Child Maltreatment, Exposure to Violence, and Adolescent Weapon Carrying

This study examined associations between child maltreatment, violence exposure, and gender in predicting subsequent adolescent weapon carrying. Data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well- Being, a nationally representative longitudinal study of families in contact with the child welfare system, were used. Participants included 821 youth who were followed over five years. Results from a logistic regression suggested that male youth who reported physical abuse at baseline were less likely to report carrying a weapon any time across the follow up period, while physical abuse did not predict weapon carrying in females. These counterintuitive findings demonstrated a complex relationship between violence exposure and subsequent risk behaviors among a vulnerable population of youth

Braking and Propulsion Phase Characteristics of Traditional and Accentuated Eccentric Loaded Back Squats

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in braking and propulsion force-time characteristics and barbell velocity between traditional (TRAD) and accentuated eccentric loaded (AEL) back squats using various load combinations. Sixteen resistance-trained men participated in four separate testing sessions which included a one repetition maximum (1RM) back squat during the first session and three squat testing sessions. During the squat testing sessions, participants either performed sets of three repetitions of TRAD back squats each with 50, 60, 70, and 80% 1RM or performed the same loads with the addition of weight releasers that increased the total eccentric weight of the first repetition of each set to either 100 (AEL-MAX) or 110% 1RM (AEL-SUPRA). Braking and propulsion mean force, duration, and impulse as well as mean and peak barbell velocity were compared between each condition and load. Significantly greater braking impulses were produced during the AEL-MAX and AEL-SUPRA conditions compared to TRAD (p \u3c 0.03) with small-moderate effect sizes favoring AEL-SUPRA. No other significant differences existed among conditions for other braking, propulsion, or barbell velocity variables. AEL-MAX and AEL-SUPRA back squats may provide a greater braking stimulus compared to TRAD squats; however, the propulsion phase of the movement does not appear to be impacted. From a loading standpoint, larger and smaller load spreads may favor rapid and maximal force production characteristics, respectively. Further research on this topic is needed as a large portion of the braking stimulus experienced during AEL back squats may be influenced by relative strength

Comparing Mean & Peak Barbell Velocity During Traditional and Accentuated Eccentric Loaded Back Squats

MV: There were statistically significant main effects present for both condition (p = 0.002; g = 0.10-0.23) and load (p \u3c 0.001; g = 0.95-3.93). However, the condition x time interaction effect was not statistically significant (p = 0.259). • PV: There were statistically significant main effects present for both condition (p = 0.016; g = 0.11-0.23) and load (p \u3c 0.001; g = 0.42-1.6), but there was no statistically significant condition x time interaction effect (p = 0.101). • Post hoc analysis indicated that there was a significant difference between MV (p = 0.006) and PV (p = 0.032) between the traditional and 100% AEL conditions. • Moderate effect sizes were found with MV between the traditional and 100% AEL conditions at both 70% CON (g = 0.55) and 80% CON (g = 0.70). • No practically significant differences were found for PV

A Radio Flare in the Long-lived Afterglow of the Distant Short GRB 210726A: Energy Injection or a Reverse Shock from Shell Collisions?

We present the discovery of the radio afterglow of the short gamma-ray burst (GRB) 210726A, localized to a galaxy at a photometric redshift of z ∼ 2.4. While radio observations commenced ≲1 day after the burst, no radio emission was detected until ∼11 days. The radio afterglow subsequently brightened by a factor of ∼3 in the span of a week, followed by a rapid decay (a “radio flare”). We find that a forward shock afterglow model cannot self-consistently describe the multiwavelength X-ray and radio data, and underpredicts the flux of the radio flare by a factor of ≈5. We find that the addition of substantial energy injection, which increases the isotropic kinetic energy of the burst by a factor of ≈4, or a reverse shock from a shell collision are viable solutions to match the broadband behavior. At z ∼ 2.4, GRB 210726A is among the highest-redshift short GRBs discovered to date, as well as the most luminous in radio and X-rays. Combining and comparing all previous radio afterglow observations of short GRBs, we find that the majority of published radio searches conclude by ≲10 days after the burst, potentially missing these late-rising, luminous radio afterglows

United States Department of State Diplomacy Laboratory An External Evaluation of Kosovo’s American Corners Program

