cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanisms of methotrexate action in rheumatoid arthritis. Selective decrease in synovial collagenase gene expression.

Objective To measure the effect of methotrexate (MTX) treatment in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on the expression of synovial collagenase, stromelysin, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) gene expression in a prospective study. Methods Serial percutaneous synovial biopsies (pretreatment and after 3-4 months) were performed on the knees of 8 patients (7 with RA, 1 with seronegative arthritis) who were beginning oral MTX therapy. Synovial gene expression was determined by quantitative in situ hybridization using computer-assisted image analysis. Results After therapy, patients had decreased joint counts, morning stiffness, and erythrocyte sedimentation rates. Synovial inflammation in the biopsy tissues was slightly decreased after therapy. In situ hybridization on pretreatment and posttreatment frozen sections was performed to quantify synovial messenger RNA (mRNA) levels. Collagenase gene expression significantly decreased after MTX therapy (P = 0.006) even though cell density in the region was unchanged. TIMP-1 and stromelysin mRNA levels were not changed by MTX therapy. To study the mechanism of MTX action in vitro, MTX-treated and control fibroblast-like synoviocytes were stimulated with interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta). MTX did not alter collagenase or TIMP-1 mRNA levels after IL-1 exposure. Conclusion MTX therapy decreases collagenase gene expression but not TIMP-1 or stromelysin gene expression in the synovium. This action is probably an indirect effect due to an alteration in the synovial cytokine milieu, rather than a direct effect on gene expression.
Astronomical tuning of the Aptian Stage from Italian reference sections

A high-resolution grayscale series of the pelagic Fucoid Marls (Piobbico core, central Italy) shows strong, pervasive lithological rhythms throughout the Aptian interval. A hierarchy of centimeter- to meter-scale cycles characterizes the rhythms; when calibrating ~1 m cycles to Earth’s 405 k.y. orbital eccentricity cycle, these rhythms correspond to the periods of the eccentricity, obliquity, and precession index. Tuning to orbital eccentricity cycles provides a high-resolution time scale for the Aptian. Correlation to the Cismon core (northern Italy) extends the tuning to the Aptian-Barremian boundary. The tuning indicates a minimum duration of 13.42 m.y. for the Aptian Stage, where previous estimates range from 6.4 to 13.8 m.y. The combined Aptian–Albian astronomical tuning of the entire 77-m-long Piobbico core (and part of the Cismon core) provides a 25.85-m.y.-long astronomically calibrated time scale for Earth history.
Comments on paper ‘the effect of gaussian particle‐pair distribution functions in the statistical theory of concentration fluctuations in homogeneous turbulence’ by B. L. Sawford (Q.J. April 1983, 109, 339–353)

In this brief note we examine the necessity of distinguishing between the use of forward and reversed transition densities in the computation of second moments of concentration fields advocated by Sawford. In contrast to Sawford, we show that the forward densities are always correct and that for incompressible flow the forward and reversed formulations are equivalent. This equivalence implies a simple constraint on particle-pair separation densities for incompressible flow.
Reply to Errera and Campbell: No, low salinity shock does not increase brevetoxins in Karenia brevis

Our paper (1) was undertaken to challenge earlier reports that low salinity stress increases brevetoxin production in Karenia brevis (2). Despite independent negative findings by three laboratories (1), Errera and Campbell still assert that low salinity shock increases cellular brevetoxins (3). Their initial report of >14-fold increases (2) lacks experimental controls. Their correction (2) substantially reduces the reported increases to 20–53% but does not address the lack of controls or alter their interpretation. They now (3) refer to results from new experiments that have not yet been published or vetted by peer review. In their rebuttal, they misrepresent data in Sunda et al. (1). For example, they say that “laboratory A also demonstrated increased brevetoxin cell quota in SP3 by ∼15% after 12 d,” but this increase was within the SD of replicate analyses. Indeed, statistical tests showed no significant changes in brevetoxin per cell following low salinity shock in the experiments conducted by our three laboratories (1).
Student assignment involving perceptual mapping via multidimensional scaling and multi-attribute models

Research shows that college students are deficient in statistical skills. There is a need today for the development of learning tools that can help students overcome their anxiety of statistical applications. This study seeks to respond to that need by describing a student assignment involving multivariate statistics. The assignment integrates aspects of perceptual mapping via multidimensional scaling and multi-attribute models. A feedback questionnaire revealed that the assignment was well-received by students and successful in increasing their knowledge of statistics. Students felt the assignment did increase their knowledge of perceptual maps, multi-attribute models, and multidimensional scaling. Students showed an interest in learning more about statistics and marketing research. Since the assignment increased the student's interest in statistics and willingness to learn and use statistics, findings suggest that the students anxiety regarding statistics was reduced.
Nodular regenerative hyperplasia of the liver: a cause of noncirrhotic portal hypertension.

