cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simultaneous delivery of hydrophobic small molecules and siRNA using Sterosomes to direct mesenchymal stem cell differentiation for bone repair

The use of small molecular drugs with gene manipulation offers synergistic therapeutic efficacy by targeting multiple signaling pathways for combined treatment. Stimulation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with osteoinductive small molecule phenamil combined with suppression of noggin is a promising therapeutic strategy that increases bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling and bone repair. Our cationic Sterosome formulated with stearylamine (SA) and cholesterol (Chol) is an attractive co-delivery system that not only forms stable complexes with small interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules but also solubilizes hydrophobic small molecules in a single vehicle, for directing stem cell differentiation. Herein, we demonstrate the ability of SA/Chol Sterosomes to simultaneously deliver hydrophobic small molecule phenamil and noggin-directed siRNA to enhance osteogenic differentiation of MSCs both in in vitro two- and three-dimensional settings as well as in a mouse calvarial defect model. These results suggest a novel liposomal platform to simultaneously deliver therapeutic genes and small molecules for combined therapy.
The Moral Situation

Since the subject matter of our study is the moral situation, it needs to be analyzed in order to expose those of its elements that deserve our consideration. But if we are to analyze a moral situation, we must be able to identify one. How is it possible to identify a moral situation before a definition of what is meant by “moral situation” is given? Yet a definition of “moral situation” would seem to be impossible until after some specimen has been examined. Of course, we could start with a purely arbitrary definition. This would not do because we are concerned with actual moral situations. Ethics is like a science in this respect. This predicament is not unique to our present study — ethics. Indeed, it is common to all fields of investigation. Even if we had a definition, to the beginner in the field it would be virtually meaningless, or at least misleading. Definition or not, examples of what we are talking about are indispensable when an investigation is begun for they serve as tests for what is said.
Role of magnesium supplementation in the treatment of depression: A randomized clinical trial.

Current treatment options for depression are limited by efficacy, cost, availability, side effects, and acceptability to patients. Several studies have looked at the association between magnesium and depression, yet its role in symptom management is unclear. The objective of this trial was to test whether supplementation with over-the-counter magnesium chloride improves symptoms of depression. An open-label, blocked, randomized, cross-over trial was carried out in outpatient primary care clinics on 126 adults (mean age 52; 38% male) diagnosed with and currently experiencing mild-to-moderate symptoms with Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores of 5–19. The intervention was 6 weeks of active treatment (248 mg of elemental magnesium per day) compared to 6 weeks of control (no treatment). Assessments of depression symptoms were completed at bi-weekly phone calls. The primary outcome was the net difference in the change in depression symptoms from baseline to the end of each treatment period. Secondary outcomes included changes in anxiety symptoms as well as adherence to the supplement regimen, appearance of adverse effects, and intention to use magnesium supplements in the future. Between June 2015 and May 2016, 112 participants provided analyzable data. Consumption of magnesium chloride for 6 weeks resulted in a clinically significant net improvement in PHQ-9 scores of -6.0 points (CI -7.9, -4.2; P<0.001) and net improvement in Generalized Anxiety Disorders-7 scores of -4.5 points (CI -6.6, -2.4; P<0.001). Average adherence was 83% by pill count. The supplements were well tolerated and 61% of participants reported they would use magnesium in the future. Similar effects were observed regardless of age, gender, baseline severity of depression, baseline magnesium level, or use of antidepressant treatments. Effects were observed within two weeks. Magnesium is effective for mild-to-moderate depression in adults. It works quickly and is well tolerated without the need for close monitoring for toxicity.
Esophageal Odds and Ends

The first 12 chapters of this atlas are full of diseases, changes, and aberrations that are relatively easily placed in specific categories. However, some aspects were left out of those chapters, and there were not enough of them to form a specific category (eg, malformations of neuromuscular diseases) and warrant additional specific chapter headings. As a result, these odds and ends have been put into a separate chapter, titled appropriately as odds and ends. If readers cannot find something in other chapters, perhaps they can find it here. Regardless, some very odd, very rare things have been left out of this atlas entirely; in other words, they did not even make it into this chapter. For easy discovery by the reader, entities in this chapter have been covered in alphabetical order, beginning with achalasia.
Apratoxin S10, a Dual Inhibitor of Angiogenesis and Cancer Cell Growth To Treat Highly Vascularized Tumors.

