bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Integration of Ontario Birth Centers into Existing Maternal‐Newborn Services: Health Care Provider Experiences
Authors: Reszel Jessica , Sidney Dana , Peterson Wendy E. , Darling Elizabeth K. , Van Wagner Vicki , Soderstrom Bobbi , Rogers Judy , Graves Erin , Khan Bushra , Sprague Ann E.
Published: August 2018

Introduction

In 2014, 2 freestanding, midwifery‐led birth centers opened in Ontario, Canada. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively investigate the integration of the birth centers into the local, preexisting intrapartum systems from the perspective of health care providers and managerial staff.

Methods

Focus groups or interviews were conducted with health care providers (paramedics, midwives, nurses, physicians) and managerial staff who had experienced urgent and/or nonurgent maternal or newborn transports from a birth center to one of 4 hospitals in Ottawa or Toronto. A descriptive qualitative approach to data analysis was undertaken.

Results

Twenty‐four health care providers and managerial staff participated in a focus group or interview. Participants described positive experiences transporting women and/or newborns from the birth centers to hospitals; these positive experiences were attributed to the collaborative planning, training, and communication that occurred prior to opening the birth centers. The degree of integration was dependent on hospital‐specific characteristics such as history, culture, and the presence or absence of midwifery privileging. Participants described the need for only minor improvements to administrative processes as well as the challenge of keeping large numbers of staff updated with respect to urgent transport policies. Planning and opening of the birth centers was seen as a driving force in further integrating midwifery care and improving interprofessional practice.

Discussion

The collaborative approach for the planning and implementation of the birth centers was a key factor in the successful integration into the existing maternal‐newborn system and contributed to improving integrated professional practice among midwives, paramedics, nurses, and physicians. This approach may be used as a template for the integration of other new independent health care facilities and programs into the existing health care system.
Different Starting Points for English Language Learning: A Comparative Study of Danish and Spanish Young Learners
Authors: Muñoz Carmen , Cadierno Teresa , Casas Isabel
Published: August 2018

This study compared receptive English grammar skills of two groups of 7‐ and 9‐year‐old Danish children at the beginning of second language (L2) instruction in English, and two groups of Spanish/Catalan children of the same age after several years of instruction. The study examined the influence of two language‐related factors (receptive vocabulary skills, cognate linguistic distance) and two context‐related factors (amount of formal instruction, frequency of exposure to English outside school), additionally focusing on the gender variable. Results revealed that the amount of formal instruction had a lesser role in the children's receptive grammar knowledge than cognate linguistic distance and out‐of‐school contact with English (particularly with audiovisual material). These factors may explain why Danish children's receptive knowledge of English prior to school instruction is largely similar to that of Spanish children after several years of instruction, revealing a sharp contrast in their respective starting points for L2 learning.
Optimal consumption and investment under transaction costs*
Authors: Hobson David , Tse Alex S. L. , Zhu Yeqi
Published: August 2018

In this paper, we consider the Merton problem in a market with a single risky asset and proportional transaction costs. We give a complete solution of the problem up to the solution of a first‐crossing problem for a first‐order differential equation. We find that the characteristics of the solution (e.g., well‐posedness) can be related to some simple properties of a univariate quadratic whose coefficients are functions of the parameters of the problem. Our solution to the problem via the value function includes expressions for the boundaries of the no‐transaction wedge. Using these expressions, we prove a precise condition for when leverage occurs. One new and unexpected result is that when the solution to the Merton problem (without transaction costs) involves a leveraged position, and when transaction costs are large, the location of the boundary at which sales of the risky asset occur is independent of the transaction cost on purchases.
Harnessing synthetic chemistry to probe and hijack auxin signaling
Authors: Torii Keiko U. , Hagihara Shinya , Uchida Naoyuki , Takahashi Koji
Published: August 2018

Contents

Summary
417

I.
Introduction
417

II.
Auxin analogs 1: Plant growth regulators
418

III.
Auxin analogs 2: Molecular genetics and chemical biology
418

IV.
Auxin analogs 3: Structure‐guided chemical design
418

V.
Auxin analogs 4: Synthetic orthogonal auxin‐TIR1 pair
420

VI.
Conclusions and future perspectives
422

Acknowledgements
422

References
423

Plant biologists have been fascinated by auxin – a small chemical hormone so simple in structure yet so powerful – which regulates virtually every aspect of plant growth, development and behavior. Synthetic chemistry has played a major role in unraveling the physiological effects of auxin and the application of synthetic analogs has had a dramatic effect on tissue culture, horticulture and the agriculture of economically relevant plant species. Chemical genetics of the model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, has helped to elucidate the nuclear auxin signaling pathway mediated by the receptor, TIR1, and opened the door to structure‐guided, rational designs of auxin agonists and antagonists. Further improvement and tuning of such analogs has been achieved through derivatization and screening. Finally, by harnessing synthetic chemistry and receptor engineering, an orthogonal auxin‐TIR1 pair has been created and developed, enabling spatiotemporal control of auxin perception and response. This synergism of chemistry, biology and engineering sparks new ideas and directions to delineate, uncover and manipulate auxin signaling.
Perceived discrimination and cardiovascular health disparities: a multisystem review and health neuroscience perspective
Authors: Lockwood Kimberly G. , Marsland Anna L. , Matthews Karen A. , Gianaros Peter J.
Published: August 2018

