cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Detection of differential tissue modulus using detection of differential rate of decorrelation

Initial screening of breast cancer is usually performed using finger-based palpation. We seek to augment the palpation process by associating palpated lesions with lesions detected via image processing applied to the ultrasound image. As the transducer is scanned in the elevational direction over the breast, with a slight pressure into the tissue, lesions with high elastic-modulus will move differently with respect to the surrounding tissue. Thus, we hypothesize that we can detect a high-elastic modulus region by comparing the rate of speckle decorrelation for various regions of the image plane. The potential viability of the technique is verified using both simulated speckle data and phantom (in vitro) data.
Dielectric properties of foods relevant to RF and microwave pasteurization and sterilization.

A custom-built temperature-controlled test cell and an Agilent 4291B impedance analyzer were used to determine the dielectric properties of a whey protein gel, a liquid whey protein mixture, and a macaroni and cheese product and their constituents. Dielectric constants, loss factors, and penetration depths for each sample over a temperature range from 20 to 121.1 °C, at frequencies of 27, 40, 915, and 1800 MHz are reported. As temperature increased, dielectric constants of whey protein products increased at 27 and 40 MHz, but decreased at 915 and 1800 MHz. Dielectric loss factors of whey protein products increased sharply with increasing temperatures at 27 and 40 MHz, but increased mildly at 915 and 1800 MHz. Similar results were observed with macaroni and cheese. The penetration depths of electromagnetic energy at 27 and 40 MHz were about four times as great as those at the microwave frequencies 915 and 1800 MHz in all tested samples.
Arms Exports for Oil Imports?: The Test of a Nonlinear Model

This article examines the indirect effects of the amount of money the major Western arms-exporting nations spend on imported oil on increases in the dollar volume of arms exports. In other words, are the United States, Britain, France, West Germany, and Italy using arms exports to offset the cost of imported oil? The effects of the dollar volume of oil imports on the dollar volume of arms exports are hypothesized to be mediated through the negative impact that oil imports have on the terms of trade and the positive impact they have on unemployment. These hypotheses are supported by the results of the data analysis. For most of the European countries, arms exports also show a significant increase in response to the declining share of central government expenditures allocated to defense, declining terms of trade, and to increases in rates of unemployment. The results apply to increases in the absolute levels of arms exports. Declining terms of trade and unemployment do not have a strong causal impact on arm...
Levitas y guardianes del prójimo

ResumenLa teoria Sociobiologica puede servir como un heuristico util para analizar la conducta prosocial humana. El presente articulo revisa investigaciones recientes, que sugieren la existencia en humanos de disposiciones altruistas basadas en el mecanismo de Seleccion Natural por parentesco o cooperacion diferencial hacia los parientes. Se tratan tambien la variabilidad transcultural y las diferencias individuales en la expresion de tendencias altruistas. Una segunda disposicion hacia la ayuda de base genetica denominada altruismo reciproco, puede inclinar a las personas a invertir ayuda en aquellos de los que se tiene una perspectiva de interaccion futura. Tambien se discute la evidencia que sugiere que la similaridad genetica puede jugar algun papel en la formacion de la amistad y en la expresion de cooperacion hacia los conocidos. Se dedica atencion particular a los mecanismos emocionales y cognitivos que podrian haber evolucionado para facilitar la conducta de ayuda hacia extranos, como la mera expo...
Subcellular Localization and Light-Regulated Expression of Protoporphyrinogen IX Oxidase and Ferrochelatase in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Protoporphyrinogen IX oxidase (PPO) catalyzes the last common step in chlorophyll and heme synthesis, and ferrochelatase (FeC) catalyzes the last step of the heme synthesis pathway. In plants, each of these two enzymes is encoded by two or more genes, and the enzymes have been reported to be located in the chloroplasts or in the mitochondria. We report that in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, PPO and FeC are each encoded by a single gene. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that C. reinhardtii PPO and FeC are most closely related to plant counterparts that are located only in chloroplasts. Immunoblotting results suggest that C. reinhardtii PPO and FeC are targeted exclusively to the chloroplast, where they are associated with membranes. These results indicate that cellular needs for heme in this photosynthetic eukaryote can be met by heme that is synthesized in the chloroplast. It is proposed that the multiplicity of genes for PPO and FeC in higher plants could be related to differential expression in differently developing tissues rather than to targeting of different gene products to different organelles. The FeC content is higher in C. reinhardtii cells growing in continuous light than in cells growing in the dark, whereas the content of PPO does not significantly differ in light- and dark-grown cells. In cells synchronized to a light/dark cycle, the level of neither enzyme varied significantly with the phase of the cycle. These results indicate that heme synthesis is not directly regulated by the levels of PPO and FeC in C. reinhardtii.
The Role of Atypical Antipsychotics in the Treatment of Delirium

