cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Augmenting the Correlated Trait–Correlated Method Model for Multitrait–Multimethod Data

We introduce an approach for ensuring empirical identification of the correlated trait–correlated method (CT–CM) model under a variety of conditions. A set of models are referred to as augmented correlated trait–correlated method (ACT–CM) models because they are based on systematically augmenting the multitrait–multimethod matrix put forth by Campbell and Fiske (1959). We show results from a Monte Carlo simulation study in which data characteristics lead to an empirically underidentified standard CT–CM model, but a well-identified fully augmented correlated trait–correlated method (FACT–CM) model. This improved identification occurs even for a model in which equality constraints are imposed on loadings on each trait factor and loadings on each method factor—a specific case shown to lead to an empirically underidentified CT–CM model.
Risk assessment heuristics: Cues and intention to use a condom in casual sex

Objective:This study examined the relationship between three heuristic cues (consistency, liking and social proof) and condom use in casual sex relationships utilising the theory of planned behavio...
Abstract P081: Tempol Decreases Blood Pressure in Aged Female SHR When Treated With Acetazolamide

Oxidative stress contributes to the development and maintenance of hypertension in male rodents, but studies in females have rarely shown a reduction in blood pressure (BP) with antioxidants. Tempol, a superoxide dismutase mimetic, decreases BP in young male SHR, but fails to reduce BP in either young or old female SHR, despite the fact that females have similar or higher levels of oxidative stress markers. The reason for the sex difference in the response to tempol remains unclear. Acetazolamide inhibits carbonic anhydrase in the proximal tubule thus increasing sodium delivery to the distal nephron, and thereby should increase distal oxidative stress. Acetazolamide was used to test the hypothesis that with increased sodium delivery to the distal nephron, tempol would reduce the BP in aging female SHR. Female SHR, 20-22 mos old, were divided into three groups (n=4-6/grp): Control (C), Acetazolamide (A), and Acetazolamide+Tempol (A+T). After baseline mean arterial pressure (MAP; telemetry), rats received vehicle (C) or acetazolamide (A and A+T). On day 8, rats in C and A+T groups were given tempol (30 mg/kg) for 11 days. Baseline MAP was similar (C: 170±7; A: 182±4; A+T: 172±6 mm Hg, p=NS). Tempol had no effect on MAP in C+T, but reduced MAP in A+T group (C+T: 169±1; A: 171±1; A+T: 151±5 mm Hg; p
Vegetarian Diet and Possible Mechanisms for Impact on Mood

Abstract Several randomized controlled intervention trials have reported improvements in mood following the adoption of vegetarian diets. However, mechanisms contributing to this improvement have not been investigated. Mood is regulated by the action of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine and the proinflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-2) and eicosanoids (e.g., PGE2). Vegetarian diets are inherently rich in antioxidants, and adherence to vegetarian diets is associated with low oxidative stress and PGE2 concentrations. Furthermore, the high carbohydrate-to-protein ratio of vegetarian diets should facilitate tryptophan entry into the brain and the production of serotonin. This chapter explores the aspects of vegetarian diets that would theoretically promote healthful mood states by promoting neurotransmitter action.
Radio frequency UAV attitude estimation using direction of arrival and polarization

This paper proposes a new algorithm for estimating the relative attitude between two unmanned aerial vehicles based on multiple-input multiple-output radio frequency transmissions between the two aircraft. The method is able to estimate all three Euler angles required to describe the relative attitude, in contrast to prior methods that place severe limits on what can be estimated. Initial simulations based on the algorithm reveal that the estimation errors are relatively small even for moderate signal-to-noise ratios.
External Beam Radiation Therapy for Liver Tumors: Simulation, Treatment Planning, and Advanced Delivery Techniques

The advent of modern radiation therapy techniques has allowed for improved planning and delivery of radiation therapy for primary and metastatic liver disease. In particular, the use of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) offers the potential for enhanced local control of intrahepatic malignancies. The hypofractionated nature of SBRT requires special care to be taken during all stages of planning and treatment delivery to ensure accurate delivery of dose distributions which are necessarily conformal in order to achieve adequate sparing of healthy liver and surrounding normal tissues. Details involved in the planning and delivery of SBRT for liver cancer are the subject of this work. In particular, the authors describe the use of various imaging techniques, such as PET, contrast-enhanced CT, and 4DCT to aid in the accurate delineation of liver tumors. They also describe the use of fiducial markers for target localization. Conformal planning techniques such as 3D conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT) and volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) are discussed, as are dose-limiting toxicities and dose constraints for the healthy liver, gastrointestinal tract, and chest wall. Special attention is given to the use of motion management techniques in combination with daily image guidance to ensure accurate delivery of SBRT. The authors conclude with a discussion of practical issues that pertain to the development of a liver SBRT program including equipment commissioning and quality assurance.
Degree of Resection and Ki-67 Labeling Index for Recurring Meningiomas.

