cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Feature Transformation Detection Method with Best Spectral Band Selection Process for Hyper-spectral Imaging

We present a newly developed feature transformation (FT) detection method for hyper-spectral imagery (HSI) sensors. In essence, the FT method, by transforming the original features (spectral bands) to a different feature domain, may considerably increase the statistical separation between the target and background probability density functions, and thus may significantly improve the target detection and identification performance, as evidenced by the test results in this paper. We show that by differentiating the original spectral, one can completely separate targets from the background using a single spectral band, leading to perfect detection results. In addition, we have proposed an automated best spectral band selection process with a double-threshold scheme that can rank the available spectral bands from the best to the worst for target detection. Finally, we have also proposed an automated cross-spectrum fusion process to further improve the detection performance in lower spectral range (<1000 nm) by selecting the best spectral band pair with multivariate analysis. Promising detection performance has been achieved using a small background material signature library for concept-proving, and has then been further evaluated and verified using a real background HSI scene collected by a HYDICE sensor.
Vanduzea segmentata (Fowler) (Hemiptera: Membracidae): Seasonality and Habits in the Southeastern United States, with Review of Its U.S. Distribution and Host Plants

Abstract.— Vanduzea segmentata, a membracid of the smiliine tribe Amastrini, was known only from the western United States and Mexico until it was reported from Louisiana in the 1930s. A collection in the Florida Panhandle in 1954 represented the first record east of the Mississippi River; the first record from peninsular Florida was 2001. The membracid has remained known in southeastern states only from Florida and Louisiana, with scant data available on its bionomics. We give the first records of V. segmentata from Alabama and Georgia, noting features that distinguish it from other species of Vanduzea in the Southeast, and review its previously published U.S. distribution and plant associations. We found nymphs and adults mainly on mimosa, or silk tree (Albizia julibrissin Durazz.; Fabaceae), but other fabaceous species and composites (Asteraceae) also were hosts. Periodic sampling of mimosa in southeastern Georgia indicated that the membracid is trivoltine, with overwintered eggs beginning to hatch in ...
A New Method for Technetium Microsphere Agitation

One of the most commonly used radiopharmaceuticals for lung imaging is technetium-labeled microspheres that are produced by the 3M Co. These microspheres are widely used due to their fine quality and easy preparation. The relatively uniform microsphere size (ranging from 15 to 30 microns in diameter) and the even distribution throughout the pulmonary capillary bed are two of the advantages over the MAA particles. The disadvantage of the microspheres is the radiation exposure to the hands during the prescribed manual agitation time in the tagging preparation of the kit. It is the purpose of this paper to describe an inexpensive method of eliminating this excessive exposure by using an automatic agitation device that is relatively simple to construct.
Specular graphene transport barrier

We present a flexible model for a generic straight transport barrier in graphene in the specular limit. The specular limit applies for scattering of carriers sufficiently close to the Fermi level in three quarters of the transport barriers. Using the Lippmann-Schwinger equation, we obtain the wave function, from which we derive the reflection and transmission probabilities as a function of the angle of incidence. The results, which are compared to those from exact multichannel tight-binding quantum transport calculations, show that some barriers exhibit a broader absence of reflection across a wide range of incident angles, whereas other barriers are highly reflective. The power of our model is that it could be used even when the precise atomistic detail of the transport barriers is unknown.
Distinct neuronal activation patterns are associated with PCP-induced social withdrawal and its reversal by the endocannabinoid-enhancing drug URB597

The fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitor, URB597, an endocannabinoid enhancing drug, reverses social withdrawal in the sub-chronic PCP rat model of schizophrenia, but reduces social interaction (SI) in controls. To identify the anatomical substrates associated with PCP-induced social withdrawal and the contrasting effects of URB597 on SI in PCP- versus saline-treated rats, we analyzed SI-induced c-Fos expression in 28 brain areas relevant to schizophrenia and/or social behavior following vehicle or URB597 administration. In saline-treated rats, SI was accompanied by changes in c-Fos expression in the infralimbic and orbitofrontal cortices, dorsomedial caudate putamen, ventrolateral nucleus of the septum, dorsolateral periaqueductal gray (dlPAG) and central amygdala. Except for the dlPAG, these changes were not observed in PCP-treated rats or in saline-treated rats receiving URB597. In the dorsomedial part of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (dmBNST), SI-induced c-Fos expression was observed only in PCP-treated rats. Interestingly, URB597 in PCP-treated rats restored a similar c-Fos expression pattern as observed in saline-treated rats: activation of the orbitofrontal cortex, inhibition of the central amygdala and suppression of activation of the dmBNST. These data suggest that orbitofrontal cortex, central amygdala and dmBNST play a critical role in the reversal of PCP-induced social withdrawal by URB597.
Study on the adaptability evaluation of wind power accommodation in regional power grid

