cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Human Wagering Behavior Depends on Opponents' Faces

Research in competitive games has exclusively focused on how opponent models are developed through previous outcomes and how peoples' decisions relate to normative predictions. Little is known about how rapid impressions of opponents operate and influence behavior in competitive economic situations, although such subjective impressions have been shown to influence cooperative decision-making. This study investigates whether an opponent's face influences players' wagering decisions in a zero-sum game with hidden information. Participants made risky choices in a simplified poker task while being presented opponents whose faces differentially correlated with subjective impressions of trust. Surprisingly, we find that threatening face information has little influence on wagering behavior, but faces relaying positive emotional characteristics impact peoples' decisions. Thus, people took significantly longer and made more mistakes against emotionally positive opponents. Differences in reaction times and percent correct were greatest around the optimal decision boundary, indicating that face information is predominantly used when making decisions during medium-value gambles. Mistakes against emotionally positive opponents resulted from increased folding rates, suggesting that participants may have believed that these opponents were betting with hands of greater value than other opponents. According to these results, the best “poker face” for bluffing may not be a neutral face, but rather a face that contains emotional correlates of trustworthiness. Moreover, it suggests that rapid impressions of an opponent play an important role in competitive games, especially when people have little or no experience with an opponent.
Eliminating Health Disparities in the African American Population: The Interface of Culture, Gender, and Power

Since the release of former Secretary Margaret Heckler's Secretary's Task Force Report on Black and Minority Health more than two decades ago, excess death from chronic diseases and other conditions between African Americans and Whites have increased. The conclusion of that report emphasized excess death and thus clinical care, paying little attention to the sociocultural environment and its effects on risk of disease. The authors of this article contend that eliminating health disparities between the African American and White populations in the United States requires a focus on improving the social environment of African Americans. They examine the interface of culture, gender, and power and how those are central to analysis of the root causes of health disparities. The REACH 2010 project of the Centers for Disease Control offers examples on how a coalition of community and research organizations can infuse community interventions with informed considerations of culture, gender, and power to eliminate health disparities.
How should we model rare disease allocation decisions

When health budgets are insufficient to provide care for all, allocating resources to treat a person with a rare and expensive disorder entails that we cannot treat at least one person with a more common, less expensive disorder. Since any allocation scheme will entail such trade-offs, how should prudent policy-makers, concerned about justice and fairness, allocate their community's health resources? In their article in this issue of the Hastings Center Report, Emily Largent and Steven Pearson frame this problem as a conflict between the “rule of rescue” and utilitarian allocation schemes that try to maximize the benefits produced by a given budget. In his article, Norman Daniels discusses the related problem of the “identified victim bias.” I doubt that the problem of crafting an equitable health policy regarding orphan diseases maps onto either of these factors in a way that sheds light on the key moral issues.
Rings with Central Idempotent or Nilpotent Elements

It is easy to see (cf. Theorem 1 below) that the centrality of all the nilpotent elements of a given associative ring implies the centrality of every idempotent element; and (Theorem 7) these two properties are in fact equivalent in any regular ring. We establish in this note various conditions, some necessary and some sufficient, for the centrality of nilpotent or idempotent elements in the wider class of π-regular rings (in Theorems 1, 2, 3 and 4 the rings in question are not even required to be π-regular).
Computed femur and tibia volumes and cranial capacity under near-optimal conditions of skeletal growth: Relation to geomagnetic dipole field intensity and other latitude-dependent climatic variables in archaeological North America and North Africa

Using computed femur (F) and tibia (T) volumes and cranial capacity (CC), the Pleistocene geomagnetic acromegalosis (PGMA) model of human evolution is tested in eight series of male skeleton sets (n = 123) from aboriginal North America and North Africa, the majority dated to the Holocene. The material was selected from the extensive multiracial osteometric data base previously assembled in the course of adult residual rickets (RR) skeletal plasticity research in archaeological populations of the Northern Hemisphere, controlling for optimal bone eutrophism, that is, for the absence of sunshine and calcium deficits and demographic stress. Six of the eight series are of hunter-gatherers, including a terminal Pleistocene mesolithic sample from the Maghreb. As predicted by PGMA, a clear osteotrophic response is observed between the F, T, and CC of these populations and their geomagnetic dipole field intensity (GMFI) backgrounds, here expressed in microteslas (μT); along with evidence that the GMFI-dependent osteotrophism is stronger near the sagittal plane. Slightly higher bioenvironmental correlations, also compatible with PGMA, are obtained with a composite environmental osteotrophism parameter (CEOT.J), which incorporates the reciprocal of the archaeological site's reconstructed mean July temperature as a synergizer of GMFI. In a final demonstration of the utility of the new computed osteovolumetrics, it is shown that Skhul IV, to judge from its size and proportions, is a hyperrobust pre-neanderthal male skeleton of early Late Pleistocene interglacial age, and belongs to the North African geographical race.
Seizure Suppression by top1 Mutations in Drosophila

