cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chs1p and Chs3p, two proteins involved in chitin synthesis, populate a compartment of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae endocytic pathway.

Abstract In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the synthesis of chitin, a cell-wall polysaccharide, is temporally and spatially regulated with respect to the cell cycle and morphogenesis. Using immunological reagents, we found that steady-state levels of Chs1p and Chs3p, two chitin synthase enzymes, did not fluctuate during the cell cycle, indicating that they are not simply regulated by synthesis and degradation. Previous cell fractionation studies demonstrated that chitin synthase I activity (CSI) exists in a plasma membrane form and in intracellular membrane-bound particles called chitosomes. Chitosomes were proposed to act as a reservoir for regulated transport of chitin synthase enzymes to the division septum. We found that Chs1p and Chs3p resided partly in chitosomes and that this distribution was not cell cycle regulated. Pulse-chase cell fractionation experiments showed that chitosome production was blocked in an endocytosis mutant (end4-1), indicating that endocytosis is required for the formation or maintenance of chitosomes. Additionally, Ste2p, internalized by ligand-induced endocytosis, cofractionated with chitosomes, suggesting that these membrane proteins populate the same endosomal compartment. However, in contrast to Ste2p, Chs1p and Chs3p were not rapidly degraded, thus raising the possibility that the temporal and spatial regulation of chitin synthesis is mediated by the mobilization of an endosomal pool of chitin synthase enzymes.
Government Policy and the Fixed-Rate Mortgage

A central argument in the ongoing discussion about the fates of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is the importance of the 30-year, fixed-rate, prepayable mortgage (FRM). The FRM has been held up as the gold standard in mortgage instrument design and as an essential element of the U.S. housing-finance system. Supporters of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac argue that a government guarantee eliminating credit risk is essential to ensuring the FRM remains the main instrument for housing finance. The FRM has benefits for the consumer through payment stability and the right to prepay the mortgage without penalty. But these benefits come at significant cost. The interest rate and prepayment risk in the FRM are costly and difficult for investors to manage. There is a premium for both the long term and the prepayment options that are paid by all users of the mortgage. The FRM causes instability in the mortgage market through periodic refinancing waves. The FRM can create negative equity in an environment of falling house pric...
A modified neoglottis procedure: update and analysis.

In recent years, various techniques have been introduced for construction of an epithelium-lined shunt between the trachea and the esophagus or hypopharynx. We described a rigid neoglottis in a prelimlinary report of 12 cases in which the upper tracheal rings were used to construct the epithelium-lined tract. This study reports the cases of 22 additional patients and offers an in-depth analysis of additional demographics, complications, and long-term speech results that quantify the vocal characteristics of neoglottic speakers. Results indicate rapid postoperative speech rehabilitation in nearly all patients, good long-term speech results (mean followup, 52 months), and low morbidity. There was a low incidence of local recurrence and stenosis, and 26 of 34 patients had either no aspiration or occasional asymptomatic aspiration of small amounts of liquid. This modified neoglottis procedure should be considered for patients who need voice restoration after laryngectomy.
The need for more aggressive therapy for men with Gleason 9-10 disease compared to Gleason ≤8 high-risk prostate cancer.

PurposeTo evaluate the outcomes of prostate cancer patients with high-risk disease stratified by Gleason Score (GS) (GS ≤8 vs GS ≥9) treated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT).MethodsThe medica...
Partial Wrapping and Spontaneous Endocytosis of Spherical Nanoparticles by Tensionless Lipid Membranes

Computer simulations of an implicit-solvent particle-based model are performed to investigate the interactions between small spherical nanoparticles and tensionless lipid bilayers. We found that nanoparticles are either unbound, wrapped by the bilayer, or endocytosed. The degree of wrapping increases with increasing the adhesion strength. The transition adhesion strength between the unbound and partially wrapped states decreases as the nanoparticle diameter is increased. We also observed that the transition adhesion strength between the wrapped states and endocytosis state decreases with increasing the nanoparticle diameter. The partial wrapping of the nanoparticles by the tensionless bilayer is explained by an elastic theory which accounts for the fact that the interaction between the nanoparticle and the bilayer extends beyond the contact region. The theory predicts that for small nanoparticles, the wrapping angle increases continuously with increasing the adhesion strength. However, for relatively large nanoparticles, the wrapping angle exhibits a discontinuity between weakly and strongly wrapped states. The size of the gap in the wrapping angle between the weakly wrapped and strongly wrapped states increases with decreasing the range of nanoparticle-bilayer interaction.
Product Positioning: TRINODAL Mapping of Brand Images, Ad Images, and Consumer Preference:

A new multidimensional scaling routine is introduced which is particularly appropriate for monitoring and assessing the repositioning impact of a new advertisement campaign on its brand. The advant...
Integrity of Medial Visuomotor Pathway Predicts Better Recovery in Neglect Patients Receiving Prism Adaptation Treatment (P02.027)

