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Background: The landscape of biologic agents for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) associated colitis is rapidly evolving, requiring surgeons to be up‐to‐date as part of multi‐disciplinary, evidence‐based care. An update on novel therapies used to induce remission in IBD‐associated colitis is presented. Methods: A systematic search through Ovid MEDLINE and CENTRAL using a combination of MeSH terms and Boolean operators was conducted. Results: One thousand and twenty articles from which 38 articles were selected for inclusion in this review. Novel agents were trialled as 4th or 5th line treatment following conventional treatment failure. Rates of serious adverse effects were low. Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors (upadacitinib and tofacitinib) were efficacious in inducing remission in ulcerative colitis, and IL‐23p19 inhibitors (mirikizumab, guselkumab, and risankizumab) in Crohn's colitis. Evidence was limited for other drug classes. Conclusion: JAK‐inhibitors and IL‐23p19 inhibitors were found to be the most effective agents for inducting remission following failure of standard of care treatment. A significant proportion of patients did not respond, highlighting the inherent challenge in optimizing treatment for moderate to severe IBD‐associated colitis. More robust study designs and comparator trials are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the reception of John Lydgate's courtesy text Stans puer ad mensam, which survives in twenty-three manuscripts. Scholars of courtesy texts have tended to focus on the type of audience constructed by the text itself, but this article examines what the manuscript evidence tells us about actual readers. The manuscripts show that Lydgate's poem appeared in numerous sorts of codicological environments, indicating that a broad range of reading environments was receptive to it. Based on close archival research, this article also surveys the provenance evidence, which shows that Lydgate's attested readers belonged to the lower end of the late medieval English elite—primarily middling landowners and middling merchants. Such an audience maps nicely onto Stans puer's scripting of behaviors for social advancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the crisis and uncertainty faced by missionaries and the Church in the post-Vatican II era. Topics include the changing perception of missions, the impact of Vatican II on the missionary movement, and the shift towards viewing the Church as a communion with a mission entrusted to the entire community rather than a distinct missionary enterprise.

Background: Technetium‐99 (99mTc) lymphoscintigraphy with blue dye injection is an accepted method for sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping, but blue dye has known adverse effects, and injection of 99mTc may increase time under anesthesia for pediatric patients. Indocyanine green (ICG) may serve as an adjunct to assist with visibility and identification of SLNs. We hypothesized that sensitivity of ICG was similar to blue dye in SLN biopsies. Methods: Thirty patients (36 procedures with 96 total specimens) underwent preoperative intradermal injection of 99mTc, followed by intradermal injection of isosulfan blue and ICG. Test characteristics of blue dye, ICG, and 99mTc included sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV). Results: ICG had a sensitivity of 87% and PPV of 83% for detection of 99mTc‐hot lymph nodes; blue dye had a sensitivity of 44% and PPV of 97%. For detection of pathologically confirmed lymph nodes, ICG had a sensitivity of 84% and a positive predictive value (PPV) of 91%. 99mTc had a sensitivity of 82% and a PPV of 94%. ICG had no significant difference in odds of being positive in pathology‐confirmed lymph nodes compared to 99mTc (odds ratio [OR], 0.818; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.3–2.172; p =.823) and had higher odds than isosulfan blue (OR, 0.025, 95% CI, 0.001–0.148; p <.001). Conclusion: This study established the efficacy of ICG as an adjunct to SLNB in the pediatric and young adult population. ICG was safe, more efficacious than blue dye, and may obviate the need for lymphoscintigraphy in selected patients resulting in reduced time under anesthesia. This trial in the pediatric and young adult oncology population studied patients undergoing sentinel lymph node biopsy with the use of gold‐standard technetium‐99, isosulfan blue, and indocyanine green. Indocyanine green was found to be safe, more efficacious than blue dye, and noninferior to technetium‐99, potentially obviating the need for nuclear scanning in select patient populations, resulting in reduced time under anesthesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Convective cloud bands known as "cloud trails" (CTs) are commonly found downwind of small islands (

