cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Locus ceruleus morphometry in aging and schizophrenia

— The locus ceruleus (LC), a pigmented brainstem nucleus rich in noradrenergic neurons, has been proposed to be involved in the pathophysiology of aging and schizophrenia. We undertook a quantitative neuropathological study of the LC in these two conditions. A computing planimeter was employed to count the total number of neurons and measure the volume of the LC, neuronal cross-sectional area, and percent of neuronal area occupied by neuromelanin in the brains of 39 subjects; 13 “normative”, 15 leucotomized schizophrenic (most had died in the preneuroleptic era), and 11 leucotomized non-schizophrenic control patients, ranging in age from 11 to 94 years. There was a significant inverse correlation between age and total number of LC neurons, neuronal size, and LC volume, and a significant positive correlation between age and the percentage of neuronal area occupied by neuromelanin. Although schizophrenics did not differ significantly from control groups on any of the parameters of LC morphology, there was a trend for reduced LC volume in schizophrenic brains. Also, the LC of leucotomized patients tended to have increased neuromelanin content and slightly increased cell counts compared to normals, although the importance of this finding is not clear.
The impact of taking a college pre-calculus course on students’ college calculus performance

Poor performance on placement exams keeps many US students who pursue a STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) career from enrolling directly in college calculus. Instead, they must take a pre-calculus course that aims to better prepare them for later calculus coursework. In the USA, enrollment in pre-calculus courses in two- and four-year colleges continues to grow, and these courses are well-populated with students who already took pre-calculus in high school. We examine student performance in college calculus, using regression discontinuity to estimate the effects of taking college pre-calculus or not, in a national US sample of 5507 students at 132 institutions. We find that students who take college pre-calculus do not earn higher calculus grades.
The role of marital attributions in the relationship between life stressors and marital quality

This study examines the role that marital attributions play in the relationship between the occurrence of stressful life events and marital quality. Using a stress adaptation theory framework, data from 58 couples were used to test for the presence of a moderating relationship. The results supported the moderational model, indicating that the marital quality of couples who make relationship-enhancing attributions about their spouses’ negative behaviors is less related to stress than those who make distress-maintaining attributions. Couples’ successful adaptation to stress may be dependent on their ability to use their marital attributions as a coping resource. While the types of marital attributions a couple makes have the potential to make their marriage more vulnerable to the effects of stress, they also have the potential to serve a protective role.
X-Ray Spectral Distributions from Thick Tungsten Targets in the Energy Range 12 to 300 kV

Bremsstrahlung emission from four x-ray tubes operating at 12 to 300 kV was measured. Spectral distributions are given in terms of absolute-photon and energy fluxes. Silicon and germanium semiconductors, sodium iodide scintillators, and a xenon proportional counter were used to measure the spectra. Detector distortions were corrected by assuming an undistorted spectrum, distorting the spectrum with a Monte Carlo computer program, and comparing the results with measurement. The assumed undistorted spectrum was revised until the Monte Carlo calculation gave satisfactory agreement with spectral measurements from all four types of detectors. The effects on the spectra of varying the tube potential, tube current, target aperture, and detector aperture were investigated. Corrections for the intervening material and the solid angle subtended by the detector were applied to obtain the absolute-photon and energy flux from the target. Total fluxes in the L lines,K lines, and continuum are given. X-ray-production efficiencies varied from 0.026% at 12 kV to 1% at 300 kV. The constant of proportionality varied in the range (0.23 to 0.73) × 10-6 kV-1.
Myocardial Gd-DTPA Kinetics Determine MRI Contrast Enhancement and Reflect the Extent and Severity of Myocardial Injury After Acute Reperfused Infarction

Background Contrast medium–enhanced magnetic resonance images of acute, reperfused infarcts have shown hypoenhanced and hyperenhanced regions in areas of injured myocardium. The precise mechanisms that lead to these altered enhancement patterns are unknown. This study was designed to evaluate possible mechanisms and to relate altered enhancement patterns to myocardial perfusion and viability. Methods and Results Thirteen rabbits underwent in situ coronary artery occlusion and reperfusion followed by isolated perfusion with cardioplegic solution. T1-weighted spin-echo images were acquired continuously during step changes in perfusate Gd-DTPA concentration. Regional blood flow was also measured by use of radioactive microspheres in all rabbits. There were marked differences in Gd-DTPA wash-in and washout time constants (wash-in, 0.8±0.1, 2.1±0.2, and 16.3±2.4 minutes, P<.001; washout, 1.6±0.1, 4.8±0.5, and 31.1±3.3 minutes, P<.001) in normal, infarct rim, and infarct core regions, respectively, resulting in...
Wrist ligament ultimate strength: single elongation versus sequential strain testing