Nodular regenerative hyperplasia of the liver is described in a case report of a 59-year-old man who presented with hematemesis and varices. He had a 20-year history of severe rheumatoid arthritis and a threeyear history of Felty’s syndrome. Nodular regenerative hyperplasia is a cause of noncirrhotic portal hypertension.
Carlos J. Finlay and Yellow Fever: A Discovery

Carlos J. Finlay was born in Camaguey, Cuba, Dec. 3, 1833, to Edward Finlay, a Scottish physician, and Eliza de Barres, a Frenchwoman born in Trinidad. He graduated in 1855 with an M.D. from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, where he was noted as persistent and patient. Sila Weir Mitchell, Finlay's classmate, tried to persuade Finlay to practice in the United States, but Finlay decided to return to Cuba. In 1860 he traveled to France to further his studies, returning in 1864 to Matanzas, Cuba, and later establishing his residence in Havana in 1865.
Long-lived ion qubits in a microfabricated trap for scalable quantum computation

We report state detection, single qubit coherent operations and Raman sideband cooling to near the motional ground state by trapping a single 171Yb+ ion in a surface trap designed and fabricated at Sandia National Laboratories.
Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation in the Treatment of Fecal Incontinence

Fecal incontinence (FI) is a prevalent problem that can drastically affect quality of life. Pelvic floor rehabilitation is an important first-line treatment for patients with FI, and many published case reports and a small number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) provide limited evidence for its efficacy. Pelvic floor rehabilitation approaches to the treatment of FI include pelvic floor muscle training, biofeedback, and volumetric training with rectal balloon catheters. Various forms of external electrical stimulation have also been described and may be of added benefit. Behavioral bowel retraining is an important part of a good rehabilitative approach as well. Pelvic floor rehabilitation treatment for FI is thought to be effective and safe, with reported success rates in a majority of studies at 50 to 80%. Many more high-quality RCTs are needed to define optimal treatment protocols.
Aqueous Ferrofluid of Citric Acid Coated Magnetite Particles

Magnetic nanoparticles have found application in medical diagnostics such as magnetic resonance imaging and therapies such as cancer treatment. In these applications, it is imperative to have a biocompatible solvent such as water at optimum pH for possible bio-ingestion. In the present work, a synthetic methodology has been developed to get a well-dispersed and homogeneous aqueous suspension of Fe3O4 nanoparticles in the size range of 8–10 nm. The surface functionalization of the particles is provided by citric acid. The particles have been characterized using transmission electron microscopy, magnetization measurements with a superconducting quantum interference device, FTIR spectroscopy (for surfactant binding sites), thermogravimetric studies (for strength of surfactant binding), and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction (for composition and phase information). The carboxylate functionality on the surface provides an avenue for further surface modification with fluorescent dyes, hormone linkers etc for possible cell-binding, bioimaging, tracking, and targeting.
Protocol for a Mammalian Cell-Based Assay for Monitoring the HIV-1 Protease Activity

Abstract Proteases are essential at different stages of the viral life cycle and for the establishment of a successful infection. Monitoring the catalytic activity of proteases in an easy and straightforward manner can thus drastically facilitate the discovery of novel antivirals, as well as help elucidate the activity and mechanism of action of the viral protease under study. In our laboratory, we have developed an assay in T-cells with a robust read-out to monitor the proteolytic activity of HIV-1 Protease (PR). The assay utilizes the prototypic transcription factor Gal4, which consists of the N-terminal DNA-binding domain and the C-terminal trans-activation domain. The assay is based upon (1) introduction of PR in between the two Gal4 domains to obtain a PR/Gal4 fusion protein and (2) utilization of the enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein as reporter of PR activity.In order to overcome the possible cellular cytotoxicity of PR, the fusion protein in our assay is under the control of a tetracycline-inducible promoter. This ensures that it will be expressed only when needed, upon the addition of tetracycline or doxycycline. When active, PR has autocatalytic activity and cleaves itself from the Gal4 domains, resulting in the inability to induce eGFP expression. However, if PR activity is blocked or it is inactive, the two domains remain intact, resulting in eGFP expression. The assay can therefore be utilized to analyze the inhibitory effects of factors, peptides or compounds, designed on a rational- or nonrational-based approach, in the natural milieu of infection, where eGFP serves as a biosensor for PR activity.
Analysis on Epidemiological Characteristics of Rubella in Shenyang City from 2005 to 2010

[Objective]To grasp the incidence and epidemiological characteristics of rubella in Shenyang city,provide the basis for making the prevention plan and evaluating the implementation effect.[Methods]The epidemic data of rubella in Shenyang city were analyzed with descriptive epidemiology method.[Results]From 2005 to 2010,the annual average incidence rate of rubella in Shenyang city was 40.37/lakh,and the incidence rate of urban areas(53.73/lakh) was higher than that of rural areas(27.55/lakh) significantly(P0.01).The male-to-female ratio was 1.34∶1,and the incidence rate in male(45.59/lakh) was higher than that in female(35.02/lakh) significantly(P0.01).The cases occurred from April to May accounted for 61.11% of total cases during the whole year,and there was an obvious spring peak.59.30% of cases were students.74.24% of patients were people aged 10~24 years old,which indicated that incidence of adolescent was high.[Conclusion]It is necessary to strengthen the organization for prevention and control of infectious disease in schools,implement the prevention and control measure,carry out the health propaganda and health education to enhance the level of health knowledge and control consciousness,strengthen training to improve the technical level and emergent treatment capability of professionals,strengthen monitoring and early warning to timely discovery the epidemic posture,and implement emergent treatment to control the disease spread.
Appearance of hydrolase rich granules in human lymphocytes induced by phytohemagglutinin and antigens.

