cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The End of the Cold War, Attitude Change, and the Politics of Defense Spending

Throughout the Cold War, United States national security policy, and the public attitudes that supported it, seemed anchored in the great ideology and power rivalry with the Soviet Union. A basic component of that policy, the ups and downs of American military spending, was largely predictable by changes in the level of Soviet military spending and by public preferences, as expressed in opinion surveys, for increases or decreases in American military spending. Public beliefs about the appropriate level of military spending, moreover, appeared firmly rooted in a larger set of foreign policy beliefs. Attitudes toward the Soviet Union, toward the circumstances justifying the use of military force internationally, and toward cooperating with other countries were all part of a stable and well-defined system of beliefs. In turn, foreign policy attitudes frequently were predictable from a reasonably coherent set of attitudes toward domestic policy.The end of the Cold War brought remarkable changes in both policy and attitudes. The major anchoring point for the rivalry—the Soviet Union itself—has ceased to exist, and Russia no longer poses the same level or kind of military threat. Rationales for U.S. military spending, for the use of military force abroad, and for international cooperation have likewise changed. But in some respects they have not changed so greatly. These historic events present us with an extraordinary opportunity to study the structure of Americans' foreign policy beliefs and the dynamics of attitude change. They also provide a chance to speculate about how changed and stable attitudes may affect national security policy.
Large Redevelopment Initiatives, Housing Values and Gentrification: The Case of the Atlanta Beltline:

This paper examines the announcement effects on property values of a large, multipurpose development initiative in Atlanta, Georgia called the “Beltline” which has received substantial public attention. The project involves the redevelopment of an abandoned rail line that encircles the central area of Atlanta. The 6500-acre project will be funded by tax increment financing bonds and will include the development of light rail, greenspace and real estate projects. By examining home sales from 2000 to 2006, the paper identifies changes in price premiums for locations in various geographical buffers around the Beltline and compares the timing of such changes with coverage in the local newspaper. It is found that there are large increases in premiums for homes near the lower-income, southside parts of the Beltline TIF district between 2003 and 2005, which corresponds to the initial media coverage of the planning process. The findings suggest that planning for the Beltline induced substantial speculation and ge...
Prior exposure to male phenotypes influences mate choice in the guppy, Poecilia reticulata

This study examined the effect of experience on the pattern of mate choice in female guppies. Females from some natural populations are known to discriminate among males on the basis of the relative area of orange in the color pattern. We exposed maturing female guppies to groups of males that differed in phenotypic distribution of orange coloration (high orange, low orange, and mixed) and tested their subsequent mating preferences. Females that had been exposed to high-orange or loworange male groups showed no discriminatio n in choice tests, but females exposed to mixed male groups favored high-orange males over low-orange males. These results demonstrate that mating preferences of females can be modified depending on prior experience. Females may be able to adjust their pattern of mate choice depending on the degree to which choice cues permit effective discrimination among males. This potential for short-term modification of mate choice patterns could affect the evolutionary outcome of sexual selection. Kty words: early experience, guppy, mate choice, PottUia rtticutata, sexual selection. [BthavEcol 8:194-198 (1997)]
Associations of lead exposure and dose measures with erythrocyte protein kinase C activity in 212 current Korean lead workers.

Lead can replace calcium in enzyme assays that measure pro- tein kinase C activity and lead activates protein kinase C in human erythrocytes after exposure to lead in vitro. To examine the relevance of these observations to lead exposure in humans, we studied the associations of lead found in blood or tibia with activation of protein kinase C in erythrocytes isolated from work- ers in the lead industry. We examined erythrocytes among 212 lead workers, with a mean (6SD) age of 39.1 (10.0) years and exposure duration of 8.1 (6.5) years and measured protein kinase C activation by an in vitro back-phosphorylation assay. After adjustment for potential confounding factors (age and sex), tibia lead and exposure duration were significantly associated with erythrocyte protein kinase C activation (both p values < 0.05). No associations were observed between protein kinase C activation and blood-lead or zinc-protoporphyrin levels. These findings sug- gest that human exposure to lead results in activation of erythro- cyte protein kinase C, which may be directly relevant to the neurotoxicity of lead.
The complex relationship between the light-entrainable and methamphetamine-sensitive circadian oscillators: evidence from behavioral studies of Period-mutant mice.