Police violence is not uncommon in America, and the risk of civilians' being killed by police is considerably higher here than in similar countries, making it a major public health issue. For Black Americans the risk is significantly higher. In this study, we analyze the political determinants of police killings of Black Americans, with a specific focus on corruption in American states. Our evidence suggests that police can kill Black Americans with impunity because of a lack of accountability—exemplified by corruption—that is largely determined by political influences. Our findings point to ways in which the responsibility for police violence and killings is deeply rooted and influenced by the values of the wider society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report an exploratory investigation of the types of assessment in a variety of high school subjects that best predicted subsequent success at university in those subjects. In social sciences and the humanities, internal (school-based) assessment was a better predictor of university success than external, examination-based assessment, whereas the converse was true for mathematics and the sciences. A plausible interpretation of these findings, and one that warrants further research, is that approaches to assessment that recognize differences in the knowledge structures of disciplines at the point of university transition could be a significant factor in better preparing students for success at university. There are other plausible explanations, which we also explore. If further research validates our conjecture regarding the importance of aligning the disciplinary learning and assessment, we will have identified a potentially powerful mechanism to use the motivating force of assessment to enhance learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By conventional chromosome analysis, two cases showed highly complex karyotypes, two cases had apparently normal karyotypes, and one case failed to grow in cell culture. Chromothripsis/instability of chromosome 19, evidenced by complex patterns of alternating copy number changes (normal, gain, or loss) along the length of chromosome or chromosome segment, was found in 80% of our cases. All cases also underwent conventional chromosome analysis (karyotype) and gene sequencing analysis with the TruSight Myeloid Sequencing Panel (v3.0) (Illumina, San Diego, CA). Pure erythroid leukemia (PEL) represents a rare and highly aggressive subtype of acute myeloid leukemia, not otherwise specified (AML, NOS). [Extracted from the article]

The response of a diffusion flame around a PMMA solid sphere to a sudden transition to zero-gravity is investigated both experimentally and numerically. The initial flame is established in normal gravity with a low speed forced flow in a 17% oxygen by volume atmosphere. An abrupt (step change) normal-to-zero gravity transition occurs when the test package is released in the drop tower. The dynamic flame response is recorded by video and modeled numerically. By the end of the 5.18-s drop, the flame tip retreats, and the flame base may either remain stabilized near the forward stagnation region or extinguish depending on several parameters. The two parameters investigated are: forced flow velocity and the degree of preheating in the surface layer of the solid sample. The amount of preheating or equivalently the conductive flame heat loss rate to the solid interior is varied by controlling the duration of the normal gravity burning before releasing to microgravity. The heat loss is quantified by using embedded thermocouples to measure the solid subsurface temperature gradient near the stagnation point. The detailed numerical model reveals details of the flow field and flame structure including oscillatory extinction and quantifies the various transient gas-solid surface energy balance terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Amorphous urate crystals can obscure significant findings during a routine urinalysis. There is no standardized protocol to minimize their effect. Materials and Methods We tested 210 urine specimens. Three specimens had high red blood cell (RBC) or white blood cell (WBC) counts. Fifty-six specimens formed amorphous urates. Sediment from these specimens was treated with 50 mM sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at a 1:2 and/or 1:4 dilution. We warmed 22 specimens with crystals at various temperatures. Results Amorphous urate crystals formed in concentrated urine with an acidic pH. Adding 50 mM NaOH dissolved amorphous urates, revealing the presence of underlying bacteria and yeast, but WBC and RBC counts were grossly decreased. Prewarming unspun specimens to 60°C for 90 seconds dissolved most amorphous urates. Conclusion The protocol to eliminate amorphous urate crystals is to prewarm the specimen before testing. Adding 50 mM NaOH to sediment dissolves amorphous urates to enhance the visibility of bacteria and yeast but has a deleterious effect on WBC and RBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a 52-year-old male with Dorr A femoral morphology diagnosed with bilateral avascular necrosis and osteoarthritis. The patient underwent hip replacement surgery using the Corail stem and highlights that in some cases, the Corail stem may fail due to lack of proximal fixation and distal fixation achieved at the expense of metaphyseal fixation.

