cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neurotoxic methamphetamine regimens produce long‐lasting changes in striatal G‐proteins

Animals repeatedly dosed with methamphetamine during a single day suffer damage to brain dopamine and serotonin terminals and show behavioral deficits. These methamphetamine regimens also produce long-term reductions in dopamine agonist-stimulated immediate-early gene responses both in striatum and several cortical areas, but the mechanism(s) underlying these long-lasting effects of methamphetamine remain uncertain. Six weeks after a neurotoxic regimen of methamphetamine (4 × 4 mg/kg) or saline, α subunit levels of striatal G-proteins that couple dopamine receptors to second messenger systems were measured. Because the damage to striatal monoamine terminals produced by methamphetamine is regionally heterogeneous, we used radioimmunocytochemistry, which combines quantification with regional resolution. We found significant increases in Giα and Golfα expression in the ventral striatum (but not in the dorsolateral striatum or nucleus accumbens) of methamphetamine-pretreated rats, a regional pattern similar to that reported for methamphetamine effects on dopamine terminal markers. By contrast, Gqα expression was unaffected in all striatal subregions. The central roles of Gi and Golf in modulating the activity of a series of interlinked intracellular signaling pathways suggest that methamphetamine-induced changes in Gi and Golf can have lasting effects on striatal neuronal function. Synapse 64:839–844, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Gold nanoslit lenses

We experimentally demonstrate the focusing properties of arrays of parallel subwavelength-wide nanoslits in a gold film. The lenses are designed to focus either TM- or TE-polarized light and diverge the light of the orthogonal polarization.
Learning Partially Observable Models Using Temporally Abstract Decision Trees

This paper introduces timeline trees, which are partial models of partially observable environments. Timeline trees are given some specific predictions to make and learn a decision tree over history. The main idea of timeline trees is to use temporally abstract features to identify and split on features of key events, spread arbitrarily far apart in the past (whereas previous decision-tree-based methods have been limited to a finite suffix of history). Experiments demonstrate that timeline trees can learn to make high quality predictions in complex, partially observable environments with high-dimensional observations (e.g. an arcade game).
Iron deficiency in children with early chronic kidney disease

Iron deficiency (ID) contributes to the development of anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The frequency of ID in children with early CKD has not previously been reported. This was a retrospective chart review of children with CKD stages 2 and 3 followed at the CKD clinic of Children’s Hospital of Michigan. ID was defined as low ferritin and transferrin saturation <20%. Patients on iron supplements were considered as iron-deficient cases. There were 50 patients included in the study (72% male) with a mean age of 10.31 (±5.21). The mean glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was 55.4 ml/min/1.73 m2 (±14.61). ID was present in 42% of patients, out of whom almost half (42.9%) presented with anemia. Females had a higher frequency of ID (64.3%). The frequency of ID with anemia increased from 4.3% to 29.6%, (p = 0.03) in stage 2 to stage 3 CKD, respectively. The frequency of ID without anemia also increased with progression of CKD from stage 2 to stage 3, however, the difference was not statistically significant. ID is frequent in patients with early CKD. Monitoring of iron tests and treatment of ID is important in this population of patients.
Receptor tyrosine phosphatase R-PTP-kappa mediates homophilic binding.

Receptor tyrosine phosphatases (R-PTPases) feature PTPase domains in the context of a receptor-like transmembrane topology. The R-PTPase R-PTP-kappa displays an extracellular domain composed of fibronectin type III motifs, a single immunoglobulin domain, as well as a recently defined MAM domain (Y.-P. Jiang, H. Wang, P. D'Eustachio, J.M. Musacchio, J. Schlessinger, and J. Sap, Mol. Cell. Biol. 13:2942-2951, 1993). We report here that R-PTP-kappa can mediate homophilic intercellular interaction. Inducible expression of the R-PTP-kappa protein in heterologous cells results in formation of stable cellular aggregates strictly consisting of R-PTP-kappa-expressing cells. Moreover, the purified extracellular domain of R-PTP-kappa functions as a substrate for adhesion by cells expressing R-PTP-kappa and induces aggregation of coated synthetic beads. R-PTP-kappa-mediated intercellular adhesion does not require PTPase activity or posttranslational proteolytic cleavage of the R-PTP-kappa protein and is calcium independent. The results suggest that R-PTPases may provide a link between cell-cell contact and cellular signaling events involving tyrosine phosphorylation.
Membrane specializations and endosome maturation in dendritic cells and B cells.

Abstract Interest in the cell biology of antigen presentation is centered on dendritic cells (DCs) as initiators of the immune response. The ability to examine primary antigen-presenting cells, as opposed to cell lines, has opened a new window for study of antigen processing and peptide acquisition by Class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) products, especially where intracellular trafficking of peptide–Class-II complexes is concerned. Here, we review the dynamics of Class II MHC-positive intracellular structures in dendritic cells as well as B cells. We focus on the generation of multivesicular bodies, where Class II MHC products acquire antigenic peptide, on the endosomal transport of peptide-loaded Class II MHC to the cell surface and on the importance of Class II MHC localization in membrane microdomains.
Adding Design Elements to Improve Time Series Designs: No Child Left behind as an Example of Causal Pattern-Matching.

