cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Application of N-fluoropyridinium salts to battery materials

Abstract N -Fluoropyridinium triflate ( 2a ) and tetrafluoroborate ( 2b ) and their derivatives with electron-donating and -withdrawing substituents were evaluated for battery materials. Their oxidation potential ranged from −0.37 to +0.37 V vs SCE and electromotive force with Li, Mg, and Zn ranged from 3.6 to 4.4 V/Li, 2.1 to 2.8 V/Mg, and 1.2 to 1.9 V/Zn, depending on the electron-deficiency of the N F site controlled by the substituents. Liquid electrolyte Li battery with N -fluoropyridinium salts as positive active materials provided the satisfactory discharge with high voltage. The addition of a catalytic amount of iodine greatly improved the performance of the batteries. It was also found that dimethyl 2,2-difluoromalonate was a new electrolyte solvent suitable for the batteries at high temperature (60 °C). Quasi-solid Li battery was also evaluated and the good performance suggested that the N -fluoropyridinium salts could act not only as positive active materials but also as electrolytic materials. Furthermore, many N -fluoropyridinium salts with low melting points were prepared, and 3-methyl- N -fluoropyridinium tetrafluoroborate ( 14b ) was selected as a liquid positive active material. The Li battery using liquid 14b worked even at −40 °C. It was thus shown that N -fluoropyridinium salts worked well in a wide range of temperature as solid and liquid positive active materials with high voltage and satisfactory capacity ( 2b ; electromotive force 3.8 V vs Li, theoretical capacity 290 mAh/g). The high performance of N -fluoropyridinium salt batteries was attributed to the novel properties of N -fluoropyridinium salts, which are high electron transfer capability and high ion conductive ability.
Master Class: Class Actions, Part I

Commentary and analysis of the Supreme Court appeal in Ford Motor Co. v. McCauley, which presents the question of how to calculate the $75,000 jurisdictional amount-in-controversy for diversity-based class actions. The central issue concerns whether federal courts should follow a plaintiff’s viewpoint rule or an either viewpoint rule in a class action seeking both compensatory and injunctive relief. The Court also must determine whether courts may calculate the requisite amount in controversy with reference to the defendant’s costs in implementing the requested injunction. This article surveys the varying approaches by the federal courts in determining the amount-in-controversy threshold jurisdiction requirement, when plaintiffs seek injunctive relief under Rule 23(b)(2), and the strategic use of forum-shopping in class litigation.. The plaintiff in this case, McCauley, has urged the Court to defer ruling in the appeal in light of pending legislation in Congress to enact a Class Action Fairness Act, which would statutorily modify the rules relating to the amount-in-controversy requirement in diversity class actions. The plaintiff argues that this controversy is better resolved by congressional statutory amendment rather than judicial decision.
The Soviet Conception of Regional Security

Disagreements between East and West on questions of regional security in Africa, South West Asia, and South East Asia have, since the mid-1970s, contributed considerably to the deterioration of relations between the United States and the Soviet Union. Moreover, in the current period of poor relations, one of the most plausible avenues to the outbreak of nuclear war is that of escalation from crisis and confrontation in the Third World—specifically in the Middle East, where the interests of the two blocs most clearly intersect.
MODELING AND ANALYSIS OF CONFLICTS BETWEEN ALERTING SYSTEMS

The potential for conflicting information to be transmitted by different alerting systems is growing as these systems become more pervasive in operations. Newly-introduced alerting systems must be carefully designed to minimize the potential for and impact of alerting conflicts (or dissonance), but there is little formal understanding to aid this process. One example of alert proliferation is the recently-proposed Airborne Conflict Management (ACM) system which must operate in conjunction with the existing Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS). Alerts from ACM should be harmonized with alerts from TCAS and vice-versa. A model of alert dissonance is developed to provide a foundation for understanding dissonance and as a tool to identify and resolve dissonance between systems such as TCAS and ACM. Several different types of alerting dissonance are identified using a state- space representation. As a case study, dissonant operating regions for TCAS and ACM are articulated, and it is shown that TCAS advisories cannot be avoided without aggressive maneuvering following ACM alerts in some geometries. This type of analysis should be continued with higher fidelity to further refine ACM specifications.
Doing Business in the Middle East: Summers of discontent: business–state politics in the Middle East

