cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Birth weight and the Metabolic Syndrome: thrifty phenotype or thrifty genotype?

BACKGROUND Inverse correlations have been reported between birth weight and the Metabolic Syndrome (abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, glucose intolerance, dyslipidemia, and hypertension). These correlations are thought to reflect primarily nutritional inadequacies during fetal and early life. We explored familial influences on these correlations. METHODS Using birth weight data on 602 subjects from 65 pedigrees, we partitioned phenotypic correlations into familial and non-familial. The former are usually regarded as reflecting primarily genetic influences, although they may also reflect environmental influences that are shared by family members, and the latter reflect random environmental influences. RESULTS A consistent pattern of positive familial and inverse non-familial correlations were observed. The strongest familial correlations were between birth weight and fasting insulin (r = 0.58, p = 0.002), leptin (r = 0.48, p = 0.021), split proinsulin (r=0.51, p = 0.090), and heart rate (r = 0.39, p = 0.037). An inverse familial correlation was observed with HDL cholesterol (r = -0.28, p = 0.018). Non-familial correlations were weaker and only two-- subscapular-to-triceps skinfold ratio and fasting insulin--were statistically significant. CONCLUSION Since the familial and non-familial correlations were in opposite directions, we attribute the former to the pleiotropic effects of genes. Specifically, we conclude that genes that increase birth weight also worsen the Metabolic Syndrome in adult life. Since the inverse correlations reported in the literature reflect mainly cohorts born in the early part of the 20th century, improved maternal nutrition since then may have allowed the expression of genetic influences in our participants, all of whom were born after 1950.
Improved target handoff for single cycle instrument placement

Single cycle instrument placement (SCIP) could dramatically increase the speed of various planetary rover operations. JPL is validating SCIP for use on its upcoming Mars Science Laboratory mission. Two major sources of error in the implementation submitted for validation were imprecision in selecting a distant target and error introduced while handing the target off to the rover's hazard cameras (hazcams). We have added the capability to designate a target using high resolution cameras (pancams) and then, later in the traverse, hand off to medium resolution cameras (navcams) with little error. We have implemented several options for handoff from navcams to hazcams. We have evaluated their performance on several test cases. Two methods produced average handoff error of 1 pixel when successful, but these only worked in half of the tests. Two other methods reliably produced about 10 pixels of error. None reliably reached the goal of 1 cm (about 4 pixel) handoff accuracy.
Long-term follow-up of patients treated with short-term high-dose chlorambucil for sight-threatening ocular inflammation.

Abstract Purpose To determine the effectiveness of short-term high-dose chlorambucil in the treatment of sight-threatening uveitis and to ascertain the incidence of severe side effects, particularly late malignancy. Design Retrospective, noncomparative interventional case series. Participants Fifty-three patients treated at the University of Illinois at Chicago Eye and Ear Infirmary and the private office of one of the authors for severe sight-threatening uveitis. Methods Treatment with short-term high-dose chlorambucil (2–9 months of therapy). Main outcome measure Visual acuity and degree of inflammation were assessed at every visit. The development of systemic side effects, including malignancy, was assessed using a detailed questionnaire. Results Total cumulative dose of chlorambucil ranged from 392 to 5200 mg with an average of 1429 mg. The maximum daily dose ranged from 10 to 30 mg with an average of 20 mg. Average duration of treatment was 16 weeks with a range of 7 to 40 weeks. Seventy-seven percent of patients treated were in remission with an average follow-up of 4 years (range: 6 months to 24 years). Forty-seven percent had at least two lines of improvement in Snellen visual acuity after treatment, with an average gain of 3.5 lines. Adverse effects include secondary amenorrhea, nonophthalmic herpes zoster, testicular atrophy, and erectile dysfunction. None of the patients had developed a malignancy as of their last follow-up. Conclusion Short-term high-dose chlorambucil therapy may be a reasonable option in patients with intractable sight-threatening uveitis.
An empirical investigation of IPO returns and subsequent equity offerings

Abstract Several recent papers present signaling models in which firms underprice their initial public offerings of equity (IPOs) so that they can subsequently issue seasoned equity at more favorable prices. We test the implications of these models. We find a positive relation between IPO underpricing and the probability and size of subsequent seasoned offerings. Although these results are consistent with the implications of the signaling hypotheses, the economic significance appears weak. We conduct additional tests to evaluate other explanations for these findings and find the alternatives more compelling.
MORAL SENSIBILITIES AND MORAL STANDING: CAPLAN ON XENOGRAFT “DONORS”

