cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
HIV-Negative Partnered Men's Willingness to Use Non-Occupational Post-Exposure Prophylaxis and Associated Factors in a U.S. Sample of HIV-Negative and HIV-Discordant Male Couples

Abstract Purpose: Non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis (nPEP) is an underutilized biomedical option for HIV prevention. Few studies have assessed male couples' knowledge of and willingness to use nPEP. Methods: Cross-sectional dyadic data from 275 HIV-negative and 58 HIV-discordant male couples were used to describe HIV-negative, partnered men's awareness of and willingness to use nPEP, and factors associated with their willingness to use nPEP. Data were analyzed with the use of multivariate multilevel modeling. Results: Less than a third of the men were aware of nPEP, yet 73% were very-to-extremely likely to use nPEP. Partnered men's willingness to use nPEP was positively associated with having an individual income less than $30,000 USD and serosorting within the relationship. Willingness to use nPEP was negatively associated with greater age difference between primary partners and with higher scores on measures of couples' investment in their relationship. Conclusion: Efforts should be made to inc...
Guidelines for the Treatment of Elderly Cancer Patients

Background: The management of elderly patients with cancer is influenced by several factors that can vary widely among aging individuals. As the proportion of elderly individuals increases, the need for specific care guidelines for this population is critical. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has developed guidelines to address these factors when formulating optimal treatment regimens for elderly patients and to avoid significant toxicity and maintain their quality of life. Methods: Factors that influence the appropriate treatment choices for the elderly, such as functional status, comorbidity, polypharmacy, and the presence of anemia, are reviewed, and the guidelines developed by the NCCN for treatment elderly patients are discussed. Results: The guidelines address these factors when defining the goal of therapy and formulating individualized treatment approaches for the elderly to provide optimal care for these patients, avoid significant toxicity, and maintain their quality of life. Conclusions: The goal of therapy must be clearly defined, whether survival, remission, cure, or palliation of symptoms. Enrollment of elderly cancer patients onto clinical trials is encouraged so the guidelines can be validated.
CUAB: Supervised Learning of Disorders and their Attributes using Relations

We implemented an end-to-end system for disorder identification and slot filling. For identifying spans for both disorders and their attributes, we used a linear chain conditional random field (CRF) approach coupled with cTAKES for pre-processing. For combining disjoint disorder spans, finding relations between attributes and disorders, and attribute normalization, we used l2-regularized l2-loss linear support vector machine (SVM) classification. Disorder CUIs were identified using a back-off approach to YTEX lookup (CUAB1) or NLM UTS API (CUAB2) if the target text was not found in the training data. Our best system utilized UMLS semantic type features for disorder/attribute span identification and the NLM UTS API for normalization. It was ranked 12th in Task 1 (disorder identification) and 6th in Task 2b (disorder identification and slot filling) with a weighted F Measure of 0.711.
Garré's osteomyelitis of the mandible: Report of a case

A case of Garre's disease has been reported. This case is atypical in that the patient presented with only a periosteal bone mass and a negative history of toothache, abscess, or trauma to the area. Because of this, diagnosis was not possible without microscopic examination. Atypical cases of this nature cause diagnostic problems, and several disease states must be considered in a differential diagnosis. These include the following: 1. Ewing's sarcoma, which also occurs in this age group and may show cortical reduplication on radiographic examination. The prognosis in cases of Ewing's sarcoma is poor, and death may occur in a matter of weeks. 2. Infantile cortical hyperostosis (Caffey's disease), which is characterized by development of soft-tissue swelling and cortical thickening of the mandible. The disease runs a benign course and regresses without treatment. 3. Osteogenic sarcoma, which occurs in slightly older age groups but presents as a cortical expansion with facial deformity. The disease is highly malignant and carries a poor prognosis.
Allocation of Testing Resources in Statistical Simulations Using Particle Swarm Optimization

The computation of statistical estimates has significant uncertainty due to uncertainty in the input parameters; as a result the output moments can exhibit significant scatter. This scatter can be reduced by adding data to the inputs, e.g. additional experiments. A methodology is proposed to determine the best possible testing resources allocation e.g. number of additional experiments to perform. Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) was used to minimize the variance in the output mean and standard deviation subject to a cost constraint. The allocation of testing resources for each random variable depends on several factors: number of initial data points, importance of the random variable in the response function, range of the random variable and the additional cost of each experiment.
Evaluation of Designs and Installations of Electric Insect Traps to Collect Bollworm Moths in Reeves County, Texas

