cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simultaneous determination of progesterone and androgen residues in milk by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Objective To develop a detection method of 7 progesterone and 5 androgen in milk by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS/MS).Methods The milk sample was extracted with acetonitrile,the lipids in the extract solution were removed by n-hexane,and the analytes were purified by HLB extraction cartridges.The separation was conducted on a Waters Xbridge TMC18 column.Determination was operated by electrospry ionization mass spectrometry in the positive mode using multiple reaction monitoring(MRM).Results Good linearity was found in a range of 0.5 μg/L~50 μg/L,with correlation coefficients above 0.999.The limits of detection(LOD) and quantitation(LOQ) were 0.02 μg/kg~0.08 μg/kg and 0.1 μg/kg~0.3 μg/kg respectively.The average recoveries of the 12 anlytes were 71.3%~99.0% at the concentrations of 1,2 and 10 μg/kg,with relative standard deviation(RSD) of 0.7%~12.5%.Conclusion This method was accurate and sensitive,rapid and easy to operate.It was feasible for the simultaneous and rapid determination of progesterone and androgen residues in milk.
Indirect Effects of DNA Sequence on 434 Repressor-DNA Interactions

Protein-DNA interactions play a central role in regulating gene expression. In both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, DNA-binding proteins regulate gene expression by binding to DNA at specific sites and activating or repressing transcription. Numerous DNA-binding proteins have now been isolated and their specific binding sites identified (Harrison 1991). From these studies, it is clear that sequence-specific DNA recognition not only involves direct contacts between amino acids in the protein and bases in the DNA site, but also that noncontacted bases in these sites often have a significant role via sequence-specific effects on DNA structure. The direct reading of the DNA sequence by the protein occurs by the interaction of protein amino acid side chains and/or main chain atoms with functional groups in DNA. These associations are based on chemical complementarity between the interacting groups, e.g. between a hydrogen bond donor and acceptor pair, or van der Waals interactions between nonpolar atoms. The various types of direct interactions which can occur between protein groups and DNA base pairs are well defined. Noncontacted bases within or adjacent to the binding site indirectly affect the affinity of DNA for protein by modulating the alignment between the functional groups on the protein and DNA. Hence, noncontacted DNA sequences influence protein-DNA interaction by affecting the structural complementarity between the interacting surfaces of the protein and DNA.
Unusual manifestation of Coccidioides immitis infection

Cavitary pulmonary disease secondary to coccidioidomycosis occurs in endemic areas of the southwestern United States. Significant hemoptysis requiring pulmonary resection may develop in patients with cavitary lesions. In rare instances hemoptysis may be due to the development of a fungus ball within the cavity, and such mycetomas may contain spherule and mycelial forms of Coccidioides immitis. A patient with a documented coccidioidal cavity who had hemoptysis is described in this report. Chest radiograph revealed a fungus ball within a left lower lobe cavity. The patient underwent left lower lobectomy and recovered without complications. Examination of the resected left lower lobe disclosed a cavity containing a fungus ball comprised of mycelial and spherule forms of Coccidioides immitis. A review of the literature found three reports of biphasic growth of this condition within a coccidioidomycosis cavity and two additional cases of radiographically diagnosed coccidioidal mycetoma. Discussion of the potentially contagious nature, the medical and surgical management, and the prognosis of coccidioidal mycetoma form the basis of this report.
Dark anthropology and its others: Theory since the eighties

In this article I consider several emergent trends in anthropology since the 1980s against a backdrop of the rise of neoliberalism as both an economic and a governmental formation. I consider first the turn to what I call “dark anthropology,” that is, anthropology that focuses on the harsh dimensions of social life (power, domination, inequality, and oppression), as well as on the subjective experience of these dimensions in the form of depression and hopelessness. I then consider a range of work that is explicitly or implicitly a reaction to this dark turn, under the rubric of “anthropologies of the good,” including studies of “the good life” and “happiness,” as well as studies of morality and ethics. Finally, I consider what may be thought of as a different kind of anthropology of the good, namely new directions in the anthropology of critique, resistance, and activism.
Foreign Debt in EU Periphery, Roots and Remedies: A New Strategy

This paper investigates the determinants of external debt in EU periphery. The goal is to contribute to the ongoing debate on the determinants of external debt and to subdue it by adopting the right policy reform. To answer this question the study implements a quantitative research methodology using econometric techniques with monetary, financial, fiscal, trade, and labor market policy variables with time-series data over the period of 1980 to 2013. The estimated econometric results with OLS technique suggest that while fiscal policy variables such as budget deficit and corporate tax rate are the most important factors in shaping external debt in Italy and Spain; monetary, financial, and trade policy variables are more important for Greece and Portugal. Interestingly, none of the labor market variables have a statistically significant impact on the foreign debt of EU peripheral countries. The policy implication is straight forward; contrary to what has been proposed by international institutions to reform the labor market, Greece and Portugal need to focus on trade and monetary policy reforms, while Italy and Spain should put more emphasis on fiscal policy reforms, particularly tax reform.
SEGURO DE SALUD Y PRINCIPIO CONTRIBUTIVO DE LA SEGURIDAD SOCIAL EN LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA

El principio contributivo ha perfilado el debate historico sobre el aseguramiento universal de salud en los Estados Unidos. Desde la creacion de la seguridad social en 1935 hasta la promulgacion de la Ley de Cuidado de Salud Asequible o Ley Obamacare en el 2010, los opositores al aseguramiento universal han buscado validar el derecho al seguro de salud a traves de la contribucion individual a su financiamien-to. Este articulo describe el principio contributivo en el aseguramiento de salud, y presenta la exclusion de los inmigrantes indocumentados al marco de la Ley de Cuidado de Salud Asequible como uno de los mayo-res retos de la politica de salud en los Estados Unidos.
Physician informational needs in providing nutritional guidance to patients.

OBJECTIVES This study's objective was to assess patient nutrition inquiries and related physician resources to identify the nutrition topics about which physicians most need information for patients and practice. METHODS A survey was mailed to a 50% random sample of Washington Academy of Family Physicians (WAFP) members (n=778) to identify the top 10 patient nutrition inquiries that the physician would like to be better equipped to answer. The responding physicians' use of nutrition resources (journals, pamphlets, Web resources, toll-free numbers, and referrals to registered dietitians) was also recorded. RESULTS A total of 306 (39.3%) physicians responded. The majority wanted more information on weight management (66.5%), followed by information on herbals, botanicals, and other complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) (36.4%) and vitamin and mineral supplements (24.4%). Other common nutrition inquiries for which respondents wanted more information included diet for prevention of disease, high protein-low carbohydrate diets, and childhood nutrition. A minority of respondents used nutrition Web resources and toll-free numbers. Nearly all respondents reported referring patients to registered dietitians. CONCLUSIONS Physicians in our survey expressed a need for information on topics such as obesity, CAM, and life cycle and disease-specific diets. Medical nutrition educators should consider the educational needs of the practicing physician.
A Historical Perspective on the Epistemology of Contemporary Breakthrough Innovation

Three features of the practice of discovery by contemporary breakthrough innovators emerge as plainly apparent – their thinking is holistic, intimate and non-linear. Interestingly, these distinctive features appear to have a significant historical component – they are individually and collectively the diametric opposite of the very best elements of Modern thinking, a perspective that has contributed greatly to economic advancement over the past few centuries. Of note, while breakthrough innovators must be extremely talented in the ways of Modern thinking, it is merely their entry ticket to being able to contribute more powerfully. Those who truly stand out as innovators possess this additional set of skills, the ability to think in this other way. Since so few people exhibit great skill in thinking in both of these ways, it is not surprising that breakthrough innovators are such rare individuals.
Growth and Synthesis of Aflatoxin by Aspergillus parasificus in the Presence of Ginseng Products.

Red ginseng saponin (0.36%) inhibited mycelial growth, sporulation and aflatoxin production by Aspergillus parasificus during 9 d at 28°C. The mold caused no change in pH of the medium when it contained red ginseng saponin or ginseng tea (9%). Most ginseng products permitted mycelial growth and production of aflatoxin B1, but inhibited production of aflatoxin G1. However, when compared to the control, aflatoxin production by A. parasiticus was reduced by the presence in the medium of most of the ginseng products that were tested, Ginseng tea (9%) resulted in a higher index of maximum accumulation of aflatoxins per interval of mold growth than occurred in the control. Red ginseng was more effective than white ginseng for inhibiting mold growth and aflatoxin production.
CK2 in Cancer: Cellular and Biochemical Mechanisms and Potential Therapeutic Target

CK2 genes are overexpressed in many human cancers, and most often overexpression is associated with worse prognosis. Site-specific expression in mice leads to cancer development (e.g., breast, lymphoma) indicating the oncogenic nature of CK2. CK2 is involved in many key aspects of cancer including inhibition of apoptosis, modulation of signaling pathways, DNA damage response, and cell cycle regulation. A number of CK2 inhibitors are now available and have been shown to have activity against various cancers in vitro and in pre-clinical models. Some of these inhibitors are now undergoing exploration in clinical trials as well. In this review, we will examine some of the major cancers in which CK2 inhibition has promise based on in vitro and pre-clinical studies, the proposed cellular and signaling mechanisms of anti-cancer activity by CK2 inhibitors, and the current or recent clinical trials using CK2 inhibitors.
CONTEMPORARY UTILIZATION OF IMMEDIATE CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF OUT-OF-HOSPITAL CARDIAC ARREST

