cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ACTIVATION CROSS-SECTION SURVEY OF DEUTERON-INDUCED REACTIONS

A survey was made of activation cross sections for various nuclear reactions induced by 20-MeV deuterons. The ($d,p$) and ($d,t$) cross sections increase monotonically with increasing mass number, and in one case (${\mathrm{Ni}}^{58}$) the absolute ($d,p$) cross section is closely predicted by a distorted-wave Born approximation calculation. They are undoubtedly stripping and pickup reactions with little or no compound nucleus contribution. The fact that Coulomb barriers do not affect ($d,t$) cross sections indicates that the pickup occurs far outside the nucleus. The cross sections for ($d,2p$) reactions are consistent with a model wherein the second proton is "evaporated" from a compound nucleus, but the level density parameters needed to fit this theory are somewhat lower than expected; this may indicate a contribution from a mechanism in which both protons are emitted in a direct interaction. Excluding the lightest element studied, ${\mathrm{Cl}}^{35}$, the $(d,p\ensuremath{\alpha})+(d,\ensuremath{\alpha}p)$ activation cross sections are consistent with calculations assuming a reaction path that is predominantly ($d,p\ensuremath{\alpha}$) with evaporation of the second particle (i.e., one alpha) from a compound nucleus; however the reaction on ${\mathrm{Cl}}^{35}$ seems to proceed by the path ($d,\ensuremath{\alpha}p$) with both particles being evaporated. Cross sections for ($d,2n$) and ($d,n\ensuremath{\alpha}$) reactions in the mass range 60 to 90 indicate that many more low-energy neutrons than low-energy protons are emitted as first particles in deuteron-induced reactions; this indicates that compound nucleus formation is more important than stripping in these reactions.
REVERSE ENGINEERING GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATIONS OF X SOURCE CODE

A technique for reverse engineering graphical user interfaces (GUIs) produced with Xtoolkit source code is presented. Two independent graphical representations are automatically generated to assist GUI programmers in the development, testing, maintenance, and reengineering of X-based GUI source code. This capability to generate both structural and behavioral views has the potential to provide major improvements in the comprehensibility of X source code. Whereas generating widget instance trees to describe the structure of an X interface is common, the automatic generation of dialogue state diagrams to describe the behavior of an X interface is unique to our technique. The intent of this paper is to provide insight into the functional details of our automated reverse engineering process for the benefit of other reverse engineering researchers and programming tool developers.
The effect of controlled release tablet performance and hydrogel strength on in vitro/in vivo correlation.

The impact of controlled release (CR) formulations having different gel strength values (gamma) on in vivo tablet performance and the in vitro/in vivo correlation of the formulations was investigated. The CR tablets containing either hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), or carbomer were formulated with theophylline and Fast Flo lactose to produce tablets with a polymer content of 8 and 30% w/w. gamma was measured using a previously reported method. Male beagle dogs were utilized. Results showed that dissolution profiles were similar for all three polymers at the same % w/w level of polymer, irrespective of media (DI H2O, 0.1 N HCl, and pH 6.8 phosphate buffer). Mean gamma values were significantly different (p HPC HXF > carbomer 971P (same 30% w/w) with absolute gamma values at 30% w/w in DI H2O of 6600, 4600, and 1600 ergs/cm3, respectively. Drug profiles in plasma for the 30% HPMC K100MP tablets were consistent with in vitro dissolution profiles and gamma values. Plasma profiles for the 30% HPC HXF tablets were similar in vivo as the HPMC tablets. Plasma profiles for the 30% carbomer 971P formulation showed much higher drug concentrations (compared to HPMC and HPC) in vivo in all dogs. This findings is not consistent with the slow drug release found in the dissolution profiles but consistent with its low in vitro gamma values. Assessment of the predictability of a level A in vitro/in vivo correlation was quantified by absolute mean percent prediction error (PE). Formulations having gamma approximately 6000 ergs/cm3 have acceptable PE < 20%, and low standard deviation (sigma). Results showed that gamma values of CR hydrogel tablets in vitro will affect the in vivo performance (i.e., absorption kinetics of the drug) of the tablets and were also found to better assess (compared to in vitro dissolution profiles alone) the predictability of in vitro/in vivo correlations (level A and multiple level C).
Trans-Synaptic Eph Receptor-Ephrin Signaling in Hippocampal Mossy Fiber LTP

The site of induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) at mossy fiber-CA3 synapses in the hippocampus is unresolved, with data supporting both pre- and postsynaptic mechanisms. Here we report that mossy fiber LTP was reduced by perfusion of postsynaptic neurons with peptides and antibodies that interfere with binding of EphB receptor tyrosine kinases (EphRs) to the PDZ protein GRIP. Mossy fiber LTP was also reduced by extracellular application of soluble forms of B-ephrins, which are normally membrane-anchored presynaptic ligands for the EphB receptors. The application of soluble ligands for presynaptic ephrins increased basal excitatory transmission and occluded both tetanus and forskolin-induced synaptic potentiation. These findings suggest that PDZ interactions in the postsynaptic neuron and trans-synaptic interactions between postsynaptic EphB receptors and presynaptic B-ephrins are necessary for the induction of mossy fiber LTP.
Reliability of Estimating Stochastic Lung Tissue Heterogeneity from Pulmonary Impedance Spectra: A Forward-Inverse Modeling Study

