cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of the relationship between joint laxity and maternal hormones in pregnancy

Abstract Objective To evaluate peripheral joint laxity during pregnancy and to correlate changes with serum cortisol, estradiol, progesterone, and relaxin. Methods Forty-six women with first-trimester singleton gestations consented to participate in this longitudinal observational study. Bilateral wrist laxity measurements (flexion-extension and medial-lateral deviation) were made using a clinical goniometer, and serum levels of cortisol, estradiol, progesterone, and relaxin were determined during each trimester of pregnancy and postpartum. Patients were also screened for subjective joint complaints. Statistical analysis included Student t test, analysis of variance, and linear regression analysis. Results Eleven women (24%) were excluded from the study after spontaneous first-trimester pregnancy loss. Fifty-four percent (19 of 35) demonstrated increased laxity (10% or higher) in either wrist from the first to the third trimester. Although serum levels of cortisol, estradiol, progesterone, and relaxin were significantly elevated during pregnancy, no significant differences in these levels were noted between those who became lax during gestation and those who did not. Linear regression analysis of wrist joint laxity and level of serum estradiol, progesterone, and relaxin demonstrated no significant correlation. Wrist flexion-extension laxity, however, did significantly correlate with level of maternal cortisol (r = 0.18, P = .03). Fifty-seven percent of women developed subjective joint pain during pregnancy, which was not associated with increased joint laxity, but was associated with significantly increased levels of estradiol and progesterone. Conclusion Peripheral joint laxity increases during pregnancy; however, these changes do not correlate well with maternal estradiol, progesterone, or relaxin levels.
Direct comparison of binding equilibrium, thermodynamic, and rate constants determined by surface‐ and solution‐based biophysical methods

The binding interactions of small molecules with carbonic anhydrase II were used as model systems to compare the reaction constants determined from surface- and solution-based biophysical methods. Interaction data were collected for two arylsulfonamide compounds, 4-carboxybenzenesulfonamide (CBS) and 5-dimethyl-amino-1-naphthalene-sulfonamide (DNSA), binding to the enzyme using surface plasmon resonance, isothermal titration calorimetry, and stopped-flow fluorescence. We demonstrate that when the surface plasmon resonance biosensor experiments are performed with care, the equilibrium, thermodynamic, and kinetic constants determined from this surface-based technique match those acquired in solution. These results validate the use of biosensor technology to collect reliable data on small molecules binding to immobilized macromolecular targets. Binding kinetics were shown to provide more detailed information about complex formation than equilibrium constants alone. For example, although carbonic anhydrase II bound DNSA with twofold higher affinity than CBS, kinetic analysis revealed that CBS had a fourfold slower dissociation rate. Analysis of the binding and transition state thermodynamics also revealed significant differences in the enthalpy and entropy of complex formation. The lack of labeling requirements, high information content, and high throughput of surface plasmon resonance biosensors will make this technology an important tool for characterizing the interactions of small molecules with enzymes and receptors.
Control of Adenovirus Early Gene Expression during the Late Phase of Infection

The adenovirus gene regulatory program occurs in two distinct phases, as defined by the onset of DNA replication. During the early phase, the E1A, E1B, E2, E3, and E4 genes are maximally expressed, while the major late promoter (MLP) is minimally expressed and transcription is attenuated. After the onset of DNA replication, the IVa2 and pIX genes are expressed at high levels, transcription from the MLP is unattenuated and fully activated, and early gene expression is repressed. Although the cis elements and trans-acting factors responsible for the late-phase activation of the MLP have been identified and characterized and the role of DNA replication in activation has been established, the mechanism(s) underlying the commensurate decrease in early gene expression has yet to be elucidated. The results of this study demonstrate that this decrease depends on a fully functional MLP. Specifically, virus mutants with severely deficient transcription from the MLP exhibit a marked increase in expression of the E1A, E1B, and E2 early genes. These increases were observed at the level of transcription initiation, mRNA accumulation, and protein production. In addition, expression from the late gene pIX, which is not contained within the major late transcription unit (MLTU), is also markedly increased. To begin the analysis of the mechanisms underlying these late-phase effects, mixed-infection experiments with mutant and wild-type viruses were performed. The results show that the effects on early gene expression, as measured both at the protein and RNA levels, are mediated in trans and not in cis. These observations are consistent either with a model in which one or more late protein products encoded by the MLTU acts as a repressor of early gene expression or with one in which the wild-type MLP competes with early promoters for limiting transcription factors.
Analysis of Cyclic Variability of Heat Release for High-EGR GDI Engine Operation with Observations on Implications for Effective Control

