cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Model for Effector Activity in a Highly Specific Biological Electron Transfer Complex: The Cytochrome P450cam−Putidaredoxin Couple†,‡

The camphor hydroxylase cytochrome P450cam (CYP101) catalyzes the 5-exo hydroxylation of camphor in the first step of camphor catabolism by Pseudomonas putida. CYP101 forms a specific electron transfer complex with its physiological reductant, the Cys 4Fe2S2 ferredoxin putidaredoxin (Pdx). Pdx, along with other proteins and small molecules, has also been shown to be an effector for turnover by CYP101. Multidimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques have been used to make extensive sequential 1 H, 15 N, and 13 C resonance assignments in CYP101 that permit a more complete characterization of the complex formed by CYP101 and Pdx. NMR-detected perturbations in CYP101 upon Pdx binding encompass regions of the CYP101 remote from the putative Pdx binding site, including in particular a region of the CYP101 molecule that has been implicated in substrate access to the active site via dynamical processes. A model for effector activity is proposed in which the primary role of the effector is to prevent uncoupling (formation of reduced oxo species without formation of hydroxycamphor) by enforcing conformations of CYP101 that prevent loss of substrate and/or intermediates prior to turnover. A secondary role could also be to enforce conformations that permit efficient proton transfer into the active site for coupled proton/electron transfer. Cytochrome P450s are heme-containing enzymes that catalyze the insertion of one oxygen atom from O2 into unactivated C-H bonds with concomitant two-electron reduction of the other oxygen atom to water (Figure 1). Cytochrome P450cam (CYP101) 1 catalyzes the 5-exo hy- droxylation of camphor, the first step of camphor catabolism by the soil bacterium Pseudomonas putida (1). The two electrons required for camphor hydroxylation by CYP101 come from the oxidation of NADH, which is catalyzed by putidaredoxin reductase (PdR). These electrons are shuttled from PdR to CYP101 by a Cys4Fe2S2 ferredoxin, putidare- doxin (Pdx), in two distinct electron transfer events. While the first reduction of CYP101 (from Fe(III)S to Fe(II)S, Figure 1) can be accomplished by any reducing agent with
Evaluating Behavioral Skills Training with and without Simulated In Situ Training for Teaching Safety Skills to Children

This study compared the effectiveness of behavioral skills training (BST) to BST plus simulated in situ training (SIT) for teaching safety skills to children to prevent gun play. The results were evaluated in a posttest only control group design. Following the first assessment, participants in both training groups and the control group who did not use the safety skills received in situ training. Following acquisition of the skills, dyad assessments were conducted in which a peer challenged the participant to play with the gun. The results showed that the training groups did not differ from the control group following training, but that the safety skill scores for the training groups and the control group increased significantly following in situ training. Furthermore, a high percentage of participants across groups used the skills during the dyad assessment.
The quantitative analysis and stability of histochemical markers of altered hepatic foci in rat liver following initiation by diethylnitrosamine administration and promotion with phenobarbital

The stability and response of histochemical phenotypes of altered hepatic foci (AHF) were studied both in the presence and following the withdrawal of 0.05% phenobarbital (PB) treatment in rats previously given a single dose of diethylnitrosamine (DEN) 20-24 h following partial hepatectomy (PH). AHF were scored by their expression of three biochemical markers: gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), adenosine triphosphatase and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6P). AHF demonstrated significant heterogeneity with respect to the marker alterations. The use of three markers in the present study confirmed the findings of our earlier study, which showed the maximal response of GGT+ AHF to PB administration following PH/DEN initiation and the stability of GGT+/AHF induced by the PH/DEN/PB regimen after the withdrawal of PB. In the regimen employed, the GGT marker alone scored the great majority of the AHF detected by all three markers. The frequency distribution of histochemical phenotypes remained relatively constant in AHF during continuous PB administration and in AHF promoted by PB followed by a 6-month period of feeding a diet containing no PB. These findings suggest that individual AHF remain phenotypically stable throughout the PB promotion phase, i.e., do not progress from one phenotype to another. In every marker class, the mean volume of AHF increased during continuous PB administration. These data illustrate the enhancing effect of PB on the growth of the AHF. The size of AHF continued to increase following the withdrawal of PB in the 3-month PB treatment group, but not in the animals treated for 4 months. A mechanism that may account for the differences in these two treatment groups is discussed.
A fast, energy-dependent scatter reduction method for 3D PET imaging

We present a new method of scatter reduction for PET with list-mode acquisition. Our method is based on a predetermined true fraction table for preferentially reducing scatter events based on the two detected photon energies in a coincidence event. For this method to work, the true fraction table needs to be insensitive to the anatomy of the phantom. In this paper, by use of Monte-Carlo technique we calculate the true fraction tables for various activity and attenuation distributions and demonstrate that these tables are indeed robust to wide variations of activity and attenuation distributions. Hence, by employing a single true fraction table, very effective scatter reduction can be obtained for PET data that are derived from substantially different activity distributions. The resulting scatter-reduced PET data are also shown to have improved noise equivalent count and to produce images of better contrast. This scatter reduction method is computationally efficient; the operations can be performed in real time for list-mode acquisition and is attractive for practical use.
Housing policy and the progressivity of income taxation

