cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of dietary calcium and stage of lactation on potassium balance in lactating Holstein cows through 20 weeks of lactation

ABSTRACT Potassium balance in dairy cows has been related to lactation performance and metabolic response to heat stress. Potassium balance was evaluated in 18 lactating Holsteins, 10 primiparous and 8 multiparous, during wk 2, 5, 8, 11, and 20 of lactation using 4-d total collection trials. Cows were fed diets containing 0.52, 0.78, and 1.03% Ca from calving. Dry matter and K intake increased as lactation progressed, but cows were in negative K balance in early lactation, with a nadir at wk 2. Urinary excretion was the primary route of K excretion, and proportion of K excreted via urine was affected by dietary Ca (greatest with 0.78% Ca) and parity (greater in first lactation cows). Parity had no effect on K balance. As Ca concentration in the diet increased, the amount of K in feces decreased, suggesting increased apparent K absorption.
Differential Regulation of Early Growth Response Gene-1 Expression by Insulin and Glucose in Vascular Endothelial Cells

Objective—Early growth response gene (Egr)-1 is a key transcription factor involved in vascular pathophysiology. Its role in diabetic vascular complications, however, remains unclear. Because hyperinsulinemia and hyperglycemia are major risk factors leading to diabetic vascular complications, we examined the effect of insulin and glucose on Egr-1 expression in murine glomerular vascular endothelial cells. Methods and Results—Insulin or glucose, when added separately, increased egr-1 mRNA levels and promoter activity, as well as Egr-1 protein levels in nuclear extracts. When insulin was added to cells preincubated with glucose, the two had an additive effect on Egr-1 expression. Furthermore, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 ( flt-1) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, two known Egr-1–responsive genes, were also upregulated in the presence of insulin or glucose. An investigation into the underlying molecular mechanisms demonstrated that insulin, but not glucose, increased Egr-1 expression through extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 activation, which is consistent with our previous reports. In contrast, inhibition of protein kinase C by phorbol ester or by the specific protein kinase C inhibitor chelerythrine chloride downregulated glucose-induced, but not insulin-induced, Egr-1 expression. Conclusions—Differential regulation of Egr-1 expression by insulin and glucose in vascular cells may be one of the initial key events that plays a crucial role in the development of diabetic vascular complications. (Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2003;23:988-993.)
Reduction of Ammonia Emissions from Stored Laying Hen Manure Through Topical Application of Zeolite, Al + Clear, Ferix-3, or Poultry Litter Treatment

SUMMARY Practical means to decrease aerial emissions will enhance the ability of the US egg industry to improve environmental stewardship while continuing to provide consumers safe and affordable eggs. Ammonia emissions from manure-belt laying hen houses have been shown to be less than 10% of the emissions from high-rise counterparts where manure is stored in-house for a year. However, on-farm manure storage for manure-belt houses also emits NH3, which is a part of the total farm emissions. Nevertheless, treating manure in storage sheds to decrease NH3 emissions may be more readily implemented than treatment inside the layer houses because of potential bird health concerns and possible detrimental effects of the treatment on the housing equipment. The laboratory-scale experiments reported here examined the efficacy of 4 commercially available treatment agents, topically applied to laying hen manure at 3 different dosages, in decreasing NH3 emissions from the manure storage. The treatment agents included zeolite, 2 forms of Al + Clear (aluminum sulfate, 48.5% liquid and granular), Ferix-3 (ferric sulfate), and Poultry Litter Treatment (PLT, sodium bisulfate). All the tested agents showed appreciable NH3 emission reduction of 33 to 94%. In all cases, the greatest application dosage provided little additional NH3 reduction as compared with the medium dosage (P > 0.70). Comparison among the dry granular Al + Clear, Ferix-3, and PLT in reduction of NH3 emission over a 7-d manure storage period showed no significant difference when the agents were applied at 0.5 kg/m 2 of manure surface area (P = 0.40) but greater reduction for Al + Clear (92 ± 3%) and Ferix-3 (90 ± 1%) as compared with PLT (81 ± 2%) when applied at 1.0 kg/m 2 (P < 0.01). Further field verification tests of the laboratory-scale findings are warranted.
Multimodal sensory discrimination deficits in Korsakoff's psychosis.

Abstract A consistent impairment in odor identification was observed among a group of 21 amnesic patients, diagnosed as having Korsakoff's psychosis. In a subsequent study of eight Korsakoff and matched alcoholic control subjects, a comparable olfactory deficit was again demonstrated, as well as impairment in color discrimination and auditory perception. No such deficit was observed for a picture identification task designed to control for the non-sensory demands of the olfactory test. Step-wise multiple regression analysis showed a significant correlation between odor identification scores and the concentration of the primary metabolite of norepinephrine in lumbar cerebrospinal fluid. The data demonstrate a consistent coincidence between memory impairment and deficient sensory perception among patients with Korsakoff's psychosis.
Major Patterns of Dietary Intake in Adolescents and Their Stability over Time

