cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Migration versus management: the global distribution of computer vision engineering work

Computer vision professionals develop systems that monitor endangered fish species, alert car dealerships of potential theft, and track inventory on retailers' shelves, to name a few examples. While their products vary, their day-to-day work practices rarely do. Most work in small, co-located, multi-disciplinary teams and rapidly iterate systems built with algorithms, products, and services provided by similar teams but at different companies. Their examples challenge global software engineering research to look beyond the social and technical coordination work of large, internal software development teams. Their stories, culled from ethnographic interviews with eighty computer vision engineers and research scientists, echo the heady days of 1980s Silicon Valley when Bay Area social networks and the global migration of professional talent fueled the rapid growth of the high technology industry. These engineers, then and now, migrate from task to task, versus the task from engineer to engineer.
Automatic Text-based Personality Recognition on Monologues and Multiparty Dialogues Using Attentive Networks and Contextual Embeddings.

Previous works related to automatic personality recognition focus on using traditional classification models with linguistic features. However, attentive neural networks with contextual embeddings, which have achieved huge success in text classification, are rarely explored for this task. In this project, we have two major contributions. First, we create the first dialogue-based personality dataset, FriendsPersona, by annotating 5 personality traits of speakers from Friends TV Show through crowdsourcing. Second, we present a novel approach to automatic personality recognition using pre-trained contextual embeddings (BERT and RoBERTa) and attentive neural networks. Our models largely improve the state-of-art results on the monologue Essays dataset by 2.49%, and establish a solid benchmark on our FriendsPersona. By comparing results in two datasets, we demonstrate the challenges of modeling personality in multi-party dialogue.
Reflections of Hospice Staff Members About Educating Hospice Family Caregivers Through Telenovela

Objective:Hospice family caregivers are seeking additional information related to patient care, pain and symptom management, and self-care. This study interviewed hospice staff about the potential ...
P150 Development of an 8-Week Early Childhood Nutrition Education Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their Parents

Objective Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience more problematic mealtime behaviors compared to neurotypical children. The prevalence of overweight/obesity is also higher in children with ASD. The aim of this study was to develop a comprehensive nutrition education intervention program to be used by Early Intervention providers who work with children with ASD and their parents. Use of Theory or Research The nutrition education manual for early intervention providers was developed based on the 2019 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Pediatric Nutritional Care Manual and other evidence-based autism-specific feeding strategies, in conjunction with the social cognitive theory for behavioral change. Target Audience Early intervention providers who work with children with ASD ages 0-3 years and their parents. Program Description The Autism Eats program with eight 20-minute weekly lessons addresses: (1) Feeding milestones, (2) Exploring taste/flavor/texture, (3) Mealtime routines/schedules, (4) Balanced eating/nutrition, (5) Strategies for introducing new foods, (6) Dining-out and beverages, (7) Fill-and-Full, and (8) Maintaining healthy nutrition. Evaluation Methods A Qualtrics survey was used to measure providers’ perceived feasibility and acceptability of the nutrition education intervention. The survey consisted of 7 Likert scale questions (from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree”) and 3 open-ended questions for each lesson. Four health psychology experts who work as providers to children with ASD reviewed the manual and completed the survey. Results The mean scores were greater than 4 (of a possible 5) points for all questions, including preparation time, clarity, activity relevance, background information, feasibility, and overall relevance to the goal, except for the question on estimated ability to complete the weekly activity with the parent/child within the 20-minute time frame, which had a mean of 3.9 (ranged 2.5-5). Conclusions The Autism Eats program provides meaningful information and activities relevant to addressing feeding behavioral problems and autism-specific nutritional concerns. Minor revisions are needed to adjust the length of the activities to comply with the pre-determined 20-minute time slot. Funding University of South Florida Women's Health Collaborative Betty Castor Grant.
Providing reproductive health services for women who inject drugs: a pilot program.

Needle syringe programs (NSPs), a proven harm reduction strategy for people who inject drugs, frequently offer limited healthcare services for their clients. Women who inject drugs face multiple barriers to accessing reproductive health care in traditional settings: personal histories of trauma, judgmental treatment from providers, and competing demands on their time. Our aim was to implement patient-centered reproductive healthcare services at a Seattle NSP. We interviewed clients and staff of an NSP in Seattle and staff of other community-based organizations serving women who inject drugs, then used the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to code transcripts deductively. Based on our qualitative work, we implemented reproductive health care at the NSP program 1 day per week. We evaluated the implementation by surveying staff and clients and auditing charts over a 9-month period. Clients and staff (N = 15 for clients, N = 13 for staff) noted a high unmet need for trauma-informed, accessible reproductive health care. We successfully implemented reproductive health care services including short- and long-acting contraception, sexually transmitted disease testing, and cervical cancer screening. Survey data was limited but demonstrated client satisfaction with services. Integrating reproductive health care into an NSP’s clinical services is feasible and can be a source of low-barrier preventive care for women unable to seek gynecologic care elsewhere.
Learn to Exceed: Stereo Inverse Reinforcement Learning with Concurrent Policy Optimization.

