cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Javier de la Garza and Alejandro Arango: Reevaluating Signs of Identity

Examining the artwork, sources of inspiration, and artistic philosophies of artists Alejandro Arango, and Javier de la Garza in this article, the author shows that subversion is a key aspect of the so-called neo-Mexicanist current of the 1980s. The author focuses on a series of paintings comprising Arango's La conquista (The Conquest) and De la Garza's Inocencia perdida (Lost Innocence), exhibitions presented in Mexico City at the Galeria omr in the mid-1 980s. What motivates each artist's particular treatment of a common theme—the Conquest—is revealed. Showing how Arango and De la Garza's artwork challenges essentializing constructions of national identity, the author proposes that neo-Mexicanist art does not blindly praise, but at times blatantly parodies an official nationalism that glorifies the indigenous past while it ignores the largely disenfranchised indigenous presence.
Burke's encounter with ransom: Rhetoric and epistemology in “four master tropes”

Abstract Between August of 1939 and February of 1942 Kenneth Burke maintained a vigorous correspondence with John Crowe Ransom, the editor of the Kenyon Review. The conversation between the two men delved repeatedly into the intersections of rhetoric and epistemology, and took as its point of departure an influential essay written by Burke and published by Ransom: “Four Master Tropes.” In this article, I contextualize “Four Master Tropes” against the author‐editor conversation in order to clarify the Burkean relationship between rhetoric and knowledge. I argue that Burke understands rhetoric as a core epistemological practice operative in every discovery of “truth.”
Arthroscopic Versus Open Shoulder Stabilization for Recurrent Anterior Instability A Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial

BackgroundArthroscopic stabilization for anterior shoulder instability has been reported to result in a higher rate of recurrent instability compared to traditional open techniques.PurposeTo test the null hypothesis that there is no difference in the clinical outcomes in patients with recurrent anterior shoulder instability treated with open or arthroscopic stabilization.Study DesignRandomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.MethodsA consecutive series of 64 patients with recurrent anterior shoulder instability were randomized to receive either arthroscopic or open stabilization by a single surgeon. Magnetic resonance arthrogram studies were obtained preoperatively. These findings were compared to arthroscopic findings. Postoperative evaluations included range of motion, stability, and subjective assessments including Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation, Simple Shoulder Test, Western Ontario Instability Index, and University of California, Los Angeles evaluation. Failure was defined as a second di...
Working hard for recovery: mitotic kinases in the DNA damage checkpoint

Cell division in mitosis is tightly regulated via a group of protein kinases. Activation of these mitotic kinases is inhibited by the DNA damage checkpoint that arrests the cell cycle in interphase and prevents mitotic entry. Interestingly, it has been shown that the DNA damage checkpoint is feedback regulated by several mitotic kinases. These kinases are reactivated from checkpoint arrest to deactivate the checkpoint and restart cell cycle progression, thereby allowing the cell to recover from the DNA damage checkpoint. The emerging role of mitotic kinases in the DNA damage pathway provides important insights into cancer progression and treatment.
The Global AM Radio Conundrum

Due to electronic radio frequency encroachment, AM radio signal quality is deteriorating. As a result, the U.S. FCC is offering unprecedented technical assistance. This exploratory study documents the disposition of media managers about the future of the AM band in North America and Europe, the recent FCC’s efforts and role of new digital technologies. Findings show that elite interviewees offered candid and surprising comments on the state of AM radio and the advent of digital delivery.
Chromatographic resolution and quantitative assay of CNS tissue sphingoids and sphingolipids

Quantitative separation of ceramide, sphingoids (di- hydrosphingosine, sphingosine, psychosine), and glycosphin- golipids as individual fractions was achieved with silicic acid, Dowex column chromatography, and specific solvent mixtures that have not been previously described. Purified ceramide, re- solved as a single band, was assayed by thin-layer chromatogra- phy (TLC) followed by gas chromatography (GC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Sphingoids, pu- rified by Dowex, were assayed by GC and HPLC without mild alkaline hydrolysis, which reduces the yield by interfering with the free amino group of psychosine and dihydrosphingosine. Several less polar (than cerebroside) alkali-/acid-labile gly- cosphingolipids that elute with galactosylceramide were also identified. Neutral and acidic glycosphingolipids, quantita- tively recovered and purified to homogeneity, were resolved by TLC. We used these techniques to determine sphingolipids and sphingoids of vertebrate central nervous system (CNS) tis- sue, using as little as 30-50 mg (wet weight) of tissue. In addi- tion, phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin, relevant to cera- mide metabolism, were quantitatively recovered in pure form and resolved by TLC. This method, used to study CNS sphin- golipid content, may well be applicable to determine the sphin- golipid composition of other tissues and cell culture, but fur- ther experiments are necessary to ascertain this. — Dasgupta, S., and E. L. Hogan. Chromatographic resolution and quantita- tive assay of CNS tissue sphingoids and sphingolipids. J. Lipid Res. 2001. 42: 301-308.
Tobacco Hornworm: Marking the Spermatophore with Water-Soluble Stains