Since the accommodation ability between networks cannot be evaluated simply by calculating wind power accommodation capacity,this paper studies the adaptability evaluation on wind power accommodation in regional power grid,considering the influence of peak- load shifting and the limitation of power transmission of tie lines.On the basis of the method,the paper proposes the evaluation index,which makes the adaptability evaluation system complete,so as to enhance the accommodation capacity of power grid.
Cardiotoxicity Associated with Trastuzumab Therapy in Taiwan: A Single Medical Center's 5-Year Experience

Abstract Introduction Trastuzumab, a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody, targets the external domain of HER2 to improve the efficacy of HER2-positive breast cancer treatment and inhibit carcinoma cellular proliferation. The purpose of this study was to identify early changes in cardiac function and dimensional changes in heart size in patients treated with trastuzumab. Materials and Methods Seventy three female patients with Her2/neu overexpression (IHC 3+/Fish +) in breast cancer underwent echocardiography before and after trastuzumab therapy. Results Cardiac complications developed in 14 patients (19.2%), including asymptomatic left ventricle systolic dysfunction (n = 12), symptomatic heart failure (n = 2), new asymptomatic left bundle branch block (n = 1), new negative T waves on electrocardiogram (n = 2), pericardial effusion (n = 1), and death (n = 1). No significant deterioration in diastolic function was noted, and right heart diameters and function did not change significantly. Most patients remained in an asymptomatic stage of cardiac disease. A significant decrease in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was observed in 14 patients (19.2%), and new mitral regurgitation (≥ grade 1) was noted after 3 months of trastuzumab therapy in 7 patients (9.6%). Conclusions Trastuzumab led to measurable decreases in LVEF (but only 2.7% was symptomatic heart failure) and new mitral regurgitation. Therefore, regular follow-up with echocardiography is essential for early detection and prevention of trastuzumab-induced cardiomyopathy.
Cell Density and Receptor-Adenylate Cyclase Relationships in the C-6 Astrocytoma Cell

The maximum stimulation at saturating concentrations of epinephrine ( V max ) of catecholamine-sensitive adenylate cyclase of rat C-6 astrocytoma cells in culture is significantly enhanced when the cells achieve confluence. This relationship is apparent whether measured as increased levels of adenosine cyclic 39,59-monophosphate (cAMP) in intact cells, without or with serum present, or as ATP-dependent cAMP formation by cell homogenates. Corresponding to this increase, the adenylate cyclase activity stimulated by fluoride increased with increased cell density, as was also noted for cAMP phosphodiesterase. When intact cells in the presence of serum are exposed to epinephrine for 2 min, the epinephrine concentration giving half-maximal stimulation ( K m ) increases from 100 to 600 nM as cell cultures grow from low density to confluence; similarly, an increase in the dissociation constant K b for the antagonist propranolol, from 1 to 10 nM, was found as cell density increased. The attribution of those trends to intercellular interaction rather than to total cell number per plate or to manipulation of cells at the time of subculture is supported by the absence of such trends in nonhomogeneously dispersed cell culture preparations. Thus, under these conditions of cell culture and investigation, the effective affinity for catecholamine or antagonist decreases as a function of cell density. It was further noted, however, that in the absence of serum the K m for epinephrine did not change with cell density, and after cells had been incubated with propranolol for 45 min the apparent K b was 1 nM, independent of cell density. It is concluded that the increase in V max , with increasing cell density is not associated with any inherent change in the affinity or sensitivity of the catecholamine receptor-cyclase complex, but may be related to an increase in total catalytic activity.
RECURSIVE ESTIMATION AND ADAPTIVE FORECASTING IN ARIMA MODELS WITH TIME VARYING COEFFICIENTS

Recursive estimation and adaptive forecasting in ARIMA models in which the coefficients themselves follow a stochastic process are discussed. In these models the influence of past observations on the coefficient estimates and on the forecasts is discounted. The random walk as a model for time varying coefficients is studied in detail. In this model the covariance matrix of the innovations determines the variability of the coefficients. Maximum likelihood estimates for these, in practical applications unknown, parameters are derived. The estimates are then used to recursively update coefficients and forecasts. In a simulation study the forecast improvement for a first order autoregressive model with time varying coefficients is discussed.
Tuning the wrinkling patterns of an interfacial/coating layer via a regulation interphase

Abstract In this investigation, the mechanical response of a tri-phase system subjected to far-field compression is explored. The system includes a stiffer interfacial/coating layer surrounded by an interphase/regulation layer, and both layers are embedded in an infinite softer matrix. Both theoretical and finite element (FE) mechanical models of the system are developed. From the results of these models, three wrinkling patterns are proved to exist: (I) single-layer wrinkling mode, (II) bi-layer wrinkling mode, and (III) the simultaneous nested-wrinkling mode. The wrinkling patterns are reported to be attributed to the instability of the system. The results of FE simulations show that the theoretical model can accurately predict the instability of the system. The influences of the geometry and material properties of all three phases on the transition between the three instability modes are quantified. It reveals that the regulation layer/interphase around the interfacial/coating layer is the key to tune the wrinkling patterns. The critical physical parameters to determine the characteristics of the three instability modes are the effective thickness ratio between the regulation layer and interfacial/coating layer, the effective stiffness ratio between the interfacial/coating layer and the regulation layer and that between the interfacial/coating layer and the matrix. As an example of the application of the theoretical model, a graded interfacial wrinkling pattern is designed and verified via FE simulations.
Gammaretroviral Production and T Cell Transduction to Genetically Retarget Primary T Cells Against Cancer.