An area of some 16,000 acres, or roughly 1/3 of the cotton acreage in Reeves County, Texas, in 1965 was involved in an insect-control program in which 5 types of electric insert traps were utilized to capture lepidopterous insects, primarily the bollworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie), and the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner). However, 4 designs were used in more than 90% of the acreage. Generally, the traps were placed about 550 ft apart on the periphery of a field. The comparison of trapping effectiveness of the 4 major designs of electric insect traps with a standard trap (Gardner fan-type) indicated that: (1) when nightly moth catches averaged less than 100 bollworm or cabbage looper moths, differences in effectiveness were not statistically significant; (2) when nightly catches of bollworm and cabbage looper moths ranged from 120 to 300+ moths per night during the latter part of the season, the differences in the catches of cabbage loopers were not statistically significant. However, though the nightly catches of bollworms by the Agri-Light and Lethalite traps were equal to those of the standard trap, the standard trap caught significantly more moths (18.9% and 69.4%) than the homemade and Agri-Light LS-15 traps, respectively. When the number of Lethalite and LS-15 traps was doubled, bollworm catches increased as much as 109% and 69%, respectively; catches of cabbage looper moths increased as much as 150% and 96%, respectively.
Multihop Beaconing Forwarding Strategies in Congested IEEE 802.11p Vehicular Networks

Multihop propagation of situational information is a promising technique for improving beaconing performance and increasing the degree of situation awareness onboard vehicles. A possible way of achieving this is by piggybacking information on the beacon packets that are periodically sent by each vehicle in the network, as prescribed by the Dedicated Short-Range Communications standards and the European Telecommunications Standards Institute. However, prescribed limitations on beacon size imply that only information on a very small number of surrounding vehicles can be piggybacked in a beacon packet. In most traffic situations, this number is well below the typical number of vehicles within the transmission range, implying that multihop forwarding strategies must be devised to select which neighboring vehicle's information to include in a transmitted beacon. In this paper, we designed different multihop forwarding strategies and assessed their effectiveness in delivering fresh situational information to surrounding vehicles. Effectiveness is estimated in terms of both information age and the probability of experiencing a potentially dangerous situation-awareness blackout. Both metrics are estimated as a function of the hop distance from the transmitting vehicle and in the presence of different levels of radio channel congestion. The investigation is based on extensive simulations whose multihop communication performance is corroborated by real-world measurements. The results show that network-coding-based strategies substantially improve forwarding performance, as compared with a randomized strategy, reducing the average information age by up to 60% and the blackout probability by up to two orders of magnitude. We also consider the effect of multihop propagation of situational information on the reliability of a forward collision warning application and show that network-coding-based propagation yields a factor-3 improvement of reliability with respect to a randomized forwarding strategy and even higher improvements with respect to the case of no propagation.
Development Status of Power Transmission Composite Tower

Some advantages such as excellent insulating properties,high strength and good weather resistance and technical characteristics of power transmission composite tower were analyzed.The status and development trend of the power transmission composite tower at home and abroad were introduced,and four main problems of high stiffness,aging resistance,light weight and low cost that need to solve in future development were proposed,and its broad market prospect was forecasted.
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF SiO2

ABSTRACT A new theory of U-process relaxation, along with the acoustic phonon Boltzmann equation, is applied to the thermal conductivity of SiO2. Relaxation due to dislocations and the contribution of optical modes are explored heuristically. The results compare favorably with experiment from 1 - 500°K using Gruneisen gammas, the U-process threshold constant, and boundary scattering length as adjustable parameters, with possible adjustment of the Debye temperature to reflect variable participation of optical modes.
Selection of Practical Indicator Systems for Monitoring the Virological Quality of Potable Water, Wastewater, Solid Waste, Shellfish, Fish and Crops

The actual detection of viruses or the use of an indicator system or systems to assess the presence of pathogenic viruses in contaminated environments is essential for the protection of human health. Herein are considered the possible surrogate relationships between pathogenic viruses and bacterial indicators of fecal pollution in the diverse enviroments of potable water, wastewater, solid waste, shellfish, fish and crops. Assessments are made concerning the reliability of the indicator to identify in these diverse environments viral presence. It is concluded that thus far no one has demonstrated a convincing relationship between the numbers and/or types of different indicator bacteria and the pathogenic viruses themselves, and that the best indicator of viral presence is the actual detection of the virus itself. Nevertheless, the search should continue for more acceptable alternatives which would eliminate the need for the more difficult and time consuming direct testing of pathogenic virus presence.
Incremental data association for acoustic structure from motion

We provide a novel incremental data association method to complement our previous work on acoustic structure from motion (ASFM), which recovers 3D scene structure from multiple 2D sonar images, while at the same time localizing the sonar. Given point features extracted from multiple overlapping sonar images, our algorithm automatically finds the correspondences between the features. Our data association method uses information about the geometric correlations of the entire set of landmarks to reject spurious measurements or false positives that might otherwise have been accepted. For each new sonar measurement, the algorithm uses a gating procedure to narrow the landmark match search space. Using the pruned surviving candidate correspondences, we identify the correct hypothesis based on a posterior compatibility cost, penalizing for null matches to avoid all measurements being declared new landmarks. Unlike other methods, ASFM does not require any planar scene assumptions and uses constraints from more than two images to increase accuracy in both mapping and localization. We evaluate our algorithm in simulation and demonstrate successful data association results on real sonar images.
Results May Vary: Overcoming Variability in Consumer Response to Advertising Music

