cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
LATE CENOZOIC EVOLUTION OF TROPICAL LOWLAND VEGETATION IN VERACRUZ, MEXICO

Veracruz is physiographically the most diverse state in Mexico, with altitudes ranging from sea level to the highest peak in Mexico (Pico de Orizaba, 5747 m). This diversity in environments is reflected in a complex mosaic of vegetation estimated at 8000-10,000 species. Studies by GomezPompa (1973) have identified the principal plant communities of Veracruz and provide information on their ecology, composition and distribution. Recently paleobotanical data has become available that, with better understanding of present-day vegetation, reveal some trends in the Cenozoic evolution of lowland communities in Veracruz. An assemblage of 110 identified fossil pollen and spores has been recovered from lignites of the Paraje Solo formation near Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico (Table 1). The age of the sediments is upper Miocene and the microfossils thus represent remnants of a vegetation occupying lowlands and adjacent slopes of the Sierra Madre Oriental approximately 10-12 million years ago. With the data available on modern vegetation, these fossils may be arranged into paleocommunities and a comparison made between fossil and modern biotas. Some similarities are evident, together with distinct differences, especially with regard to the Tropical Rain Forest, arid lowland vegetation, and communities suspected (but not proven) to result from anthropogenic influences. A summary of upper Miocene and modern vegetation from southeastern Veracruz is presented in Figure 1. The present-day communities are listed along the left and bottom of the chart with three east-west transects shown along the eastern escarpment from about 1700 m elevation to the Gulf Coast (Gomez-Pompa, 1973). Fossil taxa are placed according to known natural occurrences and may appear in more than one paleocommunity. In a few cases pollen of two genera could not consistently be distinguished in the fossil condition (Eugenia/Myrcia, Combretum/Terminalia, Hampea/Hibiscus). An occasional wellpreserved, critically oriented grain has indicated the probable presence of each genus, and all are included in reconstruction of the paleocommunities although estimates of the relative abundance of these taxa are not possible. The Palmae and Gramineae are listed only for palm stands and savannas but pollen of palms and grasses (and Compositae) are found in all samples, and the modern plants occur scattered throughout most types of vegetation in Veracruz. Pollen of the Lauraceae does not fossilize or survive processing techniques. The criteria used to estimate presence or absence and relative importance of various paleocommunities in the Miocene vegetation are a) occurrence of pollen of the dominants, b) presence of genera characteristically associated with a particular vegetation type, as opposed to wide-ranging genera occurring in several types of communities, and c) abundance of each pollen type, with compensation for distance from the depositional basin, differential pollen production, and nature of the pollination mechanisms (to the extent these data are available).
Catastrophic rockfalls and rockslides in the Sierra Nevada, USA

Despite having a low recorded historical incidence of landsliding, the Sierra Nevada has undergone large prehistoric and historical rockfalls and rockslides that could be potentially catastrophic if they occurred today in the more densely populated parts of the region. Several large documented rockfall and rockslides have been triggered either by strong seismic shaking or long periods of unusually wet weather; however, in several instances no obvious triggering event can be identified. The glaciated topography of the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada has produced many relatively small falls and slides within relatively hard, massively jointed, granitic rocks; however, where exposed to weathering for long periods after glaciation, the oversteepened rock slopes are prone to uncommonly large falls and slides. At lower elevations on the nonglaciated slopes of the Sierra Nevada, rockslides commonly occur within more weathered granitic rocks, where the strength of the rock mass is typically affected by joint weathering and alteration of the intact rock to saprolite. Historical large rockfalls and rockslides in the Sierra Nevada have created additional secondary natural hazards, including debris flows and floods from the breaching of landslide dams that can be as hazardous as the initial rockfalls and rockslides.
Crisis of confidence: the 2008 global financial crisis and public trust in the European Central Bank

ABSTRACTThe global financial crisis of 2008 shocked the world, and its effects continue to be widespread. Now, many citizens in the European Union have lost confidence in the ability of their central bank to manage financial crises. What factors influence the extent to which the European public will trust the European Central Bank (ECB) and by consequence delegate authority in monetary policy to it? We argue that if citizens are more optimistic about economic recovery, they will be more likely to trust the ECB and thus delegate authority to it. We test our arguments using Eurobarometer data and find that economic optimism has a strong impact on both trust in and delegation to the ECB.
Relationship between Childhood Simple Obesity and Dietary Pattern with Living Habit

[Objective]To study the relation between simple childhood obesity and diet pattern,living habits and genetic factors.[Methods]A total of 112 obese children from 3 primary schools in Baoshan District of Shanghai City were selected and comparatively analyzed with 112 normal children randomly sampled by questionnaire.[Results]The difference of dietary pattern between obese group and control group was significant(P0.01);the differences of living habit and impact of genetic factors between 2 groups were significant(P0.01).[Conclusion] Obesity relates with food intake,high fat,high sugar,static way of life and the genetic factor of obese parents.
Emergency Ability Present Situation and the Management of Institution of Disease Control Countermeasure Analysis