In this paper, we study the problem of obtaining a control policy that can mimic and then outperform expert demonstrations in Markov decision processes where the reward function is unknown to the learning agent. One main relevant approach is the inverse reinforcement learning (IRL), which mainly focuses on inferring a reward function from expert demonstrations. The obtained control policy by IRL and the associated algorithms, however, can hardly outperform expert demonstrations. To overcome this limitation, we propose a novel method that enables the learning agent to outperform the demonstrator via a new concurrent reward and action policy learning approach. In particular, we first propose a new stereo utility definition that aims to address the bias in the interpretation of expert demonstrations. We then propose a loss function for the learning agent to learn reward and action policies concurrently such that the learning agent can outperform expert demonstrations. The performance of the proposed method is first demonstrated in OpenAI environments. Further efforts are conducted to experimentally validate the proposed method via an indoor drone flight scenario.
Lipid metabolism is altered in maternal, placental, and fetal tissues of ewes with small for gestational age fetuses

Nutrient restriction (NR) has the potential to negatively impact birthweight, an indicator of neonatal survival and lifelong health. Those fetuses are termed as small for gestational age (SGA). Interestingly, there is a spectral phenotype of fetal growth rates in response to NR associated with changes in placental development, nutrient and waste transport, and lipid metabolism. A sheep model with a maternal diet, starting at Day 35, of 100% National Research Council (NRC) nutrient requirements (n = 8) or 50% NRC (n = 28) was used to assess alterations in fetuses designated NR SGA (n = 7) or NR NonSGA (n = 7) based on fetal weight at Day 135 of pregnancy. Allantoic fluid concentrations of triglycerides were greater in NR SGA fetuses than 100% NRC and NR NonSGA fetuses at Day 70 (P < 0.05). There was a negative correlation between allantoic fluid concentrations of triglycerides (R2 = 0.207) and bile acids (R2 = 0.179) on Day 70 and fetal weight at Day 135 for NR ewes (P < 0.05). Bile acids were more abundant in maternal and fetal blood for NR SGA compared to 100% NRC and NR NonSGA ewes (P < 0.05). Maternal blood concentrations of NEFAs increased in late pregnancy in NR NonSGA compared to NR SGA ewes (P < 0.05). Protein expression of fatty acid transporter SLC27A6 localized to placentomal maternal and fetal epithelia and decreased in Day 70 NR SGA compared to 100% NRC and NR NonSGA placentomes (P < 0.05). These results identify novel factors associated with an ability of placentae and fetuses in NR NonSGA ewes to adapt to, and overcome, nutritional hardship during pregnancy.
The neuroeconomics of epistemic curiosity

Epistemic curiosity is an intrinsic drive to obtain non-instrumental information. It is presumed to be adaptively useful for building mental representations where there is an exploration bonus for learning. Formally, epistemic curiosity is most commonly modelled by calculating the entropy associated with information. Human curiosity across life stages exhibits a predictable Goldilocks pattern, where maximum entropy attracts attention and arousal, thus ‘piquing’ curiosity. This and close variants of the curiosity ‘formula’ have been used to generate more efficient algorithms, clickbait headlines, and maximum-suspense thrillers. Human fMRI studies have shown activity associated with curiosity and ‘fulfillment’ of curiosity (e.g. learning answers), typically in basal ganglia reward areas. Understanding this near-universal human drive is important for education and many other domains.
Increased transcription of TSPO, HDAC2, and HDAC6 in the amygdala of males with alcohol use disorder.

Introduction Repeated exposure to high doses of alcohol triggers neuroinflammatory processes that contribute to craving and mood dysfunction in alcohol use disorder (AUD). The upregulation of the translocator protein (TSPO) is considered a biomarker of neuroinflammation, and TSPO ligands have been used as neuroimaging biomarkers of neuroinflammation. Epigenetic mechanisms are also implicated in neuroinflammatory responses to alcohol, and elevated expression of HDAC2 and HDAC6 has been reported in the brain of animals exposed to chronic alcohol. Methods The present study examined the transcriptional regulation of TSPO, HDAC2, and HDAC6 in human postmortem brain tissue from males previously diagnosed with AUD (n = 11) compared to age-matched nondependent males (n = 13) in four brain regions relevant to AUD: prefrontal cortex (PFC), nucleus accumbens (NAc), hippocampus (HPP), and amygdala (AMY). Results Translocator protein mRNA levels in AMY and PFC and HDAC2 and HDAC6 mRNA levels in AMY were upregulated in AUD compared to controls. In AMY, TSPO mRNA levels were positively associated with HDAC2 and HDAC6 mRNA levels, suggesting a possible regulation of TSPO by HDAC2 and HDAC6 in this brain region. In contrast, there were no group differences for TSPO, HDAC2, and HDAC6 in NAc and HPP. Conclusion Our study is the first to find upregulated TSPO mRNA levels in AMY and PFC in postmortem brains from AUD consistent with neuroinflammation, and in the amygdala, they implicate epigenetic regulation of TSPO by HDAC2 and HDAC6.
The Times They Are a-Changin': Christian Leadership Over the Last 40 Years:

