cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reducing the use and impact of solitary confinement in corrections

Purpose Although the reform of solitary confinement is underway in many jurisdictions around world, isolation remains in widespread use in many jails and prisons. The purpose of this paper is to discuss opportunities for reform in the USA that could also be applied globally. Design/methodology/approach A review of the evidence on solitary confinement policies and practices in the USA to develop recommendations for reform with global application. Findings Focusing on this evidence, the authors argue that solitary confinement is overused and recommend a multi-level approach available to correctional systems worldwide including: immediately limiting solitary confinement to only those cases in which a violent behavioral infraction has been committed for which safety cannot otherwise be achieved, ensuring the briefest terms of isolation needed to achieve legitimate and immediate correctional goals, prohibiting its use entirely for some populations, regularly reviewing all isolated prisoners for as-soon-as-possible return to general population, including the immediate return of those showing mental and physical health risk factors, assisting individuals who are transitioning out of isolation (either to the general population or to the community), and partnering with medical, public health, and criminal justice experts to develop evidence-based alternatives to solitary confinement for nearly all prisoners. Originality/value This paper provides an overview of the evidence supporting an overhaul of solitary confinement policy in the USA and globally where solitary confinement remains in wide use and offers recommendations for immediate steps that can be taken toward achieving evidence-based solitary confinement reform.
Photothermal Microscopy of Coupled Nanostructures and the Impact of Nanoscale Heating in Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

The optical properties of plasmonic nanoparticles are strongly dependent on interactions with other nanoparticles, which complicates analysis for systems larger than a few particles. In this work we examined heat dissipation in aggregated nanoparticles and its influence on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) through correlated photothermal heterodyne imaging, electron microscopy, and SERS measurements. For dimers the per particle absorption cross sections show evidence of interparticle coupling; however, the effects are much smaller than those for the field enhancements that are important for SERS. For larger aggregates the total absorption was observed to be simply proportional to aggregate volume. This observation allows us to model light absorption and heating in the aggregates by assuming that the particles act as independent heat sources. The heat dissipation calculations show that very high temperatures can be created at the nanoparticle surface and that the temperature decreases with increasin...
Intergenerational preferences for radio loudness during automobile driving.

Abstract Introduction The comparative contribution to human noise exposure from the vehicular radio is unknown, as are the radio volume preferences of different generations when driving an automobile. Materials and Methods A single vehicle was used to measure radio listening level in decibels of three generations (age 16–17 years, age 32–50 years, and age 51–73 years) in various conditions, ranging from engine off with windows closed to 60 miles per hour (mph) with windows open. Results No differences in radio loudness based on the sex of the driver were found. Statistically significant differences were identified in preferred signal to noise ratio among multiple vehicular paradigms, with the youngest generation preferring the largest signal to noise ratio in conditions with low background noise. Conclusions The youngest generation favored the largest signal to noise ratio (radio level above background noise), a preference which waned with increasing background noise.
How Do Social Media Affect Analyst Stock Recommendations? Evidence from S&P 500 Electric Power Companies' Twitter Accounts

Research summary: The importance of firm-stakeholder relationships is gaining increasing attention. Although a theory of the drivers and consequences of stakeholder pressure has been developing, it focuses on pressures from organized stakeholders such as shareholders, NGOs, and activists, and does not incorporate the emerging possibility that individual voices may matter. By exploring corporate Twitter, which facilitates movement of individual stakeholders such as customers to a higher stakeholder class by providing them with a greater sense of power and urgency, we study the circumstances under which customer voices significantly affect analyst stock recommendations. We find that favorable reactions to firm-initiated messages matter, directly or indirectly, depending on the messages' growth implications. Customer-initiated negative messages have a significant impact only with high volume and formal institutions that support customer opinions. Managerial summary: Social media is increasingly used by firms for disclosing information and engaging stakeholders. Yet, we know little about whether and how social media usage matters. We show how corporate Twitter usage may influence analyst stock recommendations. Our interviews of securities analysts suggest that social media is not institutionalized yet, but increasingly used as a source of channel checks, especially for vibes, validations, and so on. Our analyses of corporate Twitter accounts show that both firm-initiated and customer-initiated tweets can have significant impact on analyst recommendations under certain conditions. For firm-initiated tweets, the extent of retweets is an important factor, along with the content of tweets, in particular, growth implications. For customer-initiated tweets, negative tweets matter, but only with high volume and regulatory structure that supports customer protection. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A dynamical framework for complex fractional killing

