cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Noradrenergic transmission and female sexual behavior of guinea pigs

Abstract Treatment with the dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH) inhibitor U-14,624 (50, 100, or 150 mg/kg) blocked the induction of lordosis behavior by estradiol benzoate (EB) and progesterone (P) in overiectomized guinea pigs. After treatment with U-14,624 (100 mg/kg), norepinephrine (NE) content of medial basal hypothalamus, preoptic area and cortex was reduced (by 55%) and dopamine (DA) content of medial basal hypothalamus was increased (by 155%) during the period when females treated with EB and P normally display lordosis. Treatment with the NE receptor stimulator clonidine (1.0 mg/kg) restored lordosis behavior in females treated with EB, P, and U-14,624 (100 mg/kg), but the putative DA and serotonin (5-HT) receptor blockers pimozide (1.0 mg/kg) and methysergide (20.0 mg/kg) were ineffective in this respect. Thus, inhibition of lordosis after treatment with U-14,624 appeared to be attributable primarily to a reduction in NE neurotransmission, rather than to an increase in DA or 5-HT activity. Because clonidine induced lordosis in females treated with EB, P, and U-14,624, it seemed unlikely that the facilitatory effects of clonidine on lordosis were mediated by activation of presynaptic alpha-adrenergic receptors (i.e. inhibitory NE autoreceptors) rather than by postsynaptic alpha-receptors. In addition, pretreatment with the postsynaptic alpha-adrenergic antagonist phenoxybenzamine (20.0 mg/kg) blocked the facilitation of lordosis by clonidine (1.0 mg/kg) in females primed with EB alone and with EB plus P. Thus, the facilitatory effects of clonidine on lordosis appear to be mediated by activation of postsynaptic alpha-adrenergic (i.e. NE) receptors. The results of this study provide further evidence that NE neurotransmission facilitates the expression of female sexual behavior in guinea pigs.
Is the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory putative new vitamin, PQQ, involved with nitric oxide in bone metabolism ?

Our laboratory recently isolated free PQQ (2,7,9-tricarboxy-pyrroloquinoline quinone, methoxatin), a bacterial redox cofactor, from red cells, neutrophils, serum and milk and found free PQQ in CSF, synovial fluid and bile. The metabolism and functions of PQQ and ascorbate may be coupled. Physiologically, free PQQ catalyzes dioxygen-superoxide interconversion, and participates in both superoxide generation (respiratory burst) and scavenging (cell protection). Using a labeled aromatic o-diamine, superoxide formation by activated neutrophils was inhibited and the labeled phenazine adduct of PQQ could be isolated from the inhibited cells (Karnovsky et al., 1992). PQQ may convert xanthine oxidase to xanthine dehydrogenase (XD) and could be the physiological coenzyme of XD. PQQ plus copper, form a potent amine-oxidizing system. Shah et al., 1992 found that PQQ-Cu2+ catalyzes the oxidation of epsilon-amino groups in collagen and elastin. Rucker's lab (Smidt et al., 1991) has found that PQQ may be a vitamin for mouse pups. Watanabe et al., 1988 and Nishigori et al., 1989, showed that injected PQQ protects animals against oxidative stress injury. PQQ's in vivo antioxidant action, spares reduced glutathione. PQQ, as an actively transported organic anion, concentrates in cells. In other experiments (Aizenman et al., 1992), PQQ protected neurons against the neurotoxin action of the glutamate-receptor against NMDA. We shall consider possible roles for PQQ in the biosynthesis of nitric oxide (NO, endothelium-derived relaxing factor, EDRF) from L-arginine and in NO removal by superoxide. NO has now been linked to the inhibition of osteoclastic bone resorption.
Mechanical characteristics of raw and processed peat

On montre l'applicabilite de methodes utilisees precedemment pour caracteriser les produits alimentaires et autres poudres, a l'analyse de la tourbe brute et deshydratee
Microearthquake Investigations In the Barnett Shale, Newark East Field, Wise County, Texas

Obtaining a commercial gas production rate is a major risk of drilling in shale reservoirs. Usually, the presence of natural fractures, one mechanism of free gas storage, enhances production (Curtis 2002). However, natural fractures in the Barnett Shale Reservoir are normally cemented. In the Mississippian aged Barnett Shale source/reservoir, hydraulic fracturing increases production rates. This project will allow us to observe the quality of hydraulic fracturing in the reservoir and eventually choose well locations for successful hydraulic fracturing to increase gas production rate. This study involves imaging fractures’ locations, creation times, and energy distribution. For this study, fracture imaging is according to an anisotropic model. This publication focuses on the results of two methods for imaging fractures: a manual, visual method and an automated method.
Interference of fine-structure levels in hydrogen.

