cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pathogenesis of Trypanosoma brucei Infection in Deer Mice (Peromyscus maniculatus). V. Macrophage Ultrastructure and Function

Macrophage numbers increased in the spleen, liver, testes, heart, and kidney of deer mice infected for seven to ten weeks with Trypanosoma hriicei EATRO 110. The macrophages were activated as indicated by their increased size and significant increases in numbers of cell organelles including profiles of rough endoplasmic reticulum (which also increased in length), mitochondria, primary and secondary lysosomes, bundles of Golgi's apparatus, and free lysosomes compared to macrophages from control mice. Some macro- phages representing epithelioid cells have even greater numbers of organelles than the activated macrophages and had interdigitation in some locations, such as the heart, but with minimal phagocytic activity. These epithelioid cells were present in the kidney, testes, and particularly in the heart of infected mice. Few cardiac macrophages had finely granular deposits on their nuclear membrane. The activated macrophages had enhanced phagocytosis of trypanosomes, red blood cells, neutrophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, and plasma cells. In addition to phagocytosis, another probable consequence of macrophage activation may be depression of lymphocyte function. Phagocytosis of trypanosomes by neutrophils also was encountered occasionally.
Ageing of the heart reversed by youthful systemic factors

Age-associated changes in tissue maintenance and repair have severe consequences to human physiology. The signals and mechanisms that cause age-related tissue demise are unclear. A recently published study in Cell (Loffredo et al, 2013) proposes that blood-borne factors in the adult systemic environment are lost during ageing, which leads to cardiac hypertrophy. One such factor is GDF11. Exposure of aged mice to youthful systemic factors or GDF11 decreases cardiac hypertrophy of the heart. The ageing process is associated with a loss of tissue function through disrupted homeostatic and regenerative mechanisms (Liu and Rando, 2011). Throughout the life of any organism, the cells of the body experience various extrinsic and intrinsic changes that ultimately impact tissue function. The relative contribution of extrinsic factors and intrinsic modifications that can impact any cell is likely to be dependent on the function of the cell, its turnover throughout life and the environment in which it resides. The regenerative decline of many tissues observed during ageing is thought to be due to stem cell demise, regulated in part through changes in the composition of blood-borne factors present in the systemic environment. Parabiosis is an experimental paradigm used to study the role of bloodborne factors in many cellular processes (Finerty, 1952). In this technique, two mice are surgically joined and develop a shared blood circulation; therefore, the tissues of one mouse are exposed to its partner’s circulatory factors. Parabiosis studies involving adult and aged mice have revealed the presence of stimulatory and repressive bloodborne factors in the systemic environment that impact stem
Security Control in Inter-bank Fund Transfer

Modern financial institutions have cashed in on the electronic business opportunities of the Internet by developing numerous payment systems to meet various payment service requirements. Advanced computer systems and telecommunications technology are being used to offer fast, convenient, and secure ways to conduct financial transactions at service and security levels that are hardly or never achieved by traditional payment systems. In this paper, we examine the function and operation flow of the electronic funds transfer process as well as its security control mechanism. To evaluate telecommunication and data security techniques, a standard-leading inter-bank payment system called the Society for Worldwide Inter-bank Financial Telecommunications System is introduced. Some important security features are investigated in detail.
Propagation of modulated light in water: implications for imaging and communications systems

Until recently, little has been done to study the effect of higher modulation frequencies (>100 MHz) or short (<2 ns) pulse durations on forward-scattered light in ocean water. This forward-scattered light limits image resolution and may ultimately limit the bandwidth of a point-to-point optical communications link. The purpose of this work is to study the propagation of modulated light fields at frequencies up to 1 GHz. Results from laboratory tank experiments and their impact on future underwater optical imaging and communications systems are discussed.
Strong Axioms of Infinity and the Search for V

The axioms ZFC do not provide a concise conception of the Universe of Sets. This claim has been well documented in the 50 years since Paul Cohen estab- lished that the problem of the Continuum Hypothesis cannot be solved on the basis of these axioms. Godel's Axiom of Constructibility, V = L, provides a conception of the Universe of Sets which is perfectly concise modulo only large cardinal axioms which are strong axioms of infinity. However the axiom V = L limits the large cardinal axioms which can hold and so the axiom is false. The Inner Model Program which seeks generalizations which are compatible with large cardinal axioms has been extremely successful, but incremental, and therefore by its very nature unable to yield an ultimate enlargement of L. The situation has now changed dramatically and there is, for the first time, a genuine prospect for the construction of an ultimate enlargement of L.
The treatment of epidemic vomiting inpediatric practice

Summary 1. A report of 773 cases of an infectious type of vomiting is given. 2. A definite clinical entity is assumed. 3. It is of very frequent occurrence in private practice of pediatrics. 4. The successful control of the vomiting with the use of Coca-Cola syrupis described.
Xunify-a performance debugger for a distributed shared memory system

