cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biodegradation of NTA and m‐cresol in coastal environments

The biodegradation of m-cresol and nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) by nonadapted natural populations of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria was examined in a coastal environment near Beaufort, North Carolina, over an 18-month period and in synoptic samples from the Mississippi River, its plume and adjacent coastal waters. The uptake kinetics of radiolabeled m-cresol and NTA were measured at a freshwater site, an estuarine site and a high-salinity offshore site. Uptake of both compounds was greatest in the summer, and half-saturation constants and maximum uptake velocities were greater for NTA than for m-cresol. m-Cresol uptake was greatest in the freshwater environment, and NTA uptake was greatest in the estuary where bacterial numbers and activity were also highest. The uptake of both compounds was lowest in the offshore environment where biological activity was lowest. It appears from the spatial patterns in the Newport River estuary and in areas off the Mississippi that m-cresol biodegradation is substantially reduced at increasing salinity but that NTA uptake is not. Only at extremely low concentrations (less than 1 to 10 μg L−1) and only during the warmer portions of the year is biodegradation of m-cresol in freshwater and estuarine environments important in determining its fate. At higher concentrations and in the marine environment, biodegradation by nonadapted populations is slow and other processes, such as adaptation, dilution and mixing, may be more significant in determining the fate of both compounds.
Using Failure Mode Effect Analysis to Increase Electronic Systems Reliability

This paper focuses on improving the reliability of electronic systems in the electronic packaging/manufacturing industry using failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA). The paper starts with the introduction to reliability and the FMEA, It briefly summarizes the research done in these areas, describes the benefits and limitations of the FMEA, compares various FMEA approaches, defines its scope, and offers suggestions for a multidiscipline and multifunctional team. It presents a FMEA form exclusively designed for the electronic systems industry, and provides a list of failure modes that should be considered while performing FMEA on electronic systems. While anticipating every failure mode is not possible, it formulates an extensive list of potential failure modes.
Resonantly enhanced all optical buffers on a silicon chip

We investigated ultra-compact optical buffers using cascaded ring resonators and photonic crystal waveguides on silicon-on-insulator platform. Group delay exceeding 500 ps was realized at 20 Gbps, corresponding to buffering of 10 bits using up to 100 cascaded resonators.
The effect of country-specific index trading on closed-end country funds: an empirical analysis

Abstract The American Stock Exchange initiated trading in 17 World Equity Benchmark Shares (acronym “WEBS”™) in April 1996. WEBS are index funds designed to track the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) indexes. We examine the effect of this event on closed-end country funds (CECFs) and find that percentage discounts increase. CECFs with a corresponding WEBS index experience the largest increase and also show a decline in trading volume. We attribute these results to (1) the effects of increased competition and (2) a reduction in the market segmentation premium. Since additional WEBS have begun trading, and other approvals may follow, similar effects could be experienced in the future.
Dominant Mutations in Three Different Subunits of Replication Factor C Suppress Replication Defects in Yeast PCNA Mutants

To identify proteins that interact with the yeast proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), we used a genetic approach to isolate mutations that compensate for the defects in cold-sensitive (Cs(-)) mutants of yeast PCNA (POL30). Because the cocrystal structure of human PCNA and a p21(WAF1/CIP1) peptide shows that the interdomain region of PCNA is a site of p21 interaction, we specifically looked for new mutations that suppress mutations in the equivalent region of yeast PCNA. In independent screens using three different Cs(-) mutants, we identified spontaneously arising dominant suppressor mutations in the RFC3 gene. In addition, dominant suppressor mutations were identified in the RFC1 and RFC2 genes using a single pol30 mutant. An intimate association between PCNA and RFC1p, RFC2p, and RFC3p is suggested by the allele-restricted suppression of 10 different pol30 alleles by the RFC suppressors. RFC1, RFC2, and RFC3 encode three of the five subunits of the replication factor C complex, which is required to load PCNA onto DNA in reconstituted DNA replication reactions. Genomic sequencing reveals a common region in RFC1p, RFC2p, and RFC3p that is important for the functional interaction with PCNA. Biochemical analysis of the wild type and mutant PCNA and RFC3 proteins shows that mutant RFC3p enhances the production of long DNA products in pol delta-dependent DNA synthesis, which is consistent with an increase in processivity.
When Children Have Two Mothers: Relationships with Nonresident Mothers, Stepmothers, and Fathers

Using data on 294 adolescents from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health who live with a biological father and have both a resident stepmother and a nonresident biological mother, this study examines the prevalence, antecedents, and consequences of adolescents’ closeness to each of their parents. Findings demonstrate that adolescents vary in their likelihood of having close relationships to resident fathers, resident stepmothers, and nonresident biological mothers, but when they can do so, they appear to benefit. Close relationships with both resident fathers and nonresident mothers are associated with fewer adolescent internalizing and externalizing problems. Closeness to resident stepmothers, however, is unrelated to these two outcomes. Results suggest that fathers play a particularly important role in these families.
Semibatch RAFT Copolymerization of Acrylonitrile and N-isopropylacrylamide: Effect of Comonomer Distribution on Cyclization and Thermal Stability

