cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Space station propulsion: The advanced development program at Lewis

A reference configuration was established for the initial operating capability (IOC) station. The reference configuration has assumed hydrazine fueled thrusters as the propulsion system. This was to establish costing and as a reference for comparison when other propulsion systems are considered. An integral part of the plan to develop the Space Station is the advanced development program. The objective of this program is to provide advanced technology alternatives for the initial and evolutionary Space Station which optimize the system's functional characteristics in terms of performance, cost, and utilization. The portion of the Advanced Development Program that is concerned with auxiliary propulsion and the research and programmatic activities conducted are discussed.
Rhyme and Alliteration Sensitivity and Relevant Experiences among Preschoolers from Diverse Backgrounds.

There exists a well-established positive relation between phonological awareness and learning to read. Experiences with linguistic routines like nursery rhymes may provide one route through which c...
Characterization of a signal peptide sequence in the cell-free translation product of sheep elastin mRNA.

Abstract In vitro explant cultures of near-term sheep nuchal ligament secrete tropoelastin of approximate Mr 70,000–72,000 while the elastin cell-free product of sheep nuchal ligament RNA is 2000 to 3000 Mr larger. Automated Edman degradation of immunoprecipitates of radiolabeled cell-free elastin precursor demonstrated the presence of a 26-residue signal sequence which was absent from sheep tropoelastin secreted from explant cultures. In addition, a 20-residue overlap was established between the cell-free product and the secreted protein. This overlap region, representing the N-terminal sequence of ovine tropoelastin, demonstrated complete homology with the N-terminal sequence of porcine tropoelastin and near complete homology with chick tropoelastin. These findings suggest that cotranslational removal of this hydrophobic peptide extension is likely a correlate of vectorial transport of elastin into the secretory apparatus.
The novel Legionella pneumophila type II secretion substrate NttC contributes to infection of amoebae Hartmannella vermiformis and Willaertia magna.

The type II protein secretion (T2S) system of Legionella pneumophila secretes over 25 proteins, including novel proteins that have no similarity to proteins of known function. T2S is also critical for the ability of L. pneumophila to grow within its natural amoebal hosts, including Acanthamoeba castellanii, Hartmannella vermiformis and Naegleria lovaniensis. Thus, T2S has an important role in the natural history of legionnaires’ disease. Our previous work demonstrated that the novel T2S substrate NttA promotes intracellular infection of A. castellanii, whereas the secreted RNase SrnA, acyltransferase PlaC, and metalloprotease ProA all promote infection of H. vermiformis and N. lovaniensis. In this study, we determined that another novel T2S substrate that is specific to Legionella, designated NttC, is unique in being required for intracellular infection of H. vermiformis but not for infection of N. lovaniensis or A. castellanii. Expanding our repertoire of amoebal hosts, we determined that Willaertia magna is susceptible to infection by L. pneumophila strains 130b, Philadelphia-1 and Paris. Furthermore, T2S and, more specifically, NttA, NttC and PlaC were required for infection of W. magna. Taken together, these data demonstrate that the T2S system of L. pneumophila is critical for infection of at least four types of aquatic amoebae and that the importance of the individual T2S substrates varies in a host cell-specific fashion. Finally, it is now clear that novel T2S-dependent proteins that are specific to the genus Legionella are particularly important for L. pneumophila infection of key, environmental hosts.
A systematic review of deep venous thrombosis prophylaxis in cancer patients: implications for improving quality.

Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis is particularly important for surgical oncologists given the high rate of DVT in patients with malignancy. Additionally, DVT prophylaxis may soon be implemented by some payers as a “pay for performance” quality measure. This is a systematic review of randomized controlled trial (RCT) evidence for DVT prophylaxis in cancer patients undergoing surgery. We examine overall rates of DVT, the efficacy of high versus low-dose heparin prophylaxis, and the rate of bleeding complications. The Medline database was searched for English language RCTs using key words DVT, venous thromboembolism, prophylaxis, and general surgery. Inclusion criteria were RCTs evaluating surgical oncology patients. Fifty-five RCTs studied DVT prophylaxis in surgery (nonorthopedic) patients. Twenty-six RCTs evaluated 7,639 cancer patients. The overall DVT rate was 12.7% for pharmacologic prophylaxis and 35.2% for controls. High-dose low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH) was more effective than low dose, lowering the DVT rate from 14.5% to 7.9% (P < 0.01). Heparin decreased the rate of proximal DVTs. Bleeding complications requiring discontinuation of prophylaxis occurred in 3% of the patients. There was no difference between LMWH and unfractionated heparin in efficacy, DVT location, or bleeding complications. Using RCT data, this study demonstrates a greatly reduced DVT rate with pharmacologic prophylaxis in cancer patients, and higher doses appear more effective. Complication rates are low and should not prevent the use of prophylaxis in most patients. Finally, we found no difference between LMWH and unfractionated heparin in these RCTs. These results highlight the importance of routine pharmacologic prophylaxis in surgical patients with malignancy.
Aircraft calibration of the AVHRR short wave channels using ocean reflection and aerosol scatter from the marine boundary layer

