cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Endothelial cell tropism is a determinant of H5N1 pathogenesis in mammalian species

The cellular and molecular mechanisms underpinning the unusually high virulence of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 viruses in mammalian species remains unknown. Here, we investigated if the cell tropism of H5N1 virus is a determinant of enhanced virulence in mammalian species. We engineered H5N1 viruses with restricted cell tropism through the exploitation of cell type-specific microRNA expression by incorporating microRNA target sites into the viral genome. Restriction of H5N1 replication in endothelial cells via miR-126 ameliorated disease symptoms, prevented systemic viral spread and limited mortality, despite showing similar levels of peak viral replication in the lungs as compared to control virus-infected mice. Similarly, restriction of H5N1 replication in endothelial cells resulted in ameliorated disease symptoms and decreased viral spread in ferrets. Our studies demonstrate that H5N1 infection of endothelial cells results in excessive production of cytokines and reduces endothelial barrier integrity in the lungs, which culminates in vascular leakage and viral pneumonia. Importantly, our studies suggest a need for a combinational therapy that targets viral components, suppresses host immune responses, and improves endothelial barrier integrity for the treatment of highly pathogenic H5N1 virus infections.
PARADOXICAL IMPACT OF PROPORTIONAL PULSE PRESSURE ON MORTALITY IN PATIENTS WITH HEART FAILURE WITH PRESERVED EJECTION FRACTION

Background: The pathophysiology of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is still poorly understood, and the phenotype diversity of HFpEF has not been fully addressed. Proportional pulse pressure (PPP), the ratio of pulse pressure to systolic blood pressure, is positively correlated
A population-based comparative effectiveness study of chemoradiation regimens and sequences in stage III non-small cell lung cancer

Abstract Objectives In patients receiving concurrent chemoradiation for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), consolidation chemotherapy is frequently given even though several randomized trials have failed to show a benefit. We explored the potential benefits of consolidation chemotherapy using a population-based comparative effectiveness approach. Materials and methods Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare was used to identify patients with Stage III NSCLC aged ≥65 and diagnosed 2002–2009. We selected patients who received concurrent chemoradiotherapy and determined whether they were (concurrent-consolidation) or were not (concurrent-alone) treated with consolidation chemotherapy. Outcomes were overall and cancer specific survival using a conditional landmark analysis approach. Results 1688 patients treated with concurrent-alone or concurrent-consolidation were identified with a median follow up of 29 months. Choice of chemotherapy agents did not correlate with outcome. For concurrent-consolidation versus concurrent-alone, the median overall survival was 21 months versus 18 months, respectively (log-rank p = 0.008) and the median cancer specific survival was 23 months versus 19 months, respectively (log-rank p = 0.03). On multivariate analysis, concurrent-consolidation remained associated with improved overall survival (HR 0.85, p = 0.04), and there was a trend for improved cancer specific survival (HR 0.87, p = 0.12). Inverse probability of treatment weighting using propensity scores demonstrated similar findings. Importantly, the benefit of concurrent-consolidation held only for patients treated with carboplatin-taxane but not with cisplatin-etoposide. Conclusion Survival outcomes were similar among the five most commonly employed platinum-based doublets. We found that patients receiving cisplatin during radiation do not appear to benefit from additional chemotherapy. However, for patients receiving carboplatin, consolidation chemotherapy was associated with improved overall and cancer specific survival.
Vinculin in cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesions.

Vinculin was identified as a component of focal adhesions and adherens junctions nearly 40 years ago. Since that time, remarkable progress has been made in understanding its activation, regulation and function. Here we discuss the current understanding of the roles of vinculin in cell–cell and cell–matrix adhesions. Emphasis is placed on the how vinculin is recruited, activated and regulated. We also highlight the recent understanding of how vinculin responds to and transmits force at integrin- and cadherin-containing adhesion complexes to the cytoskeleton. Furthermore, we discuss roles of vinculin in binding to and rearranging the actin cytoskeleton.
Cultural Properties, Cell Morphology, and Nutritional Requirements of Rhizobia

The aims of this chapter are to learn to distinguish rhizobia from other microorganisms by cell morphology, staining reactions, and growth responses on various media, and to show how media for rhizobia can be modified. Root nodule bacteroids, cultures of rhizobia and bradyrhizobia, and other microorganisms are examined under the microscope using staining techniques. They are also cultured on indicator media. The growth reactions of five strains of rhizobia and bradyrhizobia are observed on media containing combinations of C and N from different sources.
Proton 2: Increasing the sensitivity and portability of a visuo-haptic surface interaction recorder

