cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preliminary analysis of variation in Al, Mg and Si in Apollo-11, -12 and -15 basalts and regolith

Abstract Chemical analyses of Apollo-11 basalts (28 samples), Apollo-11 fines (21 samples), Apollo-12 basalts (55 samples), Apollo-12 fines (28 samples), Apollo-15 basalts (84 samples), and Apollo-15 fines (58 samples) have been extracted from the lunar data base and percentages of Al, Si and Mg computed. The correlations between these three variables and the ratios Al/Si and Mg/Si were computed and carefully examined to determine the nature of between and within mission variations. In all of the data sets except for the Apollo-11 fines the correlations between Al/Si and Al and Mg/Si and Mg exceed 0.94. This is a result of the fact that the coefficients of variation for Al and Mg are several times larger than that for Si. It can be demonstrated that the Al/Si vs. Al variation for the Apollo-12 and -15 samples (both basalts and fines) is nearly linear with a correlation of 0.977. The equation for the line of organic correlation is: Al = 22.89 Al/Si − 0.397. Thus, remote-sensing measurements of Al/Si could be conceivably used to compute the Al content for areas covered by Apollo-12 and -15 types of regolith and basalts. Neither the Apollo-11 fines nor basalts appear to belong to the Apollo-12 plus -15 Al/Si vs. Al trend. However, previously published averages for Apollo-17 high-TiO 2 soils and basalts appear to define, along with the Apollo-11 high-TiO 2 basalts, an Al/Si vs. Al variation parallel to the Apollo-12 plus -15 variation. The correlation between Al/Si and Mg/Si is shown to be a function of the correlation between the parent variables and the coefficients of variation of the parent variables. Observed Al/Si vs. Mg/Si correlations range from −0.509 for the Apollo-12 basalts to −0.052 for the Apollo-11 fines and there is a considerable variation between basalts and regoliths from a given site. Plots of remote-sensed Al/Si vs. Mg/Si would be expected to exhibit a rather diffuse trend. Interpretation of geochemical ratios from surveys of other planetary bodies will require either ground-truth observations or demonstration that relations exhibited by lunar and terrestrial materials are likely to be of universal applicability.
From Wikipedia to the classroom: exploring online publication and learning

Wikipedia represents an intriguing new publishing paradigm---can it be used to engage students in authentic collaborative writing activities? How can we design wiki publishing tools and curricula to support learning among student authors? We suggest that wiki publishing environments can create learning opportunities that address four dimensions of authenticity: personal, real world, disciplinary, and assessment. We have begun a series of design studies to investigate links between wiki publishing experiences and writing-to-learn. The results of an initial study in an undergraduate government course indicate that perceived audience plays an important role in helping students monitor the quality of writing; however, students' perception of audience on the Internet is not straightforward. This preliminary iteration resulted in several guidelines that are shaping efforts to design and implement new wiki publishing tools and curricula for students and teachers.
A novel promoter controls Cyp19a1 gene expression in mouse adipose tissue

Background Aromatase, the key enzyme in estrogen biosynthesis, is encoded by the Cyp19a1 gene. Thus far, 3 unique untranslated first exons associated with distinct promoters in the mouse Cyp19a1 gene have been described (brain, ovary, and testis-specific). It remains unknown whether aromatase is expressed in other mouse tissues via novel and tissue-specific promoters.
QM/MM Studies of the Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) Inhibition Mechanism of (S)-SB-3CT and its Oxirane Analogue.

SB-3CT, (4-phenoxyphenylsulfonyl)methylthiirane, is a potent, mechanism-based inhibitor of the gelatinase subclass of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family of zinc proteases. The gelatinase MMPs are unusual in that there are several examples where both enantiomers of a racemic inhibitor have comparable inhibitory abilities. SB-3CT is one such example. Here, the inhibition mechanism of the MMP2 gelatinase by the (S)-SB-3CT enantiomer and its oxirane analogue is examined computationally and compared to the mechanism of (R)- SB-3CT. Inhibition of MMP2 by (R)-SB-3CT was shown previously to involve enzyme-catalyzed C-H deprotonation adjacent to the sulfone, with concomitant opening by -elimination of the sulfur of the three-membered thiirane ring. Similarly to the R enantiomer, (S)-SB-3CT was docked into the active site of MMP2, followed by molecular dynamics simulation to prepare the complex for combined quantum mechanics and molecular mechanics (QM/MM) calculations. QM/MM calculations with B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) for the QM part (46 atoms) and the AMBER force field for the MM part were used to compare the reaction of (S)-SB-3CT and its oxirane analogue in the active site of MMP2 (9208 atoms). These calculations show that the barrier for the proton abstraction coupled ring-opening reaction of (S)-SB-3CT in the MMP2 active site is 4.4 kcal/ mol lower than that of its oxirane analogue, and the ring-opening reaction energy of (S)-SB- 3CT is only 1.6 kcal/mol less exothermic than that of its oxirane analogue. Calculations also show that the protonation of the ring-opened products by water is thermodynamically much more favorable for the alkoxide obtained from the oxirane than for the thiolate obtained from the thiirane. In contrast to (R)-SB-3CT and the R-oxirane analogue, the double bonds of the ring-opened products of (S)-SB-3CT and its S-oxirane analogue have the cis configuration. Vibrational frequency and intrinsic reaction path calculations on a reduced size QM/MM model (2747 atoms) provide additional insight into the mechanism. These calculations yield 5.9 and 6.7 for the deuterium kinetic isotope effect for C-H bond cleavage in the transition state for the R and S enantiomers of SB-3CT, in good agreement with the experimental results. The matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are key proteolytic regulators of the integrity of the extracellular matrix. MMPs
Context-Induced Relapse of Conditioned Behavioral Responding to Ethanol Cues in Rats

