cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bariatric surgery decreases the risk of uterine malignancy.

Abstract Objective To describe the risk of uterine malignancy among women who have had weight loss surgery. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study among inpatient admissions of women 18years, or older, registered in the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) dataset. The rate of uterine malignancy per hospital admission was calculated. Rates were compared according to whether diagnoses at the time of discharge included history of bariatric surgery, and further, according to whether there was a diagnosis of obesity. Results In admissions of patients who did not have a history of prior bariatric surgery, the rate of uterine malignancy was 599/100,000 (95% CI 590 to 610). Among obese women who had not previously undergone bariatric operations, the rate was 1409/100,000 (95% CI 1380 to 1440). Of women admitted who had a history of bariatric surgery, the rate of uterine malignancy was 408/100,000 (95% CI 370 to 450). The relative risk of uterine malignancy in all admissions for women who had prior bariatric surgery, compared to obese women who had not had bariatric surgery, was 0.29 (95% CI 0.26–0.32). Among women who had bariatric surgery and were not currently obese, the relative risk of uterine malignancy was 0.19 (95% CI 0.17–0.22) compared to obese women who had not undergone bariatric surgery. Conclusion A history of bariatric surgery is associated with a 71% reduced risk for uterine malignancy overall, and an 81% reduced risk if normal weight is maintained after surgery. This finding suggests that obesity may be a modifiable risk factor related to development of endometrial cancer.
Surficial and Bedrock Geology Mapping With Ground-Penetrating Radar in New England: General Results and a Case Study Frommount Adams, New Hampshire

Summary We collected ~200 km of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data at center frequencies between 80-400 MHz within New Hampshire and western Maine. Lower frequency profiles revealed maximum penetration depths over 30 m with greater penetration over solid bedrock and shallower penetration generally occurring over till. Attenuation rates vary considerably depending on water content, till cover, and bedrock type. However, wet till sequences generally exhibit the highest losses with meta-volcanic bedrock also exhibiting higher attenuation rates than granites. Relative permittivity contrasts between till, granite, and fractures within granite allow for easy delineation of till over bedrock (aiding estimates of till volume) and constituents within granite fractures (i.e. water or air). In some instances, a contrast in reflection characteristics between bedrock type is evident (e.g. granite versus metamorphicvolcanic bedrock) allowing the potential sub-surface delineation of bedrock type. These results suggest that GPR is useful for delineating some rock types at depth, till depth and associated till volume, aquifer dimensions, and potentially water volume. Herein, we present a case study from these results with data collected from Mount Adams, New Hampshire. This case study also shows significant promise of GPR as a remote geological exploration tool.
Feeding premature infants while low umbilical artery catheters are in place: a prospective, randomized trial.

Abstract Objective : The objective of this prospective, randomized clinical trial was to test the hypothesis that there is no difference in the frequency of feeding problems and necrotizing enterocolitis between a group of premature infants who received early enteral feedings while low umbilical artery catheters (LUACs) were in place, and a late group who were not fed until 24 hours after removal of LUACs. Patients and methods : Twenty-nine premature infants (born at 28.5 ± 3.0 SD weeks of gestational age) who were in stable condition received early enteral feedings at a median of 2 days while a LUAC was in place; 31 infants (born at 28.6 ± 2.7 SD weeks of gestational age) received late enteral feedings at a median of 5 days of age, 24 hours after the removal of the LUAC. Feeding complications and interventions and nutritional characteristics were recorded prospectively. Results : There were no differences in the baseline perinatal characteristics of the two groups. The incidence of gastric residua and the incidence of abdominal distention were the same in both groups. The early feeding group had significantly fewer percutaneous central venous catheters, evaluations for sepsis, and episodes of receiving nothing by mouth while a gastric suction tube was in place. Infants in the early group received parenteral alimentation-lipid emulsion infusions for a median of 13 days versus 30 days for the late-fed group ( p = 0.0028 by Wilcoxon test). There were two cases of necrotizing enterocolitis in the early group versus four cases in the late group. Conclusions : Premature infants in stable condition who receive enteral feedings while LUACs are in place do not have an increased incidence of feeding problems compared with infants who do not receive enteral feedings until 24 hours after removal of LUACs. (J P EDIATR 1994;124:795-9)
The dual role of a loop with low loop contact distance in folding and domain swapping.

α helices, β strands, and loops are the basic building blocks of protein structure. The folding kinetics of α helices and β strands have been investigated extensively. However, little is known about the formation of loops. Experimental studies show that for some proteins, the formation of a single loop is the rate-determining step for folding, whereas for others, a loop (or turn) can misfold to serve as the hinge loop region for domain-swapped species. Computer simulations of an all-atom model of fragment B of Staphylococcal protein A found that the formation of a single loop initiates the dominant folding pathway. On the other hand, the stability analysis of intermediates suggests that the same loop is a likely candidate to serve as a hinge loop for domain swapping. To interpret the simulation result, we developed a simple structural parameter: the loop contact distance (LCD), or the sequence distance of contacting residues between a loop and the rest of the protein. The parameter is applied to a number of other proteins, including SH3 domains and prion protein. The results suggest that a locally interacting loop (low LCD) can either promote folding or serve as the hinge region for domain swapping. Thus, there is an intimate connection between folding and domain swapping, a possible cause of misfolding and aggregation.
Effects of exposure water volume, depuration time, and feeding status on vitellogenin mRNA induction in male medaka (Oryzias latipes) exposed to17 β-estradiol.

