cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF) Stimulates RANKL-induced Osteoclastogenesis via Coupling of TNF Type 1 Receptor and RANK Signaling Pathways *

Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF) and the ligand for receptor activator of NF-κB (RANKL) are abundant in sites of inflammatory bone erosion. Because these cytokines are potent osteoclastogenic factors and because their signaling pathways are considerably overlapping, we postulated that under pro-inflammatory conditions RANKL and TNF might synergistically orchestrate enhanced osteoclastogenesis via cooperative mechanisms. We found TNF, via TNF type 1 receptor (TNFr1), prompts robust osteoclastogenesis by osteoclast precursors pretreated with RANKL, and deletion of TNFr1 abrogates this response. Enhanced osteoclastogenesis is associated with high expression of otherwise TNF and RANKL-induced mediators, including c-Src, TRAF2, TRAF6, and MEKK-1, levels of which were notably reduced in TNFr1 knockouts. Recruitment of TRAFs and MEKK1 leads to activation of downstream pathways, primarily IκB/NF-κB, ERKs, and cJun/AP-1. Consistent with impaired osteoclastogenesis and reduced expression of TRAFs and MEKK1, we found that phosphorylation and activation of IκB, NF-κB, ERKs, and cJun/AP-1 are severely reduced in RANKL-treated TNFr1-null osteoclast precursors compared with wild type counterparts. Finally, we found that TNF and RANKL synergistically up-regulate RANK expression in wild type precursors, whereas basal and stimulated levels of RANK are significantly lower in TNFr1 knockout cells. Our data suggest that exuberant TNF-induced osteoclastogensis is the result of coupling between RANK and TNFr1 and is dependent upon signals transmitted by the latter receptor.
Geophysical modelling of the thermal history of foreland basins

Rapid subsidence and sedimentation in active foreland basins produces negative thermal anomalies within the sediments and the lithosphere. We have developed a one-dimensional conductive heating model to simulate the thermal effects of subsidence in foreland basins. Application of the model to data from a well in the Alberta Basin suggests that negative thermal anomalies can delay hydrocarbon maturation by a few million years. The thermal anomaly is larger within the lithosphere than in the sediments. As the anomaly is removed by conductive heating the rheological properties of the lithosphere are modified, causing an apparent reduction of plate rigidity. The thermal anomaly in the lithosphere also results in a positive buoyancy force which acts against the mechanical loading of the plate and produces thermally driven uplift when active loading ceases.
Deterministic versus stochastic evaluation of the aggregate economic effects of price support programs

Abstract Economic effects of agricultural policies estimated with deterministic models may be biased because certainty equivalent requirements are not satisfied in the agricultural sector. This article compares numerically estimated expected values of key aggregate economic variables for two levels of target prices (i.e. supported price level) from deterministic and stochastic formulations of AGSIM, which is a large-scale econometric simulation model of crop and livestock production in the United States. For nominal target prices set by the 1990 Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Bill (FACT), the deterministic formulation underestimated the level of deficiency payments (the difference between target price and market price) by a cumulative total of $800 million (6·2%) over the 5 year life of the Bill compared to estimates from the stochastic model. For target prices 10% below the FACT levels, the deterministic model underestimated deficiency payments by $1220 million (36·8%). Much of the economic impact estimation bias can be attributed to price received by participating producers under FACT having a probability distribution truncated at the target price, which is a strong departure from the certainty equivalent requirements needed to have mean outcomes from stochastic models equal outcomes from their deterministic counterpart. Estimated changes in deficiency payments from lowering target prices by 10% were overestimated by $420 million (4·3%) with the deterministic model, which suggests that deterministic models are less biased for estimating the change in deficiency payments than in estimating the level of payments. The bias associated with mean values of other variables, such as crop prices and farm income, was much less in percentage terms than bias in estimates of deficiency payments.
The Law of Large Numbers for Product Partial Sum Processes Indexed by Sets

Let N = {1, 2, ...} and let {Xi:i ? Nd1} and {Yj:j ? Nd2} be two families of i.i.d. integrable random variables. Let S(nA) be the sum of those XiYj?s for which A ? 0,1]d, d = d1 + d2 and (i/n,,j/n) ? A. It is proved that S(·) satisfies a strong law of large numbers that is uniform over A, where A is a family of subsets of 0, 1]d satisfying some conditions.
STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE MOUSE C-MET PROTO-ONCOGENE (HEPATOCYTE GROWTH FACTOR RECEPTOR) PROMOTER

