cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Studying Issue (Non)-Adoption in Transnational Advocacy Networks

Why do some issues but not others galvanize transnational advocacy networks? To gain insight into this question, I studied how advocates in the human rights sector think and talk about an issue that has received little advocacy attention to date: stigma against children born of wartime rape. Focus groups with humanitarian practitioners were coded and analyzed for evidence of a variety of explanations for issue adoption drawn from the literature on advocacy networks. The analysis suggests that the conditions for issue adoption are constituted by dynamics across, rather than primarily within, issue networks.This project was supported by National Science Foundation Grant No. SES 0432488 and by a Hewlett Research Grant from University of Pittsburgh's University Center for International Studies. I am deeply indebted to Stuart Shulman and University of Pittsburgh's Qualitative Data Analysis Program for assistance with Atlas.ti software, and to Laurel Person, Abbie Zahler, Betcy Jose-Thota, Vanja Lundell, Rachel Helwig, and Justin Reed for assistance in coding and data analysis. Vera Achvarina, Lisa Alfredson, David Bearce, Clifford Bob, Daniel Chong, Jack Donnelly, Michael Goodhart, John Mendeloff, Joel Oestreich, Simon Reich, Stephen Rothman, Ben Rubin, Nita Rudra, Laura Sjoberg, Dan Thomas, and participants in Yale University's Genocide Studies Seminar Series provided helpful feedback on earlier drafts. I am solely responsible for any remaining errors.
Identification of the steady state operator for discrete self-optimizing systems

When one attempts to design self-optimizing or adaptive control systems for plants with unknown dynamic characteristics, a major problem is that, due to the unknown initial conditions on the plant, the plant dynamics may inadvertently be identified in terms of an operator which is not unique. Since erroneous results are obtained when optimization is performed in terms of a nonunique operator, a means of characterizing a plant in terms of a unique steady-state operator, is described. This paper considers the problem for discrete-time plants and shows that the entire operator need not be identified but only certain essential characteristics of the operator. A general procedure for performing the identification and some simplifications which are applicable in special cases are described.
Coastal Roots: Connecting Students with Sustainability in Mississippi and Louisiana

ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. environmental education, curriculum, school-based nursery, container production, stewardship SUMMARY. The Coastal Roots School Seedling Nursery Program for Habitat Restoration was initiated by Louisiana State University in 2000 in cooperation with Louisiana Sea Grant. The program enhances learning areas such as plant growth, wetland issues, conservation, and hands-on habitat restoration, and includes the installation of a small container nursery for the production of coastal plants in schoolyards. The program was adopted by Mississippi State University’s Coastal Research and Extension Center in 2008. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the program as well as Mississippi’s plans to adapt the Louisiana model to demonstrate teaching by example through hands-on demonstration that will supply students with real-world conservation and stewardship experience.
Beyond Surgery: Treating the Whole Person

To rise in the ranks of a profession, onemust transcend the technical aspects and appreciate the whole patient and the context of the patient. Establishingmeaningful relationships with patients is the hallmark of a great physician. It was not idle thinking that led Joseph Murray, the Nobel Prize winning plastic and reconstructive surgeon, to title his memoir ‘‘Surgery of the Soul.’’ As Professor Francis Moore states in the Foreword to Dr. Murray’s book, there is ‘‘.a very special kind of pain, one that many of us have never experienced: the anguish of facial and bodily distortions that make the beholder turn away. In children, such an appearance makes the child an outcast, vulnerable to isolation and rejection by their classmates, to weeping on the way home from school, to a devastating loss of self-esteem. For a child with an embarrassing facial deformity.a simple repair [perhaps not so simple].truly heals a wound of the soul.’’ Following in the footsteps of Drs Kazanjian, Guralnick, and Murray, Professor Leonard Kaban has embraced the totality of the patient. Clinicians encounter many unknowns. Being too cautious to avoid potential problems can lead to incomplete results and less than satisfactory outcomes, particularly in the most complicated of cases. Being too daring can result in unrealistic expectations for the patient and family and potential complications. It takes not only surgical skill, but also the emotional capacity of the surgeon to bring the patient and the patient’s family along into this journey of the unknown. Oral and maxillofacial surgery is perhaps uniquely affected by the psychological state of the patient, family, and surgeon owing to the visibility of the deformities and the functional limitations that accompany the conditions the surgeon must treat. Leonard Kaban exemplifies the qualities of the surgeon who excels at the integration of psychological understanding, surgical expertise, and the
A PIONEER COMMUNITY: THE PALEONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY TAKES ITS PUBLICATIONS ONLINE!

