cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Broad salinity tolerance in the invasive lionfish Pterois spp. may facilitate estuarine colonization

The ongoing invasion of non-native Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois spp.) represents a significant ecological threat throughout the Western Atlantic and Caribbean. As a generalist species, lionfish have been able to rapidly colonize a wide variety of ecosystems, including coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangroves, the sea floor at depths as great as 300 m, and even brackish estuaries. While lionfish have been encountered in a number of estuarine systems, the spatial distribution of lionfish in estuaries is likely limited by the species’ ability to tolerate low salinities. Here, we experimentally identify minimum salinity tolerance in lionfish by measuring survival salinity minimum—the lowest salinity at which all individuals survive for 48 h. Additionally, we examine whether long-term exposure to low (but sub-lethal) salinities has negative effects on lionfish. Field observations in the Loxahatchee River estuary (Jupiter, FL) showed that lionfish can survive brief exposure to salinities as low as 1 ‰. At one estuarine location, fish survived exposure to salinity fluctuations of ~28 ‰ every 6 h for several days. In laboratory trials, survival salinity minimum for lionfish was 5 ‰; however, some individuals survived at 4 ‰ for up to 94 h before dying. Lionfish that were held at 7 ‰ for 28 days showed no differences in mortality, behavior or growth, when compared to control fish held at 35 ‰ (typical ocean salinity). This broad salinity tolerance may allow lionfish to colonize estuaries throughout their invaded range, and may facilitate dispersal across the Amazon-Orinoco plume. Because of the ecological and economic importance of estuaries, this facet of the lionfish invasion warrants further study.
The Solar Optical Telescope (SOT)

The Solar Optical Telescope (SOT), which NASA plans to operate on Spacelab, should provide resolution down to 0.1 arc sec, thus offering the capability for solving a number of fundamental problems in solar magnetism and in atmospheric heating and dynamics.
Food supplementation affects colony-level life history traits in the annual social wasp Polistes metricus (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)

A field population of Polistes metricus Say near St. Louis, Missouri was supplemented with dilute Apis mellifera honey and Trichoplusia ni caterpillars during the entire colony development period. Offspring were collected at two times to coincide with emergence of worker and reproductive broods. Food supplementation had no effect on nest size, the number of worker offspring, or the size of workers. Supplemented colonies did produce more females in August but female size was unaffected by supplementation. Supplementation had no effect on the number of males produced, but males were slightly larger on supplemented nests. We interpret these findings in the context of social insect life history theory.
Glucocorticoids of bison bulls in relation to social status

Abstract A primary response to stress is an increase in circulating adrenal glucocorticoids (GC) such as cortisol. Two hypotheses propose differential stress responses to agonistic and aggressive interactions in social groups. If subordinate animals are subjected to social and psychological stressors leading to chronic GC elevation, the ‘stress of subordination’ hypothesis predicts that GCs will be higher in subordinates than dominants. Alternatively, if dominant animals are subject to physiological stressors (e.g., fight at higher rates than subordinates) or hierarchies are unstable, the ‘stress of domination’ hypothesis predicts higher GCs in dominant individuals. Both models predict that GC levels will peak during the breeding season. We tested these predictions in bison bulls ( Bison bison ) using fecal steroid analysis to characterize GC concentration and behavioral observations to determine dominance rank, copulatory success, and tending status of bulls. Fecal samples were collected during 2003 from adult bison bulls during pre-rut (June), rut (July–August), and post-rut (September). Matched sample data indicated that mean GC levels (ng/g feces) of bulls strongly peaked during the 4-week rut, doubling from pre-rut to rut and then declining again during post-rut. High ranked dominant bulls maintained higher GC levels than lower ranked subordinate bulls. Dominance rank was positively correlated with copulatory success and age, and dominant bulls were more likely to tend (guard) cows as they approached estrus. There was a positive correlation between GC level and copulatory success, with prime-aged bulls (≥7 years) obtaining the most copulations. GC levels were positively correlated with bull androgen levels determined in a previous study. These results support the ‘stress of domination’ hypothesis, indicating that dominant bison bulls pay a significant physiological price for high social status and the opportunity to mate.
Asymptomatic pneumatosis at CT colonography: a benign self-limited imaging finding distinct from perforation.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of our study was to report the prevalence and clinical course of colonic pneumatosis at CT colonography (CTC).MATERIALS AND METHODS. The study population consisted of 5,368 adults (mean age, 57.4 years; 2,807 women, 2,561 men) undergoing CTC. Pertinent medical history, CTC imaging studies, and clinic course were reviewed for all cases in which pneumatosis (i.e., air in the bowel wall) was prospectively identified.RESULTS. Colonic pneumatosis was seen in six (0.11%) of 5,368 total CTC studies. No cases of small-bowel pneumatosis were identified. There were no cases of frank colonic perforation in this series. All six cases of pneumatosis involved the use of automated carbon dioxide for colonic distention (0.17%; six of 3,451 cases). Pneumatosis was not seen in 1,917 cases with manual room air insufflation (p = 0.095). The right colon was involved in all cases, typically revealing a thin curvilinear configuration with variable circumferential extension. In one of the six cases, a fran...
Spectral analysis of energy-constrained reserves

