cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Pharmacology of Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators

Publisher Summary The widespread distribution of estrogen receptors (ERs), and their critical role in normal physiology and various pathophysiological states when estrogen levels decline indicate the importance of ER-targeted therapies for use in postmenopausal women. Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) are currently in clinical use for the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis (raloxifene), breast cancer prevention (tamoxifen and raloxifene) and treatment. The effects of SERMs on biological systems are predominately mediated by specific, high-affinity interactions with ERs that are primarily located in target cell nuclei. Their nuclear hormonal action involves the complex interplay of a number of protein and genomic elements that allow SERMs to regulate gene transcription and subsequent protein production by the cell. Three key elements of the SERM mechanism are: high-affinity interaction with the ER, ER-ligand dimerization and the association with a tissue-specific set of coregulatory proteins, and binding of the ER/adaptor protein complex to specific DNA response elements located in the promoter regions of nuclear target genes and ensuing regulation of gene transcription. A key element in determining the pharmacological profile of each distinct SERM is influenced heavily by the chemical makeup of the SERM, including the basic scaffold, the placement of the hydroxyl moieties, and the positioning and nature of the basic side chain. Furthermore, SERMs have pharmacological effects on the skeletal system, reproductive system, cardiovascular system, and central nervous system. Research works are being undertaken to determine whether SERMs favorably impact other diseases and syndromes in women and men.
On the Interpretive Nature of Hertz’s Mechanics

For several years I have been engaged in philosophy of the natural sciences from a hermeneutic phenomenological point of view. In my critical, philosophical reflections on the history of the natural sciences, mainly physics, I have been able to develop this hermeneutic phenomenology of natural science in a somewhat more systematic manner. In this process it has gradually become clear to me that the natural sciences themselves, too, are genuine, interpretive endeavors so that one can speak legitimately of the interpretive or hermeneutic nature of natural science.
Gender differences in recommendation letters for postdoctoral fellowships in geoscience

Gender disparities in science are well documented. An analysis of 1,224 recommendation letters from 54 countries for geoscience postdoctoral fellowships reveals that women are half as likely to receive an excellent letter as men.
Considerations on Governing Heritage as a Commons Resource

The “commons” is gaining attention as a possible alternative model for managing tangible and intangible heritage in a manner that devolves authority and responsibility to local communities through mechanisms that are democratic and privilege local over national or global interests. This chapter reviews the literature on the commons within archaeology and heritage management, evaluates theorizing on the commons in the context of heritage, and explores, through literature review and case studies from Belize and Peru, the challenges and opportunities that arise should archaeologists and heritage managers seek to adopt the commons as a guiding principle for community projects. The chapter emphasizes that the problem of governance—the rules under which the competing interests of stakeholders in a venture manage their activities and resolve their differences—is an underappreciated but critical ingredient in the design of effective commons-like models for heritage management.
Life cycle analysis of corn-stover-derived polymer-grade l-lactic acid and ethyl lactate: greenhouse gas emissions and fossil energy consumption

Co-production of high-value chemicals with biofuels could improve the economic viability of biorefineries while reducing biofuel life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and fossil energy consumption (FEC). Polymer-grade lactic acid (PGLA) is a high-potential bioproduct currently produced from first-generation feedstocks. Opportunity exists to enhance its environmental performance using cellulosic feedstocks. Moreover, ethyl lactate can be used as a functional replacement for high-volume, energy-intensive, and emissions-intensive petroleum-derived chemicals such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone and ethyl acetate. Based on material and energy flows from Aspen Plus process models that we incorporated into the Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation (GREET) model's bioproducts module, we developed life-cycle GHG emissions and FEC estimates for ethyl lactate and PGLA produced from corn stover. We compared these results to those for fossil-fuel-derived counterparts, identified key LCA drivers, and explored the impact of end-of-life assumptions on LCA results. Irrespective of the end-of-life assumption, all the bioproducts demonstrated lower life-cycle FEC (10–72%) and GHG emissions (23–90%) than fossil-derived compounds for which they could serve as a functional replacement. Additionally, we reviewed the role of LCA in three major bioproduct sustainability certification schemes (the BioPreferred Program, the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials, and International Sustainability and Carbon Certification Plus). None mandate an LCA of the bioproduct to assess whether, across the supply chain, these products offer environmental benefits as compared to conventional chemicals they could displace either directly or functionally. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Reduced Intensity Versus Myeloablative Conditioning in Adults with Acute Myeloid Leukemia Transplanted with Umbilical Cord Blood

