cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transplantation at 100 years: Alexis Carrel, pioneer surgeon.

n December 23, 1954, Ronald Herrick became the first ealthy human being to subject himself to a major urgical procedure for the benefit of someone other than imself. He was the donor of a kidney to his identical win brother, Richard, who was dying of end-stage renal isease. His brother’s donated kidney allowed Richard to urvive for another 8 years [1]. The surgeon, Dr Joseph urray of the Peter Brigham Hospital in Boston, had one extensive preliminary experimental work and coninued to be a leader not only in clinical transplantation, ut also in the study of the immune phenomena surounding transplantation. Dr Murray, along with E. Donall Thomas, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology r Medicine in 1990, “for their discoveries concerning rgan and cell transplantation in the treatment of human isease” [2]. Last year, the semi-centennial anniversary of the proedure was widely celebrated as the beginning of clinical rgan transplantation. Although the 1954 procedure aunched clinical transplantation, the science of organ ransplantation actually began a half-century earlier. The ear 2005 marks the centennial anniversary of Alexis arrel’s publication of his first article on successful organ ransplantation in October 1905 [3]. The critical technical prerequisite for successful translantation surgery was the development of techniques or suturing blood vessels. Such methods had not been eveloped yet in 1894 when the president of France, Sadi arnot, was assassinated in Lyon. Carnot was stabbed in he abdomen and bled to death from a laceration of the ortal vein. Surgical opinion held that the president ould not have been saved because of the nature of his njury. A young medical student at the University of yon, Alexis Carrel, argued to the contrary that Carnot ould have been saved if surgeons could repair blood essels as they repaired other tissues. In 1896, Carrel was n intern at Lyon’s Hotel Dieu, and he was aware that atthieu Jaboulay at the University of Lyon had successully repaired a divided carotid artery experimentally, sing everting interrupted mattress sutures. However, is method did not work in the repair of small blood essels. In that year, Carrel started his own experiments, nd before long his work gained local notoriety. He ecognized that extremely fine needles and thread were eeded, and he found what he needed, but not in surgical
Searching for optimal stimuli: ascending a neuron’s response function

Many methods used to analyze neuronal response assume that neuronal activity has a fundamentally linear relationship to the stimulus. However, some neurons are strongly sensitive to multiple directions in stimulus space and have a highly nonlinear response. It can be difficult to find optimal stimuli for these neurons. We demonstrate how successive linear approximations of neuronal response can effectively carry out gradient ascent and move through stimulus space towards local maxima of the response. We demonstrate search results for a simple model neuron and two models of a highly selective neuron.
Some results on biorthogonal-like functions for generalized Gabor expansions

Summary form only given. The decomposition and representation of signals in the joint time-frequency domain are increasingly useful in communication and information theory, and in signal processing. Given a countable collection of functions in the joint time-frequency domain, we may find another countable collection of joint time-frequency functions, such that any signal can be represented in terms of the two collections of functions. The associated technique is usually called the discrete Gabor transform or short-time Fourier transform, and is valid for both continuous-time and discrete-time signals. One of the collections of functions is defined by a synthesis function, and the other collection is defined by an analysis function. We show that: (1) the collection of biorthogonal-like functions are complete and, hence, the generalized Gabor expansion is well-defined; (2) the technique for addressing the existence of the collection of biorthogonal-like functions is simple, hence, more applicable in practice; and (3) the computation of analysis and synthesis functions is simple and very efficient for both continuous-time and discrete-time signals. >
Mass Media Reform in China: Toward a New Analytical Framework

Historically, analyses of change in mass media systems have tended to draw upon a ‘dissident vs state’ framework, derived largely from the western historical experience. In the case of China, a ‘state vs market’ scenario has been superimposed on this basic framework, in the context of which the Chinese Communist party-state is often portrayed as a monolithic entity intent on promoting market-oriented reform in China’s economic base, while keeping a tight grip on the country’s mass media system and political superstructure. These dominant analytical frameworks tend to mask a number of important dynamics unique to Chinese history and society, that have played a significant role in the mass media transformation process. The purpose of this article is to outline a new conceptual framework incorporating these unique dynamics. In particular, it is the contention of this article that many of the changes in China’s mass media system during the post-Mao period have been achieved by non-state actors, not in an adve...
Psychiatric Commitment of the Elderly

Involuntary hospitalization of the elderly has been the focus of controversy. In many jurisdictions, commitment criteria are stringently and narrowly defined, require a showing of "dangerousness," ...
Geographic information systems (GIS) and libraries: concepts, services and resources

