cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anhedonia Following Early-Life Adversity Involves Aberrant Interaction of Reward and Anxiety Circuits and Is Reversed by Partial Silencing of Amygdala Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Gene.

BACKGROUND:Anhedonia, the diminished ability to experience pleasure, is an important dimensional entity linked to depression, schizophrenia, and other emotional disorders, but its origins and mechanisms are poorly understood. We have previously identified anhedonia, manifest as decreased sucrose preference and social play, in adolescent male rats that experienced chronic early-life adversity/stress (CES). Here we probed the molecular, cellular, and circuit processes underlying CES-induced anhedonia and tested them mechanistically. METHODS:We examined functional brain circuits and neuronal populations activated by social play in adolescent CES and control rats. Structural connectivity between stress- and reward-related networks was probed using high-resolution diffusion tensor imaging, and cellular/regional activation was probed using c-Fos. We employed viral-genetic approaches to reduce corticotropin-releasing hormone (Crh) expression in the central nucleus of the amygdala in anhedonic rats, and tested for anhedonia reversal in the same animals. RESULTS:Sucrose preference was reduced in adolescent CES rats. Social play, generally considered an independent measure of pleasure, activated brain regions involved in reward circuitry in both control and CES groups. In CES rats, social play activated Crh-expressing neurons in the central nucleus of the amygdala, typically involved in anxiety/fear, indicating aberrant functional connectivity of pleasure/reward and fear circuits. Diffusion tensor imaging tractography revealed increased structural connectivity of the amygdala to the medial prefrontal cortex in CES rats. Crh-short hairpin RNA, but not control short hairpin RNA, given into the central nucleus of the amygdala reversed CES-induced anhedonia without influencing other emotional measures. CONCLUSIONS:These findings robustly demonstrate aberrant interactions of stress and reward networks after early-life adversity and suggest mechanistic roles for Crh-expressing amygdala neurons in emotional deficits portending major neuropsychiatric disorders.
Tonic inhibition of brown adipose tissue sympathetic nerve activity via muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in the rostral raphe pallidus.

Key points A tonically active, muscarinic cholinergic inhibition of rostral raphe pallidus (rRPa) neurons influences thermogenesis of brown adipose tissue (BAT) independent of ambient temperature conditions. The tonically active cholinergic input to rRPa originates caudal to the hypothalamus. Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) activation in rRPa contributes to the inhibition of BAT sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) evoked by activation of neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM). The RVLM is not the sole source of the muscarinic cholinergic input to rRPa. Activation of GABA receptors in rRPa does not mediate the cholinergic inhibition of BAT SNA. Abstract We sought to determine if body temperature and energy expenditure are influenced by a cholinergic input to neurons in the rostral raphe pallidus (rRPa), the site of sympathetic premotor neurons controlling thermogenesis of brown adipose tissue (BAT). Nanoinjections of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) agonist, oxotremorine, or the cholinesterase inhibitor, neostigmine (NEOS), in the rRPa of anaesthetized rats decreased cold-evoked BAT sympathetic nerve activity (SNA, nadirs: −72 and −95%), BAT temperature (Tbat, −0.5 and −0.6°C), expired CO2 (Exp. CO2, −0.3 and −0.5%) and heart rate (HR, −22 and −41 bpm). NEOS into rRPa reversed the increase in BAT SNA evoked by blockade of GABA receptors in rRPa. Nanoinjections of the mAChR antagonist, scopolamine (SCOP), in the rRPa of warm rats increased BAT SNA (peak: +1087%), Tbat (+1.8°C), Exp. CO2 (+0.7%), core temperature (Tcore, +0.5°C) and HR (+54 bpm). SCOP nanoinjections in rRPa produced similar activations of BAT during cold exposure, following a brain transection caudal to the hypothalamus, and during the blockade of glutamate receptors in rRPa. We conclude that a tonically active cholinergic input to the rRPa inhibits BAT SNA via activation of local mAChR. The inhibition of BAT SNA mediated by mAChR in rRPa does not depend on activation of GABA receptors in rRPa. The increase in BAT SNA following mAChR blockade in rRPa does not depend on the activity of neurons in the hypothalamus or on glutamate receptor activation in rRPa.
Creeping subduction zones are weaker than locked subduction zones

Faults that are fully or partially locked pose the greatest seismic hazard because they accumulate stress that can then be released in large earthquakes. In contrast, other faults continuously creep. The creeping versus locked behaviour is probably related to the frictional properties of the fault and the effective normal stress on the fault, but it is unclear whether locked faults are weaker or stronger than creeping faults. Here we use stress orientations in subduction zones from inversion of earthquake moment tensors, and find that geodetically determined creeping versus locked behaviour is correlated with the orientation of the subduction zone plate boundary fault relative to the principal stress axes. Globally, locked subduction zones appear well-oriented for failure, assuming a typical laboratory friction coefficient. Creeping subduction zones are more poorly oriented, implying a lower apparent friction coefficient, due to either low intrinsic friction or reduced effective normal stress. The spatial variations of stress orientation on the Japan Trench are similarly correlated with spatial variations in coupling, with creeping regions having a lower apparent friction coefficient than locked regions. The absolute strength of faults is influenced by the ambient fluid pressure, which is often elevated in subduction zones. This suggests low overall strength for locked subduction zone faults, and additional strength reduction in creeping zones that may be due to transient elevated fluid pressures. The faults in creeping segments of subduction zones are weaker than those in locked segments, according to analyses of stress orientations and GPS data from subduction zones globally.
The Library Staff Development Handbook

