cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Epigenetic Clue to Diabetic Vascular Disease

See related article, pages 615–623 The cardiovascular complications associated with diabetes and the closely related metabolic syndrome are of increasing clinical importance throughout the world and especially in the Western hemisphere.1 Although insulin resistance and hyperglycemia are thought to play a pathogenic role during the progression of atherosclerosis, the precise mechanisms involved are not completely clear.2 One factor that has been implicated is enhanced inflammatory signaling leading to the recruitment of monocytes/macrophages to the vessel wall. Evidence suggests that high glucose (HG)-mediated increases in oxidative stress and the formation of AGEs (advanced glycation end products) result in the upregulation of cytokines, cell adhesion molecules, and matrix modifying genes that facilitate lymphocyte activation and invasion.3–6 Many of these genes are regulated by nuclear factor (NF)-κB, which has been shown to be activated under diabetic conditions in several cell types.7,8 Interestingly, in many instances, cells and animals that have been exposed to HG have been shown to maintain a diabetic cardiovascular phenotype even after lengthy exposure to normal glucose levels, resulting in the concept of “metabolic memory.”8–10 In this issue of Circulation Research , Reddy et al have examined this concept more closely in smooth muscle cells (SMCs) isolated from diabetic mice and SMCs subjected to HG.11 Their data suggest that the increase in cytokine expression observed in these cells may be attributable to epigenetic alterations in histone methylation that enhance the activation of these genes. Genomic DNA is organized into a basic structure called a nucleosome that consists of an octamer of histone proteins (dimers of H2A, H2B, H3, and H4) …
Regulation of Hepatic Betaine-Homocysteine Methyltransferase by Dietary Betaine

The level of betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase increases in the livers of rats fed diets supplemented with betaine or choline. The increase occurs within 3 days following the change in diet. When we administered betaine by intraperitoneal injection to rats fed choline-free diets, we observed a similar increase within 24 hours. Since betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase catalyzes a reaction which is essential for the catabolism of betaine, these changes provide a means for adaptation to excessive levels of dietary choline and betaine.
Use of Convex Cones in Interactive Multiple Objective Decision Making

One approach for solving decision problems involving multiple objectives is interactive optimization. Methods based on this approach assess the decision maker's preference structure interactively, typically based on pairwise comparisons and tradeoffs, and guide the search process toward identifying improved solutions. A desirable feature of such approaches, that is based on minimizing the preference information requirements, is fast convergence. Toward this end, the use of convex cones as a preference structure representation has been proposed in the literature. In this work, new theory is developed that aids in further reducing preference information requirements and improving convergence. New cones termed p cones are developed. The efficiencies of solution alternatives are evaluated with respect to the p cones, and these are termed p cone efficiencies. Acceleration and Early Termination procedures that are based on these efficiencies are proposed. The procedures are presented within a solution framework for solving Multiple Objective Linear Programming MOLP problems along with computational results.
Pontine cholinergic reticular mechanisms cause state-dependent changes in the discharge of parabrachial neurons

The present study examined the hypothesis that cholinoceptive reticular mechanisms in the gigantocellular tegmental field (FTG) of the medial pontine reticular formation cause state-dependent changes in the discharge of parabrachial neurons. In chronically implanted, unanesthetized cats, extracellular recordings were made from nonrespiratory and respiratory neurons in the parabrachial nuclear complex (PBNC) during the natural sleep-wake cycle and during the rapid eye movement (REM) sleeplike state caused by FTG microinjection of carbachol or neostigmine. PBNC cells that increased discharge during natural REM sleep (REM-on cells) revealed similar increased discharge during the carbachol-induced REM sleeplike state (DCarb). Cells that decreased discharge in natural REM sleep (REM-off cells) displayed decreased discharge during both DCarb and the neostigmine-induced REM sleeplike states. The limited sample of parabrachial respiratory neurons revealed significantly diminished discharge during the cholinergically induced REM sleeplike state. Thus cholinoceptive mechanisms localized to specific regions of the pontine reticular formation can cause state-dependent changes in the firing rates of respiratory and nonrespiratory neurons in the PBNC.
Developing Critical Language Awareness via Service-Learning for Spanish Heritage Speakers