Purpose – This paper aims to provide an introduction to core geographic information systems (GIS) concepts, prominent GIS software, the role of libraries in providing GIS services and support and resources for professional library staff to increase GIS knowledge and skills to fulfill the mission of serving the information needs of library patrons. Design/methodology/approach – This paper provides an overview of GISs core concepts and terminologies, Library GIS services and resources for library staff development. Findings – As GISs are being used by researchers in an ever-growing number of disciplines, librarians must increase their proficiency with geospatial technologies. Originality/value – While GISs have been used by certain researcher populations for some time, the increased use of such geospatial technologies creates a need for librarians who possess the skills and knowledge to assist patrons with their GIS needs. This paper introduces professional library staff to important GIS concepts, potential...
From survival to survivorship: late side effects become an issue in high-grade glioma

Gliomas are the most common primary brain tumors. In adults, the most frequent subtype is glioblastoma, an aggressive and lethal tumor characterized histologically by frequent mitoses, rich angioge...
Tumor necrosis factor-α and ceramide induce cell death through different mechanisms in rat mesangial cells

It has been proposed that ceramide acts as a cellular messenger to mediate tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced apoptosis. Based on this hypothesis, it was postulated that resistance of some cells to TNF-α cytotoxicity was due to an insufficient production of ceramide on stimulation by TNF-α. The present study was initiated to investigate whether this was the case in mesangial cells, which normally are insensitive to TNF-α-induced apoptosis. Our results indicate that although C2 ceramide was toxic to mesangial cells, the cell death it induced differed both morphologically and biochemically from that induced by TNF-α in the presence of cycloheximide (CHX). The most apparent effect of C2 ceramide was to cause cells to swell, followed by disruption of the cell membrane. It is evident that C2 ceramide caused cell death by necrosis, whereas TNF-α in the presence of CHX killed the cells by apoptosis. C2 ceramide did not mimic the effects of TNF-α on the activation of c-Jun NH2-terminal protein kinase and nuc...
Detailed comparison of numerical methods for the perturbed sine-Gordon equation with impulsive forcing

The properties of various numerical methods for the study of the perturbed sine-Gordon (sG) equation with impulsive forcing are investigated. In particular, finite difference and pseudo-spectral methods for discretizing the equation are considered. Different methods of discretizing the Dirac delta are discussed. Various combinations of these methods are then used to model the soliton–defect interaction. A comprehensive study of convergence of all these combinations is presented. Detailed explanations are provided of various numerical issues that should be carefully considered when the sG equation with impulsive forcing is solved numerically. The properties of each method depend heavily on the specific representation chosen for the Dirac delta—and vice versa. Useful comparisons are provided that can be used for the design of the numerical scheme to study the singularly perturbed sG equation. Some interesting results are found. For example, the Gaussian approximation yields the worst results, while the domain decomposition method yields the best results, for both finite difference and spectral methods. These findings are corroborated by extensive numerical simulations.
Calibration Based Methods for Substrate Modeling and Noise Analysis for Mixed-Signal SoCsc

A novel and an extremely fast substrate model creation and noise analysis methodology is presented. The method takes a prototype floorplan or layout as an input and outputs a detailed 2-D plot of the noise voltage distribution at the surface. Estimated noise injection is attached to a substrate model to compute noise distribution across the die. An adaptive finite element based extraction method is described for modeling. The model is then calibrated to an extracted substrate model based on various parameters like surface and bulk resistivity. The method is optimized for both accuracy and speed. It is also shown how a designer can perform various what-if analysis with this flow in both pre-layout and post-layout phases. Grounding schemes and isolation structures are then discussed with various what-if analysis. Finally simulation data and results from an actual design are shown where this methodology has been applied.
Induction of Primary Virus-Cross-Reactive Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1-Neutralizing Antibodies in Small Animals by Using an Alphavirus-Derived In Vivo Expression System

We have studied the induction of neutralizing antibodies by in vivo expression of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope by using a Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEE) replicon system with mice and rabbits. The HIV-1 envelope, clone R2, has broad sensitivity to cross-reactive neutralization and was obtained from a donor with broadly cross-reactive, primary virus-neutralizing antibodies (donor of reference serum, HIV-1-neutralizing serum 2 [HNS2]). It was expressed as gp160, as secreted gp140, and as gp160ΔCT with the cytoplasmic tail deleted. gp140 was expressed in vitro at a high level and was predominantly uncleaved oligomer. gp160ΔCT was released by cells in the form of membrane-bound vesicles. gp160ΔCT induced stronger neutralizing responses than the other forms. Use of a helper plasmid for replicon particle packaging, in which the VEE envelope gene comprised a wild-type rather than a host range-adapted sequence, also enhanced immunogenicity. Neutralizing activity fractionated with immunoglobulin G. This activity was cross-reactive among a panel of five nonhomologous primary clade B strains and a Chinese clade C strain and minimally reactive against a Chinese clade E (circulating recombinant form 1) strain. The comparative neutralization of these strains by immune mouse sera was similar to the relative neutralizing effects of HNS2, and responses induced in rabbits were similar to those induced in mice. Together, these results demonstrate that neutralizing antibody responses can be induced in mice within 2 to 3 months that are similar in potency and cross-reactivity to those found in the chronically infected, long-term nonprogressive donor of HNS2. These findings support the expectation that induction of highly cross-reactive HIV-1 primary virus-neutralizing activity by vaccination may be realized.
The QQS orphan gene of Arabidopsis modulates carbon and nitrogen allocation in soybean

