cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
miRNA Profiling of Naïve, Effector and Memory CD8 T Cells

microRNAs have recently emerged as master regulators of gene expression during development and cell differentiation. Although profound changes in gene expression also occur during antigen-induced T cell differentiation, the role of miRNAs in the process is not known. We compared the miRNA expression profiles between antigen-specific naive, effector and memory CD8+ T cells using 3 different methods-small RNA cloning, miRNA microarray analysis and real-time PCR. Although many miRNAs were expressed in all the T cell subsets, the frequency of 7 miRNAs (miR-16, miR-21, miR-142-3p, miR-142-5p, miR-150, miR-15b and let-7f) alone accounted for ∼60% of all miRNAs, and their expression was several fold higher than the other expressed miRNAs. Global downregulation of miRNAs (including 6/7 dominantly expressed miRNAs) was observed in effector T cells compared to naive cells and the miRNA expression levels tended to come back up in memory T cells. However, a few miRNAs, notably miR-21 were higher in effector and memory T cells compared to naive T cells. These results suggest that concomitant with profound changes in gene expression, miRNA profile also changes dynamically during T cell differentiation. Sequence analysis of the cloned mature miRNAs revealed an extensive degree of end polymorphism. While 3′end polymorphisms dominated, heterogeneity at both ends, resembling drosha/dicer processing shift was also seen in miR-142, suggesting a possible novel mechanism to generate new miRNA and/or to diversify miRNA target selection. Overall, our results suggest that dynamic changes in the expression of miRNAs may be important for the regulation of gene expression during antigen-induced T cell differentiation. Our study also suggests possible novel mechanisms for miRNA biogenesis and function.
Increased Sensitivity to Testicular Toxicity of Transplacental Benzo[a]pyrene Exposure in Male Glutamate Cysteine Ligase Modifier Subunit Knockout (Gclm−/−) Mice

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), like benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), are ubiquitous environmental pollutants formed by the incomplete combustion of organic materials. The tripeptide glutathione (GSH) is a major antioxidant and is important in detoxification of PAH metabolites. Mice null for the modifier subunit of glutamate cysteine ligase (Gclm), the rate-limiting enzyme in GSH synthesis, have decreased GSH concentrations. We investigated the effects of Gclm deletion alone on male fertility and spermatogenesis and its effect on the sensitivity of male embryos to the transplacental testicular toxicity of BaP. Gclm-/- males had dramatically decreased testicular and epididymal GCL enzymatic activity and total GSH concentrations compared with Gclm+/+ littermates. Ratios of reduced to oxidized GSH were significantly increased in Gclm-/- testes. GSH reductase enzymatic activity was increased in Gclm-/- epididymides. We observed no changes in fertility, testicular weights, testicular sperm head counts, or testicular histology and subtle changes in cauda epididymal sperm counts, motility, and morphology in Gclm-/- compared with Gclm+/+ males. Prenatal exposure to BaP from gestational day 7 to 16 was dose dependently associated with significantly decreased testicular and epididymal weights, testicular and epididymal sperm counts, and with vacuolated seminiferous tubules at 10 weeks of age. Gclm-/- males exposed prenatally to BaP had greater decreases in testicular weights, testicular sperm head counts, epididymal sperm counts, and epididymal sperm motility than Gclm+/+ littermates. These results show no effects of Gclm deletion alone on male fertility and testicular spermatogenesis and subtle epididymal effects but support increased sensitivity of Gclm-/- males to the transplacental testicular toxicity of BaP.
Regularization design for isotropic spatial resolution in motion-compensated image reconstruction

Patient motion degrades image quality in medical imaging. Gating can reduce motion artifacts by using part of the acquired data, but can increase noise. Motion-compensated image reconstruction (MCIR) utilizes all collected data with motion information to reduce motion artifacts and noise.
Extending the Accounting Brand to Privacy Services (Retracted)

The primary purposes of this study are to identify and validate a list of necessary skills required to ensure good data privacy protection for organizations, recognize potential privacy service pro...
The Stability of Flow Along a Streamwise Corner

Here we consider the stability of the streamwise corner flow formed at the intersection of two semi-infinite perpendicular planes by studying the linear stability of the blending layer formed between the corner layer and the Blasius boundary layer. Both symmetric and antisymmetric (about the corner bisector) disturbances are considered and the critical Reynolds number corresponding to these disturbances decrease as the cornerline is approached. The symmetric disturbance is found to be more unstable than its antisymmetric counterpart and the most unstable symmetric disturbance is three-dimensional with negative spanwise wavenumber.
Biological Control Of Pieris Rapae in New England: Host Suppression and Displacement of Cotesia glomerata by Cotesia rubecula (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Abstract A survey of the imported cabbageworm, Pieris rapae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), in cole crops in Massachusetts found that a Chinese strain of Cotesia rubecula (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), released in 1988, has spread and become the dominant parasitoid of this pest in central and western Massachusetts, with an average of 75% parasitism. The previously dominant parasitoid of this host, Cotesia glomerata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), has been displaced and is now present only at trace levels (<1% of total parasitism).
Flipping Quantitative Classes: A Triple Win

