cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What's new in estrogen receptor action in the female reproductive tract

Estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) is a critical player in development and function of the female reproductive system. Perturbations in ERα response can affect wide-ranging aspects of health in humans as well as in livestock and wildlife. Because of its long-known and broad impact, ERα mechanisms of action continue to be the focus on cutting-edge research efforts. Consequently, novel insights have greatly advanced understanding of every aspect of estrogen signaling. In this review, we attempt to briefly outline the current understanding of ERα mediated mechanisms in the context of the female reproductive system.
"REBOUND" RECOVERY FROM DEPRIVATION OF PARADOXICAL SLEEP IN THE RABBIT.

SummarySpontaneous episodes of “paradoxical” sleep are plentiful in the rabbit adapted to its surroundings. The phenomenon is almost completely inhibited during 24 hours of noise which does not prevent ordinary sleep with spindles and slow waves. Following the masking noise period the animal recovers the missing paradoxical sleep episodes, indicating that the latter may be of fundamental physiological importance.
Somatosensory, multisensory, and task-related neurons in cortical area 7b (PF) of unanesthetized monkeys.

1. The goal of this study was to quantitatively characterize the response properties of somatosensory and multisensory neurons in cortical area 7b (or PF) of monkeys that were behaviorally trained ...
The Design Research of General Information Processing Platform

With computer programming technology and communication technology,through summarizing the characteristic of different information processing platform,The article discusses the necessity of designing general information processing platform,and introduces the key technical points of this platform.
Measurement of hydraulic conductivity in isolated arterioles of rat brain cortex.

We have developed a new method for quantification of arteriolar hydraulic conductivity (Lp) from isolated rat brain vessels. The volume flux of water per unit surface area across the arteriole wall (Jv/S) was assessed from measurements of silicon oil drop movement within an occluded vessel at two to three pressures (between 20 and 70 mmHg); the Lp was derived from the slope of the relationship between Jv/S and applied pressure. Lp was measured in isolated cerebral arterioles 1) at room temperature (22 degrees C) without spontaneous vessel tone (control Lp; n = 11), 2) at room temperature with 10(-4) M adenosine (n = 5), and 3) at 37 degrees C with vessels dilated submaximally with 10(-4) M adenosine (n = 6). Lp at 22 degrees C without adenosine was 13.2 +/- 4.2 x 10(-9) (+/- SE) cm.s-1.cmH2O-1 for all vessels studied. Lp values ranged from 1.2 to 44.1 x 10(-9) cm.s-1.cmH2O-1 with a median value that was 5.9 x 10(-9) cm.s-1.cmH2O-1. Lp increased significantly (on average, 2.6-fold) with adenosine at 37 degrees C but not with adenosine at 22 degrees C. Control Lp bore no relationship to either the development of spontaneous tone or the diameter response to pH change, two recognized indicators of vessel viability.
Antonio de León Pinelo

Desde que los hermanos Antonio de Leon Pinelo y Juan Rodriguez de Leon llegaron al Rio de la Plata en 1604, principalmente Antonio debio sentir el alma distinta por una suerte de transparencia espiritual. Debio incidir de modo inevitable, como despues refiere, el magesruoso espectaculo del Rio de la Plata y el ensueno de la llanura al ingresar a la ciudad por el sur de la pampa cordobesa.
Effect Size as the Essential Statistic in Developing Methods for mTBI Diagnosis.

Abstract: The descriptive statistic known as “effect size” measures the distinguishability of two sets of data. Distingishability is at the core of diagnosis. This article is intended to point out the importance of effect size in the development of effective diagnostics for mild Traumatic Brain Injury and to point out the applicability of the effect size statistic in comparing diagnosic efficiency across the main proposed TBI diagnostic methods: psychological, physiological, biochemical and radiologic. Comparing diagnostic approaches is difficult because different researcher in different fields have different approaches to measuring efficacy. Converting diverse measures to effect sizes, as is done in meta-analysis, is a relatively easy way to make studies comparable.
Use of Hematopoietic Growth Factors and Risk of Thromboembolic and Pulmonary Toxicities in Elderly Patients with Advanced Ovarian Cancer

Abstract Objective To evaluate the risk of thromboembolic and pulmonary toxicities associated with hematopoietic growth factor (HGF) use (i.e., erythropoietin-stimulating agent [ESA] and/or colony-stimulating factor [CSF]) in a community-dwelling cohort of elderly patients with advanced ovarian cancer. Methods We studied 8,188 women, 65 years and older from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare linked database, diagnosed from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2009. Patients were categorized into five groups: no chemotherapy and no ESA/CSF ( n = 2,616), chemotherapy but no ESA/CSF ( n = 1,854), ESA only ( n = 1,313), CSF only ( n = 743), and ESA + CSF ( n = 1,662). We reported the cumulative incidence of toxicities for 2, 6, and greater than 6 months, and the incidence density for the overall follow-up. Cox-proportional hazards regression was performed to determine risk of toxicities. Results Of the 5,572 patients receiving chemotherapy, 66.7% ( n = 3,718) received HGF supportive treatment, 29.8% received ESA + CSF, 23.6% received ESA only, and 13.3% received CSF only. Patients who received chemotherapy and also ESA + CSF had a 14.1% cumulative incidence of thromboembolic event (TEE) at 6 months of follow-up compared with 8.0% in those who received chemotherapy without growth factor and 3.2% in those with neither chemotherapy nor growth factor. Those with chemotherapy who received ESA + CSF had a significantly higher risk of TEE (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–1.47) as compared with patients with chemotherapy and no ESA/CSF, although patients aged 85 years and older may experience up to a five-fold increased risk. The risk of pulmonary toxicities did not significantly differ by HGF use. Conclusions An increased risk of TEEs was observed in elderly patients with ovarian cancer who received ESA + CSF. The risk–benefit ratio for administering HGF should be carefully evaluated, especially among those 85 years and older.
The Role of Product Personalization in Effects of Self-Congruity Versus Functional Congruity

Generally, consumers can get three types of benefits from brands (Aaker 1996; Keller 2003): functional, experiential, and symbolic. How to deliver these benefits more effectively than competitors is a critical challenge faced by companies that wish to build successful brands and maintain long-term consumer-brand relationships. To shed light on this managerial problem, much research focuses on the relationship between brand benefits and consumer behavior, such as the research on self-congruity and functional congruity (e.g., Aaker 1999; Kressmann et al. 2006; Sirgy et al. 1991; Wysong et al. 2002). Self-congruity refers to the extent to which a brand’s personality (image) matches a consumer’s self-concept (self-image), which is relevant to the symbolic benefits of a brand (Kressmann et al. 2006; Sirgy et al. 1991; Sirgy et al. 2000). Functional congruity is related to a brand’s functional benefits (Sirgy et al. 1991) and refers to the extent to which the functional attributes of a brand meet a consumer’s expectations “regarding how the product should perform to accomplish the focal or central goal of the product.” (Kressmann et al. 2006, p957) Many scholars have examined the impact of self-congruity and functional congruity on brand evaluation and brand loyalty (e.g., Aaker 1999; Kressmann, et al. 2006; Sirgy et al. 1991). However, the effects of such congruities on consumers’ trust in a brand have received little attention.
A double-mutant collection targeting MAP kinase related genes in Arabidopsis for studying genetic interactions

Mitogen-activated protein kinase cascades are conserved in all eukaryotes. In Arabidopsis thaliana there are approximately 80 genes encoding MAP kinase kinase kinases (MAP3K), 10 genes encoding MAP kinase kinases (MAP2K), and 20 genes encoding MAP kinases (MAPK). Reverse genetic analysis has failed to reveal abnormal phenotypes for a majority of these genes. One strategy for uncovering gene function when single-mutant lines do not produce an informative phenotype is to perform a systematic genetic interaction screen whereby double-mutants are created from a large library of single-mutant lines. Here we describe a new collection of 275 double-mutant lines derived from a library of single-mutants targeting genes related to MAP kinase signaling. To facilitate this study, we developed a high-throughput double-mutant generating pipeline using a system for growing Arabidopsis seedlings in 96-well plates. A quantitative root growth assay was used to screen for evidence of genetic interactions in this double-mutant collection. Our screen revealed four genetic interactions, all of which caused synthetic enhancement of the root growth defects observed in a MAP kinase 4 (MPK4) single-mutant line. Seeds for this double-mutant collection are publicly available through the Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center. Scientists interested in diverse biological processes can now screen this double-mutant collection under a wide range of growth conditions in order to search for additional genetic interactions that may provide new insights into MAP kinase signaling.
Measuring More: Schools, Teachers, and the Development of Kindergartners Executive Function Skills.

Despite growing interest in the importance of nonacademic skills for student success, very few studies have examined the extent to which schools and teachers are associated with gains in these outc...
The relationship between regression in autism spectrum disorder, epilepsy, and atypical epileptiform EEGs: A meta-analytic review

ABSTRACTBackground The strength of the relationship between epilepsy and regression in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been much discussed but is currently unclear.Methods The authors conducted 2 meta-analyses of published studies to determine if children with ASD who experience regression (ASD-R) epilepsy are more likely to have epilepsy or atypical epileptiform electroencephalograms (aeEEG) compared to individuals with ASD and no regression history (ASD-NR).Results Children with ASD-R were more likely to have epilepsy and atypical aeEEG compared to individuals with ASD-NR. Odds ratio (OR) analyses indicated minor increases in odds of aeEEG regression for ASD-R compared to ASD-NR, OR = 1.29, 95% CI [1.09, 1.52], and small increased odds of reported epilepsy, OR = 1.59, 95% CI [1.31, 1.95], for the ASD-R compared to the ASD-NR group. The operational definition of epilepsy affected reported odds of aeEEG, but not reported epilepsy. The likelihood of aeEEG in children with ASD-R was also moderated by the...
Neutron time-of-flight spectroscopy for depth-resolved quantification through NSECT

With advances in detector technology, gamma-ray detectors are now capable of reporting both time of arrival of a photon and its energy. Although the gamma energies detected from the inelastic scattering of neutrons with elemental nuclei in the tissue of interest are being exploited in Neutron Stimulation Emission Computed Tomography (NSECT) to detect different elemental disorders, the timing information is largely ignored. Here we present a technique to utilize the time of arrival of gamma photons at a detector to locate focal liver lesions in diseases such as hemochromatosis and liver cancer. A GEANT4 simulation of 5-MeV neutrons was used to irradiate a liver phantom with multiple lesions with different iron concentrations. The time of arrival of gamma photons from neutron-56Fe inelastic scatter was recorded using a 360 degree, 100% efficient detection system and used to locate the lesions in the beam path. The resulting spectra were resolved in nanosecond time bins (corresponding to the expected arrival time of inelastic-scatter gamma photons from the lesion) and clearly demonstrated the ability to localize the focal liver lesions through neutron time-of-flight (TOF) spectroscopy. The preliminary results showed errors of only 10–20% in lesion position, demonstrating the strong potential of the technique.
Rethinking the U.S. Antidumping Laws with Reference to China, Japan and Korea

The stated purpose of the antidumping laws is to prevent unfair trade and to punish foreign producers for predatory pricing. The practical effect, however, is to prevent foreign producers from selling their products in a domestic market, even when pricing has not been abnormally low or predatory. The way the antidumping laws are structured, domestic producers can enlist the help of government to prevent foreign competition even when there has been no dumping. This paper examines recent trends in the application of antidumping laws, with special reference to the three East Asian trading partners of the U.S., China, Japan, and South Korea, both as a target and as an initiator of antidumping investigations. The paper points out some welfare problems with antidumping laws -- they are a negative sum game -- and discusses whether the antidumping laws are capable of being reformed. A different version of this paper was first published in 2002 and was reprinted in 2009. The present version includes a bibliography on trade, including more than 100 links to studies on trade.
Leveraging Superchiral Light for Manipulation of Optical Chirality in the Near-Field of Plasmonic Metamaterials

Methods for generating enhanced chiroptical response are of great importance in biological and biochemical applications primarily due to the ubiquitous presence of chiral substances in the organic world. Exhibiting an unprecedentedly strong chiroptical response, metamaterials are considered as a good candidate for achieving the highly sought after enhanced optical chirality. Here we demonstrate that optical chirality in the near-field of planar chiral metamaterials can be controlled by the so-called superchiral light composed by two counter-propagating beams of circularly polarized light (CPL) of the opposite handedness. In contrast with the scenario of single CPL excitation, continuous manipulation of optical chirality including the handedness selective enhancement and switching effect is observed. Moreover, the volumetric examination reveals that the enhanced optical chirality is much more delocalized, indicating a further improved accessibility for plasmonic nanostructure based enantiomeric sensing. Fi...
Small body in-situ Multi-probe Mass Estimation Experiment (SIMMEE)

This research describes a method and hardware prototype for resolving the mass of asteroids and comets during flybys or orbital phases. In this concept, called OpGrav, a host spacecraft releases a group of small white spheres, which it then tracks using an on-board telescope. The spheres, which act as test-masses and are called probes, are deployed such that they pass very near to the small body and their trajectories are measurably perturbed. A spacecraft-mounted camera determines the relative measurements of the probes, including right ascension and declination angles. These measurements are then processed on the ground and used to estimate the body's mass. The relative measurements have the advantage of being high signal-to-noise and high resolution, owing to the short distance between the host spacecraft to the probes and the probes to the small-body. They are also numerous, since multiple probes can be deployed from a single spacecraft, possibly to different relative geometries. These benefits enable the accurate determination of mass for bodies that are too small to study using typical ground-based radiometric tracking. The concept is evaluated in a modeling and simulation environment, which includes high-fidelity acceleration models for the small body's gravity, planetary gravity, and solar radiation pressure. The simulation results show relevant performance during a typical flyby (many kilometers per second) for asteroids as small as 1 kilometer in diameter, which represents a meaningful improvement over current methods. For most encounters, 1–3 well placed probes can be very effective, with marginal improvement for additional probes. This research focuses on the key implementation challenges, including the design and testing of an instrument hardware implementation called Small-body In-situ Multi-probe Mass Estimation Experiment (SIMMEE). This instrument consists of the probes, their dispenser, and a means of measuring the ejection conditions. The probes are stored as thin “pucks” but are dispensed as 150 mm diameter spheres, which can be tracked for 1000's of kilometers with existing optical instruments. A primary driving requirement is that the hardware must operate accurately after a 5+ year duration in space. This hardware is being fabricated and will undergo a series of test activities to determine its deployment accuracy and its suitability for space.
Micropropagation of Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.)

The most commonly planted species in the genus Robinia is R. pseudoacacia L. (black locust, common locust, yellow locust). Black locust is a member of the family Fabaceae, and forms root nodules in association with nitrogen-fixing Rhizobium (Allen and Allen 1981). This allows the species to grow in relatively poor soil. Black locust is a medium-sized tree that has deciduous, compound leaves and shows rapid, indeterminate growth. The twigs usually have stipular spines that flank the leaf scar, beneath which lie naked, often superposed buds (Harlow et al. 1979). The flowers of black locust are insect-pollinated, perfect, papilionate, very fragrant, and are borne in large, white, pendulous racemes (Fig. 1). Most seedlings are produced from outcrossing (Surles et al. 1990). The fruit is a many-seeded legume 5–10 cm in length. Black locust has a diploid chromosome number of 20 (Darlington and Wylie 1955), and cambial cells were reported to contain 2.4 pg of DNA (Singh and Siminovitch 1976).
P4.71 The power of people living with hiv (PLHIV) in stigma reduction

This paper briefly reflects the fact that People living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) can be potential resources for HIV-related stigma reduction, the paper shares the experience of Sudanese People living With HIV/AIDS Care Association (SPCA) on reducing self-sigma among the PLHIV themselves and on the other hand reducing the stigma among health service providers and the general population. In the near past, Stigma was the major challenge constraining HIV intervention efforts in Sudan where the social context is one of the generating factor for the stigma and discrimination, the type of stigma in Sudan was the most furious one which influence PLHIV and their families, it was a complex model of stigma that deny PLHIV to even access care and treatment. The efforts made to empower PLHIV were a breakthrough towards better PLHIV-friendly environment free of stigma and discrimination. This paper focuses on the impact of the PLHIV efforts in the stigma reduction, which has contributed to put PLHIV and AIDS issues in the primary agenda of the government commitment and helped to advocate for supporting the overall intervention of AIDS in the country. The paper also shows how far the role of other sectors contributed to empower PLHIV and helped the national AIDS Programme to apply mature strategies on stigma reduction and comprehensive programming for HIV response.
Development of a neighborhood commute mode share model using nationally-available data

Practitioners often use demand models to predict how neighborhood-level land use, infrastructure, demographic, and other changes may impact transportation systems. Few of the models available to predict automobile, transit, bicycle, and pedestrian travel are based on easily-accessible data, which creates barriers for transportation agencies with limited data or modeling resources. We help fill this gap by developing a fractional multinomial logit model that estimates United States neighborhood work commute mode shares using existing, nationally-available data from 5000 randomly-selected, non-adjacent census tracts. After controlling for socioeconomic characteristics, the model shows that public transit, walk, and bicycle commuting are associated with higher population and employment density, more housing constructed prior to 1940, and more rental housing. Public transit and walk commuting are associated with being in a Northeastern state, automobile commuting is associated with being in a Southern state, and bicycle commuting is associated with being in a West Coast state. Validation of the model using a separate set of 1000 census tracts and application of the model in the Milwaukee metropolitan region show promise but also highlight several limitations of this approach. This sketch-planning model is a building block for future practically-oriented neighborhood commute mode share models.
Switch of Mitochondrial Superoxide Dismutase (SOD2) into a Prooxidant Peroxidase in Manganese-deficient Cells and Mice

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), in particular the superoxide radical anion O2•‒, are constantly produced during respiration and are increased in many human diseases. In mitochondria, the dismutation of O2•‒ is accelerated by the mitochondrial superoxide dismutase 2 or MnSOD2, an enzyme that has been traditionally associated with antioxidant protection. However, increases in SOD2 expression promote oxidative stress, indicating that there may be a prooxidant role for SOD2 in mitochondria. We show that SOD2, which is normally bound to manganese, can incorporate iron and generate an alternative isoform with peroxidase activity, the FeSOD2. In this regard, a switch in metal cofactor changes SOD2 from an antioxidant to a prooxidant enzyme that utilizes H2O2 to promote oxidative stress. Moreover, we found that the formation of FeSOD2, which happens in cellulo and in vivo, causes changes in overall cellular metabolism and gene expression profiles. Cells in culture with FeSOD2 show a shift in metabolism from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis due to mitochondrial dysfunction. Mice showed accumulation of FeSOD2 in liver when fed a manganese-deficient diet or an iron-enriched diet. Their liver mitochondria showed high levels of protein radicals, including those of Complex I. More importantly, levels of protein radical formation correlated with FeSOD2. Hence, we provide evidence in support of the identification of the first mitochondrial metal peroxidase which is produced by the incorporation of iron into SOD2. We also show that the formation of FeSOD2 converts an antioxidant defense (MnSOD2) into a prooxidant enzyme that leads to cellular changes seen in multiple human diseases.
What Intercollegiate Athletics Coaches Wish Faculty Knew: Implications for Curriculum and Instruction

Collegiate athletics coaches play a vital role in the lives of student-athletes and regularly interact with the members of their teams more than faculty given the nature of athletics practice schedules compared to academic class schedules. Although the primary purpose of university attendance at all universities is pursuit of academic degrees, student-athletes receive broad non-academic, life-skills oriented education from athletics coaches. Typically, teaching faculty at American colleges and universities hold terminal degrees in their fields, but unlike international universities, faculty in the U.S. are not required to have any particular training in pedagogy. Due to the enormous amount of time athletics coaches spend with student-athletes, coaches, by nature must be effective communicators, effective motivators, effective teachers, and effective ethical models for their student-athletes to a degree not necessary for faculty members. The purpose of this paper was to gather recommendations from coaches for faculty members regarding needs of student-athletes, and a comparison of the perception of student-athlete needs between coaches and faculty members. We employed a mixed methods convergent parallel design. We administered a questionnaire that included both an open-ended response section to what the respondent wished faculty knew with respect to student-athlete success, and three Likert scale questions related to confidence in what faculty knew or did with respect to student-athlete academic needs. Based on the thematic coding of the responses by coaches, and quantitative analysis of the Likert scale questions, recommendations for faculty regarding curriculum and instruction are given in the discussion section.
Body Position Affects Ultrasonographic Measurement of Diaphragm Contractility.

Purpose (1) Determine whether ultrasonography can detect differences in diaphragm contractility between body positions. (2) Perform reliability analysis of diaphragm thickness measurements in each test condition. Methods We used a repeated-measures experimental design with 45 healthy adults where 3 B-mode ultrasound images were collected at peak-inspiration and end-expiration in supine, sitting, and standing. Mean diaphragm thickening fractions were calculated for each test position. Statistical significance was tested using 1-way repeated-measures analysis of variance with planned comparisons. For reliability analysis, the intraclass correlation coefficient (3, 3) was calculated. Results Mean diaphragm thickening fraction increased from 60.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 53.0%, 67.9%) in supine, to 96.5% (95% CI 83.2%, 109.9%) while seated and to 173.8% (95% CI 150.5%, 197.1%) while standing. Body position was a significant factor overall (P 0.93) for all body positions tested. Conclusions Ultrasound imaging detected positional differences in diaphragm contractility. The effect of gravitational loading on diaphragm length-tension, and body position-mediated changes in intra-abdominal pressure may explain the differences found. Future research should address methodological concerns and apply this method to patients participating in early mobilization programs in the intensive care unit.
Report of the consensus conference on candidate selection for Heart Transplantation-1993.

Background : Despite several task forces and numerous reviews, criteria for candidate selection for heart transplantation are not uniform. Methods and Results : This report summarizes results compiled from a survey that was reviewed at a consensus conference held before the meeting of the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation in 1993 in Boca Raton, Florida. The meeting was attended by representatives of 52 programs from the United States, Canada, England, and Australia. The unique feature of this report is that is represents a review of the actual practice of patient selection at some of the largest and most experienced centers in the field. Key areas of the selection process including medical and surgical alternatives to transplantation, the composition of the transplant work-up, specific inclusion criteria as well as specific psychosocial factors and specific disease etiologies and co-morbidities that might represent contraindications were extensively reviewed. In addition, the standard folow-up for a patient on an active waiting list, and criteria to remove patients from the active waiting list are described. This survey provides information and insight regarding current areas of consensus as well as disagreement regarding candidate selection for heart transplantation. Conclusions : These differences may be important when considering outcomes and possible strategies in the use of resources. J HEART LUNG TRANSPLANT 1995 ;14 :562-71.
Walden two: The morality of anarchy.

The utopian label is often pinned on calls for comprehensive change as a means of dismissing them from serious consideration.… [S]ocial orders come and go, and those who indulge in Utopian thinking may be more prepared for … the inevitability of widespread societal transformation.… Keeping utopia in mind can prevent our settling for minor reforms when more significant change might be possible. (Fox, 1985, p. 55) When … I called myself a benign anarchist … someone said that that was not like the dictatorship of Walden Two. But Walden Two was anarchistic.…The functions delegated to [authority figures] in the world at large were performed by the people themselves through face-to-face commendation and censure. (Skinner, 1983, p. 426, emphasis his) The issue for anarchists is not whether there should be structure or order, but what kind there should be and what its sources ought to be. The individual or group which has sufficient liberty to be self-regulating will have the highest degree of order; the imposition of order from above and outside induces resentment and rebellion where it does not encourage childlike dependence and impotence, and so becomes a force for disorder. (Barclay, 1982, p. 17)
HLA and Autoimmunity

The MHC region on human chromosome 6p21 is a critical susceptibility locus for many human autoimmune diseases. Susceptibility to a number of these diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes, is associated with particular alleles of HLA-DR or HLA-DQ genes. Crystal structures of HLA-DR and HLA-DQ molecules with bound peptides from candidate autoantigens have demonstrated that critical polymorphic residues determine the shape and charge of key pockets of the peptide binding site and thus determine the interaction of these MHC molecules with peptides. These data provide strong support for the hypothesis that these diseases are peptide-antigen driven. In HLA-DR associated autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and pemphigus vulgaris, key polymorphic determinants are primarily localized to the P4 pocket of the binding site and determine whether the pocket has a positive or negative charge. Peptide binding studies have demonstrated that these changes in the P4 pocket have a significant impact on the repertoire of self-peptides that can be presented by these MHC class II molecules. In HLA-DQ associated diseases such as type 1 diabetes and celiac disease, the α57 polymorphism is critical for peptide presentation since it determines the charge of the P9 pocket of the binding site. The crystal structure of HLA-DQ8 demonstrated that the P9 pocket has a positive charge in HLA-DQ molecules associated with type 1 diabetes, due to the absence of a negative charge at P57. Striking structural similarities were identified between the human DQ8 and murine I-Ag7 molecules that confer susceptibility to type 1 diabetes, indicating that similar antigen presentation events may be relevant in humans and the NOD mouse model. Recent studies in the NOD mouse indicated that I-g7 can promote expansion in the thymus of a CD4 T cell population which recognizes a peptide ligand that stimulates a panel of islet-specific T cell clones. MHC class II molecules that confer susceptibility to an autoimmune disease may thus promote positive selection of potentially pathogenic T cell population in the thymus and later induce the differentiation of these cells into effector populations by presentation of peptides derived from the target organ.
Toward Tailored Xerogel Composites: Local Dipolarity and Nanosecond Dynamics within Binary Composites Derived from Tetraethylorthosilane and ORMOSILs, Oligomers or Surfactants

We explore the potential of xerogel composites to tailor the behavior of active dopants that are sequestered within the xerogel. Toward this end, we report on the local dipolarity and dynamics of two fluorescent probes (pyrene and rhodamine 6G, R6G) each co-doped at low concentration directly into a series of binary xerogel composites. The composites that we have investigated are composed of tetraethylorthosilicate (Si(OCH2CH3)4,TEOS) plus one of several organically-modified silanes (ORMOSILs), organic oligomers, or a common surfactant. For convenience we divide these xerogel composites into two classes: (1) xerogels wherein the organic character arises from the addition of an ORMOSIL co-monomer, possessing a non-hydrolyzable organic functional group, that becomes covalently incorporated with in the xerogel and (2) xerogels wherein the organic content is adjusted by adding organic oligomers or a surfactant. Six organically-modified silylalkoxides of the form R′ n Si(OR)4−n were investigated as ORMOSILs. Poly(ethylene glycol), Nafion, and Ionene 6,2 were tested as oligomers. Triton X-100 was used as the surfactant. To estimate the local dipolarity within these composites we used the static fluorescence from pyrene molecules that were sequestered within the composites. These experiments showed that the local dipolarity surrounding the average pyrene molecule can be tuned significantly, but this depends on the actual organic species that one uses to prepare the xerogel composite. Time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy measurements were used to quantify the R6G mobility within the same composites. These results demonstrate that certain organic additive scan be used to adjust the R6G mobility within the xerogel composite.
The zebrafish eye: developmental and genetic analysis.

The eye is a complex organ in which different tissues cooperate to form an optical image, to transduce the image into an array of neural messages, to analyze the messages, and to transmit them to the brain. All but the first of these functions occur in the retina, which is the main subject of this review.
Flexible Polaritons: Wannier Exciton-Plasmon Coupling in Metal-Semiconductor Structures

When Rabi energy exceeds the exciton binding energy a Wannier Exciton-Plasmon Polariton (WEPP) bound to the metal nanoparticle is formed. It is characterized by small excitonic radius and higher ionization energy that can exceed 100me V. © 2019 The Author(s)
Silicene-supported TiO2 nanostructures: a theoretical study of electronic and optical properties.

Titania (TiO2) is a material of choice for energy-related applications, such as photovoltaics and photocatalysis. The presence of a large band gap and fast electron–hole recombination occurring in the lattice significantly reduce the material's quantum efficiency, and therefore limit industrial-scale applications. In this article, we investigate whether silicene can be a viable substrate for TiO2 nanostructures in photocatalytic applications. Calculations based on density functional theory find a strong electronic coupling between silicene and oxide nanostructures. Electron transfer from silicene to the nanostructures results in the production of active photoreduction sites involving Ti3+ ions in the system. The hybrid TiO2/silicene system also exhibits modification of optical characteristics with the capability of absorbing light in the visible range and spatially separating charges, thus displaying superior photocatalytic activity relative to pristine TiO2 for energy-related applications.
Influence of hinge stiffness on the asymmetric wave transport in topological lattices: A parametric study

Zero-energy topological oppy edge modes have been demonstrated in families of kagome lattices with geometries that differ from the regular case composed of equilateral triangles. In this work, we explore the behavior of these systems in the limit of continuum elasticity, which is established when the ideal hinges that appear in the idealized models are replaced by ligaments capable of supporting bending deformation, as observed in realistic physical lattices. Under these assumptions, the oppy edge modes are preserved but shifted to finite frequencies, where they spectrally overlap with the acoustic bulk modes. The net result is the establishment of a relatively broad low-frequency regime over which the lattices display strong asymmetric wave transport capabilities. By simply varying the thickness of the ligament of the unit cell, we can obtain a variety of lattices with different localization capabilities. Through theoretical analysis and finite element simulations, we parametrically explore the localization capabilities of different configurations, thus establishing a qualitative relation between the topological descriptors of the unit cell and the effective global transmission properties of the lattice. Using simple elasticity arguments, we provide a mechanistic rationale for the observed range of behaviors. Our study has implications for the design of mechanical filters, structural logic components, and acoustic metamaterials for wave manipulation at large.
Findings From a Pilot Study Examining the Positive and Negative Achievement Emotions Associated With Undergraduates’ First-Year Experience:

Research shows that undergraduate students’ achievement emotions are critical in determining motivation and success in higher education. This article reports on the results of a pilot study using t...
Timing and Reasons Behind Single-Sport Specialization in Soccer: A Survey of 64 Major League Soccer Athletes.

Background:Single-sport specialization at the exclusion of other sports has become increasingly popular in youth sporting culture. The purpose of this study was to survey Major League Soccer (MLS) ...
The Authority of the Common Morality

In the third and subsequent editions of Principles of Biomedical Ethics, Tom Beauchamp and James Childress articulate a series of ethical norms that they regard as "derived" from, and hence carrying, the "authority" of the common morality. Although Beauchamp and Childress do not claim that biomedical norms they derive from the common morality automatically become constituents of the common morality, or that every detail of their account carries the authority of the common morality, they regard these derived norms as provisionally binding in a way that does not apply to the norms of mere "particular" moralities. Whereas particular moralities "do not bind other persons or communities," Beauchamp and Childress have designed the norms of Principles of Biomedical Ethics to be "extensions" of the common morality that universally binds other persons and communities. Beauchamp and Childress seem to hold that (1) the norms they articulate in Principles of Biomedical Ethics are derived in an objective way from the common morality, and also that by virtue of being so derived (2) they carry a moral authority that objectively exceeds the authority of norms constituting particular moralities. My thesis in this essay is that both of these claims are false.
The Fast-Mapping Abilities of Adults With Developmental Language Disorder

Purpose The aim of the study was to determine the integrity of fast mapping among adults with developmental language disorder (DLD). Method Forty-eight adults with DLD or typical language development (TD) were presented with 24 novel words and photos of their unfamiliar referents from the semantic categories of mammal, bird, fruit, or insect in two conditions. In the fast-mapping condition, 12 of the 24 unfamiliar referents were presented, one at a time alongside a familiar referent (e.g., a dog) and a question (e.g., Is the tail of the torato up?). In the explicit-encoding condition, the other 12 unfamiliar referents were presented alone, one at a time, with a label (e.g., This is a spimer). Immediately after exposure (T1) and again after a 1-day interval (T2), memory for the word-to-exemplar link was measured with a three-alternative forced-choice test, requiring the participant to match a spoken word to one of three pictured referents from the training set. At T2, memory for semantic category information was measured with a four-alternative forced-choice test, requiring the participant to match a spoken word to one of four prototypical silhouettes representing each of the semantic categories. Results Performance on word-to-exemplar link recognition was stronger for words learned in the explicit-encoding than the fast-mapping condition and stronger for the TD group than the DLD group. Time was not a significant factor as both groups maintained posttraining levels of performance after a 1-day retention interval. Performance on semantic category recognition was stronger for words learned in the explicit-encoding than the fast-mapping condition and stronger for the TD group than the DLD group. The lower category recognition performance of the DLD group was related to their lower nonverbal IQ scores. Conclusion Contexts that allow for explicit encoding yield better learning of word-to-referent links than contexts that allow for fast mapping in both stronger and weaker learners. Adults with DLD have difficulty learning the link between words and referents, whether trained via fast mapping or explicit encoding and whether tested with exemplar or category referents. Retention is a relative strength for adults with DLD. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12765551.
Spectroscopic Target Selection in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey: The Main Galaxy Sample

We describe the algorithm that selects the main sample of galaxies for spectroscopy in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey from the photometric data obtained by the imaging survey. Galaxy photometric properties are measured using the Petrosian magnitude system, which measures flux in apertures determined by the shape of the surface brightness profile. The metric aperture used is essentially independent of cosmological surface brightness dimming, foreground extinction, sky brightness, and the galaxy central surface brightness. The main galaxy sample consists of galaxies with r-band Petrosian magnitude r < 17.77 and r-band Petrosian half-light surface brightness < 24.5 magnitudes per square arcsec. These cuts select about 90 galaxy targets per square degree, with a median redshift of 0.104. We carry out a number of tests to show that (a) our star-galaxy separation criterion is effective at eliminating nearly all stellar contamination while removing almost no genuine galaxies, (b) the fraction of galaxies eliminated by our surface brightness cut is very small (0.1%), (c) the completeness of the sample is high, exceeding 99%, and (d) the reproducibility of target selection based on repeated imaging scans is consistent with the expected random photometric errors. (abridged)
Investigation of flow through curved constrictions for leakage flow modelling in hydraulic gear pumps

Abstract The internal leakage flows in external gear and gerotor pumps are often represented by flow through curved constrictions. The nature of this flow can vary from laminar to turbulent and the flow can experience localized cavitation too. In the current literature, there is a scarcity of techniques for accurately modelling such curve-constricted flows which limits the accuracy of the current simulation tools for gear pumps. This paper presents a novel flow model for curve-constricted geometries that is applicable over a wide range of flow regimes including localized cavitation. Using a dimensionless form, the proposed model characterizes the constriction flow velocity as the function of the constriction shape, the pressure difference, and a properly defined cavitation indicator. The functional relationships between these dimensionless parameters are developed based on CFD simulations. The flow model is validated by the means of several experiments conducted on a custom test apparatus. The model presented in this paper can be incorporated in the lumped parameter simulation tools widely used for modelling gear pumps, improving their accuracy in predicting the internal leakages. Consequently, this model will also aid the development of novel energy efficient gear pump designs, where such leakages are kept to a minimum.
Credit Spreads in the Market for Highly Leveraged Transaction Loans

This paper is an empirical exploration of the determinants of the required credit spreads on highly leveraged transaction (HLT) loans. The analysis uses a multi-factor spread model to estimate the movement of loan spreads relative to spreads required in the (competing) corporate bond market as well as the significance of loan-specific characteristics in determining loan spreads. The empirical estimates are based on the Loan Pricing Corporation s database which consists of over 4000 loan transactions between 1987-1994. We find a positive HLT loan spread sensitivity to changes in spreads in the corporate bond market, but this sensitivity is significantly less than unity; indicating that the HLT loan market and high yield public debt market are not fully integrated. Furthermore, there is evidence that lenders augment, rather than substitute, loan yield spreads with additional fees for syndication, commitment and cancellation risks. In general syndicated loans have lower yield spreads than other HLT loan types.
A multi-mineral U-(Th)-Pb dating study of the Stetind pegmatite of the Tysfjord region, Norway, and implications for production of NYF-rare element pegmatites during orogenic collapse

Abstract Field relationships, textures, compositions and U-(Th)-Pb dates for minerals from the niobium‑yttrium‑fluorine (NYF-) Stetind pegmatite in the 1.798 Ga Tysfjord granitic gneiss in Norway are described. The pegmatite has a sub-horizontal orientation and anisotropic mineral layering oriented sub-parallel to contacts with the host-rock and oblique to its foliation. Epidote-group minerals have allanite cores and interstitial REE-rich epidote. Zircon, thorite, uraninite, fergusonite and xenotime, as well as apatite, fluorite, plagioclase and orthoclase are compositionally homogenous and display relict albite twinning and ternary junctions. Feldspars lack grain boundary recrystallisation textures, and no undulatory extinction is observed in quartz. Isotope U Pb TIMS analysis of zircon, allanite, fergusonite and uraninite give dates between 400 and 410 Ma that have a high degree of concordance and no evidence of inheritance. A F-rich fluid dissolved fergusonite (YNbO4) and reacted with apatite to produce xenotime (YPO4) mantles around apatite. The reaction was dated by electron-probe micro-analysis total U-Th-Pb methods to 393 ± 12 Ma. The field and petrographic observations, coupled with mineral dates are interpreted to reflect primary emplacement and crystallisation of the Stetind NYF pegmatite after the peak of Scandian orogenesis and metamorphism during exhumation of the Tysfjord granitic gneiss. The xenotime forming event reflects a late magmato-hydrothermal reaction during the final stages of crystallisation. The compositional affinity of the Stetind pegmatite to its host rock suggests that the pegmatite-magma was produced by partial melting of the Tysfjord granitic gneiss or a rock with similar characteristics. The pegmatite is one of many rare-element pegmatites in the Tysfjord-Hamaroy pegmatite field, which may indicate a Scandian phase of pegmatite emplacement into the uppermost allochthon of the Norwegian Caledonides. The results validate models that propose the production of NYF-type pegmatites by anatexis during orogenic collapse.
Impact of geriatric assessment (GA) based frailty index (CARE-Frailty Index) on mortality and treatment-related toxicity among older adults with gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies.

12046Background: Older adults with cancer are at increased risk of treatment-related toxicity and mortality. A comprehensive geriatric assessment (GA) may uncover aging associated vulnerability and...
Fire Ecology of Rocky Mountain Forests

Fire is a dominant driver of ecosystem patterns and processes across the Rocky Mountains. This chapter describes fire ecology and fire-related management for the major forest types in the Rocky Mountains. Major forest types included are ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir, mixed-conifer, lodgepole pine, spruce-fir, five-needle pines, and aspen. For each forest type we describe historical fire regimes, interactions between fire and other disturbances, departures from historical patterns, and projected future patterns. We explain fire resistance and postfire recovery patterns. We also include projected alterations to fire regimes and ecological implications due to climate change, with common silvicultural and fuel treatment options for restoration and wildfire mitigation. This information provides a comprehensive examination of contemporary fire ecology and management options in the Rocky Mountains, couched in a historical perspective.