cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Imaging microscopic viscosity with confocal scanning optical tweezers

The techniques of confocal microscopy and optical tweezers have shown themselves to be powerful tools in biological and medical research. We combine these methods to develop a minimally invasive instrument that is capable of making hydrodynamic measurements more rapidly than is possible with other devices. This result leads to the possibility of making scanning images of the viscosity distribution of materials around biopolymer-producing cells. 100×100 images can be taken with 0.5‐µm spatial resolution in 3 min. An image of the viscosity distribution around a pullulan-producing cell of Aureobasidium pullulans is shown as an example.
The Trapping of Different Conformations of the Escherichia coli F1 ATPase by Disulfide Bond Formation EFFECT ON NUCLEOTIDE BINDING AFFINITIES OF THE CATALYTIC SITES

Two mutants of the Escherichia coli F1 ATPase, βY331W:E381C/ϵS108C and αS411C/βY331W/ϵS108C, have been used to relate nucleotide binding in catalytic sites with different interactions of the stalk-forming subunits γ and ϵ at the α3β3 subunit domain. Essentially full yield cross-linking between β+γ and β+ϵ, or between α+γ and α+ϵ, was obtained in these mutants by Cu2+-induced disulfide bond formation, thereby trapping the enzyme in states with the small subunits interacting either with β or α subunits. The presence of the Trp for β Tyr-331 in both mutants allowed direct measurement of nucleotide occupancy of catalytic sites. Before cross-linking, Mg2+ATP could be bound in all three catalytic sites in both mutants with a Kd of around 0.1 μM for the highest affinity site and Kd values of approximately 2 μM and 30-40 μM for the second and third sites, respectively. In the absence of Mg2+, ATP also bound in all three catalytic sites but with a single low affinity (above 100 μM) in both mutants. Cu2+-induced cross-linking of ECF1 from the mutant βY331W:E381C/ϵS108C had very little effect on nucleotide binding. The binding affinities of the three catalytic sites for Mg2+ATP were not significantly altered from those obtained before cross-linking, and the enzyme still switched between cooperative binding and equal binding affinities of the three catalytic sites (when Mg2+ was absent). When the γ and ϵ subunits were cross-linked to α subunits, ATP binding in the highest affinity catalytic site was dramatically altered. This site became closed so that nucleotide (ATP or ADP) that had been bound into it prior to cross-linking was trapped and could not exchange out. Also, ATP or ADP could not enter this site, although empty, once the enzyme had been cross-linked. Finally, cross-linking of the γ and ϵ to the α subunits prevented the switching between cooperative binding and the state where the three catalytic sites are equivalent. We argue that the conformation of the enzyme in which the small subunits are at α subunits occurs during functioning of the enzyme in the course of the rotation of γ and ϵ subunits within the α3β3 hexamer and that this may be the activated state for ATP synthesis.
Synaptic function is impaired but not eliminated in C. elegans mutants lacking synaptotagmin

Synaptotagmin is an abundant synaptic vesicle-associated protein proposed to be involved in calcium-mediated neurotransmitter release. Our molecular and genetic results demonstrate that, although synaptotagmin is required for the proper function of the presynaptic nerve terminal in C. elegans, some neurotransmitter release persists in synaptogamin mutants. In C. elegans neurons, synaptotagmin is localized to regions known to be rich in synapses and appears to be associated with synaptic vesicles. Mutants defective in the synaptotagmin gene, called snt-1, exhibit severe behavioral abnormalities that are characteristic of deficiencies in synaptic function, including severe locomotion, feeding, and defecation defects. The mutants are defective in exocytosis, since they accumulate acetylcholine, and are resistant to cholinesterase inhibitors, but they nevertheless remain sensitive to cholinergic receptor agonists. In spite of these exocytic defects, snt-1 mutants are capable of coordinated motor movements, indicating that the mutants do not have a complete block of neurotransmitter release.
Detection of silica‐mediated dissolution of magnetic grains in sediments using FORC diagrams

[1] Recently silica-mediated dissolution has been recognized as a potentially important factor influencing magnetic studies of marine and lacustrine sediments. Although direct evidence for the dissolution of magnetic particles in silica-rich environments is lacking, the process is expected to produce changes in the magnetic grain-size distribution, a hypothesis that is tested in this study on sediments from Lake Tanganyika, East Africa, using First Order Reversal Curves (FORCs). Results from different magnetic intensity zones within the studied samples clearly show changes in the grain-size distribution of magnetic minerals. In particular, zones with high biogenic silica content (BSi) correlated with depletion in fine-grained magnetic material, whereas zones with lower BSi showed no depletion. These results are consistent with the idea that silica-mediated dissolution results in the preferential removal of fine-grained magnetic material, and indicate that FORC diagrams are effective in characterizing silica-mediated dissolution in sediments.
The distribution of C4 species of the Cyperaceae in North America in relation to climate.

