cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
B-cell epitopes:Fact and fiction

Antibodies are present as integral membrane receptors on cells of the B lymphocyte lineage and as proteins secreted by members of this cell family. As such they represent one of several macromolecular complexes used by the immune system in the specific recognition of antigenic molecules. In addition to antibody these include T-cell receptors and the class I and class II molecules encoded by genes within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). In humans, antibodies are produced in response to foreign particles such as infectious organisms, transplantation antigens and, in genetically deficient individuals, to human or animal proteins provided as therapeutic agents in the treatment of certain diseases. Of particular interest at this symposium are antibodies produced to coagulation factors and the nature of the epitopes on these factors. It has become increasingly apparent that a significant fraction of patients when provided with the factor, isolated either from natural sources or from recombinant material, respond by producing antibody that inhibits the function of that factor. In order to fully understand the mechanisms of the production of these antibody inhibitors to coagulation factors and to have a hope of successfully treating these individuals, one must have a better understanding of the nature of the antigenic sites on the factors to which the immune response is directed.
Diagnostic dilemma of micropapillary variant of mucinous breast cancer

An elderly woman presented with an enlarging left breast lump. Breast imaging revealed a large suspicious mass associated with cystic components. Core biopsy however was non-diagnostic and only revealed necrotic papillary tissue. The patient then underwent excision of the lesion that revealed a large area of intracystic papillary ductal carcinoma in situ with a focus of micropapillary variant of mucinous cancer. This case describes how this rare subtype could present as necrotic papillary tissue on core biopsy, resulting in a diagnostic dilemma, which had not been previously reported. A literature review of this rare subtype was performed too.
Triple CFTR Modulator Therapy for Cystic Fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis is one of the most common life-threatening autosomal recessive disorders, affecting approximately 80,000 children and adults worldwide.1 It is caused by mutations that result in deficient or defective function of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), an anion channel that is normally present in epithelial membranes.2 In addition to the standard symptomatic treatments for cystic fibrosis, two types of CFTR modulator have been approved for treatment. These include a potentiator (ivacaftor), which increases CFTR channel opening at the cell surface, and correctors (lumacaftor and tezacaftor), which increase the amount of CFTR protein at the cell surface.3 Individually, . . .
Post-CMOS Compatible Piezoelectric Micro-Machined Ultrasonic Transducers

Fingerprint sensing is pervasive in the cellular telecommunications market. Current commercial fingerprint sensors utilize capacitive scanning. This work focuses on the design, fabrication and characterization of post-complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) compatible piezoelectric micro-machined ultrasonic transducers for use as ultrasonic pixels to improve robustness to contamination and allow for sub-epidermis scans. Ultrasonic pixels are demonstrated at frequencies ranging from 100 kHz to 800 kHz with several electrode coverages and styles to identify trends.
Contagious corruption, informal employment, and income: evidence from Brazilian municipalities

Using data on 434 Brazilian municipalities, this paper explores the influence both corruption and the size of the informal sector have on economic outcomes, while allowing for the possibility of spatial dependence. Overall, this paper finds that the size of the informal sector has a statistically significant and negative association with economic outcomes that is much larger in magnitude than what is predicted by least squares estimates due to its exclusion of spillover effects, while corruption has no significant relationship. Specifically, a one standard deviation increase in the size of the informal sector is associated with a 26 % cumulative decrease in GDP per capita, compared to the maximum of a 17 % decline predicted by least squares.
The relationship between geographic range extent, sea surface temperature and adult traits in coastal temperate fishes

AIM: We use publicly available data to assess the influence of ocean basin, various biological traits and sea surface temperature on biogeographic range extent for temperate, continental shelf fish species spanning 141 families. LOCATION: Coastal waters of the temperate Northern Hemisphere. TAXON: Teleost Fishes (Infraclass Teleostei). METHODS: We assess the relationship between species range extent and depth range, maximum body length, schooling behaviour and use of multiple habitats for 1,251 species of northern, temperate, continental shelf fishes in different basins (Atlantic vs. Pacific) and margins (east vs. west) using linear mixed‐effect models with family and genus as nested random effects. We further assess the relationship between species range endpoint distribution and latitudinal temperature gradient using generalized linear models. RESULTS: We found strong positive relationships between the number of species northern range endpoints and the steepness of the latitudinal sea surface temperature gradient on the western margins of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, but no relationship on the eastern margins of these ocean basins. The strongest predictors of range extent in our global model are ocean basin/margin and depth range. Maximum body length, schooling behaviour and use of multiple habitats are also significant predictors of range extent in the global model. The factors influencing range extent differ by basin and margin. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: There are broad differences in patterns of species range extent and distribution of species ranges among basins/margins. These differences appear to be driven in part by variation in latitudinal water temperature gradient between basin margins. Our data suggest that sharp latitudinal temperature gradients may pose a barrier to dispersal and range expansion along the western margins of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, but not necessarily on the eastern margins. Our work also suggests that several post‐settlement traits may be associated with range extent either globally or in some temperate basins.
Chronic variable stress alters hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function in the female mouse

