cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Human Grasp Prediction and Analysis

Given that one of the critical motivations for using virtual humans is to simulate the interaction between humans and products, and given that using one’s hands are a primary means for interaction, then simulating human hands is arguably one of the most important elements of digital human modeling (DHM). Consequently, there is much research and development in this area, ranging from basic model development to detailed simulations of specific joints and tendons. However, when considering hand simulation and analysis within the context of a complete high-level DHM, the culmination of hand-related capabilities is grasping prediction. Thus, the focus of this chapter is on postural simulation and analysis capabilities of the overall hand as a component of a complete high-level DHM, with an eye toward grasping prediction. Within this context, the fundamental necessary elements one must consider when modeling the hand are highlighted. The intent is to provide general guidelines for creating computational models of hands and to present novel modeling and simulation techniques.
Exposure to suicide is associated with increased risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors among National Guard military personnel.

Abstract Background Research suggests that individuals who know someone who died by suicide are at increased risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and recent suicidal thoughts. Studies have not yet investigated the association of suicide exposure with suicide attempts, however, especially among high-risk subgroups of military personnel such as the National Guard. Procedures An anonymous online survey was completed by 971 military personnel assigned to the National Guard in Utah and Idaho. Weighted analyses were conducted to ensure demographic matching to the full population. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to test the association of suicide exposure with psychiatric condition, suicide ideation, and suicide attempts. Main findings 65.4% of National Guard personnel reported knowing someone who had died by suicide. On average, participants knew 3.0 (SD = 2.0) suicide decedents. Total number of known suicide decedents was associated with significantly increased risk for PTSD (OR = 1.18, p = .008), depression (OR = 1.19, p = .003), and suicide ideation (OR = 2.48, p Conclusions Suicide exposure is common among National Guard personnel, and is associated with increased risk for PTSD, depression, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Risk is highest for those personnel who know multiple suicide decedents and were closer to the suicide decedent.
Environmental adaptation in an asexual invasive insect

Parthenogenetic reproduction is generally associated with low genetic variance and therefore reduced ability for environmental adaptation, and this could limit the potential invasiveness of introduced species that reproduce asexually. However, the hemlock woolly adelgid is an asexual invasive insect that has spread across a large geographic temperature gradient in its introduced range. Consequently, this insect has shown significant variation in cold hardiness among populations. We hypothesized that the increased cold hardiness of northern populations represents an adaptation to the colder temperatures. To test this, we collected individual adelgid from populations spanning their invaded range and inoculated them into a common thermal environment. We then experimentally sampled the supercooling point of the progeny of these adelgids and compared these results with tests of the supercooling point of adelgid sampled directly from their source populations. The results showed that the same significant differences in supercooling that was found among geographically distinct populations existed even when the adelgid was reared in a common environment, indicating a genetic basis for the variation in cold hardiness. These findings support the hypothesis that the adelgid has adapted to the colder environment as it has expanded its distribution in its invaded range.
Investigation of effective impact parameters in electron–ion temperature relaxation via Particle–Particle Coulombic molecular dynamics

Abstract Aiming at a high simulation accuracy, a Particle–Particle (PP) Coulombic molecular dynamics model is implemented to study the electron–ion temperature relaxation. In this model, the Coulomb's law is directly applied in a bounded system with two cutoffs at both short and long length scales. By increasing the range between the two cutoffs, it is found that the relaxation rate deviates from the BPS theory and approaches the LS theory and the GMS theory. Also, the effective minimum and maximum impact parameters ( b m i n ⁎ and b m a x ⁎ ) are obtained. For the simulated plasma condition, b m i n ⁎ is about 6.352 times smaller than the Landau length ( b C ), and b m a x ⁎ is about 2 times larger than the Debye length ( λ D ), where b C and λ D are used in the LS theory. Surprisingly, the effective relaxation time obtained from the PP model is very close to the LS theory and the GMS theory, even though the effective Coulomb logarithm is two times greater than the one used in the LS theory. Besides, this work shows that the PP model (commonly known as computationally expensive) is becoming practicable via GPU parallel computing techniques.
The importance of symbolic and engaged participation in evidence-based quality improvement in a complex integrated healthcare system: response to “The science of stakeholder engagement in research”

In this commentary, we respond to the commentary provided by Goodman and Sanders Thompson regarding our paper on multilevel stakeholder engagement in a VA implementation trial of evidence-based quality improvement (EBQI) in women’s health primary care. We clarify our overall approach to engagement (comprised of both symbolic and engaged participation, according to the authors’ classification rubric), highlighting that symbolic participation is of more import and value than the authors suggest, especially in the context of a hierarchical healthcare system. We contend that the issue of power—and how power matters in stakeholder engagement—needs to be considered in this context rather than in global “community” terms. In response to the authors’ call for greater detail, we clarify our planning processes as well as our approach to veteran engagement. We concur with Goodman and Sanders Thompson that the science of stakeholder engagement necessitates a broader understanding of best practices as well as the impact of engagement on implementation outcomes.
Is Kawasaki disease an infectious disorder

