cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE USE OF HYDROLOGIC AND ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS FOR THE RESTORATION OF DRAINAGE DITCHES AND WATER DIVERSIONS IN A MOUNTAIN FEN, CASCADE RANGE, CALIFORNIA

An intact hydrologic regime and the presence of peat forming vegetation are critical for the persistence of fen wetlands. Fen restoration projects often focus on reestablishing water tables near the soil surface, with little effort directed toward identifying historic hydrologic regimes, hydrologic modifications, and the sources of degradation. We used inconsistencies in the modern hydrologic regime and historic hydrologic indicators present in the soil seedbank, vegetation, and organic soil composition to identify areas of Drakesbad Meadow, a mountain fen in Lassen Volcanic National Park, California, that had been degraded. A network of ground-water monitoring wells and piezometers were used to identify the hydrologic regime of the 4.7-ha site. The presence of thick organic soils in sites with deep late summer water tables, inconsistencies between species present in the seedbank and the existing vegetation, and the presence of dry meadow species such as Poa pratensis and Hordeum brachyantherum in areas with organic soils were used to determine that 2.4 ha of the site was degraded. A drainage ditch within the fen and diversions of the fen’s water supply caused by a road outside of the fen were identified as the source of hydrologic modification and degradation. These were restored by blocking the flow of water in the main drainage ditch and by installing a series of channels to allow water to cross the road. Reconnecting flow beneath the road resulted in raising the summer water table from 80 cm below the soil surface to less than 10 cm in areas downslope of the road. The addition of five sheet-metal dams perpendicular to flow in the main drainage ditch resulted in raising the water table to within 10 to 20 cm of the soil surface in areas adjacent to and down gradient of the ditch. Before restoration, average late August water table levels across the entire site were 30 cm below the soil surface, while average post-restoration water table levels were 19 cm below the soil surface. One year following hydrologic restoration, the percent canopy cover of species indicative of uplands and wet meadows, but not fens including Deschampsia cespitosa, Hordeum brachyantherum, and Poa pratensis decreased compared with pre-restoration years, while the cover of the peat-forming species Carex utriculata, Scirpus microcarpus, and Carex simulata increased. It is clear from our study that fens in this region will not persist under drought-like conditions created by water diversions, yet well-designed restoration projects can be used to restore modified hydrologic regimes and peat-forming vegetation necessary for the persistence of fen wetlands.
Green Function Method for Calculation of Atomistic Structure of Grain Boundary Interfaces in Ionic Crystals

A lattice statics Green function method is described for calculating the atomistic structure of grain boundary interfaces in ionic crystals. The grain boundary is taken along coincidence lattice sites of the two crystallites. The periodicity of the coincidence lattice is exploited by taking a partial Fourier transform of the Green function. It is also shown that the Coulomb interaction between ions across the grain boundary line can be represented in terms of effective dipolar and higher order polar interactions which makes them relatively short range.
Circulation of the hand, injection-corrosion studies.

1. On the basis of the study of seven hands, it appears that this plastic-injection technique can be used to further elucidate the relative vascularity of the component parts of the normal and abnormal hand. 2. As much as one-third of the total vascular bed of the hand lies within the dermis. The volume of the volar dermal vascular bed is approximately twice that of the dorsal vascular bed. 3. There are significant differences in the distribution of the arteries feeding and of the veins draining the vascular bed of the hand. The arteries, in general, lie at a deeper level giving off branches which approach the skin at right angles. On the other hand, the veins lie in a plane of the dermal bed and are separated from it by only a layer of loose connective tissue containing a variable amount of fat. 4. The connection between the distal ends of the proper digital arteries is of interest and worthy of further study because it is of large size, the caliber of the approaching vessels is surprisingly uniform as they near the actual anastomosis, and they bear a surprising resemblance to the arcades which supply the small intestine except that they give off right-angle branches in two planes rather than in one plane.
Intelligent support for activity management (ISAM): an architecture to support distributed supervisory control

Distributed supervisory control is the monitoring and control of complex, dynamic, highly automated systems by a team of human operators. As such, it is an example of a cooperative work environment. The goal of this paper is to analyze the nature of cooperative work in distributed supervisory control environments and describe implications for computer support. In particular, we argue that flexible support for activity management is a key requirement for computer support for distributed supervisory control, and we propose the intelligent support for activity management (ISAM) architecture as one infrastructure for doing so. The design and implementation of ISAM draws from previous work on intelligent operator's associate systems and computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW) systems. A graphical user interface to ISAM and an evaluation study of this system in the context of team supervisory control are also described.
Diapause Characteristics of Two Geographical Strains of the Tobacco Hornworm and Their Reciprocal Crosses

