cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implications of flood pulse restoration for populus regeneration on the upper Missouri River

We developed a mass balance flow model to reconstruct unregulated daily peak flows in the National Wild and Scenic reach of the Missouri River, Montana. Results indicated that although the observed frequency of large peak flows has not changed in the post-dam period, their magnitude has been reduced from 40 to 50% as a consequence of flow regulation. Reductions in the magnitude of these flows should reduce the expected frequency of large flood-pulses over a longer time-scale. Results of a two-dimensional hydraulic model indicated that limited cottonwood (Populus deltoides subsp. Monilifera) recruitment occurs at relatively small peak discharges, but to maximize establishment of cottonwoods in the Wild and Scenic reach, a threshold of 1850 m3/s would be necessary at the Virgelle gauge. Floods of this magnitude or greater lead to establishment of cottonwood seedlings above the zone of frequent ice-drive disturbance. Restoring the frequency, magnitude, duration and timing of these flood pulses would benefit important natural resource values including riparian cottonwood forests and native fish species in the upper Missouri River basin. However, efforts to naturalize flow must be made in the context of a water management system that was authorized and constructed for the primary purposes of flood control, power generation and irrigation. Using the synthesized flow model and flood damage curves, we examined six scenarios for delivering flows ≥1850 m3/s to the Wild and Scenic reach. Whereas some scenarios appeared to be politically and economically infeasible, our analysis suggested that there is enough operational flexibility in the system to restore more natural flood pulses without greatly compromising other values. Published in 2002 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Injuries and injury risk factors among members of the United States Army band

Background This project documented injuries in the professional musical performers of the US Army Band and used a multivariate approach to determine injury risk factors. Methods Injuries were obtained from a medical surveillance database. Administrative records from the Band provided fitness test scores, physical characteristics, performing unit (Blues, Ceremonial, Chorale, Chorus, Concert, Strings), and functional group (strings, winds, keyboard, vocal, percussion, brass). A questionnaire completed by 95% of the Band (n ¼205) included queries on practice time, physical activity, tobacco use, and medical care. Results Oneormoreinjurieswerediagnosedin44and53%ofBandmembersintheyears 2004and2005,respectively.Inunivariateanalysis,higherinjuryriskwasassociatedwith higher body mass index (BMI), less physical activity, prior injury, unit, functional group, and practice duration. In multivariate analysis, less self-rated physical activity, a prior injury, and functional group were independent risk factors. Conclusion In the US Army Band, about half the performers had a medical visit for an injury in a 1-year period and injury risk was associated with identifiable factors. Am. J. Ind. Med. 50:951–961, 2007. 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Distributed replica dynamics

A distributed replica dynamics (DRD) method is proposed to calculate rare-event molecular dynamics using distributed computational resources. Similar to Voter’s parallel replica dynamics (PRD) method, the dynamics of independent replicas of the system are calculated on different computational clients. In DRD, each replica runs molecular dynamics from an initial state for a fixed simulation time and then reports information about the trajectory back to the server. A simulation clock on the server accumulates the simulation time of each replica until one reports a transition to a new state. Subsequent calculations are initiated from within this new state and the process is repeated to follow the state-to-state evolution of the system. DRD is designed to work with asynchronous and distributed computing resources in which the clients may not be able to communicate with each other. Additionally, clients can be added or removed from the simulation at any point in the calculation. Even with heterogeneous computing clients, we prove that the DRD method reproduces the correct probability distribution of escape times. We also show this correspondence numerically; molecular dynamics simulations of Al(100) adatom diffusion using PRD and DRD give consistent exponential distributions of escape times. Finally, we discuss guidelines for choosing the optimal number of replicas and replica trajectory length for the DRD method.
Synthetic peptides and purified antigens as vaccines.

Molecular biology and, in particular, knowledge of the immune response at the molecular level provide the research community with the opportunity to design vaccines that will elicit the appropriate responses for many diseases. The critical issue is to identify the immune response that correlates with protection. It is remarkable how well the empirical approach has worked; it is essential, therefore, not to ignore the lessons to be learned from these successes. It is particularly essential that each disease and the immune response that affords protection be studied individually so that the appropriate responses can be induced
Privacy-aware mobile location-based systems

Privacy in location-based systems is a major concern, since many mobile phones have a GPS sensor that can report location within 10 meters of accuracy. The contributions of this paper are in three folds. First, we examine privacy issues in snapshot queries, and present our work and results in this area. The proposed method can guarantee that all queries are protected, while previously proposed algorithms only achieve a low success rate in some situations. Next, we discuss continuous queries and illustrate that current snapshot solutions cannot be applied to continuous queries. Then, we present results for our robust models for continuous queries. Finally, we show evaluation results when we add another dimension to privacy in location based systems, referred to as transportation mode homogeneity.
A new species of Neoechinorhynchus (Acanthocephala: Neoechinorhynchidae) from turtles in Florida, U.S.A

