cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract A95: The impact of fertility drug use, infertility, and lifetime ovulation on ovarian cancer risk

Background : Ovarian cancer (OC) risk is associated with factors related to lifetime ovulation including hormone use, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. Factors increasing lifetime ovulation have been found to be positively associated with OC risk. Concern regarding the use of fertility drugs, the majority of which stimulate ovulation, and OC risk has increased over the past several decades as the rate of women seeking fertility treatment rapidly rises. The relationship between fertility drug use and OC is complex because the association may be attributable to several factors including: greater number of lifetime ovulatory cycles among nulliparous women, underlying causes of infertility, shared genetic susceptibility to ovarian cancer and infertility, or a correlate of infertility such as the use of fertility drugs. Controversy has surrounded fertility drug use as it relates to OC risk due to inconclusive results from previous studies, which were unable to account for these factors. Objective : The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between fertility drug use and OC risk, distinguish the effect of fertility drugs from underlying causes of infertility, and determine whether the relationship is modified by lifetime ovulation. Methods : The Hormones and Ovarian Cancer Prediction (HOPE) study includes 902 ovarian/peritoneal/fallopian tube cancer cases and 1,802 population-based controls recruited from Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York and enrolled between 2003 and 2008. Trained interviewers collected detailed reproductive and medical histories through in-person interviews. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for fertility drug use and OC risk. Fertility drug use was classified as either never or ever using fertility drugs. The models were adjusted for age, race, education, site, family history of ovarian and breast cancers, duration of oral contraceptive use, duration of breastfeeding, hormone replacement therapy, tubal ligation, parity, and talc use. Lifetime ovulatory years were estimated by subtracting age of menarche from age of menopause and adjusting this by time spent pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking ovulation-suppressing contraceptives. Lifetime ovulation was classified as low, intermediate and high based on tertiles within age groups ( Results : Fertility drug use was not significantly associated with OC risk [OR=1.02, 95% CI: 0.70–1.47] when adjusting for known OC risk factors; the relationship remained non-significant when accounting for duration of use [OR=1.00, 95% CI: 0.98–1.01], and cause of infertility [p-heterogeneity=0.85]. Fertility drug use also remained non-significant after stratifying by lifetime ovulatory years for women Conclusion : These results provide further evidence that fertility drug use does not significantly contribute to overall OC risk when controlling for known risk factors and underlying cause of infertility. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2011;4(10 Suppl):A95.
FORCASTING PRODUCTION RATE BASED ON LARGEST LYAPUNOV EXPONENT

Traditional forcasting method is to establish subjective model of data series firstly, then calculate and forecast according to subjective model. With the development of chaotic science, it doesnt have to establish subjective model beforehand, but forecasts directly and subjectivity of forecasting can be avoided by objective laws ( as Lyapunov exponent etc. ) calculated by data series themselves. The method put forward by this paper applies small data series, almost utilizes all available data information, and can calculate accurate lyapunov exponent. Results show that the method is credible with small calculation amount, easy operation relatively, high precision, and is able to get maximal forecasting time.
Ovulation, estrus and endocrine response after GnRH in early postpartum cows.

Ovulation estrous and endocrine response after the administration of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) were studied in 20 lactating cows. The cows received either a (100 GnRH mcg) SUBCUTANEOUS implant or saline on Day 14 postpartum. Serum luteinizing hormone (LH) increased (p less than .05) from 1.9 ng/ml at GnRH administration to 5.7 13.8 and 15 at 1 2 and 4 hours and decreased to 4.7 ng/ml at 6 hours. All cows who received GnRH ovulated on Day 15. The interval to the first postpartum ovulation was shorter (14.4 days; p less than .05) for GnRH-treated cows than for 8 of 10 controls (23.6 days). Estrogens and progesterone were not acutely affected by GnRH. GnRH did not shorten the interval to first estrus. GnRH induced LH release and ovulation and these cows continued to cycle to Day 65 postpartum when the study was terminated.
The Central Nervous System-Immune System Relationship

Research investigating the pathogenesis of schizophrenia has demonstrated that cellular immune reactions, such as those that occur in known autoimmune diseases, may participate in producing alterations of the central nervous system. Furthermore, epidemiologic studies of immune-mediated diseases have suggested that activation of the central nervous system by stressful stimuli may be capable of influencing the function of the immune system. In support of that interaction, research using animal models of stress has provided valuable information as to the effect of stress on basic immune function and susceptibility to infectious disease. Possible hormonal and direct mechanisms of the central nervous system-immune system interaction have been proposed.
Purification and characterization of two β-N-acetylhexosaminidases from the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta (L.) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae)☆