Abstract Most countries have tax provisions and subsidies to promote homeownership. These provisions generate an asymmetry in the tax treatment of owner- and rental-occupied housing, which affects the incentives to supply tenant-occupied housing. This paper analyzes the quantitative importance of the interaction of these provisions with the progressivity of income taxation in the context of an overlapping generations model with housing and rental markets. The model replicates the key facts observed in the economy, as well as distributional patterns of ownership, house size, and landlord behavior. The model suggests that the progressivity of income taxation can amplify or mitigate the effects of the asymmetries with important implications for housing tenure, housing consumption, portfolio reallocations, and welfare that differ from those reported in the literature.
Globalization and Health at the United States–Mexico Border

Objectives. We studied the impact of globalization on the making of health policy. Globalization is understood as economic interdependence among nations. The North American Free Trade Agreement is used as a marker to assess the effects of economic interdependence on binational health cooperation along the United States–Mexico border. Methods. We observed participants and conducted in-depth interviews with policymakers, public health specialists, representatives of professional organizations, and unions. Results. Globalization has not promoted binational health policy cooperation. Barriers that keep US and Mexican policymakers apart prevail while health problems that do not recognize international borders go unresolved. Conclusions. If international health problems are to be solved, political, cultural, and social interdependence need to be built with the same impetus by which policymakers promote international trade.
Coming to Terms with Separatist Insurgencies

Although insurgencies may begin their rebellions with expressed desires for outcomes unacceptable to opposing governments, the desired insurgent outcomes sometimes undergo modification, creating conditions that can make governments more amenable to external mediation. In certain separatist conflicts, the likelihood of external mediation increases when the political redefinition of the state insisted upon by the insurgents undergoes a revision, from secession to self-determination, understood as a variant of autonomy. In the same vein, although it may not happen concurrently, insurgent movements become more amenable to external mediation if and when opposing governments revise the preferred conflict outcome from a military defeat of the insurgents to a containment of the movement. These two developments can serve as objective referents helping external parties to identify a ripe moment in the conflict and initiate mediation. But the implementation of an agreement ending separatist conflict may not occur if the government fails to submit the proposed territorial bounds of autonomy to prior review by constituents. Potential spoilers among government constituents should be identified and recruited to participate in the negotiations so that the likelihood of agreement rejection is reduced. In some states, however, the legal mechanisms and political opportunities for constituents to act as spoilers do not exist.
Toward epigenetic and gene regulation models of specific language impairment: looking for links among growth, genes, and impairments

Children with specific language impairment (SLI) are thought to have an inherited form of language impairment that spares other developmental domains. SLI shows strong heritability and recent linkage and association studies have replicated results for candidate genes. Regulatory regions of the genes may be involved. Behavioral growth models of language development of children with SLI reveal that the onset of language is delayed, and the growth trajectories of children with SLI parallel those of younger children without SLI. The rate of language acquisition decelerates in the pre-adolescent period, resulting in immature language levels for the children with SLI that persist into adolescence and beyond. Recent genetic and epigenetic discoveries and models relevant to language impairment are reviewed. T cell regulation of onset, acceleration, and deceleration signaling are described as potential conceptual parallels to the growth timing elements of language acquisition and impairment. A growth signaling disruption (GSD) hypothesis is proposed for SLI, which posits that faulty timing mechanisms at the cellular level, intrinsic to neurocortical functioning essential for language onset and growth regulation, are at the core of the growth outcomes of SLI. The GSD highlights the need to document and account for growth patterns over childhood and suggests needed directions for future investigation.
Nitric Oxide Synthase/COX Cross-Talk: Nitric Oxide Activates COX-1 But Inhibits COX-2-Derived Prostaglandin Production

