cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hemispheric asymmetries in children's perception of nonlinguistic human affective sounds

In the present work, we developed a database of nonlinguistic sounds that mirror prosodic characteristics typical of language and thus carry affective information, but do not convey linguistic information. In a dichotic-listening task, we used these novel stimuli as a means of disambiguating the relative contributions of linguistic and affective processing across the hemispheres. This method was applied to both children and adults with the goal of investigating the role of developing cognitive resource capacity on affective processing. Results suggest that children’s limited computational resources influence how they process affective information and rule out attentional biases as a factor in children’s perceptual asymmetries for nonlinguistic affective sounds. These data further suggest that investigation of perception of nonlinguistic affective sounds is a valuable tool in assessing interhemispheric asymmetries in affective processing, especially in parceling out linguistic contributions to hemispheric differences.
Electing the First Parliament Party Competition and Voter Participation in Scotland

Theory regarding turnout in elections suggests that voters are more likely to vote when their vote could be decisive. The article provides a generalized test of the relationship between the likelihood of turning out and the closeness of elections. Data are single-member district (firstpast-the-post) and regional (party list) constituency-level results from the Scottish Parliament election of 1999. Scotland provides an excellent case because the 1999 Scottish Parliament was elected using a combination of single-member districts, plus an additional member, regional list alternative vote system. In addition, the Scottish Parliament election was characterized by regional, multiparty competition. Controlling for other factors, the article finds that closeness counts and relates to higher levels of voter participation in the Scottish Parliament elections. This finding holds for single-member district (first-past-the-post) constituencies and additional member regional lists.
Recruitment of Progenitor Cells by an Extracellular Matrix Cryptic Peptide in a Mouse Model of Digit Amputation

Biologic scaffolds composed of extracellular matrix (ECM) have been used successfully in preclinical models and humans for constructive remodeling of functional, site-appropriate tissue after injury. The mechanisms underlying ECM-mediated constructive remodeling are not completely understood, but scaffold degradation and site-directed recruitment of both differentiated and progenitor cells are thought to play critical roles. Previous studies have shown that degradation products of ECM scaffolds can recruit a population of progenitor cells both in vitro and in vivo. The present study identified a single cryptic peptide derived from the α subunit of the collagen III molecule that is chemotactic for a well-characterized perivascular stem cell in vitro and causes the site-directed accumulation of progenitor cells in vivo. The oligopeptide was additionally chemotactic for human cortical neural stem cells, rat adipocyte stem cells, C2C12 myoblast cells, and rat Schwann cells in vitro. In an adult murine model o...
A tone mapping algorithm for high contrast images

A new method is presented that takes as an input a high dynamic range image and maps it into a limited range of luminance values reproducible by a display device. There is significant evidence that a similar operation is performed by early stages of human visual system (HVS). Our approach follows functionality of HVS without attempting to construct its sophisticated model. The operation is performed in three steps. First, we estimate local adaptation luminance at each point in the image. Then, a simple function is applied to these values to compress them into the required display range. Since important image details can be lost during this process, we then re-introduce details in the final pass over the image.
Health and Justice in a Time of Austerity.

The author reflects on funding of governmental agencies in developing countries (DC) compared to nongovernmental organizations (NGO) in periods of austerity. He states that national health systems have suffered from minimal budgets since the late 1970s after the International Monetary Fund imposed structural adjustment programs to reduce public spending and privatize services. He mentions that donors channel funds to NGOs as foreign aid often cannot be provided directly to DC national budgets.
Graphite-Conjugated Rhenium Catalysts for Carbon Dioxide Reduction

Condensation of fac-Re(5,6-diamino-1,10-phenanthroline)(CO)3Cl to o-quinone edge defects on graphitic carbon surfaces generates graphite-conjugated rhenium (GCC-Re) catalysts that are highly active for CO2 reduction to CO in acetonitrile electrolyte. X-ray photoelectron and X-ray absorption spectroscopies establish the formation of surface-bound Re centers with well-defined coordination environments. GCC-Re species on glassy carbon surfaces display catalytic currents greater than 50 mA cm−2 with 96 ± 3% Faradaic efficiency for CO production. Normalized for the number of Re active sites, GCC-Re catalysts exhibit higher turnover frequencies than that of a soluble molecular analogue, fac-Re(1,10-phenanthroline)(CO)3Cl, and turnover numbers greater than 12,000. In contrast to the molecular analogue, GCC-Re surfaces display a Tafel slope of 150 mV/decade, indicative of a catalytic mechanism involving rate-limiting one-electron transfer. This work establishes graphite-conjugation as a powerful strategy for gene...
When Self Is the Source: Effects of Media Customization on Message Processing

