cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vertical Movement and Posture of Blacklegged Tick (Acari: Ixodidae) Nymphs as a Function of Temperature and Relative Humidity in Laboratory Experiments

We measured three components of the behavioral activity of blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis Say) nymphs under controlled conditions of daylength, temperature, and relative humidity in the laboratory. Temperature and relative humidity were experimentally manipulated among replicated treatment groups in two experiments. Humidity treatment had a significant effect on mean questing height, which was greater at 100% RH than at any lower humidity (P < 0.01), but it had no effect on mean distance moved between observations or the mean percentage of time in questing posture. Temperature had no effect on mean questing height, but significantly affected mean distance moved (P < 0.01) and the percentage of time in questing posture (P < 0.001). Mean distance moved and percentage of time in questing posture were both greater at 25°C than at higher or lower temperatures. A mechanistic understanding of the factors affecting tick behavior is likely to be useful for interpreting field data, designing field studies, and predicting risk of exposure to tick-borne pathogens.
Nickel phlorin intermediate formed by proton-coupled electron transfer in hydrogen evolution mechanism

The development of more effective energy conversion processes is critical for global energy sustainability. The design of molecular electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction is an important component of these efforts. Proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) reactions, in which electron transfer is coupled to proton transfer, play an important role in these processes and can be enhanced by incorporating proton relays into the molecular electrocatalysts. Herein nickel porphyrin electrocatalysts with and without an internal proton relay are investigated to elucidate the hydrogen evolution mechanisms and thereby enable the design of more effective catalysts. Density functional theory calculations indicate that electrochemical reduction leads to dearomatization of the porphyrin conjugated system, thereby favoring protonation at the meso carbon of the porphyrin ring to produce a phlorin intermediate. A key step in the proposed mechanisms is a thermodynamically favorable PCET reaction composed of intramolecular electron transfer from the nickel to the porphyrin and proton transfer from a carboxylic acid hanging group or an external acid to the meso carbon of the porphyrin. The C–H bond of the active phlorin acts similarly to the more traditional metal-hydride by reacting with acid to produce H 2 . Support for the theoretically predicted mechanism is provided by the agreement between simulated and experimental cyclic voltammograms in weak and strong acid and by the detection of a phlorin intermediate through spectroelectrochemical measurements. These results suggest that phlorin species have the potential to perform unique chemistry that could prove useful in designing more effective electrocatalysts.
Analytical Solution for Nonlinear Dynamics of Photorefractive Gratings

We present a closed-form solution for the two-wave coupling process, resulting in a periodic solution with respect to time that describes a moving grating. In the photorefractive medium, it has been shown that a moving grating will produce in a phase shift in the coupling constant. To our knowledge, this has not been derived directly from the grating dynamic equations. We will also show that the temporal dynamics does not have any asymptotically stable equilibrium points of an exponential form. As an example, we have developed resonance conditions resulting in a new expression for the frequency detuning of a resonator with photorefractive gain medium.
'Fraud' in Encyclopedia of American Law

Fraud can be a criminal offense, a cause for recovering money damages, or a basis for avoiding or rewriting a contract, will or trust. This encyclopedia entry attempts to define and explain the essence of fraud in everyday language.
Strategic Voting Decisions in the Absence of Democratic Experience and Strong Party Ties: A Natural Experiment in the 1990 German Unification Elections

Studies of voting behavior in advanced industrial societies have demonstrated that voters rely on a plethora of information sources, including retrospective evaluations of parties, party identification and strong social networks, in making complex voting decisions. However, there is less understanding of how voters make these types of decisions in the absence of democratic experience and strong party ties. Utilizing the 1990 German Unification Election Study, I examine a natural experiment in political behavior and voting decisions, contrasting the effects of partisan attitudes, social networks, and voter sophistication on East and West German voters’ ability to vote strategically. I find that both Eastern and Western Germans rely on remarkably similar information sources in making voting decisions, implying that democratic experience is not a necessary precursor for political action or sophisticated behavior.
Tumor Cells Surviving Exposure to Proton or Photon Radiation Share a Common Immunogenic Modulation Signature, Rendering Them More Sensitive to T Cell–Mediated Killing

Purpose To provide the foundation for combining immunotherapy to induce tumor antigen–specific T cells with proton radiation therapy to exploit the activity of those T cells. Methods and Materials Using cell lines of tumors frequently treated with proton radiation, such as prostate, breast, lung, and chordoma, we examined the effect of proton radiation on the viability and induction of immunogenic modulation in tumor cells by flow cytometric and immunofluorescent analysis of surface phenotype and the functional immune consequences. Results These studies show for the first time that ( 1 ) proton and photon radiation induced comparable up-regulation of surface molecules involved in immune recognition (histocompatibility leukocyte antigen, intercellular adhesion molecule 1, and the tumor-associated antigens carcinoembryonic antigen and mucin 1); ( 2 ) proton radiation mediated calreticulin cell-surface expression, increasing sensitivity to cytotoxic T-lymphocyte killing of tumor cells; and ( 3 ) cancer stem cells, which are resistant to the direct cytolytic activity of proton radiation, nonetheless up-regulated calreticulin after radiation in a manner similar to non-cancer stem cells. Conclusions These findings offer a rationale for the use of proton radiation in combination with immunotherapy, including for patients who have failed radiation therapy alone or have limited treatment options.
Comparison of Stainable Iron in Aspirated and Needle-biopsy Specimens of Bone Marrow