There are distinct racial disparities in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, with Black individuals at much greater risk than White individuals. Although many factors contribute to these disparities, recent attention has focused on the role of discrimination as a stress‐related factor that contributes to racial disparities in CVD. As such, it is important to understand the mechanisms by which discrimination might affect CVD. Recent studies have examined these mechanisms by focusing on neurobiological mediators of CVD risk. Given this increase in studies, a systematic review of perceived discrimination and neurobiological mediators of CVD risk is warranted. Our review uses a multisystem approach to review studies on the relationship between perceived discrimination and (1) cardiovascular responses to stress, (2) hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenocortical axis function, and (3) the immune system, as well as (4) the brain systems thought to regulate these parameters of peripheral physiology. In addition to summarizing existing evidence, our review integrates these findings into a conceptual model describing multidirectional pathways linking perceived discrimination with a CVD risk.
Subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator oversensing and shock delivery due to chest compressions during CPR
Authors: Berkowitz Eric J. , Pleimann Brent E. , Rosenfeld Lynda E.
Published: August 2018

We report the case of a patient who received both appropriate and inappropriate shocks from an entirely subcutaneous implantable defibrillator (S‐ICD). The inappropriate shocks were due to oversensing of chest compressions in the setting of a profound postshock bradycardia. It is important to recognize that the therapy from the S‐ICD can not only be withheld, as previously described, but can also be inappropriately delivered during chest compressions.
Continuity, stability, and concordance of socioemotional functioning in mothers and their sibling children
Authors: Bornstein Marc H. , Putnick Diane L. , Suwalsky Joan T. D.
Published: August 2018

This within‐family longitudinal study accomplishes a novel multivariate assessment of socioemotional parenting cognitions and practices in mothers and their sibling children's socioemotional behaviors. Mothers participated with their 20‐month‐old firstborns and again, an average of 3 years later, with their 20‐month‐old secondborns (55 families, 165 participants). Continuity and stability in maternal cognitions and practices between the two times, and similarities, differences, and correspondences in siblings’ behaviors, are assessed and compared. Maternal socioemotional parenting cognitions were continuous in mean level and stable in individual differences across siblings; maternal socioemotional practices were continuous in mean level but unstable in individual differences. Firstborns were more sociable and emotionally available to mothers than secondborns; first‐ and secondborns’ socioemotional behaviors were largely unrelated. This study contributes to understanding socioemotional domains of parenting and child development, birth order effects, and the shared and non‐shared contexts of siblings’ environments within the family.
Go Fix It: Comedy as an Agent of Political Activation*
Authors: Bode Leticia , Becker Amy B.
Published: August 2018

Objective

One of the recent late‐night political comedy successes is John Oliver's Last Week Tonight, which includes frequent calls to action at the end of a segment, encouraging viewers to do something about the problem they have just learned about.

Methods

Using an experimental design, this study investigates the effects of these calls to action on the likelihood of engaging with the issue of net neutrality.

Results

Findings suggest that exposure to political comedy activates viewers to engage in small but meaningful behaviors, but does not spill over to encourage more difficult political behaviors, nor does it boost political efficacy.

Conclusion

The call to action, encouraging viewer participation in remedying a problem addressed in a political comedy show, seems effective at encouraging viewers to participate. However, it may not make them feel more equipped to do so.
Successful treatment of canine acute respiratory distress syndrome secondary to inhalant toxin exposure
Authors: Greensmith Thomas D. , Cortellini Stefano
Published: August 2018

Objective

To describe the successful management of a dog with acute respiratory distress syndrome secondary to inhalant toxin exposure.

Case summary

An 8‐year‐old male neutered Greyhound was referred with severe respiratory distress 56 hours after exposure to an aerosol toxicant. The patient developed respiratory difficulties requiring veterinary attention within 12 hours of initial exposure. Treatment at the referral hospital included mechanical ventilation and supportive care. The patient was discharged 5 days after admission to the referral hospital.

New or unique information

This is the first report, to the authors’ knowledge, of canine acute respiratory distress syndrome secondary to inhalant toxin exposure not associated with smoke inhalation. The report summarizes the provided care and subsequent successful outcome.
Reduced mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production in peripheral nerves of mice fed a ketogenic diet
Authors: Cooper Michael A. , McCoin Colin , Pei Dong , Thyfault John P. , Koestler Devin , Wright Douglas E.
Published: August 2018

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

Do peripheral sensory neurons metabolize fat‐based fuel sources, and does a ketogenic diet modify these processes?

What is the main finding and its importance

We show that peripheral axons from mice fed a ketogenic diet respond to fat‐based fuel sources with reduced respiration and H2O2 emission compared with mice fed a control diet. These results add to our understanding of the responses of sensory neurons to neuropathy associated with poor diet, obesity and metabolic syndrome. These findings should be incorporated into current ideas of axonal protection and might identify how dietary interventions may change mitochondrial function in settings of sensory dysfunction.

