cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Actuation requirements in high dimensional oscillator systems

Understanding actuation needs for re- conformation processes in high dimensional multi-stable systems is key to efficient nonlinear control design. Many solitary systems exhibit multiple equilibria and control of these systems when networked with others becomes a challenging task. In this paper we study a networked model in which each single entity contains multiple equilibria and a operational objective is to transition the entire coupled system from one equilibrium to another. We show that after a series of coordinate transformations, the structure of the system and mechanisms for internal resonance leading to this behavior become clear. We also characterize the amount of energy needed for such conformation change (the activation energy) both through numerical simulation and perturbation techniques. We find that unlike traditional transition state theories, the activation energy is a function of the spatial structure of such energy (it is not a constant number). We find that a reduced order model which results from averaging accurately predicts this activation energy in a very concise way.
A new equation relating population size and demographic parameters: some ecological implications

A simple equation relates mean population size (N), mean initial size of cohorts (n 0 ), and life expectancy at birth (Σ ∞ 0 l x ) in persisting populations that are fluctuating between upper and lower boundaries: N = n 0 Σ ∞ 0 l x -n 0 . This equation indicates that the study of differences in size between two populations, of global and local commonness and rarity, and of the limitations to population growth should focus on ecological factors affecting n 0 and Σ ∞ 0 l x . The equation also has a potential practical application for those countries, such as China, interested in designing policies for limiting population growth.
Review: Designing Home: Jews and Midcentury Modernism

Designing Home: Jews and Midcentury Modernism Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco 4 April–6 October 2014 A slide show of modern houses and interiors greeted visitors to the exhibition Designing Home: Jews and Midcentury Modernism . Among the images were the Idea House II, a demonstration house commissioned in 1948 by the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis; Marcel Breuer’s interior for the House in the Museum Garden from 1949 and Gregory Ain’s Exhibition House from the following year, both shown at the Museum of Modern Art in New York; and a prototype building by A. Quincy Jones and Frederick E. Emmons for developer Joseph Eichler’s X-100 House from 1956. Yet the exhibition’s concept was more complex than this initial display of ideal modern homes as imagined by architects suggested. The goal of curator Donald Albrecht was, as stated in the introductory wall text, to present “the role of Jewish architects and designers in the creation of a distinctly modern American domestic landscape.” The “home” of the exhibition’s title indicated not just the house but a domestic continuum stretching from the suburban subdivision to single-family houses, along with their furnishings and household goods, to, finally, marketing images as propagated in magazines and movies. Consequently, “designing home” referred to the creation of the plethora of designer-conceived …
How to Say Ought in Foreign: The Composition of Weak Necessity Modals

In this article, we draw attention to the fact that what English expresses by the use of the weak necessity modal ought, many other languages express by combining a strong necessity modal with the morphology that appears in the consequent of a counterfactual conditional. On the hypothesis that there should be a compositional form-to-meaning mapping, we explore the semantics of weak necessity modals and propose how to derive this semantics from the combination of a strong necessity modal and counterfactual marking. Specifically, building on the semantics for weak necessity modals proposed by Sloman, we propose that weak necessity modals are the result of the promotion of a secondary ordering source of a strong necessity modal. This meta-linguistic operation is signaled or effected by counterfactual marking. The fact that it is a strong necessity modal that is counterfactually marked crosslinguistically, shows that even with weak necessity modals the quantificational force is universal.
Exercise in Young Adulthood with Simultaneous and Future Changes in Fruit and Vegetable Intake.

Objectives: Regarding weight management, changes in exercise behavior can also influence nutrition behavior by application of self-regulatory psychological resources across behaviors (transfer effect). This study aimed to determine: (1) if changes in exercise frequency in young adulthood predict simultaneous changes in fruit/vegetable intake (transfer as co-occurrence); and (2) if exercise frequency affects future fruit/vegetable intake (transfer as carry-over).Methods: 6244 respondents of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 were followed at ages 18–22 (Time-1), 23–27 (Time-2), and 27–31 (Time-3). Repeated measures analysis of variance and hierarchical multiple regression determined if the change in exercise frequency between Time-1 and Time-2 was associated with simultaneous and sequential changes in fruit/vegetable intake frequency, controlling for sex, race/ethnicity, education, income, body mass index, and baseline fruit/vegetable intake.Results: Only 9% continued exercising for 30 minutes ...
Comparison of the Calibration Algorithms and SI Traceability of MODIS, VIIRS, GOES, and GOES-R ABI Sensors

The radiometric calibration equations for the thermal emissive bands (TEB) and the reflective solar bands (RSB) measurements of the earth scenes by the polar satellite sensors, (Terra and Aqua) MODIS and Suomi NPP (VIIRS), and geostationary sensors, GOES Imager and the GOES-R Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) are analyzed towards calibration algorithm harmonization on the basis of SI traceability which is one of the goals of the NOAA National Calibration Center (NCC). One of the overarching goals of NCC is to provide knowledge base on the NOAA operational satellite sensors and recommend best practices for achieving SI traceability for the radiance measurements on-orbit. As such, the calibration methodologies of these satellite optical sensors are reviewed in light of the recommended practice for radiometric calibration at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The equivalence of some of the spectral bands in these sensors for their end products is presented. The operational and calibration features of the sensors for on-orbit observation of radiance are also compared in tabular form. This review is also to serve as a quick cross reference to researchers and analysts on how the observed signals from these sensors in space are converted to radiances.
From Self-Legislation to Self-Determination: Democracy and the New Circumstances of Global Politics

