cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploration and exploitation in the macrohistory of the pre-Hispanic Pueblo Southwest

Cycles of demographic and organizational change are well documented in Neolithic societies, but the social and ecological processes underlying them are debated. Such periodicities are implicit in the “Pecos classification,” a chronology for the pre-Hispanic U.S. Southwest introduced in Science in 1927 which is still widely used. To understand these periodicities, we analyzed 29,311 archaeological tree-ring dates from A.D. 500 to 1400 in the context of a novel high spatial resolution, annual reconstruction of the maize dry-farming niche for this same period. We argue that each of the Pecos periods initially incorporates an “exploration” phase, followed by a phase of “exploitation” of niches that are simultaneously ecological, cultural, and organizational. Exploitation phases characterized by demographic expansion and aggregation ended with climatically driven downturns in agricultural favorability, undermining important bases for social consensus. Exploration phases were times of socio-ecological niche discovery and development.
Studies of the Blood of Meloidae (Coleoptera)

Epicauta cinerea possesses plasmatocytes, granular haemocytes, spherule cells, oenocytoids, and cystocytes. Adipohemocytes, podocytes and vermiform cells are absent in the blood of this beetle.Haemocyte terminologies have been synonymized, using several classifications by various authors. This study revealed that haemocytes have not yet been studied in Protura, Diplura, Collembola, Isoptera, Embioptera, Zoraptera, Phthiraptera, Corrodontia, Thysanoptera, Raphidoidea, Megaloptera, Neuroptera, Mecoptera, and Siphonaptera. In terms of number of species studied, Orthoptera and Coleoptera are the most extensively studied groups, while Dermaptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera and Thysanura are the most poorly studied orders. Of all the orders, only Orthoptera, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, and Diptera, have all the 7 or 8 types of haemocytes.
Light resistance and stretching exercise in elderly women: effect upon strength

Forty-seven elderly women (63 to 88 years of age, mean = 71 years) were studied to determine the effect of a 25-week light resistance and aerobic exercise program upon arm and leg strength. Three groups were formed: nonexercising controls (C, n = 12), exercise (EN, n = 18) and exercise with light weights on on the wrists and ankles (EW, n = 17). Exercise was performed for one hour, three times/week. Subjects were pretested and posttested for maximal isokinetic muscle strength (angular velocity 60 degrees/sec) for elbow flexion and extension, shoulder internal and external rotation, and knee flexion and extension. Dunn planned contrasts were used to compare C vs exercise groups combined (EN + EW) and EN vs EW. No significant differences were found among groups at baseline. EN + EW improved significantly (p less than 0.05) more than C in elbow extension (17%), shoulder internal rotation (14%), shoulder external rotation (9%), and knee flexion (20%). No significant differences were found between EN and EW. These data indicate that elderly women can achieve substantial gains in the strength of arm and leg musculature as a result of regular light resistance and aerobic exercise, but that the use of light weights on the wrists and ankles for added resistance did not enhance this effect.
523 PEDIATRIC LIVER TRANSPLANTATION IN THE MODERN ERA: LESSONS FROM A SINGLE-CENTER EXPERIENCE.

Objective To describe in detail the pediatric liver transplant experience at a single center during the most recent era, those performed between the years 2000 and 2005. Background Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) has been an established method for treating acute and chronic liver disease in children since the 1980s. Over the last 20 years, each era has been marked by improvements in surgical technique, perioperative care, and immunosuppression, translating into improved recipient outcomes. Methods 170 patients between the ages of 25 days and 18.6 years underwent OLT between January 2000 and May 2005. Using medical records and an institutional database, retrospective analysis was performed examining patient demographics, type and incidence of post-transplant complications, and patient and graft survival. Results During this time period, 170 patients received 200 OLTs. One hundred thirty-five whole organ grafts, 58 split grafts, and 7 living related donor grafts were utilized. The mean and median ages at OLT were 5.6 and 2.1 years, respectively. The most common indications for transplant were acute liver failure (24%), biliary atresia (23%), and re-transplant for graft complications (22%). Patient survival rates at 1 and 5 years post-transplant were 86% and 78%, respectively; allograft survival rates at 1 and 5 years post-transplant were 75% and 71%, respectively. Hepatic artery thrombosis was the most common complication involving the graft; sepsis was the most common medical complication. Of note, no new cases of Epstein-Barr virus-associated post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder were diagnosed during this 5-year period, an observation attributable to use of an intense viral monitoring prophylaxis and empiric treatment protocol. Conclusions Liver transplantation in the pediatric population is an established treatment for acute and chronic liver disease. Patient and graft survival have increased significantly in the modern era as compared to previously reported outcomes. Univariate and multivariate analyses of the risk factors impacting patient and graft survival are currently under way.
An investigation on lead contamination in foods sold in Yantai City

