cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
N-terminal domain swapping and metal ion binding in nitric oxide synthase dimerization.

Nitric oxide synthase oxygenase domains (NOS ox ) must bind tetrahydrobiopterin and dimerize to be active. New crystallographic structures of inducible NOS ox reveal that conformational changes in a switch region (residues 103–111) preceding a pterin‐binding segment exchange N‐terminal β‐hairpin hooks between subunits of the dimer. N‐terminal hooks interact primarily with their own subunits in the ‘unswapped’ structure, and two switch region cysteines (104 and 109) from each subunit ligate a single zinc ion at the dimer interface. N‐terminal hooks rearrange from intra‐ to intersubunit interactions in the ‘swapped structure’, and Cys109 forms a self‐symmetric disulfide bond across the dimer interface. Subunit association and activity are adversely affected by mutations in the N‐terminal hook that disrupt interactions across the dimer interface only in the swapped structure. Residue conservation and electrostatic potential at the NOS ox molecular surface suggest likely interfaces outside the switch region for electron transfer from the NOS reductase domain. The correlation between three‐dimensional domain swapping of the N‐terminal hook and metal ion release with disulfide formation may impact inducible nitric oxide synthase (i)NOS stability and regulation in vivo .
From STEAM research to education: An integrated art and engineering course at Georgia Tech

We describe an experimental, project-based, integrated art and engineering course for undergraduate students currently taking place at Georgia Institute of Technology. The course is informed by our research study on the creative work practices of artists and engineers. A summary of this research and a description of the course are presented here. This work can inform K-16 STEM education, particularly with respect to giving students skills to participate in the creative innovation economy.
The effects of natural selection on linkage disequilibrium and relative fitness in experimental populations of Drosophila melanogaster.

process of natural selection may be studied in laboratory populations in '?to ways. First, the genetic changes which occur during the course of microevolutionary change can be followed and, second, accompanying this, the size of the populations can be measured. CARSON (1961 ) considers the relative size of a population to be an important measure of relative population fitness when comparing genetically different populations of the same species under uniform environmental conditions over a period of time. In the present experiment, the experimental procedure of CARSON was utilized to study the effects of selection on certain gene combinations and to measure the level of relative population fitness reached during the microevolutionary process. Experimental populations were constructed with certain oligogenes in low frequency and in certain associations in order to provide a situation likely to be changed by natural selection. Specifically, oligogenes on the third chromosome were allowed to recombine freely with the homologous Oregon chromosome so that three separate blocks could be selected for introduction into homozygous Oregon populations. The
A preliminary investigation of the spectra of uranium isotopes.

The isotope displacement effect is discussed with relation to other spectro-isotopic effects. The results of a preliminary investigation of this effect in uranium isotopes are presented. Spectrum shifts as large as a wave number between the U235 and U238 spectra are not uncommon, the shifts usually being toward the violet for the light isotope.These wave-length differences have been correlated to the spectroscopic energy systems of U I and U II and are found to be of two types: (1) a simple isotopic displacement arising from configurationnucleus interaction, and (2) a complex isotopic displacement arising from perturbations between close-lying levels. The magnitude of shift in U I is generally of the order 0.3 cm−1, but ranges from −0.7 cm−1 to 1.5 cm−1 in U II. Configurations involving the s2 electron group show the largest isotope shifts indicating an additive type of interaction for the s electrons and the nucleus.
A Brief Introduction to Competition Concerns in 'Pay-for-Delay' Settlement Agreements Between Brand-Name and Generic Drug Companies

Antitrust authorities in both the United States and Europe have expressed deep concern over settlements of antitrust cases in the pharmaceutical sector, settlements involving “reverse payments” from plaintiffs to defendants, large sums paid by branded pharmaceutical companies to generic competitors in exchange for promises to stay off the market. Such “pay-for-delay” settlements have proliferated in the United States since federal circuit courts of appeals have found them unproblematic despite the Federal Trade Commission’s persistently strong position that they violate the antitrust laws. These cases arise at the intersection of three statutory regimes seeking to promote innovation, three clusters of doctrine and policy that have interacted only to reach impasse: the Patent Act, the 1984 amendment to the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and finally the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. Antitrust is a late comer to the fierce competition over patented drugs, competition that permeates the approval process in the Food & Drug Administration [the FD , competition that is restrained by these pay-for-delay settlement agreements. To set the stage, we begin with the Patent Act and its relationship to the FDA approval process. The story of pay-for-delay settlements then proceeds to the settlement agreements and their antitrust implications. We conclude that the best solution in these antitrust cases would be adoption of the FTC’s approach of presumptive illegality. Together with an amendment proposed to fix the food and drug act, the presumptive illegality of pay-for-delay settlements under the antitrust laws would make the market for pharmaceuticals more price competitive, open weak patents to serious challenge, and as a result save consumers billions of dollars annually without taking from branded drug companies legitimately earned incentives to engage in research and development.
Spg20−/− mice reveal multimodal functions for Troyer syndrome protein spartin in lipid droplet maintenance, cytokinesis and BMP signaling

Hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSPs; SPG1-48) are inherited neurological disorders characterized by lower extremity spasticity and weakness. Loss-of-function mutations in the SPG20 gene encoding spartin cause autosomal recessive Troyer syndrome (SPG20), which has additional features of short stature, cognitive deficits and distal amyotrophy. To identify cellular impairments underlying Troyer syndrome, we generated Spg20−/− mice, which exhibit progressive gait defects. Although gross central nervous system pathology appeared largely normal, cerebral cortical neurons cultured from neonatal Spg20−/− mice exhibited increased axon branching, a phenotype suppressed by reintroducing spartin and which required its interaction with the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT)-III protein IST1. Analysis of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathway in Spg20−/− embryonic fibroblasts indicated that Smad1/5 phosphorylation is modestly elevated, possibly due to alterations in BMP receptor trafficking. Cytokinesis was impaired in embryonic fibroblasts cultured from Spg20−/− mice, and binucleated chondrocytes were prominent in epiphyseal growth plates of bones in Spg20−/− mice, perhaps explaining the short stature of patients. Finally, adipose tissue from Spg20−/− female mice exhibited increased lipid droplet (LD) numbers and alterations in perilipin levels, supporting a role for spartin in LD maintenance. Taken together, our results support multimodal functions for spartin that provide important insights into HSP pathogenesis.
Psycho-social outcome in liver transplanted children: beware of emotional self-assessment!

Psycho-social outcome in children after liver transplantation (LT) is known to be inferior to age-related peers. Yet, when children and their parents are questioned by their nurse or physician about the child’s psycho-social well-being, the answers usually are very positive. We hypothesized that patients and their parents after LT report their psycho-social well-being too enthusiastically when enquired by their personal care takers. Inclusion criteria: LT at the Children’s University Hospital of Geneva 1992–2007, age >3 years, 2 years. Children and their parents were questioned by their well-known, familiar nurse at the annual follow up visit about their personal well-being. To allow for evaluation of answers, scores (good, medium, bad) were attributed to the different questions. 46 children were included in the study. Mean age at enquiry was 9.7 years (SD 4 years), mean time after LT was 7.5 years (SD 4.2 years). The different themes were reported as good for: parent–child relationship (83%), relationship with peers (98%), relation with siblings (39%), sport activities (54%), play activities (78%), school performance (87%), expression skills (67%), and general behavior (89%). Most of our LT children and their parents consider, during a personal interview with a closely related, familiar nurse, that the child’s psycho-social outcome is good. Yet, it is generally acknowledged that children after LT have negatively altered psycho-social outcomes. Thus, emotionally influenced reports about psycho-social outcome in children after LT must be looked at with care.
Analysis of Circumferential Welds in BWRs for Life Beyond 60

This paper describes the probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) analyzes of the conditional probability of failure (CPF) due to brittle fracture of circumferential welds (CW) from a cold overpressurize event in boiling water reactors (BWR) operated for 72 EFPY. This analysis used the Fracture Analysis for Vessels, Oak Ridge (FAVOR) computer code, developed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), under United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) funding. Two typical vessel configurations and the associated material properties for the beltline materials, CW, axial welds (AW), and plates (PL) were used. The analyses consider the potential effects of different fabrication options, shop vs field. Shop-fabrication is mainly by submerged arc weld (SAW) process, while field fabrication used the shielded metal arc weld (SMAW) process. In either case, repairs would have required the SMAW process. The calculations show that field-fabricated vessels would have a slight increase in the CPF compared to shop-fabricated vessels, but the assumed fraction of repair welds was more significant than the fabrication option. The details demonstrate the relative importance of surface-breaking flaws vs. embedded flaws for the assumed transient. The results confirm the conclusions from the original analysis from BWRVIP-05 and BWRVIP-74, the CPF for CW is orders of magnitude less than that of PL and AW regions of the vessel; therefore, the ASME Code-required volumetric examinations of the CW every 10 years as part of the in-service inspection (ISI) program does not change the overall CPF for the vessel. In all the cases analyzed, the total CPF values of the BWRs for 72 EFPY are below the goal for safe operation.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Abstract 3741: Spokes or Hubs: A Better Milieu for Acute Ischemic Stroke Intervention Trials?

