cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of diet on the distribution of nitrogen isotopes in animals

The influence of diet on the distribution of nitrogen isotopes in animals was investigated by analyzing animals grown in the laboratory on diets of constant nitrogen isotopic composition. The isotopic composition of the nitrogen in an animal reflects the nitrogen isotopic composition of its diet. The δ^(15)N values of the whole bodies of animals are usually more positive than those of their diets. Different individuals of a species raised on the same diet can have significantly different δ^(15)N values. The variability of the relationship between the δ^(15)N values of animals and their diets is greater for different species raised on the same diet than for the same species raised on different diets. Different tissues of mice are also enriched in ^(15)N relative to the diet, with the difference between the δ^(15)N values of a tissue and the diet depending on both the kind of tissue and the diet involved. The δ^(15)N values of collagen and chitin, biochemical components that are often preserved in fossil animal remains, are also related to the δ^(15)N value of the diet. The dependence of the δ^(15)N values of whole animals and their tissues and biochemical components on the δ^(15)N value of diet indicates that the isotopic composition of animal nitrogen can be used to obtain information about an animal's diet if its potential food sources had different δ^(15)N values. The nitrogen isotopic method of dietary analysis probably can be used to estimate the relative use of legumes vs non-legumes or of aquatic vs terrestrial organisms as food sources for extant and fossil animals. However, the method probably will not be applicable in those modern ecosystems in which the use of chemical fertilizers has influenced the distribution of nitrogen isotopes in food sources. The isotopic method of dietary analysis was used to reconstruct changes in the diet of the human population that occupied the Tehuacan Valley of Mexico over a 7000 yr span. Variations in the δ^(15)C and δ^(15)N values of bone collagen suggest that C_4 and/or CAM plants (presumably mostly corn) and legumes (presumably mostly beans) were introduced into the diet much earlier than suggested by conventional archaeological analysis.
Persistent genital human papillomavirus infection as a risk factor for persistent cervical dysplasia

Background : Cervical dysplasia, also referred to as squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL) in cytology or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in histopathology, is thought to have the potential to advance in progressive stages to cervical cancer. However, not all cases of SIL progress, and most of the mild lesions spontaneously regress. Factors that govern regression, persistence, and progression of SIL are poorly understood. Purpose : Our analysis sought to identify factors that determined persistence or regression of SIL. Methods : Seventy subjects with histopathologically confirmed cervical dysplasia were followed at 3-month intervals for 15 months. At each visit, the cervix was evaluated by Pap smear and colposcopy, and exfoliated cervicovaginal cells were analyzed for human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA. For each subject, data from every two consecutive visits were grouped as a pair. Persistent SIL was considered present if a lesion was detected at a visit (t) as well as at the next visit (t + 1) and absent if a lesion was detected at visit t but not at visit t + 1. A statistical model for time-dependent data correlated persistent SIL with various risk factors. Results : Age, ethnicity, education, sexual behavior, smoking, and the use of oral contraceptives did not correlate with persistent SIL. The risk of persistent SIL was associated with continual HPV infection in visits t and t + 1 (HPV positive by Southern blot analysis : odds ratio [OR] = 3.91, and 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.58-9.65 ; HPV positive by polymerase chain reaction [PCR] : OR = 2.42, and 95% CI = 1.03-5.67) and a persistent high viral load (OR = 4.07, and 95% CI = 1.35-12.30). When typed by PCR, individuals with type-specific persistent infection in visits t and t + 1, and particularly those with a continual high viral load (OR = 4.97 ; 95% CI = 1.45-17.02), had the highest risk for persistent SIL compared with those with a low level of type-specific persistent infection or non-type-specific persistent infection. The presence of persistent HPV infection in visits t - 1 and t (the preceding time interval) was also predictive of persistent SIL in visits t and t + 1, although the strength of association was weaker, suggesting that persistent HPV and SIL occur synchronously. Conclusion : HPV infection and its associated cervical lesions tend to occur concurrently, and type-specific persistent HPV infection, particularly with a high viral load, produces chronic cervical dysplasia. Implications : The natural history of genital HPV infection directly influences the prognosis of cervical dysplasia as measured by persistence of the lesion. Testing for HPV infection may be valuable in the clinical management of women with cervical dysplasia.
IQ and Defense Mechanisms Assessed with the TAT

Abstract. The concept of defense mechanism has a long history in psychoanalysis and clinical psychopathology. The function of defenses has been modified over the years, from a counter-force against instincts to the protection of self-esteem. To understand the role of defenses in pathological and normal development, a coding method to use with Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) stories – the Defense Mechanism Manual (Cramer, 1991a) – has been developed and validated. Three broad defenses – Denial, Projection, and Identification – may be coded with this method. The article presents examples of TAT stories that have been coded for defense use. These show how defense use changes after a period of psychotherapy, and how defenses change with age. Evidence for reliability and validity is provided, both from correlational and experimental studies. The remainder of the paper focuses on the relation between the use of defense mechanisms and intelligence. Research has shown that the two ego functions of defense and IQ...
Inflammation and Colorectal Cancer

