cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phenotypic Plasticity and Genotype by Environment Interaction for Olfactory Behavior in Drosophila melanogaster

Genotype by environment interactions (GEI) play a major part in shaping the genetic architecture of quantitative traits and are confounding factors in genetic studies, for example, in attempts to associate genetic variation with disease susceptibility. It is generally not known what proportion of phenotypic variation is due to GEI and how many and which genes contribute to GEI. Behaviors are complex traits that mediate interactions with the environment and, thus, are ideally suited for studies of GEI. Olfactory behavior in Drosophila melanogaster presents an opportunity to systematically dissect GEI, since large numbers of genetically identical individuals can be reared under defined environmental conditions and the olfactory system of Drosophila and its behavioral response to odorants have been well characterized. We assessed variation in olfactory behavior in a population of 41 wild-derived inbred lines and asked to what extent different larval-rearing environments would influence adult olfactory behavior and whether GEI is a minor or major contributing source of phenotypic variation. We found that approximately 50% of phenotypic variation in adult olfactory behavior is attributable to GEI. In contrast, transcriptional analysis revealed that only 20 genes show GEI at the level of gene expression [false discovery rate (FDR) < 0.05], some of which are associated with physiological responses to environmental chemicals. Quantitative complementation tests with piggyBac-tagged mutants for 2 of these genes (CG9664 and Transferrin 1) demonstrate that genes that show transcriptional GEI are candidate genes for olfactory behavior and that GEI at the level of gene expression is correlated with GEI at the level of phenotype.
Surgical treatment of cardiac dysrhythmias in infants and children

Abstract A variety of cardiac rhythm disturbances that occur in infants and children may be refractory to medical or catheter ablation therapy, or both, and thus require surgical ablation. These dysrhythmias include Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, atrial automatic tachycardia, atrioventricular node reentry tachycardia, and ventricular tachycardia. The surgical technique originally used in adults may be equally well applied in infants and small children. In the interval from July 1, 1984, through December 31, 1993, a total of 130 infants and children (≤16 years old) underwent surgical treatment for various forms of dysrhythmias (96 with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, 8 with atrioventricular node reentry, 11 with atrial automatic tachycardia, and 15 with ventricular tachycardia). The success rate for completely abolishing these arrhythmias has been 92% for the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, 100% for atrioventricular node reentry, and 64% for atrial automatic tachycardia. In infants younger than 2 years, the success rate for the surgical treatment of ventricular tachycardia is 100%, but the long-term success in older children has been poor. One patient sustained a severe intraoperative neurologic event that resulted in her death (operative mortality, 0.7%). Ventricular function returned to normal in all patients in whom it was abnormal preoperatively. These data suggest that the surgical treatment of these dysrhythmias remains a viable alternative in those patients whose dysrhythmias are refractory to medical therapy, those in whom catheter ablation has been unsuccessful, or those in whom both situations apply.
Influence of Feedstock and Process Chemistry on Biodiesel Quality

Abstract Biodiesel production in the United States is anticipated to double by 2010. Biodiesel's characteristics and performance as a fuel vary depending on its composition, and the fuel composition has to be stringently monitored to avoid adverse impacts on the environment and engines. The final biodiesel composition depends on the initial feedstock, as well as on the reaction conversions and process separation efficiencies. The thermo-physical properties depend upon factors such as chain length, branching, and degree of saturation. Impurities in biodiesel, either due to side-reactions, unreacted feedstock, or non-fatty acid constituents, may increase pollutants. This paper focuses on chemical composition of commonly used feedstocks for biodiesel manufacturing and provides an overview of the process chemistry.
Resource Utilization and Costs of Schizophrenia Patients Treated with Olanzapine versus Quetiapine in a Medicaid Population

Abstract Objective Compare annual health-care costs and resource utilization associated with olanzapine versus quetiapine for treating schizophrenia in a Medicaid population. Methods Adult schizophrenia patients were selected from deidentified Pennsylvania Medicaid claims database (1999–2003). Included patients were continuously enrolled and initiated with olanzapine or quetiapine monotherapy after a 90-day washout period. Treatment costs were calculated for 1-year post-therapy initiation and inflation adjusted to year 2003. To control for selection bias, olanzapine and quetiapine patients were 1:1 matched using an optimal matching algorithm on propensity score, which was generated using logistic regression controlling for demographics, prior drug therapy, utilization, and costs. Treatment costs for the matched cohorts were compared directly, as well as using a difference-in-difference analysis. Results A total of 6929 patients treated with olanzapine and 2321 with quetiapine met inclusion criteria. Quetiapine patients appeared more severe at baseline. After propensity score matching, 2321 patient pairs had similar baseline characteristics, including total costs. Compared with matched quetiapine patients, for the 1-year postindex period, olanzapine patients had similar drug costs ($6131 vs. $6014, P = 0.326), lower medical costs ($9897 vs. $11,218, P = 0.0128), and lower total health-care costs ($16,028 vs. $17,232, P = 0.0279). Lower psychiatric hospitalization costs account for most of the total cost difference. Difference-in-difference regression analysis confirmed olanzapine's economic advantage. Further adjusting for baseline variations, the total cost advantage of olanzapine patients was $962 ( P = 0.032), and was mostly because of reduced psychiatric hospitalization costs of $992 ( P = 0.004). Conclusion Schizophrenia patients treated with olanzapine had lower total costs than quetiapine patients, mostly attributable to reductions in psychiatric hospitalization costs.
Atomic Scale Imaging: A Hands-On Scanning Probe Microscopy Laboratory for Undergraduates

