cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chromium occurrence and speciation in Baltimore Harbor sediments and porewater, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Industrial activities in the Baltimore Harbor, Baltimore, Maryland, USA, have resulted in widespread chromium contamination of sediments. A comprehensive analysis of Cr speciation in sediment and porewater collected from 22 locations in the Baltimore Harbor was completed to understand Cr bioavailability and probability of toxicity due to Cr in sediments. The analysis employed a reverse-phase ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS) method. Sub-microgram-per-liter determination of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) in environmental samples was found, with method validation revealing broad method applicability of HPLC-ICP-MS to a wide range of sample types. The major limitation of the method was poor Cr species separation in high ionic strength solutions (greater than 0.1 M NaCl). Total Cr concentrations in Baltimore Harbor sediments ranged from 2.5 to 1,050 mg/kg with 11 of the 22 sites containing total Cr in excess of the 370 mg/ kg effects range-median (ER-M) sediment quality guideline. The Cr(VI) concentrations in sediments, however, were markedly lower, ranging from 0.10 to 0.38 mg/kg with Cr(VI) not detected in 14 of the 22 stations. Porewater concentrations, both for total Cr and Cr(VI), were quite low, with total Cr ranging from 0.20 to 2.16 μg/L and Cr(VI) ranging from 0.73 to 1.17 μg/L. The Cr(VI)-reducing capacity of the sediments, based on a sediment-spiking experiment, was found to be strongly correlated with the acid volatile sulfides content of the sediment. Overall, our results provide field validation of the hypothesis that Cr(VI) will not persist in sediments with excess acid volatile sulfides. Given the low concentrations of Cr(VI) in sediment and porewater, it appears unlikely that Cr in Baltimore Harbor sediments contributes appreciably to previously observed sediment toxicity.
The effect of new alpha males on female stress in free-ranging baboons

In chacma baboons, Papio hamadryas ursinus, young adult males often rise to the top of the dominance hierarchy shortly after immigrating to a new group. Such events are potentially disruptive for pregnant and lactating females because high-ranking immigrant males often commit infanticide. In this preliminary study, we assessed the effects of upheavals in the male hierarchy on the physiology of 18 females in a baboon group living in the Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana. We collected behavioural and hormonal data to examine the effects of two separate events, a natal male take-over and an immigrant male take-over, on female faecal glucocorticoids (fGC). While few females had elevated fGC concentrations in response to the natal male take-over, following the immigrant male take-over there was a significant rise in fGCs, but only among lactating and pregnant females. Analysis of behavioural data indicated that elevated fGC concentrations were unrelated to male aggression towards females, female–female aggression, or rates of female–female grooming. Furthermore, lactating females with a male ‘friend’ during the immigrant male take-over period had a less marked increase in fGCs and lower fGC concentrations overall than females without a male friend. Taken together, these results suggest that male social instability itself does not necessarily elicit a stress response from females. Rather, it is the specific male that rises to the alpha position that prompts a stress response, and only from the females at risk for infanticide. Finally, females with a male friend may perceive themselves to be at a reduced risk of infanticide.
Therapeutic effect of colon tumor cells expressing FLT-3 ligand plus systemic IL-2 in mice with syngeneic colon cancer.

Flt-3 ligand (FL) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) have been shown to enhance individually the antitumor response against several cancers. Therefore, treatment with a combination of FL gene-transduced tumor cell plus soluble IL-2 was studied in a murine colon adenocarcinoma model. The human full-length FL cDNA was cloned from FL-expressing cell line AML-193 by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR). CC-36 colon tumor cells were transduced with the FL gene (CC-36-FL). In vivo and in vitro secretion of FL from CC-36-FL was confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Moreover, enhancement of dendritic cells in vivo was evaluated in mice transplanted with CC-36-FL. The therapeutic efficacy of CC-36-FL plus systemic IL-2 was tested using six groups (n=12–13/group) of 10-week-old male Balb/c mice transplanted with 103 CC-36 tumor cells. Mice were treated subcutaneously with 106 irradiated CC-36 cells, 106 irradiated CC-36 cells+IL-2, 106 irradiated CC-36-FL cells, 106 irradiated CC-36-FL+IL-2, or IL-2 alone on days 4, 10 and 18 after tumor transplantation. A group of mice with no treatment served as a control. All of the treatment injections were performed subcutaneously in the left flank. IL-2 (2×50,000 IU) was administered intraperitoneally in 3-day cycles (days 4–6, 10–12, 17–19). Tumor growth was determined by measuring the tumor diameter. A survival experiment was performed with the same treatments, and mice were observed for survival for 100 days. The group of mice treated with the combination of CC-36-FL+IL-2 showed a significant reduction in tumor burden when compared to the no treatment group and the other control treatment groups (P<0.05). Similarly, the group of mice treated with CC-36-FL+IL-2 displayed significant survival when compared with the other control groups (P<0.05). In Balb/c mice, the CC-36-FL plus systemic IL-2 therapy significantly decreased the tumor burden and increased the survival rate when compared to mice treated by control therapies or mice that received no treatment.
A framework for manipulating and searching multiple retrieval types