Background: The evolution of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) treatment networks has yielded many so-called spoke and hub networks, where patients may present to hospitals that possess stroke expertise,...
Boundary-Layer Noise Induced by a Roughness Patch

The sound radiation by turbulent boundary-layer flow over an array of 10× 4 roughness elements is studied using large-eddy simulation and Lighthill’s theory. Two types of roughness elements, hemispheres and cuboids of the same height, are considered. The roughness height is 12.4% of the boundary layer thickness and 17% of the spacing between neighboring elements in both directions. The Reynolds number based on momentum thickness is 3065. The acoustically compact roughness elements and their images in the wall radiate primarily as acoustic dipoles in the plane of wall. The acoustic characteristics are found to be strongly dependent on the roughness shape. With the hemispherical array, similar to previous findings with a pair of hemispheres, the dipole sources are mainly generated by the interaction of hemispheres with incoming turbulent eddies and vortical structures formed around the bases of elements. Spanwise dipoles are stronger than streamwise dipoles, and wake turbulence enhances sound radiation from downstream elements. The leading row of hemispheres produces the weakest sound. In contrast, in the case of cuboid elements, unsteady separation and reattachment around the front edges are important acoustic sources, the spanwise dipoles are slightly weaker than the streamwise dipoles, and the leading row produces the strongest radiation. The spatial distributions of the roughness dipole sources are investigated. Correlations between dipole sources associated with neighboring roughness elements are found to be relatively weak.
The Antagonism Of Bacteria And Their Products To Other Bacteria

Everywhere in nature we see numerous examples of two opposing biological activities. On the one hand, living organisms frequently derive mutual benefit by association; on the other, the presence of one organism, or its products, is inimical to the life and growth of certain other forms. These principles are not limited to animals and the higher forms of plant life, but occur also as low down in the scale as bacteria themselves. Nor do we wonder at this when we consider how numerous and unlike
Les promotions des ventes et l'accélération des achats par les consommateurs:

L'une des consequences possibles de la promotion des ventes est l'acceleration par les consommateurs de leurs achats dans la categorie de produits. Cette acceleration peut prendre deux formes : l'achat d'une quantite plus importante ou la reduction de l'intervalle entre deux achats. Notre etude propose un cadre analytique pour mesurer l'acceleration des achats et applique ce cadre a l'analyse de deux categories de produits. Nous examinons l'effet des coupons, de la publicite du fabricant, de celle du detaillant, et des reductions de prix. Nous comparons aussi le degre d'acceleration des achats dans differents segments de marche et dans differents groupes de fidelite.
Predictive factors in patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery for odontogenic sinusitis.

Background Odontogenic sinusitis (OS) presents a therapeutic dilemma. Evidence is lacking whether dental treatment alone is sufficient or whether patients will eventually require endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). Our aim was to identify predictors of OS patients undergoing ESS. Methods Retrospective review performed of OS patients (n = 43) analyzing multiple factors including age, sex, symptoms, prior dental procedures, treatment, diabetes, immunosuppression, smoking history, retained dental hardware, oral-antral fistula (OAF), and Lund-Mackay scores (LMSs). Descriptive statistics, Wilcoxon rank sum, and logistic regression analyses were performed. Results Common presenting symptoms included facial pressure, discolored nasal drainage, and foul smell/taste. Half of patients presented either after a recent dental procedure or with dental complaints. Forty-eight percent required ESS after failing medical and dental therapy alone. Total LMS was significantly higher in the group undergoing ESS (8.3 vs 3.7; p = 0.0003). Multivariate analysis showed 2 significant predictors of undergoing ESS: (1) OMC involvement (OR 37.3, p = 0.003) and prior dental procedure (OR 7.4, p = 0.03). All patients with OAF or retained dental hardware required ESS. Conclusion Forty-eight percent of patients who presented with OS underwent ESS for symptom control and prevention of complications. Patients who underwent ESS had significantly higher total LMS than those who did not. In multivariate analysis, prior dental procedures and OMC involvement significantly increased the likelihood of requiring ESS.
Photoreflectance Characterization of Silicon Films on Insulator

Photoreflectance (PR) was used to study crystalline quality and stress in silicon films on insulator. The position and amplitude of the 3.4 eV PR silicon structure was monitored for both MBE silicon on sapphire (SOS) and SIMOX structures. The SOS film thicknesses ranged from 6 to 4000 nm. The shift in energy of the 3.4 eV structure from its bulk position is dependent on the sample thickness and on the strain in the films. In the SIMOX case, the amplitude of the 3.4 eV PR signal provided information about the crystalline quality of the top silicon layer for a set of six samples, each one removed at a different step of a process involving three implantation-anneal cycles. In this case the PR signal appeared to deteriorate with the each cycle undergone by the samples. Further investigations are needed to resolve the discrepancy bet ween these SOS results and the ones obtained in an earlier set of measurements.
Cassini Attitude Control Fault Protection: Flight Operations Strategy Changes For Saturn Extended Mission

As Cassini moves through its Equinox Mission and looks toward the Cassini Solstice Mission (CSM), the Attitude and Articulation Control Subsystem (AACS) Fault Protection (FP) strategy has evolved to meet changing mission goals and hardware conditions. The focus on preserving hardware and consumables has lead to the rst logic change in the Cassini AACS Flight Software (FSW) in over 5 years. Spacecraft health and safety are routinely monitored and analyzed to detect and trend anomalous activity. FP parameters are actively managed to preserve the eectiveness of the AACS FP design. This paper will examine the AACS FP approach for long term ight operations.
Adaptation of a peer based online emotional support program as an adjunct to treatment for people with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.

