cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Application of the CometChip platform to assess DNA damage in field-collected blood samples from turtles

DNA damage has been linked to genomic instability and the progressive breakdown of cellular and organismal homeostasis, leading to the onset of disease and reduced longevity. Insults to DNA from endogenous sources include base deamination, base hydrolysis, base alkylation, and metabolism-induced oxidative damage that can lead to single-strand and double-strand DNA breaks. Alternatively, exposure to environmental pollutants, radiation or ultra-violet light, can also contribute to exogenously derived DNA damage. We previously validated a novel, high through-put approach to measure levels of DNA damage in cultured mammalian cells. This new CometChip Platform builds on the classical single cell gel electrophoresis or comet methodology used extensively in environmental toxicology and molecular biology. We asked whether the CometChip Platform could be used to measure DNA damage in samples derived from environmental field studies. To this end, we determined that nucleated erythrocytes from multiple species of turtle could be successfully evaluated in the CometChip Platform to quantify levels of DNA damage. In total, we compared levels of DNA damage in 40 animals from two species: the box turtle (Terrapene carolina) and the red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans). Endogenous levels of DNA damage were identical between the two species, yet we did discover some sex-linked differences and changes in DNA damage accumulation. Based on these results, we confirm that the CometChip Platform allows for the measurement of DNA damage in a large number of samples quickly and accurately, and is particularly adaptable to environmental studies using field-collected samples. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 59:322-333, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Avian learning favors colorful, not bright, signals.

A few colors, such as red and yellow, are commonly found in aposematic (warning) signaling across taxa, independent of evolutionary relationships. These colors have unique traits (i.e., hue, brightness) that aid in their differentiation, and perhaps, their effectiveness in promoting avoidance learning. This repeated use calls into question the influence of selection on specific warning colors adopted by aposematic prey-predator systems. To disentangle the influence of color characteristics on this process, we trained week-old chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) to learn to avoid distasteful food that was associated with one of three color signals (yellow, white, red) that varied in both hue and in brightness in order to assess which of these traits most influenced their ability to learn avoidance. Our results show that while chicks learned to avoid all three colors, avoidance was based on the hue, not brightness of the different signals. We found that yellow was the most effective for avoidance learning, followed by red, and finally white. Our results suggest that while these three colors are commonly used in aposematic signaling, predators’ ability to learn avoidance differs among them. These results may explain why yellow is among the most common signals across aposematic taxa.
Brief Report: Postural Balance and Daily Living Skills in Children and Adolescents with Autism

The current study investigated the relation between postural balance and performance of daily living skills (DLS) in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Fifty-two youth with ASD (6–17 years; IQ ≥ 67) completed standardized balance testing and parent-reported DLS measures. Results showed a positive association between balance and DLS that was specific to youth with below-average IQ. While balance challenges were evident across the IQ spectrum, youth with above-average IQ did not exhibit an association between balance and DLS, perhaps suggestive of compensatory strategies implemented to offset balance challenges during daily-living tasks. These results underscore the need to better understand the contributions of motor challenges to DLS in youth with ASD within the context of broader cognitive and environmental factors.
Intracranial Meningiomas: Role of Exogenous Hormones

Meningiomas express multiple hormone receptors including progesterone, estrogen, androgen, growth hormone, dopamine, and somatostatin. There is a growing body of knowledge regarding the particular roles that each hormone receptor may play in modulating meningioma growth metrics. Identification of progesterone and estrogen receptor balances has shown to be of prognostic significance for meningioma growth behavior. Growth hormone may also promote meningioma growth. Somatostatin, alternatively, has been shown in robust affinity towards meningioma identification for diagnostic purposes via radionucleotide imaging. It may be used to attenuate meningioma growth, as reported in both in vitro and clinical reports. This strong correlation with hormonal activity suggests that patients who are treated with exogenous hormones may develop meningiomas as a result. Understanding this association may help elucidate various treatment paradigms.
Infection of epididymal epithelial cells and leukocytes drives seminal shedding of Zika virus in a mouse model

While primarily a mosquito-borne virus, Zika virus (ZIKV; genus Flavivirus in the Flaviviridae family) is capable of being sexually transmitted. Thirty to fifty percent of men with confirmed ZIKV infection shed ZIKV RNA in their semen, and prolonged viral RNA shedding in semen can occur for more than 6 months. The cellular reservoir of ZIKV in semen is unknown, although spermatozoa have been shown to contain ZIKV RNA and antigen. Yet, spermatozoa are not a requisite for sexual transmission, as at least one case of ZIKV sexual transmission involved a vasectomized man. To determine the cellular reservoirs of ZIKV in semen, an established animal model of sexual transmission was used. The majority of virus detected in the seminal fluid of infected mice during the peak timing of sexual transmission was from the supernatant fraction, suggesting cell-free ZIKV may be largely responsible for sexual transmission. However, some ZIKV RNA was cell-associated. In the testes and epididymides of infected mice, intracellular staining of ZIKV RNA was more pronounced in spermatogenic precursors (spermatocytes and spermatogonia) than in spermatids. Visualization of intracellular negative strand ZIKV RNA demonstrated ZIKV replication intermediates in leukocytes, immature spermatids and epididymal epithelial cells in the male urogenital tract. Epididymal epithelial cells were the principal source of negative-strand ZIKV RNA during the peak timing of sexual transmission potential, indicating these cells may be the predominant source of infectious cell-free ZIKV in seminal fluid. These data promote a more complete understanding of sexual transmission of ZIKV and will inform further model development for future studies on persistent ZIKV RNA shedding.
Loading and Inserting Objects in an Image