Background The environmental context in which drug-conditioned cues are encountered could modulate the capacity of such cues to trigger relapse in abstinent addicts. We explored this hypothesis using a behavioral animal model. Methods Rats were trained to discriminate between two auditory stimuli; the first (CS+) was paired with 10% ethanol and the second (CS−) was presented without ethanol. Training occurred in operant conditioning chambers equipped with distinct contextual stimuli, and entries into the ethanol delivery port during the stimuli were measured. Behavior was then extinguished by presenting both stimuli without ethanol in a second, different context. Context-dependent renewal of port entries was tested by presenting the CS+ and CS− without ethanol in the original training context. Results At test, port entries during the CS+ increased compared with extinction levels, while responding during the CS− remained unchanged ( n = 11). This effect was attenuated after multiple extinction sessions in three distinct contexts ( n = 18), compared with an equivalent number of extinction sessions in a single unique context ( n = 16). Context-dependent renewal of port entries was also observed to a CS+ paired with 14% sucrose ( n = 7) but not to a CS+ paired with 2% sucrose ( n = 8). Conclusions Environmental contexts can trigger the relapse of behavioral responding to ethanol- and sucrose-predictive cues in rats. For ethanol, this effect can be reduced by extinguishing responses to the ethanol cue in multiple distinct contexts, a manipulation that could increase the efficacy of cue-reactivity treatments for addiction.
Effect of endovascular cooling on myocardial temperature, infarct size, and cardiac output in human-sized pigs

Mild hypothermia reduces myocardial infarct size in small animals; however, the extent of myocardial protection in large animals with greater thermal mass remains unknown. We evaluated the effects ...
Temporal and Age Variation of United States Black/White Cause-Specific Mortality Differentials: A Study of the Recent Changes in the Relative Health Status of the United States Black Population

The relative age-specific medical progress of the United States blacks and whites is examined by studying detailed age variation in their cause-specific relative mortality risks for the period 1962 through 1975. The results show considerable variation in both the change and absolute level of sex- and age-specific relative mortality risks for major causes of death during the period. Interesting observations about the relative mortality risks are the tendency for black females to have decreasing relative risks at early ages the relative increases in cancer risks for black males and the decrease in the relative risks of stroke for both sexes. (EXCERPT)
Infection Related Hospitalizations after Prostate Biopsy in a Statewide Quality Improvement Collaborative

Purpose: While transrectal prostate biopsy is the cornerstone of prostate cancer diagnosis, serious post-biopsy infectious complications are reported to be increasing. A better understanding of the true prevalence and microbiology of these events is needed to guide quality improvement in this area and ultimately better early detection practices.Materials and Methods: Using data from the MUSIC registry we identified all men who underwent transrectal prostate biopsy at 21 practices in Michigan from March 2012 to June 2013. Trained data abstractors recorded pertinent data including prophylactic antibiotics and all biopsy related hospitalizations. Claims data and followup telephone calls were used for validation. All men admitted to the hospital for an infectious complication were identified and their culture data were obtained. We then compared the frequency of infection related hospitalization rates across practices and according to antibiotic prophylaxis in concordance with AUA best practice recommendation...
Designing empowering and critical identities in social computing and gaming

This article presents theory and technology addressing the design of computing technologies for social computing and gaming: (1) to provide dynamic means of identity representation while avoiding stigmatising norms, and (2) to provide for critical reflection on stigmatising identity infrastructures found in other systems. The theory and technologies developed with these aims are encapsulated under the rubric of the Advanced Identity Representation (AIR) Project that initiated in the Imagination, Computation, and Expression Laboratory (ICE Lab) directed by the author. This work has a basis in the cognitive science foundations of categorisation and metaphor-based bias, and study of social classification infrastructures from sociology of science. Using this theoretical framework, this article provides a model to reveal a set of inadequacies of many current identity infrastructures in social computing and gaming systems for supporting the needs of collective groups of people and individuals in marginalised ca...
Rapid transcriptome responses of maize (Zea mays) to UV-B in irradiated and shielded tissues

Background Depletion of stratospheric ozone has raised terrestrial levels of ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B), an environmental change linked to an increased risk of skin cancer and with potentially deleterious consequences for plants. To better understand the processes of UV-B acclimation that result in altered plant morphology and physiology, we investigated gene expression in different organs of maize at several UV-B fluence rates and exposure times.
Cognitive Task Analysis–Based Training: A Meta-Analysis of Studies