Operation of spark-ignition (SI) engines with high levels of charge dilution through exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) achieves significant engine efficiency gains while maintaining stoichiometric operation for compatibility with three-way catalysts. Dilution levels, however, are limited by cyclic variability-including significant numbers of misfires-that becomes more pronounced with increasing dilution. This variability has been shown to have both stochastic and deterministic components. Stochastic effects include turbulence, mixing variations, and the like, while the deterministic effect is primarily due to the nonlinear dependence of flame propagation rates and ignition characteristics on the charge composition, which is influenced by the composition of residual gases from prior cycles. The presence of determinism implies that an increased understanding the dynamics of such systems could lead to effective control approaches that allow operation near the edge of stability, effectively extending the dilution limit. This nonlinear dependence has been characterized previously for homogeneous charge, port fuel-injected (PFI) SI engines operating fuel-lean as well as with inert diluents such as bottled N2 gas. In this paper, cyclic dispersion in a modern boosted gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine using a cooled external EGR loop is examined, and the potential for improvement with effective control is evaluated through the use ofmore » symbol sequence statistics and other techniques from chaos theory. Observations related to the potential implications of these results for control approaches that could effectively enable engine operation at the edge of combustion stability are noted.« less
Efficacy of Neonicotinoid Seed Treatments to Reduce Soybean Aphid Populations Under Field and Controlled Conditions in Nebraska

The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is native to Asia and was recently (2000) detected in North America. Since then, it has become a significant threat to U.S. soybean production. Although neonicotinoid insecticide seed treatments, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam, have been suggested as a method of control, the season-long efficacy is still uncertain. Therefore, the use of imidacloprid and thiamethoxam seed treatments to control soybean aphid in Nebraska were examined. Soybean aphid populations were monitored weekly in an irrigated field study planted during the later half of the typical Nebraska planting window during 2005 and 2006. Imidacloprid and thiamethoxam were quantified by leaves through time, and leaf specific bioassays were conducted. In 2005, aphid populations were very low; however, in 2006 aphid numbers were significantly higher than 2005, reaching ≈1,200 aphids per plant in the untreated plots. Aphid injury significantly reduced yield and individual seed size in 2006. Imidacloprid significantly reduced aphid densities in 2006 but not below the economic threshold. In 2006, thiamethoxam held aphid densities below the economic threshold. Leaf specific bioassays and leaf specific imidacloprid and thiamethoxam quantification indicated that thiamethoxam was present in the plant at higher concentrations and for a longer period.
Periodic tension development in the membrane of the in vitro contractile vacuole of Paramecium multimicronucleatum: modification by bisection, fusion and suction

The contractile vacuole of the freshwater protozoan Paramecium multimicronucleatum is a membrane-bound exocytotic vesicle that expels excess cytosolic water. The in vitro contractile vacuole isolated from P. multimicronucleatum along with a small amount of cytosol and confined under mineral oil showed periodic rounding and slackening at fairly regular intervals. Activity lasted for over 30 min at room temperature (24-27 degrees C). The rounding of the in vitro contractile vacuole corresponded to the increased membrane tension of the in vivo contractile vacuole that occurs immediately before fluid expulsion. Unlike the in vivo contractile vacuole, the in vitro contractile vacuole did not expel fluid, since it lacked a mechanism to form a pore. The subsequent slackening of the in vitro contractile vacuole corresponded to the fluid-filling phase of the in vivo contractile vacuole that occurs at decreased membrane tension. Fluid filling occurred in the in vitro contractile vacuole only when it was isolated together with its radial arms. In vitro membrane-bound vesicles obtained by 'bisecting' (although the two parts were not always identical in size) an in vitro contractile vacuole established their own independent rounding-slackening cycles. In vitro contractile vacuole vesicles could fuse again when the vesicles slackened. The fused vesicle then showed a rounding-slackening cycle with a period closer to that of the vesicle that exhibited the shorter cycle period. An additional rounding phase of the in vitro contractile vacuole could be induced by applying suction to a portion of its membrane with a micropipette when the contractile vacuole was in its slackened phase. This suggests that maximum tension development in the contractile vacuole membrane can be triggered when tension is increased in any part of the contractile vacuole membrane. The time from the start of an extra rounding phase to the next spontaneous rounding and for subsequent rounding-slackening cycles was nearly the same as that before the extra rounding phase. This implies that there is no master pacemaker to control the rounding-slackening cycle in the contractile vacuole membrane. Severed radial arms also became vesiculated and, like contractile vacuole membranes, these in vitro vesicles showed independent rounding-slackening cycles and vesicle-vesicle fusions. Thus, membrane derived from the radial arm seems to be identical in its tension-developing properties with the contractile vacuole membrane. ATP was found to be required for contractile vacuole rounding but inhibitors of actin or tubulin polymerization, such as cytochalasin B and Nocodazole, had no effect on the in vitro contractile vacuole's rounding-slackening cycle.
Decision Making for Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Implantation: Is There a Role for Neurohumoral Imaging?

