cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transdermal kinetics of a mercurous chloride beauty cream: an in vitro human skin analysis

Background: Crema de Belleza-Manning is a popular mercurous chloride-containing beauty cream used to smooth and lighten the complexion and treat acne. Hundreds of people in the Southwestern US border states have been identified with elevated (>20 μg/L) urine mercury levels believed to be secondary to using this cream. The kinetic characteristics of percutaneous mercury absorption are incompletely defined. The objective of this study was to determine the transdermal kinetics of two formulations of mercurous chloride from a beauty cream in an in vitro human skin model. Methods: A proprietary formulation and an aqueous formulation of the beauty cream were studied using modified Franz diffusion cells. Mercury content in the skin samples and the underlying diffusion buffer was determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Results: A rapid initial increase in mercury content both in the skin and the buffer was noted for both formulations. Mercury concentrations in the aqueous samples were significantly ...
BIOHERBICIDES: RESEARCH AND RISKS

Many microbes have bioherbicidal activity, and several phytopathogenic fungi and bacteria have been patented as weed-control agents. The phytotoxic components of most agents have not been elucidated, but some phytotoxins and other secondary compounds produced by such microbes may be toxic to mammalian systems. Furthermore, few rigorous assessments have addressed uptake, translocation, metabolism, and persistence of these phytotoxins (some of which have not been identified), or the environmental effects of repeated augmentative applications of these microorganisms on long-term impact, environmental fate, or interactions with other microbial communities. Generally, there is a lack of definitive research on the overall toxicological risk of bioherbicidal microorganisms to the degree achieved or required for synthetic herbicides. This article presents a brief overview of bioherbicides (microorganisms and/or their phytotoxins), with emphasis on the toxicity of certain bioherbicides, and general considerations of risks associated with bioherbicidal use. A subsequent article presents some of our research results and future research directions on efforts to develop the bioherbicidal fungus Myrothecium verrucaria as a safe and efficacious bioherbicide have been published elsewhere.
Double jumps of minimal degrees

This paper concerns certain relationships between the ordering of degrees of unsolvability and the jump operation. It is shown that every minimal degree a < 0′ satisfies a″ = 0″. To restate this result in more suggestive language and compare it with related results, we shall use notation based on the now standard terminology of “high” and “low” degrees. Let Hn be the class of degrees a < 0′ such that a(n) = 0(n+1), and let Ln be the class of degrees a ≤ 0′ such that an = 0n. (Observe that Hi ⊆ Lj and Li ⊆ Lj, whenever i ≤ j, and Hi ∩ Lj = ∅ for all i andj.) The result mentioned above may now be restated in the form that every minimal degree a ≤ 0′ is in L2. This extends an earlier result of S. B. Cooper ([1], see also [4]) that no minimal degree a < 0′ is in H1. In the other direction, Sasso, Epstein, and Cooper ([10], [15]) have shown that there is a minimal degree a < 0′ which is not in L1. Also, C.E.M. Yates [14, Corollary 11.14], showed the existence of a minimal degree a < 0′ in L1. Thus each minimal degree a < 0′ lies in exactly one of the two classes L1L2 – L1 and each of the classes contains minimal degrees.Our results are not restricted to the degrees below 0′. We show in fact that every minimal degree a satisfies a″ = (a ∪ 0′)′. To restate this result and discuss extensions of it, we extend the “high-low” classification of degrees from the degrees below 0′ to degrees in general. There are a number of fairly plausible ways of doing this, but we choose the one way we know of doing so which leads to interesting results. Let GHn be the class of degrees a such that a(n) = (a ∪ 0′)(n), and let GLn be the class of degrees a such that a(n) = (a ∪ 0′)(n−1).
Acute stroke: improved nonenhanced CT detection--benefits of soft-copy interpretation by using variable window width and center level settings.

PURPOSE: To assess the use of nonstandard, variable window width and level review settings in computed tomography (CT) without contrast material administration in the detection of acute stroke. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nonenhanced CT was performed in 21 patients with acute (<6 hours) middle cerebral arterial stroke and nine control patients. Two blinded neuroradiologists rated all scans for presence of parenchymal hypoattenuation. Images were reviewed at a picture archiving and communication system (PACS) workstation, with standard, locally determined center level and window width settings of 20 and 80 HU and with variable soft-copy settings initially centered at a level of 32 HU with a width of 8 HU. Reviewers altered settings to accentuate gray and white matter contrast. RESULTS: With standard viewing parameters, sensitivity and specificity for stroke detection were 57% and 100%. Sensitivity increased to 71% with variable window width and center level settings, without loss of specificity. Receiver operat...
CUBAN EXCEPTIONALISM: Group-based Hierarchy and the Dynamics of Patriotism in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba

This paper examined the interface between “racial” and national identity from the perspective of two competing theoretical frameworks: the ideological asymmetry hypothesis and the thesis of Iberian Exceptionalism. In contrast to previous results found in the United States and Israel, use of survey data from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba showed some support for both theoretical positions. Consistent with the asymmetry thesis, there was strong and consistent evidence of racial hierarchy within all three Caribbean nations. However, contradicting the asymmetry hypothesis and more in line with the Iberian Exceptionalism perspective, there was a general tendency for all “races” to be equally attached to the nation in both the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Somewhat unexpectedly, Cuban Blacks tended to be slightly more positively attached to the nation than Cuban Whites. These results suggest that the precise interface between racial and national identity will be acutely influenced by the specific socio-political context within each nation.
Implementation of the Enteral Nutrition Practice Recommendations

In developing the evidence-based Enteral Nutrition Practice Recommendations, the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (A.S.P.E.N.) formed a task force to address the many aspects of safety in the delivery and provision of enteral nutrition support. This recently published document provides healthcare professionals with recommendations that are derived from evidence-based practice. The development and use of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) is a recent, significant contribution for the dissemination of evidence-based medicine. This involves the review of scientific literature along with clinical skill and knowledge to generate specific recommendations assisting healthcare providers and patients with decisions regarding appropriate healthcare. A primary opportunity to improve patient outcomes will come from the effective delivery of existing therapies rather than from the new development of treatment modalities. Compliance with CPGs is challenging because it depends on a variety of factors. Both general and specific strategies have been devised with the expansion of the new discipline of implementation science. The high degree of evidence now available in medicine gives clinicians more opportunity to improve patient outcomes and quality of care. It remains for clinicians to evaluate their institutional mission and goals, and to investigate those CPGs appropriate to improve patient care in that setting.
Unilateral lesion of the nigrostriatal pathway decreases the firing rate and alters the firing pattern of globus pallidus neurons in the rat.

Activities of spontaneously firing neurons in the globus pallidus of intact rats and rats that survived unilateral lesions of the nigrostriatal pathway for 3 days, 1 week, or 6–11 weeks were compared. No significant differences in neuronal firing rate, firing pattern, and number of cells per pass were observed between chloral hydrate-anesthetized control and lesioned animals. However, in locally anesthetized animals, pallidal cells fired significantly faster than in chloral hydrate-anesthetized animals, and the lesion caused a decrease in the firing rates of pallidal cells 1 week and 6–9 weeks postlesion. In addition, significant differences in the firing pattern of pallidal cells, as determined by the ratio of the mean to median interspike intervals, were seen between locally anesthetized controls and animals surviving 3 days, 1 week, and 6–9 weeks post lesion. This altered firing pattern tended to return to normal with time. The number of cells per pass was not significantly altered by the lesion. Data from this study suggest that, in locally anesthetized animals, the removal of the tonic dopaminergic input to the basal ganglia causes pallidal cells to decrease their firing rates in a time-dependent fashion and causes reversable firing pattern changes. This suggests that tonically active dopamine neurons, probably acting through the striatopallidal pathway, regulate the firing rate and mechanisms controlling the temporal ordering of spontaneous discharges of globus pallidus neurons.
Thyroxin phases the circadian fattening response to prolactin.

SummaryThe diurnal fattening response to prolactin in the Golden Topminnow, Fundulus chrysotus, involves a circadian periodicity of fattening sensitivity to the hormone. Phasing of the rhythm in fish kept in continuous light can be obtained by injections of thyroxin. A phase angle of 18 hr between the time of thyroxin injection and the time of prolactin injection results in conditions favoring the accumulation of fat stores. Phase angles of 6 hr do not promote fattening.
Dual band single feed dielectric resonator antenna with linear and circular polariziations for ku-band

This paper presents a novel single feed Dielectric Resonator Antenna (DRA) exhibiting dual band operation in the Ku-band. The dual band operation is characterized by one circular polarized band centered at 13 GHz with 17.24% 3 dB axial ratio bandwidth and one band at 10.55 GHz with 5.58% 20 dB axial ratio bandwidth, which is basically approximating linear polarization. In both bands, the Dielectric Resonator is excited in its HEM11δ resonant mode. The design features a single feed design utilizing back-side microstrip excitation through novel bowtie cross slots.
Solar Radiative Transfer in Cirrus Clouds. Part II: Theory and Computation of Multiple Scattering in an Anisotropic Medium

Abstract We have developed a theoretical framework for the computation of the transfer of solar radiation in an anisotropic medium with particular application to oriented ice crystals in cirrus clouds. In the theoretical development, the adding principle for radiative transfer has been used with modifications to account for the anisotropy of the phase matrix. The single-scattering properties including the phase function, single-scattering albedo, and extinction cross section, for randomly and horizontally oriented ice crystals are then used in the computation of reflected and transmitted intensifies, planetary albedo, and polarization in multiple scattering. There are significant differences in the reflected and transmitted intensifies between hexagonal ice crystals and equivalent ice spheres. In addition, it is found that ice spheres are inadequate to model the general pattern of reflected intensity. The orientation properties of ice crystals are also significant in the determination of the reflected and...
Hematocrit modulates response of ANP to volume expansion in immature rats