The genome of each species contains as high as 8% of genes that are uniquely present in that species. Little is known about the functional significance of these so-called species specific or orphan genes. The Arabidopsis thaliana gene Qua-Quine Starch (QQS) is species specific. Here, we show that altering QQS expression in Arabidopsis affects carbon partitioning to both starch and protein. We hypothesized QQS may be conserved in a feature other than primary sequence, and as such could function to impact composition in another species. To test the potential of QQS in affecting composition in an ectopic species, we introduced QQS into soybean. Soybean T1 lines expressing QQS have up to 80% decreased leaf starch and up to 60% increased leaf protein; T4 generation seeds from field-grown plants contain up to 13% less oil, while protein is increased by up to 18%. These data broaden the concept of QQS as a modulator of carbon and nitrogen allocation, and demonstrate that this species-specific gene can affect the seed composition of an agronomic species thought to have diverged from Arabidopsis 100 million years ago.
Surface winds from tropical Pacific islands - Climatological statistics

Abstract Multidecadal time series of surface wind observations from tropical Pacific islands have been examined in order to investigate the space and time scales of variability. Climatological monthly means and variances are compared with comparable means and variances derived from ship observations; usually the means agree to within ∼1 m s−1 in speed and ∼10 degrees in direction. Annual and semiannual cycles differ in detail. Island zonal wind variances are often significantly larger, by up to 10 m2 s−2 near the equator between September and December; because of the spatial coherence of the island results, these discrepancies are believed to result from the poor high-frequency sampling typical of ship data. A substantial near-equatorial zonal wind variance maximum is shown to be related to ENSO period variability; excluding ENSO time periods leaves a relatively spatially uniform variance of ∼5 m2 s−2 over a broad region. The frequency distribution of variance, derived from daily-averaged data, exhibits c...
“Dear D”: Sophie Treadwell's 1915 Correspondence from the “Big War Theatre”

Abstract Although she is best known as the author of the Expressionist drama Machinal, Sophie Treadwell was also a journalist. In 1915, she traveled to France to cover World War I for the San Francisco Bulletin and Harper's Weekly. This paper examines her published and unpublished war correspondence, consisting of articles for the Bulletin framed as letters to “D,” a hypothetical friend back home in California, and a Harper's Weekly article emphasizing women's experience. The paper argues that because Treadwell did not focus on soldiers and fighting, but instead looked at daily life in “the big war theatre,” her work was an effort to develop a female-centered journalistic voice.
Carbonyl Compounds Produced by the Bed Bug, Cimex lectularius

The bed bug, Cimex lectularius L., emits an odor which was described by Kemper (1926) as an “obnoxious sweetness.” The scent apparatus, in adults, is situated in the metathorax at the base of the abdomen, against the inner face of the ventral wall. The scent apparatus consists of glands and a reservoir.
Effects of Artificial Foods on Reproduction and Development of Four Species of Phytoseiid Mites

Several different artificial foods in water solution were tested for their effects on survival, oviposition, and development of the phytoseiid mites Amblyseius limonicus Garman and McGregor, A. hibisci (Chant), Typhlodromus occidentalis Nesbitt, and T. rickeri Chant. Droplets of the food solutions were placed on excised avocado leaves on which the mites were confined. Both sucrose and molasses increased the survival of adult females of all species. Yeast hydrolysate combined with either molasses or sucrose induced sustained oviposition of A. limonicus and A. hibisci . The latter food combination provided sufficient nutrients for the 2 Amblyseius species to develop from egg to maturity, but developmental rate was slow and mortality high. None of the foods induced a significant amount of ovposition or development of the 2 Typhlodromus species.
Flow Phenomena and Time Resolved Concentration Measurements in an Axial Flow Mixer

Experiments were conducted to better understand the flow physics associated with axial flow mixers in pipes. Specifically, the dependence of the downstream mixing evolution on the velocity ratio of the secondary to primary stream was explored. Experiments were conducted in a 25.4 mm diameter water pipe flow loop (25,700 ≤ RD ≤ 28,500), in which a fluorescein dye was coaxially injected. The injection tube diameter was 1.5 mm. Three velocity ratios, VR = 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 were explored, where VR = Vjet /Vmain . The present results indicate that the effects of velocity ratio on the mean concentration are primarily evident in the near-field flow downstream of the injector, while concentration variance measurements indicate a primary influence at intermediate axial locations. Analysis of higher order moments and flow visualizations suggest that these influences are associated with the injected flow conditions. Two-dimensional LIF analysis of the coherent jet breakup region showed an instability in this transition related to injector flow Reynolds number. The present concentration measurements do not indicate the exponential variance decay commonly used for modelling mixing in pipes. Far field data exhibit low wavenumber motions as predicted by the recent theory of Guilkey et al. (1997).© 2002 ASME
Relationship Between Maysin Concentration in Corn Silk and Corn Earworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Growth