Water-soluble vital stains administered to adult Manduca sexta (L.) by feeding or by injection into the haemocoel were effective in marking spermatophores. However, injection was the more efficient technique and did not damage the moths. Of more than 60 stains that were screened, rhodamine B, methylene blue chloride, pararosaniline acetate, and pararosaniline hydrochloride were the only dyes which stained the spermatophore. Well-stained spermatophores were transferred by males that had been treated with rhodamine B 72 hours before the males were allowed an opportunity to mate.
The Effects of Personality Type and Stress on Muscle Activity during Simulated Work Tasks

The research presented here explores the relationships between individual (e.g., personality type) and environment (e.g., time stress) psychosocial factors and muscle activity. Twenty-five subjects participated in this laboratory study. Personality type was assessed using the Jenkins Activity Survey. Participants (12 Type A and 13 Type B) performed a pipetting task under verbally imposed “no time stress” and “time stress” conditions. Independent variables included personality type, gender, condition order, and stress condition. Dependent measures included normalized integrated electromyography (NIEMG) from ten muscles. The effect of personality type on muscle activity was completely moderated by gender. Type A female dominant flexor activity was 57% of the Type B activity. Type A male dominant flexor activity was 188% of the Type B activity. Time stress increased muscle activity by 9 to 23% in six of the muscles sampled. However, the dominant flexor and extensor activities only increased (by 25 to 29%) fo...
Reactive oxygen species and the neurodegenerative disorders

The major neurodegenerative disorders include Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis. Although their etiology and pathogenesis are unknown, numerous recent studies suggest that oxygen-derived free radicals play an important in brain ischemia and reperfusion. Down's syndrome, and the mitochondrial encephalopathies. In this review, evidence for oxygen-derived free radicals in the pathogenesis of these disorders is discussed.
Productivity Change and Growth in Industry and Agriculture: An International Comparison

On the supply side, the growth of an economy, an industry, or a firm is determined by the rate of expansion of its productive resources and by improvements in their efficiency; that is, by total factor productivity (TFP) growth. In the short run, where there are limits to how fast employable resources can grow, achieving high rates of productivity change offers an important avenue for accelerating economic growth under resource constraints, while in the medium to long term, differential rates of productivity growth among economic activities have a major impact on resource allocation and structural change in an economy.
The Laboratory Assessment of Childhood Sleep-Wake Disorders

ABSTRACT.Awareness of the ontogenetic aspects of sleep is a pre-requisite to the proper laboratory assessment of sleep-wake disorders of childhood because normative data pertaining to respiration and sleep change continuously from infancy through adolescence. Obstructed breathing may manifest itself either in the form of obstructive sleep apnea or the upper airway resistance syndrome. There is no consensus about the scoring of hypopneas in childhood. Daytime sleepiness is evaluated using a combination of sleep history, nocturnal polysomnography, and the multiple sleep latency test. Serial batteries of tests may be needed to make a definitive diagnosis of narcolepsy in a child. The combination of wrist actigraphy and sleep logs is useful in the evaluation of circadian rhythm disorders. This paper summarizes practical information relevant to EEG and sleep technologists.
Thermodynamic and dynamic responses of the hydrological cycle to solar dimming

Abstract. The fundamental role of the hydrological cycle in the global climate system motivates a thorough evaluation of its responses to climate change and mitigation. The Geoengineering Model Intercomparison Project (GeoMIP) is a coordinated international effort to assess the climate impacts of solar geoengineering, a proposal to counteract global warming with a reduction in incoming solar radiation. We assess the mechanisms underlying the rainfall response to a simplified simulation of such solar dimming (G1) in the suite of GeoMIP models and identify robust features. While solar geoengineering nearly restores preindustrial temperatures, the global hydrology is altered. Tropical precipitation changes dominate the response across the model suite, and these are driven primarily by shifts of the Hadley circulation cells. We report a damping of the seasonal migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) in G1, associated with preferential cooling of the summer hemisphere, and annual mean ITCZ shifts in some models that are correlated with the warming of one hemisphere relative to the other. Dynamical changes better explain the varying tropical rainfall anomalies between models than changes in relative humidity or the Clausius–Clapeyron scaling of precipitation minus evaporation (P − E), given that the relative humidity and temperature responses are robust across the suite. Strong reductions in relative humidity over vegetated land regions are likely related to the CO2 physiological response in plants. The uncertainty in the spatial distribution of tropical P − E changes highlights the need for cautious consideration and continued study before any implementation of solar geoengineering.
Longitudinal Evaluation of Eye Misalignment and Eye Movements Following Surgical Correction of Strabismus in Monkeys

