cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pulmonary lipid peroxides and fatty acids of rats fed different lipids and exposed to oxygen at hyperbaric pressure

Semipurified diets containing different lipids were fed to rat dams during lactation and subsequently to their pups for 33 weeks post-weaning. Some rats within each group were exposed to oxygen at hyperbaric pressure (OHP). Lipid peroxide levels were lower in lungs of rats fed 7% hydrogenated coconut oil or 10% butter as compared with their controls, fed 7% corn oil or 10% safflower oil, respectively. Exposure to OHP increased lung peroxide levels. This increase varied with the type of fat in the diet. Studies of the fatty acid composition indicate that lipid peroxide levels generally increased with an increase in the levels of 18∶2 in lung total lipids. The results suggest that the type of dietary lipid may alter the susceptibility of the animal to pulmonary oxygen toxicity.
The Use of Partial-Replenishment Tests in Modeling the Leach behavior of Glasses

The partial-replenishment test can be an important tool in exploring the long-term leach behavior of glasses. In order to demonstrate the use of partial-replenishment test data in modeling, experiments were conducted which show that after a relatively short period test results become largely independent of exchange interval and volume exchange fraction. The results can be characterized by the ratio between these two parameters, which corresponds to the residence time. Sampling of the leachates during a given exchange interval shows that leachate concentrations quickly recover following the exchange, and that this recovery can be satisfactorily described using a simple model based on first-order approach to equilibrium at the silica saturation level.
Knowledge Management and ICH.

Scoping knowledge management efforts is difficult. When looking at Internet search engines, there are nearly 36 million entries for “knowledge management”. Challenges associated with scoping knowledge management extend to the pharmaceutical environment, though the International Conference on
Study on the Temperature Field in the Soil Around It During the Shutdown of Heat Crude Oil Pipeline

Because of accidents or the periodical maintenance of the equipment, the shutdown of the pipeline is necessary in the transporting process of heat crude oil. When the pipeline stops transporting, the temperature of the crude oil drops and its viscosity will increase. When the temperature drops to the condensation point of the oil, the restart-up of the pipeline will become very difficult, and even the pipeline is blocked. For the sake of transporting oil safely, it is necessary to study the varying regulation of the temperature field in the soil around the pipeline in order to determine the allowed shutdown time. According to the flow feature of the oil in the pipeline and heat conduction regulation, the analytic expression of the temperature field is obtained with the mathematical methods of conformal transformation and Laplace transformation. The value calculated by this method is closer to the measured value than the values calculated by Source method and Equivalent ring method. The corresponding application software is programmed, by which the safe shutdown time in any season can be determined.
Restoration algorithm with wavelength reservation collision avoidance in ASON

Aiming at the problem of link fault restoration in ASON, an improved equalizing routing algorithm (ERA) is introduced to proportion the load at the routing phase. In order to solve the easy blocking problem for the network without wavelength converter because of the wavelength-continuity constraint, the algorithm WRCA is proposed at the wavelength assignment phase. This algorithm is realized by adding collision detection object (CDO) in the path message of the resource reservation protocol with traffic engineering extension (RSVP-TE). Depending on the value of the CD flag, different wavelength selection strategies are applied at the destination node, and the blocks resulting from wavelength reservation collision are reduced. The simulation experiments compare four wavelength assignment algorithms with the same routing algorithm ERA. The results show that compared with the traditional first fit algorithm (FF) and random fit algorithm (RD), the FF and RD employing CD scheme can effectively reduce the blocking ratio of the whole network, and enhance the practical applicability of the restoration algorithms.
Wage Dispersion and the Minimum Wage Spike in a Search Economy With Wage-Posting

Wage distributions in economies with mandated minimum wage exhibit both wage dispersion and wage clustering known as the minimum wage spike. The paper builds a search-theoretic model that reconciles the two phenomena simultaneously under the assumptions of wage-posting, urn-ball matching, rm heterogeneity, and wage-dependent search cost. Numerical simulations demonstrate the potency of the model. A non-degenerate minimum wage spike and wage dispersion are obtained. The model also shows that a higher, non-binding minimum wage can be associated with greater employment (and higher wages), previously found in empirical studies.
The Disintegration of the World Economy

Free trade means free from government intervention. Free international trade is exploding. From 8 per cent twenty-five years ago, it has grown to 16 per cent of the combined domestic products of international trading partners. For the United States alone it accounts for 14 per cent of GNP. By virtue of its size, the American economy is the world’s largest exporter. This means that one out of every nine American jobs is in an export industry. And one in every seven GNP dollars is earned from sales to foreigners. On the import side, one of every four cars, 60 per cent of all televisions, 40 per cent of clothing and two-thirds of all shoes are produced outside the United States.
Hazel Barnes and Octavio Paz: Two Existentialist and Pan-American Philosophies of Education

