cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Restoration of Mountain Big Sagebrush Steppe Following Prescribed Burning to Control Western Juniper

Western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis ssp. occidentalis Hook) encroachment into mountain big sage- brush (Artemisia tridentata spp. vaseyana (Rydb.) Beetle) steppe has reduced livestock forage production, increased erosion risk, and degraded sagebrush-associated wildlife habitat. Western juniper has been successfully controlled with partial cutting followed by prescribed burning the next fall, but the herbaceous understory and sagebrush may be slow to recover. We evaluated the effectiveness of seeding perennial herbaceous vegetation and sagebrush at five sites where juniper was controlled by partially cutting and pre- scribed burning. Treatments tested at each site included an unseeded control, herbaceous seed mix (aerially seeded), and the herbaceous seed mix plus sagebrush seed. In the third year post-treatment, perennial grass cover and density were twice as high in plots receiving the herbaceous seed mix compared to the control plots. Sagebrush cover and density in the sagebrush seeded plots were between 74- and 290-fold and 62- and 155-fold greater than the other treatments. By the third year after treatment, sagebrush cover was as high as 12 % in the sagebrush seeded plots and between 0 % and 0.4 % where it was not seeded. These results indicate that aerial seeding perennial herba- ceous vegetation can accelerate the recovery of perennial grasses which likely stabilize the site. Our results also suggest that seeding mountain big sagebrush after pre- scribed burning encroaching juniper can rapidly recover sagebrush cover and density. In areas where sagebrush habitat is limited, seeding sagebrush after juniper control may increase sagebrush habitat and decrease the risks to sagebrush-associated species.
Gender role attitudes, troubles talk, and marital satisfaction in Japan:

Using data from the 2006 Japanese General Social Survey, we examine the association between gender role attitudes, spousal “troubles talk,” and marital satisfaction. We find that, in line with prior research, belief in gender egalitarianism is associated with higher marital satisfaction for men, whereas it is negatively associated with women’s marital satisfaction. More troubles talk is associated with higher marital satisfaction for both genders. Only for women, troubles talk significantly mediates the association between gender role attitudes and marital satisfaction. Compared with gender-traditional women, egalitarian women have troubles talk less frequently and thus experience lower marital satisfaction.
The Dynamics of Criminal Governance: Networks and Social Order in Rio de Janeiro

Academic analyses of crime and policing in Latin America have generally focused on the failure of state institutions to guarantee a rule of law. This study, however, argues that the persistently high levels of violence in Rio's favelas [shantytowns] result not from the failure of institutions but, rather, from networks that bring criminals together with civic leaders, politicians, and police. These contacts protect traffickers from state repression and help them build political support among the residents of the where they favelas operate. Rather than creating ‘parallel states’ outside of political control, then, these networks link trafficker dominated favelas into Rio's broader political and social system.
Health Care for Women Inmates: Issues, Perceptions and Policy Considerations

Rapidly increasing numbers of women incarcerated in the United States have created an overwhelming need for appropriate health services for these inmates despite limited resources. This article outlines the key health care issues associated with women inmates. We begin by examining the challenges posed by this population of inmates. Additionally, we investigate the provision of health care to these women and then evaluate the perceptions of that care from the perspective of the women and their care providers. We conclude with a discussion of policy-relevant considerations and suggest that realism should be the underlying premise of any health-related policy for women inmates. Specifically, we suggest that education and the treatment of communicable diseases become the most targeted health-related goals for women inmates, as it is inevitable that most of these women will eventually be released.
Lifestyles of older Americans

Examines an attempt to define segments within the Older American market based on lifestyle variations. Identifies four clusters with significant marketing potential: Self‐Reliants, Active Retirees, Family Oriented, and Young and Secures. Concludes that lifestyle variables should be used to segment the market, the difficulties in using them indicating a need for a standardized lifestyle inventory for the Older American market.
MillWheel: fault-tolerant stream processing at internet scale

MillWheel is a framework for building low-latency data-processing applications that is widely used at Google. Users specify a directed computation graph and application code for individual nodes, and the system manages persistent state and the continuous flow of records, all within the envelope of the framework's fault-tolerance guarantees.This paper describes MillWheel's programming model as well as its implementation. The case study of a continuous anomaly detector in use at Google serves to motivate how many of MillWheel's features are used. MillWheel's programming model provides a notion of logical time, making it simple to write time-based aggregations. MillWheel was designed from the outset with fault tolerance and scalability in mind. In practice, we find that MillWheel's unique combination of scalability, fault tolerance, and a versatile programming model lends itself to a wide variety of problems at Google.
DNA sequence handling programs in Basic for home computers

This paper describes a DNA sequence handling program written entirely in BASIC and designed to be run on an Atari home computer. Many of the features common to more sophisticated programs have been included. The advantage of this program are its convenience, its transportability and its potential for user modification. The disadvantages are lack of sophistication and speed.
Characterization of a Renal Epithelial Cell Model of Apoptosis Using Okadaic Acid and the NRK-52E Cell Line*