Renal, hepatocellular, and neuroendocrine carcinomas are known as highly vascularized tumors. Although vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A)-targeted therapies have shown efficacy in the treatment of these cancers, drug resistance is a major concern and might be mediated by interleukin 6 (IL-6). Furthermore, upon antiangiogenic drug exposure, tumor cells may adapt to survive in a vascular-independent manner. Apratoxins are potent marine-derived cytotoxic in vivo-active agents, preventing cotranslational translocation in the secretory pathway, and show promise to overcome resistance by targeting angiogenesis and tumor growth simultaneously. We designed and synthesized a novel apratoxin analogue, apratoxin S10, with a balanced potency and stability as well as synthetic accessibility and scalability. We showed that apratoxin S10 potently inhibits both angiogenesis in vitro and growth of cancer cells from vascularized tumors. Apratoxin S10 down-regulated vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (...
Abstract P468: Stimulation of Diuresis and Salt Excretion by Renomedullary Infusion of a Dual Inhibitor of Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase (FAAH) and Monoacylglycerol Lipase (MAGL)

The endocannabinoid, anandamide (N-arachidonoyl ethanolamide, AEA), is proposed to have a critical role in blood pressure regulation in the renal medulla. Infusion of AEA into the renal medulla of anesthetized C57BL6/J mice stimulated diuresis and sodium and potassium excretion without affecting blood pressure or glomerular filtration. AEA may act by direct stimulation of its cognate receptors or by either its hydrolysis and conversion to prostaglandins or a cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) dependent metabolite. The finding that intramedullary infusion of isopropyl dodecyl fluorophosphate (IDFP) produced the same profile of effects as AEA suggests that the hydrolysis of AEA to release arachidonic acid is not necessary for its efficacy and supports that endogenous endocannabinoids contribute to control of basal tone of renal excretory function. Blockade of the urine formation- and salt excretion- stimulating effects of intramedullary AEA and IDFP by a COX-2 (celecoxib) but not COX-1 (SC-560) inhibitor is consistent with elevated AEA in the renal medulla enhancing formation for a COX-2 metabolite of AEA that mediates the observed increases in diuresis and salt excretion. The effect of IDFP on urine formation rate was blocked in FAAH -/- mice, but unexpectedly IDFP intramedullary infusion lowered mean arterial pressure in FAAH KO mice, which may be explained by release into the blood of another endocannabinoid metabolized by MAGL or other serine hydrolase. It is concluded that the diuretic effect of intramedullary IDFP is mediated by inhibition of FAAH leading to elevation of endogenous AEA and a COX-2 dependent metabolite of AEA.
Synthesis, characterization and theoretical investigations of molybdenum carbonyl complexes with phosphorus/nitrogen/phosphorus ligand as bidentate and tridentate modes

Abstract Carbonyl complexes of molybdenum with the phosphorus/nitrogen/phosphorus ligand, PNP-Mo(CO)n, where n = 3, 4 and PNP is N,N-bis[2-(diphenylphosphino)ethyl]phenylamine have been synthesized and characterized by 1H, 31P{1H} NMR, IR (ATR and solution state), Raman, X-ray diffraction, MS and elemental analysis. DFT calculations of the complexes were also performed. The PNP-Mo(CO)4 complex in which the binding mode is bidentate cis-phosphine and, facial and meridional isomers of PNP-Mo(CO)3 in which the binding mode is tridentate were obtained. The facial isomer and the tetracarbonyl complexes were successfully synthesized and purified; however, it was not possible to isolate the meridional isomer. Only a few crystals of the meridional isomer were detected and used for X-ray analysis. When the facial isomer was dissolved in CH2Cl2 or in THF, it was found to undergo decomposition thereby generating the tetracarbonyl complex, meridional isomer, Mo(0) as a dark precipitate along with some facial isomer that was left intact in solution. The reason that the facial isomer was the preferred structure with respect to the meridional isomer was also investigated.
Chondroitin sulfatases differentially regulate Wnt signaling in prostate stem cells through effects on SHP2, phospho-ERK1/2, and Dickkopf Wnt signaling pathway inhibitor (DKK3)

The chondroitin sulfatases N-acetylgalactosamine-4-sulfatase (ARSB) and galactosamine-N-acetyl-6-sulfatase (GALNS) remove either the 4-sulfate group at the non-reducing end of chondroitin 4-sulfate (C4S) and dermatan sulfate, or the 6-sulfate group of chondroitin 6-sulfate, chondroitin 4,6-disulfate (chondroitin sulfate E), or keratan sulfate. In human prostate cancer tissues, the ARSB activity was reduced and the GALNS activity was increased, compared to normal prostate tissue. In human prostate stem cells, when ARSB was reduced by silencing or GALNS was increased by overexpression, activity of SHP2, the ubiquitous non-receptor tyrosine phosphatase, declined, attributable to increased binding of SHP2 with C4S. This led to increases in phospho-ERK1/2, Myc/Max nuclear DNA binding, DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) activity and expression, and methylation of the Dickkopf Wnt signaling pathway inhibitor (DKK)3 promoter and to reduced DKK3 expression. Since DKK3 negatively regulates Wnt/β-catenin signaling, silencing of ARSB or overexpression of GALNS disinhibited (increased) Wnt/β-catenin signaling. These findings indicate that the chondroitin sulfatases can exert profound effects on Wnt-mediated processes, due to epigenetic effects that modulate Wnt signaling.
Rutile IrO 2 /TiO 2 superlattices: A hyperconnected analog to the Ruddelsden-Popper structure