The methamphetamine-sensitive circadian oscillator (MASCO) is an enigmatic circadian clock whose output is observed during continuous consumption of low-dose methamphetamine. The MASCO rhythm persists when the light-entrainable pacemaker in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is lesioned, but the anatomical location of MASCO is unknown. We recently found that the period of the MASCO rhythm is unusually short (21 h) in mice with disruption of all three paralogs of the canonical clock gene, Period. In this study, we investigated the contribution of each Period paralog to timekeeping in MASCO. We measured wheel-running activity rhythms in intact and SCN-lesioned Per1-, 2- and 3-mutant mice administered methamphetamine, and found that none of the mice displayed a short (21-h) period, demonstrating that no single Period gene is responsible for the short-period MASCO rhythm of Per1−/−/Per2−/−/Per3−/− mice. We also found that the periods of activity rhythms in constant darkness were lengthened by methamphetamine treatment in intact wild-type, Per1−/− and Per3−/− mice but not Per2−/− mice, and Per2−/− mice had two distinct activity rhythms upon release to constant light. These data suggest that the SCN and MASCO are not coupled in Per2−/− mice. The MASCO rhythm in Per1−/−/Per2−/− mice in constant darkness alternated between a short (22-h) and a long (27-h) period. This pattern could result from two coupled oscillators that are not synchronized to each other, or from a single oscillator displaying birhythmicity. Finally, we propose a working model of the in vivo relationship between MASCO and the SCN that poses testable hypotheses for future studies.
Effects of Three Landscape Treatments on Residential Energy and Water Use in Tucson, Arizona*

Abstract Vegetation can reduce the cooling loads of buildings in hot arid climates by modifying air temperature, solar heat gain, longwave heat gain, and heat loss by convection. However, savings from reduced mechanical cooling may be offset by increased irrigation water costs. In this study, three similar 1 4 -scale model buildings were constructed and surrounded with different landscapes: turf, rock mulch with a foundation planting of shrubs, and rock mulch with no plants. Irrigation water use and electricity required to power the three room-sized air conditioners and interior lights were measured for two approximately week-long periods. Electrical energy consumed for air-conditioning by the rock model was 20 – 30% more than for the turf and shade models. Factors accounting for these differences in energy performance include dense shade that substantially reduced solar heat gain for the shaded model, a 16% difference in longwave radiation flux between the rock and turf treatments, and a maximum drybulb depression of 4 °C over the turf compared with the rock. Air-conditioning savings exceeded water costs for shade treatments that were simulated to receive moderate and low amounts of irrigation water. These preliminary findings suggest that the localized effects of vegetation on building microclimate may be more significant than boundary layer effects in hot arid regions.
Participation in exercise, mood, and coping in survivors of early stage breast cancer

Abstract This cross-sectional study examined the role of exercise in alleviating distress and the association between exercise and coping among women with early siage breast cancer (Stages O-II). Seventy-one women (mean age, 57.4 years) diagnosed over the previous 12 months participated in assessments of mood, coping, social support, and exercise behavior. Women who exercised at criterion levels recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine were compared with those who exercised irregularly and those who were inactive. After age and stage of disease were controlled for, both exercise groups reported less confusion and higher levels of social support than the inactive group did, and the women who exercised at criterion levels reported greater vigor than did their inactive peers. Cluster analyses used to explore the relationship between coping behaviors and exercise status revealed that the inactive women were less likely than the women in the other two groups to use either behavioral coping strate...
Endometrial Stromal Polyps in Rodents: Biology, Etiology, and Relevance to Disease in Women

Endometrial stromal polyps (ESP) are a common spontaneous reproductive tract lesion in the female rat. However, there is limited information concerning the etiology, biology, and significance of these polyps as an end point in toxicology and carcinogenicity studies. This paper reviews relevant literature to address these aspects of ESP with respect to potential relevance to human uterine tumors. Endometrial stromal polyps in rodents appear as age-related lesions. There are only a few chemicals tested for carcinogenicity in rat and mouse cancer bioassays associated with increased incidence of ESP with no common characteristics or mechanism of action. Uterine endometrial polyps that occur in women and the uterine stromal polyps that occur in rodents have distinct characteristics, although both types of uterine lesions are common, benign, and noncancerous. Human endometrial polyps develop from both endometrial and stromal components, whereas rodent polyps develop from the stromal component of the uterus. Endometrial polyps in women are hormone sensitive, but there is no scientific or experimental evidence to date that suggests that uterine stromal polyps in rodents are hormone sensitive. Therefore, based on differences in their etiology and biology, endometrial stromal polyps observed in rodent toxicity and carcinogenicity studies appear to have limited relevance to human endometrial polyps occurring in women.
The International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care: international activities and initiatives.