DNA topoisomerase I is an essential nuclear enzyme involved in resolving the torsional stress associated with DNA replication, transcription, and chromatin condensation. Here we report the discovery of a seizure-suppressor mutant, top1(JS), which suppresses seizures in a Drosophila model of human epilepsy. A P-element mutagenesis screen using easily shocked seizure-sensitive mutant as a genetic background identified top1(JS), which plays a novel role in regulating nervous system excitability. Plasmid rescue, excision, complementation, and sequencing analyses verified that top1(JS) results from a P-element insertion in the 5' untranslated region. Quantitative reverse transcription analysis on wild-type and mutant fly heads showed that the top1(JS) mutation causes reduced transcription level in the CNS, suggesting a partial loss-of-function mutation. Electrophysiological experiments revealed normal seizure thresholds in top1(JS) mutants, which are different from other seizure suppressors identified previously, suggesting a novel mechanism underlying seizure suppression by top1(JS). The pharmacological camptothecin feeding experiment and cell death analysis suggested that the seizure suppression by top1(JS) may occur via increased neuronal apoptosis. Furthermore, overexpression of the DIAP1 (Drosophila inhibitor of apoptosis 1) gene rescues top1(JS) suppression, providing additional support for a neural apoptosis suppression mechanism. The top1(JS) mutation is the first viable partial loss-of-function mutation identified in higher eukaryotes, and the results presented here point to a novel function for topo I in construction and/or maintenance of circuits required for seizure propagation in vivo.
Electroless Deposition of Copper on Organic and Inorganic Substrates Using a Sn/Ag Catalyst

In this study, the electroless deposition of copper and silver was investigated on epoxy and silicon dioxide-based substrates. A cost-efficient, Sn/Ag catalyst was investigated as a replacement for the Sn/Pd catalyst currently used in board technology. The surface of the epoxy based polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) films was modified by plasma and chemical etching for electroless activation without the creation of a roughened surface. The electroless copper deposited on the modified POSS surface exhibited excellent adhesion when annealed at 180 ◦ C in nitrogen for 90 min or at room temperature for 24 hr. Electroless copper deposition was also demonstrated on oxidized silicon wafers for through silicon via sidewall deposition.
Actions of Chiriquitoxin on Frog Skeletal Muscle Fibers and Implications for the Tetrodotoxin/Saxitoxin Receptor

Chiriquitoxin (CqTX) from the Costa Rican frog Atelopus chiriquensis differs from tetrodoxin (TTX) only in that a glycine residue replaces a methylene hydrogen of the C-11 hydroxymethyl function. On the voltage-clamped frog skeletal muscle fiber, in addition to blocking the sodium channel and unrelated to such an action, CqTX also slows the activation of the fast potassium current in approximately 40% of the muscle fiber population. At pH 7.25, CqTX is as potent as TTX in blocking the sodium channel, with an ED50 of 3.8 nM. Its ED50's at pH 6.50 and 8.25 are 6.8 and 2.3 nM, contrasted with 3.8 and 4.3 nM for TTX. These differences are attributable to changes in the chemical states in the glycine residue. The equipotency of CqTX with TTX at pH 7.25 is explainable by an intramolecular salt bridge between the amino and carboxyl groups of the glycine function, all other surface groups in TTX and CqTX being the same. From available information on these groups and those in saxitoxin (STX), the TTX/STX binding site is deduced to be in a pocket 9.5 A wide, 6 A high, and 5 A deep. The glycine residue of CqTX probably projects out of the entrance to this pocket. Such a view of the binding site could also account for the actions of STX analogues, including the C-11 sulfated gonyautoxins and the 21-sulfocarbamoyl analogues. In the gonyautoxins the sulfate groups are equivalently placed as the glycine in CqTX, whereas in the sulfocarbamoyl toxins the sulfate groups extend the carbamoyl side-chain, leading to steric hinderance to productive binding.
Perinatal Iron Deficiency Predisposes the Developing Rat Hippocampus to Greater Injury from Mild to Moderate Hypoxia—Ischemia:

The hippocampus is injured in both hypoxia-ischemia (HI) and perinatal iron deficiency that are co-morbidities in infants of diabetic mothers and intrauterine growth restricted infants. We hypothesized that preexisting perinatal iron deficiency predisposes the hippocampus to greater injury when exposed to a relatively mild HI injury. Iron-sufficient and iron-deficient rats (hematocrit 40% lower and brain iron concentration 55% lower) were subjected to unilateral HI injury of 15, 30, or 45 mins (n=12 to 13/HI duration) on postnatal day 14. Sixteen metabolite concentrations were measured from an 11 microL volume on the ipsilateral (HI) and contralateral (control) hippocampi 1 week later using in vivo 1H NMR spectroscopy. The concentrations of creatine, glutamate, myo-inositol, and N-acetylaspartate were lower on the control side in the iron-deficient group (P<0.02, each). Magnetic resonance imaging showed hippocampal injury in the majority of the iron-deficient rats (58% versus 11%, P<0.0001) with worsening severity with increasing durations of HI (P=0.0001). Glucose, glutamate, N-acetylaspartate, and taurine concentrations were decreased and glutamine, lactate and myo-inositol concentrations, and glutamine/glutamate ratio were increased on the HI side in the iron-deficient group (P<0.01, each), mainly in the 30 and 45 mins HI subgroups (P<0.02, each). These neurochemical changes likely reflect the histochemically detected neuronal injury and reactive astrocytosis in the iron-deficient group and suggest that perinatal iron deficiency predisposes the hippocampus to greater injury from exposure to a relatively mild HI insult.
Apparent Copper Inconstancy in Artificially Prepared Standards when Determined by Emission Spectrometry