Conventional retrieval systems view documents as a unit and look at different retrieval types within a document. We introduce Proteus, a frame-work for seamlessly navigating books as dynamic collections which are defined on the fly. Proteus allows us to search various retrieval types. Navigable types include pages, books, named persons, locations, and pictures in a collection of books taken from the Internet Archive. The demonstration shows the value of multi-type browsing in dynamic collections to peruse new data.
Gene–environment interaction in skeletal maturity and body dimensions of urban Oaxaca Mestizo schoolchildren

Objective: The study analyzed the relationship between skeletal age (SA) and the difference between skeletal and chronological ages (SA–CA) and body size among growth-stunted and well-nourished children.Methods and materials: Tanner–Whitehouse 2 (TW2) 20 bone, radius–ulna–short (RUS) bone, and carpal SAs were analyzed in three cross-sectional samples of school children aged 6–13 years: Mestizo children (n = 396) from the city of Oaxaca, southern Mexico, and American Black (n = 570) and White (n = 432) from Philadelphia. The Oaxaca children were mild-to-moderately undernourished while the Philadelphia children were well nourished. The total sample included 1398 radiographs assessed with the Tanner–Whitehouse protocol by a single, experienced rater. Maturity scores were converted to TW2 20 bone, RUS and carpal SAs.Results: Correlations of SA and SA–CA differences with body dimensions (height, sitting height, leg length, weight, triceps skinfold, arm and estimated midarm muscle circumferences) were consisten...
Production of Shiga Toxin and Other Cytotoxins by Serogroups of Shigella

neri, and Shigella boydii. Strains of 5. dysenteriae 1 demonstrated high levels of cytotoxicity (geometric mean, 10504CD5oZmg of protein; range, 103 95 -10610). Cytotoxic activities of the non-type 1 strains of S. dysenteriae and of the other Shigella serogroups were M/1,000 that of the S. dysenteriae 1 strains (range, 10109 -10311 CD5o7mg of protein). Neutralization of cytotoxicity by using rabbit antiserum to purified Shiga toxin revealed that in all strains of S. dysenteriae 1, ^99.5^0 of cytotoxic activity was attributable to Shiga toxin. In contrast, 88 of the other Shigella strains produced only nonneutralizable cytotoxic activity. Six of 18 strains of non-type 1 S. dysenteriae and 12 of 88 strains from other Shigella serogroups produced both Shiga toxin and nonneutralizable toxin.
Pharmacological Characterization of 4-hydroxy- N -desmethyl Tamoxifen, a Novel Active Metabolite of Tamoxifen

The antiestrogen tamoxifen is extensively metabolized in patients to form a series of compounds with altered affinity for estrogen receptors (ERs), the primary target of this drug. Furthermore, these metabolites exhibit a range of partial agonist and antagonist activities for ER mediated effects that do not depend directly on their absolute affinity for ERs. Thus, clinical response to tamoxifen therapy is likely to depend on the aggregate effect of these different metabolites resulting from their abundance in the patient, their affinity for the receptors, and their agonist/antagonist profile. A recent study has shown that plasma concentrations of the tamoxifen metabolite 4-hydroxy-N-desmethyl tamoxifen (endoxifen), in patents undergoing tamoxifen therapy, are dependent on the cytochrome P450 (CYP) 206 genotype of the patient and that medications commonly prescribed to patients on tamoxifen therapy can also inhibit endoxifen production. In this study we characterized the properties of this metabolite with respect to binding to ERs, ability to inhibit estrogen stimulated breast cancer cell proliferation and the regulation of estrogen responsive genes. We demonstrate that endoxifen has essentially equivalent activity to the potent metabolite 4-hydroxy tamoxifen (4-OH-tam) often described as the active metabolite of this drug. Since plasma levels of endoxifen in patients with functional CYP2D6 frequently exceed the levels of 4-OH-tam, it seems likely that endoxifen is at least as important as 4-OH-tam to the overall activity of this drug and suggests that CYP2D6 status and concomitant administration of drugs that inhibit CYP2D6 activity have the potential to affect response to tamoxifen therapy.
The Variable Gender Basis of Electoral Politics: Gender and Context in the 1992 US Election

Despite considerable research, the theory of gender difference in electoral behaviour remains underdeveloped, especially in accounting for variation across elections. We focus on two aspects requiring particular attention: (1) accounts of gender difference, especially distinguishing between positional explanations, in which gender differences stem from men and women taking the same considerations into account, but having different positions on those considerations, or structural explanations, in which gender differences stem from men and women taking different considerations into account in making judgements; (2) the effects of electoral context in cuing gender as a consideration, thus stimulating or inhibiting the appearance of gender differences. We use a case study of the 1992 US presidential election, often labelled ‘The Year of the Woman’, to explore these problems.
Yield of Screening for Long-Term Complications Using the Children's Oncology Group Long-Term Follow-Up Guidelines