It is a distinctive feature of the global political order that democracy is no longer confined to nation-states, characterized by extensive and overlapping constituencies. It is important to think of the significance of these developments for individuals’ self-determination, which may be undermined in different ways. Here it is argued that democracy must serve to delegate power to complex units of decision making which favour self-determination. Contestability is part of this form of self-determination, allowing forms of politics to emerge based on the democratic rights and powers of self-determining, non-dominated citizens.
Renal nerves and postprandial renal excretion in the conscious monkey

Experiments were performed in conscious macaque monkeys to determine if the renal nerves are important in mediating postprandial increases in renal fluid-electrolyte excretion in this species. Monkeys were given a high-sodium meal via a nasogastric tube. Consecutive 10-min urine samples were taken during the 30-min time of meal administration and then 180 min postprandially. The experiment was performed both before and 10-14 days after each animal underwent renal denervation. Diuresis and natriuresis occurred under both renal-innervated and -denervated conditions. However, the amounts of urine and sodium excreted were less after renal denervation. For the total 210 min of measurements obtained after the meal was started, cumulative urine output was 95.0 +/- 26.4 ml and sodium excretion 7.18 +/- 1.74 meq in innervated kidneys vs. 56.7 +/- 7.0 ml (a 40% decrease; P less than 0.005) and 4.84 +/- 0.99 meq (a 33% decrease; P less than 0.01) after denervation. These results demonstrate that the renal nerves are important in the nonhuman primate for eliciting the postprandial changes in urinary excretion secondary to intake of a high-sodium meal.
Effect of Viral Concentration and Body Weight on Mortality of Larvae of Trichoplusia ni (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Exposed to Wild-Type or Recombinant Strains of the Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus of Autographa californica (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

A parental, wild-type strain of the nuclear polyhedrosis virus of Autographa californica (Speyer) (AcMNPV) and 2 recombinant strains, engineered to express a scorpion toxin (AcAaIT) or a juvenile hormone esterase (AcJHE-KK), were used to infect larvae of cabbage looper, Trichoplusia in (Hubner). Initial mortality of 1st, 4th, and 5th instars, regardless of the polyhedral inclusion body (PIB) concentration, was not detected earlier than the 2nd d after exposure. At equivalent concentrations of virus, the recombinant AcAaIT was the fastest acting strain followed by the recombinant AcJHE-KK and then the wild-type AcC6. Each doubling of the viral concentration of AcC6 decreased the LT 50 by 5%. Therefore, an 8- to 16-fold increase in the concentration of virus of the wild-type AcC6 was needed to attain LT 50 s equivalent to that of the recombinants AcAaIT and AcJHE-KK. Six weight classes (ranging from 0.3 to 95 mg per larva) of T. ni larvae also were exposed to AcC6 or the recombinant strain AcAaIT. The recombinant AcAaIT always killed cabbage loopers more quickly than the wild AcC6 strain regardless of larval size. Differences in LT 50 between strains AcC6 and AcAaIT were significant for all weight classes except for larvae weighing 45-60 mg per larva. The greatest difference in the LT 50 of the strains was for 1st instars weighing 0.3-0.5 mg per larva and the least difference was for 3rd instars weighing 45-50 mg per larva.
Structural and Thermodynamic Study of the Complexes of Nd(III) with N,N,N′,N′-Tetramethyl-3-oxa-glutaramide and the Acid Analogues

The thermodynamics of Nd(III) complexes with N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-3-oxa-glutaramide (TMOGA, L(I)), N,N-dimethyl-3-oxa-glutaramic acid (DMOGA, HL(II)), and oxydiacetic acid (ODA, H2L(III)) in aqueous solutions was studied. Stability constants, enthalpies, and entropies of complexation were determined by spectrophotometry, potentiometry, and calorimetry. The stability constants of corresponding Nd(III) complexes decrease in the following order: Nd(III)/L(III) > Nd(III)/L(II) > Nd(III)/L(I). For all complexes, the enthalpies of complexation are negative and the entropies of complexation are positive, indicating that the complexation is driven by both enthalpy and entropy. Furthermore, from L(III) to L(II), and to L(I), the enthalpy of complexation becomes more exothermic and the entropy of complexation less positive, suggesting that the substitution of a carboxylate group with an amide group on the ligands enhances the enthalpy-driven force but weakens the entropy-driven force of the complexation with Nd(III). Crystal structures of three 1:3 Nd(III) complexes, Nd(L(I))3(ClO4)3 (I), Nd(L(I))3(NO3)3(H2O)2 (II), and Nd(L(II))3(H2O)7.5 (III), were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and compared with the structure of a 1:3 Nd(III)/L(III) complex in the literature, Na3NdL(III)3(NaClO4)2(H2O)6 (IV). In all four structures, the ligands are tridentate and Nd(III) is nine-coordinated with similar distorted tricapped trigonal prism geometry by three ether oxygen atoms capped on the three faces of the prism, and six oxygen atoms from the ketone group or carboxyl group at the corners. The absorption spectra of Nd(III) in solutions showed very similar patterns as Nd(III) formed successive 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3 complexes with L(I), L(II), and L(III), respectively, implying that the Nd(III) complexes with the three ligands have similar coordination geometries in aqueous solutions, as observed in the solids.
Towards a Perylene-Containing Nanohoop

