cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The differentiation of the olfactory placode in Xenopus laevis: a light and electron microscope study.

The origin and development of the olfactory neuroepithelium of Xeno-pus laevis has been investigated with light microscopy and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The cranial ectoderm of the Xenopus laevis embryo consists of two layers: The inner layer is called the sensory or nervous layer (NL) and the outer layer is called the nonnervous layer of the ectoderm (NNE). Between stages 23 and 26, the presumptive olfactory region consists of two discretely arranged cellular populations: the cells of the olfactory placode proper derived from the NL and the cells of the overlying NNE. After stage 26 the placodal cells begin to move toward the body surface by migrating between the NNE cells. As the placodai cells migrate they sprout an apical process which reaches the body surface at approximately stage 28. The apical process contains free and membrane-bound ribosomes, elongated mitochondria, and microtubules oriented parallel to the process. Centrioles and basal bodies are present in the apical cytoplasm and microvilli and cilia project from the process's surface. The structure and ultrastructure of the apical process identify it as the dendrite of an olfactory neuron. As the apical process reaches the epithelial free surface, a second process sprouts from the base of the cell. This process pierces the basal lamina at stage 29/30 to reach the underlying telencephalon. The basal process is considerably thinner than the apical one and contains only free ribosomes and mitochondria. Between the stages 29/30 and 32+ it elongates and displays at its distal end the characteristics of a growth cone. The structural and ultrastructural morphology of the basal process identifies it as the axon of the olfactory neuron. Thus the placodai cells which migrate superficially differentiate into the olfactory neurons. Many placodai cells do not migrate, however, butremain at the epi-thelial base as basal cells. As the placodal cells migrate to the body surface the NNE cells, originally confined to the surface layer (NNE), elongate and project processes toward the basal lamina. Beginning at stage 27 the apical surface of these cells becomes domed; the dome is filled with dense-core vesicles and is covered with microvilli and globular material. The supranuclear cytoplasm of these cells contains free and membrane-bound ribosomes, microtubules, and bundles of filaments. These cells can be characterized as the supporting cells of the olfactory neuroepithelium. The results indicate that (1) the olfactory neurons and basal cells are derived from the cells of the nervous layer, (2) the supporting cells are derived from the cells of the nonnervous ectoderm, (3) the olfactory nerve emerges from the olfactory neuroepithelium at stage 29/30, and (4) the placodai cells begin to display the morphological features of the mature olfactory neurons before their axons reach their target, the olfactory bulb.
Boosted Regression (Boosting): An Introductory Tutorial and a Stata Plugin:

Boosting, or boosted regression, is a recent data-mining technique that has shown considerable success in predictive accuracy. This article gives an overview of boosting and introduces a new Stata ...
Isoëtes ×herb-wagneri, an Interspecific Hybrid of I. bolanderi × I. echinospora (Isoëtaceae)

Abstract Isoetes ×herb-wagneri, the interspecific hybrid between Isoetes bolanderi and I. echinospora, is described. The epithet commemorates Warren (Herb) Wagner for the direction and help he provided to the author.
Using cluster analysis to provide new insights into development of very low birthweight (VLBW) premature infants.

Abstract Background Very low birthweight (VLBW) premature infant follow-up studies report on single developmental outcome variables but do not assess profiles of development. Aims To identify developmental profiles of VLBW premature infants based on cognitive and language development and their association with demographic, perinatal, and behavior variables. Study design Retrospective chart review. Subjects 117 children 1250 g BW seen at 18 months post-term on the Bayley Scales—III and Child Behavior Checklist 1 ½–5 (CBCL 1 ½–5), a behavior problem questionnaire. Demographic and perinatal variables were obtained from medical records. Outcome measures Bayley Cognitive, Expressive Language, and Receptive Language scores were used to cluster the subjects into developmental profiles. Demographic, perinatal, and CBCL variables were analyzed as they related to clusters. Results Children were clustered into 4 groups based on their Bayley Cognitive, Expressive Language, and Receptive Language scores: Consistently High, Consistently Average, Average with Delayed Expressive Language, and Consistently Low. Socioeconomic status, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, Grades III–IV intraventricular hemorrhage, and summary Behavior Problems and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity (ADHD) Problems scores were significantly related to clusters. Conclusion Cluster analysis defined distinct outcome groups in VLBW premature children and provides an informative means of identifying factors related to developmental outcome. This approach may be useful in predicting later outcome and determining which groups of children will require early intervention.
Nitric oxide enhancement strategies

It is becoming increasingly clear that many diseases are characterized or associated with perturbations in nitric oxide (NO) production/signaling. Therapeutics or strategies designed to restore normal NO homeostasis will likely have broad application and utility. This highly complex and multistep pathway for NO production and subsequent target activation provides many steps in the endogenous pathway that may be useful targets for drug development for cardiovascular disease, antimicrobial, cancer, wound healing, etc. This article will summarize known strategies that are currently available or in development for enhancing NO production or availability in the human body. Each strategy will be discussed including exogenous sources of NO, use of precursors to promote NO production and downstream pathways affected by NO production with advantages and disadvantages highlighted for each. Development of NO-based therapeutics is and will continue to be a major focus of biotech, academia as well as pharmaceutical companies. Application of safe and effective strategies will certainly transform health and disease.
Comparing survival curves based on medians