Cognitive task analysis (CTA) is enjoying growing popularity in both research and practice as a foundational element of instructional design. However, there exists relatively little research exploring its value as a foundation for training through controlled studies. Furthermore, highly individualized approaches to conducting CTA do not permit broadly generalizable conclusions to be drawn from the findings of individual studies. Thus, examining the magnitude of observed effects across studies from various domains and CTA practitioners is essential for assessing replicable effects. This study reports the findings from a metaanalysis that examines the overall effectiveness of CTA across practitioners and settings in relation to other means for identifying and representing instructional content. Overall, the effect of CTA-based instruction is large (Hedges’s g = 0.871). However, effect sizes vary substantially by both CTA method used and training context. Though limited by a relatively small number of studies, the notable effect size indicates that the information elicited through CTA provides a strong basis for highly effective instruction.
Experimental Demonstration of Near-Infrared Epsilon-Near-Zero Multilayer Metamaterial Slabs

Near-infrared epsilon-near-zero metamaterial slabs based on Ag-Ge multilayers are experimentally demonstrated and numerically analyzed. A post-annealing process and multilayer grating structures are introduced to reduce the optical loss and also tune the epsilon-near-zero wavelength.
Suicide risk among sexual minority college students: A mediated moderation model of sex and perceived burdensomeness.

Converging evidence suggests that individuals who identify as lesbian/gay or bisexual are consistently more likely to report suicidal ideation and attempts than heterosexual counterparts, and that these effects may be greater among males. The current study examined sex as a moderator of the relationship between sexual identity and suicidal ideation, and perceived burdensomeness as a mediator of this relationship, controlling for anxiety, and negative and positive affect. Undergraduates (n = 140; mean age, 19.59 years; 71.4% female; 58.6% White; 34.3% lesbian/gay/bisexual) completed measures assessing sexual identity, suicidal ideation and behaviors, anxiety symptom severity, and general negative and positive affect cross-sectionally. Sexual minority undergraduates reported significantly higher levels of perceived burdensomeness, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, attempts, and nonsuicidal self-injury, and lower positive affect, than heterosexual counterparts. Analyses suggested that most of these associations were strongly driven by bisexuals; a notion that was supported by finding a quadratic relationship between the Kinsey Scale and suicidal ideation. A mediated moderation analysis revealed that the relationship between sexual identity and suicidal ideation was only significant among females, and that this relationship was fully mediated by perceived burdensomeness, while controlling for anxiety, and negative and positive affect. Perceived burdensomeness may be an important malleable risk factor for suicide assessment, prevention, and intervention efforts to address, especially among female sexual minority college students. Implications and future directions are discussed. Language: en
Evidence for existence of mammogenic hormone.

SummaryImproved objective technics for assay of lactogenic and mammogenic hormones have been developed. The amount of lactogen and mammogen has been estimated in several different pituitary preparations by these assay methods. Wide differences in lactogen/mammogen ratios between preparations were demonstrated. These observations are taken to indicate that the pituitary hormone stimulating mammary gland growth (mammogen) is different from the hormone stimulating milk secretion (lactogen).
Investigation of Substitution Agents in Place of Boric Acid in a Nickel Plating Bath

The role of individual components of Watts bath has been investigated using a Hull cell test and electrochemical measurement in order to research the possibility of substitution agents in place of boric acid. Boric acid inhibits hydrogen evolution as a side reaction for nickel deposition. Hydrogen evolution causes a rise in the pH of the plating bath, resulting in the appearance of burns or the precipitation of nickel hydroxide on the plated surface. Therefore, the difference in pH before and after a Hull cell test is one of the key factors in judging the performance of a nickel plating bath containing substitution agents such as pH buffers.Buffers like citric acid and nickel citrate are effective in that a difference in pH is not observed during the Hull cell test and a satisfactory appearance, as given by boric acid, is obtained. These agents or a complex with nickel ions and the agents is readily adsorbed on the surface of the cathode, resulting in the inhibition of the hydrogen evolution reaction. Citric acid and nickel citrate are possible substition agents in place of boric acid.
Vietnam: Tiger or Pussycat?

Tiger or Pussycat? Can Vietnam overcome its war torn infrastructure and become a fifth Asian tiger or will it struggle along a path of economic and social underdevelopment? The willingness by the international community to make large FDI's is one significantly positive signal.
A New Characteristic of a Quantum System between Two Measurements — A “Weak Value”

New characteristics of a quantum system between two measurements — “weak values” are defined. It is proved that the “weak values” are outcomes of “weak measurements” which are standard measuring procedures with “weakened” coupling.
Total body nitrogen in prepubertal children.