When chemotherapy drugs are applied to tumor cells with the same or similar genotypes, some cells are killed, while others survive. This fractional killing contributes to drug resistance in cancer. Through an incoherent feedforward loop, chemotherapy drugs not only activate p53 to induce cell death, but also promote the expression of apoptosis inhibitors which inhibit cell death. Consequently, cells in which p53 is activated early undergo apoptosis while cells in which p53 is activated late survive. The incoherent feedforward loop and the essential role of p53 activation timing makes fractional killing a complex dynamical challenge, which is hard to understand with intuition alone. To better understand this process, we have constructed a representative model by integrating the control of apoptosis with the relevant signaling pathways. After the model was trained to recapture the observed properties of fractional killing, it was analyzed with nonlinear dynamical tools. The analysis suggested a simple dynamical framework for fractional killing, which predicts that cell fate can be altered in three possible ways: alteration of bifurcation geometry, alteration of cell trajectories, or both. These predicted categories can explain existing strategies known to combat fractional killing and facilitate the design of novel strategies.
The Implications of Genetics for Prevention and Intervention Programming.

With recent advances in high-throughput technology, genetic and other biological data have been increasingly incorporated in social science research, including prevention/intervention studies. Understanding the role genetics play in complex behaviors commonly evaluated in prevention/intervention research may have important implications for designing prevention programing, determining who receives certain prevention programs, and understanding individual differences in programming effectiveness (see Jaffee & Price, 2007; Moffitt, Caspi, & Rutter, 2006). This special issue, Incorporating Genetics in Prevention Science: Considering Methodology and Implications, seeks to advance work in this area by presenting empirical research and methodological reviews that examine the role genetics has in behavioral research. This special issue highlights the strengths, challenges, and methodological approaches that can be used to incorporate genetic and other biological data (e.g., epigenetic markers) into prevention science. The papers in this special issue cover several overarching themes that have emerged as critical for adequately incorporating genetics into prevention and other behavioral research, including gene-by-intervention (Gxl) studies. The collection of papers reflect examples, suggestions, opportunities, and pitfalls (and how to avoid them) when incorporating genetics or other biological data into prevention research. Below, we highlight some of the themes and strengths of Gxl research as reflected in the set of studies included in this special issue.
Political risk and natural resources: An empirical investigation of related technology strategy

Political risk has been recognized in the management literature as an important external threat for firm activities, but it has played a lesser role in the debate on strategy decisions of firms wit...
Building social capital from sport event participation: An exploration of the social impacts of participatory sport events on the community

Abstract Participatory sport events have the potential to generate substantial social value in the local community. One important social benefit of such sport events is the development of social capital. However, little is known about the development and outcomes of social capital in the context of participatory sport events, such as running events. Taking a qualitative approach, the authors explored the social capital building among active participants in running events. The findings revealed that bonding capital is developed by all participants in the study while the bridging and linking capital varies by event type and involvement level. Moreover, four positive outcomes of social capital were identified: supportive attitude and behaviors, positive influence on others, prosocial behaviors, and increased everyday socializations. By generating these positive outcomes among the participants of this study, social capital has the potential to contribute to the community development and well-being. This study provides insights as to how social capital that stems from sport event participation can lead to the development of community in the long term. Suggestions are made for future research to test the relationships between social capital, its outcomes, and community development and well-being.
Personalized Proteomics in Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy Implicate Hematopoietic Cell Recruitment and mTOR as a Therapeutic Target.

Purpose To profile vitreous cytokine expression of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) patients. Design Case-control study. Methods Liquid biopsies were collected from 2 groups: control subjects (n = 3) undergoing pars plana vitrectomy to remove an epiretinal membrane (ERM), and test subjects (n = 7) with varying degrees of PVR. A high-throughput cytokine screen measured expression of 200 cytokines. Cytokine expression patterns were prospectively validated in separate cohorts of control patients and those with PVR-A, PVR-B, and PVR-C (n = 10 for each group). Expression changes were evaluated by analysis of variance (significant P value Results In PVR vitreous, 29 cytokines were upregulated compared to controls. Early PVR vitreous showed upregulation of T-cell markers, profibrotic cytokines, and cytokines downstream of mTOR activation (IL-2, IL-6, and IL-13), whereas in late PVR vitreous, cytokines driving monocyte responses and stem-cell recruitment (SDF-1) prevailed. Prospective validation confirmed the differential expression of specific cytokines from PVR-A to C. Conclusions Early PVR is characterized by activation of T cells and mTOR signaling, whereas advanced PVR is characterized by a chronic monocyte response. PVR might be treated by rational repositioning of existing drugs that target mTOR and IL-6. Our analysis demonstrates that successful therapeutic intervention will be highly dependent on the specific therapeutic target and the stage of PVR. This study provides insights into cytokines that will serve as biomarkers and therapeutic targets. These biomarkers will help design clinical trials that intervene at appropriate times.
Conformational preference and dynamics of pyrogallol[4]arene: stability, interconversion, and solvent influence*

