cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the effectiveness of contour-felled log erosion barriers as a post-fire runoff and erosion mitigation treatment in the western United States

Between 1998 and 2002, six sites were established immediately after large wildfires in the western United States to determine the effectiveness of contour-felled log erosion barriers in mitigating post-wildfire runoff and erosion. In each pair of matched, burned, and small watersheds (1-13 ha), one was treated with contour-felled log erosion barriers and one was left untreated as a control. For 4 to 6 post-fire years, runoff and sediment yields were measured and correlated with rain properties. High-intensity rainfall produced most of the measured runoff and sediment yields except in the southern California site, where long-duration rain events produced most of the runoff and erosion. For small rain events (less than the 2-year return period for the 10-min duration), the runoff, peak flows, and sediment yields were lower in the treated watersheds than in the control watersheds, but there was no treatment effect for rain events with larger return periods. Improper installation and degradation over time reduced the effectiveness of contour-felled log erosion barriers. Rainfall characteristics and installation procedures should be carefully considered before choosing contour-felled log erosion barriers for post-fire hillslope stabilisation.
Leptin Antagonizes Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ Signaling in Growth Plate Chondrocytes

Leptin is an obesity-associated cytokine-like hormone encoded by the ob gene. Recent studies reveal that leptin promotes proliferation and differentiation of chondrocytes, suggesting a peripheral role of leptin in regulating growth plate function. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) is a transcriptional regulator of adipogenesis. Locally, PPARγ negatively regulates chondrogenic differentiation and terminal differentiation in the growth plate. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that leptin may suppress the inhibitory effects of PPARγ on growth plate chondrocytes. Chondrocytes were collected from distal femoral growth plates of newborn rats and were cultured in monolayer or cell pellets in the presence or absence of leptin and the PPARγ agonist ciglitazone. The results show that leptin attenuates the suppressive effects of PPARγ on chondrogenic differentiation and T3-mediated chondrocyte hypertrophy. Leptin treatment also leads to a mild downregulation of PPAR mRNA expression and a significant MAPK/ERK-dependent PPARγ phosphorylation at serine 112/82. Blocking MAPK/ERK function with PD98059 confirmed that leptin antagonizes PPARγ function in growth plate chondrocytes through the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway. Furthermore, leptin signaling in growth plate cells is also negatively modulated by activation of PPARγ, implying that these two signaling pathways are mutually regulated in growth plate chondrocytes.
Refractive Development in the "ROP Rat".

Although retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is clinically characterized by abnormal retinal vessels at the posterior pole of the eye, it is also commonly characterized by vascular abnormalities in the anterior segment, visual dysfunction which is based in retinal dysfunction, and, most commonly of all, arrested eye growth and high refractive error, particularly (and paradoxically) myopia. The oxygen-induced retinopathy rat model of ROP presents neurovascular outcomes similar to the human disease, although it is not yet known if the “ROP rat” also models the small-eyed myopia characteristic of ROP. In this study, magnetic resonance images (MRIs) of albino (Sprague-Dawley) and pigmented (Long-Evans) ROP rat eyes, and age- and strain-matched room-air-reared (RAR) controls, were examined. The positions and curvatures of the various optical media were measured and the refractive state (℞) of each eye estimated based on a previously published model. Even in adulthood (postnatal day 50), Sprague-Dawley and Long-Evans ROP rats were significantly myopic compared to strain-matched controls. The myopia in the Long-Evans ROP rats was more severe than in the Sprague-Dawley ROP rats, which also had significantly shorter axial lengths. These data reveal the ROP rat to be a novel and potentially informative approach to investigating physiological mechanisms in myopia in general and the myopia peculiar to ROP in particular.
Optimizing integrated-optics polarizers for maximum polarization isolation

Available technologies currently permit the construction of optical integrated polarizers employing accurate features with dimensions considerably smaller than the operation wavelength. These devices may have a relatively small number of grooves and rely on the wave-polarization dependence of the groove scattering to achieve their results. To achieve optimum performance (e.g., maximum polarization isolation) they must be modeled with an accuracy only possible through the use of rigorous vector diffraction theory. One such technique is applied to analyze and design perfectly conducting polarizers with finite number of arbitrarily-shaped features. The currents flowing on the grooves' surfaces are rigorously obtained, and from them the scattered field is determined. As an application example, the dimensions of the first and last grooves of a 20-triangular-grooves polarizer, operating at 1 /spl mu/m wavelength, are optimized to yield a polarization isolation of 57 dB.
Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of the SGLT2 Inhibitor Remogliflozin Etabonate in Subjects with Mild and Moderate Renal Impairment

