cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Maternal relationship quality and peer social acceptance as mediators between child maltreatment and adolescent depressive symptoms: Gender differences

Childhood maltreatment negatively impacts the development of maternal and peer relationships and may put adolescents at risk for depression. The present study examined gender differences in maternal relationship quality and peer social acceptance as mediators of the association between childhood maltreatment and adolescent depressive symptoms in 342 (151 female, 191 male) maltreated (n = 198) and nonmaltreated (n = 144) youth in the USA. An observer report Q-Scale measure of depressive symptoms was developed and received preliminary support. Social acceptance was a significant mediator for both genders. The significant association between maltreatment and maternal relationship quality was unique to females, and the association between maternal relationship quality and depressive symptoms was significantly stronger for females. Lower maternal relationship quality marginally significantly mediated the association between maltreatment and depressive symptoms for females only. Results have implications for the prevention and intervention of depression in adolescents with a history of childhood maltreatment.
Price Discrimination (Theory)

Price discrimination comprises a wide variety of practices aimed to extract rents from base of heterogeneous consumers. When consumer types remain private information and only their distribution is known to the monopolist finding the optimal nonlinear tariff involves solving a constrained variational problem that characterizes the optimal markup for each purchase level so that consumers of different types have no incentive to imitate the behavior of others. Fully separating equilibrium is ensuredwhen the distribution of types fulfills the increasing hazard rate property and individual demands can be unambiguously ranked. Outside this framework, optimal tariffs are difficult to characterize.
Comparison of Lower Extremity Recovery After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction With Transphyseal Hamstring Versus Extraphyseal Iliotibial Band Techniques in Skeletally Immature Athletes.

Background:The influence of graft type on recovery after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) has not been adequately studied in pediatric patients.Purpose:To describe lower extremity f...
Dynamical Modeling of the Grand Piano Action

The grand piano action is modeled as a set of four rigid bodies using Kane’s method. Computerized symbol manipulation is utilized to streamline the formulation of the equations of motion so that several models can be considered, each of increasing detail. Various methods for checking the dynamical model thus derived are explored. A computer animation driven by simulation of the equations of motion is compared to a high-speed video recording of the piano action moving under a known force at the key. For quantitative evaluation, the velocities and angular velocities of each of the bodies are extracted from the video recording by means of digitization techniques. The aspects of the model of particular interest for emulation by a controlled system, namely, the mechanical impedance at the key and the velocity with which the hammer strikes the string, can be studied in the equations of motion and compared to empirical data.
Demonstration of a Semi-Autonomous Hybrid Brain–Machine Interface Using Human Intracranial EEG, Eye Tracking, and Computer Vision to Control a Robotic Upper Limb Prosthetic

To increase the ability of brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) to control advanced prostheses such as the modular prosthetic limb (MPL), we are developing a novel system: the Hybrid Augmented Reality Multimodal Operation Neural Integration Environment (HARMONIE). This system utilizes hybrid input, supervisory control, and intelligent robotics to allow users to identify an object (via eye tracking and computer vision) and initiate (via brain-control) a semi-autonomous reach-grasp-and-drop of the object by the MPL. Sequential iterations of HARMONIE were tested in two pilot subjects implanted with electrocorticographic (ECoG) and depth electrodes within motor areas. The subjects performed the complex task in 71.4% (20/28) and 67.7% (21/31) of trials after minimal training. Balanced accuracy for detecting movements was 91.1% and 92.9%, significantly greater than chance accuracies (p < 0.05). After BMI-based initiation, the MPL completed the entire task 100% (one object) and 70% (three objects) of the time. The MPL took approximately 12.2 s for task completion after system improvements implemented for the second subject. Our hybrid-BMI design prevented all but one baseline false positive from initiating the system. The novel approach demonstrated in this proof-of-principle study, using hybrid input, supervisory control, and intelligent robotics, addresses limitations of current BMIs.
Polariton-enhanced exciton transport

The transport distance of excitons in exciton-polariton systems has previously been assumed to be very small ($\ensuremath{\lesssim}1\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$). The sharp spatial profiles observed when generating polaritons by nonresonant optical excitation show that this assumption is generally true. In this paper, however, we show that the transport distances of excitons in two-dimensional planar cavity structures with even a slightly polaritonic character are much longer than expected ($\ensuremath{\approx}20\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$). Although this population of slightly polaritonic excitons is normally small compared to the total population of excitons, they can substantially outnumber the population of the polaritons at lower energies, leading to important implications for the tailoring of potential landscapes and the measurement of interactions between polaritons.
Accurate Extraction of Heartbeat Intervals with Near-Field Coherent Sensing

