cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Christopher S. Chivvis: The French War on Al Qa’ida in Africa

Americans may not be used to thinking of the French military as a successful unit. In The French War on Al Qa’ida in Africa, however, Christopher S. Chivvis provides a compelling case that the Fren...
The positive influence of female college students on their male peers

Abstract Female college students improve the academic outcomes of their male peers. Using within-college across-cohort variation in freshman enrollment at US colleges, a one standard deviation increase in the proportion of females in a freshman cohort is associated with a half percentage point increase in graduation rates for males in that cohort, while there is no effect for females. Effects are more evident in colleges where student interactions are likely more intense – colleges with higher shares of students living on campus, in college housing, and without cars – suggesting that effects operate through changes in the college learning environment.
Endogenous Litigation Costs: An Empirical Analysis of Patent Disputes

A theoretical literature explains how parties can strategically sink litigation costs to maximize their prospects. We explore this “endogenous litigation costs” hypothesis empirically. To do so, we introduce measures of case progression, establish and validate new proxies for party and court costs, and parse the rich information about litigation contained in novel administrative data from court dockets. As a case study, we use the universe of 16,661 patent cases filed between 2005 and 2010, containing roughly 1.5 million docket entries. We document the costs of litigants and courts throughout litigation, and find that litigation costs cluster around events that must occur in order for litigation to proceed. Finally, we present evidence that costs around stages of litigation are higher for cases that eventually reach later stages of litigation, which we argue is consistent with the endogenous litigation costs hypothesis.
Inosine attenuates spontaneous activity in the rat neurogenic bladder through an A 2B pathway

Neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO) is among the most challenging complications of spinal cord injury (SCI). A recent report by us demonstrated an improvement in NDO in SCI rats following chronic systemic treatment with the purine nucleoside inosine. The objective of this study was to investigate the mechanism of action of inosine underlying improvement of NDO. Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent complete spinal cord transection at T8. Inosine (1 mM) delivered intravesically to SCI rats during conscious cystometry significantly decreased the frequency of spontaneous non-voiding contractions. In isolated tissue assays, inosine (1 mM) significantly decreased the amplitude of spontaneous activity (SA) in SCI bladder muscle strips. This effect was prevented by a pan-adenosine receptor antagonist CGS15943, but not by A1 or A3 receptor antagonists. The A2A antagonist ZM241385 and A2B antagonist PSB603 prevented the effect of inosine. The effect of inosine was mimicked by the adenosine receptor agonist NECA and the A2B receptor agonist BAY60-6583. The inhibition of SA by inosine was not observed in the presence of the BK antagonist, iberiotoxin, but persisted in the presence of KATP and SK antagonists. These findings demonstrate that inosine acts via an A2B receptor-mediated pathway that impinges on specific potassium channel effectors.
Externalizing Problems Using Art in a Group Setting for Substance Use Treatment

ABSTRACTIn addiction recovery, the person in treatment is traditionally identified by their problem and labeled an addict or alcoholic. The addiction is perceived to be ingrained as a life-long disease, but unlike cancer, the blame is often put on the person for having it. By externalizing a problem we create space for the person to freely address their problems without using up emotional resources to carry the weight of being the problem. This article provides a description of how externalizing problems using art along with the narrative practice of mapping the influence can be beneficial for building one’s personal resources and confidence in navigating the problem of substance dependence. Detail is given to the set-up of the intervention, process of externalizing problems, facilitating a conversation to map the influence of the problem, and addressing client responses. This intervention is applied to a group therapy setting and considerations are given to scenarios of resistance or hesitancy from clients.
Impairment, Disability, and Identity in the Middle Woodland Period: Life at the Juncture of Achondroplasia, Pregnancy, and Infection

A rare case of pre-Columbian skeletal dysplasia from the Middle Woodland period provides a vehicle for exploring the complexities of interpreting impairment and disability from bioarchaeological remains and archaeological contexts. The skeletal remains of an adult woman and an associated fetus were excavated from an intrusive pit burial within Mound 3 at the Elizabeth site in the Lower Illinois Valley. The differential diagnosis revealed that the female was experiencing a combined skeletal dysplasia, a nearly full-term pregnancy, and a disseminated bone infection at the time of death. This chapter will demonstrate the difficulty of utilizing the terminology of impairment and disability in a bioarchaeological context and the complexities of interpreting the associated societal and cultural implications for the people involved.
Phenomenology and Hermeneutics

In this paper, I intend to sketch out a possible defense of the claim that while phenomenology may well have an independent future of its own, a concomitant viability lies in its continuation through hermeneutics, especially as elaborated by Gadamer and Ricoeur.
Towards the scale up of tissue engineered intervertebral discs for clinical application.