Although distributed shared memory (DSM) provides a convenient programming model for parallel applications running on a network of workstations, the DSM model presents new challenges for performance evaluation and debugging tools. Although processes communicate and cooperate via shared memory and synchronization primitives, most performance problems arise from the high cost of implementing these abstractions with network messages. Because the DSM abstraction hides the underlying message passing, it is often difficult to identify the reason for poor performance. We have developed an instrumentation system and a performance evaluation tool called Xunify for monitoring and performance debugging of a DSM system. Xunify provides information in terms of the programming model level, logical message level, and the transport protocol level, helping program writers quickly pinpoint the source of inefficiency.
A Robust Recognition Method for Occlusion of Mini Tomatoes Based on Hue Information and the Curvature

In this paper, we propose a robust recognition method for occlusion of mini tomatoes based on hue information and the curvature. This method is used for a managing system using robots for hydroponic that we have proposed. In this system, robots need to recognize mini tomatoes to manage farmlands. In a lot of cases, mini tomatoes are covered partially by leaves or other tomatoes. Thence, the system needs a mini tomato recognition method in the situations including occlusion. First, this method detects red areas using hue information from a source image. Second, the method detects contours from the areas by using contour tracking. Finally, the method judges whether contours are mini tomatoes or not by using the curvature. We compared our method with circle detection method using Hough transform. Experimental results showed that the recognition rate of our method was 78.8%. On the other hand, the recognition rate of the comparative method was 47.9%. Therefore, we consider that the proposed method is appropriate for mini tomato recognition in the situations including occlusion.
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Niche for Flavopiridol?

Cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks) are key regulators of orderly progression through the cell cycle and of RNA transcription. Inhibition of their activity in vitro can cause cell cycle arrest at the G1-S or G2-M boundaries ([1][1], [2][2]). Flavopiridol, a synthetic flavone related to a natural product
Physiology of sleep disordered breathing

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) results from complex interactions between anatomy and physiology. A structurally small and abnormally collapsible upper airway predisposes to disease, and interacts with normal and pathologic physiologic mechanisms to determine severity of disease. Understanding the pathophysiology provides insight into airway collapse, and may improve treatment and lead to potential new medical and surgical treatments for OSA.
Prescription headache medication in OEF/OIF veterans: results from the Women Veterans Cohort Study.

Objective.—To examine differences in male and female veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom/Iraqi Freedom (OEF/ OIF) period of service in taking prescription headache medication, and associations between taking prescription headache medication and mental health status, psychiatric symptoms, and rates of traumatic events. Background.—Headaches are common among active service members and are associated with impairment in quality of life. Little is known about headaches in OEF/OIF veterans. Methods.—Veterans participating in the Women Veterans Cohort Study responded to a cross-sectional survey to assess taking prescription headache medication, mental health status (Post Deployment Health Assessment), psychiatric symptoms (portions of the Brief Patient Health Questionnaire and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist), and traumatic events (the Traumatic Life Events Questionnaire and queries regarding military trauma). Gender differences among taking prescription headache medication, health status, psychiatric symptoms, and traumatic events were examined. Regression analyses were used to examine the influence of gender on the associations between taking prescription headache medication and health status, psychiatric symptoms, and traumatic events. Results.—139/551 (25.2%) participants reported taking prescription headache medication in the past year. A higher proportion of women veterans (29.1%) reported taking prescription medication for headache in the last year compared with men (19.7%). Taking prescription headache medication was associated with poorer perceived mental health status, higher anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and higher rates of traumatic events. The association between prescription headache medication use and perceived mental health status, and with the association between prescription headache medication use and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, was stronger for men than for women. Conclusions.—Among OEF/OIF veterans, the prevalence of clinically relevant headache is high, particularly among women veterans. Taking prescription headache medication is associated with poor mental health status, higher rates of psychiatric symptoms, and higher rates of traumatic events; however, these variables did not appear to meaningfully account for gender differences in prevalence of taking prescription headache medication. Future research should endeavor to identify factors that might account for the observed differences.
Medusa: the design and development of a TCP/IP communications nexus for the MOOS Portable Ocean Observatory Program

One of the key capabilities envisioned of MOOS (MBARI Ocean Observing System) is to provide both power and communications to oceanographic instrumentation in the benthic environment. With many technical elements, such as low-power instrument control 'nodes' and EOM (electro optical mechanical) cabling being proven at sea, the need to manage TCP/IP communications over a fiber optic link to the benthic environment became apparent. This requirement led to the construction of a custom network switch with fiber optic capability named Medusa. Medusa provides the foundation for MOOS undersea networks with managed L2 TCP/IP packet switching including fault tolerance and enhanced diagnostic capabilities for gauging the health of the undersea network. This paper describes the overall requirements, design, software capabilities, and features of the Medusa platform
Exploring the relationships between IT investments and organizational performance: preliminary empirical evidence

