cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plastid-produced interorgannellar stress signal MEcPP potentiates induction of the unfolded protein response in endoplasmic reticulum

Cellular homeostasis in response to internal and external stimuli requires a tightly coordinated interorgannellar communication network. We recently identified methylerythritol cyclodiphosphate (MEcPP) as a novel stress-specific retrograde signaling metabolite that accumulates in response to environmental perturbations to relay information from plastids to the nucleus. We now demonstrate, using a combination of transcriptome and proteome profiling approaches, that mutant plants (ceh1) with high endogenous levels of MEcPP display increased transcript and protein levels for a subset of the core unfolded protein response (UPR) genes. The UPR is an adaptive cellular response conserved throughout eukaryotes to stress conditions that perturb the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis. Our results suggest that MEcPP directly triggers the UPR. Exogenous treatment with MEcPP induces the rapid and transient induction of both the unspliced and spliced forms of the UPR gene bZIP60. Moreover, compared with the parent background (P), ceh1 mutants are less sensitive to the ER-stress-inducing agent tunicamycin (Tm). P and ceh1 plants treated with Tm display similar UPR transcript profiles, suggesting that although MEcPP accumulation causes partial induction of selected UPR genes, full induction is triggered by accumulation of misfolded proteins. This finding refines our perspective of interorgannellar communication by providing a link between a plastidial retrograde signaling molecule and its targeted ensemble of UPR components in ER.
The effects of prenatal cannabis exposure on fetal development and pregnancy outcomes: a protocol

Introduction The effects of exposure to marijuana in utero on fetal development are not clear. Given that the recent legislation on cannabis in the US is likely to result in increased use, there is a need to assess the effects of prenatal cannabis exposure on fetal development and pregnancy outcomes. The objective of this review is to assess the effects of prenatal exposure to cannabis on pregnancy outcomes (including maternal and child outcomes). Methods and analyses Major databases will be searched from inception to the latest issue, with the aim of identifying studies that reported the effects of prenatal exposure to cannabis on fetal development and pregnancy outcomes. Two investigators will independently review all titles and abstracts to identify potential articles. Discrepancies will be resolved by repeated review, discussion and consensus. Study quality assessment will be undertaken, using standard protocols. To qualify for inclusion, studies must report at least one maternal or neonatal outcome post partum. Cross-sectional, case–control, cohort and randomised controlled trials published in English will be included. In order to rule out the effects of other drugs that may affect fetal development and pregnancy outcomes, studies will only be included if they report outcomes of prenatal exposure to cannabis while excluding other illicit substances. Data from eligible studies will be extracted, and data analysis will include a systematic review and critical appraisal of evidence, and meta-analysis if data permit. Meta-analysis will be conducted if three or more studies report comparable statistics on the same outcome. Ethics and dissemination The review which will result from this protocol has not already been conducted. Preparation of the review will follow the procedures stated in this protocol, and will adhere to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Ethical approval of data will not be required since the review will use data that are already available in the public domain through published articles and other reports.
Distraction, Exposure Therapy, Counterconditioning, and Topical Anesthetic for Acute Pain Management During Needle Sticks in Children With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

A behavior therapy approach for obtaining cooperation during needle sticks was provided to 8 pediatric patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Therapy was provided during mock needle sticks. Hand lotion was applied to simulate topical anesthetic. Distracting activities established relaxation while needle stick materials were gradually introduced. Positive reinforcement was provided for cooperation. Behavioral distress was ignored, blocked, or redirected. After cooperating with mock needle sticks, needle sites were prepared with topical anesthetic (EMLA), then therapists and medical staff implemented the behavioral protocol while completing the actual needle stick(s). Observational measures of cooperation and interfering were obtained. Results were replicated across 8 children and evaluated using paired samples t tests. Initially, all children were uncooperative with needle sticks. With treatment, behavioral distress decreased, and patients cooperated with mock and actual needle sticks. ...
Selective frame discard for interactive video

A mobile terminal equipped with multiple interfaces can achieve a much higher bandwidth by aggregating the bandwidth offered by the individual networks. This helps support demanding applications like interactive video. Often, in spite of bandwidth aggregation, the available bandwidth may be too small to avoid frame loss altogether. Under these circumstances, it may be necessary to selectively discard frames to minimize the effect of their loss on the overall video quality. In this paper, we consider different frame discard algorithms and study their performance in the presence of multiple interfaces. We show through trace driven simulations that attempting to transmit every frame results in severe performance degradation. In particular we show that our proposed algorithm MC-drop outperforms other algorithms in terms of suitably defined metrics that capture overall video quality.
Safety Considerations for Handling Imported Fire Ants (Solenopsis Spp.) in the Laboratory and Field

Imported fire ants pose two primary threats to humans: the risk of anaphylaxis following stings, and the potential for secondary infection of localized pustules that result from stings. Additionall...
Paleosols and paleoenvironments of the early Miocene deposits near Karungu, Lake Victoria, Kenya