Objective: To determine whether lesion location predicts functional recovery in right-hemisphere damaged (RHD) patients with neglect following prism adaptation therapy (PAT). Background PAT can produce substantial improvements in spatial neglect. Our previous studies suggested that PAT improved spatial bias in the motor-exploratory domain, which may be subserved by frontal cortico-subcortcial systems. Therefore, the current study examined whether frontal lesion involvement determined treatment response to PAT in post-stroke patients with spatial neglect, using motor-exploratory improvement in the Catherine Bergego Scale (CBS-ME) as the outcome measure. Design/Methods: Lesions of RHD patients (N=21) receiving PAT were manually mapped from clinical images (CT or MRI) using MRIcro. Based on the lesion maps, we extracted information of frontal vs. no-frontal lesion involvement and conducted a multilevel modeling analysis (MLM). Results: After controlling for age and lesion size, MLM revealed that patients with frontal lesions demonstrated better improvement trajectory (n=13) than patients without frontal involvement (n=8). Therefore, we pursued a more detailed analysis on lesion-symptom relationship to elucidate which frontal-subcortical systems strongly support PAT response. The PAT-responsive group had greater integrity of 1) subcortical vs. cortical and 2) medial vs. lateral structures. Conclusions: Our results showed that the medial visuomotor pathway critical for visually-guided movement may support PAT response. PAT may manipulate the network for visual sensorimotor adaptation, subserved by the spared thalamus and basal ganglia, which in turn may improve motor-exploratory behaviors related to spatial neglect. It is still unclear from our preliminary data whether dorsolateral prefrontal regions may account for other performance variables. Supported by: NIH Grants: R01NS055808-01-A2; K24HD062647-01; K02NS47099. Disclosure: Dr. Shah has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Goedert has nothing to disclose. Dr. Foundas has nothing to disclose. Dr. Barrett has received personal compensation for activities with WebMD. Dr. Barrett has received research support from the Kessler Foundation, NIH, O9Brien Technologies, Pfizer/Eisai, and the Wallerstein Foundation for Geriatric Improvement.
Experimental characterization of shape memory alloy actuator cables

Wire rope (or cables) are a fundamental structural element in many engineering applications. Recently, there has been growing interest in stranding NiTi wires into cables to scale up the adaptive properties of NiTi tension elements and to make use of the desirable properties of wire rope. Exploratory experiments were performed to study the actuation behavior of two NiTi shape memory alloy cables and straight monofilament wire of the same material. The specimens were held under various dead loads ranging from 50 MPa to 400 MPa and thermally cycled 25 times from 140°C to 5°C at a rate of 12°C/min. Performance metrics of actuation stroke, residual strain, and work output were measured and compared between specimen types. The 7x7 cable exhibited similar actuation to the single straight wire, but with slightly longer stroke and marginally more shakedown, while maintaining equivalent specific work output. This leads to the conclusion that the 7x7 cable effectively scaled up the adaptive properties the straight wire. Under loads below 150 MPa, the 1x27 cable had up to double the actuation stroke and work output, but exhibited larger shakedown and poorer performance when loaded higher.
Linking language and events: Spatiotemporal cues drive children's expectations about the meanings of novel transitive verbs

ABSTRACTHow do children map linguistic representations onto the conceptual structures that they encode? In the present studies, we provided 3–4-year-old children with minimal-pair scene contrasts in order to determine the effect of particular event properties on novel verb learning. Specifically, we tested whether spatiotemporal cues to causation also inform children’s interpretation of transitive verbs either with or without the causal/inchoative alternation (She broke the lamp/the lamp broke). In Experiment 1, we examined spatiotemporal continuity. Children saw scenes with puppets that approached a toy in a distinctive manner, and toys that lit up or played a sound. In the causal events, the puppet contacted the object, and activation was immediate. In the noncausal events, the puppet stopped short before reaching the object, and the effect occurred after a short pause (apparently spontaneously). Children expected novel verbs used in the inchoative transitive/intransitive alternation to refer to spatiot...
The George W. Bush Presidency and Political Control of the Bureaucracy

During its eight years in office, the presidency of George W. Bush worked mightily to expand and exercise its control over the federal bureaucracy, including federal agencies on the domestic side of government. Those efforts at control reflected a number of considerations including a desire to restore the unitary executive, a business approach to management, a pro-business approach to regulation, a belief in smart regulation, and a disdain for federal bureaucrats. Those considerations led the president to employ a number of tools including appointments, regulatory review, presidential signing statements, executive orders, reorganization, and budgets. The administration’s record of accomplishment is mixed. The Bush administration was able to achieve a great deal of control over the regulatory process and the character of federal regulation. At the same time, the president encountered many of the same obstacles that his predecessors faced including opposition from those within the administration, Congress, the states, policy activists and the courts.
Abstract 1150: mTORC2 enhances flux through the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway by regulation of GFAT1 expression