As loyal critics of the university whose worldviews furthered key existentialist commitments, Octavio Paz and Hazel Barnes advanced philosophies of education inspired by the struggles of the 1968 student social protest movements. Their appeals to what a complete university education is and ought be demonstrate remarkable compatibility given their existentialist affinities and so are relevant to a normative critique of the mission of today's colleges and universities. Both took seriously the idea that the university's didactic mission should include the ideal of cultivating a socially and politically desirable, and morally defensible, account of the individual self in action. These thinkers also contended that the university should be seen as a place where selves in action rehearse engaged moral reflection towards self-fulfillment and social justice across generations. Seen against the violence that marred such episodes as the police riots during the Democratic Convention in Chicago in August 1968 and the Tlatelolco Massacre in Mexico City weeks later, my argument demonstrates how and why the radical normative underpinning of Barnes' and Paz's philosophies of education offer important guidelines for appraising the purposive nature of today's university. One key outcome of my paper is that it points the way towards what I will call a pan-American existentialist philosophy of education that is responsive to the generational needs, ideals, and challenges of students today across the universities, communities, and nations of the western hemisphere, especially between the United States and Mexico.
Eagle Ford Shale play economics: U.S. versus Mexico

Abstract The decline of domestic natural gas supply and rising demand requires Mexico to import 1/3 of its annual gas consumption of 2.5 trillion cubic feet (Tcf). Yet, Mexico's estimated resource of technically recoverable shale gas (545 Tcf) is the 6th largest such gas resource in the World. Much of Mexico's shale gas resource is in the Eagle Ford Shale, which is a mature shale gas and oil play in the U.S. To aid in determination of whether development of the Eagle Ford Shale in Mexico could reduce the country's dependency on natural gas imports, we evaluated the potential of Mexican shale acreage by comparing the after-tax net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR) of Eagle Ford shale wells on either side of the U.S.-Mexico border. The initial development of Mexican acreage occurs with a much larger well-spacing (leading to higher acreage acquisition cost per well), which would require 25% higher development cost as compared to Texas acreage. Consequentially, Texas wells have better net present value (NPV) and higher internal rate of return (IRR) than Mexican wells, in general. The principal explanation is that the signing bonus will be much higher in Mexico than in Texas, partly effectuated by the lower well spacing for unrisked acreage. Results of our study provide potential operators and investors with a preliminary indication of Eagle Ford Shale well economics in Mexico. Our study includes sensitivity analyses for both non-escalated and escalated gas prices, for drilling and completion (D&C) costs, and for leasehold cost. The economic appraisal accounts for both single- and multiple-well development scenarios with P10, P50 and P90 production forecasts.
The medium is the mob

Conventional narratives frame flash mobs as exemplary of the broader changes in politics, culture, and social relations brought on by new media technologies. Missing from these stories is an accoun...
Targeting TGF-β Signaling for Therapeutic Gain

Transforming growth factor βs (TGF-βs) are closely related ligands that have pleiotropic activity on most cell types of the body. They act through common heterotetrameric TGF-β type II and type I transmembrane dual specificity kinase receptor complexes, and the outcome of signaling is context-dependent. In normal tissue, they serve a role in maintaining homeostasis. In many diseased states, particularly fibrosis and cancer, TGF-β ligands are overexpressed and the outcome of signaling is diverted toward disease progression. There has therefore been a concerted effort to develop drugs that block TGF-β signaling for therapeutic benefit. This review will cover the basics of TGF-β signaling and its biological activities relevant to oncology, present a summary of pharmacological TGF-β blockade strategies, and give an update on preclinical and clinical trials for TGF-β blockade in a variety of solid tumor types.
Influence of cognitive reserve on neuropsychological functioning in bipolar disorder: Findings from a 5-year longitudinal study.

Objectives The present study examined the 5-year longitudinal course of cognitive functioning in a large sample of well-characterized patients with bipolar disorder (BP), compared to healthy controls (HCs), and the influence of cognitive reserve factors (e.g., education and IQ) on cognitive change over time. Methods Participants included 159 individuals diagnosed with BP and 54 HCs recruited as part of a longitudinal naturalistic study of BP who had completed neuropsychological testing at the time of their enrollment and again 5 years later. Results The overall relative rate of change did not differ between the BP and HC groups. In total, 46.5% of the BP group and 37% of the HC group showed evidence of decline on at least one measure over time. T-test analyses did not find differences between BP ‘decliners’ and ‘non-decliners’ in cognitive reserve variables. However, we found that higher baseline intellectual ability was associated with more stability in cognitive test scores over time for the BP group. Results of linear regression modeling revealed that lower verbal IQ and education were related to increased cognitive decline in specific domains in the BP group. Conclusions This study has explored the influence of cognitive reserve on preservation of specific cognitive abilities over time in BP. The BP group did not demonstrate accelerated cognitive decline over 5 years compared to the HC group. Although the trajectory of cognitive change over time was similar between BP patients and HCs, higher overall intellectual ability may be a protective factor against cognitive decline, particularly for BP patients.
Phenformin enhances the therapeutic effect of selumetinib in KRAS-mutant non-small cell lung cancer irrespective of LKB1 status.