Although some nonparametric methods have been proposed in the literature to test for the equality of median survival times for censored data in medical research, in general they have inflated type I error rates, which make their use limited in practice, especially when the sample sizes are small. In this paper, we propose a new nonparametric test with a simple test statistic to compare median survival times. The results from our comprehensive simulation study show the new test controls type I error rate very well under all situations considered, even for small sample sizes. In addition, it has comparable detecting power compared to existing methods. Another advantage of the proposed test is its relatively simple formula that requires less computation. We propose a new statistical method for comparing survival curves based on their medians. The new method can be easily implemented and applied to censored event time data.
Nearby Friend Discovery with Geo-Indistinguishability to Stalkers

Abstract Nearby friend discovery is a popular location based service (LBS), which allows you to discover nearby like-minded people, and make friends with them. The main privacy threat of this service is that the disclosure of locations leaves opportunities for stalkers. Although location privacy preservation in LBS has recently received much attention, few works have been done on privacy-aware nearby friend discovery, where people want to discover nearby friends without exposing their private locations to arbitrary strangers. Unlike most of other LBS services, nearby friend discovery needs to consider the privacy of both of the two communicating entities, i.e., the user who is searching for nearby people, and the user who is being discovered by others. This unique property makes it a great challenge to protect users’ location privacy while providing satisfactory service quality. This paper presents the first research addressing this issue by combining the location approximation technique and the homomorphic cryptography. We show that the proposed scheme provides formal privacy guarantees for the LBS users, and still achieves satisfactory quality of the LBS.
Blood Pantothenic Acid Values in Multiple Sclerosis

SummaryBlood pantothenic acid values from six normal subjects varied in the present study over the usually obtained normal range of from 19.7 to 33.6 μg%. These values are ordinarily decreased in cases of pantothenic acid deficiency. Six patients with advanced multiple sclerosis failed to show any such decrease in the concentration of pantothenic acid in the blood indicating that this vitamin is probably not an etiologic factor in this disease.
On the Generalization of a Theorem in Solid Geometry

(1908). On the Generalization of a Theorem in Solid Geometry. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 15, No. 5, pp. 95-99.
Display Characteristics and Errors at a Complex Data Entry Task

Some of the most expensive data points ever collected, outside of satellite transmissions and particle accelerators, have come from clinical trials. In large clinical studies it is common to have complex treatment protocols, large samples, and multiple distributed data collection centers. For data to be useful the study's administrators must ensure that criteria, treatments, measurements, and reporting procedures remain uniform across a large number of geographically distributed data collection sites each with its own unique administrative structure and allocation of responsibilities for the data collection task.PoP is a software system developed over the past seven years at the Epidemiology Data Center (EDC) in the Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh. PoP was designed to assist in the collection of data and to provide quality assurance for clinical trial data. Data is entered locally into microcomputers running PoP at each of the participating sites. Data entry screens are cl...
Pollution Status of Cakes and Pastry in Scholl Canteen in Futian District of Shenzhen City

[Objective]To understand the aluminum pollution status of cakes and pastry and the use of leavening agents in school canteens in Futian District of Shenzhen City.[Methods]A total of 190 samples of cakes and pastry,29 samples of wheat flour,22 samples of leavening agent were collected from school canteen during 2008 to 2010,Aluminum content was determined by using Inductive Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectroscopy.Self-designed questionnaire was used to survey the types and add methods of leavening agents in school canteen.[Results]123 out of 190 samples of cakes and pastry was eligible.The use rate of leavening agent with low aluminum or non-aluminum increased from 2008 to 2010.25.58% pastry cooks added leavening agent with weighing instruments.18.65% pastry cooks knew the aluminum content of leavening agent in use.[Conclusion]Aluminum pollution of cakes and pastry is serious in school canteens of Futian District.Non-aluminum leavening agent should be recommended to school canteens.And it is important to master its using method.
Shape-Based Compliance in Locomotion

Having many degrees of freedom is both a blessing and a curse. A mechanism with a large number of degrees of freedom can better comply to and therefore better move in complex environments. Yet, possessing many degrees of freedom is only an advantage if the system is capable of coordinating them to achieve desired goals in realtime. This work supports the belief that a middle layer of abstraction between conventional planning and control is needed to enable robust locomotion of articulated systems in complex terrains. The basis for this abstraction is the notion that a system’s shape can be used to capture jointto-joint coupling and provide an intuitive set of controllable parameters that adapt the system to the environment in real time. This paper presents a generalizable framework that specifies desired shapes in terms of shape functions. We show how shape functions can be used to link low-level controllers to high-level planners in a compliant control framework that directly controls shape parameters. The resultant shape-based controllers produce behaviors that enable robots to robustly feel their way through unknown environments. This framework is applied to the control of two separate mechanisms, a snake-like and a hexapod robot.
Measuring Agonistic Behavior in Zebrafish

Adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) are territorial, show aggressive behavior, and establish dominantsubordinate hierarchies. Here, a protocol for a standard opponent setup is described, which enables the identification, characterization, and quantification of agonistic activities of zebrafish. Following a period of social isolation, zebrafish are placed into an observation tank, engage in an agonistic encounter, and establish a dominance hierarchy within 15 min. The analysis of the behavior includes quantification of activities such as lateral display, frontal display, chasing and nipping over the course of the observational period with the help of The Observer R © program. As a result, an event plot and a histogram are generated, which show the dynamics of agonistic activities. The described method can be used to quantify the effects of drug treatment or to identify modified activity patterns in mutant zebrafish.
Paraprotein–Related Kidney Disease: Evaluation and Treatment of Myeloma Cast Nephropathy

Nearly 50% of patients with multiple myeloma develop renal disease, most commonly from AKI caused by cast nephropathy. Development of AKI is associated with poor 1-year survival and reduces the therapeutic options available to patients. There is a great need for more effective therapies. Cast nephropathy is caused by the interaction and aggregation of filtered free light chains and Tamm-Horsfall protein causing intratubular obstruction and damage. The key to treating cast nephropathy is rapid lowering of free light chains, because this correlates with renal recovery. Newer chemotherapy agents rapidly lower free light chains and have been referred to as renoprotective. There is additional great interest in using extracorporeal therapies to remove serum free light chains. Small trials initially showed benefit of therapeutic plasma exchange to improve renal outcomes in cast nephropathy, but a large randomized trial of therapeutic plasma exchange failed to show benefit. A newer technique is extended high-cutoff hemodialysis. This modality uses a high molecular weight cutoff filter to remove free light chains. To date, trials of high-cutoff hemodialysis use in patients with cast nephropathy have been encouraging. However, there are no randomized trials showing the benefit of high-cutoff hemodialysis when used in addition to newer chemotherapeutic regimens. Until these studies are available, high-cutoff hemodialysis cannot be recommended as standard of care.
Balloon-flight test of a lanthanum bromide gamma-ray detector with silicon photomultiplier readout

New scintillator materials have been shown to hold great potential for low-cost, reliable gamma-ray detectors in high-energy astronomy and solar physics. New devices for the detection of scintillation light promise to make scintillator-based instruments even more attractive by reducing mass and power requirements. In particular, silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) are commercially available that offer gains and quantum efficiencies similar to those of photomultiplier tubes (PMTs), but with greatly reduced mass, high ruggedness, low voltage requirements, and no sensitivity to magnetic fields. SiPMs have by now been shown to perform well as readouts for scintillator gamma-ray detectors in the laboratory. Before they may used in space-based instruments, however, it must be shown that 1) sufficiently large light collecting areas may be fabricated without loss of performance; 2) the variability of the gain with temperature can be compensated for; and 3) that SiPMs are sufficiently robust and radiation hard. We present results from ongoing work to investigate whether SiPMs are appropriate for use in space, including data from the successful flight of a combined LaBr3/SiPM detector on a high-altitude scientific balloon, and the performance of larger gamma-ray spectrometers with improved light collection.
Foreign Central Bank Activities in US Futures Markets

We analyze the daily positions of 31 foreign Central Banks in U.S. interest rate futures markets between 2003 and 2011 to investigate whether such positions reveal targeted hedging or informed profit-making decisions. Central Bank positions before the financial crisis of 2007-2009 are consistent with hedging some underlying balance sheet exposure. During and after the crisis, the pattern suggests an attempt to enhance returns on foreign reserve assets. In particular, Central Banks held and profited from directional positions in 5- and 10-year T-Note futures in a manner indicative of a non-hedging strategy. We also examine whether Central Bank position changes show synchronization as if they are affected by common shocks or reflect coordinated policy actions. We identify differences before and after the onset of the financial crisis: Euro-linked Central Banks become more synchronized while nonEuropean Central Banks show no significant change in synchronization during the crisis. We also document that Central Bank positions generally account for a small fraction of the overall size of these markets, so it is unlikely that these institutions’ goal is to influence U.S. interest rates.
VLSI Test and Hardware Security Background for Hardware Obfuscation

This chapter discusses the fundamental concepts of design and testing and their role in hardware obfuscation. It outlines the traditional design flow of integrated circuits and assesses the vulnerabilities associated with the verification techniques and testing structures that can expose the design details and help reverse-engineer the functionality. A survey of security enhancement schemes has been presented. Furthermore, different classifications of hardware obfuscation have been discussed that cover the associated vulnerabilities of key management in nonvolatile memories (NVMs). The review of nonvolatile memories, emerging technologies and hardware-based cryptographic primitives, physical unclonable functions (PUFs) and true random number generators (TRNGs) and their use in hardware obfuscation techniques has been deliberated.
A Scientific Data Provenance API for Distributed Applications

