cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 2057: Dual peptide-mediated targeted delivery of siRNAs for the treatment of oral cancer

Proceedings: AACR 107th Annual Meeting 2016; April 16-20, 2016; New Orleans, LA Two major hurdles for small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated therapies are cell/tissue-type targeted delivery and endosomal entrapment of siRNAs, resulting in inefficient gene silencing. As a result, the objective of this study was to examine the feasibility of utilizing two peptides, one with cancer cell-targeting specificity and the second with endosome-disruptive properties, to co-deliver bioactive siRNAs into oral cancer cells overexpressing the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and induce silencing of the targeted oncoprotein, CIP2A. Previously, we designed a novel endosome-disruptive peptide, termed 599, that was demonstrated to mediate intracellular delivery of bioactive siRNAs targeting CIP2A (siCIP2A) in vitro. Furthermore, we recently demonstrated that 599 peptide-mediated delivery of siCIP2A into tumor tissues via intratumoral injections reduced the expression of CIP2A and significantly inhibited tumor growth. In order to induce targeted uptake via systemic administration, we designed the EGFR targeting peptide, GE11R9, which was found to deliver siRNAs specifically to EGFR-overexpressing oral cancer cells; however, it was incapable of mediating the delivery of bioactive siRNAs due to endosomal entrapment. Consequently, we developed a novel dual peptide delivery strategy, combining the 599 peptide, with the GE11R9 peptide and examined their ability to co-deliver siRNAs. Our results demonstrated that the dual peptide complex exhibited effective binding and specific uptake of siRNAs into EGFR-overexpressing cells compared to low-EGFR-expressing cells. The co-addition of the 599 peptide with the GE11R9 peptide also restored siRNA functionality. Furthermore, when administered systemically to mice bearing xenograft oral tumors, the dual peptide complex mediated increased targeted delivery of siRNAs into tumor tissues in comparison to the 599 peptide alone. Together, these data demonstrate the clinical potential of the dual peptide strategy for RNAi-based therapeutics by synergistically mediating the effective targeting and delivery of bioactive siRNAs into EGFR-overexpressing cancer cells. Citation Format: Angela A. Alexander-Bryant, Haiwen Zhang, William Pugh, Lu Dinh, Christopher Attaway, Laurence Eggart, Robert Sansevere, Liliana Cantini, Andrew Jakymiw. Dual peptide-mediated targeted delivery of siRNAs for the treatment of oral cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 2057.
Purity Homophily in Social Networks - Invited Talk

Does sharing moral values encourage people to connect and form communities? The importance of moral homophily (love of same) has been recognized by social scientists, but the types of moral similarities that drive this phenomenon are still unknown. In this talk, I will present a series of experiments (both large-scale, observational social-media analyses and behavioral lab experiments) that investigate which types of moral similarities influence tie formations. Our results indicate that social network processes reflect moral selection, and both online and offline differences in moral purity concerns are particularly predictive of social distance. Dr. Morteza Dehghani is an Assistant Professor of psychology, computer science and the Brain and Creativity Institute at University of Southern California. His research spans the boundary between psychology and artificial intelligence, as does his education. His work investigates properties of cognition by using documents of the social discourse, such as narratives, social media, transcriptions of speeches and news articles, in conjunction to behavioral studies.
James Clerk Maxwell: a force for physics

Unless one is a poet, a war hero or a rock star, it is a mistake to die young. James Clerk Maxwell – unlike Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein, the two giants of physics with whom he stands – made that mistake, dying in 1879 at the age of just 48. Physicists may be familiar with Maxwell, but most non-scientists, when they switch on their colour TVs or use their mobile phones, are unlikely to realize that he made such technology possible. After all, in 1864 he gave us "Maxwell's equations" – voted by Physics World readers as their favourite equations of all time – from which radio waves were predicted.
Magnetohydrodynamic Shocks in the Interplanetary Space: a Theoretical Review

I discuss in this brief review some properties of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) discontinuities in the interplanetary space. My emphasis is on a special case of MHD discontinuity, namely interplanetary (IP) shocks, and those that are found at 1 AU. I derive the Rankine-Hugoniot (RH) equations to evaluate plasma parameters in the downstream region (shocked plasma) in relation to the upstream region (unshocked plasma). These properties are used to classify IP shocks in terms of their geometry and their direction of propagation in relation to the Sun. The shock geometry is determined in terms of two angles: $\theta _{B_{n}}$ , the angle between the upstream magnetic field and the shock normal, and $\theta _{x_{n}}$ , the angle between the shock normal and the Sun-Earth line. Sources of IP shocks frequently found in the solar wind at Earth’s orbit are presented. Then the RH equations are solved for two categories of IP shocks in a special case: perpendicular shocks, when $\theta _{B_{n}}$ is 90 ∘, and oblique shocks, when that angle is 45 ∘. Finally, I highlight the importance of knowing the shock geometry, mainly the impact angle $\theta _{x_{n}}$ , specially whether the shock is frontal or inclined, for space weather-related investigations. IP shocks are known to be more geoeffective if they strike the Earth’s magnetosphere frontally, or with impact angle nearly null. These results have been reported both by modeling and experimental studies in the literature.
Seasonal radiocarbon reservoir ages for the 17th century James River, Virginia estuary