Significant differences were found among silks of corn, Zea mays L., for both relative maysin concentration and corn earworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie), larval weight. A decrease in maysin concentration was found in only one test year as age of silks Increased. However, in all test years (1979–1983), significant decreases in corn earworm growth were found as the age of silks increased. Since no significant relationship was found between maysin concentration of corn silks and corn earworm growth, maysin is probably one of several factors that condition resistance to corn earworms in ‘Zapalote Chico’ silks.
Leveraging Structure: Logical Necessity in the Context of Integer Arithmetic.

ABSTRACTLooking for, recognizing, and using underlying mathematical structure is an important aspect of mathematical reasoning. We explore the use of mathematical structure in children’s integer strategies by developing and exemplifying the construct of logical necessity. Students in our study used logical necessity to approach and use numbers in a formal, algebraic way, leveraging key mathematical ideas about inverses, the structure of our number system, and fundamental properties. We identified the use of carefully chosen comparisons as a key feature of logical necessity and documented three types of comparisons students made when solving integer tasks. We believe that logical necessity can be applied in various mathematical domains to support students to successfully engage with mathematical structure across the K–12 curriculum.
Stable expression of Shigella dysenteriae serotype 1 O-antigen genes integrated into the chromosome of live Salmonella oral vaccine vector Ty21a

Typhoid fever and shigellosis cause high morbidity and mortality worldwide, yet no anti- Shigella vaccine is currently available. However, to protect against typhoid fever, an approved vaccine, based on the attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi strain Ty21a is available. We have investigated Ty21a as a live oral vaccine vector for expression of heterologous foreign antigens to protect against other diseases (e.g. shigellosis, anthrax, and plague). Shigella LPS is a potent vaccine antigen for serotype-specific protection against Shigellae. We previously reported the construction of a Ty21a derivative expressing S. sonnei O-antigen by insertion of a large (∼12.5 kb) operon comprising the S. sonnei O-antigen biosynthetic genes into a targeted site within the Ty21a chromosome using modified λ red recombineering methods. In the current study, S. dysenteriae 1 O-antigen biosynthetic genes from 2 separate genetic loci, rfp and rfb were assembled and inserted into the Ty21a chromosome by λ red -mediated recombineering to construct strain Ty21a-Sd. To obtain a high level of heterologous LPS expression, the native upstream promoter was replaced with the constitutive lpp promoter, which resulted in Ty21a-Sdl with enhanced heterologous LPS expression. Both Ty21a-Sd and Ty21a-Sdl elicited significant serum antibody responses in mice against both Ty21a and this heterologous Shigella LPS, and conferred protection against virulent S. dysenteriae 1 challenge. This work represents progress toward the goal of a safe and effective vaccine against Shigella .
Clinical Application of Cone-Beam Computed Tomography of the Rabbit Head: Part 1 - Normal Dentition.

Domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) are increasingly popular as household pets; therefore, veterinarians need to be familiar with the most common diseases afflicting rabbits including dental diseases. Diagnostic approaches for dental disease include gross oral examination, endoscopic oral examination, skull radiography, and computed tomography (CT). CT overcomes many limitations of standard radiography by permitting cross-sectional images of the rabbit head in multiple planes without superimposition of anatomic structures. Cone-beam CT (CBCT) is an oral and maxillofacial imaging modality that produces high-resolution images. The objective of this study was to describe and compare the normal anatomic features of the dentition and surrounding maxillofacial structures in healthy rabbits on CBCT and conventional CT. Ten New Zealand white rabbit cadaver heads were scanned using CBCT and conventional CT. Images were evaluated using Anatomage Invivo 5 software. The maxillofacial anatomy was labeled on CBCT images and the mean lengths and widths of the teeth were determined. The visibility of relevant dental and anatomic features (pulp cavity, germinal center, tooth outline, periodontal ligament) were scored and compared between conventional CT and CBCT. The thinnest teeth were the maxillary second incisor teeth at 1.29 ± 0.26 mm and the maxillary third molar teeth at 1.04 ±0.10 mm. In general, it was found that CBCT was superior to conventional CT when imaging the dentition. Importantly, the periodontal ligament was significantly (P<0.01) more visible on CBCT than on conventional CT. Ability to see the periodontal ligament with such detail may allow earlier detection and treatment of periodontal disease in rabbits. This study is the first of its kind and shows the feasibility and yield of CBCT when evaluating the maxillofacial features and dentition in rabbits.
On the Dynamical Control of the Mesosphere–Lower Thermosphere by the Lower and Middle Atmosphere