Although the etiology of Kawasaki disease (KD) is largely unknown, a large body of clinical, epidemiologic, immunologic, pathologic and ultrastructural evidence suggests that an infectious agent triggers a cascade that causes the illness. However, this elusive infectious agent remains unidentified at present. Increasingly sensitive molecular methods for identifying microbial nucleic acids and proteins in tissue samples continue to rapidly emerge, and these methods should be utilized in studies on KD etiology as they become available. Identifying the etiology of this enigmatic disease remains the single most important research goal in the field, and accomplishing this goal is the best means to improve diagnosis, treatment and prevention of this potentially fatal childhood disease.
Nationwide Survey of 60Co Teletherapy Dosimetry.

The National Bureau of Standards is performing a study of the ability of radiation-therapy departments to deliver prescribed absorbed doses of /sup 60/Co gamma radiation to a water phantom. Batches of thermoluminescence dosimeters are mailed to participating therapy departments for irradiation under prescribed conditions. Upon return of the dosimeters, the participants' computations are checked and the absorbed dose is evaluated from dosimeter response. The rugged dosimetry system was assembled mainly from commercial components adapted to the present requirements of relatively high flexibility of readout parameters and data-handling techniques, and of relatively high accuracy. The uncertainty in the dose interpretation inherent in the system is estimated to be about 4 percent. In order to illustrate the type of information that can be obtained from such a study, results of the first four mailings involving tests of 114 /sup 60/Co gamma-ray beams are discussed. They show about 75 percent of the dose interpretations to be within 5 percent of the prescribed absorbed dose, and about 20 percent to be within 5 to 10 percent of this dose. Four dose interpretations showed discrepancies larger than 20 percent. Differences in the computations larger than 1 percent were observed in over one-half of the cases.
The role of foreign language anxiety on L2 utterance fluency during a final exam

This study examines how foreign language anxiety (FLA) and proficiency relate to second language (L2) utterance fluency during a final oral exam. Thirty-eight learners of Spanish (L1 English) compl...
Explicit Approximate Methods for Computational Control Theory

Although the mathematical area of control theory is well-developed and broad, relatively few tools exist which make possible the explicit expression, ease of approximation, and ease of manipulation of the approximate solutions. Well known among the tools in existence are initial value methods for solving differential equations, splines and Fourier polynomials. The present paper does not concern itself with these well-known procedures. Instead, we derive a family of new formulas for approximating functions in control theory, using exponentials and rationals as bases.
Melatonin as the Hormone Which Mediates the Effects of the Pineal Gland on Neuroendocrine-Reproductive Axis of the Syrian Hamster

Melatonin is the most widely investigated pineal compound. Since its discovery in 1958 by Lerner and colleagues, it has been the subject of numerous biochemical and physiological investigations. Its synthesis within the pineal gland has been extensively studied and a great deal is known of the factors which control its production (Smith, 1981). Although its effects on the endocrine system have been investigated in many different experimental paradigms (Cardinali, 1981), its sites of action and mechanisms remain obscure. Despite its prominence in the scientific literature, its specific role as a hormonal envoy of the pineal gland continues to be questioned (Brown et al., 1981a; Pevet et al., 1981a). If not melatonin, the hormonal product of the pineal could prove to be another indole (Reiter and Vaughan, 1977), a polypeptide (Benson, 1977; Benson et al., 1981), or another compound (Ebels, 1979). The following paragraphs summarize what is known of synthesis and physilogical actions of melatonin. The actions of the indole are extremely complex and, at times, appear to be contradictory. Many of these apparent contradictions can be explained by what has come to be known as the down-regulation hypothesis. Since many of the studies have dealt with the actions of melatonin on reproduction in the Syrian hamster, these are data that will be considered in greatest depth herein.
Commuter Exposure Modeling Part II: Emissions and Dispersion Modules and Generation of Exposure Statistics

Abstract A model methodology has been designed to compute commuter exposure statistics through simulation of the traffic, vehicular emissions, and atmospheric dispersion of roadway-related air pollutants. A detailed description of the emissions and dispersion elements of the commuter exposure modeling methodology and a discussion of the results generated by the model are presented in this paper; the traffic element of the methodology is discussed in a companion paper. The commuter exposure model's emissions module incorporates two emissions methodologies: a treatment based on average route speed, and one that considers the effects of driving mode changes. Dispersion of pathway emissions is simulated by two separate dispersion treatments, while dispersion from nonpathway sources is computed with the simple Hanna-Gifford model. The model produces a number of statistics describing annual average or short-term worst-case exposure.
1.4 Geomorphology and Nineteenth-Century Explorations of the American West