In the “flipped” class, students use online materials to learn what is traditionally learned by attending lectures, and class time is used for interactive group learning. A required quantitative business class was taught as a flipped classroom in an attempt to improve student satisfaction in the course and reduce the “transactional distance” (perceived barriers to engaging with the instructor, other students, technology, and course content) and increase satisfaction. Analysis indicated improvements to both transactional distance and student satisfaction in the flipped classroom. Multiple regression analysis quantified the extent of which each transactional distance was a predictor of student satisfaction. The improved satisfaction in the flipped classroom was predicted by the improvement in transactional distances between students, students and the instructor, and students and the instructional technology used in the class. The conclusions from this study suggest that the flipped classroom is a particularly good pedagogical strategy for quantitative classes. It allows the instructor to increase student satisfaction (a win for the students) in a course in which it is usually low without compromising academic standards (a win for the teachers). Finally, increased satisfaction leads to increased retention and hence increased revenues for the institution, which is a win for the administration.
Sub-threshold operation of a VCSEL structure for ultra-low voltage, high speed, high contrast ratio spatial light modulation

As silicon CMOS technology parameters are scaled down and standards for logic voltage levels are reduced, present optical transmitter technologies including the multiple-quantum-well (MQW) modulators and the vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) will become incompatible with silicon interconnects because of their high drive voltage requirements.
Reciprocity and Depression in Aids Caregiving

A community-based sample of informal AIDS caregivers was surveyed between 1990 and 1992 about the degree to which they perceive reciprocity with the recipient of their care. Equivalent exchanges between caregivers and care recipients are unlikely, a general fact that may have been particularly true in the case of AIDS at the beginning of the 1990s. Yet perceived reciprocity is remarkably high in this sample across all relationship types. Multivariate regression analyses suggest that the highest measured levels of perceived reciprocity are most likely among gay men caring for a lover. In turn, they show reciprocity to be negatively associated with caregiver depression and positively associated with the duration of caregiving. However, this heightened sense of reciprocity among gay men caring for a lover apparently does not insulate them from depressed mood. Rather, the data suggest that these men suffer greater depression than individuals caring for a legal spouse or friend, net an array of other predictiv...
Bacteria Associated with the Stomodaea of Certain Nearctic Diprionid Species

Cocoons of newly emerged introduced pine sawflies, Diprion similis (Htg.), each contain a resin-filled saclike stomodaeum attached to the cast skin of the prepupal molt. Preliminary investigations revealed that the stomodaeal sacs harbored several species of bacteria. This study is concerned only with the bacteria isolated from the foregut, and particularly with their possible role as pathogenic agents against or symbiotes with D. similis. We also postulated that specific associations between bacteria and host insects might indicate a taxonomic tool.
Evaluation of Bi-Harmonic Amplitude and Bias Modulation for Flapping Wing MAV Control

Interest in flapping wing Micro Air Vechicles (MAVs) has exploded in recent years, fueling research into unsteady, low Re aerodynamics, micro-fabrication, and fluid-structure interaction. Flapping wing control of such MAVs has been studied less thoroughly. Existing research uniformly relies on computer simulations of quasi-steady blade element formulas to evaluate proposed control laws. Such simulations do not account for unsteady aerodynamics which contribute to the total forces and moments generated by the wings. Higher fidelity computational methods are time and cost prohibitive, so these control laws must be evaluated on hardware models that include unsteady effects. In this work, a MAV prototype is tested on a 6-component balance to determine if the control derivatives for a novel control technique; Bi-harmonic Amplitude and Bias Modulation, which were developed with bladeelement formulas, are sufficiently accurate to be used for flapping wing control of a MAV.
Simulation and experiment of HT-SMES chopper

The charge and discharge of superconducting magnets request the chopper unit of HT-SMES (High Temperature Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage) system to operate stably,for which its voltages ource power conditioning system is researched. The state-space averaging method is used to establish the mathematical model of chopper for studying its working principle in charging and dis charging mode and itscurrent-loop feedback control is designed. With the consideration of its actual inductance and current-limiting protection of second-generation HTSM coil,the charging and discharging mode of chopper is simulated with Matlab software. A test system of SMES chopper is built,which applies DSP2812 to control the charge and discharge of superconducting magnets. The experimental and simulative waveforms of magnet current and DC bus current inosculate well,which indicates the validity of the proposed mathematical model of chopper and its control method.
In Vivo and Real Time Measurement of Rat Brain Reduced Scattering Coefficient(μ's)

Objective: Reduced scattering coefficient(μ's)measurement of living ra t brain tissue.Materials and methods: A specific designed fiber optical spectrum system was applied to measure the optical parameters in rat brain tissue. The r educed scattering coefficient(μ's) spectrum was obtained from the responding em pirical formula which can be fitted through intralipid and phantom experiment. R esults:measurements.The empirical formula of reduce scattering coefficient(μ' s) in gray matter and white matter of rat brain tissue was obtained from the sys temic statistic analysis. Conclusion: the μ's NIR spectrum of live rat brain ti ssue was obtain for the first time.
Science Signaling Podcast for 7 June 2016: Modeling signal integration

