cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nicotine dependence and tolerance in man: pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic investigations.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the nicotine dependence and tolerance in man. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics of a drug are important determinants of dependence liability, the temporal patterns of drug use, and the level of drug use. Ultimately, an understanding of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics may be useful in developing effective treatment strategies. Several pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics appear to be necessary or optimal for a drug to produce dependence: the drug must be effectively absorbed into the blood stream, the drug must rapidly enter into the brain, and the drug must be psychoactive and that psycho activity related to levels of the drug in the brain. These characteristics allow for the drug abuser to manipulate the dose of his or her drug to optimize mood and psychological functioning and are most likely to result in the behavior described as criteria for drug dependence. This chapter examines the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics of nicotine and how these characteristics might determine cigarette smoking behavior and tobacco addiction.
THERMALLY AVERAGED COLLISION STRENGTHS FOR EXTREME-ULTRAVIOLET LINE OF Fe ix

Collision strengths and thermally averaged collision strengths for a large number of extreme-ultraviolet lines of Fe ix arising by electron impact have been reported. The thermally averaged collision strengths are calculated at electron temperatures in the range 104–107 K for the 122,043 forbidden and allowed transitions between the 370 fine-structure levels. The atomic parameters for Fe ix play an important role in modeling of various astrophysical plasmas, including especially the solar corona. The B-spline Breit–Pauli R-matrix method has been used in the calculation of collision strengths. The target wave functions and transition probabilities have been determined by combining the multiconfiguration Hartree–Fock method with the B-spline box-based multichannel expansions. We have included 370 fine-structure levels of Fe ix in the energy region up to states. The close-coupling expansion includes levels of the , configurations and some low-lying levels of the configuration in our collision strengths and transition probabilities calculations. There is a good agreement with the previous R-matrix collision strength calculations by Storey et al. and Del Zanna et al. for transitions between the lowest 17 levels of the , and configurations, especially for electron temperatures log T(K) ≥ 5.0. The transitions between the first 17 levels are dominated by Rydberg series of resonances converging to the levels of the configuration. The present results and the calculation of Del Zanna et al. show significant differences for many weaker forbidden and intercombination transitions with thermally averaged collision strengths smaller than 0.01.
Impact of Near-Fault Pulses on Engineering Design

This contribution attempts to shed light on the important issues that affect the response of frame structures to near-fault ground motions with forward directivity. There is evidence that ground shaking near a fault rupture is characterized by a small number of pulses with high input energy. Pulse response characteristics are utilized to describe behavior attributes of structures subjected to near-fault ground motions. The ultimate objective is to develop improved design procedures and guidelines that take advantage of the equivalent pulses. Relationships are developed that relate equivalent pulse properties to earthquake magnitude and distance from the fault rupture. The results suggest that using near-fault factors introduced in current seismic codes may not provide consistent protection against near-fault effects. The need exists for an explicit consideration of the near-fault effects in seismic hazard analysis.
Recovering fine details from under-resolved electron tomography data using higher order total variation ℓ1 regularization.

Abstract Over the last decade or so, reconstruction methods using l 1 regularization, often categorized as compressed sensing (CS) algorithms, have significantly improved the capabilities of high fidelity imaging in electron tomography. The most popular l 1 regularization approach within electron tomography has been total variation (TV) regularization. In addition to reducing unwanted noise, TV regularization encourages a piecewise constant solution with sparse boundary regions. In this paper we propose an alternative l 1 regularization approach for electron tomography based on higher order total variation (HOTV). Like TV, the HOTV approach promotes solutions with sparse boundary regions. In smooth regions however, the solution is not limited to piecewise constant behavior. We demonstrate that this allows for more accurate reconstruction of a broader class of images – even those for which TV was designed for – particularly when dealing with pragmatic tomographic sampling patterns and very fine image features. We develop results for an electron tomography data set as well as a phantom example, and we also make comparisons with discrete tomography approaches.
Passive approaches for improvement of TX to RX antenna isolation in millimeter wave repeaters

Two passive techniques for improving the isolation between transmitting (TX) and receiving (RX) antennas in V/W-band repeaters are presented. Specifically, corrugations and 2-D array of grounded circular patches are designed to provide a reactive impedance surface (RIS) between the antennas. It is found, that both approaches enhance the isolation by ∼20 dB compared to the basic case when TX and RX antennas are recessed in a smooth, untreated ground plane. Computational studies are experimentally validated with 3D printed horns fed with a novel 45–110GHz ridge waveguide line.
Regulation of the immunological synapse and T cell function by the c-terminal eps-15 homology domain-containing protein-dependent endocytic recycling. (IRM7P.711)