Risk prediction for sudden cardiac death (SCD) remains one of the most challenging tasks in medicine.1 The dire consequence of not identifying an individual who is otherwise doing well clinically but will succumb to a sudden arrhythmic death that is potentially either preventable or treatable has driven the search for a strategy that will identify these individuals. It has also been recognized that risk stratification is needed in patients who are currently classified into a high-risk group based on a depressed left ventricular ejection fraction, but who may never have an arrhythmic event. Although multiple implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) trials have demonstrated a benefit to ICD therapy when patients were enrolled based primarily on having a depressed left ventricular ejection fraction, the optimal utilization of ICDs remains unclear. Undoubtedly there are a substantial subgroup of these patients that benefit from ICD implantation, but there are also cohorts that will likely not benefit and some may even be harmed by the ICD. To date, no risk stratifiers have been identified that resolve these issues. The challenges and potential approaches to improve risk stratification have been extensively discussed.1–3 In this issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging , Hachamovitch et al4 have taken on these challenges directly with their study designed to evaluate whether 123I- m IBG imaging has a role as a gatekeeper for ICD use. See Article by Hachamovitch et al During the past several decades, many noninvasive risk stratification techniques have been proposed and evaluated, including predominantly left ventricular functional assessment and ECG-based techniques. The advanced ECG analyses have included heart rate variability, signal averaged ECG, T-wave alternans, among others.5,6 The development of these techniques was based on strong pathophysiologic links to lethal ventricular tachyarrhythmias, namely altered autonomic inputs, abnormally delayed depolarization, …
Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of triazine dendrimers with DABCO groups

Triazine dendrimers and smaller dendritic scaffolds that present 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) on the periphery were prepared and assessed for antimicrobial activity and human cell toxicity. Hydrophilic linkers on the periphery of these multivalent scaffolds were derivatized with 2 to 6 DABCO groups that presented either methyl, benzyl, or dodecyl substituents. All of these derivatives were highly soluble in water. Antimicrobial assays against Staphylococcus aureus (Newman), methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA; Sanger 252) and Escherichia coli (K-12) revealed that antimicrobial activity is influenced by two factors; the alkyl substituent on the DABCO group and the valency of the construct. Antimicrobial activity decreased from dodecyl > benzyl > methyl. Divalent and trivalent compounds showed greater activity than tetravalent and hexavalent compounds.
Rights in the Western Tradition

This Article provides a brief analysis of the main stages of Western theories of rights and liberties: (1) classic Roman views of objective and subjective rights and liberties; (2) medieval Catholic views of rights and liberties rooted in natural law and corporate charters; (3) early modern Protestant views of rights and liberties rooted in biblical commands and natural orders; (4) modern Enlightenments views grounded in human nature and social contracts, and reflected in constitutional texts and cases; and (5) the proliferation and diversification of universal rights talk in the aftermath of World War II.
News Impact of Real-Time Messages on Returns and Trading Behavior

Based on full-displayed limit order book data from the electronic trading system Xetra, I study traders’ tendency to herd in their decisions to buy or to sell securities around the time of news release. In more detail, I study the impact of company-specific, real-time messages routed by Reuters to the traders’ screens on security returns and order flows. I empirically demonstrate that returns significantly react to the real-time information flow, and that traders indeed herd in their decisions to buy or sell securities if stock-specific news arrives. I further show that time- and stock-specific excess performance in returns and imbalance is considerably driven by common factors across stocks. The level of commonality in returns and in buy/sell side herding is considerably influenced by information flows. Since the market also reacts to this type of information disclosure, earnings and dividend announcements do not constitute the only source of information for determining asset prices.
Genetic counseling for men with recurrent pregnancy loss or recurrent implantation failure due to abnormal sperm chromosomal aneuploidy

Purpose The purpose of this study is to review recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) due to sperm chromosomal abnormalities and discuss the genetic counseling that is required for men with sperm chromosomal abnormalities.
Counseling With Parents of Chronically III Children

Treating a child with a chronic disease may involve more than managing the physical symptoms. Behavioral difficulties often arise. To give the young patient more help than limited professional time allows, some physicians are teaching parents to be the agents of change through individual consultation, group discussion, and didactic technics.
Adaptability Analysis of Distance Protection in Power System Integration with Wind Farms