The percent of species of the Cyperaceae possessing the C4 pathway was calculated for twenty-five regions of North America. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to determine which climatic variables were most highly correlated with the percent C4 species among the various regions. The square of the mean July minimum daily temperature exhibited the strongest correlation with the transformed percentage of C4 species. It appears that the relationship to climatic variables of the C4 species of the Cyperaceae is similar, but not identical to the relationship previously reported for C4 species of the Gramineae.
Effects of aging on cholinephosphotransferase activity on guinea pig lung mitochondria and microsomes.

It is known that the composition of phospholipids in lung changes with age. The final step in thede novo synthesis of phosphatidylcholine, a major component of lung surfactant, by the CDP-choline pathway, requires the enzyme cholinephosphotransferase (CPT). Even though CPT has earlier been proposed to be located exclusively in the endoplasmic reticulum, we have recently demonstrated its presence also in the mitochondria. We have earlier reported a gestational variation of CPT activity in fetal mitochondria and microsomes. In the present study we examined the subcellular distribution of CPT activity in lung as a function of age. After birth, the microsomal CPT activity continued to increase until adulthood (24 wks of age), thereafter it gradually decreased. On the otherhand, the CPT activity of mitochondria continued to increase with the advancement of age and beyond 72 wks of age, it was approximately 2-fold higher than that of the microsomal fraction.
Two methods for simulation of dense tissue distribution in software breast phantoms

Software breast phantoms have been developed for use in evaluation of novel breast imaging systems. Software phantoms are flexible allowing the simulation of wide variations in breast anatomy, and provide ground truth for the simulated tissue structures. Different levels of phantom realism are required depending on the intended application. Realistic simulation of dense (fibroglandular) tissue is of particular importance; the properties of dense tissue – breast percent density and the spatial distribution – have been related to the risk of breast cancer. In this work, we have compared two methods for simulation of dense tissue distribution in a software breast phantom previously developed at the University of Pennsylvania. The methods compared are: (1) the previously used Gaussian distribution centered at the phantom nipple point, and (2) the proposed combination of two Beta functions, one modeling the dense tissue distribution along the chest wall-to-nipple direction, and the other modeling the radial distribution in each coronal section of the phantom. Dense tissue distributions obtained using these methods have been compared with distributions reported in the literature estimated from the analysis of breast CT images. Qualitatively, the two methods produced rather similar dense tissue distributions. The simulation based upon the use of Beta functions provides more control over the simulated distributions through the selection of the various Beta function parameters. Both methods showed good agreement to the clinical data, suggesting both provide a high level of realism.
An Outcome Evaluation of Pennsylvania's Boot Camp: Does Rehabilitative Programming within a Disciplinary Setting Reduce Recidivism?

Although previous research has found the disciplinary model of correctional boot camps to be ineffective in reducing recidivism, the impact of a rehabilitative model is still unclear. The current study addresses this issue through an outcome evaluation of Penn-sylvania's Motivational Boot Camp Program, which uses a multidimensional approach to its rehabilitative programming. The authors predict that this program model should be more effective than traditional prison in reducing recidivism and that this effect will be particularly strong for certain high-risk offenders (i.e., those who are young and/or have a prior criminal record). The results from their logistic regression analyses indicate no significant differences in the recidivism of offenders graduating from the boot camp and those released from prison. However, tests for interactions indicate that this program performs better than prison for offenders with a prior record. This particular finding has important policy implications for targeting appro...
Local Aromaticity in Natural Nucleobases and Their Size-Expanded Benzo-Fused Derivatives

The influence of the insertion/addition of a benzene ring to the natural nucleic acid bases on the local aromaticity of the so-called size-expanded (xN, with N being adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine) bases is examined. To this end, the local aromaticity of the six- and five-membered rings in both the natural bases and their benzoderivatives is determined using HOMA, NICS, aromatic fluctuation index (FLU), and para-delocalization index (PDI) descriptors. In general, there is a good correspondence between the different indices, so that ring moieties with more negative NICS values also have larger HOMA and PDI measures and lower FLU indices. The results also point out notable differences in the aromatic character of the natural and size-expanded bases, which generally are hardly affected upon hydrogen bonding. The differences in the highest occupied molecular orbital-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO-LUMO) gap determined for the size-expanded nucleobases show an inverse correlation with the aromaticity of the fused benzene ring, so that the larger the HOMO-LUMO gap is, the lower the destabilization experienced by the benzene upon insertion/addition to the natural bases. This finding suggests that the introduction of suitable chemical modifications in the benzene ring might be useful to modulate the HOMO-LUMO gap while enabling the design of modified DNA duplexes that are able to act as molecular wires.
What's Marriage (and Family) Got to Do with It? Support for Same-Sex Marriage, Legal Unions, and Gay and Lesbian Couples Raising Children