Abstract β- N -Acetylhexosaminidases were detected in 10 insects including species of Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, and Orthoptera. Two enzymes were purified from the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta (L.). EI was detected in larval and pharate pupal molting fluid, integument, and pupal hemolymph while EII was found in larval and pupal hemolymphs. They are acidic hydrolases with similar molecular weights (6.1 × 10 4 ), molar extinction coefficients at 280 nm (1.9 × 10 5 liters mol −1 cm −1 ), and pH optima (pH 6). They differ in the number of polypeptide chains per molecule (EI is a single chain and EII consists of two polypeptide chains), amino acid composition, extent of glycosylation (EII is probably a glycoprotein), isoelectric point (p I EI = 5.9 and p I EII ∼- 5.1), tissue distribution, and reactivities toward nitrophenylated N -acetylglucosamine ( k cat,I = 328 s −1 and k cat,II = 103 s −1 ) and N,N′ -diacetylchitobiose ( k cat,I = 307 s −1 and k cat,II = 3 s −1 ). These results suggest that EI is a chitinase and that EII may function as a hexosaminidase in vivo .
Field method for monitoring blood glucose in beef cattle.

The purpose of this study was to determine the applicability of the Accu-Chek Easy (ACE) human self-monitoring system for monitoring glycemic status in cattle. The ACE method was compared with the Yellow Springs Instrument (YSI) analytical laboratory method in two studies. A preliminary study (62 samples) and a primary study (434 samples) involved a nine-fold range and a 10-fold range, respectively, of glucose concentrations obtained during the acute phase response of growing beef cattle to injections of varying dosages of endotoxin. The ACE monitoring method compared with the YSI analytical method resulted in similar patterns of glucose concentration change, similar ranking of glucose means across endotoxin dosages during hyper-and hypoglycemia, and a close relationship between paired YSI and ACE concentrations from common samples. The ACE method identified all nine animals that displayed hypoglycemic distress during the acute phase response to endotoxin injection. The relationship between the YSI analytical method and the ACE monitoring method was found to be nonlinear (YSI = -38.2 + 13.6.ACE. 50- ; R 2 =.99; S y.x = 7.3 mg/dL), and the use of this equation to predict YSI values from ACE values in an independent data set resulted in linearity when YSI was regressed on the predicted YSI values (YSI = -.78 + 1.00.Predicted YSI; R 2 =.87; S y.x = 6.9 mg/dL). Even though variation seemed greater for ACE than for YSI, we concluded that a system developed for human self-monitoring of blood glucose, such as the ACE, can be used to monitor the glycemic status of cattle.
Cerebral Hemodynamics in Benign Intracranial Hypertension Studied with PET

The pathogenesis of benign intracranial hypertension (BIH) remains poorly understood. Many investigators suspect the disorder to be caused by obstruction of CSF outflow at the arachnoid villi (Johnston 1973), but this same mechanism is also suspected to cause an entirely different syndrome, normal pressure hydrocephalus. In 1985, I proposed that BIH might be caused be weakness in the walls of the dural venous sinuses, resulting in compression of the venous sinuses, partial venous outflow obstruction, and elevated ICP (Junck 1986).
SIGNIFICANCE OF BACTERIAL SPORES IN MILK1,2

Sporeforming bacteria are present in practically all raw milk, but usually in small numbers if the milk is produced under modern sanitary conditions. There appears to be no relationship between total bacteria and spore counts, nor between total bacteria and the incidence of any given species of sporeforming organism. Bacillus species account for about 95% of the total sporeforming bacteria in milk, with Clostridium species comprising the remainder. In the United States, approximately 43% of the Bacillus organisms are B. licheniformis and 37% are B. cereus. Reports from some other countries indicate a predominance of B. cereus, or essentially a reversal in the prevalance of these two species. Spores of both these organisms survive low temperature pasteurization, some persisting through even the lower temperatures in the ultra-high range, and recent reports indicate that some sporeformers are psychrotrophic. B. cereus has been implicated in outbreaks of food-borne illness, but this is still controversial. S...
The Importance of Principals Supporting Dual Language Education: A Social Justice Leadership Framework

ABSTRACTRecent calls for social justice to be a key aspect of principal preparation have been made, but content related to the efficacy of dual language education has been a neglected area of educational leadership research, coursework, and principal preparation standards. We draw on scholarship focused on dual language education, social justice leadership, and the new Professional Standards for Educational Leadership to describe how principals can create dual language programs and lead for social justice and conclude with implications for preparation programs.
Finding the good in the bad: age and event experience relate to the focus on positive aspects of a negative event