Remogliflozin etabonate (RE), the prodrug of remogliflozin, is an inhibitor of the sodium glucose-dependent renal transporter 2 (SGLT2), enabling urinary glucose excretion to reduce hyperglycemia for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Renal function declines more rapidly in patients with type 2 diabetes, making it difficult or unsafe to continue on some antidiabetic therapeutics. In an initial effort to understand the potential utility of RE in patients with renal impairment, the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of RE were evaluated in a single oral dose (250 mg) in patients with renal impairment as compared with control subjects. As shown by pharmacodynamic measurements of urinary glucose excretion, there was no clinically significant reduction in the ability of remogliflozin to inhibit SGLT2. In addition, there were no significant changes in area under the curve (from 0 to infinity) or half-life of remogliflozin, suggesting renal impairment does not alter the pharmacokinetics of remogliflozin. In contrast to other SGLT2 inhibitors which accumulate in patients with renal impairment, adjustment of the dosage of RE in subjects with mild or moderate renal impairment is not indicated based on the observations in this study.
Quantifying Vegetation Change by Point Sampling Landscape Photography Time Series

Quantitative assessment of vegetation change is often conducted by digitally analyzing time series of aerial or vertical photography. Change analysis conducted using repeated oblique or landscape photography, however, has been limited to qualitative assessments. The purpose of this study was to develop sampling and analysis techniques for using a time series of digitized landscape photography to quantify vegetation change on rangeland landscapes. Digital images were created from black-and-white landscape photographs acquired in 1917, 1962, and 2000 near Whiskey Mountain in the Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed of southwestern Idaho. Images were spatially registered to each other using control points and a polynomial transformation algorithm. Thirty random pixels along each of 30 random image lines were selected as point samples (n = 900) from within each image. The landscape feature represented in each selected pixel was classified into 1 of 15 cover types. Cover-type classification accuracy for the 2000 image was estimated to be 92.2% based on ground-truth data collected in the field. Classification accuracy was increased to 98.9% by combining rare or poorly separable cover-type classes. Image cover of vegetation cover types was quantified for each photography acquisition date. Changes in image cover of each cover type and direction of cover-type conversions were determined for each intervening time period. Analysis of image cover using repeated landscape photography is constrained by limitations imposed by oblique view angles and variable image quality. Repeat landscape photography, however, can be used to quantitatively assess long-term dynamics of vegetation cover on rangeland landscapes with visually distinct vegetation types.
Stress, Learned Helplessness, and Brain Interleukin-1β

Similarities between the behavioral, endocrine, and neurochemical sequelae of exposure to psychological stressors and agents that activate peripheral immune cells (viruses, lipopolysaccharide, arthritis inducing agents, etc.) have often been noted (Dunn, 1993). Central cytokines such as IL-1β play an important role in mediating many of these responses that follow immune activation, and the purpose of the present chapter is to summarize work that is directed at determining whether central cytokines also play a role in mediating the consequences of exposure to stressors. In addition, there will be a focus on whether central cytokines are involved in the production of a particular stress-related phenomenon, learned helplessness.
Why Prolixity Does Not Produce Clarity: Francis Lieber on Plain Language

This article in the Scribes Journal of Legal Writing uses writings of the early 19th-century law scholar Francis Lieber to illustrate why multiplying words tends to obscure rather than clarify the meaning of legal writings. Description is inherently ambiguous because of the unique perspective of every writer and reader. More words tends to inject greater uncertainty rather than clarifying meanings.
Bone Regeneration and Repair: Biology and Clinical Applications

Jay R. Lieberman and Gary E. Friedlaender, editors. Totowa, NJ: Humana Press; 2005. 398 pages. $175.00 . After years of hearing predictions that orthopaedic surgeons will soon be regenerating skeletal tissue, we now find ourselves firmly entrenched in the twenty-first century, the age when these promises are supposed to be fulfilled. By unlocking the secrets of bone's unique ability to regenerate itself without the formation of scar, clinicians and scientists have acquired new tools to enhance the regeneration and repair of bone in clinical settings. Bone Regeneration and Repair: Biology and Clinical Applications is a comprehensive yet concise compilation of information summarizing all of the key strategies currently aimed at achieving the goals of regeneration and repair. This neatly bound, attractive book contains eighteen chapters and covers the essential topics that fall under the banner of its title. The list of authors names most of the experts in the field (myself included—please forgive the lack of humility) and the text manages to provide an overview of important information in less than 400 pages. For the most part, the quality of the figures is good, although some …
Estrogen receptor-alpha as a predictive biomarker in endometrioid endometrial cancer

Abstract Background We sought to validate the prognostic significance of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) expression and to investigate the relationship between ESR1 mutation status and outcomes in a large cohort of patients with endometrial cancer. We also investigated the predictive value of ERα for lymph node involvement in a large surgically staged cohort. Methods A tumor microarray (TMA) was constructed including only pure endometrioid adenocarcinomas, stained with ER50 monoclonal antibody, and assessed using digital image analysis. For mutation analysis, somatic DNA was extracted and sequenced for ESR1 gene hotspot regions. Differences in patient and tumor characteristics, recurrence and survival between ERα positive and negative, mutated and wild-type tumors were evaluated. Results Sixty (18.6%) tumors were negative for ERα. Absence of ERα was significantly associated with stage and grade, but not with disease-free or overall survival. ERα was a strong predictor of lymph node involvement (RR: 2.37, 95% CI: 1.12–5.02). Nineteen of 1034 tumors (1.8%) had an ESR1 hotspot mutation; twelve in hotspot 537Y, four in 538D and three in 536L. Patients with an ESR1 mutation had a significantly lower BMI, but were comparable in age, stage and grade, and progression-free survival. Conclusion Patients with ERα negative endometrioid endometrial cancer are more often diagnosed with higher grade and advanced stage disease. Lymph node involvement is more common with lack of ERα expression, and may be able to help triage which patients should undergo lymphadenectomy. Mutations in ESR1 might explain why some low risk women with low BMI develop endometrial cancer.
Rapid, sensitive micro blood lead analysis: a mass screening technique for lead poisoning.