The Portable Robotic Optical/Tactile ObservatioN PACKage (PROTONPACK, or Proton for short) is a new handheld visuo-haptic sensing system that records surface interactions. We previously demonstrated system calibration and a classification task using external motion tracking. This paper details improvements in surface classification performance and removal of the dependence on external motion tracking, necessary before embarking on our goal of gathering a vast surface interaction dataset. Two experiments were performed to refine data collection parameters. After adjusting the placement and filtering of the Proton's high-bandwidth accelerometers, we recorded interactions between two differently-sized steel tooling ball end-effectors (diameter 6.35 and 9.525 mm) and five surfaces. Using features based on normal force, tangential force, end-effector speed, and contact vibration, we trained multi-class SVMs to classify the surfaces using 50 ms chunks of data from each end-effector. Classification accuracies of 84.5% and 91.5% respectively were achieved on unseen test data, an improvement over prior results. In parallel, we pursued on-board motion tracking, using the Proton's camera and fiducial markers. Motion tracks from the external and onboard trackers agree within 2 mm and 0.01 rad RMS, and the accuracy decreases only slightly to 87.7% when using onboard tracking for the 9.525 mm end-effector. These experiments indicate that the Proton 2 is ready for portable data collection.
Status Non-Citizens

This chapter (written in 2016) addresses the condition of persons inhabiting so-called liberal democratic political communities in which they lack the legal status of citizenship. It seeks to distill a profile of the status non-citizen in broad terms, notwithstanding the great variations among categories and across states. The chapter’s focus, however, is equally theoretical. It is motivated by the questions: What is status non-citizenship, and how are we to understand the relationship between lack of citizenship in the status sense and other modes of non-citizenship, or non-possession of (full) citizenship? Status non-citizenship is both product and precondition of the operation of state borders. Millions of people designated as status non-citizens under state border rules reside within the territory of self-described liberal democratic states in a variety of situations. Once inside, status non-citizens remain governed by the regime of state border control as it is internally applied and enforced. And yet, that regime shares jurisdictional space with another set of internal norms—basic liberal democratic norms which, in formal terms, deem the treatment of persons as less- than- full-members to be unjust. Significantly, these latter, ethically universalist norms are often articulated via the language of ‘citizenship.’ The experiences of territorially present status non-citizens are, in consequence, produced conjointly by these overlapping but often dissonant governing logics. At times, these logics concord without great event. At others, the tensions between citizenship’s borderism and its egalitarianism are fraught and unremitting.
Anemia as an independent predictor of adverse outcomes after carotid revascularization.

Abstract Background Anemia has been identified as a risk factor for postoperative morbidity and mortality after major vascular procedures. Carotid revascularization carries less cardiac morbidity and physiologic stress compared with other vascular interventions. This study evaluated the association between preoperative anemia and major adverse events after carotid revascularization. Methods Patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS) between January 2012 and June 2018 in the Vascular Quality Initiative database were identified. Anemia was defined as a preoperative hemoglobin level of Results Of 102,719 patients included in the analysis, 34.8% were anemic (CEA, 34.1%; CAS, 37.8%; P .05). Conclusions Anemia is associated with increased odds of adverse events after CEA and CAS. It should be factored into the preoperative risk assessment of patients undergoing carotid revascularization. Prospective studies are needed to study the effectiveness of correcting low preoperative hemoglobin levels in these patients and the association between anemia and long-term outcomes after CEA and CAS.
High-Speed Monitoring of Surface Defects in Rail Tracks Using Ultrasonic Doppler Effect

Railroads provide both efficiency and economy in passenger and freight transportation. Like other transportation modes, however, they are prone to various problems. Statistics show that over the course of this century, the average carload and trainload tonnage has increased significantly. There is also an increasing concentration of traffic on fewer main line tracks. The average length of haul has also risen [1,2]. Unfortunately, these trends have not been offset with a proportional increase in the amount of new rail laid. Consequently, the stress on rails and fatigue related failures may continue to increase. With the new demands, it is important to assess the rail integrity by detecting rail defects nondestructively and speedily.
Postharvest Hormone Changes in Vegetables and Fruit

At the time of harvest, there is a large potential for change in physiological processes going on in edible plant tissue. On removal from the parent plant, vegetables are deprived of their normal supply of water, minerals, and organic molecules including hormones, which normally would be supplied by translocation from other parts of the plant. Although little new photosynthesis is being carried out, there is active transpiration, and tissues can transform many of the constituents already present. While postharvest changes in fresh vegetables cannot be stopped, they can be slowed down within certain limits.
Communication and Politics in Healthcare

No one stakeholder corners the market on innovation. Those in politics come together based on the perceptions of togetherness. But is consensus within a collective politically feasible? Systems and modeling takes us beyond anecdotal. Ideas from policymakers are cobbled together in spaces allowing debate. It no longer is the way I have always known and understood it to happen. How is it happening right now and how might this present condition play out later? Ask, what do policymakers, or rather we as a policy collective with constituents, not see on the horizon?
Single dose cephalosporin prophylaxis in high-risk patients undergoing surgical treatment of the biliary tract