[I]nterest in animals as a source of organs and tissues for human beings remains strong. New developments in immunosuppression technology promise to lower the technical barriers to a routine use of nonhumans as organ donors, and the image of colonies of animals kept at the ready for supplying the growing human need for new organs seems a much more plausible scenario now than it did when broached by transplantation specialists in the Sixties. As Arthur Caplan has powerfully argued, the prospects that other sources of organs may resolve the supply problem are grim.... In the face of these "pro-xenograft" pressures, it becomes all the more signficant to assess arguments against the practice that rest on considerations of the moral status of the nonhumans from whom the organs are taken. To be sure, xenograft faces other moral difficulties -- for example, concerns about the quality of informed consent obtained for recipients, worries about the possibility that xenografting will serve as a vector by which new and possibly virulent viruses become established in humans, and problems about whether such spending is equitable in the light of other unresolved human needs. Yet whether we morally wrong animals in taking their organs and their lives remains a decidedly central issue here, one that cannot be finessed away by developing better informed consent procedures, better anti-viral strategies, or by situating transplantation medicine in a just health care system.
A Simulation and Optimization Methodology for Reliability of Vehicle Fleets

Abstract : Understanding reliability is critical in design, maintenance and durability analysis of engineering systems. A reliability simulation methodology is presented in this paper for vehicle fleets using limited data. The method can be used to estimate the reliability of non-repairable as well as repairable systems. It can optimally allocate, based on a target system reliability individual component reliabilities using a multi-objective optimization algorithm. The algorithm establishes a Pareto front that can be used for optimal tradeoff between reliability and the associated cost. The method uses Monte Carlo simulation to estimate the system failure rate and reliability as a function of time. The probability density functions (PDF) of the time between failures for all components of the system are estimated using either limited data or a usersupplied MTBF (mean time between failures) and its coefficient of variation. The reliability-cost tradeoff analysis utilizes a user-supplied relationship between reliability and cost for each component. The tradeoff can be used to optimally determine the reliability of each component in order to maximize the system reliability and simultaneously, minimize the acquisition and repair cost for the system. A detailed example highlights the methodology and demonstrates its main features.
A framework for implementing and teaching the social and ethical impact of computing

This article describes the work of Project ImpactCS, which was initiated to define the core content and pedagogical objectives for integrating social impact and ethics into the computer science (CS) curriculum. Over a three year period the project will address three major problems that hamper the implementation of across-the-board curriculum change: the lack of a well-specified definition of what the core content and learning objectives should include, the lack of a strategy for adapting and adopting existing materials that address the core topics into the existing CS curriculum, and the lack of awareness and expertise on the part of most CS faculties regarding the need and methodology for presenting such material in their courses. This report provides the conceptual frame-work and describes the learning objectives, called knowledge units, for defining a new content area in the computer science curriculum. It also discusses strategies and innovative pedagogical techniques for implementing the knowledge units into the curriculum.
U.S. Foreign Aid and UN Voting: An Analysis of Important Issues

Many previous studies assessed the effectiveness of U.S. foreign aid by focusing on voting coincidence rates of all UN votes and found no relationship between U.S. aid distribution and UN voting coincidence rates. Most UN resolutions, however, are simply not important enough for the U.S. to expend its scarce resources in influencing the outcomes. The U.S. government would not be likely to exercise pressure on all UN resolutions but would do so on issues considered vital to America's national interests. If there is any effect from receiving U.S. foreign aid on political outcomes in the UN, it is therefore most likely to emerge in voting coincidence rates on important issues. Using data collected for sixty-five developing countries between 1984 and 1993, a pooled cross-sectional and time-series research design is adopted to examine this hypothesis. Contrary to the argument that foreign aid is an ineffective policy instrument in the pursuit of America's global influence, the current findings suggest that the U.S. government has successfully utilized foreign aid programs to induce foreign policy compliance in the UN on issues that are vital to America's national interests. The end of the Cold War has dramatically changed the structure of the international system, and the rules that have guided U.S. foreign policy for the past forty years are now obsolete. The urgency of balancing the federal budget fuels political anxieties at home, and "the public is motivated by a pervasive sense that domestic problems warrant the bulk of America's energies" (Haass, 1995:43). Thus U.S. foreign aid, considered an important foreign policy instrument during the Cold War era, has found itself under intensive scrutiny in recent years (Doherty, 1995). Opponents of U.S. foreign assistance have questioned the effectiveness of these programs in promoting U.S. national interests and have pointed out that recipients of U.S. aid have often been short on gratitude. A report from the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank in Washington, has suggested that 74 percent of the recipient countries voted against the U.S. a majority of the time in the United Nations in 1994.1 On these grounds, U.S. foreign aid is viewed as largely ineffective in winning friends in the international arena. The Clinton administration strongly opposes deep cuts in the budget for international affairs. In so doing, it has argued that foreign assistance remains an important instrument of American foreign policy through which the U.S. can exert Author's note: This study is supported by a research grant from Illinois State University. The author would like to
Using entity features to classify implicit discourse relations

We report results on predicting the sense of implicit discourse relations between adjacent sentences in text. Our investigation concentrates on the association between discourse relations and properties of the referring expressions that appear in the related sentences. The properties of interest include coreference information, grammatical role, information status and syntactic form of referring expressions. Predicting the sense of implicit discourse relations based on these features is considerably better than a random baseline and several of the most discriminative features conform with linguistic intuitions. However, these features do not perform as well as lexical features traditionally used for sense prediction.
Effects of tetraethylammonium and 4-aminopyridine upon canine sinus node.

