cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Applying the basin model: Assessing habitat suitability of young-of-the-year demersal fishes on the New York Bight continental shelf

The extent to which young-of-the-year (YOY) fish habitats become saturated with new recruits has remained relatively unevaluated for temperate, demersal, continental shelf fishes. MacCall’s [1990. Dynamic Geography of Marine Fish Populations. Washington Sea Grant Program, University of Washington Press, Seattle, Washington] basin model was used as a framework for examining the dynamics of an assemblage of recently settled fishes in relation to available microhabitat on the New York Bight continental shelf (USA). For four abundant species (three flatfish, one merlucciid hake), densityspecific patterns of microhabitat selection, spatial dispersion and overall cross-shelf habitat use were investigated using a research submersible over three cross-shelf transects during the late summer settlement season. Typically, recruits that saturated YOY habitats (41 ind/m 2 ) were randomly distributed within underwater transects and formed weak associations with specific microhabitats. At lower densities (o1 ind/m 2 ), recruit spacing tended toward nonrandom (clumped/even) with increasing significant affinities for ecologically important substrates (i.e. Limanda ferruginea, sand wave crests/low shell hash). For Citharichthys arctifrons, clumping appeared to increase with complexity of the habitat. Several less-abundant species (i.e. Urophycis chuss, Tautogolabrus adspersus) formed tight associations with rare habitat features and may consequently encounter the greatest bottleneck for space during the benthic/pelagic transition. Although restricted by the scale of observation, these results begin to elucidate the mechanisms by which habitat quality and quantity moderate recruitment on the continental shelf. r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The impact of storm events on solute exports from a glaciated forested watershed in western New York, USA

This study analysed the importance of precipitation events from May 2003 to April 2004 on surface water chemistry and solute export from a 696 ha glaciated forested watershed in western New York State, USA. The specific objectives of the study were to determine: (a) the temporal patterns of solutes within individual storm events; (b) the impact of precipitation events on seasonal and annual export budgets; and (c) how solute concentrations and loads varied for precipitation events among seasons as functions of storm intensity and antecedent moisture conditions. Analysis of solute trajectories showed that NH 4 + , total Al and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) peaked on the hydrograph rising limb, whereas dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations peaked following the discharge peak. Sulphate and base-cations displayed a dilution pattern with a minimum around peak discharge. End-member mixing analysis showed that throughfall contributions were highest on the rising limb, whereas valley-bottom riparian waters peaked following the discharge peak. The trajectories of NO 3 - concentrations varied with season, indicating the influence of biotic processes on the generation, and hence flux, of this solute. Storm events had the greatest impact on the annual budgets for NH 4 + , K + , total dissolved Al, DON and DOC. Storm events during summer had the greatest impact on seasonal solute budgets. Summer events had the highest hourly discharges and high concentrations of solutes. However, NO 3 - and DOC exports during a spring snowmelt event were considerably more than those observed for large events during other periods of the year. Comparisons among storms showed that season, precipitation amount, and antecedent moisture conditions affected solute concentrations and loads. Concentrations of solutes were elevated for storms that occurred after dry antecedent conditions. Seven of the largest storms accounted for only 15% of the annual discharge, but were responsible for 34%, 19%, 64%, 13%, 39% and 24% of the annual exports of NH 4 + , K + , Al, NO 3 - , DON and DOC respectively. These results suggest that the intense and infrequent storms predicted for future climate-change scenarios will likely increase the exports of solutes like DOC, DON, NH 4 + , Al and K + from watersheds.
Nonviolence in International Conflict: A Programmatic Research Statement

This paper outlines a program of needed research on principled nonviolence as a conflict and conflict resolution strategy in international relations. A multi-pronged program of research is proposed, including, conceptual analyses and model generation, hypothesis and variable development: psychological analyses, laboratory simulation, and analyses of current ongoing, international conflict situations.
An alternative approach to the analysis of longitudinal data via generalized estimating equations

Abstract The generalized estimating equations (GEE) introduced by Liang and Zeger (Biometrika 73 (1986) 13–22) have been widely used over the past decade to analyze longitudinal data. The method uses a generalized quasi-score function estimate for the regression coefficients, and moment estimates for the correlation parameters. Recently, Crowder (Biometrika 82 (1995) 407–410) has pointed out some pitfalls with the estimation of the correlation parameters in the GEE method. In this paper we present a new method for estimating the correlation parameters which overcomes those pitfalls. For some commonly assumed correlation structures, we obtain unique feasible estimates for the correlation parameters. Large sample properties of our estimates are also established.
Evidence-Based Best Practice: The Common Knowledge of Ethical Clinical Scholarship.