The C-alkylpyrogallol[4]arene macrocycles are known to form self-assembled dimeric and hexameric nanocapsules. Several conformations of alkyl-substituted pyrogallol[4]arenes have been found to be t...
Parabolic Equations: Explicit Method

This chapter elaborates about explicit method applicable to parabolic partial differential equations. An explicit numerical scheme is obtained. Marching in time is the easiest way to solve a parabolic equation. For this explicit method, the time steps must be small. An explicit numerical approximation is determined by taking a forward difference in the t variable and having no other terms that involve future time values. The main drawback of this method is that Δt must often be very small for the method to be stable.
Narrative Comprehension, Psychology of

This article describes the cognitive processes that take place during the comprehension of narratives. First, it summarizes research on the product of comprehension of narratives, focusing on properties of the memory representation of narratives (story–grammar elements, referential and causal/logical relations, etc.). Second, it summarizes research findings on the process of comprehension of narratives, focusing on the role of attentional limitations, of inferential processes, etc., and on how these processes lead to the construction of a coherent and usable memory representation. Third, it broadens this perspective by discussing inter- and intraindividual differences, and also comprehension of narratives in non-reading contexts. Finally, future directions in the field are discussed.
Transcriptional programs regulating vascular smooth muscle cell development and differentiation.

Publisher Summary This chapter critically analyzes the current understanding of the transcriptional programs that control smooth muscle cells (SMCs) development and differentiation. One approach to understand the molecular mechanisms that regulate SMC differentiation is to identify the transcriptional regulatory elements and transcription factors that regulate SMC-specific gene expression. This approach has fundamentally increased the understanding of skeletal and cardiac myocyte-specific gene expression and differentiation. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) arise from two embryological origins, lateral mesoderm and neural crest. However, it remains uncertain whether SMCs represent a single cell lineage that adapts its phenotype to local environmental cues, or whether SMCs are genetically preprogrammed to distinct tissue-restricted sublineages. Subtle differences in phenotype are observed between mesenchymal and neural crest–derived VSMCs in the proximal aorta. Current paradigms suggest that SMCs reversibly modulate their phenotype from a contractile cell to a synthetic cell. This model is based on the behavior of vascular smooth muscle cells in culture.
Training and Evaluation in Counseling Psychology

Counseling psychology is a major professional subspecialty in psychology and the helping professions. The 1984 survey of the Council of Counseling Psychology Training Programs revealed that the council has 60 program members, each of which (in 1984) received a mean of 85 applicants and matriculated a mean of 44.5 students per program (at all year levels). That same year, approximately 290 students from these programs were awarded doctoral degrees. Clearly, the sustained and extensive production of doctorates trained in counseling psychology is significant in number and requires concerted attention with respect to the competencies and skills these graduates acquire through the course of their training.
An automated method for the quantification of transgene expression in motor axons of the peripheral nerve.

BACKGROUND Determination of transgene expression in motor axons of peripheral nerves is important in evaluating the effectiveness of viral transduction. Currently only manual and semi-automatic methods of quantification have been employed for quantification in immunolabeled nerve sections, but automatic methods exist for axon counting only in brightfield sections. Manual and semi-automatic methods can suffer from inter- and intraobserver bias, sampling bias and can be time consuming to implement. NEW METHOD A fully automated method using ImageJ and the Nucleus Counter plugin was developed to quantify the fraction of green fluorescent protein (GFP) labeled acetylcholine transferase positive axons in triple immunolabeled peripheral nerve sections. This method utilizes the Nucleus Counter to generate axonal regions of interest which are quantified for colocalization with GFP expression and nonoverlap with Laminin. Thresholding using histograms generated from control animals is used to remove noise. RESULTS The automated method is able to successfully distinguish transgenic GFP expressing mice from wild type. Using computer generated peripheral nerve sections, the automated method has less than 5% error at signal-to-noise ratios greater than 10% of baseline. COMPARISONS WITH EXISTING METHODS This method has comparable performance in false positive rates (<1%) and a 95% predictive interval that closely matches existing fully automated methods for quantification in brightfield sections. It outperforms the intra- and interobserver differences of manual and semi-automated methods for quantification. CONCLUSIONS This automated quantification method provides a fast and robust means of determining the fraction of labeled axons in peripheral nerve sections.
Will Studies in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Help Manage Alcoholic Steatohepatitis

Hepatic steatosis and steatohepatitis have several etiologies; the most common are alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH) and obesity/metabolic syndrome-induced steatohepatitis, also known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Although the etiology of these 2 conditions is different, they share pathways to disease progression and severity. They also have differences in physiologic pathways, and shared and divergent mechanisms can be therapeutic targets. There is no approved pharmacologic therapy for NASH, but several molecules are under study. Focus remains on modulation of insulin resistance, oxidative stress, the inflammatory cascade, hepatic fibrosis, and cell death. This review provides an overview of pathophysiologic similarities and differences between ASH and NASH.
Beyond Trade: Mercantilist Ideas of Dependency, Value, and Transmutation and Justification of Union