A new hands-on laboratory experiment using a scanning probe microscope is described for an advanced undergraduate course. The laboratory involves a combination of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) with an emphasis on atomic scale visualization and imaging of both conductive and nonconductive materials. Well-defined crystalline materials, highly-ordered pyrolytic graphite and muscovite mica, are studied using STM and AFM, respectively. Students experience sample preparation, tip preparation, microscope setup, and data acquisition. The images are analyzed and interpreted by determination of atomic spacing, pattern and density, comparison with known crystalline structures, and discussions of tunneling current and tip-sample interactions. Direct student benefits include atomic visualization of concepts and analytical imaging techniques.
ATP-induced chondrocalcinosis.

Objective. To determine whether adult articular cartilage mineralizes in the presence of ATP. Methods. Intact adult porcine articular cartilage and monolayers of chondrocytes were cultured in physiologic media containing ATP, and mineralization was measured as retention of 45Ca. Cartilage was analyzed by electron microscopy. Results. Articular cartilage sequestered 45Ca when incubated with 100 γM ATP. Use of the ATP analog α,β-methylene ATP did not promote mineralization and addition of pyrophosphatase inhibited mineralization, indicating that hydrolysis of ATP to AMP and inorganic pyrophosphate is necessary for the process to occur. Mineral was concentrated in articular cartilage vesicles in the perichondral area. Conclusion. Adult articular cartilage mineralizes in the presence of ATP, in a manner similar to that found with isolated matrix or articular cartilage vesicles. This supports the notion that these structures have a role in chondrocalcinosis.
Apparent activation volume for creep of copper and alpha brass at intermediate temperatures

Experimental measurements of the apparent activation volume for creep, V-asterisk, of Cu and Cu-30 pct Zn conducted at intermediate temperatures showed two types of strain dependencies. At the lower temperatures and higher stresses, V-asterisk decreased with increasing creep strain, while at higher temperatures and lower stresses, V-asterisk was essentially independent of strain. The low temperature-high stress behavior for Cu and Cu-30 pct Zn was found to be consistent with the dominance of a dislocation intersection mechanism. The high temperature-low stress data for the pure metals suggest that the rate-controlling process involves the nonconservative motion of jogs on screw dislocations. For the latter conditions, an additional contribution from solute drag-limited dislocation glide also appears to be important in governing the creep behavior of the alloy.
Flexible bars subjected to arbitrary discrete loads and boundary conditions

Abstract A method of analysis for the large deflections of piecewise prismatic elastic bars subjected to an arbitrary number of discrete loads is presented. By combining the general solution of the nonlinear differential equation of bending and the equilibrium equations for each of the intervals between the load points and points of discontinuity in the flexural rigidity, along with the given boundary conditions, the problem is formulated as a system of simultaneous nonlinear equations which is solved by a modified Newton-Raphson iteration procedure. Four examples are given to illustrate the application of the method for the treatment of beam-columns with various loading and boundary conditions.
Melatonin prevents myeloperoxidase heme destruction and the generation of free iron mediated by self-generated hypochlorous acid.

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) generated hypochlorous acid (HOCl) formed during catalysis is able to destroy the MPO heme moiety through a feedback mechanism, resulting in the accumulation of free iron. Here we show that the presence of melatonin (MLT) can prevent HOCl-mediated MPO heme destruction using a combination of UV-visible photometry, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-specific electrode, and ferrozine assay techniques. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed that MPO heme protection was at the expense of MLT oxidation. The full protection of the MPO heme requires the presence of a 1:2 MLT to H2O2 ratio. Melatonin prevents HOCl–mediated MPO heme destruction through multiple pathways. These include competition with chloride, the natural co-substrate; switching the MPO activity from a two electron oxidation to a one electron pathway causing the buildup of the inactive Compound II, and its subsequent decay to MPO-Fe(III) instead of generating HOCl; binding to MPO above the heme iron, thereby preventing the access of H2O2 to the catalytic site of the enzyme; and direct scavenging of HOCl. Collectively, in addition to acting as an antioxidant and MPO inhibitor, MLT can exert its protective effect by preventing the release of free iron mediated by self-generated HOCl. Our work may establish a direct mechanistic link by which MLT exerts its antioxidant protective effect in chronic inflammatory diseases with MPO elevation.
Factors governing the self-assembly of a β-hairpin peptide at the air-water interface