AbstractThe NCAR Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM) is used to investigate the dynamical influence of the lower and middle atmosphere on the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere. In simulations using a methodology adapted from the “specified dynamics” (nudged) version of the model, horizontal winds and temperature over part of the vertical range of the atmosphere are relaxed toward results from a previous simulation that serves as the true simulation, equivalent to meteorological analysis. In the upper mesosphere, the magnitude of the divergence of the constrained simulations from the true simulation depends on the vertical extent and frequency of the data used for nudging the model and grows with altitude. The simulations quantify the error growth of the model dynamical fields when data and forcing terms are known exactly and there are no model biases. The error growth rate and the ultimate discrepancy between the nudged and true fields depend strongly on the method used for representing...
Transparency of magnetized plasma at the cyclotron frequency

Electromagnetic radiation is strongly absorbed by a magnetized plasma if the radiation frequency equals the cyclotron frequency of plasma electrons. It is demonstrated that absorption can be completely canceled in the presence of a magnetostatic field of an undulator, or a second radiation beam, resulting in plasma transparency at the cyclotron frequency. This effect is reminiscent of the electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) of three-level atomic systems, except that it occurs in a completely classical plasma. Unlike the atomic systems, where all the excited levels required for EIT exist in each atom, this classical EIT requires the excitation of nonlocal plasma oscillation. A Lagrangian description was used to elucidate the physics of the plasma transparency and control of group and phase velocity. This control leads to applications for electromagnetic pulse compression and electron/ion acceleration.
Tourism as a Key Topic in Small-Scale Regional Development Processes

Small-scale regional development processes, such as local groups funded by the EU-program LEADER and similar programs on national and sub-national levels, have become a successful and generally accepted form of modern, integrated rural development. Since the start of those programs in the early 1990s, a growing number of local and regional development initiatives have been established to develop their regions. The crucial questions – what fields of interest to address and what projects to undertake – have to be answered by those organizations on their own. Following a bottom-up approach, these issues are not prescribed by top-down regulations but have to be generated by discussions with and suggestions from local stakeholders. Our paper takes a look at the role of tourism as a general topic of those small-scale regional development processes. It examines two regional development programs in the German federal state of Bavaria, which cover 84 local initiatives. Using qualitative data, we give an overview about the development strategies and projects undertaken. It turns out that tourism is one of the most important fields of action in integrated regional development. There is hardly any initiative that does not consider tourism and/or leisure as one of its main areas of activities. A big share of the projects carried out in the development programs observed has direct or indirect connections to tourism. All in all, tourism manifests as a key topic for endogenous regional development. Inspired by the deliberations on strategic decision making in tourism – often addressed by Peter Keller among many others – we change the perspectives a bit and take a look on the character of tourism as a strategic choice within local development organizations.
Determination of neurotensin projections to the ventral tegmental area in mice

Pharmacologic treatment with the neuropeptide neurotensin (Nts) modifies motivated behaviors such as feeding, locomotor activity, and reproduction. Dopamine (DA) neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) control these behaviors, and Nts directly modulates the activity of DA neurons via Nts receptor-1. While Nts sources to the VTA have been described in starlings and rats, the endogenous sources of Nts to the VTA of mice remain incompletely understood, impeding determination of which Nts circuits orchestrate specific behaviors in this model. To overcome this obstacle we injected the retrograde tracer Fluoro-Gold into the VTA of mice that express GFP in Nts neurons. Identification of GFP-Nts cells that accumulate Fluoro-Gold revealed the Nts afferents to the VTA in mice. Similar to rats, most Nts afferents to the VTA of mice arise from the medial and lateral preoptic areas (POA) and the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA), brain regions that are critical for coordination of feeding and reproduction. Additionally, the VTA receives dense input from Nts neurons in the nucleus accumbens shell (NAsh) of mice, and minor Nts projections from the amygdala and periaqueductal gray area. Collectively, our data reveal multiple populations of Nts neurons that provide direct afferents to the VTA and which may regulate specific aspects of motivated behavior. This work lays the foundation for understanding endogenous Nts actions in the VTA, and how circuit-specific Nts modulation may be useful to correct motivational and affective deficits in neuropsychiatric disease.
Strength of tantalum shocked at ultrahigh pressures

High purity polycrystalline tantalum (Ta) was shocked through 1 to 3.5 Mbar pressures creating Richtmyer-Meshkov unstable interfaces that were used to determine the dynamic material strength. The experiments were performed on the Omega laser at the University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics. Prior to shock, the driven surfaces of the tantalum targets where coined with a sinusoidal pattern. The targets were recovered post-shock, and the growth of the sinusoid amplitudes was used to characterize the relative extent of plastic deformation as a function of laser energy. Analogous data were extracted prior to the experiments from phenomenological Von Mises plasticity simulations that considered equation of state tables for Ta. The simulations showed the best agreement with the experiments (less than 5% difference between mean ripple growth measures) for shock pressures ranging from 1.2 to 2.7 Mbar. A fluid model studied as a function of viscosity was also used to qualitatively indicate the sensitivity of the experiments to strength. These results verify the ability to use a phenomenological, equation of state based model to simulate very high-strain rate, high-pressure deformation of tantalum.
Age-related retinal pigment epithelium and Bruch's membrane degeneration in senescence-accelerated mouse.

