cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gamma delta T cells contribute to immunity against the liver stages of malaria in alpha beta T-cell-deficient mice

Abstract The functional role of gamma delta T cells (expressing the gamma delta heterodimeric T-cell receptor for antigen) in infectious diseases remains largely unknown. We have therefore attempted to define the possible role of these T cells in the immune response against the various developmental stages of malaria parasites. For this purpose, we monitored the immune response and the development of liver and blood stages of Plasmodium yoelii, a rodent malaria parasite, in immunized and nonimmunized alpha beta T-cell-deficient and gamma delta T-cell-deficient mice. Immunization of alpha beta T-cell-deficient mice with irradiated sporozoites induced an immune response that significantly inhibited the development of the parasite's liver stages. This inhibitory immune response was abolished by an antibody-mediated transient in vivo depletion of gamma delta T cells. Two gamma delta T-cell clones were derived from malaria-immunized alpha beta T-cell-deficient mice. The adoptive transfer of one of these gamma delta T-cell clones to normal mice inhibited the development of liver stages, following sporozoite inoculation. These results provide evidence for gamma delta T-cell-mediated protective immunity against parasites, in the absence of alpha beta T cells. As for the blood phase of the infection, both normal mice and gamma delta T-cell-deficient mice cleared the blood stages of the nonlethal strain of P. yoelii, while alpha beta T-cell-deficient mice failed to control the parasitemia.
Coordinate suppression of superantigen-induced cytokine production and T-cell proliferation by a small nonpeptidic inhibitor of class II major histocompatibility complex and CD4 interaction.

Proinflammatory cytokines mediate the toxic effect of superantigenic staphylococcal exotoxins (SE). TJU103, a small nonpeptidic molecule that blocks the interaction between major histocompatibility complex class II and CD4 molecules inhibited SE-stimulated T-cell proliferation (by 92%) and production of tumor necrosis factor, interleukin 1β, interleukin 6, and gamma interferon (by 66, 56, 76, and 72%, respectively) by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. These data suggest that TJU103 may be useful for mitigating the pathogenic effects of SE.
OCCULT RETAINED PENILE PROSTHETIC FRAGMENTS IN PERSISTENT UROGENITAL INFECTIONS

Case 1. A 46-year-old black man with a history of T2a pros- tate cancer treated with radical retropubic prostatectomy un- derwent insertion of a penile prosthesis. This prosthesis was removed because of mechanical failure. The patient underwent 2 additional inflatable prosthesis implantations during the next 16 years, both of which explanted secondary to infection. Three months after the most recent explantation he noticed penile swelling and a rash over the scrotum. Evaluation elsewhere included contrast enhanced computerized tomography (CT) of the abdomen/pelvis as well as a skin biopsy. Diagnosis was Schonlein-Henoch purpura associated with a soft tissue phleg- mon of the anterior pelvis. There was no foreign body noted. The patient was referred to us 4 months later with the persistent complaints of intermittent discomfort and swell- ing of the entire penis, scrotum and suprapubic region. Non- enhanced CT of the pelvis using small cuts revealed a small foreign body near the peripheral aspect of the phlegmon in the scrotum (fig. 1). This finding was consistent with a re- tained segment of connecting tubing from a previously re- moved penile prosthesis. Surgical extirpation of the retained connecting tubing and phlegmon resulted in resolution of symptoms. Intraoperative ultrasound confirmed the absence of further retained foreign bodies. Intraoperative cultures yielded only rare Peptostreptococcus, while the gram stains revealed numerous white blood cells and gram positive cocci. Notably, the patient had been on broad-spectrum antibiotics preoperatively. Case 2. A 36-year-old black man with a history of recalci- trant erectile dysfunction underwent insertion of an inflat- able penile prosthesis. Mechanical failure required at- tempted revision and replacement of the prosthesis 1 year later. The new prosthesis became infected 11 months later and was removed. Four years later he underwent difficult reconstruction at a second medical center, which involved placement of a single cylinder into the right proximal crus crossing the midline into the left distal corporeal shaft. Op- erative notes indicated significant fibrotic changes.
Evaluation of rice by-products for weed control

Abstract Rice by-products were evaluated in the greenhouse for herbicidal activity on various weeds and crops. Rice by-products and corn gluten meal (CG) were applied at 0, 125, 250, 500, and 750 g m−2 preemergence (PRE) and preplant incorporated (PPI). The efficacy of rice by-products and CG in reducing weed emergence and shoot weight of broadleaf species was in the order of medium-grain fatty rice bran (MF) > long-grain fatty rice bran (LF) > CG > defatted rice bran (DF) > long-grain hull (LH) > medium-grain hull (MH). For reducing grass emergence, MF = CG > LF > DF > LH > MH, and for shoot weight reduction, CG > MF > LF > LH > DF = MH. Palmer amaranth and ivyleaf morningglory were the most susceptible weeds (91 and 82%) followed by sicklepod, hemp sesbania, and prickly sida (65 to 70%). Velvetleaf was the most tolerant broadleaf weed. Grasses were not as susceptible to rice bran as broadleaf weeds. In general, MF was the best material for reducing weed emergence and its efficacy was not affected by app...
Translation in vivo of 5′ untranslated-region splice variants of human surfactant protein-A