A comparison of stainable iron in simultaneously obtained aspirated smears and needle-biopsy specimens from 1,000 patients was undertaken. Significant differences occurred when iron was assessed as absent in the aspirated smear. In only 35% of the corresponding needle-biopsy specimens was iron absent. When only the aspirated smear was used, there was a significant overdiagnosis of iron deficiency. In general, iron tended to be less in the aspirated smear; however, correlations were better when iron stores were assessed as being present or increased in the aspirated smears, for stainable iron in the needle-biopsy specimen was always present in equal or greater amounts. Hemosiderotic smears (increased stainable iron) and needle-biopsy specimens (3+ -4+) correlated well. The aspirated smear and needle-biopsy are complementary procedures, and each has advantages. In the authors' experience, the needle-biopsy was preferable to the aspirated smear for evaluation of iron stores, particularly when iron stores were low or absent.
A Laboratory Study of Feeding Habits of Melanoplus differentialis in Maryland (Orthoptera: Acrididae)

Among the food plants offered to the differential grasshopper, Melanoplus differentialis (Thomas), Taraxacum officinale proved to be preferred. However, unlike many other forbivorous acridids, this grasshopper can also develop and reproduce by feeding on Gramineae only, although individuals reared exclusively on this diet were small. In addition to their normal green plant food, M. differentialis also feeds on entirely dried-up plants, even in the presence of fresh plants—an adaptation for survival during the hot, dry part of the year. The feeding habits of this grasshopper were greatly influenced, among other ecological factors, by its own behavior toward light and temperature, in addition to the physical features and orientation of the food plants themselves. Consequently, the plants actually used as food in nature may be very different from those the insect prefers. The mandibles of this species are typically of the forbivorous type, while the maxillae resemble those of Tetrix, the moss feeders. The ventral digestive caeca are always longer than the dorsal, and the proportions of anterior and posterior lobes of the caeca vary in different age groups. Other morphological variations in this organ also were noted. The mid-gut of adult M. differentialis was heavily infested by gregarines, which were seen in various stages of development in the alimentary canal. No detectable influence on the host was noticed; the host-parasite relationship is obscure.
No Time, No Problem Mental State Attributions Made Quickly or After Reflection Do Not Differ

We describe an experiment that examined mental state attributions as a function of manipulated response speed. Based upon dual-process theories of cognition, the purpose was to examine the degree to which rapid versus reflective judgment might alter these attributions. Participants were presented with a theory of mind task and instructed to either respond as quickly as possible or to reflect on the stimuli before answering. Although, instructions did produce significantly different response times, there were no significant differences in the attributions made by participants. These results are interpreted as supporting a view of social cognition positing that people immediately interpret perceived social cues in the environment to produce social signals that inform the attributions made of another’s mental state. We discuss this in the context of socio-cognitive theories and their relevance to interdisciplinary approaches to understand and improve human-machine interactions and the development of social i...
Control of Enzymatic Activities by Magnetite Nanoparticles

Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions, participating in almost all processes in the cell to achieve significant reaction rates and serving a wide variety of functions inside living organisms. Here, we intended to control enzymatic activities by applying external radio frequency magnetic field (RFMF) through nanosized antenna. Ribonuclease A (RNase A), which is a relative small protein that cleave single-stranded RNA, was conjugated to magnetite nanoparticles (NP) by non-covalent interaction. The diameters of Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles are less than 10nm. External RFMF was applied, and the enzymatic activities of RNase A were tuned at different levels by varying the frequencies and incubation times. Comparison results by using water bath were also presented.
Effects of Increased Left Ventricular Resistance Loads on Flow and Composition of Cardiac Lymph in the Dog.

SummaryData on the flow and composition of cardiac lymph have been collected in 9 dogs subjected to various types of increased left ventricular resistance loads. Aortic stenosis, intravenous norepinephrine and intravenous angiotensin II significantly increased the rate of cardiac lymph flow. No significant alterations in lymph composition were found. The data demonstrate that increased resistance to left ventricular emptying causes increased lymph flow. This effect is undoubtedly a reflection of increased capillary hydrostatic pressure and/or increased capillary permeability. The suggestively greater lymph flows with the use of angiotensin II may be due to increased capillary permeability as a result of increased cardiac effort without a proportional increase in coronary blood flow.
Unidirectional Movement Fibres from A Proprioceptive Organ of the Crab, Carcinus Maenas

