cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implicit affective associations predict snack choice for those with low, but not high levels of eating disorder symptomatology.

Abstract The central purpose of the current study was to examine whether eating disorder symptomatology moderates the extent to which implicitly and explicitly measured affective associations with fruits, or the feelings individuals associate with them, predict food choice. Participants (N = 107) completed both implicit and explicit measures of affective associations with fruits, a self-report of eating disorder symptomatology. In a subsequent snack selection task, they selected either a granola bar or fruit as a measure of their food choice behavior. Logistic regression analyses revealed that eating disorder symptomatology moderated the relation of implicit affective associations on behavior, OR = 0.27, p = .024, 95% CI (0.085, 0.84). A test of the simple effects indicated that implicit affective associations predicted snack choice at or below mean symptomatology levels [OR = 2.073, p = .02, 95% CI (1.12, 3.84)], but not at high levels [OR = 0.56, p = .28, 95% CI (0.18, 1.74)]. The effects of explicit measures on eating behavior were not moderated by eating disorder symptomatology (ps > .05). These findings advance our understanding of both the relation of implicit affective associations on behavior, as well as the ways in which eating disorder symptomatology may impact the decision-making process, thereby perpetuating disorder-related eating behavior. As such, they have implications for both health decision-making theory, as well as for the study and treatment of eating disorders.
Effects of levosimendan on left ventricular function: Correlation with plasma concentrations in conscious dogs

Abstract Objectives : To test the hypothesis that the hemodynamic and left ventricular functional actions of levosimendan (Orion Pharmaceutical, Espoo, Finland), a new myofilament calcium sensitizer with phosphodiesterase-inhibiting properties, in conscious dogs are correlated with plasma concentrations of the drug measured with reverse-phase, high-performance liquid chromatography. Design : Prospective investiation. Setting : Research Laboratory. Participants : Fifteen chronically instrumented dogs. Interventions : On different experimental days, dogs were assigned to receive intravenous levosimendan (12 or 24 μg/kg loading dose and 0.2 or 0.4 μg/kg/min infusion, respectively). Measurements and Main Results : Systemic and coronary hemodynamics, left ventricular function, and plasma concentrations were determined at scheduled intervals during and after levosimendan infusions. Levosimendan increased heart rate and cardiac output and decreased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and systemic vascular resistance. Levosimendan caused dose-related enhancement of left ventricular systolic (increases in regional preload recruitable stroke work slope and +dP dt max ) and diastolic functions (decreases in the time constant of isovolumic relaxation and regional chamber stiffness). The elimination half-life of levosimendan was 0.76 ± 0.04 hours. Conclusions : The hemodynamic actions and left ventricular functional effects of levosimendan correlated closely with plasma concentrations and returned to baseline values within 3 hours after discontinuation of the drug.
Instrumental response topographies of rats

Experiments 1, 2, and 3 showed that food-deprived rats responding for food pellets made significantly more long-duration leverpresses than water-deprived rats responding for water drops. These experiments further showed that this difference in instrumental response topography is long-lived, and depends neither upon idiosyncrasies of the experimental chamber nor upon severity of deprivation conditions. In Experiment 4, food-deprived rats responding for food pellets made significantly more long-duration leverpresses than did either food- or water-deprived rats responding for sucrose solution. Human judges in Experiment 5 were able to correctly identify instrumental leverpress responses by rats as being for food or water based solely on previous viewings of other rats drinking water or eating food pellets. It appears that instrumental response topographies in rats vary depending principally upon the reinforcer received, and that these instrumental response topographies resemble consummatory response topographies.
Interleukin 6, but not ciliary neurotrophic factor or leukaemia inhibitory factor, is responsible for the acute phase response to turpentine-induced myositis.

The acute phase response to inflammation is mediated in part by the endogenous production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) and members of its superfamily, including ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) and leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) have been implicated as primary mediators of the hepatic acute phase response. In the present report, mice suffering a turpentine-induced myositis were passively immunized with antibodies against either IL-6, CNTF or LIF. Passive immunization against IL-6 attenuated the anorexia and completely prevented the hypoalbuminaemia, and increases in the serum concentration of the acute phase reactants, amyloid P, amyloid A and seromucoid. In contrast, passive immunization against either CNTF or LIF failed to modulate the anorexia, weight loss or hepatic acute phase protein responses. The findings suggest that IL-6, but not other members of its superfamily, is primarily responsible for the hepatic acute phase response, and contributes to the anorexia, associated with turpentine-induced myositis.
Towards understanding the sign preference in binary atmospheric nucleation

