cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transcriptional and free radical responses to LVAD therapy

Myocardial recovery with Left ventricular assistant device (LVAD) therapy is dichotomous with some patients obtaining remission from end-stage heart failure whereas most require transplantation or remain on pump support long term. Our goal was to determine transcriptional and free radical responses to LVAD treatment. Tissues were collected from patients before and after LVAD placement in non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy patients (n = 14) along with controls (n = 3). RNA sequencing (RNASeq) analysis quantified transcriptional profiles by using a custom targeted panel of heart failure related genes on the PGM sequencer. The differential expression analysis between groups was conducted using edgeR (Empirical analysis of digital gene expression data in R) package in Bioconductor. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) was carried out on differentially expressed genes to understand the biological pathways involved. Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Spectroscopy was utilized to measure levels of free radicals in whole blood collected pre- and post-LVAD implantation (n = 16). Thirty-five genes were differentially expressed in pre-LVAD failing hearts compared to controls. In response to LVAD therapy, only Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4) and period circadian protein homolog 1 (PER1) were altered with 34 heart failure related genes still differentially expressed post-LVAD compared to controls. IPA showed that DNA methylation-related genes were upregulated in both pre- and post-LVAD and was persistent with a Z-score of 2.00 and 2.36 for DNA Methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A) and DNA methyltransferase 3B (DNMT3B), respectively. Inhibition of micro RNA21 (mir21) was also significant on pathway analysis in the post-LVAD population with a Z-score of − 2.00. Levels of free radicals in blood of pre- and post-LVAD patients did not change significantly. LVAD therapy does not reverse many of the transcriptional changes associated with heart failure. Persistent changes in gene expression may be related to ongoing oxidative stress, continued DNA methylation, or changes in metabolism. PDK4 is a key regulator of glucose metabolism and its increased expression by LVAD therapy inhibited pyruvate metabolism.
Abstract B035: Identification of a tumor cell adaptive stress response signaling pathway, which drives aggressive breast cancer phenotype and therapeutic resistance, in African American patients with locally advanced breast cancer subtypes

Introduction: The higher incidence of biologically aggressive and treatment-resistant breast cancer (BCa) subtypes, which includes triple negative (TN), basal, and inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), contributes to worse survival outcomes in African American/AA patients, 42% higher death rate compared to White BCa. Amongst locally advanced BCa, IBC is a model of aggressive, most lethal, frequently basal/TN, accounting for 10% AA BCa and disparity in outcomes exist after adjusting for socioeconomic and diagnosis factors. IBC exhibits a unique phenotype wherein malignant cells do not form solid masses and instead, present as hyperproliferative tumor cell clusters, termed tumor emboli, in the skin and lymphatics. Our key finding was the identification of a tumor cell adaptive stress response pathway linking the mitogen activated ser/thr kinase/MNK, X-linked inhibitor of anti-apoptotic protein, XIAP, and nuclear transcription factor, NFkB, mediated proliferative, invasive and immunosuppressive signaling. Our goal was to determine the role of the adaptive stress response pathway, which we have identified to contribute to aggressiveness of TNBC and IBC, in AA breast tumor biology. Methods: Expression of MNK, XIAP and NFkB target gene sets, a 40-gene oxidative stress response that correlates with response to cell death stimuli and a 79-gene IBC signature (identified from comparative analysis of IBC and non-IBC biospecimens) were evaluated in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) breast cancer datasets (1109 tumor; 113 normal) stratified according to race and molecular subtypes (luminal A, B, Her2, basal). The mean expression for each gene in these signatures were also assessed among different subtypes and race using R. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis was performed using GATHER online tool. XIAP immunohistochemistry (IHC) conducted in BCa samples (n=93) from Duke and MDACC biorepositories. Results: TCGA analysis of the IBC-related signatures identified genes differentially expressed (>2-fold change; Wilcoxon rank sum test, FDR Citation Format: Gayathri R Devi, Muthana Al Abo, Larisa Gearhart-Serna, Joseph Geradts, Shannon J McCall, Savitri Krishnamurthy. Identification of a tumor cell adaptive stress response signaling pathway, which drives aggressive breast cancer phenotype and therapeutic resistance, in African American patients with locally advanced breast cancer subtypes [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2019 Sep 20-23; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl_2):Abstract nr B035.
The Prognostic Impact of Nutritional Status on Postoperative Outcomes in Glioblastoma.

