cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stabilization of soft lipid colloids: competing effects of nanoparticle decoration and supported lipid bilayer formation.

Stabilization against fusion of zwitterionic lipid small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) by charged nanoparticles is essential to prevent premature inactivation and cargo unloading. In the present work, we examined the stabilization of DMPC and DPPC SUVs by monolithic silica (SiO2) nanoparticle envelopment, for SiO2 with 4−6, 10−20, 20−30, and 40−50 nm nominal diameter. We found that for these soft colloids stabilization is critically dependent on whether fusion occurs between the charged nanoparticles and neutral SUVs to form supported lipid bilayers (SLBs), or whether the reverse occurs, namely, nanoparticle decoration of the SUVs. While SLB formation is accompanied by precipitation, nanoparticle decoration results in long-term stabilization of the SUVs. The fate of the nanosystem depends on the size of the nanoparticles and on the ionic strength of the medium. We found that, in the case of highly charged SiO2 nanoparticles in water, there is no SUV fusion to SiO2 for a specific range of nanoparticle sizes....
Bright ideas. Some rules of thumb for interior lighting design and selection.

Abstract Interior lighting design and selection can be a demanding assignment for a health facilities manager or department head. It requires a balance between conflicting needs, such as providing good task lighting for a nursing station while also shielding luminaires that are visible from patients' rooms to avoid glare.
Phenotype assessment: are you missing something?

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Phenotype assessment of genetically modified rodents is an essential component of animal model development and their eventual use. Described here is a paradigm to consider as we collectively pursue phenotype assessment of the constantly increasing number of genetically modified rodent models, as well as those with spontaneously occurring mutations. METHODS Review of past experiences and the literature provides useful examples to illustrate the principles described. CONCLUSION A practical approach to phenotype assessment can be divided into a primary level of assessment to find abnormalities, and a secondary level of more specialized assessment to quantify and evaluate the abnormalities detected. There are many subtle, but important phenotypic characteristics that can be markedly affected by the background genetics and environment of the animal being assessed.
Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-binding epitopes dataset for the newly identified T-cell antigens of Mycobacterium immunogenum

The dataset described herein is related to our article entitled "T-cell antigens of Mycobacterium immunogenum (MI), an etiological agent of occupational hypersensitivity pneumonitis'' (Chandra and Yadav, 2016) [1]. The data include in silico-predicted T-cell epitopes of the T-cell antigens AgA and AgD of MI predicted to bind to HLA-I or HLA-II alleles. Data on two reference T-cell antigens ESAT-6 and CFP-10 of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv are included for comparison. The data for each antigen include the predicted epitope׳s amino acid sequence, its first amino acid position, and its ability to bind HLA-I or HLA-II allele(s).
Walter Isard: Scholar, Teacher and Founder

Rarely indeed does the opportunity occur to scholars to honour a colleague who is singularly identifiable as the creator of their intellectual disciplines. The authors of papers in these two volumes honouring Walter Isard in his seventieth year have enjoyed that privilege, whether their specialities be Regional Science or Peace Science. Both fields are stamped with the Isardian hallmarks: rigorous technique; multidisciplinary synthesis; creative melding of the theoretical and empirical; international, scholarly cooperation; and a fearless, analytical ambition.
A review of The Rise and Fall of Urban Economies, By Michael Storper, Tom Kemeny, Naji Makarem, and Taner Osman

Narratives about the rise and fall of urban economies, particularly in US cities, seem permanently situated as comparisons rooted in language about regional competition. Urban economic development ...
Racial-Ethnic Differences in Word Fluency and Auditory Comprehension Among Persons With Poststroke Aphasia.

Abstract Objectives To examine aphasia outcomes and to determine whether the observed language profiles vary by race-ethnicity. Design Retrospective cross-sectional study using a convenience sample of persons of with aphasia (PWA) obtained from AphasiaBank, a database designed for the study of aphasia outcomes. Setting Aphasia research laboratories. Participants PWA (N=381; 339 white and 42 black individuals). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Western Aphasia Battery–Revised (WAB-R) total scale score (Aphasia Quotient) and subtest scores were analyzed for racial-ethnic differences. The WAB-R is a comprehensive assessment of communication function designed to evaluate PWA in the areas of spontaneous speech, auditory comprehension, repetition, and naming in addition to reading, writing, apraxia, and constructional, visuospatial, and calculation skills. Results In univariate comparisons, black PWA exhibited lower word fluency (5.7 vs 7.6; P =.004), auditory word comprehension (49.0 vs 53.0; P =.021), and comprehension of sequential commands (44.2 vs 52.2; P =.012) when compared with white PWA. In multivariate comparisons, adjusted for age and years of education, black PWA exhibited lower word fluency (5.5 vs 7.6; P =.015), auditory word recognition (49.3 vs 53.3; P =.02), and comprehension of sequential commands (43.7 vs 53.2; P =.017) when compared with white PWA. Conclusions This study identified racial-ethnic differences in word fluency and auditory comprehension ability among PWA. Both skills are critical to effective communication, and racial-ethnic differences in outcomes must be considered in treatment approaches designed to improve overall communication ability.
Promising Avenues for Prevention: Confronting Sexual Victimization on College Campuses