Data provenance has been an active area of research as a means to standardize how the origin of data, process event history, and what or who was responsible for influencing results is explained. The common trend in capturing provenance is to collect all possible information, and then attempt to extract relevant information from the entire collection, which is not efficient especially at runtime. Unless augmented, existing disclosed provenance system APIs do not work well in distributed environments and compound the problem of extracting and reassembling relevant provenance to provide a seamless coherent historical understanding of distributed activities. This paper focuses on determining more standardized solutions for provenance capture conducive to the scientific research. As part of the Integrated End-to-end Performance Prediction and Diagnosis for Extreme Scientific Workflows (IPPD) project, an API was developed, called Producer API (PAPI), which can disclose application targeted provenance, designed to work in distributed environments by means of unique object identification methods. The API also provides the flexibility to let the user decide what to do with the collected provenance and supports large-scale server based and standalone applications.
A Family of mRNAs Expressed in the Dorsal Ectoderm of Sea Urchin Embryos

Several rationales are currently used for analyzing genes of potential importance during early development. The classical approach is mutational analysis. A wide variety of mutations in Drosophila (e.g., Nusslein-Vollard, 1979), C. elegans (e.g., Wood et al., 1980), amphibians (e.g., Malacinski and Brothers, 1974), mice (e.g., Bennett, 1980), and other organisms have profound affects on the developing embryo. Unfortunately in most cases, determining the actual function of the gene product in question is a difficult problem. Nevertheless, molecular studies of a few mutations, particularly the homoeiotic loci of Drosophila, have already advanced to the point where the genes and transcripts have been isolated and characterized (Marx, 1981).
Immunofluorescence Staining with Frozen Mouse or Chick Embryonic Tissue Sections

Immunofluorescence (IF), a form of immunohistochemistry (IHC) with specific applications, is commonly used for both basic research and clinical studies, including diagnostics, and involves visualizing the cellular distribution of target molecules (e.g., proteins, DNA, and small molecules) using a microscope capable of exciting and detecting fluorochrome compounds that emit light at specific, largely nonoverlapping wavelengths. The procedure for carrying out IF varies according to the tissue type and methods for processing and preparing tissue (e.g., fixative used to preserve tissue morphology and antigenicity). The protocol presented here provides a general guideline for multichannel IF staining using frozen embryonic mouse or chicken tissue sectioned on a cryostat. In general, the procedure involves the following: (1) fixing freshly dissected tissues in a 4 % paraformaldehyde solution buffered in the physiological pH range, (2) cryopreservation of tissue in a 30 % sucrose solution, (3) embedding and sectioning tissue in Optimal Cutting Temperature (OCT) matrix compound, (4) direct or indirect detection of the target antigen/s using fluorochrome-conjugated antibodies.
Associations between dynamic functional connectivity and age, metabolic risk, and cognitive performance.

Abstract Advanced age is associated with reduced within-network functional connectivity, particularly within the default mode network. Most studies to date have examined age differences in functional connectivity via static indices that are computed over the entire blood-oxygen-level dependent time series. Little is known about the effects of age on short-term temporal dynamics of functional connectivity. Here, we examined age differences in dynamic connectivity as well as associations between connectivity, metabolic risk, and cognitive performance in healthy adults (N = 168; age, 18–83 years). A sliding-window k-means clustering approach was used to assess dynamic connectivity from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data. Three out of 8 dynamic connectivity profiles were associated with age. Furthermore, metabolic risk was associated with the relative amount of time allocated to 2 of these profiles. Finally, the relative amount of time allocated to a dynamic connectivity profile marked by heightened connectivity between default mode and medial temporal regions was positively associated with executive functions. Thus, dynamic connectivity analyses can enrich understanding of age-related differences beyond what is revealed by static analyses.
Electrode–electrolyte interfaces in lithium-based batteries

The electrode–electrolyte interface has been a critical concern since the birth of lithium(Li)-based batteries (lithium or Li+-ion batteries) that are operated with liquid electrolytes and in recent years to increase the operating voltages. The electrode–electrolyte interfacial behavior has also been in sharp focus with respect to intensively pursued solid-electrolyte-based (polymer- or ceramic-electrolyte) lithium and Li+-ion batteries. Understanding the relevant chemical/electrochemical reactions, structural/compositional characteristics, and thermodynamic/kinetic behaviors at the electrode–electrolyte interface is of paramount importance for the development of strategies to enhance overall battery performances. Although the relevant research has been emphasized for many years, both a fundamental understanding of the interfacial phenomena and the practical strategies for enhancing the interfacial properties are still limited or vague. Due to the complexity involved in the interfacial behavior, the future research and development require collaborative efforts involving the disciplines of chemistry, physics, materials science, nanoscience/nanotechnology, as well as computational modeling/simulation. This review presents the key findings, recent progress, current status, and a bold perspective/vision for further understanding and manipulating the electrode–electrolyte interfaces in lithium and Li+-ion batteries. The information provided in this review is expected to benefit the current Li+-ion technologies and future-generation solid-state lithium and Li+-ion batteries that are based on polymer electrolytes or ceramic solid electrolytes.
Spatial Correlates of Patients’ Travel Experience & Satisfaction in Hospital Outpatient Department