Metabolic syndrome and obesity are increasing epidemics that significantly impact the peripheral nervous system and lead to negative changes in sensation and peripheral nerve function. Research to understand the consequences of diet, obesity and fuel usage in sensory neurons has commonly focused on glucose metabolism. Here, we tested whether mouse sensory neurons and nerves have the capacity to metabolize fat‐based fuels (palmitoyl‐CoA) and whether these effects are altered by feeding of a ketogenic (90% kcal fat) diet compared with a control diet (14% kcal fat). Male C57Bl/6 mice were placed on the diets for 10 weeks, and after the mice were killed, the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and sciatic nerve (SN) were placed in an Oroboros oxygraph‐2K to examine diet‐induced alterations in metabolism (respiration) of palmitoyl‐CoA and H2O2 emission (fluorescence). In addition, RNAseq was performed on the DRG of mice fed a control or a ketogenic diet for 12 weeks, and genes associated with mitochondrial respiratory function were analysed. Our results suggest that the sciatic nerves from mice fed a ketogenic diet display reduced O2 respiration and H2O2 emission when metabolizing palmitoyl‐CoA compared with mice fed a control diet. Assessments of changes in mRNA gene expression reveal alterations in genes encoding the NADH dehydrogenase complex and complex IV, which could alter production of reactive oxygen species. These new findings highlight the ability of sensory neurons and axons to oxidize fat‐based fuel sources and show that these mechanisms are adaptable to dietary changes.
Impaired perceptual normalization of lexical tones in Cantonese-speaking congenital amusics
Authors: Zhang Caicai , Shao Jing , Chen Si
Published: August 2018

Human listeners perceive speech sounds relative to acoustic cues in context. In this study the authors examined how congenital amusia, a pitch-processing disorder, affects perceptual normalization of lexical tones according to the distribution of F0 cues in context. Sixteen Cantonese-speaking amusics and 16 controls were tested on the effects of shifting F0 level in four types of contexts on tone perception: nonspeech, reversed speech, semantically anomalous speech, and meaningful speech contexts. Performance of controls replicated previous studies, showing contrastive changes of tone perception according to the shifted F0 level of anomalous and meaningful contexts, which were native speech contexts with phonological cues to estimate a talker's tone space. Effects of nonspeech and reversed contexts were small and inconsistent, and tone perception performance varied depending on the typicality of a talker's F0 range. In contrast to controls, amusics showed reduced context effects in anomalous and meaningful contexts, but largely comparable context effects in nonspeech and reversed contexts, indicating a deficit of amusics in tone normalization through phonological cues in native speech contexts. These findings suggest that the ability to perceive speech sounds relative to acoustic cues in context is not a universal endowment, and that this ability is impaired substantially in amusics.
Microglial pannexin-1 channel activation is a spinal determinant of joint pain
Authors: Mousseau Michael , Burma Nicole E. , Lee Kwan Yeop , Leduc-Pessah Heather , Kwok Charlie H. T. , Reid Allison R. , O’Brien Melissa , Sagalajev Boriss , Stratton Jo Anne , Patrick Natalya , Stemkowski Patrick L. , Biernaskie Jeff , Zamponi Gerald W. , Salo Paul , McDougall Jason J. , Prescott Steven A. , Matyas John R. , Trang Tuan
Published: August 2018

A new therapeutic option for treating arthritis pain.
Tousled-like kinases stabilize replication forks and show synthetic lethality with checkpoint and PARP inhibitors
Authors: Lee Sung-Bau , Segura-Bayona Sandra , Villamor-Payà Marina , Saredi Giulia , Todd Matthew A. M. , Attolini Camille Stephan-Otto , Chang Ting-Yu , Stracker Travis H. , Groth Anja
Published: August 2018

TLKs promote nucleosome assembly and prevent fork collapse and DNA damage upon checkpoint or PARP inhibition.
Current evidence allows multiple models for the peopling of the Americas
Authors: Potter Ben A. , Baichtal James F. , Beaudoin Alwynne B. , Fehren-Schmitz Lars , Haynes C. Vance , Holliday Vance T. , Holmes Charles E. , Ives John W. , Kelly Robert L. , Llamas Bastien , Malhi Ripan S. , Miller D. Shane , Reich David , Reuther Joshua D. , Schiffels Stephan , Surovell Todd A.
Published: August 2018

Current genetic and archeological evidence allows for inland, coastal, or multiple pathways to peopling of the Americas.
High seas fisheries play a negligible role in addressing global food security
Authors: Schiller Laurenne , Bailey Megan , Jacquet Jennifer , Sala Enric
Published: August 2018

On the basis of the available data, high seas fisheries do not make a direct or crucial contribution to global food security.
Laminin 511 is a target antigen in autoimmune pancreatitis
Authors: Shiokawa Masahiro , Kodama Yuzo , Sekiguchi Kiyotoshi , Kuwada Takeshi , Tomono Teruko , Kuriyama Katsutoshi , Yamazaki Hajime , Morita Toshihiro , Marui Saiko , Sogabe Yuko , Kakiuchi Nobuyuki , Matsumori Tomoaki , Mima Atsushi , Nishikawa Yoshihiro , Ueda Tatsuki , Tsuda Motoyuki , Yamauchi Yuki , Sakuma Yojiro , Maruno Takahisa , Uza Norimitsu , Tsuruyama Tatsuaki , Mimori Tsuneyo , Seno Hiroshi , Chiba Tsutomu
Published: August 2018