During June 1985 through October 1986, 292 patients considered to be at high risk for having postoperative complications develop underwent cholecystectomy and were evaluated in a multicenter, randomized, prospective, double-blind study. Risk factors included age greater than 70 years, acute cholecystitis within the previous six months, obstructive jaundice, obesity and diabetes mellitus. One gram of cefamandole was administered intravenously to 144 patients and 148 patients received 1 gram of cefotaxime intravenously 30 minutes prior to skin incision. Culture-proved bactibilia was found in 55 patients and 11 of the patients had choledocholithiasis. Of the risk factors considered to place patients at high risk for postoperative infectious complications, obesity and acute cholecystitis proved to be the more common. However, age greater than 70 years, diabetes mellitus and obstructive jaundice were more significant risk factors predisposing to bactibilia. The most common organisms isolated from the bile and gallbladder intraoperatively were Staphylococcus, Streptococcus and Klebsiella species along with enterococcus, Escherichia coli and diphtheroids. Clinically significant postoperative infections occurred in eight patients, including six patients in the cefamandole group and two patients in the cefotaxime group. Antibiotic concentrations were measured in the serum, muscle, subcutaneous fat, gallbladder and bile, with cefamandole showing statistically significant greater concentrations in bile, gallbladder and muscle tissue. There was no statistical significance between the postoperative infection rates, total period of hospitalization or total hospital charges for each group. Therefore, there is no significant advantage between a single prophylactic dose of cefamandole versus cefotaxime for high-risk patients undergoing biliary tract operation.
Changes in moisture, dry matter and soluble sugars of dry-on-the-vine raisins with special reference to sorbitol

SummaryThe moisture, dry matter and soluble sugar composition of Vitis vinifera L. advanced selections of dry-on-the-vine raisins were determined over several seasons. Moisture loss from post-veraison berries occurred in a graduated stepwise manner, with a rapid decline from an initial 86±2% to 60±5% 108 d from first bloom, a slower loss and a final accelerated loss to 25±4% after 151 days from first flowering. The pattern of dry-matter accumulation was similar in large, medium, or small berries but dry matter was higher in large (0.65±0.04 g dry wt. per berry) than medium (0.52±0.03 g dry wt. per berry) or small (0.36±0.03 g dry wt. per berry raisin). Incipient browning was seen with raisin formation at the distal berry region with a higher sugar concentration than in the proximal (pedicel) region. Sucrose in the raisins exhibited two maxima, one (1.4±0.2 mg g–1 fresh wt.) 96 d from first bloom, and a second (2.4±0.4 mg g–1 fresh wt) 123 d after first bloom, with each maximum occurring before the rise in...
Measuring Behavioral Activity

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the belief that electro, neuro, and physiological sophistication may be wasted unless the subtleties on the measurement end of the enterprise are to a degree recognized. The measures of general behavioral activity can be so distorted by irrelevant variables that they are sometimes of questionable value. A few simple precautions need to be taken by the experimenter to sufficiently reduce the variability to have a powerful tool for the assessment of the neurophysiological state. There is still the effect upon one's results of the type of measuring device and the uncertainty of how this may best be dealt with. For testing the effect of brain interference, the running wheel seems a logical choice in view of its mechanical simplicity and the demonstrated sensitivity of running to physiological and environmental manipulations. The chapter discusses the recording techniques that are similar in that the animal lives in an enclosure much like a standard home cage. Various shapes and sizes are used with the average dimension perhaps two or three times the body length. More than is the case with the wheel, these methods have been readily adapted to species other than the rat.
Formalizing dependency directed backtracking and explanation based learning in refinement search

The ideas of dependency directed backtracking (DDB) and explanation based learning (EBL) have developed independently in constraint satisfaction. planning and problem solving communities. In this paper. I formalize and unify these ideas under the task-independent framework of refinement search. which can model the search strategies used in both planning and constraint satisfaction. I show that both DDB and EBL depend upon the common theory of explaining search failures and regressing them to higher levels of the search tree. The relevant issues of importance include (a) how the failures are explained and (b) how many failure explanations are remembered. This task-independent understanding of DDB and EBL helps support cross-fertilization of ideas among Constraint Satisfaction. Planning and Explanation-Based Learning communities.
Overhead-Conscious Format Selection for SpMV-Based Applications

Sparse matrix vector multiplication (SpMV) is an important kernel in many applications and is often the major performance bottleneck. The storage format of sparse matrices critically affects the performance of SpMV. Although there have been previous studies on selecting the appropriate format for a given matrix, they have ignored the influence of runtime prediction overhead and format conversion overhead. For many common uses of SpMV, such overhead is part of the execution times and may outweigh the benefits of new formats. Ignoring them makes the predictions from previous solutions frequently suboptimal and sometimes inferior. On the other hand, the overhead is difficult to consider, as it, along with the benefits of having a new format, varies from matrix to matrix, and from application to application. This work proposes a solution. It first explores the pros and cons of various possible treatments to the overhead in the format selection problem. It then presents an explicit approach which involves several regression models for capturing the influence of the overhead and benefits of format conversions on the overall program performance. It proposes a two-stage lazy-and-light scheme to help control the risks in the format predictions and at the same time maximize the overall format conversion benefits. Experiments show that the technique outperforms previous techniques significantly. It improves the overall performance of applications by 1.14X to 1.43X, significantly larger than the 0.82X to 1.24X upperbound speedups overhead-oblivious methods could give.
Machinic rhetorics and the influential movements of robots