The article considers a biblical theology of leadership and examines empirical studies of leadership over the past 100 years. Both theological and scientific analyses frame the authors’ reflections...
The Existential Freedom of Mothers

Although some existential thinkers such as Simone de Beauvoir consider motherhood a restriction on a woman’s freedom, freedom can never be absolute. Mothers discover restrictions in some areas, but new freedoms in others. As mothers, they aren’t making products for the marketplace: their children are not for sale. As they get to know their children, they begin to identify their authentic values. Unsupervised within their homes, they are free to create families based on them. It can feel bewildering to face so many decisions and choices. But that is the nature of freedom. And these families may not be perfect but mothers report moments of genuine meeting and joy.
Genetic Modifiers of Hereditary Neuromuscular Disorders and Cardiomyopathy.

Novel genetic variants exist in patients with hereditary neuromuscular disorders (NMD), including muscular dystrophy. These patients also develop cardiac manifestations. However, the association between these gene variants and cardiac abnormalities is understudied. To determine genetic modifiers and features of cardiac disease in NMD patients, we have reviewed electronic medical records of 651 patients referred to the Muscular Dystrophy Association Care Center at the University of Cincinnati and characterized the clinical phenotype of 14 patients correlating with their next-generation sequencing data. The data were retrieved from the electronic medical records of the 14 patients included in the current study and comprised neurologic and cardiac phenotype and genetic reports which included comparative genomic hybridization array and NGS. Novel associations were uncovered in the following eight patients diagnosed with Limb-girdle Muscular Dystrophy, Bethlem Myopathy, Necrotizing Myopathy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease, Peripheral Polyneuropathy, and Valosin-containing Protein-related Myopathy. Mutations in COL6A1, COL6A3, SGCA, SYNE1, FKTN, PLEKHG5, ANO5, and SMCHD1 genes were the most common, and the associated cardiac features included bundle branch blocks, ventricular chamber dilation, septal thickening, and increased outflow track gradients. Our observations suggest that features of cardiac disease and modifying gene mutations in patients with NMD require further investigation to better characterize genotype–phenotype relationships.
T Cell-Mediated Immune Responses to AAV and AAV Vectors.

Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene transfer has benefited patients with inherited diseases, such as hemophilia B, by achieving long-term expression of the therapeutic transgene. Nevertheless, challenges remain due to rejection of AAV-transduced cells, which in some, but not all, patients can be prevented by immunosuppression. It is assumed that CD8+ T cells induced by natural infections with AAVs are recalled by the AAV vector’s capsid and upon activation eliminate cells expressing the degraded capsid antigens. Alternatively, it is feasible that AAV vectors, especially if given at high doses, induce de novo capsid- or transgene product-specific T cell responses. This chapter discusses CD8+ T cell responses to AAV infections and AAV gene transfer and avenues to prevent their activation or block their effector functions.
Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Pulmonary Embolism after Systemic Thrombolysis.

Massive pulmonary embolism (PE) is a life-threatening condition with a high mortality. Both systemic thrombolytics and veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) have been used in the management of massive PE. However, the safety of VA- ECMO in the setting of recent thrombolytic administration is not clear. The purpose of this study is to analyze the outcomes of patients who received VA-ECMO in the setting of systemic thrombolytics (ST). A single institution retrospective study of PE patients treated with VA-ECMO between December 2015 and December 2020 was performed. Patients who received ST were compared with those who did not receive ST. Outcomes, including mortality, major bleeding, duration of mechanical ventilation, need for renal replacement therapy, and length of hospital stay, were compared. A total of 83 patients with PE required VA-ECMO support and 18 of these received systemic thrombolytics. There was no statistically significant difference in survival to discharge between the patients who received ST compared with those who did not (88.9% vs 84.6%; p = 0.94). Major bleeding events occurred more often in patients who received ST (61.1% vs 26.2%; p = 0.01). There was no significant difference in time on mechanical ventilation, need for renal replacement therapy, or length of stay between the groups. Reasonable survival can be achieved despite an increased frequency of major bleeding events in patients that receive ST prior to VA-ECMO for PE. ST administration should not be considered an absolute contraindication to VA-ECMO. Further multi-center studies are needed to corroborate these findings.
Effects of Patient Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity on Medical Students' Decision Making Regarding Preexposure Prophylaxis for Human Immunodeficiency Virus Prevention: A Vignette-Based Study.