Transcripts of human SP-A genes, SP-A1 and SP-A2, undergo alternative splicing of 5' untranslated-region exons. We reverse-transcribed and amplified free cytoplasmic and polysome-bound RNA and showed that (a) all splice variants of both genes are translated in vivo, (b) the relative translatability of splice variants can differ among individuals, and (c) the relative levels of different SP-A splice variants differ among individuals.
Access to internet-based instruction for people with disabilities

Internet-based instruction promises to make learning accessible to almost everyone, everywhere, at any time. Internet use, however, raises a number of issues. One of them is equitable access. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 requires that those making programs and services available to the public provide the same programs and services to people with disabilities that they provide to people without disabilities. Increased access is commonly given as a key justification for offering educational programs through a distance learning format. For the most part, when this argument is made, proponents are focusing on students unable to participate because of geography. Rarely is the argument made for students unable to participate because of disabilities. Providing access to students with disabilities can be considered from several angles. Making assurances that individuals with disabilities can participate in distance learning courses is an ethical issue (Woodbury, 1998); some say it is just the right thing to do. It can also be seen as a legal issue. The ADA requires that people with disabilities be provided equal access to public programs and services. According to this law, no otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities shall, solely by reason of their disabilities, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination in these programs. When people think of the ADA they often think of elevators in buildings, reserved spaces in parking lots, and lifts on buses. However, the ADA accessibility requirements also apply to educational opportunities, and more specifically, to programs offered on the Internet. As the United States Department of Justice clarifies:
One crop breeding cycle from starvation? How engineering crop photosynthesis for rising CO2 and temperature could be one important route to alleviation

Global climate change is likely to severely impact human food production. This comes at a time when predicted demand for primary foodstuffs by a growing human population and changing global diets is already outpacing a stagnating annual rate of increase in crop productivity. Additionally, the time required by crop breeding and bioengineering to release improved varieties to farmers is substantial, meaning that any crop improvements needed to mitigate food shortages in the 2040s would need to start now. In this perspective, the rationale for improvements in photosynthetic efficiency as a breeding objective for higher yields is outlined. Subsequently, using simple simulation models it is shown how predicted changes in temperature and atmospheric [CO2] affect leaf photosynthetic rates. The chloroplast accounts for the majority of leaf nitrogen in crops. Within the chloroplast about 25% of nitrogen is invested in the carboxylase, Rubisco, which catalyses the first step of CO2 assimilation. Most of the remaining nitrogen is invested in the apparatus to drive carbohydrate synthesis and regenerate ribulose-1:5-bisphosphate (RuBP), the CO2-acceptor molecule at Rubisco. At preindustrial [CO2], investment in these two aspects may have been balanced resulting in co-limitation. At today's [CO2], there appears to be over-investment in Rubisco, and despite the counter-active effects of rising temperature and [CO2], this imbalance is predicted to worsen with global climate change. By breeding or engineering restored optimality under future conditions increased productivity could be achieved in both tropical and temperate environments without additional nitrogen fertilizer. Given the magnitude of the potential shortfall, better storage conditions, improved crop management and better crop varieties will all be needed. With the short time-scale at which food demand is expected to outpace supplies, all available technologies to improve crop varieties, from classical crop breeding to crop genetic engineering should be employed. This will require vastly increased public and private investment to support translation of first discovery in laboratories to replicated field trials, and an urgent re-evaluation of regulation of crop genetic engineering.
Le Corbusier’s Proposal for the Capital of Ethiopia: Fascism and Coercive Design of Imperial Identities

Abstract: In 1936, immediately after the Italian conquest of the Ethiopian territories, the Fascist government initiated a competition to prepare the plan of Addis Ababa. Shortly, the new capital of the Italian empire in East Africa became the center of the Fascist debate on colonial planning and the core of the architectural discussion on the design for the control of African people. Taking into consideration the proposal for Addis Ababa designed by Le Corbusier, this paper reveals his perception of Europe’s role of supremacy in the colonial history of the 1930s. Le Corbusier admired the achievements of European colonialism in North Africa, especially the work of Prost and Lyautey, and appreciated the results of French domination in the continent. As architect and planner, he shared the Eurocentric assumption that considered overseas colonies as natural extension of European countries, and believed that the separation of indigenous and European quarters led to a more efficient control of the colonial city. In Addis Ababa he worked within the limit of the Italian colonial framework and, in the urgencies of the construction of the Fascist colonial empire, he participated in the coercive construction of imperial identities. Keywords: Le Corbusier; Addis Ababa; colonial city; Fascist architecture; racial separation; Eurocentrism. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/LC2015.2015.838
The Other Human-Subject Experiments