…A university does not fully discharge its responsibilities to its students or to the community at large if it hands out knowledge (and the power which knowledge eventually yields) without posing questions about its responsible uses [2].
Curriculum knowledge representation and manipulation in knowledge-based tutoring systems

A knowledge-based tutoring system (KBTS) is a computer-based instructional system that uses artificial intelligence techniques to help people learn some subjects. We found that the knowledge communication process involving a KBTS and a human student can be decomposed into a series of communication cycles, where each cycle concentrates on one topic and contains four major phases: planning, discussing, evaluating and remedying. The major contributions of this work are the development of a generic architecture for supporting the knowledge communication between a KBTS and a student, and a graphical notation and schema for supporting the curriculum knowledge representation and manipulation during the planning phase of a tutoring process. The curriculum knowledge about a course can help a tutoring system determine the sequences in which the topics will be discussed with the students effectively and diagnose the students' mistakes. The curriculum knowledge base contains the goal structure of the course, prerequisite relations, and multiple ways of organizing topics, among others. As an example, we focus on developing SQL-TUTOR, a KBTS for the domain of SQL programming. This system has features such as an efficient control mechanism, explicit curriculum knowledge representation, and individualized private tutoring. For allowing the students relative freedom to decide how to study the domain knowledge about a subject, the system provides the students with a group of operators to hand-tailor the learning schedules according to their special backgrounds, requests, and interests.
Metabolism of [3H]dopamine following intracerebroventricular injection in rats pretreated with ethanol or chloral hydrate

The metabolism of [3H]dopamine injected into the lateral cerebroventricles, was studied in rats after treatment with either ethanol or chloral hydrate. The experimental system was designed primarily to detect the possible conversion of dopamine to the tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives, tetrahydropapaveroline, salsolinol and O-methylsalsolinol. With or without pretreatment with ethanol or chloral hydrate, no conversion of [3H]dopamine to [3H]tetrahydroisoquinolines was detected. The limits of detection per rat brain were: tetrahydropapaveroline less than 1.6 X 10(-14) moles (0.00032% conversion), salsolinol less than 1.6 X 10(-13) moles (0.00032% conversion), and 6- and 7-O-methylsalsolinol less than 3.2 X 10(-14) moles (0.00032% conversion). Two consistent ethanol- or chloral hydrate-induced alterations in [3H]dopamine metabolism were noted: (1) small but statistically significant increases in the ratios of reduced to oxidized metabolites resulting from monoamine oxidase action; and (2) decreased relative amounts of N-methylated metabolites.
UHECR theory and phenomenology: Summary and outlook

Theorists and phenomenologists have contributed significantly to the development of the field of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays (UHECRs). Great progress has been achieved in modeling hadronic interactions, developing precise propagation codes, understanding the role of different backgrounds and magnetic fields in the propagation of ultrahigh energy protons and nuclei, predicting the flux of secondary neutrinos and photons, modeling astrophysical sources and their acceleration mechanisms, developing new techniques to test anisotropies in the sky distribution, proposing new physics phenomena that can be tested at ultrahigh energy, and sharpening the distinction between astrophysical interpretations of unexpected trends (such as the composition at the highest energies) and new physics at play in hadronic interactions at energies well beyond the reach of terrestrial laboratories. Better developed models when combined with recent data have framed current open questions. 1. Is the spectral feature at the highest energies the GZK cutoff or the effect of Emax? 2. Is the composition of primaries changing at the highest energies or are new interactions responsible for the change in behavior of extensive air showers? 3. At what energy and sensitivity will sources be observed? 4. At what energies cosmic rays transition from being Galactic to becoming extragalactic? And the most basic question remains, 5. what are the sources (and the acceleration mechanism) of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays? To answer these questions more observations are needed. Chief among the theorists' wish list is the increase in statistics at the highest energies and the second wish is for full sky coverage. These efforts should lead to the localization of a source (or sources) in the sky which would revolutionize the field. Another avenue for major progress would be the detection of neutrino and photon secondaries, especially at ultrahigh energies. More immediate progress can be reached with a better establishment of an absolute energy scale which has a direct impact on many models. Another fertile area is the ongoing tests of hadronic interaction models with the LHC. More precise measurements of airshower properties may also enable the distinction between primary composition and hadronic physics effects on a wide energy range. Joint anisotropy and composition analysis between the two leading experiments (Auger and TA) would also provide a much needed consistency between the two hemispheres. This meeting marks the beginning of a great effort in this direction.
The effects of airbags and seatbelts on occupant injury in longitudinal barrier crashes