Four clinically significant ligaments were axially loaded to failure either in a single elongation or at increasing sequential strain levels. Single elongation strains in ultimate strength were significantly lower than those of sequential strain testing. The latter test method displayed large regions of permanent deformation, subtraction of which from subsequent strain levels shifted the strain at ultimate strength to within the standard deviation of the single elongation values. Sequential testing can thus approximate single elongation data, as well as failure strain after multiple subfailure traumas, by subtracting permanent deformations above that level. >
Optimal Selling Scheme for Heterogeneous Consumers with Uncertain Valuations

In this paper, we investigate the optimal selling scheme for a capacity-constrained seller who faces both aggregate demand and individual valuation uncertainties. As each consumer privately observes an initial estimate prior to the transactions and an updated information postpurchase, the problem exhibits the sequential screening feature and return policy emerges as part of the optimal selling scheme. We show that the optimal selling scheme nicely resembles the classical multiunit auction design, and the product is returned too often compared to the efficient scenario. Furthermore, even though the postpurchase information update is privately observed by the individual consumers, the seller does not give away additional surplus to the consumers. Our general framework can accommodate various heterogeneities and uncertainties regarding hassle costs, shipping costs, salvage values, and reservation values. Our results go through even if the seller cannot commit to the refund amounts, the seller has flexible capacity, or consumers have multiunit demands.
The Role of Human Information Processing Models in System Development

Humans are complicated devices. Thus, systems in which people are embedded necessarily are complex. In order to better develop such systems, a means to organize and understand human complexity is required. Theoretical models of human information processing are one cognitive-engineering tool to help system development. This paper discusses the kinds of models that might be effective in solving practical problems. Suggestions are given for selecting a useful model from the plethora of available theoretical models. These issues are illustrated in the context of current research aimed at providing a general model of human cognition and action for application to the development, operation, and maintenance of nuclear power plants in Japan.
Synthetic aperture imaging in medical ultrasound with correction for motion artifacts

The authors state that a synthetic receive aperture (SRA) system of a relatively simple design could increase the resolution of a phased-array imaging system several-fold, by utilizing a given number of parallel receive channels to address a larger number of transducer elements through multiplexers. A 1*N phased array can be extended linearly to improve lateral resolution, or it can be split into an M*N array in order to improve resolution in the elevation dimension. Images from an SRA system are degraded by any tissue/transducer motion during data acquisition. This degradation can be corrected by estimating the axial component of the motion and then realigning the data. A cross-correlation technique, which detects the phase difference between two similar lines of RF data (one for each receive subaperture), is used to perform this correction. The results of a theoretical analysis, of simulations, and of laboratory experiments are presented to demonstrate the advantages of using SRA compared to using conventional phased-array imaging. >
Supporting the Patient Safety and Clinical Pharmacy Services Collaborative

It is a distinct honor to present the 2011 William A. Zellmer Lecture. I am awed and humbled when I compare myself with the criteria used to select a Zellmer lecturer. Thank you for giving me this honor. In launching this lecture series, Zellmer[1][1] reminded us that ASHP has had a unique and
Differential Use of Item Information by Judges Using Angoff and Nedeisky Procedures

Competency examinations in a variety of domains require setting a minimum standard of performance. This study examines the issue of whether judges using the two most popular methods for setting cut scores (Angoff and Nedelsky methods) use different sources of information when making their judgments. Thirty-one judges were assigned randomly to the two methods to set cut scores for a high school graduation test in reading comprehension. These ratings were then related to characteristics of the items as well as to empirically obtained p values. Results indicate that judges using the Angoff method use a wider variety of information and yield estimates closer to the actual p values. The characteristics of items used in the study were effective predictors of judges’ ratings, but were far less effective in predicting p values
Asymmetric vortex merger: mechanism and criterion

The merging of two unequal co-rotating vortices in a viscous fluid is investigated. Two-dimensional numerical simulations of initially equal sized Lamb-Oseen vortices with differing relative strengths are performed. Results show how the disparity in deformation rates between the vortices alters the interaction. Key physical mechanisms associated with vortex merging are identified. A merging criterion is formulated in terms of the relative timing of core detrainment and destruction. A critical strain parameter is defined to characterize the establishment of core detrainment. This parameter is shown to be directly related to the critical aspect ratio in the case of symmetric merger.
Finite amplitude waves in stratified two‐phase flow: Transition to slug flow

In horizontal two-phase flow, transition from stratified to slug flow occurs due to the nonlinear instability of finite amplitude interfacial waves. The nonlinear equations describing interfacial waves in stratified two-phase flow are solved by a multiple scales perturbation method. Instability criteria and amplification factors are determined. The phase velocities that are calculated to lead to amplification of finite amplitude interfacial waves are well below those based on linear stability criteria. This is in agreement with existing experimental data on transition from stratified to slug flow in horizontal channels.
The regulation of AβPP expression by RNA-binding proteins