The immunological synapse (IS) is a specialized membrane domain with localized display of T-cell receptor (TCR) in contact with a similar display of peptide-loaded MHC on antigen presenting cells (APCs). Aberrant IS function is linked to ineffective tumor killing and autoimmunity. Accumulating evidence indicates a key role of endocytic traffic in the generation and maintenance of the IS. The C-terminal Eps-15 Homology Domain-containing proteins (EHD1-4) are essential regulators of endocytic recycling of surface receptors. Yet, nothing is known about their role in immune cell function. EHD-regulated receptors include the MHC-I and MHC-II proteins, and EHDs regulate vesicle budding at neural synapse. Our hypothesis is that EHD-dependent recycling of TCR and accessory receptors on T cells and MHC-II on APCs is required for the formation and stability of the IS. Indeed, using antigen-specific TCR transgenic CD4 + T-cells, we observe an accumulation of EHD proteins at the interface of T cells and APCs. CD4 + T-cells from floxed EHD1,3,4 mice bearing CD4-Cre and an antigen-specific TCR transgene demonstrate reduced antigen-driven proliferation. Further in vitro and in vivo analyses are being carried out to test the idea that endocytic recycling orchestrated by EHD proteins plays an important functional role in the formation and/or maintenance of IS and in T-cell function.
Internet little cigar and cigarillo vendors: Surveillance of sales and marketing practices via website content analysis.

Abstract Introduction Cigar sales have nearly doubled as cigarette sales have dropped, and large cigars have been replaced by little cigars and cigarillos (LCCs). Many LCCs are flavored, are perceived as less harmful than cigarettes, and have become increasingly available from e-commerce sources. We conducted surveillance of the online retail environment in 2013 and 2014 for LCCs in order to describe characteristics of Internet tobacco vendors selling LCCs and their sales and marketing practices, youth access practices, and their practices in relation to cigarette and other tobacco product sales. Methods In 2013, we identified and manually screened 32,446 websites, yielding 500 unique Internet LCC vendors. In 2014, we identified 511 vendors selling LCCs from a list of 31,239 manually screened websites. We then selected 249 in 2013 and 263 in 2014 for content analysis focusing on six domains including demographics, youth access, payment and delivery, products for sale, promotions and claims, and prices. Results Just over half of vendors in both years were located solely in the U.S. with 70.1% of those selling flavored LCCs in 2013 and 76.1% in 2014. Nearly half only used proven ineffective age verification strategies and another 10% made no attempts to verify age at all. Most vendors accepted credit cards and advertised using the United States Postal Service. Half of vendors featured a variety of health warnings and most featured promotions. Conclusions Federal bans on flavored cigarettes and restrictions on age verification, payment, and shipping for Internet tobacco sales should be extended to include LCCs.
Tandem riboswitches form a natural Boolean logic gate to control purine metabolism in bacteria

Life on Earth is magnificently complex. The instructions to make this complexity are stored within the genes of living cells. For many genes, this process involves two steps. First, the cells copy, or transcribe, the information in the gene – which is part of a DNA molecule – into a more portable but shorter-lived molecule called RNA. The RNA can then be transported to other parts of a cell where its information is decoded to make a protein. Proteins are like molecular machines and making proteins is how many genes contribute to keeping life going. RNA molecules can fold into intricate shapes including structures called riboswitches. These are parts of an RNA molecule that can control how and when the RNA is used to make proteins. Riboswitches detect the presence of other chemicals inside a cell and respond by changing their shape. Binding to the right molecule will move a riboswitch from an “off” to an “on” position, or vice versa. Riboswitches can help to ensure that some proteins are only made when they are needed. For example, a protein that helps to make a certain chemical is only produced when that chemical is in short supply. Sherlock et al. have now studied riboswitches in a species of bacteria called Facklamia ignava. The investigation revealed a new riboswitch structure that detects phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate, or PRPP, which is a building block for RNA and, eventually, DNA molecules. Further examination revealed that these riboswitches are often linked to others that detect guanine molecules – another component of RNA and DNA. This double riboswitch is similar to a logic gate in computing, activating or shutting down protein production in response to changes in the concentrations of both PRPP and guanine. The findings of Sherlock et al. reveal a system where RNA controls its own production in response to the availability of two of its critical building blocks. This entirely RNA-dependent system adds weight to the so-called ‘RNA world’ hypothesis which suggests that the earliest forms of life on Earth depended solely on RNA. Molecules of RNA are able to store data like DNA while also behaving as molecular machines like proteins. This potentially helps to explain how the first life could have arisen from simple, non-living chemicals. Riboswitch systems like this are likely to be relics of this ancient time. Also, because they are involved in fundamental processes in living bacteria, riboswitch systems also provide potentially interesting targets for new antibiotics.
Offshore Wind Energy System Components

An offshore wind farm is a power plant that consists of a number of turbines connected with an internal grid for power transfer, one or more substations, and an export cable to transmit the power to the local grid. The principal components include turbines, towers, foundations, electric collection and transmission systems, and other balance of plant items. In this chapter we describe the components of offshore wind systems and their primary functions.
Working in a vacuum: A study of the literature of student research and writing

Abstract For the past 25 years, research on student writing has been carried out by librarians and composition experts. Despite striking similarities in results, there has been little exchange of knowledge or effort at creating shared research agendas between the two groups of researchers. Pedagogical literature about library research written by classroom faculty reveals serious misconceptions about the role of librarians in the student research process. This article examines the literature produced by these three groups and urges renewed efforts to create communication and collaboration among them.
Algorithms for scaling in a general episodic memory

Episodic memory endows autonomous agents with useful cognitive capabilities. However, for long-lived agents, there are numerous unexplored computational challenges in supporting useful episodic-memory functions while maintaining real-time reactivity. This paper presents and summarizes the evaluation of an algorithmic variant to the task-independent episodic memory of Soar that expands the class of tasks and cues the mechanism can support while remaining reactive over long agent lifetimes.
Precision Onion Skinning Technique for Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Revision.

A transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt is the standard of care for complications of portal hypertension, such as variceal bleeding, refractory ascites, and hepatic hydrothorax. Hepatic encephalopathy, hepatic insufficiency, and right heart failure are the major complications after shunt creation. If medical management is unsuccessful, the interventionalist is consulted to close/revise the shunt. Closure of the shunt results in a dangerously abrupt increase in portal pressure, increasing risk for life-threatening variceal bleeding. Methods for revising these shunts are reported, which result in coarse adjustments in shunt diameter, causing rapid changes in portosystemic gradients. Our method for shunt revision utilizes carefully sized covered stents deployed in a controlled "onion skin" fashion to produce a narrowing within the hepatic venous limb of the shunt to precisely calibrate the desired portosystemic gradient.
Endocannabinoids, exercise, pain, and a path to health with aging

Physical activity is an important lifestyle factor for growth, development, and sustained health throughout life. In recent years, the benefits of physical activity have drawn more attention to its physiological effects on the body, including well-being. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) has emerged as a focal point to ascertain the mechanisms for how exercise benefits the body and how it reduces or controls pain. The ECS, its ligands [the endocannabinoids (eCB)], receptors (CB1 and CB2), enzymes for the synthesis and degradation of eCB, and the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) that serve as substrates, comprise a powerful biological organization of multiple controls that affects mood, inflammation, pain, and other neurological aspects of the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. Recently, investigators have reported increases in circulating levels of eCB after exercise, with some eCB exerting analgesic effects from exercise. The focus of this review is to discuss evidence for the role of eCB and the complexities of the ECS in exercise and pain. Some aspects presented herein are production of eCB and activation of the cannabinoid receptors in the brain following exercise; eCB, pain, and physical activity; oxylipins; and joint pain. Future research on the ECS must include mechanistic approaches to endocannabinoid signaling and explain the role of dietary PUFA in altering signaling of the receptors that affects pain. Additionally, how other types of exercise, such as Tai Chi, which is reported to improve well-being, should be investigated to ascertain if changes in eCB mediate the mind and body benefits of Tai Chi. As we age, exercise in the form of play has evolved with the exploration of our body from walking to running, recreational, and competitive sports, to midlife physical activity focusing on maintaining fitness and a healthy body weight. Furthermore, exercise has been a target of investigation to explore various hypotheses to explain the mechanisms for cognitive benefits in the young and in older adults. The science of exercise has matured to a level of importance in the life cycle to reduce pain with aging and include new investigations on the ECS to explain its role in well-being and improved quality of life in later years.
Rab5 GTPases are required for optimal TORC2 function

Target of rapamycin complex-2 (TORC2), a conserved protein kinase complex, is an indispensable regulator of plasma membrane homeostasis. In budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), the essential downstream effector of TORC2 is protein kinase Ypk1 and its paralog Ypk2. Muk1, a Rab5-specific guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF), was identified in our prior global screen for candidate Ypk1 targets. We confirm here that Muk1 is a substrate of Ypk1 and demonstrate that Ypk1-mediated phosphorylation stimulates Muk1 function in vivo. Strikingly, yeast lacking its two Rab5 GEFs (Muk1 and Vps9) or its three Rab5 paralogs (Vps21/Ypt51, Ypt52, and Ypt53) or overexpressing Msb3, a Rab5-directed GTPase-activating protein, all exhibit pronounced reduction in TORC2-mediated phosphorylation and activation of Ypk1. Vps21 coimmunoprecipitates with TORC2, and immuno-enriched TORC2 is less active in vitro in the absence of Rab5 GTPases. Thus, TORC2-dependent and Ypk1-mediated activation of Muk1 provides a control circuit for positive (self-reinforcing) up-regulation to sustain TORC2-Ypk1 signaling.
The Distribution of SINR and the Achieved Throughput in Interference Alignment Under a Gauss Markov Channel

We consider Interference Alignment (IA) under a Gauss-Markov time varying channel and give an exact expression for the Complementary Cumulative Distribution Function (CCDF) of the Signal to Interference and Noise Ratio (SINR) of a link at time $t$ in terms of the long term path gains. We also give a simpler approximate expression for the CCDF of SINR in terms of the total interference power. Using these, we derive an expression for the expected rate at time $t$ and the average system throughput for a given choice of data phase duration. We show how these expressions allow us to choose the data phase duration that maximizes the sum throughput of the network.
Optimal Methods of Teaching and Training DCR/RDCR