Abstract Replacement of the intervertebral disc with a viable, tissue-engineered construct that mimics native tissue structure and function is an attractive alternative to fusion or mechanical arthroplasty for the treatment of disc pathology. While a number of engineered discs have been developed, the average size of these constructs remains a fraction of the size of human intervertebral discs. In this study, we fabricated medium (3 mm height × 10 mm diameter) and large (6 mm height × 20 mm diameter) sized disc-like angle ply structures (DAPS), encompassing size scales from the rabbit lumbar spine to the human cervical spine. Maturation of these engineered discs was evaluated over 15 weeks in culture by quantifying cell viability and metabolic activity, construct biochemical content, MRI T2 values, and mechanical properties. To assess the performance of the DAPS in the in vivo space, pre-cultured DAPS were implanted subcutaneously in athymic rats for 5 weeks. Our findings show that both sized DAPS matured functionally and compositionally during in vitro culture, as evidenced by increases in mechanical properties and biochemical content over time, yet large DAPS under-performed compared to medium DAPS. Subcutaneous implantation resulted in reductions in NP cell viability and GAG content at both size scales, with little effect on AF biochemistry or metabolic activity. These findings demonstrate that engineered discs at large size scales will mature during in vitro culture, however, future work will need to address the challenges of reduced cell viability and heterogeneous matrix distribution throughout the construct. Statement of Significance This work establishes, for the first time, tissue-engineered intervertebral discs for total disc replacement at large, clinically relevant length scales. Clinical translation of tissue-engineered discs will offer an alternative to mechanical disc arthroplasty and fusion procedures, and may contribute to a paradigm shift in the clinical care for patients with disc pathology and associated axial spine and neurogenic extremity pain.
Neutrino Signals of Core-Collapse Supernovae in Underground Detectors

For a suite of fourteen core-collapse models during the dynamical first second after bounce, we calculate the detailed neutrino "light" curves expected in the underground neutrino observatories Super-Kamiokande, DUNE, JUNO, and IceCube. These results are given as a function of neutrino-oscillation modality (normal or inverted hierarchy) and progenitor mass (specifically, post-bounce accretion history), and illuminate the differences between the light curves for 1D (spherical) models that don't explode with the corresponding 2D (axisymmetric) models that do. We are able to identify clear signatures of explosion (or non-explosion), the post-bounce accretion phase, and the accretion of the silicon/oxygen interface. In addition, we are able to estimate the supernova detection ranges for various physical diagnostics and the distances out to which various temporal features embedded in the light curves might be discerned. We find that the progenitor mass density profile and supernova dynamics during the dynamical explosion stage should be identifiable for a supernova throughout most of the galaxy in all the facilities studied and that detection by any one of them, but in particular more than one in concert, will speak volumes about the internal dynamics of supernovae.
Weighing the relative importance of short-term versus long-term outcomes when comparing surgery versus stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer.

Lung cancer continues to be the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, with an estimated 234,030 new cases and 154,050 deaths expected in 2018 alone (1).
Securing the future in the anthropocene: A critical analysis of the millennium ecosystem assessment scenarios

This commentary analyzes the ontological character of the United Nations’ Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005) and its attempt to imagine business-as-usual and transformative human-environmental futures. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) constitutes the first and most significant attempt by an international political body to incorporate environmental concerns into the field of imaginative scenario building. In addition to its lengthy report on the threatened status of planetary ecosystems, the MA contains extensive “future scenarios” that imagine how human-environmental relations might unfold over the course of the twenty-first century. These scenarios arise out of the lineage of military scenarios generated during the Cold War, and continue to inform UN assessments in the present. This commentary explores how a politico-military concern for security informs the framework of the scenarios, and limits how the MA characterizes the fundamental human act of narration. In the process, the commentary explores alternative ontologies of narration and how these may lead to more transformative narratological interventions.
A multispecies coalescent model for quantitative traits

