cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
GWAS applied to heart failure: bigger will be better...eventually.

> “It would be so nice if something made sense for a change.” > > “Alice in Wonderland”, produced by Walt Disney (1951), based on the book by Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Macmillan and Co, London, 1865. Over the last decade, the application of genetics to cardiac risk has transitioned from single gene assessment in rare mendelian disorders to more common complex phenotypes such as ischemic heart disease, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure. This transition has been accelerated by the advances in genomic technology that have made Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS) both practical and productive. In any clinical research, study number is power, and nowhere is that more important than GWAS, in which the cost of millions of simultaneous single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) assessments is the need to set the statistical level of significance sufficiently low to avoid false-positives. This need for larger GWAS cohorts has led investigators to develop “networks of networks” to identify novel loci that are ultimately reproducible and truly important to cardiovascular risk and/or outcomes. In this issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics, the CHARGE investigators have used such a strategy and present meta-analyses of 4 community-based cohorts to evaluate genomic heart failure risk1 and heart failure mortality2 in nearly 24 000 subjects. Their findings demonstrate both the promise and the challenges of applying GWAS to heart failure. Articles see p 248 and 256 Patients with similar myocardial insults progress to the heart failure syndrome at markedly variable rates and degrees, and in the modern era it is clear that a significant portion of this clinical heterogeneity is genetically based. Indeed, analysis from multigenerational cohorts from the Framingham study has estimated that 28% of the risk of heart failure caused by systolic dysfunction can be attributed to genetic factors.3 Given the well-described pathways of …
What is the interpretation of spectral entropy

In 1960 Campbell used a version of the asymptotic equipartition property (AEP) to derive a relationship between the entropy of the source power spectral density and the minimum coefficient rate required to encode the source. Abramson (1985) subsequently provided a brief discussion of Campbell's coefficient rate and a qualitative comparison to the mean squared prediction error of samples taken at the Nyquist rate. Mester and Franke (1992) investigated the spectral entropy as an alternative measure of energy compaction in transform coding. Otherwise there has been very little interest in spectral entropy in the literature. We analyse the spectral entropy and compare it to the familiar entropy rate power for autoregressive processes. We also discuss a possible limitation on its utility for a class of random processes. >
Characterization of Parylene-N as Flexible Substrate and Passivation Layer for Microwave and Millimeter-Wave Integrated Circuits

Investigation of Parylene-N (Pa-N) as a flexible substrate, multilayer dielectric material, and passivation layer for microwave and millimeter-wave integrated circuits is presented. For the first time, the electrical properties of Parylene-N have been characterized up to 60 GHz using various microstrip ring resonators and transmission lines. As a flexible substrate, Parylene-N measures a nearly invariant relative dielectric constant (epsivr) of 2.35-2.4, and a loss tangent (tan delta) of lower than 0.0006 for frequencies up to 60 GHz. Because of the above properties, as a passivation layer, Parylene-N causes insignificant modifications to the properties of underlying passive and active structures. Measurement of coplanar waveguide transmission lines before and after passivation reveals that a 5-mum Parylene-N barely changes the insertion loss (below measurement accuracy) while a 10-mum-thick Parylene-N layer increases the insertion loss by only 0.007 dB/mm (below measurement error) at 40 GHz. Ring resonators before and after a 5 or 10 mum passivation show a frequency shift of less than 0.05% or 1.51%, respectively, up to 40 GHz. The influence of Parylene-N passivation on the RF performance of GaAs MESFETs is also found to be negligible. Finally, humidity studies with dew point sensors reveal that with a 10- mum-thick passivation at 25degC and 100% relative humidity, the MTTF is about 481.6 days. In summary, the results indicate that Parylene-N is an excellent and promising material for application at microwave and millimeter-wave frequencies.
INVERTEBRATE RESPONSES TO DECREASING WATER LEVELS IN A SUBTROPICAL RIVER FLOODPLAIN WETLAND

Unregulated river floodplains are dynamic environments, and invertebrates living in these wetlands must be able to respond to fluctuating water levels. As water levels decrease in the floodplain, aquatic and semi-aquatic invertebrates may either move with the receding water or remain and become exposed to drying on non-inundated floodplain soil. Invertebrates inhabiting floodplains may use several strategies to cope with exposed (non-inundated) conditions; they may survive exposure by forming desiccation-resistant stages, emerging as adults (insects only), or living in a non-dormant state in exposed soil. To investigate invertebrate responses to a receding water line, benthic core samples were collected in exposed and inundated floodplain soil at successively lower water levels after a flood in the Sipsey River floodplain, west central Alabama. Insect emergence was also compared on inundated and exposed floodplain. Some invertebrate groups moved with the receding water line (aquatic chironomids, ostracods, cladocerans, copepods, Acari, and stratiomyids), while others did not (semi-aquatic/terrestrial chironomids, collembolans, oligochaetes, nematodes, diplurans, proturans, tenebrionids, and sciarids). Chironomids were the dominant emerging insect (73%), and adults emerged from both inundated (33 individuals m−2 d−1) and exposed floodplain soil (15 individuals m−2 d−1). These results document the importance of at least two survival strategies for aquatic invertebrates: moving with decreasing water levels and emerging from exposed floodplain soil (insects only). The semi-aquatic taxa not responding to receding water can survive in both exposed and inundated soil, at least for the short period observed in this study. Thus, many floodplain invertebrates in small-to-medium sized rivers are able to cope with a dynamic and unpredictable inundation pattern, which likely enhances wetland productivity.
Estimating voter registration deadline effects with web search data