Abstract 3531 Background: Reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) umbilical cord blood (UCB) transplantation is increasingly used in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) for older and medically unfit patients. Data on the efficacy of HCT after RIC relative to myeloablative conditioning (MAC) are limited. We compared the outcomes of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients > 18 yrs who received UCB grafts after either RIC or MAC. Methods: One hundred nineteen adult patients with AML in complete remission (CR) underwent an UCB transplant after RIC (n=74, 62%) or MAC (n=45, 38%) between January 2001 and December 2009. Conditioning was either reduced intensity and consisted of cyclophosphamide 50 mg/kg, fludarabine 200 mg/m 2 and total body irradiation (TBI) 200 cGy or myelablative and consisted for cyclophosphamide 120 mg/kg, fludarabine 75mg/m 2 and TBI 1200–1320cGy. All patients received cyclosporine (day -3 to day +180) and mycophenolate mofetil (day -3 to day +45) post-HCT immunosuppression and hematopoietic growth factor. Use of RIC was reserved for patients >45 years (n=37, 82%) or pre-existing severe co-morbidities (n=8, 18%). The two groups were similar except RIC had more preceding myelodysplastic syndrome (RIC=28% vs. MAC=4%, p 2; RIC=50% vs. MAC=40%, p=0.1). Furthermore, most patients received double UCB graft (RIC=85% vs. MAC=89%, p=0.5) with a maximum HLA disparity of 4/6 and 5/6 in 52% and 34% of RIC recipients vs. 62% and 29% of MAC recipients (p=0.5). Results: Median follow-up for survivors was 4.2 (RIC) and 3.5 years (MAC). The 3-year leukemia-free survival (LFS) was 31% vs. 55% (p=0.02) and 3-year relapse incidence was 43% vs. 9% (p Conclusion: UCB with RIC extends the use of allogeneic HCT for older and less fit patients with limited TRM. However, the increased relapse risk and poorer LFS in the RIC setting indicates the need for novel strategies to improve leukemia control post-transplantation, especially in CR2 patients with short CR1 duration. Disclosures: Wagner: CORD:USE: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees; VidaCord: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees. Weisdorf: Genzyme: Research Funding; Hospira.
Practical applications of sperm DNA fragmentation testing and its role in infertility.

The illustrative review and evidence-based guidelines of sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) testing set forth by contemporary opinion leaders in the field provide readers with a valuable tool for evaluating SDF utility in the modern-day reproductive health practice (1).
Mind: A Journey to the Heart of Being Human, by Daniel J. Sigel: New York, NY: W. W. Norton and Company, 2017, 378 pp., $26.95 (hardcover), ISBN: 978-0-393-71053-3

The book Mind: A Journey to the Heart of Being Human provides much more than a mere description of mental activities commonly understood as constituting human consciousness. This work is a longitud...
Chapter 4 – Competition Among Schools: Traditional Public and Private Schools

Abstract This chapter considers research on the effects of competition between private and public schools. It focuses on three questions: (1) Do children experience higher achievement gains in private school? (2) If so, is this because private schools are more productive? (3) Does competition from private schools raise public school productivity and/or otherwise affect those “left behind”? The chapter shows that unless each of these questions is answered, one cannot form a full assessment on the desirability of private school entry. Voucher experiments suggest that question 1 can be answered in the affirmative for some subgroups and in some contexts. Such work cannot typically isolate channels, however, and hence does not address question 2. Question 3 has been primarily studied by papers on large-scale voucher programs. These suggest that private school entry results in nonrandom sorting of students, but are less clear on the effects. The bottom line is that despite demand for clear, simple conclusions on the effects of competition from private schools, research does not yet provide these.
Statistical consistency and phylogenetic inference: a brief review

The claim that parsimony can be statistically inconsistent remains the chief criticism of the cladistic approach, and also the main justification for alternative model-based approaches such as maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. Despite its refutation in the 1980s, this persistent myth of parsimony's Achilles’ heel is entrenched in the primary literature, and has metastasized into textbooks, as well. Here, I review historical controversies, and offer three short arguments as to why statistical consistency is not only irrelevant to systematics, but to empirical science in general.
Widely Disseminated Breast Cancer and Hypercalcemia

Seven years ago, this 48-year-old black woman had a T2N0 adenocarcinoma of the right breast treated by modified radical mastectomy. Four years ago she had a chest wall recurrence which was treated with chemotherapy. For the past 2 weeks she has been bedridden from pain in her hip and bilateral leg weakness. She also has experienced pain in the left shoulder region, lumbar spine, and left anterior lower ribs. Bone scan and X-rays show widespread metastases with an elevated calcium level of 15.6 mg/dl. Chest radiographs show masses in the mediastinum, and computed tomography (CT) of the liver reveals multiple metastases. The hemoglobin level is 9 g/dl and the potassium level 2.9 meq/1.
Elastic coefficients of single crystals of alpha brass

From tension and torsion experiments on single crystals of alpha brass the following values were obtained for elastic coefficients: (Unit: 10−13 cm2 per dyne)
Preparation of Octadecyltrichlorosilane Nanopatterns Using Particle Lithography: An Atomic Force Microscopy Laboratory