Initial calibration efforts for the visible channels of the AVHRR satellites are being carried out at the University of Hawaii. These include satellite measurements of strong aerosol signals with little ocean reflection (the volcano plume with light winds), strong ocean reflection with little aerosol scatter (clean Sun glint cases) and cases of low ocean reflection and low aerosol scatter (clean cases). The various types of conditions are measured from aircraft. Sensors include a multiwavelength CCD, a spectrometer and a radiometric sensor.
Dorsal cortex volume in male side-blotched lizards, Uta stansburiana, is associated with different space use strategies

Spatial abilities have been associated with many ecologically relevant behaviours such as territoriality, mate choice, navigation and acquisition of food resources. Differential demands on spatial abilities in birds and mammals affect the hippocampus, the region of the brain responsible for spatial processing. In some bird and mammal species, higher demands on spatial abilities are associated with larger hippocampal volumes. The medial and dorsal cortices are the putative reptilian homologues of the mammalian hippocampus, yet few studies have examined the relationship between these brain areas and differential spatial use strategies in reptiles. Furthermore, many studies in birds and mammals compare hippocampal attributes between species that use space differently, potentially confounding species-specific effects with effects due to differential behaviours in spatial use. Here, we investigated the relationship between spatial use strategies and medial and dorsal cortical volumes in males of the side-blotched lizard. In this species, males occur in three different morphs, each morph using different spatial niches: large territory holders, small territory holders and nonterritory holders with home ranges smaller than the territories of small territory holders. We found that large territory holders had larger dorsal cortical volumes relative to the remainder of the telencephalon compared with nonterritorial males, and that small territory holders were intermediate. These results suggest that some aspect of holding a large territory may place demands on spatial abilities, which is reflected in a brain region thought partially responsible for spatial processing.
Comparison of laparoscopic versus open adrenalectomy: results from American College of Surgeons-National Surgery Quality Improvement Project

Abstract Background Although the existing literature suggests that laparoscopic adrenalectomy may be associated with less postoperative morbidity than open adrenalectomy, a comparison of the two approaches has not been published using American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) data. The objective of our analysis was to compare the 30-d outcomes after laparoscopic versus open adrenalectomy using this data source. Methods The ACS-NSQIP Participant User Files for 2005–2010 were used for this retrospective analysis, which included all patients with (1) a primary Current Procedural Terminology code for open or laparoscopic adrenalectomy and (2) a postoperative International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) code for adrenal gland pathology. Primary outcomes were 30-d postoperative mortality, overall complication rate, and length of postoperative hospitalization. The association between surgical approach and primary outcomes were determined after adjusting for a comprehensive array of patient- and procedure-related factors. Results A total of 3100 patients were included for analysis (644 undergoing open versus 2456 undergoing laparoscopic adrenalectomy). Patients undergoing a laparoscopic procedure had significantly lower postoperative morbidity and shorter length of stay than patients undergoing an open procedure after adjustment for patient- and procedure-related factors. Similar findings were demonstrated for all indications, including malignancy. Conclusions To our knowledge, the present study represents the largest comparison to date of laparoscopic versus open adrenalectomy. Our findings suggest that the laparoscopic approach is associated with sizeable reductions in postoperative morbidity and length of postoperative hospitalization.
Glucocorticoid receptor activation inhibits chemotherapy-induced cell death in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma.

Abstract Objectives To test the hypothesis that glucocorticoid receptor (GR) activation increases resistance to chemotherapy in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGS-OvCa) and that treatment with a GR antagonist will improve sensitivity to chemotherapy. Methods GR expression was assessed in OvCa cell lines by qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis and in xenografts and primary human tumors using immunohistochemistry (IHC). We also examined the effect of GR activation versus inhibition on chemotherapy-induced cytotoxicity in OvCa cell lines and in a xenograft model. Results With the exception of IGROV-1 cells, all OvCa cell lines tested had detectable GR expression by Western blot and qRT-PCR analysis. Twenty-five out of the 27 human primary HGS-OvCas examined expressed GR by IHC. No cell line expressed detectable progesterone receptor (PR) or androgen receptor (AR) by Western blot analysis. In vitro assays showed that in GR-positive HeyA8 and SKOV3 cells, dexamethasone (100nM) treatment upregulated the pro-survival genes SGK1 and MKP1/DUSP1 and inhibited carboplatin/gemcitabine-induced cell death. Concurrent treatment with two GR antagonists, either mifepristone (100nM) or CORT125134 (100nM), partially reversed these effects. There was no anti-apoptotic effect of dexamethasone on chemotherapy-induced cell death in IGROV-1 cells, which did not have detectable GR protein. Mifepristone treatment alone was not cytotoxic in any cell line. HeyA8 OvCa xenograft studies demonstrated that adding mifepristone to carboplatin/gemcitabine increased tumor shrinkage by 48% compared to carboplatin/gemcitabine treatment alone (P=0.0004). Conclusions These results suggest that GR antagonism sensitizes GR+ OvCa to chemotherapy-induced cell death through inhibition of GR-mediated cell survival pathways.
ACTIVATION OF RETINOID X RECEPTORS INDUCES APOPTOSIS IN HL-60 CELL LINES