Peptide 1 is a 14-residue peptide designed to form an amphiphilic β-hairpin. It was found previously that 1 self-assembles at the air-water interface to form two-dimensionally crystalline domains that persist for hundredsof nanometers. Peptide 1 has several structural features that could enhance or impede its ability to self-assemble, including six glutamic acid residues (which, if ionized, could cause electrostatic repulsions), an aromatic fluorophore, and a dPro-Gly type II'β-turn (which could each be involved in van der Waals interactions). We have found that the glutamic acid residues in the monolayers are not ionized on distilled water subphases even though they would be expected to be given their pK a s. Thus, under these conditions, they do not inhibit the self-assembly of 1. However, on higher pH subphases they can completely destabilize monolayers of 1. Both the fluorophore and the dPro-Gly turn were found by comparison to analogous peptides that lacked these structural features to enhance self-assembly of 1. These enhancements were quantified by fitting surface pressure-molecular area isotherms to an equation of state.
Optical code-division multiplexing and its application to ultrafast photonic networks

Optical code division multiplexing (OCDM) technique and its applications to ultrafast photonic network are reviewed. After introducing the principle operation of OCDM, several experimental demonstrations are presented. These include a high spectral efficiency OCDM/WDM transmission, photonic access node, optical path networks, and photonic routing.
Spatial interpolation of snow water equivalency using surface observations and remotely sensed images of snow‐covered area

As demand for water continues to escalate in the western Unites States, so does the need for accurate monitoring of the snowpack in mountainous areas. In this study, we describe a simple methodology for generating gridded-estimates of snow water equivalency (SWE) using both surface observations of SWE and remotely sensed estimates of snow-covered area (SCA). Multiple regression was used to quantify the relationship between physiographic variables (elevation, slope, aspect, clear-sky solar radiation, etc.) and SWE as measured at a number of sites in a mountainous basin in south-central Idaho (Big Wood River Basin). The elevation of the snowline, obtained from the SCA estimates, was used to constrain the predicted SWE values. The results from the analysis are encouraging and compare well to those found in previous studies, which often utilized more sophisticated spatial interpolation techniques. Cross-validation results indicate that the spatial interpolation method produces accurate SWE estimates [mean R2 = 0·82, mean mean absolute error (MAE) = 4·34 cm, mean root mean squared error (RMSE) = 5·29 cm]. The basin examined in this study is typical of many mid-elevation mountainous basins throughout the western United States, in terms of the distribution of topographic variables, as well as the number and characteristics of sites at which the necessary ground data are available. Thus, there is high potential for this methodology to be successfully applied to other mountainous basins. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Total Acid Phosphatase Content of Peritoneal Leucocytes Obtained from 1-Triiodothyronine Treated Guinea Pigs.

SummaryGuinea pigs were injected with 1-triiodothyronine in doses ranging from 10 μg to 25 μg daily over 4 weeks of treatment. Assay of acid phosphatase content of peritoneal leucocytes performed at the end of that time revealed a significantly greater quantity of this lysosome-bound enzyme in peritoneal exudate cells of treated animals as compared with controls. It is suggested that the enhanced bactericidal activity of reticuloendothelial cells in 1-triiodothyronine-treated animals may be related to an increased cell content of lysosomal enzymes, including acid phosphatase, with resultant functional increases in the cytopeptic activity of these cells.The 1-triiodothyronine used in these experiments was kindly provided by Dr. A. E. Heming of Smith, Kline and French Laboratories. The technical assistance of Nili Kratka is gratefully acknowledged.
Microbial Kinetics of Drug Action against Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Organisms III: Effect of Lincomycin and Clindamycin Combinations on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli

The functional dependencies of apparent first-order generation rate constants, kapp, of drug-affected cultures on drug concentrations indicate that lincomycin and clindamycin possess the same mechanism of action, which is bacteriostatic, against Staphylococcus aureus. Clindamycin also possesses another mechanism of action, which is bactericidal, at high concentration levels. However, clindamycin possesses only one of the two mechanisms of lincomycin action, which is bacteriostatic, against Escherichia coli. The relative potency of action of a clindamycin-lincomycin combination against Staph. aureus is variable, and the effective ratio ranges between 5:1 and 9:1; the effective ratio against E. coli is fixed at 6:1 over a wide concentration range. This difference is attributed to differences in bioavailability and/or binding characteristics of the drugs for bioreceptors, as a consequence of structural modifications in the drug molecules, and to differences in modes of action in the respective organisms. Mixtures containing equipotent fractions of clindamycin and lincomycin show “equivalence” or “indifference” of effects on Staph. aureus. The combined action of the mixtures can be quantitatively predicted from the separate dose-response curves of either component drug alone. Therefore, it is concluded that clindamycin and lincomycin may bind to the same receptor site that is engaged in microbial protein synthesis to inhibit the generation of Staph. aureus. However, combinations of clindamycin and lincomycin are less active than the a priori equipotent concentration of either drug alone in their action against E. coli, demonstrating unequivocally an antagonism of effects. Furthermore, the degree of antagonism is dependent on the order of addition of the drugs, which is attributed to the possibility that clindamycin and lincomycin bind differently on active and allosteric loci of the same receptor site functionally engaged in protein synthesis in E. coli. A rational approach to the quantification and prediction of combined antibiotic action must, therefore, be based not only on the kinetics and mechanisms of action as well as on the dose-response relationship over a wide concentration range for the separate antibiotics but also on the strain and species of the test organism.
Protective Mechanisms of Mitochondria and Heart Function in Diabetes