The c-met gene encoding Hepatocyte Growth Factor Receptor is predominantly expressed in epithelial cell types and overexpressed in a variety of human and mouse neoplastic tissues and cell lines. To understand the molecular mechanisms of the transcriptional regulation of this gene, we have cloned and functionally characterized the mouse c-met promoter region. Transient transfection analysis using a series of 5'-end deletion met-CAT chimeric constructs in epithelial (C-33A) and fibroblast (NIH3T3) cell lines demonstrated that the c-met promoter acts in a cell-type specific manner. These experiments also localized functionally important regulatory regions at -1390 to -279, relative to the transcription start site, which exert repressive activity, and at -278 to -77 which exhibit enhancing effects on c-met promoter activity. Further analysis by electrophoretic mobility shift assays using specific competitors and antibodies identified Sp1 protein binding to two cognate response elements at -221 and -124 within the enhancer region. Cotransfection experiments revealed that Sp1 stimulated promoter activity of the met-CAT constructs containing the two Sp1 binding sites. These results demonstrate that Sp1 is actively involved in the transcriptional regulation of the c-met promoter.
Status Update: Maladaptive Facebook usage predicts increases in body dissatisfaction and bulimic symptoms

Abstract Background The current study examined the effects of online social evaluations and comparisons on body dissatisfaction and bulimic symptoms. Methods We tested the effects of maladaptive Facebook usage (defined as the tendency to seek negative social evaluations and/or engage in social comparisons via Facebook) on body dissatisfaction and bulimic symptoms in a sample of 232 college females followed for approximately 4 weeks. Results Results provided evidence that maladaptive Facebook usage significantly predicted increases in bulimic symptoms and episodes of over-eating approximately four weeks later. Body dissatisfaction was found to fully mediate the relationship between maladaptive Facebook usage and increases in over-eating episodes, whereas body dissatisfaction partially mediated the relationship between maladaptive Facebook usage and increases in bulimic symptoms more broadly. Limitations Limitations include the use of a novel measure of maladaptive Facebook usage due to the absence of an existing measure and a non-clinical sample. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that reducing maladaptive Facebook usage may be a fruitful target for interventions aimed at reducing body dissatisfaction and symptoms of eating pathology.
Closing in on the amyloid cascade: recent insights into the cell biology of Alzheimer's disease.

Accumulation of the amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide in the central nervous system (CNS) is considered by many to be the crucial pathological insult that ultimately leads to the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Regulating the production and/or aggregation of Aβ could therefore be of considerable benefit to patients afflicted with AD. It has long been known that Aβ is derived from the proteolytic processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) by two enzymatic activities, β-secretase and γ-secretase. Recent breakthroughs have led to the identification of the aspartyl protease BACE (β-site APP-cleaving enzyme) as β-secretase and the probable identification of the presenilin proteins as γ-secretases. This review discusses what is know about BACE and the presenilins, focusing on their capacity as secretases, as well as the options for therapeutic advancement the careful characterization of these proteins will provide. These findings are presented in the context of the “amyloid cascade hypothesis” and its physiological relevance in AD pathogenesis.
DITRAN—a compiler emphasizing diagnostics

DITRAN DIagnostic FORTRAN) is an implementation of ASA Basic FORTRAN with rather extensive error checking capabilities both at compilation time and during execution of a program. The need for improved diagnostic capabilities and some objectives to be met by any compiler are discussed. Attention is given to the design and implementation of DITRAN and the particular techniques employed to provide the diagnostic features. The handling of error messages by a general macro approach is described. Special features which provide teaching aids for use by instructors are noted.
Egg production of the copepod Acartia tonsa: The influence of hypoxia and food concentration

Abstract Low dissolved oxygen conditions, or hypoxia, occur in estuaries and impact more than just the obvious commercially important species. Copepods are an important link in the food web, and the influence of hypoxia upon them is relatively unstudied. Using the copepod Acartia tonsa , a study of the impact of hypoxia on egg production was conducted. A . tonsa had reduced egg production at low dissolved oxygen concentrations (DO), with the lowest egg production occurring at 0.53-ml/l O 2 concentration. Another experiment was conducted to determine if, by increasing food concentration, the affect of hypoxia could be mitigated. The results indicate that increased food did not offset the impact that hypoxia had on egg production of A. tonsa . These results suggest that as A. tonsa experiences hypoxia in the wild, population numbers will decrease. Thus, if hypoxic conditions increase in scope and duration, declines in copepod abundance may lead to a decline in the abundance of species that depend on them as food. These species may be of commercial importance (e.g., fish, crabs, and oysters).
Safety, security, and preparing for disaster at sporting events

There is a heightened awareness of terrorism in this country. There always remains the possibility of nonterrorist disasters at sporting venues. The team physician will be among the first medical responders to a disaster at a sporting venue. By being involved in the creation of an emergency action plan, learning the incident command system, understanding triage, and obtaining basic trauma life support skills, the team physician can be prepared to respond to mass casualty incidents at sporting events.
Effectiveness and Acceptability within a Skilled Nursing Facility Setting

