cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comment: Riker's Rhetoric of Ratification

Over the past decade, William Riker has written a series of articles that reinterpret the founding of American politics in light of insights gleaned from theories of rational choice. In the course of these efforts, he has invented a new subject, “heresthetics,” having “to do with the manipulation of the structure of tastes and alternatives within which decisions are made.” With Evelyn C. Fink, for example, he has shown more systematically than previous analyses how the federalists structured the the ratification process by attaching an informal promise of future amendment to a formally unconditional ratification. In the present essay, Riker moves from heresthetics to rhetoric: “Rhetoric and heresthetic are both techniques of winning. But they are different kinds of techniques. Rhetoric is persuasion.… With heresthetic, on the other hand, conviction is at best secondary or not involved at all.” Riker describes federalist and antifederalist ratification rhetoric in an effort to display the persuasiveness of “negative” campaign appeals for those who wish to attract the support of marginal voters.
‘Lung cancer and tobacco consumption’: technical evaluation of the 1943 paper by Schairer and Schoeniger published in Nazi Germany

Ideological rather than technical considerations have dominated the discussion over whether or not scientists in Nazi Germany used up-to-date epidemiological methods to investigate the relation of tobacco to lung cancer. To the question ‘could something good have emanated from this evil regime?’ some historians1 and epidemiologists2 have responded affirmatively, suggesting that because of an obsession with racial purity and health, the Nazis had been ahead of their time in terms of research on the effect of tobacco and health. Strangely, however, little attention has been given to the technical quality of this material, in terms of design and analytic methods, and to how it compared with pre-1945 epidemiological research. A telling fact is that the first of the two papers reporting associations between tobacco and lung cancer published during the Third Reich, by Mueller, which appeared in 1939, remained unavailable as a primary document for people who do not read German until selected portions were translated into English for the first time in 2012.3 As I did for Mueller's 1939 paper,3 I proceed here with a technical evaluation of the second, and more recent, tobacco and lung cancer paper published in Nazi Germany. The paper entitled ‘Lung Cancer and Tobacco Consumption’4 was submitted, in German, to the Zeitung fuer Krebsforschung (Journal of Cancer Research) on 27 August 1943 and published in issue 4 of volume 54 in 1943. It was translated into English in 2001.5 I have used for this purpose all the primary material that, to my knowledge, is currently available. ### The paper In brief, in 1942, the authors sent a questionnaire about smoking habits to the relatives of 195 patients who had been diagnosed with lung cancer between 1930 and 1941 in Jena, Thuringia, a Central-Eastern region of Germany. Additionally, the survey was sent …
Bayesian Modeling of Air Pollution Health Effects with Missing Exposure Data

The authors propose a new statistical procedure that utilizes measurement error models to estimate missing exposure data in health effects assessment. The method detailed in this paper follows a Bayesian framework that allows estimation of various parameters of the model in the presence of missing covariates in an informative way. The authors apply this methodology to study the effect of household-level long-term air pollution exposures on lung function for subjects from the Southern California Children’s Health Study pilot project, conducted in the year 2000. Specifically, they propose techniques to examine the long-term effects of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure on children’s lung function for persons living in 11 southern California communities. The effect of nitrogen dioxide exposure on various measures of lung function was examined, but, similar to many air pollution studies, no completely accurate measure of household-level long-term nitrogen dioxide exposure was available. Rather, community-level nitrogen dioxide was measured continuously over many years, but household-level nitrogen dioxide exposure was measured only during two 2-week periods, one period in the summer and one period in the winter. From these incomplete measures, long-term nitrogen dioxide exposure and its effect on health must be inferred. Results show that the method improves estimates when compared with standard frequentist approaches. air pollution; Bayesian analysis; bias (epidemiology)
The impact of a child's chronic illness on school‐aged siblings

Seventy‐two school‐aged children and their parents participated in tape‐recorded interviews to identify the needs and concerns of the children and their perceptions of changes experienced by the family related to having a child with a chronic illness. The majority of the child subjects expressed worries about their sibling who had a chronic illness. The subjects identified more changes in their parents than in themselves.
Evaluation of Entomopathogenic Nematodes to Manage Root Weevil Larvae in Washington State Cranberry, Strawberry, and Red Raspberry

Abstract The ability of entomopathogenic nematodes to reduce abundance of subterranean root weevils was evaluated in three small fruit crops of Washington State. In cranberry, the entomopathogenic nematodes Steinernema carpocapsae (Weiser) and S. glaseri Steiner applied at 30 IJ (infective juveniles) per square centimeter reduced abundance of black vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus (F.), by 96 or 100% respectively compared with the untreated control. According to a waxmoth [Galleria mellonella (L.)] bait bioassay, S. carpocapsae persisted at higher levels than S. glaseri (0.48 versus 0.04% infested waxmoth per applied infective juvenile at 30 d after treatment) and for a longer interval (at least 60 d after treatment), but neither species dispersed beyond the treatment plots. At one of two strawberry sites, S. carpocapsae and Heterorhabditis marelatus Liu OH10 significantly reduced the abundance of black vine weevil (all stages) and pupal strawberry root weevil, O. ovatus (L.), compared with the untreate...
The Economics Of Bidding In Project Management

