cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Compact beta particle/positron imager for plant biology

The 11 CO 2 tracer is used to facilitate plant biology research towards optimization of plant productivity, biofuel development and carbon sequestration in biomass. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging has been used to study carbon transport in live plants using 11 CO 2 . Plants typically have very thin leaves resulting in little medium for the emitted positrons to undergo an annihilation event. For the emitted positron from 11C decay approximately 1mm of water equivalent material is needed for positron annihilation. Thus most of the positrons do not annihilate inside the leaf, resulting in limited sensitivity for PET imaging. To address this problem we have developed a compact beta-positive beta-minus particle (BPBM) imager for 11 CO 2 leaf imaging. The detector is based on a Hamamatsu H8500 position sensitive photomultiplier tube optically coupled via optical grease and a 3mm thick glass plate to a 0.5mm thick Eljin EJ-212 plastic scintillator. The detector is equipped with a flexible arm to allow its placement and orientation on the leaf of the plant of interest while maintaining the leaf's original orientation. We are planning to utilize the imaging device at the Duke University Phytotron to investigate dynamic carbon transport differences between invasive and native species.
Impact of Social Networks on Delay Tolerant Routing

Delay Tolerant Networks (DTNs) are wireless networks in which at any given time instance, the probability of having a complete path from a source to destination is low due to the intermittent connectivity between nodes. Several routing schemes have been proposed for such networks to make the delivery of messages possible despite the intermittent connections. In this paper, in addition to intermittent connectivity which impacts routing most strongly, we also analyze the effects of underlying social structure over the communication network. In a social network, nodes interact in diverse ways so that some nodes meet each other more frequently than others. In the paper, we first propose a new network model to reflect the underlying social structure over the network nodes, then we study the effects of this model on the performance of multi-copy based routing algorithms. We also analyze the performance of routing and validate our analysis with simulations.
What donors want

The 11 Questions Every Donor Asks and the Answers All Donors Crave. Harvey McKinnon. Medfield, Mass.: Emerson & Church, 2008. 112 pp., $24.95 paper.
Network latency and packet delay variation in cyber-physical systems

The problem addressed in this paper is the limitation imposed by network elements, especially Ethernet elements, on the real-time performance of timecritical systems. Most current network elements are concerned only with data integrity, connection, and throughput with no mechanism for enforcing temporal semantics. Existing safety-critical applications and other applications in industry require varying degrees of control over system-wide temporal semantics. In addition, there are emerging commercial applications that require or will benefit from tighter enforcement of temporal semantics in network elements than is currently possible. This paper examines these applications and requirements and suggests possible approaches to imposing temporal semantics on networks. Modelbased design and simulation is used to evaluate the effects of network limitations on time-critical systems.
Behavioral and psychological predictors of chemotherapy adherence in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Abstract Objective Dose delays and reductions in chemotherapy due to hematologic toxicities are common among patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, limited data on behavioral or psychological predictors of chemotherapy adherence exist. The goal of this study was to explore the frequency and clinical predictors of infusion dose delays and reductions in this patient population. Methods Fifty patients newly diagnosed with advanced NSCLC of high performance status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status=0–1) completed baseline assessments on quality of life (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy — Lung) and mood (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) within 8 weeks of diagnosis. Participants were followed prospectively for 6 months. Chemotherapy dosing data came from medical chart review. Results All patients received chemotherapy during the course of the study, beginning with a platinum-based doublet (74%), an oral epidermal growth factor receptor–tyrosine kinase inhibitor (14%), or a parenteral single agent (12%). Forty percent (n=20) of patients had a dose delay (38%) and/or reduction (16%) in their scheduled infusions. Fisher's Exact Tests and regression analyses showed that patients who experienced neutropenia, smoked at the time of diagnosis, or reported heightened baseline anxiety were significantly more likely to experience dose delays or reductions. There were no associations between chemotherapy adherence and patient demographics, performance status, or quality of life. Conclusion In this sample, more than one third of patients with advanced NSCLC experienced either a dose delay or reduction in prescribed chemotherapy regimens. Behavioral and psychological factors, such as tobacco use and anxiety symptoms, appear to play an important role in chemotherapy adherence, though further study is required to confirm these findings.
Grasping novel objects with a dexterous robotic hand through neuroevolution

