cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nucleoporin 62 and Ca(2+)/calmodulin dependent kinase kinase 2 regulate androgen receptor activity in castrate resistant prostate cancer cells.

BACKGROUND Re-activation of the transcriptional activity of the androgen receptor (AR) is an important factor mediating progression from androgen-responsive to castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). However, the mechanisms regulating AR activity in CRPC remain incompletely understood. Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase kinase (CaMKK) 2 was previously shown to regulate AR activity in androgen-responsive prostate cancer cells. Our objective was to further explore the basis of this regulation in CRPC cells. METHODS The abundance of CaMKK2 in nuclear fractions of androgen-responsive prostate cancer and CRPC, cells were determined by subcellular fractionation and Western blotting. CaMKK2 association with nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) and nucleoporins (Nups) including Nup62, were imaged by structured illumination and super-resolution fluorescence microscopy and co-immunoprecipitation, respectively. The abundance and subcellular localization of CaMKK2 and Nup62 in human clinical specimens of prostate cancer was visualized by immunohistochemistry. The role of Nups in the growth and viability of CRPC cells was assessed by RNA interference and cell counting. The involvement of CaMKK2 and Nup62 in regulating AR transcriptional activity was addressed by RNA interference, chromatin immunoprecipitation, androgen response element reporter assay, and Western blotting. RESULTS CaMKK2 was expressed at higher levels in the nuclear fraction of CPRC C4-2 cells, than in that of androgen-responsive LNCaP cells. In C4-2 cells, CaMKK2 associated with NPCs of the nuclear envelope and physically interacted with Nup62. CaMKK2 and Nup62 demonstrated pronounced, and similar increases in both expression and perinuclear/nuclear localization in human clinical specimens of advanced prostate cancer relative to normal prostate. Knockdown of Nup62, but not of Nups, 98 or 88, reduced growth and viability of C4-2 cells. Knockdown of Nup62 produced a greater reduction of the growth and viability of C4-2 cells than of non-neoplastic RWPE-1 prostatic cells. Nup62, CaMKK2, and the AR were recruited to androgen response elements of the AR target genes, prostate specific antigen, and transmembrane protease, serine 2. Knockdown of CaMKK2 and Nup62 reduced prostate specific antigen expression and AR transcriptional activity driven by androgen response elements from the prostate-specific probasin gene promoter. CONCLUSION Nup62 and CaMKK2 are required for optimal AR transcriptional activity and a potential mechanism for AR re-activation in CRPC. Prostate 76:294–306, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Nonsyncratic Decision Processes Across Syncratic Products and Syncratic Couples

In this paper, some new interactive procedures are used to elicit husband-wife roles at various decision stages and substages regarding buying/consumption behavior. It was shown that apparently syncratic aggregate behaviors may have underlying nonsyncratic processes at the disaggregate level. The paper provides some evidence against the hypothesis that responses of one of the spouses are representative and reflective of both spouses. The findings favor an interactive approach to future research in family decis ion-making.
Resource management issues for shared-memory multiprocessors

Shared-memory multiprocessors (SMPs) are attractive as general-purpose compute servers. On the software side, they present the same programming paradigm as uniprocessors, and they can run unmodified uniprocessor binaries. On the hardware side, the tight coupling of multiple processors, memory, and I/O provides enormous computing power in a single system, and enables the efficient sharing of these resources. As a compute server, this power can be exploited both by a collection of uniprocessor programs and by explicitly or automatically parallelized applications. This thesis addresses two important performance-related issues encountered in such systems, performance isolation and data locality. The solutions presented in this dissertation address these issues through careful resource management in the operating system. Current shared-memory multiprocessor operating systems provide very few controls for sharing the resources of the system among the active tasks or users. This is a serious limitation for a compute server that is to be used for multiple tasks or by multiple users. The current unconstrained sharing scheme allows the load placed by one user or task to adversely affect the performance seen by another. We show that this lack of isolation is caused by the resource allocation scheme (or lack thereof) carried over from single-user workstations. Multi-user multiprocessor systems require more sophisticated resource management, and we propose "performance isolation", a new resource management scheme for such systems.
Agricultural Statistics as an Aid to Research, Service, and Administration

OME twenty-five years ago when I first became aware of agricultural economics the key word in the then rapidly expanding young science was statistics. Statistics and statistical analysis were the main growing points, the chief centers of interest. Times change. Today, so it seems to me, many of us are increasingly being lulled into taking our statistics for granted, especially the crop and livestock estimates and various other basic or closely allied materials, including farm income estimates and a wide range of index numbers which are derived from or used to summarize this basic material. Fact is it seems our ability to talk theory or write abstract formulae is clearly outrunning our desires or ability to measure or find ways of checking. Perhaps all this adds to the easier and more frequent use of economics as an adjunct to the social and political arts, creating as it does an environment in which answers are simply assumed, and supposedly scientific developments are all too often only further elaborations around the accepted doctrines of the particular school, agency, or clique concerned. That is, we sometimes act as though science and scientific achievement were chiefly a matter of the company one keeps, judged in accord with the best fraternity spirit. Perhaps I overstate the current trend. But in any event, I am glad of this opportunity to consider the problems associated with the collection and use of our statistical raw materials and I can think of no better way of beginning than to reaffirm an earlier belief:
Forming Heterojunctions at the Nanoscale for Improved Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting by Semiconductor Materials: Case Studies on Hematite

