cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of zinc supplementation on neuronal precursor proliferation in the rat hippocampus after traumatic brain injury

There is great deal of debate about the possible role of adult-born hippocampal cells in the prevention of depression and related mood disorders. We first showed that zinc supplementation prevents the development of the depression-like behavior anhedonia associated with an animal model of traumatic brain injury (TBI). This work then examined the effect of zinc supplementation on the proliferation of new cells in the hippocampus that have the potential to participate in neurogenesis. Rats were fed a zinc adequate (ZA, 30ppm) or zinc supplemented (ZS, 180ppm) diet for 4wk followed by TBI using controlled cortical impact. Stereological counts of EdU-positive cells showed that TBI doubled the density of proliferating cells 24h post-injury (p<0.05), and supplemental zinc significantly increased this by an additional 2-fold (p<0.0001). While the survival of these proliferating cells decreased at the same rate in ZA and in ZS rats after injury, the total density of newly born cells was approximately 60% higher in supplemented rats 1wk after TBI. Furthermore, chronic zinc supplementation resulted in significant increases in the density of new doublecortin-positive neurons one week post-TBI that were maintained for 4wk after injury (p<0.01). While the effect of zinc supplementation on neuronal precursor cells in the hippocampus was robust, use of targeted irradiation to eliminate these cells after zinc supplementation and TBI revealed that these cells are not the sole mechanism through which zinc acts to prevent depression associated with brain injury, and suggest that other zinc dependent mechanisms are needed for the anti-depressant effect of zinc in this model of TBI.
Applying Mathematical Modeling in Teaching Advanced Mathematics

This paper illustrates how to apply mathematical modeling in teaching Advanced Mathematics,thus increasing the awareness of students in math modeling and enhancing their mathematical capacity as well as their abilities in tackling with practical problems.This way has been proved useful in carring out teaching reforms.
Kinetic analysis of cytosolic pH regulation in alveolar macrophages: V-ATPase-mediated responses to a weak acid.

Three different mechanisms interact to control the cytosolic pH (pH i ) of alveolar macrophages (Mφ), namely, plasmalemmal vacuolar-type H + -ATPase (V-ATPase), Na + /H + exchange, and Na + -independent HCO 3 - /Cl - exchange. To investigate the activity of plasmalemmal V-ATPase in alveolar Mφ, we developed a nonlinear mathematical model of pH i regulation that incorporates the biophysical determinants of pH i and the fluxes of individual acid-base equivalents. The model was used to analyze the acid-base responses of rabbit alveolar Mφ to a weak acid (propionic acid) under conditions that favored V-ATPase-mediated effects (presence of 1 mM amiloride and nominal absence of CO 2 ). The pH i was measured using the fluorescent probe, 2',7'-biscarboxethyl-5,6-carboxyfluorescein. Mφ exposure to propionic acid caused a rapid fall in pH i . Recovery of pH i after acid loading varied directly with the magnitude of the acid load. Mathematical analyses showed that pH i recovery was hindered by persistent influx of propionic acid driven, in turn, by transporter-mediated H + extrusion and propionate efflux. Eventually, a new steady state was established in which propionate and H + were cycled out of the Mφ and propionic acid was recycled into the cell. As a consequence, model predictions of the rate of V-ATPase-mediated H + efflux were almost twice that estimated from experimental determinations of the initial rate of pH i recovery.
Tools for the Creation and Sharing of Infographics

ABSTRACTInfographics are popular tools for sharing institutional and research data with audiences online. There are many websites offering software to help users create these visual representations of information. This article describes the features of three such websites and briefly discusses the use of infographics in health sciences information settings, as well as efforts to ensure the effectiveness of these communications.
Some Methodological Issues in American Sociology

T he disputes which took place among those called the founding fathers of American sociology were not in those early days of a sort which we today would be likely to call methodological. The controversies then were very keen on the course of social evolution and its stages, on the meaning of social progress, on the relation of sociology to social policy and political action, and on the ethical implications of sociological investigation. A leading methodological issue in more recent times was the question whether sociology is to be considered as part of the physical and biological sciences — the so-called natural sciences — or whether it was sui generis and consequently required methods of investigation somewhat different from the natural sciences. This issue had already been raised by Wilhelm Dilthey in Germany with his emphasis upon ‘verstehen’ as the clue to the Geisteswissenschaften as distinct from the Naturwissenschaften. It had been carried further there by Heinrich Rickert particularly in his book on the limits of the natural-science approach and was again later taken up by Max Weber whose sociology is known as Verstehende Soziologie. Florian Znaniecki took a similar position with an emphasis upon what he called the humanistic coefficient as the key divider of the natural from the social sciences.
Behavioral interventions to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing: a randomized pilot trial