Evidence indicates that privilege is made and reproduced in the family. There, however, has been little investigation in the field of beauty pageantry and how pageant winners represent themselves and their community. Using content analysis, this study aims to better understand how privilege is reproduced for girls who are on royal court and how the girls represent themselves in media interviews. Findings show that the girls on royal court presented themselves in media interview as having common traits and discourses about the community. The texts show the girls to have a common lifelong aspiration for being on royal court, having parents with similar employment status and occupational positions, similar involvement in extra-curricular and co-curricular activities, common aspirations to earn a college degree, and a common religious identity. As a qualitative study, the findings from this study are not intended to be generalizable, but to be transferable and extendable to future research on class reproduction and gender performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-dimensional nanostructures commonly refer to nanomaterials with a large length-to-diameter ratio, such as nanowires, nanotubes, nanorods, and nanopillars. The nanoscale lateral dimensions and high aspect ratios of these (quasi) one-dimensional nanostructures result in fascinating optical and electrical properties, including strongly anisotropic optical absorption, controlled directionality of light emission, confined charge-carrier transport and/or ballistic transport, which make one-dimensional nanostructures ideal building blocks for applications in highly integrated photonic, electronic, and optoelectronic systems. In this article, we review recent developments of very high (terahertz) frequency devices based on these one-dimensional nanostructures, particularly focusing on carbon nanotubes and semiconductor nanowires. We discuss state-of-the-art nanomaterials synthesis, device-fabrication techniques, device-operating mechanisms, and device performance. The combination of nanotechnology and terahertz science is a nascent research field which has created advanced THz sources, detectors, and modulators, leading to terahertz systems with extended functionalities. The goal of this article is to present the up-to-date worldwide status of this field and to highlight the current challenges and future opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pancreatic cancer is usually advanced and drug resistant at diagnosis. A potential therapeutic approach outlined here uses nanoparticle (NP)-based drug carriers, which have unique properties that enhance intra-tumor drug exposure and reduce systemic toxicity of encapsulated drugs. Here we report that patients whose pancreatic cancers express elevated levels of Death Receptor 5 (DR5) and its downstream regulators/effectors FLIP, Caspase-8, and FADD had particularly poor prognoses. To take advantage of elevated expression of this pathway, we designed drug-loaded NPs with a surface-conjugated αDR5 antibody (AMG 655). Binding and clustering of the DR5 is a prerequisite for efficient apoptosis initiation, and the αDR5-NPs were indeed found to activate apoptosis in multiple pancreatic cancer models, whereas the free antibody did not. The extent of apoptosis induced by αDR5-NPs was enhanced by down-regulating FLIP, a key modulator of death receptor-mediated activation of caspase-8. Moreover, the DNA topoisomerase-1 inhibitor camptothecin (CPT) down-regulated FLIP in pancreatic cancer models and enhanced apoptosis induced by αDR5-NPs. CPT-loaded αDR5-NPs significantly increased apoptosis and decreased cell viability in vitro in a caspase-8- and FADD-dependent manner consistent with their expected mechanism-of-action. Importantly, CPT-loaded αDR5-NPs markedly reduced tumor growth rates in vivo in established pancreatic tumor models, inducing regressions in one model. These proof-of-concept studies indicate that αDR5-NPs loaded with agents that downregulate or inhibit FLIP are promising candidate agents for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Unlabelled Image • The death receptor 5 pathway is upregulated in pancreatic cancer and correlates with poorer prognosis. • AMG 655 conjugated to nanoparticle surface facilitates death receptor 5 apoptosis induction in pancreatic cancer cell lines • FLIP downregulation increases response to TRAIL and nanoparticle conjugated AMG 655 • Camptothecin causes downregulation of FLIP • CRISPR targeting shows conjugated AMG 655 efficacy is FADD and caspase 8 dependent [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the implications for scholarship on Middle English manuscripts of the copying and reading of the poem "The Prick of Conscience" (PoC) in late Medieval England. It describes differences in the copies of the poem produced by scribes. It also discusses a survey of manuscripts of PoC that were originally intended to contain the entire text which showed trends in book production and readership during the period.

Background & Aims: In a general population without known liver disease, we tested whether: (a) increased liver fibrosis scores (FIB‐4 and APRI) are associated with liver cancer mortality and (b) the probability that a person with a higher score died of liver cancer. Methods: In a retrospective occupational cohort who underwent annual/biennial health examinations (between 2002 and 2015), subjects were excluded with known chronic liver disease. Based on their baseline FIB‐4 and APRI scores, subjects were categorised in low‐/intermediate‐/high‐risk groups for advanced liver fibrosis. Using Cox proportional hazards regression analyses adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) were estimated for liver cancer mortality, with the low‐risk FIB‐4/APRI group as the reference. Harrell's C statistics were also calculated. Results: In 200 479 participants, mean (SD) age was 36.4 (7.7) years. Median follow‐up was 4.1 years (IQR 2.10‐8.03) with 80 liver cancer deaths. High baseline FIB‐4 or APRI scores occurred in 0.25% and 0.09% of subjects respectively. A high FIB‐4 or APRI score was associated with a markedly increased risk of liver cancer mortality (aHRs 629.10 [95% CI 228.74‐1730.20] and 80.42 [95% CI 34.37‐188.18]) respectively. C statistics