We present a multispecies coalescent model for quantitative traits that allows for evolutionary inferences at micro- and macroevolutionary scales. A major advantage of this model is its ability to incorporate genealogical discordance underlying a quantitative trait. We show that discordance causes a decrease in the expected trait covariance between more closely related species relative to more distantly related species. If unaccounted for, this outcome can lead to an overestimation of a trait's evolutionary rate, to a decrease in its phylogenetic signal, and to errors when examining shifts in mean trait values. The number of loci controlling a quantitative trait appears to be irrelevant to all trends reported, and discordance also affected discrete, threshold traits. Our model and analyses point to the conditions under which different methods should fare better or worse, in addition to indicating current and future approaches that can mitigate the effects of discordance.
Effect of boron supplementation of pig diets on the production of tumor necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of dietary B on the production of cytokines following an endotoxin challenge. In both experiments, pigs were obtained from litters generated from sows fed low-B (control) or B-supplemented (5 mg/ kg, as-fed basis) diets. In Exp. 1 and 2, 28 and 35 pigs, respectively (21 d old), remained with their littermates throughout a 49-d nursery phase and were fed either a control or B-supplemented diet. In Exp. 1, 12 pigs per treatment were moved to individual pens at the completion of the nursery phase and fed their respective experimental diet. On d 99 of the study, pigs were injected with 150 microg of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) to evaluate a local inflammatory response. Pigs receiving the B-supplemented diet had a decreased (P < 0.01) inflammatory response following PHA injection. Peripheral blood monocytes were isolated from six pigs per treatment on d 103 and cultured in the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to determine the effect of dietary B on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production from monocytes. Isolated monocytes from pigs that received the B-supplemented diet had a numerically greater (P = 0.23) production of TNF-alpha. In Exp. 2, pigs were group housed with their littermates following the nursery phase for 43 d, after which 10 pigs per treatment were moved to individual pens. In Exp. 1 and 2, pigs were assigned randomly within dietary treatment to receive either an i.m. injection of saline or LPS on d 117 and d 109, respectively. The dose of LPS in Exp. 1 and 2 was 100 and 25 microg of LPS/kg of BW, respectively. In Exp. 1, serum TNF-alpha was increased (P < 0.01) at 2 h and tended to be increased (P < 0.11) at 6 and 24 h after injection by dietary B; however, only numerical trends existed for a B-induced increase in TNF-alpha in Exp. 2. Serum interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) was increased (P < 0.01) at 6 h and tended to be increased (P < 0.08) at 24 h after injection in Exp. 1. In Exp. 2, dietary B also numerically increased IFN-alpha. These data indicate that dietary B supplementation increased the production of cytokines following a stress, which indicates a role of B in the immune system; however, these data do not explain the reduction in localized inflammation following an antigen challenge in pigs.
Inaccuracy of pulmonary capillary wedge pressure when compared to left atrial pressure in the early postsurgical period.

Simultaneous measurements of pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) and left atrial pressure (LAP) were obtained before and after cardiopulmonary bypass and for a period of 16 hours postoperatively in 20 consecutive patients undergoing elective cardiac operations. In contrast to several previous reports that PCWP accurately reflects left-sided hemodynamics, we found that the PCWP significantly exceeded the LAP in the early postbypass period and was most significantly in error at 4, 8, and 12 hours after operation (p
MISUSE DETECTION - An Iterative Process vs. A Genetic Algorithm Approach

With the explosion of the Internet and its use, the development of security mechanims are quite important in order to preserve the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data stored in computers. However, the growth of intrusions can make such mechanisms almost unusable, in the sense that the computation time or space needed in order to mantain them can grow exponentially. This position paper presents an iterative process for doing misuse detection, and compares it with another approach for doing that: a Genetic Algorithm.
Uncovered Interest Parity Puzzle: Cross-sectional and Time-series Analysis

This paper proposes a new explanationfor the UIP puzzle by analyzing a large number of cross-country bilateral exchange rates in two dimensions, cross-sectional and time-series. The exchange rates analyzed here includes a broad spectrum of developed and developing countries. The UIP relationship holds up well in cross-sectional analysis and the slope estimates remain largely between zero and one throughout the sample periods, with a few exceptions. There does not appear to be a well-publicized UIP puzzle for cross-sectional UIP. For time-series UIP, short-term (one month) UIP holds up well and UIP puzzle is largely confined to the key currencies. We introduce the key currency bias to explain the empirical failure of UIP in these cases. The key currency concept is a similar to the home bias for portfolio holdings. UIP seems to fail more often when a key currency is involved in the bilateral exchange rate relationship than when only non-key currencies are involved, especially when the key currency offers higher return on capital. This paper presents an empirical evidence for a state-dependent asymmetric response in exchange rate changes depending on the direction of the forward premium.
Wound Macrophages as Key Regulators of Repair Origin, Phenotype, and Function

Recent results call for the reexamination of the phenotype of wound macrophages and their role in tissue repair. These results include the characterization of distinct circulating monocyte populations with temporally restricted capacities to migrate into wounds and the observation that the phenotype of macrophages isolated from murine wounds partially reflects those of their precursor monocytes, changes with time, and does not conform to current macrophage classifications. Moreover, findings in genetically modified mice lacking macrophages have confirmed that these cells are essential to normal wound healing because their depletion results in retarded and abnormal repair. This mini-review focuses on current knowledge of the phenotype of wound macrophages, their origin and fate, and the specific macrophage functions that underlie their reparative role in injured tissues, including the regulation of the cellular infiltration of the wound and the production of transforming growth factor-β and vascular endothelial growth factor.
A Multi-Model Based Approach for Driver Missense Identification