// Jun Zhang 1, 2, 3 , Sreenivas Nannapaneni 2 , Dongsheng Wang 2 , Fakeng Liu 2 , Xu Wang 2 , Rui Jin 2 , Xiuju Liu 2 , Mohammad Aminur Rahman 2 , Xianghong Peng 2 , Guoqing Qian 2 , Zhuo G. Chen 2 , Kwok-Kin Wong 4 , Fadlo R. Khuri 1, 2 , Wei Zhou 1, 2 and Dong M. Shin 1, 2 1 Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA 2 Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA 3 Division of Hematology, Oncology and Blood & Marrow Transplantation, Department of Internal Medicine, Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA 4 Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Dana Building 810B, HIM243, Boston, MA 02115, USA Correspondence to: Dong M. Shin, email: dmshin@emory.edu Wei Zhou, email: wzhou2@emory.edu Keywords: NSCLC, KRAS, LKB1, phenformin, selumetinib Received: February 28, 2017 Accepted: July 18, 2017 Published: August 01, 2017 ABSTRACT MEK inhibition is potentially valuable in targeting KRAS-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, we analyzed whether concomitant LKB1 mutation alters sensitivity to the MEK inhibitor selumetinib, and whether the metabolism drug phenformin can enhance the therapeutic effect of selumetinib in isogenic cell lines with different LKB1 status. Isogenic pairs of KRAS-mutant NSCLC cell lines A549, H460 and H157, each with wild-type and null LKB1, as well as genetically engineered mouse-derived cell lines 634 ( kras G12D/wt /p53 -/- /lkb1 wt/wt ) and t2 ( kras G12D/wt /p53 -/- / lkb1 -/- ) were used in vitro to analyze the activities of selumetinib, phenformin and their combination. Synergy was measured and potential mechanisms investigated. The in vitro findings were then confirmed in vivo using xenograft models. The re-expression of wild type LKB1 increased phospho-ERK level, suggesting that restored dependency on MEK->ERK->MAPK signaling might have contributed to the enhanced sensitivity to selumetinib. In contrast, the loss of LKB1 sensitized cells to phenformin. At certain combination ratios, phenformin and selumetinib showed synergistic activity regardless of LKB1 status. Their combination reduced phospho-ERK and S6 levels and induced potent apoptosis, but was likely through different mechanisms in cells with different LKB1 status. Finally, in xenograft models bearing isogenic A549 cells, we confirmed that loss of LKB1 confers resistance to selumetinib, and phenformin significantly enhances the therapeutic effect of selumetinib. Irrespective of LKB1 status, phenformin may enhance the anti-tumor effect of selumetinib in KRAS-mutant NSCLC. The dual targeting of MEK and cancer metabolism may provide a useful strategy to treat this subset of lung cancer.
Toward a Common Language for Measuring Patient Mobility in the Hospital: Reliability and Construct Validity of Interprofessional Mobility Measures

Background The lack of common language among interprofessional inpatient clinical teams is an important barrier to achieving inpatient mobilization. In The Johns Hopkins Hospital, the Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care (AM-PAC) Inpatient Mobility Short Form (IMSF), also called "6-Clicks," and the Johns Hopkins Highest Level of Mobility (JH-HLM) are part of routine clinical practice. The measurement characteristics of these tools when used by both nurses and physical therapists for interprofessional communication or assessment are unknown. Objective The purposes of this study were to evaluate the reliability and minimal detectable change of AM-PAC IMSF and JH-HLM when completed by nurses and physical therapists and to evaluate the construct validity of both measures when used by nurses. Design A prospective evaluation of a convenience sample was used. Methods The test-retest reliability and the interrater reliability of AM-PAC IMSF and JH-HLM for inpatients in the neuroscience department (n = 118) of an academic medical center were evaluated. Each participant was independently scored twice by a team of 2 nurses and 1 physical therapist; a total of 4 physical therapists and 8 nurses participated in reliability testing. In a separate inpatient study protocol (n = 69), construct validity was evaluated via an assessment of convergent validity with other measures of function (grip strength, Katz Activities of Daily Living Scale, 2-minute walk test, 5-times sit-to-stand test) used by 5 nurses. Results The test-retest reliability values (intraclass correlation coefficients) for physical therapists and nurses were 0.91 and 0.97, respectively, for AM-PAC IMSF and 0.94 and 0.95, respectively, for JH-HLM. The interrater reliability values (intraclass correlation coefficients) between physical therapists and nurses were 0.96 for AM-PAC IMSF and 0.99 for JH-HLM. Construct validity (Spearman correlations) ranged from 0.25 between JH-HLM and right-hand grip strength to 0.80 between AM-PAC IMSF and the Katz Activities of Daily Living Scale. Limitations The results were obtained from inpatients in the neuroscience department of a single hospital. Conclusions The AM-PAC IMSF and JH-HLM had excellent interrater reliability and test-retest reliability for both physical therapists and nurses. The evaluation of convergent validity suggested that AM-PAC IMSF and JH-HLM measured constructs of patient mobility and physical functioning.
“Dendrology” in Numerical Weather Prediction: What Random Forests and Logistic Regression Tell Us about Forecasting Extreme Precipitation

