cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An RNA interference-based screen identifies MAP4K4/NIK as a negative regulator of PPARγ, adipogenesis, and insulin-responsive hexose transport

The insulin-regulated glucose transporter GLUT4 is a key modulator of whole body glucose homeostasis, and its selective loss in adipose tissue or skeletal muscle causes insulin resistance and diabetes. Here we report an RNA interference-based screen of protein kinases expressed in adipocytes and identify four negative regulators of insulin-responsive glucose transport: the protein kinases PCTAIRE-1 (PCTK1), PFTAIRE-1 (PFTK1), IκB kinase α, and MAP4K4/NIK. Integrin-linked protein kinase was identified as a positive regulator of this process. We characterized one of these hits, MAP4K4/NIK, and found that it is unique among mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases expressed in cultured adipocytes in attenuating hexose transport. Remarkably, MAP4K4/NIK suppresses expression of the adipogenic transcription factors C/EBPα, C/EBPβ, and PPARγ and of GLUT4 itself in these cells. RNA interference-mediated depletion of MAP4K4/NIK early in differentiation enhances adipogenesis and triglyceride deposition, and even in fully differentiated adipocytes its loss up-regulates GLUT4. Conversely, conditions that inhibit adipogenesis such as TNF-α treatment or depletion of PPARγ markedly up-regulate MAP4K4/NIK expression in cultured adipocytes. Furthermore, TNF-α signaling to down-regulate GLUT4 is impaired in the absence of MAP4K4/NIK, indicating that MAP4K4 expression is required for optimal TNF-α action. These results reveal a MAP4K4/NIK-dependent signaling pathway that potently inhibits PPARγ-responsive gene expression, adipogenesis, and insulin-stimulated glucose transport.
Depersonalization after marijuana smoking

Abstract Depersonalization and other behavioral and physiological indices were monitored before and after the administration of high-and low-potency marijuana cigarettes and a placebo cigarette in 35 physically and mentally healthy normal volunteers. The cigarettes were administered under double-blind conditions during three visits to the laboratory separated by a minimum of 1 week. Marijuana smoking, but not placebo smoking, was associated with significant depersonalization that was maximal 30 min after smoking the high-potency cigarettes. Other behavioral changes induced by marijuana included disintegration of time sense, sensation of “high”, increased state anxiety, tension, anger, and confusion. Respiration, pulse rate, and systolic blood pressure also increased after marijuana smoking. Multiple regression identified temporal disintegration as the most significant predictor of depersonalization.
Scalable and Locally Applicable Measures of Treatment Variation That Use Hospital Billing Data

Care variation studies often use large amounts of data but approaches developed for such research are either scalable but not locally applicable or locally applicable but not scalable. We present a method that is scalable and locally applicable while being statistically significant. Using a population of patients diagnosed with both congestive heart failure and myocardial infarction, we developed and tested measures of care variation on data derived from hospital billing records. Our metrics yielded statistically significant results. Computing time for the method was found to increase linearly allowing for the desired scalability. In the future, our care variation metrics be used to gain insight into local conditions that correlate with outcomes of interest like visit charges or morbidity rates.
High-speed wavelength tunable liquid crystal filter

We describe the first high-speed, continuously tunable liquid crystal optical filter suitable for wavelength division multiaccess (WDMA) optical networks. The filter utilizes chiral smectic A* electroclinic liquid crystal as the active cavity material in a Fabry-Perot etalon to obtain microsecond switching speed. Using the commercially available BDH764E liquid crystal material, we demonstrate a tunable optical filter with a switching speed of less than 10 /spl mu/s and a tuning range of approximately 30 nm, when the filter passband is centered at 1.55 /spl mu/m. >
A design method of a mulilhate servo controller using H-infinity

A method of designing a multi-rate servo controller for a HDD that operates at a higher sampling frequency than that of the position error signal (PES) is proposed. Multi-rate sampling has an advantage for increasing the track density of a HDD without increasing the overhead of the servo information on the disk. A plant model for a design with a higher sampling rate is obtained by adding a zero-interpolator at the output of the position error signal. The controller is calculated by the H∞ method to suppress the noise at the PES sampling frequency that is created by the use of multi-rate sampling. The servo bandwidth and margins of the method are studied for 2.5 and 3.5 HDD's, and for a HDD with a dual-stage actuator. The multi-rate sampling is especailly effective for the dual-stage actuator because the MEMS actuator's transfer function is very clean.
Culture conditions and sample preparation methods affect spectrum quality and reproducibility during profiling of Staphylococcus aureus with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Significance and Impact of Study: Two culture conditions (agar or broth) and two sample preparation methods (intact cell or protein extraction) were evaluated for their effects on profiling of Staphylococ- cus aureus using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI- TOF MS). Results indicated that MALDI-enabled profiling of Staph. aureus is most effective when cultures are grown in broth and processed using a protein extraction-based approach. These findings should enhance future efforts to maximize the performance of this approach to characterize strains of Staph. aureus. Abstract Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has emerged as a promising tool to rapidly characterize Staphylococcus aureus. Different protocols have been employed, but effects of experimental factors, such as culture condition and sample preparation, on spectrum quality and reproducibility have not been rigorously examined. We applied MALDI-TOF MS to characterize a model system consisting of five methicillin-sensitive (MSSA) and five methicillin-resistant Staph. aureus isolates (MRSA) under two culture conditions (agar and broth) and using two sample preparation methods (intact cell method and protein extraction method (PEM)). The effects of these treatments on spectrum quality and reproducibility were quantified. PEM facilitated increases in the number of peaks and mass range width. Broth cultures further improved spectrum quality in terms of increasing the number of peaks. In addition, PEM increased reproducibility in samples prepared using identical culture conditions. MALDI imaging data suggested that the improvement in reproducibility may result from a more homogeneous distribution of sample associated with the broth/ PEM treatment. Broth/PEM treatment also yielded the highest rate (96%) of correct classification for MRSA. Taken together, these results suggest that broth/PEM maximizes the performance of MALDI-TOF MS to characterize Staph. aureus.
Ground-layer snow clouds