The large-scale wind power integration into power system shows more and more unique fault features.There exists an adaptability problem when traditional relays are used with wind power.Distance protection is widely used for transmission line protection and its adaptability to the wind power has great significance.To assess the adaptability,the best working condition is firstly obtained by deducing the basic theory of the distance protection.And then,based on the condition and the fault characteristics of wind power system,the protection adaptation is analyzed using theoretical analysis.The research shows that the power frequency variation of impedance protection is not suitable for wind power integration due to poor feedback and instability of wind power system impedance.The power frequency distance protection has phasor extraction problem because of high harmonics and frequency deviation in the wind power system.In the meantime,the time domain distance protection still remains good performance.The above points are verified by simulation results.
Detection and analysis of Salmonella bacillus among employees in food/public place as bacteria carrier

Objective: To clarify the employees engaged food/public place as the carrier infected Salmonella bacillus in order to strengthening food security,and environment sanitation,prevent food poisoning and intestinal tract infectious diseases occurrence.Methods:The anus cotton probe to get the samples,bacteria culture as rule for the employees engaged food/public place in Wuzhou City,Guangxi,China within 2007~2008 in physical examination.Results:The Salmonella bacillus detected is 0.460%(165/35847) in total;among the various months,the detected rate were between 0~1.342%,the highest is 1.342% in September.As the age distribution,the detected rate in elder age group is higher than the younger age group(50~60 year old group 0.787%,gradually reduce to 0.270% in 16~20 year old group);the detected rate 0.544% in male,and 0.318% in female;among the age group,the sex group there have very significant difference(P0.01).As to the Salmonella bacillus strains,detected 5 blood serum groups,19 blood serums types;22 strains can not be recognized for 13.2%.the Salmonella bacillus B group detected for 62.4%,C1 group detected for 18.2%,C2 groups detected for 8.5%,E1 groups detected for 6.7%,D group detected for 4.2%.The figures indicated that the infection mainly by S.derby,accounted for 43.1%;the S.auona for 14.8% and the S.Choleraesuis(Swine) for 9.9%.Conclusion:The Salmonella bacillus detected rate in the employees engaged food/public place in this city is higher which is a latent dangerous agent of infection,should pay serious attention to control.
Meniscal tears of the knee: diagnosis and individualized treatment.

IN BRIEF: Meniscal tears are very common sports injuries. Typical symptoms include pain, catching, and buckling. Signs on physical exam include joint-line tenderness, effusion, and, possibly, a click when the knee is taken through full range of motion. MRI is often needed to confirm tears and differentiate pain from that caused by other injuries such as articular cartilage damage. Treatment comprises physical therapy and rest, partial meniscectomy, or, in special instances, surgical repair. Therapeutic goals, which are often achieved, are to restore a high level of pain-free function and to prevent premature joint degeneration.
In Vitro Analyses of T Cell Effector Differentiation.

In vitro culture is an important complement, or substitute, to in vivo approaches in order to study T cell effector differentiation. Here, we describe culture conditions that generate specific effector cell types by exposing naive T cells to appropriate cytokine signals.
A new framework for investigating biotic homogenization and exploring future trajectories: oceanic island plant and bird assemblages as a case study

Studies of biotic homogenization have focused primarily on characterizing changes that have occurred between some past baseline and the present day. In order to understand how homogenization may change in the future, it is important to contextualize the processes driving these changes. Here, we examine empirical patterns of change in taxonomic similarity among oceanic island plant and bird assemblages. We use these empirical cases to unpack dynamic properties of biotic homogenization, thereby elucidating two important factors that have received little attention: 1) initial similarity and 2) the influence of six classes of introduction and extinction events. We use Jaccard's Index to explore the interplay among these factors in determining the changes in similarity that have occurred between human settlement and the present. Specifically, we develop general formulas for changes in similarity resulting from each of the six types of introductions and extinctions, so that the effect of each event type is formulated in terms of initial similarity and species richness. We then apply these insights to project how similarity levels would change in the future if the present patterns of introductions and extinctions continue. We show that the six event types, along with initial similarity, can show dramatically different behavior in different systems, leading to widely variable influences on similarity. Plant and bird biotas have homogenized only slightly to date, but their trajectories of change are highly divergent. Although existing patterns of colonization and extinction might not continue unchanged, if they were to do so then plant assemblages would show little additional change, whereas bird assemblages would become much more strongly homogenized. Our results suggest that moderate changes in similarity observed to date mask the potential for more dramatic changes in the future, and that the interaction among initial similarity and differential introduction and extinction regimes drives these dynamics.
NMR analysis of t-butyl-catalyzed deuterium exchange at unactivated arene localities