The International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) is a global organization dedicated to the development and improvement of palliative care. The mission of IAHPC is to increase t...
Gatekeepers: Information Dissemination

Information institutions are indeed repositories and information professionals are gatekeepers of those institutions. We need to think fully about the proper social role of institutions as disseminators of their cultures. To disseminate means to scatter, sow, spread and disperse; it depends on its obvious root which is a metaphor for “seed.” The information process, which is our responsibility to disseminate, is a formalization of human inquisitiveness and socialization. The synergy of the role of information institutions lies in their responsibility to disseminate the nested and embedded cultures over which they have control. Publishers and producers of information objects play a critical role as well as gatekeepers by deciding what the market might bear. The information process must be ubiquitously made available in every occupied point in the culture, which must be permeated with its own seed, as it were, because the very survival of the culture demands it. A cultural moderating influence which is a sort of control mechanism erects boundaries that serve not only as limits but also as protective enclosures. Ethics codes guide professional practice. Concretizing forces and domain parameters aside, cultures require reinvention in order to thrive, and this requires a constant influx of new “seed,” as it were. Dissemination of information, therefore, requires open access to knowledge.
Thrombin inhibits induction of nitric oxide synthase in vascular smooth muscle cells

Experiments were designed to examine whether thrombin affects the production of nitric oxide-like factor(s) evoked by interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) in cultured smooth muscle cells from the rat aorta. IL-1 beta stimulated the release of nitrite (a stable oxidation product of nitric oxide) from cultured smooth muscle cells. Thrombin inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner the release of nitrite caused by IL-1 beta. The inhibition was prevented by hirudin (a thrombin inhibitor) and required the presence of thrombin before or during the induction period. Under bioassay conditions, the perfusates from columns containing IL-1 beta-treated smooth muscle cells relaxed detector rat aortic rings without endothelium. The addition of IL-1 beta-treated smooth muscle cells to suspensions of indomethacin-treated platelets inhibited their aggregation. Control untreated smooth muscle cells or cells treated with thrombin alone did not have such effects. The treatment of smooth muscle cells with IL-1 beta in combination with thrombin blunted both the relaxing activities of the perfusates under bioassay conditions and the inhibition of platelet aggregation. These observations indicate that thrombin inhibits the production of nitric oxide-like factor(s) evoked by the inducible nitric oxide synthase in cultured smooth muscle cells from rat aorta.
It Will Take More Than Food Pyramids

To date, the bulk of public-health interventions have relied on education to change health behaviors, by aiming to inform the public about which behaviors are good for them and which are not. The premise is that once the public “gets it,” people will abandon unhealthy lifestyle behaviors and adopt those that are deemed to be good for them.145 To take a few liberties with the famous line from the film Field of Dreams,146 the belief is that “if you educate them, they will change.” The primary means for accomplishing this has been reliance on population-oriented health communication campaigns that could be disseminated to a wide audience.147,148
A Note on, and a Tale About, Flexible Budgeting

This technical note introduces students to the concept, use, and mechanics of flexible budgeting. It is best used at the beginning of a course module on budgeting or performance measurement/management.
Distributional Patterns of Selected Western North American Insects: Distributional Patterns of Cimicidae in Western North America

Cimicidae are known from bats, birds, and man in Western North America. The bed bug, Cimex lectularius L., is cosmopolitan and will not be discussed here. The remaining species include the swallow bug, Oeciacus vicarius Horvath, which is widely distributed in Western North America mainly on cliff swallows but also occasionally on barn swallows. Other bird bugs are the Purple Martin bugs of the genus Hesperocimex , with 1 species from Western United States, another in Southern Arizona and Sonora and a third in Baja California. Also the Mexican chicken bug, Hesperocimex inodorus Duges, occurs throughout Western North America and only in this area on a variety of bird hosts. Finally, there is Synxenoderus comosus List, known only from a few localities because the nests of its host, the white throated swift, are so inaccessible.
Hurricane Sandy Evacuation Among World Trade Center Health Registry Enrollees in New York City.

OBJECTIVE: Timely evacuation is vital for reducing adverse outcomes during disasters. This study examined factors associated with evacuation and evacuation timing during Hurricane Sandy among World Trade Center Health Registry (Registry) enrollees. METHODS: The study sample included 1162 adults who resided in New York City's evacuation zone A during Hurricane Sandy who completed the Registry's Hurricane Sandy substudy in 2013. Factors assessed included zone awareness, prior evacuation experience, community cohesion, emergency preparedness, and poor physical health. Prevalence estimates and multiple logistic regression models of evacuation at any time and evacuation before Hurricane Sandy were created. RESULTS: Among respondents who evacuated for Hurricane Sandy (51%), 24% had evacuated before the storm. In adjusted analyses, those more likely to evacuate knew they resided in an evacuation zone, had evacuated during Hurricane Irene, or reported pre-Sandy community cohesion. Evacuation was less likely among those who reported being prepared for an emergency. For evacuation timing, evacuation before Hurricane Sandy was less likely among those with pets and those who reported 14 or more poor physical health days. CONCLUSIONS: Higher evacuation rates were observed for respondents seemingly more informed and who lived in neighborhoods with greater social capital. Improved disaster messaging that amplifies these factors may increase adherence with evacuation warnings. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;page 1 of 9). Language: en
Experimental study on solid rocket ramjet with central air-inlet mode

