cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of open and arthroscopic subacromial decompression

We retrospectively reviewed 68 patients (70 shoulders) who underwent either open or arthroscopic acromioplasty performed by a single surgeon (JPI) for chronic impingement syndrome in the presence of an intact rotator cuff. Group 1 consisted of 24 shoulders that had open acromioplasty and group 2 consisted of 46 shoulders that had arthroscopic acromioplasty. The minimum follow-up was 12 months for both groups. There was no statistical difference in mean postoperative shoulder scores between the operative groups. However, there were more excellent results in the open group as compared with the arthroscopic group (54.2% vs 41.9%, respectively). In addition, there was a higher percentage of poor results in group 2 as compared with group 1 (27.9% vs 16.6%, respectively). Arthroscopic acromioplasty was associated with shorter hospital stays and faster achievement of maximal pain relief as compared with open acromioplasty. Examination of postoperative radiographs often revealed subacromial calcifications. These calcifications were more frequent after arthroscopic acromioplasty and were associated with a worse result.
CORRECTED PROOF OF THE RESULT OF 'A PREDICTION ERROR PROPERTY OF THE LASSO ESTIMATOR AND ITS GENERALIZATION' BY HUANG (2003)

Summary The Lasso achieves variance reduction and variable selection by solving an � 1-regularized least squares problem. Huang (2003) claims that ‘there always exists an interval of regularization parameter values such that the corresponding mean squared prediction error for the Lasso estimator is smaller than for the ordinary least square estimator’. This result is correct. However, its proof in Huang (2003) is not. This paper presents a corrected proof of the claim, which exposes and uses some interesting fundamental properties of the Lasso.
Uncoupling of eNOS causes superoxide anion production and impairs NO signaling in the cerebral microvessels of hph-1 mice

In this study, we used the GTP cyclohydrolase I-deficient mice, i.e., hyperphenylalaninemic (hph-1) mice, to test the hypothesis that the loss of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH(4)) in cerebral microvessels causes endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) uncoupling, resulting in increased superoxide anion production and inhibition of endothelial nitric oxide signaling. Both homozygous mutant (hph-1(-/-)) and heterozygous mutant (hph-1(+/-) mice) demonstrated reduction in GTP cyclohydrolase I activity and reduced bioavailability of BH(4). In the cerebral microvessels of hph-1(+/-) and hph-1(-/-) mice, increased superoxide anion production was inhibited by supplementation of BH(4) or NOS inhibitor- L- N(G) -nitro arginine-methyl ester, indicative of eNOS uncoupling. Expression of 3-nitrotyrosine was significantly increased, whereas NO production and cGMP levels were significantly reduced. Expressions of antioxidant enzymes namely copper and zinc superoxide dismutase, manganese superoxide dismutase, and catalase were not affected by uncoupling of eNOS. Reduced levels of BH(4), increased superoxide anion production, as well as inhibition of NO signaling were not different between the microvessels of male and female mice. The results of our study are the first to demonstrate that, regardless of gender, reduced BH(4) bioavailability causes eNOS uncoupling, increases superoxide anion production, inhibits eNOS/cGMP signaling, and imposes significant oxidative stress in the cerebral microvasculature.
Genetic Epidemiology in Aging Research

Over the last two decades, aging research has expanded to include not only age-related disease models, and conversely, longevity and disease-free models, but also focuses on biological mechanisms related to the aging process. By viewing aging on multiple research frontiers, we are rapidly expanding knowledge as a whole and mapping connections between biological processes and particular age-related diseases that emerge. This is perhaps most true in the field of genetics, where variation across individuals has improved our understanding of aging mechanisms, etiology of age-related disease, and prediction of therapeutic responses. A close partnership between gerontologists, epidemiologists, and geneticists is needed to take full advantage of emerging genome information and technology and bring about a new age for biological aging research. Here we review current genetic findings for aging across both disease-specific and aging process domains. We then highlight the limitations of most work to date in terms of study design, genomic information, and trait modeling and focus on emerging technology and future directions that can partner genetic epidemiology and aging research fields to best take advantage of the rapid discoveries in each.
Differential Regulation of Collagenase and Stromelysin mRNA in Late Passage Cultures of Human Fibroblasts