Objective The clinical impact and optimal method of assessing nutritional status (NS) have not been rigorously examined in glioblastoma. We investigated the relationship between NS and postoperative survival (PS) in glioblastoma using 4 nutritional indices and identified which index best modeled PS. Methods NS was retrospectively assessed for patients with glioblastoma undergoing surgery at our institution from 2007 to 2019 using the albumin level, albumin/globulin ratio (AGR), nutritional risk index (NRI), and prognostic nutritional index (PNI). Optimal cut points for each index were identified using maximally selected rank statistics and previously established criteria. The predictive value of each index on PS was determined using Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for prognostic variables. The best-performing model was identified using the Akaike Information Criterion. Results Our analysis included 242 patients (64% male) with a mean age of 57.6 years, Karnofsky Performance Status of 77.6, 5-factor modified frailty index of 0.59, albumin level of 4.2 g/dL, AGR of 1.9, NRI of 105.6, and PNI of 47.4. Median PS after index and repeat surgery was 12.7 and 7.8 months, respectively. On multivariable analysis, low albumin level (hazard ratio [HR], 2.09; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.52–2.89; P Conclusions NS predicts PS in glioblastoma. PNI may provide the best model for assessing NS. NS is an important modifiable aspect of brain tumor management that warrants increased attention.
The solvent extraction of Cu(II), Ni(II), and Co(II) with benzil-mono-(2-pyridylhydrazone)

BmPH has been studied as an extracting agent for the ions Cu2+, Ni2+, and Co2+·Cu2+ is extracted with an efficiency of 95% and better in the pH range 4–6, as the ion pair complexes [Cu(OH)(HL)]·ClO4 and [CuL]·ClO4. The ions Ni+4 and Co+2 are extracted as the neutral species most likely as [M(II)(OH)(L)]. There is marked curvature in the plots of logD vs. pH and a lowered extraction efficiency compared to Cu+2. While the reagent appears to be quite sensitive for the extracted Cu+2 complex, there is minimal selectivity as all three ions have overlapping absortion maxima in the same wavelenth region.
Biologically-engineered Pediatric Tri-tube Valved Conduit Evaluated 52 Weeks in the Growing Lamb

Objective: There is a dire need for a heart valve that can grow with children. We fabricated tubes of biologically-engineered matrix that have been shown to regenerate and grow as a pulmonary arter...
IMPPACT (Intravenous Monotherapy for Postoperative Perforated Appendicitis in Children Trial): Randomized Clinical Trial of Monotherapy Versus Multi-drug Antibiotic Therapy

Background Perforated appendicitis is the most common cause of intraabdominal abscess (IAA) in children. The optimal postoperative antibiotic regimen to reduce IAA has evolved in the last decade from triple-drug to 2-drug therapy (CM). Recent retrospective studies show decreased infectious complications with monotherapy PT. To date prospective comparative data are lacking. Therefore, a prospective randomized trial comparing PT versus CM was conducted. Methods A multi-institutional prospective randomized trial was performed in children with perforated appendicitis comparing postoperative antibiotic regimens PT or CM. The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative IAA formation. Perforation was strictly defined as a hole in the appendix or fecalith in the abdomen, documented with intraoperative photographs. Results One hundred sixty-two patients were enrolled during the study period. No differences in age, weight, or duration of presenting symptoms were identified. In addition, length of stay, duration of intravenous antibiotic treatment, discharge oral antibiotic treatment, and antibiotic-related complications did not differ between groups. Compared to the CM group, the PT group had significantly lower IAA rate [6.1% vs 23.8%, odd ratio (OR) 4.80, P = 0.002], lower postoperative computed tomography imaging rate (13.9% vs 29.3%, OR 2.57, P = 0.030), and fewer emergency room visits (8.8% vs 26.4%, OR 3.73, P = 0.022). Multivariate logistic regression analysis found the use of CM versus PT (OR 9.21, P = 0.021) to be the most significant predictor for developing IAA. Conclusions In children with perforated appendicitis, postoperative monotherapy with PT is superior to standard 2-drug therapy with CM and does not increase antibiotic-related complications or antibiotic exposure duration.
TRANSPORTATION CORRIDORS «CHINA-EUROPE EXPRESS» IN THE CONDITIONS OF DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC RELATIONS

In the article the author examines the current state, including the problems of the development of international transport corridors running from China to the countries of the European region. The proposal and development of the Belt and Road Cooperation Initiative by the Sino-European Railway Express has played a pivotal role in promoting trade of China and Europe and the countries along the route. The author shows the features of the development of economic relations after the new coronavirus epidemic in 2020. To stimulate the rapid economic recovery of the countries along the route, the PRC came up with a new concept of dual domestic and international cycles, and the China-Europe Express became an important transport link connecting China, Central Asia, Central and North Asia and Europe. The author of the article notes that the initiative from the Chinese side has become an important engine of global economic growth, taking advantage of the " One Belt - One Road " policy. However, excessive operating costs, asymmetric market information, underdeveloped infrastructure along the route, and heavy reliance on government subsidies limit the sustainable development of China-Europe railway transit routes. In the context of international economic relations, this article analyzes the many challenges facing China-Europe Railway Express, and the author proposes appropriate solutions and proposals to prove the prospects for the development of the above-named project. Key words: International trade; China-Europe Express; world economy; dual circulation strategy; Chang’an train; One Belt – One Road project; countermeasures; infrastructure, government subsidies.
A distance-based living donor kidney education program for Black wait-list candidates: A feasibility randomized trial