Robotic grasping of a target object without advance knowledge of its three-dimensional model is a challenging problem. Many studies indicate that robot learning from demonstration (LfD) is a promising way to improve grasping performance, but complete automation of the grasping task in unforeseen circumstances remains difficult. As an alternative to LfD, this paper leverages limited human supervision to achieve robotic grasping of unknown objects in unforeseen circumstances. The technical question is what form of human supervision best minimizes the effort of the human supervisor. The approach here applies a human-supplied bounding box to focus the robot's visual processing on the target object, thereby lessening the dimensionality of the robot's computer vision processing. After the human supervisor defines the bounding box through the man-machine interface, the rest of the grasping task is automated through a vision-based feature-extraction approach where the dexterous hand learns to grasp objects without relying on pre-computed object models through the NEAT neuroevolution algorithm. Given only low-level sensing data from a commercial depth sensor Kinect, our approach evolves neural networks to identify appropriate hand positions and orientations for grasping novel objects. Further, the machine learning results from simulation have been validated by transferring the training results to a physical robot called Dreamer made by the Meka Robotics company. The results demonstrate that grasping novel objects through exploiting neuroevolution from simulation to reality is possible.
Betanine stability in buffered solutions containing organic acids, metal cations, antioxidants, or sequestrants

The rate of betanine degradation as affected by monocarboxylic acids (lactic acid, acetic acid), metal cations (Fe+++, Cu++), antioxidants (ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol) and sequestrants (citric acid, Na2 EDTA) was studied. Betanine was extracted from beets using water, and purified by molecular exclusion and adsorption chromatography. Column packings used were Sephadex G-25, polyacrylamide, and polyvinylpolypyrrolidone. The effect of food additives on the rate of oxidation of betanine in buffered systems was determined using a modification of the active oxygen method. A betanine solution was placed in a reaction chamber, held at 75° C, and oxygen was passed through the solution at a rate of 3 ml/min. The half-life value of betanine at 75° C, pH 5.0 in a phosphate buffer was 48.0 ± 1.0 min (control). Addition of 100 ppm lactic acid had no effect on stability (41 ± 1.7 mm), while 5.9% acetic acid caused a decrease in stability (33.4 ± 1.9 min) possibly as a result of pH changes at elevated temperatures. Metal ions at a level of 100 ppm caused an increase in the degradation rate compared to that of the control with addition of iron resulting in a half-life value of 33 ± 1.4 min. Copper had the greatest effect, reducing the half-life value to 6.0 ± 0.2 mm. Neither 100 ppm ascorbic acid nor 100 ppm a-tocopherol affected the half-life value of betanine (45.3 ± 2.3 and 50.2 ± 3.4 min, respectively). Ascorbic acid at 1000 ppm decreased the halt-life value (32.3 ± 3.3 min), whereas 10,000 ppm citric acid and 10,000 ppm EDTA caused an increase in the half-life value of 1.5 times compared to that of the control (69.4 ± 3.1 and 70.7 ± 7.1 min). Both 100 and 1000 ppm citric acid had no effect on betanine stability.
Spectrometer-sensitivity calibration in the extreme ultraviolet by means of branching ratios of magnetic-dipole lines

Relative intensity measurements of various line pairs resulting from magnetic-dipole transitions within the configurations s2p2 and s2p4, in conjunction with calculated transition probabilities, have been used to determine the wavelength dependence of the sensitivity of a grazing-incidence spectrometer in the range 400–1000 A. Emissions from Cr xix, Fe xxi, Ni xxi, Ni xxiii, Cu xxiv, and Zr xxvii ions in Princeton Large Torus tokamak discharges were used for this purpose. Absolute sensitivity of the spectrometer at selected wavelengthshad been determined by the traditional hydrogen, helium, carbon, and oxygen electric-dipole line pairs from the same discharges. Similar attempts to use transitions in the s2p3 configurations in Cr xviii, Zr xxvi, and Mo xxviii ions resulted in significant discrepancies that are ascribed to uncertainties in the corresponding calculated transition probabilities.
The A, M, N, and P1 Blood Group Substances in Butanol Extracts of Human Erythrocytes

Aqueous phase and butanol phase extracts of group A1, O, M. N, P1 and P2 human erythrocytes prepared by extraction of red cell stromata with n-butanol were examined for the presence of blood group substances in inhibition of agglutination experiments using antisera and test cells of human origin. Group A substance was recovered in both aqueous phase and butanol phase extracts, M and N substances in aqueous phase extracts only, and P1 substance only in butanol phase extracts. Use of high concentrations of extract resulted in detection of P1 activity in aqueous phase extracts and of N specific inhibition in the aqueous phase extracts of group M erythrocytes. Distilled water appeared to be superior to digitonin and hypotonic phosphate buffer solutions for preparation of stromata for the reccvery of group A and M substances in the butanol extracts but not for group N and P1 substances.
ADDITIONAL RADIATION SAFETY CONCERNS INVOLVING SODIUM IODIDE-131 CAPSULES

