cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Serotonin and calcium homeostasis during the transition period

The transition from pregnancy to lactation puts significant, sudden demands on maternal energy and calcium reserves. Although most mammals are able to effectively manage these metabolic adaptations, the lactating dairy cow is acutely susceptible to transition-related disorders because of the high amounts of milk being produced. Hypocalcemia is a common metabolic disorder that occurs at the onset of lactation. Hypocalcemia is also known to result in poor animal welfare conditions. In addition, cows that develop hypocalcemia are more susceptible to a host of other negative health outcomes. Different feeding tactics, including manipulating the dietary cation-anion difference and administering low-calcium diets, are commonly used preventative strategies. Despite these interventions, the incidence of hypocalcemia in the subclinical form is still as high as 25% to 30% in the United States dairy cow population, with a 5% to 10% incidence of clinical hypocalcemia. In addition, although there are various effective treatments in place, they are administered only after the cow has become noticeably ill, at which point there is already significant metabolic damage. This emphasizes the need for developing alternative prevention strategies, with the monoamine serotonin implicated as a potential therapeutic target. Our research in rodents has shown that serotonin is critical for the induction of mammary parathyroid hormone-related protein, which is necessary for the mobilization of bone tissue and subsequent restoration of maternal calcium stores during lactation. We have shown that circulating serotonin concentrations are positively correlated with serum total calcium on the first day of lactation in dairy cattle. Administration of serotonin's immediate precursor through feeding, injection, or infusion to various mammalian species has been shown to increase circulating serotonin concentrations, with positive effects on other components of maternal metabolism. Most recently, preliminary data suggest that manipulation of the serotonergic axis precalving may positively affect postcalving calcium dynamics. Combined, our research suggests a potential mechanism by which serotonin acts on the mammary gland to maintain circulating maternal calcium concentrations. Further research into serotonin's potential as a therapeutic target could contribute significantly as a preventive strategy against hypocalcemia in early lactation dairy cows.
Atg7 in AML: A double-edged sword?

In this issue of Blood, Piya et al have identified the autophagy-related E1 ligase Atg7, a critical autophagy component associated with unfavorable outcomes in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), as a potential target in this disease.1 If validated, this study could provide a foundation for disrupting Atg7 in AML therapy.
Sleep Disturbances in Individuals With Phelan-McDermid Syndrome: Correlation With Caregivers' Sleep Quality and Daytime Functioning.

Study objectives The aims of this study were to document sleep disturbances in individuals with Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PMS), to assess whether these individuals had been evaluated for sleep disorders, and to examine relationships between the sleep behavior of these individuals and the sleep behavior and daytime functioning of their caregivers. Methods Participants were 193 caregivers of individuals with PMS recruited by the Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Foundation. Data were collected through a survey comprising 2 questionnaires: the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) and the Parents' Sleep Habits Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression analyses, Pearson correlation analyses, and independent-samples t-tests. Results Ninety percent of individuals with PMS showed evidence of marked sleep disturbance based on caregiver responses to the CSHQ. However, only 22% of individuals had undergone a formal sleep assessment. Reported increased sleep disturbance in individuals with PMS was a statistically significant predictor of reported increased sleep disturbance and daytime sleepiness in their caregivers. Conclusions Sleep disturbance may be present in a substantial proportion of individuals with PMS and is negatively associated with caregivers' well-being. However, most individuals with PMS have not been evaluated for sleep disorders. When properly diagnosed, many sleep disorders can be alleviated with intervention. Thus, routine screening for and evaluation of sleep disturbances in individuals with PMS may have long-term positive impacts on the well-being of these individuals and their caregivers.
Baptism in the ICU.

“A swimming pool in the ICU? You must be nuts.”1 The nurse's voice was almost lost amidst the whooshing ventilator and infusion pumps. Another nurse snapped, “Look, I'm an atheist, and even I don't...
Preemptive Analgesia in Thumb Basal Joint Arthroplasty: Immediate Postoperative Pain with Preincision versus Postincision Local Anesthesia

