cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimization criterion for illuminating circular antenna apertures

For many applications the ideal antenna pattern is one in which radiated power is spread uniformly over the cone \theta , with no power going outside that cone. For example, either the target orientation or the antenna axis may only be known with tolerance \theta_{0} . While this ideal pattern is unachievable by a finite antenna aperture, it may be asymptotically approached as aperture size goes to infinity. We here formulate a new worst-case criterion for comparing the effectiveness of finite aperture illuminations with respect to synthesizing this ideal radiation pattern. For illustration some classical illuminations are scrutinized from the viewpoint of this new criterion.
Neuroticism and the facilitation of the automatic orienting of attention

Abstract The personality dimension of neuroticism (N) is of particular interest because high N (neurotic) individuals are predisposed to experience negative affect and psychopathology. This study provides a test of the hypothesis that N is associated with individual differences in attentional processes, and, more specifically, that the automatic orienting of attention occurs more readily in neurotic individuals. Subjects performed a visual search task, during which a distractor stimulus on occasion appeared in the stimulus display. Female neurotic subjects were significantly more impaired than were stable subjects in their visual search task performance by the presence of a distractor, indicating that their attention was more strongly attracted by the distractors. We suggest that the predisposition of neurotic individuals to negative affect and psychopathology may be mediated by the disruption of controlled self-regulatory processes, and a mechanism is proposed by which this impairment may be attributed in part to the facilitation of the automatic orienting of attention.
Training and maintaining the performance of dogs (Canis familiaris) on an increasing number of odor discriminations in a controlled setting.

Abstract The number of substances detector dogs are trained to detect varies depending on the mission of the agency they serve. No studies have been conducted concerning how training multiple odor discriminations affects detection performance and refresher training requirements. This study used a controlled field setting to examine the effects of training dogs to detect multiple substances on their subsequent detection performance and refresher training requirements. Dogs were first trained to detect a single odor. Their detection performance was tested 10 days later and refresher training was then given to bring their performance back up to a predetermined standard. Following refresher training, detection of a new substance was trained, and approximately 10 days later the detection of both trained substances was tested. This sequence of testing, refresher training, and new odor training continued every 10 days until the dogs had been trained and tested on 10 odors. The detection of previously learned odors did not decrease as the number of substances trained increased. In fact, the amount of training required to refresh detection performance and to train new odor discriminations tended to decrease as more odor discriminations were trained.
Calcaneocuboid joint involvement in calcaneal fractures.

The charts and radiographs of 48 surgically treated patients who underwent surgery for calcaneal fractures (right in 25 patients, left in 22, and bilateral in 1) between 1987 and 1994 were retrospectively reviewed. Coronal computed tomographic scans alone were obtained in 33 patients, and both coronal and axial computed tomographic scans were obtained in 9 patients. Three fractures exiting close to the calcaneocuboid joint (CCJ), but not involving the joint, were excluded.Nineteen patients (38.7%) had involvement of the CCJ. The extension of the fracture to the CCJ was apparent in anteroposterior or oblique radiographs or both in 18 patients. There was intra-articular fracture displacement of ≤1 mm in 6 patients, and 13 patients had a step or a gap of ≥2 mm with or without angulation. Eleven patients had joint depression type fractures, 6 had tongue type fractures, and 2 had comminuted fractures. Extension of the calcaneal fracture into the CCJ was significantly more common with the joint depression type ...
Distinct immune responses in resistant and susceptible strains of mice during neurovirulent alphavirus encephalomyelitis

ABSTRACT Susceptibility to alphavirus encephalomyelitis is dependent on a variety of factors, including the genetic background of the host. Neuroadapted Sindbis virus (NSV) causes uniformly fatal disease in adult C57BL/6 (B6) mice, but adult BALB/c (Bc) mice recover from infection. In B6 mice, fatal encephalomyelitis is immune mediated rather than a direct result of virus infection. To identify the immunological determinants of host susceptibility to fatal NSV-induced encephalomyelitis, we compared virus titers and immune responses in adult B6 and Bc mice infected intranasally with NSV. B6 mice had higher levels of virus replication, higher levels of type I interferon (IFN), and slower virus clearance than did Bc mice. B6 mice had more neuronal apoptosis, more severe neurologic disease, and higher mortality than Bc mice. B6 mice had more infiltration of inflammatory cells and higher levels of IL1b , IL-6 , TNFa , Csf2 , and CCL2 mRNAs and interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), IFN-γ, and C-C motif ligand 2 (CCL2) protein in brains than Bc mice. However, Bc mice had more brain antibody at day 7 and a higher percentage of CD4 + T cells. CD4 + T cells in the brains of Bc mice included fewer Th17 cells and more regulatory T cells (Tregs) producing IL-10 than B6 mice, accompanied by higher levels of Il2 and Cxcl10 mRNAs. In the absence of IL-10, resistant Bc mice became susceptible to fatal encephalomyelitis after NSV infection. These studies demonstrate the importance of the immune response and its regulation in determining host survival during alphavirus encephalomyelitis. IMPORTANCE Mosquito-borne alphavirus infections are an important cause of encephalomyelitis in humans. The severity of disease is dependent both on the strain of the virus and on the age and genetic background of the host. A neurovirulent strain of Sindbis virus causes immune-mediated fatal encephalomyelitis in adult C57BL/6 mice but not in BALB/c mice. To determine the host-dependent immunological mechanisms underlying the differences in susceptibility between these two strains of mice, we compared their immune responses to infection. Resistance to fatal disease in BALB/c mice was associated with better antibody responses, more-rapid virus clearance, fewer Th17 cells, and more-potent regulatory T cell responses than occurred in susceptible C57BL/6 mice. In the absence of interleukin-10, a component of the regulatory immune response, resistant mice became susceptible to lethal disease. This study demonstrates the importance of the immune response and its regulation for host survival during alphavirus encephalomyelitis.
Proteasome inhibition represses ERα gene expression in ER+ cells: a new link between proteasome activity and estrogen signaling in breast cancer