Addressing racial disparities in living donor kidney transplants (LDKT) among Black patients warrants innovative programs to improve living donation rates. The Living Organ Video Educated Donors (LOVED) program is a 2-arm, culturally-tailored, distance-based, randomized controlled feasibility trial. The group-based, 8-week program used peer-navigator led video chat sessions and web-app video education for Black kidney waitlisted patients from a United States southeastern state. Primary feasibility results for LOVED (n=24) and usual care (n=24) arms included LOVED program tolerability (i.e., 95.8% retention), program fidelity (i.e., 78.9% video education adherence and 72.1% video chat adherence). LDKT attitudinal and knowledge results favored the LOVED group where a statistically significant effect was reported over 6-months for willingness to approach strangers (estimate ± SE: -1.0 ± 0.55, F(1, 45.3) = 7.5, p = 0.009) and self-efficacy to advocate for a LDKT -0.81 ± 0.31, F(1, 45.9) = 15.2, p 0.088). Secondary measures at 6 months showed an increase in calls for LOVED compared to usual care (p = 0.008) though no differences were found for transplant center evaluations or LDKTs. Findings imply that LOVED increased screening calls and attitudes to approach potential donors but feasibility outcomes found program materials require modification to increase adherence. NCT03599102 This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Neurotransmitter Profiles Are Altered in the Gut and Brain of Mice Mono-Associated with Bifidobacterium dentium

Background: Accumulating evidence indicates that the gut microbiota can synthesize neurotransmitters as well as impact host-derived neurotransmitter levels. In the past, it has been challenging to decipher which microbes influence neurotransmitters due to the complexity of the gut microbiota. Methods: To address whether a single microbe, Bifidobacterium dentium, could regulate important neurotransmitters, we examined Bifidobacteria genomes and explored neurotransmitter pathways in secreted cell-free supernatant using LC-MS/MS. To determine if B. dentium could impact neurotransmitters in vivo, we mono-associated germ-free mice with B. dentium ATCC 27678 and examined fecal and brain neurotransmitter concentrations. Results: We found that B. dentium possessed the enzymatic machinery to generate γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) from glutamate, glutamine, and succinate. Consistent with the genome analysis, we found that B. dentium secreted GABA in a fully defined microbial media and elevated fecal GABA in B. dentium mono-associated mice compared to germ-free controls. We also examined the tyrosine/dopamine pathway and found that B. dentium could synthesize tyrosine, but could not generate L-dopa, dopamine, norepinephrine, or epinephrine. In vivo, we found that B. dentium mono-associated mice had elevated levels of tyrosine in the feces and brain. Conclusions: These data indicate that B. dentium can contribute to in vivo neurotransmitter regulation.
An Oscillatory Mechanism for Multi-level Storage in Short-term Memory

Oscillatory activity is commonly observed during the maintenance of information in short-term memory, but its role remains unclear. Non-oscillatory models of short-term memory storage are able to encode stimulus identity through their spatial patterns of activity, but are typically limited to either an all-or-none representation of stimulus amplitude or exhibit a biologically implausible exact-tuning condition. Here, we demonstrate a simple phase-locking mechanism by which oscillatory input enables a circuit to generate persistent or sequential activity patterns that encode information not only in their location but also in a discrete set of amplitudes.
Approaches for Measuring Fast Modulation of Optical Properties Induced by 511keV Photon Interactions

With a goal to achieve less than 10 picosecond (ps) coincidence time resolution for advancing time-of-flight positron emission tomography (TOF-PET), we seek to leverage the effects of transient free carriers generated from 511 keV interactions in a material. Most ultrafast optics methods rely on many excitation particles with a priori information on their arrival times. However, in PET it is critical to find a way to sensitively detect single, randomly emitted 511 keV annihilation photons from the ionization it produces. We investigate two ways to increase the signal: employing probe laser wavelength in the mid-IR and confining the probe beam to match the size of ionization tracks created by the 511 keV photons. We observed a continued decrease of 2% in transmission of the mid-IR probe beam (8μm) in a 10 X 10 X 1 mm3 Cadmium Telluride crystal with 511 keV annihilation irradiation over 300 seconds. The trend was reversed when the radiation source is removed, and reached the previous baseline transmission in 800 seconds. For confining the interaction volume to match the probe beam diameter, we revised a previously investigated interferometry approach to use a focused beam and did not apply a bias voltage across the detector crystal. With a 405nm laser diode as an excitation source, a shift of 43% in transmitted signal voltage was observed, and with Am-241 alpha source irradiation, a 1% shift was measured. With the improved sensitivity, these findings provide insights into possible methods of detecting single 511 keV events.
Are recent segment disclosures of Japanese firms useful