All lives contain negative events, but how we think about these events differs across individuals; negative events often include positive details that can be remembered alongside the negative, and the ability to maintain both representations may be beneficial. In a survey examining emotional responses to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, the current study investigated how this ability shifts as a function of age and individual differences in initial experience of the event. Specifically, this study examined how emotional importance (i.e. self-reported emotional arousal and personal significance), involvement (i.e. self and friend/family involvement in the 2013 Boston Marathon and self-involvement in prior marathons), and self-reported surprise upon hearing about the event related to the tendency to report focusing on the negative and positive aspects of the bombings. Structural equation models revealed that while greater emotional importance and surprise were associated with a greater focus on negative elements, involvement and age were associated with increased consideration of positive aspects. Further, emotional importance was more strongly related to an increased focus on negative aspects for young adults and an increased focus on positive aspects for older adults, highlighting a tendency for older adults to enhance positive features of an otherwise highly negative event.
The link between adjacent codon pairs and mRNA stability

Evidence in diverse organisms suggests that codon optimality is a major determinant of mRNA translation and degradation. Codon optimality is thought to act by modulating the efficiency of ribosome elongation. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a recent study has identified 17 adjacent codon pairs that mediate strong inhibition of translation elongation. However, relationships between the inhibitory codon pairs and other aspects of gene expression are unknown. To gain insights into how the inhibitory codon pairs may affect aspects of gene expression, we utilized existing datasets to conduct genome-scale analyses in S. cerevisiae. Our analysis revealed the following points. First, the inhibitory codon pairs are significantly associated with faster mRNA decay. The association is not solely due to the content of nucleotides, individual codons, or dipeptides encoded by the inhibitory codon pairs. Second, the inhibitory codon pairs cannot fully explain the previously known relationship of codon optimality with mRNA stability, suggesting that optimality of individual codons and properties of adjacent codon pairs both contribute to gene regulation. Finally, although the inhibitory codon pairs are associated with slower mRNA synthesis and protein instability, the associations can be attributed to usage bias in individual codons. This study suggests an association of inhibitory codon pairs with mRNA stability and thus another layer of complexity in the codon-mediated gene regulation.
Ticketing Aggressive Cars and Trucks (TACT): how does it work on city streets?

ABSTRACTObjective: The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of modifying the Ticking Aggressive Cars and Trucks (TACT) program, originally designed to work on state highways, within a metropolitan area to reduce unsafe interactions and their related crashes between drivers of large trucks and passenger vehicles.Methods: Using crash data, the driving behaviors most commonly associated with large truck and passenger vehicle crashes were identified. A public awareness campaign using media messaging and increased law enforcement was created targeting these associated behaviors. The frequency of these behaviors both before and after the public awareness campaign was determined through observation of traffic at 3 specific locations within the city. Each location had a sufficient volume of large truck and passenger traffic to observe frequent interactions. Pre- and postintervention data were compared using negative binomial regression with generalized estimating equations to evaluate whether th...
Biomarkers of cardiovascular disease: contributions to risk prediction in individuals with diabetes

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death, especially in individuals with diabetes mellitus, whose risk of morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular disease is markedly increased compared with the general population. There has been growing interest in the identification of biomarkers of cardiovascular disease in people with diabetes. The present review focuses on the current and potential contributions of these biomarkers to predicting cardiovascular risk in individuals with diabetes. At present, certain biomarkers and biomarker combinations can lead to modest improvements in the prediction of cardiovascular disease in diabetes beyond traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Emerging technologies may enable the discovery of novel biomarkers and generate new information about known biomarkers (such as new combinations of biomarkers), which could lead to significant improvements in cardiovascular disease risk prediction. A critical question, however, is whether improvements in risk prediction will affect processes of care and decision making in clinical practice, as this will be required to achieve the ultimate goal of improving clinical outcomes in diabetes.
Linking Race-Based Perceptions of Gangs to Criminals and Athletes

This articles uses the work of Pyrooz and Densley as a springboard for a larger discussion of race-based perceptions from gangs to criminals to athletes. It concludes by showcasing how perceptions do not always equate with reality and the consequences of doing so.
Effect of Diabetes Mellitus on Sickle Hemoglobin Quantitation in Sickle Cell Trait.

Objectives We evaluated the effect of diabetes on sickle hemoglobin (HbS) measurement on two common clinical hemoglobin separation platforms. Methods We performed a method comparison between the Bio-Rad Variant II high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and Sebia Capillarys 2 Flex Piercing capillary electrophoresis (CE) using clinical specimens from 38 patients without hemoglobin variants and 57 patients with sickle cell trait (AS) (HbA1c%, 4.1%-15.4%). We investigated the effect of intermethod Hb% differences on result interpretation by a panel of expert clinical observers. Results In diabetic specimens, HPLC undermeasured HbS% up to 7.4% vs CE, due to S1c eluting closely with A0 in HPLC. This increased concern for underlying α-thalassemia in diabetic patients with AS based on HPLC results. HPLC P2% was linearly related to HbA1c% and can be a screen for diabetic AS samples. Conclusions Glycosylation can interfere with HbS% measurement by HPLC. Susceptible specimens should be identified and preferentially analyzed via CE.
Basic Concepts in Glioma Immunology