Objective: We studied the extent of 131I contamination within absorbent packets of activated carbon that are enclosed in one manufacturer’s packaging of 131I therapeutic capsules. Methods: Iodine-131 activity within the absorbent packets of ten 131I capsules was measured 3–5 min after opening each container and over a one workday period. Results: Initial 1311 activity of the absorbent packets ranged from 0.1% to 1.0% of the activity of the respective 131I capsules. Follow-up measurements demonstrated rapid release of 131I. Conclusion: Absorbent packets used in the packaging of 1311 capsules are a source of 131I contamination. They must be handled and stored properly to minimize potential internal exposure to the nuclear medicine staff.
Epitaxy: The key to high-performance semiconductor devices

Epitaxy is defined as "the overgrowth in layers of a crystalline substance deposited in a definite orientation on a crystalline substratum." The application of this process to the controlled fabrication of semiconductor materials has led to a wide variety of important applications, from the ubiquitous light-emitting diode (LED) to ultrahigh-speed transistors (e.g., pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistors-pHEMTs) to high-density, compact semiconductor laser arrays (e.g., vertical cavity surface emitting lasers-VCSELs). The power of epitaxy brings new applications to the forefront of electronics and photonics technology each year. In the two articles presented here, we address in some detail the growth of compound semiconductor materials by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and by molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE). These two approaches represent the state-of-the-art in fabricating highly complex, high-performance homoand heterostructure materials. While each technique has their respective proponents, these methods should be viewed as complementary, wherein the advantages of a given approach should be weighed in view of the demands of the application. Bandgap engineering, a phrase coined several years ago by Federico Capasso of the AT&T Bell Laboratories, is appropriate for the application of epitaxial crystal-growth techniques. The tremendous flexibilityintheMOCVDandMBEmethods permits control of chemical composition, impurity doping, or layer growth down to a single atomic layer. Thus, the semiconductor bandgap may be engineered for optical response (absorption or transmission), to achieve quantum confinement with heterostructures, to create graded compositions, and so on. These capabilities provide the device designer with unprecedented flexibility in selecting and optimizing device properties and performance. Many applications of compound semiconductor heterostructures are very demanding of the physical, optical, and electronic properties of the host materi-
Customer–Salesman Interaction in Appliance Retailing:

The study' reported here focuses exclusively on the verbal record of the 40 complete transactions which involved the actual purchase of either a refrigerator or a color television. The purchase occurred either at the time of the test store observation or within the following two-week period. Not all possible transactions involving a purchase in these product categories were analyzed due to certain idiosyncracies. For example, some transactions appeared to be a continuation of a prior visit and were therefore incomplete. In a few other cases, although a purchase was made, discussion seemed to center on a different product. In another case, a refrigerator purchase was actually an adjustment for one purchased a few days earlier which had failed. The analysis procedure was as follows: (1) Each transaction was transcribed verbatim. (2) Special coding sheets were prepared and the frequency of reference by the customer and by the salesman to various alternatives, product attributes, etc. were tabulated. The transaction itself determined the categories and every reference (questions, answers, or comments) to that category by the salesman or customer thereafter was recorded. Ref-
Blade Boundary Layer Response to Atmospheric Boundary Layer Turbulence on a NREL 5MW Wind Turbine Blade with Hybrid URANS-LES

We focus on the spatio-temporal changes in the blade boundary layer structure caused by the interaction of a wind turbine blade with the day-time Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL). Previous studies have shown that the time scales of the energy containing eddies in the ABL are of the order of multiple rotation time scales of commerical wind turbines and are directly correlated with the large temporal fluctuations in the integrated loads. We attempt to understand the details of the blade boundary layer dynamics that causes these fluctations by simulating a single blade of the NREL 5MW turbine in a realistic ABL. We use a psuedo-spectral code to perform Large Eddy Simulation of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer and generate realistic inflow conditions for the turbine. We develop and use a new hybrid URANS-LES model by combining the 1 equation model for the LES of ABL with the k − ω − SST − SAS model by Menter and Egorov near the blade. We then perform Hybrid URANS-LES computations of the flow around the single NREL 5MW blade to compute the spatio-temporal fluctations in the surface stresses due to ABL turbulence. We find that the time scales experienced by the NREL 5MW turbine in the ABL is of the order of multiple rotation time scales that could potentially be used to control the wind turbine. Initial results from the simulation of the turbine blade in an Atmospheric Boundary Layer indicate that the boundary layer separation on the blade in an ABL could span the entire blade, unlike uniform inflow where the separation is primarily restricted to the near root region.
Distribution and Excretion of Aminonucleoside-8-C14 in Normal and Nephrotic Rats.

SummaryThe quantitative distribution and excretion of aminonucleoside-8-C14 was studied in normal and nephrotic rats. In the 8 hours following subcutaneous administration the normal rat excreted 65–70% of the dose in the urine, half of which was unchanged PA, and 15–26% in the feces. Despite being the target organ, the kidney contained less than 0.25% of the dose, while the liver contained considerably more. Nephrotic rats excreted much less of the radioactivity-total as well as in the form of unchanged PA. The decrease in excretion of total radioactivity was attributed to its retention in an expanded pool of body water characteristically seen in the nephrotic syndrome.
The acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: impact on the pediatric intensive care unit.

