cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computational Model Evaluation of DOPAC Secretion

DOPAC (3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid) is a metabolite of the neurotransmitter dopamine. DOPAC has traditionally been considered to be a waste product with no biological function. However, microdialysis experiments report average extracellular DOPAC concentration is approximately 250 times higher than extracellular dopamine. Such observations suggest DOPAC may have a signaling function. DOPAC is generally considered to be made in nerve terminals and, because it is a charged molecule, would not be expected to diffuse through membranes into extracellular space. Understanding the mechanisms by which extracellular DOPAC is produced and regulated can shed light on a potential new signaling mechanism for dopamine neurons. The goal of this project is to determine and evaluate potential processes that may contribute to extracellular DOPAC. Three potential mechanisms were identified: a dedicated secretory complex, facilitated diffusion from cytosol to extracellular space, and metabolism of dopamine in extracellular space. A computational simulation model was used to evaluate how pharmacological interventions alter DOPAC levels and distribution. Simulation output was compared to published data with the hopes that one mechanism would be a good match for all drug effects. The secretory complex and diffusional mechanisms both matched experimental data well for some but not all of the conditions studied. The extracellular metabolism mechanism provided a very poor match for all conditions. These data suggest that DOPAC is synthesized inside the nerve terminal and secreted into extracellular space. However, regulatory mechanisms in addition to those considered here are required to explain all published data. Identification of these additional mechanisms is expected to provide new information on the function of dopamine neurons and their role in learning behaviors.
Calcium influx signals normal flagellar RNA induction following acid shock of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Acid shock of Chlamydomonas results in flagellar excision and induction of flagellar protein RNAs. The magnitude of flagellar RNA accumulations after flagellar excision by mechanical shear depends on the extracel]ular Ca2+ concentration. In this report, we demonstrate that the magnitude and duration of flagellar RNA accumulations are signaled by an acid shock-induced Ca2+ influx. RNA accumulations were greater in cells acid shocked in 500 µM CaCl2 than in 200 µM CaCl2, although the accumulation durations were similar. RNA accumulations of lower magnitude and shorter duration were observed in cells in Ca2+-containing buffer treated with CdCl2. RNA accumulations were of still lower magnitude and shorter duration in cells shocked in buffer without added CaCl2 than in cells shocked in 200 or 500 µM CaCl2 or in the presence of CdCl2. RNA accumulations similar to those in cells shocked in buffer without added CaCl2 were measured in cells following acid shock in buffer containing 200 µM CaCl2 and supplemented with neomycin, ruthenium red, or LaCl3. Acid shock of the adf-1 mutant resulted in RNA accumulations of shorter duration and lower magnitude than those measured in adf-1 cells stimulated by mechanical shear. These results are consistent with an hypothesis that acid shock generates two genetically and pharmacologically distinct signals governing flagellar RNA induction; the first signal is independent of a Ca2+ influx and flagellar excision and results in low magnitude accumulations of short duration, and the second is a consequence of a Ca2+ influx and results in accumulations of high magnitude and long duration.
Westchester Industries: Medical Therapy Division

This case deals with the termination of a sales representative, Dick Hobart, who claims that he was unfairly terminated and sues both the company and the man that fired him. The case raises issues related to the criteria for discharge, probationary practices, termination policies, discharge techniques, and the legal implications of firing someone. Students should take away from a good discussion of this case an improved understanding of good termination procedures and of the techniques and timing involved in such action. Although the case is a classic example of how not to do it, the situation is sufficiently ambiguous to provoke a rich discussion of the key issues involved in terminating an unsatisfactory employee.
Propositional Logic: Proofs from Axioms and Inference Rules

This chapter introduces propositional logics, which consist of starting formulae called axioms and rules of inference to derive from the axioms other formulae called theorems. Axioms and rules of inference form a mathematical model of rational thinking processes; theorems are their consequences. Different such logics, which are also called calculi, rely on different axioms or different rules of inference. For example, the Pure Positive Implicational Propositional Calculus focuses only on the logical implication. The first few sections derive some of its theorems, for instance, the transitivity of the logical implication and the law of commutation, using the rule of Detachment with the laws of affirmation of the consequent and self-distributivity of the logical implication taken as axiom schemata from Frege and Łukasiewicz. A preliminary version of the Deduction Theorem for the propositional calculus provides a method for designing proofs. Another section shows the mutual equivalence of these axioms with Kleene’s axioms and Tarski’s axioms. Adding the converse law of contraposition, subsequent sections focus on the Classical Propositional Calculus, deriving the laws of double negation, reductio ad absurdum, proofs by contradiction, and proofs by cases. Yet another section outlines the equivalence of Frege and Łukasiewicz’s axioms with Church’s, Kleene’s, Tarski’s, and Rosser’s axioms, respectively. A final section demonstrates the contrast between logics that admit of a recipe for constructing proofs of all “valid” formulae, and logics where some formulae are “valid” but unprovable. The prerequisite for this chapter is the ability to read, compare, and substitute sequences and tables of symbols. The goal of this chapter is merely to develop a working knowledge of propositional logic:
Book Review: Barbara Reeves-Ellington, Kathryn Kish Sklar and Connie A. Shemo (Eds), Competing Kingdoms: Women, Mission, Nation and the American Protestant Empire

