cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hearing protector fit testing with off-shore oil-rig inspectors in Louisiana and Texas.

AbstractObjective: This field study aimed to assess the noise reduction of hearing protection for individual workers, demonstrate the effectiveness of training on the level of protection achieved, and measure the time required to implement hearing protector fit testing in the workplace. Design: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted field studies in Louisiana and Texas to test the performance of HPD Well-Fit. Study sample: Fit tests were performed on 126 inspectors and engineers working in the offshore oil industry. Results: Workers were fit tested with the goal of achieving a 25-dB PAR. Less than half of the workers were achieving sufficient protection from their hearing protectors prior to NIOSH intervention and training; following re-fitting and re-training, over 85% of the workers achieved sufficient protection. Typical test times were 6–12 minutes. Conclusions: Fit testing of the workers’ earplugs identified those workers who were and were not achieving the desire...
Impact of Proximal Vascular Ligation on Survival of Patients with Colon Cancer

In an effort to optimize further the surgical management of colon cancer, many groups have advocated extended lymphadenectomy as a strategy to improve completeness of resection and lymph node harvest. This review evaluates lymphadenectomy according to the definitions for extent of lymph node dissection based on the guidelines provided by the Japanese Society of Cancer of the Colon and Rectum and the contemporary concepts of complete mesocolic excision and central vascular ligation. The proposed benefits of a D3 or central nodal dissection along root vessels in colon cancer is improving accuracy of lymph node evaluation and ensuring complete removal of lymph nodes that may harbor undetected tumor cells or other undefined immunologic processes important for metastases. Metastasis to central lymph nodes occurs in 1 to 8% of patients with colon cancer and is most commonly seen in T3 and T4 tumors. Although central lymph node metastasis is associated with decreased survival after resection, resection of the nodes, when present, may confer a survival benefit analogous to resection of metastasis at distant sites. Current data support a standardized anatomic approach to colonic resection with complete resection of the mesocolic envelope and ligation at least to the D2 level.
Management of Complicated and Strangulated Hiatal Hernias

Large, complicated hiatal hernias are relatively rare, typically affecting the elderly. Type II–IV hiatal hernias are also known as paraesophageal hernias, and the most prevalent is a type III hernia where the gastroesophageal junction migrates cephalad into the chest, frequently accompanied by a portion of the stomach adjacent to the esophagus, as a consequence of laxity in the phrenoesophageal attachments. Approximately half of all paraesophageal hernias are symptomatic, and most commonly, symptoms in the acute presentation are related to volvulus and obstruction and constitute nausea, postprandial chest or epigastric pain, and bloating. Other acute manifestations of paraesophageal hernia include strangulation, perforation, and bleeding. Diagnosis primarily relies on abdominal computed tomography and upper gastrointestinal series. The risk of developing acute gastric volvulus requiring emergency surgery is estimated at less than 2 % per year. Mortality following emergency surgery has historically been reported to be as high as 56 %, though currently in the laparoscopic era, it has decreased significantly to a rate of 5–20 %. All symptomatic paraesophageal hernias should be repaired, in accordance with the guidelines, and the standard approach is laparoscopic even in urgent cases. The principles of laparoscopic repair of large paraesophageal hernias in order to minimize recurrence are (1) reduction of the hernia with at least 2–3 cm of intra-abdominal esophageal length, (2) complete excision of the hernia sac, and (3) tension-free closure of the hiatus. Fixation of the stomach within the abdomen is traditionally performed via fundoplication, but gastropexy or gastrostomy tube placement is acceptable in certain instances.
Transcriptome of neonatal preBötzinger complex neurones in Dbx1 reporter mice.

We sequenced the transcriptome of brainstem interneurons in the specialized respiratory rhythmogenic site dubbed preBotzinger Complex (preBotC) from newborn mice. To distinguish molecular characteristics of the core oscillator we compared preBotC neurons derived from Dbx1-expressing progenitors that are respiratory rhythmogenic to neighbouring non-Dbx1-derived neurons, which support other respiratory and non-respiratory functions. Results in three categories are particularly salient. First, Dbx1 preBotC neurons express κ-opioid receptors in addition to μ-opioid receptors that heretofore have been associated with opiate respiratory depression, which may have clinical applications. Second, Dbx1 preBotC neurons express the hypoxia-inducible transcription factor Hif1a at levels three-times higher than non-Dbx1 neurons, which links core rhythmogenic microcircuits to O2-related chemosensation for the first time. Third, we detected a suite of transcription factors including Hoxa4 whose expression pattern may define the rostral preBotC border, Pbx3 that may influence ipsilateral connectivity, and Pax8 that may pertain to a ventrally-derived subset of Dbx1 preBotC neurons. These data establish the transcriptomic signature of the core respiratory oscillator at a perinatal stage of development.
Early nuclear retirements in deregulated U.S. markets: Causes, implications and policy options