In artificially prepared standards analyzed by our dc arc emission spectrometric technique, copper showed very poor precision for repeated analyses at any concentration between 1 and 100 ppm. Similar observations for copper, and only copper, in graphite-based graded standards containing 60 elements, have been reported by Chaney. Mitteldorf has also reported that similar complaints have been made regarding copper inconstancy in prepared standards. It is the purpose of this note to report our solution to this problem in the hope that it may be of value to other spectrographers faced with the same problem.
Cytogenetic characterization of the transgenic Big Blue® Rat2 and Big Blue® mouse embryonic fibroblast cell lines

The transgenic Big Blue Rat2 and Big Blue mouse embryonic fibroblast cell lines have been used to complement the transgenic Big Blue rat and mouse in vivo mutagenesis assays. However, limited information is available regarding the karyology of these cell lines. Therefore, we have characterized the ploidy, mitotic index, spontaneous frequencies of chromosome and chromatid aberrations and rate of micronucleus (MN) formation in both cell lines. We have also characterized the frequency of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) in transgenic Big Blue mouse cells. Big Blue Rat2 cells are hyperploid and have extremely high baseline frequencies of cytogenetic damage. In addition, Big Blue Rat2 cells are BrdU-resistant, therefore, SCE frequencies cannot be assessed in these cells. We conclude that Big Blue Rat2 cells are not useful for routine cytogenetic toxicology studies. The transgenic Big Blue mouse cell line is polyploid and consistently yields a low mitotic index (approximately 1%) in untreated cells. These mouse cells also exhibited moderately high baseline frequencies of chromosome and chromatid aberrations, however, baseline frequencies of SCE and of MN were not elevated. Transgenic Big Blue mouse embryonic fibroblasts were further studied for MN induction following treatment with N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) for 0.5 h at concentrations of 0.425, 0.85 and 1.7 mM. Concentration-dependent increases in MN were observed in these cells. Thus, while an ENU-induced cytogenetic response using transgenic Big Blue mouse cells demonstrates that this cellular model could be used to cytogenetically complement the mutagenesis assays, the low mitotic index and the high spontaneous frequency of chromosome damage confounds its use for routine genetic toxicology studies.
Evaluation of plectin-1 immunohistochemical staining in human non-small cell lung cancer

e22118 Background: Plectin-1 (PLEC1), a known scaffolding protein, impacts signaling pathways and has been found to be up-regulated and redistributed to the cell membrane in tumor cells. The redist...
Portraits of Jesus in Contemporary North American Scholarship

Five portraits of Jesus by North American scholars published in the 1980s demonstrate the strength of the current resurgence in Jesus scholarship and disclose the central questions dominating the current discussion. These portraits (by E. P. Sanders, Burton Mack, Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, the present writer, and Richard Horsley) demonstrate that, after decades of relative disinterest, a “third quest” for the historical Jesus is under way. Each portrait or gestalt is interesting in its own right as a construal of the traditions about Jesus and as an exercise in historical reconstruction. Taken together, they illustrate the range of options in contemporary Jesus scholarship and point to the likely focal points of Jesus research in the 1990s.
LOVASTATIN INHIBITS PROLACTIN-INDUCED NB2 CELL MITOGENESIS AND MILK PRODUCT SYNTHESIS IN MOUSE MAMMARY GLAND EXPLANTS

The p21ras protein has been shown to be active in many growth factor signaling systems, including that of prolactin (PRL). In our studies, the main objective was to examine further the involvement of ras in prolactin-stimulated mitogenic and metabolic processes. We used the farnesylation inhibitor lovastatin to block effectively ras-dependent signaling in Nb2 cells, a pre-T lymphoma cell line, and mammary gland explants derived from 12- to 14-day pregnant mice. Lovastatin completely inhibited PRL-induced Nb2 cell mitogenesis at 1 micron. In the mammary gland, lovastatin at 0.1 micron inhibited the PRL stimulation of lipid and lactose synthesis; at 2 microns, lovastatin abolished the PRL stimulation of casein production. When p21ras was immunoprecipitated from lovastatin (25 microns)-treated Nb2 cells and mammary gland explants, the unfarnesylated (inactive) form of ras was shown to be redistributed from the cell membrane to the cytosolic compartment of the cell. This suggests that the anchoring of ras to the cell membrane is essential for its action in prolactin signal transduction. Thus, in addition to the well-known active participation of ras in mitogenic growth factor signaling, the presence of functional ras also appears necessary for the PRL stimulation of specific metabolic processes involved in lactation.
Cytosolic Ca2+ and adenylyl cyclase responses in phenotypically distinct pulmonary endothelial cells