The rapid growth in DNA and protein sequencing techniques over the last decade boosted the availability and scale of mutations data, and therefore the necessity of developing automated approaches to predict driver mutations arises. Identifying driver mutations is essential to better understand and measure cancer progression and thus enable proper diagnosis and targeted treatment of cancer. Here, we present a scalable machine learning based approach to identify driver missense mutations. The proposed approach builds on and expands our previously proposed framework. A group of independent parallel classifiers where each classifier handles a single set of features can be deployed. Then, a model fusion module combines the classifiers' outputs to produce a final mutation label. Each classifier is trained and validated independently with its corresponding feature set. Feature sets undergo a feature selection process to filter out low significance features. In this paper, four protein sequence-level feature sets are leveraged, namely two amino acid indices (AAIndex1 and AAIndex2) feature sets, one pseudo amino acid composition (PseAAC) feature set, and one feature set generated using wavelet analysis. The proposed approach is extensible to consume new additional features with the minimal impact on the computational complexity due to the parallel design of its components. Experiments were performed to assess the performance of the proposed approach and to compare it with other similar approaches.
Renal dysfunction is associated with higher central venous pressures in patients with Fontan circulation

PURPOSE Elevated central venous pressure (CVP) has deleterious effects on several organ systems in patients with Fontan circulation. However, the relationship between CVP and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) has not been assessed in patients with Fontan circulation. METHODS Patients with Fontan circulation whose hemodynamics were assessed by catheterization between 1987 and 2015 and had a serum creatinine measured within 72 hours prior to the procedure were included for analysis. Patients with primary kidney disease were excluded. Renal function was calculated by "bedside Schwartz" equation in children (< 18 years) and Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation in adults. Renal dysfunction (RD) was defined by eGFR < 90mL/min/1.73m2 . Fontan patients with and without RD were compared based on demographics, co-morbidities, medication use, echocardiographic findings, hemodynamics assessed at time of catheterization, and laboratory testing values. RESULTS Sixty-seven patients with Fontan circulation met inclusion criteria and 15 patients (22%) had RD; eGFR (mL/min/1.73m2 ) was 60-89in 13 (87%), 45-59in 1 (7%), and 30-45in 1 (7%). Compared to patients with eGFR equal to or greater than 90, patients with RD had higher CVP (18.0 [15.0-21.0] mm Hg vs 13.5 [12.3-16.0] mm Hg (P = 0.001), lower pulmonary blood flow 2.2 [1.9-2.6] L/min/m2 vs 2.8 [2.3-3.7] L/min/m2 , higher ventricular end-diastolic pressure 10.5 [7.0-17.3] mm Hg vs 8.0 [6.0-10.0] mm Hg (P = 0.050), were more likely to have worse atrioventricular valve regurgitation (P = 0.02) and were more likely to be African American (P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS In this study population, renal dysfunction in patients with Fontan circulation is associated with increased CVP and factors that affect CVP. African Americans with Fontan circulation may be at particular risk for renal dysfunction. Continued investigation of the effects of venous congestion on kidneys and other factors associated with renal dysfunction in patients with Fontan circulation is warranted.
CIRP Induces Neutrophil Reverse Transendothelial Migration in Sepsis.

Extracellular cold-inducible RNA-binding protein (CIRP) exaggerates inflammation in sepsis. Neutrophil reverse transendothelial migration (rTEM) allows neutrophils to migrate from tissues into the circulation. The phenotype of neutrophils after reverse migration is CD54CXCR1. We hypothesize that CIRP induces neutrophil rTEM in sepsis. Sepsis was induced in male C57BL/6 mice by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), and at 5, 10, or 20 h after CLP the frequencies of reversely migrated (RM) neutrophils were assessed in the blood by flow cytometry. As 20 h of CLP showed highest increase in the frequency of RM neutrophils, we further assessed RM neutrophils in the blood of WT and CIRP mice at this time point. The effect of CIRP on neutrophil rTEM was determined by injecting mice with recombinant mouse CIRP (rmCIRP) intratracheally (i.t.) and assessed the frequencies of RM neutrophils. The expression of neutrophil elastase (NE) and junctional adhesion molecule-C (JAM-C) in the lungs was measured by Western blot. The mean frequency of RM neutrophils in sham mice was 0.4%, whereas the frequencies were significantly increased to 1%, 3%, and 7% at 5, 10, and 20 h of CLP, respectively. The mean frequency of RM neutrophils in the blood of CIRP mice was significantly lower than that of WT mice at 20 h of CLP. The RM neutrophils in the blood was significantly increased after administration of rmCIRP i.t. into mice in a time- and dose-dependent manners. NE expression was upregulated, whereas JAM-C expression was downregulated in the lungs after CLP or rmCIRP administration. For the first time, we have showed that CIRP induces neutrophil rTEM in sepsis by increasing NE and decreasing JAM-C.
Inequality in Earnings and Adverse Shocks in Early Adulthood

