cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hypoxia promotes redifferentiation and suppresses markers of hypertrophy and degeneration in both healthy and osteoarthritic chondrocytes

Hypoxia is considered to be a positive influence on the healthy chondrocyte phenotype and cartilage matrix formation. However, hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Thus, we assessed whether healthy and OA chondrocytes have distinct responses to oxygen, particularly with regard to hypertrophy and degradation during redifferentiation. Monolayer-expanded healthy and OA chondrocytes were redifferentiated for 14 days in pellet cultures under standard (20% oxygen) or hypoxic (2% oxygen) conditions. Cartilage matrix gene expression, matrix quality and quantity, degradative enzyme expression and HIF expression were measured. In hypoxia, both healthy and OA chondrocytes had higher human collagen type II, α1 gene (COL2A1), and aggrecan (ACAN) expression and sulfated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) accumulation, concomitant with lower human collagen type X, α1 gene (COL10A1), and human collagen type I, α1 gene (COL1A1), expression and collagen I extracellular accumulation. OA chondrocytes had significantly lower sGAGs/DNA than healthy chondrocytes, but only in high oxygen conditions. Hypoxia also caused significantly greater sGAG retention and hyaluronic acid synthase 2 (HAS2) expression by OA chondrocytes. Both healthy and OA chondrocytes had significantly lower expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) MMP1, MMP2, MMP3 and MMP13 in hypoxia and less active MMP2 enzyme, consistent with lower MMP14 expression. However, aggrecanase (ADAMTS4 and ADAMTS5) expression was significantly lowered by hypoxia only in healthy cells, and COL10A1 and MMP13 remained significantly higher in OA chondrocytes than in healthy chondrocytes in hypoxic conditions. HIF-1α and HIF-2α had similar expression profiles in healthy and OA cells, increasing to maximal levels early in hypoxia and decreasing over time. Hypoxic culture of human chondrocytes has long been acknowledged to result in increased matrix accumulation, but still little is known of its effects on catabolism. We show herein that the increased expression of matrix proteins, combined with decreased expression of numerous degradative enzymes by hypoxia, minimizes but does not abolish differences between redifferentiated healthy and OA chondrocytes. Hypoxia-induced HIF expression is associated with hypertrophic marker and degradative enzyme downregulation and increased measures of redifferentiation in both healthy and OA chondrocytes. Therefore, though HIFs may be involved in the pathogenesis of OA, conditions that promote HIF expression in vitro promote matrix accumulation and decrease degradation and hypertrophy, even in cells from OA joints.
Minimax estimators for location vectors in elliptical distributions with unknown scale parameter and its application to variance reduction in simulation

In this paper, we give an ever wider and new class of minimax estimators for the location vector of an elliptical distribution (a scale mixture of normal densities) with an unknown scale parameter. The its application to variance reduction for Monte Carlo simulation when control variates are used is considered. The results obtained thus extend (i) Berger's result concerning minimax estimation of location vectors for scale mixtures of normal densities with known scale parameter and (ii) Strawderman's result on the estimation of the normal mean with common unknown variance.
A Theory of Self-Crimping Bicomponent Filaments

An elementary theory of the bending of two, coupled, thin elastic elements is presented as a model for computing the curvature of bicomponent filaments. The curvature is expressed in terms of a differential extension between the two elements at the moment of "activation." The model requires expressions for the deformational energy of the interacting elements, and an explicit "material" relation expressing the details of the interactions between the "driving" and "driven" elements of the filament structure. It is closed by minimizing this energy with respect to a parameter measuring the inefficiency ΔL/L ₂ of the activation strain e. Curvatures computed for near-unity ratios of rectangular cross sections and elastic moduli yield results comparable to previously published work for both ratio values near unity (the Timo shenko limit). At larger and smaller values of these ratios the curvatures obtained by the new model are lower than those obtained previously and in limited cases appear to approximate experimental experience. A discussion of the general problem of computing and understanding practical crimp situations is given.
Methane Emission from a Tropical Wetland in Ka'au Crater, O'ahu, Hawai'i

Abstract: Natural tropical wetlands constitute an important but still poorly studied source of atmospheric methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. We measured net methane emission, soil profiles of methane generation and oxidation, and related environmental parameters in a tropical wetland occupying the Ka'au extinct volcanic crater on the Hawaiian island of O'ahu. The wetland has a fluctuating water table with dynamics that can be reproduced using precipitation data and a simple model. Median net methane flux was 117 mg m-2 day-1 and is consistent with measurements at other tropical sites. Net methane flux in the Commelina diffusa—dominated vegetation pattern (honohono) was significantly higher than that of the invasive Psidium cattleianum—dominated pattern (strawberry guava). Net methane emission in the honohono vegetation pattern was also significantly higher during the “wet” season compared with the “dry” season, although we did not find a clear correlation between net methane emission, water table level,...
Acquisition and transfer of word processing skill by an amnesic patient

