cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ASPECTS OF UNDERWATER SOUND COMMUNICATION IN FLORIDA MANATEES (TRICHECHUS MANATUS LATIROSTRIS)

We recorded underwater vocalizations of captive and wild Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) to assess variability in acoustic structure of their sounds and to test hypotheses regarding the importance of specific acoustic traits in individual distinctiveness and in certain behavioral contexts. Manatees use vocalizations to maintain contact when in groups. The highest rates of vocalizing occur during antiphonal calling between females and calves. Vocalizations are complex, single-note calls with multiple harmonics, frequency modulations, nonharmonically related overtones, and other nonlinear elements. We measured 6 acoustic variables and found that individuals varied significantly in fundamental frequency, emphasized band, frequency range, and call contour (the overall pattern of complexity in frequency modulation). These traits did not vary within individuals on different dates or when manatees were alarmed and fleeing. Individual fundamental frequencies ranged from 1.75 to 3.90 kHz, and were negatively correlated with body size. Little sound energy occurred above 18 kHz in 502 call notes of 6 captive manatees sampled with a recording oscilloscope. Presence of harmonics and call duration differed by date and manatees emitted longer calls when fleeing disturbance. Call duration varied from 118 to 643 ms (geometric mean = 271 ms, 95% confidence limits = 264, 279 ms) in a sample of 479 vocalizations we recorded from 14 individuals. The maximum call duration recorded over the entire study was 900 ms. Females and calves responded only to each others' vocalizations when rejoining a group after brief separations, strongly suggesting individual recognition by sound. Structural complexity in the calls of manatees is similar to that in other sirenians, and may reflect their auditory capabilities and the unique physical properties of sound in shallow water.
Paracelsus : a reevaluation “1”

Summary After reviewing the notions of Paracelsus concerning medicine and his ideas about knowledge and science, the author discusses his contributions to medicine and science. He also discusses the reasons for his popularity. The general conclusion is that Paracelsian medicine represented a return to the supernaturalistic healing practices of the past.
God's continent divided: politics and religion in Upper Canada and the northern and western United States, 1775 to 1841

Following the American Revolution, the social foundation supporting a settled ministry and sustaining the Old World tradition of an established state church began to crumble, prompting Alexis de Tocqueville to observe that in the United States, “the ideas of Christianity and liberty are so completely intermingled that it is almost impossible to conceive of the one without the other.” Large numbers of ordinary Americans who had internalized egalitarian, anti-aristocratic attitudes while advancing the patriot cause began to search for and find spiritual meaning in evangelical forms of religious expression. Indeed, the revivals sweeping the northern and western states between the American Revolution and the Civil War have been described as “the Revolution at work in religion.”
Multi-stacked MEMS nano-membranes for coherent extreme ultraviolet emission

Fabricating precise freestanding metal membranes tens of nanometers thick in a continuous stack with a constant air gap of several microns is a key challenge in a free-electron extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source design program. Such a stack, when exposed to a high energy (~9MeV) electron beam, will operate as an EUV light emitting device. A novel MEMS-based microfabrication technique enables manufacturing of a precise-sized large-area membrane infinite stack for exposure by 1mm diameter electron beam. Thermal self-tensioning is used to reach the required planarity of the membranes.
Data classification and management in very large data warehouses

A data warehouse mainly deals with historical data and specialized retrieval. In this research, we classify historical data and present a scheme for its efficient handling. Our classification of historical data is based on its inherent properties and frequency of use, which involves time. We have used a multi-dimensional grid file organization for storing historical data and supporting its efficient management. We have defined operations, such as merge, split, reorganize, etc., which are essential for managing the storage organization. The dynamic nature of the multi-dimensional grid file is used to identify and archive stale data and to optimize storage usage.
Polysubstance Abuse–Vulnerability Genes: Genome Scans for Association, Using 1,004 Subjects and 1,494 Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms

Strong genetic contributions to drug abuse vulnerability are well documented, but few chromosomal locations for human drug-abuse vulnerability alleles have been confirmed. We now identify chromosomal markers whose alleles distinguish drug abusers from control individuals in each of two samples, on the basis of pooled-sample microarray and association analyses. Reproducibly positive chromosomal regions defined by these markers in conjunction with previous results were especially unlikely to have been identified by chance. Positive markers identify the alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) locus, flank the brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) locus, and mark seven other regions previously linked to vulnerability to nicotine or alcohol abuse. These data support polygenic contributions of common allelic variants to polysubstance abuse vulnerability.
Estrogen protection, oxidized LDL, endothelial dysfunction and vasorelaxation in cardiovascular disease : New insights into a complex issue