The role of the ion sign in the binary H2SO4–H2O nucleation remains unclear despite significant progress in both theory and instrumentation achieved within the last decade. In order to advance the understanding of ion nucleation phenomena, a quantum-chemical study of binary sulfuric acid–water ionic clusters nucleating in the atmosphere has been carried out. We found a profound sign effect caused by the pronounced difference in the structure and properties of clusters formed over core ions of different sign. The sign preference is found to be controlled by two somewhat competing factors: hydration and sulfuric acid attachment. While hydration of cations is clearly favorable, the affinity of sulfuric acid, which largely controls the nucleation intensity, to negative ions is much higher than that to positive ions. The presence of a very large difference in the affinity of sulfuric acid between positive and negative ions suggests that nucleation of negative ions is likely favorable.
Randomized controlled trial of cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy for social phobia: outcomes and moderators

Objective: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an empirically supported treatment for social phobia. However, not all individuals respond to treatment and many who show improvement do not maintain their gains over the long-term. Thus, alternative treatments are needed. Method: The current study (N = 87) was a 3-arm randomized clinical trial comparing CBT, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and a wait-list control group (WL) in participants with a diagnosis of social phobia based on criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Participants completed 12 sessions of CBT or ACT or a 12-week waiting period. All participants completed assessments at baseline and posttreatment, and participants assigned to CBT and ACT also completed assessments 6 and 12 months following baseline. Assessments consisted of self-report measures, a public-speaking task, and clinician ratings. Results: Multilevel modeling was used to examine between-group differences on outcomes measures. Both treatment groups outperformed WL, with no differences observed between CBT and ACT on self-report, independent clinician, or public-speaking outcomes. Lower self-reported psychological flexibility at baseline was associated with greater improvement by the 12-month follow-up in CBT compared with ACT. Self-reported fear of negative evaluation significantly moderated outcomes as well, with trends for both extremes to be associated with superior outcomes from CBT and inferior outcomes from ACT. Across treatment groups, higher perceived control and extraversion were associated with greater improvement, whereas comorbid depression was associated with poorer outcomes. Conclusions: Implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record © 2014 APA, all rights reserved).
NUTRIENTS AND OTHER RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH CANCER

The winds of change are sweeping across the face of cancer research and there is some exciting new information becoming available on risk factors and prevention of some forms of neoplasia. Studies about viral carcinogenesis, represented by the sophisticated studies with respect to AIDS; chemoprevention with retinoids, selenium and other substances; and the general aspects of lifestyle, including diet, are all encouraging, pointing toward eventual prevention.
Inherent bimanual postural synergies in hands

This paper presents a numerical approach to prove the existence of inherent bimanual postural synergies while performing actions with two hands. Five subjects were tested in two different tasks. The first task was a well coordinated task where each subject screwed nut and bolt using one or both hands. In the second task, subjects were asked to perform several random postures with both hands. Joint angles were measured during the experiment by a pair of data gloves. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed over the postures obtained during the tasks. In the first task, the number of postural synergies obtained for both hands together was less than the sum of the number of postural synergies for two hands. This is expected intuitively as first task was well coordinated. In the second task where there is no voluntary coordination involved, the number of postural synergies obtained for both hands together was still less than the sum of the number of postural synergies for two hands. This implies that there are innate bimanual synergies wired biomechanically to help brain in bimanual movements.
Generalized Intelligent Grinding Advisory System

The paper presents the current development of the Generalized Intelligent Grinding Advisory System (GIGAS), which provides a systematic way of modelling complex grinding processes and finding optimal process conditions while meeting the general class of process requirements. GIGAS provides a way of incorporating three different types of knowledge, including analytical models, experimental data and heuristic knowledge from experts, to describe complex grinding processes. The developed optimization algorithm can handle various optimization problems including different grinding processes and optimization objectives. Case studies are presented for surface grinding and cylindrical plunge-grinding with various optimization objectives to demonstrate its capability of performing optimization. The overall architecture and the developed software with the graphical user interface are described.
Gap Analyses of Environmental Management Frameworks for Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is a rapidly growing field fraught with uncertainty due to the still nascent efforts to understand its potential health risks and ecosystem dynamics. Yet, nanotechnology, like other still-emerging technologies, provides fertile territory for establishing an "upstream" management system that minimizes future risks while still in research and design. Thus, to identify the characteristics of such a proactive nano management system, gap analyses were performed on the sustainable engineering frameworks: Twelve Principles of Green Engineering, Earth Systems Engineering and Management, Life Cycle Assessment, and Cradle to Cradle, with economic, socio-cultural, environmental, and technical criteria, using buckyballs (endohedral metallofullerenes), as a case study nanomaterial. It was determined that, partly due to the unavailability of most quantitative life cycle data, and the need for modifications of these frameworks to function both as proactive as well as nano-specific, it is premature to identify a specific optimal framework. Thus, a "hybrid" framework made partly from the tools, principles, and values of the existing methods like the ones analyzed here is proposed.
A synthesized design for arc welding processes