Background: Coronary artery disease has been found in the majority of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors leading consensus guidelines to recommend more liberal use of coronary angiography (CAG) after OHCA. Immediate CAG may be associated with improved survival in OHCA patients without
Anxiety Disorders Among Women: A Female Lifespan Approach

Anxiety symptoms may present differently between women and men as well as at different points in the female lifespan. The female lifespan includes distinct epochs of hormonal function, including puberty, the premenstruum, pregnancy or postpartum (in some women), and the menopausal transition. These stages give rise to important treatment considerations when treating anxiety among women. When making assessments, the clinician should consider reproductive events and hormonal status as well as sex differences in anxiety presentation. This review is structured to define major epochs of the female lifespan; provide a brief summary of the major anxiety disorders, with a focus on prevalence and presentation in the context of sex differences and at points in the female lifespan; describe potential biopsychosocial underpinnings of anxiety disorders among women; provide guidelines for assessment and differential diagnosis; and describe treatment options with attention to reproductive events such as pregnancy.
Simulations of taper designs for integrated Ge/SiGe waveguide system

We simulated different taper designs and demonstrated that 3D tapers improved the coupling efficiencies and maintained the fundamental mode as they provided a more gradual optical transition between a Si waveguide and Ge/SiGe device layers.
Polyamine transporter potABCD is required for virulence of encapsulated but not nonencapsulated Streptococcus pneumoniae

Streptococcus pneumoniae is commonly found in the human nasopharynx and is the causative agent of multiple diseases. Since invasive pneumococcal infections are associated with encapsulated pneumococci, the capsular polysaccharide is the target of licensed pneumococcal vaccines. However, there is an increasing distribution of non-vaccine serotypes, as well as nonencapsulated S. pneumoniae (NESp). Both encapsulated and nonencapsulated pneumococci possess the polyamine oligo-transport operon (potABCD). Previous research has shown inactivation of the pot operon in encapsulated pneumococci alters protein expression and leads to a significant reduction in pneumococcal murine colonization, but the role of the pot operon in NESp is unknown. Here, we demonstrate deletion of potD from the NESp NCC1 strain MNZ67 does impact expression of the key proteins pneumolysin and PspK, but it does not inhibit murine colonization. Additionally, we show the absence of potD significantly increases biofilm production, both in vitro and in vivo. In a chinchilla model of otitis media (OM), the absence of potD does not significantly affect MNZ67 virulence, but it does significantly reduce the pathogenesis of the virulent encapsulated strain TIGR4 (serotype 4). Deletion of potD also significantly reduced persistence of TIGR4 in the lungs but increased persistence of PIP01 in the lungs. We conclude the pot operon is important for the regulation of protein expression and biofilm formation in both encapsulated and NCC1 nonencapsulated Streptococcus pneumoniae. However, in contrast to encapsulated pneumococcal strains, polyamine acquisition via the pot operon is not required for MNZ67 murine colonization, persistence in the lungs, or full virulence in a model of OM. Therefore, NESp virulence regulation needs to be further established to identify potential NESp therapeutic targets.
Psychometrics Matter in Health Behavior: A Long-term Reliability Generalization Study.

OBJECTIVES Despite numerous calls for increased understanding and reporting of reliability estimates, social science research, including the field of health behavior, has been slow to respond and adopt such practices. Therefore, we offer a brief overview of reliability and common reporting errors; we then perform analyses to examine and demonstrate the variability of reliability estimates by sample and over time. METHODS Using meta-analytic reliability generalization, we examined the variability of coefficient alpha scores for a well-designed, consistent, nationwide health study, covering a span of nearly 40 years. RESULTS For each year and sample, reliability varied. Furthermore, reliability was predicted by a sample characteristic that differed among age groups within each administration. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated that reliability is influenced by the methods and individuals from which a given sample is drawn. Our work echoes previous calls that psychometric properties, particularly reliability of scores, are important and must be considered and reported before drawing statistical conclusions.
Metabolomic Signatures and Metabolic Complications in Childhood Obesity

Type 2 diabetes is caused by complex interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Comprehensive metabolite profiling or “metabolomics” defines the chemical phenotype of biological systems and explores their integrated responses to genetic variation and environmental changes. Thus, application of metabolomics in childhood obesity can play a key role in defining novel disease mechanisms and targets for early diabetes prevention and treatment. This chapter seeks to review the application of metabolomics to childhood obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes.
Reversible acute renal allograft dysfunction due to gabapentin.