Delirium exemplifies the interface between medicine and psychiatry. It is generally characterized by acute disturbances of consciousness, cognition, and perception that are precipitated by an underlying medical condition. The gold standard of psychiatric treatment is to treat the underlying medical cause and use high-potency antipsychotics to treat the clinical manifestations of delirium. In the early 1990s, a new generation of novel antipsychotics was developed. Their mechanism of action, preferential serotonergic (5HT 2a ) blockade, results in a markedly lower rate of extrapyramidal side effects, an advantage over the typical, older antipsychotic medications. These agents have been shown to be effective and well tolerated in common psychotic disorders (e.g., schizophrenia or bipolar disorder), but few studies have evaluated them in the treatment of delirium. This paper reviews the pertinent literature and summarizes tentative guidelines for novel antipsychotic use in delirium.
Bald Eagle Lead Exposure in the Upper Midwest

Abstract In 2012, we examined lead exposure in 58 bald eagles Haliaeetus leucocephalus found dead in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. We determined lead concentrations in livers, examined difference...
RAPID DIVERSIFICATION, INCOMPLETE ISOLATION, AND THE “SPECIATION CLOCK” IN NORTH AMERICAN SALAMANDERS (GENUS PLETHODON): TESTING THE HYBRID SWARM HYPOTHESIS OF RAPID RADIATION

The history of life has been marked by several spectacular radiations, in which many lineages arise over a short period of time. A possible consequence of such rapid splitting in the recent past is that the intrinsic barriers that prevent gene flow between many species may have too little time to develop fully, leading to extensive hybridization among recently evolved lineages. The salamander genus Plethodon in eastern North America has been proposed as a possible example of this scenario, but without explicit statistical tests. In this paper, we present a nearly comprehensive phylogeny for the 45 extant species of eastern Plethodon, based on DNA sequences of mitochondrial (two genes, 1335 base pairs) and nuclear genes (two genes, up to 3481 base pairs). We then use this phylogeny to examine rates and patterns of diversification and hybridization. We find significantly rapid diversification within the glutinosus species group. Examining patterns of natural hybridization in light of the phylogeny shows considerable hybridization within this clade, including introgression between species that are morphologically distinct and distantly related. Reproductive isolation increases over time and may be very weak among the most recently diverged species. These results suggest that the origin of species and the evolution of intrinsic reproductive isolating mechanisms, rather than being synonymous, may be decoupled in some cases (i.e., rapid origin of lineages outstrips the "speciation clock"). In contrast to the conclusions of a recent review of adaptive radiation and hybridization, we suggest that extensive hybridization sometimes may be a consequence, rather than a cause, of rapid diversification.
User interface software tools

Almost as long as there have been user interfaces, there have been special software systems and tools to help design and implement the user interface software. Many of these tools have demonstrated significant productivity gains for programmers, and have become important commercial products. Others have proven less successful at supporting the kinds of user interfaces people want to build. This article discusses the different kinds of user interface software tools, and investigates why some approaches have worked and others have not. Many examples of commercial and research systems are included. Finally, current research directions and open issues in the field are discussed.
Cannabinoids modulate pain by multiple mechanisms of action

Abstract Historically, the evidence for cannabinoids acting as analgesics has been mostly anecdotal. Recently, studies utilizing animal models have indicated that cannabinoids produce antinociception and antihyperalgesia by acting at peripheral, spinal, and supraspinal sites to inhibit mast cell degranulation, primary afferent activity, and responses of nociceptive neurons. Additionally, a number of studies indicate that the cannabinoid system tonically regulates nociceptive thresholds, raising the possibility that hypoactivity of the cannabinoid system produces or prolongs hyperalgesia and chronic pain. Other studies have indicated that inactive doses of cannabinoids potentiate the antinociceptive effects of opioids. Collectively, these studies suggest that administration of peripherally selective cannabinoids, enhancement of endogenous cannabinoid activity, and coadministration of inactive doses of cannabinoids with other analgesics, such as morphine, may prove therapeutically beneficial and may also provide ways to separate the analgesic effects of cannabinoids from their side effects.
Bit allocation in sub-linear time and the multiple-choice knapsack problem

We show that the problem of optimal bit allocation among a set of independent discrete quantizers given a budget constraint is equivalent to the multiple choice knapsack problem (MCKP). This result has three implications: first, it provides a trivial proof that the problem of optimal bit allocation is NP-hard and that its related decision problem is NP-complete; second, it unifies research into solving these problems that has to date been done independently in the data compression community and the operations research community; third, many practical algorithms for approximating the optimal solution to MCKP can be used for bit allocation. We implement the GBFOS, partition-search, and Dudzinski-Walukiewicz algorithms and compare their running times for a variety of problem sizes.
Gender Differences in Intima-Media Permeability to Low-Density Lipoprotein at Atherosclerosis-Prone Aortic Sites in Rabbits Lack of Effect of 17β-Estradiol