Metabolic and biosynthetic pathways drive cell growth and proliferation in response to nutrients and growth factors. Highly proliferating cells utilize glucose and glutamine to fuel biosynthetic processes. These two nutrients serve as substrates for the glutamine:fructose-6-phosphate amidotransferase (GFAT1), the rate-limiting enzyme in the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP), which ultimately produces UDP-GlcNAc that is necessary for protein glycosylation. Despite a role for the HBP in insulin resistance and lifespan extension, the mechanisms underlying GFAT1 regulation in vivo has remained elusive. We found mTOR complex 2 (mTORC2) controls flux through the HBP via regulation of GFAT1 expression levels in response to glucose. In the absence of mTORC2, GFAT1 expression is reduced and highly sensitive to glucose starvation. Furthermore, UDP-GlcNAc is highly diminished and glycosylation of specific transmembrane proteins such as CD147 is defective upon mTORC2 disruption. However, mTORC2 is also required for glycolysis and other biosynthetic pathways whose metabolites feed into the HBP. Thus, although exogenous UDP-GlcNAc can partially rescue glycosylation defects, it does not rescue the metabolic deficiencies in the absence of mTORC2. Like GFAT1, key enzymes of biosynthetic pathways have decreased expression in mTORC2-disrupted cells. Thus, by regulating levels of metabolic enzymes, mTORC2 coordinates flux through biosynthetic pathways in response to glucose availability. Our findings have implications for therapeutic targeting of mTORC2 in insulin resistance and cancer metabolism. Citation Format: Estela Jacinto, Joseph Moloughney, Thomas Lynch, Chang-Chih Wu, Olufunmilola Ibironke, Aixa Navia, Po-Chien Chou, Sisi Zhang, Joshua Rabinowitz, Guy Werlen. mTORC2 enhances flux through the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway by regulation of GFAT1 expression. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1150. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1150
A Structural Model of Dense Network Formation (Supplemental Material)

This file contains Appendices A and B of the paper: "A Structural Model of Dense Network Formation" Original paper can be found at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2897563
Synthesis and characterization of vegetable oil-based polyurethane dispersions

A variety of vegetable oil-based, waterborne polyurethane dispersions have been successfully synthesized from different vegetable oil polyols exhibiting almost constant hydroxyl functionalities of 2.7 OH groups per molecule. The vegetable oil polyols, which have been prepared from vegetable oils with different fatty acid compositions (peanut, corn, soybean, and linseed oil), range in residual degree of unsaturation from 0.4 to 3.5 carboncarbon double bonds per triglyceride molecule. The effects of residual unsaturation on the thermal and mechanical properties of the resulting polyurethane films have been investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermal gravimetric analysis. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) has been used to accurately determine the molecular weight and mass distribution of the vegetable oil polyols. Higher residual unsaturation results in polyurethane films with increased break strength, Young’s modulus, and toughness. This work has isolated the effect of unsaturation on vegetable oil-based polyurethane films, which has been neglected in previous studies. The effect of different oxirane ring opening methods
Kinetics of the cell cycle arrest biomarkers (TIMP-2*IGFBP-7) for prediction of acute kidney injury in infants after cardiac surgery

Tissue inhibitor metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-7 (IGFBP-7) are cell-cycle arrest biomarkers that have been shown to be predictive of acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill adults. AKI affects a large proportion (40%) of children following cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was to describe the kinetics of TIMP-2*IGFBP-7 and test its ability to predict AKI in infants following cardiac surgery. A multicenter prospective study was performed in infants undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) from October 2013 to January 2015. Urine samples were obtained at baseline and at 2, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h after CPB initiation. TIMP-2*IGFBP-7 concentration was measured in urine samples using the Astute 140® meter to determine a risk score for AKI. This risk score is the product of TIMP-2 (ng/mL) and IGFBP-7 (ng/mL) divided by 1000. A total of 94 infants with a mean age of 154.2 ± 85.7 days were enrolled in the study, of whom 31 (33%) subsequently developed AKI. The mean time to AKI diagnosis was 25 ± 7 h after CPB initiation. The concentration of TIMP-2*IGFBP-7 was significantly higher in patients with AKI at 12 h after CPB initiation relative to baseline (p = 0.006). At 12 h after CPB initiation patients with a TIMP-2*IGFBP-7 concentration of ≥0.78 had a threefold higher odds of developing AKI than those with a TIMP-2*IGFBP-7 concentration of < 0.78 (95% confidence interval 1.47–6.11, p = 0.001). These results demonstration that TIMP-2*IGFBP-7 concentration can be used in infants to predict subsequent serum creatinine-defined AKI following CPB.
Adoption of switchgrass cultivation for biofuel under uncertainty: A discrete-time modeling approach

Abstract Production of biofuels from cellulosic sources, such as switchgrass, is being encouraged through mandates, incentives, and subsidies. However, uncertainty in future prices coupled with large establishment costs often inhibit their cultivation. Owing to their inability to incorporate uncertainty and dynamic decision-making, standard discounted cash flow techniques are ineffective for analyzing such investments. We formulate a discrete-time binomial framework to model output prices, allowing us to incorporate price uncertainty, stand age, and variable crop yields into the analytical framework. We analyze the feasibility of investments in switchgrass cultivation under varying price transition paths, evaluate the relationship between risk and profitability, and estimate the value of flexible decision-making options wherein the farmer can alter cultivation choices. We find that switchgrass cultivation is only 32% likely to be profitable in the base model and infer that on-farm management could play an important role in entry and exit decisions. We also find that subsidies are important for project viability and policymakers could consider incorporating payments for ecosystem services to encourage adoption.
Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of pancreas: an unusual aetiology for haematochezia

Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas is a rare condition. It is mostly seen among young women, with abdominal pain as the presenting complaint. This is a case of a young woman who presented with haematochezia, and was found to have splenic vein thrombosis and left-sided portal hypertension as a result of mass lesion at the tail of the pancreas which was diagnosed as solid pseudopapillary neoplasm.
A Different Apartheid: Structural, Legal, and Discursive Foundations for Comparing South Africa and Israel

Global shifts in perceptions of the Palestine conflict coupled with a renewed interest in the historic struggle to end apartheid in South Africa has led to a rise in discourse relating the situation facing contemporary Palestine with that of apartheid in South Africa. The present essay reconciles scholarly and activist perspectives concerning comparisons between contemporary Palestine and apartheid-era South Africa by examining definitions of apartheid under international law, the discourse of race in each context, the foundational myths of South African and Israeli nationalism, the role of black and Palestinian labour in South Africa and Palestine respectively, racialised spatial segregation, and activist responses to the Israeli and South African regimes.
Machine Learning and Feature Selection for the Classification of Mental Disorders from Methylation Data

Psychiatric disorder diagnoses are heavily reliant on observable symptoms and clinical traits, the skill level of the physician, and the patient’s ability to verbalize experienced events. Therefore, researchers have sought to identify biological markers that accurately differentiate mental disorder subtypes from psychiatrically normal comparison subjects. One such putative biomarker, DNA methylation, has recently become more prevalent in genetic research studies in oncology. This paper proposes to apply this paradigm in a study of the diagnostic accuracy of DNA methylation signatures for classifying schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder. Very high classification performance measures were obtained from differentially methylated positions and regions, as well as from selected gene signatures. This work contributes to the path toward the identification of biological signatures for mental disorders.
Summary of Findings, Conclusions and Suggestions

The chapter summarizes the findings and assesses how well the book addresses the problem that engendered the study. In doing so, research contributions as well as implications of the present study for management practice are discussed. Additionally, major suggestions that become apparent from the results of the present research are proposed. The chapter draws to a close with the underlining of the limitations of the study and the recommendations for future research.
Fréchet analysis of variance for random objects

SummaryFrechet mean and variance provide a way of obtaining a mean and variance for metric space-valued random variables, and can be used for statistical analysis of data objects that lie in abstract spaces devoid of algebraic structure and operations. Examples of such data objects include covariance matrices, graph Laplacians of networks and univariate probability distribution functions. We derive a central limit theorem for the Frechet variance under mild regularity conditions, using empirical process theory, and also provide a consistent estimator of the asymptotic variance. These results lead to a test for comparing $k$ populations of metric space-valued data objects in terms of Frechet means and variances. We examine the finite-sample performance of this novel inference procedure through simulation studies on several special cases that include probability distributions and graph Laplacians, leading to a test for comparing populations of networks. The proposed approach has good finite-sample performance in simulations for different kinds of random objects. We illustrate the proposed methods by analysing data on mortality profiles of various countries and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data.
Culture value on community life behavior of the phonetic and phonology

The research aimed to describe the culture value on community life behavior of the phonetic and phonology. The processes through on the values of cultural forms are formulated, maintained and communicated across social populations. A focus is the emergence and spread of a prestige register of spoken British English. It was called ‘Received Pronunciation'. The number of characterological discourses of speech and accent that articulate the values of the register and bring them into circulation before particular audiences. The historical spread of the register was linked to the circulation of such discourses. We propose specific models for understanding the circulation of discourse across social populations and the means by which these values are recognized, maintained, and transformed.
A CASE OF SACCULAR ANEURYSM OF LEFT CIRCUMFLEX IN THE SETTING OF SEVERE MYOCARDIAL ISCHEMIC AND MITRAL REGURGITATION

Background: More than 90% of coronary aneurysms are of atherosclerotic origin. Herein we present the challenges faced in the management of a 60-year-old woman with severe ischemic mitral regurgitation due to 100% occlusion of the left circumflex (LCX) due to a saccular aneurysm. The patient was a
Isomeric State of Wi 181

An isomeric state of ${\mathrm{W}}^{181}$ is excited by a ($\ensuremath{\gamma}, n$) reaction on ${\mathrm{W}}^{182}$ using the x-ray beam of the Iowa State College 75-Mev synchrotron. The energy and half-life of the isomeric state are found to be 366\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}4 kev and 14.4\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.3 microseconds, respectively. A measurement of the $K$-shell conversion coefficient yields a value of 0.30\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.03. These experimental data suggest that the transition is of mixed multipole order, $28%E1+72%M2$. This assignment is in agreement with the transition probabilities computed from Nilsson's wave functions for the first excited state and the ground state of the ${\mathrm{W}}^{181}$ nucleus.
Sustained release of persulfate from inert inorganic materials for groundwater remediation

