cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diastolic mitral regurgitation in acute but not chronic aortic regurgitation: Implications regarding the mechanism of mitral closure

In acute aortic regurgitation, left ventricular pressure rises rapidly during diastole, which produces presystolic mitral valve closure. This does not occur in chronic aortic regurgitation. Since normal, nonregurgitant mitral valve closure may depend on properly coordinated atrial and ventricular contractions, we hypothesized that abnormal mitral valve closure occurring before systole in acute aortic regurgitation may produce diastolic mitral regurgitation detectable by Doppler echocardiography. Accordingly, we performed ultrasonic Doppler examination of seven patients with acute aortic regurgitation and 12 patients with chronic aortic regurgitation. Regurgitant aortic flow was severe in all cases. Doppler sampling within the left atrium demonstrated regurgitant mitral flow in late diastole in all patients with acute aortic regurgitation. The onset of diastolic mitral regurgitation coincided with mitral valve preclosure in patients with acute aortic regurgitation and occurred regardless of the position of the mitral leaflets at the initiation of closure. In contrast, none of the 12 patients with chronic aortic regurgitation had mitral valve preclosure or diastolic mitral regurgitation (p less than 0.05 versus acute aortic regurgitation). We conclude that diastolic mitral regurgitation accompanies mitral valve preclosure, which occurs in acute but not chronic aortic regurgitation. Thus diastolic mitral regurgitation may be a Doppler sign of acute aortic regurgitation, in the absence of a markedly prolonged PR interval. Furthermore, this observation suggests that normal, nonregurgitant mitral closure requires more than an increase in left ventricular pressure above left atrial pressure, regardless of the position of the mitral leaflets before closure.
Persistence, Predictability, and Portfolio Planning

We use a model of stock price behavior in which the expected rate of return on stocks follows an Ornstein- Uhlenbeck process to show that levels of return predictability that cause large variation in valuation ratios and offer significant benefits to dynamic portfolio strategies are hard to detect or measure by standard regression techniques, and that the R 2 from standard short run predictive regressions carry little information about either long run predictability or the value of dynamic portfolio strategies. We propose a new approach to portfolio planning that uses forward-looking estimates of long run expected rates of return from dividend discount models. We show how such long run expected rates of return can be used to estimate the instantaneous expected rate of return under the assumption that the latter follows an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process. Simulation results using four different estimates of long run rates of return on U.S. common stocks suggest that this approach may be valuable for long horizon investors.
Algorithms for the calculation of exact displacements, strains, and stresses for triangular dislocation elements in a uniform elastic half space

We present algorithms for analytically calculating the displacements, strains, and stresses associated with slip on a triangular dislocation element (TDE) in a homogeneous elastic half space. Following previous efforts, the solution is constructed as a dislocation loop where the deformation fields for each of the three triangle legs are calculated by the superposition of two angular dislocations. In addition to the displacements at the surface we derive the displacements and strains at arbitrary depth. We give explicit formulas for the strains due to slip on an angular dislocation, the calculation of angular dislocation slip components, a method for identifying observation coordinates affected by a solid body translation, and rules for internally consistent vertex ordering allowing for the superposition of multiple TDEs. Examples of surface displacements and internal stresses are given and compared with rectangular representations of geometrically complex fault surfaces.
A high-throughput mechanofluidic screening platform for investigating tumor cell adhesion during metastasis

The metastatic spread of cancer is a major barrier to effective and curative therapies for cancer. During metastasis, tumor cells intravasate into the vascular system, survive in the shear forces and immunological environment of the circulation, and then extravasate into secondary tumor sites. Biophysical forces are potent regulators of cancer biology and are key in many of the steps of metastasis. In particular, the adhesion of circulating cells is highly dependent upon competing forces between cell adhesion receptors and the shear stresses due to fluid flow. Conventional in vitro assays for drug development and the mechanistic study of metastasis are often carried out in the absence of fluidic forces and, consequently, are poorly representative of the true biology of metastasis. Here, we present a novel high-throughput approach to studying cell adhesion under flow that uses a multi-well, mechanofluidic flow system to interrogate adhesion of cancer cell to endothelial cells, extracellular matrix and platelets under physiological shear stresses. We use this system to identify pathways and compounds that can potentially be used to inhibit cancer adhesion under flow by screening anti-inflammatory compounds, integrin inhibitors and a kinase inhibitor library. In particular, we identify several small molecule inhibitors of FLT-3 and AKT that are potent inhibitors of cancer cell adhesion to endothelial cells and platelets under flow. In addition, we found that many kinase inhibitors lead to increased adhesion of cancer cells in flow-based but not static assays. This finding suggests that even compounds that reduce cell proliferation might also enhance cancer cell adhesion during metastasis. Overall, our results validate a novel platform for investigating the mechanisms of cell adhesion under biophysical flow conditions and identify several potential inhibitors of cancer cell adhesion during metastasis.
Nationalism and Hybridity in Mongolia

1. Introduction: Situating Hybridity 2. The Creation of Ethnicity and Nationalism in Twentieth-Century Mongolia 3. Ethno-politics in Mongolia 4. Problems of Biological Reproduction and the Mongolian Crisis of Confidence 5. The Discourse of Race in Mongolia 6. Inner Mongols as 'Other' to Mongols 7. The Choice of National Symbols: Reinitiating a Nation-State 8. Conclusion: Nationalism and Hybridity Bibliography Index
First-passage time for stability analysis of the Kaldor model

Every economic model should include an estimate of its stability and predictability. A new measure, the first passage time (FPT) which is defined as the time period when the model error first exceeds a pre-determined criterion (i.e., the tolerance level), is proposed here to estimate the model predictability. A theoretical framework is developed to determine the mean and variance of FPT. The classical Kaldor model is taken as an example to show the robustness of using FPT as a quantitative measure for identifying the model stability. � 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
MNEMOSYNE: designing and implementing network short-term memory

Network traffic logs play an important role in incident analysis. With the increasing throughput of network links, maintaining a complete log of all network activity has become a task that requires an enormous amount of resources. We propose an approach to network monitoring that mitigates the resource consumption problem while still providing effective support to evidence collection and incident analysis. The approach relies on a tool, called MNEMOSYNE, that maintains a sliding window containing the traffic that has been recently seen on a network link. MNEMOSYNE provides improved logging features, such as multiple streams, support for cross-stream queries, and dynamic remote reconfiguration. By integrating MNEMOSYNE with real-time intrusion detection capability, it is possible to provide incident analysis functionality and effective evidence collection, without having to maintain complete traffic logs. This paper describes the MNEMOSYNE tool, its architecture, and presents the results of the quantitative evaluation of its performance.
Human Brain Pericytes Differentially Regulate Expression of Procoagulant Enzyme Complexes Comprising the Extrinsic Pathway of Blood Coagulation

After vascular injury, pericytes may function in blood coagulation events that lead to thrombin formation due to their subendothelial location in the microvasculature. Pericytes from human cerebral cortex microvessels were isolated and characterized, and their ability to express and regulate procoagulant enzyme complexes was determined. Tissue factor was detected on the cell surface of cultured human brain pericytes by immunocytochemistry and was shown to form a functional complex with factor (F) VIIa to effect both FIX and FX activation. Treatment of pericytes with the calcium ionophore A23187 increased the observed tissue factor activity twofold to fivefold, which was shown to be due to an enhancement of cofactor activity and not the release of endogenous antigen stores. Pericytes also provided the appropriate membrane surface required for the assembly of a functional prothrombinase complex, so that in the presence of FVa and FXa, they effected thrombin formation 50 to 100 times faster than any other cell examined to date. In marked contrast to observations in other cell systems, pericyte expression of prothrombinase activity remained unaltered after treatment with A23187. As has been shown for platelets, the membrane receptor on pericytes for FXa assembly into the prothrombinase complex appears to at least partially consist of the FXa receptor effector cell protease receptor-1. These combined data indicate that pericytes can activate and propagate the coagulant response through the extrinsic pathway and that the activities of the required enzyme complexes can be differentially regulated in response to agonist stimulation. These observations support the concept that pericytes may play an important role in regulating coagulation events after cerebrovascular injury.
Controlled release of proteins to tissue transplants for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders

Alzheimer's disease involves substantial cholinergic cell deficits; other neurodegenerative diseases involve similar losses of certain cell populations. Optimal therapies may involve tissue replacement coupled with the controlled delivery of appropriate growth factors, such as nerve growth factor, to the graft site. In this review article we describe the kinetics of protein release from three modes of controlled protein delivery to transplants: delivery from a polymer matrix, delivery form polymeric microspheres, and delivery from genetically engineered cells. The efficacy and feasibility of each of these delivery strategies for potential treatment of patients diagnosed with neurodegenerative disorders is discussed.
Phylogenetic Relationships of New World Needlefishes (Teleostei: Belonidae) and the Biogeography of Transitions between Marine and Freshwater Habitats

Abstract The New World clade of needlefishes (Belonidae) includes species distributed along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of the Americas and in freshwater basins of Central and South America. Phylogenetic relationships among 13 species of the group were assessed based on data from two nuclear genes (RAG2 and Tmo-4C4), two mitochondrial genes (cytochrome b and 16S rRNA), and a small suite of morphological characters. In general, there was concordance between separate analyses of nuclear and mitochondrial characters, and RAG2 was found to be a particularly useful gene for phylogeny reconstruction. Morphology supported an alternative phylogenetic pattern, but this was probably a result of the small number of characters and the lack of a thorough anatomical survey. The total evidence hypothesis divides the group into two major clades. In one, Pseudotylosurus from freshwater in South America is most closely related to a pair of Strongylura species from the western and eastern Atlantic; in the other, Potamor...
Evolution of hindlimb posture in nonmammalian therapsids: biomechanical tests of paleontological hypotheses

Abstract Analyses of limb joint morphology in nonmammalian therapsid “mammal-like reptiles” have suggested that among many lineages, individual animals were capable of shifting between sprawling and upright hindlimb postures, much like modern crocodilians. The ability to use multiple limb postures thus might have been ancestral to the generally more upright posture that evolved during the transition from “mammal-like reptiles” to mammals. Here I derive a biomechanical model to test this hypothesis through calculations of expected posture-related changes in femoral stress for therapsid taxa using different limb postures. The model incorporates morphological data from fossil specimens and experimental data from force platform experiments on iguanas and alligators. Experimental data suggest that the evolutionary transition from sprawling to nonsprawling posture was accompanied by a change in the predominant loading regime of the limb bones, from torsion to bending. Changes in the cross-sectional morphology o...
Russian Speaking Immigrants from the Commonwealth of Independent States in the United States: Implications for Mental Health Counselors

In this article, we present common mental health issues facing Russian speaking immigrants from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), highlighting the necessity for counselors to have an understanding and appreciation of these issues in order to provide effective treatment services. An introduction to CIS mental health services and a historical description of the influence of the communist government on health care in the CIS are provided. Additionally, we review the cultural beliefs and values of CIS immigrants regarding mental health services and their underutilization. Finally, a series of practical suggestions for mental health counselors providing services to Russian speaking immigrants are offered.
Antiferromagnetism of CuO2 layers.

Based on symmetry arguments and supported by electronic structure calculations, we show that an important possible antiferromagnetic state of Cu${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ planes has the moments on the O, rather than the Cu, sites. This and other proposed "broken-symmetry" orderings are a direct result of correlation effects and argue for holes on oxygen. In addition, calculations of the core-level shift between ${\mathrm{La}}_{2}$Cu${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ and the extreme doping limit of Cu${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ show that the Cu charge state remains unchanged. These results should have important implications for the symmetry of models of the high-${T}_{c}$ copper oxide superconductors.
RNAi screening identifies TAK1 as a potential target for the enhanced efficacy of traditional cytotoxic agents in breast cancer cells.

PR-3 Specific molecular targets have yet to be identified for many cancers, necessitating treatment with non-specific, cytotoxic agents. In an effort to develop strategies that improve the efficacy of such agents, we have conducted a siRNA-based RNAi screen to identify genes that, when targeted by siRNA, improve compound activity. Screening was conducted using a set of siRNAs corresponding to over 400 apoptosis-related genes in the triple negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. Triple negative breast cancers lack the canonical treatment targets progesterone receptor, estrogen receptor, and amplified ErbB2. Screens were performed using the well-known anti-cancer agents camptothecin and doxorubicin. During the course of these studies, we identified the silencing of MAP3K7 as a significant potentiator of the activity of both compounds. These effects were reproduced in follow-up analyses and further corroborated using an additional siRNA targeting MAP3K7. MAP3K7 encodes TAK1 kinase, an enzyme that is central to the regulation of many processes associated with the growth of cancer cells (e.g. NFκB signaling). MAP3K7 silencing was not found to be toxic independent of compound addition. Moreover, results have indicated that MAP3K7 silencing preferentially sensitizes MDA-MB-231 cells to camptothecin and doxorubicin, as compared to the relatively normal mammary epithelial cell line MCF10A. Ongoing studies are directed towards evaluating the magnitude of this effect in additional breast cell lines and examining if enhanced compound activity can circumvent drug resistance, which can be associated with long-term exposure to chemotherapeutic agents.
Multiple faces of coaching: Manager-as-coach, executive coaching, and formal mentoring.

For the purpose of management and employee development, the use of coaching has been increasing over the last decade. This article investigates the theoretical background of manager-ascoach, executive coaching, and formal mentoring. Based on the extant literature, it also examines the definitions, purposes, practices and research of those three interpersonal relationships. Then, the similarities and differences among these issues are compared. Finally, implications and recommendations for future research are discussed. Overall, whereas manager-as-coach and executive coaching are different practices in terms of their purpose and process, executive coaching and formal mentoring are more similar. It is hoped that the conceptual distinction among these interchangeably used practices should enhance the understanding and appropriate application of such developmental practices.
[Urbanization and fertility decline in West Africa: Ghana Sierra Leone and Liberia]

The relationship of fertility to urbanization is determined from census data and described for 3 West African countries Sierra Leone Liberia and Ghana in the 1960s and in the case of Ghana also in 1970. 3 specific areas are examined: the urban-rural fertility differential the longitudinal behavior of fertility and urban fertility by size of city. An urban-rural fertility differential emerged for all 3 countries. Fertility declined as % urban population increased in Ghana from 1960 to 1970. Fertility tended to decline as city size increased except for Sierra Leone. Confounding variables affecting the fertility ratio usedare examined. An attempt is made to understand urban-rural fertility differentials or lack of them by considering such sociocultural variables as ethnicity religion socioeconomic status education migration and age at marriage. (Authors)
A pointing task to improve reaching performance in older adults.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to evaluate whether adding a pointing task would influence functional reach test performance in younger and older adults. DESIGN While standing on a force plate, 20 older (73 ± 8 yrs) and 20 younger (23 ± 1 yrs) adults were randomly administered a modification of the functional reach test and the functional point test. Functional pointing involved reaching and pointing at the farthest possible target in a series of 1.27-cm colored craft pom-poms attached at 2.54-cm intervals on a yardstick. RESULTS Both older adults (P = 0.001) and younger adults (P = 0.043) reached farther using the functional point test. Older adults also increased their anterior center of pressure displacement with this test (P = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS The addition of a pointing task can make the original clinical test more functional and increase reaching distance in both older and younger adults. Further research is needed to determine whether functional pointing challenges subjects' stability limits more than the traditional test does and offers greater sensitivity in the evaluation of functional balance and fall risk.
Rural electrification and groundwater pumps in India: Evidence from the 1982–1999 period ☆

India's groundwater extraction is heavily dependent on diesel pumps, and one reason is the lack of reliable power supply. The widespread use of diesel pumps is an economic problem due to the inefficiency and high cost of said pumps. Could rural electrification improve the situation? We estimate the relationship between village electrification and the counts of electric and diesel pumps in India, 1982–1999. We find that, in addition to increasing the number of electric pumps, rural electrification also greatly increases the number of diesel pumps. While initially surprising, these results make sense in an environment characterized by frequent power outages and constant quality problems. If rural electrification increases the number of electric pumps and promotes irrigated agriculture, the demand for diesel pumps also grows because many farmers need a reliable pump that does not depend on electricity. Without improvements in the supply of electricity through rational power sector reforms, India cannot stop the spread of diesel pumps through rural electrification. For energy and development economists, the results are novel because previous econometric work has largely focused on industrial uses of power.
Comparative Performance Analysis of Coarse Solvers for Algebraic Multigrid on Multicore and Manycore Architectures

We study the performance of a two-level algebraic-multigrid algorithm, with a focus on the impact of the coarse-grid solver on performance. We consider two algorithms for solving the coarse-space systems: the preconditioned conjugate gradient method and a new robust HSS-embedded low-rank sparse-factorization algorithm. Our test data comes from the SPE Comparative Solution Project for oil-reservoir simulations. We contrast the performance of our code on one 12-core socket of a Cray XC30 machine with performance on a 60-core Intel Xeon Phi coprocessor. To obtain top performance, we optimized the code to take full advantage of fine-grained parallelism and made it thread-friendly for high thread count. We also developed a bounds-and-bottlenecks performance model of the solver which we used to guide us through the optimization effort, and also carried out performance tuning in the solver’s large parameter space. As a result, significant speedups were obtained on both machines.
Techniques for Characterizing Cytomegalovirus-Encoded miRNAs

microRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression at the posttranscriptional level by binding to sites within the 3' untranslated regions of messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts. The discovery of this completely new mechanism of gene regulation necessitated the development of a variety of techniques to further characterize miRNAs, their expression, and function. In this chapter, we will discuss techniques currently used in the miRNA field to detect, express and inhibit miRNAs, as well as methods used to identify and validate their targets, specifically with respect to the miRNAs encoded by human cytomegalovirus.
The Power of a Federal Appellate Court to Direct Entry of Judgment as a Matter of Law: Reflections on Weisgram v. Marley Co.

Federal district court judges have several mechanisms for controlling civil jury functions. One mechanism is the entry of judgment as a matter of law. Federal appellate courts are able to reverse and direct entry of judgment as a matter of law. This article examines the appropriateness of such authority.
The relationship of red cell enzymes to red cell life-span.

Red cells are replaced before they become senescent. It is probable that red cell destruction is controlled by a biologic clock, essentially independent of metabolism, rather than by metabolic failure. The appearance of neo-antigens on the external surface of the red cell could be this "clock."
Impact of a Home Hospice Visit Program on Third-Year Medical Students: A qualitative analysis of student reflections.

Aim This study evaluates the impact of an interprofessional home hospice visit (HHV) on third-year medical students' attitudes toward, and understanding of, end-of-life care and the visit's effect on students' views of their emerging professional roles and identities. Methods All third-year medical students at Stony Brook School of Medicine in Stony Brook, New York, USA, participated in an HHV. A didactic session preceded the HHV. Subsequently, students were required to submit a piece of reflective writing detailing the impact of the visit. We conducted a qualitative analysis of a random sample drawn from the 467 submitted reflections. Results Six themes emerged from the student reflections: three were related to the students' direct observations during the HHV, and three were related to the reflective learning of the students based on their HHV experience. Conclusion The qualitative analysis of the reflective writings showed that the students gained a deep appreciation of the human identity of hospice patients and a humanistic understanding of their own role as future physicians.
Change in residents' perceptions of teaching: following a one day "Residents as Teachers" (RasT) workshop.

Objectives The objective of this study was to assess the perceptions and attitudes of resident physicians toward teaching before and after participation in a mandatory "Residents as Teachers" (RasT) workshop in four domains: (1) setting goals and expectations, (2) use of clinical microskills in teaching, (3) evaluation and feedback, and (4) enthusiasm and preparedness toward teaching. Methods Pre- and postintervention questionnaires were utilized. Data were analyzed for all respondents. Subgroup analyses were performed for each academic year and for primary care versus nonprimary care specialties. Results Over a 5-year period, 15 RasT workshops were presented to 276 residents from 10 different residency programs. Eighty-six percent completed the questionnaire before participation in the workshop, and 88% completed the questionnaire immediately after participation. The difference between the mean post-RasT and pre-RasT ratings on each item was used to measure the change in that item resulting from participation in the workshop. Conclusion Overall, residents' self-assessed ratings of their attitudes toward teaching were positively impacted by participation in a RasT workshop. Further subanalysis showed that residents in primary care specialties showed a significantly greater increase in their ratings than residents in nonprimary care specialties.
Restoration Implications of Land Management Legacy on Aboveground and Seed Bank Composition of North American Grasslands

Abstract A variety of nonprairie landscapes, including pastures, crop fields, and unmanaged seral ground, are being restored to native prairie on a yearly basis. Seldom is the seed bank associated with these nonprairie lands taken into account in the restoration process. We examine the seed bank potential of nonprairie lands and the relationship between aboveground vegetation and seed bank composition at the largest grassland restoration east of the Mississippi River, the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (U.S.A.), by surveying six land management histories: remnant prairie, restored prairie, new pasture, active pasture, old field, and crop field. Both aboveground vegetation and seed bank composition varied with land management history. However, species composition of aboveground vegetation differed significantly from the species composition of the seed bank irrespective of land management history. Aboveground vegetation carried a higher proportion of the seed bank flora than vice versa. In contrast to s...
NLRP6 function in inflammatory monocytes reduces susceptibility to chemically induced intestinal injury.

NLRP6 is a member of the Nod-like receptor family, whose members are involved in the recognition of microbes and/or tissue injury. NLRP6 was previously demonstrated to regulate the production of interleukin (IL)-18 and is important for protecting mice against chemically induced intestinal injury and colitis-associated colon cancer. However, the cellular mechanisms by which NLRP6 reduces susceptibility to colonic inflammation remain unclear. Here, we determined that NLRP6 expression is specifically upregulated in Ly6Chi inflammatory monocytes that infiltrate into the colon during dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced inflammation. Adoptive transfer of wild-type (WT) Ly6Chi inflammatory monocytes into Nlrp6−/− mice was sufficient to protect them from mortality, significantly reducing intestinal permeability and damage. NLRP6-deficient inflammatory monocytes were defective in tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) production, which was important for reducing DSS-induced mortality and was dependent on autocrine IL-18 signaling by inflammatory monocytes. Our data reveal a previously unappreciated role for NLRP6 in inflammatory monocytes, which are recruited after DSS-induced intestinal injury to promote barrier function and limit bacteria-driven inflammation. This study highlights the importance of early cytokine responses, particularly NLRP6-dependent and IL-18-dependent TNFα production, in preventing chronic dysregulated inflammation.
Acute traumatic intraosseous fluid sign predisposes to dynamic fracture mobility

The intraosseous fluid sign (IFS) in chronic osteoporotic vertebral fractures is attributed to fluid accumulation within non-healing intervertebral clefts. IFS can also be seen in acute traumatic fractures, not previously described. We hypothesize a pathophysiological mechanism for the acute traumatic intraosseous fluid sign (ATIFS) and its predisposition to dynamic fracture mobility with axial loading on upright radiographs. Retrospective analysis was performed of 41 acute thoracic and lumbar compression or stable burst fractures with both supine CT and upright plain films completed within 1 week of each other. The presence of an intravertebral cleft with fluid attenuation and vertebral body height loss was assessed on CT scans. Changes in the fractured vertebral body height and angulation were measured on upright radiographs. The ATIFS was identified in 18 (44%) of the 41 acute fractures. Mean kyphotic angle increase was significantly greater (p = 0.000) for ATIFS fractures (8.2°, SD ±4.2) than fractures without ATIFS (1.6°, SD ±3.4). There was significantly greater mean anterior (p = 0.0009) and central (p = 0.026) height loss in ATIFS fractures (4.3 mm, SD ±3.76 and 1.89 mm, SD ±4.44, respectively) compared to fractures without ATIFS (0.59 mm, SD ±2.24 and −0.52 mm, SD ±2.01, respectively). The IFS can be seen in acute traumatic vertebral fractures and show dynamic mobility. These ATIFS fractures show statistically significant greater mean height loss ratio differences and have significantly greater changes in kyphotic angulation on upright imaging when compared to fractures without ATIFS.
Management of Menopause and Perimenopause: Integrative Medicine in Support of Wellness

Since antiquity, menopause has been a marker of transition in a woman’s life. Despite all of the changes that have occurred in modernity, the age that menopause occurs has shifted very little. The median age at menopause among women from industrialized countries ranges between 50 and 52 years [27], and while there is slight evidence of increasing age at menopause over time and global variations [17], our mothers, grandmothers, and great grandmothers generally hit menopause at this same time in their lives. What is different today, however, is that women are often living another 30 years (greater than one-third of their lives) after they transition to menopause. While it is well known that there are many bothersome symptoms that women may experience during the perimenopausal and menopausal stages of their lives, this time can also be an enormous opportunity and invitation to wellness for women.
Peeking into Sigma-1 Receptor Functions Through the Retina

This review discusses recent advances towards understanding the sigma-1 receptor (S1R) as an endogenous neuro-protective mechanism in the retina, a favorable experimental model system. The exquisite architecture of the mammalian retina features layered and intricately wired neurons supported by non-neuronal cells. Ganglion neurons, photoreceptors, as well as the retinal pigment epithelium, are susceptible to degeneration that leads to major retinal diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and ultimately, blindness. The S1R protein is found essentially in every retinal cell type, with high abundance in the ganglion cell layer. Ultrastructural studies of photoreceptors, bipolar cells, and ganglion cells show a predominant localization of S1R in the nuclear envelope. A protective role of S1R for ganglion and photoreceptor cells is supported by in vitro and in vivo experiments. Most recently, studies suggest that S1R may also protect retinal neurons via its activities in Muller glia and microglia. The S1R functions in the retina may be attributed to a reduction of excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, ER stress response, or inflammation. S1R knockout mice are being used to delineate the S1R-specific effects. In summary, while significant progress has been made towards the objective of establishing a S1R-targeted paradigm for retinal neuro-protection, critical questions remain. In particular, context-dependent effects and potential side effects of interventions targeting S1R need to be studied in more diverse and more clinically relevant animal models.
Advances in the understanding of priapism.

Priapism, a persistent penile erection lasting longer than 4 hours and unrelated to sexual activity, is one of the most common emergencies treated by urologists. Priapism can be categorized as ischemic, recurrent ischemic (stuttering), and non-ischemic. Advances in understanding the pathophysiology of various types of priapism have led to targeted management strategies. This review aims to provide an up-to-date picture of the pathophysiology and management of priapism. A search of Medline and PubMed for relevant publications using the term “priapism” was performed. In addition to the “classical” articles, emphasis was placed on publications from January 2013 to September 2016 to evaluate the most recent literature available. Though advances in both basic and clinical research continue and effective treatment options are available, methods for the prevention of priapism continue to be elusive.
An approach to teaching critical thinking across disciplines using performance tasks with a common rubric

Abstract While there is large body of literature discussing critical thinking in higher education, there is a less substantial body of scholarship exploring methods for teaching it. There are several tests being used nationally to assess critical thinking. Rather than just assessing critical thinking, we explored the use of performance tasks with a common rubric as a way of raising student and instructor awareness of the tools and practices involved in critical thinking. In this exploratory study, faculty in three different fields, Teacher Education, Social Sciences, and Life Sciences, designed performance tasks in a problem-based learning environment that were appropriate to their disciplines and aligned to the skills of critical thinking. Although the tasks differed for each cohort, they were structured similarly and explicitly taught using a common rubric with corrective feedback, aiding both the development and assessment of critical thinking. Students completed a pre-post assessment on a critical thinking assessment test. Some cohorts evidenced measurable improvements in critical thinking skills with less discernable improvement among other cohorts. Qualitative results tended to confirm the value of student participation in rigorous and challenging performance tasks. We conclude that using performance tasks with corrective feedback on a common rubric may be useful in many fields. We further suggest that regular use of performance tasks in a problem-based learning environment can contribute to the transferability of critical thinking skills and dispositions.
Women, Work, and Marriage: Challenges of Gendered Mobility in Urban China

Policies of the Chinese state during the post-socialist era have engendered demographic and socioeconomic changes that intersect with gender and class to both enable and restrict women’s social mobility, autonomy, and independence. This chapter evaluates the impact of these changes on the social mobility of women in China’s cities, drawing upon relevant literature and my own ethnographic studies of rural migrant women workers in Beijing and educated career women in Shanghai. My contribution illuminates the material and discursive constraints that obstruct these women’s achievement of personal goals under conditions of structural inequality as China urbanizes.
The Independence of Active Galactic Nucleus Black Hole Mass and Radio Loudness

We revisit the issue of whether radio loudness in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is associated with central black hole mass, as has been suggested in the literature. We present new estimates of black hole mass for 295 AGNs (mostly radio quiet), calculating their radio loudnesses from published radio and optical fluxes, and combine with our previously published values, for a sample of 452 AGNs for which both black hole mass and radio loudness (or upper limits thereto) are known. Among the radio-quiet AGNs, there are now many black holes with mass larger than 109 M?, extending to the same high black hole masses as radio-loud AGNs of the same redshifts. Over the full sample, the black hole masses of radio-loud and radio-quiet AGNs span the same large range, 106-1010 M?. We conclude that radio loudness in AGNs does not depend strongly on central black hole mass.
Synthesis and evaluation of 18F-hexafluorophosphate as a novel PET probe for imaging of sodium/iodide symporter in a murine C6-glioma tumor model.

Abstract Noninvasive imaging of iodide uptake via the sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) has received great interest for evaluation of thyroid cancer and reporter imaging of NIS-expressing viral therapies. In this study, we investigate 18F-labeled hexafluorophosphate (HFP or PF6−) as a high-affinity iodide analog for NIS imaging. 18F-HFP was synthesized by radiofluorination of phosphorus pentafluoride·N-methylpyrrolidine complex and evaluated in human NIS (hNIS)-expressing C6 glioma cells and a C6 glioma xenograft mouse model. 18F-HFP was obtained in radiochemical yield of 10 ± 5%, radiochemical purity of >96% and specific radioactivity of 604 ± 18 MBq/µmol. Specific uptake of 18F-HFP and high affinity of 19F-HFP were observed in hNIS+ C6-glioma cells. PET imaging showed robust uptake of 18F-HFP in NIS-expressing tissues (thyroid, stomach, and hNIS+ C6 glioma xenografts), and the uptake of 18F-HFP was blocked by NaClO4 pretreatment. Specific accumulation in hNIS-expressing xenograft (hNIS+) was observed relative to isogenic control tumor (hNIS−). Clearance of 18F-HFP was predominantly through renal excretion. The biodistribution showed consistent results with PET imaging. Minimal bone uptake was observed over 2 h period post-injection, indicating excellent in vivo stability of 18F-HFP. Although improvement in specific radioactivity is desirable, the results indicate that 18F-HFP is a promising candidate radiotracer for further evaluation for NIS imaging.
Ecosystem Modeling: Structural Approach

The I / O approach is potentially well suited to such planning and management issues as environmental impact assessment and evaluation of alternate growth strategies, and may be applicable to development of optimum management policies. Application of I / O on an annual basis of two lakes. carbon budgets has shown, at least qualitatively, the insight that might be gained by using the approach. The first limitation may require using dynamic, rather than static, models under some conditions, while extension of the model to multivariate systems may be necessary to avoid the limitations of the widely used univariate model.
Millimeter-wave frequency generation and synthesis in Silicon

▪ An overview of frequency generation techniques at mm-wave frequencies was provided ▪ Achieving high output power, low phase noise, and wide tuning range are among the most challenging issues in regard to mm-wave frequency generation and synthesis ▪ A study of oscillator design at mm-wave was provided ▪ Circuit techniques such inductive tuning and varactor tuning with loss compensation networks were discussed ▪ In designing an mm-wave PLL-based synthesizer in silicon, the codesign/co-optimization of the VCO and next stage divider would lead to far better performance.
A coupled rate theory-Monte Carlo model of helium bubble evolution in plasma-facing micro-engineered tungsten

Abstract A multiscale model of helium bubble evolution in plasma-facing materials is developed. The model links different stages of helium bubble evolution: deposition, nucleation, growth, motion, and coalescence. Helium deposition is simulated with the SRIM Monte Carlo program to give spatial information on helium and displacement damage distributions near the surface. This deposition profile is then introduced into a space-dependent rate theory of bubble nucleation and growth to describe the early stages of the distribution and size of helium bubbles. The coarsening stage of bubble evolution as a result of whole bubble motion, interaction, and coalescence is modeled by a new Object Kinetic Monte Carlo (OKMC) model, for which initial conditions are taken from the mean-field rate theory calculations. The model is compared to experimental data on low-energy helium plasma interaction with micro-engineered tungsten (W), and on high-energy helium ion deposition in flat W samples. Novel features of the multiscale model include: (1) space-dependent rate theory; (2) OKMC model of bubble motion in stress and temperature fields; and (3) application of the model to micro-engineered materials, and comparison with experiments on the same time-scale. At low helium ion energy, it is found that the mechanism of trap mutation is essential in achieving good agreement with experimental measurements. On the other hand, good agreement with experiments at high incident ion energy and temperature showed the importance of bubble coalescence and coarsening as main mechanisms. The results of the model are compared with experiments on flat W surfaces irradiated at high ion energy (30 keV), and with micro-engineered W, where the surface is coated with high-density micro-pillars at low ion energy (around 100 eV). The predicted average bubble radius and density are in qualitative agreement with experimental results.
Exiled for love: The journey of an Iranian queer activist

Arsham Parsi, a gay Iranian who was forced to flee his country in 2005, has teamed up with Marc Colbourne to write a memoir of his early life in Iran, later in Turkey, and finally in Canada, where ...
The US and the Taliban Talk in Circles as the bin Laden Threat Grows

This chapter focuses on the increasing tension between the US and the Taliban, and the sources of frustration on both sides. The US and the Taliban continued to meet, but they succeeded only in talking passed each other—the United States explained why it was in the Taliban’s interest to expel Osama bin Laden and the Taliban explained why they could not, despite many of their leaders’ opposition to bin Laden’s presence. It was increasingly clear that the US/Taliban relationship was going nowhere and that the only hope the Taliban had to be recognized by the US was to expel bin Laden—and that was never going to happen. To combat their poor public image, the Taliban mounted a public diplomacy campaign in the United States.
La confianza razonable y su relevancia como criterio fundante de la tutela de ciertas anomalías o disconformidades acaecidas durante el iter contractual

espanolEl presente articulo aborda la proteccion de la confianza razonable en el moderno derecho de contratos con el proposito de evidenciar que constituye un criterio fundante de la tutela de ciertas anomalias o disconformidades precontractuales y contractuales, determinando su actual configuracion y naturaleza juridica, analizando su alcance y explorando su recepcion en la doctrina y la jurisprudencia chilenas. EnglishThe purpose of this article is to address the protection of reasonable reliance to show that is a founding criterion of certain precontractual and contractual anomalies or non-conformities protections, determining its current configuration and legal nature, analyzing its scope and exploring its reception in Chilean doctrine and jurisprudence.
On the Granularity of Trie-Based Data Structures for Name Lookups and Updates

Name lookup is an essential function but a performance bottleneck in both today’s and future network architectures. Trie is an excellent candidate data structure and has been widely used for looking up and updating names. However, the granularity of trie—at bit, byte (character), or component level—can dramatically affect the network performance in terms of memory usage and packet-processing speed, which has not yet been studied adequately. To fill this gap, we first show that the choice of trie’s granularity for name lookups and updates (i.e., insertions and removals) is not a trivial problem due to the complex performance tradeoffs involved. We also introduce a new tool, called NameGen, which uses a Markov-based name learning model and generates pseudo-real datasets with different tunable name characteristics. We compare different trie granularities based on a collection of datasets and performance metrics, highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each granularity, and draw a conclusion on the choice of granularity. Surprisingly, our experimental evaluation finds that there are only two key rules to choose the proper trie’s granularity for any kind of dataset: 1) bit-level trie is the choice when the memory requirement is a real concern and 2) character- and component-level tries are preferred for faster lookups and updates when dealing with names composed of short and long components, respectively.
Translational and basic science opportunities in palliative care and radiation oncology

Radiation therapy is commonly used in the metastatic setting to palliate pain, neurological deficits, bleeding and other complications of metastatic disease, allowing patients to live longer and have better quality of life. Despite the effective use of radiation and other palliative treatment modalities, many patients continue to experience poorly controlled pain and other serious sequelae of their disease, underscoring the need for additional research in this area. In this review we highlight recent developments impacting the fields of palliative care and radiation oncology and describe opportunities for research and innovation including studies of tumor microenvironment, identification of effective biomarkers of tumor response and combinatorial treatments with new systemic agents. It is our hope that progress in these fields will improve the lives of patients living with advanced malignancies.
Effects of core temperature, skin temperature, and inter-beat interval on resting metabolic rate measurements in thermoneutral conditions.

Abstract It is important to identify potential underlying factors that can affect the variability of resting metabolic rate (RMR) measurements. The RMRs of 20 college-aged men were tested twice in stable environmental conditions, with each measurement separated by 40 min. Skin temperature, core temperature, and inter-beat interval were monitored throughout the study as identified factors that could affect RMR measurements. Since environmental conditions in a clinic or laboratory can vary, skin temperature and core temperature can be affected which may affect RMR. Similarly, prior physical activity, stress, sleep, and caffeine intake can affect inter-beat interval and may be a co-variable affecting RMR. Higher RMR measurements were compared to lower RMR measurements. RMR for the higher trial was 2068 ± 66 kcal/day, the lower trial was 1975 ± 65 kcal/day (t = 4.23; p