Purpose Strabismus correction surgery is well documented in both the literature and practice with varying levels of success and permanence. Our goal was to characterize longitudinal changes in eye alignment and eye movements following strabismus correction surgery in a monkey model for developmental strabismus. Methods We studied two juvenile rhesus monkeys with exotropia previously induced via an optical prism-rearing paradigm in infancy. Eye misalignment was corrected via a resection-recession surgery of the horizontal rectus muscles of one eye. Binocular search coils were used to collect eye movement data during smooth-pursuit, saccades, and fixation tasks before surgical treatment, immediately after surgery, and through 6 months after treatment. Results Both animals showed an immediate ∼70% reduction in misalignment as a consequence of surgery that regressed to a 20%-40% improvement by 6 months after treatment. Significant changes were observed in saccade and smooth-pursuit gain of the nonviewing eye after surgery, which also reverted to presurgical values by 6 months. A temporary improvement in fixation stability of the nonviewing eye was observed after surgery; naso-temporal (N/T) asymmetry of monocular smooth-pursuit remained unchanged. Conclusions Surgical realignment is followed by plastic changes that often lead to reversal of surgery effects. Immediate improvement in misalignment and changes in eye movement gains are likely a result of contractility changes at the level of the extraocular muscle, whereas longer-term effects are likely a combination of neural and muscle adaptation.
BACTERIAL FLORA OF PREFROZEN DRY-CURED HAM AT THREE PROCESSING TIME PERIODS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO QUALITY

Hams frozen, stored, thawed, and dry-cured were sampled microbiologically after thawing, after curing, and after 30 days aging at about 34.5 C and about 62.5% relative humidity. Selective isolation techniques were made on samples from the surface of the butt, shank, and cushion surfaces and internally from the butt, shank, cushion, knuckle, semitendinosus, and biceps femoris of each ham. Surface samples and intra-muscular shank samples contained the greatest total number of microorganisms. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus aureus were present in highest numbers at each ham location and at each processing time. The number of microbial cells per gram increased after curing above that in the fresh hams and then decreased generally after aging. No adverse effects on quality were observed and quality appeared unaffected as bacterial numbers changed. Lancefield D group streptococci, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and species of Micrococcus, Proteus, and Bacillus were present in low numbers within the hams. Moistur...
Investing in the future: cooperative education in biomedical engineering.

Cooperative education programs offer students real-world experience as they prepare to enter the workforce. Here at the University of Cincinnati (UC), the Professional Practice Program provides a co-op opportunity to the school's biomedical engineering students. UC coop students expand their learning opportunities by alternating quarters of classroom study with paid, degree-related work-integrating theory learned in the classroom with practice in the workplace. Recently, I visited one of UC's co-op employers, AtriCure, Inc. of West Chester, OH, for a field observation of the program. AtriCure develops innovative products used by doctors to ablate tissue during surgical procedures. (For more information, visit www.AtriCure.com). I interviewed four UC engineering students and their supervisors, and asked them what the co-op does for the student and for AtriCure.
Catch shares slow the race to fish

A large-scale treatment–control meta-analysis of US fisheries provides evidence that the implementation of catch shares extend fishing seasons by slowing the race to fish. In fisheries, the competitive race to fish reduces fishing season length, threatens fish stocks and leads to ecological damage, economic waste and safety risks. Catch shares—whereby fishermen, fishing vessels or cooperatives are allocated a portion of the total allowable catch—are thought to slow the race to fish, but evidence to date has been limited to individual fisheries. In this meta-analysis, Martin Smith and colleagues show that the beneficial effect of catch shares on the race to fish holds true across 39 fisheries in the US. They suggest that these findings can inform the current debate over the expansion of market-based regulatory measures, such as catch shares, in fisheries. In fisheries, the tragedy of the commons manifests as a competitive race to fish that compresses fishing seasons, resulting in ecological damage, economic waste, and occupational hazards1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8. Catch shares are hypothesized to halt the race by securing each individual’s right to a portion of the total catch, but there is evidence for this from selected examples only2,9. Here we systematically analyse natural experiments to test whether catch shares reduce racing in 39 US fisheries. We compare each fishery treated with catch shares to an individually matched control before and after the policy change. We estimate an average policy treatment effect in a pooled model and in a meta-analysis that combines separate estimates for each treatment–control pair. Consistent with the theory that market-based management ends the race to fish, we find strong evidence that catch shares extend fishing seasons. This evidence informs the current debate over expanding the use of market-based regulation to other fisheries.
Distal cues and latent extinction