August is not a pleasant month in Kuwait City. In the noonday heat, a cigarette lighter left in a car can burst into flames. Sandstorms arrive without warning, making immediate shelter vital. Understandably, August is a time many Kuwaitis choose not to remain in the country, giving the impression that politics is almost suspended during the summer months. How ironic, then, that two of Kuwait's most damaging political events, a massive fiscal collapse and invasion by Iraq's army, occurred in the month of August. These events were not unrelated. The crash of an extra-legal stock market, the Souq al-Manakh, in 1982 initiated a string of economic difficulties that would contribute to the Iraqi invasion nearly a decade later. To cope with the fiscal and political fallout from each, the Kuwaiti state turned to its private sector. The public–private struggle to respond to these events would require enduring many more Augusts. Kuwait, however, was not alone. Across the Middle East, declines in external sources of capital were testing state capacities to respond. Of all the Arab states, no other was tied to Kuwait's travails quite like the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. In addition to foreign aid from the West, Jordan was a major recipient of development aid from Kuwait. Hundreds of thousands of Jordanian professionals have worked in the public and private sectors in Kuwait since the 1950s.
Commentary on Tomczak PD, Buikstra JE. Analysis of Blunt Trauma Injuries: Vertical Deceleration Versus Horizontal Deceleration Injuries. J Forensic Sci 1999; 44(2):253–62

Commentary on Tomczak PD, Buikstra JE. Analysis of blunt trauma injuries: Vertical deceleration versus horizontal deceleration injuries. J Forensic Sci 1999; 44(2):253–62.
The post-Islamist problematic: questions of religion and difference in everyday life

AbstractThe term post-Islamism has been broadly applied to suggest that we are witnessing a new phase of Islamist politics in which the goal is not to make the state Islamic but to change the lived experiences of Islam. Whether post-Islamism applies to the Turkish case has been a matter of much debate. We approach post-Islamism in Turkey using a feminist geographic analytic that shifts our focus from formal politics to the embodied and the everyday. Drawing upon eight focus groups with men and women in Istanbul in 2013 and 2014, we analyze discussions of education reform, the possibility of religious politics and religious difference to demonstrate how the premises of post-Islamism depend upon the (often unsuccessful) papering over of multiplicity. We argue that everyday, embodied solutions to the questions of post-Islamism often undermine the very categories (state, society, religion and secularism) upon which the post-Islamic problematic is based.
Acetoacetate Improves the Sterol Profile in Cell Models of Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome

Cholesterol is synthesized endogenously in the brain in a complex pathway that starts with the condensation of acetate and acetoacetate. The last step in this pathway is the conversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) into cholesterol, a step catalyzed by the enzyme dehydrocholesterol reductase 7 (DHCR7). Mutations in this enzyme lead to the accumulation of 7-DHC, a hallmark of the disorder known as Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome (SLOS). The sterol profile in SLOS cells is characterized by lower levels of desmosterol and cholesterol and higher than normal levels of 7-DHC, the most oxidizable lipid known to date. As a tentative approach to improve this phenotype, we tested in this study the effects of ketone bodies using well-established cell culture models of SLOS. WT and Dhcr7-deficient Neuro2a cells were supplemented with different concentrations of acetoacetate (AcAc) and β-hydroxybutyrate and the sterol profile was analyzed. The levels of five sterols in the post-lanosterol pathway, including 7-DHC and cholesterol, were quantified using UHPLC-MS/MS and several isotopically labeled internal standards. Supplementing Dhcr7-deficient Neuro2a cells with AcAc for 96 hours led to a decrease in 7-DHC and an increase in desmosterol and cholesterol when compared to the control conditions, suggesting an improvement in the sterol profile. On the other hand, the same treatment in WT Neuro2a cells did not affect 7-DHC levels, indicating that the ketone bodies – especially AcAc – could have beneficial effects in SLOS cells. These observations are now being confirmed in primary human fibroblasts taken from healthy and SLOS patients. In conclusion, these results suggest that ketone bodies can affect positively the cholesterol biosynthesis in cultured SLOS cells, where they improve the sterol profile. Support NIH, NICHD.
Regulatory T cells and TLR9 activation shape antibody formation to a secreted transgene product in AAV muscle gene transfer

Adeno-associated viral (AAV) gene delivery to skeletal muscle is being explored for systemic delivery of therapeutic proteins. To better understand the signals that govern antibody formation against secreted transgene products in this approach, we administered an intramuscular dose of AAV1 vector expressing human coagulation factor IX (hFIX), which does not cause antibody formation against hFIX in C57BL/6 mice. Interestingly, co-administration of a TLR9 agonist (CpG-deoxyoligonucleotide, ODN) but not of lipopolysaccharide, caused a transient anti-hFIX response. ODN activated monocyte-derived dendritic cells and enhanced T follicular helper cell responses. While depletion of regulatory T cells (Tregs) also caused an antibody response, TLR9 activation combined with Treg depletion instead resulted in prolonged CD8+ T cell infiltration of transduced muscle. Thus, Tregs modulate the response to the TLR9 agonist. Further, Treg re-population eventually resolved humoral and cellular immune responses. Therefore, specific modes of TLR9 activation and Tregs orchestrate antibody formation in muscle gene transfer.
Spaceflight and Neurosurgery: A Comprehensive Review of the Relevant Literature