ABSTRACTAims: The program evaluated the effectiveness and acceptability of the Stepping On protocol (Clemson L, Swann M, Mahoney J. (2011). Stepping On: Building confidence and reducing falls in older adults (3rd ed.). Cedar Falls, IA: Freiberg Press Inc.) in reducing fall risk in older adults when delivered in a skilled nursing facility (SNF). Method: Stepping On was delivered by an occupational therapist to participants (n = 11) over 7 weeks followed by a 3-month session (Clemson et al., 2011). Results: Through comparison of pre and post data (n = 7) and 3-month outcomes (n = 4), trends revealed an overall increase in the use of protective behaviors and self-perceived physical health. Trends showed sustained outcomes at all measures, with exception of a decline in fall efficacy. The program was well received by participants and staff at the SNF with high satisfaction rates. Conclusion: Stepping On has the potential to be an effective fall prevention program for older adults with trends towards fall prev...
Fluorescent probes for sensing and imaging biological hydrogen sulfide

Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) has long been recognized as a toxic molecule in biological systems. However, emerging studies now link controlled fluxes of this reactive sulfur species to cellular regulation and signaling events akin to other small molecule messengers, such as nitric oxide, hydrogen peroxide, and carbon monoxide. Progress in the development of fluorescent small-molecule indicators with high selectivity for hydrogen sulfide offers a promising approach for studying its production, trafficking, and downstream physiological and/or pathological effects.
Efficiently Operating Wireless Nodes Powered by Renewable Energy Sources

We consider a node in a multihop wireless network that is responsible for transmitting messages in a timely manner while being prudent about energy consumption. The node uses energy harvesting in the sense that it is powered by batteries that are charged by renewable energy sources such as wind or solar. To strike a balance between latency and availability, we develop a multi-timescale model. At a faster timescale, the node makes decisions based on local information such as queue lengths of packets in input buffers and available energy levels. The decisions include scheduling packets on the output buffers that would be transmitted at the next opportunity, possibly using network coding. At the slower timescale, we model the energy levels in the battery using a stochastic fluid-flow model to determine the availability and time-averaged latency. Ultimately, we present a unified framework that iteratively sets model parameters to satisfy latency and availability targets. The methods are based upon Markov decision processes, Markov chains, and semi-Markov process analysis.
Differential expression of IRF8 in subsets of macrophages and dendritic cells and effects of IRF8 deficiency on splenic B cell and macrophage compartments

IRF8, a transcription factor restricted primarily to hematopoietic cells, is known to influence the differentiation and function of dendritic cells (DC), macrophages, granulocytes and B cells. In human tonsil, IRF8 is expressed at high levels by intrafollicular macrophages and DC, but at much lower levels by tingible body macrophages in germinal centers (GCs) and little, if at all, by follicular DC. Spleens of IRF8-deficient mice had reduced numbers of white pulp follicles and GCs that were irregular in shape. The frequency of follicular B cells was significantly reduced while the population of marginal zone (MZ) B cells was increased. In addition, MZ macrophages were reduced in number and abnormally distributed, while metallophilic macrophages were normal. These findings demonstrate differential requirements for IRF8 among distinct subsets of B cells, DC, and macrophages.
Electron heating in low pressure capacitive discharges revisited

The electrons in capacitively coupled plasmas (CCPs) absorb energy via ohmic heating due to electron-neutral collisions and stochastic heating due to momentum transfer from high voltage moving sheaths. We use Particle-in-Cell (PIC) simulations to explore these heating mechanisms and to compare the PIC results with available theories on ohmic and stochastic heating. The PIC results for ohmic heating show good agreement with the ohmic heating calculation of Lafleur et al. [Phys. Plasmas 20, 124503 (2013)]. The PIC results for stochastic heating in low pressure CCPs with collisionless sheaths show good agreement with the stochastic heating model of Kaganovich et al. [IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 34, 696 (2006)], which revises the hard wall asymptotic model of Lieberman [IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 16, 638 (1988)] by taking current continuity and bulk oscillation into account.
How Do Transfer Students Perform in Economics? Evidence from Intermediate Macroeconomics.

For students taking intermediate-level economics, does it matter where they studied principles of economics? Does transferring college credit influence subsequent academic performance in economics? With a sample covering 1999–2008, the authors analyze in this article a group of nearly 1,000 students taking intermediate macroeconomics at a prominent state university. Despite seemingly impressive-looking grades from the principles of macroeconomics course, community college transfer students significantly underperformed their peers in the intermediate macroeconomics course, unlike transfer students from four-year institutions. Moreover, students who transferred other course work from community college (that is, other than the principles course) were relatively less likely to succeed in intermediate macroeconomics.
Severely Obese Have Greater LPS-stimulated TNF-α Production Than Normal Weight African-American Women