Heterogeneity of regional lung mechanics is an important determinant of the work of breathing and may be a risk factor for ventilator associated lung injury. The ability to accurately assess heterogeneity may have important implications for monitoring disease progression and optimizing ventilator settings. Inverse modeling approaches, when applied to dynamic pulmonary impedance data (Z(L)), are thought to be sensitive to the detection of mechanical heterogeneity with the ability to characterize global lung function using a minimal number of free parameters. However, the reliability and bias associated with such model-based estimates of heterogeneity are unknown. We simulated Z(L) spectra from healthy, emphysematous, and acutely injured lungs using a computer-generated anatomic canine structure with asymmetric Horsfield branching and various predefined distributions of stochastic lung tissue heterogeneity. Various inverse models with distinct topologies incorporating linear resistive and inertial airways with parallel tissue viscoelasticity were then fitted to these Z(L) spectra and evaluated in terms of their quality of fit as well as the accuracy and reliability of their respective model parameters. While all model topologies detected appropriate changes in tissue heterogeneity, only a topology consisting of lumped airway properties with distributed tissue properties yielded accurate estimates of both mean lung tissue stiffness and the spread of regional elastances. These data demonstrate that inverse modeling approaches applied to noninvasive measures of Z(L) may provide reliable and accurate assessments of lung tissue heterogeneity as well as insight into distributed lung mechanical properties.
Influence of Water Vapor on Crack Propagation in Soda‐Lime Glass

Results of a new experimental approach to static fatigue of glass are presented. Using the double-cantilever cleavage technique, it was possible to observe crack motion and to accurately measure crack velocities in glass. The measured crack velocity is a complicated function of stress and of water vapor concentration in the environment. Experimental results are discussed with reference to current theories of static fatigue.
Effect of Dexamethasone on NF-kB Activation, Tumor Necrosis Factor Formation, and Glucose Dyshomeostasis in Septic Rats

Abstract Glucocorticoids are potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive therapeutic agents. The protective effect of dexamethasone (DEX) on hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) transcript level, hepatic NF-kB (nuclear factor-kB) activation, and serum tumor necrosis factor α (TNF) formation was investigated in peritoneal sepsis induced by cecal incision in rats. For the control the rats were sham-operated with laparotomies only. Each group (N= 6) was pretreated with either normal saline (NS) or DEX before surgery (NS/Sham, NS/Sepsis, DEX/Sham, and DEX/Sepsis). At 3 hr post cecal incision, DEX treatment inhibited sepsis-induced hepatic NF-kB activation by 23%, suppressed circulating TNF by 50%, reduced serum glucose by 36%, reduced hepatic glycogen depletion by 76%, and attenuated PEPCK mRNA level. These findings suggested that DEX treatment was beneficial in attenuating glucose dyshomeostasis and significantly inhibited two sepsis-induced inflammatory mediators, NF-kB and TNF, in the early phase of peritoneal sepsis. However, in the late (6 hr) septic phase, DEX treatment inhibited serum TNF by 69%, but had no effect on NF-kB activation, glycogen depletion, and PEPCK mRNA level suggesting liver function failure injury.
A growth/mortality trade-off in larval salamanders and the coexistence of intraguild predators and prey.

Behavioral and morphological traits often influence a key trade-off between resource acquisition and vulnerability to predation, and understanding trait differences between species can provide critical insight into their interactions with other species and their distributions. Such an approach should enhance our understanding of the criteria for coexistence between species that can interact through both competition and predation (i.e. intraguild predators and prey). I conducted a common garden experiment that revealed strong differences between three guild members (larval salamanders Ambystoma laterale, A. maculatum, and A. tigrinum) in behavior, morphology, and growth in the presence and absence of a shared top predator (the larval dragonfly Anax longipes). All three species also reduced their activity and modified their tail fin depth, tail muscle length, and body length in response to non-lethal Anax. Species that act as intraguild predators were more active and could grow faster than their intraguild prey species, but they also suffered higher mortality in laboratory predation trials with Anax. I also used survey data from natural communities to compare the distribution of Ambystoma species between ponds differing in abiotic characteristics and predatory invertebrate assemblages. An intraguild prey species (A. maculatum) was found more reliably, occurred at higher densities, and was more likely to persist late into the larval period in ponds with more diverse invertebrate predator assemblages. Taken together, these results indicate that top predators such as Anax may play an important role in influencing intraguild interactions among Ambystoma and ultimately their local distribution patterns.
Octet formalism for Kirchhoff anisotropic plates