Purpose Currently no guidelines exist for the timing of the injection of anesthetics in surgeries performed under general anesthesia to minimize postoperative pain. To better understand the role of timing of the injection of local anesthesia in hand surgery performed under general anesthesia, we evaluated the effect of pre- versus postincisional local analgesic injection on immediate postoperative pain experience. We hypothesize that the preincisional (preemptive) injection will result in decreased immediate postoperative pain experience and analgesic use when compared with postincisional injection. Methods Consecutive cases of thumb basal joint arthroplasty performed over a 4-year period were retrospectively reviewed. During the first half of the study period, the surgical site was infiltrated with 0.5% bupivacaine at the completion of surgery following closure. During the second half of the study period, the surgical site was infiltrated with 0.5% bupivacaine prior to skin incision. Data collected included patient demographics, immediate postoperative recovery room (PACU) pain scores, and postoperative opioid consumption in morphine equivalents. Results Two-tailed t -test identified no significant difference between the pre- and postincision cohorts relative to PACU entrance pain scores and time spent in the PACU. PACU exit pain scores were significantly lower in the preincision cohort. The mean PACU pain score was also significantly lower in the preincision cohort. PACU opioid consumption, converted into morphine equivalents, was found to be 211 mg in the preincision versus 299 mg in the postincision cohort. Conclusion The preincisional (preemptive) injection of local anesthesia was found to result in lower pain scores during and upon exit of the PACU as compared with the postclosure group. In addition, the preincision cohort also trended toward lower opioid consumption while in the PACU. Consideration should be given to the routine use of preincision injection of local anesthesia to maximize pain relief in a multimodal pain strategy in hand surgical patients. Level of Evidence Therapeutic level III.
Acoustoelasticity modeling of bladder tissue nonlinearity: Ex vivo study

A method for measurement of the bladder wall nonlinear elasticity is presented. The method is based on acoustoelasticity modeling of the bladder tissue modulus of elasticity changes at different volumetric loading levels. At each loading volume, tissue strain is obtained from the real-time images. Using acoustic radiation force, a transient Lamb wave is excited on the bladder wall and shear elasticity is obtained from 2-D Fourier analysis of tissue motion spatial-temporal dispersion maps. Experimental elasticity and strain data are then used to obtain nonlinear elasticity parameter, A, using non-linear least square optimization. The method was tested in 9 ex vivo porcine bladder samples before and after treatment with formalin. The estimated nonlinearity parameter, A, was significantly higher in the treated samples compared to intact (P < 0.0021).
Mechanochemical induced structural changes in sucrose using the rotational diamond anvil cell

The response of sucrose to high-pressure and shear conditions has been studied in a rotational diamond anvil cell. Previous experiments conducted by Bridgman and Teller showed divergent behavior in regard to the existence of a rheological explosion under mechanochemical stimuli. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the existence of the isostructural Phase I to Phase II transition near 5 GPa. When subjected to high-pressure and shear, Raman spectra of Phase I showed evidence that while the sucrose molecule underwent significant molecular deformation, there was no evidence of a complete chemical reaction. In contrast, Phase II showed a near-total loss of the in-situ Raman signal in response to shear, suggesting the onset of amorphization or decomposition. The divergent behaviors of Phase I and Phase II are examined in light of the differences in the hydrogen bonding and plasticity of the material.
The Evolution of Epiphytism

The evolution of epiphytism in the broadest sense and its emergence in specific taxa have received considerable attention, beginning with Schimper’s (1888) classic and insightful Die epiphytische Vegetation A merikas. Agreement remains elusive, however (e.g., Pittendrigh 1948; Benzing et al. 1985; Luttge 1985), ancestral habitats were supposedly dark and moist or exposed and dry, depending on whether life on the forest floor or under desert-like conditions predated habitation of tree crowns. In the first case, occupancy occurred progressively up through the canopy; in the second, drier, better-illuminated sites are thought to have been necessary to accommodate transition from soil to aerial anchorage. Actually, both pathways were almost certainly followed by different lineages on separate occasions. These routes and the structures and mechanisms responsible for them are the subject of the following treatment. Also considered is the systematic occurrence of epiphytes and the ways the more prominent groups utilize tree crown habitats.
Evolution of the Vertical Structure of Galactic Disks

Numerical simulations of the evolution of the vertical structure of galactic disks have been performed. The physical mechanism for the evolution is the scattering of stars off Giant Molecular Clouds (GMCs) as proposed by Spitzer and Schwarzschild (1951). A model galaxy consists of a fixed, nearly isothermal halo plus an axisymmetric, thin exponential disk consisting of 1000 stars. A population of GMCs is embedded in the disk. The stars interact with each other via a self-consistent axisymmetric field determined from an expansion in spherical harmonics to twelfth order. The stars scatter off the GMCs that are modelled as soft particles. The equations of motion of the stars and the GMCs are integrated directly to high accuracy. Adiabatic cooling is therefore included implicitly. In order to avoid axisymmetric instabilities, the stellar component is initially relatively hot in the plane of the disk. Nineteen simulations were performed with varying parameters to check the consistency of the results.
Continuous Dynamical Systems

This chapter presents continuous dynamical systems. One good analogy for a mathematical dynamical system is the flow on the surface of a smoothly moving river. The differential equation corresponds to the velocity vector at each point on the surface, while the collection of paths of all the water particles constitutes the solution flow. The chapter provides an overview of numerical, graphical, and symbolic descriptions of mathematical flows determined by a differential equation and its initial conditions.
Breathing In and Out: Airway Resistance

