cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ca2+-activated K channels of canine colonic myocytes

K channels in enzymatically dispersed circular smooth muscle cells from the canine proximal colon were studied with the patch-clamp technique. The most prominent channel in cell-attached and excised, inside-out patches was a K channel, which had slope conductances of approximately 100 pS at a holding potential of 0 mV in a physiological K+ gradient and approximately 200 pS in symmetrical 140 mM K+ solutions. The relative permeabilities of the channel for monovalent cations were 1.0 K+:0.5 Rb+: less than 0.07 Li+:less than 0.07 Na+. The channels were activated by potential and intracellular Ca2+. At Ca2+ concentrations less than 10(-7) M, channel openings were rare except at very positive potentials. At Ca2+ concentrations between 10(-7) and 10(-6) M the probability of channel opening increased steeply, and the voltage for channel activation shifted to a negative potential range, which cells experience during electrical slow wave events in situ. The effect of Ca2+ on the open-state probability of single channels was mainly due to a decrease in mean close time. Channels were blocked by 1 mM tetraethylammonium applied to the outside of the patch but up to 10 mM tetraethylammonium applied to the inside of the patch, and 4-aminopyridine applied to either side did not block the channel. The data suggest that this channel mediates a current important in the termination of electrical slow waves, which are the primary excitable event in colonic circular muscles.
Treatment of vaginitis. An anatomic and physiologic approach.

Trichomonas vaginitis is caused by Trichomonas vaginalis, an essentially anaerobic organism. Cleansing and drying of the vaginal mucosa are essential steps in eradicating the trichomonads. To accomplish this, the vagina must be opened and held open for a period of time. In addition, only a minimal portion of the vagina must be covered. A framelike device, the Vagaerator, has been designed for this purpose.
Waist and neck enlargement after quadriplegia.

ABSTRACTChanges in waist and neck size in quadriplegic patients after paralysis, noted clinically, were assessed systematically. Twenty quadriplegic men, aged 60± 13 years (mean± 1 SD) and 20 neurologically intact men, aged 63 ± 17 years, selected by absence of weight gain, were questioned about changes in their waist and shirt collar sizes since the onset of paralysis (20 ±13 years) or during the previous 20 years for control subjects. Waist size expanded 7.0 ± 0.3 inches for quadriplegic and 1.7± 1.7 inches for control subjects (p<0.001). Changes in neck size of 0.7 ± 1.1 inches for quadriplegic and 0 ± 0.7 inches for control subjects were found (p<0.02). We conclude that quadriplegia is often followed by increased waist and neck size. These changes may relate to the impaired breathing mechanisms in quadriplegia. (J Am Paraplegia Soc; 17: 177–178)
Novel Therapeutics for Addiction: Behavioral Economic and Neuroeconomic Approaches

Behavioral economic and neuroeconomic understandings of addiction offer both established and empirically supported treatments as well as a foundation from which promising new treatment options are emerging. Addiction must be understood and treated as a state of pathological overvaluation of the reinforcement of drug use fueled by an imbalance of the competing neurobehavioral decision systems that govern decision making (CNDS theory). The CNDS theory presents two systems, the executive and impulsive, which are dysregulated in reinforcer pathology by greater relative control of the impulsive, hedonic system, and lesser relative control of the executive, regulatory system. This leads to a reinforcer pathology where drug use is maladaptively overvalued in comparison to other reinforcers, leading to a chronic and often relapsing state of addiction. Some treatments which directly alter economic variables associated with drug use have already been empirically supported, including contingency management (which increases the short-term price of drug use) and drug agonist therapies (which decrease the short-term value of drug use compared to other reinforcers). New, promising treatments which bring the fundamental CNDS dysregulation of addiction into balance include episodic future thinking, which increases the temporal window over which the opportunity costs of drug use are integrated by engaging executive control, and TMS therapies which directly increase activity, and therefore relative control, in the executive system. The maturing fields of behavioral economics and neuroeconomics provide conceptual understanding of the competing neurobehavioral decision systems theory (CNDS) and reinforcer pathology (i.e., high valuation of and excessive preference for drug reinforcers), allowing us to coherently categorize treatments into a theoretically comprehensive framework of addiction. In this chapter, we identify and clarify how existing and novel interventions can ameliorate reinforcer pathology in light of the CNDS and be leveraged to treat addiction.
Generation of Neural Progenitor Spheres from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells in a Suspension Bioreactor

