cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Serotonin Transporters: Implications for Antidepressant Drug Development

Due to the complexity of the disease, several hypotheses exist to explain the etiology of depression. The monoamine theory of depression suggests that disruptions in the serotonergic and noradrenergic systems result in depressive symptoms. Therefore, the serotonin transporter (SERT) has become a pharmacological target for treating these symptoms. This review will discuss what is known about the molecular interactions of antidepressants with SERT. The effects of antidepressants on SERT regulation and expression in addition to the receptors that may be involved in mediating these effects will be addressed. Specifically, how changes to SERT expression following chronic antidepressant treatment may contribute to the therapeutic benefits of antidepressants will be discussed. Furthermore, the effects of SERT gene polymorphisms on antidepressant efficacy will be examined. Finally, a brief overview of other hypotheses of depression will be addressed as well as factors that must be considered for future antidepressant development.
What Is Radical Historicism

This article responds to Stephen Turner’s discussion of my article, “Historicism and Critique.” I emphasize that radical historicism consists of substantive philosophical commitments. One commitment is to a historicized epistemology that presents objective knowledge as a product of a comparison between rival webs of belief. Another commitment is to a historical ontology that presents aggregate concepts in the social sciences as inherently pragmatic. These substantive commitments provide a plausible basis for various forms of critique. They lead to analyses of genealogical and ideological critique that differ from appeals to genealogy as a kind of groundless skepticism toward, and problematization of, all substantive commitments.
Quality indicators for falls and mobility problems in vulnerable elders.

Falls and mobility problems are common and serious problems facing older adults. Accidents are the fifth leading cause of death in older adults.
Evaluating salinity sources of groundwater and implications for sustainable reverse osmosis desalination in coastal North Carolina, USA

The natural and pumping-induced controls on groundwater salinization in the coastal aquifers of North Carolina, USA, and the implications for the performance of a reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plant have been investigated. Since installation of the well field in the Yorktown aquifer in Kill Devil Hills of Dare County during the late 1980s, the groundwater level has declined and salinity of groundwater has increased from ∼1,000 to ∼2,500 mg/L. Geochemical and boron isotope analyses suggest that the salinity increase is derived from an upflow of underlying saline groundwater and not from modern seawater intrusion. In the groundwater of four wells supplying the plant, elevated boron and arsenic concentrations were observed (1.3–1.4 mg/L and 8–53 μg/L, respectively). Major ions are effectively rejected by the RO membrane (96–99% removal), while boron and arsenic are not removed as effectively (16–42% and 54–75%, respectively). In coming decades, the expected rise of salinity will be associated with higher boron content in the groundwater and consequently also in the RO-produced water. In contrast, there is no expectation of an increase in the arsenic content of the salinized groundwater due to the lack of increase of arsenic with depth and salinity in Yorktown aquifer groundwater.
A Mid-Flight Synopsis of the BG Social Networking Benchmark

BG is a benchmark that rates the performance of a data store for processing interactive social networking actions such as view a member’s profile, invite a member to be friends, accept a friend request, and others. It is motivated by a proliferation of data stores from a variety of academic and industrial contributors including social networking companies, e.g., Voldemort by LinkedIn. BG is designed to provide a system architect with insights into alternative design principles such as the use of a weak consistency technique instead of a strong one, different physical data models such as relational and JSON, factors that impact vertical and horizontal scalability of a data store, the consistency versus availability tradeoff in the CAP theorem, among others. While BG is a recently introduced benchmark (less than a year old as of this writing), it combines elements of maturer benchmarks and extends them to simplify its use by the practitioners and experimentalists. This paper provides a synopsis of the BG benchmark by identifying its strengths and limitations in our daily use cases. The identified limitations shape our research activities and the obtained solutions shall be incorporated into future BG releases. Thus, this workshop paper is a mid-flight glimpse into our current research efforts with BG.
The Effects of Exposure to “Synthetic” Chemicals on Human Health: A Review

This article examines how scientists use human, animal, and bacterial evidence to develop policy recommendations about the health consequences of human exposure to modern chemicals. Human evidence is limited because many epidemiological studies are contaminated with selection effects or unobserved heterogeneity. Changes in the aggregate incidence of morbidity (such as cancer) in the population over time are not a substitute for the lack of good individual-level data because incidence data are contaminated by the medicalization of cancer. Animal tests are also problematic because the expense of conducting experiments leads researchers to use only enough animals to allow detection of large differences in cancer incidence between controls and experimental animals that can only arise if the exposure doses are large. Predictions about the cancer incidence that would result in humans at much lower exposure levels, thus, require statistical inferences that implicitly make choices between false positive and false negative inference errors. Policy recommendations about carcinogens, therefore, are as much the product of value choices as "scientific" knowledge.
Synthesis and structure determination of 6-methylbenzo[a]pyrene-deoxyribonucleoside adducts and their identification and quantitation in vitro and in mouse skin.