It is recognized that there is molecular cross-talk between the inflammatory mediators NO and PGs that may regulate tissue homeostasis and contribute to pathophysiological processes. However, the literature is divided with respect to whether NO activates or inhibits PG production. In this study, we sought to determine whether conflicting observations could be accounted for by divergent effects of NO on the two cyclooxygenase (COX) isoforms. Exposure of resting macrophages to NO (30 microM) enhanced PGE2 release by 4. 5-fold. This enhancement was inhibited by indomethacin but not by the COX-2 selective inhibitor NS398. To separate the activation of phospholipase A2 and COX, we performed experiments using fibroblasts derived from COX-1-deficient or COX-2-deficient mice. These cells exhibit increased basal PG production, which is due to a constitutively stimulated cytosolic phospholipase A2 and enhanced basal expression of the remaining COX isozyme. The exposure of COX- 2-deficient cells to exogenous NO (10 microM) resulted in a 2.4-fold increase of PGE2 release above controls. Further studies indicated that NO stimulated PGE2 release in COX-2-deficient cells, without altering COX-1 mRNA or protein expression. In contrast, NO inhibited COX-2-derived PGE2 production in both LPS-stimulated macrophages and COX-1 knockout cells. This inhibition was associated with both decreased expression and nitration of COX-2. Thus, these studies demonstrate divergent effects of NO on the COX isoforms. The regulation of PGE production by NO is therefore complex and will depend on the local environment in which these pleiotropic mediators are produced.
THE HOMOGENIZATION AND DIFFERENTIATION OF HATE CRIME LAW IN THE UNITED STATES, 1978 TO 1995: INNOVATION AND DIFFUSION IN THE CRIMINALIZATION OF BIGOTRY *

We view criminalization as a process of institutionalization that involves the diffusion of legal forms and practices. Conventional approaches to criminalization have been dominated by historical case studies that illuminate the collective action and social structural bases of shifts in crime policy by focusing on the dynamics internal to particular polities. Our event history analysis of U.S. states' adoption of hate crime laws indicates that criminalization is affected by a state's internal political culture and traditions as well as by its location within the larger interstate system. Thus, the diffusion of hate crime policies resembles the diffusion pattern of many other policy reforms. However, detailed analyses of the content of hate crime laws reveal that as they diffused the variety of methods of altering the criminal code diminished while the domain and complexity of the laws increased. These findings suggest that criminalization, and by extension institutionalization, is characterized by countervailing forces: the simultaneous homogenization and differentiation of cultural forms. We discuss how consideration of these processes-especially differentiation-advances research on diffusion, institutionalization, and criminalization. n the late 1970s, lawmakers throughout the United States began responding to a perceived escalation of racial, ethnic, religious, and other forms of intergroup conflict with a novel legal strategy: the criminalization of hate-motivated intimidation and violence. As a result, throughout the late 1980s and into the 1990s most state legisla
Evidence for intracellular cleavage of the Alzheimer's amyloid precursor in PC12 cells

The Alzheimer's amyloid precursor (APP) is cleaved by an unidentified enzyme (APP secretase) to produce soluble APP. Fractionation of PC12 cell homogenates in a detergent-free buffer showed the presence of the Kunitz protease inhibitor (KPI)-containing soluble APP (nexin II) in the particulate fraction. Digitonin or sodium carbonate treatment of this fraction solubilized nexin II suggesting that it is contained in the lumen of vesicles. Nexin II production was not affected by lysosomotropic agents, suggesting that APP secretase is not a lysosomal enzyme. Labelling of cell surface proteins by iodination failed to detect full-length APP on the surface of PC12 cells, suggesting that most of this protein is located intracellularly. Furthermore, pulse-chase experiments showed that nexin II is detected in cell extracts before it appears in the culture medium. Cellular nexin II was detected at zero time of chase after only 5 min of pulse labelling with 35S-sulfate, indicated that APP secretase cleavage takes place immediately after APP is sulfated. Temperature block, pulse-chase, and 35S-sulfate-labelling experiments suggested that APP is cleaved by APP secretase intracellularly in the trans-Golgi network (TGN) or in a post-Golgi compartment. © Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Prospective comparison of helical CT and MR imaging in clinically suspected acute pulmonary embolism

The purpose of this study is to compare sensitivity and specificity of helical CT and MR imaging for detecting acute pulmonary embolism(PE). Patients who were suspected clinically of having PE were randomly assigned to undergo either helical contrast-enhanced CT or gradient-echo MR (if one modality was contraindicated, the patient was assigned to the other.) Patients were considered to have PE if they had: 1) high-probability V-Q scan and low clinical probability of PE; 2) pulmonary angiogram positive for PE. Patients were considered not to have PE if they had either:1)normal V-Q scan; 2) low probability V-Q scan and low clinical probability of PE; or 3) pulmonary angiogram negative for PE. The CT and MR images were read randomly and independently by five radiologists with varying levels of CT and MR experience. Twenty eight patients underwent CT and 25 MR. A total of 21 patients underwent pulmonary angiography (6 had PE, 15 did not have PE). Of the other 32 patients, 15 had high probability scan/high clinical probability and 17 had low probability scan/low clinical probability. For the five observers, the average sensitivity of CT was 75% and of MR 46%; the average specificity of CT was 89% and of MR 90%. Experience with vascular MR and enhanced CT influenced diagnostic accuracy. For the two vascular MR experts, average sensitivity and specificity of MR were 71% and 97%, and of CT 73% and 97%. In this pilot study, when CT and MR were interpreted with comparable expertise, they had similar accuracy for detecting pulmonary embolism.
Trophic ecology of two non-native hydrozoan medusae in the upper San Francisco Estuary