The extracellular matrix protein laminin 511 is an autoantigen involved in the pathophysiology of autoimmune pancreatitis.
Dietary regulation of the origins of cancer
Authors: Yilmaz Ömer H.
Published: August 2018

Understanding how diet and nutrients instruct intestinal stem cells and their daughter cells will provide insights into the beginnings of intestinal cancers.
A genome-wide net to catch and understand cancer
Authors: Sanjana Neville E.
Published: August 2018

Genome-scale forward genetic screens elucidate the genetic basis of therapeutic resistance, tumor evolution, and metastasis in diverse human cancers.
Unsplicing senescence
Authors: Lujambio Amaia
Published: August 2018

The secretion of protumorigenic factors by senescent cells is controlled by alternative splicing and can be targeted in cancer.
Complete Genome Sequence of Vitreoscilla sp. Strain C1, Source of the First Bacterial Hemoglobin
Authors: Veseli Iva A. , Mascarenhas dos Santos Anne Caroline , Juárez Oscar , Stark Benjamin C. , Pombert Jean-François
Published: August 2018

Vitreoscilla
sp. strain C1 is of historical importance as the source of the first prokaryotic hemoglobin identified.
Origin of Late Triassic mafic–ultramafic intrusions in the Hongqiling Ni–Cu sulfide deposit, Northeast China: evidence from trace element and Sr–Nd isotope geochemistry
Authors: Zhao Xinyun , Hao Libo , Wei Qiaoqiao , Liu Qingqing , Zhou Jian , Wang Xueqiu , Lu Jilong , Zhao Yuyan , Ma Chengyou
Published: August 2018

There are many Late Triassic mafic–ultramafic intrusions in the Hongqiling magmatic Ni–Cu sulfide deposit, Northeast China. Research on magma evolution leading to formation of these mafic–ultramafic intrusions is of great significance for understanding the mantle beneath Northeast China and associated Ni–Cu mineralization. A trace element study of the No. 1, 3, and 7 intrusions in the Hongqiling deposit reveals that these mafic–ultramafic intrusions are characterized by enrichment of incompatible elements, which however cannot be interpreted by subduction modification. Furthermore, model of batch partial melting of depleted mantle accompanied by upper crustal contamination can simulate the trace element patterns of these mafic–ultramafic intrusions, but partial melting of depleted mantle accompanied by lower crustal contamination model cannot work. In addition, Sr–Nd isotopic compositions of the Hongqiling No. 1, 3, and 7 intrusions also indicate that crustal contamination could have occurred mainly during the magma ascent. Consequently, a possible scenario for the magma evolution is that the primary mafic–ultramafic magma was derived from batch partial melting of a depleted mantle, and then contaminated by Cambrian–Ordovician metamorphic rocks of the Hulan Group during ascent. We conclude that the mantle source contained no significant crustal component in the Late Triassic and was also independent of substantial contribution from subducted material, and therefore the Mesozoic large-scale lithospheric delamination beneath eastern China may happen after a period of time of the Late Triassic.
Lithium distribution analysis in all-solid-state lithium battery using microbeam particle-induced X-ray emission and particle-induced gamma-ray emission techniques
Authors: Yoshino K. , Suzuki K. , Yamada Y. , Satoh T. , Finsterbusch M. , Fujita K. , Kamiya T. , Yamazaki A. , Mima K. , Hirayama M. , Kanno R.
Published: August 2018

For confirming the feasibility of micrometer scale analysis of lithium distribution in the all-solid-state lithium battery using a sulfide-based solid electrolyte, the cross-section of pellet type battery was analyzed by microbeam particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and particle-induced gamma-ray emission (PIGE) measurements. A three-layered pellet-type battery (cathode: LiNbO3-coated [Formula: see text]/solid electrolyte: [Formula: see text]/anode: [Formula: see text]) was prepared for the measurements. Via elemental mapping of the cross-section of the prepared battery, the difference in the yields of gamma rays from the [Formula: see text] inelastic scattering (i.e., the lithium concentrations) between the composite electrodes and the solid electrolyte layer was clarified. The difference in the number of lithium ions at the composite anode/solid electrolyte interface of ([Formula: see text] mol) in the battery can be clearly detected by the microbeam PIGE technique. Therefore, lithium distribution analysis with a micrometer-scale spatial resolution is demonstrated. Further analysis of the cathode/anode composite electrodes with the different states of charge could provide important information to design a composite for high-performance all-solid-state lithium batteries.
Extraction of neutrino mixing parameters from experiments with multiple identical detectors
Authors: Cao Fu-Guang , Marks William S.
Published: August 2018