This chapter traces the nature of geomorphic contributions made during the nineteenth-century overland expeditions to learn more about the American West. Compared with the late eighteenth-century Escalante expedition, Lewis and Clark (1804–06) integrated geomorphic observations over larger spatial scales and also made some local-scale measurements. The history of nineteenth century geomorphic thought relevant to late Pleistocene Lake Bonneville illustrates how subsequent explorations undertaken: (1) for fur-trapping interests (1820s–30s); (2) by army topographic engineers (1840s–50s); and (3) during post-Civil War geographical and geological scientific surveys, culminating in the work of G.K. Gilbert, augmented and refined geomorphic knowledge and ideas.
Deformità dell’anca nella paralisi cerebrale infantile

Riassunto I bambini con paralisi cerebrale sviluppano deformita scheletriche a livello del cingolo pelvico per le alterazioni delle linee di forza che agiscono sulle ossa in fase di accrescimento. L’eccessiva antiversione femorale, che si presenta con un aumento della rotazione interna e una riduzione dell’extrarotazione dell’anca, puo richiedere una correzione chirurgica, mentre il valgismo nella radiografia dell’anca in proiezione anteroposteriore e di solito sovrastimato. Vengono descritte in dettaglio la programmazione e la tecnica chirurgica dell’osteotomia. La lussazione dell’anca e un’altra deformita frequente, specialmente nei bambini con grave disabilita. Il dolore e l’instabilita che ne derivano possono impedire i progressi nella riabilitazione. La coxa valga e la coxa antitorta sono associate a una deformazione “a canale” dell’acetabolo, che causa la fuoriuscita della testa femorale. La tecnica per la correzione di tale deformita, descritta in questo capitolo, prevede la combinazione di un’osteotomia pelvica e femorale, una riduzione aperta, una capsulorrafia e una trasposizione dell’ileopsoas. Per ottenere una correzione permanente, si consiglia di posticipare ogni intervento di chirurgia ossea, se possibile, all’eta di 8 anni o oltre. Correzioni chirurgiche precoci rischiano di provocare recidive della deformita scheletrica, per le forze anomale che agiscono durante il periodo dell’accrescimento. Una correzione adeguata delle deformita ossee dell’articolazione dell’anca favorisce la riabilitazione del paziente, combinando mobilita e stabilita e alleviando il dolore. Cio consente nel singolo paziente il massimo di progresso possibile, evitando misure distruttive che interferirebbero con la funzionalita.
Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy Through the Prism of Oxidative Stress.

Abstract:The corneal endothelium (CE) is vital for maintaining the water balance and clarity of the cornea. The CE is a cell layer that is particularly susceptible to aging because of its postmitotic arrest, high metabolic activity involving pumping of ions, and lifelong exposure to ultraviolet ligh
Supreme Court Review (1960–2009): A Bibliometrical Study

AbstractSupreme Court Review is a faculty-edited legal periodical published by the University of Chicago Law School. This periodical is a highly read and cited law review in law, history, and political science. This article applies bibliometrics to a study of the 438 articles that are published in the periodical over a 50-year period. It is analysis of the number of articles by volume, pages, footnotes, authorship by sex, by individual, by institution, and most-cited articles.
Determining the scales of collective entrainment in collision-driven bed load

Abstract. Fluvial bed-load transport is notoriously unpredictable, especially near the threshold of motion where stochastic fluctuations in sediment flux are large. Laboratory and field observations suggest that particles are entrained collectively, but this behavior is not well resolved. Collective entrainment introduces new length scales and timescales of correlation into probabilistic formulations of bed-load flux. We perform a series of experiments to directly quantify spatially clustered movement of particles (i.e., collective motion), using a steep-slope 2-D flume in which centimeter-scale marbles are fed at varying rates into a shallow and turbulent water flow. We observe that entrainment results exclusively from particle collisions and is generally collective, while particles deposit independently of each other. The size distribution of collective motion events is roughly exponential and constant across sediment feed rates. The primary effect of changing feed rate is simply to change the entrainment frequency, although the relation between these two diverges from the expected linear form in the slowly driven limit. The total displacement of all particles entrained in a collision event is proportional to the kinetic energy deposited in the bed by the impactor. The first-order picture that emerges is similar to generic avalanching dynamics in sandpiles: “avalanches” (collective entrainment events) of a characteristic size relax with a characteristic timescale regardless of feed rate, but the frequency of avalanches increases in proportion to the feed rate. The transition from intermittent to continuous bed-load transport then results from the progressive merger of entrainment avalanches with increasing transport rate. As most bed-load transport occurs in the intermittent regime, the length scale of collective entrainment should be considered a fundamental addition to any probabilistic bed-load framework.
Whole knee joint T1 values measured in vivo at 3T by combined 3D ultrashort echo time cones actual flip angle and variable flip angle methods