Experiments are described that involve undergraduates learning concepts of nanoscience and chemistry. Students prepare nanopatterns of organosilane films using protocols of particle lithography. A few basic techniques are needed to prepare samples, such as centrifuging, mixing, heating, and drying. Students obtain hands-on skills with nanoscale imaging using an atomic force microscope (AFM) when they learn to characterize samples. Designed surfaces are made using a surface mask of latex or silica spheres to generate nanopatterns of organosilanes. An organic thin film is applied to the substrate using steps of either heated vapor deposition or immersion in solution. The steps for preparing samples are not complicated; however, the nanostructures that are produced by particle lithography are exquisitely regular in geometry and surface arrangement. At the molecular level, two types of sample morphology can be made depending on the step for depositing organosilanes. Ring-shaped nanostructures are produced wit...
Transaortic gunshot wound through perivisceral segment successfully managed by placement of thoracic stent graft

Abstract We describe a 36-year-old woman who presented to our facility after sustaining a gunshot wound to the epigastric region. The gunshot resulted in injury to the left lobe of the liver and the twelfth thoracic vertebral body as well as in a through-and-through injury to the abdominal aorta at the level of the celiac axis. The vascular injury was managed successfully by placement of a thoracic stent graft with coverage of the celiac axis. This case demonstrates the feasibility of managing this uncommon injury with endovascular techniques.
Modeling Spread of Infectious Diseases at the Arrival Stage of Hajj

During the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, there was rising concern about the potential contribution of international travel and global mass gatherings on the dynamic of the virus. The travel patterns after global mass gatherings can cause a rapid spread of infections. Studying the impact of travel patterns, high population density, and social mixing on disease transmission in these events could help public health authorities assess the risk of global epidemics and evaluate various prevention measures. There have been many studies on computational modeling of epidemic spread in various settings, but few of them address global mass gatherings. In this paper, we develop a stochastic susceptible-exposed-infected-recovered agent-based model to predict early stage of a disease epidemic among international participants in the annual Hajj or pilgrimage to Makkah (also called Mecca). The epidemic model is used to explore several scenarios with initial reproduction number R0 range from 1.3 to 1.7, and various initial proportions of infections range from 0.5% to 1% of total arriving pilgrims. Following an epidemic with one infectious per flight, the model results predict an average of 30% infectious and 20% exposed individuals in Makkah by the end of the arrival period. The proposed model can be used to assess various intervention measures during the arrival of international participants to control potential epidemics in different global mass gatherings.
An Economic Evaluation of an Alternative Supplier Customer Quality Control System

In the recent literature much attention has been given to the establishment of a “co-maker” relationship between the customer and the manufacturer (supplier) of a commodity. Under a co-maker relationship, the supplier is viewed as an “upstream extension of the customer’s process” [1]. Although much has been written about certain aspects of co-maker relationships, little research has been done to investigate and evaluate their economic impact. In this research, an analysis is made of the potential economic benefits of a co-maker relationship relative to quality control efforts. The total quality control costs under the traditional supplier-customer relationship are compared to the total quality control costs under a co-maker relationship.
Autocorrelation in Behavioral Research

Every now and then a mathematical solution to a general data analytic problem becomes available to researchers working in diverse fields. These solutions are often initially developed by mathematical statisticans and subsequently presented to research workers by methodologists who recognize the apparent usefulness of such procedures to specific content areas. This is the case with time-series intervention models that were initially presented by Box and Tiao (1965). Their classic paper has been followed by many extensions and simplified treatments of the essential ideas associated with these models and methods of analysis.
Programming as a Goal-Oriented Activity

Consider the following problem. Write a program that, given fixed integers x and y, sets z to the maximum of x and y. (Throughout, we use the convention that variables called “fixed” should not be changed by execution of the program. See section 6.3.) Thus, a command S is desired that satisfies $$ \left\{ T \right\} S \left\{ {R:z = \max \left( {x,y} \right)} \right\}. $$ (14.1)
Relationship of Structure and Function to Biochemistry in Insect Pheromone Systems

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the relationship of structure and function to biochemistry in insect pheromone systems. It presents molecular studies in pheromone biosynthesis, perception, and catabolism. A wide range of compounds have been identified as insect pheromone components. While carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are the usual atoms incorporated into these molecules, nitrogenated and chlorinated compounds have also been identified. Usually, small molecules are used for communication when rapid dispersal of the signal is needed, while larger, less volatile compounds tend to function in attraction and stimulation when prolonged exposure is necessary. The former case is exemplified by 4-methyl-3-heptanone, used by numerous species of myrmicine ants as an alarm pheromone. The latter is illustrated by numerous lepidopteran sex pheromone components that are generally between 10 and 24 carbons in length and are much less volatile than the alarm pheromone. In addition to the different molecular sizes that reflect behavioral functions, pheromone structures vary greatly between different orders of insects. Generic themes of structural type exist within groups as is evidenced by the use of the same or structurally related compounds by many species of the same genus. These themes are the result of the development of common biosynthetic pathways with differences in blend ratios and components being the result of minor permutations in the enzymatic steps involved.
High Energy Spectroscopies