A substantial number of college females experience sexual victimization during their time at college. Research shows that several factors related to college life, such as parties and drinking, can increase the risk of sexual victimization. In response to the risk of sexual victimization and the realization that college life and culture itself can facilitate sexual violence, college campuses are now mandated to provide students and staff with information on sexual victimization, as well as access to prevention programs. This chapter discusses the extent of sexual victimization on college campuses and common risk factors identified by the literature. Next, the development of sexual victimization prevention programs and their efficacy are discussed, with particular focus on bystander intervention.
Electronic Excitation Dynamics in Liquid Water under Proton Irradiation

Molecular behaviour of liquid water under proton irradiation is of great importance to a number of technological and medical applications. The highly energetic proton generates a time-varying field that is highly localized and heterogeneous at the molecular scale, and massive electronic excitations are produced as a result of the field-matter interaction. Using first-principles quantum dynamics simulations, we reveal details of how electrons are dynamically excited through non-equilibrium energy transfer from highly energetic protons in liquid water on the atto/femto-second time scale. Water molecules along the path of the energetic proton undergo ionization at individual molecular level, and the excitation primarily derives from lone pair electrons on the oxygen atom of water molecules. A reduced charge state on the energetic proton in the condensed phase of water results in the strongly suppressed electronic response when compared to water molecules in the gas phase. These molecular-level findings provide important insights into understanding the water radiolysis process under proton irradiation.
Color image enhancement of medical images using alpha-rooting and zonal alpha-rooting methods on 2D QDFT

2-D quaternion discrete Fourier transform (2-D QDFT) is the Fourier transform applied to color images when the color images are considered in the quaternion space. The quaternion numbers are four dimensional hyper-complex numbers. Quaternion representation of color image allows us to see the color of the image as a single unit. In quaternion approach of color image enhancement, each color is seen as a vector. This permits us to see the merging effect of the color due to the combination of the primary colors. The color images are used to be processed by applying the respective algorithm onto each channels separately, and then, composing the color image from the processed channels. In this article, the alpha-rooting and zonal alpha-rooting methods are used with the 2-D QDFT. In the alpha-rooting method, the alpha-root of the transformed frequency values of the 2-D QDFT are determined before taking the inverse transform. In the zonal alpha-rooting method, the frequency spectrum of the 2-D QDFT is divided by different zones and the alpha-rooting is applied with different alpha values for different zones. The optimization of the choice of alpha values is done with the genetic algorithm. The visual perception of 3-D medical images is increased by changing the reference gray line.
OPTiM: A randomized phase III trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) compared with subcutaneously (sc) administered GM-CSF for the treatment (tx) of unresectable stage IIIb, IIIc, and IV melanoma.

TPS8604 Background: T-VEC (formerly OncoVEXGM-CSF) is an oncolytic HSV1 that selectively replicates in tumors. The proposed MOA includes lytic destruction of injected tumors and induction of a syst...
The Role of Alcohol Expectancies in the Associations Between Close Friend, Typical College Student, and Personal Alcohol Use.

ABSTRACTBackground Perceptions of peer drinking and alcohol expectancies have been consistently associated with alcohol use among college students. There is evidence that perceived peer drinking also shapes alcohol expectancies. Research has yet to address the potential differential impact of perceived drinking by close friends versus by typical college students on alcohol use among first-semester college students. Relatedly, mediation of these associations by specific domains of alcohol expectancies has yet to be examined. Objectives: The first aim of the present study was to investigate whether perceptions of close friend drinking were more strongly associated with alcohol expectancies, alcohol use, and consequences of alcohol use than perceptions of typical college student drinking. The second aim focused on which alcohol expectancy domains partially accounted for the association between close friend drinking, typical college student drinking, and alcohol use and consequences. Method: Participants (n =...
Toward a multiracial feminist framework for understanding females' gang involvement

AbstractDespite growing interest in the gang involvement of girls and young women, tools with which to understand the experiences leading them to gangs remain fragmented. This article draws from existing gang theories and research on gendered pathways to illustrate the utility of a unified conceptual framework, particularly, one grounded in multiracial feminism. We explain what the primary components of such an integrated, life-course framework should be. Specifically, our framework attempts to account for multi-level influences: macro-level interlocking systems of inequality such as racialization and heteronormativity; interpersonal interactions in meso-level proximal spheres such as neighborhoods, families, schools, and peer groups; and micro-level processes of situated action, such as identity negotiation and agency within the context of constrained choice. We argue that our proposed conceptual framework will allow for more nuanced and complex understandings of females’ gang involvement.
Dural recurrence among esthesioneuroblastoma patients presenting with intracranial extension