The Library Staff Development Handbook by Mary Grace Flaherty is just the book to guide both the seasoned and newbie library supervisor alike.
Isovector Spin Observables in Nuclear Charge-Exchange Reactions at Lampf

LAMPF has undertaken a major development program to upgrade facilities for nuclear charge-exchange studies at intermediate energies.1 The major components of this upgrade are a medium-resolution spectrometer and neutron time-of-flight system for good resolution (△E < 1 MeV) charge-exchange programs in (n,p) and (p,n) respectively. Major emphasis is placed on polarization phenomena using polarized beams and analyzing the polarization of the outgoing particle.
Different Social Class Dimensions Play Different Roles in the Transition to Adulthood

Rightfully pushing us to go beyond duality in conceptualizing the transition to adulthood as optimal or suboptimal, Schoon (Chap. 9) artfully considers the interweaving of social forces such as gender , race, ethnicity, and social class with the transition to adulthood. Given the complex interpenetrations of the transition to adulthood and social class, this chapter argues that carefully aligning dimensions of social class with distinct domains within the transition to adulthood may help us unravel the complexities and move beyond dualistic notions (e.g., optimal versus suboptimal, fast versus slow). Because the postsecondary transition (PST) is illustrative of how social class shapes the transition to adulthood, the PST is explored in depth here. The chapter concludes with recommendations for carefully aligning distinct measures of social class with distinct domains of the transition to adulthood , in order to advance scholarly understanding and policy instruments to foster successful transitions.
"Leveiya": The process of the Jewish Funeral Service

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay's first paragraph. "I have been interested in religion for most of my life. Attending a private Catholic elementary school, high school, and now a college in the Catholic tradition has helped to fuel this interest. I am a Roman Catholic, so naturally I know a great deal about my own religion, but the religions that I like to learn about the most are those other than my own. I find the many different religions and the different aspects within the religions fascinating." This article is available in Verbum: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/verbum/vol1/iss2/6 “Leveiya”: The process of the Jewish Funeral Service by
Simplicial Topology and Fixed Point Theorems

We noted above that a set Y in R n is termed a convex polytope if it is expressible as the convex hull of finitely many points {x1,...,x k } or I’ = co{x1,..., x k }. It was also mentioned that a set of k + 1 vectors {x0, x1,..., xk} in R n is affinely independent if and only if the translated set {x1 - x0,...,x k - x0} is linearly independent or ρ[x1 - x0,..., x k - x0] = k (for a simple geometric version of this characterization see Figures 9.1.a, b).
Hyperactivity, Conduct Disorder, Attention Deficits, and the Concept of Minimal Brain Dysfunction

Minimal brain dysfunction (MBD) has been described as a syndrome that includes a very broad spectrum of deviant behaviors. It is almost without exception a childhood diagnosis. The typical MBD child is thought to display symptoms of overactivity, impulsivity, clumsiness, and school-learning problems. In addition, aggressiveness, disobedience, and delinquent behavior are often cited as being associated with the syndrome. However, the MBD child is usually defined within the normal range of intelligence, thus eliminating the mentally retarded from this diagnostic category. The concept is losing its popularity because in most cases there is no evidence of any brain damage, which is seemingly invoked because of similarity in behavior of these children to patients with known brain damage.
Approximating optimal combinatorial auctions for complements using restricted welfare maximization

The VCG mechanism is the gold standard for combinatorial auctions (CAs), and it maximizes social welfare. In contrast, the revenue-maximizing (aka optimal) CA is unknown, and designing one is NP-hard. Therefore, research on optimal CAs has progressed into special settings. Notably, Levin [1997] derived the optimal CA for complements when each agent's private type is one-dimensional. (This does not fall inside the well-studied "single-parameter environment".) We introduce a new research avenue for increasing revenue where we poke holes in the allocation space--based on the bids--and then use a welfare-maximizing allocation rule within the remaining allocation set. In this paper, the first step down this avenue, we introduce a new form of "reserve pricing" into CAs. We show that Levin's optimal revenue can be 2-approximated by using "monopoly reserve prices" to curtail the allocation set, followed by welfare-maximizing allocation and Levin's payment rule. A key lemma of potential independent interest is that the expected revenue from any truthful allocation-monotonic mechanism equals the expected virtual valuation; this generalizes Myerson's lemma [1981] from the single-parameter environment. Our mechanism is close to the gold standard and thus easier to adopt than Levin's. It also requires less information about the prior over the bidders' types, and is always more efficient. Finally, we show that the optimal revenue can be 6- approximated even if the "reserve pricing" is required to be symmetric across bidders.
Stanley Cobb, the Rockefeller Foundation and the evolution of American psychiatry.