This report provides analysis, findings, and recommendations as they pertain to American Corners in Kosovo as a contribution to an ongoing U.S. Department of State program. Stemming from America’s foreign policy, three corners located throughout Kosovo have been working to educate the populations they serve and to unite the country and improve its identity. The Corners, Pristina, Prizren, and Mitrovica serve their communities with a variety of educational and informational topics to include law, economics, language, STEM, and the promotion of regional stability with economic growth. It is the goal of the research to improve the Corners and support Kosovo as it works to become a democratic state. Methods of research derived from a variety of resources; open online resources, the American Corner’s website, lectures, and resources from the Indiana‐Purdue University Library database. Research was also conducted by Zoom meetings with the American Corner’s staff members. Staff members were asked specific, structured questions, and were also given open-ended discussion opportunities. Findings from research show an overwhelming response for improved collaboration among the three Corners. If done together program planning and implementation would benefit. For further collaboration, there is a need for increased involvement with the US Embassy to implement more cohesive training for all Corners staff. Some staff and space requirements and subject recommendations are presented as well. The authors recognize the limitations of the research. None of the authors have spent time in Kosovo first‐hand. The research is also being conducted during a serious international Pandemic, creating an environment and issues that may not always be consistent. The corners are also a relatively new foreign policy State Department enterprise in Kosovo and as well have been impacted by the Pandemic

Characterization, sources and reactivity of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Seoul and surrounding regions during KORUS-AQ

The Korea-United States Air Quality Study (KORUS-AQ) took place in spring 2016 to better understand air pollution in Korea. In support of KORUS-AQ, 2554 whole air samples (WAS) were collected aboard the NASA DC-8 research aircraft and analyzed for 82 C₁–C₁₀ volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using multi-column gas chromatography. Together with fast-response measurements from other groups, the air samples were used to characterize the VOC composition in Seoul and surrounding regions, determine which VOCs are major ozone precursors in Seoul, and identify the sources of these reactive VOCs. (1) The WAS VOCs showed distinct signatures depending on their source origins. Air collected over Seoul had abundant ethane, propane, toluene and n-butane while plumes from the Daesan petrochemical complex were rich in ethene, C₂–C₆ alkanes and benzene. Carbonyl sulfide (COS), CFC-113, CFC-114, carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) and 1,2-dichloroethane were good tracers of air originating from China. CFC-11 was also elevated in air from China but was surprisingly more elevated in air over Seoul. (2) Methanol, isoprene, toluene, xylenes and ethene were strong individual contributors to OH reactivity in Seoul. However methanol contributed less to ozone formation based on photochemical box modeling, which better accounts for radical chemistry. (3) Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) and other techniques indicated a mix of VOC source influences in Seoul, including solvents, traffic, biogenic, and long-range transport. The solvent and traffic sources were roughly equal using PMF, and the solvents source was stronger in the KORUS-AQ emission inventory. Based on PMF, ethene and propene were primarily associated with traffic, and toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes with solvents, especially non-paint solvents for toluene and paint solvents for ethylbenzene and xylenes. This suggests that VOC control strategies in Seoul could continue to target vehicle exhaust and paint solvents, with additional regulations to limit the VOC content in a variety of non-paint solvents

Characterization, sources and reactivity of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Seoul and surrounding regions during KORUS-AQ

The Korea-United States Air Quality Study (KORUS-AQ) took place in spring 2016 to better understand air pollution in Korea. In support of KORUS-AQ, 2554 whole air samples (WAS) were collected aboard the NASA DC-8 research aircraft and analyzed for 82 C₁–C₁₀ volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using multi-column gas chromatography. Together with fast-response measurements from other groups, the air samples were used to characterize the VOC composition in Seoul and surrounding regions, determine which VOCs are major ozone precursors in Seoul, and identify the sources of these reactive VOCs. (1) The WAS VOCs showed distinct signatures depending on their source origins. Air collected over Seoul had abundant ethane, propane, toluene and n-butane while plumes from the Daesan petrochemical complex were rich in ethene, C₂–C₆ alkanes and benzene. Carbonyl sulfide (COS), CFC-113, CFC-114, carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) and 1,2-dichloroethane were good tracers of air originating from China. CFC-11 was also elevated in air from China but was surprisingly more elevated in air over Seoul. (2) Methanol, isoprene, toluene, xylenes and ethene were strong individual contributors to OH reactivity in Seoul. However methanol contributed less to ozone formation based on photochemical box modeling, which better accounts for radical chemistry. (3) Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) and other techniques indicated a mix of VOC source influences in Seoul, including solvents, traffic, biogenic, and long-range transport. The solvent and traffic sources were roughly equal using PMF, and the solvents source was stronger in the KORUS-AQ emission inventory. Based on PMF, ethene and propene were primarily associated with traffic, and toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes with solvents, especially non-paint solvents for toluene and paint solvents for ethylbenzene and xylenes. This suggests that VOC control strategies in Seoul could continue to target vehicle exhaust and paint solvents, with additional regulations to limit the VOC content in a variety of non-paint solvents