Objective Meningioma recurrence after resection is likely influenced by multiple surgical and histologic factors. In this study, the degree of resection and tumor immunoreactivity to MIB-1 (i.e., Ki-67 labeling index (LI)) are described in recurrent and non-recurrent meningioma cases. Methods Data regarding tumor location, the degree of resection, histologic features, and the degree of Ki-67 positivity were collected for 32 patients treated between September 2008 and July 2009. Follow-up for recurrence was assessed through five years. Results A total of 32 patients (13 males; 19 females) underwent resection. The mean age was 53.3 years. Gross total resection (GTR) occurred in 25 (78.1%) cases. Near-total resection (NTR) occurred in five (15.6%) cases. Subtotal resection (STR) occurred in two (6.2%) cases. The overall mean Ki-67 LI score was 9.75% (ranging between 1% to 48%). The mean Ki-67 LI for GTR, NTR, and STR cases were 8.0%, 10.2%, and 29.5% respectively. Tumor recurrence occurred in five (15.6%) patients. The mean Ki-67 LI for recurrence lesions was 22.2%. Conclusion We present our descriptive data for Ki-67 LI for initial tumors and recurrence. The risk of recurrence following resection of meningiomas may be associated with the degree of Ki-67 positivity.
High volume rate 3D ultrasound imaging based on synthetic aperture sequential beamforming

Synthetic aperture sequential beamforming (SASB) is a two-stage process, with fixed transmit and receive beamforming in the first stage, followed by dynamic receive beamforming in the second stage. Compared to 3D synthetic aperture ultrasound (SAU) imaging, 3D SASB has low computational complexity at the front-end, making it suitable for portable devices. Unfortunately, 3D SASB has low volume rate since typically only one subaperture transmits and receives at a time. To increase the volume rate, we propose to transmit and receive multiple subapertures simultaneously. A straight-forward implementation of such a scheme, for even four simultaneous firings, results in an increase in grating lobe and sidelobe levels. To address these issues, we use bin-based random sparse array to reduce the grating lobes caused by the three other transmits, and then optimize the locations of the active receive elements to minimize the sidelobe. Compared to a contemporary 3D SASB method, the proposed multiple-firing sparse array method increases the volume rate from 11 to 45 volumes per second, without increasing computational complexity at the front-end and with only a small degradation in imaging quality.
“A Widespread Loss of Confidence:” TARP, Presidential Rhetoric, and the Crisis of Neoliberalism

This article analyzes the circulation of the term “confidence” as a prominent signifier for neoliberal logics, taking George W. Bush’s response to the economic crisis in Fall 2008 as a case study. ...
Discovery of a Novel Small Molecule Modulator of C-X-C Chemokine Receptor Type 7 as a Treatment for Cardiac Fibrosis

C–X–C chemokine receptor type 7 (CXCR7) is involved in cardiac and immune pathophysiology. We report the discovery of a novel 1,4-diazepine CXCR7 modulator, demonstrating for the first time the role of pharmacological CXCR7 intervention in cardiac repair. Structure–activity-relationship (SAR) studies demonstrated that a net reduction in lipophilicity (log D) and an incorporation of saturated ring systems yielded compounds with good CXCR7 potencies and improvements in oxidative metabolic stability in human-liver microsomes (HLM). Tethering an ethylene amide further improved the selectivity profile (e.g., for compound 18, CXCR7 Ki = 13 nM, adrenergic α 1a Kb > 10 000 nM, and adrenergic β 2 Kb > 10 000 nM). The subcutaneous administration of 18 in mice led to a statistically significant increase in circulating concentrations of plasma stromal-cell-derived factor 1α (SDF-1α) of approximately 2-fold. Chronic dosing of compound 18 in a mouse model of isoproterenol-induced cardiac injury further resulted in a st...
Migrating Children: The Need for Comprehensive Integrated Health Prevention Measures

Millions of children have migrated across borders with more than half of these children fleeing violence. The purpose of this review is to highlight the health issues that these children face. While the amount of sheer trauma that these children experience is astounding, there are policies and clinical models that could be developed and implemented to improve the health and well-being of these children. Community-based clinical models that provide culturally sensitive health care with links to mental health, legal services, and language services are one way to mitigate the effects of the health inequities that immigrant children and their families face. A more comprehensive understanding of the effect of resiliency in these children would help to inform interventional programs that could promote resiliency and improve long-term outcomes. As institutional, local, national, and international policy decisions affect the health of migrating children, policies at every level should include provisions for children.
Out of control or right on the money? Funder self-efficacy and crowd bias in equity crowdfunding

Abstract Our findings extend the entrepreneurship literature by highlighting the mechanism through which self-efficacy can hinder rather than enhance performance in entrepreneurial settings. Using two complementary experimental studies and a third quasi-experimental field study on equity crowdfunding decisions, we demonstrate that self-efficacy is negatively related to decision-making performance. This relationship is mediated by reduced searching effort. Our research also indicates that high self-efficacy funders tend to exhibit a “crowd bias” whereby they over-weight the opinions of the crowd, increasing the likelihood that they will fund poor quality ventures when such ventures are favored by the crowd. We introduce the term crowd bias and explore its effects, establishing that social indicators in the form of crowd cues can exasperate the negative effects of self-efficacy.
Multimedia Technology in Cartography and Geographic Education