We report the synthesis of a belt-shaped macrocycle, herein referred to as a nanohoop, that contains binaphthyl moieties separated by phenyl groups.
Pulmonary complications in cirrhosis.

Purpose of review To summarize the pulmonary complications seen in cirrhosis. Recent findings The definition of portopulmonary hypertension (POPH) has been refined to exclude cardiac disease. POPH may be treated with a variety of agents; inhaled agents are particularly useful in the peri-transplant period. Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) remains refractory to medical therapy. Summary Cirrhosis may be complicated by one of two pulmonary vascular complications, portopulmonary hypertension (POPH) and hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS). POPH is a syndrome of increased vascular resistance, initiated by pulmonary vascular spasm. HPS is caused by intrapulmonary arteriovenous shunting with resultant hypoxemia. Both conditions are associated with portal hypertension, but are unrelated to the degree of portal hypertension, the nature or severity of the liver disease, and are associated with mortality in excess of the model for end-stage liver disease score. POPH is usually responsive to vasodilators, while HPS remains resistant to therapeutic agents. Both conditions are improved or cured by liver transplantation.
Comparative Postnatal Growth of Four Ground Squirrel Species

We employed four external measurements plus live weight to study postnatal growth of two montane ( Spermophilus armatus, S. columhianus ) and two lowland species of ground squirrels ( S. elegans, S. richardsonii ) from birth through approximately 3 months of age. Mean instantaneous growth rates (IGRs) were negatively correlated with litter size in the preweaning period and positively correlated in the early postweaning period; variances of IGRs were positively correlated with litter size. Montane species tended to be larger than lowland species in linear dimensions, but not in weight. Species IGRs overlapped but those of S. armatus peaked earlier than the other species; IGRs also fluctuated, indicating that growth varied with development. Longitudinal (analysis of data over time) principal components (PC) analyses of character means confirmed the similarity between the four species and revealed allometric growth patterns; Factor 1 represented size, Factor 2 contrasted extremities (hindfoot and tail lengths) and body core (body length and weight), and Factor 3 contrasted support (body and hindfoot lengths and weight) and non-support (tail) structures. Cross-sectional (analysis of data at each time period), stepwise discriminant function (DF) analyses revealed that tail length and weight best discriminated between species. Classifications from DF analyses showed S. elegans and S. richardsonii often were mistaken for one another, whereas S. armatus and S. columbianus were less so. Euclidean distances between species centroids for scores on the first three canonical axes of DF analyses revealed changes of one species with respect to another through time; phenograms based on these distances represented simultaneous growth pattern relationships between the four species.
Laparoscopic Surgical Glue Injection Hernioplasty: A Single-Institution Experience.

Abstract Purpose: The aim of this study was to provide clinical evidence supporting the safety and effectiveness of laparoscopic surgical glue injection hernioplasty (LSGIH) for indirect inguinal hernia repair in female patients. Methods: We conducted a prospective study of LSGIH beginning in January 2013. N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate was used as the surgical glue for closure of the hernia sac. Twenty-eight female patients with a mean age of 51.1 ± 35.3 months (24 days to 10 years) received LSGIH. The total number of LSGIH operations was 42, including bilateral inguinal hernioplasties. Results: Postoperatively, all the patients were discharged from the hospital within 24 hours without incident. The mean operation time for LSGIH was 41.0 ± 9.7 minutes (30–66 minutes). The mean follow-up period was 23.2 ± 8.3 months (14.6–38.2 months) up to now. There were no postoperative complications or recurrences during the follow-up period. Conclusions: Our prospective study supports LSGIH as a simple, safe, and useful tec...
Determining of the Hedge Ratio for Option Trade When the Underlying Stock Price is a Renewal Jump-Diffusion Process

Hedging with option trade is one of the most useful ways to distract risk. This paper assumes that the underlying price obeys a renewal jump-diffusion process, studies how to determine a sound hedge ratio when given an acceptable probability of hedge failing, and suggests the way to assume the parameter of calculating the optimal hedge ratio which is finally validated with an example. The result obtained can be useful for distracting risk with option hedge.
The tolerance of coffee drinkers to caffeine