Abstract:Some form of a short interrupted time series (ITS) is often used to evaluate state and national programs. An ITS design with a single treatment group assumes that the pretest functional form can be validly estimated and extrapolated into the postintervention period where it provides a valid counterfactual. This assumption is problematic. Ambiguous preintervention functional forms are common, as are other factors affecting posttest means and slopes. Using No Child Left Behind as an example, we demonstrate how adding multiple design elements to the basic ITS structure serves to promote causal inference by limiting alternative interpretations. No added design element is perfect by itself, but we argue that they collectively provide a strong causal warrant when the predictions they engender are complex, the results “cohere” with the predictions, and no alternative can fit the same pattern of predictions even if it can fit some of them.
Memory Limitation and Multistage Decision Processes

Sequential decision models have heretofore assumed a full memory decision maker. That is, the model is permitted to retain, to any degree of precision, all information needed to optimize decision performance. This information may include functions or variables that change with observations and thus often implies a decision maker which possesses a large amount of soft (erasable) memory. In simple multistage decision problems soft memory can be reduced to two variables?the log-odds ratio L and the available number of observations n. The log-odds ratio is a quantitative measure of the decision maker's opinion of the cause of the observed variate. This paper examines the effect of limiting the decision maker's soft memory by specifying an m-bit register for the random variable L. The theory for limited memory multistage decision processes is presented in which there are two simple hypotheses. Numerical results indicate that the 3-bit memory is, for practical purposes, equivalent to a full memory decision maker.
The Role of a Polar/Subtropical Jet Superposition in the May 2010 Nashville Flood

Contributions to the increased poleward moisture flux that characterized the second day of the 1‐3 May Nashville, Tennessee, flood of 2010 are examined from the perspective of polar and subtropical jet superposition and its influence on the secondary ageostrophic circulation. Employing the Sawyer‐Eliassen circulation equation, the analysis reveals that the poleward moisture flux attributed to the jet increased nearly 120% prior to the second day of the event in response to the superposed jet’s ageostrophic circulation, helping to further fuel the production of heavy rainfall. The full Sawyer‐Eliassen circulation associated with the superposed jet is further partitioned into its geostrophic and diabatic components. The geostrophic forcing drove midtropospheric ascent that fueled the production of deep convection and the record rainfall. The diabatic component, through forcing lower-tropospheric ascent and vigorous lowertropospheric poleward moisture flux, provided the link between the tropical moisture and the deep convectiveenvironment. Since superposed jets, by their nature, develop on the poleward edge of the tropical or subtropical air, it is suggested that such a mutually reinforcing interaction between these two component forcings of the secondary circulation may routinely characterize the involvement of superposed jet structures in high-impact weather events.
Venous Thromboembolism and Postoperative Management of Anticoagulation

Deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism are common after fragility fracture surgery, although the incidence is decreasing over time. Prophylaxis is important, because it is effective; additionally, the consequences are significant. Several medications are available for prophylaxis, and the choice of agent should be determined based on patient and surgery characteristics, and balancing of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and bleeding risk. A comprehensive approach to VTE prophylaxis includes consideration of a pharmacologic agent and nonpharmacologic management.
Experimental study of maleation of polypropylene in various twin‐screw extruder systems

A range of continuous mixing machines were used as continuous reactors for grafting maleic anhydride onto polypropylene. The machines used were (1) a nonintermeshing modular counterrotating twin-screw extruder, (2) an intermeshing modular corotating twin-screw extruder, (3) intermeshing modular counterrotating twin-screw extruder, and (4) a Kobelco Nex-T continuous mixer. The grafting reaction of maleic anhydride onto polypropylene and degradation of polypropylene during the grafting reaction were investigated as means for comparing these different machines for reactive extrusion. The influence of processing variables such as screw speed and processing temperature on polymer characteristics also was investigated. Generally, in a comparison of the different machines, the intermeshing counterrotating twin-screw extruder had the lowest levels of grafted maleic anhydride, whereas the Kobelco Nex-T continuous mixer under the conditions used had the highest levels of grafted maleic anhydride. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 1755–1764, 2003
Novel contact structures for high mobility channel materials