Background. The use of gabapentin as an effective analgesic agent for neuropathic pain has expanded considerably. Its lack of both anticholinergic side effects and interference with the metabolism of drugs via the cytochrome P450 pathway make it especially useful for transplant recipients. Methods and Results. We describe the case of a renal transplant recipient with a long-term stable functioning allograft who developed reversible acute renal dysfunction after beginning gabapentin therapy for chronic pain due to diabetic neuropathy. Conclusions. We suggest that gabapentin may cause acute renal dysfunction by a mechanism involving renal afferent vasoconstriction. Caution should be employed when considering the use of gabapentin in transplant recipients, especially when combined with other agents that may potentiate renal vasoconstriction.
In vivo ultrasound thermal ablation controlled using echo decorrelation imaging

The utility of echo decorrelation imaging feedback for real-time control of in vivo ultrasound thermal ablation was assessed in rabbit liver with VX2 tumor. High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and unfocused (bulk) ablation was performed using 5 MHz linear image-ablate arrays. Treatments comprised up to nine lower-power sonications, followed by up to nine higher-power sonications, ceasing when the average cumulative echo decorrelation within a control region of interest exceeded a predefined threshold (−2.3, log10-scaled echo decorrelation per millisecond, corresponding to 90% specificity for tumor ablation prediction in previous in vivo experiments [Fosnight et al., Ultrasound Med. Biol. 43:176-186, 2017]). This threshold was exceeded in all cases for both HIFU (N = 13) and bulk (N = 8) ablation. Controlled HIFU trials achieved significantly smaller average lesion width compared to previous uncontrolled trials. Both controlled HIFU and bulk ablation trials required significantly less treatment time t...
Burstiness of Verbs and Derived Nouns

The frequencies of words vary with the discourse context, because any given word is more relevant to some topics of discussion than to others. In the statistical natural language processing literature, the term burstiness is used to characterize the tendency of topical words to occur repeatedly in bursts, separated by lulls in which they occur more rarely This article builds on the study of word burstiness by Altmann et al. (PLoS ONE 4:e7678, 2009). The study analyzed the archive of the USENET discussion group talk.origins, developed a novel method for quantifying burstiness, and showed that the burstiness of words is strongly correlated with their semantic type (in the sense of Montague semantics). Using the same dataset, I here explore the burstiness of abstract derived nouns (such as argument) in relation to their verb stems (e.g. argue) and frequency-matched nonderived nouns (such as science). I ask whether the burstiness of the derived form is inherited from the stem along with other stem features, such as the argument structure, or whether it is determined by the deverbal suffix. Overall, derived nouns pattern just like nonderived nouns, indicating that the suffix acts like the morphological head in determining the discourse statistics. This finding is interpreted in the light of Carlson’s theory of dialogue games (Carlson in Dialogue games: An approach to discourse analysis. Synthese language library, vol. 17. Reidel, Dordrecht, 1983).
MULTIPLE OPIATE RECEPTORS: EVIDENCE FOR MEDIATION OF ANALGESIA BY A SUBPOPULATION OF RECEPTORS

Summary In vivo administration of naloxazone to mice reduces opiate receptor binding to extensively washed brain membranes for several days, suggesting an irreversible effect. The decreased binding from naloxazone results from a complete blockade of high affinity binding sites while low affinity sites are unaffected. Naloxazone treatment in vivo increases the ED50 for morphine analgesia to tenfold the ED50 in naloxone and saline pretreated controls, but does not prevent lethality from high doses of morphine. Thus, analgesic but not lethal effects of opiates may be mediated by the high affinity subpopulation of opiate receptors.
The Political Economy of Thermidor in Syria: National and International Dimensions

It is widely understood that the social base for discontent with the Syrian government emerged amongst impoverished Sunni rural areas and slums surrounding mid-size cities. This chapter traces the disembedding through which the social policies upon which the Ba’ath initially emplaced were slowly rolled back. It situates the Ba’ath pact with the peasantry in the world-historical context of Arab nationalism and the global rise of anti-systemic movements from 1917 onwards. It traces developmental decay—the policy changes and political ecology through which the Ba’ath gradually broke its alliance with the peasantry and the urban working class. Instead of limiting this passive revolution to the national plane, I situate it in a wider historical arc within which the gains of the Arab nationalist movements all slowly evaporated.
Preferential mineral-microfracture association in intact and deformed shales detected by machine learning object detection

Abstract Characterizing the microstructure of shales is challenging due to its extremely small scale, and generally involves manual interpretation of image data. Here, we present a completely automatic machine learning method for quantifying the preferential mineral-microfracture relationships in intact and deformed shales. This new method is innovative because it allows automated analysis of large volumes of image data, which is typically very time- and labor-intensive with existing techniques. Using automatic object detection algorithms, 225 images, including energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy images and backscattered electron images, were analyzed. These images were obtained from deformed and intact samples of a carbonate-rich organic shale and a siliceous organic shale. We quantitatively characterized the location and size of microfractures and their preferential association with particular minerals. The results show that compression created microfractures at the grain scale. More than 90% of microfractures developed within organic matter (OM), and that the microfractures tended to develop along grain/mineral boundaries. In addition, we found that the fabric of the rock plays an important role in microfracture generation, with laminated OM and clay tending to favor microfracture development while more massive minerals inhibited it. This quantitative analysis helps to improve understanding of the micromechanics of deformation during hydraulic fracturing. In addition, this approach is completely automatic, which could increase work efficiency and reduce the effects of subjective decision-making. The work presented here will greatly improve future studies of quantifying fracture and mineral properties, and can provide guidance for hydraulic fracturing and production strategies.
Investigating the conditions on target-context assimilation in speech sound categorization