INTRODUCTION Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a pillar of our national strategy to end the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic. However, one of the largest obstacles to realizing the effectiveness of PrEP is expansion of prescription to all patients at risk for HIV. In this vignette-based study, we sought to investigate medical students' decision making regarding PrEP by presenting fictional patients, all of whom had HIV risk factors based on sexual behavior. METHODS We systematically varied patients' sexual orientation or gender identity (heterosexual female, gay male, bisexual male, transgender male, transgender female, gender nonbinary person). We assessed the medical students' willingness to prescribe PrEP to the patients, as well as their perceptions of the patients' HIV risk and behavior. RESULTS A total of 670 US medical students completed the study. The heterosexual female patient was least frequently identified as a PrEP candidate, was viewed as least likely to adhere to PrEP, and the most likely to engage in condomless sex if prescribed PrEP; however, was considered at lower overall HIV risk. Lower perceived HIV risk and anticipated PrEP adherence were both associated with lower willingness to prescribe PrEP. Willingness to prescribe PrEP was highest for the gay male patient and lowest for the heterosexual female. CONCLUSIONS These analyses suggest that assumptions about epidemiological risk based on patients' gender identity or sexual orientation may reduce willingness to prescribe PrEP to heterosexual women, ultimately hindering uptake in this critical population.
Mantle Cell Lymphoma Presenting as Diarrhea in a Liver Transplant Recipient

We present a 63-year-old man with a medical history of hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent orthotopic liver transplant 10 years prior on long-term immunosuppressive therapy. The patient presented to the clinic with diarrhea, and the workup revealed mantle cell lymphoma. Mantle cell lymphoma is an extremely rare finding in transplanted livers. It is essential to include mantle cell lymphoma, along with a broad differential, during the workup of diarrhea in post-transplant patients.
Performance Analysis for Estimating a Target's Relaxation Frequencies From Frequency-Domain Electromagnetic Induction Data

We present three analyses that explore the behavior of the Cramer-Rao lower bounds (CRBs) on estimating a target's relaxation frequency response from frequency-domain electromagnetic induction (EMI) data. In the first analysis, we show that the CRB on a given relaxation frequency is independent of the amplitudes of the other relaxations present in the target's relaxation frequency response. In the second, we show that the presence of a second relaxation frequency closer than one decade in frequency greatly increases the CRB on that relaxation frequency. Finally, we illustrate the behavior of the minimum root-mean-square error (RMSE) per relaxation frequency as a function of the number of relaxation frequencies present in the target's relaxation frequency response.
Motor Circuit Anatomy in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder With or Without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

This study examined the morphology of frontal-parietal regions relevant to motor functions in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with or without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We also explored its associations with autism severity and motor skills, and the impact of comorbid ADHD on these associations. Participants included 126 school-age children: 30 had ASD only, 33 had ASD with ADHD, and 63 were typically developing. High resolution 3T MPRAGE images were acquired to examine the cortical morphology (gray matter volume, GMV, surface area, SA, and cortical thickness, CT) in three regions of interest (ROI): precentral gyrus (M1), postcentral gyrus (S1), and inferior parietal cortex (IPC). Children with ASD showed abnormal increases in GMV and SA in all three ROIs: (a) increased GMV in S1 bilaterally and in right M1 was specific to children with ASD without ADHD; (b) all children with ASD (with or without ADHD) showed increases in the left IPC SA. Furthermore, on measures of motor function, impaired praxis was associated with increased GMV in right S1 in the ASD group with ADHD. Children with ASD with ADHD showed a positive relationship between bilateral S1 GMV and manual dexterity, whereas children with ASD without ADHD showed a negative relationship. Our findings suggest that (a) ASD is associated with abnormal morphology of cortical circuits crucial to motor control and learning; (b) anomalous overgrowth of these regions, particularly S1, may contribute to impaired motor skill development, and (c) functional and morphological differences are apparent between children with ASD with or without ADHD. Autism Res 2015. © 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
O Lume de Jefferson

Apresentada por Robert Darton, a metafora do lume de Thomas Jefferson, produzida numa carta de 1813 a Isaac McPherson, e invocada para sublinhar que o ideal Iluminista de compartilhar conhecimentos de forma generosa pode estar ganhando vazao na Internet e se realizando, por exemplo, nessa biblioteca digital, em plena era pos-moderna, o que nos remete para a atualidade do projeto Iluminista entre nos.
A programmable routing controller supporting multi-mode routing and switching in distributed real-time systems

Distributed systems with point-to-point interconnection networks are natural candidate architectures for supporting embedded real-time applications due mainly to their potential for high-performance and high-dependability with the multiplicity of processors and internode routes. In addition, distributed systems based on point-to-point interconnection networks also hold great promise for delivering systems with some level of intermediate dependability: something not as expensive and complete as the ultra-dependable systems used in mission-critical applications but more dependable than systems constructed using standard networking techniques and commercially-available components. This dissertation investigates an area of the design space in which a homogeneous distributed computing system is constructed that has the potential for an intermediate level of dependability. Most of the characteristics of this system can be traced to either the parallel computing domain, the distributed systems domain, or the ultra-dependable systems domain. The unifying feature not explicitly present in the three "parent" domains is the flexibility of the underlying communication support hardware which allows these other features to co-exist while supporting the end goals. One of the central themes of this dissertation is that if flexibility is provided in the front-end routing hardware, the management of issues related to operating in this hybrid domain are then possible. To that end, most of the results presented here focus on the development and implementation of a programmable routing controller (PRC) that acts both as a single sample in the design space and supports further exploration of the design space. Specifically, this work proposes an architecture and an implementation for a front-end programmable routing controller that supports multiple routing and switching schemes. We then proceed to analyze the performance of one of the supported switching schemes for a hexagonal mesh interconnection network based on the capabilities provided by the PRC. We then conclude by showing how the capability of supporting multiple routing and switching schemes simultaneously offers great potential for supporting real-time communication subsystems.
Measuring the effect of computer use on student learning