In order for the future energy needs of humanity to be adequately and sustainably met, alternative energy techniques such as artificial photosynthesis need to be made more efficient and therefore commercially viable. On a grand scale, the energies coming to and leaving from the earth are balanced. With the fast increasing waste heat produced by human activities, the balance may be shifted to threaten the ecosystem in which we reside. To avoid such dire consequences, it is necessary to power human activities using energy derived from the incoming source, which is predominantly solar irradiation. Indeed, most life on the surface of the earth is supported, directly or indirectly, by photosynthesis that harvests solar energy and stores it in chemical bonds for redistribution. Being able to mimic the process and perform it at high efficiencies using low-cost materials has significant implications. Such an understanding is a major intellectual driving force that motivates research by us and many others.From a t...
Effect of inhibitors of protein synthesis on pyrogen production by granulocytes.

SummaryThe formation of pyrogen by rabbit leukocytes can be inhibited significantly by treating animals with high doses of chloramphenicol. The mechanism of this effect probably involves inhibition of protein synthesis at some point during the development of granulocytes. On the basis of experiments with inhibitors of protein synthesis it appears that leukocytes from inflammatory exudates do not synthesize much additional pyrogen during incubation in vitro.
The Incidence of Lumbar Discectomy after Epidural Steroid Injections or Selective Nerve Root Blocks.

Background The purpose of this study was to determine the use of Central Epidural Steroid Injections (ESI) and Selective Nerve Root Blocks (SNRB) along with the crossover rate to lumbar discectomy in patients with a lumbar disc herniation using retrospective records database search. Butterman et al found a crossover rate for patients with symptomatic disc herniations treated with ESI of 54% (27/50), while Riew similarly found a 53% (29/55) crossover patients receiving SNRB. Methods The database was searched in a sequential Boolean style for patients with the diagnosis of a lumbar disc herniation (Displaced Lumbar Disc - 722.1) and a SNRB (64483) or ESI (62311) who subsequently underwent a Lumbar Discectomy (63030) over a three year time period from January 2004 through December 2006. Statistical analysis was preformed examining the impact of injection type, age, location, gender, and year. Results Of 482,893 patients with the diagnosis of a disc herniation, 27,799(5.76%) underwent a lumbar discectomy. The 29,941 patients who received at least one SNRB for a disc herniation, 10.80% later underwent a lumbar discectomy. The 41,420 patients who received at least one ESI for a disc herniation 9.34% later underwent a lumbar discectomy. There was a noted increase in injection procedures, particularly SNRB during the study with a greater than 50% increase. Conclusions Our examination found a much smaller, but similar crossover rate to surgery between both injection methods, which argues against one method being more effective than another in avoiding surgery. It is likely that patients are receiving these procedures more frequently during the course of conservative treatment for a disc herniation. Level of Evidence This was a Level III study.
Top-Down-Mediated Facilitation in the Visual Cortex Is Gated by Subcortical Neuromodulation

Response properties in primary sensory cortices are highly dependent on behavioral state. For example, the nucleus basalis of the forebrain plays a critical role in enhancing response properties of excitatory neurons in primary visual cortex (V1) during active exploration and learning. Given the strong reciprocal connections between hierarchically arranged cortical regions, how are increases in sensory response gain constrained to prevent runaway excitation? To explore this, we used in vivo two-photon guided cell-attached recording in conjunction with spatially restricted optogenetic photo-inhibition of higher-order visual cortex in mice. We found that the principle feedback projection to V1 originating from the lateral medial area (LM) facilitated visual responses in layer 2/3 excitatory neurons by ∼20%. This facilitation was reduced by half during basal forebrain activation due to differential response properties between LM and V1. Our results demonstrate that basal-forebrain-mediated increases in response gain are localized to V1 and are not propagated to LM and establish that subcortical modulation of visual cortex is regionally distinct.
Laboratory Rearing of the Imported Fire Ant

A laboratory technique was developed for rearing colonies of the imported fire ant, Solenopsis saevissima richteri Forel, from dealated mated queens. The mated queens were confined individually in shell vials and allowed to produce minim workers. When the workers began to forage, the minature colonies were transferred to soil-filled I-gal glass jars and kept in a lighted room. At a relative humidity of 75-85% and a temperature of 80-85°F, 22-28 days were required for mated queens to rear the 1st adult minim workers, 4 months to rear the 1st minor workers, and 7 months to rear the 1st major workers. In I colony, the first alate male and female adults emerged in 9 months. These alate adults eventually took part in mating flights as occur in nature and completed the reproductive cycle of the colony. For mass rearing of colonies, a special chamber was devised with sides made of wood, the top of semitransparent polyethylene, and the bottom of tin. Relative humidity between 75 and 85% was maintained by holding I inch of water inside the chamber, and temperature between 80 and 85°F. was maintained inside the chamber by holding the room temperature at about 80°F. Sunlight or artificial light was allowed to fall on the colonies through the semitransparent polyethylene top. By using this procedure many colonies at various stages of development may be maintained in the laboratory.
Proton-Assisted Reduction of CO2 by Cobalt Aminopyridine Macrocycles