The accurate measurement of body protein content in normal children has the potential to produce very useful information. Firstly, the relationship between body protein and growth (not only of height and weight, but also of body compartment sizes) could be investigated, thus providing insights into the normal physiology of growth in children. Secondly, it would provide control data that would be vital for the interpretation of body protein measurements in children with malnutrition due to a variety of causes.
Prostate Cancer Stem Cell Markers Drive Progression, Therapeutic Resistance, and Bone Metastasis

Metastatic or recurrent tumors are the primary cause of cancer-related death. For prostate cancer, patients diagnosed with local disease have a 99% 5-year survival rate; however, this 5-year survival rate drops to 28% in patients with metastatic disease. This dramatic decline in survival has driven interest in discovering new markers able to identify tumors likely to recur and in developing new methods to prevent metastases from occurring. Biomarker discovery for aggressive tumor cells includes attempts to identify cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs are defined as tumor cells capable of self-renewal and regenerating the entire tumor heterogeneity. Thus, it is hypothesized that CSCs may drive primary tumor aggressiveness, metastatic colonization, and therapeutic relapse. The ability to identify these cells in the primary tumor or circulation would provide prognostic information capable of driving prostate cancer treatment decisions. Further, the ability to target these CSCs could prevent tumor metastasis and relapse after therapy allowing for prostate cancer to finally be cured. Here, we will review potential CSC markers and highlight evidence that describes how cells expressing each marker may drive prostate cancer progression, metastatic colonization and growth, tumor recurrence, and resistance to treatment.
Identification and Profiling of a Selective and Brain Penetrant Radioligand for in Vivo Target Occupancy Measurement of Casein Kinase 1 (CK1) Inhibitors

To enable the clinical development of our CNS casein kinase 1 delta/epsilon (CK1δ/e) inhibitor project, we investigated the possibility of developing a CNS positron emission tomography (PET) radioligand. For this effort, we focused our design and synthesis efforts on the initial CK1δ/e inhibitor HTS hits with the goal of identifying a compound that would fulfill a set of recommended PET ligand criteria. We identified [3H]PF-5236216 (9) as a tool ligand that meets most of the key CNS PET attributes including high CNS MPO PET desirability score and kinase selectivity, CNS penetration, and low nonspecific binding. We further used [3H]-9 to determine the binding affinity for PF-670462, a literature CK1δ/e inhibitor tool compound. Lastly, [3H]-9 was used to measure in vivo target occupancy (TO) of PF-670462 in mouse and correlated TO with CK1δ/e in vivo pharmacology (circadian rhythm modulation).
Reliability analysis for mine blast performance based on delay type and firing time

Abstract Mining blasts may be defined as the use of explosive charges in a controlled manner by following a tightly controlled timing sequence according to an assigned firing order. Changes of timing between charges may result in an altered firing order and failure of the blasting sequence, which can cause high vibration levels, poor fragmentation, and/or an undesirable rock mass movement direction. Despite the importance of timing in determining mine blast results, there exists a lack of methodologies or tools with which to assess performance of a complete blast based on delay type and timing sequence. This document applies reliability engineering principles to evaluate the performance of a mine blast. The analyses are based on test results of the accuracy and precision of electronic and pyrotechnic detonators for typical firing times used in a surface coal mine, but may be applied to a variety of mines and timing scenarios.
Did Jesus make a Major Mistake

Like that whole apocalyptic generation, Jesus expected the kingdom of God, the kingdom of justice, freedom, joy and peace, in the immediate future…. Was he not in fact mistaken if, as it seems from the undoubtedly authentic material, he expected an early end to the world?… In the light of today's perspectives we have to say that what is involved in this immediate expectation is not so much an error as a time-conditioned, time-bound world view which Jesus shared with his contemporaries. —Hans Kung, On Being a Christian
Use of prescription opioids and motor vehicle crashes: A meta analysis.

Abstract Objectives Opioid analgesics are a major driver of the ongoing opioid epidemic in the United Sates, accounting for about two thirds of drug overdose fatalities. There are conflicting reports regarding the effects of prescription opioids on driving safety. A meta-analysis was performed to assess the epidemiologic evidence for the association between use of prescription opioids and the risk of motor vehicle crashes. Methods Studies examining the association between driver prescription opioid use and motor vehicle crash involvement or crash culpability and published in English were identified through a comprehensive search of 15 bibliographic databases. Eligible articles were fully reviewed and summarized. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Overall summary odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated through random effects models. Results Overall, 15 studies were included in the meta-analysis; of them, 10 assessed the association of prescription opioid use with the risk of crash involvement and 5 assessed the association of prescription opioid use with the risk of crash culpability. Reported crude ORs associated with prescription opioid use ranged from 1.15 to 8.19 for the risk of crash involvement and from 0.75 to 2.78 for the risk of crash culpability. Summary ORs based on pooled data were 2.29 (95% CI: 1.51, 3.48) for crash risk and 1.47 (95% CI: 1.01, 2.13) for crash culpability. Conclusions The existent epidemiologic evidence indicates that use of prescription opioids by drivers is associated with significantly increased risks of crash involvement and crash culpability. Further research is needed to understand the epidemiologic patterns of prescription opioid use in the driver population and the interaction effects between opioids and alcohol on driving safety.
Skill Demand, Inequality, and Computerization: Connecting the Dots

