cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A nitric oxide synthase inhibitor delays the formation of learning-related neural activity in the cerebellar interpositus nucleus during rabbit eyelid conditioning

Abstract Inhibiting nitric oxide synthesis with l -nitro arginine methyl ester ( l -NAME) has been found to retard the acquisition of the classically conditioned rabbit eyelid response. In the present study, rabbits received an SC injection of either l -NAME (an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase) or its inactive stereoisomer, d -NAME, an hour before each daily training session. l -NAME retarded both the acquisition of conditioned responses and associated learning-related neural activity in the interposilus nucleus. There was no effect of l -NAME on spontaneous interpositus activity recorded during a period of time before trial onset. These findings indicate that nitric oxide may play a role in neuronal processes associated with the acquisition of the classically conditioned rabbit eyelid responses.
Recommendations for Hypersonic Boundary Layer Transition Flight Testing

Much has been learned about the physics underlying the transition process at supersonic and hypersonic speeds through years of analysis, experiment and computation. Generally, the application of this knowledge has been restricted to simple shapes like plates, cones and spherical bodies. However, flight reentry vehicles are in reality never simple. They typically are highly complex geometries flown at angle of attack so three-dimensional effects are very important, as are roughness effects due to surface features and/or ablation. This paper will review our present understanding of the physics of the transition process and look back at some of the recent flight test programs for their successes and failures. The goal of this paper is to develop rationale for new hypersonic boundary layer transition flight experiments. Motivations will be derived from both an inward look at what we believe constitutes a good flight test program as well as an outward review of the goals and objectives of some recent US based unclassified proposals and programs. As part of our recommendations, this paper will address the need for careful experimental work as per the guidelines enunciated years ago by the U.S. Transition Study Group. Following these guidelines is essential to obtaining reliable, usable data for allowing refinement of transition estimation techniques.
"Things Have Gotten Better": Developmental Changes Among Emerging Adults After the Transition to University

Emerging adulthood involves a number of developmental changes, including in the areas of interpersonal relations, religious views, and sexuality. The current study examined individuals’ perceptions of changes in these areas as a result of the transition to university. Participants (N = 205, 61% female, age range 18 to 25) responded to open-ended questions about changes in their relationships with parents, religious views, and views about sex. These responses were coded for themes and positivity. Changes were most common in relationships with parents, and least in religious views. Associations were found between types of changes and year in school. Changes in all three areas were generally portrayed positively. Belief or quality changes were more common than behavioral changes.
The course of the working alliance during virtual reality and exposure group therapy for social anxiety disorder.

Background Psychoanalytic theory and some empirical research suggest the working alliance follows a "rupture and repair" pattern over the course of therapy, but given its emphasis on collaboration, cognitive behavioral therapy may yield a different trajectory. Aims The current study compares the trajectory of the working alliance during two types of cognitive behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorder - virtual reality exposure therapy (VRE) and exposure group therapy (EGT), one of which (VRE) has been proposed to show lower levels of working alliance due to the physical barriers posed by the technology (e.g. no eye contact with therapist during exposure). Method Following randomization, participants (N = 63) diagnosed with social anxiety disorder received eight sessions of manualized EGT or individual VRE and completed a standardized self-report measure of working alliance after each session. Results Hierarchical linear modeling showed overall high levels of working alliance that changed in rates of growth over time; that is, increases in working alliance scores were steeper at the beginning of therapy and slowed towards the end of therapy. There were no differences in working alliance between the two treatment groups. Conclusion Results neither support a rupture/repair pattern nor the idea that the working alliance is lower for VRE participants. Findings are consistent with the idea that different therapeutic approaches may yield different working alliance trajectories.
Safety and Utility of Quantitative Sensory Testing among Adults with Sickle Cell Disease: Indicators of Neuropathic Pain?

Objectives Pain is the hallmark symptom of sickle cell disease (SCD), yet the types of pain that these patients experience, and the underlying mechanisms, have not been well characterized. The study purpose was to determine the safety and utility of a mechanical and thermal quantitative sensory testing (QST) protocol and the feasibility of utilizing neuropathic pain questionnaires among adults with SCD. Methods A convenience sample (N = 25, 18 women, mean age 38.5 ± 12.5 [20–58 years]) completed self-report pain and quality-of-life tools. Subjects also underwent testing with the TSA-II NeuroSensory Analyzer and calibrated von Frey microfilaments. Results We found that the QST protocol was safe and did not stimulate a SCD pain crisis. There was evidence of central sensitization (n = 15), peripheral sensitization (n = 1), a mix of central and peripheral sensitization (n = 8), or no sensitization (n = 1). The neuropathic pain self-report tools were feasible with evidence of construct validity; 40% of the subjects reported S-LANSS scores that were indicative of neuropathic pain and had evidence of central, peripheral or mixed sensitization. Discussion The QST protocol can be safely conducted in adults with SCD and provides evidence of central or peripheral sensitization, which is consistent with a neuropathic component to SCD pain. These findings are novel, warrant a larger confirmatory study, and indicate the need for normative QST data from African American adults and older adults.
Integrated multimodal human-computer interface and augmented reality for interactive display applications