The definition of a service is key to the ability to meter it, measure it, regulate it, price it, or otherwise take it into consideration. Reserves (a form of power supply insurance) are key to power system operability. Traditionally, reserves have been characterized in terms of time-domain quantities, such as ramping rate capabilities and the like. Also, traditionally such measures have not considered the possibility that some of the reserve services may be energy- or otherwise time-limited. This paper illustrates how to take into consideration energy-constrained reserve services, and also how to classify and measure both the need for reserves as well as the ability to provide them in terms of frequency-domain techniques. In a sense, the use of frequency-domain quantities is more "natural" for this problem where the characterization of the speed of response is in fact quite important. The paper illustrates a number of numerical examples.
Experimental results of planar meta materials

Experimental results of tailoring the dielectric properties of meta-materials using thin metallic wires are presented in this paper. Measurements with metallic wires inside a polymer composite sample show that it could be possible to tune the dielectric properties. Thin metallic inclusions inside a dielectric material can change its electrical properties by varying its physical parameters such as periodicity, wire thickness and thus the effective electromagnetic properties can be controlled. Samples with negative electrical properties may find applications in the design of smart radar absorbers and electrically small antennas.
ALARA and an Integrated Approach to Radiation Protection

Exposures of individuals to ionizing radiation have been restricted for many years by a number of guidelines and rules developed by various advisory and regulatory groups. Accompanying these restrictions has been an evolving principle that exposures to individuals and groups should be kept "as low as reasonably achievable" (ALARA), consistent with provision of the benefits of radiation use to society. Although the ALARA concept is a laudable goal in principle, its implementation in a clinical facility has not been a straightforward process. Problems of implementing ALARA have been confounded further by the efforts of regulatory agencies to incorporate the ALARA concept into regulations governing radiation exposures. To facilitate the implementation of ALARA as a workable construct in a clinical facility, guidelines are needed for its application to both individual and collective exposures to radiation. The provision of such guidelines, including action and inaction levels for both individual and collective exposures, are presented here.
E-036 Hemodynamic stability during carotid artery stenting under general anesthesia in elderly patients with a high grade carotid artery stenosis

Purpose of study During carotid artery stenting (CAS) under local anesthesia, hemodynamic instability (hypotension, bradycardia, etc) has been reported to occur. Hemodynamic instability during CAS under local anesthesia, especially in elderly patients, may be a risk factor for complications. We evaluate the hemodynamic stability during CAS under general anesthesia in elderly patients with a high grade carotid artery stenosis. Methods 15 CAS procedures were performed under general anesthesia using sevoflurane and nitrous oxide in oxygen in in 15 patients aged 65 years or older between November 2007 and February 2009. All CAS procedures were performed for high grade stenoses (>70% in NASCET criteria). Nine procedures were performed for symptomatic stenoses. Degree of systolic blood pressure change, hypotension and bradycardia during CAS were assessed. Results Mean age of patients was 69±3.2 years. Mean degrees of stenosis before and after CAS was 75.8±7.5% and 25.9±9.8%, respectively. No hypotension (systolic blood pressure Conclusion General anesthesia using sevoflurane and nitrous oxide in oxygen depressed baroreceptor reflex sensitivity, induced hemodynamic stability during CAS and may decrease the rate of occurrence of complications in elderly patients with a high grade carotid artery stenosis.
Reconstruction of transcription regulatory networks by stability-based network component analysis

Reliable inference of transcription regulatory networks is still a challenging task in the field of computational biology. Network component analysis (NCA) has become a powerful scheme to uncover the networks behind complex biological processes, especially when gene expression data is integrated with binding motif information. However, the performance of NCA is impaired by the high rate of false connections in binding motif information and the high level of noise in gene expression data. Moreover, in real applications such as cancer research, the performance of NCA in simultaneously analyzing multiple candidate transcription factors (TFs) is further limited by the small sample number of gene expression data. In this paper, we propose a novel scheme, stability-based NCA, to overcome the above-mentioned problems by addressing the inconsistency between gene expression data and motif binding information (i.e., prior network knowledge). This method introduces small perturbations on prior network knowledge and utilizes the variation of estimated TF activities to reflect the stability of TF activities. Such a scheme is less limited by the sample size and especially capable to identify condition-specific TFs and their target genes. Experiment results on both simulation data and real breast cancer data demonstrate the efficiency and robustness of the proposed method.
Publication-Quality Labeling of Gels Using Transparency-Mounted Photographs and Word Processing Software