The inequality of opportunity theory postulates that achievement gaps arising because of factors beyond the individual's control are morally unacceptable and should therefore be compensated by society. These factors or circumstances range from the individual's social background to adverse shocks. Most studies have focused on the contribution of social background and genetic and other childhood-related circumstances to inequality of opportunity. Borrowing insights based on the impressionable years hypothesis in social psychology, this paper tests how exposure to adverse shocks, such as war, in early adulthood (ages 18-25) affects the individual's future labor earnings and subsequently contributes to earnings inequality. The application to the Democratic Republic of Congo is associated with two significant takeaways. First, all else equal, individuals who experience intensely violent conflict at a young age earn significantly less than their counterparts. Second, after controlling for the individual's social background, the share of overall inequality in earnings accounted for by the experience of adverse shocks in early adulthood is not negligible, ranging from 2.5 to 3.5 percent. These insights broaden our understanding in the discussion on inequality of opportunity and represent a new path in the design of allocation policies that seek to reduce inequality and poverty.
Shared Pathophysiology of Detrusor Overactivity and Detrusor Underactivity

Detrusor overactivity (DO) and the associated symptom complex of overactive bladder (OAB) is well-studied with many treatment options. In contrast, detrusor underactivity (DU) and its associated symptom complex, underactive bladder (UAB), is poorly understood. Researchers have proposed explanations that link OAB and UAB with a common pathophysiology. The purpose of this review is to examine concepts and recent underlying research supporting a shared pathophysiology of DO and DU. In 2014, Dr. Michael Chancellor proposed “The Overactive Bladder Progression to Underactive Bladder Hypothesis.” Since then, researchers have conducted several animal and human studies to examine the pathophysiology of OAB and UAB. These studies, which highlight this shared pathophysiology, can be categorized broadly into neurogenic, myogenic, urothelial dysfunction, and idiopathic etiologies. Autonomous bladder micromotions are another proposed mechanism of shared OAB and UAB pathophysiology. UAB is poorly understood in comparison to OAB, yet the concept of a shared pathophysiology could shed light into future research, technology, and pharmacologic interventions to adequately manage patients with these conditions.
Epstein-Barr virus enhances genome maintenance of Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a B cell lymphoma that is always associated with Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and in many cases also with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV); however, the requirement for EBV coinfection is not clear. Here, we demonstrate that adding exogenous EBV to KSHV+ single-positive PEL leads to increased KSHV genome maintenance and KSHV latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) expression. To show that EBV was necessary for naturally coinfected PEL, we nucleofected KSHV+/EBV+ PEL cell lines with an EBV-specific CRISPR/Cas9 plasmid to delete EBV and observed a dramatic decrease in cell viability, KSHV genome copy number, and LANA expression. This phenotype was reversed by expressing Epstein–Barr nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA-1) in trans, even though EBNA-1 and LANA do not colocalize in infected cells. This work reveals that EBV EBNA-1 plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of PEL by increasing KSHV viral load and LANA expression.
Effect of surfactant chemistry on drilling mud performance

Abstract Drilling muds used in deepwater operations experience large variations in temperature, as well as pressure, when flowing through the different geometric conduits that are; the drill string, openhole (casing) - riser annuli present when drilling offshore. They behave as viscoelastic mixtures due to the suspension- and emulsion-dispersions used in their preparation. As a consequence, they display liquid-like and solid-like flow properties depending on the time scale of deformation they are subjected to. In addition to rate of deformation, environmental conditions such as temperature, and to a lesser extent pressure, are known to affect their rheological behavior. Nonionic surfactants are commonly used upstream in the stabilization of emulsions in drilling fluids, and in some instances as wetting agents. Inversion of pure emulsions systems stabilized by nonionic surfactants, from one type to another, as a result of temperature changes has been investigated and finds great application in the food and chemical industries. In this study, assessment of phase inversion occurrence in drilling muds, as well as resulting changes in their rheology was experimentally investigated at temperatures ranging from 0 to 90. Water- (WBM) and oil-based muds (OBM) samples were prepared using nonionic and ionic surfactants. Effect of surfactant nature and dispersed phase volume fraction on fluid loss properties of the different mud samples was equally carried at room temperature. Phase inversion of WBM samples stabilized by nonionic polyoxyethylene oleyl ether surfactants was observed for the range of conditions covered in the experimental investigation. Differences in flow behavior and apparent viscosity of the sample, as a result of inversion from one mud type to another, was equally noted. On one hand, the results underscored the importance of assessing potential application of nonionic surfactants to induce phase inversion in drilling fluids used for offshore operations. On the other hand, setbacks observed in the use of complex fluids for offshore drilling could possibly be accounted by the unknown occurrence of this phenomenon.
Intertextuality and Dance: An Approach to Understanding Embodied Performance of Gender in Dance Discourses

By critically reviewing and discussing existing scholarship, this article considers how individuals construct their embodied performances of gender while navigating the diverse teaching–learning pa...
Assessing the kaleidoscope of monocular deprivation effects.

