cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protease Activated Receptor-4 (PAR4) Uses Anionic Residues to Interact with α-Thrombin in the Absence or Presence of PAR1.

Thrombin activates protease activated receptor 1 (PAR1) faster than protease activated receptor 4 (PAR4) due to a hirudin-like sequence in the exodomain of PAR1 that binds thrombin’s exosite I. However, recombinant exodomain studies indicate that PAR4 does have extended contacts with α-thrombin that influence PAR4’s kinetics of cleavage. In the current report, the role of an anionic cluster (Asp 57 , Asp 59 , Glu 62 , Asp 65 ) in the exodomain of PAR4 is examined for its influence on cleavage and activation of PAR4 on cells in the absence or presence of PAR1. α-Thrombin induces wild type PAR4 (PAR4-wt) calcium flux with an EC 50 of 110 nM whereas mutation of the four anionic residues (PAR4-AAAA) increases the EC 50 to 641 nM. In contrast, PAR4-wt and PAR4-AAAA are activated by γ-thrombin with a similar EC 50 (588 nM and 449 nM, respectively, p = 0.48), indicating a role for α-thrombin’s exosite I in PAR4 activation. Coexpression of PAR1, lowered the EC 50 of cleavage 10 fold for both PAR4-wt from 321 to 26 nM and PAR4-AAAA from 2.2 μM to 360 nM, respectively. Individual point mutations at Asp 57 , Asp 59 , Glu 62 or Asp 65 show that PAR4-D57A is activated by α-thrombin with the same EC 50 as PAR4-wt (140 nM) whereas PAR4-D59A is the same as PAR4-AAAA (699 nM). Glu 62 and Asp 65 contribute to α-thrombin recognition, but to a lesser extent. The current report shows that PAR4 uses its anionic cluster to interact with α-thrombin and that this interaction is important even in the presence of PAR1.
Addressing Depression through Psychotherapy, Medication, or Social Change: An Empirical Investigation

Women are diagnosed with clinical depression at twice the rates as men. Treating depression through psychotherapy or medication both focus on changing an individual, rather than addressing socioecological influences or social roles. In the current study, participants read of systemic inequality contributing to differential rates of depression in either American men or women, or in two fictitious Australian First Nation groups. Participants then considered the acceptability and efficacy of treating depression through psychotherapy, medication, or social change. When socioecological inequities and unequal social roles were presented through an unfamiliar foreign lens, participants were more likely to recognize the systemic unfairness, and endorsed social change more than psychotherapy or medication as a treatment strategy. However, when identical social inequities and social roles were presented through descriptions of American men and women, social intervention was less likely to be endorsed, and psychotherapy or medication gained in acceptability. Participants of color were also more likely to recognize and endorse social change as a strategy for treating depression, while those reporting a history of psychotropic medication for affective disorders rated medication as more effective and acceptable.
Effects of stair task training on walking ability in stroke patients

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to determine the effect of stair task training on gait abilities by conducting stair task training. In this training, step training is applied in various directions with hemiplegia patients. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty-six patients with stroke were selected on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria, and they were randomly divided into eighteen patients in the experimental group and eighteen patients in the control group via draw. [Results] In this study, the Dartfish program was used to measure gait capabilities. Experiment group showed a statistically significant improvement in the swing phase time of the affected lower extremity compared to control group. [Conclusion] It was found that the stair task training group had effective results in the swing phase time of the affected lower extremity compared with the group that applied weight support on the affected lower extremity and balance training.
Physiological and Optical Alterations Precede the Appearance of Cataracts in Cx46fs380 Mice.

Purpose Cx46fs380 mice model a human autosomal-dominant cataract caused by a mutant lens connexin46, Cx46. Lenses from Cx46fs380 mice develop cataracts that are first observed at ∼2 months in homozygotes and at ≥4 months in heterozygotes. The present studies were conducted to determine whether Cx46fs380 mouse lenses exhibited abnormalities before there are detectable cataracts. Methods Lenses from wild-type and Cx46fs380 mice were studied at 1 to 3 months of age. Connexin levels were determined by immunoblotting. Gap junctional coupling was calculated from intracellular impedance studies of intact lenses. Optical quality and refractive properties were assessed by laser scanning and by photographing a 200-mesh electron microscopy grid through wild-type and Cx46fs380 mouse lenses. Results Connexin46 and connexin50 levels were severely reduced in mutant lenses. Gap junctional coupling was decreased in differentiating and mature fibers from Cx46fs380 lenses; in homozygotes, the mature fibers had no detectable coupling. Homozygous lenses were slightly smaller and had reduced focal lengths. Heterozygous and homozygous lenses significantly distorted the electron microscopy grid pattern as compared with wild-type lenses. Conclusions Before cataract appearance, Cx46fs380 lenses have decreased gap junctional conductance (at least in heterozygotes) and alterations in refractive properties (heterozygotes and homozygotes). The decreased focal distance of Cx46fs380 homozygous lenses is consistent with an increase in refractive index due to changes in cellular composition. These data suggest that Cx46fs380 lenses undergo a sequence of changes before the appearance of cataracts: low levels of connexins, decreased gap junction coupling, alterations in lens cell homeostasis, and changes in refractive index.
Intraoperative MRI (ioMRI) in the setting of awake craniotomies for supratentorial glioma resection.