Obtaining a high quality nucleic acid or protein gel may be an easier and less daunting task than labeling the gel for publication. Techniques for adding information and identifiers to gels range from laboriously applying lettering or labels on gel photographs to computerized approaches that work directly with digitized gel images and produce photographic-quality output. The computerized approach may require specialized software and a considerable investment in a photographic-quality output device, like a dye sublimation printer. It can be argued that electronically processed gel images do not actually achieve the quality readily obtained photographically. We describe an approach that uses photographic gel images that are quickly and easily labeled using the drawing-lettering capability of a commercial word processor in widespread use (Microsoft Word for Windows Version 6).
DR-CAFTA: An Impact Analysis Thus Far

The signing of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and its subsequent implementation in 2006 by El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the United States, with Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic entering the agreement in 2009, renaming it the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA), continued trade liberalization trends in Latin America. Economists, scholars, and politicians alike view NAFTA and DR-CAFTA as a movement towards an even more ambitious Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA) and economic integration of the region from Canada to the southern cone. The present study does not discuss NAFTA or FTAA in detail, but rather elucidates the impact DR-CAFTA has had on member nations since their respective entrance. The study does so by first examining historical, economic, and political context and forces in Latin America. Second, DR-CAFTA its stipulations and arguments for and against the agreement are discussed. Next, regression analyses shed light on the impact of DR-CAFTA on trade and GDP growth in participating countries. Finally, future consequences of DR-CAFTA are elaborated.
Part 3.1 Theories of Socialization

Part III. Section 1. Theories of Socialization. Autonomy as autonomy competency acknowledges the necessity of socialization for autonomy. Preliminary to considering this claim in relation to gender, Meyers sketches three social scientific models of socialization - psychoanalysis, social learning, and cognitive development.
Physical Properties and Behavior of Allotropically Pure α-, β- and γ-Ce

Cerium was the first material found to undergo a valency change. X-ray studies in 1949–1950 revealed that when Ce was compressed to modest pressures (> 8 kbar at 300 K)1 or cooled to low temperature ( 12%) while the crystal structure remained the same. When these authors discussed this unusual behavior with their colleagues, both Zachariasen3 and Pauling4 independently suggested that this volume contraction corresponded to a valence change of 3 for γ-Ce to 4 for α-Ce, i.e. the 4f electron of γ-Ce was promoted to the valence band, leaving the 4f level of α-Ce empty. Several other authors subsequently reanalyzed the physical properties of the phases involved in the valence change and they concluded that about 0.5 to 0.67 of an electron per atom is transferred from the 4f level to the valence band.5 Today the consensus of scientists favors the 0.67 value. Furthermore, Gschneidner and Smoluchowski point out that the valences of the two phases involved (γ- and α-Ce) change with temperature and pressure. As a result of this valence change, the γ-α pressure-temperature phase boundary ends at a critical point. Ce is the only solid known to have a critical point.
Chemical Mapping of Rubbers and Polymers via Confocal Raman Spectroscopic Imaging

Abstract Confocal Raman Spectroscopic Imaging has been demonstrated as a non-destructive technique to determine the spatial and chemical content of rubbers and polymers. Raman spectroscopy is a particularly useful tool for characterizing chemicals and mixtures because each chemically-distinct species has a unique Raman spectrum. The addition of confocal optics to the microscope greatly improves both the lateral and axial spatial resolution of the instrument. The lateral resolution of the instrument is less than one-third of a micron. The axial resolution, the resolution in the direction of incident light propagation, is as good as two microns with an air objective and on the order of a micron for an oil immersion objective. The vast enhancement of resolution provided by the confocal optical arrangement allows rubber and polymer mixtures to be mapped in multiple dimensions with excellent spatial, chemical, and morphological specificity. Confocal Raman microscopy is a rapid technique that should be consider...
Hayek on Justice and the Market: A Reply to MacLeod

In 'Justice and the Market/1 A.M. MacLeod critically examines F.A. Hayek's contention that there is something conceptually odd, indeed meaningless, about moral criticism of a market-oriented society in terms of the injustice of the distribution of holdings that obtains in that society. MacLeod finds Hayek's contention interesting because MacLeod perceives 'manifest weaknesses' in all the more straightforward attempts to rebut or downplay the charge that such a distribution of holdings will be unjust. Nevertheless, MacLeod proceeds to reject Hayek's attempt to
Cesar J. Ayala and José L. Bolívar, Battleship Vieques: Puerto Rico from World War II to the Korean War

Cesar J. Ayala and Jose L. Bolivar’s new book Battleship Vieques: Puerto Rico from World War II to the Korean War argues that scholars and activists must integrate the history of Vieques with the h...
Demand management and case management: a conservation strategy.