The statistical method used in the analyses of measurements of neutrino oscillation mixing angle [Formula: see text] by the Daya Bay Collaboration[Formula: see text] and RENO Collaboration3 is based on variational minimization of a [Formula: see text] function defined in terms of quantities of interest and pull factors which are introduced to deal with effects of systematic uncertainties. For both experiments, the number of parameters that need to be determined is greater than the number of available data points (20 versus 6 for the Daya Bay and 12 versus 2 for the RENO). While the results for the mixing angle and the normalization factor were reported, results for the other parameters (pull factors) were omitted in their publications.[Formula: see text] There exist multiple sets of parameters from the minimization of the [Formula: see text] function. We investigate the sensitivity of the extracted mixing angle on this nonuniqueness of minimization results for the Daya Bay data using two methods of minimization. We report results for all parameters, including those of physics interest and pull factors. The obtained results for the mixing angle and the normalization factor are in agreement with those reported by the Daya Bay Collaboration.
Cryptanalysis and improvement of the novel semi-quantum secret sharing scheme based on Bell states
Authors: Chen Bingren , Yang Wei , Huang Liusheng
Published: August 2018

A recent paper proposed a semi-quantum secret sharing (SQSS) scheme based on Bell states [A. Yin et al., Mod. Phys. Lett. B. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0217984917501500 ]. This protocol was presumed that only the sender has the quantum power and all participants perform classical operations. However, we find this protocol is not that secure as it is expected. We can utilize the intercept-resend method to attack this scheme. Then, we give an improvement strategy based on semi-quantum key distribution, which ensures that the new scheme resists the attack we have proposed.
Stability and Bifurcations in 2D Spatiotemporal Discrete Systems
Authors: Sahari Mohamed Lamine , Taha Abdel-Kaddous , Randriamihamison Louis
Published: August 2018

This paper deals with stability and local bifurcations of two-dimensional (2D) spatiotemporal discrete systems. Necessary and sufficient conditions for asymptotic stability of the systems are obtained. They prove to be more accurate than those in the current literature. Some definitions for the bifurcations of 2D spatiotemporal discrete systems are also given, and an illustrative example is provided to explain the new results.
Poincaré Bifurcation of Some Nonlinear Oscillator of Generalized Liénard Type Using Symbolic Computation Method
Authors: Zhu Hongying , Qin Bin , Yang Sumin , Wei Minzhi
Published: August 2018

In this paper, we study the Poincaré bifurcation of a nonlinear oscillator of generalized Liénard type by using the Melnikov function. The oscillator has weak damping terms. When the damping terms vanish, the oscillator has a heteroclinic loop connecting a nilpotent cusp to a hyperbolic saddle. Our results reveal that: (i) the oscillator can have at most four limit cycles bifurcating from the corresponding period annulus. (ii) There are some parameters such that three limit cycles emerge in the original periodic orbit domain. (iii) Especially, we give a rigorous proof that [Formula: see text] limit cycle(s) can emerge near the original singular loop and [Formula: see text] limit cycle(s) can emerge near the original elementary center with [Formula: see text].
Analysis and Predictability of Tipping Points with Leading-Order Nonlinear Term
Authors: Romano Francesco , Kuehn Christian
Published: August 2018

Tipping points have been actively studied in various applications as well as from a mathematical viewpoint. A main technique to theoretically understand early-warning signs for tipping points is to use the framework of fast–slow stochastic differential equations. A key assumption in many arguments for the existence of variance and auto-correlation growth before a tipping point is to use a linearization argument, i.e. the leading-order term governing the deterministic (or drift) part of a stochastic differential equation is linear. This assumption guarantees a local approximation via an Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process in the normally hyperbolic regime before, but sufficiently bounded away from, a bifurcation. In this paper, we generalize the situation to leading-order nonlinear terms for the setting of one fast variable. We work in the quasi-steady regime and prove that the fast variable has a well-defined stationary distribution and we calculate the scaling law for the variance as a bifurcation-induced tipping point is approached. We cross-validate the scaling law numerically. Furthermore, we provide a computational study for the predictability using early-warning signs for leading-order nonlinear terms based upon receiver-operator characteristic curves.
Manuka
Authors: Fascione Luca , Hanika Johannes , Leone Mark , Droske Marc , Schwarzhaupt Jorge , Davidovič Tomáš , Weidlich Andrea , Meng Johannes
Published: August 2018

The
Manuka
rendering architecture has been designed in the spirit of the classic
reyes
rendering architecture: to enable the creation of visually rich computer generated imagery for visual effects in movie production. Following in the footsteps of
reyes
over the past 30 years, this means supporting extremely complex geometry, texturing, and shading. In the current generation of renderers, it is essential to support very accurate global illumination as a means to naturally tie together different assets in a picture.

This is commonly achieved with Monte Carlo path tracing, using a paradigm often called
shade on hit
, in which the renderer alternates tracing rays with running shaders on the various ray hits. The shaders take the role of generating the inputs of the local material structure, which is then used by path-sampling logic to evaluate contributions and to inform what

further rays to cast through the scene. We propose a
shade before hit
paradigm instead and minimise I/O strain on the system, leveraging locality of reference by running pattern generation shaders before we execute light transport simulation by path sampling.