Abstract This Podcast features an interview with Kevin Janes, senior author of a Research Article that appears in the 7 June 2016 issue of Science Signaling , about a statistical modeling method that can extract useful information from complex data sets. Cells exist in very complex environments. They are constantly exposed to growth factors, hormones, nutrients, and many other factors that influence cellular behavior. When cells integrate information from multiple stimuli, the resulting output does not necessarily reflect a simple additive effect of the responses to each individual stimulus. Chitforoushzadeh et al . employed a statistical modeling approach that maintained the multidimensional nature of the data to analyze the responses of colonic epithelial cells to various combinations of the proinflammatory cytokine TNF, the growth factor EGF, and insulin. As the model predicted, experiments confirmed that insulin suppressed TNF-induced proinflammatory signaling through a mechanism that involved the transcription factor GATA6. Listen to Podcast
The Effect of Mitomycin C on Superficial Bladder Cancer

AbstractA course of intravesical mitomycin C, consisting of 8 weekly doses of 30 or 40mg., was evaluated in 16 patients with superficial bladder cancer (stages O and A). Cystoscopically documented tumor was destroyed completely in 11 patients (69 per cent), while 3 patients exhibited partial tumor regression. Two patients had only multifocal, grade 3 carcinoma in situ and both had a complete response with negative biopsies and cytology at the 12-week evaluation. Toxicity was minimal. Further data, including longer followup, are needed to define the potentially promising role of this agent in the over-all management of superficial bladder cancer.
The Fear of Americanization

The phrase “Americanization of the British Press” appears to have been used for the first time in a leader in the Pall Mall Gazette in 1882 and then, in a more substantive way in 1887, in the concluding pages of Henry Fox Bourne’s magisterial two-volume history of English newspapers. Bourne, a dispassionate observer who was himself a journalist, was seeking to describe a critical moment in the history of Anglo-American journalism, when traditional forms of print were ceding ground, seemingly in a rush, to popular modes of expression. The changes to which he was alluding, given an impetus earlier in the decade by William T. Stead in Britain and Joseph Pulitzer in the United States, did not create sudden new structures of journalism. They were instead the product of a process that had been evolving for half a century, much of which appeared to be driven by American models.
Technical-economic analysis on application of Conductor Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Cores on newly constructed line and reconstructed line

With the emergence of Conductor Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Core, a new way to solve line capacity expansion, transmission corridor reduction and other problems is introduced. This paper analyzes the advantages and investigates the scientific research and application situation for this conductor. It can be seen from the result obtained from computational analysis of technical-economic efficiency of application of this conductor combining with typical parameters of 220kV reconstructed line and 500kV newly constructed line in China that the application of Conductor Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Core is feasible from the perspective of technology and reasonable from the perspective of economy.
Surgery for Ectopic Parathyroid

In 1927 Captain Charles Martell underwent the first cervical exploration for diagnosed primary hyperparathyroidism in America, but it did not identify an abnormal parathyroid gland. Multiple additional unsuccessful operations ensued until the patient himself insisted upon a mediastinal exploration to his surgeons after researching variable parathyroid gland anatomy at the Harvard Medical School library. At the 7th operation a 3 cm mediastinal parathyroid adenoma was resected. Unfortunately, the patient died from complications following ureteral stone surgery 6 weeks later. The sad saga of Captain Martell underscores the importance of understanding the variability of parathyroid anatomy and the locations of ectopic parathyroid glands when anticipating parathyroidectomy surgery for hyperparathyroidism [1, 2].
Creating academic structures to promote nursing's role in global health policy.

Aim We highlight key components of emerging academic structures in global health nursing and explain how this investment can expand nursing's broader engagement in global health policy development. Background Engaging nursing in global health policy development is vital to ensure the scale-up of effective health programmes. Globally, nurses promote development of interprofessional healthcare teams who are responsible for translating sound global health policy and evidence-based programming into practice. However, the role of nurses within policy forums and on influential decision-making bodies within the global health space remains limited, which reinforces suboptimal global health policy implementation. Introduction Investment in globally engaged academic structures is an important way to expand participation of nursing in global health policy development. Sources of evidence A review of the current knowledge and substantive findings related to academic structures promoting global health nursing was conducted, and included a directed search of institutional websites, related grey and peer-reviewed literature, and communication with top-tier schools of nursing in the United States, to identify specific developments in global health nursing academic structures. Discussion/Conclusion Effective academic structures promoting global health nursing include a framework of four critical components – Research, Education, Policy and Partnership. Academic structure type and core activities vary depending on institutional priorities. Implications for nursing, health and social policy Increasingly, global health research, driven by individual nursing investigators, is expanding; however, in order to translate these advances into expanded involvement in global health policy development, academic structures within schools of nursing need to systematically expand educational opportunities, bolster research capacity and promote partnership with policymakers.
Kicking the tires of the NIST microwave uncertainty framework, Part 2

Traceability of a measurement requires two parts: 1) an unbroken chain of measurements and 2) uncertainties for each link of the chain. The NIST Microwave Uncertainty Framework (MUF) can provide both the required parts for a single link in the chain or for multiple links. In Part 1 of this work [1] the scattering-parameter measurement results determined by the MUF were compared to the established technique used at NIST. In this Part 2, the comparison of the uncertainties calculated with the different approaches will be examined and discussed.
Down Syndrome as an Independent Risk Factor for Thrombosis in Children.