We report here the efficient reduction of CO2 to CO by cobalt aminopyridine macrocycles. The effect of the pendant amines on catalysis was investigated. Several cobalt complexes based on the azacalix[4](2,6)pyridine framework with different substitutions on the pendant amine groups have been synthesized (R = H (1), Me (2), and allyl (3)), and their electrocatalytic properties were explored. Under an atmosphere of CO2 and in the presence of weak Bronsted acids, large catalytic currents are observed for 1, corresponding to the reduction of CO2 to CO with excellent Faradaic efficiency (98 ± 2%). In comparison, complexes 2 and 3 generate CO with TONs at least 300 times lower than 1, suggesting that the presence of the pendant NH moiety of the secondary amine is crucial for catalysis. Moreover, the presence of NH groups leads to a positive shift in the reduction potential of the CoI/0 couple, therefore decreasing the overpotential for CO2 reduction.
THE SUBDIVISION AND CORRELATION OF THE JURASSIC SYSTEM OF THE MINHE BASIN

The Minhe Basin contains abundant oil, coal and natural gas resources. The Jurassic System in the Minhe Basin includes the Lower Jurassic Tandonggou (Daxigou) Formation, the Middle Jurassic Yaojie and Honggou formations, and the Upper Jurassic Xiangtang Formation. The early-middle Middle Jurassic is characterized by warm and wet paleoclimate and swamp facies, where major source rocks such as coals, organic-rich lacustrine mudstone, and oil-shale were formed. The Late Jurassic to Cretaceous is characterized by drier paleoclimate and consists of fluvial sandstones that are major reservoir rocks. The stratigraphy system of the Minhe Basin is revised on the basis of new biostratigraphic and lithostratigraphic data, as well as electric log, coal seams, tectonic, and paleoclimatic data. Type sections for the Mesozoic and Cenozoic stratigraphic system in the Minhe Basin have been established, forming a solid foundation for petroleum exploration in the Minhe Basin.
Determination of Beryllium in Whole Blood with Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorbance Spectrometry

[Objective] To establish the method for determination of beryllium in whole blood with graphite furnace atomic absorbance spectrometry.[Methods] After the protein in whole blood was removed by nitric acid 5%(v/v) and centrifugal separation,it was determined by standard working curve using Mg(NO3)2 0.5%(m/v) as matrix modifier.[Results] The linearity range of the method was 0.18-5.00 μg/L,the correlation coefficient(r) was 0.999 6,the relative standard deviation(RSD) was 2.7%-4.2%,the detection limit was 0.27 μg/L,and the recovery was 90%-100%.[Conclusion] This method is characterized by less amount of samples,simple digestion,better degree of precision and accuracy.It is fit to determine beryllium in whole blood.
The Influence of Risk Perceptions and Efficacy Beliefs on Leisure-Time Physical Activity During Pregnancy.

Background: Pregnancy risk perceptions and physical activity efficacy beliefs may facilitate or impede pregnancy leisure-time physical activity (LTPA). We examined the separate and joint influence of these variables on LTPA behavior among pregnant women. Methods: Pregnant women (n = 302) completed a survey containing questions on LTPA efficacy beliefs and behavior, as well as pregnancy risk perceptions with respect to the health of the unborn baby. As stipulated by the Risk Perception Attitude (RPA) Framework, 4 attitudinal groups were created: Responsive (High Risk+High Efficacy), Proactive (Low+High), Avoidant (High+Low), and Indifferent (Low+Low). Moderate LTPA and vigorous LTPA were dichotomized for study analyses. Results: A total of 82 women (27.2%) met the moderate physical activity guideline and 90 women (30.1%) performed any vigorous LTPA. Responsive and proactive pregnant women (those with high efficacy) were most likely to meet the moderate guideline and participate in vigorous LTPA. Hierarchic...
Model Independent Approach to the Single Photoelectron Calibration of Photomultiplier Tubes

The accurate calibration of photomultiplier tubes is critical in a wide variety of applications for which it is necessary to know the absolute number of detected photons or precisely determine the resolution of the signal. Conventional calibration methods rely on fitting the photomultiplier response to a low intensity light source with analytical approximations to the single photoelectron distribution. We show that this approach often leads to biased estimates due to an inability to model the full distribution accurately, especially at low charge values. We present a simple statistical method to extract the relevant single photoelectron calibration parameters (first two central moments) without making any assumptions about the underlying single photoelectron distribution. We illustrate the use of this method through the calibration of a Hamamatsu R11410 photomultiplier tube and study the accuracy and precision of the method using Monte Carlo simulations. The method is found to have significantly reduced bias compared to conventional methods and works under a wide range of light intensities, making it suitable for the simultaneous calibration of large arrays of photomultiplier tubes where uniform illumination may not be possible.
Responsivity optimization in magneto-optic sensors based on ferromagnetic materials