Clinicians frequently prescribe antibiotics inappropriately for acute respiratory infections (ARIs). Our objective was to test information technology-enabled behavioral interventions to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for ARIs in a randomized controlled pilot test trial. Primary care clinicians were randomized in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment with 3 interventions: 1) Accountable Justifications; 2) Suggested Alternatives; and 3) Peer Comparison. Beforehand, participants completed an educational module. Measures included: rates of antibiotic prescribing for: non-antibiotic-appropriate ARI diagnoses, acute sinusitis/pharyngitis, all other diagnoses/symptoms of respiratory infection, and all three ARI categories combined. We examined 3,276 visits in the pre-intervention year and 3,099 in the intervention year. The antibiotic prescribing rate fell for non-antibiotic-appropriate ARIs (24.7 % in the pre-intervention year to 5.2 % in the intervention year); sinusitis/pharyngitis (50.3 to 44.7 %); all other diagnoses/symptoms of respiratory infection (40.2 to 25.3 %); and all categories combined (38.7 to 24.2 %; all p < 0.001). There were no significant relationships between any intervention and antibiotic prescribing for non-antibiotic-appropriate ARI diagnoses or sinusitis/pharyngitis. Suggested Alternatives was associated with reduced antibiotic prescribing for other diagnoses or symptoms of respiratory infection (odds ratio [OR], 0.62; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 0.44–0.89) and for all ARI categories combined (OR, 0.72; 95 % CI, 0.54–0.96). Peer Comparison was associated with reduced prescribing for all ARI categories combined (OR, 0.73; 95 % CI, 0.53–0.995). We observed large reductions in antibiotic prescribing regardless of whether or not study participants received an intervention, suggesting an overriding Hawthorne effect or possibly clinician-to-clinician contamination. Low baseline inappropriate prescribing may have led to floor effects. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01454960 .
Reply to Inbar: Contextual sensitivity helps explain the reproducibility gap between social and cognitive psychology.

We find that contextual sensitivity correlates with the reproducibility of 100 psychology studies from the Reproducibility Project (1). This relationship remains after adjusting for several methodological factors believed to account for reproducibility (e.g., sample size, effect size) and does not differ across subdisciplines (social vs. cognitive psychology). We also report a strong relationship between subdiscipline and context (1): social psychology studies are more likely to examine contextually sensitive topics than cognitive psychology studies. We conclude that context might play a role in reproducibility across (rather than within) subdisciplines. Inbar (2) notes that the reproducibility rate of social psychology (28%) is lower than cognitive psychology (53%). He also … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: jay.vanbavel{at}nyu.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Nodulo-Ulcerative Ocular Surface Squamous Neoplasia in 6 Patients: A Rare Presentation

Purpose To describe clinical presentation and histopathological features of a nodulo-ulcerative variant of ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN). Methods Retrospective study. Results Six patients were identified with a nodulo-ulcerative variant of OSSN. Mean age at presentation was 56 years. One patient was immunosuppressed because of human immunodeficiency virus infection. The initial misdiagnosis was necrotizing scleritis/sclerokeratitis (n = 4), intraepithelial neoplasia (n = 1), and chalazion (n = 1). The mean delay in diagnosis as OSSN was 6 months. The lesion involved bulbar conjunctiva in 5 patients and tarsal conjunctiva in 1 patient. The mean maximum tumor dimension was 16 mm, and the mean area of conjunctivoscleral/conjunctivotarsal necrosis was 8 mm. The primary treatment for nodulo-ulcerative OSSN included excisional biopsy (n = 2), plaque radiotherapy (n = 1), and orbital exenteration (n = 3). Tumor recurrence was noted in two patients necessitating orbital exenteration. At last follow-up, globe salvage could be achieved in only 1 case. Histopathology showed invasive conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma in all cases with lesions being well-differentiated (n = 4), moderately differentiated (n = 1), and with mucoepidermoid differentiation (n = 1). Underlying scleral/tarsal tumor infiltration was evident in all 6 (100%) cases. Intraocular tumor extension was evident in 3 cases infiltrating the iris (n = 2), ciliary body (n = 3), and choroid (n = 3). Orbital tumor extension was evident in 2 cases because of tumor recurrence. No metastasis or death was recorded at a mean follow-up of 26 months. Conclusions The nodulo-ulcerative variant of OSSN is rare and is most often misdiagnosed as necrotizing scleritis/sclerokeratitis causing a delay in the diagnosis. It is an aggressive lesion with increased occurrence of intraocular or orbital tumor extension.
The Efficacy of Brainstem Response Audiometry in the Diagnosis of Meningitis and Other CNS Pathology

There are two main concerns on the part of neonatalogists and pediatricians when diagnosing a sepsis neonatorum—whether or not there is a spread to meningeal spaces and what the possibilities are that a surviving infant might develop a neurological deficit. The earlier the diagnosis, the better the neurological prognosis might be.
Employers' Perspective of Employability Skills of Graduates from a Liberal Arts Oriented International Branch Campus in the GCC