Abstract Electricity prices have fallen significantly since 2008, putting commercial nuclear reactors in the United States under substantial financial pressure. In this market environment driven by persistently low natural gas prices and stagnant electricity demand, we estimate that about two thirds of the 102 GW nuclear capacity are uncompetitive over the next few years under the current trajectory. Among those, 18 GW are retiring or are merchant plants at high risk of retiring prematurely. The potential consequences of the hypothetical withdrawal of 20 GW of nuclear capacity include: 1) a ~3.2% increase in carbon emissions of the power sector if replaced by gas-fired units or 2) a significant increase in cost if replaced by renewables. Without a carbon price, out-of-the-market payments would be needed to effectively maintain merchant nuclear capacity. Filling the revenue gap would come at a fleet-average cost of $3.5–5.5/ MWh for these plants, which is much lower than the cost of subsidizing wind power. The policy support could take the form of direct zero-emission credits, renewable portfolio standard expansion, or clean capacity market mechanisms. As a last resort, the exercise of a new mothballing status could prevent the irreversible retirement of nuclear power assets.
Medical management of acute superficial vein thrombosis of the saphenous vein.

Abstract Objective Acute superficial vein thrombosis (SVT) of the axial veins, such as the great saphenous vein (GSV), is a common clinical condition that carries with it significant risk of propagation of thrombus, recurrence, and, most concerning, subsequent venous thromboembolism (VTE). Conservative therapy with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication and heat does not prevent extension of thrombus or protect against recurrent or future VTE in patients with extensive SVT (thrombotic segment of at least 5 cm in length). To prevent future thromboembolic events, anticoagulation has become the treatment of choice for extensive acute SVT in the GSV. In spite of this, the dose and duration of anticoagulation in the treatment of SVT vary widely. This review summarizes the evidence from large prospective, randomized clinical trials on the treatment of SVT with anticoagulation (vs placebo or different doses and durations of anticoagulation) with respect to the outcome measures of thrombus extension, SVT recurrence, and future VTE. Methods A systematic search was performed using the MEDLINE database to identify all prospective, randomized controlled trials of treatment with anticoagulation in patients with SVT in the GSV. Six prospective, randomized trials were identified that met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed in detail. Results Treatment of acute SVT was most commonly managed in an outpatient setting using either low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) in four studies or, alternatively, a factor Xa inhibitor in one large multicenter trial. LMWH was associated with a lower rate of thrombus extension and subsequent recurrence, especially when an intermediate dose (defined as a dose between prophylactic and therapeutic doses) was used for a period of 30 days. The full effect of treatment with LMWH on the risk of subsequent VTE remains unclear, as do the optimal dose and duration of this drug. Prophylactic doses of fondaparinux, a factor Xa inhibitor, were found to be beneficial in reducing the rate of thrombus extension and recurrence as well as in reducing the risk of subsequent VTE both during treatment and after cessation of anticoagulation in the short term. Conclusions These data suggest that treatment of acute SVT of the GSV with anticoagulation, at doses below therapeutic levels, does offer the benefit of decreased risk of thrombus propagation, recurrence, and, at least in one large randomized clinical trial, subsequent VTE. Future studies to refine optimal dose and duration of anticoagulation to lower the rate of subsequent thromboembolic events and SVT recurrence are needed.
Variational databases

Data variations are prevalent in real-world applications. For example, software vendors handle variations in the business requirements, conventions, and environmental settings of a software product using hundreds of features each combination of which creates a different version of the product. In database-backed software, the database of each version may have a different schema and different content. Variations in the value and representation of each element in a dataset give rise to numerous variants in these applications. Users often would like to express information needs over all such variants. For example, a software vendor would like to perform common tests over all versions of its product, e.g., whether each relation in a relational database has a primary key. Hence, users need a query interface that hides the variational nature of the data and processes a query over all variations of a dataset. We propose a novel abstraction called a variational database that provides a compact and structured representation of general forms of data variations and enables users to query database variations easily.
Postcolonial Practice of Ministry: Leadership, Liturgy, and Interfaith Engagement

In Postcolonial Practice of Ministry, half of the disciplines traditionally understood as practical theology in seminary curricula find a useful complement to their usual core textbooks. The thirte...
Failing to learn: The impact of failures during making activities

Abstract Making is a recent educational phenomenon that is increasingly occurring in schools and informal learning spaces around the world. In this paper we explore data from maker educators about their experiences with failure. We surveyed maker educators about how they view failure happening with youth in their formal and informal programs and how they respond. The results reveal some concrete strategies that seem to show promise for helping educators increase the likelihood that failure experiences for youth can lead to gains in learning and persistence.
Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is a hereditary motor-sensory neuropathy. It commonly presents as a cavo-varus foot. The tibialis anterior and peroneus brevis are weak, while the peroneus longus and tibialis posterior are strong. The Coleman block test is key in assessing the deformity.
Communicative and Cognitive Language Proficiency: Implications for Testing in the L2 Classroom

