cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distinct Actions of Akt1 and Akt2 in Skeletal Muscle Differentiation

Differentiation, maturation, and repair of skeletal muscle requires ongoing cooperation between signaling cascades activated by hormones and growth factors, and intrinsic regulatory programs controlled by myogenic transcription factors. The insulin-like growth factor--phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase--Akt pathway has been implicated in muscle growth and regeneration after injury, in counteracting sarcopenia during aging, and in maintaining muscle cell viability. Here we present evidence for distinct roles for Akt1 and Akt2 in different phases of muscle differentiation. Targeted knockdown of either Akt had no effect on C2 myoblast proliferation, even though Akt1 concentrations are markedly higher than Akt2 levels under growth-promoting conditions. Akt2 concentrations rose by nearly an order of magnitude during muscle differentiation, while Akt1 levels remained constant, yet loss of either protein did not increase myoblast death. Rather, knockdown or genetic knockout of Akt1 blocked differentiation at its earliest stages, preventing induction of muscle-specific proteins and inhibiting formation of multinucleated myofibers, while myoblasts lacking Akt2 differentiated normally, although resultant myofibers were thinner and incorporated fewer nuclei than controls. Forced expression of knockdown-resistant Akt1 partially reversed the deficit in differentiation seen in myoblasts lacking Akt1. Our results define isoform-specific Akt actions in muscle cells, and demonstrate that both Akts are necessary for full myoblast differentiation and maturation.
The Impact of Timing of Retirement Plan Contributions on Investment Returns

This paper examines the impact of the timing of contributions to defined benefit (DB) and defined contribution (DC) plans on investment returns. I show that net contributions to DB plans are counter-cyclical, while net contributions to DC plans are uncorrelated with the business cycle. The counter-cyclicality of net contributions to DB plans means that dollar-weighted returns on DB plans are higher than the geometric average of annual returns. Therefore, using dollar-weighted returns as a measure of investment performance, the advantage of DB plans over DC plans is greater than using geometric average returns. Overall, I find that dollar-weighted returns on DB plans are more than one percentage point higher than that on DC plans.
The Income Redistribution Effects of Texas State Lottery Games

This study examines the regressivity of three lottery games in the state of Texas using data from 195 of the state’s 254 counties. The income distribution effects are examined using Suits indices a...
Olympus Mons, Mars: Detection of extensive preaureole volcanism and implications for initial mantle plume behavior

The early volcanic history and structural development of Olympus Mons, Mars, has been obscured by the formation of the large circum-Olympus aureole deposits in the Early Amazonian. Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter data reveal an enormous preaureole extrusive flow unit in Amazonis Planitia that is more than 300 km wide and extends ∼1800 km radially away from the Olympus Mons aureole. We interpret this volcanic unit to represent proto–Olympus Mons lava flows emplaced during the latest Hesperian or earliest Amazonian. The orientation and localization of the deposits appear to be due to channeling of the flows into a broad depression between the generally north dipping slope of Amazonis Planitia and the southwestward-dipping slope of the Alba Patera flanks. Formation of the aureole blocked this depression and caused subsequent summit flows to pond in the circum- Olympus trough and flow around the aureole lobes. Emplacement of this proto- Olympus flow unit formed a barrier along the northern margin of Amazonis Planitia, causing ponding of later lava flows and outflow channel events debouching there. The large volume and great lateral extent of the unit imply abundant magma supply and high effusion rates during the initial stages of Olympus Mons construction; this unit may be the result of the initial impingement of a melt-rich mantle plume head.
The relationships between blood lead levels and serum follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone in the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Abstract The relationships between blood lead levels and serum follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone were assessed in a nationally representative sample of women, 35–60 years old, from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The blood lead levels of the women ranged from 0.7 to 31.1 μ g/dl. The estimated geometric mean was 2.2 μ g/dl, and the estimated arithmetic mean was 2.8 μ g/dl. As the blood lead level increased across women, the concentration of serum follicle stimulating hormone increased in post-menopausal women, women who had both ovaries removed, and pre-menopausal women. The concentration of follicle stimulating hormone decreased in pre-menopausal women who were taking birth control pills. The concentration of luteinizing hormone increased as blood lead level increased in post-menopausal women and women who had both ovaries removed. The lowest concentrations of blood lead at which a relationship was detected were 1.7 μ g/dl for follicle stimulating hormone and 2.8 μ g/dl for luteinizing hormone. The increase in follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone in women with no ovaries indicates that lead may act at a non-ovarian site in the female reproductive system, along with a possible effect on the ovaries.
Multiple Quantitative Trait Loci Influence the Shape of a Male-Specific Genital Structure in Drosophila melanogaster.