Objective To understand the institution of disease prevention and control of emergent public health event emergency ability present situation and the management countermeasure, find the problems existing in the process of emergency,the feasible advice and countermeasures are put forward. Methods This study by random sampling method to six provinces,85 cities and prefectures in China CDC researchers investigating questionnaire, using the reliability and validity of the reliability and accuracy of the assessment index. Comprehensive score in emergency ability, on the basis of describing the emergency capacity, regional distribution of all aspects of the comparison of prefecture and county district center for disease control and prevention in the difference between different emergency ability, analyzes the relations between economic development level and emergency ability. Results 146 effective questionnaires were taken back, the effective response rate was95.8%. CDC in emergency personnel qualifications, job title, the average quality, etc., there is still a gap. Conclusion Institution of disease prevention and control of emergent public health event emergency disposal ability remains to be further improved, Suggestions to further strengthen personnel training, the implementation of the safeguard mechanism, reserve talent team, organize relevant personnel training art force model, to build health organizations.
MRI observation on changes of normal lateral cerebral ventricles and septum pellucidum in neonates and infants

Objective To explore the develop regulation of normal lateral cerebral ventricles and septum pellucidum with MRI in neonates and infants.Methods A total of 290 neonates and infants without nervous system diseases were divided into 7 groups according to age: Birth—28 days(neonate group),1—3 months group,4—6 months group,7—9 months group,10—12 months group,13—18 months group,19—24 months group.SE T1WI and T2WI were obtained in all neonates and infants.The size of lateral cerebral ventricle and septum pellucidum were measured on T2WI,and the anterior horn index,triangle index and body index of lateral cerebral ventricles were calculated,respectively.Results The lateral cerebral ventricles and septum pellucidum were displayed well on MRI.The anterior horn index,triangle index and body index in 4—6 months group was 0.31±0.08,0.50±0.03 and 0.28±0.05,respectively.The display rate of cavity of septum pellucidum in neonates and infants within 24 months old was 35.17%(102/290),the width was(2.01±0.45)mm.The cavity of septum pellucidum was the widest in neonate group,and the display rates in neonate group,1—3 months group and 4—6 months group was 85.00%(17/20),61.54%(24/39) and 51.86%(28/54),respectively.Conclusion The anterior horn index,triangle index and body index of lateral cerebral ventricle are reliable for judging the size of lateral cerebral ventricles.The cavity of septum pellucidum can be seen mostly during the neonatal period,and then it becomes smaller.
Measuring and modeling apple trees using time-of-flight data for automation of dormant pruning applications

Dormant pruning is one of the most expensive, labor-intensive, but, unavoidable procedure in the field of horticulture to ensure quality crop production. During winter, skilled farmers remove certain branches that are connected directly with the trunk of a tree carefully using a set of predefined rules. In order to reduce this dependence on a large manpower, our goal is to automate this pruning process by building 3D models of dormant apple trees, which eventually would be fed to an intelligent robotic system. In this paper, we present a semicircle fitting based robust 3D reconstruction scheme for modeling the trunk and primary branches of apple trees. The method involves estimating the diameter-error, creating semicircle fit model of the tree from a single depth image, and reconstructing the final 3D model of the tree by aligning a sequence of depth images. Analysis of the qualitative as well as the quantitative evaluations of our algorithm on five different dormant apple trees from our dataset under various indoor and outdoor environments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework for automatic 3D reconstruction. The results show that on an average, the proposed schemes provide a performance of 89.4% for correctly estimating the diameters of the primary branches with a tolerance of 5 mm and 100%c for correctly identifying the branches.
Biological Effects of Gastrointestinal Antibodies: III. The effects of heterologous and autoantibodies on deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis in the stomach and colon of guinea pigs and rabbits

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis is inhibited in gastric mucosa after injection into guinea pigs of rabbit antisera against antigens from guinea pig gastric and colonic mucosa. Rabbit antisera against antigens from guinea pig colonic mucosa also inhibit DNA synthesis in colonic mucosa, while antisera against gastric mucosa do not have any effect on the colon. DNA synthesis in gastric mucosa tends to be decreased in rabbits with circulating autoantibodies against antigens from stomach and colon, but DNA synthesis is significantly increased in colonic mucosa of the same rabbits.
Abstract B073: Structural basis of the 12-23 rule in V(D)J recombination