Abstract Activation of the moderate carcinogen 6-methylbenzo[a]pyrene (6-CH3BP) by one-electron oxidation to form DNA adducts was studied. Iodine oxidation of 6-CH3BP in the presence of dGuo produces BP-6-CH2-N2dGuo, BP-6-CH2-N7Gua and a mixture of 6-CH3BP-(1&3)-N7Gua, whereas in the presence of Ade the adducts BP-6-CH2-N1Ade, BP-6-CH2-N3Ade, BP-6-CH2-N7Ade and 6-CH3BP-(1&3)-N1Ade are obtained. Furthermore, for the first time an aromatic hydrocarbon radical cation afforded an adduct with dThd, the stable adduct BP-6-CH2-N3dThd. Formation of these adducts indicates that the 6-CH3BP radical cation has charge localized at the 6, 1 and 3 position. When 6-CH3BP was activated by horseradish peroxidase in the presence of DNA, two depurinating adducts were identified, BP-6-CH2-N7Gua (48%) and 6-CH3BP-(1&3)-N7Gua (23%), with 29% unidentified stable adducts. In the binding of 6-CH3BP catalyzed by rat liver microsomes, the same two depurinating adducts, BP-6-CH2-N7Gua (22%) and 6-CH3BP-(1&3)-N7Gua (10%), were identified, with 68% unidentified stable adducts. In 6-CH3BP-treated mouse skin, the two depurinating adducts, BP-6-CH2-N7Gua and 6-CH3BP-(1&3)-N7Gua, were identified. Although quantitation of these two adducts was not possible due to coelution of metabolites on HPLC, they appeared to be the major adducts found in mouse skin. These results show that 6-CH3BP forms depurinating adducts only with the guanine base of DNA, both in vitro and in mouse skin. The weaker reactivity of 6-CH3BP radical cation vs. BP radical cation could account for the weaker tumor-initiating activity of 6-CH3BP in comparison to that of BP.
Cumulative retrospective cost adaptive control of systems with amplitude and rate saturation

We demonstrate that the retrospective cost adaptive control algorithm can improve the tracking error when following square-wave and triangle-wave commands in the presence of amplitude and rate saturation, respectively, provided that the saturation level is known. Specifically, the retrospective cost adaptive control algorithm does not experience integrator windup, which is a common problem under amplitude and rate saturation for fixed-gain controllers with integral action.
The need for medical education reform: genomics and the changing nature of health information

No course in genetics can prepare the practicing physician to interpret whole-genome data. We argue that genetics is a microcosm of the changing dynamics of the practice of medicine. It illustrates the perfect storm of exponential increases in raw data with undetermined clinical relevance, ease of access to large amounts of data via the internet and shifting expectations of the doctor-patient relationship and the very mechanisms of health care delivery. Educational reform is needed across the continuum of medical education, from the student to the faculty training them, and requires a shift in focus from factual knowledge to data management and interpretation.
A performance evaluation framework for association mining in spatial data

The evaluation of the process of mining associations is an important and challenging problem in database systems and especially those that store critical data and are used for making critical decisions. Within the context of spatial databases we present an evaluation framework in which we use probability distributions to model spatial regions, and Bayesian networks to model the joint probability distribution and the structural relationships among spatial and non-spatial predicates. We demonstrate the applicability of the proposed framework by evaluating representatives from two well-known approaches that are used for learning associations, i.e., dependency analysis (using statistical tests of independence) and Bayesian methods. By controlling the parameters of the framework we provide extensive comparative results of the performance of the two approaches. We obtain measures of recovery of known associations as a function of the number of samples used, the strength, number and type of associations in the model, the number of spatial predicates associated with a particular non-spatial predicate, the prior probabilities of spatial predicates, the conditional probabilities of the non-spatial predicates, the image registration error, and the parameters that control the sensitivity of the methods. In addition to performance we investigate the processing efficiency of the two approaches.
WNK4 inhibition of ENaC is independent of Nedd4-2-mediated ENaC ubiquitination

A serine-threonine protein kinase, WNK4, reduces Na+ reabsorption and K+ secretion in the distal convoluted tubule by reducing trafficking of the thiazide-sensitive Na-Cl cotransporter to and enhan...
Should we be concerned about the rapid increase in CT usage

There has been a rapid increase in the population dose from medical radiation within the last 20 years, particularly due to the increase in CT usage. Currently, about 65 million adult and 5 million pediatric CT exams are being performed in the US each year. CT-related x-ray doses are small, but very much larger than for most conventional radiological examinations. CT-related x-ray doses are large enough that there is statistically-significant epidemiological evidence of a small increase in cancer risk. Risks are larger for children. Estimated individual risks from CT are small, but the increasing population dose from increased CT usage leads to concerns about future public health problems. The various CT-based health screening applications are not yet quite ready for mass use, but will be soon, resulting in an expected further jump in CT usage. There is considerable potential, using ongoing technological developments, to reduce radiation doses per CT scan, and therefore the risks. There are significant numbers of CT scans (perhaps 1/3) which, based on medical considerations alone, either need not be done, or could reasonably be replaced with other imaging modalities. Developing and following clinical decision rules can reduce unnecessary CT usage. Communication between physician and patient about the benefits and also about the potential small risks of CT is a positive development, unlikely to reduce patient compliance.
The Prognosis for Children with Cystic Fibrosis Based on Reasoned Approaches to Therapy: Past, Present, and Future