Summary form only given. Many people are convinced that computer use and Web sites are going to revolutionize how higher education is carried out. Much faculty effort and money is being expended in this area. However, serious questions need to be addressed by carefully designed research studies. One of these questions is: "In what ways does computer use enhance student learning?" This presentation addresses the question by setting a context for it, by summarizing the few published studies on the question and by reporting work in progress on this campus to gather data on the issue.
Gapped broken symmetry states in ABC-stacked trilayer graphene

We use a self-consistent Hartree-Fock approximation with realistic Coulomb interactions for $\ensuremath{\pi}$-band electrons to explore the possibility of broken symmetry states in weakly disordered ABC-stacked trilayer graphene. The competition between gapped and gapless broken symmetry states and normal states is studied by comparing total energies. We find that gapped states are favored and that, unlike the bilayer case, gapless nematic broken symmetry states are not metastable. Among the gapped states, the layer antiferromagnetic state is favored over anomalous and spin Hall states.
Thrombospondin-1 Inhibits TCR-Mediated T Lymphocyte Early Activation

Biological activities of the matrix glycoprotein thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) are cell type specific and depend on the relative expression or activation of several TSP1 receptors. Although engaging individual TSP1 receptors in T lymphocytes can elicit costimulating signals, in this study we show that intact TSP1 inhibits TCR-mediated T cell activation, assessed globally using cDNA microarrays. TSP1 signaling suppressed expression of several genes induced in Jurkat T cells, including the T cell activation markers CD69, early growth response gene-1 (Egr-1), and phosphatase of activated cells (PAC-1). TCR-stimulated and CD47-costimulated IL-2 secretion and cell surface CD69 expression were also inhibited by TSP1. The specific inhibitory effect of TSP1 was verified in freshly isolated human PBMCs. TSP1 inhibited TCR-mediated but not protein kinase C-mediated T cell activation. Using CD69 expression as a marker, we demonstrated that the inhibitory activity of TSP1 depended on two TSP1 receptors, CD47 and integrin-associated protein heparan sulfate proteoglycans. Signals from these receptors inhibited TCR signaling downstream of ZAP70, but upstream of NF-AT. Therefore, the expression of TSP1 induced during wound repair and in tumor stroma may limit T cell activation at these sites.
Is There a Future for the Reference Desk? A Point-Counterpoint Discussion

ABSTRACT Issues central to the continuing debate about the future of the reference desk are explored here by two seasoned librarians. A point-counterpoint format allows the two debaters, “fresh” from their Columbia University Reference Symposium 2007 public debate, to continue to engage in argument and discussion. Readers are invited to consider the affirmative and negative sides of the various issues as advocated by the authors.
Genetic dissimilarity of commensal strains of Candida spp. carried in different anatomical locations of the same healthy women.

Abstract Candida spp. carriage and strain relatedness were assessed in 52 healthy women at 17 anatomical locations by using an isolation procedure which assesses carriage intensity and by using a computer-assisted DNA fingerprinting system which computes genetic similarity between strains on the basis of the patterns of Southern blots probed with the moderately repetitive sequence Ca3. Candida spp. were cultured from 73% of the test individuals, most frequently from the oral (56%), vulvovaginal (40%), and anorectal (24%) regions. Half of the test individuals with Candida spp. carried the organism simultaneously in more than one of the three general areas of carriage. Isolates from different body locations of the same individual were either completely unrelated, identical, or highly similar but nonidentical. In 11 cases in which Candida spp. were simultaneously isolated from the oral cavity and vaginal canal, seven pairs of isolates were genetically unrelated and four pairs were similar but nonidentical. In the latter cases, the isolate pairs each appear to have arisen by genetic divergence from a single progenitor. A comparison of the genetic relatedness of isolates from different individuals further uncovered a single strain which was vaginospecific in the Iowa City, Iowa area and reduced genetic diversity among vulvovaginal strains compared with those isolated from other body locations. These results suggest that strains adapt to different anatomical locations and, conversely, that in a healthy individual there is anatomical selection of vaginotropic, anotropic and orotropic strains of Candida spp.
Identification of bile acid coenzyme A synthetase in rat kidney

Bile acid CoA synthetase has been discovered in rat kidney. Incubation of kidney microsomes with [14C]chenodeoxycholic acid and CoA produced a single peak with the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) retention time of CDC-CoA. This peak, when incubated with purified bile acid CoA: amino acid N-acyltransferase (BAT) from human liver and either taurine or glycine, led to the formation of CDC-taurine or CDC-glycine, respectively. Kinetic analysis revealed apparent Kms for CDC and CoA of 2.5 microM and 2.6 microM, respectively. This activity appeared specific for bile acids as it was not inhibited by benzoic acid or salicylic acid, known substrates for other rat kidney CoA synthetases. This demonstrates that the kidney has the potential for bile acid metabolism and may have a role in bile acid physiology.
Neural control of phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase via cholinergic activation of Egr-I.