This study utilizes a combined stable isotope and 14C dating approach to determine the radiocarbon reservoir age correction, ΔR, for the James River, Virginia estuary from 17th century Crassostrea virginica shells of known collection dates. ΔR, which can vary spatially and temporally, is a locality-specific adjustment applied to the global ocean reservoir, R, to further account for the offset between the atmospheric and marine 14C calibration curves. To assess the temporal variability in ΔR, continuous δ18O sampling along the oyster shell hinge provides a seasonal record throughout the oyster's life. This is then used to identify sampling locations for 14C measurements based on calcite precipitated during the Summer (>19 °C) and Fall through Spring (F-Sp, <15 °C) months. The resulting seasonal ΔR values range from −151 ± 46 to +109 ± 55 14C years (260 years) due to changes in the contribution and age of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) from marine and freshwater sources in the James River estuary. The F-Sp samples display a larger ΔR range than the Summer samples, as do the shells precipitated during drought conditions (1606–1612) when compared to shells from the remainder of the 17th century. The largest intrashell ΔR variability, 195 14C years, is similarly found in a drought shell and is attributed to variability caused by the extreme regional 1606–1612 drought. Early land use changes related to European development and farming practices also altered the age of DIC in the James River estuary. We estimate that the soil inorganic carbon (SIC) contributing to freshwater DIC ranged from 0 to ∼1800 years old and reflected both the drought and land use changes that occurred during the 17th century. Using only the Summer samples, which represent the majority of shell calcite, we obtain a mean ΔR = −32 ± 11 14C years (1σ) for 17th century James River estuary ΔR at the very onset of European colonization. Employing a seasonally resolved sampling method will provide the greatest constraint on 14C measurements in an estuarine environment where multiple carbon sources can fluctuate on seasonal timescales and as a result of large scale environmental change.
Structure and function of CD44: characteristic molecular features and analysis of the hyaluronan binding site.

CD44 is a cell surface glycoprotein belonging to the cartilage link protein family. It is a major receptor for hyaluronan (HA), a component of the extra-cellular matrix, but also binds other ligands. The N-terminal extracellular link domain of CD44 is critical for HA recognition. In the immune system, CD44 plays a role both as a cell adhesion molecule and as a signaling molecule. Many isoforms of CD44 can be expressed and post-translationally modified in a cell-specific manner. This structural diversity correlates with a diverse array of functional properties, some of which are not well understood.
Baseline Model Establishment for a Bridge: I. Dynamic Testing

A newly constructed bridge across interstate highway I-77 in Iredell County NC, is a hybrid steel girder bridge using both High Performance Steel (HPS) 70W and HPS 100W steel. The negative moment sections of the girders have HPS 100W flanges, whereas other parts of the girder are composed of HPS 70W steel. This bridge represents an increased effort in using high performance steel in civil construction. In order to ensure construction quality, a baseline finite element model was established. This model will be used as future reference for long-term structural performance monitoring. To validate the model, modal tests using impact excitation were conducted on the bridge prior to its opening to traffic. The baseline finite element model generated in this paper was further verified and used for the static load testing comparison, which is reported in a companion paper
Design and fabrication of very-low-cost engineering experiments via 3-D printing and vacuum forming:

A new approach to fabricate flexible and inexpensive experiments for undergraduate students to gain hands-on experience with engineering concepts has been developed. The approach is driven by desig...
Statins impact primary embryonic mouse neural stem cell survival, cell death, and fate through distinct mechanisms

Statins inhibit HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway (CBP), and are used for the prevention of cardiovascular disease. The anti-inflammatory effects of statins may also provide therapeutic benefits and have led to their use in clinical trials for preeclampsia, a pregnancy-associated inflammatory condition, despite their current classification as category X (i.e. contraindicated during pregnancy). In the developing neocortex, products of the CBP play essential roles in proliferation and differentiation of neural stem-progenitor cells (NSPCs). To understand how statins could impact the developing brain, we studied effects of pravastatin and simvastatin on primary embryonic NSPC survival, proliferation, global transcription, and cell fate in vitro. We found that statins dose dependently decrease NSPC expansion by promoting cell death and autophagy of NSPCs progressing through the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Genome-wide transcriptome analysis demonstrates an increase in expression of CBP genes following pravastatin treatment, through activation of the SREBP2 transcription factor. Co-treatment with farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP), a CBP metabolite downstream of HMG-CoA reductase, reduces SREBP2 activation and pravastatin-induced PARP cleavage. Finally, pravastatin and simvastatin differentially alter NSPC cell fate and mRNA expression during differentiation, through a non-CBP dependent pathway.
Panel Vibrations Induced by Supersonic Wall-Bounded Jet Flow from an Upstream High Aspect Ratio Rectangular Nozzle

