cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A functional form for liquid scintillator pulse shapes

Abstract Digitization of detector signals enables analysis of the original waveform to extract timing, particle identification, and energy deposition information. Here we present the use of analytical functions based on sigmoids to model and fit such pulse shapes from liquid organic scintillators , though the method should also be applicable to other detector systems. Neutron and gamma interactions in NE213 detectors were digitized from the phototube anode and fit using a sigmoid-based function. The acuity of the fit in extracting timing information and performing neutron-gamma pulse-shape discrimination are presented and discussed.
Stability of plasma indices of inflammation/coagulation and homeostasis after fatty and non-fatty meals in treated people with HIV.

Objectives The relationship between lipid levels in plasma and inflammatory indices is complex and fatty meals alter plasma inflammatory markers in people with diabetes. There is interest in monitoring the effects of interventions on plasma inflammatory and coagulation elements in people with HIV, as they have been linked to risk for morbid outcomes and HIV persistence. Understanding the effects of feeding and time of specimen acquisition is important for the correct scheduling of clinical sampling. Methods We examined the effects of feeding on plasma inflammatory, coagulation and homeostatic indices among 24 non-diabetic people with HIV, with controlled viraemia and on antiretroviral therapy after fasting and then 1, 3 and 6 hours after ingesting a fatty meal, and also approximately 1 week later after fasting and after an isocaloric non-fatty meal. Plasma levels of IL-6, IL-7, IP-10, sCD14, sCD163, sTNFrII and D-dimer were monitored by immunoassay. Results Fasting levels of all markers obtained approximately 1 week apart were significantly correlated (P<0.001). Mild alterations in plasma concentrations of inflammatory markers were observed after feeding but geometric means varied more than 10% from baseline for only IL-6 and IL-7. Meal type was differentially associated with changes in plasma levels for IL-7 only. Antiretroviral treatment regimen, body mass index and changes in plasma triglyceride levels were not linked to post-feeding changes in these biomarkers. Conclusions These plasma inflammatory, coagulation and homeostatic indices are relatively stable at fasting and are only minimally affected by feeding or time of day. These findings will aid in the monitoring of inflammatory and homeostatic indices that may contribute to control of HIV expression and its persistence.
InFix: automatically repairing novice program inputs

This paper presents InFix, a technique for automatically fixing erroneous program inputs for novice programmers. Unlike comparable existing approaches for automatic debugging and maintenance tasks, InFix repairs input data rather than source code, does not require test cases, and does not require special annotations. Instead, we take advantage of patterns commonly used by novice programmers to automatically create helpful, high quality input repairs. InFix iteratively applies error-message based templates and random mutations based on insights about the debugging behavior of novices. This paper presents an implementation of InFix for Python. We evaluate on 25,995 unique scenarios with input-related errors collected from four years of data from Python Tutor, a free online programming tutoring environment. Our results generalize and scale; compared to previous work, we consider an order of magnitude more unique programs. Overall, InFix is able to repair 94.5% of deterministic input errors. We also present the results of a human study with 97 participants. Surprisingly, this simple approach produces high quality repairs; humans judged the output of InFix to be equally helpful and within 4% of the quality of human-generated repairs.
Pathogenesis and pathways: nonalcoholic fatty liver disease & alcoholic liver disease

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) account for the majority of hepatic morbidity and deaths due to cirrhosis in the United States. ALD is an umbrella term for a number of conditions linked to excessive alcohol consumption including simple steatosis, cirrhosis, acute alcoholic hepatitis (AH) with or without cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as a complication of cirrhosis. Although it presents with histological features resembling alcohol-induced liver injury, NAFLD occurs in patients with little or no history of alcohol consumption. NAFLD is a broad-spectrum term used to describe anything from fat accumulation in hepatocytes without inflammation or fibrosis (simple hepatic steatosis) to hepatic steatosis with a necroinflammatory component (steatohepatitis) with or without associated fibrosis. The pathogenesis is not fully understood for either disease. Development of severe liver disease is highly variable amongst chronic abusers of alcohol. Sex, age, genetics, host microbiome, and behavior are all factors linked to the development of ALD. These factors also contribute to NAFLD, but by contrast, insulin resistance is widely believed to be the main driver of nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis. The mechanism behind the transition from nonalcoholic steatosis to steatohepatitis remains a matter of debate with insulin resistance, oxidative injury, hepatic iron, gut hormones, antioxidant deficiency, and host microbiome all suspected to play part of the role.
Exercise reduces immune suppression and breast cancer progression in a preclinical model

Exercise is associated with favorable changes in circulating immune cells and improved survival in early-stage breast cancer patients, but the mechansims remain to be fully elucidated. Preclinical studies indicate that physical activity started before tumor injection reduces tumor incidence and progression. Here we tested whether exercise has anti-tumor effects in mice with established 4T1 mammary carcinoma, a mouse model of triple negative breast cancer. Exercise slowed tumor progression and reduced the tumor-induced accumulation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). The reduction in MDSCs was accompanied by a relative increase in natural killer and CD8 T cell activation, suggesting that exercise restores a favorable immune environment. Consistently, exercise improved responses to a combination of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blockade and focal radiotherapy. These data support further investigations of exercise in breast cancer patients treated with combinations of immunotherapy and cytotoxic agents to improve cancer outcomes.
Ultrafast electron dynamics in gold nanoshells