1. The proprioceptive organ of the shore crab Carcinus maenas, which signals all proprioceptive sensation from the joint between propodite and dactylopodite, has been shown to contain sense cells receptive to position as well as to movement. 2. Certain cells of the organ increase their discharge frequency in response to greater degrees of flexion, while other endings respond to greater degrees of extension. Movement has little effect on the frequency of the position fibres. 3. Cells responding to movement in one direction only are present, certain ones signalling fiexion and others extension. The most sensitive undirectional movement fibres are almost completely independent of position and velocity. They provide the crab with an extremely sensitive movement sense not as yet reported in other proprioceptive mechanisms. 4. Both position-sensitive and movement-sensitive cells show a wide range of thresholds. 5. Cells which cannot be strictly classified as either position or movement sensitive have also been found. 6. By tracing the origin of the signals to the cell bodies, it appears that movement fibres have on the whole larger cell bodies than position fibres and are more proximally located. 7. Flexor and extensor movement cells appear to lie on different sides of elastic strand. 8. The question of how unidirectional sensitivity may be achieved is discussed.
Collybolide is a novel biased agonist of κ-opioid receptors with potent antipruritic activity.

Abstract Among the opioid receptors, the κ-opioid receptor (κOR) has been gaining considerable attention as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of complex CNS disorders including depression, visceral pain, and cocaine addiction. With an interest in discovering novel ligands targeting κOR, we searched natural products for unusual scaffolds and identified collybolide (Colly), a nonnitrogenous sesquiterpene from the mushroom Collybia maculata. This compound has a furyl-δ-lactone core similar to that of Salvinorin A (Sal A), another natural product from the plant Salvia divinorum. Characterization of the molecular pharmacological properties reveals that Colly, like Sal A, is a highly potent and selective κOR agonist. However, the two compounds differ in certain signaling and behavioral properties. Colly exhibits 10- to 50-fold higher potency in activating the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway compared with Sal A. Taken with the fact that the two compounds are equipotent for inhibiting adenylyl cyclase activity, these results suggest that Colly behaves as a biased agonist of κOR. Behavioral studies also support the biased agonistic activity of Colly in that it exhibits ∼10-fold higher potency in blocking non–histamine-mediated itch compared with Sal A, and this difference is not seen in pain attenuation by these two compounds. These results represent a rare example of functional selectivity by two natural products that act on the same receptor. The biased agonistic activity, along with an easily modifiable structure compared with Sal A, makes Colly an ideal candidate for the development of novel therapeutics targeting κOR with reduced side effects.
Rapid selective colorimetric sensing of polyphosphates by ionic resorcinarene cavitand interdigitated gold nanoparticles

Abstract In this article, we show that resorcinarene tetratrimethylammonium tetrabromide cavitand interdigitated gold nanoparticles can be prepared by appropriate choice of solvent and that they can act as efficient colorimetric sensors for the selective detection of polyphosphates such as pyrophosphate, ADP and ATP in aqueous medium. Remarkably, this electrostatically mediated sensing occurs in a minute in biologically relevant HEPES medium and anions such as closely related monobasic- and tribasic-phosphate, various halides including fluoride, acetate, carbonates, nitrate, and sulfate don’t show any colorimetric response. NMR titration showed that the resorcinarene cavitand surfactant binds to pyrophosphate with a binding constant of 4190 M −1 . Further, we show that PPi can be colorimetrically detected even in the presence of tribasic phosphate, which also binds to the resorcinarene cavitand surfactant with a binding constant of 850 M −1 . Given the dimensions of the resorcinarene cavitand and the calculated initial interparticle distances of 7.3 nm, we believe that the aggregation based sensing of PPi, ADP and ATP occurs by the crosslinking of two resorcinarene cavitand interdigitated nanoparticles by these anions. We show the ratio of absorbance at 700 nm and 529 nm (A 700 /A 529 ) and the LSPR of the resorcinarene cavitand interdigitated nanoparticles varied significantly over a wide range of pyrophosphate concentrations with a limit of detection of 140 nM.
Crosstalk of 5′-Monophosphate-Activated Protein Kinase (AMPK) with Extracellular and Intracellular Signaling Pathways in the Regulation of Nutrient Metabolism and Cell Survival in the Liver

As a key regulator of nutrient metabolism and cell survival, 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a very promising drug target for treating metabolic diseases, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and cancer. However, recent studies from the use of AMPK knockout mice as well as genetic and chemical modulators of AMPK have generated conflicting reports regarding the roles of AMPK in the regulation of hepatic lipid metabolism, fulminant hepatitis, and cholestatic liver injury. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent knowledge regarding how AMPK crosstalks with diverse extracellular and intracellular signaling pathways to regulate hepatic nutrient metabolism and cell survival, in an effort to help better understand the potential underlying mechanisms of these recent controversies. AMPK directly regulates a group of key transcription factors that are essential for nutrient metabolism and/or cell survival. The effects of AMPK activation on PPARα, LXRα, HNF4α, FXR, Nrf2, and JNK appear to be dependent on cellular context or gene targets. The most widely used AMPK activators (AICAR and metformin) and AMPK inhibitor (compound C) have important AMPK-independent activities that may confound data interpretation. Mutation/deletion of different AMPK subunits may have different biological activities that contribute to their distinct effects on hepatic gene expression and lipid metabolism. Future studies using more specific and physiologically relevant genetic/chemical modulators of AMPK will help elucidate the exact roles of AMPK in the regulation of lipid metabolism, fulminant hepatitis, and cholestatic liver injury.
Coadministration of bone marrow cells and an inhibitor of apoptosis (Z-VAD) promotes bone marrow cell survival and neurological functional recovery after focal cerebral ischemia in adult rat