Publisher Summary Phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (PNMT) is both neurally and hormonally regulated like other enzymes involved in catecholamine biosynthesis. In the adrenal medulla, the major source of peripheral catecholamines, PNMT expression is neurally controlled via the splanchnic nerve, which provides cholinergic innervation to the medulla. Administration of the catecholamine reuptake inhibitor—reserpine—leads to reflex stimulation of the splanchnic nerve and a rise in PNMT enzymatic activity and mRNA. The molecular mechanism for the neural activation of PNMT gene expression, beginning with cholinergic receptor activation through PNMT gene activation, remains to be elucidated. If RS1 cells, derived from the PC12 cell line, are transiently transfected with a PNMT promoter-reporter gene construct, pRP863LUC, consisting of the proximal 863 bp of PNMT promoter-regulatory sequences linked to the firefly luciferase gene, and a functional Egr-1 expression construct, pCMVEgr-1, Egr-1 activates the PNMT promoter to stimulate luciferase expression as much as four- to fivefold. Gel mobility shift assays in the presence of an anti-Egr-1 antibody confirm that Egr-1 protein will complex with 21 bp oligonucleotides, encoding these Egr-1 binding sites. To examine whether Egr-1 might mediate the neural activation of the PNMT gene, the effects of the cholinergic agonist, carbachol (CCh), on luciferase reporter gene expression and Egr-1 mRNA were examined. Carbachol induced a time-dependent rise in luciferase, with a peak 1.5-fold induction at 6 hr, after which luciferase activity declined and returned to basal levels by 36 hr. To provide further evidence for the role of Egr-1 in the neural control of PNMT gene expression, the effects of CCh on PNMT promoter activity was examined when the Egr-1 binding site was mutated. Only in the case of neural activation by metrazole are quantitative and temporal changes in Egr-I and PNMT mRNA consistent with Egr-1 acting as a transcriptional activator of PNMT gene expression.
Optoelectronic packaging for data communications: Optical and electrical modeling needs for cost-effective designs

Fiber-optic data links, based on CD-type short wavelength (/spl lambda/=780 nm) lasers and multimode optical fibers are beginning to emerge as viable solutions for high performance, low cost computer interconnects. This presentation will describe the technology and discuss some key areas where better modeling is needed to enable more precise cost/performance trade-offs to be made.
The role of triglycerides in cardiovascular risk.

Triglycerides’ role in coronary heart disease (CHD) risk assessment has long been debated. Although meta-analyses have suggested that triglycerides are an independent risk factor for CHD, a consensus has emerged that triglycerides more appropriately represent a biomarker of CHD risk rather than an independent risk factor. Ongoing studies will determine whether triglyceride lowering confers additional CHD benefit beyond that attained via low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol reduction. The American Diabetes Association presently recommends lowering elevated triglycerides as a secondary therapeutic target after LDL cholesterol, whereas other organizations, such as the National Cholesterol Education Program, recommend non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol as the second priority after attaining the LDL cholesterol goal. However, reducing very high triglycerides (ie, > 500 mg/dL) remains a sufficiently high priority in affected individuals.
Single-axial mode, intracavity doubled Nd:YAG laser

A diode-pumped, single-axial mode, intracavity doubled laser has been demonstrated using a cavity consisting of only two intracavity components, a Brewster angle cut piece of Nd:YAG and a KTP doubling crystal. Up to 4 mW single-ended output power has been obtained for 260 mW incident power on the Nd:YAG. Threshold power was 31 mW of diode power incident on the YAG; thus, single-mode operation was attained at up to approximately 8.5 times threshold. At the highest power the laser was susceptible to multimode operation due to spatial hole burning effects but below approximately 5 times threshold reliable single mode operation was achievable. >
Limits of optical transmission measurements with application to particle sizing techniques

Considerable confusion exists regarding the applicability limits of the Bouguer-Lambert-Beer law of optical transmission. We review the derivation of the law and discuss its application to the optical thickness of the light-scattering medium. We demonstrate the range of applicability by presenting a method for determining particle size by measuring optical transmission at two wavelengths.
cDNA Cloning and Characterization of a New Human Microsomal NAD+-dependent Dehydrogenase that Oxidizes All-trans-retinol and 3α-Hydroxysteroids

