cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
a love that Doesn't last: PornoGraPhy ConsumPtIon anD weakeneD CommItment to one's romantIC Partner

We examined whether the consumption of pornography affects romantic relationships, with the expectation that higher levels of pornography consumption would correspond to weakened commitment in young adult romantic relationships. Study 1 (n = 367) found that higher pornography consumption was related to lower commitment, and Study 2 (n = 34) replicated this finding using observational data. Study 3 (n = 20) participants were randomly assigned to either refrain from viewing pornography or to a self-control task. Those who continued using pornography reported lower levels of commitment than control participants. In Study 4 (n = 67), participants consuming higher levels of pornography flirted more with an extradyadic partner during an online chat. Study 5 (n = 240) found that pornography consumption was positively related to infidelity and this association was mediated by commitment. Overall, a consistent pattern of results was found using a variety of approaches including cross-sectional (Study 1), observati...
Nitrogen further promotes a dominant salt marsh plant in an increasingly saline environment

Aims Human alterations of the environment are combining in unprecedented ways, making predictions of alterations to natural communities a difficult and pressing challenge. Estuarine systems have been subject to a high degree of modification, including increased nitrogen (N) inputs and altered salinity, factors important in shaping estuarine plant communities. As human populations increase and the climate changes, both N and salinity levels are likely to increase in these coastal marshes. Our objective was to evaluate the interactive effects of N and salinity on US West Coast salt marsh species; in particular, the performance of the dominant species Sarcocornia pacifica (pickleweed) alone and in mixed species assemblages. We expected increased salinity to favor S. pacifica but that N enrichment could help maintain greater species richness through use of N in salinity tolerance mechanisms. Methods We crossed treatments of N (added or not) and salinity (salt added or not) in a field experiment at a salt marsh in the San Francisco Estuary, California, USA, in each of three habitats: (i) monotypic pickleweed on the marsh plain, (ii) monotypic pickleweed along channels and (iii) mixed assemblages along channels. In a greenhouse experiment, we crossed treatments of N (added or not) and salinity (at three levels to simulate brackish to saline conditions) in (i) pots of pickleweed only and (ii) the same species mix as in the field. Important Findings NadditiondoubledS.pacificabiomassandbranchinginbothchannel and marsh plain habitats regardless of salinityand greatly increased its dominance over Distichlis spicata and Jaumea carnosa in mixed assemblages along channels. In the greenhouse, S. pacifica biomass increased 6- to 10-fold with N addition over the range of salinities, while D. spicata and J. carnosa biomass increased with N addition onlyat lower salinity levels. Thus, while localized management could influence outcomes, expected overall increases in both N and salinity with human population growth and climate change are likely to enhance the productionofS.pacificain USWest Coast marshes while reducing the diversity of mixed species assemblages. This decline in diversity may have implications for the resilience of marshes already subject to multiple stressors as the climate changes.
Vacuum Tubes as Power Oscillators

Chapter IV. The general method of designing any but the simplest of circuits is to draw a vector diagram and then calculate circuit constants that will give vectors of the proper lengths and directions. This method has been exemplified by designing a circuit in which the grid is tuned and contains the load. The plate circuit is magnetically coupled and is partially tuned to act as an harmonic by-pass. A numerical example of the method is given. Chapter V.-The criteria for double periodicity of two coupled circuits are first developed and it is shown that for a singly periodic circuit the secondary volt-amperes cannot exceed the primary. The maximum power which can be transferred to the secondary is limited by this requirement. A greater amount of energy can be transferred by a closer coupling, which results in making the circuit doubly periodic, and tuning the circuits individually to other than the desired frequency. High power will then be delivered on only one of the stable frequencies. The method of designing a circuit to deliver energy under such conditions is developed. Such a circuit always tends to oscillate at the frequency giving least load. It is shown that grid keying cannot be used without other modifications of the circuit.
Application of Optical Electronic Absorption Spectroscopy to Chemical Reactions in Melts

This chapter is an introduction to the ways in which absorption spectroscopy has been used to study chemical reactions in molten salts. The definitions and elementary phenomenological equations used in chemical spectroscopy are summarized. Examples of melts containing two light absorbing species are used to illustrate applications to spectroelectrochemistry and chemical equilibria. The Ni2+ ion is used as an example to show how absorption spectra are used to study the coordination geometry of transition metal ions in melts with emphasis on high temperatures.
BUTTERFLY COMMUNITIES IN RESIDENTIAL LANDSCAPES OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA

Abstract Abundance and habitat relationships of butterfly communities were examined at 15 sites divided into three different types of residential areas (n = 5 sites/type) in central Pennsylvania from May-September 1997. Seventeen species were noted at the 15 sites, with the two most abundant being non-native, cabbage whites (Pieris rapae, 69.2% of total) and orange sulfurs (Colias eurytheme, 10.0%). The most abundant native species was the monarch (Danaus plexippus, 7.5%). More butterfly species (n = 13 species) but a lower than expected number of individual butterflies of all species combined (P 30 years old) and native overstory trees than in the two other types of residential areas. Total species richness of butterflies was positively correlated with the number of homes per site (i.e., smaller lot size) (P < 0.05). On the other hand, the total number of butterflies of all species combined and the total number of cabbage whites were negativ...
Parents respond in sex-specific and dynamic ways to nestling ectoparasites

Nest ectoparasites can impose significant costs to altricial nestlings that are confined to the nest and dependent on parental care. These costs are often passed on to parents who may compensate for, or magnify, the direct costs of parasites on their nestlings through adjustments in parental care behaviour. If the effects of ectoparasites on nestlings vary across development, parents would be expected to dynamically adjust their behaviour across time with the possibility that males and females may vary in their responses. Currently, we lack a complete understanding of the potential sex differences and variation in parental care behaviour across the nestling period as a function of offspring parasite infection. Our experimental study compared disinfected and parasitized treatment groups to examine how northern fowl mites, Ornithonyssus sylviarum, in nests of the North American barn swallow, Hirundo rustica erythrogaster, affect parental care behaviour. Specifically, we addressed how provisioning rates and nest attendance behaviours (time spent at the nest) changed in response to ectoparasite infection early (day 7) and late (day 13) in the nestling period, and between male and female parents. Early in the nestling period, female provisioning rates were lower for parasitized nests than for disinfected nests whereas male provisioning rates did not differ between treatments. However, males of parasitized nests showed higher nest attendance whereas females did not alter their attendance of nestlings as a function of the parasite manipulation. Later in the nestling period, parental care behaviours changed dramatically. Male provisioning rates were higher for parasitized nests than for disinfected nests whereas female provisioning rates did not differ between treatments. Both males and females showed greater nest attendance for parasitized nests compared to disinfected nests on day 13. These findings suggest that parasites do affect provisioning and nest attendance behaviours: parental care responses differ between males and females, and are dynamic across the nestling developmental period.
Harmonizing Trade Practices in the EU: Sweet Sounds and Sour Notes for European Consumers

There is a longstanding debate in the development of consumer policy: whether consumers are better served by regulatory measures that prohibit unwanted marketing practices outright, or by measures that facilitate informed decision making and more efficient consumer markets, letting consumers decide what is best for them. Market-enhancing laws are designed to help consumers make better informed decisions, resulting in more efficient market transactions. A more interventionist approach prohibits contract terms and selling practices that regulators deem unfair and therefore prohibited in all consumer transactions. Although the EU had taken an interventionist approach in other directives, most notably the Directive on Unfair Contract Terms in 1993, the more recent consumer initiative, the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, is primarily a market-regulating measure designed to foster informed choices. Whether the Directive is good or bad for businesses and consumers remains to be seen, a subject addressed in depth by Geraint Howells of the United Kingdom, Hans W. Micklitz of Germany, and Thomas Wilhelmsson of Finland in their extensively researched book, European Fair Trading Law: The Unfair Commercial Practices Directive. This paper is a review of the book and the Directive.
The necessity of correct patient preparation instructions prior to arrival at the nuclear medicine department

2107 Objectives Patients undergoing nuclear medicine tests often claim to be ill-informed as to the test9s length, preparations, and purpose prior to arriving to the nuclear medicine department. This lack of information can cause the patient to become anxious, upset, or even refuse to have the test performed. This study was designed to assess how much information patients have received about their nuclear medicine scan prior to arrival, and if that information provided is correct. Methods Patients of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center were asked if they had been informed of important details of their exam prior to their arrival at the nuclear medicine department. These important details included the approximate length of their nuclear medicine examination, as well as the necessary instructions for preparation prior to the exam, an explanation of the purpose of the study, and how they received this information. I noted if they were inpatients or outpatients, and also noted which nuclear medicine examination they were receiving. Results The results show a discrepancy of patient knowledge according to the type of nuclear medicine examination they received. Generally, studies that were complex, had strict preparations, and involved more than one department were well educated. On the contrary, patients receiving simple tests with minimal preparations were much less aware of the test’s purpose/length/protocol. These patients demonstrated much less knowledge of the important details of the exam, and were not adequately informed prior to their arrival at the nuclear medicine department. Conclusions These results suggest that patient education prior to the nuclear medicine department could be improved, particularly in the area of length, purpose, preparations, and protocol. The results show that while some patients are adequately informed of the important details of the nuclear medicine examination, others are not properly informed
Pharmacodynamics of Oral E2020 and Tacrine in Humans: Novel Approaches

