cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Team Spirit, Team Chemistry, and Neuroethics

AbstractThis paper examines the phenomenon of team spirit from a neurobiological point of view. It argues that ethical judgment should be involved in understanding and evaluating the idea. Adopting a liberal individualist point of view helps us understand the phenomenology of team spirit, while also helping us to articulate a critique of communitarian approaches that celebrate the sort of de-individuation that occurs in team spirit. The paper recognizes further complexity in terms of cross-cultural issues, as well as the tendency to toward reductionism. It concludes by imagining a thought experiment involving chemically enhanced team spirit, which shows how our larger ethical framework helps us evaluate possible responses.
Co-Inheritance of FV Leiden and High Levels of FIX Results in Novel Models for Thrombophilia and Spontaneous Fetal Loss.

Abstract High levels of FIX is emerging as a risk factor for spontaneous venous thrombosis, affecting ~20% of unselect patients and increasing rates of recurrent thromboembolic events. We have generated mice expressing supraphysiological levels of human FIX (up to 400% of normal) but these animals did not develop thrombosis. Therefore, we decided to test whether an additional risk for thrombosis would trigger a prothrombotic phenotype in these mice. Because the FVL mutation is also present in 20% of thrombophilia subjects, we chose FVL mice as model. Breedings included both parents being heterozygous FVL(+/−) but only one was transgenic for FIX (tFIX: 4–8μg/ml plus the endogenous murine FIX). All mice were on C57Bl/6 background. More than 200 newborns were obtained but surprisingly no animal of FVL(+/+)/tFIX genotype was identified. When pregnancies were interrupted at embryonic age of E9.5 to E16.5, no deviation from the expected/observed embryos genotypes was observed. However, the number of reabsorbed embryos increased significantly from 13% (E9.5) to 33% (E.16.5), p 7 months of age) presented high rate of thrombotic episodes (3/40; 7.5%) followed by 5.2% FVL(−/ −)/tFIX mice, whereas no other age-matched mice (n=74) developed such complication. Monitoring for coagulation activation by serial aPTT, PT, thrombin-antithrombin (TAT) and D-Dimers demonstrated genotype-dependent procoagulant activity. In FVL(+/−)/tFIX or FVL(−/ −)/tFIX mice, levels of TAT (70ng/ml, n=28/group) and D-dimers (230ng/ml, n=17/group) were ~ 2-fold higher (P
Percutaneous fenestrated endovascular aortic graft treatment of aortocaval fistula with aortic pseudoaneurysms secondary to penetrating trauma.

Aortocaval fistula (ACF) is a lethal complication of aortic aneurysmal disease. Traditional treatment of ACF involves open surgical approaches to fistula ligation and repair of the great vessels, with a high mortality secondary to bleeding and cardiac compromise. We present the case of a 28-year-old man with a chronic ACF with concomitant aortic pseudoaneurysms secondary to penetrating trauma treated with a fenestrated endograft.
Behaving cyborg locusts for standoff chemical sensing

Cyborg insects provide a unique platform to implement autonomous robotics on a large scale. Compared to vertebrates, insect cyborgs can be deployed in swarms and at a significantly lower cost. In this paper, we propose a cyborg sensing platform that leverages the acute olfactory sensing capability of locusts (Schistocerca americana) for standoff detection of target chemicals. Contrary to cyborg sensing technologies that are based on implantable neural devices, the proposed platform relies on extraneous palp tracking which can be measured non-invasively for extended periods of time. In this work, locusts are conditioned (trained) to respond (move their palp) to a specific target odor and the palp movements are measured in real-time using a silver-enhanced infrared reflectance technique. The measured results correlate well with a gold-standard palp tracking method. The efficacy of our platform based on behavioral readout is demonstrated for non-invasive chemical sensing.
A Lineage of Leakers?: The contingency of collective memory in coverage of contemporary leaking cases

This study draws on the theoretical framework of collective memory to ascertain the ways in which a story from journalism’s past—Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers—was brought to bear in cover...
Unethical Negotiating: Causes and Consequences

Why do negotiators act unethically, and what happens when they do? Despite one research stream highlighting broad consensus about the types of negotiation behaviors considered unethical (e.g., Lewi...
HIV-1 proteins dysregulate motivational processes and dopamine circuitry