Objective To explore the status of lead contamination in major foods sold in Yantai city. Methods 319 typical samples were collected randomly from 145 representative locations including supermarkets,fairs,food stores,wholesale markets and planting-aquaculture bases. Results The rate of exceeding national standard of lead concentration was 0. 31%; among that,there was 53. 61% out of the detecting limit. There was no significant difference in detection rates among different locations( P = 0. 133),while the detection rate among different food types had significant difference( P = 0. 000),meat had the highest rate of 73. 33%,milk and dairy products had the lowest rate of 23. 26%. Conclusion Lead contamination of major foods sold in Yantai city exists.
Abstract 035: Cholinergic Agonists Protect from the Development of Hypertension during Chronic Inflammatory Disease

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder with prevalent hypertension. Previous studies using a genetic mouse model of SLE (NZBWF1) suggest chronic inflammation is an important contributor to SLE hypertension. A novel neuroimmune pathway involving the α7 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) suppresses splenic cytokine release and reduces systemic inflammation upon stimulation. To test whether activation of this ‘cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway’ at the level of the α7nAChR attenuates the development of hypertension during SLE, female SLE and control (NZW) mice were infused with nicotine hydrogen tartrate salt (2 mg/kg/day, SC) or saline for 7 days. Nicotine-treated SLE mice had lower splenic protein expression of TNF-α and IL-6 (normalized to β-actin) relative to saline-treated SLE mice (1.09±0.06 vs. 1.37±0.06 and 0.36±0.04 vs. 0.55±0.10; all p<0.05), suggesting efficacy of the therapy. Mean arterial pressure (MAP; mmHg) was increased in SLE mice compared to controls (140±4 vs. 114±2; p<0.001). Nicotine prevented the rise in MAP in SLE mice (129±4; p=0.022), but not controls (121±3). This protection from hypertension coincided with a 46±5% lower renal cortical TNF-α in nicotine-treated SLE mice compared to saline-treated SLE mice (0.39±0.04 vs. 0.73±0.18), which is important because it has been previously shown that renal TNF-α plays a mechanistic role in the development of hypertension during SLE. Because nicotine acts on both ganglionic and peripheral cholinergic receptors, in a subsequent study mice were administered the selective α7nAChR agonist, PNU-282987 (0.38 mg/kg/day, IP), or vehicle for 28 days. PNU-282987-treated SLE mice had lower splenic protein expression of TNF-α and IL-6 relative to saline-treated SLE mice (0.33±0.01 vs. 0.54±0.03 and 0.40±0.08 vs. 0.86±0.05; all p<0.05). MAP was increased in SLE mice compared to controls (138±2 vs. 122±5). PNU-282987 prevented the rise in MAP in SLE mice (128±4), but not controls (125±5). These data suggest the anti-inflammatory effects of cholinergic agonists may protect from SLE hypertension and that the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway may be an important target in hypertensive patients with chronic inflammatory diseases.
Equity, Access, and Social Justice: From Pain to Possibility

The authors argue in favor of reforming world language education, suggesting that issues of social justice be addressed by teachers and used as motivation for language teaching. They cover the need to change teacher development as well as curricula to become more relevant for modern students. Promoting cultural and identity awareness is also discussed.
Basic Kinematic Electron Diffraction

In 1986, E. Ruska was awarded the Nobel Physics Prize for his pioneering work of building the world’s first transmission electron microscope (TEM) in the late 1920s. The TEM was originally based on the physical principle that charged particles can be focused by magnetic lenses. The strong interaction of incident electrons with electrons and nuclei in crystals makes it feasible to analyze structures of solids based on electron micrographs. The rapid development of TEM techniques in the last 30 years has made it possible to image crystal structures at atomic resolution. Thus TEM has become one of the key research tools in characterizing condensed matter.
Linking the Active Undulations of Nuclear Envelope with Surface Fluctuations of the Chromatin Globule

The nuclear envelope (NE) presents a physical boundary between the cytoplasm and the nucleoplasm. NE is comprised of two lipid bilayers supported from inside by nuclear lamina, a network formed by intermediate filaments called lamins. The shape and size of the cell nucleus change during the cell cycle. It has been shown previously that both lack of lamins as well as inhibition of cytoskeletal filaments activity lead to changes in nuclear shape and stiffness (1,2). In this work, we study nuclear shape fluctuations at short time scales.
Accurate model of the stripe domain phase of perpendicularly magnetized multilayers

We develop an accurate analytical model for the stray field energy of parallel stripe domains in multilayer films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, taking into account the effects of finite domain wall width and variable domain wall angle. By minimizing the total energy, we predict the domain width, the domain wall width, and the domain wall angle for given material parameters. We show how the domain wall width depends on the film thickness and the domain size. We explore the domain wall angle as a function of Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) and derive a threshold value ${D}_{\text{thr}}$ beyond which the system is in a N\'eel state. We find that thicker films require larger values of DMI to stabilize the N\'eel state. Finally, we test the effective medium theory, which allows treating multilayers as effective single layer films, and provide criteria for the applicability of the model in the presence of both surface and volume stray fields. Our results are supported by micromagnetic simulations, which indicate that the predictions are still precise even if the system is in a labyrinthine domain state. Using our model, otherwise inaccessible magnetic parameters, such as the DMI constant or the exchange constant, can now be obtained straightforwardly from static measurements of the stripe domain width in such films.
Production of low-oxygen bio-oil via ex situ catalytic fast pyrolysis and hydrotreating