Chronic stress is often associated with a dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which can greatly increase risk for a number of stress-related diseases, including neuropsychiatric disorders. Despite a striking sex-bias in the prevalence of many of these disorders, few preclinical studies have examined female subjects. Hence, the present study aimed to explore the effects of chronic stress on the basal and acute stress-induced activity of the HPA axis in the female C57BL/6 mouse. We used a chronic variable stress (CVS) paradigm in these studies, which successfully induces physiological and behavioral changes that are similar to those reported for some patients with mood disorders. Using this model, we found pronounced, time-dependent effects of chronic stress on the HPA axis. CVS-treated females exhibited adrenal hypertrophy, yet their pattern of glucocorticoid secretion in the morning resembled that of controls. CVS-treated and control females had similar morning basal corticosterone (CORT) levels, which were both significantly elevated following a restraint stressor. Although morning basal gene expression of the key HPA-controlling neuropeptides corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), arginine vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OT) was unaltered within the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) by CVS, CVS altered the PVN OT and AVP mRNA responses to acute restraint. In control females, acute stress decreased AVP, but not OT mRNA; whereas, in CVS females, it decreased OT, but not, AVP mRNA. Unlike the morning pattern of HPA activity, in the evening, CVS-treated females showed increased basal CORT with hypoactive responses of CORT and PVN c-Fos immunoreactivity to restraint stress. Furthermore, CVS elevated evening PVN CRH and OT mRNAs in the PVN, but it did not influence anxiety- or depressive-like behavior after a light/dark box or tail suspension test. Taken together, these findings indicate that CVS is an effective model for HPA axis dysregulation in the female mouse and may be relevant for stress-related diseases.
Obstructive sleep apnea: A wake-up call for better outcomes.

For too many of us, a good night’s sleep is a rare occurrence. Lack of quality sleep has profound negative effects on our health, safety, and well-being. An estimated 50 to 70 million Americans have sleep disturbances, including 10% to 17% of men and 3% to 9% of women with moderate to severe
Response to underwater laser pointer in the Orange‐finned Anemonefish Amphiprion chrysopterus and three‐spot damselfish Dascyllus trimaculatus

Response of orange-finned anemonefish Amphiprion chrysopterus and three-spot damselfish Dascyllus trimaculatus to red laser-pointer light was studied in Mo'orea, French Polynesia. Four magnificent anemones Heteractis magnifica and their resident fish were observed for typical behaviours (biting, chasing, hiding, posing, lunging and retreating) with and without exposure to laser-pointer light. Lunging behaviour increased significantly for both fish species upon exposure to laser-pointer light; none of the other behaviours changed significantly. We advance the hypothesis that orange-finned anemonefish and three-spot damselfish interpret laser pointer stimulation as a territorial threat.
Beyond the magic wand: methodological developments and results from integrated Lidar survey at the ancient Maya Center El Pilar

Large-scale Lidar surveys have revitalized interest in regional settlement studies in the Maya Lowlands. Remotely identified features in Lidar imagery must be verified on the ground, with results o...
Impact of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors on outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES We aimed to evaluate the impact of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors on outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). BACKGROUND The impact of RAS inhibitors on outcomes after TAVR was unclear. METHODS A systematic review of articles comparing outcomes of patients using and not using RAS inhibitors after TAVR was performed through PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane. Primary outcome was midterm all-cause mortality. Risk ratios (RRs) were calculated with the corresponding 95% confidence interval using random effect models. RESULTS Five studies with 23,319 patients were included. Patients treated with RAS inhibitors had lower midterm all-cause mortality after TAVR than those without RAS inhibitors in both the unmatched (13.3 vs. 17.2%, RR 0.77, p = .005) and propensity score matched cohorts (13.5 vs 16.2%, RR 0.83, p < .001). Cardiovascular mortality (10.4 vs. 15.6%, RR 0.68, p < .001), rate of heart failure readmission (12.2 vs. 14.5%, RR 0.80, p = .006), and new-onset atrial fibrillation (14.0 vs. 23.7%, RR 0.73, p = .003) were also lower with RAS inhibitors. No difference was found between two groups regarding cerebrovascular events, myocardial infarction, major bleeding, major vascular complications, acute kidney injury, permanent pacemaker implantation, and moderate/severe paravalvular aortic regurgitation. CONCLUSIONS RAS inhibitors were associated with lower midterm all-cause mortality after TAVR.
Leptonic unitarity triangles

We present a comprehensive analysis of leptonic unitarity triangles, using both current neutrino oscillation data and projections of next-generation oscillation measurements. Future experiments, sensitive to the degree of $CP$ violation in the lepton sector, will enable the construction of precise triangles. We show how unitarity violation could manifest in the triangles and discuss how they serve as unitarity tests. We also propose the use of Jarlskog factors as a complementary means of probing unitarity. This analysis highlights the importance of testing the unitarity of the leptonic mixing matrix, an understanding of which is crucial for deciphering the nature of the neutrino sector.
Comparison of College Students' Blood Pressure, Perceived Exertion, and Psychosocial Outcomes During Virtual Reality, Exergaming, and Traditional Exercise: An Exploratory Study.