An important complement to understanding lung function by spirometry is measurement of airway resistance. Under laminar flow conditions, airway resistance varies inversely with the fourth power of the radius, making the influence of airway diameter and lung volume key determinants of airway resistance. Airway resistance is commonly measured using the relationship of mouth pressure, box pressure, and airflow obtained during body plethysmography, where it is typically expressed as specific airway resistance (sRaw) or specific airway conductance (sGaw). Airway resistance may also be assessed from measurement of respiratory system resistance (Rrs) using the forced oscillation technique and from the interruption of flow using the interrupter technique (Rint). In all cases, airway resistance is a highly sensitive measure that may be useful in detecting disease abnormality, including bronchodilator and bronchoconstrictive responses, even when spirometry is normal.
Moderate supercritical synthesis as a facile route to mixed-valent uranium(IV,V) and (V,VI) silicates

Mixed-valent uranium(iv,v) and (v,vi) phases represent a unique subset of known uranium compounds. Efforts to develop our current understanding of these materials have pointed to hydrothermal methods as effective preparative techniques. Herein we report the successful use of moderate supercritical conditions for the synthesis of five new U(v) containing phases.
Dipolar quantum logic for freely rotating trapped molecular ions

We consider the practical feasibility of using the direct, electric dipole-dipole interaction between cotrapped molecular ions for robust quantum logic without the need for static polarizing fields. The use of oscillating dipole moments, as opposed to static electric dipoles, dynamically decouples the dipoles from laboratory fields, including the electric fields of the trap itself. Further, this implementation does not require the quantum control of motion, potentially removing a major roadblock to ion trap quantum computing scalability. Since the polarizing field is electromagnetic radiation, even pairs of states with splittings in the THz regime can be fully polarized.
METHODS FOR TRACKING EXPOSURES TO DRINKING WATER CONTAMINANTS IN CALIFORNIA

Background and Aims: While infrastructure and regulations help assure the quality of drinking water to millions of California citizens, there continue to be areas where existing contaminant levels ...
EGF Treatment Improves Motor Behavior and Cortical GABAergic Function in the R6/2 Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease.

Recent evidence indicates that disruption of epidermal growth factor (EGF) signaling by mutant huntingtin (polyQ-htt) may contribute to the onset of behavioral deficits observed in Huntington’s disease (HD) through a variety of mechanisms, including cerebrovascular dysfunction. Yet, whether EGF signaling modulates the development of HD pathology and the associated behavioral impairments remain unclear. To gain insight on this issue, we used the R6/2 mouse model of HD to assess the impact of chronic EGF treatment on behavior, and cerebrovascular and cortical neuronal functions. We found that bi-weekly treatment with a low dose of EGF (300 µg/kg, i.p.) for 6 weeks was sufficient to effectively improve motor behavior in R6/2 mice and diminish mortality, compared to vehicle-treated littermates. These beneficial effects of EGF treatment were dissociated from changes in cerebrovascular leakiness, a result that was surprising given that EGF ameliorates this deficit in other neurodegenerative diseases. Rather, the beneficial effect of EGF on R6/2 mice behavior was concomitant with a marked amelioration of cortical GABAergic function. As GABAergic transmission in cortical circuits is disrupted in HD, these novel data suggest a potential mechanistic link between deficits in EGF signaling and GABAergic dysfunction in the progression of HD.
How to make consultations work.

PreviewIn recent decades, the enormous expansion in biomedical knowledge and technology has made medical care more complex and specialized. As a result, consultants play increasingly vital roles in patient care. This article reviews the responsibilities of both primary care physician and consultant and emphasizes the value of improved communication in maintaining quality of care.
Balls, bins, and embeddings of partial k-star designs

Abstract Define a k -star to be the complete bipartite graph K 1 , k . In a 2014 article, Hoffman and Roberts prove that a partial k -star decomposition of K n can be embedded in a k -star decomposition of K n + s where s is at most 7 k − 4 if k is odd and 8 k − 4 if k is even. In our work, we offer a straightforward construction for embedding partial k -star designs and lower these bounds to 3 k − 2 and 4 k − 2 , respectively.
Treatment of Growth Hormone Excess is Associated with Improvement in Abnormal Cardiac Phenotypes