Interference of fine-structure levels in hydrogen ions passing through two successive carbon foils
Body Weight and Matching With a Physically Attractive Romantic Partner

Matching and attribute trade are two perspectives used to explain mate selection. We investigated patterns of matching and trade, focusing on obesity, using Add Health Romantic Pair data (N ¼ 1,405 couples). Obese individuals, relative to healthy weight individuals, were less likely to have physically attractive partners, with this disadvantage greater for women than men, and greater for White women than Black women. Additional education, a more attractive personality, and better grooming increased the probability of having a physically attractive partner and offset the disadvantage of obesity for some individuals. Unexpectedly, we found women, like men, trade education for their partners’ physical attractiveness. Despite evidence of attribute trade, matching with respect to physical characteristics was the dominant mate selection pattern.
Dressing for surgical wounds of the penis

We describe a simple tubular elastic gauze dressing for surgical wounds of the penis. The amount of pressure placed on the penis is consistent and reproducible. The material is elastic enough to avoid vascular occlusion and is easily applied with a plastic tube. The dressing stays in place, can be used with stents or catheters, and is easily removed by the patients at home.
Modulation of T2 relaxation time by light-induced, reversible aggregation of magnetic nanoparticles.

A reversible T2 contrast agent consisting of cross-linked anionic dextran coated iron oxide nanoparticles covalently coupled to a light-sensitive spiropyran (SP)/merocyanine (MC) motif was synthesized and characterized. In aqueous solution, light induced isomerization of the molecular switches between the hydrophobic SP isomer and hydrophilic MC isomer directs the aggregation and dispersion of the nanoparticles, respectively. When in the dark, where the MC form dominates, the probe has a T2 relaxation time of 37.09 ms (60 MHz, 37 °C) and two size populations at 70 and 540 nm. After irradiation with visible light, the T2 relaxation time is shortened 33.7%, and the size correspondingly shifts to a single population at 520 nm upon aggregation. This “smart” T2 agent provides the advantage of reversibility which may enable dynamic monitoring with MRI. In addition, the light responsiveness of this agent suggests the potential to employ them as MRI gene reporters for the luciferase expression system.
Adaptation to Homelessness: Self-Actualization, Loneliness, and Depression in Street Homeless Men:

Adaptation to homelessness was investigated in a sample of 145 street homeless men using loneliness and depression scales and the construct of self-actualization. Principal components analysis with varimax rotation of a matrix of correlations of measures on the history of being homeless, demographic data, scores on loneliness and depression scales, and self-actualization measures gave a 3-factor model of adjustment: adaptive striving, detachment, and adaptive resources. Maslow's and Sullivan's contention that satisfying interpersonal relationships are common pathways to mental health was affirmed.
Effect of the primary and secondary solvation spheres of Eu3+ upon the electric-quadrupole transitions (ΔJ = 2)

Abstract Variations in the structure and nature of the primary solvation sphere of Eu 3+ are accompanied by pronounced effects upon the electric-quadrupole transitions of Eu 3+ associated with both absorption and emission bands, i.e., at 464–466 mμ ( 7 F 0 → 5 D 2 ) and 614–616 mμ ( 5 D 0 → 7 F 2 ). In cases in which the primary solvation sphere of Eu 3+ does not change, although the secondary sphere undergoes slight changes, small effects, if any, are observed upon both the appropriate absorption and emission bands. More drastic variations in the secondary solvation sphere are accompanied by weak, but clearly detectable, changes in the intensities of both bands.
Local minima free Parameterized Appearance Models

Parameterized appearance models (PAMs) (e.g. eigen-tracking, active appearance models, morphable models) are commonly used to model the appearance and shape variation of objects in images. While PAMs have numerous advantages relative to alternate approaches, they have at least two drawbacks. First, they are especially prone to local minima in the fitting process. Second, often few if any of the local minima of the cost function correspond to acceptable solutions. To solve these problems, this paper proposes a method to learn a cost function by explicitly optimizing that the local minima occur at and only at the places corresponding to the correct fitting parameters. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper to address the problem of learning a cost function to explicitly model local properties of the error surface to fit PAMs. Synthetic and real examples show improvement in alignment performance in comparison with traditional approaches.
Making sense of puzzling genetic association studies: a team approach.

In the next quarter-century, the number of individuals affected by osteoporosis and related fractures will double. Understanding the pathogenesis of osteoporosis will require characterizing the int...
Enteric bacterial toxins: mechanisms of action and linkage to intestinal secretion.

