cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of rainfall and swath density on dry matter and composition change during drying of switchgrass and corn stover

During field drying, crops can be subjected to rainfall losses due to leaching, respiration and mechanical treatments. The objective of this study was to measure the impact of rainfall amount (8–75 mm) and crop density (0.8–2.6 (corn stover), 1 to 3.2 (switchgrass) kg [DM] m−2) on dry matter and composition change of corn stover (CS) and switchgrass. CS and switchgrass lost 0.3–4.7% and 0.2–2.8% as leaching loss from 8 to 75 mm of rainfall, respectively. After the incubation period of 48 h, the dry matter loss increased to 7.2–9.8% (CS) and 2.6–6.1% (switchgrass) from 8 to 75 mm of rainfall, respectively. Water soluble portion of CS and switchgrass was more severely affected than the fibre portion. Corn stover, being more exposed to rainfall in low density (LD) swaths, lost 56.7% ash content, compared to 19% in high density (HD) swaths. In CS, a significant decrease of K (10.2–63.8%) and Mg (5.6–41.7%) was observed with greater reductions in LD swaths compared to HD swaths. Similarly, a significant decrease in K (6.2–23.0%) and Mg (5.1–17%) content was observed in switchgrass but it was less prominent than CS.
Keats and Romantic Historicism

Chapter 1 discusses Keats’s poetics as an instance of Romantic historicism. From the time of Poems (1817), Keats’s poetry typically places past and present in dialogic relationship, appealing to the past so as to orient itself imaginatively and politically in the present. The Cockney culture wars supplied the context in which Keats constructed this strategic orientation as a poet. Hunt and the writers affiliated with him were embroiled in a complex, contentious program to reclaim the literary canon for their own revisionist writings—and the rich allusiveness of Keats’s poetry signifies his participation in this project. Cockney cultural politics lent contemporary purchase to Keats’s native bookishness, interest in history, and retrospective poetic orientation, and helped determine the shape of his brief poetic career.
Metal Detachments from (Hydr)Oxide Mineral Surfaces. A Molecular View

Geochemists strive to understand the reactions that occur in mineral micropores at a molecular scale so that predictions about rates and extents of reactions are possible over long periods of time. Our approach to understanding reactions at surfaces and micropores is to use the reactivity of dissolved species as a guide because analogues of many structural groups at the mineral surface can be found in well-chosen dissolved complexes. In this contribution, we discuss the ways in which the rates of dissociation of metal-oxygen bonds in these dissolved complexes are enhanced by protonations, ligand substitutions and deprotonations. Our approach is multifaceted in that we employ molecular-orbital calculations, NMR spectroscopy, and bulk dissolution experiments to try and constrain these classes of reactions and to understand how they can affect mineral surfaces. This work is relevant to microporous solids because so many of the geochemically important reactions that affect the rates of radioactive waste migration come down to a series of ligand exchanges where molecules in the innercoordination sphere of the dissolved contaminant are replaced by functional groups at the mineral surface. Even the dissolution of an oxide mineral can be viewed as a series of ligand exchanges where bridging oxygens and hydroxides that link a metal to the bulk mineral structure are replaced by terminal ligands, such as water molecules, at migrating monomolecular steps. In this chapter we examine how ligand substitutions can affect these rates and how the surface of a mineral can act as a ligand.
Decomposition and Aggregation in Hierarchical Systems

Abstract One problem facing hierarchical system theory is that the allowed exact decompositions may result in problems which are too complex to be feasibly implemented. The approach of this paper is to allow aggregations of the exact decomposition. The questions of convergence of the simplified iteration and the nearness of the resulting solution to the true solution are addressed.
Impact of age on treatment of primary melanoma patients.

9054 Background: Although patient age at diagnosis is not currently included in guidelines for treatment of primary melanoma, several lines of evidence suggest that patient age is an important, yet...
Profiling Protein S-Sulfination with Maleimide-Linked Probes

Cysteine residues are susceptible to oxidation to form S-sulfinyl (R-SO2 H) and S-sulfonyl (R-SO3 H) post-translational modifications. Here we present a simple bioconjugation strategy to label S-sulfinated proteins by using reporter-linked maleimides. After alkylation of free thiols with iodoacetamide, S-sulfinated cysteines react with maleimide to form a sulfone Michael adduct that remains stable under acidic conditions. Using this sequential alkylation strategy, we demonstrate differential S-sulfination across mouse tissue homogenates, as well as enhanced S-sulfination following pharmacological induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress, lipopolysaccharide stimulation, and inhibitors of the electron transport chain. Overall, this study reveals a broadened profile of maleimide reactivity across cysteine modifications, and outlines a simple method for profiling the physiological role of cysteine S-sulfination in disease.
Plasma Biomarkers of Inflammation Reflect Seizures and Hemorrhagic Activity of Cerebral Cavernous Malformations.