Continuous monitoring of vital signs including heart rates, blood pressures, respiration rates and breath efforts is critical for eHealth. Current approaches are limited in accuracy, convenience and sensing capabilities. Some methods such as electrocardiogram (ECG) is difficult for long-term applications due to the requirement of direct skin contact, which is uncomfortable to wearers, restricts body motion and disrupts circadian rhythms. Meanwhile accurate measurement of the inter-heartbeat timing features is important for wellness monitoring and human emotion studies. In this paper, we introduce a new method to modulate the external and internal mechanical motion of the wearer body directly onto multiplexed radio frequency (RF) signals by near- field coherent sensing (NCS). To minimize the deployment and maintenance cost of NCS vital-sign monitoring, passive RF identification (RFID) tags can be integrated into garments at the chest and wrist areas. The unique ID of each tag helps discriminate its signal against interferences from ambient interferences and other tags. NCS utilizes both amplitude and phase of the electromagnetic field to couple the motion, which significantly increases the signal quality in comparison to methods based solely on signal strength. The tag backscattering signal is then processed with spectral equalization to amplify the high frequency components to recover not only the waveform details originally submerged in the low-frequency components but also the sharp peaks for precise heartbeat intervals with improved peak detection certainty. The derived heartbeat interval shows improved stability in comparison with synchronous ECG.
Overhauser Dynamic Nuclear Polarization for the Study of Hydration Dynamics, Explained.

Abstract We outline the physical properties of hydration water that are captured by Overhauser Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (ODNP) relaxometry and explore the insights that ODNP yields about the water and the surface that this water is coupled to. As ODNP relies on the pairwise cross-relaxation between the electron spin of a spin probe and a proton nuclear spin of water, it captures the dynamics of single-particle diffusion of an ensemble of water molecules moving near the spin probe. ODNP principally utilizes the same physics as other nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxometry (i.e., relaxation measurement) techniques. However, in ODNP, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) excites the electron spins probes and their high net polarization acts as a signal amplifier. Furthermore, it renders ODNP parameters highly sensitive to water moving at rates commensurate with the EPR frequency of the spin probe (typically 10 GHz). Also, ODNP selectively enhances the NMR signal contributions of water moving within close proximity to the spin label. As a result, ODNP can capture ps–ns movements of hydration waters with high sensitivity and locality, even in samples with protein concentrations as dilute as 10 µM. To date, the utility of the ODNP technique has been demonstrated for two major applications: the characterization of the spatial variation in the properties of the hydration layer of proteins or other surfaces displaying topological diversity, and the identification of structural properties emerging from highly disordered proteins and protein domains. The former has been shown to correlate well with the properties of hydration water predicted by MD simulations and has been shown capable of evaluating the hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity of a surface. The latter has been demonstrated for studies of an interhelical loop of proteorhodopsin, the partial structure of α-synuclein embedded at the lipid membrane surface, incipient structures adopted by tau proteins en route to fibrils, and the structure and hydration profile of a transmembrane peptide. This chapter focuses on offering a mechanistic understanding of the ODNP measurement and the molecular dynamics encoded in the ODNP parameters. In particular, it clarifies how the electron–nuclear dipolar coupling encodes information about the molecular dynamics in the nuclear spin self-relaxation and, more importantly, the electron–nuclear spin cross-relaxation rates. The clarification of the molecular dynamics underlying ODNP should assist in establishing a connection to theory and computer simulation that will offer far richer interpretations of ODNP results in future studies.
The Epidemiology of Rectal Cancer

In the United States, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in men and the second commonest cancer in women (746,000 vs. 614,000 cases, respectively in 2012) [1]. There is substantial variability in its worldwide incidence, with the highest incidence seen in developed regions and the lowest incidence recorded in developing regions (Fig. 1.1). The highest incidence is reported in Australasia (44.8 cases per 100,000 males), whereas males in Western Africa have the lowest incidence (4.5 per 100,000) and where geographic variability is reflective of inherent lifestyle differences. In 1969, Denis Burkitt made the observation that populations in low risk areas had an overall higher dietary fiber intake with a greater stool bulk and a more rapid colonic transit time when compared with Westernized countries [2]. Although controversial, the suggestion was that fiber depletion (as well as exposure to more refined carbohydrates) promoted carcinogenesis, however, there have been other later epidemiological studies which have failed to support Burkitt’s original hypothesis [3]. Despite this, the concept is supported by data showing that patients who migrate from areas of low to high incidence tend to develop the same incidence of CRC as their new adopted environment, [4] implying a potential role for dietary primary CRC prevention.
Abstract 019: Anti-MicroRNA-144 Therapy Attenuates Progression and Promotes Regression of Atherosclerosis

Rationale: Removal of cholesterol from atherosclerotic lesions remains an unmet therapeutic need. The ATP Binding Cassette Transporter A1 (ABCA1) plays a key role in the efflux of cholesterol from ...
The Formation of Ethnographic Collections: The Smithsonian Institution in the American Southwest