Apoptotic cell death plays an important role in the pathogenesis of renal tubular epithelial damage and repair following tubular injury. Presently, the cellular factors involved in regulating apoptotic pathways in the kidney are unknown. To address the possibility that protein phosphorylation may regulate apoptosis in kidney cells, okadaic acid (OKA), a specific inhibitor of protein phosphatases 1A and 2A, was tested for its morphologic and biochemical effects on normal rat kidney epithelial cells (NRK-52E) in culture. As revealed by the DNA-specific stain DAPI, nuclei of cells treated with 1.0 microM okadaic acid contained irregular clumps of dense chromatin. Additional morphologic alterations typical of apoptosis were apparent within 2 hr after treatment with 1.0 microM OKA, including marked cellular rounding, cytoplasmic condensation, and cytoplasmic blebs. Ultrastructurally, 1.0 microM OKA caused cytoplasmic bleb formation, cellular fragmentation, condensation of heterochromatin into clumps, and segregation of nucleoli. At this stage, the cytoplasmic fragments and blebs contained many normal mitochondria. The attached, rounded cells also effectively excluded propidium iodide, demonstrating maintenance of membrane integrity despite pronounced morphologic alterations. A 2-fold increase in intracellular free Ca2+ was apparent 90 min after treatment with 1.0 microM okadaic acid. Transverse alternating field electrophoresis revealed the appearance of large DNA fragments of approximately 300-kbp. The appearance of these 300-kbp fragments correlated temporally with the observed elevation in intracellular calcium and the onset of morphologic alterations. However, preloading cells with EGTA-AM, an intracellular calcium chelator, obliterated the calcium elevation and had no effect on OKA-induced morphology, DNA fragmentation, or cell death. Detectable internucleosomal fragmentation occurred much later than the onset of morphologic changes (24-hr treatment time) and did not correlate with elevations in cellular calcium. These studies support the hypothesis that during apoptosis, chromatin condensation reflects chromatin cleavage at nuclease-sensitive sites between hexameric rosettes. These results also suggest that morphologic and nuclear alterations in the pathway of OKA-induced apoptosis occur independent of observed increases in intracellular calcium.
Do Novel Words Facilitate 18-Month-Olds' Spatial Categorization?.

Eighteen-month-olds’ spatial categorization was tested when hearing a novel spatial word. Infants formed an abstract categorical representation of support (i.e., placing 1 object on another) when hearing a novel spatial particle during habituation but not when viewing the events in silence. Infants with a productive spatial vocabulary did not discriminate the support relation when hearing the same novel word as a count noun. However, infants who were not yet producing spatial words did attend to the support relation when presented with the novel count noun. The results indicate that 18-month-olds can use a novel particle (possibly assisted by a familiar verb) to facilitate their spatial categorization but that the specificity of this effect varies with infants’ acquisition of spatial language.
Prazosin versus propranolol plus prazosin: A comparison in diuretic-treated hypertensive patients

The antihypertensive efficacy of prazosin was compared with that of a combination of prazosin and propranolol in 14 patients with essential hypertension. All patients had sitting diastolic blood pressures greater than or equal to 95 mm Hg despite daily therapy with 50 mg of hydrochlorothiazide and 240 mg of propranolol. After a 4-week monitoring period, patients were divided randomly into 2 groups in whom either (1) propranolol was reduced to 120 mg/day (to avoid potential hypotension) and prazosin was added, starting with an initial dose of 1 mg twice daily, or (2) propranolol was tapered and discontinued as prazosin was added. The average doses of prazosin were 7.4 and 7.6 mg/day, respectively. After 12 weeks of therapy, blood pressure was reduced in both groups, and there was no significant difference in the reduction of blood pressure or dose of prazosin in the 2 groups. Mean heart rate increased significantly in both groups (p less than 0.01), but more so in the group of patients who discontinued propranolol therapy. Thus, when a combination of 50 mg/day of hydrochlorothiazide and 240 mg/day of propranolol is insufficient to control hypertension, the addition of prazosin is shown to decrease blood pressure whether or not propranolol is continued.
Sex- and context-dependent migration in a pond-breeding amphibian

Partial migration, variation in the percentage of a population that completes a migration, can be influenced by the local environment and condition of an individual. We examined the direct and interacting effects of habitat quality and gender on migration decision by manipulating population density and sex ratio in a factorial field experiment using aquatic enclosures. In partially migrating red-spotted newts (Notophthalmus viridescens), we measured the percentage of newts migrating to the terrestrial habitat vs. overwintering as pond residents. Density significantly influenced migration, with 63% of newts migrating from high-density enclosures compared to 39% from low-density enclosures. Newts also migrated earlier from high-density enclosures, but no significant effects of the sex ratio treatment were found. Females migrated earlier than males, and 64% more females developed the migrant phenotype, suggesting important sex-based trade-offs of migration. No differences were found between migrants and residents in initial body size, counter to our prediction that larger individuals would be more likely to remain pond residents. This study demonstrates experimentally that migration can be a plastic response influenced by both local density and gender.
VICTORIAN WOMAN'S POETRY