Designing a physical environment that is safe, accessible and easy to use can significantlyimprove patients’ satisfaction and the quality of healthcare experience. Literature shows that difficulties in wayfinding cause delay in patients’ movement, together with loss of time, decreased safety, and increase environmental stress. However, less is known concerning how wayfinding difficulties affect patients’satisfaction and travel experience. In this research it is assumed that an easily accessible and visible spatiallayout may have direct or indirect positive effects on patients’ movement, travel time, and way finding; and, as a result, it may have positive effects on patients’ travel experience and satisfaction. The data was collected through systematic behavioral observation, patient survey, and floor layout analysis that included the measurement of actual route distance, travel distance, and spatial network distance using space syntax techniques. Findings of the study include the following: 1) patients’ satisfaction depends on age, number of visits, frequency of visits, signage system, overall layout, and design quality; 2) patients’ travel behavior is positively affected by route attributes; 3) overall patients’ satisfaction does not seem to have any relation with the patients’ travel behaviors and syntactic attributes of the layout; and 4) male and female patients’ satisfaction and travel behavior show different association with syntactic properties of the layout. It is hoped that the study will contribute to an improvement of the design of the spatial layout of the outpatient department so that patients may receive their services in the least amount of time without becoming lost or missing an appointment due to wayfinding problems; and an increase in patients’ satisfaction and travel experience.
Indications for Surgery and Surgical adjuvants in N2 Lung Cancer

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths in men. Unfortunately, it has also become the leading cause of cancer deaths in American women. The American Cancer Society has projected an incidence of 161 000 new lung cancers for 1991. Most are non-small cell lung cancers and although their treatment includes surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, lung cancer is still viewed as a surgical disease. However, two factors influence survival following surgery: resectability and the status of the regional lymph nodes. Patients who present with stage I or II carcinomas to the lung are currently best treated by surgical resection with expectations of a 5-year survival of 77% and 40%, respectively. However, mediastinal lymph node metastases are noted in nearly one-half of all patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Many view this large group of patients to have incurable disease despite the best efforts of surgery and radiation therapy. Admittedly, patients who also present with distant disease (M1), patients with small cell or oat cell carcinoma, and patients presenting with contralateral lymph node metastases (N3) are not candidates for management by surgery or radiation therapy. However, patients presenting with stage IIIa (N2M0) disease require serious consideration for surgical management.
Photoinduced Ligand Redistribution Chemistry of Quadruply Bonded Mo2Cl2(6-mhp)2(PR3)2 Complexes

The quadruply bonded metal−metal complexes cis-Mo2Cl2(6-mhp)2(PR3)2 (R3 = Et3, Me3, Me2Ph, MePh2; 6-mhp = 2-hydroxy-6-methylpyridinato) photoreact when their solutions are irradiated with visible and near-UV light. The primary photoprocess leads to the ligand redistribution products Mo2Cl3(6-mhp)(PR3)3 and Mo2Cl(6-mhp)3(PR3). In THF at room temperature, these photoproducts are stable and over time they back-react completely to the starting material. Photolysis of cis-Mo2Cl2(6-mhp)2(PR3)2 in DMF results in the same products; however, Mo2Cl3(6-mhp)(PR3)3 rapidly decomposes, leaving Mo2Cl(6-mhp)3(PR3) as the only isolable photoproduct. Conversely, when the reaction is carried out in benzene, Mo2Cl(6-mhp)3(PR3) undergoes a slow secondary photoreaction and Mo2Cl3(6-mhp)(PR3)3 is the photoproduct that is isolated. At a given wavelength, the photolysis quantum yield (Φp) increases along the solvent series C6H6 < THF < DMF (Φp405 = 0.00042, 0.00064, and 0.00097, respectively, for cis-Mo2Cl2(6-mhp)2(PMe2Ph)2). For...
COSMOGENIC NUCLIDE DATING | Cosmic Ray Interactions in Minerals

Nuclear interactions occur everywhere in the universe as natural radiations are present everywhere. The types of interactions and their magnitude show a wide variety as would be expected. Nuclear interactions, particularly the inelastic variety, in which energy transfers occur between the incident particle and the target, have been increasingly used in the past few decades to study the history of evolution of planetary matter. Considering the topics covered in this encyclopedia, the emphasis is on nuclear interactions caused by cosmic radiation in Earth's atmosphere and in upper layers of the lithosphere, with a view to use interaction products as tracers for studying geomorphic processes. This is a field that has now become accessible to quantitative modeling as a result of the recent advances that have made it possible to measure the ultralow concentrations of nuclear products arising from nuclear interactions in surficial and deep-seated materials. Prior to this development, only sketchy information based on indirect assessments, such as coatings on surfaces and thermoluminescence, was available.
The Influence of Hypomania Symptoms on Income in Self-Employment:

Despite the assumption that symptoms of hypomania are detrimental, they may prove beneficial within self-employment contexts. Drawing on person-environment (P/E) fit theory and using the first Nati...
Qualitative and quantitative comparisons of mating behaviour across multiple populations and six species of leiobunine harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones)

Mating behaviour is highly diverse in animals both among and within species. We examine variation in mating behaviour in leiobunine harvestmen, which show high diversity in genitalic traits that are predicted to correspond to patterns of behavioural diversity. We ran mating trials for six species of leiobunine from four locations, and measured body size for a subset of individuals. We described mating behaviour in detail—providing the first formal description for most species—and examined variation inter- and intraspecific in body size and behaviour. Individuals were smaller in northern populations. Furthermore, we found species- and population-specific behaviours, high variation in the timing and success of different stages of mating, and high remating rates. However, we found no correlation between behavioural and morphological variation. Leiobunine harvestmen offer an excellent system for understanding multiple mechanisms of sexual selection and geographic diversification of mating behaviour.
HIGHER ONE-YEAR MORTALITY IN PATIENTS WITH DEPRESSION REFERRED FOR CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION

Older adults have high prevalence of depression and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The precise association of depressive symptoms in CVD patients, especially as it relates to their long-term survival is not well reported from contemporary cohort. We, herein, report 1-year mortality among patients
Synthesis of N-alkoxycarbonyl and N-carboxamide derivatives of anti-inflammatory oxindoles

The synthesis of N-alkoxycarbonyl and N-carboxamide derivatives of anti-inflammatory oxindoles is described. These compounds, sought as potential prodrugs of the parent anti-inflammatory agents, were obtained by ring opening of the oxadiazine dione intermediates formed by the treatment of 1-unsubstituted 3-acyloxindoles with chlorocarbonyl isocyanate.
Evaluation of an Intervention to Increase Physical Activity in Low-Income, Urban Middle Schools

Background Physical education (PE) can provide opportunities to engage in daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), but MVPA levels in many classes are low. This study examines MVPA during middle school PE lessons before and after receiving the SPARK (Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids) program. Methods Sixteen schools were enrolled in the study. PE teachers at eight schools received the intervention. PE lessons at all schools (N = 561) were observed over 2 years. Hierarchical linear regression models examined the effect of the intervention on the amount and consistency of MVPA and sedentary behavior. Results An average of 13.7% of observed class time was spent in MVPA (approximately 5 minutes of a 60-minute class), compared to 27.5% of time spent sedentary. There was no evidence that the curriculum resulted in increased MVPA or consistent MVPA, or that it decreased sedentary behavior. Findings also suggested that contextual factors may contribute to physical activity levels in PE. Conclusions Mixed evaluation findings of the SPARK middle school curriculum demonstrate that an out-of-the-box curriculum does not have the same results in all contexts. Implications for school health are described based upon findings. Further research is needed to identify effective strategies to increase MVPA for adolescents both in and outside of PE.
Ion Beam Analyses of Moisture Reaction for Single Crystal Lithium Deuteride

Ion beam analyses were completed on single crystal LiD (lithium hydride with deuterium on the hydrogen sites) to determine products of hydrolysis with decarbonated H2O (with protium-hydrogen) in an inert gas. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry showed movement of oxygen into the bulk of LiD samples. Hydrolysis rates for the single crystal LiD showed relatively slow initial growth of an oxygen-containing layer. Final growth rates varied widely with H2O level, from 1010 to 1015 (atoms/cm2)/min. at 5.6 and 28 mmol/min. H2O respectively. Simulations of spectra show the hydrolysis product to be LiOH. Elastic recoil detection identifies the hydrogen in the hydroxide layer upon dosing with H2O (with natural, protiated hydrogen) as primarily protium. Micrographs showed island growth occurring initially, with convergence to a full-coverage hydrolysis layer.
Content counts: A trait and moral reasoning framework for children's selective social learning.

Abstract We present evidence that evaluative information plays a major role in children's selective social learning. We demonstrate that social learning patterns differ as a function of whether children are exposed to positively or negatively valenced information (e.g., content; informant characteristics) and that these patterns can be understood in the context of children's schemas for social groups, morality, and trait understanding. We highlight that attention must be given to theoretical ties between social learning and children's trait judgments and moral reasoning to strengthen our understanding of selective trust and account for variations in children's sophistication when they judge potential sources of information. Finally, we suggest revisions to current theoretical frameworks and offer suggestions to move the field forward.
Biogas digestate as a renewable fertilizer: effects of digestate application on crop growth and nutrient composition