Objective Spaceflight and the associated gravitational fluctuations may impact various components of the central nervous system. These include changes in intracranial pressure, the spine, and neurocognitive performance. The implications of altered astronaut performance on critical spaceflight missions are potentially significant. The current body of research on this important topic is extremely limited, and a comprehensive review has not been published. Herein, the authors address this notable gap, as well as the role of the neurosurgeon in optimizing potential diagnostic and therapeutic modalities. Methods A literature search was conducted using the PubMed, EMBASE, and Google Scholar databases, with no time constraints. Significant manuscripts on physiologic changes associated with spaceflight and microgravity were identified and reviewed. Manifestations were separated into 1 of 3 general categories, including changes in intracranial pressure, the spine, and neurocognitive performance. Results A comprehensive literature review yielded 27 studies with direct relevance to the impact of microgravity and spaceflight on nervous system physiology. This included 7 studies related to intracranial pressure fluctuations, 17 related to changes in the spinal column, and 3 related to neurocognitive change. Conclusions The microgravity environment encountered during spaceflight impacts intracranial physiology. This includes changes in intracranial pressure, the spinal column, and neurocognitive performance. Herein, we present a systematic review of the published literature on this issue. Neurosurgeons should have a key role in the continued study of this important topic, contributing to both diagnostic and therapeutic understanding.
A comparison of control strategies for wave energy converters

Abstract In this study, we employ a numerical model to compare the performance of a number of wave energy converter control strategies. The controllers selected for evaluation span a wide range in their requirements for implementation. Each control strategy is evaluated using a single numerical model with a set of sea states to represent a deployment site off the coast of Newport, OR. A number of metrics, ranging from power absorption to kinematics, are employed to provide a comparison of each control strategy’s performance that accounts for both relative benefits and costs. The results show a wide range of performances from the different controllers and highlight the need for a holistic design approach which considers control design as a parallel component within the larger process WEC design.
Sarcopenia is a Novel Predictor of the Need for Rescue Therapy in Hospitalized Ulcerative Colitis Patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Acute severe ulcerative colitis [ASUC] affects one in four patients with UC. Clinical parameters perform modestly in predicting the need for rescue therapy. Sarcopenia and visceral adiposity predict natural history in Crohn's disease, but the role of such metabolic factors on ASUC outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to define the effect of sarcopenia and visceral adiposity on outcomes in ASUC. METHODS We studied patients hospitalized for ASUC who underwent an abdominal CT scan during the hospitalization. Quantification of skeletal muscle mass and visceral adiposity was performed by radiologists blinded to the outcome. Sarcopenia was defined as a skeletal muscle index of <55 cm2/m2 for men and <39 cm2/m2 for women. The primary outcome of interest was need for medical or surgical rescue therapy. RESULTS Our study included 89 patients with ASUC, among whom 39 [43.8%] patients required medical rescue therapy or surgery. Two-thirds of the cohort [70%] met the definition of sarcopenia [81% men, 48% women]. Patients with sarcopenia had similar disease characteristics and laboratory parameters to those with a normal muscle mass. However, a larger proportion of patients with sarcopenia required rescue therapy compared with those without (56% vs 28%, multivariable odds ratio [OR] 3.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12-14.1). Neither visceral [p = 0.23] nor subcutaneous adiposity [p = 0.53] predicted the need for rescue therapy. CONCLUSIONS Sarcopenia as determined on abdominal CT was a novel predictor of need for rescue therapy in hospitalized UC patients.
Alcohol and the 5-HT3 Receptor

Studies performed over the last ten years indicate that the 5-hydroxytryptamine3 (5- HT3) receptor for the neurotransmitter serotonin is involved in the acute and chronic actions of alcohol (see Grant, 1995 for review). Furthermore, experiments at the cellular and molecular level have indicated that ethanol and other alcohols may have direct actions on this ligand-gated ion channel (Lovinger, 1991a; Lovinger and Zhou, 1994; Machu and Harris, 1994; Barann et al., 1995). In this chapter, I will review this body of information. In addition, I will provide a rationale for examining the 5-HT3 receptor not only to understand alcohol actions on this protein, but to use the receptor as a model protein for understanding alcohol effects on a larger group of related ligand-gated ion channels that are important targets for alcohol actions.
Respiratory Disorders: Effects on Neurocognitive and Brain Function

Diseases and/or disorders of the pulmonary system may affect brain behavior relationships due to impaired oxygen delivery (i.e., anoxia, hypoxia). Neurons are dependent on oxygen and without oxygen cellular function is disrupted and damage to cell structure leading to neuronal death may follow. A variety of respiratory disorders such as cardiac or respiratory arrest, carbon monoxide poisoning, obstructive sleep apnea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and acute respiratory distress syndrome result in anoxia or hypoxia which can result in anoxic brain injury. The neuronal injury is manifest structurally by lesions and neuronal atrophy and functionally as neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric impairments.
Carnal Knowledge: How Performance Criticism can Provide Insights into Biblical Women

Biblical Performance Criticism, among other things, relies on how a biblical story is embodied and, as a result, viscerally experienced by the performer as a means for gaining a better understanding of how to more fully comprehend and appreciate, and then potentially interpret with more accurate integrity, the biblical narratives. This process goes way beyond the left-brain intellect, permeating the very physiology of the teller in a way that provides a more multidimensional grasp of scripture, giving insights that perhaps could not be gleaned in any other way. This article, written by a woman, specifically focuses on how the stories of certain biblical women took on more profound meaning when embodied, experienced, and understood through the unique reality of females throughout the past few millennia.
Biomolecular archaeology reveals ancient origins of indigenous tobacco smoking in North American Plateau.