Purpose/objectives This article reviews the history and development of managed competition, and explores the possibilities of a new demand management strategy in the context of nurse case management to offer less costly, higher quality care for a greater number of patients. Primary practice setting(s) The article examines the history and principles of healthcare demand management, its implementation in the hospital and clinical practices of nurse case managers, and its impacts in reducing costs while maintaining care levels. Findings and conclusions The article develops and analyzes the conflicts and common ground between demand management and case management. First, demand-side strategies can be effective in reducing costs while maintaining quality of nursing care; second, nurse case managers should employ patient education, self-care, and staffing solutions to manage demand. Implications Nurse case managers must apply demand management principles carefully. Their goal is not to restrict care, but to maintain the highest levels of care possible within the limits of their practice's resources and staffing. Two critical themes emerge: (1) demand management is a potential alternative to market-driven managed competition and (2) nursing case management can affect an effective form of demand management. However, the long-term implications of these nursing case management strategies on healthcare staffing need further exploration.
Directional analysis of trajectories based on trajectory smoothing

In this article we propose a framework to discover interesting directional patterns in trajectory data sets. The proposed framework has five stages; trajectory smoothing, directional segmentation, directional classification, filtering and finally clustering. The main contributions are in the stages for smoothing, directional classification and filtering. Trajectory smoothing is an important step in the analysis of complex, non-smooth trajectories data sets, such as animal movement data. In directional classification stage, different sub-trajectories are assigned to the classes corresponding to their directional orientation. In the filtration stage the outlier trajectories are removed from the respective classes using a novel convex hull based approach. We used animal movement data in this work.
Clinical Significance of Ultrastructural Findings in the Corpora Cavernosa of Normal and Impotent Men

AbstractCorpora cavernosa of 5 normal and 11 impotent living men were studied by electron microscopy. Of the smooth muscle cells 42.3% from corporeal tissues of impotent men showed a pronounced thickening of the basal lamina, a paucity of dense bodies and contractile filaments, minimal or no glycogen and fewer vesicles on the cell surface, whereas only 5.4% of the smooth muscle cells from normal men showed similar alterations. These differences were statistically significant (p less than 0.003). The percentage of altered smooth muscle cells in corporeal tissues of impotent men was proportional to the severity of symptoms and clinical findings. Morphometric analysis revealed no significant differences in the relative proportions of the major components of corporeal tissue (smooth muscle cells, extracellular matrix, vascular lumina and endothelial cells). These findings suggest the need for early detection of corporeal tissue degeneration by preoperative biopsy to assist in better selection of candidates fo...
Effects of Timing and Insecticide on Management of Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Sweet Corn (Poales: Poaceae)

Abstract Helicoverpa zea Boddie (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), the corn earworm, is a key pest of sweet corn (Poales: Poaceae) in many parts of the United States. Integrated pest management (IPM) practices for H. zea in fresh and processing sweet corn use pheromone trap counts of male moths for management decisions. In this study, we examined whether sweet corn could be protected more effectively if insecticides were applied to target the most attractive silking periods for female H. zea oviposition instead of current IPM practices using pheromone trap catches alone. Specifically, we investigated the relationship between insecticide application timing from tassel through silk stages and marketable yield at harvest. We also evaluated the effectiveness of 3 registered insecticide products with different active ingredients (methomyl, chlorantraniliprole, and lambda-cyhalothrin), under various timing scenarios. Results were compared with yields obtained using current IPM recommendations for the northeastern United...
Improving accuracy of RFID tag identification

RFID tags are increasingly being used in supply chain applications, primarily to track instantaneous location of objects as well as to obtain information about the object's immediate surroundings. During its life-time, an RFID tag is highly likely to physically pass through different organizations that have disparate information systems with varying information needs. RFID tags are also known to generate huge amounts of data vis-a-vis barcodes. We consider management of data in these applications, and propose means to reduce false positive and false negative readings.
Phosphatases and phosphate affect the formation of glucose from pentoses in Escherichia coli

Metabolically engineered Escherichia coli MEC143 with deletions of the ptsG, manZ, glk, pfkA, and zwf genes converts pentoses such as arabinose and xylose into glucose, with the dephosphorylation of glucose-6-phosphate serving as the final step. To determine which phosphatase mediates this conversion, we examined glucose formation from pentoses in strains containing knockouts of six different phosphatases singly and in combination. Deletions of single phosphatases and combinations of multiple phosphatases did not eliminate the accumulation of glucose from xylose or arabinose. Overexpression of one phosphatase, haloacid dehalogenase-like phosphatase 12 coded by the ybiV gene, increased glucose yield significantly from 0.26 to 0.30 g/g (xylose) and from 0.32 to 0.35 g/g (arabinose). Growing cells under phosphate-limited steady-state conditions increased the glucose yield to 0.39 g glucose/g xylose, but did not affect glucose yield from arabinose (0.31 g/g). No single phosphatase is exclusively responsible for the conversion of glucose-6-phosphate to glucose in E. coli MEC143. Phosphate-limited conditions are indeed able to enhance glucose formation in some cases, with this effect likely influenced by the different phosphate demands when E. coli metabolizes different carbon sources.
On ordering of fundamental wineglass modes in toroidal ring gyroscope