Nontransformed human fibroblast cell cultures have been extensively studied as an in vitro model for cellular senescence. Recently there has been considerable interest in using the human fibroblast in the identification of genes relevant to the process of replicative senescence. We demonstrated that in comparison with early passage cultures the expression of collagenase and stromelysin mRNAs and proteins was increased > 8 x in late passage cultures of human fibroblasts and, in addition, expression of Il-1 alpha, a cytokine that regulates collagenase and stromelysin expression, was also significantly increased in late passage cell cultures. These findings suggested the hypothesis that constitutive Il-1 alpha expression in late passage cells may coordinately regulate the age-associated increase in the expression of collagenase and stromelysin. To test this hypothesis we examined the effects of long-term Il-1 alpha treatment, serum starvation, and cycloheximide inhibition on collagenase and stromelysin mRNA levels in early and late passage human fibroblast cell cultures. Here we report that in late passage cell cultures, collagenase and stromelysin mRNAs respond differentially to Il-1 alpha, serum starvation, and cycloheximide addition. Continuous exposure to Il-1 alpha reduced the half-life of stromelysin mRNA but had little effect on the half-life of collagenase mRNA. In contrast to stromelysin, the collagenase mRNA level is dependent on serum factors. Collagenase is induced during recovery from cycloheximide inhibition, but stromelysin expression is not affected. These results establish that collagenase and stromelysin mRNAs are differentially regulated in both early and late passage human fibroblasts and suggest that the mechanisms responsible for the age-associated increase in the two mRNAs are different. In addition, these studies support the conclusion that continuous long-term exposure to Il-1 alpha, a condition that is characteristic of late passage cells, is not the factor responsible for the high levels of collagenase expression, but may be critical for stromelysin expression.
The architectural requirement and integration analyses of a database server for office automation

supported by grants from the Department of Defense STARS Program and from the Office of Naval Research
Exercise: A Unitary Concept

Nursing science provides the opportunity to frame one’s vision of humans and health and create interventions that facilitate wellness. This article contributes to nursing science by reconceptualizing exercise as a unitary concept using Parse’s process of concept inventing. Concept inventing is a way to uncover the uniqueness of particular concepts and articulate their essence within the simultaneity paradigm. It differs from traditional, linear processes that are derived from the totality paradigm. Through the process of concept inventing, exercise is described within Rogers’s science of unitary human beings and conceptualized as the purposeful, rhythmic flow of human movement.
Optimization of a hyper-elastic structure with multibody contact using continuum-based shape design sensitivity analysis

In this paper, a continuum-based shape design sensitivity formulation is presented for a hyper-elastic structure with multibody frictional contact. A nearly incompressible constraint is treated using the pressure projection method that projects a hydrostatic pressure into a lower order space to avoid a volumetric locking. The variational formulation for multibody frictional contact is developed using a penalty method that regularizes the solution of the variational inequality. The material derivative of continuum mechanics is utilized to develop the continuum-based shape design sensitivity analysis for the hyper-elastic constitutive relation and penalized contact formulation. The sensitivity equation is solved at each converged load step using the same tangent stiffness of response analysis due to the path dependency of the sensitivity of the frictional contact problem. A very accurate and efficient sensitivity results are shown through shape optimization of a windshield wiper.
Air-gap reluctance and inductance calculations for magnetic circuits using a Schwarz-Christoffel transformation

A method for calculating the reluctance of air gaps in magnetic circuits making use of a Schwarz-Christoffel transformation is described. The method is applied to the calculation of the inductance of example inductor and transformer configurations and its validity established through comparisons with calculations based on the finite-element method of numerical analysis. >
Tolstoy and his Disciples: The History of a Radical International Movement

Charlotte Alston's Tolstoy and his Disciples is a rich, systematic analysis of an important international movement, which to this point has been better understood in Russia than elsewhere. While th...
Insights into Intracellular Domains of Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channels

Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) are abundant players in fast chemical signal transduction both in and outside the nervous system. During recent years, EM and X-ray structures of prokaryotic homologues and more recently also of eukaryotic pLGICs have been published in several functional states. Despite these atomic-level insights pertaining to the extracellular and transmembrane domains that are highly conserved, the diverse intracellular domain remains enigmatic. Ion channel chimeras as well as further optimized soluble chimeras provide novel insights into the intracellular domain of this superfamily of ion channels.
Complete nucleotide sequences of a new bipartite begomovirus from Malvastrum sp. plants with bright yellow mosaic symptoms in South Texas

Two isolates of a novel bipartite begomovirus, tentatively named malvastrum bright yellow mosaic virus (MaBYMV), were molecularly characterized from naturally infected plants of the genus Malvastrum showing bright yellow mosaic disease symptoms in South Texas. Six complete DNA-A and five DNA-B genome sequences of MaBYMV obtained from the isolates ranged in length from 2,608 to 2,609 nucleotides (nt) and 2,578 to 2,605 nt, respectively. Both genome segments shared a 178- to 180-nt common region. In pairwise comparisons, the complete DNA-A and DNA-B sequences of MaBYMV were most similar (87-88 % and 79-81 % identity, respectively) and phylogenetically related to the corresponding sequences of sida mosaic Sinaloa virus-[MX-Gua-06]. Further analysis revealed that MaBYMV is a putative recombinant virus, thus supporting the notion that malvaceous hosts may be influencing the evolution of several begomoviruses. The design of new diagnostic primers enabled the detection of MaBYMV in cohorts of Bemisia tabaci collected from symptomatic Malvastrum sp. plants, thus implicating whiteflies as potential vectors of the virus.
Dynamics and Controls of a Generalized Frequency Domain Model Flexible Rotating Spacecraft