Electoral rules have the potential to affect the size and composition of the voting public. Yet scholars disagree over whether requiring voters to register well in advance of Election Day reduces turnout. We present a new approach, using web searches for “voter registration” to measure interest in registering, both before and after registration deadlines for the 2012 U.S. presidential election. Many Americans sought information on “voter registration” even after the deadline in their state had passed. Combining web search data with evidence on the timing of registration for 80 million Americans, we model the relationship between search and registration. Extrapolating this relationship to the post-deadline period, we estimate that an additional 3–4 million Americans would have registered in time to vote, if deadlines had been extended to Election Day. We test our approach by predicting out of sample and with historical data. Web search data provide new opportunities to measure and study information-seeking behavior.
Hydroxyl-directed hydrogenation of homoallylic alcohols. Effects of achiral and chiral rhodium catalysts on 1,3 stereocontrol.

Abstract The hydroxyl-directed hydrogenation of homoallylic alcohols is examined with cationic rhodium-(I) and iridium-(I) catalysts. These reactions proceed with high levels of diastereoselection when either Rh(Diphos)+ or Ir(pry)Pcy3+ are employed as catalysts.
PP2A Is Required for Centromeric Localization of Sgo1 and Proper Chromosome Segregation

Summary Loss of sister-chromatid cohesion triggers chromosome segregation in mitosis and occurs through two mechanisms in vertebrate cells: (1) phosphorylation and removal of cohesin from chromosome arms by mitotic kinases, including Plk1, during prophase, and (2) cleavage of centromeric cohesin by separase at the metaphase-anaphase transition. Bub1 and the MEI-S332/Shugoshin (Sgo1) family of proteins protect centromeric cohesin from mitotic kinases during prophase. We show that human Sgo1 binds to protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). PP2A localizes to centromeres in a Bub1-dependent manner. The Sgo1–PP2A interaction is required for centromeric localization of Sgo1 and proper chromosome segregation in human cells. Depletion of Plk1 by RNA interference (RNAi) restores centromeric localization of Sgo1 and prevents chromosome missegregation in cells depleted of PP2A_Aα. Our findings suggest that Bub1 targets PP2A to centromeres, which in turn maintains Sgo1 at centromeres by counteracting Plk1-mediated chromosome removal of Sgo1.
Annexin A2 and S100A10 Regulate Human Papillomavirus Type 16 Entry and Intracellular Trafficking in Human Keratinocytes

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) cause benign and malignant tumors of the mucosal and cutaneous epithelium. The initial events regulating HPV infection impact the establishment of viral persistence, which is requisite for malignant progression of HPV-infected lesions. However, the precise mechanisms involved in HPV entry into host cells, including the cellular factors regulating virus uptake, are not clearly defined. We show that HPV16 exposure to human keratinocytes initiates epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-dependent Src protein kinase activation that results in phosphorylation and extracellular translocation of annexin A2 (AnxA2). HPV16 particles interact with AnxA2 in association with S100A10 as a heterotetramer at the cell surface in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner, and the interaction appears to involve heparan-sulfonated proteoglycans. We show multiple lines of evidence that this interaction promotes virus uptake into host cells. An antibody to AnxA2 prevents HPV16 internalization, whereas an antibody to S100A10 blocks infection at a late endosomal/lysosomal site. These results suggest that AnxA2 and S100A10 have separate roles during HPV16 binding, entry, and trafficking. Our data additionally imply that AnxA2 and S100A10 may be involved in regulating the intracellular trafficking of virus particles prior to nuclear delivery of the viral genome.
Medullo‐Spinal Modulation of Sympathetic Output and Spinal Afferent Input

Associated Inhibition of Sympathetic and Afferent Activities. In intact animals, it is important that most “tonic” sympathetic activity be regulated by brainstem systems that have access to “central commands” from higher centers and to highly specific cranial nerve afferents. The importance of this supraspinal regulation is manifested by severe derangements of sympathetic regulation after spinal cord injury. A major component of these derangements is an exaggerated responsiveness of sympathetic neurons to visceral and somatic afferent activity. Although much is known about medullo-spinal systems that excite sympathetic preganglionic neurons, little is known about those systems that, in intact animals, isolate preganglionic neurons from spinal afferent input. This brief review will consider the evidence that either identical or cospatial medullary systems regulate the output of sympathetic preganglionic neurons and afferent input to the spinal cord. Further, evidence from this laboratory is presented, which indicates that a recently described system in the rostral cervical spinal cord, perhaps in concert with medullary systems, may play an important role in regulating the excitation of sympathetic preganglionic neurons by spinal afferents.
Enhanced nitrogen removal in single-chamber microbial fuel cells with increased gas diffusion areas.