Customization of media technologies enables users to become active sources in the communication process. But, does this sense of “self-as-source” alter the way users process information received via customized interfaces? A between-subjects experiment (N = 146) was conducted to answer this question. Data indicate that the effect of self-driven customization (high vs. low self-as-source) on persuasive message processing is mediated by perceived identity. Those who experience high self-as-source tend to process messages less systematically, but perceive the message topic as more important and show greater intention to follow the suggestions of messages than those with a low sense of self-as-source, an effect that is mediated by perceived identity. Theoretical implications for persuasive technologies, dual process models, and the agency model of customization are discussed, followed by practical implications for communicators who wish to incorporate new media technologies into their social influence campaigns.
Challenges for Debris-Flow Mitigation in Colorado: Helpful Ideas from Recent Research

A large amount of recent research has focused on debris flow analysis, prediction, and mitigation, particularly in burned areas. Ten concepts from this work are especially applicable in Colorado. 1) Debris flows are larger and more likely to occur following wildfire, and the problem is getting worse due to climate change. 2) After wildfire, vegetation often recovers to pre-fire conditions in one to three years. 3) Volume measurement and related volume prediction methods for debris flows have much larger error ranges than is typically assumed. 4) Likewise, measurement and prediction of debris-flow velocities may easily include errors. 5) Impact forces from boulders carried by debris flows are typically overestimated. 6) Flows often occur in surges, probably from creation and breaching of small dams of material. 7) Flow paths on open slopes are unpredictable and may change rapidly following development of these small dams. 8) In burned areas, the occurrence of debris flows depends more on rainfall intensity bursts, with flows often occurring within a few minutes of 10-minute intensities exceeding threshold values, than on total storm rainfall. 9) A corollary is that debris-flow volume, as predicted from multipleregression datasets, depends more on total rainfall than on shorter intensity ranges. 10) Many flows are comprised more of channel sediment than of materials mobilized from a single slide mass, meaning that they grow substantially in volume in transit.
Tetryl Exposure: Forgotten Hazards Of Antique Munitions

Older yet still abundant munitions such as tetryl present easily forgotten health hazards and associated needs for worker protection. Symptoms and findings from 22 workers who were exposed to tetryl are summarized. This study highlights the health hazards from exposure to tetryl. Occupational health professionals need to maintain vigilance to protect workers from the risks of handling older munitions.
Regulation of the Angiotensinogen Gene by Estrogens in Rat Liver and Different Brain Regions

SummaryAbstract. Estrogens regulate the production of angiotensinogen (AOG) in liver and other tissues. However, evidence suggests that the effect is tissue specific and that it may depend on a variety of factors. We have tested the effects of ethynylestradiol (EE) on liver AOG mRNA and plasma AOG in intact male and ovariectomized female rats, as well as in hypophysectomized male rats. EE stimulated both variables to a comparable extent and in a dose-dependent manner. However, its effect on plasma AOG was significantly higher in female than in male rats. In addition, there was no response in hypophysectomized male rats; however, responsiveness was restored by pretreatment of the animals with prolactin. AOG mRNA concentration was also affected by EE in brain, but there were striking time- and region-specific differences. These results indicate that cell-specific factors also modulate the response of the AOG gene to EE in extrahepatic tissues.
Some Cantor Sets and Cantor Functions

(1972). Some Cantor Sets and Cantor Functions. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 45, No. 1, pp. 2-7.
Abduction Marriage in Antiquity: A Law of Constantine (CTh IX 24.1) and its Social Context*

On I April A.D. 326 the Emperor Constantine issued a strongly worded edict (CTh IX. 24. 1) violently attacking the practice of abduction marriage or bride theft. Addressed ‘to the people’ (‘ad populum’), the law demands the punishment of all persons involved in such cases, including even the girl herself and her parents, if they had later agreed to the marriage of their daughter with her abductor. This edict marks the first explicit recognition in Roman law of marriage by abduction, although it is clear from other literary sources that the phenomenon was not new to the age of Constantine.
Characterization of a Shear Thinning Fluid System for Cardiovascular Medical Device Assessment

Mammalian blood is a non-Newtonian fluid that decreases in viscosity as the shear rate increases. This complex behavior of the fluid contributes heavily to the complex flow patterns that affect circulatory assist devices. In order to adequately verify these devices in an in vitro setting, a substitute fluid must be used that delivers a level of fidelity that makes the experimental results relevant. Traditional formulations have been based on natural products (e.g. Xanthan Gum) and have required large dilutions (e.g. PMMA). Both of these factors have made the use of these analogs unreliable and difficult to accurately construct, respectively. A new formulation is proposed that addresses the issues of solution reliability and robustness in construction. The formulation is comprised of silicon dioxide and polyalphaolefin. The former is a powder mix and the latter is a solution. The mixing quantities do not require analytical grade equipment to formulate the proper solution within an industry accepted range of error. The liquid system also exhibits a high level of clarity, which makes it compatible with imaging methods used to visualize the flow patterns of the fluid using particle image velocimetry (PIV). Presentation of the liquid system and rheological data will be delivered to support this study's conclusion that this solution is a more adequately suited blood analog for in vitro flow studies of the cardiovascular system.
Research of Degradation Performance of 35kV MOA under Lightning Impulses

