cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hermandades between the Military Orders of Calatrava and Santiago during the Castilian Reconquest, 1158-1252

THE military Orders of Calatrava and Santiago contributed substantially and effectively to the Castilian reconquest. Entrusted with responsibility for the defense of the most critical frontiers, they served in the vanguard of the armies of Alfonso VIII (1158-1214) and Fernando III (1217-52) which initiated and nearly completed the conquest of Andalusia.' As they grew in wealth and public esteem a natural rivalry developed between them and, while they often collaborated to achieve their common aims, from time to time jealousies and conflicts of interest arose to disturb their good relations. With the hope of encouraging their knights to live and work in greater harmony, the masters of Calatrava and Santiago on several occasions concluded hermandades or pacts of friendship and brotherhood. These documents shed light upon the causes of controversy between the Orders and describe the procedures devised to resolve difficulties. But even more importantly they reveal a continuing desire to achieve a true spiritual fraternity which could be translated into cooperative action on the field of battle. Thus a perusal of the documents conveys a richer understanding of the progress of the reconquest in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries. The earliest of the hermandadles was signed by Pedro Fernandez, the founder and first master of Santiago, and Nufno, comendlador of Calatrava, acting in the name of his master, Martin Perez de Siones.2 Dated 8 August 1182, the document records Alfonso VIII's seizure of Sietefilla near Cordoba in June of that year; probably knights of both Orders had taken part in the campaign and cooperation in arms may have encouraged them to settle outstanding differences. At issue were property rights in Ucles and Ocafia and perhaps too the independence of the Order of Santiago. In January 1174 Alfonso VIII had given the fortress of Ucles, located in the Tagus valley east of Toledo, to Santiago and it soon became the headquarters of the knights. On 30 April, three months after this donation, the king gave a tenth of the royal revenues in Ucles to Calatrava.3 A brief note contained in a collection of documents pertaining to Santiago makes it amply clear
MAGNETIC COUPLINGS WITH CYLINDRICAL AND PLANE AIR GAPS: INFLUENCE OF THE MAGNET POLARIZATION DIRECTION

This paper presents a comparison of cylindrical and plane air gap magnetic couplings in which the tile permanent magnet polarizations can be either radial or tangential or axial. The expressions of the torque transmitted between the two rotors of each coupling are determined by using the colombian approach. All the calculations are performed without any simplifying assumptions. Consequently, the expressions obtained are accurate and enable a fast comparison between the structures presented in this paper.
Site identification in high-throughput RNA–protein interaction data

Motivation: Post-transcriptional and co-transcriptional regulation is a crucial link between genotype and phenotype. The central players are the RNA-binding proteins, and experimental technologies [such as cross-linking with immunoprecipitation-(CLIP-) and RIP-seq] for probing their activities have advanced rapidly over the course of the past decade. Statistically robust, flexible computational methods for binding site identification from high-throughput immunoprecipitation assays are largely lacking however. Results: We introduce a method for site identification which provides four key advantages over previous methods: (i) it can be applied on all variations of CLIP and RIP-seq technologies, (ii) it accurately models the underlying read-count distributions, (iii) it allows external covariates, such as transcript abundance (which we demonstrate is highly correlated with read count) to inform the site identification process and (iv) it allows for direct comparison of site usage across cell types or conditions. Availability and implementation: We have implemented our method in a software tool called Piranha. Source code and binaries, licensed under the GNU General Public License (version 3) are freely available for download from http://smithlab.usc.edu. Contact: [email protected] Supplementary information:Supplementary data available at Bioinformatics online.
The interactions between ergodic theory and information theory

Information theorists frequently use the ergodic theorem; likewise entropy concepts are often used in information theory. Recently, the two subjects have become partially intertwined as deeper results from each discipline find use in the other. A brief history of this interaction is presented in this paper, together with a more detailed look at three areas of connection, namely, recurrence theory, blowing-up bounds, and direct sample-path methods.
Intrinsic fiber Fabry–Perot temperature sensor with fiber Bragg grating mirrors

A fiber Fabry-Perot interferometer (FFPI) sensor is formed with broadband (~3 nm, 3-dB bandwidth) fiber Bragg grating (FBG) mirrors. Repetitively modulating a distributed-feedback laser produces chirping that modulates the reflectance of the FFPI. Because the reflectance of the FBG mirrors varies with optical frequency, the fringes in the sensor reflectance modulation are distinguishable, making it possible to extend the sensor dynamic range versus that of a FFPI sensor with conventional wavelength-dependent mirrors. An ambient temperature is determined in the range from 25 to 170 degrees C with a resolution of 0.005 degrees C.
Beyond β-catenin: prospects for a larger catenin network in the nucleus