Retinoids induce myeloblastic leukemia (HL-60) cells to differentiate into granulocytes, which subsequently die by apoptosis. Retinoid action is mediated through at least two classes of nuclear receptors: retinoic acid receptors, which bind both all-trans retinoic acid and 9-cis retinoic acid, and retinoid X receptors, which bind only 9-cis retinoic acid. Using receptor-selective synthetic retinoids and HL-60 cell sublines with different retinoid responsiveness, we have investigated the contribution that each class of receptors makes to the processes of cellular differentiation and death. Our results demonstrate that ligand activation of retinoic acid receptors is sufficient to induce differentiation, whereas ligand activation of retinoid X receptors is essential for the induction of apoptosis in HL-60 cell lines.
Characterization of a surface dielectric barrier discharge plasma sustained by repetitive nanosecond pulses

The paper discusses experimental characterization of a surface dielectric barrier discharge plasma sustained by repetitive, high-voltage, nanosecond duration pulses. The discharge pulse energy is controlled primarily by the pulse peak voltage and scales approximately linearly with the length of the electrodes. Images of the plasma generated during the discharge pulse, taken by a nanosecond gate ICCD camera, show that the plasma remains fairly uniform in the initial phase of the discharge and becomes filamentary at a later stage. The temperature rise in the discharge, operated in both continuous mode and in burst mode, is inferred from UV/visible emission spectra. Phase-locked schlieren images are used to measure the speed of the compression waves generated by the nanosecond pulse discharge and the density gradient in the wave. The density gradient is inferred from the schlieren images using absolute calibration by a pair of wedged windows. The results demonstrate that discharge filaments generate compression waves with higher amplitude and higher speed compared with waves produced in a diffuse discharge. The density gradient in the compression waves is compared with numerical modeling of propagating compression waves produced by short-pulse localized heating, and shows satisfactory agreement between the model and the experimental results.
Effect of interfacial oxide thickness on 1/f noise in polysilicon emitter BJTs

The role of the interfacial oxide (IFO) between the polysilicon and monosilicon emitter regions on the noise behavior of n-p-n poly-emitter bipolar transistors was investigated through 1/f noise measurements. Bipolar junction transistors with different IFO thickness, and emitter geometry were utilized. Measurements with variable external base bias resistance (R/sub S/) were used to investigate the relative contribution of each individual noise source from the base current (S/sub IB/), the collector current (S/sub IC/) and, the internal emitter and base series resistances (S/sub Vr/). When the voltage noise power spectral densities S/sub VC/ and S/sub VB/ were measured across resistances in series with the collector and base, respectively, using a relatively large R/sub S/ (/spl sim/1 M/spl Omega/), S/sub IB/ was found to have the dominant noise contribution at lower bias currents. On the other hand, when the voltage noise power spectral densities S/sub VC/ and S/sub VE/ were measured across resistances in series with the collector and emitter, respectively, in a different experimental setup with a low R/sub S/ value, S/sub Vr/ was found to have the dominant noise contribution at higher bias currents. IFO was found to increase S/sub IB/, S/sub IC/, and S/sub Vr/. S/sub IB/ was modeled as a combination of tunneling and diffusion fluctuations of the minority carriers in the emitter; whereas S/sub IC/ was modeled as a combination of number and diffusion fluctuations of the minority carriers in the base. S/sub Vr/ was attributed to the internal emitter resistance noise originating from the fluctuation in the majority carrier flow through the IFO.
Effects of irradiation on the reproductive ability of Zonitoides arboreus, a snail pest of orchid roots

Summary The effect of irradiation on the reproductive ability of the orchid snail, Zonitoides arboreus, a serious pest of potted orchids in Hawaii, was investigated. Weekly egg production averaged between 0.8 and 1.9 over a 9-wk period for snails not exposed to irradiation, and egg hatch averaged 61%. In comparison to untreated controls, irradiation of snails at the lowest dose tested (34-37 Gy) reduced egg production and egg hatch by 63% and 94%, respectively over a 9-wk period. None of the snails treated with levels of irradiation ≥ 69 Gy produced viable eggs. This is the first study measuring the effect of ionising irradiation on a terrestrial snail or slug species using sterilising doses. Overall, the results show that the reproductive ability of this snail species is affected by irradiation in a similar manner as for Biomphalaria glabrata, an aquatic snail for which the effects of irradiation have been studied in detail.
The economic burden of progressive chronic kidney disease among patients with type 2 diabetes