P222 Most bone marrow cells (BMCs) transplanted into the ischemic brain of adult rodents die shortly after they are grafted, similar to the 90%-95% of the fetal cells that die after transplantation into Parkinson s patients. We tested whether coadministration of BMCs and Z-Val-Ala-DL-Asp-fluoromethylketone (Z-VAD), an inhibitor of apoptosis, into the ischemic boundary zone of the striatum and the cortex in rat brain promotes BMC survival. Adult Wistar rats were subjected to transient (2 h) middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo). At 1 d after ischemia, saline (n=9, Group 1); BMCs (1x10 6 in 10 :l, n=8, Group 2); or BMCs with Z-VAD (50 nM/ml, n=4, Group 3) were injected into brain. BMCs were harvested from donor adult rats injected with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU, as a tracer). Rats were subjected to rotarod-motor and adhesive-removal somatosensory functional tests before MCAo and at 1 and 7 d after MCAo. Rats in Group 3 exhibited significant improvement (10.3±2.6 seconds, p 6 transplanted cells) increased significantly (p 6 cells) at 7 d. In the grafting areas, apoptotic cells were less clustered ( 240 per region) and apoptotic cells were significantly decreased (12.3±1.7/mm 2 vs. 25.9±2.1/mm 2 , ∼47%, p
Exposure to negative stereotypes impairs older adults’ self-control

AbstractThe present studies were designed to test the hypothesis that exposure to negative stereotypes about older adults impairs older adults’ self-control as measured with a delay discounting task. Participants (ages 65–77) were assigned to read either a positive or negative article on the cognitive effects of aging (Study 1 and 2) or were assigned to a neutral control condition (Study 2). Older adults in the negative article condition chose delayed rewards less frequently than older adults in the positive or neutral conditions. Follow up tests suggested that the difference between positive and negative article conditions was mediated by participants’ discrepancy between their chronological and subjective age. Negative stereotypes about older adults may impair older adults’ ability to resist immediate impulses in order to pursue their goals.
Novel method of estimating AROC using an injury risk curve for biomechanical injury metric selection.

OBJECTIVE Area under the receiver operating characteristic (AROC) is commonly used to evaluate an injury metric's ability to discriminate between injury and noninjury cases. However, AROC has limitations and may not handle censored data sets adequately. Survival methodology creates robust estimates of injury risk curves (IRCs) which accommodate censored data. We developed an observation-adjusted ROC (oaROC), an AROC-like statistic calculated from the IRC. METHODS oaROC uses an observational distribution and an IRC to measure true positive rate (TPR) and false positive rate (FPR). The oaROC represents what the AROC would be with a large number of observations sampled from the IRC. We verified this using a limit test with simulated data sets at various sample sizes drawn from an assumed "true" IRC. For each sample size, 5,000 different data sets were created; a conventional AROC was calculated for each data set and compared with the single oaROC, which was calculated from the "true" IRC and not dependent on sample size. RESULTS The oaROC, calculated from the simulated IRC, was 0.911. At a sample size of 20, the mean AROC was 0.930 (2.0% difference). At a sample size of 1,000, the mean AROC was 0.9114 (0.02% difference). CONCLUSION We verified that AROC approaches the oaROC with increasing sample sizes, and oaROC presents a measure of IRC discriminatory ability. Survival methodology can estimate IRCs using censored observations and the oaROC was designed with this in mind. The oaROC may be a useful measure of discrimination for data sets containing censored data. Further investigation is needed to evaluate oaROC calculated from estimated IRCs.
Hazards of Variability in Reservoir Characteristics for South Caspian Oil Fields

The oil fields of Azerbaijan, both onshore and offshore, have been in production for over 130 years. During that period records of varying quality have been kept concerning the attributes of individual boreholes, oil and gas production, and reservoirs. Many of the very early records are either extremely incomplete or lost, while those records prior to the second World War are dominantly cumulative summaries of yearly oil/gas production. During and since the second World War, however, extremely detailed records have been kept of hydrocarbon production and of reservoir formation properties. Indeed, many of the original field record books are still available and, what is more, so are many of the individuals who either kept the field data or added to the field data. Some of those individuals are still working in the area. Thus the ability exists not only to obtain the original field data but also to question individuals about specific entries. In addition, there are often discrepancies between the actual field data records, and the political formal reports sent to controlling authorities of the time.
Surgery for Perforations