The dramatic improvement of Alzheimer patients during tacrine administration reported by Summers et al (1986) has renewed interest in a different type of centrally-active acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor. Tacrine (or l,2,3,4-tetrahydro-9-aminoacridine, THA) acts by reversible binding to the hydrophobic region of AChE (the “γ-anionic site”) to allosterically modulate catalytic activity (Marquis, 1990). This mechanism stands in marked contrast to that of the carbamate [e.g., physostigmine (PHYSO)] and organophosphate inhibitors which are cleaved by AChE, resulting in covalent modification of the enzyme. Carbamylation of the active site accounts for the majority of the AChE inhibition achieved in vivo after PHYSO (Groff et al., 1977). Such inhibition is non-competitive with acetylcholine (ACh) and is not reversed by dilution of tissue; thus, it can readily be quantified by ex vivo assay. The action of PHYSO is transient, however, due both to its rapid metabolism and the relatively rapid rate of decarbamylation which regenerates AChE. Hence, PHYSO has been described as a “reversible” inhibitor. However, this clouds recognition of the unique properties of THA, galanthamine and several new drugs developed as putative therapies for Alzheimer dementia, such as the piperidine E2020 (see Rogers et al., this volume). Inhibition of AChE after systemic administration of such compounds is predictably diminished with dilution of tissue for homogenization and addition of substrate for ex vivo assays, resulting in underestimation of their in vivo potency (Sherman and Messamore, 1988, 1989; Sherman et al., 1991).
Epithelial transport in inflammatory bowel diseases

The epithelium of the gastrointestinal tract is one of the most versatile tissues in the organism, responsible for providing a tight barrier between dietary and bacterial antigens and the mucosal and systemic immune system while maintaining efficient digestive and absorptive processes to ensure adequate nutrient and energy supply. Inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) are associated with a breakdown of both functions, which in some cases are clearly interrelated. In this updated literature review, we focus on the effects of intestinal inflammation and the associated immune mediators on selected aspects of the transepithelial transport of macronutrients and micronutrients. The mechanisms responsible for nutritional deficiencies are not always clear and could be related to decreased intake, malabsorption, and excess losses. We summarize the known causes of nutrient deficiencies and the mechanism of inflammatory bowel disease-associated diarrhea. We also overview the consequences of impaired epithelial transport, which infrequently transcend its primary purpose to affect the gut microbial ecology and epithelial integrity. Although some of those regulatory mechanisms are relatively well established, more work needs to be done to determine how inflammatory cytokines can alter the transport process of nutrients across the gastrointestinal and renal epithelia.
Fertility and Embryo Survival After Administration of Melengestrol Acetate in Rabbits

SummaryFertility of vaginal inseminations in rabbits treated with melengestrol acetate (MGA) was significantly improved when phenobarbital was administered at MGA withdrawal. Oxytocin administration after vaginal insemination in MGA-treated rabbits resulted in partial restoration of normal fertility. Ova transferred from superovulated donors to synchronous MGA-treated recipients failed to survive, but ova transferred to MGA-treated recipients in which pseudopregnancy was one day advanced in relation to the donors resulted in normal pregnancy.
Teaching Quality across School Settings.

ABSTRACTDistricts are increasingly making personnel decisions based on teachers’ impact on student-achievement gains and classroom observations. In some schools, however, a teacher’s practices and their students’ achievement may reflect not just individual but collaborative efforts. In other settings, teachers’ instruction benefits less from the insights and support of their colleagues. This article analyzes multiple measures of teacher and teaching quality for 24 language arts teachers in New York City who teach in different types of school environments. Teachers in different value-added quartiles were observed and scored using two protocols, PLATO and CLASS. Schools were categorized as more and less functional using Department of Education environment grades. To compare the practices of higher and lower value-added teachers in more and less functional schools, we conduct MANOVAs of observation scores and use qualitative coding of field notes. We find value-added measures and observation protocols provid...
Usage-Based Theory of Language and Usage-Based Instruction

The goal of this article is to describe Usage-Based Instruction UBI, an innovative approach to teaching interpersonal communication in foreign languages. The UBI was inspired by Usage-Based view of language shared by such disciplines as Cognitive Linguistics, Cognitive Psychology, Construction Grammar, Usage-Based Grammar, and Artificial Intelligence. This approach has been used for a number of years by the Foreign Language Program at a small private Mid-Western university in teaching students to orally communicate in foreign languages in beginning foreign language courses. Students taught by the UBI demonstrate better performance, higher fluency, better accuracy and greater language gain than students taught by a more conventional, textbook-approach. In addition to this, they are more engaged in the learning process and consequently are more motivated to continue foreign language study.
Communication and Control for Reanimating Paralyzed Limbs via a Network of Wireless Micro-Implants