Purified human peripheral blood lymphocytes have been shown to develop acid hydrolase-rich granules between 24 and 48 hours after stimulation by phytohemagglutinin, prior to mitosis. This increase has been measured biochemically as a net increase in total activity of the lysosomal enzymes: acid β-glycerophosphatase, acid phenolpthalein phosphatase, and aryl sulfatase. The subcellular localization of acid hydrolytic enzyme activities has been investigated, and they have been shown to be concentrated in a large granule fraction of sucrose homogenates and to behave as if they were membrane-bounded, in that their activity could be released by lysolecithin. It has also been demonstrated by histochemical technics that stimulation of lymphocytes by antigen (PPD) and by streptolysin S, as well as by phytohemagglutinin, produced an increase in acid phosphatase activity. Chloroquine, an inhibitor of the response to phytohemagglutinin, has also been shown to inhibit the development of acid phosphatase activity. These results are interpreted to suggest that both specific and nonspecific stimulants of lymphocytes induce lysosome-like structures in premitotic cells.
Tissue Concentrations of Vitamin K and Expression of Key Enzymes of Vitamin K Metabolism Are Influenced by Sex and Diet but Not Housing in C57Bl6 Mice

Background There has been limited characterization of biological variables that impact vitamin K metabolism. This gap in knowledge can limit the translation of data obtained from preclinical animal studies to future human studies. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of diet, sex, and housing on serum, tissue, and fecal vitamin K concentrations and gene expression in C57BL6 mice during dietary vitamin K manipulation. Methods C57BL6 4-mo-old male and female mice were randomly assigned to conventional or suspended-wire cages and fed control [1400 ± 80 μg phylloquinone (PK)/kg] or deficient (31 ± 0.45 μg PK/kg) diets for 28 d in a factorial design. PK and menaquinone (MK) 4 plasma and tissue concentrations were measured by HPLC. Long-chain MKs were measured in all matrices by LC-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry. Gene expression was quantified by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in the liver, brain, kidney, pancreas, and adipose tissue. Results Male and female mice responded differently to dietary manipulation in a tissue-dependent manner. In mice fed the control diet, females had ∼3-fold more MK4 in the brain and mesenteric adipose tissue than did males and 100% greater PK concentrations in the liver, kidney, and mesenteric adipose tissue than did males. In mice fed the deficient diet, kidney MK4 concentrations were ∼4-fold greater in females than in males, and there were no differences in other tissues. Males and females differed in the expression of vitamin K expoxide reductase complex 1 (Vkorc1) in mesenteric adipose tissue and the pancreas and ubiA domain-containing protein 1 (Ubiad1) in the kidney and brain. There was no effect of housing on serum, tissue, or fecal concentrations of any vitamin K form. Conclusions Vitamin K concentrations and expression of key metabolic enzymes differ between male and female mice and in response to the dietary PK concentration. Identifying factors that may impact study design and outcomes of interest is critical to optimize study parameters examining vitamin K metabolism in animal models.
Ability to Capture Up Market Gains and Avoid Down Market Losses: The Upside and Downside Capture Ratios

We examine the Upside and Downside Capture Ratios, which distinguish between mutual funds that better capture returns in up markets and better reduce losses in down markets. We find strong evidence that the Upside Capture Ratio successfully identifies mutual funds that subsequently outperform in up markets even after controlling for systematic risk exposure. We further find evidence that mutual fund flows are strongly associated with both Upside and Downside Capture Ratios. This relationship indicates that investors utilize Capture Ratios to engage in a form of market timing through their mutual fund allocation decisions.
tochastic Cycles of Atmospheric Energy and Impact on Macro-economic Buoyancy in Nigeria (2004 - 2012)

Abstract Fragility of Aggregate Agricultural Output (AOP) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in response to stochastic atmospheric energy, could pose some risks of distortions in macro-economic buoyancy in Nigeria. The relationship between agricultural output and aggregate economic growth is an essential economic issue that has engaged the brilliant minds of development economists. There is need for research on the entry points of erratic atmospheric energy (Temperature and rainfall) into Nigerian economy. This study analyzed the relationship between stochastic cycles of climate variables and buoyancy of Aggregate Agricultural Output (AOP) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) over different time scales. Time series data (2004-2012) on climate elements and macroeconomic variables were obtained from Meteorological Centre and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) respectively. Econometric tools (multiple regression analysis) was used to analyze the data. The results indicate that stochastic cycles of climate elements correlates significantly (p<0.05) with distortions in aggregate agricultural buoyancy, especially, at lower time scales (0.83) but weaker (0.17) with longer time scales. Sensitivity analysis shows that temperature variation created an impact factor of 71%, and was considered as the most important climate element that significantly influenced Aggregate Agricultural Output (AOP) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Short run swift adaptive macro-economic regulatory policies and practices for climate extremes were recommended to enhance a stable economy and food supply systems in Nigeria. Key Words: Stochastic cycles, Atmospheric energy, macro-economic, buoyancy.
A Base and Solvent-Free Ruthenium-Catalyzed Alkylation of Amines

