cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Colocalization of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitter markers in striatal projection neurons in the rat

The principle neuronal output of the neostriatum comes from medium spiny neurons that project from the caudate/putamen to the globus pallidus and substantia nigra. Although current evidence generally indicates that gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the principal neurotransmitter in this pathway, this cannot account for the excitatory synaptic activity present among cultures of striatal neurons or the short latency excitatory postsynaptic potentials which often proceed or obscure inhibitory activity evoked by striatal stimulation. In this study, retrograde transport of [3H]D-aspartate has been used to demonstrate striato-pallidal and striato-nigral neurons that possess a high-affinity uptake system for glutamate and aspartate and are therefore putatively glutamatergic. Injections of [3H]D-aspartate into the globus pallidus or substantia nigra, pars reticularis of the rat retrogradely labeled medium-sized neurons throughout the rostral-caudal extent of the neostriatum. To characterize this population further, adjacent sections were immunoreacted with antibodies to either GABA, glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), calbindin, or parvalbumin prior to autoradiographic processing. Under these conditions, autoradiographically labeled neurons displayed positive immunoreactivity for GABA, GAD, or calbindin. Autoradiographic label did not colocalize with parvalbumin immunoreactivity. The colocalization of anatomical markers of GABAergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission raises the possibility that both neurotransmitters are functionally expressed within single striatal projection neurons.
Converting a protein into a switch for biosensing and functional regulation

Proteins that switch conformations in response to a signaling event (e.g., ligand binding or chemical modification) present a unique solution to the design of reagent-free biosensors as well as molecules whose biological functions are regulated in useful ways. The principal roadblock in the path to develop such molecules is that the majority of natural proteins do not change conformation upon binding their cognate ligands or becoming chemically modified. Herein, we review recent protein engineering efforts to introduce switching properties into binding proteins. By co-opting natural allosteric coupling, joining proteins in creative ways and formulating altogether new switching mechanisms, researchers are learning how to coax conformational changes from proteins that previously had none. These studies are providing some answers to the challenging question: how can one convert a lock-and-key binding protein into a molecular switch?
An energy-aware simulation model and transaction protocol for dynamic workload distribution in mobile ad hoc networks

We introduce a network simulation model for detailed evaluation of the performance of different energy management policies in a MANET. In addition it presents an energy-aware network transaction protocol that dynamically redistributes the computational workload among a set of cooperative hosts within a MANET so as to improve network performance (network lifetime and service latency). Extensive simulation data and empirical results are presented and discussed.
Strawberry Texture and Pectin Content as Affected by Electron Beam Irradiation

Fresh Tristar' strawberries were irradiated with electron beam irradiation at 0, 1, and 2 kGy. Fruit firmness decreased as irradiation dose increased. Water-soluble pectin increased and oxalate-soluble pectin decreased at 0 and 1 day after 1 and 2 kGy irradiation. Fruit firmness correlated with oxalate-soluble pectin content. Total pectin and nonextractable pectin were not affected by irradiation. The oxalate-soluble pectin content and firmness of irradiated strawberries increased slightly at the beginning of 2°C storage and then decreased as storage time increased. No changes occurred in water-soluble pectin, nonextractable pectin, or total pectin during storage.
Carvedilol Enhances Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy for Myocardial Infarction via Inhibition of Caspase-3 Expression

Adult stem cells have shown great promise toward repairing infarcted heart and restoring cardiac function. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), because of their inherent multipotent nature and their ability to secrete a multitude of growth factors and cytokines, have been used for cardiac repair with encouraging results. Preclinical studies showed that MSCs injected into infarcted hearts improve cardiac function and attenuate fibrosis. Although stem cell transplantation is a promising therapeutic option to repair the infarcted heart, it is faced with a number of challenges, including the survival of the transplanted cells in the ischemic region, due to excessive oxidative stress present in the ischemic region. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of Carvedilol (Carv), a nonselective β-blocker with antioxidant properties, on the survival and engraftment of MSCs in the infarcted heart. MSCs were subjected to a simulated host-tissue environment, similar to the one present in the infarcted myocardium, by culturing them in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to induce oxidative stress. MSCs were treated with 2.5 μM Carv for 1 h in serum-free medium, followed by treatment with H2O2 for 2 h. The treated cells exhibited significant protection against H2O2-induced cell death versus untreated controls as determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling assays. Likewise, transplantation of MSCs after permanent left coronary artery ligation and treatment of animals after myocardial infarction (MI) with Carv (5 mg/kg b.wt.) led to significant improvement in cardiac function, decreased fibrosis, and caspase-3 expression compared with the MI or MSC-alone groups.
Relationship between mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) landing rates on a human subject and numbers captured using CO2-baited light traps