OBJECTIVE To quantify the rate of late intracranial recurrences among esthesioneuroblastoma patients treated with surgical resection and postoperative radiation. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective review. METHODS All patients receiving definitive-intent therapy for esthesioneuroblastoma between March 1995 and September 2015 were reviewed. Presenting disease extent was categorized based on radiologic, operative, and pathologic findings. Between-group survival differences were assessed using Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Multivariate analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS Of 38 patients initially treated at our institution, 53% (20 of 38) presented with intracranial extension. At a median follow-up of 90 months (range, 6-199), 37% (14 of 38) recurred; 5- and 8-year disease-free survival rates were 69% and 54%; and overall survival rates were 81% and 72%, respectively. Among these patients, the dura was the most commonly involved site of relapse (8), followed by local (6), regional (5), and distant extracranial (3) sites; and five patients had ≥ two categories of failure. Eight-year dural disease-free survival was 57% versus 90% (P = 0.017) and 0% versus 87% (P < 0.0001), with and without intracranial extension and subtotal resection, respectively. Of six patients treated at recurrence, five (83%) experienced dural-based failure such that, among all 44 patients, 13 (65%) of 20 recurrences involved the dura. After dural recurrence, the median survival time was 42 months (range, 12-125); salvage treatments were effective in rare cases of isolated low-volume recurrence. CONCLUSION Esthesioneuroblastoma patients presenting with intracranial extension are at substantial and unique risk for long-term dural-based relapse. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4. Laryngoscope, 128:2226-2233, 2018.
Prior adaptation, diversity, and introduction frequency mediate the positive relationship between propagule pressure and the initial success of founding populations

Propagule pressure is often considered the most consistent predictor of the success of founding populations. This relationship could be mediated by the composition of the founding group (e.g. level of prior adaptation to the recipient environment or its diversity) as well as the introduction scenario (i.e. the frequency, size and timing of discrete introduction events). We introduced groups of Tribolium castaneum (red flour beetle) eggs across three levels of propagule pressure (n = 15, 30, 60), of three possible compositions (single, adapted lineage; single, unadapted lineage; mixed lineages) to a novel environment using six unique introduction scenarios, in a fully factorial design to evaluate the importance of composition and introduction scenario in influencing the relationship between propagule pressure and establishment. In our system, prior adaptation to the environment, including having some adapted individuals in mixed groups, rivaled the importance of propagule pressure in determining the establishment success and size of founding populations. More frequent introduction events resulted in fewer individuals that initially survived founding, but introduction scenario did not significantly influence establishment success or population size. This experimental evidence demonstrates the importance of context, both of the founding group and the recipient environment, in understanding how propagule pressure influences the success of founding populations.
Determining the Role and Duration of the "Antibiotic Holiday" Period in Periprosthetic Joint Infection.

Abstract Background Two-stage exchange arthroplasty involves resection and reimplantation of new implants at a later stage. An antibiotic-free period is often advocated by surgeons before reimplantation. However, there is no conclusive evidence supporting the utility or duration of this practice. This study evaluated the utility and optimal duration of the antibiotic-free period before reimplantation. Methods Electronic infection databases of 2 institutions were retrospectively reviewed from 2000 to 2014 to identify 785 patients who underwent 2-stage exchange arthroplasty, of which 409 were reimplanted without any surgeries between the first and second stage. Total joint arthroplasties that met the Musculoskeletal Infection Society criteria for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) and had a minimum of 1-year follow-up were included. The antibiotic holiday period was defined as the time period off antibiotics before reimplantation. Treatment success was defined according to the Delphi consensus criteria. A multivariate analysis and Fisher exact test were performed. Results The duration of the antibiotic-free period was not significantly associated with reinfection following reimplantation after controlling for potential confounders, including joint involvement, gender, institution, and comorbidities. However, the duration of spacer implantation was significantly associated with reinfection. Of the patients who failed treatment, 41.5% failed on antibiotics while 58.5% failed during the antibiotic-free period at a mean of 26.1 days. Conclusion The duration of an antibiotic-free period does not appear to significantly affect PJI rate after reimplantation. However, many patients fail during the antibiotic-free period. Further prospective studies are needed to determine the optimal timing of reimplantation for 2-stage exchange arthroplasty for PJI treatment.
Human brain functional areas of unitary pooled activity discovered with fMRI.

We report the discovery of human brain functional areas of unitary pooled activity (FAUPAs) using fMRI. A FAUPA is defined as an area in which the temporal variation of the activity is the same across the entire area. This dynamically unitary activity implies a perfect temporal correlation everywhere within the FAUPA for the activity-induced BOLD response, i.e., the corresponding Pearson correlation coefficient (R) is 1 for the BOLD responses of any two locations within the FAUPA. A novel method was developed to identify the FAUPA. In this study, nine subjects had a resting-state (rs) fMRI and a task-fMRI. FAUPAs have been identified for both rs- and task-fMRI, and their determination was objective and automatic, with no a-priori knowledge. The group mean of R was 0.952 ± 0.004 for the rs-fMRI and 0.950 ± 0.002 for the task-fMRI, showing the dynamically unitary activity within each FAUPA. For the finger-tapping (FT) task, the group-mean BOLD signal time course of the FT-associated FAUPAs in the primary motor cortex was almost perfectly correlated with the FT-induced ideal response (R = 0.9330, P = 1.8 × 10−56), confirming the association of the FAUPA with the task. A task-associated FAUPA may play the role of a functional unit for a particular neural computation.
Frequency and factors predictive of aberrant drug behavior in patients presenting to outpatient supportive care center at a comprehensive cancer center.

