cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
β-Lactam Combinations with Vancomycin Show Synergistic Activity against Vancomycin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, Vancomycin-Intermediate S. aureus (VISA), and Heterogeneous VISA.

Background: Increasing utilization of vancomycin due to the high prevalence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infections has lead to the emergence of vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA) and heterogeneous VISA (hVISA). In vitro data suggest the potential for potent synergy between several beta-lactams and vancomycin. The objective of this study is to evaluate the synergy between beta-lactams and vancomycin against MRSA that is vancomycin susceptible, vancomycin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (VSSA), hVISA, and VISA. Methods: Fifty randomly selected clinical MRSA strains with varying susceptibility to vancomycin were evaluated for vancomycin alone and vancomycin in combination with varying concentrations of cefazolin (CFZ), cefepime (FEP), ceftaroline (CPT), and nafcillin (NAF) minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The potential for synergy was assessed by 24h time-kills. Results: Beta-lactams reduced vancomycin MIC values against all strains (4-16 fold reduction). In time-kill studies against MRSA, CFZ, FEP, CPT, and NAF all demonstrated a similar extent of killing at 24h, and all showed synergistic activity with vancomycin against VSSA, hVISA, and VISA. Each of these combinations was also superior to any single agent against isolates of all three phenotypes, and each was bactericidal (P Conclusions: The combination of vancomycin and beta-lactams significantly improved antibacterial activity against VSSA, hVISA, and VISA compared to any agent alone, supporting the potential use of vancomycin/beta-lactams combination therapy in infections caused by MRSA. Further clinical research is warranted to investigate the synergy of vancomycin against these Staphylococcus strains.
The Behavior of Single Crystal Ta and W and Polycrystalline Nb-xTa Alloys in Liquid U During Tensile Testing at 1473 K

ABSTRACT The effects of exposure to liquid uranium on the tensile behavior of single crystal refractory metals Ta, W and polycrystalline Nb-xTa binary alloys are evaluated with tensile testing at 1473 K. The results show that single crystal Ta and W are not embrittled by liquid U, while it is known that polycrystalline Ta and W are readily embrittled by liquid U. For the Nb-xTa binary alloys, the embrittlement occurs in alloys which have more than 60 wt% Ta. Cross sectional metallographic and SEM examination of the tested samples indicate that the embrittlement in these Nb-xTa alloys is caused by the wetting of liquid U along grain boundaries. Based on the present single crystal test results and the previously observed effect of strain-rate on the embrittlement in polycrystalline Ta, it is suggested that the embrittlement in polycrystalline Ta and W is not a classical LME which is attributed to adsoption-induced reduction of interatomic bond strength.
« Comment écrire en évitant d’exotiser le malheur? »: L’apocalypse et le retour au quotidien dans Je suis vivant de Kettly Mars

Apres le passage des ouragans, des incendies et des seismes, les medias reviennent toujours a l’apocalyptique, un discours qui vise a repertorier les dommages d’un desastre jusqu’a perdre toute tra...
Intrathecal Catheterization and Drug Delivery in the Rat

The spinal cord represents a complex system that serves in the encoding of sensory information and organization of autonomic and somatomotor outflow. As such, it has become a target of investigation for subjects ranging from pain to hypertension to motor spasticity. A primary method in such investigations is the specific delivery of drugs into the spinal intrathecal space to assess such agents with the actions limited to the spinal cord. The rat has served as a primary model in these investigations. It provides for the ability to deliver such agents both acutely and chronically in the absence of anesthesia or restraint. These goals can be accomplished by the placement of intrathecal catheters in the spinal space. This model, first demonstrating the feasibility of routinely catheterizing the lumbar intrathecal space in 1976, led directly to enabling a large number of studies focusing on spinal drug actions. As a test model, it has provided for the acquisition of an exceptional amount of information on the pharmacological and physiological mechanisms of spinal function, drug screening, drug efficacy and safety studies, and pharmacokinteics of spinally delivered drugs. The modified surgical method of intrathecal catheter placement, microinjection drug delivery, and behavioral parameters are described in detail.
Decolonizing National Consciousness Redux: Ousmane Sembène's Xala as Transhistorical Critique