Functional reanimation of a paralyzed limb requires stimulation and sensing in multiple sites distributed throughout the limb. This paper describes a communication and control system for BION2™, a biomimetic system based on wireless, injectable neuromuscular implants that can detect the user’s intention, activate muscles and monitor the ensuing movements to support distributed feedback control with delays comparable to those achieved by the spinal cord. Various design features optimize the safety and efficacy of a system that must be reconfigurable to achieve many different clinical requirements despite highly constrained power and bandwidth.
Monte Carlo Methods

This chapter presents the Monte Carlo methods based on the stochastic (probabilistic) approach to the inversion. The advantage of the Monte Carlo-type methods is that they can be applied for solving the global minimization problem for the misfit functional with multiple local minima. We will discuss both the basic stochastic methods based on extensive random search in the space of the model parameters and the advanced global optimization algorithms. These methods include the classical Monte Carlo methods, as well as the simulated annealing and genetic algorithms.
A Review of Osteoporosis in the Older Adult

Osteoporosis in the elderly population is common. It results in more than 1.5 million fractures per year in the United States. The goal of managing osteoporosis is to prevent fractures. In men, osteoporosis is underrecognized and undertreated. More men than women die every year as a consequence of hip fractures. A review of diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis is described in this article. Bisphosphonates are the first-line treatment for men and women. In the past several years, advances in bone biology have resulted in major therapeutic advances.
Hip Dislocation (Native)

Various common injuries in the pelvis and lower extremity are investigated in this chapter. Significant attention is paid not only to proper diagnostic examination and imaging, but also to optimal nonoperative and operative treatment options to manage these conditions.
Supporting Spatial Skill Learning with Gesture-Based Embodied Design

Prior research has shown that spatial abilities are crucial for STEM achievement and attainment. The connection between the digital and physical worlds provided by embodied interaction has been shown to enhance performance and engagement in educational contexts. Spatial reasoning is a domain that lends itself naturally to embodied, physical interaction; however, there is little understanding of how embodied interaction could be incorporated into educational technology designed to train spatial reasoning skills. We propose several guidelines for gestural interaction design in spatial reasoning education games based on an empirical study with students at a local afterschool program using a custom-built computer game for training spatial skills. We present a series of gesture sets derived from an iterative design approach that are easy for children to acquire, show sufficient congruency to specific spatial operations, and enable robust recognition from the system. We also compared children's behaviors when playing the game with our gestural interface and a traditional mouse-based interface and found that children take more time but fewer steps to complete game levels when using gestures.
An Achievable Rate Region for Cooperative Multiple Access Channel.

An achievable rate region for a 3-node cooperative multiple access channel (CMAC) is presented in this paper. A CMAC contains multiple users cooperatively transmitting information to a single destination node. It includes the traditional multiple access channel that assumes no communication between source nodes, and multiple input single output (MISO) system that contains ideal links between source nodes, as special cases. The achievable rate regions for both general CMAC and degraded Gaussian CMAC are derived with the assistance of a block Markov encoding scheme. The impacts of cooperation strategies between source nodes on node transmission rates are investigated by modeling node cooperation as a strategic game, and the Nash equilibrium of cooperation strategy for degraded Gaussian CMAC is identified.
Neurochemical control of Arbacia sperm motility.

Abstract Spermatozoa appear to function as multi-subunit, single cell, excitable systems at least partially under acetylcholinesterase control. The motility of Arbacia sperm systematically exposed to a variety of agents which influence acetylcholine metabolism or cell membrane stability changed in a dose-dependent manner. Acetylcholine by itself had only minimal effects, but evoked a dramatic response when administered in the presence of dimethyl sulfoxide. Twenty mM DMSO, alone, did not alter the sperm swimming speed but at this concentration it potentiates acetylcholine action which now nearly doubles the initial rate of motility. Subsequent return to control rate follows hydrolysis of the acetylcholine or desensitization of the acetylcholine receptors. Hemicholinium depresses sperm motility at all concentrations above 100 μM. Exposure to procaine at first excites the cells to more than double the control swimming speed at 1 mM; 10 mM procaine decelerates the sperm to 50% of the control rate. Subsequently complete stoppage occurs at these concentrations, presumably by stabilization of the cell membrane. Strychnine speeds the cells by 50% at 10μM and slows them by 50% at 5 mM; curare also increases and decreases motility, but only by about 20%.
Serotonergic antidepressants in COPD: beneficial or harmful?

Antidepressants are associated with elevated risk of hospitalisation and mortality. This underscores that the importance of having a collaborative care and patient-centred approach to manage depression in patients with COPD is worthy of consideration. http://ow.ly/BNkT30kGMqq
What Can You Do With Contaminated Lands? Make Clean Energy!