Many studies have shown that listeners perceptually differentiate target sounds in categorization tasks from their neighboring context sounds, but some have shown that targets are perceptually assimilated to their contexts. We test the hypothesis that differentiation occurs in context-target order because the context is taken as the criterion for categorizing the target, but assimilation occurs in target-context order because the context's acoustics are parsed as target information. In our experiments, the target was a labial-to-coronal consonant continuum or a front-to-back vowel continuum in VC and CV strings, and the contexts were the other continuum's endpoints. As the second sound in VC or CV, the target differentiated from the preceding context: listeners responded "labial" or "back" more often after front vowels and coronal consonants, respectively. With a target V in VC, the target assimilated to the following context: listeners responded "back" more often before labial consonants. For C in CV, some listeners assimilated the consonant to the following vowel: they responded "labial" more often before back vowels. Others instead differentiated the consonant from the vowel: they responded "coronal" more often before back vowels. Follow-up experiments will determine the conditions in which a consonant assimilates to or differentiates from a following vowel.Many studies have shown that listeners perceptually differentiate target sounds in categorization tasks from their neighboring context sounds, but some have shown that targets are perceptually assimilated to their contexts. We test the hypothesis that differentiation occurs in context-target order because the context is taken as the criterion for categorizing the target, but assimilation occurs in target-context order because the context's acoustics are parsed as target information. In our experiments, the target was a labial-to-coronal consonant continuum or a front-to-back vowel continuum in VC and CV strings, and the contexts were the other continuum's endpoints. As the second sound in VC or CV, the target differentiated from the preceding context: listeners responded "labial" or "back" more often after front vowels and coronal consonants, respectively. With a target V in VC, the target assimilated to the following context: listeners responded "back" more often before labial consonants. For C in CV, so...
Supplementary prenatal copper increases plasma triiodothyronine and brown adipose tissue uncoupling protein-1 gene expression but depresses thermogenesis in newborn lambs.

Objective We tested the hypothesis that increasing dietary copper (Cu) to gravid ewes would enhance brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis in their offspring. Methods Twin-bearing ewes were assigned on d 70 of gestation to diets containing 3, 10, or 20 ppm dietary Cu (n = 8 per group). Twin lambs were assigned at birth to a cold (6°C) or warm (28°C) environmental chamber for 48 h. Blood was collected from ewes and from lambs and perirenal BAT was collected after 48 h in the environmental chambers. Results Prenatal Cu exposure increased ewe plasma triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine concentration (T4) (p < 0.01) but prenatal Cu exposure had no effect on lamb plasma concentrations of T3, T4, glucose, or nonesterified fatty acid concentration (p ≥ 0.08). The high level of prenatal Cu exposure depressed 48-h rectal temperature (p = 0.03). Cold exposure decreased BAT norepinephrine (NE) and increased BAT dopamine (p ≤ 0.01), but prenatal Cu exposure had no effect on BAT cytochrome C oxidase activity or BAT NE or dopamine (p ≥ 0.07). However, BAT of lambs from high-Cu ewes maintained higher uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) gene expression than BAT of lambs from low- and medium-Cu ewes following warm or cold exposure in environmental chambers (p = 0.02). Cold exposure caused near depletion of BAT lipid by 48 h (p < 0.001), increased BAT cytochrome c oxidase activity (p < 0.01), and depressed plasma fatty acid concentrations (p < 0.001). Conclusion Although prenatal Cu exposure increased BAT UCP1 expression during warm and cold exposure, prenatal cold Cu exposure depressed 48-h rectal temperature. Cold exposure decreased BAT lipid content by over 80% and decreased lamb plasma fatty acid concentration by over 40%, indicating that fuel reserves for thermogenesis were nearly depleted by 48 h of cold exposure.
Host-derived fecal microRNAs can indicate gut microbiota healthiness and ability to induce inflammation.