Stanley Cobb founded the Harvard Departments of Neurology (1925) and Psychiatry (1934) with Rockefeller Foundation funding. Cobb was an important transitional figure in both neurology and psychiatr...
Upholding “Colonial Unknowing” Through the IRB: Reframing Institutional Research Ethics:

This article considers the institutionalization of research ethics as a site of “colonial unknowing” in which the racial colonial entanglements of academic research and institutions are obscured. I...
Tumor seeding from a percutaneous renal mass biopsy

Percutaneous renal mass biopsy is a commonly used technique to diagnose renal cell carcinoma prior to renal surgery. It is invaluable in determining malignancy, disease staging, and appropriate treatment prior to renal surgery. During percutaneous needle biopsy, tumor seeding may occur, a process in which malignant cells may be carried into normal tissues along the track of a needle. The mechanism by which this occurs is thought to be the mechanical force of the biopsy directly displacing malignant cells as well as dissemination of cells caused by bleeding and fluid movement.1 In the modern medical environment, many radiologists are utilizing coaxial sheaths to minimize the risk of tumor seeding. The coaxial sheath approaches the target of the biopsy such that, upon the needle's withdraw, it does not seed tumor cells into surrounding tissues. To date, there are seven reported cases of tumor seeding resulting from renal cell carcinoma, renal sarcoma, and uroepithelial malignancy biopsies alone.2 We present the case of a 54-year-old man who underwent a core needle biopsy procedure of a papillary renal cell carcinoma resulting in tumor seeding. Case presentation The patient is a 54-year-old man who presented with a left adrenal nodule and 2.3cm kidney mass. His medical history was notable for bowel obstructions, hernias, and multiple abdominal surgeries. These masses were discovered incidentally on CT scans taken to evaluate a potential bowel obstruction. His imaging was interpreted as an adrenal adenoma and plasma-free metanephrines were within normal limits. His renal mass was suspicious for malignancy and, as such, a percutaneous renal mass biopsy was performed at an outside hospital. This confirmed renal cell carcinoma. It is unclear whether or not the biopsy utilized a coaxial sheath, though it was performed in 2017 in a modern medical environment. He underwent open partial nephrectomy and partial adrenalectomy without intraoperative problems. The adrenal nodule was diagnosed as a 2.0cm pheochromocytoma that was contained within the organ. No cardiovascular consequences resulting from the removal of the pheochromocytoma without blockade were encountered. Immunostaining for chromogranin and synaptophysin is positive in tumor cells. S100 highlights sustentacular cells consistent with the diagnosis. The fat overlying the kidney growth contained small foci of renal cell carcinoma involving fat, correlating to an initial diagnosis of pT3a disease. Immunostaining for PAX8 and racemase highlight tumor cells. The kidney tumor itself was a 3.2 × 3.0 × 2.5 cm, unifocal, ISUP nucleolar grade II papillary renal cell carcinoma absent for tumor necrosis. After confirming the patient's history of a prior renal biopsy, the specimen was re-examined and the tumor foci were confirmed to be within fibrous bands consistent with prior biopsy tract.3 As a result, the final stage was revised from pT3a to pT1a. To date, the patient has undergone routine cancer surveillance without any evidence of tumor recurrence.
Social-ecological correlates of fundamental movement skills in young children.

Abstract Purpose To identify the social-ecological correlates associated with fundamental movement skills at the child, family, and environment levels in young children. Methods Preschool children from 4 Colorado Head Start/preschool centers were recruited from 2010 to 2012. Two hundred twenty-eight children (128 girls; age = 56.08 ± 4.09 months; body mass index (BMI) z-score = 0.53 ± 1.12 (mean ± SD); 42.1% Hispanic/Latino) and 159 families were included in the final analysis. Children's perceived competence and fundamental movement skills were assessed via the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance and the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, 2nd edition. Data on the number of children in the family, parent age, BMI, education, employment status, family income, perception of child coordination, and home physical activity environment were collected via a questionnaire. Linear regressions adjusted for child BMI, age, sex, and school site were performed at each level. Results Child perceived cognitive competence was positively associated with locomotor skills (p = 0.04; adjusted R2 = 0.035) and object-control skills (p = 0.003; adjusted R2 = 0.083) at the child level. Parent education, BMI, and perception of child coordination were positively associated with locomotor skills and explained 8.8% of variance, but only parent education was significant (p = 0.04) at the family level. In addition, physical environment was positively associated with locomotor skills (p = 0.02) and explained 5.5% of variance at the environment level. Conclusion Social-ecological correlates associated with young children's fundamental movement skills are multidimensional and differ according to skill category at the child, family, and environment levels.
Discovery of rare variants implicated in schizophrenia using next-generation sequencing

Schizophrenia is a highly heritable psychiatric disorder that affects 1% of the population. Genome-wide association studies have identified common variants in candidate genes associated with schizophrenia, but the genetics mechanisms of this disorder have not yet been elucidated. The discovery of rare genetic variants that contribute to schizophrenia symptoms promises to help explain the missing heritability of the disease. Next generation sequencing techniques are revolutionizing the field of psychiatric genetics. Various statistical approaches have been developed for rare variant association testing in case-control and family studies. Targeted resequencing, whole exome sequencing and whole genome sequencing combined with these computational tools are used for the discovery of rare genetic variations in schizophrenia. The findings provide useful information for characterizing the rare mutations and elucidating the genetic mechanisms by which the variants cause schizophrenia.
Flammability limits — a new technique