In the past ten years the so-called high energy spectroscopies have had a major impact on the understanding of the electronic structure of narrow-band systems. These spectroscopies have been used to determine the occupations, valence states and spectral weight distributions of the narrow band electronic states in question, 3d for transition metals, 4f for rare earths, or 5f for actinides. It is found that the spectra show systematic differences from the results of solid state local density functional calculations and thereby reveal the presence of the large Coulomb interactions in these systems. For pure transition metals1,2 and some metallic transition metal compounds,2,3 the spectra have been modeled with some success by the Hubbard Hamiltonian. For the rare earths4 and certain insulating transition metal compounds,2,5–11 the spectra can be described quite well by the impurity Anderson Hamiltonian, and if the Hamiltonian parameters thus obtained are used to evaluate quantities of significance for the low energy properties of the system, such as characteristic energies for loss of magnetic moments,4 or for magnetic ordering9, the results are in reasonable agreement with the values obtained directly from low energy experiments.
Chapter II.1.3 – Cells and Surfaces in vitro

Abstract Cell culture is used to study physiology and diseases, and to test chemicals, medicines and medical products. Science has progressed from basic in vitro techniques beyond the initial culture of cells on glass or plastic dishes. To better understand cell behavior, in cell culture, chemistry, topography, and elasticity of the culture surface may be altered, or mechanical forces may be applied to cells. Advances in cell culture have contributed to progress in the field of tissue engineering and in developing new three-dimensional (3D) culture systems such as organ-on-a-chip. These advances offer new opportunities to study and recreate cell–cell interactions required to generate functional tissues in vitro for studying disease, testing drugs and to further advance personalized medicine. In this chapter, a basic understanding of in vitro principles and techniques employed to manipulate the in vitro environment are discussed.
Marginal distribution test for checking proportional hazards model assumption

Abstract Let Z be the covariate vector and Y be the response variable with the joint cumulative distribution function F Y , Z . Given a random sample from F Y , Z , in order to analyze the data based on a certain proportional hazards (PH) model, say Θ 0 , one needs to test the null hypothesis H 0 : F Y , Z ∈ Θ 0 first. The existing tests to achieve this task make use of the residuals and are invalid in certain situations, such as when F Y , Z is not from any PH model. To overcome this disadvantage, we propose a valid model checking test of H 0 . It is based on the weighted average of the difference between two estimators of the marginal distribution of the response variable: its non-parametric maximum likelihood estimator and its estimator under Θ 0 . This test is called the marginal distribution (MD) test. We give the theoretical justification of the MD test. The simulation study suggests that the MD test is always valid, whereas the existing tests may be invalid and they are often unlikely to reject the wrong PH model assumption when they are not valid.
Scaling Acoustic Filters Towards 5G

This paper presents a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) filter at 10.8 GHz as the first step of scaling electromechanical filters towards fifth-generation (5G) frequencies beyond 6 GHz. The scaling of the center frequency to 10. 8 GHz is made possible by resorting to a higher order asymmetrical lamb wave mode (A3) in lithium niobate (LiNbO 3 ) MEMS resonators. The filter is then constructed using A3 resonator arrays in a ladder configuration. The fabricated resonator has demonstrated an electromechanical coupling $(k_{t}^{\ 2})$ of 3.6% and a quality factor ( $Q$ ) of 337. The $Q$ is among the highest reported for piezoelectric MEMS resonators operating at this frequency range. The fabricated filter at 10.8 GHz has a 3 dB bandwidth of 70 MHz, a minimum insertion loss of 3.7 dB, an in-band ripple less than 0.1 dB, and a compact footprint of $0.7\times 0.5\ \text{mm}^{2}$ .
Automated electronic discharge summary for patients undergoing acute scrotal exploration: does it improve accuracy and quality?