In recent years a growing number of researchers have urged for the adoption of critical pedagogies for the teaching of Spanish as a heritage language (SHL) in the US (Leeman, 2012; Leeman, Rabin & Roman-Mendoza, 2011). Such critical stances to SHL instruction acknowledge the dynamic interplay between language, power, identity and ideology and aim to develop critical language awareness among students in which students gain an understanding of social hierarchies and language subordination. Merging this critical perspective with approaches that unite SHL learners and communities through service-learning programs (Martinez, 2010; Villa, 2010), the current paper examines how service-learning can accomplish critical pedagogical goals. Bridging the fields of sociolinguistics and language pedagogy, the current study examines data collected over four semesters from student journals, interviews and questionnaires in a university Spanish heritage speakers course with service-learning. Qualitative and quantitative analyses explore students’ perspectives on language use, sociolinguistic variation, identity and connectedness to the Latino community. This study demonstrates how service-learning contributes to the development of students’ awareness of sociolinguistic and sociopolitical issues affecting local Latino communities and the construction of positive identities. Expanding on sociolinguistic research aimed to better meet the needs of SHL learners (see Carreira, 2003; Potowski, 2005; Martinez, 2003; Valdes, 2001), the current study makes critical pedagogical considerations for SHL instruction, with particular emphasis on how to integrate discussions of sociolinguistic variation and language ideologies into the SHL classroom and how to raise critical language awareness among SHL students through community engagement. Overall, this study addresses the complex relationship between language, power, ideology and identity in SHL instruction.
COOPERATIVE DISLOCATION GENERATION AT FINITE TEMPERATURES IN LOADED SOLIDS

This paper describes a theoretical model and a Monte Carlo simulation of cooperative dislocation generation in loaded crystals at finite temperatures. The theoretical work, employing a meanfield approach, is presented for the three-dimensional case when dislocation loops are formed. It describes how extensive plasticity can be initiated in dislocation-free crystals above a critical temperature due to ‘homogeneous’ cooperative nucleation and expansion of many dislocation loops. The Monte Carlo simulation is carried out to demonstrate the feasibility of the theoretical model. It is performed for a two dimensional case when dislocation dipoles are formed on an underlying lattice under applied loads. The application of this model to the brittle-to-ductile transition and the yielding of whiskers is discussed.
Borrelia burgdorferi in Tick Cell Culture: Growth and Cellular Adherence

Borrelia burgdorferi, strain 297, was incubated with tick cell lines isolated from Rhipicephalus appendiculatus (Neumann), R. sanguineus (Latreille), Anocentor nitens (Neumann), Dermacentor variabilis (Say), and Boophilus microplus (Canestrini). A tick cell culture medium, L-15B, was modified by the addition of gelatin and N'-acetylglucosamine (L-15B/S) to permit the cocultivation of B. burgdorferi and tick cells. Spirochetes continuously passaged axenically in L-15B/S had longer population doubling times (27.1 ± 4.5 h) than those grown in BSK medium (11.7 ± 2.2 h), which was unsuitable for tick cells. Growth of spirochetes cocultured with five of six lines did not change, but when B. burgdorferi was incubated with R. sanguineus cells, the spirochetes disappeared and could not be detected after 1 wk. Spirochetes bound themselves to tick cells by one end within 30 min after being added to cultures. Not all spirochetes attached to tick cells nor did all cells of a given line bind spirochetes. B. burgdorferi had the greatest affinity for embryonic R. appendiculatus cells and the least for D. variabilis cells. Scanning electron microscopy revealed numerous intertwined, coiled spirochetes attached to foci at the surface of R. appendiculatus cells, apparently causing the formation of round bodies. Fewer spirochetes attached to A. nitens cells. High spirochete concentrations (>107 per ml) elicited cytopathic effects—loss of surface membrane extensions, rounding up, detachment, and lysis. This system should be applicable in the study of tick cell-spirochete interactions and the analysis of spirochete tropism and binding to tick cells.
Formation of Nanocluster Colloids of Tin, Gold and Copper in Magnesium Oxide by MeV Ion Implantation

We have implanted ions of Sn, Au and Cu at energies between 160 keV and 2.0 MeV into single crystals of MgO (100) at room temperature. The formation of nanoclusters was confirmed using photospectrometry, in combination with Mies's theory, which was indirect but nondestructive. Using Doyles's theory, as well as Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS), we correlated the full width half maximum of the absorption bands to the estimated size of the metallic nanoclusters between 1-10 nm. These clusters were formed both by over implantation and by a combination of threshold fluence of the implanted species and post thermal annealing. The changes in the estimated size of the nanoclusters, after annealing at temperatures ranging from 500r.C to 1000r.C, were observed using photospectrometry.
Survivorship pattern inaccuracies and inappropriate anthropomorphism in scholarly pursuits of killer whale ( Orcinus orca ) life history: a response to Franks et al. (2016).