Introduction Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in patients with growth hormone (GH) hypersecretion, termed acromegaly. The traditional manifestation of GH excess is cardiac hypertrophy, but a dilated phenotype with clinical heart failure exists. Prior studies have suggested that treatment of GH excess may lead to an improvement in early stage dysfunction, but have shown no benefit in dilated cardiomyopathy or advanced disease. Hypothesis Correction of GH excess in acromegaly will result in improvement in both a hypertrophic and dilated (DCM) cardiac phenotype, even in more advanced disease. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on all patients diagnosed with and treated for acromegaly at a single institution. Patients with abnormalities on baseline transthoracic echocardiogram were evaluated (n=50). Abnormalities were defined as an elevated left ventricular mass index, elevated left ventricular diastolic diameter, or reduced ejection fraction. Detailed histories were extracted, including age of diagnosis, treatment modality, IGF-1 levels, cardiovascular medications, and clinical outcomes. Where available, we compared pretreatment imaging to most recent findings to quantify changes in cardiac function. Results The study cohort consisted of 21 patients (42%) with dilated cardiomyopathy, 25 patients (50%) with hypertrophic phenotype and 4 patients (8%) with ischemic cardiomyopathy. Hypertension (61%), diabetes mellitus (36%) and obstructive sleep apnea (48%) were the most common comorbidities. Successful treatment of acromegaly resulted in a clinically-relevant improvement in mean LV ejection fraction in the DCM cohort from 38% to 49% (p = 0.05) and mean LV diastolic diameter from 66 to 60 mm (p = 0.20). Additionally, an improvement in LV mass index was seen in the hypertrophic phenotype from 117 to 104 g/m2 (p = 0.05). Heart rate, QRS and QTC intervals were statistically unchanged. Conclusions Contrary to prior research, treatment of human growth hormone excess resulted in an improvement in dilated as well as hypertrophic phenotypes, though not necessarily independent of guideline-directed medical therapy. This highlights the importance of effective treatment of GH excess states in reducing the prevalent cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with acromegaly.
A qualitative study of parental preferences for postcircumcision care education.

Summary Introductionr/Background Although uncommon, complications associated with newborn male circumcision may require costly and emotionally upsetting surgical revisions. Improvements in parental education regarding postcircumcision care may reduce preventable complications; however, little is known about parents' preferences for education of this type. Objective The authors sought to describe parents' preferences regarding the content and delivery of education on postcircumcision care as a first step toward improving parental education and ultimately reducing the need for surgical revisions. Study design The authors conducted a qualitative, descriptive study, collecting data from 14 parents during two separate focus group discussions. The authors applied thematic analysis techniques to analyze the transcribed content of both groups. Results Parents indicated that postcircumcision care instructions should be detailed and include clear images and/or an actual demonstration of care processes. Despite being aware of the low likelihood of complications, parents expressed a preference for providers who took education seriously rather than those approaching it with a ‘cavalier attitude.’ There was widespread support for delivering education at a time that met each family's unique circumstances and needs. Discussion Consistent with prior research, parents in this study identified gaps in understanding postprocedure care instructions. However, this study adds to the literature in highlighting the specific concerns and preferences of parents with regard to the content and delivery of postcircumcision care education. Based on these findings, the authors conclude that healthcare teams should ensure that parents have access to detailed instructions for postcircumcision care. Education of parents should occur at times when they are able to pay attention and should be supplemented with materials that they can easily access from home. Pediatric urologists can play a leading role in the development and dissemination of high-quality, family-centered educational materials to both parents and providers in other specialty areas that perform high volumes of newborn circumcision. Future research would benefit from larger, more diverse samples. In addition, future studies investigating the effect of parental education on potentially avoidable complications are needed to maximize clinical impact. Conclusion Parents readily provided detailed input into what they perceived as much-needed improvements in postcircumcision care education. Future research is needed to determine what effect, if any, such changes would have on the incidence of preventable complications, particularly those requiring surgical intervention. Download : Download high-res image (267KB) Download : Download full-size image
Magnesium Acts as a Second Messenger in the Regulation of NMDA Receptor-Mediated CREB Signaling in Neurons

Extracellular magnesium ion ([Mg2+]) is a well-known voltage-dependent blocker of NMDA receptors, which plays a critical role in the regulation of neuronal plasticity, learning, and memory. It is generally believed that NMDA receptor activation involves in Mg2+ being removed into extracellular compartment from the channel pore. On the other hand, Mg2+ is one of the most abundant intracellular cations, and involved in numerous cellular functions. However, we do not know if extracellular magnesium ions can influx into neurons to affect intracellular signaling pathways. In our current study, we found that extracellular [Mg2+] elevation enhanced CREB activation by NMDA receptor signaling in both mixed sex rat cultured neurons and brain slices. Moreover, we found that extracellular [Mg2+] led to CREB activation by NMDA application, albeit in a delayed manner, even in the absence of extracellular calcium, suggesting a potential independent role of magnesium in CREB activation. Consistent with this, we found that NMDA application leads to an NMDAR-dependent increase in intracellular-free [Mg2+] in cultured neurons in the absence of extracellular calcium. Chelating this magnesium influx or inhibiting P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) blocked the delayed pCREB by NMDA. Finally, we found that NMDAR signaling in the absence of extracellular calcium activates p38 MAPK. Our studies thus indicate that magnesium influx, dependent on NMDA receptor opening, can transduce a signaling pathway to activate CREB in neurons.
Effects of airborne hydrocarbon adsorption on pool boiling heat transfer