Publisher Summary Museums around the world hold countless ethnographic and archaeological artifacts, objects that have been analyzed and are waiting to be reanalyzed in light of recent theoretical advances. Several scholars, including Kroeber (1954), Collier and Fenton (1965), Fenton (1974), and Ford (1977), have pointed out that although museum collections are invaluable for anthropological research, the anthropological community has not been making effective use of these resources since the 1930s. Reasons for this lack of use are many and varied. This chapter describes another reason for the lack of use of museum collections—most researchers have understood neither the procedures employed in making the collections nor the assumptions and decisions that surrounded and informed their construction. The chapter describes some basic principles of museum collecting and of the use of objects in museums. It also explores the collecting activities of one institution in a particular time and place—collecting by the Smithsonian Institution in the American Southwest in the late 19th and early 20th centuries— to document the processes of museum collection, to illustrate that no ethnographic collection contains a random sample of objects, and to show that the collections that resulted are better for some research problems than others.
Training Requirements for Theranostics: A Unique Opportunity for Collaboration.

The current training programs relevant for theranostic therapy include nuclear medicine and radiation oncology. Each has independent residencies of several years duration with accredited board certifications. Nuclear medicine is focused on the use of radioisotopes for both diagnostic and therapeutic
Characterising the human intestinal mycobiome during healthy ageing

Although fungi are fundamental to the human microbiome, the diversity and dynamics of the mycobiome is poorly understood, particularly in considering their association with infectious disease, autoimmune disorders and atopy that affect immunocompromised individuals and infants. Characterising the human mycobiome faces several challenges relating to their low abundance and lack of standardized procedures for sample collection and isolation of viable cells and/or quality genetic material for culture-dependent and independent taxonomic and functional characterisation. To address these issues, we have developed a mycobiome analysis pipeline employing both culture-dependent and independent methods to identify as well as isolate, where possible, the fungal taxa populating the human intestinal tract. In a proof-of-concept study this pipeline has been used to identify fungal populations in faecal samples obtained from a small cohort of young infants, aged 2 years or younger. All were born prematurely, and severely immunocompromised and at risk from invasive and potentially lethal microbial infections, including those caused by fungal overgrowth. We have used this combined approach successfully to identify the fungi present in each individual infant, and to recover viable isolates. To date, Candida albicans and C. parapsilosis are the most frequently isolated fungi. While both are major opportunistic human fungal pathogens, C. parapsilosis is particularly problematic to preterm babies, due to its innate ability to form biofilms. Detailed characterisation of these isolates is currently underway. Two large-scale longitudinal microbiome studies have started at the Quadram Institute, and our validated analysis pipeline will be incorporated to define the fungal component of each study participant.
Tissue Doppler imaging to detect muscle fatigue

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is often used for rehabilitation in movement disorders and in assistive devices such as exoskeletons. However, FES can rapidly cause muscle fatigue, which limits the induced force production. At present, there exists no reliable, real time indicator for FES-induced muscle fatigue. We believe that functional muscle physiology associated with muscle fatigue can be inferred from ultrasound imaging. In this study, we utilized tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) to quantify FES-induced twitch responses in the gastrocnemius muscle, at baseline and after inducing fatigue through repeated voluntary isometric contractions. We estimated muscle velocities using M-mode TDI to quantify differences in the twitch response before and after fatigue. Preliminary results indicate that fatigue induces a higher muscle acceleration during twitch, and the muscle contracts for a longer duration. These results could potentially be used as a real-time indicator for muscle fatigue. We are investigating the use of such a system integrated into an external hybrid walking exoskeleton that can switch from FES-induced force generation to external motors for force generation once the muscle fatigues. Furthermore, it may be possible to replace TDI imaging with a wearable single-element continuous wave Doppler instrument for these measurements, reducing computational complexity and power requirements.
An Event-driven Neuromorphic System with Biologically Plausible Temporal Dynamics

Driven by the expanse of Internet of Things (IoT) and Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), there is an increasing demand to process streams of temporal data on embedded devices with limited energy and power resources. Among all potential solutions, neuromorphic computing with spiking neural networks (SNN) that mimic the behavior of brain, have recently been placed at the forefront. Encoding information into sparse and distributed spike events enables low-power implementations, and the complex spatial temporal dynamics of synapses and neurons enable SNNs to detect temporal pattern. However, most existing hardware SNN implementations use simplified neuron and synapse models ignoring synapse dynamic, which is critical for temporal pattern detection and other applications that require temporal dynamics. To adopt a more realistic synapse model in neuromorphic platform its significant computation overhead must be addressed. In this work, we propose an FPGA-based SNN with biologically realistic neuron and synapse for temporal information processing. An encoding scheme to convert continuous real-valued information into sparse spike events is presented. The event-driven implementation of synapse dynamic model and its hardware design that is optimized to exploit the sparsity are also presented. Finally, we train the SNN on various temporal pattern-learning tasks and evaluate its performance and efficiency as compared to rate-based models and artificial neural networks on different embedded platforms. Experiments show that our work can achieve 10X speed up and 196X gains in energy efficiency compared with GPU.
Closed depressions and soil phosphorus influence subsurface phosphorus losses in a tile-drained field in Illinois.