Capture rates of insectary-reared female Aedes albopictus (Skuse), Anopheles quadrimaculatus Say, Culex nigripalpus Theobald, Culex quinquefasciatus Say and Aedes triseriatus (Say) in CDC-type light traps (LT) supplemented with CO2 and using the human landing (HL) collection method were observed in matched-pair experiments in outdoor screened enclosures. Mosquito responses were compared on a catch-per-unit-effort basis using regression analysis with LT and HL as the dependent and independent variables, respectively. The average number of mosquitoes captured in 1 min by LT over a 24-h period was significantly related to the average number captured in 1 min by HL only for Cx. nigripalpus and Cx. quinquefasciatus. Patterns of diel activity indicated by a comparison of the mean response to LT and HL at eight different times in a 24-h period were not superposable for any species. The capture rate efficiency of LT when compared with HL was ≤15% for all mosquitoes except Cx. quinquefasciatus (43%). Statistical models of the relationship between mosquito responses to each collection method indicate that, except for Ae. albopictus, LT and HL capture rates are significantly related only during certain times of the diel period. Estimates of mosquito activity based on observations made between sunset and sunrise were most precise in this regard for An. quadrimaculatus and Cx. nigripalpus, as were those between sunrise and sunset for Cx. quinquefasciatus and Ae. triseriatus.
The Relationship Between Corporate Philanthropy And Shareholder Wealth: A Risk Management Perspective

I present a complex theoretical explanation that draws on multiple bodies of literature to present an academically rigorous version of a simple argument: good deeds earn chits. I advance/defend three core assertions: (1) corporate philanthropy can generate positive moral capital among communities and stakeholders, (2) moral capital can provide shareholders with insurance-like protection for a firm's relationship-based intangible assets, and (3) this protection contributes to shareholder wealth. I highlight several managerial implications of these core assertions.
On the Sensitivity of Time-Reversal Imaging Techniques to Model Perturbations

Time-reversal (TR) techniques involve physical or synthetic retransmission of signals acquired by a set of transceivers in a time-reversed fashion, and can be used for a host of applications, including ultrawideband imaging of obscured targets. This work investigates the performance of some TR-based techniques under non-ideal conditions, and is divided into three main parts. In the first part, we investigate the robustness of TR-based imaging techniques via the decomposition of TR operator (DORT) algorithm and the multiple signal classification (MUSIC) algorithm under clutter and (additive) noise. In the second part, we examine the effect of TR-invariance breaking (due to losses in the intervening media) on the performance of both DORT and (TR-based) MUSIC. In the third part, effects of translational perturbations of the TR array are examined, as a class of model perturbations. These ensuing effects are then exploited, in a controlled manner, as a means to extract second-order spatial statistics of the probed media.
d-key dynamic encryption - A security enhancement protocol for Mobile Ad Hoc Network

In this paper, we present an efficient, low-bandwidth cost and security-enhancing data encryption d-key protocol via dynamic re-keying during end-to-end communication. Unlike others, the secret d-key is generated using the previous data as the seed and as next packet encryption; therefore, only valid sender and receiver are able to decrypt the cipher text using the unique d-key in their possession, which prevents sensitive data from being access by unauthorized recipients. In addition, test results indicate d-key protocol can perform as efficiently as a non-security routing protocol while providing stronger data privacy with low computational overhead in data encryption and decryption.
Serious pulmonary toxicity in patients with Hodgkin’s lymphoma with SGN-30, gemcitabine, vinorelbine, and liposomal doxorubicin is associated with an FcγRIIIa-158 V/F polymorphism

Background: Based on in vitro synergistic cytotoxicity when anti-CD30 antibodies are combined with gemcitabine, the Cancer and Leukemia Group B conducted a double-blind, randomized, phase II trial of SGN-30 with gemcitabine, vinorelbine, and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (GVD) in patients with relapsed Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Patients and methods: In part 1 of the trial, 16 patients received SGN-30 with GVD to assess the safety of the combination. In part 2, patients were randomly allocated to SGN-30 (n = 7) or placebo (n = 7) with GVD to determine overall response rate (ORR). Results: ORR in all 30 patients was 63% (65% with SGN-30 plus GVD, n = 23, and 57% with placebo plus GVD, n = 7). Median event-free survival was 9.0 months, with no difference between the two arms. Grades 3–5 pneumonitis occurred in five patients receiving SGN-30 and GVD, leading to premature closure of the trial. All five patients with pulmonary toxicity had a V/F polymorphism in the FccRIIIa gene (P = 0.008). Conclusions: Together with historical data demonstrating a 2% incidence of pulmonary events with GVD, these results indicate that SGN-30 cannot safely be administered concurrently. The risk of pneumonitis with SGN-30 and GVD is greatest in patients with an FccRIIIa V/F polymorphism.
Research ethics and Institutional Review Boards. The influence of moral constraints on emotion research.

Abstract Researchers in the twenty-first century face a set of challenges unknown to researchers a half century ago—the need to justify the moral acceptability of their research methods through formal review processes. However, the role that moral constraints play in the development and demise of scientific theories has largely gone unappreciated. The rise of Institutional Review Boards (IRB) in the 1960s compounded the impact of moral constraints on scientific research and on the theories that develop out of such highly monitored research. To demonstrate the effects of moral constraints on scientific theory and research, this paper offers a history and analysis of the interaction between evolving moral standards and twentieth century emotion theory. Recommendations regarding IRB reform are also reviewed. The paper concludes by arguing that, while appropriate IRB reform is important, it cannot eliminate the need for careful reflection on the broader forces that shape scientific practice and understanding.
Effect of neonatal sympathectomy with 6-hydroxydopamine on reactivity of the renin-angiotensin system in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