AbstractThree different statistical algorithms are applied to forecast locally extreme precipitation across the contiguous United States (CONUS) as quantified by 1- and 10-yr average recurrence int...
Compartmental Models of Vitamin A and β-Carotene Metabolism in Women

Vitamin A has several essential functions, including roles in dark adaptation, cell growth and maintenance, and immunological functions (Underwood, 1978; Bauernfeind, 1986; National Research Council, 1989; Sommer and West, 1996; Gerster, 1997). Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of preventable blindness in the world (Sommer, 1982). Furthermore, milder vitamin A inadequacy has been implicated as a leading cause of death in poor children of Southern Asia and Africa (Sommer et al., 1983; Sommer and West, 1987). A majority of people in the world derive most of their vitamin A from carotenoids found in many fruits and vegetables (Narasinga, 1991; Solomons and Bulux, 1993; Solomons and Bulux, 1994; FAO/INMU/South and East Asia Nutrition Research-cum-Action Network, 1995; Seshadri, 1996).
Localization of Carbohydrate-Containing Molecules

A variety of carbohydrate-containing molecules can be found at both extracellular and intracellular locations in microorganisms. These can be subdivided into several broad categories based on their general composition and would include the polysaccharides (both homo- and heteropolymers), glycoproteins, glycolipids, and proteoglycans. These macromolecules, especially those exposed at the cell surface, have taken on considerable importance in the study of self-nonself recognition, cell attachment, adhesion, and pathogenesis, and receptor-mediated uptake. Thus, in situ localization of these molecules has become an important adjunct to biochemical studies of their structure. Although histochemical methods provide precise localization of carbohydrates, they have, until recently, given us only very basic information about the specific structure of the molecule in question. Most investigations have been limited to the detection of anionic groups exposed at the cell surface or to the presence of hexose sugars. Both of these techniques are based on light microscopic histochemistry. With the discovery of more and more lectins, some of which have very specific binding characteristics, more precise information can be gained about the saccharide structure of a molecule in question. Increasingly sophisticated technology in the use of lectins can provide information about sugars at the cell surface as well as in the cell interior. in the cell interior. Most recent is the application of carbohydrate-specific polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies coupled to electron-dense markers for the ultrastructural localization of specific polysaccharides and glycoconjugates.
Taphonomic and Skeletal Indicators of Captivity and Violence in the Southwest (AD 1000-1300)

Violence against women especially as a result from raiding and abduction of women was a common and world-wide phenomenon that has been part of human history for a very long time. Its persistence into today’s globalized commodity market, where women are used as sex and domestic slaves against their will, demonstrates how institutionalized this form of violence is. Gendered violence is found in many different contexts, but it is most sustained in groups that practice raiding and abduction of women (and often children). Raiding, as part of endemic warfare strategies, is cyclical and part of a long-term strategy with economic and political implications for both males and females. How can these kinds of practices be empirically supported by the bioarchaeological record and what are the effects of these practices? The taphonomic and mortuary component of human remains is crucial in answering these questions. The bioarchaeological signature of forced captivity includes healed head wounds, healed broken bones, and a variety of trauma-related musculoskeletal changes. Women in unusual mortuary configurations with healed fractures, inflamed muscles, infections, and other signs of abuse reveal the biological costs of this form violence.
Small stable RNA of Neurospora crassa.

Small stable RNAs in wild-type Neurospora crassa were investigated by analyzing the cell contents of long term 32Pi labeled cultures in thin slab polyacrylamide gels. Because of the rigid fungal cell wall and the potency of nucleases the degradation of RNA in opening the cells was rather extensive. Some of these degradation problems were circumvented by using a slime strain of N. crassa which lacks a rigid cell wall. Our findings show that N. crassa. like many other eukaryotes, contains a number of small stable RNA molecules. We also found that the ribosomal RNA, the so called 5.8S, migrates slower on polyacrylamide gels than the 6S RNA of E. coli, which contains 184 nucleotides. The relative migration of the molecules was not changed when the samples were denatured prior to electrophoresis. The mobility of the Neurospora rRNA molecule suggested a chain length of 220 nucleotides. Fingerprinting of a T1 ribonuclease digest indicated a chain length of 212 nucleotides. Because of the unusually large size of the so-called 5.8S rRNA we found it more appropriate to refer to this molecule as a 7S rRNA. It seems that the N. crassa 7S rRNA is the largest low molecular weight ribosomal RNA studied thus far.
Motor Neuron Excitability Attenuation as a Sequel to Lumbosacral Manipulation in Subacute Low Back Pain Patients and Asymptomatic Adults: A Cross-Sectional H-Reflex Study.