I. Introduction and BackgroundThis is an evaluative study that has been designed to evaluate the employability skills of graduates from a liberal arts program at an International Branch Campus (IBC) in the GCC as seen from the perspective of the employers who employ these graduates. Youth unemployment in the Gulf States, especially amongst the nationals is high and thus equipping young people with the skills needed to take up employment in the private sector is a priority for governments in these countries (Kinser and Lane, 2012). Another problem in the Gulf States is that of underemployment resulting either out of overstaffing or mismatch of skills (Booz & Co, 2009). One of the root causes of GCC's employment problems is that the system of education is not aligned with the needs of the modern industry (Booz & Co, 2009). Amongst other solutions to address the employability issues in the GCC, some Gulf States especially the United Arab Emirates and Qatar have invested in the establishment of International ...
Mass Spectrometry‐Based Tools to Characterize DNA–Protein Cross‐Linking by Bis‐Electrophiles

DNA-protein cross-links (DPCs) are unusually bulky DNA adducts that form in cells as a result of exposure to endogenous and exogenous agents including reactive oxygen species, ultraviolet light, ionizing radiation, environmental agents (e.g. transition metals, formaldehyde, 1,2-dibromoethane, 1,3-butadiene) and common chemotherapeutic agents. Covalent DPCs are cytotoxic and mutagenic due to their ability to interfere with faithful DNA replication and to prevent accurate gene expression. Key to our understanding of the biological significance of DPC formation is identifying the proteins most susceptible to forming these unusually bulky and complex lesions and quantifying the extent of DNA-protein cross-linking in cells and tissues. Recent advances in bottom-up mass spectrometry-based proteomics have allowed for an unbiased assessment of the whole protein DPC adductome after in vitro and in vivo exposures to cross-linking agents. This MiniReview summarizes current and emerging methods for DPC isolation and analysis by mass spectrometry-based proteomics. We also highlight several examples of successful applications of these novel methodologies to studies of DPC lesions induced by bis-electrophiles such as formaldehyde, 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane, nitrogen mustards and cisplatin.
Persuasion, Influence, and Value: Perspectives from Communication and Social Neuroscience

Opportunities to persuade and be persuaded are ubiquitous. What determines whether influence spreads and takes hold? This review provides an overview of evidence for the central role of subjective valuation in persuasion and social influence for both propagators and receivers of influence. We first review evidence that decisions to communicate information are determined by the subjective value a communicator expects to gain from sharing. We next review evidence that the effects of social influence and persuasion on receivers, in turn, arise from changes in the receiver's subjective valuation of objects, ideas, and behaviors. We then review evidence that self-related and social considerations are two key inputs to the value calculation in both communicators and receivers. Finally, we highlight biological coupling between communicators and receivers as a mechanism through which perceptions of value can be transmitted.
Sex differences in reconciliation behavior after romantic conflict

Prior research shows that patterns of mate selection, attraction, and expulsion are the product of evolved sex differences in computational adaptations. Within long-term romantic relationships, men typically prioritize information relevant to a mate’s reproductive (i.e., sexual) value whereas women more often prioritize a mate’s willingness to invest romantic (i.e., emotional) resources into a stable pair-bond. Although these differences in preference are well established within mate selection and relationship maintenance literature, relatively fewer studies have examined differences in how men and women reconcile after romantic conflict. Using an act nomination procedure, the present research tests the prediction that men and women differ by which partner reconciliation behaviors they evaluate as most effective in resolving a romantic conflict. In study 1, participants nominated common reconciliation behaviors which were subsequently sorted into 21 distinct actions. In study 2, participants rated each behavior by how effectively it would resolve conflict if performed by their romantic partner. Overall, acts suggesting emotional commitment were expected to be rated as most effective. Men were expected to rate actions which signal sexual accessibility as more effective compared to women. Women were expected to rate acts which signal emotional accessibility as more effective compared to men (study 2). Results were largely consistent with our predictions, though notable deviations are documented and discussed within the context of contemporary romantic relationship research.
Brane-antibrane democracy.

We suggest a duality-invariant formula for the entropy and temperature of nonextreme black holes in supersymmetric string theory. The entropy is given in terms of the duality-invariant parameter of the deviation from extremality and 56 SU(8) covariant central charges. It interpolates between the entropies of Schwarzschild solution and extremal solutions with various amount of unbroken supersymmetries, and therefore, serves for classification of black holes in supersymmetric string theories. We introduce the second auxiliary 56 via an E(7) symmetric constraint. The symmetric and antisymmetric combinations of these two multiplets are related via moduli to the corresponding two fundamental representations of E(7): brane and antibrane {open_quote}{open_quote}numbers.{close_quote}{close_quote} Using the {ital CPT} as well as {ital C} symmetry of the entropy formula and duality one can explain the mysterious simplicity of the nonextreme black hole area formula in terms of branes and antibranes. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
Influence of platinum group metal-free catalyst synthesis on microbial fuel cell performance