Snow clouds forming directly over the ground and reaching depths of up to a kilometre have been observed with a W-band airborne radar. The phenomenon is referred to here as ‘ground-layer snow cloud’ (GSC). Most of the cases were observed over mountainous terrain but some were seen over nearly flat terrain. These snow clouds occurred over snow-covered ground. The temperature at their point of first appearance on rising slopes was in the range 0 to −10°C with humidity close to water saturation. GSCs form within windy and highly turbulent surface layers, with specific features linked to sudden rises or dips in terrain. The most plausible explanation for the formation of the GSC is that snow particles lofted from the surface grow in the ice-supersaturated environment and mix throughout the turbulent layer. Sufficiently high humidity for crystal growth distinguishes these clouds from blowing snow in dry air. On the downwind sides of mountains, the snow clouds precipitate and evaporate. As for blowing snow, visibility within GSCs is greatly reduced. The GSC represents a form of horizontal water mass transport. When a GSC forms with other clouds present above it, as is frequently the case, there is a clear potential for those clouds to be seeded from below, thereby altering their evolution, precipitation distribution, and other impacts. Copyright © 2012 Royal Meteorological Society
Near-Infrared Mixture Identification by an Automated Library Searching Method: A Multivariate Approach:

A mathematical technique for the identification of components in the near-infrared spectra of liquid mixtures without any prior chemical information is demonstrated. Originally, the technique was developed for searching mid-infrared spectral libraries. It utilizes principal component analysis to generate an orthonormal reference library and to compute the projections or scores of a mixture spectrum onto the principal space spanned by the orthonormal set. Both library and mixture spectra are analyzed and processed in Fourier domain to enhance the searching performance. A calibration matrix is calculated from library cores and is used to predict the mixture composition. Five liquid mixtures were correctly identified with the use of the calibration algorithm, whereas only one mixture was correctly characterized with a straight dot-product metric. The predictions were verified with the use of an adaptive filter to remove each of the resulting components from the library and the mixture spectra. In addition, a similarity index between the original mixture spectrum and a regenerated mixture spectrum is used as a final confirmation of the predictions. The effects of random noise on the searching method were also examined, and further enhancements of searching performance are suggested for identifying poor-quality mixture spectra.
The Evolution of E-Government among Municipalities: Rhetoric or Reality?

Information technology has become one of the core elements of managerial reform, and electronic government (e-government) may figure prominently in future governance. This study is designed to examine the rhetoric and reality of e-government at the municipal level. Using data obtained from the 2000 E-government Survey conducted by International City/County Management Association and Public Technologies Inc., the article examines the current state of municipal e-government implementation and assesses its perceptual effectiveness. This study also explores two institutional factors (size and type of government) that contribute to the adoption of e-government among municipalities. Overall, this study concludes that e-government has been adopted by many municipal governments, but it is still at an early stage and has not obtained many of expected outcomes (cost savings, downsizing, etc.) that the rhetoric of e-government has promised. The study suggests there are some widely shared barriers (lack of financial, technical, and personnel capacities) and legal issues (such as privacy) to the progress of municipal e-government. This study also indicates that city size and manager-council government are positively associated with the adoption of a municipal Web site as well as the longevity of the Web site.
The Use of an Erectogenic Pharmacotherapy Regimen Following Radical Prostatectomy Improves Recovery of Spontaneous Erectile Function