We report the cDNA sequence and catalytic properties of a new member of the short chain dehydrogenase/reductase superfamily. The 1134-base pair cDNA isolated from the human liver cDNA library encodes a 317-amino acid protein, retinol dehydrogenase 4 (RoDH-4), which exhibits the strongest similarity with rat all-trans-retinol dehydrogenases RoDH-1, RoDH-2, and RoDH-3, and mouse cis-retinol/androgen dehydrogenase (</=73% identity). The mRNA for RoDH-4 is abundant in adult liver, where it is translated into RoDH-4 protein, which is associated with microsomal membranes, as evidenced by Western blot analysis. Significant amounts of RoDH-4 message are detected in fetal liver and lung. Recombinant RoDH-4, expressed in microsomes of Sf9 insect cells using BacoluGold Baculovirus system, oxidizes all-trans-retinol and 13-cis-retinol to corresponding aldehydes and oxidizes the 3alpha-hydroxysteroids androstane-diol and androsterone to dihydrotestosterone and androstanedione, respectively. NAD+ and NADH are the preferred cofactors, with apparent Km values 250-1500 times lower than those for NADP+ and NADPH. All-trans-retinol and 13-cis-retinol inhibit RoDH-4 catalyzed oxidation of androsterone with apparent Ki values of 5.8 and 3.5 microM, respectively. All-trans-retinol bound to cellular retinol-binding protein (type I) exhibits a similar Ki value of 3.6 microM. Unliganded cellular retinol-binding protein has no effect on RoDH activity. Citral and acyclic isoprenoids also act as inhibitors of RoDH-4 activity. Ethanol is not inhibitory. Thus, we have identified and characterized a sterol/retinol-oxidizing short chain dehydrogenase/reductase that prefers NAD+ and recognizes all-trans-retinol as substrate. RoDH-4 can potentially contribute to the biosynthesis of two powerful modulators of gene expression: retinoic acid from retinol and dihydrotestosterone from 3alpha-androstane-diol.
Micro-Encapsulation and Tuning of Biomolecular Unit Cell Networks

The goal of our research is to fabricate an autonomic material system that provides compartmentalization and multi-bilayer networks for enabling collective biomolecular functionality, as is found in living cells and tissues. The material system is based on biomolecular unit cells, which consist of synthetic lipid bilayers formed at the interfaces of lipid-coated aqueous droplets submerged in oil and contained in a solid material. This paper focuses on microfluidic encapsulation of unit cells within a solid material and tuning the amount of contact between droplets, two approaches aimed at increasing the functional density of the droplet-based material system. Hydrodynamic traps within microfluidic platforms have shown to be a promising method to capture single droplets within microfluidic devices. Herein, we develop a resistive flow model to design hydrodynamic traps for collecting pairs of droplets in a direct trapping mode to form unit cells. We also compare to the model the results of droplet trapping in a prototype microfluidic device fabricated prior to model development. In addition to flow techniques for assembling unit cells in solid materials, we examine the use of mineral oil as the hydrophobic oil phase that surrounds the droplets to increase the area of the lipid membrane formed between neighboring droplets. Compared to hexadecane, mineral oil produces larger contact areas between droplets and more-tightly packed multi-bilayer networks. The total free energies of formation for droplet arrays in mineral oil and hexadecane indicate that connected droplets in mineral oil exhibit a greater decrease in free energy upon formation (i.e. they exist at a lower energy state compared to those in hexadecane) and that hexagonal packing provides the maximum amount of decrease in free energy per droplet for droplets in large arrays. Electrical measurements of unit cells formed in mineral oil initially show gigaohm resistances typical of unit cells, however these unit cells exhibit increasing values of conductance as the bilayer areas grow.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Stress related aspects of GaN technology physics

Simple, easy-to-use and physically meaningful analytical models have been developed for the assessment of the combined effect of the lattice and thermal mismatch on the induced stresses in an elongated bi-material assembly, as well as on the thermal mismatch on the thermal stresses in a tri-material assembly, in which the lattice mismatched stresses are eliminated in one way or another. This could be done, e.g., by using a polished or an etched substrate. The analysis is carried out in application to Gallium Nitride (GaN)-Silicon Carbide (SiC) and GaN-diamond (C) filmsubstrate assemblies. The calculated data are obtained, assuming that no annealing or other stress reduction means is applied. The data agree reasonably well with the reported (available) in-situ measurements. The most important conclusion from the computed data is that even if a reasonably good lattice match takes place (as, e.g., in the case of a GaN film fabricated on a SiC substrate, when the mismatch strain is only about 3%) and, in addition, the temperature change (from the fabrication/growth temperature to the operation temperature) is significant (as high as 1000 C), the thermal stresses are still considerably lower than the lattice-mismatch stresses. Although there are structural and technological means for further reduction of the lattice-mismatch stresses (e.g., by high temperature annealing or by providing one or more buffering layers, or by using patterned or porous substrates), there is still a strong incentive to eliminate completely the lattice mismatch stresses. This seems to be indeed possible, if polished or otherwise flattened (e.g., chemically etched) substrates and sputter deposited GaN film is employed. In such a case only thermal stresses remain, but even these could be reduced, if necessary, by using compliant buffering layers, including layers of variable compliance, or by introducing variable compliance into the properly engineered substrate. In any event, it is expected that strong adhesion could be achieved by using an appropriate fabrication technology, so that no GaN film cracking would be possible, if the film is in tension, or delamination buckling could occur if the film is in compression. The developed models can be used to assess the possibilities and opportunities associated with GaN materials technology.
Non-invasive Evaluation of Maliganant Hyperthermia Susceptibility with Phosphorus Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Using in vivo 31P NMR spectroscopy, the authors compared the NMR spectra of the flexor muscles of the forearm from 13 humans characterized as MH susceptible on the basis of in vitro caffeine/halothane contracture tests with those from 25 normal controls. The levels of phosphocreatine (PCr), inorganic phosphate (Pi), and ATP during rest, graded exercise, and post-exercise recovery were measured in their forearms. MH susceptible subjects had significantly (P less than 0.001) higher Pi/PCr values (0.222 +/- 0.009) at rest than did normal controls (0.140 +/- 0.004). In addition, a significantly (P less than 0.01) slower post-exercise recovery rate was found in the MH-susceptible group. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the relationship of work rate to Pi/PCr. These data suggest that unchallenged MH susceptible patients can be distinguished from normals using 31P NMR spectroscopy. The potential use of this technique as a non-invasive tool in determining MH susceptibility is discussed, as well as the possible mechanisms underlying the observed 31P NMR abnormalities.
Dynamic social network analysis using conversational dynamics in social networking and microblogging environments

