cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
When opinion leaders blog: new forms of citizen interaction

Web logs (i.e., blogs) provide enhanced opportunities to extend capabilities of traditional electronic mail and discussion lists, especially in the hands of opinion leaders; such tools offer greater social interaction and informal discussion, and opportunities for conversational content production. Because blogging tools are simple, available, and free, users can easily communicate with others in their social networks, their geographic communities and the interested public. Blogs represent self-organizing social systems that can help many persons to: 1) interact collaboratively, 2) learn from each other by exchanging ideas and information, and 3) solve collective problems. For opinion leaders -- that small percentage of the population that is socially and politically active -- blogs represent another channel to disseminate ideas and garner feedback from members of their social network. The present research offers findings from a random household survey of citizens of Blacksburg and Montgomery County, Virginia about citizens' interests and attitudes towards local government, discussion of political issues, and their Internet use. We find that opinion leaders who engage in some form of blogging (read or write) are more likely to be male, extroverted and educated than bloggers who are not politically active. They score higher than other bloggers on measures of offline and online political interests and activities, community collective efficacy, and the size and heterogeneity of their political discussion networks. As such, their use of blogs may serve as a growing new communication channel to exercise their informal influence.
Role of S4 segments and the leucine heptad motif in the activation of an L-type calcium channel

Basic residues in the S4 segments of voltage-dependent channels and leucines within the heptad repeat motif in the S4-S5 region of Shaker potassium channels have been shown to have important influences on activation. Here we have compared the relative importance for activation of S4 arginines (mutated to neutral or negative residues) in each of the four repeats of a chimeric L-type calcium channel. Significant effects on midpoint potential and time constant of activation were produced by mutations in repeats I and III but not in repeats II and IV. Leucine or isoleucine mutations in repeats I and III had the same effect on the voltage dependence of calcium channel activation as the mutations at equivalent positions in the Shaker channel, indicating that the heptad motif plays a fundamental role in channel activation.
Sex differences in thyroid axis function: Relevance to affective disorder and its treatment

Throughout life the thyroid economy differs for men and women. The “set point” for TSH is higher in women, they experience more goiter and nodule formation, and autoimmune thyroid disease is greater throughout life. Excluding cancer, the lifetime prevalence of thyroid disease for women is variously estimated between 2.25-4.0%, some 4 to 10 times the estimates for men. Contrary to earlier interpretation, maternal thyroid hormones are now thought to be important in the early life of the fetus and the development of the CNS; however, after the first trimester maternal free thyroid hormone falls to reach a nadir post partum, a fact not to be discounted in postpartum psychosis. Major depression is more common in women and approximately 5-10% have some metabolic evidence of a diminished thyroid economy. Adjunctive tri-iodothyronine has been shown to speed recovery from depression in women but not in men. Manic-Depressive Illness in its classic form (Bipolar I) is approximately equal in prevalence between men and women. However, the malignant variant of treatment resistant rapid cycling (RC) is predominant in women and is significantly associated with Grade I hypothyroidism. Furthermore, the use of high dose thyroxine as an adjunct to anticycling medications such as lithium and the anticonvulsants with frequently mitigate the cycling and induce clinical remission. Studies in premenopausal women (the common sufferers of RC) suggest that this pharmacologic use of thyroxine has few side effects and is without detectable increased risk of osteoporosis. Particularly lithium, but also other clinically employed psychotropic agents, are antithyroid as well as thymoleptic injunction. The study of the interaction of lithium and thyroid metabolism at the cellular and molecular level will help inform these clinical observations. That the c-erb-A family of gene products share considerable homology at the DNA binding region across nuclear T3, glucocorticoid, and estrogen receptors may be of significance in this regard. Thyroid screening of women with affective disorder is recommended for those who are aged 45 years or older, have a history of postpartum thyroiditis, or a family history of thyroid disease. Depression 3:33-42 (1995). © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Assessment of the appropriateness of the decision of heart transplantation in idiopathic-dilated cardiomyopathy.

Abstract One hundred thirty patients with idiopathic-dilated cardiomyopathy were referred for heart transplantation to our center and followed for 18 months. Heart transplantation was performed on 63 patients, 17 patients died before transplantation due to heart failure, and 50 patients never had transplantation. Clinical, electrocardiographic, echocardiographic, and hemodynamic data of the 50 nontransplanted survivors and the 17 patients who died were used to identify independent risk variables with discriminant analysis. Using a statistical model based on the results of discriminant analysis, each of the remaining 63 transplanted patients were predicted as being alive or dead in absence of transplantation. The discriminant analysis identified right atrial pressure, cardiac index, and the New York Heart Association functional class as the strongest predictors of 18-month outcome. The accuracy of the model in predicting survival without transplantation in the nontransplanted group of patients, based on the concordance between actual and predicted outcome, was 85% (κ = 0.62). Subsequent application of this model to the transplanted group of patients suggested that the decision for transplantation was appropriate in 41 of the 63 patients, and could have been premature in the remaining 22 patients predicted as alive. These results suggest that two-thirds of patients receiving transplants would have died without intervention, but the decision to transplant could have been premature in the remaining patients.
Internet Addiction and Delay Discounting in College Students