Chemical analysis of residues contained in the matrix of stone smoking pipes reveal a substantial direct biomolecular record of ancient tobacco ( Nicotiana ) smoking practices in the North American interior northwest (Plateau), in an area where tobacco was often portrayed as a Euro-American–introduced postcontact trade commodity. Nicotine, a stimulant alkaloid and biomarker for tobacco, was identified via ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in 8 of 12 analyzed pipes and pipe fragments from five sites in the Columbia River Basin, southeastern Washington State. The specimens date from 1200 cal BP to historic times, confirming the deep time continuity of intoxicant use and indigenous smoking practices in northwestern North America. The results indicate that hunting and gathering communities in the region, including ancestral Nez Perce peoples, established a tobacco smoking complex of wild (indigenous) tobacco well before the main domesticated tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum ) was introduced by contact-era fur traders and settlers after the 1790s. This is the longest continuous biomolecular record of ancient tobacco smoking from a single region anywhere in the world—initially during an era of pithouse development, through the late precontact equestrian era, and into the historic period. This contradicts some ethnohistorical data indicating that kinnikinnick, or bearberry ( Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ) was the primary precontact smoke plant in the study area. Early use likely involved the management and cultivation of indigenous tobaccos ( Nicotiana quadrivalvis or Nicotiana attenuata ), species that are today exceedingly rare in the region and seem to have been abandoned as smoke plants after the entry of trade tobacco.
Analysis of landscape evolution in a vulnerable coastal area under natural and human pressure

To preserve integrity and functioning of coastal ecosystems services, monitoring and protection actions have to be realized on an ecosystem perspective and consider an integrated observing approach...
Voice Restoration with the Tracheoesophageal Voice Prosthesis: The Current State of the Art

Since its introduction in 1980, the tracheoesophageal (TE) puncture voice restoration method has been shown to be a viable, effective method of speech rehabilitation after laryngectomy. Historically, high success rates have been reported for appropriately selected patients. Since the development of TE voice restoration, however, the laryngectomy population itself has changed dramatically. With the advent of “organ preservation” protocols as a treatment method for advanced laryngeal cancer, many individuals undergo laryngectomy as a secondary procedure after radiation or chemoradiation. As a result, postoperative complications are common, delaying speech and swallowing rehabilitation. Moreover, individuals who undergo complex surgical reconstruction in addition to total laryngectomy may be poorer candidates for a TE puncture. Navigating these issues can pose a challenge for the clinician with regard to determining candidacy, troubleshooting, and managing complications. This chapter will discuss these, as well as other issues, and provide an overview of the current state of the art of TE voice restoration.
Analysis of a passive radio frequency excited acoustic transducer

In this work, the physical processes that govern the operation of a passive acoustic transducer are analyzed and modeled. The wireless battery-free transducer derives its power from an externally applied electromagnetic field generated by a radio transmitter. The audio signal is encoded in the backscattered electromagnetic field. Electro-mechano-acoustical analogies are developed and presented. Power generation, sound transduction, and radio frequency backscatter transmission of the audio signal are analyzed. The resonant frequency of the passive acoustic transducer derived from this analysis is comparable to those reported in the literature.
Use and Validation of the AUA/SUO Risk Grouping for Nonmuscle Invasive Bladder Cancer in a Contemporary Cohort

Purpose:We applied nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer AUA (American Urological Association)/SUO (Society of Urologic Oncology) guidelines for risk stratification and analyzed predictors of recurrenc...
Revenue use and public support for a carbon tax