β-catenin is widely regarded as the primary transducer of canonical WNT signals to the nucleus. In most vertebrates, there are eight additional catenins that are structurally related to β-catenin, and three α-catenin genes encoding actin-binding proteins that are structurally related to vinculin. Although these catenins were initially identified in association with cadherins at cell-cell junctions, more recent evidence suggests that the majority of catenins also localize to the nucleus and regulate gene expression. Moreover, the number of catenins reported to be responsive to canonical WNT signals is increasing. Here, we posit that multiple catenins form a functional network in the nucleus, possibly engaging in conserved protein-protein interactions that are currently better characterized in the context of actin-based cell junctions.
The Renew Deal: The Fall of Regulation and the Rise of Governance in Contemporary Legal Thought

Over half a century ago, the New Deal signified a paradigm shift in the American polity. Under the mandate of relief, recovery, and reform, the modern regulatory administrative state was created. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, a new paradigm is emerging that ties together recent developments in the political-economy with advances in legal and democratic theory. This article introduces the new vision as a shift from the traditional New Deal Regulatory model to a Renew Deal Governance model. The article both asserts the emergence of a new model and critically explores the interplay among its various elements. It unpacks the widespread claims of newness in the field of law, asking why legal projects seek to be innovative and to what they respond. At the same time, it offers a comprehensive map for understanding renewal projects collectively, including the internal competition among the possible meanings and interpretations of the emerging paradigm. Integrating into a unified framework central works at the micro-level of doctrine, at the macro-level of administrative and constitutional law, and at the meta-level of jurisprudence, the article explores the possibility of renewal through adoption of a new legal model. Through both theoretical inquiry and case study, the article describes the organizing principles of the governance model, which consist of increased participation of non-state actors, public/private collaboration, diversity and competition, decentralization and subsidiarity, integration of policy domains, flexibility and non-coerciveness (soft law), adaptability and learning, and finally, legal orchestration. These features are closely analyzed in three leading domains of governance - new workplace policies, civic environmentalism, and cyberdemocracy. The article argues that new governance is purposely and ingeniously designed as a school of theoretical and practical hybridization, drawing together elements from rival schools of thought and critical insights concerning both regulatory and market failures. Through the pragmatic synthesis of legal approaches, the governance model confronts the false dilemma of centralized regulation and deregulatory devolution. The article concludes with a discussion of the normative challenges that are evoked in the nascent governance regime of the twenty-first century, and suggests ways in which democracy, accountability, and legitimacy are advanced in the Renew Deal Era.
Sediment Yields from Central Colorado Snow Zone

To determine the effects of roads and forest-cover changes on sediment yields, measurements were made on one carefully logged and two undisturbed watersheds in the Fraser Experimental Forest, CO. Annual sediment yield averaged 200 lb per acre immediately following road construction in 1950-52 and logging in 1954-56. In the period 1958-66, sediment yield averaged 43 lb per acre, despite an estimated 25% increase in annual runoff caused by the harvest, compared with yields of 11 and 21 lb per acre on the undisturbed watersheds.
Research and statistics: study design and data sources.

1. Anne Palaia, PhD, MPH 1. The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. A 12-year-old boy presents for continuity care with his mother. She reports that he has had trouble sleeping, weight loss, and low mood. Which studies are best suited to inform your choices about which measure or assessment to use for diagnosing whether he might be depressed? Which treatment of depression is likely to have the greatest benefit with minimal harm? What is the prognosis for depression in adolescents? This article reviews study designs most appropriate to answer these research questions and discusses how different sources of data may influence study results. You are considering using a short, self-administered screening tool for depression in your pediatric practice. You wonder how well this instrument identifies depression compared with a more formal mental health evaluation. What study design would be most likely to yield valid information about the accuracy of the scale for detecting depression in your patient population? A cross-sectional study that compares a new diagnostic or screening test to the gold standard in the same population allows the researcher to assess its accuracy, including, for example, the sensitivity and specificity of the test. A good study should also consider how and when a test …
There and back again

This article examines and critiques Susan McWilliams’s recent book, Traveling Back: Toward a Global Political Theory. The book is a largely successful examination of the role of travel writing in western thought and its possible use in articulating a global politics. I offer some critiques, including a discussion of some places I found the analytic framework unclear, as well as noting some routes for extending the argument.
Influence of administration of ACTH on urinary amino acids.