Artificial subsurface (tile) drainage systems can convey phosphorus (P) from agricultural fields to surface waters; however, controls of subsurface dissolved reactive P (DRP) losses at the sub-field scale are not fully understood. We characterized subsurface DRP loads and flow-weighted mean concentration (FWMC) from January 2015 through September 2017 to determine seasonal (growing vs. non-growing) patterns from 36 individually monitored plots across a farm under a corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation in east-central Illinois. Using linear mixed models, we investigated the effects of soil test P (STP), depression depth, and their interaction with precipitation and P fertilization on subsurface DRP losses. Dissolved reactive P loads in drainage tiles increased with precipitation and were greatest during the non-growing season (NGS) in 2016 and 2017. Annual subsurface DRP loads were positively related to STP, and during the NGS, there was a positive relationship between depression depth quantified at the plot-scale and subsurface DRP loads and FWMC. Along a depression-depth gradient, piecewise regression displayed a threshold at a depth of 0.38 m at which STP increased, indicating soil P accumulation in deeper closed depressions. Our study highlights the need to identify areas with the greatest risk of subsurface P losses to implement sub-field scale nutrient management practices.
Photochemical and Photobiological Properties of Pyridyl-pyrazol(in)e-Based Ruthenium(II) Complexes with Sub-micromolar Cytotoxicity for Phototherapy

The discovery of new light-triggered prodrugs based on ruthenium (II) complexes is a promising approach for photoactivated chemotherapy (PACT). The light-mediated activation of "strained" Ru(II) polypyridyl complexes resulted in ligand release and produced a ligand-deficient metal center capable of forming covalent adducts with biomolecules such as DNA. Based on the strategy of exploiting structural distortion to activate photochemistry, biologically active small molecules were coordinated to a Ru(II) scaffold to create light-triggered dual-action agents. Thirteen new Ru(II) complexes with pyridyl-pyrazol(in)e ligands were synthesized, and their photochemical reactivity and anticancer properties were investigated. Isomeric bidentate ligands were investigated, where "regular" ligands (where the coordinated nitrogens in the heterocycles are linked by C-C atoms) were compared to "inverse" isomers (where the coordinated nitrogens in the heterocycles are linked by C-N atoms). Coordination of the regular 3-(pyrid-2-yl)-pyrazol(in)es to a Ru(II) bis-dimethylphenanthroline scaffold yielded photoresponsive compounds with promising photochemical and biological properties, in contrast to the inverse 1-(pyrid-2-yl)-pyrazolines. The introduction of a phenyl ring to the 1N-pyrazoline cycle increased the distortion in complexes and improved ligand release upon light irradiation (470 nm) up to 5-fold in aqueous media. Compounds 1-8, containing pyridyl-pyrazol(in)e ligands, were at least 20-80-fold more potent than the parent pyridyl-pyrazol(in)es, and exhibited biological activity in the dark, with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values ranging from 0.2 to 7.6 μM in the HL60 cell line, with complete growth inhibition upon light irradiation. The diversification of coligands and introduction of a carboxylic acid into the Ru(II) complex resulted in compounds 9-12, with up to 146-fold improved phototoxicity indices compared with complexes 1-8.
US veterans administration diabetes risk (VADR) national cohort: cohort profile.

Purpose The veterans administration diabetes risk (VADR) cohort facilitates studies on temporal and geographic patterns of pre-diabetes and diabetes, as well as targeted studies of their predictors. The cohort provides an infrastructure for examination of novel individual and community-level risk factors for diabetes and their consequences among veterans. This cohort also establishes a baseline against which to assess the impact of national or regional strategies to prevent diabetes in veterans. Participants The VADR cohort includes all 6 082 018 veterans in the USA enrolled in the veteran administration (VA) for primary care who were diabetes-free as of 1 January 2008 and who had at least two diabetes-free visits to a VA primary care service at least 30 days apart within any 5-year period since 1 January 2003, or veterans subsequently enrolled and were diabetes-free at cohort entry through 31 December 2016. Cohort subjects were followed from the date of cohort entry until censure defined as date of incident diabetes, loss to follow-up of 2 years, death or until 31 December 2018. Findings to date The incidence rate of type 2 diabetes in this cohort of over 6 million veterans followed for a median of 5.5 years (over 35 million person-years (PY)) was 26 per 1000 PY. During the study period, 8.5% of the cohort were lost to follow-up and 17.7% died. Many demographic, comorbidity and other clinical variables were more prevalent among patients with incident diabetes. Future plans This cohort will be used to study community-level risk factors for diabetes, such as attributes of the food environment and neighbourhood socioeconomic status via geospatial linkage to residence address information.
Greedy for thee or greedy for me? A contingency model of positive and negative reactions to leader greed