We have become players in a rapid paradigm shift, a methodological evolution that has been fuelled by a proliferation of computer and information technology. Communication tools of 20 years ago included primarily the telephone and surface (or snail) mail. Today we add to our list of communication mediums e-mail, voice mail, fax, pager systems and overnight mail. It is probable that in 10 years, we will utilise multimedia mail that will integrate text, graphics, audio and video with this ever-expanding list (Noon 1991). We have seen similar technological changes rush into the classroom, offering educators multimedia tools as a platform for building lectures and practical laboratory experiences. Designers, developers and users of multimedia tools assert that this medium can alter the way people think and learn, how they communicate, and how they understand the world around them (Krygier, et al. 1997). A small but growing body of literature reports that computer assisted instruction can be equal, or superior to conventional instructional methods for student learning and achievement (Kulik, Kulik and Bangert-Drowns 1984; Niemiec and Walberg 1985). Though these results are encouraging, further analysis of this data (Clark 1985) indicated that the advantage of computer assisted learning was larger for short-term studies than longer-term studies, decreasing over time as the novelty of the technology diminished Fletcher (1990) compared instruction via interactive multimedia technologies to conventional instruction in various learning environments, including college level instruction, and found that students learning via multimedia tools had significantly higher achievement scores than students learning via conventional methods. Bosco (1986) found similar results in similar studies using multimedia tools.
Realizing Mixed Reality through Mobile Systems Research

The emergence of mobile mixed reality (MR) and augmented reality (AR) frameworks portends a future of computational immersion, placing virtual objects amidst physical environments. As MR and AR become increasingly accessible and programmable, immersive media experiences will enhance education, training, navigation, productivity, cultural exhibits. However, to sustain MR and AR use cases, mobile systems will be challenged with system bottlenecks to energy efficiency, computational performance, device security, and user privacy. These bottlenecks stem from the visual sensing needs and graphics-intensive workloads that power MR and AR. Properly contextualized and adjusted, a variety of prior mobile systems research projects can find relevance in these emerging paradigms, leveraging continuous mobile vision, edge computing, mobile graphics processing, etc. Further advances can come from future mobile systems research projects. Together, the mobile systems research community can realize these immersive paradigms in our future mobile devices.
Essential Tremor and Parkinson's Disease: Exploring the Relationship.

Background: There is longstanding controversy surrounding the possible link between essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Inconsistent and unreliable diagnostic criteria may in part account for some of the difficulties in defining the relationship between these two common movement disorders. Methods: References for this systematic review were identified using PubMed with the search terms ‘‘essential tremor’’ AND ‘‘Parkinson’s disease’’ with articles published in English between 1960 and September 2018 included. Results: In this review we provide evidence that some patients diagnosed with ET have an increased risk of developing PD years or decades after onset of action tremor. There are several still unresolved questions about the link between the two disorders including lack of verifiable diagnostic criteria for the two disorders and marked overlap in phenomenology. Here we review clinical, epidemiologic, imaging, pathologic, and genetic studies that address the ET–PD relationship. Several lines of evidence support the association between ET and PD, including overlapping motor and non-motor features, relatively high prevalence of rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (26–43%) in ET patients, increased prevalence of PD in patients with longstanding antecedent ET, increased prevalence of ET in family members of patients with PD, and the presence of Lewy bodies in the brains of some ET patients (15–24%). Discussion: There is a substantial body of evidence supporting the association between ET and PD within at least a subset of patients, although the nature and possible pathogenic mechanisms of the relationship are not well understood.
Outcomes analysis of Goldilocks mastectomy and breast reconstruction: A single institution experience of 96 cases

Background The Goldilocks mastectomy procedure involves local contouring of completely autologous breast tissue created by preserving and de-epithelializing the residual mastectomy flaps. The purpose of this study was to provide outcomes data for 96-Goldilocks mastectomy procedures analyzing indications, complications, relevant comorbidities, and adjuvant cancer treatment impacting reconstructive and aesthetic outcomes. Methods Comprehensive review of every patient who underwent Goldilocks mastectomy from 2012 to 2018 included relevant medical and surgical comorbidities, as well as complication profiles. Aesthetic outcomes were also assessed in those with postoperative imaging available. Results A total of 53 patients (96 breasts) were included in this study. Bilateral cases consisted of 81.1% of the total cohort (n = 86 cases), and 18.9% (n = 10 cases) were unilateral procedures. Mean age at the time of reconstruction was 55.8 (33-77) years. Mean body mass index (BMI) at the time of reconstruction was 33.7 (19.2-54.6). The overall complication rate was 9.38% (seroma = 2, hematoma = 1, cellulitis = 2, wound dehiscence = 3, and operating room take back = 1). Conclusions Goldilocks breast reconstruction is a safe, effective option in patients with higher than average BMI or excess local breast tissue, or in patients meeting these criteria preferring a single-stage reconstruction. This study qualifies its use in patients with higher than average risk factors for more extensive reconstructive modalities.
Methimazole induced hepatotoxicity: A rare adverse reaction

Methimazole (MMI) is a commonly used medication in the treatment of hyperthyroidism. The side effect profile is extensive and includes the rare but serious side effect of drug associated liver injury. We report the case of a 51-year-old female who presented with painless jaundice several weeks after initiating MMI therapy for treatment of hyperthyroidism complicated by Graves’ orbitopathy. Liver function tests on presentation showed alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 1366 IU/L, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 853 IU/L, total bilirubin 26.2 mg/dl, alkaline phosphatase 954 IU/L. Workup of structural, infectious, and autoimmune causes of hepatic injury was negative. The patient was therefore found to have MMI associated liver injury. MMI was discontinued and the patient was started on ursodiol, resulting in resolution of her jaundice and improvement of her liver function tests.
Low-Value Proton Pump Inhibitor Prescriptions Among Older Adults at a Large Academic Health System.