Emergent properties in transition metal oxide superlattices are traditionally tuned as functions of stoichiometry, reduced dimensionality, and epitaxial strain. Here the authors introduce a new tuning parameter, the connectivity of the $M$O${}_{6}$ octahedra ($M=$ transition metal), as a means to manipulate the electronic structure, symmetry, and competing ground states of oxide superlattices. They demonstrate this by the epitaxial growth of alternating layers of the high spin-orbit metal IrO${}_{2}$ and the band insulator TiO${}_{2}$, both of which have the rutile structure.
The Historical Process

Temple’s interpretation of history begins with an examination of the historical process itself, of the task which confronts the historian in his attempt to understand this process, and of the human forces which operate within history. The historical order, however, can only be understood in terms of its relation to the eternal order; hence, the meaning of eternity and the mutual effect of eternity and time on each other must be explored. A final question is posed and a tentative answer suggested regarding the possibility of individual personality surviving both death and the end of history.
Crime and Drug Control Policies in the United States and Japan

In most contemporary societies the abuse of psychoactive substances is treated as a serious social problem. The most prominent of these are the opiates (such as heroin and morphine), cocaine, cannabis, amphetamines, and sundry others including the hallucinogen LSD and the ‘designer drugs’ MDMA and MDA. In many Islamic countries ethyl alcohol is also included as a dangerous and controlled, if not contraband, substance. Some of these substances are legally used under medical supervision (e.g., opiates) while others are essentially contraband (e.g., LSD). Abuse of these substances is problematic because it is believed to lead to dysfunctional changes in the individual’s personality and behavior. In addition, the use of these substances is seen as becoming compulsive, leading to addiction or obsessive use. Another problem often associated with drug use is an increased incidence of crime, frequently marked by social violence. Violence associated with drug abuse is typically experienced in three forms: pharmacological violence, predatory violence, and organized violence. Pharmacological violence occurs when a drug causes either a direct stimulation of neurobiological rage or profound changes in perception and psychic functioning, which then results in violent outbursts by the individual under the influence. The link between the drug’s illegal status and its compulsive use leads to substantial if not overwhelming financial pressure to secure money for drug purchases. Predatory, instrumental violence is associated with the crimes committed by drug users to finance their drug consumption, such as robbery. Furthermore, the illegal status of the drug means its production and distribution provide an opportunity for illicit enterprise. Organized violence arises out of the competition of various criminal organizations involved in drug manufacture, importation, or distribution and their use of violent methods to conduct and regulate their drug business.
Efficient arbitrary and resolution proofs of unsatisfiability for restricted tree-width

We consider unsatisfiable Boolean formulas in conjunctive normal form. It is known that unsatisfiability can be shown by a regular resolution proof in time polynomial in the number of variables n, and exponential in the tree-width w. It is also known that satisfiability for bounded tree-width can actually be decided in time linear in the length of the formula and exponential in the tree-width w. We investigate the complexities of resolution proofs and arbitrary proofs in more detail depending on the number of variables n and the tree-width w. We present two very traditional algorithms, one based on resolution and the other based on truth tables. Maybe surprisingly, we point out that the two algorithms turn out to be basically the same algorithm with different interpretations. Similar results holds for a bound w′ on the tree-width of the incidence graph for a somewhat extended notion of a resolution proof. The length of any proper resolution proof might be quadratic in n, but if we allow to introduce abbreviations for frequently occurring subclauses, then the proof length and running time are again linear in n.
Dynamical Processes in Slurries

After a brief review of the classical thermodynamics of mixed phase systems, attention is focussed on slurries, i.e. systems of mixed solid and liquid phases in which the solid is in the form of small grains. Slurries of two types are considered: those occurring in single constituent systems (“pure substances”) and those occurring in binary alloys. The reason why mixed phase regions necessarily arise in rapidly chilled systems is explained by means of an example. The effects of surface tension on the nucleation of grains from a supercooled liquid are discussed and it is argued that these effects are small in a “mature” slurry. A way of theoretically modeling moving slurries through mixture theory is developed, and some of the ingredients of such a mixture theory are discussed; a possible difficulty concerning history-dependent behavior is noted. Potentially useful limiting forms of the theory are identified, including both the “dusty gas limit” in which the two phases do not exchange mass, and the “fast melting theory” in which local phase equilibrium is established instantaneously, as compared with the overall timescale of the system.
Variable Word Order in Child Greek

This chapter investigates the acquisition of subject-verb word order in Greek. Based on naturalistic production data from three monolingual Greek-speaking children (ages 1;9–2;9), it is shown that overt DP subjects and variable word order (SV, VS and OV(S)) are attested in child Greek at the earliest stages of linguistic production (before age 2;0). Furthermore, based on a detailed investigation of the grammatical properties of early word order, evidence is presented for early setting of the Null Subject parameter and for early knowledge of the syntactic, semantic and pragmatic principles that govern subject-verb word order in the adult grammar.
Copernicus: A Robust AI-Centric Indoor Positioning System