The observation that male genitalia diverge more rapidly than other morphological traits during evolution is taxonomically widespread and likely due to some form of sexual selection. One way to elucidate the evolutionary forces acting on these traits is to detail the genetic architecture of variation both within and between species, a program of research that is considerably more tractable in a model system. Drosophila melanogaster and its sibling species, D. simulans, D. mauritiana, and D. sechellia, are morphologically distinguishable only by the shape of the posterior lobe, a male-specific elaboration of the genital arch. We extend earlier studies identifying quantitative trait loci (QTL) responsible for lobe divergence across species and report the first genetic dissection of lobe shape variation within a species. Using an advanced intercross mapping design, we identify three autosomal QTL contributing to the difference in lobe shape between a pair of D. melanogaster inbred lines. The QTL each contribute 4.6–10.7% to shape variation, and two show a significant epistatic interaction. Interestingly, these intraspecific QTL map to the same locations as interspecific lobe QTL, implying some shared genetic control of the trait within and between species. As a first step toward a mechanistic understanding of natural lobe shape variation, we find an association between our QTL data and a set of genes that show sex-biased expression in the developing genital imaginal disc (the precursor of the adult genitalia). These genes are good candidates to harbor naturally segregating polymorphisms contributing to posterior lobe shape.
A Proposed Standard Weight Equation for Blue Suckers

Abstract Length and weight data were obtained from 46 populations of blue suckers Cycleptus elongatus (N = 8,811 fish) across the species' geographic distribution to develop a standard weight (W s) equation. The W s equation was derived using the empirical percentile technique applied to fish between 240 and 809 mm total length (TL). We calculated a quadratic model and a linear model to derive W s. The proposed 75th-percentile quadratic equation (metric units) is log10 W s = −2.980 + 0.977 log10TL + 0.461(log10TL)2, where W s is expressed in grams and TL is expressed in millimeters. The proposed English-equivalent 75th-percentile quadratic equation is log10 W s = −3.354 + 2.273 log10TL + 0.461(log10TL)2, where W s is expressed in pounds and TL is expressed in inches. The 75th-percentile linear equation (metric units) is log10 W s = −6.301 + 3.456 log10TL, and the proposed English equivalent is log10 W s = −4.104 + 3.456 log10TL.
Investigation about representations used in teaching to prevent misconceptions regarding inverse proportionality

A major problem in teaching science is the overcoming of misconceptions. Reif found a procedure specifying a science concept. Neglect of this procedure can induce misconceptions. To find what can prevent misconceptions, students entering engineering were tested to see whether they understood easy problems of movement requiring the concept of inverse proportionality. The test comprised questions about time needed by a vehicle in both linear and diagrammatic form using different representations given to the students. Science misconceptions were investigated by comparison of the answers given to the same problem using different representations of the problem. The misconceptions demonstrated by the answers confirmed models of misconceptions such as Piaget's and Reif's. Reif found a procedural concept providing a more detailed specification of a concept, which helps to avoid imprecision, which can easily creep into verbal definition statements. This was confirmed in this study. Students' conceptual knowledge was found to be highly incorrect because of confusion with preexisting knowledge acquired in daily life resulting in scientific misconceptions. It was confirmed that imprecision easily creeps into verbal definition statements, which would be avoided by explicit specification of a concept eventually recalled by a drawing. Regarding the results of this study, drawings seem to protect best from misconceptions and this does not depend on other material given to the students. In teaching science, more emphasis should be on procedures specifying concepts as outlined by Reif.
A rate distortion method for waveform design in RF image formation

Conventional RF image formation relies on a fixed waveform set that is based largely on obtaining maximum resolution for a given amount of bandwidth present in a waveform. However, the correlation process for a given waveform set varies widely depending on the cross correlation properties of the waveform and the geometry of the aperture interrogating the object to be imaged. We propose a method that maximizes quality of the imagery being reconstructed based by first using an orthogonal basis to minimize the unwanted correlation response for the waveform. We then shape the frequency and temporal correlation response of the waveform for a given target using a rate distortion criterion and demonstrate the performance of the method
Analysis of Genetic Algorithm for Rule-Set Production (GARP) Modeling Approach for Predicting Distributions of Fleas Implicated as Vectors of Plague, Yersinia pestis, in California

More than 20 species of fleas in California are implicated as potential vectors of Yersinia pestis. Extremely limited spatial data exist for plague vectors-a key component to understanding where the greatest risks for human, domestic animal, and wildlife health exist. This study increases the spatial data available for 13 potential plague vectors by using the ecological niche modeling system Genetic Algorithm for Rule-Set Production (GARP) to predict their respective distributions. Because the available sample sizes in our data set varied greatly from one species to another, we also performed an analysis of the robustness of GARP by using the data available for flea Oropsylla montana (Baker) to quantify the effects that sample size and the chosen explanatory variables have on the final species distribution map. GARP effectively modeled the distributions of 13 vector species. Furthermore, our analyses show that all of these modeled ranges are robust, with a sample size of six fleas or greater not significantly impacting the percentage of the in-state area where the flea was predicted to be found, or the testing accuracy of the model. The results of this study will help guide the sampling efforts of future studies focusing on plague vectors.
Human-in-the-loop: probabilistic predictive modelling, its role, attributes, challenges and applications