Among our geologic colleagues, paleontologists seem to have the undeserved reputation of being somewhat stodgy and reluctant to accept change; I guess this comes with our (also undeserved) “stamp collector” image. How then to explain The Paleontological Society Council's bold decision at our Incoming Council meeting in Reno last November? Perhaps it was from being surrounded by all those gamblers, but Council voted unanimously to take our publications online beginning in 2001. I thank the editors of the Journal of Paleontology for providing me the opportunity to explain on behalf of Council how we arrived at our decision, the benefits and risks involved, and how Paleontological Society members can begin to take advantage of our online journals. I emphasize that the decision was reached after extensive research by the PS journal editors (including conversations with other societies and multiple vendors and development of detailed budget projections), careful articulation of the options (particularly by Paleobiology co-editor Scott Wing), and hours of debate within Council. Despite a certain degree of risk to the Society's finances (as Treasurer Tom Kammer, always mindful of the bottom line, was careful to point out), we decided that now was the time to move forward. We knew that electronic publishing was going to become necessary eventually—the question was how soon and how wholeheartedly should The Paleontological Society go online? Should we be pioneers in this …
Natural resources endowment and economic growth: The West African Experience

This study aims at investigating the nexus between natural resource endowment and economic growth using a sample of West African countries. The study adopted a Barrow-type growth model to analyse the impact of natural resource wealth on economic growth. A dynamic panel estimation technique was employed using relevant data from West African Countries. The results from the panel regressions indicate that natural resource endowments have very minimal impact in terms of promoting economic growth in West Africa, more so in resource rich countries. In terms of relative effects, the results indicate that a 10% increase in natural resource export reduces growth in income per capita by approximately 0.4%. Part of the factors explaining this finding amongst others; include high corruption in the public sector as well as the frequency of civil conflicts in resource rich economies of West Africa. For the natural resources of the region to fully benefit its citizens, these countries require , urgently, to improve management of natural resource export revenues and to apply effective policy measures to eradicate/ mitigate incidences of rampant corruption in the public sector.
Relative Frequency of Positive and Negative Affect in Déjà Connu Experiences of Impression Formation

College students, 250 women and 250 men, were surveyed concerning their experience in the typical situation in which they encounter someone who reminds them of someone else. 94% of the respondents indicated having positive and favorable feelings about the remembered other, while only 6% of the sample reported negative and unfavorable feelings about the remembered person in such circumstances. Alternative interpretations of the data are considered, with attention focused on implications for the study of interpersonal attitudes in contemporary society.
When, and for whom, analogies help: The role of spatial skills and interleaved presentation.

Understanding many scientific phenomena, processes, or systems may be especially dependent on a student’s ability to visualize or manipulate spatial information in order to construct mental representations. One instructional technique often included in science texts to help students to understand difficult concepts is the use of concrete or familiar analogies. Two experiments tested whether individual differences in spatial skills may impact the effectiveness of learning by analogy, if an analogy might particularly improve the learning of low-spatial students, and if the way in which the analogical comparison is presented matters. In these studies, students read a text about the processes and causes of the global weather phenomenon known as El Nino. For some students, the text also contained an analogy that compared El Nino to the inflating a deflating of a balloon; this analogy was either presented at the beginning of the text or interleaved throughout the text. Across both experiments, results indicated that spatial skills generally improved learning from a text about El Nino, but that interleaving an analogy changed the relationship between spatial skills and learning, and improved performance for low-spatial learners. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
Further studies of pairing excitations in actinide nuclei: U 233 , Pu 237 , Np 235 , Am 241 , Ra 224 , and Pu 238

The behavior of a pairing excitation, previously reported in even actinide nuclei, has been explored with two odd-neutron ($^{235}\mathrm{U}$ and $^{239}\mathrm{Pu}$) and two odd-proton ($^{237}\mathrm{Np}$ and $^{243}\mathrm{Am}$) targets as well as the even-even targets $^{226}\mathrm{Ra}$ and $^{240}\mathrm{Pu}$. It is found that this behavior is similar to that previously found in even-even actinide nuclei.
Why Keynesian Stabilization Policy Doesn’t Work?

The mechanics of Keynes’s disequilibrium analysis were not highly visible. Rather, these were smuggled into his system by distinguishing between realized and notional quantities of saving and investment. Whereas realized or ex post saving and investment are continuously in equality (because an extant economic system can only be viewed in equilibrium), the values of notional or ex ante saving and investment are allowed to be unequal.
Model reduction for control of a multiphysics system: Coupled Burgers' equation

We consider control and design for coupled, multiphysics systems governed by partial differential equations (PDEs). The numerical solution of the control problem involves large systems of ordinary differential equations arising from a spatial discretization scheme, which can be prohibitively expensive. Utilizing reduced order surrogate models evolved as a way to circumvent this computational problem. While many reduced order models work well for simulation, the task of control adds additional complexity. We investigate the effects of different reduced order models on the optimal feedback control. We propose to use a structure-preserving surrogate model, constructed by computing dominant subspaces for each physical quantity separately. This method addresses the different scaling of variables commonly found in multiphysics problems. As a test example, a coupled Burgers' equation multiphysics PDE model is considered. In the numerical study, we find that the feedback gains obtained from the standard proper orthogonal decomposition for the combined variables fail to converge, while the physics-based method produces convergent control feedback matrices.
Fully nonlinear δf gyrokinetics for scrape-off layer parallel transport