An octet formalism is established for stretching and bending deformations of an anisotropic elastic plate based on the Kirchhoff theory. The plate is inhomogeneous in the thickness direction and thus includes the laminated plate as a special case. By defining a 4–eigenvector associated with two in–plane displacements and two rotational angles of a normal of the mid–plane, and a 4–eigenvector associated with four stress functions, the three equilibrium equations of the plate reduce to a standard eight–dimensional eigenrelation. The fundamental elastic plate matrix defined in this work is found to place the two eigenvectors in reverse order to form the left and right 8–eigenvectors of the matrix. The same capability has been observed for the fundamental elasticity matrix in Stroh's sextic formalism for generalized plane strain elasticity. Thus our octet formalism symbolically preserves extensive elegant properties and identities pertaining to the capability, e.g. the orthogonality and closure relations, which have been established in the Stroh sextic formalism. Having shown that the eigenvalues cannot be real, we provide the eigenvalue representations for special cases of material and geometry. The non–semisimple case including an isotropic material is briefly discussed.
Choline acetyltransferase activity and cognitive domain scores of Alzheimer's patients

Abstract Choline acetyltransferase activity and cognitive domain scores of Alzheimer’s patients. Item scores from the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (MDRS) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) from 389 patients with probable Alzheimer’s disease were submitted to principal component analysis with orthogonal rotation. The optimal solution identified four factors that reflected the cognitive domains of attention/registration, verbal fluency/reasoning, graphomotor/praxis and recent memory. A subgroup of patients was identified for whom both the MDRS and the MMSE had been administered within the 12 months before death. Scores were assigned to these patients for the four factors. These cognitive-domain scores were then correlated with postmortem choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity in the medial frontal cortex, inferior parietal cortex, and hippocampus. ChAT activity in both the medial frontal and the inferior parietal cortex significantly correlated with scores on the graphomotor/praxis factor. Medial frontal ChAT also correlated significantly with the attention/registration scores. Hippocampal ChAT correlated significantly only with recent memory scores. These results are consistent with current animal research regarding the effect of selective cholinergic lesions on behavior.
Anatomic and electro-physiologic connectivity of the language system: A combined DTI-CCEP study

Here we present a novel multimodal analysis of network connectivity in the language system. We assessed connectivity of Broca's area using tractography with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and with cortico-cortical evoked potentials (CCEPs) to measure the spread of artificial currents applied directly to human cortex. We found that both the amplitude and latency of CCEP currents significantly correlates (r^2=0.41, p<10^-^1^6) with the number of DTI pathways connecting the stimulation and recording loci. This strategy of relating electrical information flow with the neural architecture will likely yield new insights into cognitive processes.
A computational method to predict genetically encoded rare amino acids in proteins

In several natural settings, the standard genetic code is expanded to incorporate two additional amino acids with distinct functionality, selenocysteine and pyrrolysine. These rare amino acids can be overlooked inadvertently, however, as they arise by recoding at certain stop codons. We report a method for such recoding prediction from genomic data, using read-through similarity evaluation. A survey across a set of microbial genomes identifies almost all the known cases as well as a number of novel candidate proteins.
Inert Gas Dilution and Ion Bombardment Effects in Room Temperature (35°C) Plasma Deposition of a-Si:H

Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of a-Si:H with silane or silane and hydrogen at temperatures lower than 200°C commonly results in films with significant dihydride bonding and a high defect density. In this paper, we demonstrate the formation of monohydride dominant a-Si:H films using rf parallel plate PECVD at 35°C at deposition rates greater than 100 A/min. In the as-deposited state, these films have low dark conductivity (∼10 −9 S/cm) and low photoconductivity. Annealing the films at 150°C caused the monohydride dominant films to show photo to dark conductivity ratio near 10 5 . Our results also indicate that an increase in monohydride fraction is not linked with a decrease in deposition rate.
When Do Men and Women Make Attributions to Gender Discrimination? The Role of Discrimination Source

Two experiments examined the effects of discrimination source on men’s and women’s willingness to make attributions to a sexist experimenter or sexist rules. Students (161 male; 171 females) at a US university were exposed to a discriminatory person, discriminatory rule, or no discrimination. “Experiment 1” demonstrated individuals were less likely to make attributions to a sexist person than an unfair rule, and women were especially reluctant to indicate a person was responsible for their discrimination even when a person was the source. “Experiment 2” showed participants were less likely to indicate an experimenter, and even a rule, was sexist when there was a cost to the perpetrator (i.e., advisor would be notified of the perpetrator’s actions) for making such attributions.
Can Schizophrenia Be Related to Prenatal Exposure to Alcohol? Some Speculations

There is a growing body of evidence implicating prenatal insults in the etiology of schizophrenia, although the etiological process is unclear. In this article we propose that prenatal exposure to alcohol may relate to a small fraction of patients who later develop schizophrenia.
E-books in libraries: a briefing document developed in preparation for a workshop on e-lending in libraries