Author(s): Ma, Ya-Jun; Zhao, Wei; Wan, Lidi; Guo, Tan; Searleman, Adam; Jang, Hyungseok; Chang, Eric Y; Du, Jiang | Abstract: PurposeTo measure T1 relaxations for the major tissues in whole knee joints on a clinical 3T scanner.MethodsThe 3D UTE-Cones actual flip angle imaging (AFI) method was used to map the transmission radiofrequency field (B1 ) in both short and long T2 tissues, which was then used to correct the 3D UTE-Cones variable flip angle (VFA) fitting to generate accurate T1 maps. Numerical simulation was carried out to investigate the accuracy of T1 measurement for a range of T2 values, excitation pulse durations, and B1 errors. Then, the 3D UTE-Cones AFI-VFA method was applied to healthy volunteers (N = 16) to quantify the T1 of knee tissues including cartilage, meniscus, quadriceps tendon, patellar tendon, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), marrow, and muscles at 3T.ResultsNumerical simulation showed that the 3D UTE-Cones AFI-VFA technique can provide accurate T1 measurements (error l1%) when the tissue T2 is longer than 1 ms and a 150 μs excitation RF pulse is used and therefore is suitable for most knee joint tissues. The proposed 3D UTE-Cones AFI-VFA method showed an average T1 of 1098 ± 67 ms for cartilage, 833 ± 47 ms for meniscus, 800 ± 66 ms for quadriceps tendon, 656 ± 43 ms for patellar tendon, 873 ± 38 ms for ACL, 832 ± 49 ms for PCL, 379 ± 18 ms for marrow, and 1393 ± 46 ms for muscles.ConclusionThe 3D UTE-Cones AFI-VFA method allows volumetric T1 measurement of the major tissues in whole knee joints on a clinical 3T scanner.
Stable aqueous foams created with intercalated montmorillonite nanoclay coated by sodium caseinate

Abstract Fabrication of stable aqueous foams is significant to various food and non-food applications. In the present study, we report aqueous foams with a volume maintained for 14 days after whipping suspensions with intercalated montmorillonite (MMT) platelets coated with sodium caseinate (NaCas). Intercalating MMT preheated at 60 °C for 1 h with room temperature NaCas solution resulted in a good extent of intercalated and exfoliated MMT platelets coated with NaCas. The high extent of MMT intercalation and exfoliation may have enabled the formation of relatively uniform and spherical bubbles, mechanically strong films, and a viscoelastic continuous phase, all of which may have helped to stabilize bubbles against various destabilization mechanisms. However, the insufficient MMT intercalation or excessive preheating causing re-aggregation of MMT platelets may have led to less than optimum structures and stabilities of foams. This study contributes to materials-based approaches to form aqueous foams with excellent kinetic stability valuable to various applications.
Predictors of attrition and attendance in a fatherhood education program

Abstract This study examined risk-factors for attrition (drop out) and poor attendance of 1040 fathers enrolled in a five-session fatherhood education program with an emphasis on parenting. Demographic factors (including socioeconomic status), fathers' relationship status, level of relationship conflict, social support, psychological distress, and parenting stress were evaluated for their impact on attrition and attendance. Furthermore, the impact of financial incentives was considered. Results indicated that education, income, age, and relationship conflict were associated with attrition and/or missed sessions. Attrition and attendance did not vary by incentive amount. Implications of these findings for policy and practice are discussed.
La reflexión sobre lo poético en la Academia de Nocturnos (1591-1594): el Discurso en alabanza de la poesía, de Gaspar Aguilar

Between the sixteenth and seventeenth century, the first Spanish general poetic treatises also meant the appearance of an enormous doctrinal corpus of diverse types and formats of texts. Although they were not conceived as normal poetic treatises, some of these texts were interested about the most heated literary reflections and controversies at the moment, to a greater or lesser extent, collaborating in the configuration of the modern Spanish literary theory. These texts ended up being true doctrinal harangues that created authentic intellectual networks. This is the case of the Discurso en alabanza de la poesia, aplicandola al nacimiento, written approximately towards 1591 by Gaspar Aguilar, one of the founders of the Academia de Nocturnos in Valencia.
Health Care Utilization Among Homeless Veterans in Chicago.

Introduction The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the single largest health care system in the United States, provides comprehensive medical and behavioral health services to more than 9 million Veterans. The size and scope of the VA's system of care allow health care providers, policymakers, and community stakeholders to conduct detailed analyses of health care utilization among Veterans; however, these analyses do not include health care encounters that occur outside VA. Although many Veterans obtain care in non-VA settings, understanding health care utilization among vulnerable populations of Veterans, including those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, is needed to identify potential opportunities to enhance access and reduce fragmentation of care. Materials and methods VA administrative data were merged with data from the Chicago HealthLNK Data Repository to identify Veterans eligible for VA services who were homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless, in the greater Chicago metropolitan area for the years 2010-2012. Results During the 3-year study period, about 208,554 Veterans were registered for care at two VA medical centers located in the City of Chicago and an adjacent suburb. Of those, 13,948 were identified as homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Results suggest that 17% (n = 2,309) of Veterans in this sample received some or all of their care in the community. Much of the care these Veterans received was for chronic health conditions, substance use, and mental health disorders. Conclusions Veterans eligible for VA servicers who are homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless, frequently sought care in the community for a variety of chronic health conditions. Health information exchanges and partner-based registries may represent an important tool for identifying vulnerable Veteran populations while reducing duplication of care.
Understanding Municipal Water Use and Data Availability: a Case Study across North Dakota, USA