The V, D and J segment recombination (V(D)J recombination) is the key event in the development and maturation of T and B lymphocytes, which generates a diverse repertoire of T and B cell clones for the further selection of useful specificities. V(D)J recombination is also the basis for antibody diversity. The initiation step of V(D)J recombination is carried out by a pair of lymphocyte specific enzymes, which are called recombination-activating gene 1 and 2 (RAG1 and RAG2). RAG1 and RAG2 associate with each other and with two recognition signal sequences (RSS, 12RSS and 23RSS) adjacent to the coding ends of the V, D and J segments to catalyze the double stranded breaks required for joining. The reaction goes through several catalytic steps that result in formation of the single recombination complex (SC), the paired complex (PC), the cleaved signal complex (CSC) as well as the signal end complex (SEC). In order to understand the mechanisms of how RAG complex functions on DNA, we solved the structures PC and CSC by cryo-electron microscopy near the atomic resolution. Compared with the Apo-RAG complex that constitutes an open conformation, the PC and CSC reveal a closed conformation with RAG1 in one protomer interacts with RAG2 in another protomer. Furthermore, the first nucleotide of the heptamer in the non-transfer strand is flipped out to avoid the steric hindrance of the 39-OH to attack the phosphodiester bond in the transfer strand. Upon nucleophilic attack and hairpin formation, the nucleotide adjacent to the 59-position of the attacked phosphate is also flipped out to accommodate the tensile force in the hairpin DNA. In addition, we found that the conformation changes in the nonamer-binding domain (NBD), which is distorted toward to the 12RSS, and the distorsion requires two turns for the nonamer DNA in the 23RSS to reach the NBD. Finally, we found that two HMGB1 molecules, rather than one, are required to bind and bend both 12RSS and 23RSS DNA to adjust the conformational change of NBD on each side. In summary, our structural models not only uncover the mechanisms of how RAG protein catalyzes the hairpin formation, but also provide the structural basis of the 12-23 rule in V(D)J recombination. Citation Format: Heng Ru, Melissa G. Chambers, Maofu Liao, Hao Wu. Structural basis of the 12-23 rule in V(D)J recombination. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR Inaugural International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; September 16-19, 2015; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2016;4(1 Suppl):Abstract nr B073.
Abstract 1506: Identification of genes with age-dependent expressions in breast cancer patients

Age is the number one risk factor for breast cancer development. The breast cancer incidence rate increases with age, following beta distribution, which is approximately linear in range from 30 to 70 years old [1]. Transcriptome alterations have been shown to promote tumorigenesis for many types of cancers. Therefore, we hypothesize that the genes with altered expression during aging may promote breast cancer development. Using TCGA data, we extracted whole transcriptome profiling data of matched normal tissues from 82 female patients with age at diagnosis and menopausal status available. The RSEM estimated raw reads counts data were normalized by library sizes, log2 transformed and further normalized by quantile normalization. Removal of 25% of genes with lowest mean expressions resulted in subsequent analyses on 15,398 genes. We applied simple linear regression to study the association between gene expression level and age at diagnosis on all the 82 patients, and on the 54 post-menopausal patients to reduce the leverage effect of pre-menopausal patients with limited age range. The genes with significant correlation are filtered by the criteria: 1) R2 value is among the highest 5%, 2) absolute value of slope for age is among the highest 5% and 3) adjusted p value for the slope is among the lowest 5%. We identified 210 upregulated and 98 downregulated genes in all patients, as well as 103 upregulated and 164 downregulated genes in post-menopausal patients only. The unions of these genes (258 upregulated and 240 downregulated) are considered as genes affected by age. A combination of methods using moderate hierarchical t test (R/limma) and moderate fitting based on negative binomial distribution (R/DESeq2), with and without Surrogate Variable Analysis for potential confounders (R/SVA), results in identification of 498 upregulated and 256 downregulated genes altered by menopause by comparing post-menopausal to pre-menopausal patients (FDR Funding: CPRIT Research Training Award (RP140105) Reference: 1. Francesco Pompei and Richard Wilson (2001). Age Distribution of Cancer: The incidence Turnover at Old Age. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: Vol. 7, No. 6, pp. 1619-1650. Citation Format: Xiang Gu, LuZhe Sun. Identification of genes with age-dependent expressions in breast cancer patients. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 1506.
The Logical Structure of Constraint Theory

Chapter 7 provides a compact structure of constraint theory. All postulates, definitions, and theorems are listed and their logical interrelationships are displayed in the form of quasi-bipartite graphs
The Asymmetry of Crimes By and Against Police Officers

Crimes by and against police officers during the performance of their duties are treated differently. If a police officer harms a citizen, regular assault or homicide charges apply, whereas if a citizen harms a police officer, aggravated assault or homicide charges apply. The enhancement stems from the fact that the citizen interfered with police activity. No one would dispute that states have a special interest in protecting this state sanctioned behavior. But don’t they also have an equal interest in deterring its abuse through commensurate charges?This Essay is the first to tackle this asymmetry and explore potential rationales. It argues that the unique duties of police officers — and their related ability to use force or deadly force — point to the need for uniform aggravated statutes that regulate both sides of the encounter. The recent shootings by and against police officers this year highlight the importance of this kind of reform. Making a change along these lines will ultimately go a long way to help legitimate police activity in this context.
Population Size, Growth, and Environmental Justice Near Oil and Gas Wells in Colorado