Pulmonary microvascular endothelium forms a tighter barrier than does pulmonary artery endothelium; the mechanism of this important phenotypic difference is uncertain. We examined two regulators of endothelial permeability, cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP), in microvascular (PMVEC) and pulmonary conduit artery (PAEC) endothelium. Both resting and stimulated [Ca2+]i were lower in PMVEC compared with PAEC (resting [Ca2+]i, 94 +/- 7 vs. 123 +/- 8 nM; ATP-stimulated peak, 1.04 +/- 0.14 vs. 1.98 +/- 0.13 microM). Sustained Ca2+ transients in response to either ATP or thapsigargin were reduced in PMVEC compared with PAEC (ATP, 199 +/- 22 vs. 411 +/- 43 nM; thapsigargin, 195 +/- 13 vs. 527 +/- 65 nM), suggesting reduced Ca2+ influx in PMVEC. Reduced Ca2+ influx in PMVEC was confirmed by Mn2+ quenching and patch-clamp experiments. mRNA for Ca(2+)-inhibitable and protein kinase C-stimulated adenylyl cyclases was detected in both cell types. Whereas ATP caused a [Ca2+]i-mediated decrease in cAMP in PAEC, ATP caused a protein kinase C-mediated increase in cAMP in PMVEC. We conclude that PMVEC express a unique phenotype that favors enhanced barrier function through attenuated Ca2+ influx and preservation of cAMP content.
Are implantation and pregnancy outcome impaired in diethylstilbestrol-exposed women after in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer?

Forty-six infertile women with a history of diethylstilbestrol (DES) exposure in utero underwent 149 stimulation attempts for in vitro fertilization (IVF). The mean (±SE) number of preovulatory oocytes harvested at retrieval and transferred was 3.9±3.3 (536/138) and 2.6±1.4 (328/124). When compared with patients with tubal factor infertility and ≤4 pre-embryos transferred, the clinical pregnancy rate (15.3% versus 22%) was not statistically different. However, the term/ongoing pregnancy rate was significantly lower in the study group (8% versus 16%). Comparison of the IVF outcome with different uterine anomalies as detected by hysterosalpingogram (n=29) showed a trend for a worse prognosis in women with constrictions and a combination of T-shape and constrictions. It is concluded that implantation and pregnancy outcome are impaired in DES-exposed women after IVF.
Online Course-taking and Student Outcomes in California Community Colleges

This paper uses fixed effects analyses to estimate differences in student performance under online versus face-to-face course delivery formats in the California Community College system. On average...
Deciphering CaMKII Multimerization using Holoenzyme Assembly Mutants, FCS, and Concurrent Homo- and Hetero-FRET Analysis

Monitoring changes in molecular conformation is essential for studying protein interactions within and between complexes. Current methods such as FRET or FCS can only reveal limited aspects of these changes, which in many cases is insufficient for interpretation. Fluorescent Polarization and Fluctuation Analysis (FPFA), a time-correlated single-photon counting technique that combines homo-FRET and FCS was developed to address this problem. In FPFA, changes in mass and/or shape of a protein complex, the number of fluorescent subunits per complex, as well as subunit proximity (1 - 10 nm), are simultaneously detected. Here we have extended FPFA by incorporating simultaneous hetero-FRET analysis so that additional structural changes can be monitored concurrently. This multi-modal approach was then used to observe changes in CaMKII holoenzyme in response to activation and subsequent interactions with NR2B. Revised FPFA revealed that catalytic-domain pairing is the fundamental structural motif of the holoenzyme organization. A genetically engineered dimeric-CaMKII functioned like native holoenzyme (8-14 subunits) in terms of activity, T286 autophosphorylation, structural changes triggered by calcium-calmodulin, and those associated with interaction with NR2B.
PDGFRα+ Progenitor Cells Contribute to Muscle Fibroadipogensis Following Massive Rotator Cuff Tears in a Mouse Model

Objectives:Rotator cuff tears affect an estimated 10% of patients over the age of 60, leading to significant activity related pain and decreased quality of life. After sustaining a tear, the rotator cuff musculature often undergoes muscle atrophy and fatty degeneration, which have been shown to result in poor clinical outcomes and high failure rates for surgical repairs. The cellular processes underlying these fibroadipogenic changes remain unknown although PDGFRβ+ cells have previously been implicated. Recently, it has been demonstrated in hind limb muscle that following acute, reversible injury via Cardiotoxin injection, PDGFRα-expressing cells are responsible for fibrotic and adipogenic muscle degeneration. Our study aimed to distinguish between the contribution of PDGFRα+ PDGFRβ+ cells and PDGFRα- PDGFRβ+ cells to fibroadipogenesis following massive rotator cuff tears.Methods:We performed supraspinatus tenotomy and denervation (TT+DN) operations on 8-10 week-old PDGFRβ-Cre x mTmG mice. These transgeni...
Programmatic and Scaffolded Information Literacy Embedded in the Science Curriculum