Abstract Since 1990, the Japanese Ministry of Finance (MOF) has required Japanese firms to disclose segment data in annual financial statements. Using a survey instrument, we examine whether Japanese analysts find these segment disclosures to be useful. Our study finds that analysts perceive that segment data aid them in forecasting consolidated sales and net income. However, results also show that analysts are concerned that Japanese firms do not define segments meaningfully and consistently and are arbitrary in the allocation of common costs. Further, the analysts do not believe that the usefulness of segment data improves when it is audited. These results have implications for investors in Japanese stocks and accounting policy bodies, such as the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Mitochondrial biogenesis during fungal spore germination: Purification, properties and biosynthesis of cytochrome c oxidase from Botryodiplodia theobromae

Abstract 1. 1. Cytochrome c oxidase (ferrocytochrome c:oxygen oxidoreductase, EC 1.9.3.1) was purified from the mycelial fungus Botryodiplodia theobromae by sodium cholate and ammonium sulfate solubilization, ammonium sulfate fractionation, and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. The purified enzyme contained 6–7 nmol heme a/mg of protein. The specific activity of the purified enzyme was 2.1–2.3 · 103 k (min−1) per mg of protein with 15 μmol ferrocytochrome c and at pH 5.9 and optimal phosphate and Tween 80 concentrations (65 mM and 0.1%, respectively). The K m for ferrocytochrome c was determined to be 1.2–1.3 · 10−5 M, while at infinite substrate concentration the enzyme catalyzed the oxidation of about 60 μmol of ferrocytochrome c/min per mg of protein. Sedimentation behavior and kinetic evidence suggest that the purified enzyme exists as aggregates of the single molecule. The purified B. theobromae cytochrome c oxidase with its 428 nm Soret absorption maximum may be similar if not identical to oxygenated forms of the enzyme from other fungal species. 2. 2. The purified enzyme was shown by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to consist of seven polypeptides with the following respective molecular weights: I, 41 000; II, 28 000; III, 19 000; IV, 14 800; V, 12 800; VI, 11 500; and VII, 9300. Biosynthesis studies showed that the three highest molecular weight polypeptides of the enzyme were synthesized on mitochondrial ribosomes, and the four smaller polypeptides were products of cytoplasmic ribosomes.
Economic Determinants of Income Maintenance Programs

Abstract We have developed a forecasting model for the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) caseload based on economic theory and the use of leading indicator analysis. We included measures of the size of the at-risk population, of the net gain from AFDC relative to that from working, and of job availability. Since the initial completion of the model in early 1992, it has been used to generate forecasts each quarter for the monthly Maryland AFDC caseload, over a 2 to 3-year time horizon, for use in state budget projections. The model has performed well in predicting trends and turning points in the caseload. The findings indicate that economic variables, especially the general state of the labor market for low-paying, female-dominated jobs in cyclical industries and the AFDC payment relative to wages, are important determinants of AFDC participation.
Measuring and characterizing the performance of interactive multi-tier cloud applications

In this paper, we conduct a detailed study characterizing the performance of multi-tier web applications on commercial cloud platforms and evaluate the potential of techniques to improve the resilience of such applications to performance fluctuations in the cloud. In contrast to prior works that have studied the performance of individual cloud services or that of compute-intensive scientific applications (e.g., map-reduce based), our study focuses on multi-tier web applications. Our work is conducted in the context of four real-world web applications which we instrumented to collect the overall response time and the time spent in each application tier, for each transaction. Our results indicate that cloud applications undergo frequent periods of poor performance that typically (i) are short-lived lasting a few minutes; and (ii) may be attributed to a small subset of application components, though different subsets may be involved at different times. While geo-distributing applications can help mitigate performance variability, coarse-grained approaches that merely choose the best performing data-center (DC) provide only modest benefits. More significant benefits could accrue, however, if combination of cloud services located across multiple datacenters (DCs) are chosen to serve each request.
A New Definition of the Subtype Relation

The use of hierarchy is an important component of object-oriented design. Hierarchy allows the use of type families, in which higher level supertypes capture the behavior that all of their subtypes have in common. For this methodology to be effective, it is necessary to have a clear understanding of how subtypes and supertypes are related. This paper presents a new definition of the subtype relation that ensures that any property proved about supertype objects also holds for subtype objects. It also discusses the ramifications of the definition on the design of type families.
The Open-Economy Trilemma in China: Monetary and Exchange-Rate Policy Interaction under Financial Repression†

This paper models China's monetary-cum-exchange rate policy, in which sterilization measures insulate base money from the full effects of capital inflow while the accumulation of net foreign assets (NFAs) limits exchange-rate appreciation. I find that the negative-risk premium in the interest rate—which compensates NFA holders for exchange-rate risk with a higher relative rate of return on their NFAs—plays a pivotal role in influencing the magnitude of sterilization and in inducing endogenous change in the exchange rate. I show that a feedback loop between the exchange rate and capital inflow exists in the form of a multiplier mechanism that jeopardizes both monetary autonomy and exchange-rate stability. The findings testify to the open-economy trilemma challenging the effectiveness and sustainability of China's monetary-cum-exchange rate policy and point to a flexible exchange rate as a solution that can enhance monetary sovereignty, reduce financial repression and improve economic efficiency.
MACROMOLECULAR SECRETION BY ISOLATED GASTRIC MUCOSA Fundamental differences in pepsinogen and intrinsic factor secretion