Abstract Although theory regarding the follower-related impact of leader greed is scant, indirect evidence from the broader greed literature suggests that leader greed is likely to evoke followers’ negative emotional reactions and associated behavioral responses that thwart effective work-unit functioning. Yet, the assumption that leader greed will invariably generate followers’ negative affective experiences and work behavior may be somewhat narrow and incomplete. Drawing on affective events theory (AET), we provide an important extension to the greed literature by developing a contingency model delineating followers’ positive and negative emotional reactions to their leader’s greed. Specifically, we propose a dual pathway model linking leader greed to followers’ gratitude and anger, contingent on followers’ perceptions that they stand to benefit from, or are unfairly disadvantaged by, their leader’s greed. Further, we show how the arousal of these two distinct affective experiences in response to leader greed can shape follower outcomes in opposite ways. We conclude by discussing the theoretical implications that emerge from this discussion.
Modeling gradient processes in Polabian vowel chain shifting and blocking

Abstract This paper presents an analysis of two interacting sound changes in the extinct West Slavic language Polabian. Polabian is known to have two types of vowel innovations: (i) the incorporation of acoustic properties from consonant secondary co-articulations (either palatalization or velarization) and (ii) a systematic rotation of vowels (Timberlake 1995). This paper argues that the innovation in (ii) is a vowel chain shift similar to those analyzed in Labov (1994). Unlike the other languages surveyed in Labov (1994), Polabian has phonologically predictable exceptions to the general direction of vowel movement through the acoustic space. Unlike previous work on Polabian, this paper proposes that the vowel chain shift operated simultaneously with the innovation in (i) resulting in phonologically predictable exceptions. This paper tests Timberlake’s (1995) proposal and the current proposal in a Harmonic Grammar (Flemming 2001) which uses Purcell’s (1979) acoustic data from Russian as a proxy. The model only captures the correct distribution of vowel reflexes under the assumption that co-articulatory based innovations and vowel chain shifting were active at the same time.
A Review of: “Gender, Participation and Silence in the Language Classroom: Sh-shushing the Girls by Allyson Julé”: New York: Palgrave McMillan, 2004, 192 pages, $69.95 (hardcover)

Silence is a difficult thing to write about, but also an important issue in language education. As Jule writes, learners “need to be active in their own learning of the language; they cannot just o...
A Survey on Personal Image Retrieval Systems.

The number of photographs taken worldwide is growing rapidly and steadily. While a small subset of these images is annotated and shared by users through social media platforms, due to the sheer number of images in personal photo repositories (shared or not shared), finding specific images remains challenging. This survey explores existing image retrieval techniques as well as photo-organizer applications to highlight their relative strengths in addressing this challenge.
Deformation twin interactions with grain boundary particles in multi-phase magnesium alloys

Abstract Deformation twinning is necessary for achieving strain in plastically hard directions in magnesium alloys under ambient conditions, but can also contribute to void formation and crack propagation that lead to early failure. This is especially true for instances of twin transmission between grains, which result in longer continuous twin boundaries and higher twin volume fractions. Coarse grain boundary particles have the potential to modify twinning behavior, but this effect has not been studied. This work uses a Crystal Plasticity – Fast Fourier Transform model to predict twinning behavior and transmission likelihood, parameterized to simulate different morphologies of the β -phase intermetallic common to Mg-Al alloys. Of these microstructures, those with particles directly in the path of impingement were found to decrease the stresses generated in the neighboring grain, similarly decreasing the likelihood of twin transmission across the boundary. Size and aspect ratio were found to play key roles in determining the resultant stress, but are dependent upon the orientation of the neighboring grain. Particles located near the impingement site were found to exacerbate the stress state and make transmission more likely. Instances where transmission was likely to be prevented were also predicted to undergo reduced twin thickening.
Validating the Generality of a Closed-Form Equation for Soil Water Isotherm

AbstractTotal soil water potential ψt is conventionally defined as the sum of matric potential ψm and osmotic potential ψo, i.e., ψt=ψm+ψo, when gravitational potential is ignored. Soil water isoth...
Frailty and Depression in Late Life: A High-Risk Comorbidity with Distinctive Clinical Presentation and Poor Antidepressant Response.

Background Investigate the longitudinal relationship between physical frailty, the clinical representation of accelerated biological aging, and antidepressant medication response in older adults with depressive illness. Methods An 8-week randomized placebo-controlled trial (escitalopram or duloxetine) followed by 10-months of open antidepressant medication treatment (augmentation, switch strategies) was conducted in an outpatient research clinic. 121 adults age > 60 years with Major Depressive (MDD) or Persistent Depressive Disorders and a 24-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) > 16 were enrolled. Primary measures assessed serially over 12-months include response (50% reduction from baseline HRSD score), remission (HRSD score 3 deficits]); latent class analysis was used to classify longitudinal frailty trajectories. Results A 2-class model best fit the data, identifying a consistently-low frailty-risk (63% of the sample) and consistently-high frailty-risk (37% of the sample) trajectory. Response and remission rates (P's .10). Conclusions Antidepressant medication is poorly effective for MDD occurring in the context of frailty in older adults. Furthermore, even when an antidepressant response is achieved, this response does little to improve their frailty. These data suggest that standard psychiatric assessment of depressed older adults should include frailty measures and that novel therapeutic strategies to address comorbid frailty and depression are needed.
Geometrical approach to neural net control of movements and posture