Abstract Platinum group metal-free (PGM-free) ORR catalysts from the Fe-N-C family were synthesized using sacrificial support method (SSM) technique. Six experimental steps were used during the synthesis: 1) mixing the precursor, the metal salt, and the silica template; 2) first pyrolysis in hydrogen rich atmosphere; 3) ball milling; 4) etching the silica template using harsh acids environment; 5) the second pyrolysis in ammonia rich atmosphere; 6) final ball milling. Three independent batches were fabricated following the same procedure. The effect of each synthetic parameters on the surface chemistry and the electrocatalytic performance in neutral media was studied. Rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE) experiment showed an increase in half wave potential and limiting current after the pyrolysis steps. The additional improvement was observed after etching and performing the second pyrolysis. A similar trend was seen in microbial fuel cells (MFCs), in which the power output increased from 167 ± 2 μW cm −2 to 214 ± 5 μW cm −2 . X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) was used to evaluate surface chemistry of catalysts obtained after each synthetic step. The changes in chemical composition were directly correlated with the improvements in performance. We report outstanding reproducibility in both composition and performance among the three different batches.
Ocular ischemia and the effects of allopurinol on functional recovery in the retina of the arterially perfused cat eye.

Purpose. This study sought to examine the acute effects of ocular ischemia and reperfusion onretinal function and determine the extent to which recovery during reperfusion is improved byallopurinol (AP), a blocker of xanthine oxidase (XO). The latter is presumed to be a majorfactor in the formation of free radicals associated with reperfusion of ischemic tissue.Methods. Electroretinographic (ERG) responses were recorded simultaneously from the twoisolated, arterially perfused eyes obtained from the same cat. One eye serve ads the control andreceived only the standard perfusate; the other eye was infused with AP before and after a 3 hrperiod of total ischemia.Results. After the prolonged period of nonperfusion, recovery of the electroretinographiccomponents was incomplete to varying degrees. Maximum b-wave amplitudes recovered onlyto 17 ± 5% (mean ± SEM) of baseline, whereas the a-wave grew to 60 ± 10% of its baselinevalue. For both measures, the recovery of electroretinographic amplitude was significantlygreater in AP-treated eyes than in the control eyes.Conclusion. Generation of free radicals by XO contributes to the retinal damage and loss offunction that occurs after a period of ischemia and subsequent reperfusion. Invest Ophthal-molVisSci. 1993;34:58-65.1 he tissue damage and functional deficits that followperiods of transient ischemia reflect the combined ef-fects of several, often interrelated pathophysiologic
EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF MEMETIC ALGORITHMS FOR CONCEPTUAL DESIGN OF STEEL STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS IN TALL BUILDINGS

This paper discusses the results of extensive design experiments in which memetic algorithms were applied to optimize topologies of steel structural systems in tall buildings. In these experiments, evolutionary algorithms were employed to determine optimal configurations of structural members (topology optimization) while the optimal cross-sections of members (sizing optimization) were found using continuous/discrete optimization algorithm implemented in SODA. The impact of all major evolutionary computation parameters on the performance of memetic algorithms was investigated. Two classes of complex structural design problems were considered: design of a wind bracing system in a tall building and design of the entire steel structural system in a tall building. The total weight of the structural system was assumed as the optimality criterion with respect to which the designs were optimized while satisfying all design requirements specified by appropriate design codes.
Characterization of a highly specific NQO1-activated near-infrared fluorescent probe and its application for in vivo tumor imaging

The Near-infrared Fluorescence (NIRF) molecular imaging of cancer is known to be superior in sensitivity, deeper penetration, and low phototoxicity compared to other imaging modalities. In view of an increased need for efficient and targeted imaging agents, we synthesized a NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1)-activatable NIR fluorescent probe (NIR-ASM) by conjugating dicyanoisophorone (ASM) fluorophore with the NQO1 substrate quinone propionic acid (QPA). The probe remained non-fluorescent until activation by NQO1, whose expression is largely limited to malignant tissues. With a large Stokes shift (186 nm) and a prominent near-infrared emission (646 nm) in response to NQO1, NIR-ASM was capable of monitoring NQO1 activity in vitro and in vivo with high specificity and selectivity. We successfully employed the NIR-ASM to differentiate cancer cells from normal cells based on NQO1 activity using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Chemical and genetic approaches involving the use of ES936, a specific inhibitor of NQO1 and siRNA and gene transfection procedures unambiguously demonstrated NQO1 to be the sole target activating the NIR-ASM in cell cultures. NIR-ASM was successfully used to detect and image the endogenous NQO1 in three live tumor-bearing mouse models (A549 lung cancer, Lewis lung carcinoma, and MDMAMB 231 xenografts) with a high signal-to-low noise ratiometric NIR fluorescence response. When the NQO1-proficient A549 tumors and NQO1-deficient MDA-MB-231 tumors were developed in the same animal, only the A549 malignancies activated the NIR-ASM probe with a strong signal. Because of its high sensitivity, rapid activation, tumor selectivity, and nontoxic properties, the NIR-ASM appears to be a promising agent with clinical applications.
Development, standardization, and validation of a biofilm efficacy test: The single tube method