Abstract Aims To estimate the rate of progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and calculate medical costs associated with progression. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 25,576 members at Kaiser Permanente who had T2D and at least one serum creatinine measurement in 2005. Using estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), we assigned patients to baseline stages of kidney function (stage 0–2, >60ml/min/1.73m 2 , n=21,008; stage 3, 30–59, n=3,885; stage 4, 15–29, n=683). We examined all subsequent eGFRs through 2010 to assess progression of kidney disease. Medical costs at baseline and incremental costs during follow-up were assessed. Results Mean age of patients was 60.6years, 51% were men, and mean diabetes duration was 5.3years. At baseline, 17.9% of patients with T2D also had stage 3 or 4 CKD. Incremental adjusted costs that occurred over follow-up (from baseline) was on average $4569, $12,617, and $33,162 per patient per year higher among patients who progressed from baseline stage 0–2, stage 3, and stage 4 CKD, respectively, compared to those who did not progress. Across all stages of CKD, those who progressed to a higher stage of CKD from baseline had follow-up costs that ranged from 2 to 4 times higher than those who did not progress. Conclusions Progression of CKD in T2D drives substantial medical care costs. Interventions designed to minimize decline in progressive kidney function, particularly among patients with stage 3 or 4 CKD, may reduce the economic burden of CKD in T2D.
Optical Interconnects in Next Generation Data Centers: An End to End View

Bandwidth hungry applications such as real-time video processing are expected to strain data center networking infrastructure. Optics enables massive data transmission rates: in telecom settings researchers have demonstrated rates in excess of 20 Tbps, however, the data center presents a different set of challenges. Low cost, low power dissipation, low latency, small physical size, and the ability to integrate with mainstream silicon electronics are more important than the ability to transmit signals over long distances, the traditional telecoms focus. We seek to directly link challenges in upcoming bandwidth hungry applications through to research exploiting high bandwidth optics. By linking the end to end research areas we intend to identify critical technology gaps and enable design of forward looking, efficient, cost effective, higher bandwidth data centers that can take optimal advantage of advances in multicore processors.
The Zebrafish- Danio rerio – Is a Useful Model for Measuring the Effects of Small-molecule Mitigators of Late Effects of Ionizing Irradiation

Background/Aim: Use of zebrafish models may decrease the cost of screening new irradiation protectors and mitigators. Materials and Methods: Zebrafish (Danio rerio) models were tested for screening water-soluble radiation protectors and mitigators. Irradiation of embryos and monitoring survival, and measuring fibrosis of the caudal musculature of adults allowed for testing of acute and late effects, respectively. Results: Incubation of zebrafish embryos either before or after irradiation in ethyl pyruvate (1 mM) increased survival. Irradiation of adults to 15 to 75 Gy, delivered in single-fraction at 13 Gy/min, showed dose- dependent fibrosis at 30 days, quantitated as physiological decrease in swimming tail movement, and histopathological detection of collagen deposition in the dorsal musculature. Continuous administration of small-molecule radioprotector drugs in the water after irradiation reduced both acute and chronic injuries. Conclusion: The zebrafish is cost-effective for screening new radiation countermeasures. A major complication of ionizing irradiation exposure is fibrosis (1, 19, 58). Patients completing a course of fractionated radiotherapy for treatment of head and neck, thoracic, and abdominal malignancies demonstrate dose- dependent appearance of late effects within 6-24 months after irradiation (59-60). While acute effects of radiation are well- documented for both total body and organ-specific exposure, a latent period following resolution of the acute effects has been difficult to relate to the onset of late effects (3, 8, 10, 19). In the C57BL/6J mouse model of radiation pulmonary fibrosis, elevation of cytokines associated with the acute effects (TGFβ,
Structural colours create a flashing cue for sexual recognition and male quality in a Neotropical giant damselfly

Summary 1. Structural coloration is common among animals that produce sexual displays involving motion or ultraviolet reflection. Different sources of colour may provide multicomponent signals that indicate the location, sex, and fitness of a potential mate or rival. We investigated the proximate basis and ultimate function of the wing coloration of the territorial damselfly Megaloprepus caerulatus, which produces a dynamic, high contrast display during flight. The wings of both sexes have blue and white bands, but the location of the white patches are sex specific. 2. Wax filaments produce diffuse, white areas through broadband scattering of wavelengths between 300 and 700 nm. Blue bands reflect wavelengths between 300 and 500 nm (λmax = 398 nm) and shift in hue with viewing angle, the result of thin layer interference produced by layers of cuticle and pigment within the wing membrane. Both wing bands strongly reflect UV wavelengths. 3. Both the iridescent UV-blue and white wing patches provide high contrast against the vegetation in forest light gaps where mating occurs. Moreover, the iridescent signal oscillates during flight. Angle-dependent UV-blue iridescence is periodically extinguished during each wing beat cycle, in contrast to the white areas, which remain bright. 4. Males distinguish potential mates from rivals by the presence of a female’s white wing tip. Blackening the white wing bands of males and adding white wing tips to resemble a female elicits a sexual rather than aggressive response from males. Conversely, blackening the white wing tips of females reduces sexual responses. 5. The proportional area of the white wing bands of males is indicative of wing symmetry, correlated with body size, and in turn, territory residency suggesting that it may serve as a signal of male condition during intra- and intersexual interactions. 6. We propose that the flashing iridescent UV-blue wing bands provide a beacon to potential mates across forest light gaps, whereas the white patches serve in mate recognition and may indicate male quality or territorial status. Our study identifies a unique combination of interference and broadband reflectors that provide a dynamic multicomponent signal.
Expert systems in business: what makes them successful

