cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A New Experimental Technique for the Study of Turbulent Electromagnetically Driven Flows

Turbulent electromagnetically driven flows play a major role in a broad range of metals processing operations which include induction furnaces, inductively stirred ladles, electro-slag refining, electroslag welding, the operation of aluminum smelters, and the like. Because the nature of the fluid flow in the melt has a strong effect on the rate processes in these sytems there has been a growing interest in the mathematical modelling of these operations.~-s However, notwithstanding some of the ingenious measurement techniques that have been devised, the predictions based on these models have yet to be completely verified. A detailed comparison of predicted and measured velocity fields and turbulence patterns in such systems would be of considerable fundamental and practical interests. Of fundamental interest, in particular, is the interaction between the electromagnetic force field and the turbulence patterns. This is not well understood, and it is possible, indeed likely, that this interaction may produce nontrivial results. Investigators of this problem have faced the following dilemma. One could either study the behavior of real molten metal systems, such as molten steel, woods metal or mercury but then settle for only partial results, such as surface velocity measurements or approximate values of the velocity field. 3,6,7-9 Alternatively, one could use transparent "model systems" such as water models, l° the circulation of which must by necessity be mechanically driven, and obtain quite accurate measurements employing laser Doppler anemometry.11 Under these conditions, however, the interaction between the electromagnetic and turbulence fields cannot be studied. The objective of the present work was to explore whether the powerful data acquisition capabilities of laser Doppler anemometry could be employed on a transparent fluid which could be put into motion electromagnetically. The electrical conductivity of molten salts occupies an intermediate positionbetween the values of aqueous electrolytes and molten metals; alkali halides are about 2 orders of magnitude more conductive than aqueous electrolytes. In addition, molten alkali halides are transparent to visible light. The questions to be resolved in the present work were whether such a melt could be put into motion by electromagnetic induction and whether a pair of low power heliumneon laser beams would penetrate the melt, interact with seed particles moving with the fluid, and emit a trackable Doppler signal. Fluid flow measurements in molten salt systems by laser Doppler anemometry had not been reported in the literature.
The signs of compensated price effects in quantity/quality models

Abstract A disturbing feature of models embodying a quantity/quality trade-off is that income-compensated price effects on quantity and quality are permitted to be positive. It is shown in this note that it is nevertheless possible to place strong and useful restrictions on such price effects. It is shown that the signs of such effects will as a rule be negative if quantity and quality are net substitutes with respect to the composite of all other goods.
On the geometry of Dirac determinant bundles in two dimensions

The gauge and diffeomorphism anomalies are used to define the determinant bundles for the left-handed Dirac operator on a two-dimensional Riemann surface. Three different moduli spaces are studied: (1) the space of vector potentials modulo gauge transformations; (2) the space of vector potentials modulo bundle automorphisms; and, (3) the space of Riemannian metrics modulo diffeomorphisms. Using the methods earlier developed for the studies of affine Kac-Moody groups, natural geometries are constructed for each of the three bundles.
Transcript analysis of parasitic females of the sedentary semi-endoparasitic nematode Rotylenchulus reniformis

Rotylenchulus reniformis, the reniform nematode, is a sedentary semi-endoparasitic nematode capable of infecting >300 plant species, including a large number of crops such as cotton, soybean, and pineapple. In contrast to other economically important plant-parasitic nematodes, molecular genetic data regarding the R. reniformis transcriptome is virtually nonexistant. Herein, we present a survey of R. reniformis ESTs that were sequenced from a sedentary parasitic female cDNA library. Cluster analysis of 2004 high quality ESTs produced 123 contigs and 508 singletons for a total of 631 R. reniformis unigenes. BLASTX analyses revealed that 39% of all unigenes showed similarity to known proteins (E<or=1.0e-04). R. reniformis genes homologous to known parasitism genes were identified and included beta-1,4-endoglucanase, fatty acid- and retinol-binding proteins, and an esophageal gland cell-specific gene from Heterodera glycines. Furthermore, a putative ortholog of an enzyme involved in thiamin biosynthesis, thought to exist solely in prokaryotes, fungi, and plants, was identified. Lastly, 114 R. reniformis unigenes orthologous to RNAi-lethal Caenorhabditis elegans genes were discovered. The work described here offers a glimpse into the transcriptome of a sedentary semi-endoparasitic nematode which (i) provides the transcript sequence data necessary for investigating engineered resistance against R. reniformis and (ii) hints at the existance of a thiamin biosynthesis pathway in an animal.
Do Statins Decrease the Arrhythmia Burden in Patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation

This was a prospective randomized trial of 106 patients who had an atrial based pacemaker therapy initiated for significant bradycardia. Fifty-two patients (23 males, 70 +/13 years old) were randomized to the statin group (atorvastatin 20 mg/d) and 54 (25 males, 72 +/13 years old) to the non-statin group. The effect of atorvastatin on time to the first attack of AF or AHE (> or =180 per minute and > or =1 or 10 minutes), which was accurately detected by pacemaker interrogation at 1,3,6 and 12 months of follow-up.
You Can’t Post That . . . Or Can You? Legal Issues Related to College and University Students’ Online Speech

Online activities increasingly represent a common part of the student experience. Along with seeking to engage students in positive ways in relation to their online activities, colleges and universities must also deal with instances of when students’ online expression potentially violates campus conduct standards. This article provides a review of legal standards relevant to students’ online speech, including an examination of cases arising in an online context.
Fluorescence Microscopy Imaging in Biomedical Sciences

Fluorescence microscopy is an important tool in biological sciences which provides excellent sensitivity for detecting very low concentrations of molecules over broad spatial and temporal dimensions. With fast developments of new fluorescent probes, advanced electronic and optical devices, and sophisticated data acquisition and analysis software, fluorescence microscopy resides on the central stage of life-sciences research. This chapter covers several commonly used and advanced fluorescence microscopy techniques and focuses on fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). A number of FLIM systems and their applications are reviewed. As an example, we describe how we built and calibrated a two-photon excitation time-correlated single-photon counting (TPE-TCSPC) FLIM system and employed the system to investigate protein-protein interactions in living cells.
Platelet‐derived growth factor is a chemoattractant for vascular smooth muscle cells

In previous experiments (Grotendorst et al, 1981), we showed that platelet-derived growth factor promotes the migration of smooth muscle cells in vitro. Using a "checkerboard" analysis, we now establish that platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) acts as a true chemoattractant for cultured aortic smooth muscle cells. Other growth factors such as epidermal growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, and insulin are not chemoattractants. The chemotactic response occurs before the initiation of DNA synthesis and is not affected by inhibition of DNA synthesis. Chemotaxis occurs at levels of PDGF lower than required for mitogenesis. RNA and protein synthesis are required for the chemotactic response. As found previously in bacteria and leucocytes, we find that methylation reactions are required for the chemotactic response. The possibility is discussed that PDGF acts in vivo at sites of vascular injury to attract smooth muscle cells from the medial layer to the luminal surface, and is involved in the early stages of the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.
Decentralization and Recentralization Reform in Mongolia: Tracing the Swing of the Pendulum.

For the past 10 years the Ministry of Education of Mongolia has periodically oscillated between decentralization and recentralization policies. On paper, it has consistently and enthusiastically subscribed to decentralization, but in practice has given these policies low priority. This study attempts to explain the discrepancies between policy talk and actual implementation. Methodologically, the authors investigate local policy contexts and examine how international interventions such as decentralization policies are locally reinterpreted or ‘Mongolized’. The study examines several areas where cultural legacies from the socialist past have clashed with the expectations of international donors. Theoretically, the Mongolian fiasco of decentralization reform lends itself as a case to address issues that have been raised both in comparative research on ‘transitology’ and on cross-national policy borrowing. Exploring the economics of borrowing and the socio-logic of chaos
Experimental Evidence for Minorities’ Hesitancy in Reporting Their Opinions: The Roles of Optimal Distinctiveness Needs and Normative Influence

Four experiments provided evidence for when and why opinion minorities take more time than opinion majorities to report their opinions. In Study 1, participants who wrote about feeling overly different from—but not overly similar to—others were slower to report their opinions after being led to believe that they held a minority than majority opinion. In Studies 2 and 3, minority opinion holders’ hesitancy was attenuated among participants with a high dispositional need for uniqueness, and this effect was mediated by low need for uniqueness individuals’ beliefs that their minority opinions were less normative than their majority opinions (Study 3). In Study 4, a subtle need to belong manipulation amplified the differences in response times between opinion minorities and majorities. Together, these studies show that minorities’ hesitancy in reporting their opinions depends on their motives to belong versus be unique and stems from normative influence processes.
Liquid butane filled load for a liner driven Pegasus experiment

Summary form only given, as follows. A hydrogen rich, low density liquid, contained within the internal volume of a cylindrical liner, was requested of the Polymers and Coatings Group (MST-7) of the Los Alamos Materials Science Division for one of the last liner driven experiments conducted on the Los Alamos Pegasus facility. The experiment required massive tungsten glide planes for inertial confinement of the liner fill media during implosion. Shallow sinusoidal perturbations were machined on the inside surface of the liner to seed instabilities, also true of the previous experiments. Butane was selected for a relatively low equilibrium vapor pressure, a practical attribute for use in the Pegasus vacuum power flow channel. Butane safety topics at Pegasus will be addressed. Glide planes were sealed to the liner by use of butane compatible o-rings. A sintered form of tungsten was used for the glide planes to facilitate machining the relatively complex shapes that were required. Porosity of the tungsten was sealed by an epoxy vacuum/pressure impregnation procedure. Following some development experiments, we chose to prefill the load with butane and seal the liner assembly as opposed to filling the load while installed in the target chamber at Pegasus. A butane reservoir was developed and mounted above the load as a part of the load assembly to allow monitoring the liquid level and to prevent loss of the experiment as a result of possible butane loss during the few days required to set up a Pegasus experiment. This paper describes the load fabrication processes and development of novel procedures that were required. We expect to apply the technologies to future Los Alamos experiments that will be conducted at the new Atlas facility.
Usability Evaluation Methodology

The last phase in the designing and developing an online social network platform is the evaluation cycle. It is essential to evaluate the design of the system from the initial stages in order to ensure its compliance with the requirements of the targeted users. For that purpose users’ participation and continuous evaluation in every stage of the design process is of paramount importance. Hence, in the design and implementation of the system, several evaluation iterations either with users’ or experts’ participation should be conducted employing different evaluation methods depending on the stage of the development life-cycle. The principal objective of the evaluation iterations is to determine, at every stage, the degree of usability of the system.
Inhibition of the development of the bursa of Fabricius in the embryos of the common fowl by 19-nortestosterone.

0.63 mg. of 19-nortestosterone in 0.1 ml. of corn oil, when injected into the fertilized eggs of the white leghorn hybrid strain of chickens, “Wisco-white,” on the 5th day of incubation, completely inhibits the development of the bursa of Fabricius in both sexes. In the normal chick the bursal primordium appears as a proliferated epithelial mass dorso-caudal to the embryonal cloaca on the 5th day of incubation. By 168 hours of incubation it forms a tubular structure; its terminal end enlarges into a bursal vesicle on the 10th day and becomes lymphoidal by the 15th day. The bursa is fully formed and lymphoidal in 17- day old chick embryos. In 19-nortestosterone-treated embryos the bursal primordium becomes highly vacuolated. Later it remains as a convoluted, short duct without forming the bursal vesicle. Thus the hatched chicks arc bursaless. The secondary effects of this hormone on the rectal complex are the stunted growth of the ventral anal lip, increase of musculature in the dorsal lip and an attenuate...
Electronmicroscopical Study of the Formation of Iron Carbide Phases After High-fluence Carbon Ion Implantation into Iron at Low Temperatures

Carbon ions were implanted with energies between 50 and 150 keV into thin iron layers at temperatures of –10 °C and –70 °C. Formation of iron carbide phases was studied as a function of fluence, which was varied from 1.2 × 10 17 C + -ions/cm 2 up to 1.4 × 10 18 C + -ions/cm 2 . The sequence of phase transformation during subsequent annealing to temperatures of up to 450 °C was also investigated. Detailed analysis of structure and morphology was done by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction experiments. The existence of metastable iron carbide phases, θ-Fe 3 C, Χ-Fe 5 C 2 , η-Fe 2 C, and also the amorphous phase Fe(C), after high-fluence carbon ion implantation and the transformation of the formed metastable phases by subsequent annealing into the θ-Fe 3 C phase are demonstrated.
T-cell immunoglobulin mucin-3 is underexpressed on myeloblasts in untreated myelodysplastic syndrome

Establishing the diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) can be difficult and requires a multiparametric approach, with correlation of the clinical, morphologic and genetic features. Although M...
Stopped-flow studies of the mechanisms of ozone–alkene reactions in the gas phase propene and isobutene

The reactions of ozone with propene and isobutene have been studied in the gas phase at 298°K and 530 Pa (4 torr) using a stopped-flow reactor coupled to a photoionization mass spectrometer. Reactant and product concentrations were followed as a function of reaction time. The major reaction products monitored were CH2O, CH3CHO, CO2, and H2O from the propene reaction, and CH2O, (CH3)2CO, CO2, and H2O from the isobutene reaction. The observations were interpreted on the basis of the Criegee mechanism for ozonolysis in solution: for which we find kA≈kB.In the gas phase the carbene peroxy radical is postulated to isomerize and decompose into molecular and free-radical products.
Organic matter processing by the shrimp Palaemonetes sp.: Isotopic and elemental effects

Abstract Aquatic crustaceans often play a major role in organic matter (OM) transformation and recycling through their feeding and excretory activities. In this study, we measured the isotopic and elemental composition of organic matter fed to Palaemonetes sp. shrimp and the fecal pellets they produced. Nitrogen (N) content of the food (8.2 ± 0.2%, mean ± SD) was significantly higher than the fecal pellets (2.0 ± 0.9%), a pattern that also applied to the carbon (C) content of food (46.7 ± 1.0%) and fecal pellets (14.3 ± 6.8%). We also found a significant decrease in the N content of undigested, macerated food (6.1 ± 0.9 %) relative to food that had been soaked in artificial seawater (ASW) and artificial seawater that had previously contained shrimp (CASW) in the absence of feeding shrimp. We found no significant difference in N or C isotopic composition between the dry food, ASW- and CASW-soaked control food, and fecal pellets. We did, however, observe a significant increase in δ 15 N of the undigested, macerated food ( δ 15 N = 6.3 ± 0.6‰) relative to both the dry flake food ( δ 15 N = 5.6 ± 0.2‰) and controls incubated in the absence of shrimp in either ASW ( δ 15 N = 5.6 ±0.3‰) or CASW ( δ 15 N = 5.8 ± 0.1‰). Our results differ from previous findings of isotopic alteration of OM during processing by crustaceans (copepods), suggesting that isotopic changes related to feeding might be either taxon- or food-specific. This study also provides information on the influence of grazers/shredders on both the elemental and isotopic composition of POM, suggesting that larger aquatic shredders can influence the chemical composition of particles by either physical manipulation of the POM (release of DOM) or by facilitating microbial colonization of the POM.
Age of minority sexual orientation development and risk of childhood maltreatment and suicide attempts in women

Women with minority sexual orientations (e.g., lesbian, bisexual) are more likely than heterosexual women to report histories of childhood maltreatment and attempted suicide; however, the importance of the timing of minority sexual orientation development in contributing to this increased risk is uncertain. This study investigated relationships between self-reported ages of achieving minority sexual orientation development milestones (first awareness of same-gender attractions, disclosure of a minority sexual orientation to another person, and same-gender sexual contact), and childhood maltreatment and suicide attempt experiences in a sample of 2,001 women recruited from multiple-community sources. Younger age of minority sexual orientation development milestones was positively linked to self-reported recall of childhood maltreatment experiences, and to a childhood suicide attempt. After adjusting for differences in maltreatment, the odds of suicide attempt attributable to younger age of sexual orientation development milestones was reduced by 50 to 65%, suggesting that maltreatment may account for about half of the elevated risk for childhood suicide attempts among women with early minority sexual orientation development. Implications for services, interventions, and further research to address maltreatment disparities for sexual minorities are discussed.
Static and dynamic compression of Earth materials

The triennium, 1967–1970, has been a period of marked increase in acquisition of pressure-volume data for minerals, rocks, and compounds of geophysical interest. A wide assortment of data has been obtained by the conventional dilatometric techniques as well as by the more recently developed X-ray diffraction and shock-wave techniques. Highlights of progress during the last 3 years include hydrostatic compression measurements for Apollo 11 lunar samples [Stephens and Lilley, 1970; Schreiber et al., 1970], static compression measurements of the spinel phase of (Mg,Fe)_2SiO_4 solid solutions, which are likely constituents of the transition zone of the earth's mantle [Mao et al., 1969], and Hugoniot data for high-pressure phases of ferromagnesian silicates, which may represent the constituents of the lower mantle [McQueen et al., 1967b].
A novel ATM-dependent pathway regulates protein phosphatase 1 in response to DNA damage.

Protein phosphatase 1 (PP1), a major protein phosphatase important for a variety of cellular responses, is activated in response to ionizing irradiation (IR)-induced DNA damage. Here, we report that IR induces the rapid dissociation of PP1 from its regulatory subunit inhibitor-2 (I-2) and that the process requires ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM), a protein kinase central to DNA damage responses. In response to IR, ATM phosphorylates I-2 on serine 43, leading to the dissociation of the PP1-I-2 complex and the activation of PP1. Furthermore, ATM-mediated I-2 phosphorylation results in the inhibition of the Aurora-B kinase, the down-regulation of histone H3 serine 10 phosphorylation, and the activation of the G2/M checkpoint. Collectively, the results of these studies demonstrate a novel pathway that links ATM, PP1, and I-2 in the cellular response to DNA damage.
Effective theory analysis of precision electroweak data

We obtain the bounds on arbitrary linear combinations of operators of dimension 6 in the Standard Model. We consider a set of 21 flavor and $CP$ conserving operators. Each of our 21 operators is tightly constrained by the standard set of electroweak measurements. We perform a fit to all relevant precision electroweak data and include neutrino scattering experiments, atomic parity violation, W mass, LEP1, SLD, and LEP2 data. Our results provide an efficient way of obtaining bounds on weakly coupled extensions of the standard model.
Using scoping literature reviews as a means of understanding and interpreting existing literature.

Objective This article compares and contrasts scoping literature reviews with other established methods for understanding and interpreting extant research literature. Methods Descriptions of the key principles and applications of scoping reviews are illustrated with examples from contemporary publications. Conclusions Scoping reviews are presented as an efficient way of identifying themes and trends in high-volume areas of scientific inquiry.
RADIUM‐226‐INDUCED BONE LESIONS IN BEAGLES

In a colony of Beagles that had received intravenous injections of 226Ra was a subgroup of 42 dogs that had limbs amputated because of the development of painful bone lesions. Information was gained from sequential radiographic studies plus examination of tissue harvested from the amputated limbs. Bone lesions that had their inception in bizarre, progressively expansile resorption cavities in which the process of normal bone tissue replacement was defective were identified. Some of these lesions were the site of development of bone sarcomas. This radiation-induced disturbance in bone repair was termed radiation osteodystrophy. The pathologic sequence in these Beagles in which a defect in the remodeling process of cortical bone leads to the development of lesions of radiation osteodystrophy and bone sarcoma was felt to be unique and thought to be a specific effect of chronic irradiation by 226Ra.
Medical Video Event Classification Using Shared Features

Advances in video technology are being incorporated into todaypsilas medical research and education. Medical videos contain important medical events, such as diagnostic or therapeutic operations. Automatic discovery and classification of these events are highly desirable and very useful. In this paper, we present a novel method for multi-class educational medical video event categorization. Our method employs a learning procedure based on boosted decision stumps. There are two key contributions in this paper. The first contribution is that the proposed multi-class boosting algorithms utilize the common features which can be shared among different video event categories. Compared with the class-specific features, the entire set of shared features can provide more efficient and reliable representation to classify multiple video event categories. The second key contribution of this paper is the adaption of the spacetime interest point detection techniques for feature extraction on both the spatial dimension and the temporal dimension. Experimental results have shown that the proposed approach is a very promising strategy for solving the multi-class video event classification problem.
The Rice Miniature Inverted Repeat Transposable Element mPing Is an Effective Insertional Mutagen in Soybean

Insertional mutagenesis of legume genomes such as soybean (Glycine max) should aid in identifying genes responsible for key traits such as nitrogen fixation and seed quality. The relatively low throughput of soybean transformation necessitates the use of a transposon-tagging strategy where a single transformation event will produce many mutations over a number of generations. However, existing transposon-tagging tools being used in legumes are of limited utility because of restricted transposition (Ac/Ds: soybean) or the requirement for tissue culture activation (Tnt1: Medicago truncatula). A recently discovered transposable element from rice (Oryza sativa), mPing, and the genes required for its mobilization, were transferred to soybean to determine if it will be an improvement over the other available transposon-tagging tools. Stable transformation events in soybean were tested for mPing transposition. Analysis of mPing excision at early and late embryo developmental stages revealed increased excision during late development in most transgenic lines, suggesting that transposition is developmentally regulated. Transgenic lines that produced heritable mPing insertions were identified, with the plants from the highest activity line producing at least one new insertion per generation. Analysis of the mPing insertion sites in the soybean genome revealed that features displayed in rice were retained including transposition to unlinked sites and a preference for insertion within 2.5 kb of a gene. Taken together these findings indicate that mPing has the characteristics necessary for an effective transposon-tagging resource.
A conceptual model to facilitate transitions from primary care to specialty substance use disorder care: a review of the literature.

AIM This article presents a conceptual model to help facilitate the transition from primary care to specialty substance use disorder (SUD) care for appropriate patients. BACKGROUND Substance misuse is a common health condition among patients presenting to primary care settings and may complicate the treatment of chronic health conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. It is therefore critical that primary care providers be prepared to identify and determine appropriate treatment options for patients presenting with substance misuse. METHODS We conducted a narrative review that occurred in three stages: literature review of health care transition models, identification of conceptual domains common across care transition models, and identification of SUD-specific model elements. Findings The conceptual model presented describes patient, provider, and system-level facilitators and barriers to the transition process, and includes intervention strategies that can be utilized by primary care clinics to potentially improve the process of transitioning patients from primary care to SUD care. Recognizing that primary care clinics vary in available resources, we present three examples of care practices along an intensity continuum from low (counseling and referral) to moderate (telephone monitoring) to high (intensive case management) resource demands for adoption. We also provide a list of common outcomes clinics might consider when evaluating the impact of care transition practices in this patient population; these include process outcomes such as patients' increased knowledge of available treatment resources, and health outcomes such as patients' reduced substance use and better quality of life.
High Frequency Intragenic Recombination During Macronuclear Development in Tetrahymena thermophila Restores the Wild-type SerH1 Gene

Macronuclear development in ciliates is characterized by extensive rearrangement of genetic material, including sequence elimination, chromosome fragmentation and telomere addition. Intragenic recombination is a relatively rare, but evolutionarily important phenomenon occurring in mitosis and meiosis in a wide variety of organisms. Here, we show that high frequency intragenic recombination, on the order of 30%, occurs in the developing amitotic macronucleus of the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila. Such recombination, occurring between two nonsense transition mutations separated by 726 nucleotides, reproducibly restores wild-type expression of the SerH1 surface protein gene, thus mimicking complementation in trans heterozygotes. Recombination must be considered a potentially important aspect of macronuclear development, producing gene combinations not present in the germinal micronucleus.
Geochemical Evidence for Crust-To-Mantle Recycling in Subduction Zones

Return of oceanic crust to the mantle is implicit in plate tectonic theory. During its life, oceanic crust acquires a veneer of sediment, which for the most part is derived from the continental crust. It also reacts with sea water and hydrothermal fluids produced from sea water, changing its composition. To the degree this sediment is subducted along with the basaltic portion of the oceanic crust, continental crust is recycled into the mantle. That this process might have profound effects on the chemical evolution of both the continental crust and mantle was first recognized by Armstrong (1968). Since then a number of papers appeared appealing to just such a process to explain the geochemistry of the mantle (e.g., Hawkesworth, et al., 1979; Chase, 1981; Hofmann and White, 1982; White and Hofmann, 1982; DePaolo, 1983; Dupre and Allegre, 1983; Weaver, et al., 1986), but it is by no means clear that this process is in fact responsible for all that it is called upon to account for.
Reproductive endocrinologic alterations in female asymptomatic obesity

Excess body fat has been clearly associated with an increased risk of oligo-ovulation and endometrial/breast carcinoma. The connection has been assumed to lie within derangements of the metabolic/endocrine compartments, particularly of estrogens and androgens. To differentiate the effect of obesity from its related disease process, an attempt has been made to define the reproductive-endocrinologic alterations encountered in otherwise asymptomatic obese women. Androgen metabolism is accelerated in obesity. It is not clear whether the increased clearance precedes or follows the accelerated production of androgens. A servocontrol mechanism appears to be operative in these asymptomatic individuals, maintaining plasma steroid levels normal. The unbound fraction of T may be somewhat increased in overweight women with predominantly upper body fat deposition. The increased clearance of androgen may arise from an obesity-related depression in SHBG concentration (e.g., for T, E2, delta 5-diol, etc.). Adipose tissue, by virtue of the lipid solubility of most of these steroids, concentrates androgens, estrogens, and progesterone. This steroid sequestration not only contributes to the obesity-related increase in androgen clearance but also leads to an extremely enlarged total body steroid pool. Fat tissue sequestration also increases the concentration of androgens in the vicinity of adipose stromal cells, possibly encouraging their aromatization. Adipose tissue also has a moderate degree of 17-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity, which appears to stimulate the conversion of A to T. Finally, alterations in peripheral and hepatic conjugation and an accelerated urinary excretion may contribute to the elevated clearance of androgens. The accelerated PR of androgens may simply result as compensation for the elevated MCR in obesity. Nonetheless, evidence of alteration(s) in adrenocortical steroidogenesis has been presented suggesting a selective obesity-related enhancement in adrenal androgen secretion. These remain to be confirmed. Nonetheless, adrenocortical abnormalities may arise secondary to the influence of other circulating and intra-adrenal factors, including insulin, prolactin, estrogens, and androgens. It is not known whether the accelerated androgen metabolism or the aberrant adrenal steroidogenesis improve with weight reduction. Excess body fat increases androgen aromatization which, together with an obesity-related decrease in SHBG, is associated with mildly elevated levels of E1 and free E2 in postmenopausal women. Although premenopausal obese individuals have the same tendency, the far greater ovarian estrogen secretion overshadows any differences. The bulk of aromatization activity in fat lies in the stromal comportment. The major substrate for peripheral estrogen production is A. Testosterone also contributes to the estrogen pool via its conversion to E2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Increased muscle perfusion reduces muscle sympathetic nerve activity during handgripping

This study sought to determine whether increasing blood flow to active muscles can blunt the normal rise in muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) during heavy rhythmic forearm exercise in humans. Subjects performed 5- to 6-min exercise bouts of handgripping (30/min) at 40-50% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). Blood flow was increased by application of suction (50 mmHg) around the forearm. Suction increased deep venous oxygen saturation in blood draining the forearm from 34 +/- 4 to 45 +/- 4%, indicating that muscle blood flow had risen by approximately 20%. Suction had no impact on the heart rate, perceived exertion, or electromyographic responses to the handgripping. During 6 min of exercise at 50% of MVC, MSNA rose from 376 +/- 67 to 970 +/- 125 units during the control trial vs. 396 +/- 69 to 729 +/- 94 units during the suction trial, and the difference was maintained during 2 min of postexercise ischemia (P < 0.05; suction < control). Mean arterial pressure (MAP) rose from 99 +/- 4 to 129 +/- 6 mmHg during control vs. 99 +/- 4 to 126 +/- 6 mmHg during the suction trial, and these responses were only different (P < 0.05; suction < control) during the final minute of the exercise bouts. During postexercise ichemia, MAP was 122 +/- 6 mmHg after the control trial but was only 112 +/- 4 mmHg after the suction trial. These results indicate that forearm suction augmented muscle blood flow, limited the activation of chemosensitive muscle afferents, and blunted the rise in MSNA during exercise.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Dissection of the cytoplasmic domains of cytokine receptors involved in STAT and Ras dependent proliferation

Cytokine receptors have different signaling requirements which ultimately lead to various physiological responses. In an effort to precisely characterize the molecular determinants involved in the proliferative response mediated by cytokines, we examine dose-dependent proliferation of the βc (GM-CSF, IL-3, IL-5) and homodimeric (G-CSF, TPO) cytokine receptors. Here we report that all cytokine receptors tested activate mostly STAT3 and STAT5. While STAT3 had a positive effect on βc cytokine receptor dependent proliferation, STAT5 was strongly inhibitory. Similarly, G-CSF and TPO lead to activation of STAT3 and STAT5 but, unlike the βc cytokine receptors, both stimulated cellular growth. On the other hand, Ras activation was necessary for all receptor mediated proliferation with the exception of G-CSF R. Truncated mutants of the receptors intracellular domains were used to delineate the functional domains involved in JAK/STAT and Ras activation linked to cellular growth. For instance, we revealed a critical role for the specific alpha subunit of the βc receptors in triggering receptor activation, STAT3 stimulation and proliferation, while Ras activation originates from the distal intracellular portion of the βc subunit. Finally, we showed that proximal STAT activation is the triggering event of G-CSF and TPO receptor function.
Acral mutilation and nociceptive loss in English pointer dogs. A canine sensory neuropathy.

Acral mutilation and analgesia occurred in three of a litter of nine pups produced by a mating of clinically normal English Pointer dogs. Post-mortem studies on one of the affected pups revealed changes at the level of the primary sensory neuron which included: a reduction in spinal ganglia size, a 22–50% deficiency of ganglionic neurons, and a disproportionately large population of small sensory cell bodies. The only change noted in the spinal cord occurred in the dorsolateral fasciculus where reduced fiber density appeared to correlate well with the observed nociceptive defect. Light- and electron-microscopic examination of spinal roots, ganglia, and peripheral nerves provided evidence of myelinated and unmyelinated fiber degeneration. The neuronal degeneration, however, appeared quantitatively inadequate to account for the deficiency of sensory cell bodies. It was concluded that this mutilating acropathy was a manifestation of a sensory neuropathy in which the neuronal deficiency resulted from insufficient development and slowly progressive, postnatal degeneration.
Hearing the News

This case discusses the pharmacokinetic interaction between ethinylestradiol and St. John’s wort, leading to decreased contraceptive efficacy. Ethinylestradiol is a cytochrome P450 3A4 and P-glycoprotein substrate and St. John’s wort is a 3A4 and P-glycoprotein inducer.
Enduring Conviction: Fred Korematsu and His Quest for Justice . Scott and Laurie Oki Series in Asian American Studies. By Lorraine K. Bannai.

Enduring Conviction: Fred Korematsu and His Quest for Justice . Scott and Laurie Oki Series in Asian American Studies. By Lorraine K. Bannai. (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2015. xv + 302 pp. Illustrations, glossary, notes, bibliography, index. $34.95.) Fred Korematsu was one of several Japanese Americans who refused to obey the U.S. government’s World War II curfew and exclusion orders to evacuate the West Coast for relocation camps in the interior. The government based its order on a national defense rationale that the United States might be attacked and that the Nikkei population might aid that attack by sabotage, espionage, or military efforts. Historians have since debated whether this relocation was actually based on military necessity or racism, triggered by wartime hysteria or economic greed. Lorraine K. Bannai’s … rlotchin{at}email.unc.edu
High-Resolution Image Stitching as a Tool to Assess Tissue-Level Protein Distribution and Localization

High-resolution microscopy has traditionally come at the expense of field of view, resulting in suboptimal interpretation of protein distribution throughout large or complex samples. Likewise, a low-resolution microscopic approach inhibits the ability of researchers to precisely localize proteins of interest at the subcellular level. Until recently, the ability to combine the strengths of these approaches was limited and technically impractical for most laboratories to implement. Continued advances in microscope automation, sophisticated software applications, and modern workstations have enabled expansion of such combinatorial approaches to researchers outside computationally focused fields. Through image stitching, researchers can acquire large field-of-view, multidimensional datasets, at the diffraction limit of high-numerical aperture objectives to effectively map protein distribution in large samples with high precision. Here, we outline a protocol for acquisition of such datasets with the purpose of introducing inexperienced researchers to the methodology of large image stitching using the widely available technology of laser point-scanning confocal microscopy in combination with basic microscope automation and freely available software for post-acquisition processing.
Orgasmic Dysfunction Following Radical Prostatectomy: Review of Current Literature

Abstract Introduction The sexual problem after radical prostatectomy (RP) that has received the most focus in the current literature is erectile dysfunction. However, there are orgasmic complications that encompass orgasm-associated urinary incontinence (climacturia), anorgasmia, changes in orgasmic sensation, and painful orgasm (dysorgasmia). Although the body of research is still growing, there remains a need for physician and patient awareness of these potentially problematic complications. Aim To review the prevalence and management options for different orgasmic dysfunctions after RP. Methods A Medline PubMed search was used to identify articles related to orgasmic dysfunction, including climacturia, dysorgasmia, anorgasmia, and altered sensation after RP. Main Outcome Measure Rates and types of orgasmic dysfunction after RP. Results Orgasmic dysfunction encompasses a series of conditions that affect men after RP. These include climacturia, dysorgasmia, anorgasmia, and altered sensation. Although the etiologies and management options remain uncertain, their effect on the sexual health of patients is not negligible. Conclusion To provide proper counseling to patients, physicians should be aware of the prevalence of orgasmic side effects after RP. Post-prostatectomy sexual recovery should be focused not only on penile erectile function but also on a satisfactory and healthy sexual life for patients and their partners. Clavell-Hernandez J, Martin C, Wang R. Orgasmic Dysfunction Following Radical Prostatectomy: Review of Current Literature. Sex Med Rev 2018;6:124–134.
Post-glacial drainage basin evolution in the midcontinent, North America: Implications for prehistoric human settlement patterns

Abstract: The long-term variation in archaeological site distribution in alluvial settings results from how changing environmental conditions and drainage basin evolution interplay with cultural needs and choices to configure site distribution. These relationships are often believed synchronous with large-scale climate and environmental changes. Research results within the White River valley drainage basin, central Indiana, USA, aimed to understand the fluvial and alluvial processes and chronology responsible for landform development and associated human settlement. Two long-term processes characterized the White River since local deglaciation. The first occurred between ∼18 ka (local deglaciation) and 6 ka when channel incision and erosion/lateral migration processes dominated along the trunk. The second occurred after 6 ka when cyclical intervals of overbanking, levee formation, and vertical accretion, separated by intervals of flood plain stability, characterized the White River floodplain. Because channel migration and lateral accretion processes predominated before 6 ka, Paleoindian and Early-Middle Archaic sites are unlikely to be preserved in the valley bottom. Conversely, episodic terrace accretion process after 6 ka means that Late Archaic and Woodland sites, which occur in surface contexts on all terraces, may also be common in buried or stratified floodplain contexts. Our data indicate that the modern distribution of archaeological sites in the valley is incomplete due to geomorphic processes. Our conclusions are relevant to other drainage networks because similar processes and chronologies occur elsewhere in the world.
The research contributions of predominantly North American Family Medicine educators to medical learner feedback: a descriptive analysis following a scoping review.

Background and objectives: In 2016, we performed a scoping review as a means of mapping what is known in the literature about feedback to medical learners. In this descriptive analysis, we explore ...
Approach motivation in human cerebral cortex.

Different regions of the human cerebral cortex are specialized for different emotions, but the principles underlying this specialization have remained unknown. According to the sword and shield hyp...
Abstract 2289: Precision-weighted RNA-seq analyses of molecular abundance (RoMA) for detecting differential gene expression

In this study, we propose a novel method, RoMA, to accurately detect differential expression and unlock the integration with numerous upstream and downstream analyses on mRNA abundance in RNA-seq studies. Various methods have been proposed, each with its own limitations. Some naive normal-based tests have low testing power with the invalid normal distribution assumptions for RNA-seq read counts, whereas count-based methods lack a biologically meaningful interpretation and have limited capability for integration with other analysis packages for mRNA abundance. RoMA incorporates information from both mRNA abundance and raw counts by modeling RPKM (reads per kilobase per million), which represents the relative abundance of mRNA transcripts, and borrowing mean-variance dependency from CPM (counts per million) as a precision weight accounting for the variability in sequencing depth. Studies on simulated data and two real datasets showed that RoMA provides an accurate quantification of mRNA abundance and a value adjustment-tolerant DE analysis with high AUC, low FDR and a desirable type I error rate. This study provides a valid strategy for mRNA abundance modeling and data analysis integration for RNA-seq studies, which will greatly facilitate the identification and interpretation of DE genes. The methods is implemented in a user-friendly R package (RoMA). Citation Format: Guoshuai Cai, Jennifer M. Franks, Michael L. Whitfield. Precision-weighted RNA-seq analyses of molecular abundance (RoMA) for detecting differential gene expression [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2289.
Diagnosis and Staging of Soft-Tissue Sarcomas

Optimal management of soft-tissue sarcomas depends upon establishing the diagnosis and determining the extent of both local and systemic disease. The clinical presentation and the procedures employed for these purposes will be reviewed.
Roberts’ Rules: The Assertiveness of Rules-Based Jurisprudence

When he was an attorney in private practice, John Roberts represented Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company in a case involving federal admiralty jurisdiction over a flood. In an effort to limit its liability under federal law, Great Lakes Dredge argued that federal courts were deprived of jurisdiction by the rule-like test articulated in Sisson v. Ruby,' and that the alternative, multi-factor standard was inappropriate. At oral argument before his future Supreme Court colleagues, Roberts indicted the very idea of standards and balancing: "Totality-of-the-circumstances balancing tests are by their nature vague, indeterminate, manipulable, and lead to different results, depending on who does the balancing . . . ."2 As usual, the Justices were convinced by his advocacy. In an opinion by Justice Souter, the Court rejected the balancing approach, writing in Grubart v. Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. that "the proposed fouror seven-factor test would be hard to apply, jettisoning relative predictability for the open-ended rough-and-tumble of factors, inviting complex argument in a trial court and a virtually inevitable appeal." 3 Roberts' victory did not end with the verdict in his client's favor. Armed with an eloquent endorsement of rules over balancing tests, Roberts quoted the Grubart passage seven times in Supreme Court briefs over the next few years. His enthusiasm for its rejection of balancing tests was consistent, albeit not immediately infectious. During that