Motivational alterations, such as apathy, in HIV-1+ individuals are associated with decreased performance on tasks involving frontal-subcortical circuitry. We used the HIV-1 transgenic (Tg) rat to assess effect of long-term HIV-1 protein exposure on motivated behavior using sucrose (1-30%, w/v) and cocaine (0.01-1.0 mg/kg/infusion) maintained responding with fixed-ratio (FR) and progressive-ratio (PR) schedules of reinforcement. For sucrose-reinforced responding, HIV-1 Tg rats displayed no change in EC50 relative to controls, suggesting no change in sucrose reinforcement but had a downward shifted concentration-response curves, suggesting a decrease in response vigor. Cocaine-maintained responding was attenuated in HIV-1 Tg rats (FR1 0.33 mg/kg/infusion and PR 1.0 mg/kg/infusion). Dose-response tests (PR) revealed that HIV-1 Tg animals responded significantly less than F344 control rats and failed to earn significantly more infusions of cocaine as the unit dose increased. When choosing between cocaine and sucrose, control rats initially chose sucrose but with time shifted to a cocaine preference. In contrast, HIV-1 disrupted choice behaviors. DAT function was altered in the striatum of HIV-1 Tg rats; however, prior cocaine self-administration produced a unique effect on dopamine homeostasis in the HIV-1 Tg striatum. These findings of altered goal directed behaviors may determine neurobiological mechanisms of apathy in HIV-1+ patients.
SAPS-Associated Explosive Brightening on the Duskside: A New Type of Onset- Like Disturbance

Quasi-periodic energetic particle injections have been observed at geosynchronous orbit on the dusk-side during a steady magnetospheric convection event. We examine high-resolution auroral imager data and ground magnetometer data associated with the first of these injections and conclude that it was not associated with classical sub-storm signatures. It is proposed that these injections are caused by the explosive nonlinear growth of a shear flow-ballooning instability in the region where sub-auroral polarization streams (SAPS) also occur. It is suggested that interchange will occur preferentially in the low-conductivity SAPS region since the magnetic Richardson number is lowest there and the "line-tying" effect will also be least stabilizing there. We propose that the observed particle injection signatures and auroral morphology constitute a new type of SAPS-associated explosive "onset-like" disturbance that can occur during intervals of strong convection.
Relational Judgments and Categorical Decisions

This chapter discusses modeling influences on the selection and utilization of abstract judgment standards. The basis of ethical decisions, originally emphasizing material damage, has been shifted to subjective intentions criteria. It discusses a few limitations of nativistic assumptions and rigid stage distinctions and the powerful role played by social exemplars. The chapter explores the phenomenon of conservation in terms of experimental evidence and conceptual status. In a variety of formats, social influences successfully promoted conservation by children younger than is possible according to current stage-dependent theories. The chapter also provides an overview of the importance of information and guidance provided by social agents and usage norms as an integrating framework for the development of cognitive standards.
Biochemical Techniques for Classification of Leukemic Cell Types

We are quite accustomed to having two virtually identical leukemic blast cells respond entirely differently to a chemotherapeutic drug or drug combination. In fact, it is easier to find meaningful dissimilarity in the drug response of leukemic blasts than to distinguish meaningful morphologic similarity.
Analysis of Transposable Element Sequences Using CENSOR and RepeatMasker

Eukaryotic genomes are full of repetitive DNA, transposable elements (TEs) in particular, and accordingly there are a number of computational methods that can be used to identify TEs from genomic sequences. We present here a survey of two of the most readily available and widely used bioinformatics applications for the detection, characterization, and analysis of TE sequences in eukaryotic genomes: CENSOR and RepeatMasker. For each program, information on availability, input, output, and the algorithmic methods used is provided. Specific examples of the use of CENSOR and RepeatMasker are also described. CENSOR and RepeatMasker both rely on homology-based methods for the detection of TE sequences. There are several other classes of methods available for the analysis of repetitive DNA sequences including de novo methods that compare genomic sequences against themselves, class-specific methods that use structural characteristics of specific classes of elements to aid in their identification, and pipeline methods that combine aspects of some or all of the aforementioned methods. We briefly consider the strengths and weaknesses of these different classes of methods with an emphasis on their complementary utility for the analysis of repetitive DNA in eukaryotes.
Goal-Attainment Modeling in a Health-Coaching Program

One aspect of improving behavior change in individuals is to create realistic goals. Health coaches assist in the development of attainable goals and improve self-efficacy in clients in order to promote behavior change. In order to know if the health coaching program is effective, goal achievement and the effectiveness of the program must be evaluated. Are goals for the client too hard or unachievable? Are goals for the client too easy and not challenging the client enough? These are factors that could affect behavior change. Therefore, it is important to incorporate an evaluation process for the health coaching program. By incorporating the mechanisms of the Goal Attainment Scale (a standardized process traditionally incorporating three goals), health coaches may have a standardized approach in evaluating the program as well as individual client improvement, which would in turn, lead to more successful health coaching programs. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to provide a rational for utilizing the Goal Attainment Scale in health coaching programs to achieve program and client success regardless of the number of goals set for clients.
Detecting Heterogeneity and Inferring Latent Roles in Longitudinal Networks

Network analysis has typically examined the formation of whole networks while neglecting variation within or across networks. These approaches neglect the particular roles actors may adopt within networks. While cross-sectional approaches for inferring latent roles exist, there is a paucity of approaches for considering roles in longitudinal networks. This paper explores the conceptual dynamics of temporally observed roles while deriving and introducing a novel statistical tool, the ego-TERGM, capable of uncovering these latent dynamics. Estimated through an Expectation–Maximization algorithm, the ego-TERGM is quick and accurate in classifying roles within a broader temporal network. An application to the Kapferer strike network illustrates the model’s utility.
Do surgeon non-technical skills correlate with teamwork-related outcomes during robot-assisted surgery?