This briefing document was developed with helpful inputs from industry stakeholders and other practitioners in preparation for the “E-Books in Libraries” workshop, hosted on February 24, 2012, by the Berkman Center for Internet & Society with the generous support of the Charles H. Revson Foundation. The “E-Books in Libraries” workshop was convened as part of a broader effort to explore current issues associated with digital publishing business models and access to digitally-published materials in libraries. Workshop attendees, including representatives from leading publishers, libraries, academia, and other industry experts, were invited to identify key challenges, share experiences, and prioritize areas for action. This document, which contains some updates reflecting new developments following the February workshop (up to June 2012), is intended to build on and continue that discussion with a broader audience, and encourage the development of next steps and concrete solutions. Beginning with a brief overview of the history and the current state of the e-book publishing market, the document traces the structure of the licensing practices and business models used by distributors to make e-books available in libraries, and identifies select challenges facing libraries and publishers. Where possible, we have made an effort to incorporate stakeholder perspectives and real-world examples to connect analysis to the actual questions, issues, and challenges that arise in practice. The document concludes with a number of informative resources – including news articles, whitepapers, stakeholder and trade association reports, and other online sources – that might inform future conversations, investigations, pilot projects, and best practices in this space. The topics presented in this briefing come at an important moment for the publishing industry, and in particular the e-book market, both of which have been rapidly evolving over the last several years. These changes are, in turn, affecting the models used by publishers’ horizontal and vertical business partners, such as libraries and distributors. While we have endeavored to provide accurate information within this document, the dynamic flux of the industry can make it difficult to accurately capture a comprehensive snapshot of its current state. For instance, during the course of our initial research we found that some information published as recently as September 2011 had already become outdated; other salient information is not made publicly available for competitive reasons. Please note that we consider this to be a working document, which we hope to develop further as information changes and the issues evolve.
Shop-floor scheduling of semiconductor wafer fabs: exploring the influence of technology, market, and performance objectives

Shop-floor control has long been recognized as an important tool in improving manufacturing performance, an issue of great importance in the highly competitive semiconductor industry. Despite theoretical evidence of the benefits of certain kinds of scheduling policies, a wide disparity in shop-floor control practices exists in the industry. To better understand why such differences exist, we analyze an array of technology, market, and performance objective variables from 28 semiconductor wafer fabs. Using an ordinal logit model, we find that custom chip makers and fabs that place high emphasis on delivery performance are more likely to place high emphasis on lot dispatching and shop-floor control. Make-to-stock fabs producing mature products are less likely to place high emphasis on scheduling. For practitioners, the results can help direct management efforts by indicating which fabs will - and which will not - benefit from emphasis on scheduling. For scholars, the results suggest fruitful areas for future production scheduling research.
Territory quality drives intraspecific patterns of extrapair paternity

Despite the potential reproductive benefits of extrapair matings, extrapair paternity rates in many avian species often vary greatly among populations. Although ecological factors have been shown to influence intraspecific patterns of extrapair paternity in some species, for cooperatively breeding species living in family groups, social/demographic factors may also play a role. This study examined how ecological factors related to territory quality (vegetation cover, insect abundance) and social/demographic factors (group size, number of breeding pairs, genetic relatedness) influenced intraspecific patterns of extrapair paternity in cooperatively breeding superb starlings, Lamprotornis superbus. Superb starlings inhabit spatiotemporally variable African savannas where high temporal variability drives reproductive decisions (adoption of breeding roles, offspring sex allocation) and where territories suitable for breeding are limited. Although extrapair paternity rates were only 14% of offspring and 25% of nests, they varied greatly among groups, ranging from 4% to 32% of offspring and from 7% to 60% of nests. These among-group differences in extrapair paternity were not related to social/demographic factors but instead to territory quality; extrapair paternity was higher on lower quality territories (lower vegetation cover and grasshopper abundance) than on higher quality territories (higher vegetation cover and grasshopper abundance). These results suggest that even in a heterogeneous landscape where suitable breeding territories are limited, subtle differences in habitat quality can have profound effects on reproductive decisions and patterns of extrapair paternity. Understanding the interaction between spatial (habitat heterogeneity) and temporal (temporal variability) environmental variation will be important for determining how environmental and social factors drive avian reproductive and mating decisions. Key words: cooperative breeding, extrapair fertilization, habitat heterogeneity, spatiotemporal environmental variation, temporal variability, territory quality. [Behav Ecol]
Force fields for protein simulations

Publisher Summary The chapter focuses on a general description of the force fields that are most commonly used at present, and it gives an indication of the directions of current research that may yield better functions in the near future. After a brief survey of current models, mostly generated during the 1990s, the focus of the chapter is on the general directions the field is taking in developing new models. The most commonly used protein force fields incorporate a relatively simple potential energy function: The emphasis is on the use of continuum methods to model the electrostatic effects of hydration and the introduction of polarizability to model the electronic response to changes in the environment. Some of the history and performance of widely used protein force fields based on an equation on simplest potential energy function or closely related equations are reviewed. The chapter outlines some promising developments that go beyond this, primarily by altering the way electrostatic interactions are treated. The use of atomic multipoles and off-center charge distributions, as well as attempts to incorporate electronic polarizability, are also discussed in the chapter.
Diagnoses in 1,784 Ovine Abortions and Stillbirths