We describe new systems for improved integrated multimodal human-computer interaction and augmented reality for a diverse array of applications, including future advanced cockpits, tactical operations centers, and others. We have developed an integrated display system featuring: speech recognition of multiple concurrent users equipped with both standard air- coupled microphones and novel throat-coupled sensors (developed at Army Research Labs for increased noise immunity); lip reading for improving speech recognition accuracy in noisy environments, three-dimensional spatialized audio for improved display of warnings, alerts, and other information; wireless, coordinated handheld-PC control of a large display; real-time display of data and inferences from wireless integrated networked sensors with on-board signal processing and discrimination; gesture control with disambiguated point-and-speak capability; head- and eye- tracking coupled with speech recognition for 'look-and-speak' interaction; and integrated tetherless augmented reality on a wearable computer. The various interaction modalities (speech recognition, 3D audio, eyetracking, etc.) are implemented a 'modality servers' in an Internet-based client-server architecture. Each modality server encapsulates and exposes commercial and research software packages, presenting a socket network interface that is abstracted to a high-level interface, minimizing both vendor dependencies and required changes on the client side as the server's technology improves.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Alaska Inupiat Subsistence and Wage Employment Patterns: Understanding Individual Choice

Following a decade of intense wage employment activity, North Slope Inupiat continue to engage in subsistence activities. Two surveys conducted a decade apart are used to examine the role of individual choice in the persistence of subsistence activities.Survey results document an increase in labor force participation, an increase in household income, and a decrease in household size. At the same time, the percentage of households on the North Slope obtaining over half their food from subsistence activities has increased. These and other findings suggest that continued subsistence activity is not simply a matter of necessity; it is also a matter of individual choice. Subsistence harvest and distribution activities may offer benefits well beyond nutrition that are less commonly available in wage jobs. Further research in this area may not only help explain the persistence of subsistence activities, but also provide a link with research on the mental wellbeing of Inupiat.
Measuring graph abstractions of software: an information-theory approach

A graph composed of nodes and edges may be an abstraction of a software system and a subgraph may represent a software module. Software-design graphs depict components and their relationships. Building on prior work by E.B. Allen, T.M. Khoshgoftaar and Y. Chen (2001), this paper proposes information theory-based measures on graphs at the system and module levels for application to software. We propose measures of size, length, complexity, coupling and cohesion which largely conform to the properties of these attributes defined by L.C. Briand, S. Morasca and V.R. Basili (1996, 1997). We illustrate the measures with examples and suggest extensions for hypergraphs.
Family Life and Levels of Involvement in an Adolescent Heroin Epidemic

Family life was examined in relation to different levels of heroin involvement, use of other drugs, and deviant behavior. The study population included heroin addicts, experimenters, persons exposed but not using heroin, and a comparison sample of persons who neither used nor were exposed to heroin. More elements of family life were related to heroin use by females than males. The relationship with the opposite sex parent had the strongest impact on both male and female heroin users.
Raman Spectroscopy of Ocular Tissue

The optically transparent nature of the human eye has motivated numerous Raman studies aimed at the non-invasive optical probing of ocular tissue components critical to healthy vision. Investigations include the qualitative and quantitative detection of tissue-specific molecular constituents, compositional changes occurring with development of ocular pathology, and the detection and tracking of ocular drugs and nutritional supplements. Motivated by a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms leading to cataract formation in the aging human lens, a great deal of work has centered on the Raman detection of proteins and water content in the lens. Several protein groups and the hydroxyl response are readily detectable. Changes of protein compositions can be studied in excised noncataractous tissue versus aged tissue preparations as well as in tissue samples with artificially induced cataracts. Most of these studies are carried out in vitro using suitable animal models and conventional Raman techniques. Tissue water content plays an important role in optimum light transmission of the outermost transparent ocular structure, the cornea. Using confocal Raman spectroscopy techniques, it has been possible to non-invasively measure the water to protein ratio as a measure of hydration status and to track drug-induced changes of the hydration levels in the rabbit cornea at various depths. The aqueous humor, normally supplying nutrients to cornea and lens, has an advantageous anterior location for Raman studies. Increasing efforts are pursued to non-invasively detect the presence of glucose and therapeutic concentrations of antibiotic drugs in this medium. In retinal tissue, Raman spectroscopy proves to be an important tool for research into the causes of macular degeneration, the leading cause of irreversible vision disorders and blindness in the elderly. It has been possible to detect the spectral features of advanced glycation and advanced lipooxydation end products in excised tissue samples and synthetic preparations and thus to identify potential biomarkers for the onset of this disease. Using resonance Raman detection techniques, the concentration and spatial distribution of macular pigment, a protective compound, can be detected in the living human retina Useable in clinical settings for patient screening, the technology is suitable to investigate correlations between pigment concentration levels and risk for macular degeneration and to monitor increases in pigment levels occurring as a result of dietary intervention strategies.
Prevention, Detection and Management of Coronary Artery Disease in Minority Females.