During pool boiling, a significantly high heat flux leads to the transition from nucleate boiling to film boiling, where a vapor film forms over the boiling surface, drastically increasing thermal resistance. This transition at the critical heat flux (CHF) results in an abrupt increase in surface temperature and can lead to catastrophic failure of the boiler. However, reported CHF values vary greatly, even for smooth surfaces of the same material; for example, the CHF values on flat silicon and silicon dioxide surfaces vary across studies by up to 49% and 84%, respectively. Here, we address this discrepancy by accounting for hydrocarbon adsorption on boiling surface. Hydrocarbon adsorption on smooth boiling surfaces decreases surface wettability, hindering the ability to maintain liquid contact with the surface and, thus, lowering the pool boiling CHF. To investigate hydrocarbon adsorption kinetics under ambient conditions and the subsequent effect on CHF, we cleaned flat silicon dioxide samples with argon plasma to remove hydrocarbon contaminants and then exposed them to laboratory air for different periods of time before conducting pool boiling experiments. Pool boiling results along with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data showed that the amount of adsorbed hydrocarbon increased with exposure time in air, which resulted in a decrease in wettability and, accordingly, a decrease in CHF. This work has important implications for understanding the spread in CHF values reported in the literature and may serve as a guideline for the preparation of boiling surfaces to achieve consistent experimental results.
Implementing Project CORE (Coordinating Optimal Referral Experiences) in a Large Children's Hospital.

Background: Poor communication and coordination between primary care providers (PCPs) and subspecialty providers (SPs) results in fragmented care and patient dissatisfaction. Project CORE was initiated in 2011 to enhance communication and coordination between PCPs and adult SPs in 5 academic medical centers (AMCs) through enhanced referral (ER) processes and asynchronous electronic consultations (ECs). We sought to apply that model in a large childrens hospital as part of a global initiative to improve access to care and enhance …
Quantification of the tradeoff between test sensitivity and test frequency in COVID-19 epidemic - a multi-scale modeling approach

Control strategies that employ real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests for the diagnosis and surveillance of COVID-19 epidemic are inefficient in fighting the epidemic due to high cost, delays in obtaining results, and the need of specialized personnel and equipment for laboratory processing. Cheaper and faster alternatives, such as antigen and paper-strip tests, have been proposed. They return results rapidly, but have lower sensitivity thresholds for detecting virus. To quantify the effects of the tradeoffs between sensitivity, cost, testing frequency, and delay in test return on the overall course of an outbreak, we built a multi-scale immuno-epidemiological model that connects the virus profile of infected individuals with transmission and testing at the population level. We investigated various randomized testing strategies and found that, for fixed testing capacity, lower sensitivity tests with shorter return delays slightly flatten the daily incidence curve and delay the time to the peak daily incidence. However, compared with RT-PCR testing, they do not always reduce the cumulative case count at half a year into the outbreak. When testing frequency is increased to account for the lower cost of less sensitive tests, we observe a large reduction in cumulative case counts, from 57% to as low as 1.5% half a year into the outbreak and to 3.2% three years into the outbreak. The improvement is preserved even when the testing budget is reduced by one half or one third. Our results predict that surveillance testing that employs low-sensitivity tests at high frequency is an effective tool for epidemic control.
Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy

This chapter describes minimally invasive techniques for performance of both transhiatal and transthoracic esophagectomy. The choice of technique is influenced by the surgeon’s experience and preference, hospital resources, and patient wishes. Pitfalls, complications, and operative strategy are also described.
How cultural tightness interacts with gender in founding teams: Insights from the commercialization of social ventures

Abstract Though discussion of culture is central in the literature on gender in entrepreneurial settings, prior studies have paid scant attention to the specific impact of cultural norms. We propose that the impact of gender composition in new venture teams (NVTs) on commercialization of social ventures is contingent on the strength of cultural norms of a nation. Our view of gender as a culture-contingent resource reveals ordering mechanisms that distinguish gender effects in culturally tight versus culturally loose societies with respect to commercialization intent and legal form. The empirical analysis of an international sample of 6657 social ventures from 30 countries supports the study hypotheses. The findings show that gender differences in new ventures are more significant in tight societies compared to loose societies.
Geographic heterogeneity in the association of varicella-zoster virus seropositivity and multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract Background : Although there has long been a suspected association between varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and multiple sclerosis (MS), the connection has remained unclear. In this study, we performed a meta-analysis in an attempt to assess the association between VZV IgG serostatus and MS. Methods : A literature search was performed using three databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane. Eligible results included observational studies investigating the seroprevalence of VZV immunoglobulin G (IgG) in adults with MS versus non-MS controls. Two authors performed a screen of the search results, evaluating them for quality and relevant outcomes. Using a random-effect model, we estimated pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results : The literature search yielded 1,268 articles, 8 of which (2,266 MS patients and 1,818 controls) were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Evaluation of all included studies together showed no significant association between VZV IgG seropositivity and MS (OR 1.439; 95%CI, 0.503–4.118; p 0.497). However, when analyzed in subgroups based on geographical area, studies performed in Asian countries showed VZV IgG seropositivity was more common in MS patients than in controls (OR 4.470; 95%CI 1.959–10.203; p Conclusions : This study found evidence of an association between VZV IgG seropositivity and MS in Asian countries. Additional studies are warranted to ascertain factors impacting this association.
Macroeconomic podcasts: teaching the internet generation