Abstract Groundwater has often been plagued by persistent contaminants such as dense nonaqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs). There is a need for sustained release technologies to ensure long-term treatment in these flow systems. Innovative methods involving sustained release of a selected reagent, persulfate, through pellets made from inorganic materials such as zeolite, diatomite, and silica flour are reported through a proof-of-concept study. Efficacy of the method relies on the preservation of the reagent without decreasing the treatment potential that would otherwise occur with organic matrices. Several methods and different matrix materials for pellet fabrication are described for sustained release of persulfate as a model reagent. Some pellets (diameter: 13 mm; thickness: 2.5–2.7 mm; mass: 0.5 g) show persulfate release of >25 h. Larger pellets are expected to provide longer release times. Different pellet types and fabrication methods offer a range of ease of pellet construction, as well as reagent release times for sustained release. Trichloroethylene (TCE), a DNAPL, was selected as the model contaminant for testing this sustained release approach. Treatment of 15 mg L−1 (ppm) TCE solutions showed 99% degradation, and the pellets remained intact afterwards. The current work demonstrates the potential feasibility of sustained persulfate release from inert matrices for groundwater treatment.
Situational awareness extraction: a comprehensive review of social media data classification during natural hazards

Social media (e.g., Twitter and Facebook) can be regarded as vital sources of information during disasters to improve situational awareness (SA) and disaster management since they play a significan...
Good Intentions, Bad Outcomes: The Effects of Mismatches between Social Support and Health Outcomes in an Online Weight Loss Community

The United States has the highest rate of obesity in the world. To help address this problem, social support is gaining credibility as a powerful tool to facilitate weight loss because it can affect people's behavior. Although social support has long been recognized for its effectiveness in promoting health, we argue, in this study, that social support may not always lead to good outcomes. Specifically, we differentiate between support providers and support seekers, and examine whether providing and receiving support affect individualsâ€™ weightâ€ loss outcomes differently. By analyzing a group of individuals participating in an online weightâ€ loss community, we show that providing and receiving support does affect weightâ€ loss outcomes in different ways. First, the influences are dynamic. Second, while providing support is positively associated with weightâ€ loss progress, receiving support could hinder weightâ€ loss outcome for a person with high selfâ€ efficacy in weightâ€ loss progress. Third, by categorizing social support into different types, we find evidence suggesting that the match between needed and received social support type also influences individualsâ€™ performance in the weightâ€ loss process. Furthermore, mismatches of social support could negatively affect weightâ€ loss outcomes. These findings have implications for maximizing the usefulness of social support for participants in the online environment as well as for clinicians who refer individuals to online weightâ€ loss communities and for those who design them.
Global metabolomic profiling reveals hepatic biosignatures that reflect the unique metabolic needs of late-term mother and fetus.

Gestational disorders including preeclampsia, growth restriction and diabetes are characterized, in part, by altered metabolic interactions between mother and fetus. Understanding their functional relevance requires metabolic characterization under normotypic conditions. We performed untargeted metabolomics on livers of pregnant, late-term C57Bl/6J mice (N = 9 dams) and their fetuses (pooling 4 fetuses/litter), using UPLC-MS/MS. Multivariate analysis of 730 hepatic metabolites revealed that maternal and fetal metabolite profiles were highly compartmentalized, and were significantly more similar within fetuses (ρaverage = 0.81), or within dams (ρaverage = 0.79), than within each maternal-fetal dyad (ρaverage = − 0.76), suggesting that fetal hepatic metabolism is under distinct and equally tight metabolic control compared with its respective dam. The metabolite profiles were consistent with known differences in maternal-fetal metabolism. The reduced fetal glucose reflected its limited capacity for gluconeogenesis and dependence upon maternal plasma glucose pools. The fetal decreases in essential amino acids and elevations in their alpha-keto acid carnitine conjugates reflects their importance as secondary fuel sources to meet fetal energy demands. Whereas, contrasting elevations in fetal serine, glycine, aspartate, and glutamate reflects their contributions to endogenous nucleotide synthesis and fetal growth. Finally, the elevated maternal hepatic lipids and glycerol were consistent with a catabolic state that spares glucose to meet competing maternal-fetal energy demands. The metabolite profile of the late-term mouse dam and fetus is consistent with prior, non-rodent analyses utilizing plasma and urine. These data position mouse as a suitable model for mechanistic investigation into how maternal-fetal metabolism adapts (or not) to gestational stressors.
Arousability as a trait predisposition to insomnia: multidimensional structure and clinical utility of the Spanish and English versions of the Arousal Predisposition Scale.