The aim of this study was to describe the adaptation of a program designed to leverage 7 Cups of Tea (7Cups), an available online platform that provides volunteer (i.e., listener) based emotional support, to complement ongoing treatment for people with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. The adaptation of the program was based on two stages: First, following platform demonstration, six clinicians specializing in the treatment of schizophrenia completed a survey examining attitudes towards the program and suggested modifications. In response to clinicians' feedback, a computerized training program that provides information for listeners supporting people with schizophrenia was developed, and one hundred and sixty eight listeners completed an online knowledge test. In the second stage, 10 outpatients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders were recruited to chat with listeners, provided post-session open-ended comments as well as usability and usefulness ratings assessed on a five point Likert scale. The additional training significantly increased listeners' knowledge and confidence (0.38 < = Cohen's d < = 1.14, p < = .024). Patients' attitudes towards the listeners were positive and they expected the platform will be usable and helpful. Most patients expected a positive gain by having the opportunity to receive an outlet for emotions and socialize. The authors conclude that the use of an available digital platform resulted in a feasible intervention in terms of cost and availability, which is now ready for evaluation in real-world settings.
The Simple and Convenient Use of the Information Technology in Physics Teaching

The 21st century is the information age. The aids of computers in teaching have gone deep in Chinese educational fields. The author inquires into the following fields as how to use the information technologe easily in physics teaching and how to show its superiority in order to finish her teaching better.
2014 Earth System Grid Federation and Ultrascale Visualization Climate Data Analysis Tools Conference Report

The climate and weather data science community met December 9–11, 2014, in Livermore, California, for the fourth annual Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF) and Ultrascale Visualization Climate Data Analysis Tools (UV-CDAT) Face-to-Face (F2F) Conference, hosted by the Department of Energy, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the European Infrastructure for the European Network of Earth System Modelling, and the Australian Department of Education. Both ESGF and UVCDATremain global collaborations committed to developing a new generation of open-source software infrastructure that provides distributed access and analysis to simulated and observed data from the climate and weather communities. The tools and infrastructure created under these international multi-agency collaborations are critical to understanding extreme weather conditions and long-term climate change. In addition, the F2F conference fosters a stronger climate and weather data science community and facilitates a stronger federated software infrastructure. The 2014 F2F conference detailed the progress of ESGF, UV-CDAT, and other community efforts over the year and sets new priorities and requirements for existing and impending national and international community projects, such as the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase Six. Specifically discussed at the conference were project capabilities and enhancements needs for data distribution, analysis, visualization, hardwaremore » and network infrastructure, standards, and resources.« less
Effect of intervention for melanoma early detection on thorough skin self-examination, availability of wall mirrors, and skin surgeries.

Fifth AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, Nov 12-15, 2006 PR-12 Melanoma is a significant public concern and public health problem, with about 8000 deaths annually in the US. It is one of the few cancer sites that are increasing in incidence, a trend that is likely to continue. Early detection of this malignancy holds tremendous promise, since it appears that most ultimately fatal melanomas were visible on the surface of the skin at a curable point in their evolution. The Check-It-Out project sought to exploit aspects of this feature of melanoma by examining the predictors of Thorough Skin Self-Examination (TSSE) for the early detection of melanoma, and by evaluating the effect of an intervention to encourage this practice on TSSE performance and on other potential consequences. In preliminary studies we found that assessment of the performance of TSSE depends on the method of inquiry regarding this practice: general inquiries yield high proportions of the population reporting TSSE, whereas more specific questions regarding specific areas of the body examined yield lower proportions reporting TSSE. We then interviewed 2126 patients presenting for a routine primary care appointment, and noted that several factors were key predictors of TSSE: advice from a physician to do so, availability of a partner to assist, availability of a wall mirror, and measures of attitudes and self-efficacy for this activity. We then randomized 1356 of these individuals to receive an intervention aimed at encouraging TSSE or a corresponding dietary intervention, and interviewed them at 2, 6, and 12 months. The skin examination intervention included cues, aids, a video and information booklet, brief counseling from a health educator, and tailored feedback letters. At 12 months 55% of the intervention group reported performing TSSE, compared to 35% of the diet control group (p<.001). We also found that the proportion without a wall mirror declined from 20% to 12% in the skin examination group, although it was essentially unchanged in the diet control group (18% to 17%) (p=.04 for the difference between groups). Skin surgeries were performed on similar proportions of both groups during the 6 months prior to randomization, but were performed more than twice as frequently in the skin group during the 6 months after randomization (8.0% vs 3.6%, p=.0005), yet this difference was no longer present 6 to 12 months after randomization. We conclude that intervention for TSSE may result in a lasting effect on performance of this activity, and hence potentially on melanoma early detection, while only causing a short-term effect on skin surgeries.
Creating Magical Moments to Reveal Student Learning and Universal Acceptance of Each Other