(1968). The Prognosis for Children with Cystic Fibrosis Based on Reasoned Approaches to Therapy: Past, Present, and Future. Journal of Asthma Research: Vol. 5, No. 4, pp. 277-284.
Acute hypothalamic suppression significantly affects trabecular bone but not cortical bone following recovery and ovariectomy surgery in a rat model

Background. Osteoporosis is "a pediatric disease with geriatric consequences." Bone morphology and tissue quality co-adapt during ontogeny for sufficient bone stiffness. Altered bone morphology from hypothalamic amenorrhea, a risk factor for low bone mass in women, may affect bone strength later in life. Our purpose was to determine if altered morphology following hypothalamic suppression during development affects cortical bone strength and trabecular bone volume (BV/TV) at maturity. Methods. Female rats (25 days old) were assigned to a control (C) group (n = 45) that received saline injections (.2 cc) or an experimental group (GnRH-a) (n = 45) that received gonadotropin releasing hormone antagonist injections (.24 mg per dose) for 25 days. Fifteen animals from each group were sacrificed immediately after the injection protocol at Day 50 (C, GnRH-a). The remaining animals recovered for 135 days and a subset of each group was sacrificed at Day 185 ((C-R) (n = 15) and (G-R) (n = 15)). The remaining animals had an ovariectomy surgery (OVX) at 185 days of age and were sacrificed 40 days later (C-OVX) (n = 15) and (G-OVX) (n = 15). After sacrifice femurs were mechanically tested and scanned using micro CT. Serum C-terminal telopeptides (CTX) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) were measured. Two-way ANOVA (2 groups (GnRH-a and Control) X 3 time points (Injection Protocol, Recovery, post-OVX)) was computed. Results. GnRH-a injections suppressed uterine weights (72%) and increased CTX levels by 59%. Bone stiffness was greater in the GnRH-a groups compared to C. Ash content and cortical bone area were similar between groups at all time points. Polar moment of inertia, a measure of bone architecture, was 15% larger in the GnRH-a group and remained larger than C (19%) following recovery. Both the polar moment of inertia and cortical area increased linearly with the increases in body weight. Following the injection protocol, trabecular BV/TV was 31% lower in the GnRH-a group compared to C, a similar deficit in BV/TV was also measured following recovery and post-OVX. The trabecular number and thickness were lower in the GnRH-a group compared to control. Conclusion. These data suggest that following a transient delay in pubertal onset, trabecular bone volume was significantly lower and no restoration of bone volume occurred following recovery or post-OVX surgery. However, cortical bone strength was maintained through architectural adaptations in the cortical bone envelope. An increase in the polar moment of inertia offset increased bone resorption. The current data are the first to suppress trabecular bone during growth, and then add an OVX protocol at maturity. Trabecular bone and cortical bone differed in their response to hypothalamic suppression during development; trabecular bone was more sensitive to the negative effects of hypothalamic suppression.
Integrating behavioral surveillance into emerging infectious disease prevention.

Pandemics associated with emerging infectious diseases, particularly zoonotic infections, are increasing in both frequency and impact. Over the past decade, attempts to control deadly zoonotic viruses like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronaviruses, and highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses, have been, out of necessity, almost entirely reactionary. The Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which is not yet contained, and the recent MERS outbreak in South Korea, highlight the rapidity with which these deadly infections can spread. While detection of Ebola was relatively slow in West Africa and response even slower, MERS in South Korea was identified quickly. Yet cases in South Korea ballooned to 164 within 30 days with 24 deaths1 despite a lack of evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission. Both epidemics share underlying super-spreader mechanisms of transmission attributable directly to cultural practices that were not immediately considered or addressed.
Dynamic friction in sheared fault gouge: implications of acoustic vibration on triggering and slow slip

Friction and deformation in granular fault gouge are among various dynamic interactions associated with seismic phenomena that have important implications for slip mechanisms on earthquake faults. To this end, we propose a mechanistic model of granular fault gouge subject to acoustic vibrations and shear deformation. The grain-scale dynamics is described by the Shear-Transformation-Zone theory of granular flow, which accounts for irreversible plastic deformation in terms of flow defects whose density is governed by an effective temperature. Our model accounts for stick-slip instabilities observed at seismic slip rates. In addition, as the vibration intensity increases, we observe an increase in the temporal advancement of large slip events, followed by a plateau and gradual decrease. Furthermore, slip becomes progressively slower upon increasing the vibration intensity. The results shed important light on the physical mechanisms of earthquake triggering and slow slip and provide essential elements for the multiscale modeling of earthquake ruptures. In particular, the results suggest that slow slip may be triggered by tremors.
On a possible connection between three major earthquakes in California and oil production