Introduction To evaluate the impact of non-technical skills (NTS) on team performance, workload and clinical outcomes. Methods The operating room (OR) environment of 20 robot-assisted radical prostatectomies performed by three different surgeons was recorded. Trained observers assessed NTS utilising the Non-Technical Skills for Surgeons (NOTSS) questionnaire. Associations between NOTSS scores, teamwork attributes (anticipation and inconveniences), workload (measured by National Aeronautics and Space Administration-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX)) and clinical outcomes (operative time, blood loss and surgical complexity) were determined using logistic regression and Pearson correlation. Results 1780 requests were observed, 703 (39%) were non-verbal. Utilisation of non-verbal requests differed significantly among surgeons (26%, 36% and 44%, p Conclusion NTS in the OR were associated with team efficiency, fewer surgical flow disruptions and an improved self-perceived performance.
Distinct inflammatory and wound healing responses to complex caudal fin injuries of larval zebrafish

Wound repair is controlled temporally and spatially to restore tissue homeostasis. Previously we reported that thermal damage of the larval zebrafish fin disrupts collagen organization and wound healing compared to tail transection (LeBert et al., 2018). Here we characterize different injury models in larval zebrafish to dissect temporal and spatial dynamics of repair in complex damage. We found that each damage model triggers distinct inflammatory and tissue responses, with Stat3 and TGFβ playing key roles in the regulation of mesenchymal cells during simple repair. While thermal injury disrupts collagen fibers initially, healing is recovered as inflammation resolves, and mesenchymal cells and collagen fibers align. By contrast, infected wounds lead to persistent inflammation and loss of mesenchymal cells, resulting in minimal tissue repair. These wound models have broad physiological relevance, thereby providing a valuable advance in our toolkit to probe the dynamics of inflammation and wound repair in complex tissue damage.
Sudden emesis following parabolic flight maneuvers: implications for space motion sickness.

Episodes of emesis unaccompanied by the usual prodomal signs of motion sickness have been reported by astronauts in the Space Shuttle program. Such reports have raised the issue whether space motion sickness has different characteristics from terrestrial motion sickness. Evidence is presented here from parabolic flight experiments that sudden vomiting can occur in response to a provocative vestibular stimulus even when no premonitory symptoms are being experienced. Accordingly, in chronic exposure conditions, the absence of prominent signs or symptoms of motion sickness does not necessarily mean an absence of sensitization.
A relationship between emotional connection to nature and attitudes about urban forest management

This paper presents research conducted in Oregon, USA that explored the relationship between an emotional connection to nature and attitudes about urban forest management. We asked about study participants’ attitudes concerning threats to urban forests and problems created by urban forests and green spaces. Results from our regression analysis indicate that emotional connection to nature is generally negatively related to attitudes about problems created by urban forests, and positively related to attitudes about threats to urban forests. Implications for natural resource management and sustainable cities are discussed.
Staff Perspectives Regarding the Influence of Trauma on the Intimate Partnering Experiences of Adolescent Mothers in Residential Foster Care

Adolescent girls in foster care are disproportionately vulnerable to pregnancy and parenthood. These experiences of motherhood might be partially attributable to experiences of trauma, including sexual trauma. Trauma, particularly related to domestic violence and sexual abuse, have been linked to subsequent struggles in intimate relationships, such as dating violence or engagement in unsafe sexual behaviors. Although some research has begun to investigate experiences of trauma on relationships, there has been a lack of focus on intimate relationships in general and how they have been influenced by past and/or current traumatic experiences. The present study draws on 12 interviews with program staff who work with adolescent mothers at a residential foster care facility. Staff provided perceptions concerning the mothers’ dating and sexual health experiences to provide recommendations for working with this population. Findings present two overarching themes which attend to the nature of the mothers’ lived relationship experiences (e.g., boundaries, expectations) and how those relationships had been influenced by their past experiences of trauma. Findings provide implications for empirically informed and strengths-based, as opposed to deficit-focused, practice. Future research should focus on further developing trauma-informed care for adolescent mothers in foster care.
Seizures secondary to zolpidem withdrawal.

To the EditorZolpidem is FDA approved for the treatment of insomnia. It is a hypnotic agent that is structurally unrelated to benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and many other drugs with hypnotic prope...
Developing a Large-Scale Covid-19 Surveillance System to Reopen Campuses

The lessons learned during the development of PennOpen Pass — an early warning system to detect symptoms and exposures concerning for Covid-19 — will help advance innovations in health care long af...
Fireworks Injuries to the Head and Neck: A Retrospective Analysis Between 2008 and 2017.