Objectives The current study extends research on public opinion toward gay civil rights by considering the impact of marital and family status and views on the purpose of marriage on support for same-sex marriage, legal unions, and gay and lesbian couples raising children. Methods Data from the 2007 Pew Research Center's Social Trends Report were analyzed using hierarchical ordinary least squares (OLS) regression. Models exploring both direct and interactive effects were constructed. Results The results suggest that marital and family status play a role in influencing issue attitudes and that views on the purpose of marriage moderate the influence of conservative ideological and religious value predispositions on support for same-sex marriage, legal unions, and gay and lesbian couples raising children. Conclusions Implications of the findings and the changing demographics of marriage and family are discussed.
Recent Publications in Natural History

Principal Review: Jia, Lanpo. Early man in China. Principal Review: Chinese Academy of Sciences. Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology. Atlas of primitive man in China.
Study of a family with a variant M antigen.

. Anti-M antibody was found in the serum of a 64-year-old woman during a routine pre-operative screen. Her red cell type was MN but the antibody was shown not to be an autoantibody. Blood tests were run on other members of her family, and it was found that her sister's red cells, also type MN, were not agglutinated by the patient's IgM antibody. Chemical studies are reported on the red cell surface glycoproteins of the patient and 2 family members. This red cell variant is compared with previous reports of Ma and is believed to be a further example of this blood type.
Systematic composition of objects in distributed Internet applications: processes and sessions

Considers a system with an infrastructure for the creation and interconnection of large numbers of distributed persistent objects. This system is exemplified by the Internet: potentially, every appliance and document on the Internet has both a persistent state and the ability to interact with large numbers of other appliances and documents on the Internet. This peeper elucidates the characteristics of such a system and proposes the compositional requirements of its corresponding infrastructure. We explore the problems of specifying, composing, reasoning about and implementing applications in such a system. A specific concern of our research is developing the infrastructure to support the structuring of distributed applications by using sequential, choice and parallel composition in an anarchic environment where application compositions may be unforeseeable, and interactions may be unknown prior to actually occurring. The structuring concepts discussed are relevant to a wide range of distributed applications; our implementation is illustrated with collaborative Java processes interacting over the Internet, but the methodology provided can be applied independent of specific platforms.
Textbook Writing: A Form of Professional Development

Health educators have an ethical obligation to participate in professional development. Such professional development can take many different forms including writing textbooks. This article provides a rationale why textbook writing is professional development, why professionals might take on the task of writing a textbook, how the process evolves, and how professionals who are not quite ready to write a book can prepare to do so in the future.
Arc fault risk assessment and degradation model development for photovoltaic connectors

This work investigates balance of systems (BOS) connector reliability from the perspective of arc fault risk. Accelerated tests were performed on connectors for future development of a reliability model. Thousands of hours of damp heat and atmospheric corrosion tests found BOS connectors to be resilient to corrosion-related degradation. A procedure was also developed to evaluate new and aged connectors for arc fault risk. The measurements show that arc fault risk is dependent on a combination of materials composition as well as design geometry. Thermal measurements as well as optical emission spectroscopy were also performed to further characterize the arc plasma. Together, the degradation model, arc fault risk assessment technique, and characterization methods can provide operators of photovoltaic installations information necessary to develop a data-driven plan for BOS connector maintenance as well as identify opportunities for arc fault prognostics.
A datum point for estimating the adsorbed water in hydrated portland cement

In order that it may be possible to differentiate between adsorbed water and water chemically bound in hydrated Portland cement, a study was conducted of the dimensional-change sorption characteristics at low relative vapour pressures. By use of compacts of bottle-hydrated cement fabricated at loads between 5000 and 65, 000 lb., equilibrium as well as dynamic values were obtained for dimensional change and moisture change relationships below 20% R.H. The apparatus enabled experiments to be performed in high vacuum. For the first rewetting and second drying it was found that for equilibrium points from 7.2 to 17-6 and 17-7 to 7-9% R.H. the plots of ( Δl/l) vs (ΔW/W) were both linear. After degassing the specimens beyond 7.9% R.H., the dynamic points continued along the straight line traced out by the equilibrium points in the plot mentioned and a sharp transition point was obtained. The vapour pressure in the region of this transition point, referred to as datum point, was less than 10 μ. Further degassing produced another linear region. It was concluded with supporting evidence from work on other porous materials that the datum point where the transition between the linear portions of the curve occurs, will yield a good estimate of the true value for adsorbed water and will thus approximate to the point for zero adsorbed water; it will also separate the processes of desorption and dehydration. This establishes therefore a method for determining the adsorbed water in hydrated cement. The results obtained from the compacts of bottle-hydrated cement indicate that by this method the surface area, as calculated from the B.E.T. theory, will be considerably lower than that obtained from the high value for the evaporable water (determined by the method of Copeland & Hayes).
Electron acceleration by a linearly polarized laser pulse in the presence of a pulsed intense axial magnetic field in vacuum

Acceleration of electrons by a short intense linearly polarized laser pulse in the presence of a pulsed intense axial magnetic field has been studied. The electrons are injected in the direction of laser propagation. Resonance occurs between the electrons and the electric field of the laser pulse for an optimum value of the magnetic field, and the electrons are accelerated to high energy. The value of the optimum magnetic field decreases with initial electron energy. Most of the energy gain is in the longitudinal direction. The acceleration gradient increases with laser intensity.
37.—The Thermodynamic Description of the CO2 System in Sea Water: Development and Current Status.