Methods validated by a standard setting organization enable public, industry and regulatory stakeholders to make decisions on the acceptability of products, devices and processes. This is because standard methods are demonstrably reproducible when performed in different laboratories by different researchers, responsive to different products, and rugged when small (usually inadvertent) variations from the standard procedure occur. The Single Tube Method (ASTM E2871) is a standard method that measures the efficacy of antimicrobials against biofilm bacteria that has been shown to be reproducible, responsive and rugged. In support of the reproducibility assessment, a six-laboratory study was performed using three antimicrobials: a sodium hypochlorite, a phenolic and a quaternary/alcohol blend, each tested at low and high efficacy levels. The mean log reduction in viable bacteria in this study ranged from 2.32 to 4.58 and the associated reproducibility standard deviations ranged from 0.89 to 1.67. Independent follow-up testing showed that the method was rugged with respect to deviations in sonication duration and sonication power but slightly sensitive to sonicator reservoir degassing and tube location within the sonicator bath. It was also demonstrated that when a coupon was dropped into a test tube, bacteria can splash out of reach of the applied antimicrobials, resulting in substantial bias when estimating log reductions for the products tested. Bias can also result when testing products that hinder the harvesting of microbes from test surfaces. The culmination of this work provided recommended changes to the early version of the standard method E2871-13 (ASTM, 2013b) including use of splashguards and microscopy checks. These changes have been incorporated into a revised ASTM method E2871-19 (ASTM 2019) that is the basis for the first regulatory method (ATMP-MB-20) to substantiate "kills biofilm" claims for antimicrobials registered and sold in the US.
A VWF Fragment Spanning the A1, A2, and A3 Domains Supports Platelet Adhesion Better Than the Isolated A1 Domain and Is Considerably More Resistant to Cleavage by Adamts-13 Than the Isolated A2 Domain.

Abstract von Willebrand factor (VWF) is a large multimeric protein whose monomers are of the domain structure D'-D3-A1-A2-A3-D4-B1-B2-B3C1-C2. The three tandem A domains mediate several important functions of the protein including supporting platelet adhesion, through an interaction of A1 with the platelet GP Ib-IX-V complex, and binding collagen, through A3 and A1. Further, the A2 domain contains the cleavage site for the plasma metalloprotease ADAMTS-13, which processes the newly synthesized and extremely adhesive ultra-large forms of VWF (ULVWF) to the forms normally found in plasma. Our goal was to compare the functions of the individual A domains as isolated domains to their function in the context of the A1-A2-A3 fragment. All recombinant domains were produced in bacteria. The A1-A2-A3 fragment contained an N-terminal thioredoxin-tag and a C-terminal 6Xhis tag and was purified in 2 steps using nickel and heparin columns. The recombinant protein was correctly folded, as indicated by the fact that it was recognized by a number of conformation-specific antibodies. Using ELISA, we examined the interaction of the fragment with both glycocalicin (the soluble extracellular domain of GP Iba) and collagen. At equivalent concentrations, A1-A2-A3 bound collagen better than did the isolated A1 and A3 domains, but the binding to glycocalicin was approximately 7.5 times lower than the A1 domain. We then tested the ability of the fragment to support platelet adhesion under flow, by coating the fragment onto a coverslip that made up the bottom of a parallel-plate flow chamber. In contrast to the findings with immobilized glycocalicin, immobilized A1-A2-A3 supported the attachment, rolling, and firm adhesion of the platelets to the surface, whereas A1 did not support firm adhesion. Finally, we tested cleavage of the fragment by plasma ADAMTS-13, using both ELISA and western blotting to detect cleavage. The rate of cleavage of the A1-A2-A3 fragment was much slower than that of the recombinant A2 domain, needing a longer incubation time to achieve a similar percentage of cleavage in a 15 fold higher concentration of plasma. These results show clearly that within the triplicate A domains of VWF, adjacent A domains influence each other's functions, possibly by binding each other or by conformational modulation. The fact that the fragment is able to support firm platelet adhesion in isolation suggests that it may contain a second, previously unidentified binding site for platelet receptors.
LOOKING AT THE GLASS TRANSITION: CHALLENGES OF EXTREME TIME SCALES AND OTHER INTERESTING PROBLEMS

ABSTRACT The behavior of glass-forming materials is examined with emphasis on the below-glass transition behavior. A major question that is related to the super-Arrhenius behavior of the dynamics o...
Paleopathological research in continental China: Introduction to the Special Issue

We set out to assemble this Special Issue of IJPP with three goals in mind: (1) to familiarize Anglophone readers with research on paleopathology conducted by Chinese scholars; (2) to enhance interest in paleopathological research among Chinese scholars, and to foster the use of differential diagnosis as the key mode of paleopathological analysis; and (3) to initiate integration of pathological analysis of human skeletal collections with historical records documenting early medical practices, epidemics, development and age-related diseases, and demographic records. The collection of papers that follows presents new data, from a range of time periods and geographic and social contexts, that we feel reflect the diversity, dynamism, and enormous scope of archaeology in China today. Themes such as infectious disease history, interpersonal violence, and comorbidity as a methodological issue are addressed by multiple papers. However, as the special issue developed, we also came to a slow appreciation of structural constraints that made our original goals difficult to attain within the current state of our discipline, of which the language barrier represents only a minor issue. This introductory paper is intended to contextualize the Special Issue, and help readers understand the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence paleopathological research in China and its interactions with similar research in other parts of the world. :IJPP，:(1);(2)，;(3)、、。、，、。、。，，，，。，，.
Neuroinflammatory processes and oxidative stress