See article by Monsalve et al. [14] (pages 66–72) in this issue. Pre-menopausal women have a lower risk of developing hypertension than men or post-menopausal women [1]. Estrogens may prevent or delay the onset of hypertension in pre-menopausal women. Similarly, animal models such as the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) exhibit sexual dichotomy in development of essential hypertension, and estrogen reduces blood pressure in hypertensive female rats [2,3]. Such animal models are useful in the study of the protective effects of estrogen in the development of human essential hypertension [4–6]. Peripheral resistance is abnormally elevated at any given level of cardiac output in all forms of hypertension [7]. Resistance arteries are normally maintained in a state of partial constriction (vascular tone). Increased resistance may be due to altered contractility or relaxation of arterial smooth muscle. Diminished relaxation of blood vessels in SHR has been suggested to play a role in the mechanism of hypertension [8–11]. Impaired arterial muscle relaxation has been well documented in male SHR [9] and … *Tel.: +1 317 274 9765; fax: +1 317 274 3318. Email address: spacker1{at}iupui.edu
Survival of the Smartest

Albert and Rita Chretien were two Canadians who decided to drive to Las Vegas, Nevada for a trade show from their home in British Columbia. For their trip, they relied upon the Global Positioning Device (GPS) in their van and wound up taking a series of wrong turns, which put them deep into a largely-uninhabited, high desert wilderness of Nevada. After getting their car stuck in a muddy section of road, Albert Chretien decided to walk to the nearest town to find help while his wife Rita decided to stay in the van.
Portraits, Patterns, and Predictors of the Refugee Adaptation Process: Results and Reflections from the IHARP Panel Study

This paper reports the development and major findings of the Indochinese Health and Adaptation Research Project (IHARP), a comprehensive longitudinal study of the migration and resettlement of Vietnamese, Chinese-Vietnamese, Cambodian, Lao and Hmong refugees in San Diego County, California. IHARP is based on random samples of men, women, adolescents, and school-aged children from each of the main Indochinese ethnic groups resettled in the United States between 1975 and 1983. Unlike earlier studies carried out in the wake of the evacuation of the 1975 (mostly Vietnamese) refugees or subsequent research that focused on specific aspects of the adaptation of some of the "second wave" ethnic groups, the IHARP study encompassed both of the major "waves" and all of the major Southeast Asian refugee groups; it distinguished the sizable segment of ethnic Chinese from Vietnam (who constituted between a quarter and a third of all refugee admissions from Vietnam at the time, and who differ in significant ways from the Vietnamese) as a separate sample for analysis; it focused on refugee women (whose central role is often neglected in studies of migration and mobility) and their children, and not solely on male heads of household; it combined quantitative survey research with qualitative "oral histories" and in-depth open-ended interviews; and it allowed for a longitudinal rather than cross-sectional analysis of the refugee "adaptation process," broadly conceived. The study, the largest of its kind, originally funded during 1982-1985 by NICHD, was expanded thereafter into related quantitative and qualitative research projects based on the original IHARP data set, including a qualitative-quantitative study of the educational and occupational attainment of refugee youth; and longitudinal analyses of fertility and infant health and mortality in the Indochinese population of San Diego County.
Advanced Design of Complex Systems Using the Collaborative Visualization Environment (CoVE)

Presented at the 43rd AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, Reno, Nevada, January 10-13, 2005.
Failure of choline therapy to alter serum lipids in patients with coronary artery disease.

ConclusionThe oral administration of 4.5 g of choline base daily for 1.5 to 8.0 months to 11 patients with coronary insufficiency or myocardial infarction or both, failed to alter the total serum cholesterol, the serum lipid phosphorus and the phospholipid: total cholesterol ratio.
Invited Review: Use of ultrasonography to make reproductive management decisions1,2

ABSTRACT Transrectal ultrasonography has been available for making reproductive management decisions since the mid 1980s. This technology allows for the real-time visualization of internal structures (i.e., ovary and fetus) that are otherwise difficult to evaluate. The use of this technology in making reproductive management decisions can be divided into 3 key areas: (1) selection of animals to be kept in the breeding herd, (2) increasing the likelihood of reproductive success, and (3) pregnancy determination. When selecting replacement animals, ultrasonography can be used to assess antral follicle counts in females. Antral follicle counts have a direct effect on animal fertility. Prior to the start of the breeding season, transrectal ultrasonography can be used to determine puberty status, reproductive tract score, and estrous cycling status. In addition it can be used to determine response to synchronization protocols (presence of a dominant follicle, ovarian cyst, and follicle diameter), or if other assisted reproductive technologies are being used, it can be used to predict success (superovulation response or presence of a corpus luteum for embryo transfer). Following insemination this technology can be used to determine pregnancy status as early as 28 d after insemination, fetal age and sex, and presence of multiple offspring. The largest limitations to the use of ultrasonography include the time and technical skills required, strain on the arm and shoulder, and cost of equipment. Whereas probe handles can be used for pregnancy diagnosis exams, measurements on the ovary require consistent placement of the transducer that to date can only be accomplished manually. Future improvements that may overcome some of these limitations include better imaging software, larger hard drives allowing the storage of video clips, and improved diagnostic capabilities of the machine (i.e., software that will be able to use pixel density to categorize ovaries). Color Doppler and 3-dimensional images are being explored for earlier pregnancy diagnosis and for blood flow and health of the corpus luteum and follicles. Thus, transrectal ultrasonography has and will have a role in the successful reproductive management of cattle herds.
Hepatic and vena caval injuries.