The low current and the residual voltage characteristics of the 35 kV metal oxide arrester(MOA) are studied under the continuous applications of 8/20 μs impulse current. The degradation feature and damage mechanism of the varistors in the MOA are also researched. There is a threshold of impulse application number(850) when the 35 kV MOA are applied by continuous lightning impulses.The low current and the residual voltage characteristics will keep constant if the impulse application number is less than the threshold. But, if the impulse application number is greater than the threshold,the residual voltage characteristics will degraded obviously. The damage of MOA resulted from lightning impulse is mainly caused by the surface flashover along the varistors, and such flashover often occur at grounding terminal of MOA in the beginning stage. The ZnO varistor will present the directional deviation after the stresses by lightning impulses. The study results will supply the experimental basis to evaluate the degradation life and to prevent damage of 35 kV MOA in service.
Active control of low frequency common mode voltage to connect AC utility and 380 V DC grid

DC system is promising in data centers and future homes. It can be interconnected with ac system through power converters. One typical case is connecting the 380 V dc grid to the single-phase ac utility through a transformerless two-stage ac/dc converter. In such configuration, the ac and dc system common mode (CM) quantities are coupled through the common ground. While the high frequency noise is filtered by passives, the asymmetric dc and low frequency CM voltage need to be controlled actively for the connection of bipolar dc systems. In this paper, a passive floating filter is used to contain the high frequency noise within the converter. An active CM duty cycle injection method is proposed to suppress the low frequency (e.g. double line frequency) CM voltage ripple and generate symmetric dc bus voltage to the ground. The operation range is identified and the impact from bus voltage and grounding scheme is analyzed. Detailed CM circuit is modeled. The CM transfer function is derived and verified by measurement to complete the control loop design. Design trade-off is provided. Experimental results validate the performance and stability of the CM voltage control loop. The control method is also generalized to three-phase cascaded converters.
Reproductive criteria of beef bulls during and after exposure to increased ambient temperature.

Sixteen yearling Angus bulls were randomly assigned to one of two temperature-controlled chambers to determine the effects of elevated ambient temperature on body functions and semen characteristics. After 8 wk adjustment at 23 C, eight heat-stressed bulls were exposed to 35 +/- 1 C for 8 h and 31 +/- 1 C for 16 h during each 24-h period, and eight control bulls were maintained at 23 +/- 1 C for 8 wk. Then all bulls were exposed to 23 C for 8 wk. Bulls were fed so that both control and stressed bulls gained at similar rates (.58 kg/d). Semen was collected with an artificial vagina twice weekly before, during and after heat stress. During treatment, the respiratory rate of stressed bulls was greater (P less than .001) than that of control bulls (54.2 +/- 1.5, 29.9 +/- 1.5 breaths/min, respectively). Rectal temperatures were increased (P less than .01) from 38.2 +/- .1 to 38.7 +/- .1 C and water consumption was increased by 35% in stressed bulls when compared with controls. Semen volume was not altered by treatment, but percentage of motile sperm decreased (P less than .01) in stressed bulls by 2 wk after the start of heat treatment. Sperm motility of stressed bulls returned to normal values 8 wk after the end of heat treatment. Similarly, the percentage of aged acrosomes on sperm from stressed bulls increased (P less than .01) by the second week of treatment and remained greater than that of controls throughout the stress period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Progress Towards Superconducting Electronics with High-Tc Thin Films

There is a well-established technology for thin film, dc SQUIDs (Superconducting QUantum Interference Devices) based on low-Tc (transition temperature) superconductors such as niobium. Each SQUID involves two Josephson tunnel junctions, shunted with a resistance to eliminate hysteresis on the current-voltage characteristics. To couple signals into the SQUID, one almost invariably couples it inductively to a multiturn superconducting input coil. This input coil, in turn, may be coupled to one of a variety of circuits, for example, a single superconducting loop to form a magnetometer, or two or more loops to form a gradiometer. In this talk, we address the major criteria that must be met to enable us to achieve this technology at 77K with high-Tc superconducting thin films. For both the SQUID and the input coil, we require (i) films with Tc well above 77K, (ii) the ability to pattern these films, and (iii) low levels of 1/f flux noise. In addition, to fabricate SQUIDs, we require a junction technology with low levels of 1/f voltage noise. To fabricate thin-film spiral input coils, we must be able to make (i) superconducting contacts between superconducting films deposited in separate processes and (ii) insulating crossovers, consisting of two overlaying superconducting films separated by a nonconducting layer. Progress towards these goals with YBA2Cu3O7−x (YBCO) films is discussed. In particular, we describe the fabrication of suitable YBCO-SrTiO3-YBCO crossovers and of multiturn input coils. We report measurements of 1/f flux noise in laser-deposited, in situ YBCO films at 77K that are sufficiently low for many practical applications Finally, we describe weak links made in YBCO films at 77K by a current-pulse technique.
Genetic inactivation of calpain-1 attenuates pain sensitivity in a humanized mouse model of sickle cell disease.