Abstract Objectives Traits related to a hyper-reactive arousal system (arousability) and weakened sleep system (sleep reactivity) are considered predisposing factors for insomnia of potential clinical utility. However, research examining the psychometric properties (ie, reliability and validity) of the Arousal Predisposition Scale (APS) and its clinical utility (ie, cut-off scores) among population-based and clinical samples is very limited. Methods A total of 500 adults (41.8% female, 39.1 ± 15.9 years) from the general population in Spain and 217 adults (64.5% female, 46.0 ± 16.1 years) from a clinical sample in the United States completed the APS, as well as measures of sleep reactivity, insomnia severity, anxiety, depression, and stress. Structural equation modeling was used to conduct confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the APS. Correlation and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were used to determine convergent and predictive validity of the APS and its factors. Results The CFAs supported two dimensions of emotional reactivity (APS-ER, 9 items) and trait anxiety (APS-TA, 3 items) in both independent samples. APS-ER was associated with sleep reactivity and performed better than APS-TA when predicting clinically significant sleep reactivity and similarly when predicting clinically significant insomnia severity. Conclusions Our findings support the specificity of emotional reactivity and sleep reactivity as trait predispositions to insomnia, while trait anxiety is a predisposing factor for the comorbidity of insomnia with state anxiety rather than a specific diathesis for insomnia. These data provide further support for the diathesis-stress model of insomnia and, as a transdiagnostic process, its potential etiological link with psychopathology.
Charting the future of queer studies in communication and critical/cultural studies: new directions and pathways

In this essay, I argue that while queer studies within communication and cultural studies must take a transnational and decolonizing turn to move away from solely white and US-centric ways of conce...
Cuando el león chino no es como lo pintan (When the Chinese Lion Is Not as They Paint It)

Spanish Abstract: Hablar de China es hablar de una potencia economica innegable, asi como de un regimen totalitario de una impronta muy particular que no se ha replicado en ningun lugar del mundo por las llamadas izquierdas. Hoy, luego de las ultimas reformas, el lider se puede perpetuar de por vida en el poder, China se convierte asi en un cuasi Imperio con su emperador. Asi que hablar de China es hablar de innumerables particularidades, desde la cultura milenaria hasta estas cuestiones actuales. Pero China no deja de estar inserto en un mundo moderno, tecnologicamente en constante avance y cambios. En terminos globales, sabemos que el sector privado es muchas veces el gran motor de las nuevas tecnologias que surgen casi diariamente, pero precisamente es este sector el que en China, las autoridades le han construido un escenario no siempre beneficioso (para el privado), pero siempre provechoso para el propio Gobierno, donde este se “vende” como “lo mejor de lo mejor”. Al gobierno chino le gusta presumir de los logros y avances que, curiosamente, a veces solo son humo. Sin menoscabo de los tremendos logros cientificos reales de ese pais. En ciencia y la tecnologia china es precisamente donde me detendre a analizar algunos parametros e indicadores, asi como practicas y estudios de casos. Un escenario que brilla tanto que no permite ver la realidad a la sombra. English Abstract: To speak of China is to speak of an undeniable economic power, as well as of a totalitarian regime of a very particular imprint that has not been replicated anywhere in the world by the so-called political left. Today, after the last reforms, the leader can perpetuate himself for life in power, China thus becomes a quasi-empire with his emperor. So to speak of China is to speak of innumerable particularities, from the millenary culture to these current issues. But China is also inserted in a modern world, technologically in constant advance and changes. In global terms, we know that the private sector is often the great engine of new technologies that arise almost daily, but it is precisely this sector that in China, the authorities have built a scenario that is not always beneficial (for the private sector), but always profitable for the Government itself, where it is "sold" as "the best of the best". The Chinese Government likes to boast of the achievements and advances that, curiously, sometimes are just smoke. Without detracting from the tremendous real scientific achievements of that country. And in Chinese science and technology is precisely where I will stop to analyze some parameters and indicators, as well as practices and case studies. A scenario that shines so bright that it does not allow to see reality in the shade.
How Are They Different? An Exploration of Family and School Factors among Post-Adjudicated Young Women

This study explores the associations between family and school factors, and their relationship to criminal risk among post-adjudicated diverse young women. Cross-sectional data were collected throu...
Reuse of insulin pens among multiple patients at 2 Veterans Affairs medical centers.

Objective To determine whether reuse of insulin pens among multiple patients resulted in transmission of bloodborne pathogens (BBP). Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Two Veterans Affairs medical centers. Patients Veterans who received insulin via insulin pens from 2010 to 2013. METHODS Patients were identified through electronic health records, notified of possible exposure, and serotested for human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus (HCV), and hepatitis B virus. Newly discovered case patients were assessed in relation to potential proximate patients to determine viral strain relatedness by HCV envelope (env) gene sequencing. Results Of 1,791 hospitalized veterans who received insulin via insulin pen, 1,155 were tested for at least 1 viral infection after exposure. Of these, 67 patients were newly diagnosed with 1 or more viral BBPs. For human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis B virus no additional strain testing of case or proximate patients was possible; 8 HCV cases and 45 proximates (40 unique patients; 5 patients were positive for 2 genotypes) were identified as needing strain testing. Only 3 cases and their 19 proximates had samples available for further testing. None of the 26 remaining proximate patients had blood available for further testing. Median genetic distance between the HCV env sequences of those available for additional testing ranged from 14% to 24%, indicating nonrelatedness. Conclusions Our investigation revealed that exposure to insulin pen reuse did not result in HCV transmission among patients who had viral genetic analysis performed. Analysis for any additional potential transmission of blood-borne pathogens was limited by the available samples.
A Novel Weighted Hierarchical Adaptive Voting Ensemble Machine Learning Method for Breast Cancer Detection