Contaminated or potentially contaminated lands are in just about every major city or town across the country and throughout rural areas (e.g., factories, chemical plants, mines, landfills, military...
Understanding the charge transport mechanisms through ultrathin SiOx layers in passivated contacts for high-efficiency silicon solar cells

We report on the microscopic structure of the SiOx layer and the transport mechanism in polycrystalline Si (poly-Si) passivated contacts, which enable high-efficiency crystalline Si (c-Si) solar cells. Using electron beam induced current (EBIC) measurements, we accurately map nanoscale conduction-enabling pinholes in 2.2 nm thick SiOx layers in a poly-Si/SiOx/c-Si stack. These conduction enabling pinholes appear as bright spots in EBIC maps due to carrier transport and collection limitations introduced by the insulating 2.2 nm SiOx layer. Performing high-resolution transmission electron microscopy at a bright spot identified with EBIC reveals that conduction pinholes in SiOx can be regions of thin tunneling SiOx rather than a geometric pinhole. Additionally, selectively etching the underlying poly-Si layer in contacts with 1.5 and 2.2 nm thick SiOx layers using tetramethylammonium hydroxide results in pinhole-like etch features in both contacts. However, EBIC measurements for a contact with a thinner, 1.5 nm SiOx layer do not reveal pinholes, which is consistent with uniform tunneling transport through the 1.5 nm SiOx layer. Finally, we theoretically show that reducing the metal to the c-Si contact size from microns, like in the p-type passivated emitter rear contact, to tens of nanometers, like in poly-Si contacts, allows lowering of the unpassivated contact area by several orders of magnitude, thus resulting in excellent passivation, as has been demonstrated for these contacts.
CXCR4 signaling at the ovine fetal-maternal interface regulates vascularization, CD34+ cell presence, and autophagy in the endometrium†

Placenta development is characterized by extensive angiogenesis and vascularization but if these processes are compromised placental dysfunction occurs, which is the underlying cause of pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction. Dysregulation of placental angiogenesis has emerged as one of the main pathophysiological features in the development of placental insufficiency and its clinical consequences. The signaling axis initiated by chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) and its receptor CXCR4 stimulates angiogenesis in other tissues, and may be central to placental vascularization. We hypothesized that CXCL12-CXCR4 signaling governs the pro-angiogenic placental microenvironment by coordinating production of central angiogenic factors and receptors and regulates endometrial cell survival essential for placental function and subsequent fetal longevity. The CXCR4 antagonist, AMD3100, was used to elucidate the role of CXCL12-CXCR4 signaling regarding uteroplacental vascular remodeling at the fetal–maternal interface. On day 12 postbreeding, osmotic pumps were surgically installed and delivered either AMD3100 or PBS into the uterine lumen ipsilateral to the corpus luteum. On day 20, endometrial tissues were collected, snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen, and uterine horn cross sections preserved for immunofluorescent analysis. In endometrium from ewes receiving AMD3100 infusion, the abundance of select angiogenic factors was diminished, while presence of CD34+ cells increased compared to control ewes. Ewes receiving AMD3100 infusion also exhibited less activation of Akt/mTOR signaling, and elevated LC3B-II, a marker of cellular autophagy in endometrium. This study suggests that CXCL12-CXCR4 signaling governs placental homeostasis by serving as a critical upstream mediator of vascularization and cell viability, thereby ensuring appropriate placental development.Summary SentenceInhibiting CXCR4 signaling at the fetal–maternal interface during initial placentation results in locally diminished vascularization, suppressed Akt/mTOR signaling, and increased autophagy.
Effect of fiber prestressing on mechanical properties of glass fiber epoxy composites manufactured by vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding:

The mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced polymer composites depend on several aspects such as the characteristics of constituents, fiber volume fraction, and manufacturing techniques. Fiber pr...
A flow-based microfluidic device for spatially quantifying intracellular calcium ion activity during cellular electrotaxis.

How a cell senses, responds, and moves toward, or away from an external cue is central to many biological and medical phenomena including morphogenesis, immune response, and cancer metastasis. Many eukaryotic cells have internal sensory mechanisms that allow them to sense these cues, often in the form of gradients of chemoattractant, voltage, or mechanical stress, and bias their motion in a specific direction. In this study, a new method for using microfluidics to study the electrotactic migration of cells is presented. Electrotaxis (also known as galvanotaxis) is the phenomenon by which cells bias their motion directionally in response to an externally applied electrical field. In this work, we present a new flow-based, salt bridge-free microfluidic device for imaging and quantifying cell motility and intracellular ion activity during electrotaxis. To eliminate salt bridges, we used a low nanoliter flow rate to slowly drive Faradaic waste products away from and out of the electrotaxis zone. This cell migration zone consisted of an array of fluidic confinement channels approximately 2 μm in thickness. This confined height served to insulate the migrating cells from the electric field at the top and bottom of the cell, such that only the two-dimensional perimeter of the cells interacted with the electrical source. We demonstrate the ability to quantify the electrotactic velocity of migrating Dictyostelium discoideum cells and show how this confined design facilitates the imaging and quantification of the ion activity of electrotaxing cells. Finally, by spatially imaging the calcium concentration within these cells, we demonstrate that intracellular calcium preferentially translocates to the leading edge of migrating Dictyostelium cells during electrotaxis but does not exhibit this behavior during migration by chemotaxis in a gradient of cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate or when cells freely migrate in the absence of an external cue.
Incidence and significance of thromboembolic events (TE) in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) and non-GI malignancies on systemic cytotoxic therapy