Abstract Energy changes inside any cell have a major impact on the ability of a cell to function. Although energy changes are a normal part of the cellular process, there are several factors that can negatively impact a cell's energy. Environmental factors, metabolic changes, and inflammation are just a few of the factors that contribute to a cell's energy. Environmental factors and viruses, notably HIV, can negatively impact the energy of a cell because toxins can contribute to oxidative stress. Oxidative stress influences cell signaling molecules similar to the influence an imbalance in metabolic changes will have on the formation of free radicals and cell signaling molecules. This chapter explores the contribution of astrocytes, dopaminergic neurons, microglia cells, and pancreatic beta-cells to neuroinflammation by analyzing the normal role vs the neuroinflammatory role of each. In addition, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases are extensively discussed.
Telemarketing, Technology, and the Regulation of Private Speech

This article considers the viability of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) in light of recent Supreme Court First Amendment precedent (such as Reed v. Town of Gilbert and Sorrell v. IMS Health) and technological & regulatory developments (such as the FCC's ongoing consideration of rules that would allow or require prospective callers to implement technologies that obviate many of the TCPA's concerns). The TCPA is the primary law prohibiting “robocalls” – phone calls made using autodialers or pre-recorded messages without the consent of the call recipient. In recent years robocalls have become one of the primary consumer protection issues facing regulators – with more than 2.4 billion of these calls placed each month, consumer concern about them dominate complaints received by both the FCC and FTC. Simultaneously, as cellphones have become a ubiquitous means by which individuals engage with one another and the public square, the scope of the TCPA has expanded from protection of the privacy of the home (long recognized as Constitutionally permissible) to a more general shield from unwanted communications (generally not Constitutionally permissible). Because the TCPA regulates speech, it has been subject to repeated First Amendment challenges since it was enacted in 1991. Those challenges have consistently been reviewed subject to intermediate scrutiny, under which the statute has consistently survived. Recent developments in First Amendment precedent, however, suggest that such challenges would likely be subject to strict scrutiny today. Moreover, recent technological and regulatory developments suggest that the statute is not sufficiently tailored to survive application of intermediate scrutiny, let alone its stricter cousin. Given the sharp increase in TCPA suits in recent years -- from just 14 suits in 2007 to nearly 5,000 in 2016 – and this legal evolution, this article provides analysis relevant to certainly-forthcoming judicial and regulatory consideration of the TCPA. The TCPA also raises difficult questions beyond the traditional First Amendment analysis. For instance, the government itself regulates many aspects of the architecture of the telephone network. In this role, it has slowed or prevented the adoption of technologies that could dramatically reduce the problems the TCPA seeks to curtail speech in order to (ineffectively) address. And the TCPA is largely premised on the government’s important interest in protecting the sanctuary of the home as a place in which individuals can be free from intrusions from the outside world. But as mobile telephones increasingly displace residential wireline telephones, the TCPA’s effect has grown sub silentio from protecting the sanctuary of the home to protecting the sanctuary of the phone. These issues raise important questions about the government’s power to regulate private speech, particularly in an era of rapid technological change.
Five Features to Look for in Early-Phase Clinical Intervention Studies:

Neurorehabilitation relies on core principles of neuroplasticity to activate and engage latent neural connections, promote detour circuits, and reverse impairments. Clinical interventions incorporating these principles have been shown to promote recovery and demote compensation. However, many clinicians struggle to find interventions centered on these principles in our nascent, rapidly growing body of literature. Not to mention the immense pressure from regulatory bodies and organizational balance sheets that further discourage time-intensive recovery-promoting interventions, incentivizing clinicians to prioritize practical constraints over sound clinical decision making. Modern neurorehabilitation practices that result from these pressures favor strategies that encourage compensation over those that promote recovery. To narrow the gap between the busy clinician and the cutting-edge motor recovery literature, we distilled 5 features found in early-phase clinical intervention studies-ones that value the more enduring biological recovery processes over the more immediate compensatory remedies. Filtering emerging literature through this lens and routinely integrating promising research into daily practice can break down practical barriers for effective clinical translation and ultimately promote durable long-term outcomes. This perspective is meant to serve a new generation of mechanistically minded and caring clinicians, students, activists, and research trainees, who are poised to not only advance rehabilitation science, but also erect evidence-based policy changes to accelerate recovery-based stroke care.
Physiology and behavior under food limitation support an escape, not preparative, response in the nomadic pine siskin (Spinus pinus).