A novel Weighted Hierarchical Adaptive Voting Ensemble (WHAVE) machine learning (ML) method was developed for breast cancer detection. It was constructed using three individual ML methods based on Multiple-Valued Logic: Disjunctive Normal Form (DNF) rule based method, Decision Trees, Naive Bays, and one method based on continuous representation: Support Vector Machines (SVM). Results were compared with other methods and show that the WHAVE method accuracy was noticeably higher than the individual ML methods tested. This paper demonstrates that the WHAVE method proposed outperforms all methods researched, and shows the advantage of using WHAVE method for ML in breast cancer detection.
Suppression of Bitterness by Sodium: Variation Among Bitter Taste Stimuli

Taste interactions between salts (NaCl, LiCl, KCl, L-arginine:L-aspartic acid, Na-acetate and Na-gluconate) and bitter-tasting compounds (urea, quinine HCl, magnesium sulphate, KCl, amiloride HCl and caffeine) were investigated. In each study binary combinations of three or four concentrations of one bitter compound with four concentrations (0, 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 M) of one salt were rated for bitterness and saltiness using the method of magnitude estimation. In most cases, perceived bitterness was suppressed by salts, although the degree of suppression varied. In general, bitterness suppression was not accompanied by an equivalent reciprocal suppression of saltiness. Only MgSO4 and amiloride had suppressing effects on the saltiness of NaCl at the intermediate concentrations and no bitter compound affected the saltiness at the high concentrations of NaCl. Since salt suppressed the bitterness of urea effectively, a detailed analysis of suppression of the bitterness of urea by different salts was conducted. Those studies indicated that the key component in this effect was the sodium or lithium ion for two reasons: first, all three sodium salts and the lithium salt had a suppressive effect on bitterness, whereas KCl did not; secondly, the effect of a salt on suppression of the bitterness of urea was independent of its perceived saltiness; that is, NaCl, Na-acetate (which is perceived as less salty than NaCl), and Na-gluconate (which is perceived as less salty than Na-acetate) reduced bitterness comparably. These results suggest that there is a major peripheral component to the suppression of the bitterness of urea, and perhaps other bitter tasting compounds, by sodium.
Do xeric landscapes increase genetic divergence in aquatic ecosystems

Summary 1. Previous investigations of the ecological genetics among amphipods in south-western U.S.A. suggested a xeric landscape promoted genetic divergence among passively dispersed freshwater invertebrates, thereby enhancing speciation events. We predicted that less divergence would occur among amphipod populations across similar geographic distances in mesic regions. 2. Eight Hyalella azteca populations were sampled along a 200-km transect in western Oregon, U.S.A. Genetic distances among populations were estimated from randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Genetic analyses indicated much less divergence among Oregon populations than among Arizona populations in an arid environment. 3. Behavioural observations support the genetic data: Oregon populations exhibit little differentiation in swimming behaviour, whereas Hyalella populations in Arizona exhibit extremes in swimming behaviour. 4. These results provide preliminary support for the hypothesis that a xeric landscape promotes genetic and behavioural divergence among amphipods. Many aquatic invertebrates classified as panmictic populations may encompass genetically distinct groups; those isolated by a xeric landscape are especially prone to diversification.
Effect of tinnitus on distortion product otoacoustic emissions varies with hearing loss.

Purpose The aim of this study was to measure the effect of tinnitus, while accounting for the effect of hearing loss and aging, on distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs). Method DPOAEs w...
THE EFFECT OF MATERNAL VITAMIN A SUPPLEMENTATION UPON PRETERM INFANT CORD BLOOD VITAMIN A LEVELS † 1361

THE EFFECT OF MATERNAL VITAMIN A SUPPLEMENTATION UPON PRETERM INFANT CORD BLOOD VITAMIN A LEVELS † 1361
Capacity of scale free wireless networks

We study the impact of social connectivity on the capacity of wireless networks by considering different values of concentration factor and degree dispersion in scale-free networks. The result shows that a capacity similar to Gupta and Kumar [1] is achieved. Further investigation reveals that traditional transport capacity definition provides misleading conclusions for such network models. We show that nodes with different social status impact the capacity differently. By separating nodes with different social status in frequency and allocating separate bandwidth to them, it is shown that majority of nodes scale in this network. The results imply that in a network with social and communication characteristics, social behavior of the nodes has significant influence on the performance of such networks.
Chronic stress enhanced fear memories are associated with increased amygdala zif268 mRNA expression and are resistant to reconsolidation