Factors affecting successful implementation of management information systems/decision support systems (MIS/DSS) are analyzed as to how they may affect the development of business-oriented expert systems (ES). The usefulness of some of the classical approaches for successful implementation of MIS/DSS is also questioned as to their applicability to ES. New factors affecting ES implementation success are delineated and hypothesized. Recommendations for safer knowledge engineering are provided. >
A Generalized Synthesis Procedure for Low-Profile, Frequency Selective Surfaces With Odd-Order Bandpass Responses

We present a generalized synthesis procedure for designing low-profile frequency selective surfaces (FSS) with bandpass responses of odd-order (N = 3,5,7,...). The FSSs designed using this technique use a combination of resonant and non-resonant sub-wavelength constituting unit cells with unit cell dimensions and periodicities in the order of 0.15 λ0, where λ0 is the free space wavelength. The main advantage of using this technique, compared to traditional FSS design techniques, is that it allows for the design of low-profile and ultrathin FSSs that can provide sharp frequency selectivity. An Nth order FSS designed using this technique typically has an electrical thickness in the order of ~ (N - 1) λ0/50 which is significantly smaller than the overall thickness of a traditionally designed Nth order FSS (~ (N - 1) λ0/4). The proposed synthesis procedure is validated for two FSS prototypes having third- and fifth-order bandpass responses. Principles of operation, detailed synthesis procedure, and implementation guidelines for this type of FSS are presented and discussed in this communication.
Providing a “Good Death”: Critical Care Nurses’ Suggestions for Improving End-of-Life Care

• BACKGROUND Providing appropriate end-of-life care has become a primary concern of nurses and the public. The highly technological critical care environment may not facilitate such care. • OBJECTIVE To collect suggestions from critical care nurses for improving end-of-life care in intensive care units. • METHODS A geographically dispersed, random sample of 1409 members of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses was sent a 72-item survey on perceptions of end-of life care. The survey included a request for suggestions on ways to improve end-of life care. • RESULTS Of the 861 critical care nurses who responded to the survey, 485 offered 530 suggestions for improving end-of-life care. Providing a “good death” was the major theme; specific suggestions included ways to help ensure death with dignity and peace. Barriers to providing good deaths included nursing time constraints, staffing patterns, communication challenges, and treatment decisions that were based on physicians’ rather than patients’ needs. Suggestions for providing a good death included facilitating dying with dignity; not allowing patients to be alone while dying; managing patients’ pain and discomfort; knowing, and then following, patients’ wishes for end-of-life care; promoting earlier cessation of treatment or not initiating aggressive treatment at all; and communicating effectively as a healthcare team. Educational initiatives for professionals and the public were also suggested. • CONCLUSIONS Implementation of specific suggestions provided by experienced critical care nurses might increase the quality of end-of-life care, facilitating a good death for intensive care patients. (American Journal of Critical Care. 2006;15:38-46)
Comparison of selected animal observations and management practices used to assess welfare of calves and adult dairy cows on organic and conventional dairy farms

Abstract Differences in adoption of selected practices used in welfare assessment and audit programs were contrasted among organic (ORG; n = 192) herds and similarly sized conventional grazing herds (CON-GR; n = 36), and conventional nongrazing herds (CON-NG; n = 64). Criteria from 3 programs were assessed: American Humane Association Animal Welfare Standards for Dairy Cattle, Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM), and the Canadian Codes of Practice (CCP). Data were collected by trained study personnel during a herd visit and included information about neonatal care, dehorning, pain relief, calf nutrition, weaning, record keeping, use of veterinarians, and animal observations. Associations of management type (ORG, CON-GR, or CON-NG) with adoption of selected practice were assessed. Almost all farms (97%) met criteria suggested for age at weaning but fewer CON-NG farmers weaned calves at ≥5 wk of age compared with ORG and CON-GR farmers. Only 23% of farms met program requirements for use of pain relief during dehorning, and fewer CON-NG farmers used pain relief for calves after dehorning compared with ORG and CON-GR farmers. Calves on ORG farms were fed a greater volume of milk and were weaned at an older age than calves on CON-GR and CON-NG farms. Calves on CON-GR farms were dehorned at a younger age compared with calves on ORG and CON-NG farms. The calving area was shared with lactating cows for a larger proportion of ORG herds compared with conventional herds. About 30% of herds met welfare program criteria for body condition score but only about 20% met criteria for animal hygiene scores. The least proportion of cows with hock lesions was observed on ORG farms. Regular use of veterinarians was infrequent for ORG herds. Results of this study indicate that most of the organic and conventional farms enrolled in this study would have been unlikely to achieve many criteria of audit and assessment programs currently used in the US dairy industry.
Optical and genetic approaches toward understanding neuronal circuits in zebrafish.