Short-term monocular deprivation (∼150 min) temporarily shifts sensory eye balance in favor of the deprived eye (Lunghi, Burr, & Morrone, 2011; Zhou, Clavagnier, & Hess, 2013), opposite to classic deprivation studies (Hubel & Wiesel, 1970). Various types of deprivation-light-tight, diffuser lenses, image degradation-have been tested, and it seemed that a deprivation of contrast was necessary, and sufficient, for these shifts. This could be accommodated in a feedforward model of binocular combination (Meese, Georgeson, & Baker, 2006; Sperling & Ding, 2010), in which the shift reflects a (persistent) reweighting induced by an interocular gain control mechanism tasked with maintaining binocular balance (Zhou, Clavagnier, et al., 2013). Here, we used a novel "kaleidoscopic" monocular deprivation that, although it rendered images fractionated and uninformative, preserved gross luminance, color, spatial frequency, motion, and contrast information, effectively sneaking the image degradation past early, feedforward mechanisms, targeting higher levels. Kaleidoscopic deprivation produced effects indistinguishable from traditional light-tight patching. This rules out contrast imbalance as the sole factor driving these shifts in sensory eye balance. In addition, since the suppression of the kaleidoscopic image likely requires feedback from higher-level processes capable of determining the behavioral relevance of an eye's information (Foley & Miyanshi, 1969; Jiang, Costello, & He, 2007; Kovacs, Papathomas, Yang, & Feher, 1996; Wolf & Hochstein, 2011), feedforward-only models may need to be elaborated.
Comparison and integration of lidar and photogrammetric point clouds for mapping pre-fire forest structure

Abstract Lidar is an established tool for mapping forest structure, but its sparse spatial and temporal coverage often preclude its use in studying forest disturbance. In contrast, aerial imagery has been and continues to be regularly collected in many regions, and advances in stereo image matching have automated the creation of dense photogrammetric point clouds, which can also be used to map forest structure when paired with an accurate digital terrain model. As part of a study of the physical and ecological impacts of the 2012 High Park fire in Colorado, we generated a photogrammetric point cloud from pre-fire aerial imagery collected in 2008 and combined it with a digital terrain model generated from a 2013 post-fire lidar collection to produce canopy metrics commonly used in modelling of forest structure. We explore the correlation structure between the lidar and photogrammetry-derived canopy metrics, and the relationships between those metrics and forest structure attributes measured at unburned plots in the vicinity of the burn scar. Most corresponding lidar- and photogrammetry- derived canopy metrics had strong linear relationships between them (median r = 0.82), and metrics from both datasets yielded similar root mean square errors in multiple regression models of aboveground biomass (29.3% and 31.0%), basal area (29.8% and 27.7%), and several other forest structure attributes. We found the source of the canopy metrics (lidar or photogrammetry) to be a non-significant factor in some models of forest structure, suggesting that these datasets may be interchangeable in particular cases. Models derived from pre-fire aerial imagery were combined with burn severity information to quantify loss of biomass (2.31 ± 0.001 Tg) and examine possible relationships between forest structure and burn severity. These applications illustrate how the broad spatial and temporal coverage of aerial imagery and growing coverage of lidar can be utilized to improve understanding of changes in forest structure, including assessments of forest carbon flux.
Fenretinide, Tocilizumab, and Reparixin Provide Multifaceted Disruption of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Stem Cell Properties: Implications for Tertiary Chemoprevention

Locoregional recurrence of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) dramatically reduces patient survival. Further, as many OSCC recurrences are inoperable, radiotherapy and chemotherapy with or without biological adjuncts are the remaining treatment options. Although the tumors may initially respond, radiotherapy- and chemotherapy-resistant cancer stem cells (CSC) can readily repopulate OSCC tumors. Currently, following the initial OSCC treatment, patients are closely monitored until a recurrence or a second primary is detected. Identification of agents with complementary mechanisms to suppress CSC tumorigenic functions could change this passive approach. The goals of this study were twofold: (1) develop and validate CSC-enriched (CSCE) OSCC cell lines and (2) identify chemopreventive agents that obstruct multiple CSCE protumorigenic pathways. CSCE cultures, which were created by paclitaxel treatment followed by three tumorsphere passes, demonstrated CSC characteristics, including increased expression of stem cell and inflammatory genes, increased aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity, and enhanced in vitro/in vivo proliferation and invasion. Three chemopreventives, fenretinide, tocilizumab, and reparixin, were selected due to their distinct and complementary CSC-disruptive mechanisms. The CSCE selection process modulated the cells' intermediate filaments resulting in an epithelial-predominant (enhanced cytokeratin, proliferation, IL6 release) line and a mesenchymal-predominant (upregulated vimentin, invasive, IL8 release) line. Our results confirm that 4HPR binds with appreciably higher affinity than Wnt at the Frizzled binding site and significantly inhibits CSC-enabling Wnt-β-catenin downstream signaling. Notably, combination fenretinide-tocilizumab-reparixin treatment significantly suppressed IL6 and IL8 release, stem cell gene expression, and invasion in these diverse CSCE populations. These promising multiagent in vitro data provide the basis for our upcoming in vivo CSCE tertiary chemoprevention studies.
Daring librarianship: What library leaders can learn from Brene Brown