To decaffeinated coffee powder was added either caffeine or lactose, each in an amount of 150 mg. per dose. Prepared packets were issued to second-year medical students, who served as subjects. When consumed at bedtime, this modest dose of caffeine was significantly more effective than the lactose placebo at inducing a reduction in pulse rate in noncoffee drinkers, but not in those who habitually consumed caffeinated beverages. Small but significant differences were demonstrated in both frequency and intensity of response. Only non coffee drinkers reported disturbances in sleep patterns, most consistently a delay in the onset of sleep. The relative insensitivity of coffee drinkers to these actions of caffeine presumably represents an acquired tolerance. Like that previously demonstrated to the diuretic and salivary-stimulating actions, this tolerance is probably low grade. Some of the cardiovascular effects of caffeine are reviewed. Heightened vagal tone appears to be responsible for the bradycardia, which is reportedly masked after high doses of caffeine by direct excitatory actions on the heart. Bradycardia has not been observed regularly after small doses of caffeine in man, apparently in large measure because most investigators failed to separate the responses of habitual and occasional coffee drinkers.
Surgical Reconstruction for Severe Tracheal Obstruction in Morquio A Syndrome

Progressive tracheal obstruction is commonly seen in Morquio A syndrome and can lead to life-threatening complications. Although tracheostomy can address severe upper airway obstruction, lower airway obstruction, commonly associated with a narrow thoracic inlet and vascular compression, requires an alternative approach. We describe the case of a 16-year-old patient with Morquio A syndrome whose near-fatal tracheal obstruction was relieved by timely surgical tracheal vascular reconstruction with dramatic resolution of his respiratory symptoms.
Molecular Tension Sensors Reveal a Minimally Tensioned Integrin State in Living Cells

Integrins mediate cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix and enable the construction of complex, multicellular organisms. Despite this biological prominence, fundamental aspects of integrin-based adhesion remain poorly understood. Notably, the magnitude of the mechanical load experienced by individual integrins within living cells is unclear, due principally to limitations inherent to existing techniques. We used Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based molecular tension sensors (MTSs) to measure the distribution of forces exerted by individual integrin heterodimers in living cells. Taking advantage of the sensors’ modular nature, we engineered MTS variants that display a minimal RGD sequence derived from fibronectin (MTSRGD) or the 9th and 10th type III domains of fibronectin (MTSFN), and are sensitive to low (0-7 pN) or intermediate (8-11 pN) loads. Using these sensors, we found that a large fraction of integrins in living cells exert forces <3 pN, while a minority subpopulation experiencing substantially higher loads was enriched in large adhesion complexes. Treatment with the filamentous (F)-actin disruptor cytochalasin D revealed that only the high-load integrin population required an intact actin cytoskeleton, and that the low-load (<3 pN) population was sufficient to mediate cell adhesion on short, ∼15 minute timescales. Integrin engagement with the fibronectin synergy site, a secondary binding site specifically for α5β1 integrin, led to increased recruitment of α5β1 integrin to adhesions, but not to an increase in overall cellular traction generation. Consistent with previous reports, the presence of the synergy site did, however, increase the resistance of cells to detachment via externally applied load. Based on these data, we suggest that a large pool of engaged, but minimally tensioned integrins may provide a synergy site-dependent adhesive reserve that imparts cells and tissues with mechanical integrity in the presence of widely varying mechanical loads. In ongoing work, we take advantage of the unique capabilities of MTSs to determine how subpopulations of load-bearing integrins are altered in response to external mechanical perturbations, and how (and whether) distinct integrin subtypes bear differing levels of mechanical load.
Social-cognitive brain function and connectivity during visual perspective-taking in autism and schizophrenia.

Abstract Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia are neurodevelopmental conditions that are characterized by significant social impairment. Emerging genomic and neurobiological evidence has increasingly pointed to shared pathophysiologic mechanisms in the two disorders. Overlap in social impairment may reflect similar underlying neural dysfunction in social-cognitive brain networks, yet few studies have directly compared brain function and communication between those with ASD and schizophrenia. Methods Outpatients with schizophrenia (n = 36), ASD (n = 33), and healthy volunteers (n = 37) completed a visual perspective-taking task during functional neuroimaging at 3T to assess similarities and differences in fronto-temporal brain function and connectivity during social-cognitive processing. Analyses employed general linear models to examine differences in amplitude of BOLD-signal response between disorder groups, and computed functional connectivity coefficients to investigate differences in the connectivity profiles of networks implicated in social cognition. Results Despite similar behavioral impairments, participants with ASD and schizophrenia evidenced distinct neural abnormalities during perspective-taking. Functional activation results indicated reduced temporo-parietal junction and medial prefrontal activity in ASD compared to schizophrenia (all Puncor Conclusions Autism and schizophrenia are characterized by similar social-cognitive impairments that may stem from different underlying abnormalities in the functional organization and communication of the social brain.
Underdiagnosis of Influenza Virus Infection in Hospitalized Older Adults