A (pyridyl)phosphine-ligated ruthenium(II) catalyst is reported for the chemoselective benzylic N-alkylation of amines, via a hydrogen-borrowing mechanism. The catalyst operates under mild conditions, neat, and without a base or other additive. These conditions offer remarkable functional group compatibility for applications in organic synthesis, including reactions involving phenols and anilines, which are very difficult to achieve. Mechanistic studies suggest that, unlike other catalysts for this reaction, the redox steps are fast and reversible while imine formation is slow. We perceive that this is the origin of the selectivity realized with these reaction conditions.
Learning partial differential equations via data discovery and sparse optimization

We investigate the problem of learning an evolution equation directly from some given data. This work develops a learning algorithm to identify the terms in the underlying partial differential equations and to approximate the coefficients of the terms only using data. The algorithm uses sparse optimization in order to perform feature selection and parameter estimation. The features are data driven in the sense that they are constructed using nonlinear algebraic equations on the spatial derivatives of the data. Several numerical experiments show the proposed method's robustness to data noise and size, its ability to capture the true features of the data, and its capability of performing additional analytics. Examples include shock equations, pattern formation, fluid flow and turbulence, and oscillatory convection.
The Politics of Quality-of-Life Issues: Food Safety and Political Trust in China

AbstractAs incomes have risen, quality-of-life issues have become increasingly prominent in China. How does the growing salience of quality-of-life issues affect Chinese politics and policy? Drawing on data from a Chinese national survey, the article examines the patterns of public attitudes toward food safety, a major quality-of-life concern in contemporary China. The article finds that the young, well-educated, as well as public sector employees tend to have a high level of concern for food safety risks. The article also finds that lack of confidence in food safety erodes public trust in both local and central authorities. These findings point to the importance of food safety as a public policy issue and help explain the Chinese leadership’s policy and institutional responses to food safety concerns.
Why people prefer unequal societies

Inequality and unfairness are not the same thing. Starmans, Sheskin and Bloom summarize evidence showing that people are bothered not by economic inequality, but rather by economic unfairness.
Two-Year Healthy Eating Outcomes: An RCT in Afterschool Programs.

Introduction Across the U.S., afterschool programs (ASPs, 3:00pm–6:00pm) are trying to achieve nationally endorsed nutrition standards (Healthy Eating Standards) calling for fruits/vegetables and water to be served every day, while eliminating sugar-sweetened beverages and foods. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the 2-year changes in the types of foods and beverages served during a community-based intervention designed to achieve the Healthy Eating Standards. Study design Randomized delayed treatment trial with an immediate (1-year baseline and 2-year intervention) or delayed (2-year baseline and 1-year intervention) group. Setting/participants Twenty ASPs serving 1,700 children (aged 5–12 years) were recruited, with baseline occurring spring 2013, and outcome assessment occurring spring 2014 and 2015. Intervention The multistep intervention, Strategies To Enhance Practice for Healthy Eating, assisted ASP leaders/staff to serve foods/beverages that meet the nutrition standards. Main outcome measures The foods and beverages served for snack were observed directly. Results Compared with non-intervention years, both the immediate and delayed groups increased the number of days/week that fruits/vegetables (0.6 vs 1.7 days/week and 0.6 vs 4.4 days/week, OR=3.80, 95% CI=1.45, 9.95) and water (2.3 vs 3.7 days/week and 2.7 vs 4.8 days/week, OR=4.65, 95% CI=1.69, 12.79) were served. Sugar-sweetened beverages were almost eliminated by post-assessment (1.2 vs 0.2 days/week and 3.2 vs 0.0 days/week, OR=0.05, 95% CI=0.02, 0.13). Only the immediate group decreased the number of days/week desserts were served (2.9 vs 0.6 days/week, OR=0.10, 95% CI=0.03, 0.33). Implementation barriers for the delayed group included once/month delivery schedules for fruits/vegetables and limited storage space for foods meeting the Healthy Eating Standards. Conclusions Improvements in the foods/beverages served in ASPs can be made, yet were hindered by structural barriers related to procurement and storage of perishable foods. Additional efforts are needed to support ASPs as they work toward fully achieving the Healthy Eating Standards.
Synthesis and characterization of redox-active ferric nontronite