Purpose The Children's Oncology Group Long-Term Follow-Up (COG-LTFU) Guidelines use consensus-based recommendations for exposure-driven, risk-based screening for early detection of long-term complications in childhood cancer survivors. However, the yield from these recommendations is not known. Methods Survivors underwent COG-LTFU Guideline–directed screening. Yield was classified as negligible/negative (< 1%), intermediate (≥ 1% to < 10%), or high (≥ 10%). For long-term complications with high yield, logistic regression was used to identify subgroups more likely to screen positive. Results Over the course of 1,188 clinic visits, 370 childhood cancer survivors (53% male; 47% Hispanic; 69% leukemia/lymphoma survivors; median age at diagnosis, 11.1 years [range, 0.3 to 21.9 years]; time from diagnosis, 10.5 years [range, 5 to 55.8 years]) underwent 4,992 screening tests. High-yield tests included thyroid function (hypothyroidism, 10.1%), audiometry (hearing loss, 22.6%), dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry sca...
Kinases and Pseudokinases: Lessons from RAF

Protein kinases are thought to mediate their biological effects through their catalytic activity. The large number of pseudokinases in the kinome and an increasing appreciation that they have critical roles in signaling pathways, however, suggest that catalyzing protein phosphorylation may not be the only function of protein kinases. Using the principle of hydrophobic spine assembly, we interpret how kinases are capable of performing a dual function in signaling. Itsfirst role is that of a signaling enzyme (classical kinases; canonical), while its second role is that of an allosteric activator of other kinases or as a scaffold protein for signaling in a manner that is independent of phosphoryl transfer (classical pseudokinases; noncanonical). As the hydrophobic spines are a conserved feature of the kinase domain itself, all kinases carry an inherent potential to play both roles in signaling. This review focuses on the recent lessons from the RAF kinases that effectively toggle between these roles and can be “frozen” by introducing mutations at their hydrophobic spines.
Characterization of water-soluble oligomer in acrylic acid-styrene emulsion copolymerization

Low molecular weight species, formed during the emulsion copolymerization of styrene and acrylic acid, were isolated and characterized. Samples of the reaction mixture were taken at different times during seeded and unseeded batch reactions. Reactions were stopped via injection of the samples into hydroquinone solutions and cooling with dry ice. Low molecular weight copolymers were separated and FTIR spectroscopy, mass spectroscopy, and 13C–NMR spectroscopy techniques were used to measure the oligomer composition, molecular weight, and copolymer sequence distribution, respectively. The molecular size measurements should relate to the size of oligomeric radicals that grow in the water phase and enter polymer particles and the measurements should also relate to any water-soluble polymer that is formed by termination in the aqueous phase. The molecules, found for copolymers formed from 90/10 weight ratios of styrene and acrylic acid, were comprised of 6–9 monomer units with 2–3 being styrene. Those formed from 60/40 styrene/AA ratios contained 13–16 monomer units with 1–2 styrene. Differences were observed between seeded and unseeded systems, especially in the amount and nature of the water-soluble material formed early in the reaction. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Recognition of Borehole Radar Cable-Related Effects Using Variable Offset Sounding

Conductive cables can influence borehole radar measurements and introduce artifacts into data and therefore must be considered during data analysis and interpretation. This study presents examples of some cable-related effects in data acquired with a radar system that relies on conductive cables for signal transmission. Data show that measurements can be affected when energy radiated from the transmitter antenna induces currents on conductive cables, which can function as an electromagnetic waveguide, allowing fields to propagate along cables and be detected by the receiver antenna. Additionally, periodic artifacts can result when currents traveling on cables reflect at system impedance mismatches.
Global Commodity Chains: New Forms of Coordination and Control Among Nations and Firms in International Industries.

This article builds on Whitley's comparison of the business systems and global commodity chains approaches to the study of economic organization within and across nations and regions. My objective ...
Synergetic interactions of the two glutamine residues in Q-loops with transmembrane domains of MRP1 contribute to the ATP-dependent solute transport

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 14-18, 2007; Los Angeles, CA 2283 Structure analysis of prokaryotic nucleotide binding domain (NBD) of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters revealed that the glutamine (Q) residue in Q-loop interacts with cation cofactor, the activated water molecule to attack the γ-phosphate of the bound ATP and the residue in D-loop of opposite NBD. In addition, the residues around the Q-loop form a cleft that interacts with the residues in L-loop of the transmembrane domain (TMD) of the ABC transporter. Since most of the prokaryotic NBDs form homodimer, thus, the two clefts from the two NBDs interact with two L-loops of the two TMDs. These interactions were thought to be important for connecting the NBDs to the TMDs of the transporter and for signal transduction from NBDs to TMDs that leads to solute transported across the biological membranes. The two non-equivalent NBDs of multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP1) play unequal roles during ATP-dependent anti-cancer drug transport. ATP binding to NBD1 of MRP1 mainly plays a regulatory role whereas ATP hydrolysis at NBD2 plays a crucial role for ATP-dependent solute transport. In order to determine the functional role of the Q residue in Q-loop of MRP1, we have mutated the Q713 (in NBD1) and/or Q1375 (in NBD2) to either N or M or L residues. Interestingly, none of the single mutants, including Q713N, Q1375N, Q713M, Q1375M, Q713L and Q1375L, has significant effect on the ATP-dependent leukotriene C4 (LTC4) transport. In contrast, all of the double mutants, including Q713N/Q1375N, Q713M/Q1375M and Q713L/Q1375L, significantly impaired the ATP-dependent LTC4 transport activities, implying that synergetic effects of both Q residues contribute to the signal transduction from NBDs to TMDs. In addition, variant cations, including Mg ++, Mn++ or Ca++, have different effects on the wild-type and double mutants, implying that the residues at 713 and 1375 do interact with divalent cation cofactors. More experiments have been designed to prove or disprove our conclusions mentioned above.
Period dependent response for photorefractive two-beam coupling using BaTiO3 :Rh