Calpain-1, a calcium-activated cysteine protease, is ubiquitously expressed in hematopoietic cells, and is known to play a functional role in a myriad of cellular processes by regulating limited cleavage of multiple substrates.[1][1] Using a calpain-1 null model (CKO) previously generated in our
Management of Primary Postpartum Hemorrhage

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is defined as ≥500 ml blood loss within 24 h of vaginal delivery or 1000 ml loss within 24 h of cesarean section. It is the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide.
Small signal model for low power DSP

We describe a technique which reduces power consumption in pipelined DSP circuits by mapping full precision operations to small precision operations, using adaptive delta modulation to reduce the signal size. The discrete cosine transform example is evaluated considering issues such as power, area, delay, latency, accuracy of the system and the sampling frequency of the signal.
An Assessment Instrument of Technological Literacies in Makerspaces and FabLabs

Background As the maker movement is increasingly adopted into K-12 schools, students are developing new competences in exploration and fabrication technologies. This study assesses learning with these technologies in K-12 makerspaces and FabLabs. Purpose Our study describes the iterative process of developing an assessment instrument for this new technological literacy, the Exploration and Fabrication Technologies Instrument, and presents findings from implementations at five schools in three countries. Our index is generalizable and psychometrically sound, and permits comparison between student confidence and performance. Design/Method Our evaluation of distinct technology skills separates general computing, information and communication technology (ICT), and exploration and fabrication technologies (EFTs) into nonoverlapping areas of technological expertise required to perform their respective sets of tasks. The instrument also tracks student confidence in EFT skills and assesses how that confidence relates to actual task performance. Results Exploration and fabrication technologies constitute a new and distinct set of technology literacies arising from fabrication settings. The EFT instrument compares students' self-reported confidence with their performance on complex design tasks and demonstrates that, for students, exposure to general computing and ICT tools differs from exposure to EFT tools. Conclusion The EFT instrument captures a new and distinct set of technology literacies that arise within fabrication settings and are independent of both general computing and digital content production skills.
Offshore outsourcing and ownership of facilities with productivity concerns

ABSTRACTWe examine how companies may create appropriate portfolios of onshore/offshore facilities. Such decisions are complex due to demand volatility, payoff uncertainty, decentralization, productivity differences, and location uncertainties. We study a Build–Operate–Transfer (BOT) scenario where an offshore supplier builds a facility and trains workers and the principal leases it for a period before purchasing it. The parties participate in BOT only if both are better off in relation to continued leasing. The decisions of the principal and supplier include the size, unit price, and productivity of the offshore facility and an appropriate experience level for managing it. We show how economic equilibrium can be restructured to overcome productivity concerns. Although productivity improvements help both parties, we find that the principal stands to gain more. Such improvements should be scheduled early if the principal is sufficiently experienced in offshore operations and delayed if the on-the-job learni...
The Absence of Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Augments Allo-Reactivity and the Anti-Viral Response in Bone Marrow Transplantation.

Abstract Background: The severe morbidity and mortality associated with bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is caused by uninhibited immune responses to alloantigen and suppressed immune responses to pathogens. Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP) is an immunomodulatory neuropeptide produced by T-cells and nerve fibers in peripheral lymphoid organs that suppresses immune responses by induction of tolerogenic dendritic cells. In order to determine the immunoregulatory effects of VIP, we examined T-cell immune responses to allo- and viral-antigens in VIP knockout (KO) mice and mouse BMT recipients of hematopoietic cells from VIP KO donors. Methods: VIP KO mice and VIP WT littermates were infected with lethal or sub-lethal doses (5 × 104− 5 × 105 PFU) of murine cytomegalovirus (mCMV) and the T-cell response to viral antigen was measured by flow cytometry for mCMV peptide-MHC class 1-tetramer+ CD8+ T-cells. We transplanted 5 × 106 BM plus 1 × 106 splenocytes (SP) either from VIP KO or VIP WT donors in an C57BL/6 to F1(BL/6 × Balb/c) allo-BMT model and assessed survival, GvHD, donor T-cell expansion, chimerism, and response to mCMV vaccination and mCMV infection. Results: B-cell, αβ and γδ T-cell, CD8+ T-cell, CD11b+ myeloid cell, and dendritic cell numbers were equivalent between VIP KO and WT mice, while VIP KO mice had higher number of CD4+ and CD4+CD62L+CD25+ T-cells. Non-transplanted VIP KO mice survived mCMV infection better compared to VIP WT, with a brisker anti-viral T-cell response in the blood. In the allogeneic BMT setting, recipients of VIP KO BM plus VIP KO SP had more weight loss and lower (40%) 100 day post-transplant survival compared to the recipients of VIP KO BM plus WT SP (80% survival), recipients of WT BM plus KO SP (100% survival), and recipients of WT BM plus WT SP (80% survival). Recipients of VIP KO grafts had a significantly greater anti-mCMV response that peaked four days earlier than the tetramer response of mice transplanted with WT cells. This increased anti-viral response to vaccination correlated with a greater and more rapid T-cell response to secondary viral challenge. Conclusions: These experiments suggest that the absence of all VIP in the body, or the absence of VIP in a transplanted immune system, enhances anti-viral immunity and allo-immune responses. Modulation of the VIP pathway is a novel method to regulate post-transplant immunity. Download : Download high-res image (74KB) Download : Download full-size image Figure 1: . VIP knockout(KO) mice have an increased CMV tetramer response. VIP KO and VIP WT mice were infected (day 0) with either a sub-lethal low dose (5 × 10^4 PFU) or a lethal high dose (5 × 10^5 PFU) of CMV. Peripheral blood was stained for T cell markers and tetramer and analyzed by flow cytometry. On day 3, high dosed VIP KO mice had a higher number of tetramer positive CD8 T cells and better survival than WT mice (all high dose VIP WT died prior to day 10). VIP KO mice had a significant increase in tetramer positive CD8 T cells between days 3 and 10. *** p
Meta-analysis of cell- specific transcriptomic data using fuzzy c-means clustering discovers versatile viral responsive genes