Estrogen receptor-alpha (ERalpha) is a major therapeutic target of hormonal therapies in breast cancer, and its expression in tumors is predictive of clinical response. Protein levels of ERalpha are tightly controlled by the 26S proteasome; yet, how the clinical proteasome inhibitor, bortezomib, affects ERalpha regulation has not been studied. Bortezomib selectively inhibits the chymotrypsin-like activity of the proteasome. Unlike other laboratory proteasome inhibitors, bortezomib failed to stabilize ERalpha protein at a dose exceeding 90% inhibition of the chymotrypsin-like activity. Unexpectedly, however, chronic bortezomib exposure caused a reduction of ERalpha levels in multiple ER+ breast cancer cell lines. This response can be explained by the fact that bortezomib induced a dramatic decrease in ERalpha mRNA because of direct transcriptional inhibition and loss of RNA polymerase II recruitment on the ERalpha gene promoter. Bortezomib treatment resulted in promoter-specific changes in estrogen-induced gene transcription that related with occupancy of ERalpha and RNA polymerase II (PolII) on endogenous promoters. In addition, bortezomib inhibited estrogen-dependent growth in soft agar. These results reveal a novel link between proteasome activity and expression of ERalpha in breast cancer and uncover distinct roles of the chymotrypsin-like activity of the proteasome in the regulation of the ERalpha pathway.
How Much Can A Priori Hydrologic Model Predictability Help in Optimal Merging of Satellite Precipitation Products

AbstractIn this study, the authors ask the question: Can a more superior precipitation product be developed by merging individual products according to their a priori hydrologic predictability? The performance of three widely used high-resolution satellite precipitation products [Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) real-time precipitation product 3B42 (3B42-RT), the NOAA/Climate Prediction Center morphing technique (CMORPH), and Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks-Cloud Classification System (PERSIANN-CCS)] was evaluated in terms streamflow predictability for the entire Mississippi River basin using the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) macroscale hydrologic model. A merging concept that was not based on a single universal merging formula for the whole basin but rather used a “localized” (grid box by grid box) approach for merging precipitation products was then explored. In this merging technique, the a priori (historical) hydrologic predic...
The role of brain angiotensin in thirst and AVP release induced by hemorrhage

Abstract This study investigated the role of brain angiotensin (Ang II) in thirst induced by hemorrhage. Hemorrhage by blood withdrawal from the femoral artery to 33% and 44% blood volume loss produces a dose response increase in plasma Ang II. In the brainstem there was no Ang II response to hemorrhage. In the hypothalamus, Brain Ang II was maximally elevated to 33% hemorrhage. Thus, plasma Ang II and brain Ang II had an independent response to hemorrhage. To further test the role of central versus peripheral Ang II, we tested the effect of central (50 mg) and peripheral (50 mg/kg) administration of captopril or central injection of 1 mg losartan or 3 mg CGP 42112A prior to a 33% hemorrhage in unanesthetized male Sprague-Dawley rats (250 g). Drinking was measured and AVP blood samples were taken before and after hemorrhage. The results show that central (ivt) administration of captopril and losartan inhibited drinking compared to controls (0.33 ± 0.3 ml vs. 2.3 ± 0.8 ml: P
Ultrasound Accurately Reflects the Jugular Venous Examination but Underestimates Central Venous Pressure