Abstract The present study demonstrates that an amnesic patient was able to acquire a considerable amount of declarative and procedural knowledge about a word processing task and subsequently use it independently in his home environment. He was, however, unable to reflect upon what he had learned or to produce the learned information to changed cues. His learning was thus strongly cue-dependent and may have been achieved through an intact perceptual representation system, semantic memory system, and/or procedural memory system.
Access to Spacers and Peak Flow Meters Among Medicaid Patients with Asthma

Asthma morbidity and mortality have increased at alarming rates. Morbidity is significantly higher among minorities and low-income populations. The purpose of this study was to survey pharmacies licensed to provide both asthma medications and durable medical equipment (DME) to evaluate their acceptance of Medicaid as payment for spacers and peak flow meters in patients with Medicaid. Twenty-four pharmacies were identified and completed a telephone survey. Only 64% of the pharmacies licensed to accept Medicaid for DME provide this service. We postulate that improving DME licensing and claims reimbursement will impact medication compliance, as well as asthma morbidity and mortality.
The Importance of Family Structure and Family Income on Family's Educational Expenditure and Children's College Attendance Empirical Evidence from Taiwan

Using the 1991-1998 Survey of Family Income and Expenditure, we analyzed the determinants of college attendance rates and educational expenditure among families with children in Taiwan, paying particular attention to the effects of family structure and family income. The findings indicate that higher family income is consistently associated with higher college attendance rates and spending on education. Children in single-parent families have lower college attendance rates than children in two-parent families. Furthermore, single-parent families spend less on education. When family income is taken into account, single-mother families are not significantly different from two-parent families on the outcome variables. Single-father families, however, are estimated to have significantly lower college attendance rates and educational expenditure after controlling for family income. These results suggest that improving the economic security of single-parent families will increase their children's attainment in ...
Improving the EBLUPs of balanced mixed-effects models

Lately mixed models are heavily employed in analyses of promotional tactics as well as in clinical research. The Best Linear Unbiased Predictor (BLUP) in mixed models is a function of the variance components, which are typically estimated using conventional MLE based methods. It is well known that such approaches frequently yield estimates of factor variances that are either zero or negative. In such situations, ML and REML either do not provide any EBLUPs, or they all become practically equal, a highly undesirable repercussion. In this article we propose a class of estimators that do not suffer from the negative variance problem, and we do so while improving upon existing estimators. The MSE superiority of the resulting EBLUPs is illustrated by a simulation study. In our derivation, we also introduce a Lemma, which can be considered as the converse of Stein’s Lemma.
“Cognitive Dysmetria” as an Integrative Theory of Schizophrenia: A Dysfunction in Cortical-Subcortical-Cerebellar Circuitry?

Earlier efforts to localize the symptoms of schizophrenia in a single brain region have been replaced by models that postulate a disruption in parallel distributed or dynamic circuits. Based on empirical data derived from both magnetic resonance and positron emission tomography, we have developed a model that implicates connectivity among nodes located in prefrontal regions, the thalamic nuclei, and the cerebellum. A disruption in this circuitry produces "cognitive dysmetria," difficulty in prioritizing, processing, coordinating, and responding to information. This "poor mental coordination" is a fundamental cognitive deficit in schizophrenia and can account for its broad diversity of symptoms.
Formation of Virus Assembly Intermediate Complexes in the Cytoplasm by Wild-Type and Assembly-Defective Mutant Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 and Their Association with Membranes

We have previously identified two distinct forms of putative viral assembly intermediate complexes, a detergent-resistant complex (DRC) and a detergent-sensitive complex (DSC), in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected CD4+ T cells (Y. M. Lee and X. F. Yu, Virology 243:78–93, 1998). In the present study, the intracellular localization of these two viral assembly intermediate complexes was investigated by use of a newly developed method of subcellular fractionation. In wild-type HIV-1-infected H9 cells, the DRC fractionated with the soluble cytoplasmic fraction, whereas the DSC was associated with the membrane fraction. The DRC was also detected in the cytoplasmic fraction in H9 cells expressing HIV-1 Myr− mutant Gag. However, little of the unmyristylated Gag and Gag-Pol proteins was found in the membrane fraction. Furthermore, HIV-1 Gag proteins synthesized in vitro in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system in the absence of exogenous lipid membrane were able to assemble into a viral Gag complex similar to that of the DRC identified in infected H9 cells. The density of the viral Gag complex was not altered by treatment with the nonionic detergent Triton X-100, suggesting a lack of association of this complex with endogenous lipid. Formation of the DRC was not significantly affected by mutations in assembly domains M and L of the Gag protein but was drastically inhibited by a mutation in the assembly I domain. Purified DRC could be disrupted by high-salt treatment, suggesting electrostatic interactions are important for stabilizing the DRC. The Gag precursor proteins in the DRC were more sensitive to trypsin digestion than those in the DSC. These findings suggest that HIV-1 Gag and Gag-Pol precursors assemble into DRC in the cytoplasm, a process which requires the protein-protein interaction domain (I) in NCp7; subsequently, the DRC is transported to the plasma membrane through a process mediated by the M domain of the matrix protein. It appears that during this process, a conformational change might occur in the DRC either before or after its association with the plasma membrane, and this change is followed by the detection of virus budding structure at the plasma membrane.
Electron Emission Properties of Diamond and III-V Nitrides