Pediatric AIDS patients represent about 1 percent of all AIDS patients and are frequently admitted to the PICU for acute respiratory failure or shock. Acute PICU mortality is in excess of 80 per cent with eventual hospital mortality approaching 100 per cent. These patients present a formidable challenge in terms of PICU resource utilization, staff stress, infection control, and economic planning.
Indefinite Sturm-Liouville Problems

In this chapter we shall discuss in some detail partial differential equations associated with self adjoint Sturm-Liouville boundary value problems with indefinite weights.
R&M Management of a Vehicle Reliability Growth Programme

ABSTRACTMilitary vehicles are required to have high leveis of reliability in order to be fully effective, rapidly deployable, and affordable. Reliability growth programmes are typically used to achieve the desired levels of reliability. A Reliability Growth Test (RGT) is a well-structured process of finding reliability problems by testing, incorporating corrective actions resulting in the elimination of systematic failure modes leading to reliability growth.A review of Ministry of Defence (MoD) vehicle reliability growth programmes [1] concluded that only one of the five vehicle programmes examined, achieved their reliability targets as planned. This paper investigates the reasons for the failings and presents an approach which aims to mitigate the Reliability and Maintainability (R&M) programme risks, which was developed as part of an MSc dissertation entitled “Risk Management of a Reliability Growth Programme” [2].
Stochastic Shocks, Fads and Exchange Rate Fundamentals: An Empirical Evaluation of the Target Zone Proposal

Real exchange rate misalignments between the G3 economies — US$, DM and Yen blocs — have always attracted attention in the discussion of international policy coordination. In fact, the very existence of exchange rate deviations from what is considered the ‘normal level’ was frequently the primary motive for considering macroeconomic policy coordination between different countries. One of the proposals that has strongly influenced the recent debate on policy coordination between the major economies has been the target zone (TZ) scheme, originated by Williamson (1985) and subsequently extended and elaborated by Williamson and Miller (1987), their colleagues and other researchers.
"Whether something cool is good enough": The role of evidence, sales representatives and nurses' expertise in hospital purchasing decisions.

The emphasis on "value" within healthcare institutions has achieved unprecedented priority, particularly around the purchase of medical products and equipment. Health systems and institutions are implementing formal decision-making processes involving clinicians and supply chain professionals to rationalize purchasing and promote cost-effective investment. One particular form of this process is the "Value Analysis" process. Drawing from fieldwork (100 h), interviews (n = 51) and focus groups (n = 4) conducted from January 2012 to October 2014 at 4 acute care hospitals in the western United States, I analyze the ways that committee members constructed and evaluated a case for a product's value. Participants (n = 72) were a purposive sample including nurses, administrators, supply chain and industry professionals. Interpretive phenomenology served as the analytic approach to generating iterative themes. While trying to be evidence-based, Value Analysis committees lacked data related to a product's price or efficacy and relied heavily on local knowledge and expertise. Sales representatives were an integral part of the process, creating interest in the product and providing product information. As vehicles for cost-savings and quality improvement, purchasing committees need unique support that emphasizes local contexts and expertise, while maintaining rigor and minimizing bias. Drawing from participants' experiences, and principles of health technology assessment and economic evaluation, a guiding framework is proposed to support this decision-making.
“In the Real Estate Business Whether We Admit It or Not”: Timber and Exurban Development in Central Oregon

The history and political ecology of exurbia in the “New West” in the USA is the history of the production of a new kind of space—one still grounded in the natural resources of the region, but capitalizing on emerging ideologies of nature and landscape and the potential profits those ideas might generate. The contemporary economic development of the region continues to depend upon its resource hinterland but with a vastly different economy valuing nature for its amenity rather than extractive value. The case study of Black Butte Ranch in Central Oregon described in this chapter follows the fortunes of two timber companies in Deschutes County that sought to find new ways to capitalize on timberlands no longer valuable due to global economic shifts. The timber companies transformed themselves in the process of engaging with the political dynamics of shifting rural capitalism and remade local politics resulting in profitable revaluation of a considerable portion of their land but also in the conservation of other lands and related loss of profit. Through exurban change, the social, political, and institutional structures once supporting traditional extraction shift to make way for exurbanization, requiring various actors to shift their approaches to economic development, environmental management, and land-use planning in the new exurban landscape.
“Once an Eagle, always an Eagle?”: symbolic divestment, recuperative critique, and in-house protests against the anti-gay BSA