Abstract A 50 m thick stratigraphic section at Ngira, near Karungu on the shore of Lake Victoria in western Kenya, documents the early Miocene paleoenvironments of the area. The basal Ngira paleosol is a 7.6 m thick, oxisolic Vertisol that formed during a prolonged period of pedogenesis; it began as a smectite-dominated Vertisol that was later overprinted through polypedogenesis to become a kaolinitic paleosol highly depleted of all base cations, with abundant Fe concentrations and depletions, and complexly variegated color mottle patterns that reflect extensive ferruginization. Paleoenvironmental reconstructions using bulk geochemistry indicate warm and wet conditions during development of the Ngira paleosol that probably supported a tropical seasonal forest on a stable upland surface for 10s to 100s of thousands of years. Following this long-lived stable landscape, rapid subsidence, perhaps associated with slip on a high-angle fault associated with the onset or progression of the Nyanza Rift and/or the development and eruptive history of the nearby Kisingiri volcano, buried the paleosol and formed a nascent lake basin that experienced multiple transgressions and regressions. During one interval of regression, fluvial sandstones and conglomerates were deposited along with fluvio-lacustrine sandstones and claystones that include weakly developed paleosols. These weakly-developed paleosols indicate a relatively dry paleoenvironment with seasonal precipitation, and probably a shrubland/bushland or riparian forest habitat. Important terrestrial and aquatic vertebrate fossils are primarily preserved within fluvial and fluvio-lacustrine deposits, indicating that the terrestrial Karungu fauna lived in a relatively dry and open habitat. This study demonstrates polypedogenesis and inferences regarding onset of abrupt tectonic activity in the early Miocene in equatorial eastern Africa, and emphasizes the contrasts between landscape stability of the Ngira paleosol and the poorly developed soils in the fluvio-lacustrine facies.
Interface engineered wetting-layer-free InAs quantum dots on GaAs(001)

Self-assembled quantum dots (QD) are nucleated by the strain induced at the wetting layer; which highly influences electrical, optical, and physical properties in PV applications. Isolating electronically QDs from their wetting layer (WL) for better performance and structural improvement is the aim of this work. Accordingly, we fabricate wetting layer free QDs by inserting an intermediate layer of GaAs(AlAs) in between the wetting layer and the dot layer by manipulating the strain accumulated in the WL. The structural and morphological characterizations were carried out using scanning transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. These analyses show that their novel strategy leads to significant improvement of dot structural characteristics as attested by the higher dot height/base aspect-ratio and by the presence of more evenly distributed and more symmetric dots. Finally optical properties were investigated by photoluminescence spectroscopy and show that the strategy results in enhanced luminescence efficiency and shaper emission line widths.
Analyzing isolate variability of Macrophomina phaseolina from a regional perspective

Sexton, Z.S., Hughes, T.J., and Wise, K.A. 20XX. Analyzing isolate variability of Macrophomina phaseolina from a regional perspective. Crop Protection. XX:XXXX. Charcoal rot of soybean (Glycine max L.), caused by Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid, has been reported more frequently in the north–central United States in recent years. Growth of isolates collected from the northern and southern U.S. was compared in vitro under various incubation temperatures, and isolate pathogenicity was assessed on cultivars adapted to each region. Results indicate that northern isolates had increased growth at 15 °C compared to isolates from southern states, while southern isolates grew 23% more at 40°C compared to northern isolates. Isolates from both regions were pathogenic on charcoal rot resistant and susceptible cultivars adapted for each region. This is the first research to suggest the importance of screening germplasm under regional environmental conditions and with local or regionally adapted isolates when evaluating cultivar resistance to charcoal rot.
Substituent Effects on the Binding of Halides by Neutral and Dicationic Bis(triazolium) Receptors

The effects of substituent and overall charge upon the binding of a halide anion by a bis(triazolium) receptor are studied by M06-2X DFT calculations, with the aug-cc-pVDZ basis set. Comparison is also made between a receptor that engages in H-bonds, with a halogen-bonding species. Fluoride is clearly most strongly bound, followed by Cl(-), Br(-), and I(-) in that order. The dicationic receptor engages in stronger complexes, but not by a very wide margin compared to its neutral counterpart. The binding is enhanced as the substituent on the two triazolium rings becomes progressively more electron-withdrawing. Halogen-substituted receptors, whether neutral or cationic, display a greater sensitivity to substituent than do their H-bonding counterparts. Both Coulombic and charge transfer factors obey the latter trends but do not correctly reproduce the stronger halogen vs hydrogen bonding. Both H-bonds and halogen bonds are nearly linear within the complexes, due in part to bond rotations within the receptor that bring the two triazole rings closer to coplanarity with the central benzene ring.
A Cross-Sectional Study of Stressors Among Farmers in Eastern North Carolina