We describe a full architecture built around this approach, featuring spectral light transport and a flexible implementation of multiple importance sampling (
mis
), resulting in a system able to support a comparable amount of extensibility to what made the
reyes
rendering architecture successful over many decades.
Female Power in Primates and the Phenomenon of Female Dominance
Authors: Lewis Rebecca J.
Published: August 2018

Sex-biased power structures are common in human and nonhuman primate societies. “Female dominance” is a term applied to a wide range of female-biased power structures. However, the full extent of this variation remains obscure because an adequate vocabulary of power has not been adopted consistently. Female power occurs throughout primates and other animals, even in male-dominant societies, but the legacy of patriarchy persists in primatologists’ use of language and implicit assumptions about intersexual power. While explanations for the occurrence of female power can be accommodated within existing ethological theory, many hypotheses seeking to explain the evolution of female power are narrowly focused on particular taxa. Theories about primate social evolution would benefit from a synthesis of the disparate literature on power, increased emphasis on intersexual social relationships, and comparative studies that include the full behavioral diversity of primates and other mammals.
Polyglutamine Repeats in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Lieberman Andrew P. , Shakkottai Vikram G. , Albin Roger L.
Published: August 2018

Among the age-dependent protein aggregation disorders, nine neurodegenerative diseases are caused by expansions of CAG repeats encoding polyglutamine (polyQ) tracts. We review the clinical, pathological, and biological features of these inherited disorders. We discuss insights into pathogenesis gleaned from studies of model systems and patients, highlighting work that informs efforts to develop effective therapies. An important conclusion from these analyses is that expanded CAG/polyQ domains are the primary drivers of neurodegeneration, with the biology of carrier proteins influencing disease-specific manifestations. Additionally, it has become apparent that CAG/polyQ repeat expansions produce neurodegeneration via multiple downstream mechanisms, involving both gain- and loss-of-function effects. This conclusion indicates that the likelihood of developing effective therapies targeting single nodes is reduced. The evaluation of treatments for premanifest disease will likely require new investigational approaches. We highlight the opportunities and challenges underlying ongoing work and provide recommendations related to the development of symptomatic and disease-modifying therapies and biomarkers that could inform future research.
Nicotine and the renin-angiotensin system
Authors: Oakes Joshua M. , Fuchs Robert M. , Gardner Jason D. , Lazartigues Eric , Yue Xinping
Published: August 2018

Cigarette smoking is the single most important risk factor for the development of cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases (CVPD). Although cigarette smoking has been in constant decline since the 1950s, the introduction of e-cigarettes or electronic nicotine delivery systems 10 yr ago has attracted former smokers as well as a new generation of consumers. Nicotine is a highly addictive substance, and it is currently unclear whether e-cigarettes are “safer” than regular cigarettes or whether they have the potential to reverse the health benefits, notably on the cardiopulmonary system, acquired with the decline of tobacco smoking. Of great concern, nicotine inhalation devices are becoming popular among young adults and youths, emphasizing the need for awareness and further study of the potential cardiopulmonary risks of nicotine and associated products. This review focuses on the interaction between nicotine and the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), one of the most important regulatory systems on autonomic, cardiovascular, and pulmonary functions in both health and disease. The literature presented in this review strongly suggests that nicotine alters the homeostasis of the RAS by upregulating the detrimental angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)/angiotensin (ANG)-II/ANG II type 1 receptor axis and downregulating the compensatory ACE2/ANG-(1–7)/Mas receptor axis, contributing to the development of CVPD.
Morning impairment in vascular function is unrelated to overnight sleep or the inactivity that accompanies sleep
Authors: Thosar Saurabh S. , Berman Alec M. , Herzig Maya X. , Roberts Sally A. , Lasarev Michael R. , Shea Steven A.
Published: August 2018

Adverse cardiovascular events, such as myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death, occur more frequently in the morning. Prior studies have shown that vascular endothelial function (VEF), a marker of cardiovascular disease, is attenuated during physical inactivity and declines across the night. We sought to determine whether a morning attenuation in VEF is a result of prior sleep or the inactivity that inevitably accompanies sleep. After 1 wk of a rigorously controlled sleep-wake schedule and behaviors, 10 healthy participants completed a randomized crossover protocol in dim light and constant conditions, incorporating a night of 6 h of sleep opportunity and a night of immobility while they were supine and awake. VEF was measured in the dominant brachial artery as flow mediated dilation (FMD) before and after each 6-h trial. To avoid disturbing sleep and posture of the participants, blood was drawn using a 12-ft catheter from an adjoining laboratory room before, during, and after each 6-h trial, and plasma was analyzed for markers of oxidative stress [malondialdehyde adducts (MDA)], and endothelin-1. Contrary to expectation, both nocturnal sleep and nocturnal inactivity significantly increased FMD ( P < 0.05). There was no significant change in MDA or endothelin-1 within and between trials. Contrary to expectations based on prior studies, we found that overnight sleep or the inactivity that accompanies sleep did not result in attenuation in VEF in the morning hours in healthy people. Thus, it is plausible that the endogenous circadian system, a remaining factor not studied here, is responsible for the commonly observed decline in VEF across the night.
Multiparametric MRI detects longitudinal evolution of folic acid-induced nephropathy in mice
Authors: Jiang Kai , Ponzo Tristan A. , Tang Hui , Mishra Prasanna K. , Macura Slobodan I. , Lerman Lilach O.
Published: August 2018