A novel contact technique to reduce the effective Schottky barrier height on Ge and III–V high mobility semiconductors is described. Single metals are used in combination with an ultrathin dielectric to tune the metal/semiconductor barrier height toward zero by shifting or suppressing the strong Fermi-level pinning. Barrier height reduction in the metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) contact structure is verified through direct measurements and deduced from increased diode current and reduced contact resistance. Current demonstrations of the MIS contact have barriers as low as 0.05 eV for Er/SiN/n-Ge and 0.18 eV for Al/Al2O3/n-GaAs. The underlying physics is discussed along with the dependence of the minimum achievable contact resistance and barrier height on the metal, dielectric material, dielectric thickness, and substrate doping. For Ge, the MIS contact provides a possible solution to the low n-type Ge dopant solubility problem and allows for the fabrication of Schottky barrier field-effect transistors. For III–V semiconductors, the MIS contact allows for the use of a non-alloyed contact that is crucial for the scalability of III–V metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors.
Fast and exact (Poisson) solvers on symmetric geometries

In computer graphics, numerous geometry processing applications reduce to the solution of a Poisson equation. When considering geometries with symmetry, a natural question to consider is whether and how the symmetry can be leveraged to derive an efficient solver for the underlying system of linear equations. In this work we provide a simple representation-theoretic analysis that demonstrates how symmetries of the geometry translate into block diagonalization of the linear operators and we show how this results in efficient linear solvers for surfaces of revolution with and without angular boundaries.
Interstation surface wave analysis by Frequency-domain Wiener deconvolution and modal isolation

Abstract A new technique which combines frequency-domain Wiener filtering and modal isolation is developed for determining interstation phase velocities, group velocities, and attenuation coefficients for seismic surface waves. Frequency-domain Wiener filtering is more effective than time-domain Wiener filtering for the determination because it uses a smaller window lag which produces a smoother interstation Green9s function. This leads to greater accuracy and stability when noise-contaminated data are analyzed. We optimize Wiener filtering in the frequency domain by applying two trapezoidal windows of different lags to the cross-correlation function between two stations and to the autocorrelation function of the first station, respectively. The windowed correlation functions are then transformed to the frequency domain. The interstation Green9s function in this technique is the ratio of the smoothed cross-spectrum to the smoothed auto-spectrum of the first station. Frequency-domain Wiener filtering is equivalent to time-domain Wiener filtering when the same rectangular window is applied to both the correlation functions. Wiener filtering, however, cannot efficiently remove higher mode interference when the higher modes are superimposed on the fundamental mode in the correlation functions. To more thoroughly eliminate the effects of such interference, phase-matched filtering or time-variable filtering can be employed to isolate one particular mode at each of two stations. Frequency-domain Wiener deconvolution is then applied to calculate the Green9s function. The interstation group velocites can be obtained by applying the multiple filter technique to the Green9s function, and can be refined by phase-matched filtering. The amplitude and phase spectra of the Green9s function are used to calculate attenuation coefficients and phase velocities, respectively, for the interstation medium. This new technique is compared with other methods by applying them to both noise-contaminated synthetic seismograms and real data. The proposed technique is found to be superior, particularly in period ranges where the signal-to-noise is low.
The Integrated Personality: Maximal Utilization of Information

Central to Seeman's (1959) theory of personality integration is the basic contention that the integrated individual has the ability to make available a maximum amount of information on which to bas...
Identification of Fur-regulated genes in Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans.

Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans is an oral pathogen that causes aggressive periodontitis as well as sometimes life-threatening, extra-oral infections. Iron regulation is thought to be important in the pathogenesis of A. actinomycetemcomitans infections and, consistent with this hypothesis, the fur gene has recently been identified and characterized in A. actinomycetemcomitans. In this study, 14 putatively Fur-regulated genes were identified by Fur titration assay (Furta) in A. actinomycetemcomitans, including afuA, dgt, eno, hemA, tbpA, recO and yfe – some of which are known to be Fur regulated in other species. A fur mutant A. actinomycetemcomitans strain was created by selecting for manganese resistance in order to study the Fur regulon. Comparisons between the fur gene sequences revealed that nucleotide 66 changed from C in the wild-type to T in the mutant strain, changing leucine to isoleucine. The fur mutant strain expressed a nonfunctional Fur protein as determined by Escherichia coli-based ferric uptake assays and Western blotting. It was also more sensitive to acid stress and expressed higher levels of minC than the wild-type strain. minC, which inhibits cell division in other bacterial species and whose regulation by iron has not been previously described, was found to be Fur regulated in A. actinomycetemcomitans by Furta, by gel shift assays, and by RT-qPCR assays for gene expression.
Software as a Service as a path to software sustainability

We argue that the software-as-a-service (SaaS) paradigm has advantages as a sustainable delivery method for scientific software. We report on our experience developing and delivering the Globus Online research data management system using SaaS approaches. We note problems encountered and, for some problems, solutions that appear effective. We also identify conditions that we consider necessary for attaining sustainability and anticipated challenges in meeting these conditions.
The European Computer Driving License: A Model for Teacher Education

This article describes how, by the year 2000, all employees and teachers in the European school system will be offered an opportunity to improve their skills in computing and networking—The Europea...
Disentangling DNA molecules