Abstract A technique has been developed to study the extinguishment of premixed laminar flames. The technique utilizes a steady state burner with a tent flame surrounded by a separate stream of ignition gases, which are the product gases of another premixed flame using the same fuel. Extinguishment is determined by observation of the shape of the tent flame as the composition of the test mixture of fuelsuppressant-air is changed so as to move toward a composition region of extinguishment. Results are reported for five methane-air flames and methanesuppressant-air flames containing the suppressants Helium, Argon, Nitrogen, carbon dioxide and Halon 1301 (CF 3 Br). The technique yields a slightly broader flammability region than other techniques previously used. The relation between the results of this technique and the standard flammability techniques is discussed.
Endothelin-1, cardiac morphology, and heart failure: the MESA angiogenesis study.

BACKGROUND Circulating levels of endothelin-1 (ET1) are elevated in heart failure and predict poor prognosis. However, it is not clear whether ET1 elevation is an adaptive response, maladaptive response, or an epiphenomenon of heart failure. In this study, we evaluated the relationships between ET1, cardiac morphology, and incident heart failure or cardiovascular death in participants with no evidence of clinical cardiovascular disease at the time ET1 was measured. METHODS AND RESULTS ET1 was measured in 1,361 participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Angiogenesis Sub-Study. As suggested by linear regression , participants with lower circulating ET1 levels tended to be older, non-white, more likely to have smoked heavily, and less likely to report intentional exercise. Participants with higher ET1 levels had smaller left ventricular end-diastolic volumes (8.9 ml smaller per log increase in ET1, 95% confidence interval 17.1–0.7, p = 0.03) with an increased left ventricular ejection fraction (2.8% per log increase in ET1, 95% confidence interval 0.5%–5.2%, p = 0.02). As suggested by Cox Proportional Hazards estimates, participants with higher ET1 levels had a lower risk for the composite outcome of heart failure or cardiovascular death in models that were unadjusted or had limited adjustment (p = 0.03 and p = 0.05, respectively). Lower risk for heart failure with higher ET1 levels could not be clearly shown in a model including health behaviors. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest, but do not confirm, that elevated levels of circulating ET1 are associated with a more favorable cardiac phenotype. The relationship between ET1 and outcomes was not fully independent of one or more covariates.
Moderation Effect of Managerial Experience on the Level of Systems-Thinking Skills

The turbulent nature of the business environment is increasing with the complexity in solving problems and making accurate decisions. In response, system thinking has been considered as a potential solution that offers a comprehensive understanding of organizational structures. Addressing problems in complex systems requires not only technical and business knowledge but also years of managerial experience. This research assesses individuals’ systems thinking (ST) skills based on their managerial experience in a complex organizational structure. A cross-sectional survey was administrated between managers with different years of experience, followed by a multi-group structural equation modeling and post-hoc Tukey HSD tests to compare an individual’s systems thinking skills across three different groups. Research results provide some insights on how managerial experience moderate an individual’s systems thinking aptitude toward problem-solving.
Circulation of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus (SFTSV) in Nature: Transmission of SFTSV Between Mammals and Ticks

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) caused by SFTS virus (SFTSV), a novel phlebovirus, was reported to be endemic to central and northeastern China, South Korea, and Japan. SFTS is a tick-borne viral infection with high morbidity and mortality. SFTSV is circulating in nature in the SFTS-endemic areas. SFTSV is maintained in nature between animals and some species of ticks. Humans are usually infected with SFTSV by virus-positive ticks, especially Haemaphysalis longicornis and Amblyomma testudinarium. The mechanism of SFTSV maintenance in nature is crucial to control SFTSV infections in humans. Antibody positive rates to SFTSV in some species of animals such as goats, deer, old aged bovine, and wild boar were reported to be relatively high. Virus genomes were detected in some species of ticks such as H. longicornis, H. flava, H. concinna, A. testudinarium, and Ixodes nipponensis. Animal species, which were studied for SFTSV antibody and SFTSV genome prevalence, are still limited. Based on the data reported so far suggest that SFTSV is maintained in nature through intensive transmission between animals such as goats, deer, and wild boars and Haemaphysalis, Ambryomma, and Ixodes ticks. Further studies are needed to clarify the SFTSV maintenance mechanism in nature in detail.
Exploring Carbon Nanotubes for VLSI Interconnects

As a result of a decrease in cross-section, increases have been noted in several thermal and electrical properties of copper interconnects. To mitigate such concerns, new approaches are being considered for new wiring solutions for VLSI technologies. The incorporation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in VLSI design to replace existing interconnection material, may be an efficient and cost-effective evolution from current materials. Carbon nanotubes, more specifically multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), have been identified as potential alternatives to diminish such concerns. This paper will delineate the shared and differing aspects of each of the CNT structures.
Investigation of Switching Time in GaN/AlN Resonant Tunneling Diodes by Experiments and P-SPICE Models