Abstract The 1983 Coalinga M 6.5, the 1985 Kettleman North Dome M 6.1, and the 1987 Whittier Narrows M 5.9 earthquake sequences each occurred beneath major producing oil fields and caused an aftershock sequence whose epicentral extent coincides approximately with that of the overlying oil field. Despite this coincidence, a causal relationship between these sequences and oil production has been discounted because the earthquakes were located at depths of the order of 10 km, whereas oil production is confined to the topmost several km. Moreover, because all three oil fields, Coalinga, Kettleman, North Dome, and Montebello, are situated on anticlines that have undergone recent uplift as a consequence of horizontal tectonic compression of the crust, natural earthquakes are not unexpected. A mechanical connection between oil production and the earthquake sequence is suggested, however, by the observation that in each case the total seismic deformation was just that required to offset the force imbalance caused by oil production. Specifically, for each of the three sequences Σ M 0 = 2 μΔ m γ/ρ c , where Σ M 0 is the sum of the seismic moments, μ is the modulus of rigidity, Δ m is the mass of the fluid removed due to oil production, γ is the fraction of the upper crust that is seismogenic, and ρ c is the average upper crustal density. In essence, net extraction of oil and water reduces slightly the average density of the upper crust, causing an isostatic imbalance. The ductile lower crust deforms in response to this imbalance, thus increasing the load on the seismogenic layer, which fails seismically to thicken the crust so as to restore static equilibrium locally. Accordingly, earthquakes near the base of the upper crust may be an expected outcome of major oil production from growing anticlines, irrespective of the depths of the producing formations.
Flow-dependent potassium secretion by rabbit cortical collecting tubule in vitro.

Cortical collecting tubules (CCT) dissected from rabbits fed a diet designed to stimulate potassium transport secreted potassium in direct proportion to the flow rate in the range of 0.4-3 nl/min (r = 0.79). This relationship was also evident in tubules from rabbits maintained on standard laboratory chow (r = 0.80). The slope of the line relating the two parameters was almost six times greater in tubules from animals fed the special diet. When the range of flow rates was expanded, potassium secretion in nine CCTs appeared to peak at 5-6 nl/min and then failed to increase despite further elevation of flow to nearly 15 nl/min. We investigated the effects of the electrical and chemical gradients on flow-dependent potassium secretion. Because transepithelial voltage was unaffected by changes in axial flow, we conclude that the flow-dependent fraction of potassium secretion is not explained by the electrical gradient. To evaluate the role of luminal potassium concentration on flow-dependent potassium secretion, 11 CCTs were perfused with both 5 and 50 mM potassium solutions at two flow rates (approximately 1.5 and 4.0 nl/min). Increases in both potassium secretion (15.6 +/- 3.9 peq.mm-1.min-1) and sodium reabsorption (11.9 +/- 5.2 peq.mm-1.min-1) were evident in the tubules perfused with 5 mM potassium. Potassium secretion was not reduced by 50 mM luminal potassium at the low flow rate when the largest chemical gradients opposing net secretion were generated. When 50 mM potassium was present in the lumen, increasing flow did not stimulate potassium secretion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Management of the Central and Lateral Neck in Patients with Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

The incidence of differentiated thyroid cancer, including papillary, follicular, and Hurthle cell histologies, is increasing rapidly in the United States. It is associated with significant risk of locoregional lymph node metastasis; this is especially true for papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), which now accounts for approximately 90 % of all new thyroid cancer diagnoses. Overall, differentiated thyroid cancer is associated with a good prognosis and excellent long-term survival. There is contentious debate about the merits of prophylactic central compartment lymph node dissection for this disease, as there has not been convincing evidence to support it; a randomized controlled trial is unlikely. There are nuances in best practice for management and surveillance of patients with a history of nodal disease, as they are at increased risk for recurrence. This is a comprehensive review of the literature, including the recently published American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines for the management of thyroid nodules and differentiated thyroid cancer in adult patients, focusing on the management of nodal disease.
Human NK cells demonstrate increased adherence and lysis of porcine endothelium following activation with IL-2.