SYNOPSIS. Optical and genetic tools are beginning to revolutionize the studies of neuronal circuits. Neurons can now be labeled with conventional or genetically encoded indicators that allow their activity to be monitored during behavior in intact animals. Laser ablations and genetic inactivation offer ways to perturb activity of specific cells to test their contributions to behavior. These approaches promise to speed progress in the understanding of vertebrate networks in genetic model systems such as mice and zebrafish. Here we review some of the progress in applying these tools, with an emphasis on our work to develop and apply these approaches in the zebrafish model.
Information Seeking and Avoiding in Health Contexts

Information management is an important component of coping with illness and illness-related uncertainty. Normative theory and research on information seeking and avoiding in health contexts can help explain why some information management activities are more adaptive than others. Challenges and dilemmas of information management include relational demands (e.g., the need to coordinate the behaviors and goals of the participants) and contextual features (e.g., cross-cultural considerations or channels available for information seeking and providing). Issues that need to be addressed in a normative approach include (a) how information management goals can be accomplished while still accounting for other goals (e.g., identity management or relational maintenance), (b) what roles interpreters can play to facilitate effective cross-cultural information exchange (e.g., as cultural informants), and (c) how information seekers can best manage conflicting or overwhelming information when confronted with messages from multiple channels.
Lethal and sublethal effects of selected insecticides and an insect growth regulator on the boll weevil (Coleoptera : Curculionidae) ectoparasitoid Catolaccus grandis (Hymenoptera : Pteromalidae)

A laboratory culture of Catolaccus grandis (Burks), an ectoparasitoid of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman, was exposed to lethal and sublethal doses of insecticides and an insect growth regulator using a spray chamber bioassay. Materials tested were azinphos-methyl, endosulfan, fipronil, malathion, cyfluthrin, dimethoate, spinosad, methyl parathion, acephate, oxamyl, and tebufenozide. At full rates, spinosad was significantly less toxic to female C. grandis than other treatments except endosulfan. Fipronil and malathion were significantly more toxic to females than other treatments. Most of the chemicals tested were highly toxic to male C. grandis; spinosad was least toxic. At reduced rates, most of 4 selected chemicals tested were low in toxicity to C. grandis; however, a reduced rate of malathion was significantly more toxic to females than other treatments. No C. grandis pupae developed from parasitism during a 24-h treatment period with malathion or spinosad. The sex ratio of progeny from sprayed adults appeared to be unaffected by the treatments.
Understanding the Present, Looking to the Future

The impressive growth of China’s NGO sector belies the fact that China’s civil society is still a work in progress. Nonetheless, NGO leaders who are involved in that building process have established effective organizations that are making important contributions to social governance. In this respect, they defy the understanding that effective NGOs cannot be found in non-democracies and that effectiveness can only be defined in terms of effecting revolutionary political changes. As a work in progress, China’s NGO sector is under-institutionalized, which means that the NGO leader is especially important for organizational effectiveness. In this respect, contemporary China offers a unique opportunity to assess the importance of NGO leadership and its associated skills. This study’s focus on leadership ties in general and state linkages in particular reflects the empirical reality in China. However, it is important to continue monitoring the emergence of other types of leadership ties and a new generation of leaders because such changes may point to important developments in China’s civil society and, by extension, changes to China’s political landscape. Similarly, the continuing importance of the NGO leader must also be subjected to regular observation. In this vein, the greatest challenges to the development of China’s NGO sector in general and NGOs in particular may not be their dependence on linkages with the state. Instead, elitism and individualism may constitute a greater threat to their development. Both Chinese and foreign actors can play an important role in addressing these challenges.
Singlet oxygen explicit dosimetry for PDT

s / Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy 12 (2015) 325–375 369 key challenge. We demonstrate a rational design and synthesis of covalently linked Pc nanospheres to address the issue. Covalently linked Pc nanospheres with a hollow interior were synthesized and fully characterized by elemental analysis. MTT assay was performed on KB cells to assess their in vitro dark and phototoxicity (660nm laser, 500mW cm-2 for 2.5 mins). We compared singlet oxygen generation ability of ZnPcmonomers and nanospheres. The phototoxicity of nanospheres was also compared with ZnPc tetrasulfonate on KB cells. Cell viability was 78% for phthalocyanine tetrasulfonate at 10 M against 14% for the same concentration of ZnPc nanosphere. The result is consistent with the higher SOG efficiency of the nanospheres compared with a monomer. The ZnPc nanospheres had better SOG efficiency and in vitro phototoxicity than monomeric Pc molecules, suggesting their higher potential in PDT. Easy synthesis coupledwith facile post-syntheticmodification may allow Pc nanospheres to be a versatile platform for a diverse range of medical and non-medical applications. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pdpdt.2015.07.198 Singlet oxygen explicit dosimetry for PDT
FuzzyGranular Methods for Identifying Marker Genes from Microarray Expression Data