were FIB‐4 = 0.841 (95% CI 0.735‐0.946) and APRI = 0.933 (95% CI 0.864‐0.999). Conclusions: In a general population without known liver disease, high FIB‐4 or high APRI (in keeping with a high probability of advanced fibrosis) occurred in 0.25% (FIB‐4) and 0.09% (APRI) of subjects. Both scores were associated with a markedly increased risk of liver cancer mortality and FIB‐4 and APRI models both strongly predicted liver cancer mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• SYNGAP1 encodes a SYNaptic GTPase Activating Protein that is an essential component of the postsynaptic density of NMDA receptors at excitatory glutamatergic neurons. • SYNGAP1 plays critical roles in synaptic development, structure, function, and plasticity. • Mutations in SYNGAP1 result in Mental retardation-type 5 (OMIM #612621), a neurodevelopmental disorder with a phenotype consisting of intellectual disability, motor impairments, and epilepsy, attesting to the importance of this protein for normal brain development. SYNGAP1 is a gene that encodes the cytosolic protein SYNGAP1 (SYNaptic GTPase Activating Protein), an essential component of the postsynaptic density at excitatory glutamatergic neurons. SYNGAP1 plays critical roles in synaptic development, structure, function, and plasticity. Mutations in SYNGAP1 result in a neurodevelopmental disorder termed Mental retardation-type 5 (MRD5, OMIM #612621) with a phenotype consisting of intellectual disability, motor impairments, and epilepsy, attesting to the importance of this protein for normal brain development. Here we review the clinical and pathophysiological aspects of SYNGAP1 mutations with a focus on their effect on synaptogenesis, neural circuit function, and cellular plasticity. We conclude by comparing the molecular pathogenesis of SYNGAP1 mutations with those of another neurodevelopmental disorder that affects dendritic function and cellular plasticity, fragile X syndrome. Insights into the molecular similarities and differences underlying these disorders could lead to rationale therapy development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the importance of microbial activity in mobilizing arsenic in groundwater aquifers, the phylogenetic distribution of contributing microbial metabolisms is understudied. Groundwater samples from Ohio aquifers were analyzed using metagenomic sequencing to identify functional potential that could drive arsenic cycling, and revealed mechanisms for direct (i.e., Ars system) and indirect (i.e., iron reduction) arsenic mobilization in all samples, despite differing geochemical conditions. Analyses of 194 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) revealed widespread functionality related to arsenic mobilization throughout the bacterial tree of life. While arsB and arsC genes (components of an arsenic resistance system) were found in diverse lineages with no apparent phylogenetic bias, putative aioA genes (aerobic arsenite oxidase) were predominantly identified in Methylocystaceae MAGs. Both previously described and undescribed respiratory arsenate reduction potential via arrA was detected in Betaproteobacteria, Deltaproteobacteria, and Nitrospirae MAGs, whereas sulfate reduction potential was primarily limited to members of the Deltaproteobacteria and Nitrospirae. Lastly, iron reduction potential was detected in the Ignavibacteria, Deltaproteobacteria, and Nitrospirae. These results expand the phylogenetic distribution of taxa that may play roles in arsenic mobilization in subsurface systems. Specifically, the Nitrospirae are a much more functionally diverse group than previously assumed and may play key biogeochemical roles in arsenic-contaminated ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In I The Gilded Page i , Mary Wellesley offers a glimpse into what ought to make medieval manuscripts interesting or captivating to us in the twenty-first century. The book is also refreshingly free of an agenda, instead seeking to share with the reader, in Wellesley's words, "so much of what I think is magical about manuscripts" (2). This is not to say, however, that Wellesley offers medievalists nothing but a good read, for there were stories of some manuscripts and scribes I had not encountered before, and it is always useful to have a refresher on the important manuscripts that are not in one's own immediate research area. [Extracted from the article]

The Teachers Conceptions of Assessment Inventory was used to investigate New Zealand teachers' beliefs about assessment. The participating sample comprised teachers who work almost exclusively at the senior level of high school and are responsible for school-based assessment programmes that contribute at least 50% of students' final grades towards qualifications. Factor analyses showed that these teachers had conceptions of assessment that were more similar to those of teachers in countries with qualifications systems based on high-stakes examinations than to a more general sample of participants in previous New Zealand research. In particular, there was a strong positive correlation between the formative views of assessment and the view that assessment promotes student accountability. The study revealed ecological influences on teachers' conceptions of assessment, as well as tensions that arise between formative and summative views of assessment, when teachers are responsible for assessment contributing to national qualifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cloud trails are primarily thermally forced bands of cloud that extend downwind of small islands. A novel algorithm to classify conventional geostationary visible-channel satellite images as cloud trail (CT), nontrail (NT), or obscured (OB) is defined. The algorithm is then applied to the warm season months of five years at Bermuda comprising 16 400 images. Bermuda's low elevation and location make this island ideal for isolating the role of the island thermal contrast on CT formation. CTs are found to occur at Bermuda with an annual cycle, peaking in July, and a diurnal cycle that peaks in midafternoon. Composites of radiosonde observations and ERA-Interim data suggest that a warm and humid low-level environment is conducive for CT development. From a Lagrangian perspective, wind direction modulates CT formation