A rapid micro blood lead method is described. Analyses were performed on 20-microL blood samples spotted on filter paper, collected in graduated heparinized capillary glass tubes following finger pricks. The samples were air dried on filter paper and mailed to the laboratory in glassine envelopes. These samples stored on filter paper are stable for at least six months. The blood spots were punched out with a 1/4-in. diameter hole punch and placed in Delves cups for insertion into the flame atomic absorption spectrometer. The innovation of this method is that an ashing step precedes sample introduction into the flame. In phase 1, the Delves cup with the blood sample is pushed 1 cm from the flame. The heat is sufficient for the filter paper to ignite and burn to completion in seconds. After the smoke dissipates, the samples are introduced into the flame for lead analysis, reading the signal at 283.3 nm. The entire analysis time is 15 s per sample. The limit of quantitation is 4 micrograms/dL of lead. Standard curves were linear from 4-42 micrograms/dL. The average CV for this range is 8.2%. The comparative study between the MIBK extraction method and this method yielded a correlation coefficient r = .99 (n = 55). The method is fast, practical, economical, and easily adaptable to screen large numbers of micro lead samples.
Disease Incidence in Soybean Loopers Collected by Two Sampling Methods

Soybean loopers, Pseudoplusia includens (Walker), were collected at approximately weekly intervals by 2 sampling methods, and disease incidence was compared. Infection by Entomophthora gammae (Weiser) was consistently and significantly higher in samples collected by sweep-net than in those collected using the plant-shake method. Infection by Nomuraea rileyi (Parlow) Samson was not significantly different in the 2 types of samples.
On the Combination between STS Studies and the Construction of Socialist Theoretical System

Under the circumstances that modern science and technology have become the first productive force,STS studies assume the new exploration of relations between socialist social productive force and productive relations,between economic basis and superstructure.The aim of such studies is to clarify the features of socialist productive force,specify the features of socialist productive relations,and bring to light the duality of the characteristic of the so-called socialist preliminary stage,that is,all in all,to enhance the construction of socialist theoretical system.Meanwhile,through the combination between STS studies and the construction of socialist theoretical system,it is hoped to solve the problems in the current STS studies regarding its lack of nucleus,lack of orientation,disorderliness and its having been marginalized.Above all,it is to upgrade the influence and competitiveness of STS studies and accelerate the construction of theoretical guiding principles of STS studies with Chinese characteristics.
Quantitative Bead-Based Flow Cytometry for Assaying Rab7 GTPase Interaction with the Rab-Interacting Lysosomal Protein (RILP) Effector Protein

Rab7 facilitates vesicular transport and delivery from early endosomes to late endosomes as well as from late endosomes to lysosomes. The role of Rab7 in vesicular transport is dependent on its interactions with effector proteins, among them Rab-interacting lysosomal protein (RILP), which aids in the recruitment of active Rab7 (GTP-bound) onto dynein-dynactin motor complexes to facilitate late endosomal transport on the cytoskeleton. Here we detail a novel bead-based flow cytometry assay to measure Rab7 interaction with the Rab-interacting lysosomal protein (RILP) effector protein and demonstrate its utility for quantitative assessment and studying drug-target interactions. The specific binding of GTP-bound Rab7 to RILP is readily demonstrated and shown to be dose-dependent and saturable enabling K d and B max determinations. Furthermore, binding is nearly instantaneous and temperature-dependent. In a novel application of the assay method, a competitive small molecule inhibitor of Rab7 nucleotide binding (CID 1067700 or ML282) is shown to inhibit the Rab7-RILP interaction. Thus, the assay is able to distinguish that the small molecule, rather than incurring the active conformation, instead 'locks' the GTPase in the inactive conformation. Together, this work demonstrates the utility of using a flow cytometry assay to quantitatively characterize protein-protein interactions involving small GTPases and which has been adapted to high-throughput screening. Further, the method provides a platform for testing small molecule effects on protein-protein interactions, which can be relevant to drug discovery and development.
Mechanism of antineuroblastoma activity of deferoxamine in vitro