Objectives To describe factors associated with provider-ordered influenza testing in hospitalized older adults. Design Information on participant demographics, symptoms, and provider-ordered influenza testing were collected by questionnaire and chart review. We conducted prospective laboratory-based surveillance using reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the criterion standard for diagnosis of influenza, to determine how participant characteristics and provider-ordered testing affected accurate influenza diagnosis. Setting One academic and three community hospitals in Davidson County, Tennessee. Participants Adults aged 18 and older with acute respiratory illness or nonlocalizing fever (N=1,422). Measurements We compared characteristics of participants with and without provider-ordered testing for influenza using the Wilcoxon test and Pearson chi-square test. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify factors predictive of provider-ordered influenza testing. Results Twenty-eight percent (399/1,422) of participants had provider-ordered influenza testing. Participants who were tested were younger than those not tested (58 ± 18 vs 66 ± 15, p<.001) and more likely to have influenza-like illness (ILI) (71% vs 49%, p<.001). ILI decreased with increasing age (aged 18–49, 63%; aged 50–64, 60%; aged ≥65, 48%). ILI and younger age were independent predictors of provider-ordered testing. Of the 136 participants with influenza confirmed using RT-PCR, ILI was the only significant predictor of provider-ordered testing (adjusted odds ratio=3.43, 95% confidence interval=1.22–9.70). Conclusion Adults aged 65 and older hospitalized with fever or respiratory symptoms during influenza season are less likely to undergo a provider-ordered influenza test than younger adults. Some, but not all, of this disparity is due to a lower likelihood of ILI. Further strategies are needed to increase clinician awareness and testing in this vulnerable group.
Pilot study of placental tissue collection, processing, and measurement procedures for large scale assessment of placental inflammation

Background Placental dysfunction is related to many pregnancy complications, but collecting placental specimens for investigation in large scale epidemiologic studies is often infeasible. Standard procedures involving immediate collection after birth and snap freezing are often cost prohibitive. We aimed to collect pilot data regarding the feasibility and precision of a simpler approach, the collection of tissue samples following 24 hours of refrigeration of whole placentae at 4°C, as compared to the “gold standard” of snap freezing excised tissue within 40 minutes of delivery for the assessment of inflammatory cytokines. Methods Placentae were collected from 12 women after delivering live-born singleton babies via uncomplicated vaginal delivery. Two placentae were utilized to establish laboratory tissue processing and assay protocols. The other 10 placentae were utilized in a comparison of three tissue collection conditions. Specifically, key inflammatory cytokines were measured in 3 sections, representing three collection conditions. Sections 1 (full thickness) and 2 (excised prior to freezing) were obtained within 40 minutes of delivery and snap frozen in liquid nitrogen, and section 3 (full thickness) was obtained after refrigerating the placenta at 4°C for 24 hours. Results IL-6, IL-10, and IL-8 all had comparable concentrations and variability overall in all three section types. Levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were too low among samples to reliably measure using immunoassay. Conclusions Refrigeration of placentae prior to processing does not appear to compromise detection of these cytokines for purposes of large scale studies. These findings provide a framework and preliminary data for the study of inflammatory cytokines within the placenta in large scale and/or resource-limited settings.
The deoxyribonucleases of Escherichia coli. I. Purification and properties of a phosphodiesterase.

There are a number of enzymes present in cell-free extracts of Escherichia coli which can degrade deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and smaller polynucleotides derived from it (l-3). One of these enzymes, although unable to hydrolyze high molecular-weight DNA at an appreciable rate, will rapidly hydrolyze DNA which has undergone some prior degradation; it is in this respect analogous to the classical phosphodiesterase of snake venom (4). The purpose of this report is to describe in detail the purification and properties of this enzyme which will be referred to as the Escherichia coli phosphodiesterase. This diesterase has been found to hydrolyze E. coli and calf thymus DNA’s to their constituent 5’-mononucleotides once these polymers have undergone some degradation as a result either of heating or limited treatment with pancreatic DNase. The E. coli phosphodiesterase is also capable of degrading appropriately pretreated bacteriophage DNA’s bearing glucosylated hydroxymethyl cytosine to their constituent mononucleotides. In this respect, it differs from the venom diesterase, which is unable to catalyze the cleavage of most of the linkages in which glucosylated hydroxymethyl cytosine is involved (5-7). In further contrast to the venom diesterase, the E. coli phosphodiesterase cannot hydrolyze either free dinucleotides or the 5’-terminal dinucleotide portion of a polydeoxynucleotide chain.
Genetic Basis of Pathogenicity in Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasma gondii is among the most prevalent chronic parasitic infections in humans, infecting from 10% to 25% of the world’s population (Dubey and Beattie 1988). While infections are often benign, toxoplasmosis has emerged as an important opportunistic pathogen in immunocompromised patients. The identification of virulence factors is complicated by the fact that disease is rarely overt in the healthy host. This problem is amplified by the unusual population structure of T. gondii that results in coinheritance of many unlinked loci. Despite these complications, it is important to identify specific parasite components that contribute to pathology as they provide predictive markers of disease progression and may identify potential targets for intervention. The recent advent of genetic tools for use in protozoan parasites enables direct molecular identification of virulence determinants. This new-found technology also obligates investigators to a higher standard in establishing the molecular basis of virulence. This review provides a framework for the application of molecular genetics to investigate pathogenicity of toxoplasmosis.
Aromatase Deficiency and Its Consequences