The hypothesis was tested that the failure of Bugelski et al (1952) to obtain latent extinction effects in a “replication” of Seward and Levy’s (1949) latent extinction study was due to the absence of differential extra-maze stimuli at the ends of the runway in Bugelski’s study. In the present study rats were run with and without differential cues and the results supported the hypothesis thus resolving the apparent contradiction.
A Catholic Moral Analysis of Legislative Defaults in Organ Donation

One strategy that has been implemented in numerous nations, particularly in the European Union, to try to increase the availability of transplantable organs is to legislatively change the default option for organ donation from one that is opt-in to one that is opt-out. In an opt-in system, an individual is required to unambiguously consent for organ donation, usually by signing and by carrying an organ donor card, for his organs to be harvested upon his death. In contrast, in an opt-out system, a person is required to unambiguously reject organ donation to prevent his organs from being procured for transplantation upon his death. This change in social policy cannot be justified, because the requirement for informed consent is an integral element of the Catholic Church’s teaching on the morality of organ donation and transplantation for at least three non-negotiable reasons. First, informed consent respects the essential formality of the donated organ as a gift that one person gives to another in an act of charity. Next, informed consent prior to organ donation allows the donor to intend a friendship of virtue with the organ recipient, even in cases where he will not live to meet his friend. These friendships sustain the common good. Finally, informed consent affirms and protects the intrinsic dignity and inviolability of the human organ donor who alone is able to give himself away to another person through the materiality of his body.
The Changing Politics of American Federalism

This article synthesizes and interprets contemporary research on the changing relationships between American federalism and the U.S. political system. It does so by examining how three important po...
Area models to image integer and binomial multiplication

ABSTRACTMiddle-grades mathematics prospective teachers (PSTs) participated in three iterations of a design experiment that explored their current conceptualizations of integer and binomial multipli...
Comorbidities and Positioning: Morbid Obesity and Multiple Trauma

Neurosurgical positioning is challenging even in a controlled environment. Comorbidities such as morbid obesity and polytrauma make operative positioning even more challenging. Prone positioning requires extra thought and preparation, especially in the obese patient. Extensive preoperative workup may be required. Intra-abdominal pressure should be minimized. Great care must be taken when positioning to avoid peripheral nerve injury, pressure points sores, and ischemic optic neuropathy. Positioning of the polytrauma patient is equally challenging and requires cooperation between the anesthesia team and multiple surgical teams in time-pressured emergency situations. Protection of the spine during intubation and positioning is key.
Understanding Human Aging Patterns from a Machine Perspective

Recent research shows that the aging patterns deeply learned from large-scale data lead to significant performance improvement on age estimation. However, the insight about why and how deep learning models achieved superior performance is inadequate. In this paper, we propose to analyze, visualize and understand the deep aging patterns. We first train a series of convolutional neural networks for age estimation, and then illustrate the learning outcomes using feature maps, activation histograms, and deconvolution. We also develop a visualization method that can compare the facial appearance and track its changes at different ages through the mapping between 2D images and a 3D face template. Our framework provides an innovative way to understand human facial aging process from a machine perspective.
Media Images of Environmental Biotechnology: What does the Public See?

Environmental biotechnology, as a method for effective and economical treatment of hazardous wastes, is one of the most recent applications of biotechnology to a major societal problem. Research and development in this area continues apace, though fundamental policy questions relating to the successful transfer of technology from laboratories to the private sector remain unanswered. How, and to what extent the government should regulate environmental biotechnology, and educate and inform the public are critical issues that public policy makers must address.
The Transmission/Scattering of Elastic Waves by a Simple Inhomogeneity — A Comparison of Theories

The method of equivalent inclusion, originally developed by Eshelby1,2 was first applied to study dynamic behavior of composite laminates by Wheeler and Mura3 where they neglected the presence of the mass density mismatch. Fu4,5 gave a similar formulation for the problem of a pair of ellipsoidal inhomogeneities embedded in an infinite elastic medium subjected to time-harmonic waves. A complete formulation and presentation of analytic and numerical results for a single ellipsoidal inhomogeneity are subsequently given by Fu6 following his work on the ultrasonic determination of fracture toughness, References (7) and (8). The eigenstrain approach is employed and the eigenstrains are expanded as a geometric series in position vector.
Immunological Characterization of Fungal Enzymes and Biological Chelators Involved in Lignocellulose Degradation

Understanding the basic mechanisms underlying wood decay is currently of interest because of the need for decay prevention in in-service wooden structures. Additional interest stems from the potential use of biological processes to modify or alter wood, and thereby produce useful chemicals, fuels, pulp, or other materials. Although cellulose and lignin (the basic components of wood) are the two most abundant organic materials on earth, still little is known about the mechanisms involved in their degradation. It has long been postulated that enzymes are involved in the decay process, but the first ligninase from a white-rot fungus was isolated for characterization only as recently as 1983 (Tien and Kirk). More attention has been focused on this field in the last six years but still little is known about enzymes and other metabolites from wood degrading fungi. This is particularly true with regard to how, and if, both cellulose and lignin destroying enzymes penetrate into the wood substance to cause degradation.
Caldesmon: Possible Functions in Microfilament Reorganization During Mitosis and Cell Transformation