Obesity is associated with an increase in chronic, low-grade inflammation which has been implicated in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to determine whether obesity was associated with an elevation of whole blood lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) production. African-American women were recruited from a larger study and assigned to one of five groups based on BMI: normal weight (NORM; BMI 20–25, n = 7), overweight (OVER; BMI 25–30, n = 12), class 1 obese (OB1; BMI 30–35, n = 19), class 2 obese (OB2; BMI 35–40, n = 10), or class 3 obese (OB3; BMI >40, n = 17). Body composition was determined via a whole body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan. Venous blood samples were collected following an overnight fast (>8 h), and stimulated with five doses of LPS (Salmonella enteriditis): 80, 40, 20, 10, and 5 µg/ml for 24 h in a 37 °C, 5% CO2 incubator. Following stimulation, TNF-α was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. OB3 produced 365% more TNF-α than NORM at an LPS dose of 20 µg/ml (P < 0.05). When maximal TNF-α production was assessed regardless of LPS dose, OB3 produced 230% more than NORM and OVER produced 190% more than NW (P = 0.001). Total and trunk fat mass and BMI were significantly correlated with maximal TNF-α production and LPS = 20 µg/ml. Our findings are consistent with previous reports suggesting a relationship between increased adiposity and inflammatory marker production. This is one of the first studies to focus on African-American women, who have higher rates of obesity.
Understanding Effects of Cognitive Load from Pupillary Responses Using Hilbert Analytic Phase

Task-evoked pupillary responses reveal the relationship between working memory capacity and its effect on cognitive states. Understanding the effects of cognitive load requires robust analysis of pupillary responses. In this paper, we introduced a Hilbert transform analytic phase based method to compute temporal patterns from pupillary responses. Analysis reveals that sharp change in incorrect task response may be attributed to the cognitive overload. It was also observed that a sharp change and continuation of the ramp in Hilbert unwrapped phase relates to the cognitive dissonance.
The policy research markets

Part of the gle holding together the membership of the Association of Public Policy Analysis and Management is a concern about the character and path of public policies. Embedded in this is the professional opinion that analysis will improve the outcomes of policy deliberations. This issue-the relationship between policy analysis and policy development-has been the subject of a long-standing debate that has recently been revived. On the positive side is a simple factual question: Has past policy research influenced the character of policies (and, maybe, has this influence been benign)? On the normative side are several more questions: How can policy research be made more useful? Are funding and incentives for policy research appropriate? And are particular types of research being undervalued and underemployed? These are questions I find interesting from both an academic viewpoint and a policy viewpoint. They are also issues to which I have returned to in thinking and in policy practice over a number of years. Here I would like to sketch my reflections on these questions. These should be interpreted as today's views, however, because I find that they continue to evolve.' In my opinion many discussions of this issue, even though carried out by very good analysts and researchers, have really failed to give proper attention to inherent differences in the character of underlying research and to the structure of the "policy research market." There are two key elements to the view of the research-policy interaction that I will present here. First, there is not a single homogeneous research market, but instead a series of interdependent markets corresponding to different types of research. While it is common to find some distinction between theoretical disciplinary work and policy research, not enough attention has been given to the different strands of policy research. Second, both the demand side and the supply side of
Dissipation, Entropy, Chaos in Quantum Physics

As a consequence of the Heisenberg uncertainty any quantum physics system inescapably undergoes relaxation towards thermal equilibrium, thus towards maximum entropy. The non-dissipative states have probability measure zero and cannot exist in nature. The impact these results have on chaotic behavior of quantum systems will be discussed, as well as the difference between quantum and classical systems, which have vanishing uncertainty.
Impact of Mt. St. Helens ashfall on fruit yield of Mountain Huckleberry,Vaccinium membranaceum, important native American food

Huckleberry plants evaluated at 13 sites in the southern Cascade Mountains of Washington State during August 1980 showed significantly lower fruit yields where subjected to heavy ash deposition following the 18 May 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens. High insect pollinator mortality is suspected as the major causal factor. The impact of such effects of volcanic activity on Native American subsistence is discussed.
Knockdown of hTERT and concurrent treatment with interferon-gamma inhibited proliferation and invasion of human glioblastoma cell lines.

Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is the catalytic component of telomerase that facilitates tumor cell invasion and proliferation. Telomerase and hTERT are remarkably upregulated in majority of cancers including glioblastoma. Interferon-gamma (IFN-) modulates several cellular activities including cell cycle and multiplication through transcriptional regulation. The present investigation was designed to unravel the molecular mechanisms of the inhibition of cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of human glioblastoma SNB-19 and LN-18 cell lines after knockdown of hTERT using a plasmid vector based siRNA and concurrent treatment with IFN-. We observed more than 80% inhibition of cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of both cell lines after the treatment with combination of hTERT siRNA and IFN-. Our studies also showed accumulation of apoptotic cells in subG1 phase and an increase in cell population in G0/G1 with a reduction in G2/M phase indicating cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase for apoptosis. Semiquantitative and real-time RT-PCR analyses demonstrated significant downregulation of c-Myc and upregulation of p21 Waf1 and p27 Kip1. Western blotting confirmed the downregulation of the molecules involved in cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and also showed upregulation of cell cycle inhibitors. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that knockdown of hTERT and concurrent treatment with IFN- effectively inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in glioblastoma cells through downregulation of the molecules involved in these processes and cell cycle inhibition. Therefore, the combination of hTERT siRNA and IFN- offers a potential therapeutic strategy for controlling growth of human glioblastoma cells.
Familial Pathways to Early-Onset Suicide Attempt: A 5.6-Year Prospective Study