Although deceptive psychology experiments receive less attention than some forms of medical research, they pose similar moral challenges. These challenges mainly concern the use of human subjects and intentional deception. Psychologists provide an argument to justify this deception. But what is an essentially utilitarian argument too often includes faulty comparisons and dubious accounts of risks and benefits. Commentators in other areas of human-subject research might examine this argument and the assumptions behind it. Bioethics commentators seem especially well-positioned for this task.
Normal Brain Histopathology

Abstract Surgical neuropathology can be challenging due to the intrinsic complexity of the human brain, yet a basic understanding of cell types and their organization is necessary. Much like pattern recognition is used for classifying diseases, so too can normal histology be approached based on tissue pattern recognition. Normal cells of the brain include neurons, glia, and microglia, as well as endothelial and perivascular cells, leptomeningeal cells, melanocytes, and choroid plexus. The morphologies, organization, and function of these cell types vary dramatically based on brain region, which is evident by the contrasting histologic features of the cerebral cortex and white matter, basal ganglia, thalamus, brainstem, cerebellum, and spinal cord, as well as specialized structures such as the pineal and pituitary glands and the hippocampus. The practice of surgical neuropathology also requires a familiarity with the features of the developing brain as well as those features associated with aging.
Coordinated Activities of Multiple Myc-dependent and Myc-independent Biosynthetic Pathways in Hepatoblastoma.

Hepatoblastoma (HB) is associated with aberrant activation of the β-catenin and Hippo/YAP signaling pathways. Overexpression of mutant β-catenin and YAP in mice induces HBs that express high levels of c-Myc (Myc). In light of recent observations that Myc is unnecessary for long-term hepatocyte proliferation, we have now examined its role in HB pathogenesis using the above model. Although Myc was found to be dispensable for in vivo HB initiation, it was necessary to sustain rapid tumor growth. Gene expression profiling identified key molecular differences between myc+/+ (WT) and myc−/− (KO) hepatocytes and HBs that explain these behaviors. In HBs, these included both Myc-dependent and Myc-independent increases in families of transcripts encoding ribosomal proteins, non-structural factors affecting ribosome assembly and function, and enzymes catalyzing glycolysis and lipid bio-synthesis. In contrast, transcripts encoding enzymes involved in fatty acid β-oxidation were mostly down-regulated. Myc-independent metabolic changes associated with HBs included dramatic reductions in mitochondrial mass and oxidative function, increases in ATP content and pyruvate dehydrogenase activity, and marked inhibition of fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO). Myc-dependent metabolic changes included higher levels of neutral lipid and acetyl-CoA in WT tumors. The latter correlated with higher histone H3 acetylation. Collectively, our results indicate that the role of Myc in HB pathogenesis is to impose mutually dependent changes in gene expression and metabolic reprogramming that are unattainable in non-transformed cells and that cooperate to maximize tumor growth.
On modal cross-coupling in the asymptotic modal limit

Abstract The conditions under which significant modal cross-coupling occurs in dynamical systems responding to high-frequency, broadband forcing that excites many modes is studied. The modal overlap factor plays a key role in the analysis of these systems as the modal density (the ratio of number of modes to the frequency bandwidth) becomes large. The modal overlap factor is effectively the ratio of the width of a resonant peak (the damping ratio times the resonant frequency) to the average frequency interval between resonant peaks (or rather, the inverse of the modal density). It is shown that this parameter largely determines whether substantial modal cross-coupling occurs in a given system's response. Here, two prototypical systems are considered. The first is a simple rectangular plate whose significant modal cross-coupling is the exception rather than the norm. The second is a pair of rectangular plates attached at a point where significant modal cross-coupling is more likely to occur. We show that, for certain cases of modal density and damping, non-negligible cross coupling occurs in both systems. Under similar circumstances, the constraint force between the two plates in the latter system becomes broadband. The implications of this for using Asymptotic Modal Analysis (AMA) in multi-component systems are discussed.
How many days of global positioning system (GPS) monitoring do you need to measure activity space environments in health research

This study examined the number of days of global positioning system (GPS) monitoring needed to measure attributes of an individual's routine activity space. Multiple alternative activity space representations (cumulative, mean daily), measures (kernel density, route buffer, convex hull), and attributes (area size, supermarkets, fast food restaurants, parks) were examined. Results suggested wide variability in required GPS days to obtain valid estimates of activity space attributes (1-23 days). In general, fewer days were needed for mean daily activity space representations, kernel density measures, and densities of environmental exposures (vs. counts). While kernel density measures reliably estimated between-person differences in attributes after just a few days, most variability in environmental attributes for convex hull and route buffer measures was within-person. Based on these results, a minimum of 14 days of valid GPS data is recommended to measure activity spaces.
Waveguide-coupling of pillar microcavities for efficient single quantum dot emission

We demonstrate a series of pillar microcavities integrated in an optical waveguide. The structure can be used for resonant excitation and single photon emission with spatially orthogonal pump-probe geometry, or for on-chip/off-chip optical coupling.
Manipulating the QT interval of the ECG by cognitive effort.