Microfilaments are intimately involved in the morphological alterations observed both in cell transformation and mitosis. In both cases, microfilamenets show significant re-organization. While “normal” cells with well-spread morphologies have numerous bundles of microfilaments, transformed cells with rounded morphologies show dispersed microfilament patterns1. These changes in the structure of actin cables, as well as in substrate adhesion, are closely coupled with proliferation in both normal and transformed cells1, suggesting that the microfilament cytoskeleton may play an important role in oncogenic transformation. The process of cell division causes similar alterations in microfilament patterns to those seen in transformed cells. Microfilament bundles disassemble when cells become rounded-up during prophase2,3 resulting in a cytoarchitecture resembling the dispersed microfilament patterns seen in the many transformed cell types which exhibit rounded morphologies. Microfilament bundles that are anchored to focal contacts are also disrupted in both mitotic and transformed cells, causing reduced adhesion of such cells to their substrates. These observations suggest that cell transformation and cell division control are intimately related, not just superficially, but at the level of molecular control.
Conventional fuel/hybrid electric vehicles

Abstract: This chapter presents an introductory overview of the basic hybrid power trains for vehicles. The three fundamental topologies of hybrid power plants, series, parallel, and series-parallel, are introduced. some variations of these basic topologies, such as, plug-in hybrids are also discussed. Finally, basic behavior and performance of example hybrid vehicles is presented for further insight. The objective is to familiarize the reader with the basic concepts of hybrid electric vehicles and to serve as a gateway for more detailed study of the subject.
Microlocal Analysis of Singularities from Directional Multiscale Representations

The classical wavelet transform is a remarkably effective tool for the analysis of pointwise regularity of functions and distributions. During the last decade, the emergence of a new generation of multiscale representations has extended the classical wavelet approach leading to the introduction of a class of generalized wavelet transforms—most notably the shearlet transform—which offers a much more powerful framework for microlocal analysis. In this paper, we show that the shearlet transform enables a precise geometric characterization of the set of singularities of a large class of multidimensional functions and distributions, going far beyond the capabilities of the classical wavelet transform. This paper generalizes and extends several results that previously appeared in the literature and provides the theoretical underpinning for advanced applications from image processing and pattern recognition including edge detection, shape classification, and feature extraction.
Reactive Ion Etching of Silicon Containing Resists

Advanced multi-layer lithography techniques are currently being developed to meet future processing requirements.1 Both bi-layer processes,2 and the more recent gas-phase functionalized single layer processes3 aim to enhance etch resistance by building silicon into the resist polymer or by adding it selectively after exposure. The materials may then be etched in an oxygen plasma, which converts the silicon to an oxidized species4 and allows pattern transfer into the underlying hydrocarbon materials. Regardless of the method used to incorporate silicon into a resist, the ultimate resolution of this process is a function of the plasma etching process as well as the lithographic performance. Since the planarizing layer may often be 5 to 10 times thicker than the silicon containing resist (or region), etch anisotropy is a primary concern, and low pressure RIE plasmas are used.
Study of fuel cell thermal control systems for advanced missions.

This study evaluated many heat rejection and thermal control concepts which could be applied to fuel cells for long term (600 hours) orbital and lunar surface missions. The concepts considered several types of radiators which utilized pumped gas, liquid and two phase working fluids and incorporated solid conduction fins as well as heat pipe (vapor chamber) fins. The comparison of the concepts was based on weight, area and other factors such as standby power, ability to accommodate heat load variation, control complexity, and meteoroid survival capability. A design selection matrix was established and an optimum (primary) and an alternate (secondary) heat rejection concept was chosen. Heat rejection techniques utilizing self-controlled heat pipe radiators dominate the results.
Differential contribution of chronic binge alcohol and antiretroviral therapy to metabolic dysregulation in SIV-infected male macaques.

The incidence of alcohol use disorder (AUD) is higher among people living with HIV (PLWH). The advent and continued development of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has significantly reduced mortality, ...
Investigating the Reliability of the Sentence Verification Technique

Reading comprehension plays an important role in achievement for all academic domains. The purpose of this study is to describe the sentence verification technique (SVT) (Royer, Hastings, & Hook, 1...
New Exogeneity Tests & Causal Paths

Statistically dependent X and Y have conditional density f(Y|X) asymmetrically different from unconditional f(Y). Theorem 1 com- pares two flipped kernel regressions to derive necessary conditions for causal path X --> Y and exogeneity meaning that X is self-driven. Hausman-Wu's indirect exogeneity test diagnoses a disease (endogeneity) by showing that instrumental variables (IV) estimator remedy 'works.' Instead, a unanimity index-based test aggregates evidence from four orders of stochastic dominance and new asymmetric partial correlation coefficients to determine the direction and strength of causal and exogenous variables. A simulation supports our decision rules. An illustration identifies exogenous variables which can help predict US economic recession.
Robot-assisted vesicovaginal fistula repair via a transvesical approach.