Chronic intestinal Inflammation occurs in response to environmental factors, infection and genetics; and plays a critical role in initiation, promotion, progression and metastasis of colon cancer. Colitis associated colon cancer (CAC) is a classic example of multifactorial, multi-step colorectal cancer associated with inflammatory bowel diseases. In recent years, the generation of animal models of CAC and recognition of the importance of the gut microbiota, altered immune system, and other environmental factors in CAC, has expanded the basic understanding of inflammation associated colon cancer. In this chapter, we discuss the cellular alterations and mechanisms by which inflammation contributes towards the development of colon cancer using CAC as a model system. We have also explored some of the promising strategies for preventing progression of inflammation to colon cancer. The emerging role of dietary factors, obesity and gut microbiota in colon cancer is also reviewed.
Proarrhythmic Effects of Antiarrhythmic and Non-antiarrhythmic Drugs

Many drugs, including both antiarrhythmic and non-antiarrhythmic medications, affect the ion channels and receptors of the heart with the potential to produce a proarrhythmic action. The proarrhythmic action of these drugs is influenced by electrolyte disturbances, hemodynamic abnormalities, and conditions affecting the metabolism and excretion of the medication. This chapter will discuss the mechanisms of proarrhythmic states commonly encountered, illustrate characteristic scenarios, and explain treatment strategies for medication-induced proarrhythmic states. As it is often difficult clinically to differentiate between arrhythmias occurring at therapeutic medication concentrations and those occurring at toxic levels, the treatment of antiarrhythmic toxicity is also discussed.
Michigan's Local Leaders Concerned About Retiree Health Care Costs and Their Governments’ Ability to Meet Future Obligations

This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding the retiree health care benefits — typically referred to as other post-employment benefits (OPEB) — that their local governments provide to employees, retirees, and/or elected officials. It includes assessments of health care benefits, local governments’ attempts at controlling costs, and levels of concern over the effects of OPEB liabilities on jurisdictions’ fiscal health. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local government leaders in the Spring 2015 wave of the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS).
Zinc Absorption in Rats Fed a Low-Protein Diet and a Low-Protein Diet Supplemented With Tryptophan or Picolinic Acid

Zinc absorption was examined in rats fed a basal diet with 5% vitamin-free casein, in rats fed the 5% casein-based diet supplemented with tryptophan and in rats fed the 5% casein-based diet supplemented with picolinic acid. True, total daily zinc absorption was determined by an isotope dilution technique after the rats had been injected intramuscularly with carrier-free 65Zn. The zinc concentration of the kidneys from the rats fed the 5% casein diet was significantly less than that of the kidneys from rats fed the same diet supplemented with either tryptophan or picolinic acid. The specific activity of Zn in the kidneys from the rats fed the low-protein diet was significantly greater than that of the kidneys from rats fed the diet supplemented with either tryptophan or picolinic acid. The specific activity of Zn in the feces from rats fed the low-protein diet was significantly less than the specific activity of the feces from rats fed either supplemental tryptophan or supplemental picolinic acid. True, total daily zinc absorption in rats fed the low-protein diet was significantly less than the total daily zinc absorption in rats fed either supplemental tryptophan or supplemental picolinic acid. Since tryptophan is a metabolic precursor of picolinic acid, the results support the hypothesis that endogenous and exogenous picolinic acid facilitates zinc absorption.
Body Image Dissatisfaction Among Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grade Children

Body image dissatisfaction has become increasingly more prevalent among the preadolescent population over recent years. This study examines the level of body image dissatisfaction among 261 third, fourth, and fifth grade girls and boys. A pictorial scale was used to assess how the participants viewed their current body shape, their ideal body shape, and what they believed to be the ideal body shape of the opposite gender. Overall results indicated that 50.6% of the children surveyed were dissatisfied with their current body shape, 41.8% wanted to be thinner, while 8.8% wanted to be larger. Fifty percent of the girls were dissatisfied with their current body shape, with 45.1% wishing to be thinner. Boys showed similar trends, with 48.9% dissatisfied and 38.9% wishing to be thinner. A greater percentage of boys wanted to be larger than their current body shape (12.3%) compared to girls (4.9%). A significant difference was found between genders regarding the difference between scores of their current self and ideal self, where girls selected a smaller ideal body shape than the boys. An encouraging finding was that the level of body dissatisfaction decreased from third grade to fifth grade among both genders. Girls, however, still wished to be thinner over time. Boys, on the other hand, indicated a preference for a somewhat larger body shape over time. These results indicate that body image dissatisfaction exists prior to adolescence among this sample of children. Prevention strategies and education are encouraged among this age group.
Pharaoh ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) colony development after consumption of pyriproxyfen baits

Pharaoh ant, Monomorium pharaonis (L.), colonies were effectively controlled following ingestion of pyriproxyfen formulated in peanut butter oil. Pyriproxyfen, a juvenile hormone analog, reduced egg production in the queens, decreased the amount of brood due to delayed death in the eggs and larvae, caused death of pupae about 3 wk after treatment, and decreased the number of workers due to attrition and toxic effects. Queens, which continued to produce a small amount of eggs, eventually died. Queen death may have been caused by lack of workers required to tend them, old age or toxic effects. At concentrations of 0.25, 0.5 and 1%, pyriproxyfen was more effective than the once commercially available bait, Pharorid (methoprene) for the control of the Pharaoh ant.
Neoliberalization of forestry discourses in Chile