1. Chemical sympathectomy was produced in spontaneously hypertensive rats by intraperitoneal injection of 6-hydroxydopamine hydrobromide (6-OHD) (100 μg/g body weight) on days 1, 4 and 7 of neonatal life and weekly thereafter until 6 weeks of age. The dose was then reduced to 50 μg/g body weight and injected every 2 weeks. 2. Studies were performed at 6 and 12 weeks of age in pentobarbital-anaesthetized rats. Plasma renin activity was measured before and 5 and 15 min after the administration of intravenous hydrallazine (5 mg/kg). Tissue noradrenaline concentration was determined in brains, hearts and kidneys from rats killed immediately upon completion of blood sampling. 3. The blood pressure of 6-OHD-treated rats was significantly lower than in untreated rats at 6 weeks (117 ± 3 and 146 ± 2 mmHg respectively) and 12 weeks (151 ± 5 and 196 ± 4 mmHg respectively). 4. Kidneys and hearts from 6-OHD-treated rats demonstrated a highly significant reduction in noradrenaline concentration at both 6 and 12 weeks; brain noradrenaline in treated rats was normal at 6 weeks and reduced only to 80% of normal at 12 weeks. 5. Control (pre-hydrallazine) plasma renin activity was significantly lower in 6-OHD-treated rats at 6 and 12 weeks. Nevertheless, renin release in response to intravenous hydrallazine, expressed in terms of absolute values of plasma renin activity, was not significantly different in the treated and untreated rats. When the percentage increase in plasma renin activity from control to 15 min post-hydrallazine samples was calculated, the response of the 6-OHD-treated rats was found to be significantly greater than the response in the untreated rats at each age. 6. These data show that treatment of neonatal rats with 6-OHD results in a significant reduction in basal activity of the renin-angiotensin system but does not interfere with the release of renin in response to hypotensive stress. In cases of severe compromise of adrenergic nervous system function, alternative mechanisms exist which allow the renin-angiotensin system to manifest a maximal response in order to maintain cardiovascular homeostasis.
Non-linear Influence of Nest Size on Thermal Buffering of Sociable Weaver Nests and the Maintenance of Cooperative Nest Construction:

Communal nests often provide benefits, such as protection from predators and refuge from extreme temperatures, to the inhabitants of the nest. The benefits returned to individuals performing nest c...
Generalized Line Loss Relaxation in Polar Voltage Coordinates

It is common for power system behavior to be expressed in terms of polar voltage coordinates. When applied in optimization settings, loss formulations in polar voltage coordinates typically assume that voltage magnitudes are fixed. In reality, voltage magnitudes vary and may have an appreciable effect on losses. This paper proposes a systematic approach to incorporating the effects of voltage magnitude changes into a linear relaxation of the losses on a transmission line. This approach affords greater accuracy when describing losses around a base voltage condition as compared to previous linear and piecewise linear methods. It also better captures the true behavior of losses at conditions away from the flat voltage profile.
Early identification of anxiety disorders: The role of the pediatrician in primary care

Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric disorder of childhood, and are associated with high risk for development of future psychopathology. Yet, pediatric anxiety disorders continue to be...
The synthesis of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-β-d-mannopyranosyl-d-glucose

Abstract Condensation of 4,6-di- O -acetyl-2,3- O -carbonyl-α- d -mannopyranosyl bromide with 2-amino-2- N ,3- O -carbonyl-5,6- O -isopropylidene- d -glucose diethyl acetal gave, unexpectedly, 2-amino-2- N ,3- O -carbonyl-2-deoxy-4- O -(4,6-di- O -acetyl-2,3- O -carbonyl-α- d -mannopyranosyl)-5,6- O -isopropylidene- d - glucose diethyl acetal, further transformed, by de-esterification followed by acetylation, into the previously known 2-amino-2- N ,3- O -carbonyl-2-deoxy-5,6- O -isopropylidene-4- O -α- d -mannopyranosyl- d -glucose diethyl acetal and its tetra- O -acetyl derivative. Benzyl 2-acetamido-3,6-di- O -benzyl-2-deoxy-β- d -glucopyranoside was condensed with 2- O -acetyl-3,4,6-tri- O -benzyl-β- d -glucopyranosyl bromide to give benzyl 2-acetamido-4- O -(2- O -acetyl-3,4,6-tri- O -benzyl-β- d -glucopyranosyl)-3,6-di- O -benzyl-2-deoxy-β- d -glucopyranoside. Removal of the 2- O -acetyl group, followed by oxidation with acetic anhydridedimethyl sulfoxide, gave a β- d - arabino -hexosid-2-ulose (25) . After reduction with sodium borohydride, removal of the benzyl groups gave crystalline 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4- O -β- d -mannopyranosyl- d -glucose (27) . The anomeric configuration of the glycosidic linkage was ascertained by comparison with the α- d -linked disaccharide.
Donor Age Significantly Impacts Long Term Survival of Patients Undergoing Heart Transplantation

