cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Break-induced replication promotes formation of lethal joint molecules dissolved by Srs2

Break-induced replication (BIR) is a DNA double-strand break repair pathway that leads to genomic instabilities similar to those observed in cancer. BIR proceeds by a migrating bubble where asynchrony between leading and lagging strand synthesis leads to accumulation of long single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). It remains unknown how this ssDNA is prevented from unscheduled pairing with the template, which can lead to genomic instability. Here, we propose that uncontrolled Rad51 binding to this ssDNA promotes formation of toxic joint molecules that are counteracted by Srs2. First, Srs2 dislodges Rad51 from ssDNA preventing promiscuous strand invasions. Second, it dismantles toxic intermediates that have already formed. Rare survivors in the absence of Srs2 rely on structure-specific endonucleases, Mus81 and Yen1, that resolve toxic joint-molecules. Overall, we uncover a new feature of BIR and propose that tight control of ssDNA accumulated during this process is essential to prevent its channeling into toxic structures threatening cell viability. Break-induced replication (BIR) is a double-strand break repair pathway that can lead to genomic instability. Here the authors show that the absence of Srs2 helicase during BIR leads to uncontrolled binding of Rad51 to single-stranded DNA, which promotes the formation of toxic intermediates that need to be resolved by Mus81 or Yen1.
Religious Indifference: New Perspectives from Studies on Secularization and Nonreligion

As the first comprehensive volume that focuses specifically on this issue, Religious Indifference: New Perspectives from Studies on Secularization and Nonreligion explores the multifaceted definiti...
Placenta immune infiltrates and perinatal outcomes

Pregnancy is a state of immunotolerance and loss of this immunotolerance may lead to fetal rejection, pregnancy complications, and neonatal complications. Immunobiology of pregnancy is complex and involves unique immune cell populations specific to pregnancy, changes in mucosal immune cells and peripheral immune system, and reciprocal adaptations between the mother and the fetus. The mechanisms required for sustaining a healthy feto-placental barrier and a healthy pregnancy such as activation of regulatory immune responses with a predominance of regulatory T cells lead to immune evasion and propagation of cancer. It is intriguing to note that the immune pathways which are effective in limiting or eliminating cancer form the very basis for loss of feto-maternal tolerance. In this article, we aim to compare and contrast immunobiology of healthy and pathological pregnancies mirroring with cancer immunobiology with a focus on immune checkpoint receptors.
Iron- and Manganese-Containing Superoxide Dismutases: Structure, Distribution, and Evolutionary Relationships

In 1969, a well-studied family of mammalian copper-containing proteins was discovered to possess superoxide dismutase activity (1). This rather bizarre activity was postulated to play a protective role for the oxygen-metabolizing organism. Its ubiquity among the various mammalian tissues led us to attempt isolating the activity from an evolutionarily distant species, Escherichia coli (2). Although cell-free extracts of E. coli contained roughly the same amount of superoxide dismutase activity as mammalian tissue extracts, the enzyme’s behaviour during purification bore no resemblance to that of the bovine enzyme. When the enzyme was purified to homogeniety and concentrated, we did not see the familiar blue-green color of the mammalian copper-containing superoxide dismutases. The enzyme was pink. Undaunted, and perhaps comforted by the fact that some copper proteins are pink (3), we set out to determine the copper content of the new superoxide dismutase. No copper could be detected, either by a colorimetric method or by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). In fact, no EPR signal at all could be detected in the native protein. Upon denaturation by boiling in 0.1 N HCl, however, the characteristic six-pronged spectrum of manganese(II) appeared.
Absurd Self-Fulfillment

Richard Taylor adds a twist to the ancient legend of Sisyphus, who was condemned by the gods to perpetual life spent pushing a large rock to the top of a hill from which it falls down the other side, once more to be pushed to the top, and so on forever. “Let us suppose”, writes Taylor, “that the gods, while condemning Sisyphus to the fate just described, at the same time, as an afterthought, waxed perversely merciful by implanting in him a strange and irrational impulse, namely a compulsive impulse to roll stones ... e.g. through implanting some substance that has this effect on his character and drives”.1 Such a modification would be merciful but also ‘perverse’, Taylor maintains, because “from our point of view there is clearly no reason why anyone should have a persistent and insatiable desire to do something as pointless as that”.2
Potentiometric Enzymatic Measurement of Glucose: Possible in vivo Use

The development of a sensor for continuous in vivo measurement of glucose concentrations in body fluids, without the necessity for withdrawal of fluid from the body, is an important clinical and research need for improved understanding and treatment of diabetes. Several approaches for the development of such a sensor are discussed elsewhere (1). During our studies with glucose oxidase, we observed that a glucose oxidase-catalase-platinum electrode gave a direct Potentiometric response, with respect to a reference electrode, when both electrodes were placed in the same beaker of buffered glucose solutions. We have pursued these observations further to assess the applicability that this approach may have for the development of the needed in vivo glucose sensor. The purpose of this paper is to summarize our results to date.
Real Time Spectroscopic Ellipsometry for Non-Invasive Characterization of Thin Film Growth and Etching