Modeling a flexible rotating spacecraft as a distributed parameters system of a rigid hub attached to a flexible appendage is very common. When considering large angle maneuvers the same model applies to flexible robotic manipulators by adding a tip mass at the end of the flexible appendage to account for the payload. Following Euler-Bernoulli beam theory the dynamics for both no tip mass and tip mass models are derived. A Generalized State Space (GSS) system is constructed in the frequency domain to completely solve for the input-output transfer functions of the models. The analytical solution of the GSS is obtained and compared against the classical assumed modes method. The frequency response of the system is then used in a classical control problem where a Lyapunov stable controller is derived and tested for gain selection. The assumed modes method is used to obtain the time response of the system to verify the gain selections and draw connections between the frequency and the time domains. The GSS approach provides a powerful tool to test various control schemes in the frequency domain and a validation platform for existing numerical methods utilized to solve distributed parameters models.
Can We Talk About Stay-At-Home Moms? Empirical Findings and Implications for Counseling:

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to add to feminist research by asking women themselves to articulate the experiences of stay-at-home motherhood when their children became “fully involved” in school (i.e., 3rd or 4th grade) and to recognize mental health concerns these women may have. Seven themes emerged: expectations of mothering role impacts mothering experience; mother’s perception of children further separating; relationship with spouse; identity confusion, exploration, and expansion; responsibility for household; negotiating self-care; and finding support beyond the family system. These themes are discussed in full and implications for marriage and family counselors and future research are presented.
Thermal Resistance Parameters of Acid-Adapted and Unadapted Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Apple-Carrot Juice Blends: Effect of Organic Acids and pH

Numerous outbreaks involving fresh juices contaminated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 have occurred in the United States and around the world, raising concern for the safety of these products. Until now, only a few studies regarding the thermal tolerance of this pathogen in acidic juices over a wide range of pH values have been published. Therefore, the effect of varying the pH with different organic acids on the thermal inactivation of non-acid-adapted and acid-adapted E. coli O157:H7 (strain C7927) was determined. The decimal reduction times (D-values) and the change in temperature required for the thermal destruction curve to traverse 1 log cycle (z-values) were calculated for non-acid-adapted E. coli in an apple-carrot juice blend (80:20) adjusted to three pH values (3.3, 3.5, and 3.7) by the addition of lactic, malic, or acetic acid and at a pH of 4.5 adjusted with NaOH. Thermal parameters were also determined for acid-adapted cells in juices acidified with malic acid. The effect of the soluble solids content on the thermal tolerance was studied in samples with a pH of 3.7 at 9.4 to 11.5 °Brix. The D-values were determined at 54, 56, and 58 °C, and trials were conducted in triplicate. Non-acid-adapted E. coli exhibited the highest thermal tolerance at pH 4.5 (D-value at 54 °C [D54 °C] of 20 ± 4 min and z-value of 6.2 °C), although on average, the D-values increased significantly (P 0.01). The data from this study will be useful for establishing critical limits for safe thermal processing of pH-controlled juices and similar products.
Protein breakdown in thermal injury.

SummaryProtein breakdown was observed when skin slices were submitted to heat in vitro. Part of the proteolysis is caused by enzymatic action and the protease responsible for it can be extracted from heated tissue. The results suggest that thermal stimulation acts by converting an inactive enzyme precursor, present in normal tissue, into an active protease. The process described may play a role in the pathogenesis of thermal injury.
Alabama Parenting Questionnaire-9: Longitudinal Measurement Invariance Across Parents and Youth During the Transition to High School

The Alabama Parenting Questionnaire nine-item short form (APQ-9) is an often used assessment of parenting in research and applied settings. It uses parent and youth ratings for three scales: Positive Parenting, Inconsistent Discipline, and Poor Supervision. The purpose of this study is to examine the longitudinal invariance of the APQ-9 for both parents and youth, and the multigroup invariance between parents and youth during the transition from middle school to high school. Parent and youth longitudinal configural, metric, and scalar invariance for the APQ-9 were supported when tested separately. However, the multigroup invariance tests indicated that scalar invariance was not achieved between parent and youth ratings. Essentially, parent and youth mean scores for Positive Parenting, Inconsistent Discipline, and Poor Supervision can be independently compared across the transition from middle school to high school. However, comparing parent and youth scores across the APQ-9 scales may not be meaningful.
A unified approach towards Trypanosoma brucei functional genomics using Gibson assembly

Trypanosoma brucei is the causative agent of human African trypanosomiasis and nagana in cattle. Recent advances in high throughput phenotypic and interaction screens have identified a wealth of novel candidate proteins for diverse functions such as drug resistance, life cycle progression, and cytoskeletal biogenesis. Characterization of these proteins will allow a more mechanistic understanding of the biology of this important pathogen and could identify novel drug targets. However, methods for rapidly validating and prioritizing these potential targets are still being developed. While gene tagging via homologous recombination and RNA interference are available in T. brucei, a general strategy for creating the most effective constructs for these approaches is lacking. Here, we adapt Gibson assembly, a one-step isothermal process that rapidly assembles multiple DNA segments in a single reaction, to create endogenous tagging, overexpression, and long hairpin RNAi constructs that are compatible with well-established T. brucei vectors. The generality of the Gibson approach has several advantages over current methodologies and substantially increases the speed and ease with which these constructs can be assembled.
Exact Computation of Velocity Field and Probability Flux of Time-Evolving Probability Landscape of Stochastic Networks