Wide bandgap semiconductors such as diamond and the III-V nitrides of GaN and AIN exhibit small or even negative electron affinities. Recent results have shown that surface treatments will modify the electron affinity of diamond to cause a negative electron affinity (NEA). Results are presented which correlate the field emission from single crystal p-type (boron doped) diamond with the electron affinity of the surfaces. The field emission is explored for nitrogen doped polycrystalline films. The threshold for field emission is significantly higher than from p-type diamond, and in fact, most surfaces are severely damaged during the emission measurement. High resolution photo-electron emission microscopy (PEEM) and field emission electron microscopy (FEEM) are employed to determine the relation of the emission to the surface morphology. PEEM results presented for diamond indicate relatively uniform emission with increased intensity at protruding crystallite edges. Results are presented for cold cathodes fabricated from epitaxial nitrides grown on 6H-SiC.
Familiarity promotes the blurring of self and other in the neural representation of threat

Neurobiological investigations of empathy often support an embodied simulation account. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we monitored statistical associations between brain activations indicating self-focused threat to those indicating threats to a familiar friend or an unfamiliar stranger. Results in regions such as the anterior insula, putamen and supramarginal gyrus indicate that self-focused threat activations are robustly correlated with friend-focused threat activations but not stranger-focused threat activations. These results suggest that one of the defining features of human social bonding may be increasing levels of overlap between neural representations of self and other. This article presents a novel and important methodological approach to fMRI empathy studies, which informs how differences in brain activation can be detected in such studies and how covariate approaches can provide novel and important information regarding the brain and empathy.
Violence risk assessment and facet 4 of the Psychopathy Checklist: predicting institutional and community aggression in two forensic samples.

The Psychopathy Checklist and Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL/PCL-R) were used to predict institutional aggression and community violence in two groups of forensic patients. Results showed that Facet 4 (Antisocial) of the PCL/PCL-R or one of its parcels consistently achieved incremental validity relative to the first three facets, whereas the first three facets failed to achieve incremental validity relative to Facet 4. One of the two Facet 4 parcels, Parcel G (General Acting Out), was the only PCL-R measure to consistently achieve success in classifying individual cases using the receiver operating characteristic approach. These findings suggest that Facet 4 and its parcels may play a role in violence risk assessment, although the generalizability of these findings to various forensic settings and contexts requires further study. Language: en
Saying no in Chinese and English: Cultural similarities and differences in strategies of refusal

This study examines cultural similarities and differences in strategies of refusal by presenting realistic request scenarios which manipulate levels of imposition of the request, the amount of obli...
Mail2Tag: Augmenting email for sharing with implicit tag-based categorization

New technology can disrupt existing social processes, especially those formed within the workplace email habitat. Recent abundance of sharing tool choices and disruption of practices makes for a lack of agreement and coherence in the use of information sharing tools. At work, email remains the primary way for sharing information, despite years of knowledge management research. We examine the design of a system for lightweight organizational sharing called Mail2Tag, which augments email by utilizing existing email sharing practices to help gather content, implicitly organize that content, and evolve both the shared content and the groups of people interested in that content. The vision is to get the right information to the right people at the right time, without increasing overall information noise.
Effects of structural similarity and name frequency on picture naming in Alzheimer's disease.

Impairments to either perceptual or word-retrieval processes have been hypothesized to explain confrontation naming impairments in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study measured the effects of structural similarity, which affects perceptual processing, and name frequency, which affects word retrieval, on naming latency and accuracy in 16 AD patients and 16 age-matched controls. AD patients named pictures more slowly and made more errors than control participants. Their naming accuracy was disproportionately affected by name frequency, but not by structural similarity. The findings indicate that the processing of structural properties of objects is unaffected in early-stage AD, and suggest that word-retrieval impairments underlie the naming deficit in AD. (JINS, 1999, 5, 659–667.)
Tetracaine topical anesthesia for myringotomy.