We present ultrafast optical studies on nanoshells, which consist of a nanoscale ${\mathrm{Au}}_{2}\mathrm{S}$ dielectric core surrounded by an ultrathin Au shell. The plasmon frequency of these nanoparticles can be controlled by varying the ratio of the core diameter to shell thickness. By tuning this plasmon peak, we have observed both transient bleaching and transient absorption for Au nanoshells embedded in polyvinyl alcohol. We relate the induced change in transmission of gold nanoshell films to the electron dynamics in the thin gold shell. Our results indicate that even when the plasmon frequency is shifted below the onset of interband transitions, interband effects are still of primary importance in determining the nonlinear optical response. An electron relaxation time of $1.65\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.10\mathrm{ps}$ is measured that corresponds to an electron-phonon coupling constant of $2.2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{16}{\mathrm{W}/(\mathrm{m}}^{3}\mathrm{}\mathrm{K}),$ smaller than that observed in bulk Au films.
Hidden spaces: treatment of an occult uterovaginal septum.

Objective To describe the unique presentation and surgical management of a complete uterovaginal septum. Design Video case report. Setting Tertiary care academic medical center. Patient(s) A 25-year-old woman, gravida 2, para 0-0-2-0, referred for evaluation after imaging and clinical examination revealed conflicting information. She was initially seen by her local provider for menorrhagia. Locally an ultrasound revealed a septate uterus, and examination under anesthesia with hysteroscopy noted a single vagina and cervix with a unicornuate uterus. Due to incongruous findings, she was referred for evaluation. Intervention(s) Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), examination under anesthesia, vaginal surgery, and operative hysteroscopy. Main Outcomes and Measure(s) The MRI identified a complete uterovaginal septum with a single septate cervix. Vaginal gel was used to define vaginal anatomy, and the gel was noted to fill the right hemivagina with none noted on the left. Examination under anesthesia revealed an imperforate hymen with a small opening on the left as the cause for confusion in the clinical presentation. A hymenectomy was performed followed by guided surgical management of a complete uterovaginal septum, unicollis. Result(s) The patient was discharged home the same day of surgery. Conclusion(s) Presentation of mullerian anomalies are often complex, and anatomic variations in commonly described anomalies make misdiagnoses common. Advanced imaging with use of MRI with vaginal gel or three-dimensional ultrasonography and detailed examination are often helpful. Differentiating between unicollis and bicollis presentations in complete uterovaginal septum cases is an important distinction during surgical management.
Predicting clustered weather patterns: A test case for applications of convolutional neural networks to spatio-temporal climate data

Deep learning techniques such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs) can potentially provide powerful tools for classifying, identifying, and predicting patterns in climate and environmental data. However, because of the inherent complexities of such data, which are often spatio-temporal, chaotic, and non-stationary, the CNN algorithms must be designed/evaluated for each specific dataset and application. Yet CNN, being a supervised technique, requires a large labeled dataset to start. Labeling demands (human) expert time which, combined with the limited number of relevant examples in this area, can discourage using CNNs for new problems. To address these challenges, here we (1) Propose an effective auto-labeling strategy based on using an unsupervised clustering algorithm and evaluating the performance of CNNs in re-identifying and predicting these clusters up to 5 days ahead of time; (2) Use this approach to label thousands of daily large-scale weather patterns over North America in the outputs of a fully-coupled climate model and show the capabilities of CNNs in re-identifying and predicting the 4 clustered regimes up to 5 days ahead of time. The deep CNN trained with 1000 samples or more per cluster has an accuracy of 90% or better for both identification and prediction while prediction accuracy scales weakly with the number of lead days. Accuracy scales monotonically but nonlinearly with the size of the training set, e.g. reaching 94% with 3000 training samples per cluster for identification and 93–76% for prediction at lead day 1–5, outperforming logistic regression, a simpler machine learning algorithm, by ~ 25%. Effects of architecture and hyperparameters on the performance of CNNs are examined and discussed.
Role of conformational heterogeneity in ligand recognition by viral RNA molecules

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules are known to undergo conformational changes in response to various environmental stimuli including temperature, pH, and ligands. In particular, viral RNA molecules are a key example of conformationally adapting molecules that have evolved to switch between many functional conformations. The transactivation response element (TAR) RNA from the type-1 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) is a viral RNA molecule that is being increasingly explored as a potential therapeutic target due to its role in the viral replication process. In this work, we have studied the dynamics in TAR RNA in apo and liganded states by performing explicit-solvent molecular dynamics (MD) simulations initiated with 27 distinct structures. We determined that the TAR RNA structure is significantly stabilized on ligand binding with especially decreased fluctuations in its two helices. This rigidity is further coupled with the decreased flipping of bulge nucleotides, which were observed to flip more frequently in the absence of ligands. We found that initially-distinct structures of TAR RNA converged to similar conformations on removing ligands. We also report that conformational dynamics in unliganded TAR structures leads to the formation of binding pockets capable of accommodating ligands of various sizes.
Prevalence of prolonged grief disorder.