Abstract Utilizing reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, the composition profile of PAN-based copolymers becomes a tunable parameter in preparing carbon fiber precursors. In this work, poly(acrylonitrile-co-N-isopropylacrylamide) copolymers were prepared via a semibatch process mediated by 2-cyano-2-propyl dodecyl trithiocarbonate (CPDT). The monomer reactivity ratios were determined by the Fineman-Ross (FR), Kelen-Tudos (KT), and non-linear least squares (NLLS) models. The number average sequence length of acrylonitrile (AN) was found to be highly dependent on the content of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM). NIPAM was introduced at controlled rates into a reaction vessel in attempt to facilitate its distribution in the polymer backbone. These semibatch copolymers were evaluated based on their ring-closing cyclization efficiency, which was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Significantly, DSC exotherms were reduced and cyclization occurred much faster reaching a greater thermal stability when NIPAM was introduced at slow feed rates.
Design and Synthesis of Highly Efficient Nonlinear Optical Chromophores

Two series of highly hyperpolarizable nonlinear optical (NLO) chromophores, containing perfluoroaryl dicyanovinyl and phenyl tetracyanobutadienyl acceptors, have been designed and synthesized. These chromophores show good thermal and chemical stability. The 3D conformational structures, confirmed by computational modeling, enhance polymer matrix compatibility and decrease optical loss of the polymer films. The guest-host polymers of the chromophores show large electro-optical activities.
Inhibition of Adenosine Diphosphate-Induced Secondary Aggregation and Other Platelet Functions by Acetylsalicylic Acid Ingestion∗

SummarySecondary aggregation of platelets was produced in 8 of 10 normal subjects by a critical concentration of adenosine diphosphate (ADP) ranging from 1.0-2.0 μM. Shortening of the Russell Viper Venom clotting time and release of serotonin-14C were also observed with the critical concentration of ADP or with higher levels, but did not occur in the two subjects who showed only primary aggregation in response to ADP. Ingestion of 1.3 gm of acetylsalicylic acid in a divided dose 1 and 2 hours prior to testing abolished secondary aggregation, serotonin release, and platelet factor-3 activation induced by ADP, as well as aggregation and serotonin release induced by connective tissue particles, but did not affect primary ADP-induced aggregation.
How to write a neurology case report.

Neurology case reports have a long history of transmitting important medical information across many generations for the improvement of patient care. Case reports contribute much to the physician’s knowledge base from which treatment hypotheses and ideas form. Elements of a modern case report, as presented in the CARE (CAse REport) guidelines, include the abstract, introduction, case presentation, discussion, conclusion, patient’s perspective, and consent statement. The sections are described here, as well as the application of CARE guidelines to a published neuromuscular case report. Writing case reports offer an ideal opportunity for neurologists to publish interesting case findings and carry on the tradition of neurologic case reporting.
Analysis and reflection of hybrid rice regional trial in Guangxi

According to the analysis of the data of Guangxi hybrid rice regional and filter trial in 2005,the types,number,source of combination and the ratio of selection were steadily enhanced and diversified.The yield and grain quality was improved to some extents.And it the first time that the early-cropping and early maturing hybrid rice combination grain quality living up to first grade of state quality standards.A majority of combination had strong resistance to bacterial blight,but weak resistance to the blast.Some considerations of breeding were put forward.
Studying IDP Stability and Dynamics by Fast Relaxation Imaging in Living Cells

Fast relaxation imaging (FReI) temperature-tunes living cells and applies small temperature jumps to them, to monitor biomolecular stability and kinetics in vivo. The folding or aggregation state of a target protein is monitored by Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET). Intrinsically disordered proteins near the structured-unstructured boundary are particularly sensitive to their environment. We describe, using the IDP α-synuclein as an example, how FReI can be used to measure IDP stability and folding inside the cell.
Quantification of Molecular Mixing with Epifluorescence Imaging

Measurements of mixing in microdevices using epifluorescence imaging can be highly misleading due to resolution limitations. An “unmixedness” method using a chemical reaction is demonstrated for quantifying mixing in a laser-machined micromixer.
Some Reflections on C.T.S. Beginnings

The College Theology Society had a difficult period of gestation but its birth was relatively easy. A few reminiscences may be in order, even though nostalgia isn't what it used to be. Some current members of the Society were present at a twenty-fifth anniversary meeting at Trinity College, Washington, the site of the first meeting, where some of what follows came to light.
Substance exposure and helmet use in all-terrain vehicle accidents: Nine years of experience at a level 1 trauma center.