Importance Suicide attempts are strong predictors of suicide, a leading cause of adolescent mortality. Suicide attempts are highly familial, although the mechanisms of familial transmission are not understood. Better delineation of these mechanisms could help frame potential targets for prevention. Objective To examine the mechanisms and pathways by which suicidal behavior is transmitted from parent to child. Design, Setting, and Participants In this prospective study conducted from July 15, 1997, through June 21, 2012, a total of 701 offspring aged 10 to 50 years (mean age, 17.7 years) of 334 clinically referred probands with mood disorders, 191 (57.2%) of whom had also made a suicide attempt, were followed up for a mean of 5.6 years. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was a suicide attempt. Variables were examined at baseline, intermediate time points, and the time point proximal to the attempt. Participants were assessed by structured psychiatric assessments and self-report and by interview measures of domains hypothesized to be related to familial transmission (eg, mood disorder and impulsive aggression). Results Among the 701 offspring, 44 (6.3%) had made a suicide attempt before participating in the study, and 29 (4.1%) made an attempt during study follow-up. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that proband suicide attempt was a predictor of offspring suicide attempt (odds ratio [OR], 4.79; 95% CI, 1.75-13.07), even controlling for other salient offspring variables: baseline history of mood disorder (OR, 4.20; 95% CI, 1.37-12.86), baseline history of suicide attempt (OR, 5.69; 95% CI, 1.94-16.74), and mood disorder at the time point before the attempt (OR, 11.32; 95% CI, 2.29-56.00). Path analyses were consistent with these findings, revealing a direct effect of proband attempt on offspring suicide attempt, a strong effect of offspring mood disorder at each time point, and impulsive aggression as a precursor of mood disorder. Conclusions and Relevance Parental history of a suicide attempt conveys a nearly 5-fold increased odds of suicide attempt in offspring at risk for mood disorder, even after adjusting for the familial transmission of mood disorder. Interventions that target mood disorder and impulsive aggression in high-risk offspring may attenuate the familial transmission of suicidal behavior.
A STANDARDIZED GENETIC DIFFERENTIATION MEASURE

Abstract Interpretation of genetic differentiation values is often problematic because of their dependence on the level of genetic variation. For example, the maximum level of GST is less than the average within population homozygosity so that for highly variable loci, even when no alleles are shared between subpopulations, GST may be low. To remedy this difficulty, a standardized measure of genetic differentiation is introduced here, one which has the same range, 0–1, for all levels of genetic variation. With this measure, the magnitude is the proportion of the maximum differentiation possible for the level of subpopulation homozygosity observed. This is particularly important for situations in which the mutation rate is of the same magnitude or higher than the rate of gene flow. The standardized measure allows comparison between loci with different levels of genetic variation, such as allozymes and microsatellite loci, or mtDNA and Y-chromosome genes, and for genetic differentiation for organisms with d...
Opening of the Red Sea: constraints from a palaeomagnetic study of the As Sarat volcanic field, south-western Saudi Arabia

Summary. Four stratigraphic sections through alkali basalt flows of Oligocene to Miocene age (29-24Ma) in the As Sarat volcanic field, south-western Saudi Arabia, were sampled for palaeomagnetic study. After systematic alternating-field demagnetization, 42 magnetically acceptable flows (139 samples) yield a mean direction of magnetization of D = 355.3", I= 15.2" (ag5 = 4.3"), which defines a palaeomagnetic pole at 78.8"N, 247.8"E. Of these acceptable flows, 24 are normally, and 18 reversely, magnetized. Part of one section was apparently erupted during the early phases of a polarity reversal of the Earth's field. The mean direction derived from the 24 normally magnetized flows is significantly different (after inverting 180") from that derived from the 18 reversed flows, supporting the hypothesis of a displaced dipole source for the Earth's field in late Oligocene to early Miocene time. A comparison of the results from As Sarat with palaeomagnetic results from upper Tertiary rocks in Africa indicates that the Red Sea has opened 12" (estimated +8" at the 95 per cent confidence level). These results indicate that most of the counter-clockwise rotation of Arabia relative to Africa occurred since the eruption of the As Sarat volcanics, in disagreement with proposed models for main-stage Red Sea spreading from late Eocene to early Oligocene time. The palaeomagnetic results also indicate that the Arabian Peninsuia was more equatorial in late Oligocene to early Miocene time than it is now, by an amount compatible with the opening of the Gulf of Aden.
Maternal Politics and Religious Fervor: Exchanges between an Andean Market Woman and an Ethnographer