Abstract Thromboembolic complications in children occur at an estimated rate of 5.3 per 10,000 hospitalized children per year. Over the last decade, investigators have determined that underlying medical conditions such as cancer and congenital heart disease (CHD) and the intensive therapies required to manage these conditions are strongly associated with the thromboembolic complications. Recently, we perceived an increase in the incidence of thrombosis in children with Down Syndrome (DS), a chromosomal abnormality which is associated with both CHD and cancer, but there is very little evidence in the medical literature to suggest that it is an independent risk factor for thrombosis. Although, there are case series describing an association of moyamoya disease and DS, only a few case reports describe venous and arterial thrombosis in children with DS, and there is no information about its rate and severity. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective analysis of patients treated at Children's Medical Center Dallas between January 1, 2000 and November 30, 2005, hypothesizing that thrombosis would be more prevalent in patients with DS (with or without associated co-morbidities) than in children without DS. ICD-9 codes for CHD, DS, cancer, and thromboembolic complications and the CPT codes for the surgical procedures used to correct CHD were used to identify patients of interest. During the study period, the emergency center, ambulatory outpatient areas, and inpatient units saw 729,324 children. Among these, we identified 511 patients with DS (0.07%), 2168 (0.29%) with CHD, and 1182 (0.16%) with cancer. Sixty-one percent (n=311) of the patients with DS also had CHD, and 2.9% (n=15) had cancer. Thrombosis was identified in 398 (5.4 per 10,000 children). The majority (n=220, 55%) developed deep venous thrombosis (DVT), with catheter-related thrombosis (n= 156) being most common. There were 165 (41%) arterial ischemic strokes (AIS), 19 associated with moyamoya disease. Fifteen children with DS developed thrombosis (rate of 293 per 10, 000 children with DS). Among these 15, DVT occurred in 11 (73%) patients and AIS in 5 (33%), 2 with moyamoya. Among the subgroup of patients diagnosed with AIS, DS was not found to be a risk factor for moyamoya disease (OR 5.6, 95% CI 1.05, 30.5, p=0.1). Two patients with DS (13%) had both DVT and AIS. Children diagnosed with DS (OR 57.5, 95% CI 34.2, 96.5, p
A Reading Theorist’s World View through the Lens of Terrence Malick: The “Poem” Created from Transacting The Tree of Life Trailer

AbstractIn our essay we discuss Louise Rosenblatt’s transactional theory of a reading event. Second, we summarize Carole Cox and Joyce Many who applied the transactional theory and designed a 1-5 p...
Reflectance Spectrum and Birefringence of the Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer With Hypertensive Damage of Axonal Cytoskeleton.

Purpose Glaucoma damages the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL). This study used precise multimodal image registration to investigate the changes of the RNFL reflectance spectrum and birefringence in nerve fiber bundles with different degrees of axonal damage. Methods The reflectance spectrum of individual nerve fiber bundles in normal rats and rats with experimental glaucoma was measured from 400 to 830 nm and their birefringence was measured at 500 nm. Optical measurements of the same bundles were made at different distances from the optic nerve head (ONH). After the optical measurements, the axonal cytoskeleton of the RNFL was evaluated by confocal microscopy to assess the severity of cytoskeletal change. Results For normal bundles, the shape of the RNFL reflectance spectrum and the value of RNFL birefringence did not change along bundles. In treated retinas, damage to the cytoskeleton varied within and across retinas. The damage in retinal sectors was subjectively graded from normal-looking to severe. Change of spectral shape occurred near the ONH in all sectors studied. This change became more prominent and occurred farther from the ONH with increased damage severity. In contrast, RNFL birefringence did not show change in normal-looking sectors, but decreased in sectors with mild and moderate damage. The birefringence of severely damaged sectors was either within or below the normal range. Conclusions Varying degrees of cytoskeletal damage affect the RNFL reflectance spectrum and birefringence differently, supporting differences in the ultrastructural basis for the two optical properties. Both properties, however, may provide a means to detect disease and to estimate ultrastructural damage of the RNFL in glaucoma.
The Multidimensional Nature of Quest Motivation