Abstract Introduction The surging popularity of all-terrain vehicles (ATV) in the United States has caused an “epidemic of injuries and mortality.” The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported 99,600 injuries and 426 fatalities from ATV accidents in 2013. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between helmet use and positive toxicology screenings on outcomes in ATV accident victims. Methods This is a retrospective study of patients admitted to a Level 1 Trauma Center in southwestern West Virginia following an ATV accident between 2005 and 2013. Data were obtained from the institution's Trauma Registry. Results A total of 1,857 patients were admitted during the study period with 39 (1.9%) reported deaths. Positive serum alcohol and/or urine drug screens were obtained in 66.4% of the patients tested (n = 1,293). Those with positive screenings were 9.5% less likely to utilize a helmet (13.2% vs. 22.7%, p Conclusions Drugs and alcohol use may predispose riders to be less likely to wear helmets and significantly increase the risk of a poor clinical outcome following an ATV accident. Rigorous efforts should be made to enhance safety measures through educational endeavors and amendment of current regulations to promote safe and responsible use of ATVs. Practical applications Modification of regulatory requirements should be considered in order to mandate the wearing of helmets during ATV operation. In addition, expansion of safety programs should be considered in an effort to improve availability, affordability and awareness of safe ATV practices.
Two-dimensional right ventricular strain by speckle tracking for assessment of longitudinal right ventricular function after paediatric congenital heart disease surgery

Summary Background Right ventricular (RV) function is a prognostic marker of cardiac disease in children. Speckle tracking has been developed to assess RV longitudinal shortening, the dominant deformation during systole; little is known about its feasibility in children with congenital heart disease (CHD). Aims To evaluate the feasibility and reproducibility of RV two-dimensional (2D) strain assessed by speckle tracking in infants undergoing CHD surgery compared with conventional markers. Methods In this prospective single-centre study, RV peak systolic strain (RV-PSS) was measured using 2D speckle tracking in 37 consecutive children undergoing CHD surgery. Examinations were performed the day before surgery, a few hours after surgery and before discharge. Relationships with the z score of tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and tricuspid annular systolic velocity (TA Sa) were assessed. Results Median (interquartile range) age was 19 months (5–63); median weight was 9.2 kg (5.3–18.0). RV-PSS analysis was feasible in 92.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 86.0–97.1) of examinations. The coefficient of variation was 9.7% (95% CI: 7.4–11.9) for intraobserver variability and 15.1% (95% CI: 12.7–17.6) for interobserver variability. Correlations between RV-PSS and z score of TAPSE and TA Sa were strong (r = 0.71, P Conclusion RV longitudinal strain by speckle tracking is a feasible and reproducible method of assessing perioperative evolution of RV function in children with CHD.
Perceived Racial/Ethnic Discrimination and Mental Health: a Review and Future Directions for Social Epidemiology.

Recent literature on racial or ethnic discrimination and mental health was reviewed to assess the current science and identify key areas of emphasis for social epidemiology. Objectives of this review were to (1) determine whether there have been advancements in the measurement and analysis of perceived discrimination, (2) identify the use of theories and/or frameworks in perceived discrimination and mental health research, and (3) assess the extent to which stress buffers are being considered and evaluated in the existing literature. Metrics and analytic approaches used to assess discrimination remain largely unchanged. Theory and/or frameworks such as the stress and coping framework continue to be underused in majority of the studies. Adolescents and young adults experiencing racial/ethnic discrimination were at greater risk of adverse mental health outcomes, and the accumulation of stressors over the life course may have an aggregate impact on mental health. Some growth seems evident in studies examining the mediation and moderation of stress buffers and other key factors with the findings suggesting a reduction in the effects of discrimination on mental health. Discrimination scales should consider the multiple social identities of a person, the context where the exposure occurs, how the stressor manifests specifically in adolescents, the historical traumas, and cumulative exposure. Life course theory and intersectionality may help guide future work. Despite existing research, gaps remain in elucidating the effects of racial and ethnic discrimination on mental health, signaling an opportunity and a call to social epidemiologists to engage in interdisciplinary research to speed research progress.
Electrophysiological analysis of synaptic transmission in Drosophila

Synaptic transmission is dynamic, plastic, and highly regulated. Drosophila is an advantageous model system for genetic and molecular studies of presynaptic and postsynaptic mechanisms and plasticity. Electrical recordings of synaptic responses represent a wide-spread approach to study neuronal signaling and synaptic transmission. We discuss experimental techniques that allow monitoring synaptic transmission in Drosophila neuromuscular and central systems. Recordings of synaptic potentials or currents at the larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ) are most common and provide numerous technical advantages due to robustness of the preparation, large and identifiable muscles, and synaptic boutons which can be readily visualized. In particular, focal macropatch recordings combined with the analysis of neurosecretory quanta enable rigorous quantification of the magnitude and kinetics of transmitter release. Patch-clamp recordings of synaptic transmission from the embryonic NMJ enable overcoming the problem of lethality in mutant lines. Recordings from the adult NMJ proved instrumental in the studies of temperature-sensitive paralytic mutants. Genetic studies of behavioral learning in Drosophila compel an investigation of synaptic transmission in the central nervous system (CNS), including primary cultured neurons and an intact brain. Cholinergic and GABAergic synaptic transmission has been recorded from the Drosophila CNS both in vitro and in vivo. In vivo patch-clamp recordings of synaptic transmission from the neurons in the olfactory pathway is a very powerful approach, which has a potential to elucidate how synaptic transmission is associated with behavioral learning. WIREs Dev Biol 2017, 6:e277. doi: 10.1002/wdev.277 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Robust Integral Stabilization and Regulation of Uncertain Multivariable Systems