10118Background: Opioid misuse is a growing crisis in cancer patients. Cancer patients at risk of aberrant drug behaviors (ADB) are frequently underdiagnosed in routine cancer care. The aim of this...
Teach Students How to Learn: A Small Change that Can Make A Big Impact!

BRIEF SESSION DESCRIPTION: All students who are admitted to Mason have the ability to succeed. However, many do not have effective learning strategies and resort to memorizing information just before tests. This interactive session will introduce faculty to cognitive science research-based learning strategies that will help all students experience meaningful, transferable learning. The session will focus on ways to teach students simple, yet powerful learning strategies to ensure success in their courses. Additional Resources: Learningservices.gmu.edu
One-Pot Synthesis of Pd@PtnL Core-Shell Icosahedral Nanocrystals in High Throughput through a Quantitative Analysis of the Reduction Kinetics

The rational design and implementation of a one-pot method is reported for the facile synthesis of Pd@PtnL (nL denotes the number of Pt atomic layers) core-shell icosahedral nanocrystals in a single step. The success of this method relies on the use of Na2 PdCl4 and Pt(acac)2 as the precursors to Pd and Pt atoms, respectively. Our quantitative analysis of the reduction kinetics indicates that the PdII and PtII precursors are sequentially reduced with a major gap between the two events. Specifically, the PdII precursor is reduced first, leading to the formation of Pd-based icosahedral seeds with a multiply-twinned structure. In contrast, the PtII precursor prefers to take a surface reduction pathway on the just-formed icosahedral seeds. As such, the otherwise extremely slow reduction of the PtII precursor can be dramatically accelerated through an autocatalytic process for the deposition of Pt atoms as a conformal shell on each Pd icosahedral core. Compared to the conventional approach of seed-mediated growth, the throughput for the one-pot synthesis of Pd@PtnL core-shell nanocrystals can be increased by more than 30-fold. When used as catalysts, the Pd@Pt4.5L core-shell icosahedral nanocrystals show specific and mass activities of 0.83 mA cm-2 and 0.39 A mgPt-1 , respectively, at 0.9 V toward oxygen reduction. The Pt-based nanocages derived from the core-shell nanocrystals also show enhanced specific (1.45 mA cm-2 ) and mass activities (0.75 A mgPt-1 ) at 0.9 V, which are 3.8 and 3.3 times greater than those of the commercial Pt/C, respectively.
Neural Imaging Pipelines - the Scourge or Hope of Forensics?

Forensic analysis of digital photographs relies on intrinsic statistical traces introduced at the time of their acquisition or subsequent editing. Such traces are often removed by post-processing (e.g., down-sampling and re-compression applied upon distribution in the Web) which inhibits reliable provenance analysis. Increasing adoption of computational methods within digital cameras further complicates the process and renders explicit mathematical modeling infeasible. While this trend challenges forensic analysis even in near-acquisition conditions, it also creates new opportunities. This paper explores end-to-end optimization of the entire image acquisition and distribution workflow to facilitate reliable forensic analysis at the end of the distribution channel, where state-of-the-art forensic techniques fail. We demonstrate that a neural network can be trained to replace the entire photo development pipeline, and jointly optimized for high-fidelity photo rendering and reliable provenance analysis. Such optimized neural imaging pipeline allowed us to increase image manipulation detection accuracy from approx. 45% to over 90%. The network learns to introduce carefully crafted artifacts, akin to digital watermarks, which facilitate subsequent manipulation detection. Analysis of performance trade-offs indicates that most of the gains can be obtained with only minor distortion. The findings encourage further research towards building more reliable imaging pipelines with explicit provenance-guaranteeing properties.
Scholarly Writing: Ideas, Examples, and Execution (Chapter 1)

Most law schools now require upper-level students to write a sophisticated legal research paper on a topic of their choice. Scholarly Writing: Ideas, Examples, and Execution guides students through the process of constructing their legal research papers, from topic selection and thesis development to finishing a publishable product. The book walks students through a five-step process for researching and writing scholarly papers and follows multiple published student papers from idea to final execution as a method of illustrating the principles advocated in the text. The book includes up-to-date information about legal research and organizational tools. It also includes “bright ideas” that supplement the text with ideas and examples for student writers. The text may be used as either a required text for a course in Scholarly Legal Writing or a companion guide for students working on scholarly legal writing projects independently.Foreword to Scholarly Writing: Ideas, Examples and Execution, can be found here: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2029950
Mindfulness Versus Distraction to Improve Affective Response and Promote Cardiovascular Exercise Behavior.