ABSTRACTA group of Eagle Scouts protested the Boy Scouts of America’s (BSA) anti-gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and queer policies and heteronormative citizenship ideals by forfeiting their badges, divesting their membership, and writing personal, emotionally charged letters addressed to the BSA to critique the institution from within. Engaging the correspondence illuminates the repertoires of critique and dissent they employ in their in-house protests. To these ends, this essay makes four primary contributions: it (re)calls attention to the correspondence archive as a fruitful site to investigate political speech acts and forms of dissent; it provides an understanding of the politics of emotions in protest and social change efforts, thus contributing to resonant dialogues in social movement studies; it codifies the Eagle Scouts’ particular tactics employed in their in-house protests, captured in the terms “symbolic divestment” and “recuperative critique”; and it offers a case study that details the rhetorical ...
Comparison of PV array configuration efficiency under partial shading condition

This paper presents a comparative review study to determine whether the configuration of a Photovoltaic (PV) array helps mitigate partial shading. A 4×4 array is proposed, simulated and tested with series (S), series-parallel (SP) and total cross tied (TCT) configurations. The PV module was first built in simulation software and then arranged in their respective orientations to test. All PV modules were investigated with a constant insolation level, which was calibrated to simulate shading. Finally, P-V and I-V characteristics were analyzed, across configurations, to determine the most resilient. Test results are discussed to compare the energy efficiency across configurations.
Article 18 [Liberty of Movement and Nationality]

The immigration policies of countries point to a view of disabled people as being incapable of contributing to a host country, in either a restrictive economic sense or socially and culturally. This results in the adoption of stringent laws and policies in the context of migration that are unaccommodating and discriminatory toward peoples with disabilities. Article 18 of the CRPD guarantees the equality of persons with disabilities in the enjoyment of the freedom of movement and nationality by identifying the circumstances in which persons with disabilities, including children, are more discriminated.
Factors Impacting Market Concentration of Not-for-Profit Hospitals

We attempt to identify and evaluate the association between key characteristics of not-for-profit (NP) hospitals and market concentration, as measured by the Herfindahl–Hirschman Index, using data available from the American Hospital Association, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Internal Revenue Service Form 990. Our goal is to provide decision support to policy makers on factors that contribute to market competitiveness, which has been linked to improvements in efficiency, costs, and access to health care. We find that contributions are positively associated with market concentration. This could indicate that well-run NP hospitals (that deliver on their mission) are rewarded both financially (through increased contributions) as well as with increased market share. We also find that a higher percentage of Medicare patients is positively correlated with market concentration (i.e., reduces the competitiveness of the NP market). This could be explained by the fact that Medicare reimbursement rates are generally lower than those paid by private insurers (approximately 80%); thus, hospitals might not necessarily choose to operate in areas with high Medicare populations. Further, median income is negatively associated with market concentration. One explanation for this effect could be the fact that a population with a higher median income is in a better position to pay for services, making them attractive to hospitals as a potential market. Finally, we find that the presence of managers with voting rights on the boards of directors has no significant impact.
Modified Terminal Restriction Fragment Analysis for Quantifying Telomere Length Using In-gel Hybridization

There are several different techniques for measuring telomere length, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. The traditional approach, Telomere Restriction Fragment (TRF) analysis, utilizes a DNA hybridization technique whereby genomic DNA samples are digested with restriction enzymes, leaving behind telomere DNA repeats and some sub-telomeric DNA. These are separated by agarose gel electrophoresis, transferred to a filter membrane and hybridized to oligonucleotide probes tagged with either chemiluminescence or radioactivity to visualize telomere restriction fragments. This approach, while requiring a larger quantity of DNA than other techniques such as PCR, can measure the telomere length distribution of a population of cells and allows measurement expressed in absolute kilobases. This manuscript demonstrates a modified DNA hybridization procedure for determining telomere length. Genomic DNA is first digested with restriction enzymes (that do not cut telomeres) and separated by agarose gel electrophoresis. The gel is then dried and the DNA is denatured and hybridized in situ to a radiolabeled oligonucleotide probe. This in situ hybridization avoids loss of telomere DNA and improves signal intensity. Following hybridization, the gels are imaged utilizing phosphor screens and the telomere length is quantified using a graphing program. This procedure was developed by the laboratories of Drs. Woodring Wright and Jerry Shay at the University of Texas Southwestern1,2. Here, we present a detailed description of this procedure, with some modifications.
Ultrafast Microscopy: Imaging Light with Photoelectrons on the Nano-Femto Scale.