This chapter explores how the writings of the three most influential mercantilist writers, Thomas Mun, Charles Davenant, and William Petty, supported the idea that Scotland was a “dependent” country that should join with England. Mun’s discussion of trade as the origin of value and authority demonstrates the notion that wealth is tied to one’s total volume of trade. Davenant’s work is pivotal in arguing for what makes a nation dependent and independent. His arguments regarding trade and national defense are applied to Scotland. Petty’s work is explored for its use of political arithmetic to justify particular policy positions and for the concept of transmutation, or how to create a union not by joining two nations together but by transforming the less productive into the more productive.
Preparing 3D Print Files for Nano-Tech/Science Education from Entries of Large Open-Access Crystallographic Databases at Dedicated Websites

A straightforward route from crystallographic information framework files (CIFs) files at the Open-Access Crystallography project (nanocrystallography.research.pdx.edu) websites to 3D print files for atomic-level crystal and molecule structure models for nano-tech/science education is described. An alternative to this route utilizing a similar set of websites that were created by Professor Bob Hanson is also mentioned. Only the exported 3D print files are downloaded from these kinds of websites as no local installation of any supporting program or applet is necessary.
Dermal Sinus Tracts

Tethering tracts from the skin that travel toward the spine, dermal sinus tracts, are categorized within the spectrum of occult spinal dysraphism. Infected tracts or those associated with deeper lying dermoids can be difficult to diagnose due to their size. Although most are lumbosacral in location, these can run anywhere along the midline. The physician should suspect and rule out a dermal sinus tract in patients with recurrent meningitis without other clear causes. Treatment of DST with complete surgical excision is the standard of care and is associated with excellent outcomes particularly if undertaken early in the life of the patient.
Germ Cell Tumors

Mediastinal germ cell tumors (MGCT) are an unusual group of tumors that share similar histopathological features with those occurring in the gonads or along the midline line. By far, germ cell tumors occur more often in the gonads. However, they also can occur in the pineal gland, retroperitoneum, and sacral area. In this chapter, we will discuss various germ cell tumors: teratomas, mature teratomas, immature teratomas, teratomas with malignant component, seminoma, non-seminomatous germ cell tumors, yolk sac tumor, embryonal carcinoma, choriocarcinoma, and combined germ cell tumor. This chapter will be presented from the practical point of view for the practicing pathologist who may be called upon to interpret these tumors. Clinical, pathological, histopathological, immunohistochemical, radiological, gross, molecular features will be discussed, as well as differential diagnoses and staging.
History and Overview of the National Quality Strategy

Some of the best medical care in the world is available in the USA, yet there is growing evidence that our delivery of high-value clinically coordinated care is below the standards of many other countries. The progress of quality improvement in the USA dates back to the early twentieth century, but it accelerated in the 1960s and 1970s with the work of Avedis Donabedian and others. Our current quality improvement initiatives have been organized within the National Quality Agenda that is part of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The National Quality Forum, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), and the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality are leaders in developing quality measures, validating their impact, and facilitating implementation. Gastroenterology societies including the American Gastroenterological Association, American College of Gastroenterology, and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy have built programs available to practicing clinicians to help practices enhance their patient care and demonstrate quality in the services we provide patients. It is clear from recent and emerging legislation that CMS is leading the way away from a fee for service reimbursement methodology to one based on demonstrated quality. This concept will change our focus from solely one of quality to a focus on “value” where value refers to quality health outcomes per unit cost. Incorporation of the financial consequences of our medical care and moving toward increasing provider, practice and health system accountability will inevitably alter the way medical care is delivered in the USA. These and other concepts are outlined in detail in this and other chapters of this book. Gastroenterologists who understand the value equation and can link that to their practice strategy will become valued partners for the large consolidating health systems we are witnessing and to the insurance companies that are slowly but surely narrowing their provider networks.
Metabolic Syndrome Induces Release of Smaller Extracellular Vesicles from Porcine Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) belong to the endogenous cellular reparative system, and can be used exogenously in cell-based therapy. MSCs release extracellular vesicles (EVs), including exosomes and microvesicles, which mediate some of their therapeutic activity through intercellular communication. We have previously demonstrated that metabolic syndrome (MetS) modifies the cargo packed within swine EV, but whether it influences their phenotypical characteristics remains unclear. This study tested the hypothesis that MetS shifts the size distribution of MSC-derived EVs. Adipose tissue-derived MSC-EV subpopulations from Lean (n = 6) and MetS (n = 6) pigs were characterized for number and size using nanoparticle-tracking analysis, flow cytometry, and transmission electron microscopy. Expression of exosomal genes was determined using next-generation RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq). The number of EV released from Lean and MetS pig MSCs was similar, yet MetS-MSCs yielded a higher proportion of small-size EVs (202.4 ± 17.7 nm vs. 280.3 ± 15.1 nm), consistent with exosomes. RNA-seq showed that their EVs were enriched with exosomal markers. Lysosomal activity remained unaltered in MetS-MSCs. Therefore, MetS alters the size distribution of MSC-derived EVs in favor of exosome release. These observations may reflect MSC injury and membrane recycling in MetS or increased expulsion of waste products, and may have important implications for development of adequate cell-based treatments.
Optimization of motion management parameters in a synchrotron-based spot scanning system.