Both awake craniotomy under conscious sedation and use of intraoperative MRI can increase the efficiency and safety of glioma resections. In contrast to craniotomies under general anesthesia, neurosurgery under conscious sedation requires several changes to the routine operative setup when performed in the ioMRI environment. This work reports our experience with awake craniotomies under conscious sedation using ioMRI.
Perspective Piece: Water Management for Smart Cities: Implications of Advances in Real-Time Sensing, Information Processing, and Algorithmic Controls

This Perspective Piece considers the implications of advances in technologies for sensing, and making sense of, information about aquatic ecosystems, not merely for ensuring compliance with mandates and metrics in existing permits and regulations, but also for incorporating “systems” thinking into regulatory and management regimes. It gives particular attention to the problems of cities — or more broadly, urbanized areas with dense human populations — where the socioeconomic system typically depends on various kinds of infrastructure and multiple administrative bodies to channel interactions between human and natural systems. Part I discusses some well-known obstacles that stand in the way of wisely coordinating urban activities with the dynamics of aquatic ecosystems, with a focus on the institutional barriers that prevent decision-makers from adequately perceiving and taking action based on important ecological information. Part II highlights aspects of recent technological advances that facilitate new efforts to overcome such obstacles. Enhanced sensing and monitoring capabilities, paired with advances in data analysis and visualization, sharpen ecological understanding and streamline adaptive responses. Finally, Part III discusses the promise and the perils of close dependence on smart technologies that include algorithms for automatically sensing, comprehending, and adjusting human activities, and it considers the implications of technological advances for structuring legal requirements.
Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: The Presence of Female Characters and Gender Stereotyping in Award-Winning Picture Books Between the 1930s and the 1960s

Since the late 1960s, there has been steady, progressive change in the depiction of gender in award-winning picture books for children (e.g., Clark, Almeida, Gurka, & Middleton, 2003). Female characters in Caldecott winners and runners-up have become increasingly visible and gender stereotyping has become decreasingly evident. In this article we consider whether this steady change can be projected back into the decades before the 1960s, or whether local, temporal variation in gender norms affected less monotonic change. We found that Caldecotts of the late 1940s and the late 1960s had fewer visible female characters than Caldecotts of the late 1930s and the late 1950s, but that characters in the 1940s and 1960s were less gender stereotyped than the characters of the 1930s and 1950s. We interpret these findings in terms of the greater level of conflict over gender roles that existed in the 1940s and 1960s, as well as the relatively greater status enjoyed by American women in those decades.
Governing the Safety and Security of the Malacca Strait: The Nippon Foundation between States and Industry

ABSTRACTDespite long-standing sovereignty sensitivities, the Malacca and Singapore Straits have been the site of co-operative governance and regime building. Of note is the 2007 Co-operative Mechan...
An ultrasensitive motif for robust closed loop control of biomolecular systems

We describe a molecular reaction network that can be used to achieve robust closed loop control in synthetic biology. The network relies on a motif that exhibits an ultrasensitive input-output mapping, and is therefore termed “Brink Controller”. Ultrasensitivity is achieved by combining molecular titration and an activation/deactivation cycle, and requires the presence of fast titration and switching rates, together with slow degradation rates. We propose to use two Brink Controllers in parallel to overcome a major limitation in traditional molecular feedback controllers: their inability to supply simultaneously positive and negative action on the system to be controlled. The Brink Controller motif can be used to achieve both regulatory functions, by simply swapping the inputs of the motif. We assess the effectiveness of the closed loop architecture with numerical simulations, and we suggest potential experimental realizations of the circuit.
Paraneoplastic Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder as Presentation of Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders are a group of relapsing, inflammatory, demyelinating neurologic syndromes involving the central nervous system associated with antibodies against aquaporin-4. Although most commonly an idiopathic autoimmune condition, neuromyelitis optica may occur as a paraneoplastic syndrome in rare instances. We report a case of transverse myelitis caused by paraneoplastic neuromyelitis optica as the presenting clinical syndrome in a patient with esophageal adenocarcinoma.
Durable Remains: Glass Reuse, Material Citizenship and Precarity in EU-era Bulgaria

Bulgarian Roma living in the capital city of Sofia rely on glass for EU-era survival becauseof its role in food-jarring practices and its ability to be repeatedly used and reused withoutbreaking down. The durability of glass emerges as a salient material quality for ensuringa means of preservation in the face of everyday economic precarity. Glass's durability ismaterial and temporal: temporal in that it transcends political and economic upheavals,and material in that, unlike plastic, metal and paper, glass does not naturally decomposeover time. Instead, it enables structurally disadvantaged urbanites, like the Roma, touse homegrown food packaging technologies in order to survive in the era of EU "free"markets, plastic packaging and neoliberal discardability. The temporal and materialdurability of glass juxtaposes the precarious circumstances of those most engagedwith its contemporary reuse for whom glass enables both survival and a form of EU-eramaterial citizenship. However, EU regulations focused on recycling fail to acknowledgethe widespread practice of glass reuse in Bulgaria. This paper analyzes how EU policy,recycling company officials and Romani and non-Romani Sofia residents reconfiguredurability through different temporal materialities - and practices - of recycling and reuse.
Path Integral Simulation of Long-Time Dynamics in Quantum Dissipative Systems