PURPOSE To investigate age-related changes in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), Bruch's membrane, and choriocapillaris in the senescence-accelerated mouse (SAM). METHODS The external and eyecup features and light and electron microscopic findings were examined in three male and two female mice of a senescence-prone mouse strain (SAM P(8)) monthly for 12 months. These results were compared with those in age-matched mice of similar background but senescence resistant (SAM R(1)). Choroidal vascular casts were prepared at 12 months in seven mice each of the SAM P(8) and SAM R(1) strains. Quantitative analysis of area of choriocapillaris was performed by automated image analysis, and the results were analyzed by paired Student's t-test. RESULTS We found in the SAM P(8) strain that hair loss, coarseness of hair texture, and ulceration of skin appeared and increased as the age advanced (at approximately 5-9 months). Eyecup examination showed no differences. Light and electron microscopy revealed progressively more prominent abnormalities in the RPE and Bruch's membrane mice older than 10 months. Two of the five SAM P(8) mice older than 11 months showed what appeared to be intra-Bruch's membrane choroidal neovascularization. The RPE and Bruch's membrane appeared normal in the SAM R(1) strain. In the SAM P(8), vascular casts of the choriocapillaris showed a mild but significant decrease in vascular area when compared with the SAM R(1) strain at 12 months (P = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS Senescence accelerated mice develop progressive age-related changes in the RPE-Bruch's-choriocapillaris complex that have features that may be relevant in the study of age-related macular changes in humans.
Instability of Bars with stress-dependent Properties

A classification is first given of the various types of problems of bending and buckling of rods whose properties depend on the level and on the distribution of the normal stresses acting on the cross-section. The possibility that this stress-dependence is not the same at all points of the cross-section is included. Four different cases are distinguished, examples of two of which are treated in detail. These are the inelastic buckling of rods and the buckling of rods composed of a bar attached to a buckled thin sheet. In the former case a clarification is presented for the preferred direction of buckling of asymmetric sections, in agreement with experimental results. In the latter, the conventional analysis, employing Wagner’S reduced effective width of sheet, is shown to be incorrect, and the proper procedure for the calculation of buckling loads is described. It is found that three main loading procedures can be defined, each leading to a different buckling load. The significant physical quantity distinguishing these three cases is the relative position of the applied axial load, relative to the moving centroid of the bar-sheet combination. The theory provides an explanation for the experimentally observed preferred direction of buckling.
Emotional Stability of Intellectually Superior Children Versus Nongifted Peers as Estimated by Chronic Anxiety Levels

Despite current interests in the education of intellectually superior students, ther remains a paucity of research on the affective characteristics of these children relative to other categories of...
Performance After Rotator Cuff Tear and Operative Treatment: A Case-Control Study of Major League Baseball Pitchers

Context: Little is known about pitching performance or lack of it among Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers who undergo operative treatment of rotator cuff tears. Objective: To assess pitching per...
Random Insertional Mutagenesis of a Serotype 2 Dengue Virus Clone

Protein tagging is a powerful method of investigating protein function. However, modifying positive-strand RNA virus proteins in the context of viral infection can be particularly difficult as their compact genomes and multifunctional proteins mean even small changes can inactivate or attenuate the virus. Although targeted approaches to functionally tag viral proteins have been successful, these approaches are time consuming and inefficient. A strategy that has been successfully applied to several RNA viruses is whole-genome transposon insertional mutagenesis. A library of viral genomes, each containing a single randomly placed small insertion, is selected by passaging in cell culture and the insertion sites can be identified using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). Here we describe a protocol for transposon mutagenesis of the 16681 strain of dengue virus, serotype 2. Mutant dengue virus libraries containing short randomly placed insertions are passaged through mammalian cells and insertions are mapped by NGS of the viable progeny. The protocol is divided into four stages: transposon mutagenesis of a dengue cDNA clone, viral genome transfection into permissive cells, isolation of viral progeny genomes, and sequencing library preparation.
Information Theory, Developmental Psychology, and the Baldwin Effect.