Purpose To quantify the effects of combining layer-based repainting and respiratory gating as a strategy to mitigate the dosimetric degradation caused by the interplay effect between a moving target and dynamic spot-scanning proton delivery. Methods An analytic routine modeled three-dimensional dose distributions of pencil-beam proton plans delivered to a moving target. Spot positions and weights were established for a single field to deliver 100 cGy to a static, 15-cm deep, 3-cm radius spherical clinical target volume with a 1-cm isotropic internal target volume expansion. The interplay effect was studied by modeling proton delivery from a clinical synchrotron-based spot scanning system and respiratory target motion, patterned from surrogate patient breathing traces. Motion both parallel and orthogonal to the beam scanning direction was investigated. Repainting was modeled using a layer-based technique. For each of 13 patient breathing traces, the dose from 20 distinct delivery schemes (combinations of four gate window amplitudes and five repainting techniques) was computed. Delivery strategies were inter-compared based on target coverage, dose homogeneity, high dose spillage, and delivery time. Results Notable degradation and variability in plan quality were observed for ungated delivery. Decreasing the gate window reduced this variability and improved plan quality at the expense of longer delivery times. Dose deviations were substantially greater for motion orthogonal to the scan direction when compared with parallel motion. Repainting coupled with gating was effective at partially restoring dosimetric coverage at only a fraction of the delivery time increase associated with very small gate windows alone. Trends for orthogonal motion were similar, but more complicated, due to the increased severity of the interplay. Conclusions Layer-based repainting helps suppress the interplay effect from intra-gate motion, with only a modest penalty in delivery time. The magnitude of the improvement in target coverage is strongly influenced by individual patient breathing patterns and the tumor motion trajectory.
Low Reynolds number friction reduction with polymers and textures

Abstract We present an experimental investigation with surface textures and a Non-Newtonian polymer solution (polyisobutylene in oil) to determine synergistic effects on laminar hydrodynamic friction reduction. Gap controlled experiments were performed on a custom parallel disk tribo-rheometer to systematically vary the Reynolds number (0.1–16), Weissenberg number (0.1–30), and Deborah number (0.005–0.5) in bi-directional sliding motion with five different texture geometries: cylindrical holes with varying asymmetric angle β. Cavitation effects are not present, thus normal force is produced solely by the textures and the lubricant rheology. Contrary to Newtonian fluids without cavitation, the normal force is positive, independent of the direction of motion when shear normal forces dominate purely viscous effects. We observe that the normal thrust can be larger than a simple superposition of forces due to viscous hydrodynamics and shear normal stresses. This synergistic coupling between the asymmetric textures and the polymer solution (at high Wi) produces an optimal angle of texture asymmetry β for dramatically decreasing the effective coefficient of friction compared to the Newtonian oil without polymer.
Reconfigurable Probabilistic AI Architecture for Personalized Cancer Treatment

The machinery of life operates on the complex interactions between genes and proteins. Attempts to capture these interactions have culminated into the study of Genetic Networks. Genetic defects lead to erroneous interactions, which in turn lead to diseases. For personalized treatment of these diseases, a careful analysis of Genetic Networks and a patient's genetic data is required. In this work, we co-design a novel probabilistic AI model along with a reconfigurable architecture to enable personalized treatment for cancer patients. This approach enables a cost-effective and scalable solution for widespread use of personalized medicine. Our model offers interpretability and realistic confidences in its predictions, which is essential for medical applications. The resulting personalized inference on a dataset of 3k patients agrees with doctor's treatment choices in 80% of the cases. The other cases are diverging from the universal guideline, enabling individualized treatment options based on genetic data. Our architecture is validated on a hybrid SoC-FPGA platform which performs 25× faster than software, implemented on a 16-core Xeon workstation, while consuming 25× less power.
Pure red cell aplasia and seronegative myasthenia gravis in association with thymoma.