Two essentially different linguistic skills are involved in the mastery of a second foreign language. Stephen Krashen differentiates these two abilities through the labels acquisition and learning. Krashen (1982:10) maintains that “adults have two distinct and independent ways of developing competence in a second language.” The first way is through acquisition, which parallels first language acquisition in the child. Acquisition is a subconscious process, using language for communication. The second way is through learning. This is the conscious knowledge of language rules. In this paper I will explore the implications of this dichotomy, that is, the difference between communicative and cognitive language proficiency, for testing in the second language classroom.
Mission Santa Catalina’s Mondadiente de Plata (Silver Toothpick): Materiality and the Construction of Self in Spanish La Florida

In the spring of 1984, a silver toothpick, or mondadiente, was excavated from the central plaza of Santa Catalina de Guale, a Franciscan mission that marked the northern periphery of the Spanish territory of La Florida until its abandonment in 1680 (Thomas, 1988a, b; Figs. 1 and 2). Toothpicks, at the time of Santa Catalina’s settlement (1587–1680), were used as intimate objects of personal hygiene and adornment. Like Dave Jensen’s toothbrush and Kiowa’s hatchet, toothpicks were carried by their owners on journeys to new, unknown, and potentially violent worlds not only for their personal utility, but because they served as expressions of self and home, as tangible embodiments of their owner’s individuality. Objects such as a silver toothpicks can help us to understand individuals in their particularity and cultures writ large. Exploration of the dialectic between people and things allows us as archaeologists to engage with the dynamics of the past and provides a means to tease out the situated meaning of self in daily practice.
Ground reaction force metrics are not strongly correlated with tibial bone load when running across speeds and slopes: Implications for science, sport and wearable tech.

Introduction Tibial stress fractures are a common overuse injury resulting from the accumulation of bone microdamage due to repeated loading. Researchers and wearable device developers have sought to understand or predict stress fracture risks, and other injury risks, by monitoring the ground reaction force (GRF, the force between the foot and ground), or GRF correlates (e.g., tibial shock) captured via wearable sensors. Increases in GRF metrics are typically assumed to reflect increases in loading on internal biological structures (e.g., bones). The purpose of this study was to evaluate this assumption for running by testing if increases in GRF metrics were strongly correlated with increases in tibial compression force over a range of speeds and slopes. Methods Ten healthy individuals performed running trials while we collected GRFs and kinematics. We assessed if commonly-used vertical GRF metrics (impact peak, loading rate, active peak, impulse) were strongly correlated with tibial load metrics (peak force, impulse). Results On average, increases in GRF metrics were not strongly correlated with increases in tibial load metrics. For instance, correlating GRF impact peak and loading rate with peak tibial load resulted in r = -0.29±0.37 and r = -0.20±0.35 (inter-subject mean and standard deviation), respectively. We observed high inter-subject variability in correlations, though most coefficients were negligible, weak or moderate. Seventy-six of the 80 subject-specific correlation coefficients computed indicated that higher GRF metrics were not strongly correlated with higher tibial forces. Conclusions These results demonstrate that commonly-used GRF metrics can mislead our understanding of loading on internal structures, such as the tibia. Increases in GRF metrics should not be assumed to be an indicator of increases in tibial bone load or overuse injury risk during running. This has important implications for sports, wearable devices, and research on running-related injuries, affecting >50 scientific publications per year from 2015–2017.
City-Level Measures of Health, Health Determinants, and Equity to Foster Population Health Improvement: The City Health Dashboard

Objectives. To support efforts to improve urban population health, we created a City Health Dashboard with area-specific data on health status, determinants of health, and equity at city and subcit...
MULTI-MEGAWATT RADIO FREQUENCY POWER SOURCE FOR PLASMA HEATING

This paper describes the design, construction, and results of a 2.5 megawatt, 300 millisecond pulsed duration, radio frequency generator for use in the furtherance of Ion Cyclotron Resonance Heating experiments on the Princeton Large Torus (PLT) machine. With the proper selection of frequency determining parts, the rf generator is capable of operating within a frequency range of 42 to 58 megahertz.
Solving Quadratic Equations via Amplitude-based Nonconvex Optimization

In many signal processing tasks, one seeks to recover an r-column matrix object ${\mathbf{X}} \in {\mathbb{C}^{n \times r}}$ from a set of nonnegative quadratic measurements up to orthonormal transforms. Example applications include coherence retrieval in optical imaging and covariance sketching for high-dimensional streaming data. To this end, efficient nonconvex optimization methods are quite appealing, due to their computational efficiency and scalability to large-scale problems. There is a recent surge of activities in designing nonconvex methods for the special case r = 1, known as phase retrieval; however, very little work has studied the general rank-r setting. Motivated by the success of phase retrieval, in this paper we derive several algorithms which utilize the quadratic loss function based on amplitude measurements, including (stochastic) gradient descent and alternating minimization. Numerical experiments demonstrate their computational and statistical performances, highlighting the superior performance of stochastic gradient descent with appropriate mini-batch sizes.
Design of spectroelectrochemical cell for in situ X-ray absorption fine structure measurements of bulk solution species