Objectives/Hypothesis To study the efficacy and safety of topical tetracaine anesthesia for office myringotomy and myringotomy with a tube. Study Design Retrospective review of patients undergoing office myringotomy, with or without tube insertion, performed over a 4-year period. Methods A topical solution of 8% tetracaine base in 70% isopropyl alcohol was used in 381 ears. Five to 10 drops of the solution were applied to the tympanic membrane for 10 to 15 minutes and aspirated. Myringotomy was performed either with a myringotomy knife or with a CO2 laser (OtoLAM). Results Topical tetracaine was used in all 231 ears (100%) undergoing myringotomy without a tube and 150 of 212 ears (71%) undergoing myringotomy with a tube. Tetracaine alone was effective in providing tympanic membrane anesthesia in 95% of myringotomy without a tube (220 ears) and in 93% of myringotomy with a tube (139 ears). There were six complications, including five cases of severe vertigo and one unusual prolonged, transient facial nerve weakness. Conclusion Topical tetracaine is efficacious and safe for use in office myringotomy.
AN ASSESSMENT OF THE ROLE OF WHITE-TAILED DEER IN THE EPIZOOTIOLOGY OF ANAPLASMOSIS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES

The role of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the epizootiology of anaplasmosis in the southeastern United States was examined through retrospective and prospective serosurveys and by experimental infection studies. No serum antibody reactive to Anaplasma marginale was detected with an indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) assay from any of 1,376 free-ranging deer sampled from 1968 through 1990 from 13 states and Puerto Rico. Thirty-one additional deer from three bovine anaplasmosis enzootic premises also were negative by IFA and Giemsa-stained blood films. Three captive deer given A. marginale intravenously developed antibodies 38 to 41 days post-inoculation (DPI) and remained seropositive for the duration of the study (161 to 287 DPI). At 42 DPI, rickettsemias of approximately 0.0001% infected erythrocytes were observed in all three deer using a DNA probe; low rickettsemias (maximum 0.01%) persisted through 56, 63, and 87 DPI, respectively. One deer had a recrudescent infection from 126 to 146...
Dietary Spirulina Platensis Enhances Humoral and Cell-Mediated Immune Functions in Chickens

Cornell K-strain White Leghorns and broiler chicks were raised to 7 wks and 3 wks of age respectively with diets containing various levels (0 10 100 1,000 and 10,000 ppm) of Spirulina platensis fro...
Common carp (Cyprinus carpio), sport fishes, and water quality: Ecological thresholds in agriculturally eutrophic lakes

Abstract We examined fish populations, limnological conditions, lake basin morphology and watershed characteristics to evaluate patterns in population characteristics of ecologically important fish species in relation to environmental conditions in agriculturally eutrophic lake systems. Fish populations and environmental characteristics were sampled from 129 Iowa lakes using standard techniques from 2001–2006. Lakes with high catch rates of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) had high nutrient concentrations, high phytoplankton biomass and low water transparency. In addition, lakes with high catch rates of common carp had low catch rates of important sport fishes including bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus), largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) and white crappie (P. annularis). The relationship between common carp and sport fishes appeared to function as an ecological threshold. Specifically, when common carp catch rates were > 2 kilograms per fyke net night, catch rates o...
Quasi-Random PCP and Hardness of 2-Catalog Segmentation

We study the problem of 2-Catalog Segmentation which is one of the several variants of segmentation problems, introduced by Kleinberg et al., that naturally arise in data mining applications. Formally, given a bipartite graph $G = (U, V, E)$ and parameter $r$, the goal is to output two subsets $V_1, V_2 subseteq V$, each of size $r$, to maximize, $sum_{u \in U} max {|E(u, V_1)|, |E(u, V_2)|},$ where $E(u, V_i)$ is the set of edges between $u$ and the vertices in $V_i$ for $i = 1, 2$. There is a simple 2-approximation for this problem, and stronger approximation factors are known for the special case when $r = |V|/2$. On the other hand, it is known to be NP-hard, and Feige showed a constant factor hardness based on an assumption of average case hardness of random 3SAT. In this paper we show that there is no PTAS for $2$-Catalog Segmentation assuming that NP does not have subexponential time probabilistic algorithms, i.e. NP $\not\subseteq \cap_{\eps > 0}$ BPTIME($2^{n^\eps}$). In order to prove our result we strengthen the analysis of the Quasi-Random PCP of Khot, which we transform into an instance of $2$-Catalog Segmentation. Our improved analysis of the Quasi-Random PCP proves stronger properties of the PCP which might be useful in other applications.
The Effects of Weight Perception on Adolescents’ Weight-Loss Intentions and Behaviors: Evidence from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey

The objective of this study was to examine the correlation between self-perception of being overweight and weight loss intentions, eating and exercise behaviors, as well as extreme weight-loss strategies for U.S. adolescents. This study uses 50,241 observations from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (YRBSS) 2001-2009, which were nationally representative sample of 9th- through 12th-grade students in both public and private schools in the US. This study finds that, irrespective of the weight status base on self-reported weight and height, adolescents who perceive themselves as overweight have a stronger intention to lose weight, but do not develop better eating and exercise habits, compared with their counterparts of same gender and reported weight status. Normal-weight adolescents, if they perceive themselves as overweight, are more likely to engage in health-compromising weight-loss methods. This study shows that it is critical to transform weight-loss intentions into actual behaviors among overweight/obese adolescents and improve the efficacy of behavioral interventions against childhood obesity. It also highlights the need of establishing a correct perception of body weight among normal weight adolescents to curb extreme weight-loss methods.
SP 800-38E. Recommendation for Block Cipher Modes of Operation: the XTS-AES Mode for Confidentiality on Storage Devices

This publication approves the XTS-AES mode of the AES algorithm by reference to IEEE Std 1619-2007, subject to one additional requirement, as an option for protecting the confidentiality of data on storage devices. The mode does not provide authentication of the data or its source.
Focal Activation of Cells by Plasmon Resonance Assisted Optical Injection of Signaling Molecules

Experimental methods for single cell intracellular delivery are essential for probing cell signaling dynamics within complex cellular networks, such as those making up the tumor microenvironment. Here, we show a quantitative and general method of interrogation of signaling pathways. We applied highly focused near-infrared laser light to optically inject gold-coated liposomes encapsulating bioactive molecules into single cells for focal activation of cell signaling. For this demonstration, we encapsulated either inositol trisphosphate (IP3), an endogenous cell signaling second messenger, or adenophostin A (AdA), a potent analogue of IP, within 100 nm gold-coated liposomes, and injected these gold-coated liposomes and their contents into the cytosol of single ovarian carcinoma cells to initiate calcium (Ca2+) release from intracellular stores. Upon optical injection of IP3 or AdA at doses above the activation threshold, we observed increases in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration within the injected cell initiatin...
Building an RNA Sequencing Transcriptome of the Central Nervous System

The composition and function of the central nervous system (CNS) is extremely complex. In addition to hundreds of subtypes of neurons, other cell types, including glia (astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia) and vascular cells (endothelial cells and pericytes) also play important roles in CNS function. Such heterogeneity makes the study of gene transcription in CNS challenging. Transcriptomic studies, namely the analyses of the expression levels and structures of all genes, are essential for interpreting the functional elements and understanding the molecular constituents of the CNS. Microarray has been a predominant method for large-scale gene expression profiling in the past. However, RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology developed in recent years has many advantages over microarrays, and has enabled building more quantitative, accurate, and comprehensive transcriptomes of the CNS and other systems. The discovery of novel genes, diverse alternative splicing events, and noncoding RNAs has remarkably expanded the complexity of gene expression profiles and will help us to understand intricate neural circuits. Here, we discuss the procedures and advantages of RNA-Seq technology in mammalian CNS transcriptome construction, and review the approaches of sample collection as well as recent progress in building RNA-Seq-based transcriptomes from tissue samples and specific cell types.
Breeding and Utilization of PTGMS Line Ziguang 8S with Good Grain Quality in Indica Rice

Derived from the cross of Guangzhan 63S-2(as the female) and P88S(as the male),Ziguang 8S is a new photo-thermo-sensitive genetic male sterile(PTGMS) line in indica rice.It shows the characteristics of complete and stable male sterility with 100% of sterile plants and pollen sterility,low critical temperature(23.5℃),good plant type,big panicles with many spikelets,good blast resistance,good grain quality,high combining ability and favorable outcrossing habits.It was approved for commercialization by Jiangxi Provincial Crop Variety Release Committee in 2009.
Statewide Dissemination of Sesame Street Resources for Families Affected by Incarceration

The number of children with an incarcerated parent has increased nearly 80% in the past 20 years. Despite the growing need, few educational resources exist to promote the emotional health of young children with incarcerated parents. To address this need, Sesame Street recently released developmentally appropriate, multimedia resources, and piloted the dissemination of those resources in 10 states. The current study describes the process used in one pilot state to disseminate the resources; documents the reach of those dissemination efforts, including the number of resource kits distributed, number of community-based and clinical providers reached, and location of providers across the state; and examines providers' impressions of the utility of the resources and their perspectives on how the resources support children and families affected by incarceration. This study has important implications for translating research evidence for community providers and practitioners who aim to promote the emotional health of young children affected by incarceration.
Interleukin-1-induced leukocyte extravasation across rat mesenteric microvessels is mediated by platelet-activating factor