A diet-patterns approach has often been used to describe eating patterns in adults but has rarely been used in adolescents. We used principal components factor analysis to: 1) describe the dietary patterns of a cohort of ethnically diverse youth during early and middle adolescence; 2) examine if the patterns persisted 5 y later; and 3) study secular trends. Project EAT-I (Time 1) collected data on 4746 middle school (younger cohort) and high school (older cohort) students in 31 Minnesota schools in 1998-1999. Project EAT-II (Time 2) resurveyed 53% (n = 2516) of the original cohort in 2003-2004. Dietary intake was assessed at Time 1 and 2 using the Youth/Adolescent FFQ. We identified dietary patterns separately by cohort (older/younger) and gender (boys/girls). At Time 1, we identified 4 patterns in early and middle adolescents that were relatively consistent between boys and girls that we labeled vegetable, fruit, sweet/salty snack food, and starchy food. Longitudinal analyses indicated that patterns were relatively stable over 5 y, with the exception of a new fast food pattern. Examination of age-matched secular trends in middle adolescents (older cohort at Time 1, younger cohort at Time 2) showed similar patterns, with the exception of the fast food pattern that emerged at Time 2 among middle adolescent boys. We identified dietary patterns in this adolescent population that differed from those usually found in adults. Patterns were similar across gender and age cohorts and were relatively similar over time, with the exception a new fast food pattern.
Citrus tristeza virus: Evolution of Complex and Varied Genotypic Groups

Amongst the Closteroviridae, Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) is almost unique in possessing a number of distinct and characterized strains, isolates of which produce a wide range of phenotype combinations among its different hosts. There is little understanding to connect genotypes to phenotypes, and to complicate matters more, these genotypes are found throughout the world as members of mixed populations within a single host plant. There is essentially no understanding of how combinations of genotypes affect symptom expression and disease severity. We know little about the evolution of the genotypes that have been characterized to date, little about the biological role of their diversity and particularly, about the effects of recombination. Additionally, genotype grouping has not been standardized. In this study we utilized an extensive array of CTV genomic information to classify the major genotypes, and to determine the major evolutionary processes that led to their formation and subsequent retention. Our analyses suggest that three major processes act on these genotypes: 1. ancestral diversification of the major CTV lineages, followed by 2. conservation and co-evolution of the major functional domains within, though not between CTV genotypes, and 3. extensive recombination between lineages that have given rise to new genotypes that have subsequently been retained within the global population. The effects of genotype diversity and host interaction are discussed, as is a proposal for standardizing the classification of existing and novel CTV genotypes.
Manipulation of in Vivo Sorbitol Production Alters Boron Uptake and Transport in Tobacco

Recent evidence that some species can retranslocate boron as complexes with sugar alcohols in the phloem suggests a possible mechanism for enhancing boron efficiency. We investigated the relationship between sugar alcohol (sorbitol) content, boron uptake and distribution, and translocation of foliar-applied, isotopically enriched 10B in three lines of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants differing in sorbitol production. In tobacco line S11, transformed with sorbitol-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, the production of sorbitol was accompanied by an increase in the concentration of boron in plant tissues and an increased uptake of boron compared with either tobacco line A4, transformed with antisense orientation of sorbitol-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, or wild-type tobacco (line SR1, zero-sorbitol producer). Foliar application of 10B to mature leaves was translocated to the meristematic tissues only in line S11. These results demonstrate that the concentration of the boron-complexing sugar alcohol in the plant tissue has a significant effect on boron uptake and distribution in plants, whereas the translocation of the foliar-applied 10B from the mature leaves to the meristematic tissues verifies that boron is mobile in sorbitol-producing plants (S11) as we reported previously. This suggests that selection or transgenic generation of cultivars with an increased sugar alcohol content can result in increased boron uptake, with no apparent negative effects on short-term growth.
Misconceptions about Optimal Equity Allocation and Investment Horizon

Our analysis and results offer some resolution to a debate that has continued for 30 years. We demonstrate that, in contrast to prior claims, no conflict exists between the implications of economic models of choice under uncertainty and a rational investor preference for larger equity allocations at longer investment horizons. Using examples of expected utility of wealth and mean–variance utility, we show that the effect of a longer horizon on risky-asset allocation is consistent with increasing or decreasing optimal equity allocations, even under the assumption of constant relative risk aversion.
Contribution of Hamstring Fatigue to Quadriceps Inhibition Following Lumbar Extension Exercise