Abstract Chile is a well-studied case of how neoliberal institutions have affected the use of natural resources. However, only few studies have focused on how neoliberalization has influenced the social constructions of natural resources policy. This study aims to understand how forest policy has a contested meaning among different stakeholders. This study identifies five discourses among the stakeholders who were involved in the congressional discussion of the Native Forest Law (NFL). The main difference among the discourses is whether the target of the NFL should be the individual or should it be some collective entity. The property rights discourse, articulated by the forest industry, embraced free-market ideals. The “abandoned forest” discourse, articulated by government officials, made interesting parallels between the situation of the forests and the specific political conditions of Chile after Pinochet's dictatorship. The environmentalist discourse advocated for conservation through regulation, while the “local development” discourse, articulated by some NGOs, embraced egalitarian ideals. The peasant discourse, uttered by organizations that have the closest contact with native forest, uttered ambivalent identities. Given that the Constitution of Chile only acknowledges individuals' rights, peasants' organizations only get to claim political power when they articulate themselves as individual owners. In this way, the neoliberal reforms are influencing the construction of subjectivities in the Chilean forestry discourses.
Lower Motor Neuron Disease

Of the lower motor neuron diseases, poliomyelitis and Guillain-Barre syndrome are the most likely to be confused with one another. Yet the two diseases differ. The Guillain-Barre syndrome has a slower onset, often follows a nonspecific illness, more commonly causes symmetrical paralysis, usually elevates the spinal fluid protein, may lead to sensory loss, tends to recur, and rarely results in permanent paralysis.
Membrane-Binding Peptide Inhibits Blockage of Mitochondrial VDAC by Alpha-Synuclein: In Search of A-Synuclein Toxicity Prevention

Involvement of the intrinsically disordered protein alpha-synuclein (a-syn) in Parkinson's disease (PD) and other synucleinopathies is complicated and difficult to trace on cellular and molecular levels. Recently we established that a-syn can compromise mitochondrial function by affecting the outer membrane channel VDAC (Voltage Dependent Anion Channel). In planar lipid membranes, a-syn blocks the VDAC pore, thus reducing transport of ions and metabolites mediated by this channel. Our results suggest that a-syn is able to use VDAC as an entryway to mitochondria, where it can target specific enzymes. We proposed that binding of synuclein molecules to the lipid membrane is crucial for both a-syn blocking and translocating through VDAC. Here we report an inhibitory effect of a small membrane-binding peptide (MBP) on the a-syn interaction with VDAC. Additions of MBP in micromolar concentrations to the same side of the membrane as a-syn results in a progressive reduction of the frequency of VDAC blockage events; at 50 µM of MBP the a-syn-induced blockages of the channel are virtually abolished. Furthermore, the presence of MBP affects only the frequency of blockage events, but not their duration, suggesting a competition for membrane binding of MBP and a-syn. Similarly, MBP reduces a-syn blockage of another large beta-barrel - the a-hemolysin channel. Using the method of bilayer overtone analysis, we found that MBP, similar to a-syn, has a propensity for membrane binding, but with a much lower affinity of Kd ∼ 3 μM, compared with a-syn-membrane binding with Kd ∼ 30 nM. Our results demonstrate that it is possible to regulate a-syn blockage and translocation through VDAC by a rationally designed peptide, thus suggesting new venues in the search for small-molecule inhibitors of a-syn mitochondrial toxicity in PD and other synucleinopathies.
Interactive Exploration of Multidimensional YouTube Data Using the GPLOM Technique

We present an application of the generalized plot matrix (GPLOM) technique for visualizing a multidimensional dataset containing 202 YouTube videos from the "Statistics and Social Network of YouTube Videos" project. The web-based visualization provides users an easy to use interface to explore the data. Using our tool, we found several interesting relationships between the number of views, comments, ratings and stars. Visit git.io/vwDqw for a live demo.
La reconstrucción de la memoria: la poesía peruana después de la violencia política 2000-2010

El presente trabajo analiza la ultima poesia peruana que articula y re- presenta la violencia politica que sufrio la sociedad peruana durante los anos ochentas y los anos noventas. Durante esas dos decadas, el lenguaje conversacional, considerado hegemonico por mucho tiempo en el escenario poetico peruano, fue perdiendo legitimidad ya que no fue suficiente herramienta para retratar la vertiginosa atomizacion de la sociedad. Al mismo tiempo, la poesia peruana empezo un largo proceso de reformulacion y de busqueda de un nuevo lenguaje durante la decada de los noventas que se fue acentuando al inicio del siglo XXI. Los tra- bajos de una nueva generacion de poetas como Victoria Guerrero, Luis Fernando Chueca, Roxana Crisologo, entre otros, han tenido una doble preocupacion: reformular el lenguaje poetico peruano y representar lo que fue el Conflicto Armado interno (1980-2000) ya sea desde sus cau- sas, proceso y/o consecuencias.
Green security games: apply game theory to addressing green security challenges