The panel vibrations induced by fluctuating wall pressures within wall-bounded jet flow downstream of a high aspect ratio rectangular nozzle are simulated. The wall pressures are calculated using a Hybrid RANS/LES method, where LES models the large-scale turbulence in the shear layers downstream of the nozzle. The convecting turbulence in the shear layers loads the structure in a manner similar to that of turbulent boundary layer flow. However, at supersonic discharge conditions the shear layer turbulence also scatters from shock cells, generating backward-traveling surface pressure loads that drive the structure at low frequencies. The panel is rectangular with clamped edges along the sides oriented in the flow direction and free edges at the nozzle discharge and downstream edge. The panel modes of vibration are simulated with Finite Element Analysis. The structural vibration time histories are simulated by Fourier transforming the loading to the complex frequency domain, combining with the structural frequency response functions and inverse transforming the response back to the time domain. Simulated wall pressures and structural vibration agree well with measurements at on-design and underexpanded (about 50% higher pressure ratio) nozzle operating conditions. Filtering the negative wavenumber components from the loading and recomputing the structural response shows that the backward-traveling loading is responsible for about 12% of the overall structural vibration at on-design conditions and 25% of the response at underexpanded conditions.
Effectiveness of Kinesio Taping in Patients With Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis.

Study Design.Systematic review.Objective.To investigate the effects of Kinesio Taping (KT) in patients with nonspecific low back pain.Summary of Background Data.KT is widely used in patients with low back pain.Methods.We conducted searches on PubMed, EMBASE, PEDro, SciELO, and LILACS up to February
Multi-writer Consistency Conditions for Shared Memory Objects

Regularity is a shared memory consistency condition that has received considerable attention, notably in connection with quorum-based shared memory. Lamport’s original definition of regularity assumed a single-writer model, however, and is not well-defined when each shared variable may have multiple writers. In this paper, we address this need by formally extending the notion of regularity to a multi-writer model. We give three possible definitions of regularity in the presence of multiple writers. We then present a quorum-based algorithm to implement each of the three definitions and prove them correct. We study the relationships between these definitions and a number of other well-known consistency conditions, and give a partial order describing the relative strengths of these consistency conditions. Finally, we provide a practical context for our results by studying the correctness of two well-known algorithms for mutual exclusion under each of our proposed consistency conditions.
Comparison Between Models

The availability of alternative models to fit a dataset requires a quantitative method for comparing the goodness of fit to different models. For Gaussian data, a lower reduced χ 2 of one model with respect to another is already indicative of a better fit, but the outstanding question is whether the value is significantly lower, or whether a lower value can be just the result of statistical fluctuations. For this purpose we develop the distribution function of the F statistic, useful to compare the goodness of fit between two models and the need for an additional ‘nested’ model component, and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistics, useful in providing a quantitative measure of the goodness of fit, and in comparing two datasets regardless of their fit to a specific model.
The Wechsler Memory Scale and its Revisions

The Wechsler Memory Scale consists of seven subtests, which were designed to measure different aspects of memory. It exists in two forms (I and II). The subtests, Personal and Current Information, Orientation, Mental Control, Logical Memory, Digit Span, Visual Reproduction, and Associate Learning comprise a structure that is largely replicated with some changes in the subsequent revisions, the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R) and the Wechsler Memory Scale-Third Edition (WMS-III). These subtests are scored for the number of correct responses, which are then summed. The summed score is age-corrected and converted to a Memory Quotient, which has a mean of 100.
Transition metal complexes of the naked pnictide elements

Abstract Even though transition metal compounds containing “naked” pnictide elements (E) have been known for many decades now, the chemistry of this interesting class of compounds continues to provide surprises and intellectual challenges in describing new structures and interesting bonding patterns. The number of ligand sets that now support naked pnictide ligands has expanded from the traditional organometallic ligand sets to include metal alkoxides and N-heterocyclic carbene species, and complexes are known from the early transition metals to the end of the d-block. In this review, complexes are presented based on their structural similarities starting with metal-rich compounds containing isolated E atoms in a variety of coordination environments presented in order of increasing metal connectivity. Subsequently, compounds possessing Ex fragments with x ranging from 2 to 24 are presented in increasing nuclearity. Finally, structures with low ligand ratios and metal to pnictide ratios close to 1:1 are discussed, followed by compounds that have no supporting ligands and resemble metal alloy fragments. Where appropriate, electron counting rules have been employed to explain observed structures and reactivity patterns. A particularly intense area of study has been the creation of inorganic-organometallic-organic polymers and frameworks based on discrete clusters with Ex fragments (2 ≤ x ≤ 6) where the Ex fragment provides a node for structure growth in combination with transition metal coordination frameworks based on copper and silver cations and suitable organic ligands. Simple oligomers, 1-dimensional, 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional polymeric structures have all been prepared and structurally characterized. In addition to the structural data, synthetic methods are described.
Aspects of Leadership