Businesses invested around a trillion dollars in information technology (IT) in the 1980s, and the trend continues into the nineties. Although investments in IT have reached 50% of capital expenditures, their impact on the bottom line has not been clearly established. The pay off from information technology (IT) has eluded both managers and researchers. The paper reports some preliminary results of an on going research effort to better understand the relationship between a firm's investments in IT and its financial performance. The study covers a period of 5 years, with sporadic IT and financial data on 609 large US companies. The results show a strong inverse relationship between investments in IT and the operating expenses of a firm. They also support the notion that there is a lag between the time IT investments are made by an organization and when the benefits are derived from them.
Second International Fascia Research Congress

Findings from papers published by key speakers at the 2007 Fascia Research Congress are presented in preparation for the second congress, October 2009, in Amsterdam.The role of fascia is demonstrated in new scientific findings in mechanotransduction between the cytoskeletal structure and the extracellular matrix, and its implications for health and disease.the presence of contractile cells (myofibroblasts) within the fascial fabric. Clinicians are interested in their role in creating contractile tonus in the fascial fabric-how myofibroblasts form, how they are activated, and their influence on passive muscle tonus.the biomechanical properties of fascial tissues: creep, relaxation, hysteresis, effect of sustained spinal flexion on lumbar tissues, strain-induced hydration changes, myofascial manipulation, and fascial viscoelastic deformation. These properties underlie the response of these tissues to therapy.how fascia is innervated, and how proprioception and pain are created, detected, and modulated by the spinal cord and the rest of the nervous system.forms of mechanical signaling within the fascial matrix, such as the tugging in the collagen matrix created by twisting acupuncture needles.new techniques for measurement of fascial motion in living tissue.
Stationarity tests and MSER-5: exploring the intuition behind mean-squared-error-reduction in detecting and correcting initialization bias

We explore the reasoning behind MSER-5, an efficient and effective truncation heuristic for reducing initialization bias in steady-state simulation. We also compare MSER-5 with the KPSS stationarity test as one means of investigating the possibility that MSER?s effectiveness is the result of its utility as a stationarity measure. Conversely, this comparison also lets us explore whether or not a stationarity test from the time-series literature can be used as an effective initialization bias-control heuristic. Finally, we investigate the use of an alternative form of MSER-5 that uses a variance estimator that adjusts for serial correlation.
EMI Group PLC

This case examines the April 2007 decision of British music company EMI to suspend its annual dividend as the company struggled to respond to the effect of digital audio distribution on its core business. The EMI case is intended to serve as an engaging introduction to corporate financial policy and themes in managing the right side of the balance sheet. The case contrasts EMI’s storied success with artists such as the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Pink Floyd, and Norah Jones with its recent inability to succeed in financial markets. In light of takeover threats and restructuring costs, EMI’s CFO Martin Stewart must recommend EMI’s dividend policy.
Flavokawains A and B from kava (Piper methysticum) activate heat shock and antioxidant responses and protect against hydrogen peroxide-induced cell death in HepG2 hepatocytes

Context Flavokawains are secondary metabolites from the kava plant (Piper methysticum Forst. f., Piperaceae) that have anticancer properties and demonstrated oral efficacy in murine cancer models. However, flavokawains also have suspected roles in rare cases of kava-induced hepatotoxicity. Objective To compare the toxicity flavokawains A and B (FKA, FKB) and monitor the resulting transcriptional responses and cellular adaptation in the human hepatocyte cell line, HepG2. Materials and methods HepG2 were treated with 2-100 μM FKA or FKB for 24-48 h. Cellular viability was measured with calcein-AM and changes in signalling and gene expression were monitored by luciferase reporter assay, real-time PCR and Western blot of both total and nuclear protein extracts. To test for subsequent resistance to oxidative stress, cells were pretreated with 50 μM FKA, 10 μM FKB or 10 μM sulphoraphane (SFN) for 24 h, followed by 0.4-2.8 mM H2O2 for 48 h, and then viability was assessed. Results FKA (≤100 μM) was not toxic to HepG2, whereas FKB caused significant cell death (IC50=23.2 ± 0.8 μM). Both flavokawains activated Nrf2, increasing HMOX1 and GCLC expression and enhancing total glutathione levels over 2-fold (p < 0.05). FKA and FKB also activated HSF1, increasing HSPA1A and DNAJA4 expression. Also, flavokawain pretreatment mitigated cell death after a subsequent challenge with H2O2, with FKA being more effective than FKB, and similar to SFN. Conclusions Flavokawains promote an adaptive cellular response that protects hepatocytes against oxidative stress. We propose that FKA has potential as a chemopreventative or chemotherapeutic agent.
Apple Maggot (Diptera: Tephritidae) Trap Enhancement with Washed Bacterial Cells