In an effort to optimize magnetic field detection sensitivities, the Faraday responsivity vector, which determines the relationship between the Faraday rotation angle and an externally applied magnetic field, was investigated in magneto-optic sensors based on bismuth-doped iron-garnet films. Under externally applied fields, Faraday rotation is produced principally by domain rotation and domain wall motion, whose relative contributions depend on the domain geometry and the direction of laser propagation. When optically probed along a principal magnetization axis, Faraday rotation is driven by a single magnetization mechanism, and the responsivity is linearized (reduced to an effective Verdet constant). When the films are probed along an oblique angle to the principal axes, the relationship between the Faraday rotation and the external field becomes tensorial and much more complex. Although this may lead to more complicated phenomena, the interplay of domain rotation and domain wall bowing can be exploited to improve responsivity or bandwidth. A generalized model for the magnitude and direction of the responsivity vector is formulated, which gives predictions that are consistent with the experimental data. Applications to arrayed sensors and three-axis field measurements are discussed.
Continuous space maximal coverage

Siting facilities in continuous space to maximize coverage of regional demand is an important planning problem. It is challenging to solve because demand is continuously distributed in a region and facilities may be sited anywhere in the region, suggesting that an infinite number of locations must be considered both as demand for service as well as a potential facility. An ingenious approach for solving continuous space coverage problems is abstracting continuously distributed demand as discrete spatial objects (points, lines or polygons), generating a finite dominating set from continuous space as candidate facility sites, and applying a discrete location coverage model. However, abstracting continuous demand and potential facility sites often introduces errors and uncertainties in coverage of regional demand, rendering findings (service and optimal facility locations) less than definitive. In this paper we examine the continuous space maximal coverage problem. Studies focused on locating antennas in Paradise Valley, Arizona and emergency warning sirens in Dublin, Ohio, are used to highlight issues and challenges in continuous space modeling. Potential paths forward are suggested based on empirical insights.
Fluid-like Surface Layer and Its Flow Characteristics in Glassy Nanotubes.

We show that amorphous silica and Si nanotubes can flow at room temperature under Giga-Pascal order stress when going to the nanometer scale. This creep behavior is unique for the amorphous nanotubes and is absent in crystalline Si nanotubes of similar dimensions. A core–shell model shows that there exists an approximately 1 nm thick viscoelastic “fluid-like” surface layer, which exhibits a room temperature viscosity equivalent to that of bulk glass above 1000 °C.
Constellation: A secure self-optimizing framework for genomic processing

The Constellation framework is designed for process automation, secure workload distribution, and performance optimization for genomic processing. The goal of Constellation is to provide a flexible platform for the processing of custom ”write once run anywhere” genomic pipelines, across a range of computational resources and environments, through the agent-based management of genomic processing containers. An implementation of the Constellation framework is currently in use at the University of Kentucky Medical Center for clinical diagnostic and research genomic processing.
Bridging the gap: Incorporating a semantic similarity measure for effectively mapping PubMed queries to documents.

The main approach of traditional information retrieval (IR) is to examine how many words from a query appear in a document. A drawback of this approach, however, is that it may fail to detect relevant documents where no or only few words from a query are found. The semantic analysis methods such as LSA (latent semantic analysis) and LDA (latent Dirichlet allocation) have been proposed to address the issue, but their performance is not superior compared to common IR approaches. Here we present a query-document similarity measure motivated by the Word Mover’s Distance. Unlike other similarity measures, the proposed method relies on neural word embeddings to compute the distance between words. This process helps identify related words when no direct matches are found between a query and a document. Our method is efficient and straightforward to implement. The experimental results on TREC Genomics data show that our approach outperforms the BM25 ranking function by an average of 12% in mean average precision. Furthermore, for a real-world dataset collected from the PubMed® search logs, we combine the semantic measure with BM25 using a learning to rank method, which leads to improved ranking scores by up to 25%. This experiment demonstrates that the proposed approach and BM25 nicely complement each other and together produce superior performance.
Redefining Zone II: Anatomy of the Flexor Digitorum Superficialis Insertion.