Franks et al. (2016) consider that the degree of error in estimated ages used to define survivorship patterns of northern and southern resident killer whale ( Orcinus orca ) populations is of insignificant impact to estimates of the species’ postreproductive lifespan (PRLS). We provide evidence that survival probabilities for killer whales using a dataset comprising estimated age animals differ significantly from that determined using data collected from known-age animals in the Pacific Northwest over the past 40 years. Consequently, our findings indicate that the degree of error in age estimates and ensuing survivorship patterns do not support the notion by Franks et al. (2016) of a prolonged PRLS in the female killer whale that is comparable to the PRLS observed in humans.
Analyzing the Relationship Between Bus Pollution Policies and Morbidity Using a Quasi-Experiment

Transit buses are used by millions of commuters every day, but they emit toxic diesel fumes. In 1988, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency implemented emission standards for transit buses, which have been continually updated. Yet there is no quantitative evidence of the health benefits from these bus pollution policies due to data constraints and confounding variables. In this study, a quasi-experiment is used to exploit the geographic and temporal variation in emission standards by using bus vintage as a proxy for bus emissions. This is accomplished using a unique, rich panel data set, which includes daily information on bus vintage and route for the New York City Transit bus fleet between 2006 and 2009. This information is merged with daily data on emergency department (ED) visits for respiratory illnesses, which include patients’ residences at the census block level and exact admission date. Economic benefits resulting from these bus pollution policies are then estimated. Results show that stricter transit bus emission standards by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for particulate matter are associated with reduced ED visits for respiratory diseases for patients living within a few hundred feet of a bus route. These findings demonstrate that bus pollution policies have made critical improvements to public health.
American Bankers and the Economic Tactics of Peace: 1919

THE Federal Reserve Act of 1913 and World War I revolutionized American international bankingz. The act provided the United States with the machinery for international banking. The war, by creating the demand for goods and the credit to pay for them, forced the very rapid growth of that machinery. By the end of the war, American bankers had secured the foundation of an American-foreign banking system and made the dollar, which had been of small consequence abroad, only slightly less important to the international economy than the pound. During this period, close cooperation between the bankers, the Federal Reserve System, and the treasury department resulted in foreign economic policies which fostered shortand long-term foreign loans. This significant development for the American economy was an integral part of the wartime experience. Backed by their government and its loans to the Allies, American bankers gained influence and perspective which they had lacked in their prewar days as borrowers on the international accounts. Whether they servcd in the treasury, the Federal Reserve Banks, or remained with their banks, their wartime experience sharpened their sense of their advantages and responsibilities as world creditors.' After 1917 and the American entry into the war, the growth of the federal debt was the principal factor in developing America's creditor position. Through loans to the Allies, the American government provided the dollar exchange which permitted the development of a tremendously favorable balance of trade. The national debt jumped from $1.23 billion in 1916 to $12.5 billion in 1918, and in 1919 the amount doubled. While the net outflow of government funds abroad increased from none in 1916 to $4 bil-
Do age and gender influence outcome from mechanical ventilation

OBJECTIVES To define the role of age and gender on outcome from mechanical ventilation. DESIGN Prospective analysis of consecutive patients. SETTING A military-referral medical center. PATIENTS A total of 240 consecutive patients requiring 246 episodes of mechanical ventilation. MEASUREMENTS Demographic, clinical, and outcome data. RESULTS Univariate statistical techniques comparing 13 variables between survivors and nonsurvivors of an episode of mechanical ventilation indicated that the following eight variables were significantly different (p < 0.05) between these two groups: age, length of intensive care unit stay, duration of MV, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score, Age Removed APACHE II score, Organ System Failure Index (OSFI), patient diagnostic category, and presence of malignancy. Patient sex demonstrated a trend towards significance (p = 0.051). These nine variables were entered into a stepwise logistic regression analysis to develop a model to predict outcome from mechanical ventilation. This model showed that only the OSFI (p < 0.001) and the APACHE II score (p = 0.0281) independently predicted outcome from mechanical ventilation. Similar analyses were performed to identify outcome predictors after segregating the patients according to age (less than 70 years and equal to or greater than 70 years) and according to sex. In the first of these subsequent analyses the OSFI was found to be the sole independent predictor of outcome for both older and younger subgroups. In the second analysis the OSFI, length of hospital stay, and duration of mechanical ventilation predicted outcome for male patients while the OSFI alone independently predicted outcome for female patients. Fifty-two survivors of mechanical ventilation over the age of 70 years were observed after hospital discharge (average follow-up time 2.75 +/- 1.36 months) to assess their need for institutional care after hospital discharge. Five of these patients (9.6%) required long-term care in a nursing home or rehabilitation hospital until their deaths (four patients) or discharge to home (one patient). With a stepwise logistic regression analysis, only the intensive care unit length of stay was found to be significant independent predictor for this outcome. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the occurrence of derangements in organ function as described by the OSFI best predicts outcome from mechanical ventilation. Age and sex do not significantly contribute to patient outcome independent of organ system dysfunction.
Health effects and risk assessment of halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) are industrial chemicals or by-products of industrial processes and combustion. These compounds are highly stable and lipophilic and have been identified as contaminants in almost every component of the global ecosystem including air, water, sediments, fish, wildlife, diverse food products, and human adipose tissue, serum and milk. Human exposure to relatively high levels of these compounds has been associated with multiple adverse health effects including chloracne, hepatic dysfunction, and porphyria and there is evidence in some studies of an increased risk for specific cancers. Adverse health effects associated with dietary exposure to relatively low levels of PCBs, PCDDs, and PCDFs are unknown however results of some correlational studies suggest that in utero or early postnatal exposure may lead to neurodevelopmental deficits in children. Humans are invariably exposed to complex mixtures of halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (HAHs) and hazard and risk assessment has utilized a toxic equivalency factor (TEF) approach. The toxic equivalents (TEQs) of any mixture are equal to the sum of the concentration of individual (i) congeners times their potencies (TEF(i)) relative to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD, TEF = 1.0). TEQ = Σ[PCDD(i)] x TEF(i) + Σ[PCDF(i)] x TEF(i) + Σ[PCB(i)] x TEF(i) The TEQ (or TCDD equivalents) can be readily calculated from analytical data and provides an estimate of the toxicity of any mixture containing HAHs.
Electromechanical Actuators – Selected Safety-Related Problems