Abstract The ability to make rational decisions based on the synthesis of various pieces of information and eventually arrive at an integrated design is a very important aspect of everyday engineering practice. In this paper, a conceptual framework for manufacturing design is obtained through a causal perspective. This framework is used in developing a knowledge-based system which gains insight into the process of arc welding. The knowledge-based system uses a few detailed analyses and experiments on simplified models to rationally produce an integrated design of the actual process using a hybrid axiomatic-algorithmic approach for design synthesis. The design strategy presented here may also be applied to other manufacturing processes.
Contrasting effects of nateglinide and rosiglitazone on insulin secretion and phospholipase C activation

Abstract When stimulated with 6 mmol/L glucose, a minimal, transient insulin secretory response was observed from perifused rat islets. The inclusion of 5 μmol/L nateglinide significantly amplified release. Elevating glucose to 8 or 10 mmol/L resulted in an increasing insulin secretory response that was again markedly potentiated by the further inclusion of nateglinide. The calcium channel antagonist, nitrendipine, abolished secretion to 8 mmol/L glucose plus nateglinide. Unlike nateglinide, rosiglitazone (5 μmol/L), troglitazone (1 to 10 μmol/L), or darglitazone (10 μmol/L), 3 peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) agonists, were without any acute stimulatory effect on insulin release in the simultaneous presence of 6 to 10 mmol/L glucose. Glucose (8 to 10 mmol/L) significantly increased inositol phosphate accumulation. Nateglinide amplified this response. Nitrendipine reduced inositol phosphate (IP) accumulation in response to the combination of 8 mmol/L glucose plus 5 μmol/L nateglinide. Rosiglitazone had no effect on IP accumulation. These results confirm the efficacy of nateglinide as a potent glucose-dependent insulin secretagogue that exerts its stimulatory effect, at least in part, through the activation of phospholipase C (PLC). No acute potentiating effect of rosiglitazone on either insulin secretion or IP accumulation could be detected in isolated rat islets.
Resonant non-linear spectroscopy in strong fields☆

Abstract A method is presented to describe multiple resonant non-linear spectra in the presence of strong laser fields. The Liouville equation for the density operator of the molecular system is transformed to a time-independent linear equation system. This can be easily solved rigorously by numerical methods or, after partitioning into a strong-field part and a perturbation, the solution can be obtained analytically by a novel perturbative approach. The results account for power broadening. Rabi splitting of signals, and power-induced extra resonances, the latter being related to the pure dephasing-induced resonances in the weak-field limit. The method can be applied to a large number of multiple resonant non-linear spectroscopies, especially CARS, CSRS, coherent Rayleigh scattering and sum- or difference-frequency generation.
Beetle luciferases as transducers of biochemical and genetic events

Some general features of bioluminescence that make it useful as a biochemical transducer and specific applications derived from beetle luciferases are presented. The use of beetle luciferases to detect minute concentrations of adenosine triphosphate and metabolically related compounds and to monitor the activity of genes in living organisms is described. The recent introduction of beetle luciferases that emit different colors of light is discussed. >
Genetic predisposition to human disease: allele-specific expression and low-penetrance regulatory loci

The two alleles of a gene can be expressed at different levels, the extreme example being imprinting, a condition in which one allele is totally suppressed. Recently, subtle differences in the expression of the two alleles have been detected in numerous human genes and in a few cases, have been associated with a genetic predisposition to disease. The underlying mechanisms are largely unexplored.
Insights from Characterizing Extinct Human Gut Microbiomes

In an effort to better understand the ancestral state of the human distal gut microbiome, we examine feces retrieved from archaeological contexts (coprolites). To accomplish this, we pyrosequenced the 16S rDNA V3 region from duplicate coprolite samples recovered from three archaeological sites, each representing a different depositional environment: Hinds Cave (~8000 years B.P.) in the southern United States, Caserones (1600 years B.P.) in northern Chile, and Rio Zape in northern Mexico (1400 years B.P.). Clustering algorithms grouped samples from the same site. Phyletic representation was more similar within sites than between them. A Bayesian approach to source-tracking was used to compare the coprolite data to published data from known sources that include, soil, compost, human gut from rural African children, human gut, oral and skin from US cosmopolitan adults and non-human primate gut. The data from the Hinds Cave samples largely represented unknown sources. The Caserones samples, retrieved directly from natural mummies, matched compost in high proportion. A substantial and robust proportion of Rio Zape data was predicted to match the gut microbiome found in traditional rural communities, with more minor matches to other sources. One of the Rio Zape samples had taxonomic representation consistent with a child. To provide an idealized scenario for sample preservation, we also applied source tracking to previously published data for Otzi the Iceman and a soldier frozen for 93 years on a glacier. Overall these studies reveal that human microbiome data has been preserved in some coprolites, and these preserved human microbiomes match more closely to those from the rural communities than to those from cosmopolitan communities. These results suggest that the modern cosmopolitan lifestyle resulted in a dramatic change to the human gut microbiome.
Gene-by-preschool interaction on the development of early externalizing problems