The effect of photoperiod was more obvious in the North Carolina than in the St. Croix strain of Manduca sexta (Johannson) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Under a 12-hour photophase, more than 95% of the North Carolina but only about 3% of the St. Croix strain diapaused. Under a 14-hour photophase, diapause was extremely low in both strains. The 2 strains also differed in the length of the pupal period of non-diapausing individuals, with the St. Croix strain requiring several days longer than the North Carolina strain. When F1 progeny of the cross between the 2 strains were reared under long and short day lengths, responses were different for the 2 sexes. The incidence and intensity of diapause and the length of the pupal period of nondiapausing individuals were associated with sex.
Risk Factors at Time of Primary ACL Reconstruction that Contribute to Significant Chondral Surface Change at Time of Revision ACL Reconstruction: A Prospective Study from the MOON and MARS Cohorts

Objectives: Articular cartilage health is an important issue following primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). It is not clear what risk factors at the time of primary reconstruction affect future articular cartilage health. The purpose of this study was to examine risk factors affecting chondral surface change in a cohort from the time of primary ACLR to revision ACLR.
Exploring Geology on the World Wide Web - Geophysics, Plate Tectonics, and Structural Geology

(1996). Exploring Geology on the World Wide Web – Geophysics, Plate Tectonics, and Structural Geology. Journal of Geoscience Education: Vol. 44, No. 3, pp. 317-320.
Fast calculation of Thévenin equivalents for real-time steady state voltage stability estimation

This paper aims to present a novel approach to quickly update Thevenin equivalents of multinodal systems, which can be used to calculate long-term Voltage Stability Margins (VSMs) for real-time applications considering n−k contingencies in the grid. To accomplish this, a derivation of the Thevenin equivalent parameters of a multiport system based on the impedance matrix (Z bus ) is proposed. A new methodology to quickly update the Z bus of the system when n − k contingencies occur is explained using the matrix inversion lemma (MIL) and Kron reductions. The speed of this approach is due to the avoidance of inversion of matrices that is required when Thevenin equivalents are calculated using information of the admittance matrix of the network (Y bus ). Instead of this, only matrix multiplications between Z bus element and other vectors are necessary to obtain Thevenin equivalents. This approach proposes a solution for some of the current issues associated with the implementation of long-term VSMs in real-time systems.
Deep learning based doppler radar for micro UAS detection and classification

In this paper, a radar sensor is proposed for the automated detection and classification of micro unmanned aerial systems (UASs), using Doppler signatures and their spectral correlation functions (SCFs). Our proposed system effectively detects and identifies UASs (within the radar beam width) by employing a Deep Belief Network (DBN) to classify the SCF signature patterns. The proposed system is experimentally verified using 3 UASs sensed with a 2.4 GHz continuous-wave doppler radar, which is set up in a laboratory environment. The experiment results show that a Doppler radar sensor is able to detect and classify UASs with an accuracy above 90% based on the automated classification of the radar signature SCF using DBN-based classifier.
Integration of Platinum Group Metal‐Free Catalysts and Bilirubin Oxidase into a Hybrid Material for Oxygen Reduction: Interplay of Chemistry and Morphology

© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim Catalytic activity toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) of platinum group metal-free (PGM-free) electrocatalysts integrated with an enzyme (bilirubin oxidase, BOx) in neutral media was studied. The effects of chemical and morphological characteristics of PGM-free materials on the enzyme enhancement of the overall ORR kinetics was investigated. The surface chemistry of the PGM-free catalyst was studied using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. Catalyst surface morphology was characterized using two independent methods: length-scale specific image analysis and nitrogen adsorption. Good agreement of macroscopic and microscopic morphological properties was found. Enhancement of ORR activity by the enzyme is influenced by chemistry and surface morphology of the catalyst itself. Catalysts with a higher nitrogen content, specifically pyridinic moieties, showed the greatest enhancement. Furthermore, catalysts with a higher fraction of surface roughness in the range of 3–5 nm exhibited greater performance enhancement than catalysts lacking features of this size.
Cadazolid for the treatment of Clostridium difficile

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Antibiotic development goals for CDI include potent antimicrobial effect against C. difficile, limited killing of host microbiota, potential effect on spores, and ability to interfere with toxin production. Cadazolid, a novel, non-absorbable hybrid antibiotic has many of these criteria. In phase I and II clinical trials, cadazolid was shown to be safe, well tolerated, and efficacious positioning itself as a potential future viable therapeutic option for CDI.Areas covered: This review provides an in-depth evaluation of the chemistry, microbiology, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and clinical trial results for cadazolid. Clinical therapeutic outcomes are compared between cadazolid, fidaxomicin, and surotomycin.Expert opinion: Preclinical and early clinical studies demonstrated that cadazolid has unique properties that will likely be valuable to treat CDI and reduce recurrent infection. With compelling phase II clinical results, results from the ongoing phase III trial will better d...
The Fund Agreement in the Courts—VI

T HIS INSTALLMENT of the survey of cases involving the Articles of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund deals with cases in the courts of New York, Austria, and the Netherlands which were concerned with the unenforceability of certain exchange contracts; a case in Oregon, now to be reviewed by the United States Supreme Court. which considers the effect of exchange control on a nonresident heir's right to inherit; and a case in Chile which dealt with the currency in which a claim to compensation for requisition should be discharged.
Periodontitis: a global disease and the primary care provider’s role