Deferoxamine previously has been shown to have potent activity in vitro against human neuroblastoma cells, activity that results from its ability to chelate iron. To further understand the mechanism of deferoxamine-induced cytotoxicity, we looked at its effects on cell cycling and on DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis by CHP 126, a cell line that is derived from tumor tissue of a patient with a neuroblastoma and that is known to be drug sensitive. After 24 hours of exposure to 60 mumol/L deferoxamine, there was a 35% increase in the percent of cells in the nonproliferating and prereplicative phases of the cell cycle and a corresponding decrease in the percent of cells in the DNA synthesis, postreplicative, and mitotic phases of the cell cycle, results that are consistent with a block of cell cycle progression at the early DNA synthesis phase. The inhibitory effects of deferoxamine on DNA synthesis were confirmed by demonstration of a 60% decrease in thymidine incorporation into DNA in short-term cultures of CHP 126. Effects on RNA and protein synthesis were minimal. Equivalent effects on growth were seen by using several chelators that interact with different iron pools, suggesting that both intracellular and extracellular iron are required for growth of neuroblastoma cells.
Tight monolayers of rat alveolar epithelial cells: bioelectric properties and active sodium transport

Because the pulmonary alveolar epithelium separates air spaces from a fluid-filled compartment, it is expected that this barrier would be highly resistant to the flow of solutes and water. Investigation of alveolar epithelial resistance has been limited due to the complex anatomy of adult mammalian lung. Previous efforts to study isolated alveolar epithelium cultured on porous substrata yielded leaky monolayers. In this study, alveolar epithelial cells isolated from rat lungs and grown on tissue culture-treated Nucleopore filters resulted in tight monolayers with transepithelial resistance greater than 2,000 omega.cm2. Changes in bioelectric properties of these alveolar epithelial monolayers in response to ouabain, amiloride, and terbutaline are consistent with active sodium transport across a polarized barrier. 22Na flux measurements under short-circuit conditions directly confirm net transepithelial absorption of sodium by alveolar epithelial cells in the apical to basolateral direction, comparable to the observed short-circuit current (4.37 microA/cm2). The transport properties of these tight monolayers may be representative of the characteristics of the mammalian alveolar epithelial barrier in vivo.
Functional Dissociation of T Cell Sites; Immunogenic, Antigenic and Pathogenic Sites

Experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) is a CD4+ T-cell mediated autoimmune disease induced by S-antigen, a retinal photoreceptor cell protein. In order to identify T cell recognition sites responsible for pathogenicity, cyanogen bromide fragments and synthetic peptides were used to test uveitogenic T cell lines prepared against native S-antigen. Two non-overlapping synthetic peptides known to actively induce EAU did not induce proliferative responses in these T cell lines. In contrast, an adjacent synthetic peptide which was unable to actively induce EAU elicited strong proliferative responses from the T cell lines and gave rise to a uveitogenic line. Our results indicate that spatially distinct T cell epitopes are present in S-antigen which are responsible for the active induction of EAU, lymphocyte proliferation, and the ability to adoptively transfer EAU.
The Thr-His Connection on the Distal Heme of Catalase-Related Hemoproteins: A Hallmark of Reaction with Fatty Acid Hydroperoxides.

This review focuses on a group of heme peroxidases that retain the catalase fold in structure, yet show little or no reaction with hydrogen peroxide. Instead of having a role in oxidative defense, these enzymes are involved in secondary metabolite biosynthesis. The prototypical enzyme is catalase-related allene oxide synthase, an enzyme that converts a specific fatty acid hydroperoxide to the corresponding allene oxide (epoxide). Other catalase-related enzymes form allylic epoxides, aldehydes, or a bicyclobutane fatty acid. In all catalases (including these relatives), a His residue on the distal face of the heme is absolutely required for activity. Its immediate neighbor in sequence as well as in 3 D space is conserved as Val in true catalases and Thr in the fatty acid hydroperoxide-metabolizing enzymes. Thr–His on the distal face of the heme is critical in switching the substrate specificity from H2O2 to fatty acid hydroperoxide.
Letter to the editor: 'challenges and opportunities in the treatment of ventilator-associated pneumonia'.

In their review of hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated pneumonia (HAP and VAP) [1], Drs. Schreiber and Shorr dispute the recommendation in the 2016 guidelines for the management of hospital...
Use of Mass Spectrometric Vapor Analysis To Improve Canine Explosive Detection Efficiency

Canines remain the gold standard for explosives detection in many situations, and there is an ongoing desire for them to perform at the highest level. This goal requires canine training to be approached similarly to scientific sensor design. Developing a canine training regimen is made challenging by a lack of understanding of the canine’s odor environment, which is dynamic and typically contains multiple odorants. Existing methodology assumes that the handler’s intention is an adequate surrogate for actual knowledge of the odors cuing the canine, but canines are easily exposed to unintentional explosive odors through training material cross-contamination. A sensitive, real-time (∼1 s) vapor analysis mass spectrometer was developed to provide tools, techniques, and knowledge to better understand, train, and utilize canines. The instrument has a detection library of nine explosives and explosive-related materials consisting of 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT), 2,6-dinitrotoluene (2,6-DNT), 2,4,6-trinitrotoluen...
Work-Family Conflict: Differences across Generations and Life Cycle Stages