Premenopausal women are protected from coronary heart disease, and premenopausal nonhuman primates are protected from atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of coronary heart disease. Estrogen is thought to account for this protection in females, and part of this protection is independent of the effects on risk factors, including lipoprotein levels. This study considered the hypothesis that reduced intima-media permeability to low-density lipoproteins (LDL) may account for the protection from atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease in premenopausal females and that this effect might be mediated by estrogen. Intima-media permeability to LDL was determined in male and female rabbits made hypercholesterolemic by feeding them 0.5% cholesterol for 8 days. The diet of half of the female rabbits was supplemented with 17 beta-estradiol (4 mg/d) during cholesterol feeding and the preceding 4 weeks. Estrogen treatment in the female rabbits did not influence the intima-media permeability to LDL. However, intima-media permeability to LDL for branch sites of the abdominal aorta and aortic arch (regions highly susceptible to atherosclerosis) was 43% and 38% lower, respectively, in male rabbits than in female rabbits: (2.93 +/- 0.39 microL/h/g, (n = 8), vs 6.28 +/- 0.86 microL/h/g, (n = 16), P < .001, and 4.69 +/- 0.28 microL/h/g, (n = 8) vs 7.57 +/- 0.75 microL/h/g, (n = 16), P < .02). In contrast, intima-media permeability to LDL in 7 of 8 aortic sites relatively resistant to atherosclerosis did not differ between male and female rabbits. These data suggest that the protection from atherosclerosis associated with female sex and estrogen is mediated by mechanism(s) other than reduction in intima-media permeability to LDL.
Feminism, Status Inconsistency, And Women’s Intimate Partner Victimization in Heterosexual Relationships

This study used a random community sample of 303 women in romantic relationships to investigate the role of educational and employment status inconsistency and patriarchal family ideology as risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization, while considering demographic factors and relationship context variables. Sequential multivariate logistic regression models demonstrated a decrease in the odds of IPV victimization for Hispanic women and women who were older as compared with their counterparts. In addition, increased relationship distress, family-of-origin violence, and employment status inconsistency significantly increased the odds of IPV. Clinical intervention strategies and future research directions are discussed.
Global Evaluation of Remotely-Sensed Soil Moisture Retrievals

To date, limitations in the availability of ground-based soil moisture observations have hampered the large-scale evaluation of remotely-sensed surface soil moisture retrievals. Recently developed evaluation techniques offer the potential to greatly expand the geographic domain over which such retrievals can be evaluated by effectively substituting ground-based rain gauge observations for, less commonly available, ground-based soil moisture observations. Here, we apply the technique at a quasi-global (50degS to 50degN) scale using rainfall products derived from the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission Precipitation Analysis. Results provide important insight into the global-scale performance of current soil moisture remote sensing products.
Gas jet disruption mitigation studies on Alcator C-Mod

Damaging effects of disruptions are a major concern for Alcator C-Mod, ITER and future tokamak reactors. High-pressure noble gas jet injection is a mitigation technique which potentially satisfies the operational requirements of fast response time and reliability, while still being benign to subsequent discharges. Disruption mitigation experiments using an optimized gas jet injection system are being carried out on Alcator C-Mod to study the physics of gas jet penetration into high pressure plasmas, as well as the ability of the gas jet impurities to convert plasma energy into radiation on timescales consistent with C-Mod's fast quench times, and to reduce halo currents given C-Mod's high-current density. The dependence of impurity penetration and effectiveness on noble gas species (He, Ne, Ar, Kr) is also being studied. It is found that the high-pressure neutral gas jet does not penetrate deeply into the C-Mod plasma, and yet prompt core thermal quenches are observed on all gas jet shots. 3D MHD modelling of the disruption physics with NIMROD shows that edge cooling of the plasma triggers fast growing tearing modes which rapidly produce a stochastic region in the core of the plasma and loss of thermal energy. This may explain the apparent effectiveness of the gas jet in C-Mod despite its limited penetration. The higher-Z gases (Ne, Ar, Kr) also proved effective at reducing halo currents and decreasing thermal deposition to the divertor surfaces. In addition, noble gas jet injection proved to be benign for plasma operation with C-Mod's metal (Mo) wall, actually improving the reliability of the startup in the following discharge.
Effect of Voltage‐Sensitive Calcium Channel Antagonists on the Release of 5‐Hydroxytryptamine from Rat Hippocampus In Vivo