We evaluated population size and factors influencing environmental justice near oil and gas (O&G) wells. We mapped nearest O&G well to residential properties to evaluate population size, temporal relationships between housing and O&G development, and 2012 housing market value distributions in three major Colorado O&G basins. We reviewed land use, building, real estate, and state O&G regulations to evaluate distributive and participatory justice. We found that by 2012 at least 378,000 Coloradans lived within 1 mile of an active O&G well, and this population was growing at a faster rate than the overall population. In the Denver Julesburg and San Juan basins, which experienced substantial O&G development prior to 2000, we observed a larger proportion of lower value homes within 500 feet of an O&G well and that most O&G wells predated houses. In the Piceance Basin, which had not experienced substantial prior O&G development, we observed a larger proportion of high value homes within 500 feet of an O&G well a...
Comparison of the accuracy of US-guided biopsy of breast masses performed with 14-gauge, 16-gauge and 18-gauge automated cutting needle biopsy devices, and review of the literature

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound (US)-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) of breast masses performed with 14-gauge, 16-gauge and 18-gauge needles. We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 1,112 patients who underwent US-guided breast CNB with 14-gauge, 16-gauge and 18-gauge needles. Cases with surgical excision or a minimum of 2 years of imaging follow-up were included. Rates of sample inadequacy, discordance with surgical or imaging findings and upgrade of DCIS to invasive cancer or high-risk lesion to in situ or invasive cancer were computed for each needle size. The study included 703 CNBs: 203 performed with 14-gauge, 235 with 16-gauge and 265 with 18-gauge needles. There were no significant differences between 14-gauge, 16-gauge and 18-gauge needles in rates of specimen inadequacy (0 %, 0.4 % and 1.9 %, respectively) (p = 0.084); surgical discordance (2.6 %, 2.9 % and 3.8 %) (p = 0.76); imaging discordance (0 %, 0 % and 2 %) (p = 1.0); DCIS upgrade (43 %, 43 % and 36 %) (p = 1.00) or high-risk lesion upgrade (38 %, 25 % and 55 %) (p = 0.49). There was no statistically significant difference in diagnostic accuracy of US-guided CNB of breast masses performed with 14-gauge, 16-gauge and 18-gauge needles. • Percutaneous image-guided breast core needle biopsy (CNB) is the standard of care. • Breast CNB with 14-gauge, 16-gauge and 18-gauge needles has similar diagnostic accuracy. • Smaller gauge needles can be confidently used for ultrasound-guided breast CNB.
Non-invasive brain stimulation targeting the right fusiform gyrus selectively increases working memory for faces

The human extrastriate cortex contains a region critically involved in face detection and memory, the right fusiform gyrus. The present study evaluated whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) targeting this anatomical region would selectively influence memory for faces versus non-face objects (houses). Anodal tDCS targeted the right fusiform gyrus (Brodmann's Area 37), with the anode at electrode site PO10, and cathode at FP2. Two stimulation conditions were compared in a repeated-measures design: 0.5mA versus 1.5mA intensity; a separate control group received no stimulation. Participants completed a working memory task for face and house stimuli, varying in memory load from 1 to 4 items. Individual differences measures assessed trait-based differences in facial recognition skills. Results showed 1.5mA intensity stimulation (versus 0.5mA and control) increased performance at high memory loads, but only with faces. Lower overall working memory capacity predicted a positive impact of tDCS. Results provide support for the notion of functional specialization of the right fusiform regions for maintaining face (but not non-face object) stimuli in working memory, and further suggest that low intensity electrical stimulation of this region may enhance demanding face working memory performance particularly in those with relatively poor baseline working memory skills.
Disseminated Coccidioidomycosis Presenting as Carcinomatosis Peritonei and Intestinal Coccidioidomycosis in a Patient with HIV

Coccidioidomycosis (CM) is a fungal infection endemic in southwestern regions of the United States, northwestern regions of Mexico, and some areas of Brazil and Argentina. Clinical presentation varies depending on the extent of the infection and the immune status of the host. The most common presentation ranges from flu-like symptoms to self-limiting pneumonia. Extrapulmonary presentations are uncommon and may involve the meninges, skin, and bone. Gastrointestinal and peritoneal involvement is extremely rare. Here we report a case of disseminated CM presenting as carcinomatosis peritonei as an AIDS-defining illness in a young male.
The Causal Effect of Local Product Market Shocks on Equity Holdings: Evidence from the Airline Industry

We examine how local product market shocks impact individual investors’ willingness to own and trade the underlying stock. Using the US airlines industry as our test market, we exploit plausibly exogenous variation generated when airlines supply flights to new markets. We find that active traders increase their ownership in an airline by 10.6% in response to a one standard deviation increase in the airline’s local market share supply. Our results are driven by shocks that occur within the first year of investor exposure and are positively related with measures of customer satisfaction. The evidence is most consistent with the view that investment decisions are based on familiarity and investors’ perception of product quality.
Arrayed isoelectric focusing using photopatterned multi‐domain hydrogels