In one approach to modeling brain function, sensorimotor integration is described as geometrical mapping among coordinates of non-orthogonal frames that are intrinsic to the system; in such a case sensors represent (covariant) afferents and motor effectors represent (contravariant) motor efferents. The neuronal networks that perform such a function are viewed as general tensor transformations among different expressions and metric tensors determining the geometry of neural functional spaces. Although the non-orthogonality of a coordinate system does not impose a specific geometry on the space, this "Tensor Network Theory of brain function" allows for the possibility that the geometry is non-Euclidean. It is suggested that investigation of the non-Euclidean nature of the geometry is the key to understanding brain function and to interpreting neuronal network function. This paper outlines three contemporary applications of such a theoretical modeling approach. The first is the analysis and interpretation of multi-electrode recordings. The internal geometries of neural networks controlling external behavior of the skeletomuscle system is experimentally determinable using such multi-unit recordings. The second application of this geometrical approach to brain theory is modeling the control of posture and movement. A preliminary simulation study has been conducted with the aim of understanding the control of balance in a standing human. The model appears to unify postural control strategies that have previously been considered to be independent of each other. Third, this paper emphasizes the importance of the geometrical approach for the design and fabrication of neurocomputers that could be used in functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS) for replacing lost motor control.
Myheart hits the core of chromatin.

The DNA is tightly packed by chromatin, which controls the expression of genetic information encoded by the DNA sequence. The chromatin scaffold responds dynamically to physiological and pathological signals and can be altered by histone modification, DNA methylation, and nucleosome remodeling.1 Histone and DNA modifications include covalent modifications of histone side chains and DNA bases, whereas nucleosome remodeling involves non-covalent changes of the composition or positioning of nucleosomes along the genomic DNA. Remodeling of nucleosomes is executed by ATP-dependent chromatin-remodeling complexes; however, it is largely unknown how these chromatin remodelers target specific genomic sites to control local nucleosome dynamics. Our recent work revealed that a long non-coding RNA sequesters the core subunit of a chromatin-remodeling complex from its genomic targets to inhibit gene reprogramming in pathologically stressed hearts.2 This sheds new light on the pathogenesis of heart failure and the targeting mechanism of chromatin-remodeling complexes.
Robust Adaptive Control of Multivariable Nonlinear Systems

A robust adaptive control law for multivariable nonlinear systems is presented. All constant parameters that can be linearly parametrized in the input-output dynamic equation are adaptively estimated, and uncertainties in all the other terms are accounted for by appropriate choice of sliding gains. Appropriate projection rules are developed to ensure invertibility of the input-output dynamics.
Eicosanoids: progress towards manipulating insect immunity

Insect immunity is exclusively innate, lacking the antibody-based adaptive immunity of vertebrates. Innate immunity is a naturally occurring, non-specific system that does not require previous infectious experience. In this paper, I describe insect immunity and review the roles of prostaglandins and other eicosanoids as crucial signals that mediate insect immune reactions to challenge. Despite physical barriers (the integument) and robust epithelial immune functions in salivary glands, tracheal systems and midgut, many microbes and parasitoids invade insect haemocoels. Once invaders are detected within the body, insects unleash potent immune effectors, traditionally assorted into cellular (haemocytic) and humoral immunity. Humoral immunity refers to induced expression of genes encoding antimicrobial peptides and the enzymes lysozyme and prophenoloxidase. These proteins appear in haemolymph of infected insects 6–12 h post-infection. Haemocytic immunity is characterized by direct interactions between invaders and circulating haemocytes. These reactions begin immediately when an infection is detected and, in the case of bacterial infections, are the predominant responses, responsible for clearing the vast majority of infecting bacterial cells within the first 2 h after infection. As a measure of cellular immunity, a recent field study shows that virtually all insects become infected and many fully recover from the infections. Insect immune functions are of such biological significance that they may limit the effectiveness of some biological control programmes. I highlight the efficacy of insect immunity and the importance of eicosanoids as immune signals by reviewing two cases in which microbes have evolved the ability to suppress host insect immunity by inhibiting eicosanoid biosynthesis. I complete the paper with a description of a major research goal in the Biological Control of Insects Research Laboratory, now focused on developing molecular tools to cripple pest insect immunity at the field level.
An Autologous Blood Donor Base : The African-American Elderly

The role that the elderly (persons over 65 years of age) play in maintaining a safe and adequate blood supply through preoperative autologous blood denotation is chronicled. Tenets that have historically prohibited the use of homologous donor blood for persons in need of transfusion therapy is examined from the African- American perspective. Attempts are made to dispel certain myths that African-Americans have about transfusion practices. Predicated on the proverbial directive-In all labor there is profit, But mere talk leads only to poverty (Proverbs 14:23)-recruitment strategies are recommended that encourage the African-American elderly to participate in autologous blood programs.
Transfusion and component characteristics are not associated with allergic transfusion reactions to apheresis platelets