Abstract The secretion of pepsinogen and intrinsic factor (IF) in response to various known stimulators and inhibitors of gastric acid secretion was examined in isolated rabbit gastric mucosa maintained in organ culture. Acetylcholine (10 −8 m) stimulated both pepsinogen ( P P −2 m or propanthelene bromide, 5 × 10 −3 m), however, at these concentrations basal IF secretion was abolished. Histamine (10 − and 10 −2 m) had no effect on pepsinogen secretion but stimulated IF secretion ( P P H 7.4. When we applied 50 mn HCl to the mucosal surface of the biopsies, pepsinogen secretion doubled ( P + ions bathing the mucosal surface of the stomach may influence the results of experiments designed to examine the mechanisms of gastric mucosal macromolecular secretion.
Effect of Dietary Fiber on Intraluminal Pressure and Myoelectrical Activity of Left Colon in Monkeys

The effects of varying intake of dietary fiber content on left colon intraluminal pressure, electrical spike discharge activity, and contractions of circular muscle were measured in stump-tailed monkeys. Animals were preconditioned to sit in restraint chairs and then had the sigmoid colon instrumented with an extraluminal strain gage force transducer, a bipolar serosal electrode and a Thomas cannula to provide access for determining luminal pressure with a perfused, open-tip catheter. Diets containing 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 g of dietary fiber daily were fed in varying sequences for periods of 3 wk. Observations were made twice during the last week of each diet. Fecal weight increased in animals on a high fiber diet, but changing dietary. fiber content did not alter the duration of spike discharge activity and produced only a minimal change in the contraction frequency of colon circular muscle. Colon intraluminal pressure was increased significantly by feeding lowfiber diets, but intraluminal pressure responses did not always correlate with myoelectrical activity of the colon circular muscle.
Selectivity Estimation for Spatial Joins with Geometric Selections

Spatial join is an expensive operation that is commonly used in spatial database systems. In order to generate efficient query plans for the queries involving spatial join operations, it is crucial to obtain accurate selectivity estimates for these operations. In this paper we introduce a framework for estimating the selectivity of spatial joins constrained by geometric selections. The center piece of the framework is Euler Histogram, which decomposes the estimation process into estimations on vertices, edges and faces. Based on the characteristics of different datasets, different probabilistic models can be plugged into the framework to provide better estimation results. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this framework, we implement it by incorporating two existing probabilistic models, and compare the performance with the Geometric Histogram [1] and the algorithm recently proposed by Mamoulis and Papadias.
A comparison between paper and computerized ballots and a study of simulated substitution between the two ballots used in descriptive analysis

Many researchers have compared results from experiments using paper ballots and computer ballots, yet few have studied the interchangeability of the two data collection methods. If computers fail between sessions of an experiment, one would like to be able to use paper ballots for that session with some confidence that the experimental results will not be affected. The objective of this study was to determine if ballot type had a significant influence on descriptive analysis results. Multivariate analysis of variance indicated no significant differences (P<0.05) between ballot types. No significant sample * ballot interactions were found from the univariate analysis of variance. Mann Whitney nonparamatric tests found that substituting paper ballots for computer ballots in a single session did not significantly alter experimental results. One can conclude from this experiment that if a situation occurs forcing panelists to use an alternative ballot, the results probably will not be significantly affected.
Analysis of purine ribonucleotides and deoxyribonucleotides in cell extracts by high-performance liquid chromatography

Abstract A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay for the fourteen major cellular purine ribonucleotides and 2′-deoxyribonucleotides is presented. Following an initial separation by anion-exchange HPLC, the nucleotides are hydrolyzed to their respective nucleosides by alkaline phosphatase and quantified by reversed-phase HPLC and UV absorbance detection. The assay is reproducible, specific, and has a detection limit of 10 pmol/sample. The recovery of nucleosides derived from nucleotides is 85%. Purine nucleotide pool sizes have been measured in cultured mouse T lymphoma (S-49) cells before and after treatment with 2.0 μ M mycophenolic acid, an inhibitor of the enzyme IMP dehydrogenase, for 3 h. Control nucleotide levels obtained by this method are consistent with those reported for S-49 cells using other methods, and the observed decrease in guanine nucleotides and increase in IMP after treatment with mycophenolic acid agree with previous reports.
On personality and piloerection: Individual differences in aesthetic chills and other unusual aesthetic experiences.