Inequality has social costs: it may engender political divisions, aggravate crime, and lead low-income families into poverty from which they or their children may not emerge. Dramatic shifts in relative well-being therefore demand attention. In the late 1980s, economists discovered that the earnings of high- and low-wage workers were rapidly diverging (Levy and Murnane 1992). Chart 1 plots earnings inequality for the years 1963 to 1995, measured as the percentage difference in earnings between the 90th percentile worker and the 10th percentile worker.1 Between 1963 and 1979, this difference in earnings hovered steadily at approximately 220 percent among men and 190 percent among women. Over the next ten years, these gaps grew into fissures. The 90–10 weekly earnings differential expanded by 110 percentage points for both genders between 1979 and 1989 and then edged slowly upward throughout the 1990s. Mirroring these trends, educational earnings inequality—the earnings gap between college and high school educated workers—increased by two-thirds in the same decades (Chart 2). By 1999, educational inequality easily exceeded its high set in 1940, the earliest year for which consistent data are available.
Quantitative Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Mapping May Predict Seizure Onset in Children With Sturge-Weber Syndrome

Abstract Background Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) is often accompanied by seizures, stroke-like episodes, hemiparesis, and visual field deficits. This study aimed to identify early pathophysiologic changes that exist before the development of clinical symptoms and to evaluate if the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map is a candidate early biomarker of seizure risk in patients with SWS. Methods This is a prospective cross-sectional study using quantitative ADC analysis to predict onset of epilepsy. Inclusion criteria were presence of the port wine birthmark, brain MRI with abnormal leptomeningeal capillary malformation (LCM) and enlarged deep medullary veins, and absence of seizures or other neurological symptoms. We used our recently developed normative, age-specific ADC atlases to quantitatively identify ADC abnormalities, and correlated presymptomatic ADC abnormalities with risks for seizures. Results We identified eight patients (three girls) with SWS, age range of 40 days to nine months. One patient had predominantly LCM, deep venous anomaly, and normal ADC values. This patient did not develop seizures. The remaining seven patients had large regions of abnormal ADC values, and all developed seizures; one of seven patients had late onset seizures. Conclusions Larger regions of decreased ADC values in the affected hemisphere, quantitatively identified by comparison with age-matched normative ADC atlases, are common in young children with SWS and were associated with later onset of seizures in this small study. Our findings suggest that quantitative ADC maps may identify patients at high risk of seizures in SWS, but larger prospective studies are needed to determine sensitivity and specificity.
The Thrive Mosaic Developmental Framework: A Systems Activist Approach to Marginalized STEM Scholar Success:

The science of broadening participation explains how science thrives with appropriate frameworks for addressing complex issues. This article presents a developmental framework for equitable STEM sc...
Rare-Earths as Probes of High-Temperature Superconductivity

Using only two principles: (i) high-temperature superconductivity requires hypercharged oxygen, and (ii) the superconducting condensates are located in those parts of the crystal structures where they are unaffected by magnetic pair breaking, we are able to explain why certain rare-earth ions R are compatible with superconductivity and others are not, in the compounds RBa2Cu3O7, RBa2Cu4O8, RBa2Cu2NbO8, R2 − zCezCuO4, and R2 − zCezSr2Cu2NbO10. Various defects are proposed as having central roles in the superconductivity or the suppression of superconductivity in these compounds. Many experiments for testing this physical picture are suggested.
Chimeric Antigen Receptor Therapy.

Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells This review addresses T-cell engineering and synthetic immunity, with a focus on producing durable remissions in patients with treatment-refractory tumors. Toxic e...
Sodobno slikarstvo s tušem in prihodnost kitajske umetnosti

Why are contemporary independent experimental Chinese artists again attracted to ink painting? Artists who choose to work in the medium of ink paintings today are engaged in a search for meaningful connections between traditional philosophical and artistic means and their present-day experience. This does not mean simply painting in the manner of previous masters. Rather, it seems to me that the artists who continue to keep the ink painting tradition active today, and even incorporate it into contemporary experimental art, have chosen to explore ink painting as one way to sustain their Chinese identity, and at the same time contribute to a living tradition. As we have seen in the works of Pan Gongkai and many other contemporary Chinese artists, it is indeed possible for contemporary artists to achieve their own sense of originality and purpose while continuing to experiment with pictorial space, varied ink colorations, and brush strokes. In short, their engagement with the processes of creating new forms of ink paintings provides a meaningful link with Chinese culture as it has been imbedded in the calligraphy and ink paintings of the masters through the ages. At the same time, ink painting provides a means for creative expression and artistic production in the contemporary art world, both within China and in the global art world.
ACTIVATION OF SELF-DESTRUCTION AS A MECHANISM OF ACTION FOR CYTOLYTIC TOXINS