A purpose-built spectroelectrochemical cell for in situ fluorescence XAFS (X-ray absorption fine structure) measurements of bulk solution species is described. The cell performance was demonstrated by the collection of europium L3-edge XANES (X-ray absorption near edge structure) during constant-potential electrolysis of 14.2mmEuCl3.6H2Oin1mH2SO4 aqueous electrolyte. Additionally discussed in this report are the probabilities of 2p3/2→5d electronic transitions pertaining to Euiii and Euii ions. Implications for the use of XANES in studying intermediate-valence materials, and some potential applications of the presently reported spectroelectrochemical cell are described.
Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SAbR) for Primary Renal Cell Carcinoma

Although renal cell cancer (RCC) was shown to be radioresistant to conventionally fractionated radiation therapy (RT) both in vitro and in vivo, mounting preclinical and clinical evidence suggests that it is quite sensitive to hypofractionated RT, particularly stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SAbR). In the setting of primary RCC, SAbR has been applied effectively in multiple retrospective and early phase prospective trials with favorable toxicity. In this chapter, we will review the current literature and cover the technical considerations for the setup, treatment planning, and delivery of SAbR for primary RCC.
Factors associated with antidepressant use among low-income racially and ethnically diverse patients with type 2 diabetes.

ABSTRACT Objective Depression is common in patients with type 2 diabetes and associated with poor diabetes-related outcomes. We evaluated the factors associated with antidepressant use in a low-income, racially and ethnically diverse sample of patients with type 2 diabetes. Research design and methods We performed a cross-sectional study of baseline data from participants in a cluster randomized trial evaluating a health literacy intervention for diabetes care in safety net clinics. Depressive symptoms were measured by the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D); antidepressant use was abstracted from medication lists. Multivariable mixed effects logistic regression was used to evaluate the relationship between antidepressant use and race/ethnicity adjusting for depressive symptoms, age, gender, income, and health literacy. Results Of 403 participants, 58% were non-Hispanic White, 18% were non-Hispanic Black, and 24% were Hispanic. Median age was 51 years old; 60% were female, 52% of participants had a positive screen for depression, and 18% were on antidepressants. Black and Hispanic participants were significantly less likely to be on an antidepressant compared with white participants, adjusted odds ratios 0.31(95% CI: 0.12 to 0.80) and 0.26 (95% CI: 0.10 to 0.74), respectively. Conclusions In this vulnerable population with type 2 diabetes, we found a high prevalence of depressive symptoms, and a small proportion of participants were on an antidepressant. Black and Hispanic participants were significantly less likely to be treated with an antidepressant. Our findings suggest depression may be inadequately treated in low-income, uninsured patients with type 2 diabetes, especially racial and ethnic minorities.
Understanding of fission products transport in SiC layer of TRISO fuels by nanoscale characterization and modeling

Abstract This paper details recent advances in the understanding of both intergranular and intragranular fission product transport in the silicon carbide (SiC) layer of neutron-irradiated tristructural isotropic (TRISO) coated-fuel particles from Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR)-1 and AGR-2 experiments. The SiC layer is the primary barrier responsible for retaining metallic fission products in the fuel particle. Chemical reactions between the SiC layer and fission products have been observed. Previously, intragranular precipitates rich in fission product Pd were identified as nanosized nodular and columnar features, distributed through the irradiated SiC grains. More recent studies reported hexagonal-shaped Pd silicide at Frank loops and stacking faults, where α-SiC (amid the bulk β-SiC) acts as a precursor for Pd silicide formation. While the Pd silicide precipitates were identified as having L12-Pd3Si stoichiometry from electron diffraction study, ab initio phonon calculations performed in this study suggest that the L12-Pd3Si structure remains dynamically unstable from zero pressure up to at least 100 GPa and will spontaneously transform into other lower-symmetry structures via different unstable phonon modes. Apart from the nanoscale hexagonal morphology of the Pd3Si precipitate, a new form of elongated Pd silicide, confined between a pair of stacking faults, has been observed in a high 110mAg-retention TRISO-coated particle. The peculiar discontinuity of such precipitates along the stacking faults raises questions regarding the necessity of α-SiC precursors for their nucleation, as well as the nature of the intragranular-transport pathway of Pd along the radial direction of SiC. The large-scale fission product precipitates in the inner-pyrolytic carbon (IPyC) and grain boundaries of SiC layers were characterized, and different chemically segregated regions were observed within single fission product precipitates.
Association of Anti-Mullerian Hormone with C-Reactive Protein in Men.

While serum anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) levels are inversely associated with all-cause mortality in men, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Elevated levels of inflammation, also associated with all-cause mortality, and may be the link between AMH and mortality. Hence, we examined the association of AMH with serum c-reactive protein (CRP), a biomarker of inflammation, in men. We included men ≥20 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2004). We used survey weight-adjusted linear regression to examine the association between AMH and CRP without and with adjustment for age, race, body mass index (BMI), smoking, hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), testosterone, androstenedione, and sex hormone binding globulin. Of the 949 men, 212 (22%) were elderly, 493 (52%) Caucasian, 254 (27%) current smokers, 100 (10%) diabetics, and 312 (33%) had hypertension. Mean (SD) AMH was 8.4 (7.2) ng/mL and median (IQR) CRP level was 0.17 (3) mg/L. Using linear regression, each 10 ng/mL rise in AMH was associated with 0.09 mg/dL (95%CI = −0.14 to −0.03; p = 0.002) decrease before and 0.08 mg/dL (95%CI = −0.13 to −0.02; p = 0.004) decrease in CRP after adjusting for potential confounders. Similarly, men in the highest quartile of AMH had significantly lower CRP compared to those in the lowest quartile (unadjusted difference = −0.19 mg/dL; 95%CI = −0.31 to −0.06; p = 0.006, adjusted difference = −0.16 mg/dL; 95%CI = −0.3 to −0.01; p = 0.035). We found an independent, robust, and inverse association between CRP and AMH in men. Effect of AMH on mortality may be through amelioration of inflammation.
A republican argument for the rule of law