Abstract Neoechinorhynchus moleri n. sp. is described from a yellow-bellied slider (Trachemys scripta scripta) and a Florida red-bellied turtle (Pseudemys nelsoni) from the state of Florida, U.S.A. The new species is distinguished from others in the genus by the shape of the posterior end of the female and by the size, shape, and membrane structure of the egg. The egg of the new species has features similar to both the eggs of Neoechinorhynchus chelonos (lomentiform or “peanut shaped”) and Neoechinorhynchus pseudemydis (with radiating rod-like inclusions). The egg of the new species is smaller than the egg of either N. chelonos or N. pseudemydis, and the rod-like inclusions are restricted to the poles, whereas in N. pseudemydis they are distributed uniformly around the acanthor. Furthermore, the posterior end of the female lacks a large digitiform process such as in N. chelonos. Neoechinorhynchus moleri n. sp. is the second species of Neoechinorhynchus infecting turtles described from peninsular Florida.
Carbon Monoxide Dilates Cerebral Arterioles by Enhancing the Coupling of Ca2+ Sparks to Ca2+-Activated K+ Channels

Carbon monoxide (CO) is generated endogenously by the enzyme heme oxygenase. Although CO is a known vasodilator, cellular signaling mechanisms are poorly understood and are a source of controversy. The goal of the present study was to investigate mechanisms of CO dilation in porcine cerebral arterioles. Data indicate that exogenous or endogenously produced CO is a potent activator of large-conductance Ca 2+ -activated K + (K Ca ) channels and Ca 2+ spark–induced transient K Ca currents in arteriole smooth muscle cells. In contrast, CO is a relatively poor activator of Ca 2+ sparks. To understand the apparent discrepancy between potent effects on transient K Ca currents and weak effects on Ca 2+ sparks, regulation of the coupling relationship between these events by CO was investigated. CO increased the percentage of Ca 2+ sparks that activated a transient K Ca current (ie, the coupling ratio) from ≈62% in the control condition to 100% and elevated the slope of the amplitude correlation between these events ≈2.6-fold, indicating that Ca 2+ sparks induced larger amplitude transient K Ca currents in the presence of CO. This signaling pathway for CO is physiologically relevant because ryanodine, a ryanodine-sensitive Ca 2+ release channel blocker that inhibits Ca 2+ sparks, abolished CO dilation of pial arterioles in vivo. Thus, CO dilates cerebral arterioles by priming K Ca channels for activation by Ca 2+ sparks. This study presents a novel dilatory signaling pathway for CO in the cerebral circulation and appears to be the first presents of a vasodilator that acts by increasing the effective coupling of Ca 2+ sparks to K Ca channels.
Acculturative Stress, Self-Esteem, and Eating Pathology in Latina and Asian American Female College Students.

Objective The overarching purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among acculturative stress, self-esteem, and eating pathology in Asian American and Latina female college students. Method Participants (N = 638, mean age = 19.88) completed self-report measures of the variables of interest online. Results Bivariate correlations indicated that for women of both ethnic groups, acculturative stress was negatively correlated with self-esteem and positively correlated with eating pathology. Multigroup structural equation modeling indicated that for Asian American and Latina women, self-esteem partially mediated the relationship between acculturative stress and eating pathology. However, self-esteem did not serve as a significant moderator of this relationship for either ethnic group. Conclusion Overall, data suggest that acculturative stress is associated with increased eating pathology and self-esteem may mediate this relationship. These relationships suggest that assessment of eating pathology and self-esteem may be indicated for women presenting clinically with acculturative stress concerns.
Effect of ketone bodies on measurements of plasma 17-hydroxycorticosteroids as Porter-Silber chromogens.

Abstract Porter-Silber chromogens were measured in pooled human plasma before and after the in vitro addition of acetone or beta hydroxybutyric acid in concentrations as high as 100 mg. per 100 ml. plasma. Measurements of Porter-Silber chromogens and ketone bodies were also made on plasma from 2 starving obese female patients and 3 starving dogs. No elevation of the Porter-Silber chromogens was observed in the in vitro studies. Plasma Porter-Silber chromogens, as well as ketone bodies, were elevated in the plasma of the starving women, but the elevation of the plasma ketone bodies was over 400 times greater than the Porter-Silber chromogen levels. The relationship between ketone body and Porter-Silber chromogen levels was variable. In the dogs, mean plasma Porter-Silber chromogens rose from a prestarvation level of 4.4 μg per cent to 7.2 μg per cent at the end of 10 days' starvation, whereas, plasma ketones rose from 177 μg per cent to 3,377 μg per cent during the same period. From these observations it is concluded that acetone and beta hydroxybutyric acid added to plasma in vitro do not produce an elevation of Porter-Silber chromogen values, and that elevated plasma levels of these ketones are not responsible for the marked increase of plasma Porter-Silber chromogens observed in humans during starvation. Unlike the human, the dog shows only a slight increase in plasma Porter-Silber chromogen levels during starvation.
Welfare states, real income and poverty