Effects of tetraethylammonium and 4-aminopyridine on the canine sinus node pacemaker cells and on canine atrial muscle cells were investigated in this study. Atria isolated from young dogs were each perfused through the sinus node artery with physiologic buffer solution. Action potentials were recorded with microelectrodes and contractions were monitored with a displacement transducer. High concentrations of tetraethylammonium (10 mmol/l) or 4-aminopyridine (1.0 mmol/l) produced atrial arrest within 15 min. However, lower concentrations (1.0 mmol/l for tetraethylammonium; 0.01 mmol/l for 4-aminopyridine) perfused for only 10 s produced brief (1 ± 0.5 min) sinus tachycardia and stronger contractions. When atropine was present, the level of sinus tachycardia tripled; when propranolol was present, both tetraethylammonium and 4-aminopyridine had only a slowing effect. The contractile responses were similarly affected. When both atropine and propranolol were present, tetraethylammonium increased sinus rate and contraction amplitude and 4-aminopyridine increased sinus rate. Action potentials of atrial cells exposed to tetraethylammonium or 4-aminopyridine had less negative diastolic transmembrane potentials, slower upstrokes, and longer durations. All these changes could be reversed by acetylcholine. With low (0.42 mmol/l) extracellular [K+], tetraethylammonium and 4-aminopyridine had no effect on sinus rate but did increase contraction amplitude by 50%. We conclude that after accounting for the effects of catecholamines and acetylcholine released in canine atrial muscle, tetraethylammonium and 4-aminopyridine directly increase sinus rate and tetraethylammonium directly increases contraction amplitude.
Feminine Figures and the “Fatherhood”: Rhetoric and Reason in Locke’s First Treatise of Government:

Traditionally neglected, Locke’s First Treatise of Government has taken on new significance with feminist interpretations that recognize the importance of its sustained engagement with patriarchal power. Yet feminist interpreters, both critics and admirers alike, read Locke as a champion of the “man of reason,” a figure seemingly immune to the influences of passions, imagination, and rhetoric. These interpreters wrongly overlook Locke’s extended engagement with the power of rhetoric in the First Treatise, an engagement that troubles the clear opposition of masculine reason and its feminine exclusions. Taking Locke’s rhetoric seriously, I argue, makes the First Treatise newly important for what it shows us about Locke’s practice of political critique. In following the varied and novel effects of Locke’s feminine figures, we find a practice of political critique that depends on a mutually constitutive relation between rhetoric and reason.
All-trans-retinoic acid improves cholestasis in α-naphthylisothiocyanate-treated rats and Mdr2-/- mice.

Chronic cholestasis results in liver injury and eventually liver failure. Although ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) showed limited benefits in primary biliary cirrhosis, there is an urgent need to develop alternative therapy for chronic cholestatic disorders. Previous studies from our laboratory demonstrated that all-trans-retinoic acid (atRA) is a potent suppressor of CYP7A1, the rate-limiting enzyme in bile acid synthesis. atRA also repressed the expression of tumor growth factor-β and collagen 1A1 in activated primary human stellate cells and LX2 cells. When administered together with UDCA to bile duct–ligated rats, this combined therapy significantly reduced the bile acid pool size and improved liver conditions. To further examine whether atRA alone or in combination with UDCA has greater beneficial effects than UDCA treatment alone, we assessed this treatment in two additional chronic cholestatic rodent models: α-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT)–treated rats and the Mdr2−/− (Abcb4−/−) knockout mouse. atRA alone significantly reduced bile duct proliferation, inflammation, and hydroxyproline levels in ANIT-treated rats, whereas the combination of atRA and UDCA significantly reduced plasma bile salt level compared with UDCA treatment. atRA alone or in combination with UDCA significantly reduced plasma levels of alkaline phosphatase and bile salts in 12-week-old Mdr2−/− mice. Reduced bile duct proliferation and inflammation were also observed in the livers of these mice. Together, atRA alone or in combination with UDCA significantly reduced the severity of liver injury in these two animal models, further supporting the combination treatment of atRA and UDCA as a potential new therapy for patients with chronic cholestatic liver disease who have not responded fully to UDCA.
Developing a News Media Literacy Scale.

Using a framework previously applied to other areas of media literacy, this study developed and assessed a measurement scale focused specifically on critical news media literacy. Our scale appears to successfully measure news media literacy as we have conceptualized it based on previous research, demonstrated through assessments of content, construct, and predictive validity. Among our college student sample, a separate media system knowledge index also was a significant predictor of knowledge about topics in the news, which suggests the need for a broader framework. Implications for future work in defining and assessing news media literacy are discussed.
"God, why did this happen to me?": three perspectives on theodicy.