Objective: Integrating novel technologies, such as virtual reality (VR), into traditional exercise apparatuses (e.g., stationary bikes) may assist in promoting physical activity (PA) participation ...
Abstract IA11: Chemotherapy remodels the bladder cancer immune microenvironment

In the United States urothelial carcinoma (UC) of the bladder is the 4th and 9th most frequent malignancy in men and women, respectively, with around 74,000 new cases and 16,000 deaths in 2017. High-grade (HG), muscle-invasive bladder tumors account for the majority of those deaths as patients with metastatic disease have a 5-year survival rate of only 15%. The current standard-of-care first-line therapy for metastatic disease is cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy or immune checkpoint inhibition in patients who are platinum ineligible. Novel immune checkpoint (IC) inhibitors, including anti-PD1 and anti-PD-L1, represent a paradigm shift in cancer therapy and have demonstrated substantial clinical benefits in patients with advanced UC. Despite the enthusiasm engendered by PD-1/PD-L1 axis blockade in metastatic UC, only 15-25% of patients treated in published trials had objective responses. Preliminary studies from our laboratory show that chemotherapy remodels the immune microenvironment of muscle-invasive bladder cancers. We have begun to investigate the mechanisms by which chemotherapy drives a heightened immune response using our recently described genetically engineered murine (GEM) models of bladder cancer. Citation Format: William Y. Kim. Chemotherapy remodels the bladder cancer immune microenvironment [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Bladder Cancer: Transforming the Field; 2019 May 18-21; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2020;26(15_Suppl):Abstract nr IA11.
At War and at Home: The Consequences of US Women Combat Casualties:

What are the consequences of women dying in combat? We study how women fighting on the frontlines of the military affects public attitudes toward (1) military conflict and (2) women’s equality. We ...
Optimization of electron beam-deposited silver nanoparticles on zinc oxide for maximally surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy enables robust, rapid analysis on highly dilute samples. To be useful, the technique needs sensing substrates that will enhance intrinsically weak Raman signals of trace analytes. In particular, three-dimensional substrates such as zinc oxide nanowires decorated with electron-beam deposited silver nanoparticles are easily fabricated and serve the dual need of structural stability and detection sensitivity. However, little has been done to optimize electron beam-deposited silver nanoparticles for maximal surface enhancement in the unique dielectric environment of the zinc oxide substrate. Herein, fabrication and anneal parameters of electron beam-deposited silver nanoparticles were examined for the purpose of maximizing surface enhancement. Specifically, this work explored the effect of changing film thickness, deposition rate, anneal temperature, and anneal time on the surface plasmon resonance of Ag nanoparticles. In this study, multiple sets of fabrication and annealing parameters were discovered that optimized surface plasmon resonance for maximal enhancement to Raman signals acquired with a 532 nm laser. This work represents the first characterization of the fabrication and annealing parameters for electron beam-deposited silver nanoparticles on zinc oxide.
Meta-Assessment and Stakeholder Learning: Proposed Rubrics and Relevance to Academic Advising

Assessment in higher education has expanded from examining academic disciplinary programs to all aspects of student learning, including academic advising. But, how do we know whether the assessment process is effective, appropriate, accurate, and useful? This article (a) reviews the relatively new and little used approach of meta-assessment, which evaluates the quality of the assessment processes and methodologies to ensure outcome data validity and (b) argues that meta-assessment should include assessment of stakeholder learning resulting from participation in the assessment process. Academic advising professionals, as well as others in higher education, should adopt both the established approach to meta-assessment as well as the proposed focus on stakeholder learning when considering assessment processes and results. Sample rubrics are provided for both of these components of meta-assessment.
Expanding Moral Understanding