Perforations of the colon vary widely in their clinical manifestations. For example, in some instances the perforation may be slow and accompanied by agglutination of the colon to surrounding structures, producing a fistula rather than peritonitis. In other situations a perforation may occur that is walled off immediately by surrounding structures, producing an abscess. In rare instances, perforation into or involvement of a mesenteric vein can lead to pylephlebitis.2,3,7 Subcutaneous emphysema has been reported.9,10 In the most severe cases, however, there is free communication of the lumen of the colon with the peritoneal cavity, resulting in fecal peritonitis. In these cases mortality is extremely high unless prompt therapy is undertaken. In this chapter these major perforations will be considered.
Mortality and Flowering of Great Basin Perennial Forbs After Experimental Burning: Implications for Wild Bees

Abstract The fates of native bee communities in the Great Basin sagebrush steppe are linked with the susceptibilities of their floral hosts to increasingly frequent wildfires. Postfire survival and subsequent flowering of six prevalent perennial wildflowers representing five families were quantified across a range of realistic fire severities created using a calibrated propane burn barrel. Five burn prescriptions of varying intensity and duration were applied to cultivated rows of basalt milkvetch (Astragalus filipes Torr. ex A. Gray), Blue Mountain prairie clover (Dalea ornata Eaton & J. Wright), sulphur-flower buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum Torr.), fernleaf biscuitroot (Lomatium dissectum Nutt.), blue penstemon (Penstemon cyaneus Pennell), and gooseberryleaf globemallow (Sphaeralcea grossularifolia Hook. & Arn.). Overall differences in their fire sensitivities were maximal at peak fire severity, ranging from 80% survival (L. dissectum) to complete mortality (E. umbellatum and P. cyaneus). Although A. filipes survived well (85%), half of the 95 burn survivors then failed to flower the year after burning. The postfire fate of plant-pollinator interactions is a function of the bees’ nesting habits, their floral host’s sensitivity to a given burn intensity (both in terms of survival and flowering), and the reproductive interdependence of bee and floral host (taxonomic specialists vs. generalists).
The Equation \(\overline \partial \)u = ƒ

As before, fix an open set Ω ⊂ C n . Given ƒ ∈ ∧r,s+1(Ω), we seek u ∈ ∧r,s such that $$ \bar \partial u = f $$ (1) .
Microlocal condition for non-displaceability

We formulate a sufficient condition for non-displaceability (by Hamiltonian symplectomorphisms which are identity outside of a compact) of a pair of subsets in a cotangent bundle. This condition is based on micro-local analysis of sheaves on manifolds by Kashiwara–Schapira. This condition is used to prove that the real projective space and the Clifford torus inside the complex projective space are mutually non-displaceable.
Molecular Structure of 1-Substituted Bicyclo[2.2.0]hexanes: A Combined X-Ray Structural and Ab Initio Study

The synthesis and X-ray crystal structure of the p-bromoanilide derivative of bicyclo[2.2.0]hexane-l-carboxylic acid (1), N-(4-bromophenyl)-bicyclo[2.2.0]hexane-l-carboxamide (2), is reported. N-(4-Bromophenyl)-bicyclo[2.2.0]hexane-l-carboxamide is synthesized in good yield via the DCC coupling of bicyclo[2.2.0]hexane-l-carboxylic acid (1) with p-bromoaniline. Low-temperature X-ray analysis of 2 reveals that the $$C{\kern 1pt} ---{\kern 1pt} C$$ bonds of the bicyclo[2.2.0]hexane skeleton vicinal to the amide group show a slight lengthening due to conjugative interaction with the π-accepting amide group. Ab initio calculations at the 6-31G* level of theory on bicyclo[2.2.0]hexane-l-carboxamide, a model for 2, and for other 1-substituted bicyclo[2.2.0]hexanes are also reported.
Early trauma moderates the link between familial risk for depression and post-stress DHEA/cortisol ratios in adolescents.

Abstract Background One proposed mechanism for familial transmission of depression risk is impaired ability to regulate stress. While much of this work has focused on the stress hormone cortisol, there is evidence that the neuroprotective hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) may play a critical role in stress regulation and that the ratios of DHEA to cortisol may provide meaningful information about individual differences in stress processing. In this study, we examined DHEA and DHEA/cortisol ratios among teens at low and high risk for depression. Methods Participants included 101 youth (12-16-year-old; 50 female) including 53 with a family history of depression (High Risk for depression). Adolescents and their parents completed diagnostic interviews, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and the Childhood Depression Inventory. Saliva samples were collected at multiple time points before and after adolescents underwent the Trier Social Stress Test. Cortisol and DHEA ratios were examined at baseline and 35 min post-stress initiation. Results High risk (HR) and low risk (LR) participants did not differ on DHEA/cortisol ratios. However, childhood trauma moderated the relationship between risk group and DHEA/cortisol ratios, where at high levels of trauma, HR participants had significantly higher ratios than LR participants. Conclusion Our findings suggest that higher DHEA/cortisol ratios may not be indicative of greater protection against risk for depression as previously conceptualized. In the context of early trauma, higher DHEA/cortisol ratios may reflect a blunting of the HPA-axis that is not observed when examining cortisol levels alone. This study has implications for our conceptualization of DHEA/cortisol ratios as an indicator of risk for psychopathology.
Transthyretin-stabilizing mutation T119M is not associated with protection against vascular disease or death in the UK Biobank