The project aims to use the ImGui libraries to create a program with friendly user interface. The project was completed by the FAU student Mila Manastasova as part of the Introduction to Image and Video Processing class at Florida Atlantic University taught in Spring 2018.
Detecting Suspicious File Migration or Replication in the Cloud

There has been a prolific rise in the popularity of cloud storage in recent years. While cloud storage offers many advantages such as flexibility and convenience, users are typically unable to tell or control the actual locations of their data. This limitation may affect users’ confidence and trust in the storage provider, or even render cloud unsuitable for storing data with strict location requirements. To address this issue, we propose a system called LAST-HDFS which integrates Location-Aware Storage Technique (LAST) into the open source Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS). The LAST-HDFS system enforces location-aware file allocations and continuously monitors file transfers to detect potentially illegal transfers in the cloud. Illegal transfers here refer to attempts to move sensitive data outside the (“legal”) boundaries specified by the file owner and its policies. Our underlying algorithms model file transfers among nodes as a weighted graph, and maximize the probability of storing data items of similar privacy preferences in the same region. We equip each cloud node with a socket monitor that is capable of monitoring the real-time communication among cloud nodes. Based on the real-time data transfer information captured by the socket monitors, our system calculates the probability of a given transfer to be illegal. We have implemented our proposed framework and carried out an extensive experimental evaluation in a large-scale real cloud environment to demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of our proposed system.
Targeting the diapause response of Aedes albopictus via CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing to control the spread of mosquito-borne disease

Mosquito-borne infectious diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, chikungunya, and zika are responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths across the globe each year. Due to the nature of the viruses and parasites that cause these diseases, targeting their mosquito vectors has become the most effective method for reducing transmission. However, an ecologically and evolutionarily sustainable method for mosquito population reduction has yet to be developed. This may be about to change due to the proven effectiveness of genome editing in mosquitoes using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. CRISPR/Cas9, found in nature as the adaptive immune system of bacteria and now adapted as a biological tool for use in any organism, is revolutionizing the study of genetics and now may also be the key to ending a global public health crisis. Current population control methods utilizing transgenic mosquitoes have ultimately failed at the hands of evolution due to unintended fitness costs. Here, we propose a novel control method for the invasive vector mosquito species, Aedes albopictus, using CRISPR/Cas9 to target genes that are essential for a period of developmental arrest known as photoperiodic diapause. Since diapause allows the species to invade temperate regions, genetic disruption of this pathway should result in the inability of Ae. albopictus to inhabit temperate environments, which in turn should inhibit the spread of mosquito-borne diseases in these regions.
Primary schwannoma of the diaphragm

Primary schwannoma of the diaphragm is exceedingly rare. We report a case identified on surveillance imaging for a previous lung cancer that was diagnosed via thoracoscopic resection.
Speech Deterioration of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Before and After Diagnosis: A Case Study of a Newscaster

Purpose This case study traced speech deterioration in an individual before and after the time of diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Our participant was diagnosed with spinal-onset, ...
Epidemiology of Injuries Sustained in Boys’ High School Contact and Collision Sports, 2008-2009 Through 2012-2013:

Background:Injury epidemiology for boys’ high school contact and collision sport has been described in several overlapping but fragmented studies. Comprehensive comparisons of injuries sustained in...
Indwelling medical device use and sepsis risk at a health professional shortage area hospital: Possible interaction with length of hospitalization

Background We aimed to identify risk factors for sepsis diagnosis and possible interaction with length of hospital stay (LOS) among inpatients at a rural Health Professional Shortage Area hospital. Methods This case-control study examined 600 adult patients (300 cases and 300 controls) admitted to a rural health system in North Carolina between 2012 and 2018. Case selection was based on assignment of ICD-9-CM diagnostic codes for sepsis. Controls were patients with a medical diagnosis other than sepsis during the observational period. Logistic regression was used to model sepsis diagnosis as a function of indwelling medical device use and stratified by LOS. Results Indwelling medical device use preadmission and postadmission were significantly associated with increased risk of sepsis diagnosis among patients with extended hospital stays (LOS ≥ 5 days) (odds ratio [OR] = 5.51; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.95-15.62; P = .001 and OR = 3.28; 95% CI = 1.24-8.68; P = .017, respectively). Among patients with LOS Conclusions Indwelling medical device use was significantly associated with increased risk of sepsis diagnosis and the risk was higher with longer hospitalization.
Exploring Superconductivity with COMSOL via TDGL Equations