The chronically stressed brain may present a vulnerability to develop maladaptive fear-related behaviors in response to a traumatic event. In rodents, chronic stress leads to amygdala hyperresponsivity and dendritic hypertrophy and produces a post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-like phenotype that includes exaggerated fear learning following Pavlovian fear conditioning and resistance to extinction. It is unknown whether chronic stress-induced enhanced fear memories are vulnerable to disruption via reconsolidation blockade, as a novel therapeutic approach for attenuating exaggerated fear memories. We used a chronic stress procedure in a rat model (wire mesh restraint for 6 h/d/21 d) to create a vulnerable brain that leads to a PTSD-like phenotype. We then examined freezing behavior during acquisition, reactivation and after post-reactivation rapamycin administration (i.p., 40 mg/kg) in a Pavlovian fear conditioning paradigm to determine its effects on reconsolidation as well as the subsequent functional activation of limbic structures using zif268 mRNA. Chronic stress increased amygdala zif268 mRNA during fear memory retrieval at reactivation. Moreover, these enhanced fear memories were unaffected by post reactivation rapamycin to disrupt long-term fear memory. Also, post-reactivation long term memory processing was also associated with increased amygdala (LA and BA), and decreased hippocampal CA1 zif268 mRNA expression. These results suggest potential challenges for reconsolidation blockade as an effective approach in treating exaggerated fear memories, as in PTSD. Our findings also support chronic stress manipulations combined with fear conditioning as a useful preclinical approach to study a PTSD-like phenotype.
Synthesis and stereochemical assignment of exo- and endo-7-methyl-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-ol.

The syntheses of both the exo and endo stereoisomers of 7-methyl-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-ol were achieved in straightforward fashion. Alternatively, the intramolecular cyclization of syn-4-N-methylaminocyclohexane 1,2-epoxide was found to give exo-7-methyl-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-ol as the sole product. The stereochemistry of the exo isomer was unequivocally confirmed by X-ray crystallography.
A bipolar lock-layer transistor

Abstract A bipolar transistor and a junction field effect transistor are integrated into a “merged” cascode configuration. Viewed as a modified bipolar transistor, this device has a new and favorable combination of common-emitter breakdown voltage and current gain, and is largely free of the Early effect .
Structural biology: A channel with a twist

Mechanosensitive channels release tension in cell membranes by opening 'pressure relief' pores. The structure of a partially open channel suggests a gating mechanism and delivers an unexpected architectural twist.
Designing Video-Based Professional Development for Mathematics Teachers in Low-Performing Schools

This article describes the theoretical framework, research base, structure, and content of a video-based professional development program implemented during 2 consecutive years with sixth-grade mathematics teachers from five low-performing schools. First, difficulties teachers encountered in responding to video-based prompts during the 1st year are summarized. Problematic questions deal with teachers' (a) basic understanding of target mathematics topics, (b) knowledge of their students' understanding, and (c) ability to analyze students' work and reasoning beyond classification into right and wrong answers. Changes that were made to the program to address teachers' needs in the 2nd year are then described. These are structured around three principles for designing video-based professional development: (a) attending to content-specific understanding, (b) scaffolding analysis of student thinking, and (c) modeling a discourse of inquiry and reflection on the teaching and learning process.
2-Deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro- d -glucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography in the Management of Melanoma

2-Deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-d-glucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) is widely available as a powerful imaging modality, combining the ability to detect active metabolic processes and their morphologic features in a single exam. The role of FDG-PET is proven in a variety of cancers, including melanoma, but the estimates of sensitivity and specificity are based in the majority of the published studies on dedicated PET, not PET/CT. Therefore, we were prompted to review our experience with FDG-PET/CT in the management of melanoma. This is a retrospective study on 106 patients with melanoma (20–87 years old; average: 56.8 ± 15.9), who had whole-body FDG-PET/CT at our institution from January 2003 to June 2005. Thirty-eight patients (35.9%) were women and 68 patients (64.1%) were men. Reinterpretation of the imaging studies for accuracy and data analysis from medical records were performed. All patients had the study for disease restaging. The primary tumor depth (Breslow’s thickness) at initial diagnosis was available for 76 patients (71.7%) and ranged from 0.4 to 25 mm (average: 3.56 mm). The anatomic level of invasion in the skin (Clark’s level) was determined for 70 patients (66%): 3, level II; 13, level III; 43, level IV; 11, level V. The administered dose of 18F FDG ranged from 9.8 to 21.6 mCi (average: 15.4 ± 1.8 mCi). FDG-PET/CT had a sensitivity of 89.3% [95% confidence interval (CI): 78.5–95] and a specificity of 88% (95% CI: 76.2–94.4) for melanoma detection. This study confirms the good results of FDG-PET/CT for residual/recurrent melanoma detection, as well as for distant metastases localization. PET/CT should be an integral part in evaluation of patients with high-risk melanoma, prior to selection of the most appropriate therapy.