Background This study examines firework-associated head and neck injuries in the United States from 2008 to 2017 obtained from a single epidemiology source. Methods The National Electronic Surveillance System was used to collect epidemiologic data and retrospectively analyze firework-associated injuries from 2008 to 2017. Injury types included burns, concussions, contusions, foreign bodies, hematomas, internal organ injury, lacerations, and puncture wounds. 431 individuals were originally included, however, 14 participants were excluded due to inadequate injury information. Chi-squared analyses were performed between the following categorical variables: gender versus body part injured, patient age versus injury type, and patient age versus body part injured. Results 417 injuries to the head and neck (67.4% male, 32.6% female) were treated in National Electronic Surveillance System-reporting emergency departments during the 10-year period. 69% of the injuries occurred in July. Body parts injured included the ear (10.6%), face (61.6%), head (13.0%), mouth (4.8%), and neck (10.0%). Chi-squared analysis demonstrated an association between gender and body part injured (p=0.0001). Patient age (p=0.066) was independent of injury type. Children aged 0-12 years had the highest probability of being injured (40.2%), then adults 22+ (33.1%) and adolescents 13-21 years (26.9%). Conclusions Given that the preponderance of injuries caused by fireworks occurred primarily in minors, pediatricians should screen for any household firework use during the anticipatory guidance portion of well-child checks, which we believe would improve patient safety and decrease injury rates.
Ecology of Antibiotic Resistance Genes

This chapter starts with a brief history of the growing public interest in the ecology of resistance genes and then moves on to a survey of some of the conceptual problems that have emerged. It focuses on a few groups of bacteria that are major players in the oral and intestinal ecosystems of humans and animals, the obligate anaerobes. Perhaps the first modern example of the sudden importance of understanding the ecology of antibiotic resistance genes arose in connection with the debate over the safety of GM plants. Studies have shown that many soil bacteria are naturally transformable, although it is still unclear what significance this fact has in the overall ecology of antibiotic resistance genes. Bacteria in and on the human body have participated in the distribution of resistance genes. An interesting case in point is the population of bacteria that makes its home in the periodontal pocket, the region between the gums and the roots of the teeth. Prominent among these are the Porphyromonas and Prevotella species. These bacteria have been of particular interest in dentistry because they are thought to be instrumental in the development of periodontal disease, the main cause of tooth loss in adults. Currently, the treatment for periodontal disease is surgery that cuts into the gums, exposing the buried surface of the teeth to allow scraping of the plaque that has accumulated there and is causing inflammation.
Basal forebrain and memory: neurotoxic lesions impair serial reversals of a spatial discrimination

The role of the basal forebrain (BF) in spatial memory was evaluated by testing rats with BF lesions in the acquisition and reversal of a two-choice spatial discrimination. BF lesions were made by injecting ibotenic acid into the medial septal area and nucleus basalis magnocellularis. Behavioral testing was conducted in a T-maze. Rats were given a spatial discrimination in which food was located in only one of the arms. After successful performance in this discrimination, each rat was given a series of discrimination reversals. Control rats learned rapidly and performed well. BF rats had a significant impairment in all reversals, even the last one, which was given approximately 6 weeks postoperatively. These data show that the BF is necessary for normal spatial memory and reversal learning, and they are discussed in the context of the role of the BF in different types of memory processes.
MRI suggests increased tonicity of the levator ani in women with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome

Introduction and hypothesis In interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), pelvic floor dysfunction may contribute significantly topelvicpain. To determine ifpelvic floor hypertonicity manifests alterations on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with IC/BPS, we retrospectively compared pelvic measurements between patients and controls. Methods Fifteen women with IC/BPS and 15 age-matched controls underwent pelvic MRI. Two blinded radiologists measured the pelvic musculature, including the H- and M lines, vaginal length, urethral length and cross-sectional area, levator width and length, and posterior puborectalis angle. MRI measures and clinical factors, such as age, parity, and duration of symptoms, were compared using a paired, two-tailed t test. Results There were no significant differences in age, parity, or symptom duration between groups. Patients with IC/BPS exhibited shorter levator muscles (right: 5.0±0.7 vs. 5.6±0.8, left: 5.0±0.8 vs. 5.7±0.8 cm, P<0.002) and a wider posterior puborectalis angle (35.0±8.6 vs. 26.7±7.9°, P<0.01) compared with controls. The H line was shorter in patients with IC/BPS (7.8±0.8 vs. 8.6±0.9 cm, P<0.02), while M line did not differ. Total urethral length was similar, but vaginal cuff and bladder neck distances to the H line were longer in patientswithIC/BPS(5.7±0.6vs.5.1±0.9cm,P<0.02;1.9±0.4 vs. 1.4±0.2 cm, P<0.001, respectively). Conclusions Patients with IC/BPS have pelvic floor hypertonicity on MRI, which manifests as shortened levator, increased posterior puborectalis angles, and decreased puborectal distances. We identified evidence of pelvic floor hypertonicity in patients with IC/BPS, which may contribute to or amplify pelvic pain. Future studies are necessary to determine the MRI utility in understanding pelvic floor hypertonicity in patients with IC/BPS.
Developing a Simulation Model for the Development of Higher Education Administrators

