYSA-N (serves as a 1,4-dipole synthon for synthesis of anthraquinone-related ring systems2) Physical Data: mp 109–112 °C. Preparative Method: this simple monoethylene acetal of benzocyclobutenedione3 may be prepared by reaction of the parent dione with Ethylene Glycol 1 in benzene with a trace of p-Toluenesulfonic Acid and azeotropic removal of water,1 or by a three-step method that is essentially a silicon analog of the Kornblum oxidation (eq 1).4 The latter approach affords control over acetal regiochemistry in systems with unsymmetrical substitution on the aromatic ring. (1) Purification: crystallizes from benzene–hexane; slightly yellow needles.
Stable isotopes and archaeological geology: the Carrara marble, northern Italy

Abstract The principal marble quarries of Italy for the past 2000 years have been those of Carrara. In Roman times, the marble was exported all over the ancient world. Renaissance quarries were opened up in Seravezza; both the Seravezza and the Carrara quarries have been exploited until today. The correct identification of Carrara marble has always been a problem because it was traded so widely in Roman times and was later used to fabricate broken or lost pieces of classical statuary. Many types of geochemical analysis have been tried in order to find distinctive signatures for the recognition of classical marbles, including trace elements, ESR spectroscopy of Mn, thermoluminescence, and stable isotopic ratios. To date, the most promising has been isotopic ratio analysis of oxygen and carbon. In this study, stable isotopic signatures were investigated as a means for distinguishing: (1) the principal quarry areas of the Carrara Commune: Fossacava, Miseglia, and Torano, and the Seravezza Commune; (2) or merely the largely classical quarries of Carrara from the Renaissance quarries of Seravezza; (3) and, most important, the Carrara quarries from other quarries of Greece, Turkey, Italy, and Tunisia in the classical marble data base. Discriminant analysis (DA) of the isotopic analyses showed that the three quarry areas of a Carrara could not be told apart but that they could be told easily from Seravezza. In addition, a “mineralized” Carrara quarry at Mandria, with buff to yellow rather than white marble, was also distinctive. DA also suggests that Carrara can be told from those quarries with which it is presently confused: Paros, in the Aegean Sea; Marmara, in Turkey; and Pentelikon, near Athens. Sr isotopic analysis showed a range in the Carrara and other marbles of Hettangian (Lower Jurassic) age from 0.70778 to 0.70810 which is very different from values found in Paros and Pentelikon. This suggests that Sr might make a good third discriminator for classical marble.