Edge plasmas present a few challenges for gyrokinetic simulations that are absent in tokamak cores. Among them are large fluctuation amplitudes and plasma-wall interactions in the open field line region. In this paper, the widely used core turbulence code GENE, which employs a δf-splitting technique, is extended to simulate open systems with large electrostatic fluctuations. With inclusion and proper discretization of the parallel nonlinear term, it becomes equivalent to a full-f code and the δf-splitting causes no fundamental difficulty in handling large fluctuations. The loss of particles to the wall is accounted for by using a logical sheath boundary, which is implemented in the context of a finite-volume method. The extended GENE code is benchmarked for the well-established one-dimensional parallel transport problem in the scrape-off layer during edge-localized modes. The parallel heat flux deposited onto the divertor target is compared with previous simulation results and shows good agreement.
A Novel Splicing Factor RBM-9 Regulates Protein 4.1R Exon 16 Splicing.

Protein 4.1R (4.1R), a vital component of the red cell membrane cytoskeleton, stabilizes the spectrin-actin lattice and attaches it to embedded membrane proteins. A regulated splicing event, the inclusion of exon 16 that encodes for peptides critical for spectrin/actin binding, occurs during late erythroid differentiation. We showed earlier that an intricate combination of enhancer and silencer elements direct exon 16 splicing. Regulated expression of splicing factors, SF2/ASF and hnRNP A/B, has also been implicated in mediating exon 16 splicing. In this study, we attempted to characterize the mechanism involved in exon 16 splicing through UGCAUG, an intronic splicing enhancer present in three copies in the intron downstream of exon 16. We first used a wild-type minigene construct consisting of exons 13, 16, 17 and their respective flanking introns that mimics endogenous exon 16 splicing during the induced differentiation of mouse erythroleukemia cells (MELC). Mutational analysis showed a dose-dependent effect of UGCAUG on exon 16 splicing: the presence of all three copies had the most effect. These results were recapitulated with an internal chimeric exon in a test neutral reporter system “DUP4-1”, suggesting that the enhancing effect could be attributed directly to UGCAUG. Furthermore, we identified a novel splicing factor, RBM-9, from MELC that enhanced the internal exon splicing in an UGCAUG-dependent manner in both the exon 16 minigene and DUP4-1 reporter systems. Our characterization of RBM-9 revealed that diverse isoforms of RBM-9 are generated by the utilization of alternative translation initiation sites and tissue-specific alternative splicing; different isoforms from various tissues exhibited differential exon 16 splicing enhancing activities. MELC-RBM-9 enhanced exon 16 splicing the most among all RBM-9 isoforms tested. Inhibition of RBM-9 expression by RBM-9-shRNA reversed its enhancing activity on exon 16 inclusion in MELC. RBM-9-shRNA also reduced exon 16 splicing in a dose-dependent manner in HeLa cells. Furthermore, purified RBM-9 specifically binds to the UGCAUG sequence in a gel-mobility shift assay. Finally, expression of RBM-9 is upregulated and correlates with exon 16 inclusion during MELC differentiation. These results suggest that a novel splicing factor, RBM-9, enhances erythroid differentiation stage-specific exon 16 splicing by interacting with the splicing enhancer UGCAUG.
Frontal burr hole approach for neuroendoscopic resection of craniopharyngioma with the NICO Myriad device: report of two cases.

Craniopharyngiomas are challenging tumors to resect due to their deep location and proximity to vital structures. The perceived benefit of gross total resection may be tempered by the possibility of permanent disability. Minimally invasive techniques may reduce surgical morbidity while still allowing effective resection. The authors describe their initial experience with a neuroendoscopic transcortical, transventricular approach to two craniopharyngiomas. The surgeries were performed through a right frontal burr hole using the NICO Myriad, a side-cutting, aspiration device that fits through the working channel of a standard neuroendoscope. The imaging and medical records of two children (a 5-year-old male and a 9-year-old female) undergoing endoscopic resection of a craniopharyngioma with this technique were reviewed. Outcomes, results, and complications were noted. A gross total resection was achieved in both patients. The operative time was 180 and 143 min, respectively. The estimated blood loss was 20 and 50 cm3, respectively. Both patients required a cerebrospinal fluid shunt. There were no surgical complications. The NICO Myriad is an effective tool that allows a safe minimally invasive endoscopic resection of craniopharyngiomas in patients with amenable anatomy. Surgeons with experience in neuroendoscopy may be able to achieve a gross total resection of these challenging tumors through a minimally invasive burr hole approach.
Dynamical screening of α − α resonant scattering and thermal nuclear scattering rate in a plasma

We use effective field theory and thermal field theory to study the dynamical screening effect in the QED plasma on the $\ensuremath{\alpha}\text{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\alpha}$ scattering at the $^{8}\mathrm{Be}$ resonance. Dynamical screening leads to an imaginary part of the potential which results in a thermal width for the resonance and dominates over the previously considered static screening effect. As a result, both the resonance energy and width increase with the plasma temperature. Furthermore, dynamical screening can have a huge impact on the $\ensuremath{\alpha}\text{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\alpha}$ thermal nuclear scattering rate. For example, when the temperature is around 10 keV, the rate is suppressed by a factor of about 900. We expect similar thermal suppressions of nuclear reaction rates to occur in those reactions dominated by an above threshold resonance with a thermal energy. Dynamical screening effects on nuclear reactions can be relevant to cosmology and astrophysics.
The impact of climate change on tourism economies of Greece, Spain, and Turkey