Compared with the adult, the immature kidney responds to acute volume expansion (VE) with reduced diuresis and natriuresis. The underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Diuresis and natriuresis are blunted despite a lower hematocrit (Hct) in the immature rat, which should enhance the response to VE. The present study was designed to evaluate the role of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), its second messenger, guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP), and Hct in the regulation of the renal response to acute saline VE (3% body wt) during postnatal development in rats. Anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats were studied in the preweaning (group P) or postweaning period (group W). In additional groups, Hct was increased in preweaned rats (group PI) and decreased in postweaned rats (group WD) by isovolemic exchange transfusion before VE. Although control plasma ANP concentration [( ANP]) was not different among the four groups, the increased diuretic and natriuretic response to VE in group W was associated with a greater increase in [ANP] and urinary cGMP excretion (UcGMPV) than in group P (P less than 0.05). Experimental increases in Hct in group PI resulted in greater [ANP] after VE but a reduction in UcGMPV and diuresis (P less than 0.05), whereas decrease in Hct in group WD increased UcGMPV without a significant effect on [ANP], diuresis, or natriuresis. We conclude that ANP may contribute to the increasing renal response to VE with maturation and that Hct modulates ANP release, UcGMPV, and the renal response to VE in postnatal maturation.
Preface to 'Alan Greenspan: The Oracle Behind the Curtain'

There is an endless supply of rave reviews for Alan Greenspan and the Fed. This is due to Greenspan’s political manipulations, the reluctance of politicians to challenge the Federal Reserve, the press corps’ willingness to trade glowing reviews for access, and private economists with ambitions of becoming Fed Governors. With Greenspan’s announced retirement, the devastating effects of Fed actions are mounting. Even as institutional reforms are suggested, it is shown how they have been blocked by an ideology favored by financial wealth-holders at the expense of wage labor. This thought-provoking new title, by the highly acclaimed author of Wall Street Capitalism and A Brief History of Economics, provides a much-needed counterbalance to the mythical distortions of Alan Greenspan. Canterbery exposes Greenspan’s fundamentalist market ideology as overwhelming rationality in the making of economic policy. He depicts a Fed selfishly guarding its political independence, even as Greenspan has his way in virtually every major economic and social policy affecting the global economy since the Ford Administration. This book reveals the hidden nodes of power that give the Fed vast authority over the global economy. It also explains why it is so important not only to understand those powers, but also to appreciate why they are resistant to moderation.
Enchytraeus albidus (Enchytraeidae, Oligochaeta) as a Test Organism in Terrestrial Laboratory Systems

A number of test guidelines have been developed to assess the effects of anthropogenic stress factors on biotic systems, especially when registering new chemicals. In contrast to the aquatic environment only few tests have been established for terrestrial habitats. The supposedly best known terrestrial test, the earthworm test, is of restricted value because the test organism Eisenia fetida is adapted to compost rather than to soil.
Early Aggression and Later Delinquency: Considering the Redirecting Role of Good Parenting

Childhood aggression consistently predicts delinquency during adolescence, but research in this area reveals exceptions, with some highly aggressive children becoming relatively nondelinquent adole...
Synthesis and characterization of plasmonic resonant guided wave networks.

Composed of optical waveguides and power-splitting waveguide junctions in a network layout, resonant guided wave networks (RGWNs) split an incident wave into partial waves that resonantly interact within the network. Resonant guided wave networks have been proposed as nanoscale distributed optical networks (Feigenbaum and Atwater, Phys. Rev. Lett. 2010, 104, 147402) that can function as resonators and color routers (Feigenbaum et al. Opt. Express 2010, 18, 25584–25595). Here we experimentally characterize a plasmonic resonant guided wave network by demonstrating that a 90° waveguide junction of two v-groove channel plasmon polariton (CPP) waveguides operates as a compact power-splitting element. Combining these plasmonic power splitters with CPP waveguides in a network layout, we characterize a prototype plasmonic nanocircuit composed of four v-groove waveguides in an evenly spaced 2 × 2 configuration, which functions as a simple, compact optical logic device at telecommunication wavelengths, routing diff...
Variations in reduction of tetrazolium salts by dehydrogenase systems.

SummaryElectronegative groups attached to either the N-2 phenyl or the N-3 phenyl rings are important in determining the readiness of enzymatic transfer of electrons to tetrazolium salts. The magnitude of the effects exerted by nitro, chloro, or cyano moieties are not identical when different dehydrogenase systems are compared. Furthermore, differences noted between several tetrazolium salts in any one dehydrogenase system are not necessarily reproduced when biochemical and histochemical preparations are compared. Although the reasons for these differences are not immediately apparent, preliminary observations with the succinoxidase system suggest that some clarification may follow closer inspection of site of transfer to tetrazolium salts in the chain of electron transport.Figure
Pole-piece interactions with the plasma in a magnetically shielded hall thruster