The improvement in mortality from liver injuries is largely attributable to advances in resuscitation, early exploration where intraabdominal injury is suspected, a more conservative approach to the definitive care of liver wounds, and improved care of complications.
Photophysiological Consequences of Vertical Stratification of Symbiodinium in Tissue of the Coral Porites lutea

In comparison to some corals, massive Porites spp. is physiologically resilient to environmental assaults and is becoming more abundant on coral reefs. To evaluate the extent to which thick tissues contribute to this physio- logical resilience, we tested the hypothesis that the Symbio- dinium in Porites lutea are phenotypically and genetically homogeneous with regard to their distribution vertically within the tissue, and in their response to temperature. Symbiodinium density, genetic identity, and photophysiol- ogy were compared between outer and inner tissues defined as adjacent layers 2 mm thick and beneath the skeleton surface. Symbiodinium densities were 5-fold greater and their cells contained less chlorophyll a in outer versus inner tissue, but ITS2 sequence identities were genetically uni- form between layers. Maximum photochemical efficiency (F v /F m ) in inner and outer tissue from the top and sides of the corals differed 6%-7%, with Fv/Fm greater in inner versus outer tissue on the top of colonies. On the tops of colonies, the initial slopes of the rETR versus irradiance relationship were not different between tissue layers, al- though they tended to be less steep for inner tissue. When exposed for 12 h to 28 °C, 30 °C, or 32 °C at 700 mol quanta m 2 s 1 , there was a trend for Fv/Fm of the Sym- biodinium in both tissue layers to be reduced at 32 °C. Our results do not conform well to shade acclimatization in inner versus outer tissue of P. lutea, and they imply within-tissue heterogeneity that may be an important determinant of physiological performance in perforate corals.
Has Homosexuality Become More Accepted Over Time? A Longitudinal Study of 98 Countries

Homosexuality is generally viewed negatively. That is certainly the case in the Jewish and Christian holy books as well as the Quran, although opinions differ as to interpretation. The practice has been condemned by these religions. An Imam in Orlando, Florida, the site of the mass murder of homosexuals, has gone so far as to say that killing homosexuals would be the compassionate thing to do.It is not the purpose of this paper to review the history of homosexuality, or the pros and cons or moral standing of the practice. Readers can obtain that information by reading the items listed in the reference section of this paper. The goal of this study is more limited, to report the results of various studies conducted by the World Values Surveys on the topic of homosexuality. Those six studies, going back to 1981, asked hundreds of thousands of people in about 100 countries what their views were on homosexuality, specifically the extent to which it could be justified. This study measures the changes in attitudes toward homosexuality that have taken place over the years in each country. Some countries have a more favorable view of homosexuality today than in the past, but other countries have not changed their views significantly.The present study is part of a series on homosexuality. Other studies in the series rank countries based on their acceptance of homosexuality and examine specific demographic variables such as gender, age, social class, level of education, religion and region to see whether these variables are significant. Citations to some of those studies (with links) are listed in the reference section of the present paper.
Self-pinning of a nanosuspension droplet: Molecular dynamics simulations.

Results are presented from molecular dynamics simulations of Pb(l) nanodroplets containing dispersed Cu nanoparticles (NPs) and spreading on solid surfaces. Three-dimensional simulations are employed throughout, but droplet spreading and pinning are reduced to two-dimensional processes by modeling cylindrical NPs in cylindrical droplets; NPs have radius ${R}_{\mathrm{NP}}\ensuremath{\cong}3\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$ while droplets have initial ${R}_{0}\ensuremath{\cong}42\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$. At low particle loading explored here, NPs in sufficient proximity to the initial solid-droplet interface are drawn into advancing contact lines; entrained NPs eventually bind with the underlying substrate. For relatively low advancing contact angle ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\mathrm{adv}}$, self-pinning on entrained NPs occurs; for higher ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\mathrm{adv}}$, depinning is observed. Self-pinning and depinning cases are compared and forces on NPs at the contact line are computed during a depinning event. Though significant flow in the droplet occurs in close proximity to the particle during depinning, resultant forces are relatively low. Instead, forces due to liquid atoms confined between the particles and substrate dominate the forces on NPs; that is, for the NP size studied here, forces are interface dominated. For pinning cases, a precursor wetting film advances ahead of the pinned contact line but at a significantly slower rate than for a pure droplet. This is because the precursor film is a bilayer of liquid atoms on the substrate surface but it is instead a monolayer film as it crosses over pinning particles; thus, mass delivery to the bilayer structure is impeded.
Logic & Proofs for Cyber-Physical Systems