Feynman’s path integral approach to time-dependent quantum mechanics1 has found wide application in many areas of physics. Its most celebrated successes include situations where the effects of a dissipative environment on the system of interest can be adequately represented via a bath of harmonic oscillators. Due to its Gaussian character, the multidimensional bath can be integrated out,2 giving rise to reduced-dimension descriptions of the dynamics which in simple cases are amenable to a host of analytic approximations. Another major field where path integral ideas have proven extremely useful is quantum statistical mechanics.3 Expressing equilibrium averages of many-body systems in path integral form allows, after appropriate discretization, numerical evaluation via stochastic integration schemes.4 By contrast, the use of numerical methods to compute real-time path integral expressions of many-particle systems has not been met with success. The reason behind the failure of numerical schemes lies in the oscillatory nature of the quantum mechanical propagator which renders stochastic integration methods inappropriate.5
High quality three-dimensional (3D) shape measurement using intensity-optimized dithering technique

In past decades, there has been an upsurge in the development of three-dimensional (3D) shape measurement and its applications. Over the years, there are a variety of technologies developed including laser scanning, stereo vision, and structured light. Among these technologies, the structured-light technique has the advantages of fast computation speeds and high measurement resolution. Therefore, it has been extensively studied in this field of research. Nowadays, with the rapid development of digital devices, different kinds of patterns can be easily generated by a video projector. As a result, digital fringe projection (DFP), a variation of the structured light method, has had many applications owing to its speed and accuracy. Typically, for a DFP system, ideal sinusoidal fringe pattern projection is required for high accuracy 3D information retrieval. Since traditional DFP projects 8-bit sinusoidal fringe patterns, it suffers from some major limitations such as the speed limit (e.g., 120 Hz), the requirement for nonlinear gamma calibration, and the rigid synchronization requirement between the projector and the camera. To overcome these limitations, the binary defocusing technology was developed which projects 1-bit square binary pattern and generates ideal sinusoidal pattern through projector defocusing. In the past few years, the binary defocusing technique has shown great potential for many applications owing to its speed breakthroughs, nonlinear gamma calibration free and no rigid synchronization requirement between the camera and the projector. However, a typical square binary pattern suffers from some major limitations: (1) highorder harmonics, introduced by a square wave, which affect the accuracy of measurement, cannot be completely eliminated by projector defocusing; (2) a reduced measurement
Desmosomes and Hemidesmosomes

Desmosomes and hemidesmosomes are adhesive junctions important for maintaining adherence within epithelial tissues – a function reflected in the Greek root desmo , meaning bound. Desmosomes facilitate adhesion between adjacent epithelial cells, whereas hemidesmosomes, named for their ultrastructural resemblance to half a desmosome, mediate adhesion between basal cells of epithelial tissues and the substratum. These junctions are functionally alike in their ability to couple the intermediate filament cytoskeleton to sites of cell–cell or cell–substratum contact at the plasma membrane. However, these organelles differ dramatically in their molecular composition and specialized functions.
Magnetic susceptibility of iron-doped 2 H -Nb Se 2

The temperature dependence of the susceptibility in the range 1.3-300 K has been studied for $2H$-Nb${\mathrm{Se}}_{2}$ crystals intercalated with Fe for the concentration range 0 to 33 at.%. A Curie-Weiss behavior is observed at higher temperatures and a susceptibility maximum at lower temperatures. For Fe concentrations in the range 8 to 18 at.% a cusplike susceptibility maximum is observed in the temperature range 5 to 25 K. Above 18 at.% Fe the transition is reduced and smeared but becomes sharp again above 23 at.% as the long-range-ordered antiferromagnetic state is established. The dilute magnetic phase has been analyzed in terms of spin-glass behavior and the formation of a spin-density wave has also been examined. The susceptibility as a function of temperature follows the time correlation function defined for spin glasses rather well, but the susceptibility peak is magnetically stiffer than expected. The behavior is similar to that previously studied in $2H\ensuremath{-}{\mathrm{Fe}}_{x}\mathrm{Ta}{\mathrm{Se}}_{2}$, but the greater range of accessible Fe concentrations makes it possible to continuously follow the magnetic transition from dilute to concentrated alloys.
Assessment of surgeon experience with femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery.