As major tourism economies in the Southern Mediterranean, Greece, Spain, and Turkey are particularly vulnerable to climate change. With mounting evidence of climate change, we study if the negative impact of climate change on Greece, Spain, and Turkey is particularly large. Empirically, we use a unique data set that makes temperature measurement more meaningful, and adopt the model in Ng and Zhao (Ecological Economics 70:963–970, 2011) to estimate the economic impacts of climate change on different types of economies. Our main finding is that climate change’s adverse impact on Greece, Spain, and Turkey is larger than its impacts on other types of economies, suggesting that Greece, Spain, and Turkey should engage in strong international cooperation to mitigate the adverse impact of climate change.
Visual artificial grammar learning by rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta): exploring the role of grammar complexity and sequence length

Humans and nonhuman primates can learn about the organization of stimuli in the environment using implicit sequential pattern learning capabilities. However, most previous artificial grammar learning studies with nonhuman primates have involved relatively simple grammars and short input sequences. The goal in the current experiments was to assess the learning capabilities of monkeys on an artificial grammar-learning task that was more complex than most others previously used with nonhumans. Three experiments were conducted using a joystick-based, symmetrical-response serial reaction time task in which two monkeys were exposed to grammar-generated sequences at sequence lengths of four in Experiment 1, six in Experiment 2, and eight in Experiment 3. Over time, the monkeys came to respond faster to the sequences generated from the artificial grammar compared to random versions. In a subsequent generalization phase, subjects generalized their knowledge to novel sequences, responding significantly faster to novel instances of sequences produced using the familiar grammar compared to those constructed using an unfamiliar grammar. These results reveal that rhesus monkeys can learn and generalize the statistical structure inherent in an artificial grammar that is as complex as some used with humans, for sequences up to eight items long. These findings are discussed in relation to whether or not rhesus macaques and other primate species possess implicit sequence learning abilities that are similar to those that humans draw upon to learn natural language grammar.
Environmental Inequality: The Social Causes and Consequences of Lead Exposure

In this article, we review evidence from the social and medical sciences on the causes and effects of lead exposure. We argue that lead exposure is an important subject for sociological analysis be...
The wmN1 enhancer region in intron 1 is required for expression of human PLP1

The myelin proteolipid protein gene (PLP1) encodes the most abundant protein present in myelin from the central nervous system (CNS). Its expression must be tightly controlled as evidenced by mutations that alter PLP1 dosage; both overexpression (elevated PLP1 copy number) and lack thereof (PLP1 deletion) result in X-linked genetic disorders in man. However, not much is known about the mechanisms that govern expression of the human gene. To address this, transgenic mice were generated which utilize human PLP1 (hPLP1) sequences (proximal 6.2 kb of 5'-flanking DNA to the first 38 bp of exon 2) to drive expression of a lacZ reporter cassette. LoxP sites were incorporated around a 1.5-kb section of hPLP1 intron 1 since it contains sequence orthologous to the wmN1 region from mouse which, previously, was shown to augment expression of a minimally-promoted transgene coincident with the active myelination period of CNS development. Eight transgenic lines were generated with the parental, 6.2hPLP(+)Z/FL, transgene. All lines expressed the transgene appropriately in brain as evidenced by staining with X-gal in white matter regions and olfactory bulb. Removal of the "wmN1" region from 6.2hPLP(+)Z/FL with a ubiquitously expressed Cre-driver caused a dramatic reduction in transgene activity. These results demonstrate for the first time that the wmN1 enhancer region: (1) is functional in hPLP1; (2) works in collaboration with its native promoter-not just a basal heterologous promoter; (3) is required for high levels of hPLP1 gene activity; (4) has a broader effect, both spatially and temporally, than originally projected with mPlp1.
Police Militarization and the Use of Lethal Force

In recent years, the killing of suspects by police and the “militarization” of police have drawn considerable public attention, but there is little analysis of a relationship between the two. In this article, I investigate the possibility that such militarization may lead to an increase in suspect deaths using data on police receipt of surplus military equipment to measure militarization and a newly created database on suspect deaths in all fifty states quarterly from the fourth quarter of 2014 through the fourth quarter of 2016. The data consist of more than eleven thousand agency-quarter observations. I find a positive and significant association between militarization and the number of suspects killed, controlling for several other possible explanations.
Assessing Efficacy in Clinical Trials of Treatments for Multiple Sclerosis