Six apple maggot, Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh), trap designs were evaluated in both managed and abandoned orchards. On the basis of trap efficacy, a protocol was developed for a control strategy using the Ladd trap (red hemispheres on a yellow rectangle) baited with apple volatiles, for which captures on red were consistently greater than on yellow. In another study, washed bacterial cells (media washed from the culture, and cells suspended in distilled water) of Enterobacter agglomerans removed from adult apple maggot and placed onto Ladd traps had significantly greater captures than did traps with washed cells from a standard culture or with ammonium acetate. The control strategy using the same protocol was also evaluated using the Ladd trap baited with apple volatiles and washed bacterial cells. There was a significant increase in the capture of gravid females on yellow surfaces and no detectable injury from the apple maggot at harvest. Fruit treated weekly in the field with an antibiotic mixture of streptomycin and rifampicin significantly reduced fruit injury indicating that the bacterium may serve some essential nutritional or biological need.
Study on the effect of mix-burning with Wucaiwan coal in main power plants in Urumuqi

The quality variation of Wucaiwan coal was analyzed,and the coal quality and slagging property were researched when the coal was blended in iron ore and alkaline mine in different ratio.The suitable blend ratio of Wucaiwan coal in main power plants was discussed.
Analysis on Anti-epidemic Academic Thesis in Zoucheng City in 1996-2007

Objective To know anti-epidemic academic research level in Zoucheng city after reform of academic research management mechanism,and pro-vides an objective basis for cultivating talents.Methods Using literature metrological methods,anti-epidemic academic thesis in Zoucheng city in 1996-2007 were statistically analyzed analysis.Results From 1996 to 2007,the total of 543 anti-epidemic academic thesis in Zoucheng city were pub-lished in hygiene and anti-epidemic stations or CDC of Zoucheng City on national journals,and that is 45 in a year average and per capita is 4.4.The thesis is centralizing in health business management,disease monitor,health education,in 73 kinds of academic periodical,especially in the series maga-zines of the Chinese Prevention Medical Association.15 people published more than 10 thesis,217 in all,take up 39.96% of the total thesis.It is showed that there is increasing trend with the age of the people.The group of over 40 years published more thesis than the group of under 39 years.It have direct proportion with technical title and indirect proportion with educational background.Conclusion Anti-epidemic academic papers in Zoucheng was dominant comparing with national average level.We should further improve the quality of academic papers,choose the regular periodical with high fac-tor of influence,strengthen professional and technical education for all-around development personnel,improve the quality of academic education academic research and academic papers,establish and perfect the mechanism of reward and punishment for specialized technical personnel titles,expand the mecha-nism of scientific research.
Biofilms on Plastic Debris and Their Influence on Marine Nutrient Cycling, Productivity, and Hazardous Chemical Mobility

Plastic debris is entering our oceans at an alarming rate and almost instantaneously colonized by a microbial biofilm that is unique from the microbial flora in surrounding waters. Microbial inhabitants on plastic marine debris (PMD) are now known to fluctuate depending upon season, geographic location, substrate, and age. Cursory calculations estimate a range of 1,000–15,000 metric tons of microbial biomass harbored on PMD. Here, we consider the significance and implications of this large amount of microbial metabolic potential that PMD carries and pose future research questions involving the implications of this relatively recent anthropogenic substrate and its diverse microbial inhabitants.
Widespread expression of the parathyroid hormone-related peptide and PTH/PTHrP receptor genes in intestinal epithelial cells

BACKGROUND : This study was designed to determine whether the genes for both parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) and its receptor were expressed in close proximity to one another in various regions of the gut and whether they both were evident in two intestinal epithelial cell lines. The findings would test the idea that PTHrP acts as an autocrine or paracrine factor in the gut. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN : Reverse transcription/PCR and Northern analysis were used to detect mRNA for PTHrP and its receptor in various regions of the normal rat gut, in epithelial cell populations isolated along the villus tip-crypt axis in rat jejunum, and in a rat and a human gastrointestinal epithelial cell line (IEC-6 and LoVo, respectively). Antisera to PTHrP also were used to detect the peptide in rat gastrointestinal tissues or in growth medium from cultured cells. RESULTS : Both PTHrP and PTHrP receptor mRNA were found in all regions of the rat gut, in all cell populations isolated from rat jejunum, and in the rat and human cell lines. Immunoreactive PTHrP in tissue sections was observed in rat jejunal epithelial cells all along the villus but not in crypt cells, and immunoreactive peptide was found in growth medium from the cultured intestinal epithelial cells. CONCLUSIONS : The results show that genes for PTHrP and its receptor are expressed widely in gut epithelia. Expression of the two genes in the same regions of the gut and in the same cell line implies a local autocrine/paracrine action of the peptide. Expression of the peptide in villus epithelium but not in crypt cells suggests a role in differentiating gastrointestinal epithelial cells.
The Problem of Catharsis