In this paper, we discuss the primary sources of frequency splits in degenerate mode Toroidal Ring Gyroscope (TRG) with isotropic concentric rings suspension. We show that operation in the n=3 “wineglass mode” might be preferable for prioritized device symmetry. We demonstrate that by means of structural design it is possible to achieve a desired order of wineglass modes, critical for vibration immunity, and potentially for improved performance of miniature devices. Mode-ordering is accomplished by a proper choice of a number of rings in the suspension and an angle between the spokes connecting the rings. The method of mode-ordering is confirmed through experimental characterization of 2.8 mm diameter TRG prototypes fabricated in and single crystal silicon.
Litigating the FMLA in the Shadow of Title VII

The history of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a history of frameworks.1 In an almost predictable pattern, the Supreme Court has recognized a category of employment discrimination, and then, either in the same case, or sometime thereafter, created a multi-part test for evaluating it.2 Congress enacted the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) in 1993, almost 30 years after it enacted Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.3 This Essay argues that the FMLA is litigated within the shadow of Title VII, as courts routinely apply complex frameworks developed in the Title VII context to FMLA cases. This Essay explores how courts needlessly apply the three-part burden-shifting test from McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, developed in Title VII cases, to FMLA claims. Using the lens of McDonnell Douglas, this Essay demonstrates how courts have drawn the FMLA into the same framework morass that currently exists for Title VII discrimination claims. This phalanx of frameworks distracts courts away from the substantive core of the FMLA, and into endless arguments about the substantive and procedural oddities of the frameworks. In turn, the replication of the discrimination frameworks in the FMLA increases their longevity and reach, making it even more difficult to diminish the frameworks’ grip over discrimination discourse. This Essay proceeds in three sections. Section I discusses the McDonnell Douglas framework and its unique procedural and substantive features. Section II describes how the courts imported McDonnell Douglas into the FMLA with little regard for the differences between Title VII and the FMLA. Section III demonstrates
OUTCOMES OF EARLY VERSUS DELAYED TRANSCATHETER CLOSURE OF POST-MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION VENTRICULAR SEPTAL DEFECT

Background: Post-myocardial infarction ventricular septal defect (VSD) is a rare, but devastating complication with a very poor prognosis if untreated. Transcatheter closure of these defects was first described in the literature in the late 1980s, but little is still known about the ideal timing of
Resurrecting Incipiency: From Von's Grocery to Consumer Choice

The merger incipiency doctrine is virtually ignored in the courts today. This article argues that it should be resurrected, and it also explores the ways that effectuating Congressional intent in the area would reinvigorate merger policy.The article documents how the legislative history of the antimerger statutes shows that Congress intended mergers to be evaluated under an incipiency approach, and explores the possible meanings of this idea. It then shows that this is a strong basis for reviving significantly stricter or more prophylactic merger enforcement.The article shows how there are aspects of the doctrine that could be revived without returning to the earlier misguided Von's Grocery approach to the issue. It shows, for example, how the concept could in part be resurrected if merger enforcement's primary focus returned to its intellectual foundation: a concern with consumer choice. During many permissive periods of merger enforcement the sole goal of merger enforcement policy was increased economic efficiency. A return to enforcement based upon the consumer choice standard could help to revitalize more aggressive enforcement. The article also discusses other ways - including the concern that a transaction might lead to a merger trend or wave, and a "sliding scale" approach to especially large transactions in highly concentrated industries - in which the Merger Guidelines and merger enforcement and decisions could become even more faithful to the Congressional goals underlying the incipiency doctrine.
Women, wars and militarism in Svetlana Alexievich’s documentary prose

This work examines the war prose of Svetlana Alexievich, an author from Belarus who writes predominantly in the oral history genre about significant political and social events in the Soviet Union ...
A Novel Tool for Multi-Model PID Controller Design