ABSTRACTWhile the rule of law is surely a very important good, the familiar discussions found in the literature lead many to conclude that it is either a relatively trivial political ideal, or else...
Asymmetric Link between U.S. Tariff Policy and Income Distribution: Evidence from State Level Data

Empirical studies pertaining to the effects of openness on income inequality is rather mixed. We consider the impact of the U.S. tariff policy on income inequality in the U.S. over the period 1929–2015. We go beyond the literature and argue that the effects could be asymmetric. When we used data from the U.S. as a whole, like previous studies, we found no significant link between income inequality and the average tariff rate in the U.S. However, when we used data from each state of the U.S., we were able to find short-run asymmetric effects in 22 states and long-run effects in 12. More precisely, we found that an increase in the average U.S. tariff rate will worsen income inequality in Arizona, the District of Columbia, and Idaho, and improve it in West Virginia. On the other hand, we found that cutting tariff rates will improve inequality in the nine states of Alaska, Connecticut, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Utah, and will worsen it only in Idaho.
FDG PET as a prognostic tool for treatment response in cholangiocarcinoma

1193 Objectives: Explore the clinical utility of quantitative FDG-PET in assessing treatment response in cholangiocarcinoma Methods: Cholangiocarcinoma is the most common biliary malignancy, affecting elderly adults with peak incidence in the 7th decade, and according to its location it is divided into intrahepatic and extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. The only treatment for CC is surgical resection, so early detection and diagnosis is crucial to ensure better prognosis and survival of patients. 18-F-FDG PET Imaging has been frequently used in diagnosis, follow-up and monitoring therapy of various malignancies owing to its functional capabilities in detecting the activity of tumors, lymph node involvement as well as distant metastasis, and anatomical capabilities of the hybrid PET/CT systems. We aim to evaluate the role of FDG PET as a prognostic tool for clinical outcomes for cholangiocarcinoma patients undergoing systemic or liver-directed therapy. Results: Hybrid Imaging with PET/CT using FDG as the radioactive tracer provides important information about tumor metabolic activity, lymph node involvement and distant metastasis, so helping with proper staging of and better selection of patients for therapy types. Quantitative PET analysis is a technique that can aid in the selection, evaluation, and continued management of cholangiocarcinoma patients. We demonstrate a quantitative method for assessment of the global disease burden that incorporates all the malignant lesions using the adaptive thresholding algorithm of ROVER software (ABX GmbH, Radeberg, Germany). Conclusions: Global assessment of disease burden using quantitative FDG-PET/CT is a promising imaging tool in cholangiocarcinoma patients with regards to treatment response. More studies need to confirm and validate such role.
A Systematic Review of ASL Perfusion MRI in Mild TBI.

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a major public health concern. Cerebrovascular alterations play a significant role in the evolution of injury sequelae and in the process of post-traumatic brain repair. Arterial spin labeling (ASL) is an advanced perfusion magnetic resonance imaging technique that permits noninvasive quantification of cerebral blood flow (CBF). This is the first systematic review of ASL research findings in patients with mTBI. Our approach followed the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and PRISMA guidelines. We searched Ovid/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Index for relevant articles published as of February 20, 2020. Full-text results were combined into Rayyan software for further evaluation. Data extraction, including risk of bias ratings, was performed using American Academy of Neurology’s four-tiered classification scheme. Twenty-three articles met inclusion criteria comprising data on up to 566 mTBI patients and 654 control subjects. Of the 23 studies, 18 reported some type of regional CBF abnormality in mTBI patients at rest or during a cognitive task, with more findings of decreased than increased CBF. The evidence supports the conclusion that mTBI likely causes ASL-derived CBF anomalies. However, synthesis of findings was challenging due to substantial methodological variations across studies and few studies with low risk of bias. Thus, larger-scale prospective cohort studies are needed to more definitively chart the course of CBF changes in humans after mTBI and to understand how individual difference factors contribute to post-injury CBF changes.
Increased Association between Previous Pregnancies and Use of Chemical Relaxers in 74 Women with Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia

Background: Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA) is a type of scarring alopecia exclusively seen in women of African descent. The etiology is unknown and epidemiologic studies including data on comorbidities in patients with CCCA are limited. Our primary objective was to identify possible etiologic and lifestyle associations in patients with CCCA. Materials and Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted for patients diagnosed with CCCA between January 1, 2013, and January 1, 2018, at a university dermatology outpatient clinic. Controls consisted of age-, sex-, and race-matched African–American women diagnosed with other hair loss conditions. Data from 74 cases and 96 controls were collected and analyzed via logistic regression. In addition, a phone survey was conducted in the CCCA cohort asking specific questions related to their condition and quality of life. Results: A significant relationship was found between CCCA and previous pregnancies as well as the use of chemical relaxers: patients with CCCA were 11.71 times more likely to have had a previous pregnancy (P 0.05). Conclusion: We identified an association between previous pregnancies and use of chemical relaxers in patients diagnosed with CCCA when compared to controls. These findings may help to plan prospective studies aiming at establishing a more concrete link between hormones and CCCA.
A Student-Centered Approach to Identifying Strategies and Obstacles to Learning for Undergraduate STEM Courses: Authors Erin M. Hill, Laurie Anderson, Brandon Finley, Cinnamon Hillyard, and Mark Kochanski identify the real learning strategies and obstacles students face in undergraduate STEM courses. Read about their finding in the article â€œA Student-Centered Approach to Identifying Strategies and Obstacles to Learning for Undergraduate STEM Courses.â€

What motivates, and demotivates, students in their engagement in at-home work for high-stakes assignments, such as test preparation and writing and revising papers? This paper outlines a student-centered method to identify learning strategies and obstacles students actually use and face versus whatâ€™s reported as most advantageous in the literature. This method provides awareness and agency of strategies and obstacles to attempt to change student behavior and perceptions. The three research goals were 1) identifying learning strategies and obstacles with a student-centered design method, 2) mapping the strategies and obstacles to the Expectancy-Value-Cost Model (EVC Model) (2015) of motivation theory, and 3) analyzing the effectiveness of those strategies and obstacles and reporting the results to students in between major class assessments. Our results show that across Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines and student levels, students use and encounter similar strategies and obstacles. Additionally, both students and instructors gained valuable insight into student behavior and workload.
Urban Forest Cover and Aggregation from High-Altitude Aerial Photographs

High-altitude panoramic aerial photographs were used to determine percentage forest cover and aggregation in four communities in central Pennsylvania. The type of film used produced color infrared transparencies that were interpreted over a light table. Urban surfaces were 66 to 75 percent natural, predominantly tree crowns and grass surfaces. The remaining area of modified surfaces was mostly roofs and residential streets. Heavily developed areas accounted for less than 5 percent of the urban area. Aggregation indexes for trees were 0.44 to 0.45. The communities were relatively uniform in surface cover and aggregation. The aerial photography provided a fast and accurate method to derive information on urban forest cover and tree aggregation.
Differences between telecommuters and commuters: the case of the Twin Cities metropolitan area

This study highlights how telecommuting plays an important role in travel time, travel distance, and travel mode choices in the Twin Cities metropolitan area of Minneapolis–Saint Paul by considerin...
The role of verb semantics in Hungarian verb-object order

Hungarian is often referred to as a discourse-configurational language, since the structural position of constituents is determined by their logical function (topic or comment) rather than their grammatical function (e.g., subject or object). We build on work by Komlosy (1989) and argue that in addition to discourse context, the lexical semantics of the verb also plays a significant role in determining Hungarian word order. In order to investigate the role of lexical semantics in determining Hungarian word order, we conduct a large-scale, data-driven analysis on the ordering of 380 transitive verbs and their objects, as observed in hundreds of thousands of examples extracted from the Hungarian Gigaword Corpus. We test the effect of lexical semantics on the ordering of verbs and their objects by grouping verbs into 11 semantic classes. In addition to the semantic class of the verb, we also include two control features related to information structure, object definiteness and object NP weight, chosen to allow a comparison of their effect size to that of verb semantics. Our results suggest that all three features have a significant effect on verb-object ordering in Hungarian and among these features, the semantic class of the verb has the largest effect. Specifically, we find that stative verbs, such as fed 'cover', jelent 'mean' and ovez 'surround', tend to be OV-preferring (with the exception of psych verbs which are strongly VO-preferring) and non-stative verbs, such as biral 'judge', csokkent 'reduce' and csokol 'kiss', verbs tend to be VO-preferring. These findings support our hypothesis that lexical semantic factors influence word order in Hungarian.
Novel photochromic inhibitor for mitotic kinesin Eg5 which forms multiple isomerization states.