The computational and experimental evidence indicates that channel wall erosion, which has limited the life of Hall thrusters in the past, has been solved by advent of Magnetic Shielding. The two to three order-of-magnitude reductions in the discharge chamber wall erosion rate in magnetically shielded Hall thrusters has eliminated wall sputtering as the primary failure mechanism. The next step is to identify and eliminate the next likely potential failure mechanisms in magnetically shielded thrusters with the goal of ensuring thruster operation times approaching or even exceeding 10 hours. Performance testing and short-term wear testing of magnetic shielded Hall thrusters have shown that modifications to the surface of the magnetic pole pieces can occur. Both sputtering of pole piece material and deposition on the poles has been observed, with the largest changes to the surface occurring at the location where the magnetic field lines terminate near the channel exit on the iron pole pieces. An experimental investigation of the plasma parameters at the pole-piece surfaces has been undertaken. Measurements of the plasma parameter profiles along the pole piece face are shown over an Isp range of 2000 to 3000s and a corresponding power range of 6 to 9 kW. The measured plasma parameters in the regions of pole piece surface modifications are presented. A companion paper describes computational predictions of the pole piece erosion rates using the Hall2De code.
Self-Powered Tactile Pressure Sensors Using Ordered Crystalline ZnO Nanorods on Flexible Substrates Toward Robotic Skin and Garments

Flexible, bendable tactile pressure sensors are developed with crystalline ZnO nanorods as a robotic skin or as part of a multimodal sensing garment. The sensors are arranged in addressable arrays for detection of spatial tactile pressure variation with a resolution of 1 mm or better. The sensors are fully conformable to nonplanar surfaces. A low-temperature hydrothermal process in conjunction with thermal nanoimprint lithography is demonstrated to achieve ordered growth of ZnO nanorods placed vertically on the flexible substrate. The nanorods are fully packaged in inert polyimide for protection against dust, moisture, and mechanical shock. The sensor response to applied pressure is observed to be nearly linear and with negligible hysteresis. A peak sensitivity of 21.2 μV/kPa has been observed for tactile pressure in the 10-200 kPa range.
Verbal Communication Signs and Nonverbal Communication Signs: Similarities and Differences

Some research on the verbal communication signs and nonverbal communication signs tend to separate the relatedness between the two signs and to magnify the functions of nonverbal communication.This paper makes an analysis on the similarities and differences between the two signs and studies the functions nonverbal communication signs play to verbal communication sign.Through the analysis,the intertwined relationship between the two signs is emphasized.
Characteristics and Welding Technology of Steel Used for Transmisstion Line Tower

The present situations and problems of angle steel,steel pipes with a longitudinal weld,hubbed flange used for transmission line tower were introduced.The main connection types of weld in steel tubular tower manufacturing,the welding features and UT methods for girth welding seam of thin-walled pipes were discussed.
A Philosophy of Religious Pluralism

It is necessary first to establish some terminology. In the ‘Western’ monotheisms (though all in fact originated in the middle east) we think of the ultimate reality as an infinite, eternal, all-powerful, all-good personal being. A personal being is a person: the distinction which some theologians have tried to draw between God as personal and God as a person is meaningless — what could a personal non-person be? God, then, is thought of as the infinite person or, in the case of Christianity, as a trinity of persons who are three in one and one in three. It would be possible to stretch the familiar term ‘God’ to refer to the Ultimate without specifying whether that reality is personal, impersonal or beyond the personal/impersonal distinction. But the word carries for us in the West so strongly personal a connotation that it is wiser at present to avoid it when intending the more open or generic meaning, as I mentioned earlier (p. 36). Terms commonly used are Ultimate Reality, the Ultimate, the Transcendent and, less commonly, the word that I have myself introduced, the Real. Since none of these has a privileged status I shall use them all, taking advantage of the stylistic flexibility this allows, though most often speaking of the Transcendent, with or without a capital T.
Kant and German Philosophy

In the introduction, I’ve sketched a landscape of the cultural context in which Bolzano’s work evolved. I argued that different sociological factors such as the anti-intellectual spirit of educational policies in Austria partly explain the lack of attention his work received until recently. Because of its broad liberality and emphasis on autonomous thought, Bolzano’s social and political philosophy — which he presented in part in his edifying speeches — was associated in the mind of the Austrian establishment with Kant’s. This led in Bolzano’s early career to a series of vexations. In Austria, being accused of “Kantianism” was not unusual and often served as a pretext to oust detractors of the State — mostly Jesuits and Free-Masons (see Sauer 1982, 267ff.).1 These accusations were, in Bolzano’s case, consequential enough to threaten his academic position. The number of those who were dismissed under the same pretext is significant. It included Lazarus Ben-David from Vienna in 1793, Anton Kreil from Pest in 1795, Stephan Tichy from Kaschau in 1795 and Benedikt Feilmoser from Innsbruck in 1820.
Thermal convection in a toroidal duct of a liquid metal blanket. Part II. Effect of axial mean flow