Tremendous variation exists in how cities, states, countries, and other jurisdictional areas classify water use and consumption. Additionally, water conservation measures have become more common in the past few decades, but little is known about how these conservation measures are implemented across the landscape. The goal of this study is to increase the breadth of knowledge regarding municipal water-use data: retention, storage, availability, and delving into water conservation measures, along with the impact of shale oil extraction on municipal water use in the Bakken region. Two questionnaires were developed and administered to all municipalities in the state of North Dakota, USA with populations greater than 1000 residents, and between 500 and 1000 residents in the Bakken region (total number (n) =59) willing to participate. Results indicate water conservation measures are inconsistent across the landscape, and data categorization at the municipal level is minimal which limits the analysis, interpretations, and projections that can be made from the data. Additionally, the Bakken region is different from the rest of the state in how they acquire water and sell water to other large scale users. Results from this study will aid water use professionals worldwide by providing valuable information on water-use data, access, storage, and impacts of large water users, such as shale oil extraction, on municipal water. This information will also help researchers to understand availability of data for making comparisons across different areas, assessing trends, and making water use projections.
Erythropoietin Receptor Signaling Supports Retinal Function After Vascular Injury

The investigation of erythropoietin (EPO) has expanded to include potential nonhematopoietic roles in neural and retinal diseases, including diabetic retinopathy. However, it remains unclear how EPO functions to support the neural retina. Transgenic mice with hypoactive EPO receptor (EPOR) signaling (hWtEPOR) were compared with littermate control mice (WT) to test the role of EPOR signaling under normal conditions and after vascular injury and regrowth into the retina. Although retinal function tested with OptoMotry and electroretinography was comparable to adult (8-week–old) littermate WT mice, hWtEPOR mice had thinner inner and outer plexiform layers and a greater number of amacrine cells. Injury and repair caused by the oxygen-induced retinopathy model reduced visual acuity thresholds, reduced electroretinography amplitudes, and thinned the outer plexiform and inner nuclear layers of both WT and hWtEPOR 8-week–old mice. In hWtEPOR compared with WT mice, scotopic a-wave amplitudes were reduced by injury, despite no change in outer nuclear layer thickness; and peripheral rod, but not cone number, was reduced. Scotopic b-waves were reduced in injured hWtEPOR mice compared with WT, and rod bipolar cell ectopic neurites were increased in both genotypes after injury, suggesting a potential reparative process to preserve connectivity and the b-wave. Normal EPOR signaling appeared important because ectopic neurites and b-waves were lower in the hWtEPOR than WT injured mice.
The use of interactive technologies in health promotion and education: Theorizing potential interaction between health message content and message modality

Abstract Health communication initiatives delivered via information and communication technologies are getting increasing attention and importance. Extant research has focused on the effectiveness of interactivity on health-related attitudinal and behavioral outcomes, while little attention has been paid to how health message content may interact with health message modality such as interactivity in generating effects. Importantly, not much is known about the psychological processes underlying such interaction effects between the message content and the level of interactivity through which the message is presented. This chapter reviews literature on the effects of interactivity and message content constructs on health-related outcomes, argues that message content needs to be considered in conjunction with message modality (i.e., interactivity), and provides a theoretical framework that seeks to explicate how interactivity may amplify or attenuate the effects of message content on health-related outcomes. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Combining multispectral imagery and synthetic aperture radar for detecting deforestation

Forest destruction is a main contributor to carbon emissions and loss of biodiversity, making it a matter of global importance. Due to the large global footprint and often inaccessibility of forested areas, remote sensing is one of the most valuable techniques for monitoring deforestation. Spectral imaging is typically favored for material classification of forested areas and identification of broad swaths of deforestation. However, spectral data can fall short in detecting more subtle destruction beneath the forest canopy. Radar remote sensing can help fill this gap, as it has the ability to penetrate through tree canopies such that pixels capture backscatter information from both the canopy and material beneath it. Synthetic aperture radar in particular can capture this information at fine spatial resolution, and techniques such as polarimetry and interferometry can be used to measure biomass and detect deforestation. In this study, we compare synthetic aperture radar data with multispectral data to improve characterization and identification of source signatures captured within a pixel, with specific consideration to detecting areas where thinning is happening beneath the forest canopy. We focus on identifying different types of forest thinning in the Valles Caldera, located in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico. We apply anomalous change detection to a combination of data products derived from multispectral imagery and synthetic aperture radar to determine which combinations are most effective at identifying anomalous features of interest in thinning regions. We find that comparing phase change measured by synthetic aperture radar interferometry to differenced vegetation indices highlights anomalous relationships in the thinning region. When comparing multispectral reflectance to backscatter intensity measured by synthetic aperture radar, the most successful temporal comparisons contained synthetic aperture radar data during the thinning period. This suggests that synthetic aperture radar enhances detection of thinning practices via remote sensing, especially in regards to changes taking place beneath the tree canopy. These results were improved even further by segmenting the images according to vegetation coverage prior to applying anomalous change detection techniques.
The diversity of linkage-specific polyubiquitin chains and their role in synaptic plasticity and memory formation.