ABSTRACTFrom spiritual vehicles, channeling the miracle of Christ, to science incarnate, operating beyond human interest, machines can communicate. Building from literatures on posthuman performance and ambient rhetoric, this article develops “machinic rhetoric” as a framework useful for appreciating the tacitly persuasive actions of machines (such as robots and computers). A selective history of machinic movement is traced to highlight the historico-cultural meanings that can be associated with the movements of machines. Expert systems, machine learning platforms, and voice-based interfaces are examined as contemporary examples of machinic rhetorics. Implications of machinic rhetoric to scholarship of technology and rhetoric are considered.
Startling responses of zebrafish: an interview with Harold Burgess.

Harold Burgess is a Senior Investigator at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), part of the National Institutes of Health. Work in his lab combines genetic and imaging techniques to study neural circuits required for sensory guided behavior in zebrafish. In this interview Harold shares his thoughts on the changing field of neural development, pre-publication review, and ‘Darwinian experiments’ of peer review.
Identifying migrant remains in South Texas: policy and practice

In 2012, Texas surpassed Arizona in migrant deaths. The majority of deaths occurred in the Rio Grande Valley, specifically in Brooks County, Texas. Brooks County is one of the poorest in the state ...
Er translocation of the mapk pathway drives therapy resistance in BRAF-mutant melanoma

Resistance to BRAF and MEK inhibitor (BRAFi+MEKi) in BRAF mutant tumors occurs through heterogeneous mechanisms, including ERK reactivation and autophagy. Little is known about the mechanisms by which ERK reactivation, or autophagy are induced by BRAFi+MEKi. Here we report that in BRAF mutant melanoma cells, BRAFi+MEKi induced SEC61-dependent ER translocation of the MAPK pathway via GRP78 and KSR2. Inhibition of ER translocation prevented ERK reactivation and autophagy. Following ER translocation, ERK exited the ER and was rephosphorylated by PERK. Reactivated ERK phosphorylated ATF4, which activated cytoprotective autophagy. Upregulation of GRP78 and phosphorylation of ATF4 was detected in tumors of patients resistant to BRAFi+MEKi. ER translocation of the MAPK pathway was demonstrated in therapy-resistant patient-derived xenografts. Expression of a dominant negative ATF4 mutant conferred sensitivity to BRAFi+MEKi in vivo. This mechanism reconciles two major targeted therapy resistance pathways and identifies druggable targets, whose inhibition would likely enhance the response to BRAFi+MEKi.
Bayesian network meta-analysis, comparison of cardiac events associated with liposomal doxorubicin, epirubicin, and doxorubicin in breast cancer.

1056 Background: Anthracyclines have the potential for causing cardiac events (CE). Given minimal evidence based data predicting CE rates, a Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA), a validated statis...
Structural assessment of bridge columns with engineered cementitious composites and Cu-Al-Mn superelastic alloys

Abstract Post-earthquake functionality of bridges is mainly affected by the residual deformations and damage level of the bridge columns. Recent earthquakes have shown that the bridge columns constructed based on current design regulations suffer large permanent deformations. Using high-performance materials such as super-elastic alloys (SEA) and engineered cementitious composites (ECC) has recently been proposed to address these issues. In this study, the performance of an innovative bridge column design incorporating ECC and Cu-Al-Mn (CAM) SEA bars is investigated under seismic loads. The behavior of ECC is simulated by introducing an experimentally calibrated constitutive model for concrete with smeared reinforcement. Additionally, a one-dimensional constitutive model is implemented to simulate the behavior of CAM SEA bars. A total of five different column configurations are modeled and the results are compared with the corresponding experimental data for validation purposes. The results are analyzed to understand the seismic behavior of these innovative columns in terms of lateral strength, post-peak degradation, permanent deformation, and shape of the hysteresis curves. Through numerical modeling, data are obtained and interpreted regarding the salient aspects of the structural behavior of these columns that could not be obtained through experiments.
The aftershocks of infidelity: a review of infidelity-based attachment trauma

The existing literature indicates that sexual and emotional infidelities are common in adult romantic relationships. Additionally, research suggests that such infidelity is highly detrimental to re...
Multiprobe Nuclear Imaging of the Cystic Fibrosis Lung as a Biomarker of Therapeutic Effect.