Background: Preschool involves an array of new social experiences that may impact the development of early externalizing behavior problems over the transition to grade school. Methods: Using longitudinal data from a nationally representative sample of over 600 pairs of US twins, we tested whether the genetic and environmental influences on externalizing problems differed between children who did versus did not attend preschool. Results: At age 4, the genetic and environmental etiology of externalizing did not differ by preschool attendance. In contrast, by age 5 years (kindergarten age), the genetic and environmental etiology of externalizing significantly differed by preschool attendance. Among children who did not attend preschool, externalizing at age 5 was predominantly due to environmental influences (52% shared environment, 34% non-shared environment) rather than genetic differences (13%), whereas among children who had attended preschool, externalizing at age 5 was primarily due to genes (67%), and shared environmental influences were negligible (0%). These interactions represented the differential longitudinal persistence of genes and environments that contributed to externalizing at age 4. Sensitivity analyses ruled out confounding due to early mental ability, socioeconomic status, minority status, child age, and prior history of childcare. Conclusions: These results indicate that preschool enrollment is associated with increased genetic and decreased shared environmental influences on the development of early externalizing behavior problems. Keywords: Externalizing, preschool, behavioral genetics.
Optimizing the catalyst distribution for countercurrent methane steam reforming in plate reactors

Microscale autothermal reactors remain one of the most promising technologies for efficient hydrogen generation. The typical reactor design alternates microchannels where reforming and catalytic combustion of methane occur, so that exothermic and endothermic reactions take place in close proximity. The influence of flow arrangement on the autothermal coupling of methane steam reforming and methane catalytic combustion in catalytic plate reactors is investigated. The reactor thermal behavior and performance for cocurrent and countercurrent are simulated and compared. A partial overlapping of the catalyst zones in adjacent exothermic and endothermic channels is shown to avoid both severe temperature excursions and reactor extinction. Using an innovative, optimization-based approach for determining the catalyst zone overlap, a solution is provided to the problem of determining the maximum reactor conversion within specified temperature bounds, designed to preserve reactor integrity and operational safety. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2011
From Oil-Prone Source Rock to Gas-Producing Shale Reservoir - Geologic and Petrophysical Characterization of Unconventional Shale Gas Reservoirs

Many currently producing shale-gas reservoirs are overmature oil-prone source rocks. Through burial and heating these reservoirs evolve from organic-matter-rich mud deposited in marine, lacustrine, or swamp environments. Key characterization parameters are: total organic carbon (TOC), maturity level (vitrinite reflectance), mineralogy, thickness, and organic matter type. Hydrogento-carbon (HI) and oxygen-to-carbon (OI) ratios are used to classify organic matter that ranges from oil-prone algal and herbaceous to gas-prone woody/coaly material. Although organic-matter-rich intervals can be hundreds of meters thick, vertical variability in TOC is high ( 50% of the total porosity, and these pores may be hydrocarbon wet, at least during most of the thermal maturation process. A full understanding of the relation of porosity and gas content will result in development of optimized processes for hydrocarbon recovery in shale-gas reservoirs.
Creating the Network and the Actors: The FBI's Role in the Standardization of Forensic DNA Profiling

This article explores the FBI's early efforts to develop and implement a standardized DNA profiling regime in a legal and scientific landscape shaped by strong defense challenges to the technique. Although the FBI claimed numerous times that its standardization efforts were purely ‘technical’, the FBI knew it had to create a social infrastructure that would serve to ensure the validity and reliability of the forensic DNA evidence. At the center of the system would be the FBI, serving as the obligatory, if reluctant, passage point for both technical and social exchanges. The FBI decided largely by fiat that forensic scientists based in public crime laboratories, but with little molecular biology and genetics training, bore the primary responsibility for setting standards, as well as carrying out, forensic DNA analysis. At the same time, the FBI actively excluded representatives from the private biotechnology companies that introduced the technique into the legal system, as well as the members of the defense community that were responsible for highlighting potential problems with the technique in court.
Operational calibration and validation of landsat data continuity mission (LDCM) sensors using the image assessment system (IAS)

Systematic characterization and calibration of the Landsat sensors and the assessment of image data quality are performed using the Image Assessment System (IAS). The IAS was first introduced as an element of the Landsat 7 (L7) Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) ground segment and recently extended to Landsat 4 (L4) and 5 (L5) Thematic Mappers (TM) and Multispectral Sensors (MSS) on-board the Landsat 1–5 satellites. In preparation for the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM), the IAS was developed for the Earth Observer 1 (EO-1) Advanced Land Imager (ALI) with a capability to assess pushbroom sensors. This paper describes the LDCM version of the IAS and how it relates to unique calibration and validation attributes of its on-board imaging sensors. The LDCM IAS system will have to handle a significantly larger number of detectors and the associated database than the previous IAS versions. An additional challenge is that the LDCM IAS must handle data from two sensors, as the LDCM products will combine the Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) spectral bands.
Negative selection pressure against premature protein truncation is reduced by alternative splicing and diploidy