Abnormal prolongation of the QT interval of the ECG has been reported to indicate a hazard of sudden arrhythmic death. Therefore, with the aid of biofeedback from a newly devised instrument capable of measuring and recording the QT interval of the ECG in real time, ten healthy subjects, aided by biofeedback, attempted to shorten and also to lengthen QT. Although the changes achieved were relatively small, the ten subjects as a group were successful in both shortening and lenthening QT at the 0.01 level of significance. The degree of success varied, however, from person to person and from time to time in the same individual. If the findings reported here can be applied more generally to patients at risk for sudden death, and if biofeedback effects can be made to persist without reinforcement, it or other cognitive techniques may prove clinically useful for shortening QT.
Oscillations and Hysteresis of Helium during Lambda Transition Above the Thermodynamic Critical Pressure in the Presence of Heat Flow

Development work in applied superconductivity and other cryosystems has been extended to the superfluid and supercritical regions of helium. It is the purpose of this paper to report hysteresis and oscillation phenomena observed during the lambda transition in the presence of heat flow. Emphasis has been placed upon thermal conditions which are similar to those observed during the postquench period as a superconductor returns to the normal state. Some additional observations have been made for the lambda transition at the transposed critical curve.
Vitamin D Modulates Airway Smooth Muscle Function

Asthma is a disease that manifests as variable airflow obstruction, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and airway inflammation, and that evokes symptoms of wheezing, dyspnea on exertion, cough, and mucus production. Airway smooth muscle (ASM cells) plays a central role in the asthma diathesis and is implicated in all aspects of asthma pathogenesis. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with asthma and studies suggest a role for vitamin D as a treatment for asthma. In this chapter, we review the effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D on ASM cells function, including agonist-induced shortening, secretion of inflammatory mediators, and myocyte hypertrophy and hyperplasia.
Endocrine Disorders Affecting the Cardiovascular System

Endocrine disorders can affect the cardiovascular system in many ways. Patients admitted to an intensive care unit with primary cardiovascular diagnoses may have underlying endocrine dysfunction that can cause or adversely influence cardiovascular problems. Early diagnosis and treatment of endocrine disease can often prevent or reverse cardiovascular problems and contribute to more acceptable patient outcomes.
Mechanistic Insights into CpG DNA and IL-15 Synergy in Promoting B Cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Clonal Expansion

Malignant cell growth within patients with B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) is largely restricted to lymphoid tissues, particularly lymph nodes. The recent in vitro finding that TLR-9 ligand (oligodeoxynucleotide [ODN]) and IL-15 exhibit strong synergy in promoting B-CLL growth may be particularly relevant to growth in these sites. This study shows IL-15-producing cells are prevalent within B-CLL-infiltrated lymph nodes and, using purified B-CLL cells from blood, investigates the mechanism for ODN and IL-15 synergy in driving B-CLL growth. ODN boosts baseline levels of phospho-RelA(S529) in B-CLL and promotes NF-κB-driven increases in IL15RA and IL2RB mRNA, followed by elevated IL-15Rα and IL-2/IL-15Rβ (CD122) protein. IL-15→CD122 signaling during a critical interval, 20 to 36-48 h following initial ODN exposure, is required for optimal induction of the cycling process. Furthermore, experiments with neutralizing anti-IL-15 and anti-CD122 mAbs indicate that clonal expansion requires continued IL-15/CD122 signaling during cycling. The latter is consistent with evidence of heightened IL2RB mRNA in the fraction of recently proliferated B-CLL cells within patient peripheral blood. Compromised ODN+IL-15 growth with limited cell density is consistent with a role for upregulated IL-15Rα in facilitating homotypic trans IL-15 signaling, although there may be other explanations. Together, the findings show that ODN and IL-15 elicit temporally distinct signals that function in a coordinated manner to drive B-CLL clonal expansion.
David Oliver: Mixed sex wards may be inevitable.

The “humiliation” of “wards of shame” was how a section of the media reported NHS England’s figures on mixed sex wards this spring.12 The figures showed 13 700 “mixed sex breaches” in 2017-18. This was the highest level since 2010, when the collection of monthly mixed section accommodation “breaches” of “unjustified mixing in relation to sleeping accommodation” was introduced.3 Since 2012-13 NHS England has required in its operating framework that “all providers of NHS funded care are expected to eliminate mixed-sex accommodation, except where it is in the overall best interest of the patient.”3 To put that number in context, over 14 million admissions were made to NHS hospitals in England in 2016-17. …
Quantifying Social Reinforcement Among Family Members on Adherence to Medications for Chronic Conditions: a US-Based Retrospective Cohort Study