Stochastic networks play important roles in cellular processes such as gene regulation, maintenance of epigenetic states, and decision of cellular fate. The discrete chemical master equation (dCME) provides a general framework for studying stochasticity in cellular mesoscopic systems. The time-evolving probabilistic landscape governed by dCME gives a comprehensive picture of the stochastic behavior of the network. Probability flux and entropy production of stochastic network have been previously studied using Fokker-Plank equation based on Gaussian processes. Here we formulate the time-dependent evolution of the probability landscape as a general diffusion process [1], and construct the velocity field and the probability flux based on exactly computed time-evolving probabilistic landscape. We dispense with Gaussian approximations and the truncation of the jump operator necessary when using the Fokker-Plank equation. We computed the dynamics of probability fluxes and vector fields over the full state space across different time scale. We showed details of the time-evolving probability fluxes and vector fields for the ubiquitous birth-death process, the bistable Schlogl process, the oscillatory Schnakenberg model, and the toggle switch model at different time points using the exact ACME algorithm [2]. Our results identify important cellular states, characterize high probability paths and trajectories along which the probability mass of the network state evolve. Furthermore, we provide exact assessment of dissipative entropy production associated with the complex diffusion process.[1] Eisenberg, Bob et al. The Journal of Chemical Physics 133.10 (2010): 104104.[2] Cao, Youfang et al. BMC Systems Biology 2.1 (2008): 30.
Analysis of the Uterine Epithelial and Conceptus Transcriptome and Luminal Fluid Proteome During the Peri-Implantation Period of Pregnancy in Sheep

Studies support the idea that uterine epithelia and their secretions have important biological roles in conceptus survival, elongation, and implantation in sheep. The present study evaluated the transcriptome of the uterine luminal epithelium (LE) and glandular epithelium (GE) and the conceptus and proteome of uterine luminal fluid (ULF) during the peri-implantation period of pregnancy. Transcriptome (RNA-sequencing) analysis was conducted in LE and GE isolated from uteri of Day 10, 12, 14, 16, and 20 pregnant sheep by laser capture microdissection. In the LE, the total number of expressed genes increased between Days 10 and 20, whereas expressed genes in the GE increased from Days 10 to 14 and then decreased to Day 20. Most of the expressed genes in LE and GE from Days 10 to 14 are involved in cell survival and growth, whereas genes involved in cell organization and protein synthesis were most abundant on Days 16 and 20. Total expressed genes in the conceptus was greatest on Day 12, decreased to Day 16, and then increased to Day 20. Genes abundantly expressed in the elongating conceptus included IFNT, PTGS2, MGST1, FADS1, and FADS2, whereas SERPINA1, CSH1, and PLET1 were most abundant in the Day 20 conceptus. Proteins, identified by mass spectrometry, increased in the ULF from Days 10 to 16 and are involved in cellular reorganization or are proteases or chaperone proteins. These results support the idea that conceptus elongation and implantation is regulated by both extrinsic and intrinsic factors. This study provides critical information that serves as a foundation to discover new regulatory pathways governing uterine receptivity, conceptus elongation, trophectoderm differentiation, conceptus-endometrial interactions, and pregnancy establishment in ruminants.
Langmuir-Blodgett assembly of visible light responsive TiO2 nanotube arrays/graphene oxide heterostructure

Abstract The hybrid nanocomposites of titanium dioxide (TiO2) with graphene oxide (GO) have recently garnered much attention as electronic devices, energy conversion devices, photocatalysts and other applications. In this study, Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) assembly method was firstly reported to prepare a TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNA)-GO heterostructure. The as-prepared TNA-GO sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectra, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The promising characteristics of this TNA-GO material, the inexpensive, nontoxic and highly visible-light responsiveness, may raise the potential uses in many, various photocatalytic applications.
The Control of Long-Lasting Changes in Membrane Excitability by Protein Phosphorylation in Peptidergic Neurons

Nerve cells are remarkably heterogeneous in their electrical properties. In the absence of synaptic input, neurons may show no spontaneous activity or may generate a variety of forms of endogenous pacing and bursting activities. This heterogeneity results from differences in the complement of ionic currents that each cell possesses (Koester and Byrne, 1980). In addition to the currents that determine the pattern of spontaneous and stimulated firing activity, the ionic currents that generate action potentials vary in their nature and distribution, giving rise to differences in the height, width, and cellular location of action potentials evoked in different types of neurons. In simple, experimentally tractable nervous systems, such as those provided by invertebrates, it has, in some cases, been possible to link the endogenous pattern of activity of a neuron to characteristics of specific behaviors. More importantly, it has been possible to demonstrate that stimulation may produce profound changes in the endogenous electrical properties of neurons, leading to changes in the behaviors that are controlled by these neurons (Byrne et al., Chapter 3, this volume; Klein and Kandel, 1980; DeVlieger et al., 1980; Strumwasser et al., 1981; Gillette and Gillette, 1983).
Outage capacities of space-time architectures