The clinical course of cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) is highly variable. Based on recent discoveries implicating angiogenic and inflammatory mechanisms, we hypothesized that serum biomarkers might reflect chronic or acute disease activity. This single-site prospective observational cohort study included 85 CCM patients, in whom 24 a priori chosen plasma biomarkers were quantified and analyzed in relation to established clinical and imaging parameters of disease categorization and severity. We subsequently validated the positive correlations in longitudinal follow-up of 49 subjects. Plasma levels of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 were significantly higher (P = 0.02 and P = 0.04, respectively, FDR corrected), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 was lower (P = 0.04, FDR corrected) in patients with seizure activity at any time in the past. Vascular endothelial growth factor and endoglin (both P = 0.04, FDR corrected) plasma levels were lower in patients who had suffered a symptomatic bleed in the prior 3 months. The hierarchical clustering analysis revealed a cluster of four plasma inflammatory cytokines (interleukin 2, interferon gamma, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and interleukin 1 beta) separating patients into what we designated “high” and “low” inflammatory states. The “high” inflammatory state was associated with seizure activity (P = 0.02) and more than one hemorrhagic event during a patient’s lifetime (P = 0.04) and with a higher rate of new hemorrhage, lesion growth, or new lesion formation (P < 0.05) during prospective follow-up. Peripheral plasma biomarkers reflect seizure and recent hemorrhagic activity in CCM patients. In addition, four clustered inflammatory biomarkers correlate with cumulative disease aggressiveness and predict future clinical activity.
Femoral Nerve Palsy Following Total Hip Arthroplasty: Incidence and Course of Recovery

Abstract Background Femoral nerve palsy (FNP) is a relatively uncommon complication following total hip arthroplasty (THA). There is little recent literature regarding the incidence of FNP and the natural course of recovery. Methods Using our institutional database, we identified postoperative FNPs from 17,350 consecutive primary THAs performed from 2011 to 2016. Hip exposures were performed using a direct lateral (modified Hardinge), direct anterior (Smith-Peterson), anterolateral (Watson-Jones), or posterolateral (Southern or Moore) approach. Patients with FNP were contacted to provide a subjective assessment of convalescence and underwent objective muscle testing to determine the extent of motor recovery. Results The overall incidence of FNP was 0.21% after THA, with the incidence 14.8-fold higher in patients undergoing anterior hip surgery using either a direct anterior (0.40%) or anterolateral (0.64%) approach. Significant recovery from FNP did not commence for a majority of patients until greater than 6 months postoperatively. Motor weakness had resolved in 75% of patients at 33.3 months, with remaining patients suffering from mild residual weakness that typically did not necessitate an assistive walking device or a knee brace. Nearly all patients had improved sensory manifestations, but such symptoms had completely resolved in less than 20% of patients. Conclusion FNP after hip surgery remains relatively uncommon, but may increase with a growing interest in anterior THA exposures. A near complete recovery with only mild motor deficits can be expected for a majority of patients in less than 2 years, although sensory symptoms may persist.
Fitting a model to floating gate prompt charge loss test data for the samsung 8 Gb SLC NAND flash memory

A recent model provides risk estimates for the deprogramming, of initially programmed floating gates, via prompt charge loss produced by an ionizing radiation environment. The environment can be a mixture of electrons, protons, and heavy ions. The model requires several input parameters. Parameters intended to produce conservative risk estimates for the Samsung 8 Gb SLC NAND flash memory are given, subject to some qualifications.
Venous Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

Venous thoracic outlet syndrome (vTOS) involves the mechanical compression of the axillo-subclavian vein between the subclavius muscle, first thoracic rib, and clavicle. Rarely, underlying hypercoagulable states may be present. Repetitive upper-extremity motion or trauma is common, and therefore this disease affects the adolescent and young patients. Unlike neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome, vTOS is routinely diagnosed with duplex ultrasound and clinical correlation. After initial anticoagulation with or without thrombolysis, the definitive treatment is surgical decompression followed by venogram and endovascular balloon venoplasty as needed. There have been excellent outcomes in the last two decades.
The Impact of Medical Comorbidities on Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty Reimbursements.

Medical comorbidities have been shown to cause an increase in peri-and postoperative complications following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, the increase in cost associated with these complications has yet to be determined. Factors that influence cost have been of great interest particularly after the initiation of bundled payment initiatives. In this study, we present and quantify the influence of common medical comorbidities on the cost of care in patients undergoing primary TKA. A retrospective level of evidence III study was performed using the PearlDiver supercomputer to identify patients who underwent primary TKA between 2007 and 2015. Patients were stratified by medical comorbidities and compared using analysis of variance for reimbursements for the day of surgery and over 90 days postoperatively. A cohort of 137,073 US patients was identified as having undergone primary TKA between 2007 and 2015. The mean entire episode-of-care reimbursement was $23,701 (range: $21,294–26,299; standard deviation [SD] $2,611). The highest reimbursements were seen in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (mean $26,299; SD $3,030), hepatitis C (mean $25,662; SD $2,766), morbid obesity (mean $25,450; SD $2,154), chronic kidney disease (mean $25,131, $3,361), and cirrhosis (mean $24,890; SD $2,547). Medical comorbidities significantly impact reimbursements, and therefore cost, after primary TKA. Comprehensive preoperative optimization for patients with medical comorbidities undergoing TKA is highly recommended and may reduce perioperative complications, improve patient outcome, and ultimately reduce cost.
Recent Advances in the Discovery and Delivery of TLR7/8 Agonists as Vaccine Adjuvants