Glioblasotmas are the most common primary central nervous system tumor and typically have a dismal prognosis. Immunotherapy has been a promising experimental treatment. Understanding brain tumor immunobiology is critical to designing glioblasotma immunotherapies. In this chapter, we review aspects of basic immunology and neuro-immunology. The antigenic underpinnings of brain tumor immunotherapy including glioma-associated and glioma-specific antigens are discussed. Finally, the molecular and cellular facets of glioma-mediated immunosuppression are outlined. The role of multiple cell types (glioma cells, glioma-infiltrating monocytes, regulatory T cells and myeloid derived suppressor cells) in mediating local and systemic immunosuppression in glioma patients is evaluated.
Calcium channels, potassium channels, and voltage dependence of arterial smooth muscle tone

Resistance arteries exist in a maintained contracted state from which they can dilate or constrict depending on need. In many cases, these arteries constrict to membrane depolarization and dilate to membrane hyperpolarization and Ca-channel blockers. We discuss recent information on the regulation of arterial smooth muscle voltage-dependent Ca channels by membrane potential and vasoconstrictors and on the regulation of membrane potential and K channels by vasodilators. We show that voltage-dependent Ca channels in the steady state can be open and very sensitive to membrane potential changes in a range that occurs in resistance arteries with tone. Many synthetic and endogenous vasodilators act, at least in part, through membrane hyperpolarization caused by opening K channels. We discuss evidence that these vasodilators act on a common target, the ATP-sensitive K (KATP) channel that is inhibited by sulfonylurea drugs. We propose the following hypotheses that presently explain these findings: 1) arterial smooth muscle tone is regulated by membrane potential primarily through the voltage dependence of Ca channels; 2) many vasoconstrictors act, in part, by opening voltage-dependent Ca channels through membrane depolarization and activation by second messengers; and 3) many vasodilators work, in part, through membrane hyperpolarization caused by KATP channel activation.
Youth and young adult mental health: Interventions, services, systems, and rehabilitation

What are the needs, perceptions and experiences of individuals with serious mental health conditions during the transition to adulthood? How can services best support them during this stage of life? These are the two interrelated questions that the articles in this special section address. The populations of focus in these articles are diverse: college students receiving educational supports, White and Latino young adults receiving employment supports, youth and young adults with justice system involvement, young adults with mood disorders, and service providers for youth in transition to adulthood in large urban behavioral health centers. The focus on diverse samples highlights some of the progress in the field. Questions about the needs of, and effective services for, individuals with serious mental health conditions as they transition into adulthood have moved from asking broad questions to including questions about more specific marginalized subgroups. As editors, we hope this special section provides readers with up-to-date literature syntheses and new knowledge, while also moving the field forward toward more research, more effective services for this age group, and services that will enhance their recovery and overall life outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
Reefs need richness.

The importance of biodiversity for productive community functioning is emerging as one of a very few general rules in ecology, but evidence has been sparse that it applies in tropical coral reefs—until now.
Islam, Authoritarianism, and Underdevelopment: A Global and Historical Comparison

Why do Muslim-majority countries exhibit high levels of authoritarianism and low levels of socio-economic development in comparison to world averages? Ahmet T. Kuru criticizes explanations which point to Islam as the cause of this disparity, because Muslims were philosophically and socio-economically more developed than Western Europeans between the ninth and twelfth centuries. Nor was Western colonialism the cause: Muslims had already suffered political and socio-economic problems when colonization began. Kuru argues that Muslims had influential thinkers and merchants in their early history, when religious orthodoxy and military rule were prevalent in Europe. However, in the eleventh century, an alliance between orthodox Islamic scholars (the ulema) and military states began to emerge. This alliance gradually hindered intellectual and economic creativity by marginalizing intellectual and bourgeois classes in the Muslim world. This important study links its historical explanation to contemporary politics by showing that, to this day, ulema-state alliance still prevents creativity and competition in Muslim countries.
Evaluation of Classifier Complexity for Delay Tolerant Network Routing

The growing popularity of small cost-effective satellites (SmallSats, CubeSats, etc.) creates the potential for a variety of new science applications involving multiple nodes functioning together to achieve a task, such as swarms and constellations. As this technology develops and is deployed for missions in Low Earth Orbit and beyond, the use of delay tolerant networking (DTN) techniques may improve communication capabilities within the network. In this paper, a network hierarchy is developed from heterogeneous networks of SmallSats, surface vehicles, relay satellites and ground stations which form an integrated network. There is a trade-off between complexity, flexibility, and scalability of user defined schedules versus autonomous routing as the number of nodes in the network increases. To address these issues, this work proposes a machine learning classifier based on DTN routing metrics. A framework is developed which will allow for the use of several categories of machine learning algorithms (decision tree, random forest, and deep learning) to be applied to a dataset of historical network statistics, which allows for the evaluation of algorithm complexity versus performance to be explored. We develop the emulation of a hierarchical network, consisting of tens of nodes which form a cognitive network architecture. CORE (Common Open Research Emulator) is used to emulate the network using bundle protocol and DTN IP neighbor discovery.
Milkis, Sidney M., and Daniel J. Tichenor. Rivalry and Reform: Presidents, Social Movements, and the Transformation of American Politics: Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2019. 386 pages. $105 (hardcover); $35 (softcover).