Prompted by the recent celebration of Senegal's fiftieth anniversary of independence, this article revisits Ousmane Sembene’s Xala in the contemporary contexts of the postcolony and globalization. Considering both novel and film, and utilizing an intertextual approach of cinematic translation and cultural theory, I argue that Sembene’s political aesthetic remains pertinent as a transhistorical work of criticism. Part of the reason is that this visceral satire eloquently maps out the pervasive and insidious effects of colonial ideologies on the ruling classes, even in the wake of Senegal’s fifty years of self-rule.
Renal Disease in the Elderly

With advancing age and in the absence of any disease, there is a significant alteration in kidney structure and a gradual decline in renal function. While RPF, GFR, and tubular reabsorptive capacity decrease with age, abnormal signs or symptoms cannot be detected under ordinary circumstances. The aging kidneys, however, have limited capacity to cope with rapid hemodynamic changes or disturbances in fluid and water balance, and this results in signs and symptoms of renal dysfunction. In the elderly, the incidence of primary renal diseases declines while the incidence of renal diseases secondary to systemic disease increases. AGN, while essentially a disease of the young, does occur in the older age group. RPGN, however, is the most common form of acute primary glomerulonephropathy, followed by membranous glomerulonephritis and glomerulosclerosis. Glomerulonephritis secondary to vasculitis and Wegener's granulomatosis and amyloidosis constitutes the most common secondary glomerulonephropathy. Drug-induced acute or chronic tubulointerstitial nephropathy is seen more frequently in the geriatric age group because of the high incidence of multiple-drug treatment. There is a high incidence of ARF in the elderly which is frequently precipitated by hypovolemia, hypotension, nephrotoxic drugs, surgery, and anesthesia. Clinical manifestations of renal disease in the elderly are often atypical and nonspecific. Abnormal signs and symptoms are frequently attributed to extrarenal diseases or to previously existing disorders. For these reasons, renal disease in the elderly may go undetected. Serum creatinine level may remain within normal range despite a drop in GFR because of a reduction in muscle mass with aging. Therefore, creatinine clearance is a more accurate test for assessment of renal function. A decrease in creatinine clearance should not be ignored or attributed to aging; it is an indication for further renal evaluation.
PROteolysis TArgeting Chimeras (PROTACs) - Past, Present and Future

The majority of currently used therapeutics are small molecule-based and utilize occupancy-driven pharmacology as the mode of action (MOA), in which the protein function is modulated via temporary inhibition. New modalities that operate using alternative MOAs are essential for tapping into the “undruggable” proteome. The PROteolysis Targeting Chimera (PROTAC) technology provides an attractive new approach that utilizes an event-driven MOA. Small molecule-based heterobifunctional PROTACs modulate protein target levels by hijacking the ubiquitin-proteasome system to induce degradation of the target. Here, we address important milestones in the development of the PROTAC technology, as well as emphasize key findings from this previous year and highlight future directions of this promising drug discovery modality.
Functional Significance of the Basic Cerebellar Circuit in Motor Coordination

Probably the most striking example of uniformity in the neuronal fabric of the brain is that present in the cerebellar cortex. Its connectivity and neuronal circuitry have an almost crystal-like structural organization. An example of the former is the precise distribution of the synaptic inputs onto the soma and dendrites of the cerebellar cortical neurons at the most superficial stratum, the molecular layer (cf. Palay and Chan-Palay 1974). At the neuronal circuit level the parallel fibers course in parallel to the cerebellar surface, the basket cell axons run orthogonally with respect to the direction of the parallel fibers, and all dendrites in the molecular layer run radially towards the surface of the cortex. This organization gives the cerebellar cortex a tridimensional matrix structure. As observed from the surface, the x axis is the direction of the parallel fibers, the y axis the direction of the basket cell axons, and the z axis the direction of the Purkinje cell dendrites (Ramon y Cajal 1911). In addition, since the descriptions by Ramon y Cajal (1888) it has been well known that the Purkinje cell dendrites are close to isoplanar and that the dendritic plane is oriented orthogonally with respect to the parallel fibers (Fig. 1).
Molecular targets for tivantinib (ARQ 197) and vasculogenic mimicry in human melanoma cells.