This chapter advances the scholarly exploration towards the leadership components while seeking to integrate the literature toward illuminating connecting associations and principles involving leadership development, authentic leadership, and small group leadership. In this chapter, five distinct elements are examined: (a) leadership development, (b) authentic leadership, (c) spiritual leadership, (d) small group leadership principles, (e) The leadership of Moses. Leadership development is examined corresponding toward social identity model of leadership (SIMOL), which concerns aspects of group cliches or in grouping (Barentsen in Emerging Leadership in the Pauline Mission: A Social Identity Perspective on Local Leadership Development in Corinth and Ephesus. Pickwick Publications, Eugene, OR, 2011). Then comes an analysis of trust within organizations, specifically leader–subordinate relations. Subsequently, the development of the Authentic Leadership (AL) model is examined including AL principles (Avolio, Gardner, Walumbwa, Luthans, & May in The Leadership Quarterly 15: 801–823, 2004; Northouse, 2013). Aspects of Spiritual Leadership (SL) are discussed and evaluated (Benefiel in The Leadership Quarterly 16: 723–747, 2005; Fry in The Leadership Quarterly 14: 693-727, 2003; Howard in Journal of Managerial Psychology 17: 230–242, 2002; Kriger & Seng, 2005). Additionally, aspects of small group leadership are examined (Arrow, McGrath, & Berdahl, 2000; Comiskey in 2000 Years Of Small Groups: A History Of Cell Ministry In The Church. CSC Publishing, Moreno Valley, CA, 2014; Gillette & McCollom in Groups in context: A new perspective on group dynamics. University Press of America, Lanham, MD, 1995; Icenogle in Biblical Foundations For Small Group Ministry, InterVarsity Press, Grove, IL, 1994; Neighbour in Where Do We Go From Here: A Guidebook For The Cell Group Church. Touch Publications, Houston, TX, 2000) and finally the leadership of Moses is examined (Fretheim, 1991; Janzen in Exodus. Herald Press, Waterloo, ON and Scottdale, PA, 2000; Kaiser 1990; Motyer in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1979; Pink in Gleanings in Exodus. Moody Press, Chicago, 1962; Stuart, 2006).
Hydraulic Fracturing and Infant Health: Evidence From Pennsylvania and Colorado

Background: The benefits and costs of hydraulic fracturing are currently being hotly debated in the case of shale gas development (commonly known as "fracking"). Over the last decade, 31 states hav...
Workload Characterization of Nondeterministic Programs Parallelized by STATS

Chip Multiprocessors (CMP) are everywhere, from mobile systems, to servers. Thread Level Parallelism (TLP) is the characteristic of a program that makes use of the parallel cores of a CMP to generate performance. Despite all efforts for creating TLP, multiple cores are still underutilized even though we have been in the multicore era for more than a decade. Recently, a new approach called STATS has been proposed to generate additional TLP for complex and irregular nondeterministic programs. STATS allows a developer to describe application-specific information that its compiler uses to automatically generate a new source of TLP. This new source of TLP increases with the size of the input and it has the potential to generate scalable performance with the number of cores. Even though STATS obtains most of its potential, some of it is still unreached. This paper identifies and characterizes the sources of overhead that are currently blocking STATS parallelized programs to achieve their full potential. To this end, we characterized the workloads generated by the STATS compiler on a 28 core Intel-based machine (dual-socket). This paper shows that the performance loss is due to a combination of factors: some can be optimized via engineering efforts and some require a deeper evolution of STATS. We also highlight potential solutions to significantly reduce most of this overhead. Exploiting these insights will unblock scalable performance for the parallel binaries generated by STATS.
Barriers and facilitators to recovery capital among justice-involved community members

This qualitative interview study explores barriers and facilitators to self-sufficiency among clients enrolled in HOPE: a transitional case-management program in Western New York that adapts the cr...
A Novel Dipole-Moment-Based Approach for Analyzing Scattering from Quasi-Periodic Structures

This work presents a novel approach, based on the dipole moment (DM) method, for analyzing electromagnetic scattering from quasi-periodic structures. The main advantage of using the DM method is that it provides convenient closed-form expressions for the scattered fields, facilitating the matrix computation much more efficiently than when the conventional MoM RWGs are used for this computation. Numerical results obtained by using the approach are compared to those derived from a commercial MoM software package, and good agreement is found.
Esophageal body motility disorders

Abstract Disorders that affect esophageal body comprise of abnormalities of the esophageal muscle and nerve function that hinder the passage of food from the mouth to the stomach. Common symptoms that merit diagnostic evaluation include dysphagia, uncontrolled reflux, heartburn, nausea/vomiting, and chest pain, though some motility disorders can be seen in asymptomatic individuals and found incidentally. With the advent of high resolution esophageal manometry and in conjunction with the Chicago classification, esophageal disorders can be categorized in a methodical fashion and analyzed in a stepwise manner. This book chapter discusses various disorders based on the Chicago classification as well as other pathologies that may give rise to abnormal manometric findings that contribute to presenting symptoms. Furthermore, it describes diagnostic approaches and treatment options for different esophageal motility disorders.
Same provider, different location: Variation in patient satisfaction scores between freestanding and hospital-based emergency departments