Abstract Background Destabilized transthyretin (TTR) can result in the progressive, fatal disease transthyretin-mediated (ATTR) amyloidosis. A stabilizing TTR mutation, T119M, is the basis for a therapeutic strategy to reduce destabilized TTR. Recently, T119M was associated with extended lifespan and lower risk of cerebrovascular disease in a Danish cohort. We aimed to determine whether this finding could be replicated in the UK Biobank. Methods TTR T119M carriers were identified in the UK Biobank, a large prospective cohort of ∼500,000 individuals. Association between T119M genotype and inpatient diagnosis of vascular disease, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, and mortality was analyzed. Results Frequency of T119M within the white UK Biobank population (n=337,148) was 0.4%. Logistic regression comparing T119M carriers to non-carriers found no association between T119M and vascular disease (odds ratio [OR]=1.08; p=.27), cardiovascular disease (OR=1.08; p=.31), cerebrovascular disease (OR=1.1; p=.42), or death (OR=1.2; p=.06). Cox proportional hazards regression showed similar results (hazard ratio>1, p>.05). Age at death and vascular disease diagnosis were similar between T119M carriers and non-carriers (p=.12 and p=.38, respectively). Conclusions There was no association between the TTR T119M genotype and risk of vascular disease or death in a large prospective cohort study, indicating that TTR tetramer stabilization through T119M is not protective in this setting.
‘A stranger from this homeland’: deportation and the ruin of lives and livelihoods during the Palestine Mandate

This article explores Mandate Palestine’s immigration policy through the stories of migrants and settled residents who attempted to resist government-issued deportation orders for their removal fro...
Respiratory viral panels and pediatric airway evaluation: The role of testing for upper respiratory infections to stratify perioperative risk.

Abstract Objectives Children admitted with stridor and respiratory distress comprise a complex patient group that requires the otolaryngologist to decide when to assess and intervene with direct laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy (DLB). Historically, the diagnosis of viral upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) can lead to postponement of surgery due to concerns of perioperative complications related to acute illness. Respiratory viral panels (RVP) are often used to confirm the presence of recent or active viral infection and can affect the differential diagnosis of upper airway obstruction. This study examined whether positive RVP testing is associated with perioperative complications and operative findings in pediatric patients undergoing inpatient DLB. Methods A retrospective chart review of 132 pediatric patient encounters was performed. Viral testing results, DLB indication, DLB findings, and perioperative complications were compared. Results Sixty encounters (45.5%) involved a positive RVP, and 72 (54.5%) involved a negative RVP. Those with positive RVP were less likely to have a preoperative structural airway diagnosis (P =.0250) and more likely to have a history of recurrent upper respiratory infections (P =.0464). The most common reason for DLB was the need to assess the airway due to concern for structural pathology. Anatomic abnormalities were seen in a majority of encounters (77.3%) Laryngospasm occurred in 1 (1.7%) RVP positive and 1 (1.4%) RVP negative encounter, and 2 (2.8%) RVP negative encounters required reintubation. No other major complications were observed. No association was noted between RVP results and incidence of major or minor complication. Conclusions Major perioperative complications after surgical intervention with DLB for the management of complex, inpatient children with stridor and respiratory distress are rare. RVP positivity, specific pathogens identified on RVP, and presence of URI symptoms were not associated with perioperative complications.
Plasmonic nanocatalysis for solar energy harvesting and sustainable chemistry

Surface plasmons, the collective oscillations of free electrons, are now being extensively taken advantage of in the field of heterogeneous catalysis, where surface plasmon resonance (SPR) can produce huge electromagnetic (EM) fields and thermal hotspots. Plasmonic nanocatalysis offers unique ways of increasing catalytic performances, product selectivity and catalyst stability. This review discusses plasmon-assisted nanocatalysis for reduction, oxidation, coupling, H2 generation, CO2 reduction and degradation reactions. The majority of the results reviewed reveal that plasmon assisted catalysis has the potential for developing sustainable catalytic processes.
Arumberia and other Ediacaran–Cambrian fossils of central Australia

Problematic fossils are described from Late Ediacaran to Early Cambrian red sandstones of the Arumbera Sandstone, Grant Bluff, and Central Mount Stuart Formations in central Australia, within a new...
Change in Tree Spatial Pattern After Severe Wind Disturbance in Four North American Northern Hardwood and Sub-Boreal Forests

Growing appreciation for the importance of forest structural features to forest functioning has led to increased focus on tree spatial patterns. While the influence of disturbances on composition and diversity has been well-studied, understanding of how disturbances influence spatial pattern is still far from complete. In particular, very few studies have examined the change in spatial pattern as a result of wind disturbance. Here results are presented for change in spatial pattern after severe wind disturbance in four eastern North American forests. It is hypothesized that, as in other types of disturbances, severe wind will cause an increase in aggregation among survivors, and aggregated distribution of mortality. These trends were indeed observed; at very small distances (e.g. 5-10 m), all four sites showed significantly greater aggregation after wind disturbance. Mortality was also significantly aggregated at three of the four sites, but at different distances. Unexpectedly, at slightly larger distances (e.g. 30-50m), all four sites showed significant decreases in aggregation; it is suggested that this second trend may generalize across disturbance types. A hypothesis proposed by Davis et al. (2005) is that intermediate disturbance severity produces the greatest aggregation; this hypothesis is tested in the four sites reported here, and the hypothesis is rejected. Two refinements to this hypothesis are proposed for further testing in future research.
Enhanced lubricating properties of oils containing graphene synthesized in atmospheric plasmas