This paper presents the results of considerations and calculations on the role of electromechanical actuators in a path of realization of automated functions and on the requirements resulting from the intended application. The safety-related functions and process-related functions are discussed. A special situation of actuators working in 1oo1 architecture, as well as consequences of that architecture on satisfaction of requirements, are presented. Some procedures of conduct resulting from the good engineering practice are also described.
The Affordable Care Act and the Future of Sleep Medicine

The Affordable Care Act (ACA), signed into law in 2010, embodies changes in the health-care system that have evolved in response to escalating health-care cost in conjunction with suboptimal outcomes when comparing life expectancy with other western countries. The primary paradigm shift is a change in emphasis away from rewarding performance of medical services to achieving optimal clinical outcomes with the goal of providing care that is cost-effective. Sleep medicine mimics the challenges that have affected the greater system as a whole, as it has been a field that has been driven by polysomnography testing and diagnosis. In responding to the challenges of the health-care system, there has been an increasing emphasis on out-of-center testing for the evaluation of sleep-disordered breathing. However, for sleep medicine to thrive in the future landscape, a much more robust change is necessary. Developing a model of care that provides a concrete infrastructure balancing diagnostic testing with robust follow-up care is necessary. Unfortunately, follow-up care is not only costly, but there is also an insufficient number of sleep specialists to effectively care for the population of sleep disorders. In order to address these challenges, sleep medicine will likely need to embrace team-based care with the use of allied health providers as physician extenders and the use of technology that includes automated care mechanisms that enhance population management, continuous disease management, and self-directed care mechanisms. We also recognize that the identity of sleep medicine needs to expand beyond care of obstructive sleep apnea but into new areas of focus that improve the relevance of sleep medicine for patients and for other medical specialties by collaborating on interdepartmental disease management.
Clinical Application of a Modular Genomics Technique in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Progress towards Precision Medicine

Monitoring disease activity in a complex, heterogeneous disease such as lupus is difficult. Both over- and undertreatment lead to damage. Current standard of care serologies are unreliable. Better measures of disease activity are necessary as we move into the era of precision medicine. We show here the use of a data-driven, modular approach to genomic biomarker development within lupus-specifically lupus nephritis.
A Gene Dosage Requirement for Transcription Factor Gfi1 in the Regulation of Myelopoiesis and Myeloproliferative Disorders.

Abstract The generation of mature myeloid lineage cells from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) requires a precise synergy between cytokine signaling and lineage-specific transcription factors. Gfi1 (Growth Factor Independence 1) is a zinc finger transcription factor that is necessary for normal myelopoiesis. Gfi1 knockout mice display an abnormal ratio of phenotypic common myeloid progenitors (CMP) and granulocyte/monocyte progenitors (GMP), and such mice completely lack mature neutrophils. In contrast, the Gfi1 heterozygote mouse presents no obvious phenotype. Here we show a gene dosage requirement for Gfi1 in the differentiation of mature myeloid cells. While bone marrow from wild type littermates generates granulocytic, monocytic and mixed methylcellulose colonies, Gfi1 knockout bone marrow cells yield mainly monocytic colonies. In comparison to wild type littermates, Gfi1+/− bone marrow cells generate lower numbers of granulocytic colonies and higher numbers of monocytic colonies. Interestingly, methylcellulose colonies from both Gfi1 knockout mice and heterozygotes display increased serial replating capacity in comparison to wild type littermates. These data suggest that Gfi1 gene dosage may control self renewal and may relate to oncogenic transformation. Activating mutations in K-Ras are common genetic abnormalities in human acute myeloid leukemia and myeloproliferative disease (MPD). However, expression of activated Ras from endogenous regulatory sequences (knock-in) results in an MPD of varying lethality. The severity of the K-Ras-induced MPD depends on unknown genetic modifiers, as lethality is increased in a Balb/c genetic background. Given the effect of Gfi1 gene dosage on serial replating, we have analyzed the effect of Gfi1 gene dosage on the activated Ras knock-in mouse model of MPD. Preliminary data indicate that lowering Gfi1 gene dosage modifies the phenotype of activated Ras MPD by dramatically increasing the number of immature circulating myeloid progenitors. These results reveal that Gfi1 is a modifier of Ras induced disease pathogenesis.
Software Sophistry and Political Sleight of Hand