Economics instructors continue to move away from the traditional 'chalk and talk' style of teaching, to more inventive and appealing pedagogical strategies that better fit the educational needs and preferences of the newer generations of learners. This paper furthers this trend by suggesting the use of podcasts to teach a set of core concepts and theories commonly learned in any introduction to macroeconomics course. The paper introduces six podcasts and a list of associated economic theories and concepts that can be related to specific parts of each podcast. Furthermore, the paper offers the reader a set of examples and recommendations regarding how to specifically use four of these podcasts in the classroom. The paper invites the reader to use the podcasts and the recommendations provided in the hope that she/he will also generate and publicise her/his own examples moving forward.
Meta-analysis: Are Psychotherapies Less Effective for Black Youth in Communities With Higher Levels of Anti-Black Racism?

Objective To examine whether anti-Black cultural racism moderates the efficacy of psychotherapy interventions among youth. Method A subset of studies from a previous meta-analysis of 5 decades of youth psychotherapy randomized controlled trials was analyzed. Studies were published in English between 1963 and 2017 and identified through a systematic search. The 194 studies (N = 14,081 participants; age range, 2–19) across 34 states comprised 2,678 effect sizes (ESs) measuring mental health problems (eg, depression) targeted by interventions. Anti-Black cultural racism was operationalized using a composite index of 31 items measuring explicit racial attitudes (obtained from publicly available sources, eg, General Social Survey) aggregated to the state level and linked to the meta-analytic database. Analyses were conducted with samples of majority-Black (ie, ≥50% Black) (n = 36 studies) and majority-White (n = 158 studies) youth. Results Two-level random-effects meta-regression analyses indicated that higher anti-Black cultural racism was associated with lower ESs for studies with majority-Black youth (β = −0.2, 95% CI [−0.35, −0.04], p = .02) but was unrelated to ESs for studies with majority-White youth (β = 0.0004, 95% CI [−0.03, 0.03], p = .98), controlling for relevant area-level covariates. In studies with majority-Black youth, mean ESs were significantly lower in states with the highest anti-Black cultural racism (>1 SD above the mean; Hedges’ g = 0.19) compared with states with the lowest racism ( Conclusion Psychotherapies tested with samples of majority-Black youth were significantly less effective in states with higher (vs lower) levels of anti-Black cultural racism, suggesting that anti-Black cultural racism may be one contextual moderator of treatment effect heterogeneity.
Chapter 13 – Summary and Conclusions

This chapter summarizes recently developed state-of-the-art technologies to visualize granular kinetics and kinematics and demonstrates their application to the study of impact and penetration events. Although the methods have been developed for dynamic events, they are readily applicable to other problems. Many of the chapters in this book treat highly idealized systems of particles; here, the motivation has been to understand the basic physics of penetration. The authors believe that this consolidated compilation will serve as the definitive reference on the state of science for researchers and practitioners interested in penetration into granular materials. It is hoped that these valuable data can support ongoing and future efforts in modeling the response of granular media to penetration.
Metric-Constrained Kernel Union of Subspaces

This paper addresses the problem of learning a collection of nonlinear manifolds. Inspired by kernel methods, it puts forth a generalization of the kernel subspace model, termed the Metric-Constrained Kernel Union-of-Subspaces (MC-KUoS) model. It then develops an iterative method for learning of an MC-KUoS whose solution is based on the data representation capability of the manifolds and distances between subspaces in the kernel (feature) space. The proposed method (when using Gaussian and polynomial kernels) outperforms existing competitive state-of-the-art methods for real-world image denoising, which shows the benefits of the MC-KUoS model and the proposed denoising approach.
Relativistic Boltzmann Theory and the Grad Method of Moments

It has been the custom, when writing on relativistic Boltzmann theory, to justify such studies by recounting the various physical systems to which they can apply. By now one is sufficiently acquainted with relativistic plasmas, massive stellar systems and the like to make such justifications unnecessary. While applicability is of course the final justification for any physical theory, there is one other that I would like to mention briefly. It is the aesthetic appeal, so often emphasized by Dirac. The relativistic Boltzmann equation is both simple and elegant. From it one can obtain many beautiful results, such as those of Ehlers, Gerun and Sachs. It brings into play virtually the whole of relativity theory in one way or another and is amenable to analysis by such modern mathematical techniques as fiber bundle theory. It also affords a unifying view that is lacking in the classical theory, One need only compare the classical and relativistic treatments of radiative transfer theory, which is a special application of the Boltzmann equation to zero rest-mass particles to appreciate this fact. Finally I would mention that, even in the more mundane matter of finding approximate solutions, there are decided advantages to a relativistic treatment over the corresponding classical treatment.
Nondestructive Evaluation of Silicon‐Nitride Ceramic Valves from Engine Duration Test