Welfare state supporters typically contend that social-welfare programs boost the incomes of low-earning households. Critics argue that, over time, such programs reduce the growth of economic output and/or employment. As a result, redistribution may produce stagnant or even declining real incomes for those at the bottom. A number of recent cross-country empirical studies have found that welfare state generosity is strongly associated with low relative poverty, but there has been virtually no cross-national analysis of welfare state effects on absolute poverty, which is at the heart of the critics' argument. I use Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) data to examine the relationship between welfare state generosity and absolute poverty for working-age households in Sweden, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States from the mid-1970s to 2000. Consistent with the critics' charge, the countries with the most generous welfare states experienced rising pretax-pretransfer absolute poverty. Yet the actual causal significance of welfare state generosity in this development is questionable. On the whole, the comparative evidence seems more consistent with the view of welfare state supporters. Germany, with its relatively generous social-welfare programs, had the lowest levels of both pretax-pretransfer and posttax-posttransfer absolute poverty throughout the period. And the sharpest decline in posttax-posttransfer absolute poverty, as well as the second lowest level as of 2000, were found in Sweden, the country with by far the most generous welfare state.
Grainyhead-like 2 regulates epithelial plasticity and stemness in oral cancer cells

Grainyhead-like 2 (GRHL2) is one of the three mammalian homologues of Drosophila Grainyhead involved in epithelial morphogenesis. We recently showed that GRHL2 also controls normal epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation. In this study, we investigated the role of GRHL2 in oral carcinogenesis and the underlying mechanism. GRHL2 expression was elevated in cells and tissues of oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) compared with normal counterparts. Knockdown of GRHL2 resulted in the loss of in vivo tumorigenicity, cancer stemness and epithelial phenotype of oral cancer cells. GRHL2 loss also inhibited oral cancer cell proliferation and colony formation. GRHL2 regulated the expression of miR-200 family and Octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct-4) genes through direct promoter DNA binding. Overexpression of miR-200 genes in the oral cancer cells depleted of GRHL2 partially restored the epithelial phenotype, proliferative rate and cancer stemness, indicating that miR-200 genes in part mediate the functional effects of GRHL2. Taken together, this study demonstrates a novel connection between GRHL2 and miR-200, and supports protumorigenic effect of GRHL2 on OSCCs.
Calculations of Flow of Air and Diatomic Gases

Measurement of airflow is frequently required in connection with aeronautical projects. Conventional practice, as exemplified by the A.S.M.E. Test Code for Flow Measurement, provides two different formulas (or sets of formulas) for the calculation of flow from pressure and temperature measurements made with standard nozzles, orifices, and the like, the proper formula for use in any particular case depending upon whether the pressure ratio across the restriction is greater or less than the critical value. In most cases of aeronautical interest the formula for subcritical (or restricted) flow is applicable. However, the exact formula for this case is quite cumbersome, and often requires much laborious calculation. Without sacrifice of exactness, the much simpler formula for critical flow may be generalized and used in all cases merely by including a "restriction factor" that is a function of pressure ratio only, and so may be tabulated once and for all. This paper proposes such a formula and presents a table of restriction factors applicable to air and other diatomic gases.
Time Spectral Method for Rotorcraft Flow

This paper proposes a fast and efficient way to simulate time-periodic unsteady threedimensional rotorcraft flow for both Euler and Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes equations. Based on the recently developed Time Spectral method, accurate results for hover and forward flight cases were achieved while gaining efficiency on the traditional dual time stepping scheme, and being simpler than the nonlinear frequency domain type solvers. Two new formulations for Vorticity Confinement for compressible flows were explored. The first formulation uses the local velocity magnitude to scale the confinement parameter and the second uses a helicity to determine the strength of the confinement term. The addition of the confinement term has no effect on the surface pressure distribution and negligible errors in the calculations of the coefficients of lift and drag.
Epidemiologic and phylogenetic study on hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Hunan province from 2007 to 2010

Objective To study the epidemiological features of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome(HFRS) and to analyze the molecular evaluation of the virus M gene.Methods Descriptive epidemiology was applied to analyze the epidemic data collected from both the national notifiable disease reporting system and the local surveillance records of HFRS including human and rodent endemics.IFA and RT-PCR were used to determine the etiology from blood samples of patients and lung tissues of rodents.Meanwhile the virus M gene was sequenced and analyzed by bioinformatics.Results A total of 2 115 HFRS cases reported from 2007 to 2010 in 14 areas of Hunan province with the mortality of 1.28%.Most of the cases were from Loudi and Shaoyang counties and 67.19% of patients were farmers.Also IFA test revealed that 2.18% of all the captured mice were found to be Hantavirus positive in their lung tissues,and apodemus agrarius was the major host of the virus in this endemic area.PCR products of two blood samples and one mouse lung tissue were positive with both HTNV general primers and specific typing primers.The phylogenetic tree showed that these three isolated viruses had a high homogeneity with 84Fli strain,which were classified as H5 subtype of HTNV.Conclusions The overall downward trend of HFRS epidemics in Hunan province could be related to the successful control strategies,but in some areas the epidemic situation is still serious,and the M gene ofHantavirus has not changed a lot compared with others.
Analytic quantification of bias and variance of coil sensitivity profile estimators for improved image reconstruction in MRI.