Migration allows animals to use resources that are variable in time and/or space, with different migratory strategies depending on the predictability of resource variation. When food varies seasonally, obligate migrants anticipate and prepare for migration. In contrast, facultative migrants, whose movements are unpredictable in timing and destination, may either prepare for migration or escape when resources are depleted. We propose and test two alternative hypotheses regarding the behavioral and physiological responses of facultative migrants to declining food availability. (1) The Prepare Hypothesis predicts that facultative migrants prepare for departure by increasing fuel stores in response to declining food availability, and elevations of baseline corticosterone (CORT) facilitate increased activity. (2) The Escape Hypothesis predicts that facultative migrants do not prepare for departure, body condition declines as food availability declines, and stress-induced levels of CORT induce escape behavior when both energetic condition and food resources are low. We conducted a 16-day experiment, measuring body composition (using Quantitative Magnetic Resonance), activity (using force perches), and baseline CORT in Pine Siskins (Spinus pinus) given ad libitum food or a slow decline, fast decline, or randomly changing amount of food. Our results support the Escape Hypothesis: body condition declined as food declined, decreases in body and fat mass were associated with increases in baseline CORT, and activity increased only when food availability was low. This work suggests that facultative migration in autumn allows birds to escape low resource areas and that the underlying physiological mechanisms differ from those driving both seasonal, obligate migrations and spring nomadic movements.
Impact of COVID-19 on presentation, management, and outcomes of acute care surgery for gallbladder disease and acute appendicitis.

Impact of COVID-19 on presentation, management, and outcomes of acute care surgery for gallbladder disease and acute appendicitis
Linearized Inversion in Viscoelastic Media

Real earth media disperse and attenuate propagating waves. This anelastic behavior can be well described by a viscoelastic model. Here we introduce a viscoelastic linearized inversion routine developed through the adjoint state technique. It is based on a viscoelastic model of standard linear solids in parallel and built upon a recently developed finite difference simulator. The routine enables linearized inversion in viscoelastic media. We will show that the reproduction of reflectors can be very poor if anelastic effects are neglected.
Plasmids pJM1 and pColV-K30 Harbor Iron Uptake Genes That Are Essential for Bacterial Virulence

This chapter describes the analysis of pJM1 plasmid and pCoIV-K30 plasmid-mediated iron uptake systems. The iron transport-biosynthesis operon (ITBO) and other anguibactin biosynthetic genes located downstream are bracketed by the highly related ISV-A1 and ISV-A2 insertion sequences. The peptide siderophore anguibactin is synthesized via a nonribosomal peptide synthetase mechanism, an RNA-independent template chain growth process with an assembly line organization of different catalytic and carrier protein domains whose placement and function determine the number and sequence of the amino and carboxylic acids incorporated into the peptide product. Anguibactin can be thought as derived from the precursors dihydroxy benzoic acid (DHBA), histidine, and cysteine. The pJM1 plasmid-mediated proteins AngR, AngM, and AngN play a role in subsequent biosynthetic steps although AngR, in addition to its biosynthetic function, is also essential for regulation of iron transport gene expression. By deletion analysis the TAFr region has been narrowed down to two small subregions that could harbor this TAFr factor. At high iron concentrations iron represses the ITBO mRNA levels and concomitantly induces the synthesis of another antisense RNA (RNAα) that might constitute another novel component of the bacterial iron regulatory circuit. The genetic determinants for the aerobactin iron uptake system of plasmid pColV-K30 were cloned as recombinant plasmid pABN1.
Current Status of Antiviral Chemotherapy for Genital Herpes Simplex Virus Infection: Its Impact on Disease Control

Acyclovir is an effective treatment for herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection. Its use produces improvement in symptoms and reduces the frequency of recurring disease. During chronic suppressive acyclovir therapy, breakthrough recurrences and asymptomatic viral shedding are common. Adverse reactions or signs of toxicity from acyclovir have been minimal. Early treatment does not prevent the establishment of latent HSV infection, the transmission of genital HSV infection, or asymptomatic viral shedding. Patient awareness of atypical lesions and modification of sexual activity are important aspects affecting transmission. Acyclovir resistance is being reported with increasing frequency, especially in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus. The development of additional antiviral agents would be beneficial in continuing the progress toward control of HSV infection.
Comparison of Two Approaches for Determining Fire Dates From Tree Scars

Knowledge regarding the historic role of fire in forest ecosystems is often derived by dating fire scars. Fire history studies in boreal and western coniferous forests have used either complete or partial cross sections cut from fire-scarred trees. The occurrence of missing or false rings presents an obstacle to the accurate dating of individual fires. Two different techniques of dating partial cross sections of fire-scarred ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Laws) were compared using the same samples. Method I involves the tabulation of "raw" dates followed by a subsequent adjustment based on synchronization with fire dates from adjacent trees. Method II uses correlations with master chronologies based on analysis of increment cores taken in the same region as the sampled fire scar sections. Method I is prone to error since the assumption that fire dates differing by a few years may actually be from the same year cannot be independently verified. Method II provides a higher degree of certainty with regard to the accuracy of individual dates because the cross dating of local patterns of ring widths circumvents the problem of absent or false rings. Eight samples from the Horse Pasture Plateau in Zion National Park, Utah, were dated by both methods. Agreement on dates derived by the two methods for 39 separate fire years was limited to only 26 percent. The average error of Method I was 1.0 year. Fire history studies using Method I are accurate enough for most managerial recommendations and some ecological interpretations, but they may lack the precision necessary to correctly identify fire years or differentiate small changes in fire frequency. The dendrochronological approach of Method II is preferable because of its greater reliability, especially in ecosystems where short fire intervals are common or where fires occur in consecutive years. FORESX SCI. 28:856861. ADDITIONAL
Abstract T MP12: Predictors Of Angiographic Collaterals In Patients Undergoing Intra-arterial Therapy For Acute Ischemic Stroke