Abstract Significance: The heart depends on continuous mitochondrial ATP supply and maintained redox balance to properly develop force, particularly under increased workload. During diabetes, however, myocardial energetic-redox balance is perturbed, contributing to the systolic and diastolic dysfunction known as diabetic cardiomyopathy (DC). Critical Issues: How these energetic and redox alterations intertwine to influence the DC progression is still poorly understood. Excessive bioavailability of both glucose and fatty acids (FAs) play a central role, leading, among other effects, to mitochondrial dysfunction. However, where and how this nutrient excess affects mitochondrial and cytoplasmic energetic/redox crossroads remains to be defined in greater detail. Recent Advances: We review how high glucose alters cellular redox balance and affects mitochondrial DNA. Next, we address how lipid excess, either stored in lipid droplets or utilized by mitochondria, affects performance in diabetic hearts by influenc...
Method Development for Assessing the Complete Process of Crumbling Cheese Using Hand Evaluation

: Cheese sensory evaluation was conducted by trained panelists (n= 8) on 4 commercial cheese samples (feta, Monterey Jack, 2 brands of Queso Fresco) in duplicate. Fifteen descriptors, capturing the entire process of crumbling cheese, were tested. Degree of crumbliness was defined as the ease by which the sample breaks apart during manipulation by rolling the sample using replicated circular movements, with the thumb, forefinger, and middle finger, 5 times. Using principal component analysis, 4 components were extracted and moistness, crumbliness, color, cohesiveness, irregularity, and oiliness were the main descriptors differentiating the samples. Panelists' performances were not significantly different (P≤ 0.05), and each subject used the method consistently for crumbliness.
Diagnosing the limitations of network coding at transport layer

The recent development on network coding techniques has attracted much attention, with their demonstrated potentials in improving network capacity and reliability, particularly in wireless networks with broadcast capability. While most studies have focused on designing efficient algorithms and protocols to exploit the benefits at lower layers, i.e., the link layer and network layer, we reveal the impacts of network coding on transport layer algorithms. We show that transport layer protocols, such as TCP and UDP, can suffer from the less careful design of network coding algorithms at lower layers. For example, the behavior of TCP flows and its congestion control algorithms is less predictable, when the underlying network is enriched with the network coding capability. We argue that this added capability changes the fundamental assumptions on the networks and the demographics of the packet flows, and thus adversely impacts the end-to-end performance of the applications. We propose approaches to alleviate the impacts of network coding on upper-layer protocols.
Is New-Onset Diabetes Mellitus Important?

Diabetes mellitus is a powerful risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and most persons with diabetes ultimately succumb to coronary artery disease or stroke. The coincidence of hypertension and diabetes is common and, over the long term, sharply increases cardiovascular risk. The incidence of diabetes (new-onset diabetes [NOD]) among hypertensive persons is high, and appears to be increased during antihypertensive therapy. NOD is a distressing clinical event, provoking psychological distress, more clinical testing, and, sometimes, the need for hypoglycaemic therapy. Diuretics and β-blockers are more likely to provoke NOD than other drugs that block the renin angiotensin system, or calcium channel blocking agents, It is important to note that the alternative agents have not been shown to prevent the emergence of hyperglycaemia, but seem to be metabolically neutral. It is also true that because diuretic-induced NOD may be due to hypokalaemia, it can sometimes be reversed without sacrificing diuretic therapy. The evidence suggests that most NOD appearing during antihypertensive therapy is not drug induced, but rather part of the natural history of disease. Since diabetes is such a powerful CVD risk factor, it can hardly be surprising that, over the long term, NOD is associated with increased CVD. However, there is no evidence in short-term clinical trials that diuretic-induced NOD increases CVD or detracts from the cardioprotective effects of these agents. Indeed, long-term follow-up of participants in a large placebo-controlled trial of diuretic therapy in elderly hypertensive subjects suggests that this antihypertensive therapy actually eliminates the expected increase in CVD. In summary, although NOD can hardly be dismissed as a trivial event, concern about its possible occurrence is not a reason to influence initial antihypertensive drug selection, nor does its appearance provide a reason to compromise antihypertensive therapy. Indeed, the available evidence suggests that blood pressure control trumps hypoglycaemic therapy as the very best tool for CVD prevention in new or established diabetic subjects.
Risperidone versus Haloperidol on Secondary Memory: Can Newer Medications Aid Learning?

