cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intergenerational transfer of smoking across three generations and forty-five years.

Objectives: Although many have examined the linkages between smoking behaviors across 2 generations, few have examined these linkages among 3 generations. Methods: U.S. population representative data for 3 generations were drawn from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) in order to examine whether smoking behaviors are passed down from generation to generation and the magnitude of the influence of smoking behaviors across generations (N = 830). r esults: Results indicate direct linkages between both grandparent (G1) and parent (G2) smoking (OR = 4.53; 95% CI = 2.57– 7.97) and parent (G2) and young adult offspring (G3) smoking (OR = 2.91; 95% CI = 1.60–5.31). Although the direct link between grandparent (G1) and grandchildren (G3) was not significant (OR = 2.25; 95% CI = 0.96–5.23, p < .10), mediation analyses reveal that the link between G3 and G1 smoking is significantly mediated by G2 smoking. conclusions: Regardless of generation, parent smoking behavior has a direct influence on offspring smoking behavior. The link between grandparent (G1) and grandchild (G3) smoking is mediated by parent (G2) smoking, suggesting that smoking behavior is passed from one generation to the next generation and in turn to the next generation.
Stratification, School-Work Linkages and Vocational Education

Building on more classical status attainment and reproduction perspectives, this article examines the extent of class, race and gender inequality in high school vocational education, and the consequences for students' later educational and occupational trajectories. Analyses demonstrate significant class, race and gender disparities in vocational educational placement, even after accounting for prior achievement and educational expectations. The implications of these patterns are striking. Vocational involvement increases the likelihood of dropping out of high school and significantly decreases college attendance. While vocational training does reduce unemployment spells later on, this is less true for non-whites and women, who tend to be placed in service sector vocational training and, consequently, similar jobs. We conclude by denoting, at a more general theoretical level, the need to further explore how occupational stratification and concentration may be fostered prior to labor market entry, and by educational institutional processes often assumed to be neutral.
Probabilistic video stabilization using Kalman filtering and mosaicing

The removal of unwanted, parasitic vibrations in a video sequence induced by camera motion is an essential part of video acquisition in industrial, military and consumer applications. In this paper, we present a new image processing method to remove such vibrations and reconstruct a video sequence void of sudden camera movements. Our approach to separating unwanted vibrations from intentional camera motion is based on a probabilistic estimation framework. We treat estimated parameters of interframe camera motion as noisy observations of the intentional camera motion parameters. We construct a physics-based state-space model of these interframe motion parameters and use recursive Kalman filtering to perform stabilized camera position estimation. A six-parameter affine model is used to describe the interframe transformation, allowing quite accurate description of typical scene changes due to camera motion. The model parameters are estimated using a p-norm-based multi-resolution approach. This approach is robust to model mismatch and to object motion within the scene (which are treated as outliers). We use mosaicking in order to reconstruct undefined areas that result from motion compensation applied to each video frame. Registration between distant frames is performed efficiently by cascading interframe affine transformation parameters. We compare our method' s performance with that of a commercial product on real-life video sequences, and show a significant improvement in stabilization quality for our method.
Synthesis and redox reactivity of a phosphine-ligated dichromium paddlewheel

Abstract A pentadentate ligand platform, bis[2-(diisopropylphosphino-methylamino)phenyl]ether (1), abbreviated as H2(PNONP), is introduced that enables the isolation of homodinuclear chromium complexes. In a one-step metalation using Cr(III) and Cr(II) chloride reagents, the bimetallic compounds, [Cr(μ-Cl)(PNONP)]2 (2) and [Cr(PNONP)]2 (3), respectively, were synthesized. These complexes have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, NMR spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, magnetometry, UV–Vis–NIR spectroscopy, combustion analysis, and computational methods. Complex 3 has a reasonably short Cr–Cr bond length of 2.1342(5) A. Quantum chemical calculations support a diradical singlet ground-state with a formal triple bond between the chromium centers. By cyclic voltammetry, 3 exhibits two reversible oxidations at E½ = −470 and −750 mV versus FeCp20/+. The one- and two-electron oxidized analogues, 3+ and 32+, were generated in situ via chemical oxidation using ferrocenium. Based on in situ characterization of 3+ and 32+, we hypothesize the oxidations are metal-based to yield Cr25+ and Cr26+ cores, respectively.
A Pronoun Anaphora Resolution System based on Factorial Hidden Markov Models

This paper presents a supervised pronoun anaphora resolution system based on factorial hidden Markov models (FHMMs). The basic idea is that the hidden states of FHMMs are an explicit short-term memory with an antecedent buffer containing recently described referents. Thus an observed pronoun can find its antecedent from the hidden buffer, or in terms of a generative model, the entries in the hidden buffer generate the corresponding pronouns. A system implementing this model is evaluated on the ACE corpus with promising performance.
ISOLATION OF A CRYSTALLINE PROTEIN COMPOUND OF TRYPSIN AND OF SOYBEAN TRYPSIN-INHIBITOR