Abstract Background Prolonged grief is a disorder (PGD) characterized by severe and disabling grief reactions for an extended period of time after the loss of a significant person. ICD-11 and DSM-5-TR differ substantially in individual criteria. Objective Estimation of the respective prevalence of PGDICD-11 and PGDDSM-5-TR and the frequency with which single symptoms of prolonged grief occur in the general population. Methods Out of a representative sample of the German general population (N=2498), n = 914 reported a significant loss and prolonged grief symptoms based on the extended version of the self-reported Prolonged Grief Disorder-13+9 (PG13+9). Sociodemographic and loss-related characteristics were collected. Results The probable prevalence of PGDICD-11 was 1.5% and that of PGDDSM-5-TR was 1.2% in the general sample. Among bereaved persons (n=914), the prevalence of developing PGDICD-11 was 4.2% and that of PGDDSM-5-TR was 3.3%. Diagnostic agreement between the two criteria-sets was very high and did not increase after heightening the accessory symptom threshold for PGDICD-11. Difficulties accepting the loss was the most frequent single symptom (14-25%) and grief-related impairment was common (10-16%). Over 60% of participants with a probable PGD diagnosis utilized health care services. Limitations Results are based on self-reported data. The PG13+9 was not designed to assess grief symptoms according to ICD-11 and DSM-5-TR diagnostic criteria. Conclusions Prolonged grief according to ICD-11 and DSM-5-TR is a notable disorder in the general population. Among bereaved persons, single symptoms of prolonged grief are relatively frequent and cause substantial degrees of impairment.
Tumor organoid-originated biomarkers predict immune response to PD-1 blockade

Summary Despite the demonstrated efficacy and broad applicability of checkpoint blockade, the mechanisms by which it exerts its antitumor effects are incompletely understood. A recent article in Nature Medicine describes an ex vivo platform for assessing early responses to checkpoint blockade and the properties of tumor immune contexture in correlation to clinical responses.
Technologies of Shame: Agency, Identity, and Visibility

This speculative essay proposes an account of shame phenomena in the Fourth Industrial Revolution that traces the origin and meaning of shame to technology. Drawing upon sociological and psychological inquiries and theories, the essay explains the origin of shame as related to what Norbert Elias (The civilizing process: Sociogenetic and psychogenetic investigations. (E. Jephcott, Trans.), E. Dunning, J. Goudsblom, & S. Mennell (Eds.). Malden, MA: Blackwell, 1939/2000) dubbed generally the “instruments of civilization.” The essay reflects upon the imbrication of human agency, identities, and visibility as it relates to the historically shifting threshold of shame from pre-industrial to post-industrial societies. The essay will have four main concerns, outlining the history of shame and its moralities from a sociological perspective, identifying the technological origins of shame, considering some transformations of shame by technology, and speculating upon the future of shame as a moral construct embedded in technology, with some consideration of the binary divisions such as technology/society and subject/object that have traditionally structured the cultural significance of shame.
Correspondence re: P. P. Claudio et al. , Mutations in the Retinoblastoma-related Gene RB2/p130 in Primary Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma. Cancer Res., 60: 8–12, 2000.

In a recent issue of Cancer Research, Claudio et al. [(1)][1] reported the presence of mutations within exons of the RB2/p130 gene in NPC. [1][2] In their report concerning NPC, the authors found mutations in 3 of 10 (30%) primary tumors examined. Of interest was the fact that some of the samples
Eine einfache neue Synthese für Säureanhydride

A novel method for the synthesis of acid anhydrides is described. Condensation of two molequivalents of a triethylammonium salt of an aliphatic or aromatic acid with one molequivalent of phosgene in an inert solvent at low temperature furnishes excellent yields of anhydrides.
Experimental Design Considerations for Accelerated Life Tests with Nonlinear Constraints and Censoring

Problem: As the electronic industry has adopted lead-free solder joint technology, the failure acceleration model for solder joint fatigue needs to be reinvestigated through accelerated life tests ...
Simultaneous design and placement of multiplexed chemical processing systems on microchips

Microchip structures represent an attractive platform for microscale chemical processing of fluidic systems. However, standardized design methods for these devices have not yet been developed. Here we describe our work toward adapting traditional SoC circuit design techniques for the synthesis of fully customized and multiplexed lab-on-a-chip (LoC) devices. We discuss our formulation of the multiplex layout problem and present an approach for the design of microchip based electrophoretic separation systems. This work is extendable to systems incorporating mixing and reaction.
Picosecond laser damage performance assessment of multilayer dielectric gratings in vacuum