Whether to boost sales or advance a political agenda, use of deceptive tactics for manipulating public opinion is pervasive in modern culture.
Abstract CN06-01: Molecular pathological epidemiology (MPE): Overview of its paradigm and wide applicability even without tumor tissue

This lecture illustrates “Molecular Pathological Epidemiology (MPE)” (= Molecular Pathology + Epidemiology)” (Ogino et al. J Natl Cancer Inst 2010; Chia et al. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2012; Spitz et al. Cancer Discovery 2012, etc.) as simply as possible. In conventional epidemiology, disease is nominally regarded as a homogeneous entity, even when “omics” technologies are used for exposure assessment. However, carcinogenesis represents fundamentally heterogeneous process, differing from person to person. As implicated by the “Unique Tumor (Disease) Principle” (Ogino et al. Expert Rev Mol Diagn 2012; Ogino et al. Mod Pathol 2013; many TCGA papers), the inherent nature of disease heterogeneity has necessitated a paradigm shift in epidemiology, leading to the emergence of MPE, which is defined as “epidemiology of molecular heterogeneity of disease” (Ogino et al. Oncogene 2013). In MPE, we dissect complex interplay between environmental, dietary and lifestyle factors, molecular alterations, and disease occurrence and progression. MPE research can be conducted in any epidemiology cohort, even without tumor tissue, as heterogeneity of disease biology can be taken into analysis. MPE is a logical next step of genome-wide association studies [“GWAS-MPE Approach” (Ogino et al. Gut 2011)]. Although MPE is a promising approach (Chan et al. NEJM 2007; Chan et al. JAMA 2009; Morikawa et al. JAMA 2011; Liao et al. NEJM 2012; Nishihara et al. JAMA 2013; Nishihara et al. NEJM 2013, etc.), challenges include lack of international guidelines and standardized statistical methods to assess etiologic heterogeneity, as well as paucity of interdisciplinary expertise and training programs (Ogino et al. Am J Epidemiol 2012). Because disease heterogeneity is a ubiquitous phenomenon, the MPE paradigm should become routine to advance epidemiology in the 21st century, and move us towards personalized prevention and treatment. Citation Format: Shuji Ogino. Molecular pathological epidemiology (MPE): Overview of its paradigm and wide applicability even without tumor tissue. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2013 Oct 27-30; National Harbor, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2013;6(11 Suppl): Abstract nr CN06-01.
Local Search Heuristic for Rigid Protein Docking

We give an algorithm that locally improves the fit between two proteins modeled as space-filling diagrams. The algorithm defines the fit in purely geometric terms and improves by applying a rigid motion to one of the two proteins. Our implementation of the algorithm takes between three and ten seconds and converges with high likelihood to the correct docked configuration, provided it starts at a position away from the correct one by at most 18 degrees of rotation and at most 3.0A of translation. The speed and convergence radius make this an attractive algorithm to use in combination with a coarse sampling of the six-dimensional space of rigid motions.
On the Promise and Peril of Technology for Population Health: A Public Health of Consequence, November 2017.

An introduction is presented for an article in the issue on a study that used the web resource Twitter to monitor health behavior.
Use of Synthetic Human Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone for Induction of Breeding in the Cricket Frog, Acris crepitans

ABSTRACT In order to study the effects of environmental contaminants on the sexual development of the cricket frog, Acris crepitans, a system of laboratory breeding of this species was devised using induction of mating by subcutaneous injection of synthetic human luteinizing hormone releasing hormone at doses ranging from 169–676 mg/kg body weight. Viable tadpoles were obtained from frogs that had been maintained in captivity for approximately 1.5 years and from recently captured individuals. The techniques and doses described represent a starting point for further studies aimed at optimizing captive breeding technique for this species
Electric Sector Policy, Technological Change, and U.S. Emissions Reductions Goals: Results from the EMF 32 Model Intercomparison Project

Abstract The Energy Modeling Forum (EMF) 32 study compares a range of coordinated scenarios to explore implications of U.S. climate policy options and technological change on the electric power sector. Harmonized policy scenarios (including mass-based emissions limits and various power-sector-only carbon tax trajectories) across 16 models provide comparative assessments of potential impacts on electric sector investment and generation outcomes, emissions reductions, and economic implications. This paper compares results across these policy alternatives, including a variety of technological and natural gas price assumptions, and summarizes robust findings and areas of disagreement across participating models. Under a wide range of policy, technology, and market assumptions, model results suggest that future coal generation will decline relative to current levels while generation from natural gas, wind, and solar will increase, though the pace and extent of these changes vary by policy scenario, technological assumptions, region, and model. Climate policies can amplify trends already under way and make them less susceptible to future market changes. The model results provide useful insights to a range of stakeholders, but future research focused on intersectoral linkages in emission reductions (e.g., the role of electrification), effects of energy storage, and better coverage of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) can improve insights even further.
Truncated Cross Effect Dynamic Nuclear Polarization: An Overhauser Effect Doppelgänger