The need for new adjuvants is absolutely cardinal to the development of new vaccines and to further optimizing current immunization approaches. However, only a few classes of adjuvants are presently incorporated in vaccines approved for human use. Recent advances in the discovery and delivery of TLR agonists as vaccine adjuvants have begun to open up a new toolbox for vaccinologists. At the forefront of this movement is the use of synthetic small molecule TLR7/8 agonist-based adjuvants. In this review, we emphasize the importance of vaccine formulation science in driving recent developments in TLR7/8 adjuvanticity, summarize some of the most current and notable studies in this field, and discuss desirable attributes of next generation TLR7/8 adjuvants for use in enhancing vaccine responses in vulnerable populations, such as the very young. Finally, we explore advances that may further edge the development of TLR7/8 adjuvant-based vaccine formulations toward clinical human evaluation.
The Arachidonate Cascade and Mouse Skin Tumor Promotion

The observations of Janoff et al. (1970) and Marks et al. (1982) that the application of the tumor promoter TPA induces cytotoxicity, inflammation, and vascular permeability changes provided the basis for inquiry into the involvement of arachidonate metabolites in such manifestations and in the tumor promotion process. Mouse skin is one of the more commonly used organs in experimental carcinogenesis studies and has proved to be one of the best model systems for studying the multistage nature of carcinogenesis (Berenblum and Shubik 1947; Slaga et al. 1980a, 1981a). Skin tumors in mice can be readily induced by the sequential application of a subthreshold dose of a carcinogen (initiation stage) followed by repetitive treatment with a noncarcinogenic tumor promoter (promotion stage). Promotion is most often accomplished by using 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), although a variety of agents have been identified as skin tumor promoters, including benzoyl peroxide, anthralin, and dihydroteleocidin B (Slaga 1984). Promotion can be further subdivided such that the appropriate sequential use of incomplete or partial promoters such as the calcium ionophore A-23187 (first stage promoter) and mezerein (second stage) can supplant the use of a complete promoter.
Immune stimulation and photodynamic therapy to treat a metastatic model of breast cancer

4781 One in 8 women in the United States will develop breast cancer during her lifetime and 40,000 die each year. Deaths are due to tumors that have metastasized despite local control. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising cancer treatment in which a photosensitizer (PS) accumulates in tumors and is subsequently activated by visible light of an appropriate wavelength. The energy of the light is transferred to molecular oxygen to produce reactive oxygen species that produce cell death and tumor ablation. Mechanisms include cytotoxicity to tumor cells, shutting down of the tumor vasculature, and the induction of a host immune response. The precise mechanisms involved in the PDT-mediated induction of anti-tumor immunity are not yet understood. Potential contributing factors are alterations in the tumor microenvironment via stimulation of proinflammatory cytokines and direct effects of PDT on the tumor that increase immunogenicity. We have studied PDT of 4T1 variant 410.4 tumors growing in the mammary fat pad (orthotopic) in Balb/c mice and which produce metastasis. We have shown that a PDT regimen that produces vascular shutdown and tumor necrosis leads to initial tumor ablation but the tumors recur at the periphery. We studied the combination of PDT with immunostimulating therapies. Low dose cyclophosphamide (CY) is a specific mechanism to deplete the regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25+), these cells play an important role in the immunosuppression activity of tumors. In combination with PDT that pro duces release of tumor specific antigens, this immunostimulation may lead to generation of cytotoxic CD8 T-lymphocytes that recognize and destroy the tumor. The second alternative therapy is the use of a novel combination of the immunostimulant CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG-ODN) and PDT. CpG-ODN is recognized by Toll-like receptor 9 and directly or indirectly triggers B cells, NK cells, monocyte-macrophages and dendritic cells to proliferate, mature and secrete cytokines, chemokines and immunoglobulins. Both these novel combinations gave significantly enhanced therapeutic benefit not seen with single treatments alone. Tumors grew more slowly and mice lived significantly longer, although cures were rare. We propose that a rational choice of immune stimulant is an ideal addition to PDT regimens.
Bioengineered Let-7c Inhibits Orthotopic Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Improves Overall Survival with Minimal Immunogenicity.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths, warranting better therapies. Restoration of tumor-suppressive microRNAs depleted in hepatocellular carcinoma represents a new therapeutic strategy. Herein, we sought to identify a potent microRNA (miRNA) agent that could alleviate HCC tumor burden and improve survival. Among a collection of bioengineered noncoding RNA molecules produced through bacterial fermentation, we identified let-7c agent as the most potent inhibitor of HCC cell viability. Bioengineered let-7c selectively modulated target gene expression (Lin-28 homolog B [LIN28B], AT-rich interactive domain-containing protein 3B [ARID3B], B cell lymphoma-extra large [Bcl-xl], and c-Myc) in HCC cells, and consequently induced apoptosis and inhibited tumorsphere growth. When formulated with liposomal-branched polyethylenimine polyplex, bioengineered let-7c exhibited serum stability up to 24 h. Furthermore, liposomal polyplex-formulated let-7c could effectively reduce tumor burden and progression in orthotopic HCC mouse models, while linear polyethyleneimine-formulated let-7c to a lower degree, as revealed by live animal and ex vivo tissue imaging studies. This was also supported by reduced serum α-fetoprotein and bilirubin levels in let-7c-treated mice. In addition, lipopolyplex-formulated let-7c extended overall survival of HCC tumor-bearing mice and elicited no or minimal immune responses in healthy immunocompetent mice and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. These results demonstrate that bioengineered let-7c is a promising molecule for advanced HCC therapy, and liposomal polyplex is a superior modality for in vivo RNA delivery.
Indigenous illusionism and the global magic system