Although listening to music seems effortless, it actually involves many separate psychological mechanisms. This article describes and extends the multimechanism framework proposed by Juslin and colleagues, highlighting how the operation of psychological mechanisms leads to two general types of variability in consumer response to advertising music. First, the risk of between-consumer variability (individual differences) in musical response is moderate or high for most mechanisms, and it often depends on each individual's particular history of exposure to music (listening biography). Second, within-consumer variability occurs when different mechanisms have contrasting effects, so that an individual consumer's musical response is often mixed (e.g., guilty pleasures, bittersweet feelings, pleasurable sadness). Both types of variability can negatively impact advertising objectives (message reception, recall, acceptance, brand attitudes, etc.). The article offers preliminary suggestions for how marketers can use a multimechanism approach to successfully incorporate music in commercials and reduce the risk of unanticipated consumer responses. It ends with proposals for further research.
Perspectives of Urban School Principals From Nontraditional Contexts: A Study of Urban Public Charter and Private School Leaders:

Principals from 76 urban public charter and private (Catholic) schools located in three midsized cities participated in a sequential explanatory investigation measuring perceptions of key elements related to school administration. Topics include students, selves, and elements related to the job of principal. Findings indicate that most principals view few administrative tasks as very challenging yet regard experience and skills as very important. Principals also perceive high level of authority over areas related to instruction. Comparisons by school type indicate close alignment of perspectives.
Electron microscopic observations of Rb particles and pitting in 129 Xe spin-exchange optical pumping cells.

High-volume production of hyperpolarized 129Xe by spin-exchange optical pumping (SEOP) has historically fallen short of theoretical predictions. Recently, this shortfall was proposed to be caused by the formation of alkali metal clusters during optical pumping. However, this hypothesis has yet to be verified experimentally. Here, we seek to detect the presence of alkali particles using a combination of both transmission (TEM) and scanning (SEM) electron microscopy. From TEM studies, we observe the presence of particles exhibiting sizes ranging from approximately 0.2 to 1 μm and present at densities of order 10 s of particles per 100 square microns. Particle formation was more closely associated with extensive cell usage history than short-term ( ≈ 1 h) SEOP exposure. From the SEM studies, we observe pits on the cell surface. These pits are remarkably smooth, were frequently found adjacent to Rb particles, and located predominantly on the front face of the cells; they range in size from 1 to 5 μm. Together...
Alcohol Policies and Alcohol-Involved Homicide Victimization in the United States

Objective:The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between the alcohol policy environment and alcohol involvement in homicide victims in the United States, overall and by sociodemographic groups.Method:To characterize the alcohol policy environment, the presence, efficacy, and degree of implementation of 29 alcohol policies were used to determine Alcohol Policy Scale (APS) scores by state and year. Data about homicide victims from 17 states from 2003 to 2012 were obtained from the National Violent Death Reporting System. APS scores were used as lagged exposure variables in generalized estimating equation logistic regression models to predict the individual-level odds of alcohol involvement (i.e., blood alcohol concentration [BAC] > 0.00% vs. = 0.00% and BAC > 0.08% vs. < 0.079%) among homicide victims.Results:A 10 percentage point increase in APS score (representing a more restrictive policy environment) was associated with reduced odds of alcohol-involved homicide with BAC greater than 0...
Money Doesn't Grow on Trees, but Forecasts Do: Forecasting Extreme Precipitation with Random Forests

AbstractApproximately 11 years of reforecasts from NOAA’s Second-Generation Global Ensemble Forecast System Reforecast (GEFS/R) model are used to train a contiguous United States (CONUS)-wide gridd...
Subcutaneous Fat Fibrosis Links Obesity to Insulin Resistance in Chinese Americans.

Objective Type 2 diabetes presents at a lower body mass index (BMI) in Chinese individuals than in white individuals. We sought to determine the role of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT)-intrinsic factors, vs BMI or adiposity per se, in the vulnerability of Chinese individuals to obesity-associated impairment of insulin sensitivity. Research Design and Methods Thirty-two Chinese and 30 white men and women from a cohort in the San Francisco Bay Area underwent anthropometric measurements, body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) analyses, and measurement of fasting plasma glucose and insulin. Forty-eight also provided abdominal SCAT samples for transcriptional and biochemical analyses of tissue fibrosis. Results BMI correlated with total body fat in white (r = 0.74, P < 0.001) but not Chinese individuals, whereas BMI correlated with visceral adipose tissue (VAT) accrual in both ethnicities (r = 0.88 and 0.81, respectively; P < 0.01). Insulin resistance (homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance) worsened with VAT mass, but not total body fat, in Chinese subjects (r = 0.63, P < 0.01), whereas it worsened with both in white individuals. By contrast, SCAT mRNA levels of genes encoding profibrotic proteins rose remarkably along with both BMI and VAT mass in Chinese but not white subjects. Similarly, SCAT levels of hydroxyproline, an indicator of tissue collagen content that correlated with increasing VAT mass, were higher in Chinese vs white subjects, particularly in the setting of relative insulin resistance. Conclusions Our findings dissociate BMI from adiposity in Chinese individuals and instead highlight SCAT fibrosis as a process linked to visceral adiposity and insulin resistance in this group.
Melting the Polarization Around Climate ChangePolitics