Photorefractive two-beam coupling with an oscillating input signal is investigated, theoretically and experimentally. It is shown that analytic solutions to the band transport model predict the output signal to be phase shifted with respect to the input signal. From the phase shift, a response time, which is period dependent, can be determined. Experiments with two different crystals of BaTiO3:Rh with different dopant densities confirm theoretical predictions. In addition, it is determined that one of the crystals has shallow traps, while the other does not, suggesting that the shallow traps are reduced rhodium.
Mcm10 Interacts with Mrc1 and May Play a Possible Role in DNA Damage Checkpoint Pathway (LB123)

To ensure genome integrity, cells must replicate with absolute fidelity. However, cells are constantly under stress that causes DNA damage or block replication. To circumvent these problems, cells have a quality control system termed DNA damage checkpoint. In humans, defects in this checkpoint cause genome instability and a strong predisposition to cancer. A recent study has identified minichromosome maintenance protein 10 (Mcm10) as one of the few replication proteins that prevent DNA damage. However, whether Mcm10 has an active role in preventing DNA damage is unknown. We have observed that Mcm10 and mediator of replication checkpoint 1 (Mrc1) interact in S. cerevisiae whole cell extracts. Moreover, a robust interaction was observed between Mcm10 and Mrc1 by yeast two-hybrid assays. Our data suggests Mcm10 interacts through the conserved C-terminus of Mrc1. Interestingly, it is the N-terminus of Mcm10 that binds to Mrc1. We are currently conducting experiments to further elucidate this interaction. Thes...
Where Metaphors Come From: Reconsidering Context in Metaphor by Zoltán Kövecses

This latest work by one of the leading thinkers in the area focuses, as the title suggests, on the question of exactly how context influences metaphor creation, interpretation, and use. Perhaps the...
Parenteral Nutrition Order Entry Privileges for Registered Dietitians: Unique Approach to Improve Patient Outcomes

Methods: The National MS Society and The MS Foundation were used for recruitment. Participants completed an online survey, demographic questionnaire including supplementation habits, and the MS Quality of Life-54 (Vickrey et al., 1995). Participants also completed their 3-day food record utilizing MyPyramid Tracker and follow-up inquiry evaluated strengths and weaknesses of MyPyramid Tracker. Results: Participants, (n23) ranged 24 to 64 years old (M 44.3 years). Majority, white (91.3%), married (73.9%) and diagnosed with Relapsing-Remitting MS (87%). Increased consumption of milk, protein, riboflavin, vitamin B12, calcium, phosphorus and zinc showed a statistically significant positive correlation to overall QOL scores (p 0.05). Participants who met or exceeded their specific Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin B6, calcium, zinc and selenium also showed higher statistically significant overall QOL scores than individuals who did not met or exceed the RDA for those micronutrients (p 0.05). Fat consumption (saturated or unsaturated) indicated no significant correlation to overall QOL scores. Conclusions: Dietary intake studies could assist in producing dietary guidelines for individuals with MS, which are absent from the Nutrition Care Manual. Efforts of nutrition professionals could focus on improving the individual’s QOL through specific macro and micronutrient recommendations.
Near-Interface Structure and Mobility of Polymeric Chains in Polymer-Based Nanocomposites

The effect of a curved solid wall on the conformations of long, flexible polymer chains is studied in a dense polymer system and in the athermal limit by means of lattice Monte Carlo simulations. It is found that the wall does not perturb the atom number density, which is constant throughout the volume of the polymer, however the chain end density is higher at the wall compared to the bulk. The segregation effect decreases with increasing wall curvature. The bonds are preferentially oriented in the direction tangential to the wall over a two-bond thick layer next to the wall. When probing the preferential orientation on the chain segment length scale, the perturbed region has a thickness on the order of the probing metric considered. The chain mobility is evaluated by computing the bead diffusion coefficient in the direction perpendicular and tangential to the curved wall, and as a function of the distance from the interface. The bead mobility is reduced in a two-bond-thick layer in the vicinity of the wall in both the normal and tangential directions, the reduction being more pronounced in the normal direction. The mobility is seen to decrease with increasing wall curvature. The reduction is most pronounced when the particle size becomes smaller than the chain radius of gyration in the bulk, situation in which the average chain surrounds the particle, which hence becomes an effective entanglement site for the chains. This explains in part the increased strength of polymer-based nanocomposites with small fillers.
Fully Anisotropic Overall Molecular Tumbling with Group Internal Rotation-~(13)C Spin-Lattice Relaxation Study of Codeine