Relatively little is known about aesthetic chills, the experience of goose bumps and shivers in response to the arts. The present study explored how often people report such experiences and what people who often experience them are like. After noting which domain of the arts they encountered most often in daily life, young adults (n = 188) rated how often they experienced aesthetic chills and related states. Latent variable models suggested three latent factors—aesthetic chills, feeling touched, and absorption—that shared a higher-order factor. As expected, people high in openness to experience and expertise in the arts consistently reported experiencing aesthetic chills more often. The Big Five personality factors accounted for about half of the variance, whereas cognitive and demographic variables were relatively unimportant. The individual-differences approach thus seems like a promising complement to experimental work on aesthetic chills.
The Ancillary Carbon Benefits of SO2 Reductions from a Small-Boiler Policy in Taiyuan, PRC

Proposals for greenhouse-gas reductions have been met with widespread skepticism in the developing world, in part because such countries find their conventional air-pollution problems more pressing...
Comparison of within-canopy microclimate and white mold disease (sclerotinia sclerotiorum) development in dry edible beans as influenced by canopy structure and irrigation☆

Abstract Measurements of air, leaf, and soil temperatures were made in two cultivars of dry edible beans, Great Northern (GN) Tara and Aurora, differing in canopy structure. Normal and heavy irrigation treatments applied to each cultivar were 5.5 cm of water every 10 and 5 days, respectively. Air, leaf, and soil temperatures were consistently lower in the heavy irrigation plots. White mold disease severity was related to irrigation and canopy structure. The heavy irrigation treatment of GN Tara had the greatest disease severity.
5-HT3 agonist 2-methylserotonin as a training drug in drug discrimination studies

Using a standard two-lever operant procedure, rats were trained to discriminate 5 mg/kg of the 5-HT3 agonist 2-methylserotonin (2-Me 5-HT; ED50 = 2.6 mg/kg) from saline using a VI 15-s schedule of reinforcement. The 2-Me 5-HT stimulus did not generalize to the 5-HT1/5-HT2 agonist 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine, but did generalize to the new 5-HT3 agonist 1-(m-chlorophenyl)biguanide (ED50 = 1.6 mg kg). The 5-HT3 antagonist ICS 205-930 potently antagonized the 2-Me 5-HT stimulus (ID50 = 0.001 mg/kg), whereas its quaternary amine analog, which does not readily penetrate the blood-brain barrier, failed to completely antagonize the 2-Me 5-HT stimulus at a 10,000-fold higher dose. The results of the present investigation show that 2-Me 5-HT serves as a discriminative stimulus in rats when paired with saline and suggest that its stimulus properties are likely mediated via a central 5-HT3 mechanism. As such, this is the first demonstration that a 5-HT3 agonist can be used as a training drug in drug discrimination studies.
Atrial Ectopy as a Predictor of Incident Atrial Fibrillation: A Cohort Study

More than 3 million adults in the United States are living with atrial fibrillation (AF) (1). This common arrhythmia is associated with increased morbidity (2), excess mortality (3), and substantial health care costs (4). The considerable medical and economic effects of AF have generated interest in prediction algorithms to estimate AF risk in an individual patient (5–7). However, such models are of unclear clinical utility given the absence of primary AF prevention therapies and the immutability of many identified risk factors. Premature atrial contractions (PACs) have been shown to initiate episodes of AF (8, 9). In addition, targeted ablation of atrial ectopy can eliminate or substantially reduce AF recurrence (8). Evidence also shows that PACs are associated with incident AF in certain patient populations without known baseline arrhythmias (10–12). Together, these findings suggest that PACs play a critical role in AF pathogenesis. Further study of the association between PACs and AF is especially compelling because PAC burden can theoretically be modified by catheter ablation. The contribution of PACs to AF risk prediction has not been reported. We therefore examined the association between PACs and incident AF among participants enrolled in the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS).
What's in an object file? Evidence from priming studies

Six experiments were conducted to investigate the nature of the contents of object files, temporary representations that store information about objects. Experiment 1 used a lexical priming paradigm with a lexical decision task, in which the prime and target could appear in either the same or different locations. The results indicated a greater priming effect when the prime and target appeared in the same location than when they appeared in different locations (object- or location-specific priming). Experiment 2 replicated these findings for objects that changed position during the display. Experiment 3 demonstrated that these findings reflected the inclusion of abstract identity information, rather than physical form, in object files. Three additional experiments tested for the presence of three types of semantic information (related concepts, semantic features, and category membership) in object files. No object-specific priming effects were found. Taken together, these experiments suggest that an object file includes identity information, but not semantic information. Implications of the results for object file theory are discussed.
High-frequency Faraday rotation observations of the solar corona

Abstract This thesis, presented on January 31, 2007 under the supervision of Professor Christopher T. Russell, discusses the solar coronal magnetic field observations that can be obtained using the phenomenon of Faraday rotation. It was defended in the Department of Earth and Space Sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles (595 Charles E. Young, Dr. East, Los Angeles, CA 90095). A resume can be found at http://acs-consulting.com/ .
On the rate of convergence of certain methods of centers

It is shown in this paper that a theoretical method of centers, introduced by Huard, converges linearly. It is also shown, by counter-example, that a modified method of centers due to Huard and a method of feasible direction due to Topkis and Veinot cannot converge linearly even under convexity assumptions. Because of this, a new modified method of centers is introduced which uses a quadratic programming direction finding subroutine. In most uses this new method is not more complicated than Huard's modified method of centers. But it does converge linearly. A method for implementing it without loss of rate of convergence is also discussed.
Modeling complex systems of systems with Phantom System Models