BACKGROUND: Agriculture is a hazardous, stressful occupation that can adversely affect farmers' health. Identifying stressors among farmers may help health professionals improve health outcomes by developing targeted intervention strategies and services. METHODS: Over a 4-month period, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 128 farmers in an economically disadvantaged, 29-county region of Eastern North Carolina. We used a modified version of the Farm Ranch Stress Inventory to measure farmers' self-reported reactions to potential stressors. RESULTS: The majority of farmers surveyed were aged 40-59 years, had farmed for more than 20 years, and worked more than 40 hours per week on the farm. Large proportions of respondents identified the following factors as 'very stressful': concern about the weather (60.2%), concern over the future of the farm (29.7%), outsiders not understanding the nature of farming (25.2%), problems with machinery (23.4%), market prices for crops/livestock (45.3%), taxes (38.3%), health care costs (32.5%), and not having enough time to spend with family in recreation (13.3%). Experiencing 8 or more factors as "very stressful" was found to be positively associated with working more than 40 hours per week on the farm (P =.008) and with being a farm manager or a farm worker who does not operate equipment (P =.001). CONCLUSIONS: Information about perceived stressors among farmers may help health professionals develop targeted interventions for reducing stress. More research is needed to better evaluate health outcomes, to reduce farm-related injuries, and to improve psychosocial well-being. Language: en
Alterations in mitochondrial quality control in alzheimer’s disease

Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the earliest and most prominent features in the brains of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. Recent studies suggest that mitochondrial dysfunction plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of AD. Neurons are metabolically active cells, causing them to be particularly dependent on mitochondrial function for survival and maintenance. As highly dynamic organelles, mitochondria are characterized by a balance of fusion and fission, transport, and mitophagy, all of which are essential for maintaining mitochondrial integrity and function. Mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy can therefore be identified as key pathways in mitochondrial quality control. Tremendous progress has been made in studying changes in these key aspects of mitochondrial biology in the vulnerable neurons of AD brains and mouse models, and the potential underlying mechanisms of such changes. This review highlights recent findings on alterations in the mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy in AD and discusses how these abnormalities impact mitochondrial quality control and thus contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction in AD.
Experiments with the stutter-aid.

4 studies concerned with the impact of a miniature low-frequency noise generator (Stutter-Aid) on stuttering are summarized.
Parabiotic Twins as a Means of Determining Cellular Individuality.

It has been shown1 that a division of species-specific substances of the erythrocytes of Pearlneck (Spilopelia chinensis), not present in those of Ring dove (Streptopelia risoria), is found in the progeny of male hybrids backcrossed to Ring dove. Individual differences in the cells of these backcross birds make reasonable the conclusion that many different heritable cellular components distinguish Pearl-neck from Ring dove. It seemed opportune to test whether or not a successful “take” of parabionts in backcross hybrids depends, at least in part, upon the relative number of such Pearlneck substances in one member of the pair as contrasted with their absence in the other. The appearance of antibodies would presumably be due to reciprocal immunization, since to date no isoagglutinins have been observed within the Ring dove species nor in the backcross hybrids.Accordingly, several unions of backcross hybrids, of various ages and in different backcross generations, were made by one of us, (R.T.H.). Kozelka2 m...
Jamaica Kincaid's Lucy: Cultural "Translation" As a Case of Creative Exploration of the Past

In her potent essay "On Seeing England for the First Time," Jamaica Kincaid writes: "The space between the idea of something and its reality is always wide and deep and dark" (37). Her reflection delineates the "space" of complex post-colonial experience which has captured and shaped the lives of many peoples colonized since Christopher Columbus's first conquests. Born on Antigua, a former British colony, Kincaid, as both a writer and an individual, struggles with her legacy of post-colonialism. A Small Place (1988) is her insightful critical analysis of political, historical, and cultural aspects of the post-colonial reality on Antigua. Her collection of short stories, At the Bottom of the River (1978), and the first novel, Annie John (1983), deal with her Antiguan childhood and adolescence. All of them represent an attempt to define the most vital aspects of post-colonial experience: psychological, cultural, and social marginality; political exclusion; racial and sexual discrimination; and the domination by the white man and his culture. Lucy (1990) picks up at the point where all her previous works ended and explores the possibilities of transcending the heroine's post-colonial predicament. Upon immigrating to the United States, a young West Indian woman begins her painful and lonely search for identity. Her struggle for personal freedom and independence entails total, self-imposed separation from her family, particularly her mother, and a commitment to complete detachment. Such rejection of her former identity and alienation from the past and much of her present experience grant Lucy the independence and freedom to assert herself in a position of control and power, which, in turn, allows her to re-invent her self and create a new future. But her re-invention would not be
Some Evolutionary Trends in the Stratiomyidae

Recently systematists have been moving away from the description of species and toward a refinement of the systems already established: to monographs, faunistic treatments, and phylogenies. This more complex work has led to skepticism in certain departments and has resulted in the general feeling that categories such as families, genera, and even species, are man-made, without sufficient objective reality.
Introduction to the special issue: intersectionality and entrepreneurship