Background and Significance: Heart dis­ease is the leading cause of death for wom­en living in the United States; this disease claims more female lives than all cancers combined. Additionally, according to the Centers of Disease Control data between the years 1979 and 2006, while cardiac-related mortality among men decreased significantly, only a modest decline was found among women. This disparity is great­est among minority females including Blacks and Hispanics who have an even greater prevalence of CVD and its risk factors Prevention: There are several risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD). Modifi­able risk factors include: tobacco smoking, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, obesity and physical inactivity. The preven­tion of CAD is grounded in decreasing or removing these modifiable risk factors. Detection: Accurately diagnosing CAD is dependent on an accurate assessment of the patient’s pre-test probability to determine the best diagnostic approach to pursue. The patient’s functional status, resting EKG and cardiac risk factors also assist in determining the best non-invasive cardiac test to pursue. Management: The goals and mainstay in the management of minority females with stable CAD includes surveillance for CAD symptoms, management of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia, as well as encouraging healthy habits. Conclusion: Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in minority females. Providers must be diligent to aggressively decrease patients’ cardiovascular risk and, when patients do present with cardiovascu­lar symptoms, providers must be aggressive in accurately diagnosing and treating these patients to decrease cardiac morbidity and mortality. Ethn Dis. 2015;25(4):499-506; doi:10.18865/ed.25.4.499
Milking the Last Drops: A Case of the Tobacco Industry in Kenya

Africa, a continent which already has the worst health status is becoming the ashtray of the world. Faced with strong opposition at home, multinational tobacco companies are now concentrating on “milking the last drops” of profit from the poor countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America. This paper illustrates how the British American Tobacco Company (BAT), one of the seven giant multinationals, has taken advantage of Kenya’s political stability and modest economic growth to produce, manufacture and distribute tobacco and tobaccco products in Kenya and neighboring countries. Unfortunately, tobacco from Kenya is being exported to countries that have been hit hardest by famine, human immunodeficiency virus infections, and civil strife (see Figure 1).
Developing a Language for Spoken Programming

The dominant paradigm for programming a computer today is text entry via keyboard and mouse, but there aremany common situations where this is not ideal. I address this through the creation of a new language thatis explicitly intended for spoken programming. In addition, I describe a supporting editor that improvesrecognition accuracy by making use of type information and scoping to increase recognizer context.
Process to Produce Isothermal Deep Supersaturation Conditions for Wax Solvent Crystallization Kinetics or Related Studies

Fast cooling to deep supersaturation for solvent crystallization seems to have two major components. One involves mainly the thermodynamics or phase equilibrium chemical thermodynamics of deep supe...
Rheology of YBa2Cu3O7−x, Precursors

Nitrate and acetate precursors to Ba2Cu3O7−x (123) are prepared using a molten salt technique. The viscosity and shear stress of the paste are controlled by evaporation of water from the paste. The pastes contain ˜20 - 80 volume percent solids. Rheometry over strain rates of 0 - 200 sec−1 shows both systems are shear-thinning. Both systems are thixotropic. The nitrate system may be described by a two-stage Bingham Plastic model, the acetate by a Hershel-Bulkley model. The existence of more than one region of flow behavior suggests that there are at least two mechanisms which contribute to flow. In the low strain rate region, flow resistance is due to the existence of flocs in the colloidal assembly. At higher strain rates, flow is probably controlled by interlaminar drag interactions. Precursors produced by both methods have been used to form fibers of YBa2Cu3O7−x, by ram extrusion.
Is There Too Much Science in Medicine or Not Enough

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the interface between science and the practice of medicine. A frequent complaint made about contemporary physicians is that they are not sufficiently kind and understanding. The implication, sometimes a bald statement and other times implicit, is that physicians are overly scientific and insufficiently empathic. This chapter critically addresses this position. A series of propositions will be made and each of these discussed.
Why do migrations fail and what can we do about it