Abstract Bioassays measuring the induction of vitellogenin gene expression in male fish are widely used for revealing estrogenic activity in water samples. Measuring induction of vitellogenin mRNA in males by means of RT-PCR analysis is a sensitive way to detect exposure to estrogenic chemicals. To date, little work has been done to examine variations in exposure conditions for assessing estrogenic activity in water samples using this model system. Here we report the results of experiments investigating the effects of volume of treatment water, time since removal from treatment water (depuration), and short-term food deprivation on vitellogenin mRNA induction in male Japanese medaka ( Oryzias latipes ). Fish exposed to a single concentration of E 2 while volume was manipulated were found to have similar levels of vitellogenin mRNA, though more E 2 was present at larger volumes. Removal of fish from E 2 -treated-water to clean water after exposures reduced vitellogenin levels in as little 24 h, however, the vitellogenin levels of the fish transferred to the clean water remained above those of the control fish for at least 72 h. Depriving fish of food for up to 72 h during exposure to E 2 did not significantly reduce vitellogenin induction. Together these results support the conclusion that real time RT-PCR measurement of vitellogenin in male fish can be used as a robust indicator of exposure to estrogenic contaminants in water.
Corticotropin-releasing factor, vasopressin, and prostaglandins mediate, and nitric oxide restrains, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal response to acute local inflammation in the rat.

The present study determined the plasma ACTH and corticosterone responses of the rat to acute local inflammation induced by the im injection of a small volume of turpentine. In response to tissue injury, ACTH and corticosterone concentrations rose rapidly, peaked at 1 h, and returned toward basal values by 3 h after turpentine injection. As acute inflammation developed, plasma interleukin-6 bioactivity increased significantly, and ACTH and corticosterone levels exhibited a secondary rise. These secondary responses were maximum 6-12 h after turpentine administration, persisted for 20-28 h, and were statistically significant regardless of the normal circadian variations in ACTH and corticosterone secretion. Injection of neutralizing anti-CRF antiserum 7 h after turpentine produced a complete reversal, whereas antiarginine vasopressin (anti-AVP) caused a partial (approximately 40%) inhibition, of inflammation-induced ACTH secretion. The cyclooxygenase inhibitor, ibuprofen (10 mg/kg, iv), like CRF antiserum, ...
Laminar flame speeds, non-premixed stagnation ignition, and reduced mechanisms in the oxidation of iso-octane

Abstract Experimental data on the laminar flame speeds of iso-octane/air mixtures at atmospheric and elevated pressures were acquired using the counterflow flame and the outwardly expanding flame, while the non-premixed ignition temperatures were determined for an iso-octane pool in the stagnation flow of a heated air jet at atmospheric and slightly reduced/elevated pressures. These experimental measurements were compared with calculations based on the mechanisms of Curran et al. and Chaos et al., with the former mechanism systematically and substantially reduced, using directed relation graph and computational singular perturbation, to facilitate the calculation. It was found that the Curran mechanism yielded substantially higher laminar flames speeds as compared to the present experimental results while results from the Chaos mechanism agree well with the present measurements. These trends are in agreement with previous results on the laminar flame speeds for n-heptane. Both mechanisms yield acceptable comparison with the observed non-premixed stagnation ignition temperature.
TRICHLORACETIC ACID SOLUBLE POLYSACCHARIDE-PROTEIN COMPLEXES.

SummaryGelatin is capable of binding glycogen and dextran in a ratio of 1:1 on a dry weight basis and various other polysaccharides with α-1, 4 and/or α-1, 6 glucose linkages to a diminished degree. Gammaglobulins also display this property, although to a lesser extent. The glycogen-gelatin complex is stable in 0.5 N HCl, 0.5 N NaOH and 6 M urea for one hour, and to boiling water for 10 minutes. The glycogen-gelatin complex is salted out of TCA-ethanol solutions at a concentration of 3% NaCl. Dilute alkaline CuCl2 solutions and autoclaving of gelatin solutions result in inhibition of glycogen-gelatin complex formation. Auto-claved gelatins exhibit decreased viscosities, with concomitant destruction of the gelatin phenomenon.
Estimation of liquid film mass transfer coefficients for columns randomly packed with partially wetted rings