This article develops strategic decision tables to be used by management in bidding based on optimal duration costs. In addition, a process is proposed to find the optimal economic duration of the project using crashing techniques, the simplex method of linear programming, and game theory. Standardized software packages for Decision Support Systems (DSS) are used in facilitating the calculations.
Paris can cut it

Victor talks about how crunch climate talks can be a success even without a deal to keep warming below 2°C. The Paris pledges already put the world on track for a lot less warming than some feared a few years ago. And governments in richer countries are on track to honor a commitment to free up, by 2020, about $100 billion per year to help the poorest countries. Much of this success comes from the system of individual national pledges. It has given countries flexibility to focus their obligations on areas where they are willing and able to act.
Abstract 145: Palmitic Acid Stimulates a Delayed but Extremely High Expression of IL-6 and Also Enhances LPS Signaling via Sphingolipid Metabolism in Human Aortic Endothelial Cells

It is known that both saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) boost host chronic inflammatory response that contributes to inflammation-related diseases such as diabetes and atherosclerosis. However, it remains unclear how SFAs interact with LPS to promote inflammation. In this study, we compared the effects of LPS, palmitic acid (PA), a most abundant SFA, and the combination of LPS and PA on the expression of interleukin (IL)-6, a key pro-inflammatory cytokine, in human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs). Results showed that while LPS induced a quick but brief IL-6 mRNA expression that peaked at 12 h, PA stimulated a delayed but extremely high expression of IL-6 mRNA (22-fold of that stimulated by LPS) at 36 h (IL-6 mRNA/house-keeping gene mRNA ratios: control-0.21; LPS-0.4; PA-8.68). Results also showed that the combination of LPS and PA further increased IL-6 mRNA at 36 h (IL-6 mRNA/house-keeping gene mRNA ratios: PA-8.68; LPS plus PA-14.23). Consistently, quantification of IL-6 protein in culture medium showed that PA stimulated more IL-6 secretion than LPS and PA in the combination of LPS led to a much greater IL-6 secretion at 36 h (control-269; PA-2485; LPS-1258; LPS plus PA-5811 pg/ml). Since PA is known to affect ceramide biosynthesis, we determine if sphingolipid metabolism is involved in IL-6 upregulation by LPS, PA or LPS plus PA. Results showed that PA significantly increased sphingomyelin (SM) hydrolysis and PA in combination with LPS further increased it (cellular SM levels: control-18.5; LPS-16.5; PA-13.6; LPS plus PA-10.7 pmol/ng phosphate). Increased SM hydrolysis was associated with an increase in ceramide, a bioactive sphingolipid known to stimulate inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, using pharmacological inhibitor and RNA interfering, we found that neutral sphingomyelinase (nSMase), but not acid SMase, was involved in the SM hydrolysis. Finally, we found that inhibition of SM hydrolysis by nSMase inhibitor or nSMase siRNA markedly inhibited IL-6 expression stimulated by LPS, PA or LPS plus PA. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that PA not only stimulated a delayed but extremely high expression of IL-6, but also enhanced the effect of LPS in HAEC, and sphingolipid metabolism played a crucial role in the PA action.
Mesenchymal stem cells and cutaneous wound healing: novel methods to increase cell delivery and therapeutic efficacy.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) (also known as multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells) possess the capacity for self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation, and their ability to enhance cutaneous wound healing has been well characterized. Acting via paracrine interactions, MSCs accelerate wound closure, increase angiogenesis, promote resolution of wound inflammation, favorably regulate extracellular matrix remodeling, and encourage regeneration of skin with normal architecture and function. A number of studies have employed novel methods to amplify the delivery and efficacy of MSCs. Non-traditional sources of MSCs, including Wharton’s jelly and medical waste material, have shown efficacy comparable to that of traditional sources, such as bone marrow and adipose tissue. The potential of alternative methods to both introduce MSCs into wounds and increase migration of MSCs into wound areas has also been demonstrated. Taking advantage of the associations between MSCs with M2 macrophages and microRNA, methods to enhance the immunomodulatory capacity of MSCs have shown success. New measures to enhance angiogenic capabilities have also exhibited effectiveness, often demonstrated by increased levels of proangiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor. Finally, hypoxia has been shown to have strong wound-healing potential in terms of increasing MSC efficacy. We have critically reviewed the results of the novel studies that show promise for the continued development of MSC-based wound-healing therapies and provide direction for continued research in this field.
Strategies to reduce maternal mortality in developed countries.