Abstract Tivantinib (TivB) was reported previously to target MET and microtubule assembly in different cells resulting in cytotoxicity. However, its other cellular targets remain unknown, especially the proteins involved in focal adhesion and cytoskeletal organization. We studied the effect of TivB on vinculin a focal adhesion protein, and RhoC, a GTPase which promote the reorganization of cytoskeleton. Biomolecules involved in vasculogenic mimicry (VM) previously not reported in melanoma, and their susceptibility to TivB was also evaluated. TivB affects the viability and apoptosis of human melanoma cells depending on the cell type. Vinculin and RhoC were increased in the presence of TivB and affected the integrity of actin filaments and altered the cellular morphology. TivB disrupts the VM exhibited by melanoma cells in 3D matrix. Roundabout Guidance Receptor 4 (Robo4), a receptor protein implicated in axonal guidance and angiogenesis and its ligand Slit2 are expressed in human C8161 and WM793 melanoma cells, but absent in other melanoma cells including normal melanocytes. VM is more prominent in C8161 cells and could be blocked by siRNA mediated silencing of Robo4 mRNA, but TivB does not affect Robo4 in C8161 cells. Immunoblot analysis indicated no changes in Robo4 and Slit2 protein expression, however, both vinculin and RhoC protein increased in TivB treated melanoma cells. These results suggest that TivB affects cell cytoskeleton and morphology by altering proteins such as vinculin and RhoC. Our studies indicate TivB could target molecules other than MET in melanoma cells, which may provide insight into its alternate mechanism of action.
Epidemiology of primary ophthalmic procedures performed in the United States.

Abstract Objective To determine and compare epidemiology, patient demographics, and socioeconomic factors of ophthalmic procedures in the United States. Participants All ophthalmic ambulatory procedures performed from 2012 to 2014. Methods The State Ambulatory Surgery Databases (SASD), a collection of data from 29 participating states that represent two-thirds of the U.S. population, were used for analysis. All ophthalmic procedures performed in ambulatory settings from 2012 to 2014 were included. Incidence and demographics for each procedure were assessed, with descriptive statistics determined to highlight key differences in epidemiology and patient characteristics for each procedure. Population-based rates of procedures for each racial group were calculated using national census data. Results Over a period of 3 years, 3 934 004 ophthalmic procedures were performed, with majority being ambulatory (98.5%). Most common procedures were lens and cataract removal (66.5%), followed by intraocular procedures (11.4%) and procedures involving eyelids, cornea, and conjunctiva (8.2%). All ambulatory procedures had a higher number of female patients except retinal tear and detachment repairs (male patients, 59.4%). Most procedures had a higher rate in blacks compared with whites and other races, and Medicare was the most common mode of payment. Conclusions Approximately 1.3 million ambulatory ophthalmic procedures were performed every year between 2012 and 2014 in the 29 reporting states of the United States. Low-income groups and certain minorities, apart from blacks, having a lower rate of procedure suggest that disparities exist in provision of eye care. The factors leading to these differences need to be further studied in order to devise strategies to provide equitable care.
Cerebellar Atrophy and Neurocognitive Disorder as Primary Presentation of Antiphospholipid Syndrome in a Young Male.

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a multisystem autoimmune disorder characterized by arterial or venous thrombosis and pregnancy morbidity in the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL).1 It can be primary or secondary. Primary antiphospholipid syndrome occurs in the absence of any other related disease. Secondary antiphospholipid syndrome occurs with other autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus. The presence of aPL can be demonstrated in one of three ways: the presence of anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL), β 2-glycoprotein I antibodies (GPI), or lupus anticoagulant antibodies (LA).1 To meet classification criteria for antiphospholipid syndrome, patients should have one clinical criterion, either vascular thrombosis (venous or arterial) or pregnancy morbidity (at least one fetal death or preterm delivery or three or more unexplained, consecutive, spontaneous pregnancy losses) and one laboratory criterion, the presence of aPL antibodies need to be seen twice and at least 12 weeks apart for confirmation. Neurological manifestations are common in APS and are attributed mainly to vascular thrombosis and aPL-induced neuronal tissue injury. The most common neurological presentation is an ischemic cerebrovascular accident (CVA) or transient ischemic attack (TIA). However, clinical presentations including cognitive dysfunction, headaches, seizures, and psychosis may be atypical in some cases, which makes diagnosis more difficult.2 In our case, a male patient initially presented with a neurocognitive disorder, dementia, cerebral atrophy, and seizure of unknown etiology. A diagnosis of APS was made after a brain biopsy revealed microinfarcts and intimal fibrosis and an aPL antibody test was positive.
New metabolic imaging tools in neuro-oncology.