Background Bedside ultrasound examination could be used to assess jugular venous pressure (JVP), and thus central venous pressure (CVP), more reliably than clinical examination. Methods The study was a prospective, blinded evaluation comparing physical examination of external jugular venous pressure (JVPEXT), internal jugular venous pressure (JVPINT), and ultrasound collapse pressure (UCP) with CVP measured using an indwelling catheter. We compared the examination of the external and internal JVP with each other and with the UCP and CVP. JVPEXT, JVPINT, UCP, and CVP were compared graphically using Bland-Altman plots, and correlation coefficients were calculated. Results The correlation coefficients comparing CVP to UCP, JVPEXT, and JVPINT were 0.62, 0.57, and 0.50, respectively. When UCP was compared with JVPEXT and JVPINT, correlation coefficients were 0.91 and 0.81, respectively. Last, the correlation coefficient comparing JVPEXT and JVPINT was 0.98. The Bland-Altman graphical comparison of methods technique revealed that CVP was often underestimated by UCP, and clinical examination of JVPEXT and JVPINT. In contrast, there was no systematic bias between UCP and either JVPEXT or JVPINT, nor between JVPEXT and JVPINT. Conclusions Ultrasound examination is capable of measuring accurately the JVP as judged from the internal or external jugular vein. However, like the JVP, ultrasound typically underestimates CVP. A systematic bias between UCP and CVP suggests the presence of a variable degree of venous tone, possibly signaling contraction of jugular venous smooth muscle. Trial registry ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT01099241; URL: http://clinicaltrials.gov
Prediction Failure of a Wolf Landscape Model

Abstract I compared 101 wolf (Canis lupus) pack territories formed in Wisconsin during 1993–2004 to the logistic regression predictive model of Mladenoff et al. (1995, 1997, 1999). Of these, 60% were located in putative habitat suitabilities 50% remained unoccupied by known packs after 24 years of recolonization. This model was a poor predictor of wolf re-colonizing locations in Wisconsin, apparently because it failed to consider the adaptability of wolves. Such models should be used cautiously in wolf-management or restoration plans.
Fertility Preservation and Pregnancy in Women With and Without BRCA Mutation–Positive Breast Cancer

Women with breast cancer face many challenges when considering fertility preservation. Delayed referral results in the limitation of fertility preservation options because most established methods, such as embryo and oocyte cryopreservation, require several weeks to complete. Women with BRCA mutations, on the other hand, may be more aware of fertility issues and motivated to see fertility preservation specialists earlier. Fear of exposure to estrogen limits access to fertility preservation via embryo or oocyte cryopreservation; however, the use of aromatase inhibitors as ovarian stimulants reduces such concern. Ovarian cryopreservation can be used when there is insufficient time to perform ovarian stimulation because this technique does not require hormonal stimulation, but there are safety concerns both in women with BRCA mutations and in patients with hormone receptor-positive disease as well. There does not seem to be a proven ovarian suppression strategy to preserve fertility in women with breast cancer. Pregnancy appears to be safe for breast cancer survivors but studies specific for women with BRCA mutations are lacking. Women with BRCA mutations may elect to use preimplantation genetic diagnosis during in vitro fertilization to avoid transmitting the mutation, but there may be psychosocial difficulties in entertaining this option. Overall, the last decade has brought many options for women with breast cancer considering fertility preservation, but numerous challenges remain. The presence of BRCA mutations further contributes to these challenges.
Tests of a Fine-Mesh Model over Europe and the United States

Abstract Thirty–two 24 h forecasts have been run over western Europe and the eastern United States using a six-layer, 60 km mesh primitive equation model. The forecasts show considerable skill in forecasting cyclogenesis over the Mediterranean and the United States in spite of the inadvertent neglect of surface friction over half of the domain. The average 24 h S 1score for sea level pressure is 39.1 compared to an average of 45.9 for Fleet Numerical Weather Central's operational model and 73.4 for persistence. The initialization scheme is based on an objective analysis of the horizontal wind field. Following the wind analysis, we infer geopotential and temperature from the rotational part of the wind with a nonlinear form of the balance equation. We present detailed results from one initial analysis and error statistics from 30 analyses occurring from December 1977 through April 1978. Typical root-mean-square (rms) differences between first-guess and balanced analyses of geopotential and temperature are ...
Genetic and spatial structuring of the California vole (Microtus californicus) through a multiannual density peak and decline

Arvicoline rodents serve as model organisms for investigating the intricacies of ecological/evolutionary feedbacks that characterize multiannual fluctuations in abundance. A population of California voles (Microtus californicus) in central California was followed for 3.5 years using 4 small grids located 50 m apart. Blood samples were scored for 4 polymorphic allozyme loci by starch gel electrophoresis. These were carefully chosen for their potential to reveal details of genetic structuring among demes. A low density of voles developed into a peak followed by a rapid decline to low density. Heterozygosity averaged 20.2% (n = 709) with loci-specific shifts associated with density, season, and cyclic phase. Statistically significant heterogeneity in genotypic and allelic frequencies among the grids was found for 3 of the loci. Pairwise comparisons among the grids for each locus separately (n = 24) yielded 11 significantly disparate pairs for genotypic frequencies and 10 for alleles. Significant correlations...
Is Twitter a Good Place for Asking Questions? A Characterization Study.