Although our understanding of the molecular interactions that mediate the adhesion of leukocytes to venular endothelial cells has greatly expanded, very little is known about the mechanisms that mediate the passage of leukocytes across the vessel wall in vivo. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of endogenously formed platelet-activating factor (PAF) in the process of leukocyte extravasation induced by interleukin-1 (IL-1). To determine at which stage of emigration PAF was involved, we studied the behavior of leukocytes within rat mesenteric microvessels by intravital microscopy. Rats were injected intraperitoneally with saline, recombinant rat IL-1 beta (IL-1 beta), or the peptide N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) 4 hours before the exteriorization of the mesenteric tissue. In animals treated with IL-1 beta there was a significant increase in the number of rolling and adherent leukocytes within venules (20- to 40-micron diameter) and in the number of extravasated leukocytes in the tissue. Pretreatment of rats with the PAF receptor antagonist UK-74,505 had no effect on the leukocyte responses of rolling and adhesion, but significantly inhibited the migration of the leukocytes across the vessel wall induced by IL-1 beta (76% inhibition). A structurally unrelated PAF antagonist, WEB-2170, produced the same effect (64% inhibition). However, in contrast, UK-74,505 had no effect on the leukocyte extravasation induced by FMLP, indicating selectivity for the response elicited by certain mediators. These results provide the first line of direct evidence for the involvement of endogenously formed PAF in the process of leukocyte extravasation induced by IL-1 in vivo.
Epilogue: the last war of religion, 1610–1629

The previous chapter attempted to revise the traditional view that the Edict of Nantes was intended to be a permanent settlement of religious toleration. Equally untenable is the notion that the Huguenot ‘state within the state’ would have survived intact only had Henry IV not been assassinated and replaced by first a regent and then a new monarch, neither of whom was as sympathetic to the Protestants as was Henry. To begin with, when Henry reluctantly renewed the brevet guaranteeing the Huguenot fortified towns, he halved the annual subsidy provided by the crown to garrison them. Moreover, the annual subsidies were already well in arrears, and nowhere near the sums promised in the brevet were ever disbursed to the Huguenots. Second, the judicial components of the edict, particularly the bi-partisan chambres mi-parties , proved not to be as effective in enforcing the rest of the edict as the Protestants had hoped. Not only did the magistrates in the various parlements procrastinate and drag their feet in implementing the new chambers, but there was institutional resistance to the Protestant judges throughout the sovereign courts. Although Henry himself never made any advance against the Huguenots' freedom of conscience, it is simply not true that the many concessions they won in the edict only began to erode after Henry's assassination. The irony, of course, is that to Henry's murderer, Francois Ravaillac, and many ultra-Catholics, the king had not done nearly enough to force the Huguenots' return to the mother church.
Empirical Validation of Commodity Spectrum Monitoring

We describe our efforts to empirically validate a distributed spectrum monitoring system built on commodity smartphones and embedded low-cost spectrum sensors. This system enables real-time spectrum sensing, identifies and locates active transmitters, and generates alarm events when detecting anomalous transmitters. To evaluate the feasibility of such a platform, we perform detailed experiments using a prototype hardware platform using smartphones and RTL dongles. We identify multiple sources of error in the sensing results and the end-user overhead (i.e. smartphone energy draw). We propose and implement a variety of techniques to identify and overcome errors and uncertainty in the data, and to reduce energy consumption. Our work demonstrates the basic viability of user-driven spectrum monitoring on commodity devices.
Atmospheric Mercury Temporal Trends in the Northeastern United States from 1992 to 2014: Are Measured Concentrations Responding to Decreasing Regional Emissions?

Long-term atmospheric mercury measurements at Underhill, VT (VT99), and Huntington Forest, NY (NY20), from 1992 to 2014 and 2005 to 2014, respectively, were used to determine concentration trends using Mann–Kendall’s tau test with Sen’s slope estimator. These data, measured generally downwind of large Hg sources in the Midwestern United States, provide the longest record of ambient Hg concentrations available in the United States. At VT99, concentrations of gaseous element mercury (GEM), gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM), and particle-bound mercury (PBM) declined at rates of −1.8, −3.2, and −6.7%/year, respectively. At NY20, GEM and GOM concentrations declined at rates of −1.6 and −7.8%/year, respectively; however, PBM concentrations increased at a rate of 2.0%/year, which is likely related to winter wood burning. A trajectory ensemble analysis using the potential source contribution function indicates the source locations associated with high mercury concentrations changed from Toronto–Buffalo and Pennsylva...
Prehospital use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for presumed pulmonary edema: A preliminary case series

Objective. To describe the prehospital use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) system for the treatment of acute respiratory failure presumed to be due to cardiogenic pulmonary edema. Methods. Prospective case-series analysis. Paramedics administered CPAP via face mask at 10 cm H2O to patients believed to be in cardiogenic pulmonary edema and in imminent need of endotracheal intubation (ETI). Data from run sheets and hospital records were analyzed for treatment intervals, vital signs, complications, admitting diagnoses, need for ETI, and mortality. Results. Nineteen patients received prehospital CPAP therapy. Mean duration of therapy was 15.5 minutes. Pre- and post-therapy pulse oximetry was available for 15 patients and demonstrated an increase from a mean of 83.3% to a mean of 95.4%. None of the patients were intubated in the field. Two patients who did not tolerate the CPAP mask required ETI upon arrival in the emergency department (ED); an additional five patients required ETI within 24 ho...
The Prognostic Significance of Ventricular Arrhythmias After Acute Myocardial Infarction: Is It Independent of Left Ventricular Function?