Social movements, by their very nature, tend to be disruptive. Many arise as a challenge to existing norms, standards, or behaviors. These movements are often conflictual and seek to antagonize the...
Potential-Based Strategies for Tic-Tac-Toe on the Integer Lattice with Numerous Directions

We consider a tic-tac-toe game played on the $d$-dimensional integer lattice. The game that we investigate is a Maker–Breaker version of tic-tac-toe. In a Maker–Breaker game, the first player, Maker, only tries to occupy a winning line and the second player, Breaker, only tries to stop Maker from occupying a winning line. We consider the bounded number of directions game, in which we designate a finite set of direction-vectors ${\cal S} \subset {\Bbb Z}^d$ which determines the set of winning lines. We show, by using the Erdős–Selfridge theorem and a modification of a theorem by Beck about games played on almost-disjoint hypergraphs, that for the special case when the coordinates of each direction-vector are bounded, i.e., when ${\cal S} \subset \{ \vec{v} : \|\vec{v}\|_\infty \leq k \}$, Breaker can win this game if the length of each winning line is on the order of $d^2\lg(dk)$ and $d^2\lg(k)$, respectively. In addition, we show that Maker can build winning lines of length up to $(1+o(1))d\lg k $ if ${\cal S}$ is the set of all direction-vectors with coordinates bounded by $k$. We also apply these methods to the $n$-consecutive lattice points game on the $N^d$ board with (essentially) ${\cal S} = {\Bbb Z}^d$, and we show that the phase transition from a win for Maker to a win for Breaker occurs at $n= (d+o(1))\lg N$.
Experimenting with Writing Identities on Facebook through Intertextuality and Interdiscursivity

Abstract This study of two college students’ writing on Facebook demonstrates how participants experiment with writing identities on the social network site. Both users describe the persona options available to them on Facebook as limited yet engage in varied rhetorical experiments to achieve their intended personae. Through an analysis of data gathered in an interview with each participant and screenshots of each participant’s Facebook page, I found that both users’ attempts at intertextual and interdiscursive composing practices demonstrate varied levels of success in their construction of digital writing identities. The article concludes with suggestions for how college composition instructors can teach students to understand intertextual practices across digital and academic writing.
Lacrimal Gland Postganglionic Innervation: Unveiling the Role of Parasympathetic and Sympathetic Nerves in Stimulating Tear Secretion.

This commentary highlights the article by Jin et al that studied the regulation of lacrimal gland innervation by sympathetic and parasympathetic components.
Small-angle scattering for characterization of pharmaceutical materials

Abstract Small-angle scattering (SAS) is a versatile analytical technique that provides detailed structural information from a sample at the length scale of nanometers. In this overview, we discuss the basic principles of SAS and the diverse applications of the technique in characterization of pharmaceutical materials. Examples include identification of liquid-crystalline mesophase of drugs, influence of excipient microstructure on the final product performance, and formulation optimization of solid dispersions as well as protein-based therapeutics.
Treating a chronic disease without chronic adherence.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is common, chronic inflammatory dermatosis affecting children and adults. Treatment of atopic dermatitis typically involves combinations of topical agents including corticost...
How to End Our Stories: A Study of The Perspectives of Seniors on Dementia and Decisionmaking

Because dementia can cause individuals to make decisions that they otherwise would not, the law needs a mechanism to determine which decisions are entitled to the respect of the legal system and which may be overridden by others. In the philosophical literature, three primary theories for how to make this determination have been offered. First, "Cognitivism" posits that whether a decision should be recognized is a function of the mechanical functioning of the individual's brain at the time the decision is made. Second, "Essentialism" holds that decisions should be recognized so long as they are consistent with the cluster of values and attributes that define the individual. Third, "Narrativism" argues that decisions should be respected where they follow from the life story of the individual making them. In the growing tradition of experimental philosophy, this Article empirically analyzes support for these three alternative theories in a mixed-methods study involving a population of American seniors, including an online survey (n=235) and interviews (n=25). Close analysis of the results revealed a near-consensus that Narrativism is the theoretical framework through which participants understood the question of when the legal system should intervene in private decisionmaking. In short, participants wanted the legal capacity to make decisions taken from them only when dementia became so advanced that they would no longer be the same person they previously had been, which they understood as a question of narrative continuity.
Case Study 12: Roadmap to Quantifying Ago2-Mediated siRNA Metabolic Activation Kinetics.