More than 50% of patients are non-adherent to medications, often without an easily identifiable reason to clinicians. No study has quantified the extent to which health behaviors like medication-taking are correlated within families using national or routinely collected data for a range of conditions. To examine how an individual’s health behaviors are influenced by those of their family members, particularly in adherence to medications for chronic conditions. Retrospective cohort study. Using claims from a large nationwide insurer, we identified patients initiating medications for one of five chronic conditions with a family member who also recently filled one of these medications. The primary exposure was whether family members were fully adherent (defined as a proportion of days covered ≥ 80%) before the patient’s date of initiation. The outcome of interest was whether patients were fully adherent in the 12 months after initiation. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were also measured before initiation. We used multivariable modified Poisson regression to examine the association between prior family adherence and subsequent patient adherence. Among 254,144 patients, rates of full adherence among patients whose family members were and were not fully adherent were 37.3% and 26.9%, respectively (adjusted relative risk [aRR] 1.29, 95%CI 1.28–1.31). The association was stronger when both used cardiometabolic medications (aRR 1.35, 95%CI 1.32–1.37). Similarly, patients were also 38% more likely to be adherent if they and their family members used a medication for the same condition (aRR 1.38, 95%CI 1.35–1.40). Adherence among family members appeared to be highly correlated, suggesting positive reinforcement by family or the sharing of unmeasured behaviors or characteristics associated with better adherence. Regardless, information about prior adherence among family members from routinely collected data could potentially inform adherence prediction or intervention efforts.
Japan’s Ambivalent Pursuit of Shareholder Capitalism

Could international financial capital impose shareholder sovereignty on Japan, the ultimate bastion of stakeholder capitalism? As the Japanese economy descended from boom to bust in the early 1990s...
Ultrahigh light extraction efficiency light emitting diodes by harnessing asymmetric obtuse angle microstructured surfaces

Abstract We report an ultrahigh light extraction efficiency (LEE) light emitting diodes (LEDs) by incorporating innovative asymmetric obtuse angle microstructured surfaces. The quantitative simulations show that the LEE can be as high as 90% with realistic parameters. The physical mechanisms that enable such an ultrahigh LEE are also analyzed. It is believed that the main reasons are (1) the increased interaction surface area and (2) the better randomization effect by replacing the symmetric structure with the asymmetric obtuse angle structure. We also show that the proposed asymmetric obtuse angle microstructured surfaces are manufacturable. Experimental results also verify that a higher light extraction can be achieved by harnessing the asymmetric obtuse angle microstructured surfaces. Such an ultrahigh LEE can significantly increase the overall light efficacy of solid state lighting sources (SSL) and expedite the deployments of SSL sources.
Controlled deposition of electrospun nanofibers by electrohydrodynamic deflection

Electrospinning is a technique often used for the production of nanofibers composed of various polymers and ceramics. For enhanced material performance, it is desirable to obtain nanofibrous structures with a pre-determined microscopic fiber orientation and macroscopic geometry. However, it is challenging to control or predict the final deposition structure of an electrospun nanofiber due to the inherent instabilities induced along the polymer jet during the electrospinning process. Historically, mitigating these instabilities has been attempted electrically, magnetically, and mechanically with limited levels of success. Here, a new technique to electrically control the trajectory of an electrospun jet by electrohydrodynamic deflection is introduced. This protocol is achieved using a set of linearly actuated intermediary electrodes and a rapidly oscillating electric potential, driven by home-built AC amplifiers and a switching algorithm to control the amplitude, frequency, duty cycle, and the relative phase of the external electric field. Predetermined nanofibrous geometries are printed along predetermined paths using a 10% polyethylene oxide polymer solution.
THE STUDY OF PHASE TRANSITIONS BY RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY UNDER UNIAXIAL STRESS

Uniaxial stress can be used to create structural changes in a solid in a controlled manner and hence becomes a useful tool for the investigation of phase transitions. This paper reviews the experimental techniques of applying uniaxial stress and experiments dealing with the stress-induced shifts of Raman frequencies with special attention being devoted to stress-induced phase transitions as observed in Raman scattering.
ABCA7 Risk Genotype Diminishes the Neuroprotective Value of Aerobic Fitness in Healthy Older African Americans

Although the association of ABCA7 risk variants with Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been established worldwide, its effect size on the relative odds of being diagnosed with AD is significantly higher in African Americans. Across ethnicities, two common ABCA7 loci (rs115550680 and rs3764650) have been confirmed to increase the risk of AD. While ABCA7 rs115550680 has been linked to the development of late-onset AD in African Americans, no association between ABCA7 variant rs3764650 and AD has been found in this population. In order to elucidate the influence of ABCA7 rs3764650 on AD risk in African Americans, we sought to investigate the relationship between this variant, aerobic fitness, and cognition. The present study tested the hypothesis that in African Americans, ABCA7 rs3764650 confers an indirect risk for AD via its interaction with aerobic fitness, a modifiable lifestyle factor known to attenuate AD-related neuropathology. In a case-control sample of 100 healthy African Americans, we observed that ABCA7 rs3764650 genotype modulates the association between aerobic fitness and a cognitive assessment of generalization following rule learning. For carriers of the non-risk genotype, higher levels of aerobic fitness were significantly associated with fewer generalization errors, while carriers of the risk genotype did not show any relationship between aerobic fitness and generalization. Our findings imply that ABCA7 rs3764650 risk genotype may diminish the neuroprotective effects of aerobic fitness, and, they suggest differing risk patterns between cognitive decline and fitness by ABCA7 genotype. Thus, in African Americans the interactive effects of ABCA7 rs3764650 and aerobic fitness likely compound overall ABCA7-related AD risk, and may contribute to health disparities whereby African Americans are at a higher risk for dementia, with double the prevalence of AD.
Educação e trabalho: a contribuição de Marx, Engels, e Gramsci à filosofia da educação