Many experts see carbon pricing as an effective way to reduce emissions of greenhouses gases; however, political and public support for carbon pricing has faltered. Recent research indicates that revenue recycling and policy design options may induce public support for carbon pricing, but does not examine change in support as a result of revenue use or possible heterogeneity in these inducements across partisan groups. Does support for a carbon tax shift significantly once revenue uses are discussed? Do conservatives and Republicans and liberals and Democrats respond to different revenue reuse options when formulating opinions about carbon taxation? This study employs a survey experiment to examine these questions. Key results indicate that support shifts are largest when the revenue would be refunded and conservatives and Republicans are responsive to different revenue usage options. Specifically, conservatives and Republicans are more supportive of a carbon tax when revenues go towards a tax rebate or deficit reduction. While the differences are relatively small and variable (uncertain), these results provide suggestive insight into the policy design options that may induce a bipartisan basis of public support for a carbon taxation policies.
Rapid Decline in Online Search Queries for Hip and Knee Arthroplasties Concurrent With the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Abstract Background In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, US hospitals have canceled elective surgeries. This decline in total joint arthroplasty (TJA) revenue may place financial strain on hospitals. Our goal was to quantify the impact of COVID-19 on the public interest in elective TJA. Methods The Google Search Volume Index (GSVI) identified the terms “knee replacement,” “hip replacement,” and “orthopedic surgeon” as the most common to describe TJA. The term “elective surgery cancellation” was also analyzed. Weekly GSVI data were extracted between 04-01-2015 and 04-04-2020. Time series analysis was conducted and state GSVI values were compared with COVID-19 prevalence and unemployment claims. Results The relative public interest in elective TJA has sharply declined since the WHO declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. Between 03-01-2020 and 03-29-2020, the popularity of searches for “knee replacement”, “hip replacement,” and “orthopedic surgeon” dropped by 62.1%, 52.1%, and 44.3%, respectively. A concurrent spike was observed for the term “elective surgery cancellation.” California, New Hampshire, Maine, and Nevada showed a low relative rate for TJA searches, and the highest increase in unemployment claims. Conclusion The onset of COVID-19 correlates with declining relative popularity of searches related to elective TJA. Higher volume of COVID-19 cases in certain states may correspond with lower relative search popularity, although this correlation remains unclear. These results portend the possibility of a decline in elective TJA case volume, further straining hospitals. Further research is required to inform stakeholders how best to proceed and determine any sustained effects from the current diminished relative interest in TJA. Level of Evidence Level III.
Longevity and Utilization Cost of Rechargeable and Non-Rechargeable Spinal Cord Stimulation Implants: A Comparative Study.

Introduction Despite major advancements in features and capabilities of the implantable pulse generator (IPG), real-life longevity and cost-effectiveness studies to guide pain specialists to make the appropriate choice between rechargeable and non-rechargeable IPG are limited. Our study aimed to compare the longevity and cost effectiveness of rechargeable vs. non-rechargeable IPG and SCS systems. Methods Data were collected for all SCS implantations performed between 1994 and 2018. The primary goal was to determine IPG longevity, defined as the time interval between IPG implantation and elective replacement due to IPG end of life (EOL). On the other hand, SCS system longevity was defined as the time between SCS implantation and its removal or revision for any reason other than IPG EOL. Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests were used to assess IPG and SCS system longevities. Cost analysis was performed for cost effectiveness. Results The median IPG longevity was significantly higher for rechargeable SCS devices than for non-rechargeable SCS devices (7.20 years and 3.68 years, respectively). The median cost per day was similar for both IPGs, $13.90 and $13.81 for non-rechargeable and rechargeable, respectively. The median cost for SCS systems was higher for the rechargeable group ($60.70) compared with the non-rechargeable group ($31.38). Conclusions Rechargeable IPG had increased longevity compared to their non-rechargeable counterparts, yet there was no significant difference in the actual longevity due to premature revisions or explantations between both SCS systems. Furthermore, non-rechargeable SCS systems were found to be the more cost-effective option when compared with rechargeable SCS systems.
Mining heterogeneity: Diverse labor arrangements in an Indonesian informal gold economy

Abstract Small-scale mining involves extremely heterogeneous labor arrangements. While previous research has highlighted differences between mining contexts, relatively few scholars have focused on the diverse forms of labor that constitute individual mining localities. Fewer still have analyzed the consequences that emerge from these varied arrangements. In response, this article offers a close examination of small-scale mining labor in the Pongkor gold mining region of West Java, Indonesia. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork and concepts from agrarian political economy, I argue that heterogeneous labor arrangements critically shape the local informal gold economy as well as participants’ experiences within it. First, I outline the various labor roles, configurations, and relations involved in informal gold production in Pongkor. I then analyze how this diversity has helped expand livelihoods and gold extraction, but simultaneously produced inequalities. Particular positionings within the production process cohere with different opportunities, constraints, and risks, ultimately leading to trends of socioeconomic differentiation. Scholars and policymakers must consider the dynamics of informal mining's internal heterogeneity to avoid reinforcing these inequalities.
An Analysis of Unified Family Courts in Maryland and California: Their Relevance for Ontario's Family Justice System

The Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario has contracted with the University of Baltimore School of Law's Center for Families, Children and the Courts to prepare this research paper. The purpose of the paper is to provide an overview of unified family courts and court-connected family services in two jurisdictions, Maryland and California, as agreed to by officials of the Ministry. The overview provides information about the structure of each jurisdiction's unified family court, family services connected to the court, the role of judicial and quasi-judicial officers, the assignment and specialization of the judiciary, rules or processes to deal with backlog and high conflict cases, and geographical challenges. In addition, the paper discusses trends in the development of unified family courts and court-connected family services in Maryland and California, including a focus on common issues or experiences faced by these courts, and it highlights the method and scope of relevant evaluations conducted within these jurisdictions. Finally, the paper summarizes some of the experiences of Maryland and California that may be of interest to Ontario as it moves forward in the development and refinement of its family justice system.
Field pea (Pisum sativum L.) shows genetic variation in phosphorus use efficiency in different P environments.