In ‘Forgiveness: An Ordered Pluralism,’ Fricker argues that the function of forgiveness is to liberate the forgiver from redundant blame-feeling. Blame is rendered redundant when it no longer serve...
Examining the Left-Right Divide Through the Lens of a Global Crisis: Ideological Differences and Their Implications for Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 disease pandemic is one of the most pressing global health issues of our time. Nevertheless, responses to the pandemic exhibit a stark ideological divide, with political conservatives (versus liberals/progressives) expressing less concern about the virus and less behavioral compliance with efforts to combat it. Drawing from decades of research on the psychological underpinnings of ideology, in four studies (total N = 4441) we examine the factors that contribute to the ideological gap in pandemic response-across domains including personality (e.g., empathic concern), attitudes (e.g., trust in science), information (e.g., COVID-19 knowledge), vulnerability (e.g., preexisting medical conditions), demographics (e.g., education, income) and environment (e.g., local COVID-19 infection rates). This work provides insight into the most proximal drivers of this ideological divide and also helps fill a long-standing theoretical and empirical gap regarding how these various ideological differences shape responses to complex real-world sociopolitical events. Among our key findings are the central role of attitude- and belief-related factors (e.g., trust in science and trust in Trump)-and the relatively weaker influence of several domain-general personality factors (empathic concern, disgust sensitivity, conspiratorial ideation). We conclude by considering possible explanations for these findings and their broader implications for our understanding of political ideology.
Rage, Indigenous Feminisms, and the Politics of Survival

AbstractFor the Rage special issue, feminist and legal scholar Sarah Deer (Muscogee [Creek]), University Distinguished Professor at the University of Kansas, and Jodi A. Byrd (Chickasaw), associate...
The Best Years of Our Lives: Hugo Friedhofer’s American Sound

Hugo Friedhofer’s widely acclaimed score to Best Years of Our Lives successfully evokes an American sound that simultaneously universalizes and authenticates this story of post-war readjustment. He accomplishes this through harmonic and rhythmic approaches indebted to Aaron Copland, but also borrows stylistic devices from jazz, as filtered through the likes of George Gershwin and other concert composers who used the jazz idiom. Friedhofer’s specific use of leitmotif in this film emphasizes the common over the specific, further unifying three stories and generalizing shared post-war experiences.
ACL Reconstruction–Tunnel Placement is Critical for Success!

The goal of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is to allow patients to return to their previous level of activity with a low rate of re-injury. To meet this goal, every ACL surgeon should strive to restore the native anatomy and kinematics of the knee. Although surgical techniques for ACLR have evolved, rates of ACL re-injury remain high, especially in young, active patients. While some of these reinjures may be unavoidable, many factors remain under the control of the surgeon. Despite all such factors contributing to a successful outcome, improper or non-anatomic tunnel placement remains the most common reported reason for technical failure. Proper knowledge and recreation of the insertional site anatomy of the ACL, on both the femur and tibia, allows surgeons to restore the patient's native anatomy and function. We present our surgical technique and rationale for placement of our ACL femoral and tibial tunnels which we have found easily reproducible and technically straightforward.
Chained study and the discovery of relational structure

Prior knowledge of relational structure allows people to quickly make sense of and respond to new experiences. When awareness of such structure is not necessary to support learning, however, it is unclear when and why individuals “spontaneously discover” an underlying relational schema. The present study examines the determinants of such discovery in discrimination-based transitive inference (TI), whereby people learn about a hierarchy of interrelated premises and are tested on their ability to draw inferences that bridge studied relations. Experiencing “chained” sequences of overlapping premises during training was predicted to facilitate the discovery of relational structure. Among individuals without prior knowledge of the hierarchy, chaining improved relational learning and was most likely to result in explicit awareness of the underlying relations between items. Observation of chained training sequences was also more effective than the self-generation of training sequences. These findings add to growing evidence that the temporal dynamics of training, including successive presentation of overlapping associations, are key to understanding spontaneous relational discovery during learning.
Assessing Survey Satisficing: The Impact of Unmotivated Questionnaire Responding on Data Quality:

Education researchers use surveys widely. Yet, critics question respondents’ ability to provide high-quality responses. As schools increasingly use student surveys to drive local policy making, res...
Targeting CD123 in BPDCN: an emerging field.

Introduction Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare and aggressive hematologic malignancy with historically poor outcomes for patients, often refractory to traditional chemotherapy. Recent research has focused on targeted therapy to improve responses and limit potential toxicity. Areas covered CD123 (also known as IL-3 Rα) is a cell surface marker and attractive therapeutic target for many myeloid malignancies, particularly BPDCN, whose cells ubiquitously overexpress CD123. We review the history of CD123 research regarding BPDCN, recent advances including FDA approval of tagraxofusp (formerly SL-401) for BPDCN, and ongoing clinical studies utilizing novel therapeutic strategies to target CD123. Expert opinion The approval of tagraxofusp for the treatment of BPDCN in December 2018 drastically changed the treatment landscape for patients with this rare neoplasm. While tagraxofusp is better tolerated than traditional multi-agent chemotherapy regimens, it requires close monitoring and sound clinical judgment by providers to prevent and mitigate severe treatment-related complications with special attention to the recognition and management of capillary leak syndrome (CLS). Several other promising strategies for targeting CD123 in BPDCN are currently under investigation, including antibody-drug conjugates, T-cell engagers, and CAR-T cellular therapeutics. These CD123 targeted approaches may soon become standard of care for patients with this difficult to treat malignancy.
Some Practical Considerations in High-Speed 3D Shape and Deformation Measurement Using Single-Shot Fringe Projection Technique