Cotejando textos das obras de Marx e Engels com a producao de Gramsci, busca levantar os principios democraticos basicos da educacao. Defendidos por autores de tendencias ideologicas diversas e com objetivos distintos, esses principios, particularmente os da politecnia, almejam nao apenas um aprimoramento da formacao de mao-de-obra requerida pela sociedade industrial, mas, acima de tudo, a construcao de uma hegemonia da classe trabalhadora, ampliando a base da camada governante. Abstract The basic democratie principies ofeducation in the works of Marx, Engels and Gramsci are discussed in the paper. Some ofthose principies were supported by authors with different ideological tendencies and purpose. But the ideas focused here, particularly that of polytechnical education, aim not only at the refinement of labor preparation for the new industrial society through schooling processes. They aim, above ali, at the edification of an hegemony of the working classes and its direct consequence: the democratization ofthe ruling classes. Resume On se centre dans 1'etude du principe d'education politechinique, pas seulement comme source deformation de main d' oeuvre reclamee par la societe industrielle, mais comme construetion d'une hegemonie de la classe travailleuse et, par consequent, Vaceroissementprecis des endroits participatifs de la democratie. La base du travail sont les principes democratiques de l 'education inclus dans diverses produetions de Marx, Engels et Gramsci, et soutennus par des auteurs qui, avec divers objectifs et diferentes ideologies, travaillent la thematique. Resumen Centrando el estudio en el principio de educacion politecnica, no solo como recurso deformacion de mano de obra requerida por la sociedad industrial, sino como construccion de una hegemonia de la classe trabajadora y, por conseguiente, la ampliacion concreta de los espacios participativos de la democracia. Basando el trabajo en los principios democraticos de la educacion quefiguran en diversas producciones de Marx, Engels y Gramsci, defendidos por autores que, a partir de diversos objetivos y desde distintas posiciones ideologicas, abordan la tematica.
Cognitive Loading During and After Continuous Task Execution Alters the Effects of Self-Controlled Knowledge of Results.

Previous research has repeatedly demonstrated that providing learners with self-control over their feedback schedules enhances motor skill learning. Increased information processing under self-control conditions has been shown to contribute to these benefits. However, the timing of critical information processing for self-control participants during the acquisition of continuous tasks is unknown. The present study was designed to enhance clarity related to this issue. Participants learned a continuous tracing task under self-control (SC) or yoked (YK) conditions. Groups of participants also completed a secondary cognitive load task either during or after the execution of each primary task trial. Results showed enhanced learning for SC compared to YK participants who did not complete the cognitive load task. However, this benefit was eliminated for SC participants who completed the cognitive load task either during or after the primary task. These findings suggest that effective information processing both during and after continuous task execution is critical for reaping the benefits of self-controlled practice. Further interpretations and implications of these findings as well as suggestions for future research are discussed.
T regulatory cells and TGF-β1: Predictors of the host response in mesh complications.

Abstract Polypropylene mesh is frequently used in urogynecology procedures; however, pain and mesh exposure into the vagina occur in ~10% of cases. Mesh-induced pain, which occurs with or without exposure, persists after removal in 50% of cases. Chronic pain history predicts poor response to mesh removal but only a fraction have this diagnosis. We hypothesize that mesh induced pain is correlated with fibrosis and failure to improve with a heightened inflammatory and fibrotic host response. Women undergoing mesh removal were offered participation in a mesh biorepository. Standardized questionnaires including visual analog scale (VAS) pelvic pain scores were completed at enrollment and 6 months after removal. Responders were considered those with ≥13 mm VAS improvement. 30 mesh-tissue explants were randomly selected for analysis. Samples were labeled for CD8, CD4 (Th) and FoxP3 (Tregs). Peri-fiber collagen deposition (fibrosis) was measured using a customized semi-quantitative assay. Concentrations of TGF-b1, bFGF, MCP-1, PDGF-BB, and IGFBP-1 in tissue were determined by immunoassay and compared to vaginal control biopsies with pathway analysis. VAS pain scores were correlated with degree of histologic fibrosis. Responders had more Tregs (7.8 vs 0.3 per mm2, p = 0.036) and patients were 1.6 times as likely to be a responder for every additional Treg/mm2 (p = 0.05). Pro-fibrotic TGF-β1 was doubled in nonresponders (p = 0.032). On pathway analysis, decreased bFGF and increased PDGF-BB provide a possible mechanism for upregulation of TGF-β1. In conclusion, fibrosis is a plausible mechanism of pain complications and the adaptive immune response likely contributes to mitigation/prevention of complications and recovery in affected patients. Statement of Significance Polypropylene mesh improves anatomical outcomes in urogynecologic procedures, but is associated with complications, including pain and exposure through the vaginal epithelium. Mesh-induced pain is difficult to treat, and it is unclear why only half of women experience pain improvement after mesh removal. In this study, patient pain correlated with the presence of fibrosis and women with more T regulatory cells and lower TGF-β1 were more likely to have pain improvement following mesh removal. These findings implicate fibrosis as a mechanism of pain complications and suggest that the adaptive immune response may be responsible for prevention of complication and recovery. This improved understanding of how mesh can lead to pain moves us closer to the ultimate goal of preventing mesh complications.
Rethinking U.S. National Security after Covid19