This chapter provides an in-depth discussion on the approach to training prehospital medical providers as well as first responders in RDCR (remote damage control resuscitation). Prehospital provider training must establish a clear understanding of life-threatening hemorrhage (LTH), hemorrhagic shock, and management with RDCR. Once an understanding of the process is established, this chapter details the steps of realistic training utilizing the crawl, walk, and run methodology. The step-by-step process of teaching and training RDCR from early recognition of LTH all the way through blood product administration is detailed. Emphasis on a team approach, safety and realistic training is discussed throughout.
A content analysis of top-ranked universities’ mission statements from five global regions

Abstract In general, a mission statement reflects the context in which a higher education institution operates. It’s also a direction setting statement indicating the direction required for effective strategic and operational decisions. This study examines how the highest ranked universities in Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa, and North America compare in terms of their mission statements and how they communicate to their stakeholders and to the public about what their main purposes, values, goals, and objectives are. Having downloaded each university’s mission statement from the Internet, we then classified them into five main categories of Asian, African, European, Latin American, and North American universities and analyzed them separately using the text mining and analysis tools available in SAS Enterprise Miner, a powerful commercial business analytics program. Results show that although we found similar terms and themes in the mission statements across the five different regions, there is great variability in the mission statements with respect to how they communicate their core values, main purposes, and value propositions.
Wetland water-management may influence mercury bioaccumulation in songbirds and ducks at a mercury hotspot

Mercury is a persistent, biomagnifying contaminant that can cause negative behavioral, immunological, and reproductive effects in wildlife and human populations. We examined the role of wetland water-management on mercury bioaccumulation in songbirds and ducks at Kellys Slough National Wildlife Refuge Complex, near Grand Forks, North Dakota USA. We assessed mercury concentrations in blood of wetland-foraging songbirds (80 common yellowthroats [Geothlypis trichas] and 14 Nelson’s sparrows [Ammospiza nelsoni]) and eggs of upland-nesting ducks (28 gadwall [Mareca strepera], 19 blue-winged teal [Spatula discors], and 13 northern shoveler [S. clypeta]) across four wetland water-management classifications. Nelson’s sparrow blood mercury concentrations were elevated (mean: 1.00 µg/g ww; 95% CL: 0.76–1.31) and similar to those reported 6 years previously. Mercury in songbird blood and duck eggs varied among wetland water-management classifications. Songbirds and ducks had 67% and 49% lower mercury concentrations, respectively, when occupying wetlands that were drawn down with water flow compared to individuals occupying isolated-depressional wetlands with no outflow. Additionally, songbirds within impounded and partially drawn-down wetland units with water flow had mercury concentrations that were 26–28% lower, respectively, than individuals within isolated-depressional wetlands with no outflow. Our results confirm that mercury concentrations in songbirds at Kellys Slough continue to be elevated and suggest that water-management could be an important tool for wetland managers to reduce bioaccumulation of mercury in birds.
VariantStore: A Large-Scale Genomic Variant Search Index

The ability to efficiently query genomic variants from thousands of samples is critical to achieving the full potential of many medical and scientific applications such as personalized medicine. Performing variant queries based on coordinates in the reference or sample sequences is at the core of these applications. Efficiently supporting variant queries across thousands of samples is computationally challenging. Most solutions only support queries based on the reference coordinates and the ones that support queries based on coordinates across multiple samples do not scale to data containing more than a few thousand samples. We present VariantStore, a system for efficiently indexing and querying genomic variants and their sequences in either the reference or sample-specific coordinate systems. We show the scalability of VariantStore by indexing genomic variants from the TCGA-BRCA project containing 8640 samples and 5M variants in 4 Hrs and the 1000 genomes project containing 2500 samples and 924M variants in 3 Hrs. Querying for variants in a gene takes between 0.002 - 3 seconds using memory only 10% of the size of the full representation.
Genetic Characterization of a Glycyl Radical Microcompartment Used for 1,2-Propanediol Fermentation by Uropathogenic Escherichia coli CFT073.