Pure red cell aplasia is an uncommon paraneoplastic syndrome of thymoma. Myasthenia gravis is the most common paraneoplastic syndrome associated with thymoma. We present a case of a 79-year-old Pac...
The novelty news frame: How social identity influences policy attention of minority presidential candidates:

The 2020 primaries featured the most diverse candidates seeking the U.S. presidency to date; however, news media preoccupied with the novelty of a candidate’s social identity may result in less pol...
Do Interactions of Vitamin D 3 and BMP Signaling Hold Implications in the Pathogenesis of Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is a debilitating rare disease known for episodic endochondral heterotopic ossification (HO) caused by gain-of-function mutations in ACVR1/ALK2. However, disease severity varies among patients with identical mutations suggesting disease-modifying factors, including diet, may have therapeutic implications. The roles of vitamin D3 in calcium metabolism and chondrogenesis are known, but its effects on BMP signaling and chondrogenesis are less studied. This review attempts to assess the possibility of vitamin D’s effects in FOP by exploring relevant intersections of VD3 with mechanisms of FOP flares. In vitro and in vivo studies suggest vitamin D suppresses inflammation, while clinical studies suggest that vitamin D3 protects against arteriosclerosis and inversely correlates with non-genetic intramuscular HO. However, the enhancement of chondrogenesis, BMP signaling, and possibly Activin A expression by vitamin D may be more relevant in FOP. There appears to be little potential for vitamin D to reduce HO in FOP, but testing the potential for excess vitamin D to promote HO may be warranted.
Bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate as a Macrophage Enriched Phospholipid

Bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate (BMP) is a structural isomer of phosphatidylglycerol (PtdGro) with an unusual sn-1:sn-1' fatty acyl configuration and is found almost exclusively in late endosomes/lysosomes. BMP comprises only about 1-2% of the total phospholipids in most mammalian cells, but accumulates in tissues of humans and animals with lysosomal storage disorders including the gangliosidoses. Total BMP content was significantly greater in cells of macrophage/microglial origin than in cells of macroglial origin. BMP composition was similar in tumorigenic/metastatic macrophages and non-tumorigenic macrophages/microglia. Finally, BMP fatty acid composition differed between cells grown in culture and obtained in vivo suggesting an influence from growth environment.
Chronic treatment in vivo with β-adrenoceptor agonists induces dysfunction of airway β(2) -adrenoceptors and exacerbates lung inflammation in mice.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Inhalation of a β-adrenoceptor agonist (β-agonist) is first-line asthma therapy, used for both prophylaxis against, and acute relief of, bronchoconstriction. However, repeated clinical use of β-agonists leads to impaired bronchoprotection and, in some cases, adverse patient outcomes. Mechanisms underlying this β2-adrenoceptor dysfunction are not well understood, due largely to the lack of a comprehensive animal model and the uncertainty as to whether or not bronchorelaxation in mice is mediated by β2-adrenoceptors. Thus, we aimed to develop a mouse model that demonstrated functional β-agonist-induced β2-adrenoceptor desensitization in the context of allergic inflammatory airway disease. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH We combined chronic allergen exposure with repeated β-agonist inhalation in allergen-treated BALB/C mice and examined the contribution of β2-adrenoceptors to albuterol-induced bronchoprotection using FVB/NJ mice with genetic deletion of β2-adrenoceptors (KO). Associated inflammatory changes – cytokines (ELISA), cells in bronchoalevolar lavage and airway remodelling (histology) and β2-adrenoceptor density (radioligand binding) – were also measured. KEY RESULTS β2-Adrenoceptors mediated albuterol-induced bronchoprotection in mice. Chronic treatment with albuterol induced loss of bronchoprotection, associated with exacerbation of the inflammatory components of the asthma phenotype. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS This animal model reproduced salient features of human asthma and linked loss of bronchoprotection with airway pathobiology. Accordingly, the model offers an advanced tool for understanding the mechanisms of the effects of chronic β- agonist treatment on β-adrenoceptor function in asthma. Such information may guide the clinical use of β-agonists and provide insight into development of novel β-adrenoceptor ligands for the treatment of asthma.
FAST observations of ion outflow associated with magnetic storms

New observations from the FAST mission are used to study the relationship between the auroral ionospheric ion outflow and the injection of ring current plasma during magnetic storms. One set of observations follows the injection of the low energy tail of the ring current (<25 keV) at low latitudes (L-shell<4). These ions are found to be primarily of ionospheric origin and to evolve on the two hour time scale of the spacecraft orbit indicating a relatively brief injection. Higher latitude observations show intense auroral outflows are observed in both the cusp and near midnight during magnetic storms. Cusp outflows that are energetic enough to contribute hot plasma to the plasmasheet are likely lost out the magnetotail whereas night-side auroral outflows place ionospheric ions directly onto newly reconnected plasmasheet field lines. These observations suggest how substorms can play a role in the development of magnetic storms. Electrons accelerated during substorms produce waves that heat the ionospheric plasma producing intense conic outflows into the plasmasheet. The higher density plasmasheet ions are subsequently convected to the inner magnetosphere by the large convection electric fields during the magnetic storm. Without the large convection fields, the substorm outflows have no effect on Dst since these ions never reach the inner L-shells. Without substorm outflows, the plasmasheet density is relatively modest so that convection to the inner L-shells produces only small drops in Dst. In this model, it is through ionospheric ion outflows that substorms affect the development of magnetic storms.
Optical-absorption studies of wurtzite-phase Zn 1-x Mn x Se