SummaryTypical results are presented showing the influence of ACTH a dministration in the human on the urinary excretion of nitrogenous substances. The hormone evoked notable increases in the excretion of amino acids, ammonia, urea, uric acid, and some undetermined nitrogenous constituents. Twodimensional chromatograms revealed some of the detailed changes in the excretion of both free and bound amino acids. Microbiological determination of some of the amino acids gave results which were concordant with the chromatographic findings. All of the urinary nitrogenous constituents returned to normal levels shortly after cessation of the treatment. The possible significance of some of the findings is indicated.
The rich—love them or hate them? Divergent implicit and explicit attitudes toward the wealthy

Adding to a growing body of work on the psychology of social class, the present research examined implicit and explicit attitudes toward rich people, standing out from much previous work that has f...
Characterization of the Products of a Gene Expressed During Androgen-Programmed Cell Death and their Potential use as a Marker of Urogenital Injury

Abstract Regression of the rat ventral prostate gland following castration is accompanied by the induced expression of messenger RNA encoding Testosterone Repressed Prostate Message-2 (TRPM-2). Subsequent studies have shown that this gene is also induced during renal injury. In each of these tissues, the TRPM-2 RNA products are expressed by cells undergoing programmed death as a result of the hormonal stimuli or the traumatic insult. In an attempt to characterize this gene and its products, we partially sequenced complementary DNAs for TRPM-2 isolated from a recombinant library constructed using RNA of a hydronephrotic kidney. The sequence of these clones showed close homology with the sulfated glycoprotein-2 (SGP-2/clusterin) gene, expressed constitutively by mammalian Sertoli cells. Antibody recognition studies confirm this homology. Antiserum made against rat clusterin recognized TRPM-2 encoded polypeptides in extracts of regressing rat ventral prostate glands. Western blot analysis allowed us to demonstrate large increases in the concentration of these proteins in extracts of regressing ventral prostate gland and in rat serum and urine during the acute period of prostatic regression. These results indicate that proteins are synthesized from the large amount of TRPM-2 RNA produced by dying prostate cells and imply that these proteins are shed into the serum and urine. Based on the intense synthesis of TRPM-2 gene products by dying cells in the urogenital tract and the ability to assay for these products in serum and urine, we suggest that an assay for TRPM-2 products might allow us to monitor the extent of cellular damage associated with specific urogenital disease states. ( J. Urol., 143: 407–412, 1990 )
The relationship between narrative construction and identity in History Education: implications for teaching and learning

The purpose of the research is less about producing little historians and more about taking into account students’ cultures or identities in the teaching and learning of historical narratives. In my work, I have examined the national historical narratives that children and adolescents in the United States have constructed in order to assess the effects of young people’s racial/ethnic identities on their understandings of the past. I have found that young people’s racial identities had a significant impact on their interpretations of U. S. history and that their teachers’ instruction had some but not much impact on their views. Researchers within and beyond the U. S. have found similar results, attesting to the significance of “identity” (a person’s sense of self and the communities s/he affiliates with, including nationality, gender, ethnicity, religious orientation, etc.) in the construction and/or critique of historical narratives. In the following pages, I review and synthesize the studies that I and others have conducted on the effects of identity on history teaching and learning, and conclude with a discussion of the implications for teaching and learning history in diverse democratic societies.
Late Adult Life: Aging and Death

This chapter elaborates the various issues related to the latter part of life, including aging and death. Age and particularly "aging," can be viewed from three perspectives: biological, psychological, and social. Behavior and social scientists tend to take the view that aging represents one of many aspects of reality that are socially defined and that old age is a social category whose properties and problems are constructed within the context of shared expectations particular to specific groups. Medical investigation has revealed that the severity of menopausal symptoms and complaints varies cross-ethnically. It has been found that this is related mainly to food-intake patterns rather than to psychological factors. Japanese women were found to have less severe menopausal symptoms, related to their high intake of tofu, which is rich in vegetable estrogen, a substance that could reduce the symptoms associated with menopause. The concept of a middle-age crisis is rather popular in Western society, where youth is valued and the signs of aging in middle age produce relatively serious psychological reactions. This may not be true in societies where middle age is considered a time for people to enjoy social status and power in their lives. Paralleling personal and family development, there is a considerable shift in and evolution of an individual's relation to the family. In terms of personal and family development, two characteristic relationships need to be adjusted in accordance with aging, the husband-wife relationship and the parent-children axis. Although a shift of power from husband to wife in association with increased age is noticed to some degree among families of various ethnic groups, it is more noticeable among some Asian couples.
MECHANISMS OF RANEY NICKEL DESULFURATION

Abstract Since its introduction for the purpose in 1939, Raney nickel catalyst has enjoyed extensive use both as a desulfurating agent and as a general reagent for accomplishing the hydrogenolysis of other functional groups. Earlier review articles have emphasized the type and variety of sulfur-containing organic compounds which have been successfully desulfurated using Raney nickel. The present chapter summarizes the available information regarding the mechanisms by which Raney nickel desulfurations as well as other hydrogenolyses are believed to occur, and attempts where possible to evaluate critically the experimental evidence on which these mechanistic concepts are based. Raney nickel hydrogenolyses are examined from the viewpoints of the nature of the catalyst, the nature of the adsorption of the substrate, free radical mechanisms involving monoradicals and various types of diradicals and, lastly, mechanisms involving concerted and stereoselective processes.
Aspartame and Headache