Purpose To evaluate the collective user experience with an image-guided femtosecond laser (FSL) for cataract surgery in a high-volume, multi-surgeon, ambulatory surgical center. Subjects and methods A detailed online survey was distributed to all surgeons in a single ambulatory surgical center who had performed cataract surgery using a FSL since its acquisition in December 2012. Information collected included the number of cases performed, typical surgical techniques and parameters, satisfaction with individual features of the laser (rated on a scale from 1=completely unsatisfied to 10=extremely satisfied) and commentary on ease of use and suggested improvements. Results Seventeen of 30 surgeons (56.7%) completed the survey, representing a case volume of 1,967 eyes. Fourteen surgeons (82.4%) felt they required ≤10 cases with the FSL to operate with the same safety and control as in standard phacoemulsification surgery. Satisfaction was highest for capsulotomies, lens fragmentation, lens softening, arcuate incisions and the graphic user interface (mean scores 9.4, 8.7, 8.7, 7.2 and 8.9, respectively). Preferred capsulotomy diameter was 4.8-5.2 mm (64.7% of respondents). About half (52.9%) of respondents centered the capsulotomy on the pupil and the other 47.1% centered the capsulotomy using optical coherence tomography. Most respondents (81.3%) preferred transepithelial arcuate incisions compared to intrastromal incisions. Satisfaction was lowest with FSL-created, main, clear corneal incisions and paracenteses (mean scores 4.4 and 4.2, respectively). Conclusion Laser-assisted cataract surgery has a short learning curve and a high rate of user satisfaction. Further software and hardware development is warranted to improve user satisfaction with peripheral and clear corneal incisions.
Increasing living donation by implementing the Kidney Coach Program.

Candidates for living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) find it difficult to discuss living donation with people in their social network, and there is a lack of useful interventions to train them. The Kidney Coach Program (KCP) was developed to equip individuals (advocates for candidates and candidate themselves) with the tools needed to find potential donors. The purpose of this pilot study is to evaluate the effects of the KCP on increasing the number of people considering living donation. METHODS Candidates for the KCP were recruited. Data were collected on the number of live donor inquiries in the coach group compared to listed patients (historical controls). RESULTS Over a 12-month period, 20 transplant candidates enrolled in the KCP were compared to 50 controls. Eighty percent of the participants in the KCP had at least one donor inquiry compared to 38% of controls (P = 0.001). Significantly, more Caucasian candidates participated in the KCP compared to other racial groups. CONCLUSIONS The KCP can be an effective method to increase awareness of a patient's need for LDKT. Existing clinical staff successfully implemented the program. Transplant programs should provide training to candidates and their supports on effective ways to find a living donor.
Differences among regions in environmental predictors of primate community similarity affect conclusions about community assembly

Understanding why ecological communities contain the species they do is a long-standing question in ecology. Two common mechanisms that affect the species found within communities are dispersal limitation and environmental filtering. Correctly identifying the relative influences of these mechanisms has important consequences for our understanding of community assembly. Here variable selection was used to identify the environmental variables that best predict tropical forest primate community similarity in four biogeographic regions: the Neotropics, Afrotropics, Madagascar and the island of Borneo in South-East Asia. The environmental variables included net primary productivity and altitude, as well as multiple temperature, precipitation and topsoil variables. Using the best environmental variables in each region, Mantel and partial Mantel tests were used to reanalyse data from a previously published study. The proportion of variance explained increased for each region. Despite increases, much of the variation remained unexplained for all regions (R2: Africa = 0.45, South America = 0.16, Madagascar = 0.28, Borneo = 0.10), likely due to different evolutionary and biogeographic histories within each region. Nonetheless, substantial variation among regions in the environmental variables that best predicted primate community similarity were documented. For example, none of the 14 environmental variables was included for all four regions, yet each variable was included for at least one region. Contrary to prior results, environmental filtering was an important assembly mechanism for primate communities in tropical forests worldwide. Geographic distance more strongly predicted African and South American communities whereas environmental distance more strongly predicted Malagasy and Bornean communities. These results suggest that dispersal limitation structures primate communities more strongly than environmental filtering in Africa and in South America whereas environmental filtering structures primate communities more strongly than dispersal limitation in Madagascar and Borneo. For communities defined by genera, environmental distance more strongly predicted primate communities than geographic distance in all four regions, which suggests that environmental filtering is a more influential assembly mechanism at the genus level. Therefore, a more nuanced consideration of environmental variables affects conclusions about the influences of environmental filtering and dispersal limitation on primate community structure.
Artemisinin Biosynthesis in Non-glandular Trichome Cells of Artemisia annua.