Abstract Over the last 20 years, a number of studies have provided strong support for protein degradation mediated by the ubiquitin-proteasome system in synaptic plasticity and memory formation. In this system, target substrates become covalently modified by the small protein ubiquitin through a series of enzymatic reactions involving hundreds of different ligases. While some substrates will acquire only a single ubiquitin, most will be marked by multiple ubiquitin modifications, which link together at specific lysine sites or the N-terminal methionine on the previous ubiquitin to form a polyubiquitin chain. There are at least eight known linkage-specific polyubiquitin chains a target protein can acquire, many of which are independent of the proteasome, and these chains can be homogenous, mixed, or branched in nature, all of which result in different functional outcomes and fates for the target substrate. However, as the focus has remained on protein degradation, much remains unknown about the role of these diverse ubiquitin chains in the brain, particularly during activity- and learning-dependent synaptic plasticity. Here, we review the different types and functions of ubiquitin chains and summarize evidence suggesting a role for these diverse ubiquitin modifications in synaptic plasticity and memory formation. We conclude by discussing how technological limitations have limited our ability to identify and elucidate the role of different ubiquitin chains in the brain and speculate on the future directions and implications of understanding linkage-specific ubiquitin modifications in activity- and learning-dependent synaptic plasticity.
CT and MRI findings in infantile vanishing white matter.

Abstract Infantile vanishing white matter disease is an uncommon cause of developmental delay and seizures in children. Presented here is a case of vanishing white matter disease diagnosed at 6 months of age. Imaging findings demonstrated widespread white matter abnormalities throughout the supratentorial and infratentorial brain. The diagnosis of infantile vanishing white matter disease was confirmed via molecular analysis which revealed a rare mutation in the gene responsible for this disorder.
Molecular Mechanisms for the Inflammation-Resolving Actions of Lenabasum

A first-in-class cannabinoid analog called lenabasum that is a CB2 agonist is being developed as an inflammation-resolving drug candidate. Thus far, specific therapeutic targets include scleroderma, cystic fibrosis, dermatomyositis, and lupus, all of which represent unmet medical needs. Two somewhat-independent molecular mechanisms for this type of action are here proposed. Both pathways initially involve the release of free arachidonic acid after activation of the CB2 receptor and phospholipase A2 by lenabasum. The pathways then diverge into a cyclooxygenase 2-mediated and a lipoxygenase-mediated route. The former leads to increased levels of the cyclopentenone prostaglandin 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin-J2 that can activate the NLPR3 inflammasome, which in turn releases caspase-3, leading to apoptosis and the resolution of chronic inflammation. The lipoxygenase-mediated pathway stimulates the production of lipoxin A4 as well as other signaling molecules called specialized proresolving mediators. These also have inflammation-resolving actions. It is not well understood under which conditions each of these mechanisms operates and whether there is crosstalk between them. Thus, much remains to be learned about the mechanisms describing the actions of lenabasum. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The resolution of chronic inflammation is a major unmet medical need. The synthetic nonpsychoactive cannabinoid lenabasum could provide a safe and effective drug for this purpose. Two putative molecular mechanisms are suggested to better understand how lenabasum produces this action. In both, different metabolites of arachidonic acid act as mediators.
Occurrence rates of von Willebrand disease among people receiving care in specialized treatment centres in the United States

Introduction In the network of U.S. comprehensive haemophilia treatment centres (HTCs), von Willebrand disease (VWD) is the most common bleeding disorder other than haemophilia. Estimates of the size and characteristics of the VWD population receiving treatment are useful for healthcare planning. Aim Estimate the prevalence and incidence of VWD among males and females receiving care at U.S. HTCs (HTC-treated prevalence and incidence). Methods During the period 2012-2019, de-identified surveillance data were collected on all VWD patients who visited an HTC including year of birth, sex, race, Hispanic ethnicity, VWD type, and laboratory findings and used to calculate period HTC-treated prevalence by VWD type and sex. Data from patients born 1995-1999 were used to estimate HTC-treated incidence rates. Results During the period, 24,238 patients with a diagnosis of VWD attended HTCs; for 23,479 (96.9%), VWD type was reported or could be assigned. Age-adjusted HTC-treated prevalence was 8.6 cases/100,000 (7.2/100,000 for Type 1, 1.2/100,000 for Type 2 and 1.7/million for Type 3) and was twice as high in women as men (4.8 vs. 2.4 cases/100,000) for Type 1 and similar by sex for Type 2 and Type 3. HTC-treated Type 1 incidence increased over the period, averaging nearly threefold higher for women than men (26.2 vs. 9.9/100,000 live births). Sex differences were less for Type 2 (2.2 vs. 1.4 cases/100,000 births) and slight in Type 3. Conclusion Prevalence and incidence of HTC-treated VWD differ by sex and type and are likely strongly influenced by differences in rates of diagnosis.
Strong Hanani-Tutte for the Torus