This paper investigates the main causes that make the application migration to Cloud complicated and error-prone through two case studies. We first discuss the typical configuration errors in each migration case study based on our error categorization model, which classifies the configuration errors into seven categories. Then we describe the common installation errors across both case studies. By analyzing operator errors in our case studies for migrating applications to cloud, we present the design of CloudMig, a semi-automated migration validation system with two unique characteristics. First, we develop a continual query (CQ) based configuration policy checking system, which facilitate operators to weave important configuration constraints into CQ-based policies and periodically run these policies to monitor the configuration changes and detect and alert the possible configuration constraints violations. Second, CloudMig combines the CQ based policy checking with the template based installation automation to help operators reduce the installation errors and increase the correctness assurance of application migration. Our experiments show that CloudMig can effectively detect a majority of the configuration errors in the migration process.
A Study of the 4He(% MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaagCart1ev2aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWaa8Haaeaaca% WGUbaacaGLxdcaaaa!389B! ,n)4He Reaction between 2 and 6 MeV

We report measurements of the analyzing power of the reaction 4He( \(\overrightarrow n \) ,n)4He in the energy range 2 to 6 MeV and at laboratory angles of 20°, 40°, 60°, 80° and 110°. The incident polarized neutrons were obtained by elastic scattering of unpolarized photoneutrons from a graphite target; the polarization of this source was absolutely calibrated in a separate, true double-scattering experiment. The results were analyzed using R-function and phase-shift analyses, and the neutron differential cross sections were predicted (a process which is the inverse of previous analyses in the energy region).
Strategies for Static Tables

This chapter presents three alternatives for structuring static tables—those tables in which the collection of keys remains unchanged and in which the FIND operation is optimized. Each alternative provides performance guarantees for the FIND operation which can help those who design and/or implement systems achieve performance guarantees of their own. The chapter provides clear and concise algorithms for construction and/or usage and simple guidelines for choosing among the strategies. It is intended that this presentation will help inform system design decisions. It is further intended that this chapter will assist implementation activities for systems which make use of static tables.
Gender differences in the predictive role of self-rated health on short-term risk of mortality among older adults.

Objectives:Despite the well-established association between self-rated health and mortality, research findings have been inconsistent regarding how men and women differ on this link. Using a national sample in the United States, this study compared American male and female older adults for the predictive role of baseline self-rated health on the short-term risk of mortality.Methods:This longitudinal study followed 1500 older adults (573 men (38.2%) and 927 women (61.8%)) aged 66 years or older for 3 years from 2001 to 2004. The main predictor of interest was self-rated health, which was measured using a single item in 2001. The outcome was the risk of all-cause mortality during the 3-year follow-up period. Demographic factors (race and age), socio-economic factors (education and marital status), and health behaviors (smoking and drinking) were covariates. Gender was the focal moderator. We ran logistic regression models in the pooled sample and also stratified by gender, with self-rated health treated as ...
Clinical Benefits of Inverse Planning for Permanent Prostate Implant

The purpose of this paper is to report the clinical benefits of our in house inverse planning routine (IPSA) for the treatment planning of permanent prostate implant (PPI). IPSA has been designed for 3D image guided brachytherapy treatment planning. The optimization process is guided by dose objectives define for each organ extracted from medical imaging. IPSA takes into account multiple targets (prostate, boost) and multiple organs at risk (urethra, rectum, bladder, etc.). IPSA is setup to maximize the prostate dose coverage while taking into account other clinical objectives like the dose homogeneity and the organs at risk protection. A simulated annealing algorithm optimizes the source and needle positions to fulfill the dose objectives and few source placement rules in less than 1 minute. For ten patients IPSA is compared to conventional manual planning. IPSA is also tested to optimize with different maximum number of needles and different source activity. IPSA needs about 15 seconds for each optimization. In comparison an experienced physicist needs about 20 minutes to perform a manual planning. The prostate volumes range from 17 to 51cc. IPSA consistently and rapidly produces equivalent dosimetric indices as manual planning while respecting severe restrictions on source placement rules. IPSA produces implant without seeds outside of the prostate, without needles with only one seed and without needles with 3 consecutive seeds. This reduces the risk of complication due to seed misplacement and edema. IPSA also uses a smaller number of needles reducing the cause of trauma. IPSA is appropriate for pre-planning, intra-operative pre-planning and intra-operative real-time planning taking into account the implanted sources and needles. This technology is not intended to replace the physicist but to accelerate the planning process making intra-operative treatment planning more effective.
Pregnancy-Related Changes of Amino Acid and Acylcarnitine Concentrations: The Impact of Obesity.