The widespread circular form of DNA molecules inside cells creates very serious topological problems during replication. Due to the helical structure of the double helix the parental strands of circular DNA form a link of very high order, and yet they have to be unlinked before the cell division. DNA topoisomerases, the enzymes that catalyze passing of one DNA segment through another, solve this problem in principle. However, it is very difficult to remove all entanglements between the replicated DNA molecules due to huge length of DNA comparing to the cell size. One strategy that nature uses to overcome this problem is to create the topoisomerases that can dramatically reduce the fraction of linked circular DNA molecules relative to the corresponding fraction at thermodynamic equilibrium. This striking property of the enzymes means that the enzymes that interact with DNA only locally can access their topology, a global property of circular DNA molecules. This review considers the experimental studies of the phenomenon and analyzes the theoretical models that have been suggested in attempts to explain it. We describe here how various models of enzyme action can be investigated computationally. There is no doubt at the moment that we understand basic principles governing enzyme action. Still, there are essential quantitative discrepancies between the experimental data and the theoretical predictions. We consider how these discrepancies can be overcome.
Bile acid metabolism in cirrhosis. V. Determination of biliary lipid secretion rates in patients with advanced cirrhosis.

Abstract The present study provides additional information on the metabolism of biliary lipids in patients with advanced cirrhosis. It was of interest to ascertain whether the reported decrease in bile acid pool size in these patients is associated with a change in bile acid, biliary lecithin, and biliary cholesterol secretion rates. Secretion rates of the biliary lipids were measured during the constant infusion of formula into the duodenum in 6 patients with advanced cirrhosis and 10 control subjects without liver disease. There were highly significant reductions (50–60%) in the secretion rates of bile acid, lecithin, and cholesterol in patients with advanced cirrhosis. The proportionate decrease in the secretion rates of all 3 biliary lipids is probably responsible for the failure of these patients to form lithogenic bile in spite of marked diminution of the bile acid pool size. The reduction in bile acid secretion in patients with advanced cirrhosis and diminished bile acid pool may result in a reduced intraluminal concentration of bile acids and inadequate micellar solubilization of dietary fat. This sequence of events is probably in part responsible for steatorrhea observed in a significant number of cirrhotic patients. No differences in the number of daily enterohepatic cycles were noted between the two groups of patients, suggesting that cirrhotic patients do not compensate for their small bile acid pool by increasing enterohepatic cycling.
Competent or Not?: Exploring Adaptions to the Neo-Behaviorist Paradigm in a Sport Marketing Course

Educators and administrators are exploring competency-based education as an effective and efficient method to facilitate student learning. This reinforces a burgeoning neo-behaviorist movement in higher education which seeks to synthesize such behaviorist approaches with the cognitive focus of the last 20 years. The current research examines the outcomes in three years of a sport marketing class that blends cognitive-based and competency-based pedagogy. The first half of the course is primarily self-paced, with regular quizzes checking student mastery, while the second half of the course has students work in teams on marketing-related projects; a final examination assesses overall student learning. The research revealed that the blended approach resulted in complementary strategies which partially addressed the conventional criticisms of both cognitive- and competency-based pedagogical approaches. The study used paired sample t-tests to compare results on quizzes versus the final exam (N=111 students comprising 36,787 total student-responses), finding that the course's hybrid structure develops student learning in both lower-order and higher-order thinking (as per Bloom's taxonomy). In addition to this approach's pedagogical benefits, the structure may have implications for administrators and educators facing challenges in terms of student enrollment, budgets, and expectations of graduates.
High school youth's reactions to participating in mixed-methodological dating violence research

The present study used a sample of high school youth (N = 218) and a mixed-methodological research design to examine high school students' reactions to participating in focus groups and completing surveys that inquired about dating violence (DV). RESULTS showed that showed that 1.5% (n = 3) of the youth regretted participating in the study and 6% (n = 12) were upset by the study questions; being upset was attributed to personal experiences with DV and being disturbed by peers' responses during the focus group. Furthermore, 49% (n = 99) of the youth reported feeling that they personally benefited from participating in the study for reasons such as learning ways to help friends in situations of DV. RESULTS have implications for conducting mixed-methodological DV research with youth.© The Author(s) 2016. Language: en
A path-based capacitated network flow model for empty railcar distribution

In this paper we develop a novel formulation for the empty railcar distribution problem that considers realistic technical and business requirements while assigning empty cars to customer demands. The proposed model takes block and train capacities into account, while satisfying the supply and demand constraints, and allows car substitutability among pools of the same car type as well as customer preferences towards different pools. Following the practice in US railroads, the proposed model does not combine car routing and car distribution decisions. Those two decisions are separated from each other and they are usually made by different departments in US railroads. The model is implemented in CPLEX Concert Technology using Java and is illustrated in a numerical example. Results show that the proposed model can improve several performance measures over the noncapacitated model which is currently used by industry.
Early extubation reduces respiratory complications and hospital length of stay following repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms

Abstract Background Early extubation after cardiac surgery is associated with decreased hospital stay and resource savings with similar mortality and has led to the widespread use of early extubation protocols. In the Vascular Quality Initiative, there is significant regional variation in the frequency of extubation in the operating room (endovascular aneurysm repair [EVAR], 77%-97%; open repair, 30%-70%) after repair of intact abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). However, the effects of extubation practices on patient outcomes after repair of AAAs are unclear. Methods All patients undergoing repair of an intact AAA in the Vascular Study Group of New England from 2003 to 2015 were evaluated. Patients undergoing concomitant procedures or conversions were excluded. Timing of extubation was stratified for EVAR (operating room, 12 hours) and open repair (operating room, 24 hours). Prolonged hospital stay was defined as >2 days after EVAR and >7 days after open repair. Univariate and multivariable analyses were completed, and independent predictors of extubation outside of the operating room were identified. Results There were 5774 patients evaluated (EVAR, 4453; open repair, 1321). After both EVAR and open repair, respiratory complications, prolonged hospital stay, and discharge to a skilled nursing facility (SNF) increased with intubation time. After adjustment, the odds of complications increased with each 12-hour delay in extubation: respiratory (EVAR: odds ratio [OR], 4.3 [95% confidence interval (CI), 3.0-6.1]; open repair: OR, 1.8 [95% CI, 1.5-2.2]), prolonged hospital stay (EVAR: OR, 2.7 [95% CI, 2.0-3.8]; open repair: OR, 1.3 [95% CI, 1.1-1.4]), and discharge to SNF (EVAR: OR, 2.0 [95% CI, 1.5-2.8]; open repair: OR, 1.4 [95% CI, 1.1-1.6]). Predictors of extubation outside of the operating room after EVAR included increasing age (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.2-1.8), congestive heart failure (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.2-3.0), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.4-2.9), symptomatic aneurysm (OR, 3.8; 95% CI, 2.3-5.7), and increasing diameter (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.01-1.01). After open repair, increasing age (OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1-1.6), congestive heart failure (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.01-3.3), dialysis (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.7-70), symptomatic aneurysm (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.9-4.3), and hospital practice patterns (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.01-1.01) were predictive of extubation outside of the operating room. Conclusions The benefits of early extubation in cardiac patients are also seen after AAA repair. Suitable patients should be extubated in the operating room to decrease respiratory complications, length of stay, and discharge to an SNF. Early extubation protocols should be considered to reduce regional variation in extubation practices and to improve patient outcomes.
Using Emotionally Focused Therapy to Treat Sexual Desire Discrepancy in Couples

Couples in committed relationships encounter a multitude of issues. According to Metz and McCarthy (2010), when couples report high sexual satisfaction, it accounts for 15% to 20% of their overall relationship satisfaction. However, when couples report low sexual satisfaction, it contributes 50% to 70% of their overall satisfaction with their partner. Issues of sexual desire, currently referred to as sexual desire discrepancy, are among the most difficult to treat. Although there are many factors contributing to the issue of sexual desire discrepancy, current literature highlights the importance of emotional intimacy as an outcome and predictor of increased sexual desire. Given the complex nature of sexual desire, clinicians often lack the understanding and treatment options that are systemic. By viewing sexual desire discrepancy as a relational problem that can be treated using emotionally focused therapy, clinicians are better equipped to work with emotional and sexual factors that impact desire and couple distress.
“Freedom from Jobs” or learning to love to labor? Diversity advocacy and working imaginaries in Open Technology Projects

This paper examines imaginaries of work and labor in “open technology” projects (especially open source software and hackerspaces), based on ethnographic research in North America. It zeroes in on “diversity initiatives” within open technology projects. These initiatives are important because they expose many of the assumptions and tensions that surround participatory cultures. On the one hand, these projects and spaces are organized around voluntarism; in theory, everyone who wishes to participate is welcome to do so. On the other hand, diversity initiatives form in order to address the “problem” of imbalance in the ranks of participants. Technology is a unique domain for the discharge of political energies. In collective imagination, it has been vested with the power to initiate change (even as this belief obscures the role of social and economic relations). Multiple ideas circulate about the relationships between diversity in open technology projects and paid labor. This paper argues that in part due to the legacy of technical hobbies as training grounds for technical employment for much of the twentieth century, as documented by historians of radio (Douglas, 1987; Haring, 2006), voluntaristic technology projects are vexed sites for imagining political emancipation. To a large degree, diversity initiatives in open technology projects are consistent with corporate values of diversity as a marketplace value. At the same time, collectivity formations around technology that incorporate feminist, antiracist, or social justice framings may begin to generate connections between diversity advocacy in tech fields and social justice movements or policy changes in order to effect deep social change.
LRP5: From bedside to bench to bone