Individuals who regularly visit a primary care provider (PCP) may not see a dentist, creating opportunities for PCPs to improve oral health. However, a lack of expertise among PCPs may limit their impact to improve public oral health. Using a non-systematic literature review, this article summarises the relevant literature about periodontitis. Periodontitis affects 10% to -15% of the world's population. Caused by bacterial inflammation in gingival pockets, periodontal disease can destroy tissues surrounding the teeth. Factors linked to periodontal disease include diabetes, atherosclerosis and smoking. Good oral hygiene is important for both prevention and treatment. Mechanical removal of gingival irritants by scaling and root planing combined with adjunctive antimicrobial therapy are first-line treatment options. Surgery is indicated when healthy levels of gingival tissue are not attained from first-line treatments. By understanding the fundamentals of periodontitis the primary care provider can educate patients, promote healthy oral health behaviours and appropriately refer patients with signs and symptoms of periodontal disease.
The Key Role of Epigenetics in Human Disease Prevention and Mitigation

Epigenetics in Disease Prevention and Mitigation Epigenetics is the regulation of gene expression through alterations in DNA or associated factors (other than the DNA sequence). These factors control the diverse manifestations of diseases. Insights into epigenetic modification may lead to new therapies for common diseases.
Translator’s Note

The subtlety of Hering’s thought is revealed as much in his grammatical style as in his scientific reasoning. This creates a challenge for translators, for the German language has rich possibilities for subtleties which can be translated poorly or not at all into English, and Hering seemed to take advantage of all of them. (Helmholtz, in contrast, had a clear and direct style which lends itself easily to English translation; the perpetual opponents, Helmholtz and Hering, contrast even in this arena.) The current translation required extensive rearranging and simplifying of Hering’s style, and many compromises had to be made. My bias was to try to err on the side of clarity of presentation at the expense of literalness of translation; the English version has considerably more and shorter sentences than the original. Most of the problems which deserve comment, however, deal with translations of specific words.
Models for Count Data

Many measures of health-care use that are analyzed and modeled in econometrics are event counts, for example, number of hospital admissions, doctor visits, emergency room visits. Event count models such as the Poisson regression is a common but restrictive starting point in many investigations. To overcome several key limitations of the Poisson regression model, a number of alternatives have been developed that are widely used. These include the negative binomial regression, the two-part model, the quantile count regression, and the latent class model. This article surveys popular modeling frameworks, associated issues of statistical inference, and their key features. Models for both cross-section and panel data are covered.
Proteomics of Cancer of Hormone-Dependent Tissues

Serum and tissue biomarkers have begun to play an increasingly important role in the detection and management of many cancers of hormone-sensitive tissues. Specifically, the introduction of serum PSA measurements into clinical practice has dramatically altered detection and treatment of prostate cancer and serum tumor markers play a critical role in the management of testicular cancer. Serum biomarkers are used for ovarian and pancreatic cancers, but their usefulness is limited by poor specificity. Tissue biomarkers are used to help guide breast cancer treatment but are not widely used in other cancers. Even the “best” biomarkers such as PSA have substantial limitations. The discovery of new biomarkers for both early detection and prognosis of cancer is critical to the hope of better clinical outcomes. Recently there has been an expanding understanding of the underlying molecular etiology of cancer and molecular targeted therapies for some particularly aggressive cancers such as renal cell carcinoma have been developed. Better understanding of the molecular etiology of cancer and identification of additional therapeutic targets remain important research goals. Currently, there are very few patient-tailored therapies and there is a great need to better understand the molecular alterations associated with cancer and to use this information to design need cancer therapies and prevention strategies.
Experimental and Modeling Studies of Wave Occlusion and Evolution on Free Falling Viscous Films in a Vertical Pipe

Experiments were conducted to study wave occlusion on falling films in a vertical pipe. Aqueous solutions of glycerin with viscosity in the range 22 to 1250 cp were used. Pipe diameters were varied in the range 0.635 to 1.5875 cm. For each case, the critical liquid flow rate at which the free falling wavy annular flow transforms into slug flow due to wave occlusion was determined. The experimental results were correlated in terms of the liquid Reynolds number at occlusion (Reis = 4q/nvLD) and two dimensionless groups influencing the transition, the Kapitza number,\(Ka = \sigma /[{({v_L}g)^{1/3}}{\mu _L}],\) and the Bond number, \(Bo = {\rho _L}g{D^2}/\sigma .\)The annular-slug transition correlation was found to be Reis = 0.062 Ka 4/3 Bo 2/3 and is valid in the range 0.1 < ReLs < 200, 0.2 < Ka < 55 and 7 < Bo < 50.
Utility of Skin Biopsy and Culture in the Diagnosis and Classification of Chronic Ulcers: A Single-Institution, Retrospective Study