New developments have challenged long-held concepts of the role of estrogen in the human male and prenatally in the conceptus, have uncovered widespread effects of estrogen in diverse tissues in the male and female, and have emphasized the role of extraglandular estrogen synthesis and paracrine and intracrine actions. Three illuminating developments are mainly responsible for the challenge to conventional wisdom: (1) description of a man with a homozygous null mutation in the ERα (estrogen receptor α) gene that led to estrogen resistance (ERαR) and the detection of 7 men and an infant boy, and 11 prepubertal or pubertal age females with severe estrogen deficiency as a consequence of a variety of homozygous and compound heterozygous mutations in the CYP19 gene, the gene that encodes aromatase (P450 aromatase), the enzyme responsible for the last and irreversible step in estrogen synthesis from androgens by the gonads and extragonadal tissues, and which has a wide tissue distribution in the human; (2) the concurrent development of mice that lack the gene encoding ERα (αERKO mice) and the gene encoding aromatase (Arko mice); and (3) the discovery of a second widely distributed estrogen receptor ERβ and the development of ERβ knockout mice (βERKO), and later of mice in which the gene encoding each receptor has been disrupted (αβERKO). Estrogen deficiency or resistance in the men led to tall stature without a pubertal growth spurt, eunuchoid proportions, delayed skeletal maturation, and severe osteopenia despite high testosterone levels. In the aromatase-deficient men but not the ERαR man, low-dose E replacement induced within 6–7 months rapid epiphyseal fusion and cessation of growth and by 3 years of E Rx striking improvement in bone mass and repair of the osteoporosis without inducing gynecomastia.
White Adipose Tissue as an Endocrine Organ

The survival of free fat used as an autograft is operator dependent and requires delicate handling of the graft tissue, careful washing of the fat to minimize extraneous blood cells, and installation into a site with adequate vascularity. There is evidence that fat cells will survive and that filling of defects is not from the residual collagen following cell destruction. There is some loss of fat after transplant and most surgeons tend to overfill the recipient site. The history of fat transfer survival is discussed with contributions from many physicians over 100 years.
Integration of physical infrastructure and social systems in communities’ reliability and resilience analysis

Abstract This paper proposes probabilistic flow-based models for the capacity and demand of critical infrastructure considering different levels of resolution. The models are set in a probabilistic procedure that captures the impact of the damaging event on the infrastructure. The procedure predicts the reduction or loss of functionality of the infrastructure in terms of their ability to provide essential goods or services. In the aftermath of a damaging event, infrastructure change their capacities, due to the damage to the physical components, and they may not be able to satisfy pre-event demands. Furthermore, the post-event demands at the nodes of the infrastructure might change because of the human response (e.g., evacuation or relocation.) The probabilistic procedure presented in this paper integrates physical infrastructure and social systems to predict the change in demand on the infrastructure. As an example, the paper applies the proposed procedure to the modeling of the potable water network of Seaside, Oregon considering a seismic event as the damaging event. The paper shows that neglecting the interdependency between physical infrastructure and social systems may result in estimates of i) higher demands on the physical systems; ii) slower recovery; and iii) smaller impacts on society in terms of population dislocation.
Characterization and discrimination of paleokarst breccias and pseudobreccias in carbonate rocks: Insight from Ordovician strata in the northern Tarim Basin, China

Abstract Ordovician carbonates in the central and southern Halahatang area of the Tarim Basin host highly productive hydrocarbon reservoirs. Previous studies suggest that the Yingshan and Yijianfang Formations (the primary producing intervals) have been extensively karstified. However, the current author has not observed significant karst features in the formations based on the detailed study of 380 m long cores from 16 wells. In the current study, true breccias are only identified in two wells in the Lianglitage Formation, including crackle and mosaic breccias as well as chaotic, clast-supported breccias. The breccias are interpreted as karst-related breccias that formed in near-surface environments during pre-Silurian subaerial exposure, and timing of karstification probably coincided with eustatic sea-level fall caused by the middle Katian glaciation. Widespread “karst features” of the Yijianfang and Yingshan Formations identified as breccias or sediment-filled cavities in many previous studies are actually only a mottled fabric (pseudobreccia) caused by selective diagenetic alteration and infiltration of bitumen in the deeper subsurface. The color difference between pseudoclasts and pseudomatrix does not reflect a mixture of clasts and cave sediments, but instead is characterized by distinct, nevertheless commonly subtle, variations in the limestone texture and whether bitumen is present. One the basis of core and thin section observations, SEM (scanning electron microscope) and XRD (X-ray diffraction) analyses, the author presents criteria to distinguish karst breccias and pseudobreccias that can be applied to other similar carbonate deposits. Discrimination between karst breccias and nodular limestones is also presented. Differentiation of karst and pseudokarst features serves not only an academic interest, but also has important applications for the exploration and development of carbonate reservoirs.
Toluene Dioxygenase-Mediated cis-Dihydroxylation of Aromatics in Enantioselective Synthesis. Asymmetric Total Syntheses of Pancratistatin and 7-Deoxypancratistatin, Promising Antitumor Agents1