Cyber-physical systems CPS combine cyber aspects such as communication and computer control with physical aspects such as movement in space, which arise frequently in many safety-critical application domains, including aviation, automotive, railway, and robotics. But how can we ensure that these systems are guaranteed to meet their design goals, e.g., that an aircraft will not crash into another one? This paper highlights some of the most fascinating aspects of cyber-physical systems and their dynamical systems models, such as hybrid systems that combine discrete transitions and continuous evolution along differential equations. Because of the impact that they can have on the real world, CPSs deserve proof as safety evidence. Multi-dynamical systems understand complex systems as a combination of multiple elementary dynamical aspects, which makes them natural mathematical models for CPS, since they tame their complexity by compositionality. The family of differential dynamic logics achieves this compositionality by providing compositional logics, programming languages, and reasoning principles for CPS. Differential dynamic logics, as implemented in the theorem prover KeYmaerai¾?X, have been instrumental in verifying many applications, including the Airborne Collision Avoidance System ACAS X, the European Train Control System ETCS, automotive systems, mobile robot navigation, and a surgical robot system for skull-base surgery. This combination of strong theoretical foundations with practical theorem proving challenges and relevant applications makes Logic for CPS an ideal area for compelling and rewarding research.
Inactivation of feline calicivirus by an atmospheric pressure 2D microdischarge array in air

Non-equilibrium plasma technology has shown great promise for disinfection [1]. Non-thermal decontamination of food contact surfaces from foodborne viruses, particularly human norovirus (NoV), is important in food service industry. We found that a 15 second exposure to Ar+1%O2 cold atmospheric pressure plasma jet completely inactivated feline calicivirus (FCV), a surrogate of human NoV [2]. Unfortunately, this plasma jet is capable of point exposure only and cannot be used on an industrial scale for decontaminating food contact surfaces.
Convergence of inhibitory neural inputs regulate motor activity in the murine and monkey stomach

Inhibitory motor neurons regulate several gastric motility patterns including receptive relaxation, gastric peristaltic motor patterns, and pyloric sphincter opening. Nitric oxide (NO) and purines have been identified as likely candidates that mediate inhibitory neural responses. However, the contribution from each neurotransmitter has received little attention in the distal stomach. The aims of this study were to identify the roles played by NO and purines in inhibitory motor responses in the antrums of mice and monkeys. By using wild-type mice and mutants with genetically deleted neural nitric oxide synthase (Nos1-/-) and P2Y1 receptors (P2ry1-/-) we examined the roles of NO and purines in postjunctional inhibitory responses in the distal stomach and compared these responses to those in primate stomach. Activation of inhibitory motor nerves using electrical field stimulation (EFS) produced frequency-dependent inhibitory junction potentials (IJPs) that produced muscle relaxations in both species. Stimulation of inhibitory nerves during slow waves terminated pacemaker events and associated contractions. In Nos1-/- mice IJPs and relaxations persisted whereas in P2ry1-/- mice IJPs were absent but relaxations persisted. In the gastric antrum of the non-human primate model Macaca fascicularis, similar NO and purine neural components contributed to inhibition of gastric motor activity. These data support a role of convergent inhibitory neural responses in the regulation of gastric motor activity across diverse species.
Rapid Fabrication of Soft, Multilayered Electronics for Wearable Biomonitoring

Soft integrated electronics are key components for emerging applications in wearable biomonitoring, soft co-robotics, and physical human–machine interaction. They are composed of soft and elastically deformable circuits and sensors that are combined with packaged microelectronics for signal processing, power regulation, and communication. While promising, widespread use of soft wearable electronics is currently limited by the lack of robust fabrication techniques to rapidly, efficiently, and precisely assemble soft and rigid components into multilayered systems. Here, an efficient digital fabrication approach is presented to create highly customizable wearable electronics through rapid laser machining and adhesion controlled soft materials assembly. Well aligned, multilayered materials are created from 2D and 3D elements that stretch and bend while seamlessly integrating with rigid components such as microchip integrated circuits, discrete electrical components, and interconnects. These techniques are applied using commercially available materials and components and the fabrication of thin, lightweight, customized sensor skins is demonstrated in under an hour. These fully integrated wireless devices conformably bond to the hand and are successfully used for monitoring hand gesture, pulse rate, and blood oxygenation. These materials and methods enable custom wearable electronics while offering versatility in design and functionality for a variety of applications through material selection and construction.
InP Nanocrystals with Color-Tunable Luminescence by Microwave-Assisted Ionic-Liquid Etching