Purpose of review The current treatment of gliomas dovetails results of decades-old clinical trials with modern trends in chemotherapy. Molecular characterization now plays a pivotal role, and IDH mutations are key characteristics and the subject of active debate. IDH-mutant tumors produce the 'onco-metabolite', 2-hydroxyglutarate. Metabolic changes have become central to the understanding of tumor biology, and tumors display a fundamental metabolic change called the Warburg Effect. The Warburg Effect represents a preference for glycolysis, as opposed to oxidative phosphorylation. The present review details the clinical context and discusses clinical and preclinical metabolic imaging tools to characterize the Warburg Effect. Recent findings A clinical Warburg Index is proposed, defined as the lactate concentration measured by H-MRSI over the SUV measured by FDG-PET, to measure the Warburg Effect. A preclinical technique called deuterium metabolic imaging has successfully imaged the Warburg Effect in vivo in glioblastoma. Summary Metabolic imaging provides an opportunity to measure the Warburg Effect and other metabolic changes in brain tumors. An increased understanding of metabolic shifts integral to brain cancer has the potential to address multiple contemporary debates on glioma pathophysiology and treatment. Metabolic imaging tools thus have the potential to advance research findings, clinical trial development, and clinical care.
A novel approach for optimal trajectory design with multiple operation modes of propulsion system, part 2

Abstract Equipping a spacecraft with multiple solar-powered electric engines (of the same or different types) compounds the task of optimal trajectory design due to presence of both real-valued inputs (power input to each engine in addition to the direction of thrust vector) and discrete variables (number of active engines). Each engine can be switched on/off independently and “optimal” operating power of each engine depends on the available solar power, which depends on the distance from the Sun. Application of the Composite Smooth Control (CSC) framework to a heliocentric fuel-optimal trajectory optimization from the Earth to the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko is demonstrated, which presents a new approach to deal with multiple-engine problems. Operation of engine clusters with 4, 6, 10 and even 20 engines of the same type can be optimized. Moreover, engine clusters with different/mixed electric engines are considered with either 2, 3 or 4 different types of engines. Remarkably, the CSC framework allows us 1) to reduce the original multi-point boundary-value problem to a two-point boundary-value problem (TPBVP), and 2) to solve the resulting TPBVPs using a single-shooting solution scheme and with a random initialization of the missing costates. While the approach we present is a continuous neighbor of the discontinuous extremals, we show that the discontinuous necessary conditions are satisfied in the asymptotic limit. We believe this is the first indirect method to accommodate a multi-mode control of this level of complexity with realistic engine performance curves. The results are interesting and promising for dealing with a large family of such challenging multi-mode optimal control problems.
The Integrative Complexity of Media Reports of Natural Disasters: A Preliminary Analysis:

Integrative complexity is a measure of the intellectual style used by individuals or groups in processing information, problem-solving, and decision making. Research generally shows that integrativ...
Slider Crank WEC Performance Analysis with Adaptive Autoregressive Filtering

This paper investigates a performance analysis of wave excitation force prediction to extract wave power for a slider crank power take-off system (PTOS) based on auto regressive (AR) filters. To efficiently convert wave energy into electricity, the prediction of wave excitation forces to keep the generator and the wave excitation force in sync is important for maximum energy extraction. The study shows a prediction methodology of half period and zero crossings in the practical scenario of irregular ocean waves. The prediction has been tested for different wave periods and with different filter orders. The prediction results have been used in the PTOS simulation to analyze the energy extraction. It has been shown that the prediction accuracy in the wave half period between the truth data and the predicted data drives the WEC energy extraction efficiency. The amplitude of the wave force is not used and hence the prediction deviation in the wave force amplitude does not affect the PTOS energy extraction. Further analysis shows that the optimum energy can be extracted at 15th order filter with moderate prediction horizon length.
Arid fidelity, reluctant capitalists: salvage, curation, and the circulation of Tuareg music on independent record labels