Part of the excitement of reading Victorian woman's poetry lies in its manifold refusals to adopt wholesale the codes and conventions of the male poetic tradition. Such refusal may manifest itself in the bold rewriting of forms (as in Elizabeth Barrett Brown ing's Sonnets from the Portuguese), or in the unhinging of domestic or romantic pieties through irony and other doubling strategies (as in Dora Greenwell's "Scherzo" or Christina Rossetti's "Winter: My Secret"). Both the rewriting of male forms and the attack on conventional ideologies opened up new subject positions for women. For example, women's responses to poetic tradition and to each other's work initially made use of expressive theory to explore sexual and religious passions simultaneously (as in the poetry of the Brontes), while towards the end of the century, when religion and sexuality were not so inextricably intertwined, women could openly celebrate non-hierarchical sexuali ties (as in the lesbian poems of Michael Field).
Recent insights into racial differences in bone and mineral metabolism.

Purpose of review This study reviews recent insights into racial differences in bone from 2010 to 2011. Recent findings Recent studies have focused on expanding our current understanding of responsible mechanisms for racial differences in osteoporotic fracture risk. Using newer, three-dimensional imaging techniques, these studies demonstrated that racial differences in bone mass and structure are apparent early in adolescence, even when accounting for differences in bone size and muscle mass by race. In addition, recent studies using genetic admixture analysis showed that greater percentage of African admixture was independently associated with higher bone mass and more favorable parameters of bone strength in children and adults. Furthermore, recent studies showed that the relationships between 25-hydoxyvitamin D and bone outcomes differed by race, with lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels being associated with lower bone quality and higher fracture risk in whites but not blacks. Summary Racial differences in bone mass and strength are apparent early in life, are independently associated with genetic ancestry, and may be partly explained by differences in the relationships between vitamin D and bone metabolism. Further studies are needed to explore these findings, with the ultimate goal of better defining molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying racial differences in bone quality.
caOmicsV: an R package for visualizing multidimensional cancer genomic data.

Translational genomics research in cancers, e.g., International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), has generated large multidimensional datasets from high-throughput technologies. Data analysis at multidimensional level will greatly benefit clinical applications of genomic information in diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutics of cancers. To help, tools to effectively visualize integrated multidimensional data are important for understanding and describing the relationship between genomic variations and cancers. We implemented the R package, caOmicsV, to provide methods under R environment to visualize multidimensional cancer genomic data in two layouts: matrix layout and combined biological network and circular layout. Both layouts support to display sample information, gene expression (e.g., RNA and miRNA), DNA methylation, DNA copy number variations, and summarized data. A set of supplemental functions are included in the caOmicsV package to help users in generation of plot data sets from multiple genomic datasets with given gene names and sample names. Default plot methods for both layouts for easy use are also implemented. caOmicsV package provides an easy and flexible way to visualize integrated multidimensional cancer genomic data under R environment.
Interneurons Differentially Contribute to Spontaneous Network Activity in the Developing Hippocampus Dependent on Their Embryonic Lineage.

Spontaneously generated network activity is a hallmark of developing neural circuits, and plays an important role in the formation of synaptic connections. In the rodent hippocampus, this activity is observed in vitro as giant depolarizing potentials (GDPs) during the first postnatal week. Interneurons importantly contribute to GDPs, due to the depolarizing actions of GABA early in development. While they are highly diverse, cortical interneurons can be segregated into two distinct groups based on their embryonic lineage from either the medial or caudal ganglionic eminences (MGE and CGE). There is evidence suggesting CGE-derived interneurons are important for GDP generation; however, their contribution relative to those from the MGE has never been directly tested. Here, we optogenetically inhibited either MGE- or CGE-derived interneurons in a region-specific manner in mouse neonatal hippocampus in vitro. In CA1, where interneurons are the primary source of recurrent excitation, we found that those from the MGE strongly and preferentially contributed to GDP generation. Furthermore, in dual whole-cell patch recordings in neonatal CA1, MGE interneurons formed synaptic connections to and from neighboring pyramidal cells at a much higher rate than those from the CGE. These MGE interneurons were commonly perisomatic targeting, in contrast to those from the CGE, which were dendrite targeting. Finally, inhibiting MGE interneurons in CA1 suppressed GDPs in CA3 and vice versa; conversely, they could also trigger GDPs in CA1 that propagated to CA3 and vice versa. Our data demonstrate a key role for MGE-derived interneurons in both generating and coordinating GDPs across the hippocampus. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT During nervous system development, immature circuits internally generate rhythmic patterns of electrical activity that promote the establishment of synaptic connections. Immature interneurons are excitatory rather than inhibitory and actively contribute to the generation of these spontaneous network events, referred to as giant depolarizing potentials (GDPs) in the hippocampus. Interneurons can be generally separated into two distinct groups based on their origin in the embryo from the medial or caudal ganglionic eminences (MGE and CGE). Here we show that MGE interneurons play a dominant role in generating GDPs compared with their CGE counterparts. They accomplish this due to their high synaptic connectivity within the local circuitry. Finally, they can control network activity across large regions of the developing hippocampus.
Space location method of infrared target based on UKF