This article reports the successful synthesis of luminescent InP nanocrystals (NCs) of different sizes using microwave-assisted methods. The key to NC photoluminescence (PL) is the use of 1-butyl-4-methylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate (BMPy BF4), an ionic liquid (IL) with a fluoride-containing anion. The IL is responsible for both rapid heating of the reaction solution and efficient PL from the NCs. This is demonstrated by comparison with other ionic liquids, an analogous synthesis done using a flask and heating mantle, and a microwave-assisted synthesis in a silicon carbide (SiC) vessel. Addition of amine results in InP NC sizes ranging from ∼3.2–4.2 nm, calculated (PL from ∼545–630 nm) with quantum yields (QYs) of up to 30% and PL full-width-at-half-max (fwhm) values as small as ∼0.18 eV (∼59 at 632 nm) without optimization. By taking advantage of efficient microwave-assisted heating, this simple procedure provides a pathway to luminescent InP NCs of different diameters without changing precursors, perfor...
A Single Outer-Sphere Mutation Stabilizes apo-Mn Superoxide Dismutase by 35 °C and Disfavors Mn Binding

The catalytic active site of Mn-specific superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) is organized around a redox-active Mn ion. The most highly conserved difference between MnSODs and the homologous FeSODs is the origin of a Gln in the second coordination sphere. In MnSODs it derives from the C-terminal domain whereas in FeSODs it derives from the N-terminal domain, yet its side chain occupies almost superimposable positions in the active sites of these two types of SODs. Mutation of this Gln69 to Glu in Escherichia coli FeSOD increased the Fe3+/2+ reduction midpoint potential by >0.6 V without disrupting the structure or Fe binding [Yikilmaz, E., Rodgers, D. W., and Miller, A.-F. (2006) Biochemistry 45 (4), 1151−1161]. We now describe the analogous Q146E mutant of MnSOD, explaining its low Mn content in terms increased stability of the apo-Mn protein. In 0.8 M guanidinium HCl, Q146E-apoMnSOD displays an apparent melting midpoint temperature (Tm) 35 °C higher that of wild-type (WT) apoMnSOD, whereas the Tm of WT-holoMnS...
Genetic Evidence for Sexuality in Cochliopodium (Amoebozoa)

Microbial eukaryotes, including amoeboids, display diverse and complex life cycles that may or may not involve sexual reproduction. A recent comprehensive gene inventory study concluded that the Amoebozoa are ancestrally sexual. However, the detection of sex genes in some lineages known for their potentially sexual life cycle was very low. Particularly, the genus Cochliopodium, known to undergo a process of cell fusion, karyogamy, and subsequent fission previously described as parasexual, had no meiosis genes detected. This is likely due to low data representation, given the extensive nuclear fusion observed in the genus. In this study, we generate large amounts of transcriptome data for 2 species of Cochliopodium, known for their high frequency of cellular and nuclear fusion, in order to study the genetic basis of the complex life cycle observed in the genus. We inventory 60 sex-related genes, including 11 meiosis-specific genes, and 31 genes involved in fusion and karyogamy. We find a much higher detection of sex-related genes, including 5 meiosis-specific genes not previously detected in Cochliopodium, in this large transcriptome data. The expressed genes form a near-complete recombination machinery, indicating that Cochliopodium is an actively recombining sexual lineage. We also find 9 fusion-related genes in Cochliopodium, although no conserved fusion-specific genes were detected in the transcriptomes. Cochliopodium thus likely uses lineage specific genes for the fusion and depolyploidization processes. Our results demonstrate that Cochliopodium possess the genetic toolkit for recombination, while the mechanism involving fusion and genome reduction remains to be elucidated.
An examination of class-based visibility bias in national child maltreatment reporting

Abstract It is widely assumed among researchers and policy makers that poverty increases children's exposure to professional reporters (e.g., social service providers) causing more reports to be made. This is sometimes called “Class-Based Visibility Bias” (CBVB) and the literature is consistent in placing this effect exclusively among professional reporters. To the degree that large CBVB effects exist, there must therefore be a higher proportion of reports from professionals as poverty increases. We examined this relationship using statewide individual-level data in four states (Idaho, Michigan, Missouri, and New Hampshire) and nationwide county-level data. Contrary to expectations, increasing poverty was not associated with increases in the proportions of reports from professionals in either individual- or county-level data. In fact, at both individual and county levels, there was a consistent tendency toward a slightly lower proportion of reports from professionals with increasing poverty, holding true across all racial/ethnic groups and maltreatment subtypes. We see two plausible explanations. First, it is theoretically possible that CBVB may be present both among professionals and nonprofessionals, but may be slightly stronger among nonprofessionals. This would require a fundamental reworking of existing CBVB theory, as there is no currently postulated rationale for why CBVB would apply to nonprofessionals such as families, friends, and neighbors. The second possible explanation is that CBVB is not a primary driver of official maltreatment reports, and that concerns about CBVB effects have been overblown. Given the recently emerging scientific consensus that the poverty/maltreatment relationship is largely real, and not a function of reporting bias, the second explanation may be more plausible.
Beyond “The Bars”: Lucy Terry Prince and the Margins of the Colonial Landscape