The purpose of this study was to determine the contribution of hamstrings and quadriceps fatigue to quadriceps inhibition following lumbar extension exercise. Regression models were calculated consisting of the outcome variable: quadriceps inhibition and predictor variables: change in EMG median frequency in the quadriceps and hamstrings during lumbar fatiguing exercise. Twenty-five subjects with a history of low back pain were matched by gender, height and mass to 25 healthy controls. Subjects performed two sets of fatiguing isometric lumbar extension exercise until mild (set 1) and moderate (set 2) fatigue of the lumbar paraspinals. Quadriceps and hamstring EMG median frequency were measured while subjects performed fatiguing exercise. A burst of electrical stimuli was superimposed while subjects performed an isometric maximal quadriceps contraction to estimate quadriceps inhibition after each exercise set. Results indicate the change in hamstring median frequency explained variance in quadriceps inhibition following the exercise sets in the history of low back pain group only. Change in quadriceps median frequency explained variance in quadriceps inhibition following the first exercise set in the control group only. In conclusion, persons with a history of low back pain whose quadriceps become inhibited following lumbar paraspinal exercise may be adapting to the fatigue by using their hamstring muscles more than controls. Key PointsA neuromuscular relationship between the lumbar paraspinals and quadriceps while performing lumbar extension exercise may be influenced by hamstring muscle fatigue.QI following lumbar extension exercise in persons with a history of LBP group may involve significant contribution from the hamstring muscle group.More hamstring muscle contribution may be a necessary adaptation in the history of LBP group due to weaker and more fatigable lumbar extensors.
Promoting Physical Activity and Science Learning in an Outdoor Education Program

Outdoor education programs have been shown to have a positive effect on the educational, physical and emotional development of youth. They are increasingly being used to foster a sense of community in schools and to provide students with learning opportunities related to the environment. This article describes an integrated outdoor education program aimed at increasing physical activity and science knowledge among elementary school children in an economically disadvantaged urban community. Results from a study that was conducted showed that activity levels were significantly higher and sedentary time was significantly lower during the outdoor education program compared to the rest of the school day. Schools can utilize outdoor education programs to promote physical activity and improve science learning in elementary school children.
Segmenting Financial Services Market: An Empirical Study of Statistical and Non-parametric Methods

In this paper, we analyze segmentation of financial markets based on the general segmentation bases. In particular, we identify potentially attractive market segments for financial services using a customer dataset. We develop a multi-group discriminant model to classify the customers into three ordinal classes: prime customers, highly valued customers, and price shoppers based on their income, loan activity, and demographics (age). The multi-group classification of customer segments uses both classical statistical techniques and a mathematical programming formulation. For this study we use the characteristics of a real dataset to simulate multiple datasets of customer characteristics. The results of our experiments show that the mathematical programming model in many case consistently outperforms standard statistical approaches in attaining lower Apparent Error Rates (APER) for 100 replications in both high and low correlation cases.
Protease-Resistant Prion Protein Formation

In 1981, unique fibrillar structures called scrapie associated fibrils (SAF) were identified in in scrapie-infected, but not normal, brain tissue1. Biochemical analysis of these fibrils and of other infectious tissue preparations from hosts with different transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) led to the discovery that they contained an abnormal form of a host protein which is now most widely known as prion protein (PrP)2,3. The abnormal TSE-associated PrP forms insoluble aggregates (e.g. amyloid plaques) and is partially resistant to proteinase K (PK)3,4, which removes approximately 67 amino acid residues (6–7 kDa) from the N-terminus of each molecule in the polymer5,6. Although the PK-resistance of various abnormal TSE-associated PrPs can differ somewhat, we refer to them generically as protease-resistant PrP (PrP-res), but the forms associated with specific TSE diseases are often labelled with a superscript designating that disease, e.g. PrPSc for scrapie PrP and PrPBSE for bovine spongiform encephalopathy-associated PrP. In contrast, the normal, non-pathogenic form, PrP-sen or PrPC, is usually soluble in mild detergents and fully degraded by PK7,8.
Editorial: Neuronal Mechanics and Transport.

Over the past decades there has been an explosion in our knowledge of the molecules that regulate neuronal and glial growth and morphology. At this point, the major molecular players appear to be well-established, and the primary questions center on how they work together to create the physical manifestation of the nervous system. A major technical challenge in the field is to investigate mechanical properties of neurons and relate them to biochemical phenomena. The articles published in this research topic provide an interdisciplinary forum for a new branch of neuroscience dedicated to understanding neuronal mechanics and transport.
Trust management for social networks

Inspired by the similarities between human trust and physical measurements, we have proposed a trust framework for social networks, including defining new trust metrics and their combinations, which captures both human trust level and its uncertainty, while being intuitive and user friendly. We show some great advantages of our framework, for example the trust view in an experiment was increased more than 2000 times. Based on our trust framework, we propose several security mechanisms, including filtering information on social networks and increasing the efficiency of advertisement and influence on social networks. Experiments on synthesized and real social networks validate the potential of our trust framework to develop trust based mechanisms for social networks.
Single-Step Direct Fabrication of Pillar-on-Pore Hybrid Nanostructures in Anodizing Aluminum for Superior Superhydrophobic Efficiency