Abstract The work continues the exploration of the effect of thermal convection on flows in toroidal ducts of a liquid metal blanket. This time we consider the effect of the mean flow along the duct and of the associated heat transfer diverting the heat deposited by captured neutrons. Numerical simulations are conducted for a model system with two-dimensional (streamwise-uniform) fully developed flow, purely toroidal magnetic field, and perfectly electrically and thermally insulating walls. Realistically high Grashof (up to 1011) and Reynolds (up to 106) numbers are used. It is found that the flow develops thermal convection in the transverse plane at moderate Grashof numbers. At large Grashof numbers, the flow is dominated by the top-bottom asymmetry of the streamwise velocity and stable stratification of temperature, which are caused by the buoyancy force due to the mean temperature growing along the duct. This leads to suppression of thermal convection, weak mixing, and substantial gradients of wall temperature. Further analysis based on more realistic models is suggested.
Sun Exposure and Protection Behaviors among Long-term Melanoma Survivors and Population Controls

Introduction: Melanoma is considered a generally preventable cancer, with excessive ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure being a strong causal factor. UVR exposure following a melanoma diagnosis can be modified to reduce risk of second primary melanomas. The goal of this study was to compare measures of UVR exposure and protection behaviors between long-term melanoma survivors and controls.Methods: Participants from a previously conducted case-control study were recruited for a cross-sectional survey. Melanoma cases were 25 to 59 years old at diagnosis; controls were age and sex matched. Participants were asked about UVR exposure and protection measures used in the past year, and comparisons between melanoma survivors and controls were conducted using logistic regression models, adjusting for potential confounders.Results: A total of 724 (62.0%) long-term melanoma survivors and 660 (59.9%) controls completed the follow-up survey. Melanoma survivors were significantly less likely to report high sun exposure on a typical weekday [OR, 0.72 (0.55-0.94)], sunburns [OR, 0.40 (0.30-0.53)], or indoor tanning [OR, 0.20 (0.09-0.44)] than controls; however, high sun exposure on a typical weekend day was similar. Report of optimal sun protection behaviors was higher in melanoma survivors compared with controls. However, a few melanoma survivors reported indoor tanning, 10% reported intentionally seeking sun to tan, and 20% reported sunburns.Conclusions: Although long-term melanoma survivors reported healthier UVR exposure and protection behaviors compared with controls, a sizeable proportion still reported elevated sun exposure, sunburns, and suboptimal UVR protection behaviors.Impact: Opportunities remain for improving sun protection to reduce future melanoma risk among melanoma survivors. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(4); 607-13. ©2017 AACR.
Sex differences in the interacting roles of impulsivity and positive alcohol expectancy in problem drinking: A structural brain imaging study

Alcohol expectancy and impulsivity are implicated in alcohol misuse. However, how these two risk factors interact to determine problem drinking and whether men and women differ in these risk processes remain unclear. In 158 social drinkers (86 women) assessed for Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT), positive alcohol expectancy, and Barratt impulsivity, we examined sex differences in these risk processes. Further, with structural brain imaging, we examined the neural bases underlying the relationship between these risk factors and problem drinking. The results of general linear modeling showed that alcohol expectancy best predicted problem drinking in women, whereas in men as well as in the combined group alcohol expectancy and impulsivity interacted to best predict problem drinking. Alcohol expectancy was associated with decreased gray matter volume (GMV) of the right posterior insula in women and the interaction of alcohol expectancy and impulsivity was associated with decreased GMV of the left thalamus in women and men combined and in men alone, albeit less significantly. These risk factors mediated the correlation between GMV and problem drinking. Conversely, models where GMV resulted from problem drinking were not supported. These new findings reveal distinct psychological factors that dispose men and women to problem drinking. Although mediation analyses did not determine a causal link, GMV reduction in the insula and thalamus may represent neural phenotype of these risk processes rather than the consequence of alcohol consumption in non-dependent social drinkers. The results add to the alcohol imaging literature which has largely focused on dependent individuals and help elucidate alterations in brain structures that may contribute to the transition from social to habitual drinking.
Predictions of Turbulent Drag Reduction for a Linear Viscoelastic Fluid

A link between the decoupling of the Reynolds stress and the temporal relaxation of turbulent fluctuations, controlled by a finite propagation of momentum at small spatial scales, has been developed for turbulent flow of a Maxwell fluid. A characteristic time between turbulent bursts from the wall region, a relaxation time for the velocity, space-time correlation, and the intensity of turbulent fluctuations normal to the mean flow govern the behavior of the Reynolds stress in the near wall region. The theory predicts quantitative extents of drag reduction in agreement with experiments and, more importantly, contains the familiar saturation and onset features of turbulent drag reduction.
Abstract 196: Self-Organized Formation of Cardiac Pacemaker Tissues in Embryoid Bodies