In the United States, chronic ulcers affect 6.5 million people, with a cost of ≈$20 million annually. The most common etiology of chronic ulcers in the United States is venous stasis, followed by arterial insufficiency and neuropathic ulcers. Less common causes of chronic ulcers include infection, inflammatory etiologies such as vasculitis and pyoderma gangrenosum, and neoplastic causes. Obtaining skin biopsy and tissue culture can be helpful in diagnosing unusual causes of chronic ulcers; however, there are little data on the diagnostic utility of skin biopsy in rendering a definitive diagnosis of the etiology of chronic ulcers. A retrospective study of all skin ulcers biopsied during a 10-year period at the University of Washington was undertaken. Re-excisions and surgical wounds were excluded. A total of 270 ulcer biopsy specimens were included. In 48% of cases, no specific diagnosis could be rendered histologically. 44.8% of chronic ulcers biopsied were due to atypical causes, with neoplasms (basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma, and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma) being the most common. Vasculitis and pyoderma gangrenosum each represented 1.5% of rendered diagnoses. Concomitant skin culture was performed in 28.9% of cases, and special stains [acid-fast bacilli, Brown and Brenn (B&B), Grocott's methenamine silver, and periodic acid-Schiff stains] were performed in 34.0%. Although more than half (49 of 78) of tissue cultures were positive, only 6.8% (12 of 175) of special stains on tissue sections were positive. We conclude that although the etiology of many ulcers cannot be determined by routine histology alone, skin biopsy of ulcers remains a critical part of the workup given that when a specific cause can be determined, atypical etiologies, including neoplasms, represent a significant proportion of chronic ulcers. Limitations of our study include referral bias. Our results also confirm the higher diagnostic yield of conventional tissue culture compared with special tissue stain biopsies of skin ulcers.
An Innovative Approach to Care: Integrating Mental Health Services Through Telemedicine in Rural School-Based Health Centers

In rural communities, primary care providers continue to provide mental health services, and about 70% of children and adolescents identified to have a psychiatric disorder never receive treatment. A telehealth model for providing integrated mental health services in a school-based health clinic has the potential to increase access to specialized care for the most vulnerable youths. This column provides an overview of the strategies used to implement and integrate such a model in West Virginia. Operationalization, barriers, challenges, and judicious resource use are discussed. Appropriate reimbursement for services and state-specific legislation to ensure consistent revenue to sustain the program are considered.
Optimal Allocation of Computation and Communication in an IoT Network

Internet of things (IoT) is being developed for a wide range of applications from home automation and personal fitness to smart cities. With the extensive growth in adaptation of IoT devices comes the uncoordinated and substandard designs aimed at promptly making products available to the end consumer. This substandard approach restricts the growth of IoT in the near future and necessitates that studies understand requirements for an efficient design. A particular area where IoT applications have grown significantly is surveillance and monitoring. Applications of IoT in this domain are relying on distributed sensors, each equipped with a battery, capable of collecting images, processing images, and communicating the raw or processed data to the nearest node until it reaches the base station for decision making. In such an IoT network where processing can be distributed over the network, the important research question is how much of data each node should process and how much it should communicate for a given objective. This work answers this question and provides a deeper understanding of energy and delay tradeoffs in an IoT network with three different target metrics.
Chorionic Plate Chronic Inflammatory Lesions Including Eosinophilic/T-Cell Chorionic Vasculitis

The chorionic plate is a placental structure that serves as a barrier between the amnionic sac and the maternal intervillous space of the placenta. Inflammatory cells, including lymphocytes, neutrophils, histiocytes and eosinophils, can be present within the chorionic plate as part of reactive processes that occur during pregnancy.
Physical activity among adolescent tobacco and electronic cigarette users: Cross-sectional findings from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health study.

Abstract Research examining relationships between protective health behaviors and tobacco use offers valuable insight regarding the behavior profiles of product users. In particular, protective health behavior trends among adolescent e-cigarette users have not been examined thoroughly to date. This study investigates physical activity patterns among adolescent e-cigarette users, smokers, and dual users of both products, as compared with never users of tobacco products. Data were collected from 8383 youth participants (12–17 years of age) enrolled in Wave 2 (2014–2015) of the nationally-representative Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study. Relationships between use of tobacco products and physical activity were examined via weighted multivariable logistic regression procedures. Compared with never users, each product use group demonstrated an increased likelihood to abstain from moderate-vigorous physical activity. While dual users (aOR = 0.52; 95% CI: 0.30–0.85) and smokers (aOR = 0.53; 95% CI: 0.35–0.71) were less likely than never users to participate in vigorous physical activity, no differences were observed between e-cigarette and never users (aOR = 1.04; 95% CI: 0.74–1.47). Dual users consistently demonstrated the lowest likelihood of physical activity participation. In conclusion, e-cigarette users were more likely to abstain from moderate-vigorous physical activity participation than never users. However, results did not indicate differences in vigorous or muscle-strengthening physical activity participation between e-cigarette users and never users. Though findings specific to moderate-vigorous physical activity demonstrate a behavioral similarity between e-cigarette users and smokers, key differences in vigorous physical activity were observed. Comparatively low physical activity among dual users suggests existence of a behavior profile gradient according to product use.
Marx on Financial Intermediation: The Promise of Money as Command Over Future Labor