BACKGROUND For clinical xenotransplantation of pig organs to be successful, the significant barriers of host cellular immunity against the pig will need to be overcome. Natural killer (NK) cells appear to play an important role in rejection of discordant xenografts, and IL-2 activated human NK cells are cytotoxic to human endothelium. We addressed the role of IL-2 activated human and baboon NK cells in the primate immune response to pig xenoantigens in vivo and in vitro. METHODS Human natural killer (NK) cells were isolated from pooled human peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMC) using density gradient centrifugation method. Phenotype of isolated cells was confirmed by flow cytometry. Purified NK cells were than tasted for spontaneous and IL-2 augmented adhesion and lysis of cultured pig aortic endothelial cells (PAEC) monolayers in a short-term 51 Cr-release assay. The effects of human macrophage derived cytokines TNF alpha and IL-1 on adhesion of IL-2 activated NK cells were studied. RESULTS Human NK cells demonstrate prominent adherent and lytic activity against pig endothelium, which can be significantly augmented by IL-2. Macrophage derived cytokines can further augment the adherent properties of these NK cells. CONCLUSIONS These result suggest that human NK cells are likely to play a significant role in rejection of pig-to-human xenografts.
Mulling over anger: Indirect and conditional indirect effects of thought content and trait rumination on aggressive driving

Abstract Previous research has found that the content of thoughts and rumination influences driving anger and aggressive driving; however, no research to date has observed how the specific thoughts and process of rumination may directly or indirectly influence aggressive driving behaviors. The present research explores the potential roles of thought content and rumination on aggressive driving to improve our understanding of factors that influence aggressiveness in driving situations. The current study recruited 262 Southeastern University students, who completed a number of questionnaires measuring anger rumination, thought content, driving anger, and aggressive driving behaviors tendencies. Results demonstrated that trait driving anger imposed partial indirect effects on aggressive driving behaviors through specific angry thoughts. In addition, this partial indirect effect was conditional to the degree of coping thoughts. These findings may help advance the understanding of the roles content of thoughts and rumination play in aggressive driving behaviors.
Improving screening rates for metabolic syndrome in patients taking second generation antipsychotic medications (SGAs)

Background: Metabolic syndrome continues to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the US in those with serious mental disorders. The five major features of metabolic syndrome include obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, impaired glucose tolerance and hypertension. Metabolic syndrome is more likely to occur in individuals with mental illnesses who are prescribed second generation anti-psychotic medications (SGAs) to manage their psychiatric symptoms. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) and American Psychiatric Association (APA) guidelines for metabolic screening allow health care providers the opportunity to focus on patients prescribed SGAs who are at higher risk. However, rates of metabolic screening for patients prescribed SGAs remains low. Strategies are needed to increase yet simplify regimens to increase adherence to guideline recommendations.
Results of a student census in CS 2

We report the results of an essay assignment in which CS 2 students were asked to summarize their interest in computer science or computing. We found strong interest in applications of CS, followed by love for some aspect of the field, and interest in employability as the main reasons students gave for studying CS. Students were also surprisingly forthcoming about how challenging they found the field. Beyond the specific results, we also believe the essay assignment has value as a way of starting a personal relationship with the students.
Interaction of aberrations, diffraction, and quantal fluctuations determine the impact of pupil size on visual quality

Our purpose is to develop a computational approach that jointly assesses the impact of stimulus luminance and pupil size on visual quality. We compared traditional optical measures of image quality and those that incorporate the impact of retinal illuminance dependent neural contrast sensitivity. Visually weighted image quality was calculated for a presbyopic model eye with representative levels of chromatic and monochromatic aberrations as pupil diameter was varied from 7 to 1 mm, stimulus luminance varied from 2000 to 0.1 cd/m2, and defocus varied from 0 to −2 diopters. The model included the effects of quantal fluctuations on neural contrast sensitivity. We tested the model’s predictions for five cycles per degree gratings by measuring contrast sensitivity at 5 cyc/deg. Unlike the traditional Strehl ratio and the visually weighted area under the modulation transfer function, the visual Strehl ratio derived from the optical transfer function was able to capture the combined impact of optics and quantal noise on visual quality. In a well-focused eye, provided retinal illuminance is held constant as pupil size varies, visual image quality scales approximately as the square root of illuminance because of quantum fluctuations, but optimum pupil size is essentially independent of retinal illuminance and quantum fluctuations. Conversely, when stimulus luminance is held constant (and therefore illuminance varies with pupil size), optimum pupil size increases as luminance decreases, thereby compensating partially for increased quantum fluctuations. However, in the presence of −1 and −2 diopters of defocus and at high photopic levels where Weber’s law operates, optical aberrations and diffraction dominate image quality and pupil optimization. Similar behavior was observed in human observers viewing sinusoidal gratings. Optimum pupil size increases as stimulus luminance drops for the well-focused eye, and the benefits of small pupils for improving defocused image quality remain throughout the photopic and mesopic ranges. However, restricting pupils to <2 mm will cause significant reductions in the best focus vision at low photopic and mesopic luminances.
Dopamine Control of Arousal