Abstract Catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) bio-oils with different organic oxygen contents (4–18 wt%) were prepared in a bench-scale dual fluidized bed reactor system by ex situ CFP of southern pine over HZSM-5, and the oils were subsequently hydrotreated over a sulfided CoMo catalyst at 170 bar. The goal was to determine the impact of the CFP oil oxygen content on hydrotreating requirements. The CFP oils with higher oxygen contents included a variety of oxygenates (phenols, methoxyphenols, carbonyls, anhydrosugars) whereas oxygenates in the 4 wt% oxygen oil were almost exclusively phenols. Phenols were the most recalcitrant oxygenates during hydrotreating as well, and the hydrotreated oils consisted mainly of aromatic and partially saturated ring hydrocarbons. The temperature required to produce oil with
A Brief Note on Nonlinear Relationship Between Liquid Limits and Plasticity Indices of Soils

The quantity of water that might be attracted by soil particles (aggregates) depends on the physico-chemical properties of minerals comprising those particles (aggregates). The intensity of electro-magnetic fields surrounding fine particles controls the thickness of water films which are adsorbed by them. The new formula describing a nonlinear relationship between liquid limit and plasticity index values is presented in this paper. The correctness of the proposed formula was verified using laboratory data where liquid limit values were determined using only percussion (dynamic) or falling cone (static) methods.
Permethrin potentiates adipogenesis via intracellular calcium and endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated mechanisms in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

Abstract Permethrin, a pyrethroid insecticide, was previously reported to promote adipogenesis in vitro and weight gain in vivo. The mechanism by which permethrin promotes adipogenesis/obesity, however, has not been fully explored. Intracellular calcium and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress have been reported to be linked with adipogenesis and obesity. Because pyrethroid insecticides have been determined to influence intracellular calcium and ER stress in vitro, the purpose of this current study was to investigate whether permethrin potentiates adipogenesis via a change in intracellular calcium, leading to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. 3T3-L1 cells were exposed to four different concentrations of permethrin (0.01, 0.1, 1 & 10 μM) for 6 days during differentiation. Treatment of permethrin increased intracellular calcium level in a concentration-dependent manner. Similarly, permethrin treatment increased protein levels of ER stress markers in a concentration-dependent manner. These data suggest that intracellular calcium and ER stress may be involved in permethrin-induced adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 cells.
Monitoring the Phase Behavior of Supersaturated Solutions of Poorly Water-Soluble Drugs Using Fluorescence Techniques.

Abstract Phase transformations of poorly water-soluble drugs, in low concentration, supersaturated aqueous solutions are of considerable interest. Herein, fluorescence lifetime and steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy were employed to investigate the fluorescence properties of the autofluorescent compound, felodipine (a 1,4-dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker), when present as free drug in solution, drug-rich aggregates, and crystals. Measurements were also performed in the absence and presence of liver microsomes. To study nonfluorescent drugs, an environment-sensitive fluoroprobe, 6-propionyl-2-dimethylaminonaphthalene, was employed. The lifetime of free felodipine in solution in simple media was found to be ∼0.4 ns, whereas felodipine present in drug-rich aggregates and crystals was characterized by a longer lifetime of ∼2 and ∼9 ns, respectively. In the presence of structures containing lipids, the local environment of felodipine was found to change based on fluorescence characteristics and the concentration where felodipine aggregates formed was greatly increased. The lifetime of 6-propionyl-2-dimethylaminonaphthalene in solutions containing clotrimazole (an imidazole derivative with antimycotic activity) or efavirenz (a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor with antiviral activity) increased on aggregate formation as a result of the change in polarity of the probe local environment. Fluorescence lifetime coupled with steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy was demonstrated to be effective in identifying the concentration where drug aggregates formed, contributing to improved understanding of the phase behavior of poorly water-soluble drugs in biologically relevant media.
Smart lost circulation materials for productive zones

Lost circulation has been a serious problem while drilling that may lead to heavy financial costs in the form of lost rig time and lost mud fluid. In severe cases, it can lead to well blowout with serious environmental hazards and safety consequences. Despite extensive advances in the last couple of decades, lost circulation materials used today still have disadvantages such as damaging production zones, failing to seal large fractures or plugging drilling tools. Here, we propose a new class of smart expandable lost circulation material (LCM) to remotely control the expanding force and functionality of the injected LCM. Our smart LCM is made out of shape memory polymers that become activated by formation’s natural heat. Once activated, these particles can effectively seal fractures’ width without damaging pores in the production zone or plugging drilling tools. The activation temperature of the proposed LCM can be adjusted based on the formation’s temperature. We conducted a series of experiments to measure the sealing efficiency of these smart LCMs as a proof of concept study. Various slot disk sizes were used to mimic different size fractures in the formation. The API RP 13B-1 and 13B-2 have been followed as standard testing methods to evaluate this product.
Remote detection of unauthorized activity via spectral analysis: work-in-progress