Fringe projection technique is one of the most widely used techniques for three-dimensional (3D) shape and deformation measurements by Wang Z, Nguyen DA, Barnes JC (2010) Some practical considerations in fringe projection profilometry. Opt Lasers Eng 48:218–225. Generally, it is a difficult task to conduct high-speed measurement with this technique because the speed of projecting fringes is restricted by the projector. In addition, the technique usually employs multiple-shot method such as the phase-shifting scheme, which can considerably cut down the measurement speed. To make the technique suitable for high-speed measurement, single-shot approach is normally adopted; however, a number of problems can arise, such as those associated with phase calculation, phase unwrapping, shadow and occlusion, discontinuity, multiple objects, accuracy, etc. In this paper, we propose some practical considerations to cope with the limitations in existing single-shot fringe projection technique for high-speed 3D shape and deformation measurements. Experimental supports are presented.
Nucleocytoplasmic interactions in development of amphibian hybrids.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the nucleocytoplasmic interactions in development of amphibian hybrids. The results of the investigations on lethal anuran and urodele hybrid systems are given. In the study of amphibian hybrid development, the nucleus of one species is combined with the nucleus and cytoplasm of another. Under these conditions the foreign chromosomes must replicate and function in a cytoplasmic environment, the components of which have been elaborated earlier, during oogenesis, by gene products of another species. The chapter considers the present state of knowledge with respect to abnormal interactions between egg cytoplasm and foreign sperm in the fertilization process, and the ability of foreign chromosomes from remotely related species to replicate in egg cytoplasm. The chapter deals with a developmental and cytological description of a variety of lethal hybrid systems, with particular emphasis on those combinations that have been subjected to analytical investigations with different techniques. This is followed by an analysis of the block to gastrulation. The analyses of corresponding haploid hybrids and diploid nucleocytoplasmic hybrids establish that an incompatibility between the foreign nucleus and egg cytoplasm does exist in some of these combinations as well.
Plasmodium falciparum Thioredoxin Reductase (PfTrxR) and Its Role as a Target for New Antimalarial Discovery

The growing resistance to current antimalarial drugs is a major concern for global public health. The pressing need for new antimalarials has led to an increase in research focused on the Plasmodium parasites that cause human malaria. Thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), an enzyme needed to maintain redox equilibrium in Plasmodium species, is a promising target for new antimalarials. This review paper provides an overview of the structure and function of TrxR, discusses similarities and differences between the thioredoxin reductases (TrxRs) of different Plasmodium species and the human forms of the enzyme, gives an overview of modeling Plasmodium infections in animals, and suggests the role of Trx functions in antimalarial drug resistance. TrxR of Plasmodium falciparum is a central focus of this paper since it is the only Plasmodium TrxR that has been crystallized and P. falciparum is the species that causes most malaria cases. It is anticipated that the information summarized here will give insight and stimulate new directions in which research might be most beneficial.
Competing Stories: A Case Study of the Role of Narrative Reasoning in Judicial Decisions

Part I of this article briefly reviews some of the foundational principles of narrative theory that are useful in studying the healthcare litigation. Part II sets the stage for the study by describing generally the broad reach of the litigation across the country. Part III takes a look at the trial briefs filed by the parties to the litigation to determine what story they attempted to tell. Although study focuses on the trial court briefs and decisions (because they are a larger data set), the article will occasionally refer to some of the Court of Appeals decisions that have come down as of this writing. I will not attempt to predict the outcome of the pending Supreme Court appeal, since my purpose here is only to examine how narrative may have influenced the trial court judges who had to decide different iterations of essentially the same case.Part IV then examines the opinions in the major cases and describes how the cases were decided. Finally, Part V considers the possible role that the different narrative choices might have played in reaching different outcomes.
Differential diagnosis of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents.

Issues complicating the differential diagnosis of bipolar disorder in young people are discussed. They include: a) the subtype of bipolar disorder being considered; b) the person’s age and stage of development; c) whether one views bipolar disorder more conservatively, requiring clear episodes that mark a distinct change from premorbid levels of function, or more liberally, focusing for instance on severe irritability/explosive outbursts as the mood change; d) who is reporting manic symptoms, and whether symptoms are past and must be recalled or current and more likely to be observed; e) impact of family history. The diagnosis of mania/bipolar I disorder may not become clear for a number of years. This is an impairing disorder, but so are the conditions from which it must be distinguished. Family history may increase the odds that certain symptoms/behaviors are manifestations of bipolar disorder but it does not make the diagnosis. Until there are biomarkers that can confirm the diagnosis, and treatments unique to the condition, it is wise to make a diagnosis of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents provisionally and keep an open mind to the likelihood that revisions may be necessary.
The Benefits of Asynchronous Discussion in a Hybrid Economics Course: Evidence from a Large Enrollment Economics Course