BACKGROUND Variation in affective response to exercise partially explains high levels of inactivity. Examining ways to improve affective responses to physical activity is, therefore, an important direction for research aiming to promote exercise behavior. PURPOSE This study compares three strategies: mindfulness, distraction, and an associative focus comparison group as potential strategies to improve affective response to exercise and promote exercise behavior. METHODS Seventy-eight insufficiently active individuals (M age 26.82, 74% female) were randomly assigned to one of the following three conditions: (a) mindfulness, (b) distraction, or (c) associative attentional focus. The study was divided into two phases, a laboratory session in which participants learned their assigned strategy and completed a 30 min supervised exercise bout and an at-home intervention in which participants used their assigned strategy while exercising on their own for 2 weeks and filled out daily surveys. RESULTS Seventy-five participants completed the study. The central hypotheses were partially supported. Participants in the mindfulness and distraction conditions maintained more positive affective response to exercise over time compared to participants in the associative focus condition, whose affect became less positive over time (p = .04). Participants in the distraction condition experienced lower perceived exertion during exercise (p = .01). There were no condition differences in self-reported minutes exercised during follow-up, but participants in the mindfulness condition reported exercising for more days during the follow-up compared to the associative focus condition (p = .01). CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest individuals wishing to increase their cardiovascular exercise could engage in mindfulness or distraction in order to make exercise feel less difficult and/or more affectively pleasant.
Courtship in the male red-sided garter snake is dependent on neural aromatase activity during winter dormancy

The red-sided garter snake exhibits a dissociated reproductive pattern, mating at a time when their gonads are quiescent and circulating sex steroids, initially reported to be low, have been found to be elevated during the breeding season. However, the only cue identified that initiates courtship behavior and mating in the red-sided garter snake is an extended period of low-temperature dormancy (LTD) followed by exposure to warm temperatures. In this study, we examined a possible association between winter dormancy, sex steroid hormone metabolism, and initiation of reproductive behavior in the male red-sided garter snake. Upon emergence from winter dormancy, courtship behavior was assessed using attractive females as stimuli. Animals receiving implants containing 1,4,6-androstatriene-3,17-dione (ATD), an aromatase inhibiter, showed little or no courtship behavior, while animals implanted with ATD + 17β estradiol (E2 ) or blank implants exhibited normal courtship. In addition, neurons in the pathways critical in the control of reproductive behavior were examined using the Golgi method. Examination of brains collected upon emergence revealed animals implanted with ATD had a significantly reduced number of dendritic spines compared to controls and animals treated with ATD + E2 . This study provides the first documentation that courtship behavior and mating in the male red-sided garter snake appears to be controlled not by LTD alone, but in conjunction with sex steroid hormones. Moreover, behavioral data suggest that the aromatization of androgens during LTD appears to be critical for the initiation of reproductive behavior in the male red-sided garter snakes.
Dysregulation of TLR9 in neonates leads to fatal inflammatory disease driven by IFN-γ

Recognition of self-nucleic acids by innate immune receptors can lead to the development of autoimmune and/or autoinflammatory diseases. Elucidating mechanisms associated with dysregulated activation of specific receptors may identify new disease correlates and enable more effective therapies. Here we describe an aggressive in vivo model of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 9 dysregulation, based on bypassing the compartmentalized activation of TLR9 in endosomes, and use it to uncover unique aspects of TLR9-driven disease. By inducing TLR9 dysregulation at different stages of life, we show that while dysregulation in adult mice causes a mild systemic autoinflammatory disease, dysregulation of TLR9 early in life drives a severe inflammatory disease resulting in neonatal fatality. The neonatal disease includes some hallmarks of macrophage activation syndrome but is much more severe than previously described models. Unlike TLR7-mediated disease, which requires type I interferon (IFN) receptor signaling, TLR9-driven fatality is dependent on IFN-γ receptor signaling. NK cells are likely key sources of IFN-γ in this model. We identify populations of macrophages and Ly6Chi monocytes in neonates that express high levels of TLR9 and low levels of TLR7, which may explain why TLR9 dysregulation is particularly consequential early in life, while symptoms of TLR7 dysregulation take longer to manifest. Overall, this study demonstrates that inappropriate TLR9 responses can drive a severe autoinflammatory disease under homeostatic conditions and highlights differences in the diseases resulting from inappropriate activation of TLR9 and TLR7.
IPF pathogenesis is dependent upon TGFβ induction of IGF-1