Lucy Terry Prince’s “Bars Fight,” the first known work of African American literature, takes place in a liminal location, a meadow constituting a border between arable and pastoral land, between town and country—and, more broadly, between civilization and wilderness. This essay examines the setting’s particularities as the site of a 1746 ambush of English settlers by French-allied Mohawks and Abenaki in Deerfield, Massachusetts. It argues that Prince’s ballad was as communal as the property that provides its setting, composed as it was by an enslaved woman and preserved, in all likelihood, by a racially mixed group of children and adults until it was written down over a hundred years later by two white male antiquarians. The poem owes its existence and transmission to several generations of a diverse group of villagers and to their desire to situate themselves inside the boundary separating culture from cruelty.
Cancer Preventive Effects of Green Tea Polyphenols

Epidemiological studies have shown that the consumption of green tea is associated with the prevention of many types of cancer, including breast, lung, colon and prostate cancers. Polyphenols are major bioactive constituents of green tea that possess anticancer activities. The molecular basis of the anticancer effects of green tea polyphenols is still under investigation. Research is largely focused on particular types of cancers and their underlying mechanisms. Green tea polyphenols appear to prevent many types of cancers through numerous mechanisms, including redox reactivity, protein binding, and synergism with commonly used cancer therapies. The variable results of chemoprevention by green tea polyphenols may be due, in part, to differences in metabolism of these bioactive components. Studies in this area are largely focused on understanding and modulating the bioavailability of green tea polyphenols. Until the bioavailability and toxicological issues of these compounds are better understood, a moderate view regarding their consumption is suggested.
The Basic Model and The Estimation Problem

Here’s what we’re going to do: starting with a simple example of a variance component model, we move to the matrix formulation of the general mixed model. Then we state the essential estimation problem. Relationships among a constellation of possible estimation criteria are next studied, and finally an ordered combination of these key ideas is taken as the focus of our unbiased theory. In Chapter Ten we will look at a new combination of criteria involving non-negativity.
Management Of Vasospastic Disorders Of The Hand

Vasospastic disorders of the upper extremity are common and often difficult to treat. Using the proposed classification system (Table 2) allows management based upon pathologic condition, physiologic staging, and response to treatment. Identifying patients in this way also helps in determining which treatments are most appropriate. The basic approach to management includes environmental and behavioral modifications including cessation of tobacco use, protection of hands, and avoidance of situations that trigger the vasospastic response. Pharmacologic therapy may provide good results in a majority of patients. Surgical intervention is reserved for patients with vaso-occlusion, ischemia, and refractory symptoms in spite of attempts at medical management. Surgical options include vascular reconstruction, peripheral sympathectomy, or a combination of techniques. The goal of medical and surgical management is to increase total or nutritional blood flow in the digits.
Countering Expert Uncertainty: Rhetorical Strategies from the Case of Value-Added Modeling in Teacher Evaluation

This study investigates how uncertainty works in science policy debates by considering an unusual case: one in which uncertainty-based arguments for delay come from the scientific community, rather than industry actors. The case I present is the central use of value-added modeling (VAM) in the evaluation of individual teachers, a controversial trend in education reform. In order to understand how policy actors might counter inconvenient statements of uncertainty from experts, I analyze speeches from Education Secretary Arne Duncan, a committed and influential advocate of VAM. I identify a three-part rhetorical tactic, the “Overcaution Allegation,” and describe its persuasive potential to legitimize policies that elicit caution from the scientific community because they are built on uncertain science.
Abstract TMP49: Increasing Prevalence of Cerebrovascular Risk Factors in Native Americans With Ischemic Stroke

Introduction: Prior epidemiological studies have reported ethnic differences in cerebrovascular risk factors. There is a paucity in the literature detailing the burden of these risk factors in the ...
A hierarchical reconstruction of x-ray phase tomography based on transferred non-local structural features

X-ray computed tomography has been recently applied to capture the dynamic behaviors of complex material systems in 4D. The dynamic 3D acquisition, however, usually leads to insufficient data acquisition with low-dose X-ray radiation and limited-angle projections. A high-fidelity CT reconstruction is challenging based on the severely limited acquisition. While prior constraint, such as local smoothness, can improve the quality of reconstructions, a more general reconstruction strategy to include structural features on a range of different scales proves to yield better reconstruction results and are more adaptive to complex structured materials. In this work, we develop the hierarchical synthesis network to establish structural priors for sparse-view CT reconstruction, which achieves high-fidelity with an improved computation efficiency. We found that the established knowledge of structural priors on each different scale can be independently transferred to sparse-view CT reconstruction under different conditions, enabling the transfer of non-local features into the reconstruction of a phase tomography application.
Sharing suicidal thoughts in social networks: a multi-level perspective of disclosure among people with serious mental illness in India

AbstractPromoting disclosure about one’s suicidal thoughts is promising for risk management and recovery; however, almost nothing is known about it in India. In a sample of 25 adults with serious m...
Predicting the Number of Bases to Attain Sufficient Coverage in High-Throughput Sequencing Experiments.