The objective of this video is to demonstrate a technique for robot-assisted vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) repair utilizing a mini cystotomy with a transvesical approach. A 53-year-old female developed a VVF after she underwent an abdominal hysterectomy for uterine fibroids at an outside facility. She was referred to us following two failed VVF repairs (one vaginal, one abdominal with bladder bivalving and omental flap). After discussing options, she underwent a robotic VVF repair via a transvesical approach. Following port placement, the space of Retzius was mobilized. An intentional cystotomy was made and the camera and working arms advanced into the bladder. The fistula was identified and circumferentially mobilized. The fistula was closed in three layers using absorbable sutures, and care was taken to avoid the ureters. The patient’s postoperative recovery was uncomplicated. Follow-up imaging was performed via cystogram at 4 weeks and showed resolution of the fistula. A robot-assisted transvesical approach using a mini cystotomy to VVF repair is a useful technique especially when previous surgical planes have been used in prior repairs and failed. It maintains a minimally invasive approach and may avoid complications associated with an open abdominal approach.
Central nervous system circuits that control body temperature

Maintenance of mammalian core body temperature within a narrow range is a fundamental homeostatic process to optimize cellular and tissue function, and to improve survival in adverse thermal environments. Body temperature is maintained during a broad range of environmental and physiological challenges by central nervous system circuits that process thermal afferent inputs from the skin and the body core to control the activity of thermoeffectors. These include thermoregulatory behaviors, cutaneous vasomotion (vasoconstriction and, in humans, active vasodilation), thermogenesis (shivering and brown adipose tissue), evaporative heat loss (salivary spreading in rodents, and human sweating). This review provides an overview of the central nervous system circuits for thermoregulatory reflex regulation of thermoeffectors.
Auditing the Partisanship of Google Search Snippets

The text snippets presented in web search results provide users with a slice of page content that they can quickly scan to help inform their click decisions. However, little is known about how these snippets are generated or how they relate to a user's search query. Motivated by the growing body of evidence suggesting that search engine rankings can influence undecided voters, we conducted an algorithm audit of the political partisanship of Google Search snippets relative to the webpages they are extracted from. To accomplish this, we constructed lexicon of partisan cues to measure partisanship and construct a set of left- and right-leaning search queries. Then, we collected a large dataset of Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) by running our partisan queries and their autocomplete suggestions on Google Search. After using our lexicon to score the machine-coded partisanship of snippets and webpages, we found that Google Search's snippets generally amplify partisanship, and that this effect is robust across different types of webpages, query topics, and partisan (left- and right-leaning) queries.
Safety and efficacy of treatment with lumacaftor in combination with ivacaftor in younger patients with cystic fibrosis

Introduction: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common autosomal recessive disorder among Caucasians affecting ~70,000 people worldwide. The lack of functional cystic fibrosis transmembrane conducta...
Brain Aging in Midlife: The Beaver Dam Offspring Study.

Objectives Middle age has been identified as a critical time period for health later in life. Identifying factors associated with worse brain function in middle-aged adults may help identify ways to preserve brain function with aging. Our objective was to evaluate factors associated with a novel measure of brain aging in middle-aged and older adults. Design Longitudinal cohort study. Setting Beaver Dam Offspring Study (BOSS) baseline (2005-2008), 5-year (2010-2013), and 10-year examinations (2015-2017). Participants A total of 2285 adults, 22 to 84 years of age, with complete sensorineural and neurocognitive data at the 5-year examination. Measurements Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed combining 5-year sensorineural (hearing, vision, olfaction) and cognitive (Trail Making Test A and B, Digit Symbol Substitution Test, Verbal Fluency Test, Auditory Verbal Learning Test) test data. Participants with a standardized PCA score less than -1 were classified as having brain aging. Incident brain aging was defined as a PCA score less than -1 at 10 years among participants who had a PCA score of -1 or higher at 5 years. Logistic regression and Poisson models were used to estimate associations between baseline factors and prevalent or incident brain aging, respectively. Results Older age, being male, current smoking, larger waist circumference, not consuming alcohol, cardiovascular disease, and interleukin-6 were associated with greater odds of prevalent brain aging, whereas more education and exercise were associated with decreased odds. In addition to age and sex, less than a college education, higher levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1, diabetes, depressive symptoms, and history of head injury were associated with an increased 5-year risk of incident brain aging. Conclusion In the current study, vascular and inflammatory factors were associated with a new brain aging marker in middle-aged and older adults. Many of these factors are modifiable, highlighting the importance of addressing health and lifestyle factors in midlife to potentially preserve function for better brain health later in life. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:1610-1616, 2019.
High-Complexity shRNA Libraries and PI3 Kinase Inhibition in Cancer: High-Fidelity Synthetic Lethality Predictions