No single sensitive clinical outcome measure is capable of reliably reflecting the broad spectrum of clinical manifestations seen in multiple sclerosis (MS). Disease activity in groups of patients with MS is more readily detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and spinal cord than by neurological examination. However, the appearance of new lesions and progression of total lesion area as detected by MRI fails to predict reliably sustained progression of neurological impairment in individual patients. For this reason MRI is accepted as a primary outcome measure in exploratory clinical trials, while sustained progression of neurological impairment is the preferred primary outcome measure for pivotal phase II/III trials that lead to the approval of new treatments for MS.
Children’s perceptions and representations of self–other overlap with peers

Abstract Self–other overlap is a multi-dimensional construct consisting of Perceived Closeness (claimed similarity with a target other) and Overlapping Representations (cognitive confusion or merging of self and other). However, little is known about the characterization of these dimensions through early to middle childhood. The present work introduced several adapted measures for investigating the early development of these two self–other overlap dimensions. Five- to 6-year-old children (n = 45) and 7- to 8-year-old children (n = 45) completed measures of these dimensions of overlap between themselves and two target others: a best friend and an acquaintance. Children in both age groups had higher Perceived Closeness for a best friend than an acquaintance, but this was more pronounced with the older children. In addition, younger children had higher Overlapping Representations between self and others than older children. These patterns are discussed in terms of social development and trait understanding.
Cancer Metabolism Drives a Stromal Regenerative Response.

The metabolic reprogramming associated with malignant transformation has led to a growing appreciation of the nutrients required to support anabolic cell growth. Less well studied is how cancer cells satisfy those demands in vivo, where they are dispersed within a complex microenvironment. Tumor-associated stromal components can support tumor growth by providing nutrients that supplement those provided by the local vasculature. These non-malignant stromal cells are phenotypically similar to those that accumulate during wound healing. Owing to their immediate proximity, stromal cells are inevitably affected by the metabolic activity of their cancerous neighbors. Until recently, a role for tumor cell metabolism in influencing the cell fate decisions of neighboring stromal cells has been underappreciated. Here, we propose that metabolites consumed and released by tumor cells act as paracrine factors that regulate the non-malignant cellular composition of a developing tumor by driving stromal cells toward a regenerative response that supports tumor growth.
Genetic variants disrupt human RGS14 binding to NHERF1 and regulation of NPT2A-mediated phosphate transport

RGS14 is a multifunctional scaffolding protein that integrates G protein, MAPK, and Ca++/CaM signaling pathways. RGS14 contains an RGS domain, tandem Ras/Rap-binding domains, and a G protein regulatory motif. Human/primate RGS14 differ from rodent proteins by possessing a carboxy-terminal extension encoding a Type I PDZ ligand. RGS14 has been implicated in disordered phosphate metabolism. The human RGS14 gene is adjacent to SLC34A1 that encodes the NPT2A sodium-phosphate cotransporter. Hormone-regulated NPT2A requires the PDZ protein NHERF1 which contains two PDZ domains (PDZ1 and PDZ2). NHERF1 binds the PDZ ligand carboxy tail of NPT2A to regulate phosphate uptake, and this NPT2A:NHERF1 complex is inhibited by parathyroid hormone (PTH). Studies here define roles for RGS14 in NHERF1-dependent, PTH-sensitive phosphate transport. We found that RGS14 binds to NHERF1 via the PDZ2 domain. PTH inhibits NPT2A-mediated phosphate transport and RGS14 blocked this action. Several rare human mutations have been reported in the RGS14 PDZ ligand located at residues 563 (D563N, D563G) and 565 (A565S, A565V). D563N disrupted RGS14 binding to NHERF1 and did not interfere with PTH action, whereas D563G, A565S, and A565V bound NHERF1 and were functionally equivalent to wild-type RGS14. Computational analysis and molecular dynamics modeling of NHERF1 PDZ2 binding to the RGS14 C-terminal PDZ ligands refined the structural determinants of this interaction. Additional studies demonstrated that RGS14 is expressed in human kidney proximal and distal tubule cells. Together, our findings are consistent with the view that RGS14 contributes to PTH-sensitive phosphate transport in humans. RGS14 coding variants may cause disordered phosphate metabolism.
Revision of the New World Dohrniphora Dahl species lacking large hind tibial setae (Diptera: Phoridae)

The New World species of Dohrniphora lacking large hind tibial setae are revised, with 139 species recognized, most from the Neotropical Region. Of these, 88 are described as new to science. New synonymies are as follows: D. denticulata Borgmeier is a junior subjective synonym of D. penicillata Borgmeier, D. caverna Disney and D. recurvata Borgmeier are both junior subjective synonyms of D. divaricata (Aldrich), and D . ventralis Borgmeier & Prado is a junior subjective synonyms of D. cognata Borgmeier.
Opioid-Mediated Modulation of Acid-Sensing Ion Channel Currents in Adult Rat Sensory Neurons