Despite advances in the gene-set enrichment analysis methods; inadequate definitions of gene-sets cause a major limitation in the discovery of novel biological processes from the transcriptomic datasets. Typically, gene-sets are obtained from publicly available pathway databases, which contain generalized definitions frequently derived by manual curation. Recently unsupervised clustering algorithms have been proposed to identify gene-sets from transcriptomics datasets deposited in public domain. These data-driven definitions of the gene-sets can be context-specific revealing novel biological mechanisms. However, the previously proposed algorithms for identification of data-driven gene-sets are based on hard clustering which do not allow overlap across clusters, a characteristic that is predominantly observed across biological pathways. We developed a pipeline using fuzzy-C-means (FCM) soft clustering approach to identify gene-sets which recapitulates topological characteristics of biological pathways. Specifically, we apply our pipeline to derive gene-sets from transcriptomic data measuring response of monocyte derived dendritic cells and A549 epithelial cells to influenza infections. Our approach apply Ward’s method for the selection of initial conditions, optimize parameters of FCM algorithm for human cell-specific transcriptomic data and identify robust gene-sets along with versatile viral responsive genes. We validate our gene-sets and demonstrate that by identifying genes associated with multiple gene-sets, FCM clustering algorithm significantly improves interpretation of transcriptomic data facilitating investigation of novel biological processes by leveraging on transcriptomic data available in the public domain. We develop an interactive ‘Fuzzy Inference of Gene-sets (FIGS)’ package (GitHub: https://github.com/Thakar-Lab/FIGS ) to facilitate use of of pipeline. Future extension of FIGS across different immune cell-types will improve mechanistic investigation followed by high-throughput omics studies.
“Come Choose the Terrible Choice”: Negotiating Language and Violation in Arielle Greenberg’s Poetry

Nearly always sexualized, whether welcomed or not, women across the spectrum of race, class, and nationality must negotiate both the power and vulnerability embodied in every moment. In the ongoing...
Toward consensus reporting of radiation-induced liver toxicity in the treatment of primary liver malignancies: Defining clinically relevant endpoints

Abstract Background Our purpose was to define the most clinically relevant "nonclassic" radiation-induced liver disease (RILD) endpoints in cirrhotic patients receiving stereotactic body radiation therapy or proton beam therapy for primary liver cancer. Methods and materials We retrospectively collected pretreatment, detailed toxicity (≤6 months posttreatment), and outcomes data from 48 patients. Deaths were examined for association with RILD. Univariate and multivariate Cox models defined significant predictors of overall survival (OS)/RILD-specific survival (RILD-SS). Results With median follow-up of 13 months, 23 patients (48%) had an increase in Child-Pugh (CP) score (≥2, 25%) and 3 (6%) had ≥G3 transaminase elevation. Of 18 deaths, 6 were potentially ascribed to RILD. Univariate analysis showed that CP score increases of ≥1 and ≥2 and CP class change predicted OS, as did ≥G3 aspartate transaminase (AST) elevation and ≥1 Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) AST toxicity grade change. On multivariate analysis, CP score increase of ≥2 and ≥1 CTCAE AST toxicity grade change were the strongest independent nonclassic RILD predictors of OS. For RILD-SS, CP score increases of ≥2, ≥grade 3 CTCAE alanine transaminase, and ≥grade 2 bilirubin elevations were predictive. Conclusions Increased CP score ≥2 strongly predicts for both OS and RILD-SS and should be reported in future studies along with transaminase elevations, which are also predictive of outcomes.
Altered toll-like receptor responsiveness underlies a dominant heritable defect in B cell tolerance in autoimmune New Zealand Black mice.