If a graph can be drawn on the torus so that every two independent edges cross an even number of times, then the graph can be embedded on the torus.
New Aspects of Diabetes Research and Therapeutic Development

Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus are advancing at exponential rates, placing significant burdens on health care networks worldwide. Although traditional pharmacologic therapies such as insulin and oral antidiabetic stalwarts like metformin and the sulfonylureas continue to be used, newer drugs are now on the market targeting novel blood glucose-lowering pathways. Furthermore, exciting new developments in the understanding of beta cell and islet biology are driving the potential for treatments targeting incretin action, islet transplantation with new methods for immunologic protection, and the generation of functional beta cells from stem cells. Here we discuss the mechanistic details underlying past, present, and future diabetes therapies and evaluate their potential to treat and possibly reverse type 1 and 2 diabetes in humans. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Diabetes mellitus has reached epidemic proportions in the developed and developing world alike. As the last several years have seen many new developments in the field, a new and up to date review of these advances and their careful evaluation will help both clinical and research diabetologists to better understand where the field is currently heading.
Students Eat Less Meat After Studying Meat Ethics.

In the first controlled, non-self-report studies to show an influence of university-level ethical instruction on everyday behavior, Schwitzgebel et al. (2020) and Jalil et al. (2020) found that students purchase less meat after exposure to material on the ethics of eating meat. We sought to extend and conceptually replicate this research. Seven hundred thirty students in three large philosophy classes read James Rachels’ (2004) “Basic Argument for Vegetarianism”, followed by 50-min small-group discussions. Half also viewed a vegetarianism advocacy video containing factory farm footage. A few days after instruction, 54% of students agreed that “eating the meat of factory farmed animals is unethical”, compared to 37% before instruction, with no difference between the film and non-film conditions. Also, 39% of students anonymously pledged to avoid eating factory farmed meat for 24 h, again with no statistically detectable difference between conditions. Finally, we obtained 2828 campus food purchase receipts for 113 of the enrolled students who used their Student ID cards for purchases on campus, which we compared with 5033 purchases from a group of 226 students who did not receive the instruction. Meat purchases remained constant in the comparison group and declined among the students exposed to the material, falling from 30% to 23% of purchases overall and from 51% to 42% of purchases of $4.99 or more, with the effect possibly larger in the film condition.
Network regulation of the immune response: modulation of suppressor lymphocytes by alternative signals including contrasuppression.

In the preceding paper we demonstrated that comparison of alternative designs for the immune network can be used to examine the functional significance of specified interactions in normal immune responses. In this paper we examine mathematically the functional significance of three interactions affecting the production of suppressor lymphocytes involved in regulation of normal immune responses. The interactions examined in detail are 1) antigenic stimulation of the production of suppressor lymphocytes, 2) idiotypic stimulation of the production of suppressor lymphocytes, and 3) antigenic inhibition of the production of suppressor lymphocytes (i.e., contrasuppression). The results of our analysis suggest that an immune system with only antigenic stimulation of suppressor production is less effective than a system with both antigenic and idiotypic stimulation of suppressor production on the basis of all of the criteria examined in this study. In turn, the latter system is less effective than a system with only idiotypic stimulation of suppressor production. Furthermore, a system with both idiotypic stimulation and antigenic inhibition of suppressor production can be equal or superior to a system with only idiotypic stimulation of suppressor production on the basis of the same criteria. Similar conclusions hold for the comparison of systems in which regulation by the suppressor lymphocytes of interest is exerted upon production of effector molecules rather than upon production of effector lymphocytes, and also for the comparison of systems in which interactions affecting the production of suppressor factors are of interest.
Simulative Analysis of a Multidimensional Torus-Based Reconfigurable Cluster for Molecular Dynamics

Molecular dynamics (MD) is a large-scale, communication-intensive problem that has been the subject of high-performance computing research and acceleration for years. Not surprisingly, the most success in accelerating MD comes from specialized systems such as the Anton machine. Our goal is to design a reconfigurable system that can accelerate MD while also being amenable to other communication-intensive applications. In this paper, we present a performance model for the 3D FFT kernel that forms the core of MD simulation on Anton. We validate the model against published Anton performance data and use the data to design and evaluate a similar interconnect for our existing Novo-G reconfigurable supercomputer. Through simulation studies, we predict that the upgraded machine will achieve nearly double the performance of Anton and fifty times that of established clusters like BlueGene/L for the 3D FFT kernel.
Social Justice, the University, and the Temptation to Mission Creep