Barbara Reeves-Ellington, Kathryn Kish Sklar and Connie A. Shemo (Eds), Competing Kingdoms: Women, Mission, Nation and the American Protestant Empire, 1812–1960. Durham: Duke University Press, 2010. 432 pages. $ 94.95 (Hardback); $ 24.95 (Paperback).
Camp Read-a-Rama® and Fully-Engaged Literacy Learning: Implications for LIS Education

Literacy and literacy skill development remain critical concerns in the U.S. “Two of every three students in the U.S. do not have the necessary reading proficiencies to successfully complete grade-level work” (Allington, 2011). Camp Read-a-Rama, a summer day camp in South Carolina for 4- to 11-year-olds, creates innovative programming using children’s literature as the springboard for all camp activities. Activities connect with and reinforce concepts in children’s literature, thereby helping children learn to “live books” and understand connections between their reading and their lives. For six summers (2009–2014), Camp Read-a-Rama has provided fully-engaged, week-long themed literacy immersion experiences that seek to turn “summer slide” into “summer stride.” The purposes of this longitudinal, mixed methods study were: (1) to ascertain the impact of Camp Read-a-Rama’s interventions on helping children develop positive attitudes toward reading; and (2) to determine best practices for literacy skill programming with children in libraries and the communities libraries serve. Findings offer compelling evidence that strategies employed through Camp Read-a-Rama programming positively impacted children’s attitudes toward reading and their interactions with books, a critical step in literacy skill development and improvement. Analysis of parent/guardian evaluations revealed the following emerging themes as perceived impacts of Camp Read-a-Rama programming upon campers: increased love and enthusiasm for reading, improved reading and listening skills, and a belief that camp activities create a deeper understanding of books and vice versa. Findings suggest that integrating literacy skill instruction and programming into LIS curricula could better prepare librarians and LIS professionals to have a greater impact on literacy skill development among the children they serve.
Exercise: An Alternative to Fad Diets for Adolescent Girls

In brief: One in three teenage girls is on a diet—often a dangerous crash diet. When they enter adolescence, some girls stop playing childhood games and become more sedentary, which can lead to obe...
Acute Changes in Blood Flow in Pigs Infused with β-Adrenergic Agonists

Previous results indicate that clenbuterol decreases carcass adipose tissue accretion when administered to pigs but does not appear to stimulate the adipose tissue beta-adrenergic receptor. Clenbuterol increases plasma free fatty acid concentration when acutely infused in vivo, suggesting an indirect affect. One possible indirect effect is that clenbuterol could change blood flow to adipose tissue. Blood flow was measured with radiolabeled microspheres in tissues from pigs before and after infusion of a beta-adrenergic agonist for 30 min. High probability levels (up to P less than .2) were used to indicate trends due to extreme variability. Infusion of isoproterenol increased heart rate, plasma free fatty acid concentration and blood flow at many adipose tissue sites and at a few skeletal muscle sites. Infusion of isoproterenol decreased blood pressure. Infusion of clenbuterol increased heart rate and tended to increase blood flow to several skin and adipose tissue sites slightly. The results suggest that increased adipose tissue blood flow may contribute to the accelerated release of free fatty acids when clenbuterol is infused acutely in vivo.
Enhanced performance of HRGO-RuO2 solid state flexible supercapacitors fabricated by electrophoretic deposition

Abstract Ruthenium oxide (RuO2) nanomaterials exist as excellent materials for electrochemical capacitors. However, they tend to suffer from low mechanical flexibility when cast into films, which makes them unsuitable for flexible device applications. Herein, we report an environmentally friendly and solution-processable approach to fabricate RuO2-based composite electrodes for flexible solid state supercapacitors. The composites were produced by anchoring RuO2 nanoparticles onto holey reduced graphene oxide (HRGO) via a sol-gel method, followed by the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of the material into thin films. The uniform anchoring of ultra-small RuO2 nanoparticles on the two-dimensional HRGO sheets resulted in HRGO-RuO2 hybrid sheets with excellent mechanical flexibility of HRGO. EPD induced a layer-by-layer assembly mechanism for the HRGO-RuO2 hybrid sheets, which resulted in a binder-free, flexible electrode. The obtained HRGO-RuO2 flexible supercapacitors exhibited excellent electrochemical capacitive performance in a PVA-H2SO4 gel electrolyte with a specific capacitance of 418 F g−1 and superior cycling stability of 88.5% capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles. In addition, these supercapacitors exhibited high rate performance with capacitance retention of 85% by increasing the current density from 1.0 to 20.0 A g−1, and excellent mechanical flexibility with only 4.9% decay in the performance when bent 180°.
Flow Cytometry Defined Cytoplasmic Immunoglobulin Index Is a Major Prognostic Factor for Progression of Asymptomatic Monoclonal Gammopathies to Clinical Multiple Myeloma