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a debilitating autoimmune disease in which autoantibodies and autoreactive T cells destroy kidneys and other organs. Disease is clinically and genetically heterogeneous, suggesting that underlying mechanisms vary between patients. We previously used an autoantibody transgenic mouse reporter system to examine the effect of different autoimmune backgrounds on B-cell tolerance, failure of which is a fundamental defect in lupus. We identified a defect consistent with reversible anergy induced by endotoxin stimulation of B cells from Ig transgenic New Zealand Black (NZB) mice. Herein we report that the tolerance defect is revealed by TLR7 and TLR9 as well as TLR4 ligands, with additive effect, and is partially reversed by Mek inhibition. Gene expression analysis reveals significant differences in transcription of multiple TLR pathway genes and ptpn22 in stimulated NZB compared to B6 B cells. Additionally, the defect is detected in Ig transgenic NZB F1 hybrid strains (NZBxNZW)F1 and (B6xNZB)F1. These results implicate an inherited defect wherein NZB anergic B cells maintain coordinated TLR/BCR signaling that permits autoantibody production. Agents targeting these pathways may have therapeutic benefit in the subset of lupus patients that manifest similar defects in B-cell regulation.
Diagnostic evaluation and management of culture-negative cardiovascular implantable electronic device infections.

BACKGROUND Culture-negative (CN) cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) infections represent a significant management challenge for clinicians with no specific guidelines addressing this subgroup of patients. The aim of the current investigation is to report our institutional experience of CN CIED infections and propose a systematic approach to diagnostic evaluation and management of these complicated cases based on our observations. METHODS We retrospectively screened all CIED infection cases at Mayo Clinic from 2005 through 2017. Using standardized criteria to define significant microbial growth, all patients with positive blood or pocket/device cultures were excluded. RESULTS A total of 835 cases of CIED infection were screened, and of these, 47 (6%) met CN-CIED infection criteria. Majority of patients (77%) in this cohort had received antimicrobial therapy prior to device cultures with a median duration of 8 days. The most common presentation was device pocket infection (81%). All patients underwent device removal. Route of antibiotics was switched from oral to parenteral and spectrum of activity expanded from initial therapy in 23% of patients despite negative cultures. Majority of patients (80%) were dismissed on parenteral therapy. Adverse events attributed to intravenous antibiotic therapy were documented in 63% of the cases. No recurrence was reported and 6-month survival was 94.8%. CONCLUSIONS Pocket and device cultures in suspected CIED infections may be negative due to preextraction oral antibiotics. However, frequently these patients are managed with broad-spectrum parenteral therapy postextraction.
Cognitive and Metabolic Responses to Eating in Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia

Eating behavior in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa has been carefully described but not systematically studied. Studies of eating behavior in animals have used test models such as microstructural analysis of feeding behavior and macroanalysis of feeding patterns (Blundell and Hill 1986). In animals a microstructural analysis of feeding behavior is an intensive recording of many behaviors such as drinking, grooming, locomotor activity, resting, in addition to eating behavior of animals in a short period of time. The macroanalysis of feeding patterns is a measurement of long-term feeding patterns in free-feeding animals never subjected to food deprivation. This continuous monitoring procedure has improved the precision of measuring parameters of meal patterns such as meal size, meal duration, meal frequency, intermeal interval, and ratios of meal size to meal interval. It allows assessments to be made under normal physiological conditions. Experimental obesity in animals can be produced by the technique of using varied and palatable diets. The dietary self-selection model allows the study of pharmacological agents and exogenously administered hormones on macronutrient (fat, protein, and carbohydrate) consumption. These models are now being successfully used with humans and can be useful to study eating in anorexia nervosa and bulimia patients.
Blood group A active glycolipids of hog gastric mucosa. Isolation and partial characterization.

Abstract Glycolipids with blood group A activity were purified from hog stomach mucosa powder. The active lipids were isolated by chloroform-methanol extraction, partition with aqueous KCl followed by precipitation of the polar lipids with acetone. Then the A active glycolipids were purified by DEAE-cellulose and Florisil column chromatography. Final purification of the A active compounds was achieved by sequential preparative thin layer chromatography in two solvent systems. The homogeneity of the purified fractions was confirmed by thin layer chromatography in neutral, acidic, and basic solvent systems, thin layer chromatography of the acetylated derivatives of the purified fractions and by osmium-catalyzed periodate oxidation followed by paper chromatography of the released oligosaccharide chains. Two similar but distinct A active glycolipid fractions (L and U) were isolated. Fraction U contained high amounts of long chain hydroxy fatty acids, while Fraction L was rich in C16-C18 fatty acids. Sphingenine and heptadecasphinganine were the major long chain bases found in both fractions. The carbohydrate composition of Fractions L and U was identical and was found to be (in moles per 1 mole of glucose): galactose, 3.04; fucose, 1.09, N-acetylglucosamine, 0.99, N-acetyl-galactosamine, 0.93. Partial acid hydrolysis, mild acid hydrolysis, enzymatic digestion, and immunological assays established the following carbohydrate sequence for the A active glycosphingolipid isolated from hog stomach mucosa powder: [see PDF for sequence]
Inhibition of carcinogenesis and toxicity by dietary constituents.