At a recent meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, neurologists at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY and the Montefiore Headache unit reported that aspartame was a headache precipitating factor in 8.2% of 171 patients evaluated consecutively.
Spectral scaling of earthquakes in the Miramichi region of New Brunswick

Abstract Seismograms of 12 earthquakes in the Miramichi region of New Brunswick were analyzed to determine source scaling relations. The events ranged in magnitude from 3.3 to 5.8 ( m bLg ). P -wave spectra between 1 and 20 Hz were calculated using digital records from station RSNY (Δ = 6°). Spectral ratios were then formed using the main shock as a reference event. Because the travel paths were virtually identical for all of the signals, the spectral ratios yield the scaling of the sources as a function of frequency. The spectral ratio curves show a smooth progression with event size, with their separation decreasing toward higher frequencies. These data were compared with theoretical curves for source models whose displacement spectra roll off as ω −2 and ω −3 above the corner frequencies. The data strongly favor the ω −2 models; the ω −3 models predict greater variation across the 1- to 20-Hz band than is observed. Comparison of the P -wave scaling at 15 Hz with the Rayleigh wave scaling at a period of 8 sec indicates that stress drop may increase with moment for these events, although not as fast as Nuttli (1983) has suggested for intraplate earthquakes.
Direct, enantioselective α-alkylation of aldehydes using simple olefins

Although the α-alkylation of ketones has already been established, the analogous reaction using aldehyde substrates has proven surprisingly elusive. Despite the structural similarities between the two classes of compounds, the sensitivity and unique reactivity of the aldehyde functionality has typically required activated substrates or specialized additives. Here, we show that the synergistic merger of three catalytic processes-photoredox, enamine and hydrogen-atom transfer (HAT) catalysis-enables an enantioselective α-aldehyde alkylation reaction that employs simple olefins as coupling partners. Chiral imidazolidinones or prolinols, in combination with a thiophenol, iridium photoredox catalyst and visible light, have been successfully used in a triple catalytic process that is temporally sequenced to deliver a new hydrogen and electron-borrowing mechanism. This multicatalytic process enables both intra- and intermolecular aldehyde α-methylene coupling with olefins to construct both cyclic and acyclic products, respectively. With respect to atom and step-economy ideals, this stereoselective process allows the production of high-value molecules from feedstock chemicals in one step while consuming only photons.
Delivery of HSP90 Inhibitor Using Water Soluble Polymeric Conjugates with High Drug Payload

HSP90 (Heat shock protein 90kD) has been validated as a therapeutic target in Castrate Resistant Prostate Cancer. Unfortunately, HSP90 inhibitors suffer from dose-limiting toxicities that hinder their clinical applications. Previously developed polymeric delivery systems for HSP90 inhibitors had either low drug content or low biological activity suggesting the need for better delivery system for HSP90 inhibitors. We developed a simplified synthetic strategy to prepare polyethylene glycol based water-soluble polymeric system for model HSP90 inhibitor geldanamycin (GDM). We then investigated the effect of cathepsin B degradable linker and drug content in polymeric conjugates on their growth inhibitory property using DU145 (androgen independent) and LNCaP (androgen dependent) cell lines. Water-soluble polymeric conjugates were synthesized with GDM content ranging from 9 to 30% wt/wt. We demonstrated the importance of cathepsin B degradable linker from the context of drug content and different prostate cancer cell lines. The most active conjugate against DU145 cells exhibited IC50 value of 2.9 μM. This was similar to the IC50 (2.1 μM) of small molecular drug aminohexane geldanamycin. Water-soluble polymeric conjugate with high drug content was synthesized that exhibited in-vitro growth inhibitory activity similar to small molecular weight HSP90 inhibitor.
Model reduction of distributed nonstationary LPV systems

Abstract This paper is on the structure-preserving model reduction of distributed systems formed by heterogeneous, discrete-time, nonstationary linear parameter-varying subsystems interconnected over arbitrary directed graphs. The subsystems are formulated in a linear fractional transformation (LFT) framework, and a communication latency of one sampling period is considered. The balanced truncation method is extended to the class of systems of interest, and upper bounds on the l 2 -induced norm of the resulting error system are derived. Balanced truncation suffers from conservatism since it only applies to stable systems which possess structured solutions to the generalized Lyapunov inequalities. The coprime factors reduction method is then provided as a partial remedy to this conservatism. An illustrative example is given to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed approaches.
Los desafíos de la Nueva Ruta de la Seda para India