Purpose of review To review the recent literature regarding maternal mortality, especially in developed countries, and to provide suggestions for clinical action addressing the rising trend. Recent findings Worldwide maternal deaths declined over the past 20 years; however, it is unlikely that the United Nations' Millennium Development Goal 5 for a 75% reduction in maternal mortality by 2015 will be achieved. Ninety-nine percent of the annual preventable maternal deaths from complications of pregnancy and childbirth occur in developing countries, particularly sub-Saharan Africa. In developed countries, including the United States, numerous strategies have developed to recognize the factors leading to maternal death and to implement systems' changes allowing interventions. In many cases, maternal death is avoidable but oftentimes a patient is saddled with life-long medical consequences. Near-misses are increasing which place a burden not only on the family but also on the healthcare system and overall community. Summary The United States has a rising trend in maternal deaths. To achieve a reduction within all developed countries there must be coordinated death review activities that investigate every case along with near-misses. Recommendations for changes within the medical system will continue to improve maternal health not only in developed countries but also worldwide.
KINETIC DEPTH EFFECT EXAMINED UNDER CONDITIONS OF UNIMODAL VERSUS BIMODAL SENSORY INPUT

To perceive the three-dimensional rotation of a shadow figure, displacement and line length change are required. Without displacement, persons perceive a line lengthening and shortening on a two-dimensional plane. The present investigation attempted to create the kinetic depth effect without displacement by including auditory input. 48 persons were randomly assigned to two groups (line-length change with tone or line-length change without tone). The tone group received sound through headphones which oscillated in amplitude in synchrony with the shadow of a rotating "T" figure. The tone group perceived a three-dimensional figure in rotation significantly more often than did the non-tone group. These results suggest that the kinetic depth effect may be created by more than one combination of sensory input.
Acoustics from a Rectangular C-D Nozzle Exhausting Over a Flat Surface

In futuristic high-speed aircraft, jets in propulsion systems that are closely integrated with the aircraft would have to be exhausted over airframe surfaces. Also, during military take-off and landing operations, intense noise waves are reflected from the ground and the jet-surface interaction becomes another source of noise generation. To simulate these scenarios, far-field acoustics are investigated on a supersonic rectangular jet that is exhausted over a parallel flat surface, at different proximities to the jet plume (h). An Md = 1.5 converging-diverging rectangular nozzle of 2:1 aspect ratio was tested with and without a flat plate that extends 30De downstream of the nozzle exit and has a width of 21De. The plate is moved from h/ De = 0 (when it touches the inner side of the nozzle exit lip,) to different ‘stand-off’ positions (away from the jet axis,) up to h/ De = 3. The jet is predicted to impinge on the plate, in all configurations. Far-field cold and heated jet results at design, overexpanded and under-expanded conditions are shown at jet azimuthal angles of φ = 0 o
Handle of Weft Knit Fabrics

Two groups of weft-knitted fabrics, single and double knits, were selected to represent typical summer T-shirts and winter sportswear such as sweaters and other knit tops. Two kinds of analyses were performed: subjective overall handle and primary sensory factors were evaluated using a 99 point polar-word scale, and physical and thermal properties were characterized using the Kawabata evaluation system. Regression analysis was used to relate subjective and objective measurements. The handle of single knits was strongly related to the perception of softness and lightness; the handle of double knits was influenced by the perception of slickness and tightness. Surface friction and weight were associated with the hand ranking of single knits. Fabric surface roughness and bending hysteresis were physical properties that correlated with the hand ranking for double knits. The handle of plain knit loop structures was rated better than that of tuck-loop knits. For summer T-shirt material, single jersey was the pre...
Design Real-time Weather Data Acquisition System of Photovoltaic power Station

The design method of a real-time weather data acquisition system of photo voltaic power station is introduced.The system used a modular structure,and utilized high-performance data acquisition module and reliable communications technology to achieve meteorological data collection of Power station.and reflect real-time weather conditions field region,PV output power in order to provide weather forecast data service.
PTH-263 Analysing short-term outcomes and patient satisfaction with laparoscopic ventral mesh rectopexy

Introduction Laparoscopic ventral mesh rectopexy (LVMR) has been used to treat rectal prolapse and obstructive defaecation syndrome (ODS). However, limited outcome data have been reported. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the indications and outcomes of LVMR by comparing pre-and postoperative function and quality of life. Method A Prospective database identified all patients undergoing from November 2011 to July 2014. Cleveland clinic constipation score (CCCS), St Mark’s incontinence score (SMIS), Quality of life SF12 (QOL) and Cleveland surgery satisfaction questionnaire were used to evaluate surgical outcomes and patient satisfaction retrospectively. Results 28 LVMRs (26 women, mean age +/− SD, 69 +/− 29 years, median 65 years), were performed during the study period. 25 patients were followed up (median 71 days, range 39 to 197 days). 78% of patients responded to the questionnaire with 15 patients suffered from rectal prolapse and 7 patients ODS). Eight patients underwent LVMR following perineal repair, of these 1 reported recurrence of prolapse and faecal leakage. The mean score for CCCS and SMIS were compared pre and post-operatively. Both showed a reduction in symptoms, scoring 11.0 vs. 7.0 (P Changes in physical component and mental component summary were observed using QOL SF-12 with no statistically significance and a mean difference of 4.02 and 5.68. 82% of patients completing the Cleveland surgery satisfaction questionnaire would recommend LVMR with a mean score of 4.3 out of 5. Conclusion LVMR is associated with low recurrence and a significant improvement in symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction. Improvement in QOL was observed with the majority of patients recommending this procedure. Disclosure of interest None Declared.
Male Response to Female Ovulation in White-Faced Capuchins (Cebus capucinus): Variation in Fecal Testosterone, Dihydrotestosterone, and Glucocorticoids