Abstract The recent concept of multivariable integral controllability (MIC) is generalized to uncertain multivariable systems. It is shown that MIC is strongly dependent on the all gain positive stability (AGPS) of the steady state open loop transfer matrix. Some sufficient conditions for AGPS are provided, from which a design scheme for inducing MIC on any given system can be determined.
Alterations of sorbin and SH3 domain containing 3 (SORBS3) in human skeletal muscle following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery

Obesity is a disease that is caused by genetic and environmental factors. However, epigenetic mechanisms of obesity are less well known. DNA methylation provides a mechanism whereby environmental factors can influence gene transcription. The aim of our study was to investigate skeletal muscle DNA methylation of sorbin and SH3 domain containing 3 (SORBS3) with weight loss induced by Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Previously, we had shown increased methylation (5.0 to 24.4%) and decreased gene expression (fold change − 1.9) of SORBS3 with obesity (BMI > 30 kg/m2) compared to lean controls. In the present study, basal muscle biopsies were obtained from seven morbidly obese (BMI > 40 kg/m2) female subjects pre- and 3 months post-RYGB surgery, in combination with euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamps to assess insulin sensitivity. We identified 30 significantly altered promoter and untranslated region methylation sites in SORBS3 using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS). Twenty-nine of these sites were decreased (− 5.6 to − 24.2%) post-RYGB compared to pre-RYGB. We confirmed the methylation in 2 (Chr.8:22,423,690 and Chr.8:22,423,702) of the 29 decreased SORBS3 sites using pyrosequencing. This decreased methylation was associated with an increase in SORBS3 gene expression (fold change + 1.7) post-surgery. In addition, we demonstrated that SORBS3 promoter methylation in vitro significantly alters reporter gene expression (P < 0.0001). Two of the SORBS3 methylation sites (Chr.8:22,423,111 and Chr.8:22,423,205) were strongly correlated with fasting plasma glucose levels (r = 0.9, P = 0.00009 and r = 0.8, P = 0.0010). Changes in SORBS3 gene expression post-surgery were correlated with obesity measures and fasting insulin levels (r = 0.5 to 0.8; P < 0.05). These results demonstrate that SORBS3 methylation and gene expression are altered in obesity and restored to normal levels through weight loss induced by RYGB surgery.
The effect of prism on preferred retinal locus

BACKGROUND Whether prism, especially base-up prism, affects the area of the retina used for fixation in a patient with central scotoma has been a controversial subject for 35 years. Our pilot study employed microperimetry to evaluate the effect of base-up prism on the fixation locus, or preferred retinal locus (PRL), in subjects with central scotoma. METHODS We used a microperimeter to assess the PRL in 13 visually impaired subjects with central scotoma under four conditions: no lens, a lens with no prism (control lens), 6Δ base-up, and 10Δ base-up. The PRL was measured in degrees in horizontal and vertical co-ordinates from the centre of the optic disc using graphical analysis. RESULTS The PRL with the control lens was not significantly different from the PRL with no lens. The preferred retinal loci with the two powers of prism were compared to the control lens and showed a superior shift in 22 of 26 cases (84.6 per cent). The amount of movement was significantly different from zero (p = 0.001 for 6Δ and p = 0.004 for 10Δ ). The vertical movement with the 10Δ prism (1.73 ± 1.73 degrees) was not significantly greater (p = 0.562) than with the 6Δ prism (1.37 ± 1.08 degrees). The shift was significantly less than the prism powers used (p < 0.001), and the amount of vertical relocation was not significantly different from the amount of horizontal movement. CONCLUSION In our study, base-up prism appears to shift the PRL in the direction of the prism base most of the time, but our findings do not support the use of prism as a way of predictably relocating the PRL. More study is indicated to evaluate whether such a small shift is clinically or functionally significant.
Activation and trafficking of CD8 + T cells during viral skin infection: immunological lessons learned from vaccinia virus.