A semitheoretical correlation based on an extension of the random length, random angle statistical model of Davidson (1959) is developed which predicts liquid film mass transfer coefficients in a column packed with partially wetted Raschig rings. The method takes into account the ring size and the mixing which occurs at the packing junctions and allows an estimation of the effective length of a packing piece for a particular liquid viscosity. Predicted values of mass transfer coefficients are in good agreement with the experimental values obtained for the carbon dioxide-water and carbon dioxide-aqueous glycerol systems at 25°C reported by Mangers and Ponter (1980b) and other systems reported by Sherwood and Holloway (1940). On a etabli une correlation semi-theorique, basee sur une extension du modele statistique de Davidson (1959) impliquant des longueurs et des angles aleatoires; cette correlation prevoit les coefficients de transfert de matiere de films liquides dans une colonne a garnissage d'anneaux Raschig partiellement mouilles. La methode tient compte de la dimension des anneaux et du melange qui se produit aux points de contact du garnissage, et elle permet de faire une estimation de la longueur utile d'un anneau pour une viscosite du liquide donnee. Les valeurs predites pour les coefficients de transfert de matiere concordent bien avec les resultats experimentaux obtenus a 25°C dans le cas des systemes anhydride carbonique-eau et anhydride carbonique-solution aqueuse de glycerol par Mungers et Ponter (1980b), ainsi qu'avec ceux presentes pour d'autres systemes par Sherwood et Holloway (1940).
Abstract 1452: The estrogen receptor β and its splice variant estrogen receptor β2 inhibits expression of Runx2, a key regulator of bone metastasis while only estrogen receptor β inhibits proliferation of the prostate cancer cell line PC3

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Prostate cancer often metastases to bone in its later stages of tumor progression. We wanted to investigate if estrogen receptor β (ERβ) and/or its splice variant estrogen receptor β2 (ERβ2) are affecting signaling pathways involved in bone metastasis of prostate cancer. ERβ is progressively lost during prostate cancer progression while the splice variant ERβ2 is still expressed in advanced prostate cancer. ERβ2 is a 495 amino acid long splice variant of estrogen receptor ERβ. Using prostate cancer cell line, PC3 stably expressing ERβ or ERβ2, we found that both receptors inhibit migration in wound healing assays and are furthermore, repressing the expression of the bone metastasis regulator Runx2 and its target genes Slug and MMP9. In addition, we found by assaying the TCF/LEF reporter (TopGlow), that ERβ represses β-catenin signaling and it is also known that Runx2's expression is dependent on β-catenin activity. This gives a possible mechanism, by which ERβ represses Runx2 expression, is by inhibiting β-catenin signaling. This opens up a new pathway for the regulation of Runx2 by ERβ. On the other hand, we found that only ERβ and not ERβ2 inhibits proliferation and expression of the proliferation marker Skp2, which we have previously found to be a target gene of ERβ. The lack of antiproliferative activity of ERβ2 suggest that this splice variant could still be expressed in highly proliferative prostate cancer while at the same time inhibiting bone metastasis. In conclusion we found that both ERβ and ERβ2 are good targets for treatment of prostate cancer that might metastasize to the bone. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1452. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1452
Explicitness of consequence information in warnings

Four experiments were carried out to assess effects of product warning explicitness on purchase preferences and caution in use. Explicitness was defined as the specificity or detail with which potential injury consequences were described. All experiments employed a paradigm in which warnings varying in explicitness were described for familiar products. Subjects rated various perceptions of the products, purchase preferences, and intent to act cautiously in using the product. Results indicated that more explicit warnings were associated with greater levels of perceived dangerousness, hazard understanding, injury severity, and manufacturers' concern. While explicit warnings were also associated with an increased intent to act cautiously in using products, no clear relationship was found between explicitness and purchase preferences. It is recommended that product warnings should be explicit regarding injury consequences, especially where injuries may be severe. Given such information, product users, particularly those less familiar with a product, are more likely to exercise greater caution during use. Further, manufacturers' concern that explicit warnings may negatively impact sales appears to be unwarranted.
Toward individualized treatment in urologic oncology.

The concept of individualized or “personalized” therapy has gained widespread acceptance among both patients and oncologists alike as the necessary next step in advancing cancer care. However, this term encompasses several different concepts depending on the patient and disease type. In general, individualized therapy should mean that the onesize-fits-all approach historically taken with chemotherapy for solid tumors should be replaced by decisions about therapy that are based on individual patient or tumor characteristics or both. These characteristics can be associated with the tumor, such as DNA mutation, gene/protein expression, and histology, or can be patient specific, for example, based on pharmacogenomics or dosing based on toxicity. In this issue of Urologic Oncology, expert authors provide detailed insight into the progress of personalizing
A SOLUBLE PROTEIN IS IMPORTED INTO EUGLENA CHLOROPLASTS AS A MEMBRANE-BOUND PRECURSOR

The Euglena precursor to the small subunit of ribulose-15-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (pSSU) is a polyprotein. To determine the transport route from cytoplasm to chloroplast, Euglena was pulse labeled with 35S-sulfate and the organelles were separated on sucrose gradients. After a pulse, pSSU was found in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi apparatus. During a chase, ER-and Golgi-localized pSSU decreased concomitant with the appearance of SSU in chloroplasts. SSU was not found in pSSU-containing ER and Golgi fractions. Na2CO3 did not remove pSSU from ER or Golgi membranes, indicating that it was an integral membrane protein. pSSU was inserted in vitro into canine microsomes, and Na2CO3 did not remove pSSU from the microsomal membrane. The in vivo and in vitro experiments show that Euglena pSSU is inserted into the ER membrane and transported as an integral membrane protein to the Golgi apparatus before chloroplast import and polyprotein processing.
Imaging through quasi-particle transport.