As part of the extended evolutionary synthesis, there has recently been a new emphasis on the effects of biological development on genetic inheritance and variation. The exciting new directions taken by those in the community have by a pre-history filled with related ideas that were never given a rigorous foundation or combined coherently. Part of the historical background of the extended synthesis is the work of James Mark Baldwin on his so-called ``Baldwin Effect.'' Many variant re-interpretations of his work obscure the original meaning of the Baldwin Effect. This paper emphasizes a new approach to the Baldwin Effect, focusing on his work in developmental psychology and how that would impact evolution. We propose a novel population genetics model of the Baldwin Effect. First, the impact of a kind of learning process motivated by motor babbling, in the developmental psychology literature, on evolution; second, that Information-theoretic phenotype reshaping speeds up evolution compared to populations without this kind of learning. The basic idea behind the model is to allow the organism to apply abstraction to his initial phenotype to situate it within one of a few different classes of phenotypes in the local neighborhood of a fitness maximum. The reshaping of the phenotype space thereby allows the organism to reach a nearby fitness maximum. By so doing, valleys in the fitness landscape are leveled out, making a rugged fitness landscape into a set of mesas and plateaus with increasing height. Using this model we can show the first sizeable speed-up for the Baldwin Effect compared to ordinary population genetics. We also introduce an information-theoretic foundation for the Baldwin Effect, which may be of independent interest.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Renal Cell Carcinoma: An Analysis of Clinical Characteristics.

Abstract Background Racial/ethnic minority groups, including Hispanic Americans (HAs) and Native Americans (NAs), have a heavier burden of kidney cancer than European Americans (EAs). We investigated variations in clinical characteristics of HA and NA patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who were previously underrepresented. Materials and Methods Clinical records of 294 patients with RCC (151 EAs, 95 HAs, 22 NAs, and 26 others) without prior diagnosis of cancer were reviewed. Logistic regression analysis was performed to understand patients’ clinical characteristics. Results HAs had about 5 years younger average age at diagnosis than EAs (55.8 vs. 60.5 years) and an almost 3-fold increased odds of diagnosis before age 50 years (odds ratio [OR], 2.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.39-5.54). The mean age of diagnosis among NAs was 49.7 years, and NAs had an over 6-fold higher odds of diagnosis at a younger age (OR, 6.23; 95% CI, 2.00-19.46). Clear-cell RCC (ccRCC) was more common in HAs and NAs than EAs. Over 90% of HA patients had ccRCC, whereas only 78.8% of EA patients had ccRCC. HAs had increased odds of diagnosis with ccRCC compared with EAs (OR, 2.79; 95% CI, 1.15-6.80). Among HAs, older patients and patients who spoke Spanish as their primary language were more likely to have advanced stage RCC at diagnosis (OR, 10.48; 95% CI, 1.69-64.89 and OR, 4.61; 95% CI, 1.38-15.40). Conclusion HA and NA patients with RCC had different clinical characteristics than EA patients. It is necessary to better understand the clinical characteristics of these underserved HA and NA populations with high kidney cancer burden.
Aerobic exercise in older adults maintains Nrf2 signaling compared to inactive controls

We have previously shown that older men have impaired Nrf2 signaling response to acute exercise as compared to young controls. The present RCT investigated whether exercise-induced Nrf2 signaling would improve with a more regular exercise stimulus. Inactive men and women (62-77y) were randomized to an 8-week exercise intervention (EX, n=9) or a non-exercise control group (CON, n=8). EX performed supervised aerobic exercise 3d/wk for 45-min/d. The effectiveness of the exercise intervention was measured by changes in maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max). Nrf2 signaling was measured in response to acute exercise (30-min cycling at 70% VO2max) in isolated PBMCs. Nrf2 protein quantification was measured at 7 time points (Pre, +10, +30, +1, +4, +8, +24h) and gene expression of HO-1, NQO1, and GCLC were measured at 5 time points (Pre, +1, +4, +8, and +24h) before and after the 8-week intervention. There were no significant differences between sexes for any variable or baseline differences between EX and CON. The exercise intervention improved VO2max by 19% (p
Mental Health Issues: Child Physical Abuse, Neglect, and Emotional Abuse

Child abuse and neglect continue to occur in epidemic proportions, with the US Department of Health and Human Services finding an increase in the number of reports received by Child Protective Services, from 38 per 1000 in 2013 to 45 per 1000 in 2015. This chapter focuses on defining childhood physical abuse, neglect, and emotional abuse, as well as documents the psychological and physical sequelae of these forms of maltreatment. Extensive research has examined the relation between child maltreatment and childhood outcomes. These studies have found that while most children exposed to a traumatic experience will not develop a psychiatric condition, some children may develop post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and/or disruptive behavior disorders. This chapter reviews possible risk factors, including pre-, peri-, and post-traumatic factors, that can lead to negative childhood outcomes, as well as the most common psychiatric conditions that may occur. Suggestions for treatment of pediatric post-traumatic stress disorder and a review of the resiliency literature are included as well.
Word-learning by preschoolers with specific language impairment: what predicts success?