Conventional two-dimensional (2-D) culture systems cannot provide large numbers of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) and their derivatives that are demanded for commercial and clinical applications in in vitro drug screening, disease modeling, and potentially cell therapy. The technologies that support three-dimensional (3-D) suspension culture, such as a stirred bioreactor, are generally considered as promising approaches to produce the required cells. Recently, suspension bioreactors have also been used to generate mini-brain-like structure from hPSCs for disease modeling, showing the important role of bioreactor in stem cell culture. This chapter describes a detailed culture protocol for neural commitment of hPSCs into neural progenitor cell (NPC) spheres using a spinner bioreactor. The basic steps to prepare hPSCs for bioreactor inoculation are illustrated from cell thawing to cell propagation. The method for generating NPCs from hPSCs in the spinner bioreactor along with the static control is then described. The protocol in this study can be applied to the generation of NPCs from hPSCs for further neural subtype specification, 3-D neural tissue development, or potential preclinical studies or clinical applications in neurological diseases.
Athesis: Patriotism and antipathy toward nonbelievers in the United States

CHAPTER 1. ONE NATION UNDER GOD: THE ENTERPRISE CHAPTER 2. WITH GOD ON TIM TEBOW’S SIDE: THE GENESIS CHAPTER 3. FOR GOD AND COUNTRY: THE SUPPOSITION AND ASSESSMENT CHAPTER 4. THIS LAND WAS MADE FOR YOU AND ME: FORTH REFERENCES iii 1 7 21
Fluorinated Alkoxide-Based Magnesium-Ion Battery Electrolytes that Demonstrate Li-Ion-Battery-Like High Anodic Stability and Solution Conductivity.

Based on DFT predictions, a series of highly soluble fluorinated alkoxide-based electrolytes were prepared, examined electrochemically, and reversibly cycled. The alcohols react with ethylmagnesium chloride to generate a fluoroalkoxy-magnesium chloride intermediate, which subsequently reacts with aluminum chloride to generate the electrolyte. Solutions starting from a 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-methylpropan-2-ol precursor exhibit high anodic stability, 3.2 V vs Mg2+/0, and a record 3.5 mS/cm solution conductivity. Excellent galvanostatic cycling and capacity retention (94%) is observed with more than 300 h of cycle time while employing the standard Chevrel phase-Mo6S8 cathode material.
Quantification of Specific mRNAs by Nuclease Protection

Publisher Summary The various permutations of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) offer the most compelling quantitative expression profile of a sample. A variety of nucleases and approaches have been used to quantify and characterize specific transcripts in greater detail than can be derived from Northern analysis. The basic methodology of nuclease protection accommodates denatured double-stranded DNA probes as well as RNA probes. These techniques include primer extension, the nuclear runoff assay, the ribonuclease protection assay and the S1 nuclease protection assay. In the S1 nuclease assay for the quantification of specific RNA species, purified RNA is hybridized in solution with a labeled probe sequence to form thermodynamically stable hybrid molecules. Any RNA or probe molecules that do not participate in the formation of hybrid molecules are digested away by the single-strand-specific nuclease S1, followed by electrophoresis of the intact hybrid molecules. The size and abundance of protected RNAs are then deduced by autoradiography, performed directly from the gel. Whereas in case of RNase protection assay for the quantification of specific RNA species, purified RNA is hybridized in solution with a labeled antisense probe sequence to form thermodynamically stable double-stranded RNA molecules. Any RNA or probe molecules that remain single stranded are digested by an RNase cocktail. Following electrophoresis, the size and abundance of protected RNAs are then deduced by autoradiography, performed directly from the gel. The key advantage that these techniques offer is that they do not require a reverse transcriptase step.
Deflection Formulas for Buried Chamber Structures

AbstractOne of the latest products available for stormwater drainage and storage purposes is the underground chamber. These structures are typically shaped semicircular or semielliptical with flat ...
Keynote Paper: Remarks on the development of finite element methods and software

A brief personal, historical account of some developments of finite element methods and software is given, and then some recent advances are surveyed. The paper focuses on the research and developments of the author and his colleagues/students, and the developments of the programs SAP IV, NONSAP and ADINA.
Mechanotransduction current is essential for stability of the transducing stereocilia in mammalian auditory hair cells

Our sense of hearing depends on cells known as hair cells that line the inner ear. Each hair cell has tiny projections called stereocilia, which are arranged in a bundle with rows of increasing height like a staircase and are connected to each other by tiny filaments called tip-links. When sound waves hit the stereocilia, the tension on the tip-links increases, which opens “mechanotransduction” channels on the shorter stereocilia that allow calcium ions to flow into the cells. To ensure that the ears can detect even the softest sounds, the tip-links always have a small amount of tension which allows a small, but continuous flow of calcium ions into the cell. Scientists generally consider this continuous flow of calcium ions as a potentially harmful byproduct of sensitive hearing. Velez-Ortega et al. isolated inner ear tissues from young mice and rats and exposed them to drugs that either block the flow of calcium ions through the mechanotransduction channels or break the tip-links on stereocilia. Surprisingly, these drugs made profound changes in the shape of individual stereocilia and the staircase architecture of the stereocilia bundle. When the drugs were rinsed out of the hair cells, the stereocilia went back to their normal shape. Sequestering of free calcium ions inside the hair cells had a similar effect on the shape of stereocilia. These findings show that the flow of calcium ions into the sterocilia via mechanotransduction channels controls the exquisite staircase-like architecture of the stereocilia bundle. More research is needed to identify which structural proteins cause the stereocilia shape changes and to work out exactly how calcium ions are involved.
Atmospheric Photooxidation Diminishes Light Absorption by Primary Brown Carbon Aerosol from Biomass Burning