Quasi-particles travel down a one-dimensional concentration gradient in a thin metallic film composed of regions of only gold and regions of gold–titanium–gold multilayers. We obtain an image depending on whether the quasi-particles encounter a multilayer.
A comparison of drying operations on the rheological properties of whey protein thickening ingredients

Summary An existing procedure for the alteration of whey proteins into a cold-set thickening agent was modified by developing a spray-drying operation to replace the prohibitively expensive freeze-drying step. The original and the modified derivatization procedures were used with a commercial whey protein concentrate (WPC). The freeze-dried and spray-dried derivatized WPC powders, along with polysaccharide thickeners, were reconstituted in water and evaluated by using a range of rheological studies. The effects of temperature, concentration, and shear on viscosity as well as the mechanical spectra were assessed to characterize the ability of the powders to function in food systems. Rheological characterization revealed the modified derivatization procedure yielded an ingredient having the same cold-set thickening and gelling ability as the original derivatized powder. The modified whey proteins were also able to achieve, at higher usage levels, textural properties similar to several polysaccharide thickeners. Use of a spray-drying technique created a more economical process for the production of a whey protein ingredient that was suitable for contributing viscosity and texture to a wide range of food systems.
Emulsion Polymerization of Synthetic Rubber in 10-Gram Systems. An Experimental Technique

Abstract Many manufacturers of monomers, emulsifying agents, initiators, modifiers, and other ingredients going into polymerization reactions find it necessary to have a reliable polymerization procedure for testing the quality of their products. The procedure presented, despite some shortcomings, has many advantages. Minimum amounts of material are required, and large numbers of experiments can be conducted in a relatively short time. A serious effort is made to point out some of the pitfalls which beset investigators of polymerization, regardless of the type of technique employed. The best recommendation for the procedure described is that it has been used to develop certain types of synthetic rubber which are now in commercial production.
Reproductive variations in cownose rays (Rhinoptera bonasus) from Chesapeake Bay

The cownose ray, Rhinoptera bonasus, a K-selected species in Chesapeake Bay is subject to an unregulated fishery with no management plan in place. Understanding the reproductive potential for cownose ray is important for successful conservation and management. This study marks the first observation of multiple embryos and right uterus functionality. Eight instances of multiple embryos in cownose rays are reported; two sets of twin live births from captive rays and six separate in utero multiple embryos discovered during necropsy of fishery-dependent and -independent samples. All multiple embryos were in the left uterus. Live births in captivity were confirmed as two sets of twins through direct sequencing of a portion of the mitochondrial DNA and analysis of nuclear microsatellite loci from the newborn pups and putative mothers. In addition, first- and third- quarter term embryos were removed from the right uterus of two female rays during necropsy, marking the first reports of gestation in the right oviduct of cownose rays. The recovery of a three-quarter term albinistic cownose ray embryo through necropsy is also reported.
Membrane Morphology and Phase Diagrams of Mangiferin Modified Poly(amide)/Poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) Blends

Abstract Mangiferin modified membranes were prepared based on amorphous poly(amide) (PA)/poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) blends by coagulation via solvent (dimethyl sulfoxide, DMSO) and non-solvent (water) exchange. To understand miscibility behavior and provide guidance to kinetic pathways of the coagulation process, various ternary phase diagrams of PA/DMSO/water, PA:PVP/DMSO/water, and mangiferin/DMSO/water mixtures were constructed. The ternary phase diagram of PA/DMSO/water mixture is consisted of isotropic liquid and liquid + liquid coexistence regions, whereas the mangiferin/DMSO/water system exhibited a crystal + isotropic coexistence region. Addition of PVP to the PA/DMSO/water solution showed little or no effect on the ternary phase diagram of PA:PVP/DMSO/water, whereas the addition of mangiferin to PA/DMSO/water resulted in enlargement of the liquid + liquid immiscibility gap. The actual amounts of mangiferin in the final membranes were quantified in relation to the mangiferin in feed. The surface and cross-sectional gradient morphologies of the mangiferin modified and unmodified membranes were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the surface porosity was found to increase with PVP loading. A theoretical phase diagram for the simplest case of polymer/solvent/non-solvent system was calculated self-consistently in the framework of Flory–Huggins free energy for liquid–liquid demixing and compared with the experimental phase diagram of the PA/DMSO/water mixture. Finally, a prism phase diagram was presented to qualitatively illustrate a coagulation pathway of the mangiferin modified PA:PVP blend membrane through the solvent/non-solvent exchange followed by drying.
Loblolly pine hydrology and productivity across the southern United States