Summary Background The acute scrotum is a common emergency presentation, and the priority is to exclude testicular torsion, which typically requires scrotal exploration. The accuracy of electronic discharge summaries (EDSs) for patients undergoing acute scrotal exploration has previously been shown to be poor. Objective The objective of this study was to assess accuracy of EDS in patients undergoing acute scrotal exploration in a tertiary paediatric hospital. This study aimed to determine if a new EDS system, whereby the operative procedure is automatically transcribed into the EDS, improves the information within the EDS. Methods Retrospective review of the EDS for all patients undergoing acute scrotal exploration between 1st April 2014 and 31st March 2016 was carried out. During this period, a new EDS system, whereby the operative procedure is automatically transcribed to the EDS, was introduced on 20th June 2015. The old system (1st April 2014 to 19th June 2015) was compared with the new system (20th August 2015 to 31st March 2016). Results A total of 181 patients were included. A diagnosis was not documented in 25 (14%) and was inconsistent with the operation notes in 56 (31%). An operative procedure was not documented at all in 13 (7%) and was inconsistent with the operation notes in 43 (24%). The laterality of pain was not documented and/or incorrect in 11 (6%). The new system in which the operative procedure is automatically transcribed to the EDS resulted in an improvement of diagnoses (78% vs 96%; p = 0.0022; old vs new) and procedures (95% vs 100%; p = 0.0218; old vs new) being documented but not the accuracy. Conclusion The EDS prepared for patients undergoing acute scrotal exploration frequently exhibit inaccuracies; a system that automatically transcribes the operative procedure into the EDS results in modest improvement. Table 1 . Quality of the EDS in the old and new system. Aspect of EDS being assessed Old % (n) New %(n) P-value Diagnosis not documented 19 (22) 7 (4) 0.0022 Diagnosis incorrect 30 (34) 32 (17) 0.6625 Procedure not documented 5 (6) 0 (0) 0.0218 Procedure incorrect 24 (27) 10 (5) 0.349 Findings not documented 28 (32) 26 (14) 0.656 Findings incorrect 5 (6) 2 (1) 0.1687 Laterality not documented/incorrect 4 (5) 7 (4) 0.1258
Improved Device Physics for Calculating the Gain of Bipolar Structures in Silicon

A model which is more physically correct than the extension of the empirical procedures of Slotboom and de Graaff for donor densities above 2.5 x 1019 cm-3 has been developed for the effective intrinsic carrier concentration nie in n-type silicon. This new approach, which is based upon quantum mechanics and optical measurements for the bandgap, has been applied to an npn transistor with a 1-μm emitter-base junction depth and with donor densities greater than 1020 cm-3. Conventional device physics with even unrealistic carrier lifetimes does not predict correctly the measured dc common emitter gain. The approach described here with carrier lifetime comparable to those expected in processed silicon (~ 0.1 μs does predict the gain correctly.
Alternatively Activated Macrophages Are the Primary Retinoic Acid-Producing Cells in Human Decidua

In situ production and metabolism of all-trans retinoic acid (RA) in decidual tissue are critically important for endometrial stromal differentiation, embryo implantation, and healthy placentation. However, the cellular source(s) of RA in this tissue has yet to be determined. To identify the primary RA-producing cells in human term decidua, we isolated cells from decidua basalis of delivered placenta and quantified cellular retinal dehydrogenase (RALDH) activity, a major biosynthetic enzyme whose activity determines the synthesis of RA from retinol, using an Aldefluor assay and flow cytometry. RA production in decidual tissue and sorted cell subpopulations was evaluated by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. CD14+ cells (macrophages/monocytes) showed > 4-fold higher RALDH activity than stromal cells (CD10+), T cells (CD3+), or non-T lymphocytes (CD3-negative). CD11c+ cells that did not co-express CD14 showed about one-third the RALDH activity of their CD14 co-expressing counterparts. The highest RALDH activity was found in “alternatively activated” M2 macrophages delineated by the simultaneous expression of CD14 and CD163. The greater RA synthesizing capacity of M2 versus CD14+CD163-ve (M1) cells was confirmed by direct quantitation of RA biosynthesis from retinol. RA levels in whole decidua were correlated with M2 cell density but not with stromal cell (CD10+) number, the major cell type comprising the decidua. These results identified M2 monocyte/macrophages as the primary source of RA in human term decidua. This finding may have implications for certain pregnancy complications that are known to be associated with reduced numbers of decidual M2 cells.
With a little help from our friends: private fundraising and public schools in Philadelphia

In this paper, we study fundraising efforts for traditional public schools in Philadelphia by neighborhood-based ‘friends’ groups that have incorporated as independent 501(c)(3)s to support individ...
Learning to Differentiate Between Main-articles and Sub-articles in Wikipedia

Current Wikipedia editing approaches typically summarize a named entity by one main-article supplemented by multiple sub-articles describing various aspects and subtopics of the entity. Such separation of articles aims at improving the curation of content-rich Wikipedia entities. However, a wide range of Wikipedia-based technologies critically rely on the article-as-concept assumption, which requires a one-to-one mapping between entities (or concepts) and the articles that describe these entities. Thus, the current editing approaches sow confusion and ambiguity to knowledge representation, and cause problems to a wide-range of downstream technologies. In this paper, we present an approach that resolves these problems by differentiating the main-article from the sub-articles that are not at the core of entity representations. We propose a hybrid neural article model that learns on two facets of a Wikipedia article: (i) Two neural document encoders capture the latent semantic features from the article title and text contents. (ii) A set of explicit features measure and characterize the symbolic and structural aspects of each article. In this study, we use crowdsourcing to create a large annotated dataset for feature extraction, and for evaluating a variety of encoding techniques and learning structures. The optimized model so derived identifies main articles with near-perfect precision and recall, and outperforms various baselines on the contributed dataset.
Everyone's a Winner: The Initiation and Effectiveness of an Intracollegiate Sales Competition.