El proyecto de reactivacion de la Ruta de la Seda es una iniciativa que anuncio el actual presidente de China, Xi Jinping, en 2013, con el objetivo de construir una red de comercio e infraestructuras para conectar Asia con Europa y Africa a lo largo de las antiguas rutas comerciales de la seda. Uno de los paises por los que atraviesa este corredor es India, cuyo gobierno ha considerado esta iniciativa mas como una amenaza que como una oportunidad, ya que afecta directamente sus intereses economicos, de seguridad nacional y su liderazgo regional. En este sentido, el objetivo de este trabajo es analizar los desafios geopoliticos y economicos que tiene el proyecto chino de la Nueva Ruta de la Seda para la India.
PhdA catalyzes the first step of phenazine-1-carboxylic acid degradation in Mycobacterium fortuitum

Phenazines are a class of bacterially produced redox-active metabolites that are found in natural, industrial, and clinical environments. In Pseudomonas spp., phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA)—the precursor of all phenazine metabolites—facilitates nutrient acquisition, biofilm formation, and competition with other organisms. While the removal of phenazines negatively impacts these activities, little is known about the genes or enzymes responsible for phenazine degradation by other organisms. Here, we report that the first step of PCA degradation by Mycobacterium fortuitum is catalyzed by a phenazine-degrading decarboxylase (PhdA). PhdA is related to members of the UbiD protein family that rely on a prenylated flavin mononucleotide cofactor for activity. The gene for PhdB, the enzyme responsible for cofactor synthesis, is present in a putative operon with the gene encoding PhdA in a region of the M. fortuitum genome that is essential for PCA degradation. PhdA and PhdB are present in all known PCA-degrading organisms from the Actinobacteria. M. fortuitum can also catabolize other Pseudomonas-derived phenazines such as phenazine-1-carboxamide, 1-hydroxyphenazine, and pyocyanin. On the basis of our previous work and the current characterization of PhdA, we propose that degradation converges on a common intermediate: dihydroxyphenazine. An understanding of the genes responsible for degradation will enable targeted studies of phenazine degraders in diverse environments.
$$\ell _1$$ ℓ 1 -Norm Based Central Point Analysis for Asymmetric Radial Data

Multivariate asymmetric radial data clouds with irregularly positioned “spokes” and “clutters” are commonly seen in real life applications. In identifying the spoke directions of such data, a key initial step is to locate a central point from which each spoke extends and diverges. In this technical note, we propose a novel method that features a preselection procedure to screen out candidate points that have sufficiently many data points in the vicinity and identifies the central point by solving an $$\ell _1$$ -norm constrained discrete optimization program. Extensive numerical experiments show that the proposed method is capable of providing central points with superior accuracy and robustness compared with other known methods and is computationally efficient for implementation.
Targeted gene expression panels and microbiota analysis provide insight into the effects of alternative production diet formulations on channel catfish nutritional physiology

Abstract The present research evaluated targeted gene expression panels and microbiota analysis to provide greater insight into the effects of alternatively-sourced dietary ingredients on production indices, gut health, changes in the gut microbiota and genes involved in the regulation of appetite, growth, metabolism, and intestinal inflammation. Four dietary formulations were based primarily on distinguishing protein sources: (D1-MFM) menhaden fishmeal (control), (D2-MBM) porcine meat and bone meal, (D3-SBM) soybean meal, and (D4-CSM/CGM) cottonseed meal/corn germ meal, respectively, and fed to channel catfish for 12 weeks. Differences in feed conversion ratio (FCR), specific growth rate, feed intake, body condition, weight gain, proximal intestine histology, intestinal microbiota composition, and quantitative gene expression were analyzed. FCR was significantly (P
Summation of Series

In this chapter we turn our attention to some of the most basic summation formulas. The list is quite short (e.g., the binomial theorem, arithmetic- and geometric-series formulas, elementary power-series formulas) but we shall see that a few standard techniques (e.g. telescoping, differentiation, integration) make them extremely versatile and powerful.
Anelastic Behavior of Silicate Glass-Ceramics and Partial Melts: Migration of the Amorphous Phase

The majority of the residual glass in a silicate glass-ceramic or the melt phase in a silicate partial melt resides in the prismatic triple junction channels that are interconnected throughout the two-phase body. This morphology allows the aggregate to have a dilatational viscosity. Application of a differential stress requires that the local melt fraction reestablish structural equilibrium with the hydrostatic (mean-normal) component of the stress state. In the case of compressive σ1, the melt is driven to a free surface or to portions of the specimen having lower compressive potential. The melt flow can be rate limited by either the viscosity of the melt phase, or by the ability of the solid residuum to accommodate the triple junctions as they shrink or grow. Removal of the stress requires the “back flow” of the melt phase; the phenomenon is clearly anelastic. This coupled fluid mechanics problem, which has applications ranging from melt migration and seismic wave attenuation in Earth’s mantle to the transient creep response of ceramic composites, has been characterized in creep and fatigue experiments in both compressional and flexural loading configurations. The results of experiments on, and the development of numerical models for an enstatite glass-ceramic (EGC) undergoing four-point flexure are presented and interpreted.
Yap is required for scar formation but not myocyte proliferation during heart regeneration in zebrafish.