Unauthorized hardware or firmware modifications, known as trojans, can steal information, drain the battery, or damage IoT devices. This paper presents a stand-off self-referencing technique for detecting unauthorized activity. The proposed technique processes involuntary electromagnetic emissions on a separate hardware, which is physically decoupled from the device under test. When the device enter the test mode, it runs a predefined application repetitively with a fixed period. The periodicity ensures that the spectral electromagnetic power of the test application concentrates at known frequencies, leaving the remaining frequencies within the operation bandwidth at the noise level. Any deviations from the noise level for these unoccupied frequency locations indicates the presence of unknown (unauthorized) activity. Experiments based on hardware measurements show that the proposed technique achieves close to 100% detection accuracy at up to 120 cm distance.
Tα Παιδíα Παíζϵι the interaction between algorithms and game theory

The theories of algorithms and games were arguably born within a year of each other, in the wake of two quite distinct breakthroughs by John von Neumann, in the former case to investigate the great opportunities – as well as the ever mysterious obstacles – in attacking problems by computers, in the latter to model and study rational selfish behavior in the context of interaction, competition and cooperation. For more than half a century the two fields advanced as gloriously as they did separately. There was, of course, a tradition of computational considerations in equilibria initiated by Scarf [13], work on computing Nash and other equilibria [6,7], and reciprocal isolated works by algorithms researchers [8], as well as two important points of contact between the two fields a propos the issues of repeated games and bounded rationality [15] and learning in games [2]. But the current intensive interaction and cross-fertilization between the two disciplines, and the creation of a solid and growing body of work at their interface, must be seen as a direct consequence of the Internet.
Absorption of Copper from the Digestive Tract

Copper may be one of those rare nutrients for which at least some minimal absorption occurs already in the stomach. In 1965, Van Campen and Mitchell reported that in rats a substantial portion of a dose of 64Cu(II) was absorbed over 2 h, when placed in the stomach ligated at the pyloric valve (Table 2-1). Indeed, a greater percentage was absorbed there than in 7-cm segments of various parts of the small intestine. This contrasted sharply with findings for 65Zn and 59Fe salts, which showed almost no absorption when administered to the gastric fluid (in the tied-off stomach). However, Fields et al. (1986c) recently failed to confirm this effect, reporting less than 0.1% of the dose in the blood and nongastrointestinal tissues between 0.5 and 4 h after gastric or oral intubation of 64Cu(NO3)2 (with the stomach ligated at the pylorus). (Three to 7% of the dose appeared in the washed stomach wall.) Van Barnefeld and Van den Hamer (1984), on the other hand, found 22% of an oral dose in the (washed) stomach wall of mice after 2 h, of which none remained at 6 h. The earlier data of Van Campen and Mitchell (1965) for rats also suggested that there is a lower rate of absorption of copper, the farther down the small intestine one goes. This disagreed with studies of Crampton et al. (1965) (also in rats), in which there was a trend in the opposite direction, with maximum absorption in the third and fourth segment before the cecum (see later).
Creating a Trauma-Sensitive Environment for Teaching Human Rights

Kelly A. McBride provides context and practical guidance for human rights educators seeking to create a trauma-sensitive classroom environment. This is extremely important for HRE, since its unique curriculum creates an increased risk for students becoming distressed by intense subject matter. Yet these practices can and should be implemented across the university setting in general, since many students (and their professors) have experienced trauma and may be triggered and/or re-traumatized in the absence of strategies to prevent emotional triggering and re-traumatization. As a mental health professional and a human rights educator, McBride discusses the globalized student population within university settings, the impacts of experiencing trauma and how they present themselves in the classroom, and steps toward creating a trauma-sensitive environment.
Risk of serious anemia with mTOR inhibitors in cancer patients: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

e13534 Background: Inhibitors of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway including everolimus and temsirolimus are currently used for the treatment of several malignancies. Their applicati...
Plausible mechanisms of and techniques to assess ankle joint degeneration following lateral ankle sprains: a narrative review

Lateral ankle sprain (LAS) is the most common lower extremity musculoskeletal injury sustained during daily life and sport. The cascade of events that starts with ligamentous trauma leads to clinical manifestations such as recurrent sprains and giving way episodes, hallmark characteristics of chronic ankle instability (CAI). The sequelae of lateral ankle sprains and CAI appear to contribute to aberrant biomechanics. Combined, joint trauma and aberrant biomechanics appear to directly and/or indirectly play a role in talar cartilage degeneration. Up to 80% of all cases of ankle osteoarthritis (OA) are post-traumatic in nature and common etiologies for ankle post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) are histories of a single and recurrent ankle sprains. Despite known links between LAS, CAI, and PTOA and evidence demonstrating the burden of LAS and its sequelae, early pathoetiological changes of ankle PTOA and how they can be assessed are poorly understood. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to review the plausible mechanistic links among LAS and its sequelae of CAI and PTOA as well as review non-surgical techniques that can quantify talar cartilage health. Understanding the pathway from ligamentous ankle injury to ankle PTOA is vital to developing theoretically sound therapeutic interventions aimed at slowing ankle PTOA progression. Further, directly assessing talar cartilage health non-surgically provides opportunities to quantify if current and novel intervention strategies are able to slow the progression of ankle PTOA.
Second victims and mindfulness: A systematic review:

Second victims are healthcare professionals who have been involved in an unanticipated clinical event or medical error and are negatively impacted on professional and/or personal levels. One of the...
A systematic tool to assess sustainability of safe water provision in healthcare facilities in low-resource settings

To achieve safe water for all (Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6), many healthcare facilities (HCF) will require onsite water treatment. We describe a systematic tool to assess the sustainabilit...
From 'The Lowest State of Poverty and Barbarism' to the Opulent Commercial Society: Adam Smith's Theory of Violence and the Political Economics of Development

What accounts for the differences in the “wealth of nations”; that is, the differing levels of opulence across countries? Adam Smith’s answer is complex and has yet to be fully understood. Moreover, Smith's argument is as relevant today as it was in his time. On the economic side, his answer is well-known: the division of labor, the role of capital accumulation, and the absence laws and regulations that encumber competition and markets. Yet Smith’s views about the failure to develop were not limited to economic issues, instead turning equally to politics and law. Violence is central to Smith's approach to development, and Smith scholars have systematically under-appreciated the importance of violence in his approach to economic and political development. In the face of episodic violence, individuals have little incentives to be industrious, to save, or to invest. Smith argued that development required three mutually reinforcing elements – liberty, commerce, and security. If commerce represents the development of markets, liberty and security provided the political, legal, and military infrastructure necessary to sustain markets in a potentially hostile environment.
Low Uptake of Direct-acting Antiviral Therapy Among Hepatitis C Patients With Advanced Liver Disease and Access to Care, 2014-2017.

Goals To determine the proportion and characteristics of adults with hepatitis C at health care organizations in 4 US states who initiated direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). Background There are almost no data to assess the penetrance of treatment of the hepatitis C population in general US health care settings. Study We conducted a prospective observational study using electronic clinical, pharmacy, and mortality data to determine the fraction of patients who initiated DAAs between January 2014 and December 2017, by start date and regimen. We used stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify sociodemographic and clinical characteristics associated with receipt of DAAs. Results Of 8823 patients, 2887 (32.7%) received DAAs. Quarterly (Q) uptake ranged from 1.1% in Q3 2014 to a high of 5.6% in Q2 2015. Characteristics associated with receipt of DAAs included age 51 to 70 years, higher income, pre-2014 treatment failure, and higher noninvasive fibrosis score (FIB4); however, over one half of patients with FIB4 scores >3.25, consistent with severe liver disease, were not treated. A lower likelihood of initiation was associated with Medicaid coverage. Of 5936 patients who did not initiate treatment, 911 (15.3%) had died and 2774 (46.7%) had not had a clinical encounter in ≥12 months by the end of the study. Fewer than 1% of DAA prescriptions originated from nonspecialty providers. Conclusions During 4 calendar years of follow-up, one third of patients initiated DAAs. Large fractions of untreated patients had advanced liver disease, died, or were lost to follow-up. Even among patients in integrated health care systems, receipt of DAAs was limited.
Greater Influence of Aerobic Fitness on Autonomic Support of Blood Pressure in Young Women Than in Older Women

Aging increases autonomic support of blood pressure; however, the impact of aerobic fitness on autonomic support of blood pressure has not been addressed in women. As such, we hypothesized that aerobic fitness would be related to the change in blood pressure during ganglionic blockade such that women with greater aerobic fitness would have a blunted fall in blood pressure during ganglionic blockade due to increased vagal tone. Thirteen young premenopausal and 13 older postmenopausal women completed a screening visit where aerobic fitness (maximal oxygen consumption, VO2max) was measured. On a separate study day, participants were instrumented for assessment of muscle sympathetic nerve activity, heart rate (electrocardiography), and beat by beat blood pressure (arterial catheter and pressure transducer) and underwent pharmacological blockade of the autonomic ganglia using trimethaphan camyslate. Heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle sympathetic nerve activity were analyzed before and during ganglionic blockade. In young women, there was a significant relationship between aerobic fitness and the change in blood pressure during ganglionic blockade (r=0.761, P=0.003). In older women, there was no relationship between aerobic fitness and the change in blood pressure during ganglionic blockade (r=-0.106, P=0.73). Measures of heart rate variability were related to fitness in young women, but not older women (root mean square of successive differences between normal heartbeats, r=0.713, P=0.006 versus r=-0.172, P=0.575). Our data suggest that in young women, autonomic support of blood pressure is attenuated in those that are highly fit; however, this relationship is not significant in older women.
Assaults on capitalism and democratic backsliding: Evidence from Asia:

It is generally assumed that stable democracies depend on sufficient economic freedoms that support ideas of individual independence and that shift resources from state to society. The growth and c...
Discovering evolutionary hidden treasures

The mechanisms facilitating evolutionary adaptation to future challenges are difficult to establish experimentally. Recent computational simulations of 200 cell populations indicate how evolution can hide useless genetic switches with capacity for later use.
Social Perceptions of Pediatric Hearing Aids.