Abstract Introduction Longitudinal barriers, such as guardrails, are designed to prevent a vehicle that leaves the roadway from impacting a more dangerous object while minimizing the risk of injury to the vehicle occupants. Current full-scale test procedures for these devices do not consider the effect of occupant restraints such as seatbelts and airbags. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which restraints are used or deployed in longitudinal barrier collisions and their subsequent effect on occupant injury. Methods Binary logistic regression models were generated to predict occupant injury risk using data from the National Automotive Sampling System / Crashworthiness Data System from 1997 through 2007. Results In tow-away longitudinal barrier crashes, airbag deployment rates were 70% for airbag-equipped vehicles. Compared with unbelted occupants without an airbag available, seat belt restrained occupants with an airbag available had a dramatically decreased risk of receiving a serious (MAIS 3+) injury (odds-ratio (OR) = 0.03; 95% CI: 0.004-0.24). A similar decrease was observed among those restrained by seat belts, but without an airbag available (OR = 0.03; 95% CI: 0.001- 0.79). No significant differences in risk of serious injuries were observed between unbelted occupants with an airbag available compared with unbelted occupants without an airbag available (OR = 0.53; 95% CI = 0.10-2.68). Impact on Industry This study refutes the perception in the roadside safety community that airbags rarely deploy in frontal barrier crashes, and suggests that current longitudinal barrier occupant risk criteria may over-estimate injury potential for restrained occupants involved in a longitudinal barrier crash.
Performance-Based Empathy Mediates the Influence of Working Memory on Social Competence in Schizophrenia

Empathic deficits have been linked to poor functioning in schizophrenia, but this work is mostly limited to self-report data. This study examined whether performance-based empathy measures account for incremental variance in social competence and social attainment above and beyond self-reported empathy, neurocognition, and clinical symptoms. Given the importance of working memory in theoretical models of empathy and in the prediction of functioning in schizophrenia, we also examined whether empathy mediates the relationship between working memory and functioning. Sixty outpatients and 45 healthy controls were compared on performance-based measures of 3 key components of empathic responding, including facial affect perception, emotional empathy (affective responsiveness), and cognitive empathy (emotional perspective-taking). Participants also completed measures of self-reported empathy, neurocognition, clinical symptoms, and social competence and attainment. Patients demonstrated lower accuracy than controls across the 3 performance-based empathy measures. Among patients, these measures showed minimal relations to self-reported empathy but significantly correlated with working memory and other neurocognitive functions as well as symptom levels. Furthermore, cognitive empathy explained significant incremental variance in social competence (∆R (2) = .07, P < .05) and was found to mediate the relation between working memory and social competence. Performance-based measures of empathy were sensitive to functionally relevant disturbances in schizophrenia. Working memory deficits appear to have an important effect on these disruptions in empathy. Empathy is emerging as a promising new area for social cognitive research and for novel recovery-oriented treatment development.
Skeletal muscle loss: cachexia, sarcopenia, and inactivity

Loss of skeletal muscle mass occurs during aging (sarcopenia), disease(cachexia),orinactivity(atrophy).Thisarticlecontrastsandcompares the metabolic causes of loss of muscle resulting from these conditions. An understanding of the underlying causes of muscle loss is critical for the development of strategies and therapies to preserve musclemassandfunction.Lossofskeletalmuscleproteinresultsfrom an imbalance between the rate of muscle protein synthesis and degradation.Cachexia,sarcopenia,andatrophyduetoinactivityarecharacterized bya loss of muscle mass. Each of these conditionsresults in a metabolic adaptation of increased protein degradation (cachexia), decreasedrateofmuscleproteinsynthesis(inactivity),oranalteration inboth(sarcopenia).Theclinicalconsequencesofbedrestmaymimic those of cachexia, including rapid loss of muscle, insulin resistance, and weakness. Prophylaxis against bedrest-induced atrophy includes nutrition support with an emphasis on high-quality protein. Nutritional supplementation alone may not prevent muscle loss secondary to cachexia, but, in combination with the use of an anabolic agent, it may slow or prevent muscle loss. Am J Clin Nutr doi: 10. 3945/ajcn.2010.28608A.
Quits and Job Changes Among Home Care Workers in Maine: The Role of Wages, Hours, and Benefits

Purpose: Figuring out how to make home care jobs more attractive has become a top policy priority. This study investigates the impact of wages, hours, and benefi ts on the retention of home care workers. Design and Methods: Using a 2-wave survey design and a sample of home care workers from Maine, the factors associated with turnover intentions, actual turnover, and job-to-job transitions are examined. The analysis uses actual data on hours, wages, and benefi ts at current and subsequent jobs and controls for perceived rewards and work conditions, personal characteristics, and local labor market conditions. Results: Although the analysis fi nds that improved work conditions and nonpecuniary rewards of home-based direct care work have signifi cant negative effects on turnover intentions, compensation accounts for more actual job turnover. Higher wages, more hours, and travel cost reimbursement are found to be signifi cantly associated with reduced turnover. Although wages and hours appear to have stronger effects, health benefi ts do appear to have some signifi cance in predicting job-to-job transitions. Implication: Although improving compensation presents budgetary challenges to home care agencies, for this low-income workforce, the ability to earn higher wages and work more hours may be more of an imperative than improved work conditions.
Serotonin reuptake inhibitors and the adequacy of antidepressant treatment.