ABSTRACTWe briefly review the ethnic entrepreneurship paradigm, identifying the problems associated with an approach that emphasizes the salience of one social group, ethnicity, to the exclusion or downplaying of others, such as race, class, and gender. We introduce an intersectional approach to the study of (ethnic) enterprise, reviewing the literature and using the articles in this special issue to demonstrate the utility of this perspective. We close by encouraging the use of this approach in future research.
Quality of Service-Aware, Scalable Cache Tuning Algorithm in Consumer-based Embedded Devices

To meet energy and quality of service (QoS) constraints in consumer/user-based embedded devices (CEDs), configurable caches can be tuned to a best configuration that consumes the least amount of energy while adhering to QoS expectations. However, due to disparate consumer QoS expectations and a myriad of unknown, third-party CED applications, tuning caches in CEDs is very challenging. In this paper, we propose a quality of service-aware, scalable tuning algorithm for configurable caches, which requires no a priori knowledge of applications or design-time efforts.
On the Production of Hydrogen as an Energy Medium

The supply of liquid and gaseous fossil fuels has now reached a maximum insofar as Western countries are concerned (1), including supplies from the Middle East. Even if there is no catastrophic interruption of supplies from Saudi Arabia, the net supply of fossil fuels available to the United States and European countries will turn down during the 1980’s. The standard of life is proportional to the energy consumed. To avoid a massive retrenchment of economic welfare in the western world, with obvious geopolitical consequences, the failing fossil fuel supply must be replaced. The replacement sources are agreed upon. They are: coal; atomic breeder reactors; and solar energy, collected upon a massive scale in desert sites or upon the sea.
DEPOLARIZATION-INDUCED ALKALINIZATION (DIA) IN RAT HIPPOCAMPAL ASTROCYTES

1. Depolarization of glial cells causes their intracellular pH (pHi) to increase. To more completely characterize this depolarization-induced alkalinization (DIA) in mammalian astrocytes, we studied DIA in cultured rat hippocampal astrocytes. Astrocytes were loaded with the fluorescent pH indicator 2',7'-bis(carboxyethyl)-5,6-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF), and pHi was monitored with the use of an imaging system. Cells were studied approximately 24 h after removing them from serum-containing culture medium. In HCO-3-buffered solution containing 3 mM K+, mean baseline pHi was 7.14 +/- 0.14 (mean +/- SD). 2. Astrocyte pHi rapidly and reversibly alkalinized when bath [K+] was increased from 3 to 12 mM. In HCO-3-buffered solution, mean DIA amplitude was 0.16 +/- 0.01 pH units, and mean rate of pHi change was 0.076 +/- 0.03 pH units/min. In contrast, DIA elicited in nominally HCO-3-free, N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES)-buffered solution was much smaller (0.03 +/- 0.01 pH units, 0.04 +/- 0.01 pH units/min; P < 0.0001), indicating that DIA was, in large part, a HCO-3-dependent process. Subsequent experiments were carried out in HCO-3-buffered solution. 3. The relationship between DIA and variable changes in bath [K+] was examined. Increasing bath [K+] from 3 to 6 mM produced a DIA of 0.07 +/- 0.04 pH units, and lowering [K+] to 0.5 mM resulted in an acid shift of 0.08 +/- 0.05 pH units. The effects of these changes in [K+] on membrane potential were measured in separate experiments by whole cell patch-clamp recording. On the basis of these data, it was possible to construct a relationship between Vm and pHi; shifting membrane potential approximately 10 mV resulted in a pHi shift of approximately 0.07. 4. Application of 0.5 mM Ba2+ depolarized Vm and elicited DIA in astrocytes. This indicated that depolarization, in the absence of an increase in [K+], could cause DIA. Application of Ba2+ also blocked K(+)-induced DIA, presumably because blockade of K+ channels prevented any depolarization by K+. 5. Cells with more alkaline baseline pHis exhibited larger and more rapidly developing DIAs. The mechanism of this effect is not known. 6. The timing of serum removal affected astrocyte DIA. Cells studied approximately 24 h after serum removal always exhibited robust DIA (mean = 0.16 +/- 0.01 pH units).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
CONSUMER PREFERENCE FOR ALTERNATIVE MILK PACKAGING: THE CASE OF AN INFERRED ENVIRONMENTAL ATTRIBUTE

Ecolabeling allows firms to segment a market by informing consumers about unobservable attributes of a product. Previous studies evaluate consumer preferences for products explicitly labeled as possessing positive environmental attributes. This research evaluates consumers’ willingness to pay for a product that is perceived by the consumer as having environmentally friendly attributes. We explore glass packaging for fluid milk as a case study. Data were collected through a contingent valuation survey, and a bound-and-a-half logit model was employed. The estimated premium is 59.78 cents with a premium between 0.92 for consumers more likely to prefer the glass alternative.
Capacitively tuned sinusoidally modulated leaky wave antennas