AbstractThe corporate model has influenced the university model of administration in such a way that techniques such as management by objectives, strategic planning, and computer modeling and simulation have been applied on campuses since the early 1950s (Coleman, 1968). This paper deals with the application of one such technique to the field of higher education administration. The development of a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) simulation model can be considered as a segment of a proposal to develop an expert system for tutoring of prospective CEOs. The steps in the model development process are discussed. These include problem and/or information identification, data collection, model building, model validation, model implementation, and model operation. The advantages and disadvantages of this computer-assisted instruction tool for developing decision-making ability are pointed out in the conclusion.
Child Physical Abuse

Child physical abuse is an all-too-common form of child maltreatment, second only to neglect. There are varying definitions of child physical abuse, but the most important point is that a child has sustained tissue injury. This can range from bruises to fractures to life-threatening or fatal head trauma. Determining the incidence and prevalence of physical abuse is difficult for many reasons; national datasets almost certainly do not provide an accurate picture. There are multiple risk factors for child physical abuse, but children can be abused without any risk factors present. Diagnosing child physical abuse requires a thorough medical assessment including a detailed history, complete physical examination, and often ancillary studies such as labs and radiology studies. Abusive head trauma is the leading cause of death in abused children, and often leads to long-term neurodevelopmental delays. Physically abused children may have short- and long-term medical and mental health problems as a result of their experiences. Keywords: child abuse; physical abuse; abusive head trauma; child maltreatment
Legitimation and Global Lawmaking

In late 2004, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) concluded a five-year project to produce global standards on corporate bankruptcy law for national law-makers. Because insolvency law is so culturally contextualized, skeptics viewed any global consensus as either impossible to achieve or likely to result in language so vague as to be useless. Yet in a surprisingly short time, UNCITRAL produced its Legislative Guide on Insolvency Law. Even before completion of the Guide, international organizations, as well as reformers from advanced and developing economies, began using its provisions for standard-setting and national law reform. UNCITRAL's Legislative Guide presents more than a simple success story; adoption of the Legislative Guide on Insolvency Law presents a vantage point for generating a theory of conditions under which global organizations can resolve a central paradox of global lawmaking. The paradox is straightforward: international organizations must be legitimate to be effective; but effectiveness is subverted by the very process of legitimation. If law-making organizations are not considered legitimate, the principles or rules articulated by them will be less persuasive and hence less binding. In turn, a lower probability of compliance or adoption by nation-states will reduce global convergence around the norms. But to become legitimate through representation, international organizations must incorporate divergent interests, which at best complicate and at worst thwart consensual lawmaking. It is therefore both a scholarly challenge and a pragmatic necessity to understand what resolutions of this tension are possible in global lawmaking forums.
Construction of Normalized RNA-seq Libraries for Next-Generation Sequencing Using the Crab Duplex-Specific Nuclease

RNA-seq is a method for studying the transcriptome of cells or tissues by massively parallel sequencing of tens of millions of short DNA fragments. However, the broad dynamic range of gene expression levels, which span more than five orders of magnitude, necessitates considerable over-sequencing to characterize low-abundance RNAs at sufficient depth. Here, we describe a method that enables efficient sequencing of low-abundance RNAs by normalizing or reducing the range spanned by the most abundant RNA species to the least abundant RNA species. This normalization is achieved using an approach that was developed for generating expressed sequence tag (EST) libraries that uses the crab duplex-specific nuclease and exploits the kinetics of DNA annealing. That is, double-stranded cDNA is denatured, then allowed to partially re-anneal, and the most abundant species, which re-anneal most rapidly, are digested with crab duplex-specific nuclease. This procedure substantially decreases the proportion of sequence reads from highly expressed RNAs, facilitating assessment of the full spectrum of the sequence and structure of transcriptomes.
Problems in Pharmacologic Management of Somatoform Disorders

Several problems have made it difficult to determine the effectiveness of pharmacologic management of Somatoform disorders [1]. However, results from recent studies of the Somatoform disorders are hopeful and may provide a basis for conducting trials to assess the role of medications in managing these conditions.
Building collaborative partnerships to improve community-based HIV prevention research: The university-CBO collaborative partnership (UCCP) model.