Determination of material properties in real time during preparation or processing is an important problem in materials research. Many technologically relevant thin film materials are fabricated in adverse environments such as plasmas or reactive gases. In these situations, an optical probe is among the few non-invasive methods of real time characterization.
Fundamentals of Transport Phenomena in Polymer Membranes

This chapter reviews the fundamental principles involved in understanding and describing the permeation of gases, vapors, and liquids by a solution-diffusion mechanism through dense polymeric membranes. The various forms of Fick’s law of diffusion and the assumptions involved are described in detail. The Maxwell–Stefan formulation of multicomponent diffusion is adapted to membrane systems. The various models for sorption of gases and vapors in rubbery, glassy, and semi-crystalline polymers are reviewed and their limitations described. The diffusion and sorption models are combined to give the many various models for gas and vapor permeation in polymers. Finally, the principles of liquid permeation by pervaporation and hydraulic permeation are developed, and the interconnection between the two is shown. The classical theory for reverse osmosis is developed rigorously from first principles.
Principals for Social Justice: Leaders of School Success for Children from Low-Income Homes.

This study examines the role of principals in highly successful elementary schools serving primarily students from low-income homes in influencing two factors viewed as foundational for a school in...
Factors of political culture in the structure of political environment of public policy

Подані результати аналізу політичної культури як сукупності чинників та умов політичного середовища державної політики. Окреслені основні підходи до розгляду політичної культури, з’ясовано, що розгляд політичної культури є похідною різних дослідницьких традицій. Наголошено на складності дослідження феномена, оскільки політична культура постає одночасно інтегральною характеристикою політичної сфери суспільства, функціонує в рамках окремої політичної системи та є частиною національної культури. Актуалізований практичний рівень інтерпретації впливу політичної культури на вироблення державної політики. На підставі систематизації даних експертних інтерв’ю, репрезентованих у рамках соціологічного дослідження політичної культури, здійсненого центром Разумкова, виокремлено декілька сфер вітчизняної політичної культури: ментальна, соціально-поведінкова, економічна, інституціональна тощо. У результаті проведеного аналізу сформована схематична модель політичної культури у структурі політичного середовища державної політики.
The Politics and Poetics of Madness in Ḥasan Blāsim’s The Madman of Freedom Square

Iraqi writer Ḥasan Blāsim’s debut collection of short stories, Majnūn sāḥat al-ḥurriyyah ( The Madman of Freedom Square ), is centrally concerned with states and expressions of madness arising from the traumatic violence that consumed Iraq during, between, and after the first and second Gulf wars. The experiences of refugees and their search for asylum are frequently highlighted. Focusing on select stories, this article identifies and explores four types of madness in Blāsim’s fiction: contained madness , a structural dichotomy between madness and sanity that is established through a nested narrative structure in which a fantastical inner story is framed and retold by an apparently reliable external narrator; madness of the body , in which a traumatized character experiences a transformation, or disintegration, of his human form; gendered madness , in which madness is a response to patriarchal violence and oppression; and destabilizing madness , a subversion of contained madness in which the boundaries between sanity and madness, reality and fantasy, become indistinguishable. Drawing on theories of literary madness advanced by Shoshana Felman and others, the article argues that Blāsim’s iterations of madness and trauma serve to expand reality, rather than distort it, ultimately depicting the horror of wartime Iraq and the lives of its refugees in a way that rational storytelling simply cannot capture.
Concurrent atomistic-continuum simulations of uniaxial compression of gold nano/submicropillars

ABSTRACTIn this work, uniaxial compression of nano/submicropillars in Au with the initial diameter D between 26.05 and 158.53 nm was modelled by concurrent atomistic-continuum simulations. Two mode...
A Coordinated Controller Design for DFIG-Based Multi-Machine Power Systems

This paper proposes a novel framework that enables the simultaneous coordination of the controllers of doubly-fed induction generators, synchronous generators, and static compensator devices. The proposed adaptive zero dynamics based approach aims at enhancing the transient stability and improving the voltage regulation of multi-machine power systems under a wide range of operating conditions. The proposed approach was implemented to Kundur's four-machine two-area and the IEEE 39-bus power systems. Its performance was assessed in the presence of various faulty scenarios and disturbances. Eigen-value analysis, time domain simulations, and transient stability margin analysis (measured by critical clearing time) were carried out in the performance assessment. Comparison analysis with other control approaches was also conducted to highlight the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Enhancing the power and voltage stability of large scale multi-machine power systems, damping inter-area power oscillations, and providing faster post-fault recovery time are among the positive features of the proposed approach.
In Hot Water: Cultural and Musical Conflict in the American Spa