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Resistive Memory Sensing Using Delta-Sigma Modulation

The design of four resistive memory sensing circuit topologies employing delta-sigma (DeltaSigma) modulation are presented. Operation of the designs and a comparison between simulations and experimentation is given. The designs were fabricated in a 500 nm CMOS process. Measured results indicate that the resistive values ranging from a chosen reference resistance to several hundred kOmega can be sensed reliably.
‘A magnificent business prospect . . .’ the Coase theorem, the extortion problem, and the creation of Coase theorem worlds

The Coase theorem, circa the 1970s, had no settled meaning or content; instead, that meaning and content was created – and in differing ways – by the modeling choices of scholars who attempted to grapple with and assess the proposition that Coase had laid out in 1960. These modeling decisions included both the theoretical frameworks laid onto the theorem and the assumptions (including meanings ascribed thereto) said to underlie it. The present article illustrates this using the 1960s and 1970s extortion debate as a backdrop, showing how conclusions reached regarding the theorem's validity hinged on the Coase theorem worlds created by the authors involved.
A partial Baer *-semigroup of relations

It is shown in Gudder and Schelp (1970) that partial Baer *-semigroups coordinatize orthomodular partially ordered sets (orthomodular posets). This means for P an orthomodular poset there exists a partial Baer *-semigroup whose closed projections are order isomorphic to P preserving ortho-complementation. This coordinatization theorem generalizes Foulis (1960) in which orthomodular lattices are coordinatized by Baer *-semigroups. In particular Foulis (unpublished) shows that any complete atomic Boolean lattice is coordinatized by a Bear *-semigroup of relations. Since Greechie (1968), (1971) shows that a whole class of orthomodular posets can be formed by “pasting” together Boolean lattices, it is natural to consider the following problem. Let y be a family of Baer *-semigroups of relations which coordinatize the family B of complete atomic lattices. Is it possible to construct a partial *-semigroup of relations R which contains each member of Y such that when P is an orthomodular poset obtained by a “Greechie pasting” of members of 38 then 91 coordinatizes R This question is considered in the sequel and answered affirmatively for a certain subclass of “Greechie pasted” orthomodular posets. In addition the construction of 8)t nicely fulfills another objective in that it provides us with “nontrivial” coordinate partial Baer *-semigroups for a whole family of well known orthomodular posets. This is particularly significant since the only other known coordinate partial Baer *-semigroups, for those posets in this family which are not lattices, are the “minimal” ones given in Gudderand and Schelp (1970).
Cytokine systems approach demonstrates differences in innate and pro-inflammatory host responses between genetically distinct MERS-CoV isolates

The recent emergence of a novel coronavirus in the Middle East (designated MERS-CoV) is a reminder of the zoonotic and pathogenic potential of emerging coronaviruses in humans. Clinical features of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) include atypical pneumonia and progressive respiratory failure that is highly reminiscent of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) caused by SARS-CoV. The host response is a key component of highly pathogenic respiratory virus infection. Here, we computationally analyzed gene expression changes in a human airway epithelial cell line infected with two genetically distinct MERS-CoV strains obtained from human patients, MERS-CoV SA 1 and MERS-CoV Eng 1. Using topological techniques, including persistence homology and filtered clustering, we performed a comparative transcriptional analysis of human Calu-3 cell host responses to the different MERS-CoV strains, with MERS-CoV Eng 1 inducing early kinetic changes, between 3 and 12 hours post infection, compared to MERS-CoV SA 1. Robust transcriptional changes distinguished the two MERS-CoV strains predominantly at the late time points. Combining statistical analysis of infection and cytokine-stimulated Calu-3 transcriptomics, we identified differential innate responses, including up-regulation of extracellular remodeling genes following MERS-CoV Eng 1 infection and differential pro-inflammatory responses. Through our genomics-based approach, we found topological differences in the kinetics and magnitude of the host response to MERS-CoV SA 1 and MERS-CoV Eng 1, with differential expression of innate immune and pro-inflammatory responsive genes as a result of IFN, TNF and IL-1α signaling. Predicted activation for STAT3 mediating gene expression relevant for epithelial cell-to-cell adherens and junction signaling in MERS-CoV Eng 1 infection suggest that these transcriptional differences may be the result of amino acid differences in viral proteins known to modulate innate immunity during MERS-CoV infection.
Adrenomedullin is inactivated in the lungs of neonatal piglets

Adrenomedullin, a novel 52 amino acid peptide normally present in adult human plasma, has been shown to induce systemic hypotension in the adult rat, pig and cat, and in the new-born piglet. Little is known about the site (s) of adrenomedullin inactivation in adults or neonates. Groups of five 0-2-day old and 2-week old anaesthetized piglets were prepared to enable continuous monitoring of cardiac output, mean systemic arterial pressure, mean pulmonary artery pressure, mean systemic vascular resistance and mean pulmonary vascular resistance. In both age groups, injections of human adrenomedullin1-52 into the left atrium produced significant (P < 0.05) reductions in mean systemic arterial pressure and mean pulmonary artery pressure. Although injections of similar doses of human adrenomedullin1-52 into the right atrium produced significant (P < 0.05) decreases in mean pulmonary artery pressure, there were no appreciable alterations in mean systemic arterial pressure in either age group. These results suggest that the systemic vasodilator properties of human adrenomedullin1-52 are reduced upon first pass through the pulmonary circulation in 2-week old piglets, a phenomenon that is present at birth.
Accountable care organization readiness and academic medical centers.