Pathogenic fibrotic diseases, including Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF), have some of the worst prognoses and affect millions of people worldwide. With unclear etiology and minimally effective therapies, two-thirds of IPF patients die within 2-5 years from this progressive interstitial lung disease. Transforming Growth Factor Beta (TGFβ) and Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) are known to promote fibrosis; however, myofibroblast specific upregulation of IGF-1 in the initiation and progression of TGFβ-induced fibrogenesis and IPF have remained unexplored. To address this, the current study (1) documents the upregulation of IGF-1 via TGFβ in myofibroblasts and fibrotic lung tissue, as well as its correlation with decreased pulmonary function in advanced IPF; (2) identifies IGF-1’s C1 promoter as mediating the increase in IGF-1 transcription by TGFβ in pulmonary fibroblasts; (3) determines that SMAD2 and mTOR signaling are required for TGFβ-dependent Igf-1 expression in myofibroblasts; (4) demonstrates IGF-1R activation is essential to support TGFβ-driven profibrotic myofibroblast functions and excessive wound-healing; and (5) establishes the effectiveness of slowing the progression of murine lung fibrosis with the IGF-1R inhibitor OSI-906. These findings expand our knowledge of IGF-1’s role as a novel fibrotic-switch, bringing us one step closer to understanding the complex biological mechanisms responsible for fibrotic diseases and developing effective therapies.
Systematic comparison of sea urchin and sea star developmental gene regulatory networks explains how novelty is incorporated in early development.

The extensive array of morphological diversity among animal taxa represents the product of millions of years of evolution. Morphology is the output of development, therefore phenotypic evolution arises from changes to the topology of the gene regulatory networks (GRNs) that control the highly coordinated process of embryogenesis. A particular challenge in understanding the origins of animal diversity lies in determining how GRNs incorporate novelty while preserving the overall stability of the network, and hence, embryonic viability. Here we assemble a comprehensive GRN for endomesoderm specification in the sea star from zygote through gastrulation that corresponds to the GRN for sea urchin development of equivalent territories and stages. Comparison of the GRNs identifies how novelty is incorporated in early development. We show how the GRN is resilient to the introduction of a transcription factor, pmar1, the inclusion of which leads to a switch between two stable modes of Delta-Notch signaling. Signaling pathways can function in multiple modes and we propose that GRN changes that lead to switches between modes may be a common evolutionary mechanism for changes in embryogenesis. Our data additionally proposes a model in which evolutionarily conserved network motifs, or kernels, may function throughout development to stabilize these signaling transitions. It is unclear how a gene regulatory network (GRN) incorporates novelty whilst still maintaining overall stability. Here, the authors provide a comprehensive GRN for endomesoderm specification in the sea star from zygote stage to gastrulation, showing conserved network kernels stabilize evolutionary changes in signaling modes.
Analysis of GPU Data Access Patterns on Complex Geometries for the D3Q19 Lattice Boltzmann Algorithm

GPU performance of the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) depends heavily on memory access patterns. When implemented with GPUs on complex domains, typically, geometric data is accessed indirectly and lattice data is accessed lexicographically. Although there are a variety of other options, no study has examined the relative efficacy between them. Here, we examine a suite of memory access schemes via empirical testing and performance modeling. We find strong evidence that semi-direct is often better suited than the more common indirect addressing, providing increased computational speed and reducing memory consumption. For the layout, we find that the Collected Structure of Arrays (CSoA) and bundling layouts outperform the common Structure of Array layout; on V100 and P100 devices, CSoA consistently outperforms bundling, however the relationship is more complicated on K40 devices. When compared to state-of-the-art practices, our recommendations lead to speedups of 10–40 percent and reduce memory consumption up to 17 percent. Using performance modeling and computational experimentation, we determine the mechanisms behind the accelerations. We demonstrate that our results hold across multiple GPUs on two leadership class systems, and present the first near-optimal strong results for LBM with arterial geometries run on GPUs.
Digital Religion : Understanding Religious Practice in New Media Worlds

Part One Community Heidi Campbell Authority Pauline Cheong Religion Greg Grieves Ritual Christopher Helland Identity Mia Lovheim Authenticity Kerstin Radde-Antweiler Part Two Japanese New Religions Online: Hikari no Wa and "Net Religion" Erica Baffelli Digital Storytelling and Collective Religious Identity in a Moderate to Progressive Youth Group Lynn Schofield Clark and Jill Dierberg Islamizing New Media Nabil Echchaibi Charting Frontiers of Online Religious Communities: The Case of Chabad Jews Oren Golan Considering Religious Community through Online Churches Tim Hutchings ">Go Online!< Said My Guardian Angel" The Internet as Platform of Religious Negotiation Nadja Miczek The Kosher Cell Phone in Ultra-Orthodox Society: A Technological Ghetto within the Global Village? Tsuriel Rashi Hindu Worship Online and Offline Heinz Scheifinger Playing Muslim Hero: Constructing Religious Identity in Video Games Vit Sisler Formation of a Religious Technorati: Negotiations of Authority Among Australian Emerging Church Blogs Paul Teusner The Digital Bricoleur: Authenticity in a Wired World Rachel Wagner Virtual Buddhism: Buddhist Ritual in Second Life Louise Connelly Part Three Theology and the Internet Stephen Garner Theoretical Frameworks for Approaching Religion and New Media Knut Lundby Ethics in Internet Research Mark Johns
Monomethylammonium ion as a magnetic resonance probe for monovalent cation activators. The monovalent cation in pyruvate kinase catalysis.