In this Chapter, we will apply two very powerful tools to tackle rather serious, advanced problems: COMSOL basic package and TDGL equations. Our first problem will be exploring the Meissner effect in a superconducting disk. Depending on a single parameter in TDGL equations the dynamics of superconductors in magnetic fields will be quite different: we will realize the existence of two types of superconductors.
Coded Computing in Unknown Environment via Online Learning

Recently, there has been a significant increase in utilizing the cloud networks for event-driven and time-sensitive computations. However, large-scale distributed computing networks can suffer substantially from unpredictable and unreliable computing resources which can result in high variability of service quality. Thus, it is crucial to design efficient task scheduling policies that guarantee quality of service and the timeliness of computation queries. In this paper, we study the problem of computation offloading over unknown cloud networks with a sequence of timely computation jobs. We model the service quality (success probability of returning result back to the user within deadline) of each worker as function of context (collection of factors that affect workers). The user decides the computations to offload to each worker with the goal of receiving a recoverable set of computation results in the given deadline. Our goal is to design an efficient computing policy in the dark without the knowledge of the context or computation capabilities of each worker. By leveraging the coded computing framework in order to tackle failures or stragglers in computation, we formulate this problem using contextual-combinatorial multi-armed bandits (CC-MAB), and aim to maximize the cumulative expected reward. We propose an online learning policy called online coded computing policy, which provably achieves asymptotically-optimal performance in terms of regret loss compared with the optimal offline policy.
Deadwood's Al Swearingen: Manifest Evil in the Gem Theatre

Review of: Deadwood’s Al Swearingen: Manifest Evil in the Gem Theatre, by Jerry L. Bryant and Barbara Fifer.
The Good, the Bad, and the Unflinchingly Selfish: Cooperative Decision-Making can be Predicted with high Accuracy when using only Three Behavioral Types

The human willingness to pay costs to benefit anonymous others is often explained by social preferences: rather than only valuing their own material payoff, people also care in some fashion about the outcomes of others. But how successful is this concept of outcome-based social preferences for actually predicting out-of-sample behavior? We investigate this question by having 1067 human subjects each make 20 cooperation decisions, and using machine learning to predict their last 5 choices based on their first 15. We find that decisions can be predicted with high accuracy by models that include outcome-based features and allow for heterogeneity across individuals in baseline cooperativeness and the weights placed on the outcome-based features (AUC=0.89). It is not necessary, however, to have a fully heterogeneous model -- excellent predictive power (AUC=0.88) is achieved by a model that allows three different sets of baseline cooperativeness and feature weights (i.e. three behavioral types), defined based on the participant's cooperation frequency in the 15 training trials: those who cooperated at least half the time, those who cooperated less than half the time, and those who never cooperated. Finally, we provide evidence that this inclination to cooperate cannot be well proxied by other personality/morality survey measures or demographics, and thus is a natural kind (or "cooperative phenotype").
Characterization of noise exposure in places of worship

Abstract Background The addition of concert instrumentation to contemporary religious services has exposed attendees to increased noise levels, which may contribute to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Many smart device noise level measurement applications (apps) have been developed to assist in evaluation of noise exposure. However, there have been no published studies on noise exposure in American places of worship. Objective We evaluated noise exposure in several different types of places of worship in Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States as well as the accuracy of smart device noise level measurement apps. Methods Noise levels were measured at 26 services in 20 different places of worship using a combination of Spark 706RC dosimeters and iPod Touches running the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Sound Level Meter app. Dosimeters were programmed to measure according to the exposure limits recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for community noise and NIOSH for occupational noise. Relevant details on \ the services that could impact audience exposure to noise were recorded. Results The mean equivalent continuous average exposure (LEQ) level was significantly higher in audience measurements of Non-denominational places of worship in comparison to all other places (p = 0.004). Audience and podium LEQ levels were significantly higher if there were three or more vocal ensemble members (p = 0.001). No significant differences were noted between dosimeter and iPod LEQ levels. Roughly 35% of EPA measurements in the audience, 39% of EPA measurements at the podium, and 8% of NIOSH measurements at the podium exceeded the recommended exposure limits. Conclusions A significant portion of measured services exceeded recommended noise exposure limits. The current results may support the need for additional noise exposure screening and potential noise reduction interventions in places of worship.
Chile, the Biobío, and the Future of the Columbia River Basin

This article uses the Chilean water resources experience — with a particular focus on dams and water infrastructure development in the Biobio River Basin — as a context for considering how climate change might affect water resources and water resource management in the Columbia River Basin. The Chilean experience suggests that the legal regimes and water resource policies that have worked in the American West might not work in a different context. The article uses both the American and Chilean experiences to argue that climate change will ultimately render a new Columbia River Basin that is different ecologically, hydrologically, culturally, and perhaps legally from what we know today, and that water basins in the American West might transition to different contexts in which our current institutions might not work.
Esophageal Hypervigilance and Symptom-Specific Anxiety in Patients with Eosinophilic Esophagitis.