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Traditional Algorithms for Gene Selection New Fuzzy-Granular-Based Algorithm for Gene Selection Simulation Conclusions References
Crispness level of potato chips affects temporal dynamics of flavor perception and mastication patterns in adults of different age groups

Abstract Little attention has been paid to the texture–flavor association in solid foods, especially crisp foods. This study aimed to determine whether crispness level affects temporal dynamics of perceived intensity of three types, i.e., plain, cheese, and spicy, of flavored potato chips with respect to three age groups: younger (20–25 years), middle-aged (40–45 years), and older (65+ years) adults. While eating potato chips, participants’ mastication pattern was also assessed by electromyography (EMG). Time–Intensity analysis showed that flavors were rated more intense and maximum flavor perception occurred quicker as crispness of potato chips increased. Overall, the effect of crispness level on flavor perception was more pronounced in the older participants. The average chew strength was greater in the crisper samples and regardless of flavor type the younger participants displayed shorter chew durations than older adults. A partial least squares regression demonstrated that mastication patterns, such as the number of chews, could well predict several key temporal flavor parameters such as the maximum intensity and the area under the curve in the middle age and older age groups. In conclusion, this study extends previous research showing that textural characteristics can influence flavor perception in liquid and soft foods to crisp/brittle foods. In addition, the effect of crispness level on flavor perception varies by flavor type, age group, and mastication pattern.
The Nutritive Requirements of the Salmonellas. IV. Studies on the Function of Amino Acids in the Growth of the Typhoid Bacillus.

vanced in explanation of the observed results. The idea that required compounds represent molecular structures which the bacterium is unable to synthesize from the other constituents of the medium is still the generally accepted explanation of bacterial nutritive requirements as manifested for definite chemical compounds, whether these compounds be amino acids or not. In the case of the required or "essential" amino acids, it was early apparent that the experimental evidence was not, in all its details, consistent with the original hypothesis,2 and discrepancies have continued to accumulate. This literature has been discussed elsewhere3 and need not be considered at length here. Suffice it to say that a certain proportion of strains of the typhoid bacillus, the test organism of the present experiments, require only the amino acid tryptophane for growth in certain
Congenital and Acquired Disorders of Platelet Function and Number

Abstract: Whereas thrombocytopenia is a common and recognized cause of abnormal primary hemostasis, qualitative defects and platelets exist. These disorders may be acquired defects from aspirin or other antiplatelet drugs or from congenital defects. The latter are multiple, rare, and esoteric. Yet understanding these disorders has revealed substantial information about platelet metabolism and physiology that has been translated into therapeutically reproducing these defects when weakened platelets are clinically desirable, as in patients with cardiac and/or central nervous system ischemia.
Heavy Ion Transfer and Deep Inelastic Reactions

As the beam energy of heavy-ion accelerators continued to increase, reaction channels other than complete fusion opened up. Almost 100 isotopes were discovered in deep-inelastic or multi-nucleon transfer reactions. The different detection techniques used for these discoveries are described in the chapter.
Autophagy-mediated Regulation of BACE1 Protein Trafficking and Degradation

β-Site amyloid precursor protein (APP) cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) is the major neuronal β-secretase for amyloid-β generation and is degraded in lysosomes. The autophagy-lysosomal system plays a key role in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis in neurons. Recent studies established that nascent autophagosomes in distal axons move predominantly in the retrograde direction toward the soma, where mature lysosomes are mainly located. However, it remains unknown whether autophagy plays a critical role in regulation of BACE1 trafficking and degradation. Here, we report that induction of neuronal autophagy enhances BACE1 turnover, which is suppressed by lysosomal inhibition. A significant portion of BACE1 is recruited to the autophagy pathway and co-migrates robustly with autophagic vacuoles along axons. Moreover, we reveal that autophagic vacuole-associated BACE1 is accumulated in the distal axon of Alzheimer's disease-related mutant human APP transgenic neurons and mouse brains. Inducing autophagy in mutant human APP neurons augments autophagic retention of BACE1 in distal axons, leading to enhanced β-cleavage of APP. This phenotype can be reversed by Snapin-enhanced retrograde transport, which facilitates BACE1 trafficking to lysosomes for degradation. Therefore, our study provides new insights into autophagy-mediated regulation of BACE1 turnover and APP processing, thus building a foundation for future development of potential Alzheimer's disease therapeutic strategies.
Scientific feuds, polemics, and ad hominem arguments in basic and special-interest genetics.