ABSTRACT Bacterial microcompartments (MCPs) are widespread protein-based organelles composed of metabolic enzymes encapsulated within a protein shell. The function of MCPs is to optimize metabolic pathways by confining toxic and/or volatile pathway intermediates. A major class of MCPs known as glycyl radical MCPs has only been partially characterized. Here, we show that uropathogenic Escherichia coli CFT073 uses a glycyl radical MCP for 1,2-propanediol (1,2-PD) fermentation. Bioinformatic analyses identified a large gene cluster (named grp for glycyl radical propanediol) that encodes homologs of a glycyl radical diol dehydratase, other 1,2-PD catabolic enzymes, and MCP shell proteins. Growth studies showed that E. coli CFT073 grows on 1,2-PD under anaerobic conditions but not under aerobic conditions. All 19 grp genes were individually deleted, and 8/19 were required for 1,2-PD fermentation. Electron microscopy and genetic studies showed that a bacterial MCP is involved. Bioinformatics combined with genetic analyses support a proposed pathway of 1,2-PD degradation and suggest that enzymatic cofactors are recycled internally within the Grp MCP. A two-component system (grpP and grpQ) is shown to mediate induction of the grp locus by 1,2-PD. Tests of the E. coli Reference (ECOR) collection indicate that >10% of E. coli strains ferment 1,2-PD using a glycyl radical MCP. In contrast to other MCP systems, individual deletions of MCP shell genes (grpE, grpH, and grpI) eliminated 1,2-PD catabolism, suggesting significant functional differences with known MCPs. Overall, the studies presented here are the first comprehensive genetic analysis of a Grp-type MCP. IMPORTANCE Bacterial MCPs have a number of potential biotechnology applications and have been linked to bacterial pathogenesis, cancer, and heart disease. Glycyl radical MCPs are a large but understudied class of bacterial MCPs. Here, we show that uropathogenic E. coli CFT073 uses a glycyl radical MCP for 1,2-PD fermentation, and we conduct a comprehensive genetic analysis of the genes involved. Studies suggest significant functional differences between the glycyl radical MCP of E. coli CFT073 and better-studied MCPs. They also provide a foundation for building a deeper general understanding of glycyl radical MCPs in an organism where sophisticated genetic methods are available.
Halide-induced Step Faceting and Dissolution Energetics from Atomistic Machine Learned Potentials on Cu(100).

Adsorbates impact the surface stability and reactivity of metallic electrodes, affecting the corrosion, dissolution, and deposition behavior. Here, we use density functional theory (DFT) and DFT-ba...
Extracellular vesicle biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease associated with sub-clinical cognitive decline in late middle age.

Introduction Neuronal extracellular vesicle (nEV) tau and insulin signaling biomarkers may detect preclinical Alzheimer's disease and age-associated cognitive decline. Methods This case-control study used repeated serum samples from 73 cognitively declining and 73 stable Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer's Prevention participants (62.4 ± 6.3 years old). We immunocaptured nEVs; measured tau and insulin signaling biomarkers; and examined biomarker differences by group, their performance in group classification in training and test datasets (97, 49 individuals, respectively), and whether they predict cognitive performance change. Results Declining compared to stable individuals showed higher baseline total, p231-, and p181-tau with older age and higher annualized change for p-IR and p-IGF-1R. Combining biomarkers classified decliners with 94% area under the curve (AUC), 86.0% sensitivity and 86.7% specificity, in training data, and 75% AUC, 71.4% sensitivity, and 77.3% specificity, in test data. Insulin biomarkers predicted cognitive performance change prospectively. Discussion Combining nEV biomarkers can identify individuals with age-associated cognitive decline.
The role of viewers’ performance of a narrative on their beliefs about transgender persons

Transgender community suffers from an extremely negative public perception. Can popular media images change people’s views about transgender persons? This study investigates the role viewers’ activ...
Reinforcement learning over time: spaced versus massed training establishes stronger value associations

Over the past few decades, neuroscience research has illuminated the neural mechanisms supporting learning from reward feedback, demonstrating a critical role for the striatum and midbrain dopamine system. Learning paradigms are increasingly being extended to understand learning dysfunctions in mood and psychiatric disorders as well as addiction in the area of computational psychiatry. However, one potentially critical characteristic that this research ignores is the effect of time on learning: human feedback learning paradigms are conducted in a single rapidly paced session, while learning experiences in ecologically relevant circumstances and in animal research are almost always separated by longer periods of time. Event spacing is known to have strong positive effects on item memory across species and in reward learning in animals. Remarkably, the effect of spaced training on human reinforcement learning has not been investigated. In our experiments, we examined reward learning distributed across weeks vs. learning completed in a traditionally-paced or “massed” single session. Participants learned to make the best response for landscape stimuli that were either associated with a positive or negative value. In our first study, as expected, we found that after equal amounts of extensive training, accuracy was high and equivalent between the spaced and massed conditions. However, in a final online test 3 weeks later, we found that participants exhibited significantly greater memory for the value of spaced-trained stimuli. In our second study, our methods allowed for a direct comparison of maintenance of conditioning. We found that spaced training again had a beneficial effect: more than 87% of conditioning was maintained for spaced-trained stimuli, while only 30% was maintained for massed-trained stimuli. In addition, supporting a role for working memory in massed learning, across both studies we found a significant positive correlation between initial learning and working memory capacity. Our results indicate that single-session learning tasks may not lead to the kind of robust and lasting value associations that are characteristic of “habitual” value associations. Overall, these studies begin to address a large gap in our knowledge of fundamental processes of human reinforcement learning, with potentially broad implications for our understanding of learning in mood disorders and addiction.
Measured Metallicities at the Sites of Nearby Broad-Lined Type Ic Supernovae and Implications for the SN-GRB Connection