Indoor Positioning Systems (IPS) are gaining market momentum, mainly due to the significant reduction of sensor cost (on smartphones or standalone) and leveraging standardization of related technology. Among various alternatives for accurate and cost-effective IPS, positioning based on the Magnetic Field has proven popular, as it does not require specialized infrastructure. Related experimental results have demonstrated good positioning accuracy. However, when transitioned to production deployments, these systems exhibit serious drawbacks to make them practical: a) accuracy fluctuates significantly across smartphone models and configurations and b) costly continuous manual fingerprinting of the area is required. In this paper we propose Copernicus, a self-learning, adaptive system that is shown to exhibit improved accuracy across different smartphone models. Copernicus leverages a minimal deployment of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Beacons to infer the trips of users, learn and eventually build tailored Magnetic Maps for every smartphone model for the specific indoor area. Our experimental results show the positive impact in the positioning, even in case of minimal learning.
Collecting field data in volcanic landscapes using small UAS (sUAS)/drones

Abstract The last several years have seen a very rapid increase in the development and availability of unmanned aerial vehicles/systems (UAV or UAS), more commonly called “drones.” UAS are remotely-operated aerial vehicles that can be fixed-wing planes, helicopters, or aerial systems with multiple propellers. Small versions of UAS, here called “sUAS,” in particular, have become so prevalent that they can be easily purchased at general retail stores. This paper seeks to review and summarize the use of sUAS in volcanic research. Given their size, low cost, and relative durability, sUAS provide a light-weight tool platform that is easy to transport to field locations; quick to set-up; and easy to launch, and control. They require very little launch and recovery space. Because of these characteristics, sUAS are useful in collecting immediate and real-time aerial data, especially in remote, inaccessible, dynamic, and/or hazardous, volcanic environments. In volcanic areas, sUAS have been used for mapping, sample collection, thermal imaging, magnetic surveys, slope stability studies, and as platforms for sensors to measure outgassing of CO 2 and SO 2 . They are also becoming invaluable for real-time hazard assessment during and after an eruption. They are, however, limited by their flight time, which is greatly affected by wind speeds. Since they are predominately made of plastic, they are also impacted by the high thermal temperatures found in active volcanic areas, which can degrade their structure and performance. With continued technological improvement however, sUAS have the potential to dramatically improve our ability to collect field data. Because of additional natural, technological, and legal challenges related to their use, it is critical that users be aware of, and adhere to, all national and local laws associated with sUAS.
Plant defenses interact with insect enteric bacteria by initiating a leaky gut syndrome

Plants produce suites of defenses that can collectively deter and reduce herbivory. Many defenses target the insect digestive system, with some altering the protective peritrophic matrix (PM) and causing increased permeability. The PM is responsible for multiple digestive functions, including reducing infections from potential pathogenic microbes. In our study, we developed axenic and gnotobiotic methods for fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) and tested how particular members present in the gut community influence interactions with plant defenses that can alter PM permeability. We observed interactions between gut bacteria with plant resistance. Axenic insects grew more but displayed lower immune-based responses compared with those possessing Enterococcus, Klebsiella, and Enterobacter isolates from field-collected larvae. While gut bacteria reduced performance of larvae fed on plants, none of the isolates produced mortality when injected directly into the hemocoel. Our results strongly suggest that plant physical and chemical defenses not only act directly upon the insect, but also have some interplay with the herbivore's microbiome. Combined direct and indirect, microbe-mediated assaults by maize defenses on the fall armyworm on the insect digestive and immune system reduced growth and elevated mortality in these insects. These results imply that plant-insect interactions should be considered in the context of potential mediation by the insect gut microbiome.
Watershed-averaged denudation rates from cosmogenic 36Cl in detrital magnetite

Abstract Quartz is widely used as a target mineral for determining watershed-averaged denudation rates because it is resistant to chemical weathering, geologically widespread, and has a well-constrained 10Be production rate. However, quartz is not available in many landscapes developed on mafic to intermediate igneous rocks. This creates a need to develop new target minerals that are applicable in these environments. Magnetite is a common accessory mineral in many rock types without quartz and, like quartz, is resistant to chemical weathering. Here we evaluate magnetite's suitability as a target mineral by comparing denudation rates inferred from 36Cl in magnetite to 10Be in quartz at 12 watersheds in the Sierra Nevada region of California. We find that magnetite and quartz produce denudation rates that are in broad agreement, validating the use of magnetite. The reproducibility between the two minerals is comparable to the reproducibility of measurements of 10Be from repeat samples of quartz from a single catchment. This level of variance is likely attributable to the stochastic nature of erosion and sediment supply in small, mountainous watersheds.
Age-related changes and vocal convergence in titi monkey duet pulses

Duets in pair-bonding primates serve as a primary mode of communication between pairs, and duets may provide cues to conspecifics regarding the calling individual or pair. Here, we test the hypothesis that pulse elements in coppery titi monkey duets vary with condition and identity of the caller. We predicted that pulse elements would vary with age, sex, or pair-bond length. We estimated pulse rate and duration for 378 pulse elements from the duets of 74 captive titi monkeys (Plecturocebus cupreus). We found inter-individual variation in both features, and evidence for vocal convergence among pair mates in pulse rate. Age was the best predictor of pulse rate, and pulse rate decreased with age. Age and pair-bond length reliably predicted pulse duration. Our results suggest that variation in titi monkey duets reflects differences in caller condition and pair identity, and contribute to growing evidence for vocal plasticity in nonhuman primates.
Meta-analysis in Sociological Research: Power and Heterogeneity:

Meta-analysis is a statistical method that combines quantitative findings from previous studies. It has been increasingly used to obtain more credible results in a wide range of scientific fields. ...
Complete Genome Characterization and Coat Protein Genealogy of Isolates of Maize dwarf mosaic virus from Johnsongrass and Maize in Oklahoma and Missouri

Maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV) significantly affects maize production worldwide, including the United States. This study describes the distribution and biological and molecular characterization of MDMV isolates from Johnsongrass and maize. A total of 262 samples (symptomatic = 214, asymptomatic = 48) were collected in Oklahoma and Missouri during 2016, 2017, and 2019 growing seasons. Based on a dot-immunobinding assay (DIBA), the average incidence of maize dwarf mosaic disease varied from ∼71% (79/111) in 2016, ∼76% (81/106) in 2017, and 62% (28/45) in 2019. Sixty-five DIBA-positive samples for MDMV were further confirmed by RT-PCR, and the complete coat protein (CP) gene was cloned and sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis of 132 isolates (This study = 65; GenBank = 67) revealed two main groups (G1 and G2) of MDMV isolates. All 65 MDMV isolates contained a 39-nucleotide insertion in the N-terminal region of CP genes and clustered in G1 which were different from the isolates in G2, without 39-nucleotide insertion. The first complete genome (9,563 nucleotides) of a MDMV isolate (Bixby1) from Johnsongrass was sequenced, which was distantly related to eight previously reported MDMV isolates from maize. The dN/dS ratio showed mostly purifying selection on each of cistrons except 6K1 being subjected to the diversifying selection. Further analyses revealed three putative recombination events between MDMV-Bixby1 and MDMV isolates from other countries. The successful mechanical and aphid transmission of MDMV-Bixby1 onto maize cultivars was achieved. Altogether, this information showed that Johnsongrass harbors genetically diverse MDMV isolates, which could pose a threat to cultivated crops such as maize and sorghum.
The "Snare-and-Anchor" Technique to Rescue Frozen Mechanical Mitral Valve Leaflet After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

A 73-year-old Jehovah’s Witness, with Open-Pivot bi-leaflet mechanical mitral valve (MV) (ATS Medical, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota) underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement. High implantation (“90/10”) using 26-mm SAPIEN-3 (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, California) was planned because
Alternate Methods of Utilizing Cross-Section Sensitivity Coefficients in Radiation Shielding Problems

Attempts to devise techniques for rapidly calculating radiation transport in relatively simple shields has led to the development of two calculational models that are based on the use of cross-section sensitivity coefficients and are possible improvements over the traditional linear model. The two models, one an exponential model and the other a power model, were tested, along with the linear model, by applying them to 1- and 2-m-thick concrete slab problems in which the water content, reinforcing steel content, and composition of the concrete were varied. Comparing the results obtained with the three models with those obtained from an exact one-dimensional discrete ordinates transport calculation indicated that the exponential model, named the ''BEST model'' (for basic exponential shielding trend), is a particularly promising predictive tool for shielding problems dominated by exponential attenuation. When applied to a deep penetration sodium problem, the BEST model also yielded better results than did calculations based on second-order sensitivity theory.
Higher Education and Democratic Public Life

It is time to reclaim the egalitarian democratic purposes of public universities. Public universities and colleges play a crucial political and public role in a democratic society. Yet much of the ...
Correlation between craniofacial structures, anthropometric measurements, and nasopharyngeal dimensions in black adolescents