This paper proposes a space location method of infrared targe based on UKF according to the large error in instantaneous location using one observation of single station.Using active vision for reference,the infrared thermal camera is controlled to move and shoot the target to acquire its positions,and the world coordinates of the camera are acquired by the GPS receiver at the same time.The nonlinear system model of the space location is established using WGS-84 coordinate system and topocentric coordinate system for reference based on transformation equation of perspective projection.The UKF filtering algorithm is introduced to space location.Result of the experiment shows the feasibility and the effectiveness of the proposed method.
A Preliminary Study on the Construction of Physical Education Network Course

Physical education teachers should integrate media resources with use of network course,and provide the second classroom for students,in order to set the teachers free from traditional teaching mode.Physical education teachers should pay more attention to guiding students to exercise scientifically,answering their questions and helping them make program on extracurricular athletic sports.
The nuclear cardiac probe.

Easily portable and relatively inexpensive, this device was designed to meet the need for noninvasive evaluation of rapidly developing changes in global left ventricular function. The probe can generate both beat-to-beat and summed time-activity curves, from which critical indices of LV function are derived, permitting immediate evaluation of cardiac status.
Evidence for the existence of definitive hepatic cholesterol precursor compartments for bile acids and biliary cholesterol in man.

ABSTRACT A bile fistula patient was administered intravenously a constant infusion of [3H]mevalonic acid for 4 hrs, and then after 2 weeks he was given a pulse of [3H]mevalonic acid. Bile and blood were collected at frequent intervals. The specific activity-time course curves did not show a precursorproduct relationship between biliary cholesterol, plasma free cholesterol and bile acids. Both the constant infusion and pulse labeling data indicated that the bile acid precursor had a more rapid rate of turnover than plasma or biliary cholesterol; the biliary cholesterol precursor turned over more rapidly than plasma cholesterol. The data suggest the presence of multiple hepatic cholesterol precursor compartments. Bile acids may be derived predominantly from newly synthesized cholesterol in man.
Late clinical and arteriographic results in 500 coronary artery reoperations

The incidence of coronary artery reoperations averaged 2.7% from 1967 through 1979. In a mean interval of 51 months between operations, three-vessel disease increased from 24% to 63%, and 31% of these 500 consecutive patients lost previously normal left ventricular function. Three angiographic indication groups were identified: (1) progressive coronary atherosclerosis, 257 (51%); (2) graft failure, 147 (29%); and (3) a combination of progressive coronary atherosclerosis and graft failure, 96 (19%). Angina recurred earlier in patients with graft failure, mean 17 months compared with a mean of 37 months for the other groups. Twenty (4%) operative deaths occurred. The series is divided into 387 patients operated upon under normothermic anoxic arrest and 113 with systemic hypothermia and cold cardioplegia. In the cardioplegia group, perioperative myocardial infarction was 2.7% in comparison with 7.8% for patients with anoxic arrest (p = 0.055). The number of grafts per patient increased from 1.0 to 1.9 and blood usage decreased from 11 units to 2.7 units. After a mean follow-up of 42 months, angina was relieved or improved in 86%. Recatheterization of 104 patients after a mean interval of 19 months showed a 79% vein graft patency rate and a 97% mammary artery graft patency rate. Grafting performed for graft failure (47) yielded an 85% patency rate. Actuarial 5 year survival was 87.4% for those with progressive atherosclerosis, 89.4% for patients with graft failure, and 91.5% for the combined indication group. Clinical improvement, graft patency, and long-term survival are nearly equal among the indication groups. Palliation derived from these reoperations approaches that achieved after primary revascularization.
Exploring Story Selection Influences at the British Broadcasting Corporation

This study explores the influences on story selection at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Through interviews with personnel across all levels of BBC News and observation of editorial meetings and newsroom routines at BBC World Headquarters in London, the author applies Gatekeeping theory in an effort to understand the BBC’s story selection process. Three themes emerge to inform our understanding of how stories are chosen and shaped for coverage at the BBC: respect and appreciation of the audience, the needs of individual networks and programs, and awareness of the Royal Charter.
Integration of partial information for spoken and written sentence recognition by older listeners

Older adults have difficulty understanding speech in challenging listening environments. Combining multisensory signals may facilitate speech recognition. This study measured recognition of interrupted spoken and written sentences by older adults for different preserved stimulus proportions. Unimodal performance was first examined when only interrupted text or speech stimuli were presented. Multimodal performance with concurrently presented text and speech stimuli was tested with delayed and simultaneous participant responses. Older listeners performed better in unimodal speech-only compared to text-only conditions across all proportions preserved. Performance was also better in delayed multimodal conditions. Comparison to a younger sample suggests age-related amodal processing declines.
Online community members as mentors for novice programmers position statement