A spectacular commodification of pure illusion, the modern magic of conjuring’s golden age was also part of a loose assemblage of cultural industries – including colonial anthropology – involved in...
A Review of the Role of Wnt in Cancer Immunomodulation

Alterations in the Wnt signaling pathway are associated with the advancement of cancers; however, the exact mechanisms responsible remain largely unknown. It has recently been established that heightened intratumoral Wnt signaling correlates with tumor immunomodulation and immune suppression, which likely contribute to the decreased efficacy of multiple cancer therapeutics. Here, we review available literature pertaining to connections between Wnt pathway activation in the tumor microenvironment and local immunomodulation. We focus specifically on preclinical and clinical data supporting the hypothesis that strategies targeting Wnt signaling could act as adjuncts for cancer therapy, either in combination with chemotherapy or immunotherapy, in a variety of tumor types.
Patterns in circulating microRNA in black (B) versus white (W) patients with triple-negative (TN) breast cancer (BC).

1046 Background: Breast cancer is by far more common in W than in B women. Black women have more aggressive disease that occurs almost a decade earlier, it is usually triple negative and has a lowe...
Syndemic factors associated with adherence to antiretroviral therapy among HIV-positive adult heterosexual men

Suboptimal adherence to HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART) and concomitant lack of viral control can have severe consequences for health and onward transmission among persons living with HIV. Little is known about the barriers and facilitators of optimal ART adherence among heterosexual HIV-positive men. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to test a theory-derived model of ART adherence using data from a cross-sectional sample of 317 HIV-positive self-identified heterosexual men residing in New York City. We assessed a conceptual model in which mental health (depression, anxiety) and substance use dependence mediated the effects of socio-structural factors (HIV-related stigma, social support) on ART adherence, and subsequently, undetectable viral load. Structural equation modeling analyses indicated that men who reported higher levels of HIV-related stigma tended to experience higher levels of general anxiety, which in turn was associated with reduced probability of optimal ART adherence. Moreover, men who reported higher levels of social support tended to exhibit less dependence on illicit substance use, which in turn was associated with increased probability of optimal ART adherence. African-American men reported lower ART adherence compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Our findings support the hypothesis that substance use dependence and mental health problems, particularly anxiety, may be primary drivers of suboptimal ART adherence among heterosexual men, and that socio-structural factors such as HIV-related stigma and social support are potential modifiable antecedents of these drivers.
Assessing the Role of Metal Identity on CO2 Adsorption in MOFs Containing M–OH Functional Groups

Heterobimetallic analogues of CFA-1 [Zn1+zM4-zX4(bibta)3, bibta2– = 5,5′-bibenzotriazolate, M = Co (z = 0), Ni (z = 1), Cu (z = 2.3), X = Cl–, Br–, CH3CO2–] have been prepared via postsynthetic cat...
A Tale of Two Campuses? An Analysis of Two Affiliated Medical School Campuses With Different Match Rates in General Surgery.

Objective The purpose of this study was to compare factors that contribute to increased match rates into general surgery. Design Survey study. Setting University of Kansas School of Medicine Campuses. Participants A survey assessing experiences and perceptions during their surgical clerkship was sent to graduating medical students from a single university with a hybrid (academic-affiliated community-based) campus, and an academic campus. Specific questions were asked with regard to residents and attendings, procedural experiences, perceived lifestyle, and general interest in surgery before and after clerkship. Results The match rate into general surgery was significantly higher on the hybrid campus (14.7% vs 4.0%, p = 0.215). Factors that were positively correlated with interest in surgery included interactions with attendings (0.86) and residents (0.63), time spent in the OR (0.77), participation in the OR (0.62), and complexity of cases (0.61). Students on the hybrid campus spent more weeks on general surgery services (6 vs 4, p Conclusion The rate of students matching into general surgery between the 2 campuses are different, with the hybrid campus having nearly 4 times the rate of students matching into general surgery. Programs may be able to increase their match rate by allowing students more opportunities to participate in the operating room, spending more time on a general surgery service, and by ensuring that medical students are included as members of the surgical team.
Keynesian economics: can it return if it never died?