This article closely examines the way three people dealt with the theodicy question. The three study subjects participated in extended interviews about their religious beliefs and activities, past and present. The interviews were summarized and analyzed to identify the person's religious resources, statements about theodicy, and mental well-being. The subjects' comments highlight the unique and diverse ways in which people wrestle with theodicy. They also indicate that dealing with the question can extend over many years. Implications for ministry are discussed.
Supernormal auditory localizationi. general background

In this series of papers, we consider human auditory localization and how its deficiencies can be reduced by appropriate processing and coding of acoustical signals in teleoperator and virtual-environment systems. Attention is given to how localization cues can be altered to improve the just-noticeable-difference JND in spatial position and to phenomena related to the use of such altered localization cues for the identification of spatial position. Unlike most current studies of synthetic auditory localization, our study includes consideration of distance as well as direction. In this first paper of the series, we provide general background material. In subsequent papers, we will present a variety of empirical results.
v-Crk, an effector of the nerve growth factor signaling pathway, delays apoptotic cell death in neurotrophin-deprived PC12 cells

v-Crk is a member of a class of SH2 and SH3-containing adaptor proteins that have been implicated in regulating the TrkA receptor tyrosine kinase and potentiating Nerve Growth Factor (NGF)-mediated neurite outgrowth in pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells (Hempstead et al, Mol. Cell Biol. 14: 1964 - 1971). Given the fact that NGF induces both differentiation and survival by binding to TrkA, we examined the rate of apoptotic cell death elicited by NGF-withdrawal in native, v-Crk, and TrkA-expressing PC12 cells. While more than 50% of native PC12 cells underwent apoptosis within 48 h of NGF withdrawal, the v-Crk and TrkA-expressing cells were much more resistant to apoptosis under these conditions, whereby approximately 70 and 95%, respectively, of the cells were alive. The ability of v-Crk to delay apoptosis required prior NGF-dependent differentiation, since naive undifferentiated v-Crk expressing PC12 cells or cells that express v-Crk mutants that are defective in NGF signaling were not protected from apoptosis during growth factor withdrawal. Moreover, addition of 50 ng/ml EGF to serum and NGF deprived v-Crk expressing cells, which also causes neurite outgrowth, promoted complete and long-term survival, although such EGF replacement had no neurotrophic effect on wild-type PC12 cells or PC12 cells overexpressing Human Bcl-2. These experiments suggest that v-Crk potentiation of a receptor tyrosine kinase under conditions of growth factor deprivation is essential for preventing apoptosis. However, unlike native PC12 cells, neither v-Crk or TrkA-expressing PC12 cells exhibited a G1 arrest when incubated for 2 weeks in NGF. Thus, v-Crk and TrkA may protect NGF deprived PC12 by preventing cell cycle arrest and hence an aborted entry into a defective cell cycle. Moreover, during NGF-withdrawal, v-CrkPC12 cells exhibited down regulation in MAP kinase and JNK activities while in native cells, these activities increased within 6 - 8 h after NGF deprivation. Thus, unlike v-Crk-mediated augmentation of differentiation, sustained activation of MAP kinase may not be required for v-Crk-induced cell survival.
The prothrombin consumption time as a determinant of platelet function.

The prothrombin consumption time quantitatively measures the conversion of prothrombin to thrombin and, therefore, serves as one of the most reliable determinants of coagulability. When normal, it assures adequate concentration of all established clotting factors, except factor VII, which does not participate in the intrinsic generation of thrombin. Because the clotting factor in platelets (pcf) which is needed in the generation of thromboplastin is unavailable from intact platelets until they are acted upon by thrombin, the prothrombin consumption time has been standardized to provide this autocatalytic action of thrombin so that the procedure measures (1) the rate of availability of pcf, and (2) the total concentration of pcf. This test has been applied to acquired thrombocytopenia and to hereditary platelet deficiency (thrombopathy), and the results have been compared with those obtained for hemophilias A and B.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Perioperative Period

Copyright: © 2012 Porhomayon J. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. It is estimated that among middle age adults the prevalence of OSA is about 4% to 2% for men and women, respectively [1-2]. It is projected that 80 to 90 % of patients with OSA are undiagnosed [3]. We are identifying more OSA patients with increase testing every year and therefore diagnosis of OSA will increase by several folds over the next decade. Up to 90% of adult patients with OSA are obese [4]. According to the most recent projections, it is anticipated that by 2030, more than half of the US population are likely to be obese and 86.3% is likely to be overweight or obese [5]. Therefore it is logical to assume that OSA is going to be a major epidemic problem in the next decade.
Does the Press Ganey Survey Correlate to Online Health Grades for a Major Academic Otolaryngology Department