Abstract Objective The purpose of the study was to compare a time series of tibial nerve H-reflex trials between patients with subacute low back pain (LBP) and asymptomatic adults using pre and post high-velocity, low-amplitude (HVLA) spinal manipulation (SM) and control procedures. Methods Asymptomatic adults (n = 66) and patients with subacute LBP (n = 45) were randomized into 3 lumbosacral procedures: side-posture positioning, joint preloading with no thrust, and HVLA SM. A time series of 40 Hmax/Mmax ratios at a rate of 0.1 Hz were recorded in blocks of 10 trials at baseline and after the lumbosacral procedures at time points corresponding to immediately after, 5 minutes after, and 10 minutes after the procedure. Descriptive time series analysis techniques included time plots, outlier detection, and autocorrelation functions. A mixed analysis of variance model (group × procedure × time) was used to compare the effects of lumbosacral procedures on Hmax/Mmax ratios between the patients with subacute LBP and asymptomatic participants. Results The time series analysis and the significant lumbosacral × time interaction term (P Conclusions Although nonspecific effects of movement or position artifacts on the Hmax/Mmax ratio were present, a reliable and valid attenuation of the Hmax/Mmax ratio occurred as a specific aspect of HVLA SM in both asymptomatic adults and patients with subacute LBP.
An exploration of psychosocial pathways of parks’ effects on health: A qualitative study

Urban green space has been positively associated with psychological and physical health. However, the linkage between exposure to parks and health outcomes remains unclear. The current study examined the meanings that people assign to city parks, as a way to understand the pathways by which parks exert their effects on health. We conducted qualitative interviews with twenty culturally diverse residents in New York City. Thematic analysis was performed on the qualitative data. Results showed that all themes identified were related to parks fulfilling a basic human need for connection to (1) family, loved ones, and friends; (2) community and neighborhood; (3) self; and (4) nature. Based on these data, we proposed a human-centered framework for future research and interventions aimed at catalyzing parks as a vehicle to improve health and wellbeing. A human-centered approach emphasizes targeting the deep-seated needs and values of those we seek to engage and for whom health promotion and disease prevention efforts are designed. Our study shows that park transformations need to incorporate careful considerations of the human need for connection on multiple levels, so that park usage and its consequent health benefits may be optimized.
Experiential Learning in Family Life Education Methodology: Low, Medium, and High Dosage Projects:

Background: Family Life Education Methodology (FLEM) is an integral component of the family science collegiate curriculum. Given the range of topics and that material is not immediately interesting...
Perspectives on microwave coupling into cylindrical and spherical rotors with dielectric lenses for magic angle spinning dynamic nuclear polarization.

Abstract Continuous wave dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) increases the sensitivity of NMR, yet intense microwave fields are required to transition magic angle spinning (MAS) DNP to the time domain. Here we describe and analyze Teflon lenses for cylindrical and spherical MAS rotors that focus microwave power and increase the electron Rabi frequency, ν1s. Using a commercial simulation package, we solve the Maxwell equations and determine the propagation and focusing of millimeter waves (198 GHz). We then calculate the microwave intensity in a time-independent fashion to compute the ν1s. With a nominal microwave power input of 5 W, the average ν1s is 0.38 MHz within a 22 μL sample volume in a 3.2 mm outer diameter (OD) cylindrical rotor without a Teflon lens. Decreasing the sample volume to 3 μL and focusing the microwave beam with a Teflon lens increases the ν1s to 1.5 MHz. Microwave polarization and intensity perturbations associated with diffraction through the radiofrequency coil, losses from penetration through the rotor wall, and mechanical limitations of the separation between the lens and sample are significant challenges to improving microwave coupling in MAS DNP instrumentation. To overcome these issues, we introduce a novel focusing strategy using dielectric microwave lenses installed within spinning rotors. One such 9.5 mm OD cylindrical rotor assembly implements a Teflon focusing lens to increase the ν1s to 2.7 MHz within a 2 μL sample. Further, to access high spinning frequencies while also increasing ν1s, we analyze microwave coupling into MAS spheres. For 9.5 mm OD spherical rotors, we compute a ν1s of 0.36 MHz within a sample volume of 161 μL, and 2.5 MHz within a 3 μL sample placed at the focal point of a novel double lens insert. We conclude with an analysis and discussion of sub-millimeter diamond spherical rotors for time domain DNP at spinning frequencies >100 kHz. Sub-millimeter spherical rotors better overlap a tightly focused microwave beam, resulting in a ν1s of 2.2 MHz. Lastly, we propose that sub-millimeter dielectric spherical microwave resonators will provide a means to substantially improve electron spin control in the future.
Psychometric Properties of the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery in Healthy Older Adults: Reliability, Validity, and Agreement with Standard Neuropsychological Tests.