Summary Objectives To evaluate the correlation between craniofacial structures, anthropometric measurements, and bony and soft tissue nasopharyngeal dimensions in African Black adolescents. Methods This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 483 healthy adolescents (250 females and 233 males), randomly selected from one dental clinic. The inclusion criteria were skeletal and dental Class I, Black ethnicity, pubertal growth period as determined by the Greulich and Pyle atlas criteria, and no history of orthodontic treatment. Anthropometric measurements (stature, upper body height, lower body height, and BMI) and radiographic records (hand-wrist radiographs, and lateral cephalograms) were obtained. One investigator traced and analysed all cephalograms to determine three skeletal craniofacial parameters (maxillary length [Ar- ANS], mandibular length [Ar-Gn], and lower anterior facial height [ANS-Me]), and 14 (8 skeletal and 6 soft tissue) nasopharyngeal parameters. Pearson correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple linear regression analyses were conducted. Results The mean skeletal ages of females and males were 11.31 ± 2.31y and 12.66 ± 1.85y, respectively. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that stature, posterior height of nasal cavity (S-PNS), length of nasal floor (AA-PNS), and mean area of bony nasopharynx (Area 1) were significantly correlated with maxillary length, P Conclusions Craniofacial structures were significantly associated with stature and upper body height. Maxillary growth was associated with bony nasopharyngeal variables. Mandibular growth and lower facial height were associated with bony and soft tissue nasopharyngeal variables. The sexual dimorphism in lower facial height warrants future studies to fully understand and manage the craniofacial complex and nasopharyngeal airway in African Black adolescents.
Risk analysis of different transport vehicles in India during COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract Due to the airborne nature of viral particles, adequate ventilation has been identified as one suitable mitigation strategy for reducing their transmission. While ‘dilution of air by opening the window’ has been prescribed by national and international health agencies, unintended detrimental consequences might result in many developing countries with high ambient air pollution. In the present study, PM2.5 exposure concentration and probability of mortality due to PM2.5 in different scenarios were assessed. A COVID airborne infection risk estimator was used to estimate the probability of infection by aerosol transmission in various commuter micro-environments: (a) air conditioned (AC) taxi (b) non-AC taxi (c) bus and (d) autorickshaw. The following were the estimated exposure concentrations in the four types of vehicles during pre-lockdown, during lockdown, and lost-lockdown: AC taxi cars (17.16 μg/m3, 4.52 μg/m3, and 25.09 μg/m3); non-AC taxis: (28.74 μg/m3, 7.56 μg/m3, 42.01 μg/m3); buses (21.79 μg/m3, 5.73 μg/m3, 31.86 μg/m3) autorickshaws (51.30 μg/m3, 3.50 μg/m3, 75 μg/m3). Post-lockdown, the probability of mortality due to PM2.5 was highest for autorickshaws (5.67 × 10−3), followed by non-AC taxis (2.07 × 10−3), buses (1.39 × 10−3), and AC taxis (1.02 × 10−3). This order of risk is inverted for the probability of infection by SARS-COV-2, with the highest for AC taxis (6.10 × 10−2), followed by non-AC taxis (1.71 × 10−2), buses (1.42 × 10−2), and the lowest risk in autorickshaws (1.99 × 10−4). The findings of the present study suggest that vehicles with higher ventilation or air changes per hour (ACH) should be preferred over other modes of transport during COVID-19 pandemic.
Comparison of Simultaneous Bilateral Internal Carotid Artery (ICA) 3-Dimensional Rotational Venography (3D-RV) versus Separate Bilateral ICA 3D-RV and Postprocessing 3D-3D Fusion

Background Preoperative venogram of the superior sagittal sinus (SSS) is helpful to plan the surgical resection strategy in patients with parasagittal meningiomas invading the SSS. Methods Catheter 3-dimensional rotational venography (3D-RV) allows for SSS patency assessment and detection of alternative venous cortical drainage routes in patients with contraindication for magnet resonance venography. It is unknown if separate bilateral internal carotid artery 3D-RV followed by postprocessing 3D-3D fusion (technique 1) achieves the same imaging results as simultaneous bilateral internal carotid artery 3D-RV without postprocessing fusion (technique 2) needed. Results In this report we were able to confirm in 2 patients that both techniques achieve comparable imaging quality with similar amount of contrast use. Conclusions Although technique 2 requires less radiation, technique 1 is favored due to the need for only 1 vessel access site and catheter with reduced risk for access site and ischemic complications.
Financial Restructuring in Fresh Start Chapter 11 Reorganizations

We find that firms substantially reduce their debt burden in “fresh-start” Chapter 11 reorganizations, yet they emerge with higher debt ratios than what is typical in their respective industries. While cross-sectional regressions reveal that post-reorganization debt ratios are more in line with the predictions of the static-tradeoff theory, they also reveal that pre-reorganization debt ratios affect post-reorganization debt ratios. Collectively, these results suggest that impediments in Chapter 11 prevent firms from completely resetting their capital structures. We also find that firms that reported positive operating income leading up to Chapter 11 emerge faster, suggesting that it is quicker to remedy strictly financial distress than economic distress.
Center for clinical and translational research COVID-19 clinical trial committee: The development of a review and prioritization matrix during a pandemic

The rate at which the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spread required a rapid response across many, if not all, industries. Academic medical centers had to rapidly evaluate, prioritize, and coordinate the multiple requests for clinical trial participation. This involved redirecting resources and developing a collaborative system for assessment, decision making, and implementation. Our institution formed a team with diverse representation from multiple stakeholders to review and prioritize all research protocols related to COVID-19. To accomplish this, a prioritization matrix was developed to help determine the order in which the protocols should be placed for consideration by the treating clinician. The purpose of the team was to review the COVID-19 clinical trials in the pipeline, prioritize those trials that best met the needs of our patients, oversee training and resource needs, and lead the formulation of procedures for integration with clinical care. Resources from the Clinical Research Unit were then allocated to support the swift execution of such studies. This manuscript describes that process, the challenges encountered, and the lessons learned on how to make all clinical trials more successful in a complex and dynamic environment.
Longevity factor klotho and chronic psychological stress