A crystalline protein compound has been isolated from a solution containing crystalline trypsin and crystalline soybean inhibitor. The protein consists of about equal weights of trypsin and of the inhibitor. Denaturation by heat or by alkali resolves the compound into its components.
Policy Information and the Polarization of American Social Policy Preferences

A burgeoning literature has found that “submerged” social policies – those delivered through non-state actors or the tax code – are less visible to citizens, meaning that citizens are less capable of forming informed preferences about those policies. But even non-submerged policies provided directly by the state can be highly complex. In these cases, how does the provision of policy-specific information change individuals’ opinions about the social program? We examine how the provision of information about the rules governing unemployment insurance affects individuals’ preferences for, and perceptions of, unemployment insurance benefits using a survey experiment. We find that policy-specific information produces a moderating effect on individuals’ opinions, making conservatives more likely to hold more liberal attitudes about program features and beneficiaries while making liberals hold more conservative attitudes. Our results are strongest for those individuals who were less knowledgeable about the program before our experiment. We thus argue that the polarization of public opinion regarding social programs like unemployment insurance is shaped, in part, by the availability of policy-specific information disseminated by the state and other actors, such as interest groups and the media.
Gateways and Pathways in Civil Procedure

Over the past thirty years, the United States Supreme Court and the Judicial Conference have modified the Rules of Civil Procedure to address concerns that litigation costs too much, takes too long, and leads to unjust results. The Supreme Court’s opinions have focused primarily on fortifying what I refer to as the “gateways” of civil procedure – including motions to dismiss, for class certification, and for summary judgment – where judges can dismiss cases that do not meet the applicable standards, thereby eliminating additional cost and delay. The Judicial Conference, in contrast, has focused primarily on regulating what I call the “pathways” – non-dispositive, context-specific decisions during discovery and before trial – to target problems of cost and delay while allowing the case to proceed. Scholars have exhaustively dissected and debated these gateway and path-way changes but have paid less attention to what these conversations – and the underlying rules – share in common. This Article offers a unified framework with which to understand the Rules’ two contrasting strategies to achieve just and efficient outcomes and examines available evidence measuring their relative effectiveness at achieving their shared goals. Stepping back, the Article asks how best to understand the roles of gate-ways and pathways in civil process and the sensibility of proposals for re-form.
What Hath Gödel Wrought

Presentation des travaux de Godel en logique, philosophie, informatique, cosmologie et mathematiques. Se referant aux principaux commentaires de son oeuvre qui ont alimente les debats contemporains en arithmetique et en histoire de la logique moderne, l'A. evoque la question de l'indecidabilite des theoremes de la completude et de l'incompletude, d'une part, et mesure la contribution indirecte de Godel aux domaines de la physique, de la philosophie du temps et du computationnalisme, d'autre part
Recent Coverage of Early Childhood Education Approaches in Open Access Early Childhood Journals.

ABSTRACTA content analysis of the coverage of the major approaches to early childhood education in the early childhood research journals, published between 2010 and 2014, that are early childhood research oriented and have free online access were investigated. Among 21 journals in early childhood education, two journals were selected for the content analysis of the major approaches to early childhood education: Early Childhood Research and Practice and International Research in Early Childhood Education. These early childhood journals are the only journals that are fully online and available for free. The results showed that Head Start was the most frequently used approach that appeared in these journals followed by Reggio Emilia. The theory of Internet Information Gatekeepers guided this current research's theoretical framework. A brief overview of each approach was provided along with the significance of the study. Concerns about the ways approaches were mentioned in the studies were discussed.
What I Wish Theologians Understood About Markets and the Economists Who Study Them

It is well established that many well-intentioned Christian theologians and ethicists misunderstand God’s created economic order and discount the accumulated knowledge and expertise of economists — even Christian ones. Distrustful of modern economics, these ethicists understandably prescribe policies that are sometimes at odds with modern economics. I use this essay to convey what I wish theologians understood better about both God’s created market order and economists like me. I hope that any Christian reader skeptical about either markets or economists will gain a more accurate understanding of both, and be more receptive to economic ideas in the service of our Lord.
Density functional study of the electronic structure of dye-functionalized fullerenes and their model donor-acceptor complexes containing P3HT

We study the electronic structure of C60 fullerenes functionalized with a thiophene-diketo-pyrrolopyrrole-thiophene based chromophore using density functional theory combined with large polarized basis sets. As the attached chromophore has electron donor character, the functionalization of the fullerene leads to a donor-acceptor (DA) system. We examine in detail the effect of the linker and the addition site on the electronic structure of the functionalized fullerenes. We further study the electronic structure of these DA complexes with a focus on the charge transfer excitations. Finally, we examine the interface of the functionalized fullerenes with the widely used poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) donor. Our results show that all functionalized fullerenes with an exception of the C60-pyrrolidine [6,6], where the pyrrolidine is attached at a [6,6] site, have larger electron affinities relative to the pristine C60 fullerene. We also estimate the quasi-particle gap, lowest charge transfer excitation energy, and the exciton binding energies of the functionalized fullerene-P3MT model systems. Results show that the exciton binding energies in these model complexes are slightly smaller compared to a similarly prepared phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM)-P3MT complex.
Not all musicians are creative: Creativity requires more than simply playing music