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging provides a unique in-vivo capability of visualizing tissue in the human brain non-invasively, which has tremendously improved patient care over the past decades. However, there are still prominent artifacts, such as intensity inhomogeneities due to the use of an array of receiving coils (RC) to measure the MR signal or noise amplification due to accelerated imaging strategies. It is critical to mitigate these artifacts for both visual inspection and quantitative analysis. The cornerstone to address this issue pertains to the knowledge of coil sensitivity profiles (CSP) of the RCs, which describe how the measured complex signal decays with the distance to the RC.
Monensin effects on digestibility, methanogenesis and heat increment of a cracked corn-silage diet fed to steers.

Six 300-kg steers were each fed a 70% cracked corn plus corn silage diet at two levels of intake above maintenance with and without 3 mg monensin/kg.75 body weight (W.75). A changeover design was used. Dietary energy and nitrogen were partitioned by duplicate, 22-h indirect respiration calorimetry measurements of heat and methane production on each animal concurrent with 7-d total feces and urine collection trials. Feed and feces were analyzed for energy, N, starch and neutral detergent fiber (NDF). The partial efficiency and(or) heat increment of metabolizable energy (ME) used for gain and maintenance was partitioned by regression of energy storage vs intake. At equalized gross energy intakes (adjustments made by covariance), monensin improved (P less than .01) the apparent digestibilities of energy, from 71.8 to 74.8%; NDF, from 50.5 to 57.5%, and crude protein, from 61.6 to 65.8%. Methane production averaged 5.7% of the control gross energy (GE), but was reduced by 26% (P less than .01) by monensin additions. Metabolizable energy was increased (P less than .01) from 63.3 to 66.8% of gross energy intake by monensin, resulting in an increase (P less than .01) in retained energy (64.7 to 72.3 kcal/W.75). Heat production was increased (P less than .05) by monensin, but only in proportion to the increased ME. Daily energy retentions adjusted to equal ME intake were similar with or without monensin (69.9 vs 67.1 kcal/W.75). No significant effects of monensin on the heat increment of ME use for maintenance or gain were observed. Both NEm and NEg were improved by approximately 7% by monensin; however, the relative effect on NEm vs NEg depends on method of calculation. At equalized GE intakes, approximately one-third of the improved energy utilization was explained by the reduced methanogenesis caused by monensin and two-thirds by reduced fecal losses.
Learning And Evolution

The basic ideas that I will expound in this chapter are old ones. They are clearly expressed in the following quotations taken from the writings of William James and David Krech.
TIME DEVELOPMENT OF A QUANTUM SYSTEM

This chapter presents the Schrodinger and Heisenberg equations and also explains the interaction representation, which is particularly appropriate for certain formulations of the time-dependent perturbation theory. The time-dependent Schrodinger equation governs the evolution of a quantum system in time. The Hamiltonian of the system may or may not be time dependent. The time development of the Schrodinger wave function has been described in terms of an evolution operator. For the Schrodinger representation, the operators are independent of time, but the expectation value of an operator is not independent of time unless the operator commutes with the Hamiltonian. For the Heisenberg representation, the state vector is independent of time, but operators obey the Heisenberg equation. The time-dependent operators provide information on the time development of the system. For the interaction representation, both state vectors and operators are time dependent.
The linear growth of structure in the Rh = ct universe

Chinese Academy of Sciences Visiting Professorships for Senior International Scientists [2012T1J0011]
Mechanical response of 3-dimensional tensegrity lattices