Disruption of intestine-microbiota symbiosis can result in chronic gut inflammation. We hypothesize that assessing the initial inflammatory potential of the microbiota in patients is essential and that host-derived miRNAs, which can be found in feces, could fulfill this function. We investigated whether the gut microbiota composition impacts the fecal miRNA profile and thereby indicates its ability to influence intestinal inflammation. Methods: We used high-throughput qPCR to compare fecal miRNA profile between germ-free and conventional mice. Conventionalization of germfree mice by various colitogenic and non-colitogenic microbiotas (IL10-/- and TLR5-/- associated microbiota) was performed. Results: We identified 12 fecal miRNAs impacted by the presence of a microbiota. Conventionalization of germfree mice by various colitogenic and non-colitogenic microbiotas associated with the development of intestinal inflammation (IL10-/- and TLR5-/- associated microbiota) yielded distinctively altered fecal miRNA profiles compared to that of mice receiving a “healthy” microbiota. Correlation analysis revealed the existence of interactions between the 12 abovementioned miRNAs and specific microbiota members. Conclusion: These results showed that fecal miRNA profile can be differentially and specifically impacted by microbiota composition, and that miRNA could importantly serve as markers of the colitogenic potential of the microbiota. This is particularly relevant to assess individual state of the microbiota in patients with dysbiosis-related disorders, such as IBD and potentially determine their ability to respond to therapeutics.
Purposely stoic, accidentally alone? Self-monitoring moderates the relationship between emotion suppression and loneliness

Abstract Researchers have claimed that loneliness is a public health crisis, resulting in higher rates of morbidity and mortality. Previous research has found that self-monitoring (one's tendency to be aware of and fit one's behavior to norms of social appropriateness) and emotion suppression (the act of inhibiting behavioral and non-verbal expressions of emotion) are predictors of increased loneliness. The current study examined these connections further, proposing that the link between suppression and loneliness is moderated by self-monitoring. Undergraduate students (N = 142) completed measures of loneliness, self-monitoring, and emotion suppression. The hypothesized interaction was significant. Supplementary analyses indicated that at average and high levels of self-monitoring, higher suppression is significantly associated with higher loneliness, but this association was not found at low levels of self-monitoring. This is some of the first evidence to demonstrate a link between emotion suppression, self-monitoring, and loneliness. Replications in other age groups are recommended along with future research designed to examine mechanism of effect between these variables.
Assessment of Psychopathology

A developmental approach to psychopathology aims to advance our understanding of behavioral and emotional problems in relation to developmental tasks, sequences, and processes. Assessment must therefore take account of both the continuities and the discontinuities that occur across the life span. Assessment must also detect individual differences that occur within developmental periods and those that persist from one period to another.
Fear Appeal as Coercion Versus Persuasion in a Democracy: The Power of Islamic Discourse in the Indonesian Public Sphere

While Indonesia claims to be the world’s third largest democracy, it recognizes itself as both a secular and religious state. The negotiation of the state-religion relationship influenced by Islamic discourse continues to shape the socio-political development of this largest Muslim nation. This paper describes how Indonesia’s discursive contention is molded by the power and popularity of Islamic discourses. It will present examples and analysis of appeal to fear as coercive discourses from recently published speech events, debates, edicts, regulations, and publications as well as examine the vital role of Islamic discourses in the Indonesian public sphere and democracy. This paper concludes that coercive religious discourses and some government policies not only marginalize the voices of minority and opposing groups, but also curtail participative critical debates that are necessary for a democratic Indonesia.
Successful Treatment of Full-Thickness Macular Hole in Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy with Anti-VEGF Therapy.

Purpose:This report discusses the case of an 86-year-old man with a full-thickness macular hole (FTMH) secondary to polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) treated with bevacizumab.Methods:A case r...
Gap Junctions and Electrical Synapses

Gap junctions are common intercellular organelles that join the interiors of functionally coupled cells. Most neurons express both the machinery for chemical transmission and the proteins that allow electrical transmission, that is, the family of gap junction proteins, connexins. Connexin Cx36 is the form at most mammalian electrical synapses, but some neurons express other connexins, and Cx36 is more widely distributed than initially thought. Electrical synapses mediate neuronal synchronization as well as lateral spread and forward transmission of information. Both chemical and electrical synapses can transmit graded potentials. In single neurons, gap junctions may permit GABAergic cells to be excitatory as well as inhibitory and to synchronize with others more precisely than possible with inhibition alone. Gap junctional communication can be modified by heterosynaptic inputs operating through G-protein-coupled receptors and kinases. Formation of gap junctions in general is highly specific, but the controls of specificity are not well understood.
A Large-Scale Naturalistic Examination of the Acute Effects of Cannabis on Pain