Background: Nuclear imaging biomarkers illustrate unique aspects of lung physiology and are useful for assessing therapeutic effects in cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease. We have developed a multiprobe method to simultaneously measure mucociliary clearance (MCC) and paracellular absorption (ABS). MCC is a direct measure of mucus clearance. ABS has been related to airway surface liquid (ASL) absorption through previous in vitro studies. Methods: We describe baseline factors affecting MCC and ABS using data from a retrospective baseline group (n = 22) and the response of the measures to inhaled 7% hypertonic saline (HS) and dry powder mannitol using data from a prospective response group (n = 7). A retrospective healthy control group (n = 15) is also described. The baseline and control groups performed single measurements of MCC/ABS. The response group performed baseline measurements of MCC/ABS and measurements after each intervention. Results: ABS was correlated (Spearman's ρ = 0.51, p = 0.06) to sweat chloride, a systemic measure of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) function, whereas MCC was not. Baseline MCC was depressed after Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection as we have previously described. MCC provided a more sensitive indication of therapeutic effect and indicated improved clearance with mannitol compared with HS. Conclusion: MCC provides a useful and well-established means of testing therapies directed at improving mucus clearance in the lung. ABS may provide a means of detecting local changes in ASL absorption and CFTR function in the lung. Both are useful tools for studying the key aspects of CF lung pathophysiology (ASL hyperabsorption and MCC depression) that link the basic genetic defects of CF to disease manifestations in the lung.
An Experimental Comparison of the In-Air and Underwater Damping Properties of Composite Cylinders

Acoustic radiation and self noise are potentially problematic in many underwater applications since both can interfere with the performance of onboard sensors. This is especially prevalent when the structural material forthe pressure hull is metallic. In an effort both to reduce radiated noise and minimize structural vibrations, experiments were undertaken to investigate the use of composite materials for cylinders which would be subjected to hydrostatic pressure loading. The damping characteristics of cylinders with various designs and material combinations were obtained initially from modal analysis testing in air. This technique very quickly provides very consistent results. The results desired for this venture, however, were the damping characteristics of these cylinders underwater, which significantly is a more complex experimental configuration. This paper presents the test procedure and results of modal analysis testing conducted in air and underwater on some composite cylinders. The experimental results, which are presented and compared herein, include the resonant frequencies, damping factors, and mode shapes at resonance. In order to ensure a valid comparison, the natural frequencies and damping factors are compared on a mode-by-mode basis, that is, the result for two cylinders are compared when the resonance has the same mode shape. Despite the increased complexity of the experiments required to obtain these underwater measurements, it is shown that the in-air and underwater levels of damping observed at relatively low frequencies are comparable. The results show that an appropriate choice of composite materials can increase the levels of damping by at least an order of magnitude over conventional metals. The damping can be increased additionally by using a double hollow core or triple-shell configuration with reinforced polyurethane ribs. The paper discusses this new reinforced polyurethane as a structural component of the cylinder, and proposes various mechanisms of damping that this material form provides.
Religion, Prison and the Constitution (Book Review of Prison Religion: Faith-Based Reform and the Constitution by Winnifred Fallers Sullivan)

This three-page essay reviews Winnifred Fallers Sullivan's book, Prison Religion: Faith-Based Reform and the Constitution. In 1999, the state of Iowa entered into a partnership with the InnerChange Freedom Initiative (IFI), in which Iowa turned over control over part of one of its prisons for IFI to run a rehabilitative Christian ministry with volunteering inmates. This program was eventually declared unconstitutional. Sullivan's book reflects on the short life of the program, and what it means both for religion in America as well as for prison in America. In turn, this review essay reflects on Sullivan's book.
Chapter 28 – Reproductive Systems

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the brain-pituitary-gonadal axis. The emphasis is on teleosts, since most species used in basic and applied research are from this phyletic group. The pituitary gland of teleosts is composed of two parts, the adenohypophysis and the neurohypophysis. The embryonic origin of the adenohypophysis is the buccal epithelium and that of the neurohypophysis is the diencephalon (brain). Unlike most other vertebrates, vascular communication between the neurohypophysis and the adenohypophysis in teleosts is minimal or non-existent. The hormone-producing cells of the teleost adenohypophysis are typically segregated according to type. The two teleost gonadotropins, GtH-I and GtH-II are produced by separate cells (gonadotrops) within the central pars distalis. Gonadotrop activity is regulated by stimulatory and inhibitory factors. The primary stimulatory system consists of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons. Several types and patterns of distribution of GnRH have been reported in the teleost brain, but it is generally accepted that GnRH neurons from the preoptic and anterior hypothalamic brain areas are important for the regulation of reproductive activity. In some species such as carps and catfishes, gonadotrop activity is negatively controlled by dopamine. The structural aspects of gonadal sex differentiation, the adult ovary, and the adult testis is described in the chapter. The focus is on gonochoristic species, where the two sexes are found in separate individuals.
Reflections on Eric Weitz, A World Divided: A world divided: The global struggle for human rights in the age of nation-states, by Eric D. Weitz, Princeton, Princeton University Press, 2019, 576 pp., USD$35.00 (hardcover), ISBN: 9780691145440

Human rights is a hybrid field of scholarship – at a minimum part law, part history, part philosophy and part political science. This syncretic convergence of disciplinary approaches has generated ...
School Finance and Courts: Does Reform Matter, and how Can We Tell?:

Background/ContextSchool finance litigation has often prompted funding reforms, but what happens as a result is the subject of considerable dispute.PurposeThis article explores design problems enco...
Theory Manual for the Tuned Mass Damper Module in FAST v8.