Abstract Most available techniques for the design of tensegrity structures can be grouped in two categories. On the one hand, methods that rely on the systematic application of topological and geometric rules to regular polyhedrons have been applied to the generation of tensegrity elementary cells. On the other hand, efforts have been made to either combine elementary cells or apply rules of self-similarity in order to generate complex structures of engineering interest, for example, columns, beams, and plates. However, perhaps due to the lack of adequate symmetries on traditional tensegrity elementary cells, the design of 3-dimensional tensegrity lattices has remained an elusive goal. In this work, we first develop a method to construct 3-dimensional tensegrity lattices from truncated octahedron elementary cells. The required space-tiling translational symmetry is achieved by performing recursive reflection operations on the elementary cells. We then analyze the mechanical response of the resulting lattices in the fully nonlinear regime via two distinctive approaches: we first adopt a discrete reduced-order model that explicitly accounts for the deformation of individual tensegrity members, and we then utilize this model as the basis for the development of a continuum approximation for the tensegrity lattices. Using this homogenization method, we study tensegrity lattices under a wide range of loading conditions and prestressed configurations. We present Ashby charts for yield strength to density ratio to illustrate how our tensegrity lattices can potentially achieve superior performance when compared to other lattices available in the literature. Finally, using the discrete model, we analyze the dynamic response of a finite tensegrity lattice impacting an elastic wall, where a strong asymmetry in the dispersion of tensile and compressive stress-waves propagating through the medium is observed.
CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis invalidates a putative cancer dependency targeted in on-going clinical trials

The Maternal Embryonic Leucine Zipper Kinase (MELK) has been reported to be a genetic dependency in several cancer types. MELK RNAi and small-molecule inhibitors of MELK block the proliferation of various cancer cell lines, and MELK knockdown has been described as particularly effective against the highly-aggressive basal/triple-negative subtype of breast cancer. Based on these preclinical results, the MELK inhibitor OTS167 is currently being tested as a novel chemotherapy agent in several clinical trials. Here, we report that mutagenizing MELK with CRISPR/Cas9 has no effect on the fitness of basal breast cancer cell lines or cell lines from six other cancer types. Cells that harbor null mutations in MELK exhibit wild-type doubling times, cytokinesis, and anchorage-independent growth. Furthermore, MELK-knockout lines remain sensitive to OTS167, suggesting that this drug blocks cell division through an off-target mechanism. In total, our results undermine the rationale for a series of current clinical trials and provide an experimental approach for the use of CRISPR/Cas9 in preclinical target validation that can be broadly applied.
Yeast Bre1 and Dot1 histone modification enzymes are necessary for efficient homologous recombination repair

LB-234 Efficient DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair is essential for maintaining the stability of the genome. A single long-lived DSB, whether exogenously induced by a DNA damaging agent or purposefully induced endogenously during replication or DNA repair processes, can cause cell lethality. Humans with defects in DSB repair are sensitive to DNA damaging agents and are predisposed to developing cancers, as exemplified by such diseases as Nijmegan Breakage Syndrome, Ataxia Telangiectasia, and breast cancer susceptibility in women with mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Repair of DNA damage requires activation of cell cycle checkpoint controls, recruitment of repair proteins to DNA lesions, and transcriptional activation of relevant genes. As shown by our data, deletion of genes for proteins involved in histone modification produces sensitivity to ionizing radiation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, suggesting a role for chromatin modification enzymes in the repair process as well. We are specifically interested in the roles of Bre1p, a ubiquitin ligase responsible for ubiquitination of H2B on lysine 123 (H2B-K123) and Dot1p, a methylase specific for lysine 79 on histone H3 (H3-K79). We have confirmed that bre1Δ and dot1Δ are sensitive to IR and have placed bre1Δ and dot1Δ into the Rad6 post replication repair and Rad51 homologous recombination repair pathways via epistasis analysis. We have shown that bre1Δ and dot1Δ strains have a G1 checkpoint defect, but an intact G2 checkpoint. Because a G1 checkpoint defect alone is insufficient to cause the radiation sensitivity we observe, we have focused on determining other causes for IR sensitivity in bre1Δ and dot1Δmutants. We hypothesize that Bre1p and Dot1p are necessary for repair of the DNA break itself rather than as accessory proteins in the cell cycle checkpoint response. By monitoring phosphorylation of H2A over time, we have determined that the repair of DSB after IR in bre1Δ and dot1Δmutants is defective as compared to wild-type yeast. Our current studies are focused on quantifying the frequency and repair of DSB after IR in bre1 and dot1 null mutants compared to WT by analyzing the chromosomes of our strains by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), analyzing the genome-wide expression patterns in WT, bre1, dot1, and bre1 dot1 deletion mutants to determine if Bre1p and Dot1p have roles in upregulation of DNA repair genes, examining the relationship between Bre1p and Dot1p by exploring their potential interactions, and searching for protein candidates for binding to methylated H3 K79.
Microscale arrays for the profiling of start and stop signals coordinating human-neutrophil swarming

Large microscale arrays of zymosan particle clusters enable the characterization of human-neutrophil swarming, including the presence of start and stop signals, and the deficient swarming behaviour of neutrophils from patients following major trauma.
IMPACT OF INFORMAL CARE, TRAVEL DISTANCE, AND STRESS ON RETIREMENT DECISION MAKING