The problem lies in Aristotle’s notion that catharsis is the purpose of tragedy—that the purgation of fear (or terror) and pity is the source of our pleasure. We pity Desdemona as Othello’s victim, but do we pity him for his gullibility? We do not pity Macbeth or his wife, we pity their victims. And what about Raskolnikov? Doesn’t his notion that great men are somehow exempt from the moral laws that govern ordinary lives strike us as crazy? Indeed it does and is, but can we pity him for this? And as for Willy Loman, we may pity him for thinking that being “well liked” is a proof of success, but we see that he has only harmed his sons by forcing this empty ideal on them. The question raised by each of these examples is: Do they really purge our feelings of fear and pity and is that what gives us pleasure?
Effects of Attention in Visual Cortex: Linking Single Neuron Physiology to Visual Detection and Discrimination

The biological basis of human attention has been greatly advanced through the use of monkeys as a model organism. The visual system of macaque monkeys is highly similar to that of humans. Monkeys can be trained to attend to visual stimuli while holding their eyes still. This makes them ideal subjects for studying neurophysiological correlates of attention. Over the past few decades, such studies have revealed the computational mechanisms through which attention modulates visual responses. At the level of individual cortical neurons, attention can act to increase the gain and reduce the variability of responses to attended visual stimuli. These results set the stage for the development of a biologically plausible standard model of sensory attention. By applying the principles of signal detection theory, this model can link physiological effects of attention to psychophysical performance. The general approach of attempting to explain behavior based on neuronal activity can be used to refine and elaborate the standard model.
The March toward Liberation

This chapter gives a description of Sherman’s march through Georgia, including the burning of Atlanta before heading to Savannah. It details how the strategy of destroying economic resources and infrastructure along the way directly led to the release of the enslaved from plantations with thousands following the Union soldiers along the way to Savannah. Vignettes of several churches affected by the campaign and the activities of their members are presented. This chapter establishes how the military campaign directly affected the development of particular churches.
Neuroendocrine Control of Reproduction in Birds

Publisher Summary Reproductive physiology and behavior of birds are governed by the hypothalamic (neuroendocrine) control of pituitary hormone secretion (hypothalamus–pituitary system). Accordingly, this chapter starts with a brief summary of the anatomy of the hypothalamus–pituitary system and the neurohormones involved in avian reproduction. Hypothalamic neurons integrate internal and external signals, controlling reproduction by releasing neurohormones to the adenohypophysis (anterior pituitary). Reproductive activation occurs via gonadotropin-releasing hormone stimulation of adenohypophysial gonadotropin secretion. Gonadotropins (luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone) act on the gonads to stimulate gametogenesis and sex steroid production. Another adenohypophysial hormone that plays an important role in avian reproduction is prolactin (PRL). The secretion of PRL is regulated by a hypothalamic neuropeptide and vasoactive intestinal peptide. Arginine vasotocin is released from the neurohypophysis (posterior pituitary) and regulates oviposition by directly inducing uterine contraction.
Application of Temperature Ratings for Industrial Electric Induction Motors

Standards for motor temperature ratings have been in existence for many years and are generally well recognized and applied by manufacturers of electric motors and experienced users. However, there are also frequent misunderstandings about the basic motor ratings and capabilities resulting from the application of these standards. This paper attempts to offer a clear presentation of the basic temperature classifications of the primary motor standards in NEMA (2001) and IEC. These building blocks of motor design will be correlated to application issues to provide an insight to the variables of temperature ratings on induction motors. It will cover low and medium voltage motors commonly available, and will relate to both electrical and mechanical factors affected by temperature ratings. The principles and discussion within apply primarily to continuous duty induction motors defined by NEMA (2001) as medium and large three phase alternating current (AC) induction motors ranging from one horsepower to as high as 50,000 horsepower
Modeling a Response to Predatory Lending: The New Jersey Home Ownership Security Act of 2002

Professor Baher Azmy and Professor David Reiss document how predatory home lending practices have become rampant throughout the country and, notably, among low- and moderate-income and African American communities in New Jersey. Their article analyzes this emerging problem as a sometimes devastating side effect of the rapid increase in American home ownership, an otherwise almost completely desirable phenomenon. Because predatory lending has been so difficult to define, states have struggled to regulate it. New Jersey, building on the work of a few other leading states, has drafted what many consider to be the new standard for predatory lending legislation, the Home Ownership Security Act. The article places the Act in the context of governing federal law and industry practice. Such legislation is, however, quite complex and the product of significant legislative compromise, resulting in certain ambiguities that the article documents and seeks to resolve. Their article attempts to help the relatively new scholarly debate regarding predatory lending to move forward by highlighting the inherent tension between increasing consumer protections and preserving vibrant consumer credit markets. It concludes that while the Act achieves a reasonable balance between the two goals, it could have gone even farther in promoting consumer protection interests. The article will be a definitive resource for attorneys and judges as they attempt to understand and employ this complicated and important law.
Congenital Zika Syndrome in 2017