In this paper a leaky wave antenna is presented that utilizes a sinusoidally modulated reactance surface. Contrary to conventional designs the sinusoidal reactance variation is electronically controlled (rather than geometrically) using a frequency selective surface loaded with lumped capacitors. Using a very thorough analysis that utilizes the transverse resonance method it is demonstrated how to derive the necessary capacitance-to-reactance map. According to this map any desired surface reactance profile (that uniquely determines the radiation properties of the antenna) can be translated to a set of lumped capacitor loads. The proposed design methodology is numerically validated. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the resulting leaky wave antenna is highly efficient.
Visualization of fields in the undergraduate EM course

This paper presents the application of an electromagnetic software tool COMSOL in an undergraduate EM course as an assigned class project. It allows the visualization of electromagnetic phenomena for different problems. Examples from students' projects and reports are presented to illustrate the enhancement of students' learning and understanding of EM fields by this software.
Restoration of the chiral limit in Pauli-Villars-regulated light-front QED

The dressed-electron eigenstate of Feynman-gauge QED is computed in light-front quantization with a Fock-space truncation to include at most the one-photon/one-electron sector. The theory is regulated by the inclusion of three massive Pauli-Villars (PV) particles, one PV electron, and two PV photons. In particular, the chiral-limit is investigated, and the correct limit is found to require two PV photons, not just one as previously thought. The renormalization and covariance of the electron current are also analyzed. We find that the plus component is well behaved and use its spin-flip matrix element to compute the electron's anomalous moment. The dependence of the moment on the regulator masses is shown to be slowly varying when the second PV photon is used to guarantee the correct chiral limit.
Ending as Intended: The Educational Effects of an Epilogue to a TV Show Episode about Bipolar Disorder.

ABSTRACTEntertainment persuasion theory was applied to investigate how an epilogue to a dramatic episode with an educational subtext about bipolar disorder affected viewer processing and response. In an experiment, viewers (N = 89) were randomly assigned to watch the episode either with or without an epilogue. Exposure to the epilogue increased recognition of the subtext. It also increased counterarguing against the subtext, but only among viewers less involved with the episode’s story. The epilogue decreased social distance for people with bipolar disorder and decreased their belief that bipolar disorder is not treatable. These findings speak to the utility of epilogues as a tool to both reinforce intended entertainment–education messages and to combat misinformation. This function is particularly useful for entertainment portrayals of stigmatized conditions, which are at greater risk of being misunderstood. To avoid viewer reactance, epilogues should be paired with highly involving narratives.
Structural and biochemical analyses indicate that a bacterial persulfide dioxygenase-rhodanese fusion protein functions in sulfur assimilation.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a signaling molecule that is toxic at elevated concentrations. In eukaryotes, it is cleared via a mitochondrial sulfide oxidation pathway, which comprises sulfide quinone oxidoreductase, persulfide dioxygenase (PDO), rhodanese, and sulfite oxidase and converts H2S to thiosulfate and sulfate. Natural fusions between the non-heme iron containing PDO and rhodanese, a thiol sulfurtransferase, exist in some bacteria. However, little is known about the role of the PDO–rhodanese fusion (PRF) proteins in sulfur metabolism. Herein, we report the kinetic properties and the crystal structure of a PRF from the Gram-negative endophytic bacterium Burkholderia phytofirmans. The crystal structures of wild-type PRF and a sulfurtransferase-inactivated C314S mutant with and without glutathione were determined at 1.8, 2.4, and 2.7 A resolution, respectively. We found that the two active sites are distant and do not show evidence of direct communication. The B. phytofirmans PRF exhibited robust PDO activity and preferentially catalyzed sulfur transfer in the direction of thiosulfate to sulfite and glutathione persulfide; sulfur transfer in the reverse direction was detectable only under limited turnover conditions. Together with the kinetic data, our bioinformatics analysis reveals that B. phytofirmans PRF is poised to metabolize thiosulfate to sulfite in a sulfur assimilation pathway rather than in sulfide stress response as seen, for example, with the Staphylococcus aureus PRF or sulfide oxidation and disposal as observed with the homologous mammalian proteins.
Evaluation and Management of Non-iatrogenic Ureteral Trauma

Ureteral injuries are rare and represent a minority of genitourinary injuries in trauma patients. Their association with complex polytrauma and propensity for delayed recognition present diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Herein, we present a review of the available literature on the evaluation and management of non-iatrogenic ureteral injuries. The incidence of traumatic ureteral injury appears to be increasing as a result of improved trauma survivability and enhanced imaging techniques. While most of the ureteral trauma literature reports on penetrating mechanisms of injury, blunt ureteral injuries are typically associated with more severe injury scores. Diagnosing traumatic ureteral injuries continues to be challenging and clinical suspicion should guide subsequent evaluation based on the patient’s condition. Computerized tomography with intravenous contrast and excretory phase imaging is the gold standard for evaluating suspected ureteral injuries in clinically stable trauma patients. Many ureteral injuries will still be diagnosed intraoperatively and may be successfully temporized or definitively reconstructed acutely. In unstable patients, damage control principles have been adapted to ureteral trauma permitting delayed reconstruction. Delayed diagnosis of these injuries has been associated with increased morbidity, mortality, length of stay, and renal loss. Traumatic ureteral injuries are rare and require a high index of suspicion. Patient physiology may guide the evaluation and eventual treatment of these injuries. Improved detection, management, and vigilance for potential complications of traumatic ureteral injuries can improve patient outcomes and decreased resource utilization.
Testicular Germ Cell Tumors and Teratomas

Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) lie at the intersection of cancer and developmental biology. These tumors arise from defects in germ cell development, pluripotent primordial germ cells that fail to develop into normal male gametes. To understand the developmental defects that allow these tumors to form, we must study the developmental biology surrounding embryonic germ cell development, specifically during sex specification. Fortunately, excellent mouse models are available that recapitulate the pathology of the human disease. In this chapter, we focus on what has been learned by studying embryonic germ cell development in the 129/Sv inbred mouse model, and how this model is contributing to the study of human TGCTs.
Proof Schemes of Pre-Service Middle and Secondary Mathematics Teachers.

This article reports proof schemes used by pre-service mathematics teachers enrolled in third- and fourth-year mathematics education courses at a Midwestern university. Six pre-service teachers con...
A Study of Online Presence in Digital Learning Environments

Online courses are popular in the United States. In particular, the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) platform such as Coursera and edX are used to deliver online courses exclusively. Although these courses often do not provide any college level credits or degrees, scores of people have already joined the courses and finished them. Many schools are struggling to incorporate online modalities into their curricula. Often they do not have enough resources to develop and deliver the online courses. In addition, delivered online courses are not as promising as expected, not just because the resources are lacking, but because they have different modalities from traditional classroom based courses. In this study, we proposed a model of relationship between online presence and student learning outcomes. By identifying the proper measures of online presence, instructors can not only pass on their knowledge, but also drastically improve the learning experience for their students.
Chocolate: A role in skin care and cancer

As a living, breathing organism, cocoa contains several polyphenols. Polyphenols are aromatic ring-like structures and can be classified into three subgroups: phenolic acids, non-flavonoids, and flavonoids. Extract from cacao is especially rich in flavonoids, “a class of compounds that occur in a wide variety of vegetables, teas and red wines,” [2]. Note this list of dietary foods. They are all nutritive plant by-products researched and believed to provide better heart and vascular health, promote cancer defenses, and potentially lower the prevalence of chronic disease like diabetes mellitus and neurodegenerative disorders.
The Design of the Interface Phase for Obtaining Thermal Shock Resistance in Silicon Nitride

Guidelines for the microstructure design of silicon nitride are developed under the assumption that high temperature structural materials should have zero tolerance for thermal shock induced microcrack damage. The residual stresses resulting from anisotropic thermal expansion coefficient are analyzed and it is shown that the magnitude of these stresses can be reduced by employing graded interfaces. It is proposed that an elongated grain structure of silicon nitride embedded in an interconnected intergranular phase, having a volume fraction greater than 8%, offers the possibility of precluding microcrack damage. The nanostructure of this intergranular phase is important in the creep properties of silicon nitride. A crystalline intergranular phase having an elastic modulus that is nearly equal to the modulus of silicon nitride crystal is proposed as the optimum choice for reducing residual stresses and enhancing resistance to creep cavitation.
Difference and punishment: Ethno-political exclusion, colonial institutional legacies, and incarceration:

One dominant theoretical explanation for higher incarceration rates across the world focuses on how a nation’s level of diversity or minority presence broadly writ unleashes racial resentment that ...
Establishment of Salsola tragus on aeolian sands: A Southern Colorado Plateau case study

Russian-thistle (Salsola tragus L.), is a nonnative, C4 photosynthesizing, annual plant that infests disturbed and natural areas in the arid U.S. Southwest. Land managers of natural areas may need to decide whether a S. tragus infestation is potentially harmful and whether it should be actively managed. One factor informing that decision is an understanding of the conditions under which this weed emerges and establishes and how those processes affect where and when infestations occur. We studied S. tragus establishment on aeolian (windblown) sandy soils at Petrified Forest National Park, AZ. Our sites were a previously disturbed sand sheet and a semistabilized sand dune. Measurements in plots on these sites over two growing seasons revealed a similar number of S. tragus seedlings emerging on both sites early in the 2015 growing season. As the season progressed, S. tragus cover (seedling survival and growth) was lower on the sand dune, except for a plot placed entirely on a coppice mound. In 2016, S. tragus seedling emergence and development of cover, measured on plots at both sites, was exceptionally low, as was summer rainfall. A growth chamber assay of seedling emergence from soil and litter samples collected at each site showed emergence was greatest from samples collected where S. tragus litter remained on the soil surface, and otherwise was infrequent. Our study suggests that S. tragus emergence and early establishment are sensitive to low precipitation and that soil-surface microtopography and grass and shrub cover may be determinants of the spatial pattern of infestation on sandy soils. As aeolian sands occur throughout drylands of the U.S. Southwest, deeper understanding of the conditions under which S. tragus seedlings emerge and establish can inform management of this invasive annual in those habitats.
Non-linear optics and harmonic generation in ZnS using femtosecond mid-IR pulses near zero dispersion wavelength