Abstract Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) forms the first line of malaria treatment. However, the yield fluctuation of artemisinin has remained an unsolved problem in meeting the global demand for ACT. This problem is mainly caused by the glandular trichome (GT)-specific biosynthesis of artemisinin in all currently used Artemisia annua cultivars. Here, we report that non-GT cells of self-pollinated inbred A. annua plants can express the artemisinin biosynthetic pathway. Gene expression analysis demonstrated the transcription of six known pathway genes in GT-free leaves and calli of inbred A. annua plants. LC–qTOF–MS/MS analysis showed that these two types of GT-free materials produce artemisinin, artemisinic acid, and arteannuin B. Detailed IR-MALDESI image profiling revealed that these three metabolites and dihydroartemisinin are localized in non-GT cells of leaves of inbred A. annua plants. Moreover, we employed all the above approaches to examine artemisinin biosynthesis in the reported A. annua glandless (gl) mutant. The resulting data demonstrated that leaves of regenerated gl plantlets biosynthesize artemisinin. Collectively, these findings not only add new knowledge leading to a revision of the current dogma of artemisinin biosynthesis in A. annua but also may expedite innovation of novel metabolic engineering approaches for high and stable production of artemisinin in the future.
Rapid microwave-assisted biomass delignification and lignin depolymerization in deep eutectic solvents

Abstract Biomass deconstruction and lignin depolymerization was performed using three different deep eutectic solvents. Various temperature (110°, 130°, and 150 °C) and time (1, 5, 10, 15 min) conditions were tested in a 2450 MHz microwave reactor. Oxalic acid (130 °C, 15 min) and formic acid DES (150 °C, 15 min) gave the highest lignin yield. Microwave heating reduced the processing time significantly. NMR characterization shows that microwave heating promotes selective bond cleavage during lignin depolymerization and has a narrow molecular weight distribution compared to conventional heating techniques. Molecular dynamic simulations showed that certain lignin bonds are stretched under the electric field imparted during microwave irradiation, increasing its probability of breaking.
Introduction: Communal Forced Labor as a Mask of Tradition

During the colonial period in Africa, communal labor was a type of, so-called, “traditional” unpaid labor used in all of the colonies in Africa. It was not construed as forced labor but a remnant of tradition. Though justified as an innocuous vestige of African custom by the colonial administration and even the International Labour Organization, communal labor functioned in the various African colonies as merely another type of forced labor. This chapter introduces the reader to the core concepts surrounding the issue of communal labor in colonial Kenya and also situates this study of communal forced labor within the wider debates and trends in African labor history and colonial history.
Impact of spheroid culture on molecular and functional characteristics of bladder cancer cell lines

The three-dimensional cell culture system is an increasingly important technique for discovering new biological aspects of cancer cells. In the present study it was demonstrated that bladder cancer cell lines, RT4 and 5637, spontaneously formed round multicellular spheroids (MCSs) in suspension by the aggregation method. MCSs consisted of cells differentially expressing luminal/basal markers. Western blotting showed that PPARγ and forkhead box A1 (FOXA1)of luminal markers were expressed to a lesser extent in MCSs than in parental cells grown in two-dimensional (2D) adherent culture. Cells in MCSs in suspension proliferated less efficiently, and were more resistant to cisplatin (CDDP) and gemcitabine than parental cells grown in 2D culture. Culturing cell lines as MCSs in suspension is a notable platform to decipher alternative biological aspects of bladder cancer cells, which could not be unraveled by the conventional 2D adherent culture.
Breast Cancer 18F-ISO-1 Uptake as a Marker of Proliferation Status.

The σ2 receptor is a potential in vivo target for measuring proliferative status in cancer. The feasibility of using N-(4-(6,7-dimethoxy-3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-2(1H)-yl)butyl)-2-(2-18F-fluoroethoxy)-5-methylbenzamide (18F-ISO-1) to image solid tumors in lymphoma, breast cancer, and head and neck cancer has been previously established. Here, we report the results of the first dedicated clinical trial of 18F-ISO-1 in women with primary breast cancer. Our study objective was to determine whether 18F-ISO-1 PET could provide an in vivo measure of tumor proliferative status, and we hypothesized that uptake would correlate with a tissue-based assay of proliferation, namely Ki-67 expression. Methods: Twenty-eight women with 29 primary invasive breast cancers were prospectively enrolled in a clinical trial (NCT 02284919) between March 2015 and January 2017. Each received an injection of 278–527 MBq of 18F-ISO-1 and then underwent PET/CT imaging of the breasts 50–55 min later. In vivo uptake of 18F-ISO-1 was quantitated by SUVmax and distribution volume ratios and was compared with ex vivo immunohistochemistry for Ki-67. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests assessed uptake differences across Ki-67 thresholds, and Spearman correlation tested associations between uptake and Ki-67. Results: Tumor SUVmax (median, 2.0 g/mL; range, 1.3–3.3 g/mL), partial-volume–corrected SUVmax, and SUV ratios were tested against Ki-67. Tumors stratified into the high–Ki-67 (≥20%) group had SUVmax greater than the low–Ki-67 ( 0.05). Conclusion:18F-ISO-1 uptake in breast cancer modestly correlates with an in vitro assay of proliferation.
Ultra compact Bragg grating devices with broadband selectivity