For many types of high-throughput sequencing experiments, success in downstream analysis depends on attaining sufficient coverage for individual positions in the genome. For example, when identifyi...
An Axiom SNP genotyping array for Douglas-fir

In forest trees, genetic markers have been used to understand the genetic architecture of natural populations, identify quantitative trait loci, infer gene function, and enhance tree breeding. Recently, new, efficient technologies for genotyping thousands to millions of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have finally made large-scale use of genetic markers widely available. These methods will be exceedingly valuable for improving tree breeding and understanding the ecological genetics of Douglas-fir, one of the most economically and ecologically important trees in the world. We designed SNP assays for 55,766 potential SNPs that were discovered from previous transcriptome sequencing projects. We tested the array on ~ 2300 related and unrelated coastal Douglas-fir trees (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii) from Oregon and Washington, and 13 trees of interior Douglas-fir (P. menziesii var. glauca). As many as ~ 28 K SNPs were reliably genotyped and polymorphic, depending on the selected SNP call rate. To increase the number of SNPs and improve genome coverage, we developed protocols to ‘rescue’ SNPs that did not pass the default Affymetrix quality control criteria (e.g., 97% SNP call rate). Lowering the SNP call rate threshold from 97 to 60% increased the number of successful SNPs from 20,669 to 28,094. We used a subset of 395 unrelated trees to calculate SNP population genetic statistics for coastal Douglas-fir. Over a range of call rate thresholds (97 to 60%), the median call rate for SNPs in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium ranged from 99.2 to 99.7%, and the median minor allele frequency ranged from 0.198 to 0.233. The successful SNPs also worked well on interior Douglas-fir. Based on the original transcriptome assemblies and comparisons to version 1.0 of the Douglas-fir reference genome, we conclude that these SNPs can be used to genotype about 10 K to 15 K loci. The Axiom genotyping array will serve as an excellent foundation for studying the population genomics of Douglas-fir and for implementing genomic selection. We are currently using the array to construct a linkage map and test genomic selection in a three-generation breeding program for coastal Douglas-fir.
Race moderates the association of perceived everyday discrimination and hair cortisol concentration.

The influence of discrimination on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function is considered to be more pronounced for racial minority versus majority groups, although empirical support for ...
Combined Src/EGFR Inhibition Targets STAT3 Signaling and Induces Stromal Remodeling to Improve Survival in Pancreatic Cancer.

Lack of durable response to cytotoxic chemotherapy is a major contributor to the dismal outcomes seen in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Extensive tumor desmoplasia and poor vascular supply are two predominant characteristics which hinder the delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs into PDAC tumors and mediate resistance to therapy. Previously, we have shown that STAT3 is a key biomarker of therapeutic resistance to gemcitabine treatment in PDAC, which can be overcome by combined inhibition of the Src and EGFR pathways. Although it is well-established that concurrent EGFR and Src inhibition exert these antineoplastic properties through direct inhibition of mitogenic pathways in tumor cells, the influence of this combined therapy on stromal constituents in PDAC tumors remains unknown. In this study, we demonstrate in both orthotopic tumor xenograft and Ptf1acre/+;LSL-KrasG12D/+;Tgfbr2flox/flox (PKT) mouse models that concurrent EGFR and Src inhibition abrogates STAT3 activation, increases microvessel density, and prevents tissue fibrosis in vivo. Furthermore, the stromal changes induced by parallel EGFR and Src pathway inhibition resulted in improved overall survival in PKT mice when combined with gemcitabine. As a phase I clinical trial utilizing concurrent EGFR and Src inhibition with gemcitabine has recently concluded, these data provide timely translational insight into the novel mechanism of action of this regimen and expand our understanding into the phenomenon of stromal-mediated therapeutic resistance. IMPLICATIONS: These findings demonstrate that Src/EGFR inhibition targets STAT3, remodels the tumor stroma, and results in enhanced delivery of gemcitabine to improve overall survival in a mouse model of PDAC.
Training student pharmacists to facilitate human immunodeficiency virus point-of-care testing.

Abstract Background and purpose: The advent of HIV point-of-care testing (POCT) has increased ease of access to HIV testing in the outpatient setting. As community pharmacy continues to expand, it is crucial that student pharmacists are exposed to POCT in the classroom so they are prepared for more intensive training as a pharmacist as they could be providing POCT in future practice. Our objective was to train student pharmacists to perform HIV POCT and educate patients on results and implications of testing. Educational activity and setting: Following a didactic HIV lecture, second-year student pharmacists learned to utilize the OraQuick ADVANCE Rapid HIV-½ Antibody Test in a one-hour workshop. Participants were then assessed using a 4-point Likert type scale during an individual, 10-min skills lab on their ability to provide POCT using sample kits and interpret simulated results. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Findings: Forty-one students participated. Students showed competency when performing HIV POCT, as 92.7% of students were able to describe the test, and 97.6% of students were able to interpret the results correctly. Students scored a mean of 46.2 points overall (maximum of 50). Summary: Results suggest training student pharmacists to perform HIV POCT may better prepare them to administer the test and counsel patients on results in an outpatient setting. Future studies should examine the differences in the ability to perform POCT between pharmacists who received training as students and those who did not.
The role of left vs. right superior temporal gyrus in speech perception: An fMRI-guided TMS study.