OBJECTIVES To determine whether hearing aid (HA) use affects social perceptions of general public adults and age-matched peers and if so, determine if effects are modulated by lack of societal representation of pediatric HAs. METHODS A 10-year-old boy was presented in six photographic conditions with and without HAs and eyeglasses (a worn sensory aid with wider societal representation). HAs were presented in neutral skin tone and bright blue colors. Photographic conditions were embedded into web-based surveys with visual analog scales to capture social perceptions data and sourced to 206 adults (age 18-65) and 202 peers (age 10) with demographic characteristics representative of the general US population. Mean differences in scores for each condition compared to control images were computed using two-tailed t-tests. RESULTS In both adult and child respondents, HAs were associated with decreased athleticism, confidence, health, leadership, and popularity. Glasses were associated with decreased athleticism and popularity but increased intelligence, overall success, and in the child respondents, friendliness. When worn in combination, the beneficial effects of glasses were mitigated by brightly colored but not neutrally colored HAs. CONCLUSION Negative effects of pediatric HAs on social perceptions may be influenced by poor societal representation of HAs. These results suggest that greater representation of pediatric HAs is necessary to make society more inclusive for children with hearing loss. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4 Laryngoscope, 131:E2387-E2392, 2021.
Phase IIB Randomized Trial on the Use of 4-Aminopyridine in Guillain-Barré Syndrome

Objective To determine the safety and efficacy of orally delivered 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) in persons with Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) >6 months from initial diagnosis. Design A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Setting Tertiary care clinical outpatient program. Participants Nineteen participants enrolled (14 male, 5 female; N=19), neurologic impairment secondary to GBS and functional loss on the FIM motor score (stable for ≥12mo) and >3.0 but <5.0 on the American Spinal Injury motor scale. Twelve participants (mean age, 59y; range, 23-77y) completed the study. Interventions A 4-AP dose-escalation study with 8 weeks in each period with a 3-week washout period, followed by 3 months open-label follow-up. Main Outcome Measures FIM motor score was the primary outcome measure; also evaluated were the American Spinal Injury motor strength score (all limbs), handheld dynamometer, 6-minute walk test, Medical Outcomes Study 12-Item Short Form, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, pain, GBS disability scale, Jepsen-Taylor Hand Function Test, Minnesota Manual Dexterity Test and Minnesota Rate of Manipulation Test, Get Up and Go Test, McGill Pain Inventory, Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique, and participant self-evaluation. Results Seven participants discontinued the study prematurely: 3 because of adverse events, 3 because of travel difficulties or relocation, and 1 because of pretreatment laboratory abnormalities. After removing 3 participants with maximum FIM scores, 4-AP arm trended superior to placebo (P=.065). Patients subjectively could always tell when they were on the active agent usually by tingling sensations or a sense of wellness. No statistically significant differences were found for other outcome measures although there were strong trends. Conclusions This study demonstrates the safety of 4-AP in the patient population with GBS as the predominate goal of the study. A trend toward improved function after treatment was noted with most patients electing to stay on the medication after the trial.
Premium cabin capacity sharing strategies: airline RM insights

This paper explores revenue management strategies for premium cabin capacity sharing, that is, accepting additional bookings in economy fare classes when some premium cabin seats are expected to remain empty. Two heuristics are presented and tested to evaluate the impacts of premium cabin capacity sharing on airline revenues and loads. These RM strategies are tested using the Passenger Origin Destination Simulation (PODS), which replicates the interactions between airline revenue management systems and passenger choice of airline itineraries, fare types and service offerings. Based on the simulations, the methodologies proposed can generate total revenue gains of up to 1.1%. However, two caveats are identified: first, losses in the revenue captured from premium fare classes are likely to be experienced due to displacement by economy fare class passengers. Second, premium cabin capacity sharing should only be implemented in the final stages of the booking process; otherwise, the sharing heuristics can result in revenue losses for the airline.
Accepting Educational Responsibility: Preparing Administrators to Lead Inclusive Schools:

Educational leaders are expected to lead schools for increased outcomes for all students. Effective leadership of inclusive schools requires certain skills and dispositions. However, many principal...
The synthesis of oligosaccharide-asparagine compounds. V. O- -D-mannopyranosyl-(1 leads to 6)-O-(2-acetamido-2-deoxy- -D-glucopyranosyl)-(1 leads to 4)-2-acetamido-N-(L-aspart-4-oyl)-2-deoxy- -D-glucopyranosylamine.