Amyloid β-protein precursor (AβPP) is cleaved by β- and γ-secretases to liberate amyloid beta (Aβ), the predominant protein found in the senile plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Down syndrome (Masters et al., 1985). Intense investigation by the scientific community has centered on understanding the molecular pathways that underlie the production and accumulation of Aβ Therapeutics that reduce the levels of this tenacious, plaque-promoting peptide may reduce the ongoing neural dysfunction and neuronal degeneration that occurs so profoundly in AD. AβPP and Aβ production are highly complex and involve still to be elucidated combinations of transcriptional, post-transcriptional, translational and post-translational events that mediate the production, processing and clearance of these proteins. Research in our laboratory for the past two decades has focused on the role of RNA binding proteins (RBPs) in mediating the post-transcriptional as well as translational regulation of APP messenger RNA (mRNA). This review article summarizes our findings, as well as those from other laboratories, describing the identification of regulatory RBPs, where and under what conditions they interact with APP mRNA and how those interactions control AβPP and Aβ synthesis.
LRpath: a logistic regression approach for identifying enriched biological groups in gene expression data.

Motivation: The elucidation of biological pathways enriched with differentially expressed genes has become an integral part of the analysis and interpretation of microarray data. Several statistical methods are commonly used in this context, but the question of the optimal approach has still not been resolved. Results: We present a logistic regression-based method (LRpath) for identifying predefined sets of biologically related genes enriched with (or depleted of) differentially expressed transcripts in microarray experiments. We functionally relate the odds of gene set membership with the significance of differential expression, and calculate adjusted P-values as a measure of statistical significance. The new approach is compared with Fisher's exact test and other relevant methods in a simulation study and in the analysis of two breast cancer datasets. Overall results were concordant between the simulation study and the experimental data analysis, and provide useful information to investigators seeking to choose the appropriate method. LRpath displayed robust behavior and improved statistical power compared with tested alternatives. It is applicable in experiments involving two or more sample types, and accepts significance statistics of the investigator's choice as input. Availability: An R function implementing LRpath can be downloaded from http://eh3.uc.edu/lrpath. Contact: ude.cu@civodevdem.oiram Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online and at http://eh3.uc.edu/lrpath.
Mercury intrusion porosimetry of plasma-sprayed ceramic

Limitations and corrections for the application of mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) in measuring plasma-sprayed ceramic (alumina-titania) deposits are studied. The data reduction procedures of the MIP technique are discussed; the importance of which changes between different machines and samples. Thus, it is proposed that each published result should be accompanied by the specific data reduction procedures and assumptions used so that data may be compared. Preparation of plasma-sprayed ceramic samples has a significant influence on the MIP result. Sample fragmentation into irregular pieces (below about 1.2 mm effective diameter) prior to the MIP measurement resulted in an increase of surface effects such that the surface roughness dominated the MIP data and the measured porosity volume increased. Variation in sample thickness between 0.8 and 4.7 mm did not change the measured porosity. Orientation (parallel or perpendicular to the substrate) of the flat surface did not have a measurable effect on the MIP results.
Effects of learning styles on student outcomes in a general education computing course

This paper investigates the effect of the instructor's learning style on student outcomes in a general education computing course at a small liberal arts school. A questionnaire was used to determine the learning styles of 170 students and a single instructor across eight different sections of the same course taught over four semesters. Student outcomes were measured by final course grade and the data was analyzed using ordinary least squares in a linear regression model. It was discovered that student learning styles did not have a pronounced effect on outcomes. Moreover, learning style dissimilarity between student and instructor learning styles did not significantly affect student outcomes.
Nor Rhyme Nor Reason: Simplifying Defined Contribution Plans

Prior to the enaction of ERISA, tax-qualified retirement plans were classified as pension plans, profit-sharing plans, or stock bonus plans. Different rules applied to pension plans, largely because pension plans were viewed as true retirement plans whereas profit-sharing and stock bonus plans were regarded primarily as a way for the employer to share its profits with employees. Under ERISA, the focus has changed and the most important distinction is now between defined benefit plans and defined contribution plans. Despite this change, the pre-ERISA distinctions are still in effect. In addition, legislation enacted and regulations issued since ERISA have created new distinctions, and new types of defined contribution plans. This article illustrates the complexity of the rules governing defined contribution plans. The author argues that these differences are a trap for the unwary, and the different rules should be harmonized where ever possible to ensure that all qualified defined contribution plans are subject to the same rules. Simplification of rules, and elimination of unnecessary differences, is important, first, to ease the severe compliance burden for current plan sponsors and, second, to make retirement plans more attractive to those employers that do not currently sponsor a plan.
Exchange-split crystal-field levels of Fe/sup 2 +/ in FeCO/sub 3/