The introduction of the new generation of antipsychotic medications for the treatment of schizophrenia has been accompanied by a growing interest in the neurocognitive effects of these drugs. The present study compared the effects of risperidone and haloperidol on secondary memory in a group of treatment-resistant schizophrenia patients. The study design included a baseline phase and two double-blind phases in which patients were randomly assigned to medication under two different dose conditions (fixed dose and flexible dose). Secondary memory was assessed at baseline, fixed-dose, and flexible-dose phases, using the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT). Six measures were selected, which formed three factors (general verbal learning ability, retention, and learning strategy). Risperidone-treated patients showed greater improvement than haloperidol-treated patients in general verbal learning ability, a finding characterized by significant treatment effects on CVLT measures of learning acquisition, recall consistency, and recognition memory. After controlling for benztropine status, differences on the measures of learning acquisition and recall consistency remained significant, and differences in recognition memory weakened slightly (p = 0.07). No significant treatment effects were noted on retention or learning strategy. These findings suggest that risperidone may exert a facilitating effect on the acquisition of new verbal information, an effect that does not appear to be due to the activation of semantic encoding strategies.
On the Concept of Social Welfare

I. Introduction, 233. — II. Arrow's theorem in relation to political theory, 235. — III. Arrow's theorem in relation to welfare economics, 240. — IV. Conclusion, 249.
Understanding Black Male Mathematics High Achievers from the Inside Out: Internal Risk and Protective Factors in High School

The gendered and racialized narrative of Black male adolescents in urban spaces is one often fraught with deficit-based assumptions and presuppositions about their abilities, competencies, and proclivities with regard to schooling in general and mathematics in particular. Yet despite these conventional beliefs, compounded by the dearth of Black male representation in many STEM-related careers, there remain Black male adolescents who, during their high school years, nevertheless achieve a high degree of mathematical success. This study endeavors to unpack the internal, interrelated processes and strategies through which a cohort of 13 high-achieving, Black male high school students develop positive mathematical, social, racial, and gendered identities. Drawing on narrative analysis, we utilized semi-structured interviews to identify and explore how internal protective and risk factors operated in their lives. Results identify not only several coping strategies, beliefs, practices, and habits that foster positive mathematical identity trajectories for our respondents, but also several internal challenges that Black male adolescents must successfully negotiate both in- and out-of-school throughout the attainment process. We also discuss how these findings relate to in-school practices that might promote and sustain Black male achievement in high school mathematics.
A USRP-based GNSS and interference signal generator and playback system

This paper presents a low cost, portable, and flexible GNSS signal and interference signal generator based on a general purpose software radio front end, the Universal Serial Radio Peripheral (USRP) family of devices. We paired a USRP-N210 mother board with appropriate RFX daughter boards to generate all GNSS signals controlled by a personal computer. The source of the signal can be pre-recorded digital samples obtained from specific RF front end or arbitrary samples generated using MATLAB programs. An adjustable low noise signal amplifier mounted between the USRP output and the transmitting antenna was used to control the transmitted power of the signal. A spectrum analyzer was used to directly monitor the transmitted signal. The NovAtel receiver was used to verify the performance of this signal generator and playback system. The received GNSS data after transmitting via USRP-N210 and the original GNSS data before transmitting are processed by NovAtel receiver and software receiver programs respectively for performance evaluation purposes. Some comparisons had been done to demonstrate the accuracy of the playback system.
Nursing workforce education, migration and the quality of health care: a global challenge.

Throughout the world, the supply of skilled nurses is notoriously volatile, with major shifts into and out of the workforce as economies fluctuate. In the USA, Staiger et al . [1, 2] believe that the current surge in new registered nurse (RN) graduates will only partially alleviate future shortages. They predict that when the US unemployment rate drops to 6.5%, large numbers of nurses will retire or return to part time work leading to a return of regional shortages. They further suggest that the unprecedented expansion of health-care insurance coverage beginning in 2014 under the US Affordable Care Act of 2010 will likely increase the demand for nurses just as the supply is declining. Shifts in the US nursing labor market affect the nursing workforce in many other countries. Like many developed nations, during nursing shortages the USA turns to international recruitment. As the last 7-year nursing shortage began to wane, fully 12.2% of newly licensed nurses in 2007 were foreign educated, according to the National Council of State Boards of Nurses. During those years a major constraint on international recruitment was the country visa caps, which led to a backlog of nurses awaiting visas in countries like the Philippines and India. However, US immigration reform in 2013 may remove these caps enabling tens of thousands of foreign-educated nurses (FENs), who are already pre-approved for visas and waiting in the queue, to emigrate to migrate to the USA [3]. The volatility of the international demand for nurses likely has major implications for the quality of care in the USA and in sending nations. In destination countries, research to date clearly demonstrates that more nurses are better. Years of research has shown that lower nurse-to-patient staffing ratios …
Variability of South American Convective Cloud Systems and Tropospheric Circulation During January-March 1998 and 1999