Abstract Debate continues regarding the necessary role of right superior temporal gyrus (STG) regions in sublexical speech perception given the bilateral STG activation often observed in fMRI studies. To evaluate the causal roles, TMS pulses were delivered to inhibit and disrupt neuronal activity at the left and right STG regions during a nonword discrimination task based on peak activations from a blocked fMRI paradigm assessing speech vs. nonspeech perception (N = 20). Relative to a control region located in the posterior occipital lobe, TMS to the left anterior STG (laSTG) led to significantly worse accuracy, whereas TMS to the left posterior STG (lpSTG) and right anterior STG (raSTG) did not. Although the disruption from TMS was significantly greater for the laSTG than for raSTG, the difference in accuracy between the laSTG and lpSTG did not reach significance. The results argue for a causal role of the laSTG but not raSTG in speech perception. Further research is needed to establish the source of the differences between the laSTG and lpSTG.
Putting the prose nonfiction back in Latinx literary and cultural studies: mainstream restrictive nodes and liberatory Latinx webs

Note: Huge gratitude to Lalo Alcaraz, Eric J. Garcia, and Alberto Ledesma for gifting us permission to reprint their work. Prose nonfiction is ubiquitous. Expositions, essays, biographies, memoirs,...
Techniques that can be used in a musical acoustics course

A course in Musical Acoustics provides a unique opportunity to involve some innovative techniques in and out of the classroom. Our Physics of Music course is a thorough integration of physics and music. It starts with the mathematical structure of music and discusses musical styles and how they differ. After an introduction of related physics concepts, the physical structure and operation of instruments in the various groups are studied. Connection is made of the instruments and how they reproduce the mathematical nature of music. The course integrates different learning modes, some of which are not found in a typical physics course. The classes include lecture/demonstration, group discussions, in-class laboratories, guest lecturers and a final individual project encompassing many course elements. The constant connection between the physics and the music, along with varied learning techniques, including hands-on experience, provides a motivating approach for students to experience science in a familiar context. This talk will provide a brief course overview and discussion of the non-standard instruction elements that can be used for any beginning musical acoustics course.
Optimal leadtimes planning in serial production systems with earliness and tardiness costs

Abstract We consider a production system consisting of >N processing stages. The actual leadtimes at the stages are stochastic. The objective is to determine the planned leadtimes at each stage so as to minimize the expected total inventory costs, tardiness penalties, and a backlog penalty for not meeting demand due date at the last stage. Recursive relationships are used for automatic generation and efficient computation of the objective function. The efficiency of the proposed algorithms allows us to obtain new insights regarding operating policies, leadtime delivery reliability, and production line design. The problem is formulated as a convex non-linear programming problem. The latter is then solved using classical convex optimization algorithms. For the special case of exponentially distributed leadtimes, the objective function is derived in a closed form.
Pour en lire plus : La communication environnementale : enjeux, acteurs et stratégies

Il est difficile de dater avec precision l’emergence du champ de la communication environnementale. Certains specialistes affirment, en lien avec le traitement mediatique de la catastrophe du naufrage du petrolier Torrey Canyon le 18 mars 1967, que ce champ daterait d’environ une cinquantaine d’annees. D’autres s’accordent pour situer son inscription dans le monde de la communication et de la sphere publique au milieu des annees 1980, notamment a l’occasion de plusieurs crises comme la catas...
The Development of a Separate Communications Law

The history of industry-specific law is often, in part, the history of technology. When innovators develop new technologies and businesses using those technologies become important, governments craft new laws addressing the new, specialized circumstances that arise a result. In this paper, we examine the development and emergence of communications law as a distinct legal discipline. We pay particular attention to the roles of the Constitution, the telegraph and railroad industries, submarine cables, international agreements, and the eventual creation of the Federal Communications Commission. In doing so, we illustrate how the FCC's creation was not inevitable, but instead was a dramatic New Deal-era departure from an interdisciplinary patchwork of diffuse legal authorities formed over nearly a century.
Recent Developments in Securing Jurisdiction over Foreign Firms and Individuals

This morning I would like to discuss the process for obtaining jurisdiction over nonresidents, with particular emphasis on foreign firms and foreign individuals. The primary focus will be on recent developments in the law of jurisdiction. These developments do not necessarily involve either foreign corporations or foreign individuals, but they have important implications for obtaining jurisdiction over foreign companies. The most important recent case is Shaffer v. Heitner?1 in examining its implications, I will draw on a series of recent cases involving foreign companies.