Regioselective labelling of arene rings via electrophilic exchange is often dictated by the electronic environment caused by substituents present on the aromatic system. Previously, we observed the presence of a t-butyl group, either covalently bond or added as an external reagent, could impart deuterium exchange to the unactivated, C1-position of estrone. Here, we provide nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of this exchange in a solvent system composed of 50:50 trifluoroacetic acid and D2 O with either 2-t-butylestrone or estrone in the presence of t-butyl alcohol has shed insights into the mechanism of this t-butyl-catalyzed exchange. Fast exchange of the t-butyl group concurrent with the gradual reduction of the H1 proton signal in both systems suggest a mechanism involving ipso attack of the t-butyl position by deuterium. The reversible addition/elimination of the t-butyl group activates the H1 proton towards exchange by a mechanism of t-butyl incorporation, H1 activation and exchange, followed by eventual t-butyl elimination. Density functional calculations are consistent with the observation of fast t-butyl exchange concurrent with slower H1 exchange. The σ-complex resulting from ipso attack of deuterium at the t-butyl carbon was 6.6 kcal/mol lower in energy than that of the σ-complex resulting from deuterium attack at C1. A better understanding of the t-butyl-catalyzed exchange could help in the design of labelling recipes for other phenolic metabolites.
Phylogenetic analysis of the human antibody repertoire reveals quantitative signatures of immune senescence and aging.

The elderly have reduced humoral immunity, as manifested by increased susceptibility to infections and impaired vaccine responses. To investigate the effects of aging on B-cell receptor (BCR) repertoire evolution during an immunological challenge, we used a phylogenetic distance metric to analyze Ig heavy-chain transcript sequences in both young and elderly individuals before and after influenza vaccination. We determined that BCR repertoires become increasingly specialized over a span of decades, but less plastic. In 50% of the elderly individuals, a large space in the repertoire was occupied by a small number of recall lineages that did not decline during vaccine response and contained hypermutated IgD+ B cells. Relative to their younger counterparts, older subjects demonstrated a contracted naive repertoire and diminished intralineage diversification, signifying a reduced substrate for mounting novel responses and decreased fine-tuning of BCR specificities by somatic hypermutation. Furthermore, a larger proportion of the repertoire exhibited premature stop codons in some elderly subjects, indicating that aging may negatively affect the ability of B cells to discriminate between functional and nonfunctional receptors. Finally, we observed a decreased incidence of radical mutations compared with conservative mutations in elderly subjects’ vaccine responses, which suggests that accumulating original antigenic sin may be limiting the accessible space for paratope evolution. Our findings shed light on the complex interplay of environmental and gerontological factors affecting immune senescence, and provide direct molecular characterization of the effects of senescence on the immune repertoire.
Political Places: Neighborhood Social Organization and the Ecology of Political Behaviors

Objective While scholars treat neighborhoods as important contexts of inequality, few studies explore the social processes that create disparities in neighborhoodsâ€™ political capacities. How does neighborhood social organization affect rates of political participation? Methods We combine surveys from the U.S. Census and Boston Neighborhood Survey (BNS), and administrative data from the City of Boston. Accounting for spatial dependence, we fit a series of regression models investigating the relationship between neighborhood social structure and four forms of political engagement: community meeting attendance, contacting local government for services, and voter turnout in a local and a national midterm election. Results We find higher rates of political participation in more stable neighborhoods, and lower rates of participation in neighborhoods with higher concentrations of immigrants. The relationship between collective efficacy and rates of political participation is not statistically significant in our models. We find a positive association between concentrated disadvantage and city election turnout, but this association is nonlinear: beyond a certain threshold, increases in disadvantage are associated with decreasing rates of participation. Conclusion We argue that neighborhoods are indeed political places, and residential stability, immigrant concentration, andâ€”to a lesser extentâ€”concentrated disadvantage are important factors affecting the civic capacity of urban communities.
Seroprevalence of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus in China: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease caused by a novel bunyavirus-SFTSV. The seroprevalence of anti-SFTSV antibodies including immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM), specific to SFTSV in the general population has been investigated in various epidemiological studies with inconsistent results. Here, we clarify this discrepancy and reach a more comprehensive result by mean of a meta-analysis. Methods All relevant articles were searched in the electronic databases (PubMed, Web of science, Embase, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure database, Chinese Wanfang database) up to November 2016. The pooled seroprevalence and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated by random- or fixed- model on the basis of heterogeneity. Results In total, 21 studies containing 23,848 blood samples from 7 provinces were included in this meta-analysis. The minimum and maximum reported seroprevalences of SFTSV among humans in China were 0.23% and 9.17%, respectively. The overall pooled seroprevalence of SFTSV antibodies was 4.3% (95%CI: 3.2%-5.5%). The pooled prevalence was 5.9% (95%CI: 4.7%-7.0%) in Zhejiang province, 4.9% (95%CI: 4.1–5.8%) in Anhui province, 3.9% (95%CI: 1.3%-6.4%) in Shandong province, and 0.7% (95%CI: 0.2%-1.1%) in Jiangsu province. Stratified by occupation, the pooled prevalence of farmer was 6.1% (95%CI: 3.4%-8.9%) and others (mainly are students) was 3.3% (95%CI: 2.4%-4.2%). Additionally, seroprevalence of SFTSV in people who lived in the same village with the patient were higher than that of people who lived in a different village. Seropositive rates in sampling years after 2012 were higher than that before 2012. The prevalence of SFTSV did not differ by age or gender. Sensitive analysis by omitting one study at a time indicated the results of the pooled seroprevalence were robust. Conclusions Seroprevalence of SFTSV among healthy population in central and eastern China is high. Surveillance efforts on mild or asymptomatic infections among endemic persons are needed.
Efficient shared cache management for multicore processors