Objective:To determine whether the use of serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) improves antidepressant medication prescribing patterns for both psychiatric and non-psychiatric physicians.Data Sources/Setting:Drug utilization review of 4,103 prescriptions for antidepressant medications with patients diagnosed with depressive disorders over an eighteen-month period from the formulary records of a large insurance company.Design:Using standards developed for clinical guidelines, variation in trial and treatment adequacy between drug types and physician specialty was studied.Principal Findings:Thirty-five percent of initial antidepressant trials were not prescribed for an adequate duration or at an adequate dosage level. SSRIs were more likely to be prescribed adequately than any other antidepressant reviewed. Psychiatrists were more likely to prescribe antidepressants at an adequate dosage level, whereas non-psychiatric physicians were more likely to attain adequate duration of treatment.Conclusions:A greate...
An improvement to the natural gradient learning algorithm for multilayer perceptrons

Natural gradient learning has been shown to avoid singularities in the parameter space of multilayer perceptrons. However, it requires a large number of additional parameters beyond ordinary backpropagation. The article describes a new approach to natural gradient learning in which the number of parameters necessary is much smaller than in the natural gradient algorithm. This new method exploits the algebraic structure of the parameter space to reduce the space and time complexity of the algorithm and improve its performance.
Identification of centromeric antigens in dicentric Robertsonian translocations: CENP-C and CENP-E are necessary components of functional centromeres

Robertsonian translocations are the most common structural dicentric rearrangements in humans. The stability of these dicentrics is attributed to the inactivation of one centromere by mechanisms which are currently unknown. The presence and amounts of centromeric proteins (CENPs) differ between the centromeres of the few dicentrics which have been studied, providing a limited understanding of the protein components necessary for centromeric function. However, CENP-C previously has been observed only at the active centromeres in two dicentric chromosomes. In the present investigation, the presence and localizations of several centromeric antigens, CENP-B, -C and -E, have been determined in 12 dicentric Robertsonian translocations. Each translocation was studied initially using in situ hybridization with alpha-satellite DNA probes to determine the active centromere. Subsequent immunofluorescence of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies generated to various centromeric antigens demonstrated that the protein composition differs at the two centromeres of these dicentric translocations. While CENP-B was present at both active and inactive centromeres, CENP-C and -E were located at active centromeres only in the majority of translocations. These results confirm previous observations of CENP-C at active centromeres and provide the first evidence that CENP-E correlates with active centromeres as well, demonstrating that at least two specific centromeric proteins are required for human centromeric function.
Closed- and open-class lexical access in agrammatic and fluent aphasics.

Bradley, Garrett, and Zurif (Bradley, Computational distinctions of vocabulary type. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, MIT Press; Cambridge, MA, 1978; Biological studies of mental processes, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1980) have suggested that closed-class word access is normally mediated by a different route than the open-class one, and that the loss of this closed-class route might account for agrammatism. However, in an earlier study (Gordon & Caramazza, Brain and Language, 15, 143–160, 1982) we were not able to confirm a meaningful difference between closed- and open-class word frequency responsiveness of the type Bradley (unpublished dissertation, 1978) had seemed to find in normal subjects. We have now done a direct comparison of closed-class frequency sensitivity in agrammatic and nonagrammatic aphasics, to directly test Bradley and colleagues' hypotheses and to avoid some of the experimental problems with between-class frequency comparisons. We find that closed-class words behave similarly whether or not the subject is agrammatic. Therefore, the differences between agrammatic and nonagrammatic aphasics must arise at a deeper level (or levels) of lexical processing than the one probed by the frequency sensitivity effect.
Molecular basis of low-penetrance retinoblastoma

Retinoblastoma is a malignant tumor of the retina that occurs primarily in young children as a result of mutations in the retinoblastoma gene (RB), the first tumor suppressor gene to be identified. In about 35% to 40% of patients with retinoblastoma, an RB gene mutation is present in the germline, resulting in hereditary transmission of the disease. Most families with hereditary retinoblastoma demonstrate autosomal dominant inheritance with almost complete penetrance and high expressivity. However, some families display an inheritance pattern characterized by reduced penetrance and expressivity. Recent advances in our understanding of the structure and function of the retinoblastoma protein (pRB) now provide new insights into the molecular basis of this low-penetrance form of retinoblastoma. Low-penetrance retinoblastoma mutations either cause a reduction in the amount of normal pRB that is produced (class 1 mutations) or result in a partially functional mutant pRB (class 2 mutations).
Reproductive Characteristics of Female Midland Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta marginata) from a Population on Beaver Island, Michigan

Abstract Reproductive characteristics and the age-body size relationship of female Chrysemys picta marginata were studied at Miller's Marsh on Beaver Island, Michigan. Environmental influences on reproduction were evident in that turtles nested relatively early when the previous spring (April and May) temperatures were relatively warm. Clutch wet mass (CWM), clutch size (CS), and egg wet mass (EWM) were all correlated with maternal carapace length (CL). Over six activity seasons, significant annual variations in EWM and CS occurred, but these variations were not related to temperature or precipitation patterns of the current or previous year. Therefore, it seems unlikely that annual variation in EWM represents proximate variation or adaptive phenotypic plasticity where offspring size might be adjusted to meet predictable temporal changes in offspring growing and survival conditions. Annual variation in CS was mainly caused by slight variations in mean maternal CL. When compared to previously published stu...
Reduction of nitroaromatics sorbed to black carbon by direct reaction with sorbed sulfides.