by maximizing low-level heating on local scales when winds are parallel to the long axis of the island. On larger scales, low-level wind direction also controls low-level humidity through advection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, much media attention has been drawn to the relatively frequent ‘nuisance’ flooding of urban low‐lying and poor drainage areas in Bermuda. This flooding results in traffic disruptions and loss of business, with only minor property damage. More significant flooding with property inundations is relatively rare. Efforts were made to reduce the incidence of flooding in low‐lying areas of Pembroke Parish through the construction of a canal in the 1800s. However, recent urbanisation and inadequate maintenance have reduced both its drainage capacity and efficiency. There is currently no formal warning system in place for flooding in Bermuda. The results of this study may serve as the context for the development of such a system. Recent heavy rain and flooding in January 2017 further motivates an examination of the rainfall record for trends and variability in daily rainfall accumulations. A conservative catalogue of flood reports can be constructed from anecdotal reports of flooding for the last decade. The flood catalogue events are related to daily rainfall amounts to develop a threshold daily rainfall for flood events, determined to be on average 39.3mm of rain. This threshold was used as a basis for examination of the historical record of daily rainfall for the period 1949–2016, in order to assess return frequencies of flood‐inducing rainfall events. A return period of approximately 2 months was calculated for the threshold daily rainfall accumulation. Although there are increasing trends apparent in the daily rainfall accumulations and counts of days on which rain was recorded (‘rain days’) since 1949, they are not statistically significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three decades of anticorruption activism have yielded only indifferent results. It is time to step back and rethink some basic issues. Among them are what the opposite of corruption might look like; our excessive faith in transparency; the distinction between “grand” and “petty” corruption; our reliance on the concept of “political will”; and what the best ways are of measuring corruption and mobilizing civil society. “Best practices” are elusive and do not always transfer well from one setting to the next. However, “better practices” are possible if we understand how corruption arises as a political and social issue, and how well-governed societies got that way. We often turn history upside down, overemphasizing reform from above while neglecting contention from below; and get history backward by mistaking outcomes of contention for the causes of better government. “Deep democratization’ – enabling citizens to demand justice and better government – tailored to contrasting situations and syndromes may yield better long-term results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic intestinal pseudo‐obstruction (CIPO) may be a primary or secondary phenomenon and is often multifactorial. Treatment is largely directed at improving colonic motility. The use of cholinesterase inhibitors such as pyridostigmine has been hypothesized to increase acetylcholine in the bowel, improving symptoms and transit times. Methods: A systematic review of the use of pyridostigmine in CIPO was conducted using scientific and commercial search engines identifying scientific studies enrolling adult human subjects, published from 2000 to 2022 in the English language. Results: Four studies were identified including two randomized controlled trials (RCT) and two observational studies. The studies had heterogenous inclusion criteria, dosing regimens and reported outcomes. Two studies were identified as being at high risk of bias. All studies reported improved patient outcomes with use of pyridostigmine, and low rates (4.3%) of mild cholinergic side effects. No major side effects were reported. Conclusion: The use of pyridostigmine in management of CIPO is biologically plausible due to its ability to increase colonic motility, and early studies on its role are uniformly suggestive of benefit with low side‐effect profile. Four clinical studies have been conducted to date, with small sample sizes, heterogeneity and high risk of bias. Further high‐quality studies are required to enable assessment of pyridostigmine's utility as an effective management strategy in CIPO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A precision mass balance coupled with a variable oxygen flow tunnel/nozzle enables us to measure the burning rate of solid and liquid fuels as a function of ambient oxygen percentage all the way to the extinction limit. Two sample configurations have been studied. The first is a liquid fueled wick flame (ethanol tea lamp). The total burning rate (mass/time) is measured as a function of wick length and oxygen percentage. Near the low oxygen limit, limit-cycle flame oscillation has been found that can last for many minutes to hours. The averaged mass burning rate of the oscillatory flame is about one-half that of the steady flame occurring at slightly higher oxygen. In the second configuration, local burning rate (mass/area/time) of poly(methyl methacrylate) spherical shell samples have been measured in the flame stabilization zone. Each sample has a different amount of heat loss and a different oxygen limit. The critical burning rate at their respective oxygen limits are different. This implies that critical burning rate is not a property of the material alone and it should not be used as the only criterion to judge the extinction or the ignition of materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To what extent does variation in political culture influence the number and types of corruption issues arising in U.S. states? Drawing upon Daniel Elazar's enduring typology of American political subcultures and using a new news-based measure of corruption issues, we find that political culture remains a "sticky" deep determinant of the distribution of corruption issues across states. Unlike previous empirical studies we do not treat political culture as a set of consensus values, but rather emphasize tensions