Abstract Progression of Asymptomatic Monoclonal Gammopathies to Myeloma requiring treatment -Clinical Multiple Myeloma (CMM)- is an important issue in current clinical investigation toward secondary prevention, i.e. treating high-risk AMG. Several predictive models have been published, including one that incorporated gene expression profiling (GEP) of plasma cells (PC) where a GEP70 score ≥0.26 was linked to higher AMG-CMM progression in a multivariate model (Dhodapkar, Blood 2014). We have applied 2-parameter flow cytometry of DNA and cytoplasmic immunoglobulin (FDC) of bone marrow aspirates as part of baseline staging of all patients with plasma cell dyscrasia. A modification introduced in August 2006 on the doublet discrimination method increased accuracy and reproducibility of FDC results considerably and allowed for the detection of a plasma cell population with a low CI 17% (HR: 6.76, P Figure 1 ) were statistically significant along with other clinical factors of established prognostic value. A M component> 3g/dL (HR: 12.5, P 10mg/dL (HR: 2.8, P=0.019), a GEP70 score ≥0.26 (HR: 8.22, P In conclusion, FDC is an easily applicable, fast and low-cost test, which offers valuable prognostic information even in the era of gene expression profiling and other cytogenetic testing strategies. The identification of a low CI as a risk factor suggests that, progression of AMG to CMM is characterized by the emergence of a low immunoglobulin producing myeloma cell population. Download : Download high-res image (67KB) Download : Download full-size image Figure 1: . Time to progression requiring myeloma therapy by CI, S0120 Disclosures Heuck: Celgene: Honoraria; Foundation Medicine: Honoraria; Millennium: Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees. Dhodapkar: Celgene: Research Funding. Zangari: Norvartis: Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees; Onyx: Research Funding; Millennium: Research Funding. Morgan: Celgene Corp: Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees; Myeloma UK: Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees; International Myeloma Foundation: Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees; The Binding Site: Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees; MMRF: Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees.
Adolescent alcohol exposure decreases frontostriatal resting-state functional connectivity in adulthood

Connectivity of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) matures through adolescence, coinciding with emergence of adult executive function and top-down inhibitory control over behavior. Alcohol exposure during this critical period of brain maturation may affect development of PFC and frontolimbic connectivity. Adult rats exposed to adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE; 5 g/kg ethanol, 25 percent v/v in water, intragastrically, 2-day-on, 2-day-off, postnatal day 25-54) or water control underwent resting-state functional MRI to test the hypothesis that AIE induces persistent changes in frontolimbic functional connectivity under baseline and acute alcohol conditions (2 g/kg ethanol or saline, intraperitoneally administered during scanning). Data were acquired on a Bruker 9.4-T MR scanner with rats under dexmedetomidine sedation in combination with isoflurane. Frontolimbic network regions-of-interest for data analysis included PFC [prelimbic (PrL), infralimbic (IL), and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) portions], nucleus accumbens (NAc), caudate putamen (CPu), dorsal hippocampus, ventral tegmental area, amygdala, and somatosensory forelimb used as a control region. AIE decreased baseline resting-state connectivity between PFC subregions (PrL-IL and IL-OFC) and between PFC-striatal regions (PrL-NAc, IL-CPu, IL-NAc, OFC-CPu, and OFC-NAc). Acute ethanol induced negative blood-oxygen-level-dependent changes within all regions of interest examined, along with significant increases in functional connectivity in control, but not AIE animals. Together, these data support the hypothesis that binge-like adolescent alcohol exposure causes persistent decreases in baseline frontolimbic (particularly frontostriatal) connectivity and alters sensitivity to acute ethanol-induced increases in functional connectivity in adulthood.
Clinical manifestations of Rathke’s cleft cysts and their natural progression during 2 years in children and adolescents

Purpose Rathke's cleft cyst (RCC) is an asymptomatic benign lesion. With increased interest in pediatric endocrinology, the prevalence of RCCs in children is also increasing. However, the clinical relevance and proper management of RCC is not well defined in children. Therefore, we investigated the clinical manifestations and radiologic features of RCC in children and adolescents, as well as the natural progression of RCC. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 91 children and adolescents with RCC diagnosed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in Severance Children's Hospital from January 2006 to December 2015. The clinical, hormonal, and imaging findings were analyzed in patient groups classified according to age. The size of each cyst was assessed in sixty patients who underwent follow-up MRI during the 2 years. Results Female patients were predominant (64 vs. 27). The common clinical features at presentation were endocrine dysfunction (59.3%), headache (23.0%), and dizziness (4.4%). Symptoms related to endocrine disorders were more frequent in younger patients. In 7 patients managed surgically, the cysts were significantly larger and more frequently located in the suprasellar region. Of 60 nonsurgical patients with a follow-up MRI performed within 2 years after the diagnosis, the RCC size increased in about 26.7% (n=16). Conclusions Although 94.4% of the patients with RCC had clinical symptoms, surgery was performed in only about 7.5% of patients. RCC is associated with pituitary insufficiency, thus, baseline and follow-up endocrine function tests are required. Additionally, regular MRI follow-up is required in long-term period to monitor change in size.
Dysphagia lusoria presenting as epigastric pain