While online communities exist surrounding blocks programming environments, they do not support the type of feedback a novice programmer might receive in a classroom setting. We propose a feedback system in which experienced programmers author feedback and programmatic rules to distribute feedback to novice programmers. Finally, we outline three main considerations for designing systems for online community feedback for novice programmers: community members, the format of the feedback, and how the feedback is distributed at a large scale.
Comorbidity Patterns and Its Impact on Health Outcomes: Two-Way Clustering Analysis

Comorbidity greatly increases the complexity of managing disease in patients. Approximately 27 percent of the US population have two or more concurrent comorbid conditions. Traditional models for assessing the impact of patient demographic and comorbidity burden on patient health outcomes, represented comorbidity conditions by Charlson Comorbidity Index. In this paper, we develop a novel two-way clustering approach combining model-based and weighted K-means clustering methods for characterizing and summarizing a patient's comorbid conditions. Our two-way approach helps reduce the size of the data to a manageable size, thus being practical for big data applications. Another novel aspect of our approach is the ability to handle weighted observations. Assigning weights to observations helps reduce the size of the dataset, thus addressing the scalability challenge of algorithms when dealing with big data. Using the National Inpatient Sample database for 2008-2013, we evaluate the performance of our approach by the use of logistic regression and support vector machine models by applying them to patients whose primary diagnosis is cardiovascular disease. In addition to evaluating our proposed method using empirical test data, we use asymptotic statistics. Both evaluation methods show that the proposed approach improves the prediction of patient health outcomes; specifically, hospital length of stay.
Market's end: Fair-trade social premiums as development in Dominica

On the island of Dominica, in the eastern Caribbean, the sale of fair-trade bananas generates “social premiums” to fund projects that the government can no longer afford because of structural adjustment. Promoted as a means of democratic decision-making, social premiums operate in an “awkward zone of engagement” between development policy and local practice. Their uses are constrained by fair-trade certification, as well as by the gender, class, and political nexus of farmers’ groups and communities. As a development strategy and system of governance, fair trade invokes universal narratives of democracy and pluralism, but its effects are expressed through local dispositions of identity and material practice, as well as competitive “ethical” markets. For farmers, global competition and rigid certification standards signal an impending “market's end,” the closure of their last alternative as agriculturalists. [fair trade, social premium, Great Recession, neoliberal development, governmentality, Dominica, Caribbean] Nan zile Dominica nan Karayib la, peman sosyal ki soti nan ekspotasyon bannann selon pratik komes ekitab finanse pwoje avek ki gouvenman an pa ka koresponn poutet ajisteman estriktirel yo. Yo fe yo pase pou fason pou fe desizyon demokratik, men peman sosyal opere nan yon “zon angajman dwol” ki ant politik devlopman ak pratik lokal. Jan yo sevi a jwenn limitasyon nan kesyon setifikasyon komes ekitab, ak tout kesyon seks, klas avek konteks politik gwoup femye yo ak kominote yo. Kom estrateji devlopman ak sistem gouvenans, komes ekitab sevi ak diskou demokrasi ak “pliralis”, men efe li soti nan idantite lokal avek pratik materyel, ansanm ak konpetitisyon nan mache lokal. Pou femye yo, konpetisyon global avek estanda setifikasyon two seve anonse “fen yon mache” ki san le rive, pwen final nan denye posibilite yo kom agrikilte. [komes ekitab, peman sosyal, Gwo Resesyon, devlopman neoliberal, gouvernementalite, Dominica, Karayib]
Cholesterol Tracking; Prediction over Time of Serum Cholesterol in Evans County. GA.

Fasting serum cholesterol was determined in 1960 and 1967 on 2530 subjects representing the biracial community of Evans County, under C.D.C. laboratory control and employing the Abell-Kendall method (1). For each age-race-sex cohort, mean serum cholesterol increased over the seven years of follow-up, as a function of age and body mass (exemplified for males in Figure 1).
A practical guide to the use of eltrombopag in children with chronic immune thrombocytopenia

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Pediatric immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) may be associated with significant burden on children and their parents/caregivers. Thrombopoietin (TPO) receptor agonists (RAs) have been used to treat adult patients with chronic ITP (cITP) for nearly a decade and following pediatric studies Eltrombopag has been recently approved for pediatric cITP in the United States and Europe. TPO-RA s may help reduce the risk of bleeding and the need for conventional ITP therapies.Review: In this review, the clinical data demonstrating the efficacy and safety of TPO-RAs in pediatric ITP are evaluated, key recommendations regarding safe administration of eltrombopag are provided, and potential future directions in management of pediatric ITP are discussed.
Scientific Classification Method for Electromagnetic Launchers

A scientific classification method for electromagnetic launchers (EMLs) is presented and discussed. The classification method is based on the well-known binomial nomenclature method developed by Carl Linnaeus (circa 1700s) that is used in other botany and zoology to classify flora and fauna. This investigation starts by establishing a formal definition for the launcher and the EML that, respectively, characterize the device and group. The EML can then be categorized into its respective class and type according to how its accelerating force is generated. The method developed here does not interfere with the inventor’s right to provide a common name for the EML. The scientific classification of EMLs highlights their similarities and differences to develop a better understanding of their operation and to produce more comprehensive general theories. The classification method is an intuitive approach that is both flexible to allow for changes in classification protocols and expandable to accommodate new EMLs that may be invented in the future.
Modulation of angiogenesis by genetic manipulation of ATF4 in mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy [corrected].