The mitotic kinesin Eg5 is a plus-end directed homotetrameric molecular motor essential for the formation of bipolar spindles during cell division. Kinesin Eg5 is overexpressed in cancer cells and hence considered a target for cancer therapy; the inhibitors specific for Eg5 have been developed as anti-cancer drugs. In this study, we synthesized a novel functional photoresponsive inhibitor composed of spiropyran and azobenzene derivatives to control Eg5 function with multi-stage inhibitory activity accompanied by the formation of different isomerization states. The photochromic inhibitor spiropyran-sulfo-azobenzene (SPSAB) exhibited three isomerization states: Spiro (SP)-trans, Merocyanine (MC)-cis, and MC-trans, upon exposure to visible light (VIS), ultraviolet (UV), and in the dark, respectively. SPSAB induced reversible changes in the inhibitory activity of ATPase and motor activities correlating with photo-isomerization among the three states. Among the three isomerization states of SPSAB, the SP-trans isomer showed potent inhibitory activity at an IC50 value of 30 µM in the basal ATPase assay. MC-trans and MC-cis exhibited less inhibitory activity at IC50 values of 38 µM and 86 µM, respectively. The results demonstrated that the novel photochromic inhibitor enabled precise control of Eg5 function at three different levels using light irradiation.
Asymmetric cross-strain protection for amphibians exposed to a fungal-metabolite prophylactic treatment

Chytridiomycosis, an infectious disease of amphibians caused by the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), poses an imminent conservation threat. The global spread of Bd has led to ma...
Corals losing control

An article in Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology found that modern corals could be losing resilience to ocean acidification compared to fossil corals.
Influence of adrenocorticotropin on transport of a cholesteryl linoleate-low density lipoprotein complex into adrenal tumor cells.

The action of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) on the specific (receptor-mediated) uptake of cholesteryl linoleate . low density lipoprotein complexes was examined in Y-1 mouse adrenal tumor cells. High affinity binding (KA 4.1 X 10(8) M) was observed with ACTH; lower affinity was seen in the absence of ACTH. The effect of ACTH was observed within 10 min at physiological concentrations of low density lipoprotein (100 microgram/ml). Binding was followed by uptake (internalization) of the ester . lipoprotein complex which was transported to lysosomes. The site of action of ACTH was localized to the uptake process (internalization) since no effect of ACTH was observed on binding to the cell membrane nor on movement of internalized complex to lysosomes. ACTH increases the transport of cholesterol derived from cholesterol ester to the mitochondria. This cholesterol is converted to 20 alpha-hydroxypregn-4-en-3-one and this conversion is accelerated by ACTH. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP (but not butyrate) also stimulates uptake of cholesteryl linoleate . low density lipoprotein. The process stimulated by ACTH and dibutyryl cyclic AMP is specific for low density (as opposed to high density) lipoprotein and for ACTH as distinct from other peptide hormones. The possible physiological importance of this response is considered.
Improved Biodistribution of 125I-labeled Anti-Tac Disulfide-stabilized Fv Fragment by Blocking Its Binding to the α Subunit of the Interleukin 2 Receptor in the Circulation with Preinjected Humanized Anti-Tac IgG

Animal studies using radiolabeled anti-Tac disulfide-stabilized Fv (dsFv) monoclonal antibody have shown formation of complexes in serum with the soluble alpha subunit of the interleukin 2 receptor alpha (sIL-2R alpha). In this study, we improved the targeting of 125I-labeled anti-Tac dsFv to receptor-positive tumors in the presence of circulating receptor by preinjecting unlabeled humanized anti-Tac IgG antibody (HuTac IgG). We used mice bearing SP2/Tac tumor xenografts that express the IL-2R alpha. A positive correlation was seen between tumor size and the concentration of circulating receptor. Tumor-bearing mice were injected with 125I-labeled anti-Tac dsFv (400 ng), either alone or 15 min after injection of HuTac IgG. The 125I-labeled anti-Tac dsFv formed high molecular weight complexes with the sIL-2R alpha. The fraction of the dsFv present in the complexes increased as tumor size increased (greater sIL-2R alpha levels). The fractions of dsFv in the complexes were 9.9- to 11.6-fold higher when sIL-2R alpha was not blocked with preinjected HuTac IgG. The administration of a 12-fold molar excess of HuTac IgG over sIL-2R alpha resulted in >80% of the 125I activity present as the dsFv rather than in the complexes. Furthermore, the biodistribution of 125I-labeled anti-Tac dsFv was improved by blocking its binding to sIL-2R alpha by preinjecting HuTac IgG. Specifically, in the preinjected group, at 15 min postinjection, the 125I-labeled anti-Tac dsFv levels in tumor increased to 10.8% compared to 5.6% injected dose per gram in the non-preinjected group. In summary, our studies showed that preinjection of HuTac IgG can block the formation of complexes of circulating sIL-2R alpha and 125I-labeled anti-Tac dsFv. This blockade is associated with faster blood clearance, higher tumor uptake, and greater tumor:nontumor ratios of the radiolabeled antibody fragment.
Selectins in Liver Ischemia and Reperfusion Injury

Liver ischemia reperfusion injury is mediated by a complex system of signaling cascades and inflammatory response resulting in organ damage. Selectins are a group of cell adhesion glycoproteins that play a key role in the initial immunological response. L-selectins, found on leukocytes, initiate the original adhesion and rolling phase of leukocyte extravasation upon liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs). P-selectins, found on platelets and tissue-specific endothelial cells, further increases leukocyte-endothelial adhesion and rolling. P-selectin-ligand binding also initiates intracellular signals that produce adhesion molecules to start firm adhesion and increase local chemokine production. L-selectin-ligand binding on the leukocytes increases adhesion molecule expression and chemokines, but also initiate changes in intracellular structural actin. E-selectin expression occurs with the presence of TNF-α and/or IL-1β. E-selectin-ligand binding decreases leukocyte rolling velocity and increases adhesion molecules. Together, these glycoproteins transition the leukocyte response from original margination and rolling to firm adhesion and eventually migration.
Cold Acclimation of Arabidopsis thaliana (Effect on Plasma Membrane Lipid Composition and Freeze-Induced Lesions)