Climate change has become one of the most highly polarized political problems, but it was not always this way. As recently as 2008, leading Republicans and Democrats agreed on the implications of global warming research. This Article charts how the United States moved from a bipartisan agreement on the need to address climate change to the current state of seemingly intractable polarization. From the perspective of someone who has worked with environmental non-profits, this Article suggests that advocates need to disrupt the conventional wisdom on climate change politics if they are to achieve lasting success. Tackling a problem like climate change requires sustaining pollution reduction efforts over many decades, even as the political pendulum continues to swing. Because of that, environmentalists must embrace the goal of cultivating a working coalition regardless of who is in power.
Encounter and React: Computer-Guided Design of Covalent Inhibitors

Covalent inhibitors can obtain optimal selectivity and extended residence time. In this issue of Cell Chemical Biology, Shraga et al. (2019) take a comprehensive computational and experimental approach to modulate the JNK-Jun pathway through design of MKK7 covalent inhibitors. This study highlights a promising and emerging strategy for therapeutic discovery.
Particle-Gamma and Particle-Particle Correlations in Nuclear Reactions Using Monte Carlo Hauser-Feshbach Model (Selected Papers of the Joint International Conference of Supercomputing in Nuclear Applications and Monte Carlo : SNA + MC 2010)

Monte Carlo simulations for particle and {gamma}-ray emissions from an excited nucleus based on the Hauser-Feshbach statistical theory are performed to obtain correlated information between emitted particles and {gamma}-rays. We calculate neutron induced reactions on {sup 51}V to demonstrate unique advantages of the Monte Carlo method. which are the correlated {gamma}-rays in the neutron radiative capture reaction, the neutron and {gamma}-ray correlation, and the particle-particle correlations at higher energies. It is shown that properties in nuclear reactions that are difficult to study with a deterministic method can be obtained with the Monte Carlo simulations.
Abstract 122: Presentations Management and Outcomes of Arab-American Patients Hospitalized with Heart Failure Compared with Age and Gender Matched White American Patients

Background: Of approximately 200,000 Arab Americans residing in Michigan, 40,000 live in Dearborn, there is very little data exists on the presentations, management, and outcomes of Arab-American p...
Message Framing and the Willingness to Pursue Behavioral Therapy: A Study of People With Migraine.

Objective:Behavioral treatments for migraine prevention are safe and effective but underutilized in migraine management. Health message framing may be helpful in guiding patients with treatment dec...
Understanding the Synthesis of Linear–Bottlebrush–Linear Block Copolymers: Toward Plastomers with Well-Defined Mechanical Properties

Linear–bottlebrush–linear (LBL) triblock copolymers were synthesized via a two-step atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP): (i) grafting-through polymerization of monomethacryloxypropyl-termin...
A Mixed Pedagogical Approach to Promote Undergraduate Students' Active Learning in the Retail Planning and Buying Course

Teaching is a continuous method that generates necessary changes to learners through use of appropriate techniques. The goal of this study is to develop an effective pedagogy of retail mathematics education for undergraduate fashion merchandising and apparel students using mixed teaching (MT) approach. This is the combination of flipped- and lecture-based-learning. The effectiveness of the MT approach is examined and compared with the traditional lecture-based teaching (LBT) approach. Students’ test scores were analyzed to check the effectiveness of MT approach. Results confirmed the effectiveness of MT approach than the traditional LBT. Findings of this study contribute to the literature by suggesting MT method as effective retail mathematics education. Although this study contributes to the literature, a future longitudinal study is encouraged, as well as applying this method in other subject courses to generalize the finding.
AD Informer Set: Chemical tools to facilitate Alzheimer’s disease drug discovery

Introduction: The portfolio of novel targets to treat Alzheimer9s disease (AD) has been enriched by the AMP-AD program. Methods: A cheminformatics-driven effort enabled identification of existing small molecule modulators for many protein targets nominated by AMP-AD and suitable positive control compounds to be included in the set. Results: We have built an annotated set of 171 small molecule modulators, including mostly inhibitors, targeting 98 unique proteins that have been nominated by AMP-AD consortium members as novel targets for AD treatment. These small molecules vary in their quality and should be considered chemical tools that can be used in efforts to validate therapeutic hypotheses, but which would require further optimization. A physical copy of the AD Informer Set can be ordered via the AD Knowledge Portal. Discussion: Small molecule tools that enable target validation are important tools for the translation of novel hypotheses into viable therapeutic strategies for AD.
CEACAM Gene Family Mutations Associated With Inherited Breast Cancer Risk - A Comparative Oncology Approach to Discovery.