ABSTRACT Purpose It has been suggested that postradical prostatectomy (RP) erectile function outcomes are improved by early use of erectogenic medications. This analysis was designed to assess the ability of a post‐RP vasoactive drug program to improve long‐term spontaneous erectile function. Methods Men with functional preoperative erections who underwent RP were challenged early postoperatively with oral sildenafil. Nonresponders were switched to intracavernosal injection therapy (ICI). Patients were instructed to inject three times a week. Only patients who presented within 6 months post RP, who completed the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire on at least three separate occasions after surgery, and who had been followed for at least 18 months were included. Data from men who were committed to rehabilitation were compared with those of men who did not follow the protocol but continued to be followed serially following RP. Results There were 58 patients in the rehabilitation (R) group and 74 in the nonrehabilitation (NR) group. No differences existed in mean patient age, comorbidity profile, intraoperative nerve sparing status, or postoperative erectile hemodynamics between the two groups. At 18 months post RP, there were statistically significant differences between the two groups in the percentage of patients who were capable of having medication‐unassisted intercourse (R = 52% vs. NR = 19%, P P P P P P = 0.02); and the percentage of patients responding to ICI (R = 95% vs. NR = 76%, P Conclusions The data generated from this nonrandomized study indicate that a pharmacologic penile rehabilitation protocol results in higher rates of spontaneous functional erections and erectogenic drug response after RP.
Girl, Repeatedly Interrupted: The Case of a Young Adult Woman With ADHD

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most prevalent behavioral disorder among children in the United States. Although symptoms may remit over time for some individuals diagnosed with ADHD in childhood, a significant number continue to report clinically significant impairment into adolescence and adulthood. The specific difficulties encountered by adults with ADHD are just starting to be understood and studied. In particular, the long-standing difficulties encountered by females first identified with ADHD in adulthood have apparently been greatly underreported. The goal of this article is to discuss the case of a young woman, Amanda, who is first diagnosed with ADHD after encountering difficulties during her freshman year of college. Her case demonstrates the importance of an accurate diagnosis and the benefit of a course of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy combined with standard pharmacotherapy for adult ADHD.
Characterization of the interactions of fluorescent probes with proteins: coumarin 153 and 1,8-ANS in complex with holo- and apomyoglobin.

Abstract In order to provide a thorough characterization of a system with which to study the dielectric response of a protein, a well-defined system complex of a fluorescent probe and protein is required. We have argued that such a system is provided by coumarin 153 and apomyoglobin (Photochem. Photobiol. 79, 440–446 [2004]). In order to demonstrate further that coumarin 153 exhibits negligible nonspecific binding to the surface of apomyoglobin, we study its interactions with both the apo and holo proteins. We further make a similar comparison with 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid, for which an NMR structure with apomyoglobin has been obtained. Our results confirm the appropriateness of the system of coumarin 153 and apomyoglobin for the investigation of solvation by the protein matrix.
For God and Country: Taxing Conscience

Although the majority may rule in American democracy, the voice of the minority is not silent. The United States honors and protects the voice of the minority, so much so that the voice of dissent has been called the organizing symbol of the First Amendment. One of the most honored and protected voices in this country is that of the conscientious objector to war. Some conscientious objectors refuse to pay all or part of their taxes because they believe it is just as immoral for them to pay for bullets as it is to shoot them. Currently, Congress treats these war tax resisters, or peace taxpayers as they are sometimes called, in the same manner as all other tax protesters, including those who claim wages are not income or that they are not citizens of the United States. This Article argues that this treatment is wrong for the war tax resisters and wrong for the country. A peace tax fund would ameliorate this situation for all parties concerned by allowing war tax resisters to pay their entire tax liability without any of it being used for military purposes. Conscientious objectors would benefit because they would no longer have to make a choice between their consciences and the law. The country as a whole would benefit through decreased compliance costs, increased revenues, and increased respect for the tax system. Contrary to the Treasury's concerns, a peace tax fund would not create undue administrative burdens on the IRS, nor would it open the floodgates to other taxpayers claiming the right to specify where their tax dollars should go. Although the First Amendment, as currently interpreted, does not require that conscientious objectors to war be treated differently from other taxpayers, Congress may make such accommodations. Indeed, as Justice Scalia noted in Employment Department of Human Resources of Oregon v. Smith, 492 U.S. 872, 890 (1990), it is natural for Congress to enact legislation promoting this country's deeply rooted values. Current tax law already contains some accommodations for religious beliefs generally. Congress has also specifically displayed concern for conscientious objectors, not just for their own benefit but also for the benefit of the entire country. In Gillette v. United States, 401 U.S, 437, 445 (1971), the Supreme Court stated that the conscientious objector's exemption from the draft stemmed from congressional "recognition of the value of conscientious action to the democratic community at large, and from respect for the general proposition that fundamental principles of conscience and religious duty may sometimes override the demands of the secular state." By enacting a Peace Tax Fund Congress would once again benefit the greater democracy as well as the individual taxpayers who conscientiously object to war.
Parochiaid and the abortion decisions: Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan Jr. versus the U.S. Catholic hierarchy.

US Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan Jr. a Catholic was appointed in 1956. Some people doubted his ability to uphold the US Constitution in those cases where the Catholic church disagreed with the Constitution. 34 years on the Court shows that he faithfully observed the mandates of the Constitution even when the US Catholic leadership and the Vatican did not agree with the outcome. Brennan believes in a judiciary especially a Supreme Court that uniquely protects rights and liberties. His opinions in 2 major categories before the Supreme Court illustrate his dedication to individual rights: government aid to parochial schools and abortion rights. In Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971) Brennan concluded that government subsidy of religious schools is an impermissible involvement of secular with religious institutions thereby making it unconstitutional for Rhode Island to pay 15% of teachers salary in parochial schools. US Catholic bishops said that this decision violated the right of parents to educate their children in parochial schools. Justice Brennan and the majority of the Court upheld the Lemon ruling in 1973 (the Committee for Public Education and Religious Liberty v. Nyquist). US Catholic leaders wanted the abortion law to conform with Catholic teaching so they firmly opposed the Courts decision legalizing abortion in 1973 (Roe v. Wade). Justice Brennan voted with the majority because the case was based on the constitutional right to privacy. The Catholic church called for its members to use all available means to obtain reversal of this decision. Church leaders said that they would excommunicate any woman who secured an abortion. Some said that even Justice Brennan should be excommunicated. He has never publicly expressed his personal views on abortion and has admitted that he had put his religion aside in deciding abortion cases. After his retirement from the Court in 1990 he said that he never believed his Court opinions were wrong.
Interface Temperatures and Temperature Gradients in Silicon During Pulsed Laser Irradiation

Nanosecond-resolution x-ray diffraction has been used to measure the interface and lattice temperatures of silicon during rapid, pulsed-laser induced melting and regrowth in silicon. Measurements have been carried out on and oriented silicon using the (100) and (111) reflections to measure the thermal strain during 30 ns, 1.1 J/cm 2 KrF laser pulses. The results indicate overheating to be low ( and orientations, respectively. Observations of higher than expected temperature gradients below the liquidsolid interface have been discussed in terms of restricted heat flow under high gradients.
Exporting Spatial Externalities

Using spatial econometrics, we estimate the effect of externalities generated by neighbors’ exports on place-level exports, explicitly modeling the distance to those neighbors. We find there is a positive effect of neighbors’ exports on exports to the same country but less so for exporting generally. We also find that using a spatial-weights term based on the physical distance between exporters greatly outperforms a dichotomous measure based on exporters in the same region. The results are robust to alternative definitions of the spatial weight.
Comparison and Standardization of the Urine Microscopic Examination

The purpose of this study was to determine which of three methods of urine sediment preparation and examination achieves the best accuracy and precision. A comparison of the Kova System, the T-System, and an “inhouse” system using a conical plastic centrifuge tube was performed. Ninetyeight urine specimens were examined. The mean values of the number of white blood cells, red blood cells, and casts were calculated and false-negative findings were identified. Ten technologists performed urine sediment examinations of aliquots of the same urine by the three systems. Reproducibility of one specimen by the ten technologists for each method was determined by calculating the mean, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation. Of the three systems studied, only the T-System demonstrates the accuracy, sensitivity, and precision required for standardization of the urine microscopic examination.
Logging Recognition Method of Mesozoic and Cainozoic Group Volcanites in Dawa Oilfield

Volcanites in Dawa Oilfield are distributed in Fangshenpao Formation and Mesozoic group by investigating with K-Ar isotopic analysis method, equation is established for identifying Mesozoic and Cainozoic formations in Dawa Oilfield by using logging data, on the basis of stratigraphic classification, well logging recognition equation and chart board are established for volcanites . The result of application shows that the method is of prompt and high accuracy for volcanites recognition.
Monooxo-Capped Tritungsten Carboxylate Clusters.

An improved method for the preparation of the monooxotritungsten hexaacetate cluster (IIIa) is described starting with Na tungstate (I) as demonstrated in the scheme.
Pumps and Prompts for Gist Explanations in Tutorial Dialogues About Breast Cancer

Fuzzy-Trace Theory (FTT) generalizes research on discourse to predict how health messages can be better understood and remembered, thereby influencing decision making. Applying FTT, BRCA Gist delivers messages interactively through tutorial dialogues and is the first Intelligent Tutoring System designed to help laypeople make sound medical decisions. Previous research indicates that BRCA Gist helps people form useful “gist explanations,” which leads to improved knowledge, comprehension, and risk assessment. The present research examined the effectiveness of different BRCA Gist dialogue moves, including general pumps for information and prompts for specific information. Participants were randomly assigned to a control group or one of four BRCA Gist conditions evoking gist or verbatim representations crossed with general pumps or specific information prompts. Gist-evoking pumps by themselves produced significant gains in knowledge and risk assessment. Specific verbatim prompts increased knowledge without af...
The Arrow of Gold

In considering The Arrow of Gold (1919), we need to ask why Conrad wrote it and why he failed. One reason he wrote it was that he believed the subject-matter would appeal to a larger audience. As Conrad aged, it became important to him to expand his audience: ‘As a matter of feeling—not as a matter of business—I want to be read by many eyes and by all kinds of them, at that’ (21 Dec 1918, LL, ii, p. 214). But his essential motives for writing The Arrow of Gold were to recapture the intense emotions of his youth and to affirm his belief in passionate love.
Insulin Sensitivity and Inflammation Mediate the Impact of Fitness on Cerebrovascular Health in Adolescents.