Abstract In this paper, it is shown how a robust perfomance Pill controller can be synthesized for a set of possible linear models. The method is carried out by solving a min-max optimization problem formulated in frequency domain. As the synthesis of a low-order controller for a high-order plant is in general nonconvex, the original optimization problem is divided into two convex optimization subproblems, which are solved iteratively until to achieve the complete convergence. These subproblems are constructed using a general two degree-of-freedom control configuration, in which all commercial industrial PID controllers can be converted.
The BDNF val-66-met Polymorphism Affects Neuronal Morphology and Synaptic Transmission in Cultured Hippocampal Neurons from Rett Syndrome Mice.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) has been implicated in several neurological disorders including Rett syndrome (RTT), an X-linked neurodevelopmental disorder caused by loss-of-function mutations in the transcriptional modulator methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2). The human BDNF gene has a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) – a methionine (met) substitution for valine (val) at codon 66 – that affects BDNF’s trafficking and activity-dependent release and results in cognitive dysfunction. Humans that are carriers of the met-BDNF allele have subclinical memory deficits and reduced hippocampal volume and activation. It is still unclear whether this BDNF SNP affects the clinical outcome of RTT individuals. To evaluate whether this BDNF SNP contributes to RTT pathophysiology, we examined the consequences of expression of either val-BDNF or met-BDNF on dendrite and dendritic spine morphology, and synaptic function in cultured hippocampal neurons from wildtype (WT) and Mecp2 knockout (KO) mice. Our findings revealed that met-BDNF does not increase dendritic growth and branching, dendritic spine density and individual spine volume, and the number of excitatory synapses in WT neurons, as val-BDNF does. Furthermore, met-BDNF reduces dendritic complexity, dendritic spine volume, and quantal excitatory synaptic transmission in Mecp2 KO neurons. These results suggest that the val-BDNF variant contributes to RTT pathophysiology, and that BDNF-based therapies should take into consideration the BDNF genotype of the RTT individuals.
Comparison of Risk of Atrial Fibrillation Among Employed Versus Unemployed (from the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke Study).

Involuntary unemployment due to job loss has been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events. Whether it also is associated with increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) is currently unknown. Therefore, we examined this association in 8,812 participants residing mainly in the Southeastern United States (mean age 58.1 ± 7.8 years; 63.2%; women; 43.2% black) with data on employment status who were enrolled in the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke study between 2003 and 2007 after excluding those with voluntary unemployment (retiree, homemakers, and students). AF was identified by electrocardiogram and past medical history at the same period. The cross-sectional association between status and type of unemployment with AF was examined in multivariable logistic regression models. Additional analysis in 4,273 participants without baseline AF and with data on incident AF collected in a follow-up visit occurred after a median of 9.4 years from baseline was also conducted. In a model adjusted for socio-demographics, health insurance, income, perceived stress, and cardiovascular risk factors, unemployment was associated with 60% increased odds of AF (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] 1.60 (1.24, 2.07)). This association was consistent in subgroups stratified by median age, gender, race, education, income, and health insurance status. Similarly, unemployment was associated with AF in those without AF at baseline who developed incident AF (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] 1.54 (1.04, 2.37)). In conclusion, involuntary unemployment is associated with increased risk of AF. This may call for considering socioeconomic determinants such as unemployment as part of the preventive strategies for AF.
Extracellular vesicles in cartilage homeostasis and osteoarthritis.

Purpose of reviewExtracellular vesicles carry bioactive molecules that can be transferred between cells and tissues. The purpose of this review is to describe how extracellular vesicles regulate functions of cells in cartilage and other joint tissues. The potential application of extracellular vesic
Cultivating a shared vision with interdisciplinary teams

This paper discusses the rapidly changing field of design and why interdisciplinary partnerships are necessary for solving complex challenges. Specific techniques relating to systems thinking and t...
Non-reciprocal photonics based on time modulation

Reciprocity is a fundamental principle in optics, requiring that the response of a transmission channel is symmetric when source and observation points are interchanged. It is of major significance because it poses fundamental constraints on the way we process optical signals. Non-reciprocal devices, which break this symmetry, have become fundamental in photonic systems. Today they require magnetic materials that are bulky, costly and cannot be integrated. This is in stark contrast with most photonic devices, including sources, modulators, switches, waveguides, interconnects and antennas, which may be realized at the nanoscale. Here, we review recent progress and opportunities offered by temporal modulation to break reciprocity, revealing its potential for compact, low-energy, integrated non-reciprocal devices, and discuss the future of this exciting research field. The progress on non-reciprocal photonic devices enabled by temporal modulation is reviewed.
Fast and slow extinction pathways in defensive survival circuits