Background Flexor zone II is defined as the region spanning the proximal aspect of the A1 pulley to the insertion of the flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) tendon. Descriptions of the FDS insertion are inconsistent in the literature, but zones of injury are frequently determined with reference to superficial landmarks. The purpose of this study was to describe the footprint of the FDS insertion and define its relationship to the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) skin crease. Methods The FDS insertion on the index, middle, ring, and small fingers was dissected in 6 matched pairs of fresh-frozen cadaveric hands. A Kirschner wire was used to mark the level of the PIP skin crease on bone before measurements of the FDS footprint and its position relative to the PIP skin crease were made using digital calipers. Results The radial and ulnar FDS slips inserted a mean distance of 3.22 mm from the distal aspect of the PIP skin crease and varied by digit. The mean distal extent of the FDS insertion was 8.29 mm. The mean length of the insertion of each FDS slip was 5.15 mm and the mean width was 1.9 mm. Conclusions The radial and ulnar FDS slips insert on average 3.22 mm distal to the PIP skin crease and vary by digit. Knowledge of the FDS insertion is clinically relevant when differentiating between flexor zone I and zone II injuries, planning surgical approaches to the finger, and in guiding patient expectations for surgery given the variability in outcome based on zone of injury.
Sensitivity guided genetic algorithm for placement of distributed energy resources

This paper introduces an enhanced Genetic Algorithm (GA) that uses the concept of sensitivity analysis to develop an encoding strategy for improving the computational efficiency of the search process. The objective is to determine the optimal placement of distributed energy resources (DERs) with minimum generation cost. Locational Marginal Price (LMP) is employed as an indicator to quantify the need for additional generation at candidate locations. LMP at each node is determined from Lagrange multipliers associated with the power balance equation at that node. By renumbering and encoding the locations based on their LMP ranks, desired candidate locations are gathered and encoded to share more common genes. Then, genetic algorithm is utilized along with the AC optimal power flow model to search for the optimal locations for distributed energy resources with varied sizes. The method is demonstrated on several test systems, including IEEE 14,30,57 and 118 bus test systems. The placement of DERs with minimum generation cost is found and the results validate the improvement in convergence speed.
Search for evidence of supersymmetry in the like-sign dimuon channel at the D0 experiment

Supersymmetry (SUSY) is a proposed symmetry between fermions and bosons. If this symmetry does exist, it is clearly broken since only half of the particle spectrum is observed. One model which provides a simple breaking mechanism is called minimal supergravity (mSUGRA) inspired SUSY. One clean final state predicted by this model is a trilepton final state from chargino and neutralino decays. In this analysis, these events are sought in 239±16 pb-1 of D0 Run II data by requiring like-sign dimuon pairs. Requiring only two muons increases the signal acceptance, and adding the like-sign requirement reduces the Standard Model background from Drell-Yan dimuon pairs and the various resonances in the dimuon spectrum. The reach into some parts of mSUGRA parameter space will be greater when searching with the like-sign dilepton final state than the trilepton final state. Combining results from a search in the like-sign dilepton channels with searches in the trilepton channels provides increased sensitivity in the search for supersymmetry. In this dissertation, the best-ever D limit on the total cross section for associated chargino and neutralino production with leptonic final states is presented.
Highly Resolved Measurements of a Developing Strong Collisional Plasma Shock.

The structure of a strong collisional shock front forming in a plasma is directly probed for the first time in laser-driven gas-jet experiments. Thomson scattering of a 526.5 nm probe beam was used to diagnose temperature and ion velocity distribution in a strong shock ($M\ensuremath{\sim}11$) propagating through a low-density ($\ensuremath{\rho}\ensuremath{\sim}0.01\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{mg}/\mathrm{cc}$) plasma composed of hydrogen. A forward-streaming population of ions traveling in excess of the shock velocity was observed to heat and slow down on an unmoving, unshocked population of cold protons, until ultimately the populations merge and begin to thermalize. Instabilities are observed during the merging, indicating a uniquely plasma-phase process in shock front formation.
A Medical Student View of Psychiatry

The attitudes of medical students to the field of psychiatry were assessed prior to their first formal curriculum exposure to the field. Students interested in psychiatry as their future medical specialty were distinguished from those with other interests by a greater espousal of a Mental Hygiene Ideology and an expectation of personal benefit from psychiatric treatment. Student future specialty preference was not correlated with machiavellianism nor acceptance of interpersonal etiologies in mental illness. Those students interested in family practice were attitudinally similar to students interested in specialties other than psychiatry.
In-vivo stiffness assessment of distal femur fracture locked plating constructs.

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to design and validate a novel stiffness-measuring device using locked plating of distal femur fractures as a model. Methods All patients underwent a laterally-based approach, with a bridging locked construct after indirect reduction. A custom and calibrated intraoperative stiffness device was applied and the stiffness of the construct was blindly recorded. Fourteen of twenty-seven patients enrolled with distal femur fractures (AO/OTA 33A and 33C) completed the study. Correlations between stiffness and callus formation, working length, working length/plate length ratio, number of distal locking screws, and fracture pattern were explored. Findings Callus and modified radiographic union scale in tibias scores as a linear function of stiffness did not correlate (R2 = 0.06 and 0.07, respectively). Construct working length and working length to plate length ratio did not correlate to stiffness (R2 = 0.18 and 0.16 respectively). A combined delayed and nonunion rate was 14%. Lower extremity measure scores were not statistically different when comparing delayed and nonunion with healed fractures. Interpretation The lack of correlation may have been due to the mechanical properties of the plate itself and its large contribution to the overall stiffness of the construct. To our knowledge, clinically relevant stiffness has not been described and this study may provide some estimates. This methodology and these preliminary findings may lay the groundwork for further investigations into this prevalent clinical problem. Other parameters not investigated may play a key role such as body mass index and bone mineral density. Level of evidence Diagnostic/Prognostic Level II.
The Impact of Behavioral Interventions in Public Health