The effect of calcium channel antagonists on the release of 5-hydroxytryptamine from the hippocampus of the chloral hydrate-anaesthetised rat was studied using the technique of intracerebral microdialysis. As the basal concentration of 5-hydroxytryptamine was close to the limit of detection of the HPLC method (8 fmol), the 5-hydroxytryptamine reuptake inhibitor, fluoxetine (10 microM), was included in the perfusion fluid. The L-type voltage-sensitive calcium channel antagonists, PN200-110, diltiazem, and verapamil, all passed through the dialysis membrane, giving a recovery of 20-30%. The N-type voltage-sensitive calcium channel antagonist, omega-conotoxin, penetrated less readily (12% recovery). The dihydropyridine, PN200-110, adhered to the probe, resulting in an effective concentration at the membrane 30% of that in the perfusion fluid. The concentration of 5-hydroxytryptamine in the dialysate samples was reduced by 60% in the absence of calcium. The L channel antagonists had little effect on the release of 5-hydroxytryptamine, which was inhibited, in a dose-dependent manner, to a maximum of 40% by omega-conotoxin. It is concluded that, under physiological conditions, the release of 5-hydroxytryptamine from the rat hippocampus is dependent on the entry of calcium through N-type voltage-sensitive calcium channels, although another calcium channel may also be involved.
Journalism that Matters: Views from Central and Eastern Europe. By Michał Głowacki, Epp Lauk and Auksė Balčytienė. Bern: Peter Lang, 2014, 214 pp.; ISBN: 978-3-631-65421-7 hb.

This book is a much-needed contribution to journalistic studies that allows us to have a closer and more nuanced look at media systems and press cultures in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) from a non-Western perspective. The volume is of high value to anyone who is interested in the diversity that underlies the unifying term of “post-communist media.” Most of its authors rely on rich data collected throughout lengthy periods of time on the territory of Central and Eastern Europe, which allows us to see not only the current state of “Eastern” media, but its development throughout time.
LQG/LTR robust control system design for low-pressure feedwater heater train

The linear quadratic Gaussian with loop transfer recovery (LQG/LTR) control system design method is used to obtain a level control system for a nuclear plant low-pressure feedwater heater train. A control system design for robustness at the plant output is developed. Its performance and stability robustness are evaluated for given specifications. The tools for analysis are the return ratio, return difference, and inverse return difference singular-value plots for a loop break at the plant output. These singular-value plots are examined. The LQG/LTR control system design procedure allows the synthesis of a low-pressure feedwater heater train level control system that meets certain frequency-domain design specifications. In this case, by only using the inherent integral type of action that deviates slightly from the ideal integral action, plant integral augmentation is avoided. Using these plant dynamics results in command following of one feedwater tank level with a slight steady-state error, which is expected. since pure integrals did not exist in the plant. The design of this robust control system shows that a desirable low-pressure feedwater heater train level control system is obtainable using the LQG/LTR procedure. >
Structural Optimization and Biological “Designs”

The amazing rationality of biological “constructions” excites the interest to modelling them by using the mathematical tools developed in the theory of structural optimization. The structural optimization solves a geometrical problem of the “best” displacements of different materials in a given domain, under certain loadings. Of course, this approach simplifies the real biological problem, because the questions of the mechanism of the building and maintaining of structures are not addressed. The main problem is to guess a functional for the optimization of a living organism. The optimal designs are highly inhomogeneous; their microstructures may be geometrically different, but possess the same effective properties. Therefore the comparing of the various optimal geometries is not trivial. We show, that the variety of optimal geometries shares the same characteristics of the stress tensor in any optimal structure. Namely, special norm of this tensor stay constant within each phase of the optimal mixture.
Federal Income Tax Reform: A VAT and the Cash Receipt System

This report examines whether adoption of a VAT and a cash receipt system - such as that introduced in South Korea in 2005 - could make the U.S. federal income tax simpler, fairer, and more supportive of economic activity. The cash receipt system allows the government to trace the amount of income a business obtains through cash transactions, and, according to Kim, could reduce tax evasion, as has been the case in South Korea.
An Argument for Ecological Research and Intervention in Health Communication

Ecological approaches to understanding and changing health behavior are becoming increasingly common (Gehlert et al., 2007; Mabry, Olster, Morgan, & Abrams, 2008). Such approaches account for the m...
Scalable Human Interaction with Robotic Swarms

In this paper we evaluate the scalability of human-swarm interaction (HSI) in terms of operator workload and asses the impact of three control methods on swarm performance and operator workload. Specifically, we investigate the ability of HSI to (1) overcome fanout limitations of traditional supervisory control and (2) manage a wide range of team sizes without altering the operator’s control strategy. In order to evaluate our hypothesis, we conduct a user study which we back with validation on physical robots. We evaluate three high-level control methods – leader, predator, and stakeholders – on swarms of 20, 50, and 100 individuals. We find that larger swarm sizes allow increased swarm performance without increasing operator workload, overcoming the fan-out limitations of traditional supervisory control. We further find that control style substantially affects both swarm performance and operator workload, illustrating the impact design decisions can have on the human-swarm system.
Electrical Characteristics of Thermal Spray Silicon Coatings