Abstract Heterogeneous redox reactions on clay mineral surfaces control mobility and bioavailability of redox-sensitive nutrients and contaminants. Iron (Fe) residing in clay mineral structures can either catalyze or directly participate in redox reactions; however, chemical controls over its reactivity are not fully understood. In our previous work we demonstrated that converting a minor portion of Fe(III) to Fe(II) (partial reduction) in the octahedral sheet of natural Fe-rich clay mineral nontronite (NAu-1) activates its surface, making it redox-active. In this study we produced and characterized synthetic ferric nontronite (SIP), highlighting structural and chemical similarities and differences between this synthetic nontronite and its natural counterpart NAu-1, and probed whether mineral surface is redox-active by reacting it with arsenic As(III) under oxic and anoxic conditions. We demonstrate that synthetic nontronite SIP undergoes the same activation as natural nontronite NAu-1 following the partial reduction treatment. Similar to NAu-1, SIP oxidized As(III) to As(V) under both oxic (catalytic pathway) and anoxic (direct oxidation) conditions. The similar reactivity trends observed for synthetic nontronite and its natural counterpart make SIP an appropriate analog for laboratory studies. The development of chemically pure analogs for ubiquitous soil minerals will allow for systematic research of the fundamental properties of these minerals.
Mathematical Validation for Maximum Heat Transfer in the Optimal Straight Fin with Circular Arc Profile Constrained by Material Volume

The central objective of the theoretical study is to analyze mathematically the straight fin with circular arc profile proposed inquisitively by Isachenko et al. back in 1969. The importance of this kind of optimal straight fin with circular arc profile stems from the fact that it maximizes heat transfer for a fixed volume of material. The mathematical analysis will be pursued with a quasi one-dimensional heat equation, constant thermal conductivity and mean convection coefficient where the controlling thermo-geometric parameter is the Biot number. Owing to the irregular shape of the circular arc, the solution of the quasi one-dimensional heat conduction equation with variable coefficients cannot be carried out analytically, and forcibly has to be carried out numerically with the finite difference method. After post-processing the computed numerical temperatures for selected Biot numbers, the veracity of maximum heat transfer could be assessed or ignored. The main finding of the present work is to incorporate to the Isachenko’s theory the limiting factor of the Biot number constraint, which must be equal to one.
A reconstructed discontinuous Galerkin method for compressible turbulent flows on 3D curved grids

Abstract A third-order accurate reconstructed discontinuous Galerkin method, namely rDG(P1P2), is presented to solve the Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations, along with the modified one-equation model of Spalart and Allmaras (SA) on 3D curved grids. In this method, a piecewise quadratic polynomial solution (P2) is obtained using a least-squares method from the underlying piecewise linear DG(P1) solution. The reconstructed quadratic polynomial solution is then used for computing the inviscid and the viscous fluxes. Furthermore, Hermite Weighted Essentially Non-Oscillatory (WENO) reconstruction is used to guarantee the stability of the developed rDG method. A number of benchmark test cases based on a set of uniformly refined quadratic curved meshes are presented to assess the performance of the resultant rDG(P1P2) method for turbulent flow problems. The numerical results demonstrate that the rDG(P1P2) method is able to obtain reliable and accurate solutions to 3D compressible turbulent flows at a cost slightly higher than its underlying second-order DG(P1) method.
Factors associated with recent use of nicotine replacement therapy among multiethnic smokers residing in public housing

Introduction: Understanding factors associated with increased use of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is critical to implementing cessation interventions for low-income individuals yet the factors associated with NRT use among low-income smokers are poorly understood.Aims: Assess factors associated with NRT use among low-income public housing residents.Methods: ‘Kick it for Good’ was a randomised smoking cessation intervention study conducted among residents of public housing sites in Boston, MA. Secondary, cross-sectional analyses were conducted on smokers from a community-based intervention cessation intervention who reported making a quit attempt and use of NRT in the past 12 months (n = 234).Results: Among smokers who made a quit attempt in the past year, 29% reported using NRT. Black (prevalence ratio, PR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.38–0.71) and Hispanic (PR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.31–0.88) participants were less likely to report use of NRT compared with Whites. The prevalence of recent NRT use was greatest among those both asking for and receiving provider advice (PR = 1.90, 95% CI: 0.96–3.78).Conclusions: Minority race and ethnicity and low provider engagement on NRT use were associated with lower NRT use. Providing barrier-free access to NRT and facilitating provider engagement with smokers regarding NRT use can increase NRT use among low-income populations.
17-β-Estradiol induces spreading depression and pain behavior in alert female rats

University of Arizona Medical Pharmacology Departmental funding; NIH [5 RO1 DA 11271-18, 5 RO1 NS 42652-14]
Propagation of an Aβ Dodecamer Strain Involves a Three-Step Mechanism and a Key Intermediate.