Two thermodynamic schemes have been developed to describe the CO2 system in sea water. The ‘pure’ treatment is based on the theory of dilute solutions and is general. The ‘pseudo’ treatment uses ‘stoichiometric’ constants related to the acidity constants of Bronsted (1928). It is empirical and specific to the medium in which the measurements are made. The pure thermodynamic treatment developed from the early attempts to characterise the various equilibria involving CO2, carbonic acid and its anions and was much influenced by the work of biochemists and physiologists on the blood plasma system. These attempts were initiated before the concepts of complete dissociation or of activities were developed. The subsequent application of these concepts was immediate and fruitful. By 1927, especially as a result of the work of Warburg and of Hastings and Sendroy, a consistent scheme had been developed for the NaCl—NaHCO3—Na2CO3 system. This work had also been extended to phosphate, citrate and blood plasma solutions and the discrepancies between the apparent activity coefficients discussed and tentatively ascribed to complex formation.Johnston and co-workers developed the thermodynamic treatment of the carbonate system in natural waters and by 1920 understood the relation between ΣCO2, alkalinity and carbonate solubility and had identified and solved the major analytical difficulties.The discovery of the interference due to complexing prompted various workers to determine empirical 'apparent' or stoichiometric constants. These are derived from the experimental data by assuming that a function analogous to the pure constant, but defined in terms of total species concentrations rather than activities, will behave like the pure constant over the temperature, salinity and pressure range of interest and will not vary with the concentration of any of the species it describes. Starting with the work of Moberg and Buch in the early 1930s, a complete scheme has been developed based on this treatment. The apparent constants for carbonic and boric acids in sea water are now known with sufficient accuracy to allow detailed study of the effect of water chemistry on the formation and dissolution of carbonates under any oceanic conditions.
A Nanoparticle Doped Micro-Geiger Counter for Multispecies Radiation Detection

This paper reports on a multichannel radiation detection platform enabled with nanoparticles that is capable of detecting and discriminating all types of radiation emitted from fissionable bomb making materials. Typical Geiger counters are limited to detecting only beta and gamma radiation. The micro-Geiger counter reported here detects all species of radiation including beta particles, gamma/X rays, alpha particles, and neutrons. The multispecies detecting micro-Geiger counter contains a hermetically sealed and electrically biased fill gas. Impinging radiation interacts with tailored nanoparticles to release secondary charged particles that ionize the fill gas. The ionized particles collect on respectively biased electrodes resulting in a characteristic electrical pulse. Pulse height spectroscopy and radiation energy binning techniques can then be used to analyze the pulses to determine the specific radiation isotope. The ideal voltage range of operation for energy discrimination was found to be in the proportional region at 1000 Vdc. In this region, specific pulse heights for different radiation species resulted. The amplification region strength which determines the device sensitivity to radiation energy can be tuned with the electrode separation distance. An electrode separation of 0.8 mm produced a count rate of 530 cpm for a 90Sr beta source when compared to an off-the-shelf Geiger counter which produced 1500 cpm. Count rates as high as 15 300 were observed for the same radiation source with electrodes spaced closer than 0.5 mm. By using a novel microinjection ceramic molding and silver paste metallizing process, the batch fabrication of essentially disposable devices can be achieved.
Vector host-feeding preferences drive transmission of multi-host pathogens: West Nile virus as a model system

Seasonal epizootics of vector-borne pathogens infecting multiple species are ecologically complex and difficult to forecast. Pathogen transmission potential within the host community is determined by the relative abilities of host species to maintain and transmit the pathogen and by ecological factors influencing contact rates between hosts and vectors. Increasing evidence of strong feeding preferences by a number of vectors suggests that the host community experienced by the pathogen may be very different from the local host community. We developed an empirically informed transmission model for West Nile virus (WNV) in four sites using one vector species (Culex pipiens) and preferred and non-preferred avian hosts. We measured strong feeding preferences for American robins (Turdus migratorius) by Cx. pipiens, quantified as the proportion of Cx. pipiens blood meals from robins in relation to their abundance (feeding index). The model accurately predicted WNV prevalence in Cx. pipiens at three of four sites. Sensitivity analysis revealed feeding preference was the most influential parameter on intensity and timing of peak WNV infection in Cx. pipiens and a threshold feeding index for transmission was identified. Our findings indicate host preference-induced contact heterogeneity is a key mediator of vector-borne pathogen epizootics in multi-species host communities, and should be incorporated into multi-host transmission models.
Pharmaceutical induction of ApoE secretion by multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs)

Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is a molecular scavenger in the blood and brain. Aberrant function of the molecule causes formation of protein and lipid deposits or "plaques" that characterize Alzheimer's disease (AD) and atherosclerosis. There are three human isoforms of ApoE designated e2, e3, and e4. Each isoform differentially affects the structure and function of the protein and thus the development of disease. Homozygosity for ApoE e4 is associated with atherosclerosis and Alzheimer's disease whereas ApoE e2 and e3 tend to be protective. Furthermore, the e2 form may cause forms of hyperlipoproteinemia. Therefore, introduction of ApoE e3 may be beneficial to patients that are susceptible to or suffering from these diseases. Mesenchymal stem cells or multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are adult progenitor cells found in numerous tissues. They are easily expanded in culture and engraft into host tissues when administered appropriately. Furthermore, MSCs are immunosuppressive and have been reported to engraft as allogeneic transplants. In our previous study, mouse MSCs (mMSCs) were implanted into the brains of ApoE null mice, resulting in production of small amounts of ApoE in the brain and attenuation of cognitive deficits. Therefore human MSCs (hMSCs) are a promising vector for the administration of ApoE e3 in humans. Unlike mMSCs, hMSCs were found not to express ApoE in culture; therefore a molecular screen was performed for compounds that induce expression. PPARγ agonists, neural stem cell conditioned medium, osteo-inductive media, dexamethasone, and adipo-inductive media (AIM) were tested. Of the conditions tested, only AIM or dexamethasone induced sustained secretion of ApoE in MSCs and the duration of secretion was only limited by the length of time MSCs could be sustained in culture. Upon withdrawal of the inductive stimuli, the ApoE secretion persisted for a further 14 days. The data demonstrated that pre-treatment and perhaps co-administration of MSCs homozygous for ApoE e3 and dexamethasone may represent a novel therapy for severe instances of AD, atherosclerosis and other ApoE-related diseases.
Thioridazine Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Parameters “Wobble” during Treatment of Tuberculosis: a Theoretical Basis for Shorter-Duration Curative Monotherapy with Congeners

Phenothiazines are being repurposed for treatment of tuberculosis. We examined time-kill curves of thioridazine and first-line drugs against log-growth-phase and semidormant bacilli under acidic conditions and nonreplicating persistent Mycobacterium tuberculosis. While both the potency and the efficacy of first-line drugs declined dramatically as M. tuberculosis replication rates decreased, those of thioridazine improved. The mutation prevalence to 3 times the thioridazine MIC was <1 × 10(-11), better than for ≥2 first-line drugs combined. Hollow fiber system studies revealed that the relationship between sterilizing effect and pharmacodynamic indices (PDI) was characterized by an r(2) of 0.88 for peak/MIC, an r(2) of 0.47 for the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) to MIC, and an r(2) of 0.14 for the cumulative percentage of a 24-h period that the drug concentration exceeds the MIC under steady-state pharmacokinetic conditions (%TMIC) at the end of the first week. However, the PDI linked to effect "wobbled" as the duration of therapy increased, so that by the fourth week the r(2) was 0.88 for AUC/MIC, 0.78 for %TMIC, and 0.72 for peak/MIC. This "wobble" has implications on general pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic theory, whereby efficacy is linked to only one of the three PDIs in deterministic models. The potency changed 8.9-fold from the first to the fourth weeks. The non-protein-bound AUC/MIC associated with maximal kill at the end of therapy was 50.53 (protein binding = 99.5%). This thioridazine exposure was calculated to extinguish all three M. tuberculosis metabolic populations in human lungs in only 42.9 days of monotherapy. However, this concentration exceeds the 2- to 8-mg/liter thioridazine concentration in serum known to be lethal to humans. Therefore, the way forward for phenothiazine monotherapy that also reduces therapy duration is via synthesis of less toxic congeners.
The consequences of unbundling managers' voting rights and equity claims

Abstract Managers typically increase their voting power following the creation of two classes of common stock and the adoption of an employee stock ownership plan. These changes can worsen managers' incentives and lead to a decline in performance. Alternatively, two classes of stock and ESOPs can allow managers to adopt value-maximizing policies that would not be possible in the face of takeover pressure. We find that these events are followed by below normal operating income. However, we find no reliable evidence that the increase in managers' voting power and the resulting divergence between managers' voting power and ownership of equity claims is related to subsequent operating performance.
Breaking the addictive cycle of the system: improving US criminal justice practices to address substance use disorders.