I work as a professor at a “flagship” state university. Here is its charter language: The object of the University shall be to engage in the governmental function of affording an education primarily to the youth and citizens of the State of Tennessee and to instruct and train them in those subjects leading to the degrees of bachelor of arts, master of arts, medical degrees or any other degrees known and used in any college or university in any of the United States; also to be a leading research institution devoted to research and instruction in agriculture, the arts and sciences, law, medicine, business, education, architecture, and the other disciplines.
Molecular cloning and DNA sequence of lacE, the gene encoding the lactose-specific enzyme II of the phosphotransferase system of Lactobacillus casei. Evidence that a cysteine residue is essential for sugar phosphorylation.

The gene coding for the lactose-specific Enzyme II of the Lactobacillus casei phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase system, lacE, has been isolated by molecular cloning and expressed in Escherichia coli. The DNA sequence of the lacE gene and the deduced amino acid sequence are presented. The putative translation product comprises a hydrophobic protein of 577 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 62,350 Da. The deduced polypeptide has a high degree of sequence similarity with the corresponding lactose-specific enzymes II of Staphylococcus aureus and Lactococcus lactis. The sequence surrounding cysteine 483 was strongly conserved in the three proteins. The identity of the lacE product as the Enzyme IIlacL.casei was demonstrated by in vitro lactose phosphorylation assays using the protein expressed in E. coli. Single replacement of each of the histidine and cysteine residues by site-directed mutagenesis pointed to cysteine 483 as an amino acid residue essential for the phosphoryl group transfer reaction.
Nongovernmental Organizations and African Governments: Seeking an Effective International Legal Framework in a New Era of Heath and Development Aid

International and domestic nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have multiplied on the African continent as both public and private donors have shifted their funding away from ineffective governments. Many African nations, including Zimbabwe and Sudan, have responded by expelling international NGOs and enacting laws that severely limit their ability to function. In most cases, NGOs are without recourse because of their precarious position in international law. Some scholars have posited that NGOs should be granted legal personality to make them full or partial subjects in international law. This Note argues that such a solution would not promote the important goals NGOs advance in Africa. It would also ignore the important role that African governments must play in health and development issues. Instead, the international community should reinforce the existing international legal framework, allow NGOs to remain independent, and create mechanisms to foster communication between NGOs and host governments.
13C nuclear magnetic resonance studies of propionate catabolism in methanogenic cocultures

Propionate catabolism was monitored in anaerobic cocultures of propionate-degrading and methanogenic bacteria. Metabolism was monitored by use of 13C-enriched propionate and succinate. The intermediates identified indicated that the methylmalonyl coenzyme A pathway was used in these cultures. The data also indicated that a transcarboxylation reaction between succinate and propionyl coenzyme A occurred, yielding propionate and methylmalonyl coenzyme A.
Automated Conversion of 2D Triangular Mesh into Quadrilateral Mesh

In some types of FEM analysis, such as automobile crash simulation and sheet-metal forming simulation, quadrilateral meshes are preferred to triangular meshes because of their superior solution accuracy. Most commercial or in-house quadrilateral mesh generators today employ mapping methods, in which the user must decompose the geometric domain manually into a set of simpler subdomains. As the cost/performance ratio of computers has improved, however, it has become increasingly critical to automate this labor-intensive, slow, and costly manual meshing process. For this reason, new schemes for automatic quadrilateral mesh generation have been developed, such as the modified quadtree by Baehmann et al. [1], the knowledge system approach by Blacker et al. [2] and paving by Blacker and Stephenson [3].
The reproducibility of an isokinetic testing technique at the ankle joint

The purpose of this study was to determine the reproducibility of measurements derived from a plantar flexion and dorsiflexion isokinetic test protocol. Recreationally active men ( n = 8) and women (n = 18) were seated in 30 ◦ of trunk flexion and full knee extension (0 ◦ of knee flexion) and performed three concentric and eccentric dorsiflexion and plantar flexion movements at the speeds of 30 ◦ /s and 120 ◦ /s on two different occasions. Peak torque (PT) and average torque (AT) measurements were obtained and compared across the two sessions. Intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC's) values indicated acceptable reproducibility for the concentric and eccentric PT and AT values of dorsiflexion (range from 0.77-0.93) and plantar flexion (range from 0.78-0.95). The corresponding Standard Error of Measurement (SEM) values indicated a good level of measurement precision. These findings suggest that this isokinetic test protocol involving an extended knee position for isolating PF and DF ankle motions produces reliable measurements. This test protocol offers a viable alternative to traditional test positions used to assess isokinetic strength in the ankle joint.