Abstract Background/Objectives: To investigate in adolescents the relationships between retinal vessel diameter, physical fitness, insulin sensitivity, and systemic inflammation. Methods: We evaluated 157 adolescents, 112 with excessive weight and 45 lean, all without type 2 diabetes mellitus. All received detailed evaluations, including measurements of retinal vessel diameter, insulin sensitivity, levels of inflammation, and physical fitness. Results: Overweight/obese adolescents had significantly narrower retinal arteriolar and wider venular diameters, significantly lower insulin sensitivity, and physical fitness. They also had decreased levels of anti-inflammatory and increased levels of proinflammatory markers as well as an overall higher inflammation balance score. Fitness was associated with larger retinal arteriolar and narrower venular diameters and these relationships were mediated by insulin sensitivity. We demonstrate that inflammation also mediates the relationship between fitness and retinal ...
Fine mapping of the SCN resistance QTL cqSCN-006 and cqSCN-007 from Glycine soja PI 468916

The majority of soybean cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines Ichinohe, SCN) resistant cultivars available to growers in the northern USA have resistance originating from PI 88788, which is losing its effectiveness to shifting SCN populations. The novel resistance quantitative trait loci (QTL) cqSCN-006 and cqSCN-007 were mapped from Glycine soja Sieb. and Zucc. plant introduction 468916. The objective of this study was to further narrow down these QTL intervals to improve the effectiveness of marker-assisted selection for resistance and to provide resources for cloning these genes. The fine mapping was initiated by screening recombinant plants using simple sequence repeat (SSR) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers that flank these QTL. Selected recombinant plants were tested with additional genetic markers saturating the QTL intervals and progeny from the recombinant plants were then tested for resistance in a SCN bioassay. These efforts resulted in the fine mapping of cqSCN-006 into a 212.1 kb interval and cqSCN-007 to a 103.2 kb interval on the Williams 82 reference genome (Glyma.Wm82.a2), which reduced the interval size compared to previous fine mapping by 74 and 30%. One gene located in the cqSCN-006 region was predicted to encode a γ-soluble N-ethylmaleimide–sensitive factor attachment protein, which is involved in the same process as α-SNAP, one of the required components in Rhg1 mediated SCN resistance. The identified SSR and SNP markers close to these novel SCN resistance QTL and the candidate gene information presented in this study will be significant resources for MAS and gene cloning research.
Effects of unequal capture probability on stock assessment abundance and mortality estimates: an example using the US Atlantic sea scallop fishery

Most stock assessment models assume that the probability of capture for all individuals of the same size or age in the stock area is equal. However, this assumption is rarely, if ever, satisfied. W...
Caveolae-localized L-type Ca2+ channels do not contribute to function or hypertrophic signalling in the mouse heart.

Aims L-type Ca2+ channels (LTCCs) in adult cardiomyocytes are localized to t-tubules where they initiate excitation-contraction coupling. Our recent work has shown that a subpopulation of LTCCs found at the surface sarcolemma in caveolae of adult feline cardiomyocytes can also generate a Ca2+ microdomain that activates nuclear factor of activated T-cells signaling and cardiac hypertrophy, although the relevance of this paradigm to hypertrophy regulation in vivo has not been examined. Methods and results Here we generated heart-specific transgenic mice with a putative caveolae-targeted LTCC activator protein that was ineffective in initiating or enhancing cardiac hypertrophy in vivo. We also generated transgenic mice with cardiac-specific overexpression of a putative caveolae-targeted inhibitor of LTCCs, and while this protein inhibited caveolae-localized LTCCs without effects on global Ca2+ handling, it similarly had no effect on cardiac hypertrophy in vivo. Cardiac hypertrophy was elicited by pressure overload for 2 or 12 weeks or with neurohumoral agonist infusion. Caveolae-specific LTCC activator or inhibitor transgenic mice showed no greater change in nuclear factor of activated T-cells activity after 2 weeks of pressure overload stimulation compared with control mice. Conclusion Our results indicate that LTCCs in the caveolae microdomain do not affect cardiac function and are not necessary for the regulation of hypertrophic signaling in the adult mouse heart.
Blastocyst transfer is not associated with increased unfavorable obstetric and perinatal outcomes compared with cleavage-stage embryo transfer.