Aims The Hippo signalling pathway regulates multiple cellular processes during organ development and maintenance by modulating activity of the transcriptional cofactor Yap. Core components of this pathway are required for neonatal mouse heart regeneration, however, investigations to date have typically focused on expression and activity in cardiomyocytes. Due to the regenerative capacity of zebrafish and the fact that global loss of Yap is not fully embryonic lethal in zebrafish, we leveraged a yap null mutant to investigate the impact of constitutive Yap deletion during zebrafish heart regeneration. Methods and results Following cryoinjury in adult hearts, myocyte proliferation was not decreased in yap mutants, contrary to expectations based on mouse data. Experiments in larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) revealed that deletion of either Yap or Taz had a modest effect on heart growth, reducing gross organ size, while their combined deletion was synergistic; thus, Yap and Taz share some overlapping roles in zebrafish heart development. Surprisingly, adult yap mutants exhibited decreased collagen composition at 7 days post-injury, suggesting a critical role for Yap in scar formation during heart regeneration. siRNA-mediated Yap knockdown in primary rat (Rattus norvegicus) cardiac cells revealed a fibroblast-specific role for Yap in controlling the expression of cytoskeletal and myofibroblast activation genes, as well as pro-inflammatory cyto/chemokines. Corroborating these RNAseq data, we observed increased macrophage infiltration in the scars of yap mutants at 7 days post-injury. Conclusion These results suggest that Yap deletion has minimal effect on myocyte proliferation in adults, but significantly influences scar formation and immune cell infiltration during zebrafish heart regeneration. Collectively, these data suggest an unexpected role for Yap in matrix formation and macrophage recruitment during heart regeneration.
Brown fat organogenesis and maintenance requires AKT1 and AKT2.

Abstract Objective Understanding the signaling mechanisms that control brown adipose tissue (BAT) development is relevant to understanding energy homeostasis and obesity. The AKT kinases are insulin effectors with critical in vivo functions in adipocytes; however, their role in adipocyte development remains poorly understood. The goal of this study was to investigate AKT function in BAT development. Methods We conditionally deleted Akt1 and Akt2 either individually or together with Myf5-Cre, which targets early mesenchymal precursors that give rise to brown adipocytes. Because Myf5-Cre also targets skeletal muscle and some white adipocyte lineages, comparisons were made between AKT function in BAT versus white adipose tissue (WAT) and muscle development. We also deleted both Akt1 and Akt2 in mature brown adipocytes with Ucp1-Cre or Ucp1-CreER to investigate AKT1/2 signaling in BAT maintenance. Results AKT1 and AKT2 are individually dispensable in Myf5-Cre lineages in vivo for establishing brown and white adipocyte precursor cell pools and for their ability to differentiate (i.e. induce PPARγ). AKT1 and AKT2 are also dispensable for skeletal muscle development, and AKT3 does not compensate in either the adipocyte or muscle lineages. In contrast, AKT2 is required for adipocyte lipid filling and efficient downstream AKT substrate phosphorylation. Mice in which both Akt1 and Akt2 are deleted with Myf5-Cre lack BAT but have normal muscle mass, and doubly deleting Akt1 and Akt2 in mature brown adipocytes, either congenitally (with Ucp1-Cre), or inducibly in older mice (with Ucp1-CreER), also ablates BAT. Mechanistically, AKT signaling promotes adipogenesis in part by stimulating ChREBP activity. Conclusions AKT signaling is required in vivo for BAT development but dispensable for skeletal muscle development. AKT1 and AKT2 have both overlapping and distinct functions in BAT development with AKT2 being the most critical individual isoform. AKT1 and AKT2 also have distinct and complementary functions in BAT maintenance.
Nitrogen-fixing trees could exacerbate climate change under elevated nitrogen deposition.