As improvements in technology continue to be integrated within the collegiate classroom it is important to study the benefits, or costs, that are associated with adopting new pedagogical practices. This paper focuses on the role that asynchronous discussion can play in furthering student development within a hybrid economics course. Specifically, this paper finds that encouraging online discussion of articles, podcasts, and videos that are related to course material results in better academic performance.
A Celebration of Environmental and Resource Economics

AbstractThis paper presents a rather personal review of the state of environmental and resource economics, preceded by some comments on the evolution of the field. It moves from the history of the ...
Developmental toxicity of thiodiglycol in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Thiodiglycol (TG), a hydrolysis product of sulfur mustard (HD), is a potential contaminant of soil and water at certain military sites. To establish developmental toxicity criteria for TG, an oral developmental toxicity study was conducted in Sprague-Dawley rats. Neat thiodiglycol (99.9 %) was administered orally to mated female rats from gestation days (GDs) 5 through 19. The day of positive mating was considered day 0. A pilot study was conducted with TG at dose levels 250, 500, 1000, 2000, or 5000 mg/kg to select suitable doses for the main study. In the main study, three groups of rats (25/group) received TG by gavage at dose levels of 430, 1290, or 3870 mg/kg/day. A fourth group served as a sham control. On day 20 of gestation, all females were euthanized and a cesarean section performed. Litters were examined for soft tissue and skeletal alterations. Maternal toxicity was limited to dams receiving TG at 3870 mg/kg/day. At this dose, body weights and food consumption were reduced during certain perio...
The tails of justice: A critical examination of the dimensionality of organizational justice constructs

Abstract Justice experiences are proposed to demonstrate a normal distribution with very fair and very unfair experiences being relatively rare and the majority of experiences in the middle of the distribution. Further, it is the extreme experiences of unfairness and fairness that are most important in shaping behavioral reactions to fairness. The reliance on traditional Likert-type measures to assess organizational justice constructs and use of linear correlation-based statistics has limited the opportunity to observe these effects. Two proposals for developing new measures that could enhance our understanding of the tails of justice distributions include: (a) develop a zone of tolerance model to assess violations and “more than fair” tails of the fairness distribution and (b) examine baseline levels of fairness and the influence of these baselines on reactions to specific justice events.
PREDATION, FOOD LIMITATION, PHENOTYPIC PLASTICITY AND LIFE-HISTORY VARIATION IN GAMBUSIA HUBBSI

Langerhans et al. (2007) present molecular data, morphological variation of both males and females, and female mate preferences as evidence that ecological speciation, mediated by differences in exposure to predation by piscivores (Gobiomorus dormitor as well other piscivorous fish), occurred among populations of Gambusia hubbsi occupying blue holes on Andros, Commonwealth of the Bahamas. Their conclusion rests on two critical assumptions, namely, that previous studies of G. hubbsi (Krumholz 1963; Sohn 1977; Downhower et al. 2000) provide “. . . evidence for strong divergent selection between predator regimes.” and that “observed differences are unlikely to merely reflect environmentally induced phenotypic variation as morphological differences . . . between populations within species exhibit a strong genetic basis.” The first assumption is essential to their claim that differences in body shape are due to differences in exposure to predation and hence predator avoidance. The second is essential if their observed mate preferences are to have evolutionary consequences. Previously published studies show these claims to be false, at least for G. hubbsi on Andros Island (Downhower et al. 2000, 2002), and invalidate Langerhans et al.’s conclusions regarding predation and its role in presumptive ecological speciation in this species. With regard to “strong divergent selection between predator regimes,” Krumholz collected fish from just two localities, a “tidal pool” in which piscivores were present and a man-made, brackish water pond with no predators but where phytoplankton blooms reduced visibility to “as little as one foot.” As a consequence, any conclusions regarding the role of predation in shaping differences between these two populations are confounded by other edaphic and ecological factors (see Hurlbert 1984). We note that other piscivore-present, piscivore-absent comparisons cited by Langerhans et al. are similarly confounded. Sohn’s laboratory study used fish collected “. . .from a pond on South Bimini. . .” No further details are given, and no piscivores were used in his experiments. Rather, he showed that a juvenile male reared in the presence of an adult male delayed maturation until it is larger than the adult, and when juvenile males are raised together, the second male to mature is larger than the first male to mature. Because male poeciliids grow little after their gonopodium has matured (Turner 1941), Sohn’s findings would be expected to apply to any poeciliid in which male size affects the outcome of competition with other males for access to females (Borowsky 1973; Hughes 1985). Hence, neither Krumholz nor Sohn provides evidence that predation shaped the differences they reported. More seriously Langerhans et al. also claimed that our work provides “evidence for strong divergent selection between predator regimes.” In fact, we rejected that hypothesis and demonstrated remarkable phenotypic plasticity in this species. Our dataset,
Changes in Chick Oviduct Chromatin Antigenicity Following Estrogen Withdrawal