Optical-absorption results on single-crystal samples of ${\mathrm{Zn}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{x}}$${\mathrm{Mn}}_{\mathrm{x}}$Se are presented. Dichroism associated with the fundamental edge is established for x\ensuremath{\ge}0.35, consistent with the onset of the wurtzite phase. Up to four absorption bands associated with ${\mathrm{Mn}}^{2+}$ intraion transitions are seen at x\ensuremath{\sim}0.50; the shifts of the three lowest transitions with x are analyzed with use of ligand-field theory applied to localized ${\mathrm{MnSe}}_{4}$ clusters. Consistent polarization in the Mn absorption spectrum occurs in the wurtzite region. Possible mechanisms leading to such polarizations are considered.
Signalling with objects

Conventional signalling systems, such as Q.931 and Q.2931, have grown from simple techniques for creating a single connection between two parties. However, with the B-ISDN, it will be desirable to be able to construct multiparty, multiconnection calls for multimedia services. This paper highlights the work done by the RACE MAGIC project to develop a new object-based signalling protocol to meet these requirements, and describes how this new protocol overcomes the shortcomings of conventional signalling.
Modeling Mass Loss from B[e] Stars

It has been suggested by Zickgraf et al. (1986) that the outer atmosphere of some B[e] stars has a two-component structure: a fast, radiation-driven wind from the pole, and a dense, slow outflow from the equator. This is also the basic picture investigated by Poe, Friend, and Cassinelli (1989) (hereafter PFC) to explain the momentum problem associated with Wolf-Rayet stars. Here we apply the PFC multiforce wind theory to model the B[e] outflow phenomenon.
Making Maximum Entropy Computations Easier By Adding Extra Constraints (Extended Abstract)

This paper presents a new way to compute the probability distribution with maximum entropy satisfying a set of constraints. Unlike previous approaches, our method is integrated with the planning of data collection and tabulation. We show how adding constraints and performing the associated additional tabulations can substantially speed up computation by replacing the usual iterative techniques with a straight-forward computation. These extra constraints are shown to correspond to the intermediate tables used in Cheeseman’s method. We also show that the class of constraint graphs that our method handles is a proper generalization of Pearl’s singly-connected networks. An open problem is to determine a minimal set of constraints necessary to make a hypergraph acyclic. We conjecture that this problem is NP-complete, and discuss heuristics to approximate the optimal solution.
Nonperturbative evaluation of the few-body states for scalar interaction

Abstract A knowledge of nonpertubative propagators is often needed when the standard perturbative methods are not applicable. An example of this is the bound state problem in field theory. While a nonperturbative result is valuable by itself, it is also an important guide for those who work on developing phenomenological models for the nonperturbative problem. The Feynman–Schwinger representation approach provides a convenient framework for calculating nonperturbative propagators. In this paper we provide an algorithm for computing 1-, 2-, and 3-body bound states with the inclusion of all self energies, vertex corrections, ladder and crossed ladder exchanges. The calculation is done in the quenched approximation by ignoring the matter loops. We provide simulation results for 1-, 2- and 3-body states.
Titanium and Titanium Alloys

Titanium, the ninth most abundant element, is used principally as an oxide in paint filler for its high refractory index and as a metal in aerospace and industrial applications for its high strength-to-density ratio and excellent corrosion resistance. This article covers the locations and reserves of principal ore bodies and their conversion by sulfate or chloride refining processes to high purity oxides for the pigment industry, and the conversion of the intermediate chloride by magnesium or sodium reduction to metallic sponge for the metal industry. The principal metal melting processes to produce ingots from sponge are reviewed, along with the metalworking processes for converting ingots to mill products. The influence of alloying elements on properties and microstructure is discussed, along with the mechanical properties and characteristics of the principal alloys used in aerospace and industrial applications. Methods and procedures related to the fabrication of metal components into useful application components are covered. The primary uses of both the oxide and the metal are summarized, along with the economics associated with the production of the metal and oxide.
Methods to support policy evaluation of sex offender laws