Sorption to black carbons is an important sink for organic contaminants in sediments. Previous research has suggested that black carbons (graphite, activated carbon, and biochar) mediate the degradation of nitrated compounds by sulfides by at least two different pathways: reduction involving electron transfer from sulfides through conductive carbon regions to the target contaminant (nitroglycerin) and degradation by sulfur-based intermediates formed by sulfide oxidation (RDX). In this study, we evaluated the applicability of black carbon-mediated reactions to a wider variety of contaminant structures, including nitrated and halogenated aromatic compounds, halogenated heterocyclic aromatic compounds, and halogenated alkanes. Among these compounds, black carbon-mediated transformation by sulfides over a 3-day time scale was limited to nitroaromatic compounds. The reaction for a series of substituted nitroaromatics proceeded by reduction, as indicated by formation of 3-bromoaniline from 3-bromonitrobenzene, ...
Cultivation of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus

Carrel, Olitsky, and Long1 reported the successful cultivation of the virus of vesicular stomatitis of horses in 1928. In their cultivation experiments, guinea pig tissues were used throughout. The method they employed consisted in placing embryonic tissue or adult bone marrow in contact with the virus which had been suspended in Tyrode's solution for 1 1/2 to 24 hours and then transferring to Carrel flasks containing coagulated plasma to which serum was added when marrow was used, or embryonic juice when embryonic tissue was used. The flasks were incubated for 7 to 10 days at 39°C.No further reports of successful in vitro cultivation of the virus of vesicular stomatitis have been made.This paper describes a much simplified method, similar to that employed by Li and Rivers2, 3 in the cutlivation of vaccine virus, for the cultivation of the virus of vesicular stomatitis. A satisfactory and readily available technique for the titration of the virus is given. Through the kindness of Dr. W. E. Cotton, samples...
Overview of Multiple Star Systems

Multiple stars represent approximately 50 % of the stellar population, and as a result, have implications for the dynamics of young star clusters and associations. This chapter reviews several aspects of multiple star systems, namely the field solar-type multiple population, the field OB star multiple population, and finally the open cluster solar-type multiple population. We discuss each in terms of observed distributions and how these vary depending on their environment. Finally, we close with some thoughts concerning the significance of multiple star systems to the dynamics of young star clusters and associations, specifically how these can be used to further constrain star formation processes and whether these systems can be used as a tracer of identifying the origin of the field population.
A23187-induced changes in colonic K and Cl transport are mediated by separate mechanisms

Stripped rabbit colonic mucosa was studied in vitro in Ussing chambers to determine 1) effects of the divalent cation ionophore A23187 on K and Cl fluxes and electrical properties; 2) effects of the prostaglandin (PG) synthesis inhibitor indomethacin on A23187-, PGE1-, and arachidonic acid-induced changes in electrical parameters and K and Cl fluxes; and 3) changes in PGE2 release in response to A23187, arachidonic acid, indomethacin, or indomethacin and either A23187 or arachidonic acid. Results from these studies demonstrate that A23187, PGE1, and arachidonate increase net K and Cl secretion. Results with indomethacin reveal that this agent abolishes the increase in Cl secretion stimulated by A23187 or arachidonate but not by PGE1. Indomethacin also abolished net K secretion stimulated by arachidonate but not by A23187 or PGE1. These results together with the finding that A23187 like arachidonate increases PGE2 release in the absence but not the presence of indomethacin suggest that A23187-stimulated Cl secretion occurs by a PG-dependent mechanism, while A23187-induced K secretion occurs by an alternate Ca-dependent mechanism.
ARM virtualization: performance and architectural implications

ARM servers are becoming increasingly common, making server technologies such as virtualization for ARM of growing importance. We present the first study of ARM virtualization performance on server hardware, including multicore measurements of two popular ARM and x86 hypervisors, KVM and Xen. We show how ARM hardware support for virtualization can enable much faster transitions between VMs and the hypervisor, a key hypervisor operation. However, current hypervisor designs, including both Type 1 hypervisors such as Xen and Type 2 hypervisors such as KVM, are not able to leverage this performance benefit for real application workloads. We discuss the reasons why and show that other factors related to hypervisor software design and implementation have a larger role in overall performance. Based on our measurements, we discuss changes to ARM's hardware virtualization support that can potentially bridge the gap to bring its faster VM-to-hypervisor transition mechanism to modern Type 2 hypervisors running real applications. These changes have been incorporated into the latest ARM architecture.
Sparse Simultaneous Signal Detection for Identifying Genetically Controlled Disease Genes