OBJECTIVE Few independent studies have examined the psychometric properties of the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB) in older adults, despite growing interest in its use for clinical purposes. In this paper we report the test-retest reliability and construct validity of the NIHTB-CB, as well as its agreement or concordance with traditional neuropsychological tests of the same construct to determine whether tests could be used interchangeably. METHODS Sixty-one cognitively healthy adults ages 60-80 completed "gold standard" (GS) neuropsychological tests, NIHTB-CB, and brain MRI. Test-retest reliability, convergent/discriminant validity, and agreement statistics were calculated using Pearson's correlations, concordance correlation coefficients (CCC), and root mean square deviations. RESULTS Test-retest reliability was acceptable (CCC = .73 Fluid; CCC = .85 Crystallized). The NIHTB-CB Fluid Composite correlated significantly with cerebral volumes (r's = |.35-.41|), and both composites correlated highly with their respective GS composites (r's = .58-.84), although this was more variable for individual tests. Absolute agreement was generally lower (CCC = .55 Fluid; CCC = .70 Crystallized) due to lower precision in fluid scores and systematic overestimation of crystallized composite scores on the NIHTB-CB. CONCLUSIONS These results support the reliability and validity of the NIHTB-CB in healthy older adults and suggest that the fluid composite tests are at least as sensitive as standard neuropsychological tests to medial temporal atrophy and ventricular expansion. However, the NIHTB-CB may generate different estimates of performance and should not be treated as interchangeable with established neuropsychological tests.
Identification of Protein Recognition Elements within Heparin Chains Using Enzymatic Foot-Printing in Solution and Online SEC/MS

Understanding molecular mechanisms governing interactions of glycosaminoglycans (such as heparin) with proteins remains challenging due to their enormous structural heterogeneity. Commonly accepted approaches seek to reduce the structural complexity by searching for "binding epitopes" within the limited subsets of short heparin oligomers produced either enzymatically or synthetically. A top-down approach presented in this work seeks to preserve the chemical diversity displayed by heparin by allowing the longer and structurally diverse chains to interact with the client protein. Enzymatic lysis of the protein-bound heparin chains followed by the product analysis using size exclusion chromatography with online mass spectrometry detection (SEC/MS) reveals the oligomers that are protected from lysis due to their tight association with the protein, and enables their characterization (both the oligomer length, and the number of incorporated sulfate and acetyl groups). When applied to a paradigmatic heparin/antithrombin system, the new method generates a series of oligomers with surprisingly distinct sulfation levels. The extent of sulfation of the minimal-length binder (hexamer) is relatively modest yet persistent, consistent with the notion of six sulfate groups being both essential and sufficient for antithrombin binding. However, the masses of longer surviving chains indicate complete sulfation of disaccharides beyond the hexasaccharide core. Molecular dynamics simulations confirm the existence of favorable electrostatic interactions between the high charge-density saccharide residues flanking the "canonical" antithrombin-binding hexasaccharide and the positive patch on the surface of the overall negatively charged protein. Furthermore, electrostatics may rescue the heparin/protein interaction in the absence of the canonical binding element.
Cannabidiol normalizes resting-state functional connectivity in treatment-resistant epilepsy

Abstract Objective Resting-state (rs) network dysfunction is a contributing factor to treatment resistance in epilepsy. In treatment-resistant epilepsy (TRE), pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapies have been shown to improve such dysfunction. In this study, our goal was to prospectively evaluate the effect of highly purified plant-derived cannabidiol (CBD; Epidiolex®) on rs functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) functional connectivity (rs-FC). We hypothesized that CBD would change and potentially normalize the rs-FC in TRE. Methods Twenty-two of 27 participants with TRE completed all study procedures including longitudinal pre-/on-CBD rs-fMRI (8M/14F, mean age = 36.2 ± 15.9 years, TRE duration = 18.3 ± 12.6 years); there were no differences in age (p = 0.99) or sex (p = 0.15) between groups. Assessments collected included seizure frequency (SF), Chalfont Seizure Severity Scale (CSSS), Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), Adverse Events Profile (AEP), and Profile of Mood States (POMS). Twenty-three healthy controls (HCs) received rs-fMRI and POMS once. Results Participants with TRE showed average decrease of 71.7% in SF (p Significance This study indicates that highly purified CBD modulates and potentially normalizes rs-FC in the epileptic brain. This effect may underlie its efficacy. This study provides Class III evidence for CBD's normalizing effect on rs-FC in TRE.
Description of the Fission Process: Nuclear Models for Fission Dynamics

Nuclear fission is the splitting of a heavy nucleus into two or more fragments, a process that releases a substantial amount of energy. It is ubiquitous in modern applications, critical for national security, energy generation and reactor safeguards. Fission also plays an important role in understanding the astrophysical formation of elements in the universe. Eighty years after the discovery of the fission process, its theoretical understanding from first principles remains a great challenge. In this paper, we present promising new approaches to make more accurate predictions of fission observables.
Cross-Border Shopping: A Research Proposal For A Comparison Of Service Encounters Of Canadian Cross-Border Shoppers Versus Canadian Domestic In-Shoppers

The phenomenon known as out-shopping behavior (also known as intermarket patronage) is further explored and analyzed within the context of international cross-border consumer behavior. The authors provide an extensive literature review and a set of research hypotheses, as well as a suggested research methodology, and argue that this research will allow for significant contributions to the literature on out-shopping, international cross-border shopping, and services marketing.
Presidential debate learning as a gateway to opinion articulation, communication intentions, and information seeking

Presidential debates are a source of political learning for those who watch them. This study examines how learning from debates cultivates intentions for political engagement by increasing individu...
Introducing Journal of Chemical Education Virtual Festschrifts

The Journal of Chemical Education has served as a primary publishing outlet for scholarly work in chemistry education for nearly 100 years. Over that time, there have been contributions from thousands of authors. Yet, within this impressive sample of educator authors, key leaders have emerged whose contributions to the teaching and learning of chemistry have been influential over time. With articles available electronically, the Journal will honor these key leaders by collecting (i) their seminal works and (ii) subsequent articles that expand upon those important contributions into Virtual Festschrifts. The collections may be celebratory or posthumous. The first two such collections have been posted in the summer of 2021, honoring the contributions of Dorothy Gabel and George M. Bodner.
Patient-derived xenograft culture-transplant system for investigation of human breast cancer metastasis.