The importance of alternative splicing in many genomes has raised interesting questions about its role in evolution. We analyzed 13 384 full-length transcript isoforms from human and 2227 isoforms from mouse to identify sequences containing premature termination codons (PTCs) that are likely targets of mRNA nonsense-mediated decay. We found that alternatively spliced isoforms have a much higher frequency of PTCs (11.1%) compared with the major transcript form of each gene (3.7%). On the X chromosome, which is generally expressed as a single copy, the overall PTC rate was much lower (3.5%, versus 8.9% on diploid autosomes), and the effect of alternative splicing was enhanced. Thus, diploidy and alternative splicing each increased tolerance for PTC by about threefold, as approximately additive effects. These data suggest that nonsense mediated decay might itself reduce negative selection pressure during evolution, via rapid degradation of aberrant transcripts that might yield dominant negative phenotypes.
Conceptualizing and Identifying Cumulative Adversity and Protective Resources: Implications for Understanding Health Inequalities

This article focuses on cumulative adversity and protective resources, both social and biological, that interrupt or deflect individuals from optimal life-course trajectories and contribute to widening gaps in health. Under the guiding framework of cumulative adversity and/or advantage, this narrative discusses the theoretical framework of cumulative adversity, presents identified sources of cumulative adversity and protective resources, and highlights the utilization of the life-course approach. Numerous social and biological adverse conditions are identified across multiple domains. Utilizing the life-course perspective in identifying early life determinants and the paucity of information regarding identified protective factors are discussed. Understanding health inequalities requires attention paid to heterogeneity in the impact of social statuses as well as sources of cumulative adversity and protective resources within diverging trajectories across the life course. Intervention implications are discussed, and suggestions for future research are made.
Return to play and physical performance tests: evidence-based, rough guess or charade?

It was with great interest that we read the recent BMJ editorial by professors Lohmander and Roos1 that challenged the orthopaedic and sports world to have greater evidence to support interventions. We would place ourselves firmly on their bandwagon as we examine the evidence supporting physical performance tests (PPTs) in athletes. A PPT is aptly named as each requires an athlete to perform a physical task that is believed to be a component of sports activity. PPTs are simple, portable, low-tech assessments and as such, are quite attractive. Representative of PPTs is the single leg hop test2 and its variations (triple, crossover, and timed 6 m hop), which are ubiquitous in sports rehabilitation environments. PPTs are routinely used to predict/determine if: 1. An athlete will be injured at some future time based on substandard performance of the test (injury prediction); 2. The athlete will perform at a higher level than his or her peers for the foreseeable future …
Experimental realization of a reflections-free compact delay line based on a photonic topological insulator

Photonic topological insulator emulating quantum spin Hall effect is employed to demonstrate the first reflections-free topologically protected delay line. Large broadband time delays of the guided edge modes are measured, compared with narrow-band non-topological ones.
Advanced interconnect technologies in the era of cognitive computing

Cognitive computing is capable of machine learning, recognition and proposal. It has a great potential to make human life richer, more productive and more intelligent. For the realization of the cognitive computing, an efficient and scalable non-von Neumann architecture inspired by the human brain structure has been developed and a device which demonstrates the concept was also built. This device mimics the signal processing of the human brain, packing one million neuron circuits in 4,096 cores. It consumes almost 1,000 times less energy per event compared with a state-of-the-art multiprocessor. However, one million neurons only correspond to those of the bee's brain, and the inter-chip wiring becomes a key element to mimic the brains of higher order animals because this kind of neuromorphic device requires a large number of parallel signal lines for massive parallel signal operations. 3D chip stacking is one of the prospective technologies in achieving the device. In 3D chip stacking, technologies such as low cost TSV formation and fine-pitch interconnection, smaller than 10μm pitch technology are required. From the device reliability point of view, the optimization of solder composition for fine-pitch interconnection is also important. Injection Molded Solder (IMS) is well fit to this fine pitch interconnection, in terms of material optimization and low cost joints. As for the interposer, the build-up organic interposer is the most attractive candidates for the cost issue, but in the most top layer, ultra-fine pitch wiring with the line and space widths smaller than 1μm should be prepared. A number of material and process innovations are necessary for the inter-chip connection of neuromorphic devices.
Retrovirally transduced bone marrow stromal cells isolated from a mouse model of human osteogenesis imperfecta (oim) persist in bone and retain the ability to form cartilage and bone after extended passaging