Conventional electrochemical anodizing processes of metals such as aluminum typically produce planar and homogeneous nanopore structures. If hydrophobically treated, such 2D planar and interconnected pore structures typically result in lower contact angle and larger contact angle hysteresis than 3D disconnected pillar structures and, hence, exhibit inferior superhydrophobic efficiency. In this study, we demonstrate for the first time that the anodizing parameters can be engineered to design novel pillar-on-pore (POP) hybrid nanostructures directly in a simple one-step fabrication process so that superior surface superhydrophobicity can also be realized effectively from the electrochemical anodization process. On the basis of the characteristic of forming a self-ordered porous morphology in a hexagonal array, the modulation of anodizing voltage and duration enabled the formulation of the hybrid-type nanostructures having controlled pillar morphology on top of a porous layer in both mild and hard anodizatio...
The Determination of Population Size by Measurement of Response to the Physical Environment

Two analyses are presented on experimental data designed to test the hypothesis that population size may be determined by the extent of population response to the stimulus of some independent variable. The test insect was Lasioderma serricorne (F.) (Coleoptera). The stimulus was the angle of a glass tube. The response was the negative geotaxis of the insects. The method involved establishing a series of assumed population values, calculating the resulting activity as catch/population, and determining that activity whose variation most closely approximated the variation of the independent variable. The experiment simulated a field trapping situation. Results: a true population of 500 insects was estimated at 501.4±15, and a true population of 50 insects was estimated at 59.7±19.1. The ± terms attached to the estimates are limits, not standard deviations.
Comment: Status, Power, and Emotion:

The authors of the articles in this special section discuss an array of psychological perspectives on emotion. The articles provide only a limited consideration of status and power processes, howev...
Study of adrenal function in children with primary nephrotic syndrome

Objective To discuss adrenal function in children with primary nephrotic syndrome(PNS).Methods Seventeen patients(dose of prednisone1 mg/kg)with nephrotic syndrome and 7 healthy subjects were enrolled.seventeen patients with PNS were injected ACTH intravenously at 14:00.After ACTH injection,blood was taken every 10 minutes for a period of 1h for measurement of serum cortisol.Adrenal function was evaluated.We adopted cortisol levels of 497 nmol/L or more as normal adrenal response to low dose of ACTH stimulation.Results In healthy group,all subjects showed normal adrenal function.In 17 patients with PNS,7 subjects showed suboptimal cortisol responses and adrenal function of another 10 cases were normal.Base blood cortisol in PNS group was lower than that in the control group,but no significant difference(P0.05).Compared with the control group,serum cortisol level in PNS group was significantly lower at 20,30,50 and 60 minute(P0.05).Cortisol levels was over 497 nmol/L at 10min in control group,while it was at 30 minutes in PNS group.seven cases of adrenocortical hypofunction blood cortisol levels were lower than that of normal control group at each time point(P0.05).In 10 cases with normal adrenal function,cortisol levels were lower than that of control group at each time point of blood(P0.05).Cortisol levels didn't achieve normal function at 10 minutes in PNS group,while cortisol levels were over 497 nmol/L at that point in control group.Conclusion Our data indicate that children with PNS receiving alternate day prednisolone have a suboptimal cortisol response,suggesting HPA axis suppression.
Cardiac tamponade as an unusual presentation of advanced breast cancer in pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in pregnancy. Though the prognosis by stage is not different from that in nonpregnant women, it is more likely to present at an advanced stage in pregnancy. CASE: A 28-year-old primigravida presented with dyspnea and pleuritic chest pain. The workup revealed cardiac tamponade. Pericardiocentesis and subsequent pericardial window were performed. Cytology of the pericardial fluid revealed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Ultrasonography displayed a right breast mass, and biopsy identified it as the primary source of the cancer. CONCLUSION: Cardiac tamponade is an unusual presentation of advanced breast cancer. To the best of our knowledge, it has not previously been described as occurring in pregnancy.
Systematic Function-Based Intervention for Adolescents with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders in an Alternative Setting: Broadening the Context

Three adolescents (ages 14–17) with emotional and behavioral disorders displayed chronic disruptive behavior in their self-contained classrooms at a self-contained alternative school. A descriptive...
A microwave method of determining dielectric constant and loss by phase comparison

Since all methods of determining dielectric constant and loss by transmission line or waveguide techniques have in common the necessity of measuring the propagation constant, γ= α +jβ of waves in the dielectric medium, the most direct method is that of measuring both α and β in a dielectric-filled section of slotted line or waveguide. In this way, the unwieldly calculations are avoided which are otherwise required to deduce α and β from measurements made outside the medium.
Does the Rate of Interest Determine the Rate of Profit

Does the rate of interest on money, as fixed by the Central Banking Authorities, determine the rate of profit? There is a suggestion to this effect in Sraffa (1960, p. 33) and Pivetti (1985) has interpreted this to mean that the ‘normal’ rate of profit, as opposed to the actual rate, will be governed by the effects of the rate of interest on the ratio of money prices to money wages: a fall (rise) in the rate of interest will lower (raise) costs, so will lead to lower (higher) prices, but there will be no similar effect on money wages. So a fall (rise) in the rate of interest will bring a rise (fall) in the real wage; thus the rate of profit will move in the same direction as, and by a magnitude proportional to the change in the rate of interest. In short, ‘lasting changes in interest rates must be followed by corresponding changes in normal profit rates’ (Pivetti, 1985, p. 81). Similar arguments have been advanced by Panico (1985) who finds the root of the idea in Keynes’ Chapter 17, by Vianello, (1985) and by Schefold, (1985), who limits the claim by arguing that the mechanism works only under historical conditions of slow accumulation.
An Inequality for Boundary Value Problems