In today’s climate of diversity, one element is critical. The more diverse our nation’s schools become, the more important it is to foster universal acceptance of each other. Teachers can foster harmonious, self- and peer-acceptance by intentionally creating opportunities for student growth in developing a mindset that welcomes each student’s contribution to the learning environment. Selected texts, rich in diversity and self-disclosure, provide a teaching platform that supports the individual’s quest for acceptance. As students learn to honor their own diverse roots, the value others bring to the learning environment is also respected. Teachers have the means to promote universal acceptance through rich literature and meaningful activities. Like magic, students create their own mysterious connections to one another and the world around them.
A Research and Design Initiative for the Informal Sector of Street Food Vending in India

Street food vending in developing countries, like India, provides convenient, inexpensive, and diverse cuisine to locals and tourists alike, while providing employment to millions of urban poor. However, despite street food’s significant role in the urban food supply, it continues to be perceived as unhygienic and a hindrance to modernization. In many cases it exists as an illegal informal market, with migrant vendors working daily on the edges of busy roadways. The study investigated the nature and operations of street food vendors influencing hygienic practices. The author’s research was conducted through direct and indirect interaction with these vendors, the creation and implementation of questionnaires, and continued investigative collaboration with stakeholders. The findings offered a number of impediments that led to poor hygienic practices. The resulting design solution allows street food vendors to overcome shortcomings, which not only benefits their business but also improve the experience of their customers.
Inflective and reflective whiteness in the sociology of race and ethnicity: a comment on an integrative framework for the field

Zulema Valdez and Tanya Golash-Boza offer an integrative framework for the sociology of race and ethnicity to bridge a divide undergirding different, yet related perspectives in the field. Their wo...
Optimal routing and scheduling in E-commerce logistics using crowdsourcing strategies

The recent penetration of the internet has enlarged the popularity of online shopping and has given rise to different models of electronic commerce. The growth of this e-commerce creates an opportunity to use new technology and mobile applications to create valuable connections between companies and customers; which gives companies the opportunity to leverage the collective intelligence of theses online communities. This work aims to benefit from these connections to finish the last leg of delivery through the use of crowdsourcing. A pool of citizens are contracted as needed to deliver products from several lockers distributed around the city to consumers' doorsteps. Deliveries occur during a set time window for each customer taking into consideration drivers' capacity and availability time. We propose two Integer Linear programming (ILP) formulations that minimize the total reward paid to crowd-workers through optimum assignment of parcels to drivers and optimum routing for each driver. The proposed models are solved using Lingo optimization software and their run times are compared.
AHNS Series: Do you know your guidelines? Evidence-based management of oral cavity cancers.

Oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) is the most common nonmelanoma head and neck cancer in the world, with an estimated 405 000 new cases expected each year. Subsites of the oral cavity include the alveolar ridge, buccal mucosa, anterior tongue, tonsillar pillar, retromolar trigone, hard palate, gingiva, and floor of the mouth. In this issue of the AHNS "Do you know your guidelines?" series, we review the evidence-based approach to the management of oral cavity carcinomas based on the framework provided by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology.
Numerical simulation of the modulation transfer function (MTF) in infrared focal plane arrays: simulation methodology and MTF optimization

Military requirements demand both single and dual-color infrared (IR) imaging systems with both high resolution and sharp contrast. To quantify the performance of these imaging systems, a key measure of performance, the modulation transfer function (MTF), describes how well an optical system reproduces an objects contrast in the image plane at different spatial frequencies. At the center of an IR imaging system is the focal plane array (FPA). IR FPAs are hybrid structures consisting of a semiconductor detector pixel array, typically fabricated from HgCdTe, InGaAs or III-V superlattice materials, hybridized with heat/pressure to a silicon read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) with indium bumps on each pixel providing the mechanical and electrical connection. Due to the growing sophistication of the pixel arrays in these FPAs, sophisticated modeling techniques are required to predict, understand, and benchmark the pixel array MTF that contributes to the total imaging system MTF. To model the pixel array MTF, computationally exhaustive 2D and 3D numerical simulation approaches are required to correctly account for complex architectures and effects such as lateral diffusion from the pixel corners. It is paramount to accurately model the lateral di_usion (pixel crosstalk) as it can become the dominant mechanism limiting the detector MTF if not properly mitigated. Once the detector MTF has been simulated, it is directly decomposed into its constituent contributions to reveal exactly what is limiting the total detector MTF, providing a path for optimization. An overview of the MTF will be given and the simulation approach will be discussed in detail, along with how different simulation parameters effect the MTF calculation. Finally, MTF optimization strategies (crosstalk mitigation) will be discussed.
Comparing assembly processes for multimetric indices of biotic integrity