Background & Aims Patient symptom reporting often does not correlate with the pathophysiological markers of esophageal disease, including eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). Esophageal hypervigilance and symptom-specific anxiety are emerging as important considerations in understanding symptom reporting. As such, we aimed to conduct the first study of these constructs in EoE. Methods A retrospective review of an EoE patient registry was conducted and included eosinophils per high power field (from esophagogastroduodenoscopy biopsy: proximal, distal), endoscopic reference score, distal distensibility plateau (functional luminal imaging probe), Brief Esophageal Dysphagia Questionnaire, Visual Dysphagia Question of EoE Activity Index, Northwestern Esophageal Quality of Life scale, and the Esophageal Hypervigilance and Anxiety Scale. Correlational and regression analyses evaluated relationships of hypervigilance and anxiety with Brief Esophageal Dysphagia Questionnaire, Visual Dysphagia Question of EoE Activity Index, and Northwestern Esophageal Quality of Life scale when controlling for histology and endoscopic severity. Results One hundred and three patients had complete data, 69.9% were male, and the mean (SD) age was 40.66 (13.85) years. Forty-one percent had elevated dysphagia and 46% had elevated hypervigilance and anxiety. Esophageal symptom–specific anxiety emerged as the most important predictor of Brief Esophageal Dysphagia Questionnaire severity (44.8% of the variance), Visual Dysphagia Question of EoE Activity Index severity (26%), and poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL) (55.3%). Hypervigilance was also important, but to a lesser extent. Pathophysiological variables did not significantly predict symptoms or HRQoL. Recent food impaction can predict symptom-specific anxiety and proton pump inhibitor use can reduce hypervigilance. Conclusions Hypervigilance and symptom-specific anxiety are important for our understanding of self-reported patient outcomes in EoE. These processes outweigh endoscopic and histologic markers of EoE disease activity across dysphagia, difficulty eating, and HRQoL. Clinicians should assess hypervigilance and anxiety, especially in patients with refractory symptoms and poor HRQoL.
Nature’s Pharmacopeia: A World of Medicinal Plants

Dan Choffnes. 2016. Nature’s Pharmacopeia: A World of Medicinal Plants. (ISBN-13: 978-0-231-16661-4, pbk). Columbia Univ. Press, New York, U.S.A. (Orders: cup.columbia.edu). $75.00 US, 352 pp., color illustrations, bib , 8.5" × 11".
Evidence that copepod biomass during the larval period regulates recruitment of Lake Erie walleye

Abstract Walleye (Sander vitreus) is an economically and culturally important species in Lake Erie that has experienced large interannual variability in recruitment. We examined the importance of prey biomass during the larval period to walleye recruitment while also considering the importance of temperature. Using nine years of field data over a 22-year period (1994–2016) for larval walleye and zooplankton, we found that strong recruitment events occurred in years when the biomass (dry µg L-1) of copepods (e.g., calanoids, cyclopoids) was greater during the spring larval period. Conversely, the biomass of cladocerans and mean spring water temperatures were poor predictors of walleye recruitment. Our results highlight the need to consider zooplankton availability during the larval period when seeking to understand the recruitment dynamics of freshwater fish populations such as Lake Erie walleye.
Music teacher perceptions of evaluation: a case study of the Tennessee fine arts portfolio model

While high-stakes testing has influenced music teacher evaluation, evidence of music teacher agency influencing the policy process has been scarce. One notable exception is the Tennessee Fine Arts ...
Collagen-derived peptide, DGEA, inhibits pro-inflammatory macrophages in biofunctional hydrogels

Macrophages are innate immune cells that play important roles in wound healing. Particularly, M1 macrophages are considered pro‐inflammatory and promote initial phases of inflammation. Long-term exposure to inflammatory stimuli causes an increase in M1 macrophages, which contributes to chronic inflammation. Activated M1 macrophages have been shown to upregulate integrin α2β1 expression. To interfere with α2β1 binding, we designed a biofunctional hydrogel utilizing a collagen I-derived peptide, DGEA (Asp-Gly-Glu-Ala). We hypothesize that M1 macrophage activation can be reduced in the presence of DGEA. Effects of DGEA on M1 macrophages were studied via soluble delivery and immobilization within poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels. We demonstrate that M1 macrophage activation is reduced both via soluble delivery of DGEA in 2D and via immobilized DGEA in a 3D PEG-DGEA hydrogel. This novel biomaterial can manipulate inflammatory macrophage activation and can be applied to prevent chronic inflammatory conditions via macrophage manipulation.
Zone plate imaging of 14-MeV neutrons