In modern multi-core processors, various resources (such as memory bandwidth and caches) are designed to be shared by concurrently running threads. Though it is good to be able to run multiple programs on a single chip at the same time, sometimes the contention of these shared resources can create problems for system performance. Naive hard-partitioning between threads can result in low resource utilization. This research shows that simple and effective approaches to dynamically manage the shared cache can be achieved. The contributions of this work are the following: (1) a technique for dynamic online classification of application memory access behaviors to predict the usefulness of cache partitioning, and a simple shared-cache management approach based on the classification; (2) a cache pseudo-partitioning technique that manipulates insertion and promotion policies; (3) a scalable algorithm to quickly decide per-core cache allocations; (4) pseudo-LRU cache partition approximation; (5) a dynamic shared cache compression technique that considers different thread behaviors.
Determining concentrations of elements with different reaction channels in photon activation.

Abstract In photon activation, same element may be activated by the bremsstrahlung beam through different nuclear reaction channels and produce different radioisotopes. These radioisotopes follow their own decay schemes and generate characteristic gamma rays. This phenomenon usually is an interference in spectra analysis, but it also offers a theoretical feasibility to determine the concentration of one element through different reaction channels. To realize this theoretical feasibility, we conducted series of photon activation experiments with sample and reference of known concentrations. Irradiation of the samples and the references were conducted with electronic LINAC with different photon converters at a peak energy around 30 MeV. Several elements and their corresponding reaction channels were chosen to validate this procedure. Calculations of PAA were based on the internal monitor method. Our results have confirmed the advantages of current PAA reaction channel selection, and show that it might be beneficial to calculate the concentration of same elements with different reaction channels in some certain occasions. N-values, which indicate the relative intensity of reaction channels, were calculated and compared with those values generated from the photon activation at the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing in Germany (BAM). Results suggested that N values are impacted by several parameters of electron beam, and the design of electron-gamma converter may play a dominant role in determining N values.
Awareness and Implementation of the 2014 ESPGHAN/NASPGHAN Guideline for Childhood Functional Constipation.

OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to assess whether physicians approach children with functional constipation according to the 2014 European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN)/North American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) guideline. METHODS We invited pediatricians and pediatric gastroenterologists in the Netherlands and the United States to participate in this anonymous survey using a self-developed questionnaire containing 19 multiple choice questions concerning evaluation and treatment of children with constipation. RESULTS We included 328 physicians (67% from the United States, 34% from the Netherlands). The majority of US responders (53%) worked in primary care, whereas all Dutch responders worked in a hospital. In total, 31% of responders were not familiar with the guideline (38% US responders vs 16% Dutch responders, P < 0.001). Perianal inspection was frequently ("often" or "always" on a 5-point Likert scale) conducted by 78% of responders. Digital rectal examination was frequently done by 42%. Inquiry about sexual abuse was made by 18%. Commonly reported reasons for omitting these items were perceived patient or parental discomfort. Most frequently implemented initial nonpharmacological interventions included a toilet training program (89%), optimizing fluid and fiber intake (86% and 81%), a defecation diary (62%), and a reward system (60%). Polyethylene glycol was the most prescribed medication for disimpaction (68%) and maintenance treatment (57% for infants, 97% for children ≥1 year). CONCLUSIONS Many responders were not familiar with the ESPGHAN/NASPGHAN guideline for functional constipation. Nonetheless, therapeutic decisions correlated fairly well with recommendations from the guideline, especially for children 1 year of age or older. Guideline awareness and adherence remain to be improved. Future studies should focus on exploring strategies to improve guideline implementation through the development of digital learning tools.
Will fluctuations in salt marsh–mangrove dominance alter vulnerability of a subtropical wetland to sea-level rise?