Abstract Background Patient satisfaction scores have become quality benchmarks for hospitals, are publicly reported, and are often tied to financial incentives. We determined whether patient satisfaction scores for individual emergency medicine providers varied according to the clinical setting. Methods We obtained patient satisfaction survey results from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018 for patients treated at 6 freestanding (FED) and 11 hospital-based emergency departments (HBED). Differences in mean score by ED facility were tested for significance. Mean score differences with 95% confidence intervals are presented. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to predict the odds of receiving different scores by type of ED facility and adjusted for patient and provider demographics and ED length of stay. Results Sixty-six providers with 3743 total surveys were analyzed: FED (n = 1974) and HBED (n = 1769). Overall satisfaction scores were higher for FED compared to HBED surveys 1.13 [95% CI, 1.0–1.3]. In multivariable logistic regression, we found patients seen at the FEDs were 42% more likely to rate providers courtesy as “very good” compared to patients seen at a HBED [OR: 1.42, 95% CI (0.94–2.15)]. Similarly, patients from FEDs showed increased likelihood to rate providers as “very good” for keeping patients informed about treatment [OR: 1.70, 95% CI (1.21–2.39)], took time to listen to patients [OR: 1.66, 95% CI (0.72–1.60)] and concerned for patient's comfort [OR: 1.54, 95% CI (1.12–2.12)]. Conclusion Individual providers, who practice at both types of facilities, consistently received higher satisfaction ratings from patients at FEDs compared to HBEDs.
Feasibility of National Institutes of Health Toolbox Cognition Battery in pediatric brain injury rehabilitation settings

Objective Cognitive impairments are a devastating consequence of acquired brain injury (ABI) in children. Current pediatric tools for assessing cognitive impairments are generally time intensive and applicable only to a restricted age span. The National Institutes of Health Toolbox-Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB) is a standardized, tablet-based cognitive assessment that has been normed across the life span in the general population and validated in adults with brain injuries. However, its clinical utility and validity has not yet been demonstrated in pediatric patients with brain injuries. The current study examines the feasibility of NIHTB-CB administration in both a pediatric inpatient and day treatment rehabilitation setting. Design The NIHTB-CB was attempted in 40 children with ABI aged 4-18 years within 1 year of injury in pediatric rehabilitation settings. Results Of the 40 participants tested, 38 (95%) were able to complete the full battery and 28 were able to complete it in 1 session. The average time to complete the NIHTB-CB for our sample was 40.2 min. Barriers to completion included both external (scheduling conflicts) and internal (fatigue, attention, and behavioral) limitations. Cohort results are consistent with expected impairments following ABI. Conclusions This study demonstrates the feasibility of using the NIHTB-CB in postacute pediatric inpatient rehabilitation and day-treatment clinical settings following ABI. The NIHTB-CB has the potential to provide a quick, standardized assessment of cognitive function during the rehabilitation process. Further longitudinal studies of NIHTB-CB using larger samples will be needed to determine its validity, test-retest capabilities, and clinical utility. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Alkene–azide chemistry: a facile, one-step, solvent- and catalyst-free approach for developing new functional monomers and polymers

In this study, a one-step Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction, alkene–azide chemistry, was explored using a solvent and catalyst free method forming 1,2,3-triazoline ring-containing molecules. This facile method was utilized by synthesizing a mini library of small molecules, functional monomers, and polymers, which involved mixing a terminal alkene with a terminal azide at elevated temperature. Similar to traditional “click” chemistry, the proposed alkene–azide strategy uses solvent and heavy-metal catalyst free conditions and no further workup or purification steps are required. In our design, small molecule-based compounds, AB-type prepolymers and macromolecules are synthesized at 80–100 °C with more than 90% purity. Polymers made using this chemistry formed high molecular weight macromolecules (Mw = 59.1k, 34.9k, and 49.3k g mol−1). The synthesized new small molecules, functional monomers and polymers were characterized using various chromatographic and spectroscopic methods. The results indicated that the molecular linking, orthogonal green chemistry reaction proceeds well under gentle conditions, forming products with high yields and reserving atom economy. This chemistry provides a facile approach by offering modular synthetic routes, being highly efficient when using equivalent stoichiometric ratios, and by being solvent and catalyst free, which will be of particular interest to the pharmaceutical and industrial settings.
“Trenches in the Ocean”: Geography and the Russian Defense of the Baltic Sea, 1912–1917

As World War I approached, the Russians faced seemingly intractable problems in defending their capital, St. Petersburg, from a German naval or amphibious assault. The Japanese had sunk the mainstay of defense, the Baltic Fleet, at Tsushima in 1906, and while the Russians embarked upon a fleet construction program, progress was slow owing to political considerations, and the higher priority accorded the army’s reconstruction. With no chance of matching the Germans in a naval engagement, the Russian naval staff came up with an ingenious scheme using a combination of minefields and long-range coastal artillery located on strategic islands in the Gulf of Finland, turning the narrow gulf into a gantlet that stymied the Germans.
Development and feasibility of randomized trial to reduce urinary bisphenols in women with obesity.