Single-chamber microbial fuel cells (MFCs) with nitrifiers pre-enriched at the air cathodes have previously been demonstrated as a passive strategy for integrating nitrogen removal into current-generating bioelectrochemical systems. To further define system design parameters for this strategy, we investigated in this study the effects of oxygen diffusion area and COD/N ratio in continuous-flow reactors. Doubling the gas diffusion area by adding an additional air cathode or a diffusion cloth significantly increased the ammonia and COD removal rates (by up to 115% and 39%), ammonia removal efficiency (by up to 134%), the cell voltage and cathode potentials, and the power densities (by a factor of approximately 2). When the COD/N ratio was lowered from 13 to 3, we found up to 244% higher ammonia removal rate but at least 19% lower ammonia removal efficiency. An increase of COD removal rate by up to 27% was also found when the COD/N ratio was lowered from 11 to 3. The Coulombic efficiency was not affected by the additional air cathode, but decreased by an average of 11% with the addition of a diffusion cloth. Ammonia removal by assimilation was also estimated to understand the ammonia removal mechanism in these systems. These results showed that the doubling of gas diffusion area enhanced N and COD removal rates without compromising electrochemical performance. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2013; 110: 785–791. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Patterns of Jagged1, Jagged2, Delta-like 1 and Delta-like 3 expression during late embryonic and postnatal brain development suggest multiple functional roles in progenitors and differentiated cells.

The Notch-DSL signaling system, consisting of multiple receptors and ligands, inhibits neurogenesis and promotes gliogenesis during embryonic development, but the specific function of the various ligands and receptors at later developmental stages are unknown. Here, we examined the expression pattern of four Delta, Serrate and Lag-2 (DSL) ligands, Jagged1, Jagged2, Delta-like1 (Dl1) and Delta-like 3 (Dl3), in late embryonic and postnatal rat brain by in situ hybridization. In late embryos, Jagged1, Dl1 and Dl3 mRNAs were present in the periventricular germinal epithelia, but this expression diminished during postnatal ages. Jagged1 mRNA was also expressed in the inner aspect of the dentate gyrus at early postnatal times. Dl3 was detectable in the external granule cell layer (EGL) of the cerebellum, another site of postnatal neurogenesis. Jagged2 mRNA was expressed in virtually all postnatal neurons. Jagged1 mRNA was highly expressed in several brain nuclei during postnatal development, with lower levels of expression in other grey matter regions. In white matter, Dl1 and Dl3 mRNAs were expressed during the first week of postnatal development but only the expression of Dl1 mRNA persisted through the second week. Dl1 mRNA was present at lower levels throughout grey matter during the first few weeks of development. Jagged1 mRNA was expressed in blood vessels, choroid plexus, and menninges throughout development and in the adult. Jagged2 mRNA was transiently expressed in cerebral blood vessels and choroid plexus during the first postnatal week. Taken together, these results support multiple and differing roles for the various ligands during and after central nervous system (CNS) development. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Experimental study of desalination using direct contact membrane distillation: a new approach to flux enhancement

Abstract New membrane distillation configurations and a new membrane module were investigated to improve water desalination. The performances of three hydrophobic microporous membranes were evaluated under vacuum enhanced direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) with a turbulent flow regime and with a feed water temperature of only 40 °C. The new configurations provide reduced temperature polarization effects due to better mixing and increased mass transport of water due to higher permeability through the membrane and due to a total pressure gradient across the membrane. Comparison with previously reported results in the literature reveals that mass transport of water vapors is substantially improved with the new approach. The performance of the new configuration was investigated with both NaCl and synthetic sea salt feed solutions. Salt rejection was greater than 99.9% in almost all cases. Salt concentrations in the feed stream had only a minor effect on water flux. The economic aspects of the enhanced DCMD process are briefly discussed and comparisons are made with the reverse osmosis (RO) process for desalination.
Defects in GPI biosynthesis perturb Cripto signaling during forebrain development in two new mouse models of holoprosencephaly

Summary Holoprosencephaly is the most common forebrain defect in humans. We describe two novel mouse mutants that display a holoprosencephaly-like phenotype. Both mutations disrupt genes in the glycerophosphatidyl inositol (GPI) biosynthesis pathway: gonzo disrupts Pign and beaker disrupts Pgap1 . GPI anchors normally target and anchor a diverse group of proteins to lipid raft domains. Mechanistically we show that GPI anchored proteins are mislocalized in GPI biosynthesis mutants. Disruption of the GPI-anchored protein Cripto (mouse) and TDGF1 (human ortholog) have been shown to result in holoprosencephaly, leading to our hypothesis that Cripto is the key GPI anchored protein whose altered function results in an HPE-like phenotype. Cripto is an obligate Nodal co-factor involved in TGF β signaling, and we show that TGF β signaling is reduced both in vitro and in vivo . This work demonstrates the importance of the GPI anchor in normal forebrain development and suggests that GPI biosynthesis genes should be screened for association with human holoprosencephaly.
Conversion of Class-F Fly Ash to Zeolites