The pacemaker tissues of the heart are a complex set of specialized cells that initiate the rhythmic heart beat. The sinoatrial node (SAN) serves as the primary pacemaker, whereas the atrioventricular node (AVN) serves as a subsidiary pacemaker under conditions of SAN failure. The elucidation of genetic networks regulating the development of these tissues is crucial for understanding the mechanisms underlying arrhythmias and for the design of biological pacemakers. At present, there is no in vitro model system in which these specialized cells are defined or targeted. Here we report efficient self-organized formation of the two pacemaker nodes in three-dimensional aggregate cultures of mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells known as embryoid bodies (EBs), as well as the isolation of ES cell-derived AVN cells. A Shox2-lacZ knockin ES cell line carrying a Cx30.2 enhancer-RFP construct was used to generate EBs. The Shox2 gene, a determinant of the SAN genetic cascade, was used to delineate the SAN in EBs. The Cx30.2 enhancer was used to direct RFP expression to the AVN in EBs. Using live fluorescent imaging and immunohistochemistry, we demonstrate that these genetic markers reproducibly delineate cell clusters which express nodal proteins. These clusters are functionally connected with, and consistently located adjacent to the contracting region of the EB in an organized manner. We demonstrate that EBs generated using Shox2 knockout ES cells exhibit a hypoplastic SAN phenotype that includes reduction in spontaneous contraction rates and altered expression of Shox2 downstream targets. We isolated an ES cell-derived AVN cell line using a genetic selection technique and demonstrated that these cells display nodal characteristics such as calcium dependent spontaneous depolarizations and an AVN gene expression profile. When these cells were grown as three-dimensional aggregates they induced synchronous contraction of surrounding cardiac myocytes in co-culture experiments. Using molecular markers, we have generated a reproducible model system and have isolated an AVN cell line that will be invaluable tools for studying the molecular pathways regulating the development of the cardiac pacemaker tissues and molecular composition of these specialized cells.
Does the eating disorder examination questionnaire global subscale adequately predict eating disorder psychopathology in the daily life of obese adults

The eating disorder examination questionnaire (EDE-Q) Global score is a self-report measure of global eating disorder (ED) psychopathology. This study used ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to evaluate the ecological validity of EDE-Q Global scores among obese adults. Fifty obese adults completed the EDE-Q and 2 weeks of EMA ratings prior to initiating eating episodes and subsequently after eating episodes. EMA items assessed behavioral symptoms [i.e., loss of control (LOC) eating and overeating] and cognitive symptoms (i.e., weight/shape concerns, eating concerns, and restraint). EDE-Q Global was associated with increased EMA weight/shape concerns and fear of LOC at pre-eating recordings. EDE-Q Global was associated with increased EMA post-episode weight/shape concerns, eating concerns, LOC eating, and overeating. There was no association between EDE-Q Global and EMA restraint. Results generally supported the ecological validity of EDE-Q Global scores. Future studies of ED psychopathology in obese adults may benefit from considering EDE-Q Restraint separately. Level of Evidence Level V, descriptive study.
Validation of β-lactam minimum inhibitory concentration predictions for pneumococcal isolates with newly encountered penicillin binding protein (PBP) sequences

Genomic sequence-based deduction of antibiotic minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) has great potential to enhance the speed and sensitivity of antimicrobial susceptibility testing. We previously developed a penicillin-binding protein (PBP) typing system and two methods (Random Forest (RF) and Mode MIC (MM)) that accurately predicted β-lactam MICs for pneumococcal isolates carrying a characterized PBP sequence type (phenotypic β-lactam MICs known for at least one isolate of this PBP type). This study evaluates the prediction performance for previously uncharacterized (new) PBP types and the probability of encountering new PBP types, both of which impact the overall prediction accuracy. The MM and RF methods were used to predict MICs of 4309 previously reported pneumococcal isolates in 2 datasets and the results were compared to the known broth microdilution MICs to 6 β-lactams. Based on a method that specifically evaluated predictions for new PBP types, the RF results were more accurate than MM results for new PBP types and showed percent essential agreement (MICs agree within ±1 dilution) >97%, percent category agreement (interpretive results agree) >93%, major discrepancy (sensitive isolate predicted as resistant) rate < 1.2%, and very major discrepancy (resistant isolate predicted as sensitive) rate < 1.4% for all 6 β-lactams. The identification of new PBP types over time was well approximated by a diminishingly increasing curve (Pearson’s r = 0.99) and minimally impacted overall MIC prediction performance. MIC prediction using the RF method could be an accurate alternative of phenotypic susceptibility testing even in the presence of previously uncharacterized PBP types.
Buttock Pain in the Athlete: the Role of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Pelvic floor dysfunction is an often overlooked cause of buttock pain in the athlete. Literature on pelvic floor dysfunction in athletes is limited, and therefore, it is frequently missed on evaluation and left untreated. This purpose of this article is to review the role that pelvic floor dysfunction plays in several musculoskeletal conditions experienced by athletes and to discuss pertinent history and physical examination findings that will help healthcare providers identify and treat athletes with pelvic floor dysfunction. Recent studies show the prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction in athletes is higher than one might expect. Structural changes in pelvic floor muscles have been identified in athletes, although the effect of these changes on pelvic floor function is not clear. Muscles of the pelvic floor are involved in controlling motion at the hip, sacroiliac joint and lumbar spine. Dysfunction in these muscles may contribute to a number of conditions that present with buttock pain. It is important to recognize pelvic floor dysfunction as a potential cause of buttock pain in athletes, particularly in cases that have remained refractory to other conservative therapies.
Online estimation for finding a near-maximum value in a large list of numerical data