Polycrystalline silicon deposits were formed on a monocrystalline silicon substrate by thermal spraying. The resulting structure exhibits a device characteristic. Pressure-induced transformations of silicon, namely, Si-III (BC-8) and Si-IX are identified by X-ray diffraction in a Si-I matrix on deposits formed by vacuum plasma spray. The presence of the Si-III and Si-IX indicates that the pressure-quenched silicon deposit is highly conductive, as determined by four-point van der Pauw resistivity measurement. Hall mobility measurements, combined with photoconductivity results, indicate that the highly conductive silicon deposit displays the same range of mobility as a polycrystalline deposit containing only Si-I. The silicon deposit, with or without metastable phases, displays the same photoconductivity properties. The silicon deposit on a monocrystalline silicon substrate exhibits rectifying I–Vcharacteristics, possibly caused by band bending of trapping states associated with impurities segregating at the polycrystalline deposit/monocrystalline substrate interface
Understanding thermal nonlinearities in metal nanoparticles for plasmon-enhanced two-photon absorption

We are investigating the nonlinear optical properties of noble metal nanoparticles immersed in various host materials. Changes in the permittivity of the nanoparticles under large irradiances are measured in pump-probe experiments. A two-temperature model is used to fit the data and obtain a correlation between the electron gas and lattice temperatures and the Drude-type electron damping of the metal. The enhanced two-photon absorption (2PA) of silver nanospheres suspended in carbon disulfide (CS2) is measured by Z-Scan. The sample showed a combined signal of 2PA and saturable absorption (SA) which can be decoupled using the temperature-electron-damping mapping.
Comparison of 2 oral ultrasonography contrast agents: simethicone-coated cellulose and simethicone-water rotation in improving pancreatic visualization.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to prospectively compare the efficacy of 2 oral ultrasonography (US) contrast agents (simethicone-water rotation [SWR] and simethicone-coated cellulose [SCC]) in improving visualization of the pancreas. METHODS Two sessions (SWR and SCC) of transabdominal US studies were performed on 38 healthy volunteers. In each session, US images were obtained in precontrast supine and upright positions and postcontrast supine and upright positions. The visualization of the pancreas was graded on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 = nonvisualization, 5 = excellent visualization), grading the head, body, and tail separately. RESULTS In the supine position, SWR significantly improved the visualization of the pancreatic head, body, and tail, whereas there were no significant differences between SCC and precontrast images. Simethicone-water rotation showed significantly better visualization than SCC. The average scores of the head, body, and tail of the pancreas that graded 4 or more were 15.8% of precontrast, 21.1% of SCC, and 50% of SWR. In the upright position, both SWR and SCC significantly improved the visualization of the pancreas, except for the pancreatic body on SCC. There were no significant differences between SWR and SCC. The average scores that graded 4 or more were 26.3% of precontrast, 57.9% of SCC, and 65.8% of SWR. CONCLUSION Simethicone-water rotation was more effective than SCC in improving the visualization of the pancreas.
Myonuclear transcription is responsive to mechanical load and DNA content but uncoupled from cell size during hypertrophy

Myofibers increase size and DNA content in response to a hypertrophic stimulus, thus providing a physiological model with which to study how these factors affect global transcription. Using 5-ethynyl uridine (EU) to metabolically label nascent RNA, we measured a sevenfold increase in myofiber transcription during early hypertrophy before a change in cell size and DNA content. The typical increase in myofiber DNA content observed at the later stage of hypertrophy was associated with a significant decrease in the percentage of EU-positive myonuclei; however, when DNA content was held constant by preventing myonuclear accretion via satellite cell depletion, both the number of transcriptionally active myonuclei and the amount of RNA generated by each myonucleus increased. During late hypertrophy, transcription did not scale with cell size, as smaller myofibers (<1000 μm(2)) demonstrated the highest transcriptional activity. Finally, transcription was primarily responsible for changes in the expression of genes known to regulate myofiber size. These findings show that resident myonuclei possess a significant reserve capacity to up-regulate transcription during hypertrophy and that myofiber transcription is responsive to DNA content but uncoupled from cell size during hypertrophy.
Sexually Experienced Adolescents’ Thoughts About Sexual Pleasure

Little research on adolescents has examined developmentally normative facets of sexuality that are not obviously linked to physical health. The purpose of this secondary data analysis was to qualitatively analyze adolescents' thoughts about and experiences with sexual pleasure. The study sample consisted of 56 sexually experienced, ethnically diverse, predominantly female adolescents who were participating in a Web-based intervention to promote healthy sexual decision making. Comments on one message board, "Sexual Pleasure: Does It Matter to You?," provided an opportunity to examine adolescents' thoughts about and experiences with sexual pleasure, as well as their communication with partners about that topic. Adolescents' comments demonstrated that they experience difficulties with pleasure in their sexual relationships. Adolescents generally believed that men are more likely than women to feel pleasure due to differences that include biology, understanding of one's body, and control over partnered sexual behavior. Adolescents defined inequality of received pleasure differently and discussed contexts in which inequality may be acceptable. Adolescents expressed motivation to communicate with partners about sexual pleasure. However, their statements suggested they often lack the skills to do so. Future prevention and intervention programs should equip adolescents with skills to communicate with partners about sexual pleasure.
Pharmacogenomics of Heart Failure