People often turn to their social networks to fulfill their information needs. We conducted a study of question asking and answering (QA however, posting more tweets or posting more frequently did not increase chances of receiving a response. Most often the ‘follow’ relationship between asker and answerer was one-way. We provide a rich characterization of Q&A in social information streams and discuss implications for design.
The Digital Street An Ethnographic Study of Networked Street Life in Harlem

This article makes the case that street life is characterized by its flow online and offline. Such change requires a new way of doing street ethnography that holds great promise for urban and digit...
Characteristics of An Open Tube Wave Attenuation System

A new type of wave attenuation system consisting of arrays of open tubes of different length aligned with the direction of wave travel and suited for either fixed or floating applications has been systematically tested. This new breakwater acts as a scattering or de-tuning device for the periodically transmitted wave energy. In its ideal form it would produce a completely random output of the wave energy and dissipation through turbulence. By contrast to conventional breakwaters protecting essentially by reflection of the wave energy or by dissipation through wave breaking the proposed breakwater dissipates a major portion of the wave energy by currents induced in the tubes and generating turbulence at both of the tube exits, by surface resistance, and by interference with energy transmission through the array of tubes.
Intrasplenic transplantation of testes in castrated mice.

SummaryThirty-two successful testicular homo transplants were recovered from 40 castrated male and female mice of the A strain bearing the intrasplenic transplants for a period ranging from 23 to 275 days. The testicular transplants showed the general histological features of cryptorchid testes, although spermatids and sperm heads were noted in one case after 243 days of transplantation. The present material gave no indication of tumor development in the intrasplenic testicular transplants. The experimental data suggested that the endogenous androgen produced by the intrasplenic testicular transplant was inactivated when passing through the hepatic portal system.
Determination of Mean Particle Size by Diffuse Reflectance Foruier Transform Spectrometry

The mean particle size of a powder was measured by difuse refflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectrometry. A calibration curve relating the spectral intensities (plotted in Kubelka-Munk units) with the mean particle sizes was prepared. The particle sizes of three commercially available Si3N4 powders were determined by using the calibration curve. The analytical results of two powders with a narrow particle size distribution agreed well with the results obtained with a light diffraction and scattering particle counter (a microtrac analyzer), but that of a powder with a wide distribution did not agree. This method was able to determine the mean particle sizes of Si3N4 in the mixtures of Si3N4 and alumina powders.
Abstract 3298: Arsenic induces human bronchial epithelial cell transformation featured with tumor-initiating cells

Arsenic is a well-known human carcinogen. Chronic exposure to arsenic is associated with cancers in various tissues, including skin, urinary bladder, lung, liver, kidney and prostate. However, the mechanism underlying arsenic-induced carcinogenesis remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate that long-term (six month) exposure to low levels of sodium arsenite (0.25 µ M) in human bronchial epithelial cell line (BEAS-2B) results in altered morphology, increased cell proliferation and anchorage-independent colony formation in soft agar, indicative of malignant transformation of these cells. Moreover, tumorigenesis analysis revealed that s.c. inoculation of the arsenic-transformed cells can induce tumors in nude mice. The tumors can be observed after 2-3 weeks even only 500 arsenic-transformed cells were injected, suggesting that these transformed cells induced by long-term and low-dose arsenic treatment are highly tumorigenic. Additional studies indicated that some of these arsenic-transformed cells exhibit characteristics of tunor-initiating cells (TICs) or cancer stem cells (CSCs), such as overexpression of Oct3/4, Nanog, Sox2, Klf4, and C-myc. Tumor sphere formation assay, a general procedure in defining TICs or CSCs, suggested that about 5% of these arsenic-transformed cells can form tumor spheres in non-adherent plates. The tumor sphere forming cells were enriched through serial passage of the cells collected from tumor spheres. Flow cytometry sorting showed that 90% of these sphere cells are CD49f positive, whereas CD133, CD44, EpCAM, and c-kit were not detected. Overexpression of CD49f was confirmed by immunoblotting, which indicated an increased CD49f level in the arsenic-transformed cells relative to the non-transformed BEAS-2B cells. Finally, the ability of sphere formation and colony formation in soft agar was compared between the cells showed the strongest and the weakest CD49f expression and suggested that the cells with the strongest CD49f expression are more capable of forming tumor spheres and colonies. In conclusion, our data suggested that the transformed cells induced by arsenic have features of TICs or CSCs. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3298. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-3298
Regularity ofp-energy minimizing maps andp-superstrongly unstable indices

We derive the first and the second variational formulas forp-energy functional on maps between Riemannian manifolds, obtain a Bochner formula with related estimates and discuss Liouville-type theorems and the regularity ofp-minimizers. In particular, via an extrinsic average variational method,p-superstrongly unstable manifolds and indices are found and their role in the regularity theory is established.
Pressure-Enhanced Interdiffusion in Amorphous Si/Ge Multilayers: Implications for Defect-Mediated Diffusion