A test solid rocket ramjet with central air-inlet mode was designed,and its ignition and combustion performances were examined in the direct-connected test.The reacting flow field of the motor was numerically simulated,and the results were compared with test data.The analysis shows that the new motor structure is practicable.Compared with the low-oxygen boron propellant,the hydrocarbon low-oxygen propellant possesses higher combustion efficiency,but lower power.Numerical calculation model and method are applicable to analyzing reacting flow field of the solid rocket ramjet with central air-inlet mode.
Molecular Biology and Analytical Chemistry Methods Used to Probe the Retinoid Cycle

The retinoid (visual) cycle is a complex enzymatic pathway essential for regeneration of the visual chromophore, 11-cis-retinal, a component of rhodopsin that undergoes activation by light in vertebrate eyes. Pathogenic mutations within genes encoding proteins involved in the retinoid cycle lead to abnormalities in retinoid homeostasis and numerous congenital blinding diseases of humans. Thus, elucidation of disease-specific changes in enzymatic activities and retinoid content of the retina can provide important insights into the mechanisms of disease initiation and progression. Here, we use the protein RPE65 as an example to describe generally applicable methods for determining the stability and enzymatic activity of proteins and their mutants involved in retinoid metabolism. Additionally, we introduce a range of analytical techniques involving high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry to detect and quantify retinoids and their derivatives in eye extracts. Biochemical protocols combined with advanced mass spectrometry should facilitate fundamental biological studies of vision.
Sexual Behavior and Consequences

Teen sexual behavior and related topics have been extensively discussed by the general public and studied by researchers. Topics have ranged from frequency and types of sexual activity, adolescent pregnancy and parenting, to sexually transmitted infections and HIV. African American girls have also been the subject of these discussions and studies. As the quote illustrates, girls themselves are aware of the negative consequences of having sex. In fact, a girl’s sexual decisions affect almost every aspect of her life from relationships with her family, to health and well-being, to academic and career success. Early and unprotected sexual activity leads to several adverse outcomes, including pregnancy and parenting, HIV, and other sexually transmitted infections. Sexual activity at a young age also contributes to depression and anxiety and impaired relationships with family and friends. Other consequences include disrupted schooling and limited career options when teens, especially young teens, have unplanned births. In this chapter, sexuality and consequences are discussed. The chapter begins with definitions of sexuality and related concepts. Statistics on sexual activity of African American girls are then presented, followed by a discussion of pregnancy and parenthood. Factors that contribute to early and risky sexual activity are then reviewed.
A pilot study for long-term outcome assessment after aortic aneurysm repair using Vascular Quality Initiative data matched to Medicare claims

Abstract Objective Accurate and complete long-term postoperative outcome data are critical to improving value in health care delivery. The Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) is an important tool to achieve this goal in vascular surgery. To improve on the capture of long-term outcomes after vascular surgery procedures for patients in the VQI, we sought to match VQI data to Medicare claims for comprehensive capture of major clinical outcomes in the first several years after vascular procedures. Methods Patient and procedure characteristics for abdominal aortic aneurysm procedures captured in the Society for Vascular Surgery VQI between January 1, 2002, and December 31, 2013, were matched to Medicare claims data using an indirect identifier methodology. Late outcomes captured in the VQI and in Medicare claims were compared. Results Matching procedures yielded 9895 endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) patients (82.4% of eligible VQI patients) and 3405 open aneurysm repair (OAR) patients (74.4% of eligible). Comparison of patients who did and did not match to a Medicare claim demonstrated similar patient and procedure characteristics. Evaluation of late outcomes revealed good patient-level agreement on mortality for both EVAR (κ, 0.64) and OAR (κ, 0.82). Postoperative reintervention rates demonstrated lower agreement for both EVAR (κ, 0.26) and OAR (κ, 0.16). Conclusions This work demonstrates the feasibility of an algorithm using indirect identifiers to match VQI patients and procedures to Medicare claims data. The refinement of this strategy will focus on establishing and improving algorithms related to identifying and categorizing late events after EVAR and may serve as a mechanism to ensure that the best quality follow-up information is achieved within the VQI.
Coauthorship Networks in Public Service Motivation Scholarship: Implications for the Evolution of a Field:

How does a body of scholarship emerge, develop, and evolve? Research is the product of a community of scholars and their collaboration over time builds and disseminates knowledge. One way to examin...
Value Appropriation and Firm Shareholder Value: Role of Advertising and Receivables Management

ABSTRACT Value-appropriation activities enable a firm to extract more profits from existing customers. The authors examine how investments in two types of value-appropriation activities—advertising and receivables—are jointly associated with abnormal stock returns and idiosyncratic risk. Using data from 1,229 firms over the period of 2003–2015, the authors find that a simultaneous unanticipated increase in advertising investments and receivables investments harms firm shareholder value by decreasing abnormal stock returns and increasing idiosyncratic risk. They find that this association is contingent on firm business scope, such that the joint effect of advertising investments and receivables investments becomes weaker when there is an unanticipated increase in firm business scope compared with when there is an unanticipated decrease in firm business scope.
The Learning Connection: The Role of Movement-skill Learning in Teaching Developmental Games