This paper considers non-ergodic multi-input multi-output (MIMO) fading channels. We compare the outage capacities yielded by the optimal unconstrained system and some recently proposed space-time architectures for i.i.d. Gaussian inputs. All the systems considered here are known to yield outage capacities having the same (maximum) rate of growth with the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). For each system, an asymptotically tight lower bound on the outage capacity is derived. The analysis reveals that the diagonal BLAST architecture with the zero-forcing front end is asymptotically optimal with respect to the outage capacity. Another space-time architecture is shown to be optimal at all SNR with respect to the outage capacity.
Evolution: Differences can hold populations together.

Evolution favours the body form best adapted to the local environment, but it can also favour rare forms. Stickleback experiments reveal how these two selection forces can interact, and how this can limit population divergence. See Letter p.285 Natural selection nudges populations in different environments to diverge. This is divergent selection (DS). But there is also negative frequency-dependent selection (NFDS), which means that in certain circumstances rare varieties in a population will have a selective advantage. For example, in a large population of frogs, any frog that's actually a prince will get a lot of attention. DS and NFDS are rarely studied together as they occur on different spatial and temporal scales. Whereas DS describes the broad sweep of selection over generations, NFDS concerns the minutiae of, for example, mate choice. However, NFDS can be stronger than—and even oppose—divergent selection. Daniel Bolnick and William Stutz demonstrate this effect in populations of a freshwater fish—the three-spine stickleback. By transplanting lake-bred sticklebacks into streams, and vice-versa, they found that immigrants did much better than expected, provided that they were few in number, and constrained divergent selection.
Peritoneal pre-conditioning reduces macrophage marker expression in collagen-containing engineered vascular grafts.

Abstract Engineered vascular grafts have shown promise as arteriovenous shunts, but they have not yet progressed to clinical trials for coronary arteries in vivo bioreactor” to recruit autologous cells and improve patency after grafting. Electrospun conduits were pre-implanted within rat peritoneal cavities and then grafted autologously into abdominal aortae. Conduit collagen percentages and pre-implantation were tested for their impact on graft remodeling and patency. Burst pressures >2000 mmHg, reproducible expansion with systole/diastole, and maintenance of mechanical integrity were observed. More importantly, peritoneal pre-implantation reduced overall lipid oxidation, intimal layer thickness, and expression of an M1 macrophage marker. The condition with the most collagen, 25%, exhibited the lowest expression of macrophage markers but also resulted in a thicker intimal layer. Overall, the 10% collagen/PCL with peritoneal pre-implantation condition appeared to exhibit the best combination of responses, and may result in improved clinical graft viability. Statement of Significance This manuscript describes a rodent study to systematically determine the benefits of both pre-implantation in the peritoneal cavity and specific ratios of collagen on engineered vascular graft viability. We show that pre-implantation had a significant benefit, including decreasing the expression of macrophage markers and reducing lipid oxidation after grafting. This study is the first time that the benefits of peritoneal pre-implantation have been compared to an “off the shelf,” directly grafted control condition. We also demonstrated the importance of specific collagen ratio on the response after grafting. Overall, we feel that this article will be of interest to the field and it has the potential to address a significant clinical need: a graft for coronary arteries
Study of iridium silicide monolayers using density functional theory

In this study, we investigated physical and electronic properties of possible two-dimensional structures formed by Si (silicon) and Ir (iridium). To this end, different plausible structures were modeled by using density functional theory and the cohesive energies calculated for the geometry of optimized structures, with the lowest equilibrium lattice constants. Among several candidate structures, we identified three mechanically (via elastic constants and Young's modulus), dynamically (via phonon calculations), and thermodynamically stable iridium silicide monolayer structures. The lowest energy structure has a chemical formula of Ir2Si4 (called r-IrSi2), with a rectangular lattice (Pmmn space group). Its cohesive energy was calculated to be −0.248 eV (per IrSi2 unit) with respect to bulk Ir and bulk Si. The band structure indicates that the Ir2Si4 monolayer exhibits metallic properties. Other stable structures have hexagonal (P-3m1) and tetragonal (P4/nmm) cell structures with 0.12 and 0.20 eV/f.u. highe...
Range expansion in unfavorable environments through behavioral responses to microclimatic conditions: Moose (Alces americanus) as the model