The United States has traditionally defined national security in the context of military threats and addressed them through military spending This article considers whether the United States will rethink this mindset following the disruption of the Covid19 pandemic, during which a non-military actor has inflicted widespread harm The author argues that the US will not redefine national security explicitly due to the importance of the military in the US economy and the bipartisan trend toward growing the military budget since 2001 However, the pandemic has opened the floodgates with respect to federal spending This shift will enable the next administration to allocate greater resources to non-military threats such as climate change and emerging diseases, even as it continues to increase defense spending to address traditionally defined military threats such as hypersonics and cyberterrorism
Could Emotional Security Theory Help Advance Family-Focused Preventive Interventions?

In the following commentary, I examine the reformulated emotional security theory (EST-R) through the lens of a family-oriented prevention scientist. Over the past three decades, prevention science has accumulated an impressive body of findings that demonstrate the efficacy of family-focused preventive interventions for improving parenting and family functioning, while also decreasing child and adolescent mental, emotional, and behavioral problems. The following commentary begins with a brief overview of what we know about family-focused preventive interventions, highlights a few critical elements that we don’t know, and then discusses how EST-R might help bridge that knowledge gap.
Use of Written Purchase Guidelines and Formalized Vendor Rating Systems

The objectives of the research were to determine current use of written purchase guidelines and formalized vendor rating systems among manufacturers, service for profit and governmental organizations. Also, if usage differences were present among these organizations, attempts were made to explain them. It was found that type of organization, purchase volume and size all impacted on use of these two classes of industrial evaluation methods.
Alcohol problem recognition and help seeking in adolescents and young adults at varying genetic and environmental risk

Abstract Introduction Alcohol use disorder symptoms frequently occur in adolescents and younger adults who seldom acknowledge a need for help. We identified sociodemographic, clinical, and familial predictors of alcohol problem recognition and help seeking in an offspring of twin sample. Method We analyzed longitudinal data from the Children of Alcoholics and Twins as Parents studies, which are combinable longitudinal data sources due to their equivalent design. We analyzed respondents ( n = 1073, 56.0% of the total sample) with alcohol use disorder symptoms at the baseline interview. Familial characteristics included perceptions of alcohol problems and help seeking for alcohol problems within the immediate family and a categorical variable indicating genetic and environmental risk. We used logistic regression to examine predictors of alcohol problem recognition and help seeking. Results Approximately 25.9% recognized their alcohol problems and 26.7% sought help for drinking. In covariate-adjusted analyses, help seeking among family members predicted problem recognition, several clinical characteristics predicted both problem recognition and help seeking, and familial risk predicted help seeking. Alcohol problem recognition mediated the association between alcohol use disorder symptoms and incident help seeking. Conclusions Facilitating the self-recognition of alcohol use disorder symptoms, and perhaps the awareness of family members’ help seeking for alcohol problems, may be potentially promising methods to facilitate help seeking.
Toward a Definition of “Virtual Worlds”

This is a brief essay, we call "think-pieces", designed to stimulate a discussion on a particular topic. The topic for this series of essays is "defining virtual worlds".
A Review of “Understanding English Language Variation in U.S. Schools”

Charity Hudley and Mallinson argue convincingly that the success of students in increasingly diverse U.S. schools depends on teachers’ being linguistically informed. When teachers know how language...
A Game-Theoretic Explanation for the Persistence of Political Corruption

Using a theoretical model of two-candidate competition, I study the political support for a fully effective and costless reform targeting high level political corruption. I find that when the candidates have a high discount factor, and when the level of political corruption is not too low, both corrupt and honest candidates have incentives to oppose the reform. I also find that a fully informed and fully coordinated electorate can change a candidate's incentives by bundling the reform with high wages and by voting strategically.
The Role of T Cell Help in the Production of Antibodies Specific for Galα1–3Gal