Background Older adults are particularly vulnerable to complications from proton pump inhibitor (PPI) drugs. We sought to characterize the prevalence of potentially low-value PPI prescriptions among older adults to inform a quality improvement (QI) intervention. Methods We created a cohort of patients, aged 65 years or older, receiving primary care at a large academic health system in 2018. We identified patients currently prescribed any PPI using the electronic health record (EHR) medication list (current defined as September 1, 2018). A geriatrician, a gastroenterologist, a QI expert, and two primary care physicians (PCPs) created multidisciplinary PPI appropriateness criteria based on evidenced-based guidelines. Supervised by a gastroenterologist and PCP, two internal medicine residents conducted manual chart reviews in a random sample of 399 patients prescribed PPIs. We considered prescriptions potentially low value if they lacked a guideline-based (1) short-term indication (gastroesophageal reflux disease [GERD]/peptic ulcer disease/Helicobacter pylori gastritis/dyspepsia) or (2) long-term (>8 weeks) indication (severe/refractory GERD/erosive esophagitis/Barrett esophagus/esophageal adenocarcinoma/esophageal stricture/high gastrointestinal bleeding risk/Zollinger-Ellison syndrome). We used the Wilson score method to calculate 95% confidence intervals (CIs) on low-value PPI prescription prevalence. Results Among 69 352 older adults, 8729 (12.6%) were prescribed a PPI. In the sample of 399 patients prescribed PPIs, 63.9% were female; their mean age was 76.2 years, and they were seen by 169 PCPs. Of the 399 prescriptions, 143 (35.8%; 95% CI = 31.3%-40.7%) were potentially low value-of which 82% began appropriately (eg, GERD) but then continued long term without a guideline-based indication. Among 169 PCPs, 32 (18.9%) contributed to 59.2% of potentially low-value prescriptions. Conclusion One in eight older adults were prescribed a PPI, and over one-third of prescriptions were potentially low-value. Most often, appropriate short-term prescriptions became potentially low value because they lacked long-term indications. With most potentially low-value prescribing concentrated among a small subset of PCPs, interventions targeting them and/or applying EHR-based automatic stopping rules may protect older adults from harm. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:2600-2604, 2019.
The GTPase Rab27b Regulates the Release, Autophagic Clearance, and Toxicity of α-synuclein

α-Synuclein (αsyn) is the primary component of proteinaceous aggregates termed Lewy bodies that pathologically define synucleinopathies including Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). αsyn is hypothesized to spread through the brain in a prion-like fashion by misfolded protein forming a template for aggregation of endogenous αsyn. The cell-to-cell release and uptake of αsyn are considered important processes for its prion-like spread. Rab27b is one of several GTPases essential to the endosomal-lysosomal pathway and is implicated in protein secretion and clearance, but its role in αsyn spread has yet to be characterized. In this study, we used a paracrine αsyn in vitro neuronal model to test the impact of Rab27b on αsyn release, clearance, and toxicity. shRNA-mediated knockdown (KD) of Rab27b increased αsyn-mediated paracrine toxicity. Rab27b reduced αsyn release primarily through nonexosomal pathways, but the αsyn released after Rab27b KD was of higher-molecular-weight species, as determined by size-exclusion chromatography. Rab27b KD increased intracellular levels of insoluble αsyn and led to an accumulation of endogenous light chain 3 (LC3)-positive puncta. Rab27b KD also decreased LC3 turnover after treatment with an autophagosome-lysosome fusion inhibitor, chloroquine, indicating that Rab27b KD induces a defect in autophagic flux. Rab27b protein levels were increased in brain lysates obtained from postmortem tissues of individuals with PD and DLB compared with healthy controls. These data indicate a role for Rab27b in the release, clearance, and toxicity of αsyn and, ultimately, in the pathogenesis of synucleinopathies.
Association of Vision Impairment With Preventive Care Use Among Older Adults in the United States.