ABSTRACTGenome-wide association studies (GWAS) and differential expression analyses have had limited success in finding genes that cause complex diseases such as heart failure (HF), a leading cause of death in the United States. This article proposes a new statistical approach that integrates GWAS and expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) data to identify important HF genes. For such genes, genetic variations that perturb its expression are also likely to influence disease risk. The proposed method thus tests for the presence of simultaneous signals: SNPs that are associated with the gene’s expression as well as with disease. An analytic expression for the p-value is obtained, and the method is shown to be asymptotically adaptively optimal under certain conditions. It also allows the GWAS and eQTL data to be collected from different groups of subjects, enabling investigators to integrate public resources with their own data. Simulation experiments show that it can be more powerful than standard approa...
Exploring the Association Between Demographics, SLC30A8 Genotype, and Human Islet Content of Zinc, Cadmium, Copper, Iron, Manganese and Nickel.

A widely prevalent single nucleotide polymorphism, rs13266634 in the SLC30A8 gene encoding the zinc transporter ZnT8, is associated with an increased risk for T2DM. ZnT8 is mostly expressed in pancreatic insulin-producing islets of Langerhans. The effect of this variant on the divalent metal profile in human islets is unknown. Additionally, essential and non-essential divalent metal content of human islets under normal environmental exposure conditions has not been described. We therefore examined the correlation of zinc and other divalent metals in human islets with rs13266634 genotype and demographic characteristics. We found that the diabetes risk genotype C/C at rs13266634 is associated with higher islet Zn concentration (C/C genotype: 16792 ± 1607, n = 22, C/T genotype: 11221 ± 1245, n = 18 T/T genotype: 11543 ± 6054, n = 3, all values expressed as mean nmol/g protein ± standard error of the mean, p = 0.040 by ANOVA). A positive correlation between islet cadmium content and both age (p = 0.048, R2 = 0.09) and female gender (women: 36.88 ± 4.11 vs men: 21.22 ± 3.65 nmol/g protein, p = 0.007) was observed. Our results suggest that the T2DM risk allele C is associated with higher islet zinc levels and support prior evidence of cadmium’s higher bioavailability in women and its long tissue half-life.
Disrespect for Human Rights and Contentious Participation: Evidence from China

This study examines the relationship between the perception of human rights conditions and individual participation in contentious political activities in China. The empirical results show that people perceiving higher levels of disrespect for human rights are more likely to sign a petition, join the boycott movement, attend demonstrations, strike, and participate in other forms of protests. The results confirm the optimistic perspective that people perceiving human rights violations tend to participate in contentious politics in an effort to fight for their rights. This suggests that human rights abuses will stimulate public contentious participation, which then endangers the stability of the regime.
YidC Insertase of Escherichia coli: Water Accessibility and Membrane Shaping

The YidC/Oxa1/Alb3 family of membrane proteins function to insert proteins into membranes in bacteria, mitochondria, and chloroplasts. Recent X-ray structures of YidC from Bacillus halodurans and Escherichia coli revealed a hydrophilic groove that is accessible from the lipid bilayer and the cytoplasm. Here, we explore the water accessibility within the conserved core region of the E. coli YidC using in vivo cysteine alkylation scanning and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of YidC in POPE/POPG membranes. As expected from the structure, YidC possesses an aqueous membrane cavity localized to the membrane inner leaflet. Both the scanning data and the MD simulations show that the lipid-exposed transmembrane helices 3, 4, and 5 are short, leading to membrane thinning around YidC. Close examination of the MD data reveals previously unrecognized structural features that are likely important for protein stability and function.
Obesity in Women: Insights for the Clinician

Abstract As a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and worldwide, obesity is a disease that is frequently encountered in clinical practice today and requires a range of medical interventions. While obesity affects both men and women across all ages, multiple issues are particularly germane to women's health, particularly as obesity is more prevalent among women than men in the United States and obesity among women of reproductive health relates to the growing issue of childhood obesity. Discussed herein are the epidemiology and pathophysiology of obesity along with the impact of perinatal obesity on fetal programming. Guidance on screening and management of obesity through lifestyle intervention, pharmacologic therapy, and bariatric surgery, as well as avoidance of weight-promoting medications wherever possible, is elaborated. Particular attention is paid to the contribution of these modalities to weight loss as well as their impact on obesity-related comorbidities that affect a w...
Influence of aroma intensity and nasal pungency on the ‘mood signature’ of common aroma compounds in a mixed ethnic population