We compare the chemical abundances at the sites of 12 nearby (z <0.14) Type Ic supernovae (SN Ic) that showed broad lines, but had no observed Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB), with the chemical abundances in 5 nearby (z < 0.25) galaxies at the sites of GRB where broad-lined SN Ic were seen after the fireball had faded. It has previously been noted that GRB hosts are low in luminosity and low in their metal abundances. If low metallicity is sufficient to force the evolution of massive stars to end their lives as GRB with an accompanying broad-lined SN Ic, then we would expect higher metal abundances for the broad-lined SN Ic that have no detected GRB. This is what we observe, and this trend is independent of the choice of metallicity calibration we adopt, and the mode of SN survey that found the broad-lined SN. A unique feature of this analysis is that we present new spectra of the host galaxies and analyze all the measurements of both samples in the same set of ways, using the galaxy emission-line measurements corrected for extinction and stellar absorption, via independent metallicity diagnostics of Kewley & Dopita (2002), of McGaugh (1991) and of Pettini & Pagel (2004). In our small sample, the boundary between galaxies that have GRB accompanying their broad-lined SN Ic and those that have broad-lined SN Ic without a GRB lies at an oxygen abundance of 12+log(O/H)_KD02 ~ 8.5, which corresponds to 0.2-0.6 Z_sun depending on the adopted metallicity scale and solar abundance value. Even when we limit the comparison to SN Ic that were found in untargeted supernova surveys, the environment of every broad-lined SN Ic that had no GRB is more metal rich than the site of any broad-lined SN Ic where a GRB was detected.
Bisphosphonate Treatment Beyond 5 Years and Hip Fracture Risk in Older Women.

Importance Clinical trials have demonstrated the antifracture efficacy of bisphosphonate drugs for the first 3 to 5 years of therapy. However, the efficacy of continuing bisphosphonate for as long as 10 years is uncertain. Objective To examine the association of discontinuing bisphosphonate at study entry, discontinuing at 2 years, and continuing for 5 additional years with the risk of hip fracture among women who had completed 5 years of bisphosphonate treatment at study entry. Design, setting, and participants This cohort study included women who were members of Kaiser Permanente Northern and Southern California, 2 integrated health care delivery systems, and who had initiated oral bisphosphonate and completed 5 years of treatment by January 1, 2002, to September 30, 2014. Data analysis was conducted from January 2018 to August 2020. Exposure Discontinuation of bisphosphonate at study entry (within a 6-month grace period), discontinuation at 2 years (within a 6-month grace period), and continuation for 5 additional years. Main outcomes and measures The outcome was hip fracture determined by principal hospital discharge diagnoses. Demographic, clinical, and pharmacological data were ascertained from electronic health records. Results Among 29 685 women (median [interquartile range] age, 71 [64-77] years; 17 778 [60%] non-Hispanic White individuals), 507 incident hip fractures were identified. Compared with bisphosphonate discontinuation at study entry, there were no differences in the cumulative incidence (ie, risk) of hip fracture if women remained on therapy for 2 additional years (5-year risk difference [RD], -2.2 per 1000 individuals; 95% CI, -20.3 to 15.9 per 1000 individuals) or if women continued therapy for 5 additional years (5-year RD, 3.8 per 1000 individuals; 95% CI, -7.4 to 15.0 per 1000 individuals). While 5-year differences in hip fracture risk comparing continuation for 5 additional years with discontinuation at 2 additional years were not statistically significant (5-year RD, 6.0 per 1000 individuals; 95% CI, -9.9 to 22.0 per 1000 individuals), interim hip fracture risk appeared lower if women discontinued after 2 additional years (3-year RD, 2.8 per 1000 individuals; 95% CI, 1.3 to 4.3 per 1000 individuals; 4-year RD, 9.3 per 1000 individuals; 95% CI, 6.3 to 12.3 per 1000 individuals) but not without a 6-month grace period to define discontinuation. Conclusions and relevance In this study of women treated with bisphosphonate for 5 years, hip fracture risk did not differ if they discontinued treatment compared with continuing treatment for 5 additional years. If women continued for 2 additional years and then discontinued, their risk appeared lower than continuing for 5 additional years. Discontinuation at other times and fracture rates during intervening years should be further studied.
Towards a Seafloor Passive Acoustic Geodetic Marker for Underwater Surveying