Behavior is increasingly recognized as the key element in improving the health of individuals and populations. Behavioral factors underlie most of the diseases and injuries that lead to premature death and morbidity. Recent decades have produced dramatic increases in behaviorally related academic research and a growing body of evidence for effective interventions. However, significant shortfall exists between what is known and what is practiced. Barriers to translation include failure to link academic research to needs of practitioners and communities; lack of means to determine when evidence for a practice is sufficient; deficiencies of systems in accommodating effective practices; and lack of policies supportive of effective interventions and health behaviors. Several factors can enhance translation of research to practice. These include improved communication about innovations; recommendations for structural and organizational changes that support new practices; evolution of channels for timely dissemination of proven interventions; holistic assessment of problems and solutions; greater use of behavioral models; recognition that the most powerful public health improvements have come as social movements. In addition to acting on these needed enhancements, better and more robust tools and methods are required to assess how to most effectively reach the largest number of people with the maximum level of benefit.
THz Generalized Ellipsometry Characterization of Highly-Ordered Three-Dimensional Nanostructures

Routine generalized ellipsometry measurements at terahertz (THz) frequencies have become available only very recently, and we present and discuss the application to highly-ordered three-dimensional nanostructure thin films. Such nanostructure thin films are obtained from glancing angle deposition, and consist of slanted columnar structures with high spatial coherence. The slanted columnar thin films reveal strong birefringence due to electronic coupling and screening phenomena. Despite their extreme smallness compared with the THz wavelength equivalent, slanted columnar nanostructure thin films can be used as sensors for dielectric fluids in transmission or reflection geometries, where measurements can be made through the back side of THz-transparent substrates. We describe an anisotropic biaxial effective medium dielectric function approach which comprises structural, geometrical and constituent fraction information, and which enables quantitative analysis of THz generalized ellipsometry measurements. We further describe a frequency-domain generalized ellipsometer setup which incorporates backward wave oscillator sources.
Two Epstein-Barr virus glycoprotein complexes.

The envelopes of all herpesviruses contain multiple glycoprotein species, each one of which is potentially important to virus entry, to virus egress and to trafficking of virus-producing cells throughout the body. In addition, membrane-associated proteins or glycoproteins that are found in the infected cell, but not in the virion, may influence virus assembly and yield. Thus, as a class these molecules have a major impact on virus tropism and virus load and contribute significantly to the outcome of infection.
Sexual Health, STI and HIV Risk, and Risk Perceptions Among American Indian and Alaska Native Emerging Adults

Emerging adulthood (18–25) is a period of increased risk for adverse sexual health outcomes. While anyone in this age group is at elevated risk, American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth and emerging adults face unique factors that influence their risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). To address this increased risk among AI/AN youth, culturally appropriate interventions are necessary. This study reports the results of a video-based sexual health intervention designed specifically for AI/AN youth and emerging adults (15–24 years old) on risk changing perceptions. This intervention was evaluated using a group-randomized design with three conditions: (1) fact sheet alone, (2) fact sheet and video, and (3) fact sheet, video, and facilitated discussion. Using data from 199 AI/AN emerging adults (18–24 years old) who participated in the Native VOICES evaluation, we used multiple multinomial logistic regressions to determine if changes in risk perceptions were significantly different between study arms from baseline to post-intervention, and from post-intervention to 6-month follow-up. Few differences in STI risk perceptions were found at baseline and observed differences in STI risk perceptions between study arms disappeared after including baseline risk perceptions in the model. Similarly, few differences in HIV risk perceptions between study arms were observed at baseline, and all differences in HIV risk perceptions between study arms disappeared after controlling for baseline risk perceptions, demographics, and baseline sexual risk factors. Overall, this study points to the need for interventions that specifically address the behaviors, social and sexual contexts, and risk perceptions of AI/AN emerging adults, an age group for whom few culturally relevant sexual health interventions exist.
Thailand. Shifting Ground between the US and a Rising China Benjamin Zawacki (London: Zed Books, 2017)

At the beginning of his book Benjamin Zawacki describes himself as an “ex-patriot” (ix). Yet in lamenting the “loss” of Thailand to China, not only is he highly patriotic but writes in a manner rem...
How Power Distance Interacts with Culture and Status to Explain Intra‐ and Intercultural Negotiation Behaviors: A Multilevel Analysis