9049 Background: Although venous thromboembolic events (TE) are commonly associated with solid tumor malignancies, the precise incidence and significance of TE in cancer patients has not been well ...
Clinical reviewPortal hypertensive gastropathy

Portal hypertensive gastropathy (PHG), a term used to describe the endoscopic appearance of gastric mucosa with a characteristic mosaic-like pattern with or without red spots, is a common finding in patients with portal hypertension. Current classification systems that describe the severity of PHG have many limitations, but it appears that simple grading systems have better inter- and intraobserver agreement. The wide variation in the reported prevalence of PHG is probably related to selection bias, absence of uniform criteria and classification, and more importantly, the differences in inter- and intraobserver variation. Pathogenesis of PHG is not clearly defined, but there is a very close relationship between portal hypertension and development of PHG. GAVE is a separate entity from PHG, but patients with severe PHG may have a GAVE-like appearance in the gastric antrum. Acute bleeding from PHG, seen usually in the presence of severe PHG, is often mild and self-limiting. Currently, the only treatment that could be recommended for prophylaxis of bleeding from PHG is nonselective s-blockers.
Neuroscience: From Sensory Discrimination to Choice in Gustatory Cortex.

Smmary Sensory areas have been shown to be influenced by higher-order cognitive processes. Yet how do these top-down processes affect decisions? A recent study has revealed a dynamic evolution of neural activity from sensory discrimination to choice in rodent taste cortex.
In COVID-19, adding lopinavir-ritonavir to usual care did not shorten time to clinical improvement.

Source Citation Cao B, Wang Y, Wen D, et al. A trial of lopinavir–ritonavir in adults hospitalized with severe Covid-19. N Engl J Med. 2020;382:1787-99. 32187464
The placenta as the window to congenital heart disease.

Purpose of review There is an increasing recognition that structural abnormalities and functional changes in the placenta can have deleterious effects on the development of the fetal heart. This article reviews the role of the placenta and the potential impact of placental insufficiency on fetuses with congenital heart disease. Recent findings The fetal heart and the placenta are directly linked because they develop concurrently with shared regulatory and signaling pathways. Placental disease is more common in pregnancies carrying a fetus with congenital heart disease and the fetal response to placental insufficiency may lead to the postnatal persistence of cardiac remodeling. The mechanisms underlying this placental-fetal axis of interaction potentially include genetic factors, oxidative stress, chronic hypoxia, and/or angiogenic imbalance. Summary The maternal-placental-fetal circulation is critical to advancing our understanding of congenital heart disease. We must first expand our ability to detect, image, and quantify placental insufficiency and dysfunction in utero. Elucidating the modifiable factors involved in these pathways is an exciting opportunity for future research, which may enable us to improve outcomes in patients with congenital heart disease.
Survival After Islet Transplantation in Subjects With Type 1 Diabetes: Twenty-Year Follow-Up

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is associated with premature mortality due to acute and chronic diabetes-related complications (1). Severe hypoglycemic events (SHEs) and impaired awareness of hypoglycemia are significant contributors to the increased morbidity and mortality. Islet transplantation (ITx) has been shown to provide near-normalization of glycemic control, restoration of hypoglycemia awareness, prevention of SHEs, and improved quality of life in a select group of patients with T1D (2). To analyze overall survival in ITx-alone recipients, we retrospectively evaluated a cohort of 49 T1D subjects who underwent ITx and were followed during 2000–2020. Subjects received ITx in the liver via intrahepatic infusion ( n = 46) or on the omentum via laparoscopic approach ( n = 3). Major inclusion criteria included age 18 to 65 years, T1D duration >5 years, impaired awareness of hypoglycemia, marked glycemic lability, and history of SHEs in the prior 12 months (2). Subjects who did not present the outcome were censored at last encounter. Deaths were reported through contact with family. The study cohort comprised 29 females (59.2%) and 20 males (40.8%). Person-years of follow-up was 610.1, and time after ITx was median (25th–75th) 13.8 (8.2–17.7) years. Median year (minimum–maximum) of T1D diagnosis was 1970 (1955–2001), with 77.6% ( n = 38) diagnosed in 1965 or later. Age at T1D diagnosis was median (25th–75th) 13.2 (6.7–20.0) …
A Lexical-based Formal Concept Analysis Method to Identify Missing Concepts in the NCI Thesaurus