Reproductive success is linked to dominance in male primates, reflecting the benefits of male competition. However, not all males compete successfully, suggesting that the costs of obtaining and maintaining high dominance status are significant. Here we examine the fecal metabolites of testosterone (fT) and dihydrotestosterone (fDHT) as bioactive androgens reflecting male reproductive effort, as well as fecal glucocorticoid (fGC) excretion as an index of stress in male white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus). We investigated the influence of female fertility (periovulatory vs. nonovulatory) on the hormonal responses of alpha and subordinate males. Over a 17-mo field season, we collected and analyzed weekly fecal samples (N = 992) from all 14 adult (> 10 yr) and subadult (≥ 6–10 yr) males residing in three study groups in the Santa Rosa Sector of the Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Fecal samples (N > 2250) were also collected from group females (N = 28) to identify the fertile period using progesterone and estradiol assays. Alpha males had significantly higher fT, fDHT, and fGC levels than subordinate males independent of female reproductive state; further, adult subordinates had significantly higher fT, but not fDHT or fGC, than subadult subordinates. Male fT, fDHT, and fGC levels were significantly higher in the presence of fertile females, regardless of male dominance status and age. These findings indicate that the higher reproductive effort of alpha males comes with some costs (increased fGCs), and the presence of periovulatory females is associated with specific endocrine responses reflecting male reproductive effort and stress in white-faced capuchins.
Glucose Reabsorption in The Kidney

Glucose is the major fuel source to the body’s tissue and its plasma concentration is maintained within narrow limits, 4–10 mM, except in diabetes where it may rise to over 16 mM. In this chapter we review the role of the kidneys in glucose homeostasis. In particular, we discuss the molecular and genetic evidence for the importance of SGLTs and GLUTs in the proximal tubule in the complete glucose absorption from the glomerular filtrate. This leads into a review of the recent developments on a new therapy for diabetes based on SGLT2 inhibitors.
Avoiding alert fatigue in pulmonary embolism decision support: a new method to examine ‘trigger rates’

A clinical decision support system (CDSS) is integrated into the electronic health record (EHR) and allows physicians to easily use a clinical decision support (CDS) tool. However, often CDSSs are integrated into the EHR with poor adoption rates. One reason for this is secondary to 'trigger fatigue'. Therefore, we developed a new and innovative usability process named 'sensitivity and specificity trigger analysis' (SSTA) as part of our larger project around a pulmonary embolism decision support tool. SSTA will enable programmers to examine optimal trigger rates prior to the integration of a CDS tool into the EHR, by using a formal method of analysis. We performed a retrospective chart review. The outcome of interest was physician ordering of a CT angiography (CTA). Phrases that signify common symptoms associated with pulmonary embolism were assessed as possible triggers for the CDSS tool. We then analysed each trigger's ability to predict physician ordering of a CTA. We found that the most sensitive way to trigger the Pulmonary Embolism CDS tool while still maintaining a high specificity was by combining 1 or more pertinent symptoms with 1 or more elements of the Wells criteria. This study explored a unique methodology, SSTA, used to limit inaccurate triggering of a CDS tool prior to integration into the EHR. This methodology can be applied to other studies aiming to decrease triggering rates and increase adoption rates of previously validated CDSS tools.
Quantifying natural delta variability using a multiple‐point geostatistics prior uncertainty model

We address the question of quantifying uncertainty associated with autogenic pattern variability in a channelized transport system by means of a modern geostatistical method. This question has considerable relevance for practical subsurface applications as well, particularly those related to uncertainty quantification relying on Bayesian approaches. Specifically, we show how the autogenic variability in a laboratory experiment can be represented and reproduced by a multiple-point geostatistical prior uncertainty model. The latter geostatistical method requires selection of a limited set of training images from which a possibly infinite set of geostatistical model realizations, mimicking the training image patterns, can be generated. To that end, we investigate two methods to determine how many training images and what training should be provided to reproduce natural autogenic variability. The first method relies on distance-based clustering of overhead snapshots of the experiment; the second method relies on a rate of change quantification by means of a computer vision algorithm termed the demon algorithm. We show quantitatively that, with either training image selection method, we can statistically reproduce the natural variability of the delta formed in the experiment. In addition, we study the nature of the patterns represented in the set of training images as a representation of the ‘eigen-patterns’ of the natural system. The eigen-pattern in the training image sets display patterns consistent with previous physical interpretations of the fundamental modes of this type of delta system: a highly channelized, incisional mode; a poorly channelized, depositional mode; and an intermediate mode between the two.
Body Mass Index and Physical Inactivity: 2013 BRFSS.