The life story of one Peruvian market woman, Felicitas Lucrecia Mamani de Cardona Rios, offers a window into the social context and cultural values that have an impact on her individual struggles. At the same time, less explicit exchange dynamics akin to transference and countertransference between Lucre and the ethnographer dynamically structure the interview process. The ethnographer desired and sought to emulate some of Lucre's qualities—her protective, maternal, yet tough demeanor, whereas Lucre sought to project an image of herself as well-educated and of high social standing, yet also capable of great empathy and solidarity with working class women and Quechua peasants. The sharing of Lucre's life story with the ethnographer and the ethnographer's interpretation of it bring sharply into focus the complexity of lives and the negotiations that unfold at border crossings. [life story, transference, gender, market women, power]
Data Assimilation in Multiscale Chemical Transport Models

In this paper we discuss variational data assimilation using the STEM atmospheric Chemical Transport Model. STEM is a multiscale model and can perform air quality simulations and predictions over spatial and temporal scales of different orders of magnitude. To improve the accuracy of model predictions we construct a dynamic data driven application system (DDDAS) by integrating data assimilation techniques with STEM. We illustrate the improvements in STEM field predictions before and after data assimilation. We also compare three popular optimization methods for data assimilation and conclude that L-BFGS method is the best for our model because it requires fewer model runs to recover optimal initial conditions.
Communicating Risk in a Cross-Cultural Context: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Rhetorical and Social Understandings in U.S. and British Mine Safety Training Programs

This article analyzes how culture influences the rhetorical strategies writers employ to represent expert knowledge in the workplace and the underlying values and assumptions in a culture that enab...
Cognitive expert systems and machine learning: artificial intelligence research at the University of Connecticut

In order for next-generation expert systems to demonstrate the performance, robustness, flexibility, and learning ability of human experts, they will have to be based on cognitive models of expert human reasoning and learning. We call such next-generation systems cognitive expert systems. Research at the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at the University of Connecticut is directed toward understanding the principles underlying cognitive expert systems and developing computer programs embodying those principles. The Causal Model Acquisition System (CMACS) learns causal models of physical mechanisms by understanding real-world natural language explanations of those mechanisms. The going Concern Expert ( GCX) uses business and environmental knowledge to assess whether a company will remain in business for at least the following year. The Business Information System (BIS) acquires business and environmental knowledge from in-depth reading of real-world news stories. These systems are based on theories of expert human reasoning and learning, and thus represent steps toward next-generation cognitive expert systems.
A Pound of Prevention, Plus a Pound of Cure: Early Detection and Eradication of Invasive Species in the Laurentian Great Lakes

Ballast water regulations implemented in the early 1990s appear not to have slowed the rate of new aquatic invasive species (AIS) establishment in the Great Lakes. With more invasive species on the horizon, we examine the question of whether eradication of AIS is a viable management strategy for the Laurentian Great Lakes, and what a coordinated AIS early detection and eradication program would entail. In-lake monitoring would be conducted to assess the effectiveness of regulations aimed at stopping new AIS, and to maximize the likelihood of early detection of new invaders. Monitoring would be focused on detecting the most probable invaders, the most invasion-prone habitats, and the species most conducive to eradication. When a new non-native species is discovered, an eradication assessment would be conducted and used to guide the management response. In light of high uncertainty, management decisions must be robust to a range of impact and control scenarios. Though prevention should continue to be the cornerstone of management efforts, we believe that a coordinated early detection and eradication program is warranted if the Great Lakes management community and stakeholders are serious about reducing undesired impacts stemming from new AIS in the Great Lakes. Development of such a program is an opportunity for the Laurentian Great Lakes resource management community to demonstrate global leadership in invasive species management.
Chesapeake Bay nutrient pollution: contribution from the land application of sewage sludge in Virginia.