A Radio Flare in the Long-Lived Afterglow of the Distant Short GRB 210726A: Energy Injection or a Reverse Shock from Shell Collisions?

We present the discovery of the radio afterglow of the short $\gamma$-ray burst (GRB) 210726A, localized to a galaxy at a photometric redshift of $z\sim 2.4$. While radio observations commenced $\lesssim 1~$day after the burst, no radio emission was detected until $\sim11$~days. The radio afterglow subsequently brightened by a factor of $\sim 3$ in the span of a week, followed by a rapid decay (a ``radio flare''). We find that a forward shock afterglow model cannot self-consistently describe the multi-wavelength X-ray and radio data, and underpredicts the flux of the radio flare by a factor of $\approx 5$. We find that the addition of substantial energy injection, which increases the isotropic kinetic energy of the burst by a factor of $\approx 4$, or a reverse shock from a shell collision are viable solutions to match the broad-band behavior. At $z\sim 2.4$, GRB\,210726A is among the highest redshift short GRBs discovered to date as well as the most luminous in radio and X-rays. Combining and comparing all previous radio afterglow observations of short GRBs, we find that the majority of published radio searches conclude by $\lesssim 10~$days after the burst, potentially missing these late rising, luminous radio afterglows.Comment: 28 pages, 10 figures, submitted to Ap

Proton Transfer, Hydrogen Bonding, and Disorder: Nitrogen Near-Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy of Bipyridine-Acid Salts and Co-crystals

The sensitivity of near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy to Brønsted donation and the protonation state of nitrogen in the solid state is investigated through a series of multicomponent bipyridine–acid systems alongside X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) data. A large shift to high energy occurs for the 1s → 1π* resonance in the nitrogen K-edge NEXAFS with proton transfer from the acid to the bipyridine base molecule and allows assignment as a salt (C═NH+), with the peak ratio providing the stoichiometry of the types of nitrogen species present. A corresponding binding energy shift for C═NH+ is observed in the nitrogen XPS, clearly identifying protonation and formation of a salt. The similar magnitude shifts observed with both techniques relative to the unprotonated nitrogen of co-crystals (C═N) suggest that the chemical state (initial-state) effects dominate. Results from both techniques reveal the sensitivity to identify proton transfer, hydrogen bond disorder, and even the potential to distinguish variations in hydrogen bond length to nitrogen

Genetic drivers of heterogeneity in type 2 diabetes pathophysiology

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a heterogeneous disease that develops through diverse pathophysiological processes1,2 and molecular mechanisms that are often specific to cell type3,4. Here, to characterize the genetic contribution to these processes across ancestry groups, we aggregate genome-wide association study data from 2,535,601 individuals (39.7% not of European ancestry), including 428,452 cases of T2D. We identify 1,289 independent association signals at genome-wide significance (P &lt; 5 × 10-8) that map to 611 loci, of which 145 loci are, to our knowledge, previously unreported. We define eight non-overlapping clusters of T2D signals that are characterized by distinct profiles of cardiometabolic trait associations. These clusters are differentially enriched for cell-type-specific regions of open chromatin, including pancreatic islets, adipocytes, endothelial cells and enteroendocrine cells. We build cluster-specific partitioned polygenic scores5 in a further 279,552 individuals of diverse ancestry, including 30,288 cases of T2D, and test their association with T2D-related vascular outcomes. Cluster-specific partitioned polygenic scores are associated with coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease and end-stage diabetic nephropathy across ancestry groups, highlighting the importance of obesity-related processes in the development of vascular outcomes. Our findings show the value of integrating multi-ancestry genome-wide association study data with single-cell epigenomics to disentangle the aetiological heterogeneity that drives the development and progression of T2D. This might offer a route to optimize global access to genetically informed diabetes care.</p