Field pea is important to agriculture as a nutritionally dense legume, able to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and supply it back to the soil. However, field pea requires more phosphorus (P) than other crops. Identifying field pea cultivars with high phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) is highly desirable for organic pulse crop biofortification. This study identified field pea accessions with high PUE by determining (1) the variation in P remobilization rate, (2) correlations between P and phytic acid (PA), and (3) broad-sense heritability estimates of P concentrations. Fifty field pea accessions were grown in a completely randomized design in a greenhouse with two replicates under normal (7551 ppm) and reduced (4459 ppm) P fertilizer conditions and harvested at two time points (mid-pod and full-pod). P concentrations ranged from 332 to 9520 ppm under normal P and from 83 to 8473 ppm under reduced P conditions across all tissues and both time points. Field pea accessions showed variation in remobilization rates, with PI 125840 and PI 137119 increasing remobilization of P under normal P conditions. Field pea accessions PI 411142 and PI 413683 increased P remobilization under the reduced P treatment. No correlation was evident between tissue P concentration and seed PA concentration (8-61 ppm). Finally, seed P concentration under limited P conditions was highly heritable (H2 = 0.85), as was mid-pod lower leaf P concentrations under normal P conditions (H2 = 0.81). In conclusion, breeding for PUE in field pea is possible by selecting for higher P remobilization accessions in low P soils with genetic and location sourcing.
Dynamic Changes in the Gut Microbiome at the Acute Stage of Ischemic Stroke in a Pig Model

Stroke is a major cause of death and long-term disability affecting seven million adults in the United States each year. Recently, it has been demonstrated that neurological diseases, associated pathology, and susceptibility changes correlated with changes in the gut microbiota. However, changes in the microbial community in stroke has not been well characterized. The acute stage of stroke is a critical period for assessing injury severity, therapeutic intervention, and clinical prognosis. We investigated the changes in the gut microbiota composition and diversity using a middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion ischemic stroke pig model. Ischemic stroke was induced by cauterization of the MCA in pigs. Blood samples were collected prestroke and 4 h, 12 h, 1 day, and 5 days poststroke to evaluate circulating proinflammatory cytokines. Fecal samples were collected prestroke and 1, 3, and 5 days poststroke to assess gut microbiome changes. Results showed elevated systemic inflammation with increased plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha at 4 h and interleukin-6 at 12 h poststroke, relative to prestroke. Microbial diversity and evenness were reduced at 1 day poststroke compared to prestroke. Microbial diversity at 3 days poststroke was negatively correlated with lesion volume. Moreover, beta-diversity analysis revealed trending overall differences over time, with the most significant changes in microbial patterns observed between prestroke and 3 days poststroke. Abundance of the Proteobacteria was significantly increased, while Firmicutes decreased at 3 days poststroke, compared to prestroke populations. Abundance of the lactic acid bacteria Lactobacillus was reduced at 3 days poststroke. By day 5, the microbial pattern returned to similar values as prestroke, suggesting the plasticity of gut microbiome in an acute period of stroke in a pig model. These findings provide a basis for characterizing gut microbial changes during the acute stage of stroke, which can be used to assess stroke pathology and the potential development of therapeutic targets.
Exploring Church Attendance, Faith, and Entrepreneurship of Late Adolescent Catholics

Church attendance is the most important and widely used measure to estimate the level of religious practice in a population. Church attendance impacts all generational cohorts, but it significantly pertinent to adolescents. Church attendance is linked to many life outcomes for youth. Research consistently finds youth religious service attendance to be related to numerous positive psychosocial, educational, and behavioral outcomes, including academic achievement, involvement in volunteering and other service activities, and feelings of positive self-worth and efficacy. This research seeks to explore a gap in the literature between adolescent church attendance, faith, and entrepreneurship. As such, the purpose of this study is to explore the differences of faith manifestations and entrepreneurial orientations of adolescents based on the frequencies of church attendance. This empirical research adapts The Integration Profile (TIP; Miller & Ewest, 2014) and the Individual Entrepreneurial Orientation (IEO; Bolton & Lane, 2012) for instrumental measurements of faith manifestations and entrepreneurial orientations. A purposive non-probability sample was selected on the basis of the knowledge of the population, its elements, and the nature of the research aims. The data for testing the variables of TIP and IEO were gathered through an administered paper survey to adolescent Catholic college students. Comparisons between faith manifestation and entrepreneurial orientation observations were made using one-way ANOVA with church attendance as the factor at three levels (Less than once per week, Once per week, and More than once per week). ANOVA revealed several significant differences between the three groups. Significant differences were demonstrated for all four TIP faith manifestations: The ethics type, the expression type, the experience type, and the enrichment type. With respect to individual entrepreneurial orientations, a significant difference was validated with the “proactiveness” variable.
Coal's legacy in Appalachia: Lands, waters, and people