Importance Preventive care is associated with decreased morbidity and mortality among older adults. Vision impairment may be a barrier to accessing care and health promotion information and therefore may contribute to decreased preventive care uptake. Objective To examine the association between self-reported vision impairment and uptake of preventive care services (ie, breast and colon cancer screenings and influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations). Design, Setting, and Participants Cross-sectional study using the 2015 and 2018 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and 2016 and 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data, national surveys of US residents conducted through in-person household interviews in NHIS, and state-based telephone interviews in BRFSS. Participants included respondents 50 years and older based on eligibility for each preventive care service examined. Exposures Vision impairment, defined as self-reported trouble seeing, in NHIS, and self-reported blindness/serious difficulty seeing in BRFSS. Main Outcomes and Measures Self-reported uptake of breast cancer screening (women aged 50-74 years), colon cancer screening (aged 50-74 years), influenza vaccination (50 years and older), and pneumococcal vaccination (65 years and older). Multivariable regression models adjusted for relevant confounders, including age, were used to examine the uptake of each preventive care service by vision impairment status. Results Among NHIS participants, older US individuals with vision impairment (prevalence between 14.3% and 16.3% in the different age groups; n = 12 120-29 654) were less likely to report breast cancer screening (odds ratio [OR], 0.82; 95% CI, 0.71-0.96) and colon cancer screening (OR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.79-0.99) but not influenza (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.97-1.15) and pneumococcal vaccination (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.91-1.16), as compared with their counterparts without vision impairment. In BRFSS (n = 228 649-530 027), those with vision impairment (5.9%-6.8%) were less likely than those without vision impairment to report breast cancer screening (OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.59-0.75), colon cancer screening (OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.65-0.76), and pneumococcal vaccination (OR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.81-0.99) but not influenza vaccination (OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.89-1.00). Conclusions and Relevance Older Americans with vision impairment may be less likely to use cancer-related preventive services as compared with their counterparts without vision impairments. These findings suggest that interventions to improve access to health information and health care services for individuals with vision impairment may be needed to improve cancer screening among this population.
Use of ascending aortic access for imaging and wire rail access for endograft delivery in complex aortic arch anatomy.

Abstract In cases of complex aortic arch anatomy, it can be difficult to obtain wire access into the ascending aorta for deployment of a thoracic endograft (thoracic endovascular aortic repair [TEVAR]) using a transfemoral approach. This can result from tortuosity or patulous aneurysmal areas, making platform stability difficult. We report the case of a young adult man with a large proximal left subclavian aneurysm that made zone 0 TEVAR placement very difficult with transfemoral access alone. Direct ascending aortic access through the open chest allowed for a stable through-and-through platform for endograft delivery, highlighting the efficacy of this seldom-needed technique during debranching TEVAR procedures.
MIMO carrier phase recovery for carrier-asynchronous SDM-MIMO reception based on the extended Kalman filter

We propose a novel phase recovery scheme designed for coherent space division multiplexing (SDM) systems with independently-operated asynchronous light sources. The proposed scheme is based on the approach of the extended Kalman filter and is referred to as multiple-input multiple-output carrier phase recovery (MIMO-CPR). In the minimum mean squared error (MMSE) sense, it simultaneously and optimally obtains estimates of the multiple phase errors arising from phase-unlocked asynchronous light sources. To ensure the scheme’s application for SDM fibers with a time-varying property, we also describe a modification to incorporate a MIMO equalization scheme and analyze the computational complexity. The performance of the proposed MIMO-CPR scheme is investigated through numerical simulation, which shows that it has a tolerance for the sum linewidth symbol duration product of up to 3.4 × 10−4, 1.0 × 10−4 and 2.2 × 10−5 for QPSK, 16QAM, and 64QAM signals, respectively, if 1-dB optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) penalty is allowable to achieve BER of 10−3. Transmission experimental results using three spatial modes in a 51-km-long few-mode fiber (FMF) also verify the applicability of the MIMO-CPR scheme to carrier-asynchronous coherent SDM-MIMO systems.
Sexual arousal gates visual processing during Drosophila courtship.

Long-lasting internal arousal states motivate and pattern ongoing behaviour, enabling the temporary emergence of innate behavioural programs that serve the needs of an animal, such as fighting, feeding, and mating. However, how internal states shape sensory processing or behaviour remains unclear. In Drosophila, male flies perform a lengthy and elaborate courtship ritual that is triggered by the activation of sexually dimorphic P1 neurons1–5, during which they faithfully follow and sing to a female6,7. Here, by recording from males as they court a virtual ‘female’, we gain insight into how the salience of visual cues is transformed by a male’s internal arousal state to give rise to persistent courtship pursuit. The gain of LC10a visual projection neurons is selectively increased during courtship, enhancing their sensitivity to moving targets. A concise network model indicates that visual signalling through the LC10a circuit, once amplified by P1-mediated arousal, almost fully specifies a male’s tracking of a female. Furthermore, P1 neuron activity correlates with ongoing fluctuations in the intensity of a male’s pursuit to continuously tune the gain of the LC10a pathway. Together, these results reveal how a male’s internal state can dynamically modulate the propagation of visual signals through a high-fidelity visuomotor circuit to guide his moment-to-moment performance of courtship. Specific neurons in the fly brain that are activated when males are aroused modulate visual processing to underlie courtship.
Elevated levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in freshwater benthic macroinvertebrates from the Hudson River Watershed.