Abstract Aromas evoke moods that influence the acceptability of foods and other consumer products. This study examined the influence of nasal pungency and aroma intensity on liking of pure aroma compounds, and their impact on mood using the “mood signature” approach. We studied 95 healthy, young adults (65 female; 30 male) who orthonasally sampled cinnamaldehyde, methyl cinnamate, citral, citronellol, geraniol, and phenyl ethyl alcohol (PEA) at low (range = 1–2.5 ppm) and mid-range concentrations (range = 4–100 ppm), in two separate sessions. For each sample, they rated aroma intensity, (pungency, for the mid-range concentrations only) and overall liking using 15-cm line scales. They also selected from a list of 9 terms, the descriptor that best matched the “mood” of each aroma. At both concentrations, methyl cinnamate was the least liked (p
Synthesis and biological evaluation of anti-cancer agents that selectively inhibit Her2 over-expressed breast cancer cell growth via down-regulation of Her2 protein.

Abstract Compound JCC76 selectively inhibited the proliferation of human epidermal growth factor 2 (Her2) over-expressed breast cancer cells. In the current study, a ligand based structural optimization was performed to generate new analogs, and we identified derivatives 16 and 17 that showed improved activity and selectivity against Her2 positive breast cancer cells. A structure activity relationship (SAR) was summarized. Compounds 16 and 17 were also examined by western blot assay to check their effect on Her2 protein. The results reveal that the compounds could decrease the Her2 protein, which explains their selectivity to Her2 over-expressed breast cancer cells. Furthermore, the compounds inhibited the chaperone activity of small chaperone protein that could stabilize Her2 protein.
Fourier Series and Periodic Functions

This is the introductory chapter to spectral methods. The main theme is decomposing a rather arbitrary periodic signal in terms of sines/cosines. The result is the Fourier series and the main task at hand is to figure the expansion coefficients. Those are obtained by integrating the target function against the sine/cosine and give all of DC, sine, and cosine series coefficients. We apply the process on a multitude of signals and stress all the way the visual aspect of the analysis to convince the reader this method works. We see the signal gradually assume the desired shape by including more harmonics. We also learn about the spectrum of the signal which is a plot of the Fourier series coefficients versus frequency. As a reference case we take the periodic pulse and examine its spectrum as a function of period, pulse width, and time elongation and see the corresponding effect on the spectrum. Finally we touch on patching signals and superposition.
Measuring movement into residential care institutions in Haiti after Hurricane Matthew: A pilot study.

Background Governments have an ethical imperative to safeguard children in residential care institutions at all times, including in the aftermath of an emergency. Yet, a lack of accurate data about how the magnitude and characteristics of this population may change due to an emergency impedes leaders' ability to formulate responsive policies and services, mobilize resources and foster accountability. The purpose of this study was therefore to determine the feasibility of evaluating movement of children into residential care following an emergency. Methods The pilot study took place in Les Cayes commune in the Sud Department of Haiti in April 2017. Six months prior to the pilot, the area was severely affected by Hurricane Matthew, with widespread devastation to property, livestock and livelihoods. Using a two-stage process, the team created a comprehensive list of residential care institutions in Les Cayes. At each facility, the data collectors attempted to administer four separate tools: a group count tool, a record review tool, interviews with staff, and interviews with children 10 years of age and older. Results Out of 27 known institutions in Les Cayes, 22 institutions consented to participate in the research. Within these 22 institutions, the prevalence of new arrivals to residential care since Hurricane Matthew varied significantly across the four tools, ranging from 0.69% according to the aggregated child interviews to 20.96% according to the aggregated staff interviews. Record availability and quality was very poor and child participation was difficult to arrange due to travel and scheduling constraints. Interpretation Robust measurement of new arrivals to residential care institutions was not feasible in Haiti following Hurricane Matthew. Moreover, many of the challenges encountered are likely to be encountered in humanitarian emergencies in other settings. Therefore, the research team does not recommend scale-up of these methods in most humanitarian settings. Alternative approaches that incorporate household survey methods to ascertain movement into residential care based on reports from caregivers may be more realistic in places with poor pre-existing governance systems and weak registries and records for residential care institutions.
Absolute Configuration and Pharmacology of the Poison Frog Alkaloid Phantasmidine

Phantasmidine, a rigid congener of the well-known nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist epibatidine, is found in the same species of poison frog (Epipedobates anthonyi). Natural phantasmidine was found to be a 4:1 scalemic mixture, enriched in the (2aR,4aS,9aS) enantiomer by chiral-phase LC-MS comparison to the synthetic enantiomers whose absolute configurations were previously established by Mosher’s amide analysis. The major enantiomer has the opposite S configuration at the benzylic carbon to natural epibatidine, whose benzylic carbon is R. Pharmacological characterization of the synthetic racemate and separated enantiomers established that phantasmidine is ∼10-fold less potent than epibatidine, but ∼100-fold more potent than nicotine in most receptors tested. Unlike epibatidine, phantasmidine is sharply enantioselective in its activity and the major natural enantiomer whose benzylic carbon has the 4aS configuration is more active. The stereoselective pharmacology of phantasmidine is ascribed to its...
Production of Ecofriendly Natural Bamboo Bast Fiber and Assessment of Antibacterial Activity