A comparison of the submonthly variability of atmospheric circulation and organization of convection in South America during January-March of 1998 and January-March of 1999 is presented.
Reagentless mechanical cell lysis by nanoscale barbs in microchannels for sample preparation

A highly effective, reagentless, mechanical cell lysis device integrated in microfluidic channels is reported. Sample preparation, specifically cell lysis, is a critical element in ‘lab-on-chip’ applications. However, traditional methods of cell lysis require purification steps or complicated fabrication steps that a simple mechanical method of lysis may avoid. A simple and effective mechanical cell lysis system is designed, microfabricated, and characterized to quantify the efficiency of cell lysis and biomolecule accessibility. The device functionality is based on a microfluidic filter region with nanostructured barbs created using a modified deep reactive ion etching process. Mechanical lysis is characterized by using a membrane impermeable dye. Three main mechanisms of micro-mechanical lysis are described. Quantitative measurements of accessible protein as compared to a chemically lysed sample are acquired with optical absorption measurements at 280 and 414 nm. At a flow rate of 300 µL min−1 within the filter region total protein and hemoglobin accessibilities of 4.8% and 7.5% are observed respectively as compared to 1.9% and 3.2% for a filter without nanostructured barbs.
Transcriptomes reveal alterations in gravity impact circadian clocks and activate mechanotransduction pathways with adaptation through epigenetic change

Few studies have investigated the impact of alterations in gravity on mammalian transcriptomes. Here, we describe the impact of spaceflight on mammary transcriptome of late pregnant rats and the ef...
Ambient-aware authentication of digital evidences

Easy fragility of digital media content makes their authentication mandatory before they can be considered as legal evidence. The existing techniques usually perform authentication after the media content has been captured and stored on the disk; hence they can not guarantee the integrity of the media content since they can still be tampered with before performing the authentication process. In this paper, we propose a camera-level authentication scheme, which utilizes the ambient information such as date, time, GPS-based location, camera model, and serial number in addition to the captured media content in order to compute the authentication data. The proposed scheme uses a cryptographic secret sharing technique to ensure the integrity of the captured media content. The experimental results show the utility of our scheme.
Learning latent temporal structure for complex event detection

In this paper, we tackle the problem of understanding the temporal structure of complex events in highly varying videos obtained from the Internet. Towards this goal, we utilize a conditional model trained in a max-margin framework that is able to automatically discover discriminative and interesting segments of video, while simultaneously achieving competitive accuracies on difficult detection and recognition tasks. We introduce latent variables over the frames of a video, and allow our algorithm to discover and assign sequences of states that are most discriminative for the event. Our model is based on the variable-duration hidden Markov model, and models durations of states in addition to the transitions between states. The simplicity of our model allows us to perform fast, exact inference using dynamic programming, which is extremely important when we set our sights on being able to process a very large number of videos quickly and efficiently. We show promising results on the Olympic Sports dataset [16] and the 2011 TRECVID Multimedia Event Detection task [18]. We also illustrate and visualize the semantic understanding capabilities of our model.
Inheritance of a One-Seeded Pod Trait in Peanut

Normally, the cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) has predominantly 2 seeds per pod or more. Two seeds per pod are predominantly found in A. hypogaea L. subsp. hypogaea var. hypogaea (the botanical classification of the US runner and virginia market types) and in subsp. fastigiata var. vulgaris (the US spanish market type); whereas, predominantly 3 or more seeds per pod are found in subsp. fastigiata vars. fastigiata (the US valencia market type), peruviana (not marketed in the United States), and aequatoriana (not marketed in the United States), and in subsp. hypogaea var. hirsuta (not marketed in the United States). However, recently, predominantly 1 seed per pod selections were found within a Georgia cross population. Crosses involving the 1-seeded pod selection were made to determine its inheritance. The F 1 , F 2 , and F 3 data indicated that any 2 of 3 duplicate recessive genes designated, osp 1 , osp 2 , and osp 3 , control the 1-seeded pod trait in peanut.
Is that authentic or artificial? Understanding consumer perceptions of risk in e-service encounters

Abstract. As companies race to digitize physical-based service processes repackaging them as online e-services, it becomes increasingly important to understand how consumers perceive the digitized e-service alternative. We theorize that consumers often perceive e-services as being artificial and non-authentic, and that consumers must perform this assessment when deciding whether new e-services are viable alternatives to traditional service methods. This research investigates whether consumer perceptions of artificiality increase perceptions of e-service risk, which has been shown to hamper consumer acceptance in a variety of online settings. An empirical study operationalized perceived artificiality (PA) within a controlled laboratory experiment that manipulated the risk of a specific e-service class (e-payments). For a specific e-service brand, PA is reduced when the web interface is viewed as easy to use; alternatively, PA is increased when consumers have relatively high risk perceptions about the overall e-service class. Furthermore, consumers who were rated as information technology innovators had lower overall artificiality perceptions, however, exposure to negatively framed e-service efficacy information removed this artificiality reducing effect. The theoretical linkages between PA and perceived risk, and the two antecedents – ease of use and e-service class risk – were confirmed by survey results. The implications of these results for future research as well as the design and marketing of e-services are examined.
Network simplification through oracle learning