As academic medical centers (AMCs) consider becoming accountable care organizations (ACOs) under Medicare, they must assess their readiness for this transition. Of the 253 Medicare ACOs prior to 2014, 51 (20%) are AMCs. Three critical components of ACO readiness are institutional and ACO structure, leadership, and governance; robust information technology and analytic systems; and care coordination and management to improve care delivery and health at the population level. All of these must be viewed through the lens of unique AMC mission-driven goals. There is clear benefit to developing and maintaining a centralized internal leadership when it comes to driving change within an ACO, yet there is also the need for broad stakeholder involvement. Other important structural features are an extensive primary care foundation; concomitant operation of a managed care plan or risk-bearing entity; or maintaining a close relationship with post-acute-care or skilled nursing facilities, which provide valuable expertise in coordinating care across the continuum. ACOs also require comprehensive and integrated data and analytic systems that provide meaningful
Cofactor binding and enzymatic activity in an unevolved superfamily of de novo designed 4-helix bundle proteins.

To probe the potential for enzymatic activity in unevolved amino acid sequence space, we created a combinatorial library of de novo 4-helix bundle proteins. This collection of novel proteins can be considered an “artificial superfamily” of helical bundles. The superfamily of 102-residue proteins was designed using binary patterning of polar and nonpolar residues, and expressed in Escherichia coli from a library of synthetic genes. Sequences from the library were screened for a range of biological functions including heme binding and peroxidase, esterase, and lipase activities. Proteins exhibiting these functions were purified and characterized biochemically. The majority of de novo proteins from this superfamily bound the heme cofactor, and a sizable fraction of the proteins showed activity significantly above background for at least one of the tested enzymatic activities. Moreover, several of the designed 4-helix bundles proteins showed activity in all of the assays, thereby demonstrating the functional promiscuity of unevolved proteins. These studies reveal that de novo proteins—which have neither been designed for function, nor subjected to evolutionary pressure (either in vivo or in vitro)—can provide rudimentary activities and serve as a “feedstock” for evolution.
Did federal regulation discourage facilities-based entry into US local telecommunications markets?

In the United States from 2001 to 2006, federal regulations allowed entrants to lease from incumbents at relatively low cost all of the network infrastructure necessary to provide local phone service. These platform entrants could then provide phone service without installing any of their own equipment. Advocates of this policy claimed that it was needed to provide an economically feasible means by which entrants could serve residential customers. Critics contended that the policy substantially deterred loop entry whereby entrants installed their own switching equipment. An analysis of panel data for each state over this period indicates that the policy's critics may have been correct. The cross-price elasticity of loop entry with respect to platform price was roughly 1.0. A back of the envelope calculation suggests that loop entry may have decreased by roughly 20% due to platform entry price reductions.
Methane to Methanol in Supercritical Water

We examined the feasibility of producing methanol from the partial oxidation of methane in nearcritical and supercritical water. Oxygen was always the limiting reactant. The parameter space investigated experimentally included temperatures between 349 and 481 “C, batch holding times between 1 and 9 min, water densities between 0.15 and 0.35 g mL-I, initial methane to water molar ratios between 0.05 and 0.27, and initial methane to oxygen molar ratios between 10 and 26. Experiments within this parameter space led to methane conversions up to 6%, and oxygen conversions up to 100%. Methanol, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide were the major products. The methanol selectivities ranged from 0.04 to 0.75, with the highest selectivities occurring at the lower conversions. The highest methanol yield was 0.7%. Reactions performed in glass-lined reactors proceeded to higher conversions than did reactions in stainless-steel reactors under otherwise identical conditions. A detailed chemical kinetics model showed that the methanol selectivity increased with temperature and with the methane to oxygen molar ratio, but decreased with increasing oxygen conversion. The methanol yield showed the same trends with temperature and the methane to oxygen ratio, but the yield increased with oxygen conversion.
Activation of Intestinal Human Pregnane X Receptor Protects against Azoxymethane/Dextran Sulfate Sodium–Induced Colon Cancer