ABSTRACT Many of the hydrolytic enzymes in a cell, whether they play a degradation/salvage role or a regulatory role, could in principle be subverted by toxins to induce self-destruction. Of these, only the activation of cellular phospholipase A2 by toxins has as yet been demonstrated. Transient activation of cellular phospholipase A2 plays a widely recognized role in the regulation of prostaglandin biosynthesis, and it has been proposed to regulate membrane function by alteration of membrane lipid composition. A series of toxins have been identified which in 3T3 mouse fibroblasts appear to function by prolonged activation of phospholipase A2 activity. These agents include melittin, the major cytolytic polypeptide from bee venom; phallolysin, a cytolytic glycoprotein from the poisonous mushroom Amanita phalloides; delta toxin, produced by the skin bacterium Staphylococcus aureus; direct lytic factor from the venom of Hemachatus hemachatus; prymnesin, produced by the phytoflagellate Prymnesium parvum; and a hemolytic protein from the nematocyst venom of Portuguese Man-O-War, Physalia physalis. Analysis of the calcium ion requirement of the toxin-activated phospholipases suggests that those activated by phallolysin and melittin are cell surface, Ca2+ -requiring enzymes whereas direct lytic factor activates a Ca2+ -inhibited phospholipase of possible lysosomal origin.
Patients with Cerebellar Ataxia Do Not Benefit from Limb Weights

Patients with cerebellar ataxia are sometimes treated by the addition of mass to the limbs, though this practice has received limited study. Recent work suggests that adding mass to the limbs might have predictable effects on the pattern of cerebellar dysmetria (i.e., over or undershooting) that depends on a hypothesized mismatch between the actual limb inertia and the brain’s estimate of limb inertia. Based on this model, we predicted that addition of mass would only be effective in reducing dysmetria in hypometric patients. Cerebellar patients were challenged with making a single-joint, single degree of freedom reaching movement while various limb masses were tested. In this task, some single-jointed reaches were improved by adding masses that were optimized in a patient-specific manner. However, this improvement did not translate to multi-joint movements. In multi-joint movements, the “best” patient-specific masses (as determined in a single-joint task) generally exacerbated subjects’ reaching errors. This finding raises questions as to the merits of adding limb weights as a therapy to mitigate the effects of dysmetria.
Designing Geographic Inquiry: Preparing Secondary Students For Citizenship

AbstractSocial studies professionals advocate linking discipline-based content to citizenship learning goals. However, research suggests that students rarely encounter inquiry-based instruction in ...
Harnessing Social Media to Advance Research in Plastic Surgery.

BACKGROUND Social media have transformed plastic surgery, intersecting patient education, provider marketing, and academic interactions across the globe. Despite this, social media are seldom used in research. The authors sought to understand the primary incentives and deterrents for patient participation in research efforts. METHODS Facebook groups for craniosynostosis families were identified; the largest two had 11,000 and 7200 members. Facebook group administrators were asked to post an open invitation to enroll in the authors' study. Interested participants contacted study personnel directly. Materials and written/video instructions were provided for collecting genetic specimens. Participants completed a follow-up survey to assess satisfaction. The authors subsequently conducted virtual neurocognitive sessions for functional assessment. RESULTS Three hundred thirty-one of 384 genetic study participants (86 percent) were recruited by means of social media. Three hundred forty-three of 472 mailed packages (73 percent) were returned. Novel mutations identified explained craniosynostosis in 10 percent of participants. One hundred ninety-five families completed the follow-up survey. One hundred percent and 95 percent reported that the written and video instructions were helpful, respectively. The most frequently cited obstacles barring participation in research studies was travel to the study site (63 percent), significantly more than indirect monetary costs (p = 0.007), information confidentiality (p < 0.001), time required to participate (p < 0.001), and invasive study procedures (p < 0.001). Ninety-nine percent preferred participating in a study from home rather than a research center. Follow-up neurocognitive studies are ongoing. CONCLUSIONS With proper planning, participation in social media-based research is easy, cost-effective, and time conscious. Requiring travel to a research facility is the factor most likely to deter families from contributing to research. The results emphasize the unrealized potential of social media for advancing research in plastic surgery.
Counterion influence on dynamic spin properties in a V(iv) complex.

Using transition metal ions for spin-based applications, such as electron paramagnetic resonance imaging (EPRI) or quantum computation, requires a clear understanding of how local chemistry influences spin properties. Herein we report a series of four ionic complexes to provide the first systematic study of one aspect of local chemistry on the V(IV) spin – the counterion. To do so, the four complexes (Et3NH)2[V(C6H4O2)3] (1), (n-Bu3NH)2[V(C6H4O2)3] (2), (n-Hex3NH)2[V(C6H4O2)3] (3), and (n-Oct3NH)2[V(C6H4O2)3] (4) were probed by EPR spectroscopy in solid state and solution. Room temperature, solution X-band (ca. 9.8 GHz) continuous-wave electron paramagnetic resonance (CW-EPR) spectroscopy revealed an increasing linewidth with larger cations, likely a counterion-controlled tumbling in solution via ion pairing. In the solid state, variable-temperature (5–180 K) X-band (ca. 9.4 GHz) pulsed EPR studies of 1–4 in o-terphenyl glass demonstrated no effect on spin–lattice relaxation times (T1), indicating little role for the counterion on this parameter. However, the phase memory time (Tm) of 1 below 100 K is markedly smaller than those of 2–4. This result is counterintuitive, as 2–4 are relatively richer in 1H nuclear spin, hence, expected to have shorter Tm. Thus, these data suggest an important role for counterion methyl groups on Tm, and moreover provide the first instance of a lengthening Tm with increasing nuclear spin quantity on a molecule.
edTPA: The New Normal

This article analyzes the challenges related to the required Education Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) in higher education, and offers tips for the successful completion of the assessment.
Optimal Initial Trocar Placement for Morbidly Obese Patients.