A microcomplement fixation assay was used to study changes in the antigenicity of chick oviduct chromatin following estrogen withdrawal. Our findings indicate that following estrogen withdrawal, chromatin from previously stimulated oviducts lost those antigenic determinants which were characteristic of the stimulated state. Withdrawal did not, however, result in the reappearance of antigenic sites characteristic of the unstimulated oviduct. These results suggest that estrogen stimulation of the immature chick results in an irreversible alteration of the oviduct chromatin. (Endocrinology 97: 1325, 1975)
N-Arylation of Primary and Secondary Aliphatic Amines on Solid Supports

A general and mild method for the N-arylation of primary and secondary aliphatic amines is reported. Copper acetate, triethylamine mediated C/N cross-coupling reaction of arylboronic acids at room temperature to solid-supported primary and secondary amines gave good to excellent yields of the desired N-arylated products.
CSF biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease: current utility and potential future use

With the emergence of disease-modifying strategies for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), impetus has intensified to diagnose the condition in its early ‘preclinical’ stages — before significant brain damage has occurred. Since their first description in 1907, amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) have been the hallmark histopathological features of AD. Historically, they have also been associated with the dementia caused by the disease. It is clear, however, that these lesions begin to accrue in significant amounts in many ‘cognitively normal’ elderly individuals (Crystal, et al., 1988) and likely together with other synaptic and cellular damage, must reach a threshold to enable the clinical manifestations we recognize as dementia. A growing body of evidence now supports the idea that amyloid plaques and NFTs actually define but do not fully represent the disease process, which also involves inflammation as well as neuronal, axonal, and synaptic loss and dysfunction. All of these changes begin to occur years before significant cognitive decline; however, the pathological processes of AD currently come to attention during life only when it manifests clinically. The early clinical signs that are believed to be due to AD (e.g. decline in memory and executive functions relative to prior level of functioning) are referred to in different ways by clinicians. Some report this syndrome as very mild dementia (Morris, 1993). Others prefer the term mild cognitive impairment (Petersen, et al., 1999). Because many of the biomarkers that provide insight into the underlying pathology of AD are not yet used in day-to-day patient care, these diagnoses reflect attempts to describe clinical syndromes in the absence of definitive proof of the underlying pathology. However, in combination with clinical methods and cognitive tests, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers can contribute to a more accurate assessment of both whether AD pathology is the likely cause or associated with cognitive impairment as well as whether AD pathology is present in the brain of someone who is cognitively normal. Perhaps more importantly, CSF biomarkers can now be useful for clinical trials and for clinicians to predict prognosis of individuals who have mild cognitive impairment/very mild dementia as well as for those who are cognitively normal. The sampling of CSF represents the most direct and convenient means to study the biochemical changes occurring in the central nervous system. Therefore, CSF is an attractive resource for ongoing research into AD biomarkers. Implicated by biochemical and immunohistological studies of AD brain tissue, the major protein constituents of the hallmark pathological features of the disease (Aβ42, tau and phosphorylated forms of tau) have emerged as the current leading diagnostic and prognostic fluid CSF biomarkers.
Use of Simulated Annealing for Identifying Essential Fish Habitat in a Multispecies Context

Essential fish habitat (EFH) is defined under U.S. federal law, which mandates its protection. Current single-species approaches to identifying EFH for suites of managed species have resulted in areas designated fo rp rotection that are so large that protecting fish habitat has been difficult in the context of fishery manage- ment. We evaluated the potential for simulated annealing, a type of mathematical optimization, as a tool for simultaneously identifying EFH for multiple species in four ecological regions of the eastern continental shelf of the United States. Data were obtained from a shelf-wide trawl survey with site-specific abundance informa- tion spanning 37 years. The data were averaged within units of a sampling grid with 10-minute squares. We used computer software with an objective function that includes a term for weighting the boundary length of selected sampling units and thereby identifies solutions that meet specific targets for representation under varying degrees of spatial aggregation. We defined representation as a percentage of the cumulative sampled abundance of individual species and examined the effects of these target values and spatial constraints on total (sea-surface) area and boundary length of solution sets. We also evaluated the algorithm for its ability to select areas where juveniles occurred at high densities as a proxy for habitat value. Annealing solutions covered less total area than would the combined habitats of individual species that capture the same proportion of popu- lation abundance. For most species in most solutions, high-density areas were selected in higher proportions to their relative abundance in a region and solutions contained less total habitat area and smaller boundary lengths. Additionally, sampling units were distributed among two or more discrete localities versus a single location for the same target level of representation. We suggest that simulated annealing is a viable tool for EFH planning with the potential for identifying more spatially conservative habitat areas for protection than a single-species approach.
Purine and pyrimidine absorption by the gut of the chiton, Cryptochiton stelleri

Abstract 1. 1. The active transport of purines and pyrimidines across an in vitro everted intestinal sac of Cryptochiton stelleri was studied. 2. 2. The purines guanine and hypoxanthine were absorbed by active transport mechanisms as were the pyrimidines thymine and uracil. 3. 3. No evidence for the active transport of adenine, uric acid and cytosine was obtained. 4. 4. The active transport mechanism for the purines and pyrimidines was dependent on a constant supply of aerobic metabolic energy.
On estimating colloid osmotic pressure in pre- and postglomerular plasma in the rat.