Brene Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston who studies courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy. Her books Daring Greatly and Dare to Lead explore how vulnerability can help us lead fulfilled lives and become courageous leaders. Brown’s writing has something for everyone, including library leaders. This article addresses Brown’s definitions of vulnerability and leadership and then briefly explores the three key benefits of vulnerability for library leaders: courage, clarity, and connection.
Expanding the genetic code of the human hematopoietic system

The genetic incorporation of noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) into proteins has been realized in bacteria, yeast, and mammalian cells, and recently, in multicellular organisms including plants and animals. However, the addition of new building blocks to the genetic code of tissues from human origin has not yet been achieved. To this end, we report a self-replicating Epstein-Barr virus-based episomal vector for the long-term encoding of ncAAs in human hematopoietic stem cells and reconstitution of this genetically engineered hematopoietic system in mice.
No, Bananas Don’t Cure HIV, Nor Will Garlic Cure COVID-19: Searching for, Assessing, and Consuming Health Information Online

Consumer health information is particularly susceptible to miscommunication, misrepresentation, or misappropriation, and this vulnerability can have negative health consequences for information see...
Evaluating Microelectrode Arrays in Peripheral Nerve Using Micro Computed Tomography

Many advances have been made with imaging of implanted neural devices; however, the ability to image whole nerve samples remains limited. Further, few imaging modalities are well suited for visualizing both whole devices in vivo and individual microelectrodes within a nerve. In this study, we used micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) to evaluate Wireless Floating Microelectrode Arrays (WMFAs) implanted in rat sciatic nerve at the level of whole devices and individual electrodes. WFMAs were also used to track selective recruitment of plantar flexion and dorsiflexion of the rear paw, which was achieved by each implanted device (n=6) during chronic implantation. Evoked limb motion was correlated to end-of-study assessments using micro-CT to visualize electrode locations within the fascicular structure of the sciatic nerve. Results of this study show that micro-CT imaging can provide valuable assessments of microelectrode arrays implanted in peripheral nerves for both whole devices visualized in vivo and individual electrodes visualized in whole nerve tissue samples.Clinical relevance— This work informs the use of micro-computed tomography as a tool for correlating neural device performance with physical attributes of the implant location
Preservation of grape tomato by isochoric freezing.

Abstract This study investigated the potential of isochoric freezing to preserve tomatoes. Isochoric freezing is an emerging technology that preserves biological matter at subfreezing temperatures without any ice damage. Isochoric freezing was compared with freezing under isobaric conditions and with preservation techniques used in the food industry: cold storage at 10 °C and individual quick freezing (IQF). Physicochemical and nutritional properties were evaluated weekly for four weeks. Preservation under isochoric conditions maintained the mass, color, nutrient content (ascorbic acid, lycopene and phenolics) and antioxidant activity of the fresh tomatoes. Also, isochoric preservation led to minimal texture damage. In comparison, mass loss of tomatoes stored at 10 °C for 3 weeks contributed to changes in overall visual quality and firmness as well as significant losses in nutrient content. The greatest mass, texture, and nutrients losses were obtained for tomatoes subjected to IQF and isobaric freezing. The results show that isochoric freezing has the potential to preserve tomatoes while maintaining physicochemical and nutritional properties similar to those of fresh tomatoes which might find application in the commercial preservation of tomatoes.
The Logic of Capital: An Introduction to Marxist Economic Theory

This book presents the main economic argument developed by Marx in the three volumes of Capital in a coherent and comprehensive manner. It also delves into three long-standing debates in Marxist political economy: the transformation problem, the Okishio theorem, and theories of exploitation and oppression. Starting with discussions of methodology, including dialectics and historical materialism, the book explains key concepts of Marxist political economy: commodity, value, money, capital, reserve army of labour, accumulation of capital, circuit of capital, reproduction schemas, prices of production, profit, interest and rent. Scholars of economics, sociology, geography, political science, anthropology, and other kindred disciplines, will find here an accessible yet rigorous treatment of Marxist political economy.
Modeling the ACVR1R206H mutation in human skeletal muscle stem cells.