Biogas digesters convert waste matter into a natural gas-like fuel and a nutrient-rich digestate by-product. This digestate has the potential to be used as a soil amendment to benefit crop production with or without biochar, a purported nutrient sponge. In a greenhouse study of several crop species, the effects of digestate fertilization on crop growth, photosynthetic efficiency, vegetable production and chemical nutrient levels were tested. Results indicate that increasing potency of the applied digestate fosters higher growth and fruit production rates of several studied plants but to a lesser degree than a conventional fertilizer. More potent digestate application increases antioxidant capacity, total phenolics content and ascorbic acid levels in kale compared to the control chemical fertilizer test groups but has confounding results on legume nutrient levels. Additionally, the combined application of biochar and biogas digestate added to compost and used as potting media positively impacts crop germination. This work has relevance to agrarian communities that could benefit from recycling livestock and food waste into fuel and a renewable fertilizer.
Mapping the evolution of T cell states during response and resistance to adoptive cellular therapy

Immune therapies have transformed the cancer therapeutic landscape but fail to benefit most patients. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms by which T cells mediate elimination of leukemia, we generated a high-resolution map of longitudinal T cell dynamics within the same tumor microenvironment (TME) during response or resistance to donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI), a widely used immunotherapy for relapsed leukemia. We analyzed 87,939 bone marrow-derived single T cell transcriptomes, along with chromatin accessibility and single T cell receptor clonality profiles, by developing novel machine learning tools for integrating longitudinal and multimodal data. We found that pre-treatment enrichment and post-treatment rapid, durable expansion of ‘terminal’ (TEX) and ‘precursor’ (TPEX) exhausted subsets, respectively, defined DLI response. A contrasting, heterogeneous pattern of T cell dysfunction marked DLI resistance. Unexpectedly, TPEX cells that expanded in responders did not arise from the infusion product but instead from both pre-existing and novel clonotypes recruited to the TME. Our unbiased dissection of the TME using a Bayesian method, Symphony, defined the T cell circuitry underlying effective human anti-leukemic immune responses that may be broadly relevant to other exhaustion antagonists across cancers. Finally, we provide a general analysis paradigm for exploiting temporal single-cell genomic profiling for deep understanding of therapeutic scenarios beyond oncology.
Thiophenesulfonamides are specific inhibitors of quorum sensing in pathogenic Vibrios

Abstract Vibrio bacteria are pathogens of fish, shellfish, coral, and humans due to contaminated seafood consumption. Vibrio virulence factors are controlled by the cell-to-cell communication called quorum sensing, thus this signaling system is a promising target for therapeutic design. We screened a compound library and identified nine compounds, including several 2-thiophenesulfonamides, that inhibit the master quorum sensing transcription factor LuxR in Vibrio campbellii but do not affect cell growth. We synthesized a panel of 50 thiophenesulfonamide compounds to examine the structure-activity relationship effects on quorum sensing in vivo. The most potent molecule identified, PTSP (3-phenyl-1-(thiophen-2-ylsulfonyl)-1H-pyrazole), specifically inhibits LuxR homologs in multiple strains of Vibrio vulnificus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and V. campbellii with sub-micromolar concentrations. PTSP efficacy is driven by amino acid conservation in the binding pocket, which is accurately predicted using in silico modeling of inhibitors. Our results underscore the potential for developing thiophenesulfonamides as specific quorum sensing-directed treatments for Vibrio infections.
Improvements on a chemically contiguous hapten for a vaccine to address fentanyl-contaminated heroin.

Abstract Unintentional overdose deaths related to opioids and psychostimulants have increased in prevalence due to the adulteration of these drugs with fentanyl. Synergistic effects between illicit compounds and fentanyl cause aggravated respiratory depression, leading to inadvertent fatalities. Traditional small-molecule therapies implemented in the expanding opioid epidemic present numerous problems since they interact with the same opioid receptors in the brain as the abused drugs. In this study, we report an optimized dual hapten for use as an immunopharmacotherapeutic tool in order to develop antibodies capable of binding to fentanyl-contaminated heroin in the periphery, thus impeding the drugs’ psychoactive effects on the central nervous system. This vaccine produced antibodies with nanomolar affinities and effectively blocked opioid analgesic effects elicited by adulterated heroin. These findings provide further insight into the development of chemically contiguous haptens for broad-spectrum immunopharmacotherapies against opioid use disorders.
Forces and Moments

Mechanical systems are modeled using forces. Forces can be resolved into Cartesian components to simplify calculations. A free body diagram is often analyzed to determine the overall forces acting on an object. Twisting forces or moments act to rotate an object about its center of gravity. Assuming that all the forces acting on an object are balanced, the object is considered to be in static equilibrium.
Re(Setting) Epigenetic Clocks: An Important Avenue Whereby Social Conditions Become Biologically Embedded across the Life Course:

Research on biological embedding of the social environment has been expedited by increased availability of biomarkers. Recently, this arsenal of measures has been expanded to include epigenetic clo...
Hamartomatous malformation of the left ventricle associated with sudden death.