Although Daniel Batson’s (1976) construct of “Religion as Quest” has been widely applauded as an important theoretical innovation in the assessment of religious motivation, there are lingering concerns regarding the validity of the Quest construct. This study follows up some past suggestions in the literature that Quest may be a multidimensional construct and that facets of Quest may have very different relationships with religious variables. To test these hypotheses we constructed a multidimensional measure of Quest and administered it to 183 college students along with measures of spiritual well-being, Christian orthodoxy, extrinsic and intrinsic religiosity, and Batson’s 12-item Quest measure. Overall, the results suggest that Quest is indeed a multidimensional construct and that the dimensions of Quest need to be assessed separately to assess Quest’s construct validity. Specifically, two broad trends were noted. First, some facets of Quest seem to capture the free-roaming existential Quest Batson has frequently described. However, other facets of Quest seem to be compatible with orthodox Christian beliefs, suggesting that possessing metaphysical convictions are compatible with Quest-like attributes.
An Update on the Comparison of MIP, CP and Hybrid Approaches for Mixed Resource Allocation and Scheduling

We consider a well known resource allocation and scheduling problem for which different approaches like mixed-integer programming (MIP), constraint programming (CP), constraint integer programming (CIP), logic-based Benders decompositions (LBBD) and SAT-modulo theories (SMT) have been proposed and experimentally compared in the last decade. Thanks to the recent improvements in CP Optimizer, a commercial CP solver for solving generic scheduling problems, we show that a standalone tiny CP model can out-perform all previous approaches and close all the 335 instances of the benchmark. The article explains which components of the automatic search of CP Optimizer are responsible for this success. We finally propose an extension of the original benchmark with larger and more challenging instances.
Use of iontophoresis for the treatment of cancer

Despite major advancements in cancer treatments, there are still many limitations to therapy including off-target effects, drug resistance, and control of cancer-related symptoms. There are opportunities for local drug delivery devices to intervene at various stages of cancer to provide curative and palliative benefit. Iontophoretic devices that deliver drugs locally to a region of interest have been adapted for the treatment of cancer. These devices have shown promise in pre-clinical and clinical studies for retinoblastoma, skin, bladder, and pancreatic cancers. Herein, we review iontophoretic devices used in the management of cancer.
Lumbar Interbody Fusion: Is it Necessary?

Abstract Lumbar interbody fusion techniques are growing in popularity and they encompass transforaminal, direct lateral, and anterior approaches. Although there is some evidence of superiority of interbody fusions in reducing pseudarthrosis and improving overall surgical outcomes, high-quality data remains lacking. Furthermore, and irrespective of the given approach, interbody surgeries can pose harm and predispose to certain complications. Careful patient selection is therefore crucial. This manuscript will review the proper indications of interbody fusion in patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis, degenerative scoliosis, isthmic spondylolisthesis, and the role of interbody techniques in achieving successful arthrodesis and deformity correction.
Micromorphic elasticity for an axisymetrically loaded cylindrical thick-walled structure under plane strain conditions

In this paper we derive a closed-form solution for the problem of a second gradient elastic circular thick-walled cylinder subjected to some axisymmetric loading conditions and deformed in plane strain. The second gradient elastic model used is the one of Gologanu, Leblond, Perrin and Devaux proposed some years ago and used in the context of the numerical implementation of a micromorphic model for ductile fracture in porous plastic metals. The ordinary Cauchy stress and 'hyperstress' tensors are computed as a function of the displacement field which is obtained via a suitable combination of the balance equations, compatibility, stress-strain/hyperstress-gradient of the strain relationships, and appropriate boundary conditions. The first gradient solution is recovered when the second gradient effects are negligible. This study demonstrates that the first gradient elastic solution may not be accurate, particularly in elastic materials exhibiting substantial microstructure dependence. Future works will use the newly derived solution to interpret the size effects experimentally observed, for instance, in pressurised sandstone hollow cylinders.
Constraints on the nature of the effusive volcanic eruptions that incised Ravi Vallis, Mars

Abstract Ravi Vallis is a Martian outflow channel that is widely interpreted as a product of one or more catastrophic outbursts of groundwater from adjacent Aromatum Chaos. However, solar system analogs are unknown for formation of large channels by outbursts from aquifers, and the Ravi Vallis region lacks the obvious sedimentological and mineralogical signatures expected of aqueous origins. Instead, the basic nature of this channel system is consistent with volcanic origins involving voluminous effusions of low-viscosity lavas. On bedrock slopes of only 0.2°, 50-m-deep lava flows with viscosities of 1 Pa s are predicted to have been characterized by discharge rates of ∼3 × 107 m3/s for 25-km-wide flows, with associated mechanical incision rates of ∼4 m/day and thermal incision rates of ∼2 m/day. Formation of Aromatum Chaos and the preserved 215-km-long extent of Ravi Vallis is conservatively estimated on the basis of thermal considerations to have required eruption of a minimum of ∼64,000 km3 of lava, but greater volumes would have been necessary to form the original (unknown) length of this channel system. A volcanic origin for Ravi Vallis is consistent with development of all Martian outflow channels by igneous processes, and with the broader premise that early development of immense volcanic channel systems is typical of all large rocky bodies.
Effects of metal cations on coupled birnessite structural transformation and natural organic matter adsorption and oxidation