The combination of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and β-adrenergic receptor (βAR) blockers remains the essential component of heart failure (HF) pharmacotherapy. However, individual patient responses to these pharmacotherapies vary widely. The variability in response cannot be explained entirely by clinical characteristics, and genetic variation may play a role. The purpose of this chapter is to examine the current knowledge in the field of beta-blocker and ACE inhibitor pharmacogenetics in HF. β-blocker and ACE inhibitor pharmacogenetic studies performed in patients with HF were identified from the PubMed database from 1966 to July 2011. Thirty beta-blocker and 10 ACE inhibitor pharmacogenetic studies in patients with HF were identified.The ACE deletion variant was associated with greater survival benefit from ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers compared with the ACE insertion. Ser49 in the β1AR, the insertion in the α2CAR, and Gln41 in G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) kinase (GRK)-5 are associated with greater survival benefit from β-blockers, compared with Gly49, the deletion, and Leu41, respectively. However, many of these associations have not been validated. The HF pharmacogenetic literature is still in its very early stages, but there are promising candidate genetic variants that may identify which HF patients are most likely to benefit from beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors and patients that may require additional therapies.
Murine models of vein grafting

Vein graft research has increasingly turned to murine models, to exploit the potential of transgenic and knockout mouse lines to study genetically based questions. Several models of murine interpositional vein grafting into arteries have been published, as well as models of vein patch grafting. Models vary on the vein graft source (inferior vena cava, external jugular vein or its distal branches), recipient artery (aorta, carotid, or femoral), and method of engraftment (end-to-end or end-to-side continuous or interrupted suturing or ring-coupling techniques). Outcomes vary considerably, depending on the model employed; neointimal wall thickening is induced that is often comparable to larger vein graft models on an absolute basis, despite the much smaller vessel diameters of mouse vein grafts. Substantial vein graft stenosis is apparently only found with the smaller of these vein graft models. Selecting the appropriate model requires careful consideration of the specific research question to be addressed as well as laboratory expertise with microsurgical techniques.
Halide-Gated Molecular Release from Nanoporous Gold Thin Films

Nanoporous materials have attracted significant attention as drug delivery platforms in which interfacial phenomena are often more influential than fluid mechanics in defining molecular loading capacity and release kinetics. This study employs nanoporous gold (np-Au) as a model material system to investigate physical mechanisms of molecular release of fluorescein (a small molecule drug surrogate) from the submicron-thick np-Au coatings. Specifically, the study reveals an interfacial mechanism where halide ion–gold surface interactions dictate the loading capacity and release kinetics of fluorescein. We systematically study the effect of halide concentration and species on release kinetics from sputter-deposited np-Au films with a combination of quantitative electron microscopy, fluorospectrometry, and electrochemical surface characterization techniques. The results suggest that the interplay of halide–gold interaction probability and affinity determine the nature of release kinetics. The former mechanism ...
Dealing with beam structure in PIXIE

Measuring the B-mode polarization of the CMB radiation requires a detailed understanding of the projection of the detector onto the sky. We show how the combination of scan strategy and processing generates a cylindrical beam for the spectrum measurement. Both the instrumental design and the scan strategy reduce the cross coupling between the temperature variations and the B-modes. As with other polarization measurements some post processing may be required to eliminate residual errors.
Sensitivity analysis for computing orthogonal polynomials of Sobolev type

A modified Chebyshev algorithm for computing a sequence of monic orthogonal polynomials of Sobolev type was introduced in [6]. Numerical experiments indicated that the sensitivity of the modified moments in the algorithm was less than that of ordinary moments. In addition, the sensitivity was greater for associated measures of unbounded support than for measures with bounded support. In this article, we obtain bounds for the derivative of the recursion coefficient matrix with respect to the input moments, and show that the behavior of the algorithm can be explained satisfactorily in terms of those bounds.
Mechanistic Modeling of the Partial Oxidation of 1,3-Propanediol: Comparison of Free-Radical and Concerted Mechanisms

The homogeneous partial oxidation of 1,3-propanediol using oxygen at relatively mild conditions (430 K) has been observed to result in high selectivity to acrolein at low to moderate conversion with minor formation of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde (Diaz, E. ChemSusChem 2010, 3, 1063−1070, DOI: 10.1002/cssc.201000142). In this work, various competing mechanistic postulates for the selective conversion of 1,3-propanediol to acrolein were tested quantitatively using mechanistic modeling. Specifically, mechanisms based on free-radical chemistry and concerted pathways, both of which have been postulated in the literature, were evaluated. Automated mechanism generation was used to comprehensively create detailed reaction mechanisms based on reaction families relevant to free-radical or concerted chemistries. A mechanism based on free-radical reactions alone was unable to account for the rate of conversion and high selectivity to acrolein that were observed experimentally. Concerted pathways based on both unimol...
Missing grafts and the potential for inappropriate revascularization

The best outcome for coronary intervention in coronary artery bypass graft patients requires knowledge of prior coronary anatomy. This information is not always available as many cases present acutely, especially in ST-elevation myocardial infarction. We present three cases in which bypass grafts were documented as occluded but follow-up angiograms for other reasons revealed that the grafts were still patent. This presents the potential for inappropriate revascularizations.
Far-reaching consequences of wartime attacks on education.