OBJECTIVES Examine the odds of adults reporting physical inactivity (PI) across six body mass index (BMI) categories. METHODS We used data from the 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Six BMI categories were used. RESULTS The odds of reporting PI in underweight men and men in the class I, II, and III obesity categories were 1.65 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.35-2.02), 1.30 (95% CI 1.21-1.39), 1.73 (95% CI 1.58-1.90), and 2.44 (95% CI 2.17-2.75), respectively, compared with men of desirable weight (odds ratio [OR] 1.00, 18.5-24.9 kg/m2; referent, OR 1.00). The odds of reporting PI in underweight men were similar to class II and class III obese men. The odds of reporting PI in underweight women, overweight women, and women in the class I, II, and III obesity categories were 1.57 (95% CI 1.36-1.81), 1.20 (95% CI 1.14-1.27), 1.65 (95% CI 1.56-1.75), 2.23 (95% CI 2.07-2.40), and 2.89 (95% CI 2.66-3.15), respectively, compared with women of desirable weight (≥18.5-24.9 kg/m2; referent, OR 1.00). The odds of reporting PI were similar in underweight and class I obese women. Women were found to have greater odds than men of reporting PI in four of the five nondesirable BMI categories (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The within- and between-sex differences in the odds of reporting PI vary significantly by BMI category. Future research needs to include the underweight BMI category when investigating PI and sedentary time because of the potential clinical relevance.
A novel technique for performing PID susceptibility screening during the solar cell fabrication process

Various characterization techniques have historically been developed in order to screen potential induced degradation (PID)-susceptible cells, but those techniques require final solar cells. We present a new characterization technique for screening PID-susceptible cells during the cell fabrication process. Illuminated Lock-In Thermography (ILIT) was used to image PID shunting of the cell without metallization and clearly showed PID-affected areas. PID-susceptible cells can be screened by ILIT, and the sample structure can advantageously be simplified as long as the sample has the silicon nitride antireflection coating and an aluminum back surface field.
Inequality and growth in the United States: is there asymmetric response at the state level?

A previous study that tried to assess the impact of economic growth on income inequality in the U.S. used state-level data and an ARDL panel model to conclude that economic growth worsens income in...
LTRs of Endogenous Retroviruses as a Source of Tbx6 Binding Sites.

Retrotransposons are abundant in mammalian genomes and can modulate the gene expression of surrounding genes by disrupting endogenous binding sites for transcription factors (TFs) or providing novel TFs binding sites within retrotransposon sequences. Here, we show that a (C/T)CACACCT sequence motif in ORR1A, ORR1B, ORR1C and ORR1D, Long Terminal Repeats (LTRs) of MaLR endogenous retrovirus (ERV), is the direct target of Tbx6, an evolutionary conserved family of T-box transcription factors. Moreover, by comparing gene expression between control mice (Tbx6 +/-) and Tbx6-deficient mice (Tbx6 -/-), we demonstrate that at least four genes, Twist2, Pitx2, Oscp1, and Nfxl1, are down-regulated with Tbx6 deficiency. These results suggest that ORR1A, ORR1B, ORR1C and ORR1D may contribute to the evolution of mammalian embryogenesis.
Plastic embedding tissue for laser microdissection-assisted developmental genomics analyses

The analysis of nucleic acids from single cells functioning in their multicellular context is an important part of performing robust developmental genomics studies. Toward this goal, collecting the desired cell(s) from their milieu has been aided by physical means such as laser microdissection. However, tissue processing for laser microdissection has the potential disadvantage of losing molecular information. Procedures involving tissue embedding in plastic have the potential to circumvent these disadvantages, permitting the robust analysis of nucleic acids from single cells isolated from complex tissues.
Optimization and Evaluation of Antiparasitic Benzamidobenzoic Acids as Inhibitors of Kinetoplastid Hexokinase 1.

Kinetoplastid-based infections are neglected diseases that represent a significant human health issue. Chemotherapeutic options are limited due to toxicity, parasite susceptibility, and poor patient compliance. In response, we studied a molecular target-directed approach involving intervention of hexokinase activity - a pivotal enzyme in parasite metabolism. A benzamidobenzoic acid hit with modest biochemical inhibition of Trypanosoma brucei hexokinase 1 (TbHK1, IC₅₀ = 9.1 μM), low mammalian cytotoxicity (IMR90, EC₅₀ > 25 μM), and no appreciable activity on whole BSF parasites was optimized to afford a probe with improved TbHK1 potency and, significantly, efficacy against whole BSF parasites (TbHK1, IC₅₀ = 0.28 μM, BSF ED₅₀ = 1.9 μM). Compounds in this series also inhibited the hexokinase enzyme from Leishmania major (LmHK1), albeit with less potency compared to TbHK1, suggesting that inhibition of the glycolytic pathway may be a promising opportunity to target multiple, disease-causing trypanosomatid protozoa.
The new politics of environmental degradation: un/expected landscapes of disempowerment and vulnerability