Neutron time-of-flight measurements of the low-lying crystal-field excitations have been taken on both a natural single crystal and pure synthetic powder of FeC${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ above and below the N\'eel temperature (${T}_{N}=38.4$ K). At 4.2 K the principal allowed excitation was measured to be 13.75\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.10 meV, in good agreement with previous neutron and far-infrared measurements. A second less intense excitation was observed at 19.75\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.25 meV. Above ${T}_{N}$ a broadened excitation at 11.2 meV was observed, with a small shoulder persisting on the high-energy side. The measured excitation energies and transition probabilities can be adequately described by a single-ion Hamiltonian which includes spin-orbit coupling, trigonal distortion, and an Ising molecular field, taken in the lowest-lying cubic-crystal-field state of ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{2+}$.
Toxicity, Control, and Residue Studies with DO-14 (2-(p-tert-Butylphenoxy) Cyclohexyl 2-Propynyl Sulfite) as an Acaricide Against the Citrus Red Mite

The compound DO-14 was evaluated for its toxicity to various stages of Panonychus citri (MeGregor): persistence of field application residues, duration of effective residues, relative control resulting from applications, and influence of 7 successive field applications on susceptibility. This acaricide was slightly less toxic to the adult and nymphal stages of P. citri than Aramite® (2-( p-tert -butylphenoxy) isopropyl 2-chloroethyl sulfite). The residue persistence on Valencia oranges was typical, showing a rapid initial decrease largely from surface weathering followed by a less rapid decrease as a result of degradation processes. The effective residues were of short duration on citrus fruit, indicating that residues rapidly become unavailable to the mites. coverage field applications of DO-14 resulted in effective control of P. citri but injurious populations generally recurred sooner than those exposed to Morestan® (6-methyl-2,3-quinoxalinedithiol cyclic S, S -dithiocarbonate) applications. A field population had not changed in susceptibility as a result of exposure to 7 applications of DO-14.
The Effects of Light, Pyridoxine and Biotin on the Development of the Mycoparasite, Gonatobotryum Fuscum

The inhibitory effects of light on the development of Gonatobotryum fuscum on its host, Graphium sp., has been attributed to the destruction by light of vitamin B6, which is required for growth and...
Trace metal requirements of Aerobacter aerogenes for assimilation of molecular nitrogen.

SummaryAerobacter aerogenes strain M5al fixing molecular nitrogen require at least 10 times more iron than do cultures using ammonium-N. Also, the organism is about 100 times more sensitive to carbon monoxide when using free than when assimilating combined nitrogen. Although there is an absolute requirement for molybdenum for nitrogen fixation by this organism, it is considerably less than that noted for many strains of the azotobacter. No specific requirement for calcium could be demonstrated.
Complete Genome Sequence of Pelosinus fermentans JBW45, a Member of a Remarkably Competitive Group of Negativicutes in the Firmicutes Phylum

The genome of Pelosinus fermentans JBW45, isolated from a chromium-contaminated site in Hanford, Washington, USA, has been completed with PacBio sequencing. Nine copies of the rRNA gene operon and multiple transposase genes with identical sequences resulted in breaks in the original draft genome and may suggest genomic instability of JBW45.
Using Turbo-Code in Wireless LAN

Turbo-code used in wireless LAN(WLAN) is proposed by analyzing the data transmission through WLAN,and a new coding and decoding scheme is presented to improve the performance of WLAN.The performance of Turbo code with the changes of correlative parameters is studied through computer simulations.Performance comparison with convolutional code which is widely used in traditional WLAN is conducted.Simulation results show that Turbo-code can greatly enhance WLAN performance.
CFTR and Cystic Fibrosis: A Need for Personalized Medicine

Cystic fibrosis (CF), a common lethal genetic disease, is caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (cftr) gene, which codes for an epithelial anion channel. Since the identification of CF as a genetic disease, patients have been treated exclusively with drugs that address the symptoms of the disease (antibiotics for airway disease, pancreatic supplements to replace digestive enzymes, and anti-inflammatories to reduce airway inflammation) rather than treating the basic defect. Nevertheless, this approach has resulted in a marked improvement in the survival of patients with CF over the last few decades, such that the median predicted survival is now around 40 years of age. Since the discovery of the gene encoding CFTR and the identification of mutations underlying the defects in CFTR function, the hunt has been on to discover drugs that would correct the basic defect in the CFTR protein. Although almost 2000 CFTR mutations have been described in patients, they mostly fall into a few broad categories of disruption. Given the disparate ways in which CFTR mutations affect the CFTR protein however, it has become apparent that a single drug regimen will not be effective in treating all patients. Thus, a patient’s genotype would have to be taken into account when deciding which drug would be appropriate to treat individual patients with CF. Individual or personalized medicine as a concept has been increasingly highlighted in recent years, yet with CF, personalized medicine is not a mere academic exercise but rather a necessity in order to effectively treat all the mutations that are found in CF patients. This chapter presents the current CFTR mutation classifications and shows how such classification is essential in the establishment of a mutation-specific targeted drug therapy for each individual with CF.
A “Type Model” and its Behavior: Partial and Loose-Knit Mutual Entrainment