Abstract For more than a century, the coal-mining industry has been a major economic force and employer in the Appalachian region of eastern USA. As national and global energy economies experience rapid change, Appalachian mining is declining in a way that appears permanent. Coal mining, however, has left its mark on the region's lands, waters, and people. Most mined lands have soils, plant and wildlife communities that differ from those present in the region's existing native forests and are not used for economically valued purposes. Non-native plants are prominent on many former mine sites. Mined areas typically produce waters with elevated geologic-origin pollutants, major ions and trace elements, and support biotas differing from those present in waters flowing from the region's native forests. Human communities also reflect the region's mining history, as economic, education, and human-health indicators in intensive coal-mining areas lag those elsewhere in the region. These effects are evident as coal-mining declines to levels last seen in the late 19th century and with little prospect of recovery. As the people of the Appalachian coalfield look to the future, they do so while bearing that legacy. Here, we describe the condition of Appalachia's resources as they have been influenced by mining. We also look to the future by presenting opportunities for conversion of the region's extensive mined lands to beneficial uses and offering our perspective on prospects for Appalachia's coal-mined areas.
Risk Stratification for Revision Surgery Following Total Ankle Replacement.

As a result of improved implants total ankle replacement (TAR) is becoming a more reliable option for end stage ankle arthritis. As with any surgery there are numerous complications that can occur intraoperatively and postoperatively with TAR. The primary aim of this study is to use recent data on implants currently on the market to develop a well-defined and comprehensive complication classification system which stratifies risk of subsequent surgery for TAR. A systematic review of studies on TARs from 2013 to 2018 was performed. Inclusion criteria were studies published between 2013 and August 2018, studies having at least 20 patients, data with at least 1-year follow-up and use of implants currently on the market. Studies were excluded if they involved revision cases, case reports, basic science articles and studies published in non-peer-reviewed journals. Sixteen studies fit inclusion criteria involving 3,305 implants. Overall survival of all implants was found to be 93% with a pooled complication rate of 75.6% using criteria for classifying complications by Glazebrook et al. Previously published classification systems did not clearly define complication categories leading to inconsistency in complication reporting and inaccurate complication rates. There are also several complications that are unclassifiable with the classifications developed by Gadd et al and Glazebrook et al. Our proposed updated classification system provides more inclusive tier profiles to capture the complications that can occur with implants currently on the market. Furthermore, this system provides a stratification of risk that these complications pose to ultimate procedure success.
In vitro degradation of gastric mucin. Carbohydrate side chains protect polypeptide core from pancreatic proteases

Abstract The polypeptide core of mucin glycoprotein subunits resists cleavage by proteases. To determine if the carbohydrate side chains of these subunits protect the underlying polypeptide core from proteolytic cleavage, we compared the effect of pancreatic proteases on hog gastric mucin before and after cleavage of its carbohydrate moieties by bacterial glycosidases from an anaerobic human fecal culture supernate. Hog gastric mucin was resistant to pancreatic proteases:
Treatment decision making based on the published natural history and growth rate of small meningiomas.

Object Definitive data allowing clinicians to predict which meningioma patients will fail to respond to conservative management are lacking. To address this need, the authors systematically reviewed the published literature regarding the natural history of small, untreated meningiomas. Methods The authors performed a systematic review of the existing literature on untreated meningiomas that were followed with serial MR imaging. They summarize the published linear rates of tumor growth, and the risk factors for development of new or worsened symptoms during follow-up by using a stratified chi-square test. Results The search methods identified 22 published studies reporting on 675 patients with untreated meningiomas followed by serial MR imaging. Linear growth rates varied significantly: no growth was the most common rate, although reports of more aggressive tumors noted growth rates of up to a 93% linear increase in size per year. The authors found that few patients with initial tumor diameters < 2 cm went...
Identification of a frameshift mutation responsible for the silent phenotype of human serum cholinesterase, Gly 117 (GGT----GGAG).

Abstract A frameshift mutation that causes a silent phenotype for human serum cholinesterase was identified in the DNA of seven individuals of two unrelated families. The mutation, identified using the polymerase chain reaction, causes a shift in the reading frame from Gly 117, where GGT (Gly)----GGAG (Gly+ 1 base) to a new stop codon created at position 129. This alteration is upstream of the active site (Ser 198), and, if any protein were made, it would represent only 22% of the mature enzyme found in normal serum. Results of analysis of the enzymatic activities in serum agreed with the genotypes inferred from the nucleotide sequence. Rocket immunoelectrophoresis using alpha-naphthyl acetate to detect enzymatic activity showed an absence of cross-reactive material, as expected. One additional individual with a silent phenotype did not show the same frameshift mutation. This was not unexpected, since there must be considerable molecular heterogeneity involved in causes for the silent cholinesterase phenotype. This is the first report of a molecular mechanism underlying the silent phenotype for serum cholinesterase. The analytical approach used was similar to the one we recently employed to identify the mutation that causes the atypical cholinesterase variant.
Diffusion, permeation, and solubility of selected agents in and through polyethylene