In the past decade, game-theoretic applications have been successfully deployed in the real world to address security resource allocation challenges. Inspired by the success, researchers have begun focusing on applying game theory to green security domains such as protection of forests, fish, and wildlife, forming a stream of research on Green Security Games (GSGs). We provide an overview of recent advances in GSGs and list the challenges that remained open for future study.
Estimating the associations of apparent temperature and inflammatory, hemostatic, and lipid markers in a cohort of midlife women

Abstract Associations between temperature and cardiovascular (CVD) mortality have been reported, but the underlying biological mechanisms remain uncertain. We explored the association between apparent temperature and serum biomarkers for CVD. Using linear mixed effects models, we examined the relationships between residence-proximate apparent temperature (same day and 1, 7, and 30 days prior) and several inflammatory, hemostatic, and lipid biomarkers for midlife women from 1999 through 2004. Our study population consisted of 2,306 women with mean age of 51 years (± 3 years) enrolled in Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) in Chicago, Illinois; Detroit, Michigan; Los Angeles and Oakland, California; Newark, New Jersey; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Mean daily apparent temperature was calculated using temperature and relative humidity data provided by the National Climatic Data Center and the US Environmental Protection Agency, while daily data for fine particles, ozone, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide from the US Environmental Protection Agency Air Quality Data Mart were considered as confounders. All analyses were stratified by warm and cold seasons. More significant (p
Polynomial-Time Classical Simulation of Quantum Ferromagnets.

We consider a family of quantum spin systems which includes, as special cases, the ferromagnetic XY model and ferromagnetic Ising model on any graph, with or without a transverse magnetic field. We prove that the partition function of any model in this family can be efficiently approximated to a given relative error e using a classical randomized algorithm with runtime polynomial in e^{-1}, system size, and inverse temperature. As a consequence, we obtain a polynomial time algorithm which approximates the free energy or ground energy to a given additive error. We first show how to approximate the partition function by the perfect matching sum of a finite graph with positive edge weights. Although the perfect matching sum is not known to be efficiently approximable in general, the graphs obtained by our method have a special structure which facilitates efficient approximation via a randomized algorithm due to Jerrum and Sinclair.
Genetic lineages of the invasive Aegilops triuncialis differ in competitive response to neighboring grassland species

Competitive dynamics between native and exotic species can influence both the success of exotics in the novel environment as well as diversity and abundance of native species. Invasive species are often characterized by multiple introductions in the novel range, which can lead to population differentiation for invasion characteristics. Here we use two invasive lineages of the exotic grass, Aegilops triuncialis L., to determine if these lineages differ in their response to competitors and in their persistence in the invaded range. We find that one lineage is negatively affected by competitor presence in both flowering phenology and reproductive output, while the other lineage shows no response in either trait. Furthermore, we find that the two lineages were introduced at different times and are each capable of replacing the other as the most abundant lineage of a given county. Our results demonstrate that genetic lineage is a more important determinant of competitive response than neighbor identity, and that the two lineages may employ alternate invasion mechanisms. Because management techniques are decided upon based on traits that confer invasiveness, our results highlight the importance of considering intraspecific variation in the invaded range.
A climatology of the California Current System from a network of underwater gliders

Abstract Autonomous underwater gliders offer the possibility of sustained observation of the coastal ocean. Since 2006 Spray underwater gliders in the California Underwater Glider Network (CUGN) have surveyed along California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) lines 66.7, 80.0, and 90.0, constituting the world’s longest sustained glider network, to our knowledge. In this network, gliders dive between the surface and 500 m, completing a cycle in 3 h and covering 3 km in that time. Sections extend 350–500 km offshore and take 2–3 weeks to occupy. Measured variables include pressure, temperature, salinity, and depth-average velocity. The CUGN has amassed over 10,000 glider-days, covering over 210,000 km with over 95,000 dives. These data are used to produce a climatology whose products are for each variable a mean field, an annual cycle, and the anomaly from the annual cycle. The analysis includes a weighted least-squares fit to derive the mean and annual cycle, and an objective map to produce the anomaly. The final results are variables on rectangular grids in depth, distance offshore, and time. The mean fields are finely resolved sections across the main flows in the California Current System, including the poleward California Undercurrent and the equatorward California Current. The annual cycle shows a phase change from the surface to the thermocline, reflecting the effects of air/sea fluxes at the surface and upwelling in the thermocline. The interannual anomalies are examined with an emphasis on climate events of the last ten years including the 2009–2010 El Nino, the 2010–2011 La Nina, the warm anomaly of 2014–2015, and the 2015–2016 El Nino.
Intercollegiate Football and Luxury Suites: An Investigation of Factors Related to Price