Blooms of some gelatinous zooplankton are increasing worldwide, often disrupting foodwebs. Invasions of non-native jellyfish are a growing problem in many estuaries, including the San Francisco Estuary, where at least two species of Ponto-Caspian hydrozoans, Maeotias marginata Modeer, 1791 and Moerisia sp., are abundant. The present study investigated their trophic ecology, testing the following hypotheses: (1) diets over the bloom and at the diel scale are comprised of a variety of prey items; (2) hydrozoans are generalist feeders; (3) hydrozoans feed on the larvae of declining fish species; and (4) the potential for prey competition exists between the hydrozoans and two declining planktivorous fishes, striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense). Both hydrozoans ate a variety of crustaceans, most notably calanoid copepods, which were found in greater proportion in the guts than in the environment. The only fish larvae consumed were gobies. Density of Moerisia sp., was negatively correlated with gut fullness for both fishes, and diet overlap was high between shad and hydrozoans, but low for bass. Because of strong spatial and temporal overlap between hydrozoans and shad, competition for zooplankton may be occurring. These hydrozoans have invaded other systems, and should be monitored to assess potential ecological interactions in these locations.
Functional Conservation and Specialization among Eukaryotic Anti-Silencing Function 1 Histone Chaperones

Chromatin disassembly and reassembly, mediated by histone chaperones such as anti-silencing function 1 (Asf1), are likely to accompany all nuclear processes that occur on the DNA template. In order to gain insight into the functional conservation of Asf1 across eukaryotes, we have replaced the budding yeast Asf1 protein with Drosophila Asf1 (dAsf1) or either of the two human Asf1 (hAsf1a and hAsf1b) counterparts. We found that hAsf1b is best able to rescue the growth defect of Saccharomyces cerevisiae lacking Asf1. Moreover, dAsf1 and hAsf1b but not hAsf1a can replace the role of yeast Asf1 in protecting against replicational stress and activating the PHO5 gene, while only hAsf1a can replace the role of Asf1 in protecting against double-stranded-DNA-damaging agents. Furthermore, it appears that the interaction between Asf1 and the DNA damage checkpoint protein Rad53 is not required for Asf1's role in maintaining genomic integrity. In addition to indicating the functional conservation of the Asf1 proteins across species, these studies suggest distinct roles for the two human Asf1 proteins.
Imaging Human Brain Opioid Receptors: Applications to Substance Use Disorders

Three types of opioid receptors (ORs: mu [μ], kappa [k], and delta [δ]) are differentially distributed throughout the brain. Historically, the |μOR has been of great est clinical interest because it mediates therapeutic effects (e.g., analgesia and cough suppression) and nontherapeutic effects (e.g., abuse and physical dependence) of opioid agonists. This “dual-edged sword” underlies the classical dilemma of balanc ing safety and efficacy when |μOR agonists are administered systemically to human subjects. Preclinical studies suggest that kOR- and δOR-specific agonists and antago nists could be useful in treating human substance use disorders, but the lack of such Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications significantly limits our understanding of the role of these molecular targets in the clinical setting. However, the μμOR-specific radiotracer [11C]-carfentanil has been used with positron emission tomography (PET) to elucidate the function of this endogenous system as it relates to substance use disorders, both with antagonists (e.g., naltrexone) and agonists (e.g., buprenorphine). The δOR-specific tracer [11C]-methyl-naltrindole is also available for human use, but has not yet been applied to substance use disorders, and a kOR-specific tracer has shown promise in preclinical testing. Advances in neuroscience and medication development are likely to yield significant progress that will improve our understanding of these disorders and clinical outcomes in the near future.
Cascade array structures

The complexity of calculating the weights for an adaptive antenna array is reduced. The advantages of cascaded adaptive arrays are discussed. General formulas for the cascade optimum cascade weights, SINR (signal-to-interference-noise ratio), and gain are developed. These formulas are applied to a five-element array treated as two-, three-, and four-element subarrays. The following are advantages of a cascade approach: (1) processor complexity is lowered, and a time-division-multiplexed (TDM) processor is possible; (2) only one subarray needs to be adapted per stage; and (3) the number of inputs in each subarray is limited, and therefore higher complexity algorithms are possible. >
Molecular Effects of Spaceflight in the Mouse Eye after Space Shuttle Mission STS-135