Work-family conflict is a pervasive phenomenon that has documented negative consequences, yet little empirical evidence has examined how it varies by generational cohort or life cycle stage. The pr...
The nutrition of the human meniscus: A computational analysis investigating the effect of vascular recession on tissue homeostasis

The meniscus is essential to the functioning of the knee, offering load support, congruency, lubrication, and protection to the underlying cartilage. Meniscus degeneration affects ∼35% of the population, and potentially leads to knee osteoarthritis. The etiology of meniscal degeneration remains to be elucidated, although many factors have been considered. However, the role of nutritional supply to meniscus cells in the pathogenesis of meniscus degeneration has been so far overlooked. Nutrients are delivered to meniscal cells through the surrounding synovial fluid and the blood vessels present in the outer region of the meniscus. During maturation, vascularization progressively recedes up to the outer 10% of the tissue, leaving the majority avascular. It has been hypothesized that vascular recession might significantly reduce the nutrient supply to cells, thus contributing to meniscus degeneration. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of vascular recession on nutrient levels available to meniscus cells. This was done by developing a novel computational model for meniscus homeostasis based on mixture theory. It was found that transvascular transport of nutrients in the vascularized region of the meniscus contributes to more than 40% of the glucose content in the core of the tissue. However, vascular recession does not significantly alter nutrient levels in the meniscus, reducing at most 5% of the nutrient content in the central portion of the tissue. Therefore, our analysis suggests that reduced vascularity is not likely a primary initiating source in tissue degeneration. However, it does feasibly play a key role in inability for self-repair, as seen clinically.
Platelet-Activating Factor Receptor

The platelet-activating factor receptor (PAFR) is a G-protein-coupled seven-transmembrane spanning receptor involved in both normal physiological and numerous pathophysiological processes. Stimulation of the receptor via binding of the lipid molecule, PAF, elicits diverse and potent biological activities and plays a profound role in acute inflammation, allergic disorders, endotoxic shock, and anaphylaxis. The PAFR gene, located on chromosome 1, produces two PAFR transcripts with unique cellular and tissue distributions. Regulation of PAFR signaling results from varying the rates of synthesis and degradation of PAF, altering receptor expression levels, receptor internalization, and desensitization of the receptor.
The Effects of Multimedia Content Design Modalities on Students’ Motivation and Achievement in History

This study examined the effects of different multimedia design modalities on middle-school students’ motivation and achievement in history and also sought to determine whether an interaction effect...
Renewing the Historic Quest for Socialism

This chapter reflects on the meaning of justice, democracy, and sustainability. It formulates the twelve characteristics of socialism, based on observation of real socialism in Russia, China, Vietnam, Cuba, Chile, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Bolivia, and Ecuador. The most important characteristic is the taking of power by the people. Other characteristics include commitment to basic principles: the sovereignty of nations, cooperation among nations, solidarity among peoples, the social and economic rights of all persons, gender equality, and protection of the environment. Nationalization has been an important strategy, but socialist nations have developed various forms of property, always with a strong role of the state in the development of the economy. This chapter discusses the possibility of popular democratic socialist revolutions in the nations of the North.
Three Methods of Solution

The search for a general method to solve problems in mechanics is a worthy endeavor; but the experience of two centuries shows that there is no such thing as a universal recipe, in particular now, when chaos has been recognized as an inevitable and even typical occurrence. The three methods to be discussed have each their advantages over the other two: Lagrange’s variation of the constants provides a direct interpretation of the underlying physics; canonical transformations deal effectively with systems that are assumed to be integrable; Hill’s method explores the neighborhood of an isolated periodic orbit. The emphasis is on the last because it is the least known and perhaps the best for understanding a limited portion of phase space. The example of the Moon’s motion not only provides the first detailed application, but also gives a vivid picture of the ideas behind the mathematical formalism.
Science in Places of Grandeur: Communication and Engagement in National Parks

The USA has set aside over 400 national parks and other protected areas to be managed by the National Park Service (NPS). Collectively, these sites attract over 300 million visits per year which makes the NPS one of the largest informal education institutions in the country. Because the NPS supports and facilitates scientific studies in parks, the national park system provides abundant opportunity for biologists and other scientists to engage global audiences in learning, exploring, and even conducting science. Those opportunities are best pursued through collaborations among scientists and the professional communication staff (interpreters, educators, media specialists, etc.) of parks and their partner organizations. This article describes unique opportunities and rationale for such collaborations, presents several examples that highlight the range of activities and lessons drawn from them, and invites scientists to conduct studies in parks and bring their science into the public eye.
Equilibrium analysis of asset prices: Lessons from CIR and APT

The Cox, Ingersoll, and Ross (CIR) model proposed a framework for asset pricing in general equilibrium, introducing an explicit description of the macroeconomy into a model of financial markets. The research program started by CIR has been influential and remains highly relevant. In this article, the two authors, both doctoral students of Professor Stephen Ross and one later his colleague at MIT, summarize how the seminal contribution of CIR has seeded their own academic work, with a particular focus on equilibrium analysis of cross-sectional patterns in stock returns.
Tibetan translocalities: navigating urban opportunities and new ways of belonging in Tibetan pastoral communities in China