Epicutaneous delivery of vaccinia virus (VacV) by scarification of the skin generates robust and durable protective immunity, which was ultimately responsible for eradicating smallpox from the human race. Therefore, infection of the skin with VacV is often used in experimental model systems to study the activation of adaptive immunity, as well as the development and functional features of immunological memory. Here, we describe recent advances using this viral infection to identify and characterize the mechanisms regulating the activation and trafficking of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells into the inflamed skin, the migratory features of CD8+ T cells within the skin microenvironment, and finally, their subsequent differentiation into tissue-resident memory cells.
Kidney Biopsy Training and the Future of Nephrology What about the Patient

In the literature, including in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology , there have been several recent articles on the role of the kidney biopsy in the training of nephrology fellows ([1][1]–[3][2]). Considerable discussion has focused upon whether every nephrology fellow in
Coteaching in Physical Education: A Strategy for Inclusive Practice

Qualitative research methods were used to explore the factors that informed general and adapted physical education teachers’ coteaching practices within an inclusive high school physical education program. Two physical education teachers and one adapted physical education teacher were observed over a 16-week period. Interviews, field notes, and documents were collected and a constant comparative approach was used in the analysis that adopted a social model framework. Primary themes included community as the cornerstone for student learning, core values of trust and respect, and creating a natural support structure. Coteaching practices existed because of the shared values of teaching, learning, and the belief that all students should be included. Recommendations include shifting orientations within professional preparation programs to account for the social model of disability.
Using Simulation as a Scenario Builder for Decision Making: A Case Study Using the Nurse-Family Partnership Program in Louisiana

In this chapter, we discuss the use of Monte Carlo simulation to develop a cost–benefit analysis of the Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) program in Louisiana. We discuss how we used information from studies conducted in other cities and times to inform our analysis of the program and detail the decisions made about the relevance of these empirical studies to a separate context altogether. The NFP program is an early childhood intervention program with long-term expected benefits, so we also discuss how to incorporate this information into the decision-making apparatus of public policy programs. Uncertainty is a feature we must deal with in public affairs, and this chapter attempts to illustrate how this can be done through a case study.
Parental Influences on Achievement Motivation and Student Engagement

Underachievement and school disengagement have serious consequences, both at individual and societal levels. In this chapter, we adopt a strength-based perspective to examine the multiple ways in which parents foster achievement motivation and student engagement. Our theoretical orientation is grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s (1977) ecological systems theory in which the child is situated at the center of increasingly distal and interconnected spheres of influence, from family and school to community and societal institutions. Given the increasingly diverse composition of our nation’s schools, we place a premium on understanding how varied ethnic and cultural models of learning and socialization, particularly among low-income families, differentially influence parents’ educational socialization strategies and how these come to affect children’s developing achievement-related beliefs and behaviors. We examine several theoretical models of engagement, motivation, and parental involvement and highlight some notable research efforts that seek to explain parents’ roles in fostering motivation and engagement. We then share several models of innovative programs that have experienced success in creating authentic partnerships between parents, children, schools, and communities toward the goal of stemming the tide of underachievement and disengagement.
Forgotten Pioneers of Soviet Semiotics

In his study of the history and doctrine of Russian Formalism Erlich noted that substantial progress had been made in the development of the theory of language and semiotics between 1916 and 1926, especially in the early twenties. Before that time the science of signs was “virtually non-existent” in Russia. By 1930, the new discipline of semiotics was “well under way,” however, no longer in Russia but in Czechoslovakia (1969:158). Erlich described the political suppression of the Formalist movement in the Soviet Union in 1930, as well as subsequent campaigns against “Formalism” in music, the arts and comparative literary history in 1936 and 1949.
Early Mechanistic Events Induced by Low Molecular Weight Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Mouse Lung Epithelial Cells: A Role for Eicosanoid Signaling.

Low molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (LMW PAHs; < 206.3 g/mol) are under regulated environmental contaminants (eg, secondhand smoke) that lead to gap junction dysregulation, p38 MAPK activation, and increased mRNA production of inflammatory mediators, such as cytokines and cyclooxygenase (COX2), in lung epithelial cells. However, the early mechanisms involving lipid signaling through the arachidonic acid pathway and subsequent eicosanoid production leading to these downstream events are not known. Common human exposures are to mixtures of LMW PAHs, thus C10 cells (a mouse lung epithelial cell line) were exposed to a representative binary PAH mixture, 1-methylanthracene (1-MeA) and fluoranthene (Flthn), for 30 min-24 h with and without p38 and cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) inhibitors. Cytosolic phospholipase A2 inhibition reversed PAH-induced phospho-p38 MAPK activation and gap junction dysregulation at 30 min. A significant biphasic increase in cPLA2 protein was observed at 30 min, 2, and 4 h, as well as COX2 protein at 2 and 8 h. Untargeted metabolomics demonstrated a similar trend with significantly changing metabolites at 30 min and 4 h of exposure relative to 1 h; a "cPLA2-like" subset of metabolites within the biphasic response were predominately phospholipids. Targeted metabolomics showed several eicosanoids (eg, prostaglandin D2 (PGD2), PGE2α) were significantly increased at 4, 8, and 12 h following exposure to the binary PAH mixture and this effect was p38-dependent. Finally, PAH metabolism was not observed until after 8 h. These results indicate an early lipid signaling mechanism of LMW PAH toxicity in lung epithelial cells due to parent PAH compounds.
Pulling the Region into its Orbit? China’s Economic Statecraft in Latin America