Light-absorbing organic aerosols, optically defined as brown carbon (BrC), have been shown to strongly absorb short visible solar wavelengths and significantly impact Earth’s radiative energy balance. There currently exists a knowledge gap regarding the potential impacts of atmospheric processing on the absorptivity of such particles generated from biomass burning. Climate models and satellite retrieval algorithms parametrize the optical properties of BrC aerosols emitted from biomass burning events as unchanging throughout their atmospheric lifecycle. Here, using contact-free optical probing techniques, we investigate the effects of multiple-day photochemical oxidation on the spectral (375–532 nm) optical properties of primary BrC aerosols emitted from smoldering combustion of boreal peatlands. We find the largest effects of oxidation in the near-UV wavelengths, with the 375 nm imaginary refractive index and absorption coefficients of BrC particles decreasing by ∼36% and 46%, respectively, and an increas...
Editorial: Autoimmune Pancreatitis in Children: Is This a New Subtype of Disease or Early-Onset Idiopathic Duct-Centric Chronic Pancreatitis?

Editorial: Autoimmune Pancreatitis in Children: Is This a New Subtype of Disease or Early-Onset Idiopathic Duct-Centric Chronic Pancreatitis?
Evolving Legal Issues in Education: Introduction to the Special Edition

The articles in this edition of The Clearing House include some of the challenges currently facing public schools and institutions of higher education. Restrooms have become a bio-political battleg...
Embracing patient choice.

As a researcher, doctoral student and service user (with a diagnosis of schizophrenia), I commend Morrison and colleagues[1][1] for their brave and timely editorial. In addition to the adverse effects they mention, a small but robust literature attests to the often overlooked impact of subjective or
Navigating between a Monolingual Utopia and Translingual Realities: Experiences of American Learners of Yorùbá as an Additional Language

Translingualism advocates for the appreciation of multilingual speakers’ fluid, flexible, and creative deployment of semiotic resources without regard to the ideological constructs of named languages. While this scholarship has been developed primarily in the contexts of world Englishes, English as a lingua franca, and bilingual education in Anglophone nations, its implications to foreign language education in higher education have not been fully explored. The current article addresses this issue by shedding light on the conditions of teaching and learning of indigenous languages spoken in once-colonized regions of the world as an additional language for English speakers. More specifically, it examines how American students who participated in an eight-week Yoruba study abroad program in Nigeria navigated a rather conspicuous gap between a monolingual utopia promoted by the program and the complex translingual realities of everyday language use outside of the classroom. Through the review of the perspectives of students with diverse backgrounds, the article discusses the significance of taking sociohistorical and geopolitical contexts surrounding the target language into account to cultivate informed learners.
Cochlear Implantation in Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Introduction. Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease is a peripheral hereditary neuropathy associated with motor and sensory impairment and can result in profound sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Currently, the role of cochlear implantation in the setting of CMT and other progressive peripheral neurodegenerative disorders is not well established. Methods. Case report and review of the English literature. Results. A 70-year-old male with CMT was referred for evaluation of progressive asymmetric SNHL and reported a 15-year duration of deafness involving the left ear. Audiometric testing confirmed profound SNHL in the left ear, while the right ear exhibited moderate-to-severe SNHL. Left-sided cochlear implantation was performed using a conventional length lateral wall electrode. Intraoperative device testing found normal impedance levels throughout the array; however, electrically evoked auditory potentials were absent on all electrodes. Upon initial activation 3 weeks after surgery, the patient reported excellent access to sound in the cochlear implant-only condition. He has made good progress at each subsequent visit; speech perception testing after seven months showed improvement from 0% to 32% on AzBio sentence and 53% on CNC phoneme testing in the cochlear implant-only condition. Conclusion. We report the third case of cochlear implantation in a patient with CMT. SNHL in CMT is hypothesized to result from disruption of synchronous activity of the cochlear nerve. In patients with CMT, cochlear implantation may reconstitute synchronous neural activity by way of supraphysiological electrical stimulation. Our results corroborate two earlier reports that cochlear implantation is a viable option for rehabilitation of SNHL in this unique subset of patients.
Ultrafast shock compression of PDMS-based polymers