Introduction Recent studies comparing canine mammary tumors (CMTs) and human breast cancers have revealed remarkable tumor similarities, identifying shared expression profiles and acquired mutations. CMTs can also provide a model of inherited breast cancer susceptibility in humans; thus, we investigated breed-specific whole genome sequencing (WGS) data in search for novel CMT risk factors that could subsequently explain inherited breast cancer risk in humans. Methods WGS was carried out on five CMT-affected Gold Retrievers from a large pedigree of 18 CMT-affected dogs. Protein truncating variants (PTVs) detected in all five samples (within human orthlogs) were validated and then genotyped in the 13 remaining CMT-affected Golden Retrievers. Allele frequencies were compared to canine controls. Subsequently, human blood-derived exomes from The Cancer Genome Atlas breast cancer cases were analyzed and allele frequencies were compared to Exome Variant Server ethnic-matched controls. Results Carcinoembryonic Antigen-related Cell Adhesion Molecule 24 (CEACAM24) c.247dupG;p.(Val83Glyfs∗48) was the only validated variant and had a frequency of 66.7% amongst the 18 Golden Retrievers with CMT. This was significant compared to the European Variation Archive (p-value 1.52 × 10-8) and non-Golden Retriever American Kennel Club breeds (p-value 2.48 × 10-5). With no direct ortholog of CEACAM24 in humans but high homology to all CEACAM gene family proteins, all human CEACAM genes were investigated for PTVs. A total of six and sixteen rare PTVs were identified in African and European American breast cancer cases, respectively. Single variant assessment revealed five PTVs associated with breast cancer risk. Gene-based aggregation analyses revealed that rare PTVs in CEACAM6, CEACAM7, and CEACAM8 are associated with European American breast cancer risk, and rare PTVs in CEACAM7 are associated with breast cancer risk in African Americans. Ultimately, rare PTVs in the entire CEACAM gene family are associated with breast cancer risk in both European and African Americans with respective p-values of 1.75 × 10-13 and 1.87 × 10-04. Conclusion This study reports the first association of inherited CEACAM mutations and breast cancer risk, and potentially implicates the whole gene family in genetic risk. Precisely how these mutations contribute to breast cancer needs to be determined; especially considering our current knowledge on the role that the CEACAM gene family plays in tumor development, progression, and metastasis.
Mutant combinations of lycopene ε-cyclase and β-carotene hydroxylase 2 homoeologs increased β-carotene accumulation in endosperm of tetraploid wheat (Triticum turgidum L.) grains.

Author(s): Yu, Shu; Li, Michelle; Dubcovsky, Jorge; Tian, Li | Abstract: Grains of tetraploid wheat (Triticum turgidum L.) mainly accumulate the non-provitamin A carotenoid lutein-with low natural variation in provitamin A β-carotene in wheat accessions necessitating alternative strategies for provitamin A biofortification. Lycopene e-cyclase (LCYe) and β-carotene hydroxylase (HYD) function in diverting carbons from β-carotene to lutein biosynthesis and catalyzing the turnover of β-carotene to xanthophylls, respectively. However, the contribution of LCYe and HYD gene homoeologs to carotenoid metabolism and how they can be manipulated to increase β-carotene in tetraploid wheat endosperm (flour) is currently unclear. We isolated loss-of-function Targeting Induced Local Lesions in Genomes (TILLING) mutants of LCYe and HYD2 homoeologs and generated higher order mutant combinations of lcye-A, lcye-B, hyd-A2, and hyd-B2. Hyd-A2 hyd-B2, lcye-A hyd-A2 hyd-B2, lcye-B hyd-A2 hyd-B2, and lcye-A lcye-B hyd-A2 hyd-B2 achieved significantly increased β-carotene in endosperm, with lcye-A hyd-A2 hyd-B2 exhibiting comparable photosynthetic performance and light response to control plants. Comparative analysis of carotenoid profiles suggests that eliminating HYD2 homoeologs is sufficient to prevent β-carotene conversion to xanthophylls in the endosperm without compromising xanthophyll production in leaves, and that β-carotene and its derived xanthophylls are likely subject to differential catalysis mechanisms in vegetative tissues and grains. Carotenoid and gene expression analyses also suggest that the very low LCYe-B expression in endosperm is adequate for lutein production in the absence of LCYe-A. These results demonstrate the success of provitamin A biofortification using TILLING mutants while also providing a roadmap for guiding a gene editing-based approach in hexaploid wheat.
Piezo1 is a mechanosensor channel in CNS capillaries.

Cerebral blood flow (CBF) is exquisitely controlled to meet the ever-changing demands of active neurons in the brain. Brain capillaries are equipped with sensors of neurovascular coupling agents released from neurons/astrocytes onto the outer wall of a capillary. While capillaries can translate external signals into electrical and Ca2+ changes, control mechanisms from the lumen are less clear. The continuous flux of red blood cells and plasma through narrow-diameter capillaries imposes mechanical forces on the luminal (inner) capillary wall. Whether-and, if so, how-the ever-changing CBF could be mechanically sensed in capillaries is not known. Here, we propose and provide evidence that the mechanosensitive Piezo1 channels operate as mechanosensors in CNS capillaries to ultimately regulate CBF. Patch clamp electrophysiology confirmed the expression and function of Piezo1 channels in brain cortical and retinal capillary endothelial cells. Mechanical or pharmacological activation of Piezo1 channels evoked currents that were sensitive to Piezo1 channel blockers. Using genetically encoded Ca2+ indicator (Cdh5-GCaMP8) mice, we observed that Piezo1 channel activation triggered Ca2+ signals in endothelial cells. An ex vivo pressurized retina preparation was employed to further explore the mechanosensitivity of capillary Piezo1-mediated Ca2+ signals. Genetic and pharmacologic manipulation of Piezo1 in endothelial cells had significant impacts on CBF, reemphasizing the crucial role of mechanosensation in blood flow control. In conclusion, this study shows that Piezo1 channels act as mechanosensors in capillaries, and that these channels initiate crucial Ca2+ signals. We further show that Piezo1 modulates CBF, an observation of profound significance for the control of brain blood flow in health and in disorders where hemodynamic forces are disrupted, such as hypertension.
Phenomenal Conservatism and the Subject's Perspective Objection