Isoelectric focusing (IEF) is a powerful separation method, useful for resolving subtle changes in the isoelectric point of unlabeled proteins. While microfluidic IEF has reduced the separation times from hours in traditional benchtop IEF to minutes, the enclosed devices hinder post-separation access to the sample for downstream analysis. The two-layer open IEF device presented here comprises a photopatterned hydrogel lid layer containing the chemistries required for IEF and a thin polyacrylamide bottom layer in which the analytes are separated. The open IEF device produces comparable minimum resolvable difference in isoelectric point and gradient stability to enclosed microfluidic devices while providing post-separation sample access by simple removal of the lid layer. Further, using simulations, we determine that the material properties and the length of the separation lanes are the primary factors that affect the electric field magnitude in the separation region. Finally, we demonstrate self-indexed photomasks for alignment-free fabrication of multi-domain hydrogels. We leverage this approach to generate arrayed pH gradients with a total of 80 concurrent separation lanes, which to our knowledge is the first demonstration of multiple IEF separations in series addressed by a single pair of electrodes.
Strong competitive effects of African savanna C4 grasses on tree seedlings do not support rooting differentiation

Rooting differentiation between established trees and grasses has been well documented in savannas, but it remains unclear to what extent tree-grass rooting differences affect competition between newly established seedlings and grasses. To examine this question, a greenhouse experiment was conducted at the University of Missouri, USA. Twenty 3-mo-old seedlings each of two African savanna tree species (Acacia nigrescens and Colophospermum mopane) were grown for 8 mo with two crossed factors: grass competition and irrigation depth. Strong negative effects of grass competition on final seedling biomass and leaf photosynthetic and stomatal conductance occurred in both tree species, but no effects of irrigation depth were detected. There was a clear tree species by grass competition interaction, suggesting interspecific variation in competitive response. The results emphasize the importance of below-ground competition with grasses for physiological and morphological responses of tree seedlings, while minimizing the importance of tree-grass rooting depth differences as a factor in modulating the competitive response of trees to grasses at the seedling stage.
Fostering employee innovative behaviour through receipt of helping and voice behaviours from co-workers: the mediating roles of knowledge transfer and knowledge creation

Given the impact of employee innovative behaviour on organisational success, a considerable amount of research attention has been paid to identifying determinants of employee innovative behaviour. However, relatively little is known about the impact of an employee's receipt of helping and voice behaviours exhibited by co-workers on the employee's innovative behaviour. Thus, drawing upon theories of workplace learning and knowledge management, we develop a conceptual model describing how receipt of helping behaviour and voice behaviour fosters employee innovative behaviour through formal, informal, and incidental learning. Additionally, we theoretically explore the mediating roles of knowledge transfer and knowledge creation. By doing so, our conceptual model provides important theoretical contributions to the literature. More importantly, our conceptual model offers crucial managerial insights into fostering employee innovative behaviour through effective organisational learning and knowledge management practices that encourage interpersonal helping and constructive criticism.
Domain Gymnastics of an ABC Transporter.

Bacterial pathogens can switch signaling by sensing threonine phosphorylation. In this issue of Structure, Heinkel et al. (2018) report novel rearrangements linking threonine phosphorylation to tandem forkhead-associated (FHA) domains from an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter. The resulting associations probably regulate oligomerization and transport in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
An Adaptive Dose Finding Design (DOSEFIND) Using A Nonlinear Dose Response Model

AN ADAPTIVE DOSE FINDING DESIGN (DOSEFIND) USING A NONLINEAR DOSE RESPONSE MODEL By James Michael Davenport, PhD A Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2007 Major Director: R. K. Elswick Interim Department Chair, Biostatistics First-in-man (FIM) Phase I clinical trials are part of the critical path in the development of a new compound entity (NCE). Since FIM clinical trials are the first time that an NCE is dosed in human subjects, the designs used in these trials are unique and geared toward patient safety. We develop a method for obtaining the desired response using an adaptive non-linear approach. This method is applicable for studies in which MTD, NOEL, NOAEL, PK, PD effects or other such endpoints are evaluated to determine the desired dose. The method has application whenever a measurable PD marker is an indicator of potential efficacy and could be particularly useful for dose finding studies. The advantages in the adaptive non-linear methodology is that the actual range of dose response and lowest
An Overview of the Legal History and Population Status of Wolves in Minnesota