Whole-cell biooxidation of bromobenzene with Pseudomonas putida 39D or the recombinant Escherichia coli JM109 (pDTG601) yields (1S,2S)-3-bromocyclohexa-3,5-diene-1,2-diol (9a), which is protected as the acetonide and converted to vinylaziridines 7, 15a, 63, and 64. Our route to (+)-pancratistatin features the coupling of a higher order cyanocuprate (derived by ortho-metalation from N,N-dimethyl-2-[(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)oxy]-3,4-(methylenedioxy)benzamide) with aziridine 7 to generate 28, which contains the carbon framework of the title alkaloid. Functional group manipulations resulted in the preparation of epoxydiol 50, which was transformed in a unique fashion and under mild conditions (H2O/PhCO2Na) to (+)-pancratistatin, thus completing a concise synthesis of (+)-pancratistatin in 14 steps from bromobenzene (2% overall yield). To improve this first generation attempt, a new route was devised utilizing carbomethoxyaziridine 64 and its coupling to the cuprate of 3,4-(methylenedioxy)bromobenzene. The add...
Environmental neglect: endocrine disruptors as underappreciated but potentially modifiable diabetes risk factors

Type 2 diabetes prevalence is increasing dramatically across the globe, imposing a tremendous toll on individuals and healthcare systems. Reversing these trends requires comprehensive approaches to address both classical and emerging diabetes risk factors. Recently, environmental toxicants acting as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have emerged as novel metabolic disease risk factors. EDCs implicated in diabetes pathogenesis include various inorganic and organic molecules of both natural and synthetic origin, including arsenic, bisphenol A, phthalates, polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides. Indeed, evidence implicates EDC exposures across the lifespan in metabolic dysfunction; moreover, specific developmental windows exhibit enhanced sensitivity to EDC-induced metabolic disruption, with potential impacts across generations. Importantly, differential exposures to diabetogenic EDCs likely also contribute to racial/ethnic and economic disparities. Despite these emerging links, clinical practice guidelines fail to address this underappreciated diabetes risk factor. Comprehensive approaches to stem the tide of diabetes must include efforts to address its environmental drivers.
Neural Dynamics of Serial Dependence in Numerosity Perception.

Serial dependence—an attractive perceptual bias whereby a current stimulus is perceived to be similar to previously seen ones—is thought to represent the process that facilitates the stability and ...
The labor and birth experience of women with opioid use disorder: A qualitative study.

Abstract Objective This study describes the experience of pregnancy and childbirth from the perspective of women with opioid use disorder. Methods This qualitative study analyzed semi-structured interviews about the prenatal care and birth experience of nine women with opioid use disorder as a sub-analysis of a qualitative study of women with a history of sexual trauma. Transcripts were analyzed using inductive content analysis. Results Analysis revealed unique interactions with the healthcare system specific to pregnant women with opioid use disorder. Participants identified pregnancy as a reason to enter and maintain recovery and an increased availability of resources when pregnant. Yet during labor and birth, concerns regarding pain control, child protective services involvement and provider stigma led to negative interactions with the healthcare system. Conclusion Pregnant woman with opioid use disorder face unique challenges when seeking care. The perspectives of women with a history of opioid use disorder can inform creation of a harm reduction, non-stigmatizing model of prenatal, labor and birth, and postpartum care.
“EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED FOR A GOOD NIGHT’S REST”: TRANSACTIONAL TINGLESAND ASMR AS EMERGING MEDIA GENRE

ASMR, or Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, has become an international phenomenon. But what exactly ASMR is remains misunderstood. ASMR itself is a relatively new term, coined by scientists in 2010, but it describes an age-old feeling: the sensation of tingling on the scalp and spine. Biologically, it has been compared to fission or paresthesia. ASMRtists refer to this feeling as tingles. To this end, this research is informed by the results of a three-year long participant observation and ethnographic study in YouTube’s ASMR community in order to analyze ASMR as an emerging media genre. I argue ASMR is best understood as a genre, situated between the varying content possibilities of the text and the specific affordances of YouTube. By analyzing the relationship between platform governance, algorithms, monetization, care, and creativity, I identify a key component of the ASMR genre as transactional tingles. I define transactional tingles as the interaction between ASMRtist and viewer, in which the viewer receives a form of relaxation in exchange for clicks, likes, and views in the internet’s attention economy. , ASMR and transactional tingles have more in common with the artist/patron system of the Renaissance era or the Kickstarter campaigns of the twenty-first century, in which entertainers draw on their audiences for financial support. The culmination of my ethnography was the announcement of the ASMR app, Zees, which shows how creators harness the affordances of participatory culture to push the boundaries of genres while maintaining committed to the key principles for creator and viewer.
A Randomized Controlled Trial to Assess the Use of a Virtual Decisional Aid to Improve Knowledge and Patient Satisfaction in Women Considering Breast Reconstruction Following Mastectomy.