The experimental and simulated switching behavior across the negative differential resistance (NDR) region of GaN/AlN double-barrier resonant tunneling diodes (RTDs) is presented. The shortest 10%–90% experimental switching time was ~55 ps. The experimental results are also studied with P-SPICE circuit models, which show that the relatively low peak-to-valley current ratio (~1.5), relatively high specific contact resistance ( $\geq \textsf {1}\times \textsf {10}^{-\textsf {6}}\,\,\Omega $ -cm2), and relatively large specific capacitance limit the switching time.
Making the Move: Empowering Student Teachers as Teacher Researchers

This paper describes the development, implementation, and follow up study of a program for undergraduate research in education, student teachers as action researchers (STAR). Students in a new urba...
Phosphorus (P) for Citrus Trees

Phosphorus deficiency is not common in Florida citrus groves. If it does occur, it is more difficult to diagnose than nitrogen (N) deficiency or other nutrient element deficiencies. Growth is reduced when P supply is too low. Phosphorus is highly mobile in plants, so when it is deficient, it may move from old leaves to young leaves and other actively growing areas where energy is needed to form seeds and fruit. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Mongi Zekri and Tom Obreza and published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Science, July 2013. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss581
Improving the Standard of Care in the Management of Agitation in the Acute Psychiatric Setting.

INTRODUCTION: In 2016-2017, assault and restraint rates on the involuntary inpatient psychiatric unit in an academic medical center in northeast United States were highest for the seven behavioral ...
Ultrafast Dynamics at the Lipid-Water Interface: DMSO Modulates H-Bond Lifetimes.

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is a common cosolvent and cryopreservation agent used to freeze cells and tissues. DMSO alters the H-bond structure of water, but its interactions with biomolecules, and s...
Dissociable Roles of Pallidal Neuron Subtypes in Regulating Motor Patterns

Abstract We have previously established that PV+ neurons and Npas1+ neurons are distinct neuron classes in the GPe—they have different topographical, electrophysiological, circuit, and functional properties. Aside from Foxp2+ neurons, which are a unique subclass within the Npas1+ class, we lack driver lines that effectively capture other GPe neuron subclasses. In this study, we examined the utility of Kcng4-Cre, Npr3-Cre, and Npy2r-Cre mouse lines (both males and females) for the delineation of GPe neuron subtypes. By using these novel driver lines, we have provided the most exhaustive investigation of electrophysiological studies of GPe neuron subtypes to date. Corroborating our prior studies, GPe neurons can be divided into two statistically distinct clusters that map onto PV+ and Npas1+ classes. By combining optogenetics, and machine learning-based tracking, we showed that optogenetic perturbation of GPe neuron subtypes generated unique behavioral structures. Our findings further highlighted the dissociable roles of GPe neurons in regulating movement and anxiety. We concluded that Npr3+ neurons and Kcng4+ neurons are distinct subclasses of Npas1+ neurons and PV+ neurons, respectively. Finally, by examining local collateral connectivity, we inferred the circuit mechanisms involved in the motor patterns observed with optogenetic perturbations. In summary, by identifying mouse lines that allow for manipulations of GPe neuron subtypes, we created new opportunities for interrogations of cellular and circuit substrates that can be important for motor function and dysfunction. Significance statement Within the basal ganglia, the external globus pallidus (GPe) has long been recognized for its involvement in motor control. However, we lacked an understanding of precisely how movement is controlled at the GPe level as a result of its cellular complexity. In this study, by using transgenic and cell-specific approaches, we showed that genetically-defined GPe neuron subtypes have distinct roles in regulating motor patterns. In addition, the in vivo contributions of these neuron subtypes are in part shaped by the local, inhibitory connections within the GPe. In sum, we have established the foundation for future investigations of motor function and disease pathophysiology.
Steep increases in fentanyl-related mortality west of the Mississippi River: Recent evidence from county and state surveillance

Abstract Background Overdose deaths from synthetic opioids (e.g., fentanyl) increased 10-fold in the United States from 2013 to 2018, despite such opioids being rare in illicit drug markets west of the Mississippi River. Public health professionals have feared a “fentanyl breakthrough” in western U.S. drug markets could further accelerate overdose mortality. We evaluated the number and nature of western U.S. fentanyl deaths using the most recent data available. Methods We systematically searched jurisdictions west of the Mississippi River for publicly available data on fentanyl-related deaths since 2018, the most recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistics. Using mortality data from 2019 and 2020, we identified changes in fentanyl-related mortality rate and proportion of fatal heroin-, stimulant, and prescription pill overdoses involving fentanyl. Results Seven jurisdictions had publicly available fentanyl death data through December 2019 or later: Arizona; California; Denver County, CO; Harris County, TX; King County, WA; Los Angeles County, CA; and Dallas-Fort Worth, TX (Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Tarrant counties). All reported increased fentanyl deaths over the study period. Their collective contribution to national synthetic narcotics mortality increased 371 % from 2017 to 2019. Available 2020 data shows a 63 % growth in fentanyl-mortality over 2019. Fentanyl-involvement in heroin, stimulant, and prescription pill deaths has substantially grown. Discussion Fentanyl has spread westward, increasing deaths in the short-term and threatening to dramatically worsen the nation’s already severe opioid epidemic in the long-term. Increasing the standard dose of naloxone, expanding Medicaid, improving coverage of addiction treatment, and public health educational campaigns should be prioritized.
New York Harbor and the Vicious Circle of the Winter of 1917–1918