Abstract Pyruvate kinase, which has an absolute requirement for both a monovalent and a divalent cation for activity, can be activated by the monomethylammonium cation at a rate 0.5% that measured in the presence of K+. The kinetically determined dissociation constant for the monovalent activator in the presence of saturating substrates (K1 = 85 mm) agrees with that measured for K+ and the dissociation constant measured in the presence of saturating substrates and the divalent activator Mn2+, (K4 = 20.5 ± 3.3 mm) is somewhat larger than that for K+. The presence of carbonbound protons on the movovalent activator permits the investigation of the interaction of the monovalent activator with the enzyme-Mn2+ complexes by proton nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. The presence of the enzyme has no effect on the longitudinal (1/T1) and transverse (1/T2) relaxation rates of the carbon-bound protons. The formation of the enzyme-Mn2+ complex increases the relaxation rates due to the electron-nuclear dipolar interaction of the paramagnetic Mn2+ and the protons. In the presence of the substrate phosphoenolpyruvate, the relaxation rates are even further increased. A measure of the relaxation rates at two frequencies allows the evaluation of the correlation time for the electron-nuclear interaction, τc by several methods. No significant change in the correlation time is seen when the substrate complex is formed. The electron-nuclear distance can thus be evaluated from the correlation time, τc, and from the values measured for 1/T1. In the absence of substrate the protons of the methyl group are 8.3 ± 0.6 A from the enzyme-bound Mn2+. Upon formation of the pyruvate kinase-Mn2+-phosphoenolpyruvate complex, the protons move to 6.6 ± 0.2 A of the Mn2+. This result shows that the substrate affects the conformation of the active site by bringing the monovalent and divalent cation activators in closer proximity and that the monovalent activator can indeed bind in the active site of pyruvate kinase. The Mn2+-methyl proton distance measured is that predicted if the monovalent cation acts by binding P-enolpyruvate via the carboxyl group to form the active complex (Nowak, T., and Mildvan, A. S. (1972) Biochemistry 11, 2819). Monomethylammonium ion can thus serve as a useful probe in studying the interactions of monovalent cations with many biological systems with relative ease and should lead to a greater understanding of monovalent cation activation and function in biology.
EFFECT OF HEAT REJECTION CONDITIONS ON CRYOCOOLER OPERATIONAL STABILITY

It is well known that cryocooler thermal efficiency is a strong function of heat rejection temperature, roughly following the dependency described by Carnot. An equally important and generally overlooked implication of cryocooler heat-rejection thermodynamics is the effect of the heat rejection temperature control mode on cryocooler performance and operational stability. Example heat rejection temperature control modes include constant reject temperature (generally maintained via closed-loop temperature control), heat rejection temperature rising linearly with power dissipation (typical of conduction/convection to a constant temperature heat sink), and heat rejection dependent on the fourth power of reject temperature (typical of radiation to deep space). This paper presents a useful algorithm for computing the effect of changing heatsink temperature on cryocooler performance and uses the algorithm to examine the implications of various heat rejection temperature control modes on cryocooler operation. A useful system-level thermal performance map is developed to display the stability boundaries and available stable operating space for coolers of interest for various typical heat rejection control modes.
Effects of excess ground attenuation on aircraft noise contours

Various airport noise prediction programs are used to calculate expected noise level contours around airports based on the details of the aircraft operations. One of the major factors influencing these contours is the excess attenuation of the sound from the aircraft when the sound is propagating at near grazing incidence to the ground. When considered in detail, this excess attenuation is a complex phenomenon, but airport noise prediction programs use quite simple approximations to estimate the effect of excess ground attenuation. The attenuation of sound from an aircraft traveling close to the ground will depend on a number of factors that will vary as the aircraft passes by. The attenuation will be influenced by the spectrum and directionality of the aircraft noise source and these effects will vary with time as the aircraft passes an observation point. The resulting attenuation will also be influenced by the acoustical impedance of the ground as well as various meteorological effects. Thus, to accurately predict the attenuation of the sound from an aircraft, quite complex calculations would be required on a point by point basis as the aircraft passes an observation point. Most airport noise prediction programs include only quite simple approximations to these complex effects. The influence of each aircraft fly-by is typically only calculated for the point of closest approach to the observation point and not as a complete point-by-point calculation for the complete fly-by. Usually, only overall A-weighted or PNL-weighted levels are considered. The excess ground attenuation is usually calculated in two separate parts: (a) ground-to-ground propagation, and (b) air-to-ground propagation
The emergence and basis of endogenous attention in infancy and early childhood.