Abstract Adoptive T cell therapy has demonstrated tremendous outcomes against treatment-refractory leukemias and solid tumor malignancies. As opposed to industry-developed drugs that are manufactured and dispensed to hospitals and/or patients, T cells are produced in academic laboratories for clinical research and are a highly personalized therapy that represents a "living drug." The technology behind genetic modification of primary T cells has been developed and refined by a few academic medical centers. We anticipate that the exciting results generated by these efforts will lead to further investigation by other academic and industry institutions. To facilitate this adaptation we present optimized protocols for gammaretroviral production, T cell isolation, and genetic modification to create gene-targeted T cells.
Poseidon's Curse: British Naval Impressment and Atlantic Origins of the American Revolution

Poseidon's Curse interprets the American Revolution from the vantage point of the Atlantic Ocean. Christopher P. Magra traces how British naval impressment played a leading role in the rise of Great Britain's seaborne empire, yet ultimately contributed significantly to its decline. Long reliant on appropriating free laborers to man the warships that defended British colonies and maritime commerce, the British severely jeopardized mariners' earning potential and occupational mobility, which led to deep resentment toward the British Empire. Magra explains how anger about impressment translated into revolutionary ideology, with impressment eventually occupying a major role in the Declaration of Independence as one of the foremost grievances Americans had with the British government.
Design of photovoltaic power system for a precursor mission for human exploration of mars

This project analyzed the viability of a photovoltaic power source for technology demonstration mission to demonstrate Mars in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) to produce propellant for a future human mission, based on technology available within the next ten years. For this assessment, we performed a power-system design study for a scaled ISRU demonstrator lander on the Mars surface based on existing solar array technologies.
The Coastal Zone Management Act: A Mixed Success

Coastal zones in the United States are becoming overpopulated and underlying ecosystems are being degraded. The ecosystem services that coastal zones provide will be compromised if we follow the current management path. As the population in these areas increases, so too does the amount of non-point source pollution. Integrated coastal zone management programs are needed to address non-point source pollution. Coastal zones are also in peril due to the current projections of sea level rise caused by climate change. A precautionary approach, such as that employed in Australia and New Zealand, must be used to protect coastal zones from the effects of global warming. The Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) of 1972 was created to preserve and protect coastal areas from pollution and overpopulation. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of the CZMA and the challenges it will face going forward.
A Chemotherapy-Only Regimen of Busulfan, Melphalan, and Fludarabine, and Rabbit Antithymocyte Globulin Followed by Allogeneic T-Cell Depleted Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantations for the Treatment of Myeloid Malignancies.

Abstract We sought to develop a myeloablative chemotherapeutic regimen to secure consistent engraftment of T-cell depleted (TCD) hematopoietic stem cell transplantations (HSCT) without the need for total body irradiation, thereby reducing toxicity while maintaining low rates of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and without increasing relapse. We investigated the myeloablative combination of busulfan (Bu) and melphalan (Mel), with the immunosuppressive agents fludarabine (Flu) and rabbit antithymocyte globulin (r-ATG) as cytoreduction before a TCD HSCT. No post-transplantation immunosuppression was administered. Between April 2001 and May 2008, 102 patients (median age, 55 years) with a diagnosis of primary or secondary myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) or acute myeloid leukemia (AML) underwent cytoreduction with Bu/Mel/Flu, followed by TCD grafts. TCD was accomplished by CD34+-selection followed by E-rosette depletion for peripheral blood stem cell grafts and, for bone marrow grafts, by soybean agglutination followed by E-rosette depletion. Donors included matched and mismatched, related and unrelated donors. Risk stratification was by American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation risk categorization for patients with primary disease. For patients with secondary/treatment-related MDS/AML, those in complete remission (CR) 1 or with refractory anemia were classified as intermediate risk, and all other patients were considered high risk. Neutrophil engraftment occurred at a median of 11 days in 100 of 101 evaluable patients. The cumulative incidences of grades II to IV acute and chronic GVHD at 1 year were 8.8% and 5.9%, respectively. Overall- and disease-free survival (DFS) rates at 5 years were 50.0% and 46.1%, respectively, and the cumulative incidences of relapse and treatment-related mortality were 23.5% and 28.4%, respectively. Stratification by risk group demonstrated superior DFS for low-risk patients (61.5% at 5 years) compared with intermediate- or high-risk (34.2% and 40.0%, respectively, P = .021). For patients with AML, those in CR1 had superior 5-year DFS compared with those in ≥CR2 (60% and 30.6%, respectively, P = .01), without a significant difference in incidence of relapse (17.1% and 30.6%, respectively, P = .209). There were no differences in DFS for other patient, donor, or disease characteristics. In summary, cytoreduction with Bu/Mel/Flu and r-ATG secured consistent engraftment of TCD transplantations. The incidences of acute/chronic GVHD and disease relapse were low, with favorable outcomes in this patient population with high-risk myeloid malignancies.
The Role of Stress, Trauma, and PTSD in the Etiology and Treatment of Eating Disorders, Addictions, and Substance Use Disorders