Chronic psychological stress is associated with accelerated aging and premature morbidity and mortality; however, the biology linking chronic psychological stress and its maladaptive effects remains largely unknown. Klotho is a pleiotropic hormone that regulates the aging process and promotes better brain and body health. Whether klotho is linked to psychosocial stress or its negative impact in humans has not been investigated. To address this gap, we recruited 178 healthy women who were either chronically high-stress maternal caregivers for a child with autism spectrum disorder (n=90) or low-stress control mothers of a typically developing child (n=88). We found that women under high chronic stress displayed significantly lower levels of the longevity hormone klotho compared with low-stress controls (t(176)=2.92, P=0.004; d=0.44), and the decrease among those under high stress was age-dependent. In addition, high-stress caregivers who reported more depressive symptoms displayed even lower klotho levels compared with low-stress participants. These findings provide the first evidence that klotho levels are sensitive to psychosocial stressors and raise the possibility that klotho may serve as a novel biological link connecting stress, depression and risk for accelerated disease development. Furthermore, these findings have important implications for understanding the plasticity of the aging process and may represent a therapeutic target for mitigating the deleterious effects of chronic psychological stress on health and well-being.
Effects of mapping algorithms on gene selection for RNA-Seq analysis: pulmonary response to acute neonatal hyperoxia

Background: A major goal of RNA-Seq data analysis is to reconstruct the full set of gene transcripts expressed in a biological sample in order to quantify their expression levels. The process typically involves multiple steps including mapping short sequence reads to a reference genome, and estimating expression levels based on these mappings. Multiple algorithms and approaches for each processing step exist, and the impact of different methods on estimation of gene expression is not entirely clear. Methods: We evaluated the impact of three common mapping algorithms on differential expression analysis in an RNA-Seq dataset describing the lung response to acute neonatal hyperoxia. RNA-Seq data generated using the Illumina platform were mapped and aligned using CASAVA, TopHat, and SHRiMP against the mouse genome. Significance Analysis of Microarrays and Cuffdiff were used to identify differentially expressed genes between hyperoxia-challenged and age matched control mice. Results: 1403 genes were detected as differentially expressed by least one mapping and gene selection method. A majority of genes (>65%) were identified by all three mapping methods, regardless of the gene selection approach. Expression patterns for 52 genes were examined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Importantly, we found different validation rates for genes selected by each method; 72% for CASAVA, 69% for TopHat and 63% for SHRiMP. Surprisingly, the validation rate for genes selected by all three mapping methods was no greater than the best single method. Conclusion: The choice of mapping strategy impacts the reliability of gene selection for RNA-Seq data analysis.
Remote tropical and sub-tropical responses to Amazon deforestation

Replacing natural vegetation with realistic tropical crops over the Amazon region in a global Earth system model impacts vertical transport of heat and moisture, modifying the interaction between the atmospheric boundary layer and the free atmosphere. Vertical velocity is decreased over a majority of the Amazon region, shifting the ascending branch and modifying the seasonality of the Hadley circulation over the Atlantic and eastern Pacific oceans. Using a simple model that relates circulation changes to heating anomalies and generalizing the upper-atmosphere temperature response to deforestation, agreement is found between the response in the fully-coupled model and the simple solution. These changes to the large-scale dynamics significantly impact precipitation in several remote regions, namely sub-Saharan Africa, Mexico, the southwestern United States and extratropical South America, suggesting non-local climate repercussions for large-scale land use changes in the tropics are possible.
Characterization of negative cloud-to-ground lightning in Florida

Abstract We examined characteristics of negative cloud-to-ground lightning flashes using their electric field waveforms acquired at the Lightning Observatory in Gainesville (LOG), Florida in the summers of 2013 and 2014. Flash multiplicity, interstroke interval, flash duration, and first to subsequent stroke field peak ratio are determined for 478 flashes containing 2188 strokes and compared with previous results obtained in Florida and in other regions. We found that the average number of strokes per flash is 4.6 and the percentage of single-stroke flash is 12%. The geometric means of interstroke interval, flash duration, and first to subsequent stroke field peak ratio are 52 ms, 223 ms, and 2.4, respectively. About one-third (34%) of multiple-stroke flashes have at least one subsequent stroke whose field peak is greater than that of the first stroke. The geometric mean of normalized electric field peak shows a relatively weak tendency to decrease with increasing stroke order. We also found that the detectability of preliminary breakdown (PB) pulse train is affected by the signal/noise ratio, type of storm, peak current and distance. For 222 PB pulse trains, statistics on pulse duration, time interval between PB pulse train and return stroke (PB–RS interval), and PB–RS field peak ratio (PB/RS ratio) are presented. Very short PB–RS (≤6 ms) intervals were observed to be associated with very high return-stroke peak currents and stepped-leader speeds.
Robust data-driven inference in the regression-discontinuity design