The role of intestinal human pregnane X receptor (PXR) in colon cancer was determined through investigation of the chemopreventive role of rifaximin, a specific agonist of intestinal human PXR, toward azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)–induced colon cancer. Rifaximin treatment significantly decreased the number of colon tumors induced by AOM/DSS treatment in PXR-humanized mice, but not wild-type or Pxr-null mice. Additionally, rifaximin treatment markedly increased the survival rate of PXR-humanized mice, but not wild-type or Pxr-null mice. These data indicated a human PXR–dependent therapeutic chemoprevention of rifaximin toward AOM/DSS-induced colon cancer. Nuclear factor κ-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells–mediated inflammatory signaling was upregulated in AOM/DSS-treated mice, and inhibited by rifaximin in PXR-humanized mice. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were also modulated by rifaximin treatment in the AOM/DSS model. In vitro cell-based assays further revealed that rifaximin regulated cell apoptosis and cell cycle in a human PXR-dependent manner. These results suggested that specific activation of intestinal human PXR exhibited a chemopreventive role toward AOM/DSS-induced colon cancer by mediating anti-inflammation, antiproliferation, and proapoptotic events.
Early kidney TNF-α expression mediates neutrophil infiltration and injury after renal ischemia-reperfusion

The purpose of this study was to determine whether isolated renal ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) induces renal tumor necrosis factor (TNF) mRNA production, TNF protein expression, or TNF bioactivity and, if so, whether local/early TNF production acts as mediator of ischemia-induced, neutrophil-mediated renal injury. After rats were anesthetized, varying periods of renal ischemia, with or without reperfusion, were induced. Kidney mRNA content (RT-PCR), TNF protein expression (ELISA), TNF bioactivity (WEHI-164 cell clone cytotoxicity assay), and neutrophil infiltration [myeloperoxidase (MPO) assay] were determined. In other animals, renal MPO and serum creatinine were assessed after TNF was neutralized [binding protein (TNF-BP)]. Thirty minutes of ischemia induced renal TNF mRNA. TNF protein expression and bioactivity peaked after 1 h ischemia and 2 h reperfusion, whereas neutrophil infiltration peaked at 4 h reperfusion. TNF-BP neutralized TNF bioactivity, reduced neutrophil infiltration, and protected postischemic function. These results constitute the initial demonstration that 1) early renal tissue TNF expression contributes to neutrophil infiltration and injury after I/R and 2) TNF-BP may offer a new adjunctive therapy in renal preservation prior to planned ischemic insults.
Amino acid sequence determination of phosphoenkephalins using liquid secondary ionization mass spectrometry

Liquid secondary ionization mass spectrometry (LSIMS) operating in the positive- and negative-ion modes was used to study fragmentation profiles and to obtain the amino acid sequences of a set of seven phosphoenkephalin peptides. The use of glycerol as the liquid matrix led to increase in fragmentation of phosphopeptides. The prominent amino acid sequence-determining ions in the positive-ion mode are y-type C-terminal ions; the N-terminal sequence-specific ions are observed sporadically. The most dominant ions in those mass spectra, however, are the immonium ions and a few low-mass side-chain cleavage products. The mass spectra in the negative-ion mode are more information-rich, and provide data complementary to that from the positive-ion mode. The phosphate group marker ions, m/z 79 (PO-3) and 97 (H2PO-4), are prominent and both N- and C-termini sequence ions are formed with equal facility in this mode of analysis. Both positive- and negative-ion mass spectral data are useful in determining the amino acid sequence of all the seven phosphoenkephalins. Thus, LSIMS alone can be a viable option to the tandem mass spectrometry approach when sufficient quantities (> 50 nmol) of phosphopeptides are available.
From Pews to Participation: The Effect of Congregation Activity and Context on Bridging Civic Engagement

This article identifies two important conditions under which participation in religious congregations influences active involvement in civic organizations that provide charitable services to and establish other types of linkages with residents in the wider community. We find that while the frequently employed measure of religious service attendance has minimal effects on participation in bridging types of civic organizations, congregation activity beyond religious service attendance has a substantial positive effect on participation in charitable and linking types of civic organizations. In addition, our findings demonstrate that religious tradition significantly moderates the extent to which congregation activity channels bridging civic engagement. While active involvement in black Protestant, mainline Protestant, and Catholic congregations predicts participation in substantially more bridging civic organizations, active involvement in evangelical Protestant congregations has little effect on this participation.
The Effects of the Military's Antidrug Policies over the Life Course: The Case of Past-Year Hallucinogen Use

We analyze long-term trends in past-year hallucinogen use among veterans as compared to nonveterans. This topic is theoretically strategic because the military adopted stringent and successful antidrug policies in the mid-1980s, which serves as a natural experiment to examine the potential long-term impact of comprehensive drug policies on illegal drug use. Drawing on self-reported data from the National Survey of Drug Use and Health in years 1985, 1988, and 1990–2010, the analysis uses age-period-cohort analysis to update trends in past-year hallucinogen use and to examine the impact of veteran status. Results are consistent with the hypothesis that a stringent antidrug policy can lead to a life-long reduction in hallucinogen use. Among birth cohorts who were young adults immediately before the implementation of the antidrug policies (those in the 1960–1964 birth cohort) odds of past-year hallucinogen use were twice as high for veterans as compared to nonveterans over the life course. This difference dis...
Community-Based Rangeland Planning on the Tohono O'odham Nation