In the equations of the preceding chapter, several quantitative characteristics of the pacemaker system have been left unspecified, being represented only by symbols which were referred to as “parameters”. The equations therefore define an entire class of models. In order to examine the behavior of any particular model of this class, numerical values must be assigned to the parameters. In this chapter, detailed attention will be focused upon the performance of what I refer to as the “type model”, comparable in principle with the “type specimen” of a taxonomist: a particular, representative instance of the class of models, characterized by a specific set of parameter values. In subsequent chapters, variations in performance will be examined, which arise when the parameters are assigned values which depart from those of the type model, so as to convey an impression of the diversity of models which are members of the same class.
Full-Colour (Polychromatic) Photosensitive Glass

AbstractA photochemical method is described for precipitating subcolloidal silver particles, having controlled variations in anisotropy, in a rigid glass matrix. Such particles, too small to scatter light, exhibit brilliant colours, covering the full visible spectrum.
The polls-trends: Abortion

This article presents public opinion data from the late 1980s to 2003 on several key aspects of abortion that have comprised the central points of debate on this issue. These include the morality of abortions whether they should be legal proposed constitutional amendments that would ban abortion and support for abortion access under various specific circumstances. Several arguably second-tier issues-federal funding spousal and parental notification and waiting periods-are also tracked over the past decade to fill out this overview of recent public opinion trends on abortion. Because of space limitations this collection of poll trends comprises only a portion of the available data. Various survey organizations have also asked related questions including questions on the perceived linkage between the demand for abortions and sexual promiscuity perceptions of why women most often seek abortions feelings of guilt after having an abortion support for sex education in schools positions of the Roman Catholic Church on abortion federal funding for abortions for poor women as well as variations on many of the questions presented here. Among the findings from those questions is that support for abortion is largely dependent on the perceived motivations and circumstances of women who seek the procedure. Support for abortions in cases of an unwanted gender or because the pregnancy may interfere with a womans career tends to be very low for instance even though general support for abortion as gauged by questions that do not present specific circumstances remains more often than not the majority position. (excerpt)
The Deepening Darkness: Resistance: The Artists

WHY ART? As the darkness Vergil made visible in singing of arms and the man swept across Europe during World War I, artists, and in particular novelists, took up the problem of resistance. Paul Fussell's now classic study The Great War and Modern Memory marks the experience of the soldiers as a turning point in the literary imagination of manhood and war, expressed in the quotation from A Farewell to Arms that we use as an epigraph to this book: “Abstract words such as glory, honor, courage, or hallow were obscene beside the concrete names of villages, the numbers of roads, the names of rivers, the numbers of regiments and dates.” What to Vergil was an understory had become the story. In the immediate aftermath of the war, five novelists zeroed in on the psychology and culture of manhood and womanhood that had sustained and justified its slaughter. In different ways, they exemplify the power of art and associative methods to undo the dissociations of patriarchy, taking us into an underworld of feeling and thought about which we often cannot speak. Since patriarchy rests on a suppression of voice and a rewriting of history, artists can perform the vital function of speaking the truth and shifting the framework. And if we are right about Vergil and Apuleius, resistance to patriarchy (the love stories of Dido and Aeneas and Cupid and Psyche) is what rivets us in their works, in part because such resistance is so deeply rooted in our psyches.
Examining Race & Racism in the University: A Class Project

The rise of black consciousness through “Black Lives Matter” protests and recent events regarding police shootings of unarmed people of color have triggered a national dialogue on race, privilege, and discrimination. I structured my 400-level Race and Ethnicity course to build on the momentum of these conversations by incorporating a student-led race-centric research project whereby students learn and apply in-depth interview skills. Through this qualitative group project, students interviewed 31 members of the university community to investigate colorblindness, racial identity, privilege, racialized experiences, and institutional racism on their campus. In this article, I describe the project, and consider its strengths and limitations as a means of student learning about race, privilege, and discrimination in the U.S. today. I include student quotations gathered through final reflection papers to give voice to their experiences as well as a self-reflection of my experiences as part of this project, particularly as a white woman.
International Exchanges as the Basis for Conceptualizing Ethics in International Business