Acknowledging environmental degradation as a profoundly political phenomenon, this article examines how uninvited environmental change transforms people's understandings of and relationships to the natural world. Drawing on qualitative research conducted in a semi-remote Canadian Anishinaabe community and among Euro-American residents of Ohio who oppose local shale energy development, I trace parallels between the disempowerment and vulnerability experienced by people with very different assumptions about the world and their place in it and very different positions within the global political economic system. While environmental justice scholars have revealed compelling correlations between social and environmental inequity, I argue that investigating environmental degradation's sociocultural impacts among relatively privileged groups can encourage more dynamic explorations of conjoined environmental/social/political systems and expose ongoing structural shifts. My comparative analysis seems to suggest that ever-increasing segments of the world's population now contend with environmental challenges that they did not authorize, and do not benefit from. I thus conclude by calling for additional investigations of environmental degradation in unexpected places and the implications of extensive inequity for global sustainability. Key words: Energy, environmental degradation, environmental justice, fossil fuels, hydraulic fracking, landscape, North America, shale gas
Integration of reconfigurable potentiometric electrochemical sensors into a digital microfluidic platform.

Abstract This paper presents the demonstration of on-chip fabrication of a potassium-selective sensor array enabled by electrowetting on dielectric digital microfluidics for the first time. This demonstration proves the concept that electrochemical sensors can be seamlessly integrated with sample preparation units in a digital microfluidic platform. More significantly, the successful on-chip fabrication of a sensor array indicates that sensors become reconfigurable and have longer lifetime in a digital microfluidic platform. The on-chip fabrication of ion-selective electrodes includes electroplating Ag followed by forming AgCl layer by chemical oxidation and depositing a thin layer of desired polymer-based ion selective membrane on one of the sensor electrodes. In this study, potassium ionophores work as potassium ion channels and make the membrane selective to potassium ions. This selectiveness results in the voltage difference across the membrane layer, which is correlated with potassium ion concentration. The calibration curve of the fabricated potassium-selective electrode demonstrates the slope of 58 mV/dec for potassium concentration in KCl sample solutions and shows good agreement with the ideal Nernstian response. The proposed sensor platform is an outstanding candidate for a portable home-use for continuous monitoring of ions thanks to its advantages such as easy automation of sample preparation and detection processes, elongated sensor lifetime, minimal membrane and sample consumption, and user-definable/reconfigurable sensor array.
Degradation of Shape Memory Polymer Due to Water and Diesel Fuels

Shape-Memory-Polymers (SMP) is smart materials have the ability to memorize original shape; and can be used as sensors, transplants, and structural materials in engineering applications. Despite its practical importance, limited work is available on its degradation behavior. This study has been carried out to evaluate degradation behavior of Veriflex-SMP on exposures to water and diesel fuels separately. It is found that “glass transition temperature, Tg” decreases due to immersion in liquids; and immersion facilitates acceleration of breakage of the existing bonds and the formation of new bonds, thereby increasing the mobility of polymeric chains; and the immersion medium effectively plasticize SMPs by reducing storage modulus and decreases structural integrity of SMP. Upon exposure to diesel fuel for several weeks, “Tg” goes below room temperature; and SMP goes back to its original shape without the need of the application of external energy. Stress relaxation tests shows that stress decay is found to be much faster and to a much lower value in degraded samples and increases with increase of immersion time. From Fourier Transform Infrared tests formation of hydrogen bonding between SMP and the solvents in which it is immersed, is the main reason for SMP degradation; although hydrogen has a minor effect on SMP structure but has an obvious influence on glass transition temperature, Tg.
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Humanitarian Hand Surgery Trips According to WHO-CHOICE Thresholds

Purpose Hand surgery outreach programs to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) provide much-needed surgical care to the underserved populations and education to local providers for improved care. The cost-effectiveness of these surgical trips has not been studied despite a long history of such efforts. This study aimed to examine the economic impact of hand surgery trips to LMICs using data from the Touching Hands Project and ReSurge International. We hypothesized that hand surgery outreach would be cost-effective in LMICs. Methods We analyzed data on the cost of each trip and the surgical procedures performed. Using methods from the World Health Organization (WHO–Choosing Interventions That Are Cost-Effective [WHO-CHOICE]), we determined whether the procedures performed during the outreach trips would be cost-effective. Results For the 14 hand surgery trips, 378 patients received surgical treatment. Trips varied in the country where interventions were provided, the number of patients served, the severity of the conditions, and the total cost. The cost per disability-adjusted life-year averted ranged from United States (US)$222 to $1,525, all of which were very cost-effective according to WHO-CHOICE thresholds. The cost-effectiveness of global hand surgery was comparable to that of other medical interventions such as multidrug-resistant tuberculosis treatment in similar regions. We also identified a lack of standardized record keeping for these surgical trips. Conclusions Hand surgeries performed in LMICs are cost-effective based on WHO-CHOICE criteria. However, a standardized record-keeping method is needed for future research and longitudinal comparison. Understanding the economic impact of hand surgery global outreach is important to the success and sustainability of these efforts, both to allocate resources effectively and to identify areas for improvement. Type of study/level of evidence Economic/Decision Analysis III.
A Recombinant Affinity Reagent Specific for a Phosphoepitope of Akt1