Since fibers are strongly bonded in bamboo, production of fibers in their natural bast form is very difficult. Due to this difficulty, most fiber produced from bamboo is viscose, a non-eco-friendly production process. However, this study reveals some ecofriendly processing routes to produce spinnable natural bast fibers retaining antibacterial and other innate properties. It was found that natural bamboo fibers showed better antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus than even raw bamboo (Phyllostachys rubromarginata) itself. Bamboo appears to have both microbe attracting and repulsing compounds. By removing bacteria attracting soluble compounds, antibacterial activity improves in natural bamboo bast fibers. Viscose processes remove both kind of compounds by harsh chemicals. Viscose may show antibacterial activity due to the presence of some residual processing chemicals that may be harmful. This study provides evidences of natural antibacterial activity in Phyllostachys rubromarginata bamboo bast fibers.
The catalytic mechanism of peroxiredoxins.

Peroxiredoxins carry out the efficient reduction of a typically broad range of peroxide substrates through an absolutely conserved, activated cysteine residue within a highly conserved active site pocket structure. Though details of reductive recycling after cysteine sulfenic acid formation at the active site vary among members of different Prx classes, local unfolding around the active site cysteine is likely generally required in these proteins for disulfide bond formation with a second resolving cysteine and/or for access of the reductant to the oxidized active site. The conformational change associated with the catalytic cycle and the redox-dependent decamer formation occurring in at least some typical 2-Cys Prxs have interesting implications in the interplay between active site loop dynamics, oligomerization state, catalytic efficiency and propensity toward inactivation during turnover in these important antioxidant enzymes
Size-Based Differential Transport, Uptake, and Mass Distribution of Ceria (CeO2) Nanoparticles in Wetland Mesocosms.

Trace metals associated with nanoparticles are known to possess reactivities that are different from their larger-size counterparts. However, the relative importance of small relative to large particles for the overall distribution and biouptake of these metals is not as well studied in complex environmental systems. Here, we have examined differences in the long term fate and transport of ceria (CeO2) nanoparticles of two different sizes (3.8 vs 185 nm), dosed weekly to freshwater wetland mesocosms over 9 months. While the majority of CeO2 particles were detected in soils and sediments at the end of nine months, there were significant differences observed in fate, distribution, and transport mechanisms between the two materials. Small nanoparticles were removed from the water column primarily through heteroaggregation with suspended solids and plants, while large nanoparticles were removed primarily by sedimentation. A greater fraction of small particles remained in the upper floc layers of sediment rela...
A Construct Validation Argument for the Intercultural Development Inventory.

Construct validation evidence for the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) offers support for the use of the IDI to assess individuals’ ability to observe differences and similarities, and ada...
Embodiment and black religion: rethinking the body in African American religious experience: CERCL Writing Collective, Bristol, CT, Equinox Publishing, 2017, 151 pp., $29.95 (paperback), ISBN 978-1-7817-9346-6

Following their unique publication on the ties between the Black Church and hip-hop culture,1 the graduate student consortium at Rice University expands methodological and theoretical terrain in th...
Supportive hand-holding attenuates pupillary responses to stress in adult couples

Background Social relationships, particularly marriage, have been shown to ameliorate the potentially pathogenic impact of stressful events but prior research has been mostly aimed at downstream effects, with less research on real-time reactivity. Pupillometry is an innovative procedure that allows us to see the effects of acute stress in real time. The muscles that control pupil size are linked to the autonomic nervous system, so that when stressed, the pupils dilate; this occurs within 200ms. This quick response allows us to see the immediate effects of acute stress on the autonomic nervous system (ANS), and the real-time effects of social support in buffering stress. Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the dampening effects of received social support on the ANS’s pupillary response. Methods Eighty individuals (40 couples) were randomly assigned to either a spousal support (i.e., spouse hand-holding) or non-support condition (i.e., alone) and administered a Stroop task while pupil dilation was measured. Results The Stroop task elicited a stress reaction in terms of pupil dilation in response to the incongruent task trials. Participants in the support condition showed accelerated habituation to the stress task (p < .001), and less pupil reactivity (p < .001) providing evidence for buffering effects of social support via spousal presence and hand-holding. Conclusions These results reveal the speed at which stress-buffering occurs, suggesting that pupillometry could be a good method to address the immediate dampening effects of social support.
The effects of information on young consumers’ attitudes and purchase intentions of fashion products made of fur, leather, and wool

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to examine how sidedness of information affects consumer attitudes, subjective norms, and purchase intentions of fashion goods made of fur, leather, and wool. ...