Extant business ethics literature available for application to international business demonstrates some variety but no comprehensive principles. While the domains of both international business and business ethics are expanding, they are also becoming increasingly divergent. At the same time, the primacy accorded to the multinational enterprise in both fields ignores the socio-cultural and political embeddedness of economic activities, and multiple agencies in international business (individuals, firms, nations, etc.). Some international business theorists have offered the view that international exchange should be the central building block for theories on international business. In this paper, it is argued that international exchange could be the fundamental unit of analysis for international business ethics as well. The potentially unifying features of exchange norms and ethical principles leads the author to develop some core exchange ethics principles that are tested on three recent international business practices.
Abstract 19957: Angiotensin II Type 2 Receptor Potentiates Skeletal Muscle Stem Cell Differentiation via GSK-3β/β-catenin Signaling Pathway: Implications for Treatment of Cachexia and Skeletal Muscle Wasting

Patients with advanced congestive heart failure (CHF) or chronic kidney disease (CKD) often have increased angiotensin II (Ang II) levels and cachexia. We previously demonstrated that Ang II infusion in rodents causes skeletal muscle wasting and decreases muscle regenerative potential via Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R) signaling, likely contributing to cachexia in CHF and CKD. We also found that Ang II type 2 receptor (AT2R) potentiates skeletal muscle stem cell (MuSC) differentiation and muscle regenerative capacity. However, mechanisms whereby AT2R regulates MuSC differentiation and its potential involvement in cachexia development remain unknown. To understand the signaling pathways downstream of AT2R in MuSC, we screened for phosphoprotein changes using microarray, on which 1318 unique antibodies against various phosphoproteins are spotted. We found that 20 phosphoproteins were upregulated (>1.4 fold change) and 28 were downregulated ( in vitro and in vivo . The increase in GSK-3β activity after AT2R knockdown was associated with inhibition of downstream β-catenin activity, measured by TCF/LEF reporter assay both in vitro and in vivo . Treatment with GSK-3β inhibitor BIO and Wnt3A inhibited GSK-3β activity after AT2R knockdown and restored MuSC differentiation in vitro and skeletal muscle regeneration in vivo . Importatnly, we found that skeletal muscle regeneration was reduced (decreased regenerating myofiber size and myogenin/desmin expression) in a mouse myocardial infarction model of CHF, concomitantly with markedly blunted AT2R expression and with an increase of GSK-3β activity. In these mice, hindlimb injection of BIO inhibited GSK-3β activity and restored muscle regenerative capacity. These data indicate that AT2R/GSK-3β/β-catenin pathway plays a critical role in regulating MuSC differentiation and muscle regeneration, and could be a novel therapeutic target in wasting disorders such as CHF and CKD.
ON THE WELLPOSEDNESS OF NONAUTONOMOUS SECOND ORDER CAUCHY PROBLEMS

We study the existence and uniqueness of classical solutions to the following nonautonomous second order Cauchy problem  u(t)=A(t)u(t)+B(t)u(t)+f(t), 0 ≤ s≤ t≤ T, u(0) = u0 ∈ E,u(0) = u1 ∈ E, by using operator matrices and then give applications to partial diﬀerential equations.
Characterization of transient redox dynamics in SrTiO 3 synaptic devices

Undoped SrTiO 3 (STO) based Resistive Random Access Memory (ReRAM) devices have been explored for high-density memory applications [1], but their potential as synaptic elements in neuromimetic architectures remains to be thoroughly investigated. The mechanisms behind reconfigurable resistive states in STO devices are still highly debated. In this paper, we report a novel voltammetry technique using conventional semiconductor test equipment to study redox reactions in STO based two-terminal synaptic devices. In this technique, we examined the differential response to varying voltage steps in order to highlight subtle transient behavior in STO devices that is typically overwhelmed by exponential current components. Then, the unique characteristics of STO devices were utilized to achieve the Spike Frequency Dependent Plasticity (SFDP) learning paradigm. SFDP has been a less explored method to realize neuromorphic applications that could prove to be easier to implement.
The political economy of spatial data infrastructures

This article explores the political economy of spatial data infrastructures (SDIs) by focusing on three key elements: (1) legal framework, (2) politics, and (3) their potential for economic impact....
Action Prediction From Videos via Memorizing Hard-to-Predict Samples

Action prediction based on video is an important problem in computer vision field with many applications, such as preventing accidents and criminal activities. It's challenging to predict actions at the early stage because of the large variations between early observed videos and complete ones. Besides, intra-class variations cause confusions to the predictors as well. In this paper, we propose a mem-LSTM model to predict actions in the early stage, in which a memory module is introduced to record several "hard-to-predict" samples and a variety of early observations. Our method uses Convolution Neural Network (CNN) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) to model partial observed video input. We augment LSTM with a memory module to remember challenging video instances. With the memory module, our mem-LSTM model not only achieves impressive performance in the early stage but also makes predictions without the prior knowledge of observation ratio. Information in future frames is also utilized using a bi-directional layer of LSTM. Experiments on UCF-101 and Sports-1M datasets show that our method outperforms state-of-the-art methods.
Pharmacologic Modulation of Human Immunity in the Era of Immuno-oncology: Something Old, Something New