Background: Recent studies demonstrated controversial results of whether there are risks in fetal outcomes after blastocyst-stage embryos transfer (BT) compared with cleavage-stage embryos transfer...
Quercivorol as a lure for the polyphagous and Kuroshio shot hole borers, Euwallacea spp. nr. fornicatus (Coleoptera: Scolytinae), vectors of Fusarium dieback

The polyphagous shot hole borer and Kuroshio shot hole borer, two members of the Euwallacea fornicatus species complex (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), are invasive ambrosia beetles that harbor distinct species of Fusarium fungal symbionts. Together with the damage caused by gallery construction, these two phytopathogenic Fusarium species are responsible for the emerging tree disease Fusarium dieback, which affects over 50 common tree species in Southern California. Host trees suffer branch dieback as the xylem is blocked by invading beetles and fungi, forcing the costly removal of dead and dying trees in urban areas. The beetles are also threatening natural riparian habitats, and avocado is susceptible to Fusarium dieback as well, resulting in damage to the avocado industries in California and Israel. Currently there are no adequate control mechanisms for shot hole borers. This paper summarizes efforts to find a suitable lure to monitor shot hole borer invasions and dispersal. Field trials were conducted in two counties in Southern California over a span of two years. We find that the chemical quercivorol is highly attractive to these beetles, and perform subsequent field experiments attempting to optimize this lure. We also explore other methods of increasing trap catch and effects of other potential attractants, as well as the deterrents verbenone and piperitone.
Inkjet printing of antennas on glass or solar cells

This paper demonstrates an effective method to print antennas on glass using an inkjet printer. Such a prototyping method is much cost effective and accurate compared to screen printing or clean room fabrication, and can be easily extended to print on wafers, plastics, or foams. Sample designs, printing, and results are presented.
Time to Compress the Time to First Compression

Out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), often described as the most time‐sensitive and life‐threatening medical condition, remains a major public health problem.[1][1] Survival remains low in most settings, with enormous variation in community outcomes.[2][2] Although several event
A 13.56-MHz CMOS Active Rectifier With a Voltage Mode Switched-Offset Comparator for Implantable Medical Devices

This paper presents low-power circuit techniques for comparators and controllers to reduce increasing power loss of an active diode with offset/delay calibration in a 13.56-MHz CMOS active rectifier. Unlike a conventional switched-offset comparator, the proposed voltage-mode switched-offset comparator reuses its bias current to generate continuously adjustable offset voltage, thereby reducing power loss. Offset calibration for accurate switching is adopted to improve power conversion efficiency (PCE) and voltage conversion ratio (VCR). The proposed switch controller for offset calibration uses dynamic logic circuits and reduces power overhead that NOR-based set-reset latches and edge detectors of conventional switch controllers cause. Under 200- ${\Omega }$ loading and 5-V output, the proposed comparator and controller reduce power consumption by up to 73% and 24% in simulations compared with the conventional comparator and controller, respectively. This paper is implemented with 5-V devices of a 0.35- ${\mu }\mathrm {m}$ CMOS process to support high voltage. A peak PCE of 89.0%, a peak VCR of 90.1%, and a maximum output power of 126.7 mW are measured for 200- ${\Omega }$ loading.
Contemplating Cruel and Unusual: A Critical Analysis of Baze v. Rees in the Context of the Supreme Court's Eighth Amendment Proportionality Jurisprudence

This Comment argues that, while the Court’s modern Eighth Amendment jurisprudence has gradually reduced the circumstances under which the death penalty may be imposed, this trend is inconsistent with the Court’s unwillingness to critically examine the specific procedures states use to execute, even in the face of growing concerns over the humaneness of such procedures. Part I gives a historic overview of the Court’s limited method-of-execution jurisprudence, followed by a review of the Court’s recent line of rulings on challenges to the death penalty’s proportionality. Part II analyzes Baze within the broader context of the Court’s Eight Amendment proportionality jurisprudence. It specifically argues that the Court’s gradual restriction of the administration of the death penalty with respect to certain classes of offenders and categories of crimes is inconsistent with its near indifference to the specific procedures states use to execute. Part III discusses the implications of the Baze decision and concludes with recommendations for states going forward with lethal injection and courts reviewing method-of-execution challenges.
The Neural Basis of General Equilibrium Theory

In the years following publication of Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations (1776), there was a movement to further refine his concepts. Additionally, scholars sought to move economics from the status of a moral science to that of a positive or objective science. The model chosen was, of course, physics. The monumental work of Isaac Newton (1642–1727) with his laws of gravity and the motion of heavenly bodies, was the natural inspiration. Economists sought to discover the natural clock-like laws of the universe that drove the market to equilibrium—like the forces of physical nature and the dramatically precise mathematical calculus that had been developed to describe them.
Including Students with Deaf-Blindness in General Education Classes:

This article describes three field-tested approaches to planning educational programs in an inclusive setting for students who are deaf-blind, making decisions about support services, and developin...
Derivatives in Vector Spaces