Current silicon waveguide Bragg gratings typically introduce perturbation to the optical mode in the form of modulation of the waveguide width or cladding. However, since such a perturbation approach is limited to weak perturbations to avoid intolerable scattering loss and higher-order modal coupling, it is difficult to produce ultra-wide stopbands. In this Letter, we report an ultra-compact Bragg grating device with strong perturbations by etching nanoholes in the waveguide core to enable an ultra-large stopband with apodization achieved by proper location of the nanoholes. With this approach, a 15 µm long device can generate a stopband as wide as 110 nm that covers the entire ${\rm C} + {\rm L}$C+L band with a 40 dB extinction ratio and over a 10 dB sidelobe suppression ratio (SSR). Similar structures can be further optimized to achieve higher SSR of $ \gt {17}\;{\rm dB}$>17dB for a stopband of about 80 nm.
Nest Modification Protects Immature Stages of the Japanese Orchard Bee (Osmia cornifrons) from Invasion of a Cleptoparasitic Mite Pest

Osmia cornifrons (Radoszkowski) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) is an effective orchard pollinator. Considering the honey bee population decline in recent years, the conservation and propagation of O. cornifrons as an alternative managed pollinator is important in ensuring adequate pollination of tree fruit crops in the eastern United States. A field study was conducted to determine if nest modifications could reduce mite parasites and parasitoid natural enemies that attack managed O. cornifrons. Paraffin-coated paper liners (straws) were added to create modified nests, and were compared with the unmodified nests (i.e., nests without paper liners). In each nest, we recorded the number of nest cells with cleptoparasitic mites Chaetodactylus krombeini (Baker), and the presence of a parasitoid wasp Monodontomerus obscurus (Westwood). We also recorded the number of cocoons, male pupae, female pupae, and unconsumed pollen-nectar provision masses in these nests. Results showed that using paper liners in nest-tunnels greatly reduced the invasion of natural enemies of managed populations of O. cornifrons. Most notably, the addition of paper liners provided protection from invasion by C. krombeini mites, as the mean number of nest cells with mites were significantly lower in these lined nests compared to the nests without paper liners. A significantly higher number of male and female cocoons of O. cornifrons were recorded in the nests with paper liners. The population of M. obscurus was almost negligible in this field study. These results suggest that using nests with paper liners may accelerate the O. cornifrons population establishment and propagation in commercial orchards of rosaceous fruit crops, and possibly in other crops.
A Longitudinal Examination of Community Violence Exposure, School Belongingness, and Mental Health Among African-American Adolescent Males

African-American males from urban communities are disproportionately exposed to community violence, placing them at increased risk for mental health problems compared to youth from other racial/ethnic groups. While risk factors for violence exposure have been identified in the literature, protective variables and competencies are studied with less frequency. The purpose of the current study is to identify the role of school belongingness as a protective factor against the deleterious outcomes associated with community violence exposure. Participants were 119 African-American male adolescents (M = 15.33, SD = .95 at Time 1) attending an all-male charter high school in an urban community. Consistent with prior research, community violence exposure showed a negative association with various measures of psychosocial functioning 12–15 months later, controlling for prior levels of functioning. Moderation analyses revealed that at low levels of school belongingness, community violence exposure positively predicted a range of negative psychological outcomes, consistent with a protective-stabilizing effect. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of fostering adaptive levels of school connectedness for youth in high-risk communities.
Minimizing Ionizing Radiation in Evaluating Suspected Appendicitis in Children Before and After the Release of the ACEP Clinical Policy.

STUDY OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine the impact of the ACEP (American College of Emergency Physicians) clinical policy regarding diagnosis of suspected appendicitis on changing practice in the pediatric emergency department (ED) in the absence of a formal departmental protocol. METHODS This was a retrospective chart review in a pediatric ED in which patients aged 2 to 18 years were evaluated for appendicitis via ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), or both, over a 7-year study period. We compared rates of CT utilization in the period before the release of the ACEP clinical policy regarding diagnosis and treatment of appendicitis (2008-2009) and the period after (2010-2014). Other metrics of interest were ultrasound results and physician response to results, as well as surrogate markers for quality of care. RESULTS Seven hundred pediatric ED visits were included, with 200 prepolicy release and 500 postrelease. Computed tomography utilization decreased significantly postpolicy release from 43.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 36.6%-50.3%) to 22.2% (95% CI, 18.5%-25.8%). The proportion of ultrasounds with indeterminate results also decreased, with 71.5% (95% CI, 65.1%-77.9%) and 55.1% (95% CI, 50.7%-59.5%) in the pre and post groups, respectively. Physicians ordered fewer CTs after indeterminate ultrasounds, decreasing from 63.7% (95% CI, 56.9%-70.5%) to 48.3%% (95% CI, 43.9%-52.7%). CONCLUSIONS After the release of the clinical policy, CT utilization decreased significantly suggesting possible effectiveness of the policy in bringing about change in practice. Subsequently, there was an increase in the definitiveness in the ultrasound results. Physicians also evolved in their response to indeterminate ultrasound results, with fewer CTs ordered reflexively after indeterminate results.
Emerging investigator series: calculating size- and coating-dependent effect factors for silver nanoparticles to inform characterization factor development for usage in life cycle assessment