that can arise when multiple political cultures coexist in a state. Our findings are of interest not only with respect to the enduring role of culture itself, but also in terms of how it might help us understand the growing number of actions that are legal, yet still seen by many as corrupt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the epithelial follicle stem cells (FSCs) of the Drosophila ovary, Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) signaling promotes selfrenewal, whereas Notch signaling promotes differentiation of the prefollicle cell (pFC) daughters. We have identified two proteins, Six4 and Groucho (Gro), that link the activity of these two pathways to regulate the earliest cell fate decision in the FSC lineage. Our data indicate that Six4 and Gro promote differentiation towards the polar cell fate by promoting Notch pathway activity. This activity of Gro is antagonized by EGFR signaling, which inhibits Gro-dependent repression via p-ERK mediated phosphorylation. We have found that the phosphorylated form of Gro persists in newly formed pFCs, which may delay differentiation and provide these cells with a temporary memory of the EGFR signal. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that phosphorylated Gro labels a transition state in the FSC lineage and describe the interplay between Notch and EGFR signaling that governs the differentiation processes during this period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to compare the acute neuromuscular, biochemical, and endocrine responses of a training day consisting of a speed session only with performing a speed-and-weights training session on the same day. Fifteen men who were academy-level rugby players completed 2 protocols in a randomized order. The speed-only protocol involved performing 6 maximal effort repetitions of 50-m running sprints with 5 minutes of recovery between each sprint, whereas the speed-and-weights protocol involved the same sprinting session but was followed 2 hours later by a lower-body weights session consisting of 4 sets of 5 backsquats and Romanian deadlift at 85% one repetition maximum. Testosterone, cortisol, creatine kinase, lactate, and perceived muscle soreness were determined immediately before, immediately after, 2 hours after, and 24 hours after both the protocols. Peak power, relative peak power, jump height, and average rate of force development were determined from a countermovement jump (CMJ) at the same time points. After 24-hours, muscle soreness was significantly higher after the speed-and-weights protocol compared with the speed-only protocol (effect size η² = 0.253, F = 4.750, p ≤ 0.05). There was no significant difference between any of the CMJ variables at any of the posttraining time points. Likewise, creatine kinase, testosterone, and cortisol were unaffected by the addition of a weight-training session. These data indicate that the addition of a weight-training session 2 hours after a speed session, whereas increasing the perception of fatigue the next day does not result in a difference in endocrine response or in neuromuscular capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer may be prevented by a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as they are enriched with dietary antioxidant polyphenols, such as flavonoids, proanthocyanidins, lignans, stilbenes, and phenolic acids. Dietary polyphenols exert a wide range of beneficial biological functions beyond their antioxidative properties and are involved in regulation of cell survival pathways leading to anticarcinogenic and antimutagenic functions. There are sufficient evidence from in vitro, in vivo, and epidemiological studies to suggest that the dietary intervention of polyphenols in cancer prevention, including the chemopreventive ability of dietary polyphenols, act against lung carcinogens. Cohort and epidemiological studies in selected risk populations have evaluated clinical effects of polyphenols. Polyphenols have demonstrated three major actions: antioxidative activity, regulation of phase I and II enzymes, and regulation of cell survival pathways against lung carcinogenesis. They have also shown an inverse association of lung cancer occurrences among high risk populations who consumed considerable amounts of fruits and vegetables in their daily diet. In in vitro cell culture experimental models, polyphenols bind with electrophilic metabolites from carcinogens, inactivate cellular oxygen radicals, prevent membrane lipid peroxidation and DNA oxidative damage, and adduct formation. Further, polyphenols enhance the detoxifying enzymes such as the phase II enzymes, glutathione transferases and glucuronosyl transferases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pronounced polarization anisotropy in semiconductor nanowires has been exploited to achieve polarization-sensitive devices operating across the electromagnetic spectrum, from the ultraviolet to the terahertz band. This contribution describes the physical origins of optical and electrical anisotropy in nanowires. Polarization anisotropy arising from dielectric contrast, and the behaviour of (nano)wire grid polarizers, are derived from first principles. This review discusses experimental observations of polarization-sensitive light–matter interactions in nanowires. It then describes how these phenomena are employed in devices that detect or modulate polarized terahertz radiation on ultrafast timescales. Such novel terahertz device concepts are expected to find use in a wide variety of applications including high-speed terahertz-band communications and molecular fingerprinting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present protocols for simulating micelles using dissipative particle dynamics (and in principle molecular dynamics) that we expect to be appropriate for computing micelle properties for a wide range of surfactant molecules. The protocols address challenges in equilibrating and sampling, specifically when kinetics can be very different with changes in surfactant concentration, and with minor changes in molecular size and structure, even using the same force field parameters. We demonstrate that detection of equilibrium can be automated and is robust, for the molecules in this study and others we have considered. In order to quantify the degree of sampling obtained during simulations, metrics to assess the degree of molecular exchange among micellar material are presented, and the use of correlation times are prescribed to assess sampling and for statistical uncertainty estimates on the relevant simulation observables. We show that the computational challenges facing the measurement of the critical micelle concentration (CMC) are somewhat different for high and low CMC materials. While a specific choice is not recommended here, we demonstrate that various methods give values that are consistent in terms of trends, even if not numerically equivalent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study reported on here focuses on self-efficacy in relation to high-school teachers’ teaching of writing. 