~(13)C NMR relaxation parameters of codeine were obtained at 90.1 MHz and 62.9 MHz resonance frequencies, Stable molecular motional states were studied The experimental results were analysed by using our model. The molecular rotational rates about axies R_1, R_2 and R_3 and the barries to internal rotation were calculated. The effects of solvents on rotational rates were discussed. The practical utiltics of our theoretical model were illustrated.
Data driven matrix uncertainty for robust linear programming

Abstract In this paper we consider robust linear programs with uncertainty sets defined by the convex hull of a finite number of m × n matrices. Embedded within the matrices are related robust linear programs defined by the rows, columns, and coefficients of the matrices. This results in a nested set of primal (and dual) linear programs with predictably different optimal objective values. The set of matrices also embed a covariance structure for the matrix coefficients and we show that when negative covariances predominate in the rows, more favorable optimal objective values for the primal can be expected.
The opinions and practices of providers toward the sexual issues of cervical cancer patients undergoing treatment

Abstract Objectives Cervical cancer and its treatments impair women's sexual function. These complications may or may not be regarded when clinicians develop treatment plans. We aim to investigate the considerations of providers toward the sex life of cervical cancer patients. Methods All members of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology received a questionnaire assessing their opinions and practices toward specific questions regarding the sexual functioning of their patients. Results Of the 124 providers who completed the survey, the majority were Board Certified Gynecologic Oncologists (56%) with an average of 15years in training. Approximately 23% received training about sexual dysfunction. Providers without formal training were more likely to agree that: "Information regarding sexual function in patients undergoing treatment for cervical cancer is lacking" ( p =0.02). Providers with over 10years of experience were more likely to agree that "sex is private and discussing it with patients will interfere with our provider-patient relationship" ( p =0.03). International clinicians were more likely to agree that: "I feel uncomfortable initiating discussions regarding sexual function with patients" ( p =0.03), "Sex is private and discussing it with patients will interfere in our provider-patient relationship" ( p =0.02), and "If a patient has a sexual problem, they will raise the subject" ( p =0.009). Conclusions Years of clinical experience, provider age, a history of training on regarding sexual dysfunction and an international setting of practice affect providers' opinions and practices toward sexual issues of cervical cancer patients. More formal, relevant training regarding sexual dysfunction is warranted for clinicians who treat cervical cancer patients.
In and through the Urban Educational "Reform Churn": The Illustrative Power of Qualitative Longitudinal Research.

The purpose of this article is to bring attention to the illustrative power and capacity of qualitative longitudinal research within the context of the urban educational “reform churn.” In this art...
Impact of Panel Gene Testing for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer on Patients

Recent advances in next generation sequencing have enabled panel gene testing, or simultaneous testing for mutations in multiple genes for a clinical condition. With more extensive and widespread genetic testing, there will be increased detection of genes with moderate penetrance without established clinical guidelines and of variants of uncertain significance (VUS), or genetic variants unknown to either be disease-causing or benign. This study surveyed 232 patients who underwent genetic counseling for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer to examine the impact of panel gene testing on psychological outcomes, patient understanding, and utilization of genetic information. The survey used standardized instruments including the Impact of Event Scale (IES), Multidimensional Impact of Cancer Risk Assessment (MICRA), Satisfaction with Decision Instrument (SWD), Ambiguity Tolerance Scale (AT-20), genetics knowledge, and utilization of genetic test results. Study results suggested that unaffected individuals with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer who received positive results were most significantly impacted by intrusive thoughts, avoidance, and distress. However, scores were also modestly elevated among unaffected patients with a family history of breast and ovarian cancer who received VUS, highlighting the impact of ambiguous results that are frequent among patients undergoing genetic testing with large panels of genes. Potential risk factors for increased genetic testing-specific distress in this study included younger age, black or African American race, Hispanic origin, lower education level, and lower genetic knowledge and highlight the need for developing strategies to provide effective counseling and education to these communities, particularly when genetic testing utilizes gene panels that more commonly return VUS. More detailed pre-test education and counseling may help patients appreciate the probability of various types of test results and how results would be used clinically, and allow them to make more informed decisions about the type of genetic testing to select.
Wind Erosion and PM10 Emissions from No-Tillage Cropping Systems in the Pacific Northwest