ObjectivesAnalyze the correlation between online-based review websites and the Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey (PGPSS) in an academic otolaryngology department.Study DesignRetrospective cross sectional.SettingTertiary academic institution.MethodsAll available data were collected for Vitals.com and Healthgrades.com, along with PGPSS data for 16 otolaryngology attending physicians from 2012 to 2014. A mean rating was calculated for each topic category for online websites and compared with 7 PGPSS content questions using zero-order correlations. A paired t test was used to analyze the difference between the PGPSS and online scores.ResultsThere were no statistically significant correlations between time spent with the patient (r = 0.391, P = .208) and overall provider scores (r = 0.193, P = .508) when compared between Vitals.com and the PGPSS. The correlations were not statistically significant when Healthgrades.com was compared with the PGPSS in the items “probability of recommending the provider” (r...
The wrist in rheumatoid arthritis. Surgical treatment and results.

This report deals with our experience with 160 wrists operated on since 1956 for changes produced by rheumatoid arthritis. One hundred and eighteen operations were done on the dorsum of the wrist and forty-two on the volar aspect. The operations included arthrodesis, dorsal wrist stabilization, dorsal tenosynovectomy with or without tendon repair, resection of the distal end of the ulna (Darrach operation), volar tenosynovectomy combined with tendon repair and release of the median nerve, and volar wrist synovectomy. The techniques changed with increasing experience. Synovectomy is a primary objective in any operation on a rheumatoid joint or tendon sheath. Wrist fusion is indicated for a flail wrist with marked destructive changes in the bones of the wrist and severe flexion deformity. Of the eighteen wrists fused, seventeen became solid. Wrist stabilization is being performed more often now. It is indicated for painful synovitis with or without destructive changes in the bones, volar subluxation with a weak grasp, and bilateral painful synovitis with an arc of wrist motion from 30 to 60 degrees of flexion and extension. Wrist stabilization was performed on thirty-seven wrists which were followed for an average of 2.6 years. Sixteen fused spontaneously and twenty-one had loss of wrist motion amounting to from a few degrees to 65 degrees. The average arc of motion lost postoperatively was 32 degrees. Thirty-one wrists were improved functionally and symptomatically. The remaining six wrists were still symptomatic occasionally and their ability to perform activities of daily life was not improved. Tenosynovectomy with or without a Darrach procedure was performed on fifty-six wrists. The indications were painful tenosynovitis, painful inferior radioulnar joint, and tendon rupture. Of fifty-six wrists, forty-eight showed improvement in function and were stable. Eight wrists remained symptomatic and had a recurrence of synovitis. Three of these were reoperated on. The synovitis had not recurred at the site of previous synovectomy. Forty-seven tendons were ruptured in thirty-seven wrists. The most common tendon involved was the extensor digiti minimi and extensor digitorum communis to the little and ring fingers (twenty-two). The next common tendon was the extensor pollicis longus (thirteen). When the tendons were partially involved end-to-side anastomosis was performed. This gave better results than those after tendon transfer for complete rupture of the extensor digitorum. Volar synovectomy was performed for carpal-tunnel syndrome and loss of tendon function. After thirty-four of forty-two volar tenosynovectomies there was improvement in function and complete relief of pain. The remaining eight wrists remained symptomatic. Four of the thirty-four asymptomatic wrists showed fullness over the palmar aspect at follow-up suggesting recurrence of synovitis. None of these has been re-explored. The various operative techniques for the procedures mentioned are described. An approach to the anterior aspect of the wrist joint is described for the first time.
Satisfaction with the Health Care Provider and Regimen Adherence in Minority Youth with Type 1 Diabetes

To assess whether satisfaction with the health-care provider is related to regimen adherence among primarily minority youth with type 1 diabetes. Youth with type 1 diabetes (n = 169; M age = 13.88; 52 % female; 70 % Hispanic) and their parents completed questionnaires that assessed their own satisfaction with the health-care provider and youths' adherence to diabetes self-care behaviors. Higher youth and parent patient-provider relationship satisfaction was associated with higher regimen adherence. Gender affected the relationship between satisfaction and regimen adherence, such that for girls, greater satisfaction was associated with better adherence; this was not the case for boys. Patient satisfaction with the health care provider is important for regimen adherence among primarily minority youth with type 1 diabetes, particularly for girls. Future research might focus on improving youths' relationships with their health care providers as a potential pathway to improve regimen adherence.
Antidepressants and EEG Sleep: Search for Specificity

The measurement of electroencephalographic (EEG) sleep parameters in de-pressed patients provides opportunities both to understand the characteristic features of EEG sleep in depression and to examine the interaction of antidepressants, EEG sleep, and disease. On the basis of studies completed to date, we can state that the EEG sleep profile in such patients improves the diagnostic classification of affective states, offers an objective set of indicators in assessing the severity of illness, and provides an aid to the choice and length of treatment. Indeed, since the effects of antidepressant agents on sleep are immediate and pronounced, studies of these drug-induced effects on sleep may also represent a rational method for drug classification. However, despite the fact that sleep investigations represent an attractive laboratory aid in understanding the possible relationship between central nervous system functioning and affective disorders, relatively few studies with antidepressants have been undertaken. Even fewer studies have been designed to test a specific set of hypotheses.
Cutaneous Granulomas and Ataxia-Telangiectasia

Development of cutaneous granulomas in 8 patients with ataxia-telangiectasia is reported from the Departments of Pediatrics and Dermatology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL; the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI; and University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Epigenetic Control of Gene Expression in Maize.