Traditional human-factor-oriented approaches are based on experimentations followed by statistical analyses. Our novel probabilistic predictive modelling (PPM) concept is based on physically meaningful and flexible predictive modelling followed by experimentations geared to the appropriate models. The concept enables one to quantify, on the probabilistic basis, the outcome of a particular effort, situation or a mission. This cost-effective and insightful approach is applicable to numerous human-in-the-loop (HITL) situations, when a human acting as a part of the complex man–instrumentation–equipment–vehicle–environment system encounters an uncertain environment or a hazardous off-normal situation, and when there is an incentive to improve his/her role in a particular mission or a situation. The application of the PPM concept could improve dramatically the state-of-the-art in the HITL field in various vehicular technologies and beyond. The examples are taken mostly from the field of avionic safety.
Expression of metabotropic glutamate receptors in nodose ganglia and the nucleus of the solitary tract

The purpose of this study was to identify the complement of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) expressed in nodose ganglia and the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS). mRNA from these tissues was isolated and amplified with standard RT-PCR with primers specific for each mGluR subtype. The results of this analysis showed that the NTS expresses all eight mGluR subtypes, whereas nodose ganglia express only group III mGluRs: mGluR4, mGluR6, mGluR7, and mGluR8. Application of the group III-specific mGluR agonistl-(+)-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (100 μM) reversibly inhibited voltage-gated calcium currents isolated from DiI-labeled aortic baroreceptor neurons and unlabeled nodose neurons. The results of this study suggest that group III mGluRs are the primary mGluR subtype expressed in visceral afferent neurons and that these receptors may be involved in afferent central transmission.
Predicting quality of life in adults with severe mental illness: Extending the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health.

Purpose/objective The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework was used to investigate person-environment contextual factors, mental functioning, activity limitations, and participation as predictors of quality of life (QoL) in adults with severe mental illness (SMI). Research method/design A quantitative descriptive design using multiple regression and correlational analyses was used. One hundred ninety-four individuals with SMI from 4 community-based mental health agencies in 2 states from Southern and Midwestern regions of the United States participated in the study. The criterion variable was QoL. Predictor variables comprised the ICF constructs: (a) demographics, (b) personal factors, (c) environmental factors, (d) mental functioning, (e) activity limitations, and (f) participation. Results A majority of participants were White (60.3%) and not employed (59.8%). Half of them received Social Security Disability Income and/or Supplemental Security Income (50.0%). Correlations between QoL and the predictor variables ranged from small to large (r = .01 to .63, respectively). The final regression model accounted for 58% of the variance in QoL. After controlling for other factors, social competency, social support, societal stigma, psychological distress, cognitive dysfunction, activity limitations, and participation were found to be significant predictors of QoL in adults with SMI. Conclusions/implications The study supports the use of the ICF to predict QoL for adults with SMI. Evidence-based treatments focused on increasing social competence, social support, and participation should be developed to promote rehabilitation outcomes and overall QoL.
Albumin Differences Among Ranid Frogs: Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Implications

Wallace, D. G., M. C. King and A. C. Wilson (Biochemistry Dept., University of California, Berkeley, California 94720) 1973. Albumin differences among ranid frogs: taxonomic and phylogenetic implications. Syst. Zool., 22:1-13.-Since morphological analysis of living and fossil material has provided little information on taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships among species in the frog family Ranidae, an attempt was made to obtain such information by comparing their serum albumins. Rabbit antisera were prepared against the purified serum albumins of seven ranid species and tested by the miorocomplement fixation method for reactivity with the albumins of 36 ranid species. This method provides a measure of the degree of amino acid sequence difference between albumins. The taxonomic and phylogenetic schemes we have derived from the albumin comparisons are generally in agreement with nonmolecular evidence. In some cases, they go beyond it, permitting demarcations among taxa that were previously unresolved. For example, it is proposed that the North American species of Rana are divisible into at least two major subgroups; an eastern subgroup, which includes R. pipiemn and R. catesbeiana, and a western cluster, which includes R. aurora. The nearest relatives of the westem cluster appear from albumin comparisons to be the R. temporaria cluster of the Palearctic region. The albumin results also permitted the construction of a phylogenetic tree with a very low percent standard deviation. With the aid of this tree and the molecular clock hypothesis we have estimated the approximate divergence times of various groups, subgroups and clusters of Holarctic ranid species. The molecular differences among Rana species are at least as large as those usually found within orders of placental mammals. This raises an important question regarding the ranking of taxonomic categories. If the genus Rana is equivalent in terms of genetic dispersion to an order of mammals, should one elevate the rank of Rana to the ordinal level? We believe that the molecular findings provide taxonomists with a dilemma. [Rana; albumins; phylogeny.]
Aeshna Rufipennis, a New Dragonfly from Peru (Aeshnidae: Odonata)

Early this year the writer received from the collector, Pedro Paprzycki four male Aeshnas of a form which closely resembled Aeshna luteipennis Burm. var. florida Hagen, but which differed from the latter in minor genitalic characters. The specimens were labeled Satipo, Peru, and were collected from November 26 to December 27, 1940. Because Doctor P. P. Calvert wishes to include them in a review of South American Aeshnas we present the following description:
Eclampsia II. clinical significance of laboratory findings