ABSTRACTLibrary instruction is a cornerstone in the education of successful well-rounded students. To make information literacy more impactful, librarians should strive toward developing programs that provide it in a programmatic and scaffolded manner. The science librarian at the Auraria Library, in collaboration with key science faculty, instituted programmatic scaffolded information literacy for the chemistry department at the University of Colorado Denver and for biology and chemistry at the Metropolitan State University of Denver. This article describes steps in the process used for accomplishing this objective that others might want to follow in order to achieve similar outcomes.
A Decade of Streamwater Nitrogen and Forest Dynamics after a Mountain Pine Beetle Outbreak at the Fraser Experimental Forest, Colorado

Forests of western North America are currently experiencing extensive tree mortality from a variety of bark beetle species, and insect outbreaks are projected to increase under warmer, drier climates. Unlike the abrupt biogeochemical changes typical after wildfire and timber harvesting, the outcomes of insect outbreaks are poorly understood. The mountain pine bark beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) began to attack lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) at the Fraser Experimental Forest in 2002 and spread throughout the research area by 2007. We compared streamwater nitrogen (N) from 2003 through 2012 with data from the previous two decades in four watersheds with distinct forest management histories, stand structures, and responses to the beetle outbreak. Watersheds dominated by old-growth had larger trees and lost 85% of overstory pine and 44% of total basal area to bark beetles. In contrast, managed watersheds containing a mixture of second-growth (30–60 year old) and old-growth (250- to 350-year old) had higher density of subcanopy trees, smaller mean tree diameter, and lower bark beetle-induced mortality (~26% of total basal area). Streamwater nitrate concentrations were significantly higher in old-growth watersheds during the outbreak than pre-outbreak levels during snowmelt and base flow seasons. In mixed-age stands, streamwater nitrate concentrations were unaffected by the outbreak. Beetle outbreak elevated inorganic N export 43 and 74% in two old-growth watersheds though the amounts of N released in streamwater were low (0.04 and 0.15 kg N ha−1) relative to atmospheric inputs (<2% of annual N deposition). Increased height, diameter, and foliar N of measured in residual live trees augmented demand for N, far in excess of the change in N export during the outbreak. Reallocation of soil resources released after pine mortality to overstory and understory vegetation helps explain high nutrient retention in watersheds affected by bark beetle outbreaks.
Analytic reconstruction for helical-orbit cone-beam SPECT

Helical-orbit cone-beam (CB) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) provides improved sensitivity and also acquires a complete data set for the reconstruction of a three-dimensional (3D) source distribution. The authors have developed an analytic helical-orbit CB SPECT reconstruction algorithm that can be decomposed into three steps. The algorithm first rebins helical-orbit CB SPECT data into plane-integral space, then multiplies the rebinned data with normalization factors that compensate for the non-uniform sampling of CB SPECT systems, and finally uses a direct Fourier inversion method for the 3D reconstruction from the normalized plane integrals. The authors have also developed a method to speed up the rebinning procedure. After testing the algorithm with simulated mathematical Defrise phantoms, the authors found that helical-orbit CB SPECT produces fewer image artifacts than does a circular-orbit CB SPECT, and they also found that using a triple-camera helical-orbit CB SPECT system, which results in more uniform sampling, can further suppress the artifacts. >
Microbial Extension Cords: Nanowires in Shewanella oneidensis: To connect with external electron acceptors, these bacterial cells extrude membrane vesicles that extend to form filaments called nanowires

As part of respiration in microbial and other cells, electrons transfer through an electron transport chain to produce energy as adenosine triphosphate (ATP). For most bacteria, the final electron acceptor is a soluble substrate such as oxygen, sulfate, or nitrate that can be brought into the cell and then reduced.
Development of Age Polyethism With Colony Maturity in Coptotermes formosanus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

Age polyethism in a social insect colony occurs when individuals of different ages perform different tasks. In termites (Isoptera), it has mostly been reported in higher termites, but elements of age polyethism were recently found in juvenile colonies of a lower termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Rhinotermitidae). The objective of this study was to compare age polyethism in immature colonies (10-mo-old) of C. formosanus to the age polyethism observed in juvenile colonies (4-yr-old), to investigate if age polyethism emerges as soon as old workers are present, or if it emerges later on, as the colony grows and ages. Age polyethism may be displayed with different patterns in immature colonies of C. formosanus when compared with juvenile colonies, owing to a difference of environmental condition within the nest, i.e., demographics and colony size. Ten-month-old colonies were observed in planar arenas and termite activities were recorded using camcorders. Larval and worker instars were determined by measuring their head width and the occurrence of behaviors was compared with behavioral data previously obtained from 4-yr-old colonies. Workers were the major workforce in both the 10-mo-old and 4-yr-old colonies. Age polyethism was minimal in 10-mo-old colonies, but was more extensive and complex in 4-yr-old colonies. Therefore, age polyethism emerges in C. formosanus as the colony matures, and may recapitulate the transition from a one-piece colony type to an extended nest colony type, with changing conditions inside the nest as the colony grows.
Estimating the cost of pre-harvest forward contracting corn and soybeans in Illinois before and after 2007