This article addresses how to design developmental games that connect knowledge about motor development with motor learning. As evidenced in the SHAPE America National Standards and Grade-level Outcomes for K–12 Physical Education, understanding children's phases and stages of motor development is essential to designing developmentally appropriate content, and applying motor learning principles is critical to facilitating learning during the instructional process. The principles that govern the learning of movement skills address how the teacher designs the movement task (e.g., goal of the skill, practice strategy) and the learning environment (e.g., scaling equipment and conditions), provides appropriate feedback to meet the developmental needs of students, and sequences instruction to promote transfer of learning. The relationship between the phases and stages of motor development and the levels of motor skill learning is explained and illustrated in a four-part task progression. This task progression i...
Putative mechanisms Underlying Myocardial infarction onset and Emotions (PUME): a randomised controlled study protocol.

Introduction The experience of negative emotions (eg, anger, anxiety and sadness) is associated with an increased short-term risk of incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) events, independent of traditional CVD risk factors. Impairment in endothelial function is one possible biological mechanism which may explain the association between negative emotions and incident CVD events. This laboratory-based, single-blind, randomised controlled experimental study aims to investigate the impact of induced negative emotions including anger, anxiety and sadness on endothelial function. Methods and analysis In a between-subjects design, 280 healthy participants are randomised to one of four experimental negative emotion inductions: anger, anxiety, sadness or a neutral condition. Endothelium-dependent vasodilation, circulating levels of endothelial cell-derived microparticles and bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells, and indices of nitric oxide inhibition are assessed before and 3, 40, 70 and 100 min after negative emotion induction. Finally, in a subsample of 84 participants, the potential moderating effects of cardiorespiratory fitness and habitual physical activity on the adverse effects of an acute negative emotion on endothelial function are investigated. Ethics and dissemination This study is conducted in compliance with the Helsinki Declaration and the Columbia University Medical Center Institutional Review Board. The results of the study will be disseminated at several research conferences and as published articles in peer reviewed journals. The study will be implemented and reported in line with the SPIRIT statement. Trial registration number NCT01909895; Pre-results.
Bunyavirus: structure and replication.

The Bunyaviridae family is comprised of a large number of negative-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses that infect animals, insects, and plants. The tripartite genome of bunyaviruses, encapsidated in the form of individual ribonucleoprotein complexes, encodes four structural proteins, the glycoproteins Gc and Gn, the nucleoprotein N, and the viral polymerase L. Some bunyaviruses also use an ambi-sense strategy to encode the nonstructural proteins NSs and NSm. While some bunyaviruses have a T = 12 icosahedral symmetry, others only have locally ordered capsids, or capsids with no detectable symmetry. Bunyaviruses enter cells through clathrin-mediated endocytosis or phagocytosis. In endosome, viral glycoproteins facilitate membrane fusion at acidic pH, thus allowing bunyaviruses to uncoat and deliver their genomic RNA into host cytoplasm. Bunyaviruses replicate in cytoplasm where the viral polymerase L catalyzes both transcription and replication of the viral genome. While transcription requires a cap primer for initiation and ends at specific termination signals before the 3′ end of the template is reached, replication copies the entire template and does not depend on any primer for initiation. This review will discuss some of the most interesting aspects of bunyavirus replication, including L protein/N protein-mediated cap snatching, prime-and-realign for transcription and replication initiation, translation-coupled transcription, sequence/secondary structure-dependent transcription termination, ribonucleoprotein encapsidation, and N protein-mediated initiation of viral protein translation. Recent developments on the structure and functional characterization of the bunyavirus capsid and the RNA synthesis machineries (including both protein L and N) will also be discussed.
The Human Erythrocyte Plasma Membrane: A Rosetta Stone for Decoding Membrane–Cytoskeleton Structure

The mammalian erythrocyte, or red blood cell (RBC), is a unique experiment of nature: a cell with no intracellular organelles, nucleus or transcellular cytoskeleton, and a plasma membrane with uniform structure across its entire surface. By virtue of these specialized properties, the RBC membrane has provided a template for discovery of the fundamental actin filament network machine of the membrane skeleton, now known to confer mechanical resilience, anchor membrane proteins, and organize membrane domains in all cells. This chapter provides a historical perspective and critical analysis of the biochemistry, structure, and physiological functions of this actin filament network in RBCs. The core units of this network are nodes of ~35-37 nm-long actin filaments, interconnected by long strands of (α1β1)₂-spectrin tetramers, forming a 2D isotropic lattice with quasi-hexagonal symmetry. Actin filament length and stability is critical for network formation, relying upon filament capping at both ends: tropomodulin-1 at pointed ends and αβ-adducin at barbed ends. Tropomodulin-1 capping is essential for precise filament lengths, and is enhanced by tropomyosin, which binds along the short actin filaments. αβ-adducin capping recruits spectrins to sites near barbed ends, promoting network formation. Accessory proteins, 4.1R and dematin, also promote spectrin binding to actin and, with αβ-adducin, link to membrane proteins, targeting actin nodes to the membrane. Dissection of the molecular organization within the RBC membrane skeleton is one of the paramount achievements of cell biological research in the past century. Future studies will reveal the structure and dynamics of actin filament capping, mechanisms of precise length regulation, and spectrin-actin lattice symmetry.
Replication of a rare risk haplotype on 1p36.33 for autism spectrum disorder