Latin America is a critical region for analyzing China’s economic statecraft. Following the Monroe doctrine, Latin America has long been seen as part of the sphere of U.S. influence. For the purpose of studying the effectiveness of China’s economic statecraft I will focus on two countries that stand on opposite extremes: Brazil and Mexico. Both countries happened to be important target states (strategic partners) of China’s economic statecraft in the region, albeit for different political and strategic goals. In this paper I will compare the different domestic political and economic conditions, interests and institutions in these two countries to explain why China has made greater progress in projecting its economic power through trade and investment to pursue its political goals with Brazil, but has not succeeded in Mexico.
172) Factors that Affect Analgesic Prescriptions in African Americans with Cancer Pain

The experience of cancer pain is poorly understood from the perspective of African Americans, who experience higher levels of pain, more pain-related distress, and poorer function than Caucasians. Perceived control over pain has been shown to lead to decreased pain and distress and improved functional status. Perceived control over pain may play a role in the adequacy of prescriptions received by African American patients with cancer pain. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between factors affecting analgesic prescriptions and perceived control over pain in African Americans with cancer pain. This investigation will be done through a secondary analysis of analgesic prescriptions from of a larger study testing an intervention to improve pain, pain-related distress, and functional status through increasing perceived control over pain. Participants (n=310) who met the criteria of being adult cancer patients and self-identified as African American and reported moderate to severe pain (>4 on a 0-10 scale) within the past two weeks were recruited from the waiting room of an urban comprehensive cancer center. Baseline data will be used for this analysis to characterize the adequacy of pain management, as measured by the Pain Management Index (PMI), in African American adults with cancer pain. Further analysis will examine the extent of adequate pain control (as measured by the PMI) and its correlation with education, marital status, gender, perceived control over pain, and presence of a caregiver as measured by the demographic questionnaire. The study seeks to gain an understanding of the factors which increase the likelihood of a patients receiving adequate analgesia from their providers. Findings from this study will enlighten patient factors and potential areas of intervention leading to adequate analgesia and explore disparities experienced by this population. This work was supported by the National Cancer Institute 1 RO1 CA149432-01A1.
Tau exhibits unique seeding properties in globular glial tauopathy

Tauopathies are neurodegenerative disorders characterized by aggregation of microtubule associated tau protein in neurons and glia. They are clinically and pathologically heterogeneous depending on the isoform of tau protein that accumulates (three or four 31-to-32-amino-acid repeats [3R or 4R] in the microtubule binding domain), as well as the cellular and neuroanatomical distribution of tau pathology. Growing evidence suggests that distinct tau conformers may contribute to the characteristic features of various tauopathies. Globular glial tauopathy (GGT) is a rare 4R tauopathy with globular cytoplasmic inclusions within neurons and glial cells. Given the unique cellular distribution and morphology of tau pathology in GGT, we sought to determine if tau species in GGT had distinctive biological properties. To address this question, we performed seeding analyses with postmortem brain tissues using a commercial tau biosensor cell line. We found that brain lysates from GGT cases had significantly higher seeding competency than other tauopathies, including corticobasal degeneration (CBD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The robust seeding activity of GGT brain lysates was independent of phosphorylated tau burden and diminished upon removal of tau from samples, suggesting that seeding properties were indeed mediated by tau in the lysates. In addition, cellular inclusions in the tau biosensor cell line induced by GGT had a distinct, globular morphology that was markedly different from inclusions induced by other tauopathies, further highlighting the unique nature of tau species in GGT. Characterization of different tau species in GGT showed that detergent-insoluble, fibril-like tau contained the highest seeding activity, as reflected in its ability to increase tau aggregation in primary glial cultures. Taken together, our data suggest that unique seeding properties differentiate GGT-tau from other tauopathies, which provides new insight into pathogenic heterogeneity of primary neurodegenerative tauopathies.
DropSynth 2.0: high-fidelity multiplexed gene synthesis in emulsions

Abstract Multiplexed assays allow functional testing of large synthetic libraries of genetic elements, but are limited by the designability, length, fidelity and scale of the input DNA. Here we improve DropSynth, a low-cost, multiplexed method which builds gene libraries by compartmentalizing and assembling microarray-derived oligos in vortexed emulsions. By optimizing enzyme choice, adding enzymatic error correction, and increasing scale, we show that DropSynth can build thousands of gene-length fragments at >20% fidelity.
Advancing User Quality of Experience in 360-degree Video Streaming