Publisher Summary Attention is a familiar and ubiquitous psychological construct that is widely alluded to in various scientific, clinical, and colloquial domains. Attention also remains as one of the least well-understood cognitive functions. The processes that represent the construct of attention are often said to share a common theme of “selection.” However, the process of selection is complex and depends on a number of subsidiary processes, such as detection, localization, and probably some form of recognition. Advances in the cognitive neuroscience of attention have elucidated the neural pathways by which these processes occur and have lent support to the notion of the existence of many “varieties” of attention. Selection may be accomplished by different, seemingly independent neural substrates and thus, the nature, character, and function of attention during development can be determined by the interaction of different systems at different levels of maturity.
Is Almetrics an Acceptable Replacement for Citation Counts and the Impact Factor

The research community is continually trying to find the quickest method for evaluating the quality of a scholarly article. Today’s technological advancements and growing communication outlets complicate the meaning of a quality article. Altmetrics attempts to take the place of impact factor and citation counting by predicting the outcome of an article based on the previous behavior of statistics. Perhaps, the best way to evaluate the quality of an article is to look at all of the Altmetrics methods and their relationship to each other. Context explains every Altmetric and is more significant than an article’s popularity. Librarians should guide patrons and researchers alike through these statistics’ advantages and disadvantages.
Interferon-α effects on diurnal hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis activity: relationship with proinflammatory cytokines and behavior

Interferon (IFN)-alpha has been used to investigate pathways by which innate immune cytokines influence the brain and behavior. Accordingly, the impact of IFN-alpha on diurnal secretion of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis hormones was assessed in 33 patients eligible for treatment with IFN-alpha plus ribavirin for hepatitis C. In addition, the relationship between IFN-alpha-induced HPA axis changes and proinflammatory cytokines and behavior was examined. Plasma ACTH and cortisol as well as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin-6 and their soluble receptors, were measured hourly between 0900 and 2100 hours at baseline and following approximately 12 weeks of either no treatment (n=13) or treatment with IFN-alpha/ribavirin (n=20). Plasma IFN-alpha was also measured at each visit. Depression and fatigue were assessed using the Montgomery-Asberg depression rating scale and the multidimensional fatigue inventory. Compared to no treatment, IFN-alpha/ribavirin administration was associated with significant flattening of the diurnal ACTH and cortisol slope and increased evening plasma ACTH and cortisol concentrations. Flattening of the cortisol slope and increases in evening cortisol were correlated with increases in depression (r=0.38, P<0.05 and r=0.36, P<0.05, respectively) and fatigue (r=0.43, P<0.05 and r=0.49, P<0.01, respectively). No relationship was found between immune and HPA axis measures, although increases in plasma IFN-alpha, TNF-alpha and soluble TNF-alpha receptor2 were independently correlated with behavioral endpoints. These data indicate that chronic exposure to innate immune cytokines may contribute to the altered diurnal HPA axis activity and behavior found in medically ill individuals. However, given the lack of correlation between HPA axis and immune measures, the mechanism by which chronic cytokine exposure influences HPA axis function remains to be determined.
Neo-conservative racist discourse: A Canadian case study

AbstractAlthough racist discourse has been well documented in other countries, it has been less well documented as it occurs in Canada. William Gairdner is a well-educated member of Canada's wealthy elite who writes political and social commentaries aimed at the general Canadian public. Gairdner's views can be characterized as representing the New Right of neo-conservative end of the political spectrum, and he has had a significant influence on the development of policies in a major neo-conservative political party in Canada, The Canadian Alliance Party (formerly the Reform Party of Canada). In ways that mirror discourses that discriminate against people of colour and people of non-western-European origin in other Western democracies, Gairdner argues that so-called non-traditional immmigration should be restricted and that people who are allowed into Canada should be required to assimilate to Anglo-Canadian cultural norms. Furthermore, in a distinctly Canadian way, Gairdner demonizes the French in general...
Changes in the Atmospheric Circulation as Indicator of Climate Change

Publisher Summary The strength, direction, and steadiness of the prevailing winds are crucial for climate. Winds associated with the atmospheric circulation lead to transports of heat and moisture from remote areas and thereby modify the local characteristics of climate in important ways. Specific names, such as extratropical Westerlies, tropical Trades, and equatorial Doldrums remind us of the significance of winds for the climate of a region and for the human societies living in it. This chapter discusses changes in the structure of the atmospheric circulation and its associated winds that have taken place during recent decades. These changes are best described as poleward displacements of major wind and pressure systems throughout the global three-dimensional atmosphere. The associated trends are important indicators of climate change and are likely to have profound influences on ecosystems and societies. It is focused on two important examples: first, tropical circulation change related to a poleward expansion of the Hadley cell (HC) and second, extratropical circulation change, as manifested by a poleward shift of the zone of high westerly winds in the midlatitudes, also known as an enhanced positive phase of the annular modes (AMs). Although both changes are associated with similar poleward displacements, it still remains to be seen whether the two phenomena are directly connected. The most intriguing challenges regarding the atmospheric circulation and climate change are to understand what the nature of this change is, what the consequences for surface climate are, and what the underlying causes and mechanisms are.