Using intense $3.6\ \mu \mathrm{m}$ , 200 fs, 500 Hz laser pulses, non-linear spectral broadening, filamentation and 2nd-9th harmonic generation in ZnS (Cleartran™) with 3–40 mm propagation distance were observed. Non-linear index of Cleartran was also measured. © 2019 The Author(s)
Feasibility of a Lifestyle Physical Activity Intervention to Prevent Memory Loss in Older Women With Cardiovascular Disease: A Mixed-Methods Approach.

BackgroundMemory loss in older age affects women more than men and cardiovascular disease is a leading risk factor. Physical activity can improve memory in healthy older adults; however, few physic...
Trace Elements in Surface Soils and Megascolecidae Earthworms in Urban Forests Within Four Land-Uses Around Poughkeepsie, New York, USA

Amynthas agrestis and Metaphire hilgendorfi are being distributed across North America with unknown ecosystem impacts. Forest soils in urban areas sequester trace elements and earthworms may be bioaccumulating them. This study examined Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn in soils and earthworm tissues at 28 urban forest sites in and surrounding Poughkeepsie, NY, USA. Megascolecidae were present at 22 sites with means of 12 to 27 individuals m−2 and 4 to 12 dry weight g m−2. Urban forest soils within commercial uses had Mn, Pb, and Zn concentrations higher than within residential and agricultural uses. Earthworm trace element concentrations were poorly predicted by their respective soil concentrations, except for Pb. Urban forests in commercial uses and land-preserves, earthworm Cd and Pb concentrations were at or above concentrations known to negatively impact small mammal and bird health ( > 10 mg kg−1) with Co and V approaching toxic concentrations.
Dual-action organoplatinum polymeric nanoparticles overcoming drug resistance in ovarian cancer

Drug resistance to the conventional platinum chemotherapy remains a major challenge for treating ovarian cancer. Herein, we present a novel approach to overcome the drug resistance by utilizing “dual-action” organometallic polymeric nanoparticles (OPNPs). The OPNPs were formed by the assembly of the organoplatinum payloads and the anionic block copolymer, methoxy polyethylene glycol-block-polyglutamic acid (MPEG5k-PGA50). The OPNPs enhance the solubility and biocompatibility of the hydrophobic organoplatinum payloads. The OPNPs enter the cancer cells via endocytosis, and the payloads loaded in the core of the nanoparticles are slowly released under the acidic conditions of endosomes. Unlike conventional platinum therapeutics, the organoplatinum compound exhibits a “dual-action” attack by triggering nuclear DNA damage and mitochondrial damage. As a result, drug-resistant ovarian cancer cells become vulnerable to the organoplatinum payloads.
Sublaminar polyester band fixation construct in the treatment of neuromuscular scoliosis

Abstract Purpose Multiple fixation techniques exist for treating progressive neuromuscular scoliosis including pedicle screws, sublaminar bands/wires, hooks or a combination of instruments. Most su...
Iterative Beneficiary Monitoring of Donor Projects

This chapter presents an approach to project monitoring which is designed as a low-cost, iterative feedback loop. It collects information directly from beneficiaries and produces focused reports highlighting challenges that need to be addressed. By regularly repeating data collection, positive, self-reinforcing cycles of improvement are created, and project effectiveness improves. The approach called iterative beneficiary monitoring or IBM was developed to deal with limited access to project activities due to conflict, but its low-cost approach also makes it attractive and applicable to secure settings. IBM is being integrated into a range of World Bank projects.
Medial Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty: Indications and Technique

Medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty is an excellent surgical option for the treatment of isolated medial compartment arthritis. Modern implants demonstrate outstanding function and survivorship. Additionally, the procedure is less demanding for both the surgeon and the patient. The potential for enhanced patient recovery utilizing straightforward surgical techniques and same-day surgery protocols has helped repopularize the procedure. Exceptional clinical results persist even as contemporary indications expand. Moreover, unicompartmental knee arthroplasty is associated with a lower occurrence of complications and mortality. The most common modes of failure for fixed-bearing medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty are progression of adjacent compartment arthritis and aseptic loosening. Revision results closely approximate that of a revision total knee arthroplasty.
Wide field-of-view volumetric imaging by a mesoscopic scanning oblique plane microscopy with switchable objective lens