We have studied the pressure-dependence of the interdiffusion rate in amorphous Si/Ge multilayers. Samples were annealed in an externally-heated diamond anvil cell at 693 K at pressures ranging from 0 to 3.1 GPa. Interdiffusion rates were determined by ex situ x-ray diffraction measurements of the decay of the artificial Bragg peaks associated with the multilayer periodicity. Scaling experiments were performed to factor out the effects of concentration and time dependence in the diffusivity. All samples showed a consistent increase in diffusivity with applied pressure, characterized by a negative activation volume ranging from -44±3 to -37±2 percent of the atomic volume of Si for films ranging in average Si composition from 25 to 71 percent, respectively. These results are consistent with a model for diffusion in amorphous Si and Ge based on dangling bond migration.
Numerical investigation of CO2 sequestration in geologic media using the massively parallel computer code PFLOTRAN

CO2 sequestration (capture, separation, and long term storage) in various geologic media (such as depleted oil reservoirs, saline aquifers, oceanic sediments at different depths) is being considered as a possible solution to reduce green house gas emissions. In this study we utilize the PFLOTRAN simulator to investigate geologic sequestration of CO2. PFLOTRAN is a massively parallel 3-D reservoir simulator for modeling subsurface multiphase (CO2, H2O), multicomponent reactive flow and transport based on continuum scale mass and energy conservation equations. The flow equations are sequentially coupled to reactive transport equations describing multi-component chemical reactions within the formation involving aqueous speciation, and precipitation and dissolution of minerals including CO2-bearing phases to describe aqueous and mineral CO2 sequestration. The effect of the injected CO2 on pH, CO2 concentration within the aqueous phase, mineral stability, and other factors can be evaluated with this model. The PETSc parallel scientific toolkit is used to manage parallel data structures and MPI message passing, and its highly efficient Newton-Krylov solver framework is used to solve the nonlinear equations arising from a fully-implicit time stepping scheme based on domain decomposition. This allows simulations with several tens of millions of degrees of freedom to be carried out—ideal for large-scale field applications involving multi-component chemistry. In this work, our main focus is on the investigation of long term storage and possible leakage processes of CO2, and their sensitivity to reservoir and fluid properties, such as permeability and capillary pressure, diffusion coefficients, component solubility, etc. Important issues include mobility of a supercritical CO2 plume in a heterogeneous porous medium, gravity induced instabilities during CO2 plume buoyancy, and mineral reaction induced permeability change and consumption or production of CO2. These investigations will help provide preliminary criteria for site selection and to develop methods for prevention of leakage.
AAlign: A SIMD Framework for Pairwise Sequence Alignment on x86-Based Multi-and Many-Core Processors

Pairwise sequence alignment algorithms, e.g., Smith-Waterman and Needleman-Wunsch, with adjustable gap penalty systems are widely used in bioinformatics. The strong data dependencies in these algorithms, however, prevents compilers from effectively auto-vectorizing them. When programmers manually vectorize them on multi-and many-core processors, two vectorizing strategies are usually considered, both of which initially ignore data dependencies and then appropriately correct in a subsequent stage: (1) iterate, which vectorizes and then compensates the scoring results with multiple rounds of corrections and (2) scan, which vectorizes and then corrects the scoring results primarily via one round of parallel scan. However, manually writing such vectorizing code efficiently is non-trivial, even for experts, and the code may not be portable across ISAs. In addition, even highly vectorized and optimized codes may not achieve optimal performance because selecting the best vectorizing strategy depends on the algorithms, configurations (gap systems), and input sequences. Therefore, we propose a framework called AAlign to automatically vectorize pairwise sequence alignment algorithms across ISAs. AAlign ingests a sequential code (which follows our generalized paradigm for pairwise sequence alignment) and automatically generates efficient vector code for iterate and scan. To reap the benefits of both vectorization strategies, we propose a hybrid mechanism where AAlign automatically selects the best vectorizing strategy at runtime no matter which algorithms, configurations, and input sequences are specified. On Intel Haswell and MIC, the generated codes for Smith-Waterman and Needleman-Wunsch achieve up to a 26-fold speedup over their sequential counterparts. Compared to the highly optimized and multi-threaded sequence alignment tools, e.g., SWPS3 and SWAPHI, our codes can deliver up to 2.5-fold and 1.6-fold speedups, respectively.
Ecological monitoring and evidence-based decision-making in America's National Parks: highlights of the Special Feature

In this Special Feature, we celebrate 100 years of National Park Service science by highlighting contributions from the agency's Inventory and Monitoring Division. This broad body of work coalesces into several themes, including the role of protected areas in understanding rapid global change and the growing interest in place-based ecological insights that contextualize scientific information from protected areas across broader scales. Finally, we illustrate progress on the long-sought integration of science into the resource management strategies implemented within “America's Best Idea,” now more important than ever given the many challenges our nation's parks face.
Metabolic and Genetic Liver Diseases: Porphyrias