Musical training has been found to be associated with increased creativity. However, it is not clear whether increased creativity, particularly divergent thinking, is associated with music expertise due to knowledge and skill, or if increased creativity arises from participation in the creation of music through practices such as improvisation and composition. This study investigated how level of music expertise and engagement in the creation of music relate to divergent thinking in musically trained adults (musicians). Sixty participants of varying music expertise were tested for divergent thinking using a modified version of Guilford’s (1967) alternative uses task, in which participants listed creative uses for two music items and two non-music items. Results indicate that musicians who create music listed more creative uses for music items than non-musicians and musicians who do not create music. For non-music items, participants did not display differences in divergent thinking.
Asthma: an analysis of high-cost patients.

OBJECTIVE To examine characteristics of asthma patients who accounted for 80 percent of national expenditures in 1994 dollars. STUDY DESIGN Data were extracted from a comprehensive data source, the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey (NMES) of approximately 35,000 individuals. PATIENTS AND METHODS Persons of interest were identified using any occurrence of the ICD-9 code 493 or subcategories. Population weighting factors were used to estimate the population in the United States who sought care for the treatment of asthma. Two groups were identified: a high-cost group, which accounted for 80 percent of the direct medical expenditures, and a low-cost group, which represented 20 percent of expenditures. All analyses were performed using SUDAAN software, which takes into account the complex sampling design used in NMES. RESULTS Individuals who rated their health as poor or fair were more likely to be in the high-cost group, as compared with those who rated their health as good or excellent (p < .0009). Persons who reported having Medicare, other government, or private insurance were more likely to be in the high-cost group as compared to those with Medicaid and self-pay (p = .01). A person was more likely to be in the high-cost group if he or she used four or more different medications to treat asthma (p < .0001). CONCLUSIONS Persons with asthma are more likely to have greater medical expenditures if they use four or more medications and have deteriorated health status. Managed care organizations and public programs may find these characteristics useful in targeting asthma prevention and management programs.
Time-Resolved Photoelectron Spectra of CS 2 : Dynamics at Conical Intersections

We report results of the application of a fully ab initio approach for simulating time-resolved molecular-frame photoelectron angular distributions around conical intersections in ${\mathrm{CS}}_{2}$. The technique employs wave packet densities obtained with the multiple spawning method in conjunction with geometry- and energy-dependent photoionization matrix elements. The robust agreement of these results with measured molecular-frame photoelectron angular distributions for ${\mathrm{CS}}_{2}$ demonstrates that this technique can successfully elucidate, and disentangle, the underlying nuclear and photoionization dynamics around conical intersections in polyatomic molecules.
Expanding Contractures of the Tunica Albuginea due to Peyronie’s Disease with Temporalis Fascia Free Grafts

We describe a procedure to expand contractures of the tunica albuginea by multiple full thickness relaxing incisions followed by inlay of tailored temporalis fascia free grafts. This technique is performed without resection of the tunica albuginea, although in the case of calcified plaques the calcifications themselves are removed, preserving the overlying tunica. Between September 1988 and February 1990, 12 patients have undergone this procedure, all of whom have greater than 3 months of followup and have experienced spontaneous erections within the first week postoperatively. Of the patients 11 resumed intercourse within 8 weeks of surgery and 1 required 12 weeks. No patient had sensory loss postoperatively and there has been no donor site morbidity. Correction of curvature was accomplished in all patients and there have been no recurrences within a maximal followup of 22 months. Within the limitations of such a small study we believe that there is evidence supporting this approach in potent patients with severe acquired penile curvature.
Tissue ingrowth and the rigid heart valve. Review of clinical and experimental experience during the past year.