The discovery of a truncated cross-effect (CE) in dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) NMR that has the features of an Overhauser-effect DNP (OE-DNP) is reported here. The apparent OE-DNP, where minimal μw power achieved optimum enhancement, was observed when doping Trityl-OX063 with a pyrroline nitroxide radical that possesses electron-withdrawing tetracarboxylate substituents (tetracarboxylate-ester-pyrroline or TCP) in vitrified water/glycerol at 6.9 T and at 3.3 to 85 K, in apparent contradiction to expectations. While the observations are fully consistent with OE-DNP, we discover that a truncated cross-effect ( tCE) is the underlying mechanism, owing to TCP's shortened T1e. We take this observation as a guideline and demonstrate that a crossover from CE to tCE can be replicated by simulating the CE of a narrow-line (Trityl-OX063) and a broad-line (TCP) radical pair, with a significantly shortened T1e of the broad-line radical.
Effector CD4+ T Cells in the Intestines

Abstract CD4+ T cells emerge from thymic selection programmed for fixed antigenic specificity. However, with the exception of natural regulatory T cells (nTreg cells), they are multipotent for alternative developmental programs that diverge contingent upon the peripheral microenvironment in which antigen is first recognized. Antigen recognition in the presence of proinflammatory cytokines elicited from antigen-presenting cells (APCs) or other innate immune cells by microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) drives the differentiation of antigen-naive CD4+ T cells into distinct effector T cell subsets that are characterized by expression of signature cytokines that orchestrate different patterns of immunity. The intestines harbor the largest collection of CD4+ T cells in the body, including the largest number of effector T cells at homeostasis. Intestinal effector T cell responses are generally directed against antigens derived from microbes that penetrate innate barrier defenses in the gut, whether derived from the largest and most diverse commensal microbiota, or pathogenic bacteria, viruses, helminthic parasites, or fungi. In certain disease states, effector T cells can also be reactive to dietary or self-antigens. Whereas the physiologic role of effector T cell responses is pathogen eradication, when inadequately restrained or dysregulated, effector T cell responses can cause injury to host tissues and lead to chronic, immune-mediated disease.
Chinese Oil Investments in Ecuador and Peru: The Role of Indigenous Civil Society and Government Regulations

In Ecuador and Peru, most Chinese oil investments overlapped with indigenous territories and displayed diverging patterns of social commitments. In Peru, SAPET, the national subsidiary of the largest CNPC, was able to engage with local civil society organizations from the Madre de Dios region and produce positive impacts on indigenous communities by withdrawing from certain protected areas. In Ecuador, Chinese NOCs were heavily criticized for their aggressive expansion into the country’s oil-rich Amazon regions in disregard for local demands. Differences in CSR are then causally traced to different strength levels of civil society (represented by indigenous organizations) in dealing with corporate actors. More importantly, this comparative case study of Peru and Ecuador reaches a conjunctive observation that the effect of civic engagement is contingent upon the host government’s policies toward civil society and the oil industry.
Complete Waveguide Structures

In chapters 3 and 4 the passive and active waveguide devices were considered individually. In this chapter we consider complete waveguide circuits that form the backbone of integrated optic sensors. The state of sensors progresses rapidly; it is not possible to examine individually the myriad of structures that have been proposed. Therefore, this chapter presents a general framework from which these waveguide structures can be analyzed. Specifically, the treatment is based on a technique known as the Transfer Matrix Approach that is also used in chapter 1 to solve multilayer structures. As part of our analysis, we revisit some of the passive devices discussed earlier. However, the focus here is on the formulation and interpretation of their transfer matrices. We also provide more detailed discussions of active waveguide structures to supplement section 4.4.
Rumour and Violence: The Making of an Uprising

This chapter follows the spread of the uprising in Romania and provides an account of how, within a matter of weeks, a localized incident snowballed into a country-wide rebellion threatening to remove all state authority and making a mockery of military action. It explores the ways in which peasants from distant villages got wind of the uprising elsewhere, how news circulated and what happened to this information in the process. Popular rationales for joining the uprising, newspaper reading strategies and dissemination as well as the role of popular mythologies are brought to bear on the speedy spread of violence careering from one village to the next.
Audit Tools: Financial Ratios Analysis

Ratio analysis is a diagnostic tool that helps to identify problem areas and opportunities within a company. However, there is considerable subjectivity involved, as there is no correct number for the various ratios. Further, it is hard to reach a definite conclusion when some of the ratios are favorable and some are unfavorable.
Gaseous Chlorine Dioxide for Postharvest Treatment of Produce