Purpose – Recent political commentary in the USA has suggested that there is great potential for current criminal justice practices designed for drug-involved offenders to be significantly overhauled in the near future. It is imperative to plan for these changes by assessing how well current programs serve drug-involved criminal justice populations. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – This critical assessment begins with an overview of the most recent research on the prevalence and impact that substance use disorders have within the criminal justice system. Although the evidence demonstrates that relying on incarceration as a crime control method for drug-involved offenders has many shortcomings, there are innovative new programs being adopted across the country. Two of these promising programs are discussed, as well as the potential results that could be realized from integrating medication assisted treatment into appropriate criminal justice programs designed for drug-i...
Conditioning of Addiction

Drugs of abuse are initially ingested for their euphorigenic properties. However, by means of classical conditioning, repeated drug-taking behavior results in significant association of these euphorigenic effects with environmental factors such as drug paraphernalia, the location of drug self-administration, and other olfactory, auditory, and visual stimuli. In turn, these drug-associated environmental factors or “cues” themselves become motivational factors that contribute to continued drug use, and also become triggers for relapse. In this chapter, we will discuss various animal models for studying the neurobiological basis of conditioning in the context of drug addiction, followed by a summary of findings from the animal literature on the neural substrates of drug conditioning. In addition, we will review findings from human imaging studies that have revealed specific neural circuits that mediate the processing of information related to drug-associated cues. Finally, behavioral and pharmacological therapies that are designed to facilitate the extinction of drug conditioning and attenuate cue-evoked drug craving and relapse will be discussed.
Aid and Democratization in the Transition Economies

SUMMARY Past studies have not been supportive of the ability for foreign aid to create increased development and market liberalization. Less attention has been devoted to investigating the role aid has played in fostering democratic institutions. For a sample of 26 nations in Eastern Europe and former Soviet republics, I find more aid per capita is strongly associated with democratic reforms, but less robust is the relationship for aid as a percentage of gross national income. When analyzing various types of democratic freedoms, it appears both measures of aid improve the categories of judicial framework and governance, and aid per capita is also positively correlated with improvements in civil society and electoral process, but aid does not lead to more media independence.
Platform switching of implants may decrease bone loss.

PubMed/Medline, Web of Science and the Cochrane Oral Health Group Trials Register, clinicaltrials.gov, www.centerwatch.com/clinical-trials , www.clinicalconnection.com supplemented by a manual search of dental implants-related journals. Clinical studies, either randomised or not, comparing implant failure rates, marginal bone level (MBL) and/or postoperative infection in any group of patients receiving platform-switched implants or platform-matched implants were considered. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS).Only randomised clinical trials (RCTs) were considered for meta-analysis. Implant failure and postoperative infection were the dichotomous outcomes measures evaluated. Weighted mean differences were used for MBL. Twenty-eight studies (18 RCTs, six CCTs and four retrospective analyses) were included. Twenty-six studies were considered to be of high quality. Twelve hundred and sixteen platform-switched implants were included with 16 failures (1.32%) and 1157 platform-matched implants and 13 failures (1.12%). Twenty studies had no implant failures. In a meta-analysis for the outcome MBL (18-RCTs) there was less MBL loss at implants with platform-switching than at implants with platform-matching (mean difference -0.29, 95% CI −0.38 to −0.19; P<0.00001) The results of the present study suggest that there is a significantly less MBL loss at implants with platform-switching than on implants with platform-matching. The results of the present review should be interpreted with caution due to the presence of uncontrolled confounding factors in the included studies, most of them with short follow-up periods.
Examining the Effectiveness of Climate Change Frames in the Face of a Climate Change Denial Counter‐Frame

Prior research on the influence of various ways of framing anthropogenic climate change (ACC) do not account for the organized ACC denial in the U.S. media and popular culture, and thus may overestimate these frames' influence in the general public. We conducted an experiment to examine how Americans' ACC views are influenced by four promising frames for urging action on ACC (economic opportunity, national security, Christian stewardship, and public health)-when these frames appear with an ACC denial counter-frame. This is the first direct test of how exposure to an ACC denial message influences Americans' ACC views. Overall, these four positive frames have little to no effect on ACC beliefs. But exposure to an ACC denial counter-frame does significantly reduce respondents' belief in the reality of ACC, belief about the veracity of climate science, awareness of the consequences of ACC, and support for aggressively attempting to reduce our nation's GHG emissions in the near future. Furthermore, as expected by the Anti-Reflexivity Thesis, exposure to the ACC denial counter-frame has a disproportionate influence on the ACC views of conservatives (than on those of moderates and liberals), effectively activating conservatives' underlying propensity for anti-reflexivity.
Monetary Policy Pass-Through: Household Consumption and Voluntary Deleveraging