Abstract O -α- d -Mannopyranosyl-(1→6)- O -(2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β- d -glucopyranosyl)-(1→4)-2-acetamido- N -( l -aspart-4-oyl)-2-deoxy-β- d -glucopyranosylamine ( 12 ), used in the synthesis of glycopeptides and as a reference compound in the structure elucidation of glycoproteins, was synthesized via condensation of 2,3,4,6-tetra- O -acetyl-α- d -mannopyranosyl bromide with 2-acetamido-4- O -(2-acetamido-3- O -acetyl-2-deoxy-β- d -glucopyranosyl)-3,6-di- O -acetyl-2-deoxy-β- d -glucopyranosyl azide ( 5 ) to give the intermediate, trisaccharide azide 7 . [Compound 5 was obtained from the known 2-acetamido-4- O -(2-acetamido-3,4,6-tri- O -acetyl-2-deoxy-β- d -glucopyranosyl)-3,6-di- O -acetyl-2-deoxy-β- d -glucopyranosyl azide by de- O -acetylation, condensation with benzaldehyde, acetylation, and removal of the benzylidene group.] The trisaccharide azide 6 was then acetylated, and the acetate reduced in the presence of Adams' catalyst. The resulting amine was condensed with 1-benzyl N -(benzyloxycarbonyl)- l -aspartate, and the O -acetyl, N -(benzyloxycarbonyl), and benzyl protective groups were removed, to give the title compound.
Intimations of Mortality or Production Lines? The Puzzle of "Suicide Terrorism"

The argument proposed by Kruglanski, Chen, Dechesne, Fishman, and Orehek has much to commend it. It is a serious and discerning examination of a perturbing subject that is high on the national policy agenda. The analysis is sophisticated in that does not pinpoint a single factor, such as religious doctrine, the presence of a democratic foreign occupier of a different religion, or psychopathology. The study recognizes the multifaceted complexity of causation in explaining this particular aspect of terrorism. The authors cite a typically human aspiration or drive that is taken to extremes in particularly trying circumstances. The argument also attempts to link levels of analysis into a coherent concep tual structure and to survey and build on the findings of other scholars. Such integrative efforts are critically important to cumulative knowledge. The basic model is: Individuals seek significance, ideologies provide a rationale, organiza tions channel and direct that search, and society rewards the result. The process comes full circle as the individual believes (or is led to believe) that he or she will achieve transcendence through self-sacrificing participation in a collective endeavor of benefit to all, with the promise of living forever in the memories of successor generations. Reminders of mortality accelerate this process. However, since the task before me is to provide a critique, I also want to raise some questions that might lead to further reflection and research. First, why does this particular action, killing oneself in order to kill others, particularly civilians, become a way of attaining personal significance and over coming the fear of mortality? Why would an individual not choose other forms of political opposition that involve self-sacrifice for the collective good and thus prospective immortality, such as hunger strikes or simply political suicide? Indeed,
Reproductive Coercion by Male Sexual Partners: Associations With Partner Violence and College Women's Sexual Health.

Reproductive coercion (RC) involves indirect and direct partner behaviors that interfere with effective contraceptive use. RC has been identified as a correlate of intimate partner violence (IPV) among ethnically diverse women sampled from urban health clinics or shelters. Research is needed to determine whether RC is experienced more generally by young women and, if so, whether RC is associated with IPV, multiple indicators of sexual health, or both. In the present study, sexually active undergraduate women (N = 223, 80% Caucasian/White) provided self-report data on their sexual health and behaviorally specific lifetime experiences of both RC and partner physical violence. About 30% reported experiencing RC from a male sexual partner. Most commonly, RC involved condom manipulation or refusal within an adolescent dating relationship. Experiences of RC and partner violence were not independent; half of the women who reported RC also reported experiencing partner physical violence. Women with a history of R...
Temperature-, gate-, and photoinduced conductance of close-packed CdTe nanocrystal films

We measure the conductance of close-packed films of $\mathrm{CdTe}$ nanocrystals in field-effect structures in the dark and in the presence of light. We find that the majority carriers are holes, that they are injected from gold electrodes into the $\mathrm{CdTe}$ nanocrystal films, and that the hole density can be modulated with gate voltage. Secondary photocurrents have a photoconductive gain of $\ensuremath{\sim}10$ at ${10}^{6}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{V}∕\mathrm{cm}$ showing that the hole mobility is higher than the electron mobility. A single phenomenological description of the field dependence of the hole mobility can explain the dependence of current on source-drain voltage for both dark and light currents.
Biopsy of the Dental Pulp in the Diagnosis of Metachromatic Leucodystrophy

SUMMARY Biopsy of the dental pulp has proved reliable in making a positive diagnosis of me a-chromatic leucodystrophy. It is considered to be the simplest method for the procurement of tissue. Its technical aspects are discussed in detail. RESUME Biopsie de la pulpe dentaire dans le diagnostic de la leucodystrophie metachromatique La biopsie de la pulpe dentaire s'est revelee etreune methode sure de diagnostiquer la dystrophic metachromatique. On considere que c'est le plus simple des moyens de se procurer du tissu. Ses aspects techniques sont discutes en details. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Biopsie des Zahnmarks bei der Diagnose von metachromatischer Leukodystrophie Biopsie des Zahnmarks hat sich bei der positiven Diagnose metachromatischer Leuko-dystrophie als zuverlassig erwiesen. Sie wird als die einfachste Methode zur Beschaffung von Gewebe angesehen. Ihre technischen Aspekte werden eingehend besprochen. RESUMEN Biopsia de la pulpa dental en la diagnosis de leucodistrofia metacromatica Biopsia de la pulpa dental se ha probado un metodo exacto de hacer una diagnosis positiva de leucodistrofia metacromatica. Se considera que este metodo de procurar tejidos es el mas sencillo que hay. Se discuten los detalles de los aspectos tecnicos.
The influence of structure on computer program comprehension