Abstract The use of gas-phase-synthesized graphene (GSG) as a lubricant additive that is capable of significantly enhancing the tribological properties of widely used oils is reported herein. GSG is pure, highly ordered, and exhibits an inherently crumpled morphology that causes the nanomaterial to self-disperse and resist aggregation in base oils and fully formulated lubricants. Micro-tribometer tests revealed that the wear of sliding surfaces was significantly reduced by up to 53% when relatively minute amounts of GSG (≤ 0.1 wt%) was added to canola oil, polyalphaolefin (PAO), fully-formulated petroleum oil, and fully-formulated full synthetic oil. Additionally, the wear reduction of surfaces caused by GSG remained consistent as the concentration of the nanomaterial was reduced in PAO, which indicates that GSG concentrations below 0.025 wt% in base oil could achieve similar reductions in wear. A controllable GSG segregation phenomenon in PAO is reported, which has the potential to enable the controlled wear of sliding surfaces and the recycling of GSG additives. GSG is produced in a single step through an environmentally friendly atmospheric plasma process. Our results demonstrate that GSG holds promise as a sustainable and effective anti-wear additive for lubricants used in engines and other tribological applications.
Prognostic value of vasodilator stress perfusion cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) in patients with previous coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)

Background The accuracy and prognostic value of stress perfusion cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) are well established in patients with suspected or proven coronary artery disease (CAD). Because myocardial contrast kinetics may be altered in patients with previous coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), most studies have excluded those patients in whom prognostic data are missing. Purpose To assess the prognostic value of vasodilator stress perfusion CMR in patients with previous CABG. Methods Between 2008 and 2018, we prospectively included consecutive patients with CABG referred for vasodilator stress perfusion CMR with dipyridamole. They were followed for the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) defined by cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction or late coronary revascularisation > 90 days. Univariable and multivariable Cox regressions were performed to determine the prognostic association of inducible ischemia and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE). Results Of 866 CABG patients (70 ± 9 years, 89% men), 852 (98%) completed the CMR protocol and 771 (89%) completed the follow-up (median 4.2 ± 2.7 years). Stress CMR was well tolerated without severe adverse event. Overall, 531 (61%) patients had a myocardial infarction defined by the presence of LGE with ischemic patterns. Using Kaplan–Meier analyses, the presence of myocardial ischemia was correlated with the occurrence of MACE and cardiac mortality (both P Fig. 1 ). In multivariable stepwise Cox regression, the absence of inducible ischemia was an independent predictor of a lower incidence of MACE (HR: 2.17, 95% CI: 1.56–3.13; P Conclusions Stress CMR is feasible, safe and has a good discriminative prognostic value to predict the occurrence of MACE and cardiovascular mortality in patients with CABG.
Thermodynamically consistent phase-field modeling of competitive polycrystalline growth of beta grains during additive manufacturing of Ti6Al4V

Abstract In this paper, a thermodynamically consistent multi-phase and multi-component phase-field (PF) model was developed for the prediction of competitive growth of β grains during Ti6Al4V solidification in the directed energy deposition (DED) process. By incorporating the thermodynamic and diffusion mobility databases of the Ti-Al-V system, the concentration evolutions of Al and V solutes were accurately predicted separately for the first time, where the solidified β has a slightly higher Al but lower V than the liquid phase, matching the phase diagrams very well. Influences of cross-diffusion between solutes on concentration distributions were also investigated. The PF modeling predicted elongated β grains of columnar shape during Ti6Al4V solidification, whose growth pattern was highly consistent with the experimental results. A validated DED model was also utilized to acquire the temporal and spatial temperature profiles and heating/cooling rates in the molten pool. By coupling such thermal information, the grain growth and concentration evolutions under the influence of cooling rate were carried out.
Unverifiable net assets ratio and annual report reading difficulty

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has greatly expanded the use of fair value instruments, which amplifies an increase of unverifiable assets and liabilities that do not have actively traded market prices. Prior research indicates that managers may have strong incentives to use discretion in estimating fair values of such assets and liabilities for his/her self-serving interests, leading to more agency conflicts. This study examines the impact of unverifiable net assets on reading difficulty of annual reports. We predict that annual reports of firms with more unverifiable assets and liabilities are more difficult to read because prior research links agency conflicts to increased reading difficulty. Our results show a significant positive relation between unverifiable net assets and reading difficulty, consistent with the agency theory. Our study has implications for revenue management because prior research links earnings management to annual report readability.
Anatomy of the Posterior Cord and Its Branches