Precise assessment of the high fluence performance of pulse compressor gratings is necessary to determine the safe operational limits of short-pulse high energy lasers. We have measured the picosecond laser damage behavior of multilayer dielectric (MLD) diffraction gratings used in the compression of chirped pulses on the Advanced Radiographic Capability (ARC) kilojoule petawatt laser system at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). We present optical damage density measurements of MLD gratings using the raster scan method in order to estimate operational performance. We also report results of R-on-1 tests performed with varying pulse duration (1-30 ps) in air, and clean vacuum. Measurements were also performed in vacuum with controlled exposure to organic contamination to simulate the grating use environment. Results show sparse defects with lower damage resistance which were not detected by small-area damage test methods.
Exacerbations in cystic fibrosis · 1: Epidemiology and pathogenesis

With the improving survival of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), the clinical spectrum of this complex multisystem disease continues to evolve. One of the most important clinical events for patients with CF in the course of this disease is an acute pulmonary exacerbation. Clinical and microbial epidemiology studies of CF pulmonary exacerbations continue to provide important insight into the course, prognosis and complications of the disease. This review provides a summary of the pathophysiology, clinical epidemiology and microbial epidemiology of a CF pulmonary exacerbation.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells Expressing Insulin‐like Growth Factor‐I (MSCIGF) Promote Fracture Healing and Restore New Bone Formation in Irs1 Knockout Mice: Analyses of MSCIGF Autocrine and Paracrine Regenerative Effects

Failures of fracture repair (nonunions) occur in 10% of all fractures. The use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in tissue regeneration appears to be rationale, safe, and feasible. The contributions of MSC to the reparative process can occur through autocrine and paracrine effects. The primary objective of this study is to find a novel mean, by transplanting primary cultures of bone marrow-derived MSCs expressing insulin-like growth factor-I (MSC(IGF)), to promote these seed-and-soil actions of MSC to fully implement their regenerative abilities in fracture repair and nonunions. MSC(IGF) or traceable MSC(IGF)-Lac-Z were transplanted into wild-type or insulin-receptor-substrate knockout (Irs1(-/-)) mice with a stabilized tibia fracture. Healing was assessed using biomechanical testing, microcomputed tomography (μCT), and histological analyses. We found that systemically transplanted MSC(IGF) through autocrine and paracrine actions improved the fracture mechanical strength and increased new bone content while accelerating mineralization. We determined that IGF-I adapted the response of transplanted MSC(IGF) to promote their differentiation into osteoblasts. In vitro and in vivo studies showed that IGF-I-induced osteoglastogenesis in MSCs was dependent of an intact IRS1-PI3K signaling. Furthermore, using Irs1(-/-) mice as a nonunion fracture model through altered IGF signaling, we demonstrated that the autocrine effect of IGF-I on MSC restored the fracture new bone formation and promoted the occurrence of a well-organized callus that bridged the gap. A callus that was basically absent in Irs1(-/-) left untransplanted or transplanted with MSCs. We provided evidence of effects and mechanisms for transplanted MSC(IGF) in fracture repair and potentially to treat nonunions.
Monte Carlo calculation of isotopic vapor pressure ratios for some water molecules

Abstract A normal coordinate treatment of the internal and external motions of isotopic water molecules has been used to calculate the vapor pressure isotope effects. The effect of neighboring molecules is taken into account by selecting a distribution of O···O intermolecular distances according to the Monte Carlo method. The spectroscopic distribution of calculated frequencies is in much better qualitative agreement with experiment than are earlier simplified average cell model calculations, while quantitative agreement between calculated and experimental isotope effects is maintained.
Ball lens fiber optic sensor based smart handheld microsurgical instrument

During freehand performance of vitreoretinal microsurgery the surgeon must perform precise and stable maneuvers that achieve surgical objectives and avoid surgical risk. Here, we present an improved smart handheld microsurgical tool which is based on a ball lens fiber optic sensor that utilizes common path swept source optical coherence tomography. Improvements include incorporation of a ball lens single mode fiber optic probe that increases the working angle of the tool to greater than 45 degrees; and increases the magnitude of the distance sensing signal through water. Also presented is a cutting function with an improved ergonomic design.
Effect of high hydrostatic pressures on colchicine-damaged mast cells of peritoneal fluid.