The rodent model of folic acid (FA)-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) provides a useful model for studying human AKI, but little is known about longitudinal changes in renal hemodynamics and evolution of renal fibrosis in vivo. In this work, we aimed to longitudinally assess renal structural and functional changes using multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Ten adult mice were injected with FA, after which a multiparametric MRI was used to measure kidney volume, hypoxia index R2*, magnetization transfer ratio (MTR), perfusion, T1, and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) at 2 wk posttreatment. Then five mice were euthanized for histology, and the other five underwent MRI again at 4 wk, followed by histology. Control mice ( n = 5) were injected with vehicle and studied with MRI at 2 wk. Trichrome and hematoxylin-eosin staining were performed to assess FA-induced tissue injuries. Whereas kidney size and oxygenation showed progressive deterioration, a transient impairment in renal perfusion and normalized GFR slightly improved by 4 wk. Kidney fluid content, as reflected by T1, was prominent at 2 wk and tended to regress at 4 wk, consistent with observed tubular dilation. Trichrome staining revealed patchy necrosis and mild interstitial fibrosis at 2 wk, which exacerbated at 4 wk. MTR detected increased fibrosis at 4 wk. In conclusion, multiparametric MRI captured the longitudinal progression in kidney damage evolving within the first month after treatment with folic acid and may provide a useful tool for assessment of therapeutic strategies.
Flow resistance along the rat renal tubule
Authors: Gilmer Gabrielle G. , Deshpande Venkatesh G. , Chou Chung-Lin , Knepper Mark
Published: August 2018

The Reynolds number in the renal tubule is extremely low, consistent with laminar flow. Consequently, luminal flow can be described by the Hagen-Poiseuille laminar flow equation. This equation calculates the volumetric flow rate from the axial pressure gradient and flow resistance, which is dependent on the length and diameter of each renal tubule segment. Our goal was to calculate the pressure drop along each segment of the renal tubule and to determine the points of highest resistance. When the Hagen-Poiseuille equation was used for rat superficial nephrons based on known tubule flow rates, lengths, and diameters, it was found that the maximum pressure drop occurred in two segments: the thin descending limbs of Henle and the inner medullary collecting ducts. The high resistance in the thin descending limbs is due to their small diameters. The steep pressure drop observed in the inner medullary collecting ducts is due to the convergent structure of the tubules, which channels flow into fewer and fewer tubules toward the papillary tip. For short-looped nephrons, the calculated glomerular capsular pressure matched measured values, even with the high collecting duct flow rates seen in water diuresis, provided that tubule compliance was taken into account. In long-looped nephrons, the greater length of thin limb segments is likely compensated for by a larger luminal diameter. Simulation of the effect of proximal diuretics, namely acetazolamide or type 2 sodium-glucose transporter inhibitors, predicts a substantial back pressure in Bowman’s capsule, which may contribute to observed decreases in glomerular filtration rate.
Intraluminal pressure triggers myogenic response via activation of calcium spark and calcium-activated chloride channel in rat renal afferent arteriole
Authors: Yip Kay-Pong , Balasubramanian Lavanya , Kan Chen , Wang Lei , Liu Ruisheng , Ribeiro-Silva Luisa , Sham James S. K.
Published: August 2018

Myogenic contraction of renal arterioles is an important regulatory mechanism for renal blood flow autoregulation. We have previously demonstrated that integrin-mediated mechanical force increases the occurrence of Ca2+ sparks in freshly isolated renal vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). To further test whether the generation of Ca2+ sparks is a downstream signal of mechanotransduction in pressure-induced myogenic constriction, the relationship between Ca2+ sparks and transmural perfusion pressure was investigated in intact VSMCs of pressurized rat afferent arterioles. Spontaneous Ca2+ sparks were found in VSMCs when afferent arterioles were perfused at 80 mmHg. The spark frequency was significantly increased when perfusion pressure was increased to 120 mmHg. A similar increase of spark frequency was also observed in arterioles stimulated with β1-integrin-activating antibody. Moreover, spark frequency was significantly higher in arterioles of spontaneous hypertensive rats at 80 and 120 mmHg. Spontaneous membrane current recorded using whole cell perforated patch in renal VSMCs showed predominant activity of spontaneous transient inward currents instead of spontaneous transient outward currents when holding potential was set close to physiological resting membrane potential. Real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry confirmed the expression of Ca2+-activated Cl− channel (ClCa) TMEM16A in renal VSMCs. Inhibition of TMEM16A with T16Ainh-A01 impaired the pressure-induced myogenic contraction in perfused afferent arterioles. Our study, for the first time to our knowledge, detected Ca2+ sparks in VSMCs of intact afferent arterioles, and their frequencies were positively modulated by the perfusion pressure. Our results suggest that Ca2+ sparks may couple to ClCa channels and trigger pressure-induced myogenic constriction via membrane depolarization.
Ionic mechanisms underlying tonic and burst firing behavior in subfornical organ neurons: a combined experimental and modeling study
Authors: Medlock Laura , Shute Lauren , Fry Mark , Standage Dominic , Ferguson Alastair V.
Published: August 2018