Fly ash was chemically converted into zeolites. The conversion process not only eliminates the disposal problem of coal wastes but more importantly turns the waste material into a useful one. It was shown that fly ash can be converted into two forms of zeolites: P and faujasite, by varying the treatment condition. In addition, zeolite P was found to form earlier with higher treatment temperatures and adding quartz increased the amount of zeolite P formed. Seeding of faujasite was also studied.
Jacobean Textile Design: Surviving (and Thriving) Through the Test of Time

Jacobean textile design sprang from the Tree of Life motif, an ancient design that carried religious symbolism for many early cultures. It represented a greater power and as such could provide protection and even fertility. When trade routes opened up between the East and West in the early 17th century, Europeans were eager for items made in the East and in particular for textiles from India embellished with The Tree of Life. This increase in trade provided a booming time for commerce. During the reign of James I in the early 1600’s, the English designers added their own creative touches to the Tree of Life, enhancing it with large, outrageous, exotic flowers, and highly designed leaves. Thus was born the Jacobean textile design. The textiles being imported into Europe from the East were expensive and therefore largely limited to the wealthy. As a result, textiles were often status symbols and considered to have considerable value, however, as technology advanced and textiles could be mass-produced more affordably, they became available to people of all economic groups. Over the years other artists, such as William Morris, have gained inspiration from the Jacobean textile design and made their own interpretations of it as well. Today, its complex arrangements of winding vines and fantasy flowers remain a popular design in home furnishings and other products.
Facile synthesis, characterization and catalytic activity of nanoporous supports loaded with monometallic and bimetallic nanoparticles

Abstract When an aqueous platinum chloride or mixed rhodium and platinum chloride solutions are added to a mixture of lecithin, AOT and titanium isopropoxide (TIP) in isooctane, the surfactants partition the aqueous and oil phases into a nanoscale bicontinuous microstructure. Hydrolysis and condensation of the TIP generates a highly connected porous anatase support. Reduction of the metal salt/s in the confined aqueous nanodomains of the bicontinuous template results in monometallic or bimetallic alloy NPs. The NPs are well-distributed throughout the interior surfaces of the support. This route, where monometallic and bimetallic nanoparticles are synthesized together with the support material, can be exploited for generating diverse catalytically active materials for various applications.
Cultural diversity in a global society.

In her Editorial “The global knowledge society” (3 February, p. [503][1]), N. V. Fedoroff argues that “creating a truly global knowledge society” would empower humanity to solve its common problems. However, she neglects to acknowledge that humanity's problems, although shared, are inextricable from local cultural and ecological contexts. Knowledge may be empowering as a solution to these problems, but it often empowers inequitably. With these disparities, a “global knowledge society” could harm certain cultures and cause loss in the world's cultural diversity. For example, the globalization of the knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine has escalated demands for medicinal materials to beyond local ecological capacities, putting thousands of wild Chinese herbs at risk of extinction ([ 1 ][2]), and consequently damaging this treasured cultural practice. Preserving the world's cultural diversity at a time of globalization—of both knowledge and economy—is in humanity's own interest of future viability. The world needs not one homogenized global knowledge society, as the Editorial suggests, but a global mosaic of multiple, pluralistic knowledge societies, each rooted in its own unique cultural identity. This latter view reflects the idea of “knowledge societies” espoused by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)—“the plural here,” the organization asserts in a report, “sanctions the need for an accepted diversity” ([ 2 ][3]). 1. [↵][4]1. S. Cao, 2. Q. Feng , Science 335, 1168 (2012). [OpenUrl][5][FREE Full Text][6] 2. [↵][7]UNESCO World Report, “Towards knowledge societies” (UNESCO Publishing, Paris, 2005), p. 5; . [1]: pending:yes [2]: #ref-1 [3]: #ref-2 [4]: #xref-ref-1-1 "View reference 1 in text" [5]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DScience%26rft.stitle%253DScience%26rft.aulast%253DCao%26rft.auinit1%253DS.%26rft.volume%253D335%26rft.issue%253D6073%26rft.spage%253D1168%26rft.epage%253D1169%26rft.atitle%253DAsian%2BMedicine%253A%2BExploitation%2Bof%2BPlants%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1126%252Fscience.335.6073.1168-b%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F22403370%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [6]: /lookup/ijlink/YTozOntzOjQ6InBhdGgiO3M6MTQ6Ii9sb29rdXAvaWpsaW5rIjtzOjU6InF1ZXJ5IjthOjQ6e3M6ODoibGlua1R5cGUiO3M6NDoiRlVMTCI7czoxMToiam91cm5hbENvZGUiO3M6Mzoic2NpIjtzOjU6InJlc2lkIjtzOjE1OiIzMzUvNjA3My8xMTY4LWIiO3M6NDoiYXRvbSI7czoyNDoiL3NjaS8zMzYvNjA3OC8xNTUuMy5hdG9tIjt9czo4OiJmcmFnbWVudCI7czowOiIiO30= [7]: #xref-ref-2-1 "View reference 2 in text"
Egg Production in Four Generations of Paired Japanese Quail