Wind erosion is a concern in the Inland Pacific Northwest (PNW) of the United States where the emission of particulates ≤10 µm in diameter (PM10) from winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)/summer fallow (WW/SF) dryland cropping systems during high winds degrades air quality. There is a potential to reduce the risk of wind erosion using no-tillage or chemical fallow cropping systems, but wind erosion observations are lacking from these systems. We measured sediment and PM10 flux from reduced-tillage WW/SF, no-tillage wheat/chemical fallow (NTW/CF), and no-tillage spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)/spring wheat (NTSB/SW) using a portable wind tunnel near Ralston, WA. Horizontal sediment flux, wind speed, and PM10 concentration were measured over two consecutive 10 min sampling periods inside the tunnel after sowing wheat in spring or late summer on four replications of the rotations. Sediment flux was measured with a modified Bagnold type sampler while wind speed and PM10 concentration were respectively measured with pitot tubes and aerosol monitors positioned at six heights above the soil surface inside the tunnel. Sediment and PM10 fluxes were an order of magnitude greater in late summer than spring. After sowing wheat in spring, sediment and PM10 fluxes were greater for the NTSB/SW than NTW/CF rotation while, after sowing winter wheat in late summer, sediment and PM10 fluxes were greater for the WW/SF than the NTSB/SW rotation. Our results suggest that wind erosion and PM10 emissions can be significantly reduced using no tillage cropping systems in the PNW.
Regulatory T-Cell Augmentation or Interleukin-17 Inhibition Prevents Calcineurin Inhibitor-Induced Hypertension in Mice.

The immunosuppressive calcineurin inhibitors cyclosporine A and tacrolimus alter T-cell subsets and can cause hypertension, vascular dysfunction, and renal toxicity. We and others have reported tha...
Evolutionary Aesthetics: Contemporary Evolutionary Aesthetics: The View from the Humanities (and Humanists)

In this paper, I assess the current state of evolutionary aesthetics by reviewing four recent books by scholars in art history, literary studies, and psychology. Each book is humanistic in a broad sense. While they all address evolutionary themes and share a commitment to understanding aesthetic experience via methodological pluralism, they differ substantially in perspective and tone. That of Cupchik, a psychologist, expansively discusses the aesthetics of emotion. That of Rampley, an art historian, is the most polemical, with a strong critique of the encroachment of biology into questions of cultural history. Those of Hogan and Aldama, both literary scholars, deal primarily with literature and are the most personal and ultimately the most thought-provoking. The collective humanistic perspective is a departure from more neuroscience-intensive recent volumes, and it highlights the importance of themes like the emergence of aesthetics from the interaction between nature and culture—potentially in different ways at different times throughout the phylogenetic history of our species. Keywords: evolutionary aesthetics, neuroaesthetics, evolution, aesthetic cognition, art appreciation, literary studies, emotion, two cultures Books under Review Aldama, Frederick Luis, and Patrick Colm Hogan. 2014. Conversations on Cognitive Cultural Studies: Literature, Language, and Aesthetics . Columbus, OH: Ohio State University Press. x, 203 pages. Hardcover $62.95. Softcover $27.95. Cupchik, Gerald C. 2016. The Aesthetics of Emotion: Up the Down Staircase of the Mind-Body . Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. xxv, 387 pages. Hardcover $125.00. Hogan, Patrick Colm. 2016. Beauty and Sublimity: A Cognitive Aesthetics of Literature and the Arts . Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. ix, 286 pages. Hardcover $110.00. Rampley, Matthew. 2017. The Seductions of Darwin: Art, Evolution, Neuroscience. University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University Press. ix, 189 pages. Softcover $34.95.
(In) Visible Fissures and the “Multicultural American: Interrupting Race, Ethnicity, and Imperialism Through TV's Survivor

One of the longest running reality TV shows, with 15 seasons as of 2007, Survivor is an important text for considerations of race and ethnicity, legacies of imperialism, and the idea of the “multicultural” America. Survivor provides an evolving adventure narrative -one that relies upon the legacies of the past, like colonialism and imperialism, as well as the myths of the present and future, like tourism as a means of survival in a globalized economy. As these imperial contexts are adapted Survivor provides moments for (mostly white or white-identified) privileged, “multicultural” first-world Americans to participate in neo-colonial cultural and economic imperialism and cultural tourism - all from the comforts of our living rooms. While participation in American imperialism and televisual cultural tourism are certainly problematic, such participation can also be disruptive of simplistic notions of American culture, economics, politics, and identities and can tell us much about the ways in which ideas about race are “sold” by the show and interrupted and negotiated by its racialized contestants.
Monte Carlo Perturbation Theory Estimates of Sensitivities to System Dimensions

AbstractMonte Carlo methods are developed using adjoint-based perturbation theory and the differential operator method to compute the sensitivities of the k-eigenvalue, linear functions of the flux...
Draft genome sequence of Xylaria sp., the causal agent of taproot decline of soybean in the southern United States.

Abstract The draft genome of Xylaria sp. isolate MSU_SB201401, causal agent of taproot decline of soybean in the southern U.S., is presented here. The genome assembly was 56.7 Mb in size with an L50 of 246. A total of 10,880 putative protein-encoding genes were predicted, including 647 genes encoding carbohydrate-active enzymes and 1053 genes encoding secreted proteins. This is the first draft genome of a plant-pathogenic Xylaria sp. associated with soybean. The draft genome of Xylaria sp. isolate MSU_SB201401 will provide an important resource for future experiments to determine the molecular basis of pathogenesis.
Computational Study of Molecular Hydrogen Adsorption over Small (MO2) n Nanoclusters (M = Ti, Zr, Hf; n = 1 to 4).