Abstract Proteinaceous deposits composed of fibrillar amyloid- β (A β ) are the primary neuropathological hallmarks in Alzheimer disease (AD) brains. The nucleation-dependent aggregation of A β is a stochastic process with frequently observed heterogeneity in aggregate size, structure, and conformation that manifests in fibril polymorphism. Emerging evidence indicates that polymorphic variations in A β fibrils contribute to phenotypic diversity and the rate of disease progression in AD. We recently demonstrated that a dodecamer strain derived from synthetic A β 42 propagates to morphologically distinct fibrils and selectively induces cerebral amyloid angiopathy phenotype in transgenic mice. This report supports the growing contention that stable oligomer strains can influence phenotypic outcomes by faithful propagation of their structures. Although we determined the mechanism of dodecamer propagation on a mesoscopic scale, the molecular details of the microscopic reactions remained unknown. Here, we have dissected and evaluated individually the kinetics of macroscopic phases in aggregation to gain insight into the process of strain propagation. The bulk rates determined experimentally in each phase were used to build an ensemble kinetic simulation model, which confirmed our observation that dodecamer seeds initially grow by monomer addition toward the formation of a key intermediate. This is followed by conversion of the intermediate to fibrils by oligomer elongation and association mechanisms. Overall, this report reveals important insights into the molecular details of oligomer strain propagation involved in AD pathology.
The Role of Design and Training in Artifact Expertise: The Case of the Abacus and Visual Attention.

Previous accounts of how people develop expertise have focused on how deliberate practice transforms the cognitive and perceptual representations and processes that give rise to expertise. However, the likelihood of developing expertise with a particular tool may also depend on the degree to which that tool fits pre-existing perceptual and cognitive abilities. The present studies explored whether the abacus-a descendent of the first human computing devices-may have evolved to exploit general biases in human visual attention, or whether developing expertise with the abacus requires learning special strategies for allocating visual attention to the abacus. To address this question, we administered a series of visual search tasks to abacus experts and subjects who had little to no abacus experience, in which search targets and distractors were overlaid atop abacus "beads." Across three studies, we found that both experts and naive subjects were faster to detect targets in semantically relevant components of the abacus, suggesting that abacus training is not required to exhibit attentional biases toward these components of the abacus. This finding suggests that the attentional biases that scaffold numerical processing of the abacus may emerge from general properties of visual attention that are exploited by the design of the abacus itself.
Researching Queenila and living in-between: multi-sited Ethnography, migrant epistemology and transnational families

I explore multi-sited ethnography as a method and methodology in an increasingly globalized world wherein migration and separation are social facts in the histories of families in the Philippines. ...
Training State-of-the-Art Portuguese POS Taggers without Handcrafted Features

Part-of-speech (POS) tagging for morphologically rich languages normally requires the use of handcrafted features that encapsulate clues about the language’s morphology. In this work, we tackle Portuguese POS tagging using a deep neural network that employs a convolutional layer to learn character-level representation of words. We apply the network to three different corpora: the original Mac-Morpho corpus; a revised version of the Mac-Morpho corpus; and the Tycho Brahe corpus. Using the proposed approach, while avoiding the use of any handcrafted feature, we produce state-of-the-art POS taggers for the three corpora: 97.47% accuracy on the Mac-Morpho corpus; 97.31% accuracy on the revised Mac-Morpho corpus; and 97.17% accuracy on the Tycho Brahe corpus. These results represent an error reduction of 12.2%, 23.6% and 15.8%, respectively, on the best previous known result for each corpus.
Distributed Memory Implementation of a Shared-Address Parallel Object-Oriented Language

Parallel Sather* (pSather [1]) is a parallel object-oriented language with a shared address space programming model, independent of the underlying multiprocessor architecture. To account for distributed-memory machines, pSather provides a cluster model in which processors are grouped in clusters. Associated with a cluster is a part of the address space with fast access; access to other parts of the address space is ≤ 2 orders of magnitude slower.
30 – MINIMUM ENTROPY PRODUCTION

This chapter explains that the linear steady state is a state of minimum entropy production. This represents the most general result of the theory of steady-state thermodynamics. First it discusses the rate of entropy production in general case followed by the rate of entropy production in the linear steady state. As the steady state is approached the contribution to the rate of entropy production because of the time changes of the fluxes and the contribution because of the driving forces approach equality. It is concluded that the time rate of change of the entropy production decreases as the system approaches the steady state, until a minimum is reached in that state. The equality holds whenever the steady state has been attained. The linear steady state is thus a state of minimum entropy production.
Spontaneous remission of acute myelogenous leukemia

4318 Introduction: There have been several reports of the spontaneous remission of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). In this study we investigated and evaluated all published reports in the past 30 years of spontaneous remission of AML. Methods: Each peer reviewed paper was evaluated for clear evidence of spontaneous AML regression under the following criteria: identification of AML through both bone marrow biopsy and blood smear, identification of AML by type; evidence of complete regression through repeated bone marrow biopsy and blood smear; and substantiation of regression without therapeutic intervention against the cancer. Each substantiated case was included into one of the French-American-British Working Group classifications. Results: There were 19 substantially documented cases of complete spontaneous AML regression reported in the literature. M1 acute myeloblastic leukemia was associated with 4 cases, M2 acute myeloblastic leukemia 3 cases, M3 acute promyelocytic leukemia 2 cases, M4 acute myelomonocytic leukemia 2 cases, M5 acute monocytic leukemia 7 cases, M6 acute erythroleukemia, 1 case and M7 acute megakaryoblastic leukemia 0 cases. 15 were associated with a confirmed infectious process, and 1 was associated with a probable infectious process. The average time of regression was 8.1 months and average age of the patients was 52.4 years. All but one case of non-M5 AML regression was associated with severe systemic or pulmonic infection. Only 2 out of 7 cases of spontaneous regression of M5 AML however, were associated with an infection. 18 of the 19 cases of spontaneous remissions returned. Conclusion: The evidence suggests that significant stimulation of ones immune system may completely remit acute myelogenous leukemia. Further investigation is warranted.
The opposite of ubiquitous: How early adopters of fast-filling alt-fuel vehicles adapt to the sparsity of stations