Biomedical terminologies have been increasingly used in modern biomedical research and applications to facilitate data management and ensure semantic interoperability. As part of the evolution process, new concepts are regularly added to biomedical terminologies in response to the evolving domain knowledge and emerging applications. Most existing concept enrichment methods suggest new concepts via directly importing knowledge from external sources. In this paper, we introduced a lexical method based on formal concept analysis (FCA) to identify potentially missing concepts in a given terminology by leveraging its intrinsic knowledge – concept names. We first construct the FCA formal context based on the lexical features of concepts. Then we perform multistage intersection to formalize new concepts and detect potentially missing concepts. We applied our method to the Disease or Disorder sub-hierarchy in the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Thesaurus (19.08d version) and identified a total of 8,983 potentially missing concepts. As a preliminary evaluation of our method to validate the potentially missing concepts, we further checked whether they were included in any external source terminology in the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS). The result showed that 592 out of 8,937 potentially missing concepts were found in the UMLS.
The Influence of Social Identities on Civic Identity

There is a growing societal need for civic-minded leaders, and undergraduate students are poised to become the future leaders and decision makers for a global society. This dissertation explores the demographics and experiences of undergraduate students and their perceived civic-mindedness at a predominantly White, urban, Jesuit-Catholic, liberal arts university in the Northwest United States. It also examines the relationship between the students’ social and civic identities, suggesting that an identity-neutral Civic-Minded Graduate (CMG) construct fails to account for the role of social identities. This examination of the personal and social identities of gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status on the development of civic-mindedness and civic identity contributes to the literature and to the institution’s ability to support and nurture students by building individual leadership capacity through civic engagement on campus, in the local community, and beyond. Using a critical, emancipatory, and participatory action research lens that centers the views of excluded groups, this explanatory sequential mixed methods case study involves undergraduates in the arts and sciences and science and engineering colleges who have been at the institution for at least two academic terms. An online survey, based on the CMG Scale, and focus groups were administered to gain a deeper understanding of the relationships between social identities, civic identity, and civic-mindedness, in support of the center for community engagement at the case study institution. Six hundred and ninety-nine participants completed the Modified CMG Scale and two focus groups yielded nine participants. The results of the study indicate that the salience of social identities relates to civic-mindedness and to non-dominant/underrepresented groups, which in turn influences the ways in which civic engagement is enacted. Students’ sense of self as determined through salient social identities also impacts the types of communities in which these students engage. This engagement can be defined as civic self-authorship, in which civic action and social identity development converge. Ultimately, the researchers suggest the full consideration of social identities in civic development and engagement efforts on campus and in the community and offer recommendations for practice and future research that emerged from the investigation of the case study population.
Unique Epigenetic Programming Distinguishes Regenerative Spermatogonial Stem Cells in The Developing Mouse Testis

Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) both self-renew and give rise to progenitor spermatogonia that initiate spermatogenic differentiation in the mammalian testis. Questions remain regarding the extent to which the SSC and progenitor states are functionally distinct. Here we provide the first multiparametric integrative analysis of mammalian germ cell epigenomes comparable to that done for >100 somatic cell types by the ENCODE Project. Differentially expressed genes distinguishing SSC- and progenitor-enriched spermatogonia showed distinct histone modification patterns, particularly related to enrichment of H3K27ac and H3K27me3. Motif-enrichment analysis predicted transcription factors that may regulate spermatogonial subtype-specific fate, and immunohistochemistry and gene-specific chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses confirmed subtype-specific differences in target gene binding of a subset of these factors. Taken together, these results suggest that SSCs and progenitors represent distinct spermatogonial subtypes differentially programmed to either self-renew and maintain regenerative capacity as SSCs, or lose regenerative capacity and initiate lineage commitment as progenitors.
Performance analysis of CDMA cellular systems with adaptive antenna arrays over multipath channels

This paper discusses the use of base station adaptive antenna arrays for code division multiple access (CDMA) cellular communication systems. We make use of only one beamformer in conjunction with a maximal ratio combining (MRC) RAKE receiver to deal with multipath scenario with multiple users. The performance analysis of the proposed system is developed with binary phase shift keying (BPSK) modulated signals over the Rayleigh fading multipath channel. We use the Gaussian approximation to model all interference. To simplify the evaluation of the interference from adjacent cells, the concentric circle cell geometry is employed in place of the common hexagonal cell geometry. The improvement in performance is quantified by comparison with the omnidirectional antenna system using realistic simulations. It is shown that the capacity of the linear array system is six times larger than the omnidirectional antenna system.
Threshold logic implementations: the early days

This paper gives a brief account of the results on hardware implementations of threshold logic obtained starting from the forties. The solutions are sorted chronologically, by order of their publication date, although the order would be somehow different by submission date. Reviewing the many different solutions, we will identify those that have been enduring, and mention a few that have been long forgotten, but rediscovered a few decades later.
2. Application of photoelectron spectroscopy in inorganic and organic material systems