Hundreds of genes have been implicated in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). In genetically heterogeneous conditions, large families with multiple affected individuals provide strong evidence implicating a rare variant, and replication of the same variant in multiple families is unusual. We previously published linkage analyses and follow-up exome sequencing in seven large families with ASDs, implicating 14 rare exome variants. These included rs200195897, which was transmitted to four affected individuals in one family. We attempted replication of those variants in the MSSNG database. MSSNG is a unique resource for replication of ASD risk loci, containing whole genome sequence (WGS) on thousands of individuals diagnosed with ASDs and family members. For each exome variant, we obtained all carriers and their relatives in MSSNG, using a TDT test to quantify evidence for transmission and association. We replicated the transmission of rs200195897 to four affected individuals in three additional families. rs200195897 was also present in three singleton affected individuals, and no unaffected individuals other than transmitting parents. We identified two additional rare variants (rs566472488 and rs185038034) transmitted with rs200195897 on 1p36.33. Sanger sequencing confirmed the presence of these variants in the original family segregating rs200195897. To our knowledge, this is the first example of a rare haplotype being transmitted with ASD in multiple families. The candidate risk variants include a missense mutation in SAMD11, an intronic variant in NOC2L, and a regulatory region variant close to both genes. NOC2L is a transcription repressor, and several genes involved in transcription regulation have been previously associated with ASDs.
Blueberry Pectin Extraction Methods Influence Physico-Chemical Properties

Pectins from highbush blueberry powder were sequentially solubilized in water, chelator, and sodium carbonate solvents and precipitated (ADF.WSF, ADF.CSF, and ADF.NSF) or not precipitated in ethanol (DF.WSF, DF.CSF, and DF.NSF) before dialysis and freeze-drying. Alcohol precipitation more effectively removed bound anthocyanins and low molar mass pectins from water- and chelator soluble fractions than dialysis alone. Blueberry water soluble fractions were high methoxyl pectins, rich in neutral sugars (36 to 38 mol%), and had high molar mass (7.01 × 105 to 2.71 × 106 g/mol). Blueberry chelator soluble fractions were low methoxyl pectins and rich in uronic acids (90 to 92 mol%) which were more linear and less branched structure than other fractions or commercial citrus pectin. The molar mass ranged from 1.59 × 106 to 2.06 × 106 g/mol. Water- and chelator soluble fractions exhibited pseudoplastic behavior (n < 1) at 1% dispersion. Blueberry sodium carbonate soluble fractions were rich in protein (18%) and neutral sugars (42 to 28 mol%), and had low molar mass (1.08 × 105 to 1.27 × 105 g/mol). Blueberry pectins have desirable physico-chemical properties for use as functional ingredients in food or beverages. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Alcohol precipitation effectively removed anthocyanins from the pectin. The characterization data provided the benefits of blueberry pectin as a functional ingredient. This study can be used by food or product developers who are interested in pectin from blueberries or other berry products.; © 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.
Bar properties and photometry of barred low surface brightness disc galaxies

We measure the bar properties (length, strength, and corotation radius) of a sample of barred low surface brightness (LSBs) galaxies and compare to previous results for both LSBs and high surface brightness galaxy (HSBs) samples. In addition, we present new optical $\textit{B}$- and $\textit{I}$-band surface brightness profiles, magnitudes, and colours. We find that bars in LSBs are shorter and weaker when compared with those in HSBs galaxies. Based on analysis of four different bar length measures on simulated galaxy images, we find our bar length measure based on azimuthal light profiles is the most accurate out of the four tested here when seeing effects are taken into account. We also find that bars in LSBs have comparable relative bar pattern speeds to those in HSBs, the majority of which we find to be `fast' (i.e. $\mathcal{R} 0.5$).
„Appearance“ heißt das neue Schlagwort

In den vergangenen Jahren lag der Schwerpunkt bei der Entwicklung von Autoserien- Klarlacken auf einer standigen Verbesserung der Kratzbestandigkeit. Nachdem nun die ersten kratzfesten Klarlacke erfolgreich in der Serienlackierung eingesetzt werden, gewinnt zunehmend die Optimierung der Appearance an Bedeutung.
About Face: Molecular Aberrations in Head and Neck Mucosal Melanomas.