The serine/threonine-protein kinase, Akt1, plays an important part in mammalian cell growth, proliferation, migration and angiogenesis, and becomes activated through phosphorylation. To monitor phosphorylation of threonine 308 in Akt1, we developed a recombinant phosphothreonine-binding domain (pTBD) that is highly selective for the Akt1 phosphopeptide. A phage-display library of variants of the Forkhead-associated 1 (FHA1) domain of yeast Rad53p was screened by affinity selection to the phosphopeptide, 301-KDGATMKpTFCGTPEY-315, and yielded 12 binding clones. The strongest binders have equilibrium dissociation constants of 160–180 nanomolar and are phosphothreonine-specific in binding. The specificity of one Akt1-pTBD was compared to commercially available polyclonal antibodies (pAbs) generated against the same phosphopeptide. The Akt1-pTBD was either equal to or better than three pAbs in detecting the Akt1 pT308 phosphopeptide in ELISAs.
Evaluation of Handsbusy vs Handsfree Virtual Locomotion

To navigate beyond the confines of often limited available positional tracking space, virtual reality (VR) users need to switch from natural walking input to a controller-based locomotion technique, such as teleportation or full locomotion. Overloading the hands with navigation functionality has been considered detrimental to performance given that in many VR experiences, such as games, controllers are already used for tasks, such as shooting or interacting with objects. Existing studies have only evaluated virtual locomotion techniques using a single navigation task. This paper reports on the performance, cognitive load demands, usability, presence and VR sickness occurrence of two hands-busy (full locomotion/teleportation) and two hands-free (tilt/walking-in-place) locomotion methods while participants (n=20) performed a bimanual shooting with navigation task. Though handsfree methods offer a higher presence, they don't outperform handsbusy locomotion methods in terms of performance.
Executive Functioning and Narrative Language in Children With Dyslexia.

Purpose Children with dyslexia often struggle with nonphonological aspects of language and executive functioning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of executive functioning on...
Personality Inventory for the DSM-5 (Brief Form) Predictors of Sexual Addiction

Sexual addiction risk may be elevated by personality maladjustment. The Personality Inventory for the DSM-5 (PID) was identified in the DSM-5 as an exemplar for future personality research. The bri...
Transfection of human prostate cancer cells (DU145) with the human short prolactin receptor sensitizes the cells to cell cycle regulation by S179D prolactin

1943 Previous work from this laboratory has demonstrated that a molecular mimic of naturally phosphorylated prolactin, S179D PRL, inhibited cell growth in several human prostate cancer lines in vitro and the growth of DU145 cells when grown as tumors in nude mice (Cancer Res 61:6098,2001). In part, the growth inhibition is by blockade of an autocrine unmodified prolactin (U-PRL) growth loop working through the long PRL receptor, but several lines of data suggest additional mechanisms. In this study, we have further investigated the molecular mechanism of this growth inhibition by comparing the more differentiated, lower autocrine U-PRL-producing LnCAP cell line with the less differentiated, higher autocrine U-PRL-producing DU145 cell line. LnCAP and DU145 cells were grown in RPMI 1640 supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) or 10% charcoal-stripped FBS and, when confluent, were treated with 1 μg/ml U-PRL, S179D PRL or diluent for 3 days (daily medium change). Response to S179D PRL differed between the two cell lines. In the LnCAP cells, but not the DU145 cells, S179D PRL, but not U-PRL, had a long term effect on the activation of ERKs 1 and 2 (>5 fold at 3 days)and upregulated the expression of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) (3 fold, p
Does your patient really need testosterone replacement

Or has he been made to think so by direct-to-consumer advertising? Here's how to properly screen patients and when to recommend treatment.
Vertex-unfoldings of triangulated polyhedra

For a long time there has been a conjecture that any convex polyhedron could unfold to a non-overlapping, connected planar layout by cutting along polyhedron edges. The layout is composed of faces of the polyhedron joined edge-to-edge. Such an unfolding is called an edge-unfolding. Recently my advisor Professor O'Rourke, working with others, loosened the unfolding criteria to permit the faces to be perhaps joined only at vertices rather than along edges; such an unfolding they call a vertex-unfolding. They proved that any triangulated polyhedron (more generally, any triangulated manifold, convex or non-convex) has a vertex-unfolding [1].Their proof first finds a facet path through the faces of the manifold M. Then the facet path is laid out in the plane in such a way that "each triangle of the path occupies an otherwise empty vertical strip of the plane." Given the facet path, the layout is determined by the way in which the path threads through the triangles. If we think of the layout of all faces in terms of an x-y coordinate system, then we can swing the triangles around the path-connecting vertices so that each face, alone, occupies only a certain interval of the x-coordinate. In this case it is obvious that the faces in the path will not overlap with one another, for each is confined to a vertical strip of its own.
Clinical Guideline Highlights for the Hospitalist: Management of Acute and Chronic Pain in Sickle Cell Disease.