Abstract Cattle have been part of Tohono O'odham culture for over 300 years, but efforts to promote rangeland management on the Tohono O'odham Nation had little success until a community-based rangeland planning project in the Sif Oidak District helped increase understanding of this unique socioecological system and empowered villages to restore and manage their rangelands.
A Newton-based shooting method to find synaptic threshold in active cables

The integration of synaptic inputs in a neuron can be nonlinear not just at the axon, but also locally in the dendrites if they are imbued with active voltage-gated ion channels. For example, CA1 pyramidal neurons have high densities of sodium and potassium and currents in their dendrites, and these densities can vary substantially in the arbor [1,2]. Such nonlinearities can lead to compartmentalized responses to inputs [3], with branches acting as individual nonlinear units in which dendritic spikes occur. A cell can thus function as a multi-layered network with the soma as final output. This motivates determining when a given set of synaptic inputs is large enough to generate a local dendritic spike, or, alternatively, determining the synaptic conductance value(s) at threshold for producing a spike. Above- and below-threshold conditions are known to be separated by the threshold or critical surface [4]. Here it is shown that the synaptic conductance leading to a threshold solution can be found by modifying Newton methods developed to find steady-state solutions in fluid mechanics [5]. Consider a general form of the cable equation, ∂u∂t=L(x)u+N(u,x)+gsGs(t,x)(urev-u) Here u represents the voltage and any gating variables. The first term on the right models the diffusive part of the cable equation, and the next term the nonlinearities from any active voltage-gated ion channels. The last term represents synaptic conductances at points in the dendritic tree with overall strength gs . An unstable threshold solution and accompanying synaptic strength can be found using 1) a preconditioned version of the steady-state cable equation combined with constraints requiring the difference between a shooting solution from rest, u(T,x;gs), and the critical surface to be perpendicular to the single unstable eigenvector associated with the critical surface. The overall procedure finds the value of gs leading to a solution that asymptotes to the critical surface as t goes to ∞. Example results from the method are shown in Figure ​Figure1.1. These are for the Fitzhugh-Nagumo model without recovery in a y-branched cable morphology where the daughter branches have half the diameter of the main dendrite. One observes the expected drop of threshold conductance as the synapse moves from the main to daughter branch, but this transition is not monotonic as for a passive cable because of the nonlinear active conductance in the model. Discovering phenomena such as this would be quite laborious without employing a Newton-based method. Figure 1 Threshold Fitzhugh-Nagumo voltage profile in a branched cable for synapse position just past the branch point (left; blue is main and one daughter branch; red is the other) and critical conductance value as a function of synapse position in main and one ...
Ovipositional Stimulus Deprivation and its Effect on Lifetime Fecundity of Delia antiqua (Meigen) (Diptera: Anthomyiidae)

Lifetime oviposition was measured for female Delia antiqua (Meigen) caged individually with cups of moist sand or surrogate onions possessing combinations of host-plant color and chemical stimuli. Females laid more eggs on surrogates than on sand and laid more eggs on surrogates coated with synthetic onion volatiles ( n -dipropyl disulfide, Pr2S2)than on untreated surrogates. Surrogate color had no effect on fecundity. Flies deprived of exposure to Pr2S2 took longer to initiate oviposition and took longer to complete ovipositional cycles. The presence of untreated surrogates increased the percentage of eggs laid in ovipositional cups from 14 to 74%, whereas the presence of Pr2S2 or host-plant color resulted in nearly all eggs being laid in cups. The number of eggs retained at death did not differ among treatments. The results suggest that differential oviposition may have resulted from reduced rates of egg maturation as a consequence of accumulation of unlaid eggs. Host specialization by the onion fly is probably due to ecological factors as well as an ovipositional preference for onion.
Improvements in oxidation resistance by dispersed oxide addition: Al2O3-forming alloys

The improvement in oxidation resistance produced by small additions of active elements to Al 2O3-forming CoCrAl alloys is primarily dependent on the formation of oxide pegs which grow into the alloy around the internal oxide particles of the active element; void formation at the alloy-scale interface is also suppressed. The distribution of these pegs is critical and this paper demonstrates that an internal oxidation pretreatment can be used to convert the active element to its oxide in a controlled manner, thereby optimizing the peg distribution. Al2O3-forming CoCrAl containing 1% Hf or Ce is internally oxidized in a sealed quartz capsule containing a 50/50 powder mixture of CoAl-Al2O3; it was not possible to oxidize internally Y-containing alloys. The isothermal and cyclic oxidation resistance of these alloys is superior to that of alloys not given a prior treatment. Detailed metallographic examination indicates that the prior internal oxidation treatment produces a finer, more uniform distribution of oxide pegs penetrating into the alloy which is more efficient in combatting scale spallation. Furthermore, the lower residual hafnium content in the alloy minimizes large HfO2 precipitates and the formation of gross Al2O3 intrusions, which can initiate scale failure. Thus, by internally oxidizing the alloy first, the advantages of a high alloy Hf content (1%) in producing sufficient oxide pegs, but of the right size, coupled with minimal thickening of the surface scale, can be achieved.
Economic Impacts of Tourism