Abstract Concerns regarding chlorinated washing of fresh produce postharvest have led to researchers look into developing safer and more effected antimicrobial treatments of fruits and vegetables. In this chapter, we discuss the use of gaseous chlorine dioxide (ClO 2 ) as a postharvest antimicrobial treatment to reduce pathogenic microorganisms and improve shelf life. Compared to traditional chlorinated washes, gaseous ClO 2 treatments reportedly have higher antimicrobial effects, produce fewer byproducts, and use little to no water; making them potentially safer treatments that are environmentally and economically friendly when applied correctly. The library of published literature focused on postharvest ClO 2 treatment indicated that there is great potential for successful implementation by industry. However, research focusing on factors that can influence efficacy when scaling up (e.g., increase of produce mass loads) and addressing gaps-in-knowledge (e.g., plant responses to ClO 2 ) still need to be conducted.
The Future of Higher Education: What’s the Life Course Got to Do with It?

Recent decades have brought dramatic changes to both human lives and higher education. This chapter examines what changes in the life course mean for higher education, and vice versa. We address the relevance and vitality of higher education in the contemporary life course, as well as its potential for offsetting the life-course risks and discontinuities faced by the diverse populations it now serves. We describe how higher education can play more significant roles in responding to the vulnerabilities of students, strengthening the transition to adulthood through stable pathways to jobs and careers, fostering relationships and networking opportunities, and refining the boundaries of personal and financial independence from parents. Higher education can also be reimagined by infusing into curricula and learning experiences a broader set of skills than it now does—skills that are less about securing jobs and salaries, and more about finding meaning in and managing the uncertainties and complexities of adult life. It can also be reimagined by reaching potential students who are in midlife and beyond. These goals are necessary if higher education is to have both stronger effects on the life course as well as a bigger place in the life course.
Can Closed-mindedness be an Intellectual Virtue?

Is closed-mindedness always an intellectual vice? Are there conditions in which it might be an intellectual virtue? This paper adopts a working analysis of closed-mindedness as an unwillingness or inability to engage seriously with relevant intellectual options. In standard cases, closed-mindedness will be an intellectual vice. But, in epistemically hostile environments, closed-mindedness will be an intellectual virtue.
Injury and illness among onshore workers in Alaska's seafood processing industry: Analysis of workers' compensation claims, 2014-2015

Background Alaska's onshore seafood processing industry is economically vital and hazardous. Methods Accepted Alaska workers' compensation claims data from 2014 to 2015 were manually reviewed and coded with the Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System and associated work activity. Workforce data were utilized to calculate rates. Results 2,889 claims of nonfatal injuries/illnesses were accepted for compensation. The average annual claim rate was 63 per 1000 workers. This was significantly higher than Alaska's all-industry rate of 44 claims per 1000 workers (RR = 1.42, 95%CI = 1.37-1.48). The most frequently occurring injuries/illnesses, were by nature, sprains/strains/tears (n = 993, 36%); by body part, upper limbs (1212, 43%); and by event, contact with objects/equipment (1020, 37%) and overexertion/bodily reaction (933, 34%). Incidents associated with seafood processing/canning/freezing (n = 818) frequently involved: repetitive motion; overexertion while handling pans, fish, and buckets; and contact with fish, pans, and machinery. Conclusions Ergonomic and safety solutions should be implemented to prevent musculoskeletal injuries/illnesses in seafood processing.
Sequentially-Shifted Excitation (SSE) Brillouin spectroscopy for recovering signal contaminated with strong scattering, absorption or fluorescence

The presented work shows a novel approach to correct the undesired background in Brillouin spectra. Specifically, we have developed a Brillouin spectroscopy modification suitable for correction of distortions caused by a molecular filter’s absorption, fluorescent background, or ambient room light. Due to the weak intensity of the Brillouin signal, a distortion of the baseline or a partial absorption of Brillouin peak can have strong impact on data analysis. In the worst case, such as investigation of strongly scattering biological material with simultaneous fluorescence measurements, these perturbations can make it impossible to accurately determine the Brillouin shift. A new Sequentially-Shifted Excitation (SSE) Brillouin spectroscopy method has been developed to allow acquisition of quality Brillouin spectra in most challenging of conditions. The idea behind this method is the observation that the Brillouin and elastically scattered light strongly depend on the wavelength of the incident light, and the location of their respective peaks in the final spectrum changes in response to the smallest change in excitation wavelength. On the other hand, the fluorescence background or distortions due to molecular filter absorption remain the same for small, ~1 pm, changes in incident wavelength. SSE Brillouin spectroscopy involves acquiring multiple Brillouin spectra using slightly offset excitation wavelengths, and computationally separating the signal and distortion/background components, thus recovering the Brillouin signal. The application of SSE Brillouin spectroscopy in highly-scattering sample is presented experimentally using sample of cream.
Abstract P056: Adolescent Self-Reported School Environment and Obesity Prevalence, the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study