To avoid submergence during sea-level rise, coastal wetlands build soil surfaces vertically through accumulation of inorganic sediment and organic matter. At climatic boundaries where mangroves are expanding and replacing salt marsh, wetland capacity to respond to sea-level rise may change. To compare how well mangroves and salt marshes accommodate sea-level rise, we conducted a manipulative field experiment in a subtropical plant community in the subsiding Mississippi River Delta. Experimental plots were established in spatially equivalent positions along creek banks in monospecific stands of Spartina alterniflora (smooth cordgrass) or Avicennia germinans (black mangrove) and in mixed stands containing both species. To examine the effect of disturbance on elevation dynamics, vegetation in half of the plots was subjected to freezing (mangrove) or wrack burial (salt marsh), which caused shoot mortality. Vertical soil development was monitored for six years with the surface elevation table-marker horizon system. Comparison of land movement with relative sea-level rise showed that this plant community was experiencing an elevation deficit (i.e., sea level was rising faster than the wetland was building vertically) and was relying on elevation capital (i.e., relative position in the tidal frame) to survive. Although Avicennia plots had more elevation capital, suggesting longer survival, than Spartina or mixed plots, vegetation type had no effect on rates of accretion, vertical movement in root and sub-root zones, or net elevation change. Thus, these salt marsh and mangrove assemblages were accreting sediment and building vertically at equivalent rates. Small-scale disturbance of the plant canopy also had no effect on elevation trajectories— contrary to work in peat-forming wetlands showing elevation responses to changes in plant productivity. The findings indicate that in this deltaic setting with strong physical influences controlling elevation (sediment accretion, subsidence), mangrove replacement of salt marsh, with or without disturbance, will not necessarily alter vulnerability to sea-level rise. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
For Such a Time and Place as This: Christian Higher Education for the Common Good

One might argue that this is not a wise time to raise queries of the common good for Christian higher education. Our in-boxes and newsfeeds provide persistent reminders of the crises facing higher ...
How Forces Fold the Cerebral Cortex.

Improved understanding of the factors that govern folding of the cerebral cortex is desirable for many reasons. The existence of consistent patterns in folding within and between species suggests a fundamental role in brain function. Abnormal folding patterns found in individuals affected by a diverse array of neurodevelopmental disorders underline the clinical relevance of understanding the folding process. Recent experimental and computational efforts to elucidate the biomechanical forces involved in cerebral cortical folding have converged on a consistent approach. Brain growth is modeled with two components: an expanding outer zone, destined to become the cerebral cortex, is mechanically coupled to an inner zone, destined to become white matter, that grows at a slower rate, perhaps in response to stress induced by expansion from the outer layer. This framework is consistent with experimentally observed internal forces in developing brains, and with observations of the folding process in physical models. In addition, computational simulations based on this foundation can produce folding patterns that recapitulate the characteristics of folding patterns found in gyroencephalic brains. This perspective establishes the importance of mechanical forces in our current understanding of how brains fold, and identifies realistic ranges for specific parameters in biophysical models of developing brain tissue. However, further refinement of this approach is needed. An understanding of mechanical forces that arise during brain development and their cellular-level origins is necessary to interpret the consequences of abnormal brain folding and its role in functional deficits as well as neurodevelopmental disease.Dual Perspectives Companion Paper: How Cells Fold the Cerebral Cortex, by Victor Borrell.
Insights into the molecular basis of wooden breast based on comparative analysis of fast- and slow-growth broilers

Wooden breast has emerged as an important condition in the poultry industry and affects the breast muscle of commercial meat-type chickens (broilers). Thus far, the condition has been classified as a myopathy, confirmed to not have an infectious origin, with molecular data showing the muscle to be under oxidative stress. The objective in this study was to query the functional origins of wooden breast and reveal its molecular similarities to known conditions based on pathway analyses. To carry out an in-depth comparative analysis, we generated RNAseq data from wooden breast affected birds and incorporated breast specific transcriptomic data from previously published studies. The comparative datasets were constructed from a range of commercial fast-growth and slow-growth varieties. Analysis of high-impact variants identified from transcriptome data provided a list of genes important in cell signaling, cell proliferation, cytoskeletal development, and calcium metabolism as being affected by nucleotide changes. Overlaying the lists of significantly differentially expressed genes with the list of high-impact variants produced a list of twenty genes that suggest an association of mechanistic and functional causes for woody breast; supporting a polygenic basis for this condition. Our study demonstrates that wooden breast shows an age-dependent gene expression pattern, with pathway analysis showing enrichment of glycolysis, cell differentiation, tumor suppression and inhibition, further indicating a complex condition with few similarities to myopathies. In summary, our results indicate the existence of a mechanistic, heritable basis for wooden breast, the drivers of which deserve more in-depth investigation. Additionally, they also suggest wooden breast to be a more complex condition than previously reported, potentially involving other organ systems.
Erectile Dysfunction Due to Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease: The Development of an Animal Model