Abstract Four generations of Japanese quail were hatched in succession starting with the progeny of an Athens Randombred quail colony. In each generation quail were maintained in cages as male-female pairs. The photoperiod was 16 hr of light per day with feed and water available ad libitum. From 6 to 20 weeks of age mortality, egg production, fertility, hatchability, and progeny livability were improved over previously published reports of reproduction in colony cages. Mortality decreased while age at 50% hen-day production, total number of eggs produced, and hatchability increased from the 1st to the 4th generation. This information may be of interest to researchers and commercial producers of Japanese quail.
Forcefield_NCAA: ab initio charge parameters to aid in the discovery and design of therapeutic proteins and peptides with unnatural amino acids and their application to complement inhibitors of the compstatin family.

We describe the development and testing of ab initio derived, AMBER ff03 compatible charge parameters for a large library of 147 noncanonical amino acids including β- and N-methylated amino acids for use in applications such as protein structure prediction and de novo protein design. The charge parameter derivation was performed using the RESP fitting approach. Studies were performed assessing the suitability of the derived charge parameters in discriminating the activity/inactivity between 63 analogs of the complement inhibitor Compstatin on the basis of previously published experimental IC50 data and a screening procedure involving short simulations and binding free energy calculations. We found that both the approximate binding affinity (K*) and the binding free energy calculated through MM-GBSA are capable of discriminating between active and inactive Compstatin analogs, with MM-GBSA performing significantly better. Key interactions between the most potent Compstatin analog that contains a noncanonica...
Evaluating the Mechanical Properties of 3D Woven Carbon-Epoxy Composite Materials Using Experimental Data and FEA Methods

A series of tensile, compression and shear tests were carried out on carbon-epoxy composite materials to evaluate their mechanical properties. The experiments were set upin accordance with ASTM standards that best corresponded to the test specifications. Specimens were categorized into groups according to their dimensions and shape. Based on testing requirements, some were cut into rectangular and others into dog bone specimens to determine the effects of stress concentration. A number of specimens were reinforced at both ends by means of tabs which were bonded on both faces to reduce the effects of the external pressure exerted on them through the grips of the testing machines, and the rest of them were tested without any reinforcement tabs. All the specimens were tested until failure. Load, elongation (displacement) and strain data were recorded by means of strain gages and data acquisition systems. The experimental results obtained from similar tests on different groups are compared to examine the conformity of the results regardless of dimension and geometry, and are also verified by Finite Element Analysis (FEA). In addition, FEA is used to study different conditions, such as geometry, that could affect the final results. The experimental data are analyzed and effects of fiber direction on failure method are studied. It was concluded that shape and geometry factors as well as fiber direction influenced the failure method. The work, however, is still in progress and tests under conditions, such as elevated temperature, will be conducted to study other effects on the mechanical properties of 3D woven carbon-epoxy composites.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Focus on primary care diagnosis and management of headache in women.

This document presents the primary care diagnosis and management of headache in women. The varying patterns of chronic headache among females during their reproductive years are related to the changing hormonal levels. Migraine occurs in 25% and tension-type of headache occurs in 88% of women. These changes occur during menarche menstrual cycling oral contraceptive use pregnancy and menopause as a result of the changes in sex steroid levels. The physiological relationship between estradiol and other neurotransmitters that causes headache is described. Diagnosis of headache includes physical and neurologic examinations. Treatment of headache depends on the womans reproductive stage. Acute-care headache treatments include analgesics opioids ergotamines and the triptans for 2-3 days a week. Chronic or tension-type headaches require preventive therapy which includes the daily use of antidepressants beta-blockers calcium channel blockers and antiepilepsy medications. Menstrual migraine medication includes serotonin and prostaglandin active agents during chronic headaches and beta-blockers antidepressants calcium channel blockers or valproic acid. Nonpharmacologic treatment of headache is preferred for pregnant women.
Gonadotropin secretion in response to external stimuli of varying duration in the ring dove (Streptopelia risoria).