Detailed molecular characterization of a large cohort of mucosal melanomas, most arising from head and neck primaries, suggests that chromosomal translocations and other complex rearrangements have prognostic importance. CDK4 amplification is a frequent event in these rare tumors, and CDK4/6 inhibition may represent a rational clinical trial strategy. See related article by Zhou et al., p. 3548
A Deficit of Seasonal Temperature Forecast Skill over West Coast Regions in NMME

AbstractThis study investigates the forecast skill of seasonal-mean near-surface (2 m) air temperature in the North American Multimodel Ensemble (NMME) Phase 2, with a focus on the West Coast of th...
Imaging acquisition technique influences interpretation of positron emission tomography vascular activity in large-vessel vasculitis.

Abstract Objectives To determine the impact of imaging acquisition time on interpretation of disease activity on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) in large-vessel vasculitis (LVV) and assess the relationship between clinical features and image acquisition time. Methods Patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) and Takayasu's arteritis (TAK) were recruited into a prospective, observational cohort. After a single injection of FDG, all patients underwent two sequential PET scans at one and two-hour time points. Images were interpreted for active vasculitis by subjective assessment, qualitative assessment, and semi-quantitative assessment. Agreement was assessed by percent agreement, Cohen's kappa, and McNemar's test. Multivariable logistic regression identified associations between PET activity and clinical variables. Results 79 patients (GCA = 44, TAK = 35) contributed 168 paired one and two-hour PET studies. A total of 94 out of 168 scans (56%) were interpreted as active at the one-hour time point, and 129 scans (77%) were interpreted as active at the two-hour time point (p Conclusions Imaging protocol significantly influences interpretation of PET activity in LVV. A substantial proportion of patients with LVV have PET activity only detected by delayed imaging. These patients were significantly more likely to have concomitant clinically-determined active disease.
Methotrexate and asparaginase: not so simple.

Better use of conventional agents has brought the 5-year overall survival of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia to 90% [1]. Among these are methotrexate and asparaginase.Almost 50 years ago, Ro...
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems are preventive programs focused on producing safe food products. HACCP is an internationally recognized systematic approach for food safety. It is based on seven principles that identify and control food safety hazards, as well as ensure that appropriate corrective actions are taken, when needed, and that a recordkeeping system is available for documentation. Sanitation and other pre-requisite programs support the successful development and implementation of HACCP systems.
Oral epithelial expression of angiotensin converting enzyme-2: Implications for COVID-19 diagnosis and prognosis

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) uses the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)-2 as the host receptor for target cell entry. The extent and distribution of ACE-2 has been associated with the clinical symptoms of coronavirus disease (COVID)-19. Here we show by immunofluorescence analysis that the ACE2 is abundantly expressed in oral mucosa, particularly in the surface epithelial cells suggesting that these cells could represent sites of entry for SARS-CoV-2. Further, together with the reports on ACE2 ectodomain shedding, we discuss the rationale for the hypothesis that the ACE-2 measurement in saliva could be a marker for COVID-19 infection during early phase following SARS-CoV-2 exposure.
Pre-clinical evaluation of a video-based drill guidance system for orthopaedic trauma surgery

Purpose: Pelvic fracture fixation is a challenging procedure that commonly relies on 2D fluoroscopic guidance to place guidewires within complex bone corridors. Prior work reported on a video-on-drill navigation system for guidewire insertion as a potential solution. Here, we assess performance across a range of hardware components to help guide the design of future system prototypes with respect to clinical requirements. Methods: The video-on-drill system uses a camera rigidly mounted on the drill and multimodality fiducial markers (optical and radio-opaque) to provide real-time trajectory visualization. This work reports on the selection of a new camera+lens configuration. Configurations were assessed across two cameras (referred to as the ArduCam and ELP) and five lens options (A45-A90). Clinical requirements were specified by an orthopaedic-surgeon in terms of the nominal drill operating distance (&#119863;) and operating area (&#119860;). Performance was evaluated in terms of the accuracy of fiducial marker pose estimation (δ&#119863;), and the field of view (FOV). Results: At matched FOV, the accuracy for the ELP camera was significantly better (p < 0.01) with median δ&#119863; of 1.26 mm (1.1 mm IQR) compared to the ArduCam [median δ&#119863; of 1.85 mm (2.0 mm IQR)]. The accuracy of the A45 and A55 lens was found to be suitable (δ&#119863; < 2 mm) while providing sufficient FOV at nominal drill operating conditions. Conclusion: With respect to application requirements, the camera+lens combination (ELP+Ardu55) was identified to provide the best performance, serving as an important precursor to future design iterations of the video-on-drill system.
Digital Innovation in Medicinal Product Regulatory Submission, Review, and Approvals to Create a Dynamic Regulatory Ecosystem-Are We Ready for a Revolution?