The shock response of polymers is important for a number of commercial and defense-related applications, but it is difficult to obtain empirical shock response data over the wide range of preparations and aging conditions typically found in such applications. Ultrafast compression is useful to characterize polymer shock response over a wide range of polymer initial conditions due to the high throughput of this method. To establish greater confidence in ultrafast compression experiments and to characterize the detailed shock response of several variations in a single base polymer, the results of sub-nanosecond shock compression experiments in ∼5 μm thick layers of the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based elastomeric rubbers Sylgard-184, SE1700, and an unfilled, end-linked model PDMS network are presented. The results of conventional ultrafast shock etalon measurements to time-of-flight measurements for similar thickness layers of irradiated and unirradiated SE1700 are compared. Good agreement between the shock response measured by these two ultrafast shock methods, as well as consistency between ultrafast data and long time scale gas gun data is found. From measurements across a variety of PDMS formulations, a statistically significant variation in the shock response with the quasistatic elastic modulus is presented. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2018.
Situation awareness-based agent transparency and human-autonomy teaming effectiveness

Effective collaboration between humans and agents depends on humans maintaining an appropriate understanding of and calibrated trust in the judgment of their agent counterparts. The Situation Aware...
Patella Footprint Technique—A Surgical Method for Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction

Abstract Recurrent patella instability is a common condition that may potentiate substantial knee dysfunction resulting in loss of time from work and sports. There are numerous factors that contribute to recurrent patella instability including tearing of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL), shallow trochlea, valgus alignment, externally rotated tibia tubercle, ligamentous laxity, elevated Q angle, and increased tibial tuberosity trochlear groove distance. Reconstruction of the MPFL has been shown to restore patella stability where concomitant pathology is within acceptable limits. Major complications include recurrence from inadequate MPFL reconstruction or failure to address other pathology, patella femoral pain from over constrained MPFL or unaddressed cartilage defects to the patella femoral compartment, or patella fracture. This technique provides a reproducible method of restoring patella stability through MPFL reconstruction while minimizing stress risers in the patella by using suture anchor fixation that creates a ligamentous footprint instead of tendon healing into a socket on the patella.
Inshore acoustic surveys in the eastern and central Gulf of Alaska

Abstract A series of daytime replicate (spring/summer/fall) acoustic surveys were conducted at 11 inshore sites along the Kodiak Island/Kenai Peninsula area and the outer coast of Southeast Alaska as part of the Gulf of Alaska Integrated Ecosystem Research Program in 2010, 2011, and 2013. A two-frequency technique was used to classify backscatter as ‘fish’ or’macrozooplankton’ based on the observed relative frequency response, which are used as proxies for the abundance of fish with swimbladders and large-bodied zooplankton. There was a strong ‘site effect’; that is, consistent differences among sites. However, acoustic backscatter classified as fish and macrozooplankton was highly variable among repeat visits. The effects of site (i.e. sampling location) were larger than those of season or year. There were no consistent differences in backscatter between sites in the Kodiak Island/Kenai Peninsula area and Southeast Alaska. The acoustic proxies for the abundance of fish and large-bodied zooplankton increased substantially with increasing bottom depth over a depth range of 5–250 m, both within and across inshore sites. Backscatter from both fish and macrozooplankton was low at water depths
Copper‐Catalyzed Borocarbonylative Coupling of Internal Alkynes with Unactivated Alkyl Halides: Modular Synthesis of Tetrasubstituted β‐Borylenones

Reported is a general procedure to synthesize tetrasubstituted enones, which are borylated in the β-position, using a copper-catalyzed four-component coupling reaction of simple chemical feedstocks: internal alkynes, alkyl halides, bis(pinacolato)diboron (B2 pin2 ), and CO. A broad scope of highly functionalized β-borylated enones, a largely unknown class of organic compounds, can be accessed efficiently using this method. The synthesis of all-carbon tetrasubstituted enones was realized by employing the β-borylated enone unit, without purification, in a Suzuki-Miyaura coupling. The utility of the method was further demonstrated by various transformations, including halogenation, oxidation, and protodeboration, of the corresponding reduced oxaborole species to provide densely substituted allylic alcohol and ketone products.
Fission fragment transport effects on heat transfer in fissioning gases

This paper discusses direct energy transfer by fission fragments near the wall of a cavity containing fissioning gas studied in plane and cylindrical geometries. Analytical formulas are derived for the fission fragment energy flux. Heat transfer equations are solved for optically thick fissioning gases by taking into account the fission fragment energy transport effect. The results are applied to a heat transfer analysis of the fuel assemblies of a heterogeneous gas core reactor. The energy transfer mechanism in the fissioning gas is essentially nonlinear. Thus, the cooling effect due to direct fission fragment energy loss to the container walls does not become significant until the stopping range considerably exceeds the characteristic dimensions of the container.
Microbial Ecology and Population Biology