Summary and conclusions Analysis of the data accruing from the present series of investigations provides answers to some of the questions raised in the introduction. 1. Some increase in tissue build-up has been noted on the outside of the frame beyond 1 year, but this has never interfered with valve function. Apparently the high velocity of flow as well as the constant ball motion continue to keep the tissue layers thin on the inflow orifice and inside of the struts. 2. Anticoagulants have not been demonstrated to be harmful to the development of the tissue layers, and even appear to be beneficial by making the initial platelet-fibrin deposit thinner, thereby accelerating the completion of the tissue encapsulation. 3. The timetable for the development of complete autologous tissue layers is slower in man than in either the growing calf or adult dog, and anticoagulation for at least 6 months after operation is probably desirable. 4. The use of poppets made of hard non-elastomeric materials does not necessarily produce an unacceptable imbalance between tissue buid-up on the valve and fabric wear in prostheses of the ball-valve design. 5. Preliminary postoperative hemodynamic data indicate that the Model 2300 aortic prosthesis may, in some patients, be or become stenotic. Modification of the fabric covering and/or the frame of this prosthesis may become necessary. 6. The weight of the evidence in the human to date indicates that the complete fabric covering of all rigid nonmoving parts of a prosthetic valve offers protection against thromboembolism and is a significant improvement over the uncovered valve. There was only one embolic episode in 23 patients in whom covered valves were used for isolated mitral replacement; 15 of these patients have been followed for at least 6 months, and 2 for over 14 months. However, use of thinner fabrics to serve as coverings for the frames is necessary if the hemodynamic function of these modified rigid prostheses is to be kept in the acceptable range for recommended clinical application.
All-Electronic Generation of Sub-Picosecond Shock-Waves and Their Application to a Terahertz Spectroscopy System

We have developed electronic circuits that generate and detect subpicosecond shock-waves. We have used these circuits with integrated antennas in a system capable of free space spectroscopy with greater than 10 dB signal to noise from 5 GHz to 1 THz. This system was used to characterize a submillimeter wave filter from 6.4 GHz to 1 THz. In particular, 250-375 GHz measurements are demonstrated with 2 dB accuracy over a 20 dB dynamic range.
Delayed subarachnoid hemorrhage 7 years after cerebellar infarction from traumatic vertebral artery dissection

Vertebral artery dissection (VAD) is an important cause of ischemic stroke and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Dissections presenting with ischemia rarely cause SAH after more than a few hours, especially without radiographic evidence of pseudoaneurysm. We successfully treated a patient for persistent vessel injury presenting with SAH 7 years after presenting with extracranial subocclusive dissection of the right vertebral artery and an associated right posterior inferior cerebellar artery stroke. This is one of only three reported cases of delayed SAH occurring more than 2 weeks after an initial ischemic presentation of a VAD, and the only one without radiographic evidence of pseudoaneurysm at standard follow-up duration.
GPLVM and lava floor distance for label-deficient semi-supervised learning: Case study

Label-deficient semi-supervised learning is a challenging setting in which there is an abundance of unlabeled data but a dearth of labeled data. We propose a method for applying Gaussian process latent variable models (GPLVM) in a label-deficient setting, a method in which the discriminative GPLVM objective function trains a back-constraining neural network followed by a transformation into a semi-supervised classifier using the lava floor distance. We provide a case study that visually details the necessities and drawbacks of all of the components of the method, including the behavior of the standard GPLVM as a method of dimension reduction, the effect of adding small amounts of labeled data via discriminative GPLVM, and the characteristics of back-constrained GPLVM using neural networks built with various nonlinearities as a way of handling large data sizes. The method achieves 81% accuracy on unseen testing data compared to a standard support vector classifier trained on the same labeled points which achieves 70% accuracy.
The Cost of Accountability for Small Human Service Contractors

ABSTRACTHuman service contractors are an integral part of producing public services. Performance contracting over 30 years has increased accountability measures in order to mitigate transaction costs. Here we address whether the focus on accountability increases unreimbursed costs, something that is particularly harmful to small nonprofit contractors. Using a national survey of the government-nonprofit relationship, conducted by the Urban Institute in 2010, along with lagged financial indicators, we find that nonreimbursed costs associated with accountability harm human service nonprofits.
Racial Profiling and the War on Terror: Changing Trends and Perspectives

Minorities in the United States have often been treated unfairly by law enforcement agencies. Prior to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the United States, Blacks were the main victims of racial profiling. Since the terrorist attack, however, Arabs and Muslims are becoming the primary targets for profiling by law enforcement agencies. There are some remarkable similarities between the profiling of Blacks and the profiling of Arabs and Muslims. In both cases, the fundamental problems with racial profiling are that it violates the civil liberties of innocent people and denies minorities the equal protection of the law. The War on Terror has redefined racial profiling. It has not only led to a shift in the target population, but it has also changed the ways in which racial profiling is conducted.
Gut Microbiota and Bone Health

The past decade has seen an explosion of research in the area of how the bacteria that inhabit the human body impact health and disease. One of the more surprising concepts to emerge from this work is the ability of the intestinal microbiota to impact virtually all systems in the body. Recently, the role of gut bacteria in bone health and disease has received more significant attention. In this chapter, we review what has been learned about how the gut microbiome impacts bone health and discuss possible mechanisms of how the gut-bone axis may be connected. We also discuss the use of therapeutic microbes in the modulation of bone health. Finally, we propose an emerging field of the gut-brain-bone axis, in which the gut drives bone physiology via regulation of key hormones that are originally synthesized in the brain.
Colonialism and African Sexualities