Abstract Scientific disputes are commonly presented and settled in journal publications. Most are resolved by a weighing of evidence and new findings. In some cases the arguments are personal and in the form of ad hominem attacks on the personality or integrity of an author of a journal article. Many famous scientists (e.g., Galileo, Newton, and Hooke) used ad hominem arguments in responding to their critics. William Bateson, W.F.R. Weldon, William Castle, and H.J. Muller used ad hominem arguments in their publications until the end of World War I, when editorial policy of journals changed. Motivating some of the attacks are philosophic differences (such as holistic or reductionist approaches to science), ideological differences (such as Marxist or Capitalist outlooks), politics (such as Cold War depictions by East and West on fallout from nuclear testing), or conflicts of interest (which can be professional or financial such as the debates over nontraditional and orthodox medicine or over tobacco smoking and health). Most of the time, the disputes are motivated by honest disagreements over the interpretation of the data. A recent surge (2009–2016) of ad hominem attacks by Edward Calabrese has appeared disparaging H. J. Muller, E. B. Lewis, other twentieth-century contributors to radiation genetics, and the National Academy of Sciences. They address the mutational effects of low-dose radiation exposure. Calabrese’s attacks have led to responses by geneticists in the field of mutagenesis, by agencies criticized by Calabrese, and by students and colleagues of those who have been accused of deception by Calabrese. This article reviews some of the history of ad hominem arguments in science and the background to the attacks by Calabrese. I argue that Calabrese’s characterization of Muller and his supporters is unjust, misleading, and hurtful. I also propose some methods for dealing with or preventing ad hominem attacks in professional journals.
Receipt of thyroid hormone deficiency treatment and risk of herpes zoster

Summary Objective Thyroid hormone (TH) has been suggested to control herpes virus gene expression and replication in neurons via epigenetics through its nuclear receptors. It has previously been shown that patients with hypothyroidism are predisposed to herpes zoster (HZ), suggesting that the TH deficiency may be a risk factor for varicella zoster virus (VZV) reactivation. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that TH treatment will ameliorate the complication of HZ. Methods This study investigated the hypothesis by enquiring into a comprehensive medical database at Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) to verify whether patients taking TH medication experience a reduction in HZ occurrence. Results It was shown by Kaplan–Meier analysis that hypothyroidism patients taking TH medicines had a lower risk of HZ. The fully adjusted analysis indicated that patients receiving medication for the treatment of TH deficiency exhibited a reduced risk of HZ (hazard ratio 0.60, 95% confidence interval 0.51–0.71). This lower risk of HZ was significant in all age groups except the 18–39 years cohort. In addition, female patients taking TH treatment exhibited a lower risk than their male counterparts. Conclusions Together these findings support the hypothesis that a constant level of TH will provide a degree of protection from contracting HZ. More studies are underway to evaluate the laboratory data for an analysis of hormonal effects on individuals.
Transport concept selection considering supplier milk runs – An integrated model and a case study from the automotive industry

Abstract Efficient inbound transport networks in the European automotive industry rely on a set of different transport concepts: point-to-point services, area forwarding services and regular milk runs. For the tactical planning and the operational controlling of a mixed inbound network, a manufacturer needs decision support. We provide an integrated mathematical model and a simple, standard solver based solution approach for the transport concept selection considering milk runs. We show the potential of the approach based on a real world case study from the automotive industry. Furthermore, we introduce quick test and performance indicators and we discuss managerial insights.
Benign Loculated Pleural Effusion

PET/MR imaging can help noninvasively characterize pleural effusions to determine if they are simple benign fluid collections versus infected or malignant pleural fluid.
Something Must Be Shown

This essay attempts to respond to what I see as a persistent misunderstanding of Cavellian conversation and its relation to politics as such. More specifically, I find that critics of Cavell and his acolytes, such as Davide Panagia, tend to read a Cavellian politics as dependent on a conventional sort of judgment, such that Cavell’s idea of “conversation” is overly similar to Habermas’s notion of exercising “public reason” or a more general social contractarianism. Panagia specifically contrasts a Cavellian politics with Ranciere’s more actively participatory variety. Without wanting to dwell overmuch on Ranciere specifically, I wish to argue that this contrast is overblown to the extent that it underestimates the stakes and confrontational nature of Cavellian conversation, and that it ignores Cavell’s own account of what happens when justifications come to an end and one’s spade is turned: something must be shown. I wish to link the kind of showing that I think Cavell has in mind to the long tradition of African American activism in the United States, culminating, thus far, in the Movement for Black Lives.
Essential Involvement of Mossy Fibers in Projecting the CS to the Cerebellum during Classical Conditioning

A number of lesion and recording studies provide evidence that the cerebellum is essentially involved in classical conditioning of skeletal muscle responses (e.g., McCormick et al., 1982a; McCormick and Thompson, 1984). In an attempt to delineate the essential neural circuitry involved in classical eyelid conditioning, we have adopted the following working hypothesis: (1) Information concerning the occurrence of the conditioned stimulus (CS) is projected to the cerebellum along mossy fibers that originate in the pontine nuclei. (2) Information concerning occurrence of the unconditioned stimulus (US) is projected to the cerebellum along climbing fibers that originate in the inferior olive. (3) Neural plasticity associated with acquisition and retention of the classically conditioned response occurs in regions of the cerebellum where CS mossy fibers and US climbing fibers converge.