Confronting capitalist finance, we examine Marx’s articles on the French Credit Mobilier, written for the New York Daily Tribune during the 1850s, to identify the outlines of a theory of the destabilizing role of financial intermediaries (FIs) in economic development. By combining Marx’s real-time historical analysis of joint-stock investment banking in France with the theoretical treatment of financial accumulation in the Grundrisse and Capital, we extract a framework for understanding the role of financial intermediaries in capitalist development. Five propositions emerge: (1) FIs proliferate speculative claims to social wealth beyond realization; (2) FIs immobilize and misallocate capital; (3) State debt as ‘lender of last resort’ is ineffective; (4) FIs concentrate capitalist property; and (5) FIs play an explicit political role in “buying time” in class struggle to defer intractable conflicts to a later date. The object is to read Marx politically—to root Finance in class relations. Money advanced as credit is the promise to command future labor. Successful completion of the circuit of interest-bearing capital presupposes the successful imposition of surplus labor. We distinguish Marx’s analysis of speculative financial crises from Post-Keynesian views, recognizing that the uncertainty of money as capital is the uncertainty of the class struggle itself.
Ethnicity and Other Demographics Associated with Perceived Police Fairness

Past research suggests that ethnicity influences perceptions of the fairness and legality of police action. However, most studies focused on Black and White individuals with less attention to Hispanics, most studies did not control for other demographics, and most studies gave no consideration for differences according to region of the United States. The present study examines how perceptions of police fairness in home and vehicle searches differ according to ethnicity (Black, White, Hispanic), while controlling for other demographics (gender, age, income, prior legal experience), with separate analyses for individuals from the Southwest (Texas) and the Northwest (Pennsylvania). Participants included 334 Texas university students and 643 Pennsylvania university students who completed anonymous surveys to provide demographics and to rate how “reasonable and therefore legal” were eight home search cases and seven vehicle search cases reviewed by the Supreme Court. T-tests revealed that the two regions were similar in perceived police fairness for home searches, but Texas individuals perceived more police fairness in vehicle searches. ANCOVAs conducted separately by region revealed that White individuals perceived more police fairness in both home and vehicle searches than did Black or Hispanic individuals, but only in Pennsylvania. Additionally, more police fairness was reported by individuals who were older (in Pennsylvania), with more income (in Pennsylvania), and with more prior legal experience (in Texas). Present results suggest that ethnicity may not be the primary demographic associated with perceptions of police fairness, with learned personal and regional experiences just as important as predictors.
Engineering distal pulmonary epithelium from induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived alveolar cells

Background: Lung transplantation remains the only treatment for many end-stage lung diseases. However, donor organ shortage and the need for immunosuppression limit clinical impact. Cadaveric lungs can be decellularized to yield scaffolds that provide a suitable platform for tissue regeneration. Directed differentiation of human iPSCs toward a lung epithelial fate is a promising approach to facilitate the goal of whole organ regeneration with patient-specific cells. Objective: To investigate the capacity of iPSC-derived alveolar cells to form distal pulmonary epithelium on acellular lung scaffolds. Methods: Human iPSCs carrying Nkx2.1-GFP and SPC-TdTomato reporters were differentiated towards a lung alveolar fate by established protocols. SP-C+ alveolar cells were delivered to decellularized rat lungs (n=6) to repopulate the distal niche. Epithelial tissue formation was induced through extended ex vivo biomimetic culture. Regenerated lungs were analyzed for tissue architecture and cell fate. Acellular human lung slices were also repopulated with iPSC-derived cells in vitro. Seeded lung slices (n=12) were cultured, then tissue structure and cell fate were also analyzed. Results: Formation of early distal lung epithelial tissue with mature type II alveolar cell phenotype, expressing Nkx2.1, E-Cadherin, SP-C, SP-B was observed. We also identified AQP5 positive cells, which may identify a type 1 alveolar fate. Similar findings were seen on human lung slices. Conclusions: Human iPSC-derived alveolar epithelial cells can form distal lung epithelium on both rodent and human lung scaffolds, demonstrating the future potential for patient-specific lung regeneration at a transplantable scale.
Who Sang “the Harmodios”?