Livermon provides a brief overview of how sexualities have been discussed in the African continent, making the argument that there is no one ‘African sexuality’, and that instead African sexualities emerge as discursive and political formations shaped by Africans themselves as much as by colonial formations. Importantly, the chapter charts new developments in the ways that African sexualities have been reimagined, with a particular focus on how scholars and activists have attempted to decolonize the field of African sexualities. Livermon argues that African Feminism and African Queer Studies are sites of contestation toward the production of new directions and alternative histories of African sexualities.
Cancer-associated mRNAs regulated by the Helix-Loop-Helix motif of human EIF3A

Author(s): Volegova, Marina | Advisor(s): Cate, Jamie H.D. | Abstract: Improper regulation of translation initiation, a vital check-point of protein synthesis in the cell, has been linked to a number of cancers. Overexpression of protein subunits of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3 (eIF3) has been associated with increased translation of mRNAs involved in cell proliferation. In addition to playing a major role in general translation initiation by serving as a scaffold for the assembly of translation initiation complexes, eIF3 regulates translation of specific cellular mRNAs and viral RNAs. Mutations in the N-terminal Helix-Loop-Helix (HLH) RNA-binding motif of the EIF3A subunit in eIF3 interfere with Hepatitis C Virus Internal Ribosome Entry Site (IRES) mediated translation initiation in vitro. Here we show that the EIF3A HLH motif controls translation of a small set of cellular transcripts enriched in oncogenic mRNAs, including MYC. We also demonstrate that the HLH motif of EIF3A acts specifically on the 5’-UTR of MYC mRNA and modulates the function of EIF4A1 on select transcripts during translation initiation. In Ramos lymphoma cell lines, which are dependent on MYC overexpression, mutations in the HLH motif greatly reduce MYC expression, impede proliferation and sensitize cells to anti-cancer compounds. These results reveal the potential of the EIF3A HLH motif in eIF3 as a promising chemotherapeutic target.
Mindfulness and Acceptance Interventions for Couples and Families

This chapter provides practical instructions for using mindfulness and acceptance intervention practices when working with couples and families. Practices for working with couples include facilitated mindful communication, mindful pause, listening deeply, loving-kindness meditation, compassionate life review, love dialogues, nonviolent speech, practicing together, and mindful sex and intimacy. Practices for working with families include parent–child attunement, slowing to the present moment, out-the-door mindfulness, mindful puppet enactments, narrating what is, “rocking” mindfulness practice, and mini-mindfulness and acceptance practices.
Cardiac arrest caused by coronary spasm in two patients during recovery from epidural anesthesia.

Background and Objectives In order to reduce the surgical stress on the heart, anesthesiologists frequently use regional anesthesia in patients with coronary artery disease. Methods Two patients underwent reconstructive peripheral vascular surgery under continuous epidural anesthesia with bupivacaine. During the surgery and later in the recovery room, they received continuous electrocardiographic (ECG), invasive arterial blood pressure, and oxyhemoglobin saturation monitoring. Results In both patients, the anesthetic course during surgery was uneventful, but while recovering from the anesthesia, they developed ECG changes consistent with myocardial ischemia, followed by malignant dysrhythmias and cardiac arrest. The clinical pictures, ECGs, coronary angiogram, and (in one patient) autopsy findings suggested coronary artery spasm as the cause of the malignant dysrhythmias and cardiac arrests. Conclusions It is possible that the coronary spasms were caused by an altered balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous activity during recovery from epidural anesthesia. Therefore, patients with coronary artery disease must be closely monitored for signs and symptoms of myocardial ischemia during the entire recovery period from epidural anesthesia.
Solving Sudoku puzzles: nifty course assignments

The puzzle game Sudoku has recently gained considerable popularity. The puzzle involves completing a grid of cells by assigning a single number to each cell (see description below). This type of puzzle is a good assignment candidate for use when teaching arrays and functions in a CS1 course. In an object oriented course, the puzzle may also be used to teach design patterns such as Visitor.There are several possibilities for coursework. The student could create a Sudoku solution verifier or write a simple puzzle solver.
Neurogenomics of Behavioral Plasticity

Across animals, there is remarkable diversity in behavior. Modern genomic approaches have made it possible to identify the molecular underpinnings of varied behavioral phenotypes. By examining species with plastic phenotypes we have begun to understand the dynamic and flexible nature of neural transcriptomes and identified gene modules associated with variation in social and reproductive behaviors in diverse species. Importantly, it is becoming increasingly clear that some candidate genes and gene networks are involved in complex social behaviors across even divergent species, yet few comparative transcriptomics studies have been conducted that examine a specific behavior across species. We discuss the implications of a range of important and insightful studies that have increased our understanding of the neurogenomics of behavioral plasticity. Despite its successes, behavioral genomics has been criticized for its lack of hypotheses and causative insights. We propose here a novel avenue to overcome some of these short-comings by complementing “forward genomics” studies (i.e., from phenotype to behaviorally relevant gene modules) with a “reverse genomics” approach (i.e., manipulating novel gene modules to examine effects on behavior, hormones, and the genome itself) to examine the functional causes and consequences of differential gene expression patterns. We discuss how several established approaches (such as pharmacological manipulations of a novel candidate pathway, fine scale mapping of novel candidate gene expression in the brain, or identifying direct targets of a novel transcription factor of interest) can be used in combination with the analysis of the accompanying neurogenomic responses to reveal unexpected biological processes. The integration of forward and reverse genomics will move the field beyond statistical associations and yield great insights into the neural and molecular control of social behavior and its evolution.
Factors Associated With Follow-Up Care Among Women With Early-Stage Breast Cancer