Even though polyethylene containers have and are being used with more frequency to package drug products, diagnostic agents, biological products, and cosmetic preparations, little emphasis apparently has been placed on the possible interactions between solute molecules in the product and the polyethylene. This report presents a study on the diffusion, permeation, and solubility of six compounds (acetophenone, benzaldehyde, benzoic acid, benzyl alcohol, 4-methylacetophenone, and 4-methylbenzaldehyde) in and through polyethylene. Results reveal that benzyl alcohol and benzoic acid had the lowest permeation (P) and diffusion (D) values as compared to the other compounds in the series. This was ascribed to the intermolecular hydrogen bonding potential of benzyl alcohol and benzoic acid; thus the formation of dimer or trimer whose permeation through the polymer is assumed to be restricted. In the case of 4-methylbenzaldehyde and 4-methylacetophenone, the D values obtained were similar to those of the parent compounds (benzaldehyde and acetophenone). Higher P values for the 4-methyl derivatives of benzaldehyde and acetophenone were related to the higher solubility of the molecules in the plastic.
Characteristics of snow cover duration across the northeast United States of America

The presence or absence of a snow cover affects a myriad of environmental and societal systems through its modification of the surface radiation balance and its ultimate impact on near-surface air temperatures. Daily snow cover data were collected for a network of 91 stations covering the northeast USA from Maine, south through to West Virginia. The snow cover data along with ancillary temperature, snowfall and precipitation data were used to investigate the characteristics of snow cover duration in this region and the effects of the snow cover on boundary layer climate variables for the snow cover seasons 1948–1949 through to 1987–1988. Results indicate that snow cover duration is variable in both space and time. The duration of a snow cover of 2·5 cm or greater varies from greater than 100 days in northern New England to less than 20 days across areas of Delaware, Maryland and West Virginia. Temporally, snow cover duration for the region as a whole was very short from the late 1940s through to the mid-1950s. From the late 1950s to the end of the period snow cover duration has varied around a consistent mean value. No long-term trends in snow cover duration are apparent in the record for the northeast USA. Principal components analysis and clustering techniques were utilized to isolate spatially coherent regions in which snow cover duration has varied similarly over the period of record. This analysis resulted in the identification of four snow-cover-duration regions across the northeast USA: including (i) the West Virginia area, (ii) the mid-Atlantic from southern New England through to western Pennsylvania, (iii) western and central New York and (iv) northern New England. Snow cover duration is shown to be highly associated with snowfall and temperature but not strongly related to total liquid precipitation. The intra-annual variability of snow cover duration is also investigated for each region. © 1997 Royal Meteorological Society.
Modal logic for default reasoning

In the paper we introduce a variant of autoepistemic logic that is especially suitable for expressing default reasonings. It is based on the notion of iterative expansion. We show a new way of translating default theories into the language of modal logic under which default extensions correspond exactly to iterative expansions. Iterative expansions have some attractive properties. They are more restrictive than autoepistemic expansions, and, for some classes of theories, than moderately grounded expansions. At the same time iterative expansions avoid several undesirable properties of strongly grounded expansions, for example, they are grounded in the whole set of the agent's initial assumptions and do not depend on their syntactic representation. Iterative expansions are defined syntactically. We define a semantics which leads to yet another notion of expansion -- weak iterative expansion -- and we show that there is an important class of theories, that we call ?-programs, for which iterative and weak iterative expansions coincide. Thus, for ?-programs, iterative expansions can be equivalently defined by semantic means.
Contributions to Global Self-Esteem: The Role of Importance Attached to Self-Concepts Associated with the Five-Factor Model

Previous research has attempted to clarify the relations that one's self-concepts have with one's global self-esteem. One hypothesis that has received the most attention to date is the view that characteristic attributes that an individual regards as especially important for his or her self-concepts exert the greatest influence on self-esteem. In an investigation of this hypothesis, 375 college undergraduates completed measures of global self-esteem as well as rating scales that assessed self-concepts and the importance attached to these self-concepts in the maintenance of self-esteem. The self-concept and importance domains examined corresponded to the five-factor model (FFM) personality dimensions. Consistent with previous research, importance ratings attached to self-concepts were not found to moderate the relation between self-concepts and self-esteem. Rather, ratings on self-concepts alone accounted for a substantial proportion of variance (53.3%) in self-esteem scores. Bivariate correlations based on FFM dimension scores and self-esteem scores revealed consistent positive associations. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that among the FFM dimensions, self-concept ratings for emotional stability (vs neuroticism), extraversion, and agreeableness significantly predicted self-esteem.