Purpose The scarcity of donors has led to use of older donor hearts for transplantation (HT). The impact of donor age on patient survival after heart transplant does not usually impact short to medium range survival. We analyzed the association of donor age with long-term patient survival after HT. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 755 patients undergoing HT at our institution from 05/1984 to 07/2018. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard models were created to compare survival among patients who received hearts from donors Results The 2 groups were comparable with regard to recipient's age, gender and ischemic time. Median donor age for g1 was 24 years (Interquartile range [IQR]: 19-33) and for g2 was 50 years (IQR: 48-52). During follow up, (median 7 years; IQR 2-9.5), 229 (36%) patients died in g1 and 49 (52%) patients died from g2. Survival of patients receiving hearts from donors ≥45 years old was significantly lower compared to patients receiving hearts from younger donors (p=0.018; Figure 1). In multivariate Cox models using donor age as a continuous variable, risk of recipients' death was significantly higher with increasing donor age (HR 1.02, CI 1.01-1.02; p Conclusion Higher donor age was associated with greater risk of recipients’ death after cardiac transplant. Careful selection of older donor hearts to selected recipients may ameliorate the differences in long term survival.
Bioinspired Deposition-Conversion Synthesis of Tunable Calcium Phosphate Coatings on Polymeric Hydrogels.

Inspired by natural mineralization processes, here we present the stepwise mineralization of hydrogels with synthetic control over the amount of deposited CaPi and selective tuning of the coating composition. Alternate immersion of the hydrogel at 3 min intervals in calcium salt (Ca2+) and inorganic phosphate (Pi) solutions under mild aqueous conditions results in the layer-by-layer deposition of a precursor CaPi polymorph, dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD, Ca/Pi 1.12 ± 0.07), as a surface coating. Successive immersion cycles were shown to linearly increase the amount of deposited Ca2+ and Pi ions over 20 cycles enabling direct control over the mineral coating density and crystal morphology. Conversion of the DCPD coating to apatite (CaPi 1.61 ± 0.02) is induced by aqueous hydrolysis at physiological temperature and pH (7.4, 37 °C, 5 days). After conversion, the apatite coating density was found to correlate with the amount of mineral initially deposited as DCPD, indicating this approach to mineralizat...
Inhibition of Mitochondrial Pyruvate Transport Selectively Sensitizes Cancer Cells to Metabolic Oxidative Stress

To determine if mitochondrial pyruvate transport could represent a therapeutic target for sensitizing cancer cells to oxidative stress, lung and breast cancer cells were treated with 5 µM UK5099 to inhibit the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC). Treatment with UK5099 selectively sensitized lung and breast cancer cells to clonogenic cell killing when combined with depletion of glutathione using 1 mM buthionine sulfoximine (BSO; a glutathione synthesis inhibitor) for 48 h and 72 h, relative to normal lung and breast epithelial cells. Furthermore, cancer cell killing mediated by UK5099 combined with BSO was inhibited by the thiol antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine (NAC; 20 mM), independent of GSH levels indicating a mechanism of toxicity involving reduced thiols and metabolic oxidative stress. In addition, treatment with UK5099 alone for 48 h also decreased levels of total glutathione in cancer cells that could be reversed by NAC. Using oxidation sensitive fluorescent dyes (CDCFH2 and MitoSOX), treatment of lung and breast cancer cells for 24 h and 48 h with UK5099 induced increases in steady state levels of pro-oxidants (presumably hydroperoxides and mitochondrial superoxide) which were further increased with BSO. Finally, treatment of breast cancer cells with UK5099 for 24 and 48 hours significantly sensitized breast cancer cells to clonogenic cell killing mediated by paclitaxel. These data support the hypothesis that inhibition of the MPC selectively causes an impairment of antioxidant capability in cancer cells that is enhanced by depletion of glutathione. Furthermore, these results also support the hypothesis that inhibition of the MPC represents a significant target for sensitizing human breast cancer cells to chemotherapy agents thought to induce oxidative stress.
Kinetic Evidence for a Second Ligand Binding Site on Streptococcus pneumoniae Penicillin-Binding Protein 2x

High molecular mass penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs, DD-peptidases) of class B, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae PBP2x, catalyze the cross-linking of peptidoglycan in bacterial cell wall biosynthesis and are thus important antibiotic targets. Despite their importance in this regard, structure–function studies of ligands of these enzymes have been impeded by the absence of useful substrates. In vitro, these enzymes do not catalyze peptide hydrolysis or aminolysis, their in vivo reaction, but some, such as PBP2x, do catalyze these reactions of certain thioesters such as PhCH2CONHCH2COSCH(D-Me)CO2– (2). We have now prepared several peptidoglycan-mimetic thioesters that we expected to more closely resemble the natural substrates of these enzymes. To our surprise, however, these compounds, although indeed substrates of PBP2x, did not, unlike 2, appear to form an acyl-enzyme intermediate during hydrolysis, and their turnover was inhibited by certain peptides and N-acylamino acids much more weakly than that of...
Of mice, men and immunity: a case for evolutionary systems biology.

Animal models have been tremendously useful to translational research, but there is a need to maximize their predictive value to human disease. This Comment proposes novel strategies that consider evolutionary history and the presence, absence or modification of molecular networks in one species that are being studied in the other. Mice are generally the ‘go-to’ organism for modeling of the human immune system, but this often leads to inaccurate interpretations. Ernst and Carvunis argue in this Comment that taking into account the evolutionary and environmental context can generate better models of disease.
Resource Use After Unwanted Sexual Experiences in Undergraduates: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Factors Related to the Decision to Seek Help.