Porphyrias are diverse disorders related to abnormal heme production. Heme is an iron-containing molecule involved in oxygen transport (hemoglobin) and the function of oxidative enzymes (cytochrome P450 complex, catalase, mitochondrial cytochromes). Bone marrow and liver are the main sites of heme production; thus, the symptomatology of porphyrias involves liver and erythroid cells. Accumulation of porphyrins (intermediate products in heme production) can be neurotoxic, leading to peripheral neuropathies. Other porphyrins lead to severe photosensitivity and skin injury. In porphyrias associated with photosensitivity, skin should be protected from direct sun exposure at all times. Administration of glucose improves symptoms in acute porphyrias.
MUON-CAPTURE IN DEUTERIUM IN THE ELEMENTARY PARTICLE TREATMENT

Publisher Summary This chapter describes muon-capture in deuterium in the elementary particle treatment. It presents a calculation of the rates for muon-capture in deuterium from the doublet and quartet states in the elementary particle treatment. Treatment of this process is complicated by the presence of two hadrons in the final state. The transition matrix element for this process is proportional to the quantity. The chapter also discusses final-state interactions between two neutrons that are included in the form factors, which are functions of three scalar variables. These matrix elements are constructed to agree with those obtained by an impulse approximation treatment in the non-relativistic limit. An impulse approximation-based argument shows that they may be factorized. The chapter further discusses phase space integrations that are performed by computer.
Dancing Computer: Computer Literacy though Dance

The Dancing Computer project is developing a system that aims to increase computer literacy in elementary-aged children by teaching them first to read code before they write it. The main objective is to educate children on basic concepts of Computer Science. Children are given tablet computers that present a simple program line-by-line that they execute as they pretend to be a computer. The programs are acted out on a portable dance floor consisting of colored tiles and the program statements instruct the child to move, turn, and act out dance poses and terminology. This is a unique and different approach - the norm being to start students off writing code in some language. This project has the potential to increase the level of Computer Literacy for thousands of children. This project's goal is to increase understanding of what a computer does, what a program does, and the step-by-step nature of computer programs.
Foot Massage, Touch, and Presence in Decreasing Anxiety during a Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Feasibility Study

Abstract Objectives: The purpose of the study was to determine (1) recruitment feasibility; (2) intervention adherence; (3) intervention acceptability; and (4) the preliminary effects of touch or foot massage interventions on anxiety during a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Design: A quasi-experimental design was used. Intervention: Foot massage and touch were the intervention groups and “presence” was the control group. Setting: The study was conducted at the Center for Neurosciences, a freestanding facility, in southern Arizona. Participants: The sample (N = 60) was predominantly Caucasian (58.3%), married (55%), and college educated (43.3%). There were 39 females and 21 males. Fifty-three percent of the participants had an MRI head scan. Outcome measures: Recruitment feasibility was the percentage of participants enrolled out of those screened. Adherence to foot massage and touch interventions was measured by the researcher's ability to apply full intervention for 20 min. Four factors measured partic...
Considering sex differences clarifies the effects of depression on facial emotion processing during fMRI.

Abstract Background Sex differences in emotion processing may play a role in women's increased risk for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). However, studies of sex differences in brain mechanisms involved in emotion processing in MDD (or interactions of sex and diagnosis) are sparse. Methods We conducted an event-related fMRI study examining the interactive and distinct effects of sex and MDD on neural activity during a facial emotion perception task. To minimize effects of current affective state and cumulative disease burden, we studied participants with remitted MDD (rMDD) who were early in the course of the illness. In total, 88 individuals aged 18–23 participated, including 48 with rMDD (32 female) and 40 healthy controls (HC; 25 female). Results fMRI revealed an interaction between sex and diagnosis for sad and neutral facial expressions in the superior frontal gyrus and left middle temporal gyrus. Results also revealed an interaction of sex with diagnosis in the amygdala. Limitations Data was from two sites, which might increase variability, but it also increases power to examine sex by diagnosis interactions. Conclusions This study demonstrates the importance of taking sex differences into account when examining potential trait (or scar) mechanisms that could be useful in identifying individuals at-risk for MDD as well as for evaluating potential therapeutic innovations.
Autophagy-dependent crosstalk between GILT and PAX-3 influences radiation sensitivity of human melanoma cells

Melanoma represents an ever-increasing problem in the western world as incidence rates continue to climb. Though manageable during early stages, late stage metastatic disease is highly resistant to current intervention. We have previously shown that gamma-interferon-inducible lysosomal thiol-reductase (GILT) enhances HLA class II antigen processing and immune detection of human melanoma cells. Here we report that GILT expression inhibits a potential target, paired box-3 (PAX-3) protein, in late stage human metastatic melanoma. We also show that GILT transfection or induction by IFN-γ, decreases PAX-3 protein expression while upregulating the expression of Daxx, which is also a repressor of PAX-3. Confocal microscopic analysis demonstrated that GILT co-localizes with PAX-3 protein, but not with Daxx within melanoma cells. Immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting studies suggest that GILT expression negatively regulates PAX-3 through the autophagy pathway, potentially resulting in increased susceptibility to conventional treatment in the form of chemotherapy or radiotherapy. While high-dose radiation is a common treatment for melanoma patients, our data suggest that GILT expression significantly increased the susceptibility of melanoma cells to low-dose radiation therapy via upregulation of tumor suppressor protein p53. Overall, these data suggest that GILT has multiple roles in inducing human melanoma cells as better targets for radiation and immunotherapy.
Answerability Without Answers