It is often of interest to find a maximum or near-maximum value in a large (unsorted) list of numerical data (perhaps large values are the object of study, or they help establish the data's range). For large datasets it is not feasible to sort the data, therefore such values must be found by repeatedly querying the dataset via a search algorithm. Compounding the problem is that identifying an index as having near-maximum value appears to require knowledge of the maximum value itself, which may be unknown. This paper proposes an online estimation approach to this problem, assuming knowledge of the dataset's order and its distribution family. We leverage results in extreme value theory (EVT) to estimate the maximum value, and thereby identify a target sample size. The algorithm's performance is evaluated on several synthetic datasets; we show the algorithm performs well, despite the limited information it requires.
Role of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the response of extrapyramidal neurotensin and dynorphin A systems to cocaine and GBR 12909.

Un antagoniste non competitif des recepteurs N-methyl-D-aspartate, le MK-801 a permis d'etudier le role de ce recepteur dans les modifications induites par le GBR 12909 ou la cocaine bloquant dopaminergique dans le systeme de peptides extrapyramidaux comprenant la neurotensine et la dynorphine A
The Stability of Organizational Citizenship Behavior over Time: Women as Good Citizens

Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) has been shown to be important for organizational effectiveness, yet little is known about its stability over time. Most OCB research is cross-sectional wi...
Commodification, vulnerability, risk: gendered social policy developments in the United States, 1980–2018

Over the last few decades, the position of women vis-a-vis the welfare state has changed dramatically. Welfare states have adapted to women’s increased labour force participation and to the “new so...
A green recovery in Cunningham Park: Drury University responds to the Joplin tornado

We are all potentially connected to an unwanted disaster situation since no region is immune from some adverse risk. Most Americans live in areas that are exposed to hazards whether naturally occurring or through involvement with humankind. Natural hazards may be in the form of wild fires, heat waves, volcanoes, tornadoes, earthquakes, or hurricanes, while human intervention awakens hazards such as oil rig accidents, the physical neglect of buildings and infrastructure, or acts of terrorism. A disaster occurs when a hazard has a high degree of harm to human life, its shelter, or to ecosystems such as human lives lost, reconstruction costs of buildings and infrastructure, or the corresponding loss of fauna and flora (Hedges 2011). However, a disaster may seem distant until it happens in your backyard. One such disaster is the 2011 Joplin (Missouri) tornado. The tornado was particularly destructive: the community was plunged into darkness with over 10,000 buildings damaged or destroyed, and the loss of 161 lives. The focus of this case study is on the Joplin community’s recovery and response at ground zero of the tornado, Cunningham Park. The Volunteer Tribute Garden and the Butterfly Garden and Overlook are two major designbuild projects that helped coalesce a community in turmoil. The narrative of the greening projects, their lessons learned, and recommendations are provided, beginning with the scale of the disaster event and some of the initial helping hands.
Orientation and excitonic interactions of the Fenna—Matthews—Olson bacteriochlorophyll a protein in membranes of the green sulfur bacterium Chlorobium tepidum

Linear and circular dichroism spectra of isolated bacteriochlorophyll a proteins (FMO proteins) and membrane vesicles containing FMO protein from the green sulfur bacterium Chlorobium tepidum were measured at room temperature and 77 K. The orientation of membranes and isolated FMO protein was obtained by gel squeezing. Linear dichroism (LD) data indicate that isolated FMO protein and membrane vesicles associated with the FMO protein are oriented in a similar way in a squeezed polyacrylamide gel. Both samples show a characteristic negative LD band around 814 nm with flanking positive bands at 802 and 824 nm ascribed to the Qy excitonic transitions of BChl a of the FMO protein. This confirms that the C3 symmetry axis of the trimer is perpendicular to the membrane plane, which is supported by the model of the disc-like structure of FMO protein trimers of Cb. tepidum [Li Yi-Fen, Zhou W, Blankenship RE, and Allen JP (1997) J Mol Biol 272: 456–471]. The LD data are consistent with either BChl 3 or 6, but not 7 as the principal contributor to the low temperature band at 825 nm. The low temperature linear and circular dichroism spectra of FMO protein trimers from Chlorobium tepidum show significant differences from the low temperature LD and CD spectra of FMO protein trimers from Prosthecochloris aestuarii. The data are interpreted in terms of somewhat different pigment-protein and pigment-pigment interactions in the two complexes.
The perspectives of parents of youth with disabilities toward physical activity: A systematic review.