The concept of exploiting the immune system to treat cancer forms the basis of immuno-oncology. Since its birth in the late 1800s, immuno-oncology, or cancer immunotherapy, has come a long way. With better understanding of the complex relationship between tumor and the immune system, we have been able to explore and develop various modalities of anticancer therapies. In this review, we summarize the main strategies of immunotherapy that are available today: monoclonal antibodies, anticancer vaccines, cytokines, and adoptive T-cell therapy. We also highlight the unique set of adverse effects associated with modern immunotherapy and propose nonsteroidal immunomodulators and anticytokine antibodies as treatment options for toxicities. The future of immuno-oncology is discussed, including combination therapy, drug-antibody conjugates, epigenetic drugs, using nanoparticles for drug delivery, new antigen discovery, and developing biomarkers to assess treatment responses. A data search was conducted using PubMed and included studies published through November 1, 2017. Search terms used include cancer immunotherapy, pembrolizumab, ipilimumab, nivolumab, PD-1 inhibitors, PD-L1 inhibitors, checkpoint inhibitors, anticancer vaccines, TVEC, and adoptive cell therapy.
The Importance of Selecting Appropriate Rotation and Tank-Mix Partners for Novel SDHIs to Enhance Botrytis Fruit Rot Control in Strawberry

Botrytis fruit rot (BFR), caused by the necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea, is the most important disease of strawberry and is mainly controlled by applications of fungicides from multiple chemical groups. To develop more effective and sustainable BFR management programs, field trials were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of fluopyram and penthiopyrad, two newly registered succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (SDHIs), rotated or tank mixed with the multisites thiram and captan or the single-sites fludioxonil and fenhexamid. The treatments were applied at two different strawberry fields during the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons. Overall, tank mixtures of fluopyram and penthiopyrad increased yield and reduced BFR better than rotations with the same fungicides. The multisite thiram tank mixed with fluopyram reduced BFR incidence by 63 to 86% versus 56 to 84% when the two fungicides were rotated. Thiram tank mixed with penthiopyrad reduced BFR incidence by 55 to 72% versus 42 to 66% when rotated. Captan rotated or tank mixed with fluopyram had a positive effect on yield and BFR incidence, whereas the combination of captan with penthiopyrad had negative impacts. Similarly, the single-site fenhexamid had significant positive impacts when rotated or tank mixed with fluopyram but resulted in poor BFR control when combined with penthiopyrad. The rotation of fludioxonil with both SDHIs had a significant positive effect, although its combination with fluopyram was more effective. The multirotation consisting of both SDHIs and different multi- and single-site fungicides did not provide a greater efficacy than the dual rotation or tank-mixture programs. Our findings suggest more scrutiny is needed when recommending tank-mixture or rotation partners for new fungicides to ensure compatibility and enhanced BFR management. Future recommendations should emphasize the importance of such selections at an early stage for delaying fungicide resistance development and extending the lifespan of at-risk fungicides.
Social behavior and changes in foraging behavior in a gregarious ungulate

Large herbivores display restricted area searching and, therefore, in food-rich patches, animals should spend more time feeding, move slowly, and take tortuous movement paths. Intersexual differences in social behavior might disrupt restricted area searching that, in turn, might affect ecological differences between size-dimorphic females and males. We measured time the head was up (head up), step lengths (m/min), and tortuosity of foraging paths in 547 focal observations in a nonmigratory population of Roosevelt elk (Cervus elaphus roosevelti) in Redwood National and State Parks, California, United States. Focal observations were 4–15 min in length. Head up was positively related to proximity (within 1 body length of other elk) for females and males but the slope was steeper for males. When males were aggregated with females, head up was more elevated than when males were aggregated with other males. Sex-specific social behaviors did not influence step length and foraging path tortuosity. Social behavior disrupted efficient foraging. Connecting social behavior to foraging behavior can help explain the numerous ways that size-dimorphic females and males display ecological differences.
Future Perspectives and Opportunities for Interdisciplinary Research on Food Digestion

In the last few decades, research in the area of food digestion has dramatically increased, due to public interest in the links between food consumption and health or disease. However, there are still opportunities for future advances in this area, many of which involve interdisciplinary research. These future opportunities must involve a combination of in vivo, in vitro, and in silico approaches in order to bring about transformational advances in the field of food digestion. For example, future in vivo studies may include increased use of noninvasive imaging and use of ingestible sensors in human studies, as well as integration of results from human and animal studies using a “one-health” approach. Future in vitro studies must be standardized across the food digestion community, with the complementary development of “near-real” type of digestion models as well as simple, widely applicable systems. Prior to their widespread adoption, these in vitro model systems must undergo rigorous in vitro-in vivo correlations with data from human and animal studies. Future in vitro and in silico studies may be personalized to represent the stomach or intestines from a certain patient, based on noninvasive images of that patient. In silico studies will need to incorporate more complexity in terms of solid food breakdown, secretions, and movement throughout the gastrointestinal tract to provide information that may assist in future food product development. In order to pursue these opportunities, it is necessary to take an interdisciplinary approach, involving collaboration between food scientists, nutritionists, biological and chemical engineers, electrical engineers, veterinarians, and medical doctors. Development of interdisciplinary collaborations will allow for an increase in evidence-based advances in our understanding of food digestion and the impact of food on health and disease.
The Effect of the Ground on the Steady-State and Time-Dependent Transport of Neutrons and Secondary Gamma Rays in the Atmosphere