Abstract Wildlife populations occurring at the edge of their range boundaries are thought to be the most sensitive to climate change due to temperatures being at or near the limit of a species’ thermal envelope. Moose (Alces americanus) are a cold adapted species that are showing population declines in some portions of the southern edge of their range. However, other moose populations are actively expanding southward into thermally stressful areas. The direct effects of temperature on moose have not yet been studied in these southwardly expanding populations and may offer insights into how moose are successfully establishing in areas at the edge of their thermal envelope. We used ambient temperature and GPS collar data from moose to quantify the direct effect of temperature on moose habitat use in Massachusetts, USA, which is one of these southwardly expanding populations. The mean daily temperature in our study area exceeded the reported physiological tolerances of moose in over 90% of daytime and 75% of nighttime locations in summer and in over 80% of daytime and 67% of nighttime locations in winter. Across seasons and times of day, moose preferred regenerating forest, but as ambient air temperatures increased, selection for regenerating forest declined and selection for forested wetlands and coniferous forest increased. This response indicates moose are altering their behavior to utilize thermal shelters when temperatures are high. We observed higher temperatures and stronger behavioral responses than other studies at the southern edge of moose range. We found habitat for moose in Massachusetts is climatically marginal and loss of habitat, increase in parasites, and further climatic warming may cause population declines in the future.
Inhibition of endocannabinoid degradation rectifies motivational and dopaminergic deficits in the Q175 mouse model of Huntington’s disease

Prominent motor deficits (e.g., chorea) that typify Huntington's disease (HD) arise following a prolonged prodromal stage characterized by psychiatric disturbances. Apathy, a disorder of motivation characterized by diminished goal-directed behavior, is one of the earliest and most common psychiatric symptoms in HD, but the underlying neurobiology is unclear and treatment options are limited. Alterations in the endocannabinoid (eCB) and dopamine systems represent prominent pathophysiological markers in HD that-similar to motivational deficits-present early and decline across disease progression. Whether changes in dopamine and eCB systems are associated with specific behavioral impairments in HD and whether these deficits are amenable to viable treatments is unknown. Here, we show that dopaminergic encoding of effortful drive progressively declines with age in an HD mouse model, and is restored by elevating tissue levels of the eCB 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) through targeted inhibition of its enzymatic degradation. This work supports aberrant dopaminergic encoding of reward as a neurobiological correlate of apathy in HD, and indicates that cannabinoid receptor-based therapies may benefit neuropsychiatric care for HD.
Using Learning Analytics to Predict At-Risk Students in Online Graduate Public Affairs and Administration Education

In this global information age, schools that teach public affairs and administration must meet the needs of students. Increasingly, this means providing students information in online classrooms to...
Carnosine is a novel peptide modulator of intracellular calcium and contractility in cardiac cells

Myocardial contractile failure is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with ischemic heart disease and systemic inflammatory states such as sepsis. Accumulating evidence indicates ...
Future Extension to a Simultaneous Measurement of \(\sigma _{t\bar{t}}\) and \(R_b\)

After the measurement technique presented here is established in single measurements as presented in Chaps. 6 and 7, it can be extended to simultaneous measurements of \(\sigma _{t\bar{t}}\) and other quantities the selection of events is sensitive to.
Search for etiology of porcine reproductive and neurologic syndrome: identification and characterization of a novel swine pestivirus

v General Introduction 1 Thesis Organization 1 Literature Review 1 ISOLATION OF A NOVEL VIRAL AGENT ASSOCIATED WITH PORCINE REPRODUCTIVE AND NEUROLOGICAL SYNDROME AND REPRODUCTION OF THE DISEASE 37 Abstract 38 Introduction 39 Materials and Methods 40 Results 48 Discussion and Conclusions 51 Acknowledgements 53 References 54 CHARACTERIZATION OF A NEWLY DISCOVERED VIRAL AGENT ('VIRUS X') ASSOCIATED WITH PORCINE REPRODUCTIVE AND NEUROLOGICAL SYNDROME 63 Abstract 64 Introduction 65 Materials and Methods 66 Results 76 Discussion and Conclusions 80 Acknowledgements 82 References 83 DEVELOPMENT OF MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY SPECIFIC FOR A NOVEL SWINE PESTIVIRUS AND APPLICATION TO DIAGNOSTICS 98 Abstract 99 Introduction 100 Materials and Methods 101 Results 108 Discussion and Conclusions 109 Acknowledgements 111 References 111 GENERAL DISCUSSION 118 REFERENCES 121
Towards managing age of network state information in challenged networks

Age of Information (AoI) is a recently introduced metric for freshness of the real-time information, which requires frequent updates. This paper argues that AoI is useful not only for real-time network applications, but also for network state information in challenged network management, where conventional TCP/IP bases Internet architectures are not effective due to intermittent connectivity, frequent nodal churn, widely varying network conditions, etc. Since network state updates take bandwidth from the payload carried by the network, we quantify the corresponding tradeoffs and propose an extension to Network Utility Maximization (NUM) framework which incorporates these tradeoffs.
Magnetic Resonance Measurement of Tumor Perfusion and Vascularity