Exercise XVII.1.1 Let E be a vector space and let v1,…, vn ∈ E. Assume that every element of E has a unique expression as a linear combination \({{x}_{1}}{{v}_{1}} + \cdots + {{x}_{n}}{{v}_{n}}\) with xi ∈ R. That is, given v ∈ E, there exist unique numbers xi ∈ R such that $$v = {{x}_{1}}{{v}_{1}} + \cdots + {{x}_{n}}{{v}_{n}}.$$
Application of the Multi-stage Protocol in IEEE 802.11i

This chapter extends the application space of the multi-stage multi-photon protocol to wireless communication. In particular, it examines the viability of using the multi-stage multi-photon protocol for secure key distribution in the IEEE 802.11i protocol.
Killing in the Slums: Social Order, Criminal Governance, and Police Violence in Rio de Janeiro

State interventions against organized criminal groups (OCGs) sometimes work to improve security, but often exacerbate violence. To understand why, this article offers a theory about criminal governance in five types of criminal regimes—Insurgent, Bandit, Symbiotic, Predatory, and Split. These differ according to whether criminal groups confront or collude with state actors, abuse or cooperate with the community, and hold a monopoly or contest territory with rival OCGs. Police interventions in these criminal regimes pose different challenges and are associated with markedly different local security outcomes. We provide evidence of this theory by using a multimethod research design combining quasi-experimental statistical analyses, automated text analysis, extensive qualitative research, and a large-N survey in the context of Rio de Janeiro’s “Pacifying Police Units” (UPPs), which sought to reclaim control of the favelas from criminal organizations.
Non-Keratinizing Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma with Adenomatous Differentiation.

A case of non-keratinizing, EBV-positive (EBER-in situ hybridization), carcinoma with adenomatous differentiation is presented. The patient is a 40 year old male with T2N2M0 disease who received standard combined chemo- and radiotherapy with complete resolution of all tumor. The tumor cells were strongly positive for low-molecular weight cytokeratins (AE1–3) and scattered cells expressed cytokeratin 20. No expression of cytokeratin 5/6, 7, p63, TTF-1, CDX2 or androgen receptor was detected. There was no evidence of recurrence or disease progression on follow-up after 19 months, which included post treatment MRI and PET–CT scans.
Primate microbiomes over time: Longitudinal answers to standing questions in microbiome research

To date, most insights into the processes shaping vertebrate gut microbiomes have emerged from studies with cross-sectional designs. While this approach has been valuable, emerging time series analyses on vertebrate gut microbiomes show that gut microbial composition can change rapidly from 1 day to the next, with consequences for host physical functioning, health, and fitness. Hence, the next frontier of microbiome research will require longitudinal perspectives. Here we argue that primatologists, with their traditional focus on tracking the lives of individual animals and familiarity with longitudinal fecal sampling, are well positioned to conduct research at the forefront of gut microbiome dynamics. We begin by reviewing some of the most important ecological processes governing microbiome change over time, and briefly summarizing statistical challenges and approaches to microbiome time series analysis. We then introduce five questions of general interest to microbiome science where we think field-based primate studies are especially well positioned to fill major gaps: (a) Do early life events shape gut microbiome composition in adulthood? (b) Do shifting social landscapes cause gut microbial change? (c) Are gut microbiome phenotypes heritable across variable environments? (d) Does the gut microbiome show signs of host aging? And (e) do gut microbiome composition and dynamics predict host health and fitness? For all of these questions, we highlight areas where primatologists are uniquely positioned to make substantial contributions. We review preliminary evidence, discuss possible study designs, and suggest future directions.
Monsoonal Forcing of Zooplankton Variability in the Arabian Sea: Acoustic Measurements

Abstract : Basic questions concerning how populations of zooplankton perceive and respond to their habitats can be studied using the contrasting monsoonal regimes of the Arabian Sea. The biological transition in the upwelling area within 600 kilometers of the Oman coast from low productivity in April/May to high productivity in July-September is rapid, owing largely to the preadapted condition of the dominant zooplankton which persist throughout the non-upwelling seasons as late stage subadults in diapause. The rapid and widespread (Somalia to Oman) response of the zooplankton make it imperative that we maximize the use of high-frequency acoustic methods for estimating pelagic biomass. Our research objectives are: 1) to quantify seasonal and spatial variability in the biomass and community structure of mesozooplankton in the coastal upwelling regions of the Arabian Sea (Oman and Somalia), 2) to describe how the physical forcing creates the observed distributions, and 3) to quantify the effect of the oxygen minimum zone of the Arabian Sea on vertical distribution and vertical migration.
Ciliary neurotrophic factor signaling in the rat orbitofrontal cortex ameliorates stress-induced deficits in reversal learning