Abstract Birnessite, a layered manganese (Mn) oxide, possesses extraordinary metal adsorption and oxidation activity, and thus imposes impacts on many biogeochemical processes. The reactivity of birnessite strongly relies on its Mn oxidation state composition (the proportions of Mn II, III and IV), particularly by the Mn(III) proportion. Partial reduction of birnessite transforms birnessite to be Mn(II, III)-rich or to MnOOH and Mn3O4, and thus strongly affects birnessite reactivity. As a metal scavenger, naturally occurring birnessite contains abundant transition and alkali and alkaline earth metal cations in its structure; however, the effects of these metal cations on the partial reduction-induced transformation of birnessite remain unknown. We examined the effects of Zn2+, Mg2+, Ca2+ and ionic strength (controlled by NaCl) on transformation of birnessite (δ-MnO2) and adsorption and oxidation of natural organic matter during partial reduction by fulvic acid (FA) at pH 8 and FA/MnO2 mass ratios (R) of 0.1 or 1 over 600 h under anoxic conditions. Results showed that low ionic strength (0 versus 50 mM NaCl) disfavored FA adsorption, fractionation and oxidation, and thus disfavored formation of Mn(III) in the reacted birnessite. Compared to the 50 mM NaCl system, all divalent cations (Mg2+, Ca2+ and Zn2+) favored FA adsorption and fractionation. Both Mg2+ and Ca2+ significantly enhanced FA oxidation at the early stage but barely at the late stage, whereas Zn2+ strongly suppressed FA oxidation during the entire experimental period. Due to adsorption competition, the presence of the divalent cations resulted in low concentration of Mn(II) adsorbed on vacancies of birnessite. Both Ca2+ and Mg2+ favored Mn(III) production in MnO6 layers, while Zn2+ inhibited it. A small portion of birnessite also transformed to feitknechtite and hausmannite, and the transformation seemed faster in the presence of Ca2+ or Mg2+ than in NaCl solution. In the presence of Zn2+ at the high FA/MnO2 ratio (R = 1), Zn-substituted hansmannite formed extenstively. The formation of Mn(III) in the reacted birnessite can be ascribed to comproportionation between Mn(IV) and Mn(II) adsorbed on either vacancies or edge sites of birnessite. The low-valence Mn oxide phases likely formed via the comproportionation on the edges. The divalent cations affected Mn(III) concentrations of birnessite and formation of the low-valence Mn oxides by competing with Mn(II) for adsorption on edge/vacancy sites or stabilizing Mn(III) in the layers. This work indicates that divalent metal cations strongly influence reactivity and transformation of birnessite in the coupled Mn and carbon redox cycles, and that birnessite containing divalent cations can be an important adsorbent for natural organic carbon in Mn-rich environments. Overall, this study provides insights into the coupled cycles of Mn, trace metals and organic carbon in alkaline and saline environments.
Trends in emergency department utilization following common operations in New York State, 2005–2014

ED overutilization is a leading cause of increased healthcare costs and a key target for healthcare reform. ED utilization patterns following common operative procedures are unknown. Using the SPARCS New York (NY) statewide longitudinal administrative database, a longitudinal analysis on 746,633 patients who underwent cholecystectomy (n = 355,368), appendectomy (n = 142,797) or inguinal hernia repair (n = 248,468) from 2005 to 2014 was performed. ED revisits were identified via unique patient identifiers which allow for patient tracking across hospitals in NY State. In total, 59,255 (7.9%) patients presented to the ED within 30-days of their operation of which 21,638 (36.5%) were admitted. The aggregated rate of ED utilization and admission from the ED were as follows: cholecystectomy (9.5%, 40%), appendectomy (9.1%, 33.1%), and inguinal hernia repair (5.1%, 26.2%), respectively. A longitudinal analysis demonstrated a relative slowing of the rate of increase in hospital readmissions for cholecystectomy and inguinal hernia repair but no change in the number of ED revisits for inguinal hernia repair. Nearly 1 in 10 patients undergoing cholecystectomy and appendectomy, and 1 in 20 patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair will present to the ED following surgery. The majority of ED visits do not result in admission, calling their necessity into question. These data suggest possible overutilization of the ED following common operations and support the consideration of ED utilization as a quality indicator.
Peri-Incisional Botulinum Toxin Therapy for Treatment of Intractable Head Pain After Lateral Skull Base Surgery: A Case Series.