The record labels Sahel Sounds and Sublime Frequencies position themselves as insurgent alternatives to the mainstream music industry’s capitalist profiteering in the global circulation of Tuareg m...
A chip-based Brillouin laser gyroscope

Inspired by the success of semiconductor-chip-based MEMs rotation sensors, there has long been interest in the possible realization of chip-based optical gyroscopes. Such devices could potentially be lightweight and rugged, while featuring some of the sensitivity advantages of Sagnac-based sensing devices. However, the performance of integrated-optical gyroscopes has lagged behind MEMS devices on account of difficult-to-achieve requirements for low-optical-loss chip-based waveguides and optical resonators. Here, a chip-based ring laser gyroscope is described. Its sensitivity is high enough to measure the Earth's rotation. The physical principles of its operation and its current performance will be reviewed.
Exploring the Rhetorical Affordances of Augmented Reality in the Context of the Anthropocene

Immersive technology is increasingly recognized for its rhetoric potentials. Similar to traditional genres such as text and image, immersive technology such as Augmented Reality (AR) is also context dependent and can be used to conduct persuasive ends, based on the advantages of their input/output affordances. AR provides new opportunities to represent human-nonhuman relationship rhetorically, which is central to the concept of the Anthropocene. In this study, we reviewed 14 AR applications that are designed for the understanding of the Anthropocene, the current geological epoch where human influence is the driving force. Our purpose is to understand what affordances of AR can help to create the rhetoric for the Anthropocene. We identified three major rhetorical affordances of AR in conveying the message of the Anthropocene: virtual objects, point of view, and the input-output link. We argue that the design of these applications can generate a local and personalized understanding of the Anthropocene. Such design is also a part of the posthuman endeavor as they can be used as a reflective tool of anthropocentric perceptions supported by the development of technology. We also discuss how AR differs from Virtual Reality (VR) when serving the rhetorical ends. The rhetoric effects can be implicit in AR, but it adds to the layers of meaning when we try to understand the make meaning-processes of AR
Inequality and conflict: Burning resources to support peace

Abstract We consider a simple, guns-versus-butter model in which agents choose between “war” and “peace” to study the implications of inequality in resource ownership for equilibrium outcomes. Provided war is destructive, peace can emerge as the stable equilibrium, but only if the distribution of resource ownership is sufficiently even. We establish that, when this condition fails, the richer agent can destroy a portion of its resource endowment to even out the ex post distribution and thereby support peace. We also examine the importance of ex ante resource transfers and show that they are Pareto superior to burning resources.
Specificity without identity: Articulating post-gender sexuality through the “non-binary lesbian”:

This paper uses the paradigmatic pairing of non-binary and lesbian as identity labels to investigate changes in conceptualizations of sexual specificity as gender becomes divorced from its founding...
The role of consumption substitutability in the international transmission of monetary shocks

Abstract This paper develops a general framework to analyze the impact of monetary shocks in an open economy, focusing on the role of the degree of substitutability between goods produced in different countries. We extend the contributions by Obstfeld and Rogoff [Obstfeld, M., Rogoff, K., 1995. Exchange rate dynamics redux. Journal of Political Economy 103, 624–659] and Corsetti and Pesenti [Corsetti, G., Pesenti, P., 1997. Welfare and Macroeconomic Interdependence, NBER Working Paper 6307] to show that the welfare impact differs across countries when the degree of substitutability between goods produced in different countries is different from the degree of substitutability between goods produced in the same country. A shock that would be beneficial in a closed economy can have an adverse ‘beggar-thyself’ effect in the country where it takes place, or an adverse ‘beggar-thy-neighbor’ effect on its neighbor.
Climate change and wildfire-induced alteration of fight-or-flight behavior