Abstract Concern over future changes in water yield and timber production in southern pine forests has increased the need for a well tested and validated forest ecosystem model which can be used to predict potential climate change effects on forest processes. However, before a model is used to project potential climate change impacts on forests, it should first be validated across a wide range of climates and site conditions. We used PnET-IIS, a physiologically-based, monthly time-step model that uses soil, vegetation, and climate parameter inputs to predict evapotranspiration, drainage, soil water stress and net primary productivity for loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda ) stands across the southern United States. Sensitivity analyses and model validation of predicted net primary productivity (NPP) were conducted. Predicted hydrology and productivity were most sensitive to temperature driven parameters (e.g. optimal temperature for photosynthesis, and changes in air temperature). Values of PnET-IIS predicted NPP were compared with measured annual site basal area growth from 12 stands located from eastern Texas to eastern Virginia, from the year of site canopy closure to 1990. Annual basal area growth ranged from 4.2 to 26.8 cm 2 per tree year −1 . Annual basal area growth was significantly correlated with predicted NPP ( r 2 = 0.30, P n = 164) and the correlation improved when annual basal area growth was averaged by site ( r 2 = 0.66, P n = 12). Total annual precipitation was the single climate variable which best correlated with annual basal area growth ( r 2 = 0.66, P n = 12). These result indicate that PnET-IIS could be useful in predicting the effect of changing patterns of precipitation and air temperature on southern pine hydrology and productivity.
Enhancing Adhesion of Biologically Inspired Polymer Microfibers with a Viscous Oil Coating

Using a beetle-inspired oil coating, the adhesion performance of a polymer microfiber synthetic adhesive was improved through viscous thin film effects. A 10000 cSt silicone oil layer was applied to polyurethane microfibers 50 μm in diameter and 100 μm tall with 100-μm diameter flat mushroom-shaped tips. Testing showed that the oil layer doubled the adhesion to a 6-mm diameter smooth glass hemisphere, achieving an adhesive strength of 37 N/cm2 given a preload pressure of 6 N/cm2. This work provides a simple method of enhancing the performance of existing fibrillar adhesives.
Bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of lorazepam after intranasal, intravenous, and intramuscular administration.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetic profile of intranasal lorazepam in comparison to currently established administration routes. Eleven healthy volunteers completed this randomized crossover study. On three occasions, each separated by a 1-week washout, subjects received a 2 mg dose of lorazepam via the intranasal, intravenous, or intramuscular route. Blood samples were collected serially from 0 to 36 hours. Noncompartmental methods were used to determine pharmacokinetic parameters. Lorazepam was well absorbed following intranasal administration with a mean (%CV) bioavailability of 77.7 (11.1). Intranasal administration resulted in a faster absorption rate than intramuscular administration. Elimination profiles were comparable between all three routes. The concentration-time profile for intranasal delivery demonstrated evidence of a double peak in several subjects, suggesting partial oral absorption. Females were found to have significantly higher AUC values than males for all three delivery routes. Overall, this study demonstrated favorable pharmacokinetics of intranasal lorazepam in relation to standard administration methods. Intranasal delivery could provide an alternative, noninvasive delivery route for lorazepam.
Konkurrenzreaktionen von austauschbaren Substituenten an der Methyl‐ und Dimethylsilicium‐Gruppe

Durch Austausch zweier Arten monofunktioneller Substituenten zwischen trifunktionellen Methylsilicium- und difunktionellen Dimehylsiliciumgruppen resultierende Gleichgewichte wurden mittels proton-magnetischer Resonanzspektroskopie bestimmt. Aus den experimentellen Daten wurden jeweils vier Gleichgewichtskonstanten berechnet — eine Konstante fur den Austausch der beiden Substituentenarten an der Dimethylsiliciumgruppe, zwei Konstanten fur den Austausch derselben Substituenten an der Methylsiliciumgruppe, und eine Intersystemkonstante fur die Verteilung der beiden Arten von Substituenten zwischen der Dimethyl- und Methylsiliciumgruppe. Abweichungen der letzteren Konstanten von dem Wert fur statistische Verteilung werden π-Bindungseffekten zugeordnet. Equilibria resulting from the exchange of pairs of different monofunctional substituents between the trifunctional methylsilicon moiety and the difunctional dimethylsilicon moiety have been studied by proton nuclear magnetic resonance. The data have been evaluated in terms of four equilibrium constants — one for the scrambling of the two kinds of substituents on the dimethylsilicon moiety, two for scrambling on the methylsilicon moiety, and an intersystem equilibrium constant for the distribution of the two kinds of substituents between the dimethylsilicon and methylsilicon moieties. The observed deviations of the latter constant from ideal randomness have been attributed to π-bond effects.
Regulation of Postsynaptic Retrograde Signaling by Presynaptic Exosome Release