This manual describes the theory underlying new functionality in FAST 8 that simulates the addition of tuned mass dampers in the nacelle for structural control.
Medial forebrain bundle structure is linked to human impulsivity

Comparative research indicates that projections from midbrain dopamine nuclei [including the ventral tegmental area (VTA)] to the ventral striatum [including the nucleus accumbens (NAcc)] critically support motivated behavior. Using diffusion-weighted imaging and probabilistic tractography in humans, we characterized the trajectory and structure of two tracts connecting the VTA and NAcc, as well as others connecting the substantia nigra and dorsal striatum. Decreased structural coherence of an inferior VTA-NAcc tract was primarily and replicably associated with increased trait impulsivity and also distinguished individuals with a stimulant use disorder from healthy controls. These findings suggest that decreased coherence of the inferior VTA-NAcc tract is associated with increased impulsivity in humans and identify a previously uncharacterized structural target for diagnosing disorders marked by impulsivity.
Modulation of metabolic hormone signaling via a circadian hormone and a biogenic amine in Drosophila melanogaster.

In insects, Adipokinetic hormone is the primary hormone responsible for the mobilization of stored energy. While a growing body of evidence has solidified AKH’s role in modulating the physiological and behavioral responses to metabolic stress, little is known about the upstream endocrine circuit that directly regulates AKH release. We evaluated the AKH-expressing cell transcriptome to identify potential regulatory elements controlling AKH cell activity, and found that a number of receptors show consistent expression levels, including all known dopamine receptors, dopamine ecdysone receptor (DopEcR), Dopamine 2-like receptor (D2R), Dopamine 1-like receptor 2 (DopR2), DopR, and the Pigment Dispersing Factor (PDFR). We tested the consequences of targeted genetic knockdown and found that RNAi elements targeting each dopamine receptor caused a significant reduction in survival under starvation. In contrast, PDFR knockdown significantly extended lifespan under starvation whereas expression of a tethered PDF in AKH cells resulted in a significantly shorter lifespan during starvation. These manipulations also caused various changes in locomotor activity under starvation. Specifically, there were higher amounts of locomotor activity in dopamine receptor knockdowns, in both replete and starved states. PDFR knockdown resulted in increased locomotion during replete conditions and locomotion levels that were comparable to wild-type during starvation. Expression of a membrane-tethered PDF led to decreased locomotion under baseline and starvation. Next, we used live-cell imaging to evaluate the acute effects of the ligands for these receptors (dopamine, ecdysone, and Pigment Dispersing Factor) on AKH cell activation. Dopamine application led to a transient increase in intracellular calcium in a sugar-dependent manner. Furthermore, we found that co-application of dopamine and ecdysone led to a complete loss of this response, suggesting that these two hormones are acting antagonistically. We also found that PDF application directly led to an increase in cAMP in AKH cells, and that this response was dependent on expression of the PDFR in AKH cells. Together these results suggest a complex circuit in which multiple hormones act on AKH cells to modulate metabolic state.
Reactions and Dynamics of Drains on Small Transboundary Rivers with Various Feeding Types and the Effect on Climate Change

The article presents the calculation results and analyzes the dynamics of water content in the rivers of small transboundary basins which are included in the CAREC project, “WATER, EDUCATION AND SCIENCE”: the northern region—Kurkure-Suu (Talassky) and Aspara (Chui basins); southern region—Isfara, Ak-Suu and Isfana, Padysha-Ata (Syrdarya basin). Based on the results of a trend analysis and the extrapolation for the forecast period 2050–2100. The forecast-consultation of the average annual water discharge from these rivers is given.
Precipitation and synoptic weather types on hazardous weather days in the Southeastern US