Scholars have usually treated the skolia celebrating Harmodios and Aristogeiton as reflecting composition near Hipparchos’ murder (514/3 B. C.), yet the songs betray traditions that developed significantly later. By the 420s, when Aristophanes indicates that the songs were popular, different versions of “the Harmodios” existed. One version, sung in the first person, likely reflects the views of those who saw certain democratic leaders as metaphorical “tyrants.” Other versions praised the current Athenian regime or served simply as hymns honoring the “tyrannicides.” The skolia reflect conditions of the later fifth century more than those around the time of the assassination.
The Feasibility of Implementing Normative Claims That Are Especially Strong and Important

Sisk et al. (2020) offer a useful framework for thinking about how implementation considerations can inform the specification of ethical norms. However, lurking in the corners of their argument is ...
The Action-Adventure Heroine: Rediscovering an American Literary Character, 1697–1895, by Sandra Wilson Smith

Consideration of the fluid and often dynamic interactions between literary figures and social context allows for valuable perspectives of both literature and society. Sandra Wilson Smith’s The Acti...
Cold War exiles and the CIA: plotting to free Russia: , by Benjamin Tromly, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2019, xvii+ 329 pp., $99.00 (hardcover), ISBN 978-0198840404

The Russian Civil War and Second World War sent hundreds of thousands of people from Russia into exile abroad. From the mid-1940s, American intelligence agencies began to recruit these emigres as s...
Mouse Retinal Cell Atlas: Molecular Identification of over Sixty Amacrine Cell Types.

Amacrine cells (ACs) are a diverse class of interneurons that modulate input from photoreceptors to retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), rendering each RGC type selectively sensitive to particular visual features, which are then relayed to the brain. While many AC types have been identified morphologically and physiologically, they have not been comprehensively classified or molecularly characterized. We used high-throughput single-cell RNA sequencing to profile >32,000 ACs from mice of both sexes and applied computational methods to identify 63 AC types. We identified molecular markers for each type and used them to characterize the morphology of multiple types. We show that they include nearly all previously known AC types as well as many that had not been described. Consistent with previous studies, most of the AC types expressed markers for the canonical inhibitory neurotransmitters GABA or glycine, but several expressed neither or both. In addition, many expressed one or more neuropeptides, and two expressed glutamatergic markers. We also explored transcriptomic relationships among AC types and identified transcription factors expressed by individual or multiple closely related types. Noteworthy among these were Meis2 and Tcf4, expressed by most GABAergic and most glycinergic types, respectively. Together, these results provide a foundation for developmental and functional studies of ACs, as well as means for genetically accessing them. Along with previous molecular, physiological, and morphologic analyses, they establish the existence of at least 130 neuronal types and nearly 140 cell types in the mouse retina. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The mouse retina is a leading model for analyzing the development, structure, function, and pathology of neural circuits. A complete molecular atlas of retinal cell types provides an important foundation for these studies. We used high-throughput single-cell RNA sequencing to characterize the most heterogeneous class of retinal interneurons, amacrine cells, identifying 63 distinct types. The atlas includes types identified previously as well as many novel types. We provide evidence for the use of multiple neurotransmitters and neuropeptides, and identify transcription factors expressed by groups of closely related types. Combining these results with those obtained previously, we proposed that the mouse retina contains ∼130 neuronal types and is therefore comparable in complexity to other regions of the brain.
Philosophy and International Law: A Critical Introduction

In Philosophy and International Law, David Lefkowitz examines core questions of legal and political philosophy through critical reflection on contemporary international law. Is international law really law? The answer depends on what makes law. Does the existence of law depend on coercive enforcement? Or institutions such as courts? Or fidelity to the requirements of the rule of law? Or conformity to moral standards? Answers to these questions are essential for determining the truth or falsity of international legal skepticism, and understanding why it matters. Is international law morally defensible? This book makes a start to answering that question by engaging with recent debates on the nature and grounds of human rights, the moral justifiability of the law of war, the concept of a crime against humanity, the moral basis of universal jurisdiction, the propriety of international law governing secession, and the justice of international trade law.
A non-canonical function for Centromere-associated protein-E (CENP-E)controls centrosome integrity and orientation of cell division

Summary Centromere-associated protein-E (CENP-E) is a kinesin motor localizing at kinetochores. Although its mitotic functions have been well studied, it has been challenging to investigate direct consequences of CENP-E removal using conventional methods because CENP-E depletion results in mitotic arrest. In this study, we harnessed an auxin-inducible degron system to achieve acute degradation of CENP-E. We revealed a kinetochore-independent role for CENP-E that removes pericentriolar material 1 (PCM1) from centrosomes in G2 phase. After acute loss of CENP-E, centrosomal Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) is sequestered by accumulated PCM1, resulting in aberrant phosphorylation and destabilization of centrosomes, which triggers loss of astral microtubules and oblique cell divisions. Furthermore, we also observed centrosome and cell division defects in cells from a microcephaly patient with mutations in CENPE. Orientation of cell division is deregulated in some microcephalic patients, and our unanticipated findings provide a unifying principle that explains how microcephaly can result from centrosomal defects.
FHOD formin and SRF promote striated muscle development through separate pathways in C. elegans.