Supporting the Safe Schools Declaration is one way that governments can help protect education and keep students safe during war, argues Susan Raqib.
CK1 in Developmental Signaling: Hedgehog and Wnt

The casein kinase 1 (CK1) family of serine (Ser)/threonine (Thr) protein kinases participates in a myriad of cellular processes including developmental signaling. Hedgehog (Hh) and Wnt pathways are two major and evolutionarily conserved signaling pathways that control embryonic development and adult tissue homeostasis. Deregulation of these pathways leads to many human disorders including birth defects and cancer. Here, I review the role of CK1 in the regulation of Hh and Wnt signal transduction cascades from the membrane reception systems to the transcriptional effectors. In both Hh and Wnt pathways, multiple CK1 family members regulate signal transduction at several levels of the pathways and play either positive or negative roles depending on the signaling status, individual CK1 isoforms involved, and the specific substrates they phosphorylate. A common mechanism underlying the control of CK1-mediated phosphorylation of Hh and Wnt pathway components is the regulation of CK1/substrate interaction within large protein complexes. I will highlight this feature in the context of Hh signaling and draw interesting parallels between the Hh and Wnt pathways.
Grieving as Limit Situation of Memory: Gadamer, Beamer, and Moules on the Infinite Task Posed by the Dead

In this paper, the author turns to Hans-Georg Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics to examine the experience of grieving. Specifically, the author argues that grieving may be grasped as a limit situation of memory. This approach suggests that grieving cannot be adequately captured by a stage model theory but, instead, poses an infinite task that is fraught with difficulty and ethical demands. The author develops this approach in reference not only to Hans-Georg Gadamer but recent research by Nancy Moules and Kate Beamer.
Impact of MMP-2 and MMP-9 activation on wound healing, tumor growth and RACPP cleavage

Matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9 (MMP-2/-9) are key tissue remodeling enzymes that have multiple overlapping activities critical for wound healing and tumor progression in vivo. To overcome issues of redundancy, we created MMP-2/-9 double knockout (DKO) mice in the C57BL/6 background to examine wound healing. We then bred the DKO mice into the polyomavirus middle T (PyVmT) model of breast cancer to analyze the role of these enzymes in tumorigenesis. Breeding analyses indicated that significantly fewer DKO mice were born than predicted by Mendelian genetics and weaned DKO mice were growth compromised compared with wild type (WT) cohorts. Epithelial wound healing was dramatically delayed in adult DKO mice and when the DKO was combined with the PyVmT oncogene, we found that the biologically related process of mammary tumorigenesis was inhibited in a site-specific manner. To further examine the role of MMP-2/-9 in tumor progression, tumor cells derived from WT or DKO PyVmT transgenic tumors were grown in WT or DKO mice. Ratiometric activatable cell penetrating peptides (RACPPs) previously used to image cancer based on MMP-2/-9 activity were used to understand differences in MMP activity in WT or knockout syngeneic tumors in WT and KO animals. Analysis of an MMP-2 selective RACPP in WT or DKO mice bearing WT and DKO PyVmT tumor cells indicated that the genotype of the tumor cells was more important than the host stromal genotype in promoting MMP-2/-9 activity in the tumors in this model system. Additional complexities were revealed as the recruitment of host macrophages by the tumor cells was found to be the source of the tumor MMP-2/-9 activity and it is evident that MMP-2/-9 from both host and tumor is required for maximum signal using RACPP imaging for detection. We conclude that in the PyVmT model, the majority of MMP-2/-9 activity in mammary tumors is associated with host macrophages recruited into the tumor rather than that produced by the tumor cells themselves. Thus therapies that target tumor-associated macrophage functions have the potential to slow tumor progression.
Product data exchange: design and implementation of IGES processors

The Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES) was introduced in 1981 as an american (ANSI) standard for the exchange of product data between dissimilar CAD/CAM systems. Since then, vendors and users of CAD/CAM systems have designed and implemented IGES translators. When these translators were actually used in translation processes many problems surfaced. These problems were created by both the IGES standard itself and the translators. This paper describes both, (1) the attempts of various national and international standards groups (such as NBS in the USA or DIN in Germany) to improve the existing standard and define an ISO standard and (2) a design concept for IGES translators that solves many of the implementation problems.
Hyperglycemia alters astrocyte metabolism and inhibits astrocyte proliferation