Appreciation of the Keynesian synthesis was enhanced by the events of the last decade. The global financial crisis highlighted the fragility of financial markets and the capriciousness of animal spirits. The depth of the downturn pointed to the value of not just automatic stabilizers but also discretionary fiscal policy as tools of macroeconomic management. Keynesian models and not their New Classical challengers provided the practical analytical framework for policy design. Models of the anti-Keynesian effects of fiscal consolidation received little support from actual consolidation experience. The secular-stagnation debate that followed the crisis lent legitimacy to the view that policy-makers with fiscal space were wise to use it.
Photon skyshine from medical linear accelerators.

A widely used formula for the prediction of photon skyshine has been shown to be very inaccurate by comparison with numerous measurements. Discrepancies of up to an order of magnitude have been observed. In addition to this, the formula does not predict the observed dependence on field size, nor the fact that skyshine dose rates exhibit a local maximum. A scaling formula is derived here, with a single fitting parameter, which properly accounts for these properties, provides physical insight into the skyshine phenomenon, and is more accurate. The location of the maximum dose rate depends on the ratio of the roof height above isocenter to the distance from the isocenter to the outer surface of the sidewall. For nominal linac room dimensions, the maximum dose occurs at a distance from the outer wall of approximately two times the height of the roof above the isocenter. The skyshine dose rate is proportional to the field area and not Ω1.3 , as predicted by the standard formula, where Ω is the solid angle subtended by the beam. For lightly shielded roofs (concrete thickness less than about 0.5 m), the photon skyshine for 6 MV exceeds that for 18 MV. Evidence is presented that at intermediate distances the skyshine declines as one over the distance and not one over the distance squared. Predictions of skyshine dose rates depend critically on accurate knowledge of the roof transmission factor. If a roof is shielded so as to avoid designation as a "high radiation area," photon skyshine will be negligible.
IMPAIRED CORONARY FLOW RESERVE ON 82RUBIDIUM POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY IMAGING PREDICTS ADVERSE EVENTS IN PATIENTS WITH AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE

Coronary microvascular dysfunction has been described in patients with autoimmune disease (AID); however to date, no large studies have evaluated 82Rubidium positron emission tomography (82Rb PET)-derived coronary flow reserve (CFR) in AID patients. In addition, it is unknown whether CFR can predict
Nontrauma fracture increases risk for respiratory disease among adults with cerebral palsy.

Individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) manifest skeletal fragility problems early in life and are vulnerable to nontrauma fracture (NTFx), which may exacerbate the risk of respiratory disease (RD)- the main cause of premature mortality for this population. The purpose of this study was to determine if adults with CP had a greater 12-month risk of RD post-NTFx compared to adults without CP. Data from 2011 to 2017 were leveraged from Optum Clinformatics Data Mart; a claims database from a single private payer in the United States diagnostic codes were used to identify adults (≥18 years) with and without CP, NTFx, incident RD, and pre-NTFx cardiometabolic diseases. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to compare 12-month RD incidence following NTFx with adjustment for sociodemographics and cardiometabolic diseases. Mean age (SD) at baseline was 57.5 (18.4) for adults with CP (n = 646) and 61.8 (19.7) for adults without CP (n = 321,482). During the follow-up, 172 adults with CP (26.6%) and 73 937 adults without CP (23.0%) developed RD. Adults with CP had higher 12-month post-NTFx RD incidence compared to adults without CP (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.20; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03-1.37). When stratified by the RD subtype, adults with CP had a higher incidence of pneumonia (HR = 2.15; 95% CI = 1.56-2.95), interstitial/pleura disease (HR = 2.13; 95% CI = 1.53-2.96), and other RD (eg, respiratory failure; HR = 2.33; 95% CI = 1.82-2.98), but not acute respiratory infection (HR = 0.93; 95% CI = 0.75-1.15) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (HR = 1.15; 95% CI = 0.86-1.53). Among privately insured adults with CP, NTFx is associated with greater risk of RD among adults with vs without CP.
Why Family Communication Matters: the Role of Co-rumination and Topic Avoidance in Understanding Post-Disaster Mental Health.

Although families can be a source of support post-disaster, depending on how they communicate about their stress, their attempts at support can be helpful or harmful. This study explored the moderating role of topic avoidance and co-rumination on post-disaster mental health (MH) in a sample of 485 parent-child dyads following severe floods affecting Texas. Parents (69.0% female) and their oldest child between the ages of 10–19 years (M = 13.75 years, SD = 2.56) completed online surveys approximately one-year post-flooding. Participants reported their flood exposure, life stressors since the disaster, topic avoidance, co-rumination, and MH symptoms (posttraumatic stress symptoms [PTSS], depression, anxiety). Structural equation models tested a moderated-mediation model of whether communication processes moderated the associations of flood exposure and life stressors on MH. They did not moderate the association of flood exposure to PTSS, but did have a moderating role for depression and anxiety. At low levels of topic avoidance, there was no association between flood exposure and child anxiety or depression. However, at mean and high levels of topic avoidance, there was a significant, positive association between flood exposure and child anxiety and depression. Co-rumination impacted both parents and children. For parents, there was no association between flood exposure and depression or anxiety when co-rumination was low or mean-level. However, flood exposure increased risk for depression and anxiety at high levels of co-rumination. A similar pattern emerged for children. Results for life stressors were nuanced. Overall, this suggests that communication can influence post-disaster MH.
Geriatric Trauma: Triage Guidelines