Introduction: Cannabis use for pain relief is commonly reported, yet laboratory studies and clinical trials suggest that cannabinoids are weak analgesics, and it is unclear whether perceived reductions in pain from before to after cannabis use relate to factors such as dose, method of administration, phytocannabinoid content, or the age or gender of the user. We determined whether inhalation of cannabis decreased self-reported pain ratings as well as whether user gender, age, time, method of administration, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)/cannabidiol (CBD) content, or dose of cannabis contribute to changes in these ratings. We also examined whether tolerance may develop to the analgesic effects of cannabis over time. Materials and Methods: Archival data were obtained from Strainprint®, a medical cannabis app that allows patients to track symptoms before and after using different strains and doses of cannabis. Latent change score models and multilevel models were used to analyze data from 131,582 sessions in which inhaled cannabis was used to treat "muscle pain," "joint pain," or "nerve pain." Results: For all three pain symptoms, severity ratings decreased significantly after cannabis use. Women reported higher baseline and postcannabis pain severity than did men, and men reported larger decreases in pain than did women. Neither THC nor CBD content nor their interaction predicted reductions in pain ratings. However, vaping was associated with larger reductions in joint pain ratings than was smoking, and lower doses were associated with larger reductions in nerve pain ratings. Additionally, for all three pain symptoms, the dose of cannabis used to manage pain increased significantly over time. Conclusions: Inhaled cannabis reduces self-reported pain severity by ∼42-49%. However, these reductions appear to diminish across time, and patients use larger doses across time, suggesting that analgesic tolerance develops with continued use.
An “All-in-One” Catheter: Surgery of the Future

Surgeries have evolved significantly over the years with less invasiveness and higher precision, thereby calling for versatile tools that can precisely monitor and manipulate targeted sites of interest in minimally invasive approaches. Aiming to address the challenges during cardiac surgeries, a recent publication by Han et al. demonstrates a stretchable, multifunctional, and multiplexed system that can be conformally integrated with balloon catheters, offering a bidirectional and holistic solution for minimally invasive and precise diagnosis and treatment.
Solubilization of organic phosphorus sources by cyanobacteria and a commercially available bacterial consortium

Abstract Phosphorus (P) is a highly immobile soil nutrient, thus enhancing its availability through mechanisms such as unique, phosphate solubilizing microorganisms (PSMs) may help improve soil-plant P relationships. The objective of this study was to evaluate P solubilization and activity of Anabaena sp. and Mammoth P using two different organic P sources (bone meal and rock phosphate) under laboratory conditions. Treatments were arranged in a full factorial design with three replications, three organic P sources [bone meal (BM), rock phosphate (RP) and control (No P added)], three PSM treatments [control (No PSM), Cyanobacteria (Cyano), Mammoth P (MP)] and six sampling dates over 56 days. There were no significant differences observed in pH across treatments over the 56-day incubation (p = 0.05). The Cyano treatment had greater water-soluble P and Olsen-extractable P concentrations under the No P control and RP treatments compared with the No PSM control and MP treatments. In terms of Olsen P concentration, the MP treatment of the BM source was greater than the No PSM control and equal to the Cyano treatment. Results suggest that the Cyano treatment solubilized more P than MP, and thus may be an effective strategy for improving future soil P availability to plants, especially in light of future dwindling rock phosphate reserves.
Diabetes During Pregnancy Is Associated with Concern For Developmental Delay In Offspring

Background Maternal glucose intolerance during pregnancy has been associated with developmental delays and impairments in offspring including worse motor function and a greater likelihood of inattention and/or hyperactivity. The First Baby Study recruited an observational cohort 3006 women during their first pregnancy and followed maternal-child dyads for 3 years. We sought to evaluate associations between diabetes during pregnancy and subjective concern for developmental delay among offspring at ages …
Repeated Testing Necessary: Assessing Negative Predictive Value of SARS-CoV-2 qPCR in a Population of Young Adults

Determining when individuals should be released from quarantine is critical for successfully managing a COVID-19 outbreak and local protocols frequently call for testing during the quarantine period, generally after a reasonable incubation period, which raises a question about the interpretation of test results during the quarantine period. We report the negative predictive value of SARS-CoV-2 qPCR tests based on a retrospective longitudinal analysis of 5349 qPCR tests collected from 1227 US service members infected with COVID-19 aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) aircraft carrier. In our retrospective evaluation of recovering qPCR-positive quarantined crew members undergoing repeated testing, the negative predictive value is 80% for tests occurring as late as seven weeks following an initial positive qPCR test result. Repeated qPCR testing is necessary to ensure that a once-infected person is no longer shedding viral RNA. When deciding the stringency of exit criteria, we recommend considering local operational and community risk factors.
A Systematic Review of the Effect of Physical Activity on Asthma Outcomes.

Background Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that affects millions worldwide. Medication management is the current mainstay of treatment; however, there is evidence to suggest additional benefit with lifestyle changes, particularly with increased physical activity. Objective To discover and evaluate the effects of physical activity on asthma outcomes. Methods Systematic search of PubMed, Excerpta Medica database, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane Library, Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Source, Scopus, and Web of Science identified 11,155 results. Thirty-five articles met our inclusion criteria spanning 20 studies. Data extraction was conducted by 6 independent reviewers, and final results were evaluated by a seventh reviewer and the senior author. Results Wide variation among selected studies, including the heterogeneity of interventions and outcome variables, did not support a meta-analysis. Mixed results of the effects of physical activity on asthma outcomes were found. Most studies suggest that physical activity improves asthma control, quality of life, lung function parameters, and inflammatory serologies, whereas 3 found no improvements in any of these outcomes. No studies reported worsening asthma outcomes. Conclusions This review highlights the emerging and promising role of physical activity as a nonpharmacologic treatment for asthma. Additional high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to overcome the problems of measurement heterogeneity and the dilution of outcome effect size measurement related to physical activity interventions for asthma.
Rethinking Rights in the Age of the 'Anthropocene': The Potential of a Gandhian-Informed Jurisprudence for Forging Robust Environmental and Public Health Protections