Job opportunities in the field of professional sales are fast growing, with sales organizations striving to hire sales students who are prepared to embark on a sales career. Unfortunately, universi...
Selective effects of protein 4.1N deficiency on neuroendocrine and reproductive systems

Protein 4.1N, a member of the protein 4.1 family, is highly expressed in the brain. But its function remains to be fully defined. Using 4.1N−/− mice, we explored the function of 4.1N in vivo. We show that 4.1N−/− mice were born at a significantly reduced Mendelian ratio and exhibited high mortality between 3 to 5 weeks of age. Live 4.1N−/− mice were smaller than 4.1N+/+ mice. Notably, while there were no significant differences in organ/body weight ratio for most of the organs, the testis/body and ovary/body ratio were dramatically decreased in 4.1N−/− mice, demonstrating selective effects of 4.1N deficiency on the development of the reproductive systems. Histopathology of the reproductive organs showed atrophy of both testis and ovary. Specifically, in the testis there is a lack of spermatogenesis, lack of leydig cells and lack of mature sperm. Similarly, in the ovary there is a lack of follicular development and lack of corpora lutea formation, as well as lack of secretory changes in the endometrium. Examination of pituitary glands revealed that the secretory granules were significantly decreased in pituitary glands of 4.1N−/− compared to 4.1N+/+. Moreover, while GnRH was expressed in both neuronal cell body and axons in the hypothalamus of 4.1N+/+ mice, it was only expressed in the cell body but not the axons of 4.1N-/- mice. Our findings uncover a novel role for 4.1N in the axis of hypothalamus-pituitary gland-reproductive system.
Need Support and Regulatory Focus in Responding to COVID-19

Prevention focus is a self-regulatory orientation that serves the need for security, and promotion focus is a self-regulatory orientation that serves the need for growth From mid-March to early April 2020, did people judge prevention focus to be more useful than promotion focus for responding to COVID-19? Our study tested and showed support for this hypothesis with 401 American and Canadian participants, who we sampled in 100-person waves on the first 4 Thursdays of the pandemic For this study, we developed a new measure of the judged usefulness of promotion and prevention focus Additionally, results showed that the judged usefulness of promotion and prevention focus related positively to support of the psychological needs for autonomy and relatedness, respectively, in responding to COVID-19 Exploratory analyses showed that day-to-day differences in autonomy, competence, and relatedness support and in promotion and prevention focus tended to be small, which is notable given the large-scale changes to social distancing, employment, and media coverage of the virus during this time Our research could be useful for crafting persuasive advocacy and narrative communications that encourage social distancing to protect others about whom people care most © Copyright © 2020 Vaughn, Garvey and Chalachan
Research on the Engineering Application Feasibility of Combined Large Capacity Wall Bushing

The traditional UHVDC wall bushing is an Integral structure, and the insulation structure is made of epoxy capacitive core as main insulation and SF6 as auxiliary insulation, or pure gas structure with voltage equalizing electrode. Whatever the structure is, there are many problems such as difficult manufacture, inconvenient installation and poor seismic performance after capacity increase. In this paper, a kind of combined large capacity wall bushing structure is proposed, the new structure consists of indoor bushing, outdoor bushing and wall-through component. The wall-through component is installed on the ground, which can significantly improve the seismic performance and reduce the steel structure requirements of the valve hall. In the meantime, it has the advantages of convenient transportation and installation, high manufacture quality, simple maintenance, short delivery cycle, etc. Based on this, the production feasibility, technical economy and operation reliability of the new wall bushing are evaluated, and the key problems to be solved in the engineering application are studied, including the match of valve hall design, the selection of indoor/outdoor bushing external insulation, the connection of current carrying conductors for each part, the design and optimization of insulation structure, the performance index and test and assessment method of the combined wall bushing. The research results can guide the design and development of new wall bushing, which is of great significance to promote the technical progress and engineering application of it.
Examining Racial Differences in the Informal Discussion of Advance Care Planning Among Older Adults: Application of the Andersen Model of Health Care Utilization.

Objectives:The purpose of this study was to examine racial differences in the discussion of advance care planning among older adults using Andersen’s behavioral model of health care utilization.Met...
An integrative study of genetic variants with brain tissue expression identifies viral etiology and potential drug targets of multiple sclerosis