Objective The objective of this case series was to describe botulinum toxin therapy as a novel treatment of intractable head pain following lateral skull base surgery. Background Intractable headaches following lateral skull base surgery are described in 23%-75% of patients and can significantly impact quality of life. Currently, the etiology of the headaches is unclear and treatment options are limited. Botulinum toxin is indicated for a multitude of functional and cosmetic reasons, including chronic migraine, and has been further described in treatment of various postsurgical pain syndromes. Methods In this case series, 4 patients underwent subcutaneous peri-incisional injections of botulinum toxin for intractable headache and head pain syndromes. Three patients had undergone lateral skull base surgery and the fourth patient had undergone a temporoparietal fascial flap harvest. Average injection dose ranged from 20 to 60 units with an average duration of effect ranging from 2 weeks to 4 months. Results All patients experienced significant relief of chronic head pain and returned for additional peri-incisional botulinum toxin injections, suggesting meaningful patient-perceived value. Conclusions Botulinum toxin therapy may represent a novel treatment for intractable head pain following lateral skull base surgery and temporoparietal fascial flap harvest. This study represents a small case series and, although 100% of the patients who were treated significantly improved, future inquiry is necessary to confirm these findings.
Replotting marriage in nineteenth-century British literature

In Jeffrey Eugenides’s 2011 novel The Marriage Plot, an elderly literature professor laments the death of the novel, a genre so centrally tied to the marriage plot in the eighteenth and nineteenth ...
Linking Community Literacies to critical literacies through community language and literacy mapping

Abstract In this study, teachers engaged in Community Language and Literacy mapping to understand the resources present in their communities in urban, rural, and suburban schools. Through the ethnographic project, teachers built on their findings to create critical literacies units. As a result, teachers embraced complexity and considered multiple perspectives. However, many found it difficult to push their students to action and social justice. Overall participants broadened their view of what counts as literacy, deepened their understanding of critical literacies, and used community language and literacy practices in their classroom teaching.
Confucian democracy as popular sovereignty

Is Confucian democracy philosophically justifiable? In recent decades, prominent Confucian theorists have answered this question in the negative, arguing that the political system that is consisten...
General First Order Kinetics

Chemical reaction systems which formally can be described by first order kinetics are investigated. For the systems considered stationarity does not necessarily imply thermodynamic equilibrium so that the principle of detailed balancing need not apply. The properties of general first order kinetics are studied and compared with properties exhibited by detailed balanced kinetics. Theorems are derived which will be used in forthcoming publications on copolymerization. A brief description is given of the properties of general mass action kinetics (not necessarily first order). The results are significant in the study of the stability, oscillatory behavior etc. of complex chemical reaction systems such as they occur in biochemistry. Es werden Reaktionssysteme untersucht, die formal von erster Ordnung sind und fur die das Prinzip der mikroskopischen Reversibilitat nicht anwendbar ist. Theoreme werden abgeleitet, die in der Copolymerisation von Bedeutung sind. Reaktionssysteme mit einer Kinetik entsprechend einem allgemeinen Massenwirkungsgesetz (mikroskopische Reversibilitat und erste Ordnung sind nicht notwendige Bedingungen) werden beschrieben. Die Ergebnisse sind von Bedeutung fur die Stabilitat, Oszillationen usw. in komplizierten Reaktionssystemen, wie sie z. B. in der Biochemie vorkommen.
Relating Passion to Entrepreneurial Effort, Self-Efficacy, and Performance: A Meta-Analysis

Entrepreneurial passion is becoming a hot research topic, and we perform a comprehensive meta-analysis based on 51 independent samples (N= 21,808) to synthesize empirical evidence and test a theore...
Estimating the rate of plasmid transfer with an adapted Luria–Delbrück fluctuation analysis and a case study on the evolution of plasmid transfer rate

To increase our basic understanding of the ecology and evolution of conjugative plasmids, we need a reliable estimate of their rate of transfer between bacterial cells. Accurate estimates of plasmid transfer have remained elusive given biological and experimental complexity. Current methods to measure transfer rate can be confounded by many factors, such as differences in growth rates between plasmid-containing and plasmid-free cells. However, one of the most problematic factors involves situations where the transfer occurs between different strains or species and the rate that one type of cell donates the plasmid is not equal to the rate at which the other cell type donates. Asymmetry in these rates has the potential to bias transfer estimates, thereby limiting our capabilities for measuring transfer within diverse microbial communities. We develop a novel low-density method ("LDM") for measuring transfer rate, inspired by the classic fluctuation analysis of Luria and Delbruck. Our new approach embraces the stochasticity of conjugation, which departs in important ways from the current deterministic population dynamic methods. In addition, the LDM overcomes obstacles of traditional methods by allowing different growth and transfer rates for each population within the assay. Using stochastic simulations, we show that the LDM has high accuracy and precision for estimation of transfer rates compared to other commonly used methods. Lastly, we implement the LDM to estimate transfer on an ancestral and evolved plasmid-host pair, in which plasmid-host co-evolution increased the persistence of an IncP-1β conjugative plasmid in its Escherichia coli host. Our method revealed the increased persistence can be at least partially explained by an increase in transfer rate after plasmid-host co-evolution.
Paying for Whose Performance? Teacher Incentive Pay and the Black–White Test Score Gap:

Teacher performance pay is often introduced with the goal of reducing gaps in test scores across groups, yet little is known about how well they achieve this aim. We ask, “Do test score-based teach...
Adapting, refining and expanding a validated questionnaire to measure food waste in U.S. households