A 36-year-old African–American woman with medical history of systemic lupus erythematosus, lupus nephritis, protein S deficiency and recurrent deep venous thrombosis presented to outpatient clinic complaining of epigastric pain associated with nausea, vomiting and unintentional weight loss. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) was performed; however, mucosal tear was noted following severe retching. Subsequently, the procedure was terminated. EGD was significant for distal oesophageal obstruction. CT of the chest with contrast was significant for pneumomediastinum. Moreover it demonstrated an aberrant right subclavian artery …
Unified sensor based classificaiton model across form factors

Sensor based algorithms need to extract features from raw sensor data. However, different devices have different sensor data distributions. This distribution differences lead to a problem that model trained on device A may be invalid when applied to device B. However, it is labor-consuming to collect data and label them on device B from scratch. To solve the problem, a solution is proposed to learn a feature mapping matrix from device B to device A, and transfer model trained on device A to the device B by adding a feature transformation layer. Result proved that our solution only needs 30∼40% size training data on new form factor, which dramatically reduced the data collection and model parameter tuning effort.
Making Room for Rhetorical Education in the Global Curriculum

This chapter responds to the troubling formation of global higher education and international education examined in the previous chapter by mapping out resistant forms of transnational rhetorical education and rhetorical citizenship. Synthesizing a wide range of rhetorical scholarship from communication and rhetoric and composition studies, this chapter presents a unified vision of the rhetorical capacities of inquiry and performance that can enable students to critically perceive opportunities for transnational critique and engagement, and the rhetorical ethics that can equip students to critically respond to the material and symbolic conditions that produce relationships of interdependency, conflict, and precarity.
Mary Tighe's Psyche, William Hayley's Psyche, and George Romney's Cupid and Psyche

In July 1806 William Hayley suggested that Mary Tighe publish an illustrated edition of Psyche; or, The Legend of Love, using engravings of George Romney's Cupid and Psyche cartoons. Tighe declined...
Investigation of an early season river flood pulse: Carbon cycling in a subtropical estuary.

Abstract The January 2016 Bonnet Carre Spillway (BCS) opening resulted in a large-scale Mississippi River (MR) flood discharge that qualitatively and quantitatively impacted the dissolved organic matter (DOM) cycling in the Lake Pontchartrain Estuary (LPE) located in Louisiana, USA. This early season flood event was a result of the delay of snow formation caused by warmer than normal watershed temperatures. During the diversion period and the subsequent weeks, the LPE water temperature remained lower than pre-flood water temperatures, suppressing carbon cycling. Following that period, the water temperature increased, leading to an increase in the rate of abiotic and biological carbon processing (i.e., mineralization, degradation, and consumption). There were multiple and abnormally high discharges into LPE from the northern tributaries, totaling 43% of the MR flood discharge. As a secondary DOM source, the northern tributaries discharge was qualitatively and quantitatively different from the discharge originating from the river or estuarine sources. The dominant DOM source was determined using satellite images in conjunction with UV–Vis, fluorescence EEMs, and PARAFAC indicators. Overall, the three sources (MR, northern tributaries, and LPE) characteristics were identified by UV–Vis, fluorescence EEMs, and PARAFAC parameters, namely: i) spectral slope (S275), serving as an indicator of lignin-like compounds' molecular weights, with a trend of MR > northern tributaries > LPE; ii) biological index (BIX), indicating freshness of DOM, with a trend of LPE > MR > northern tributaries; and iii) Fluorophore T intensity, serving as an indicator of the amount of terrestrial-like sourced DOM, with a trend of northern tributaries > LPE > MR. It was possible to identify DOM sources and monitor DOM transformation in the water column, increasing our understanding of DOM, carbon, and nitrogen ecological processing.
General aspects of phytases

Abstract One of the major constraints that limit the use of plant products for human and animal consumption is the presence of phytate. Phytate is the major form of phosphate in plant seeds and grains that cannot be degraded by monogastric animals as well as humans. Phytate also acts as a strong chelator of mineral ions; therefore it is associated with major health issues. Dietary inclusion of phytase, the phytate hydrolyzing enzyme in pig, poultry, and fish diets, can free a major portion of the naturally occurring phytate phosphorus (P) and essential minerals, and can also augment protein and lipid metabolism. In the last few decades, phytases’ inclusion in the processing of functional foods or food supplements for human consumption are documented to enhance the nutritive value, texture, and the overall yield of the products. Considering the immense potential of exogenous phytase for animal and human nutrition, more research is being undertaken to introduce and express microbial phytase-encoding genes into several plants with a high phytase activity. Overall, this book chapter summarizes various aspects of phytases, including their history, classification, and effectiveness, and reviews the current literatures on possible sources and potential applications in nutrition and food processing.
Cardiovascular Disease Pharmacogenomics