GUIDELINE TITLE American Society of Hematology 2020 Guidelines for Sickle Cell Disease: Management of Acute and Chronic Pain RELEASE DATE: June 19, 2020 PRIOR VERSION: Not applicable DEVELOPER: American Society of Hematology Guideline Panel on Sickle Cell Disease-Related Pain FUNDING SOURCE: American Society of Hematology TARGET POPULATION: Adult and pediatric patients with a history of sickle cell disease with acute and chronic pain.
“We are the land:” An analysis of cultural appropriation and moral outrage in response to Christian Dior’s Sauvage scandal

Abstract By analyzing the online social construction of Christian Dior’s 2019 Sauvage ad, the present study contributes to the literature on public relations and diversity from the perspective of cultural appropriation, a research line that has remained unexplored. The study builds on Coombs and Tachkova’s (2018) recommendation for a theoretical and practical delineation between crises related to products, services and operations, and scandals (crises that spur moral outrage). The results reveal that the online users’ perceptions of cultural appropriation require communicative approaches that differ from previously employed crisis communication practices. A primary and secondary type of moral outrage were found to thrive in the aftermath of the scandal. The foundation of the primary moral outrage constituted perceived injustice, exploitation, and controllability, as users attributed a high level of responsibility for a corporate scandal they deemed preventable. The secondary type of moral outrage revealed the users’ concern about injustice, referred to as double standards vis-a-vis the cultural appropriation of ethnic groups that had not been historically marginalized. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Remind Me Again: Physician Response to Web Surveys: The Effect of Email Reminders Across 11 Opinion Survey Efforts at the American Board of Internal Medicine from 2017 to 2019.

For survey researchers, physicians in the United States are a difficult-to-reach subgroup. The purpose of this study is to quantify the effect of email reminders on web-based survey response rates ...
Repurposing approved drugs for cancer therapy.

Background Many drugs approved for other indications can control the growth of tumor cells and limit adverse events (AE). Data sources Literature searches with keywords 'repurposing and cancer' books, websites: https://clinicaltrials.gov/, for drug structures: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/. Areas of agreement Introducing approved drugs, such as those developed to treat diabetes (Metformin) or inflammation (Thalidomide), identified to have cytostatic activity, can enhance chemotherapy or even replace more cytotoxic drugs. Also, anti-inflammatory compounds, cytokines and inhibitors of proteolysis can be used to control the side effects of chemo- and immuno-therapies or as second-line treatments for tumors resistant to kinase inhibitors (KI). Drugs specifically developed for cancer therapy, such as interferons (IFN), the tyrosine KI abivertinib TKI (tyrosine kinase inhibitor) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor inhibitors, may help control symptoms of Covid-19. Areas of controversy Better knowledge of mechanisms of drug activities is essential for repurposing. Chemotherapies induce ER stress and enhance mutation rates and chromosome alterations, leading to resistance that cannot always be related to mutations in the target gene. Metformin, thalidomide and cytokines (IFN, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin-2 (IL-2) and others) have pleiomorphic activities, some of which can enhance tumorigenesis. The small and fragile patient pools available for clinical trials can cloud the data on the usefulness of cotreatments. Growing points Better understanding of drug metabolism and mechanisms should aid in repurposing drugs for primary, adjuvant and adjunct treatments. Areas timely for developing research Optimizing drug combinations, reducing cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutics and controlling associated inflammation.
Generic Properties of Koopman Eigenfunctions for Stable Fixed Points and Periodic Orbits

Abstract Our recent work established existence and uniqueness results for Ck (actually Ck,αloc ) linearizing semiconjugacies for C flows defined on the entire basin of an attracting hyperbolic fixed point or periodic orbit (Kvalheim and Revzen, 2019). Applications include (i) improvements, such as uniqueness statements, for the Sternberg linearization and Floquet normal form theorems, and (ii) results concerning the existence, uniqueness, classification, and convergence of various quantities appearing in the “applied Koopmanism” literature, such as principal eigenfunctions, isostables, and Laplace averages. In this work we consider the broadness of applicability of these results with an emphasis on the Koopmanism applications. In particular we show that, for the flows of “typical” c∞ vector fields having an attracting hyperbolic fixed point or periodic orbit with a fixed basin of attraction, the c∞ Koopman eigenfunctions can be completely classified, generalizing a result known for analytic eigenfunctions of analytic systems.
Discussion—Information Externalities, Underinvestment, and Organizational Remedies

Levine and Smith (hereafter L&S) create a scenario in which there arises underinvestment in a risky project. They identify several regions, each one corresponding to a different type of underinvestment. Correspondingly, they suggest distinct remedies for each of the different types of underinvestment. A primary insight to come out of this research is that not all underinvestment can be remedied in the same way. For example, cutting out the opportunity to share information may counteract underinvestment in some situations, and yet exacerbate it in others.In my comments below, I first provide a more detailed summary of the model and results and then describe two of my concerns with this paper. My first concern is whether this model captures innovation. My second concern is with the exogenous form of the compensation function as a function of divisional profits only. These concerns affect the interpretation and implications of the results rather than their validity.