To examine the relation between Internet addiction and delay discounting, we gave 276 college students a survey designed to measure Internet addiction and a paper-based delay-discounting task. In edour larger sample, we identified 14 students who met the criteria for Internet addiction; we also identified 14 matched controls who were similar to the Internet-addicted students in terms of gender, age, and grade point average. We then compared the extent to which these groups discounted delayed rewards. We found that Internet addicts discounted delayed rewards faster than non-Internet addicts. These results suggest that Internet addicts may be more impulsive than non-Internet addicts and that Internet addiction may share behavioral characteristics with other types of addiction.
A Specification of Image Processing for Remote Sensing

A specification method of image processing for remote sensing is discussed using an example, that is SST (sea surface temperature) estimation from NOAA AVHRR data. This method of specification is a representation of data flow of image processing. Coordinate mapping and value mapping are specified independently. This specification is intended to specify the processing for operational use. This specification allows user to use many procedures which are written to implement some knowledge and to retrieve databases. The change of user decision may localized to a specification statement or a procedure. This suffices the requirement of operational use of remote sensing data.
Optimum Polarizations for Discrimination of a Foliage-Camouflaged Target, Using Genetic Algorithms

Many realizations of foliage around a hard target are run to obtain the statistical variations of foliage and target responses. This is accomplished by using a hybrid target-foliage model, developed for the investigation of the scattering behavior of metallic targets embedded inside a forest canopy. This model is based on the coherent scattering theory of wave propagation through the foliage and an iterative physical optics approximation of scattering from the target. The model is capable of accounting for the first-order near-field interactions between the hard target and the foliage. Fully polarimetric simulation results of a foliage-camouflaged metallic target having complex geometry are generated at 2 GHz, and a polarization synthesis optimization method for improving signal-to-clutter ratio is carried out by applying genetic algorithms.
The Rcs stress response and accessory envelope proteins are required for de novo generation of cell shape in Escherichia coli

Interactions with immune responses or exposure to certain antibiotics can remove the peptidoglycan wall of many Gram-negative bacteria. Though the spheroplasts thus created usually lyse, some may survive by resynthesizing their walls and shapes. Normally, bacterial morphology is generated by synthetic complexes directed by FtsZ and MreBCD or their homologues, but whether these classic systems can recreate morphology in the absence of a preexisting template is unknown. To address this question, we treated Escherichia coli with lysozyme to remove the peptidoglycan wall while leaving intact the inner and outer membranes and periplasm. The resulting lysozyme-induced (LI) spheroplasts recovered a rod shape after four to six generations. Recovery proceeded via a series of cell divisions that produced misshapen and branched intermediates before later progeny assumed a normal rod shape. Importantly, mutants defective in mounting the Rcs stress response and those lacking penicillin binding protein 1B (PBP1B) or LpoB could not divide or recover their cell shape but instead enlarged until they lysed. LI spheroplasts from mutants lacking the Lpp lipoprotein or PBP6 produced spherical daughter cells that did not recover a normal rod shape or that did so only after a significant delay. Thus, to regenerate normal morphology de novo, E. coli must supplement the classic FtsZ- and MreBCD-directed cell wall systems with activities that are otherwise dispensable for growth under normal laboratory conditions. The existence of these auxiliary mechanisms implies that they may be required for survival in natural environments, where bacterial walls can be damaged extensively or removed altogether.
Serpentinizing Fluids Craft Microbial Habitat

Abstract Hydrogen produced by serpentinization has the potential to fuel subsurface microbial metabolisms. In the serpentinizing subsurface, the solids comprise ultramafic parent rocks derived from the Earth's mantle, serpentine minerals, veins of hydroxides, and accessory magnetite and/or other metal-rich grains. Fluid that occurs with these solids is altered seawater and/or meteoric water and is predicted to be reducing. Hydrogen, a powerful reducing agent, is generated when Fe2+ in Fe(OH)2 is oxidized to magnetite, coupled to the reduction of water. Theoretical considerations and experimental work suggest that serpentinization may generate fluid H2 concentrations as high as ≈75 millimolar, and that related seeps on land should have ≈300 micromolar. Field observations have shown that submarine serpentinizing seeps contain fluid H2 concentrations of 1 to 15 millimolar H2, subseafloor sediments have ≈7–100 nanomolar H2, and thermal springs have ≈13 nanomolar H2. Fluid H2 has the potential to drive a varie...
The Visual Orbit of Pegasi

Pegasi (HR 8430, HD 210027) is a nearby, short-period (10.2 d) binary system with a F5V primary and a ~ G8V secondary in a circular orbit.
The scales of brane nucleation processes