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), commonly known as heart disease, is the leading cause of death all over the world. Nearly one in four deaths worldwide is attributed to CVD. Generally, CVD constitutes a number of overlapping structural and functional irregularities in the heart and blood vessels, which together constitute the cardiovascular system. Given this, the corresponding drugs also either can treat or prevent these overlapping conditions. Often, more than one drug is prescribed to treat a medical condition, since one medication alone cannot remedy the problem. High mortality and morbidity due to CVD automatically requires physicians to treat CVD aggressively, leading to adverse drug reactions. Still, some patients do not respond positively even if the strongest recommended drug dosage is administered. Research in the CVD field has demonstrated linkage between gene variation and the severity of diseases such as blood cholesterol level or blood pressure. Correspondingly, research over more than three decades has established the linkage of genetic variation with the efficacy of CVD treatment in the cohorts of different CVD disease types. In this chapter, recent advances in the field of cardiovascular pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics are summarized.
Abstract 886: Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress Negatively Impacts Endothelial Function in the Metabolic Syndrome

The prediabetic metabolic syndrome (pdMS) is characterized by modest to moderate impairments of endothelial function that progress to severe dysfunction as the disease evolves to Type II diabetes. Although in diabetes mitochondrial oxidative stress (mtOxStress) is postulated to contribute to diabetic cardiomyopathy, a link between mtOxStress and endothelial dysfunction in diabetes or in the pdMS is undetermined. Because mitochondrial (mt) DNA fragmentation occurs with mtOxStress, and such effects will alter expression of key mitochondrial proteins involved with energy production and cell viability, we hypothesized that in the pdMS, mtOxStress leading to mtDNA fragmentation, alters endothelial function impairing endothelium-dependent dilation. To test this, lean (LN, n = 6) and obese (OB, n = 11) Zucker fatty rats (model of pdMS) were instrumented with a jugular catheter to deliver recombinant proteins (mt-tat-ExoIII [0.2 ug/g/day]: TAT sequence to enable intracellular delivery, a mt-localization sequence, and the bacterial exonuclease, ExoIII, to fragment mtDNA; or mt-tat-EndoIII [0.25– 0.5 ug/g/day]: TAT sequence + mt-localization sequence + DNA repair enzyme Endo III to repair mtDNA) iv for 24 hrs prior to study. Controls were treated with vehicle. Endothelial dependent (acetylcholine, ACH), and independent (sodium nitroprusside, SNP) vasodilation was determined in isolated, cannulated mesenteric small arteries (mean diameter = 210 um). Dose-response (D-R) curves to SNP were similar in all groups and treatments suggesting that smooth muscle function was unaffected by the treatments or the pdMS. In LN controls, ACH produced dose-dependent dilation (maximal response = 99 ± 1% dilation). In LN, mtDNA fragmentation by mt-tat-ExoIII right-shifted the entire ACH D-R curve and depressed the maximal response (90 ± 2% dilation, P < 0.05 vs LN control). In OB controls, dilation to ACH was less than LN (maximal response = 82 ± 2% dilation, P < 0.05), but vasodilation in OB was completely restored to LN control levels by mtDNA repair with mt-tat-EndoIII (100 ± 1% dilation, P < 0.05 vs OB control, P = NS vs LN). We conclude that mtOxStress, and its effects on mtDNA integrity, play key roles in endothelial dysfunction in the prediabetic metabolic syndrome.
Cellular Chain Algebra Models

Our aim in this chapter is to present cellular chain algebra models for \(C_* D_N (\Omega (\mathbb{F}_k (M)))\), the normalized chain algebra of singular cubes, where M is either ℝ n+1 or S n+1. The models are based on the RPT-models for \(\Omega (\mathbb{F}_k (M))\) given in Chapter IX.
Ciliated and microvillous structures of rat olfactory and nasal respiratory epithelia. A study using ultra-rapid cryo-fixation followed by freeze-substitution or freeze-etching.

The olfactory epithelium of the Sprague-Dawley rat showed structures which indicate that freeze-substitution after ultra-rapid cryo-fixation is a better method for its preservation than conventional fixation techniques. A new feature is that matrices of the distal parts of olfactory cilia range in their staining intensity from very dense to electron-lucent. Outlines of structures are smooth and membrane features can be clearly seen.
Socioeconomic Status and Biological Risks for Health and Illness Across the Life Course.

Objectives We assess the temporal properties and biosocial mechanisms underlying the associations between early-life socioeconomic status (SES) and later health. Using a life-course design spanning adolescence to older adulthood, we assess how early life and various dimensions of adult SES are associated with immune and metabolic function in different life stages and examine possible bio-behavioral and psychosocial mechanisms underlying these associations. Method Data for this study come from 3 national studies that collectively cover multiple stages of the life course (Add Health, MIDUS, and HRS). We estimated generalized linear models to examine the prospective associations between early-life SES, adult SES, and biomarkers of chronic inflammation and metabolic disorder assessed at follow-up. We further conducted formal tests of mediation to assess the role of adult SES in linking early SES to biological functions. Results We found that early-life SES exerted consistent protective effects for metabolic disorder across the life span, but waned with time for CRP. The protective effect of respondent education remained persistent for CRP but declined with age for metabolic disorder. Adult income and assets primarily protected respondents against physiological dysregulation in middle and old ages, but not in early adulthood. Discussion These findings are the first to elucidate the life-course patterns of SES that matter for underlying physiological functioning during the aging process to produce social gradients in health.
Bayesian Causal Mediation Analysis with Multiple Ordered Mediators.