Let D be a domain in Rd, d ≥ 1, with m(D) < ∞ where m is the Lebesgue measure in Rd. The boundary ∂D of D is assumed to be smooth enough that the “area” measure σ is defined on it.
Non-Homologous End Joining and Homology Directed DNA Repair Frequency of Double-Stranded Breaks Introduced by Genome Editing Reagents

Genome editing using transcription-activator like effector nucleases or RNA guided nucleases allows one to precisely engineer desired changes within a given target sequence. The genome editing reagents introduce double stranded breaks (DSBs) at the target site which can then undergo DNA repair by non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) or homology directed recombination (HDR) when a template DNA molecule is available. NHEJ repair results in indel mutations at the target site. As PCR amplified products from mutant target regions are likely to exhibit different melting profiles than PCR products amplified from wild type target region, we designed a high resolution melting analysis (HRMA) for rapid identification of efficient genome editing reagents. We also designed TaqMan assays using probes situated across the cut site to discriminate wild type from mutant sequences present after genome editing. The experiments revealed that the sensitivity of the assays to detect NHEJ-mediated DNA repair could be enhanced by selection of transfected cells to reduce the contribution of unmodified genomic DNA from untransfected cells to the DNA melting profile. The presence of donor template DNA lacking the target sequence at the time of genome editing further enhanced the sensitivity of the assays for detection of mutant DNA molecules by excluding the wild-type sequences modified by HDR. A second TaqMan probe that bound to an adjacent site, outside of the primary target cut site, was used to directly determine the contribution of HDR to DNA repair in the presence of the donor template sequence. The TaqMan qPCR assay, designed to measure the contribution of NHEJ and HDR in DNA repair, corroborated the results from HRMA. The data indicated that genome editing reagents can produce DSBs at high efficiency in HEK293T cells but a significant proportion of these are likely masked by reversion to wild type as a result of HDR. Supplying a donor plasmid to provide a template for HDR (that eliminates a PCR amplifiable target) revealed these cryptic DSBs and facilitated the determination of the true efficacy of genome editing reagents. The results indicated that in HEK293T cells, approximately 40% of the DSBs introduced by genome editing, were available for participation in HDR.
Probing Labdane-Related Diterpenoid Biosynthesis in the Fungal Genus Aspergillus

While terpenoid production is generally associated with plants, a variety of fungi contain operons predicted to lead to such biosynthesis. Notably, fungi contain a number of cyclases characteristic of labdane-related diterpenoid metabolism, which have not been much explored. These also are often found near cytochrome P450 (CYP) mono-oxygenases that presumably further decorate the ensuing diterpene, suggesting that these fungi might produce more elaborate diterpenoids. To probe the functional diversity of such biosynthetic capacity, an investigation of the phylogenetically diverse cyclases and associated CYPs from the fungal genus Aspergillus was undertaken, revealing their ability to produce isopimaradiene-derived diterpenoids. Intriguingly, labdane-related diterpenoid biosynthetic genes are largely found in plant-associated fungi, hinting that these natural products may play a role in such interactions. Accordingly, it is hypothesized here that isopimarane production may assist the plant-saprophytic life...
Vibration Assisted Hot-Wire Gas-Tungsten Arc Welding of Duplex Stainless Steel 2205

Duplex stainless steel are excellent corrosion resistance two-phase alloy as compared to stainless steel. The corrosion resistance of duplex stainless steel depends upon the balance phase of ferrite and austenite. During non-equilibrium processes such as welding, the fast cooling rate (as compared to the controlled environment where it is produced) suppresses the austenite to ferrite transformation. A low frequency vibration assisted hot-wire Gas-Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) has been used to weld commercial duplex stainless steel alloy 2205. The results are compared with cold-wire GTAW weldments. The micro-hardness and microstructure of the weldments and heat-affected zones are characterized. A pitting corrosion test was performed on the weldments to measure the weight loss. A lower weight loss was achieved by using the low frequency vibration assisted hot-wire GTAW, however small pit was observed on the weld cap.Copyright © 2016 by ASME
More than a Media Moment: The Influence of Televised Storylines on Viewers’ Attitudes toward Transgender People and Policies