Several approaches to magnetic resonance (MR) measurements of tumor perfusion (i.e., the nutritive blood flux through tissues at the capillary level, alternatively termed tumor blood flow) and other properties of the tumor vasculature have been used in both preclinical and clinical studies. This chapter will first describe the principal approaches that have been used for measuring tumor perfusion and vascularity, including the data analysis methods used to extract quantitative information relating to the underlying tumor physiology. The remainder of the chapter will focus on dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI), which is currently the most widely used of these approaches. The methodological considerations for data acquisition, consensus approaches for data analysis, potential advances in DCE-MRI, and applications representative of how it is being used in drug development will be considered.
Cardiovascular outcomes of sodium glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Aims To determine the association between cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and SGLT2 inhibitors compared to sulfonylureas and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) inhibitors and to examine within-class effects of SGLT2 inhibitors. Methods A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted using Truven Health MarketScan. New users of SGLT2 inhibitors, sulfonylureas or DPP-4 inhibitors were included. Primary outcome was incident CVD, defined as non-fatal myocardial infarction or non-fatal stroke; secondary outcomes were hospitalization because of heart failure and lower extremity amputation. Proportional hazards models, after propensity score matching, were used to obtain hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results In fully adjusted models, use of SGLT2 inhibitors was associated with a decreased risk of developing CVD compared with use of sulfonylureas (HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.45, 0.55) and DPP-4 inhibitors (HR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.52, 0.62), respectively. Analyses revealed no evidence of within-class effects: dapagliflozin vs sulfonylureas (HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.43, 0.70) or DPP-4 inhibitors (HR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.46, 0.70); and canagliflozin vs sulfonylureas (HR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.54, 0.69) or DPP-4 inhibitors (HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.54, 0.71). Additionally, SGLT2 inhibitors were associated with lower risk of hospitalization because of heart failure compared to both sulfonylureas and DPP-4 inhibitors, as well as lower risk of lower extremity amputation compared to sulfonylureas. Conclusion Using population-based data, incident use of SGLT-2 inhibitors was associated with a decreased incidence of CVD compared to use of sulfonylureas and DPP-4 inhibitors. These findings were consistent between dapagliflozin and canagliflozin, suggesting that CVD reduction is a class effect for SGLT2 inhibitors. In addition, SGLT2 inhibitors portended lower risk of hospitalization because of heart failure (vs sulfonylureas and DPP-4 inhibitors) and lower risk of lower extremity amputation (vs sulfonylureas).
A Practical Analytical Small Signal Mode Applied for the LLC Converter Based on Hybrid Hysteretic Charge Control

In this paper, an analytical small-signal model applied for Hybrid Hysteretic Charge (HHC) control has been proposed and analyzed based on the improved analytical Direct Frequency Control (DFC) model which is based on the extended describing function method. For the first time, the systematical analytical open loop transfer functions from control to output, input to output, output impedance and the closed transfer functions of overall loop, audio susceptibility and output impedance are proposed and verified through simulation. Finally, the experiments on a design example of 12V& I2A are conducted and verified. It has been shown that the calculations match well with the results from both the simulation results and experimental results, which has shown that the proposed analytical transfer functions are valuable and can be applied for the practical power design to achieve good prediction result.
Pilot Study of Novel Intermittent Fasting Effects on Metabolomic and Trimethylamine N-oxide Changes During 24-hour Water-Only Fasting in the FEELGOOD Trial

Intermittent fasting (IF) has been connected with health benefits such as weight loss, lower risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) and diabetes, increased longevity, and improved quality of life. However, the mechanisms of these IF benefits in humans require further investigation. This study sought to elucidate some of these mechanisms through secondary analyses of the Fasting and ExprEssion of Longevity Genes during fOOD abstinence (FEELGOOD) trial, in which apparently healthy participants were randomized in a Latin square design to a 24-h water-only fast and a 24-h ad libitum fed day. Two pathways were investigated, with trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) levels measured due to their association with elevated risk of CAD, along with conductance of a broad panel of metabolic analytes. Measurements were made at baseline, at the end of the fasting day, and at the end of the fed day. A fasting mean of 14.3 ng in TMAO was found versus the baseline mean of 27.1 ng with p = 0.019, although TMAO levels returned to baseline on refeeding. Further, acute alterations in levels of proline, tyrosine, galactitol, and urea plasma levels were observed along with changes in 24 other metabolites during the fasting period. These acute changes reveal short-term mechanisms which, with consistent repeated episodes of IF, may lead to improved health and reduced risk of CAD and diabetes.
Nepal's civil war and the changing sources of income: The role of sectoral shifts and remittances in mitigation and recovery