In their roles as decomposers, recyclers, pathogens, extractors and synthesizers, bacteria are responsible for maintaining the flow of nutrients through ecological communities, regulating the densities of populations in those communities and preventing the build-up of organic matter and toxic compounds. Microbial ecology and population biology study bacteria in these different roles and the factors affecting the distribution, abundance and evolution of populations of these microorganisms and their genetic parasites, plasmids, phage and transposons. I describe and critically consider three ways by which microbial ecology and population biology contribute to the quest for solutions to environmental problems; i) measuring and monitoring the effects of insults to the environment; ii) elucidating the factors responsible for maintaining the integrity of undisturbed ecological communities; and iii) identifying and developing microbes to degrade and recycle wastes, detoxify pollutants, as alternatives to noxious pesticides and as producers of useful compounds. 1 follow this broad excursion into the contribution of my field with a more personal consideration, confessions of an academic microbial population biologist. I conclude with a couple of caveats (musings); the liability of relying solely on technical solutions to environmental problems, and the effects of the separation of academic and applied biology on the quest for these solutions.
Regulation of Electrical Synaptic Plasticity in the Retina by G-Protein-Coupled Receptors

More than six decades of research has firmly established the critical role of electrical synapses in retinal circuitry and physiology. The functional correlate of gap junctions between neural elements, electrical synapses serve unique purposes separate from those of chemical synapses. Electrical synapses between like neurons expand receptive field sizes, dampen noncorrelated noise, and coordinate activity. Between dissimilar cell types, electrical synapses establish specialized feed-forward synaptic circuits that play a prominent role in retinal signaling. Many electrical synapses display a high degree of plasticity, exceeding an order of magnitude in dynamic range that is an important component of circuit remodeling during light adaptation and circadian tuning of retinal function. This plasticity is largely dependent on activities of G-protein-coupled receptors responding to extracellular cues. The molecular mechanisms that transduce these signals are varied and specific to each cell type. Dopamine D1, and in some cases D2-like receptors, control coupling in horizontal cell, amacrine cell, and ganglion cell networks. In the AII amacrine cell, a balance between activity-dependent signaling that enhances coupling and dopamine-driven signaling that reduces coupling sets the functional state of each electrical synapse independently. An intricate balance of dopamine D4 and adenosine A2a and A1 receptor activities tightly controls photoreceptor coupling in a push–pull manner. This chapter provides a detailed view of the dynamic changes of electrical synapses in retinal neurons and the molecular mechanisms that control them.
DuoModel: Leveraging Reduced Model for Data Reduction and Re-Computation on HPC Storage

High-performance computing (HPC) applications generate large amounts of floating-point data that need to be stored and analyzed efficiently to extract the insights and advance knowledge discovery. With the growing disparities between compute and I/O, optimizing the storage stack alone may not suffice to cure the I/O problem. There has been a strong push in the HPC communities to perform data reduction before data is transmitted to storage in order to lower the I/O cost. However, as of now, neither lossless nor lossy compressors can achieve the adequate reduction ratio that is desired by applications. This paper proposes DuoModel, a new approach that leverages the similarity between the full and reduced application models, and further improve the data reduction ratio. DouModel further improves the compression ratio of state-of-the-art compressors via compressing the differences (termed as delta) between the data products of the two models. For data analytics, the high fidelity data can be re-computed by launching the reduced model and applying the compressed delta. Our evaluations confirm that DuoModel can further push the limit of data reduction while the high fidelity of data is maintained.
Musical drumhead damping using externally applied commercial products

Snare drums and tom toms used in drum sets often produce an undesirable high frequency ringing sound when struck. Drummers have historically applied DIY damping solutions to address this ringing, placing objects such as wallets and tape on the heads. A large variety of inexpensive commercial products is now available to dampen drums in a more controlled manner. The most commonly used products consist of small adhesive pads that can be placed directly on the drumhead at desired locations, either singly or in combinations. An experimental investigation of the ringing drumhead modes and the effects of the damping pads is reported. Decay rate measurements indicate that the (3,1), (4,1), and (5,1) modes often contribute the most to the ringing sound, and that these modes are strongly affected by the damping pads. Another class of commercial dampener consists of thin annular rings of Mylar that conform to the perimeter of the drum head. These free-floating rings produce a similar damping effect, but dissipate e...
Migration and Common Schooling in Urban America: Educating Newcomers in Boston and Cincinnati, 1820s-1860s.

This article juxtaposes two U.S. cities’ differing educational reactions to mass migrations prior to the Progressive Era. During the nineteenth century, Boston, Massachusetts, developed a model urb...
Pentacoordinated silicon in ambient pressure potassium and lithium silicate glasses: Temperature and compositional effects and analogies to alkali borate and germanate systems

Abstract Pentacoordinated silicon (SiO5) has long been considered as a possible reactive intermediate in bond-swapping reactions in even ambient pressure viscous flow, diffusion, nucleation and crystallization. In this paper, new results are presented for potassium silicate glasses and for two lithium silicates. In the former, SiO5 is readily detectable by 29Si MAS NMR on 29Si-enriched glasses at concentrations as low as about 0.02 mol%; in the latter this species is below detection limits. SiO5 concentrations are higher at higher fictive temperatures, and first increase, then decrease, as K2O is added to SiO2. This pattern in compositional variation resembles those long-known in alkali borate and germanates, although high coordinate species (BO4 and GeO5/GeO6) are orders of magnitude more abundant than in ambient pressure silicates. A simple thermodynamic model, considering only the non-ideal mixing of bridging and non-bridging oxygens, at least qualitatively predicts the shape of the compositional variation of SiO5 in the potassium silicates, and is sensible with respect to known tendencies for clustering and unmixing; such a model also predicts curves of network cation coordination vs. compositon that resemble those known for borates and germanates, suggesting an underlying similarity in the energetics of mixing of anionic species.
People or Preservation? How Electoral Accountability Reduces Human Cost in South Africa’s National Parks