Hydrogen adsorption on small group 4 metal oxide clusters for both the singlet and the first excited triplet states have been investigated by density functional theory and correlated molecular orbital theory at the coupled cluster CCSD(T) level. The reaction starts with hydrogen physisorption on a metal center followed by formation of metal hydride/hydroxides due to splitting H2 into H– and H+. The hydrogen physisorption energies are predicted to be −1 to −8 kcal/mol for the singlet and −1 to −26 kcal/mol for the triplet, respectively. The formation of metal hydride/hydroxides does not involve redox processes. Chemisorption leading to formation of metal hydride/hydroxides is exothermic by −10 to −50 kcal/mol for the singlet, and exothermic by up to −60 kcal/mol for the triplet. The predicted energy barriers are less than 20 kcal/mol. Formation of metal dihydroxides from the metal hydride/hydroxides is generally endothermic for the monomer and dimer and is exothermic for the trimer and tetramer. Formation ...
Improvement in Patient-reported Hearing After Treatment With Bevacizumab in People With Neurofibromatosis Type 2.

Objective Assess patient-reported outcomes (PRO) for hearing and tinnitus relative to clinical hearing assessment in people with neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) associated hearing loss. Study design Prospective, open label, phase-II clinical trial with PRO administered pre-, post-, and after treatment. Setting Three tertiary referral centers. Patients Fourteen patients with NF2, median age of 30 years (range, 14-79 yr) and progressive hearing loss (median baseline word recognition score, 60%; range, 13-82%). Half of these patients achieved objective hearing response (word recognition score improved beyond the 95% critical difference versus baseline). Intervention Bevacizumab 7.5 mg/kg was administered every 3 weeks for 48 weeks, followed by surveillance for 24 weeks off-drug. Main outcome measures Speech, spatial, and qualities of hearing scale (SSQ) and tinnitus reaction questionnaire (TRQ) to assess hearing difficulties in life situations and tinnitus related distress. Results Patient-reported speech understanding and auditory quality improved with bevacizumab treatment and were significantly correlated with word recognition scores, but not pure tone threshold average. There was no change in spatial perception after treatment. Reduction in tinnitus distress after treatment with bevacizumab did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion Participants had reductions in hearing difficulty during treatment with bevacizumab, suggesting that patients subjectively experience hearing-related benefit mirroring clinical hearing assessments. We suspect the lack of significant reduction in tinnitus distress is related to small sample size and low intensity of distress in our sample. These data highlight the usefulness of PRO measures to assess benefits of treatment in the setting of NF2-associated hearing loss.
The Dissipative Ecosystem

The pond ecosystem of Chapter 1 is clearly more complex than the damped oscillator or the freely expanding gas, or even an open system of chemical reactions. These examples are tailored to simplicity in comparison to even the minimal biological system. Yet we would hardly be committing heresy to suppose that a system whose architecture is as intricate as the pond ecosystem obeys the same general laws of dissipation as these more poverty-stricken relatives. On the other hand, it would certainly be heresy, or at least obtuse, to suppose that nothing of interest distinguishes the dissipation of energy in these most complex and simple of situations.
Operationalizing ‘Deliverology’ for Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Risk Reduction: Accelerating Improvement in Delivery

During the period 2005–2014, the Asia-Pacific region had over 1600 reported disaster events resulting in approximately 500,000 fatalities and affecting over 1.4 billion people (UN ESCAP in Asia Pacific disaster report-2015: disasters without borders, 2015 [29, 30]). Economic costs stemming from these disasters were upwards of $500 billion. During 2015 alone, the Asia/Pacific region experienced close to half the world’s 344 disasters resulting in over 16,000 fatalities. Impact of these disasters in 2015 amassed to more than US$ 45.1 billion in economic damage (UN ESCAP in Disasters in the Asia and Pacific: 2015 year in review, 2015 [29, 30]). As noted in Weick and Sutcliffe [32: 1], ‘Unexpected events often audit our resilience’ and thereby challenge response and recovery activities. Black swan events are not the only mechanisms of destruction in Asia/Pacific region, such slow onset disasters as droughts, heat waves, forest fires and haze impact the safety and security of the region. Disasters stress the safety and security of the region, impinging on the already fragile disaster response capabilities and affecting the most vulnerable. The challenges associated with humanitarian assistance, disaster response and disaster risk reduction regionally and globally highlight the requirement for a more responsive and impactful ‘delivery’ model of aid. This chapter examines recent disasters and humanitarian aid efforts in the Asia/Pacific Region through the lens of the Sendai Framework and ‘Deliverology’. Deliverology is a ‘systematic process for driving progress and delivering results in government and the public sector’ [1]. The key principles of Deliverology, rooted in design thinking and reflective practices helps organizations (humanitarian aid) define and execute their highest-priority objectives so that they have the greatest possible impact. In so doing, the chapter walks the reader through ‘operationalizing deliverology and design’ to accelerate improvements in delivery of humanitarian aid in support of the ‘New Ways of Working (NWOW)’ [22]. Deliverology combined with design is more than a process model but is a mindset for truly impacting communities through disaster risk reduction.
The struggle for Pakistan: a Muslim homeland and global politics, by Ayesha Jalal