A role for low-density lipoprotein-related receptor 5 (LRP5) in human bone was first established by the identification of genetic alterations that led to dramatic changes in bone mass. Shortly thereafter, mutations that altered the function of the sclerostin (SOST) gene were also associated with altered human bone mass. Subsequent studies of LRP5 and sclerostin have provided important insights into the mechanisms by which these proteins regulate skeletal homeostasis. Sclerostin normally binds to LRP5 and the related LRP6 protein and prevents their activation by Wnts, the LRP5/LRP6 ligands. The interaction of sclerostin with LRP5 or LRP6 is facilitated by the LRP4 protein. Loss of LRP5 leads to defective osteoblast function and low bone mass, while loss of SOST or mutations in LRP5, which produce a protein that can no longer be bound by SOST, result in high bone mass. Insights gained from the use of genetically engineered mouse models are presented, as well as a brief summary of the status of antibodies in clinical trials that block the function of SOST as a mechanism to increase bone mass.
Overlapping MALDI-Mass Spectrometry Imaging for In-Parallel MS and MS/MS Data Acquisition without Sacrificing Spatial Resolution.

Metabolomics experiments require chemical identifications, often through MS/MS analysis. In mass spectrometry imaging (MSI), this necessitates running several serial tissue sections or using a multiplex data acquisition method. We have previously developed a multiplex MSI method to obtain MS and MS/MS data in a single experiment to acquire more chemical information in less data acquisition time. In this method, each raster step is composed of several spiral steps and each spiral step is used for a separate scan event (e.g., MS or MS/MS). One main limitation of this method is the loss of spatial resolution as the number of spiral steps increases, limiting its applicability for high-spatial resolution MSI. In this work, we demonstrate multiplex MS imaging is possible without sacrificing spatial resolution by the use of overlapping spiral steps, instead of spatially separated spiral steps as used in the previous work. Significant amounts of matrix and analytes are still left after multiple spectral acquisitions, especially with nanoparticle matrices, so that high quality MS and MS/MS data can be obtained on virtually the same tissue spot. This method was then applied to visualize metabolites and acquire their MS/MS spectra in maize leaf cross-sections at 10 μm spatial resolution.
Multiple ice-binding proteins of probable prokaryotic origin in an Antarctic lake alga, Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-MDV (Chlorophyceae)

Ice-associated algae produce ice-binding proteins (IBPs) to prevent freezing damage. The IBPs of the three chlorophytes that have been examined so far share little similarity across species, making it likely that they were acquired by horizontal gene transfer (HGT). To clarify the importance and source of IBPs in chlorophytes, we sequenced the IBP genes of another Antarctic chlorophyte, Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-MDV (Chlamy-ICE). Genomic DNA and total RNA were sequenced and screened for known ice-associated genes. Chlamy-ICE has as many as 50 IBP isoforms, indicating that they have an important role in survival. The IBPs are of the DUF3494 type and have similar exon structures. The DUF3494 sequences are much more closely related to prokaryotic sequences than they are to sequences in other chlorophytes, and the chlorophyte IBP and ribosomal 18S phylogenies are dissimilar. The multiple IBP isoforms found in Chlamy-ICE and other algae may allow the algae to adapt to a greater variety of ice conditions than prokaryotes, which typically have a single IBP gene. The predicted structure of the DUF3494 domain has an ice-binding face with an orderly array of hydrophilic side chains. The results indicate that Chlamy-ICE acquired its IBP genes by HGT in a single event. The acquisitions of IBP genes by this and other species of Antarctic algae by HGT appear to be key evolutionary events that allowed algae to extend their ranges into polar environments.
Conserved hydrophobic residues in the CARP/β-sheet domain of cyclase-associated protein are involved in actin monomer regulation.

Cyclase-associated protein (CAP) is a multi-domain protein that promotes actin filament dynamics. The C-terminal region of CAP contains a CAP and X-linked retinitis pigmentosa 2 protein (CARP) domain (or a β-sheet domain), which binds to actin monomer and is essential for enhancing exchange of actin-bound nucleotides. However, how the CARP domain binds to actin is not clearly understood. Here, we report that conserved hydrophobic residues in the CARP domain play important roles in the function of CAP to regulate actin dynamics. Single mutations of three conserved surface-exposed hydrophobic residues in the CARP domain of CAS-2, a Caenorhabditis elegans CAP, significantly reduce its binding to actin monomers and suppress its nucleotide exchange activity on actin. As a result, these mutants are weaker than wild-type to compete with ADF/cofilin to promote recycling of actin monomers for polymerization. A double mutation (V367A/I373A) eliminates these actin-regulatory functions of CAS-2. These hydrophobic residues and previously identified functional residues are scattered on a concave β-sheet of the CARP domain, suggesting that a wide area of the β-sheet is involved in binding to actin. These observations suggest that the CARP domain of CAP binds to actin in a distinct manner from other known actin-binding proteins. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Passive Imaging Through Media with Distributed Inhomogeneities Using an Extension of the Phase Closure Technique