Sixty-seven cases of eclampsia were managed between August 1977 and July 1980. Routinely acquired laboratory tests of these cases have been analyzed. In addition, the group of patients with eclampsia was compared with a group of 24 healthy pregnant women. There was no significant difference in platelet count, serum fibrinogen, and bilirubin values. The activated partial thromboplastin time was abnormal in 42% of patients with eclampsia. There was no clinical evidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation in any patient. Patients with eclampsia had abnormalities of lactic dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, SGOT, uric acid, BUN, and creatinine. However, in any individual patients there was no single test of great clinical usefulness and no test predictive of maternal or fetal outcome. At present the authors recommend complete blood count (including blood smear and platelet count), clot observation, and serum creatinine tests. Liver function tests are reserved for the patient with upper abdominal pain. Additional tests are recommended if the diagnosis of eclampsia is questionable or if an additional disease process is suspected.
Gender, religion and theories of everything.

The thesis of Pythagoras' Trousers is that the roots of modern physics are to be found in theology. Its promise, moreover, is to unearth these theological roots, and to show us why there are so few women in physics and what we can do to increase their numbers. Beyond this ambitious thesis and tantalizing promise, it also has an agenda: to tell us that physicists have got carried away in a quest for abstraction, and that physics needs women to bring it back down to Earth.
Implications of Domain Specificity for Creativity Research

To the extent that creativity is domain specific, creativity research must also be domain specific. Therefore, research needs domain-specific hypotheses and requires domain-specific measures of creativity. This chapter gives examples of the kinds of research that can be done validly and explains why some kinds of research are simply doomed from the outset.
White matter changes in patients with mild traumatic brain injury: MRI perspective

This review focuses on white matter (WM) changes in mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) as assessed by multimodal MRI. All the peer reviewed publications on WM changes in mTBI from January 2011 through September 2016 are included in this review. This review is organized as follows: introduction to mTBI, the basics of multimodal MRI techniques that are potentially useful for probing the WM integrity, summary and critical evaluation of the published literature on the application of multimodal MRI techniques to assess the changes of WM in mTBI, and correlation of MRI measures with behavioral deficits. The MRI–pathology correlation studies based on preclinical models of mTBI are also reviewed. Finally, the author's perspective of future research directions is described.
Intralenticular Ozurdex® – One Year Later

Reported here is a case of intralenticular sustained-release dexamethasone implant (Ozurdex®, Allergan, Irvine, CA, USA) present for 1 year with effective treatment of refractory diabetic macular edema without rapid cataract formation. The crystalline lens remained stable for 12 months on exam despite the presence of the steroid-secreting foreign body. The diabetic macular edema resolved on exam and on optical coherence tomography. After 1 year, cataract extraction was uneventfully performed by phacoemulsification for a mild decline in visual acuity. Macular edema remains resolved 2 months following cataract removal. This is the longest reported period of observation of intralenticular Ozurdex in the literature. Ozurdex remains effective despite intralenticular location, and it can have minimal effects on cataract progression.
Production of Structural Light-Weight Aggregate Concrete Using Different Types of Iraqi Local Crushed Materials as Coarse Aggregate

تقدم هذه الدراسة التحري العملي لإنتاج خرسانة انشائية خفيفة الوزن باستخدام ثلاثة أنواع من الركام الخفيف الذي يمكن الحصول عليه من مصادر مختلفة من المواد الطبيعية والنفايات والمواد المعاد تدويرها في العراق ومقارنتها بالخرسانة الاعتيادية المصنوعة من الركام الطبيعي (الحصى). استخدمت في هذه الدراسة صخور البورسلانيت الطبيعية المتوفرة في الصحراء الغربية في العراق كركام خشن في الخلطة الاولى. أما الخلطة الثانية فتحتوي على حجر الخفاف الذي يمكن الحصول عليه من شمال العراق. الخلطة الثالثة للخرسانة الانشائية خفيفة الوزن انتجت باستخدام مزيج من الركام الخشن الذي يتكون من 75٪ من الطابوق الطيني العراقي المحلي المعاد تدويره و 25٪ من نفايات الثرمستون. كل هذه الخلطات قورنت مع الخرسانة الاعتيادية المصنوعة باستخدام الركام الطبيعي (الحصى) باستخدام نفس النسب لمكونات الخلطة الخرسانية والتي تضمنت استخدام المضافات المعدنية والكيميائية. في هذا البحث، تم دراسة خصائص الخرسانة في الحالتين الطرية والصلبة. وفي الحالة الصلبة للخرسانة تم اجراء الفحوصات الاتلافية واللااتلافية بعمر 28 يوم. من نتائج هذه الدراسة, يمكن الاستنتاج بإمكانية انتاج خرسانة خفيفة الوزن انشائية بكثافة جافة اقل من 2000 كغم/م3 واقل مما يقابلها من استخدام الركام الطبيعي بنسبة تتراوح بين (25% - 27.4% ) وبمقاومة انضغاط للأسطوانة تتراوح بين (25.3-36.1) ميكا باسكال بعمر 28 يوما باستخدام صخور البورسلينايت, حجر الخفاف ومزيج من كسر الثرمستون والطابوق الطيني المحلي المعاد تدويره كركام خشن خفيف الوزن. في هذه الدراسة تم اقتراح العديد من العلاقات لإيجاد بعض الخواص الميكانيكية للخرسانة خفيفة الوزن الانشائية. كما تمت مقارنة النتائج المختبرية والعلاقات المقترحة مع معادلات معهد الخرسانة الامريكي ACI318, 2014 وبعض الدراسات والبحوث السابقة.
PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF EXTENT OF NON-COMPACTION IN NON-ISCHEMIC CARDIOMYOPATHY