This study examines how culture and status qualify the effects of power distance (PD) values on bargaining tactics in intra‐ and intercultural negotiations, as well as Chinese and American negotiators’ behavioral difference in these contexts. Data were collected from 34 intercultural dyads, 32 American dyads, and 35 Chinese dyads that completed job offer negotiations. Results showed substantial contextual variations in the actor and partner effects of PD values. Whereas Chinese employees’ PD values positively influenced American managers’ priority information exchange, American employees’ PD values had a negative partner effect on it. Whereas Chinese employees’ PD values negatively influenced Chinese managers’ relationship building, American employees’ PD values had a positive partner effect on it. American managers and employees both used significantly fewer integrative tactics and more distributive tactics in intercultural than intracultural negotiations, but neither Chinese managers nor Chinese employees exhibited behavioral difference. Theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed.
Recent advances towards applications of molecular bottlebrushes and their conjugates

Abstract We focus on the most recent developments towards synthesis, modeling, and applications of molecular bottlebrushes. Unique structural characteristics and properties of the bottlebrushes along with an ability to synthetically tailor their structure and functionality open up a number of emergent applications of these polymer systems. The conformation and resulting properties of molecular bottlebrushes and multi-component assemblies encompassing bottlebrushes can be regulated via chemical nature of the backbone and side moieties of bottlebrushes, variation of the distance between grafting points of the side groups, and the degree of polymerization of the side chains. Herein, we highlight the most recent progress in relating the structure of the bottlebrushes with their properties and focus on a number of diverse emerging applications involving bottlebrushes in solvents, melts, and bottlebrushes conjugated with surfaces, interfaces, linear chains, or biomacromolecules. Among such applications are drug delivery and sensing applications, electronic and photonic materials and materials with strain-adaptive stiffening, thermal stabilization and enhancement of activity of enzymes conjugated with copolymer bottlebrushes, and surface modification for biomedical applications.
The Use of Risk Enhancing Factors to Personalize ASCVD Risk Assessment: Evidence and Recommendations from the 2018 AHA/ACC Multi-society Cholesterol Guidelines.

In 2018, the AHA/ACC Multi-Society Cholesterol Guidelines introduced the novel concept of risk-enhancing factors to be used as a supplement to the pooled cohort risk equations to personalize atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk assessment in primary prevention. In this review, we discuss the rationale and evidence behind each of the risk-enhancing factors to help clinicians perform a more personalized cardiovascular risk assessment. The risk-enhancing factors are high-risk features that may guide the use of lipid-lowering therapy particularly in intermediate and select borderline-risk patients. For the purpose of this review, these factors are divided into five categories: (i) race and genetics, (ii) conditions specific to women, (iii) lipid-related risk, (iv) concurrent high-risk medical conditions, and (v) biomarkers. The addition of the risk-enhancing factors to the pooled cohort equations provides a more individualized and comprehensive approach to cardiovascular disease risk assessment.
PENGARUH KONSERVATISME, LEVERAGE, PROFITABILITAS, UKURAN PERUSAHAAN TERHADAP TAX AVOIDANCE

The objective of this study is to examine the effect of Accounting Conservatism, Leverage, Size, Capital Intensity Ratio, Inventory Intensity Ratio, and Profitability Against Tax Avoidance. The population of this study is Manufatur Company listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in 2013-2017. The sampling method used is Purposive sampling method and the sample of this study is 121 sample. The data collection is conducted by www.idx.co.id .The results showed that the variables of Accounting Conservatism, Leverage, Size, Capital Intensity Ratio, and Inventory Intensity Ratio had no effect on the Tax Avoidance, while the independent variable Profitability had a significant negative effect on Tax Avoidance.
Transient Characteristics Analysis of 500kV Parallel Circuit Breaker Based on Highly Coupled Split Reactor

With the continuous expansion of power system capacity, parallel high-voltage circuit breakers with a Highly Coupled Split Reactor (HCSR) have a potential application for limitation of high short-circuit current. However, as the parallel circuit breakers open at different time, the residual voltage of the split reactor on the post-open circuit breaker is higher and the stray capacitors of HCSR form high-order oscillating circuits, which may lead to serious transient recovery voltage (TRV). Therefore, it is necessary to analyze and simulate the transient characteristics of 500kV HCSR. Firstly, the equivalent model of HCSR circuit breakers is built in EMTP simulation plat-form, and its TRV generation is analyzed. Then, the TRV of parallel circuit breakers under different operating conditions and fault types is simulated and calculated. Finally, according to the statistical calculation results, the protection measure of 0.2uF shunt capacitance to limit rise rate of TRV is proposed.
Targeting DNA Damage Response as a Strategy to Treat HPV Infections