Abstract Anthropogenic alterations to global ecosystems necessitate management action to conserve or restore biodiversity and ecosystem services. A major advancement in ecosystem management was the development of multimetric indices of biotic integrity (MMIBI) used to guide development of, and measure progress towards, restoration goals. Despite considerable refinement of MMIBI applications over the past three decades, a central challenge remains concerning the method of selecting ecological indicators for inclusion in MMIBI. We quantitatively compared MMIBI metric assembly processes across four sub-regions for fish assemblages in western Tennessee, USA to assess relative performance of three metric selection approaches. Metric selection methods we assessed included “filter gradient” using a multi-step approach to filter candidate metrics down to only the most reproducible and responsive, “indirect gradient” using a correlative unconstrained ordination approach, and “direct gradient” involving an automated constrained ordination approach. For each method, we calculated MMIBI using the selected metrics and compared their precision (i.e., stability across multiple samples), responsiveness (i.e., discrimination between most- and least-altered sites), and sensitivity (i.e., ability to detect landscape alterations). We found metric selection using the filter gradient approach produced MMIBI that were most responsive across all four sub-regions, while the indirect gradient approach produced the most sensitive and precise MMIBI for three of four sub-regions. The direct gradient metric selection approach produced the most sensitive MMIBI only for a single sub-region with a relatively short gradient in landscape alterations. These results reveal a tradeoff between filter and indirect gradient selection methods in which filter gradient metric selection provides high MMIBI responsiveness, but at the cost of increased number of steps and reduced precision and sensitivity. The “middle of the road”, indirect gradient metric selection approach produced precise and sensitive MMIBI, but at the cost of reduced responsiveness. These findings highlight the necessity to pair well-developed ecosystem management goals with MMIBI application, and provide a road map for the most appropriate assembly process for managers developing MMIBI. For example, identification of least- and most-altered sites might best be accomplished with MMIBI developed using the filter gradient approach, but assessing the factors contributing to alteration and precisely measuring progress towards restoration endpoints might best be accomplished with MMIBI developed using the indirect gradient approach. Restoration and management actions guided by MMIBI will become increasingly prevalent with increased future alteration to global ecosystems, and this work provides important insight into how technological and quantitative advances will improve application of ecological indicators.
Magnetoenhancement of superconductivity in composite d -wave superconductors

We study composite $d$-wave superconductors consisting of randomly oriented and randomly distributed superconducting droplets embedded in a matrix. In a certain range of parameters the application of a small magnetic field enhances the superconductivity in these materials, while larger fields suppress superconductivity as usual in conventional superconductors. We investigate the magnetic field dependence of the superfluid density and the critical temperature of such superconductors.
Oscillations of the energy gap for the initial electron-transfer step in bacterial reaction centers

Oscillations in the electrostatic energy gap [ΔVelec(t)] for electron transfer from the primary electron donor (P) to the adjacent bacteriochlorophyll (B) in photosynthetic bacterial reaction centers are examined by molecular-dynamics simulations. Autocorrelation functions of ΔVelec in the reactant state (PB) include prominent oscillations with an energy of 17 cm−1. This feature is much weaker if the trajectory is propagated in the product state P+B−. The autocorrelation functions also include oscillations in the regions of 5, 80 and 390 cm−1 in both states, and near 25 and 48 cm−1 in P+B−. The strong 17-cm−1 oscillation could involve motions that modulate the distance between P and B, because a similar oscillation occurs in the direct electrostatic interactions between the electron carriers.
SAUR53 regulates organ elongation and apical hook development in Arabidopsis

SAUR53 is a member of SAUR (Small Auxin-Up RNA) gene family of primary auxin responsive genes. In Arabidopsis, SAUR gene family is represented by 81 genes including two pseudogenes; however, the functions of most of these genes are not fully characterized yet. In the present study, we show that SAUR53 expresses throughout the plant and localizes to both plasma membrane and the nucleus. Unlike most other SAUR genes, expression of SAUR53 is not induced in response to auxin. Ectopic expression of SAUR53 results in the elongation of cells and organs, and also interferes with normal apical hook development by accelerating the hook maintenance phase. Moreover, root growth of SAUR53 overexpression seedlings is significantly insensitive to IAA and 2,4-D, while showing wild-type sensitivity to NAA, suggesting that elevated level of SAUR53 may interfere with normal auxin transport. Collectively, this study indicates that while SAUR53 positively regulates cell and organ elongation, it probably negatively regulates auxin transport in Arabidopsis.
Preservation is Political: Enacting Contributive Justice and Decolonizing Transnational Archival Collaborations