Causal mediation analysis provides investigators insight into how a treatment or exposure can affect an outcome of interest through one or more mediators on causal pathway. When multiple mediators ...
Encouraging workplace participation in pro-environmental behavior

Abstract. Scholars have emphasized the importance of employee actions that are not specifically related to the formal description of their job. These extra-role behaviors can sometimes be described as organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). This paper examines a type of OCB described as advocacy participation. The central research question I ask is: What drives advocacy participation by public employees? I explore a very specific type of advocacy participation: encouraging participation in pro-environmental behaviors in the workplace. Drawing on past research, I use public service motivation (PSM), environmental connectedness, and organizational identity (OI) to create a framework to explain individual participation in encouraging pro-environmental behavior in the workplace. The study uses survey responses from 507 employees of a large city in the southeast United States. OLS regression is used to model the relationship between the independent variables of interest and encouraging pro-environmental beh...
Two new species of Xironogiton (Clitellata: Branchiobdellida) from western North America

Xironogiton, a genus of crayfish worm (order Branchiobdellida), is historically endemic to North America. To date, six species of Xironogiton have been described, including five and one from areas ...
Diminished cortical excitation during perceptual impairments in a mouse model of autism

Sensory impairments are a core feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These impairments affect visual perception (Robertson and Baron-Cohen, 2017), and have been hypothesized to arise from imbalances in excitatory and inhibitory activity in cortical circuits (Rubenstein and Merzenich, 2003; Nelson and Valakh, 2015; Sohal and Rubenstein, 2019); however, there is little direct evidence testing this hypothesis in identified excitatory and inhibitory neurons during relevant impairments of sensory perception. Several recent studies have exploited transgenic mouse models of ASD to examine excitatory and inhibitory activity in ASD (Goel et al., 2018; Antoine et al., 2019; Lazaro et al., 2019), but have provided conflicting accounts for the relative importance of excitatory versus inhibitory activity underlying sensory deficits. Here, we utilized a genetically relevant mouse model of ASD (CNTNAP2-/-; Arking et al., 2008; Penagarikano et al., 2011) and directly measured excitatory and inhibitory neural circuit activity in primary visual cortex (V1), while measuring visual perceptual behavior (Speed et al., 2019). We found that ASD mice showed quantitative impairments in the speed and accuracy of visual perception, and these impairments were simultaneously associated with diminished excitatory neuron activity and aberrant low frequency network oscillations in superficial cortical layers 2/3 (L2/3). These results establish that perceptual deficits associated with ASD can arise from reduced sensory excitation rather than elevated inhibition in cortical circuits.
Cabazitaxel with abiraterone versus abiraterone alone randomized trial for extensive disease following docetaxel: the CHAARTED 2 Trial: A trial of the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (EA8153).

TPS5094Background: The E3805 CHAARTED trial showed a significant survival benefit from early treatment with docetaxel in patients (pts) with high-volume metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer...
Geographic contingency, affective facts, and the politics of global nutrition policy

Abstract Global health organizations focused on nutrition have developed an intense focus on the first 1000-days of human life (from the point of conception to age 2) as the time where the right nutrition and care will determine personal health and global economic futures. Based on epidemiology and lab-based bioscience, this has led to a global policy consensus that promotes a set of 'essential interventions' focused on the bodies of mother to ensure productive global futures. Building on scholars arguments that 1000-days consensus is predicated on a logic of anticipatory action, this paper uses the two distinct orientations of the concept of contingency to understand both how this narrative has achieved global prominence, and how it has manifested in particular configurations within India. First, this paper investigates how the 1000-days discourse's ascendance has been achieved through the notion of future life as open-ended contingency. It argues that this specter of future/threat opportunity is then rendered governable through the use of affective practices that quantitatively imagine dystopic global futures of malnourished bodies and stagnant economies, and then makes hope-based appeals to biomedical, nutrition interventions to secure continued economic growth. Second, the paper analyzes qualitative data from Indian policy actors that demonstrates how the 1000-days discourse is refracted across India. I find that Indian responses to such a consensus have been mixed due to the particular socio-political legacies of India as a postcolonial space, and also to a certain level of happenstance and the socio-spatial intermingling of everyday life. This paper's main argument is that while the threat/opportunity of future contingency discursively drives 1000-days, it is simultaneously geographical contingency that complicates the ways it materializes in the particular space of India.
Beyond a rod through the skull: A systematic review of lesion studies of the human ventromedial frontal lobe

Neuropsychological studies from the past century have associated damage to the ventromedial frontal lobes (VMF) with impairments in a variety of domains, including memory, executive function, emotion, social cognition, and valuation. A central question in the literature is whether these seemingly distinct functions are subserved by different sub-regions within the VMF, or whether VMF supports a broader cognitive process that is crucial to these varied domains. In this comprehensive review of the neuropsychological literature from the last two decades, we present a qualitative synthesis of 184 papers that have examined the psychological impairments that result from VMF damage. We discuss these findings in the context of several theoretical frameworks and advocate for the view that VMF is critical for the formation and representation of schema and cognitive maps.
Preparation of soy sauce by walnut meal fermentation: Composition, antioxidant properties, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activities.