Conventional streaming solutions for streaming 360- degree panoramic videos are inefficient in that they download the entire 360-degree panoramic scene, while the user views only a small sub-part of the scene called the viewport. This can waste over 80% of the network bandwidth. We develop a comprehensive approach called Mosaic that combines a powerful neural network-based viewport prediction with a rate control mechanism that assigns rates to different tiles in the 360-degree frame such that the video quality of experience is optimized subject to a given network capacity. We model the optimization as a multi-choice knapsack problem and solve it using a greedy approach.We also develop an end-to-end testbed using standardscompliant components and provide a comprehensive performance evaluation of Mosaic along with four other streaming techniques – two for conventional adaptive video streaming and two for 360- degree tile-based video streaming. Mosaic outperforms the best of the competition by as much as 50% in terms of median video quality.
Experimental observation of interfacial oscillations and self-organization derived from streamer-driven mechanical perturbation of a gas–liquid boundary

Plasma discharges in bubbles remain an active area of research because of the associated applications in environmental remediation, agriculture and chemical processing. Plasmas in contact with the gas-liquid interface can drive chemical and physical processes, one of which is the mechanical surface perturbation leading to the formation of capillary waves. Using a 2-D discharge cell, capillary waves on the surface of a 2-D bubble are investigated. This study reports the observation of interfacial capillary waves on the gas-liquid interface excited by nanosecond pulsed plasma discharges. The capillary waves appear to be initiated by streamers coming into contact with the interface, with surface tension playing the role of the restoring force and viscosity contributing to damping. The waves propagating along the bubble's surface alter the bubble's shape. This capillary wave mode was found to be dependent on bubble size and plasma pulse frequency. Sympathetic resonant oscillations were also observed in adjacent bubbles, which indicate that capillary waves can drive acoustic oscillations and ultimately drive large-scale fluid effects. Additionally, strong surface perturbation was observed to modify the breakdown gap and as a result, led to self-organization of subsequent plasma streamers, which in turn sustains the capillary waves. In effect, plasma streamers and capillary waves are positively coupled to each other as a form of feedback, thus give insight into the interplay between plasma and fluid effects.
Conclusion: Socialized Maternity and Other Utopian Notions

The Russian Revolution of October 1917 came as a shock to orthodox Marxists. The traditional doctrines of historical materialism held that a proletarian revolution could succeed only in a nation that had already seen the rise of advanced capitalism and the growth of the bourgeoisie. Backward Russia, still ruled by an absolutist Tsar and lacking a substantial bourgeois population, seemed an unlikely site for a successful communist uprising. The idea that both the imperial and the bourgeois classes might be overturned in a single stroke was unheard of in most Marxist circles. Indeed, the earlier February Revolution of 1917 conformed more closely to the usual Marxist predictions. The overthrow of the Tsar and establishment of a Provisional Government under Alexander Kerensky could be seen as a necessary step toward a takeover by the bourgeoisie and the intelligentsia, and a proper proletarian revolution would follow after the internal contradictions of bourgeois capitalism reached its crisis point. So when the minority Bolshevik faction of the Russian Socialist movement accomplished the seemingly impossible by seizing power and declaring the birth of a Soviet state, they also unleashed a flood of utopian sentiments, fantastic visions of a dawning socialist paradise.
Please Call the Specialism: Using WeChat to Support Patient Care in China

We examine how WeChat has been adopted to support nurse-patient communication in an IVF clinic in China. In this setting, the biggest challenge to delivering high-quality patient-centred care is the large number of patients. Nurses typically spend less than five minutes with each patient during clinical visits. To compensate for such minimal in-person consultation, nurse-facilitated patient groups were created on WeChat, to extend medical care and facilitate peer support. Through an ethnographic study, we examined how these groups fit into the clinic's communication ecosystem, and the challenges they raise for nurse-facilitators who receive thousands of messages daily. We propose a set of design suggestions aiming to make the work of the nurse-facilitator easier and more effective. In highlighting the opportunities and challenges of using chat to extend care beyond the clinic, we contribute to a burgeoning discussion of how chat can support patient care in the Global South.
Understanding When and Why Some Adolescent Girls Attempt Suicide: An Emerging Framework Integrating Menstrual Cycle Fluctuations in Risk

The prevalence of suicidal thoughts and behaviors increases dramatically across the transition to puberty, particularly among adolescent girls. Yet we know little about why adolescent girls are at heightened risk, or when girls may be most likely to consider or engage in suicidal behavior. In this article, we outline evidence supporting a role for the menstrual cycle in the onset of and fluctuations in adolescent girls' suicide risk. This emerging framework outlines developmental (i.e., biological, social, and cognitive) characteristics that might place certain girls at higher risk (e.g., between-subjects factors), as well as potential mechanisms that occur during the perimenstrual phase of the menstrual cycle (i.e., within-subjects factors) that increase adolescent females' increased risk for suicide.
Getting ready ahead: socioeconomic status and parenting strategies among Chinese adolescents with emigration intentions

Selective migration is traditionally acknowledged as an important mechanism explaining the educational and socioeconomic attainment of immigrants. However, most existing studies employing data in d...
The Musculoskeletal System