Metastasis is a fatal disease where research progress has been hindered by a lack of authentic experimental models. Here, we develop a 3D tumor sphere culture-transplant system that facilitates the growth and engineering of patient-derived xenograft (PDX) tumor cells for functional metastasis assays in vivo. Orthotopic transplantation and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses show that PDX tumor spheres maintain tumorigenic potential, and the molecular marker and global transcriptome signatures of native tumor cells. Tumor spheres display robust capacity for lentiviral engineering and dissemination in spontaneous and experimental metastasis assays in vivo. Inhibition of pathways previously reported to attenuate metastasis also inhibit metastasis after sphere culture, validating our approach for authentic investigations of metastasis. Finally, we demonstrate a new role for the metabolic enzyme NME1 in promoting breast cancer metastasis, providing proof-of-principle that our culture-transplant system can be used for authentic propagation and engineering of patient tumor cells for functional studies of metastasis.
Residential Well-Being

Many public policy makers interested in regional economic development have become increasingly interested in broadening the concept of economic development to socioeconomic development. In doing so, they use social indicators in assessing QOL of a given region, community, and neighborhoods. Along these lines, many have become increasingly interested in understanding and measuring the effects regional, community, and neighborhood development through both subjective and objective social indicators of community QOL. In that vein, QOL researchers have addressed many related issues concerning residential well-being. This chapter describes some of these issues. The discussion is organized in terms of the following questions: What is residential well-being? How is this construct conceptualized and operationalized? Does residential well-being play a significant role in the subjective aspects of QOL? If so, how? And what are some factors or intervention programs that have been proven to enhance residential well-being and subjective QOL?
Nonlinear studies of axis-encircling electron beam with off-centering and field tapering effects

A self-consistent nonlinear analysis of an axis-encircling electron beam in a vane circuit oscillator has been made. Optimized quantities with respect to energy, current, vane depth, and magnetic field have been determined and compared with experiment. The analysis also includes more realistic parameters, such as the off-centering effect and the tapering of the magnetic field. Three specific sources of off-centering have been identified: (1) an unbalanced magnetic field reversal, (2) a finite-span magnetic transition, and (3) a finite upstream Larmor radius. The effects of these sources of off-centering on an ideal configuration (balanced field reversal, zero-span cusp and constant up- and downstream magnetic fields) have been investigated. For the peniotron mechanism to dominate over the competing negative mass instability, a near-ideal axis-encircling electron beam is required. Tolerances for off-centering effects causing deviation from ideal have been investigated. Magnetic tapering has been investigated both as a realistic experimental parameter and for the purposes of designing an adiabatic compression, which has been shown to reduce the off-centering effect. >
Does the Peg Ratio Rank Stocks According to the Market's Expected Rate of Return on Equity Capital?

The PE ratio divided by the short-term earnings growth rate (the PEG ratio) is often used to rank stocks. This ranking implicitly assumes that earnings growth will not change beyond the (short) earnings forecast horizon. I provide a means of simultaneously estimating the expected rate of return and the change in the earnings growth beyond the forecast horizon thereby refining the PEG ratio ranking. Although estimates of the expected rate of return based on the PEG ratio are downward biased, they are highly correlated with the refined estimates supporting the use of the PEG ratio as a parsimonious basis for stock recommendations. The downward bias is greater for firms with lower short-term earnings growth rates, higher PE,and higher ratio of price-to book value while the bias is lower for larger firms and firms with higher standard deviation of returns.
Improving enzymes for cancer gene therapy

New techniques now make it feasible to tailor enzymes for cancer gene therapy. Novel enzymes with desired properties can be created and selected from vast libraries of mutants containing random substitutions within catalytic domains. In this review, we first consider genes for the ablation of tumors, namely, genes that have been mutated (or potentially can be mutated) to afford enhanced activation of prodrugs and increased sensitization of tumors to specific chemotherapeutic agents. We then consider genes that have been mutated to provide better protection of normal host tissues, such as bone marrow, against the toxicity of specific chemotherapeutic agents. Expression of the mutant enzyme could render sensitive tissues, such as bone marrow, more resistant to specific cytotoxic agents.
Accelerating critic learning in approximate dynamic programming via value templates and perceptual learning