Muscle ischemia, associated with peripheral artery disease (PAD), leads to the release of proinflammatory mediators that decrease extracellular pH and trigger the activation of proton-activated acid-sensing ion channels (ASIC). Claudication pain, linked with low blood flow, can be partially relieved by endogenous opioid peptide release. However, we previously reported that sustained ASIC currents in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons were enhanced by naturally occurring endomorphin-1 and -2 opioid peptides, indicating a role of opioid involvement in hyperalgesia. The present study examined whether clinically employed synthetic (fentanyl, remifentanil) and the semisynthetic opioid (oxycodone) would also potentiate sustained ASIC currents, which arise from ASIC3 channel isoforms. Here, we show that exposure of each opioid to DRG neurons resulted in potentiation of the sustained ASIC currents. On the other hand, the potentiation was not observed in DRG neurons from ASIC3 knockout rats. Further, the enhancement of the ASIC currents was resistant to pertussis toxin treatment, suggesting that Gαi/Gαo G-proteins are not involved. Additionally, the potentiation of sustained ASIC currents was greater in DRG neurons isolated from rats with ligated femoral arteries (a model of PAD). The effect of all three opioids on the transient ASIC peak current was mixed (increase, decrease, no effect). The inhibitory action appears to be mediated by the presence of ASIC1 isoform, while the potentiating effect is primarily due to ASIC3 isoform expression. These findings reveal that, under certain conditions, these three opioids can increase ASIC channel activity, possibly giving rise to opioid-induced hyperalgesia.
Preconception folate status and reproductive outcomes among a prospective cohort of folate-replete women.

Background Most studies of folate metabolism and reproduction have been conducted after pregnancy and in folate-deficient populations. However, measurement of maternal folate status preconceptionally may be most relevant to certain folate-linked early processes preceding a successful pregnancy, and there has been a major increase in folate concentrations in women of childbearing age in high resource settings. Objective To examine associations between preconceptional biomarkers of maternal folate status (folate and homocysteine) and reproductive outcomes in folate-replete women. Study Design Cohort nested within the Effects of Aspirin in Gestation and Reproduction trial, a block-randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial whereby women were randomized to daily low-dose aspirin (81 mg/day) or placebo and all women received folic acid (400 μg/day). In total, 1228 women with 1–2 previous pregnancy losses and no documented infertility were recruited from 4 clinical sites in the United States (2006–2012) and were attempting pregnancy for up to 6 menstrual cycles. Log-binomial regression models were used to estimate relative risks and 95% confidence intervals between preconception serum folate and plasma homocysteine for anovulation, pregnancy, and pregnancy loss. Results Greater plasma homocysteine was nonlinearly associated with greater risks of pregnancy loss only among women with 2 previous losses: a relative risk of 1.43 (95% confidence interval, 1.08–1.89) was found for plasma homocysteine concentrations at the study median of 8.0 μmol/L compared with a US population median of 6.0 μmol/L. No meaningful relationships were found between serum folate and any reproductive outcome or between plasma homocysteine and anovulation or becoming pregnant. Conclusion These data justify further study of the role of folate and homocysteine metabolism in normal and abnormal early pregnancy.
LiBeam: Throughput-Optimal Cooperative Beamforming for Indoor Visible Light Networks

Indoor Visible Light Communications (VLC) are a promising technology to alleviate the looming spectrum crunch crisis in traditional RF spectrum bands. This article studies how to provide throughput-optimal WiFi-like downlink access to users in indoor visible light networks through a set of centrally-controlled and partially interfering light emitting diodes (LEDs). To reduce the effect of interference among users created by the partial overlap of each LED’s field of view, we propose LiBeam, a cooperative beamforming scheme, based on forming multiple LED clusters. Each cluster then serves a subset of users by jointly determining the user-LED association strategies and the beamforming vectors of the LEDs. The paper first proposes a mathematical model of the cooperative beamforming problem, presented as maximizing the sum throughput of all VLC users. Then, we solve the resulting mixed integer nonlinear nonconvex programming (MINCoP) problem by designing a globally optimal solution algorithm based on a combination of branch and bound framework as well as convex relaxation techniques. We then design for the first time a large programmable visible light networking testbed based on USRP X310 software-defined radios, and experimentally demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed joint beamforming and association algorithm through extensive experiments. Performance evaluation results indicate that over 95% utility gain can be achieved compared to suboptimal network control strategies.
High calories but not fat content of lard-based diet contribute to impaired mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in C57BL/6J mice heart.

Purpose High calorie intake leads to obesity, a global socio-economic and health problem, reaching epidemic proportion in children and adolescents. Saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids from animal (lard) fat are major components of the western-pattern diet and its regular consumption leads to obesity, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, no clear evidence exists whether consumption of diet rich in saturated (SFAs) and monounsaturated (MUFAs) fatty acids has detrimental effects on cardiac structure and energetics primarily due to excessive calories. We, therefore, sought to determine the impact of high calories versus fat content in diet on cardiac structure and mitochondrial energetics. Methods Six-week-old C57BL/6J mice were fed with high calorie, high lard fat-based diet (60% fat, HFD), high-calorie and low lard fat-based diet (10% fat, LFD), and lower-calorie and fat diet (standard chow, 12% fat, SCD) for 10 weeks. Results The HFD- and LFD-fed mice had higher body weight, ventricular mass and thickness of posterior and septal wall with increased cardiomyocytes diameter compared to the SCD-fed mice. These changes were associated with a reduction in the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complexes I and III activity compared to the SCD-fed mice without significant differences between the HFD- and LFD-fed animals. The HFD-fed animals had higher level of malondialdehyde (MDA) than LFD and SCD-fed mice. Conclusions We assume that changes in cardiac morphology and selective reduction of the OXPHOS complexes activity observed in the HFD- and LFD-fed mice might be related to excessive calories with additional effect of fat content on oxidative stress.
Value Function Calculus and Applications