Deregulated signal transduction is a cancer hallmark, and its complexity and interconnectivity imply that combination therapy should be considered, but large data volumes that cover the complexity are required in user-friendly ways. Here, we present a searchable database resource of synthetic lethality with a PI3 kinase signal transduction inhibitor by performing a saturation screen with an ultra-complex shRNA library containing 30 independent shRNAs per gene target. We focus on Ras-PI3 kinase signaling with T cell leukemia as a screening platform for multiple clinical and experimental reasons. Our resource predicts multiple combination-based therapies with high fidelity, ten of which we confirmed with small molecule inhibitors. Included are biochemical assays, as well as the IPI145 (duvelisib) inhibitor. We uncover the mechanism of synergy between the PI3 kinase inhibitor GDC0941 (pictilisib) and the tubulin inhibitor vincristine and demonstrate broad synergy in 28 cell lines of 5 cancer types and efficacy in preclinical leukemia mouse trials.
Effect of gravity in the Cassie-to-Wenzel transition on a micropatterned surface

When the Cassie-Baxter and Wenzel states coexist for a liquid droplet on a micropatterned surface, the Cassie-to-Wenzel transition takes place if the energy barrier is overcome. Although multiple metastable states coexist due to the micropattern, this paper presents a simple Cassie-to-Wenzel transition of a 2 uL water droplet on a particular micropillared surface: When the droplet is gently deposited above the surface, it equalizes to the Cassie state at zero gravity; however, it transitions to the Wenzel state at the terrestrial gravity, in which the gravitational potential energy overcomes the energy barrier between the Cassie and Wenzel states.
Being acted: dramaturgical masochism in Henry James’s ‘Nona Vincent’

This article offers a new account of masochism, retheorising it in terms of both gender and artistic practice through a reading of Henry James’s ‘Nona Vincent’ (1892). In this story, theatre struct...
Fibrosis, atrial fibrillation and stroke: clinical updates and emerging mechanistic models

The current paradigm of stroke risk assessment and mitigation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is centred around clinical risk factors which, in the presence of AF, lead to thrombus formation. The mechanisms by which these clinical risk factors lead to thromboembolism, including any role played by atrial fibrosis, are not understood. In patients who had embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS), the problem is compounded by the absence of AF in a majority of patients despite long-term monitoring. Atrial fibrosis has emerged as a unifying mechanism that independently provides a substrate for arrhythmia and thrombus formation. Fibrosis-based computational models of AF initiation and maintenance promise to identify therapeutic targets in catheter ablation. In ESUS, fibrosis is also increasingly recognised as a major risk factor, but the underlying mechanism of this correlation is unclear. Simulations have uncovered potential vulnerability to arrhythmia induction in patients who had ESUS. Likewise, computational models of fluid dynamics representing blood flow in the left atrium and left atrium appendage have improved our understanding of thrombus formation, in particular left atrium appendage shapes and blood flow changes influenced by atrial remodelling. Multiscale modelling of blood flow dynamics based on structural fibrotic and morphological changes with associated cellular and tissue electrical remodelling leading to electromechanical abnormalities holds tremendous promise in providing a mechanistic understanding of the clinical problem of thromboembolisation. We present a review of clinical knowledge alongside computational modelling frameworks and conclude with a vision of a future paradigm integrating simulations in formulating personalised treatment plans for each patient.
Interdigitated Back Contact (IBC) Heterojunction (HJ) Si Solar Cell Fabrication by Laser Patterning

The laser processing method for the fabrication of IBC-HJ solar cells has been reported in the past but the issue of laser-induced defects is not well addressed. This study has focused on the effects of nanosecond laser patterning of amorphous silicon-based passivation layers in an IBC-HJ solar cell structure. The effect of laser processing parameters on laser-induced defects was characterized by micro photoluminescence, carrier lifetime measurements and surface morphology by Scanning Electron Microscope. High carrier lifetime and high photoluminescence under optimum nanosecond pulsed laser processing conditions were achieved, indicating the minimum effect on surface passivation.
IL-6 Directed Therapy in Transplantation