With the construction of railroads in the late nineteenth century, Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas, saw an increase in visitors and development, including the construction of elaborate bathhouses, hotels, and performance and gambling establishments. Soon, leisure activities became as important as the waters themselves in attracting visitors, and music became a crucial element of the overall spa experience. Through a comparison of the music approved by the national park director with musical offerings in Hot Springs’ many other performance venues, this chapter demonstrates the importance of music in the late nineteenth and early twentieth-century spa experience while also illustrating the ways musical sound reflected and shaped an ongoing tension between the developing tourist city’s desired image and that preferred by the newly established National Park Service.
Energy Efficient Formaldehyde Synthesis by Direct Hydrogenation of Carbon Monoxide in Functionalized Metal–Organic Frameworks

Formaldehyde (CH2O) is a highly versatile platform chemical with an annual production of over 30 megatons. The current most widely used industrial method for formaldehyde synthesis is very energy i...
Abstract TMP85: Optimizing Mean Arterial Pressure in Acutely Comatose Patients Using Cerebral Autoregulation Multimodal Monitoring With Near-Infrared Spectroscopy

Introduction: The cerebral oximetry index (COx) is a validated marker of cerebral autoregulation derived from near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in comatose patients with acute neurological injury. ...
Differential Diagnosis of Lymphoid Follicle Formation

The presence of lymphoid follicles in a skin biopsy is always a pathologic finding. Unlike tonsils and lymph nodes, they are not native to the skin. Several skin conditions may demonstrate lymphoid follicles, including reactive lymphoid hyperplasia, cutaneous Rosai-Dorfman disease, cutaneous IgG4-related disease, and lupus panniculitis. In addition, lymphoid follicles are identified in low-grade cutaneous B-cell lymphomas (marginal zone lymphoma and follicle center lymphoma).
Exploring Heterogeneity in the Relationship between Reading Engagement and Reading Comprehension by Achievement Level

AbstractThe present study examined potential synergistic relationships between reading engagement and reading comprehension among 3,689 third and fourth graders across 59 schools in North Carolina....
On the Fourteenth Amendment: A Textual Analysis

AbstractThe most significant and lasting results of the Civil War were the 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery in the US, and the 14th Amendment, protecting certain privileges, immunities, and right...
The Power of Consensus: Optimal Distributed Multichannel Wireless Transmitter Power Control

Consider a distributed network with N devices and K channels. Each device chooses a single channel and controls its transmission power on that channel. Our goal is to minimize the total transmission power while maintaining reliable communication between devices. Minimizing the total power consumption involves both the combinatorial optimization aspect of assigning channels to devices and the continuous optimization aspect of finding the optimal transmission powers. We present a distributed algorithm that solves the multichannel power control problem, and prove that it converges to the optimal solution. The algorithm is based on exploring new channel allocations by trial and error and running the best-response power control algorithm on the explored channel allocation. Using a novel wireless consensus phase, where devices use their transmission power as a consensus variable, all devices learn if the explored allocation is better than the current one. If the new allocation is better, all devices start using this allocation until the next trial and error. Finally, we provide simulations that support our analytical findings.
Association between Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction and Worsening Renal Function in Acute Heart Failure: Insights from the RELAX-AHF-2 Trial

Background Worsening renal function (WRF) occurs commonly during episodes of acute heart failure (AHF). However, the association between left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and WRF in patients with AHF is uncertain. Consequently, we assessed the development of WRF over a broad range of LVEF in patients with a broad range of LVEF who were hospitalized with AHF. Methods We analyzed data from 6,128 patients enrolled in the in RELAX-AHF 2 trial who had LVEF measured during AHF hospitalization. Patients were categorized in quartiles according to LVEF: Q1, LVEF 7-29%; Q2, LVEF 29-38%; Q3, LVEF 38-50% and Q4, LVEF 50-87%. WRF was defined as a rise in serum creatinine of ≥0.3 mg/dL from baseline through day 5 in the hospital. Results The incidence of WRF through hospital day 5 was higher in the HFpEF cohort (Q4) compared with the lowest LVEF group (Q1) (34.3% vs. 23%; OR 1.94, 95%CI 1.52-2.48, P Conclusions WRF during AHF hospitalization was higher in HFpEF than in HFrEF patients. Evidence of a lower weight loss and persistence of residual congestion in HFpEF vs HFrEF patients were factors associated with WRF in HFpEF group. These findings demonstrate that HFpEF patients are more likely to develop WRF during AHF hospitalization than HFrEF patients and they suggest that residual congestion may play a role in this process.
Introducing Multidisciplinary Oncology Management to the Medical Student.