For some years now, Michael Bergmann has urged a dilemma against internalist theories of epistemic justification. For reasons I explain below, some epistemologists have thought that Michael Huemer’s principle of Phenomenal Conservatism (PC) can split the horns of Bergmann’s dilemma. Bergmann has recently argued, however, that PC must inevitably, like all other internalist views, fall prey to his dilemma. In this paper, I explain the nature of Bergmann’s dilemma and his reasons for thinking that PC cannot escape it before arguing that he is mistaken: PC can indeed split its horns.
Whither the muse: What influences empirical research on verbal behavior?

To identify some of the published works that have helped to inspire empirical verbal behavior research, we searched for patterns in the sources cited in empirical studies published in The Analysis of Verbal Behavior between 1990 and 1999. Not unexpectedly, Skinner’s (1957) Verbal Behavior was the most cited source, although a variety of more recent sources explicating verbal relations as conceptualized by Skinner also were frequently cited. About one third of the most frequently cited sources were fairly recent primary empirical papers. These outcomes suggest that scholars who are interested in a behavior-analytic approach to studying verbal behavior are beginning to generate a critical mass of work that renders Verbal Behavior no longer monolithic in its influence. Nevertheless, some aspects of the citation data could be interpreted as evidence of insularity, and we argue for the importance of a broad-based analysis of verbal behavior that can have substantial impact outside of behavior analysis.
EPR evidence that the M+ radical, which is observed in three site-directed mutants of photosystem II, is a tyrosine radical.

Isotopic labeling of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and EPR spectroscopy have been used to demonstrate that photosystem II contains two redox active tyrosines, D and Z (Barry, B. A. and Babcock, G. T. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84, 7099-7103; Boerner, R. J. and Barry, B. A. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 17151-17154). Another organic radical, M+, has recently been observed in site-directed mutants in which a non-redox active amino acid is substituted at either the putative D or putative Z sites (Boerner, R. J., Bixby, K. A., Nguyen, A. P., Noren, G. H., Debus, R. J., and Barry, B. A. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 1817-1823; Noren, G. H., and Barry, B. A. (1992) Biochemistry 31, 3335-3342). Here, we use isotopic labeling to determine the chemical identity of M+. Upon incorporation of perdeuterated tyrosine into photosystem II, the M+ EPR signal narrows to approximately 12-13 G. Labeling with 3,5-deuterated tyrosine results in an isotropic doublet with splittings of 11 G. Our results show that M+ is a tyrosine radical with unique spectroscopic properties.
Mechanisms of bicarbonate use influence the photosynthetic carbon dioxide sensitivity of tropical seagrasses

The photosynthetic bicarbonate (HCO { ) use properties of three widely distributed tropical seagrasses were compared using a series of laboratory experiments. Photosynthetic rates of Thalassia testudinum, Halodule wrightii, and Syringodium filiforme were monitored in an enclosed chamber while being subjected to shifts in pH and dissolved inorganic carbon. Specific mechanisms of seagrass HCO { use were compared by examining the photosynthetic effects of the carbonic anhydrase inhibitor acetazolamide (AZ). All seagrasses increased photosynthetic rates with reduced pH, suggesting a large effect of dissolved aqueous carbon dioxide (CO2(aq)). However, there was considerable interspecific variation in pH response. T. testudinum was highly sensitive, increasing photosynthetic rates by 100% as the pH was reduced from 8.2 to 7.4, whereas rates in H. wrightii and S. filiforme increased by only 20% over a similar range, and displayed prominent photosynthetic plateaus, indicating an increased capacity for HCO { use. Additional incubations that manipulated [HCO { ] under constant [CO2(aq)] support these findings, as only H. wrightii and S. filiforme increased photosynthetic rates with increasing [HCO { ]. T. testudinum responded to AZ addition, indicating that carbonic anhydrase enzymes facilitate limited HCO { use. H. wrightii and S. filiforme showed no response to AZ, suggesting alternate, more efficient mechanisms of HCO { use. Estimated kinetic parameters, Ks(CO2) and Vmax, revealed interspecific variation and further support these conclusions. Variation in photosynthetic pH responses and AZ sensitivity indicate distinctions in the carbon use properties of seagrasses exposed to similar environmental conditions. These results suggest that not all seagrasses will similarly respond to future increases in CO2(aq) availability. Attention towards potential shifts in competitive interactions within multispecific seagrass beds is warranted.
Radio Spectral Variations in the Cygnus Loop