Background The decisional process of navigating breast reconstruction surgery is very challenging for patients with a breast cancer diagnosis. This study aims to assess the impact of a virtual breast reconstruction decision aid program on the decision-making process of breast cancer patients considering breast reconstruction. Methods A two-arm, randomized, controlled trial was conducted at the University of Pittsburgh. Patients were blindly assigned to one of two arms: Emmi Decide (Emmi Solutions LLC, Chicago, IL) program prior to traditional consultation (intervention) and traditional consultation alone (control). All patients completed a baseline pre- and post-intervention questionnaire to evaluate knowledge, patient satisfaction, and psychological status. Surgeons' satisfaction and consultation time were also recorded. Results A total of 26 patients participated in the study (n=13 in each arm). Patients in the intervention group reported a greater BREAST-Q reconstruction module score (control=47.9±8.2, intervention=56.8±4.2, p=0.0017), lower decisional conflict scale score (control=30.2±11.8, intervention=14.5±8.8, p=0.017), and improved patient knowledge (control=70.8±15.5%, intervention=83.1±13.8%, p=0.018). No difference was noted in consultation time (control=51.0±7.8 min, intervention=47.8±13.7 min, p=0.46) and psychological testing (control=49.7±16.0, intervention=44.6±15.2, p=0.26). However, surgeons reported greater satisfaction with their consultations with interventional group participants (control=3.4±0.7, intervention=4.8±0.4, p=0.000056). Conclusions The use of a virtual decisional aid program to assist the decision-making of breast reconstruction patients was shown to significantly benefit both patients and surgeons, by improving patient knowledge and satisfaction without placing an additional psychological burden on them. This supports the notion that this resource is a promising tool that can improve the difficult process of breast reconstruction in the vulnerable population of breast cancer patients.
Community geography for precarious researchers: examining the intricacies of mutually beneficial and co-produced knowledge.

At the center of community geography is a commitment to mutually beneficial and co-produced knowledge. While the intricacies of managing these two commitments are often well-articulated for community partners, university faculty and their undergraduate students, the experiences of precariously positioned researchers (such as graduate students or those who work outside the university) remain under-examined. Therefore, through a reflection on the authors' personal experiences facilitating community geography projects, this paper takes seriously the experiences of precariously positioned researchers. We highlight how the privileging of co-production creates moments of dissonance for precariously placed researcher's experiences of mutually beneficial research. We argue that precarity, particularly when paired with privilege, results in heightened feelings of risk that may lead researchers to compromise their own ethics or values to ensure both the ongoing continuation of the partnership and the desired goals of the community partners. As we work to further establish community geography, we call for more nuanced considerations of how the entanglements fostered through co-production impact experiences of mutually beneficial research for differently positioned researchers, particularly for those situated within in the neoliberal university.
Association of macronutrients and dietary patterns with risk of systemic lupus erythematosus in the Black Women's Health Study

Background Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) affects African-American (AA) women disproportionately. The few prospective studies assessing dietary intake in relation to risk of SLE have been conducted in predominantly white populations and have been null. Objectives The present study assessed associations of macronutrients and dietary patterns with risk of SLE in AA women. Methods Data from the Black Women's Health Study was collected prospectively via biennial questionnaires starting in 1995. Participants completed a self-administered 68-item FFQ in 1995. Self-reported SLE was verified through medical record review. We used multivariable (MV) Cox regression models to estimate HRs and 95% CIs for macronutrients, carbohydrates, proteins, total fats, PUFAs, ω-3 fatty acids, ω-6 fatty acids, MUFAs, saturated fats, trans fatty acids, Alternative Healthy Eating Index score, vegetable/fruit and meat/fried food dietary patterns, and a reduced rank regression (RRR)-derived dietary pattern in relation to SLE risk. Results We confirmed a total of 114 incident cases of SLE among 51,934 women during 1995-2015. MVHRs and 95% CIs for the highest quintile of intake versus the lowest were HR: 1.96, 95% CI: 1.02, 3.67 for carbohydrates; HR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.37, 1.18 for protein; and HR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.28, 1.01 for total fats. MUFAs, saturated fatty acids, and trans fatty acids were significantly associated with a lower risk of SLE. An RRR-derived factor, rich in fruits and sugar-sweetened drinks and low in margarines and butter, red and processed meats, fried chicken, poultry, and eggs, which explained 53.4% of the total variation of macronutrients, was the only food pattern associated with increased SLE risk (HR: 1.88, 95% CI: 1.06, 3.35). Conclusion These analyses suggest that a diet high in carbohydrates and low in fats is associated with increased SLE risk in AA women.
Stimulating the Quantum Aspects of an Optical Analog White-Black Hole

This work introduces a synergistic combination of analytical methods and numerical simulations to study the propagation of weak wave-packet modes in an optical medium containing the analog of a pair white-black hole. We apply our tools to analyze several aspects of the evolution, such as (i) the region of the parameter space where the analogy with the Hawking effect is on firm ground and (ii) the influence that ambient thermal noise and detector inefficiencies have on the observability of the Hawking effect. We find that aspects of the Hawking effect that are of quantum origin, such as quantum entanglement, are extremely fragile to the influence of inefficiencies and noise. We propose a protocol to amplify and observe these quantum aspects, based on seeding the process with a single-mode squeezed input.
Solutions of Problems: Laplace Transform and Network Function

In this chapter, the problems of the third chapter are fully solved, in detail, step-by-step, and with different methods.