Retrograde signals from postsynaptic targets are critical during development and plasticity of synaptic connections. These signals serve to adjust the activity of presynaptic cells according to postsynaptic cell outputs and to maintain synaptic function within a dynamic range. Despite their importance, the mechanisms that trigger the release of retrograde signals and the role of presynaptic cells in this signaling event are unknown. Here we show that a retrograde signal mediated by Synaptotagmin 4 (Syt4) is transmitted to the postsynaptic cell through anterograde delivery of Syt4 via exosomes. Thus, by transferring an essential component of retrograde signaling through exosomes, presynaptic cells enable retrograde signaling.
A developmental perspective on underage alcohol use

Underage alcohol use can be viewed as a developmental phenomenon because many kinds of developmental changes and expectations appear to influence this behavior and also because it has consequences for development. Data on alcohol use, abuse, and dependence show clear age-related patterns. Moreover, many of the effects that alcohol use has on the drinker, in both the short and long term, depend on the developmental timing of alcohol use or exposure. Finally, many developmental connections have been observed in the risk and protective factors that predict the likelihood of problem alcohol use in young people. Therefore, efforts to understand and address underage drinking would benefit from a developmental perspective, and the general principles of developmental psychopathology offer a useful conceptual framework for research and prevention concerned with underage drinking.
The authority of law

This essay considers what we can learn about law from the fact that legal officials commonly claim authority. The first section addresses the paradox of the just law, which aims to establish that there is no general obligation to obey the law even in a reasonably just state on the ground that a just law could not have a claim on our obedience. I argue that the paradox rests on the widely shared but mistaken view that one only obeys an authority if one does as it requires for the reason that it was required. I suggest instead that an authority’s claim on obedience is limited to a claim to have its subjects do as directed. The second section considers the nature of an authority’s right to rule. I reject the commonly held view that authority consists in a normative power to obligate subjects because one can have such a power without having a claim on obedience. I argue that the result of an exercise of authority is an obligation owed to the authority, which confers on the authority the standing to hold the subject accountable if the obligation is not discharged. This raises the possibility that authority can be justified on the ground that is valuable for one person to be able to create a relationship of accountability with another by issuing an order. Indeed, I suggest that the core of the criminal law reflects a legitimate exercise of authority because it is valuable for the state to be able to create relationships of accountability with respect to serious moral transgressions, such as murder. The final section of the paper explores Joseph Raz’s argument for exclusive legal positivism. Raz argues that it must be possible to identify the existence and content of the law without recourse to the moral considerations it is meant to settle. Otherwise, he says, the law could not help subjects conform to reason, which is the role an authority is supposed to play. I argue that Raz’s argument fails because he has overlooked the possibility that the point of authority may be to create relationships of accountability rather than help subjects conform to reason.
Educational Inequality by Race in Brazil, 1982–2007: Structural Changes and Shifts in Racial Classification

Despite overwhelming improvements in educational levels and opportunity during the past three decades, educational disadvantages associated with race still persist in Brazil. Using the nationally representative Pesquisa Nacional de Amostra por Domicilio (PNAD) data from 1982 and 1987 to 2007, this study investigates educational inequalities between white, pardo (mixed-race), and black Brazilians over the 25-year period. Although the educational advantage of whites persisted during this period, I find that the significance of race as it relates to education changed. By 2007, those identified as blacks and pardos became more similar in their schooling levels, whereas in the past, blacks had greater disadvantages. I test two possible explanations for this shift: structural changes and shifts in racial classification. I find evidence for both. I discuss the findings in light of the recent race-based affirmative action policies being implemented in Brazilian universities.
In Pursuit of William James's McLean Hospital Records: An Inherent Conflict between Postmortem Privacy Rights and Advancing Psychological Science:

Psychological historians and psychobiographers advance our understanding of psychological theories through the intensive study of the lives of pioneering psychologists. In the course of their archi...
New Spectrophotometric Determination of Inorganic Bromide and Chloride Salts in Aqueous Solutions

A new method for the determination of inorganic salts of chloride and bromide is described. The method is based on the facts that iodine forms complexes with the anions and that these complexes absorb strongly in the UV region. The molar absorptivities of I2Br− at 265 nm and I2Cl~ at 245 nm were calculated to be 3.27 × 104 and 2.3 × 104 M−1 cm−1, respectively.
Elaborate Nests in a Weaverbird: A Role for Female Choice?