Of 1,799 accessions of ovine abortions and stillbirths by the South Dakota Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory during a 10-year period, 1,784 were suitable for examination. Etiologic diagnoses were made in 786 (44%). Infectious agents were found responsible in 702 accessions (39%), and noninfectious causes were involved in 84 (5%). No diagnosis was made in 998 accessions (56%), 61 of which were mummified fetuses. Lesions, most of which indicated the presence of an infectious agent, were found in 274 cases (15%) in which no agent could be identified. Together, Toxoplasma gondii, Campylobacter sp., and Chlamydia psittaci caused approximately 25% of all abortions and stillbirths examined.
Effect of shape anisotropy on stop-band response of Fe and permalloy based tunable microstrip filters

The magnetic/dielectric hybrid transmission line structures provide a new class of microwave/millimeter wave devices, useful for signal processing. Reduction of device dimensions in these magnetic monolithic microwave integrated circuits (M-MMICs) is important from the cost and reliability point of view. Here, we explore the transmission characteristics of Fe and Permalloy based microstrip filters with microstrips of different widths, lengths, and thicknesses. The gyromagnetic resonance occurs at microwave frequencies of up to 12 GHz for Fe and 5 GHz for Permalloy, even in the absence of any dc magnetic field. The resulting absorption yields the stop-band behavior of the device. Our microstrip geometry significantly boosts the operational frequency due to an induced shape-anisotropy. Different geometries induce different demagnetization factors and hence different resonance frequencies. We calculate the frequency-boosting characteristics of the devices due to induced shape-anisotropy and observed a good match to our measurements.
Chlorine Doping Reduces Electron–Hole Recombination in Lead Iodide Perovskites: Time-Domain Ab Initio Analysis

Rapid development in lead halide perovskites has led to solution-processable thin film solar cells with power conversion efficiencies close to 20%. Nonradiative electron–hole recombination within perovskites has been identified as the main pathway of energy losses, competing with charge transport and limiting the efficiency. Using nonadiabatic (NA) molecular dynamics, combined with time-domain density functional theory, we show that nonradiative recombination happens faster than radiative recombination and long-range charge transfer to an acceptor material. Doping of lead iodide perovskites with chlorine atoms reduces charge recombination. On the one hand, chlorines decrease the NA coupling because they contribute little to the wave functions of the valence and conduction band edges. On the other hand, chlorines shorten coherence time because they are lighter than iodines and introduce high-frequency modes. Both factors favor longer excited-state lifetimes. The simulation shows good agreement with the ava...
Preface: Honorable Justice at Twenty-Five

There have been three print editions since 1989 of Honorable Justice: The Life of Oliver Wendell Holmes by Sheldon Novick: the first hardcover edition from Little Brown, a trade paperback edition from Dell Publishing, and a collectible leather-bound edition from Legal Classics Library. The text of successive print editions was unchanged. A new ebook edition from Plunkett Lake Press has been revised and corrected, redesigned for digital readers, and a new preface has been added bringing the book up to date. This article includes the text of the preface.In summary: Interest in Justice Holmes continues, especially with regard to his First Amendment jurisprudence. He has also become a major figure in debates over originalism. As portrayed in this biography, Holmes was a champion of the common law, particularly as common-law privileges were the basis of the Bill of Rights. He viewed the Supreme Court as a common-law court bound by its precedents, and engaged in the process of defining the principles "transplanted from foreign soil" found in those precedents The New Originalists argue that the original understanding of the text of the Constitution is authoritative in cases arising under the Constitution, and that fidelity to the original understanding trumps any precedents that depart from it. Holmes, the champion of an evolving common law, accordingly has become the target of originalist criticism, criticism that the author of this preface claims he stoutly withstands.
A different model: alternative service delivery for today's diverse communities.

This article proposes a new model of human services delivery more suited to providing services in today's diverse communities. Traditional models of service delivery, common in many agencies, are not suited for serving many immigrants, gay men and lesbians, many people of color, and others with significant cultural differences. An examination of domestic violence in the lesbian and gay communities highlights this problem. A description of one program developed to provide services to battered lesbians provides the basis for the development of a new model of service delivery. This "different" model, more appropriate for these more diverse communities, is described here. Language: en
Active filters for 1 MHz power circuits with strict input/output ripple requirements

As the switching frequency of a dc-dc converter is raised from 100 kHz to 1 MHz, one would expect the energy storage elements of the circuit to be correspondingly reduced in size. If the circuit must meet input and output ripple requirements of the nature of MIL-STD-461B CEO3, however, the advantage of a higher switching frequency is significantly offset by the higher filter attenuation levels required. This paper discusses the use of active filters, in conjunction with minimal passive filters, to achieve the required ripple levels with a much smaller overall volume. Working active filters with gains in excess of 100 at 1 MHz are also presented.
Investigation of the development of atherosclerotic plaques in ApoE-/- mice using multi-modality imaging techniques in a longitudinal study