Complex systems are commonly composed of interconnected and inter- and intradependent subsystems, which in their essence constitute systems of systems with multiple functions, operations, and stakeholders. Phantom System Models (PSM) is a modeling methodology inspired by philosophical and conceptual thinking from the arts, and is driven and supported by systems engineering theory, methodology, and practice. The PSM is designed to model inter- and intradependencies between and among the subsystems of a complex system of systems by exploiting vital knowledge and information embedded in the intrinsic and extrinsic common and uncommon state variables among the subsystems. Among the several systems engineering theories and methodologies, the PSM in particular builds on the centrality of the states of the system in modeling and in risk analysis; fundamentals in system identification (the inverse problem); hierarchical holographic modeling; coordinated hierarchical Bayesian model; and hierarchical decomposition and higher-level coordination. An example problem of a PSM-based modeling of a prototype system of systems is presented. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
High‐latitude radiowaves

The first International URSI Symposium covering high-latitude radiowave studies of the atmosphere from the troposphere to the magnetosphere was held at the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, August 9–13, 1982. The symposium was directed toward the new radio techniques that have been developed, many in the past two or three years, for probing the atmosphere from high geomagnetic latitudes. These systems include the VHF Mesosphere/Stratosphere/Troposphere (MST) radar, the European scatter radars, a new generation of HF digital ionospheric sounders, HF ionospheric ‘heaters’ and VHF coherent oblique backscatter radars (STARE and SABRE). The purpose of this URSI symposium was to present and discuss results obtained with these new techniques and to work toward putting together coherent, consistent models of a high-latitude atmospheric structure and dynamics using these new results. It also provided an opportunity for meetings of special URSI working groups.
The Cornell Radio Polarimeter

The Cornell polarimeter operates on 201.5 mc with a bandwidth of about 10 kc. This bandwidth is an order of magnitude smaller than previously used. The instrument is basically similar to the interference polarimeter built by Little and Payne-Scott, although it does not operate on an interference basis. The two circular components and the phase and correlation are measured. Ratios of the measured quantities are used graphically to find the polarization percentage and axial ratio. The system is calibrated on a relative basis by transmitting noise from a distant vertical dipole. The errors introduced by inaccuracies in the antennas are discussed; it is shown that the measured inaccuracies might give errors on the order of ±0.05 in axial ratio and polarization fraction. The observed polarizations are similar to what has been reported by other observers, so qualitively there is no gross "bandwidth effect." Mixed and variable polarizations have been seen. An example of a mixed polarization record is shown.
A chloride budget for Onondaga Lake, New York, U.S.A.

A Cl budget is presented for a 12 yr period (1970–1981) for Cl enriched (approximate volume-weighted average concentration of 1500 mg Cl L−1) Onondaga Lake, New York. The budget utilizes continuous discharge and lake and stream water chemistry data, collected at an interval of approximately 2 weeks, over the 12 yr study period. Budget calculations are supplemented by high frequency water chemistry data from the lake and the tributary carrying the major portion of the loading. More than 85% of the external load of Cl (approximately 9 × 108 kg yr−1) to the lake originates from an alkali manufacturer. Export of Cl from the lake was highly correlated to outflow from the lake (R = 0.915, for a resolution of 1 mo). A good balance between estimated external loads and lake export was obtained (within 7%) for the 12 yr period, indicating that lake concentrations are consistent with external loading of this conservative substance. The results of this analysis contradict previous calculations that indicated 40 to 50% of the Cl in the lake originated from natural internal sources.
A New Method for Measuring Indirect Non-Albumin Bound Bilirubin in Minimally Diluted Serum or Plasma † 793

A New Method for Measuring Indirect Non-Albumin Bound Bilirubin in Minimally Diluted Serum or Plasma † 793
On quark mass and lattice spacing dependence of the singlet free energies with improved fermions

We study scaling of the singlet free energies with quark mass and lattice spacing. The theory is three flavor QCD with degenerate quark masses using N τ = 4 and 6 lattices with Asqtad staggered fermion action.
Late onset loss of hippocampal 5-HT and NE is accompanied by increases in BDNF protein expression in mice co-expressing mutant APP and PS1.