Studies on sexual selection have focused on behaviour and morphology, but several groups of animals build elaborate structures associated with acquiring a mate. I investigated female choice for nests built by male baya weavers (Ploceus philippinus). Nest choice by females should be strong, as nests are obvious direct benefits provided by males. I used a field experiment supplemented with correlational information to ask whether females appear to base mate choice decisions on male behaviour, nest architecture, and nest location. When the nests of highly visited males were exchanged with those of poorly visited males, female visits remained highest at the original male and location. I found no relationship between female choice and male display or other behaviour. Correlational analyses show that nest location was a better predictor of female choice than was nest architecture. These data suggest that current female choice is driven more by access to safe nesting sites rather than to well-built nests, possibly because all males are able to build nests of adequate quality. However, nest architecture is unlikely to be irrelevant to females, and its role deserves further investigation.
Further Evaluation of the Outcome Questionnaire–45.2

Data from clinical and nonclinical samples (Ns = 2,096, 618) were used to evaluate and replicate the measurement structure of the Outcome Questionnaire–45.2. Different measurement models and invariance tests were evaluated and the best psychometric support was found for a shortened measure of two factors: overall maladjustment and substance use.
Haplotype-based quantitative trait mapping using a clustering algorithm.

With the availability of large-scale, high-density single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, substantial effort has been made in identifying disease-causing genes using linkage disequilibrium (LD) mapping by haplotype analysis of unrelated individuals. In addition to complex diseases, many continuously distributed quantitative traits are of primary clinical and health significance. However the development of association mapping methods using unrelated individuals for quantitative traits has received relatively less attention. We recently developed an association mapping method for complex diseases by mining the sharing of haplotype segments (i.e., phased genotype pairs) in affected individuals that are rarely present in normal individuals. In this paper, we extend our previous work to address the problem of quantitative trait mapping from unrelated individuals. The method is non-parametric in nature, and statistical significance can be obtained by a permutation test. It can also be incorporated into the one-way ANCOVA (analysis of covariance) framework so that other factors and covariates can be easily incorporated. The effectiveness of the approach is demonstrated by extensive experimental studies using both simulated and real data sets. The results show that our haplotype-based approach is more robust than two statistical methods based on single markers: a single SNP association test (SSA) and the Mann-Whitney U-test (MWU). The algorithm has been incorporated into our existing software package called HapMiner, which is available from our website at http://www.eecs.case.edu/~jxl175/HapMiner.html . For QTL (quantitative trait loci) fine mapping, to identify QTNs (quantitative trait nucleotides) with realistic effects (the contribution of each QTN less than 10% of total variance of the trait), large samples sizes (≥ 500) are needed for all the methods. The overall performance of HapMiner is better than that of the other two methods. Its effectiveness further depends on other factors such as recombination rates and the density of typed SNPs. Haplotype-based methods might provide higher power than methods based on a single SNP when using tag SNPs selected from a small number of samples or some other sources (such as HapMap data). Rank-based statistics usually have much lower power, as shown in our study.
Wyner-Ziv coding for the half-duplex relay channel

Cover and El Gamal derived the tightest bounds on the capacity of the relay channel using random coding and proposed two coding strategies, namely decode-and-forward (DF) and compress-and-forward (CF), to provide the best known lower bounds of the achievable rate region. Depending on transmission parameters, either DF or CF could be superior. Several practical code designs based on DF have appeared recently. We present the first practical CF design for the half-duplex Gaussian relay channel based on Wyner-Ziv coding of the received source signal at the relay. Assuming ideal source and channel coding, our design achieves the lower bound of CF. It thus realizes the performance gain of CF over DF promised by the theory when the relay is close to the destination. Our practical implementation based on LDPC codes for error protection at the source and nested scalar quantization and IRA (irregular repeat-accumulate) codes for Wyner-Ziv coding at the relay comes as close as 0.76 dB to the theoretical limit of CF.
Fluometuron adsorption to vegetative filter strip components

Abstract Research on best management practices, including vegetative filter strips, is needed to evaluate the potential for reducing herbicides in surface runoff. Laboratory studies were conducted to determine the influence of different filter strip components on fluometuron adsorption. Samples were taken from a switchgrass filter strip (1-m wide) established on a Brooksville silty clay. Sampled components included switchgrass stems clipped to 4 cm, plant residue on the soil surface, and topsoil < 5-mm, 0.5- to 1-cm, 1- to 3-cm, and 3- to 5-cm deep. The filter strip topsoil samples contained 1.8, 2.2, 2.3, and 2.8% organic matter for the aforementioned depths, respectively, compared with 1.8% in soil collected from an adjacent cropped area. Fluometuron adsorption on each sample was compared at initial concentrations of 0.017, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 mg L−1, the last of these representing four times the peak concentration in surface runoff. Fluometuron adsorption was greater in soil from filter strip areas ...
PHACE syndrome and congenitally absent thyroid gland at MR imaging

PHACE syndrome is a rare neurocutaneous disorder characterized by posterior fossa malformations, hemangiomas, arterial anomalies, cardiac defects, and abnormalities of the eye. Thyroid disorders associated with PHACE syndrome have been described, although there are limited reports of this rare occurrence. We report a case of PHACE syndrome with congenital hypothyroidism in an infant, for which absent thyroid gland was diagnosed at magnetic resonance imaging.
How Judges Think: Strengthening Defence Approaches to Joint Criminal Enterprise and Closing Arguments