Abnormalities in skeletal muscle repair can lead to poor function and complications such as scarring or heterotopic ossification (HO). Here, we use fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), a disease of progressive HO caused by ACVR1R206H (Activin receptor type-1 receptor) mutation, to elucidate how ACVR1 affects skeletal muscle repair. Rare and unique primary FOP human muscle stem cells (Hu-MuSCs) isolated from cadaveric skeletal muscle demonstrated increased ECM marker expression, showed skeletal muscle-specific impaired engraftment and regeneration ability. Human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived muscle stem/progenitor cells (iMPCs) single cell transcriptome analyses from FOP also revealed unusually increased ECM and osteogenic marker expression compared to control iMPCs. These results show that iMPCs can recapitulate many aspects of Hu-MuSCs for detailed in vitro study, that ACVR1 is a key regulator of Hu-MuSC function and skeletal muscle repair; and that ACVR1 activation in iMPCs or Hu-MuSCs may contribute to HO by changing the local tissue environment.
Characterizations of the nonemptiness and compactness of solution sets in convex vector optimization

In this paper, various necessary and sufficient conditions are given for the nonemptiness and compactness of the weakly efficient solution set of a convex vector optimization problem.
Applying social cognitive career theory to college science majors

Although there has been a substantial amount of research done to examine the applicability of social cognitive career theory (SCCT, Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994), almost none of this has focused on the prediction of science interests or goals. Additionally, this theory has not been applied to a group of individuals focused on studying science. The present study applies social cognitive career theory to a group of 245 college science majors and pre-medical students at a large Midwestern University. Additionally, this study also expands beyond the core of the theory to more peripheral theorized predictors such as learning experiences, aptitude, and parent support. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to assess model fit for the whole sample as well as men and women separately. Results indicated that social cognitive career theory was a good fit for the data with some exceptions; it was also found that background factors such as parent support and aptitude were important contributors to the model. No significant sex differences were found in the models. Discussion emphasizes the good fit of the model as well as the importance of background factors in developing self-efficacy, interests, and goals in science.
Searching for an Educational Response to Nihilism in Our Time: An Examination of Keiji Nishitani's Philosophy of Emptiness

INTRODUCTION Many scholars of education consider our age an age of nihilism and seek to find an answer to the question concerning how we should live in nihilistic conditions. Recognizing that nihilism is an inherent aspect of our modern culture and that it is important for us to articulate a form of education that can help us overcome nihilism, C.A. Bowers says, “Nihilism is a problem that must be dealt with by all educational theorists.” Nihilism is usually considered something negative, and educational scholars typically attempt to articulate a form of education that helps people avoid the problem of nihilism. There are, however, some positive aspects to experiencing a nihilistic state in life. For example, Nietzschean scholars would suggest that by going through nihilism, we may strive to become individuals who can relinquish old values and create new ones. Education is a process of actualizing one’s ideal self. It, therefore, is important for educational scholars to analyze nihilism and investigate how nihilistic experiences can be utilized or overcome for self-actualization. In this article, I will examine how Keiji Nishitani, a philosopher of the Kyoto School, addresses a way of actualizing the ideal self by fully experiencing nihilism. What is nihilism? Karen L. Carr categorizes different forms of nihilism, and I am concerned with what she calls “existential nihilism,” which refers to “the feeling of emptiness and pointlessness that follows from the judgment, ‘Life has no meaning.’”
Financing Health Care for Disabled Children

Information about health care use, charges, and out-of-pocket expenses is critical to the development of an equitable and efficient treatment system for disabled children. Data from the 1980 National Medical Care Utilization and Expenditure Survey were used, and differences in use, charges, and out-of-pocket expenses for children with and without limitations in their activities due to chronic health problems are described. The results indicate that children limited in their activities used more medical services than other children, especially hospital-based services and services provided by health professionals other than physicians. Charges and out-of-pocket expenses were two to three times higher on average for disabled children, compared with other children. Charges and out-of-pocket expenses were also skewed; 10% of the sample children accounted for more than 60% of total charges and out-of-pocket expenses for the disabled population. The skewed distribution of out-of-pocket expenses suggests that financial burdens are unevenly shared by families of disabled children. Several public policy options designed to result in a more equitable distribution of financial risks are discussed.
Large Price Changes and Subsequent Returns

We investigate whether large stock price changes are associated with short-term reversals or momentum, conditional on the issuance of analyst price target or earnings forecast revisions immediately following these price changes. Our study provides evidence that prices of stocks exhibit momentum when analysts issue revisions after large price shocks, and suggests that the initial price changes were indeed based on new information. In contrast, when price changes are not followed by immediate analyst revisions, we document short-term reversals, indicating that the initial price shocks were likely caused by liquidity or noise traders. A trading strategy that is based on the direction of the price change and the existence of analyst revisions in the same direction earns significant abnormal monthly returns (over 1%).