In this paper the sensitivity analysis is discussed for the parameter-dependent optimization and constraint optimization. The sensitivity of the optimality value function with respect to the change in parameters plays a significant role in the inverse problems and the optimization theory, including economics, finance, the Hamilton–Jacobi theory, the inf-sup duality and the topological design and the bi-level optimization. We develop the calculus for the value function and present its applications in the variational calculus, the bi-level optimization and the optimal control and optimal design, shape calculus and inverse problems.
Collaborative Dance Making: Philosophy and Practice

ABSTRACTIn this article, I share my approach to collaborative dance making. I use this in both workshop settings with learners of all ages and abilities, and as a more complex process for developin...
Pattern Discovery in Gene Regulation: Designing an Analysis Environment

phone: Abstract Interactions that determine cellular fate are exceedingly complex, can take place at different levels of gene regulation and involve a large number of components (such as genes, proteins). 'Wet lab' biology has an inherent difficulty in considering multiple components within one experimental set-up. Thus, the individual experimental results may reflect the behavior of a sub-system and be missing some important information concerning interactions with other components. Computational tools can help in simultaneously analyzing many different pieces of biological knowledge from different data sources. Such tools will aid in comprehending the whole system (call, organism) as a function of all its components; this, in turn, will facilitate discovery of the global patterns in genetic regulation. The Worm Community System (WCS) which contains extensive knowledge from many different sources regarding model organism C. elegans, presents a suitable environment for development of the integrated analysis tools. Here we describe a working version of WCS and the strategies employed for the development of the global analysis tools within the System. The present paper deals with the construction of a highly interconnected information space (in the context of the problem) by introducing more sophisticated data objects representing knowledge about genetic regulation. We describe construction of the in-depth objects, development of the analysis tools and discuss the type of analysis feasible within such interconnected space. The analysis tools will serve as an ideal environment for 'dry biology' experimentation and provide a context for 'wet' experiments.
The androgen receptor in normal human foreskin: I. Stabilization and identification of two receptor subunits

Abstract Use of glycerol and the protease inhibitor phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride resulted in a fourfold increase in the yield of androgen receptor from human neonatal foreskin and a tenfold increase in stability of this receptor. The general physical properties of the androgen-binding component isolated from the cytosol of human neonatal foreskin were found to be consistent with those previously reported for androgen receptors. The synthetic androgen methyltrienolone (R1881) was bound with high affinity (a mean dissociation constant of 0.51 nmol/L) and low capacity (5.6 fmol/mg of protein); maximum binding required 4 hours. Affinity of the receptor was highest for R1881 followed by dihydrotestosterone, testosterone, and progesterone. 17β-Estradiol showed little or no competition. The receptor exhibited a change of sedimentation coefficient from 8S to 4S upon treatment with 0.1 mol/L potassium chloride. Isoelectric focusing demonstrated the existence of two molecular species with apparent isoelectric points of 7.2 and 5.7.
Whole-brain interactions underlying zebrafish behavior

Detailed quantification of neural dynamics across the entire brain will be the key to genuinely understanding perception and behavior. With the recent developments in microscopy and biosensor engineering, the zebrafish has made a grand entrance in neuroscience as its small size and optical transparency enable imaging access to its entire brain at cellular and even subcellular resolution. However, until recently many neurobiological insights were largely correlational or provided little mechanistic insight into the brain-wide population dynamics generated by diverse types of neurons. Now with increasingly sophisticated behavioral, imaging, and causal intervention paradigms, zebrafish are revealing how entire vertebrate brains function. Here we review recent research that fulfills promises made by the early wave of technical advances. These studies reveal new features of brain-wide neural processing and the importance of integrative investigation and computational modelling. Moreover, we outline the future tools necessary for solving broader brain-scale circuit problems.
Photodissociation of aqueous I 3 − observed with liquid-phase ultrafast mega-electron-volt electron diffraction

Developing femtosecond resolution methods for directly observing structural dynamics is critical to understanding complex photochemical reaction mechanisms in solution. We have used two recent developments, ultrafast mega-electron-volt electron sources and vacuum compatible sub-micron thick liquid sheet jets, to enable liquid-phase ultrafast electron diffraction (LUED). We have demonstrated the viability of LUED by investigating the photodissociation of tri-iodide initiated with a 400 nm laser pulse. This has enabled the average speed of the bond expansion to be measured during the first 750 fs of dissociation and the geminate recombination to be directly captured on the picosecond time scale.
Concentration of Lp(a) (Lipoprotein[a]) in Aneurysm Sac Is Associated With Wall Enhancement of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysm

Background and Purpose: Atherosclerotic remodeling of the aneurysm wall, which could be detected as aneurysm wall enhancement (AWE) by magnetic resonance–vessel wall imaging, is a part of degenerat...
Implementation of a dual cervical spine and blunt cerebrovascular injury assessment pathway for pediatric trauma patients.