Experimental methods for ultrafast microscopy are advancing rapidly. Promising methods combine ultrafast laser excitation with electron-based imaging or rely on super-resolution optical techniques to enable probing of matter on the nano–femto scale. Among several actively developed methods, ultrafast time-resolved photoemission electron microscopy provides several advantages, among which the foremost are that time resolution is limited only by the laser source and it is immediately capable of probing of coherent phenomena in solid-state materials and surfaces. Here we present recent progress in interference imaging of plasmonic phenomena in metal nanostructures enabled by combining a broadly tunable femtosecond laser excitation source with a low-energy electron microscope.
Capitalizing on the look: insights into the glance, attention economy, and Instagram

ABSTRACTThis article argues for the reconceptualization of the glance as more than a phenomenological orientation and a means of perceiving the world. I propose that the glance is a key feature of our attention economy, which positions attention as the most valuable commodity. By examining the technical infrastructure of the social media site Instagram, I argue that (1) the glance is implicated in the name itself and the interface design of the site; (2) the glance orients the user to a specific type of user behavior; and (3) the glance functions as a precursor to social and economic capital. I argue that this reconceptualization of the glance in relation to the attention economy demonstrates how the glance is becoming a dominant mode of seeing and thus affecting social and economic behavior.
Standpoint explicitness and persuasive effect: A meta-analytic review of the effects of varying conclusion articulation in persuasive messages

Argumentative explicitness is normatively good, because it opens viewpoints to critical scrutiny. But advocates might justifiably fear that such explicitness will compromise persuasive effectivenes...
Neuroadaptations in the dentate gyrus following contextual cued reinstatement of methamphetamine seeking

Abstinence from unregulated methamphetamine self-administration increases hippocampal dependent, context-driven reinstatement of methamphetamine seeking. The current study tested the hypothesis that alterations in the functional properties of granule cell neurons (GCNs) in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus in concert with altered expression of synaptic plasticity-related proteins and ultrastructural changes in the DG are associated with enhanced context-driven methamphetamine-seeking behavior. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were performed in acute brain slices from methamphetamine naive (controls) and methamphetamine experienced animals (during acute withdrawal, during abstinence, after extinction and after reinstatement). Spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) and intrinsic excitability were recorded from GCNs. Reinstatement of methamphetamine seeking increased sEPSC frequency and produced larger amplitude responses in GCNs compared to controls and all other groups. Reinstatement of methamphetamine seeking reduced spiking capability in GCNs compared to controls, and all other groups, as indicated by reduced intrinsic spiking elicited by increasing current injections, membrane resistance and fast after hyperpolarization. In rats that reinstated methamphetamine seeking, these altered electrophysiological properties of GCNs were associated with enhanced expression of Fos, GluN2A subunits and PSD95 and reduced expression of GABAA subunits in the DG and enhanced expression of synaptic PSD in the molecular layer. The alterations in functional properties of GCNs and plasticity related proteins in the DG paralleled with no changes in structure of microglial cells in the DG. Taken together, our results demonstrate that enhanced reinstatement of methamphetamine seeking results in alterations in intrinsic spiking and spontaneous glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the GCNs and concomitant increases in neuronal activation of GCNs, and expression of GluNs and decreases in GABAA subunits that may contribute to the altered synaptic connectivity—neuronal circuitry—and activity in the hippocampus, and enhance propensity for relapse.
Investigating Relationships between Reproduction, Immune Defenses, and Cortisol in Dall Sheep.

Life-history theory is fundamental to understanding how animals allocate resources among survival, development, and reproduction, and among traits within these categories. Immediate trade-offs occur within a short span of time and therefore are more easily detected. Trade-offs, however, can also manifest across stages of the life cycle, a phenomenon known as carry-over effects. We investigated trade-offs on both time scales in two populations of Dall sheep (Ovis dalli dalli) in Southcentral Alaska. Specifically, we (i) tested for glucocorticoid-mediated carry-over effects from the breeding season on reproductive success and immune defenses during parturition and (ii) tested for trade-offs between immune defenses and reproduction within a season. We observed no relationship between cortisol during mating and pregnancy success; however, we found marginal support for a negative relationship between maternal cortisol and neonate birth weights. Low birth weights, resulting from high maternal cortisol, may result in low survival or low fecundity for the neonate later in life, which could result in overall population decline. We observed a negative relationship between pregnancy and bacterial killing ability, although we observed no relationship between pregnancy and haptoglobin. Study site affected bactericidal capacity and the inflammatory response, indicating the influence of external factors on immune responses, although we could not test hypotheses about the cause of those differences. This study helps advance our understanding of the plasticity and complexity of the immune system and provides insights into the how individual differences in physiology may mediate differences in fitness.
First-principles thermodynamics study of phase stability in inorganic halide perovskite solid solutions