Background Transfusion-related characteristics have been hypothesized to cause allergic transfusion reactions (ATRs) but they have not been thoroughly studied. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the associations of infusion rate, infusion volume, ABO mismatching, component age, and pretransfusion medication with the incidence and severity of ATRs. A secondary objective is to compare the risk of these attributes relative to the previously reported risk factor for aeroallergen sensitization in transfusion recipients, as measured by an aeroallergen-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E antibody screen. Study Design and Methods Clinical and transfusion-related data were collected on subjects with reported ATRs and uneventful (control) apheresis platelet (PLT) transfusions over a combined 21-month period at two academic medical centers. Control transfusions were selected as the next uneventful transfusion after an ATR was reported. Logistic regression, Mann-Whitney, and t tests were used to assess associations with ATRs. Previously reported aeroallergen-specific IgE screening data were incorporated into a multivariable logistic regression. Results A total of 143 ATRs and 61 control transfusions were evaluated among 168 subjects, ages 2 to 86 years. Infusion rate, infusion volume, ABO mismatching, component age, and pretransfusion medication showed no significant association with ATRs (p > 0.05). Neither infusion rate nor infusion volume increased the risk of anaphylaxis versus mucocutaneous-only ATRs. Aeroallergen sensitization has previously been associated with ATRs. After transfusion-related covariates were controlled for, aeroallergen sensitization remained significantly associated with ATRs (odds ratio, 2.68; 95% confidence interval, 1.26-5.69). Conclusions Transfusion- and component-specific attributes are not associated with ATRs. An allergic predisposition in transfusion recipients is associated most strongly with ATR risk.
Experimental-Study of the Electronic-Structure of Kmgf3

Two kinds of photoemission experiments were performed to study the electronic structure of KMg${\mathrm{F}}_{3}$ and correlate it with theoretical and optical data. Photoelectron energy distribution curves were used to explore the valence-band density of states and the shallow K and Mg core levels. Partial-yield spectroscopy was used to measure the optical-absorption coefficient near the Mg ${L}_{2,3}$ edge. We detected three absorption peaks, two of which correspond to one-electron transitions, while the third has an excitonic final state. The corresponding core-excitonic binding energy, 4.8 eV, is of magnitude comparable to that of the K ${M}_{2,3}$ core exciton.
Numerical investigation of cable breakage events on long-span cable-stayed bridges under stochastic traffic and wind

Abstract Cable breakage (loss) events can be disastrous to cable-stayed bridges because of potential risks of progressive collapse following the initial failure of stay cables. To avoid turning a cable-breakage hazard into a disaster, it is important to rationally assess the risk through accurately predicting the nonlinear dynamic behavior of the bridge subjected to various types of cable-loss events. With a recently developed advanced finite element (FE)-based nonlinear dynamic simulation platform, a comprehensive numerical investigation of cable-loss incidents on a long-span cable-stayed bridge is conducted by focusing on post-breakage performance. Parametric studies are carried out to evaluate the impacts from various important parameters related to cable-breakage process and service loads from stochastic traffic and wind. Several parameters associated with cable-breakage processes, such as the breakage duration, time-transient curve and initial state, are found to influence the dynamic performance of the bridge notably. The results also indicate that service traffic and wind loads as well as complex coupling effects with the bridge are important to the bridge response following cable-loss events. In the final part of the study, response envelope analysis is made and a comparative investigation is also conducted between the results from the advanced FE-based nonlinear dynamic approach and those from the equivalent static approach as suggested by the Post-Tensioning Institute (PTI).
Control centers in the central nervous system for regulating gastrointestinal motility