Purpose The activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) and an increase in activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) has been previously reported in the diabetic retina. Despite this, a direct link between ATF4 and the degree of proliferative retinopathy has not been demonstrated to date. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine whether ATF4 deficiency could reduce neovascularization in mice with oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR). Methods We induced OIR in C57BL/6, ATF4(+/-), and endoplasmic reticulum stress-activated indicator (ERAI) mice and used quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot analysis to evaluate relative gene and protein expression. Histology and microscopy were used to calculate the extent of neovascularization in flat-mounted retinas. Results Experimental data revealed Xbp1 splicing in the retinal ganglia cells, outer plexiform layer, inner nuclear layer, and outer nuclear layer and in pericytes of postdevelopment day 17 ERAI OIR mice, confirming the activation of IRE1 UPR signaling. In naive ATF4-deficient mice, we also observed an elevation in UPR-associated and vascular-associated gene expression (Bip, Atf6, Hif1a, Pik3/Akt, Flt1/Vegfa, and Tgfb1), which may have contributed to the alleviation of hypoxia-driven neovascularization in experimental ATF4(+/-) retinas. The OIR ATF4(+/-) retinas demonstrated reprogramming of the UPR seen at both the mRNA (Atf6 and Bip) and protein (pATF6 and peIf2α) levels, as well as a reduction in vascularization-associated gene expression (Flt1, Vegf1, Hif1, and Tgb1). These changes corresponded to the decline in the rate of neovascularization. Conclusions Our study validates ATF4 as a prospective therapeutic target to inhibit neovascularization in proliferative retinopathy.
Reducing production of fumonisin mycotoxins in Fusarium verticillioides by RNA interference

The fungus Fusarium verticillioides is a maize pathogen that can produce fumonisin mycotoxins in ears under certain environmental conditions. Because fumonisins pose health risks to humans and livestock, control strategies with minimal risk to the environment are needed to reduce fumonisin contamination. Host-induced gene silencing is a promising technique in which double-stranded RNA expressed in the plant host is absorbed by an invading fungus and down-regulates genes critical for pathogenicity or mycotoxin production in the fungus. A key preliminary step of this technique is identification of DNA segments within the targeted fungal gene that can effectively silence the gene. Here, we used segments of the fumonisin biosynthetic gene FUM1 to generate double-stranded RNA in F. verticillioides. Several of the resulting transformants exhibited reduced FUM1 gene expression and fumonisin production (24- to 3675-fold reduction in fumonisin FB1). Similar reductions in fumonisin production resulted from double-stranded RNA constructs with segments of FUM8, another fumonisin biosynthetic gene (3.5- to 2240-fold reduction in fumonisin FB1). FUM1 or FUM8 silencing constructs were transformed into three isolates of F. verticillioides. Whole genome sequence analysis of seven transformants revealed that reductions in fumonisin production were not due to mutation of the fumonisin biosynthetic gene cluster and revealed a complex pattern of plasmid integration. These results suggest the cloned FUM1 or FUM8 gene segments could be expressed in maize for host-induced gene silencing of fumonisin production.
Improved surgical outcomes following radical cystectomy at high-volume centers influence overall survival.

Abstract Objectives Positive surgical margins (PSM) and lymph node yield (LNY) following radical cystectomy (RC) for urothelial carcinoma of the bladder affect survival. Variations in PSM or LNY at different care facilities are poorly described. We evaluated the relationship between hospital surgical volume and academic hospital status with these surgical outcomes and overall survival (OS). Methods and materials Patients with nonmetastatic urothelial carcinoma of the bladder who underwent RC were identified from the National Cancer Database (2004–2013). Treatment centers were categorized as academic (ACC) and community cancer centers (CCC). Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with PSM status and LNY, and a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine factors associated with OS. Results In our cohort, 39,274 patients underwent RC. A lower proportion of PSMs (10% vs.12%; P Conclusions ACCs demonstrate improved surgical outcomes following RC, and a survival advantage attributable to high surgical volume is identified. Centralization of care may lead to improved outcomes in this lethal malignancy.
Dose-dependent reduction in cocaine-induced locomotion by Clozapine-N-Oxide in rats with a history of cocaine self-administration.