Previous empirical studies that have relied on debugging (Lucas & Kaplan, 1974) and memory (Sheppard, Borst, Curtis, & Love, 1978) as measures of computer program comprehension have led to inconsistent results and conclusions regarding the benefits of structure. The present experiment utilizes a new technique for measuring comprehension that is sensitive to contextual factors that help the programmer to anticipate upcoming lines of a program. Subjects in this experiment were told the general purpose of a program written in English and asked to anticipate the subsequent lines. After the subjects entered their anticipated line, the actual line of the previously written program was shown. Subjects used the lines of the program shown as a contextual guide for their next anticipation. The percentage of correctly anticipated lines was greater for structured programs than for unstructured programs. However, the advantage of structure was more pronounced for long, complex programs than for short, relatively straightforward programs.
Convergence of Health Expenditure in OECD Countries: Evidence from a Nonlinear Asymmetric Heterogeneous Panel Unit Root Test

This paper examines the convergence in health expenditure across 22 OECD countries between 1980 and 2012 by implementing panel unit root tests. Contribution of application of the nonlinear asymmetric heterogeneous panel unit root test is twofold. Firstly, it relaxes the assumption of cross-sectional dependency in panel data. Secondly, it incorporates the asymmetric nonlinear mean reversion in a panel setting. Results show that while the conventional panel unit root test cannot reject the null hypothesis of a unit root in relative per capita health expenditures for the whole set of countries, both the symmetric and the asymmetric nonlinear panel unit root tests indicate the stationarity of the panel. Specifically, almost 23 percent of the countries are found to be converging by employing the nonlinear asymmetric panel unit root test. In addition, introducing asymmetric structure helps to uncover additional converging countries which cannot be detected using linear and nonlinear symmetric panel unit root tests.
Energy efficient programming of nanoelectronic synaptic devices for large-scale implementation of associative and temporal sequence learning

A nanoscale, two-terminal device emulating plasticity and energy efficiency of biological synapses is a critical element for realizing brain-inspired computational systems and real-time brain simulators. In this work, we explore the use of phase change materials (PCM), widely used for memory applications, to build electronic synapses which implement synaptic plasticity with picojoule level energy consumption. Gradual switching characteristics and different spike schemes are discussed from implementation of synaptic plasticity and energy consumption perspectives. Our simulations demonstrate that a recurrent network of PCM synapses in a crossbar array can achieve brain-like associative and temporal sequence learning. Asymmetric plasticity is shown to transform temporal information into spatial information for sequence learning. Symmetric plasticity enables the storage and recall of certain patterns associatively by acting as a coincidence detector for neuronal activity.
Involvement of Wnt, Eda and Shh at defined stages of sweat gland development.

To maintain body temperature, sweat glands develop from embryonic ectoderm by a poorly defined mechanism. We demonstrate a temporal cascade of regulation during mouse sweat gland formation. Sweat gland induction failed completely when canonical Wnt signaling was blocked in skin epithelium, and was accompanied by sharp downregulation of downstream Wnt, Eda and Shh pathway genes. The Wnt antagonist Dkk4 appeared to inhibit this induction: Dkk4 was sharply downregulated in β-catenin-ablated mice, indicating that it is induced by Wnt/β-catenin; however, its overexpression repressed Wnt target genes and significantly reduced gland numbers. Eda signaling succeeded Wnt. Wnt signaling was still active and nascent sweat gland pre-germs were still seen in Eda-null mice, but the pre-germs failed to develop further and the downstream Shh pathway was not activated. When Wnt and Eda were intact but Shh was ablated, germ induction and subsequent duct formation occurred normally, but the final stage of secretory coil formation failed. Thus, sweat gland development shows a relay of regulatory steps initiated by Wnt/β-catenin – itself modulated by Dkk4 – with subsequent participation of Eda and Shh pathways.
Scanning electron microscopy of otic capsule and calvarial bone ablated by a holmium-YAG laser

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed on holmium-YAG laser ablated bone in order to study the surface morphology of the ablation crater. An otosurgical bone model of porcine otic capsule and calvarial cortical bone was used. Otic capsule bone is dense and homogeneous whereas cortical bone is porous. Both bone tissues were studied under fresh and dehydrated conditions to investigate the role of water in the ablation process. Laser irradiation time was varied from 5 to 60 s. Laser flux was 85 mJ pulse−1 at 4-Hz pulse repetition rate. Globular spheroids of melted bone material were noted in both wet and dried specimens for both tissues. Several of these globules ruptured yielding an SEM image which suggests a violent ejection process. SEMs of dry cortical bone demonstrated the presence of fibres which reflect the selective removal of inorganic surface bone constituents with preservation of subsurface residual collagen fibres. The ablation crater walls in wet tissues appear rougher and possibly reflect a more violent ablation process due to water vaporization causing expulsion of bone material. In contrast, the crater walls in dry tissue appear smoother.