Mucosotropic human papillomaviruses (HPVs) cause prevalent anogenital infections, some of which can progress to cancers. It is imperative to identify efficacious drug candidates, as there are few therapeutic options. We have recapitulated a robust productive program of HPV-18 in organotypic raft cultures of primary human keratinocytes. The HPV E7 protein induces S phase reentry, along with DNA damage response (DDR) in differentiated cells to support viral DNA amplification. A number of small molecule inhibitors of DDR regulators are in clinical use or clinical trials to treat cancers. Here, we used our raft culture system to examine effects of inhibitors of ATR/Chk1 and ATM/Chk2 on HPV infection. The inhibitors impaired S-phase reentry and progression as well as HPV DNA amplification. The Chk1 inhibitor MK-8776 was most effective, reducing viral DNA amplification by 90–99% and caused DNA damage and apoptosis, preferentially in HPV infected cells. We found that this sensitivity was imparted by the E7 protein and report that MK-8776 also caused extensive cell death of cervical cancer cell lines. Furthermore, it sensitized the cells to cisplatin, commonly used to treat advanced cervical cancer. Based on these observations, the Chk1 inhibitors could be potential effective agents to be re-purposed to treat the spectrum of HPV infections in single or combination therapy.
Pathology Quiz Case 2

A N 89-YEAR-OLD WOMAN PRESENTED WITH a rapidly progressive mass in the right parotid gland that extended into the middle cranial fossa. She denied constitutional symptoms, weight loss, and problems with speech, swallowing, or respiration. Her medical history was remarkable for liposarcoma of the right arm that had been treated with surgical resection 2 years earlier. Physical examination revealed a 3-cm fullness in the right preauricular area. There was no trismus, cranial nerve deficits, or neck lymphadenopathy. Computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a 4.0 3.0 2.7-cm mass with smooth, erosive changes of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and skull base with flocculent calcifications (Figure 1). The mass demonstrated inhomogeneous contrast enhancement on postcontrast T1-weighted magnetic resonance images (MRIs) (Figure2). Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) revealed abundant chondroid-appearing material with associated degeneration, changes consistent with a low-grade chondroid neoplasm. The patient underwent resection of the infratemporal fossa mass by way of a right parotidectomy with facial nerve dissection, mandibular condylectomy, and wide resection of the middle fossa cranial base and associated dura. Intraoperative frozen section showed atypical chondrocytes that were suggestive of a low-grade chondroid malignant neoplasm. Gross pathologic inspection revealed a white, friable, gritty mass. On microscopic examination, several areas showed atypical chondrocytes with occasional binucleated chondrocytes, which were interpreted as chondroid metaplasia (Figure 3, arrows). The mass was also surrounded by multinucleated giant cells (Figure 3, arrowheads). The mass demonstrated needleand rhomboid-shaped basophilic crystals that displayed positive birefringence on polarized microscopy (Figure 4). What is your diagnosis?
Hardware Enhancements for Raster Graphics

Great strides have been made in the field of fast, realistic image generation in the last 20 years. A generally acknowledged goal of the field called the Ultimate Display has been guiding the field all that time, and may very well be guiding us for the next 20 years. But with the recent advent of VLSI technology the Ultimate Display may finally be less of a dream and more of an achievable goal.
In Vitro Kinematic Analysis of Single Axis Radius Posterior-Substituting Total Knee Arthroplasty.

This is an experimental study. As current posterior-substituting (PS) total knee arthroplasties have been reported to incompletely restore intrinsic joint biomechanics of the healthy knee, the recently designed single axis radius PS knee system was introduced to increase posterior femoral translation and promote ligament isometry. As there is a paucity of data available regarding its ability to replicate healthy knee biomechanics, this study aimed to assess joint and articular contact kinematics as well as ligament isometry of the contemporary single axis radius PS knee system. Implant kinematics were measured from 11 cadaveric knees using an in vitro robotic testing system. In addition, medial collateral ligament (MCL) and lateral collateral ligament (LCL) forces were quantified under simulated functional loads during knee flexion for the contemporary PS knee system. Posterior femoral translation between the intact knee and the single axis radius PS knee system differed significantly (p < 0.05) at 60, 90, and 120 degrees of flexion. The LCL force at 60 degrees (9.06 ± 2.81 N) was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than those at 30, 90, and 120 degrees of flexion, while MCL forces did not differ significantly throughout the range of tested flexion angles. The results from this study suggest that although the contemporary single axis radius PS knee system has the potential to mimic the intact knee kinematics under muscle loading during flexion extension due to its design features, single axis radius PS knee system did not fully replicate posterior femoral translation and ligament isometry of the healthy knee during knee flexion.
Two-halfspace closure

We define a new cutting plane closure for pure integer programs called the two-halfspace closure. It is a natural generalization of the well-known Chvatal-Gomory closure. We prove that the two-halfspace closure is polyhedral. We also study the corresponding $2$-halfpsace rank of any valid inequality and show that it is at most the split rank of the inequality. Moreover, while the split rank can be strictly larger than the two-halfspace rank, the split rank is at most twice the two-halfspace rank. A key step of our analysis shows that the split closure of a rational polyhedron can be obtained by considering the split closures of all $k$-dimensional (rational) projections of the polyhedron, for any fixed $k\geq 2$. This result may be of independent interest.
Conflict management trajectories: theory and evidence

When multiple attempts to manage a given conflict occur, are these attempts interdependent – and if so, how? Policymakers and practitioners regularly report that such interdependence exists; and ye...