Abstract Human health concerns and the dissemination of anthropogenic substances with unknown consequences are the reasons most often given why disposal of municipal sewage sludge in landfills or using the organic waste as biofuel is preferable to land application. But no “fertilizer” causes more nitrogen pollution than sludge when applied according to Virginia law. Poultry litter is the only other “fertilizer” that causes more phosphorus pollution than sludge. Cost savings by the few farmers in Virginia who use sludge are far less than the costs of the nitrogen pollution they cause. A ban on the land application of all forms of animal waste is very cost-effective and would reduce Chesapeake Bay nutrient pollution by 25%.
Identity Thieves and Levels of Sophistication: Findings from a National Probability Sample of American Newspaper Articles 1995–2005

Identity theft continues to be a problem in the United States, yet research on identity thieves is limited. This study complements previous work by exploring the correlates of identity thieves (n = 257) and offense sophistication levels via a content analysis of a nationally representative probability sample of newspaper articles (1995–2005). Sample demographics are presented along with the results from bivariate correlations and a multinomial logit model focused on exploring variation in correlate influence on four levels of identity theft sophistication.
Traumatic brain injury and the effects of diazepam, diltiazem, and MK-801 on GABA-A receptor subunit expression in rat hippocampus

Excitatory amino acid release and subsequent biochemical cascades following traumatic brain injury (TBI) have been well documented, especially glutamate-related excitotoxicity. The effects of TBI on the essential functions of inhibitory GABA-A receptors, however, are poorly understood. We used Western blot procedures to test whether in vivo TBI in rat altered the protein expression of hippocampal GABA-A receptor subunits α1, α2, α3, α5, β3, and γ2 at 3 h, 6 h, 24 h, and 7 days post-injuy. We then used pre-injury injections of MK-801 to block calcium influx through the NMDA receptor, diltiazem to block L-type voltage-gated calcium influx, or diazepam to enhance chloride conductance, and re-examined the protein expressions of α1, α2, α3, and γ2, all of which were altered by TBI in the first study and all of which are important constituents in benzodiazepine-sensitive GABA-A receptors. Western blot analysis revealed no injury-induced alterations in protein expression for GABA-A receptor α2 or α5 subunits at any time point post-injury. Significant time-dependent changes in α1, α3, β3, and γ2 protein expression. The pattern of alterations to GABA-A subunits was nearly identical after diltiazem and diazepam treatment, and MK-801 normalized expression of all subunits 24 hours post-TBI. These studies are the first to demonstrate that GABA-A receptor subunit expression is altered by TBI in vivo, and these alterations may be driven by calcium-mediated cascades in hippocampal neurons. Changes in GABA-A receptors in the hippocampus after TBI may have far-reaching consequences considering their essential importance in maintaining inhibitory balance and their extensive impact on neuronal function.
Directional Virtual Coordinate Systems for Wireless Sensor Networks

A Directional Virtual Coordinate System (DVCS) is proposed based on a novel transformation that restores the lost directionality information in a Virtual Coordinate System (VCS). VCS is an attractive option to characterize the node locations in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), instead of using geographical coordinates, which is expensive or difficult to obtain. A VCS characterizes each node in a network with the minimum hop distances to a set of anchor nodes as its coordinates. The proposed transformation supplements the virtual coordinates, thus preserving all the inheriting properties such as embedded information of geodesic distances in the coordinates. The virtual directionality introduced, alleviates the local minima issue present in original VCS. Properties of this virtual directional domain are discussed. With these directional properties, it is possible, for the first time, to consider deterministic algorithms in the virtual domain, as illustrated with a constrained tree network example. A novel routing scheme called Directional Virtual Coordinate Routing (DVCR), which illustrates the effectiveness of the Directional Virtual Coordinate domain is proposed. DVCR significantly outperforms existing VCS routing schemes Convex Subspace Routing (CSR) and Logical Coordinate Routing (LCR), while achieving a performance similar to the geographical routing scheme - Greedy Perimeter Stateless Routing (GPSR), but without the need for node location information.
How do we know if 'Smart Money' is really smart? Market reactions when biotechnology firms disclose the identities of investors

Private placements of equity are generally viewed as signals because of the observable confidence 'smart investors' have to have in order to make the investment. We therefore ask the question if it is the transaction that creates the signal, or if it is knowledge of the investor that matters. Knowing investor identity permits others to assess the skill the investor has in assessing the value of the biotechnology firm. We examine 685 private placements and find disclosed investors have a much higher market reaction than do undisclosed investors.
Engineered cell-cell communication via DNA messaging.

Evolution has selected for organisms that benefit from genetically encoded cell-cell communication. Engineers have begun to repurpose elements of natural communication systems to realize programmed pattern formation and coordinate other population-level behaviors. However, existing engineered systems rely on system-specific small molecules to send molecular messages among cells. Thus, the information transmission capacity of current engineered biological communication systems is physically limited by specific biomolecules that are capable of sending only a single message, typically “regulate transcription.” We have engineered a cell-cell communication platform using bacteriophage M13 gene products to autonomously package and deliver heterologous DNA messages of varying lengths and encoded functions. We demonstrate the decoupling of messages from a common communication channel via the autonomous transmission of various arbitrary genetic messages. Further, we increase the range of engineered DNA messaging across semisolid media by linking message transmission or receipt to active cellular chemotaxis. We demonstrate decoupling of a communication channel from message transmission within engineered biological systems via the autonomous targeted transduction of user-specified heterologous DNA messages. We also demonstrate that bacteriophage M13 particle production and message transduction occurs among chemotactic bacteria. We use chemotaxis to improve the range of DNA messaging, increasing both transmission distance and communication bit rates relative to existing small molecule-based communication systems. We postulate that integration of different engineered cell-cell communication platforms will allow for more complex spatial programming of dynamic cellular consortia.
Control of House Flies in Commercial Poultry Houses in Connecticut