Numerous studies have demonstrated the power of entertainment narratives to influence attitudes and behaviors; fewer have examined the effects of TV portrayals on attitudes toward marginalized groups. The present study is among the first to explore how entertainment narratives depicting transgender individuals influence viewers’ attitudes toward transgender people and related policies. The study examines the impact of exposure to a TV storyline on Royal Pains (USA Network) and cumulative effects of viewing other TV series featuring transgender individuals. An online survey of 488 U.S. viewers of Royal Pains was conducted (391 had seen the relevant episode). ANCOVAs revealed exposure to both the Royal Pains’ storyline and other storylines portraying transgender individuals were associated with more supportive attitudes toward transgender people and policies. Mediation models revealed that for viewers of the Royal Pains’ storyline, the relationships between political ideology and attitudes toward transgender people and policies were mediated by identification with the main characters and the emotion of hope. Disgust mediated viewers’ attitudes toward transgender people, but not policies. Post hoc analyses revealed that exposure to transgender narratives reduced the influence of viewers’ political ideology on their attitudes. The attitudes of more conservative viewers became increasingly positive as they saw more media portrayals of transgender individuals. These findings highlight the potential for entertainment narratives to influence attitudes toward marginalized groups, and they demonstrate the importance of emotion in the context of divisive topics. Social, political, and public health implications are discussed.
Visions of Symmetry: Notebooks, Periodic Drawings, and Related Work of M. C. Escher. By Doris Schattschneider

(1992). Visions of Symmetry: Notebooks, Periodic Drawings, and Related Work of M. C. Escher. By Doris Schattschneider. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 99, No. 1, pp. 78-81.
How Long of a Dynamic 3′-Deoxy-3′-[ 18 F]fluorothymidine ([ 18 F]FLT) PET Acquisition Is Needed for Robust Kinetic Analysis in Breast Cancer?

To quantitatively evaluate the minimally required scanning time of 3′-deoxy-3′-[18F]fluorothymidine ([18F]FLT) positron emission tomography (PET) dynamic acquisition for accurate kinetic assessment of the proliferation in breast cancer tumors. Within a therapeutic intervention trial, 26 breast tumors of 8 breast cancer patients were analyzed from 30-min dynamic [18F]FLT-PET acquisitions. PET/CT was acquired on a Gemini TF 64 system (Philips Healthcare) and reconstructed into 26 frames (8 × 15 s, 6 × 30 s, 5 × 1 min, 5 × 2 min, and 2 × 5 min). Maximum activity concentrations (Bq/ml) of volume of interests over tumors and plasma in descending aorta were obtained over time frames. Kinetic parameters were estimated using in-house developed software with the two-tissue three-compartment irreversible model (2TCM) (K1, k2, k3, and Ki; k4 = 0) and Patlak model (Ki) based on different acquisition durations (Td) (10, 12, 14, 16, 20, 25, and 30 min, separately). Different linear regression onset time (T0) points (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 min) were applied in Patlak analysis. Ki of the 30-min data set was taken as the gold standard for comparison. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient (R) of 0.9 was chosen as a limit for the correlation. The correlation of kinetic parameters between the gold standard and the abbreviated dynamic data series increased with longer Td from 10 to 30 min. k2 and k3 using 2TCM and Ki using Patlak model revealed poor correlations for dynamic PET with Td ≤ 14 min (k2: R = 0.84, 0.85, 0.86; k3: R = 0.67, 0.67, 0.67; Ki: R = 0.72, 0.78, 0.87 at Td = 10, 12, and 14 min, respectively). Excellent correlations were shown for all kinetic parameters when Td ≥ 16 min regardless of the kinetic model and T0 value (R > 0.9). This study indicates that a 16-min dynamic PET acquisition appears to be sufficient to provide accurate [18F]FLT kinetics to quantitatively assess the proliferation in breast cancer lesions.
Reaching New Standards: Geography’s Return to Relevance in American Education

Why do Americans need to know geography? In his collection of essays, Me Talk Pretty One Day, humorist David Sedaris (2000: 201) writes “When asked, any high school teacher can confidently answer that the knowledge will come in handy once the student hits middle age and starts working crossword puzzles in order to stave off the terrible loneliness.” Although the thought of hitting middle age can induce anxiety in many folks, a more urgent problem is being caused by an educational system that, for many children, does not teach the practical, ethical, and intellectual values of geography. Fortunately, discernible progress has been made in reforming geography education in American schools.
Mutation of leucine-57 to phenylalanine in a platelet glycoprotein Ib alpha leucine tandem repeat occurring in patients with an autosomal dominant variant of Bernard-Soulier disease