The classical ethical questions of whether and to what extent moral criticism is a sort of rational criticism have received renewed interest in recent years. According to the approach that I refer to as rationalist, accounts of moral responsibility are grounded by explanations of the conditions under which an agent is rationally answerable for her actions and attitudes. In the sense that is relevant here, to answer for an attitude or action is to give reasons that at least purport to justify it. To hold someone answerable for an attitude or action is thus to hold her rationally liable for it. T. M. Scanlon’s view is perhaps the most well-known example of this approach. The rationalist approach has recently been attacked by David Shoemaker for being too narrow: the charge is that attitudes exist for which an agent is responsible even though she cannot, in the relevant sense, answer for them. If there are morally significant attitudes that are attributable to an agent even though she cannot answer for them, then it would seem incomplete, misguided, or worse to treat morality as fundamentally a matter of demanding and giving reasons. By developing some remarks based on G. E. M. Anscombe’s Intention, I defend the rationalist approach against this critique. I show how an agent may be answerable for an attitude even though she cannot answer for it. The objective of this paper is thus twofold: to contribute to the discussion of the connection between rational liability and ethical responsibility, and to provide an example of the broad relevance of Anscombe’s thought to contemporary practical philosophy.
Explaining bullying victimization: assessing the generality of the low self-control/risky lifestyle model

ABSTRACTThe integrated low self-control/risky lifestyle theoretical framework has proven useful for explaining various types of victimization. Bullying victimization (i.e., verbal, social, or physical attacks), however, may not fit this explanation very well if youths who are bullied do not have to engage in risky behaviors to be singled out by their peers, but could instead be targeted for other reasons (e.g., physical vulnerabilities). In this context, the current paper examines the generality of the low self-control/risky lifestyle model by assessing whether it can effectively explain which youngsters are more likely to be bullied. Using a sample of 1,901 middle school students, the results indicate that, although low self-control significantly predicts whether youths will engage in risky lifestyles (e.g., displaying aggressive attitudes, committing delinquent acts, using illicit substances), participating in such behaviors does not elevate the likelihood of bullying victimization. Instead, the authors...
A novel clustering algorithm based on fitness proportionate sharing

Existing clustering techniques primarily rely on prior knowledge about the data, such as the number of clusters and radii. However, in real applications, the number of clusters and the radii of clusters are usually unknown. Therefore, the performance of clustering methods with overlapping data is degraded due to their limitations in finding all cluster centers with uneven density values. Hence, a new clustering algorithm based on fitness proportionate sharing is proposed to map the problem into a multimodal optimization problem. In this paper, clusters are considered as niches, and the individuals with the highest density values of each niche are the cluster centers. Instead of using the traditional sharing strategy, the fitness proportionate sharing strategy is implemented in the identification of niche maxima to overcome the sensitivity of uneven density values of cluster centers. A procedure of niche expansion is employed for the merging of clusters. Simulation results and complexity analysis reveal that the proposed clustering algorithm based on fitness proportionate sharing provides a higher accuracy performance without any prior information.
How Does the U.S. Taxation of Foreign Earnings Affect Internal Capital Markets: Evidence from TIPRA 2005

I use the passage of the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 (TIPRA), which alters the after-tax considerations of foreign internal capital markets, as a quasi-natural experimental setting to test whether a reduction in the tax costs associated with moving foreign capital increased firms’ use of holding companies. In separate tests using Compustat and IRS data, I document that firms increase holding company use after TIPRA. Furthermore, I find that firms with the greatest increases in holding companies also increase their post-TIPRA foreign sales and generate more persistent foreign earnings. I interpret these findings to suggest that TIPRA is associated with increased global competitiveness for firms that actively modify their organizational structures. In additional analysis, I attribute this increased global competitiveness to maintained liquidity and capital investments during a financial crisis, relative to firms that do not respond as strongly to tax incentives to utilize holding companies.
Sympathomimetic Toxidromes and Other Pharmacological Causes of Acute Hypertension

Acute drug-induced hypertension, sympathomimetic toxicity, and other hyperadrenergic states can be caused by both xenobiotic toxicity and withdrawal. This manuscript is a selective review of the recent literature regarding pharmacologic causes of hypertensive emergencies and other hyperadrenergic states. We will discuss designer stimulants, alpha2 and baclofen agonist withdrawal, and the clinical entity known as posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES). Additionally, we examine the controversial “unopposed alpha” phenomenon which may result from use of beta-adrenergic antagonist in the presence of stimulant toxicity. These topics encompass clinical situations and disease entities that are increasingly encountered and are often either unanticipated or under-recognized.
A Review of Outcomes and Technique for the Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection for Testicular Cancer.