In recent years, the role of tourism in the economic development of a country has been the focus of study and research. It is the general consensus that tourism has been pivotal in social progress as well as an important vehicle of widening socio-economic and cultural contacts throughout human history. Over the past years, many developing and developed countries have considered tourism as an option for sustainable development of their nations. The importance of tourism as a contributor to economic growth is so widely accepted that year after year throughout the world a massive investment continues to pour in its development. It is with this backdrop, this paper is an attempt to investigate the dynamics of the relationship between tourism sector development and economic growth of India.The international tourist arrivals were 880 million and the corresponding international tourism receipts was US$ 852 million in 2009. The United Nations World Tourism Organization (WTO) has predicted that the number of international arrivals will reach 1.6 billion by the year 2020, with 1.2 billion of those being intra-regional travelers and 378 million being long-haul travelers. Today tourism is the largest service industry in India, with a contribution of 6.23 per cent to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and providing 8.78 per cent of the total employment. The tourism industry in India generated about US$100 billion in 2008 and that is expected to increase to US$275.5 billion by 2018 at a 9.4 per cent annual growth rate. Promotion of sustainable tourism, through the development of policy tools, capacity building and awareness-raising programmes, local involvement, guidelines for good practice and actual implementation remain essential goals. Sustainable tourism should aim to directly support poverty eradication and sustainable production and consumption. Making progress on a larger scale will be a fine balancing act and will require a massive “sea-change” in approach from the entire Travel and Tourism industry but it is an approach that is clearly worthy of support from all stakeholders interested and involved in the industry.
Evaluation on Effect of Eradication of Poliomyelitis with Baiyin City

Objective And evaluated the effect of the strategies of the works for poliomyelitis eradication,the results showed that:(1)The routine immunization coverage rate conceasingly raised and keeped higher levels,the reporting coverage rate all reached over 90% in each county since 1995,effective avoided the wild-type poliovincs spread (2)The supplementary immunization is the best rapid and effective measure of eradication of pliomyelities After ten times seventeen rounds supplementary immunization and three“mop-up”immunization activities were carried out in 1991-2000 in whole city, the reporting coverage rate has eached over 98% and established a firm immune barrier among the population (3)The completed AFP surveillance system is the theory confimation of poliomyelitis eradication Surveillance hospitals were covered whole city To strengthen the initiative surveillance, the various surveillance indexes has reached or eared every requirements for providing (4)To increase the pure benefit to reach 3 442 ten thousand dollars The ratio of benefit-cost is 5 14∶1 To summarize and evaluate the strategies for polianzelits eradication can consolidate the achievements of the work
A randomized trial of physicians and physical therapists as instructors of the musculoskeletal examination

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of physicians vs physical therapists as instructors of the musculoskeletal examination to second year medical students. METHODS A randomized trial conducted over 3 consecutive years in a physical diagnosis course at The University of North Carolina. During the first (baseline) year, medical students received education about the musculoskeletal examination from a lecture and supervision by clinical preceptors. This increased in the second and third (intervention) years where random halves of each class received supplementary clinical instruction which included a structured manual, a videotape, and supervised practice with either general internal medicine physicians or physical therapists. Outcomes were measured from student performance on a practical test of clinical skills, and by written student evaluations of the supplementary instruction. RESULTS As measured on the clinical examination, performance during the intervention years improved over that during the baseline year in both intervention groups. Measures of medical students' clinical skills did not correlate with measures of academic aptitude. CONCLUSIONS Clinical education about the musculoskeletal examination should be structured and systematic. Medical students prefer clinical education that is active, provides clear directions, and gives them performance feedback.
Role of fast axonal transport in regeneration of goldfish optic axons.

Publisher Summary This chapter provides evidence that the goldfish optic tectum contains factors that can influence axonal outgrowth and possibly other aspects of optic nerve regeneration. It investigates the possible role of the tectum by determining the effects of removing the lobe of the tectum to which the regenerating axons normally project. The increased supply of material that is generated by goldfish retinal ganglion cells during regeneration is essential for the maintenance of axonal outgrowth. Although the normal level of transport is apparently adequate for the initiation of outgrowth and the first few days of elongation, a critical point is reached in about 8 days when this supply is no longer sufficient. The cell body reaction in these neurons involves the increased production of axonally transported proteins, but not necessarily the production of new proteins. The presence of the optic tectum influences not only the production of axonally transported proteins, but also their disposition in new axon segments. This influence is not effective to a significant degree, until after the regenerating axons have reached the tectum.
Engagement and abstinence among users of a smoking cessation text message program for veterans