Abstract Relative numbers of adult house flies, as measured by mean numbers of fly specks/12.1 sq cm/day, were significantly correlated with frequency of manure removal. Values were ≤3.6 and ≥6.2 specks, respectively, when manure was removed 4 or more times and 0 to 2 times within 3 weeks. House flies were markedly reduced on two farms 21 to 25 days after LarvadexTM was added to feed at rates of 453 g per 907 kg (1 lb/ton) of feed. Mean numbers of fly specks declined from as high as 12.1 to less than .1 after 1 month of treatment. Flies remained at relatively low levels for up to 6 weeks after LarvadexTM had been removed from the feed. However, on one of these farms, LarvadexTM was ineffective 1½ years after treatment was initiated, and it never was effective on a third farm. Reasons for unsatisfactory control are not understood. At farms where flies were not adequately controlled, quantities of LarvadexTM in premix and blended feeds were lower than or equal to amounts stated (premix, .3%) and recommended (blended feed, 1.5 ppm) on the label. Residues of LarvadexTM were rarely found in eggs and were not at all detectable in chicken meat of birds fed LarvadexTM for 4 weeks or more.
Circulating CD4+ T cells in narcolepsy patients react to hypocretin and cross-react with hemagglutinin from an influenza strain linked to increased narcolepsy incidence (HUM2P.336)

Narcolepsy, a disorder characterized by daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, and REM sleep abnormalities, is caused by the loss of ~70,000 hypothalamic neurons that produce the wake-promoting neuropeptide hypocretin (HCRT). The strong association of narcolepsy with HLA DQA1*01:02/DQB1*06:02 (DQ0602) has led to the hypothesis that narcolepsy is an autoimmune disease, but direct evidence has been lacking. We recently reported discovery of circulating CD4+ T cells reactive to two homologous DQ0602-binding HCRT epitopes (HCRT56-68, HCRT87-99) in narcolepsy patients, but not in DQ0602+ healthy control subjects. Based on epidemiologic evidence linking narcolepsy with the 2009 H1N1 influenza A strain (pH1N1) we measured levels of circulating HCRT56-68, HCRT87-99 reactive T cells in narcolepsy patients who had received the seasonal influenza vaccine (containing pH1N1) and found them to be increased. We identified a pH1N1-specific hemagglutinin epitope with homology to the narcolepsy-associated HCRT epitopes; in vitro stimulation of narcolepsy CD4+T cells with this epitope increased the frequency of HCR-reactive T cells. To directly test for molecular mimicry between the HCRT and pH1N1 epitopes, we have used tetramer staining and single cell TCR sequencing. We conclude that narcolepsy is associated with an autoimmune response to HCRT, which can be triggered by cross-reactive T cell responses to pathogen-derived peptides.
Applications of Sims to Spatially Modified Polymer Film Characterization

The predominant application of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) to organic polymeric solids has been the molecular monolayer analysis of thin films in the “static” mode. The primary emphasis in this paper, however, is the evaluation of SIMS for two or three dimensional compositional mapping studie of spatially modified polymer. This often requires the use of the “dynamic” SIMS mode to provide lateral images, depth profiles, or 3-D image depth profiles. Selected applications are presented including SIMS studies of surface derivatized polymers, metal-doped conductive polymer films, and patterned polymeric materials or fibers. One analytical objective is to assess the extent to which compositional information is limited by primary beam damage. The outlook for SIMS instrumentation combining high lateral spatial resolution with minimal primary beam damage to surface molecules is summarized, for example the combination of microfocused liquid metal ion sources and time-of-flight mass spectrometry.
Title V-CSHCN: A Closer Look at the Shaping of the National Agenda for Children with Special Health Care Needs

Nursing practice and policy are inextricably linked. Nurses who provide services within state Title V programs for children with special health care needs (CSHCN) are particularly cognizant of the policy context. The development of “family-centered, community-based, coordinated, and culturally competent systems of care for all children with special health care needs” is a phrase that rolls off our tongues. But how was current policy shaped? This article provides a brief historical background of the broader perspective of Title V-CSHCN programs. Kingdon’s multiple streams approach to policy formation is used as a conceptual framework to explore how policy was transformed in the 1980s to shape the national agenda for CSHCN. The article also discusses the effect of internal and external forces on the refinement of that agenda during the 1990s. Relevance for nursing practice is discussed, with validation that nurses can influence future policy development and implementation—in partnership with families.