Concerns about the environmental and human health implications of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are growing with the increased use in consumer and industrial products. Numerous studies have applied life cycle assessments (LCAs) to model the potential environmental and human health impacts of ENMs. Most of them have not included nano-specific emissions (i.e. impacts due to ENM release) and evaluated only non-nanoscale emissions (i.e. impacts due to ENM production). However, both considerations need to be included for more thorough evaluation of the environmental implications of these ENMs. One solution to calculate nano-specific emissions is to derive characterization factors (CF), which are comprised of information on fate, exposure, and effect factors for ENMs. This paper seeks to provide size, coating, and test medium dependent effect factors (EF) for silver nanoparticles (nAg), one of the most commercialized ENMs, using the USEtox model. A comprehensive literature review is performed, and 366 toxicity data points are used to derive physicochemical property based EFs. EFs are modeled based on different scenarios including species and trophic level HC50 calculations under regular (using EC50 values only) and cumulative (using LC50, EC50 and IC50 values) cases. Different EFs are calculated based on varying size, coating, and testing medium combinations and presented in the form of matrices. Results suggest that larger nAg have lower EF, and coating is an important consideration in toxicity assessment. Regardless of specific properties, an EF range is proposed as 8035–14 675 PAF m3 kg−1. Future work should combine fate and exposure factors to calculate CF for further application to LCA.
Energy Metabolism During Osteogenic Differentiation: The Role of Akt

Osteogenic differentiation, the process by which bone marrow mesenchymal stem/stromal (a.k.a. skeletal stem) cells and osteoprogenitors form osteoblasts, is a critical event for bone formation during development, fracture repair, and tissue maintenance. Extra cellular and intracellular signaling pathways triggering osteogenic differentiation are relatively well known; however, the ensuing change in cell energy metabolism is less clearly defined. We and others have previously reported activation of mitochondria during osteogenic differentiation. To further elucidate the involved bioenergetic mechanisms and triggers, we tested the effect of osteogenic media containing ascorbate and β-glycerol phosphate, or various osteogenic hormones and growth factors on energy metabolism in long bone (ST2)- and calvarial bone (MC3T3-E1)-derived osteoprogenitors. We show that osteogenic media and differentiation factors, Wnt3a and BMP2, stimulate mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) with little effect on glycolysis. The activation of OxPhos occurs acutely, suggesting a metabolic signaling change rather than protein expression change. To this end, we found that the observed mitochondrial activation is Akt dependent. Akt is activated by osteogenic media, Wnt3a, and BMP2, leading to increased phosphorylation of various mitochondrial Akt targets, a phenomenon known to stimulate OxPhos. In sum, our data provide comprehensive analysis of cellular bioenergetics during osteoinduction in cells of two different origins (mesenchyme vs neural crest) and identify Wnt3a and BMP2 as physiological stimulators of mitochondrial respiration through Akt activation.
Lasso locomotion expands the climbing repertoire of snakes

The diverse ways and environments in which animals move are correlated with morphology1, but morphology is not sufficient to predict how animals move because behavioral innovations can create new capacities. We document a new mode of snake locomotion - 'lasso locomotion' - that allows the brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) to ascend much larger smooth cylinders than any previously known behavior. This lasso locomotion may facilitate exploiting resources that might otherwise be unobtainable and contribute to the success and impact of this highly invasive species. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
Coronavirus Fiscal Policy in the United States: Lessons from Feminist Political Economy

Using the United States’ fiscal response to COVID-19 in March and April 2020 as a case study, this paper explores the implications the US coronavirus legislation had for the societal distribution o...
Modeling individual differences in cardiovascular response to gravitational stress using a sensitivity analysis.

Computational modeling is used to predict cardiovascular responses to altered gravitational environments. However, considerable variation between subjects and model complexity makes accurate parame...
Capturing ultrafast magnetization phenomenon using femtosecond x rays

Recent advances in x-ray and extreme ultraviolet sources have enabled a new frontier for ultrafast studies of magnetic materials. Modern x-ray free electron lasers and high-harmonic generation sources combine the power of x-ray techniques available at traditional synchrotron sources with femtosecond temporal resolution, facilitating fundamental insights into ultrafast magnetization phenomenon, including laser induced demagnetization dynamics and all-optical switching. This Research Update highlights recent developments of femtosecond x-ray sources and experimental studies where the unique advantages offered by these sources have enabled the development of foundational knowledge on underlying ultrafast magnetization behavior.
The Challenge of Indigenous Healing for Global Mental Health.