Summary and ConclusionFemale ring doves were exposed to stimulation by the presence of males and of nesting material for varying periods of time, from 0 to 6 days, after which these stimuli were withdrawn. The birds' ovaries were examined 7 days after the beginning of the period of stimulation. Consideration of the incidence of atretic follicles and of completed ovulations leads to the conclusion that the presence of the mate and of nesting material stimulates growth of ova, and that this growth, and the progress of the ova toward ovulation, gradually become independent of the external conditions which originally stimulated it.
Extraction of cholesterol from human serum lipoprotein films

Serum high- and low-density lipoproteins were spread between heptane and phosphate buffer. The cholesterol from both protein films became completely soluble in the heptane phase. Other neutral lipids were also found in the heptane, but phospholipids could not be detected. Shaking of whole serum or isolated lipoproteins with heptane resulted in only slight extraction of cholesterol by the fat solvent. The addition of albumin to the lipoproteins reduced the amount of cholesterol extractable by heptane. It is postulated that when aqueous solutions of lipoproteins are shaken with nonpolar fat solvents the degree of cholesterol extraction depends on the disruption of the lipoprotein structure through contact with various interfaces, and that other proteins may protect the lipoprotein by competing for position at the interface.
Novel vacuum vessel & coil system design for the Advanced Divertor eXperiment (ADX)

The Advanced Divertor eXperiment (ADX) [1] is a compact, high field (> 6.5 tesla), high power density tokamak, proposed by the Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC) and collaborators, designed specifically to develop and test advanced divertor configurations that can accommodate the extreme plasma heat exhaust densities anticipated in next-step plasma fusion devices. ADX will also develop and test advanced technologies for Lower Hybrid Current Drive (LHCD) and Ion Cyclotron Range of Frequency (ICRF) heating, including the ability to deploy RF launch structures on the high-field-side for the first time. This potential game-changing innovation is expected to provide efficient heating and high efficiency, off-axis current drive while minimizing impurity production via plasma-launcher interactions [2, 3]. This combination of advanced divertors and innovative RF systems places unique demands on ADX's vacuum vessel (VV), which must have an integrated design that can incorporate the required poloidal field coil set and embedded infrastructure for RF feeds to the high-field-side vacuum vessel wall. Much of the ADX poloidal field (PF) coil system, toroidal field (TF) magnet and structural design is based on the successes of the C-Mod tokamak program, with the capability to operate at up to 8 tesla on axis - a rigid vacuum vessel providing structural support for the PF coils, and a liquid nitrogen cooled, demountable TF magnet. However, five separate axisymmetric structural shells and one inner cylinder are bolted together to form the VV in a novel configuration for ADX. This unique design accommodates the poloidal coil configurations required to produce the proposed advanced divertor shapes while at the same time providing flexibility for implementing alternative coil configurations. This paper describes ADX's vacuum vessel, coil system design and in-vessel components.
Cancellation for 4-manifolds with virtually abelian fundamental group

Abstract Suppose X and Y are compact connected topological 4-manifolds with fundamental group π. For any r ⩾ 0 , X is r-stably homeomorphic to Y if X # r ( S 2 × S 2 ) is homeomorphic to Y # r ( S 2 × S 2 ) . How close is stable homeomorphism to homeomorphism? When the common fundamental group π is virtually abelian, we show that large r can be diminished to n + 2 , where π has a finite-index subgroup that is free-abelian of rank n. In particular, if π is finite then n = 0 , hence X and Y are 2-stably homeomorphic, which is one S 2 × S 2 summand in excess of the cancellation theorem of Hambleton–Kreck [12] . The last section is a case study of the homeomorphism classification of closed manifolds in the tangential homotopy type of X = X − # X + , where X ± are closed nonorientable topological 4-manifolds with order-two fundamental groups [13] .
Correction of contaminated yaw rate signal and estimation of sensor bias for an electric vehicle under normal driving conditions

Abstract Yaw rate is a crucial signal for the motion control systems of ground vehicles. Yet it may be contaminated by sensor bias. In order to correct the contaminated yaw rate signal and estimate the sensor bias, a robust gain-scheduling observer is proposed in this paper. First of all, a two-degree-of-freedom (2DOF) vehicle lateral and yaw dynamic model is presented, and then a Luenberger-like observer is proposed. To make the observer more applicable to real vehicle driving operations, a 2DOF vehicle model with uncertainties on the coefficients of tire cornering stiffness is employed. Further, a gain-scheduling approach and a robustness enhancement are introduced, leading to a robust gain-scheduling observer. Sensor bias detection mechanism is also designed. Case studies are conducted using an electric ground vehicle to assess the performance of signal correction and sensor bias estimation under difference scenarios.
Intersession reliability of self-selected and narrow stance balance testing in older adults.

Despite the common practice of using force platforms to assess balance of older adults, few investigations have examined the reliability of postural screening tests in this population. We sought to determine the test–retest reliability of self-selected and narrow stance balance testing with eyes open and eyes closed in healthy older adults. Thirty older adults (>65 years) completed 45 s trials of eyes open and eyes closed stability tests using self-selected and narrow stances on two separate days (1.9 ± .7 days). Average medial–lateral center of pressure velocity was computed. The ICC results ranged from .74 to .86, and no significant systematic changes (P < .05) occurred between the testing sessions for any of the tests. The standard error of measurement ranged from 15.9 to 23.6%. Reliability estimates were similar between the two stances and visual conditions assessed. Slightly higher coefficients were identified for the self-selected stances compared to the narrow stances under both visual conditions; however, there were negligible differences between the sessions. The within subject session-to-session variability provides a basis for further research to consider differences between fallers and non-fallers. Reliability for eyes open and closed balance testing using self-selected and narrow stances in older adults was established which should provide a foundation for the development of fall risk screening tests.
Medical Nutrition Therapy for Kidney-Related Disorders