Threat extinction is the decline in responding to a stimulus that previously signaled danger, following repeated non-consequential exposures. The amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus are known contributors to the neural circuits driving threat extinction, however, research has not yet resolved the precise neuronal interactions necessary for extinction success. At times, research even appears to present conflicting conclusions concerning the neurocircuitry that drives extinction learning. Here, we propose a model of threat extinction that accounts for the range of findings within the literature. Our model consists of two parallel pathways that differ in their temporal dynamics, such that a fast extinction circuit requires only one training session and exerts its effects rapidly, while a slow circuit impacts behavior only after multiple training sessions. This dual-mechanism of threat extinction circuits is rooted in a hybrid associative learning model whereby parallel fast and slow pathways differentially rely on new learning and unlearning, respectively, to optimize survival as an animal’s probabilistic beliefs concerning threat and danger evolve over repeated extinction trials.
Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Foundations of Digital Games

The International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games is a unique event formed at the intersection of many disciplines both within computer science and beyond, ranging from core technologies to educational methodologies to the study of games as cultural systems. The community working on games research draws ideas and methods from these many subdisciplines to increase our understanding of games as technical and social artifacts. These practices leverage the compelling aspects of computer gaming and its underlying technologies, arts and practices. Papers submitted to the conference described a range of novel techniques including both analytic and synthetic approaches. Submissions were categorized by their authors into one of several theme areas, including an at-large theme as well as themes covering artificial intelligence, computer science and games education, databases, games studies | game design, graphics and interfaces and networks & security. Many papers described the design and constructions of games themselves. During the review process, papers were carefully examined to determine the extent to which they discussed demonstrably effective, reproducible techniques.
A New Liquid-Surface-Relief Method of Acoustic Image Conversion

The liquid-surface-relief method of acoustic image conversion is one of the two earliest methods to be devised for the real-time visualization of ultrasonic images (the other being the electron-beam scanning tube of Sokolov). It is certainly the most easily demonstrated. In the early versions1 demonstrated by Topler and Sokolov, an ultrasonic image field focused onto the liquid surface causes the surface to elevate at each point until equilibrium is established by the restoring forces of surface tension and gravity. The relief pattern formed in this way is an analog of the pattern of acoustic intensity incident at the surface. The deformed fluid surface serves as an optical “phase-object,” and a visible representation of the ultrasonic image is produced by reflecting light from or refracting it through the surface and subsequently forming an image of the deformation pattern, using one of several phase-contrast imaging techniques.
The Empirical Support for Direct Instruction

In the article that stimulated the debate at the 2007 meeting of the American Educational Research Association which, in turn, led to this volume, Kirschner, Sweller, and Clark (2006) concluded that direct instructional guidance was superior in effects to “minimal guidance during instruction.” But Kirschner et al. (2006) only gave a few examples of direct instructional guidance. They noted the value of modeling, of teaching self-checking procedures, of including many examples, of using worked examples, and of using process worksheets. However, in addition to these examples, there is a large research-based literature on the instructional procedures that comprise direct instruction and direct instructional guidance and I believe that these procedures fit the cognitive theory on information processing described by Kirschner et al. (2006). These instructional procedures come from two areas of research: the process-product studies of classroom instruction (Medley & Mitzel, 1963; Brophy & Good, 1986; Rosenshine & Stevens, 1986) and the research on teaching cognitive strategies (Rosenshine & Meister, 1992).
Citizens of Convenience: The Imperial Origins of American Nationhood on the U.S.Canadian Border. By Lawrence B.A. Hatter. (Charlottesville, VA: University of Virginia Press, 2017. Pp. xiv, 267. $39.50.)

The American Revolution created not one nation, but two. By drawing an international border at the war's end through Britain's North American empire, Congress and George III laid the groundwork for...
Toward an ordinary ethics of mediated humanitarianism: An agenda for ethnography:

This article takes stock of the insights and approaches advanced by the last 15 years of critical research in humanitarian communication and distant suffering while arguing for a new agenda for eth...
My 50-Year Journey from Punched Cards to Swarm Systems

The article is a reflection onmy journey during the development of the EDA field, from its early days to its explosive growth and present maturity. The two special issues of the Solid State Circuit Society Magazine "Corsi e Ricorsi: Alberto Sangiovanni Vincentelli and the Evolution of EDA", published in 2010 [1,2], contain a set of papers that pinpoint some of the stages of this journey.
A new crystal form of human acetylcholinesterase for exploratory room-temperature crystallography studies