Exposure to long-duration microgravity leads to ocular changes in astronauts, manifested by a variety of signs and symptoms during spaceflight that in some cases persist after return to Earth. These morphological and functional changes are only partly understood and are of occupational health relevance. To investigate further into the molecular basis of the changes occurring in ocular tissue upon exposure to spaceflight, eyes were collected from male C57BL/6 mice flown on STS-135 (FLT) on landing day or from their ground control counterparts maintained at similar conditions within the Animal Enclosure Module (AEM). One eye was fixed for histological sectioning while the contralateral eye was dissected to isolate the retina for gene expression profiling. Caspase-3 immunoreactivity tended to increase in flight samples compared to AEM controls, while 8OHdG staining levels showed a statistically significant increase in flight samples compared to AEM. Gene expression analysis in isolated retina identified 139 differentially expressed genes in FLT compared to AEM control samples. The genes affected were mainly involved in pathways and processes of endoplasmic reticulum stress, inflammation, neuronal and glial cell loss, axonal degeneration, and herpes virus activation. These results suggest a concerted change in gene expression in the retina of mice flown in space, possibly leading to retinal damage, degeneration, and remodeling. Erratum: The mice used in this study by Theriot and Zanello (2014) Molecular Effects of Spaceflight in the Mouse Eye after Space Shuttle Mission STS-135, were female. The mice were erroneously referred to as male in the original publication (Vol 2, No 1: 3-24). Corrected 03/06/2015.
Applying a Big Data Approach to Biomarker Discovery: Running Before We Walk?

Circulating biomarkers play an increasingly important role in cardiovascular medicine. Clinicians routinely measure biomarkers of cardiac injury, neurohormonal activation, and renal function for diagnosis and risk assessment and for guiding therapeutic decision making. Several intersecting trends have heightened interest in the discovery and validation of additional cardiovascular biomarkers, including the highly anticipated transition to personalized or precision medicine and the pending availability of “big data” sets that promise a dizzying array of patient-level data, including unprecedented numbers of biomarkers. Article see p 2297 A number of strategies have been used to search for novel biomarkers of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Unbiased technologies, including genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, all use a big data approach for novel biomarker discovery,1 but to date, these technologies have failed to deliver on their initial promise, yielding no new clinically useful biomarkers in cardiac care. An alternative strategy is to focus on known proteins reflecting mediating pathways to ensure a higher probability of association with CVD, an approach that can now be implemented on a massive scale with the use of new multiplex immunoassay techniques that allow conservation of sample volume. In this issue of Circulation , Gerstein et al,2 representing the Outcome Reduction With an Initial Glargine Intervention (ORIGIN) Trial investigators, used a commercially available Luminex multiplex immunoassay platform to screen hundreds of distinct biomarkers for their ability to predict CVD events. Although the marker selection process was described as an unbiased approach, each of the biomarkers tested was a known protein preselected by either the company or the investigators on the basis of some a priori rationale for inclusion in the test panel, a strategy that may increase the yield of discovery while limiting the full scope of what can be discovered. Within the field of circulating cardiovascular biomarkers, this effort is almost …
Techniques for Estimating the Density of Late-Instar Gypsy Moth, Lymantria dispar (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), Populations Using Frass Drop and Frass Production Measurements

A technique was developed for estimating larval gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), densities using simultaneous measurements of the amount of frass produced per larva (frass yield) and the amount of frass falling in the forest per unit area (frass drop). The technique was tested in a postseason experiment in which 6,000 larvae were released in a stand. Frass yield was measured by individually caging several larvae in the field on cut host foliage. The most reliable and efficient method of measuring frass drop was the deployment of several large funnel-shaped frass traps near the forest floor. Number of pellets was found to be superior to frass weight as a unit for quantifying frass yield and drop, because it was not strongly influenced by instar distribution. Density estimates obtained using this method closely matched those expected from the number of larvae released. Frass width measurements provided a method of estimating instar distributions.
The “Fingerprint” of Cancer Extends Beyond Solid Tumor Boundaries: Assessment With a Novel Ultrasound Imaging Approach

Goal: Abnormalities of microvascular morphology have been associated with tumor angiogenesis for more than a decade, and are believed to be intimately related to both tumor malignancy and response to treatment. However, the study of these vascular changes in-vivo has been challenged due to the lack of imaging approaches which can assess the microvasculature in 3-D volumes noninvasively. Here, we use contrast-enhanced “acoustic angiography” ultrasound imaging to observe and quantify heterogeneity in vascular morphology around solid tumors. Methods: Acoustic angiography, a recent advance in contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging, generates high-resolution microvascular images unlike anything possible with standard ultrasound imaging techniques. Acoustic angiography images of a genetically engineered mouse breast cancer model were acquired to develop an image acquisition and processing routine that isolated radially expanding regions of a 3-D image from the tumor boundary to the edge of the imaging field for assessment of vascular morphology of tumor and surrounding vessels. Results: Quantitative analysis of vessel tortuosity for the tissue surrounding tumors 3 to 7 mm in diameter revealed that tortuosity decreased in a region 6 to 10 mm from the tumor boundary, but was still significantly elevated when compared to control vasculature. Conclusion: Our analysis of angiogenesis-induced changes in the vasculature outside the tumor margin reveals that the extent of abnormal tortuosity extends significantly beyond the primary tumor mass. Significance: Visualization of abnormal vascular tortuosity may make acoustic angiography an invaluable tool for early tumor detection based on quantifying the vascular footprint of small tumors and a sensitive method for understanding changes in the vascular microenvironment during tumor progression.
Masculinity in the New Testament and Early Christianity