As financial and sustainability pressures placed upon collegiate athletic programs grow, it is important to understand all revenue generation areas, which includes luxury suites. However, while suite finances are readily available on American professional sports, the opposite appears true for collegiate sports. This study aimed to contribute to the limited literature on luxury suites, and help better understand the luxury suite market, as the first empirical investigation on the pricing of college suites. Multiple regression analyses were used to develop two significant models that estimated collegiate football luxury suite price using 16 explanatory variables. The results explained between 65% and 68% of the variation in suite price, highlighted the uniqueness of the college football suite market, and indicated that Conference Affiliation, Suite Capacity, County Income, Tickets Included, College Basketball Competition, and Winning Percentage were positively related to suite price, while County Population had a significant negative impact.
Thermal radiation of Er doped dielectric crystals: Probing the range of applicability of the Kirchhoff’s law

Kirchhoff’s law of thermal radiation, relating emissivity and absorptance is commonly formulated for opaque bodies in thermodynamic equilibrium with the environment. However, in many systems of practical importance, both assumptions are often not satisfied. We revisit the century-old law and examine the limits of its applicability in an example of Er:YAG and Er:YLF dielectric crystals–potential radiation converters for thermophotovoltaic applications. The (80 at.%) Er:YAG crystal is opaque between 1.45 μm and 1.64 μm. In this spectral range, its absorptance α(λ) is spectrally flat and differentiates from unity only by a small amount of reflection. The shape of the emissivity spectrum ɛ(λ) closely matches that of absorptance α(λ), implying that the Kirchhoff’s law can adequately describe thermal radiation of opaque bodies, even if thermodynamic equilibrium is not satisfied. The (20 at.%) Er:YLF crystal had smaller size, lower concentration of Er ions, and it was not opaque. Nevertheless, its spectrum of emissivity had almost the same shape (between 1.45 μm and 1.62 μm) as the absorptance derived from the transmission measurements. Our results are consistent with the conclusion that the Kirchhoff’s law of thermal radiation can be extended (with caution) to not-opaque bodies away from the thermodynamic equilibrium.
Cardiac Autonomic and Blood Pressure Responses to an Acute Bout of Kettlebell Exercise.

ABSTRACT Wong, A, Nordvall, M, Walters-Edwards, M, Lastova, K, Francavillo, G, Tripken, J, Summerfield, L, and Sanchez-Gonzalez, M. Cardiac autonomic and blood pressure responses to an acute bout of kettlebell exercise. J Strength Cond Res 35(2S): S173-S179, 2021-Kettlebell (KB) training has become an extremely popular exercise program for improving both muscle strength and aerobic fitness. However, the cardiac autonomic modulation and blood pressure (BP) responses induced by an acute KB exercise session are currently unknown. Understanding the impact of this exercise modality on the postexercise autonomic modulation and BP would facilitate appropriate exercise prescription in susceptible populations. This study evaluated the effects of an acute session of KB exercise on heart rate variability and BP responses in healthy individuals. Seventeen (male = 10 and female = 7) healthy subjects completed either a KB or nonexercise control trial in randomized order. Heart rate variability and BP measurements were collected at baseline, 3, 10, and 30 minutes after each trial. There were significant increases (p < 0.01) in heart rate, markers of sympathetic activity (nLF), and sympathovagal balance (nLF/nHF) for 30 minutes after the KB trial, whereas no changes from baseline were observed after the control trial. There were also significant decreases (p < 0.01) in markers of vagal tone (RMMSD and nHF) for 30 minutes as well as (p < 0.01) systolic BP and diastolic BP at 10 and 30 minutes after the KB trial, whereas no changes from baseline were observed after the control trial. Our findings indicate that KB exercise increases sympathovagal balance for 30 minutes postintervention, which is concurrent with an important hypotensive effect. Further research is warranted to evaluate the potential clinical application of KB training in populations that might benefit from postexercise hypotension, such as hypertensives.
Student Agency and Game-Based Learning: A Study Comparing Low and High Agency

A key feature of most computer-based games is agency: the capability for students to make their own decisions in how they play. Agency is assumed to lead to engagement and fun, but may or may not be helpful to learning. While the best learners are often good self-regulated learners, many students are not, only benefiting from instructional choices made for them. In the study presented in this paper, involving a total of 158 fifth and sixth grade students, children played a mathematics learning game called Decimal Point, which helps middle-school students learn decimals. One group of students (79) played and learned with a low-agency version of the game, in which they were guided to play all “mini-games” in a prescribed sequence. The other group of students (79) played and learned with a high-agency version of the game, in which they could choose how many and in what order they would play the mini-games. The results show there were no significant differences in learning or enjoyment across the low and high-agency conditions. A key reason for this may be that students across conditions did not substantially vary in the way they played, perhaps due to the indirect control features present in the game. It may also be the case that the young students who participated in this study did not exercise their agency or self-regulated learning. This work is relevant to the AIED community, as it explores how game-based learning can be adapted. In general, once we know which game and learning features lead to the best learning outcomes, as well as the circumstances that maximize those outcomes, we can better design AI-powered, adaptive games for learning.
Frailty assessment predicts toxicity during first cycle chemotherapy for advanced lung cancer regardless of chronologic age.