Abstract The scales associated with Brown–Teitelboim–Bousso–Polchinski processes of brane nucleation, which result in changes of the flux parameters and the number of D-branes, are discussed in the context of type IIB models with all moduli stabilized. It is argued that such processes are unlikely to be described by effective field theory.
Alzheimer’s disease detection with objective statistical evaluation of FDG-PET brain scans: essential methodology for early identification

The anticipated introduction of disease-modifying agents for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) highlights the need for its early and accurate detection. This article provides an overview of the objective statistical voxel-based image processing and analyses technology that make early detection of AD with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET possible. Our report demonstrates that the comparison of a single FDG-PET scan with a group of control scans provides an objective statistical map that is useful for the detection of early stages of AD, augmenting visual inspection of the PET image itself. The need for early detection of AD, together with the power of voxel-based statistical analyses, provides an impetus for agencies to re-evaluate FDG-PET as an approved methodology for the early diagnosis of AD. The expected approval of disease-modifying agents for the treatment of AD places more emphasis on the need for earlier diagnosis of this common and devastating disorder.
The impact of high fat diets on physiological changes in euthyroid and thyroid altered rats

The association of adverse health with high fat intake has long been recognized. However, the lack of research focusing on the interrelationship of thyroid and liver function, and the pathogenesis of a high fat diet leaves these topics poorly understood. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the physiological changes in euthyroid and thyroid altered animal model fed saturated and unsaturated high fat diets. To achieve this objective adult male Sprague Dawley rats (n = 100) were fed one of five diets; a control or one of four test diets containing 25% saturated or unsaturated, and 37% saturated or unsaturated fats for a period of eight weeks. Each experimental group consisted of ten euthyroid and ten thyroid altered animals. An altered thyroid state was chemically induced with the addition of 0.05% propylthiouracil (PTU) in the drinking water. Euthyroid animals fed high fat diets increased in body weights and body lengths, compared to thyroid altered animals (P < 0.05). Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and asparte aminotransferase (AST) levels increased across all experimental groups. HbA1C values and urinary glucose values were within normal range for all animals. Liver morphology showed increased hepatic stellate (ito) and vacuole cells in thyroid altered animals. These findings suggest that altered thyroid status negatively impacts growth and weight gain, and simultaneously affected lipid metabolism, resulting in abnormal liver morphology.
Attributions for Participation and Nonparticipation in Gainsharing- Plan Involvement Systems

Gainsharing plans often provide highly structured suggestion systems that allow employees to participate in work-related decisions. However, individuals differ in their willingness to become involv...
Rous sarcoma virus Gag has no specific requirement for phosphatidylinositol-(4,5)-bisphosphate for plasma membrane association in vivo or for liposome interaction in vitro.

The MA domain of the retroviral Gag protein mediates interactions with the plasma membrane, which is the site of productive virus release. HIV-1 MA has a phosphatidylinositol-(4,5)-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2] binding pocket; depletion of this phospholipid from the plasma membrane compromises Gag membrane association and virus budding. We used multiple methods to examine the possible role of PI(4,5)P2 in Gag-membrane interaction of the alpharetrovirus Rous sarcoma virus (RSV). In contrast to HIV-1, which was tested in parallel, neither membrane localization of RSV Gag-GFP nor release of virus-like particles was affected by phosphatase-mediated depletion of PI(4,5)P2 in transfected avian cells. In liposome flotation experiments, RSV Gag required acidic lipids for binding but showed no specificity for PI(4,5)P2. Mono-, di-, and triphosphorylated phosphatidylinositol phosphate (PIP) species as well as high concentrations of phosphatidylserine (PS) supported similar levels of flotation. A mutation that increases the overall charge of RSV MA also enhanced Gag membrane binding. Contrary to previous reports, we found that high concentrations of PS, in the absence of PIPs, also strongly promoted HIV-1 Gag flotation. Taken together, we interpret these results to mean that RSV Gag membrane association is driven by electrostatic interactions and not by any specific association with PI(4,5)P2.
Transition Economies: Performance and Challenges

I present data and assess the first twelve years of the transition from plan to market. Transformations have taken place, but the income gap between the transition and advanced economies has widened. Transition countries further east have performed worse than those further west, but policies matter. All countries carried out quickly Type I reforms, such as macroeconomic stabilization, price liberalization, small-scale privatization, and breakup of state-owned enterprises. They differed in Type II reforms, such as large-scale privatization and development of banking and legal systems. Countries that developed a functioning legal framework and corporate governance have performed better than others.
BOARD-INVITED REVIEW: Use of distillers by-products in the beef cattle feeding industry.