Building on the work of feminist queries regarding the social construction of gender, scholarship beginning in the 1980s began to interrogate masculinity as a culturally constructed category. Scholars focusing on the New Testament and early Christianity, building upon significant studies in both gender theory and the social construction of masculinity in ancient Greek and Roman contexts have produced a substantial amount of significant research in the last thirty years. Despite the proliferation of scholarship, significant questions remain as to how best to understand Jesus and his early followers in light of Greek and Roman understandings of masculinity. Some scholars see descriptions of Jesus, his disciples, and other key figures in the Jesus movement significantly resistant to key elements of Roman or Greek understandings of what it meant to be a man, while others argue that New Testament authors present these same figures substantially corresponding to hegemonic masculinity in the Roman world.
Fertility in the Rhesus Monkey Following Long-Term Inhibition of Ovarian Function with Danazol

Danazol was previously reported to be an oral contraceptive in the rhesus monkey at doses of 200 and 400 mg/monkey/day for 90 days. The drug is now shown to be an effective long-term inhibitor of ovarian function in the monkey. In the final 3 months of a 27-month period of treatment at a dose of 400 mg/monkey/day, the drug continued to be an effective oral contraceptive. During the 27-month treatment period, three of seven monkeys were amenorrheic and the remaining had only 16 of the 109 expected menstrual cycles. Following the discontinuation of medication, all seven monkeys conceived within 2 to 6 weeks. One monkey aborted early in pregnancy and the remaining six delivered normal, healthy infants at term. Therefore, following the discontinuation of long-term treatment with danazol in the monkey, there was rapid and complete return of normal ovarian function.
Experimental and theoretical investigations of cyanide detection using a photochromic naphthopyran

AbstractPhotochromic naphthopyran derivatives were synthesised for anion recognition applications. The crystal structure, experimental and theoretical investigation of photochromic and anion sensing properties of a simple naphthopyran derivative were investigated. The naphthopyran derivative displayed good fatigue resistance and selective sensing response towards cyanide ions. The mechanism of complex formation was suggested based on NMR studies. Theoretical calculations were performed to understand the experimental results. An excellent correlation between the theoretical and experimental data was observed.
Characterization of lithium indium diselenide

Lithium indium diselenide (6LiInSe2) has drawn interest in recent years as a thermal neutron detector due to its high volumetric thermal neutron detection efficiency. Enriched in 6Li, the single crystalline semiconductor can reach thermal neutron detection efficiencies approaching 80% at thickness of 0.5 cm. With a Q-value of 4.78 MeV, the material also offers neutrongamma discrimination capabilities. Identification and implementation of a contact scheme that is both robust and reproducible is important for its commercial potential. Thorough testing of a myriad of contact schemes yielded a viable Ohmic contact with sufficient adhesion to endure gold wire wedge bonding. Furthermore, characterization of the semiconducting properties, such as the charge carrier mobility-lifetime constant of this material as a radiation detector is important to identify the application space of this material. Using the single charge carrier approximation to the Hecht relation, the electron mobility-lifetime product was found to be on the order of 3.8–90 cm2/V with a mean ionization energy of 400 eV/e-h pair.
What Critical Demography Means to Me

Unlike some of my peers, I do not see a conflict between the roles of social scientist and social critic. On the contrary, I have always felt obligated not just to undertake the most rigorous scientific research, but also to disseminate the results of that research to the widest possible audience. After all, some aspect of demography underlies nearly every political issue of import, and as a concerned citizen I have a duty to speak out whenever demographic facts or analysis are relevant to an ongoing public debate. Most of my research has been funded by American taxpayers, who likewise have a right to know how their taxes are spent. Moreover, the part not funded by taxpayers was paid for by private foundations, which also expect some return on their investment besides a few boring articles in journals that no one but a few graduate students and professors will ever read. Thus, I believe, therefore, that demographers, especially those in federally funded population centers, owe it to the public to be accessible and forthcoming about their research and its implications. As a "critical demographer," I have found myself addressing the public in four different ways. First, I have always responded positively when asked to offer public testimony on an issue related to my areas of expertise. Over the years, I have spoken to numerous citizen groups, testified before city councils, served as an expert witness in federal and state court proceedings, briefed any number of congressional staffers and professional lobbyists, spoken before federal commissions large and small, advised government panels and agencies, testified in congressional hearings, and lectured to executive branch officials from cabinet members on down. Second, I always take calls from reporters-no matter how small the outlet, no matter how inane the questions, and no matter how dense the particular journalist (local TV reporters are the worst in my experience).
Clustering-Based, Fully Automated Mixed-Bag Jigsaw Puzzle Solving