Deploying and relocating reference points are a core capability in terrestrial surveying. These references are useful for monitoring environmental changes over time and co-registering multiple surveys conducted at different times. Similar approaches for monitoring changes over time have been developed for underwater surveys. These references are especially critical in the GPS-denied deep ocean and can take different forms dependent upon sensing capabilities. Terrain-based alignment approaches and active acoustic beacons have been researched and demonstrated for acoustic surveying conducted with multibeam echosounders. However, these approaches are either limited in their operational environments, expensive to deploy, or only useful for short periods of time. As such, the development of a passive acoustic geodetic marker provides promise for improved change detection in underwater surveying. The proposed passive acoustic geodetic marker is a cross-shaped marker made up of sealed air volumes designed to be easily detectable with a 400kHz MBES, deployable for long periods of time at low cost, and have a low environmental impact. By deploying proposed marker designs in known locations around a site prior to an acoustic survey, they can serve as reference points for long-term monitoring or alignment across multiple surveys of the same area.
Determination of the Band Gap Bowing Parameter of A1xGa1-xN with Contactless Electroreflectance

ix Chapter 1 . Semiconductor Materials and Their Applications in Opto-electronics 1 1.1 Group 111-Nitride Semiconductors 1 1.2 AlGaN Obstacles 2 Chapter 2 . Optical Techniques for Band Gap Determination 3 2.1 Band Gap Determination Using Reflectivity 3 2.2 Band Gap Determination Using Photoluminescence 7 2.3 Band Gap Determination Using Modulation Spectroscopy 8 2.3.1 Instrumentation in Modulation Spectroscopy Techniques 8 Chapter 3 . Electromodulation 11 3.
Seasonal reproduction in the mongoose, Herpestes auropunctatus, I. Androgen, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone in the male.

Abstract The mongoose is a small carnivore that exhibits a distinct seasonal rhythm in reproductive activity. Feral mongooses were trapped alive on the island of Oahu (Hawaii) between May 1977 and December 1979. The animals were autopsied shortly after capture and testes and prostate glands were weighed and serum collected for later measurement of androgen, LH, and FSH. The validations of radioimmunoassays for mongoose LH and FSH are described. Testes and prostate gland weights were significantly larger during the breeding season than during the inactive season. Serum androgen, LH, and FSH levels were significantly higher during the breeding season than during the inactive season. Significant annual variations were found in testes and prostate gland weights and serum androgen and FSH levels. During testicular regression (August to September) changes in gonadotropin levels paralleled changes in serum androgen levels; however, during the recrudescence phase (December to February) gonadotropin levels appeared to rise much more rapidly than serum androgen levels. Possible factors involved in the regulation of the seasonal pattern in serum gonadotropin levels and testicular activity are discussed.
Evidence for fluid-triggered slip in the 2009 Mount Rainier, Washington earthquake swarm

[1] A vigorous swarm of over 1000 small, shallow earthquakes occurred 20–22 September 2009 beneath Mount Rainier, Washington, including the largest number of events ever recorded in a single day at Rainier since seismic stations were installed on the edifice in 1989. Many events were only clearly recorded on one or two stations on the edifice, or they overlapped in time with other events, and thus only ~200 were locatable by manual phase picking. To partially overcome this limitation, we applied waveform-based event detection integrated with precise double-difference relative relocation. With this procedure, detection and location goals are accomplished in tandem, using cross-correlation with continuous seismic data and waveform templates constructed from cataloged events. As a result, we obtained precise locations for 726 events, an improvement of almost a factor of 4. These event locations define a ~850 m long nearly vertical structure striking NNE, with episodic migration outward from the initial hypocenters. The activity front propagates in a manner consistent with a diffusional process. Double-couple-constrained focal mechanisms suggest dominantly near-vertical strike-slip motion on either NNW or ENE striking faults, more than 30° different than the strike of the event locations. This suggests the possibility of en echelon faulting, perhaps with a component of fault opening in a fracture-mesh-type geometry. We hypothesize that the swarm was initiated by a sudden release of high-pressure fluid into preexisting fractures, with subsequent activity triggered by diffusing fluid pressure in combination with stress transfer from the preceding events.
Anticipating the Second Amendment Incorporation: The Role of the Inferior Courts

In District of Columbia v. Heller, the Supreme Court finally decided that the Second Amendment really does protect the right of the people to keep and bear arms, and that this includes at least the right to keep a handgun in the home for self defense. Understandably, all eyes have turned to the next logical question. Is the right to arms protected only from federal infringement, as in Heller, or is it also good against state and local governments? Test cases have already been filed challenging Chicago's handgun ban, which is similar to the regulation invalidated in Heller. The "incorporation" issue - whether the Fourteenth Amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms from infringement by the states - may be virtually dispositive in those cases, and it will be a threshold issue in many others as well. This short essay reviews the principal precedents that the courts will have to confront. Part II concludes that the lower courts, though not the Supreme Court, are probably barred by precedent from finding that the right to keep and bear arms is protected by the Fourteenth Amendment's Privileges or Immunities Clause. Part III shows that existing Supreme Court precedent points very strongly in favor of incorporation under substantive due process. Part IV argues, on the basis of existing precedent, that the inferior courts need not wait for the Supreme Court to reach this conclusion. They can best perform their role in our hierarchical judicial system by treating the Supreme Court's modern incorporation jurisprudence as law. If they do, they should conclude that the right to keep and bear arms is protected against infringement by the state governments, just as it is protected against the federal government.
EXTENSION OF TRANQUILIZER ACTION BY ANTICHOLINESTERASES.