Diet is known to play a key role in affecting carcinogenesis and toxicity. Although some dietary chemicals have been shown to be toxic or carcinogenic, many dietary constituents have been shown to inhibit toxicity and carcinogenesis in animal models. In this article, results from our lab will be used to illustrate the mechanisms by which dietary constituents inhibit toxicity and carcinogenesis. The possible application of these mechanisms in the reduction of human risk for toxicity and cancer and the limitations of this approach will be discussed.
Females in Mathematics: Still on the Road to Parity

U.S. females compare favorably with males in some mathematics achievement data, as well as in high school mathematics coursework and grades. These accomplishments have led to contentions by the popular press—and at times the mathematics education community—that females are now on par with males in mathematics. This public perception threatens to diminish continued, needed support for females in mathematics. This chapter summarizes data on lingering areas of concern for females in mathematics, including achievement on standardized tests and in the highest levels of mathematics performance, as well as participation in mathematics (e.g., competitions, higher-level coursework, careers), mathematics-related dispositions, and treatment by teachers, parents, and society at large. Data are drawn mostly from U.S. sources but also from a variety of other countries in addressing this worldwide issue. Researchers, educators, policymakers, and others are called on to continue to address gender issues in mathematics and to do so in more nuanced ways. Research-based suggestions are offered for supporting and encouraging females in mathematics.
Transition experiences between hospital‐ and home‐care for parents of children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome

Purpose Children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) experience numerous vulnerabilities during transitions from hospital to home during their first year of life. This paper examines the parents' responses to the situations they experience during the initial interstage transition as described through illness blogs. Design and methods A qualitative descriptive design through inductive theme development using thematic analysis was performed for this study. Text data were used from publically available blogs written by parents of HLHS children on their feelings and experiences during transitions between hospital- and home-care during the interstage period. Results Six blogs were analyzed. Overall, the lack of difference in normalcy for these parents and their families was apparent. Major themes included: thoughts and feelings when discharged from the hospital, difficulties with hospital readmissions, protecting their child from infection, and developing a support system. Conclusions Parents looked forward to going home and learned all they could about properly caring for their child before going home. They were disappointed and frustrated when returning to the hospital for either emergency or scheduled admissions and were not prepared to see their child in the intensive care unit environment again. Many parents isolated themselves and avoided the hospital as much as possible to avoid their child developing an infection. All parents had support systems through family and/or friends and found an unexpected sense of support through their blog families.
Translating the same text twice: An English-Spanish comparative product study of post-edited translations vs. human translations

Abstract This article presents the results of a study in which students in a graduate translation technologies course post-edited a text they had previously translated earlier in the semester without using machine translation (MT). The results show that post-editing allowed students with performance levels below, at, and just above an established median to improve the quality of their translation products, while students with performances well above the median actually experienced a decrease in quality. Nevertheless, the post-edited products and post-editing performances of the latter remained superior to those of the former. The study shows how different translators experienced gains or not in quality by accepting different aspects of MT output and how the accepted output relates to their human renditions. It also tracks whether their post-edits were necessary and correct and how they relate to their human renditions. Tracking such behaviors attempts to provide a more holistic view of how post-editing might be qualitatively advantageous or disadvantageous.
Biodistribution, excretion, and toxicity of nanoparticles

Abstract Nanoparticles, as multifunctional platforms, have been widely used for biomedical applications including diagnosis, drug delivery, treatment, and theranostics. With the current research focusing on translation, a new strategy needs to be developed to shift the paradigm of cancer nanomedicine from mouse to human. Thus the pharmacokinetics, excretion, and toxicity of nanoparticles will be taken into account prior to the design of nanoparticles and during thorough in vivo studies. In this chapter, we first discussed the biodistribution of nanoparticles and the influencing factors including surface coating materials, sizes, shapes, rigidity, and the administration routes. Next, we described the excretion routes for nanoparticles including mononuclear phagocytic system clearance and renal clearance. We then briefly discussed the toxicity of nanoparticles in major organs including liver, kidney, heart, and brain. Finally, we summarized the current challenges in translational nanomedicine and proposed the perspectives for future research.
The therapeutic value of hymns: Persons are either helped or hindered by the wise or careless choice of hymns used in corporate worship