Objective Our primary objective was to assess the difference in amino and fatty acid biomarkers throughout pregnancy in women with and without obesity. Interactions between biomarkers and obesity status for associations with maternal and fetal metabolic measures were secondarily analyzed. Methods Overall 39 women (15 cases, 24 controls) were enrolled in this study during their 15- to 20-weeks' visit at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. We analyzed 32 amino acid and acylcarnitine concentrations with tandem mass spectrometry for differences throughout pregnancy as well as among women with and without obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 35, BMI < 25). Results There were substantial changes in amino acids and acylcarnitine metabolites between the second and third trimesters (nonfasting state) of pregnancy that were significant after correcting for multiple testing (p < 0.002). Examining differences by maternal obesity, C8:1 (second trimester) and C2, C4-OH, C18:1 (third trimester) were higher in women with obesity compared with women without obesity. Several metabolites were marginally (0.002 < p < 0.05) correlated with birth weight, maternal glucose, and maternal weight gain stratified by obesity status and trimester. Conclusions Understanding maternal metabolism throughout pregnancy and the influence of obesity is a critical step in identifying potential mechanisms that may contribute to adverse outcomes in pregnancies complicated by obesity.
Tapping into tongue motion to substitute or augment upper limbs

Assistive technologies (AT) play an important role in the lives of people with disabilities. Most importantly, they allow individuals with severe physical disabilities become more independence. Inherent abilities of the human tongue originated from its strong representation in the motor cortex, its direct connection to the brain through well-protected cranial nerves, and easy access without a surgery have resulted in development of a series of tongue-operated ATs that tap into the dexterous, intuitive, rapid, precise, and tireless motion of the tongue. These ATs not only help people with tetraplegia as a result of spinal cord injury or degenerative neurological diseases to access computers/smartphones, drive wheelchairs, and interact with their environments but also have the potential to enhance rehabilitation paradigms for stroke survivors. In this paper, various types of tongue operated ATs are discussed based on their working principles and task based performances. Comparisons are drawn based on widely accepted and standardized quantitative measures, such as throughput, information transfer rate, typing speed/accuracy, tracking error, navigation period, and navigation accuracy as well as qualitative measures, such as user feedback. Finally, the prospects of using variations of these versatile devices to enhance human performance in environments that limit hand and finger movements, such as space exploration or underwater operations are discussed.
Microscopic diffusion in hydrated encysted eggs of brine shrimp.

Abstract Background We have studied microscopic diffusion of water in fully hydrated encysted eggs of brine shrimp ( Artemia ). Methods We have utilized quasielastic neutron scattering. Results Dry eggs of brine shrimp were rehydrated using (1) water without additives, (2) eutectic mixture of water and dimethyl sulfoxide, and (3) a concentrated aqueous solution of lithium chloride. Despite the complexity of the hydrated multicellular organism, measurable microscopic diffusivity of water is rather well defined. Pure hydration water in eggs exhibits freezing temperature depression, whereas hydration water in eggs mixed with dimethyl sulfoxide or lithium chloride does not crystallize at all. Conclusions The characteristic size of the voids occupied by water or aqueous solvents in hydrated brine shrimp eggs is between 2 and 10 nm. Those voids are accessible to co-solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide and lithium chloride. There is no evidence of intracellular water in the hydrated eggs. General significance The lack of intracellular water in the fully hydrated (but still under arrested development) state must be linked to the unique resilience against adverse environmental factors documented not only for the anhydrous, but also hydrated encysted eggs of brine shrimp.
Entanglement of GSK-3β, β-catenin and TGF-β1 signaling network to regulate myocardial fibrosis

Nearly every form of the heart disease is associated with myocardial fibrosis, which is characterized by the accumulation of activated cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) and excess deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM). Although, CFs are the primary mediators of myocardial fibrosis in a diseased heart, in the traditional view, activated CFs (myofibroblasts) and resulting fibrosis were simply considered the secondary consequence of the disease, not the cause. Recent studies from our lab and others have challenged this concept by demonstrating that fibroblast activation and fibrosis are not simply the secondary consequence of a diseased heart, but are crucial for mediating various myocardial disease processes. In regards to the mechanism, the vast majority of literature is focused on the direct role of canonical SMAD-2/3-mediated TGF-β signaling to govern the fibrogenic process. Herein, we will discuss the emerging role of the GSK-3β, β-catenin and TGF-β1-SMAD-3 signaling network as a critical regulator of myocardial fibrosis in the diseased heart. The underlying molecular interactions and cross-talk among signaling pathways will be discussed. We will primarily focus on recent in vivo reports demonstrating that CF-specific genetic manipulation can lead to aberrant myocardial fibrosis and sturdy cardiac phenotype. This will allow for a better understanding of the driving role of CFs in the myocardial disease process. We will also review the specificity and limitations of the currently available genetic tools used to study myocardial fibrosis and its associated mechanisms. A better understanding of the GSK-3β, β-catenin and SMAD-3 signaling network may provide a novel therapeutic target for the management of myocardial fibrosis in the diseased heart.
A Puzzling Contradiction: Heisenberg’s Three Loves

In January 1937 the thirty-five-year-old Werner Heisenberg met the twenty-two-year-old Elisabeth Schumacher at a musical evening at the house of the publisher H. Bucking in Leipzig. Over the preced...
Replication origin-flanking roadblocks reveal origin-licensing dynamics and altered sequence dependence.