Summary and ConclusionsAbnormally shaped mast cells of peritoneal fluid in colchi-cine-treated rats are affected by the application of high hydrostatic pressure. The changes observed under pressure include rounding up of the cell, suggesting that the abnormal morphology is maintained by a strongly gelated cytoplasm. Induction of localized foci of gelation by colchicine is postulated to explain the formation of polymorphic mast elements.
Temperature and water drop size in the Pollak counter

An extensive series of measurements was made of the performance of the Pollak counter during adiabatic expansion. Temperature was measured by a resistance wire, 0.0005-in. (0.0127-mm) diameter, which was stretched the length of the counter. The temperature drop, pressure drop, and the fog formed during wet adiabatic expansion were observed on an oscilloscope and photographed with a Polaroid camera. The temperature drop was observed to be 8°C, whether room aerosol (about 50,000 particles · cm−3, causing dense fog) or filtered air (slight fog) was introduced. A temperature drop of 16°C was observed during dry adiabatic expansion. To obtain this condition, prolonged drying with dry air from a tank was necessary to rid the Pollak counter of the 200 cm3 of water in the ceramic lining. The same temperature was observed whether room aerosol or Altered air was introduced, but no fog was formed in either case. The water drop size was also measured by three methods: direct observation of sedimentation; calculations...
Spatial organization of inner hair cell synapses and cochlear spiral ganglion neurons.

The morphological organization of the central projections of the cat cochlear spiral ganglion into the cochlear nucleus was previously investigated by creating restricted lesions in the anteroventral cochlear nucleus (AVCN) to ablate selectively either the lateral or the medial aspect of isofrequency projection laminae. Such lesions resulted in highly selective retrograde degeneration of spiral ganglion cells. Ablation of the lateral part of the AVCN caused degeneration of cells within the scala tympani part of the ganglion, whereas medial ablations within the AVCN induced degeneration of the scala vestibuli aspect of the ganglion. The peripheral axons also degenerated and this fiber loss exhibited selective topographies that paralleled the cell loss within the spiral ganglion, although this phenomenon was more prominent in the proximal part of the osseous spiral lamina near the ganglion and less obvious more distally near the habenula perforata. In this investigation, inner hair cells (IHCs) from these selective lesion cases were evaluated by electron microscopy of serial sections through the basal synaptic regions. Results demonstrated differential degeneration of afferent synapses, with greater (but not completely selective) loss of pillar synapses after lateral AVCN lesions and greater loss of modiolar synapses after medial lesions. Because auditory nerve fibers of different spontaneous discharge rates (SRs) have different spatial distributions on the IHC (Liberman, Science 216:1239, 1982), our results suggest that this SR-based organization is maintained in a topographic organization across the vertical (scala tympani-to-scala vestibuli) dimension of the spiral ganglion cell cluster and carried into the ventral cochlear nuclei (VCN). Thus, in addition to the spiral frequency organization represented by the dorsal-to-ventral frequency map in the VCN, there is also an orderly organization of inputs from high- and low-SR fibers across the lateral-to-medial dimension of the VCN such that the lateral isofrequency laminae receive a proportionately greater input from high-SR fibers, whereas medial isofrequency laminae receive preferential input from low- and medium-SR fibers. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Paramagnetism and catalytic activity of sulfur-impregnated zeolites

Abstract The impregnation of Linde Molecular Sieves with sulfur vapor at temperatures in the region of 400°C results in the formation of strongly paramagnetic solids. Paramagnetism is due to the presence of long sulfur chains (biradicals) in the zeolite lattice. Sulfur-saturated Sieve 3A is particularly stable and is an active catalyst for the heterogeneous decomposition of hydrocarbons. The rate of decomposition of 2,3-dimethyl butane increases with increasing concentration of biradicals in the catalyst suggesting that the sulfur free radicals participate directly or indirectly in the cracking reaction.
Accuracy and convergence of higher order distorted wave perturbation theory

Abstract A distorted wave perturbation theory which allows for a different distortion potential for each channel is investigated. The method is closely related to a perturbative solution of close coupled equations. Improvement in first order is found. However, higher order terms are not significantly improved over other computationally more convenient approaches. For purposes of comparison, numerical results are given for the oscillator atom collinear collision. The convergence of series solutions is studied as a function of scattering parameters. The accuracy of several approximation schemes is also investigated.
Studies of dormant tumor cells.

An attempt was made to study dormant tumor cells in a syngeneic, immunologic, experimental tumor system. First, however, tumor cell dormancy was redemonstrated in the Walker 256 tumor-Sprague-Dawley rat model as it had been described by Fisher and Fisher. Walker 256 tumor-cell suspensions were injected intraportally in Sprague-Dawley rats (non-inbred). Rats receiving subthreshold doses of tumor underwent serial liver massage beginning 4 or 12 weeks after injection. Control (non-laparotomized) rats were followed 120 days, and livers were tumor-negative at the time of sacrifice. Rats receiving subthreshold doses of 5 × 103, 2.5 × 104, and 1.25 × 105 cells were massaged four times at 4-week intervals. In these groups, 85%, 73%, and 92%, respectively, developed liver metastases. An attempt to demonstrate dormant cells in syngeneic Fisher rats using a 3–4 benz(a)pyrene induced sarcoma was not successful. Ninety-eight animals receiving subthreshold intraportal doses of this tumor serially underwent 6 liver massages at 4-week intervals. In no instance were “dormant cells” stimulated to gross or microscopically discernible growth. The 3–4 benzpyrene sarcoma was shown to be highly immunogenic in Fisher rats. The Walker 256 tumor was not demonstrated immunogenic in Sprague-Dawley rats. Possible explanations for these contrasting results are discussed.
Identification of decision rules in experiments on simple games of proposal and response