ABSTRACT The concept of developing collaborative partnerships with community-based organizations (CBOs) is based on the community psychology perspective of forming reciprocal, nonexploitative partnerships with community members. This perspective has evolved from the empowerment literature which views the community psychologist as a collaborator with community members who participate in all aspects of an intervention and evaluation. This article presents a conceptual model of effective university-CBO partnerships, with emphasis on HIV prevention research. A six stage model is presented, with emphasis on the beginning stages of developing collaborations with AIDS related CBOs. These stages are: 1. Selecting a potential CBO partner; 2. Developing a reciprocal relationship; 3. Deciding on a research question; 4. Conducting the research/evaluation; 5. Analyzing and interpreting the data; and 6. Dissemination. Barriers to effective collaboration are discussed. These barriers include having different goals, rela...
X-Ray Processes in Heavy-Ion Collisions

During the past decade, heavy-ion accelerators have become increasingly available to the atomic physics community. Within the past five years, extensive measurements on high-energy atomic collisions using the heaviest possible collision partners have been carried out. Although some of the features exhibited by the lighter encounters simply scale uniformly with increasing atomic number Z (Meyerhof et al., 1977a; Mokler et al., 1978, 1983), the large Coulomb fields associated with the heaviest collision systems induce extensive relativistic effects which result in qualitatively new phenomena. Information gathered through studies of lower-Z encounters has provided the framework within which these high-Z relativistic effects can be understood.
Getting around the nucleosomes.

Inside cells, DNA, the genetic material, is wound around tiny spools of protein called nucleosomes. This efficient packaging method can makes DNA inaccessible for enzymes that make new DNA or proteins that regulate genes. In his Perspective, Widom explains how the cell solves this problem and what we learn from new experiments, presented in this issue by Studitsky et al., that illuminate the workings of one very big eukaryotic polymerase, polymerase III.
A randomized trial of 5-hydroxytryptamine4-receptor agonist, YKP10811, on colonic transit and bowel function in functional constipation.

Background & Aims YKP10811, a selective agonist of the serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine-4 receptor, increases gastrointestinal (GI) motility. We investigated the safety and effects of YKP10811 on GI and colonic transit and bowel movements (BMs) in patients with functional constipation in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Methods Patients with functional constipation, based on the Rome III criteria, were assigned randomly to groups given YKP10811 10 mg (n = 15), 20 mg (n = 16), 30 mg (n = 15), or placebo (n = 11) daily for 8 days. Transit of solids was measured by validated scintigraphy at baseline and on days 7 to 9. Patients kept diaries on days 1 to 9, recording time to first BM, number of BMs/day, and stool consistency (based on the Bristol Stool Form Scale). To evaluate safety, we collected data on adverse events and clinical laboratory test and electrocardiograms results. The primary efficacy end points were determined from an intent-to-treat analysis assessing colonic transit at 24 hours and the half-time (t 1/2 ) of gastric emptying, using analysis of covariance models. Secondary efficacy end points included measures of colonic transit (geometric center at 4 and 24 hours), small-bowel transit (based on colon filling at 6 hours), t 1/2 of ascending colon emptying, and bowel functions. We used the Dunnett test to compare the effects of each dose with placebo. A per-protocol analysis (PPA) assessed the t 1/2 of gastric emptying and time to first BM using proportional hazards models. Results Fifty-five participants completed the study. YKP10811 was associated with a significant acceleration in colon filling at 6 hours ( P 1/2 of ascending colon emptying, and colonic transit at 24 and 48 hours, as well as increased stool consistency over 8 days (based on intent-to-treat analysis). In general, the 10-mg and 20-mg doses were the most effective in accelerating colonic transit. No serious adverse events were observed. Conclusions YKP10811, a selective agonist of the serotonin receptor 5-hydroxytryptamine-4, accelerates GI and colonic transit and improves bowel functions in patients with functional constipation, compared with placebo. ClinicalTrial.Gov: NCT01523184.
Effects of Surface Tension on Film Condensation in a Porous Medium

In the process of film condensation in a porous medium, the thermodynamics of phase equilibria requires the existence of a two-phase zone lying between the liquid and the vapor regions. In the two-phase zone, solutions of the conservation equations indicate a boundary-layer profile for the capillary pressure. The liquid zone is analyzed using three models, which assume either slip or no slip at the wall and Darcy velocity or no shear at the interface with the two-phase zone. The results show that the condition of no slip at the wall must be satisfied in all cases except where the thickness of the liquid zone is much larger than the characteristic boundary layer in the porous medium. At the interface with the two-phase zone, the assumption of no shear is more realistic than that of an imposed Darcy velocity, in conjunction with no-slip condition at the wall. Comparisons with experiments suggest that the drag on the liquid film due to surface tension is significant for permeabilities lower than 10{sup {minus}7}m{sup 2}. A dimensionless group, characterizing viscous flow due to surface tension forces, is introduced in this study.
An integrated assessment of sediment remediation in a midwestern U.S. stream using sediment chemistry, water quality, bioassessment, and fish biomarkers