Therapeutic siRNA is a prodrug that requires Ago2-mediated site-specific hydrolysis of the sense strand before RNA interference can occur. Although this metabolic activation step was first described 15 years ago, the kinetics of this reaction, and its relationship to in vivo siRNA efficacy, remains unexplored in the literature. To provide a roadmap to address these gaps, we describe a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method to monitor formation of the cleaved sense-strand metabolites in a reconstituted system. In the absence of metabolite standards for quantitation, we apply an ionization efficiency correction across a panel of siRNA molecules and find that it improves in vitro-in vivo correlation in a transgenic mouse model. Finally, we lay out a case for why Michaelis-Menten kinetics will likely be inadequate for describing Ago2-mediated metabolic activation kinetics, and propose several alternative models that can be solved numerically and applied to quantitated kinetic data when it becomes available.
Contemporary and historic population structure of Abies spectabilis at treeline in Barun valley, eastern Nepal Himalaya

Treeline ecotone dynamics of Abies spectabilis(D. Don) Mirb.in the Barun valley, Makalu Barun National Park, eastern Nepal Himalaya were studied by establishing seven plots (20 m × variable length) from the forestline to the tree species limit: three plots on the south- and north-facing slopes each (S1-S3, N1-N3), and one plot on the east-facing slope (E) in the relatively undisturbed forests. A dendroecological method was used to study treeline advance rate and recruitment pattern. In all the plots, most trees established in the early 20th century, and establishment in the second half of the 20th century was confined to the forestline area. Treeline position has not advanced substantially in the Barun valley, with only 22 m average elevational shift in the last 130 years, and with average current shifting rate of 14 cm/yr. Moreover, no significant relationship was found between tree age and elevation on the south-, north-, and east-facing slopes. The number of seedlings and saplings in near the treeline area was negligible compared to that near the forestline area. Therefore, A. spectabilis treeline response to the temperature change was slow, despite the increasing temperature trend in the region. Beside the temperature change, factors such as high inter-annual variability in temperature, dense shrub cover, and local topography also play an important role in treeline advance and controlling recruitment pattern above the treeline.
Towards Emotion in Sigma: From Appraisal to Attention

A first step is taken towards incorporating emotional processing into Sigma, a cognitive architecture that is grounded in graphical models, with the addition of appraisal variables for expectedness and desirability plus their initial implications for attention at two levels of the control hierarchy. The results leverage many of Sigma's existing capabilities but with a few key additions.
Inquiry As To If Higher Dimensions Can Be Used to Unify DM and DE, If Massive Gravitons Are Stable

The following questions are raised in this document. First, can there be a stable (massive) graviton? If so, does this massive graviton, as modeled by KK DM, with a modification of slight 4 dimensional space mass, contribute to DE, at least in terms of re acceleration ? The answer, if one assumes that the square of a frequency for graviton mass is real valued and greater than zero appears to be affirmative. The author, when considering a joint DM – DE model finds evidence that re acceleration of the universe one billion years ago in a higher dimensional setting can be justified in terms of a slight modification of standard KK DM models, if one considers how an information exchange between present to prior universes occurs, which the author thinks mandates more than four dimensional space time geometry.
Pullback in knowledge engineering

Introduction Constantin Virgil NegoiVt received his PhD in Information Sciences from the Polytechnic Institute of Bucharest in 1969. He was Professor of system theory at the Faculty of Economic Cybernetics and head of the research laboratory at the Institute of Management and Informatics, Bucharest, Romania. He is currently Professor at the Department of Computer Science, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, U.S.A. He is a senior member of the IEEE Computer Society, and the New York Academy of Sciences, coauthor of Applications of Fuzzy Sets to System Analysis (Halsted Press, New York, 1975), author of Management Applications of System Theory (Birkhauser Verlag, Basel, 1979) and Fuzzy Systems (Abacus, Tunbridge Wells, 1981), an editor of the Journal of Fuzzy Sets and Systems, and a member of the editorial boards of Kybernetes and Human Systems Management.
Biology of decisionary and learning mechanisms in mammalian CA3-hippocampus: A Review

This is a review of those aspects of mammalian hippocampal biology that seem most relevant to brain modeller's questions about circuit-level decisionary and learning mechanisms and general functional roles. Sections are included on hippocampal anatomy and electrophysiology, overall functions, memory processes, afferent information, pathology, and ontogeny and ethology.
Decision Making in Sexual Assault Cases:: Do Black and Female Judges Make a Difference?