Abstract Experimental economics shares with econometrics the objective of inference on decision processes from data on observed behavior. However, experimentalists and econometricians have gone about their research in different ways, the former mainly using exploratory modes of analysis and the latter stressing formal inference on the distribution of decision rules that yield observed choices. An important concern of econometric research has been to determine the identifiability of agents’ decision rules when choice data are combined with various forms of other information. This paper examines the identifiability of decision rules from experimental data on choices in simple games of proposal and response.
Channelrhodopsin2 Current During the Action Potential: “Optical AP Clamp” and Approximation

The most widely used optogenetic tool, Channelrhodopsin2 (ChR2), is both light- and voltage-sensitive. A light-triggered action potential or light-driven perturbations of ongoing electrical activity provide instant voltage feedback, shaping ChR2 current. Therefore, depending on the cell type and the light pulse duration, the typically reported voltage-clamp-measured ChR2 current traces are often not a good surrogate for the ChR2 current during optically-triggered action potentials. We discuss two experimental methods to reveal ChR2 current during an action potential: an “optical AP clamp” and its approximation employing measured current-voltage curve for ChR2. The methods are applicable to voltage- and light-sensitive ion currents operating in excitable cells, e.g. cardiomyocytes or neurons.
Inhibition of Cellular transformation by the adeno-associated virus rep gene

The replication, or rep, gene of the human parvovirus, adeno-associated virus (AAV), is a pleiotropic effector of numerous viral functions. The rep gene trans-regulates viral DNA replication, mRNA transcription, and assembly of the infectious virion. In addition to its roles in the virus life cycle the rep gene also represses gene expression from viral or cellular transcription promoters in both transient and long-term assays. In this report we have investigated the ability of the rep gene to inhibit cellular transformation mediated by SV40 DNA or the adenovirus E1a and human ras oncogene pair. In DNA transfection assays, the complete AAV rep gene inhibited SV40 DNA and E1a/ras gene-mediated transformation of mouse fibroblasts. AAV DNA plasmids that expressed the Rep68/40 or Rep52/40 proteins alone did not suppress transformation. AAV DNA replication was not required for suppression. Due to the antiproliferative effect of the AAV rep gene, we propose that it acts a viral analogue of cellular anti-oncogenes and is a useful model system for studying the regulation of cellular proliferation.
On the question of flow stress at high strain rates controlled by dislocation viscous flow

Abstract Moving dislocation experience a damping force because of their interactions with lattice phonons and electrons. Except at velocities close to the transverse sound velocity this force is proportional to the dislocation velocity. A high plastic strain rates dislocations may be required to move so quickly that dislocation damping forces determine the flow stress. In this note an estimate is made of strain rate at which dislocation damping becomes important. In the plastic flow stress range of 10 MPa to 100 MPa (for aluminum) the critical strain rate is of the order of 4 × 10 5 s −1 to 10 6 s −1 if almost all the dislocation within a piece of metal are mobile during plastic straining. If only a small fraction of the dislocations during plastic straining is mobile, the critical strain rate is reduced by an amount equal to this fraction.
Galantamine, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and positive allosteric modulator of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, attenuates nicotine taking and seeking in rats.

Current smoking cessation pharmacotherapies have limited efficacy in preventing relapse and maintaining abstinence during withdrawal. Galantamine is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor that also acts as a positive allosteric modulator of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Galantamine has recently been shown to reverse nicotine withdrawal-induced cognitive impairments in mice, which suggests that galantamine may function to prevent relapse in human smokers. However, there are no studies examining whether galantamine administration modulates nicotine self-administration and/or reinstatement of nicotine seeking in rodents. The present experiments were designed to determine the effects of galantamine administration on nicotine taking and reinstatement of nicotine-seeking behavior, an animal model of relapse. Moreover, the effects of galantamine on sucrose-maintained responding and sucrose seeking were also examined to determine whether galantamine's effects generalized to other reinforced behaviors. An inverted U-shaped dose-response curve was obtained when animals self-administered different unit doses of nicotine with the highest responding for 0.03 mg/kg per infusion of nicotine. Acute galantamine administration (5.0 mg/kg, i.p.) attenuated nicotine self-administration when animals were maintained on either a fixed-ratio 5 (FR5) or progressive ratio (PR) schedule of reinforcement. Galantamine administration also attenuated the reinstatement of nicotine-seeking behavior. No significant effects of galantamine on sucrose self-administration or sucrose reinstatement were noted. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors have also been shown to produce nausea and vomiting in humans. However, at doses required to attenuate nicotine self-administration, no effects of galantamine on nausea/malaise as measured by pica were noted. These results indicate that increased extracellular acetylcholine levels and/or nicotinic acetylcholine receptor stimulation is sufficient to attenuate nicotine taking and seeking in rats and that these effects are reinforcer selective and not due to adverse malaise symptoms such as nausea.
THE NEGATIVE RELATION BETWEEN DAILY INDEX RETURN SERIAL CORRELATIONS AND CONDITIONAL VARIANCES: DOES IT HAVE MATHEMATICAL OR ECONOMIC ORIGINS?