An important role for dopamine (DA) in the regulation of sleep–wakefulness and cortical arousal has been established, challenging the traditional view that DA is the only central aminergic group not involved in regulating sleep. To this end, wake-active DA neurons of the ventral periaqueductal area (vPAG) appear to exert a potent arousal influence through a mutually inhibitory interaction with the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus as well as through less well-defined interactions with components of the ascending arousal system (e.g., locus coeruleus and lateral hypothalamus). In addition to the vPAG DA neurons, electrophysiological work has revealed increased activity of ventral tegmental area (A10) DA neurons during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep (also called ‘paradoxical sleep’), providing further evidence linking changes in the activity of DA neurons with changes in behavioral state. Work has also suggested, but not demonstrated empirically, that alterations in DA neurotransmission may form the etiological bases of REM sleep behavior disorder, the excessive sleepiness of evolving Parkinson’s disease, and possibly other nocturnal movement disorders. Finally, the critical role for DA in mediating the wake-promoting effects of psychostimulants (e.g., methamphetamines and modafinil) has begun to emerge and is discussed herein. Taken together, these observations reinforce the notion that the functional role of the DA system and attendant implications for sleep-related disorders reach beyond the traditional view of the role of the central dopaminergic system in neurobiology.
Space vector-based synchronous machine modeling

In this article, a salient synchronous machine starting up process is emulated, and the simulation is carried out in MATLAB/Simulink. The dynamics of the simulation model include the three-order electromagnetic dynamics and two-order swing dynamics without the normal operation assumption. The model is derived based on the space vector concept and two-axis theory. Torque generation is also explained, and the harmonic analysis of torque matches the simulation results. Simulation can successfully show that the synchronous machine can achieve rated speed with three-phase stator excitation or single-phase stator excitation and increased rotor resistance.
Social Resource Management: Integrating Social Network Theory and Human Resource Management

While social network analysis has become a staple of research in organizational behavior, organizational theory, and strategic management, integration and utilization of this perspective has been much slower in the area of human resource management. We attempt to nudge the study of human resources management toward "Social Resource Management" - adding the social network perspective to research and practice. We discuss how a social network perspective informs managing employee competencies (recruitment, selection, training, and development), managing employee behaviors and attitudes (performance management, compensation, turnover, and retention), and managing employees for competitive advantage (strategic human resource management and strategic human capital). Our goals are twofold: provide a summary of existing research relevant to human resource management that employs a social network perspective, and stimulate future work in social resource management. We provide guidance to ensure that work in this area does not simply apply the label of a social network perspective, but rather meaningfully integrates the two fields.
Psychometric testing of the caring assessment tool: Administration (CAT-Adm©).

Objectives:The overall purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Caring Assessment Tool-Administration survey. Three specific aims were to (1) evaluate construct val...
Fourier Analysis in Communications and Filtering

In this chapter, we illustrate first how the Fourier transform applies to analog communications. The objective of communications is to transmit a message over a channel to a receiver. Transmission of a message is done over the airwaves or through a line connecting the transmitter to the receiver, or a combination of the two, giving different channels. Concepts of frequency, bandwidth, spectrum, and modulation developed by means of the Fourier transform are fundamental in the analysis and design of communication systems. The aim of this chapter is to serve as an introduction to problems in communication and to link them with the Fourier analyses. Amplitude and quadrature modulation, frequency division multiplexing, and angle modulation are used to illustrate different communication systems. The other topic covered in this chapter is analog filter design. Filtering is a very important application of LTI systems in communications, control, and signal processing. The Butterworth and Chebyshev methods with frequency transformations will illustrate the design of different types of filters. MATLAB is used to illustrate the topics in this chapter.
Affect regulation and attachment strategies of adjudicated and non-adjudicated adolescents and their parents

This exploratory qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with adjudicated and non-adjudicated adolescents and their parents to identify: (1) different behavioral manifestations of affect regulation and attachment interactions as described by respondents; and (2) interactional patterns that we might wish to target in a therapeutic intervention. Parents used more functional internal affect regulation strategies, while adolescents relied on less functional ones. Most respondents used functional external affect regulation strategies, such as direct communication. Approximately half of them used more dysfunctional strategies, such as yelling and aggression. Most of the adolescents used at least one secure attachment strategy in their relationships with their parents, but the majority also used avoidant or ambivalent strategies. Almost half of the parents described secure strategies in their relationships with their adolescents, while the remainder indicated using insecure.
Rousseau and Direct Democracy (with a Note on the Supreme Court's Term Limits Decision)

This contribution to a symposium on direct democracy is devoted primarily to exploring Rousseau's modification of the natural rights liberalism initiated by Hobbes and Locke. Although Rousseau may not have had a large direct influence on American political institutions, he has a kinship with certain important dissident or subdominant strains in American political thought, such as the Anti-Federalists and our contemporary communitarians. To the extent that these elements of our political culture are worth taking seriously, Rousseau's greater depth of thought may help us to understand them better, and perhaps better than they have understood themselves. After examining the theoretical critique offered in Rousseau's most openly philosophic work, the Discourse on Inequality, the paper argues that the Social Contract is not so much an effort to establish the true basis of political legitimacy as it is an effort to show why and how legitimacy is an inadequate criterion for evaluating political institutions. The theoretical issue involving the legitimacy of representative legislatures illustrates Rousseau's approach. A careful examination of the Social Contract's presentation of the general will, and of its apparently unqualified condemnation of all representative legislatures, suggests that this condemnation is deliberately overstated. That conclusion is confirmed by Considerations on the Government of Poland, which accepts the necessity of representative legislatures in large states and suggests techniques for reconciling that necessity with the genuine principles of the Social Contract, which do indeed imply a certain kind of superiority of direct democracy over representative legislatures. The paper then turns to the Term Limits decision of the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court's decision, in addition to being legally wrong, appears to have been a particularly dangerous decision when viewed in light of Rousseau's political science. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of Rousseau's analysis of institutions like our Supreme Court. Rousseau's analysis suggests that we should consider significant changes, such as abolishing life tenure and putting a stop to the use of stare decisis in constitutional cases.
A domain-specific architecture for deep neural networks