At Livermore we are interested in imaging the thermonuclear burn region of fusion targets irradiated at our Nova laser facility. We expect compressed core diameters to be 10’s of microns, and would like images with better than 10-µm resolution. Alpha particle images provided the first direct information about the thermonuclear burn geometry in thin walled exploding pusher targets [1]. In future high density target experiments, only highly penetrating radiations like the 14-Mev neutrons will escape the target core to provide information about the burn region [2]. To make the measurement with a neutron “pinhole” camera requires a 10-µm pinhole through about 10 cm of material and 1014 to 1015 source neutrons [3].
‘The Conceptual Link from Physical to Mental’, by Kirk, Robert

Before non-eliminative physicalism about the mind can be argued either for or against, it must first be formulated. Attempts to do so pose two main philosophical problems. The first is that of spec...
Clinical applicability of Quantiferon-TB-Gold testing in psoriasis patients during long-term anti-TNF-alpha treatment: a prospective, observational study

Background Psoriasis patients who are treated with tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha antagonists are at increased risk of reactivation of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and should be adequately screened and monitored during active treatment. Objectives To evaluate in a prospective study, the performance of Quantiferon-TB-Gold in tube (QFT) in vitro assay compared to the conventional tuberculin skin test (TST) in detecting LTBI among a cohort of non-BCG-vaccinated patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis during long-term treatment (12 months) with TNF-alpha antagonists. Methods A total of 50 patients underwent QFT and TST testing at baseline and after 6 and 12 months of continuous anti-TNF-alpha treatment. Diagnosis of LTBI was made on the basis of a positive QFT result and negative chest-radiographic and microbiological assays. Patients with LTBI were subjected to standard isoniazid chemoprophylaxis and after 1 month, they resumed anti-TNF-alpha treatment with subsequent QFT and TST testing after 6 months. In all the cases, a follow-up period of 12 months was observed. Results During the 12-month-study period, 14% of patients presented a QFT conversion. During active anti-TNF-alpha treatment, a QFT conversion was observed in 10% of patients (five cases). Agreement between QFT and TST was moderate (κ = 0.408) at screening, good (κ = 0.734) after 6 months and fair (κ = 0.328) after 12 months of treatment. A total of 18% of patients presented a positive, discordant TST during the study period. Conclusions A single-test QFT-based screening strategy for LTBI in psoriasis patients receiving long-term anti-TNF-alpha treatment could reduce the incidence of false-positive LTBI cases, preventing unnecessary TB chemoprophylaxis.
Fourth Annual Herman Beerman Lecture

The Fourth Annual Herman Beerman Lecture will be delivered at the 25th Annual Meeting of The Society for Investigative Dermatology by Dr. Curt Stern of the University of California, Berkeley, California on Tuesday, June 23, 1964, at 2:00 P.M., at the Sheraton Palace Hotel, San Francisco, California. Dr. Stern, who is a world-renowned geneticist, will speak on “Adventures in Dermatological Genetics.''
Pancreatic Cancer and Awareness

Pancreatic cancer affects thousands of people every year throughout the world, killing more than ninety-five percent of its victims within the first five years. Life expectancy upon diagnosis is generally only four to six months. There are many risk factors associated with pancreatic cancer, the most prominent of which is a genetic mutation. Specific symptoms indicating pancreatic cancer do not typically appear until it is in stage IV. At this point a cure is nearly impossible. The aim of this paper is to bring to light the risk factors and the general signs and symptoms that are associated with pancreatic cancer. It is hoped that by increasing awareness of the risk factors and educating the public regarding early signs and symptoms we can increase pancreatic cancer detection and cure rates.
Individual adaptive performance in organizations: A review

Summary Modern work is frequently characterized by jobs where adaptive performance (AP) is crucial for employees to succeed in light of new or altered task demands. This recognition has fueled growing interest in AP as a dimension of workplace performance. To this point, however, research on AP has evolved from disparate perspectives and methods, resulting in fragmentation and a less than coherent knowledge base. This paper presents a comprehensive review of research studies regarding the nomological network of individual AP. In doing so, we synthesize the current knowledge base surrounding correlates of AP, elucidate current ambiguities, and suggest directions for future research efforts. We conclude that although the extant AP literature has amassed a critical body of studies linking various predictors to successful AP outcomes, much remains unknown, most critically regarding the implications of different methods of assessing AP, the effects of different types of changes in the task environment, the process of AP, and the steps organizations can take to foster AP among their employees. We hope that our synthesis and analysis paves the way for efforts to address these important questions. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Amphetamine-haloperidol interactions in rat striatum: failure to correlate behavioral effects with dopaminergic and cholinergic dynamics.