The risk for sexual victimization in college is high, and although there can be significant mental and physical consequences for the survivor, resource utilization for this issue is extremely low. ...
THE ABSENCE OF SUGAR IN THE URINE AFTER PANCREATECTOMY IN PREGNANT BITCHES NEAR TERM

Experiments were reported two years ago showing that com- plete pancreatectomy in pregnant bitches near term does not result in diabetes as long as the fetuses are alive and remain in the uterus.1 The absence of pancreatic diabetes was interpreted as showing the passage of the internal secretion of the fetal pan- creas to the blood of the mother. The experiment has been re- peated on one dog by Hedoq2 without results. Hedon’s dog did not urinate till the second day after the pancreatectomy, and the urine (210 cc.) contained 4.5 grams of glucose. On third day there was a discharge of bloody mucus from the vagina, and the dog died of peritonitis on the fourth day. The pups were, of course, dead. As the weight of the pups averaged only 81 grams (the mother being a large dog, weighing 16 kgm.) it is clear that the pregnancy was not within two weeks of term. The peri- tonitis and the bloody discharge from the vagina indicate that the fetuses had died, probably soon after the operation. This ex- periment of Hedon’s therefore proves or disproves nothing. Allen has repeated our experiment (with modification) on one dog.3 This investigator extirpated nine-tenths of the pancreas in a preg- nant bitch near term. No sugar appeared in the urine. One- tenth of the pancreas does not suffice to prevent diabetes in non- pregnant dogs. Allen’s dog died on the seventh day after the pancreatectomy. There was no peritonitis, or other evidence of infection to account for the death. In view of our own results
Electrochemical Oxygen Sensor for Measurement of Oxygen in Liquid Sodium

The results obtained from approximately 4000 h of operation of an electrochemical oxygen meter developed at General Electric Company for measuring oxygen activities in liquid sodium are described. In the present design, a small ceramic cup (ThO/sub 2/ with 7 to 8 wt % Y/sub 2/O/sub 3/) has been brazed to a metal tube that is inserted into the liquid sodium via a standard sodium flange. The reference electrode used in the present design consists of In/In/sub 2/O/sub 3/. Several meters were tested in a flowing sodium system, where the oxygen concentrations were controlled by a cold trap. At 500/sup 0/C, the oxygen electromotive force (emf) output can be expressed as emf/sub (V)/ = 0.269 + (160/T) (+-0.003 V), where T is the cold-trap temperature in K. The temperature coefficient of the meters can be expressed as (dE/dT) = 0.51 +- (0.02) mV//sup 0/C.
Brain Imaging Research on Electrodermal Activity in Humans

This chapter reviews those studies conducted to date which have attempted to use brain imaging techniques to help identify the neuroanatomical and neurophysiological basis of skin conductance (SC) activity in humans. Methodological issues in the use of brain imaging as applied to electrodermal activity will be identified, and methodological issues in the recording of electrodermal activity will also be discussed in the context of findings from imaging studies. The potential value of using cluster analysis to seek categorical as opposed to continuous relationships between imaging and SC variables will be illustrated in a study which also attempts to demonstrate how more basic science research into brain mechanisms underlying SC activity can importantly inform clinical issues. Finally, conceptual and methodological issues in brain imaging - SC research will be discussed, and recommendations for future research in this area will be made. Because most studies have focussed on orienting activity, the focus of this review will be specifically on SC orienting.
Optimizing the sequence of diameter distributions and selection harvests for uneven-aged stand management

The determination of an optimal sequence of diameter distributions and selection harvests for uneven-aged stand management is formulated as a discrete-time optimal-control problem with bounded control variables and free-terminal point. An efficient programming technique utilizing gradients provides solutions that are stable and interpretable on the basis of economic principles. Methods and results are demonstrated using a whole-stand/diameter-class simulator developed for northern hardwoods stands in Wisconsin. Examples in which the objective is present net worth maximization over a 150-year planning horizon with a 5-year cutting cycle suggest two types of optimal equilibrium stand structures: a downward-sloping diameter distribution if large value premiums are assigned to the largest diameter classes and a truncated diameter distribution if premiums for larger trees are gradual or absent. Transition strategies vary in length and harvest pattern depending on the stumpage value function used. It is emphasized that equilibrium management regimes developed with static analysis are not optimal when used as starting conditions in dynamic formulations.
Individual, Environmental, and Early Life Factors Associated With Client-Perpetrated Violence Among Women Who Exchange Sex in New York City, 2016:

Women who exchange sex are at an increased risk of violence from both clients and nonpaying intimate partners. This study utilizes data from the 2016 New York City National HIV Behavioral Surveilla...
Broad and Protective Influenza B Virus Neuraminidase Antibodies in Humans after Vaccination and their Clonal Persistence as Plasma Cells