This article contributes to critical archival studies discourse and builds upon the theoretical and practical work accomplished under the postcustodial rubric in order to propose an archival framework that is explicitly oriented in the service of justice. Global north/south postcustodial collaborations highlight the ethical and practical obligation of adopting an archival framework that accounts for expanded notions of stewardship and narrative agency. As an archivist based in US academic libraries who works primarily on transnational archival collaborations in the global south, I want to introduce the concept of contributive justice to these postcustodial transnational collaborations because it reframes the role of the partner organization in the global south and acknowledges the agency of all partners (Gomberg 2007). By drawing upon my experiences facilitating transnational archival partnerships between US academic libraries and institutions in Cuba, El Salvador, and Rwanda, I build upon Michelle Caswell’s (2017) suggested actions for dismantling white supremacy within US archives by offering concrete ways archivists can utilize a contributive justice framework to decolonize archival practices (i.e., appraisal, description, access) within transnational partnerships. By offering these examples, we can begin to both imagine and enact a more just and liberatory archival praxis. As Caswell states, ‘through the lens of liberatory archival imaginaries, our work … does not end with the limits of our collection policies, but rather, it is an ongoing process of conceptualizing what we want the future to look like’ (2014a: 51). The stakes are high in the shaping of our collective histories, and we all have the responsibility of envisioning and enacting liberatory archival futures.
Factors Influencing Knowledge and Self-Reported Application of Leave No Trace Principles amongst Rock Climbers in Kentucky's Red River Gorge.

Leave No Trace (LNT) principles help reduce outdoor recreation users’ impacts on the natural and social environment. Rock climbers and climbing organizations have recently embraced LNT principles ...
Dreams Deterred: The Collateral Consequences of Localized Immigration Policies on Undocumented Latinos in Colorado

Recent years have seen a broadening of the scope of immigration enforcement. As a result, immigrants free of criminal convictions, once considered low priorities for enforcement, are increasingly subject to arrest, detention, and removal. At the same time, federal immigration authorities have sought the cooperation of states and localities in the enforcement of immigration laws. While there has been growing scholarly attention paid to the ways in which legal geographies can account for variation in local immigration policies, the long‐term effects of these policies on immigrants themselves are often overlooked. In this article, we use the case of Colorado, one of the first states to pass a “show‐me‐your‐papers” law in 2006, and data from two qualitative studies to highlight the collateral consequences of enhanced immigration enforcement on immigrants’ economic opportunities, emotional health and well‐being, and academic trajectories. We situate our analysis within the crimmigration literature and discuss the implications of our findings in light of the current political climate.
Eating the ocean

In Eating the Ocean, Elspeth Probyn explores the diverse relationships between humans, the ocean and some of its many inhabitants. For Probyn, oceanic affects and bodily encounters are generative f...
Metonymy in Dance: Ballet Bunheads Take a Cognitive Turn

This essay considers metonymy in dance from the perspective of cognitive science. My goal is to unpack the roles of metaphor and metonymy in dance thought and action: how do they arise, how are the...
Brain expression of the vascular endothelial growth factor gene family in cognitive aging and alzheimer’s disease

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is associated with the clinical manifestation of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the role of the VEGF gene family in neuroprotection is complex due to the number of biological pathways they regulate. This study explored associations between brain expression of VEGF genes with cognitive performance and AD pathology. Genetic, cognitive, and neuropathology data were acquired from the Religious Orders Study and Rush Memory and Aging Project. Expression of ten VEGF ligand and receptor genes was quantified using RNA sequencing of prefrontal cortex tissue. Global cognitive composite scores were calculated from 17 neuropsychological tests. β-amyloid and tau burden were measured at autopsy. Participants (n = 531) included individuals with normal cognition (n = 180), mild cognitive impairment (n = 148), or AD dementia (n = 203). Mean age at death was 89 years and 37% were male. Higher prefrontal cortex expression of VEGFB, FLT4, FLT1, and PGF was associated with worse cognitive trajectories (p ≤ 0.01). Increased expression of VEGFB and FLT4 was also associated with lower cognition scores at the last visit before death (p ≤ 0.01). VEGFB, FLT4, and FLT1 were upregulated among AD dementia compared with normal cognition participants (p ≤ 0.03). All four genes associated with cognition related to elevated β-amyloid (p ≤ 0.01) and/or tau burden (p ≤ 0.03). VEGF ligand and receptor genes, specifically genes relevant to FLT4 and FLT1 receptor signaling, are associated with cognition, longitudinal cognitive decline, and AD neuropathology. Future work should confirm these observations at the protein level to better understand how changes in VEGF transcription and translation relate to neurodegenerative disease.
Einstein–Maxwell Equations on Four-dimensional Lie Algebras