The effective management of convicted sex offenders continues to challenge local law enforcement agencies and public safety officials. While recently enacted legislation at the federal level seeks to increase the monitoring and tracking of sex offenders, legislation at the state and local levels seeks to limit the residential options of convicted sex offenders through various geographic constraints. An issue that arises, however, is the extent to which some communities and/or neighbourhoods are exposed to a disproportionately high number of offenders, potentially placing vulnerable populations at risk. The purpose of this paper is to outline spatial optimization approaches to assess and benchmark spatial risk and the geographic distribution of sex offenders within a community. Results suggest that these approaches are useful decision support tools for crafting and evaluating sex offender residency policies. Resumen La gestion efectiva de criminales sexuales convictos continua siendo un reto para las fuerzas publicas locales y sus oficiales. Aunque la legislacion promulgada recientemente a nivel federal busca incrementar el monitoreo y seguimiento de los criminales sexuales, la legislacion de caracter local y estatal busca limitar las opciones residenciales para los criminales sexuales convictos mediante diferentes restricciones geograficas. Un tema que surge, sin embargo, es el alcance de la exposicion de ciertas comunidades y/o vecindarios a un numero de criminales desproporcionadamente alto, poniendo potencialmente en riesgo a poblaciones vulnerables. El proposito de este articulo es esbozar enfoques de optimizacion espacial para evaluar y establecer una cota de referencia sobre el riesgo espacial y la distribucion geografica de criminales sexuales dentro de una comunidad. Los resultados sugieren que estos enfoques son herramientas de toma de decisiones utiles para formular y evaluar las politicas residenciales para criminales sexuales.
Primary Care of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Patient

Abstract Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a disease that affects 1 million patients in the United States. Many excellent drug regimens exist that effectively suppress the viral load and improve immune function, but there are consequences of long-term antiviral therapy. In addition, patients with HIV tend to have much higher rates of chronic disease, substance abuse, and cancer. Thus, while expert care in the treatment of HIV remains critical, the skill set of a primary care provider in the prevention, detection, and management of acute and chronic illness is vital to the care of the HIV patient.
Study of the toxin of Clostridium botulinum. Effects of 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl bromide on the biological activity of botulinum toxin.

Abstract 2-Hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl bromide, when reacted with the toxin of Clostridium botulinum Type A, reduced toxicity by 99% and modified 17.8 moles out of 77.2 moles of tryptophan reduced in the toxin. This treatment resulted also in the loss of the ability of the toxin to stimulate protective antibidy formation in rabbits by destroying an antigenic determinant responsible for the formation of neutralizing anti-body in the native toxin. This evidence, in addition to the results obtained by photo-oxidation of the toxin5, further supports the thesis previously advanced as to the critical role of tryptophan residues in the toxin's reactive sites. 2-Hydroxy-5-nitro-benzyl substitution method yielded data consistent with the estimated number of active tryptophan residues obtained from photooxidation reaction kinetics.
Androgen and Estrogen Receptors in Brain Cytosol from Male, Female, and Testicular Feminized (tfm/y £) Mice

Specific binding of [3H]5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and [3H]estradiol by cytoplasmic extracts from whole brain of castrated male, female, and androgen-insensitive, testicular feminized (tfm*y♂), mice has been investigated using glycerol gradient centrifugation and charcoal assay. Mouse brain cytosol contains macromolecules with the characteristics of steroid hormone receptors, binding preferentially with high-affinity androgens or estrogens. Both DHT and estradiol-receptor complexes migrate at 8-9 S in gradients at low ionic strength and at 4–5 S in gradients containing 0.5M KCl. KD's (mean ± SE) for DHT binding by brain cytosol from castrated males, females, and tfm/y ♂ are 1.1 ± 0.4, 0.9 ± 0.4, and 0.8 ± 0.1 × 10-9M, respectively. DHT binding activity in brain cytosol from tfm/y ♂ mice is reduced to about 20–30% of that from their normal littermates, as is the case for tfm/y ♂ kidney cytosol. The residual androgen receptor in tfm/y ♂ brain cytosol has normal sedimentation properties. Unlike the situati...
Bidirectional Translocation of Sugars in Sieve Tubes of Squash Plants

Two streams of sugars moving in opposite directions in the petiole of a half-grown leaf were demonstrated by feeding tritiated glucose to a fully grown leaf of a squash plant (Cucurbita melopepo Bailey) and (14)CO(2) to the half-grown one. Autoradiographic evidence indicates that the movement of both streams occurred within the same sieve tubes. The data do not fit the mass flow theory of translocation which requires unidirectional flow of sugar solution in the lumen of the sieve tube.
Contributions to the theory of care

Abstract This paper discusses how structured conceptualization, conducted as one phase of a larger study, was used to conceptualize “caring” in a nursing context. Variations of the structured conceptualization process were conducted with three different groups; nurses, patients, and nurse theorist/researchers and a separate concept map was derived for each group. The maps are discussed along with implications for the development of a theory of caring and consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of the methodology.