Abstract Epigenetic gene regulation is important for proper development and gene expression in eukaryotes. Maize has a large and complex genome that includes abundant repetitive sequences which are frequently silenced by epigenetic mechanisms, making it an ideal organism to study epigenetic gene regulation. Epigenetic modifications are chromosome-bound, heritable changes to the genome that do not affect the DNA sequence, and can include DNA methylation, histone modification, and RNA processing. Our appreciation and understanding of epigenetic regulation has grown with the field since its inception ∼65 years ago. Early examples of epigenetic regulation were often associated with transposable elements, starting with McClintock's early work in the 1950s. The observation of other intriguing phenotypes segregating in non-Mendelian ratios in the 1950s provided material for genetic screens that allowed for mechanistic studies of epigenetic regulation that have come to fruition within the past 20 years. The relationship between epigenetic mechanisms and genome organization has become clear with the application of new technologies to characterize maize epigenomes. Our understanding of epigenetic control of gene expression now encompasses the context of genes relative to DNA methylation, chromatin structure, and transposable element content.
Interannual variability in ozone removal by a temperate deciduous forest

The ozone (O3) dry depositional sink and its contribution to observed variability in tropospheric O3 are both poorly understood. Distinguishing O3 uptake through plant stomata versus other pathways is relevant for quantifying the O3 influence on carbon and water cycles. We use a decade of O3, carbon, and energy eddy covariance (EC) fluxes at Harvard Forest to investigate interannual variability (IAV) in O3 deposition velocities ( vd,O3). In each month, monthly mean vd,O3 for the highest year is twice that for the lowest. Two independent stomatal conductance estimates, based on either water vapor EC or gross primary productivity, vary little from year to year relative to canopy conductance. We conclude that nonstomatal deposition controls the substantial observed IAV in summertime vd,O3 during the 1990s over this deciduous forest. The absence of obvious relationships between meteorology and vd,O3 implies a need for additional long-term, high-quality measurements and further investigation of nonstomatal mechanisms.
Fire and dwarf mistletoe (Viscaceae: Arceuthobium species) in western North America: contrasting Arceuthobium tsugense and Arceuthobium americanum.

Dwarf mistletoes (Viscaceae: Arceuthobium spp.) and fire interact in important ways in the coniferous forests of western North America. Fire directly affects dwarf mistletoes by killing the host, host branch, or heating/smoking the aerial shoots and fruits. Fire is a primary determinant of dwarf mistletoe distribution on the landscape, and time since fire controls many aspects of dwarf mistletoe epidemiology. Conversely, dwarf mistletoes can influence fire by causing changes in forest composition, structure, and fuels. Prescribed fire is important for management of dwarf mistletoes, while fire suppression is thought to have increased dwarf mistletoe abundance in western forests. Two dwarf mistletoes are compared in order to illustrate fire interactions in Oregon and Washington, USA: Arceuthobium americanum Nutt. ex Engelm. (lodgepole pine dwarf mistletoe) and Arceuthobium tsugense (Rosendahl)(western hemlock dwarf mistletoe). Arceuthobium persists on the landscape where the host is not killed by fire. Arc...
Racial centrality may be linked to mistrust in healthcare institutions for African Americans.

Evidence suggests that racial identity is an important component to African Americans’ self-concepts and therefore may be relevant to patients’ trust in healthcare, yet little is known as to how racial identity may influence trust or mistrust. African American adults (N = 220) in the greater Portland, Oregon, area provided survey reports of healthcare-related attitudes and experiences. Those who reported higher racial centrality had lower trust in healthcare institutions. Based on these findings, clinicians employing patient-centered care approaches should recognize racial identity as an important component to patients’ experiences when they seek to deliver equitable care to African American patients.
Inhibition of Mdmx (Mdm4) in vivo induces anti-obesity effects.