Between January 1, 2015, and December 14, 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) found mosquito-transmitted Zika virus infections in 69 countries or territories and person-to-person Zika virus transmission in 13 of them. Of great concern, in 29 of the 69 countries, Zika virus–associated central nervous system (CNS) malformations (such as microcephaly) were found among infants and fetuses suggestive of congenital infection.1 Although these Zika virus–related CNS abnormalities were first recognized in the Americas in 2015, the earliest known cases occurred in the French Polynesia islands in 2014. Zika virus–related CNS abnormalities also have been seen in Southeast Asia and West Africa.1
Use of Analgesics (Opioids and Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) and Dementia-Related Neuropathology in a Community-Based Autopsy Cohort.

Background Opioids may influence the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Some studies have observed AD pathology in the brains of opioid abusers. No study has examined the association between prescription opioid use and dementia-related neuropathologic changes. Objective To examine the relationship between prescription opioid or NSAID use and dementia-related neuropathologic changes. Methods Within a community-based autopsy cohort (N = 420), we ascertained opioid and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use over a 10-year period from automated pharmacy data and calculated total standardized daily doses (TSDDs). A neuropathologist assessed outcomes including neuritic plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and macroscopic infarcts. Outcome measures were dichotomized using established cutpoints. We used modified Poisson regression to calculate adjusted relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), accounting for participant characteristics and using weighting to account for possible selection bias related to selection into the autopsy sample. Results Heavier opioid exposure was not associated with greater neuropathologic changes. For neuritic plaques, the adjusted RR [95% CI] was 0.99 [0.64-1.47] for 91+ TSDDs of opioids versus little to no use, and for neurofibrillary tangles, 0.97 [0.49-1.78]. People with heavy NSAID use had higher risk of neuritic plaques (RR 1.39 [1.01-1.89]) than those with little to no use, as we have previously reported. Neither opioid nor NSAID use was associated with higher risk of macroscopic infarcts or with Lewy body disease. Conclusion Prescription opioid use is not associated with dementia-related neuropathologic changes, but heavy NSAID use may be. More research is needed examining chronic pain, its pharmacologic treatments, and neuropathologic changes.
Aldose reductase the major protein associated with naphthalene dihydrodiol dehydrogenase activity in rat lens.

PURPOSE Recent studies have indicated that certain aldose reductase inhibitors prevent the formation of cataracts in naphthalene-fed rats. The study was designed to investigate whether aldose reductase itself is involved in the metabolism of naphthalene in the lens and the mechanism of this cataract formation. METHODS Aldose reductase was purified from whole rat lens using a series of chromatographic steps that include gel filtration, affinity chromatography, and chromatofocusing. The dehydrogenase activity of the purified enzyme was evaluated with 1,2-dihydro-1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene (naphthalene dihydrodiol) as substrate. The same dehydrogenase activity was also examined with the recombinant protein obtained from rat lens aldose reductase clone. RESULTS Throughout the purification steps, dehydrogenase activity with naphthalene dihydrodiol as substrate coeluted with aldose reductase activity assayed with DL-glyceraldehyde as substrate. The purified aldose reductase, which appeared as a single band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, displayed dehydrogenase activity with naphthalene dihydrodiol as a substrate similar to that observed with the crude extract from whole rat lens. Recombinant protein from rat lens aldose reductase clone also displayed dehydrogenase activity similar to that observed with purified rat lens aldose reductase. Both the reductase and dehydrogenase activities of purified aldose reductase were inhibited by aldose reductase inhibitors. However, inhibition of dehydrogenase activity was less than reductase activity. Aldehyde reductase, an another nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-dependent reductase, also displayed dihydrodiol dehydrogenase activity with naphthalene dihydrodiol and this activity was also inhibited by aldose reductase inhibitors. CONCLUSIONS Aldose reductase displays dehydrogenase activity in addition to reductase activity. In rat lens aldose reductase is a major protein associated with naphthalene dihydrodiol dehydrogenase activity. This suggests that aldose reductase is linked to 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene formation in rat lens and the subsequent formation of cataracts in naphthalene-fed rats.
Active site voltage clamp fluorometry of the sodium glucose cotransporter hSGLT1.