The concept of value templates and perceptual learning are introduced as refinements to the reinforcement learning (RL) paradigm. We demonstrate a method for accelerating dual heuristic programming (DHP) critic training using value templates and perceptual learning. Both faster and more stable learning are achieved by using the value template and utilizing its inherent constraints to regularize the perceptual learning task. The method is demonstrated by tuning a neurofuzzy control system for a highly nonlinear 2/sup nd/ order plant proposed by Sanner and Slotine. We take advantage of the TSK model framework throughout to keep the controller, critic, and model components used in DHP highly interpretable.
Sequences 5′ of the homeobox of the Hox-1.4 gene direct tissue-specific expression of lacZ during mouse development

The murine homeobox-containing gene Hox-1.4 is expressed in restricted patterns during embryogenesis and in male germ cells. To begin identification of the cis-acting elements regulating this expression, transgenic mice were generated carrying a chimeric construct that contained approx. 4 kb of 5′ flanking sequence and approx. 1 kb of structural gene, fused in frame to the E. coli lacZ gene. This construct directed expression of the resulting Hox-1.4, beta-galactosidase fusion protein in a pattern that reproduced virtually the complete embryonic and adult sites of expression of the endogenous gene. Embryonic expression of the fusion protein was first detected in mesoderm at day 8.0 of gestation (E 8.0). Between gestational ages E 8.5 to E 12.5, beta-gal expression was observed in the somites, the lateral walls of the posterior myelencephalon, the dorsal region and ventral wall of the spinal cord, spinal ganglia and prevertebrae and their surrounding mesenchyme, between presumptive ribs, as well as in mesenchymal layers in the lung, kidney and portions of the gut. Expression was also noted in the pancreas and in the supporting cells and sheath around subsets of peripheral nerves, sites that had not been detected previously. Adult expression was observed in testes, specifically in meiotic and post-meiotic male germ cells. In contrast, transgenic mice carrying 5′ deletions of the construct which leave approx. 1.2 kb or approx. 2.0 kb of Hox-1.4 sequence 5′ to the embryonic promoter, did not exhibit beta-gal staining. These deletion experiments defined at least one cis-acting control element necessary for the expression of the Hox-1.4 gene to a 2 kb region located 2 to 4 kb 5′ of the embryonic transcription start site.
The relative influence of helium/dpa ratio and other variables on neutron-induced swelling of Fe-Ni-Cr alloys at 495°C and 14 dpa

An isotopic tailoring experiment utilizing {sup 59}Ni has been conducted in the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) to study the influence of helium/dpa ratio on neutron-induced microstructural evolution. The influence of other variables, namely composition (nickel and phosphorous variations) and cold work on swelling was also examined. The alloys Fe-25Ni-15Cr, Fe-25Ni-15Cr-0.04P, and Fe-45Ni-15Cr were each irradiated in four conditions: solution annealed or 20% cold worked both with and without the {sup 59}Ni additions yielding He/dpa ratios of 0.35 and 4.7 at 25Ni and 0.57 and 4.9 at 45Ni. Increases in helium were found to alter the details of microstructural evolution somewhat at 495{degree}C, but the effect of helium was small compared to the effects of other variables studied. 15 refs., 4 figs.
Effect of bacterial chemotaxis on dynamics of microbial competition

Although the dynamic behavior of microbial populations in nonmixed systems is a central aspect of many problems in biochemical engineering and microbiology, the factors that govern this behavior are not well understood. In particular, the effects of bacterial chemotaxis (biased migration of cells in the direction of chemical concentration gradients) have been the subject of much speculation but very little quantitative investigation. In this paper, we provide the first theoretical analysis of the effects of bacterial chemotaxis on the dynamics of competition between two microbial populations for a single rate-limiting nutrient in a confined nonmixed system. We use a simple unstructured model for cell growth and death, and the most soundly based current model for cell population migration. Using numerical finite element techniques, we examine both transient and steady-state behavior of the competing populations, focusing primarily on the influence of the cell random motility coefficient,μ, and the cell chemotaxis coefficient, χ. We find that, in general, there are four possible steady-state outcomes: both populations die out, population 1 exists alone, population 2 exists alone, and the two populations coexist. We find that, in contrast to well-mixed systems, the slower-growing population can coexist and even exist alone if it possesses sufficiently superior motility and chemotaxis properties. Our results allow estimation of the value of χ necessary to allow coexistence and predominance for reasonable values of growth and random motility parameters in common systems. An especially intriguing finding is that there is a minimum value of χ necessary for a chemotactic population to have a competitive advantage over an immotile population in a confined nonmixed system. Further, for typical system parameter values, this minimum value of χ is the range of values that can be estimated from independent experimental assays for chemotaxis.
Long term investment considerations of conjunctive desalting systems

Abstract Previous research which dealt with the desirability of considering water projects in a long range context, the measurement and costs of technological progress, and the value of preserving flexibility in future decision making has been combined and applied to the evaluation of the proposed prototype 40-mgd Diablo Canyon desalination plant. An alternative to the desalination plant is a very large scale aqueduct. In this paper the two projects are evaluated together as complementary components of a long range project against the alternative of earlier construction of the aqueduct. The analysis concerns the interest rate, growth rate, demand elasticity, planning horizon, number of planning periods, and area growth rate in parametric form. A simplified numerical example is given.