// Ning Kon 1,* , Donglai Wang 1,* , Tongyuan Li 1 , Le Jiang 1 , Li Qiang 2,3,** and Wei Gu 1,3 1 Institute for Cancer Genetics, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, New York, USA 2 Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, Department of Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, New York, USA 3 Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, New York, USA * These two authors contributed equally to this work ** This author is listed as a co-corresponding author Correspondence to: Wei Gu, email: // Keywords : p53; Mdmx; Mdm4; metabolism; adipose tissues Received : September 26, 2017 Accepted : December 08, 2017 Published : January 02, 2018 Abstract Although cell-cycle arrest, senescence and apoptosis remain as major canonical activities of p53 in tumor suppression, the emerging role of p53 in metabolism has been a topic of great interest. Nevertheless, it is not completely understood how p53-mediated metabolic activities are regulated in vivo and whether this part of the activities has an independent role beyond tumor suppression. Mdmx (also called Mdm4), like Mdm2, acts as a major suppressor of p53 but the embryonic lethality of mdmx-null mice creates difficulties to evaluate its physiological significance in metabolism. Here, we report that the embryonic lethality caused by the deficiency of mdmx , in contrast to the case for mdm2 , is fully rescued in the background of p53 3KR/3KR , an acetylation-defective mutant unable to induce cell-cycle arrest, senescence and apoptosis. p53 3KR/3KR /mdmx -/- mice are healthy but skinny without obvious developmental defects. p53 3KR/3KR /mdmx -/- mice are resistant to fat accumulation in adipose tissues upon high fat diet. Notably, the levels of p53 protein are only slightly increased and can be further induced upon DNA damage in p53 3KR/3KR /mdmx -/- mice, suggesting that Mdmx is only partially required for p53 degradation in vivo . Further analyses indicate that the anti-obesity phenotypes in p53 3KR/3KR /mdmx -/- mice are caused by activation of lipid oxidation and thermogenic programs in adipose tissues. These results demonstrate the specific effects of the p53/Mdmx axis in lipid metabolism and adipose tissue remodeling and reveal a surprising role of Mdmx inhibition in anti-obesity effects beyond, commonly expected, tumor suppression. Thus, our study has significant implications regarding Mdmx inhibitors in the treatment of obesity related diseases.
Physicochemical, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of chitosan/TEMPO biocomposite packaging films

Abstract Chitosan-based biocomposite films have attracted considerable attention due to their versatile physicochemical properties, and higher antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. This study investigated the physiochemical properties and examined the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of chitosan/TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical) bio-composite films. The films were prepared by incorporating different ratios of chitosan (100, 85, and 75 wt.%), TEMPO cellulose nanofibers (0, 15, and 25 wt.%) and sorbitol (25 wt.%). The bio-composite films were casted in an oven at 40 °C for 2–4 days. The successful incorporation of chitosan was confirmed by Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermal stability (TGA) measurements. The antimicrobial activity results showed a significant reduction in the growth of Salmonella enterica, E. coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes bacteria on the surface of the films with the proportional increase of chitosan. Results also showed a significant increase in the antioxidant activity of films with high chitosan concentration. The improved antimicrobial and antioxidant activities indicate that such films can be used successfully as packaging materials for several foods.
Intellectual Property and Confucianism

In the past two decades, policy makers, industry leaders, and academic commentators have repeatedly condemned Confucianism for blocking or slowing down intellectual property reforms. Nevertheless, few have revisited the debate on intellectual property and Confucianism following the recent dramatic changes to the intellectual property landscape in Asia. In 2013, for example, Japan, China, and South Korea were among the top five countries filing international applications through the Patent Cooperation Treaty, along with the United States and Germany. Chinese and Japanese firms such as Panasonic, ZTE, and Huawei Technologies also emerged as the world's top three leaders in corporate filings. If Confucianism has presented a major barrier to intellectual property reforms in China and other parts of Asia, what causes the Sinicized countries to move forward so quickly in the intellectual property world? Is it the World Trade Organization and its TRIPS Agreement? Is it the success of external trade pressure, such as pressure exerted by the U.S. Trade Representative and the various chambers of commerce? Is it the result of the countries' successful use of culturally supported piratical and counterfeiting activities to play economic catch-up? Or could it be that the impact of Confucianism on intellectual property developments in China and other parts of Asia has been misunderstood all along? After all, 30 years seem far too short a time to fully evaluate the impact of a philosophy that has lasted for more than two and a half millennia. This chapter calls for a reassessment of the impact of Confucianism on intellectual property developments in China and other parts of Asia. It begins by examining the Confucian influences on Chinese culture. Focusing on William Alford's seminal work, it underscores the important distinction between the strong form of his Confucianism-based claim and its weak form. The chapter then examines the challenges of interpreting Confucian teachings and discussing them in the context of intellectual property developments. The chapter also questions claims that seek to use Confucianism to explain the massive piracy and counterfeiting problems in China and other parts of Asia. It concludes by briefly suggesting that Confucianism may provide insight into the future development of the intellectual property systems in both China and abroad.
National Norms and Life-Event Frequencies for the Revised Social Readjustment Rating Scale