The modern history of wolf populations in Minnesota, like other areas, is as much a story about humans as it is about wolves. While competition among wolves is in large part driven by the availability of resources such as food and space (Fuller et al. 2003 ; Packard 2003) , wolf–human interactions are a function of real “competition” as well as perceived conflict or fear. Cultural attitudes have clearly played a major role in the dynamics between wolves and humans (Boitani 1995 ; Fritts et al. 2003) . Such human–wolf dynamics are not constant. Cultural attitudes change, the number of people (and livestock) living in close proximity to wolves changes, and the availability and degree of dependence on shared resources changes. Our goal is to examine the legal and population history of wolves in Minnesota, but in so doing we provide a manifestation of human–wolf dynamics, and provide context for understanding the changes in these dynamics through time. We summarize changes in the legal status of wolves and changes in wolf distribution and abundance. We also highlight ecological factors associated with a changing wolf population, and provide an overview of the methods used by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to monitor the statewide wolf population.
Characterization of Clostridium perfringens recovered from broiler chicken affected by necrotic enteritis

Necrotic enteritis (NE) caused by Clostridium perfringens has emerged as an important disease associated with major economic losses in the poultry industry worldwide. The ban and voluntary withdraw of antimicrobial growth promoters used to control NE have resulted in resurgence of NE. Moreover, consumer demand for antibiotic free poultry product has continued to grow. The presence of the netB gene encoding for pore forming toxin in C. perfringens has been shown to be essential for pathogenesis of NE. The aim of this study was to characterize C. perfringens isolates recovered from broiler chickens affected by NE. A total of 230 isolates obtained from commercially raised broilers between 3 and 4 wk of age affected by NE were characterized using multiplex PCR (mPCR) and antibiotic susceptibility test. A subset of isolates (n = 75) were analyzed using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Toxin typing using mPCR revealed that all C. perfringens isolates were toxinotype A. However, 68% (59 of 85) of the isolates from apparently healthy birds and 81% (119 of 145) from dead birds were positive for netB gene. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing using a disk diffusion method indicated that 53% of the isolates had a multidrug resistant profile that comprised of streptomycin, gentamicin, erythromycin, tetracycline, and bacitracin. PFGE analysis of 53 typeable isolates indicated a wide genetic relatedness even among isolate from the same state with the same antibiotic resistance profile. The results obtained from this study suggest that the presence of C. perfringens with netB gene in broiler chicken does not automatically result in death but other factors such as health of the bird before proliferation of virulent C. perfringens may be critical for development of NE.
Impact of Tart Cherry Juice on Joint Flexibility and Pain in Individuals with Self-Reported Knee Osteoarthritis (P01-030-19)

The purpose of this study was to examine the daily consumption of tart cherry juice in comparison to a placebo juice on symptoms associated with knee osteoarthritis in both men and woman, age 45–79 years old, for a treatment period of 120 days. In a randomized, double-blind control trial, a total of 66 adults with self-reported symptomatic knee OA, were randomized to either consume a 16 oz of tart cherry juice (TCJ) or a placebo juice daily for 4 months. Pain, mobility, plasma biomarkers of cartilage metabolism were evaluated at baseline, 2 months and 4 months. Pain, stiffness, and impact on quality of life were assessed using Self-administered Modified Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire, while flexibility of the afflicted joint(s) was assessed via range of motion assessment (ROM). Plasma biomarkers related to cartilage metabolism such as glycoprotein 39 (YKL-40), hyaluronic acid, insulin-like growth factor(IGF)-1, and insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP-3) were determined. A total of 57 participants completed the study with an attrition rate of 9%. Pain and impact on quality of life decreased significantly at mid-point in the TCJ group, but these improvements were not maintained at the final time point. At midpoint, right knee ROM increased significantly in the TCJ at mid-point, but did not maintain significant at the end of the treatment period. Knee extension and knee flexion also improved significantly in the TCJ group from baseline to midpoint, while there was no significant change in the placebo group. The TCJ group had an overall significant decrease in plasma YKL-40, a marker of cartilage destruction, while no changes were observed in the placebo group. A significant decrease in the plasma IGF-1 and a non-significant up trend in IGFBP-3 were observed in the placebo group, while in the TCJ group no changes in IGF-1 and a non-significant decrease in IGFBP-3 was observed. There were no changes in the hyaluronic acid in the TCJ group during the study duration, but a non-significant up trending was noticed in the placebo group. The findings of the study suggest that daily consumption of tart cherry juice results in improvement in mobility, relief of pain-related symptoms and quality of life, and selective markers of cartilage health. Cherry Marketing Institute.
A temporal record of the past with a spectrum of time constants in the monkey entorhinal cortex

Episodic memory is believed to be intimately related to our experience of the passage of time. Indeed, neurons in the hippocampus and other brain regions critical to episodic memory code for the passage of time at a range of time scales. The origin of this temporal signal, however, remains unclear. Here, we examined temporal responses in the entorhinal cortex of macaque monkeys as they viewed complex images. Many neurons in the entorhinal cortex were responsive to image onset, showing large deviations from baseline firing shortly after image onset but relaxing back to baseline at different rates. This range of relaxation rates allowed for the time since image onset to be decoded on the scale of seconds. Further, the ensemble carried information about image content suggesting that neurons in the entorhinal cortex carry information not only about when an event took place but also the identity of that event. Taken together, these findings suggest that the primate entorhinal cortex uses a spectrum of time constants to construct a temporal record of the past in support of episodic memory.
Optimization of biocompatibility in a laser surface treated Mg-AZ31B alloy