Abstract The posterior divisions from each of the three trunks of the brachial plexus join behind the clavicle to form the posterior cord. Three terminal branches arise directly from the cord at this level: the upper subscapular nerve, thoracodorsal nerve, and lower subscapular nerve. The main trunk continues distally, terminating as the axillary and radial nerves. The axillary nerve innervates the deltoid and provides a sensory branch to the skin overlying this muscle. The radial nerve continues into the arm and divides into superficial and deep branches at the elbow, the former supplying sensation to the dorsal hand, and the latter providing innervation to muscles in the extensor compartment of the distal arm. Variations at every level are described, extending from the nerve roots contributing to the plexus, to the pattern of innervation over the dorsal hand.
Grain boundary mobility in anion doped MgO

Impurities are known to control the microstructure of ceramic materials. Impurities tend to reside at grain boundaries in ceramics, even in relatively high purity materials1,2. Extensive work on the role of cation impurities on the grain growth kinetics has been reported3. Anions in general have received little attention even though there are suggestions as to their importance in the literature. For example, fluoride additions significantly enhance the fabricability of MgO by hot pressing4. Ceramic surfaces, qualitatively similar to grain boundaries, show a strong affinity for gases (Cl2, F2, H2O)5,6. One reason for the lack of attention to anion impurities is the analytical problems involved in their detection; routine survey analyses are insensitive to their presence. However, studies have shown that they are present and often exist as a major impurity when cation impurities are reduced to 0.01% or less7. With the exception of water vapor8, few data are available concerning the influence of anions on grain growth in MgO.
Empirical Evidence on Korea’s Import Demand Behavior Revisited

This paper attempts to re-examine Korea’s import demand behavior with an enhanced econometric technique and an up-to-date dataset. To achieve the goal, an autogressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach is adopted. Our results show the existence of the long-run relationship between Korea’s imports and its major determinants such as income and price. It is also found that income plays an important role in influencing Korea’s imports in both the short- and long-run. On the other hand, price is found to have a significant impact on Korea’s imports only in the short-run.
Vegetation effects on soil moisture estimation

Several successful algorithms have been developed to estimate soil moisture of bare surfaces. We previously reported a new algorithm using the tilted Bragg approximation. However, these algorithms are only applicable to bare surfaces. When vegetation is present, soil moisture is typically underestimated by bare surface algorithms. In order to derive soil moisture under vegetation, we have to understand the complex scattering process due to vegetation. Our main interest is to retrieve the global soil moisture information using Hydros L-band polarimetric radar data. The Hydros mission will provide the first global view of land soil moisture using L-band radar and radiometer. The unique characteristics of the Hydros data are the availability of the low resolution soil moisture information from radiometer data and the continuous time series radar data collected at the same incidence angle. In this paper, we will examine a potential inversion algorithm to retrieve soil moisture under vegetation canopies using Hydros L-band polarimetric radar data
The real world of high speed networking: user interfaces

High-speed data transfer networks are becoming the norm in new ship system designs. The network interfacing situation in present-day and foreseeable ship designs are described and a method of dealing with the user network interfaces is discussed. This discussion and the recommended solution are illustrated by examples of shipboard data transfer networks implemented by Rockwell International Corporation on US and foreign navy ship programs. In the design philosophy used, the network must provide the interface capability for users which do not have a direct network compatible interface. This way, the possible application of the network is expanded, resulting in greater operating benefits to the ship and its mission. >
The Florida Shock Anxiety Scale (FSAS) for Patients with Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators: Testing Factor Structure, Reliability, and Validity of a Previously Established Measure

Background: The implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) reduces mortality in patients at risk for life-threatening arrhythmias via high energy shock. The Florida Shock Anxiety Scale (FSAS) was developed to measure ICD patient shock-related anxiety. Initial psychometric evaluation revealed good reliability and validity. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometrics of the FSAS in a large US sample of ICD patients. Methods: Participants were recruited via e-mail and the survey was completed online. Ultimately, 443 ICD patients (359 male and 421 White) completed the 10-item FSAS. Results: Means for FSAS were comparable to previously published data (M = 15.18, SD = 6.5). Interitem reliability was good (Cronbach's α= 0.89). The FSAS was negatively correlated with single-item measures of emotional well-being (r =–0.378, P < 0.01), sense of security (r =–0.365, P < 0.01), perceived general health (r =–0.185, P < 0.01), and quality of life (r =–0.216, P < .01), demonstrating discriminant validity. Convergent validity was supported through significant correlations with number of shocks (r = 0.464, P < 0.01) and reported disruptiveness of shock (r = 0.484, P < 0.01). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that a single (second-order) factor model (χ2 [34] = 75.34, P < 0.05, comparative fit index = 0.98, root mean-square error of approximation = 0.05) had the best fit. Conclusions: Shock anxiety as a construct can be measured in a reliable and valid method by the FSAS. These nationally representative data suggest that a single score for shock anxiety is an easy to use and appropriate method of assessment. (PACE 2012; 35:1146–1153)