Purpose: This study investigated whether phonological or semantic encoding cues promoted better word learning for children with specific language impairment (SLI) and whether this treatment differentially affected children with SLI and normal language (NL). Method: Twenty-four preschoolers ages 4;0 (years;months) to 5;11 with SLI and 24 age- and gender-matched children with NL participated. The between-group factor was language group (NL, SLI) and within-group factors were language modality (comprehension, recognition, production) and treatment condition (phonological, semantic). Word learning was assessed during fast mapping, word learning, and posttesting with trials to criterion calculated for the number of words learned. A drawing task assessed the change in semantic representation of words. Results: The SLI group comprehended more words in the semantic condition and produced more words in the phonological condition, but the NL group performed similarly in both. The NL group required significantly few...
Use of genetically identical (clone) steers to determine the effects of estrogenic and androgenic implants on beef quality and palatability characteristics

Six sets of four genetically identical Brangus steers (n = 24; mean weight = 413 kg, SD = 19.8) were used to study the effects of estradiol and trenbolone acetate on beef quality and palatability characteristics. Steers in each clone set were randomly assigned to the following treatment groups: 1) a nonimplanted control; 2) a single estrogenic implant, containing 20 mg of estradiol benzoate and 200 mg of progesterone; 3) a single androgenic implant, containing 140 mg of trenbolone acetate; or 4) a single combination implant, containing 24 mg of 17-beta estradiol and 120 mg of trenbolone acetate. Following implantation, the steers were fed a high-concentrate finishing diet for a period of 112 d. Compared with control steers, implanted steers had higher (P .05) among treatment groups with respect to their effects on growth rate, live weight, carcass weight, dressing percentage, fat thickness, longissimus muscle area, percentage of kidney, pelvic, and heart fat, or USDA yield grade. Moreover, marbling scores for implanted steers were not statistically different from marbling scores for control steers. However, a comparison among implant types showed that steers implanted with the estrogenic implant had significantly lower marbling scores than did steers implanted with the androgenic or combination implants. Use of androgenic and combination implants had no effect (P > .05) on beef tenderness of strip loin, top sirloin, or top round steaks; however, use of estrogenic implants decreased (P < .05) tenderness of top sirloin steaks.
The experimental effects of psilocybin on symptoms of anxiety and depression: A meta-analysis.

Abstract The current meta-analysis examined the effects of psilocybin in combination with behavioral interventions on anxiety and depression in samples with elevated symptoms. Across four studies (one uncontrolled; three randomized, placebo-controlled; N = 117), within-group pre-post and pre-follow-up effects on anxiety and depression were large (Hedges’ gs=1.16 to 1.47) and statistically significant. Across three placebo-controlled studies, pre-post placebo-controlled effects were also large (gs = 0.82 to 0.83) and statistically significant. No serious adverse events were reported. Limitations include the small number of studies and risk for bias within studies. Results tentatively support future research on psilocybin for the treatment of anxiety and depression.
Imagining the public: anticipatory discourses in China’s push for precision medicine

Precision medicine (PM) has become a buzzword in global scientific and medical circles ever since the United States National Research Council 2011 report and the Obama Administration’s unveiling of its PM Initiative in 2015. In response in 2016, the Chinese government pledged $9 billion USD to PM research in the coming years and has designated PM as a key projects in various national plans. While promises of PM in China has similarities to those found in the U.S. and elsewhere, the way in which PM is anticipated stems from an imagination of the Chinese public as separate from the processes of scientific work and policymaking. Based on an analysis of documents and interviews with researchers and entrepreneurs in PM, this paper identifies aspects of the Chinese sociotechnical imaginary of the public and delineates three strands of anticipatory discourse used to galvanize support for PM in China: anxieties over demographic and developmental transitions, unlocking innovation in the “new normal” of slowing economic growth, and techno-nationalist competitions between the U.S. and China.
Women's experiences with information before medication abortion at home, support during the process and follow-up procedures - A qualitative study.

Abstract Objective To explore women’s experiences of having a medication abortion at home in regard to their perceptions of the information provided before the abortion, support throughout the process and follow-up procedures. Study design. A qualitative study based on interviews with 23 women between October 2019 and January 2020. Systematic text condensation was used for data analysis. Results Three themes were identified from the analysis. The first theme covers how the women found the information given before the abortion to be inadequate and how this affected their feelings of safety. In the second theme, the participants described how they experienced lack of acknowledgement from health care professionals, and how this affected their feeling of support. The third theme covers how the women perceived access to health care professionals during the home abortion, and how this affected their feeling of well-being. Conclusions In general, the women stated that the information provided was inadequate, especially in regard to bleeding and pain. The women also found support during and after the abortion to be insufficient and would have preferred more help and information throughout the process. This suggests that health care professionals should improve their procedures for providing information, support and care.