We have investigated the application of the phase closure technique to the problem of passive imaging of a spatially uncorrelated noise source through an inhomogeneous medium whose properties are known only statistically. The measurement system consists of an array of transducers whose signals are processed in a manner similar to that used in radio interferometry of celestial sources. Although the standard phase closure technique is not directly suited to a medium with distributed inhomogeneities, a simple pre-processing step can be used to overcome this limitation in many cases. This procedure, to which we refer as “cross-correlated subarrays” involves processing the transducer signals in groups, corresponding to operating the array as a series of smaller subarrays. The beamwidth of a subarray is chosen to restrict the response of the system to the angular field over which the assumptions of phase closure are valid. If we let Δxc be the coherence scale of the field (a function of the parameters of the medium, together with range R and wavelength λ) then for phase closure to be valid (with or without cross-correlated subarrays) we require Δxc > (λR)1/2. Cross-correlated subarrays are required explicitly if the maximum source separation, s, is such that s > Δxc. These expectations have been tested by means of a series of numerical experiments, and the results will be presented.
Serum Calcium and Risk of Sudden Cardiac Arrest in the General Population.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the potential role of low serum Ca levels in the occurrence of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in the community. Patients and Methods We compared 267 SCA cases [177 (66%) men] and 445 controls [314 (71%) men] from a large population-based study (catchment population ∼1 million individuals) in the US Northwest from February 1, 2002, through December 31, 2015. Patients were included if their age was 18 years or older with available creatinine clearance (CrCl) and serum electrolyte levels for analyses to enable adjustment for renal function. For cases, creatinine clearance and electrolyte levels were required to be measured within 90 days of the SCA event. Results Cases of SCA had higher proportions of blacks [31 (12%) vs 14 (3%); P P P P Conclusion Lower serum Ca levels were independently associated with an increased risk of SCA in the community.
Ground-based optical measurements of quiet-time thermospheric wind and temperature: atmospheric scattering corrections†

Ground-based measurements of thermospheric wind and temperature are known to be affected by tropospheric scattering during geomagnetically active times, when horizontal airglow gradients are large. In this work, we present an analysis of the effects during quiet times, when horizontal airglow gradients can be assumed to be negligible, and we derive corrections to be applied to historical and future data sets. These corrections are easy to apply, depending only upon the optical thickness of the atmosphere and the measured wind, not the viewing direction or temperature. If these corrections are not applied, all winds estimated from ground-based observatories are underestimated by about 10% (depending on the optical thickness), and temperatures are overestimated by a couple K. We present observational evidence of the effect of atmospheric scattering on temperature measurements using five years of data from the North American Thermosphere Ionosphere Observing Network (NATION). We find that the temperature measured to the east and west are statistically larger than the temperatures measured to the zenith. This is consistent with our analysis of the effect of atmospheric scattering, though the difference in the measurements is slightly larger than the theoretical prediction.
Factors influencing participation in homestead catfish production in Delta State, Nigeria

Domestic fish production in Nigeria has been growing for the past decade, yet a widening demand-supply gap has persisted leading to a substantial loss in Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings due to fish imports. In order to boost household food fish supply many individuals have converted available land space within their homestead for catfish production. This study, therefore, investigated the effects of socio-economic variables on the participation in homestead catfish production in the Central Agricultural Zone of Delta State, Nigeria. Using data from 137 respondents engaged in catfish farming, the findings showed a mean age of 44 years for catfish farmers and an average land size of 104.35 m 2 for pond construction. The probit model had a good fit with a Psuedo- R 2 of 0.62, 90.5 % of cases correctly predicted, and a significant likelihood ratio (LR) test ( p < 0.01). Results of the probit analysis indicated that pond location, age, land area, adults per household, years of education, disposable income, and access to credit exerted a positive and significant effect on homestead catfish production participation decision.
Behavioral Economics: Nudge and Technocratic Liberalism

In this chapter, I examine the representation of behavioral economics in Cass Sunstein’s and Richard Thaler’s Nudge. In what they call “paternal libertarianism,” we will find the foundations of a technocratic moderate middle ground, which combines together elements of liberal neuroscience and conservative evolutionary psychology. What all three of these approaches share is that the economic and social status quo is naturalized, and the result is what we can call a neuroliberal libertarian consensus. In the contemporary context, libertarianism refers to the belief in an unregulated free market that leads to the freedom of the individual. From this perspective, markets act as natural systems that choose winners and losers in an evolutionary survival of the fittest, and so any intervention into the market is seen as undermining the natural order. Moreover, libertarian economists, like Hayek, argue that since humans never have enough knowledge as individuals, state planning should be limited, and any attempt at social control could result in tyranny. Although Thaler and Sunstein are not pure libertarians, they seek to find a middle ground between conservative and liberal ideology.
Motion Correction and Its Impact on Absolute Myocardial Blood Flow Measures with PET.