Publisher Summary In this chapter, the key principles of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) or electron spectroscopy of chemical analysis (ESCA) are described. The main advantages of ESCA are its simplicity, flexibility in sample handling, and high scientific information content. In addition, several key examples of ESCA in inorganic and organic materials systems are described in the chapter.. More than 1000 ESCA units are in operation throughout the world and are obvious testimony to the viable utility of this spectroscopy as one of the premier methods for surface chemical analysis. A variety of electron analyzers are employed to collect and energy sector the ejected photoelectrons, with particular use of either hemispherical or cylindrical mirror arrangements. A variety of detectors are used to collect the final electron emissions. The detectors include channeltrons, microchannel plates, and resistive anode plates, which are then often coupled with various arrangements of phosphor screens and highly sensitive cameras.
Designing Scientific Knowledge Infrastructures: The Contribution of Epistemology

Scientific knowledge is increasingly being stored in online infrastructures such as electronic journals, digital libraries and online encyclopedias. Their designers need to find an adequate approach for representing this knowledge. Unfortunately, most online infrastructures adopt the traditional article-issue-journal model which is based on print technology. This article develops an alternative model for the representation of scientific knowledge which is based on epistemology—the theory of knowledge. The characteristics of scientific knowledge identified by four philosophers of science—Popper, Nagel, Dubin and Bunge—are synthesized into a conceptual model which can be used as the foundation of scientific knowledge infrastructures in an online environment. The article shows that much more fine-grained structures are needed for representing scientific knowledge. Knowledge should not be accumulated as a collection of articles but as a network of epistemologically relevant elements such as theories, concepts, statements, facts etc.
Chapter 52 On-Line Flow Cytometry: A Versatile Method for Kinetic Measurements

Publisher Summary This chapter describes flow cytometer (FCM), which is used to perform real-time kinetic studies, including the software necessary to acquire and analyze data. It is followed by a description of two applications of on-line FCM. First, the real-time analysis of chromatin structure changes by the enzymatic digestion of the DNA is shown. Changes in the fluorescence intensity of bound DNA stains occurred within minutes. These experiments demonstrate the applicability of on-line FCM to study fast kinetic changes. Second, an assay is described for measuring the uptake kinetics of anthracycline drugs. Uptake profiles and changes therein after the addition of membrane transport modulators show the presence of typical multidrug-resistant cells. This assay is much more accurate and sensitive then classical FCM. FCM has become a highly developed cell analysis technique. Its use is widespread among a great variety of disciplines, and new areas of application are being exploited continuously. It is ideally suited for the quantitation of the uptake of virtually any fluorescent substance by cells or cell organelles. With classical FCM, quantitative analysis of the uptake of fluorescent dyes by cells has to be done by examining cell samples at intervals. This method becomes very difficult to perform when the speed of the kinetic phenomenon of interest is very fast.
A first pan-Arctic assessment of the influence of glaciation, permafrost, topography and peatlands on northern hemisphere lake distribution

The locations of ∼200 000 large northern hemisphere lakes (sized 0.1 to 50 km2, northwards of ∼45°N latitude) are intersected with new global databases on topography, permafrost, peatlands and LGM glaciation to identify some first-order controls on lake abundance and land area fraction at the pan-Arctic scale. Of the variables examined here, glaciation history and the presence of some form of permafrost appear most important to the existence of lakes. Lake densities and area fractions average ∼300–350% greater in glaciated (versus unglaciated) terrain, and ∼100–170% greater in permafrost- influenced (versus permafrost-free) terrain. The presence of peatlands is associated with additional ∼40–80% increases in lake density and ∼10–50% increases in area fraction. On average, lakes are most abundant in glaciated, permafrost peatlands (∼14.4 lakes/1000 km2) and least abundant in unglaciated, permafrost-free terrain (∼1.2 lakes/1000 km2). Lake statistics are surprisingly similar across continuous, discontinuous and sporadic permafrost zones, decrease modestly in isolated permafrost, and drop sharply in the absence of permafrost. A simple calculation based on ‘space-for-time’ substitution for all glaciated/lowland terrain (∼2.7 × 107 km2, of which ∼48% is currently in some state of permafrost) suggests that in a ‘permafrost-free’ Arctic, the number of lakes could be reduced from ∼192 000 to 103 000 (−46%) and their total inundation area reduced from ∼560 000 to 325 000 km2 (−42%). A more realistic scenario of thawed discontinuous, sporadic and isolated permafrost only, with a +10% lake increase in continuous permafrost and no change in permafrost-free areas suggests reductions to ∼155 000 lakes (−15%) and ∼476 000 km2 (−15%), respectively. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.