Abstract Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs) are novel tools for the dissection of circuitry mediating behavior and neural function. Designer receptors based on the muscarinic M3 and M4 subtypes were designed to be activated by clozapine-N-oxide (CNO), a ligand previously shown to be an inert metabolite of clozapine. However, recent work in rats has shown that CNO is reverse metabolized to its parent compound. Furthermore, CNO administration (5 mg/kg IP) attenuates amphetamine-induced locomotion and the evoked dopamine response that accompanies it. As these systems are routinely used to probe the neurocircuitry underlying cocaine-seeking behavior, here we sought to determine whether CNO would have similar effects on cocaine-induced locomotion in rats with a history of cocaine self-administration. In order for muscarinic-based DREADDs to be utilized for the dissection of circuitry underlying behavioral responses to cocaine, the doses of CNO administered to induce DREADD signaling must themselves have no effect on cocaine-induced behavior. Male Sprague-Dawley rats self-administered cocaine (0.35 mg/infusion) for 12 days, followed by 14–21 days of instrumental extinction training. Rats then underwent locomotor testing. CNO (0, 3, or 5 mg/kg) was injected (utilizing a within-subjects design), followed 20 min later by cocaine (10 mg/kg IP). Locomotion was monitored for the following 120 min. We found that the 5, but not the 3 mg/kg, dose of CNO reduced cocaine-induced locomotion. Thus, studies utilizing DREAADs to probe cocaine-induced behavior should consider these findings when choosing a dose of CNO and include non-DREADD CNO controls.
Variable Astigmatism Corrector for High-Power Lasers

We present a variable astigmatism corrector whose magnitude and sign in the astigmatism can be deterministically adjusted without separate wavefront measurement. The experimental results agree well with the calculation.
The Role of the Signal Averaged Electrocardiogram in Predicting Post Infarction Ventricular Tachycardia and Sudden Death

Post infarction (post MI) sudden death (SD) begins with hemodynamically unstable ventricular tachycardia (VT) that degenerates into ventricular fibrillation (VF) (see chapter by Pratt and Roberts). In patients with post MI VT or SD, the infarction produces an area of slow conduction. A properly timed premature ventricular contraction (PVC) can then initiate VT. Patients without an area of slow conduction cannot develop VT despite PVCs (1). The signal averaged ECG (SA-ECG) is a noninvasive method designed to detect the electrical activity generated by slow conduction and thus identify post MI patients at risk for VT or SD. The purpose of this chapter is to provide the reader with an overview of the SA-ECG and its potential for identifying patients at risk for post infarction VT or SD. Several authors have recently published extensive, copiously referenced reviews of the topic for the reader interested in additional detail (2–4).
Technologies in Molecular Biology: Diagnostic Applications

For more than 100 years, cancer has been diagnosed by empirical, largely subjective means, not unlike clinical medicine itself. A consequence of this is that universal acceptance of a diagnosis, particularly any beyond benign versus malignant, has been an elusive goal. In one published study of rhabdomyosarcoma diagnosis involving more than 800 blinded cases and more than a dozen pathologists working in teams of two at eight institutions, with a 20% resampling, concordance between groups for subclassification (with clinical and therapeutic consequences) was no better than 60%. (The figure for individual reproducibility was marginally better, of the order of 70%.) It should be noted that these pathologists were acknowledged to be the world’s experts in the diagnosis of this disease at the time. Thus, it is reasonable to conclude that cancer diagnosis is less than a perfectly objective science.
Minimum Effective Length for the Midwest Guardrail System

The recommended minimum length for the standard Midwest Guardrail System (MGS) is 175 ft (55.3 m) based on crash testing according to NCHRP Report 350 and AASHTO’s Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) specifications. However, varying roadside hazards and roadway geometries may require a W-beam guardrail system to be shorter than the currently tested minimum length. The effects of reducing system length for the MGS were therefore investigated. The research study included one full-scale crash test with a Dodge Ram pickup truck striking a 75-ft (22.9-m) long MGS system. The barrier system satisfied all MASH Test Level 3 (TL-3) evaluation criteria for Test Designation Number 3-11. Test results confirmed that the reduced system length did not adversely affect overall system performance or deflections. Simulations that used BARRIER VII and LS-DYNA were also conducted to analyze system performance with reduced lengths of 50 ft (15.2 m) and 62 ft 6 in. (19.1 m). Both system lengths exhibited the potential ...
Organizational aspects of implementing enterprise modeling

The practice of enterprise modeling is an evolving concept, and, like an enterprise, expands and changes to meet the needs of the enterprise. As a result, it is difficult to define it in a manner that will satisfy all of it’s practitioners. Over the past decade, the author has had the opportunity to help enterprises develop a variety of enterprise models. In every case, enterprise models have been a means to capture critical and complex enterprise knowledge.
Transforming Growth Factor Regulation of Keratinocyte Growth