Abstract Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neuroinflammatory disorder leading to chronic disability. Brain lesions in MS commonly arise in normal-appearing white matter (NAWM). Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified genetic variants associated with MS. Transcriptome alterations have been observed in case-control studies of NAWM. We developed a Cross-Dataset Evaluation (CDE) function for our network-based tool, Edge-Weighted Dense Module Search of GWAS (EW_dmGWAS). We applied CDE to integrate publicly available MS GWAS summary statistics of 41,505 cases and controls with collectively 38 NAWM expression samples, using the human protein interactome as the reference network, to investigate biological underpinnings of MS etiology. We validated the resulting modules with colocalization of GWAS and expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) signals, using GTEx Consortium expression data for MS-relevant tissues: 14 brain tissues and 4 immune-related tissues. Other network assessments included a drug target query and functional gene set enrichment analysis. CDE prioritized a MS NAWM network containing 55 unique genes. The gene list was enriched (p-value = 2.34 × 10−7) with GWAS-eQTL colocalized genes: CDK4, IFITM3, MAPK1, MAPK3, METTL12B and PIK3R2. The resultant network also included drug signatures of FDA-approved medications. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed the top functional term “intracellular transport of virus”, among other viral pathways. We prioritize critical genes from the resultant network: CDK4, IFITM3, MAPK1, MAPK3, METTL12B and PIK3R2. Enriched drug signatures suggest potential drug targets and drug repositioning strategies for MS. Finally, we propose mechanisms of potential MS viral onset, based on prioritized gene set and functional enrichment analysis.
Co-occurring attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and anxiety disorders differentially affect males and females with autism.

Objective To examine overlap and divergence of symptomatology in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with and without co-occurring Attention/Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and/or Anxiety Disorder by age and sex. Method Participants included 25,078 individuals registered in the SPARK cohort, age 6-18 years. SPARK participation includes online consent and registration, as well as parent-reported ASD, ADHD, and Anxiety Disorder diagnoses, developmental, medical, and intervention history, and standardized rating scales. Individuals with ASD, ASD + ADHD, ASD + Anxiety, or ASD + ADHD + Anxiety were compared on measures assessing social communication, restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs), and motor functioning, and differences between male and female profiles were examined. Results Significant differences in symptom presentation between females/males, school-age/adolescent individuals, and by co-occurring conditions (ASD/ADHD/Anxiety) are apparent, and the impact of co-occurring conditions differed by age and sex. Most notably, school-age femaleswith ASD without co-occurring conditions present with significantly fewer concerns about social communication skills and have better motor skills, but have more prominent RRBs as compared to same-aged males with ASD alone; co-occurring conditions were associated with increased social communication problems and motor concerns, most consistently for school-age females. Conclusions School-age females with ASD are at highest risk for underestimation of autism-related symptoms, including underestimation of symptoms beyond core ASD features (motor skills). Further, across ages, particular consideration should be given when probing for social communication symptoms, RRBs, and motor skills in females with ASD alone, as well as with co-occurring ADHD and/or Anxiety. For females with co-occurring symptoms and conditions, use of symptom-specific measures in lieu of omnibus measures should be considered.
Let's Talk About Mental Health: Quelling the Stigma and Paving the Road to Recovery

This Article explores a compelling issue: the on-going trend of mistreatment of mentally ill prisoners nationwide. Properly addressing the needs of this segment of the population can help contribute to a reduction in mass incarceration. In response to such systemic inequities, many states have implemented Mental Health Courts as a diversionary program for inmates who have committed minor offenses as a result of their illness. Crafting a solution to the alarming trend of inappropriately sentencing mentally ill defendants requires a seven-step approach. This article contends that all states should implement cognitive behavioral and group therapy programs in their departments of corrections facilities, as well as train law enforcement and prison personnel on interacting with mentally ill individuals. This Article also advocates for states to adopt a more meticulous inmate screening process; establish a group to supervise mentally ill inmates; and facilitate data sharing between prosecutors’ offices, medical personnel, and prison staff. Additionally, this article proposes establishing a Mental Health Treatment Center at state prisons modeled off of the Cook County Prison System, creating aftercare programs for inmates upon release, and expanding access to mental health courts.
Dental care utilization in Massachusetts before and after initiation of medication for opioid use disorder: A cross-sectional study of a state all-payer claims database.

Background Individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) are at higher risk of poor oral health. Medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) has been shown to improve outcomes for patients with OUD, but it is unknown how initiation of MOUD affects access to oral health services. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of all individuals in the Massachusetts All-Payer Claims Database prescribed oral buprenorphine-naloxone or injectable naltrexone from 2013 to 2016. We evaluated dental utilization in the year before and after beginning MOUD. A logistic regression predicting dental utilization was conducted. Results Among the 54,791 individuals, rates of dental utilization were low both before and after MOUD (10.5% and 10% with a dental visit, respectively). Of those who did not have a dental visit in the year before starting MOUD, 95.1% did not have a dental visit in the year after. Rates of various procedure types were comparable before and after MOUD. In a logistic regression, a prior dental visit was associated with 9.82 times the odds (95% CI 9.14-10.55) of having a dental visit after starting MOUD; increasing age, being prescribed naltrexone, having a mood disorder or HIV, year of initiation or being on Medicaid were also associated with having a dental visit. Male patients and those with Medicare or private insurance were less likely to have a dental visit. Conclusions Initiating MOUD did not substantially result in increased dental access or substantial changes in dental procedures received. Patients receiving treatment for OUD may require additional support to access dental care.
Genomic Manipulation of Plant Materials for Adventitious Rooting Research