This article introduces three Stata commands to conduct robust data- driven statistical inference in regression-discontinuity (RD) designs. First, we present rdrobust, a command that implements the robust bias-corrected con- dence intervals proposed in Calonico, Cattaneo, and Titiunik (2014b) for average treatment eects at the cuto in sharp RD, sharp kink RD, fuzzy RD and fuzzy kink RD designs. This command also implements other conventional nonpara- metric RD treatment eect point estimators and condence intervals. Second, we describe the companion command rdbwselect, which implements several band- width selectors proposed in the RD literature. Finally, following the results in Calonico, Cattaneo, and Titiunik (2014d), we introduce rdplot, a command that implements several data-driven choices of the number of bins in evenly-spaced and quantile-spaced partitions that are used to construct the RD plots usually encoun- tered in empirical applications. A companion R package is described in Calonico, Cattaneo, and Titiunik (2014e).
What Else Is Broken? Can We Fix It?

The founder and soul of this conference, Professor Stamatis Vassiliadis, always wanted a Keynote on the beach. A keynote without PowerPoint, air conditioning, and all the other usual comforts of keynotes, comforts both for the speaker and for the audience. After all, the great thinkers of this ancient land did their thinking, teaching, and arguing without PowerPoint and without air conditioning. But they were they and we are we, and no sane SAMOS keynote speaker would put himself in the same league with those masters. Nonetheless, Stamatis wanted it, and I never found it easy to say no to Stamatis, so last year at SAMOS VIII, I agreed to give a Keynote on the Beach. It has been subsequently relabeled The Beachnote, and I have been asked to do it again. The question of course is what subject to explore in this setting, where the sound of the speaker's voice competes with the sounds of the waves banging against the shore, where the image of the speaker's gestures competes with the image of the blue sky, bright sun, and hills of Samos. I decided last summer to choose a meta-topic, rather than a hard core technical subject: "Is it broken," with particular emphasis on professors --- are they ready to teach, are they ready to do research, and students --- are they learning, is their education preparing them for what is needed after they graduate. My sense is that for this environment, a meta-topic is the right model, and so I propose to visit it again. For example: our conferences and journals. Are they broken? Can we fix them? Somewhat more technical: The interface between the software that people write to solve problems and the hardware that has to run that software. Is it broken? Can we fix it? These are just examples of some of the things we might explore in this year's Beachnote. As I said last year, I will welcome other suggestions from the audience as to what they think is broken. My hope is to have us all engaged in identifying and discussing some of the fundamental problems that plague our community.
Explanation-based learning of reactive operators

This research involves the integration of reactivity into a classical planner. Reactivity is necessary if a system is to deal with the dynamic real world, but a priori planning is also necessary for goal-directedness. A system has been implemented which incorporates explanation-based learning strategies in learning reactive operators, enabling the use of current classical planning techniques in creating partially-specified plans, completed during execution when the information necessary for resolving deferred decisions becomes available. The notion of “provably correct”plans in classical planning is preserved through contingent explanations and associated achievability conditions which guarantee the eventual achievement of deferred goals.
Teaching and Practicing Climate Politics at College of the Atlantic : Student-inspired, Student-driven

College of the Atlantic students past and present play leadership roles in the international climate justice youth movement. Student interest in climate change politics at the global level, particularly within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, has inspired the development of a range of courses at COA in global environmental diplomacy. The courses provide a climate justice framework for understanding the geopolitics and political economy of the negotiations, serve to link students with key actors in the climate justice movement, and ultimately to contribute to their own development as climate justice leaders.
North Carolina macular dystrophy (MCDR1) locus: a fine resolution genetic map and haplotype analysis.

Purpose We previously reported linkage of North Carolina macular dystrophy in a single isolated family to a broad region on chromosome 6q16. In order to refine the localization of the MCDR1 gene (North Carolina macular dystrophy), additional families with this disease and new markers were studied. Methods We ascertained 10 families with the North Carolina macular dystrophy phenotype (MCDR1). These families were of various ethnic and geographic origins such as Caucasian, Mayan Indian, African-American, French, British, German, and American of European decent. Two hundred thirty-two individuals in these families underwent comprehensive ophthalmic examinations and blood was collected for genotyping. One hundred seventeen were found to be affected. Linkage simulation studies were performed. Two-point linkage, haplotype analysis, and multipoint linkage was performed using VITESSE and FASTLINK. HOMOG was used to test for genetic heterogeneity. Results The clinical features were consistent with the diagnosis of North Carolina macular dystrophy in all families. Multipoint linkage analysis indicates that the MCDR1 gene is in the interval between D6D249 and D6S1671 with a maximum LOD score of 41.52. There was no evidence of genetic heterogeneity among the families studied. Families 765, 768, 772, 1193, and 1292 shared the same chromosomal haplotype in this region. Conclusions This is the largest single data set of families with the MCDR1 phenotype. The single large family from North Carolina continues to be informative for the closest flanking markers and alone supports the minimal candidate region as suggested by previous studies. There remains no evidence of genetic heterogeneity in this disease. Most of the American families appear to have descended from the same ancestral mutation. The remaining families could each represent independent origins of the mutation in the MCDR1 gene.