AbstractEstablished literature informs us that caring for the elderly living over a distance can be a stressful for the caregivers. We add to this literature by showing the impact of distance on reported physical, emotional and financial stress levels, and further show that this distance can have a negative impact on the retirement decision-making of care providers. Using data from the Caregiving in the United States, 2015 survey conducted by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP Public Policy Institute, we find that increased distance between the care-giver and the recipient living outside the household significantly increased the burden of care-giving stress on the provider. This is especially significant for those over fifty years of age and providing care. However, those who are caring for elderly inside their household also report high stress levels.Our findings indicate that among women, those with parents residing within 20 minutes of travel are least likely to be stressed out emotionally and financially, and are less likely to report care-giving as a reason for retirement than those with parents living further away. The likelihood of early retirement among women seems to increase substantially with an increase in their travel-time to elderly care recipients and is negatively related to income levels, possibly due to improved access to transport and paid-care services.
Use of Mobile Technology and Smartphone Apps on the Camino de Santiago: A Comparison of American and European Pilgrims

Mobile technology and smartphone apps are increasingly being used by pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago, leading us to wonder what the role of technology is among Camino pilgrims and what impact technology has on the Camino experience. The purpose of this research is to explore these questions. To do so we conducted separate surveys of American and European pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago. This paper presents our analysis of the results of these surveys, focusing on differences between American and European pilgrims. The results showed that some mobile technologies are used extensively by pilgrims, although pilgrims did not consider the technology to be essential. They also showed that technology impacts the Camino experience in both positive and negative ways. Similarities and differences between American and European pilgrims were found in the results.
Promises and pitfalls of immune-based strategies for Huntington's disease

Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal-dominant neurodegenerative disease characterized by the selective loss of neurons in the striatum and cortex, leading to progressive motor dysfunction, cognitive decline and behavioral symptoms. HD is caused by a trinucleotide (CAG) repeat expansion in the gene encoding for huntingtin. Several studies have suggested that inflammation is an important feature of HD and it is already observed in the early stages of the disease. Recently, new molecules presenting anti-inflammatory and/or immunomodulatory have been investigated for HD. The objective of this review is to discuss the data obtained so far on the immune-based therapeutic strategies for HD.
Ultra-Rapid Sintering

A number of highly sinterable ceramic powders have been rapidly sintered by insertion of small samples into preheated furnaces, rapid heating of small specimens in low thermal mass furnaces, and passing tube-shaped samples through short hot zone furnaces. More recently, aluminum oxide has been sintered by passing through gas plasmas. Heating rates in the neighborhood of 100 oK/s and densification rates >1%/s have been achieved in the plasma sintering. Sintering models and computer simulation shed some light on the effect of rapid heating on the various sintering mechanisms and the interplay among the sintering mechanism.
New mothers' feelings of disappointment and failure after cesarean delivery.

Background Childbirth is an important life event and how women feel in retrospect about their first childbirth may have long-term effects on the mother, child, and family. In this study, we investigated the association between mode of delivery at first childbirth and birth experience, using a new scale developed specifically to measure women's affective response. Methods This was a prospective cohort study of 3006 women who were interviewed during pregnancy and 1-month postpartum. The First Baby Study Birth Experience Scale was used to measure the association between mode of delivery and women's postpartum feelings about their childbirth, taking into account relevant confounders, including maternal age, race, education, pregnancy intendedness, depression, social support, and maternal and newborn complications by way of linear and logistic regression models. Results Women who had unplanned cesarean delivery had the least positive feelings overall about their first childbirth, in comparison to those whose deliveries were spontaneous vaginal (P < .001), instrumental vaginal (P = .001), and planned cesarean (P < .001). In addition, those who delivered by unplanned cesarean were more likely to feel disappointed (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 6.21 [95% confidence interval (CI) 4.62-8.35]) and like a failure (adjusted OR 5.09 [95% CI 3.65-7.09]) in comparison to women who had spontaneous vaginal delivery; and less likely to feel extremely or quite a bit proud of themselves (adjusted OR 2.70 [95% CI 2.20-3.30]). Conclusions Delivering by unplanned cesarean delivery adversely affects how women feel about their first childbirth in retrospect, and their self-esteem.
Touch Me Here: A Virtual Touch Cinema

Touch Me Here is an interactive performance art piece that invites the participant to virtually touch and paint on the body of a female artist who is standing at a distance, in the same closed intimate space. Using the artist's body as a canvas, the participant makes a virtual body-art piece with a custom-built augmented reality painting application. This interactive digital artwork explores and challenges the ethics of live-interaction, while simultaneously blurring the line between the private and public spheres. Other major themes of this work include: the dialectic between virtual and real, micro and macro gestures, and motions and emotions. Touch Me Here is a digital reenactment of Valie Export's Tap and Touch Cinema (1968).
Regulator of G Protein Signaling (RGS) and Goloco Proteins Suppress TRPC4 Channel Function via Acting at GAI/O