Urban development in Tibetan areas of China lags behind that of other non-coastal, rural areas and occurs at a significantly smaller scale due to remote and mountainous terrain and a lower populati...
An interview with Richard Schechner on the 50th anniversary of Dionysus in 69

On 6 June 1968, Dionysus in 69, an adaptation of Euripides’ The Bacchae, opened in a small converted factory – renamed the Performing Garage – on Wooster Street in lower Manhattan, in a neighbourho...
Conditions of the Foot and Ankle

Foot and ankle conditions are common causes of chronic pain and can significantly impact patients’ lives. Presented here is information on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of some common conditions of the foot and ankle.
Intrauterine position and adjacent fetal sex affects fetal and placental growth throughout gestation, but not embryonic viability, in pigs selected for component traits of litter size.

Abstract Intrauterine position and sex of adjacent fetuses in litter bearing species have been implicated in physiological and behavioral differences of offspring. The effects of uterine position and sex status of flanking fetuses with crowded uterine conditions on fetal and placental growth rate was tested. Gilts were unilaterally hysterectomized-ovariectomized at 160 d of age and mated at approximately 280 d of age, with fetal harvest at 45, 65, 85, or 105 d of gestation. Uterine position relative to the cervix, fetal status (alive, dead, sex), fetal weight, and placental weight were recorded at harvest. Each fetus was coded as adjacent to 0, 1, or 2 opposite sex fetuses and analyzed using an ANOVA fitting contemporary group, line, and flanking fetal sex code as fixed effects with sire as a random effect. The fraction of live fetuses in each classification (0, 1, 2) was 26.4%, 50.1%, and 23.4%, respectively, indicating no effect on fetal survival. Fetal weight was affected by flanking sex status between 65 d (P
Race and delays in breast cancer treatment across the care continuum in the Carolina Breast Cancer Study

Background After controlling for baseline disease factors, researchers have found that black women have worse breast cancer survival, and this suggests that treatment differences may contribute to poorer outcomes. Delays in initiating and completing treatment are one proposed mechanism. Methods Phase 3 of the Carolina Breast Cancer Study involved a large, population-based cohort of women with incident breast cancer. For this analysis, we included black women (n = 1328) and white women (n = 1331) with stage I to III disease whose treatment included surgery with or without adjuvant therapies. A novel treatment pathway grouping was used to benchmark the treatment duration (surgery only, surgery plus chemotherapy, surgery plus radiation, or all 3). Models controlled for the treatment pathway, age, and tumor characteristics and for demographic factors related to health care access. Exploratory analyses of the association between delays and cancer recurrence were performed. Results In fully adjusted analyses, blacks had 1.73 times higher odds of treatment initiation more than 60 days after their diagnosis in comparison with whites (odds ratio [OR], 1.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-2.90). Black race was also associated with a longer treatment duration. Blacks were also more likely to be in the highest quartile of treatment duration (OR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.41-2.02), even after adjustments for demographic and tumor characteristics (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.04-1.64). A nonsignificant trend toward a higher recurrence risk was observed for patients with delayed initiation (hazard ratio, 1.44; 95% CI, 0.89-2.33) or the longest duration (hazard ratio, 1.17; 95% CI, 0.87-1.59). Conclusions Black women more often had delayed treatment initiation and a longer duration than whites receiving similar treatment. Interventions that target access barriers may be needed to improve timely delivery of care.
Characterization of L-amino Acid Oxidase Derived from Crotalus adamanteus Venom: Procoagulant and Anticoagulant Activities

Snake venom enzymes of the L-amino acid oxidase (LAAO) class are responsible for tissue hemorrhage, edema, and derangement of platelet function. However, what role, if any, these flavoenzymes play in altering plasmatic coagulation have not been well defined. Using coagulation kinetomic analyses (thrombelastograph-based), it was determined that the LAAO derived from Crotalus adamanteus venom displayed a procoagulant activity associated with weak clot strength (no factor XIII activation) similar to thrombin-like enzymes. The procoagulant activity was not modified in the presence of reduced glutathione, demonstrating that the procoagulant activity was likely due to deamination, and not hydrogen peroxide generation by the LAAO. Further, unlike the raw venom of the same species, the purified LAAO was not inhibited by carbon monoxide releasing molecule-2 (CORM-2). Lastly, exposure of the enzyme to phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) resulted in the LAAO expressing anticoagulant activity, preventing contact activation generated thrombin from forming a clot. In sum, this investigation for the first time characterized the LAAO of a snake venom as both a fibrinogen polymerizing and an anticoagulant enzyme acting via oxidative deamination and not proteolysis as is the case with thrombin-like enzymes (e.g., serine proteases). Using this thrombelastographic approach, future investigation of purified enzymes can define their biochemical nature.
Beyond individual intelligence tests: Application of Cattell-Horn-Carroll Theory