In this study, we investigated impact and wear damage in silicon-nitride ceramic valves that were subjected to an engine duration test in a natural-gas engine. A high-speed automated laser-scattering system was developed for the nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of 10 SN235P silicon-nitride valves. The NDE system scans the entire valve surface and generates a two-dimensional scattering image that is used to identify location, size and relative severity of subsurface damage in the valves. NED imaging data were obtained at before and at 100 and 500 hours of the engine duration test. The NDE data were analyzed and compared with surface photomicrographs. Wear damage was found in the impact surface of all valves, expecially for exhaust valves. However, the NDE examination did not detect subsurface damage such as cracks or spalls in these engine-tested valves.
The Changing Landscape of Vestibular Schwannoma Management in the United States—A Shift Toward Conservatism

ObjectiveTo characterize the evolving management of vestibular schwannoma (VS) in the United States.Study DesignRetrospective analysis of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data...
Long-lifetime hologram fixing and ionic conductivity in photorefractive lithium niobate

Summary form only given. Photorefractive lithium niobate (LN) remains one of the most promising materials for holographic data storage applications. Some of the most important concerns in this field are the fixing of recorded holograms, as well as their strength and lifetime. It is well established that the ionic conductivity in as-grown LN crystals is due predominantly to H/sup +/ ions. It was also shown theoretically recently that ionic conductivity is the main mechanism responsible for the decay of fixed space charge holograms in photorefractive crystals. This decay is the main obstacle thwarting the utilization of these crystals in archival holographic data storage. It is thus natural to investigate the dependence of fixed hologram lifetime in LiNbO/sub 3/ on ionic conductivity.
Sind Juden genetisch anders

Warum sind Juden so intelligent ? Weil sie sich im Rahmen einer evolutionaren Gruppenstrategie gezielt „hochgezuchtet” haben: Dieses Erklarungsmuster hat Thilo Sarrazin von dem amerikanischen Antisemiten Kevin MacDonald ubernommen. Das Klischee vom intelligenten Juden wurzelt in der uralten Vorstellung eines rassisch homogenen „judischen Typus”, der sich durch besondere Schlauheit und Raffinesse auszeichnet. Das war nur selten freundlich gemeint, denn der Vorteil fur die Juden wurde oft als Nachteil fur die Gesamtgesellschaft gedeutet.
A Question, an Innovation, and an Explanation

As many of you already know, manuscript processing at The Journal of Politics is now carried out largely via electronic channels of communication. We recommend strongly that authors submit their manuscripts as PDF files attached to e-mailed cover letters. We also prefer that referees e-mail their reviews to the JOP office. Electronic manuscript processing speeds up turnaround times to a significant degree, drastically reduces office supply usage, and nearly eliminates postage costs. I am happy to say that the scholarly community’s response to these innovations has been almost uniformly positive. However, there is one element of the process that I am not sure benefits from the movement toward electronic communications: the Editor’s decision letter to the author of a submitted manuscript. Although I have begun e-mailing my decisions (with referee reports attached to the message in PDF form), I must admit feeling a certain ambivalence about doing so. On the one hand, e-mailed decision letters are a logical continuation to the electronic manuscript review process that we have already initiated. On the other hand, the outcome from that process is momentous enough for the author that the “personal touch” of an actual letter and hard-copy reviews might be more appropriate. Given my own mixed feelings on this topic, I would like to pose a question to JOP readers: How do you feel about e-mailed versus hard-copy decision letters? I am sincerely interested in what you have to say, and I welcome any suggestions or ideas that you are willing to share. I know the next Editor of The Journal of Politics, as well as the editors of other political science journals, will also be very
The transient receptor potential vanilloid-responsive 1 and 4 cation channels: role in neuronal osmosensing and renal physiology.