The ethanol industry is expanding rap- idly. This expansion in production of renewable energy also increases production of by-products. These by- products, primarily distillers grains plus solubles (DGS), are utilized very efficiently by ruminants. When the starch in corn is fermented to produce ethanol, the remaining nutrients (protein, fat, fiber) are concen- trated about 3-fold. Whereas DGS is an excellent pro- tein source for ruminants, the large supply and the price relative to corn make DGS an attractive energy source as well. This is especially important with re- duced availability and higher price of corn because of demand by the ethanol industry. A meta-analysis of 9 experiments, where various levels of wet DGS were fed to feedlot cattle, shows that wet DGS produced higher ADG and G:F compared with cattle fed corn-based diets
Helicobacter pylori HP1512 Is a Nickel-Responsive NikR-Regulated Outer Membrane Protein

Helicobacter pylori is dependent upon the production of the highly abundant and active metalloenzyme urease for colonization of the human stomach. Thus, H. pylori has an absolute requirement for the transition metal nickel, a required cofactor for urease. To investigate the contribution of genes that are factors in this process, microarray analysis comparing the transcriptome of wild-type H. pylori 26695 cultured in brucella broth containing fetal calf serum (BBF) alone or supplemented with 100 μM NiCl2 suggested that HP1512 is repressed in the presence of 100 μM supplemental nickel. When measured by comparative real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR), HP1512 transcription was reduced 43-fold relative to the value for the wild type when cultured in BBF supplemented with 10 μM NiCl2. When grown in unsupplemented BBF, urease activity of an HP1512::cat mutant was significantly reduced compared to the wild type, 4.9 ± 0.5 μmol/min/mg of protein (n = 7) and 17.1 ± 4.9 μmol/min/mg of protein (n = 13), respectively (P
Utilization of the Internet for rapid community intensity maps

INTRODUCTION The most common information available immediately following a damaging earthquake is its magnitude and the epicentral location. However, it is also desirable to know the extent of the felt area, and, more important, the range of shaking experienced and the areal extent of strongest shaking. For most of the United States, there is insufficient seismic strong-motion station coverage to portray quickly and accurately the extent of strong shaking. Seismic intensity has been traditionally used worldwide as a method for quantifying the shaking pattern and the extent of damage for earthquakes. Though developed prior to the advent of today's modern seismometric instrumentation, seismic intensity scales nonetheless provide a useful framework to describe, in a simplified fashion, the complexity of ground motions and the extent and nature of the damage. A limitation of traditional intensity mapping has been the long time required to generate a detailed seismic intensity map, typically weeks...
Identity and Involvement Among Resident and Nonresident Fathers

The literature on father involvement suggests that the value men ascribe to being a father is important for understanding their involvement with their children, yet this theory has received only limited empirical attention. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 3,197), I examined the association between the psychological centrality of men’s father identity at the time their child was born and their trajectories of involvement during their child’s first 5 years, paying particular attention to differences by fathers’ residence status. I found that the centrality of the father identity predicted future levels of fathers’ involvement net of a large number of fathers’ personal and family characteristics and that these patterns generally remained stable over time. These results suggest that programs and interventions designed to enhance men’s father identity early in their child’s life may have long-lasting implications for their continued involvement with their children.
Prognostic value of transient ischemic dilation with regadenoson myocardial perfusion imaging.

Transient ischemic dilation (TID) of the left ventricle seen on myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is sometimes used as a marker of severe coronary artery disease. The prognostic value of TID obtained using regadenoson, a selective adenosine A2A receptor agonist, as a stress agent for MPI has not been studied. TID ratio was measured using an automated software program on consecutive patients with normal and abnormal perfusion pattern on regadenoson MPI at a single institution. An abnormal TID was defined as greater than 1.33. The primary outcome was a composite of cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), and late coronary revascularization (CR, >90 days after MPI). The study population consisted of 887 patients (62 ± 12 years, 66% male, 48% diabetes, 46% prior CR, 75% with abnormal perfusion pattern, left ventricular ejection fraction—LVEF 55 ± 6%). An abnormal TID was present in 51 (6%) patients. Baseline characteristics were not different based on the presence or absence of TID. Early CR (≤90 days) was performed in 11 (22%) patients with vs 92 (11%) patients without TID (P = .04). During a mean follow-up of 29 ± 19 months, the primary outcome occurred in 271 (31%) patients (22% cardiac death, 6% MI, 9% late CR). TID was associated with increased risk of the primary outcome (log-rank P = .017), an association largely driven by late CR. In a Cox proportional model adjusted for multiple variables including perfusion defect size (PDS) and LVEF, the hazard ratio for TID was 1.92 (95% CI 1.20-3.08, P = .007). In the subset of patients with normal perfusion pattern, there was no association between TID and outcomes. TID on regadenoson MPI carries important prognostic information that is independent from PDS and LVEF, but this association is restricted to patients with abnormal perfusion on imaging.
Disparities in Legal Ethical Standards between State and Federal Judicial Systems: an Analysis and a Critique.