Abstract Background Improved assessment strategies are needed to individualize treatment for adults of all ages receiving palliative chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Our aim was to evaluate the utility of the Fried Frailty Index (FFI) and a cancer-specific geriatric assessment (GA) to predict chemotherapy toxicity and overall survival (OS). Methods We conducted a multi-site pilot study of 50 patients with newly diagnosed advanced NSCLC, age ≥ 18 years. All participants received carboplatin AUC 6, paclitaxel 200 mg/m2 every 3 weeks. FFI and the GA were administered prior to chemotherapy. A GA toxicity risk score was calculated. Grade 3–5 toxicity was assessed during 1st two cycles of chemotherapy. OS was measured from chemotherapy initiation. Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models were fit to estimate the association between baseline characteristics and toxicity and OS respectively. Results Among 50 participants, 48 received chemotherapy and were evaluable. The mean age was 68.5 y (range 42–86), 79% male, 85% KPS ≥80. The median OS was 8 months. Many (27%) met FFI criteria for frailty with ≥3 impairments. Impairments detected by the GA were common. In multivariable analyses both FFI ≥ 3 and GA toxicity risk score > 7 were independently associated with higher odds of toxicity (Odds ratio [OR] 7.0; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1–44.6 and OR 4.3; 95% CI 1.0–17.7, respectively) in first cycle chemotherapy. Neither score was associated with OS. Conclusions Frailty predicts chemotherapy toxicity during first cycle. Frailty assessment may inform toxicity risk regardless of chronologic age.
Anionic Synthesis of Macromonomers and Graft Copolymers with Well-Defined Structures

Macromonomers are linear macromolecules carrying some polymerizable functional groups at their chain ends; the polymerizable functional groups can be at one chain end or at both chain ends1–12. Macromonomers are macromolecular monomers, often referred to as “Macromers®”1. The important feature of macromonomers is that they can undergo copolymerization with other monomers by a variety of mechanisms to form comb-type, graft copolymers13,14 as shown in Scheme 1. This aspect of macromonomers distinguishes them from telechelic (α,ω-difunctional) polymers5,8; telechelic polymers undergo step-growth type chain extension reactions with other monomers to form linear macromolecules, not branched structures. The polymerizable functional group at the chain end of a macromonomer is often a vinyl group, 1, but it can also be a heterocyclic ring such as an oxirane (epoxide) functionality, 2. These functional groups participate in chain reaction polymerizations with other vinyl or heterocyclic monomers, respectively. A condensation-type macromonomer has two functional groups at one chain end (3) which can participate in step-growth (condensation) polymerization with other difunctional monomers; for example, the functional group, X, could be hydroxyl, amino, carboxyl or isocyanate5,9.
Projective Modules over Artinian Algebras

The indecomposable modules that we encounter in studying algebra structure are very special: they are direct summands of A A . In particular, these modules are projective.
Engineering Design Research: Successful Integration of Education, Practice, and Study in the CEDAR Group

Engineering design is a generally nascent area of research within the engineering disciplines, spanning only a few decades of critical investigation. Clemson University has been at the forefront of the development of this field and continues this with a living experiment in how to integrate education, practice, and research through the CEDAR group. This essay introduces the reader to design research and the areas of study within CEDAR. Following this, an analysis of the research trends exposes three pillars of CEDAR philosophy: helping others, seeking variety, and learning from others. The goal of this essay is to introduce the wider scientific and engineering research and education community in South Carolina to this field and the possible opportunities for collaboration. This article is available in Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science: http://scholarcommons.sc.edu/jscas/vol11/iss1/3
Lymphocyte Trafic in Lymphoid Organ Neogenesis

The three members of the immediate lymphotoxin (LT) tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family play important roles in inflammation and lymphoid organ development. Here their differential roles and mechanisms in lymphoid organ genesis and neogenesis are considered with particular emphasis on LTa and the LTas complex. Elucidation of their different roles will provide insight into the processes that regulate cell trafficking in inflammation and development. A central theme is that the mechanisms by which these cytokines induce inflammation and lymphoid organs have much in common and depend in part on regulation of chemokines and endothelial adhesion molecules.
Incidental Prostate Cancer: Predictors of Progression

Incidental prostate cancer found in prostatectomy specimens removed for supposedly benign disease presents the clinician with a difficult management decision. While the majority of these lesions manifest a low biologic potential with little impact on the patient, a substantial number are aggressive tumors significantly affecting survival. Appropriate management requires accurate prediction of probable risk in selecting treatment. Incorrect predictions expose the patient considered at increased risk to the potential and unnecessary morbidity of additional therapy, while those presumed at minimal risk may have potentially curative treatment withheld. The variable behavior of incidental prostate cancer and the lack of adequate predictive parameters stimulated widespread controversy regarding management, which diminished after Jewett’s proposal in 1975 that these lesions be classified as A1, low grade and focal, or A2, high grade and diffuse [1].
Molecular stratification of high-grade unclassified renal cell carcinoma to improve prognostication and management strategy.