Stress, adversity, and trauma often play important roles in the etiology and treatment of substance use disorders, behavioral addictions, and eating disorders. At the outset, the term “trauma” is defined in terms of events, experiences, and effects, which often include the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and its symptoms. Much has been learned about the psychoneurobiology of stress response, trauma, and PTSD and associated comorbidity over the last several years. Literature illustrating how trauma and in particular PTSD predispose toward both addictions and eating disorders, particularly bulimic-spectrum disorders, is appraised. The emerging field of epigenetics and its relationship to understanding the role of trauma in the development of addictions and eating disorders is also examined. In addition, treatment implications and strategies for traumatized patients who are comorbid with PTSD and addictions and/or eating disorders are reviewed.
Delivery system innovation and collaboration: A case study on influencers of preventable hospitalizations

The fiscal pool that funds Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) projects has four interlinking categories, Categories I – IV. DSRIP that was adopted in nine counties of southeast Texas ...
Potato Herbicide Evaluations

This project was conducted to evaluate new and potential potato herbicides, League and Zidua, in weed management programs. Zidua (pyroxasulfone) is a BASF product now being used in crops of corn, soybeans, and wheat. Currently, Zidua is not labeled for use on potatoes but BASF is planning to expand the label to include the crop in the future. League herbicide, from Valent U.S.A. Corporation, has a supplemental label for potatoes. The active ingredient is imazosulfuron, an ALSinhibiting herbicide that is reported to have pre and postemergent activity against yellow nutsedge, purslane, and pigweeds, and postemergent activity against morning glory.
Optimization of black-box problems using Smolyak grids and polynomial approximations

A surrogate-based optimization method is presented, which aims to locate the global optimum of box-constrained problems using input–output data. The method starts with a global search of the n-dimensional space, using a Smolyak (Sparse) grid which is constructed using Chebyshev extrema in the one-dimensional space. The collected samples are used to fit polynomial interpolants, which are used as surrogates towards the search for the global optimum. The proposed algorithm adaptively refines the grid by collecting new points in promising regions, and iteratively refines the search space around the incumbent sample until the search domain reaches a minimum hyper-volume and convergence has been attained. The algorithm is tested on a large set of benchmark problems with up to thirty dimensions and its performance is compared to a recent algorithm for global optimization of grey-box problems using quadratic, kriging and radial basis functions. It is shown that the proposed algorithm has a consistently reliable performance for the vast majority of test problems, and this is attributed to the use of Chebyshev-based Sparse Grids and polynomial interpolants, which have not gained significant attention in surrogate-based optimization thus far.
Legal Issues in Social Work Research

Many social workers are involved in the conduct of research. This chapter provides a review of the legal obligations that are most likely to arise in the context of conducting social work research. Because legal and ethical obligations are often interwoven, the chapter also discusses related ethical issues.
Roadmapping the Future in Defense and Security: Innovations in Technology Using Multidisciplinary Convergence

Setting priorities in a complex defence environment requires technology assessment, data driven decision support tools, foresight, and roadmapping the future pathways. There are several procedures to deliver a balanced, yet strategic assessment. This report posits roadmapping of revolutionary scientific breakthroughs based on advanced sciences convergence (ASC) in multidisciplinary environments and data analytics platforms. Innovations lead to mapping technology roadmaps which are cautiously formulated based on extensive research, expert elicitation and networking approaches to project “future scenarios” realistically and epistemologically. Such roadmaps enable the development of transformative tools and methodologies that fill fundamental knowledge gaps. Synergy arising from converging technologies and research methodologies will leverage emerging and potentially transformative studies. A “framework by design” of emerging scientific and technological advances and trends is developed through a systematic and strategic planning process to deepen the understanding of current, future, and varying challenges and opportunities and create fully integrated solution pathways to address current and future global issues. Through a systematic introduction of ASC, the methodology exploits future-oriented analytical methodologies, including heuristics, data-mining, scientometrics, modelling and simulation, and scenario development to provide solutions and their potential for integrated, novel and unconventional manifestations.
Parental Psychological Control and Identity: The Roles of Warmth, Gender, and Ethnicity