Forward contracting historically has been the principal risk management tool of crop farmers in the United States. We use pre-harvest forward contract bids from 1977 to 2013 in Illinois to estimate the cost of forward contracting corn and soybeans. Prior to 2007, it cost 1.55% of the October spot price or 3.74 cents/bushel on average to forward contract corn at the end of February. In 2007–2013, a period of high price volatility, the average cost increased to 3.31% or 16.40 cents/bushel. In the soybean market, before 2007 the average cost was 0.77% or 6.26 cents/bushel and thereafter increased to 1.46% or 15.62 cents/bushel. Default risk does not appear to be a determinant of forward contracting cost. However, evidence suggests that the higher cash flow risk associated with volatile market prices is likely to be the main driving cause of increasing forward contracting costs observed after 2007. [EconLit citations: Q11, Q13].
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE OF CONJUGATED POLYMERS

In this paper, I will review recent work on certain aspects of the electronic structure of conjugated polymers, and try to make contact with the work on the electronic structure of short oligomers. It is impossible to cover this vast subject except by ignoring a great deal. I therefore do not pretend to be exhaustive; instead I will cover a few topics of current concern and hope that these overlap sufficiently with the interests of people studying the properties of polydiacetylenes.
Pembrolizumab-Induced Pancytopenia: A Case Report.

Introduction Programmed death receptor-1 blockade with pembrolizumab is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat patients with metastatic melanoma. Activating T cells to fight cancer may cause immune-mediated adverse events. Pembrolizumab-induced pancytopenia has not been previously reported in the medical literature, to our knowledge. Case presentation A 52-year-old Caucasian woman with a diagnosis of metastatic melanoma of the rectum experienced multiple adverse events along her course of therapy with pembrolizumab, ranging from colitis, hepatitis, gastritis, and vitiligo after the fifth cycle of pembrolizumab; to knee synovitis after the 14th cycle; and to severe pancytopenia after the 18th cycle of pembrolizumab. Severe pancytopenia improved after high-dose corticosteroids and a 5-day course of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy. Discussion In our case, pembrolizumab-induced Grade 4 pancytopenia resolved via a combination of corticosteroids and intravenous immunoglobulins. Pancytopenia reached a nadir in 10 weeks, and it took 16 weeks for meaningful recovery.
Structural insights into the mycobacteria transcription initiation complex from analysis of X-ray crystal structures.

Understanding of the mycobacterial transcription system is useful to the development of therapeutics against tuberculosis infection. Here the authors present the crystal structure of a complete M. smegmatis RNA polymerase open promoter complex that reveals unique f…
Invariance of homology

In this chapter, we prove the invariance of the homology groups for surfaces and also for simplicial complexes of arbitrary dimension. A full proof is beyond the scope of this text. Those who are willing to take this invariance on trust may omit this chapter.
Neither friend nor big brother: China’s role in North Korean foreign policy strategy

North Korea has defied the international community on its nuclear program despite diplomatic and economic pressure. Why has the country been willing and able to defy and resist the international community? What should we do about it? Many stress China’s ties with North Korea and believe that the question of whether China is willing to use its leverage on North Korea is the key to the solution to the Korean nuclear issue. This paper draws from international relations theories and the history of China–North Korea relations to analyze North Korean foreign policy strategy. Two arguments are made, namely: first, that North Korea does not view its relationship with China as highly as many would think; and, second, that China’s role in North Korea’s strategic planning is not significant enough to change its behavior. Therefore, it is argued, asking China to use its leverage on North Korea would not solve the Korean nuclear crisis. On the contrary, the more China puts pressure on North Korea, the more likely the latter would resist. A possible way ahead in dealing with the Korean nuclear issue is proposed.
Topics in Functional Analysis

With the overwhelming use of computers in engineering, science,and physics, the ability to approximately solve complex mathematical systems of equations is almost commonplace. And yet, despite the vast quantities of synthetic data one sometimes isn’t quite sure whether these approximations are valid. A nagging question haunts the analyst as to whether the extrapolation of true data just achieved by the computer program really represents reality, or merely represents some impossible result that was generated by a collection of small but accumulative errors in both analysis and computation.
A Predicate Encryption Based Anomaly Detection Scheme for E-Health Communications Network

For applications of the communication networks and big data, E-Health has emerged and become a very popular paradigm to not only monitor people's health conditions continuously, but also provide precise medical treatment accordingly and instantly. However, recent E-Health applications have raised serious concerns on the anomalous behaviors of a person's sensitive medical records, that the private health conditions are being maliciously compromised and modified by evil third parties. Existing research literatures have investigated such an issue by incorporating multiple cryptographic schemes to guarantee the privacy of a user's sensitive medical records. In this paper, we propose a predicate encryption scheme for anomaly detection in communication networks applied to E-Health applications. Specifically, the major novelty and contribution in this work is the use of session key as a message in the encryption operation of predicate encryption system, for the purpose of achieving both information privacy and efficient cryptographic computations. We then introduce the system and security model in an E-Health network, and provide the detailed descriptions on the design of predicates and anomaly detection procedures. Finally, we present the simulation results in terms of computational and communication overhead, and future studies of our work.
Thyroid-related laboratory abnormalities to predict treatment-limiting adverse events in melanoma patients treated with immune checkpoint blockade.