A series of multiple choice questions are presented, with answers and explanations that contain information regarding common pediatric orthopedic issues such as scoliosis and club foot and medical conditions that require orthopedic care such as cerebral palsy or juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
Carbon dioxide conversion into the reaction intermediate sodium formate for the synthesis of formic acid

Increased carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from anthropogenic activities are a contributing factor to the growing global warming worldwide. The economical method to recover and effectively reuse CO2 is through adsorption and absorption. In this study, CO2 is absorbed into the solution of sodium hydroxide having various concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 3.0 and 5.0 N), and the impact of the solution pH on the various product formation was observed. The resultant products formed at different pH of the absorbing solution are sodium carbonate at pH 10, Trona at pH 9, and sodium hydrogen carbonate at pH 8. The products formed are confirmed through X-ray diffraction analysis. After pH optimization, the sodium hydrogen carbonate formed at pH 8 is converted into sodium formate through hydrogenation in the presence of nickel ferrite catalyst at 80 °C and atmospheric pressure. The sodium formate produced is then used as a precursor to synthesize formic acid upon simple reaction with sulfuric acid. A reaction % age yield of 79 ± 0.2% formic acid is noted. Condensed formic acid vapors are later analyzed, using a high performance liquid chromatography for the qualitative analysis.
The Labor of Building Trust: Traditional and Engagement Discourses for Practicing Journalism in a Digital Age:

This work of rhetorical analysis interrogates the understanding of journalism as a deliberative instrument in democracy. With 42 in-depth interviews and hundreds of pages of text from websites, soc...
Correction to: Techniques to Avoid Complications of Atrial Fibrillation Ablation

In the recently published review “Techniques to Avoid Complications of Atrial Fibrillation Ablation,” the following author name was inadvertently misspelled as Amit Shreshta.
Estimation of technical change: Direct semi/nonparametric approaches

Abstract This paper introduces some novel approaches to formulate and estimate technical change (TC) nonparametrically in a variety of cases without estimating the underlying production technology that is usually specified by a production, cost or transformation function. The binding theme in all our formulations of TC is the use of the first-order conditions of profit maximization or cost minimization. The new TC measures are observation-specific due to their nonparametric nature.
Indoor dust as a matrix for surveillance of COVID-19 outbreaks

Abstract Ongoing disease surveillance is a critical tool to mitigate viral outbreaks, especially during a pandemic. Environmental monitoring has significant promise even following widespread vaccination among high-risk populations. The goal of this work is to demonstrate molecular SARS-CoV-2 monitoring in bulk floor dust and related samples as a proof-of-concept of a non-invasive environmental surveillance methodology for COVID-19 and potentially other viral diseases. Surface swab, passive sampler, and bulk floor dust samples were collected from rooms of individuals infected with COVID-19, and SARS-CoV-2 was measured with quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and two digital PCR (dPCR) methods. Bulk dust samples had geometric mean concentration of 159 copies/mg-dust and ranged from non-detects to 23,049 copies/mg-dust detected using ddPCR. An average of 88% of bulk dust samples were positive for the virus among detection methods compared to 55% of surface swabs and fewer on the passive sampler (19% carpet, 29% polystyrene). In bulk dust, SARS-CoV-2 was detected in 76%, 93%, and 97% of samples measured by qPCR, chip-based dPCR, and droplet dPCR respectively. Detectable viral RNA in the bulk vacuum bags did not measurably decay over 4 weeks, despite the application of a disinfectant before room cleaning. Future monitoring efforts should further evaluate RNA persistence and heterogeneity in dust. This study did not measure virus viability in dust or potential transmission associated with dust. Overall, this work demonstrates that bulk floor dust is a potentially useful matrix for long-term monitoring of viral disease outbreaks in high-risk populations and buildings. Importance Environmental surveillance to assess pathogen presence within a community is proving to be a critical tool to protect public health, and it is especially relevant during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Importantly, environmental surveillance tools also allow for the detection of asymptomatic disease carriers and for routine monitoring of a large number of people as has been shown for SARS-CoV-2 wastewater monitoring. However, additional monitoring techniques are needed to screen for outbreaks in high-risk settings such as congregate care facilities. Here, we demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 can be detected in bulk floor dust collected from rooms housing infected individuals. This analysis suggests that dust may be a useful and efficient matrix for routine surveillance of viral disease outbreaks.
6 Ways to Cut Costs and Grow Production (with a Capabilities-Driven Strategy)

An application of Capabilities-Driven Strategy to upstream E&P. As the industry evolves, so too must E&P strategies, portfolios, organizational capabilities, and operating models – capabilities must be enhanced, workflows streamlined, and productivity optimized, through broad operating model redesign. Enterprise operating models require a stronger and more tailored set of key capabilities – some new – to accommodate our evolving business landscape and global resource base. Toward that end, we have identified the following list of six actions that will help you to cut costs and grow production, using a capabilities-driven strategy.