This review focuses on triage decisions and early decision-making in the management of the acutely injured elderly patient. The geriatric population in the USA is experiencing the largest growth in history, and injury has become an increasingly common cause of death in those aged 65 years and older. Morbidity and mortality are markedly increased compared to younger patients so trauma providers must critically evaluate triage, diagnostic, and early management decisions. Numerical age has also been called into question as the ideal barometer of enhanced risk for poor outcomes, as physiologic status and markers of frailty have been suggested as more specific. But traditional physiologic markers of severe injury may not be reliably present in the injured elderly, risking potential undertriage of severely injured patients. Triage of the geriatric trauma patient can rapidly guide trauma system or trauma team interventions to reduce morbidity and mortality in this high-risk patient population.
Mobile Intellectual Property and the Shift in International Tax Policy From Determining the Source of Income to Taxing Location-Specific Rents: Part One

In recent decades, a number of fantastically successful, mainly American, multinational entities (“MNEs”)—led and epitomised by the ‘Four Horsemen’, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Google, but also extending beyond the tech sector—have earned huge profits, while paying very low global taxes, through their use of intellectual property (“IP”). Since IP, in contrast to tangible property, generally lacks a clear location, it empowers corporate tax avoidance at the expense of both the production countries where the MNEs’ high-value owner-employees live, and the market countries where their customers live. This two-part article assesses the challenges posed for countries’ international tax systems by the rise of mobile IP, including but not limited to the case where it is embodied in a digital platform. Part One assessed the challenges posed for the traditional income tax concept of source, and for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (“OECD”)’s proposed focus on the site of ‘value creation’. In this issue, Part Two focuses on proposals to shift taxing rights towards market jurisdictions that may enjoy location-specific rents with regard to the MNEs’ access to their consumers, including via the use of digital service taxes (“DSTs”).
Childhood patterns of overweight and wheeze and subsequent risk of current asthma and obesity in adolescence.

BACKGROUND Obesity and asthma in childhood often co-occur. Few studies have examined this relationship using repeated measures of body mass index (BMI) or asthma symptoms (such as wheeze). OBJECTIVE We compared two analytic approaches for repeated measures data to investigate this relationship. METHODS Our baseline sample consisted of 1277 children enrolled in a Boston-area cohort with BMI or wheeze at age 1 year and no missing covariates. We used latent class growth models (LCGM) and inverse probability weighting (IPW) of marginal structural models to examine the extent to which presence of overweight across childhood was associated with early adolescent current asthma, and conversely of repeated measures of wheeze across childhood with early adolescent obesity. RESULTS Using LCGM, a "persistent" childhood overweight class (vs "never") was associated with higher risk of asthma in early adolescence (RR 1.9; 95% CI 1.1, 3.0), while "persistent" childhood wheeze (vs "never") was associated with higher risk of obesity in early adolescence (RR 2.7; 95% CI 1.0, 6.4) after adjusting for baseline covariates. An IPW analysis treating childhood overweight and wheeze as time-varying exposures and adjusting for baseline and time-varying covariates resulted in weaker and less precise associations of "persistent" (vs "never") overweight with adolescent asthma (RR 1.3; 95% CI 0.3, 3.0), and of "persistent" (vs "never") wheeze with adolescent obesity (RR 2.3; 95% CI 0.4, 5.3). CONCLUSION Our point estimates from both approaches suggest an association between "persistent" childhood overweight and adolescent asthma, and between "persistent" childhood wheeze and adolescent obesity. LCGM results were stronger and more precise, whereas IPW results were less conclusive with wider 95% confidence intervals containing the null. The precision gained from LCGM may be at the expense of bias, and the use of both approaches helps to shed some light on this tradeoff.
Nonequilibrium Current Noise in Mesoscopic Disordered Superconductor–Normal-Metal–Superconductor Junctions

Current noise in superconductor--normal-metal--superconductor junctions is calculated within the scattering theory of multiple Andreev reflections. The noise exhibits subharmonic gap singularities at bias voltages $eV\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}2\ensuremath{\Delta}/n$ both in single-mode junctions with arbitrary transparency $D$ and in multimode disordered junctions. The subharmonic structure is superimposed on a monotonic increase of the effective transferred charge ${q}^{*}{\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}S}_{I}(0)/2I$ with decreasing $V$. At small $D$, ${q}^{*}$ increases in steps. In diffusive junctions, the noise diverges at small $V$, ${S}_{I}(0)\ensuremath{\propto}{V}^{\ensuremath{-}1/2}$, and exhibits excess noise ${S}_{\mathrm{exc}}{\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}2\mathrm{eI}}_{\mathrm{exc}}$, where ${I}_{\mathrm{exc}}$ is the excess current, at large $V$.
"Today I felt like my work meant something": A pilot study on job crafting, a coaching-based intervention for people with work limitations and disabilities.