716 Objectives: The objective is to study longitudinally the development and characteristics of atherosclerotic plaques in ApoE-/- mice using multi-modality imaging techniques. Methods: Seven groups of three ApoE-/- mice were fed with high fat diet that accelerates the growth of plaques starting at ~5-week of age and were imaged routinely at 2-3 weeks intervals using high-resolution Tc-99m Annexin-V pinhole (PH) SPECT (with ~1.25 mm resolution), contrast enhanced (CE) CT and US techniques till ~30-week. Autoradiography and histology data of the excised aorta were obtained after the last imaging point of each animal. The Annexin-V targets apoptosis involved in the development of plaques and the registered CE CT images identify the location of the plaques, initially in the aortic arch and later also in the descending aorta. US was used to demonstrate growth of plaque and narrowing of blood vessels over time. A high-resolution MRI technique (~250micron) was added to visualize the aortic vessel wall. Also, FDG PET imaging was attempted to image inflammation in the plaques. Results: Most of the Tc-99m Annexin-V SPECT and CT images show increased apoptosis in plaques in the aorta over time. This was confirmed by autoradiography and histological data. In some cases, we found a decrease in the Annexin-V uptake concentration at later time points and calcium deposits in CT images. High-resolution MR images showed regional thickening of the vessel wall in ApeE-/- mice with demonstrated plaque growths with SPECT and US. Conclusions: The multimodality imaging techniques provide a powerful tool to investigate the development and characterization of plaques in ApoE-/- mice over time. Research Support: NIH EB1558
The transformation of tequila: From hangover to highbrow:

This article examines the evolution of tequila’s reputation – from lowbrow to high class – in Mexico and the United States. Analyzing the content of novels, magazines, newspapers, ads, and song lyr...
EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS AND SIMPLIFIED MODELING OF PRESSURE AND POWER IN ROTARY VANE AIR COMPRESSORS

The pressure states and power compositions of rotary vane air compressors under working are analytically studied. The results are validated by comparing the theory data and experiment data, which come from pressure-temperature sensors and galvanometers equipped in the compressors. In pressure analysis, pressure process is divided into six sections and six simultaneous pressure equations are established for these six sections respectively. Similarly, four simultaneous power equations are established for four power sections respectively. Then, the pressure and power values are obtained by establishing the theory models. The pressures and powers of two different compressors are tested under normal working conditions. The analytical results are in good agreement with the experiment data, which validate the theory analysis. The study is useful to predict the working performance of rotary vane air compressors.
Targeting Notch signaling as a novel therapy for retinoblastoma

Retinoblastoma is the most common intraocular malignancy of childhood. Notch plays a key role in retinal cells from which retinoblastomas arise, and we therefore studied the role of Notch signaling in promoting retinoblastoma proliferation. Moderate or strong nuclear expression of Hes1 was found in 10 of 11 human retinoblastoma samples analyzed immunohistochemically, supporting a role for Notch in retinoblastoma growth. Notch pathway components were present in WERI Rb1 and Y79 retinoblastoma lines, with Jag2 and DLL4 more highly expressed than other ligands, and Notch1 and Notch2 more abundant than Notch3. The cleaved/active form of Notch1 was detectable in both lines. Inhibition of the pathway, achieved using a γ-secretase inhibitor (GSI) or by downregulating Jag2, DLL4 or CBF1 using short hairpin RNA, potently reduced growth, proliferation and clonogenicity in both lines. Upregulation of CXCR4 and CXCR7 and downregulation of PI3KC2β were identified by microarray upon Jag2 suppression. The functional importance of PI3KC2β was confirmed using shRNA. Synergy was found by combining GSI with Melphalan at their IC50. These findings indicate that Notch pathway is active in WERI Rb1 and Y79, and in most human retinoblastoma samples, and suggest that Notch antagonists may represent a new approach to more effectively treat retinoblastoma.
Statistical Modeling of Planar Shapes

As emphasized in the introduction chapter (Sect. 1.3), one of the main goals in this textbook is to develop statistical models of shapes of curves.
Outcomes of Maintenance Therapy with Bortezomib after Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation for Patients with Multiple Myeloma