Transient Receptor Potential Canonical 4 (TRPC4) forms non-selective cation channels implicated in the regulation of diverse physiological functions, including smooth muscle contractility, synaptic transmission, and neurodegeneration. Unique among TRPC subfamily members, TRPC4 activation is dependent on Gi/o subgroup of heterotrimeric G proteins in addition to stimulation of phospholipase C pathway. Previously, the Gi/o, rather than Gbetgamma, subunits were suggested to mediate Gi/o-induced TRPC4 activation. Because the lifetime and availability of Galpha-GTP are regulated by Regulators of G protein signaling (RGS) and GoLoco domain-containing proteins via their GTPase-activating protein (GAP) and guanosine nucleotide dissociation inhibition (GDI) functions, respectively, we tested how RGS and GoLoco domain proteins affect TRPC4 currents activated via Gi/o-coupled receptors. Using whole-cell patch clamp recordings, we show that both RGS (RGS4, RGS6, RGS12, or RGS14) and GoLoco domain proteins (LGN, AGS3, RGS12, or RGS14) suppress receptor-mediated TRPC4 activation without eliciting any basal current. The inhibitory effects are dependent on the GAP and GoLoco domains and facilitated by enhancing membrane targeting of the GoLoco domains of AGS3. In addition, the Gi/o-specific RGS proteins, but not the GoLoco domain proteins, accelerate desensitization of receptor activation-evoked TRPC4 currents. We found that the inhibitory effects of RGS and GoLoco domains are additive and are most prominent with RGS proteins that contain both the RGS and GoLoco domains, i.e. RGS12 and RGS14. Our data support the notion that the Galpha, but not Gbetagamma, arm of the Gi/o signaling is involved in TRPC4 activation and indicate that acting through Gi/o via GAP and GDI functions, RGS and GoLoco domain proteins can fine tune TRPC4 activity and thereby allow delicate regulation of cellular functions in nervous and other systems.
Toll-like receptor 4 regulates insulin signal transduction in retinal Müller cells

Dysfunctional insulin signalling is a causative factor in type-2 diabetes. While insulin signal transduction has been well investigated in many tissues, less is known in retinal tissues. We have previously reported that toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is involved in retinal damage in diabetes. We used TLR4 retinal Muller cell-specific knockout mice and Muller cells in culture to investigate the effects of loss of TLR4 on Muller cell insulin signal transduction. Loss of TLR4 in the mouse retinal Muller cells led to increased insulin receptor and Akt phosphorylation, with reduced insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) phosphorylation on serine 307, which was associated with reduced cleavage of caspase 3. In retinal Muller cells grown in high glucose, insulin signal transduction was impaired, but these responses were reduced with cells were transfected with TLR4 siRNA. Taken together, the data suggest that TLR4 regulates insulin signal transduction in retinal Muller cells.
If I can find a parking spot: A stated choice approach to Grand Teton National Park visitors’ transportation preferences

Abstract Managing visitor use in parks and protected areas requires balancing resource protection and quality visitor experiences; a difficult task with ever increasing visitation. Understanding what constitutes a quality experience is also complex. Past studies show that transportation systems are a vital part of visitor's experiences to parks and protected areas. This study investigates preferences for different attributes by examining trade-offs national park visitors make among different transportation-related attributes; such as wait time at the entrance, parking availability, speed of traffic, and volume of traffic. Results indicated that parking was the most important attribute to visitors, followed by traffic volume, wait time at the entrance, and speed. Statistically significant differences in regards to preference among mode of transportation (hiker or in a vehicle) and age were also identified. Management implications This study investigates the tradeoffs visitors make among different transportation-related experiential attributes along a rustic park road. The findings suggest there are interactions and tradeoffs among different aspects of the transportation experience, such as: • Preference to wait at the entrance station prior to entering the park, rather than in a parking lot waiting for a designated parking space. • Preferences can differ depending on age and mode of transportation.
Efficient coding explains the universal law of generalization in human perception

Perceptual generalization and discrimination are fundamental cognitive abilities. For example, if a bird eats a poisonous butterfly, it will learn to avoid preying on that species again by generalizing its past experience to new perceptual stimuli. In cognitive science, the “universal law of generalization” seeks to explain this ability and states that generalization between stimuli will follow an exponential function of their distance in “psychological space.” Here, I challenge existing theoretical explanations for the universal law and offer an alternative account based on the principle of efficient coding. I show that the universal law emerges inevitably from any information processing system (whether biological or artificial) that minimizes the cost of perceptual error subject to constraints on the ability to process or transmit information.
African-American elders. Implications for health care providers.