ABSTRACT Although most seasonal inactivated influenza vaccines (IIV) contain neuraminidase (NA), the extent and mechanisms of action of protective human NA-specific humoral responses induced by vaccination are poorly resolved. Due to the propensity of influenza virus for antigenic drift and shift and its tendency to elicit predominantly strain-specific antibodies, humanity remains susceptible to waves of new strains of seasonal viruses and is at risk from viruses with pandemic potential for which limited or no immunity may exist. Here we demonstrate that the use of IIV results in increased levels of influenza B virus (IBV) NA-specific serum antibodies. Detailed analysis of the IBV NA B cell response indicates concurrent expansion of IBV NA-specific peripheral blood plasmablasts 7 days after IIV immunization which express monoclonal antibodies with broad and potent antiviral activity against both IBV Victoria and Yamagata lineages and prophylactic and therapeutic activity in mice. These IBV NA-specific B cell clonal lineages persisted in CD138+ long-lived bone marrow plasma cells. These results represent the first demonstration that IIV-induced NA human antibodies can protect and treat influenza virus infection in vivo and suggest that IIV can induce a subset of IBV NA-specific B cells with broad protective potential, a feature that warrants further study for universal influenza vaccine development. IMPORTANCE Influenza virus infections continue to cause substantial morbidity and mortality despite the availability of seasonal vaccines. The extensive genetic variability in seasonal and potentially pandemic influenza strains necessitates new vaccine strategies that can induce universal protection by focusing the immune response on generating protective antibodies against conserved targets such as regions within the influenza neuraminidase protein. We have demonstrated that seasonal immunization stimulates neuraminidase-specific antibodies in humans that are broad and potent in their protection from influenza B virus when tested in mice. These antibodies further persist in the bone marrow, where they are expressed by long-lived antibody-producing cells, referred to here as plasma cells. The significance in our research is the demonstration that seasonal influenza immunization can induce a subset of neuraminidase-specific B cells with broad protective potential, a process that if further studied and enhanced could aid in the development of a universal influenza vaccine.
Text Messages Can Encourage Patients to Discuss and Receive HIV Testing in Primary Care.

Objective: Routine HIV testing is not adequately occurring in primary care. One reason is that physicians perceive that patients do not want to discuss HIV testing and would prefer that patients initiate the discussion. A patient-centered text message campaign may prompt patients to discuss HIV testing with their physicians, thereby increasing HIV testing. Methods: The study took place in clinics serving low-income populations. Participants received a randomized text message 30 minutes before their appointment, prompting them to discuss either HIV or an unrelated health topic with their physician. Participants were interviewed after their appointment to ascertain if they had discussed HIV testing, and test orders were verified via electronic medical record. Results: Among participants sent an HIV text message (n = 17), 6 were HIV tested (35%). No participants sent a control text message were HIV tested. Of the 10 participants who reported reading the HIV message, 7 (70%) discussed HIV with their physician and 6 (60%) were tested. Conclusion: Our proof-of-concept study suggests an HIV text message campaign may increase HIV testing by encouraging patients to initiate discussion with their physicians. This intervention may increase HIV testing among low-income populations. A larger study is needed to confirm these findings.
Prodromes and Preclinical Detection of Brain Diseases: Surveying the Ethical Landscape of Predicting Brain Health.

Abstract The future of medicine lies not primarily in cures but in disease modification and prevention. While the science of preclinical detection is young, it is moving rapidly. Preclinical interventions offer hope to decrease the severity of a disease or delay the development of a disorder. With such promise, the research and practice of detecting brain disorders at a preclinical stage present unique ethical challenges that must be addressed to ensure the benefit of these technologies. Direct brain interventions have the potential to impact not just what a patient has but who they are and who they could become. Further, receiving an assessment for a preclinical or prodromal state has potential to impact perceptions about capacity, autonomy and personhood and could become entangled with stigma and discrimination. Exploring ethical issues alongside and integrated into the experimental design and research of these technologies is critical. This review will highlight ethical issues attendant to the current and near future states of preclinical detection across the life span, specifically as it relates to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), schizophrenia, and Alzheimer’s disease.
40 Years of Change in Age- and Stage-Specific Cancer Incidence Rates in US Women and Men.

Background Studies have documented a temporal increase in incidence for several cancers in US young adults aged 25 to 39-years, including noncardia gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, and distant-stage breast cancer. To further characterize trends in young adults, we assessed age-specific and stage-specific incidence trends from 1975 to 2015, overall (all malignant cancers combined), and for 18 and 16 cancer sites in women and men, respectively. Methods We used US population-based data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program to obtain overall and site-specific cancer incidence rates by sex and age group. We individually analyzed cancer sites with an incidence rate of at least 5 per 100 000 in 2015, accounting for greater than 90% of all cancer diagnoses. We estimated annual percent changes (APCs) using segment log-linear regression performed with joinpoint software; multiple permutation testing was used to identify inflection points. We forecasted overall cancer incidence through 2030 using age-period-cohort regression models. Results Based on trends occurring after the most recent joinpoint inflection point, overall cancer incidence increased by 1.15% (95% CI = 1.01% to 1.28%) per year in 25- to 39-year-old women and by 0.46% (95% CI = 0.17% to 0.75%) per year in 25- to 39-year-old men; APCs were of much lower magnitude in the older age groups (eg, 70- to 84-year-old women APC = -0.31%, 95% CI = -0.42% to -0.20%). We forecasted that overall cancer incidence will increase by an additional 11% by 2030 in 25- to 39-year-old women, and by an additional 12% in 25- to 39-year-old men. Ten of the 18 cancers assessed in 25- to 39-year-old women and 7 of the 16 cancers in 25- to 39-year-old men have been statistically significantly increasing over time. We found that the increase in incidence for young adults is stage specific for some cancers (eg, only nonlocalized breast cancer has increased in 25- to 39-year-old women). Conclusion Cancer incidence is increasing in young adults, particularly in young women.
Recharge and Recovery Treatment Systems