140 New Zealand teachers from four schools completed a teacher-of-writing self-efficacy scale (TWSES) based on a rhetorical model of the writing process and incorporating five hypothesized dimensions. An initial principal components analysis was undertaken on 25 individual self-efficacy items to investigate the dimensionality of the data and the extent to which it reflected the dimensions hypothesized. A two-component solution emerged, termed “pre-writing instructional strategies” (accounting for 52% of total variance) and “compositional strategy demonstration” (7% of variance). Further principal components analyses conducted on groups of items deemed to be thematically coherent, that loaded on each component, confirmed that the data set for each group, treated separately to any other items, was approximately uni-dimensional. Measurement scales were calibrated to each group of items, and served as the dependent variables for comparisons of teachers’ self-efficacy in different subjects. Statistically significant variations occurred in the resultant scale locations for teachers of English, the humanities, science and mathematics. The study findings have implications for the teaching of writing as conceptualized in the secondary school, and indicate a value in viewing disciplinary literacies in rhetorical terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maximising educational attainment is important for both individuals and societies. However, understanding of why some students achieve better than others is far from complete. Motivation and achievement data from a sample of 782 secondary-school students in New Zealand reveal that two specific types of outcome goals, namely maximal levels of aspiration and minimal boundary goals, predict subsequent student achievement independently of mastery, performance goals, self-efficacy, student demographics and context variables including school type and time spent in out-of-school activities. In addition, our results underline that the relationships between these two specific outcome goals and achievement are moderated by the type of assessment tasks used to index achievement. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that understanding variability in students' academic performance can be significantly enhanced by taking into consideration individual differences in the strength of their maximal levels of aspirations and minimal boundary goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the acute neuromuscular, biochemical and endocrine responses to a maximal speed training (MST) session. Eighteen male rugby players completed the protocol, which involved performing six maximal effort repetitions of 50 m running sprints with 5 minutes recovery between each sprint. Testosterone (T), cortisol (C), creatine kinase (CK), lactate (La), perceived muscle soreness (MS) and counter movement jump were collected immediately pre (PRE), immediately post (IP), 2 hours post (2P) and 24 hours post (24P) the sprint session. A bimodal recovery pattern was observed from the jump parameters with several declining significantly (p ≤ 0.05) IP, recovering 2P and suffering a secondary decline 24P. CK and perceived MS were elevated IP and continued to rise throughout the protocol, while La was only elevated IP. T and C were unaffected IP but showed significant declines 2P. These data indicate that MST results in a bimodal recovery pattern of neuromuscular function with changes most likely being related to metabolic and biochemical responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microtextured surfaces can reduce friction in lubricated dynamic contact. However, no prior experimental study has explored the dimensionless parameter space of Reynolds number and dimensionless gap, since normal force is easier to control than the fluid film thickness. Here, we develop a custom precision-aligned setup for gap-controlled tribo-rheometry based on a rotational rheometer. The novel experimental setup allows for measurement of full film lubrication of parallel disks down to 20 μm gaps with gap precision ±3 μm, over a range of Reynolds numbers. We show for the first time in gap-controlled conditions that microtextured surfaces reduce friction. The reduction in dimensionless shear stress is nearly independent of velocity for Re <10 which matches computational results in this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upward flame spread experiments were conducted on long thin composite fabric fuels made of 75% cotton and 25% fiberglass of various widths between 2 and 8.8 cm and lengths greater than 1.5 m. Symmetric ignition at the bottom edge of the fuel resulted in two sided upward flame growth initially. As flame grew to a critical length (15–30 cm depending on sample width) fluctuation or instability of the flame base was observed. For samples 5 cm or less in width, this instability lead to flame blow off on one side of the sample (can be either side in repeated tests). The remaining flame on the other side would quickly shrink in length and spread all the way to the end of the sample with a constant limiting length and steady spread rate. Flame blow off from the increased buoyancy induced air velocity (at the flame base) with increasing flame length is proposed as the mechanism for this interesting phenomenon. Experimental details and the proposed explanation, including sample width effect, are offered in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present plasmonic optical trapping of micron-sized