Left ventricular noncompaction is frequently seen in non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM). The number of non-compacted segments determines the diagnosis of left ventricular noncompaction cardiomyopathy (LVNC). This study evaluates the impact of increasing number of noncompacted segments on structural
Dynamic Inelastic Electron Scattering IV: Modified Multislice Theory

In Chapter 11 we introduced the dynamic multislice theory which fully incorporates elastic scattering of electrons before and after inelastic excitations. The theory can, in principle, be applied to any inelastic excitation and the possible multiple scattering effects in crystals containing defects. Large amounts of calculations are usually required to include dynamic scattering of electrons after inelastic scattering, because the excitation of each state and the subsequent diffraction of the electron associated with this excitation must be calculated individually due to incoherence. The major obstacle to this approach is the involvement of many crystal excited states.
Privatization & FDI: Examining Growth in Vietnam's Provinces

Over the past three decades many developing countries have looked toward privatizing investment markets and relying more on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to supply needed capital investment for their emerging private sectors. In their pursuit of foreign capital, developing countries have enacted several changes in economic policy and regulation in hopes of transforming formerly rural and undeveloped countries into highly urbanized centers of global production. This is particularly true for a transitioning economy such as Vietnam, which has seen increasing privatization of industry and investment since the reforms of 1986 known as “Doi Moi.” In this study I investigate the effect privatization of investment has had on industrial output per capita growth. My results indicate that FDI is both positive and statistically significant even after endogenous robustness checks. Further, I find convincing evidence that provinces with highly planned investment regimes have their growth significantly harmed by state investment and do not benefit from FDI, particularly if they are urbanizing. My results suggest that provinces with mixed and privatized investment regimes are best suited to increase growth and benefit from FDI.
Coping with Women’s Cancer and Perceived Providers’ Support: Does Type of Cancer Make a Difference?

Women with cancer utilize a variety of coping strategies to meet their emotional and informational support needs. Different cancer diagnoses are likely to influence patients’ coping and providers’ effectiveness in meeting their needs, but the relationship among coping dimensions and type of diagnosis are largely unknown. This study explored the relationship among diagnosis with ovarian or breast cancer, coping strategies, and perceived importance of nurses and physicians’ informational and emotional support. Methods included a survey with women who were diagnosed with either breast or ovarian cancer. Results indicated differences between women with breast cancer compared to those with ovarian cancer in coping strategies and perceived importance of support from health care providers. Coping strategies were related to differences in perceived importance of health care providers support.These findings highlight the importance of meeting women’s cancer-related support needs in cancer care settings by considering their coping style and diagnosis.
A sequential convex optimization method for multimaterial compliance design problems

Abstract This paper presents a sequential convex optimization method for minimum compliance design of multimaterial problems. The proposed method uses a multimaterial parametrization based on SIMP or RAMP penalization. At each iteration of the algorithm, a convex subproblem is constructed by forming a nonlinear, convex approximation of the penalized compliance based on a linearization of the stiffness matrix. Subsequent solutions of the convex subproblems form a non-increasing sequence of compliance values. The subproblems are solved using a tailored inexact Newton–Krylov interior point method that leverages relatively inexpensive Hessian-vector products. The algorithm is demonstrated on a series of isotropic and orthotropic multimaterial plane stress design problems.
Synthesis and Characterization of a Molybdenum Alkylidyne Supported by a Trianionic OCO3– Pincer Ligand

This report details the preparation of the trianionic pincer ligand supported Mo–alkylidyne complex [tBuOCO]Mo≡CMes(THF)2 (5). The catalytic activity of [tBuOCO]Mo≡CMes(THF)2 (5) for alkyne polymerization is limited in contrast to its W-congener. Solution and crystallographic evidence for the conversion of the trianionic pincer complex [tBuOCO]Mo≡CMes(THF)2 (5) to a tetraanionic pincer complex [O2C(MesC═)Mo(η2-CH≡CtBu)(THF)] (6) upon exposure to tert-butylacetylene is provided.
Therapeutic Recreation Processes and Techniques: Evidence-Based Recreational Therapy, 7th ed.