In the human sodium glucose cotransporter (hSGLT1) cycle, the protein undergoes conformational changes where the sugar-binding site alternatively faces the external and internal surfaces. Functional site-directed fluorometry was used to probe the conformational changes at the sugar-binding site. Residues (Y290, T287, H83, and N78) were mutated to cysteines. The mutants were expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes and tagged with environmentally sensitive fluorescent rhodamines [e.g., tetramethylrhodamine (TMR)-thiols]. The fluorescence intensity was recorded as the mutants were driven into different conformations using voltage jumps. Sugar binding and transport by the fluorophore-tagged mutants were blocked, but Na+ binding and the voltage-dependent conformational transitions were unaffected. Structural models indicated that external Na+ binding opened a large aqueous vestibule (600 A3) leading to the sugar-binding site. The fluorescence of TMR covalently linked to Y290C, T287C, and H83C decreased as the mutant proteins were driven from the inward to the outward open Na+-bound conformation. The time courses of fluorescence changes (milliseconds) were close to the SGLT1 capacitive charge movements. The quench in rhodamine fluorescence indicated that the environment of the chromophores became more polar with opening of the external gates as the protein transitioned from the inward to outward facing state. Structural analyses showed an increase in polar side chains and a decrease in hydrophobic side chains lining the vestibule, and this was reflected in solvation of the chromophore. The results demonstrate the opening and closing of external gates in real time, with the accompanying changes of polarity of the sugar vestibule.
Porn fans as sex tourists? Broadening meanings of sexual consumption among adult entertainment expo attendees in Las Vegas, Nevada

ABSTRACTThis article centralizes the importance of studying touristic aspects of ‘porn cultures’ and expanding the meanings of ‘sex tourism’ to include porn culture. We do so by drawing from a survey of 481 individuals attending the 2009 Adult Entertainment Expo in Las Vegas, NV, USA. Using multivariate analyses and logistic regression, we examine how two dimensions of a relationship – relationship status (monogamous, open, or single) and travelling with your partner – affect attendees’ interests in engaging in sexualized activities outside the event: visiting a strip club, visiting a swingers club, meeting someone for sex, and paying someone for sex. Respondents who indicated they were in a non-traditional open relationship or simply not in a committed relationship were more likely to show interest in these activities. We conclude that fans’ sexualized consumption both inside and outside the expo highlights the intersections of porn and tourism.
Improved Litz-Wire Designs for the MHz Range

Alternative litz wire configurations for cases in which the skin depth is smaller than the minimum practical strand diameter are analyzed. This is common for designs in the low MHz frequency range. A new modeling method allows for inclusion of bundle-level skin effect losses in wires with non-ideal construction. Three wire types are compared over a large simulation range: solid wire, standard litz wire, and a “hollow” litz wire structure in which strands are confined to the outer perimeter of a dielectric core. We show that the hollow litz structure is superior to standard litz for many high-frequency designs, and that both litz types have lower loss than solid wire at higher frequencies than indicated by previous models. Measurements of large-scale standard and hollow litz wire prototypes verify these findings.
Consumer Applications of Quantum Computing: A Promising Approach for Secure Computation, Trusted Data Storage, and Efficient Applications

Demands from the commerce, finance, security, and logistics sectors drive the persistent growth of computing. As current research focuses on providing new computing capabilities using disruptive approaches, quantum computing represents a promising strategy that offers new capabilities in secure computation, trusted data storage, and efficient applications. This article discusses the growing awareness that quantum computing can impact a broad variety of consumer concerns and applications.
Multi-layer and Co-learning Systems for Semantic Textual Similarity, Semantic Relatedness and Recognizing Textual Entailment

Similarity plays a central role in language understanding process. However, it is always difficult to precisely define on which type of data and what similarity metrics we can apply in order to assess the similarity of two texts. Previously, we proposed a four-layer system [69] that takes into account not only string and semantic word similarities, but also word alignment and sentence structure. Our system achieved new state of the art or competitive result to state of the art on different test corpora for the Semantic Textual Similarity (STS) task from 2012 to 2015. The multi-layer architecture helps to deal with heterogeneous corpora which may not have been generated by the same distribution nor same domain. In this extended paper, we looked into the correlation between the two semantic processing tasks Semantic Relatedness (a more broad task of STS) and Recognizing Textual Entailment (RTE) to construct a co-learning model where we integrated our multi-layer architecture and Corpus Patterns technique to ultimately improve the performances of both tasks.
The Intraoral Vertical Ramus Osteotomy

The intraoral vertical ramus osteotomy (IVRO) has a distinct advantage over other TMJ surgeries; the joint capsule and intracapsular structures are preserved, and the surgery has a low complication rate. For selected patients with symptomatic anterior disc dislocation, the IVRO is a classic operation that can unload the joint as well as reposition it more favorably under the disc. The new condylar position can be characterized as an increase in the superior joint space dimension and a slightly more anterior angulation of the joint head. Patient selection is important, due to the need to maintain control over the occlusion through the use of maxillomandibular fixation for several weeks.
Cost-effectiveness of HIV Prevention Interventions in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review.