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global problem with lifetime risks increasing. Diabetes and hypertension are the leading causes of kidney disease. The basic function of the kidney includes the removal of waste products from the blood while regulating body water and electrolytes. As kidney disease progresses, altered nutrition biomarkers are observed which may be related to poor dietary habits. The typical American diet is high in protein and processed foods which can affect the balance of the body’s minerals, including electrolytes, and contributes to the uremic environment of the digestive system. Evolving evidence of a link between the gut and kidney health suggests a need for emphasis on nutrition for the care of a patient with compromised kidney function. Treatment of CKD with appropriate medications and lifestyle changes can decrease the rate at which CKD worsens and can prevent additional health problems.
Constraining the recent history of the perennially ice-covered Lake Bonney, East Antarctica using He, Kr and Xe concentrations

Abstract Lake Bonney is a perennially ice-covered lake in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDVs) that has long been studied in order to provide constraints on the paleoclimate of West Antarctica. The lake is divided into two lobes, West Lake Bonney (WLB) and East Lake Bonney (ELB) that are separated by a narrow ridge. The two lobes currently receive surface melt water during austral summers from glacier-fed ephemeral streams and this meltwater enters the lake via a narrow ring, or moat, of liquid water that forms around the lake during summer. The West Lobe also receives water from direct input of melt water from Taylor glacier and saline water from irregular subglacial discharge. Here, we combine previously published He data from Lake Bonney with new Kr and Xe concentration data to examine the signatures of water recharge via the seasonal moat and these data are used to constrain a model for He, Kr and Xe transport within both WLB and ELB over about the last 5000–6000 yrs. A detailed numerical simulation is presented that combines diffusive transport of noble gases within the stratified water column of Lake Bonney, along with ice ablation at the top of the ice cover, partitioning of noble gases between water and ice, plus exchange of noble gases between WLB and ELB. Results strongly suggest that open moats have only operated for about 2–3 centuries within the last millennium. These results are corroborated by the high concentration of He, especially within WLB, which points to a history of ice cover with no open moats operating for both lobes for at least about 5 millennia. In addition, the distribution of He, Kr and Xe suggest that a significant rise of the water level of Lake Bonney associated with a warmer period may have been interrupted by a roughly 4–5 century long cold period during which the moats were not large enough to allow air saturated water into the lake, with this cold period ending about one century ago. In addition, during this cold period, there is evidence for a thickening of the ice cover. In the last century Lake Bonney levels have been rising, pointing either to more extended austral summers or elevated summer temperatures, a rise that is compatible with the heavy noble gas record in the upper portion of the lake. A preliminary analysis that includes all stable noble gases heavier than He, suggests that glacial melt water (GMW) directly from Taylor Glacier below the ice cover may have been a significant input into the deepest parts of WLB, but not ELB.
Shaping the Epistemology of Teacher Practice Through Reflection and Reflexivity

Reflection on practice is a core principle for guiding improvement in professional work such as teaching and can be enhanced by reflection on epistemic cognition, the way we think about knowledge and knowing. Viewed as an intellectual virtue, a habit of mind, and a learnable skill, epistemic reflection can help teachers learn to critically question the source, certainty, reliability, and veracity of their own knowing. In this response to a set of articles on changing epistemic cognition through reflection and reflexivity, a case study of teaching educational psychology is provided as an example of putting these complex ideas into practice. Through such practices, instructors can also help future teachers learn to better understand and utilize empirical evidence as a knowledge basis for pedagogical decisions.
Stressed out and fed up: The effect of stress on maternal feeding behaviors and the moderating role of executive function.

Abstract Stress is associated with a range of unhealthy eating habits, yet few studies have examined how stress may influence the intergenerational transmission of eating habits from parents to their children. Specifically, there is a lack of data regarding the role of stress on feeding practices. Moreover, most work investigating the associations between parental stress and their feeding behaviors has been correlational, limiting our understanding of causality. In the current study, we used an experimental design, induced high and low stress in mothers using a standard laboratory stressor, and observed mother-child interactions during a snack break. We also examined the potential role of maternal executive functioning (EF) for buffering the effects of stress on maternal feeding behaviors. Levels of maternal stress were manipulated with the Trier Social Stress Task (TSST) in a community sample (N = 80 dyads, Child Mage = 41.89 months, female = 43). We measured maternal EF with a series of computerized tasks. Maternal feeding behaviors were coded for controlling behaviors, which included pressuring and restricting behaviors. Results indicate a main effect of stress on controlling feeding behaviors, such that mothers in the high-stress condition exhibited higher levels of controlling behaviors. The effect of stress on controlling feeding behaviors was ameliorated among mothers with higher levels of EF after controlling for child age and income. Results provide causal evidence for the role of stress on feeding behaviors and suggest EF as a factor to be considered in the treatment and prevention of diet-related illnesses.
Examination of Ligand Occupation and the Permeability Response of the Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor on Intact Cells