Do households bene…t from expansionary monetary policy? We investigate how indebted households'consumption and saving decisions are aected by anticipated changes in monthly interest payments. We focus on borrowers with adjustable rate mortgages originated between 2005 and 2007 featuring an automatic reset of the interest rate after …ve years. The monthly payment due from the average borrower falls by 52 percent ($900) upon reset, resulting in an increase in disposable income totaling tens of thousands of dollars over the remaining life of the mortgage. We uncover three patterns. First, the average household increases monthly car purchases by 40 percent ($150) upon reset. Second, this expansionary eect is attenuated by the borrowers'voluntary deleveraging, as a signi…cant fraction of the increased income is deployed to accelerate debt repayment. Third, the marginal propensity to consume is signi…cantly higher for low income and underwater borrowers. To complement these household-level …ndings, we employ county-level data to provide evidence that consumption responded more to a reduction in short-term interest rates in counties with a larger fraction of adjustable rate mortgage debt. Our results shed light on the income channel of monetary policy as well as the role of debt rigidity in reducing the eectiveness of monetary policy.
Functional connectivity of brain regions for self‐ and other‐evaluation in children, adolescents and adults with autism

Developing strong ties between oneself and others lays the foundation for developing social competence. Neuroimaging studies have consistently identified specific cortical midline regions activated during evaluative judgments about the self and others. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) process self-relevant information differently from their peers, both behaviorally and at the neural level. We compared resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of regions involved in self-referential (e.g. medial prefrontal cortex; mPFC) and other-referential (e.g. posterior cingulate cortex; PCC) processing between neurotypical individuals and individuals with ASD in three age cohorts using regions of interest (ROIs) identified through an activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis. Typically developing children demonstrated greater connectivity within the midline self- and other-referential networks compared with age-matched children with ASD. No group differences in rsFC of mPFC or PCC emerged between typically developing adolescents and adolescents with ASD. Neurotypical adults exhibited stronger rsFC of the PCC with orbitofrontal cortex compared with adults with ASD. Developmental differences in functional connectivity between areas underlying self- and other-referential thought may explain altered developmental trajectories in the understanding of self and others in individuals with ASD.
Sirtuin 1 Stimulation Attenuates Ischemic Liver Injury and Enhances Mitochondrial Recovery and Autophagy.

Objectives:Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion is a major clinical problem with limited treatment options. The pathophysiology of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion is characterized by mitochondrial dysfunction and cellular energy deficits. Sirtuin 1 is an energy-sensing enzyme known to modulate mitochondrial bi
Tubular epithelial-myofibroblast transdifferentiation mechanisms in proximal tubule cells.

Purpose of reviewEmerging evidence suggests that tubular epithelial-myofibroblast transdifferentiation is an important event in renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis. This review describes the recent findings in the context of the tubular epithelial-myofibroblast transdifferentiation process and discuss
An Examination of Ramiro de Maeztu

A proper evaluation of the work of Ramiro de Maeztu at this point is hampered primarily by two factors: an almost frenetic admiration on the part of those who exalt him as a martyr to the cause of Falangism, and the emotional charge implicit in the mantle of oblivion thrown over his memory by those who consider him a lost leader and turncoat. Recently an entire issue of a review published in Madrid was dedicated to apotheosizing the writer who was executed in 1936 during the Spanish Civil War; throughout the four hundred pages comprising the issue it would be impossible to glean a single word of refutation, a single adverse critique of Maeztu's thought. In another issue of the same review, Dionisio Gamallo Fierros announces that 13,000 articles written by Maeztu would be collected in an Obras Completas of 76 volumes. Such a project, we are forced to conjecture, would put far too much emphasis upon much that is topical, hasty, and obsolete in journalistic work covering a span of almost forty years. Yet it is undeniable that Maeztu's spiritual and ideological evolution is one of the most dramatic and characteristic of our times. Although we cannot place him among those who worshipped and later turned away from “The God that Failed,” he is a true enfant du siecle in so far as we can trace the metamorphosis of his enthusiasms from the cause of liberalism and progressivism to a denial of the validity of these attitudes in favor of reaction, tradition, obedience, hierarchy, and clericalism. It is tempting—and perhaps even justifiable —to allow an objective consideration of Maeztu's contributions to literature and thought to be influenced by a natural aversion for his later anti-Semitism, his approval of the Japanese invasion of Manchuria, his admiration of Hitler and Mussolini, his dire predictions of the collapse of democratic Europe and America. But perhaps for that very reason we should focus our attention on the phenomenon of yet another man whose enlightenment provided no inoculation against forces of darkness, whose disappointment with the cult of progress led him to wish ardently for the suppression of even the best aspects of modernity, whose religion crowded out all tolerance and left room only for submission. Furthermore, we cannot dispute the fact that Maeztu was sincerely convinced he had found the right formula for the salvation of mankind, that his convictions were rooted in religious faith and the ardent belief that not only Spain and Hispanic America, but all of humanity, could be saved if the lessons of his country's history were correctly interpreted. Lastly, we must concede that Maeztu's voice was raised in denunciation of Communism, that he warned his readers that the materialism of an over-materialistic age would atomize and dehumanize a society bereft of absolute values.
Precision Metrology and Many-body Quantum Physics

The Sr optical clock has achieved measurement precision of 1 x 10-17 at <1000 s. This unprecedented spectroscopic capability helps characterize collision-related systematic effect below 1 x 10-18, while enabling exploration of many-body quantum dynamics.
Phase Transformations in Multilayered CVD Mullite Coatings