Bone marrow stromal cells isolated from a model of osteogenesis imperfecta (oim) mice, were transduced with a retrovirus (BAG) carrying the LacZ and neor genes after passage 21. The transduced cells retained the ability to express alkaline phosphatase activity in vitro when treated with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein two (rhBMP-2), formed cartilage in vitro in aggregate cultures and formed bone in ceramic cubes after 6 weeks of implantation in nude mice. X-gal staining of ceramic cubes seeded with the transduced cells demonstrated the presence of LacZ-positive cells on the edges of bone and also in the lacunae of the newly formed bone 6 weeks after implantation. After infusion into femurs of oim mice, the transduced cells were detected in the marrow cavity and on the edges of the trabecular bone of the injected and contralateral femurs by X-gal staining and PCR analysis at 4, 10, 20, 30 and 40 days after injection. The LacZ gene was also detected in the lung and liver of the recipient mice at 4 and 10 days after injection but not at later time-periods. The present findings suggest that long-term cultured bone marrow stromal cells from osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) animals have the potential to traffic through the circulatory system, home to bone, form bone and continue to express exogenous genes. These findings open the possibility of using these cells as vehicles to deliver normal genes to bone as an alternative approach for the treatment of some forms of OI and certain other bone acquired and genetic diseases.
Research on Improving Security of Protection for Power System Secondary System by Quantum Key Technology

To enhance the capability of power grid secondary system to resist attacks and withstand the malicious damage, a real-time encryption and decryption processing method for power communication data by quantum key distribution(QKD) is proposed. Firstly, from the perspective of technical maturity and practicability the feasibility of integrating QKD with protection system for power grid secondary system is analyzed and demonstrated; then, a concrete integrating approach of QKD system with electric power longitudinal encryption authentication device is put forward, and a method of information exchange and key management for QKD and longitudinal encryption devices is designed and implemented; finally, an implementation scheme and networking idea for forming a wide-area electric power quantum data network, by which the large-scale application deployment can be realized while existing network structure is not needed to be adjusted, is discussed.
Process Design and Microstructure Evolution of One-Step Quenched and Partitioned Steel

The heat treatment processes of a low-carbon Si-Mn quenched and partitioned( QP) steel were designed and investigated. The microstructures and phase components w ere characterized and analyzed using SEM,TEM and XRD. Theoretical calculation results show ed that the optimum quenching temperature for a Fe-0. 21C binary alloy is 290 ℃ and the maximum amount of retained austenite is 17. 9%( mole basis),respectively. Process simulation results indicate that the volume fraction and the carbon concentration of the retained austenite in the tested steel are 6. 7% ~ 17. 2% and 1. 02% ~ 1. 48%,respectively. The orientation relationship between the retained austenite and adjacent martensite laths is identified as K-S relationship or N-W relationship. Fresh martensite forms in all the involved experimental processes. The amount of the retained austenite increases first and decreases after 50 s and the carbon concentration of retained austenite rises monotonously w ith the increase of partitioning time. The optimum partitioning time is 50 s. The carbides appear in the martensite laths during the later stage of the partitioning process and result in the decrease of the retained austenite.
Biomedical ethics education may benefit from integrating compliance and analysis approaches.

Two approaches have been widely applied in ethics education in the biomedical sciences: field-specific compliance and professional decision processes. Both approaches offer unique benefits to trainees, but future courses that integrate these two approaches might prove particularly valuable.
Monarchs’ Names and Numbering in the Second Bulgarian State

The article explores the onomastic practices of medieval Bulgarians, focusing on the Second Bulgarian State, from the late 12th to the early 15th century. The collected evidence suggests that soon after their conversion to Christianity, Bulgarians abandoned the attested pre-Christian clan names. Yet, despite the undeniable strength of Byzantine cultural influence, neither aristocrats nor commoners in Bulgaria seem to have adopted Byzantine-type family names, nor, for that matter, making recourse to the use of patronymics as found among the Eastern and other Southern Slavs. Thus, for example, the name Asen became a true family name only among members of the royal family living in Byzantium. More generally, the few cases of family names or patronymics apparently applied to medieval Bulgarians, seem to be restricted to a foreign context. While family names and patronymics do not seem to have been employed in Christian Medieval Bulgaria, many individuals (at least where males are concerned) appear to have sported double names, composed almost invariably of a baptismal Christian name paired with a folk name usually derived from Slavic or even Bulgar tradition. This practice included Bulgaria’s monarchs, most of whom had such double names that should not be misinterpreted as family names or patronyms, as often done in the past. Specific names did, however, function as indicators for belonging within a particular lineage, as witnessed by the propagation of names like Asen, Terter, Sisman, and Sracimir. Thus, while these cannot be considered true family names, we could continue to use them as expedients to designate the ruling clans of Medieval Bulgaria (e.g., the House of Terter), albeit recognizing this to be a modern label. These considerations not only elucidate another aspect of cultural practice in Medieval Bulgaria, but also allow and necessitate a relatively inobtrusive emendation and systematization of the historiographical nomenclature of Medieval Bulgarian monarchs. Discarding the notion of family names and recognizing foreign patronymics for what they are, it becomes possible to recover the actual results of dynastic name selection, as well as the rationale behind them.
CBIO-36p21 REGULATES STEM CELL FREQUENCY IN A SEX-SPECIFIC FASHION