We describe unusual left ventricular cardiac lesions in a 17 year old boy who died suddenly during exertion. These consisted of two grossly evident regions of deficient myocardium, containing cavernous spaces which represented exaggerated inter-trabecular regions of the left ventricular cavity. Dense fibro-elastotic tissue was deposited around these spaces along with a variable admixture of mature adipose tissue, fibrous tissue and blood vessels. The etiology of these presumably congenital developmental abnormalities is obscure. The lesions most probably represent a hamartomatous malformation, which is a poorly documented pathological entity.
An American Model for Europe? Tax Policy and Federalism in the United States

By requiring fiscal contraction in nations facing high and rising unemployment, the economic crisis in the Eurozone has renewed interest in establishing a European fiscal union to match monetary union so that a federal treasury could support countries in economic difficulties. Fiscal union is opposed by those who fear that some countries, especially poorer ones, will use a central treasury to subsidize imprudent fiscal policy. Advocates have pointed to the United States as an example of a successful fiscal federalism, a union that has provided support for poorer regions and those facing economic difficulties but without imposing undue burdens on others. Even while democratic procedures have allowed needy regions to obtain significant national help, checks on majority rule built into the American constitution have protected affluent regions from demands for excessive transfers. One should be careful, however, not to exaggerate the success of the American model. Distributional disputes have contributed to some of the nation’s most bitter conflicts, including the Civil War of the 1860s; and the system of checks and balances not only contradicts democratic values but has often prevented effective government. With greater variation in economic circumstances than in the United States, a European fiscal union may face even greater pressure to redistribute income, possibly leading to the establishment of even more checks on democratic action than in the United States, even to the point of rendering moot the promise of fiscal union.
Kinetics of Iododeoxyuridine release from sodium alginate hydrogel in vitro

Objective To investigate the kinetics of Iododeoxyuridine (IUdR) release from sodium alginate hydrogel cross-linked with varying amounts of calcium chloride, and to optimize sustained release for further periadventitial I^125-labeled IUdR delivery to suppress intimal hyperplasia following angioplasty in vivo. Methods Four hydrogels, composed of 0.16 mEq sodium alginate and 200 g IUdR, were cross-linked with calcium chloride to yield ion equivalence (IE) ratios (Calcium: alginate) of 3:1, 4:1, 5:1, or 6:1. 2 ml of normal saline was placed on top of each hydrogel and allowed to remain in contact at 37℃ for up to 30 days. At set time intervals, the concentration and amount of IUdR in the eluate were assayed by high performance liquid chromatography using UV detection and Water symmetry C18 column. The data for accumulated release rate and concentration in the eluate were calculated based on the calibration curve of peak area versus IUdR concentration. The hydrogel morphologic degradations were also observed. Results The hydrogels entrapped 92.9%, 98.6%, 98.4% and 98.6% of the IUdR with 3:1, 4:1, 5:1 and 6:1 IE ratios, respectively. IUdR concentration in eluates from 3:1 IE ratio hydrogel decreased faster than that from other hydrogels over time (P＜0.01). The 4:1, 5:1 and 6:1 IE ratio hydrogels produced more than 10 μm IUdR concentrations in eluates for the first 8 days, while the 3:1 IE ratio hydrogel for 4 days. IUdR release rates of the 4:1, 5:1 and 6:1 IE ratio hydrogels were very close, however they were lower than that of the 3:1 IE hydrogel in the first 48 hours (P＜0.05). At day 30, the 3:1 and 4:1 IE ratio hydrogels had 100% and 88% degradation, but no significant degradation was observed in the other hydrogels. Conclusion The sodium alginate hydrogel with 4:1 IE ratio exhibited an optimal IUdR sustained release and almost complete degradation in 30 days.
Creating New Informational Primitives in Minds and Machines

Creativity involves the generation of useful novelty. Two modes of creating novelty are proposed: via new combinations of pre-existing primitives (combinatoric emergence) and via creation of fundamentally new primitives (creative emergence). The two modes of creativity can be distinguished by whether the changes still fit into an existing framework of possibility, or whether new dimensions in an expanded interpretive framework are needed. Although computers are well suited to generating new combinations, it is argued that computations within a framework cannot produce new primitives for that framework, such that non-computational constructive processes must be utilised to expand the frame. Mechanisms for combinatoric and creative novelty generation are considered in the context of adaptively self-steering and self-constructing goal-seeking percept-action devices. When such systems can adaptively choose their own sensors and effectors, they attain a degree of epistemic autonomy that allows them to construct their own meanings. A view of the brain as a system that creates new neuronal signal primitives that are associated with new semantic and pragmatic meanings is outlined.
Liquid crystal polymers—22: Synthesis and properties of monomers for the preparation of poly(2-alkyl-1,4-phenylene terephthalates)

Abstract A series of n- and iso-alkylhydroquinone and diacetate monomers was synthesized at high purity for the preparation of a series of high molecular weight aromatic polyesters of the type: poly(2-alkyl-1,4-phenylene terephthalates). The reductive alkylation of benzoquinone with the appropriate trialkylborane was selected for the synthesis of the substituted hydroquinones.