PURPOSE:Follow-up guidelines vary widely among national organizations for patients with early-stage breast cancer treated with curative intent. We sought to evaluate the patterns and predictors of ...
SKN-1/Nrf2 regulation of neuromuscular function in response to oxidative stress requires EGL-15/FGF Receptor and DAF-2/insulin Receptor signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans

The transcription factor Nrf2 plays a critical role in the organism wide-regulation of the antioxidant stress response. The Nrf2 homolog SKN-1 functions in the intestine cell non-autonomously to negatively regulate neuromuscular (NMJ) function in Caenorhabditis elegans . To identify additional molecules that mediate SKN-1 signaling to the NMJ, we performed a candidate screen for suppressors of aldicarb-resistance caused by acute treatment with the SKN-1 activator, arsenite. We identified two receptor tyrosine kinases, EGL-15 (fibroblast growth factor receptor, FGFR) and DAF-2 (insulin-like peptide receptor, IR) that are required for NMJ regulation in response to stress. Through double mutant analysis, we found that EGL-15 functions downstream of SKN-1 and SPHK-1 (sphingosine kinase), and that the EGL-15 ligand EGL-17 FGF and canonical EGL-15 effectors are required for oxidative stress-mediated regulation of NMJ function. DAF-2 also functions downstream of SKN-1, independently of DAF-16/FOXO, to regulate NMJ function. Through tissue-specific rescue experiments, we found that FGFR signaling functions primarily in the hypodermis, whereas IR signaling is required in multiple tissues. Our results support the idea that the regulation of NMJ function by SKN-1 occurs via a complex organism-wide signaling network involving RTK signaling in multiple tissues.
Task context modulates feature-selective responses in area V4

ABSTRACT Feature selectivity of neuronal responses in primate visual cortex is typically measured while animals fixate a small dot on the screen and a stimulus is presented in the near-periphery. This paradigm allows the efficient exploration of feature space, but it provides only a partial view of selectivity by failing to characterize how cognitive factors influence neuronal tuning. Here we focus on primate area V4, known to be influenced by cognitive processes, and ask how neuronal tuning is modulated by task engagement. We compared the tuning for shape and color in 83 well-isolated V4 neurons measured during passive fixation and during active engagement in a shape discrimination task. In both tasks, animals saw the same set of objects—shape x color combinations—but while neither stimulus feature was relevant during the fixation task, shape identity was relevant for behavior during the discrimination task. Consistent with attentional studies, V4 responses during the discrimination task showed a stimulus-independent gain scaling relative to passive fixation, but this was only in a minority of neurons (21/83). For the rest (62/83), response modulations during discrimination depended on stimulus identity: on stimulus shape in neurons more strongly tuned to shape, and on color in neurons more strongly tuned to color. Overall, this resulted in broader tuning for stimulus color, but not shape, during active task engagement. These results suggest that task context can influence the shape and color selectivity of V4 neurons, and in some neurons this effect is consistent with a change in the width of feature tuning.
Kv2.1 mediates spatial and functional coupling of L-type calcium channels and ryanodine receptors in neurons

Abstract The voltage-gated K+ channel Kv2.1 serves a major structural role in the soma and proximal dendrites of brain neurons, tethering the plasma membrane (PM) to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Although Kv2.1 clustering at neuronal ER-PM junctions (EPJs) is tightly regulated and conserved across species, its function at these sites is unclear. By identifying and evaluating proteins in close spatial proximity to Kv2.1-containing EPJs, we discovered that a significant role of Kv2.1 at EPJs is to promote the clustering and functional coupling of PM L-type Ca2+ channels (LTCCs) to ryanodine receptor (RyR) ER Ca2+ release channels. Kv2.1 clustering also unexpectedly enhanced LTCC opening at polarized membrane potentials. This enabled Kv2.1-LTCC-RyR triads to generate localized Ca2+ release events (i.e., Ca2+ sparks) independently of action potentials. Together, these findings uncover a novel mode of LTCC regulation and establish a unique mechanism whereby Kv2.1-associated EPJs provide a molecular platform for localized somatodendritic Ca2+ signals.
Bilateral Breast Reconstruction With Profunda Artery Perforator Flaps and Immediate Implant Augmentation