Abstract Despite the fact that a large portion of medical students pursue training in a cancer-related discipline, oncology is emphasized to a disproportionately lesser extent than are other disciplines in medical school. Medical students have wide gaps in their oncology-specific knowledge, and undergraduate medical education fails to address the multidisciplinary nature of oncology. To address these shortcomings and improve medical students’ understanding of the multidisciplinary nature of oncology, we have instituted a clinical oncology elective for medical students: an optional, 2-day session held after classes and promoted by student interest groups. Day 1 comprised a series of short faculty lectures beginning with the concepts of and rationale for staging, an approach to breaking bad news, guideline-based management, and multidisciplinary tumor board discussion. Three multidisciplinary tumor boards were simulated on the second day, run by attending surgeons, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists with expertise in the cancer of interest, using real patient examples. Ultimately, the clinical oncology elective shows medical students how the oncology care team works together to care for cancer patients.
Cognitive mediators of adaptive functioning outcomes in survivors of pediatric brain tumors treated with proton radiotherapy

Background Cranial radiotherapy (RT) is associated with risk for cognitive and adaptive dysfunction. Proton RT (PRT) is a technique hypothesized to spare cognition by reducing exposure to nontarget brain tissue. However, little is known regarding functional outcomes in survivors of pediatric brain tumor (BT) treated with PRT. The present study examined the relationship between cognitive and adaptive outcomes in pediatric BT survivors post-PRT. Methods Survivors treated with either focal (n = 33) or craniospinal irradiation (CSI; n = 37) PRT completed neurocognitive evaluations approximately 5 years post-treatment. Results of intelligence testing and ratings of adaptive functioning are reported. Mediation models examined the relationship among radiation field, cognition, and adaptive functioning. Results The PRT CSI group demonstrated worse cognitive outcomes than the PRT Focal group across each cognitive index (Cohen's d = 0.56-0.70). Parent ratings of adaptive functioning were also worse in the PRT CSI group than the PRT Focal group (Global Adaptive Composite, d = 0.53; conceptual skills, d = 0.67). Cognitive performance fully mediated the relationship between radiation field and adaptive outcomes, while controlling for group differences in tumor histology and RT dose. Conclusions Focal PRT survivors demonstrated generally positive outcomes with weaknesses in processing speed and aspects of adaptive functioning. CSI exposure was associated with more consistently poor cognitive and adaptive outcomes. The increased risk for adaptive dysfunction in the PRT CSI group appeared due to the effects of CSI on cognition. Efforts to reduce the volume of tissue exposure to RT remain important.
Modified Bianchi orchiopexy for median or low cryptorchidism

Objective To investigate the effect of modified Bianchi (single incision in the midline of the scrotum) orchiopexy (MBO) versus that of traditional surgery in the treatment of median or low cryptorchidism. Methods Eighty-two children with median or low cryptorchidism were treated from February 2013 to February 2014, 46 (53 testes) by MBO and the other 36 by the traditional method of inguinal incision (control, 40 testes). Comparisons were made in the operation time and postoperative complications between the two surgical strategies. Results The mean operation time was significantly shorter in the MBO group than in the control (［25±6］ vs ［35±4］ min, P 0.05). The incision scar was obvious in all the controls, with 1 case of postoperative inguinal hematoma, but almost invisible in all the MBO cases. Conclusions Modified Bianchi orchiopexy is superior to traditional surgery in the treatment of median or low cryptorchidism for its advantages of short operation time, few complications, and satisfactory appearance of the healed incision.
Pullout of geogrids from tire-derived aggregate having large particle size

Although tire-derived aggregate (TDA) has been used as an alternative backfill in geotechnical engineering applications, the interaction between TDA having large particle sizes (e.g. TDA with a max...
Continuum Detection and Predictive-Corrective Classification of Crack Networks

This paper proposes a crack network detection and classification scheme for perception of highly stochastic road cracks using probabilistic formulations. Contrary to conventional binary detection techniques, the continuum detection approach described here allows features to be extracted from crack images with allowance for uncertainty in detection. Furthermore, multi-dimensional prediction and belief fusion in the feature space is afforded by the sequential nature of data collection; classification is then carried out by probabilistic decision-making. These methods have shown superior performance to simplistic conventional approaches, offering as much as a 14% increase in accuracy when compared to naive classification, even without any parameter optimization. Furthermore, predictive-corrective classification yields a 28% increase in variance of class probability assignment; this means that, in addition to improved classification results, correct classes are assigned with greater confidence when compared to simpler methods.
Abstract 10120: Endothelial Cell-specific Lkb1 Deletion Causes Endothelial Dysfunction and Hypertension in Mice In Vivo

Background: Liver kinase B1 (LKB1), a tumor suppressor, is a central regulator of cell polarity and energy homeostasis. The roles of LKB1 in endothelial function in vivo have not been explored. Methods and Results: The endothelium-specific LKB1 knockout ( LKB1 endo -/- ) mice were generated by crossbreeding LKB1 flox/flox mice with VE-cadherin Cre approach. LKB1 endo -/- mice exhibited hypertension, cardiac hypertrophy and impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation. In addition, in parallel with reduced levels of both endothelial nitric oxidase (eNOS) activity and phosphorylated (Thr172) AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a downstream enzyme of LKB1, LKB1 endo -/- mice expressed high levels of caveolin-1. Further, siRNA silencing of caveolin-1 normalized the eNOS activity in LKB1-deficient endothelial cells. Furthermore, human antigen R (HuR) bound with AU-rich elements of caveolin-1 mRNA 3’ UTR resulting in increased stability of caveolin-1 and genetic knockdown of HuR decreased caveolin-1 level in LKB1-deficient endothelial cells. Finally, we found that inhibition of LKB1 or AMPK induced the translocation of HuR from nuclei to cytosol and overexpression of constitutively active AMPK (CA-AMPK) led to decreased caveolin-1 level. Consistently, administration of CA-AMPK in LKB1 endo -/- mice lowered blood pressure with improved endothelial function in vivo . Conclusions: Our findings indicate that endothelial cell LKB1 plays an essential role in regulating eNOS activity, endothelial function, and blood pressure through modulating AMPK-mediated caveolin-1expression.
No magical fish: the apocryphal book of Tobit in Atwood’s MaddAddam trilogy