Tensor processing units improve performance per watt of neural networks in Google datacenters by roughly 50x.
Coronary ostial aneurysms following aortic root replacement in patients with familial aortic aneurysm are common and support the need for long-term surveillance

Abstract Background Following the successful aortic root replacement (ARR) in patients with familial forms of aortic aneurysms (FFAA), few studies have defined the long-term outcomes of the re-implanted coronary arteries. The goal of the study was to describe late coronary complications following ARR in patients with FFAA. Methods 40 patients with a genetically confirmed form of FFAA S/P ARR whom had undergone at least 1 CT scan or cardiac MRI study following ARR were identified. All studies were reviewed retrospectively and the coronary ostium were measured offline by two independent observers. Results The majority of patients had Marfan Syndrome (80%), 15% had Loeys-Dietz Syndrome (TGFBR1 or TGFBR2), and 2 patients a MYLK or ACTA2 mutation. Mean age at time of ARR was 30.7 years, range 10–65. Mean length of follow-up from ARR 6.2 years, range 0.5–19. At last follow-up, 55% had developed at least 1 coronary complication. Nineteen (48%) had developed a coronary ostium aneurysm and 3 patients coronary ostium stenosis. All patients were alive at last follow-up. No patient had developed a coronary button rupture or dissection. Patients with aneurysms were more likely to have a mutation other than Marfan Syndrome (p Conclusion Coronary ostium dilation is common following ARR in patients with FFAA. Progressive dilation and risk for coronary button rupture appears to be low. Patients with non-fibrillin 1 mutations, are at higher risk for severe dilation and some may require intervention. Long term surveillance in particular in patients with non-fibrillin1 forms of familial aortic aneurysm and dissection syndrome should be considered.
Finite Element Methods for Geometric Evolution Equations.

We study finite element methods for the solution of evolution equations in Riemannian geometry. Our focus is on Ricci flow and Ricci-DeTurck flow in two dimensions, where one of the main challenges from a numerical standpoint is to discretize the scalar curvature of a time-dependent Riemannian metric with finite elements. We propose a method for doing this which leverages Regge finite elements – piecewise polynomial symmetric (0, 2)-tensors possessing continuous tangential-tangential components across element interfaces. In the lowest order setting, the finite element method we develop for two-dimensional Ricci flow is closely connected with a popular discretization of Ricci flow in which the scalar curvature is approximated with the so-called angle defect: \(2\pi \) minus the sum of the angles between edges emanating from a common vertex. We present some results from our ongoing work on the analysis of the method, and we conclude with numerical examples.
Temporal expression of the transthyretin gene in the developing rat eye

Transthyretin (TTR) is a 55-kilodalton tetrameric protein that plays an important role in the plasma transport of thyroxine and retinol. Plasma TTR is synthesized in the liver, but major sites of synthesis also have been described in the choroid plexus (CP) epithelium, the visceral yolk sac, and the eye. Recently, the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) was identified as the specific site of TTR synthesis in the rat eye, and it was suggested that this established a functional homology between the RPE and the CP epithelium. In this study, the temporal pattern of TTR mRNA expression was investigated in the rat eye and brain during development (embryonic day 10 [e10]-postnatal day 7 [P7]) by in situ hybridization and quantitative densitometry. The TTR mRNA was present in abundance in the primordial CP before organogenesis (e10-12), but in the eye, TTR mRNA first was detected at considerably lower levels after organogenesis (e16) and only in a subset of RPE cells in the equatorial region. The relative abundance of TTR mRNA in RPE rose gradually until e21, but on the first day of life a surge was seen, followed by stabilization at adult levels by P7. These findings suggest that the requirement for TTR in CP and RPE, and possibly its function, may differ during development. The postnatal surge in RPE TTR message levels raises the possibility that transcription of the TTR gene in the newborn animal may be responsive to newly encountered environmental stimuli in the perinatal period, such as incident light.
4 – SUPPLY AND DEMAND FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the shortcomings of the market, and the potential of government policy as an alternate means for resolving economic problems. It also discusses issues involving market and public sector organization. It provides an overview of political economy and describes the role of public sector in comparison with the market, which is an integral and exciting aspect of economic analysis. The economic role of government is pivotal. The government sets the rules of the game. It establishes and defines property rights that are necessary for the smooth operation of markets. Public policy is an important determinant of economic stability. The government sometimes uses subsidies to encourage the production of some goods while applying special taxes to reduce the availability of others. In a few cases, such as education, the mail service, and local electric power, the government becomes directly involved in the production process. Because of government's broad economic role, it is vital to understand the way it works and the circumstances under which it contributes to the efficient allocation of resources.
Effects of water improvement on skeletal fluorosis in drinking-water-borne endemic fluorosis areas in Liaoning Province