Bisphenol exposure is widespread and correlated with diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Previous intervention studies have successfully lowered bisphenol exposure among women of normal weight. The primary objective of this study was to develop and test the feasibility of a 3-week behavioral change intervention, rooted in social cognitive theory, to lower a broad range of bisphenols (BPA, BPS, and BPF) in women with obesity. Thirty women with obesity (31.1 ± 5.6 kg/m2, 21.1 ± 3.1 years) were randomly assigned to an intervention or control. The intervention included weekly face-to-face meetings to reduce bisphenol exposures from food, cosmetics, and packaged products. Fasting urinary bisphenols, creatinine, and weight were assessed at study entry and after 3 weeks. The intervention was evaluated as feasible (100% of enrollment and recruitment, 96% of retention and attendance at lesson plan visits, and 96% of a collection of urine samples). Adherence to the intervention was estimated based on completion of self-monitoring records; the number of daily records completed was 7.7 ± 1.3 (mean ± SD) after week 1, 7.1 ± 1.5 after week 2, and 4.4 ± 0.9 after week 3. In secondary analysis, there was a significant treatment × time effect on creatinine-corrected urinary BPS (− 1.42 μg/g creatinine in the intervention vs. − 0.09 μg/g creatinine in the control group). In women with obesity, the 3-week intervention was considered feasible with promising preliminary results of decreasing BPS concentrations. These data warrant future large-scale clinical trial interventions to reduce bisphenol exposure and determine whether reductions in bisphenols positively impact diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk markers. This study was retroactively registered at ClinicalTrial.gov Identifier NCT03440307.
Atherosis of trophoblast type: A specific form of decidual vasculopathy distinct from atherosis of macrophage type

Background: There are three types of decidual vasculopathy, namely, acute atherosis, fibrinoid medial necrosis and mural arterial hyerptrophy. Persistence of vascular trophoblasts is also known to be related to maternal vascular malperfusion, but detailed study is lacking. Material and methods: A total 1017 placentas from 2021 were collected with clinical, neonatal and placental information, and routine placental pathology examination was performed. Decidual vasculopathy was classified based on the new classification scheme including atherosis of macrophage type atherosis of trophoblast type, fibrinoid medial necrosis, mural arterial hypertrophy and mixed type vasculopathy. The significance of these morphologic changes were examined based on the clinical, neonatal and placental pathology features. Results: Decidual vasculopathy is classified as classic type, mural hypertrophy and mixed type. Classic type vasculopathy is further separated as atherosis and fibrinoid medial necrosis. Atherosis is defined as atherosis of macrophage type and atherosis of trophoblast type. Each category of decidual vasculopathy was evaluated in association with maternal, neonatal and placental pathologic findings. Atherosis of macrophage type and mixed type vasculopathy showed statistically significant association with preeclampsia/pregnancy induced hypertension, low birth weight and low placental weight. Atherosis of trophoblast type was associated with lower placental weight but not with specific clinical features. There is no neonatal sex dimorphism in decidual vasculopathy. Conclusion: Atherosis of trophoblast type is a distinct pathologic feature in late pregnancy, and it is associated with lower placental weight. New classification of decidual vasculopathy helps with better stratification and categorization of placental maternal vascular abnormalities.
Exploring the Use of Exchange Transfusion in the Surgical Management of Priapism in Sickle Cell Disease: A Population-Based Analysis.

Abstract Introduction Priapism is a urologic emergency that may require surgical intervention in cases refractory to supportive care. Exchange transfusion (ET) has been previously used to manage sickle cell disease (SCD), including in priapism; however, its utilization in the context of surgical intervention has not been well-established. Aim To explore the utilization of ET, as well as other patient and hospital-level factors, associated with surgical intervention for SCD-induced priapism Methods Using the National Inpatient Sample (2010–2015), males diagnosed with SCD and priapism were stratified by need for surgical intervention. Survey-weighted regression models were used to analyze the association of ET to surgical intervention. Furthermore, negative binomial regression and generalized linear models with logarithmic transformation were used to compare ET vs surgery to length of hospital stay (LOS) and total hospital charges, respectively. Main Outcome Measures : Predictors of surgical intervention among patients with SCD-related priapism Results A weighted total of 8,087 hospitalizations were identified, with 1,782 (22%) receiving surgical intervention for priapism, 484 undergoing ET (6.0%), and 149 (1.8%) receiving combined therapy of both ET and surgery. On multivariable regression, pre-existing Elixhauser comorbidities (e.g. ≥2 Elixhauser: OR: 2.20; P Conclusions Numerous factors were associated with the need for surgical intervention, including the use of ET. Those receiving ET, as well as those with combined therapy, had a longer LOS and increased total hospital charges. Ha AS, Wallace BK, Miles C, et al. Exploring the Use of Exchange Transfusion in the Surgical Management of Priapism in Sickle Cell Disease: A Population-Based Analysis. J Sex Med 2021;18:1788–1796.
Randomization of commodity taxes: An expenditure minimization approach