The current age of climate change–what geologists call the “Anthropocene”–lays bare the falsity of the “right” dichotomy dominant in Western legal theory. Under that dichotomy, civil and political rights are conceived of as separate from, and more important than, the right to basic health and environmental protection. The author argues that two of the key principles in the Indian texts on which Gandhi based his theory of civil disobedience–love for all beings (ahimsa) and the interconnectedness of all beings and the Earth–provide a basis for dismantling this “right” dichotomy. The author then discusses other theories of rights that could accommodate a Gandhian-informed unified theory–one that includes civil, political, environmental, and public health rights on equal footing. Such a re-conceptualization of right is necessary to respond to the immense global environmental and public health threats we all face in the age of the Anthropocene.
Predicting Traffic Incidents in Road Networks Using Vehicle Detector Data

Prediction models can help to identify traffic incidents in roadways, reducing incident detection and response time. Advances in machine learning techniques to support the safety of roadways is a relatively underexplored area. This research seeks to advance machine learning to predict incidents based on detector data by comparing and analyzing the performance of different learning models. This study first discusses the severe class imbalance affecting the dataset. Then, using to-fold cross validation, the performance of the algorithms J48 Decision Tree, Naive Bayes, and AdaBoost were compared. In the explored problem, a false positive indicates an incident where there is no incident, and this is highly undesirable. AdaBoost reached an ideal 0% false positive rate, followed by Naive Bayes and J48. However, these values were achieved with a cost of high false negative rates for all classifiers. AdaBoost was also successful in handling the low correlation between fit and test datasets, which was not observed for the other two.
Public-Private Litigation for Health

Public health litigation can be a powerful mechanism for addressing public health harms where alternative interventions have failed. It can draw public attention to corporate misconduct, create a public record of the actions taken and harms done, and in an ideal world it could achieve both compensation for past harm and deterrence of future misconduct. But the full public health potential of these lawsuits is rarely achieved, even when the suits are brought on behalf of federal, state and local governments with the ostensible goal of protecting the health of the citizens. The increasing involvement of private attorneys in public litigation only adds to the challenges of using litigation to achieve public health goals. While there are continuing debates over the desirability of litigation partnerships between state attorneys general (AGs) and private counsel, as a practical matter the involvement of private law firms in public litigation is unlikely to disappear any time soon. This Article fills a critical gap in the literature on the privatization of public litigation by showing why, despite their shortcomings, arrangements between state and private lawyers have the potential to satisfy public health goals that might otherwise remain out of reach. It provides a theory of legal R&D to show why these arrangements are not only likely to persist, but are also most likely to occur in high impact public health litigation. The Article then examines how the incentives of both state AGs and private law firms influence choices along the litigation pathway in ways that may undermine the potential to achieve public health value. It concludes by proposing a novel impact based approach to public-private litigation, providing a decision making framework that AGs could adopt to increase the role of public health objectives in the litigation process.
Internet Service Providers, Global or Local?: Examining Middle and High-Income countries. The cases of Mexico and Spain

This book examines the role of Internet service providers (ISPs) in cities of middle and high-income countries that are not part of the English language dominance often attributed to the Internet use. It analyses structural, dynamic factors from the socio- economic, technological, and policy domains that affect the provision of Internet services. It also provides the most detailed examination yet produced of individual ISPs and the environment in which they operate in middle and high-income countries. This research also examines the contribution of ISPs towards the creation of information societies in Latin America and Western Europe. This research uses a theoretical framework based on the tension between localisation and globalisation processes that affect the activities of agents of change, the ISPs, and the competition between local and the global players in providing Internet services. A central issue of this research is whether an appropriate set of technological, socio-economic and political components may be established at city level to increase the value and capabilities for using Internet technologies.
Long-run development and the legacy of colonialism in Spanish America

For more than a century, the countries of Spanish America have maintained their level of development relative to one another. This article argues that this enduring regional hierarchy is a path‐dependent legacy of Spanish colonialism. Those territories that constituted the centers of the Spanish colonial empire tended to become the region’s least developed countries; by contrast, those territories that were peripheral to the Spanish empire tended to become the most developed countries. Using methods for assessing both correlational causation and necessary/sufficient causation, the article explores competing hypotheses to explain this inverse relationship. It finds that the density of the indigenous population and the strength of liberal elites during the period from 1700 to 1850 were critical factors linking colonial and postcolonial development.