Abstract Background Parents’ perceptions of physical activity (PA), in particular, are critically important because children with disabilities are often dependent on their families to be able to engage in physical activities. Thus, adapted physical activity scholars have acknowledged the need for research addressing the perceptions of parents of youth with disabilities regarding their child’s PA engagement. Purpose The purpose of this review was to examine published research literature pertaining to parents’ perspectives toward physical activity of youth with disabilities by describing study characteristics and major findings. Methods Electronic database searches were conducted to identify relevant articles published between January 2007 and January 2018. Results Thirty-two articles met all inclusion criteria, and relevant data such as participant characteristics, theories, measurements, and dependent variables were extracted from them. Of the 32 studies, 26 were descriptive, and six were correlational. Seventeen studies explicitly stated a theoretical or conceptual framework. Conclusions Major findings suggest that parents have reported multiple motives to engage their children with disabilities in physical activity. However, numerous barriers (e.g., lack of program, lack of time, children’s disability) were reported that negatively impact physical activity participation. As such, parents are calling for the need for training provided by qualified professionals to enhance participation for their children with disabilities.
Methods and Risks of Bias in Natural Experiments in Obesity: Opportunities for the Future Informed by a Systematic Review.

Objective This paper promotes rigorous methods and designs currently underutilized in obesity research, informed by a recent systematic review of the methods and risks of bias in studies of policies, programs, and built environment changes for obesity prevention and control. Methods To determine the current state of the field, relevant databases from 2000 to 2017 were searched to identify studies that fit the inclusion criteria. Study design, analytic approach, and other details of study methods were abstracted. These findings inform recommendations for obesity researchers and the field as a whole. Results Previously identified were 156 natural experiment studies. Most were cross-sectional (35%), pre-post single group comparison (31%), or difference-in-differences designs (29%). Few used rigorous causal designs such as interrupted time series with more than two time points, propensity score methods, or instrumental variables. The potential relevance for obesity research is discussed, and recommendations for obesity researchers are provided. Conclusions To strengthen natural experiment study designs and enhance the validity of results, researchers should carefully consider and control for confounding and selection of comparison groups and consider study designs that address these biases.
Characteristics of tiger moth (Erebidae: Arctiinae) anti-bat sounds can be predicted from tymbal morphology.

Acoustic signals are used by many animals to transmit information. Variation in the acoustic characteristics of these signals often covaries with morphology and can relay information about an individual’s fitness, sex, species, and/or other characteristics important for both mating and defense. Tiger moths (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae) use modified cuticular plates called “tymbal organs” to produce ultrasonic clicks which can aposematically signal their toxicity, mimic the signals of other species, or, in some cases, disrupt bat echolocation. The morphology of the tymbal organs and the sounds they produce vary greatly between species, but it is unclear how the variation in morphology gives rise to the variation in acoustic characteristics. This is the first study to determine how the morphological features of tymbals can predict the acoustic characteristics of the signals they produce. We show that the number of striations on the tymbal surface (historically known as “microtymbals”) and, to a lesser extent, the ratio of the projected surface area of the tymbal to that of the thorax have a strong, positive correlation with the number of clicks a moth produces per unit time. We also found that some clades have significantly different regression coefficients, and thus the relationship between microtymbals and click rate is also dependent on the shared ancestry of different species. Our predictive model allows the click rates of moths to be estimated using preserved material (e.g., from museums) in cases where live specimens are unavailable. This has the potential to greatly accelerate our understanding of the distribution of sound production and acoustic anti-bat strategies employed by tiger moths. Such knowledge will generate new insights into the evolutionary history of tiger moth anti-predator defenses on a global scale.
Accelerated discovery of oxidation resistant CoNi-base γ/γ’ alloys with high L12 solvus and low density

Abstract A systematic and accelerated methodology for alloy design is demonstrated by combining combinatorial synthesis, high-throughput oxide scale characterization, computational density functional theory, and CALPHAD database calculations. By applying this strategy to the senary Co-Ni-W-Al-Cr-Ta material system, a novel γ/γ’ alloy exhibiting a superior combination of properties has been identified. Properties include a γ’ solvus near 1200 °C, continuous α-Al2O3 scale formation after 1 h in air at 1100 °C, and comparable density to 2nd-generation commercial Ni-base superalloys. This novel alloy SB-CoNi-10 has a nominal composition of 39.8Co – 36.5Ni – 13.2Al – 1.0W – 6.0Cr – 3.5Ta at.%, and its properties are compared with other recently studied Co-, CoNi-, and Ni-base γ/γ’ alloys.
Commander-in-Chief, India: Administrator (1893–1898)

Chapter 6, “Commander-in-Chief, India: Administrator (1893–1898),” examines White’s five-year tenure at Snowdon and his working relationship with Lord Lansdowne and then Lord Elgin, who served as Viceroys during this period. It reviews the Great Game, the political intrigue between Great Britain and Russia in Afghanistan and along the vast Central and Southern Asian frontier, and White’s policies to oversee British security in the region. White was busy with issues ranging from the introduction of new weaponry to the reform of the Presidency Armies and from handling the promotion of Indian high caste officers to the recruitment of Anglo-Indians.