Maximum freezing tolerance of Arabidopsis thaliana L. Heyn (Columbia) was attained after 1 week of cold acclimation at 2[deg]C. During this time, there were significant changes in both the lipid composition of the plasma membrane and the freeze-induced lesions that were associated with injury. The proportion of phospholipids increased from 46.8 to 57.1 mol% of the total lipids with little change in the proportions of the phospholipid classes. Although the proportion of di-unsaturated species of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine increased, mono-unsaturated species were still the preponderant species. The proportion of cerebrosides decreased from 7.3 to 4.3 mol% with only small changes in the proportions of the various molecular species. The proportion of free sterols decreased from 37.7 to 31.2 mol%, but there were only small changes in the proportions of sterylglucosides and acylated sterylglucosides. Freezing tolerance of protoplasts isolated from either nonacclimated or cold-acclimated leaves was similar to that of leaves from which the protoplasts were isolated (-3.5[deg]C for nonacclimated leaves; -10[deg]C for cold-acclimated leaves). In protoplasts isolated from nonacclimated leaves, the incidence of expansion-induced lysis was [less than or equal to]10% at any subzero temperature. Instead, freezing injury was associated with formation of the hexagonal II phase in the plasma membrane and subtending lamellae. In protoplasts isolated from cold-acclimated leaves, neither expansion-induced lysis nor freeze-induced formation of the hexagonal II phase occurred. Instead, injury was associated with the "fracture-jump lesion," which is manifested as localized deviations of the plasma membrane fracture plane to subtending lamellae. The relationship between the freeze-induced lesions and alterations in the lipid composition of the plasma membrane during cold acclimation is discussed.
Palbociclib: a first-in-class CDK4/CDK6 inhibitor for the treatment of hormone-receptor positive advanced breast cancer

Palbociclib was approved by the FDA for use in combination with letrozole for the treatment of postmenopausal women with hormone-receptor-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer as initial endocrine-based therapy. In addition, the combination of palbociclib with fulvestrant resulted in superior outcome than fulvestrant alone in those who had progressed during prior endocrine therapy. This research highlight summarized the current development of CDK4/CDK6 inhibitors and future directions in the treatment of advanced hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer.
Are hemispherical caps of boron–nitride nanotubes possible?

Abstract We report all-electron, density-functional calculations with large Gaussian polarization basis set of the recently synthesized octahedral O B 24 N 24 cage that is perfectly round by symmetry, and boron–nitride (BN) clusters that its existence might suggest. We consider whether it is energetically possible that the two halves of this round cage could cap the BN nanotubes, modeled by B 28 N 28 and B 32 N 32 . The energetics show that BN nanotubes with such round caps are only slightly less favorable than the BN clusters containing six squares as the only defects in the otherwise perfect hexagonal lattice. A larger B 96 N 96 O cage formed from B 24 N 24 by adding sufficient hexagons to isolate all squares is not very favorable energetically.
The amphetamine response moderates the relationship between negative emotionality and alcohol use

Background: Considerable evidence suggests that sensitivity to the stimulant effects of alcohol and other drugs is a risk marker for heavy or problematic use of those substances. A separate body of research implicates negative emotionality. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the independent and interactive effects of the stimulant response, assessed with an amphetamine challenge, and negative emotionality on alcohol and drug use. Methods: Healthy young women and men completed the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ) and an inventory assessing alcohol and other drug use. Subsequently, the effects of 10-mg d-amphetamine were determined in the laboratory using the Stimulant scale of the Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale. Hierarchical regression analyses evaluated the effects of amphetamine response and the MPQ factor Negative Emotionality on measures of substance use. Results: The amphetamine response moderated relationships between negative emotionality and alcohol use: in combination with a robust amphetamine response (i.e., enhanced stimulant effects as compared with baseline), negative emotionality predicted greater alcohol consumption, more episodes of binge drinking, and more frequent intoxication in regression models. A strong stimulant response independently predicted having used an illicit drug, and there was a trend for it to predict having used alcohol. Negative emotionality alone was not associated with any measure of alcohol or drug use. Conclusions: Consistent with the idea that emotion-based behavioral dysregulation promotes reward seeking, a high level of negative emotionality was associated with maladaptive alcohol use when it co-occurred with sensitivity to drug-based reward. The findings contribute to our understanding of
Sequential trapping of dichlorocarbene and dichlorocarbonyl ylides

Abstract The thermal decomposition of phenyl (bromodichloromethyl)-mercury in the presence of aryl aldehydes and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate leads to the formation of dimethyl 2-halo-5-arylfuran-3, 4-dicarboxylates by selective trapping of the intermediate dihalocarbonyl ylides.