Objectives. The robotic-assisted laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (R-RPLND) represents a new frontier in the surgical management of testicular cancer in the realm of minimally invasive urologic oncology. We aimed to review the early outcomes as compared to the laparoscopic and open approaches as well as describe the operative technique for the R-RPLND. Materials and Methods. We reviewed all the literature related to the R-RPLND based on an electronic PubMed search up until July 2017. Results and Discussion. Encouraged by favorable early oncologic and safety outcomes for treatment of clinical stage (CS) I nonseminomatous germ cell tumor (NSGCT), the R-RPLND affords the same recovery advantages as the laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (L-RPLND) while offering greater dexterity, superior visualization, and a theoretically shorter learning curve for the surgeon. While R-RPLND has a promising future in the management of patients with primary and postchemotherapy NSGCT, larger and more vigorous prospective studies are needed before supplanting the open RPLND as the gold standard approach for primary low-stage NSGCT or becoming an equivalent surgical modality in the postchemotherapy setting.
Maternal obesity during lactation may protect offspring from high fat diet-induced metabolic dysfunction

The current obesity epidemic has spurred exploration of the developmental origin of adult heath and disease. A mother’s dietary choices and health can affect both the early wellbeing and lifelong disease-risk of the offspring. To determine if changes in the mother’s diet and adiposity have long-term effects on the baby’s metabolism, independently from a prenatal insult, we utilized a mouse model of diet-induced-obesity and cross-fostering. All pups were born to lean dams fed a low fat diet but were fostered onto lean or obese dams fed a high fat diet. This study design allowed us to discern the effects of a poor diet from those of mother’s adiposity and metabolism. The weaned offspring were placed on a high fat diet to test their metabolic function. In this feeding challenge, all male (but not female) offspring developed metabolic dysfunction. We saw increased weight gain in the pups nursed on an obesity-resistant dam fed a high fat diet, and increased pathogenesis including liver steatosis and adipose tissue inflammation, when compared to pups nursed on either obesity-prone dams on a high fat diet or lean dams on a low fat diet. Exposure to maternal over-nutrition, through the milk, is sufficient to shape offspring health outcomes in a sex- and organ-specific manner, and milk from a mother who is obesity-prone may partially protect the offspring from the insult of a poor diet.
Flood-Frequency Analysis with Historical Data in China

The U.S. Geological Survey has participated with the People’s Republic of China since 1981 in a scientific and technical exchange of hudrologic data and analytical techniques. The chinese have been documenting historical flood elevations at thousands of sites in China since about 1950. Information has been found at a few sites to establish flood elevations for extraordinary events occurring as much as 2,000 years ago. Peak discharges for many of the historical flood events have been quantified by using stage-discharge relations. hydraulic modesl. The Chinese have used the historical data extensively in their analyses of flood frequency for design purposes. Frequency curves are developed by a acombination of analytical and graphical methods, with the Pearson Type III distributin and Weibull plotting positions. The upper part of the curves are strongly influenced by the historical data.
15.23 – Laser Ablation ICP-MS and Laser Fluorination GS-MS

In situ laser methods of sampling and chemical analysis serve as less destructive means to analyze precious sample specimens by requiring less material per measurement and providing superior spatial resolution compared to traditional solution and/or bulk methods of chemical analysis. In particular, laser ablation (LA-) inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and laser fluorination (LF-) gas source mass spectrometry (GS-MS) allow for the high-precision analysis of individual micron-scale fluid/melt inclusions, mineral grains, and/or interstitial matrix in any solid sample. Here, the basic fundamentals behind laser processing, LA-ICP-MS and LF-GS-MS, techniques are reviewed, and the applications of each are presented.
Defining microbiome function.

Why does a microorganism associate with a host? What function does it perform? Such questions are difficult to unequivocally address and remain hotly debated. This is partially because scientists often use different philosophical definitions of ‘function’ ambiguously and interchangeably, as exemplified by the controversy surrounding the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) project. Here, I argue that research studying host-associated microbial communities and their genomes (that is, microbiomes) faces similar pitfalls and that unclear or misapplied conceptions of function underpin many controversies in this field. In particular, experiments that support phenomenological models of function can inappropriately be used to support functional models that instead require specific measurements of evolutionary selection. Microbiome research also requires uniquely clear definitions of ‘who the function is for’, in contrast to most single-organism systems where this is implicit. I illustrate how obscuring either of these issues can lead to substantial confusion and misinterpretation of microbiome function, using the varied conceptions of the holobiont as a current and cogent example. Using clear functional definitions and appropriate types of evidence are essential to effectively communicate microbiome research and foster host health. This Perspective argues that microbiome research needs to consider the different philosophical definitions of function to avoid confusion in the field, and uses the hologenome concept as an example.