Transforming growth factors (TGF) were originally defined by their ability to induce morphologic transformation in monolayer culture and stimulate soft agar growth of rodent fibroblast cell lines (DeLarco and Todaro 1978; Moses et al. 1981; Roberts et al. 1981). Early studies with TGF indicated that they may play a role in neoplastic transformation and led to the purification and cloning of two very important growth regulatory molecules, TGF-α and TGF-β.
Final Ritardandi and the Expression of Musical Emotion

According to Juslin (2001), final ritardandi constitute part of the acoustic code employed by musicians to communicate two distinct emotional states: sadness and tenderness. To test this proposition, in two experiments, participants were exposed to a set of hymns that were modified in mode and/or tempo to primarily express either happiness, sadness, or tenderness. In addition, the inclusion of final ritardandi was experimentally manipulated such that these timing variations were either present or absent in the hymn stimuli. Participants were then asked to rate the emotions expressed by each variant of the hymns. In line with Juslin (2001), results revealed that when final ritardandi were included, expressively sad music was perceived as conveying more sadness, whereas expressively tender music was perceived as conveying more tenderness. Inclusion of ritardandi did not heighten the expression of happiness in music that was in a major key nor promote the expression of tenderness in music that was in a minor key. This suggests that final ritardandi do not generally heighten emotional expressivity and only amplify the emotional message already established by other cues, particularly those based on mode and overall tempo.
The Effects of Ambient Temperature and Lighting Intensity on Wheel-running Behavior in a Diurnal Rodent, the Nile Grass Rat (Arvicanthis niloticus)

Environmental conditions, such as the light-dark cycle and temperature, affect the display of circadian rhythmicity and locomotor activity patterns in mammals. Here, we tested the hypothesis that manipulating these environmental conditions would affect wheel-running activity patterns in a diurnal rodent, the Nile grass rat (Arvicanthis niloticus). Grass rats are diurnal in the field, however, a subset switch from a day-active pattern to a night-active pattern of activity after the introduction of a running wheel. The mechanism of this chronotype switch remains largely unknown. In the present study, grass rats were presented with running wheels in 12:12 light-dark conditions. First, subjects were exposed to 25 °C during the day and 21 °C at night, which resulted in 100% of grass rats expressing diurnal behavior. Subjects were then exposed to manipulations of elevated ambient temperature, which resulted in a significant reduction in wheel-running activity. Reducing ambient temperature below 21 °C, however, did not disrupt the expression of diurnality or overall activity. Next, lighting intensity was reduced, which resulted in a switch from a diurnal to a nocturnal chronotype in a subset of animals and reduced overall wheel-running activity. Upon return to baseline lighting intensity, patterns of diurnal activity were restored. Altogether, increases in ambient temperature and decreases in lighting intensity significantly reduced overall wheel-running activity. Importantly, dim light resulted in a temporal niche switch in a subset of grass rats, suggesting a critical role for lighting intensity on the expression of wheel-running activity patterns. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
150 years in the making: first comprehensive list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Virginia, USA

Due to Virginia’s geographic location, topographic variability, and diversity of physiographic provinces, the state ranks as one of the most biodiverse areas in the US. Virginia’s myrmecofauna, however, has been insufficiently studied and is not well known. Here we present the first comprehensive list of the ants of Virginia and provide county-level distributions for all taxa. With taxonomic updates taken into account, review of published records revealed that 130 species have been reported from the state. We add another 34 species based on newly collected materials, review of museum and personal collections, and online databases. At present, 164 species and morphospecies, including 15 ant exotics, are known to occur in the state. Another 12 species are provisionally excluded from the list as they represent distribution anomalies, or are based on erroneous records. The work presented here is an initial step towards a more complete treatment of the identification, taxonomy, and natural history of the ant fauna of Virginia.
Nonlinear variability of quasi-periodic oscillations in GX 339-4

We examine the nonlinear variability of quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) using the bicoherence, a measure of phase coupling at different Fourier frequencies. We analyse several observations of RXTE/PCA archival data of the black hole binary GX 339-4 which show QPOs. In the type C QPOs, we confirm the presence of the 'hypotenuse' pattern where there is nonlinear coupling between low frequencies that sum to the QPO frequency as well as the 'web' pattern where in addition to the hypotenuse, nonlinear coupling between the QPO frequency and the broadband noise is present. We find that type B QPOs show a previously unknown pattern. We also show that the bicoherence pattern changes gradually from 'web' to 'hypotenuse' as the source moves from a hard intermediate state to a soft intermediate state. Additionally, we reconstruct the QPO waveforms from six observations using the biphase. Finally, we present a scenario by which a moderate increase in the optical depth of the hard X-ray emission region can explain the changes in the non-linearity seen during this transition.
Home-Based Primary Care’s Role in Supporting the Older Old During Wildfires:

Objectives: There is limited understanding of how Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) programs support their medically complex patients in event of a disaster. This study aimed to identify emergency pre...
How Do We “Do Gender”? Permeation as Over-Talking and Talking Over:

Gendered expectations are imported from the larger culture to permeate small-group discussions, creating conversational inequalities. Conversational roles also emerge from the negotiated order of g...