The jig swap puzzle is a variant of the traditional jigsaw puzzle, wherein all pieces are equal-sized squares that must be placed adjacent to one another to reconstruct an original, unknown image. This paper proposes an agglomerative hierarchical clustering-based solver that can simultaneously reconstruct multiple, mixed jig swap puzzles. Our solver requires no additional information beyond an unordered input bag of puzzle pieces, and it significantly outperforms the current state of the art in terms of both the reconstructed output quality as well the number of input puzzles it supports. In addition, we define the first quality metrics specifically tailored for multi-puzzle solvers, the Enhanced Direct Accuracy Score (EDAS), the Shiftable Enhanced Direct Accuracy Score (SEDAS), and the Enhanced Neighbor Accuracy Score (ENAS).
Conclusion: It’s Political Messaging, Stupid!

The concluding chapter summarizes the research findings and points to fruitful venues for future research in the study of populist radical right parties. It outlines a new theory on party politics that defines the rise of populist radical right parties such as the Front National (FN), the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) and the Alternative for Germany (AfD) as the unintended consequences of established parties’ failed attempts to negotiate a desirable degree of ‘manageable diversity’ in the political discourse. The chapter underscores the crucial role of the interaction and the political messaging of established, moderate political actors in salient debates about identity politics. Eventually, it makes the case that the defense of liberal democracy calls for backing the conservative messengers of Europe’s center-left and center-right parties.
Targeted disruption of regulated endocrine-specific protein ( Resp18) in Dahl SS/Mcw rats aggravates salt-induced hypertension and renal injury

Hypertension is a classic example of a complex polygenic trait, impacted by quantitative trait loci (QTL) containing candidate genes thought to be responsible for blood pressure (BP) control in mam...
Identification of Intervening Materials in Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy Measurements Using Angularly Deconvolved Spectra With Multiple Sources in the Field of View

The mass thickness and atomic number of materials shielding radioactive sources emitting multiple resolvable gamma-ray energies can be characterized by measuring the attenuation and Compton scatter of emitted gamma rays in recorded spectra against estimated values for a suite of materials and thicknesses. Compton imaging using a maximum-likelihood expectation maximization-based reconstruction can be used to separate angular spectra allowing simultaneous characterization of multiple shielded sources. Using the described algorithm on experimental 133Ba data, we demonstrate estimation of mass thickness and atomic number for iron, tin, and lead shields with another bare source in the field of view with average standard error of 0.6 g/cm2 and 1.5, respectively, while an aluminum shield is reconstructed with ambiguous atomic number but correct thickness.
The McRoberts Maneuver

The McRoberts position, or maneuver, is a good first-line technique. If combined with more than gentle traction, a brachial plexus will occur. It usually requires additional strong suprapubic pressure.
Nasal Cavity and Paranasal Sinus Carcinoma

Nasal cavity and sinus anatomy in close proximity to many vital structures. Lymph drainage: Nasal cavity → larger vessels pass posterior to the tonsillar region and directly to the upper deep cervical nodes. Most drain into pharyngeal plexus → retropharyngeal nodes. Anterior nose via nares connect with lymphatic vessels of the face. Maxillary → submandibular gland (SMG). Ethmoid cells have few lymph capillaries that pass via ostia to connect with nasal mucosa → SMG. Sphenoid—retropharyngeal nodes. Ohngren’s line (the malignant plane) runs from medial canthus to angle of the mandible—tumors located superoposterior to this plane have poorer prognosis. Thin bone of fovea ethmoidalis, cribriform, and lamina are not a strong anatomical barrier to adjacent spread and local invasion. Incidence less than 1 per 100,000 persons worldwide, 3–5 % of all upper aerodigestive tract tumors and 0.2 % of all cancers.
Post-treatment evaluation of head and neck cancer patients in the era of advanced imaging and value-based care.

6079Background: Current guidelines recommend imaging (CT and/or PET) to evaluate treatment response and detect residual disease after nonsurgical management of head and neck cancers squamous cell c...
Not in my back yard: Egocentrism and climate change skepticism across the globe

Abstract Unusually warm or cool weather has a short-term influence on public opinion of "global warming." This paper extends this idea by showing that both regional climate (average long-term temperature) and seasonal variation in average temperature predict variation in public skepticism about global warming. Analyses of both polling data and Google search volume data show that in regions with colder climates (both U.S. states and nations), there is more public skepticism about global warming. The effects of climate remained even after controlling for regional confounds such as age, education, income, cultural values, and political attitudes. Follow-up analyses suggested that cold temperatures play a stronger role than hot temperatures in shaping public skepticism about global warming. A third study set focusing on four English-speaking nations suggested that seasonal variation in temperature is also predictably related to public skepticism about global warming. Public opinion about the reality of this specific aspect of climate change appears to be susceptible to egocentric biases such as memorial availability and construct accessibility. All else being equal, climate change educators will likely face more pushback about global warming in places with cold climates and at times of the year when the weather is cold.
Global assessment and mapping of changes in mesoscale landscapes: 1992–2015