In the long aftermath of September 11, there has been a renewed focus on the challenges facing Pakistan and its relationship to matters of regional stability and global security. Its unusual histor...
The Prevalence of Gastroesophageal Reflux in Patients With Excessive Central Airway Collapse

Background Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is increasingly recognized as an exacerbating or causal factor in several respiratory diseases. There is a high prevalence of GER in infants with airway malacia. However, such data are lacking in adults. Methods This retrospective study was conducted to determine the relationship between GER and excessive central airway collapse (ECAC). The study included consecutive patients with ECAC referred to the Complex Airway Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center who underwent esophageal pH testing for GER between July 2014 and June 2018. Results Sixty-three of 139 patients with ECAC (45.3%) had documented GER as shown by an abnormal esophageal pH test result. The mean DeMeester score was 32.2, with a symptom association probability of 39.7% of GER-positive patients. Twenty-nine of 63 patients (46%) with GER reported improvement in respiratory symptoms following maximal medical therapy or antireflux surgery without requiring further treatment for ECAC. Conclusions GER is prevalent among patients with ECAC, and aggressive reflux treatment should be considered in these patients prior to considering invasive airway procedures or surgery.
Social anxiety and employment interviews: does nonverbal feedback differentially predict cortisol and performance?

Background & Objectives: Interviewers often provide positive nonverbal feedback to reduce interviewees’ anxiety. Socially anxious individuals typically harbor negative self-views discrepant with po...
Diagnosis and Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignancy of the liver. This entity typically presents in middle-aged males and is related to the presence of HBV and HCV infection. Patients will often present with weight loss, lethargy, and right upper quadrant pain which prompt workup with routine laboratory studies including a liver function panel, as well as an ultrasound or dedicated liver imaging with a computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Once HCC is identified, staging of the disease and workup of liver function is essential to determining the appropriate course of action. Extrahepatic metastasis excludes patients from resection. If not metastatic, tumor burden as well as the patient’s Child-Pugh classification is imperative to determine resectability. Many locoregional therapies exist (radiofrequency ablation (RFA), transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), yttrium-90) for complex patients who may not be eligible for resection or transplantation. Finally, patients with unresectable disease due to underlying severe liver dysfunction are treated with orthotopic liver transplantation if they are within the established Milan criteria.
Toxicities of CMV Preemptive Therapy in the First 100 Days after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (HCT): A Real-World Study at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC)

Background Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common viral infection after HCT. Current antivirals used for preemptive therapy (PET) effectively prevent CMV disease, but their use is limited by toxicities. We examined real-world utilization patterns of PET and associated toxicities in HCT recipients at high risk (HR) and low risk (LR) for CMV through day (D) 100 post HCT. Methods Adult, CMV-seropositive first bone-marrow or peripheral blood HCT recipients from January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2017, routinely monitored by quantitative CMV PCR (Taqman, Roche) were analyzed. PET utilization including types and sequence of antivirals, dose and duration, and reasons for discontinuation through D 100 were extracted from medical records. HR included T-cell depleted HCT or conventional mismatched or haploidentical HCT. All other were LR. Descriptive statistics are reported. Results Of 232 patients (pts), 121 (52%) received PET including 40 LR and 81 HR. PET started at a median 35 D post HCT [HR vs. LR: 32 vs. 39, P Conclusions Valganciclovir was the preferred first line PET agent. HR pts had earlier initiation and longer PET duration. 1st PET discontinuation/change due to clinical or laboratory defined toxicity occurred commonly with similar frequency between HR and LR. Our findings support the need for more effective and safer PET alternatives for HCT recipients.
Consequences of Substance Use and Abuse: An Impactful Strategy for Multiple Learning Styles

The health education activity shared here incorporates emotion, scenarios, movement and reflection for the choices and consequences related to recreational drug use and abstinence.
Multivalent interaction of ESCO2 with the replication machinery is required for cohesion

Abstract The tethering together of sister chromatids by the cohesin complex ensures their accurate alignment and segregation during cell division. In vertebrates, the establishment of cohesion between sister chromatids requires the activity of the ESCO2 acetyltransferase, which modifies the Smc3 subunit of cohesin. It was shown recently that ESCO2 promotes cohesion through interaction with the MCM replicative helicase. However, ESCO2 does not significantly colocalize with the MCM helicase, suggesting there may be additional interactions that are important for ESCO2 function. Here we show that ESCO2 is recruited to replication factories, the sites of DNA replication. We show that ESCO2 contains multiple conserved PCNA-interaction motifs in its N-terminus, and that each of these motifs are essential to ESCO2’s ability to establish sister chromatid cohesion. We propose that multiple PCNA interaction motifs embedded in a largely flexible and disordered region of the protein underlie the ability of ESCO2 to establish cohesion between sister chromatids precisely as they are born during DNA replication. Summary Cohesin modification by the ESCO2 acetyltransferase is required for cohesion between sister chromatids. Here we identify multiple motifs in ESCO2 that mediate its interaction with the replication processivity factor PCNA, and show that their mutation abrogates the ability of ESCO2 to ensure cohesion.