Halide substitution gives rise to a tunable band gap as a function of composition in halide perovskite materials. However, photoinduced phase segregation, observed at room temperature in mixed halide $A\text{Pb}{({\mathrm{I}}_{x}{\mathrm{Br}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x})}_{3}$ systems, limits open circuit voltages and decreases photovoltaic device efficiencies. We investigate equilibrium phase stability of orthorhombic $Pnma\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\gamma}$-phase $\text{Cs}M{({X}_{x}{Y}_{1\ensuremath{-}x})}_{3}$ perovskites where $M$ is Pb or Sn, and $X$ and $Y$ are Br, Cl, or I. Finite-temperature phase diagrams are constructed using a cluster expansion effective Hamiltonian parameterized from first-principles density-functional-theory calculations. Solid solution phases for $\text{Cs}M{({\mathrm{I}}_{x}{\mathrm{Br}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x})}_{3}$ and $\text{Cs}M{({\mathrm{Br}}_{x}{\mathrm{Cl}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x})}_{3}$ are predicted to be stable well below room temperature while $\text{Cs}M{({\mathrm{I}}_{x}{\mathrm{Cl}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x})}_{3}$ systems have miscibility gaps that extend above 400 K. The height of the miscibility gap correlates with the difference in volume between end members. Also layered ground states are found on the convex hull at $x=2/3$ for ${\mathrm{CsSnBr}}_{2}\mathrm{Cl},{\mathrm{CsPbI}}_{2}\mathrm{Br}$, and ${\mathrm{CsPbBrCl}}_{2}$. The impact of these ground states on the finite temperature phase diagram is discussed in the context of the experimentally observed photoinduced phase segregation.
Groundborne vibration attenuation by particulate dampers to reduce building vibration at sonic frequencies

Particulate medium can act as efficient damper for building vibrations. Mechanical properties of particulate material and their size distributions determine their vibration absorption characteristics. Unconsolidated particulate damper of uniform size is shown to have bandpass filter behavior for mechanical vibrations that are transmitted through them. The dampers absorption spectrum also shows bandgap structure where mechanical vibration in each frequency range is strongly absorbed. We use samples of uniform size spherical particulates that are subjected to mechanical vibrations in the audible frequency range to determine their absorption characteristics as a function of particle size, frequency, intensity, and direction of propagation. The effects of particle sizes and layer thickness on vibration absorption are determined. The goal is to determine the required absorption characteristics as a function of particle size distribution, that is required to mitigate building vibrations.
SILAC Analysis Reveals a Role for the Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype in Hemostasis

Cellular senescence irreversibly arrests cell proliferation, accompanied by a multi-component senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) that participates in several age-related diseases. Using stable isotope labeling with amino acids in cell culture (SILAC), we identify 343 SASP proteins that senescent human fibroblasts secrete at 2-fold or higher levels compared to quiescent cell counterparts. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that 44 of these SASP factors are involved in hemostasis, a process not previously linked with cellular senescence. We validate the expression of some of these SASP factors in cell culture and in vivo. Mice treated with the chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin, which induces widespread cellular senescence in vivo, show increased blood clotting. Conversely, use of a transgene that permits the selective removal of senescent cells shows that senescent cell clearance attenuates the increased clotting shown by doxorubicin-treated mice. Together, our study characterizes a SASP profile using SILAC, unveiling a novel function for cellular senescence in hemostasis.
Basic Concepts of Light Scattering

“The White Rabbit put on his spectacles. ‘Where shall I begin, please your Majesty?’ he asked. ‘Begin at the beginning,’ the King said, very gravely, ‘and go on till you come to the end: then stop.’ There was dead silence in the court, whilst the White Rabbit read out these verses:–”
Nurses Collaborating with Cross Disciplinary Networks: Starting to Integrate Genomics into Practice

Nurses and other health-care providers are poised to include genetic discoveries into practice settings and to translate such knowledge for consumer benefit within culturally appropriate contexts. Nurses must seek collaboration with multi-disciplinary networks both locally and internationally. They must also capitalize on the expertise of other seasoned researchers in order to gain national and international exposure, recognition, and funding. Scholarly tailgating is using network relationships to achieve one's professional goals, and capitalizing on expert knowledge from seasoned researchers, educators, and practitioners from diverse international groups. By using scholarly tailgating principles, nurses can become important agents of change for multi-disciplinary networks, and thereby assist in decreasing health disparities. The purpose of this document is to encourage and inspire nurses to seek collaborative multi-disciplinary networks to enable genomic integration into health-care practice and education. Strategies for integrating genomics into practice settings are discussed.
Haloperidol Treatment with Chronically Medicated Residents: Dose Effects on Clinical Behavior and Reinforcement Contingencies.