Margaret Atwood’s MaddAddam trilogy oscillates between a ravaged, post-apocalyptic present in which a hemorrhagic virus has wiped out most of humanity and the pre-apocalyptic world that brought abo...
P96 Your Child is Overweight, Now What? Understanding How North Carolina Head Start Staff Communicate with Families about Childhood Obesity

Background Children (3-5 years) enrolled in Head Start (HS) are at increased risk for obesity. In an effort to prevent childhood obesity, HS implemented a Body Mass Index screening program in 2012. This program provides opportunities for HS to engage families by communicating information about children's weight status; however, limited research is available to describe the barriers and facilitators HS staff face when communicating this information to families. Objective Explore common experiences of HS Health/Nutrition Managers when communicating information to families about their child's weight status. Study Design, Setting, Participants Researchers conducted 15 in-depth telephone interviews with Managers across North Carolina. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Phenomenology was used to guide study design and analysis. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Researchers identified significant statements through open-coding and grouped them into themes focusing “what” and “how” participants experienced the phenomenon. Results Researchers identified 3 themes: Process of Communication; Barriers to Communication; and Communication Supports. Programs used different methods to communicate about children's weight (eg, letters, meetings, no communication). Parent reactions to children's weight status often dictated communication methods chosen; negative reactions often resulted in limited communication. Managers perceived parents’ backgrounds (socioeconomic status, education) and the “shame” associated with having an overweight/obese child as communication barriers. HS (eg, consulting dietitian) and community-based (eg, WIC) educational/counseling opportunities for families were identified as supportive of Manager efforts to communicate about children's weight status. Conclusions Participating HS programs acknowledged the importance of communicating with parents about their children's weight status. However, findings also indicated parents’ personal feelings about their child's weight status may influence the type of communication they receive and their willingness to utilize other educational/counseling opportunities. More research is needed to explore parents’ perceptions of HS communication methods, as well as effective strategies for supporting and educating parents about healthy weight in childhood. Funding East Carolina University Graduate Student Thesis Award.
Barriers and Facilitators to Rehabilitation Care of Individuals With Spatial Neglect: A Qualitative Study of Professional Views.

Abstract Objective To identify barriers and facilitators to achieving optimal inpatient rehabilitation outcome among individuals with spatial neglect (SN). Design Cross-sectional, semistructured focus group discussions. Setting Rehabilitation hospitals. Participants A total of 15 occupational therapists and 14 physical therapists treating patients with SN on 3 campuses of a rehabilitation hospital system (N=29). Six focus group sessions were conducted and audio-recorded for transcription. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Not applicable. Results Participants identified several patient-related characteristics that posed barriers to treatment, including the symptoms of SN itself, cognitive issues, physical weakness, comorbidities, and reduced therapy engagement. Supportive family members were considered a key facilitator, but lack of preparedness to assume caregiving roles, poor understanding of SN and rehabilitation goals, and inadequate levels of involvement were family-related barriers to successful treatment. Participants expressed that having resources and technologies available at their center to support SN treatment facilitated positive outcomes and perceived limited staff knowledge and skills and poor interclinician communication as barriers to treatment. At the health care system level, barriers included a lack of responsive measures of SN progress and insurer-related issues. Strong continuity of care between transitions was considered an important factor for enabling effective treatment. Conclusions Barriers and facilitators to the current practice of SN care were identified from occupational and physical therapists’ point of view. Opportunities exist to promote identified facilitators and minimize barriers to improve SN rehabilitation. The present study makes a unique contribution in identifying specific needs for innovative interventions that involve family support and training, promotion of interdisciplinary collaboration, development of interprofessional vocabulary, and continuous treatment and follow-up assessment for SN through care transitions.
Feeling skeptical: Worry, dread, and support for environmental policy among climate change skeptics