Objective To investigate the prevalence of adult skeletal fluorosis in drinking-water-borne endemic fluorosis areas in Liaoning Province and to observe the effects of preventive measures. Methods Three water-changed villages were selected from six drinking-water-borne endemic fluorosis counties, Faku County, Liaoyang County, Haicheng City, Linghai City, Fu Mongolia County, and Jianping County. Totally 18 diseased villages were selected as the investigation sites. The operating condition of the improvement projects was investigated and the fluoride level of drinking water was tested. People over the age of 25 and living in the local for more than 5 years in each survey site were selected and divided into five groups according to age groups of 25-, 35-, 45-, 55-, and ≥65 years old. Ten people in each age group were selected, half male and half female, to examine skeletal fluorosis by X-ray. Clinical symptoms and bone change, including sclerotin, bones, and joints changes were also examined. Results The water fluorine values of two villages were 1.32 and 1.69 mg/L, more than the national standard (1.2 mg/L), while other 16 villages were between 0.5-1.0 mg/L. X-ray images were analyzed for diagnosis of skeletal fluorosis in 905 adults, and 46 cases were diagnosed as skeletal fluorosis in the 18 monitored villages. X-ray detection rate was 5.08%, of which the X-ray detection rate of adult fluorosis in water fluoride qualified monitoring villages was 4.11% (33/803). The detection rate of adult skeletal fluorosis was 12.75% (13/102) in water fluoride unqualified monitoring villages. There was a significant difference of the total detection rates between the two groups of monitored villages (χ2= 13.99, P < 0.05). Skeletal fluorosis was mainly happened in the age group over the age of 45, account for 89.13% (41/46). Peri-bone changes were observed in the 46 cases of patients with skeletal fluorosis. Conclusions The condition of skeletal fluorosis has been effectively alleviated after implementing the improvement measures. Prevention and treatment can effectively control the occurrence of fluorosis. Key words: Fluorine; Skeletal fluorosis; Joints; X-rays; Outcome assessment
Houdini’s magical marketing strategies

This exploratory study examines the marketing techniques used by the legendary magician Harry Houdini to catapult him to the top of the entertainment field for more than thirty years. A qualitative...
Encapsulation of tricopper cluster in a synthetic cryptand enables facile redox processes from CuICuICuI to CuIICuIICuII states.

One-pot reaction of tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (TREN), [CuI(MeCN)4]PF6, and paraformaldehyde affords a mixed-valent [TREN4CuIICuICuI(μ3-OH)](PF6)3 complex. The macrocyclic azacryptand TREN4 contains four TREN motifs, three of which provide a bowl-shape binding pocket for the [Cu3(μ3-OH)]3+ core. The fourth TREN caps on top of the tricopper cluster to form a cryptand, imposing conformational constraints and preventing solvent interaction. Contrasting the limited redox capability of synthetic tricopper complexes reported so far, [TREN4CuIICuICuI(μ3-OH)](PF6)3 exhibits several reversible single-electron redox events. The distinct electrochemical behaviors of [TREN4CuIICuICuI(μ3-OH)](PF6)3 and its solvent-exposed analog [TREN3CuIICuIICuII(μ3-O)](PF6)4 suggest that isolation of tricopper core in a cryptand enables facile electron transfer, allowing potential application of synthetic tricopper complexes as redox catalysts. Indeed, the fully reduced [TREN4CuICuICuI(μ3-OH)](PF6)2 can reduce O2 under acidic conditions. The geometric constraints provided by the cryptand are reminiscent of Nature's multicopper oxidases (MCOs). For the first time, a synthetic tricopper cluster was isolated and fully characterized at CuICuICuI (4a), CuIICuICuI (4b), and CuIICuIICuI (4c) states, providing structural and spectroscopic models for many intermediates in MCOs. Fast electron transfer rates (105 to 106 M−1 s−1) were observed for both CuICuICuI/CuIICuICuI and CuIICuICuI/CuIICuIICuI redox couples, approaching the rapid electron transfer rates of copper sites in MCO.
Venetoclax with chemotherapy in relapse/refractory early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ETP-ALL) is a clinically distinct and highly aggressive subset of T-cell ALL [1]. It is characterized by an immunophenotype with reduced or abse...
Beyond a surface gaze: inscribing the sensory

This article argues that memory, nostalgia, place and sensory experience are inter-related and should not be relegated to the background, as they are indicative and productive of genesis, structure...