Introduction: Childhood obesity continues be a major public health concern in the United States, and disproportionately affects racial/ethnic minorities and children of lower socioeconomic status. ...
Communities Serve: A Systematic Review of Need Assessments on U.S. Veteran and Military-Connected Populations:

Military veterans and their families face a multiplicity of challenges once they transition from service. Even though more American private and public-sector organizations are engaged in studying t...
INTRODUCTION TO ROUTES OF TRANSCAPILLARY TRANSPORT: CORRELATION OF STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION

Publisher Summary This chapter illustrates the general appearance of the several types of cell junctions between endothelial cells. At the same time, it illustrates the general appearance of the several types of cell junctions between endothelial cells as seen in freeze-cleaved material. It is assumed that by using this preparation technique, the two adjoining cells can be separated and it is possible to examine the apposing cell surfaces. The freeze-cleavage technique splits along the central plane of cell membranes and other membranes. The punctate fusions of the tight junction are derived from a system of ridges formed by minute particles within the cell membranes. Certain pathological conditions seem to utilize the interendothelial clefts as a means of achieving a higher permeability than exists normally. In the initial phases of experimental hypertension, there is an increased permeability to horseradish peroxidase in arterioles and arteries, as indicated by the presence of the low molecular weight marker in the clefts between endothelial cells and the subendothelial space.
Living in technical legality: science fiction and law as technology: by K. Tranter, Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Press, 2018, 242 pp., £75.00 (hardback), ISBN: 9 7814 7442 0891

On 26 November 2018 news broke of Chinese medical researcher He Jiankui who had posted a YouTube video about his project and recent ‘success’ with human gene modification. At the level of fertilisa...
Rater Effects on L2 Oral Assessment: Focusing on Accent Familiarity of L2 Teachers

In the present study, I examined the effects of rater characteristics, in particular, raters’ familiarity with a foreign accent, on the assessment of second language (L2) pronunciation. Forty-three...
In smell’s shadow: Materials and politics at the edge of perception:

This article examines the politics of smell at the edge of perception. In January 2014, the municipal water supply of Charleston, West Virginia was contaminated by an under-characterized chemical, ...
Ontogeny and Phylogeny

In the preceding chapter it has been shown how the Principle of Optimal Design might be applied to problems of biological structure. Such studies are obviously of great importance, but from the standpoint of the biologist they leave something to be desired. For the biologist is essentially concerned with the interactions which take place between individual biological structures, considered as parts of a functioning whole. In the previous work, the structures in which interest was shown are considered to be isolated from the organism of which they are a part.
A Concise History of International Criminal Law: Chapter 1 of International Criminal Law: Intersections & Contradictions

This work is an introductory chapter for a forthcoming book on Understanding International Criminal Law to be published by Aspen Publishers as part of Aspen's Essentials series. This chapter presents a succinct history of international criminal law (ICL), drawing upon major developments in the law of armed conflict, international human rights law, and the criminal prohibitions against piracy and the slave trade. The chapter interweaves the history of substantive norms with that of evolving principles of domestic and international jurisdiction, as these narratives are virtually inseparable in ICL. Additional chapters in the text will address the sources of ICL, the major international crimes and defenses, and ICL reasoning and rhetoric. Publication is expected in 2007 for adoption in 2008.
Long-term Impact of Hearing Aid Provision or Cochlear Implantation on Hearing Handicap.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS Previous research has shown hearing handicap to be reduced following hearing aid use or cochlear implantation in short-to-medium follow-up periods, yet the impact of interventions for hearing loss on hearing handicap in the long term remains understudied. This article reports hearing handicap at 6 months, 12 months, and 5 years after either hearing aid provision or cochlear implantation. STUDY DESIGN Observational study. METHODS A study of 115 participants from the Studying Multiple Outcomes after Aural Rehabilitative Treatment (SMART) study cohort assessed self-reported hearing handicap using the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly Screening version (HHIE-S) at baseline, 6 months, 12 months, and 5 years. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to estimate the population mean HHIE-S score over time, accounting for the correlated nature of repeated measures data, and multiple imputation with chained equations was performed to impute missing data. RESULTS Compared to baseline, mean HHIE-S scores after hearing aid provision were significantly reduced at 6 months (mean = -7.96, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -10.40, -5.53), 12 months (mean = -6.58, 95% CI: -9.26, -3.90), and 5 years (mean = -4.58, 95% CI: -7.87, -1.30). After cochlear implantation, mean hearing handicap scores were also significantly lower compared to baseline at 6 months (mean = -8.18, 95% CI: -11.07, -5.30), 12 months (mean = -10.04, 95% CI: -12.92, -7.16), and 5 years (mean = -8.97, 95% CI: -12.92, -7.16). CONCLUSIONS This study found short-term benefits from hearing aids and cochlear implantation on hearing handicap were maintained over 5 years. Laryngoscope, 131:1122-1126, 2021.