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the applicability of Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory across six intelligence tests to better understand the cognitive abilities at a broad construct level, as opposed to narrow test level. Nearly 4000 youth aged 6 to 18 were drawn from seven tests' standardization and linking samples and missing data techniques were used to complete cross-battery analyses. Cross-battery confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated support for a CHC model when the Differential Abilities Scale, Second Edition, Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Editions, and Woodcock–Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities were analyzed simultaneously. All but one of the 66 subtests mapped on the CHC broad abilities in accordance with prior CHC classifications. Results also indicated overall intelligence (g) and fluid reasoning (Gf) were statistically indistinguishable. Findings provide further support that the CHC taxonomy is useful for intelligence test classification, interpretation, and development.
Ultrafast light-induced magnetism and non-reciprocity in plasmonic Au nanoparticles (Conference Presentation)

We report the first experimental quantification of optically induced magnetization in plasmonic Au nanoparticles due to the inverse Faraday effect (IFE). The induced magnetic moment is large under typical ultrafast pulse excitation and can easily exceed the magnetic moment in comparably sized magnetic nanoparticles by more than order of magnitude. Furthermore, the magnetization and demagnetization kinetics are instantaneous within a sub-picosecond timescale, supporting a mechanism of coherent transfer of angular momentum from the optical field to the electron gas. Our results open the door to all-optical sub-wavelength strategies for optical isolation that do not require externally applied magnetic fields.
Identification of Somatosensory Compounds Contributing to Slipperiness and Thickness Perceptions in Canned Prunes (Prunus domestica).

The role of small molecules on the somatosensory properties of prunes (Prunus domestica) was investigated. Sensory descriptive analysis defined two main somatosensations, “thickness” and “slippery”...
Determining the source of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a healthcare worker

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic and are at risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection from their interactions with patients and in the community. Limited availability of recommended personal protective equipment (PPE), in particular N95 respirators, has fueled concerns about whether HCWs are adequately protected from exposure while caring for patients. Understanding the source of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a HCW - the community or the healthcare system - is critical for understanding the effectiveness of hospital infection control and PPE practices. In Dane County, Wisconsin, community prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 is relatively low (cumulative prevalence of ~0.06% - positive cases / total population in Dane county as of April 17). Although SARS-CoV-2 infections in HCWs are often presumed to be acquired during the course of patient care, there are few reports unambiguously identifying the source of acquisition. The objective of this brief report was to determine the source of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in a healthcare worker.
Multiphoton Microscopic Study of the Renal Cell Carcinoma Pseudocapsule: Implications for Tumour Enucleation.

Abstract OBJECTIVE To utilize Multiphoton Microscopy (MPM) as a novel imaging technique to characterize and quantify collagen at the Renal Cell Carcinoma Pseudocapsule, to assess for both intra-tumoral and inter-tumoral variation of collagen characteristics. MPM combines Second Harmonic Generation and Two Photon Excitation Fluorescence to image extracellular matrix architecture. METHODS Twenty partial nephrectomy specimen tissues were retrieved, cut into 5-micron sections, mounted on slides and deparaffinized. The pseudocapsules (PCs) were imaged with 2X and 20X objective at selected Regions of Interest. Corresponding clinical information was retrieved. PC thickness was determined. Collagen parameters measured included quantification by the Collagen Area Ratio, and qualitative measurements by the Collagen Fiber Density and Collagen Reticulation Index. RESULTS The boundaries between tumor, PC and normal renal parenchyma were distinguished by MPM without need for staining. In the thickest areas of the PC, collagen content and density were quantitatively higher compared to the thinnest areas. Median Collagen Area Ratio was higher in the thickest compared to the thinnest areas of the PC (P = .01). Clear Cell RCC specimens had a consistently higher Collagen Fiber Density in both the thickest and thinnest areas compared to non-Clear Cell RCC specimens (P = .02). CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated the ability of MPM to quantify collagen characteristics of PCs without fluorescent labeling. Tumor enucleation for Renal Cell Carcinoma along its PC remains debatable with regards to oncological safety. Even with a complete and intact PC, the PC is not a homogenous structure, and varies in its thickness and its collagen characteristics within, and between tumors.
One Bullet Causing Five Holes, Laparoscopic Exploration with Repair: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Introduction The proper treatment of penetrating abdominal wounds has been a controversial topic, and the preferred regimen has evolved over time. In recent years, many trauma centers have started using diagnostic laparoscopy in stable trauma patients in an effort to reduce the incidence of nontherapeutic laparotomy. This is more commonly seen in solid organ injuries, and its role is less clearly defined for hollow visceral injuries. Case Presentation. A 19-year-old male presented with a gunshot wound (GSW) to the abdomen with mild peritoneal signs and computed tomography (CT) findings. Diagnostic laparoscopy was performed with the repair of five lacerations to intra-abdominal organs including the sigmoid colon, rectum, bladder, and small bowel. Discussion. To our knowledge, this is the first case report in the literature detailing such a GSW repair. Abdominal GSWs have been repaired laparoscopically in the past, but none have elaborated on the repair of multiple defects of bowel and/or bladder. Conclusion Therapeutic laparoscopy can be considered in selected cases of penetrating abdominal trauma. Laparoscopy offers several advantages over laparotomy including decreased mortality, complication rate, and length of stay.
Probiotics for Preterm Infants: Which One(s) to Choose?