Deficits in cognitive flexibility, i.e. the ability to modify behavior in response to changes in the environment, are present in several psychiatric disorders and are often refractory to treatment. However, improving treatment response has been hindered by a lack of understanding of the neurobiology of cognitive flexibility. Using a rat model of chronic stress (chronic intermittent cold stress, CIC) that produces selective deficits in reversal learning, a form of cognitive flexibility dependent on orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) function, we have previously shown that JAK2 signaling is required for optimal reversal learning. In this study we explore the molecular basis of those effects. We show that, within the OFC, CIC stress reduces the levels of phosphorylated JAK2 and of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), a promoter of neuronal survival and an activator of JAK2 signaling, and that neutralizing endogenous CNTF with an intra-OFC microinjection of a specific antibody is sufficient to produce reversal-learning deficits similar to stress. Intra-OFC delivery of recombinant CNTF to CIC-stressed rats, at a dose that induces JAK2 and Akt but not STAT3 or ERK, ameliorates reversal-learning deficits, and Akt blockade prevents the positive effects of CNTF. Further analysis revealed that CNTF may exert its beneficial effects by inhibiting GSK3β, a substrate of Akt and a regulator of protein degradation. We also revealed a novel mechanism of CNTF action through modulation of p38/Mnk1/eIF4E signaling. This cascade controls translation of select mRNAs, including those encoding several plasticity-related proteins. Thus, we suggest that CNTF-driven JAK2 signaling corrects stress-induced reversal learning deficits by modulating the steady-state levels of plasticity-related proteins in the OFC.
Poly(lactic acid) Toughening through Chain End Engineering

The intrinsic brittleness of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) has hindered its widespread use in many structural applications. Various strategies have been developed to toughen PLA; however, most of the met...
Structural basis for heme-dependent NCoR binding to the transcriptional repressor REV-ERBβ

Heme is the endogenous ligand for the constitutively repressive REV-ERB nuclear receptors, REV-ERBα (NR1D1) and REV-ERBβ (NR1D2), but how heme regulates REV-ERB activity remains unclear. While cellular studies indicate heme is required for the REV-ERBs to bind the corepressor NCoR and repress transcription, fluorescence-based biochemical assays and crystal structures suggest that heme displaces NCoR. Here, we show that heme artifactually influences detection of NCoR interaction in fluorescence-based assays. However, using fluorescence-independent methods, isothermal titration calorimetry and NMR spectroscopy, we demonstrate that heme directly increases REV-ERBβ ligand-binding domain (LBD) binding affinity for NCoR. We further report two crystal structures of REV-ERBβ LBD cobound to heme and NCoR peptides, which reveal the structural basis for heme-dependent NCoR binding to REV-ERBβ. By resolving previous contradictory biochemical, structural, and cellular studies, our findings should facilitate renewed progress toward understanding heme-dependent REV-ERB activity.
A memory-based theory of emotional disorders

Learning and memory play a central role in psychopathology, particularly in depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. We present a new, transdiagnostic theory of how memory and mood interact in emotional disorders. Drawing upon retrieved-context models of episodic memory, we propose that memories form associations with the contexts in which they are encoded, including emotional valence and arousal. Later, encountering contextual cues retrieves their associated memories, which in turn reactivate the context that was present during encoding. We first show how our retrieved-context model accounts for findings regarding the organization of emotional memories in list-learning experiments. We then show how this model predicts clinical phenomena, including persistent negative mood after chronic stressors, intrusive memories of painful events, and the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapies.
Synchrotron Radiation Fundamentals

Synchrotron radiation has many useful properties, including high-average power, narrow angular collimation, and a spectral range that can include peak output across the X-ray region. These properties all derive from the fact that the particles are relativistic, traveling very close to the speed of light. For most users, a qualitative understanding of the terms and concepts in the next section will suffice.
Ghana’s Bui Hydropower Dam and Linkage Creation Challenges

This study examines the issues of linkage development pertaining to the Bui Hydropower Dam.1 Completed in 2013, the 400-megawatt hydropower facility was touted by the government to catalyse Ghana’s...
Literature, print culture, and media technologies, 1880–1920: many inventions

Contemporary scholar-teachers of nineteenth-century literature and media theory are paradoxically invigorated and overwhelmed by the sheer volume of alluring content disseminated for our intellectu...
Methods to address self-selection and reverse causation in studies of neighborhood environments and brain health

Preliminary evidence suggests that neighborhood environments, such as socioeconomic disadvantage, pedestrian and physical activity infrastructure, and availability of neighborhood destinations (e.g., parks), may be associated with late-life cognitive functioning and risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders (ADRD). The supposition is that these neighborhood characteristics are associated with factors such as mental health, environmental exposures, health behaviors, and social determinants of health that in turn promote or diminish cognitive reserve and resilience in later life. However, observed associations may be biased by self-selection or reverse causation, such as when individuals with better cognition move to denser neighborhoods because they prefer many destinations within walking distance of home, or when individuals with deteriorating health choose residences offering health services in neighborhoods in rural or suburban areas (e.g., assisted living). Research on neighborhood environments and ADRD has typically focused on late-life brain health outcomes, which makes it difficult to disentangle true associations from associations that result from reverse causality. In this paper, we review study designs and methods to help reduce bias due to reverse causality and self-selection, while drawing attention to the unique aspects of these approaches when conducting research on neighborhoods and brain aging.