Remaining walnut meal after oil extraction still contains many nutrients. However, these by-products have not been effectively used. In this study, walnut meal and Aspergillus oryzae (3.042) were used in combination to prepare a soy sauce-like material with high amino nitrogen content (ANC). The optimal conditions for the preparation of walnut soy sauce (ratio of brine:koji of 1.7:1 for 6 days at 45°C) were determined using response surface experiments (RSE), which showed maximum ANC of 855 mg/100 ml. The results of amino acid analysis indicated that walnut soy sauce had a similar amino acid composition compared with three commercial soy sauces. It contained all the essential amino acids and had a high content of umami amino acids such as Glu and Asp, which may give it a stronger umami taste. Moreover, the crude walnut soy sauce was extracted sequentially using ethyl acetate, n-butanol, acetone and water, and the total phenols, total flavonoids, reducing sugars, and the peptides of different solvent extracts were measured. Results showed that the total phenolic and flavonoid contents were highest in the ethyl acetate extracts. However, water residue had the highest levels of reducing sugars and peptides. In vitro, the water residue showed the highest antioxidant capacity and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity, due to more reducing sugars and peptides. These results indicated that walnut soy sauce may have significant antioxidant and ACE inhibitory activity. The findings provide a scientific basis for developing a replacement for soy sauce and broaden the beneficial application of walnut meal.
CHAPTER EIGHT – ANALYTIC GEOMETRY: THE CONIC SECTIONS

Publisher Summary This chapter describes analytic geometry. It presents a formula for the coordinates of the midpoint of a line segment. The chapter discusses use of the distance and midpoint formulas as tools to demonstrate the usefulness of analytic geometry by proving a number of general theorems from plane geometry. The power of the methods of analytic geometry is demonstrated in a study of the conic sections. A geometric definition can be converted into an algebraic equation and an algebraic equation can be classified by the type of graph it represents.
Mapping global urban land for the 21st century with data-driven simulations and Shared Socioeconomic Pathways.

Urban land expansion is one of the most visible, irreversible, and rapid types of land cover/land use change in contemporary human history, and is a key driver for many environmental and societal changes across scales. Yet spatial projections of how much and where it may occur are often limited to short-term futures and small geographic areas. Here we produce a first empirically-grounded set of global, spatial urban land projections over the 21st century. We use a data-science approach exploiting 15 diverse datasets, including a newly available 40-year global time series of fine-spatial-resolution remote sensing observations. We find the global total amount of urban land could increase by a factor of 1.8–5.9, and the per capita amount by a factor of 1.1–4.9, across different socioeconomic scenarios over the century. Though the fastest urban land expansion occurs in Africa and Asia, the developed world experiences a similarly large amount of new development. Here the authors develop a set of global, long-term, spatial projections of urban land expansion for understanding the planet’s potential urban futures. The global total amount of urban land increases by a factor of 1.8-5.9 over the 21st century, and the developed world experiences as much new urban development as the developing world.
Visualising the topography of the acoustic radiation in clinical diffusion tensor imaging scans

It has long been thought that the acoustic radiation (AR) white matter fibre tract from the medial geniculate body of the thalamus to the Heschl’s gyrus cannot be reconstructed via single-fibre analysis of clinical diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) scans. A recently developed single-fibre probabilistic method suggests otherwise. The method uses dynamic programming (DP) to compute the most probable paths between two regions of interest. This study aims to observe the ability of single-fibre probabilistic analysis via DP to visualise the AR in clinical DTI scans from legacy pilot cohorts of subjects with normal hearing (NH) and profound hearing loss (HL). Single-fibre probabilistic analysis via DP was applied to reconstruct 3D models of the AR in the two cohorts. DTI and T1 data at 1.5 T for subjects with NH (n = 11) and HL (n = 5), as well as 3 T for NH (n = 1) and HL (n = 1), were used. The topographical features of AR previously observed in post-mortem and multi-fibre analyses can be visualised in DTI scans of 16 subjects and 2 atlases with a success rate of 100%. Relative to MNI coordinates, there was no significant difference in the varifold distances between the topography of the tracts in the 1.5 T cohort. The AR can be visualised in clinical 1.5 T and 3 T DTI scans using single-fibre probabilistic analysis via DP, hence, the potential for DP to visualise the AR in medical and pre-surgical applications in pathologies such as vestibular schwannoma, multiple sclerosis, thalamic tumours and stroke as well as hearing loss.
High Frequency Resonant Converters: An Overview on the Magnetic Design and Control Methods