Abstract Previous reports have suggested that the hyperactivity and stereotype produced by amphetamine (AMP) and the catalepsy produced by haloperidol (HAL) are mediated by striatal dopaminergic mechanisms. In the present study, we have measured the behavioral effects of AMP, and HAL, and their effects on striatal dopaminergic function, using both an index of pre-synaptic activity (synaptosomal dopamine (DA) synthesis) and a parameter which we suggest will reflect post-synaptic dopaminergic function (sodium-dependent, high affinity choline uptake). Administration of 2 mg/kg AMP produces hyperactivity and causes a decrease in DA biosynthesis, both of which are blocked by 0.75 mg/kg HAL. AMP (5 mg/kg) produced stereotypy, further decreases DA biosynthesis and causes a decrease in choline uptake, consistent with stimulation of DA receptors. However, while pretreatment with 3 mg/kg HAL completely blocked the stereotypy induced by 5 mg/kg AMP, it failed to reverse the effects of this dose in either DA biosynthesis or choline uptake. These data suggest that either 5 mg/kg AMP affects striatal dopaminergic and cholinergic parameters by a mechanism independent of HAL sensitive receptors, or the stereotypy produced by high doses of AMP are not related to striatal dopaminergic and cholinergic function.
Hypoglycemia is More Common Among Type 2 Diabetes Patients with Limited Health Literacy: The Diabetes Study of Northern California (DISTANCE)

BACKGROUND Little is known about the frequency of significant hypoglycemic events in actual practice. Limited health literacy (HL) is common among patients with type 2 diabetes, may impede diabetes self-management, and thus HL could increase the risk of hypoglycemia.
Probabilistic retrieval: thresholding for automatic filtering

The paper discusses work in progress on a particular problem that arises in filtering systems. The work is discussed more fully and with more technical detail by S.E. Robertson et al. (1999) and S.E. Robertson and S. Walker (2000). It is concluded that: adaptive filtering is more difficult than ranked retrieval; the thresholding task is different from the scoring task, and should be kept separate; in the early life of a profile, probabilistic modelling is needed and seems to be feasible; we have only half a model for the value of feedback tradeoff; and we need a large number of experiments to check out some of the variables. (4 pages)
What makes a programming language popular?: an essay from a historical perspective

Among the thousands of programming languages available, some languages become extremely popular, while others, thought to be superior in many ways, languish. This essay explores this situation from a historical perspective.
Fabrication of hollow vascular replicas using a gallium injection technique.

Abstract A technique is described for the fabrication of hollow vascular replicas of microcirculatory beds. The procedure, which employs pure, elemental gallium as the injection medium, produces casts which replicate the three-dimensional architecture of the vascular system down to and including the capillary level. The resulting hollow replicas derived from these casts are suitable for pressure-flow measurements as well as microscopic observation of blood flow dynamics.
Casein Kinase 1 Delta Phosphorylates Tau and Disrupts Its Binding to Microtubules

Tau hyperphosphorylation precedes neuritic lesion formation in Alzheimer's disease, suggesting it participates in the tau fibrillization reaction pathway. Candidate tau protein kinases include members of the casein kinase 1 (CK1) family of phosphotransferases, which are highly overexpressed in Alzheimer's disease brain and colocalize with neuritic and granulovacuolar lesions. Here we characterized the contribution of one CK1 isoform, Ckiδ, to the phosphorylation of tau at residues Ser202/Thr205 and Ser396/Ser404 in human embryonic kidney 293 cells using immunodetection and fluorescence microscopy. Treatment of cells with membrane permeable CK1 inhibitor 3-[(2,3,6-trimethoxyphenyl)methylidenyl]-indolin-2-one (IC261) lowered occupancy of Ser396/Ser404 phosphorylation sites by >70% at saturation, suggesting that endogenous CK1 was the major source of basal phosphorylation activity at these sites. Overexpression of Ckiδ increased CK1 enzyme activity and further raised tau phosphorylation at residues Ser202/Thr205 and Ser396/Ser404in situ. Inhibitor IC261 reversed tau hyperphosphorylation induced by Ckiδ overexpression. Co-immunoprecipitation assays showed direct association of tau and Ckiδ in situ, consistent with tau being a Ckiδ substrate. Ckiδ overexpression also produced a decrease in the fraction of bulk tau bound to detergent-insoluble microtubules. These results suggest that Ckiδ phosphorylates tau at sites that modulate tau/microtubule binding, and that the expression pattern of Ckiδ in Alzheimer's disease is consistent with it playing an important role in tau aggregation.
Immediate and short-term reliability of distortion-product otoacoustic emissions.