This article analyzes the historical reasons for the development of disparate ethical rules in state and federal court, attributing the difference in standards to: the growth in the number of ethics codes over the last quarter of the Twentieth Century; the lack of a set of rules designed to apply directly to ethical (as opposed to disciplinary) matters; and the virtual elimination of federal appellate review. The article then identifies numerous critical differences between the standards applied in state and federal court in Texas, and seeks to explain the differences in terms of values emphasized in the different systems.
Estimability Analysis and Optimal Design in Dynamic Multi-scale Models of Cardiac Electrophysiology

We present an applied approach to optimal experimental design and estimability analysis for mechanistic models of cardiac electrophysiology, by extending and improving on existing computational and graphical methods. These models are 'multi-scale' in the sense that the modeled phenomena occur over multiple spatio-temporal scales (e.g., single cell vs. whole heart). As a consequence, empirical observations of multi-scale phenomena often require multiple distinct experimental procedures. We discuss the use of conventional optimal design criteria (e.g., D-optimality) in combining experimental observations across multiple scales and multiple experimental modalities. In addition, we present an improved 'sensitivity plot' - a graphical assessment of parameter estimability - that overcomes a well-known limitation in this context. These techniques are demonstrated using a working Hodgkin-Huxley cell model and three simulated experimental procedures: single cell stimulation, action potential propagation, and voltage clamp. In light of these assessments, we discuss two model modifications that improve parameter estimability, and show that the choice of optimality criterion has a profound effect on the contribution of each experiment.
Antiferromagnetic Ordering of MII(TCNE)[C4(CN)8]1/2 (M = Mn, Fe; TCNE = Tetracyanoethylene)

The magnetic behaviors of MII(TCNE)[C4(CN)8]1/2 (M = Mn, Fe) prepared from a new synthetic route yielding purer magnetic materials are reported. Detailed DC magnetization and AC magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal that both compounds exhibit magnetic ordering with antiferromagnetic ground states arising from antiferromagnetically coupled ferrimagnetic layers with ordering temperatures of 69 and 84 K for polycrystalline M = Mn (Mn) and Fe (Fe), respectively. Because of the presence of two spin sites, these antiferromagnets are best described as compensated ferrimagnets. A spin flop transition between the antiferromagnetically coupled ferrimagnetic layers occurs at 19 500 Oe at 5 K for Mn, whereas Fe is a metamagnet. Fe also exhibits a constricted hysteretic behavior with a 5 K critical field of 12 600 Oe, and a coercive field and remanent magnetization of 4800 Oe and 1850 emu Oe/mol, respectively.
Scalable Fabrication and Optical Characterization of nm Si Structures

Observations of efficient room temperature photoluminescence (PL) from porous Si have generated a great deal of interest in the optical properties of nm-scale Si structures. The stochastic character of porous-Si fabrication results in a distribution of crystal sizes and shapes. We report on a scalable (to large areas) and manufacturable (to high volumes) fabrication technology for uniform, nm-linewidth Si structures providing an important testbed for controlled studies of these optical properties. Large areas ( ∼ 1 cm2) of extreme sub-μm structures (to ∼ 5 nm) are re-producibly fabricated. Both walls (1-D confinement) and wires (2-D confinement) are reported. The fabrication process includes: interferometric lithography, highly anisotropic KOH etching, and structure dependent oxidation. For the walls, nearly perfect crystal planes form the sidewalls and very high width/depth aspect ratios (> 50) have been achieved. Raman scattering results on the walls demonstrate three regimes: 1) lineshapes and cross sections similar to bulk Si for line widths, W > 200 nm; 2) electromagnetic resonance enhancement of the cross section ( to - 100x) for W from 50-200 nm; and 3) highly asymmetric lineshapes and splittings from W < 30 nm. Photoluminescence is observed for the thinnest samples (W < 10 nm) and is as intense as that observed from porous Si with a spectral linewidth ∼ 50 % smaller than that of porous Si.
The relationship between faculty characteristics and the implementation of cultural competency training in physician assistant education.

Purpose: Cultural competency training has been present in academic medicine for many years, but interest resurfaced when the Institute of Medicine released a report on health care disparity and called for curricular improvement in medical education to eliminate this disparity. Unfortunately, many limitations in the implementation and assessment of the training have emerged, and it has been demonstrated that cultural competency training has not been uniform across medical education or physician assistant education. Methods: A national online survey of faculty members at 141 accredited PA programs was conducted. The study addressed the relationship of specific faculty characteristics with the implementation of cultural elements in cultural competency training in the didactic phase of PA programs. Results: Results of the study demonstrated that disability was excluded most frequently in the implementation process. In addition, a significant relationship between a lack of previous cultural competency training by faculty members and the implementation of less cultural elements was demonstrated. Conclusion: These findings support the need for a standardized definition of culture and greater emphasis on cultural competency training for faculty.
A look into the 21st century as viewed by a Mayo Health System patient care executive.