Given the increased worldwide unrest and a large number of displaced individuals, understanding the economic impacts of civil war has been the subject of growing attention by academics and policymakers. The 10‐year civil war in Nepal from 1996 to 2006 provides an opportunity to assess the impact of civil unrest on income sources and remittance patterns. In this study, we examine the changes in household income generating processes over the period of the Nepali civilwar. Using survey data from the Nepal Living Standards Survey (NLSS) in 1995/1996 and 2010/2011, we observe household income and remittance patterns before and after the civil war. Specifically, we employ a difference‐in‐difference estimator that focuses on the heterogeneity in civil unrest within Nepal to examine how the civil war impacted the sources of household income. Within the context of a slower growth rate of income after the revolution for those in the hardest hit districts, we find that there was also a change in the composition of income sources. In particular, our results suggest that there was a shift from a reliance on wages in the nonagricultural sector to wages in the agricultural sector; that there was a shift from external remittances to internal remittances; and finally that home production—the market value of items produced and consumed within the household—may be taking the place of income in regions hit by unrest. “People living in zones of war are maimed, killed, and see their property destroyed. They may be displaced or prevented from attending school or earning a living. To the extent that these costs are borne unequally across groups, the conflict could intensify economic inequality as well as poverty. The destruction (and deferred accumulation) of both human and physical capital also hinder macroeconomic performance, combining with any effects of war on institutions and technology to impact national income growth. Understanding the economic legacies of conflict is important to the design of post‐conflict recovery” (Blattman & Miguel, 2010).
Hypolipidemic Effect of Portulaca oleracea and Salvia officinalis Comparing to Atorvastatin in Rats

Non-communicable diseases (NCDS), mainly cardiovascular diseases, are considered the major reason of mortality universally. A high blood level of lipid, which also is known as hyperlipidemia, is mostly the main etiological factor in those diseases. Therefore, there is a persistent need to develop a strategy to cure this symptomless killer. Consequently, we aimed to investigate the effect of Portulaca oleracea P. oleracea and Salvia officinalis leaves ethanolic extract in mitigating hyperlipidemia in the rat. To achieve this aim, we divided 30 Wistar albino rats into 5 groups as follow; negative control group (-ve) received no treatment, positive control group (+ve) received 100mg/kg BW of triton, 1st treatment group (T1) received atorvastatin, 2nd treatment group (T2) received P. oleracea 200 mg/kg BW, 3rd treatment group (T3) received S. officinalis L. extract 200 mg/kg BW. All treatments were given orally. The results reveal that the tested plant extracts show significant hypolipidemic effect, which is statistically equal to that of the atorvastatin. In conclusion, this study suggests employing such herbal remedies to deal safely with hyperlipidemia instead of relying on chemical medicines.
Icare ONE Home Tonometry in Children With and Without Known Glaucoma.

Purpose:The Icare ONE (Finland Oy) rebound tonometer may have promise for home tonometry in children with glaucoma. The purpose of this study was: (1) to assess the feasibility of Icare ONE home tonometry in a small number of children with and without glaucoma and (2) to characterize diurnal intraoc
Flipped Science Fair: Engaging Middle-School Students in STEM while Training Researchers in Science Communication

The Flipped Science Fair (FSF) transforms the traditional science fair format by having middle-school students judge the research of early career scientists. At the FSF, students learn about cutting-edge research in a small group setting, with opportunities to ask questions and participate in hands-on demonstrations. By placing the students in the role of the "judge," the event gives students the opportunity to engage with scientists interactively and with authority. The FSF also provides science communication training for the presenting scientists. Leading up to the event, the presenters attend three workshops focused on distilling their research message to a middle-school level. The FSF effectively promoted science engagement by middle school students who expressed increased interest in science after the event. Moreover, presenters reported an improvement in their science communication skills to a broad audience and increased confidence during public speaking. Our partnership with Pathways to Science, Yale's coordinated STEM outreach infrastructure, enables us to measure the FSF's effectiveness long term, since the Pathways program tracks student trajectories through their college education. The success of the FSF led to the organization of satellite and virtual events, which provided more opportunities for public engagement and gave presenters additional chances to share their research.
From Flash to 3D XPoint: Performance Bottlenecks and Potentials in RocksDB with Storage Evolution

Storage technologies have undergone continuous innovations in the past decade. The latest technical advancement in this domain is 3D XPoint memory. As a type of Non-volatile Memory (NVM), 3D XPoint memory promises great improvement in performance, density, and endurance over NAND flash memory. Compared to flash based SSDs, 3D XPoint based SSDs, such as Intel's Optane SSD, can deliver unprecedented low latency and high throughput. These properties are particularly appealing to I/O intensive applications. Key-value store is such an important application in data center systems. This paper presents the first, in-depth performance study on the impact of the aforesaid storage hardware evolution to RocksDB, a highly popular key-value store based on Log-structured Merge tree (LSM-tree). We have conducted extensive experiments for quantitative measurements on three types of SSD devices. Besides confirming the performance gain of RocksDB on 3D XPoint SSD, our study also reveals several unexpected bottlenecks in the current key-value store design, which hinder us from fully exploiting the great performance potential of the new storage hardware. Based on our findings, we also present three exemplary case studies to showcase the efficacy of removing these bottlenecks with simple methods, achieving a performance improvement by up to 18.8%. We further discuss the implications of our findings for system designers and users to develop schemes in future optimizations. Our study shows that many of the current LSM-tree based key-value store designs need to be carefully revisited to effectively incorporate the new-generation hardware for realizing high-speed data processing.