AbstractAn animal model was developed to study the pathophysiology of erectile dysfunction due to atherosclerotic vascular disease. Thirty one New Zealand white male rabbits were divided into control (n = 5) and treatment groups (n = 26). The control group was placed on a regular diet while the treatment group underwent balloon de-endothelialization of the aorto-iliac arteries and received 1.6% cholesterol and 4% triglyceride diet for eight weeks. After eight weeks in the control animals (n = 5), blood levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and low density lipoproteins, radiologic studies as well as hemodynamic parameters of erectile function were all normal. In the surviving treatment animals (n = 21) after the same time period, a significant increase in blood levels of cholesterol, triglyceride and low density lipoprotein were observed. In addition, 62% of these animals developed hypertension which was not observed in the control group. Angiographically, 10 animals (48%) demonstrated severe atheroscleroti...
Aerodynamics of Ephedra trifurca

Computer simulations are used to predict the behavior of pollen grains with different physical properties within the acceleration field created around the ovules of the gymnosperm Ephedra trifurca. A modelling procedure is given that (1) calculates the number of pollen grains captured by an ovule's pollination-droplet and (2) gives a correlation between pollination efficiency and the physical properties (= mass, size) of different types of pollen. Based on this procedure, the number of Ephedra pollen grains captured by micropyles can be less than the number captured from other species. However, the mass and size of Ephedra pollen grains appear to coincide with those predicted to yield a local maximum of pollination efficiency, i.e. slightly larger or smaller values of either mass or size would decrease the probability of capture. In addition, the properties of Ephedra pollen grains operate synergistically in the aerodynamic environment around ovules and are focused to collide with pollination-droplets. By analogy, the properties of Ephedra pollen coincide with those predicted for a localized “adaptive peak”. The physical properties of pollen grain types other than E. trifurca that can maximize pollen capture are not generally represented in the aerobiology of Ephedra during the pollination season. Therefore, the phenology of pollen release, community taxonomic-composition, and the physics of particle capture play collectively important roles in the reproductive success of Ephedra trifurca.
Isoflavones Alter Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Response Following Photoperiod Alteration.

Abstract Photoperiod and diet are factors known to modulate the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. Specifically, shifts in photoperiod have been previously linked with affective and anxiety disorders. Furthermore, isoflavones have been shown to mediate behavioral outcome in response to the environment of the animal. Here, we investigated the effect of photoperiod alteration on the HPA axis and how the addition of isoflavones might modulate the response to stress. Male C57BL/6J mice were maintained on either a 12:12 or a 16:8 light–dark (LD) cycle for 10 days, and fed a diet of either standard rodent chow or an isoflavone free (IF) chow beginning 3 weeks prior to light alteration. Consistent with previous work, mice in the shorter active period (16:8 LD cycle) showed increased basal corticosterone (CORT) secretion. In the absence of isoflavones, this response was attenuated. Increases in mineralcorticoid (MR) and glucocorticoid (GR) receptor mRNA expression were seen in the pituitary following photoperiod alteration. However, animals fed the standard isoflavone rich chow showed increases in the ratio of MR:GR mRNA in the anterior bed nucleus of the stria terminalis following photoperiod alteration. Decreases in corticotrophin-releasing factor receptor 1 (CRFR1) mRNA expression were seen in animals fed the IF chow in the amygdala, prefrontal cortex and ventral hippocampus. These data suggest that alterations in CORT secretion following photoperiod alteration may be mediated through differences in CRFR1 gene expression or changes in MR:GR mRNA ratios. These findings provide insight into the potential mechanisms by which the HPA axis adapts to photoperiod and diet.
XMAP215 promotes microtubule-F-actin interactions to regulate growth cone microtubules during axon guidance in Xenopus laevis.

ABSTRACT It has long been established that neuronal growth cone navigation depends on changes in microtubule (MT) and F-actin architecture downstream of guidance cues. However, the mechanisms by which MTs and F-actin are dually coordinated remain a fundamentally unresolved question. Here, we report that the well-characterized MT polymerase, XMAP215 (also known as CKAP5), plays an important role in mediating MT–F-actin interaction within the growth cone. We demonstrate that XMAP215 regulates MT–F-actin alignment through its N-terminal TOG 1–5 domains. Additionally, we show that XMAP215 directly binds to F-actin in vitro and co-localizes with F-actin in the growth cone periphery. We also find that XMAP215 is required for regulation of growth cone morphology and response to the guidance cue, Ephrin A5. Our findings provide the first strong evidence that XMAP215 coordinates MT and F-actin interaction in vivo. We suggest a model in which XMAP215 regulates MT extension along F-actin bundles into the growth cone periphery and that these interactions may be important to control cytoskeletal dynamics downstream of guidance cues. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.