The 21st century needs to be dedicated to the broader vision of building healthy communities. The challenge for us as leaders in the communities in which we live and work will be to develop a nondisparate shared vision of health that serves all populations from birth to death. Disparity benchmarks and indicators will be key in order to achieve the U.S. Surgeon General's commitment to eliminate the disparities in health in this new century. Florence Nightingale's 19th century vision of creating an environment of healing--together with the Mayo brothers' primary value that the needs of the patient come first, which were set forth during the same time period--needs to guide us as we embark upon our 21st century journey.
Action Recognition by Time Series of Retinotopic Appearance and Motion Features

We present a method for recognizing and localizing actions in video by the sequence of changing appearance and motion of the participants. Appearance is modeled by histogram of oriented gradients object detectors, while motion is modeled by optical-flow motion-pattern detectors. Sequencing is modeled by a hidden Markov model (HMM) whose output models are these appearance and motion detectors. The HMM and associated detectors are simultaneously trained, learning the sequence of detectors that match the most distinctive temporal subsequences of the action represented in the training data. Training uses both positive and negative samples of a given action class and is accomplished without the need for annotation of the correspondence between training video frames and the state-conditioned detectors, by minimizing a discriminative cost function through gradient descent. Trained models are used to perform recognition and localization by simultaneous detection, tracking, and action recognition. In contrast to many prior methods, our approach learns intuitively meaningful models that represent action as a sequence of retinotopic models. We demonstrate such by rendering these models on unseen test video. This method was found to perform competitively on three standard datasets, Weizmann, KTH, and UCF Sports, as well as on the video from the Defence Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) Mind’s Eye program and a newly filmed dataset.
Effect of Sodium Carbonate on Deep Desiliconization of Sodium Aluminate Solution

During the course of producing aluminum oxide,as accumulation of sodium carbonate in circulation mother liquor,the flow rate increases and also the solution viscosity,which has influences on crystallization and growth of Al(OH)3.The experiment was performed by using calcium oxide as desiliconization reagents to study the effects of sodium carbonate on the condition and result of deep desiliconization of sodium aluminate solution.Finally,the optimal reaction condition of temperature as 90℃,time as 110min,stirring speed as 867r/min and dosage of sodium carbonate as 30g/L was determined and the silicon index of refine liquor reached 3642.Meanwhile,Silicon residue of deep desiliconization was analyzed by XRD and found when the sodium carbonate concentration is 0～30g/L,it can promote disiliconization but when the concentration is more than 30g/L,it inhibits.
Circulating osteocalcin in rats is inversely responsive to changes in corticosterone

Decreased bone formation in rats during spaceflight may be attributable to corticosteroid excess induced by environmental factors other than weightlessness that are associated with spaceflight experiments. To determine whether decreased osteocalcin, which may reflect altered bone formation rate, could be associated with corticosteroid excess, we measured serum osteocalcin in rats after injection of corticosterone or in response to various environmental stimuli. Exogenous steroid elicited a time- and dose-related decrease in serum osteocalcin, which was significant within 1 h of administration and maximally 25% below controls 1.5 h after injection of 3.3 mg corticosterone/kg body wt, the highest dose we tested. Adrenalectomy resulted in a 38% increase in osteocalcin. Exposure to environmental stressors lasting from 1.5 h to 3 wk also resulted in decreased osteocalcin levels, which showed a strong negative correlation (P less than 0.001) with serum corticosterone levels and adrenal mass after 1-3 wk of chronic cold exposure. Changes in serum osteocalcin were maximally about +/- 40% after 3 wk of chronic exposure to steroid excess or depletion. The response of osteocalcin to the well-defined adrenal hormone system implies an important role for corticosteroids in the control of serum osteocalcin.
Direct carotid-cavernous fistula: A complication of, and treatment with, flow diversion

Direct carotid-cavernous fistulas (CCFs) are rare complications of flow diversion and have typically been documented in a subacute time frame after treatment. We present the first reported case of an intraprocedural direct CCF that developed immediately after flow diversion for treatment of a symptomatic paraclinoid right internal carotid artery aneurysm with a neck involving the cavernous segment. Endovascular treatment of such direct fistulas typically involves either transarterial obliteration of the fistulous site or transvenous embolization of the cavernous sinus. Our case was successfully treated with further immediate flow diversion without additional transvenous intervention. There are few reports on the use of flow diversion for treatment of such direct CCFs, and in all but one of these cases, flow diversion was combined with concomitant transvenous embolization. Thus, the presented case is not only the first reported case of an immediate CCF after flow diversion, but it is also only the second reported case of a direct fistula to be successfully treated using solely flow diversion, without additional transvenous intervention. We review the literature of direct CCFs after flow diversion, the pathophysiology of development of CCFs after flow diversion, the literature on treatment of CCFs with flow diversion as well as all other current treatment options.
The Cotton Industry at Antelope House