Previous work with cultured cells has shown transcription of muscle genes by serum response factor (SRF) can be stimulated by actin polymerization driven by proteins of the formin family. However, it is not clear if endogenous formins similarly promote SRF-dependent transcription during muscle development in vivo. We tested whether formin activity promotes SRF-dependent transcription in striated muscle in the simple animal model, Caenorhabditis elegans. Our lab has shown FHOD-1 is the only formin that directly promotes sarcomere formation in the worm9s striated muscle. We show here FHOD-1 and SRF homolog UNC-120 both support muscle growth and also muscle myosin II heavy chain expression. However, while a hypomorphic unc-120 allele blunts transcription of a set of striated muscle genes, these genes are upregulated or unchanged by absence of FHOD-1. Instead, pharmacological inhibition of the proteasome restores myosin protein levels in worms lacking FHOD-1, suggesting elevated proteolysis accounts for their myosin deficit. Interestingly, proteasome inhibition does not restore normal muscle growth to fhod-1(Δ) mutants, suggesting formin contributes to muscle growth by some alternative mechanism. Overall, we find SRF does not depend on formin to promote muscle gene transcription in a simple in vivo system.
Probing the substitution pattern of indole-based scaffold reveals potent and selective sphingosine kinase 2 inhibitors

Abstract Elevated levels of sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and increased expression of sphingosine kinase isoforms (SphK1 and SphK2) have been implicated in a variety of disease states including cancer, inflammation, and autoimmunity. Consequently, the S1P signaling axis has become an attractive target for drug discovery. Selective inhibition of either SphK1 or SphK2 has been demonstrated to be effective in modulating S1P levels in animal models. While SphK1 inhibitors have received much attention, the development of potent and selective SphK2 inhibitors are emerging. Previously, our group reported a SphK2 naphthalene-based selective inhibitor, SLC5081308, which displays approximately 7-fold selectivity for hSphK2 over hSphK1 and has a SphK2 Ki value of 1.0 μM. To improve SphK2 potency and selectivity, we designed, synthesized, and evaluated a series of indole-based compounds derived from SLC5081308. After investigating substitution patterns around the indole ring, we discovered that 1,5-disubstitution promoted optimal binding in the SphK2 substrate binding site and subsequent inhibition of enzymatic activity. Our studies led to the identification of SLC5101465 (6r, SphK2 Ki = 90 nM, >110 fold selective for SphK2 over SphK1). Molecular modeling studies revealed key nonpolar interactions with Val308, Phe548, His556, and Cys533 and hydrogen bonds with both Asp211 and Asp308 as responsible for the high SphK2 inhibition and selectivity.
Who Gets Their First Job at a Large Firm? The Distinct Roles of Education and Skills

Young workers' early years in the labor market are a key and formative time. Using data from 31 countries, this article documents the selection of labor market entrants into large firms, which existing literature associates with propitious environments for young workers. The young and inexperienced are underrepresented at large firms compared to experienced and older workers. Entrants who do get their first job at large firms are positively selected in terms of education and cognitive skills. The patterns of large-firm selection (i.e., importance of education vs. skills) somewhat differ between Europe, East and Southeast Asia, and North America.
Omega-3 Supplementation and Heart Disease: A Population-Based Diet by Gene Analysis of Clinical Trial Outcomes.

Omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and their metabolites have long been recognized to protect against inflammation-related diseases including heart disease. Recent reports present conflicting evidence on the effects of n-3 PUFAs on major cardiovascular events including death. While some studies document that n-3 PUFA supplementation reduces the risk for heart disease, others report no beneficial effects on heart disease composite primary outcomes. Much of this heterogeneity may be related to the genetic variation in different individuals/populations that alters their capacity to synthesize biologically active n-3 and omega 6 (n-6) PUFAs and metabolites from their 18 carbon dietary precursors, linoleic acid (LA, 18:2 n-6) and alpha-linolenic (ALA, 18:3, n-3). Here, we discuss the role of a FADS gene-by-dietary PUFA interaction model that takes into consideration dietary exposure, including the intake of LA and ALA, n-3 PUFAs, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in determining the efficacy of n-3 PUFA supplementation. We also review recent clinical trials with n-3 PUFA supplementation and coronary heart disease in the context of what is known about fatty acid desaturase (FADS) gene-by-dietary PUFA interactions. Given the dramatic differences in the frequencies of FADS variants that impact the efficiency of n-3 and n-6 PUFA biosynthesis, and their downstream signaling products among global and admixture populations, we conclude that large clinical trials utilizing “one size fits all” n-3 PUFA supplementation approaches are unlikely to show effectiveness. However, evidence discussed in this review suggests that n-3 PUFA supplementation may represent an important opportunity where precision interventions can be focused on those populations that will benefit the most from n-3 PUFA supplementation.
Trigger Strategy in Repeated Tests on Multiple Hypotheses

The proposed trigger strategy is a general framework for a multistage statistical design with multiple hypotheses, allowing an adaptive selection of interim analyses. The selection of interim stage...
Integrated protocol for exitron and exitron-derived neoantigen identification using human RNA-seq data with ScanExitron and ScanNeo.