The Household Food Waste Questionnaire (van Herpen et al. 2019a) was developed and validated as an effective instrument to identify statistically significant differences between households and to distinguish trends in household food waste over time. The original instrument was validated using consumers sampled from several European countries. We conduct a pilot study with U.S. consumers using the revised questionnaire. We find that a sample of 150 online panelists provided sufficient statistical power to replicate standard findings from the literature that smaller households and older respondents generate less food waste, but not enough statistical power to identify a statistically significant week-to-week reduction in reported food waste among households who received a food waste message rather than a control message. Power analysis conducted via bootstrapping with the pilot data suggests a usable sample size of 180 per group is required. In our study, we adapted the questionnaire for use with consumers in the United States by:•Adjusting food category descriptions and converting food quantity benchmarks to units and amounts more familiar to U.S. consumers.•Refining several elements to the questionnaire, including the addition of a visual guide to help respondents better estimate food quantities.•Expanding the approach by adding a second follow up questionnaire that permits assessment of within household changes over consecutive weeks.
Modelling of flight performance benefits for similar and hybrid jet airline formations

Avian formation flight has always inspired technology protagonists to mimic and harness associated benefits for the aviation industry. This paper discusses the performance benefits of similar and hybrid jet airliners flying in formation. The aerodynamic forces are modelled through potential flow theory. The lateral and vertical spacing is varied to estimate advantages in range. For simplicity, only cruise performance is analysed. By employing formation flying in wide-body aircrafts, an increase in range up to 65% is observed relative to standard flight. In addition to that, an optimal switching point during cruise flight is evaluated to give equal benefits to both aircrafts flying in formation. The study proposes a new concept of shared airspace where different aircrafts cooperate on long routes for fuel savings. However, the findings reported in this paper are of theoretical nature and high-fidelity models and experimentation is considered necessary to further evaluate the benefits of formation flying. Moreover, existing distancing restrictions between two aircrafts, imposed by regulatory authorities, are also a potential limitation in successful realisation of commercial formation flight.
Transitioning to Teaching Online During the COVID-19 Pandemic

BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic many nursing educators have been required to abruptly convert to an online delivery model. Faculty need resources and support to transition face to face cours...
Anticonvulsant effectiveness of scopolamine against soman-induced seizures in African green monkeys.

Prolonged seizures are a hallmark feature of intoxication with anticholinesterase nerve agents such as soman. While benzodiazepine drugs are typically used to control these seizures, studies in bot...
Development of bioinks for 3D printing microporous, sintered calcium phosphate scaffolds.

Beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP)-based bioinks were developed to support direct-ink 3D printing-based manufacturing of macroporous scaffolds. Binding of the gelatin:β-TCP ink compositions was optimized by adding carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) to maximize the β-TCP content while maintaining printability. Post-sintering, the gelatin:β-TCP:CMC inks resulted in uniform grain size, uniform shrinkage of the printed structure, and included microporosity within the ceramic. The mechanical properties of the inks improved with increasing β-TCP content. The gelatin:β-TCP:CMC ink (25:75 gelatin:β-TCP and 3% CMC) optimized for mechanical strength was used to 3D print several architectures of macroporous scaffolds by varying the print nozzle tip diameter and pore spacing during the 3D printing process (compressive strength of 13.1 ± 2.51 MPa and elastic modulus of 696 ± 108 MPa was achieved). The sintered, macroporous β-TCP scaffolds demonstrated both high porosity and pore size but retained mechanical strength and stiffness compared to macroporous, calcium phosphate ceramic scaffolds manufactured using alternative methods. The high interconnected porosity (45–60%) and fluid conductance (between 1.04 ×10−9 and 2.27 × 10−9 m4s/kg) of the β-TCP scaffolds tested, and the ability to finely tune the architecture using 3D printing, resulted in the development of novel bioink formulations and made available a versatile manufacturing process with broad applicability in producing substrates suitable for biomedical applications.
Compression to the Rescue: Defending from Adversarial Attacks Across Modalities

Research in the upcoming field of adversarial ML has revealed that machine learning, especially deep learning, is highly vulnerable to imperceptible adversarial perturbations, both in the domain of vision as well as speech. This has induced an urgent need to devise fast and practical approaches to secure deep learning models from adversarial attacks, so that they can be safely deployed in real-world applications. In this showcase, we put forth the idea of compression as a viable solution to defend against adversarial attacks across modalities. Since most of these attacks depend on the gradient of the model to craft an adversarial instance, compression, which is usually non-differentiable, denies a useful gradient to the attacker. In the vision domain we have JPEG compression, and in the audio domain we have MP3 compression and AMR encoding -- all widely adopted techniques that have very fast implementations on most platforms, and can be feasibly leveraged as defenses. We will show the effectiveness of these techniques against adversarial attacks through live demonstrations, both for vision as well as speech. These demonstrations would include real-time computation of adversarial perturbations for images and audio, as well as interactive application of compression for defense. We would invite and encourage the audience to experiment with their own images and audio samples during the demonstrations. This work was undertaken jointly by researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology and Intel Corporation.