Abstract Emotions about climate change are the subject of a growing area of interdisciplinary scholarship. But so far scholars have not studied the emotions expressed by self-declared climate change skeptics; nor have social scientists turned to affect studies to develop nuanced understandings of the constellation of emotions related to fear. Our team conducted 33 interviews and 1000 surveys with self-identified skeptics living in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. The data demonstrates the variability in perspectives, ideologies, and behaviors among skeptics themselves in new and unique ways, including tracking skeptics’ emotions about climate change. This article focuses on worry and dread. We find that those who believe climate change is a hoax, and skeptics who are politically conservative, tend to express less of these two emotions, as do men who identify as skeptics. Religiosity, as measured by frequency of religious attendance, does not significantly correlate with worry and dread; however, specific religious beliefs related to climate change (e.g. “Climate change is punishment for our sins”) do seem to increase those two feelings. Negative firsthand environmental experiences are also associated with higher degrees of worry and dread. Perhaps most significantly, our data suggests that worry and dread correlate strongly with environmental concern and policy support. Our interdisciplinary approach has several methodological advantages. First, affect studies encourages more nuance in emotion language, including more detailed definitions of emotions like worry and dread, which simmer over time, as opposed to discrete emotions like fear, which are shorter-lived. Second, sociological approaches remind us that emotions function within particular political, historical, and cultural contexts, which are fundamentally shaped by power structures. Finally, humanities scholars can provide useful input both in research design and the interpretation of results by helping craft survey questions and data codes, and by providing close attention to the language of the survey and interview responses. Combined with quantitative data, this multi-pronged methodology brings together forms of knowledge from the humanities and social sciences. Our approach serves as a model for new work in the growing field of empirical ecocriticism and expands the boundaries of the environmental humanities.
Discovering a New Metabolic Pathway. Early Work with My Friend, Viswanathan Natarajan

This article summarizes our early work with Viswanathan Natarajan in the 1980s at the University of Minnesota's Hormel Institute, when he was at the beginning of his brilliant academic career. At that time most metabolic pathways for the biosynthesis and degradation of phospholipids were well established and known in considerable detail. Hence, it was exciting to discover a novel sequence of biochemical reactions, first in dog heart and later in various other vertebrate cells and tissues that became known as the transacylation-phosphodiesterase pathway of phospholipid metabolism. Because one of the metabolites, N-arachidonoylethanolamine, produced by this reaction sequence, was later found to bind to and activate cannabinoid receptors, investigations of this pathway became part of the rapidly growing field of endocannabinoid research. This is briefly summarized here as well.
Experimental evidence that subsidy quality affects the temporal variability of recipient zooplankton communities

Theory suggests spatial subsidies affect the stability of recipient food webs. Furthermore, context dependencies such as subsidy quality might influence how stabilizing/destabilizing a subsidy may be. Previous studies have shown that high-quality resources destabilize consumers, yet this prediction has rarely been tested empirically within a subsidy framework. I compared the effects of a low-quality, terrestrial carbon subsidy (cDOM derived from maple leaves) and a high-quality one (sucrose) on zooplankton communities. Subsidy quality strongly affected temporal variability of zooplankton taxa, while their mean abundance was less affected. Variability of several taxa was higher in the sucrose than in control and cDOM treatments. In addition, multivariate analyses of zooplankton assemblages indicated that community-level response to subsidy quality was consistent with responses of individual taxa. Zooplankton communities in the sucrose treatment exhibited higher temporal dispersion (greater community variability) relative to controls and cDOM additions. Although the higher biomass of edible phytoplankton in the sucrose treatment could induce zooplankton destabilization, this mechanism failed to explain the observed patterns. Instead, indirect evidence suggested that the increased temporal variability in zooplankton was likely mediated by the effect of subsidy quality on microbial communities, an alternative food source for several zooplankton species. This study thus provides experimental evidence indicating that the more labile carbon subsidy destabilized zooplankton consumers, and implies that subsidy quality may mediate the concordance between theoretical predictions and observations regarding how consumers respond to subsidies.
Initial Steps for IT Incident Visualization: Understanding Leadership Needs, Design, and Evaluation

In today's technology dependent world, business leaders within organizations must address information technology (IT) incident response needs. Yet, piecemeal and inadequate incident response tools frequently stymie their engagement. This paper discusses a user-centered approach undertaken to design, develop and evaluate an initial leader-centric IT incident response visualization that would facilitate effective and timely self-directed awareness. Two distinct groups of IT professionals were enlisted in this study. The methodology resulted in an initial development and evaluation of a visualization prototype. The paper introduces management of declared IT incidents as a viable problem domain for visualization. Second, the paper presents the types of information sources for effective IT incident response. Lastly, the paper proposes that leaders would welcome a visualization mechanism that facilitates their ability to observe, understand, synthesize and to adjust real-time actions based on their comprehension.
Importance of inter-valley phonon scattering on mobility enhancement in strained Si MOSFETs