Natural protected areas (NPAs) are commonly used to preserve environmental biodiversity. Such policies, however, often harm rural communities. This article argues that the human cost of NPAs is often because of a lack of formal electoral accountability that links national governments to these communities. Through the case of 1994 democratic elections in South Africa that signified the end of the apartheid, I show that an increase in electoral accountability can be associated with a decrease in the human cost of NPAs. Using scholarly observations and histories on NPAs in South Africa, and primary documents from governmental agencies, I examine the post-apartheid change in three areas pertinent to human cost: Law and Intention, Communication and Community Involvement, and Land Restitution. In doing so, I demonstrate that the enfranchisement of black South Africans, who overwhelmingly populate the rural communities that are harmed by NPAs, has led to a shift in human cost.
Grain Orientation in High Tc Ceramic Superconductors

Molten salt or the ‘flux’ method has been a popular technique for growing cystals and particles with anisotropy morphology and has been utilized in this study. Preformed Ba2YCu3O7−x powders were reacted with the molten salts of Na, K, and Li belonging to the chloride, sulfate and iodide systems. The Ba2YCu3O7−x phase degraded when heat treated in the presence of these salt systems. Ba2YCu3O7−x powders prepared in the presence of NaCl-KC1 salt system does not appear feasible in the temperature range of 400°C–900°C. In another method the salt prepared grains were used as seed crystals in the formation of Ba2YCu3O7−x This method proved more promising permitting easy removal of the salts from BaY2CuO5 by water treatment and formation of phase pure 213 phase. X-ray diffraction analysis and Scanning Electron Microscopy were used to determine the compostion and morphology of the particles.
REEDUCATION CAMPS, AUSTERITY, AND THE CARCERAL REGIME IN SOCIALIST MOZAMBIQUE (1974–79)

Throughout the socialist experiment between 1974 and 1992, the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo) ran a network of internment camps officially known as reeducation centers. Established in remote rural sites to mentally decolonize wayward members of urban society and putative enemies of the socialist revolution, the camps became a dumping ground for unwanted citizens accused of all kinds of wrongdoing. Although the Frelimo leaders envisioned a pedagogical institution that would undo the damage of colonialism by transforming reeducatees into new social beings, the gap between the idea of rehabilitation and the reality of detention was abysmally wide. Austerity – the order of the day throughout the fifteen years of socialist experiment in Mozambique – conditioned and defined the organic functioning of reeducation camps. Unlike internment camps elsewhere, Mozambique's camps were not strictly regimented. The carceral regime that emerged not only set Mozambique's reeducation centers apart from camps elsewhere, they were also far from the technocratic moralism and panoptic ambitions of the ruling party.
Satisfaction with Care and Satisfaction with Decision Making are Similar Regardless of Staffing Model in a Neurocritical Care Unit.

Patient-centered care, particularly shared medical decision making, is difficult to measure in critically ill patients where decisions are often made by a designated surrogate, often receiving information from multiple providers with varying degrees of training. The purpose of this study was to compare short-term satisfaction with care and decision making in patients or surrogates between two neurocritical care units [one staffed by a neurocritical care attending and advanced practice providers (APPs) and one staffed by a neurocritical care attending and resident/fellow trainees] using the Family Satisfaction in the ICU (FS-ICU) survey. Over a 6-month period, the FS-ICU was administered on a tablet device to patients or surrogates at least 24 h after admission and stored on REDCap database. One hundred and thirty-four patients or surrogates completed the FS-ICU. The response rates were 59.97% and 46.58% in the APP and trainee units, respectively. There were no differences in patient age, sex, ventilator days or ICU length of stay. Overall, there were no differences in satisfaction with care or perceived shared medical making between the units. Respondents who identified their relationship with the patient as “other” (not a spouse, parent, nor a sibling) were less satisfied with care. Additionally, surrogates who identified as parents of the patient were more satisfied with degree of shared medical decision making. This study showed that: (1) collecting FS-ICU in a neurocritical care unit is feasible, (2) overall there is no difference in short-term satisfaction with care or shared decision making between a NICU staffed with trainees compared to one staffed with APPs, and (3) parents of patients have a higher short-term satisfaction with degree of shared medical decision making.
Perfluoroalkylated anthracene endoperoxide: Synthesis, characterization, crystal structure analysis, and computational insights