Abstract Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are contaminants of global concern due to their persistence and associated negative health effects. Considerable attention has been given to monitoring PFAS in the aquatic environment, however, few investigations have done so using freshwater benthic macroinvertebrates (BMIs). As these bottom-dwelling animals are known to bioconcentrate exogenous pollutants to a high degree, studying their PFAS levels may provide a more integrated view of PFAS contamination in the aquatic environment. In this study, BMIs, sediment, and surface water were collected from two streams in the Hudson River Watershed (one historically-impacted by PFAS) and analyzed for 44 PFAS using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) was used to confirm the identities of quantitated analytes. Across all matrices, 17 analytes were detected with PFOA dominating in surface water and PFOS in sediment/BMIs. PFOS bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) were approximately one order of magnitude higher than those of PFOA and ranged from 857 to 5151 L kg−1 across different BMI taxa. While PFAS concentrations in surface water and sediment were not excessively high, elevated levels were still measured in most BMI taxa. This observation suggests that the extent of PFAS contamination in a local system may be severely underestimated if only surface water and sediment are used for monitoring. Moreover, these findings have relevance for human exposure assessment considering BMIs are the primary food source of many fish.
Novozhilov’s Foundations of the Nonlinear Theory of Elasticity (1953)

Students of mechanics will be grateful to the translators and the publishers for making available the second of the three1 existing monographs on the general theory of elasticity—the more so, since the Russian original is in this country at least a scarce book.
Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator and wait-list outcomes in pediatric patients awaiting heart transplantation

Background Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) reduce the incidence of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in adults with end-stage heart failure; however, their efficacy in pediatric patients awaiting heart transplantation is not well established. Objectives This study sought to investigate the role of ICDs in preventing SCD and waiting list mortality as well as to determine risk factors for SCD in pediatric patients listed for heart transplantation. Methods We queried the United Network for Organ Sharing database for all pediatric patients (age ≤18 years) listed for heart transplantation (2005–2014). The Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify risk factors for SCD and all-cause mortality. Results A total of 5072 mostly White (55%) male (55%) patients (mean age 6.2 ± 6.5 years) were identified, of whom 426 (8.3%) had ICD at listing. At 6 months, 65% underwent heart transplantation, 15% died (4% died of SCD), and 20% were alive. In a multivariable model, United Network for Organ Sharing status 1B (hazard ratio [HR] 0.52; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.29–0.95; P = .03), myocarditis (HR 0.19; 95% CI 0.05–0.77; P = .02), restrictive cardiomyopathy (HR 0.19; 95% CI 0.05–0.76; P = .02), and dilated cardiomyopathy (HR 0.32; 95% CI 0.20–0.52; P P = .003) was associated with higher SCD risk. ICD at listing was not associated with reduced SCD ( P = .12), all-cause mortality, or delisting ( P = .57). Conclusion In pediatric patients listed for heart transplantation, the risk of SCD remains low and does not differ between patients with and without an ICD at listing.
The in vivo therapeutic efficacy of R-KS119W (VNP40541) in combination with conventional anti-cancer agents

4736 Our previous studies demonstrated that KS119W (VNP40541) possesses significant activity in murine transplantable tumors and human tumor xenografts through a mechanism that exploits the hypoxic tumor microenvironment. In this study, we have demonstrated that R-KS119W, a pure enantiomer of KS119W, is highly effective in inhibiting the growth of both murine tumors and human tumor xenografts in mice. We also demonstrated that R-KS119W has a large therapeutic window in both EMT-6 murine mammary tumors as well as in human H460 non-small cell lung carcinoma xenografts. The effective doses ranged from 40 - 100 mg/kg in the murine tumor model and 50 - 140 mg/kg in the human tumor xenograft model. A wide therapeutic window is ultimately critical for safety in human clinical studies given the normal variations among individuals. In addition, a wide therapeutic window is advantageous for combination therapies. The present study was conducted to evaluate this strategy by using R-KS119W in combination with cyclophosphamide, gemcitabine, paclitaxel, etoposide, and cisplatin. This combination strategy was employed to complement the activity of R-KS119W against hypoxic tumor cells with agents that preferentially attack the well oxygenated, actively growing cell populations within tumors. R-KS119W and the other agents except paclitaxel were administrated by intraperitoneal injections based on various dose and dosing schedules. Paclitaxel was administrated by intravenous injections. The combination therapy was more efficacious than either R-KS119W or any other agent alone. The growth inhibition of R-KS119W in combination with these other agents ranged from 55% to 98% on (in order of increasing inhibition) EMT6, H460, SHP77 human small cell lung carcinoma, and HT29 human colon carcinoma (HT29, the most resistant cell). Furthermore, the combination therapy of R-KS119W plus cyclophosphamide caused complete tumor regression of the LOX human melanoma in mice. All mice receiving the combination therapy were tumor free two months after treatment versus 32% or 46% for treatment with cyclophosphamide or R-KS119W alone. Although the combination therapy slightly increased the weight loss of the animals relative to the single drug treatment, the mortality was similar between the two treatment groups. No unexpected severe toxicities were observed during the study. We conclude that R-KS119W, alone or in combination with other clinically useful chemotherapeutic agents, is effective in inhibiting the growth of murine tumors and human tumor xenografts implanted in mice. These results suggest a potential clinical use of R-KS119W, either as a single agent or in combination with other conventional anticancer agents, for the treatment of solid tumors.
Conway’s Game of Life: Early Personal Recollections