This study examined the moderating roles of parental warmth, gender, and ethnicity on the association between each parent’s psychological control and emerging adults’ identity development among a sample of college students. A total of 678 Asian-American or European-American undergraduates completed self-reported questionnaires assessing variables of interest. Psychological control by mothers and fathers was associated negatively with identity commitment. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that maternal psychological control was related negatively to identity commitment when parental warmth levels were higher, but not when warmth levels were lower. Additionally, paternal psychological control negatively predicted identity commitment when warmth levels were higher for emerging-adult women only. The findings provide theoretical and practical implications for the field by placing emphasis upon the role of parental warmth and emerging adults’ gender on the relation between parental psychological control and emerging adults’ identity development.
The Capacity of Lake Melville Fjord to Store Runoff

The massive hydroelectric development (1967–1971) on the Churchill River altered runoff, but did this affect the local ocean? Comparison of data from the 1950s and 1972–81 shows there has been a threefold increase in winter runoff and a one-third reduction in summer peak runoff. However, mixing in Lake Melville, especially near the outlet, and the lake’s capacity to absorb a freshwater volume equivalent to the March to July runoff, effectively buffers the runoff changes. This fresh water passes out of Lake Melville during the winter replacement of deep water. We therefore observed no difference in the summer water properties of Groswater Bay before and after the Churchill development.
Cryptographic Functions from Worst-Case Complexity Assumptions

Lattice problems have been suggested as a potential source of computational hardness to be used in the construction of cryptographic functions that are provably hard to break. A remarkable feature of lattice-based cryptographic functions is that they can be proved secure (that is, hard to break on the average) based on the assumption that the underlying lattice problems are computationally hard in the worst-case. In this paper we give a survey of the constructions and proof techniques used in this area, explain the importance of basing cryptographic functions on the worst-case complexity of lattice problems, and discuss how this affects the traditional approach to cryptanalysis based on random challenges.
Neuropsychology of deep brain stimulation in neurology and psychiatry

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) experienced resurgence in the 1990s when limitations in pharmacotherapy and ablative surgery for movement disorders (including neuropsychological deficits) were appreciated. Subthalamic DBS for Parkinson's disease has received the most empirical attention and may entail cognitive and psychiatric adverse events in approximately 10% of patients. This article reviews the cognitive alterations after thalamic, pallidal, and subthalamic DBS for movement disorders (including, Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, and dystonia) and the possible etiology and mechanisms underlying neurobehavioral changes. Initial studies of neurobehavioral outcomes of DBS for emerging indications such as epilepsy, obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, Tourette's syndrome, and persistent vegetative or minimally conscious state are also reviewed. DBS for currently accepted indications appears safe from a cognitive standpoint in that the procedure is associated with typically transient, mild, and circumscribed cognitive alterations (most commonly in verbal fluency), and improved mood state and quality of life. A minority of patients experience more widespread, persistent, or serious cognitive and psychiatric sequelae, although research to date has failed to identify reliable risk factors for such adverse events.
Proximally-occurring life events and the first transition from suicidal ideation to suicide attempt in adolescents

Abstract Background Informed by diathesis-stress models of suicide risk, this paper investigated the role of proximally-occurring stressful life events in the first transition from suicidal ideation to suicide attempt in adolescence. Interactions between stressful life events and psychiatric disorders in relation to this progression were also examined. Methods Data are from a subsample (N = 928) of adolescents with lifetime suicidal ideation from the National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent Supplement. Logistic regression analyses compared adolescents who had transitioned to a first suicide attempt (n = 81) in the year prior to the study to adolescents with suicidal ideation only (n = 847). Results Multivariate logistic regressions implicated increased risk for progression from suicidal ideation to a first suicide attempt in the presence of a recent romantic break-up as well as more recent stressful life events. However, among adolescents with suicidal ideation and either a recent romantic break-up or above-average recent stressors, neither a disruptive behavior disorder, mood disorder, nor a substance use disorder intensified the risk for progressing to a first suicide attempt. Limitations Analyses are cross-sectional and therefore limit causal inferences. Conclusions Findings underscore the importance of comprehensive suicide risk evaluations that consider proximally-occurring interpersonal stressors which may influence the first transition from thinking about suicide to acting in adolescence.
Elevated hydrostatic pressure stimulates ATP release which mediates activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome via P2X 4 in rat urothelial cells