A comprehensive biological, sediment, and water quality study of the lower Little Scioto River near Marion, Ohio, USA, was undertaken to evaluate the changes or improvements in biotic measurements following the removal of creosote-contaminated sediment. The study area covered 7.5 river miles (RMs), including a remediated section between RMs 6.0 and 6.8. Fish and macroinvertebrate assemblages, fish biomarkers (i.e., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon [PAH] metabolite levels in white sucker [Castostomus commersoni] and common carp [Cyprinus carpio] bile and DNA damage), sediment chemistry, and water quality were assessed at five locations relative to the primary source of historical PAH contamination—upstream (RM 9.2), adjacent (RM 6.5), and downstream (RMs 5.7, 4.4, and 2.7). Overall, the biomarker results were consistent with the sediment PAH results, showing a pattern of low levels of PAH bile metabolites and DNA damage at the upstream (reference or background location), as well as the remediated section, high levels at the two immediate downstream sites, and somewhat lower levels at the furthest downstream site. Results show that remediation was effective in reducing sediment contaminant concentrations and exposure of fish to PAHs and in improving fish assemblages (60% increase in index of biotic integrity scores) in remediated river sections. Additional remedial investigation and potentially further remediation is needed to improve the downstream benthic fish community, which is still heavily exposed to PAH contaminants. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2013;32:653–661. © 2012 SETAC
Characterization of the Depth Distribution and Electrical Activation and Deactivation of Ion Implanted Dopants in Silicon

Electrical-assisted diffusion of carriers is proposed as a hypothesis of major dopant deactivation kinetics. New metrology methods, including SIMS/ARXPS and continuous anodic oxidation technique/differential Hall effect methods, are used in this paper to supply supporting evidences and data. The n-type (P- and As-based) implants show more serious deactivation, but similar reactivation to p-type (B-based) implants, which can be interpreted by the electrical-assisted diffusion mechanism. Reactivation occurs only when the excess dopants exist-dopant concentration is higher than its electrically active solid solubility limit.
Lithium modulation of the human inositol monophosphatase 2 (IMPA2) promoter.

Abstract The inositol-signaling pathway is a therapeutic target for lithium in the treatment of bipolar disorder. Inositol monophosphatases (IMPases) play a key role in inositol signaling. Lithium’s ability to inhibit IMPase 1 is well known, but its effect on IMPase 2 or on the transcriptional regulation of these genes has not been studied. Here, we report the identification and characterization of the minimal promoter of IMPA2 (encoding IMPase 2) in HeLa (epithelial) and SK-N-AS (neuronal) cells. IMPA2 promoter activity appears to be contributed by different elements in the 5′ flanking region, suggesting that the gene is differentially regulated in neuronal and non-neuronal cells. Furthermore, IMPA2 promoter activity in both cell lines is downregulated, in a dose-dependent manner, by lithium after treatment for only 24 h. This effect is also observed in vivo. Our results suggest a possible role for IMPA2 in bipolar disorder.
Adjunctive treatment of benzodiazepine discontinuation syndromes: A review

The variety of pharmacologic and psychotherapeutic approaches to facilitate benzodiazepine discontinuation are reviewed. Strategies to attenuate physiologic withdrawal with clonidine, propranolol and carbamazepine have been inconsistently effective. Strategies to prevent relapse by substituting medications that could later be discontinued more easily (i.e., antidepressants and azapirones) appear more useful but have been less well studied. Psychotherapeutic approaches appear to work, but specific therapeutic components are unclear and non-specific "placebo" effects may play an important role.
Syllabic (~2-5 Hz) and fluctuation (~1-10 Hz) ranges in speech and auditory processing

Abstract Given recent interest in syllabic rates (∼2–5 Hz) for speech processing, we review the perception of “fluctuation” range (∼1–10 Hz) modulations during listening to speech and technical auditory stimuli (AM and FM tones and noises, and ripple sounds). We find evidence that the temporal modulation transfer function (TMTF) of human auditory perception is not simply low-pass in nature, but rather exhibits a peak in sensitivity in the syllabic range (∼2–5 Hz). We also address human and animal neurophysiological evidence, and argue that this bandpass tuning arises at the thalamocortical level and is more associated with non-primary regions than primary regions of cortex. The bandpass rather than low-pass TMTF has implications for modeling auditory central physiology and speech processing: this implicates temporal contrast rather than simple temporal integration, with contrast enhancement for dynamic stimuli in the fluctuation range. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled “Communication Sounds and the Brain: New Directions and Perspectives”.
Tapping into the Power of School Climate to Prevent Bullying: One Application of Schoolwide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports.