Beginning in December 1917, and continuing through late February 1918, New York Harbor, a key hub of logistical support for the Allied war effort on the Western Front during World War I, was paralyzed by a seemingly unending series of ice storms and blizzards. The unique design of the harbor, and the problematic interface between rail traffic and the loading of goods on board merchant vessels through barges and lighters combined into a meteorological and environmental disaster until the storm front finally ceased. Military-environmental analysis of this event provides a new understanding of the war effort in the United States.
Advective sorting of silt by currents: a laboratory study

Accumulations of fine sediments along continental shelf and deep-sea bathymetric contours, known as contourite drifts, form a sedimentary record that is dependent on oceanographic processes such as ocean-basin-scale circulation. A tool used to aid in interpretation of such deposits is the sortable silt hypothesis, which suggests that the mean size of the sortable silt (silt from 10-63 µm) within a deposit can be used as a proxy for current velocity. While the hypothesis has been applied to numerous drift deposits, it has not been extensively explored. Slow deposition rates of contourite drift systems make it difficult to study in the deep ocean, and past laboratory studies have not tested the full range of conditions or mechanisms that could lead to sorting. This study uses flume experiments and theory to examine how the mean sortable silt in a deposit is related to current velocity under the action of advective depositional sorting. Tests were conducted for a fixed amount of time with four suspended sediment mixtures and current velocities typical of deep-sea settings (5-25 cm/s). Developed beds were sampled at fixed locations from the entrance and sized. The deposit grain size fined downstream and coarsened with increasing velocity at a particular distance from the inlet. Simple theory was able to capture the observations. Regardless of bed morphology or source sediment mixture, the mean sortable silt in the deposit was related to velocity at a particular flume location across all sediment mixtures. The slope of the relationship between velocity and size was dependent on the distance between the inlet and location of interest. Despite the simplified nature of the study, and the limitations regarding the presumed variability in natural systems, these findings broadly support the validity of mean sortable as a proxy for paleocurrent velocity at a distance along a depositing current.
Measurements of Organism Abundances and Activities

N2 fixation is an important process in ecosystems, and performed by a wide variety of different microorganisms, both free-living and symbiotic. In the marine environment, most N2 fixation occurs in the water column and in association with unicellular microorganisms, in contrast to the multicellular plants and associated microorganisms in soil on land. Measuring N2 fixation rates, and determining abundances of diazotrophs is critical for understanding N inputs in marine ecosystems, and yet is challenging because of the low densities of N2-fixing microorganisms, and the large scales of ocean basins. Typical methods for measuring rates include the acetylene reduction and 15N uptake methods, as well as biogeochemical estimates from nutrient concentrations and natural abundances of isotopes. Advances in technology and computational methods have provided new approaches for evaluating N2 fixation in the oceans, including high throughput sequencing and gene amplification, stable isotope probing and remote sensing.
Laser assisted sampling vs direct desorption flowing atmospheric pressure afterglow mass spectrometry of complex polymer samples: Forensic implications for pressure sensitive tape chemical analysis.

Abstract Flowing atmospheric pressure afterglow (FAPA) mass spectrometry (MS) is an easy-to-use, cost-effective, and potentially portable technique that allows direct desorption/ionization from samples with little-to-no sample preparation for real-time chemical analysis. However, it has limitations regarding analytes with low desorption efficiency, such as polymers. Here, laser assisted sampling (LAS) is developed and coupled to FAPA MS to allow access to a wider range of chemical information from polymer samples. This is achieved through laser-induced pyrolysis conditions that provide a much higher degree of spatio-temporal control compared to typical pyrolysis techniques. LAS FAPA MS, together with direct desorption FAPA MS, is implemented on pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) tape samples, which are often found at crime scenes and recovered as forensic evidence. Comparative PSA tape examination is typically performed to assess any differences in the comparison of unknown and known samples and provide an evidentiary association between suspects and crime scenes in forensic applications. PSA tape samples from several manufacturers of duct, masking, and electrical tape were analyzed from the adhesive and backing side. Direct desorption FAPA provides top-surface selectivity and the tape mass spectra are dominated by more peaks at lower m/z, many of which correspond to polymer additives. LAS gives access to sampling from all of the tape layers and the FAPA mass spectra is extended to higher m/z, while polymer fragmentation patterns are evident. Principal components analysis (PCA) was implemented to assess the ability of each technique to distinguish and categorize identified tape classes within the sampled population. The complementary nature of the resulting mass spectra from direct desorption vs LAS FAPA was evident from the PCA as different tape brands sub-sets were discriminated by each technique. The differentiation obtained by combining both methods is already competitive, or better, than conventional techniques, with the additional benefits of AMS.
The Gang’s All Here: How People Used Games to cope with COVID19 Quarantine