Those who champion the recruitment of minorities and women to the bench argue that black and female judges could bring about important policy changes. This study compared decision making by black and white and by male and female judges in sexual assault cases disposed of in Detroit Recorder's Court from 1976 to 1985. We found no racial differences and very few gender differences. The only exception was that female judges imposed longer prison sentences than did male judges. Considered together, the findings are indicative of the powerful influence of socialization on the legal profession and on the judicial role.
Applied Intermediate Macroeconomics: Unemployment and the Labor-Market Process

If the typical recession were nothing more than a 2–3 percent fall in real GDP, most people would probably shrug it off as a nuisance. But recessions are typically associated with a sharp rise in unemployment, so that the costs are painfully concentrated on a narrow segment of the population. Why the economy should suffer from recurring bouts of unemployment is one of the great puzzles of macroeconomics. In this chapter, we explore the concept and causes of unemployment and lay the groundwork for macroeconomic policies that might reduce it. The Concepts of Employment and Unemployment One implication of the perfectly competitive model of the labor market as we described it in the last chapter is that everyone who wants to work at the market wage is able to find work at that wage. To put another way: there is no involuntary unemployment. Yet, every month the government announces that some significant percentage of the labor force is unemployed. An important question, then, is, why is there unemployment? Before we attempt to answer that question, it will help to understand what unemployment means. In this section, we shall consider labor markets out of equilibrium. Our goal is to define some important concepts. We return to the question of why the labor market is out of equilibrium in the next section.
Prediction of deformations during gas-tungsten-arc stationary welds

Local temperature measurements on the heated and unheated surfaces and strain measurements on the unheated surfaces of unrestrained circular weld specimens of annealed and cold-rolled Nitronic 40 stainless steel during stationary welding are compared with values predicted from finite-element programs for temperature and strain variations. Experimental and predicted temperature histories agree within 10 percent. Predicted and measured hoop strain profiles (using a moire fringe technique) for the unheated surface are compared, showing significant deviations near the central region. Transient deflection measurements of the unheated specimen surfaces show good agreement with theory during the period the arc is operating. Close agreement in deflection behavior was observed during the cooling portion of the weld cycle for the annealed specimen. whereas substantial deviations occurred for the cold-rolled specimens.
CD40 ligand is expressed and functional on activated neonatal T cells.

Deficient CD40 ligand (CD40L) expression by neonatal T cells has been proposed to explain the diminished Ig production by newborns. Therefore, we examined the expression and function of CD40L on activated neonatal CD4+ T cells isolated from cord blood. Anti-CD3 activation of neonatal T cells resulted in the expression of CD40L demonstrated with specific mAb or a soluble CD40.G1 construct. The level of expression was comparable to that of adult memory CD4+ T cells. In contrast, PMA and ionomycin induced only minimal CD40L expression by neonatal T cells, whereas adult memory T cells expressed CD40L comparably after stimulation with PMA and ionomycin or anti-CD3. The expression of CD40L was blocked by cyclosporine and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). IL-2 IL-4 partially reversed the inhibition of CD40L expression by cyclosporine, and IL-2 reversed the inhibition by PGE2. CD40L expressed by neonatal T cells was functionally active, since neonatal T cell-dependent production of IgG4 and IgE was inhibited by a soluble CD40.G1 construct. Moreover, neonatal T cells supported the secretion of significantly more IgG, IgA, and IgE than CD40L-deficient hyper-IgM T cell clones. In addition, neonatal CD4+ T cells induced CD86 B7-2) expression by neonatal B cells that was blocked by anti-CD40L but not by control mAb. The results indicate that neonatal T cells activated through the TCR/CD3 complex express CD40L and use it to promote CD86 expression, Ig secretion and heavy chain isotype switching by neonatal B cells.
B7-H1 (Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1) Is Required for the Development of Multifunctional Th1 Cells and Immunity to Primary, but Not Secondary, Salmonella Infection

Robust Ab and CD4 T cell responses are required for the resolution of Salmonella infection in susceptible mice. In this study, we examined the role of B7-H1 (programmed cell death ligand 1) in resistance to primary Salmonella infection. Infected B7-H1–deficient mice had significantly higher bacterial burdens at day 21 and day 35 postinfection compared with wild-type mice, demonstrating that B7-H1 plays an important role in immunity to Salmonella . B7-H1–deficient and wild-type mice both generated Salmonella -specific IgM and IgG2c Ab responses to infection, and clonal expansion of endogenous and adoptively transferred Salmonella -specific CD4 T cells was similar in both groups. However, although Salmonella -specific IFN-γ–producing Th1 CD4 T cells were generated in Salmonella -infected B7-H1–deficient mice, these cells did not expand to the level observed in wild-type mice. Furthermore, fewer multifunctional Th1 cells that simultaneously secreted IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-2 were detected in Salmonella -infected B7-H1–deficient mice. Together, these data demonstrate that B7-H1 is required for the generation of multifunctional Th1 responses and optimal protective immunity to primary Salmonella infection.
Computing with interference: all-optical single-query 50-element database search