Review of Therapeutic Recreation Processes and Techniques Evidence-Based Recreational Therapy, 7th ed. by David R. Austin. Published by Sagamore Publishing (2013).
Loving the Other: Fantastic Films and Unlikely Couples

This article uses a queer, critical disability studies framework to examine a diverse set of films in which one lover literally changes bodies to be like the other lover, such as in The Little Mermaid (1989), Avatar (2009), and the Twilight saga. The author argues that these films, what she calls "fantastic unlikely couple films," represent the values of companionate love, a relationship form that emphasizes similarity as the key to successful long-term relationships. Significantly, the values of companionate love are aligned with the (neo)liberal state. In the films analyzed, the physically transformed partner is also the weaker, more dependent partner. The shift to a more capable body—one similar to the body of the other partner—not only means that the couple will be more equal companions; it also means that the pair can now fulfill their destiny as productive workers and reproductive parents, independent of state subsidies and assistance.
Power link functions in an ordinal regression model with Gaussian process priors

Link functions and random effects structures are the two important components in building flexible regression models for dependent ordinal data. The power link functions include the commonly used links as special cases but have an additional skewness parameter, making the probability response curves adaptive to the data structure. It overcomes the arbitrary symmetry assumption imposed by the commonly used logistic or probit links as well as the fixed skewness in the complementary log–log or log–log links. By employing Gaussian processes, the regression model can incorporate various dependence structures in the data, such as temporal and spatial correlations. The full Bayesian estimation of the proposed model is conveniently implemented through RStan. Extensive simulation studies are carried out for discussion in model computation, parameterization, and evaluation in terms of estimation bias and overall model performance. The proposed model is applied to the PM2.5 data in Beijing and the Berberis thunbergii abundance data in New England. The results suggest that the proposed model leads to important improvement in estimation and prediction in modeling dependent ordinal response data.
Network Analysis of ADHD and ODD Symptoms: Novel Insights or Redundant Findings with the Latent Variable Model?

A latent variable model (LVM) and network analysis (NA) were applied to mother and father ratings of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms to determine if NA offers unique insights relative to the LVM. ADHD-inattention (IN), ADHD-hyperactivity/impulsivity (HI), and ODD symptoms along with academic competence behaviors (reading, arithmetic, and writing skills) were rated by mothers and fathers of Brazilian (n = 894), Thai (n = 2075), and United States (n = 817) children (Mage = 9.04, SD = 2.12, 49.5% females). LVM indicated that (1) the ADHD-IN, ADHD-HI, and ODD three-factor model yielded a close global-fit with no localized ill-fit; (2) nearly all loadings were substantial; (3) like-symptom loadings, like-symptom thresholds, and like-factor means showed invariance across mothers and fathers; (4) the three factors showed convergent and discriminant validity across mothers and fathers; and (5) only the ADHD-IN showed a unique negative relationship with academic competence. NA indicated that (1) a walktrap community analysis resulted in ADHD-IN, ADHD-HI, and ODD symptom communities; (2) the three symptom communities were consistent across mothers and fathers; (3) only three ADHD-IN symptoms showed unique relationships with the three academic competence items. NA has proven useful for numerous mental disorders. In the current study, NA results were mostly congruent with the LVM model, with a few notable exceptions. The results are discussed in the context of model assumptions and application considerations in the context of ADHD/ODD symptoms relative to other symptom dimensions.
Effect of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) or GABA with glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) on the progression of type 1 diabetes mellitus in children: Trial design and methodology.

Abstract Background Evidence suggests that GABA may reduce pancreatic inflammation, protect β-cells from autoimmune destruction, and potentiate the regeneration of new β-cells in the setting of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The enzyme GAD, also expressed in human pancreatic β-cells, is an antigenic target of reactive T cells. We hypothesized that treatment of children with recent onset T1DM with GABA or combination GABA with GAD will preserve β-cell function and ameliorate autoimmune dysregulation. Methods This is a one-year, prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Ninety-nine patients aged 4–18 years with newly diagnosed T1DM are randomized into three treatment groups: 1) oral GABA twice daily in addition to two injections of recombinant GAD enzyme, 2) oral GABA plus placebo GAD injections, or 3) placebo GABA and placebo GAD. Patients are evaluated at baseline and months 1, 5, 8 and 12. Mixed meal tolerance testing is performed at all but the 8-month visit. Laboratory studies will assess indices of beta and alpha cell function, glycemic control, immunophenotyping, and diabetes-related autoantibodies. Results The primary outcome is the effect on pancreatic β-cell function as measured by meal-stimulated c-peptide secretion compared between the treatment groups before and after one year of treatment. Secondary outcomes include: 1) fasting and meal stimulated glucagon and proinsulin levels, 2) response in insulin usage by participants, 3) indices of immune cell function, and 4) effect on autoantibodies GAD65, ICA512, and ZnT8. Conclusions: This trial will determine the safety and efficacy of GABA and combination GABA/GAD therapy to delay T1DM progression in children.
Caplacizumab Therapy without Plasma Exchange for Acquired Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Managing Acquired TTP without Plasma Exchange A case of acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura is reported in a Jehovah’s Witness who had neurologic manifestations but would not accept plasma...
Evaluation of a dedicated institutional tobacco cessation service for thoracic clinic cancer patients.