Knowledge of internal controls on adventitious root formation is necessary to understand both the fundamental developmental biology of rooting and to improve rooting for commercial purposes (Haissig et al., 1992). Yet, the array of physiological and biochemical processes involved in rooting is so large (Davis et al., 1988) that controls—i.e, factors that regulate rooting at will and without exception (Haissig et al., 1992)—have been difficult to identify. Such complexity suggests that studies designed to test single-factor hypotheses require more highly refined reductionist experimental approaches than are currently employed. One possible methodology involves contrasts between experimental plant genotypes or populations that do and do not consistently initiate roots when subjected to an experimental protocol [Haissig et al. (1992); see the chapter by Ernst in this volume]. Contrasting genotypes permit the comparison of putative single-factor controls in both the on (rooting) and off (non-rooting) condition without the need for traumatic experimental treatments that may have manifold side-effects. Unfortunately, suitable plant materials are not generally available, which limits genetic studies of rooting in many important species, especially woody plants.
Immigrant Students in California Public Schools: A Summary of Current Knowledge

This research report summarizes current knowledge about immigrant students in California public schools. First, the most recent available evidence concerning the size, ethnic composition, and other characteristics of fluent-English-proficient (FEP) and limited-English-proficient (LEP) language minority students enrolled statewide is reviewed. Data from the Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation's second largest, and from a recent statewide survey of immigrant students are presented, and comparative indicators of the educational performance of immigrant students in San Diego high schools (including dropout rates, grade point averages, achievement test scores, and educational aspirations) are examined. Finally, findings of four recent case studies of the adjustment of selected immigrant and refugee groups are discussed. The evidence suggests that most of these youths are making rapid and positive adjustment, often outperforming even native-born majority-group high school students in such areas as grades and graduation rates. The case studies focus on four diverse groups of immigrant students: Southeast Asians, Central Americans, Punjabis, and Mexicans.
Near‐Infrared Microspectroscopy

Microscopic near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy can provide low-level matrix information on the composition and distribution of ingredients within an intact pharmaceutical blend or tablet. NIR spectral data can be collected either by point-by-point spectral acquisitions (point mapping) or by global illumination of the sample (global imaging) and by image collection at individual wavelengths. On combination, these wavelength images create a hyperspectral data cube, whereby following a defined pixel through the data cube gives rise to an NIR spectrum. Therefore, both techniques provide similar information with both the spectral and spatial characteristics of the sample obtained. Microscopic NIR has potential applications for pharmaceutical analysis, although there are on-going discussions about appropriate analysis conditions and the actual contributing volume to a single spectrum. The latter obviously impacts spectral interpretation, and as such a wide range of analysis tools are used to obtain a chemical image. Using microscopic NIR, four different pharmaceutical issues have been examined, from pretabletting blends through final dosage forms. By use of multivariate and image analysis methods it has been possible to extract useful chemical information and create ‘visual’ images of the sample. These images provide information on the size, shape, and distribution of each component within the formulation. This information has been utilized in studies of flow issues, tablet sticking and chipping during manufacture, and understanding moisture uptake in dosage forms. Microscopic NIR has been used to improve knowledge and understanding of pharmaceutical processes and potentially, with increased acquisition and processing time, could be used to control pharmaceutical production. Keywords: near-infrared; chemical images; microscopy; pharmaceutical process understanding
Neighborhood Associations in Japan and Their Democratic Potentialities

The Life and thoughts of every subject of the Emperor of Japan have been guided at every point by an incredibly meticulous officialdom. Accepted as a truism in Occidental discussions, this miracle has escaped critical analysis. That aspect of Japanese governance which through sumptuary laws and minatory regulations grinds so exceedingly small that everything in the life of the individual conforms to authoritative patterns merits detailed analysis.During the war of 1941–1945, with a minimum transfer of effective authority to local governments, the Imperial Government was able so completely to control its subjects that the pull of a string in Tokyo produced a response from any one or all of the 73 million rippana nihonjin from Hokkaido to Kyushu. The degree to which the wartime controls of the Japanese Government were efficient and effective was due in part to the psychological homogeneity of the Japanese people. To no lesser extent was it due to the centralized nature of Japanese government, to those institutions and techniques peculiar to Japanese life which have tended to concentrate authority in the central government.
Resonator design for stimulated third sound amplification in 4He films

Abstract We propose a new resonator to detect the amplification of third sound waves due to stimulated condensation of normal vapor atoms into the superfluid film. We describe the phenomenon and present the conditions required for its achievement. Third sound amplification by stimulated condensation (TASC) is thus an extension of film growth at a fixed DC velocity to a situation involving a continuous AC energy transfer.