Psychiatry and anthropology have a long relationship, and it is worth examining aspects of how that relation is carried over into the developing field of Global Mental Health (GMH). One place at wh...
The Relation Among Phonological Processing, Oral and Silent Reading Fluency, and Reading Comprehension for Students with Dyslexia: A Longitudinal Investigation

The purpose of this study was to examine the relations among phonological skills, reading fluency, and reading comprehension across reading modality (oral and silent) for a sample of students (N = ...
Automatic Decentralized Allocation of AGVs in a Cellular System

This paper investigates the problem of automatic acquisition of AGV for transporting material, tools, or parts between cells in a cellular system. The cellular system, in question, is a computer integrated manufacturing system consisting of fully automated flexible cells. The planning and control within a cell is done online by a logical cell-controller which itself is regarded as an integral part of the cell. The logical cell-controller is realized by a cluster of one or more dedicated microcomputers.We present decentralized approaches, to AGV allocation problem, for the cases of single/multiple, semi-intelligent/intelligent AGVs.
A review of some tracer-test design equations for tracer-mass estimation and sample-collection frequency

Determination of necessary tracer mass, initial sample-collection time, and subsequent sample-collection frequency are the three most difficult aspects to estimate for a proposed tracer test prior to conducting the tracer test. To facilitate tracer-mass estimation, 33 mass-estimation equations have been developed over the past century. These 33 equations are reviewed here, 32 of which were evaluated using previously published tracer-test design examination parameters. Comparison of the results produced a wide range of estimated tracer mass, but no means is available by which one equation may be reasonably selected over the others. Each equation produces a simple approximation for tracer mass. Most of the equations are based primarily on estimates or measurements of discharge, transport distance, and suspected transport times. Although the basic field parameters commonly employed are appropriate for estimating tracer mass, the 33 equations are problematic in that they were all probably based on the original developers experience in a particular field area and not necessarily on measured hydraulic parameters or solute-transport theory. Suggested sampling frequencies are typically based primarily on probable transport distance, but with little regard to expected travel times. This too is problematic in that tracer sampling remains a haphazard process that tends to result in false negatives or data aliasing. Simulations from the recently developed efficient hydrologic tracer-test design methodology (EHTD) were compared with those obtained from 32 of the 33 published tracer-mass estimation equations and suggested sampling frequencies. EHTD applies functional relationships developed from hydrologic measurements in a solute-transport model to develop a preliminary tracer-breakthrough curve that has been shown to reasonably predict actual tracer-test results.
The dynamics of protein changes in the amniotic fluid of normal and abnormal rat embryos.

Abstract 1.1. Amniotic fluid from resorbing embryos of rats on a pea-pellet diet contains a much higher concentration of total proteins than amniotic fluid from normal control-fed rats. 2.2. Although there is little difference in the total globulins of normal and resorbing amniotic fluid until the eighteenth day of gestation, the resorbing amniotic fluid from the eighteenth to the twenticth day of the gestation period contains fourfold the concentration of globulins found in normal amniotic fluid. 3.3. The concentration of A 1 and A 2 globulin varies very little in normal and resorbing amniotic fluid during each successive day of gestation. 4.4. A marked increase of the beta globulin component is observed in resorbing amniotic fluid from the eighteenth day on, together with a marked increase in the gamma globulin. 5.5. This study of amniotic fluid demonstrates that normal amniotic fluid at the termination of gestation is characterized by an increase in the concentration of albumin, whereas amniotic fluid derived from embryos being resorbed is characterized by an increase in the concentration of globulin, particularly beta and gamma globulin. These findings suggest an application to human material to ascertain if the same reversal obtains, and this problem is now under active observation in this laboratory.
On Galvanotropism and Oscillotaxis in Fish

A spinal fish bends with the concave side towards the anode in a D.C. field of transverse direction. This reaction, which lasts as long as the current passes, is shown to be a reflex (galvanotropic reflex). Other manifestations of this reflex have been found. In a field of dorso-ventral direction the animal is bent in the sagittal plane towards the anode. The unrest of body and tail in an ascending field in the longitudinal direction of the fish may be caused partly by the same reflex. The same reflex has also been found in some of the fin muscles. The structures (sensory end-organs) stimulated during the galvanotropic reflex are situated in the muscles (or tendons). Galvanotropism has been demonstrated in fish in which the labyrinths and the lateral-line organs have been eliminated by the transection of their nerves. The mechanism of galvanotropism is discussed and this phenomenon is found to be based on the galvanotropic reflex and the ability of the animal to swim. A fish placed at 45° to the current lines in an A.C. field shows a curving of the body and tail. This is explained by the wedge shape of the fish body and tail, by which the two sides of the animal have a different angle with the current lines, and thus are differently stimulated. The mechanism of oscillotaxis is discussed in relation to this reaction.
On biharmonic functions which are always harmonic functions

The search for a "missing link" reflection principle for solutions of the biharmonic equation, is shown to lead to the class of functions described in the title.
Biodiesel from Seeds: An Experiment for Organic Chemistry.

Plants can store the chemical energy required by their developing offspring in the form of triglycerides. These lipids can be isolated from seeds and then converted into biodiesel through a transesterification reaction. This second-year undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory experiment exemplifies the conversion of an agricultural energy source directly into a mechanical energy source.
Aulonemia yanachagensis (Poaceae: Bambusoideae: Bambuseae): A new species from central Peru

Abstract Aulonemia yanachagensis is described from cloud forests at 2600–3000 m elevation in the Parque Nacional Yanachaga-Chemillen, Prov. Oxapampa, Dept. Pasco, Peru. It differs from all other congeners in its combination of prominent sheath auricles, with abundant radiate fimbriae, small foliage leaf blades, and awnless spikelets.