Resonant converters, especiallyLLC converters, are deployed in many applications thanks to their reliability and high efficiency. With the introduction of wide band gap (WBG) devices and the soft switching feature of the LLC converter, the switching frequency of the LLC can be pushed to the order of megahertz, to shrink the converter size and increase the power density. However, magnetic design and control challenges stand in the way of doing so. This article addresses the challenges of high-frequency magnetic design for the LLC converter, and presents an overview for the latest solutions on the magnetic design of the LLC transformer. The matrix transformer is suitable for an LLC converter where high output current at high frequency is required. Different integration methods for the matrix transformer are discussed and demonstrations of hardware prototypes are provided. The dynamic behavior of the LLC converter presents another significant challenge against deploying an LLC converter in applications where fast transient response is needed. This article discusses such challenges as well and provides an overview on the latest control techniques, including average current-mode control, charge control, and simplified optimal trajectory control, to improve the dynamic performance of an LLC converter. A 1 megahertz LLC converter with digital control is presented, using simplified optimal trajectory control with improved transient performance over a wide frequency range.
On the Development of a Guideline for Applying Air Quality Models

The Clean Air Act of 1970 is based on the concept that acceptable air resources can be attained and maintained by applying two basic strategies-by managing the quality of the air and by promulgating emission standards. Air quality management requires the use of procedures for relating emissions and ambient air quality, that is, air quality models. The infinite variety of climatological and meteorological circumstances, of topography, and of the characteristics and configurations of sources challenges atmospheric scientists to devise accurate and simple models for general use. Demands arise for uniform procedures for estimating the impacts of sources. Representatives of non-scientific disciplines publicly debate issues involving the use and standardization of models. This paper describes a process followed in developing a guideline for selecting and applying models for the management of air quality. The process included participation by specialist groups, and also by the general public, in determining the content and tone of the guideline and the appropriate degree of standardization.
Accurate Trace Element Reporting in Corundum: Development of Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry Relative Sensitivity Factors

The attractive physical and chemical properties of corundum lend to this material’s importance in both its natural and synthetic forms. However, much of the quantitative work performed on this material is plagued by unknown inaccuracy as non‐matrix matched reference materials are used. To conduct accurate quantitative analysis using SIMS, matrix‐specific relative sensitivity factors (RSFs) were determined for eighteen trace elements in corundum using dose‐verified ion‐implants. The RSF values ranged from 2.56 × 10²² cm⁻¹ to 3.29 × 10²⁴ with total combined uncertainty values ranging from 7–10%. The RSF values, which are related to ionisation potentials, showed trends consistent with expectations for an insulating oxide. The developed values were applied to calibrate reference materials for LA‐ICP‐MS and to study other natural and synthetic corundum samples. A measurement reference material calibrated for Mg, Si, Ti, V, Fe and Ga produced consistent results over ten sessions in four years with relative standard deviations per trace element of 5% or less, confirming the repeatability of our process. A key finding was that calibrating LA‐ICP‐MS with NIST SRM 610 and 612 glasses to analyse corundum resulted in under‐reporting trace elements Be, Ti, V, Fe, Co, Ni and Ga compared with using matrix‐matched reference materials.
Monastic Women and Religious Orders in Late Medieval Bologna

Introduction 1. New foundations in the thirteenth century 2. New religious orders 3. Convents and religious orders 4. Nunneries and civic life 5. Movement into the city 6. Peaceful unions and 'hostile takeovers' Conclusion.
Fabrication and thermophysical properties of UO2-UB2 and UO2-UB4 composites sintered via spark plasma sintering

Abstract Uranium dioxide (UO2) composites with uranium diboride (UB2) and uranium tetraboride (UB4) have been proposed as advanced fuel candidates due to their high thermal conductivity, high melting point, high fissile density and their ability to incorporate a built-in burnable poison by tailoring the targeted 10B/11B ratio. As such, it is important to assess the fabrication, and thermal and micromechanical properties of such composites. In this work, UO2-UB2 and UO2-UB4 samples with boride phase fractions of 5, 15 and 30 wt% were fabricated to high densities (above 95% theoretical density) via spark plasma sintering (SPS). This enabled sintering at relatively low temperatures and short timescales. SPS also aided in maintaining the target phase fractions of the samples as reactions between the constituent phases were suppressed due to the short timescales and reducing environment during sintering. Thermal diffusivity measurements from 299 to 1273 K were conducted through laser flash analysis (LFA). The diffusivity increased as a function of boride weight fraction, and UB2 additions increased the thermal diffusivity of the composites more than UB4 additions. Assessment of the LFA results indicated that in-situ reactions between the UO2 and boride phases that suppress the thermal diffusivity occur above 800 K for all samples. Oxidation of the boride phase was proposed as the underlying reaction. This was supported by thermodynamic assessments from the literature, as well as microstructural, crystallographic, and nanoindentation characterization performed on these samples.