Abstract Transportation is proving to be the most difficult sector for reducing U.S. carbon emissions. With 86% of American commuters continuing to drive to work, meeting the urgent climate-change challenge requires a pronounced shift to alternative-fuel vehicles (AFVs). Standing in the way of this transition, however, is the dearth of conveniently located refueling and recharging stations. This paper argues that we cannot generalize from the refueling habits of people driving gasoline cars, or from their stated preferences for where they would need or want stations, because they formed those habits and preferences while using a ubiquitous network of gasoline stations. We also must distinguish among the different behaviors engendered by slow and/or home charging of electric vehicles, flexible refueling and recharging of hybrids and flex-fuel vehicles, and fast refueling/charging AFVs. Therefore, this paper reviews the limited literature on the revealed preferences of where actual early adopters of single-fuel, fast-filling AFVs choose to refuel or recharge when faced with the reality of a sparse network of stations. Refueling preferences have been revealed by (1) surveys asking drivers where they usually refuel, (2) intercept surveys at stations, and (3) GPS and card-swipe data. The few existing studies suggest that drivers adapt by focusing more on convenience of locations than price. Drivers refuel more frequently at the same stations, at higher tank or battery levels, more on work-anchored trips, more in the middle of trips, less often near home, more often on their way, and take larger detours compared with drivers of gasoline and diesel vehicles. To put these results in a broader context, the paper compares them briefly with revealed-preference results for slow charging of electric vehicles and with stated-preference results for hydrogen and similar fuels. The paper discusses the implications of these findings for the initial rollout of fast-refueling station infrastructure and identifies gaps in what we know about actual AFV refueling and recharging behavior.
Post-Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Eculizumab as Prophylaxis Against Hemolysis and Thrombosis for Patients with Hematologic Disorders Associated with Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria Clones.

ABSTRACT Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is frequently seen in the context of other aplastic anemia and myelodysplastic syndromes and is associated with hemolysis and increased thromboembolic events. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHCT) is the sole curative treatment but is associated with significant morbidity. The terminal complement inhibitor eculizumab reduces hemolysis and thromboembolic events and is the sole Food and Drug Administration-approved therapy for PNH. Prophylactic administration of this agent in the early post-transplantation setting to prevent hemolysis and thrombosis has not been described in the literature. We describe our institutional experience of 8 patients with PNH who underwent alloHCT and who received at least 1 dose of eculizumab within 30 days of alloHCT for prevention of thrombosis and hemolysis. One patient with underlying aplastic anemia who received bone marrow stem cells failed to engraft. Another patient experienced steroid-refractory grade IV acute graft-versus-host disease and died of a fungal infection. The other patients engrafted well; no hemolysis, thrombotic events, or infections associated with encapsulated bacteria occurred in any of the 8 patients.
Parsing Effects in Second Language Sentence Processing: Subject and Object Asymmetries in wh-Extraction

This paper reexamines claims that second language learners are more accurate at judging long-distance object extraction than subject extraction and that the difference in accuracy is due to processing factors rather than differences in underlying competence. Although previous studies have reported robust effects for the subject/object asymmetry, the global nature of the response measures leaves open the question of whether the subject gap is in fact the locus of difficulty for second language learners. Using many of the same stimuli sentences from original research in combination with a theory of principle-based parsing, this study employs the moving window display technique to collect on-line measures of processing long-distance wh-extraction. Twenty-five advanced Chinese-speaking ESL learners provided grammaticality judgments in two presentation conditions: full-sentence, where judgment reaction times are measured from sentence onset to the learner's judgment; and word-by-word reading, where word-by-word latencies are collected in addition to judgments. The accuracy and reaction time results from the full-sentence condition replicated previous findings. The word-by-word results confirm that it is the subject gap that is the source of difficulty for the learners. Claims in the literature that principles of Universal Grammar are not available to adult learners are not supported by these results, which show that parsing, and not grammatical competence, is the source of difficulty on performance with subject extraction sentences.
Hepatic metabolism of propionate relative to meals for cows in the postpartum period.