Brain cancers affect more males for unknown reasons. Male prevalence in brain tumors exists for multiple tumor types across all ages, including young children. Thus sex differences in brain tumor rates cannot primarily be a consequence of acute sex hormone effects. We showed sex differences in GBM might be partly explained by sexually dimorphic RB regulation. In our model, male and female astrocytes were rendered null for neurofibromin and p53 function, and treated with EGF. Male astrocytes exhibited more rapid and higher magnitude RB phosphorylation and activation of E2F-dependent transcription. These differences were correlated with differences in proliferation, clonogenicity, soft agar colony formation, and in vivo tumorigenicity. The current study investigated the molecular basis for sex differences in RB regulation. We first surveyed the expression levels of three major RB regulators, p21/CIP1, p27/KIP1 and p16 in Nf1-/-;DNp53 astrocytes. Both P21 and P27, but not p16, were expressed. To examine p21 and p27 functions we deleted each in Nf1-/-;DNp53 astrocytes using CRISPR/Cas9. Using growth and stem cell assays, we found that while p27 loss had no effect on stem cell frequency, depletion of p21 greatly increased stem cell abundance, but in female cells only. These findings indicated that in female, but not male Nf1-/-;Dnp53 astrocytes, p21 performs a critical tumor suppressor function. In order to gain more insight into sex differences in p21 regulation we measured its induction after treatment with etoposide. Etoposide treatment resulted in significantly greater induction of p21 expression in female compared to male Nf1-/-;DNp53 astrocytes. We corroborated sex differences in p21 expression in a panel of human GBM specimens. Together these data suggest that p21 is differentially regulated by a p53 independent mechanism in male and female Nf1-/-;DNp53 astrocytes resulting in unequal numbers of clonogenic stem cells. These findings are relevant to sex differences in GBM.
Allogeneic mesenchymal precursor cells (MPCs): an innovative approach to treating advanced heart failure.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Over 37 million people worldwide are living with Heart Failure (HF). Advancements in medical therapy have improved mortality primarily by slowing the progression of left ventricular dysfunction and debilitating symptoms. Ultimately, heart transplantation, durable mechanical circulatory support (MCS), or palliative care are the only options for patients with end-stage HF. Regenerative therapies offer an innovative approach, focused on reversing myocardial dysfunction and restoring healthy myocardial tissue. Initial clinical trials using autologous (self-donated) bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMCs) demonstrated excellent safety, but only modest efficacy. Challenges with autologous stem cells include reduced quality and efficacy with increased patient age. The use of allogeneic mesenchymal precursor cells (MPCs) offers an “off the shelf” therapy, with consistent potency and less variability than autologous cells.Areas covered: Preclinical and initial clinical trials with allogeneic MP...
A carbon for every nitrogen.

Biology and the environment interact, one shaping the other (1). In the oceans, the chemistry of seawater and the chemistry of life are intimately linked (2). In 1958, Alfred Redfield (3) noted that the microscopic plankton of the surface ocean contain carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous atoms in a stoichiometry of ∼105:16:1 and that as these organisms sink and decay, the deep waters of the ocean become enriched in carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous at the same ratio. This marked the beginnings of ecological stoichiometry, a growing field that is providing novel insight into the ecology and elemental cycles of the planet (4). A study in PNAS provides a new stoichiometric link, reporting that for every nitrogen consumed in the surface Atlantic Ocean, 1.12 carbons are converted from CO2 to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) (5).
Mobilizing Death: Bodies and Spirits of the Modern Japanese Military Dead

The cult of death is almost always constructed upon the already dead. In early modern Europe, for example, the dead from previous wars played an important role in the cult of war death, most often through the creation, commemoration and mythologization of martyrs from particularly notable or tragic deaths (Baird 1992; Mosse 1990). Starting with the Napoleonic wars and especially from the First World War, the common man too was mobilized to take up arms for military conflicts that were propagated as an honorable cause, and therefore worth participating in and even dying for if necessary. With the mobilization of the common man came strategies for transforming the idea of honorable war death into tangible forms, such as official narratives, museums and memorials, some constructed even as the conflict was taking place (Winter 1995). Through such processes, death was reconfigured as sacrifice for a larger cause, national gain was said to outweigh the personal loss, and ultimately, death itself was considered to have been transcended (Mosse 1990).
Online fluorescence anisotropy immunoassay for monitoring insulin secretion from islets of Langerhans