Mullite (3Al 2 O 3 .2SiO 2 ) is an ideal candidate for coatings on SiC due to its toughness, corrosion resistance and coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) match. We have deposited alternating layers of Al 2 O 3 and SiO 2 followed by post deposition heat treatment to induce mullite formation at the interface. We found that the devitrification of silica to cristobalite led to spallation of the multilayered coatings due to the fracture within the crystalline silica layers. To understand this transformation better, we studied the effect of pressure and temperature on devitrification of silica in both bulk and in coating form. We have demonstrated that the difference in specific volumes of the two phases plays a key role in the vitreous to crystalline transformation in silica.
Using syntagmatic relations to examine semantic communities in user generated book reviews

While several studies have suggested that implicit semantic communities can be identified within user generated content, the majority have focused on identifying these communities via networks of "tags" within folksonomies. This method can be problematic due to the lack of linguistic context inherent in tags as collections of discrete terms. This study attempted a different approach to this problem by analyzing a corpus of user generated reviews for popular science books taken from Amazon. It searched the reviews for patterns of shared core semantic meanings as constituted by syntagmatic relations between "topic" and "comment." Preliminary results showed that (1) core semantic meanings expressed via "topic" and "comment" relations were salient across reviews for a given book and across books within the genre and (2) specific patterns of core semantic meanings suggested the presence of different user communities constituted through similar manners of commenting on the books. The results provide insight into the social ways that readers accumulate shared meaning around books through repetition, interpretation, annotation.
Genomic Analysis Through High-Throughput Sequencing

In the last decade there has been an explosion in the development of new technologies for high-throughput DNA sequencing, which has led to the sharp decline of associated costs. This has allowed scientists to develop a multitude of methodologies to study, on a global scale, the genomes and transcriptomes of human cells. In this chapter the major technologies are reviewed along with the applications of high-throughput sequencing in the study of human disease in terms of non-genic DNA and RNA elements.
Kinetics of Copper-PTSM in Isolated Hearts: A Novel Tracer for Measuring Blood Flow with Positron Emission Tomography

Copper(II) pyruvaldehyde bis(N4-methylthiosemicarbazone) ([Cu]PTSM) has shown potential as a flow tracer and can be labeled with the generator-produced positron emitting radionuclide 62Cu as well as with other copper radioisotopes. To define the myocardial handling of [Cu]PTSM, the externally detected single pass extraction and retention of [67Cu]PTSM was characterized after bolus administration in 12 isolated rabbit hearts perfused with erythrocyte-enriched modified Krebs-Henseleit buffer which permitted physiologic flow rates. The myocardial residual (extraction) fraction at control flow rates (approximately 1.5 ml/g/min) was 45 +/- 7(s.d.)% (n = 12), and was invariate with ischemia (flow = 0.15 ml/g/min, n = 4), hyperemia (flow = 3 ml/g/min, n = 4) or with hypoxia induced by perfusion at control flow rates with hypoxic buffer (n = 4) (residual fraction 45 +/- 20, 43 +/- 8, and 49 +/- 8%, respectively, p = N.S.). Once extracted, the tracer was retained with a biologic t1/2 of greater than 3600 min in all groups. The high single-pass extraction, which is not influenced by flow, and the prolonged retention of this tracer under diverse conditions indicate that [Cu]PTSM could be a useful tracer for measuring blood flow with positron emission tomography.
Rethinking Shiloh: Myth and Memory/Milliken's Bend: A Civil War Battle in History and Memory

Review of: "Rethinking Shiloh: Myth and Memory," by Timothy B. Smith and "Milliken’s Bend: A Civil War Battle in History and Memory," by Linda Barnickel.
K-DBSCAN: Identifying Spatial Clusters with Differing Density Levels

Spatial clustering is a very important tool in the analysis of spatial data. In this paper, we propose a novel density based spatial clustering algorithm called K-DBSCAN with the main focus of identifying clusters of points with similar spatial density. This contrasts with many other approaches, whose main focus is spatial contiguity. The strength of K-DBSCAN lies in finding arbitrary shaped clusters in variable density regions. Moreover, it can also discover clusters with overlapping spatial regions, but differing density levels. The goal is to differentiate the most dense regions from lower density regions, with spatial contiguity as the secondary goal. The original DBSCAN fails to discover the clusters with variable density and overlapping regions. OPTICS and Shared Nearest Neighbour (SNN) algorithms have the capabilities of clustering variable density datasets but they have their own limitations. Both fail to detect overlapping clusters. Also, while handling varying density, both of the algorithms merge points from different density levels. K-DBSCAN has two phases: first, it divides all data objects into different density levels to identify the different natural densities present in the dataset, then it extracts the clusters using a modified version of DBSCAN. Experimental results on both synthetic data and a real-world spatial dataset demonstrate the effectiveness of our clustering algorithm.