The pace of scientific progress over the past several decades within the biological, drug development, and the digital realm has been remarkable. The ’omics revolution has enabled a better understanding of the biological basis of disease, unlocking the possibility of new products such as gene and cell therapies which offer novel patient centric solutions. Innovative approaches to clinical trial designs promise greater efficiency, and in recent years, scientific collaborations and consortia have been developing novel approaches to leverage new sources of evidence such as real-world data, patient experience data, and biomarker data. Alongside this there have been great strides in digital innovation. Cloud computing has become mainstream and the internet of things and blockchain technology have become a reality. These examples of transformation stand in sharp contrast to the current inefficient approach for regulatory submission, review and approval of medicinal products. This process has not fundamentally changed since the beginning of medicine regulation in the late 1960s. Fortunately, progressive initiatives are emerging that will enrich and streamline regulatory decision making and deliver patient centric therapies, if they are successful in transforming the current transactional construct and harnessing scientific and technological advances. Such a radical transformation will not be simple for both regulatory authorities and company sponsors, nor will progress be linear. We examine the shortcomings of the current system with its entrenched and variable business processes, offer examples of progress as catalysts for change, and make the case for a new cloud based model. To optimize navigation towards this reality we identify implications and regulatory design questions which must be addressed. We conclude that a new model is possible and is slowly emerging through cumulative change initiatives that question, challenge, and redesign best practices, roles, and responsibilities, and that this must be combined with adaptation of behaviors and acquisition of new skills.
Unboxing care: Constructions of happiness and gratitude in a Brazilian transnational family’s video production in the United States:

This case study examines the co-authoring of unboxing videos by one six-year-old, second-generation Brazilian immigrant child and her mother in the United States. These videos were created in respo...
Structural studies of the functional heterogeneity of von Willebrand protein polymers

Studies of subunit chain size, disulfide bond arrangement, carbohydrate content, and pattern of tryptic degradation of von Willebrand protein polymers were undertaken in an attempt to explain their functional heterogeneity. Human von Willebrand protein purified from cryoprecipitate was separated by gel elution and sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation into groups of polymers of different size, ranging from a molecular weight greater than 10 × 106 to a minimum of 2.4 × 106. After disulfide bond reduction, all polymers showed a major band of 208,000 molecular weight with about 1% of the protein having lower molecular weights of 197,000, 174,000, and 154,000. Major and minor moieties were recovered from immunoprecipitates obtained with monospecific anti-von Willebrand protein antibody. The ristocetin cofactor activity of the different polymers showed increasing specific activity with increasing molecular weight, whether measured relative to protein concentration, von Willebrand antigen value or content of the 208,000 molecular weight subunit chain. This difference in specific activity was particularly evident when comparing groups of molecular weight greater than 10 × 106 with those of molecular weight less than 5 × 106. There was no difference in the content of the minor reduced bands in each polymer, no difference in carbohydrate concentration or susceptibility to neuraminidase or galactose oxidase, and no difference in the pattern of tryptic degradation or function of the 116,000 molecular weight tryptic remnant that retains ristocetin cofactor activity. The disulfide bond organization of the larger polymers appeared to differ from that of the smaller polymers inasmuch as partially reduced polymers obtained from the high specific activity group expressed more ristocetin cofactor activity than unreduced polymers of similar size present in the low specific activity group. Apparently, optimal interaction of the von Willebrand polymers with platelets is dictated not only by size but also by tertiary structure as shaped by disulfide bond organization.
A Statistical Description of the Velocity Fields from Upper Ocean Drifters in the Gulf of Mexico

We analyzed 1397 drifter records collected in the Gulf of Mexico and northwestern Cayman Basin between the years 1989 and 1999 to describe the general features of the upper ocean circulation. These drifters were generally drogued at 50 m below the surface and exclude those of the Surface CUrrent Lagrangian Program (SCULP). In addition to the dominant flows through the Yucatan Channel and Straits of Florida, robust circulation features clearly seen include: a weak cyclone south of 21°N in the Bay of Campeche, westward zonal flow across the Gulf between 21°N and 24°N, a northward western boundary current between 95°W and 97°W and 24°N and 26°N, mean downcoast (westward) flow on the Texas-Louisiana shelf, highly variable mean flow on the shelves and slope of the northeastern Gulf, mean upcoast (southward) flow on the lower West Florida Shelf, and a large region of high variability in the deep regions of the central Gulf of Mexico. Although much of the driving of the Gulf of Mexico is attributed to currents associated with the Loop Current and its associated Loop Current Eddies (particularly in the deep waters), other features can be directly correlated with seasonal wind driving, particularly on the shelves of the northern Gulf, near the western boundary, and in the Bay of Campeche.