Insulin secretion from islets of Langerhans is a dynamic process that is essential for maintaining glucose homeostasis. The ability to measure dynamic changes in insulin levels upon glucose stimulation from single islets will allow testing of therapeutics and investigating mechanisms of defective secretion observed in metabolic diseases. Most approaches to date for measurement of rapid changes in insulin levels rely on separations, making the assays difficult to translate to non-specialist laboratories. To enable rapid measurements of secretion dynamics from a single islet in a manner that will be more suitable for transfer to non-specialized laboratories, a microfluidic online fluorescence anisotropy immunoassay was developed. A single islet was housed inside a microfluidic chamber and stimulated with varying glucose levels from a gravity-based perfusion system. The total effluent of the islet chamber containing the islet secretions was mixed with gravity-driven solutions of insulin antibody and Cy5-labeled insulin. After mixing was complete, a linearly polarized 635 nm laser was used to excite the immunoassay mixture and the emission was split into parallel and perpendicular components for determination of anisotropy. Key factors for reproducible anisotropy measurements, including temperature homogeneity and flow rate stability were optimized, which resulted in a 4 nM limit of detection for insulin with <1% RSD of anisotropy values. The capability of this system for measuring insulin secretion from single islets was shown by stimulating an islet with varying glucose levels. As the entire analysis is performed optically, this system should be readily transferable to other laboratories.
The Effect of Medical School Reputation and Alpha Omega Alpha Membership on the Orthopedic Residency Match in the United States

Introduction: There are a number of factors used to evaluate applicants to orthopedic training programs, including medical school reputation and membership in the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society (AOA). It is unknown if these selection factors are weighted more heavily at top ranked, academic orthopedic residency programs. The purpose of this study was to compare these factors between applicants who matched at the top 25 orthopedic residency programs and those who matched at all other orthopedic programs. Methods: We performed a search to determine the AOA membership status and medical school of origin for each intern in the 2013–2014 residency class whose identity was available publicly. Percentage of residents who belonged to AOA and percentage who had attended a U.S. News top 25 medical school were compared at the top 25 orthopedic programs (based on National Institutes of Health [NIH] funding and U.S. News rank) against all other orthopedic programs. Results: Orthopedic programs affiliated with departments in the top 25 for NIH funding matched significantly more applicants who belonged to AOA. Orthopedic programs in the top 25 for department or medical school NIH funding, or medical school U.S. News rank, matched significantly more applicants who had attended top 25 medical schools. Discussion: Top 25 orthopedic residency programs matched more applicants who had attended top 25 medical schools and who were AOA members. These results provide accurate baseline information regarding the applicant pool and are informative of the general trends in the orthopedic surgery match.
Total electron scattering cross sections of some important biomolecules at 0.2–6.0 keV energies

Abstract The total electron scattering cross sections (TCS) of five nucleic bases (adenine, cytosine, guanine, thymine and uracil), phosphoric acid, three amino acids (glycine, lysine, and l -histidine), d -glucose, alpha- d -glucose, tetrahydropyran (THP), 3-hydroxytetrahydrofuran and furan have been determined in the energy range 0.2–6.0 keV using a simple model based on the effective atomic total electron scattering cross sections (EATCS). The reliability of the model is confirmed by comparing the determined TCS with the predictions of those by existing theoretical models.
ATM loss leads to synthetic lethality in BRCA1 BRCT mutant mice associated with exacerbated defects in homology-directed repair.

BRCA1 is essential for homology-directed repair (HDR) of DNA double-strand breaks in part through antagonism of the nonhomologous end-joining factor 53BP1. The ATM kinase is involved in various aspects of DNA damage signaling and repair, but how ATM participates in HDR and genetically interacts with BRCA1 in this process is unclear. To investigate this question, we used the Brca1S1598F mouse model carrying a mutation in the BRCA1 C-terminal domain of BRCA1. Whereas ATM loss leads to a mild HDR defect in adult somatic cells, we find that ATM inhibition leads to severely reduced HDR in Brca1S1598F cells. Consistent with a critical role for ATM in HDR in this background, loss of ATM leads to synthetic lethality of Brca1S1598F mice. Whereas both ATM and BRCA1 promote end resection, which can be regulated by 53BP1, 53bp1 deletion does not rescue the HDR defects of Atm mutant cells, in contrast to Brca1 mutant cells. These results demonstrate that ATM has a role in HDR independent of the BRCA1-53BP1 antagonism and that its HDR function can become critical in certain contexts.
Bringing order to the separation logic jungle

Research results from so-called “classical” separation logics are not easily ported to so-called “intuitionistic” separation logics, and vice versa. Basic questions like, “Can the frame rule be proved independently of whether the programming language is garbage-collected?” “Can amortized resource analysis be ported from one separation logic to another?” should be straightforward. But they are not. Proofs done in a particular separation logic are difficult to generalize. We argue that this limitation is caused by incompatible semantics. For example, emp sometimes holds everywhere and sometimes only on units.