It has recently been reported that strained Si MOSFETs fabricated with relaxed SiGe layer exhibit very high mobility at room temperature, almost twice as high as that in conventional Si MOSFETs. While strained Si MOSFETs, compatible with Si LSI technology, are promising as the devices for the high speed, room temperature applications, the understanding of the carrier transport in strained Si is still lacking. In order to clarify the mechanism of the mobility enhancement, calculations of the subband structure and phonon-limited mobility in the inversion layer of strained Si were performed for the first time, compared with the calculations for the inversion layer of unstrained (conventional) Si. The effect of the band splitting due to strain was successfully incorporated in the subband calculation. It is demonstrated that the suppression of inter-valley phonon scattering is essential to the mobility enhancement in strained Si MOSFETs.
Abstract 15702: Reperfusion Therapy With Rapamycin in Diabetic Heart: Essential Role of STAT3 Signaling

Background: Diabetic patients suffer augmented severity of myocardial infarction. Excessive activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is implicated in diabetic complications and plays a critical role in myocardial reperfusion injury following ischemia. mTOR inhibition with rapamycin improves cardiac function in type 2 diabetic (T2D) heart. Since activated STAT3 is decreased in T2D heart, we hypothesized that reperfusion therapy with rapamycin would reduce myocardial infarct size in these hearts through STAT3 signaling. Methods and Results: Hearts from adult male db/db or wild type (WT) C57 mice were isolated and subjected to 30 min of ischemia and 60 min of reperfusion in Langendorff mode. Rapamycin (100 nM) was infused at the onset of reperfusion. Myocardial infarct size (IS) was significantly reduced in rapamycin-treated mice (13.3±2.4%) compared to DMSO control (36.2±1.3%) or WT mice (27.7±1.1%) (Fig. A). Rapamycin treatment restored phosphorylation of STAT3 and enhanced AKT phosphorylation (target of mTORC2), but significantly reduced ribosomal protein S6 phosphorylation (target of mTORC1) in heart (Fig. B). We further investigated the effect of rapamycin in high fat diet (HFD) fed inducible cardiac-specific STAT3-deficient (MCM TG:STAT3flox/flox) and WT mice (MCM TG:STAT3flox/flox). Rapamycin treatment during reperfusion significantly reduced IS in WT mice following I/R but not in STAT3-deficient mice (Fig. C). Rapamycin treatment during reoxygenation following 40 min of simulated ischemia also demonstrated resistance against necrosis (trypan blue staining) and apoptosis (TUNEL assay) in primary cardiomyocytes isolated from HFD-fed WT mice but not in cardiomyocytes from HFD-fed STAT3-deficient mice (Fig. D). Conclusion: STAT3 signaling plays a critical role in reducing myocardial infarct size and attenuating cardiomyocyte death following reperfusion therapy with rapamycin in T2D.
Acute heal diverticulitis

Four cases of acute ileal diverticulitis are presented wherein early diagnosis helped avoid emergent surgery. All patients did well initially with conservative medical management. Acute ileal diverticulitis, although uncommon, should be suspected when the clinical presentation indicates an inflammatory condition of the lower right abdomen. Surgery, when required for recurrent disease, can be reserved for the interval between acute episodes.
DeathQuest: An Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Capital Punishment in the United States

1. History of the Death Penalty in the United States: The Pre-Modern Period (1608-1972) 2. Capital Punishment and the Supreme Court: The Pre-Modern Period 3. The Challenge to Capital Punishment's Legality 4. Capital Punishment and the Supreme Court: The Modern Period 5. The Death Penalty at the Federal Level, in the Military, and Globally 6. Methods of Execution 7. General Deterrence and the Death Penalty 8. Incapacitation and Economic Costs of Capital Punishment 9. Miscarriages of Justice and the Death Penalty 10. Arbitrariness and Discrimination in the Administration of the Death Penalty 11. Retribution, Religion, and Capital Punishment 12. American Death Penalty Opinion
Comparison of potential theoretic properties of rough domains

We discuss the relationships between the notions of intrinsic ultra-contractivity, the parabolic Harnack principle, compactness of the 1-resolvent of the Neumann Laplacian, and the non-trap property for Euclidean domains with finite Lebesgue measure. In particular, we give an answer to an open problem raised by Davies and Simon in 1984 about the possible relationship between intrinsic ultracontractivity for the Dirichlet Laplacian in a domain D and compactness of the 1-resolvent of the Neumann Laplacian in D.
Soft Tissue Replacement I: Sutures, Skin, and Maxillofacial Implants

In soft tissue implants as in other applications that involve engineering, the performance of an implanted device depends on both the materials used and the design of the device or implant. The initial selection of material should be based on sound materials engineering practice. The final judgment on the suitability of the material depends on observation of the in vivo clinical performance of the implant. Such observations may require many years. This requirement of in vivo observation represents one of the major problems in the selection of appropriate materials for use in the human body. Another problem is that the performance of an implant may also depend on the design rather than the materials per se.
Binge Drinking in Young Adulthood: The Influence of Age at First Intercourse and Rate of Sex Partner Accumulation