Preventing bullying requires a comprehensive approach that includes a focus on school climate. We review the climate features shown to reduce bullying, then illustrate how School-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) applies these principles in practice. SWPBIS, grounded in multiple theories—behaviorism, social learning theory, prevention science, and systems change—is designed to build a positive school climate by defining and consistently reinforcing positive behavioral norms. SWPBIS focuses on teaching and acknowledging positive behavior and addressing environmental conditions that exacerbate problem behavior. This positive approach changes behavior without the negative interactions associated with punitive discipline while establishing school climates that promote protective factors and mitigate risk factors. Schools implementing SWPBIS have reported less bullying and student victimization, fewer problem behaviors, and increased feelings of safety.
Economic Development in the Newly Independent States: The Case for Regionalism

The Newly Independent States of the Caucasus and Central Asia face a formidable set of obstacles to economic development. The strategies pursued in other developing countries ‐ resource‐based, import substitution, export promotion, and neoliberalism ‐ do not provide satisfactory roadmaps for these states. This article argues that a regional development strategy constitutes the best hope for the NIS. While most economists look unfavorably on preferential trade arrangements, a carefully formulated regional strategy — which would combine a deepening of existing regional trade agreements, convergence towards the World Trade Organisation's non‐discriminatory norms, and support of trade financing reforms by international development agencies — could unlock the NIS's substantial potential for intra‐regional trade and enhance the region's appeal to Western investors. However, execution of such a strategy presupposes resolution of the political conflicts (inter‐ and intra‐state) that currently impede regional co‐o...
Enhancement of rat intestinal calcium absorption by vanadate.

Vanadate alters intestinal transport and may have a role in regulating cell function. To determine whether it influences calcium absorption, we tested the effects of acute and chronic vanadate administration on calcium absorption using single-pass perfusion of jejunal and ileal segments of the in vivo rat intestine. Acute vanadate administration increased the lumen-to-mucosa and net fluxes of calcium in both the jejunum and ileum. The increase was largely due to an enhancement of the saturable fluxes of calcium and was observed at M concentration of vanadate, but not at higher or lower concentrations of the oxyanion, except at the highest concentration used, lo-' M, where calcium absorption was inhibited. Chronic vanadate administration caused, on the other hand, no changes in calcium absorption. We have demonstrated previously that rat intestinal (Na+ + K+)-ATPase is inhibited by vanadate, an effect that could raise cell sodium and increase the efflux of sodium across the brush border membrane. The results suggest that the vanadate enhancement of calcium absorption may be related to an increased entry of calcium into the mucosa, possibly as a result of an augmented exchange through the Na+/Ca+ antiport system. Alternatively, vanadate may influence access to a calcium channel in the mucosal membrane of the intestinal epithelium, leading to the observed increase in absorption. (P.S.E.B.M. 1991, Vol198)
Characterization of facility assignment costs for a location-inventory model under truckload distribution

We consider a two-stage distribution system, where the first stage consists of potential distribution centres (DCs) and the second stage consists of geographically dispersed existing retailers. Our goal is to determine the set of open DCs and assignment of open DCs to retailers simultaneously with inventory decisions of retailers. In addition to the DC-specific fixed facility location costs, we explicitly model the inventory replenishment and holding costs at the retailers and truckload transportation costs between the DCs and the retailers. The transportation costs are subject to truck/cargo capacity, leading to an integrated location-inventory problem with explicit cargo costs. We develop a mixed-integer nonlinear model and analyse its structural properties leading to exact expressions for the so-called implied facility assignment costs and imputed per-unit per-mile transportation costs. These expressions analytically demonstrate the interplay between strategic location and tactical inventory/transportation decisions in terms of resulting operational costs. Although both the theory and practice of integrated logistics have recognized the fact that strategic and tactical decisions are interrelated, to the best of our knowledge, our paper is the first to offer closed-form results demonstrating the relationship explicitly. We propose an efficient solution approach utilizing the implied facility assignment costs and we demonstrate that significant savings are realizable when the inventory decisions and cargo costs are modelled explicitly for facility location purposes.
Ingress of Brachyuran Crab Post-larvae to the Newport River Estuary

Planktonic larvae of estuarine species often develop in the coastal ocean and return to estuaries using favorable currents. This study investigated spatial distributions of brachyuran crab post-larvae during ingress to the Newport River estuary, North Carolina, USA (34°41′ N, 76°40′ W). Nearshore plankton tows were conducted across the inlet to the estuary. Settlement on passive ‘hog’s hair’ collectors was simultaneously monitored in each of four estuarine channels. Callinectes sapidus density was highest east of the inlet, whereas relative estuarine abundance was higher in western channels. In separate sampling with collectors at coastal and estuarine locations, spatial distributions of post-larvae were consistent through time but differed for C. sapidus, Uca spp., and Pachygrapsus transversus. The diel timing of C. sapidus settlement on collectors was determined at the coast and compared to previous studies of settlement in the estuary. Behavioral responses to environmental cues may alter transport pathways from those predicted by hydrodynamic models.
Challenges in the human genome project

The purpose and scope of the human genome project are discussed. Basic biological concepts underlying the project are reviewed. The two processes-logic and experimentation-used to understand DNA sequences are compared, and the process of obtaining the sequence is described. Two problem areas in this collaboration between biologists and computer scientists are examined. They arise from differences in training that can make communication difficult, and nomenclature problems. >