Simultaneous measurements in intact cells of receptor occupation and the change in ion permeability elicited by the ligands enable one to define the linkage between agonist association and activation of the ion channel. Two agonist molecules are required for activation, while a single bound antagonist is sufficient to block the response of the receptor oligomer. The two agonist binding sites on the oligomer do not show precise functional equivalence as might be anticipated from the pentameric arrangement of subunit s of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor.
Integrating expressiveness and instrumentality in real-life settings : A new perspective on the benefits of androgyny

Personality trait research has failed to substantiate a link between androgyny and well-being. Using an alternate, social context approach, the present study investigated (a) positive and negative aspects of situations in which expectations for androgynous behavior were salient (dual expectation situations), and (b) associations between gender role coping strategies and well-being in these situations. Interviews were conducted with 124 female and 70 male undergraduates, most of whom were African American (14%) or White American (81%). Participants reported significantly more negative aspects of the process of coping with dual expectation situations and more positive aspects of the outcomes of the situations. Androgynous coping strategies were associated with greater positive well-being and lesser negative well-being than were instrumental or indeterminate strategies. Well-being scores of expressive strategists were not significantly different from those of androgynous strategists.
The relationship of amniotic fluid cytokines and preterm delivery, amniotic fluid infection, histologic chorioamnionitis, and chorioamnion infection.

OBJECTIVE To assess the association between cytokines in the amniotic fluid (AF) and preterm delivery, the isolation of bacteria from the AF or chorioamnion, and histologic chorioamnionitis. METHODS Fifty afebrile women with intact membranes in preterm labor at or before 34 weeks' gestation underwent amniocentesis. Cytokine levels were measured in AF, and cultures were performed. Placentas were cultured and examined histologically. RESULTS Thirty-two (64%) of the 50 patients delivered at or before 34 weeks' gestation. Delivery at or before 34 weeks, compared with delivery after 34 weeks, was related to increased levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) (88 versus 12%; P < .001), interleukin-1 (IL-1) alpha (50 versus 6%; P = .004), IL-1 beta (42 versus 0%; P = .002), and prostaglandin (PG) E2 (66 versus 22%; P = .008). Bacteria were recovered from the AF of nine (18%) of the 50 patients. All of the cytokines with increased levels, plus tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, were related to bacteria in the AF. Increased IL-6, IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha, and PGE2 were also associated with histologic chorioamnionitis among women who delivered within 1 week of amniocentesis. Elevated cytokine levels were not related to chorioamnion infection. CONCLUSIONS Elevated AF cytokines and PGE2 predicted delivery before 34 weeks' gestation and delivery within 7 days of the amniocentesis, as well as AF infection and histologic chorioamnionitis. These findings support the hypothesis that infection is one cause of preterm delivery, operating via a mechanism involving induction of cytokine production.
CRISPR/Cas9 for Mutagenesis in Rice

CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat/CRISPR-associated protein 9) provides a workhorse for genome editing biotechnology. CRISPR/Cas9 tailored for enabling genome editing has been extensively interrogated and widely utilized for precise genomic alterations in eukaryotic organisms including in plant species. The technology holds the great promise to better understand gene functions, elucidate networks, and improve the performance of crop plants such as increasing grain yields, improving nutritional content, and better combating the biotic and abiotic stresses. Various methods or protocols specific for different plant species have been established. Here, we present a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing protocol in rice, including detailed information about single-guide RNA design, vector construction, plant transformation, and mutant screening processes.
A shared ontology for integrated highway planning

Abstract Many highway agencies have several functional groups responsible for planning for safety, maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R), mobility, and other functions. The functional nature of State Highway Agencies (SHAs) can result in a siloed approach to planning. Such efforts are further challenged by functional groups utilizing legacy systems which lack interoperability. In practice, this leads to redundant planning efforts and potential spatial-temporal conflicts in the projects proposed by the different groups over a planning period. There is a need for an integrated approach to planning supported by information systems. However, the existing literature on formalized knowledge representation fails to adequately account for the level of information needed for cross-functional planning of projects scheduled for the same network. Hence, this study presents an ontology for integrating information to support the cross-functional and spatial-temporal planning of highway projects. The Integrated Highway Planning Ontology (IHP-Onto) is a shared representation of knowledge about pavement assets, M&R planning, and inter-project coordination. Sources of the knowledge acquired included expert interviews, a review of nation-wide studies, and previously published ontologies. The implementation phase included a case study demonstration of the ontology by answering relevant competency questions via SPARQL queries. Based on the data-driven evaluation of the ontology, the precision and recall rates obtained were 97% and 92% respectively. Based on the results of the evaluation approaches, IHP-Onto was demonstrated as being sufficient to represent domain knowledge capable of supporting integrated highway planning.