Often, the best artificial neural network to solve a real-world problem is relatively complex. However, with the growing popularity of smaller computing devices (hand-held computers, cellular telephones, automobile interfaces, etc.), there is a need for simpler models with comparable accuracy. This paper presents evidence that using a larger model as an oracle to train a smaller model on unlabeled data results in (1) a simpler acceptable model and (2) improved results over standard training methods on a similarly-sized smaller model. On automated spoken-digit recognition, oracle learning resulted in an artificial neural network of half the size that (1) maintained comparable accuracy to the larger neural network and (2) obtained up to a 25% decrease in error over standard training methods.
Functional Topography of Corticothalamic Feedback Enhances Thalamic Spatial Response Tuning in the Somatosensory Whisker/Barrel System

Corticothalamic (CT) projections are ∼10 times more numerous than thalamocortical projections, yet their function in sensory processing is poorly understood. In particular, the functional significance of the topographic precision of CT feedback is unknown. We addressed these issues in the rodent somatosensory whisker/barrel system by deflecting individual whiskers and pharmacologically enhancing activity in layer VI of single whisker-related cortical columns. Enhancement of corticothalamic activity in a cortical column facilitated whisker-evoked responses in topographically aligned thalamic barreloid neurons, while activation of an adjacent column weakly suppressed activity at the same thalamic site. Both effects were more pronounced when stimulating the preferred, or principal, whisker than for adjacent whiskers. Thus, facilitation by homologous CT feedback sharpens thalamic receptive field focus, while suppression by nonhomologous feedback diminishes it. Our findings demonstrate that somatosensory cortex can selectively regulate thalamic spatial response tuning by engaging topographically specific excitatory and inhibitory mechanisms in the thalamus.
Polymorphisms of Fas and the Fas ligand increase the risk of cutaneous malignant melanoma

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 1747 The Fas/Fas ligand ( FasL ) system has a key role in regulating cell growth, and thus tumorigenesis, in cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM). Functional promoter polymorphisms of the Fas and FasL genes may alter their transcriptional activities, but no published study has investigated the role of genetic polymorphisms of the Fas and FasL genes in the etiology of CMM. We hypothesized that Fas and FasL polymorphisms are associated with risk of CMM. In a hospital-based case-control study of 602 non-Hispanic white CMM patients and 603 cancer-free age- and sex-matched control subjects, we genotyped Fas -1377 G > A , Fas -670 A>G , FasL -844 T > C , and FasL IVS2nt-124 G > A polymorphisms and assessed their associations with CMM risk. The Fas -1377 GG and -670 AA genotypes were associated with an increased risk of CMM compared with the -1377 AA/AG and -670 AG/GG genotypes, respectively (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.32; 95% CI, 1.00-1.75 for -1377 GG and adjusted OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.00-1.65 for -670 AA ). Compared with the FasL IVS2nt-124 AA genotype, an increased risk of CMM was associated with the FasL IVS2nt-124 AG (OR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.18-2.04) and AG+GG (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.18-2.01) genotypes. Furthermore, the risk of CMM increased as the numbers of both Fas (i.e., -1377 G and -670 A; P trend = 0.021) and FasL (-844 C and IVS2nt-124 A ; P trend = 0.007) variants increased. In the combined analysis of these four variants, we found that the increased risk was associated with the genotype that had 4-8 variant alleles (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.10-1.73) compared with the genotype that had 0-3 variants. In conclusion, genetic variants in the Fas and FasL genes may jointly contribute to the etiology of CMM. (Supported in part by National Institutes of Health grants R01 CA100264, P50 CA093459, R01 ES11740, U01 ES11047, and P30 CA16672)
The Many Faces of Military Families: Unique Features of the Lives of Female Service Members.

ABSTRACT Female service members' family structures differ from the traditional male service member–female spouse composition of military families. Consequently, this mixed-methods study reviewed demographic data, empirical evidence, and presented findings from secondary analyses of the 2010 wave of the Military Family Life Project regarding structural differences in male and female service members' families and perceptions and experiences of military spouses. In addition, to gain an understanding of the influence of women's service on their family functioning, we conducted in-depth telephone interviews with 20 civilian husbands residing in 11 states around the United States. Empirical evidence suggests service women had higher rates or remarriage and divorce than service men. Women were also more likely than men to be part of nontraditional family forms. Civilian husbands of female service members, however, reported lower marital satisfaction, less support from the community, and less satisfaction with th...
The Vitamin B-6 Content in Human Milk