Abstract Aromatic endoperoxides serve as important intermediate species toward generating singlet state oxygen, which is key to photodynamic therapy applications. Gaining insights for fine-tuning endoperoxide stability and degree of oxygen-oxygen bond activation is of fundamental and practical interest for the chemical and medicinal communities. We report here that 9,10-bisperfluorooctyl-anthracene, upon exposing to light and air, is almost quantitatively converted to 9,10-bisperfluorooctyl-anthracene endoperoxide (compound 1) at room temperature. 1H NMR spectra and the X-ray crystal structure revealed that the resulting compound 1 is stable at room temperature without further decomposition. The crystal structure analysis showed that the compound 1 is stabilized by F···O intramolecular interactions along with F···F, F···H and F···C intermolecular interactions. DFT calculations further indicate that the degree of oxygen-oxygen bond activation in anthracene endoperoxides, reflected as changes of O O, C O bond distances, may not solely depend on the electronic effect of substituents at the 9,10- positions. This uncertainty warrants further investigation both experimentally and computationally.
Exotic species drive patterns of plant species diversity in 93 restored tallgrass prairies

A primary goal of restoration ecology is to understand the factors that generate variability in species diversity and composition among restorations. Plant communities may assemble deterministically toward a common community type, or they may assemble stochastically, ending differently because of weather conditions during establishment, soil legacy effects, or exotic species propagule pressure. To test these alternative hypotheses, we sampled plant communities and soil at 93 randomly selected restored prairies distributed throughout Iowa, USA. Five remnant sites were sampled as a reference. We tested our hypotheses using multiple regressions and investigated the strength of direct and indirect effects on species diversity and richness using structural equation models. The prairie restorations were highly variable in their age, size, diversity, soil characteristics, and how they were managed post-seeding. The strongest predictor of plant species richness and diversity was the degree of invasion, as measured by the abundance of exotic species. Restorations planted with species-rich seed mixes had reduced exotic species abundance, which led indirectly to higher species richness of restorations. Sites with higher organic matter and a more linear shape had a direct positive effect on exotic abundance, which in turn decreased diversity. We found little support for deterministic assembly, and diversity did not increase with the age of planting. Our results indicate that restored prairie communities tend to assemble into states of high or low diversity, driven by invasion from exotic plant species. Management of exotic species is essential for maximizing species diversity in temperate grassland restorations.
Formulation, structure, and applications of therapeutic and amino acid-based deep eutectic solvents: An overview

Abstract In the design of greener chemicals, deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are considered as one of the most versatile alternative media with widespread applications. DESs have the advantages of being nonflammable with negligible vapor pressure compared to the traditional solvents. They share many characteristics of ionic liquids, but DESs are cheaper to formulate, typically nontoxic, highly pure, recyclable, biodegradable, and are suitable for use with biological systems. In this article, the two emerging and unconventional types of DESs, therapeutic DES (THEDES) and amino acid-based DES (AADES) are reviewed. Based on the published literature, choline chloride and menthol are the two most common constituents to formulate THEDESs, while proline is the most common component to formulate AADESs. THEDESs have primarily been developed to enhance the efficacy of drugs, whereas AADESs have been explored for pharmaceuticals as well as for the extraction of phytochemicals, radioactive iodine capture, oil separation from ores, and to synthesize bioactive compounds. Since detailed knowledge of their structures, nonbonding interactions, formulations, and applications are yet to be explored, the aim of this review is to compile these details and provide a solid background for the future research.
Introduction: An Issue on Trans-Atlantic Dialogs in Communication Studies

There is a rich tradition of Anglo-American oratory and evaluation of that oratory. This tradition has been so historically strong to the point that “the history of public address” is often code fo...
Antimicrobial activity of the volatile substances from essential oils

Essential oils are volatile and lipophilic liquid extracts made from plants as secondary metabolites that can be obtained by distillation. To date, several studies have investigated the direct antimicrobial activity of liquid essential oils. However, this study investigated the antimicrobial properties of the volatile substances present in various essential oils. A modified zone of inhibition protocol was developed using agar petri dishes with a center glass vial to allow evaporation and aerosolization of the potential active constituents from essential oils. In total, nineteen essential oils were tested against five Gram positive bacterial species, five Gram negative bacterial species and one fungi. This study found potent antimicrobial activity from the volatile constituents of several essential oils. Rosemary, tea tree, and cassia volatiles were found to be the best broad-spectrum antibacterial agents, whereas clove volatiles had almost no antimicrobial activity. These results support the anecdotal historical evidence of the antimicrobial activity of the volatile constituents essential oils. Modern medical implications for this work may be related to the use of aromatic essential oils for respiratory or dermatological infections.
Age-Related Vestibular and Ocular Motor Outcomes Following a Sport-Related Concussion.

CONTEXT Vestibular and ocular motor assessment is an emerging clinical assessment for sport-related concussion (SRC). The increased use of these assessments by clinicians calls for examination of outcomes in populations that may impact clinical practice. OBJECTIVE Compare vestibular and ocular motor impairments in high school and collegiate athletes within 72 hours of SRC. Second, examine the distribution of impairments in these populations based upon pre-established clinical cut-off scores. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING High school (HS) and collegiate athletics (COL). Patient or Other Participants: Data were collected from 110 athletes (HS: n=47, age=15.40±1.35 years; COL: n=63, age=19.46±1.28 years) within 72 hours of sustained SRC. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Total and change scores were calculated for the Vestibular/Ocular Motor Screening (VOMS) assessment, along with average near point of convergence (NPC) distance. Separate Mann Whitney U tests were used to compare group differences and Chi-square analyses were used to examine athlete distribution above clinical cutoff scores for all VOMS outputs (a priori Alpha level<0.5). RESULTS No significant differences were found between high school and collegiate athletes for VOMS total scores, change scores, and NPC distance. A significantly larger proportion of the sample reported scores above the cutoff for all total scores (p<0.001) and change scores in horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR; 59.01%, p<0.001), vertical VOR (60.91%, p<0.001), and visual motion sensitivity (60.91%, p<0.001). However, a significantly larger proportion reported smooth pursuit change scores (85.45%, p<0.001) and NPC distance (73.64%, p=0.01) below the cutoff scores. CONCLUSIONS During the acute phase of SRC, high school and collegiate athletes present with similar vestibular and ocular motor impairments as measured by the VOMS, but vestibular tasks appear to cause greater symptom provocation in concussed athletes. Lastly, VOMS change scores may offer more clinical utility in assessing specific impairments following SRC compared to total scores.
A tool to assess nontechnical skills of perfusionists in the cardiac operating room.

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to develop the Perfusionists' Intraoperative Non-Technical Skills tool, specifically to the perfusionists' context, and test its inter-rater reliability. Methods An expert panel was convened to review existing surgical nontechnical skills taxonomies and develop the Perfusionists' Intraoperative Non-Technical Skills tool. During a workshop held at a national meeting, perfusionists completed the Perfusionists’ Intraoperative Non-Technical Skills ratings after watching 4 videos displaying simulated cardiac operations. Two videos showed “good performance,” and 2 videos showed “poor performance.” Inter-rater reliability analysis was performed and intraclass correlation coefficient was reported. Results The final version of the Perfusionists' Intraoperative Non-Technical Skills taxonomy contains 4 behavioral categories (decision making, situation awareness, task management and leadership, teamwork and communication) with 4 behavioral elements each. Categories and elements are rated using an 8-point Likert scale ranging from 0.5 to 4.0. A total of 60 perfusionist raters were included and the comparison between rating distribution on “poor performance” and “good performance” videos yielded a statistically significant difference between groups, with a P value less than .001. A similar difference was found in all behavioral categories and elements. Reliability analysis showed moderate inter-rater reliability across overall ratings (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.735; 95% confidence interval, 0.674-0.796; P Conclusions The Perfusionists' Intraoperative Non-Technical Skills tool presented moderate inter-rater reliability among perfusionists with varied levels of experience. This tool can be used to train and assess perfusionists in relevant nontechnical skills, with the potential to enhance safety and improve surgical outcomes.
Applying Morality to Advances in Biomedicine: Can and should this be Done?

Recent disputes concerning the development and application of new knowledge and new therapies in the biomedical sciences have created a new industry of sorts — bioethics. This is not to say that advances in medical science prior to the 1960’s and 1970’s moved ahead with little attention to moral concerns. Nor is it to say that biomedical research and therapy prior to the 1960’s was conducted in an immoral or amoral manner. Rather, as new advances in biomedicine enabled physicians to intervene with greater power in the lives of their patients, many in the health professions and the humanities found themselves increasingly concerned about the normative issues raised by the administration of new technologies to preserve or maintain the lives of the very young, the very old and the very ill.
Folding and Unfolding in Computational Geometry

Three open problems on folding/unfolding are discussed: (1) Can every convex polyhedron be cut along edges and unfolded at to a single nonoverlapping piece? (2) Given gluing instructions for a polygon, construct the unique 3D convex polyhedron to which it folds. (3) Can every planar polygonal chain be straightened?
RNAi‐Mediated Therapeutics

The first RNA silencing mechanisms were discovered as part of an antiviral response believed to protect organisms from viral infection. It was later discovered that cells have the capacity to synthesize small RNAs known as microRNA (miRNA), which regulate hundreds of genes, coordinating complex developmental as well as physiological responses. Based on the fact that miRNA molecules modulate gene expression in all mammalian tissues, RNAi is being exploited as a system for the treatment of human diseases as well as to study gene function. This chapter will explore the current state of the field of RNAI-mediated therapeutics. Keywords: ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi); gene silencing; microRNA (miRNA); small interfering RNA (siRNA); short hairpin RNA (shRNA)