Using an expenditure minimization approach, necessary and sufficient conditions for local random taxation are obtained in terms of the curvature of the compensated demand function, so that intuition from excess burden analysis can be applied. Major findings include: (1) random taxation is locally optimal if the compensated demand function is sufficiently convex; (2) horizontally equitable taxation is locally optimal if the compensated demand function is concave, and (3) local randomization is not optimal if the tax revenue requirement is sufficiently close to zero or to any local maximum. We also derive an inverse elasticity characterization of the optimal random tax structure.
Evaluating Learning Management System (LMS)-facilitated Delivery of Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

University of Minnesota Ed.D. dissertation. April 2012. Major: Teaching and Learning. Advisors: Dr. Joyce Strand. Dr. Trudie Hughes. 1 computer file (PDF); viii, 149 pages, appendices A-H.
Racial Quotas and the Culture War in Brazilian Academia

Dozens of Brazilian universities recently adopted racial quotas for negros, read Afro-Brazilians, in higher education. Anyone familiar with the Brazilian context will recognize this step as a paradigm shift in the state’s approach to ‘race’. State discourse in past decades touted a mixed-race population not beset by overt discriminatory practices. In response to this new approach, two well-defined clusters of professors in Brazil’s universities authored several dueling manifestos supporting and opposing race-based affirmative action. This article suggests a ‘culture war’ framing of the debate and delineates the contrasting historic ideologies of racialism and antiracialism that inform the divergent racial worldviews of each academic camp. It then explores four points of contention from the manifestos that characterize their conflicting perspectives. They differ in terms of (1) their images of the Brazilian nation, (2) their diagnoses of the mechanisms behind non-white underrepresentation in Brazilian universities, (3) their prognoses for a remedy via racial quotas, and (4) their motivations for entering the debate. At the same time, the article locates some possible common ground.
Laboratory testing of sealants with a marble substrate

Polyurethane and silicone sealants are widely specified for installations with porous substrates such as some stones. However, when a sealant is used against such surfaces, there is a potential for a lack of adequate adhesion, or staining of the tone by misapplication or migration of the liquid components of the sealant system, such as primers or plasticizers in the formulation. Some varieties of marble in particular have been reported to be susceptible to staining and discoloration over time from sealants. Application of new sealant over existing sealants is also of great concern for remedial applications. Determining the level of substrate preparation necessary to achieve adequate bond is critical to the success of the remedial construction project. This paper discusses the development and results of a test program conducted to determine the relative performance of sealants installed on a white marble substrate. The tests performed included wet adhesion tests, accelerated weathering studies, and staining due to plasticizer migration.
Reversible and Non-Reactive Cellulose Separations from Ionic Liquid Mixtures with Compressed Carbon Dioxide

A novel physical (non-reactive) separation of cellulose from an ionic liquid (IL)/cosolvent mixture by compressed carbon dioxide is presented. The precipitation is completely reversible and rapid within small changes of pressure i.e. liquid phase CO2 composition. High pressure phase equilibrium, high pressure NMR, and solid state NMR have been utilized to understand the separation phenomena.
The use of dual or multiple reports in epidemiologic studies

Weak measurement of epidemiologic exposures is an impediment to appreciation of the effects of those exposures. This paper discusses two strategies to assess the true effects of weakly measured exposure. The first is to use external information about the extent of mismeasurement to adjust estimates of the effects of exposure. The second strategy is to use multiple measurement--to repeat the measurement in such a way that measurement errors are not repeated. The major disadvantage of the adjustment strategy is its sensitivity to incorrect specification of mismeasurement structure. The primary disadvantage of the multiple measurement strategy is its inefficiency. Unless epidemiologists are quite confident, about the extent and structure of measurement error in their data, they should rely primarily on multiple measurement, and secondarily on adjustment procedures.
Partnership and negotiation support by joint optimal ordering/setup policies for JIT

Abstract Several studies have focused on the qualitative aspects of establishing and negotiating buyer–supplier partnerships, including Just-In-Time (JIT) supply, but few quantitative models and investigations are available in this area. We explore the two typical cases: supplier's dominance, with large production lot sizes and shipment sizes and buyer's dominance with small, frequent shipments. In each case, we compare the optimal shipment policy of the dominant party to the joint optimal policy. The savings or loss for each party and the total system cost improvements are computed which provide the quantitative support for negotiation, compromise, and compensation. We extend the quantitative results for different JIT scenarios. We assume that the buyer's order is delivered in n shipments of size q. The supplier's production lot size can also be an integer multiple of the shipment size, QS=mq, and m can be different from n. Only the cases of m=1 and m=n were examined before. This extension can result in substantial savings. We analyze under which circumstances does the saving warrant the more complex setup policy and in which cases is a simpler policy's cost close to optimum.
Enantioselective Total Synthesis of (+)-Salvileucalin B