Introduction: Greater degree of collaterals to ischemic brain tissue from large vessel occlusion has been correlated to multiple endpoints including improved outcomes, improved recanalization and smaller infarct volume. The predictors of collateral circulation are poorly understood with inconsistencies in previous studies. Methods: Retrospective study from 1/07-12/12 of AIS patients who underwent IAT for ICA/M1 occlusions with TICI 0/1 flow was conducted. Baseline characteristics and treatment times were collected. Collaterals were graded using the angiographic ASITN collateral-flow grading system. Collateral were grouped into "good collaterals” (GC) for grades 3 and 4, and "poor collaterals" (PC) for grades 0, 1 and 2. Results: ASITN grading was available in 180 patients including 32 (18%) with GC and 148 (82%) with PC. Baseline demographics of all patients and each group are outlined in Table 1, with significant differences in baseline CT ASPECTS score and IV tPA administration. Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that female sex, CT ASPECTS and time to first angiographic run were the only independent predictors of GC. Conclusions: We have confirmed previous reports that GC is associated with small infarct volume, which corresponds to higher CT ASPECTS score. Odds of GC were 5.7 times in females compared to males, which is inconsistent with previous literature. Previously demonstrated association of hypertension, high admission blood pressure and high NIHSS with lesser collaterals was not seen in our study. Since collaterals affect outcomes in acute ischemic stroke, further studies of predictors of good collaterals are needed. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
A design for next generation load measuring wheel sets

The design of a strain-gaged railroad wheel set with significantly improved accuracy is described. The design provides a continuous measurement of the vertical, lateral, and longitudinal forces at the wheel-rail interface, in addition to the position of the point of contact of the rail on the wheel. A finite-element analysis is used to optimize gage placement and to simulate the output of the strain gage bridges under various loading conditions. A mathematical formulation is developed which accounts for higher-order harmonics present in the bridge signals. The formulation is used to produce output signals which are virtually independent of the rotational position of the wheel set. A system of equations using these signals is solved to calculate input force and contact position values. A prototype processor provides error estimates under a variety of simulated load conditions. >
Enzyme changes and morphometric analysis of bile ducts in experimental bile duct obstruction

Abstract Chronic bile duct obstruction causes a marked proliferation of bile ductules within the rat liver plus an increase in the activities of hepatic gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, 5'-nucleotidase and alkaline phosphatase. To determine if the increase in the activities of these enzymes within the liver simply reflects the increase in bile duct mass, we subjected rats to bile duct ligation for periods up to one week and compared the activities of these enzymes within liver tissue with bile duct volume, determined by morphometric analysis. The activities of two enzymes not useful in the diagnosis of chronic cholestasis, aspartate aminotransferase (GOT) and alanine aminotransferase (GPT), were also measured. There was no correlation between the proliferation of bile ductules and the activity of any of these enzymes. Bile duct volume increased 4.9-fold within 24 h after ligation and rose steadily, reaching a value of 13 times control in one week. Alkaline phosphatase activity increased 3.6-fold within 24 h after bile duct ligation and then was relatively constant. Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and 5'-nucleotidase activity both fell 24 h after ligation but were slightly increased after 48 h. Enzyme activities of each were almost twice control at 120 and 168 h. Alanine aminotransferase activity fell steadily during the period of bile duct ligation, while aspartate aminotransferase was unchanged. The change in gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and 5'-nucleotidase activity within the liver cannot be due simply to hypertrophy of bile duct epithelium.
Isolation and properties of chloroperoxidase isozymes

Abstract A new purification method for chloroperoxidase from Caldariomyces fumago is described. This method involves dialysis, alumina gel adsorption, DEAE-cellulose chromatography at pH 6, and then at pH 3.85 and crystallization. Two isozymes have been isolated and one has been crystallized. The MWs estimated by gel filtration are 46000 for chloroperoxidase A and 40000 for chloroperoxidase B. The guaiacol peroxidation catalysed by these isozymes is proportional to their chlorination activity.
Bi-frequency pendulum on a rotary platform: modeling various optical phenomena

The teaching of optical phenomena can be enhanced through the use of analogies to the motion of a bi-freguency pendulum. In this text we target demonstrations to four groups of students and scientists: younger schoolchildren to high school seniors; 7th graders to college juniors; college juniors to final-year graduate students in physics, optics and engineering; and college seniors to research scientists. The main defference between the groups is in the level of mathematics required to make the analogy to optical phenomena. Most of the physical ideas may be understood and appreciated even in junior high school and serve as a motivation for deeper study of mathematics and science.