As Earth’s climate warms, global precipitation regimes will change. How precipitation poses a hazard to human societies is a key factor in anticipating the consequences of this changing climate. The Southeastern US faces a unique variety of hydrometeorological hazards, including severe convective weather, floods, tropical cyclones, and winter storms. The purpose of this research is to identify the role of hazardous weather days (HWDs) in the precipitation regime of the Southeast and synoptic weather types associated with HWDs from 2009 to 2018. We use National Weather Service (NWS) warnings to identify HWDs, quantify the precipitation that falls on HWDs, and determine the synoptic weather type on HWDs using the Spatial Synoptic Classification (SSC) system. We find two geographic precipitation maxima on HWDs: one in the lower Mississippi Valley, and another in the Carolinas. We also find that the proportion of precipitation that falls on HWDs tends to be highest on Transition SSC days, associated with changing airmasses and frontal boundaries. However, stations in the lower Mississippi Valley (Carolinas) experience a relatively high amount of precipitation on Moist Moderate (Moist Tropical) days, and seasonally during spring (summer). Finally, we use principal component analysis to identify distinct regimes of precipitation on HWDs within the Southeast, such as the Ohio Valley, the Carolinas, and Florida. Results from this study can be paired with SSC trend analyses to anticipate changes in hydrometeorological hazards in the Southeast. Additionally, the distinct precipitation regimes within the study area may each experience differing effects in a changing climate.
Intrauterine contraception in Indians of the American Southwest

Abstract Intrauterine devices were inserted in 2,429 Indian women. Of the 2,012 women with follow-up, 77 per cent have continued to use the IUD from 6 to 42 months with neither pregnancy nor serious side effects. The complications and side effects experienced with 23,648 woman-months of use included abnormal bleeding, expulsion, pelvic infection, uterine perforation, and pregnancy. Despite these problems the intrauterine device is the best method for family planning in this indigent population with poor access to medical facilities.
Thermal-hydraulic methods in fast reactor safety

Methods for the solution of thermal-hydraulic problems in liquid-metal fast breeder reactors arising primarily from transient accident analysis are reviewed. Principal emphasis is given to the impo...
A test point insertion algorithm for mixed-signal circuits

This paper presents an algorithm based on testability measurement for test point insertion of mixed-signal circuits. Two transfer function models compatible with analog models are proposed: one is for digital devices and the other is for A/D interface components. An industry power supply circuit and a common A/D converter circuit are used to validate our approaches.
The Physics of Nuclear Power from Fission and Fusion

The physics involved in the controlled production of nuclear power (i) by fission of heavy-mass nuclides in neutron chain fission reactors and (ii) by fusion of light-mass nuclides in magnetically confined plasmas are described. The state of development and remaining physics challenges are discussed for the production of nuclear power by both fission and fusion. Keywords: fission; fusion; fusion plasma physics; magnetic confinement; nuclear energy; nuclear power; nuclear reactor physics
Genetic variation affecting temporal patterns of gene expression and disease in human brain (776.1)

It is widely recognized that noncoding regions of the human genome, including those controlling the cis-regulation of gene expression, harbor most disease-associated genetic variants and most regio...
The Millennium Development Goals, the Emerging Framework for Capacity Building, and the Role of the IMF

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) represent a global commitment to improve economic and social conditions in low-income countries. Capacity building is key to promoting higher economic growth, which, in turn, is an important prerequisite for making progress toward the MDGs. This paper uses the UNDP's emerging framework for capacity building to show how the IMF supports capacity building at the individual, organizational, and the system level, thereby contributing to the efforts of countries to meeting the MDGs.
Partial resolution of the enzymes catalyzing photophosphorylation. XII. Purification and properties of an inhibitor isolated from chloroplast coupling factor 1.

Abstract 1. Coupling factor 1 from spinach chloroplast dissolved in 7 m urea strongly inhibited the ATPase activity of the coupling factor. The inhibitor was identified with the smallest of the five subunits of the coupling factor. 2. The inhibitor was isolated as a pure protein and was estimated to have a molecular weight of 13,000. The amino acid composition was different from that of the inhibitor of mitochondrial ATPase. Mitochondrial inhibitor inhibited only mitochondrial ATPase; chloroplast inhibitor inhibited only chloroplast ATPase. 3. The chloroplast inhibitor is much more insoluble than the mitochondrial inhibitor and can be kept in solution only in the presence of urea or detergents. Like the mitochondrial inhibitor the chloroplast inhibitor is stable to heat but very sensitive to trypsin. 4. The greater hydrophobicity and affinity of the chloroplast inhibitor to the coupling factor helps to explain some of the physiological differences of energy transduction in mitochondria and chloroplasts and is responsible for the failure of previous attempts to isolate it.
The effect of steatosis on echogenicity of colorectal liver metastases on intraoperative ultrasonography.