The number of older African Americans is increasing steadily, with growth projections expected well into the next century. It is important that health care providers have an understanding of the cultural determinants of health and illness when approaching the health care needs of this diverse group.
Much Discussion, Not Much Change: Perceptions of Campus Climate Continue to Differ Along Racial Lines

In this chapter, Telles and Mitchell provide a brief historical overview of campus climate issues beginning with the 1980s, provide information about the 2017 Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) survey, and present racial campus climate data. The issue of negative campus climates for students of color in higher education institutions across the United States has been well documented and many resources have been dedicated to programming and initiatives to address these negative environments. As the SERU data used for this descriptive article show, however, perceptions of and experiences with a negative campus climate continue to be an issue. The authors discuss the disconnection between programming meant to change campus climate and the actual outcome of this type of programming, as well as other possibilities that may begin to truly address campus climate issues for students of color in higher education.
Feminism and Gender

This chapter presents an overview of major shifts in feminist theory from the latter part of the twentieth century to the present day, highlighting the recuperative power of critical approaches that have sometimes been treated as obsolete, incoherent, or even embattled. If scholars of gender often claim to have surpassed the work of their forebears, it is worth remembering that we all work within a critical tradition that we have created and imbued with the theoretical investments of the present. Tracking the development of literary approaches to gender from ‘recovery’ feminism to more recent innovations in digital and transgender studies, Stern argues for a recursive approach to the history of feminism and gender, one that acknowledges a less linear and more variegated field of concerns.
Outcomes following TORS for HPV-positive oropharyngeal carcinoma: PEGs, tracheostomies, and beyond.

Abstract Objectives To review swallowing, airway and speech outcomes following transoral robotic surgery (TORS) ± adjuvant therapy for human papillomavirus associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV[+]OPSCC). Methods Patients underwent TORS ± standard adjuvant therapy from 5/1/2007–5/31/2015. Clinical data were recorded and descriptive analysis was performed. Results 267 patients met criteria. All patients underwent surgery at Mayo, however, only 41/81 and 71/119 patients received RT and CRT at a Mayo Clinic site. A PEG was placed in 77 patients (3 prior to any treatment, 74 reactively during adjuvant therapy), with 3 PEG dependent and 3 partially PEG reliant at last follow-up. Tracheostomy was performed in 30 (11%) patients; 28 were decannulated. Swallow evaluations were completed for 20/81 undergoing RT and 50/119 undergoing CRT at a median of 3.8 and 7.6 months post-treatment, respectively. An unrestricted oral diet was reported by 5% following RT and 12% following CRT on the Functional Oral Intake Scale. HN-PSS normalcy of diet scores indicated a diet beyond soft chewable foods for 27% following RT and 46% following CRT. No restriction of place, food, or companion was reported for the HN-PSS for public eating in 13% after RT and 33% after CRT. Aspiration of thin liquid was present in 17% and 28% following RT and CRT, respectively. HN-PSS understandability of speech was “always understandable” in 60% and 63%, following RT and CRT, respectively. Hoarseness was reported in 56% and 45% following RT and CRT respectively. Conclusion Long-term PEG and tracheostomy dependence in this cohort is low. However, these outcomes under-represent the decrement in patient speech and swallowing following TORS ± standard adjuvant therapy for HPV(+)OPSCC.
U1.33T4Al8Si2 (T = Ni, Co): Complex Uranium Silicides Grown from Aluminum/Gallium Flux Mixtures.

Two new quaternary analogs of the Gd1+xFe4Si10-y structure type were grown from the reaction of uranium, silicon, and a transition metal (nickel or cobalt) in an excess of aluminum/gallium flux. The use of a mixed flux was found to be necessary for the formation of U1.33T4Al8Si2 (T = Ni, Co). Single crystal X-ray diffraction data shows the presence of disordered U/Si layers that are characteristic of this structure type; precession photographs indicate partial formation of a superstructure and stacking disorder along the c-axis. This disorder may be the cause of the spin glass behavior that is particularly evident in the nickel analog, which exhibits a spin freezing transition at TF = 7 K. These compounds are resistant to chemical attack and oxidation and may be potential waste forms.
Sound Radiation in Three Dimensions

In the following we will examine the radiation of sound in three dimensions. We will first write the basic equations for the sound field in three dimensions and then consider radiation from a simple point source of sound. We will then extend our study of the radiation from a simple point source to explore sound radiation and reflection in a wide range of acoustic spaces.
Above-Level Test Item Functioning Across Examinee Age Groups

Above-level testing (also called above-grade testing, out-of-level testing, and off-level testing) is the practice of administering to a child a test that is designed for an examinee population tha...
Hyperbole, Simile, Metaphor, and Invasivore: Messaging About Non-native Blue Catfish Expansion

Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries through a Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; U.S. Department of Agriculture through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture Program; Virginia Tech University; Virginia Sea Grant
Leveraging supplier relationships for sustainable supply chain management: insights from social exchange theory

While firms recognise the importance of utilizing suppliers to meet sustainable supply chain management goals, many find environmental strategy difficult to implement. Applying insights from social...