Abstract Comprehensive recommendations for maintenance therapy after autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) for patients with multiple myeloma (MM) have yet to be defined. Bortezomib has been utilized as maintenance therapy after ASCT, but data attesting to the safety and efficacy of this agent compared with lenalidomide in the post-ASCT setting are limited. Therefore, we retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of 102 patients with MM who received maintenance therapy with bortezomib after ASCT at Duke University's adult bone marrow transplant clinic between 2005 and 2015. Maintenance with bortezomib was initiated between 60 and 90 days after ASCT as a single agent 1.3 mg/m2 once every 2 weeks (n = 92) or in combination with lenalidomide (10 mg/day) (n = 10). The median age at ASCT was 64 (range, 31 to 78). Of the 99 patients with molecular data available, 42% had high-risk cytogenetics (including d17p, t(4;14), +1q, and t(14;16) by fluorescein in situ hybridization). Overall, 46% of patients experienced side effects from maintenance therapy, with 31% of all patients experiencing peripheral neuropathy. In total, 2% of patients required discontinuation of bortezomib maintenance because of adverse events. No secondary malignancies were reported from the therapy. The median progression-free survival (PFS) for patients receiving maintenance therapy with bortezomib after ASCT was 36.5 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 21.3 to not available) and median overall survival was 72.7 months (95% CI, 63.9 to not available). The PFS of patients with high-risk cytogenetics was not statistically significantly different from those with standard-risk cytogenetics, suggesting that maintenance with bortezomib may help overcome the impact of high-risk cytogenetics on early progression. These results indicate that maintenance therapy with bortezomib represents a safe, well-tolerated, and efficacious option for patients with high-risk cytogenetics, renal insufficiency, an inability to tolerate lenalidomide, or a previous history of another cancer.
An Introduction to Social Network Analysis in Disaster Contexts

Abstract We introduce this book and the field of disaster networks briefly in this chapter. We indicate what we mean by networks, and we advocate reading the rest of the book keeping the following things in mind since they're not always present or explicit in research in this field: the ways types of roles and types of relationships in disaster settings produce fundamentally different kinds of network dynamics; levels of analysis; interdisciplinarity; potential versus realized ties; ethics; and applications or translation. The book's chapters cover hazards originating from human carelessness and those originating in the earth's biophysical environment, and generally focus topically either on social support or coordination of emergency management, and some chapters methodologically cover network structures or longitudinal network dynamics.
Ambivalence about behavior change: utilizing motivational interviewing network of trainers’ perspectives to operationalize the construct

AbstractMotivational Interviewing (MI) is an empirically-supported approach for helping people change, but more research on its active ingredients and mechanisms of change is needed. One explanation, the conflict resolution hypothesis, states that it is MI’s specific focus on exploring and resolving ambivalence – the simultaneous presence of both wanting and not wanting to change – that accounts for change. However, given that recognizing and appropriately responding to ambivalence is a central tenet of MI theory and practice, there has been little research on the conceptualization of ambivalence. In this study, 70 certified Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers members responded to an online survey regarding: 1) the definition of ambivalence, 2) whether ambivalence was cognitive, emotional, or both, and 3) concepts that are often confused with, but are different from, ambivalence. Qualitative analysis of their responses revealed six related themes: 1) Coexistence of Opposites/Pros versus Cons Dyn...
Propaganda on Trial: Structural Fragility and the Epistemology of International Legal Institutions.

This paper is part of a volume on the anthropology of global institutions and it draws from the anthropology of law and knowledge to analyze a "propaganda trial" at an international criminal tribunal. The majority of high-level defendants who are charged at international criminal tribunals with ordering or instigating crimes against humanity are not accused of participating directly in physical acts of violence. Prosecuting political leaders for speech acts conventionally requires proof of a direct causal nexus between a speech act and subsequent felonies. This paper looks closely at what demonstrating causation involves in the trial of Serb nationalist Vojislav Seselj, and it examines the assumptions and models of cause-and-effect used by prosecutors and judges at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. To qualify as instigation, international criminal law requires that speech acts directly cause the crimes in question, and this necessitates a paring down of multiple factors into a single chain of causation that can be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. The model of causation commonly employed at international tribunals is markedly different from that of social science, and actors in the two systems handle evidence in distinctive ways. Despite the very high standard of proof required by criminal law, in practice prosecutors, lacking solid insider testimony, rely upon weak chronological evidence to demonstrate causation. The paper concludes by assessing the pitfalls of arguing legal causation by way of temporal proximity and chronology, and by reflecting on wider epistemological problems in criminal law’s understandings of propaganda and inciting speech.
706 - Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway Contributions to Dendritic Spine and Glutamatergic Synapse Formation Responsive to Lithium-Mediated GSK3 Inhibition

Background A major direct target of lithium is the metalloenzyme GSK3, the central kinase in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway broadly involved in neural development. Methods We have investigated neurodevelopmental and behavioral functions of DIXDC1, which regulates Wnt/β-catenin signaling including late in neural development and postnatally. We have studied a Dixdc1 knock-out (KO) mouse line, applying in vitro and in vivo experimental approaches to assess neurodevelopment, neural activity, dendritic spine dynamics, animal behavior, and responsiveness to lithium and a selective GSK3 inhibitor. This has been accompanied by sequencing of the human DIXDC1 locus in several psychiatric disorders including bipolar disorder, and rescue and gain-of-function experiments involving rare human missense single nucleotide variants (SNVs) that alter the protein׳s signaling activity. Results In mice, loss of Dixdc1 leads to dose-sensitive deficits in behavioral assays including models of depression; this is responsive to lithium as well as to a selective GSK3-inhibitor. Forebrain cortical pyramidal neurons from Dixdc1KO mice have reduced dendritic spine and glutamatergic synapse density correctable by lithium or a selective GSK3 inhibitor. Many of the rare SNVs found more frequently in psychiatric patients affect Wnt/β-catenin activity of the encoded protein. They also alter the above neurodevelopmental parameters when expressed in differentiating pyramidal neurons. Conclusions Our data support a role for DIXDC1 in formation and/or stability of dendritic spines and synapses in forebrain pyramidal neurons upstream of complex behaviors including depression. Our data further suggest that this occurs through the protein’s activity in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway within neurons, and that this responds to GSK3 inhibition by lithium.
Inhibition of miR-181a protects female mice from transient focal cerebral ischemia by targeting astrocyte estrogen receptor-α☆