* Abbreviations: NEC — : necrotizing enterocolitis NMA — : network meta-analysis SUCRA — : surface under the cumulative ranking curve Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and sepsis are major causes of mortality among preterm infants.1,2 Microbial dysbiosis or imbalance in the preterm gut may predispose to NEC, and optimizing the gut microbiome with probiotics is a promising strategy to prevent NEC.3 Multiple previous meta-analyses have reported that enteral supplementation with probiotics, compared to placebo, reduces the risks of NEC, sepsis, and mortality.4 Prebiotics, which support the growth or activity of beneficial bacteria, may also reduce the risks of sepsis and mortality.5 However, there is uncertainty regarding the relative efficacy of different types of probiotics, prebiotics, or synbiotics (combinations of the 2) in preventing morbidity or mortality in preterm infants. In this issue of Pediatrics , Chi et al6 present a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) evaluating the effects of probiotics and synbiotics in preterm infants. The protocol for the systematic review was preregistered, and trials in which authors evaluated both probiotics and synbiotics in preterm infants were searched. The primary outcomes were all-cause mortality and NEC. An NMA was performed … Address correspondence to Ravi Mangal Patel, MD, MSc, Emory Children’s Center, 2015 Uppergate Dr NE, Atlanta, GA 30322. E-mail: rmpatel{at}emory.edu
Active scour monitoring using ultrasonic time-domain reflectometry to detect a soil interface

Local scour is arguably the most pressing issue regarding the safety and longevity of overwater civil infrastructure. Many modern scour detection techniques do not provide continuous scour depth measurements, nor can they function under extreme flow conditions, which is when scour monitoring becomes most critical. Thus, the objective of this study was to develop scour depth monitoring sensors using ultrasonic time domain reflectometry (UTDR). The scour sensor was based on an aluminum strip with two piezoelectric macro fiber composites (MFCs) bonded at one end. The aluminum strip or rod-like sensor is intended to be driven and buried at the location where scour depth measurements are desired. The two MFCs were used to either generate or sense ultrasonic Lamb wave pulses propagating in the aluminum strip. During scour, as sediment is eroded from around the base of the strip, the distance (i.e., scour depth) between the MFCs and the soil interface would increase. The hypothesis was that increasing scour depth would change the mechanical impedance of the system to cause measurable and unique signatures in the residual Lamb wave signals. To test this hypothesis, different interfaces (i.e., metal-metal, polymer-metal, and soil-metal) were applied at different locations along the aluminum strip and MFC system. The MFC sensor-actuator pair was actuated to propagate and measure the corresponding Lamb waves during each test. The results showed clear changes in the residual signal, which were well-correlated to the changing locations of the artificial interface. In particular, the time-of-flight of the response pulse within the residual signature could be used to accurately determine the location of the soil interface or scour depth. Overall, this study demonstrated feasibility of an UTDR sensor for scour monitoring.
Political ideology moderates consumer response to brand crisis apologies for data breaches

Abstract Many firms unfortunately experience data breaches in which personal records information are accessed by external agents without firms' and consumers' consent. To improve customer relationships and re-build equity, it is important for brands to apologize, and many do. In the current inquiry, we study how consumers' political ideology moderates their brand trust and purchase intentions after brands apologize for a data breach. In two experimental studies, we report that an apology for a data breach has little sway in conservatives' (vs. liberals') brand trust (Study 1) and purchase intentions (Study 2). The explanation is that conservatives (liberals) have entity (incremental) beliefs, so they see firms as unlikely to change even after an apology or statement of how they intend to mitigate future data breaches. Although our context is on data breaches and how consumers with different political ideologies consider privacy breaches of personal data, we are also the first to examine how consumers respond to a brand crisis apology based on their political ideology. Consequently, understanding who a firm's consumers are in terms of their ideological makeup is crucial in predicting the effectiveness of an apology for data breaches in order to restore brand equity.
Closing the Gap: The Effect of Reducing Complexity and Uncertainty in College Pricing on the Choices of Low-Income Students

High-achieving, low-income students attend selective colleges at far lower rates than upper-income students with similar achievement. Behavioral biases, intensified by complexity and uncertainty in the admissions and aid process, may explain this gap. In a large-scale experiment we test an early commitment of free tuition at a flagship university. The intervention did not increase aid: rather, students were guaranteed before application the same grant aid that they would qualify for in expectation if admitted. The offer substantially increased application (68 percent versus 26 percent) and enrollment rates (27 percent versus 12 percent). The results suggest that uncertainty, present bias, and loss aversion loom large in students' college decisions.