Vitamin B-6 is known to be a critical dietary factor, especially during the development of the central nervous system in human infants (1–4). Findings from rat experiments in our laboratory showed decreased vitamin B-6 content in brain of progeny of vitamin B-6 deficient mothers and this paralleled low levels of vitamin B-6 in the mother’s milk (5). The content of myelin lipids, gangliosides, and cerebrosides in brain of progeny during the suckling period paralleled maternal intake of vitamin B-6 (6). Myelination in the mediodorsal portion of the pyramidal tract was reduced (7) and Purkinje cell monolayer arrangement in cerebellum was abnormal (8) during early postnatal development in progeny of vitamin B-6 deficient rats. Quantitative electron microscopy of axon diameters in the ventral funiculus portion of spinal cord of suckling progeny of deficient rats showed fewer large axons with decreased number of myelin lamellae compared to controls (9). The far-reaching consequences of vitamin B-6 inadequacy during early infancy on the developing central nervous system are evident from both human and animal studies. More data are needed concerning the level of vitamin B-6 provided to the infant in human milk and the factors which can influence the level. Recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics (10) recommended that human milk be used as the sole source of nutrients for the infant during the first four to six months. In view of this recommendation, efforts should be intensified to assess the nutrient composition and volume of human milk as it relates to infant needs.
Temporal and latitudinal trends of p,p'-DDE in eggs and carcasses of North American birds from 1980 to 2005.

The use of 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl) ethane (DDT) in agriculture in the United States and Canada was prohibited in the early 1970s; however, it continued to be used restrictively in Mexico until 2000. Forty years later, 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl) ethylene (p,p'-DDE), continues to be detected in eggs and bird carcasses in North America. The use of DDE has been associated with reproductive failure of several avian species, primarily through eggshell thinning. To assess the temporal and latitudinal distribution of p,p'-DDE in North America, the authors examined DDE concentrations reported in bird tissues in the scientific literature published between 1980 and 2009. Overall, the majority of supported models suggested that DDE concentrations in birds were greater in the upper mid-latitudes (38°-48°) than in other parts of North America. However, spatial trends of DDE seemed to be influenced by regions with large amounts of data, such as the Great Lakes area. Concentrations of p,p'-DDE in eggs averaged 2.5 μg/g, 3.2 μg/g, and 29.5 μg/g wet weight in 1980 and decreased to 1.64 μg/g, 0.87 μg/g, and 1.01 μg/g wet weight by the mid-2000s for the central, eastern, and western North America regions, respectively. The results indicate that, over time, all DDE residues observed in birds have decreased significantly in North America. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:1340-1348. © 2016 SETAC.
Ebenezer Parkman’s World of Print: A Country Parson and the Print Culture of Eighteenth-Century Anglo-America

The lengthy diary of Revd Ebenezer Parkman (1703–82) of Westborough, Massachusetts, provides significant insight into his reading: the range of the books, magazines, and newspapers that he read; hi...
Selective phosphodiesterase inhibition and alterations of cardiac function by alkylated xanthines.

This study identified a series of alkylated xanthines with a range of potencies and selectivities as inhibitors of cardiac cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase activities. The potencies of these xanthines to inhibit phosphodiesterase activities of the rabbit atrial supernatant fraction were compared with the potencies of these agents to alter (a) spontaneous right atrial rate, (b) duration of left atrial contraction, and (c) contractile force of electrically paced left atria. Although the abilities of xanthines to increase heart rate or to shorten the duration of contraction were predictable from cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase inhibition data, abilities of xanthines to alter contractile force were not. No simple correlations were observed between inhibition of cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase in tissue extracts and alterations of any of the atrial functions. Failure to observe correlations in the present study, however, did not stem from a failure of xanthines to inhibit phosphodiesterase of intact cell preparations. Xanthines altered cyclic nucleotide contents of intact, functioning atria as predicted from their abilities to inhibit phosphodiesterase activities of the supernatant fraction. In addition, all xanthines potentiated contractile responses to isoproterenol, suggesting that the xanthines were capable of inhibiting phosphodiesterase activities relevant to contractile function. Thus, the present results, whule pointing to phosphodiesterase inhibition as the mechanism by which xanthines increase heart rate and shorten the duration of contraction, raise questions concerning the importance of phosphodiesterase inhibition in the effects of the xanthines on the force of contraction.
Flow Localization in Porous Solids with Pressure-Sensitive Matrices

Pressure-sensitive yielding has been observed for polymers, for example, see Sternstein and Ongchin[1] and Spitzig and Richmond[2]. The pressure-sensitive yielding has been approximately described by Coulomb’s yield criterion, where yielding is dependent on a linear combination of the effective shear stress and the hydrostatic stress (Drucker and Prager[3]). The use of Coulomb’s yield criterion is intended to model the intrinsic material flow behavior in polymers. On the other hand, inclusions, microvoids or microcracks also result in macroscopically pressure-sensitive yielding. For example, Gurson[4,5] proposed a macroscopic pressure-sensitive yield criterion for porous materials of which the matrices are modeled by the pressure-insensitive von Mises yield criterion.
Challenges and opportunities to change the course of the opioid epidemic: a surgeon’s perspective

The US opioid epidemic is a public health crisis. Approximately 78 Americans die every day from opioid-related overdoses and prescription opioids are involved in at least half of those deaths [1]. ...