Abstract Structure-guided design of novel pharmacologically active molecules relies at least in part on functionally relevant accuracy of macromolecular structures for template based drug design. Currently, about 95% of all macromolecular X-ray structures available in the PDB (Protein Data Bank) were obtained from diffraction experiments at low, cryogenic temperatures. However, it is known that functionally relevant conformations of both macromolecules and pharmacological ligands can differ at higher, physiological temperatures. We describe in this article development and properties of new human acetylcholinesterase (AChE) crystals of space group P31 and a new unit cell, amenable for room-temperature X-ray diffraction studies. We co-crystallized hAChE in P31 unit cell with the reversible inhibitor 9-aminoacridine that binds at the base of the active center gorge in addition to inhibitors that span the full length of the gorge, donepezil (Aricept, E2020) and AChE specific inhibitor BW284c51. Their new low temperature P31 space group structures appear similar to those previously obtained in the different P3121 unit cell. Successful solution of the new room temperature 3.2 A resolution structure of BW284c51*hAChE complex from large P31 crystals enables us to proceed with studying room temperature structures of lower affinity complexes, such as oxime reactivators bound to hAChE, where temperature-related conformational diversity could be expected in both oxime and hAChE, which could lead to better informed structure-based design under conditions approaching physiological temperature.
Shade Tree Psychometrics: Tools and Strategies for Linking under Suboptimal Conditions (Commentary)

I am grateful for the opportunity to review and comment on these very well-done articles. They gave me an opportunity to reflect on issues that I have not carefully considered for a few years, and ...
Fracture Mechanics Correlation of Boron/Aluminum Coupons Containing Stress Risers

The mechanical behavior of boron/aluminum near stress risers has been studied and reported. This effort was directed toward defining the tensile behavior of both unidirectional and (0/ plus or minus 45) boron/aluminum using linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM). The material used was 5.6-mil boron in 6061 aluminum, consolidated using conventional diffusion bonding techniques. Mechanical properties are reported for both unidirectional and (0/ plus or minus 45) boron/aluminum, which serve as control data for the fracture mechanics predictions. Three different flawed specimen types were studied. In each case the series of specimens remained geometrically similar to eliminate variations in finite size correction factors. The fracture data from these tests were reduced using two techniques. They both used conventional LEFM methods, but the existence of a characteristic flaw was assumed in one case and not the other. Both the data and the physical behavior of the specimens support the characteristic flaw hypothesis. Cracks were observed growing slowly in the (0/ plus or minus 45) laminates, until a critical crack length was reached at which time catastrophic failure occurred.
Medical Student Engagement and Educational Value of a Remote Clinical Radiology Learning Environment: Creation of Virtual Read-Out Sessions in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Rationale and Objectives The need for social distancing has resulted in rapid restructuring of medical student education in radiology. While students traditionally spend time learning in the reading room, remote clinical learning requires material shared without direct teaching at the radiology workstation. Can remote clinical learning meet or exceed the educational value of the traditional in-person learning experience? Can student engagement be matched or exceeded in a remote learning environment? Materials and Methods To replace the in-person reading room experience, a small-group learning session for medical students named Virtual Read-Out (VRO) was developed using teleconferencing software. After Institutional Review Board approval, two student groups were anonymously surveyed to assess differences in student engagement and perceived value between learning environments: “Conventional” students participating in the reading room (before the pandemic) and “Remote” students participating in VRO sessions. Students reported perceived frequency of a series of five-point Likert statements. Based on number of respondents, an independent t-test was performed to determine the significance of results between two groups. Results Twenty-seven conventional and 41 remote students responded. Remote students reported modest but significantly higher frequency of active participation in reviewing radiology exams (p Conclusion Students report a high degree of teaching quality, clinical relevance, and educational value regardless of remote or in-person learning format. Remote clinical radiology education can be achieved with equal or greater student interaction and perceived value in fewer contact hours than conventional learning in the reading room.
Spectropolarimetry of FIRST Broad Absorption Line Quasars

We present Keck spectropolarimetry of two rare low-ionization broad absorption line (BAL) quasars (QSOs), FIRST J084044.5+363328 and FIRST J155633.8+351758, that also exhibit narrow absorption lines from metastable excited levels of Fe II (iron Lo-BALs). These QSOs were discovered in optical follow-ups to a deep radio survey; FIRST J155633.8+351758 is radio-loud, the first BAL QSO so identified. FIRST J084044.5+363328 is highly polarized and exhibits many features found in other BAL QSOs. The continuum is ? 4% polarized near the 2000 ? rest frame, falling to ? 2% at longer wavelengths, at a position angle of ? 50?. The emission lines are unpolarized. The polarization rises to ? 8% in the low-ionization troughs of Mg II ?2800 and Al III ?1860. The polarization and its position angle vary in a complicated manner across the metastable Fe II absorption lines, which suggests that more than one mechanism is at work or that the system geometry is complex. FIRST J155633.8+351758 may be the most highly polarized BAL QSO known, and it exhibits other unusual polarization properties compared with those of other highly polarized BAL QSOs. The continuum is ? 13% polarized near the 2000 ? rest frame, falling to ? 7% at longer wavelengths, at a position angle of 153?. The emission lines are polarized like the continuum, but in the absorption troughs the polarization drops to zero. Currently available data cannot yet discriminate among the possible lines of sight to BAL QSOs (edge-on, pole-on, or random).