BACKGROUND People's work life and career can ultimately be deconstructed to the day-to-day job tasks they perform, the people they interact with, and the value and meaning attached to their jobs. Individuals with work limitations and disabilities consistently experience disparities in the workplace resulting in a less than optimal work experience in all three areas. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to conduct a pilot study to test the effectiveness of job crafting as an occupational therapy (OT) intervention strategy for workers with health conditions and impairments. Job crafting is a proactive, strengths-based, bottom-up approach where workers renegotiate and redefine their job tasks in a personally meaningful way. METHODS A mixed-methods study (n = 11) was conducted with workers who experience work limitations and disabilities. OT graduate students conducted in-depth interviews and facilitated the use of job crafting to improve work-related outcomes. Pre-and post-intervention data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Qualitative data was transcribed, coded, and synthesized. RESULTS The job crafting intervention improved work-related self-efficacy (p < 0.05) and crafting behaviors (p < 0.05) in the workplace. Participants accomplished goals to manage their work limitations, meet job demands, and other non-disability related challenges. CONCLUSIONS Job crafting has the potential to be used as a holistic OT intervention strategy to improve work-related self-efficacy among workers with work limitations and disabilities.
Oligopeptides as an Oral Delivery System II. Effect of Amino Acid Sequences on Aggregation Behavior

The effect of amino acid sequences on the aggregation and the subsequent sphere formation behavior of tetrapeptides, pEE(a)X(y) involving glutamic acid (E), phenylalanine (F), tyrosine (Y), alanine (A), and leucine (L) were investigated by light scattering and light microscopy. At 0.1 M pEE(a)Y(y)Y and pEE(a)F(y)F showed similar pH and concentration-dependent aggregation behaviors. These tetrapeptides also showed similar aggregation profiles in the presence of macromolecular drugs. Only pEE(a)F(y)F produced discrete spheres in the presence of protein drugs. Neither pEE(a)A(y)A nor pEE(a)L(y)L gave aggregates even at 0.1 M at pH 2. Consequently, the amino acids terminal positions are important in the aggregation characteristics of the tetrapeptides.
Conservation Lessons from Herbaria

Plant Conservation . A Natural History Approach. Gary A. Krupnick and W. John Kress, Eds. . University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 2005. 380 pp. $75, £47.50. ISBN 0-226-45512-2. Paper, $30, £21. ISBN 0-226-45513-0. The contributors present a natural history perspective on plant biodiversity and discuss its implications for efforts to conserve plant species and communities.
Persuasive GERONtechnology: reaping technology's coaching benefits at older age

The keynote speaker for this conference, Dr. B.J. Fogg, defines persuasive technology as, "interactive computing systems designed to change people's attitudes and behaviors." [1]. Such changes find their origin in changes in people's motivation. The coaching possibilities of technology may be viewed as an embellishment of conditioning and behavior therapy. With respect to aging, most people want to live a long life--indeed as long as possible--but they don't want to grow old. Literally dozens of formal and informal surveys about the ambitions and desired activities of old people have been performed [2]. The results highlight the desire of older persons to maintain their accustomed way of life, maintain and identify new social contacts; and identify and develop new recreational, educational and artistic activities, some that replace or modify earlier ones associated with family and work. With this background in mind, we will discuss persuasive technology as coaching benefits in relation to the ambitions, activities and wisdom of people as they age.
Community activity room/sup /spl trade// as a new tool for transmission operation and planning under a competitive power market

A power market is a community of electricity. Participants would benefit from knowing the effect of transmission limitations on their activities in that community. The community activity room/sup /spl trade// is a concept for treating these limits as walls of a room within which market activities can freely take place. The ability to analytically describe and visualize the community activity room in the state space of net interregional power exports will enable greater understanding of the need for more inter-state transmission superhighways. This metaphor will also enable transmission planning and operation for a large interconnected power system to evolve to the next generation of probabilistic power system reliability assessment and integration of reliability and market efficiency. This paper describes this concept and illustrates its potential applications with some examples.
Centralized, distributed or something else? making timely decisions in multi-agent systems

In multi-agent systems, agents need to share information in order to make good decisions. Who does what in order to achieve this matters a lot. The assignment of responsibility influences delay and consequently affects agents' abilities to make timely decisions. It is often unclear which approaches are best. We develop a model where one can easily test the impact of different assignments and information sharing protocols by focusing only on the delays caused by computation and communication. Using the model, we obtain interesting results that provide insight about the types of assignments that perform well in various domains and how slight variations in protocols can make great differences in feasibility.
A Model of Visuospatial Working Memory in Prefrontal Cortex: Recurrent Network and Cellular Bistability