Partial bladder outlet obstruction (pBOO) is a prevalent urological condition commonly accompanied by increased intravesical pressure, inflammation, and fibrosis. Studies have demonstrated that pBOO results in increased NLRP3 inflammasome and caspase-1 activation and that ATP is released from urothelial cells in response to elevated pressure. In the present study, we investigated the role of elevated pressure in triggering caspase-1 activation via purinergic receptors activation in urothelial cells. Rat urothelial cell line, MYP3 cells, was subjected to hydrostatic pressures of 15 cmH2O for 60 min, or 40 cmH2O for 1 min to simulate elevated storage and voiding pressure conditions, respectively. ATP concentration in the supernatant media and intracellular caspase-1 activity in cell lysates were measured. Pressure experiments were repeated in the presence of antagonists for purinergic receptors to determine the mechanism for pressure-induced caspase-1 activation. Exposure of MYP3 cells to both pressure conditions resulted in an increase in extracellular ATP levels and intracellular caspase-1 activity. Treatment with P2X7 antagonist led to a decrease in pressure-induced ATP release by MYP3 cells, while P2X4 antagonist had no effect but both antagonists inhibited pressure-induced caspase-1 activation. Moreover, when MYP3 cells were treated with extracellular ATP (500 µM), P2X4 antagonist inhibited ATP-induced caspase-1 activation, but not P2X7 antagonist. We concluded that pressure-induced extracellular ATP in urothelial cells is amplified by P2X7 receptor activation and ATP-induced-ATP release. The amplified ATP signal then activates P2X4 receptors, which mediate activation of the caspase-1 inflammatory response.
Racial-Ethnic Disparities in First-Episode Psychosis Treatment Outcomes From the RAISE-ETP Study.

Objective:This study examined racial and ethnic differences in treatment outcomes among participants in a randomized controlled trial of an intervention for first-episode psychosis called NAVIGATE....
Researching signed language interpreting through a sociolinguistic approach

Sociolinguistic processes are inherent in communication and thus the practice of interpretation. Interpreting constitutes intentional sociolinguistic analyses by interpreters, and reflects the tacit, sociolinguistic knowledge of interpreters engaged in the task. Sociolinguistic approaches and methodologies are well suited to interpreting studies, precisely because interpreting involves such a complex array of language and social behavior. In this sense, not only is the sociolinguistic context a relevant aspect of interpretation as a profession, but also the larger sociolinguistic context in which interpreters work. Each interpreted interaction undertaken by a professional interpreter is situated within communities that harbor their own unique multilingual, bilingual, and language contact phenomenon; within a setting that represents a snapshot of what may be a long history of language policies and planning; and in a social environment beset with language attitudes about one or both of the languages involved. In this article, we will describe some major and minor sociolinguistic studies of interpretation with the underlying assumption that interpretation itself constitutes a sociolinguistic activity from the moment an assignment is accepted, including the products and processes inherent to the task, reflecting variously issues of bilingualism or multilingualism, language contact, variation, language policy and planning, language attitudes, and of course, discourse analysis. In short, sociolinguistic concerns are such an integral part of interpretation that relevant sociolinguistic areas are being studied by a variety of researchers from diverse and interdisciplinary backgrounds. Just as the study of sociolinguistic issues as they pertain to interpreting have a great potential to impact interpreting practice and pedagogy, the study of interpreters and interpretation has much potential to contribute to our understanding of sociolinguistics and the sociolinguistics of deaf communities.
Prevalence of Female Authors in Case Reports Published in the Medical Literature.

Importance Underrepresentation of female authors in research publications is prevalent, but it is unclear whether this is attributable to sex disparities in research conduct or authorship practices. Case reports are a poorly understood component of the biomedical corpus, and the production of anecdotal observations is not confounded by factors associated with disparities in female representation in research publications. Whether female authorship disparities exist in nonresearch publications of clinical information is unknown. Objectives To examine the authorship of case reports and elucidate factors associated with sex disparity. Design and Setting Cross-sectional study of all case reports published by US authors in 2014 and 2015 indexed in PubMed performed from July 2015 to July 2018. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome measure was the proportion of female first authors. The secondary outcome measures were the proportion of female last authors and female authorship representation among different clinical specialties. Results Bibliometric data was abstracted from 20 427 case reports published across 2538 journals. A total of 7252 (36%) and 4825 (25%) case reports had a female first and last author, respectively. In comparison, 44% and 34% of US trainees and physicians, respectively, were female in 2015. Among adult case reports, female authorship was more prevalent in academic environments compared with community settings (34.0% vs 28.2% for female first authors and 23.4% vs 19.7% for female last authors). Across states, the proportions of female first authors and last authors were universally less than the proportions of female trainees and active female physicians, respectively. Female first authorship was associated with larger author teams (odds ratio [OR], 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01-1.03), an academic affiliation (OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.06-1.27), and a female last author (OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.47-1.70). Relative to general internal medicine, specialties dominated by male clinicians were less frequently associated with female first authors. Several exceptions displaying a relatively equivalent tendency for male and female first authorship included oncology (OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.81-1.16), ophthalmology (OR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.72-1.05), and radiation oncology (OR, 0.94 95% CI, 0.56-1.56). Conclusions and Relevance The underrepresentation of women among first and last authors in publications of case reports underscores the pervasiveness of sex disparities in medicine. Collaboration and female mentors may be critical instruments in upsetting longstanding practices associated with sex bias. Not all clinical specialties were associated with lower-than-expected female authorship, and further exploration of specialty-specific norms in publication and mentorship may elucidate specific barriers to female authorship.
THE SYNTHESIS OF GABAA ACTIVE LIGANDS BY THE STILLE PROCESS