In eukaryotes, DNA replication initiates from multiple origins of replication for timely genome duplication. These sites are selected by origin licensing, during which the core enzyme of the eukaryotic DNA replicative helicase, the Mcm2-7 (minichromosome maintenance) complex, is loaded at each origin. This origin licensing requires loading two Mcm2-7 helicases around origin DNA in a head-to-head orientation. Current models suggest that the origin–recognition complex (ORC) and cell-division cycle 6 (Cdc6) proteins recognize and encircle origin DNA and assemble an Mcm2-7 double-hexamer around adjacent double-stranded DNA. To test this model and assess the location of Mcm2-7 initial loading, we placed DNA–protein roadblocks at defined positions adjacent to the essential ORC-binding site within Saccharomyces cerevisiae origin DNA. Roadblocks were made either by covalent cross-linking of the HpaII methyltransferase to DNA or through binding of a transcription activator-like effector (TALE) protein. Contrary to the sites of Mcm2-7 recruitment being precisely defined, only single roadblocks that inhibited ORC–DNA binding showed helicase loading defects. We observed inhibition of helicase loading without inhibition of ORC–DNA binding only when roadblocks were placed on both sides of the origin to restrict sliding of a helicase-loading intermediate. Consistent with a sliding helicase-loading intermediate, when either one of the flanking roadblocks was eliminated, the remaining roadblock had no effect on helicase loading. Interestingly, either origin-flanking nucleosomes or roadblocks resulted in helicase loading being dependent on an additional origin sequence known to be a weaker ORC–DNA-binding site. Together, our findings support a model in which sliding helicase-loading intermediates increase the flexibility of the DNA sequence requirements for origin licensing.
Cellular dielectrophoresis coupled with single-cell analysis

In this review, recent advances that leverage dielectrophoretic approaches to accomplish single-cell analysis (both "on-chip" and "off-chip") are discussed with special emphasis on eukaryotic cells. Dielectrophoresis as an electric-field-induced force utilized for cell manipulation can confer selectivity without labeling. Recent technical improvements have increased the volumetric throughput of the separation of cells from complex mixtures, introduced new strategies for massively parallel single-cell confinement for subsequent on-chip analysis, made possible selective transport of individual cells off-chip, and integrated preconcentration and prefocusing steps to enhance dielectrophoretic performance. Collectively, these studies potentiate all-in-one platforms capable of taking as their input complex mixtures of cells and accomplishing single-cell analysis. Assays requiring small reaction volumes (e.g., enzymatic assays, fluorescent in situ hybridization, and immunostaining) have been demonstrated. Still greater opportunities to unravel cell-to-cell variations and for point-of-care applications can be realized by making possible on-chip gene amplification, live-cell assays, and either dielectrophoretic manipulation in native media or on-chip exchange of media. We therefore conclude with a discussion of emerging capabilities in these areas.
Ultrasound- Guided Caudal, Ganglion Impar, and Sacroiliac Joint Injections

The sacrum and coccyx are formed by the fusion of eight vertebrae (five sacral and three coccygeal vertebrae). There is a natural defect resulting from incomplete fusion of the lower portion of S4 and entire S5 in the posterior midline. This defect is termed the sacral hiatus and is covered by the sacrococcygeal ligament. The hiatus is bounded laterally by the sacral cornua, and the floor is comprised of the posterior aspect of the sacrum. The epidural space extends from the base of the skull to the level of the sacral hiatus. It is the space confined between the dura mater and the ligamentum flavum and surrounds the dural sac. It is divided into anterior and posterior compartments and bounded anteriorly by the ­posterior longitudinal ligaments, laterally by the pedicles and neural foramina, and ­posteriorly by the ligamentum flavum. The epidural space contains the spinal nerve roots and the spinal artery that pass through the neural foramina and the epidural venous plexus. Below the level of S2, where the dura terminates, the epidural space continues as the caudal epidural space that can be accessed via the sacral hiatus which is covered by the sacrococcygeal membrane. The sacral epidural canal contains the sacral and coccygeal roots, spinal vessels, and the filum terminale. The epidural venous plexus is concentrated in the anterior space in the caudal epidural canal.
Mediating pathways from childhood ADHD to adolescent tobacco and marijuana problems: roles of peer impairment, internalizing, adolescent ADHD symptoms, and gender