Abstract Background SmokefreeVET is a text messaging smoking cessation program available to veterans enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration. SmokefreeVET was developed in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute as part of the SmokefreeTXT initiative. Purpose To evaluate the real world use of and effectiveness of the SmokefreeVET program for SmokefreeVET users who enrolled between 2013 and 2014. Methods Demographics and smoking behavior of 1470 SmokefreeVET users who enrolled between 2013 and 2014 were analyzed. Latent growth mixture modeling was used to identify discrete classes of SmokefreeVET users based on engagement patterns. Multi-level modeling determined class differences in abstinence. Results The average age of the SmokefreeVET user was 48, 75% of users were male, and 84% were daily smokers. After five weeks, 13% of all users reported abstinence from smoking. Five statistically distinct engagement classes of SmokefreeVET users were identified. Highly engaged classes were significantly less likely to opt-out and more likely to report abstinence. Over 60% of users who were classified as high engagers throughout the program reported abstinence 5 weeks after their quit date. Users were more likely to report abstinence after two weeks if they used smoking cessation medication than those that did not use medication ( OR = 9.01, p Conclusions SmokefreeVET may be effective at supporting abstinence among a real world group of highly engaged users. Smoking cessation medication use was also associated with abstinence in SmokefreeVET users. Engagement appears to be a critical component when assessing the efficacy of a text messaging smoking cessation intervention.
Regression of Chemotherapy-Resistant Polymerase ε (POLE) Ultra-Mutated and MSH6 Hyper-Mutated Endometrial Tumors with Nivolumab

Purpose: The management of endometrial carcinoma no longer amenable to treatment with surgery or radiotherapy has not improved significantly with modern chemotherapy. Alternative therapeutic options are desperately needed. Experimental Design: We describe 2 heavily pretreated patients with recurrent disease refractory to surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy who were treated with the anti–PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor nivolumab. Results: Patient #1 harbored an ultra-mutated tumor (mutation load/MB = 117.3, total mutations = 4,660) driven by mutation in the exonuclease domain of the DNA polymerase e gene. Patient #2 harbored a hyper-mutated tumor (mutation load/MB = 33.5, total mutations = 1,037) due to a germinal MSH6 gene mutation. Both patients demonstrated a remarkable clinical response to the anti–PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor nivolumab. Patients9 clinical responses remain unchanged at the time of the writing of this report, with no grade 3 or higher side effects reported to date. Conclusions: Anti–PD-1 inhibitors represent a novel treatment option for recurrent/metastatic, ultra/hyper-mutated human tumors refractory to salvage treatment. Clin Cancer Res; 22(23); 5682–7. ©2016 AACR. See related commentary by Piulats and Matias-Guiu, p. 5623
Jane Austen as Fashion Plate: Musings on Muffs

Chapter 3 examines James Stanier Clarke’s fashionable sketch of Austen holding a muffin relation to other images we have of her, particularly the famous drawing of Austen by her sister Cassandra, and the recently discovered “unseen” portrait of her by Paula Byrne which, like the muff drawing has not been authenticated. The chapter considers the drawing of Austen, found in Clarke’s friendship book, alongside contemporary fashion plates and as a material artifact in and of itself. Austen’s connection to the muff is a provocative invitation to re-envision her awareness of Regency style and accessories. The way twenty-first-century readers wish to imagine Austen may be very different from the ways in which her contemporaries envisioned her.
International Recognition and Religion: A Quantitative Analysis of Kosovo’s Contested Status

ABSTRACTRecognition from other recognized states is the key to becoming a fully fledged member state of the international system. Although many new states are quickly and universally recognized, the recognition of other aspiring states remains highly contested. In these cases of contested sovereignty, some countries but not others extend recognition. However, research on what shapes a country’s decision to recognize a claim to sovereign statehood remains relatively sparse. This article focuses on how religion shapes the incentives of states to extend or withhold recognition to aspiring states in cases of contested sovereignty. It posits two mechanisms, one at the domestic level through religious institutions and one at the international level through transnational religious affinities. The article uses new data on all state decisions regarding the international recognition of Kosovo to test these propositions. The results provide strong support for these two pathways through which religion shapes state de...
It Is Just Harder to Construct Memories for False Autobiographical Events

Summary Brewin and Andrews (2016) review studies using three research paradigms—imagination inflation, false feedback, and memory implantation—and the prevalence rate for false memories differs widely across paradigms. Vast differences also result depending on the scheme used to code the recall data. Framing memory as a constructive process reveals many of the similarities between cognitive processes involved in memory for true and false events, similarities that account for why memories are far less likely to result for false events than true events. Memories for false events are just not as easy to construct and plant as has been suggested elsewhere. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.