Abstract A variety of GABA A active analogs 3b-3h with different substituents at C(8) of the imidazo-benzodiazepine nucleus was synthesized via the Stille coupling reaction. In addition, stannane 4 was prepared which provides facile entry into other members of the series.
Body mass index: Implications on disease severity and postoperative complications in patients with Crohn's disease undergoing abdominal surgery.

Abstract Background Obesity is increasing in prevalence among patients with Crohn’s disease, but how body mass index affects disease severity and postoperative outcomes remains unknown. Methods A retrospective review of ileocolic resections for Crohn’s disease performed at a single institution between January 2007 and December 2017 was conducted. On the day of surgery, patients were grouped by body mass index into underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese categories. Intergroup comparisons and trend tests were performed on disease characteristics and postoperative outcomes. A multivariable model for superficial surgical site infection was constructed. Results A total of 758 patients were identified; 80 (11%) patients were underweight, 372 (49%) were normal weight, 178 (23%) were overweight, and 128 (17%) were obese. Both fistulizing Crohn’s phenotype and preoperative immunosuppression occurred less frequently in obese patients compared with other body mass index groups (both P Conclusion Although obese patients had less severe Crohn’s disease at the time of surgery, they experienced increased postoperative infectious complications. Preoperative weight loss and consideration of alternative wound closure methods may reduce these complications.
Pairwise tidal equilibrium states and the architecture of extrasolar planetary systems

Current observations indicate that the planet formation process often produces multiple planet systems with nearly circular orbits, regular spacing, a narrow range of inclination angles, and similar planetary masses of order $m_{\rm p}\sim10M_\oplus$. Motivated by the observational sample, this paper determines the tidal equilibrium states for this class of extrasolar planetary systems. We start by considering two planet systems with fixed orbital spacing and variable mass ratios. The basic conjecture explored in this paper is that the planet formation process will act to distribute planetary masses in order to achieve a minimum energy state. The resulting minimum energy configuration --- subject to the constraint of constant angular momentum --- corresponds to circular orbits confined to a plane, with nearly equal planetary masses (as observed). We then generalize the treatment to include multiple planet systems, where each adjacent pair of planets attains its (local) tidal equilibrium state. The properties of observed planetary systems are close to those expected from this pairwise equilibrium configuration. In contrast, observed systems do not reside in a global minimum energy state. Both the equilibrium states of this paper and observed multi-planet systems, with planets of nearly equal mass on regularly spaced orbits, have an effective surface density of the form $\sigma\propto r^{-2}$, much steeper than most disk models.
Do corn-soybean rotations enhance decomposition of soil organic matter?

Corn and soybean crops are often grown in rotation, requiring lower nitrogen (N) inputs than continuous corn. However, soil organic carbon (C) may be declining in corn-soybean systems despite sustained residue inputs. We asked whether corn-soybean rotations increase decomposition of litter and soil C as compared with continuous corn. We incubated soils from a long-term field experiment including continuous corn and both phases of the corn-soybean rotation. Soils were amended with corn litter, soybean litter, or no litter. We measured natural abundance C stable isotopes (δ13C values) in respiration and microbial biomass to partition C sources. Addition of soybean litter increased microbial biomass while corn did not. However, corn litter addition consistently increased (i.e., primed) soil C decomposition while soybean litter did not. Soils most recently planted to corn following soybeans had the greatest soil C decomposition and N mineralization irrespective of litter addition, and they decomposed corn litter faster and had a faster priming response than the other treatments. Our data support the hypothesis that alternating inputs of N-rich soybean litter and relatively N-poor corn litter could enhance litter and SOC decomposition by driving microbial growth following the soybean phase and stimulating priming following the corn phase. Increased decomposition and N mineralization from litter and SOC in corn-soybean rotations may contribute to the soybean N credit but could also contribute to longer-term soil C and N declines, consistent with field data.
Effect of milk phospholipids on the growth and cryotolerance of lactic acid bacteria cultured and stored in acid whey-based media