In 2020, the rapid spread of COVID-19 forced many people to self-isolate, resulting in struggles with mental health [60], and an increase in gaming [3]. In this paper, we seek to examine how individuals used digital games during the quarantine. We conducted a two-tier qualitative study where we used a thematic analysis of tweets to derive questions for an online survey that we distributed. Results of thematic analysis of survey responses identified 15 themes. Some themes confirm previous works’ findings, particularly how games are used to increase social connection or distract oneself from unpleasant situations. We also found new themes unique to the quarantine, such as interactions with non-player characters used as a surrogate for real-world interaction and using in-game routines as a substitute to real-world routines lost due to the pandemic. This work discusses the use of games during the pandemic and can be seeds for future studies.
Sociodemographic Inequalities in Urinary Tract Infection in 2 Large California Health Systems.

Author(s): Casey, Joan A; Rudolph, Kara E; Robinson, Sarah C; Bruxvoort, Katia; Raphael, Eva; Hong, Vennis; Pressman, Alice; Morello-Frosch, Rachel; Wei, Rong X; Tartof, Sara Y | Abstract: BackgroundUrinary tract infection (UTI) accounts for a substantial portion of outpatient visits and antibiotic prescriptions in the United States. Few studies have considered sociodemographic factors including low socioeconomic status (SES)-which may increase residential crowding, inappropriate antibiotic prescribing, or comorbidities-as UTI or multidrug-resistant (MDR) UTI risk factors.MethodsWe used 2015-2017 electronic health record data from 2 California health care systems to assess whether 3 sociodemographic factors-use of Medicaid, use of an interpreter, and census tract-level deprivation-were associated with overall UTI or MDR UTI. UTIs resistant to ≥3 antibiotic classes were considered MDR.ResultsAnalyses included 601 352 UTI cases, 1 303 455 controls, and 424 977 urinary Escherichia coli isolates from Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) and Sutter Health in Northern California. The MDR prevalence was 10.4% at KPSC and 12.8% at Sutter Health. All 3 sociodemographic factors (ie, use of Medicaid, using an interpreter, and community deprivation) were associated increased risk of MDR UTI. For example, using an interpreter was associated with a 36% (relative risk [RR], 1.36; 95% CI, 1.31 to 1.40) and 28% (RR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.22 to 1.34) increased risk of MDR UTI at KPSC and Sutter Health, respectively, adjusted for SES and other potential confounding variables. The 3 sociodemographic factors were only weakly associated with UTI overall.ConclusionsWe found low SES and use of an interpreter to be novel risk factors for MDR UTI in the United States.
Applicable Physics of Turbulence

In chapter 2 we gave a physical interpretation of the terms in Eqs. (2.1) and (2.2) for Brownian motion. In this and following chapters, we use Eq. (2.2) as the basis of our study. We rewrite it in a form attributed to Wilson et al. (1981) by Sawford (1985) and Novikov (1986): (3.1)
Electrophysiological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields on Animals

In vivo and in vitro studies of nervous tissues exposed to microwave radiation are reported. It is shown that the conduction and transmission latencies and amplitudes of evoked potentials in both the CNS of anesthetized cats, isolated nerves of cats, and ganglia of rabbits are affected by CW microwaves in a manner very similar to that of localized conduction heat. Temperature rises are always associated with any observable changes of the measured characteristics in the nervous tissues exposed to CW irradiation. The threshold of occurrence of latency changes falls between 2.5 – 5.0 W/kg of absorbed power density in the affected tissues which is about one-quarter to one-half of the normal metabolic rate of brain tissue. This absorbed power corresponds to 5 –10 mW/cm2 and 10 – 25 mW/cm2 incident upon a cat head and a human head, respectively. Pulsed microwaves of high peak intensity and low average power induce a hearing phenomenon in man. Electrophysiological studies on cats indicate that pulsed microwaves interact with mammalian auditory systems in a manner similar to that of conventional acoustic perception. A possible mechanism of microwave interaction is the acoustic energy release from rapid thermal expansion due to power absorption in the gross structure of the head.
A 300 MHz, 3.3 V 1 Mb SRAM fabricated in a 0.5 /spl mu/m CMOS process

A 300 MHz, 1 Mb SRAM with 5.4 ns access in 3.3 V, 0.5 /spl mu/m CMOS uses self-timed and self-resetting circuits. A dual-clock, flow-through read protocol optimizes data window control and a 750 ps setup-and-hold window for all input signals is achieved through floorplanning, receiver design and localized input-signal registering. The SRAM interfaces with high-speed transceiver logic (HSTL) levels through high-speed, noise-tolerant receivers. Programmable impedance output drivers for HSTL interfaces match transmission line impedance to within 10% tolerances over process, voltage and temperature variations.
Human cytomegalovirus interleukin-10 promotes proliferation and migration of MCF-7 breast cancer cells