Background Pediatric cervical spine (CSI) and blunt cerebrovascular injuries (BCVI) are challenging to evaluate as they are rare but carry high morbidity and mortality. CT scans are the traditional imaging modality to evaluate for CSI/BCVI, but involve radiation exposure and potential future increased risk of malignancy. Therefore, we present results from the implementation of a combined CSI/BCVI pediatric trauma clinical pathway to aid clinicians in their decision-making. Methods We conducted a 2-year retrospective cohort study analyzing data pre and post implementation of the combined CSI/BCVI pathway. Data was obtained from a level 1 pediatric trauma center and included blunt trauma patients under the age of 14. We evaluated the use of cervical spine computed tomography (CT), CT angiography, and plain radiographs, as well as missed injuries and provider pathway adherence. Results We included 358 patients: 209 pre-pathway and 149 post-pathway implementation. Patient mean age was 8.9 years and 61% were male (61% males). There were no significant differences in GCS, AIS, and ISS between pre and post pathway groups. Post pathway implementation saw reduced use of cervical spine CT, although this was not clinically significant (33% vs 31%, p = 0.74). However, cervical spine radiography use increased (9% vs 16%, p = 0.03), and there was also an increase in screening for BCVI injuries with higher use of CTA (5% vs 7%, p = 0.52). A total of 12 CSI and 3 BCVI were identified with no missed injuries. Provider adherence to the pathway was modest (54%). Conclusion Implementation of a combined CSI/BCVI clinical pathway for pediatric trauma patients increased screening radiography and did not miss any injuries. However, CT use did not significantly decrease and provider adherence was modest, supporting the need for further implementation analysis and larger studies to validate the pathway's sensitivity and specificity for CSI/BCVI.
A transmitted-beam diagnostic for the wavelength-tunable UV drive beam on OMEGA

A transmitted-beam diagnostic (P9TBD) was developed as part of a new experimental platform used to study laser–plasma interactions on OMEGA. Located in the opposing port to the wavelength-tunable (350 nm to 353 nm) UV drive beam, the P9TBD characterizes the beam after it propagates through an undersense plasma. The instrument consists of a large-aperture window that allows light to exit the target chamber and project onto a thin sheet of semi-transparent diffuser material. Light transmitted through the diffuser is recorded using a time-integrated camera and a fiber-optically coupled streaked spectrometer, providing measurements of the energy, power, fluence, polarization, and spectrum of the transmitted beam. The diagnostic enables direct observation of a variety of cross-beam energy transfer phenomena, such as wavelength detuning, polarization effects, and gain saturation.
The Legacy of Exploitation in Intercountry Adoptions from Ethiopia: “We Are All One Family Now”

In 2018, the Ethiopian Parliament closed its intercountry adoption program. Momentum to end the program followed reports of adoption-related exploitation including the abduction and sale of childre...
Optimization of School Reintegration for Pediatric Oncology Patients and Their Peers

Improved survival rates of pediatric oncology patients give them the opportunity to return to school. This can present a significant challenge, as returning students often become vulnerable to peer rejection. The objective of this double-arm descriptive study was to establish a framework from which to optimize a school reintegration intervention for the peers of pediatric oncology patients. Ultimately, the study aimed to promote increased knowledge, acceptance by peers, and a smooth transition back to school for childhood cancer survivors. We utilized age-appropriate surveys to evaluate the knowledge and concerns of 3rd to 8th-grade students in Michigan regarding friends with cancer and to identify concerns of pediatric oncology patients at an academic medical center regarding return to school during or after cancer treatment. The majority of 3rd to 8th-grade students correctly answered questions related to etiology, prognosis, side effects, and treatment of cancer. Respondents in 3rd to 5th grade were significantly more likely than 6th to 8th graders to endorse the perception that cancer is contagious (P = 0.0036). Fewer students who had a friend with cancer were worried that their friend might die, compared to those who did not have a friend with cancer (3rd to 5th graders [P = 0.0002]; 6th to 8th graders [P =
Learning Quadruped Locomotion Policies with Reward Machines.

Legged robots have been shown to be effective in navigating unstructured environments. Although there has been much success in learning locomotion policies for quadruped robots, there is little research on how to incorporate human knowledge to facilitate this learning process. In this paper, we demonstrate that human knowledge in the form of LTL formulas can be applied to quadruped locomotion learning within a Reward Machine (RM) framework. Experimental results in simulation show that our RM-based approach enables easily defining diverse locomotion styles, and efficiently learning locomotion policies of the defined styles.