There has been growing attention to the influence of youths' sexual experiences on alcohol use and other health-risk behaviors. Yet, because of the cross-sectional nature of many studies, as well as the likelihood of alcohol use and sexual behaviors to co-occur, the question of whether initiation of sexual activity tends to precede engagement in other behaviors, like binge drinking, remains largely unanswered. Using data from 4726 respondents who participated in Waves I through IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), we examined the association between age at first intercourse and frequent binge drinking during one's mid-twenties and early thirties. We further explored whether this relationship was mediated or moderated by the rate at which individuals accumulated sex partners during the transition to adulthood. Findings showed for women and men, later ages at first intercourse were associated with lower odds of frequent binge drinking in young adulthood. While rate of sex partner accumulation partially mediated this association, it did not moderate it. Furthermore, rate of partner accumulation was positively associated with binge drinking, particularly among women, with a quicker accumulation of sex partners associated with a higher likelihood of engaging in frequent binge drinking. Our findings underscore the importance of considering multiple dimensions of a single behavior and their relation to subsequent health-related behaviors.
False Start: Rigdon McCoy McIntosh and the Failed Attempt to Bring Vocal Music to Vanderbilt University

In the aftermath of the Civil War, higher education in the South had been all but depleted. Vanderbilt University was inaugurated in 1875 to begin to fill the gap in education for Southern men. Rigdon McCoy McIntosh, a prolific hymn writer and publisher from Tennessee, was offered a position as a music instructor during the inaugural year. He was not given a salary from the university, but only offered the fees of the students who might enroll in his classes. He developed an extensive two-year curriculum listed in the Biblical Department of the catalog of 1875, yet McIntosh left after one year, and later taking employment at Emory University in Atlanta. After his departure, a string of music teachers came and went from Vanderbilt over the next ten years, after which time no formal instruction in music through the university was offered for decades. McIntosh offered Vanderbilt an opportunity to begin a music program in 1875, but circumstances including administrative decisions, living conditions, and personality clashes may have prevented the program from taking root.
Massive prostatic infarction following aortocoronary bypass surgery: A report of two cases†

We present two patients who had massive prostatic infarctions following coronary bypass surgery. Whereas small areas of prostatic infarction are commonly seen in urologic practice, massive infarction is rarely seen. Massive prostatic infarction has been observed under conditions similar to those occurring with bypass surgery, so no claim is made that the condition occurs uniquely in patients who have recently undergone bypass surgery. Since coronary bypass surgery is commonly performed and since the procedure is often done on men with prostatic hyperplasia, we can reasonably expect to see this condition more commonly that we have in the past. It is our hope that others will be alerted to this condition and look for it in patients with prostatism who undergo coronary bypass surgery, other types of cardiac surgery, and any condition where prostatism and hypotension are present and pressor agents are used in treatment.
The competition model

Introduction One outgrowth of psycholinguists' increasing attention to languages with various structural features is the Competition Model (CM) of MacWhinney and Bates (1989). Invoking emergentist concepts from functional linguistics and cognitive psychology, this model seeks to integrate the traditions of L1 acquisition, L2 acquisition, and adult processing research without relying on hard-wiring of principles from Universal Grammar. This chapter will outline the model, and then review some of the major findings of research it has inspired, with a focus on sentence comprehension in Japanese and Korean. Outline of the competition model Cue coalition and competition Although the Competition Model addresses issues in both production and comprehension, the majority of studies have focused on comprehension, because it is easier to control experimentally. Many of those studies have examined comprehension of simple sentences with two noun phrases and one transitive verb phrase. Others have looked at comprehension of datives (McDonald, 1987), causatives (Sasaki, 1998), relative clauses (MacWhinney & Pleh, 1988), and pronouns (McDonald & MacWhinney, 1995), as well as sentence production (Bates & Devescovi, 1989). In standard CM experiments, participants listen to sentences and then judge which of the two nouns was the actor. Young children do this by selecting between toys, or enacting the scene with them (enactment task). Older children and adults may press a button or name the noun.
Impacts of repeated wildfire on long-unburned plant communities of the southern Appalachian Mountains.

The infrequent occurrence of large wildfires in the southern Appalachian Mountains over the last several decades has offered few opportunities to study their impacts. From 2000 to 2008, five wildfires burned a large portion of the area in and surrounding the Linville Gorge Wilderness in North Carolina. Areas were burned either once or twice. The response of acid cove and thermic oak plant communities (structure, cover, richness, diversity) was measured in 78 vegetation monitoring plots, established in 1992 and remeasured in 2010–11. Fire altered forest structure in both communities, resulting in the mortality of larger trees and increases in the abundance of smaller (<5 cm diameter at breast height (DBH)) stems. Burning twice decreased stem counts for mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) in both communities, whereas oaks (Quercus spp.) responded positively to burning twice in the thermic oak community. Table Mountain pine stem counts increased in acid cove and thermic oak communities burned once. Fire appears to promote princesstree (Paulownia tomentosa) invasion. Herbaceous species cover responded positively to fire (once or twice; both communities), with concurrent increases in woody species richness and diversity. Tree species composition in acid cove plots was not affected by burning, although some slight changes occurred in thermic oak plots burned twice.