The smaller volume of the profunda artery perforator (PAP) flap relative to that of abdominal flaps limits the size of breast reconstruction that may be achieved. Immediate implant augmentation of abdominal free flaps has been performed, but immediate implant augmentation of PAP flaps has never been described. A 54-year-old woman with BRCA2 mutation, submuscular implants, and previous abdominoplasty presented for nipple-sparing mastectomies (NSM). Autologous tissue volume was inadequate to support reconstruction to the desired size. She wished to avoid serial expansion. Skin quality was unsuitable for direct-to-implant reconstruction. The patient underwent bilateral NSM. The previous implants were removed with capsule preservation. Bilateral PAP flaps were harvested and anastomosed to the internal mammary vessels. Moderate classic profile 170-mL smooth round silicone implants were placed into the existing capsule pockets with lateral capsulorraphy. There were no flap, implant, or infectious complications. Initial mastectomy skin and nipple ischemia completely resolved without necrosis. Donor site healing was uneventful. At 8 months, the reconstruction is supple and the implants remain well-positioned without rippling. One minor revision was performed for fat grafting and to correct lateral nipple deviation. PAP flap breast reconstruction with immediate implant augmentation is technically feasible. Advantages include improved prosthetic coverage, allowing for immediate reconstruction to a larger size with reduced concern regarding mastectomy skin necrosis and threat to the device, optimal implant camouflage, and improved substrate for secondary fat grafting if necessary. Level of Evidence: 5.
Structural characterization of many-particle systems on approach to hyperuniform states

The study of hyperuniform states of matter is an emerging multidisciplinary field, impinging on topics in the physical sciences, mathematics, and biology. The focus of this work is the exploration of quantitative descriptors that herald when a many-particle system in $d$-dimensional Euclidean space ${\mathbb{R}}^{d}$ approaches a hyperuniform state as a function of the relevant control parameter. We establish quantitative criteria to ascertain the extent of hyperuniform and nonhyperuniform distance-scaling regimes as well as the crossover point between them in terms of the ``volume'' coefficient $A$ and ``surface-area'' coefficient $B$ associated with the local number variance ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}^{2}(R)$ for a spherical window of radius $R$. The larger the ratio $B/A$, the larger the hyperuniform scaling regime, which becomes of infinite extent in the limit $B/A\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$. To complement the known direct-space representation of the coefficient $B$ in terms of the total correlation function $h(\mathbf{r})$, we derive its corresponding Fourier representation in terms of the structure factor $S(\mathbf{k})$, which is especially useful when scattering information is available experimentally or theoretically. We also demonstrate that the free-volume theory of the pressure of equilibrium packings of identical hard spheres that approach a strictly jammed state either along the stable crystal or metastable disordered branch dictates that such end states be exactly hyperuniform. Using the ratio $B/A$, as well as other diagnostic measures of hyperuniformity, including the hyperuniformity index $H$ and the direct-correlation function length scale ${\ensuremath{\xi}}_{c}$, we study three different exactly solvable models as a function of the relevant control parameter, either density or temperature, with end states that are perfectly hyperuniform. Specifically, we analyze equilibrium systems of hard rods and ``sticky'' hard-sphere systems in arbitrary space dimension $d$ as a function of density. We also examine low-temperature excited states of many-particle systems interacting with ``stealthy'' long-ranged pair interactions as the temperature tends to zero, where the ground states are disordered, hyperuniform, and infinitely degenerate. We demonstrate that our various diagnostic hyperuniformity measures are positively correlated with one another. The same diagnostic measures can be used to detect the degree to which imperfections in nearly hyperuniform systems cause deviations from perfect hyperuniformity. Moreover, the capacity to identify hyperuniform scaling regimes should be particularly useful in analyzing experimentally or computationally generated samples that are necessarily of finite size.
Modeling Voters in Multi-Winner Approval Voting.

In many real world situations, collective decisions are made using voting and, in scenarios such as committee or board elections, employing voting rules that return multiple winners. In multi-winner approval voting (AV), an agent submits a ballot consisting of approvals for as many candidates as they wish, and winners are chosen by tallying up the votes and choosing the top-k candidates receiving the most approvals. In many scenarios, an agent may manipulate the ballot they submit in order to achieve a better outcome by voting in a way that does not reflect their true preferences. In complex and uncertain situations, agents may use heuristics instead of incurring the additional effort required to compute the manipulation which most favors them. In this paper, we examine voting behavior in single-winner and multi-winner approval voting scenarios with varying degrees of uncertainty using behavioral data obtained from Mechanical Turk. We find that people generally manipulate their vote to obtain a better outcome, but often do not identify the optimal manipulation. There are a number of predictive models of agent behavior in the social choice and psychology literature that are based on cognitively plausible heuristic strategies. We show that the existing approaches do not adequately model our real-world data. We propose a novel model that takes into account the size of the winning set and human cognitive constraints; and demonstrate that this model is more effective at capturing real-world behaviors in multi-winner approval voting scenarios.
Drivers of new product recommending and referral behaviour on social network sites