Diabetes milieu is a complex metabolic disease that has been known to associate with high risk of various neurological disorders. Hyperglycemia in diabetes could dramatically increase neuronal glucose levels which leads to neuronal damage, a phenomenon referred to as glucose neurotoxicity. On the other hand, the impact of hyperglycemia on astrocytes has been less explored. Astrocytes play important roles in brain energy metabolism through neuron-astrocyte coupling. As the component of blood brain barrier, glucose might be primarily transported into astrocytes, hence, impose direct impact on astrocyte metabolism and function. In the present study, we determined the effect of high glucose on the energy metabolism and function of primary astrocytes. Hyperglycemia level glucose (25 mM) induced cell cycle arrest and inhibited proliferation and migration of primary astrocytes. Consistently, high glucose decreased cyclin D1 and D3 expression. High glucose enhanced glycolytic metabolism, increased ATP and glycogen content in primary astrocytes. In addition, high glucose activated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway in astrocytes. In summary, our in vitro study indicated that hyperglycemia might impact astrocyte energy metabolism and function phenotype. Our study provides a potential mechanism which may underlie the diabetic cerebral neuropathy and warrant further in vivo study to determine the effect of hyperglycemia on astrocyte metabolism and function.
Interleukin-6 Interweaves the Bone Marrow Microenvironment, Bone Loss, and Multiple Myeloma.

The immune system is strongly linked to the maintenance of healthy bone. Inflammatory cytokines, specifically, are crucial to skeletal homeostasis and any dysregulation can result in detrimental health complications. Interleukins, such as interleukin 6 (IL-6), act as osteoclast differentiation modulators and as such, must be carefully monitored and regulated. IL-6 encourages osteoclastogenesis when bound to progenitors and can cause excessive osteoclastic activity and osteolysis when overly abundant. Numerous bone diseases are tied to IL-6 overexpression, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and bone-metastatic cancers. In the latter, IL-6 can be released with growth factors into the bone marrow microenvironment (BMM) during osteolysis from bone matrix or from cancer cells and osteoblasts in an inflammatory response to cancer cells. Thus, IL-6 helps create an ideal microenvironment for oncogenesis and metastasis. Multiple myeloma (MM) is a blood cancer that homes to the BMM and is strongly tied to overexpression of IL-6 and bone loss. The roles of IL-6 in the progression of MM are discussed in this review, including roles in bone homing, cancer-associated bone loss, disease progression and drug resistance. MM disease progression often includes the development of drug-resistant clones, and patients commonly struggle with reoccurrence. As such, therapeutics that specifically target the microenvironment, rather than the cancer itself, are ideal and IL-6, and its myriad of downstream signalling partners, are model targets. Lastly, current and potential therapeutic interventions involving IL-6 and connected signalling molecules are discussed in this review.
The Municipal Landfill

Abstract The engineered landfill is a great improvement over previous methods of solid waste disposal, especially of open dumps. The municipal landfill is a commonly preferred method for addressing the ever-increasing amount of wastes, even in sparsely populated communities. However, the landfill can also be a source of pollution if not designed and operated properly.
The Expanding and Unexpected Functions of Mitochondria Contact Sites

Mitochondria make functionally relevant contacts with most, if not all, other organelles in the cell. These contacts impact on mitochondrial behavior and function as well as on a wide variety of cellular functions. Many recent advances have been made in the rapidly growing field of mitochondria contact site biology, and these advances have expanded the known functions of mitochondria contact sites in exciting and unexpected ways.
Defining propaganda: A psychoanalytic perspective:

Propaganda is a centuries-old term, and yet scholars and practitioners are still having a hard time defining it and pinpointing what makes propaganda unique. Many existing definitions fail to disti...
Storms and substorms—The new whole system approach and future challenges

Abstract This chapter covers our current understanding and recent advances in the study of Earth's ionosphere during magnetic storms and substorms with a special focus on electrodynamics and its consequences in the past 14 years. In particular, the focus is on the new awareness of looking at the magnetosphere, ionosphere, and thermosphere (M-I-T) as a whole system that has brought us to the next level of understanding. Both ground-based observations and the new space-based observations from magnetospheric missions are expanding rapidly. More and more compelling science questions cannot be addressed and resolved without combining simultaneous multiple observations in the ionosphere, plasmasphere, and magnetosphere in order to establish a consistent understanding of the system. Models have greatly improved mostly by coupling different regions and different species. New models can reproduce system phenomena that involve M-I-T coupling and help us elucidate the underlying processes within the coupled systems. Our future challenges will involve (1) cross-scale system and scale interactions; (2) the whole geospace modeling concept, including lower atmospheric forcing; (3) multiday forecasting capability.
Will Americans Really Vote for a Woman President? Aggregate Gender Bias in the 2016 Presidential Election

Many individual-level studies were conducted on the 2016 American presidential election. Fewer analyses consider how aggregate context affected support for Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. We expl...
Review of PCR e-Course 2020 late-breaking clinical trials.

• Paris Course of Revascularisation has shared cardiovascular expertise since 1989. • EuroPCR was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. • PCR e-Course was held in place of EuroPCR. • We review highlights of late-breaking clinical trials from PCR e-Course.