1603 Background: Tobacco use by cancer patients is associated with poor therapeutic outcomes including increased toxicity, decreased quality of life, and decreased survival. Though recommendations ...
Kendall Jenner and Pepsi

PepsiCo received ample backlash after the 2017 release of its Pepsi commercial starring Kendall Jenner, especially from several outspoken Twitter users. Since the controversy is concerning an advertisement, we might tend to view it as trivial. However, this essay challenges readers to investigate the matter on a deeper level. Harnessing the power of rhetorical analysis, we find that the core of the issue is much more complex than it might seem. This case demonstrates that a more critical approach to the swirl of language that surrounds us everyday is wise. All situations are rhetorical situations, providing opportunities for analysis and better chances to address the issues that plague our society. This essay thus provides readers with an example of utilizing rhetoric to better understand culture and the language of communication.
Elevated Cardiometabolic Risk Profile Among Young Adults With Diabetes: Need for Action.

In this issue of Diabetes Care , Saydah et al. (1) from the Division of Diabetes Translation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, explore differences in demographic and cardiovascular disease risk factors in younger adults (18–44 years of age) and older adults (≥45 years) with diabetes compared with persons without diabetes. This is an important area for research, since, as documented recently by the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth (SEARCH) study, prevalence (2) and incidence (3) trends are rising among youth for both type 1 diabetes (T1D) and especially type 2 diabetes (T2D), yet little work on the characteristics of younger adults with diabetes has been published. Saydah et al. analyzed the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2007 to 2016, which included a representative sample of U.S. adults aged 18 years and older ( n = 23,798). Among younger persons with diabetes (mean age 36.4 years), with an average of 7.7 years of clinical diabetes duration, 29% had no health insurance, 22% had Medicaid-like plans, and only 65% reported having a usual place to receive care—all higher proportions than among persons without diabetes. They were also more likely to report living below the poverty line and being of minority race/ethnicity. Not surprisingly, persons with diabetes in both age-groups had higher adiposity, hypertension, and lipids and a poorer diet and less leisure-time physical activity than persons without diabetes in both age-groups. Perhaps more surprising, young adults with diabetes had significantly elevated lipids …
Minerals of the Grenville Province—New York, Ontario, and Québec by George W. Robinson, Jeffrey Chiarenzelli, Michael Bainbridge, and T. Scott Ercit. Schiffer Publishing, 4880 Lower Valley Rd., Atglen, PA 19310; www.schifferbooks.com. 208 pages; 2019; $34.99 plus shipping and handling (softbound).

Minerals of the Grenville Province is a rather ambitious undertaking, considering the breadth of geological environments and their accompanying mineral localities incorporated in the Grenville Prov...
Active women demonstrate acute autonomic and hemodynamic shifts following exercise in heat and humidity: A pilot study.

The purpose of this study was to assess autonomic and hemodynamic recovery in women who performed moderate-intensity exercise in heat. Seven women (31.7 ± 7.6 years, 67.5 ± 4.4 kg, 25.7 ± 5.6% Fat,...
Spatially resolved single-cell genomics and transcriptomics by imaging.

The recent advent of genome-scale imaging has enabled single-cell omics analysis in a spatially resolved manner in intact cells and tissues. These advances allow gene expression profiling of individual cells, and hence in situ identification and spatial mapping of cell types, in complex tissues. The high spatial resolution of these approaches further allows determination of the spatial organizations of the genome and transcriptome inside cells, both of which are key regulatory mechanisms for gene expression.
On the many-server fluid limit for a service system with routing based on delayed information

Abstract Pender, Rand and Wesson recently established a delay differential equation limit for a parallel service system with routing based on delayed information. We provide an interpretation of their scaling under which their limit can be regarded as an instance of a law of large numbers in the familiar many-server heavy-traffic scaling. It requires scaling in the probabilistic routing function. We also obtain related many-server heavy-traffic delay-differential-equation limits for more general models.
The evolution of an active solitary idiopathic choroiditis (focal scleral nodule): a case report of the natural course and a review of the literature

To describe the clinical course of an active solitary idiopathic choroiditis (focal scleral nodule) that nearly resolved over six weeks without intervention. An 18-year-old man presented to the emergency department with headaches and new onset central scotoma in the right eye. Visual acuity was 20/20 in both eyes. Fundus examination revealed an amelanotic choroidal lesion with associated shallow subretinal fluid. It measured 6.1 × 6.3 × 1.4mm on A- and B-scan. Evaluation for systemic inflammatory and infectious diseases was negative. A week later, the lesion remained stable, and a month later, there was improvement of the lesion with a decrease in size on OCT and exam and resolution of the subretinal fluid suggesting that the lesion had become inactive. Solitary idiopathic choroiditis (Focal scleral nodule) is a rare condition characterized by inflammatory granulomatous reaction. This case report sheds light on the unknown natural course of a solitary idiopathic choroiditis (focal scleral nodule).
Multi-Loop Transient Stability Control via Power Modulation From Energy Storage Devices