An enantioselective total synthesis of the diterpenoid natural product (+)-salvileucalin B is reported. Key findings include a copper-catalyzed arene cyclopropanation reaction to provide the unusual norcaradiene core and a reversible retro-Claisen rearrangement of a highly functionalized norcaradiene intermediate.
Founding fathers of light scattering and surface-enhanced Raman scattering

One can view our comprehension of surface-enhanced Raman scattering, particularly that by colloidal dispersions of metal sols, as the merging of two traditions in light-scattering theory and practice. One of these originated with Michael Faraday's work on brilliantly colored metal sols, which was taken up by Richard Zsigmondy and then by Gustav Mie, who accounted for the colors by electromagnetic-scattering theory. The other tradition starts with John Tyndall's work with aerosols, which stimulated Lord Rayleigh's entry into the field. Lord Rayleigh was perplexed by observations made with sulfur hydrosols, which in turn were explored by C. V. Raman. Raman's extensive work in light scattering led to his subsequent discovery of the Raman effect. These two traditions were then intertwined when it was shown that the same physical effect that caused Faraday's sols to exhibit their brilliant colors was also the origin of the enhancement of Raman signals from molecules adsorbed on the metal particles that compose these sols.
Interaction of Plasma Kinins and Granulocytes

KININS are polypeptides derived from naturally occurring plasma protein substrates (kininogen). The known kinins have been synthesized and are nonapeptides, decapeptides or undecapeptides1. Five principal pharmacological actions have been attributed to plasma kinins: stimulation of some smooth muscle, increase in vascular permeability, vasodilation, leucotaxis and induction of pain2. These actions are the cardinal manifestations of inflammation. It is not surprising, therefore, that kinins have been implicated among the mediators of the response of tissue to injury. The nonapeptide (bradykinin) can evoke an inflammatory response when applied to subcutaneous tissues3. Kinin levels increase at the site of inflammation caused by burns4, and during acute arthritis5.
Multiple substrate determination of monoamine oxidase distribution and iproniazid inhibition in rat brain.

— —A variety of monoamine oxidase substrates (tyramine, dopamine, serotonin, tryptamine) have been used with and without Iproniazid inhibition to evaluate further the extent to which enzyme multiplicity may exist in various regions of rat brain. Levels of monoamine oxidase activity, as measured by ammonia production, were found to vary as a function of both brain area and kind of substrate used, in the absence as well as in the presence of Iproniazid, in vivo and in vitro. Similarity of substrate metabolizing patterns among the different brain areas, however, strongly suggests that only one kind of monoamine oxidase exists in rat brain.
Developing a measure of contentment in an Arab Muslim country: implications for cross-cultural research in social work

This is one in a series of papers that report on a programme of research focusing on the psychosocial consequences of Kuwaitis in the wake of the 1990 invasion and occupation by Iraq. The research team chose to focus on contentment as the obverse of trauma effects and develop a new measure that more closely represents Kuwait society due to cultural sensitivity. The paper briefly discusses the programme of research and the need for a new measure of Kuwaiti contentment. The Kuwaiti Raha Scale (KRS), was developed to serve as the primary dependent variable for a post-war national survey of mental health in Kuwait. The KRS emerged from a multi-method approach first administered to a convenience sample of 560 undergraduate university students enrolled in eight different classes. The results reported here note that no differences were found according to the variable of gender, as was expected. Four factors emerged, with Cronbach's Alphas ranging from 0.850 to 0.709 after eliminating three items. The total twent...
Evolutionary Signatures amongst Disease Genes Permit Novel Methods for Gene Prioritization and Construction of Informative Gene-Based Networks

Genes involved in the same function tend to have similar evolutionary histories, in that their rates of evolution covary over time. This coevolutionary signature, termed Evolutionary Rate Covariation (ERC), is calculated using only gene sequences from a set of closely related species and has demonstrated potential as a computational tool for inferring functional relationships between genes. To further define applications of ERC, we first established that roughly 55% of genetic diseases posses an ERC signature between their contributing genes. At a false discovery rate of 5% we report 40 such diseases including cancers, developmental disorders and mitochondrial diseases. Given these coevolutionary signatures between disease genes, we then assessed ERC's ability to prioritize known disease genes out of a list of unrelated candidates. We found that in the presence of an ERC signature, the true disease gene is effectively prioritized to the top 6% of candidates on average. We then apply this strategy to a melanoma-associated region on chromosome 1 and identify MCL1 as a potential causative gene. Furthermore, to gain global insight into disease mechanisms, we used ERC to predict molecular connections between 310 nominally distinct diseases. The resulting “disease map” network associates several diseases with related pathogenic mechanisms and unveils many novel relationships between clinically distinct diseases, such as between Hirschsprung's disease and melanoma. Taken together, these results demonstrate the utility of molecular evolution as a gene discovery platform and show that evolutionary signatures can be used to build informative gene-based networks.
Citizen Participation in East Asia: An Introduction

This symposium explores issues relating to citizen participation in East Asia. While articles on citizen participation in America regularly appear in the public‐administration literature, comparati...