There is a method used by trial judges at the international criminal tribunals to decide the outcome of a case, and the method is rather fixed and inflexible. A defence lawyer working against the grain of the judges’ method is working in a way that is not as effective as it could be. Trial judges at the ICTY are amenable to be persuaded that an otherwise solidly established legal principle has no application, or no reasonable application, to the facts at hand. The doctrine of joint criminal enterprise provides a good illustration of this point. Here we have a legal principle that is well established in theory, but rather vulnerable in practice. Many trial judges are instinctively aware of this vulnerability, which means that it is a promising area for the development of a defence strategy. At a more fundamental level, judges tend to think about an indictment and the whole resulting trial process in a very particular way. They analyse an indictment into certain elements and they employ their analysis to understand the evidence as it is received on a daily basis in the course of the trial. Their particular analysis defines, in effect, what is relevant and what is not relevant in a trial. It filters out distractions and facilitates a more active and engaged judicial role. The judges’ original analysis persists throughout the case and forms the template for the trial judgement at the end. But while judges do seem to think in certain fixed ways, and while defence lawyers must take these into account if they are to be most effective, this fact doesn’t extinguish every possibility of creativity in defence strategy. On the contrary, it is still very possible to throw the prosecution off balance in unexpected ways. And it is possible to get the trial chamber to pay respectful attention. I illustrate this point by considering the neglected defences of reprisals and superior orders.
Low Energy Ion Bombardment and Microstructural Evolution in Thin Films

A new approach to modeling the evolution of islands in thin films by growth and coarsening during ion bombardment is described. Solution of a continuity equation and matter conservation relation, coupled with interface-limited and diffusion-limited rate laws for island growth and coarsening allows the kinetics of island evolution to be modeled. Results from the model indicate distinct kinetic paths for island evolution during ion bombardment as a result of growth, enhanced diffusion, island dissociation and monomer sputtering.
Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (Suomi NPP) Ground System Performance

The NOAA-NASA jointly-acquired Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) will replace the afternoon orbit component and ground processing system of the current Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites (POES). The ground system, known as the ‘Common Ground System (CGS)’, and developed by Raytheon Intelligence, Information and Services (IIS) provides command, control, and communications (C3) and data processing and product delivery. The CGS currently flies the Suomi NPP satellite and routes mission data to U.S. ground facilities, where it processes the data into mission products and provides them to US weather centrals. Full volume data traffic is now flowing from the satellite through CGS’s C3, data processing, and data delivery systems. Ground system performance is critical for this operational system. As part of early system checkout, Raytheon measured all aspects of data acquisition, routing, processing, and delivery to ensure operational performance requirements are met, and will continue to be met throughout the mission. Two key metrics relating to the most important operational measures, availability and latency for Raw Data Records (RDRs), SDRs, and EDRs are discussed.
Hydrodeoxygenation of Oxidized and Hydrotreated Bio-oils to Hydrocarbons in Fixed-bed Continuous Reactor

The physical and chemical properties of raw bio-oil, two oxidized bio-oils, and hydrotreated bio-oil were compared before and after catalytic hydrodeoxygenation using sulfided CoMo/γ-Al2O3 catalyst. Following continuous hydrodeoxygenation, the organic liquid products from treated bio-oils and raw bio-oil were compared for higher heating value, oxygen content, water content, and viscosity. In addition, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry were employed to identify functional groups and chemical species, respectively. Fresh and spent catalysts were characterized by nitrogen adsorption-desorption for surface area and pore properties. The degree of coking of the spent catalysts was analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis. Hydrodeoxygenation of hydrotreated bio-oil (HB) gave the longest reaction time on stream of 780 min, the least coking amount of 20 wt%, and the highest hydrocarbon selectivity of 70% up to 720 min of reaction time on stream. Moreover, organic liquid products from HB showed relatively stable properties such as low oxygen content, water content, and viscosity over a longer period of reaction time on stream.
Exploring a modular adaptive metastructure concept inspired by muscle's cross-bridge

The multifunctionality and versatility of skeletal muscle is a worthy inspiration towards the development of engineered adaptive structures and material systems. Recent mechanical modeling of muscl...
Analysis Survey on Marmota Himalyana in Natural Focus of Plague in BaTang County of Sichuan Province,2011

Objective To provide scientific evidence for the prevention and control of plague in Sichuan by confirming whether there is natural foci of Marmota Himalayan plague in Batang county.Methods Epidemiological investigation and laboratory test of plague in Batang were conducted simultaneously.Results Bacterial culture from one death himalayana,1 strain of Y.pestis was isolated;52 dog serum samples were conducted colloidal gold test,12 were positive(23.08%);52 dog serum samples were conducted indirect hemagglutination test(IHA),10 samples were positive,with the highest titer of 1∶40 960 and the positive rate of 19.23%;reverse hemagglutination test(RIHA) were conducted in 1 reverse blood sample,the titer was 1∶12 800.Conclusion Batang County is the natural foci of Marmota Himalayan plague,and the plague epidemic among animals is in active time.Prevention and control of the plague should be well done to stop the prevalence of human plague.