Radio spectral index studies of the Cygnus Loop between 408 MHz and 2.695-GHz are presented. The strongly limb-brightened, north-eastern arc of the remnant has a radio spectral index, a, of ≈ 0.35, with similar spectral indices for the emission from other portions of the northern part of the remnant. Emission from the southern extension of the remnant generally has a steeper radio spectrum than the north, with α up to ≈ 0.55. These results are discussed in relation to available theories for the radio emission from supernova remnants, and to the radio structure of the remnant.
No evidence for feature binding by pigeons in a change detection task

We trained pigeons to respond to one key when two consecutive displays were the same as one another (no-change trial) and to respond to another key when the two displays were different from one another (change trial; change detection task). Change-trial displays were distinguished by a change in all three features (color, orientation, and location) of all four items presented in the display. Pigeons learned this change-no change discrimination to high levels of accuracy. In Experiments 1 and 2, we compared replace trials in which one or two features were replaced by novel features to switch trials in which the features were exchanged among the objects. Pigeons reported both replace and switch trials as "no-change" trials. In contrast, adult humans in Experiment 3 reported both types of trials as "change" trials and showed robust evidence for feature binding. In Experiment 4, we manipulated the total number of objects in the display and the number of objects that underwent change. Unlike people, pigeons showed strong control by the number of feature changes in the second display; pigeons' failure to exhibit feature binding may therefore be attributed to their failure to attend to items in the displays as integral objects.
Quantitative Ultrastructural Analysis of Hippocampal Excitatory Synapses

From three-dimensional reconstructions of CA1 excitatory synapses in the rodent hippocampus and in culture, we have estimated statistical distributions of active zone and postsynaptic density (PSD) sizes (average area approximately 0.04 micron2), the number of active zones per bouton (usually one), the number of docked vesicles per active zone (approximately 10), and the total number of vesicles per bouton (approximately 200), and we have determined relationships between these quantities, all of which vary from synapse to synapse but are highly correlated. These measurements have been related to synaptic physiology. In particular, we propose that the distribution of active zone areas can account for the distribution of synaptic release probabilities and that each active zone constitutes a release site as identified in the standard quantal theory attributable to Katz (1969).
Tongan Women and Migratory Circuits of Wealth and Value(s)

Wealth transfers are key to the “how” and “why” of contemporary global population migration. For example, remittances are much-analyzed and fiercely-debated transfers of wealth from migrant populations to their home countries. Yet wealth can be transferred in the opposite direction – from homeland to hostland – and in various different forms. Using an ethnographic approach to understanding the impact of migrant’s (micro) decisions on wider (macro) global practices, this paper records, compares and contextualizes the global movement of things carried, left behind, pined for, and (re-)created by transmigrants. It seeks to nuance our understandings of the “who” of contemporary migration by tracing the role and cross-cutting paths of traditional wealth from the Kingdom of Tonga between groups of Tongan migrants who live in, and move between New Zealand, Australia, the United States and Hawai‘i. The case study illuminates Tongan women’s choices about carrying and creating objects of value that reify homeland gender and labor practices, while also affording them a role in impacting global wealth transfers that both entwine and eschew cash remittances.
Investigation of the cytokine response to NF-κB decoy oligonucleotide coated polysaccharide based nanoparticles in rheumatoid arthritis in vitro models

The transcription factor nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) is highly involved in regulation of a number of cellular processes, including production of inflammatory mediators. Thus, this transcription factor plays a role in pathology of many diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease hallmarked by an imbalance of pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Small nucleic acids with sequences that mimic the native binding site of NF-κB have been proposed as treatment options for RA; however due to low cellular penetration and a high degree of instability, clinical applications of these therapeutics have been limited. Here, we describe the use of N-trimethyl chitosan-polysialic acid (PSA-TMC) nanoparticles coated with decoy oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) specific to transcription factor NF-κB (PSA-TMC-ODN) as a method to enhance the stability of the nucleic acids and facilitate increased cellular penetration. In addition to decoy ODN, PSA-TMC nanoparticles were loaded with RA therapeutic methotrexate (MTX), to assess the anti-inflammatory efficacy of a combination therapy approach. Two different in vitro models, a cell line based model as well as a primary RA cell model were used to investigate anti-inflammatory activity. One way ANOVA followed by Holm-Sidak stepdown comparisons was used to determine statistical significance. In general, free ODN did not significantly affect secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8, (IL-8) while free MTX had variable efficacy. However, PSA-TMC-ODN and PSA-TMC-ODN-MTX resulted in significant decreases in the inflammatory mediators IL-6 and IL-8 in both cell models. In addition, PSA-TMC exhibited sufficient cellular uptake, as observed through fluorescence microscopy. These results support our previous findings that PSA-TMC nanoparticles are an effective delivery vehicle for small nucleic acids, and effectively alter the pro-inflammatory state characteristic of RA.
Efficient Implementations of the Chinese Remainder Theorem for Sign Detection and Residue Decoding