IL-6 is a pleiotropic, pro-inflammatory cytokine that plays an integral role in the development of acute and chronic rejection after solid organ transplantation. This article reviews the experimental evidence and current clinical application of IL-6/IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) signaling inhibition for the prevention and treatment of allograft injury. There exists a robust body of evidence linking IL-6 to allograft injury mediated by acute inflammation, adaptive cellular/humoral responses, innate immunity, and fibrosis. IL-6 promotes the acute phase reaction, induces B cell maturation/antibody formation, directs cytotoxic T-cell differentiation, and inhibits regulatory T-cell development. Importantly, blockade of the IL-6/IL-6R signaling pathway has been shown to mitigate its harmful effects in experimental studies, particularly in models of kidney and heart transplant rejection. Currently, available agents for IL-6 signaling inhibition include monoclonal antibodies against IL-6 or IL-6R and janus kinase inhibitors. Recent clinical trials have investigated the use of tocilizumab, an anti-IL-6R mAb, for desensitization and treatment of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) in kidney transplant recipients, with promising initial results. Further studies are underway investigating the use of alternative agents including clazakizumab, an anti-IL-6 mAb, and application of IL-6 signaling blockade to clinical cardiac transplantation. IL-6/IL-6R signaling inhibition provides a novel therapeutic option for the prevention and treatment of allograft injury. To date, evidence from clinical trials supports the use of IL-6 blockade for desensitization and treatment of AMR in kidney transplant recipients. Ongoing and future clinical trials will further elucidate the role of IL-6 signaling inhibition in other types of solid organ transplantation.
Faraday effect in polycrystalline Mn-doped InSb for LWIR applications

The Faraday rotation (FR) in Mn-doped InSb (Mn-InSb) depends on extremely low doping of Mn into the InSb lattice. The polycrystalline Mn-InSb was prepared by direct alloying of InSb and Mn2Sb, followed by slow cooling of the melt. X-ray diffraction confirms the incorporation of Mn into the In sites, whereas the non-uniform precipitation of MnSb micro-nanoprecipitates was observed via SEM images. The FR of Mn-InSb was measured at room temperature in the 8 to 12 µm spectral range and compared to commercially-available undoped InSb as well as Te-doped InSb (Te-InSb) references and found to be about 1.27 - 1.35 times stronger than that of Te-InSb measured under the same conditions.
Hybrid Frequency Domain Simulation Method to Speed-up Analysis of Injection Locked Oscillators

This paper presents a hybrid frequency domain method to analyze and efficiently simulate injection locked oscillators (ILOs). We combine the recently developed general theory of injection locking with periodic transfer function (PXF) simulation of impulse sensitivity function (ISF). This hybrid method overcomes the time-consuming transient simulation approach and provides design insights unavailable from PXF simulation only. We apply this method to design a microwave frequency divider and 8-phase inverter-based ring oscillator with multi-phase injection. The phase relation between injected signal and locked oscillator output is studied. A simulation speedup factor of over 1500 times is achieved. Good agreement between the proposed and traditional approach is demonstrated.
6-wk vs. 12-wk antibiotic therapy increased persistent infection in prosthetic joint infections managed surgically.

SOURCE CITATION Bernard L, Arvieux C, Brunschweiler B, et al. Antibiotic therapy for 6 or 12 weeks for prosthetic joint infection. N Engl J Med. 2021;384:1991-2001. 34042388.
Competitive Poaching in Unsecured Lending

The paper studies the eects of non-exclusivity of credit card contracts on the provision of insurance
Gastro-intestinal Troubles That Now Go Undiagnosed

Excerpt For years I have been distressed at my inability to label with the usual textbook tags a considerable number of the patients who complain of indigestion or abdominal distress. Some of the f...
Toxicity of Silica Nanomaterials: Zeolites, Mesoporous Silica, and Amorphous Silica Nanoparticles

Publisher Summary In this chapter, an overview of the toxicity of silica-based nanomaterials is presented. Porous materials, such as crystalline, microporous zeolites, and mesoporous silica materials, have two nanoscale aspects: nanoscale pores that provide large internal surface areas and nanoscale crystal or particle sizes that may lead to unique external surface reactivity. Zeolites and mesoporous silica have emerged as porous nanomaterials with new properties and many potential applications, in areas such as environmental catalysis, drug delivery, and imaging. The smaller size scale of nanoparticles may increase their toxicity or change the mechanism by which these nanoparticles induce toxicity. Zeolites are crystalline aluminosilicate or silicate materials with very large surface areas due to their pores of less than ∼2 nm. Mesoporous silica is a related porous material that is amorphous and has its pores of greater than ∼2 nm. Zeolites and mesoporous silica are important commercial materials widely used in traditional applications such as catalysis, separations, and water softening. Recently, biomedical applications of zeolites and mesoporous silica in drug delivery, bloodclotting, and imaging are developed. In contrast, amorphous silica nanomaterials are generally thought to be safe and nontoxic. In addition, natural crystalline silica materials, such as quartz and cristobalite, are major constituents of coal mine dust or coal fly ashes. It is therefore of critical importance to study their toxicity.