Currently in renal physiology much investigative effort is being directed toward an assessment of the role of plasma colloid osmotic pressure (COP) in influencing both the rate of formation of glomerular ultrafiltrate and the rate of reabsorption of this ultrafiltrate by the renal tubules [1–4]. One important consequence of this process of ultrafiltration is that plasma undergoes a progressive increase in its protein concentration (and therefore in COP) in the course of traversing the glomerular capillary network, rising from approximately 6 g/100 ml in the afferent arteriole to values as high as 9 to 11 g/l00 ml in the efferent arteriole [1–3, 5, 6]. Thereafter, as a result of the return of reabsorbate to the postglomerular microcirculation, the concentration of protein declines from these high levels to values approaching pre-glomerular concentrations, the exact level being determined primarily by the volume of ultrafiltrate which escapes return to the renal circulation and instead leaves the kidney either as urine or lymph. At present no method is available for the direct measurement of COP in the small samples of blood which are obtainable from vessels in the postglomerular microcirculation using conventional micropuncture techniques. Instead the current approach to the estimation of COP in pre- and postglomerular blood makes use of 1) the measurement of total protein concentration in systemic and efferent arteriolar blood plasmas [1–3, 5–7], or the measurement of systemic protein concentration and the calculation of postglomerular protein concentration from simultaneous determination of filtration fraction [8], and 2) the application of one of several empirical equations which relate total protein concentration to COP [9]. The equation most frequently employed is that derived by Landis and Pappenheimer [9] for human plasma containing approximately equal concentrations of albumin and globulin (see equation 2 below).
K2O-rich trapped melt in olivine in the Nakhla meteorite: Implications for petrogenesis of nakhlites and evolution of the Martian mantle

We used new analytical and theoretical methods to determine the major and minor element compositions of the primary trapped liquid (PTLs) represented by melt inclusions in olivine and augite in the Martian clinopyroxenite, Nakhla, for comparison with previously proposed compositions for the Nakhla (or nakhlite) parent magma. We particularly focused on obtaining accurate K2O contents, and on testing whether high K2O contents and K2O/Na2O ratios obtained in previous studies of melt inclusions in olivine in Nakhla could have been due to unrepresentative sampling, systematic errors arising from electron microprobe techniques, late alteration of the inclusions, and/or boundary layer effects. Based on analyses of 35 melt inclusions in olivine cores, the PTL in olivine, PTLoliv, contained (by wt) approximately 47% SiO2, 6.3% Al2O3, 9.6% CaO, 1.8% K2O, and 0.9% Na2O, with K2O/Na2O = 2.0. We infer that the high K2O content of PTLoliv is not due to boundary layer effects and represents a real property of the melt from which the host olivine crystallized. This melt was cosaturated with olivine and augite. Its mg# is model-dependent and is constrained only to be ≥19 (equilibrium Fo = 40). Based on analyses of 91 melt inclusions in augite cores, the PTL in augite, PTLaug, contained (by wt) 53–54% SiO2, 7–8% Al2O3, 0.8–1.1% K2O, and 1.1–1.4% Na2O, with K2O/Na2O = 0.7–0.8. This K2O content and K2O/Na2O ratio are significantly higher than inferred in studies of melt inclusions in augite in Nakhla by experimental rehomogenization. PTLaug was saturated only with augite, and in equilibrium with augite cores of mg# 62. PTLaug represents the Nakhla parent magma, and does not evolve to PTLoliv by fractional crystallization. We therefore conclude that olivine cores in Nakhla (and, by extension, other nakhlites) are xenocrystic. We propose that PTLoliv and PTLaug were generated from the same source region. PTLoliv was generated first and emplaced to form olivine-rich cumulate rocks. Shortly thereafter, PTLaug was generated and ascended through these olivine-rich cumulates, incorporating fragments of wallrock that became the xenocrystic olivine cores in Nakhla. The Nakhla (nakhlite) mantle source region was pyroxenitic with some olivine, and could have become enriched in K relative to Na via metasomatism. A high degree of melting of this source produced the silica-poor, alkali-rich magma PTLoliv. Further ascension and decompression of the source led to generation of the silica-rich, relatively alkali-poor magma PTLaug. Potassium-rich magmas like those involved in the formation of the nakhlites represent an important part of the diversity of Martian igneous rocks.