Conventional light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM), or selective plane illumination microscopy (SPIM), enables high resolution 3D imaging over a large volume by using two orthogonally aligned objective lenses to decouple excitation and emission. The recent development of oblique plane microscopy (OPM) simplifies LSFM design with only one single objective lens, by using off-axis excitation and remote focusing. However, most reports on OPM has a limited microscopic field of view (FOV), typically within 1x1 mm2. Our goal is to overcome the limitation with a new variant of OPM to achieve mesoscopic FOV. We implemented an optical design of mesoscopic scanning OPM to allow using low numerical aperture (NA) objective lens. The angle of the intermediate image before the remote focusing system was increased by a demagnification under Scheimpflug condition such that the light collecting efficiency in the remote focusing system was significantly improved. We characterized the 3D resolutions and FOV by imaging fluorescence microspheres, and demonstrated the volumetric imaging on intact whole zebrafish larvae, mouse cortex, and multiple Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). We demonstrate a mesoscopic FOV up to ~6×5×0.6 mm3 volumetric imaging, the largest reported FOV by OPM so far. The angle of the intermediate image plane is independent of the magnification. As a result, the system is highly versatile, allowing simple switching between different objective lenses with low (10x, NA 0.3) and median NA (20x, NA 0.5). Detailed microvasculature in zebrafish larvae, mouse cortex, and neurons in C. elegans are clearly visualized in 3D. The proposed mesoscopic scanning OPM allows using low NA objective such that centimeter-level FOV volumetric imaging can be achieved. With the extended FOV, simple sample mounting protocol, and the versatility of changeable FOVs/resolutions, our system will be ready for the varieties of applications requiring in vivo volumetric imaging over large length scales.
Children’s learning from implicit analogies during instruction: Evidence from fraction division

Abstract This study examined children’s learning from implicit and explicit analogies during instruction. In all conditions, 6th grade children learned about fraction division from a videotaped lesson. In the implicit analogy, the teacher presented whole number division examples, thus activating relevant prior knowledge, and then introduced fraction division without drawing attention to the analogy. In the explicit analogy, the teacher introduced the same examples, drew children’s attention to the analogy, and guided children’s mapping across the analogical similarities. Children in the no analogy condition only viewed examples of fraction division. Children who viewed the implicit analogical instruction had greater conceptual understanding of fraction division at posttest than children in the explicit or no analogy conditions. Children in the explicit condition performed worse on procedural posttest items than children in the implicit or no analogy conditions. Activating children’s prior knowledge of conceptually similar problems was more effective at supporting children’s learning than explicitly guiding that analogy.
Association of work-family experience with mid- and late-life memory decline in US women.

Objective To test the hypothesis that life course patterns of employment, marriage, and childrearing influence later-life rate of memory decline among women, we examined the relationship of work-family experiences between ages 16 and 50 years and memory decline after age 55 years among US women. Methods Participants were women ages ≥55 years in the Health and Retirement Study. Participants reported employment, marital, and parenthood statuses between ages 16 and 50 years. Sequence analysis was used to group women with similar work-family life histories; we identified 5 profiles characterized by similar timing and transitions of combined work, marital, and parenthood statuses. Memory performance was assessed biennially from 1995 to 2016. We estimated associations between work-family profiles and later-life memory decline with linear mixed-effects models adjusted for practice effects, baseline age, race/ethnicity, birth region, childhood socioeconomic status, and educational attainment. Results There were 6,189 study participants (n = 488 working nonmothers, n = 4,326 working married mothers, n = 530 working single mothers, n = 319 nonworking single mothers, n = 526 nonworking married mothers). Mean baseline age was 57.2 years; average follow-up was 12.3 years. Between ages 55 and 60, memory scores were similar across work-family profiles. After age 60, average rate of memory decline was more than 50% greater among women whose work-family profiles did not include working for pay after childbearing, compared with those who were working mothers. Conclusions Women who worked for pay in early adulthood and midlife experienced slower rates of later-life memory decline, regardless of marital and parenthood status, suggesting participation in the paid labor force may protect against later-life memory decline.
Comparing Three Music Therapy Interventions for Anxiety and Relaxation in Youth With Amplified Pain

Research in pediatric hospitals has shown that active music engagement, preferred music listening, and music-assisted relaxation can decrease anxiety and increase relaxation responses. However, there is little research on the use of music therapy with pediatric chronic pain conditions such as amplified pain syndromes. The purpose of the current study was to examine the effects of 3 specific music therapy interventions (active music engagement, live patient-selected music, and music-assisted relaxation) on anxiety and relaxation levels in youth (ages 10-18) participating in a 40 hr per week hospital-based intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment program. A sample of 48 patients participated in this study which utilized a 3-period, 3-treatment cross-over design with 3 interventions delivered in a quasi-randomized order determined by when the patients started the treatment program. State anxiety was measured via the state form of the State-Trait Inventory for Cognitive and Somatic Anxiety for Children and relaxation scores were assessed with a Visual Analog Scale. Statistically significant changes were found in anxiety and relaxation outcomes across all interventions provided. Results suggest that music therapy services (using active music engagement, live patient-selected music, and music-assisted relaxation) may be an effective modality to decrease anxiety and increase relaxation levels in pediatric patients with amplified pain syndromes.