Purpose of review To provide an overview of recent developments in the field of systemic osmoregulation, with attention to the brain and kidney. Recent findings A number of pivotal observations underscore the primary importance of transient receptor potential channels in systemic osmoregulation and their involvement constitutes the focus of this review. Recent data suggest that transient receptor potential vanilloid-responsive 4 is a central sensor or effector of systemic hypotonicity, whereas an unidentified variant of transient receptor potential vanilloid-responsive 1 potentially serves an analogous role in systemic hypertonicity. Summary Members of the transient receptor potential vanilloid-responsive subfamily of transient receptor potential channels are likely to serve as central sensors of systemic anisotonicity.
Review of Rapid Diagnostic Tests Used by Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs

Rapid microbiologic tests provide opportunities for antimicrobial stewardship programs to improve antimicrobial use and clinical and economic outcomes. Standard techniques for identification of organisms require at least 48-72 hours for final results, compared with rapid diagnostic tests that provide final organism identification within hours of growth. Importantly, rapid microbiologic tests are considered "game changers" and represent a significant advancement in the management of infectious diseases. This review focuses on currently available rapid diagnostic tests and, importantly, the impact of rapid testing in combination with antimicrobial stewardship on patient outcomes.
Emphatic inaccuracy in husband to wife aggression: The overattribution bias

Is husbands’ wife-directed aggression related to unusual accuracy (hypersensitivity) or to bias (being likely to inappropriately infer criticism or rejection) when they infer women’s critical/rejecting thoughts and feelings? Results of a study using the empathic accuracy paradigm and signal detection analyses revealed that the greater the husbands’ bias to overattribute criticism and rejection to the thoughts and feelings of women they had never met, the more the husbands reported behaving in a verbally aggressive way toward their own wives. This finding discourages the conclusion that maritally aggressive men are uniquely provoked by their own female partners, and instead suggests that they are biased to overattribute criticism and rejection to women in general. The strength of this overattribution bias correlated negatively with the men’s accuracy in inferring the actual content of the women’s thoughts and feelings. On the other hand, the husbands’ thematic accuracy (their ability to accurately specify which of the stimulus women’s thoughts and feelings really were critical or rejecting) was associated with their self-reported marital satisfaction.
Incorporation of a bacterial membrane-bound hydrogenase into proteoliposomes.

Abstract Membrane-bound nickel-iron hydrogenases from diverse genera of bacteria have been previously characterized and they are closely related. We report the reconstitution of purified Bradyrhizobium japonicum hydrogenase into proteoliposomes by a detergent dialysis method followed by two or three cycles of freezethaw. Sedimentation experiments revealed that more than 60% of the H2-uptake activity was particulate when reconstituted into Escherichia coli phospholipids. Sucrose-gradient centrifugation separated hydrogenase activity into two peaks, the less dense of which was phospholipid-associated and turbid, thereby showing successful incorporation. Purified enzyme did not bind to preformed phospholipid vesicles, and 1.0 m NaCl failed to remove incorporated hydrogenase. The optimal micellar detergent:phospholipid ratio (ϱ) value for hydrogenase incorporation was 2.0. Proteoliposomes containing acidic phospholipids were the most effective for incorporation as well as for activity. The artificial electron acceptor specificity was similar for proteoliposomes and for H2-oxidizing membranes from B. japonicum. Proteoliposomes formed under optimal conditions had a broad size distribution centered around 400 nm diameter. Hydrogenase activity in proteoliposomes was partially protected from inactivation by the protein modification reagent diazobenzene sulfonate (DABS) (inactivation t 1 2 = 30 min , whereas DABS rapidly inactivated the purified enzyme ( t 1 2 = 4 min . The latter result indicates protection of a catalytically important site by the phospholipid bilayer. This experimental system should be useful in addressing questions regarding the in vivo situation of bacterial membrane-bound hydrogenases.
Search for Superheavy Elements in the Bombardment of Cm-248 with Ca-48

We have searched for superheavy elements 110 to 116 with half-lives between ${10}^{4}$ and ${10}^{8}$ s in fractions chemically separated after each of a series of bombardments of $^{248}\mathrm{Cm}$ made with 267-MeV $^{48}\mathrm{Ca}$ ions. After 6 months of $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ and spontaneous-fission counting, our results provide no persuasive evidence for the presence for the presence of superheavy elements. The most plausible explanation for not finding the superheavy elements is that they have either short half-lives or very small formation cross sections.
Crystal and molecular structure of α,α′-azobis[4-bromobenzaldehyde]bis (O-carboxyoxime)diethyl ester

The title compound is a dimer of chemical formula (C10H9BrN2O3)2 and yielded crystals of two forms, one monoclinic with space groupP21/a and the other triclinicP¯1. Diffraction data from both forms were collected and used in solving the structure by the heavy-atom method. The coordinates were refined by block-diagonal least-squares procedures to anR index of 0.07 for the 2334 reflections of the triclinic crystal and 0.115 for the 2306 reflections of the monoclinic crystal. The results have led to the assignment of the structure (I) for the title compound. In both crystals, the molecule is planar, except for the nitrogen atoms linking the two halves of the dimers. The plane through the four atoms (C−N=N−C) bridging the two halves is nearly perpendicular to the molecular plane in both cases. The molecules in the two crystals show very similar bond lengths and bond angles, but the molecular packing is quite different (Go, Kartha & Lu, 1974). The triclinic form, in addition, showed that the central nitrogen atom is disordered, occupying the two positions above and below the molecular plane with equal probability.