e14536Background: Checkpoint inhibitors have been shown to improve outcomes in patients with metastatic cutaneous melanoma. Thyroid-related laboratory abnormalities are one of the most common abnor...
Extreme 13 C, 15 N and 17 O isotopic enrichment in the young planetary nebula K4-47

Carbon, nitrogen and oxygen are the three most abundant elements in the Galaxy after hydrogen and helium. Whereas hydrogen and helium were created in the Big Bang, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen arise from nucleosynthesis in stars. Of particular interest1,2 are the isotopic ratios 12C/13C, 14N/15N and 16O/17O because they are effective tracers of nucleosynthesis and help to benchmark the chemical processes that occurred in primitive interstellar material as it evolved into our Solar System3. However, the origins of the rare isotopes 15N and 17O remain uncertain, although novae and very massive stars that explode as supernovae are postulated4–6 to be the main sources of 15N. Here we report millimetre-wavelength observations of the young bipolar planetary nebula K4-47 that indicate another possible source for these isotopes. We identify various carbon-bearing molecules in K4-47 that show that this object is carbon-rich, and find unusually high enrichment in rare carbon (13C), oxygen (17O) and nitrogen (15N) isotopes: 12C/13C = 2.2 ± 0.8, 16O/17O = 21.4 ± 10.3 and 14N/15N = 13.6 ± 6.5 (uncertainties are three standard deviations); for comparison, the corresponding solar ratios7 are 89.4 ± 0.2, 2,632 ± 7 and 435 ± 57. One possible interpretation of these results is that K4-47 arose from a J-type asymptotic giant branch star that underwent a helium-shell flash (an explosive nucleosynthetic event that converts large quantities of helium to carbon and other elements), enriching the resulting planetary nebula in 15N and 17O and creating its bipolar geometry. Other possible explanations are that K4-47 is a binary system or that it resulted from a white dwarf merger, as has been suggested for object CK Vul8. These results suggest that nucleosynthesis of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen is not well understood and that the classification of certain stardust grains must be reconsidered. Millimetre-wavelength observations of the bipolar planetary nebula K4-47 show very high abundances of the rare isotopes 13C, 15N and 17O, providing clues about the possible origin of the nebula.
Biological Membrane Organization and Cellular Signaling

To execute their many vital functions, cell membranes are highly organized. Here, we review how membrane structure shapes signal transduction across membranes. Recent experimental and computational advances have shed significant light on mechanisms linking the function of membrane signaling proteins to the composition and physical properties of the membrane lateral structures in which they are embedded. We provide an overview of the structural characteristics of membranes containing heterogeneous mixtures of lipids and other molecules and summarize work on “raft” domains in model and cell membranes, as determined by microscopy, spectroscopy, neutron scattering, and computer simulations. We discuss the principles of partitioning of proteins into membranes and how the structure, dynamics, and function of membrane-embedded and peripheral proteins can be modulated by specific membrane components and physical properties of membranes and raft domains. Finally, we discuss challenges and future directions toward ...
A Diagnostic Challenge: Changes in Histopathologic Tumor Diagnosis of Atypical Squamous Proliferations After Surgical Removal.

BACKGROUND Biopsy-proven "atypical squamous proliferations" (ASPs) may prove difficult to diagnose histologically because of partial sampling, lack of complete criteria for definitive diagnosis, or overlap of histopathological features with other neoplasms. There are no guidelines concerning the management of ASPs. OBJECTIVE To retrospectively clarify the diagnosis of biopsy-proven ASPs after surgical removal, specifically, to ascertain what fraction represent malignant tumors. METHODS Medical records of patients who underwent surgical removal of biopsy-proven ASPs in an academic dermatologic surgical unit from June 2008 to July 2013 were examined. The resultant histopathologic diagnosis of these lesions after surgical removal, along with other demographic data, was obtained. RESULTS Of the 71 biopsy-proven ASPs that were treated by surgical removal in the study period, 54.9% exhibited resultant pathologic diagnosis of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC). CONCLUSION Biopsy-proven ASPs present a therapeutic challenge. The authors' data illustrate the importance of subsequent tissue sampling, as these lesions often represent NMSCs.
Imatinib treatments have long-term impact on placentation and embryo survival.

Imatinib is an oral chemotherapeutic used primarily to treat chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). The potential effects of cancer treatments on a patient’s future fertility are a major concern affecting the quality of life for cancer survivors. The effects of imatinib on future fertility are unknown. It is teratogenic. Therefore, patients are advised to stop treatment before pregnancy. Unfortunately, CML and GIST have high rates of recurrence in the absence of the drug, therefore halting imatinib during pregnancy endangers the mother. Possible long-term (post-treatment) effects of imatinib on reproduction have not been studied. We have used a mouse model to examine the effects of imatinib on the placenta and implantation after long-term imatinib exposure. We found significant changes in epigenetic markers of key imprinted genes in the placenta. There was a significant decrease in the labyrinth zone and vasculature of the placenta, which could impact fetal growth later in pregnancy. These effects on placental growth occurred even when imatinib was stopped prior to pregnancy. These results indicate potential long-term effects of imatinib on pregnancy and implantation. A prolonged wash-out period prior to pregnancy or extra monitoring for possible placental insufficiency may be advisable.
Hox clusters. Size doesn't matter.