We report a computer simulation of the visuospatial delayed-response experiments of Funahashi et al. (1989), using a firing-rate model that combines intrinsic cellular bistability with the recurrent local network architecture of the neocortex. In our model, the visuospatial working memory is stored in the form of a continuum of network activity profiles that coexist with a spontaneous activity state. These neuronal firing patterns provide a population code for the cue position in a graded manner. We show that neuronal persistent activity and tuning curves of delay-period activity (memory fields) can be generated by an excitatory feedback circuit and recurrent synaptic inhibition. However, if the memory fields are constructed solely by network mechanisms, noise may induce a random drift over time in the encoded cue position, so that the working memory storage becomes unreliable. Furthermore, a “distraction” stimulus presented during the delay period produces a systematic shift in the encoded cue position. We found that the working memory performance can be rendered robust against noise and distraction stimuli if single neurons are endowed with cellular bistability (presumably due to intrinsic ion channel mechanisms) that is conditional and realized only with sustained synaptic inputs from the recurrent network. We discuss how cellular bistability at the single cell level may be detected by analysis of spike trains recorded during delay-period activity and how local modulation of intrinsic cell properties and/or synaptic transmission can alter the memory fields of individual neurons in the prefrontal cortex.
Electronic and structural properties of La 3 Ni 2 B 2 N 3

${\mathrm{La}}_{3}$${\mathrm{Ni}}_{2}$${\mathrm{B}}_{2}$${\mathrm{N}}_{3}$ is determined, using local-density-approximation calculations, to be a three-dimensional metal, similar to ${\mathrm{LuNi}}_{2}$${\mathrm{B}}_{2}$C and related borocarbides. The band structure shows four hybridized bands crossing the Fermi energy, ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{F}}$. The Fermi-surface velocities in the x and z directions are 2.9\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{7}$ cm/s and 1.5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{7}$ cm/s, respectively, i.e., a 2:1 ratio. This three-dimensional character is due to the open-shell character of the La ions and resulting participation of La orbitals in the states at ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{F}}$. The dominant La contribution at ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{F}}$ comes from La 5d orbitals, particularly for the outer La layers; La 4f contributions are weaker, but significant. There is a pronounced peak in the density of states occurring near ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{F}}$ due to a flat band, though this peak is somewhat smeared on the high-energy side as compared to the corresponding peak in ${\mathrm{LuNi}}_{2}$${\mathrm{B}}_{2}$C. Internal structural coordinates and the corresponding optical Raman phonon frequencies have been calculated using force methods.
Tissue expander stimulated lengthening of arteries (TESLA) induces early endothelial cell proliferation in a novel rodent model.

Abstract Background We examine the mechanism of aortic lengthening in a novel rodent model of tissue expander stimulated lengthening of arteries (TESLA). Methods A rat model of TESLA was examined with a single stretch stimulus applied at the time of tissue expander insertion with evaluation of the aorta at 2, 4 and 7day time points. Measurements as well as histology and proliferation assays were performed and compared to sham controls. Results The aortic length was increased at all time points without histologic signs of tissue injury. Nuclear density remained unchanged despite the increase in length suggesting cellular hyperplasia. Cellular proliferation was confirmed in endothelial cell layer by Ki-67 stain. Conclusions Aortic lengthening may be achieved using TESLA. The increase in aortic length can be achieved without tissue injury and results at least partially from cellular hyperplasia. Further studies are required to define the mechanisms involved in the growth of arteries under increased longitudinal stress.
Immunohistochemistry of pigmented actinic keratoses, actinic keratoses, melanomas in situ and solar lentigines with Melan‐A

Distinguishing lentigo maligna from solar lentigo, and pigmented actinic keratosis can sometimes be problematic. Melan-A is an immunohistochemical marker which that can be helpful in decorating the melanocytes of pigmented lesions. A recent report has suggested that Melan-A may spuriously label nests of junctional keratinocytes, potentially leading to the misdiagnosis of melanoma in situ. We compared Melan-A immunohistochemical staining in pigmented actinic keratosis , non-pigmented actinic keratoses , melanoma in situ of lentigo maligna type and solar lentigines. We found a statistically significant increase of Melan-A staining in melanoma in situ, but no statistical difference in the number of junctional Melan-A positively staining cells, in solar lentigines, pigmented actinic keratoses, and non-pigmented actinic keratoses, respectively. In the non non-melanoma samples, the Melan-A A-positive cells located at the dermal-epidermal junction were interspersed and not observed in clusters. Increased staining with Melan-A, in an actinic keratosis, or solar lentigo should raise the possibility of a contiguous melanoma in situ.
Dynamics of the Tropical Middle Atmosphere: A Tutorial Review*

Abstract The general circulation of the tropical stratosphere, mesosphere and lowermost thermosphere is discussed at a tutorial level. Observations of the quasi‐biennial and semiannual oscillations by both in situ and satellite techniques are first reviewed. The basic dynamics controlling the zonal‐mean component of the circulation are then discussed. The role of radiative diabatic cooling in constraining the zonal‐mean circulation in the middle atmosphere is emphasized. It is shown that the effectiveness of this radiative constraint is reduced at low latitudes, allowing for the sustained mean flow accelerations over long periods of time characteristic of the quasi‐biennial and semiannual oscillations in the tropics. The current view is that the dominant driving for the equatorial mean flow accelerations seen in the middle atmosphere derives from vertically‐propagating waves. This process is illustrated here in its simplest context, i.e. the Plumb (1977) model of the interaction of monochromatic internal ...