The primary sequences of the three individual glycoprotein (GP) chains, GPIb alpha, GPIb beta, and GPIX, comprising the normal platelet GPIb/IX receptor for von Willebrand factor (vWF) have recently been determined, opening the possibility for characterization of disorders of this receptor at the molecular level. The presence of a leucine tandem repeat in each of these chains is of particular interest, because such repeats may be involved in associations between polypeptide segments. We now report an autosomal dominant variant of Bernard-Soulier disease associated with the heterozygous substitution of phenylalanine for a highly conserved leucine residue within the GPIb alpha leucine tandem repeat. Affected individuals experienced a moderate bleeding tendency, thrombocytopenia, and an increased mean platelet volume. Platelet aggregation was decreased only in response to ristocetin or to asialo- vWF. The kd for 125I-vWF binding to patients platelets was significantly increased over control values at 0.5 mg/mL ristocetin, but was normal at 1.0 or 1.5 mg/mL ristocetin. While sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed an essentially normal complement of all components of the GPIb/IX complex, a minor amount of a putative proteolytic fragment was identified that migrated faster than GPIb and was immunoreactive with polyclonal anti-GPIb alpha antibody, but not with a monoclonal antibody directed against the 45-Kd amino-terminal region of GPIb alpha. However, because the great majority of patient GPIb alpha comigrates with normal GPIb alpha, the major functional abnormalities of the patient platelets are most likely a consequence of the altered structure of the nonproteolyzed protein. Full concordance within the studied family between phenotypic expression and a heterozygous single nucleotide substitution in genomic DNA coding for a phenylalanine in place of the wild-type leucine at residue 57 of the mature GPIb alpha, absence of this substitution in 266 alleles from the normal population, and the lack of any other abnormality of patient DNA throughout the entire coding sequence for GPIb alpha provide strong support that this substitution may constitute a pathologic point mutation responsible for the observed phenotypic abnormalities. While the roles that leucine tandem repeats may normally play within the GPIb/IX complex are not yet known, the perturbation of such a repeat in GPIb alpha may impair interaction with other components of the complex and/or with the binding of vWF.
Hands-Free Assistive Manipulator Using Augmented Reality and Tongue Drive System

A human-in-the-loop system is proposed to enable hands-free collaborative manipulation for people with physical disabilities. Studies show that the cognitive burden of interfacing with a robotic assistant decreases with increased robot autonomy. Incorporating modern advances in perception with augmented reality, this paper describes a framework for obtaining high-level intents from the user to specify manipulation tasks for execution. Augmented reality glasses provide an egocentric perspective to the robot. The glasses also provide visual feedback to users on a virtual menu showing a summary of robot affordances. The system processes the vision input to interpret the users environment. A Tongue Drive System serves as the input modality for triggering task execution by the robotic arm. Several manipulation experiments are performed with comparison to Cartesian control. The outcomes are also compared to reported state-of-the-art approaches. The results demonstrate competitive performance with minimal user input requirements.
Structured Feedback Optimization for Metzler Dynamics

We propose a method to compute convergent lower bounds for the state-feedback controller design problem \begin{equation*} \inf\limits_{F}\ \{L(F): A+BF\ \mathbf{is\ Metzler}\ \&\ \mathbf{stable}\}\end{equation*} where $L$ is a convex loss function of $F$ . The theory behind the approach is simple: relying only on an extension of Perron-Frobenius to Metzler matrices, and popular discrete optimization techniques. The method itself has two tuning parameters (which enable faster recovery of solutions, with possible introduction of optimality gaps) and is practical for systems with a non-trivial state dimension. A convergence result with respect to the optimal solution is derived, and a direct heuristic algorithm based on linear programming is given. We explain how projecting $A$ onto the set of stable Metzler matrices is essentially the hardest of these problems, and focus our numerical examples on precisely this case.
Combining Social Skills Instruction and the Good Behavior Game to Support Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Research indicates that students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) may engage in severe disruptions and off-task behaviors in the classroom setting that adversely impact the learning environment. This leads to many students identified as having EBD being placed in alternative education settings, such as restrictive schools or residential facilities. Due to placement in more restrictive environments and high rates of disciplinary actions, it is especially critical to decrease disruptive behaviors for students diagnosed with EBD. In addition, classroom teachers report disruptive behaviors and conduct problems as a major barrier to teaching their students. An ABC multiple baseline across classes design was used in an alternative school setting to evaluate the effects of explicit social skills training combined with a group contingency on class-wide levels of engagement and disruptive behavior. Participants were students in the first through sixth grade diagnosed with EBD. Through the class-wide intervention, social skills acquisition deficits were targeted through social skills instruction and social skills performance deficits were targeted through reinforcement programs. Results showed an increase in engagement and a decrease in disruptive behavior across all classrooms as a result of the intervention package.
A Blueprint for Using Assessments to Achieve Learning Outcomes and Improve Students’ Learning

For over a decade, there has been agreement among legal educators that assessments are a critical tool to improve students’ learning. We are beginning to understand that the types of assessments we use have the greatest influence on how and what students learn. As a result of recent ABA accreditation requirements, there is now a scramble in law schools to adopt assessments that improve students’ learning and bar passage rates so as to satisfy these new requirements. Nevertheless, there has been no clear methodology to assist doctrinal faculty in creating an effective assessment program. After twenty-seven years of developing assessment programs that have improved students’ learning and bar passage rates, this article is an attempt to provide faculty and administrators a blueprint for incorporating an effective assessment program. The article is divided into four parts. Part one recounts how the assessments the author has used over the years have evolved to become an assessment program to help students improve their learning skills, perform better in law school, and pass the bar exam. Part two describes how to design assessments that relate to course learning objectives and help students in developing critical analytical and self-learning skills. Part three describes the difference between general and individual feedback, explains why individual feedback is the most important feature of an effective assessment program, and enumerates the characteristics of effective individual feedback. Part four includes specific steps that faculty, administrations, and academic achievement professionals should take in order to create an assessment program to improve students’ self-learning and analytical skills.
Impact of tranexamic acid on blood loss and transfusion rate in children with cerebral palsy undergoing hip reconstruction with two or more osteotomies.