The Hox genes, which are found in all multicellular animals, can be studied to determine evolutionary relationships. There's an argument that, the more Hox genes an organism possesses, the more sophisticated its body plan can be. Minimal estimates for the number of Hox genes at key points in evolution now suggest that Hox-gene expansion occurred early in the evolution of bilaterally symmetrical animals, well before they diverged into protostomes and deuterostomes.
Authoritarianism and support for Trump in the 2016 presidential election

Abstract The emergence of authoritarianism as a core political value has been emphasized by recent scholarship on the political behavior of the American electorate. This paper adds to this literature by examining the effect of authoritarianism in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Given the campaign style of Trump and the issues that he made salient in his campaign, it is hypothesized that authoritarianism should have a substantial effect on vote choice of whites. Using data from the American National Election Studies (ANES), logistic regression models of presidential vote choice of white respondents are estimated to ascertain the effect of authoritarianism in presidential elections from 1992 to 2016, controlling for party identification, ideology and several standard demographic control variables. Findings indicate that authoritarianism had the largest effect on white vote choice in 2016 than in any prior election that was analyzed. The candidacy of Trump appears to have been the triggering mechanism given that authoritarianism was a less salient predictor of U.S. House vote choice in 2016. Moreover, this relationship was true for both college and non-college educated whites. Authoritarianism also seems to have been primed by Trump appealing to racial animus, anti-immigration sentiment, nativism, and anti-Muslim prejudice. Authoritarianism is likely to remain a salient determinant of vote choice during the Trump era. Indeed, a widening and deepening of this cleavage means its effects are likely to be apparent in elections below the presidency.
A diachronic analysis of the adjective intensifier well from Early Modern English to Present Day English

While the use of well as an intensifier of most adjectives had supposedly died out by Early Modern English (Fettig 1934: 186, Mustanoja 1960: 327, Stenstrom 2000: 188, Ito and Taglimonte 2003: 278), no studies have empirically examined its frequency diachronically. The present study traces its use from Early Modern English (1560) to Present Day English, (2014) using five speech-related corpora in addition to various dialectal sources and audio/video clips. Results indicate that this use was retained in some dialects of English despite not being attested in the Corpus of English Dialogues nor the Old Bailey Corpus, which document predominantly the incipient standard variety. A qualitative analysis of its use reveals a potential diachronic shift in its stress pattern and the scale structure of its intensified heads. Moreover, the present study discusses some of the methodological challenges which arise when using historical corpora to investigate linguistic change, drawing particular attention to sample representativeness and data analysis.
Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration and Victimization Among Young Adult Sexual Minorities.

Context Intimate partner violence (IPV) among sexual minority young adults has been understudied, and victimization and perpetration estimates are needed. Methods Data on 13,653 women and men aged 24-32 who participated in Wave 4 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health were used to examine associations between sexual orientation and IPV perpetration and victimization in respondents' current or most recent relationship. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify associations between respondent characteristics and three IPV categories (physical violence, threatened violence and forced sex). Results Some 94% of males and 80% of females identified as 100% heterosexual; 4% of males and 16% of females as mostly heterosexual; 1% of males and 2% of females as bisexual; and 2% of males and females as either mostly homosexual or 100% homosexual. Compared with their heterosexual counterparts, mostly heterosexual women were more likely to report having perpetrated or been a victim of physical IPV (odds ratios, 1.9 and 1.6, respectively), having threatened violence (2.0) and having been a victim of threatened violence and forced sex (1.6 for each); mostly heterosexual males were more likely to have been a perpetrator or victim of physical IPV (3.1 and 1.8, respectively) and a perpetrator of forced sex and threatened violence (2.0 and 1.8, respectively). Bisexual males had elevated odds of physical violence victimization (3.3) and forced sex victimization (4.9) and perpetration (5.0). Conclusions Some sexual minority groups are disproportionately affected by IPV, indicating a need for increased prevention efforts and for studies exploring the mechanisms underlying these differences.
Discovery of a Cellular Mechanism Regulating Transcriptional Noise

Author(s): Desai, Ravi | Advisor(s): Weinberger, Leor S | Abstract: Stochastic fluctuations in gene expression (‘noise’) are often considered detrimental but, in other fields, fluctuations are harnessed for benefit (e.g., ‘dither’ or amplification of thermal fluctuations to accelerate chemical reactions). Here, we find that DNA base-excision repair amplifies transcriptional noise, generating increased cellular plasticity and facilitating reprogramming. The DNA-repair protein Apex1 recognizes modified nucleoside substrates to amplify expression noise—while homeostatically maintaining mean levels of expression—for virtually all genes across the transcriptome. This noise amplification occurs for both naturally occurring base modifications and unnatural base analogs. Single-molecule imaging shows amplified noise originates from shorter, but more intense, transcriptional bursts that occur via increased DNA supercoiling which first impedes and then accelerates transcription, thereby maintaining mean levels. Strikingly, homeostatic noise amplification potentiates fate-conversion signals during cellular reprogramming. These data suggest a functional role for the observed occurrence of modified bases within DNA in embryonic development and disease.