This study assessed the test-retest reliability of distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) at four frequencies (550, 1000, 2000 and 4000 Hz) over three time intervals. The time intervals were: (1) immediate test retest reliability, in which the retest followed the test without any delay or repositioning of the probe tip; (2) very short-term test-retest reliability, in which the retest followed a 10–20-min break and involved removal and re-insertion of the probe tip; and (3) short-term test-retest reliability, in which the retest was conducted 5–10 days after the test. Fifty normal-hearing women were tested with a commercially available system for measuring DPOAEs (Grason-Stadler, GSI-60), which generated primary tones at 65 dB SPL (L1=L2). Standard errors of measurement at 550 Hz (∼4.6 dB) were nearly twice as large as those found for 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz, and 4000 Hz (∼2.5 dB). The short-term test-retest data suggest that there is a 95% probability that an individual's true DPOAE will fall within 5...
What Do I Do in an Emergency? The Role of Public Libraries in Providing Information During Times of Crisis

During times of crisis, whether they are caused by a potential pandemic such as the 2009 H1N1 virus infections, bioterrorism threats, or natural disasters, people seek answers to questions about the nature of the threats and how to respond to them. Libraries need to leverage their position as a primary source of trustworthy information by providing quick and easy access to those looking for credible information about what to do in an emergency. This article will present an overview of public libraries' responses to emergencies and discuss how public libraries have provided essential information services during these difficult times.
Improvements in the Efficiency of the Oxidation of Formic Acid Obtained by Increasing the Overall Anion Adsorption Strength

Measurements are reported on changes in the efficiency of the electrochemical oxidation of formic acid that were caused by varying the overall “anion adsorption strength”. The adsorption strength w...
Pre-mission invasion of Erodium cicutarium in California

The California grassland is dominated by alien plant species. It is generally assumed that the invasion of aliens began with the initial introduction of livestock by Spanish missionaries in 1769. In this paper we present pollen evidence which indicates that Erodium cicutarium, a Mediterranean annual, was well established in the Santa Barbara region several years before the founding of the first California mission at San Diego in 1769. Historical evidence shows that it took the Spanish nearly a decade to develop a livestock base in California. Disturbance by livestock was therefore not a necessary prerequisite for invasion by alien plants. Historical and macrofossil evidence indicates that E. cicutarium invaded California from Baja California.
From the Imaginary to Subjectivation: Castoriadis and Touraine on the Performative Public Sphere

Neither Habermas nor his communitarian and poststructuralist critics sufficiently explore the non-linguistic, playful, and performative dimensions of contemporary public spheres. I argue that the approaches of Castoriadis and Touraine can inform a theoretical understanding of the history and current resonance of this public sphere of performance. Their concepts of the social imaginary, the autonomous society, and subjectivation highlight the role of fantasy, images, individualism, and other non-rational factors in late modern public life.
Void distributions in samples of Ottawa sand

The void distribution of saturated specimens of Ottawa sand is presented. The presence of water inside the sand specimen is detected using the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique. The void distribution of the sample was determined from the image. The specimen was prepared in a non-metallic triaxial cell and was put insie a MRI apparatus to obtain the image. Two sample preparation methods (wet tamping and dry pluviation) were used to illustrate the uniformity of the samples in the initial state. The void distribution along the height of the sample and the three-dimensional orientational void distribution at different locations inside the sample were analysed. The results indicate that the sample generated by the dry-pluviation method is more uniform than the sample generated by the wet-tamping method. When the wet-tamping sample preparation technique is used, the dense sample is more uniform than the loose sample. The development of voids was investigated by a sample loaded inside the MRI device und...
Relationship between safety data and biocontainment design in the environmental assessment of fermentation organisms--an FDA perspective.

The Center for Veterinary Medicine requires strain/construct-specific data for recombinant fermentation organisms used in the production of animal drugs and feed additives. Fermentation plant biocontainment schemes are chosen based, in part, upon the ability of the organism to survice and persist in the environment and to transfer genetic information to indigenous organisms. Survival and persistence study methods may include one of the following ecosystems: activated sludge, mammalian gut, soil or river water. Gene transfer protocols can be incorporated into a persistence study. These studies are designed to show that the recombinant construct behaves similarly to the host in a representative ecosystem where the organism could be introduced inadvertently. The studies need to provide repeatable results and reflect current state-of-art design and methods. Data verification is conducted by FDA investigators during Good Laboratory Practice inspections. Biocontainment guidelines, such as those developed by the NIH Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee, set general biocontainment goals for large groupings of recombinant organisms. The FDA, as required under the National Environmental Policy Act, must base its decision making on verifiable scientific data specific to each application. Therefore, in addition to using these guidelines as benchmarks, sponsors are required to submit strain/construct-specific data to support the selection of an appropriate biocontainment level. Once additional well-controlled studies for a variety of constructs are available, broader generalizations as to biocontainment may be drawn.
Some decision problems concerning sequential transducers and checking automata

Abstract Boundary points between decidability and undecidability of various decision questions concerning two-way sequential transducers and checking automata are investigated. The results show how some unsolvable problems become solvable when certain restrictions (e.g., the machines being deterministic, reversal-bounded, etc.) are imposed. A solution to an open problem concerning cascade products of pushdown automata is also given.
Impact of gender on statin efficacy.