ABSTRACTEvidence for the range of behavior associated with cotton at Antelope House during Pueblo III times is examined in the light of an ethnographic model based on Schiffer's technique of behavioral chain analysis. It is hypothesized that cotton was grown in the Canyon de Chelly area and possibly traded to non-cotton producing regions. Included is discussion of the differential effects of cultural activities, preservation factors, and archaeological techniques on the recovery of textiles and raw cotton material from Antelope House.
Early investigations into subjective audio quality assessment using brainwave responses

In this work, we take the first steps towards quantifying changes in the perceived quality of audio by directly measuring human brainwave responses using a high-resolution electroencephelograph (EEG). Specifically, human subjects are presented with audio whose quality varies with time while being monitored by a 128-channel EEG; some of the time, they move a slider bar up and down to indicate their perception of the changing quality while at other times they listen passively. Our focus here is to identify low-level features in the brainwave responses that correlate well with temporal quality variations across multiple base audio sequences and different test subjects. We consider two approaches for quality classification, one based on cross-correlation of the spectrally-averaged signals and the other based on time-space-frequency power distributions. Using a perceptually-weighted error criterion, we find that the error varies between 0.177 and 0.227 for the time-space-frequency approach and 0.0569 and 0.0723 for the cross-correlation approach. We note, however, that the latter approach is operating within the training set while the former is not, so the comparison between these two approaches is somewhat misleading.
Tank-Binding Kinase 1 ( TBK1 ) Gene and Open-Angle Glaucomas (An American Ophthalmological Society Thesis).

PURPOSE To investigate the role of TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) gene copy-number variations (ie, gene duplications and triplications) in the pathophysiology of various open-angle glaucomas. METHODS In previous studies, we discovered that copy-number variations in the TBK1 gene are associated with normal-tension glaucoma. Here, we investigated the prevalence of copy-number variations in cohorts of patients with other open-angle glaucomas-juvenile-onset open-angle glaucoma (n=30), pigmentary glaucoma (n=209), exfoliation glaucoma (n=225), and steroid-induced glaucoma (n=79)-using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay. RESULTS No TBK1 gene copy-number variations were detected in patients with juvenile-onset open-angle glaucoma, pigmentary glaucoma, or steroid-induced glaucoma. A TBK1 gene duplication was detected in one (0.44%) of the 225 exfoliation glaucoma patients. CONCLUSIONS TBK1 gene copy-number variations (gene duplications and triplications) have been previously associated with normal-tension glaucoma. An exploration of other open-angle glaucomas detected a TBK1 copy-number variation in a patient with exfoliation glaucoma, which is the first example of a TBK1 mutation in a glaucoma patient with a diagnosis other than normal-tension glaucoma. A broader phenotypic range may be associated with TBK1 copy-number variations, although mutations in this gene are most often detected in patients with normal-tension glaucoma.
Carbon nanofibers in cement composites: Mechanical reinforcement

The focus of this chapter is on the growing field of carbon nanofiber (CNF) utilization in various types of cement composites. The knowledge base on this subject matter is sparse, mainly due to the very recent nature of the advances in this area. The chapter provides an overview of CNF size and general properties, various applications to date, history of the product development, and application in cement composites (such as mortar and concrete). The significant benefits of such applications, including increases in compressive strength, flexural strength, toughness, impact resistance, shrinkage resistance, electrical resistivity, crack control, freeze–thaw durability, abrasion resistance, and fatigue performance, are discussed. Associated issues of CNF application in cement composites, such as adequate dispersion, use of surfactants, workability, water–cement ratios, dosage rates, age effect, and water absorption, are addressed.
Resveratrol induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis with docetaxel in prostate cancer cells via a p53/ p21 WAF1/CIP1 and p27 KIP1 pathway

// Santosh Kumar Singh 1 , Saswati Banerjee 1 , Edward P. Acosta 2 , James W. Lillard 1 , Rajesh Singh 1 1 Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA 2 Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA Correspondence to: Rajesh Singh, email: rsingh@msm.edu Keywords: cell cycle, resveratrol, docetaxel, p21, p53 Received: December 10, 2016 Accepted: January 24, 2017 Published: February 13, 2017 ABSTRACT Resveratrol (RES) is the most effective natural products used for the treatment of a variety of cancers. In this study, we tested the effect of RES in enhancing the efficacy of docetaxel (DTX) treatment in prostate cancer (PCa) cells. The C4-2B and DU-145 cell lines were treated with RES, DTX and combination followed by evaluating the apoptosis and cell cycle progression. The combined drug treatment up-regulates the pro-apoptotic genes ( BAX, BID , and BAK ), cleaved PARP and down regulates the anti-apoptotic genes ( MCL-1, BCL-2, BCL-XL ) promoting apoptosis. In C4-2B cells the combination up regulated the expression of p53 , and cell cycle inhibitors (p21 WAF1/CIP1, p27 KIP ), which, in turn, inhibited the expression of CDK4, cyclin D1, cyclin E1 and induced hypo-phosphorylation of Rb thus blocking the transition of cells in the G 0 /G 1 to S phase. In contrast, the synergistic effect was not profound in DU145 due to its lesser sensitivity to DTX. The suppression of cyclin B1 and CDK1 expression in both cell lines inhibits the further progression of cells in G 2 /M phase. The current study demonstrates that combination treatment blocks the cell cycle arrest by modulation of key regulators and promotes apoptosis via p53 dependent and independent mechanism in PCa.
An examination of the effects of 2014 concealed weapons law in Illinois on property crimes in Chicago