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is used to either store or treat water (or a both). MAR systems that have a primary treatment function include aquifer storage transfer and recovery (ASTR), aquifer recharge and recovery (ARR), dune filtration, soil-aquifer treatment, and riverbank filtration. ASTR systems recharge using wells and recover using separate wells. Water quality improvements occur by a variety of physical, chemical, and biological process during unidirectional flow between the recharge and recovery wells. ARR systems involve recharge by land application and local recovery using wells. Recharged groundwater commonly passes through different geochemical (redox) environments, which can increase pathogen and chemical contaminant removal. The efficacy of pathogen and chemical contaminant removal depends on the physical and chemical properties of the vadose and/or phreatic zones, and residence times. High degrees of aquifer heterogeneity can allow by bypassing of aquifer treatment and shorter residence times than would occur under more homogeneous aquifer conditions.
An interpretable natural language processing system for written medical examination assessment

Abstract Objective The assessment of written medical examinations is a tedious and expensive process, requiring significant amounts of time from medical experts. Our objective was to develop a natural language processing (NLP) system that can expedite the assessment of unstructured answers in medical examinations by automatically identifying relevant concepts in the examinee responses. Materials and methods Our NLP system, In telligent C l i nical T ext E valuator (INCITE), is semi-supervised in nature. Learning from a limited set of fully annotated examples, it sequentially applies a series of customized text comparison and similarity functions to determine if a text span represents an entry in a given reference standard. Combinations of fuzzy matching and set intersection-based methods capture inexact matches and also fragmented concepts. Customizable, dynamic similarity-based matching thresholds allow the system to be tailored for examinee responses of different lengths. Results INCITE achieved an average F1-score of 0.89 (precision = 0.87, recall = 0.91) against human annotations over held-out evaluation data. Fuzzy text matching, dynamic thresholding and the incorporation of supervision using annotated data resulted in the biggest jumps in performances. Discussion Long and non-standard expressions are difficult for INCITE to detect, but the problem is mitigated by the use of dynamic thresholding (i.e., varying the similarity threshold for a text span to be considered a match). Annotation variations within exams and disagreements between annotators were the primary causes for false positives. Small amounts of annotated data can significantly improve system performance. Conclusions The high performance and interpretability of INCITE will likely significantly aid the assessment process and also help mitigate the impact of manual assessment inconsistencies.
Modulation of glioma-inflammation crosstalk profiles in human glioblastoma cells by indirubin-3’-(2,3 dihydroxypropyl)-oximether (E804) and 7-bromoindirubin-3′-oxime (7BIO)

Indirubins E804 (indirubin-3'-(2,3 dihydroxypropyl)-oximether) and 7BIO (7-Bromoindirubin-3'-oxime) are synthetic derivatives of natural indirubin, the active compound in Danggui Longhui Wan, a traditional Chinese remedy for cancer and inflammation. Herein, we explore E804 and 7BIO for their potential to modulate key pro-inflammatory genes and cytokines in LN-18 and T98G glioblastoma cells. High grade gliomas typically secrete large amounts of inflammatory cytokines and growth factors that promote tumor growth in an autocrine fashion. Inflammation is emerging as a key concern in the success of new treatment modalities for glioblastomas. Studies indicate that select indirubin derivatives bind and activate signaling of the AHR pathway, as well as inhibit cyclin-dependent kinases and STAT3 signaling. AHR signaling is involved in hematopoiesis, immune function, cell cycling, and inflammation, and thus may be a possible target for glioma treatment. To determine the significance of the AHR pathway in LN-18 and T98G glioma inflammatory profiles, and on the effects of E804 and 7BIO on these profiles, we used 6,2',4'-trimethoxyflavone (TMF), a putative selective AHR antagonist. It was confirmed that E804 and 7BIO activates the AHR leading to cyp1b1 expression, and that TMF antagonizes expression. We then employed a commercial cancer inflammation and immunity crosstalk qRT-PCR array to screen for anti-inflammatory related properties. TMF alone inhibited expression of ifng, ptsg2, il12b, tnfa, il10, il13, the balance between pd1 and pdl1, and even expression of mhc1a/b. E804 was very potent in suppressing many pro-inflammatory genes, including il1a, il1b, il12a, ptgs2, tlr4, and others. E804 also affected expression of il6, vegfa, and stat3. Conversely, 7BIO induced cox2, but suppressed a different selection of pro-inflammatory genes including nos2, tnfa, and igf1. Secretion of IL-6 protein, an iconic inflammatory cytokine, was decreased by E804. VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) protein secretion was upregulated by 7BIO, yet downregulated by E804 and E804 plus TMF. Thus, E804 is both an AHR ligand and regulator of important pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and oncogene STAT3, among others. Our results point to the use of E804 and TMF in combination as a promising new treatment for glioblastoma.
Central sulcus is a barrier to causal propagation in epileptic networks