Objective To investigate the association of relative tumor echogenicity and hepatic steatosis in patients undergoing resection of colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). Design Prospective study. Setting The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Patients A total of 126 patients undergoing liver surgery for CRLM from January 1, 1998, through December 31, 2008, in whom 191 lesions had complete intraoperative ultrasonography images for review and adequate linked pathological data available. Main Outcome Measures The intraoperative ultrasonography images were reviewed and scored for echogenicity (hypoechoic, isoechoic, or hyperechoic). In addition, a histopathologic review of the nontumorous liver tissue was performed, and the extent of steatosis was scored and correlated with tumor echogenicity. Results Of the patients undergoing surgery, 49 (38.8%) were found to have mild to severe steatosis. Of the 191 total CRLM visualized by intraoperative ultrasonography, 91 (47.6%) were found to be hypoechoic, 65 (34.0%) were isoechoic, and 35 (18.3%) were hyperechoic. In patients with steatosis, lesions were significantly more likely to be hypoechoic when compared with patients without steatosis (odds ratio, 4.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.87-8.47; P = .001). Echogenicity was independent of the cause of steatosis or response to chemotherapy. Conclusions The echogenicity of CRLM was significantly affected by the presence of liver steatosis, with decreased echogenicity and increased conspicuity of lesions despite overall poorer image quality. These findings might reinforce the usefulness of intraoperative ultrasonography in identifying additional CRLM in patients undergoing surgical therapy, even in those with fatty liver tissue.
The Impact Of Computers In Nuclear Medicine

Computers have had a major impact on the development of Nuclear Medicine. Computer technology has allowed improved acquisition, display and analysis of radionuclide data and is largely responsible for the ability of radionuclide studies to accurately quantify organ physiology. In addition, computers are vital to reconstruction tomography, which has been applied to nuclear imaging. Mathematical modeling, which provides improved quantitative descriptions of complex physiologic systems investigated by radionuclides is also aided by computer technology. The role of the computer has even be extended to administrative functions like patient record keeping, automated data reporting, and programmed instruction of nuclear medicine trainees. In this review these aspects of computers in nuclear medicine will be reviewed, with emphasis on the recent improvements in nuclear imaging.
Industrial ecology: a teenager’s progress

Abstract Transforming the use of materials in product manufacture from a linear to a cyclic mode is the conceptual framework of industrial ecology (IE), a field about fourteen years old. The core of industrial ecology—the industrial ecosystem model—has become a framework for studying the interactions of the modern technological society with the environment. As an emerging field, IE has grappled with challenges such as establishing itself as a unique field, gaining academic merit, developing quality standards, and guiding applications in industrial operations. Within the context of such challenges, distinct research branches have emerged: conceptual framework studies, development of operational tools (e.g. design for environment), and systemic studies (e.g. industrial symbiosis). The field began by conceptualizing industrial systems and has now made the transition to gathering the data that characterize such systems. One of the greatest challenges now facing IE is applying the knowledge gleaned from these endeavors to defining and setting goals for sustainable technological activity and development.
Studies of Some Vermiculite-Type Clay Minerals*

X-ray and electron-diffraction studies, and differential thermal analyses of the clay fraction of some soils from Virginia, New Jersey, and Wisconsin indicate an abundance of minerals resembling vermiculite. Measurements of the 060 spacing for these minerals give values lower than those obtained for trioctahedral vermiculites. It is suggested that the minerals studied are dioctahedral forms, which have resulted from the weathering of muscovite-type micas.
The CYP3A Enzyme Inhibitor Diltiazem, Rather Than Genetic Polymorphisms, Is Associated with Everolimus Concentrations in Lung Transplant Recipients

Purpose Everolimus (EVR) has a narrow therapeutic index and large inter-subject variability in pharmacokinetics (PK) following a fixed dose. EVR is a substrate for CYP3A and 2C8 metabolizing enzymes, and the P-glycoprotein ( ABCB1 ) transporter. The objective of this study was to determine if polymorphisms in the genes encoding these proteins account for the inter-subject PK variability of unlabeled EVR in lung transplant recipients (LTxR). Methods and Materials In this cross-sectional study, the primary outcome was the difference in dose-adjusted EVR levels (ng/ml per mg/day, L/D) between ABCB1 diplotype groups (2 vs 1 vs 0 copies of the 1236C/2677G/3435C haplotypes). We also analyzed the effect of CYP3A5 * 3, CYP3A4 * 1B and CYP2C8 * 3 polymorphisms, and concomitant medications, on EVR PK. Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis tests were used to compare continuous variables between groups. Results The study included 58 LTxR (34 men, 24 women) receiving EVR. The median EVR L/D was 1.9 ng/ml per mg/day (range 0.50, 7.60). There was no significant difference in EVR L/D between ABCB1 1236/2677/3435 diplotype groups. Likewise, CYP3A5 * 3, CYP3A4 * 1B, and CYP2C8 * 3 polymorphisms were not significantly associated with EVR L/D in this population. In contrast, EVR L/D was 98% higher among LTxR on diltiazem (DILT) versus those not on DILT (p Conclusions Polymorphisms in genes responsible for EVR transport and metabolism were not significantly associated with EVR L/D in LTxR. EVR L/D was significantly affected by DILT administration, although this interaction only accounted for a portion of EVR L/D inter-subject variability. Despite max dose EVR, a substantial proportion of LTxR not receiving DILT had a sub-therapeutic EVR level. Supported by Novartis Pharmaceuticals.