ABSTRACTThe purpose of the present study is to determine the effects of ‘may issue’ Concealed Carry Weapons (CCW) law implemented in early 2014 in Chicago. Based on the daily community-level crime data from January 2006 to December 2015, using zero-inflated negative binomial difference-in-difference specification with Philadelphia as the control group, the property crimes in Chicago declined after the implementation of ‘may issue’ CCW law. The findings are robust to alternate treatment windows and to a placebo test using time windows before implementation of the law.
Adaptive risk-based pooling in public health screening

ABSTRACTPooled testing is commonly used in public health screening for classifying subjects in a large population as positive or negative for an infectious or genetic disease. Pooling is especially...
Evolution of Addiction Terminology

Now more than ever, substance abuse has become an epidemic within the community. There is a need to understand the common definitions and terminology that are used within the field, as well as understand the evolution of such concepts. This chapter will provide an introductory explanation as to what defines a drug, psychoactive drugs, and drugs with addiction potential; a brief history of the concept of addiction; a contemporary definition of addiction, related terminology, co-occurrence, and recovery; and a discussion of the differences between professional treatment and mutual help/12-step fellowship groups.
Prenatal arsenic exposure and dietary folate and methylcobalamin supplementation alter the metabolic phenotype of C57BL/6J mice in a sex-specific manner

Inorganic arsenic (iAs) is an established environmental diabetogen. The link between iAs exposure and diabetes is supported by evidence from adult human cohorts and adult laboratory animals. The contribution of prenatal iAs exposure to the development of diabetes and underlying mechanisms are understudied. The role of factors that modulate iAs metabolism and toxicity in adults and their potential to influence diabetogenic effects of prenatal iAs exposure are also unclear. The goal of this study was to determine if prenatal exposure to iAs impairs glucose metabolism in mice and if maternal supplementation with folate and methylcobalamin (B12) can modify this outcome. C57BL/6J dams were exposed to iAs in drinking water (0, 100, and 1000 µg As/L) and fed a folate/B12 adequate or supplemented diet from before mating to birth of offspring. After birth, dams and offspring drank deionized water and were fed the folate/B12 adequate diet. The metabolic phenotype of offspring was assessed over the course of 14 weeks. Male offspring from iAs-exposed dams fed the folate/B12-adequate diet developed fasting hyperglycemia and insulin resistance. Maternal folate/B12 supplementation rescued this phenotype but had only marginal effects on iAs metabolism in dams. The diabetogenic effects of prenatal iAs exposure in male offspring were not associated with changes in global DNA methylation in the liver. Only minimal effects of prenatal iAs exposure or maternal supplementation were observed in female offspring. These results suggest that prenatal iAs exposure impairs glucose metabolism in a sex-specific manner and that maternal folate/B12 supplementation may improve the metabolic phenotype in offspring. Further studies are needed to identify the mechanisms underlying these effects.
Patient Perspectives on Racial and Ethnic Implicit Bias in Clinical Encounters: Implications for Curriculum Development

Abstract Objective Patients describe feelings of bias and prejudice in clinical encounters; however, their perspectives on restoring the encounter once bias is perceived are not known. Implicit bias has emerged as a target for curricular interventions. In order to inform the design of novel patient-centered curricular interventions, this study explores patients’ perceptions of bias, and suggestions for restoring relationships if bias is perceived. Methods The authors conducted bilingual focus groups with purposive sampling of self-identified Black and Latino community members in the US. Data were analyzed using grounded theory. Results Ten focus groups (in English (6) and Spanish (4)) with N = 74 participants occurred. Data analysis revealed multiple influences patients’ perception of bias in their physician encounters. The theory emerging from the analysis suggests if bias is perceived, the outcome of the encounter can still be positive. A positive or negative outcome depends on whether the physician acknowledges this perceived bias or not, and his or her subsequent actions. Conclusions Participant lived experience and physician behaviors influence perceptions of bias, however clinical relationships can be restored following perceived bias. Practice implications Providers might benefit from skill development in the recognition and acknowledgement of perceived bias in order to restore patient-provider relationships.
Beyond the Classroom: A Framework for Growing School Capacity in a Digital Age

Rapid technological advancements promise unprecedented educational opportunities to foster student-centered and personalized learning, yet many schools are underprepared, lacking comprehensive orga...