Whether the effect of miR-181a is sexually dimorphic in stroke is unknown. Prior work showed protection of male mice with miR-181a inhibition. Estrogen receptor-α (ERα) is an identified target of miR181 in endometrium. Therefore we investigated the separate and joint effects of miR-181a inhibition and 17β-estradiol (E2) replacement after ovariectomy. Adult female mice were ovariectomized and implanted with an E2- or vehicle-containing capsule for 14d prior to 1h middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Each group received either miR-181a antagomir or mismatch control by intracerebroventricular injection 24h before MCAO. After MCAO neurologic deficit and infarct volume were assessed. Primary male and female astrocyte cultures were subjected to glucose deprivation with miR-181a inhibitor or transfection control, and E2 or vehicle control, with/without ESRα knockdown with small interfering RNA. Cell death was assessed by propidium iodide staining, and lactate dehydrogenase assay. A miR-181a/ERα target site blocker (TSB), with/without miR-181a mimic, was used to confirm targeting of ERα by miR-181a in astrocytes. Individually, miR-181a inhibition or E2 decreased infarct volume and improved neurologic score in female mice, and protected male and female astrocyte cultures. Combined miR-181a inhibition plus E2 afforded greater protection of female mice and female astrocyte cultures, but not in male astrocyte cultures. MiR-181a inhibition only increased ERα levels in vivo and in female cultures, while ERα knockdown with siRNA increased cell death in both sexes. Treatment with ERα TSB was strongly protective in both sexes. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggest miR-181a inhibition enhances E2-mediated stroke protection in females in part by augmenting ERα production, a mechanism detected in female mice and female astrocytes. Sex differences were observed with combined miR-181a inhibition/E2 treatment, and miR-181a targeting of ERα.
The metabolic effects of GDF15 are mediated by the orphan receptor GFRAL

Growth/differentiation factor 15 (GDF15), also known as MIC-1, is a distant member of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily and has been implicated in various biological functions, including cancer cachexia, renal and heart failure, atherosclerosis and metabolism. A connection between GDF15 and body-weight regulation was initially suggested on the basis of an observation that increasing GDF15 levels in serum correlated with weight loss in individuals with advanced prostate cancer. In animal models, overexpression of GDF15 leads to a lean phenotype, hypophagia and other improvements in metabolic parameters, suggesting that recombinant GDF15 protein could potentially be used in the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes. However, the signaling and mechanism of action of GDF15 are poorly understood owing to the absence of a clearly identified cognate receptor. Here we report that GDNF-family receptor α-like (GFRAL), an orphan member of the GFR-α family, is a high-affinity receptor for GDF15. GFRAL binds to GDF15 in vitro and is required for the metabolic actions of GDF15 with respect to body weight and food intake in vivo in mice. Gfral-/- mice were refractory to the effects of recombinant human GDF15 on body-weight, food-intake and glucose parameters. Blocking the interaction between GDF15 and GFRAL with a monoclonal antibody prevented the metabolic effects of GDF15 in rats. Gfral mRNA is highly expressed in the area postrema of mouse, rat and monkey, in accordance with previous reports implicating this region of the brain in the metabolic actions of GDF15 (refs. 4,5,6). Together, our data demonstrate that GFRAL is a receptor for GDF15 that mediates the metabolic effects of GDF15.
Intratumoral and peritumoral lymphovascular invasion detected by D2-40 immunohistochemistry correlates with metastasis in primary cutaneous Merkel cell carcinoma.

Summary Primary cutaneous Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive neuroendocrine malignancy in which lymphovascular invasion (LVI) correlates with more aggressive phenotype. The prognostic significance of LVI detected by D2-40 immunohistochemistry (IHC) in MCC remains controversial. We aimed to determine how LVI detected by D2-40 IHC compares with LVI detected by hematoxylin and eosin (HE D2-40 IHC confirmed LVI in 30 of these cases but failed to confirm LVI in 7. D2-40 IHC also detected 14 cases of LVI not identified on HE P = .03) and more frequently metastasized (87% versus 51%; P = .03). D2-40 IHC detection of both intratumoral and peritumoral LVI is associated with metastasis.