Ventricular arrhythmias in the convalescent phase of acute myocardial infarction are associated with an increased risk for cardiac death after hospital discharge, but whether ventricular arrhythmias exert this increased mortality risk independent of left ventricular function is not known. In order to answer this question we performed 24-h ambulatory (Holter) ECG recordings in patients two weeks after acute myocardial infarction, and analyzed the outcome with regard to both Holter arrhythmias and measures of left ventricular function. We found that both ventricular arrhythmias and left ventricular function are important determinants of survival following acute myocardial infarction, and that each exerts an independent risk force in the year after hospital discharge.
Fields of Moduli, Kummer Varieties, and Descents

This chapter deals with the analysis of fields of definition for the various structures we have encountered.
The hummingbird and the hawk-moth: Species distribution, geographical partitioning, and macrocompetition across the United States

Macrocompetition -- higher taxa suppressing species richness and adaptive radiation of others -- exists as a potentially intriguing possibility. We investigate possible evidence for this phenomenon occurring between two convergent nectarivorous families, the hawk-moths (Sphingidae) and hummingbirds (Trochilidae) by searching for geographical partitioning over the continental United States. Using stepwise regression, we tested for latitudinal and longitudinal biases in the species richness (S) of both taxa and the potential role of 10 environmental variables in their distribution pattern. Hawk-moth species richness increases with longitude (eastward-bias) while that of hummingbirds declines (westward-bias). Hawk-moth species richness is positively correlated with higher temperatures overall (especially summer minimums), atmospheric pressure, and summer precipitation; hummingbird species richness is negatively correlated with atmospheric pressure and positively correlated with winter daily maximums. Overall, hawk-moth and hummingbird species richness patterns support the operation of macrocompetition and large scale niche partitioning between the two taxa. Hawk-moth species richness was highest in states with low elevation, summer-time flowering and warm summer nights. Hummingbird species richness is highest in the southwest with higher elevation, more cool season flowering and high daytime winter temperatures. Similar geographic patterning can be seen across the Canada and South America. With this analysis, we see macrocompetition potentially occurring between these two families as two of three of Brown and Davidson (1979) indicators for intertaxanomic competition -- niche overlap and geographical partitioning -- are strongly suggested. We hope that our study helps to further exploration into a potentially undescribed form of competition and the understudied relationship between hawkmoths and hummingbirds.
Challenges and Advances in Gene Therapy Approaches for Neurodegenerative Disorders.

Introduction The recent approval of Spinraza (nusinersen), an antisense oligonucleotide, by U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat patients with spinal muscular atrophy, has reignited interests of researchers in designing and testing new gene therapy approaches to treat neurological disorders, in particular, to curb neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system which represent an ever-increasing public health burden to today's society. Conclusion This review highlights several key factors to be taken into consideration to design successful preclinical and clinical gene therapy experiments with respect to the vehicle of delivery and the route of administration to CNS-specific targets, with an additional focus on antisense oligonucleotide therapy and recent clinical trial developments.
Digital Health Innovation: A Toolkit to Navigate From Concept to Clinical Testing

Digital health technologies such as smartphone apps, Web-based platforms, and wearable devices are rapidly emerging as promising interventions for acute and chronic disease management, particularly in the field of cardiovascular medicine. However, there is limited guidance on how to effectively develop and rigorously test digital health interventions (DHIs). Through our experience with innovating Corrie, a smartphone-based app paired with a smartwatch and blood pressure monitor for myocardial infarction recovery in the acute setting, we aim to provide a toolkit for navigating the digital health technology development and clinical testing processes. The toolkit consists of 6 steps: step one emphasizes concept generation by defining a specific clinical problem and the existing solutions aimed to address it; step two aims to recruit a multidisciplinary team within an academic institution; step three leverages technology accelerators and industry partnerships; step four develops the digital health technology with continuous feedback from patient and family end-users; step five solicits feedback from a diverse array of stakeholders; and step six performs a clinical study at a single site that, if successful, rapidly scales to multiple sites. DHI development is often a complex and vastly uncharted territory. By exploring the steps we took from concept to clinical testing with the first cardiology CareKit app, we hope to provide useful insights to teams that are starting out on their path to digital health innovation. We emphasize the central importance of embracing transdisciplinary work to move from silos to synergy.
Simulation-based optimization for reconfiguration of mobile wireless sensor network