Previous research finds a negative relation between daily index return first-order serial correlations and conditional variances. However, this finding should not necessarily be surprising since an inherent, negative mathematical relation exists between the two measures. I use progressively longer holding-period intervals for conditional variance estimation to diminish the mathematical correspondence between variances and daily serial correlation. In the process, approximately two-thirds to three-quarters of the negative relation vanishes. Thus, most of the negative relation documented previously is likely due to mathematical relations. What is left may have minor economic importance.
Measured body mass index, body weight perception, dissatisfaction and control practices in urban, low-income African American adolescents

Current understanding of the associations between actual body weight status, weight perception, body dissatisfaction, and weight control practices among low-income urban African American adolescents is limited. The knowledge can help direct future intervention efforts. Cross-sectional data including measured weight and height and self-reported weight status collected from 448 adolescents in four Chicago Public Schools were used. The prevalence of overweight and obesity (BMI ≥ 85th percentile) was 39.8%, but only 27.2% considered themselves as obese, although 43.4% reported trying to lose weight. Girls were more likely to express weight dissatisfaction than boys, especially those with BMI ≥ 95th percentile (62.9% vs. 25.9%). BMI ≥ 85th percentile girls were more likely to try to lose weight than boys (84.6% vs. 66.7%). Among all adolescents, 27.2% underestimated and 67.2% correctly judged their own weight status. Multinomial logistic models show that those with BMI ≥ 85th percentile, self-perceived as obese, or expressed body dissatisfaction were more likely to try to lose weight; adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were 4.52 (2.53–8.08), 18.04 (7.19–45.30), 4.12 (1.64–10.37), respectively. No significant differences were found in diet and physical activity between those trying to lose weight and those not trying, but boys who reported trying to lose weight still spent more television time (P < 0.05). Gender differences in weight perception, body dissatisfaction, and weight control practices exist among African American adolescents. One-third did not appropriately classify their weight status. Weight perception and body dissatisfaction are correlates of weight control practices. Adolescents attempting to lose weight need be empowered to make adequate desirable behavioral changes.
Chronophysiology of Prolactin in the Lower Vertebrates

In every instance tested, responses to prolactin in fish, frogs, lizards, birds and mammals vary markedly during the day. At certain intervals prolactin may stimulate gains in body fat stores, whereas at other intervals it may cause fat losses. Similarly, there are specific times for gonadal prosteroidogenic and antisteroidogenic activities, augmentation of body growth, inhibition of amphibian metamorphosis, pigeon cropsac stimulation, induction of migratory restlessness, and the control of migratory orientation. Prolactin interacts with other hormones in several ways depending on their temporal relations. Changing relations between the daily rhythms of prolactin and the corticosteroid rhythms are thought to control the orderly and coordinated sequences of physiological and behavioral conditions during the annual cycle and in development.
Scaling relations in thermal turbulence: The aspect-ratio dependence

We report scaling relations of thermal turbulence in cells of aspect ratio 0.5, 1.0, and 6.7.
Fatigue and fatigue-related symptoms in an orofacial pain population.

Abstract Objectives The aims of this study were to investigate the presence and magnitude of self-reported fatigue and fatigue-related symptoms and to determine whether fatigue can be distinguished as a unique clinical symptom in a sample of patients diagnosed with chronic temporomandibular joint or masticatory muscle pain. Study design Fifty-five chronic TMD patients and 55 age-, sex-, and education-matched healthy volunteers completed a battery of 4 different fatigue measures as well as the SCL90-R, MPI, and PSQI. Results Fatigue and fatigue-related symptoms were reported significantly more often by chronic TMD patients than by healthy volunteers. MANCOVAs with somatization, depression, anxiety, general activity level, and sleep disturbances as covariates eliminated the differences between patients and controls. Stepwise regression showed that fatigue and fatigue-related symptoms did not appear to be a unique clinical symptom of TMD patients, but merely emerged as somatic symptoms accounted for by somatization and depression. Conclusion Fatigue and fatigue related symptoms may be symptoms of somatization and depression in this sample of chronic TMD patients.
Apexification: a review

This paper reviews the rationale and techniques for treatment of the non-vital immature tooth. The importance of careful case assessment and accurate pulpal diagnosis in the treatment of immature teeth with pulpal injury cannot be overemphasized. The treatment of choice for necrotic teeth is apexification, which is induction of apical closure to produce more favorable conditions for conventional root canal filling. The most commonly advocated medicament is calcium hydroxide, although recently considerable interest has been expressed in the use of mineral trioxide aggregate. Introduction of techniques for one-visit apexification provide an alternative treatment option in these cases. Success rates for calcium hydroxide apexification are high although risks such as reinfection and tooth fracture exist. Prospective clinical trials comparing this and one-visit apexification techniques are required.
Fan Stage Redesigned to Decrease Stator Lift Fluctuation Noise