Summary form only given. Quantum information processing relies on interference and entanglement. Certain quantum algorithms have been demonstrated using interference alone. These have been criticized on the grounds that the number of resources they require does not scale favorably with the size of the database. Nonetheless it has been argued that algorithms implemented entirely using interference may be more efficient than algorithms implemented on classical particle-based machines.
The Information/Puffery Profile and Magazine Advertisement Readership

This study examines the relationship between the amount of information and puffery in magazine advertisements, and its impact on widely-employed readership scores. Magazine advertisements for cars which had been studied by Gallup and Robinson were used in the investigation. Gallup and Robinson's proved name registration and favourable buying attitude scores were correlated with information and puffery content for both foreign and domestic advertisements. Findings suggest that information content leads to a more favourable buying attitude score for foreign advertisements while puffery is more closely related to proved name registration scores for the domestic advertisements. Conclusions are drawn concerning how other marketing factors might influence magazine advertisement reading dynamics. Social concerns about the value of information vis-´-vis puffery in advertising are also discussed.
The Evolution of Assessment: Learning about Culture from a Serious Game

In ill-defined domains, properly assessing learning is, itself, an illdefined problem. Over the last several years, the domain of interest to us has been teaching Americans about Iraqi business culture via a serious-game-based practice environment. We describe this system and the various measures we used in a series of studies to assess its ability to teach. As subsequent studies identified the limits of each measure, we selected additional measures that would let us better understand what and how people were learning, using Bloom’s revised taxonomy as a guide. We relate these and other lessons we learned in the process of refining our solution to this ill-defined problem.
States' implementation of the Affordable Care Act and the supply of physicians waivered to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid dependence.

Abstract Background Although the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is anticipated to affect substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, its impact on the supply of physicians waivered to treat opioid dependence with buprenorphine has not been considered. This study examined whether states more supportive of ACA, meaning those that had opted to expand Medicaid and establish a state-based health insurance exchange, experienced greater growth in physician supply than less supportive states. Methods Buprenorphine physician supply, including total physician supply, supply of 30-patient physicians, and supply of 100-patient physicians per 100,000 state residents, was measured from June 2013 to May 2015. State characteristics were drawn from multiple secondary sources, with states categorized as ACA-supportive, ACA-hybrid (where states either expanded Medicaid or established a state-based exchange), or ACA-resistant (where states took neither action). Mixed effects regression was used to estimate state-level growth curves to test whether rates of growth varied by states’ approaches to implementing ACA. Results The supply of waivered physicians grew significantly over the two-year period. Rates of growth were significantly lower in ACA-hybrid and ACA-resistant states relative to growth in ACA-supportive states. Average buprenorphine physician supply at baseline varied by region, the percentage of residents covered by Medicaid, and the supply of specialty SUD treatment programs. Conclusions This study found a positive impact of the ACA on growth in the supply of buprenorphine-waivered physicians in US states. Future research should address whether the ACA affects the number of patients receiving buprenorphine, Medicaid spending, and the quality of treatment services delivered.
Religious programs, institutional adjustment, and recidivism among former inmates in prison fellowship programs

This study examines the impact of religious programs on institutional adjustment and recidivism rates in two matched groups of inmates from four adult male prisons in New York State. One group had participated in programs sponsored by Prison Fellowship (PF); the other had no involvement with PF. PF and non-PF inmates are similar on measures of institutional adjustment, as measured by both general and serious prison infractions, and recidivism, as measured by arrests during a one-year follow-up period. However, after controlling for level of involvement in PF-sponsored programs, inmates who were most active in Bible studies were significantly less likely to be rearrested during the follow-up period.
The effect of various sugars and polyols on the stability of vitamin B12.

The stability of vitamin B 12 was studied in aqueous solutions of sorbitol, glycerin, dextrose, and sucrose. Solutions were kept at 25°, 45°, and 100° for periods up to one hundred and forty days. Vitamin B 12 content was determined spectrophotometrically using an absorption maximum of 361 mμ. It was found that vitamin B 12 is compatible with sorbitol and glycerin at 25° and 45°. Dextrose and sucrose solutions were found to cause the loss of vitamin B 12 in solution. Dextrose was more destructive to the vitamin than was sucrose.
A comparative study of decomposition algorithms for stochastic combinatorial optimization

This paper presents comparative computational results using three decomposition algorithms on a battery of instances drawn from two different applications. In order to preserve the commonalities among the algorithms in our experiments, we have designed a testbed which is used to study instances arising in server location under uncertainty and strategic supply chain planning under uncertainty. Insights related to alternative implementation issues leading to more efficient implementations, benchmarks for serial processing, and scalability of the methods are also presented. The computational experience demonstrates the promising potential of the disjunctive decomposition (D 2) approach towards solving several large-scale problem instances from the two application areas. Furthermore, the study shows that convergence of the D 2 methods for stochastic combinatorial optimization (SCO) is in fact attainable since the methods scale well with the number of scenarios.