640Background: Unclassified renal cell carcinoma (uRCC) constitutes a large portion of aggressive non-clear cell RCC with limited response to standard therapy. Clinicopathologic parameters or bioma...
Heterogeneous Device Arrangements Affect Both Partners’ Experiences in Collaborative Media Spaces

HCI has a history of developing rich media spaces to support collaboration between remote parties and testing such systems in investigations where each partner uses the same device setup (i.e., homogeneous device arrangements). In this work, we contribute an infrastructure that supports connection between a projector-camera media space and commodity mobile devices (i.e., tablets, smartphones). Deploying three device arrangements using this infrastructure, we conducted a mixed-methods investigation of device heterogeneity in media space collaboration. We found that the commodity devices provided a worse user experience, though this effect was moderated in some collaboration tasks. Collaborating with a partner who was using a commodity device also negatively affected the experience of the other user. We report specific collaboration concerns introduced by device heterogeneity. Based on these findings, we offer implications for the design of media spaces that use heterogeneous devices.
Ab Initio Kinetics of Methylamine Radical Thermal Decomposition and H-Abstraction from Monomethylhydrazine by H-Atom

Methylamine radicals (CH3NH) and amino radicals (NH2) are major products in the early pyrolysis/ignition of monomethylhydrazine (CH3NHNH2). Ab initio kinetics of thermal decomposition of CH3NH radicals was analyzed by RRKM master equation simulations. It was found that β-scission of the methyl H-atom from CH3NH radicals is predominant and fast enough to induce subsequent H-abstraction reactions in CH3NHNH2 to trigger ignition. Consequently, the kinetics of H-abstraction reactions from CH3NHNH2 by H-atoms was further investigated. It was found that the energy barriers for abstraction of the central amine H-atom, two terminal amine H-atoms, and methyl H-atoms are 4.16, 2.95, 5.98, and 8.50 kcal mol-1, respectively. In units of cm3 molecule-1 s-1, the corresponding rate coefficients were found to be k8 = 9.63 × 10-20T2.596 exp(-154.2/T), k9 = 2.04 × 10-18T2.154 exp(104.1/T), k10 = 1.13 × 10-20T2.866 exp(-416.3/T), and k11 = 2.41 × 10-23T3.650 exp(-870.5/T), respectively, in the 290-2500 K temperature range. The results reveal that abstraction of the terminal amine H-atom to form trans-CH3NHNH radicals is the dominant channel among the different abstraction channels. At 298 K, the total theoretical H-abstraction rate coefficient, calculated with no adjustable parameters, is 8.16 × 10-13 cm3 molecule-1 s-1, which is in excellent agreement with Vaghjiani's experimental observation of (7.60 ± 1.14) × 10-13 cm3 molecule-1 s-1 ( J. Phys. Chem. A 1997, 101, 4167-4171, DOI: 10.1021/jp964044z).
The Hypervariable Region of K-Ras4B Governs Molecular Recognition and Function

The flexible C-terminal hypervariable region distinguishes K-Ras4B, an important proto-oncogenic GTPase, from other Ras GTPases. This unique lysine-rich portion of the protein harbors sites for post-translational modification, including cysteine prenylation, carboxymethylation, phosphorylation, and likely many others. The functions of the hypervariable region are diverse, ranging from anchoring K-Ras4B at the plasma membrane to sampling potentially auto-inhibitory binding sites in its GTPase domain and participating in isoform-specific protein-protein interactions and signaling. Despite much research, there are still many questions about the hypervariable region of K-Ras4B. For example, mechanistic details of its interaction with plasma membrane lipids and with the GTPase domain require further clarification. The roles of the hypervariable region in K-Ras4B-specific protein-protein interactions and signaling are incompletely defined. It is also unclear why post-translational modifications frequently found in protein polylysine domains, such as acetylation, glycation, and carbamoylation, have not been observed in K-Ras4B. Expanding knowledge of the hypervariable region will likely drive the development of novel highly-efficient and selective inhibitors of K-Ras4B that are urgently needed by cancer patients.
Convalescence From COVID Research: Lessons From the Heart Failure Community.

![Figure][1] As we begin to enter our ninth month of dealing with COVID-19 in the United States, we have made many observations and learned a few lessons. The COVID convalescent plasma (CCP) story is one that many of us feel is a re-run film of lessons learned from decades of heart failure
The Crimmigratory Agenda: Historical, Economic, and Political Dimensions of the Criminalization of Immigration in the United States

The convergence of criminal and immigration law, called “crimmigration,” is reshaping the experiences of immigrants across the spectrum of documentation status, punishing immigrants with criminal consequences for infractions of changing immigration law. Crimmigration is the product of increasingly punitive policies that have been emerging in the USA for more than a century. This paper assesses the role of economic fears spur increasingly harsh immigration laws, as well as the economic toll of the crimmigration nexus. It also considers the contribution of right-wing ideologues whose increased influence in government policy contributes to draconian changes to immigration policy, inaugurating the crimmigatory state.
The Global Anatomic Staging System Does Not Predict Limb Based Patency of Tibial Endovascular Interventions.