The majority of xenoreactive natural Abs in humans recognize the carbohydrate Ag present on pig tissue, Galα1–3Galβ1–4GlcNAc-R (αGal), synthesized by the enzyme UDP galactose:β-d-galactosyl-1,4- N -acetyl-d-glucosaminide α(1–3)galactosyltransferase or αGT. Using αGT knockout mice (GT 0 mice), which like humans produce serum Abs that bind αGal, we examined the role of T cells in production of Abs specific for αGal. GT 0 mice were crossed with TCR-β knockout mice (TCR-β 0 ) to generate double-knockout mice (GT 0 /TCR-β 0 ). While GT 0 /TCR-β + mice exhibited an age-dependent increase in the serum titer of natural Abs specific for αGal, a similar increase was not observed in GT 0 /TCR-β 0 mice, and the titer of αGal-specific Abs in double knockouts was significantly lower than in age-matched GT 0 /TCR-β + mice. Immunization with pig cells resulted in a significant increase in the serum titer of αGal-specific Abs in GT 0 /TCR-β + mice, but had no effect on the level of αGal-specific serum Abs in GT 0 /TCR-β 0 mice. Treatment of GT 0 /TCR-β + mice with anti-CD40L Abs before immunization with pig cells prevented sensitization to αGal. Our data suggest that the majority of αGal-specific Abs are T cell dependent and that production of αGal-specific Abs after sensitization can be prevented by blocking costimulatory pathways.
Correlation between skin surface temperature over masticatory muscles and pain intensity in women with myogenous temporomandibular disorder.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Pain is a common clinical manifestation in individuals with temporomandibular disorder (TMD). The literature reports changes in microcirculation in this condition. The aim of the present study was to correlate skin surface temperature at the central point of the masticatory muscles with pain intensity in women with myogenous TMD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) and the visual analogue scale (VAS) were used to divide 40 female university students into four groups: control group (n = 10), mild pain group (n = 10), moderate pain group (n = 10) and severe pain group (n = 10). Infrared thermography was used to assess the masticatory muscles. RESULTS: No significant correlations were found between pain intensity and skin surface temperature over the left masseter (p = 0.368), right masseter (p = 0.618), left anterior temporalis (p = 0.293) and right anterior temporalis (p = 0.922) muscles. No correlations were found between pain intensity and asymmetry of the masseter (p = 0.375) and anterior temporalis (p = 0.090) muscles. Moreover, no significant difference in skin surface temperature ( p> 0.05) was found among the different groups. CONCLUSION: Pain intensity in women with myogenous TMD was not associated with skin surface temperature at the central point of the masseter and anterior temporalis muscles.
Insurance status and vaccination coverage among US preschool children.

Background. Insurance status has been shown to have an impact on children’s use of preventive and acute health services. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between insurance status and vaccination coverage among US preschool children aged 19 to 35 months. Methods. We linked data from 2 national telephone surveys, the National Immunization Survey and the National Survey of Early Childhood Health, conducted during the first half of 2000. Children were considered up to date (UTD) when they had received at least 4 diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis/diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccines, 3 poliovirus vaccines, 1 MMR vaccine, 3 Haemophilus influenza vaccines, and 3 hepatitis B vaccines at the time the interview was conducted. Results. Among the 735 children in our study sample, 72% were UTD. The vast majority (94%) reported some type of health insurance at the time of the survey. Children with private insurance were more likely to be UTD (80%) than those with public insurance (56%) or no insurance (64%). In a multivariate analysis that controlled for child’s race/ethnicity; household income; maternal age/marital status/educational level; location of usual care; and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children participation, insurance was no longer an independent predictor of vaccination. Conclusions. The disparity in vaccination coverage among publicly, privately, and uninsured children is dramatic, underscoring its importance as a marker for underimmunization, despite the multivariate findings. The Vaccines for Children Program, a partnership between public health and vaccination providers who serve uninsured children and those enrolled in Medicaid, is well suited to target and improve vaccination coverage among these vulnerable children.
An Iterative Cokriging‐Like Technique for Ground‐Water Flow Modeling

The importance of field heterogeneities in ground-water pollution problems has been widely recognized during the last few decades. To address the impact of field heterogeneities on ground-water flow and solute transport, many different stochastic methods have been developed. Among all these stochastic methods kriging is the most popular one used by many practitioners to interpolate and extrapolate measured transmissivity data. However, hydraulic head measurements are generally more abundant than transmissivity data. Therefore, the cokriging technique which utilizes both the head and transmissivity measurements to estimate transmissivity and/or hydraulic head distributions has also received much attention in recent years. Classical cokriging relies on a linear predictor approach and uses covariance and cross covariance functions derived from a first-order approximation. Consequently, it often results in head and transmissivity fields that can produce unacceptable velocity distributions. In this paper, we develop an iterative method which combines classical cokriging and a numerical flow model to obtain optimum estimates of transmissivity and head distributions and to alleviate the limitations of classical cokriging. Through several numerical examples, we demonstrate that this method is superior to the classical cokriging method in terms of producing mass conservative velocity fields. In addition, results of the study also indicate that hydraulic head measurements can improve for our prediction of ground-water flow directions and paths in aquifers significantly.