When on-board equipments in connected vehicles transmit data to road-side sensors integrated with a traffic signal controller, green phases are redistributed to directly and indirectly reduce network delays. In urban areas, propagation of information and telecommunications may have an obstacles in some locations and produce packet loss and latency of communication. Despite the potential benefits of sensor technologies, the challenges associated with identifying optimal sensor locations for multiple time stages throughout a day with uncertain demand patterns has received little attention. In this paper, we focus on proactively reducing the network delay by controlling traffic signals through an optimized sensor deployment. The framework is based upon portable sensors that may be repositioned within-day and day-to-day to new locations such that delay savings over multiple time stages will be maximized. To tackle this multi-period stochastic problem, dynamic models are proposed, considering the future sensor locations given budget constraints on the sensor costs and relocation costs, and the effect of control is tested on various demand profiles and penetration rates of an urban transportation network.
Entrepreneurial Risk Taking in Family Firms: The Wellspring of the Regenerative Capability:

Research on entrepreneurial risk taking by family firms has grown rapidly over the past decade. In this article, I revisit my earlier study’s objectives and contributions and analyze the key change...
History in Adult Human Sexual Behavior with Children and Adolescents in Western Societies

Though the theme of this book is adult human sexual behavior with children and adolescents, a number of other descriptive terms characterize individual chapters and, perhaps, their respective authors’ viewpoints: “pedophilia,” “cross-generational sex,” “adult/child sexual interactions,” “incest,” “man/child association,” “father/daughter sexual abuse,” “childhood sexual abuse.” Missing from the preliminary list of terms but present in some of the literature are other terms, such as “Knabenliebe” “boy-love,” “pederasty,” “Greek love,” and “child abuse.” Most of the terms in and of themselves are value free, except for the terms “child abuse” and “child sexual abuse,” and it is only in the last few decades that these terms entered the lexicon of descriptors. The question the historian has to raise is whether the emergence of these terms reflects a new and changing attitude or new and changing behaviors or both?
Hepatitis A 2004 vaccination in children : Methods and findings of a survey in two states

Background Hepatitis A vaccine coverage estimates needed for surveillance and vaccine policy decisions are not readily available for children older than 35 months or for adolescents. This article reports methodology developed for obtaining such estimates by telephone survey with and without provider record verification. Methods A random-digit-dial telephone survey with provider verification was conducted in Arizona and Oregon in 2004–2005 to obtain coverage estimates for children aged 2.5 to 15 years based on parental reports from telephone survey data alone, and from multiple logistic regressions using both telephone survey and provider data. Analysis was performed during 2006. Results Vaccination information was collected from parents of 1266 children, and provider verification from 488. Telephone survey and provider record–based hepatitis A vaccine coverage (one or more doses) was 60% and 65%, respectively, in Arizona, and 39% and 26%, respectively, in Oregon. Children who were younger, lived in metropolitan areas, or were Hispanic or nonwhite had significantly higher coverage; parents with immunization records provided more-accurate information. While a logistic model–based estimator developed using both parent and provider data performed slightly better than the estimator based on parent data alone, they differed mostly in the subgroups that had small sample sizes. Conclusions These are the first statewide provider-verified hepatitis A vaccine coverage estimates for children older than 35 months and indicate that telephone survey estimates as developed using this methodology could prove useful for immunization surveillance activities if interpreted cautiously.
Association of Tumor Mutational Burden With DNA Repair Mutations and Response to Anti–PD-1/PD-L1 Therapy in Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Abstract Purpose To examine clinical predictors of tumor mutational burden (TMB), to explore the association between TMB and DNA repair mutations, and to analyze TMB as a biomarker for response to immune checkpoint blockade in non–small-cell lung cancer. Patients and Methods TMB scores were determined retrospectively for 72 consecutive patients at our institution with next-generation sequencing comprehensive genomic profiling testing by Foundation Medicine. TMB scores were correlated with a number of clinical variables and presence of DNA repair mutations. Thirty-four patients were treated with anti–programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) therapies, and survival analyses based on TMB score were performed. In addition, tissue immunohistochemical analysis was performed for a subset of patients. Results History of smoking, but not other clinical variables, including prior treatment lines, stage of disease, and number of metastatic sites, predicted higher TMB score. Higher TMB score was significantly associated with greater number of DNA repair mutations. In the subset of patients treated with immune checkpoint blockade, higher TMB score significantly predicted overall survival, but not progression-free survival (hazard ratio = 0.10, P = .003; hazard ratio 1.1, P = .84, respectively). In a small subset of patients, PD-1/PD-L1 staining did not independently predict progression-free survival or overall survival. Conclusion Tissue TMB was significantly associated with smoking history and number of DNA repair mutations. TMB is a promising biomarker for response to anti–PD-1/PD-L1 therapy, with higher TMB score predicting longer overall survival.