Motion artifacts, due to cardiac and respiratory cycles, myocardial cardiac creep, or gross patient movements, have been extensively investigated in the context of relative myocardial perfusion imaging with SPECT and PET. These movements have been identified as a major source of errors in image quantification and diagnosis. Recently, as dynamic PET quantification for myocardial blood flow assessment has entered clinical practice, similar questions have arisen on the impact of motion on final blood flow values. While preliminary investigations have underlined the potential impact of these motions on MBF quantification, their correction on dynamic acquisition remains challenging and limited to research studies. Gross patient’s body movements occur in a consistent number of cases, particularly during stress acquisition, typically involving a limited number of image frames. If undetected, these movements can lead to great differences in flow values and consequently misdiagnosis. Quality control routines can be applied to automatically inspect the shape of time activity curves and to help identify motion artifacts. Cyclic cardiac and respiratory motion may have a considerable impact on final flow values. Correction of gross body motion represents a priority in the context of optimizing absolute flow clinical routine utilization and protocol standardization.
Euler’s Gradus Function

This table lists the rational numbers x/y with Euler’s gradus suavitatis \({\it \Gamma (x/y)}\leq\;10, \mathrm{see \; also}\; [161]\).
“Light—enabling Light”: Emily Dickinson and the Apparatus of the Poet’s I

As Eliza Richards notes in her introduction to Emily Dickinson in Context, recent trends in Dickinson scholarship have consistently sought to dismantle portraits of an isolated, hermetic Dickinson ...
Human Intestinal Enteroids for the Study of Bacterial Adherence, Invasion, and Translocation

Adherence, invasion, and translocation to and through the intestinal epithelium are important drivers of disease for many enteric bacteria. However, most work has been limited to transformed intestinal cell lines or murine models that often do not faithfully recapitulate key elements associated with human disease. The recent technological advances in organotypic tissue and cell culture are providing unparalleled access to systems with human physiology and complexity. Human intestinal enteroids (HIEs), derived from patient biopsy or surgical specimens of intestinal tissues, are organotypic cultures now being adapted to the study of enteric infections. HIEs are comprised of the dominant cell types of the human gastrointestinal epithelium, can be grown in two- or three-dimensional structures, form a crypt-villus axis with defined apical and basolateral compartments, and undergo physiologic responses to many different stimuli. Here, we describe a series of protocols that encompass the use of human enteroids for the measurement of the adherence, invasion, and translocation of E. coli to and through the intestinal epithelium. We also outline the steps needed to grow and prepare enteroids for this purpose and highlight some common problems to troubleshoot. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Life-Cycle Analysis of Alternative Aviation Fuels in GREET

The Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation (GREET) model, developed at Argonne National Laboratory, has been expanded to include well-to-wake (WTWa) analysis of aviation fuels and aircraft. This report documents the key WTWa stages and assumptions for fuels that represent alternatives to petroleum jet fuel. The aviation module in GREET consists of three spreadsheets that present detailed characterizations of well-to-pump and pump-to-wake parameters and WTWa results. By using the expanded GREET version (GREET1{_}2011), we estimate WTWa results for energy use (total, fossil, and petroleum energy) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide) for (1) each unit of energy (lower heating value) consumed by the aircraft or (2) each unit of distance traveled/ payload carried by the aircraft. The fuel pathways considered in this analysis include petroleum-based jet fuel from conventional and unconventional sources (i.e., oil sands); Fisher-Tropsch (FT) jet fuel from natural gas, coal, and biomass; bio-jet fuel from fast pyrolysis of cellulosic biomass; and bio-jet fuel from vegetable and algal oils, which falls under the American Society for Testing and Materials category of hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids. For aircraft operation, we considered six passenger aircraft classes and four freight aircraft classesmore » in this analysis. Our analysis revealed that, depending on the feedstock source, the fuel conversion technology, and the allocation or displacement credit methodology applied to co-products, alternative bio-jet fuel pathways have the potential to reduce life-cycle GHG emissions by 55-85 percent compared with conventional (petroleum-based) jet fuel. Although producing FT jet fuel from fossil feedstock sources - such as natural gas and coal - could greatly reduce dependence on crude oil, production from such sources (especially coal) produces greater WTWa GHG emissions compared with petroleum jet fuel production unless carbon management practices, such as carbon capture and storage, are used.« less
From Coello to Inorganic Coordination Chemistry

During these many years when I have mentioned Coello* to my friends, the questions asked of me have generally been: What is Coello? or Where is Coello? Let me begin by telling you that Coello is a small (average population 500) mining village, a suburb of Christopher (pop. 3,000), about 25 miles north of Carbondale, Illinois—home of Southern Illinois University (see map). I start with this account of Coello because, as will be seen, it has had much to do with my approach to living throughout my life. It was there that I learned how to respect and understand others, no matter their status in life.