Background We examined whether increased risk for adolescent tobacco and marijuana problems associated with childhood ADHD is explained by key intermediary influences during adolescence and differs by gender. Methods Longitudinal structural equation models examined mediating effects on problems with both substances (or each substance separately) through age-14 peer impairment, internalizing, and adolescent ADHD symptoms in two twin samples, prospectively assessed since age 11 (N = 2,164). Whether these mediators contributed beyond mediating effects of early-adolescent substance use was also considered. Twin difference analyses further illuminated which mediators might be potentially causal. Results Direct effects of childhood ADHD on age-17 tobacco and marijuana problems (i.e., independent of included mediators) as well as effects of adolescent ADHD symptoms were significant only for females. By contrast, mediation by peer impairment, evident particularly for marijuana, was relatively stronger for males than females. Depression and anxiety were not prospectively associated with age-17 substance problems when earlier substance problems were considered. Consistent with causal influence of early substance use on later problems, monozygotic twins with more severe tobacco or marijuana problems at age 14 than their co-twins were also more likely to have substance problems later in adolescence. Conclusions Mediation through peer impairment, continued presence of ADHD symptoms, and early substance use may alter development so that childhood ADHD indirectly contributes to problems with tobacco and marijuana. Targeting gender-sensitive interventions prior to mid-adolescence, before these patterns become established, is essential.
What is the hologenome concept of evolution

All multicellular organisms are colonized by microbes, but a gestalt study of the composition of microbiome communities and their influence on the ecology and evolution of their macroscopic hosts has only recently become possible. One approach to thinking about the topic is to view the host–microbiome ecosystem as a “holobiont”. Because natural selection acts on an organism’s realized phenotype, and the phenotype of a holobiont is the result of the integrated activities of both the host and all of its microbiome inhabitants, it is reasonable to think that evolution can act at the level of the holobiont and cause changes in the “hologenome”, or the collective genomic content of all the individual bionts within the holobiont. This relatively simple assertion has nevertheless been controversial within the microbiome community. Here, I provide a review of recent work on the hologenome concept of evolution. I attempt to provide a clear definition of the concept and its implications and to clarify common points of disagreement.
Metal Toxicity During Short-Term Sediment Resuspension and Redeposition in a Tropical Reservoir.

Billings Complex is the largest water-storage reservoir in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and has been contaminated since the 1960s. Periodically, Billings sediments are subjected to currents causing resuspension and subsequent release of metals. A short-term (4-h) resuspension was simulated using sediment flux exposure chambers (SeFECs) to better understand the fate, bioavailability, and transport of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) during these events, as well as possible organism toxicity. Daphnia magna and Hyalella azteca were exposed during the 4-h resuspension, and were monitored after exposure for survival, growth, and reproduction. Resuspension rapidly deoxygenated the overlying water, decreased the pH, and resulted in elevated dissolved Zn above the US Environmental Protection Agency's (2002) criteria for acute toxicity (120 µg L-1 ). However, Zn was scavenged (after 20 h) from solution as new sorption sites formed. Dissolved Mn increased during and after resuspension, with maximum values at 20 h post exposure. An initial release of Fe occurred, likely associated with oxidation of acid-volatile sulfides, but decreased after 1 h of resuspension. The Fe decrease is likely due to precipitation as oxyhydroxides. No acute toxicity was observed during resuspension; however, mortality of D. magna and H. azteca occurred during the postexposure period. Daphnia magna also exhibited chronic toxicity, with decreased neonate production after exposure. This sublethal effect could lead to decreased zooplankton populations over a longer period in the reservoir. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:1476-1485. © 2019 SETAC.
Do neoprene sleeves and prophylactic knee braces affect neuromuscular control and cutting agility

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the effects of neoprene sleeves (NSs) and prophylactic knee braces (PKBs) on neuromuscular control and cutting agility. Design Markerless motion-capture technology tracked subjects (1) without a brace as a control (2) with NSs and (3) with PKBs during single-leg drop vertical jump (SLDVJ), single-leg squat (SLS), Y-excursion, and cutting movements. Movements were recorded five times per bracing condition in three different sessions. Setting University laboratory. Participants Ten healthy, active subjects (5 male, 5 female; age range, 22–26 years). Main outcome measures Degrees of motion and time to completion. Results Use of NSs and PKBs reduced subjects' hip internal rotation in the loading phase of SLDVJ (p = 0.026, 0.02) and SLS (p = 0.005, Conclusion Both NSs and PKBs positively impacted neuromuscular control without impacting cutting agility.
Solid-liquid metal interface definition studies using capillary fluctuation method