An existing fan stage, redesigned to reduce stator lift fluctuations, was tested acoustically for reduced noise generation. The lift fluctuations on the stator were reduced by increasing the stator chord, adjusting incidence angles, and by adjusting the rotor velocity diagrams. The experiments showed significantly reduced broadband noise levels in the middle to high frequencies. Blade passage tone power was not reduced, but decreases in the harmonics were observed. Aerodynamic improvements in both performance and efficiency were obtained.
Anomalous postural response of plasma aldosterone concentration in patients with aldosterone-producing adrenal adenoma.

In normotensive controls and patients with essential hypertension, plasma aldosterone concentration increased during a morning in the standing position. In 6 cases of hyperaldosteronism with bilateral hyperplasia or indeterminate pathology, plasma aldosterone concentration was above normal, increasing further after standing. Seven of 9 patients with hyperaldosteronism due to unilateral adenoma had high resting plasma aldosterone concentration which fell after standing. The change in plasma aldosterone may help to distinguish between adenoma and hyperplasia as the cause of primary aldosteronism.
Circular dichroic and fluroescence spectroscopic study of the conformation of botulinum neurotoxin types A and E

Botulinum neurotoxin (NT) is synthesized byClostridium botulinum in any of seven antigenically distinct forms, called types A through G. Protease(s) endogenous to the bacteria, or trypsin, nicks the single chain protein to a dichain molecule which generally is more toxic. The conformation of dichain type A (nicked by endogenous protease), single chain type E, and dichain type E NT (nicked by trypsin) have been determined using circular dichroism (CD) and fluorescence spectroscopy. The high degree of ordered secondary structure (α helix 28%, β sheet 42%, total 70%) found in type A NT at pH 6.0 was similar to that found at pH 9.0 (α 22%, β 47%, total 69%). The secondary structure of the single chain type E NT at pH 6.0 (α 18%, β 37%, total 55%) differed somewhat from these values at pH 9.0 (α 22%, β 43%, total 65%). The dichain type E NT at pH 6.0 assumed a secondary structure (α 20%, β 47%, total 67%) more similar to that of dichain type A than the single chain type E NT. Examination with the fluorogenic probe toluidine napthalene sulfonate revealed that the hydrophobicity of the type A and E NTs were higher at pH 9.0 than at pH 6.0. Also, the hydrophobicity of the dichain type E NT was higher than its precursor the single chain protein and appeared similar to that of the dichain type A NT. The CD and fluorescence studies indicate that conversion of the single chain type E NT to the dichain form (i.e. nicking by trypsin) induced changes in conformation. The ordered secondary structure (a + β contents) of botulinum NT, 70% for type A and 67% for dichain type E, agree well with 65% of α + β contents of tetanus toxin [21] that is produced byClostridium tetani.
Progesterone in bovine milk fat.

Abstract The progesterone (P4) concentration (ng/5 μl) in the fat portion of cow's milk was measured on days 0, 12, 20, 24, and 30 after insemination in an effort to assess the ability of this analysis to judge the reproductive status of dairy cows. Pregnancy was determined by rectal palpation at approximately 40 days after insemination. The mean P4 concentration (ng/5 μl) ± SD in the pregnant cows (n=17) was 0.14±.07, 1.31±.36, 1.41±.52, 1.22±.21, and 1.30±.43 on post-insemination days 0, 12, 20, 24, and 30 respectively. At these same intervals the P4 concentration in the non-pregnant (NP) cows (n=18) was 0.14±.06, 1.26±.37, 0.56±.52, 0.57±.42, and 1.08±.59. On days 20 and 24 after insemination, mean P4 levels were significantly (P In order to determine the percentage of cows inseminated out of the periestrual period, milkfat P4 concentrations were ascertained in milk collected from 165 cows at the time of insemination. Cows that conceived (n=38) had a mean milkfat P4 concentration at the time of insemination of 0.16±.09. The upper limit for P4 in the milkfat at the time of insemination in cows that conceived was calculated to be 0.43 ng/5 μl milkfat. Subsequently, it was found that of the 14 cows that had P4 levels above this upper limit at time of insemination, nine were inseminated at a period other than in the periestrual period and five were inseminated while already pregnant.
Momentum Distribution of an Interacting Electron Gas

The momentum distribution of an interacting electron gas at zero temperature is studied in the high-density region. Numerical computations are made for the graphs corresponding to the excitation of pairs, which are known to be equivalent to the random phase approximation of Bohm and Pines. Exchange graphs are discussed. The numerical results, extrapolated to actual electronic densities in metals, show that a large discontinuity in the momentum distribution still remains at the Fermi level.