T O THE CLERGYMAN informed and alert in the field of pastoral care, the therapeutic value of corporate worship is apparent. In a sense, the public worship of God is a form of group counseling. Many persons who hesitate to go to a minister for personal counseling often find help in being a part of a worshiping group where; in the anonymity which the common group provides, they find help through general confession, words of assurance, petition on their behalf (pastoral prayer) and instruction for Christian living (sermon). Of course all this presupposes a leader trained not only in the use of historic worship patterns, but familiar with the basic problems of persons caught in the tensions of modern society. One of the most important areas of help in breaking down the feeling of loneliness and despair experienced by so many today is in the field of hymns. As Evelyn Underhill, the English authority in the field of mysticism, puts it: "The hymn gathers the faithful together round the treasure of life which it contains, and breaks down as nothing else can the isolation of the soul." Because of the rich and deep emotional associations which music supplies, and because these associations are even more farreaching when familiar words become bound up with the tunes, a hymn used in corporate worship may: (1) Focus attention outside of preoccupation with self (2) Bring comfort (3) Reduce anxiety (4) Alleviate the sense of guilt (5) Strengthen inner resolves Not all hymns will do these things. We must go cautiously in this field, for some of our so-called "hospital hymns" merely hold up a mirror to the mind disturbed, and plunge people even more deeply into morbid attitudes toward life. Psychiatrists can tell a great deal about some of our hymn writers by using their hymns as barometers of emotional life. But in this paper we are concerned with a more positive emphasis, and shall examine a few hymns which may be used to develop mature Christian character.
Paper-based cascade cationic isotachophoresis: Multiplex detection of cardiac markers.

Abstract Paper-based analytical devices (PADs) are widely used in point-of-care testing (POCT) as they are cost-effective, simple and straightforward. However, poor sensitivity hinders their use in detecting diseases with low abundance biomarkers. The poor detection limit of PADs is mainly attributed to the low concentration of analytes, and the complexity of biological fluid, leading to insufficient interactions between analytes and capture antibodies. This study aims to overcome these difficulties by developing a paper-based cationic isotachophoresis (ITP) approach for simultaneously detecting pico-molar levels of two essential cardiac protein markers: acidic troponin T (cTnT) and basic troponin I (cTnI) spiked into human serum samples. The approach utilizes 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) treated glass fiber papers with decreasing cross-sectional area assembled on a 3D printed cartridge device. Our results showed that in the presence of cTnT monoclonal antibody (mAb), fluorescently labeled cTnI and cTnT could be effectively enriched in cationic ITP. Each individual target was captured subsequently by a test line in the detection zone where the capture mAb was immobilized. Detailed analysis suggests that the technology is capable of simultaneous on-board depletion of abundant plasma proteins and enrichment of cTnI/cTnT by ~1300-fold with a sensitivity of 0.6 pmol/L for cTnT and a sensitivity of 1.5 pmol/L for cTnI in less than 6 min. The results demonstrate the potential of this technology for rapid, ultra-sensitive and cost-effective analysis of multiplex protein markers in clinical serum samples at point of care.
A Spatial Perspective on the Econometrics of Program Evaluation

Empirical work in regional science has seen a growing interest in causal inference, leveraging insights from econometrics, statistics, and related fields. This has resulted in several conceptual as...
The conserved CDC motif in the yeast iron regulator Aft2 mediates iron–sulfur cluster exchange and protein–protein interactions with Grx3 and Bol2

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae transcriptional activator Aft1 and its paralog Aft2 respond to iron deficiency by upregulating expression of proteins required for iron uptake at the plasma membrane, vacuolar iron transport, and mitochondrial iron metabolism, with the net result of mobilizing iron from extracellular sources and intracellular stores. Conversely, when iron levels are sufficient, Aft1 and Aft2 interact with the cytosolic glutaredoxins Grx3 and Grx4 and the BolA protein Bol2, which promote Aft1/2 dissociation from DNA and subsequent export from the nucleus. Previous studies unveiled the molecular mechanism for iron-dependent inhibition of Aft1/2 activity, demonstrating that the [2Fe–2S]-bridged Grx3–Bol2 heterodimer transfers a cluster to Aft2, driving Aft2 dimerization and dissociation from DNA. Here, we provide further insight into the regulation mechanism by investigating the roles of conserved cysteines in Aft2 in iron–sulfur cluster binding and interaction with [2Fe–2S]–Grx3–Bol2. Using size exclusion chromatography and circular dichroism spectroscopy, these studies reveal that both cysteines in the conserved Aft2 Cys-Asp-Cys motif are essential for Aft2 dimerization via [2Fe–2S] cluster binding, while only one cysteine is required for interaction with the [2Fe–2S]–Grx3–Bol2 complex. Taken together, these results provide novel insight into the molecular details of iron–sulfur cluster transfer from Grx3–Bol2 to Aft2 which likely occurs through a ligand exchange mechanism. Loss of either cysteine in the Aft2 iron–sulfur binding site may disrupt this ligand-exchange process leading to the isolation of a trapped Aft2–Grx3–Bol2 intermediate, while the replacement of both cysteines abrogates both the iron–sulfur cluster exchange and the protein–protein interactions between Aft2 and Grx3–Bol2.