the functional interactions of different brain regions are dependent of their underlying structural connectivity. These interactions are important for normal brain activity as well as in epileptic disorders where spontaneous epileptic discharges are generated. To understand the effects of brain topography on both normal and epileptic functional networks, we evaluated propagation frequency with respect to geodesic distance and the specific role of sulcal patterns in modulating these functional connections. We implemented a multimodal approach combining Electrocorticography (ECoG) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate the relationships between epileptic and non-epileptic networks as they are related to structural connectivity in the human brain. We analyzed interictal ECoG along with MRI 3D reconstructions from seven epileptic patients and found that interictal full-dataset network propagations travel to both nearby and distant cortical locations, however with longer distance the propagations occurrence attenuates dramatically. We also discovered that the central sulcus acts as a strong barrier allowing only 30% of the propagation to cross central sulcus whereas the rest of the 70% propagations are observed on the same side of the sulcus. Epileptic spike propagations, however, were more highly localized with significantly less distant spread and had further reduction in spread across sulci. This is a novel approach to explore the structural influence of brain topography on the functional network and would help understand the interaction of different brain regions and how these are altered in patients with epilepsy. This approach could assist physician decision making during epilepsy surgery by revealing an appropriate brain network and cortical interactions.
Technical Advances and the Challenge of HIV-Related Neurological Diseases

This chapter will briefly discuss three topics. First, some perspective may be gained from viewing past technical advances related to viral infections of the nervous system. Second, many questions concerning the pathogenesis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections of the nervous system remain unanswered, and concepts of neuroinvasiveness and neurovirulence confound these questions since they are strangely disconnected with the HIV infections. Third, the magnitude of the problem of AIDS and the human nervous system needs to be reemphasized.
Temperature dependence of ordinary ray far infrared optical constants of sapphire

The refractive index n + ik of c-cut sapphire at seven temperatures from 5.5 to 300 K has been measured between 30 and 230 cm−1. The strongest temperature dependence occurs above 200 K for n and above 150 K for k. Evidence of multi-phonon processes was observed.
The single-dose J&J vaccine had 67% efficacy against moderate to severe-critical COVID-19 at ≥14 d.

SOURCE CITATION: Sadoff J, Gray G, Vandebosch A, et al. Safety and efficacy of single-dose Ad26.COV2.S vaccine against Covid-19. N Engl J Med. 2021. [Epub ahead of print.] 33882225.
The noncommutative Hilbert transform approach to free entropy

Free entropy is the entropy quantity with the right behavior with respect to free independence. We began the study of free entropy with the one-variable case [7], taking as definition, based on random matrix heuristics, the negative of the logarithmic energy of the distribution. We then found in [8] a general definition of χ(X1, . . . , Xn), the free entropy of an n-tuple of noncommutative random variables in a tracial W ∗-probability space, using matricial microstates. The parallel to classical entropy suggests a number of natural properties free entropy should satisfy and several of these have been established ([7, 8, 10, 4, 6]). This new machinery has had striking applications to the solution of some old problems on von Neumann algebras ([9, 2, 3, 1]). On the other hand, from the point of view of this parallel to classical entropy, the theory is still incomplete, which keeps certain further applications to von Neumann algebras out of reach. The main reason for the difficulties is that we know very little about matrix-approximants to elements in type II1 von Neumann algebras. Even the general existence question for such approximants, which would be a first step in this direction, is unsolved and coincides with Alain Connes’ well known problem about embedding type II1 factors into the ultraproduct of the hyperfinite II1 factor. Under these circumstances we began in [11] to look for another approach to free entropy which avoids matricial microstates. This should not be viewed only as an alternative to microstates, since some of the results actually can be used within the microstates approach. This note summarizes the lecture we intended to give at the Gdansk Quantum Probability meeting about our current work towards a “microstates-free” approach to free entropy [11].
Synthesis of 9-β-D-Xylofuranosyl-6-mercaptopurine and 9-β-D-Xylofuranosylguanine 5'-Phosphate

An attempt was made to synthesize 9-β-D-xylofuranosylguanine (VI) by condensation of N2, N9(or7)-diacetylguanine (I) and 1, 2, 3, 5-tetra-O-acetyl-D-xylofuranose (II) by a fusion method. However the main product obtained was 7-xylofuranosylguanine (III). Compound VI was successfully synthesized by deamination of 2-chloroadenine xyloside derivative (IV) with nitrous acid followed by amination with ammonia. VI was enzymati cally phosphorylated to give 9-β-D-xylofuranosylguanine 5'-phosphate. This Compound was found to have a flavoring activity. Catalytic hydrogenation of 2-chlorohypoxanthine derivative (V) with palladium-charcoal afforded hypoxanthine xyloside (IX), which, after acetylation, was chlorinated with phosphorus oxychloride to give the chloro compound (XII). This was converted by reaction with thiourea and subsequent ammoniacal treatment to 9-β-D-xylofuranosyl-6-mercaptopurine (XIII).