Abstract Monitoring global land cover changes is important because of concerns about their impact on environment and climate. The release by the European Space Agency (ESA) of a set of worldwide annual land cover maps covering the 1992–2015 period makes possible a quantitative assessment of land change on the global scale. While ESA land cover mapping effort was motivated by the need to better characterize global and regional carbon cycles, the dataset may benefit a broad range of disciplines. To facilitate utilization of ESA maps for broad-scale problems in landscape ecology and environmental studies, we have constructed a GIS-based vector database of mesoscale landscapes – patterns of land cover categories in 9 km × 9 km tracts of land. First, we reprojected ESA maps to the Fuller projection to assure that each landscape in the database has approximately the same size and shape so the patterns of landscapes at different locations can be compared. Second, we calculated landscape attributes including its compositions in 1992 and 2015, magnitude of pattern change, categories transition matrix for detailed characterization of change, fractional abundances of plant functional types (PFTs) in 1992 and 2015, and change trend type – a simple, overall descriptor of the character of landscape change. Combining change trends and change magnitude information we constructed a global, thematic map of land change; this map offers a visualization of what, where, and to what degree has changed between 1992 and 2015. The database is SQL searchable and supports all GIS vector operations. Using change magnitude attribute we calculated that only 22% of total landmass experienced significant landscape change during the 1992–2015 period, but that change zone accounted for 80% of all pixel-based transitions. Dominant land cover transitions were forest → agriculture followed by agriculture → forest. Using PFTs attributes to calculate global aggregation of gross and net changes for major PFTs yielded results in agreement with other recent estimates.
Biomarkers to predict immune-related adverse events with checkpoint inhibitors.

131Background: Immune-related adverse events (IRAE) occur commonly with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy for the treatment of cancer, although the specific event and severity can vary widely. Li...
Improving Respiratory Support Practices to Reduce Chronic Lung Disease in Premature Infants.

Introduction We implemented a bundle of respiratory care practices and optimized delivery of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) to reduce the incidence of chronic lung disease (CLD) among very low birth weight (VLBW) infants born before 33 weeks gestation. Methods Our multidisciplinary task force utilized 6 plan-do-study-act cycles to test our interventions. The primary outcome was the quarterly percentage of infants diagnosed with CLD; other outcomes included the percentage of infants initially managed with CPAP, intubation <72 hours of age, use of a nasal cannula, and days of ventilation, oxygen, and/or CPAP. Process measures included compliance with each of the 5 components of the bundle; balancing measures included mortality and complications of prematurity. Results Demographics were similar in the 55 infants born before and 76 infants born after the task force interventions, except for gestational age, which was lower before. CLD decreased by 55.5% (from 37.5% to 16.7%). Quarterly percentage of infants requiring intubation decreased from 87.5% to 40.8%. Quarterly average days of ventilation decreased from 11.2 to 6.1, and days of supplemental oxygen declined from 44.1 to 25.4, while the use of CPAP increased. There were no differences in adverse events including mortality, pneumothorax, use of postnatal steroids, or any retinopathy of prematurity. The incidence of patent ductus arteriosus declined from 60% to 33% (P < 0.01). Conclusions We reduced the incidence of CLD among our very low birth weight infants born before 33 weeks gestation by over 50% without increasing any measured adverse outcomes. The incidence of patent ductus arteriosus declined.
Crop Field Boundary Delineation using Historical Crop Rotation Pattern

GIS data layer on crop field boundary has many applications in agricultural research, ecosystem study, crop monitoring, and land management. Crop field boundary mapping through field survey is not time and cost effective for vast agriculture areas. Onscreen digitization on fine-resolution satellite image is also labor-intensive and error-prone. The recent development in image segmentation based on their spectral characteristics is promising for cropland boundary detection. However, processing of large volume multi-band satellite images often required high-performance computation systems. This study utilized crop rotation information for the delineation of field boundaries. In this study, crop field boundaries of Iowa in the United States are extracted using multi-year (2007-2018) CDL data. The process is simple compared to boundary extraction from multi-date remote sensing data. Although this process was unable to distinguish some adjacent fields, the overall accuracy is promising. Utilization of advanced geoprocessing algorithms and tools on polygon correction may improve the result significantly. Extracted field boundaries are validated by superimposing on fine resolution Google Earth images. The result shows that crop field boundaries can easily be extracted with reasonable accuracy using crop rotation information.