Background and objectives Rates of morbid obesity are skyrocketing worldwide. Not only bariatric surgeons, but also general surgeons are often operating on morbidly obese patients. Many general surgeons still use the same anatomic landmarks for patients with body mass index (BMI) over 35 mg/kg2 as they do for patients of normal weight and can therefore find accessing the morbidly obese abdominal organs difficult. This paper will describe a technique that is easily reproducible and applicable in a wide range of laparoscopic cases. Method The xiphoid process is the only landmark referenced. From the xiphoid process, the surgeon puts 2 fists together and places the first trocar inferiorly 2 cm lateral to the midline in either direction. The umbilicus is not used as a landmark. This placement is 15-18 cm inferior to the xiphoid process, but allows adequate visualization for any foregut case. An optical trocar is used. Results In over 1400 bariatric cases, the initial trocar was safely placed with this technique. Most of these cases were performed with the method, but some had one modification: the first trocar was placed in the midclavicular line in the subcostal area if there were previous midline scars. In no cases was an extra-long, or bariatric, trocar used. Conclusions Laparoscopic access in morbidly obese patients does not have to be difficult. Using an optical trocar off the midline 15-18 cm below the xiphoid process will provide reliable, safe access in the morbidly obese patient, with excellent visualization of the target anatomy.
Evaluation of Satellite and Gauge-Based Precipitation Products through Hydrologic Simulation in Tigris River Basin under Data-Scarce Environment

AbstractThis study investigates four widely used satellite and gauged-based precipitation products for hydrological evaluation in the poorly gauged Tigris River basin (TRB), with an area of 445,656...
Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status Affects Patient-Reported Outcome 2 Years After ACL Reconstruction:

Background:Lower socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with worse patient-reported outcome (PRO) after orthopaedic procedures. In patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, e...
AS DROPS IN THEIR SEA: ANGELOLOGY THROUGH ONTOLOGY IN FAḪR AL-DĪN AL-RĀZĪ’S AL-MAṬĀLIB AL-῾ĀLIYA

In this article, I examine key passages from the As῾arite theologian Faḫr al- Dīn al-Rāzī’s (d. 606/1210) final work, Al-Maṭālib al-῾āliya (“ The lofty inquiries ”), in order to theorize Rāzī’s cosmology and angelology. In his attempt to prove the existence of these beings, Rāzī divides reality into material and intelligible realms. Angels, which signify the celestial intellects and spheres, exist as non-space-occupying beings and represent an aspect of the intelligible world. Of these, some are associated with celestial bodies, and others are entirely unassociated with materiality. I then present evidence for the possibility that Rāzī believed that these celestial spiritual beings are pre-eternal with God. These positions indicate a certain degree of conceptual continuity with the falsafa tradition, and reflect al-Ġazālī’s (d. 505/1111) previous integration of the philosophical structure of reality into some of his texts. Additionally, one may look to other philosophical currents that developed in the Islamic world beyond the falāsifa, and connect Rāzī’s cosmology to both the Hermetic tradition and the Epistles of the Iḫwān al-Ṣafā᾿.
Building a Great Health Care Innovation Ecosystem

Entrepreneurs and their upstart companies are challenging the health care industry’s high costs, frequent lack of transparency, and outdated processes. These innovators are responding to opportunities created by artificial intelligence, internet-based technologies, and regulatory pressure to provide value-based, outcome-driven care on an individual level. But entrepreneurs must find incumbent partners to navigate the risks and uncertainties inherent in health care and to understand its complex processes, regulatory approvals, and patient sensitivities. For their part, many payers and commercial vendors recognize that the status quo is unsustainable. The United States is experiencing stagnating patient outcomes despite oversize increases in costs. In response, the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) and Congress have championed new reimbursement plans that increase efficiencies and outcomes. Tackling health care’s recurring problems and scaling these new models require entrepreneurship and fresh thinking, but many incumbents will attempt to control the transition to health care’s future. They will fail in this misguided effort. Those that adapt to a changing environment - by listening to entrepreneurs, responding to the demands of consumers, and urgently scaling new experiments - will thrive.
The mitochondrial genome of UK (non-native) Dikerogammarus haemobaphes (Amphipoda: Gammaridae) informs upon Dikerogammarus evolution, invasions and associated microparasites.

