Midwestern State University (MSU Texas) is a public liberal arts university in Wichita Falls, Texas. In 2020 it had 5,141 undergraduate students. It is the state's only public institution focused on the liberal arts.
Cellular responses to DNA damage play a crucial role in carcinogenesis, particularly in environmentally related cancers such as bladder cancer (BC). This is the ninth most frequently occurring cancer globally and most frequent in the urinary system. Polymorphic variants in genes encoding DNA repair proteins may interfere with their expression and/or activity. Consequently, modulation in an individual's gene response to exposure might occur resulting in greater susceptibility and lower survival rates in BC. Taking this into account, the study evaluated associations of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in base excision repair genes (XRCC1 rs25487 and OGG1 rs1052133) with BC susceptibility and prognosis. A total of 274 cases and 274 controls, matched on gender, age, and smoking status, were genotyped using DNA from peripheral blood. In susceptibility analyses, individuals with a family history of cancer who carried at least one reference allele (rs1052133, CC + CG) exhibited an increased risk of BC occurrence. For XRCC1, the TT + CC genotypes were associated with elevated risk for BC among pesticide-exposed individuals. Regarding prognosis, the rs1052133 CC genotype was associated with an enhanced risk of recurrence among smokers and female patients. Bioinformatic analyses indicated significantly higher expression of XRCC1 and OGG1 in bladder tissue and marked elevation in expression in tumors. These results suggest that gene-environment interaction might modulate risk of BC occurrence and subsequent prognosis.
Dissociative symptoms are prevalent and disabling, but little is known about what factors can longitudinally predict dissociative symptoms. This study examined the protective role of perceived social support against dissociative symptoms. We analyzed data from the International Dissociative Depression Survey Project (N = 152) and the International Female Mental Health Survey Project (N = 293). In both samples, participants completed validated measures of dissociative symptoms and perceived social support at baseline, and then reported their dissociative symptoms after approximately 6 to 12 months. We tested the hypothesis that perceived social support would predict subsequent dissociative symptoms in each sample and see whether the results could be replicated across different samples. After controlling for demographic variables, childhood trauma, and baseline dissociative symptoms, baseline perceived social support was significantly associated with fewer dissociative symptoms at follow-up (β = − 0.129 to − 0.198, p = .001). The results were replicated across the two samples. This study contributes to the very limited literature on the longitudinal predictors of dissociative symptoms. Our results point to the critical role of social-interpersonal and family interventions in preventing and treating dissociative symptoms.
Dhaka, one of the world’s fastest-growing megacities, faces severe urban flood risks driven by rapid urbanization, inadequate drainage infrastructure, and climate change–induced extreme weather. This study develops an integrated urban flood forecasting system for a densely built-up area of Dhaka using the MIKE + hydrodynamic model. The system links hydrological and hydraulic modules to simulate the complex interactions among surface runoff (pluvial), river overflow (fluvial), drainage networks, and overland flow. Real-time data from rainfall, river gauge, and pump stations are incorporated to improve forecasting precision. Sensitivity analysis identified ten influential parameters, optimized during model calibration. Historical flood events from 2019–2022 were used for calibration and validation, yielding high performance with Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) above 0.70, R2 above 0.80 and Mean Absolute Error (MAE) below 0.1 m. The model’s robustness was further verified using major flood events in 2020 2021, 2022, 2024 and 2025 validated against flood marks and community reports and observed data. This advanced forecasting framework offers reliable early warnings and scenario simulations, strengthening decision-making and emergency response for flood-prone urban areas in Dhaka.
A sucker rod pump is an artificial lift system widely used in oil wells to extract crude oil from deep underground. Due to the clearance between the barrel and the pump plunger, a phenomenon termed slippage occurs in which the annulus column of oil returns to the pump chamber due to the plunger motion and the pressure difference at the two ends of the plunger. Although it is important to maintain the clearance for lubrication between the plunger and the pump barrel in order to prevent excessive wear and tear along with galling, excessive clearance can also be a primary factor in the reduction of oil well production and must be managed. In this research, after briefly reviewing the Couette and Poiseuille flows within the annulus region, the relaxation time for the transients, and the eccentricity effects, we focus on the derivation of important system parameters such the effective mass, stiffness, and damping ratio based on the measurements of the sucker rod displacement and the pressures or loads. Analysis of experimental measurement data can provide better understanding of the sucker rod pump system parameters, helping to quantify and manage the so-called slippage issues.
Recent studies have shown that fertility was adversely impacted by the Great Recession of 2008 in both developed and developing nations. We look back further in time to explore how the Great Depression of the 1930s affected fertility rates across the United States. Our main results suggest that a one percent increase in state personal income per capita is associated with a 0.17 to 0.25 percent increase in fertility the next year, which is consistent with estimates found during the post-World War II economy in the United States. Thus, we conclude that fertility decisions were indeed pro-cyclical during the 1930s.