ABSTRACTObjective: To determine the impact of statin therapy on the combined endpoint of cardiovascular events in women and men separately.Research design and methods: A systematic literature search through May 2006 was conducted to identify randomized, controlled statin trials evaluating the gender specific incidence of cardiovascular events. Weighted averages were reported as relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) calculated via random-effects model.Main outcome measures: The primary outcome measured was a composite endpoint of all cardiovascular events. Secondary outcomes measured included death, myocardial infarction (MI), and stroke.Results: Fifteen trials were included in this meta-analysis. Cardiovascular events were reduced in men (RR 0.76 [95% CI 0.70, 0.81]) and women (RR 0.79 [95% CI 0.69, 0.90]). Reductions in mortality, MI, and stroke predominantly contributed to the reduction in cardiovascular events in men taking statins. Women did not have a reduction in mortality or strok...
Modeling and sensitivity study of the dual-chamber SMART (SMA ReseTtable) lift device

Morphing structures for applications such as impact mitigation is a challenging problem due to the speed and repeatability requirements that limit the viable actuation approaches. This paper examines a promising stored-energy, active-release approach that can be deployed quickly (~40 ms), is reusable/resetable and can be tuned in the field for changing conditions such as additional mass, temperature compensation or platform changes. The Dual-Chamber SMART (SMA ReseTtable) Lift is a pneumatic air spring controlled via an ultra-fast SMA actuated valve. This paper presents the modeling, sensitivity analysis and experimental validation of this new technology. A control-volume based analytical model was derived that employs compressible, sonic flow and thermodynamic relations to provide a set of differential equations that relate the design parameters (cylinder and valve geometry), application parameters (deployed mass), and operational parameters (pressure, temperature and SMA valve actuation profile), to the deployment performance (deploy time, profile, position, etc.). The model was exercised to explore the sensitivity of the performance with regards to these parameters and explore the off-line and on-line adjustability of the device's performance to compensate for cross platform applications and uncontrolled environmental effects such as temperature and added mass. As proof-of-concept, a full-scale prototype was designed via the model, built and experimentally characterized across several of the parameters for the real case-study of automotive pedestrian protection. The prototype performance agreed closely with model predictions and met the rigorous specifications of the case study with in-situ tailoring which is applicable to a wide range of morphing applications beyond this case study.
The distances between internal vertices and leaves of a tree

Distance-based graph invariants have been of great interest and extensively studied. The classic Wiener index was proposed in biochemistry and defined to be the sum of distances between all pairs of vertices. The sum of distances between all pairs of leaves, named the Gamma index and the terminal Wiener index respectively, was motivated from both biochemistry and phylogenetic reconstruction. The studies of such distance-based graph invariants include, for instance, the ''middle part'' of a tree, the extremal structures with given constraints, the extremal values of ratios of the distance function at the ''middle part'' and leaves. In particular, when considering the extremal structures, correlations between the Wiener index and other graph invariants have been discovered and general methods have been developed. Other related graph invariants include the number of subtrees or leaf containing subtrees (corresponding to the ''acceptable residue configurations''), subforests, root-containing subtrees (in relation to the antichains in a Hasse diagram with the structure of a rooted tree), to name a few. As has been repeatedly mentioned in earlier works, it is of both mathematical interests and practical importance to generalize the current studies to other distance-based graph invariants. The sum of distances between internal vertices has been considered and many similar results have been obtained. On the other hand, a natural similar concept is the sum of distances between internal vertices and leaves. It has been proposed in different literatures. In this paper we conduct a relatively comprehensive study of this concept, providing results analogous to those of the aforementioned studies. We start with identifying the ''middle part'' of a tree with respect to the total distance from leaves. Then the extremal ratios with respect to the distance from leaves are examined and the structures achieving the extremal ratios are characterized. Lastly, we provide extremal trees under different constraints that maximize or minimize the sum of all such distances.
Dynamic measurements near the lambda-point in a low-gravity simulator on the ground

The properties of liquid helium very near the lambda-transition in the presence of a heat current has received recent theoretical and experimental attention. In this regime, gravity induced pressure effects place severe constraints on the types of experiments that can be performed. A new experiment is described which largely overcomes these difficulties by magnetostrictively canceling gravity influences in the helium sample with a suitable magnetic coil. Design limitations of the technique and a discussion of proposed experiments is presented.