Two conversion techniques based on the Chinese remainder theorem are developed for use in residue number systems. The new implementations are fast and simple mainly because adders modulo a large and arbitrary integer M are effectively replaced by binary adders and possibly a lookup table of small address space. Although different in form, both techniques share the same principle that an appropriate representation of the summands must be employed in order to evaluate a sum modulo M efficiently. The first technique reduces the sum modulo M in the conversion formula to a sum modulo 2 through the use of fractional representation, which also exposes the sign bit of numbers. Thus, this technique is particularly useful for sign detection and for any operation requiring a comparison with a binary fraction of M. The other technique is preferable for the full conversion from residues to unsigned or 2's complement integers. By expressing the summands in terms of quotients and remainders with respect to a properly chosen divisor, the second technique systematically replaces the sum modulo M by two binary sums, one accumulating the quotients modulo a power of 2 and the other accumulating the remainders the ordinary way. A final recombination step is required but is easily implemented with a small lookup table and binary adders.
Express saccades : the effects of spatial and temporal uncertainty

Once trained to make express saccades, monkeys continue to make express saccades when there is a high level of uncertainty about both the location and the time of onset of a peripheral target. Providing additional information about the location and the time of onset of a peripheral target does not increase the frequency of occurrence of short latency saccades. Furthermore, the metrics of saccades with express latencies are typical of visually-guided saccades, rather than anticipatory movements or saccades to the remembered location of a target. Finally, practice on the gap paradigm restricted to one target location always viewed from the same initial eye position does not increase the probability of producing express saccades to the same target from other initial eye positions. Instead, the practice effect is specific to targets that have the same relative location, regardless of initial eye position.
The DH ratio in the atmosphere of Uranus: Detection of the R5(1) line of HD

Observations of Uranus during the 1975, 1976, and 1978 apparitions reveal a weak absorption at the wavelength of the R5(1) line of HD with equivalent width 1.0 + or - 0.4 mA. The D/H ratio in Uranus' atmosphere implied by this line and other published spectra is (0.000048 + or - 0.000015), and may not be significantly different from that in the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn. In addition, the spectra exhibit two weak absorptions at 6044.76 + or - 0.02 and 6045.54 + or 0.02 A which were not identifiable. No trace of absorption is visible near these wavelengths or near the HD wavelength in a laboratory spectrum of 4.92 km-am CH4 which was obtained in an attempt to identify these absorption features and to verify that the HD feature does not arise from CH4.
Optimizing operating conditions to reduce data pattern dependence induced by slow light elements

We analyze pattern dependence induced by slow light and define figure of merit involving pulse delay and data degradation to optimize slow-light elements. The pattern dependence can be reduced, with up to 5 dB Q improvement, by detuning slow-light devices.
Atenolol enhances growth hormone release to exogenous growth hormone-releasing hormone but fails to alter spontaneous nocturnal growth hormone secretion in boys with constitutional delay of growth.

We tested the hypothesis that selective beta 1-adrenergic blockade will enhance growth hormone (GH) secretion in boys with constitutional delay of growth in response to both exogenously administered growth hormone-releasing hormone as well as to endogenous GH-releasing hormone pulsations. The study group comprised eight healthy, short, prepubertal boys ranging from 7 2/12 to 15 0/12 yr old with bone ages delayed 15 to 42 months. All had demonstrated GH levels of greater than 10 ng/ml following a pharmacologic or physiologic stimulus. During two consecutive nights, blood samples were withdrawn every 20 min for GH determination between 2000 and 0800 h. Immediately after each 0800 h blood withdrawal, 1 microgram/kg of GH-releasing hormone (1-40)-OH was administered intravenously to each subject and blood was withdrawn every 15 min for an additional 2 h. During the day before the second overnight sampling period each subject received atenolol, 25 mg orally, at 1030 and 1600 h to induce beta-adrenergic blockage. The six subjects in whom beta-adrenergic blockade could be documented had enhanced GH release after GH-releasing hormone administration on the atenolol treatment day both in terms of higher peak GH levels achieved (p less than 0.05) as well as greater total GH secretion (3916 +/- 701 versus 5624 +/- 986 ng/ml.min, p less than 0.01). In contrast, there were no differences in endogenous, unstimulated nocturnal GH pulse characteristics between study and control days.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Attempts to Obtain Quail × Chicken Hybrids

Abstract HYBRIDS can be obtained by inseminating chicken semen into quail females (Haley, 1967), however, the reciprocal cross results in zero fertility (Wilcox and Clark, 1961); Mitsumoto and Nishida, 1958). While one hybrid was reported by Grazietti (1967), it was a pure white bird with no dark pigmentation and resembled a chicken more than the chicken × quail hybrids. The purpose of this study was to test several techniques in an attempt to obtain successful hybridization using the chicken as the female parent. MATERIALS AND METHODS The chicken stock was a Dark Cornish mixed breed which produces eggs with parthenogenetic membranes. Inseminations were made with 0.1 cc. of quail semen, either diluted with Ringer’s solution or undiluted. Quail foam was obtained by the method described by Marks and Lepore (1965). Inseminations were made directly into the uterus, intraperitoneally (Van Drimmelen, 1951), or by opening the abdominal cavity and placing the semen…