When the October 1970 issue of Scientific American arrived, I had no idea the extent to which Martin Gardner’s article in that issue would affect my life. As long as I can remember, my custom would be to seek out the Mathematical Games column in search for Gardner’s latest topic with the usual reader challenges. My first reaction to that particular article introducing a new pastime titled “The fantastic combinations of John Conway’s new solitaire game ‘life''' was only mildly interesting. A couple of days later, still curious about the outcome of random patterns, I located an old checkerboard and a small jarful of pennies to investigate this new game.
Resonantly pumped Kerr-lens mode-locked Er:YVO4 laser

We report on a Kerr lens, self-mode-locked Er 3+ :YVO 4 laser, based on the high third order nonlinearity of the gain medium. The Er 3+ :YVO 4 is resonantly pumped by a CW Er-fiber laser into the absorption band around 1538 nm and operates at ~ 1604 nm with a 1.8 W average output power and ~ 40% slope efficiency relative to the absorbed pump. The laser yields a pulse train at a 240 MHz repetition rate. The pulsewidth is estimated to fall between 15 and 100 psec.
Innovación Tecnológica Forestal, Desarrollos y Desafíos Científico- Tecnológicos en Chile

This article presents an analysis compared of situation of Chile in the Forestal Technological Innovation, based in the endogenous development of new knowledge and incorporating like central line of this publication the achievements reaches on the subject of forestal biotechnology by our country. For which, it has to use the worldwide base of references of mainstream ISI, as another references of secondary character, on the basis of an aggregate of generic terms like: Innovation, technology and biotechnology; and specific terms of the sector. Detecting the main sources of worldwide knowledge and examining its coherence and relation with the scientific and technological Chilean duty. About this article we concluded that the great quantity of forestal resources of Chile doesn't bear relation with the quantity of scientific production leagued to the innovation and technology fields and particularly the biotechnology; developed around this sector. Neither itself have relation with ties established with the principal referring worldwide and its subjects areas of development.
Role of reactive oxygen species in phenethyl isothiocyanate induced apoptosis in human ovarian cancer cells.

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 5592 Isothiocyanates are promising cancer preventive agents, abundantly available in various cruciferous vegetables. Various epidemiological studies suggest an inverse relationship between the consumption of cruciferous vegetables and incidence of cancer. Here we investigated the anti-cancer effects of phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), a prototype and best-studied isothiocyanate against human ovarian cancer cells, in relation to generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), perturbation in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathways and induction of apoptosis. We demonstrate that PEITC is cytotoxic to OVCAR-3, TOV-21G and SKOV-3 cells and induces apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment of these cell lines with PEITC results in the decreased phosphorylation (Tyr-1068) as well as protein level of EGFR, the elevated levels of which are reported in ovarian tumors. PEITC-treatment also reduced the phosphorylation and protein levels of Akt, in a dose-dependent manner. Apoptosis induced by PEITC in these cells is associated with cleavage of caspase-3 and its downstream target PARP. Interestingly, pretreatment of cells with N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), a common antioxidant, protects ovarian cancer cells against PEITC induced apoptosis. Furthermore, pretreatment of cells with NAC significantly prevents PEITC-mediated down-regulation of EGFR expression and phosphorylation of Akt at Ser-473. These results suggest that generation of ROS by PEITC may be the causative factor in inhibiting EGFR/Akt survival pathway and induction of apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to implicate anti-cancer effects of PEITC against ovarian cancer, and its potential use as a promising chemotherapeutic agent. [Supported in part by RO1 grant CA 106953 (to S.K.S.) awarded by the National Cancer Institute].
Distribution of Radiolabeled Endotoxin with Particular Reference to the Eye: Concise Communication

A single systemic injection of endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide or LPS) reproducibly induces a cellular infiltrate in the uveal tract of the rat eye within 24 hr. Other organs are not comparably sensitive to systemic endotoxin. One hypothesis to explain this unique sensitivity is that endotoxin is preferentially bound by ocular tissue. We tested this hypothesis by studying the distribution in the rat of intravenously injected endotoxin that had been radiolabeled with Tc-99m or P-32. With either radionuclide the concentration of endotoxin per gram of tissue at a variety of times after injection ranging from 5 min to 3 hr and 45 min, was markedly less in the eye than in liver, kidney, or spleen. A study with radiolabeled albumin indicated that these differences could not be ascribed solely to the organ's blood volume. They demonstrate, therefore, that the eye does not preferentially bind endotoxin, and they are compatible with the hypothesis that endotoxin's ocular effects are indirectly mediated.
Sequence and regulation of a gene encoding a human 89-kilodalton heat shock protein.