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy affecting women worldwide. While a small fraction of breast cancers have a hereditary component, environmental and behavioral factors also impact the development of cancer. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a member of the Herpesviridae family that is widespread in the general population and has been linked to several forms of cancer. While HCMV DNA has been found in some breast cancer tissue specimens, we wanted to investigate whether a secreted viral cytokine might have an effect on cancerous or even pre-cancerous cells. HCMV encodes an ortholog of the human cellular cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10). The HCMV UL111A gene product is cmvIL-10, which has 27% sequence identity to IL-10 and binds the cellular IL-10 receptor (IL-10R) to induce downstream cell signaling. We found that MCF-7 human breast cancer cells express IL-10R and that exposure to cmvIL-10 results in enhanced proliferation and increased chemotaxis of MCF-7 cells. PCR arrays revealed that treatment with cmvIL-10 alters expression of cell adhesion molecules and increases MMP gene expression. In particular, MMP-10 gene expression was found to be significantly up-regulated and this correlated with an increase in cell-associated MMP-10 protein produced by MCF-7 cells exposed to cmvIL-10. These results suggest that the presence of cmvIL-10 in the tumor microenvironment could contribute to the development of more invasive tumors.
Ready-Mode Receive: An Optimized Receive Function for MPI

This paper describes an extension to the MPI Standard that offers the potential to increase performance for receiving messages. This extension, the ready-mode receive, is the receive-side equivalent of the ready-mode send. This paper describes the semantics of this new receive function and discusses the potential for performance improvement that it offers. In particular, we discuss how the current trend toward using intelligent network interfaces may increase the potential for significant performance improvement.
Well-centered Planar Triangulation – An Iterative Approach

We present an iterative algorithm to transform a given planar triangle mesh into a well-centered one by moving the interior vertices while keeping the connectivity fixed. A well-centered planar triangulation is one in which all angles are acute. Our approach is based on minimizing a certain energy that we propose. Well-centered meshes have the advantage of having nice orthogonal dual meshes (the dual Voronoi diagram). This may be useful in scientific computing, for example, in discrete exterior calculus, in covolume method, and in space-time meshing. For some connectivities with no well-centered configurations, we present preprocessing steps that increase the possibility of finding a well-centered configuration. We show the results of applying our energy minimization approach to small and large meshes, with and without holes and gradations. Results are generally good, but in certain cases the method might result in inverted elements.
Modelling of HREM and nanodiffraction for dislocation kinks and core reconstruction

The ability to directly image individual dislocation kinks (Kolar H et al 1996 Phys. Rev. Lett. 77 4031) opens up many possibilities for the study of kink dynamics by in situ TEM. Unfortunately, this technique is limited by surface roughness. For ceramics, however, high temperature annealing has been found to produce inert and atomically smooth surfaces that even survive ambient pressures (Susnitzky D 1992 J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 75 2463). We have prepared such samples of 3C-SiC, in order to image kinks by the forbidden reflections method. Using multislice simulations for 30 and 90° partial dislocations in Si we show that not only the number of kinks along the dislocation core can be determined, but also their structure assuming an aberration corrected TEM. We also show how the recently proposed double period reconstruction along the 90° partial dislocation in Si can easily be verified experimentally using convergent beam electron diffraction.
Towards Neoliberal Trade Unionism: Decline, Renewal and Transformation in North American Labour Movements

The article argues that ‘renewal’ and ‘crisis’ are inadequate descriptors of the current state of the American and Canadian labour movements. Many of the structural and strategic shifts that have remade labour unions in North America over the past two decades — including new organizing strategies, bargaining outcomes and political strategies — speak rather to a contradictory reconstitution of organized labour along neoliberal lines and the impasse of the renewal project. If there is a crisis in the labour movement, it is a crisis in the nature of trade unions as working-class organizations. The article builds this argument through, in turn, a historical overview, a critical reading of the labour renewal literature and a discussion of current trade union practice.
Insulin inhibits dog vascular smooth muscle contraction and lowers Ca2+(i) by inhibiting Ca2+ influx

Essential hypertension, obesity and non-insulin-dependent diabetes are associated with resistance to insulin-induced glucose disposal. Because physiological concentrations of insulin inhibit vascular smooth muscle (VSM) contraction in vivo, it has been proposed that resistance to insulin-induced inhibition of VSM contraction might be partly responsible for the elevated vascular resistance found in these clinical conditions. Nevertheless, it is not known how insulin inhibits contraction of normal VSM. Several workers have demonstrated that insulin attenuates the agonist-induced intracellular Ca2+ (Ca2+i) transient in VSM, although the identity of the sarcolemmal and/or sarcoplasmic reticular Ca2+ transport systems that are affected by insulin is controversial. Our laboratory has examined the effects of a physiological concentration of insulin on contraction and Ca2+ transport in cultured VSM cells from canine femoral artery. We have found that insulin inhibits agonist-induced contraction and attenuates the agonist-induced Ca2+i transient by inhibiting Ca2+ influx, but not by increasing Ca2+ efflux or inhibiting Ca2+ release from internal stores. Insulin also stimulates ouabain-sensitive 86Rb+ uptake (Na(+)-K+ pump activity) and does not inhibit VSM contraction in the presence of ouabain. Our data support the hypothesis that insulin stimulates Na(+)-K+ pump activity, resulting in hyperpolarization of the cell and decreased Ca2+ influx via voltage-operated channels.