Biological nitrogen fixation can fuel CO2 sequestration by forests but can also stimulate soil emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas. Here we use a theoretical model to suggest that symbiotic nitrogen-fixing trees could either mitigate (CO2 sequestration outweighs soil N2O emissions) or exacerbate (vice versa) climate change relative to non-fixing trees, depending on their nitrogen fixation strategy (the degree to which they regulate nitrogen fixation to balance nitrogen supply and demand) and on nitrogen deposition. The model posits that nitrogen-fixing trees could exacerbate climate change globally relative to non-fixing trees by the radiative equivalent of 0.77 Pg C yr−1 under nitrogen deposition rates projected for 2030. This value is highly uncertain, but its magnitude suggests that this subject requires further study and that improving the representation of biological nitrogen fixation in climate models could substantially decrease estimates of the extent to which forests will mitigate climate change. The balance between CO2 sequestration by forests and soil N2O emissions is poorly constrained. Here, the authors use a theoretical model to demonstrate that symbiotic N2-fixing trees can either mitigate climate change or exacerbate it relative to non-fixing trees.
Blood Pressure and Cognitive Decline in Prevalent Hemodialysis Patients.

Background Hypertension is associated with cognitive decline in the general population. It is unclear what impact blood pressure (BP) has on cognitive decline in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis (HD). Methods Using a longitudinal cohort of 314 prevalent HD patients without dementia at baseline, we examined the association of predialysis systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP), pulse pressure, and intradialytic SBP change (pre minus post), averaged for a month, with cognitive decline. Cognitive function was determined by a neurocognitive battery, administered yearly. Individual cognitive test results were reduced into 2 domain scores using principal components analysis (by definition mean of 0 and SD of 1), representing memory and executive function. Joint models, allowing for characterization of cognitive score slopes and including adjustment for potential confounders, were utilized to account for competing risks from death, dropout, or kidney transplantation. Results Mean age was 62 years; 54% were men, 23% were black, and 90% had at least a high school education. During median follow-up of 2.1 years (25th-75th: 1.0-4.5), 191 had at least one follow-up test, 148 died, and 43 received kidney transplants. Low predialysis DBP and high pulse pressure were both associated with steeper executive function decline (each 10 mm Hg lower DBP = -0.03 SD [-0.01 to -0.05] per year steeper decline) in executive function (each 10 mm Hg higher pulse pressure = -0.03 SD [-0.06 to -0.01] steeper decline) but not for memory function. SBP and intradialytic change were not associated with steeper decline for either memory or executive function. Conclusions No relationship was seen between SBP or intradialytic change in BP with cognitive decline. In prevalent HD patients, lower predialysis DBP and wider predialysis pulse pressure are associated with steeper cognitive decline in executive function but not memory.
Meteorological catalysts of dust events and particle source dynamics of affected soils during the 1930s Dust Bowl drought, Southern High Plains, USA

Abstract Mineral dust aerosols are a key component of the Earth system and a growing public health concern under climate change, as levels of dustiness increase. The Great Plains in the USA is particularly vulnerable to dust episodes, but land-atmosphere interactions contributing to large-scale dust transport are poorly constrained. This study compiled one of the longest quantitative, spatially-comprehensive records of dust events in the core Dust Bowl region never before available. Combined with experiment station reports from the Soil Conservation Service, reanalysis data products, and contemporary field surveys using a Portable In-Situ Wind Erosion Laboratory (PI-SWERL), the study examined meteorological catalysts for dust events and surficial dynamics of particle emission on the Southern High Plains (SHP). Multivariate statistical analyses of dust event variance yield 6 principal components capturing ˜60% of the variance of all dust event days. Results identified four dominant modes of dust events related to the season of occurrence and principal meteorological controls. A broader assessment of the potential emissivity of SHP soils reveals that disturbed surfaces begin to emit dust at a magnitude-higher rate than undisturbed surfaces as soon as the wind velocity reaches the threshold, increasing linearly with windspeed. Conversely, crusted undisturbed soil surfaces do not begin to reach the same flux rate until much higher windspeeds, at which point crusts are broken and emissivity rates increase exponentially. Significantly, the particle emissivity of undisturbed, loose sandy soils mirrors that of disturbed surfaces in relation to windspeed and potential magnitude of dust emission. This finding suggests that the prevalent sandier, rangeland soils of the SHP could be equal or greater dust sources than cultivated fields during periods of sustained, severe aridity.
Sluggish cognitive tempo and processing speed in adolescents with ADHD: do findings vary based on informant and task?

Few studies have examined whether behavioral sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) symptoms are related to speeded task performance. Mixed findings in existing research could be due to previous studies using a broad conceptualization of processing speed, not including self-report of SCT symptoms, and relying on non-optimal measures of SCT. Using a multi-informant design with both parent- and adolescent-reported SCT symptoms, the present study provides a preliminary test of the hypothesis that SCT symptoms would be associated with slower performance on tasks having greater graphomotor and fine motor demands. Participants were 80 adolescents (ages 13–17 years; 71% male) with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Adolescents and parents completed ratings of SCT. Adolescents were administered the Wechsler Symbol Search and Coding subtests and the Grooved Pegboard Test. When adjusting for age, sex, and ADHD symptom severity, parent-reported SCT symptoms were not significantly associated with Symbol Search or Coding scores but were significantly associated with slower Grooved Pegboard time. Adolescent-reported SCT symptoms were not significantly associated with Symbol Search but were significantly associated with lower Coding scores and slower Grooved Pegboard time. Findings provide preliminary support for the hypothesis that SCT may be more clearly associated with processing speed task performance as motor demands increase and provide a potential explanation for the mixed literature on SCT in relation to processing speed by demonstrating that the presence and magnitude of associations vary by informant and task.
Cookoff experiments of a melt cast explosive (Comp-B3)