We classify up to automorphisms all left-invariant non-Einstein solutions to the Einstein–Maxwell equations on four-dimensional Lie algebras.
Rhetorical Exhaustion & the Ethics of Amplification

Abstract Though digital amplification is often understood to afford energy and reach, this article examines ways digital rhetors also use amplification to exhaust audiences. This article forwards rhetorical exhaustion as both effect and strategy, a frame for understanding how digital rhetors wear down rhetorical opponents. First, this article recovers the classical rhetorical figures of amplification and accumulation, highlighting their reliance on accumulation as a strategy and an ethics of concern for audiences’ energies. Next, this article analyzes the 2016 election interference strategies of the Russian Internet Research Agency (IRA). Analysis of two US Senate Intelligence Committee commissioned reports shows how the IRA worked to energize audiences through outrage, then sought to exhaust Black audiences’ energies for civic engagement. The IRA practiced slow circulation through rhetorical persistence to create a civic affect of cynicism aimed at demotivating audiences. Rhetorical exhaustion highlights the productive potential of exhaustion—as rhetorical effect, as strategic uses of digital amplification, and as an ethical concern for digital rhetors. As such, rhetorical exhaustion offers a useful counter to paradigms of viral circulation and fake news in 21st century digital circulation.
Androgens modify therapeutic response to cabazitaxel in models of advanced prostate cancer.

Background Disruption of the phenotypic landscape via epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) enables prostate cancer cells to metastasize and acquire therapeutic resistance. Our previous studies demonstrated that cabazitaxel (CBZ) (second-generation Food and Drug Administration-approved taxane chemotherapy), used for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), causes reversal of EMT to mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) and reduces expression of kinesin motor protein KIFC1 (HSET). The present study examined the effect of sequencing CBZ chemotherapy mediated MET on prostate tumor redifferentiation overcoming therapeutic resistance in models of advanced prostate cancer. Methods To examine the impact of androgens on the antitumor effect of CBZ, we used human prostate cancer cell lines with different sensitivity to androgens and CBZ, in vitro, and two human prostate cancer xenograft models in vivo. Tumor-bearing male mice (with either the androgen-sensitive LNCaP or the CRPC 22Rv1 xenografts) were treated with CBZ (3 mg/kg) alone, or in combination with castration-induced androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) for 14 days. Results Cell viability assays indicate that the presence of 5α-dihydrotestosterone (1 nM) confers resistance to CBZ in vitro. CBZ treatment in vivo induced MET in LNCaP-derived tumors as shown by increased E-cadherin and decreased N-cadherin levels. Sequencing CBZ after ADT improves tumor response in androgen-sensitive LNCaP, but not in CRPC 22Rv1 xenografts. Mechanistic dissection revealed a novel association between the androgen receptor and HSET in prostate cancer cells that is inhibited by CBZ in an androgen-dependent manner. Conclusions Our findings provide new insights into the phenotypic reprogramming of prostate cancer cells to resensitize tumors to CBZ action. This evidence is of translational significance in treatment sequencing (CBZ and ADT) towards improved therapeutic benefit in patients with lethal CRPC.
Mountaineers on Mount Everest: Effects of age, sex, experience, and crowding on rates of success and death.

Mount Everest is an extreme environment for humans. Nevertheless, hundreds of mountaineers attempt to summit Everest each year. In a previous study we analyzed interview data for all climbers (2,211) making their first attempt on Everest during 1990–2005. Probabilities of summiting were similar for men and women, declined progressively for climbers about 40 and older, but were elevated for climbers with experience climbing in Nepal. Probabilities of dying were also similar for men and women, increased for climbers about 60 and older (especially for the few that had summited), and were independent of experience. Since 2005, many more climbers (3,620) have attempted Everest. Here our primary goal is to quantify recent patterns of success and death and to evaluate changes over time. Also, we investigate whether patterns relate to key socio-demographic covariates (age, sex, host country, prior experience). Recent climbers were more diverse both in gender (women = 14.6% vs. 9.1% for 1990–2005) and in age (climbers ≥ 40 = 54.1% vs. 38.7%). Strikingly, recent climbers of both sexes were almost twice as likely to summit–and slightly less likely to die–than were comparable climbers in the previous survey. Temporal shifts may reflect improved weather forecasting, installation of fixed ropes on much of the route, and accumulative logistic equipment and experience. We add two new analyses. The probability of dying from illness or non-traumas (e.g., high-altitude illness, hypothermia), relative to dying from falling or from ‘objective hazards’ (avalanche, rock or ice fall), increased marginally with age. Recent crowding during summit bids was four-fold greater than in the prior sample, but surprisingly crowding has no evident effect on success or death during summit bids. Our results inform prospective climbers as to their current odds of success and of death, as well as inform governments of Nepal and China of the safety consequences and economic impacts of periodically debated restrictions based on climber age and experience.