Managers of new brands seek to leverage positive WOM and establish a critical mass of consumers who interact with their brands on social network sites (SNSs). Effective selection of ‘seeds’, or influencers, on SNSs, who will recommend the product and leverage the power of their social networks to influence other consumers is key to organic growth. This research examines the role of an influencer’s activity on a social network website (network size, membership duration, share-of-posts), brand message source (marketergenerated versus member-generated), and recipient type (SNS member versus nonmember) on an influencer’s decision to recommend a new brand and the recipient’s decision to make a referral visit. Empirical analyses of clickstream data from SNSs at a commercial website show that marketer- and consumer-generated brand ads differ in their impact on recommending propensity for high share-of-posts and long-term influencers, and for member and non-member recipients, which has implications for referral m...
Household Wealth and Entrepreneurial Career Choices: Evidence from Climate Disasters

This study investigates how household wealth affects the human capital of startups, based on U.S. Census individual-level employment data, deed records, and geographic information system (GIS) data. Using floods as a wealth shock, a regression discontinuity analysis shows inundated residents are 7% less likely to work in startups relative to their neighbors outside the flood boundary, within a 0.1-mile-wide band. The effect is more pronounced for homeowners, consistent with the wealth effect. The career distortion leads to a significant long-run income loss, highlighting the importance of self-insurance for human capital allocation.
Advancement in sodium-ion rechargeable batteries

With growing importance of high-performance and increasingly-portable energy storage, it is important that we consider sustainable solutions to global energy storage demand. Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are the highly regarded alternative to lithium-ion batteries, proposed due to its great sustainability without sacrifice in electrochemical performance. Layered oxide with tertiary or greater transition metals have shown to give the greatest performance among reported cathode materials. Promising anodes are composites of sodium alloying metals and carbon, but further work should be done to reduce the adverse effects of volume expansion. Finally, preliminary studies upon electrolyte formulation, inspired by the analogous chemistries of lithium-ion batteries, have laid the foundation for more complex studies. While already established at a remarkable speed, research in SIBs is still maturing with much progress still left to be explored.
A placebo-controlled exploratory study investigating the efficacy and safety of the phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor UK-369,003 for the treatment of men with storage lower urinary tract symptoms associated with a clinical diagnosis of overactive bladder.

Study Type – Therapy (RCT) Level of Evidence 1b OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor, UK-369,003 modified release (MR), for the treatment of storage lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in men with and without erectile dysfunction (ED). PATIENTS AND METHODS This was a multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study conducted across 50 centres in North and South America, Europe and Australia. In all, 310 men aged ≥18 years with a clinical diagnosis of overactive bladder (OAB; voiding frequency ≥8 times/24 h, urgency episode frequency once or more per 24 h and a mean voided volume of 5 mL/s in a voided volume of >150 mL were stratified into two groups (with or without ED) and randomized to one of five treatment groups (10, 25, 50 or 100 mg UK-369,003; or placebo once a day) for 12 weeks. The primary study endpoints were those derived from the bladder diary that recorded the number of voluntary urinary voids, volume of urine per void, leaks and urgency episodes over a 72-h period, before baseline and again at 2, 4 and 12 weeks. Secondary efficacy measures included the International Prostate Symptom Score (total and storage and voiding subscores), International Index of Erectile Function–Erectile Function domain (IIEF-EF), questions 5 and 6 of the Quality of Erection Questionnaire (QEQ), the Overactive Bladder Questionnaire Short Form, the Patient Perception of Bladder Condition, the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire–Male LUTS, and the patient-reported treatment impact questionnaire. RESULTS Overall, there were no clinically relevant treatment differences in voiding frequency, mean voided volume, urgency episode frequency, or nocturia frequency for any dose of UK-369,003 MR compared with placebo. In the subset of patients with ED there were improvements in the IIEF-EF and QEQ scores in all UK-369,003 treatment groups compared with placebo. CONCLUSIONS These data provide no evidence of efficacy for UK-369,003 in the treatment of storage LUTS in men (based on classic OAB eligibility criteria). However, although the endpoints on these classic OAB efficacy variables were negative, there is evidence to suggest a greater preference, satisfaction and willingness to use UK-369,003 again for all treatment groups compared with placebo.
Process Identification and Description

Chemical treatment, for the purposes of this monograph, refers to the use of reagents to destroy or chemically modify target contaminants by means other than pyrolysis or combustion. The monograph addresses techniques used to chemically treat contaminated soils, groundwaters, surface waters, and, to a limited extent, concentrated contaminants. Chemical treatment is a means of converting hazardous constituents into less environmentally objectionable forms in order to meet treatment objectives.