ABSTRACT The objective of this research was to identify potential short-term metabolic bottlenecks of propionate metabolism in the liver of dairy cows in the postpartum (PP) period and how such bottlenecks are affected by feeding status. Propionate, produced primarily from the fermentation of starch, decreases dry matter intake for cows in the postpartum period, likely by stimulating oxidation of acetyl-CoA in the liver. In this study, 8 dairy cows [2 blocks of 4 cows each, 6.63 ± 1.19 (mean ± SD) days PP; body condition score of 2.84 ± 0.39] were administered a pulse dose of either 1.5 mol/500 mL of propionic acid (PA) or 500 mL of water (control; CON) to the rumen either 1 h before or 2 h after feeding in a 4 × 4 Latin square design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Liver tissue was sampled at −1, 10 and 20 min relative to dosing, and blood was sampled at −30, −20, −10, −1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 60 min relative to dosing. We hypothesized that rapid propionate absorption results in bottlenecks as enzymes become saturated and cofactors require regeneration. The PA treatment increased plasma propionate and insulin concentrations rapidly, with peaks reached by 5 min regardless of feeding status and cleared from the plasma within 30 min of dosing. The PA treatment decreased plasma nonesterified fatty acid concentration over 30 min compared with CON before but not after feeding. The PA treatment decreased plasma β-hydroxybutyrate concentration and increased plasma lactate concentration compared with CON both before and after feeding. The PA treatment also increased hepatic pyruvate and lactate concentrations compared with CON. The PA treatment tended to increase hepatic isocitrate and fumarate concentrations but did not affect hepatic malate and oxaloacetate concentrations, suggesting that elevated mitochondrial NADH/NAD+ may have slowed the isocitrate dehydrogenase and fumarase reactions. The PA treatment also increased succinate concentration compared with CON, suggesting that a bottleneck may be present at succinate dehydrogenase. The PA treatment tended to increase citrate concentration despite having no effects on acetyl-CoA or oxaloacetate concentrations. These results are in agreement with our hypothesis that rapid absorption of propionate from the rumen and extraction by the liver results in metabolic bottlenecks in the liver that may affect feeding behavior and dry matter intake in dairy cows in the PP period.
Dramatically diverse S. pombe wtf meiotic drivers all display high gamete-killing efficiency

Abstract Meiotic drivers are selfish genetic loci that force their transmission into more than 50% of the viable gametes made by heterozygotes. Meiotic drivers are known to cause infertility in a diverse range of eukaryotes and are predicted to affect the evolution of genome structure and meiosis. The wtf gene family of Schizosaccharomyces pombe includes both meiotic drivers and drive suppressors and thus offers a tractable model organism to study drive systems. Currently, only a handful of wtf genes have been functionally characterized and those genes only partially reflect the diversity of the wtf gene family. In this work, we functionally test 22 additional wtf genes. We identify eight new drivers that share between 30-90% amino acid identity with previously characterized drivers. Despite the vast divergence between these genes, they generally drive into >85% gametes when heterozygous. We also find three new wtf genes that suppress drive, including two that also act as autonomous drivers. Additionally, we find that wtf genes do not underlie a weak (64%) transmission bias caused by a locus or loci on chromosome 1. Finally, we find that some Wtf proteins have expression or localization patterns that are distinct from the poison and antidote proteins encoded by drivers and suppressors, suggesting some wtf genes may have non-meiotic drive functions. Overall, this work expands our understanding of the wtf gene family and the burden selfish driver genes impose on S. pombe. Article Summary During gametogenesis, the two gene copies at a given locus, known as alleles, are each transmitted to 50% of the gametes (e.g. sperm). However, some alleles cheat so that they are found in more than the expected 50% of gametes, often at the expense of fertility. This selfish behavior is known as meiotic drive. Some members of the wtf gene family in the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, kill the gametes (spores) that do not inherit them, resulting in meiotic drive favoring the wtf allele. Other wtf genes act as suppressors of drive. However, the wtf gene family is diverse and only a small subset of the genes has been characterized. Here we analyze the functions of other members of this gene family and found eight new drivers as well as three new suppressors of drive. Surprisingly, we find that drive is relatively insensitive to changes in wtf gene sequence as highly diverged wtf genes execute gamete killing with similar efficiency. Finally, we also find that the expression and localization of some Wtf proteins are distinct from those of known drivers and suppressors, suggesting that these proteins may have non-meiotic drive functions.
MULTIPLE MOLECULAR FORMS OF NEUROSPORA MITOCHONDRIAL MALATE DEHYDROGENASE

ABSTRACT. Mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase (L-malate: NAD oxidoreductase, E.C. 1.1.1.37) of Neurospora crassa was purified 600 fold. Both the purified and unpurified enzymes exhibited 16 isoelectric points, 11 electrophoretic mobilities, and 16 molecular weights. Proportions and properties of the isozymes were not affected by purification.
Climate Change in the American Mind: April 2019

This report is based on findings from a nationally representative survey – Climate Change in the American Mind – conducted by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication. Interview dates: March 29-April 8, 2019. Interviews: 1,291 adults in the U.S. (18+). Average margin of error +/- 3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. The research was funded by the 11th Hour Project, the Endeavor Foundation, the Energy Foundation, the TomKat Foundation, and the MacArthur Foundation. A special thank you goes to Parrish Bergquist, Ph.D. and Matto Mildenberger, Ph.D. for creating an automated version of this report.
Crazy, rich, when Asian: Yellowface ambivalence and mockery in Crazy Rich Asians

This essay takes a postcolonial approach to trouble the celebratory notion that Crazy Rich Asians is unequivocal progress for Asian/American media representation. Using textual analysis, the essay ...