This paper presents an optimal transient-stability control strategy that modulates the real power injected and absorbed by distributed energy-storage devices. These devices are located at the high-voltage bus of several generators in a synchronous power system. The system is broken into areas based upon groupings of generators. The control strategy consists of two parallel feedback loops. One loop focuses on preserving the synchronism of the generator to its own area. The second loop focuses on preserving the synchronism of a given area to the other areas. Each control loop strategy is based upon local and center-of-inertia frequency measurements. The strategy is derived from two perspectives. With the first, the goal is to remove as much kinetic energy gained during a disturbance as quickly as possible before it is converted to potential energy. With the second perspective, an optimal transient control cost-function is minimized. Both perspectives result in the same strategy. The performance of the control strategy is evaluated on a four-machine power system model and on a 34-generator reduced-order model of the western North-American grid. The results show that this control approach significantly improves the transient stability of power systems.
Atomic Structure of Surface-Densified Phases in Ni-Rich Layered Compounds

In this work, we report the presence of surface-densified phases (β-Ni5O8, γ-Ni3O4, and δ-Ni7O8) in LiNiO2 (LNO)- and LiNi0.8Al0.2O2 (LNA)-layered compounds by combined atomic level scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). These surface phases form upon electrochemical aging at high state of charge corresponding to a fully delithiated state. A unique feature of these phases is the periodic occupancy by Ni2+ in the Li layer. This periodic Ni occupancy gives rise to extra diffraction reflections, which are qualitatively similar to those of the LiNi2O4 spinel structure, but these surface phases have a lower Ni valence state and cation content than spinel. These experimental results confirm the presence of thermodynamically stable surface phases and provide new insights into the phenomena of surface phase formation in Ni-rich layered structures.
Sustainably Cultivating and Harvesting Microalgae through Sedimentation and Forward Osmosis Using Wastes.

Cost-effective nutrient sources and dewatering are major obstacles to sustainable, scaled-up cultivation of microalgae. Employing waste resources as sources of nutrients offsets costs for nutrient supplies while adding value through simultaneous waste treatment. Forward osmosis (FO), using simulated reverse osmosis brine, is a low-energy membrane technology that can be employed to efficiently harvest microalgae from a dilute solution. In this study, Scenedesmus obliquus, a green microalga, was cultivated with a fertilizer plant wastewater formula and simulated coal-fired power plant flue gas and then separated through either FO, with reverse osmosis reject model water as the draw solution, or sedimentation. Microalgal batches grown with simulated wastewater removed NH4+ within 2 days and reached nitrogen and phosphorus limitation simultaneously on Day 5. Sparging with the flue gas caused S. obliquus to produce significantly greater quantities of extracellular polymeric substances (30.7 ± 1.8 μg mL-1), which caused flocculation and enhanced settling to an advantageous extent. Five-hour FO trials showed no statistically significant difference (p = 0.65) between water fluxes for cultures grown with simulated flue gas and CO2-supplemented air (3.0 ± 0.1 and 3.0 ± 0.3 LMH, respectively). Reverse salt fluxes were low for all conditions and, remarkably, the rate of reverse salt flux was -1.9 ± 0.6 gMH when the FO feed was culture grown with simulated flue gas. In this work, S. obliquus was cultivated and harvested with potential waste resources.
Cytoplasmic localization and asymmetric division in the early embryo of Caenorhabditis elegans

During the initial cleavages of the Caenorhabditis elegans embryo, a series of rapid and invariant asymmetric cell divisions pattern the fate, size, and position of four somatic blastomeres and a single germline blastomere. These asymmetric divisions are orchestrated by a collection of maternally deposited factors that are initially symmetrically distributed in the newly fertilized embryo. Maturation of the sperm-derived centrosome in the posterior cytoplasm breaks this symmetry by triggering a dramatic and highly stereotyped partitioning of these maternal factors. A network of conserved cell polarity regulators, the PAR proteins, form distinct anterior and posterior domains at the cell cortex. From these domains, the PAR proteins direct the segregation of somatic and germline factors into opposing regions of the cytoplasm such that, upon cell division, they are preferentially inherited by the somatic blastomere or the germline blastomere, respectively. The segregation of these factors is controlled, at least in part, by a series of reaction-diffusion mechanisms that are asymmetrically deployed along the anterior/posterior axis. The characterization of these mechanisms has important implications for our understanding of how cells are polarized and how spatial organization is generated in the cytoplasm. For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Wehrli, Felix W.: From Carbon‐13 to Quadrupolar Nuclei NMR and Medical Imaging—Reflections

The sections in this article are 1 Carbon-13: From Indirect Detection to Routine Structure Analysis 2 Exploring the Periodic System 3 From Spectroscopy to Imaging 4 Biographical Sketch