Abstract Background Sub-Saharan Africa carries the highest HIV burden globally. It is important to understand how interventions cost-effectively fit within guidelines and implementation plans, especially in low- and middle-income settings. We reviewed the evidence from economic evaluations of HIV prevention interventions in sub-Saharan Africa to help inform the allocation of limited resources. Methods We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Econ-Lit, Embase, and African Index Medicus. We included studies published between January 2009 and December 2018 reporting cost-effectiveness estimates of HIV prevention interventions. We extracted health outcomes and cost-effectiveness ratios (CERs) and evaluated study quality using the CHEERS checklist. Findings 60 studies met the full inclusion criteria. Prevention of mother-to-child transmission interventions had the lowest median CERs ($1144/HIV infection averted and $191/DALY averted), while pre-exposure prophylaxis interventions had the highest ($13,267/HIA and $799/DALY averted). Structural interventions (partner notification, cash transfer programs) have similar CERs ($3576/HIA and $392/DALY averted) to male circumcision ($2965/HIA) and were more favourable to treatment-as-prevention interventions ($7903/HIA and $890/DALY averted). Most interventions showed increased cost-effectiveness when prioritizing specific target groups based on age and risk. Interpretation The presented cost-effectiveness information can aid policy makers and other stakeholders as they develop guidelines and programming for HIV prevention plans in resource-constrained settings.
Abstract P243: Psychosocial Strengths in Childhood Reduce Cardiometabolic Risk in Midlife: Longitudinal Findings From the 1958 British Birth Cohort

Introduction: Reaching middle age with even one cardiovascular risk factor increases risk for morbidity and mortality. Yet once cardiovascular risk factors are in place, repairing or improving them...
Characterizing co-modality in urban transit systems from a passengers’ perspective

Co-modality is a concept based on a unified network system which will ensure the effective and sustainable utilization of all transportation modes. However, the application of co-modality as a measure of evaluating public transit system performance is recent and has been predominantly used in freight transport systems. This study proposes a novel approach by using co-modality as a key performance indicator to characterize public transit systems for passengers. This paper examines a new data set to evaluate transit systems from a user perspective. The data is gathered from an Application Programming Interface (API) which pulls from the real-time General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS). Data was collected over 24 h to explore 4320 transit trips and 69,120 attributes for a single origin–destination pair. Co-modality is used to understand how dozens of transit routes and schedules will best serve transit users. A detailed analysis of trips involving multiple transit segments is conducted to understand how varying headways influence the overall trip travel time. The main conclusion for this paper is that a user perspective is necessary to understand co-modality across public transit systems. Some of the metrics identified in this paper, such as percent of trip spent walking, will be useful in assessing last-mile portions of travel across multiple trips. A better understanding of transit service to travelers by the transit system as a whole will help to improve transportation in dense urban areas.
Silvopastoral research and adoption in Central America: recent findings and recommendations for future directions

Human population growth in Central America during the last thirty years has lead to encroachment of forests for food production and resulted in the replacement of forests with pastureland. Deforestation and degradation of productive soils have prompted researchers to investigate agroforestry as an alternative approach to land management. Silvopastoral systems in particular have been studied and their capacity to augment nutrient cycling, enhance soil processes, supply forage for livestock, and provide habitat for flora and fauna have been documented. Despite conclusive research findings, Central American producers are reluctant to integrate well-researched silvopastoral systems into their farming systems. Thus, it is imperative that researchers investigate the reasons for scant adoption, and that adoption is given precedence. We suggest that adoption research be made a priority on local, national, and regional silvopastoral research agendas. To explore incidence of low adoption, research should identify specific barriers, assess the technology generation process, examine the risks that silvopastoral adoption presents, and evaluate the potential for the integration of silvopastoral technologies on-farm. In addition, we recommend that the future Central American silvopastoral research agenda include the development of a clear understanding of the process of adoption specific to potential silvopastoral adopters in the region.
Zero-Shot Learning with Common Sense Knowledge Graphs

Zero-shot learning relies on semantic class representations such as hand-engineered attributes or learned embeddings to predict classes without any labeled examples. We propose to learn class representations from common sense knowledge graphs. Common sense knowledge graphs are an untapped source of explicit high-level knowledge that requires little human effort to apply to a range of tasks. To capture the knowledge in the graph, we introduce ZSL-KG, a general-purpose framework with a novel transformer graph convolutional network (TrGCN) to generate class representations. Our proposed TrGCN architecture computes non-linear combinations of the node neighbourhood and leads to significant improvements on zero-shot learning tasks. We report new state-of-the-art accuracies on six zero-shot benchmark datasets in object classification, intent classification, and fine-grained entity typing tasks. ZSL-KG outperforms the specialized state-of-the-art method for each task by an average 1.7 accuracy points and outperforms the general-purpose method with the best average accuracy by 5.3 points. Our ablation study on ZSL-KG with alternate graph neural networks shows that our transformer-based aggregator adds up to 2.8 accuracy points improvement on these tasks.