The amphipod Dikerogammarus haemobaphes is a high-risk carrier of parasites that impact wildlife in its non-native range. Studies using the mitochondrial genes, Cytochrome Oxidase Sub-Unit 1 (cox1) and small-subunit ribosomal RNA gene (16S), provide some nucleotide detail for understanding the evolution and phylogeography of this species. Despite this, the origins of the invasion remain unknown, as do the origins of its parasites. This study provides the full annotated mitochondrial genome (15,460 bp) of D. haemobaphes, consisting of 2 rRNAs, 24 tRNAs and 14 protein coding genes. Mitochondrial genes from the UK isolate are compared to existing data on NCBI and are used in a concatenated phylogenetic approach and identify D. haemobaphes as an early member of the Gammaridae (Amphipoda). Viral, bacterial, protistan and microsporidian parasites are present across the Gammaridae, including D. haemobaphes, suggesting the ancestor of the Gammaridae harboured related diseases, and that further screening of amphipods is likely to reveal further microparasite diversity. This correlation suggests that other gammarid invaders have the potential to harbour a range of microparasites. The mitochondrial genome of this species will act a resource to facilitate our understanding of geneflow, disease epidemiology and evolutionary history in this invasion-disease model.
The Perception of Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia in Cancer Patients Currently Undergoing Treatment

Background: Chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) is a common adverse effect of chemotherapy. 8% of patients consider declining chemotherapy due to CIA risk.Objective: To determin whether cancer patients who are actively receiving chemotherapy are interested in preventing or treating CJA.Materials and Methods: This is a survey-based, cross-sectional study of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy infusion at a tertiary medical center. Data including demographics, cancer diagnosis, medical literacy, quality of life, hair quality satisfaction, and costs patients were willing to accrue for CIA prevention/treatment were gathered.Results: Sixty-two adults were enrolled, mostly 55 to 64 years of age, female (72.6%), and White (63.8%). Many patients were diagnosed with malignancies associated with a high rate of morbidity-mortality including ovarian, lung and pancreatic. In our cohort, all patients would not decline cancer treatment based on CIA risk. 94.6% of patients were unwilling to risk cancer recurrence, 80.9% additional side effects, 55.8% extra time outside of infusion and 47.9% to pay out-of-pocket for CIA prevention/treatment.Conclusions: Patients with high cancer disease burden will not decline current treatment due to CIA risk. In addition, they are not willing to sustain additional discomfort, cost or time to prevent or treat CIA.
Values Activation and Present Bias

Present bias—difficulty resisting instant gratification over a future and larger reward (also called delay discounting)—has been associated with various suboptimal behaviors and health outcomes. Several methods have been proposed to produce reductions in this bias and promote self-control. In this randomized experimental study of 137 undergraduate college students, the authors examined the effect of a 10-minute values clarification writing exercise on present bias in a monetary decision-making task compared with a neutral writing activity. While participants in the values clarification condition showed less present-biased behavior, this finding was not statistically significant at the .05 level. Thus, they place emphasis on implications for future research and practice with the aims of reducing present bias and building better communities.
Retention of Value Representations Across Time in People With Schizophrenia and Healthy Control Subjects.

Abstract Background The current study aimed to further etiological understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying negative symptoms in people with schizophrenia. Specifically, we tested whether negative symptom severity is associated with reduced retention of reward-related information over time and thus a degraded ability to utilize such information to guide future action selection. Methods Forty-four patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 28 healthy control volunteers performed a probabilistic reinforcement-learning task involving stimulus pairs in which choices resulted in reward or in loss avoidance. Following training, participants indicated their valuation of learned stimuli in a test/transfer phase. The test/transfer phase was administered immediately following training and 1 week later. Percent retention was defined as accuracy at week-long delay divided by accuracy at immediate delay. Results Healthy control subjects and people with schizophrenia showed similarly robust retention of reinforcement learning over a 1-week delay interval. However, in the schizophrenia group, negative symptom severity was associated with reduced retention of information regarding the value of actions across a week-long interval. This pattern was particularly notable for stimuli associated with reward compared with loss avoidance. Conclusions Our results show that although individuals with schizophrenia may initially learn about rewarding aspects of their environment, such learning decays at a more rapid rate in patients with severe negative symptoms. Thus, previously learned reward-related information may be more difficult to access to guide future decision making and to motivate action selection.
Generative Adversarial Networks for Synthetic Defect Generation in Assembly and Test Manufacturing

Defect detection and classification is a critical step in any semiconductor manufacturing process. Most of the time it involves manual creation of defects which is time consuming and includes a high material and labor cost. In this paper we propose Artificial Intelligence-based synthetic defect generation techniques to augment the training image sets for Convolutional Neural Network (CNNs)-based defect detection and classification systems. Specifically, we use Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) to create various modes of the defects which are difficult to create manually. Our results indicate that the output of our adapted GANs are images of realistic-looking defects for a wide variety of common manufacturing defects including foreign material, misplaced epoxy, scratches, and die chipping defects among others.