In many security environments, the textual content of communications may be unavailable. In these instances, it is often desirable to infer the status of the network and its component entities from patterns of communication flow. Conversational dynamics among entities in the network may provide insight into important aspects of the underlying social network such as the formational dynamics of group structures, the active state of these groups, individuals' roles within groups, and the likelihood of individual participation in conversations. To gain insight into the use of conversational dynamics to facilitate Dynamic Social Network Analysis, we explore the use of interevent timings to associate entities in the Twitter social networking and micro-blogging environment. Specifically, we use message timings to establish inter-nodal relationships among participants. In addition, we demonstrate a new visualization technique for tracking levels of coordination or synchronization within the community via measures of socio-temporal coherence of the participants.
Il Papa e Il duce: Sixtus V's and Mussolini's plans for Rome, capital of the world

Sixtus V and Mussolini were each leaders who sought to represent their political aspirations through major projects in their capital cities. As non-native Romans, it was perhaps inevitable that the two leaders attempts to portray Rome as an international city would conflict with centuries of Roman architectural, urban and cultural history. The conflict was fought between trans-national organizations?the Counter Reformation Church and the Italian Fascist movement and local government. Il Duce and Il Papa had reasons to fear Roman independence and cultural tradition: for Sixtus it was a reminder of the city's other history, as the centre of pre-Christian Europe, while for Mussolini, traditional working-class neighbourhoods presented a constant threat to his party's political domination. This paper traces similarities in Mussolini's and Sixtus V's urban ideology, and discusses how their shared passion for such things as obelisks and expansive boulevards demonstrates, on the one hand, a desire to internationalize the city and, on the other, an effort to eliminate traces of what Mussolini referred to as "colore locale".
The economic value of publicly accessible deer hunting land

Access to lands for hunting is widely recognized as critical to sustaining and developing participation in hunting. Deer hunters comprise a substantial portion of recreational hunters in the United States, and numerous stakeholders benefit from the deer management services provided by hunters on public lands. We estimated the economic value of publicly accessible deer hunting land in Michigan using economic models of hunting destinations for hunters in the archery season and for hunters in the firearm season. We found that the amounts of state-owned hunting land, federally owned hunting land, and publicly accessible, privately owned Commercial Forest Act land are significant (P < 0.001) and positive determinants of hunting destinations. The annual economic value of Michigan's publicly accessible hunting land to archery and firearm deer hunters, beyond hunter expenditures, was estimated to be over $80 million. Access to state- owned land accounted for approximately $50 million in annual economic value to Michigan deer hunters. The average per-acre value of publicly accessible hunting land is greatest in the Southern Lower Peninsula of Michigan, where public access is scarce and the majority of hunters reside. Understanding the economic values hunters derive from publicly accessible hunting lands will enable managers and policy makers to make better decisions when considering policy options that involve reducing or increasing public access. 2011 The Wildlife Society.
Carrier density and compensation in semiconductors with multiple dopants and multiple transition energy levels: Case of Cu impurities in CdTe

Doping is one of the most important issues in semiconductor physics. In many cases, when people describe carrier concentration as a function of dopant density and Fermi energy, they usually assume only one type of dopant with single transition energy level in the system. However, in reality, the situation is often more complicated, that is, in a semiconductor device, it usually contains multidopants and each can have multitransition energy levels. In this paper, using detailed balance theory and first-principles calculated defect formation energies and transition energy levels, we derive formulas to calculate carrier density for semiconductor with multidopants and multitransition energy levels. As an example, we studied CdTe doped with Cu, in which ${\mathrm{V}}_{\mathrm{Cd}}$, ${\mathrm{Cu}}_{\mathrm{Cd}}$, and ${\mathrm{Cu}}_{\mathrm{i}}$ are the dominant defects/impurities. We show that in this system, when Cu concentration increases, the doping properties of the system can change from a poor p-type, to a poorer p-type, to a better p-type, and then to poor p-type again, in good agreement with experimental observations.