Abstract Biodegradable bone implants can remove the need for subsequent bone-implant surgeries by controlled biomineralization and degradation. Although Mg-alloys generally possess biocompatible properties, they corrode rapidly, thereby preventing sufficient hydroxyapatite formation and biomineral growth. In an attempt to address these limitations, laser surface treatments were performed via the employment of a continuous wave Nd:YAG laser on the Mg-AZ31B alloy using laser fluences in the range of 1.06–4.24 J/mm2 (250–1000 W). The laser-treated samples were investigated for their wettability in simulated body fluid. In vitro analyses were performed in simulated body fluid to examine corrosion and biomineralization behavior on the laser-treated samples. Statistical optimization algorithms based on wettability data predicted an optimal laser fluence of 3.286J/mm2 (775 W) within the range of laser fluences used in the present study for achieving a balance between biodegradation and biomineralization. Confirmatory tests on optimized samples indicated an up to 84% grain size reduction in laser-treated surface regions, a several-fold increase in Mg17Al12 (β) phase volume fraction, a reasonably abundant formation of hydroxyapatite, and increased rates of biomineralization that exceeded degradation. These findings indicate the potential of laser surface engineering to realize Mg-AZ31B alloy as a viable biodegradable bone implant material.
Pollen limitation and autonomous selfing ability interact to shape variation in outcrossing rate across a species range.

PREMISE Hermaphroditic plants commonly reproduce through a mixture of selfing and outcrossing. The degree to which outcrossing rates reflect the availability of outcross pollen, genetic differentiation in the ability to autonomously self-fertilize, or both is often unclear. Despite the potential for autonomy and the pollination environment to jointly influence outcrossing, this interaction is rarely studied. METHODS We reviewed studies from the literature that tested whether the pollination environment or floral traits that cause autonomous selfing predict variation in outcrossing rate among populations. We also measured outcrossing rates in 23 populations of Campanula americana and examined associations with the pollination environment, autonomy, and their interaction. RESULTS Our review revealed that traits that facilitate selfing were often negatively associated with outcrossing rates whereas most aspects of the pollination environment poorly predicted outcrossing. Populations of C. americana varied from mixed mating to highly outcrossing, but variation was unrelated to population size, density, pollen limitation, or autonomous selfing ability. Outcrossing rate was significantly influenced by an interaction between autonomous selfing ability and pollen limitation. Across highly autonomous populations, elevated pollen limitation was associated with reduced outcrossing, while there was no relationship for less autonomous populations. CONCLUSIONS Both the ability to self autonomously and pollen limitation interact to shape outcrossing rates in C. americana. This work suggests that autonomy affords mating-system flexibility, though it is not ubiquitous in all populations across the species range. Interactions between traits influencing autonomy and pollen limitation are likely to explain variation in outcrossing rates among populations of flowering plants.
Neurosteroids as novel antidepressants and anxiolytics: GABA-A receptors and beyond.

Abstract The recent FDA approval of the neurosteroid, brexanolone (allopregnanolone), as a treatment for women with postpartum depression, and successful trials of a related neuroactive steroid, SGE-217, for men and women with major depressive disorder offer the hope of a new era in treating mood and anxiety disorders based on the potential of neurosteroids as modulators of brain function. This review considers potential mechanisms contributing to antidepressant and anxiolytic effects of allopregnanolone and other GABAergic neurosteroids focusing on their actions as positive allosteric modulators of GABAA receptors. We also consider their roles as endogenous “stress” modulators and possible additional mechanisms contributing to their therapeutic effects. We argue that further understanding of the molecular, cellular, network and psychiatric effects of neurosteroids offers the hope of further advances in the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders.
Medication for addiction treatment and acute care utilization in HIV-positive adults with substance use disorders

ABSTRACTMedication for addiction treatment (MAT) could reduce acute care utilization in HIV-positive individuals with substance use disorders. The study objective was to determine if HIV-positive p...
Time and Compliance with International Rulings: The Case of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights

Most studies of international courts analyze state compliance with court rulings by looking at the status of legal cases at a particular point in time. This “snapshot” approach ignores two important features of the compliance process. First, states often take a long time to comply with court rulings. Therefore, we need metrics that reflect not only if, but also when, states satisfy court rulings. Second, the conditions that facilitate or hinder compliance change over time. To accommodate these analytic challenges, we introduce the concept of expected time to compliance (ETC), and show how to estimate this metric using discrete-time survival models. We illustrate the advantages of this approach with an analysis of all cases decided by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights between 1989 and 2018.
Assessment of Body Weight Changes in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Initiating Biologic Therapy: A Prospective Cohort Study