Tranexamic acid (TXA), a synthetic lysine analogue, has been used in orthopedic procedures to limit blood loss and prevent allogeneic blood transfusions. However, data are scarce on its use in hip reconstruction of patients with cerebral palsy (CP). This study examines the effect of TXA on patients with CP undergoing hip reconstruction with at least two osteotomies. This is a single-center, retrospective study of patients with CP who underwent hip reconstruction with two or more osteotomies from January 2013 to April 2019. There were 43 patients, with a mean age of 9.9 years. Age, procedure, preoperative and postoperative hemoglobin/hematocrit, estimated blood loss (EBL), transfusions and length of stay were recorded. The patients were split into the following two groups: 24 patients who had received intraoperative TXA and 19 who had not. Age, EBL, mean preoperative and postoperative hemoglobin or hematocrit, preoperative to postoperative hematocrit drop, and length of stay were similar for the two groups (p > 0.05). The risk for intraoperative transfusion (21 vs. 17%), postoperative transfusion (26 vs. 8%), and any transfusion (42 vs. 21%) appeared to be greater in the group that did not receive TXA, but this difference did not achieve statistical significance. This pilot study shows patients with CP undergoing hip reconstruction with two or more osteotomies; the use of TXA, while not statistically significant, shows a trend toward a decreased need for allogeneic blood transfusion.
Carotid smooth muscle contractility changes after severe burn

Severe burns result in cardiovascular dysfunction, but responses in the peripheral vasculature are unclear. We hypothesize that severe burns disturb arterial contractility through acute changes in adrenergic and cholinergic receptor function. To address this, we investigated the changes in carotid artery contractility and relaxation following a severe burn. Thirty-four adult Sprague–Dawley male rats received a 40% total body surface area (TBSA) scald burn and fluid resuscitation using the Parkland formula. Control animals received sham burn procedure. Animals were serially euthanized between 6 h and 14 days after burn and endothelium-intact common carotid arteries were used for ex vivo force/relaxation measurements. At 6 h after burn, carotid arteries from burned animals demonstrated a > 50% decrease in cumulative dose-responses to norepinephrine (p < 0.05) and to 10−7 M angiotensin II (p < 0.05). Notably, pre-constricted carotid arteries also demonstrated reduced relaxation responses to acetylcholine (p < 0.05) 6 h after burn, but not to sodium nitroprusside. Histologic examination of cross-sectional planes revealed significant increases in carotid artery wall thickness in burned rats at 6 h versus 3 days, with increased collagen expression in tunica media at 3 days (p < 0.05). Carotid artery dysfunction occurs within 6 h after severe burn, demonstrating decreased sensitivity to adrenergic- and angiotensin II-induced vasoconstriction and acetylcholine-induced relaxation.
DXA Versus Clinical Measures of Adiposity as Predictors of Cardiometabolic Diseases and All-Cause Mortality in Postmenopausal Women

Abstract Objective To investigate whether dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) estimates of adiposity improve risk prediction for cardiometabolic diseases over traditional surrogates, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) in older women. Patients and Methods We analyzed up to 9744 postmenopausal women aged 50 to 79 years participating in the Women’s Health Initiative who underwent a DXA scan and were free of cardiovascular disease and diabetes at baseline (October 1993 to December 1998) and followed through September 2015. Baseline BMI, WC, WHR, and DXA-derived percent total-body and trunk fat (%TrF) were incorporated into multivariable Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the risk of incident diabetes, atherosclerosis-related cardiovascular diseases (ASCVDs), heart failure, and death. Concordance probability estimates assessed the relative discriminatory value between pairs of adiposity measures. Results A total of 1327 diabetes cases, 1266 atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) cases, 292 heart failure cases, and 1811 deaths from any cause accrued during a median follow-up of up to 17.2 years. The largest hazard ratio observed per 1 standard deviation increase of an adiposity measure was for %TrF and diabetes (1.77; 95% CI, 1.66-1.88) followed by %TrF and broadly defined ASCVD (1.22; 95% CI, 1.15-1.30). These hazard ratios remained significant for both diabetes (1.47; 95% CI, 1.37-1.57) and ASCVD (1.22; 95% CI, 1.14-1.31) even after adjusting for the best traditional surrogate measure of adiposity, WC. Percentage of trunk fat was also the only adiposity measure to demonstrate statistically significant improved concordance probability estimates over BMI, WC, and WHR for diabetes and ASCVD (all P Conclusion DXA-derived estimates of abdominal adiposity in postmenopausal women may allow for substantially improved risk prediction of diabetes over standard clinical risk models. Larger DXA studies with complete lipid biomarker profiles and clinical trials are needed before firm conclusions can be made.