Twenty residents, most of whom had previously received neuroleptic maintenance therapy, were assessed in a double blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study of haloperidol. Haloperidol was administered in standardized doses of .025 and .05 mg/kg/day, for 3 weeks each. Clinical changes were confined to a slight reduction in ratings of stereotypic behavior and an increase in gross-motor activity under the high dose. Under reinforcement conditions, there was a marked tendency for instruction following performance to improve under the high dose condition. Subjects were divided according to degree of stereotypic behavior. Those with initially high levels of stereotypy tended to show a significantly more favorable response to haloperidol than did those with low levels of stereotypy.
FOOD ACQUISITION AND DIGESTION | Digestive Efficiency

Digestive efficiency is the ratio of the quantity of energy or nutrients absorbed to the quantity ingested. Because fishes are diverse and consume an array of foods, digestive efficiency varies among species on different diets. Dietary quality may be the most important factor affecting intake, and there is a trade-off between intake, digesta transit time, and digestive efficiency; higher intake equates to faster digesta transit, which can result in lower digestive efficiency. Fishes efficiently utilize protein, whereas differences in lipid and carbohydrate absorption exist among species with different natural diets. Fish gross gut morphology provides little predictive power in understanding digestive efficiency.
Hepatocellular carcinoma prevalence and mortality in a male state prison population.

Objectives The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the United States has increased dramatically over the last two decades, largely because of an increase in the number of people with advanced hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. U.S. prisoners are at high risk for HCC, given their elevated rates of HCV infection, comorbid hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, and alcoholic liver disease. The purpose of our study was to examine the prevalence and mortality of HCC in the nation's largest state prison system. Methods The study population consisted of 325,477 male Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) inmates who were incarcerated between January 1, 2003, and July 31, 2006. Information on medical conditions and demographic characteristics was obtained from an institution-wide medical information system. Results During the 3.5-year study period, 176 male TDCJ inmates (54 per 100,000) were diagnosed with HCC and 108 (33 per 100,000) died as a result of HCC. Inmates who were Hispanic, older, and infected with HCV, HBV, or human immunodeficiency virus had elevated rates of both HCC prevalence and mortality. After adjusting for all study covariates, HCC prevalence, but not mortality, was modestly elevated among inmates with diabetes. Conclusions Our study showed that the Texas male prison population had a sevenfold higher prevalence of HCC than the general U.S. male population and a fourfold higher death rate from HCC. These findings likely reflect the high concentration of HCC-related risk factors, particularly HCV, among prisoners.
Major Principles in a Minor Context: Forensic Practices Involving Adolescents

On March 12, 2008, Johanna Orozco appeared before the House and Senate of the Ohio Legislature. The teenage girl was lobbying to get a bill passed that would allow juveniles in abusive relationships to obtain court ordered protection, an option that has long existed for adults. Johanna’s face was seriously disfigured when she was shot at point blank range by the former boyfriend who had raped her and against whom she was the listed witness in his upcoming criminal trial. She spoke also for a deceased 17-year-old Toledo teen who did not survive her attacker’s assault. Orozco had hoped that the damage done to her face, even after extensive reconstruction, would convince legislators of the importance of the bill (Dissell 2008). On December 12, 2008, the bill died in the Senate after passing the House. Hopes of resurrecting it remain.
The Development of Live Attenuated Mumps Virus Vaccine in Historic Perspective and Its Role in the Evolution of Combined Measles–Mumps–Rubella

Diseases with distinctive clinical features can often be identified with occurrence in early history. Hippocrates has been credited with clinical descriptions of mumps, parotitis and orchitis in thea fifth century BC [1]. Hamilton [2] is credited with the first recognition, in 1790, of central nervous system involvement in mumps and with the first description of neuropathology in fatal cases. Johnson and Goodpasture [3, 4] provided the first definitive evidence of viral etiology in mumps through monkey and human experimentation. Cultivation of mumps virus in embryonated hens’ eggs was accomplished by Habel in 1945 [5].
Body cholesterol removal: role of plasma high-density lipoproteins.

Publisher Summary The human body is equipped with mechanisms for the provision and maintenance of tissue cholesterol levels. Cholesterol absorption increases with dietary intake, with no upper limit. In times of reduced intake, the liver and small intestine increase their synthesis of cholesterol. Absorbed cholesterol is transported to the liver as chylomicron remnants and hepatic cholesterol is either secreted as “very low-density lipoproteins,” which are catabolized in part to low-density lipoproteins (LDL), or secreted into bile as free cholesterol or its metabolites, the bile salts. LDL delivers cholesterol to the peripheral tissues, where specific cell surface receptors bind, internalize, and degrade the LDL particles, providing the cell with cholesterol. In the absence of an adequate supply of lipoprotein cholesterol, the cholesterol synthesis pathway is activated in peripheral tissues. This chapter discusses the high-density lipoproteins (HDL) structure and metabolism, particularly as it might be related to cholesterol homeostasis. It focuses on the composition and structure of HDL, the physical structure of the individual components of HDL, and the different HDL recombinants.