Abstract Vertebrate cells synthesize two forms of the 82- to 90-kilodalton heat shock protein that are encoded by distinct gene families. In HeLa cells, both proteins (hsp89 alpha and hsp89 beta) are abundant under normal growth conditions and are synthesized at increased rates in response to heat stress. Only the larger form, hsp89 alpha, is induced by the adenovirus E1A gene product (M. C. Simon, K. Kitchener, H. T. Kao, E. Hickey, L. Weber, R. Voellmy, N. Heintz, and J. R. Nevins, Mol. Cell. Biol. 7:2884-2890, 1987). We have isolated a human hsp89 alpha gene that shows complete sequence identity with heat- and E1A-inducible cDNA used as a hybridization probe. The 5'-flanking region contained overlapping and inverted consensus heat shock control elements that can confer heat-inducible expression on a beta-globin reporter gene. The gene contained 10 intervening sequences. The first intron was located adjacent to the translation start codon, an arrangement also found in the Drosophila hsp82 gene. The spliced mRNA sequence contained a single open reading frame encoding an 84,564-dalton polypeptide showing high homology with the hsp82 to hsp90 proteins of other organisms. The deduced hsp89 alpha protein sequence differed from the human hsp89 beta sequence reported elsewhere (N. F. Rebbe, J. Ware, R. M. Bertina, P. Modrich, and D. W. Stafford (Gene 53:235-245, 1987) in at least 99 out of the 732 amino acids. Transcription of the hsp89 alpha gene was induced by serum during normal cell growth, but expression did not appear to be restricted to a particular stage of the cell cycle. hsp89 alpha mRNA was considerably more stable than the mRNA encoding hsp70, which can account for the higher constitutive rate of hsp89 synthesis in unstressed cells.
Bounding the Distinguishing Number of Infinite Graphs and Permutation Groups

A group of permutations $G$ of a set $V$ is $k$- distinguishable if there exists a partition of $V$ into $k$ cells such that only the identity permutation in $G$ fixes setwise all of the cells of the partition. The least cardinal number $k$ such that $(G,V)$ is $k$-distinguishable is its distinguishing number $D(G,V)$. In particular, a graph $\Gamma$ is $k$- distinguishable if its automorphism group $\rm{Aut}(\Gamma)$ satisfies $D(\rm{Aut}(\Gamma),V\Gamma)\leq k$. Various results in the literature demonstrate that when an infinite graph fails to have some property, then often some finite subgraph is similarly deficient. In this paper we show that whenever an infinite connected graph $\Gamma$ is not $k$-distinguishable (for a given cardinal $k$), then it contains a ball of finite radius whose distinguishing number is at least $k$. Moreover, this lower bound cannot be sharpened, since for any integer $k \geq 3$ there exists an infinite, locally finite, connected graph $\Gamma$ that is not $k$-distinguishable but in which every ball of finite radius is $k$-distinguishable. In the second half of this paper we show that a large distinguishing number for an imprimitive group $G$ is traceable to a high distinguishing number either of a block of imprimitivity or of the induced action by $G$ on the corresponding system of imprimitivity. An immediate application is to automorphism groups of infinite imprimitive graphs. These results are companion to the study of the distinguishing number of infinite primitive groups and graphs in a previous paper by the authors together with T. W. Tucker.
Minority women in engineering: a performance review

Summary form only given as follows. In order to meet the technological challenges of the future, this country will need to utilize all of its available talent, and women are a significant resource pool. To make an impact, the enrolments of female engineers must increase considerably to ensure that we obtain the necessary graduates to join the workforce. Although there has been much discussion of and effort put into increasing the numbers, the undergraduate female engineering enrolment remains much lower than desired, at approximately nineteen percent. At Morgan, over 33% of the combined enrolment in the three disciplines offered, civil, electrical and industrial engineering, is female and the average percentage of females in our graduating classes is 32%, a group consisting of primarily African-American women. These figures far exceed the national average for women. In order to affect change, we must continue to become as knowledgeable as possible about women students and understand their patterns, particularly early in their education, in order to make major strides in the enrolment, and subsequently graduation rates of females. This paper is a step toward that process. In this paper, the performance of female engineering students in our School of Engineering is presented. Among the factors used in the study are high school, enrolment and graduation grade point averages; SAT scores; time to graduation; performance at the departure from the major; and transfer status and credits. In addition, a general sense of the participation of our women engineering students in noteworthy activities and the profession is provided.
A novel activity for fungal nitronate monooxygenase: detoxification of the metabolic inhibitor propionate-3-nitronate.

Abstract Nitronate monooxygenase (NMO; E.C. 1.13.12.16) oxidizes alkyl nitronates to aldehydes and nitrite. Although the biochemistry of the enzyme from fungal sources has been studied extensively, the physiological role is unknown. The ability of NMO to detoxify propionate-3-nitronate was tested by measuring growth of recombinant Escherichia coli containing the gene encoding for the enzyme in either the absence or presence of the nitronate and its conjugate acid 3-nitropropionate. The mixture propionate-3-nitronate/3-nitropropionate is toxic to E. coli cells lacking expression of NMO, but the toxicity is overcome through either induction of the gene for NMO or through addition of exogenous enzyme to the cultures. Both Williopsis saturnus and Neurospora crassa were able to grow in the presence of 0.4 mM propionate-3-nitronate and 19.6 mM 3-nitropropionate, while a knockout mutant of N. crassa lacking NMO was inhibited by concentrations of propionate-3-nitronate and 3-nitropropionate >0.3 and 600 μM, respectively. These results strongly support the conclusion that NMO functions to protect the fungi from the environmental occurrence of the metabolic toxin.