Calculations have been made of the space, energy, angle, and time dependence of the neutron and secondary gamma-ray fields produced in the atmosphere by several neutron sources, and the results for...
Accuracy of School Staff-Measured Height and Weight Used for Body Mass Index Screening and Reporting.

Author(s): Thompson, Hannah R; Linchey, Jennifer K; King, Benjamin; Himes, John H; Madsen, Kristine A | Abstract: BackgroundThe accuracy of students' heights and weights measured by school staff for body mass index (BMI) screening/reporting has not been established. This study examined school staffs' measurement accuracy, comparing accuracy by staff- and student-level characteristics.MethodsSchool staff and researchers measured the height and weight of 1008 4th-8th grade students, within 1 month of each other. Bland-Altman plots, mean differences, and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated to examine measurement accuracy. Linear mixed effects models assessed accuracy by staff- and student-level characteristics.ResultsBland-Altman plots revealed no appreciable bias in differences between researcher and staff measurements. The mean absolute difference between researcher and school staff measurements were 1.0 ± 1.6ncm (height), 0.7 ± 1.8nkg (weight), and 0.4 ± 0.8nkg/m2 (BMI). Inter-rater ICC values were ≥0.97, demonstrating "excellent" reliability. Categorical weight status was correctly classified for 94% of students (kappa 0.90), and for 96% with a BMI ≥95th% (kappa 0.94). Physical education (PE) teachers were slightly less accurate than school nurses in measuring height (0.4ncm less accurate; pn=n.045) and weight (0.4nkg; pn=n.015).ConclusionsSchool staff conducted height/weight measurements on 4th-8th grade students with high accuracy. Resultant school-based BMI reports using similar protocols should validly reflect weight status for almost all students.
A Hormone That Lost Its Receptor: Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) in Zebrafish Gonad Development and Sex Determination.

Fetal mammalian testes secrete Anti-Mullerian hormone (Amh), which inhibits female reproductive tract (Mullerian duct) development. Amh also derives from mature mammalian ovarian follicles, which marks oocyte reserve and characterizes polycystic ovarian syndrome. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) lacks Mullerian ducts and the Amh receptor gene amhr2 but, curiously, retains amh. To discover the roles of Amh in the absence of Mullerian ducts and the ancestral receptor gene, we made amh null alleles in zebrafish. Results showed that normal amh prevents female-biased sex ratios. Adult male amh mutants had enormous testes, half of which contained immature oocytes, demonstrating that Amh regulates male germ cell accumulation and inhibits oocyte development or survival. Mutant males formed sperm ducts and some produced a few offspring. Young female mutants laid a few fertile eggs, so they also had functional sex ducts. Older amh mutants accumulated nonvitellogenic follicles in exceedingly large but sterile ovaries, showing that Amh helps control ovarian follicle maturation and proliferation. RNA-sequencing data partitioned juveniles at 21 days postfertilization (dpf) into two groups that each contained mutant and wild-type fish. Group21-1 upregulated ovary genes compared to Group21-2, which were likely developing as males. By 35 dpf, transcriptomes distinguished males from females and, within each sex, mutants from wild types. In adult mutants, ovaries greatly underexpressed granulosa and theca genes, and testes underexpressed Leydig cell genes. These results show that ancestral Amh functions included development of the gonadal soma in ovaries and testes and regulation of gamete proliferation and maturation. A major gap in our understanding is the identity of the gene encoding a zebrafish Amh receptor; we show here that the loss of amhr2 is associated with the breakpoint of a chromosome rearrangement shared among cyprinid fishes.
Intercourse frequency among men presenting to a sexual health clinic: does age matter?

We assessed the association between intercourse frequency and sexual function among 583 consecutive males with sexual partners presenting to a men’s health clinic over a 2-year period. Median age was 62 and men reported a median of 2 (IQR 0, 5) episodes of intercourse per month. Younger age, shorter relationship duration, higher intercourse satisfaction (IIEF-IS) scores, and higher libido (all p < 0.01) were associated with more frequent intercourse. On multivariable analysis, longer relationship duration was associated with less frequent intercourse (p = 0.03), but was linked to higher overall sexual satisfaction. Age was not a significant predictor of intercourse frequency.