Summary Exitron splicing (EIS) events in cancers can disrupt functional protein domains to cause cancer driver effects. EIS has been recognized as a new source of tumor neoantigens. Here, we describe an integrated protocol for EIS and EIS-derived neoantigen identification using RNA-seq data. The protocol constitutes a step-by-step guide from data collection to neoantigen prediction. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Wang et al. (2021) .
Phylogeny, Ontogeny, Structure and Function of Digestive Tract Appendages (Caeca) in Teleost Fish

This chapter reviews the information published on fish digestive tract appendages (caeca) in divergent groups of fishes, and summarizes the findings of the investigations on their phylogeny, ontogeny, structure, and function. Teleost fishes include species with and without a stomach. A survey of both temperate and tropical fish revealed that more than 85% possess a stomach. Teleost fishes may be broadly divided into three feeding groups: omnivores, hervibores, and carnivores. Variation in stomach shape, size of intestine and number of caeca in the fish digestive tract has drawn the attention of many investigators. Two hypotheses regarding stomach-caeca-intestine relationship have been tested. First, since the stomach size and shape control the area around the gastrointestinal junction, and since the caeca are the gastrointestinal junctional appendages. Second, since the function of the caeca is to increase the surface area for the intestine, there should be some relationship between the number of caeca and size of intestine.
The role of resilience in alcohol use, drinking motives, and alcohol-related consequences among Hispanic college students.

Background: Hispanic college students experience minority stressors and are therefore at greater risk of experiencing alcohol-related consequences. Resilience may protect against problem drinking and related consequences, yet its relationship to drinking motives remains unexplored. Given that drinking motives precede both alcohol use and its consequences, investigating the role of resilience in such associations may inform interventions to reduce alcohol-related health disparities.Objectives: The current study investigated whether greater resilience predicted fewer drinking motives, lower alcohol consumption, and reduced the negative impact of drinking motives on alcohol consequences among Hispanic college students.Methods: Resilience, drinking motives and alcohol consequences were assessed among 443 students living on the U.S./Mexico border recruited via e-mail (68% female; Mage = 22.6 years, SD = 5.09). Linear regressions assessed whether drinking motives (i.e., coping, conformity, social, enhancement) and resilience predicted alcohol consumption. A linear regression also assessed resilience, drinking motives, and alcohol consumption as potential predictors of alcohol consequences. Lastly, linear regressions tested the moderating effects of resilience between each drinking motive and alcohol consumption as well as alcohol consequences.Results: Greater resilience predicted fewer alcohol-related consequences (β = -.024, p = .028). Additionally, resilience moderated the relationships social (β = -.095, p = .050) and enhancement drinking motives (β = -.084, p = .050) had with alcohol consequences. Higher social and enhancement motives were not associated with alcohol consequences among resilient individuals.Conclusion: Strengthening resilience among Hispanic students whose drinking is motivated by a desire for socialization or mood enhancement may protect against alcohol-related consequences.
Core needle biopsy and fine-needle aspiration in the diagnosis of bone and soft-tissue lesions.

Although core needle biopsy (CNB) and fine needle aspiration (FNA) procedures are widely used for the diagnosis of epithelial neoplasms, these procedures have not gained popularity on patients suspected of having bone or soft-tissue neoplasms. This article describes the University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center experience with CNB and FNA procedures in bone and soft tissue performed in over 800 patients.
Focal Initiation of Sustained and Nonsustained Ventricular Tachycardia in a Canine Model of Ischemic Cardiomyopathy

Focal Initiation of Ventricular Tachycardia in Ischemic HF. Introduction: To define the role of focal and reentrant mechanisms underlying nonsustained (NSVT) and sustained ventricular tachycardia (SuVT) induced by programmed stimulation, 3-dimensional cardiac mapping was performed in 8 dogs with heart failure (HF) created by multiple intracoronary microsphere embolizations. Methods and Results: Continuous recording from 232 intramural sites throughout the left and right ventricles and the interventricular septum was performed during programmed stimulation in the absence and presence of isoproterenol (Iso, 0.1 μg/kg/min). Sinus beats and the last extrastimuli preceding induced VT conducted with total activation times (TA) of 51 ± 10 and 111 ± 8 milliseconds, respectively, that did not change during Iso infusion (47 ± 4 and 109 ± 5 milliseconds, P = NS). NSVT was induced in 75% of HF dogs; SuVT was induced in 38%. In all cases, initiation and maintenance of SuVT and NSVT arose by a focal mechanism. Compared to NSVT, SuVT had a shorter coupling interval (CI; 150 ± 7 vs 186 ± 16, P < 0.05) and a predilection for certain critical subendocardial initiation sites (that were initiation sites for only 29% of NSVT beats). After 21–30 beats, acceleration of SuVT by a focal mechanism to a CI less than 120 milliseconds led to functional conduction delay (TA increasing from 111 ± 3 to 137 ± 3 milliseconds, P < 0.0001), intramural reentry, and transition to ventricular fibrillation. Conclusions: Thus, initiation of SuVT in a model of ischemic HF is due to a focal mechanism. However, subsequent acceleration of this focal mechanism can ultimately lead to functional conduction delay and development of intramural reentry. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 23, pp. 543-552, May 2012)