The results obtained in three test systems would appear to indicate that alteration of the CNS ratio of cholinergic to adrenergic-serotonergic effects in such away as to cause ascendancy of cholinergic effects favors tranquilizer activity. The evidence obtained is compatible with the concept that tranquilizer activity may be at least in part due to a depression of adrenergic-serotonergic activity, i.e., either by blockade (Marrazzi, 1953, 1957) or by reduction in CNS neurohumor level (Brodie et al., 1960; Costa, 1960), with a resultant ascendancy of cholinergic activity. It is understood that our data collected thus far provide whole animal unitary evidence in support of these speculations rather than analytical evidence for the specific parts of the CNS that may be involved.
Developing tools to measure quality in congenital catheterization and interventions: the congenital cardiac catheterization project on outcomes (C3PO).

The broad range of relatively rare procedures performed in pediatric cardiac catheterization laboratories has made the standardization of care and risk assessment in the field statistically quite problematic. However, with the growing number of patients who undergo cardiac catheterization, it has become imperative that the cardiology community overcomes these challenges to study patient outcomes. The Congenital Cardiac Catheterization Project on Outcomes was able to develop benchmarks, tools for measurement, and risk adjustment methods while exploring procedural efficacy. Based on the success of these efforts, the collaborative is pursuing a follow-up project, the Congenital Cardiac Catheterization Project on Outcomes—Quality Improvement, aimed at improving the outcomes for all patients undergoing catheterization for congenital heart disease by reducing radiation exposure.
Navigating the primordial soup: charting the lived worlds of the migrant consumer

Examines two important streams of migrant consumer research, specifically the contributions made by the study of cultural values and migrant acculturation. Noting the inadequacies of focusing on just one single perspective, reports an interpretative research conducted with ethnic Chinese migrant consumers. Emergent themes are extracted to illustrate the lived worlds of migrant consumers as they negotiate their way in a new society.
The role of multiple hydrogen bonding groups in specific alcohol binding sites in proteins: Insights from structural studies of LUSH

It is now generally accepted that many of the physiological effects of alcohol consumption are a direct result of binding to specific sites in neuronal proteins such as ion channels or other components of neuronal signaling cascades. Binding to these targets generally occurs in water-filled pockets and leads to alterations in protein structure and dynamics. However, the precise interactions required to confer alcohol sensitivity to a particular protein remain undefined. Using information from the previously solved crystal structures of the Drosophila melanogaster protein LUSH in complexes with short-chain alcohols, we have designed and tested the effects of specific amino acid substitutions on alcohol binding. The effects of these substitutions, specifically S52A, T57S, and T57A, were examined using a combination of molecular dynamics, X-ray crystallography, fluorescence spectroscopy, and thermal unfolding. These studies reveal that the binding of ethanol is highly sensitive to small changes in the composition of the alcohol binding site. We find that T57 is the most critical residue for binding alcohols; the T57A substitution completely abolishes binding, while the T57S substitution differentially affects ethanol binding compared to longer-chain alcohols. The additional requirement for a potential hydrogen-bond acceptor at position 52 suggests that both the presence of multiple hydrogen-bonding groups and the identity of the hydrogen-bonding residues are critical for defining an ethanol binding site. These results provide new insights into the detailed chemistry of alcohol's interactions with proteins.
Laboratory culture of the larvae of Conus textile Linné (Gastropoda: Toxoglossa)

Abstract The larvae of the Indo-Pacific gastropod Conns textile Linne were reared in the laboratory from hatching through metamorphosis. Larvae fed a mixed phytoplankton culture of Isochrysis galbana and Phaeodactylum tricornutum grew at a rate of 0.06 mm/day and began metamorphosing 16 days after hatching. Unfed control cultures yielded no metamorphically competent larvae. Laboratory-reared larvae metamorphosed spontaneously on the walls of the fiberglass rearing tanks when their average shell length was 1.5 mm. Measurements made on field-collected Conns textile juveniles indicate that the larvae metamorphose at the same size in the laboratory as they do in nature. Rates of larval shell length increase and dry weight increase paralleled each other until metamorphosis. At this point, shell growth slowed while dry weight increased suddenly. It is suggested that this weight increase reflects calcification and strengthening of the fragile larval shell upon entering the benthic environment.
1801 THE EFFECT OF CAFFEINE IN INFANTS MONITORED FOR PROLONGED APNEA

Caffeine therapy improved the pneumocardiogram(PCG) performance of nine infants monitored for prolonged apnea. The patients (BW 1.8+/−0.4 kg, GA 32+/−2 weeks), were examined with a twelve hour PCG at 6.5+/−9.0 weeks of age. Oral caffeine citrate was then started with a loading dose of 20 mg/kg, followed by a daily maintenance dose of 5/mg/kg. A second twelve hour PCG was obtained at 10.0+/−9.0 weeks. All PCG's were read by a computerized analyzer (Medical Graphics). The results of the comparison are shown below: