cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Complex Patterns of Association between Pleiotropy and Transcription Factor Evolution

Pleiotropy has been claimed to constrain gene evolution but specific mechanisms and extent of these constraints have been difficult to demonstrate. The expansion of molecular data makes it possible to investigate these pleiotropic effects. Few classes of genes have been characterized as intensely as human transcription factors (TFs). We therefore analyzed the evolutionary rates of full TF proteins, along with their DNA binding domains and protein-protein interacting domains (PID) in light of the degree of pleiotropy, measured by the number of TF-TF interactions, or the number of DNA-binding targets. Data were extracted from the ENCODE Chip-Seq dataset, the String v 9.2 database, and the NHGRI GWAS catalog. Evolutionary rates of proteins and domains were calculated using the PAML CodeML package. Our analysis shows that the numbers of TF-TF interactions and DNA binding targets associated with constrained gene evolution; however, the constraint caused by the number of DNA binding targets was restricted to the DNA binding domains, whereas the number of TF-TF interactions constrained the full protein and did so more strongly. Additionally, we found a positive correlation between the number of protein-PIDs and the evolutionary rates of the protein-PIDs. These findings show that not only does pleiotropy associate with constrained protein evolution but the constraint differs by domain function. Finally, we show that GWAS associated TF genes are more highly pleiotropic : The GWAS data illustrates that mutations in highly pleiotropic genes are more likely to be associated with disease phenotypes.
A theory of synchrony for active compartments with delays coupled through bulk diffusion

Abstract We extend recent work on the analysis of synchronization in a pair of biochemical oscillators coupled by linear bulk diffusion, in order to explore the effects of discrete delays. More specifically, we consider two well-mixed, identical compartments located at either end of a bounded, one-dimensional domain. The compartments can exchange signaling molecules with the bulk domain, within which the signaling molecules undergo diffusion. The concentration of signaling molecules in each compartment is modeled by a delay differential equation (DDE), while the concentration in the bulk medium is modeled by a partial differential equation (PDE) for diffusion. Coupling in the resulting PDE–DDE system is via flux terms at the boundaries. Using linear stability analysis, numerical simulations and bifurcation analysis, we investigate the effect of diffusion on the onset of a supercritical Hopf bifurcation. The direction of the Hopf bifurcation is determined by numerical simulations and a winding number argument. Near a Hopf bifurcation point, we find that there are oscillations with two possible modes: in-phase and anti-phase. Moreover, the critical delay for oscillations to occur increases with the diffusion coefficient. Our numerical results suggest that the selection of the in-phase or anti-phase oscillation is sensitive to the diffusion coefficient, time delay and coupling strength. For slow diffusion and weak coupling both modes can coexist, while for fast diffusion and strong coupling, only one of the modes is dominant, depending on the explicit choice of DDE.
Cyber-physical test platform for microgrids: Combining hardware, hardware-in-the-loop, and network-simulator-in-the-loop

This paper presents a cyber-physical testbed, developed to investigate the complex interactions between emerging microgrid technologies such as grid-interactive power sources, control systems, and a wide variety of communication platforms and bandwidths. The cyber-physical testbed consists of three major components for testing and validation: real time models of a distribution feeder model with microgrid assets that are integrated into the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) power hardware-in-the-loop (PHIL) platform; real-time capable network-simulator-in-the-loop (NSIL) models; and physical hardware including inverters and a simple system controller. Several load profiles and microgrid configurations were tested to examine the effect on system performance with increasing channel delays and router processing delays in the network simulator. Testing demonstrated that the controller's ability to maintain a target grid import power band was severely diminished with increasing network delays and laid the foundation for future testing of more complex cyber-physical systems.
Postnatal Growth and Retinopathy of Prematurity Study: Rationale, Design, and Subject Characteristics.

ABSTRACTPurpose: Postnatal-growth-based predictive models demonstrate strong potential for improving the low specificity of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening. Prior studies are limited by inadequate sample size. We sought to study a sufficiently large cohort of at-risk infants to enable development of a model with highly precise estimates of sensitivity for severe ROP.Methods: The Postnatal Growth and ROP (G-ROP) Study was a multicenter retrospective cohort study of infants at 30 North American hospitals during 2006–2012. A total of 65 G-ROP-certified abstractors submitted data to a secure, web-based database. Data included ROP examination findings, treatments, complications, daily weight measurements, daily oxygen supplementation, maternal/infant demographics, medical comorbidities, surgical events, and weekly nutrition. Data quality was monitored with system validation rules, data audits, and discrepancy algorithms.Results: Of 11,261 screened infants, 8334 were enrolled, and 2927 had insufficie...
Histamine signaling via the metabotropic receptor Trapped in endoderm 1 regulates courtship initiation in Drosophila melanogaster

Understanding the role of genes in directing behavior is one of the primary goals of neuroscience. Mating behavior in Drosophila is controlled by male-specific splicing of the master regulatory gene fruitless (fru), and the male-specific splice form, fruM, is both necessary and sufficient for all aspects of the courtship ritual. We have previously described the role of Trapped in endoderm 1 (Tre1) in courtship behavior. Tre1 encodes an orphan G-protein-coupled receptor that is essential for normal courtship behavior in male flies. We previously found that feminizing Tre1-expressing cells in males via expression of the female-specific splicing factor Transformer (TraF) resulted in rapid courtship initiation. Here we confirm that Tre1 is required in neurons for normal courtship behavior, and present genetic evidence that Tre1 acts through the downregulation of the E-cadherin Shotgun, and that the neurotransmitter histamine is the likely Tre1 ligand. Our findings are the first evidence for metabotropic histamine receptors in Drosophila, and the first to demonstrate a role for histamine in courtship.
Use of a primary carotid stenting technique does not affect perioperative outcomes.

Abstract Background Primary carotid stenting (PCS) has been shown to be feasible and safe in small series, but real-world outcomes in a large multicenter data set have yet to be explored. We aimed to compare outcomes for PCS (PCS+) vs conventional carotid artery stenting (CAS) with angioplasty (PCS−) using a national database. Methods We analyzed all CAS cases in the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) database (2005-2016) using univariable and multivariable logistic regression to assess the effect of PCS on outcomes. The primary end point was a composite of stroke/death occurring within 30 days. Results The study included 10,074 patients (mean age, 69.5 ± 9.9 years; 64% male). The composite end point occurred in 3.5% of cases (stroke, 2.4%; death, 1.5%). PCS was used in 688 (6.8%) patients. On univariable analysis, stroke/death occurred more frequently with PCS+ vs PCS− (5.2% vs 3.4%; P = .01). However, this difference was mitigated after adjusting for baseline group differences (odds ratio [OR], 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.72-1.83; P = .55). PCS also had no significant effect on the primary composite end point on adjusted analysis stratified by symptom status (asymptomatic: OR, 0.98 [95% CI, 0.39-2.48]; symptomatic: OR, 1.19 [95% CI 0.66-2.06]) or among patients undergoing CAS with embolic protection (OR, 1.54 [95% CI, 0.92-2.57]). Patients undergoing CAS without embolic protection had a significantly higher risk of stroke/death regardless of the stenting technique used (OR, 3.97 [95% CI, 2.47-6.37]). Conclusions PCS is associated with a similar risk of stroke and death compared with conventional CAS with angioplasty. The use of an embolic protection device is essential to good outcomes with both techniques.
GMO sapiens heute und morgen

Im‌ Jahr 2014 beugte sich ein Wissenschaftler in Dr. Junjiu Huangs Labor an der Sun-Yat-sen-Universitat im chinesischen Guangdong uber ein Mikroskop und betrachtete einzellige menschliche Embryonen in einer Petrischale. Im Licht des Mikroskops sahen sie wie winzige durchscheinende Kugeln aus. Der Wissenschaftler stach mit einer sehr dunnen, scharfen Nadel in den ersten dieser Embryonen.
Role of β2/3-specific GABA-A receptor isoforms in the development of hippocampus kindling epileptogenesis.

Abstract Objective Subunit-specific positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of gamma-aminobutyric acid-A (GABA-A) receptors are commonly used to uncover the role of GABA-A receptor isoforms in brain function. Recently, we have designed novel PAMs selective for β2/3-subunit containing GABA-A receptors (β2/3-selective PAMs) that are nonbenzodiazepine site-mediated and do not show an α-subunit isoform selectivity, yet exhibit anxiolytic efficacy with reduced potential for sedation, cognitive impairment, and tolerance. In this study, we used three novel β2/3-selective PAMs (2-261, 2-262, and 10029) with differential β2/3-subunit potency to identify the role of β2/3-selective receptor isoforms in limbic epileptogenesis. Methods Experimental epileptogenesis was induced in mice by daily hippocampus stimulations until each mouse showed generalized (stage 5) seizures. Patch-clamp electrophysiology was used to record GABA-gated currents. Brain levels of β2/3-selective PAMs were determined for mechanistic correlations. Results Treatment with the β2/3-selective PAMs 2-261 (30 mg/kg), 2-262 (10 mg/kg), and 10029 (30 mg/kg), 30 min prior to stimulations, significantly suppressed the rate of development of kindled seizure activity without affecting the afterdischarge (AD) signal, indicating their disease-modifying activity. The β2/3-selective agents suppressed chemical epileptogenesis in the pentylenetetrazol model. Test doses of these agents were devoid of acute antiseizure activity in the kindling model. Conclusion These findings demonstrate that β2/3-selective PAMs can moderately retard experimental epileptogenesis, indicating the protective role of β2/3-subunit GABA-A receptor isoforms in the development of epilepsy.
Development of a portable mini-generator to safely produce nitric oxide for the treatment of infants with pulmonary hypertension

Abstract Objectives To test the safety of a novel miniaturized device that produces nitric oxide (NO) from air by pulsed electrical discharge, and to demonstrate that the generated NO can be used to vasodilate the pulmonary vasculature in rabbits with chemically-induced pulmonary hypertension. Study design A miniature NO (mini-NO) generator was tested for its ability to produce therapeutic levels (20–80 parts per million (ppm)) of NO, while removing potentially toxic gases and metal particles. We studied healthy 6-month-old New Zealand rabbits weighing 3.4 ± 0.4 kg (mean ± SD, n = 8). Pulmonary hypertension was induced by chemically increasing right ventricular systolic pressure to 28–30 mmHg. The mini-NO generator was placed near the endotracheal tube. Production of NO was triggered by a pediatric airway flowmeter during the first 0.5 s of inspiration. Results In rabbits with acute pulmonary hypertension, the mini-NO generator produced sufficient NO to induce pulmonary vasodilation. Potentially toxic nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) were removed by the Ca(OH)2 scavenger. Metallic particles, released from the electrodes by the electric plasma, were removed by a 0.22 μm filter. While producing 40 ppm NO, the mini-NO generator was cooled by a flow of air (70 ml/min) and the external temperature of the housing did not exceed 31 °C. Conclusions The mini-NO generator safely produced therapeutic levels of NO from air. The mini-NO generator is an effective and economical approach to producing NO for treating neonatal pulmonary hypertension and will increase the accessibility and therapeutic uses of life-saving NO therapy worldwide.
CHAPTER IX – Long-Lived Radioactive Carbon (C14)

A long-lived activity has been obtained by deuteron bombardment of graphite. This activity has been shown by chemical methods to be isotopic with carbon. The same activity has been obtained by slow neutron irradiation of nitrogenous compounds (N${\mathrm{H}}_{4}$N${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$, N${\mathrm{H}}_{4}$N${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$, etc.). The radiations consist of low energy negative electrons with a range of 19\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2 mg/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ aluminum (145\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}15 kev upper energy limit). No soft or hard gamma-rays could be detected. The nuclear reactions must be ${\mathrm{C}}^{13} (d,p) {\mathrm{C}}^{14}$ and ${\mathrm{N}}^{14} (n,p) {\mathrm{C}}^{14}$. A sample has been followed in a screen wall Geiger counter for 9 months and has shown no decay. From cross section and yield estimates the half-life of ${\mathrm{C}}^{14}$ is probably ${10}^{3}$-${10}^{5}$ years. The production, isolation, and detection of ${\mathrm{C}}^{14}$ for tracer work is described.
Local Properties of Surfaces

In this chapter, we start discussing representations that can be associated to three-dimensional shapes, where surfaces now replace curves. For this reason, we start with basic definitions and results on the theory of surfaces in ℝ3. Although some parts are redundant with the abstract discussion of submanifolds that is provided in Appendix B, we have chosen to provide a more elementary presentation here, very close to [64], to ensure that this important section can be read independently.
Bilateral Filtering of Multiple Fiber Orientations in Diffusion MRI

We present and evaluate a bilateral filter for smoothing diffusion MRI fiber orientations with preservation of anatomical boundaries and support for multiple fibers per voxel. Two challenges in the process are the geometric structure of fiber orientations and the combinatorial problem of matching multiple fibers across voxels. To address these issues, we define distances and local estimators of weighted collections of multi-fiber models and show that these provide a basis for an efficient bilateral filtering algorithm for orientation data. We evaluate our approach with experiments testing the effect on tractography-based reconstruction of fiber bundles and response to synthetic noise in computational phantoms and clinical human brain data. We found this to significantly reduce the effects of noise and to avoid artifacts introduced by linear filtering. This approach has potential applications to diffusion MR tractography, brain connectivity mapping, and cardiac modeling.
Spinal epidural lipomatosis presenting to a U.S. Veterans Affairs pain and rehabilitation department: a report of two cases

Spinal epidural lipomatosis is an uncommon source of neurogenic claudication. We present two cases of spinal epidural lipomatosis as it relates to diagnosis, management, and a possible association with common medical intervention. Case 1: 63-year old male patient presented with neurogenic claudication symptoms, but without evidence of bony central canal stenosis on lumbar computed tomography. He entered a trial of spinal manipulation with transient beneficial gains after seven appointments, but no durable change in neurogenic claudication. An MRI was recommended at this point which revealed grade III spinal epidural lipomatosis at the L5/S1 level. Case 2: 51-year old male patient presented to a pain management physician with radicular symptoms for a series of lumbar epidural steroid injections. He completed a series of three lumbar epidural steroid injections with only short-term benefit. A repeat MRI demonstrated the presence of grade I (borderline grade II) spinal epidural lipomatosis. The first case illustrates a limitation of ruling out central canal stenosis with computed tomography for patients unable to undergo an MRI. The second case demonstrates a possible association between steroid injections and spinal epidural lipomatosis. An association of this kind has not been established; further research is needed to determine the significance.
Avoid Common Mistakes When Presenting Your Research, Evidence-Based Practice, or Quality Improvement Projects.

The clinical nurse specialist leads most research, evidence-based practice (EBP), or quality improvement (QI) projects in healthcare organizations, large and small. These projects provide an opportunity for sharing results at national or international professional conferences. The goal at these conf
Vertical and Horizontal Transitions of Substrate Integrated Waveguides Within a Multi-Layered PCB for High Speed Signaling Applications

In this paper, transitions between substrate integrated waveguides (SIW) within a multi-layered printed circuit board (PCB) are studied. Particularly, horizontal (within the same layer) and vertical (between different layers) transitions are investigated. Horizontal transitions are studied by implementing SIW arcs with various radii having their side wall ground vias located on a curve. Vertical transitions are implemented between SIWs in different layers by placing a narrow rectangular opening in the PCB ground plane between the waveguides. The size of this opening is varied to provide an effective layer-to-layer transition between the SIWs. Insertion losses and field distributions of both types of transitions are examined. Both are shown to have relatively low-loss, with approximately 3.8 dB/inch loss for the straight and curved SIW structures at 100GHz and only an additional 0.2 dB of loss over a straight SIW's when a vertical transition is incorporated.
Torture-based mind control: Psychological mechanisms and psychotherapeutic approaches to overcoming mind control.

The term “executive control” refers to the implementation of mental functions, otherwise known as “executive functions”, that enable goal-directed thought and behaviour, including self-awareness, motivation, volition, initiation, planning, purposive action, and self-regulation, which relies on monitoring, shifting, inhibiting, and self-correcting, functions primarily attributed to the frontal lobes, specifically the prefrontal cortex. Torture-based mind control is practised by individuals and groups who seek to maximally control and exploit others, particularly children. Survivor accounts are the primary source material on torture-based mind control. Critics say this is untrustworthy data. The dissociated fear of torture is greater than the fear of executing the self-endangering behaviour desired by the programmer. Although never have evidence of torture-based mind control directly evolving from military electroshock treatments. Torture-based mind control, by most survivor reports, begins before four years of age, usually by age two, to make the psyche dissociation-prone and to serve as a foundation for later programming.
Business Identity as a Determinant of CEO Compensation

Using the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) as an identity of a company, the relationship between business identity and CEO compensation is investigated. The results show that the CEO compensation of a company responds to the identity change while the compensation of an added company gradually increases toward the level of the DJIA companies starting before the year of addition, the compensation change of a replaced company is delayed until the replacement year and dropped quickly. This paper has some implications and contributes to recognizing and suggesting remedies on problems and biases in corporate governance.
Associations between child maltreatment, cigarette smoking, and nicotine dependence in young adults with a history of regular smoking

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether childhood maltreatment is associated with smoking behaviors and lifetime nicotine dependence and if associations are moderated by sex. We examined these associations among individuals who ever reported being regular smokers. Methods Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, we examined relationships between retrospectively self-reported child maltreatment (parent/caregiver-perpetrated emotional, physical, sexual abuse, and neglect; and non-parent/caregiver-perpetrated sexual abuse) and self-reported smoking behaviors among individuals with a history of regular smoking. Outcomes were any current smoking in early adulthood (mean age = 28 years), current smoking in adolescent study waves only, adulthood only, and adolescence and adulthood (n = 3581); and lifetime history of nicotine dependence (n = 3594) per the Fagerstrom scale. Results Poly-maltreatment (aRR for 2+ vs. 0 exposures = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.34) was associated with lifetime nicotine dependence; associations between nicotine dependence and neglect and non-parent/caregiver sexual abuse by force were only present in women. Neglect and non-parent/caregiver sexual abuse by nonphysical threat were associated with continued smoking, and an association between non-parent/caregiver sexual abuse by physical force and continued smoking was also noted in women only. Women who experienced poly-maltreatment were less likely to report current smoking in adolescence but not adulthood. Conclusions These data suggest in a nationally representative sample of ever regular smokers, child maltreatment is associated with outcomes that suggest an inability to quit smoking and some associations may vary by sex.
Extracellular Matrix Proteins and Substrate Stiffness Synergistically Regulate Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Migration and Cortical Cytoskeleton Organization

Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration is a critical step in the progression of cardiovascular disease and aging. Migrating VSMCs encounter a highly heterogeneous environment with the varying extracellular matrix (ECM) composition due to the differential synthesis of collagen and fibronectin (FN) in different regions and greatly changing stiffness, ranging from the soft necrotic core of plaques to hard calcifications within blood vessel walls. In this study, we demonstrate an application of a two-dimensional (2D) model consisting of an elastically tunable polyacrylamide gel of varying stiffness and ECM protein coating to study VSMC migration. This model mimics the in vivo microenvironment that VSMCs experience within a blood vessel wall, which may help identify potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of atherosclerosis. We found that substrate stiffness had differential effects on VSMC migration on type 1 collagen (COL1) and FN-coated substrates. VSMCs on COL1-coated substrates showed significantly diminished migration distance on stiffer substrates, while on FN-coated substrates VSMCs had significantly increased migration distance. In addition, cortical stress fiber orientation increased in VSMCs cultured on more rigid COL1-coated substrates, while decreasing on stiffer FN-coated substrates. On both proteins, a more disorganized cytoskeletal architecture was associated with faster migration. Overall, these results demonstrate that different ECM proteins can cause substrate stiffness to have differential effects on VSMC migration in the progression of cardiovascular diseases and aging.
Lp Quasi-norm Minimization

The l p (0 p quasi-norm minimization problems. For p = s/q 1 . We show numerical results for two example applications, sparse signal reconstruction from few noisy measurements and spam email classification using support vector machines. Our method obtains significantly sparser solutions than those obtained by l 1 minimization while achieving similar level of measurement fitting in signal reconstruction, and training and test set accuracy in classification.
Social Media and International Relations

The 2016 US election highlighted the potential for foreign governments to employ social media for strategic advantages, but the particular mechanisms through which social media affect international politics are underdeveloped. This Element shows that the populace often seeks to navigate complex issues of foreign policy through social media, which can amplify information and tilt the balance of support on these issues. In this context, the open media environment of a democracy is particularly susceptible to foreign influence whereas the comparatively closed media environment of a non-democracy provides efficient ways for these governments to promote regime survival.
The Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Stress and Burnout in Nurses

Background: Occupational burnout related to stress in the workplace is experienced by nurses who are regularly confronted with trauma, suffering, and high workloads. Burnout can negatively impact patient care and have detrimental effects on nurses' physical and mental health. Mindfulness-based stress reduction programs have been researched as a potential holistic intervention for reducing stress and burnout in nurses through cultivating present awareness, emotional regulation, and positive thinking. Purpose: This critical review of the literature explores current knowledge on the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation on stress and burnout in nurses, examines gaps in the current literature, and provides recommendations for future research on this topic. Methods: Search terms included mindfulness, meditation, mindfulness-based stress reduction , occupational stress, stress, burnout, and nurs*. Peer-reviewed research directly related to the impact of mindfulness-based stress reduction on nurses experiencing stress and/or burnout was reviewed. Findings: Findings reveal evidence that mindfulness meditation is effective in decreasing stress and burnout in nurses. Mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to significantly decrease stress, improve all aspects of burnout, and increase self-compassion and compassion satisfaction in practicing nurses. Conclusions: Mindfulness meditation has the potential to decrease stress and burnout in nurses by decreasing self-judgment and overidentification with experience, and by increasing resiliency, compassion, and emotional regulation.
Azacitidine and prophylactic donor lymphocyte infusions after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for pediatric high-risk acute myeloid leukemia.

Post-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) maintenance therapy using azacitidine and prophylactic donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI) was implemented for high-risk acute myeloid leukemia. Aza...
Practical fabrication methods for 3D origami structures from 2D films patterned via photolithography

Origami has gained attention in the microfabrication community as it has enabled applications including micromirrors, encapsulation devices, and microgrippers. Yet, fabrication methods for origami systems available at millimeter and sub-millimeter scales are of narrow scope with product-specific synthesis strategies. Therefore, generalized fabrication methods for origami at these scales emulating additive manufacturing are of great interest. The small length scales of these systems require the implementation of self-folding or assisted folding methods as the fabrication approaches. In this work, a self-folding method and an assisted folding method are demonstrated as origami fabrication strategies. Single-layer films of photopolymer with patterned properties along their in-plane domain are used to create the planar precursors of the origami structures. The properties of the films are patterned by controlling their crosslinking density via a double-exposure photolithography process. For the assisted folding method, surface tension of a droplet is used as the actuation mechanism. Compliant fold regions made of less-crosslinked photopolymer connect relatively stiffer face regions. Upon depositing a droplet on the films, bending deformation localized at the compliant folds is enabled. For the self-folding method, the photolithography process is devised such that developer solution is inhomogeneously absorbed throughout the cross-section of the fold regions. This inhomogeneity in concentration leads to local bending when the developer is released via heating. This diffusion-based self-folding method allows for programming of the folds to attain targeted fold angles. Both methods, enabled by patterned films produced using double-exposure photolithography, show promise for freeform fabrication of millimeter and submillimeter origami systems.
Household Food and Water Emergency Preparedness Practices Across the United States.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate food and water storage practices in the United States, including the extent that government emergency preparedness guidelines were followed. METHODS Qualtrics panelists (n = 572) completed a 142-item online survey in August 2014. Cognitive interviews (n = 5) and pilot data (n = 14) informed survey development. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze quantitative data. Open-ended responses related to water storage preparation were classified into 5 categories. RESULTS Many respondents reported being somewhat or well prepared to provide food and water for their households during a large-scale disaster or emergency. Only 53% met Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) guidelines to have water last at least 3 days. Based on respondents' self-report, it appeared that those who prepared personally-filled containers for water did not carefully follow FEMA instructions. Most respondents had non-perishable foods available, with 96% meeting the FEMA guidelines of at least 3 days of storage. CONCLUSION Households were generally prepared to provide food and, to a lesser extent, water in emergency situations, but were not consistently following FEMA guidelines. Additional easy-to-follow, evidence-based information may better help citizens accurately implement food and water storage emergency preparedness guidelines.
Adapting to the Times: Examining Adaptive Instructional Strategies in Preferred and Non-preferred Class Types

Adaptive training can take place across multiple learning contexts, such as in-person or online class types, and in classroom or simulation environments [1]. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, institutes of higher education were forced to adapt and make instruction available both online and in-person; providing the opportunity to examine how adaptive learning strategies faired in different class types. When examining adaptive strategies across class types, of particular interest are individual learner characteristics and preferences, as students who typically would not take online classes found themselves taking classes in this medium [2]. We sought to evaluate the effectiveness of adaptive learning strategies across preferred and non-preferred class types. A significant interaction was found between instructional strategy presence and preferred class type, with students primarily attending classes in their preferred class type self-reporting significantly lower stress and workload levels than those who did not receive the adaptive instructional strategies. For students attending class primarily in their non-preferred learning environment, the opposite was true. Additionally, students in their preferred class types achieved higher exam scores. The methods, results, discussion and implications are discussed in the context of how to effectively conduct adaptive training.
Using item-response theory to select emotional pictures for psychophysiological experiments

Abstract Standardized picture databases such as the International Affective Picture System (IAPS; Lang et al., 2008) and Emotional Picture Set (EmoPicS; Wessa et al., 2010) facilitate the study of emotional scene perception, and have the potential to increase replicability and comparability of results within and across labs. However, with the availability of large numbers of pictures comes the challenge of selecting subsets of pictures for inclusion in experimental paradigms. Typically, researchers rely on expert consensus or normed ratings to select emotional pictures, but these methods may favor pictures with high agreement over those that provide the most information or best differentiate individuals. Here, in n = 297 individuals, we demonstrate how item response theory (IRT), which provides information on psychometric functioning at both the item and test level, can be used to select negative and positive pictures for eliciting the late positive potential (LPP), a measure of emotional attention. We present results for 50 negative and 50 positive pictures, and show how pictures with higher discrimination values improve differentiation between individuals with different levels of emotional attention. Moreover, “strong” modulators of the LPP – i.e., erotic and mutilation pictures – provided the most information about individuals with low levels of emotional attention, whereas, “weak” modulators of the LPP – i.e., affiliative and exciting pictures – provided the most information about individuals with high levels of emotional attention. Results demonstrate how IRT can inform emotional picture selection and improve the psychometrics of psychophysiological tasks, which can ultimately increase the replicability of findings based on standardized pictures.
The Singing Top: Tales from Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei

Reviewed Medium: book Year: 2008 Pages: 216 Publisher: Libraries Unlimited ISBN: 978-1-59158-505-3 (hard cover). Prices: $40.00 USD(hard cover).
Different Disciplinary Perspectives on Understanding and Countering Crucial Aspects of Terrorism: The Quest for an Integrated Approach Remains an Ideal

Radical, Religious and Violent: The New Economics of Terrorism. By Eli Berman. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2009. 280 pp., $34.95 paperback (ISBN-13: 978-0-262-02640-6). How Terrorism Ends: Understanding the Decline and Demise of Terrorist Campaigns. By Audrey Kurth Cronin. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2009. 330 pp., $29.95 paperback (ISBN-13: 978-0-691-13948-7). Targeting Terrorist Financing: International Cooperation and New Regimes. By Arabinda Acharya. New York: Routledge, 2009. 256 pp., $120.00 hardcover (ISBN-13: 978-0-415-49807-4). The study of terrorism as a systematic academic field of inquiry is a relatively new field of inquiry. The events of the late 1960s, and particularly the Munich Massacre of 1972, initiated pioneering studies into a form of violence that had a long historical record. But it was not until the events of 9/11 that terrorism studies moved beyond the backburner in a number of disciplines. But even with today's contemporary interest in the topic, the subject of terrorism still is not within the mainstream of the social and behavioral sciences. In large part, this is because the very nature of the topic requires an interdisciplinary approach, and therefore research on terrorism does not have an intellectual home. It still to a large degree lacks unifying theories and approaches that a new generation of scholars, specialists, and policymakers must grapple with. While there have been impressive advances in our substantive knowledge of terrorism and especially advances in methodological approaches to research it, despite all the events of the last decades, a deep and coherent understanding of the nature, dynamics and outcomes of terrorist threats, acts, campaigns and outcomes is still in a formative stage. The following books are representative of the challenges inherent in seeking to understand the multidimensional aspects of a subject that has been both emotionally and intellectually demanding in recent and contemporary times. Each in their own right utilizes different approaches with varying degrees of success to advance our knowledge of terrorism. They also come from a particular culturally oriented approach to the various social and behavioral sciences, whose constructs are ideally universal but must take into account the different cultural milieus that seek to observe, research, and analyze. Moreover, the application of theory in different environments may be questionable when viewed through the prism of an …
Implications of Neighbor Selection on DHT Overlays

In this paper, we focus on how neighbor selection impacts DHT overlay structure, static resilience to failures and attacks, and lookup performance under churn. We present a deep comparison study of existing neighbor selection algorithms on the three aspects. We also propose a new neighbor selection policy and a new routing selection algorithm to improve lookup latency under churn. We hope this paper can provide some pieces of insight that will be useful in DHT routing-level designs, including neighbor selection and route selec
Hacia vínculos efectivos entre la política comercial estadounidense y la capacidad para el desarrollo ambiental

United States’ trade policy provides the opportunity for countries to link trade agreements with cooperation commitments to help poor countries tackle such basic sustainable development needs as waste treatment and potable water deliver systems. U.S. government agencies have made significant organizational progress to link trade liberalization with efforts to build the technical capacity of U.S. trading partners to take full advantage of trade liberalization. However, before U.S. trade capacity building assistance can be better targeted to improve people’s lives through trade, the United States and its trading partners must address a number of weaknesses in the current approach to trade–related technical assistance. Assistance must be broadened to include trade–related social and environmental infrastructure, which is vital to making broad improvements in living standards. Responsibility for formulating and prioritizing needs for capacity building ultimately rests with developing country recipients, but the United States can and should do more to explain the key opportunity trade related technical assistance offer to forge positive linkages among trade, environment, and development.
Clusterin regulates vascular smooth muscle cell nodule formation and migration.

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) are the principal cellular component of the blood vessel wall where they exist in a differentiated state to maintain vascular tone. However, VSMC are not terminally differentiated and can be induced to dediffentiate, proliferate, and migrate. In fact, smooth muscle cell migration from the vascular wall into the lumen of the vessel is a central feature of occlusive vascular pathologies including atherosclerosis and intimal hyperplasia. In vitro, in the presence of an extracellular matrix, cultured vascular smooth muscle cells can migrate and invade the underlying gelatinous matrix, form multicellular nodular aggregations, and secrete the glycoprotein clusterin. Nodular cultures appear to mimic some of the properties of differentiated VSMC, in vivo. Here, to test the hypothesis that clusterin functions to modulate the formation of VSMC nodules and to facilitate cell migration a clusterin negative VSMC clone, SM-CLU13AS (Moulson and Millis, 1999, J Cell Physiol 180:355), was transiently transfected with plasmid pRcCMVCLU that contains the full-length porcine clusterin cDNA sequence under control of the CMV promoter. The transiently transfected VSMC culture expressed and secreted clusterin and formed nodules. To determine if clusterin regulates VSMC migration we used modified Boyden chamber assays. Clusterin, at 10 microg/ml, clearly promotes VSMC migration. In addition, a 15 amino acid synthetic peptide, representing amino acids 118-132 [KQTCMKFYARVCRSG] of the mature clusterin polypeptide, inhibits VSMC attachment to gelatinous substrate. Finally, clusterin appears to have a role in regulating endogenous clusterin expression in the clusterin negative clone. These results clearly establish that clusterin has functional role in VSMC nodule formation and support the conclusion that clusterin is a critical component of smooth muscle cell phenotypic modulation.
Determination of hydroxyproline in plasma and tissue using electrospray mass spectrometry.

A simple and highly specific method that was developed for the determination of hydroxyproline in biological samples is described. This method could potentially be used for monitoring pathological conditions related to collagen degradation, as well as for screening remedial pharmaceuticals for efficacy. Tissue or plasma samples were prepared by hydrolysis and their hydroxyproline content was determined using spiked calibration curves and LC/MS/MS. Specificity of the method was evaluated using an API Time-Of-Flight (TOF) LC/MS to expose potential interferences. The method proposed here appears to be selective, convenient, precise (<10% R.S.D.), accurate (<10% RE), and sensitive over a linear range of 0.010-10 microg/ml.
Pitzer ion-interaction parameters for Fe(II) and Fe(III) in the quinary {Na+K+Mg+Cl+SO4+H2O} system at T=298.15 K

Abstract This paper describes a chemical model that calculates (solid + liquid) equilibria in the { m 1 FeCl 2 + m 2 FeCl 3 }(aq), { m 1 FeSO 4 + m 2 Fe 2 (SO 4 ) 3 }(aq), { m 1 NaCl + m 2 FeCl 3 }(aq), { m 1 Na 2 SO 4 + m 2 FeSO 4 }(aq), { m 1 NaCl + m 2 FeCl 2 }(aq), { m 1 KCl + m 2 FeCl 3 }(aq), { m 1 K 2 SO 4 + m 2 Fe 2 (SO 4 ) 3 }(aq), { m 1 KCl + m 2 FeCl 2 }(aq), { m 1 K 2 SO 4 + m 2 FeSO 4 }(aq), and { m 1 MgCl 2 + m 2 FeCl 2 }(aq) systems, where m denotes molality at T =298.15 K. The Pitzer ion-interaction model has been used for thermodynamic analysis of the experimental activity data in binary FeCl 2 (aq) and FeCl 3 (aq) solutions, and ternary solubility data, presented in the literature. The thermodynamic functions needed (binary and ternary parameters of ionic interaction, thermodynamic solubility products) have been calculated and the theoretical solubility isotherms have been plotted. The mixed solution model parameters { θ (MN) and ψ (MNX)} have been chosen on the basis of the compositions of saturated ternary solutions and data on the pure water solubility of the K 2 SO 4 · FeSO 4 · 6H 2 O double salt. The standard chemical potentials of four ferrous {FeCl 2 · 4H 2 O, Na 2 SO 4 · FeSO 4 · 4H 2 O, K 2 SO 4 · FeSO 4 · 6H 2 O, and MgCl 2 · FeCl 2 · 8H 2 O} and three ferric {FeCl 3 · 6H 2 O, 2KCl · FeCl 3 · H 2 O, and 2K 2 SO 4 · Fe 2 (SO 4 ) 3 · 14H 2 O} solid phases have been determined. Comparison of solubility predictions with experimental data not used in model parameterization is given. The component activities of the saturated { m 1 MgSO 4 + m 2 FeSO 4 }(aq) and in the mixed crystalline phase were determined and the change of the molar Gibbs free energy of mixing Δ mix G ∘ m ( s ) of crystals was determined as a function of the solid phase composition. It is established that at T =298.15 K the mixed (Mg,Fe)SO 4 · 7H 2 O and (Fe,Mg)SO 4 · 7H 2 O crystals show small positive deviations from the ideal mixed crystals. Limitations of the {Fe(II) + Fe(III)} model due to data insufficiencies are discussed.
Hsp70s and lysosomal proteolysis

Confluent cultured cells activate a lysosomal pathway of polypeptide breakdown in response to withdrawal of serum growth factors. The substrates for this proteolytic pathway are a restricted class of cytosolic polypeptides containing peptide sequences biochemically related to lysine-phenylalanine-glutamate-arginine-glutamine, or, in single amino acid abbreviations, KFERQ. The heat shock cognate protein of 73 kD (hsc73) binds to a variety of polypeptides via this molecular determinant and facilitates their lysosomal import and degradation. In addition, a portion of intracellular hsc73 resides within the lysosome and appears to be an essential component of the proteolytic machinery. Several potential mechanisms by which hsc73 mediates selective lysosomal import and degradation of polypeptides are discussed.
Maturational and Growth-Related Changes in Left Ventricular Longitudinal Strain and Strain Rate Measured by Two-Dimensional Speckle Tracking Echocardiography in Healthy Pediatric Population

Objective We aimed to evaluate myocardial strain and strain rate (SR) by novel 2-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography in a large pediatric cohort (1) to establish their normal values and (2) to discern the influence of maturation and cardiac growth on them. Methods Echocardiograms of 284 consecutive subjects of a healthy pediatric cohort aged between birth and 18 years were analyzed by vector velocity imaging software to measure longitudinal systolic strain (e) and systolic and diastolic SR in left ventricular septal and lateral segments. Regression analysis was performed to determine the effect of aging and cardiac growth on e and SR. Results Longitudinal e (septal −18.30% ± 6.67% and lateral −20.68% ± 8.08%) did not change significantly with maturation and declining heart rate from birth to 18 years. Systolic and early diastolic SR declined until age 5 to 10 years. Longitudinal e significantly ( P Conclusion This study establishes reference values for longitudinal e and SR and reveals that e is relatively independent of maturational changes, lending it as a tool for cardiac evaluation across differing ages in pediatric subjects.
Utilization of a glycol-stabilized liquid NAD for the measurement of three enzymes on the GEMSAEC

Some analytical parameters have been investigated for a recently described stabilized liquid coenzyme technology in which water-free NAD is dissolved in 1,2 propanediol. Correlation for 108 specimens assayed for AST, ALT and LD with a reference method in which glycol-based NAD was absent was ≥ 0.998 with near identical reproducibility over a period of at least 107 days. Mean recovery of exogenous serum enzymes in this linear kinetic assay is 103%. With the option of mixing only the volume of reagent needed for the enzymatic assay, waste can be eliminated as compared to more costly preparations stabilized by lyophilization. Hazards from an impure water supply are avoided since no reconstituting volume is required.
SAS Programs for Generating Winsteps Control Files and Web-Based Presentations:

Winsteps (Rasch Measurement Software and Publications, 2003), as its name implies, is a psychometric program created specifically to compute the step function (Wright & Masters, 1982) for exams carrying partial-credit items. Despite the clarity of the Rasch model (Bond & Fox, 2001) and the availability of rich features in the program, such as the item-person map, Scalogram, and fitness indices, coding the input file for Winsteps, especially the partial-credit key, and interpretation of Winsteps’s output could be challenging to novices. This challenge is partly due to the Winsteps’s text-based interface. To augment Winsteps, two SAS macros programs were written to aid users by formatting the input file for Winsteps and by adding graphical presentation of the Winsteps item parameter output.