The sections in this article are: 1 Identification with Retrograde Neuronal Tracing Techniques of CNS Centers Influencing GI Motility 1.1 Parasympathetic Neural Pathways 1.2 Sympathetic Neural Pathways 1.3 Sensory Neural Pathways 2 Stimulation of CNS Centers Identified by Retrograde Neuronal Tracing Techniques 2.1 Parasympathetic Centers 2.2 Sympathetic Centers 2.3 Centers Defined by Tracing Afferent Pathways 3 Neuroanatomical Description of CNS Centers Influencing GI Motility 3.1 Parasympathetic Centers 3.2 Sympathetic Centers 3.3 Sensory Centers 4 Neuronal Inputs and Outputs of CNS Centers Influencing GI Motility 4.1 Parasympathetic Centers 4.2 Sympathetic Centers 4.3 Sensory Centers 5 Stimulation and Lesion of CNS Nuclei Projecting to CNS Sites Influencing GI Motility 5.1 Cerebral Cortex 5.2 Amygdala and Bed Nucleus of Stria Terminalis 5.3 Paraventricular Nucleus of the Hypothalamus 5.4 Nucleus Tractus Solitarius 5.5 Medullary Reticular Nuclei 5.6 Parabrachial Nucleus 5.7 Inputs to the Spinal Cord 5.8 Other Sites 6 Overview of Brain-Gut Neural Circuitry 7 Role of Brain-Gut Neural Circuitry in Regulation of GI Motility 7.1 Role of Cerebral Cortex to Nucleus Tractus Solitarius Pathway 7.2 Role of Pathway from Periventricular area of the Hypothalamus to the Dorsal Motor Nucleus of the Vagus 7.3 Role of Cerebral Cortex to Onuf's Nucleus Pathway 7.4 Role of Spinal Reflex Involving Afferent Fibers in the Pudendal Nerve and Onuf's Nucleus and Efferent Fibers in the Pudendal Nerve 7.5 Role of Sympathetic Centers in the Spinal Cord 7.6 Role of Retrofacial Nucleus, Nucleus Ambiguus, and Dorsal Motor Nucleus of Vagus Pathways to Upper and Lower Esophageal Sphincters 7.7 Role of Afferent Fibers in Vagus Nerve, Nucleus Tractus Solitarius, and Neurons in Dorsal Motor Nucleus of the Vagus in Receptive Relaxation 8 Concepts Emerging from Studies of Control Centers
Finite element modeling of the C4–C6 cervical spine unit

This study was conducted to develop a detailed, three-dimensional, anatomically accurate finite element model of the human cervical spine structure using close-up computed tomography scans and to validate against experimental data. The finite element model of the three vertebra segment C4-C6 unit consisted of 9178 solid elements and 1193 thin shell elements. The force-displacement response under axial compression correlated well with experimental data. Because of the inclusion of three levels in the spinal structure, it was possible to determine the internal mechanics of the various components at each level. The applicability of the model was illustrated by adopting appropriate material properties from literature. Results indicated that, the stresses in the anterior column were higher compared to the posterior column at the inferior level, while the opposite was found to be true at the superior level. The superior and inferior endplate stresses were higher in the middle vertebral body compared to the adjacent vertebrae. In addition, the stresses in the cancellous core of the middle, unconstrained vertebral body were higher. The present three-dimensional finite element model offers an additional facet to a better understanding of the biomechanics of the human cervical spine.
Switching a Helical Polymer between Mirror Images Using Circularly Polarized Light

A system has been created in which chiral information inherent in circularly polarized light can be used to influence the helical sense characteristics of a polymer. A racemic mixture of a photoresolvable ketone-containing group was appended through different linkage patterns to a polymer having dynamically interconverting equal populations of left- and right-handed helical backbone conformations. Irradiation with circularly polarized light in the ketone's chromophore gave rise to easily measurable circular dichroism signals in the polymer backbone helix, which changed sign with a change in the sense of the circularly polarized light. This demonstrates that the small enantiomeric excess produced by the irradiation, even diluted with large proportions of achiral pendants, is capable of enforcing a disproportionate excess of one helical sense in the polymer. The results, expressed as optical activity as a function of the degree of polymerization, could be analyzed using an approximate solution of a one-dime...
High sensitivity two-site immunoradiometric and immunochemiluminometric assays for rat growth hormone-releasing hormone. Development of an acridinium ester based chemiluminescence assay for the avidin-coated bead system

Abstract High sensitivity two-site immunoradiometric and immunochemiluminometric assays were developed for the direct measurement of rat GHRH in perifusate of hypothalamic fragments and in hypophysial portal plasma. A solid phase immunoradiometric assay was developed initially using avidin-coated polystyrene beads and radioimmunoassay quality polyclonal antibodies to N-terminal and C-terminal fragments of GHRH. Immunoaffinity purification of the high affinity antibodies required a strong eluant, 1 M acetic acid with 10% dioxane. For high sensitivity, the affinity-purified C-terminal signal antibody was iodinated by the lactoperoxidase-glucose oxidase method and absorbed with avidin-BSA-IgG conjugated matrix. Conversion to an acridinium ester based immunochemiluminometric assay required substantial modifications to optimize performance. For both assays, the innovative modification of delayed addition of the bead enhanced assay performance by two-fold. By precision profile analysis the sensitivity of the immunochemiluminometric assay (0.035 pg/tube) was two-fold better than the sensitivity of the immunoradiometric assay (0.066 pg/tube). These assays, 4–7-fold more sensitive than a highly optimized radioimmunoassay (0.26 pg/tube), were validated for direct unextracted measurement of GHRH in perifusate and in hypophysial portal plasma. They have significant advantages for biological measurements, reducing the number of hypothalami per perifusion chamber and enabling measurement of low concentrations of plasma GHRH not previously possible. The avidin-coated bead systen can be flexibly used to develop high sensitivity two-site peptide assays using polyclonal antibodies. Further, this system has been extended to acridinium ester based immunochemiluminometric assays with improvement of assay performance.