Abstract Validated models of melt cast explosives exposed to accidental fires are essential for safety analysis. In the current work, we provide several experiments that can be used to develop and validate cookoff models of melt cast explosives such as Comp-B3 composed of 60:40 wt% RDX:TNT. We present several vented and sealed experiments from 2.5 mg to 4.2 kg of Comp-B3 in several configurations. We measured pressure, spatial temperature, and ignition time. Some experiments included borescope images obtained during both vented and sealed decomposition. We observed the TNT melt, the suspension of RDX particles in the melt, bubble formation caused by RDX decomposition, and bubble-induced mixing of the suspension. The RDX suspension did not completely dissolve, even as temperatures approached ignition. Our results contrast with published measurements of RDX solubility in hot TNT that suggest RDX would be completely dissolved at these high temperatures. These different observations are attributed to sample purity. We did not observe significant movement of the two-phase mixture until decomposition gases formed bubbles. Bubble generation was inhibited in our sealed experiments and suppressed mixing.
Mechanisms of the cyclic (de)lithiation of RuO2

RuO2 films can serve as high-performance electrodes for thin film lithium-ion batteries due to their large volumetric charge capacity, low rate sensitivity and excellent cyclability. Unlike other electrode materials, RuO2 films also do not require high temperature processing, making them suitable for integration with low-power CMOS circuits and for fabrication on flexible membranes. To determine the mechanisms through which Li is reversibly stored in RuO2 films, detailed characterization studies of sputtered thin films were carried out; galvanostatic and potentiostatic intermittent titration and cyclic voltammetry studies were coupled with ex situ selected area electron diffraction, X-ray photoelectron and Raman spectroscopy, optical and scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and in situ electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. During lithiation, amorphous RuO2 is transformed to amorphous LixRuO2 through an alloying reaction and this is followed by a reversible side reaction to form an SEI layer. LixRuO2 then undergoes a conversion reaction to form a mixture of nanosized Ru and Li2O crystals, and finally at low voltages Li is inserted into the Ru/Li2O mixture. These reactions occur in a different sequence during delithiation and a large overpotential is required to reverse the conversion reaction, leading to a large energy loss during cycling. It is argued that this hysteretic behavior is associated with slow diffusive processes required for the conversion reactions. The methodology developed in this study can also be applied to other candidate thin film electrode materials and learnings from studies of thin films can be applied to more complex powder-based electrodes used in bulk batteries.
End-of-Life Wishes Among Non-Hispanic Black and White Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Although some research has been done on end-of-life (EOL) preferences and wishes, our knowledge of racial differences in the EOL wishes of non-Hispanic White and non-Hispanic Black middle-aged and older adults is limited. Previous studies exploring such racial differences have focused mainly on EOL decision-making as reflected in advance healthcare directives concerning life-sustaining medical treatment. In need of examination are aspects of EOL care that are not decision-based and therefore not normally covered by written advance healthcare directives. This study focuses on racial differences in non-decision-based aspects of EOL care, that is, EOL care that incorporates patients’ beliefs, culture, or religion. To test the combined effects of race, socioeconomic status, health status, spirituality, perceived discrimination and medical mistrust on the EOL non-decision-based desires and wishes of a representative sample of non-Hispanic White and non-Hispanic Black older California adults. This cross-sectional study used data from the Survey of California Adults on Serious Illness and End-of-Life 2019. To perform data analysis, we used multiple logistic regression models. Non-Hispanic Blacks reported more EOL non-decision-based desires and wishes than non-Hispanic Whites. In addition to gender, age, and education other determinants of EOL non-decision-based medical desires and wishes included perceived and objective health status, spirituality, and medical trust. Poverty level, perceived discrimination did not correlate with EOL medical wishes. Non-Hispanic Blacks desired a closer relationship with their providers as well as a higher level of respect for their cultural beliefs and values from their providers compared with their White counterparts. Awareness, understanding, and respecting the cultural beliefs and values of older non-Hispanic Black patients, that usually are seen by non-Hispanic Black providers, is the first step for meaningful relationship between non-Hispanic Black patients and their providers that directly improve the end-of-life quality of life for this segment of our population.