Abstract We present a review of various commonly used numerical approaches used to define the interface of a crystal-melt structure at the atomic scale using order parameters, local positioning and density functions. The effectiveness and deviations in interfacial stiffness, as calculated through the capillary fluctuation method, are compared between two methods, centrosymmetry parameter and the local concentration parameter, for the face-centered cubic structure of aluminum. In addition, a new maximum difference filtering technique is introduced that uses existing order parameters to create finely detailed interfaces between two phases. The filtering technique is used to define various fractal scales at the interface, and to demonstrate the effect on interfacial stiffness due to the change in scale on the fluctuation analysis for a range of wavenumbers. The presented material is intended for applications of the capillary fluctuation method where the consistent and automatic definition of two-phase interfaces is required for a large number of atom coordinate configurations.
Detonation synthesis of carbon nano-onions via liquid carbon condensation.

Transit through the carbon liquid phase has significant consequences for the subsequent formation of solid nanocarbon detonation products. We report dynamic measurements of liquid carbon condensation and solidification into nano-onions over ∽200 ns by analysis of time-resolved, small-angle X-ray scattering data acquired during detonation of a hydrogen-free explosive, DNTF (3,4-bis(3-nitrofurazan-4-yl)furoxan). Further, thermochemical modeling predicts a direct liquid to solid graphite phase transition for DNTF products ~200 ns post-detonation. Solid detonation products were collected and characterized by high-resolution electron microscopy to confirm the abundance of carbon nano-onions with an average diameter of ∽10 nm, matching the dynamic measurements. We analyze other carbon-rich explosives by similar methods to systematically explore different regions of the carbon phase diagram traversed during detonation. Our results suggest a potential pathway to the efficient production of carbon nano-onions, while offering insight into the phase transformation kinetics of liquid carbon under extreme pressures and temperatures. Detonation of high explosives can produce many nanocarbon allotropes and morphologies, but the mechanism of formation is challenging to explore. Here the authors observe, by time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering, a transient liquid phase that precedes the formation of carbon onions.
30Gb/s 60.2mW 151GHz CMOS Transmitter/Receiver with Digitally Pre-Distorted Current Mode PAM-4 Modulator for Plastic waveguide and Contactless Communications

151 GHz CMOS transmitter and receiver are presented for ultra-short distance (~1 mm) contactless connection and plastic waveguide communications. To continue to scale the communication bandwidth, the 4-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM-4) is utilized by implementing a current-mode PAM-4 modulator in the transmitter. The transmitter and receiver suffer non-linear characteristics and create amplitude distortions on PAM-4 signaling. A digital pre-distortion circuit is integrated in the PAM-4 modulator to correct such system non-idealities. 151 GHz antennas are realized on FR4HR substrate and used as air-to-air/chip-to-waveguide couplers. On top of contactless connection and plastic ribbon waveguide, plastic-embedded PCB channels are introduced by exploiting copper-coated slots on PCB and plastic ribbons to communicate through PCB substrates. The transmitter and receiver are fabricated in 28-nm CMOS process. The demonstrated system consumes 60.2 mW under 1.2 V supply while transferring 30 Gb/s of PAM-4 data, achieving 2.01 pJ/bit energy efficiency.
Addressing barriers to improve biocrust colonization and establishment in dryland restoration

Methods to reduce soil loss and associated loss of ecosystem functions due to land degradation are of particular importance in dryland ecosystems. Biocrusts are communities of cyanobacteria, lichens, and bryophytes that are vulnerable to soil disturbance, but provide vital ecosystem functions when present. Biocrusts stabilize soil, improve hydrologic function, and increase nutrient and carbon inputs. Methods to reestablish biocrust rapidly, when lost from ecosystems, have the potential to restore important dryland ecosystem functions and thereby increase probability of successful rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to identify habitat ameliorations to enhance the success of biocrust inoculation by: (1) reducing physiological stress on biocrusts and increasing resource availability (using shade, soil surface roughening, and watering), and (2) stabilizing mobile soils (using straw borders, three soil tackifiers [soil stabilizers], and a combination of shade, water, roughening, and tackifier). In the Great Basin Desert on the Utah Test and Training Range near Salt Lake City, we applied field‐harvested biocrust material to experimental plots on coarse‐ and fine‐textured soils with the top 2 cm of soil and biocrust removed. Habitat ameliorations were applied with and without biocrust addition. Shade provision increased biocrust cover 50% over controls. Biocrust cover and soil stability were 65% lower in straw border plots relative to controls. Soil tackifiers, alone and in combination with resource augmentation and stress reduction, did not improve cover and stabilization over inoculated controls. We found variability in recovery by time and between soil types. These results suggest plausible strategies to improve success of biocrust inoculation.