Abstract Increasing interest in foods beyond their nutritional value has promoted the development of various novel functional foods that could convey multiple health benefits to consumers. The application of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and milk phospholipids (MPL) in combination has shown some amplifying effects on the health benefits provided by both ingredients. Freezing is commonly used in LAB preservation and storage. However, the freezing/thawing process damages cell membranes and leads to a loss in viability and functionality of LAB. This study aimed to investigate the influence of MPL on growth and cryotolerance of LAB using acid whey-based medium (AWM) supplemented with 0.5% MPL. Fourteen LAB strains were initially screened from 124 LAB using acid whey-based medium (AW). We then evaluated the cell viability and acidification ability, using the plate counting method and skim milk fermentation test, respectively, of the 14 strains cultured in AW and AWM before and after 3 cycles of freezing/thawing. The presence of 0.5% MPL in AWM significantly promoted the growth of LAB. Supplementing the culture and storage medium with 0.5% MPL significantly enhanced the resistance of selected LAB to freeze-thaw cycles in terms of cell viability and acidification ability. These results suggest that supplementing with 0.5% MPL might promote the growth of LAB and enhance the cryotolerance of LAB cultures in fermented dairy products. This finding leads to a better understanding of the synergistic effects contributed by the LAB–MPL combination and promotes the development of new LAB–MPL functional products.
Osteoblastic monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) mediation of parathyroid hormone's anabolic actions in bone implicates TGF-β signaling.

Abstract Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is necessary for the regulation of calcium homeostasis and PTH (1–34) was the first approved osteoanabolic therapy for osteoporosis. It is well established that intermittent PTH increases bone formation and that bone remodeling and several cytokines and chemokines play an essential role in this process. Earlier, we had established that the chemokine, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1/CCL2), was the most highly stimulated gene in rat bone after intermittent PTH injections. Nevertheless, MCP-1 function in bone appears to be complicated. To identify the primary cells expressing MCP-1 in response to PTH, we performed in situ hybridization of rat bone sections after hPTH (1–34) injections and showed that bone-lining osteoblasts are the primary cells that express MCP-1 after PTH treatment. We previously demonstrated MCP-1's importance by showing that PTH's anabolic effects are abolished in MCP-1 null mice, further implicating a role for the chemokine in this process. To establish whether rhMCP-1 peptide treatment could rescue the anabolic effect of PTH in MCP-1 null mice, we treated 4-month-old wild-type (WT) mice with hPTH (1–34) and MCP-1−/− mice with rhMCP-1 and/or hPTH (1–34) for 6 weeks. Micro-computed tomography (μCT) analysis of trabecular and cortical bone showed that MCP-1 injections for 6 weeks rescued the PTH anabolic effect in MCP-1−/− mice. In fact, the combination of rhMCP-1 and hPTH (1–34) has a synergistic anabolic effect compared with monotherapies. Mechanistically, PTH-enhanced transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling is abolished in the absence of MCP-1, while MCP-1 peptide treatment restores TGF-β signaling in the bone marrow. Here, we have shown that PTH regulates the transcription of the chemokine MCP-1 in osteoblasts and determined how MCP-1 affects bone cell function in PTH's anabolic actions. Taken together, our current work indicates that intermittent PTH stimulates osteoblastic secretion of MCP-1, which leads to increased TGF-β signaling, implicating it in PTH's anabolic actions.
Inflammatory Cytokine IL-1β Downregulates Endothelial LRP1 via MicroRNA-mediated Gene Silencing

Abstract Effective clearance of neurotoxic amyloid-beta (Aβ) from the brain is a critical process to prevent Alzheimer’s disease (AD). One major clearance mechanism is Aβ transcytosis mediated by low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) in capillary endothelial cells. A marked loss of endothelial LRP1 is found in AD brains and is believed to significantly impair Aβ clearance. Recently, we demonstrated that pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α, significantly down-regulated LRP1 in human primary microvascular endothelial cells (MVECs). In this study, we sought to determine the underlying molecular mechanism by which IL-1β led to LRP1 loss in MVECs. Reduced LRP1 protein and transcript were detected up to 24 h post-exposure and returned to the baseline levels after 48 h post-exposure with 1 ng/ml IL-1β. This reduction was in part mediated by microRNA-205-5p, -200b-3p, and -200c-3p, as these microRNAs were concomitantly upregulated in MVECs exposed to IL-1β. Synthetic microRNA-205-5p, -200b-3p, and -200c-3p mimics recapitulated LRP1 loss in MVECs without IL-1β, and their synthetic antagomirs effectively reversed IL-1β-mediated LRP1 loss. Importantly, we found that the expression of these three microRNAs was controlled by NF-κB as pharmacological NF-κB inhibitor, BMS-345541, inhibited the IL-1β-mediated upregulation of these microRNAs and rescued LRP1 expression. siRNA-mediated silencing of IκB in MVECs elevated microRNA-200b-3p and decreased LRP1 transcript, partially confirming our overall findings. In conclusion, our study provides a mechanism by which pro-inflammatory IL-1β instigates the suppression of LRP1 expression in MVECs. Our findings could implicate spatiotemporal loss of LRP1 and impairment of the LRP1-mediated clearance mechanism by endothelial cells.