particles in biologically relevant buffer media with varying ionic strength. The media consist of 3 cell-growth solutions and 2 buffers and are specifically chosen due to their widespread use and applicability to breast-cancer and angiogenesis studies. High-precision rheological measurements on the buffer media reveal that, in all cases excluding the 8.0 pH Stain medium, the fluids exhibit Newtonian behavior, thereby enabling straightforward measurements of optical trap stiffness from power-spectral particle displacement data. Using stiffness as a trapping performance metric, we find that for all media under consideration the plasmonic nanotweezers generate optical forces 3–4x a conventional optical trap. Further, plasmonic trap stiffness values are comparable to those of an identical water-only system, indicating that the performance of a plasmonic nanotweezer is not degraded by the biological media. These results pave the way for future biological applications utilizing plasmonic optical traps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Mitochondrial dysfunction has been linked to neuronal death and a wide array of neurodegenerative diseases. Previously, we have shown sex differences in mitochondriamediated cell death pathways following hypoxia-ischemia. However, the role of mitochondrial biogenesis in hypoxic-ischemic brain injury between male vs. female has not been studied yet. Results Primary cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs), isolated from P7 male and female mice (CD-1) segregated based on visual inspection of sex, were exposed to 2 h of oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) followed by 6-24 h of reoxygenation (Reox). Mitochondrial membrane potential (▵ Ψm) and cellular ATP levels were reduced significantly in XX CGNs as compared to XY CGNs. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content was increased (>2-fold) at 2 h OGD in XY CGNs and remained increased up to 24 h of Reox compared to XX neurons and normoxia controls. The expression of mitochondrial transcription factor A (Tfam), the nuclear respiratory factor-1 (NRF-1) and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator- 1α (PGC-1α), a master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis, were up-regulated (2-fold, 8 p < 0.001) in XY CGNs but slightly reduced or remained unchanged in XX neurons. Similarly, the TFAM and PGC-1α protein levels and the mitochondrial proteins HSP60 and COXIV were increased in XY neurons only. Supportively, a balanced stimulation of fusion (Mfn 1and Mfn 2) and fission (Fis 1 and Drp 1) genes and enhanced formation of donutshaped mitochondria were observed in XY CGNs vs. XX neurons (8 p < 0.01). Conclusions Our results demonstrate that OGD/Reox alters mitochondrial biogenesis and morphological changes in a sex-specific way, influencing neuronal injury/survival differently in both sexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the relationship between the government's management, or control, of corruption and democratization. The role that reforms plays in efforts to prevent corruption, including in regard to reforms that distribute power to citizens, is discussed. An overview of the role that voters play in preventing the re-election of politicians involved in corruption, including in regard to American electorate's voting U.S. President of the Republican Party Richard Nixon out of presidential office in 1974 following his involvement in political corruption, is provided.

For rotational rheometers, surface tension results in a torque that should not occur in an ideal, rotationally symmetric geometry. This paper identifies and explains the effect, which is due to surface tension and contact line traction forces, and not surface rheology at the liquid-air interface. For water, we show that this torque can be more than two orders of magnitude larger than the viscous torque. In steady shear flow, the effect appears as a constant torque independent of rate, which would appear inaccurately as apparent shear thinning of water. In oscillatory tests, this may appear inaccurately as an elastic modulus. This surface tension torque is sensitive to wetting conditions and contact line asymmetries and cannot be deterministically corrected in experimental measurements. It therefore raises the lower bound of the instrument low-torque limit. The surface tension torque is reduced by maximizing rotational symmetry of the contact line, minimizing evaporation and the migration of the contact line, reducing the radial location of the contact line, and lowering the surface tension. Identifying and eliminating the surface tension torque is critical for low viscosities, intrinsic viscosities, soft materials, subdominant viscoelastic components, small gaps, and any circumstance where the low-torque limit is experimentally important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the preferred theory for understanding international migration, social capital theory (SCT) structures current debate about Mexican population growth in new US metropolitan destinations. We review this literature to show that SCT does not cover the secondary migration of hundreds of thousands of Mexican migrants from traditional to new US metropolitan destinations. As a complement to previous SCT applications, we develop two hypotheses about this internal migration: one that identifies the increasing growth in secondary migration relative to other Mexican migration streams to new destinations, and one that specifies ethnic economic conditions as one of the factors leading Mexicans to migrate out of traditional destinations. Data are from 140 US metropolitan areas (metros) with 2,000 or more economically active adult Mexican migrants in 1990 and 2000. Two statistical models form the analysis: a contingency table and a multi-level model applied to a specially constructed data file merging metropolitan-level data from the 1990 Census with individual-level migration behaviour in 1995–2000 from 2000 Census data. The results are consistent with existing SCT explanations of Mexican population growth in new US metropolitan destinations since the 1990s and further show that the internal migration of Mexican migrants is a powerful contributor thereto. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]