Prior studies have inconsistently suggested that biologic therapy may be associated with weight gain in inflammatory bowel disease patients (IBD). Our aim was to compare weight gain across different biologic therapy classes with distinct mechanisms of action. This prospective cohort study recruited patients with moderate to severe IBD initiating outpatient biologic therapy with anti-TNF (infliximab, adalimumab), vedolizumab, or ustekinumab. Weight measurements were performed at weeks 0, 14, 30, and 54. Changes in weight between baseline and each of the follow-up visits were modeled as a continuous variable, and multivariate regression assessed the independent effect of therapeutic class on this outcome. Our study enrolled 269 patients (163 CD, 106 UC) initiating biologic therapy [99 anti-TNF (37%), 122 vedolizumab (45%), 48 ustekinumab (18%)]. From baseline, the weight significantly increased at week 14 with a mean of 0.36 kg (± 3.8 kg, p = 0.004) and continued to increase compared to baseline with 0.96 kg (± 3.9 kg, p < 0.001) and 1.29 kg (± 4.2 kg, p < 0.001) at week 30 and 54, respectively. On univariate and multivariable analysis, no significant differences between any of the biologic therapies for weight gain were seen at any time point (weight gain anti-TNF: 0.31 kg, 1.06 kg, 1.33 kg; VDZ: 0.30 kg, 0.83 kg, 1.10 kg; UST: 0.63 kg, 1.21 kg, 2.31 kg at wk 14, wk 30, and wk 54, respectively). None of the disease activity parameters showed any statistical association with weight gain. There was no difference in weight gain among the different biologic therapeutic classes.
Predicting Onset of COVID-19 with Mobility-Augmented SEIR Model

Abstract Timely interventions and early preparedness of healthcare resources are crucial measures to tackle the COVID-19 disease. To aid these efforts, we developed the Mobility-Augmented SEIR model (MA-SEIR) that leverages Google’s aggregate and anonymized mobility data to augment classic compartmental models. We show in a retrospective analysis how this method can be applied at an early stage in the COVID-19 epidemic to forecast its subsequent spread and onset in different geographic regions, with minimal parameterization of the model. This provides insight into the role of near real-time aggregate mobility data in disease spread modeling by quantifying substantial changes in how populations move both locally and globally. These changes would be otherwise very hard to capture using less timely data.
Mobilize for Our Lives? School Shootings and Democratic Accountability in U.S. Elections

Gun violence is a large and growing problem in the United States. Many reformers look towards elections to spur policy change in this area. In this paper, we explore the effects of school shootings on electoral mobilization and election outcomes. We pair data from several sources that measure validated voter registration; validated voter turnout; and the electoral performance of officials at the local, state, and federal levels with regression discontinuity and panel methods. Our effects show that shootings have little to no effect on electoral outcomes in the United States. Our work demonstrates that even when tragic events occur that are squarely in the realm of elected officials’ responsibility, have high levels of issue salience, are highly-covered by the media, draw citizens’ attention, and (perhaps) shift public opinion, these seemingly favorable conditions may not be enough to elicit democratic accountability.
Determinants of common benefits and private benefits in innovation alliances

We identify the ex ante conditions that incentivize the development of common benefits and private benefits from alliances. Building on transaction costs economics and the knowledge‐based view, we argue that a commitment to exchange know‐how encourages cooperation and is positively related to common benefits, that is, benefits shared by all partners. We also argue that a firm's absorptive capacity and knowledge base relative to its partner reduce reliance on the partner and are positively related to private benefits, that is, benefits enjoyed separately from partners. We test our hypotheses by examining patents, filed separately and jointly by partners in the biopharmaceutical industry in the United States.
Growing pains in local food systems: a longitudinal social network analysis on local food marketing in Baltimore County, Maryland and Chester County, Pennsylvania.

Local food systems are growing, and little is known about how the constellation of farms and markets change over time. We trace the evolution of two local food systems (Baltimore County, Maryland and Chester County, Pennsylvania) over six years, including a dataset of over 2690 market connections (edges) between 1520 locations (nodes). Longitudinal social network analysis reveals how the architecture, actor network centrality, magnitude, and spatiality of these supply chains shifted during the 2012–2018 time period. Our findings demonstrate that, despite growth in the number of farmers’ markets, grocery stores, farms and restaurants in both counties, each local food system also experienced high turnover rates. Over 80% of the market connections changed during the study period. Farms, farmers’ markets, and grocery stores showed a 40–50% ‘survival’ rate, indicating their role in sustaining local food systems over longer time periods. Other actors, such as restaurants, had a much higher turnover rate within the network. Both food systems became more close-knit and consolidated as the center of gravity for both local food systems pulled away from urban areas toward rural farmland. Evidence of both growth and decay within local food systems provides a new understanding of the social networks behind local food markets.