Abstract Transgenic mice expressing both mutant amyloid precursor protein (APPswe) and presenilin-1 (PS1ΔE9) develop amyloid deposits as early as 4 months of age and preliminary evidence suggests that this may be associated with degenerative changes in serotonin axons innervating the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. In the present investigation, which focused on further delineating the effects of amyloid deposition on hippocampal neurochemistry, decreases in serotonin neurotransmitter levels (−25%) were discovered to be present at 18 months in APP+/PS1+ mice, while norepinephrine was reduced in the hippocampus of 12- (−30%) and 18-month-old (−45%) APP+/PS1+ double mutants. In addition, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein levels were investigated since changes in BDNF are reported to occur in AD, and BDNF has been shown to have trophic effects on serotonin and norepinephrine neurons. In doubly, but not singly mutant mice, hippocampal BDNF levels were increased at 12 (+70%) and 18 months (+170%). Furthermore, in a different model of serotonergic and noradrenergic degeneration, BDNF protein levels were similarly increased in response to depletions in hippocampal serotonin and norepinephrine caused by the chemical neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-(2′-aminophenyl)-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (2′-NH2-MPTP). These findings show that early amyloid deposition in mice expressing mutant human APP and PS-1 is associated with a progressive loss of serotonin and norepinephrine neurotransmitter levels in the hippocampus later in life. Furthermore, BDNF protein levels are increased in APP+/PS1+ and 2′-NH2-MPTP-treated mice, possibly as a compensatory response to serotonergic and noradrenergic neurodegeneration in a brain region important for learning and memory.
Serotonin or electrical optic nerve stimulation increases the photosensitivity of the Aplysia eye

Abstract 1. 1. Exposure of isolated Aplysia eyes to serotonin (10−7 M) produces large and long-lasting (hours) increases in the ERG recorded from the surface of the eye. 2. 2. Dopamine, octopamine, or acetylcholine do not mimic the effect of 5-HT on the ERG. 3. 3. Brief electrical optic nerve stimulation (2 Hz, 2 min) also increases the ERG and this effect also lasts a long period of time (0.5–2 hr). 4. 4. Our results suggest that serotonin increases the response of photoreceptor cells to light and that efferent optic nerve activity may modulate photosensitivity through release of serotonin in the eye.
Insight into the catalytic mechanism of vanadium haloperoxidases. DFT investigation of vanadium cofactor reactivity.

Density functional theory (DFT) has been used to investigate the catalytic properties of the isolated vanadium cofactor found in vanadium haloperoxidases, with a particular emphasis on the steps going from the resting form of the cofactor to the peroxo complex. Computation of transition states, intermediate species, and UV−vis spectra, as well as comparison of reaction energies, demonstrated the important role of protonation in cofactor activation. This illustrates that the resting form of the vanadium cofactor reacts with hydrogen peroxide according to a mechanism that implies formation of an aqua complex, release of the apical water molecule according to a dissociative pathway, and binding of hydrogen peroxide to vanadium. This process leads to a side-on peroxo species corresponding to the peroxo form observed in the enzyme. In addition, it appears that an acid−base catalysts strongly accelerates the conversion to the side-on peroxo form. The comparison of computed and experimental UV−vis spectra corrob...
Charge-Tunable Optical Properties in Colloidal Semiconductor Nanocrystals

The optical properties of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals are found to be extremely sensitive to excess electrons. Electrons in the lowest quantum-confined state of the conduction band of CdSe and (CdSe)ZnS nanocrystals quench photoluminescence by several orders of magnitude, at the same time, leading to a strong, mid-infrared intraband absorption and bleaching of the interband exciton transitions. Surface electrons are also efficient in quenching photoluminescence, but a passivating layer of wider band gap ZnS can reduce their influence. The results suggest that single-electron switching of photoluminescence may be feasible with improved core/shell structures of semiconductor nanocrystals.
Vehicular networks and the future of the mobile internet

The first DARPA experiment with wireless mobile Internet - the Packet Radio Network or PRNET - was completely independent of the infrastructure. This model was consistent with DARPA military goals as the PRNET was designed to support tactical operations far away from any wired infrastructure. Beside autonomy, the main challenge was mobility and radio portability. Scarcity of spectrum was not an issue, in contrast with the ARPANET quest to utilize those 50kbps Telpak trunks more efficiently. Today, the closest civilian descendents of the PRNET are vehicular networks and smart phone based Personal Area Networks. In either case, the wired infrastructure turns out to play a major role. Moreover, spectrum scarcity has now become the most important challenge (while, ironically, the wired Internet has plenty of bandwidth). In this paper we examine this interplay between wired and wireless and extract a message for the design of a more efficient Future Wireless Internet. We focus on the vehicular network since this field is better established and commercially more viable than that of personal, P2P communications among Smartphones. We are confident however that many of our observations will transfer also to smart phone/infrastructure synergy. Specifically, in this paper we identify the urban Internet infrastructure role in the support of emerging vehicular applications and identify the Core Internet services matching the services in the vehicle grid. As the vehicular applications range from e-mail and voice over IP to emergency operations (natural disaster, terrorist attack, etc.), the type of assistance requested from the infrastructure will vary. A short list includes: (a) addressing (e.g. geo-addressing); (b) directory service, service discovery, mobility management; (c) resource and congestion management; (d) path redundancy; (e) delay tolerant operations; (f) mobile sensor data access and search from the internet, and; (g) anonymity, privacy and incentives. After the review of vehicular applications and properties, we will offer an Internet history perspective to help understand how the mobile wireless network field has evolved from the early ARPANET and PRNET days. This will reveal trends that can help predict the future of the wireless Internet.