Subfornical organ (SFO) neurons exhibit heterogeneity in current expression and spiking behavior, where the two major spiking phenotypes appear as tonic and burst firing. Insight into the mechanisms behind this heterogeneity is critical for understanding how the SFO, a sensory circumventricular organ, integrates and selectively influences physiological function. To integrate efficient methods for studying this heterogeneity, we built a single-compartment, Hodgkin-Huxley-type model of an SFO neuron that is parameterized by SFO-specific in vitro patch-clamp data. The model accounts for the membrane potential distribution and spike train variability of both tonic and burst firing SFO neurons. Analysis of model dynamics confirms that a persistent Na+ and Ca2+ currents are required for burst initiation and maintenance and suggests that a slow-activating K+ current may be responsible for burst termination in SFO neurons. Additionally, the model suggests that heterogeneity in current expression and subsequent influence on spike afterpotential underlie the behavioral differences between tonic and burst firing SFO neurons. Future use of this model in coordination with single neuron patch-clamp electrophysiology provides a platform for explaining and predicting the response of SFO neurons to various combinations of circulating signals, thus elucidating the mechanisms underlying physiological signal integration within the SFO.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our understanding of how the subfornical organ (SFO) selectively influences autonomic nervous system function remains incomplete but theoretically results from the electrical responses of SFO neurons to physiologically important signals. We have built a computational model of SFO neurons, derived from and supported by experimental data, which explains how SFO neurons produce different electrical patterns. The model provides an efficient system to theoretically and experimentally explore how changes in the essential features of SFO neurons affect their electrical activity.
Self-motion processing in visual and entorhinal cortices: inputs, integration, and implications for position coding
Authors: Campbell Malcolm G. , Giocomo Lisa M.
Published: August 2018

The sensory signals generated by self-motion are complex and multimodal, but the ability to integrate these signals into a unified self-motion percept to guide navigation is essential for animal survival. Here, we summarize classic and recent work on self-motion coding in the visual and entorhinal cortices of the rodent brain. We compare motion processing in rodent and primate visual cortices, highlighting the strengths of classic primate work in establishing causal links between neural activity and perception, and discuss the integration of motor and visual signals in rodent visual cortex. We then turn to the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC), where calculations using self-motion to update position estimates are thought to occur. We focus on several key sources of self-motion information to MEC: the medial septum, which provides locomotor speed information; visual cortex, whose input has been increasingly recognized as essential to both position and speed-tuned MEC cells; and the head direction system, which is a major source of directional information for self-motion estimates. These inputs create a large and diverse group of self-motion codes in MEC, and great interest remains in how these self-motion codes might be integrated by MEC grid cells to estimate position. However, which signals are used in these calculations and the mechanisms by which they are integrated remain controversial. We end by proposing future experiments that could further our understanding of the interactions between MEC cells that code for self-motion and position and clarify the relationship between the activity of these cells and spatial perception.
A dominant role for the beta 4 nicotinic receptor subunit in nicotinic modulation of glomerular microcircuits in the mouse olfactory bulb
Authors: Spindle Michael S. , Parsa Pirooz V. , Bowles Spencer G. , D’Souza Rinaldo D. , Vijayaraghavan Sukumar
Published: August 2018

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) regulate information transfer across the main olfactory bulb by instituting a high-pass intensity filter allowing for the filtering out of weak inputs. Excitation-driven inhibition of the glomerular microcircuit via GABA release from periglomerular cells appears to underlie this effect of nAChR activation. The multiplicity of nAChR subtypes and cellular locations raises questions about their respective roles in mediating their effects on the glomerular output. In this study, we address this issue by targeting heteromeric nAChRs using receptor knockouts (KOs) for the two dominant nAChR β-subunit genes known to be expressed in the central nervous system. KOs of the β2-nAChR subunit did not affect nAChR currents from mitral cells (MCs) but attenuated those from the external tufted (ET) cells. In slices from these animals, activation of nAChRs still effectively inhibited excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) and firing on MCs evoked by the olfactory nerve (ON) stimulation, thereby indicating that the filter mechanism was intact. On the other hand, recordings from β4-KOs showed that nAChR responses from MCs were abolished and those from ET cells were attenuated. Excitation-driven feedback was abolished as was the effect of nAChR activation on ON-evoked EPSCs. Experiments using calcium imaging showed that one possible consequence of the β2-subunit activation might be to alter the time course of calcium transients in juxtaglomerular neurons suggesting a role for these receptors in calcium signaling. Our results indicate that nAChRs containing the β4-subunit are critical in the filtering of odor inputs and play a determinant role in the cholinergic modulation of glomerular output.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY In this study, using receptor gene knockouts we examine the relative contributions of heteromeric nAChR subtypes located on different cell types to this effect of receptor activation. Our results demonstrate that nAChRs containing the β4-subunit activate MCs resulting in feedback inhibition from glomerular interneurons. This period of inhibition results in the selective filtering of weak odor inputs providing one mechanism by which nAChRs can enhance discrimination between two closely related odors.