The revised 51-event Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) was administered to a representative national sample of 5,000 in order to construct and interpret norms for overall scale scores and life-event frequencies. Directions asked for the frequency of each life-event during the previous 12 months. Life-event frequencies for each subject were multiplied by previously determined stressfulness ratings to produce an overall scale score. Norms for overall scale scores and life-event frequencies were calculated. A total of 3,399 completed surveys were returned (68%). The distribution of overall scale scores had a mean of 278, standard deviation of 422, and marked positive skewness of 4.12. Five of the top 10 most frequently occurring life-events were directly related to work. The normative information concerning overall scores on the revised Social Readjustment Rating Scale can be invaluable in understanding and interpreting individual scores, as well as diagnosing or identifying at-risk individuals with high scores who would likely benefit from stress management interventions.
Second Appendix CHESS 4.5 and CHESS 4.6: Competition in 1977 and 1978

Early in 1976, there were very few knowledgeable individuals who would have wagered that a computer chess program could hold it own against a strong human player (USCF rating above 2000). Slate and Atkin, in particular, estimated the strength of their program at this time to be about 1800 on the USCF scale. Although it is no small achievement to develop a program which can play at this level, a rating of 1800 is not particularly impressive in world-class chess. This level of skill is clearly inconsistent with the claim that a machine will soon be the world champion.
Emerging roles of health information professionals for library and information science curriculum development: a scoping review

Objective: This scoping review identified the emerging and evolving roles of health information professionals (HIPs) in a range of tasks and settings, as they adapt to varied user needs, while keeping up with changing medical landscapes to provide evidence-based information support in grand rounds and scholarly research. The review aims to inform library school students about expected entry-level job qualifications and faculty about adaptable changes to specialized HIP curricula. Methods: The authors examined 268 peer-reviewed journal articles that concentrated on evolving HIP roles, professional settings, and contexts by retrieving results from several multidisciplinary databases. Results: HIPs, who generally serve as “embedded librarians,” are taking on more active roles as collaborators, research experts, and liaisons, replacing more passive and exclusive roles as information providers and outreach agents or research assistants. These evolving roles in the reviewed literature were broken into nine categories in approximate order of prominence. Conclusions: A new model linking these evolving roles to the Medical Library Association (MLA) fundamental professional competencies was developed to provide an operational examination and research-based evidence for adapting HIP continuing education curriculum learning outcomes, course content and delivery, and student career pathways for existing graduate HIP specialization courses in library programs. The model indicates each role’s connection to the MLA professional competencies, based on MLA’s detailed description of each competency. A better understanding of HIP demands and expectations will enhance the capacity of library programs to prepare students in HIP specializations. This article has been approved for the Medical Library Association’s Independent Reading Program .
Brief Report: Exercise and Anxiety in Adults with Arthritis and Other Rheumatic Diseases: Support for Evidential Value.

Objective. Given the high prevalence of anxiety in adults with arthritis and other rheumatic diseases (AORD) and the subsequent need for interventions to reduce anxiety, this brief report sought to determine if evidential value exists to support the role of exercise for reducing anxiety in adults with AORD. Methods. Utilizing data from a prior meta-analysis, a recently developed approach, P-curve, was used to determine evidential value by assessing for publication bias and p-hacking. Binomial tests as well as the more robust Stouffer’s test were used to examine for evidential value. To examine the influence of selected studies on p-curve results, findings were also examined by dropping the highest and lowest p values from the analysis. Results. The binomial test for evidential value was not statistically significant (p = 0.11) while the more robust Stouffer’s test satisfied both conditions for evidential value (p = 0.002). Power analyses suggested a good fit for the observed p-curve. Results were generally robust when the least and most extreme values were excluded. Conclusions. The results of this study provide evidential support for the benefits of exercise on anxiety in adults with AORD.
Micromechanics modeling of the elastic moduli of rGO/ANF nanocomposites

Energy storage materials that also provide structural integrity are needed to decrease the weight of electrically powered ground and air vehicles. Toward this end, structural supercapacitor electrodes consisting of aramid nanofiber (ANF) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) were reported in our previous work. Surprisingly, the experimentally measured tensile moduli of these rGO/ANF nanocomposites were not bounded by the experimentally measured moduli of the ANF and rGO materials and were an order of magnitude lower than those of Kevlar fibers and graphene sheets. The purpose of the present work is to develop a micromechanics model for elastic moduli to support the development of rGO/ANF multifunctional composite electrodes. Both the ANF and the rGO are transversely isotropic, wavy and randomly oriented, and no traditional isotropic polymeric matrix is present. We are aware of no existing micromechanics model that is applicable to such a composite. The Mori–Tanaka model is used three times, to model the rGO and ANF separately, and then the rGO/ANF composite films. The model predictions of elastic moduli were compared with experimental results. Waviness was found to be the main factor controlling the effective composite moduli, due to the extreme anisotropy of the rGO. This implies that the effective elastic moduli of rGO/ANF composites can be considerably increased by developing processing methods that reduce waviness. The experimentally observed unbounded moduli were attributed to the relationship between waviness and the volume fraction of the ANF.