Objective Anatomic grading systems have historically been poor predictors of patency after endovascular tibial interventions. The Global Vascular Guidelines proposed a new Global Anatomic Staging System (GLASS) to estimate one-year limb-based patency (LBP). The purpose of this study was to determine the association of GLASS with LBP following endovascular tibial interventions. Methods We included all patients presenting to our multidisciplinary diabetic limb preservation service between 01/2012 and 8/2020 who underwent first-time endovascular tibial revascularization for chronic limb-threatening ischemia. Diagnostic angiograms were reviewed to define the preferred target artery pathway and assign a GLASS stage to each treated limb. One-year LBP was calculated and compared across GLASS stages using Kaplan-Meier curves with log-rank tests and Cox proportional hazards models. Results We performed tibial revascularization in 96 limbs (5.2% rest pain, 56.3% ulcer, 37.5% gangrene), including isolated tibial interventions in 61.5% and tibial + femoropopliteal interventions in 38.5%. 15.6% of limbs were GLASS stage 1, 28.1% were GLASS stage 2, and 56.3% were GLASS stage 3. Overall, one-year LBP was 43.2 ± 6.3%, and did not differ significantly across GLASS stages (P = 0.42). The hazard ratio for failed LBP was 1.94 (95% CI 0.70–5.41) for GLASS stage 2 and 1.49 (95% CI 0.56–3.94) for GLASS stage 3 limbs (versus GLASS stage 1). When analyzed excluding the calcium modifier, LBP remained similar across GLASS stages (P = 0.72). Major amputation was uncommon, occurring in 9.3 ± 3.4% of limbs at one year, and did not significantly differ by GLASS stage (P = 0.98). Conclusion The Global Anatomic Staging System did not predict limb-based patency following tibial endovascular interventions. Given the low major amputation rates in this cohort, anatomic complexity should not preclude endovascular limb salvage efforts below the knee.
Vaccine-Induced Protection in Two Murine Models of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis.

Life-threatening, invasive fungal infections (IFIs) cause over 1.5 million deaths worldwide and are a major public health concern with high mortality rates even with medical treatment. Infections with the opportunistic fungal pathogen, Aspergillus fumigatus are among the most common. Despite the growing clinical need, there are no licensed vaccines for IFIs. Here we evaluated the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of an A. fumigatus recombinant protein vaccine candidate, AF.KEX1, in experimental murine models of drug-induced immunosuppression. Immunization of healthy mice with AF.KEX1 and adjuvant induced a robust immune response. Following AF.KEX1 or sham immunization, mice were immunosuppressed by treatment with either cortisone acetate or hydrocortisone and the calcineurin inhibitor, tacrolimus. To test vaccine efficacy, immunosuppressed mice were intranasally challenged with A. fumigatus conidia (Af293) and weight and body temperature were monitored for 10 days. At study termination, organism burden in the lungs was evaluated by quantitative PCR and Gomori’s methanamine silver staining. In both models of immunosuppression, AF.KEX1 vaccinated mice experienced decreased rates of mortality and significantly lower lung organism burden compared to non-vaccinated controls. The lung fungal burden was inversely correlated with the peak anti-AF.KEX1 IgG titer achieved following vaccination. These studies provide the basis for further evaluation of a novel vaccine strategy to protect individuals at risk of invasive aspergillosis due to immunosuppressive treatments.
Barriers to Accessing Healthy Food and Food Assistance During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Racial Justice Uprisings: A Mixed-Methods Investigation of Emerging Adults' Experiences.

Abstract Background A steep rise in food insecurity is among the most pressing US public health problems that has resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective This study aimed to (1) describe how food-insecure emerging adults are adapting their eating and child-feeding behaviors during COVID-19 and (2) identify barriers and opportunities to improve local food access and access to food assistance. Design The COVID-19 Eating and Activity Over Time study collected survey data from emerging adults during April to October 2020 and completed interviews with a diverse subset of food-insecure respondents. Participants/setting A total of 720 emerging adults (mean age: 24.7 ± 2.0 years; 62% female; 90% living in Minnesota) completed an online survey, and a predominately female subsample (n = 33) completed an interview by telephone or videoconference. Main outcome measures Survey measures included the short-form of the US Household Food Security Survey Module and 2 items to assess food insufficiency. Interviews assessed eating and feeding behaviors along with barriers to healthy food access. Analyses performed Descriptive statistics and a hybrid deductive and inductive content analysis. Results Nearly one-third of survey respondents had experienced food insecurity in the past year. Interviews with food-insecure participants identified 6 themes with regard to changes in eating and feeding behavior (eg, more processed food, sporadic eating), 5 themes regarding local food access barriers (eg, limited enforcement of COVID-19 safety practices, experiencing discrimination), and 4 themes regarding barriers to accessing food assistance (eg, lack of eligibility, difficulty in locating pantries). Identified recommendations include (1) expanding the distribution of information about food pantries and meal distribution sites, and (2) increasing fresh fruit and vegetable offerings at these sites. Conclusions Interventions of specific relevance to COVID-19 (eg, stronger implementation of safety practices) and expanded food assistance services are needed to improve the accessibility of healthy food for emerging adults.