Abstract The acute stress response is a cornerstone of animal behavior research, but little is currently understood about how responses to acute stressors (i.e. discrete noxious stimuli) may be altered in future climates. As climate change ensues, animals may experience chronic stress due to persistent warmer temperatures and environmental conditions altered by weather extremes, such as wildfires and storms, which are expected to increase in frequency and intensity. This chronic stress has the potential to cause changes in animal responses to acute stress, but whether such changes occur is unclear. Here, we investigated whether new environmental conditions caused by wildfire affected the fight-or-flight component of the acute stress response of a widespread social insect. We compared thatch ant (Formica obscuripes) behavior in neighboring sagebrush steppe areas that were unburned or burned three months prior. As predicted, we found that ant workers primarily defended their colonies by attacking a threatening stimulus, but ants in the burned environment were more likely to flee from the stimulus. While causal mechanisms require further study, these findings suggest that ant workers provide less protection for their colonies following wildfire, which may increase individual worker survival but make colonies more vulnerable to antagonists. As chronic stress due to wildfires and other shifting climatic variables becomes more widespread, understanding changes in animal responses to acute stressors will be crucial for anticipating animal survival in the Anthropocene. We suggest several research priorities for work on stress-related animal behaviors in environments altered by climate change, including greater focus on invertebrates.
Turnover Regulation of the Rho GTPase Cdc42 by Heat Shock Protein Chaperones and the MAPK Pathway Scaffold Bem4

All cells maintain an axis of polarity that directs the orientation of growth. Cell polarity can be reorganized during development and in response to extrinsic cues to produce new cell types. Rho GTPases are central regulators of cell polarity and signal-dependent cell differentiation. We show here that one of the best understood Rho GTPases, the highly conserved yeast Cdc42p, is turned over by members of the Heat Shock family of Proteins (HSPs). The Hsp40p chaperone, Ydj1p, was required for turnover of Cdc42p by the NEDD4 E3 ubiquitin ligase, Rsp5p, in the proteosome. Cdc42p turnover was regulated by HSPs at high temperatures, and in aging cells where the protein formed aggregates, implicating HSPs in Rho GTPase quality control. We also show that Cdc42pQ61L, which mimics the active (GTP-bound) conformation of the protein, was turned over at elevated levels by Ydj1p and Rsp5p. A turnover-defective version of Cdc42pQ61L led to multibudding phenotypes, implicating Cdc42 turnover in singularity in cell polarization. Cdc42p turnover also impacted MAP kinase pathway specificity. A pathway-specific scaffold, Bem4p, stabilized Cdc42p levels, which biased Cdc42p function in one MAPK pathway over another. Turnover regulation of Rho GTPases by HSPs and scaffolds provides new dimensions to the regulation of cell polarity and signal-dependent morphogenesis. Significance StatementRho GTPases are switch-like proteins that govern major decisions in cell polarity and signaling in eukaryotes. We elucidate here a pathway that turns over the yeast Rho GTPase Cdc42p, which is mediated by the heat-shock family of proteins (HSPs) and the NEDD4-type E3 ubiquitin ligase Rsp5p. This finding provides a way for HSPs to exert their widespread effects on morphogenetic responses, phenotypic plasticity, and signaling pathways. We also found that turnover of an active version of Cdc42p is critical for modulating cell polarity. Cdc42p turnover also impacted its function in a pathway specific setting, as stabilization of Cdc42p by Bem4p (SmgGDS-type scaffold) influenced the activity of a specific MAPK pathway. HSPs may regulate Rho GTPase turnover in many systems.
Gnotobiotic Operations and Assembly for Development of Germ-Free Animal Model of Laser-Induced Choroidal Neovascularization.

Purpose Compelling new evidence reveals a close link between the gut microbiome and the pathogenesis of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Germ-free (GF) animal models are the current gold standard for studying host the microbe interactions in vivo; yet, no GF animal models of nAMD are available today. This protocol describes gnotobiotic operations and assembly for a laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV) model in GF mice to study the gut microbiome in neovascular AMD. Methods We developed a step-wise approach to performing retinal laser photocoagulation in GF C57BL/6J mice that were bred and maintained at the gnotobiotic facility. Following a strict sterility protocol, we administered laser photocoagulation via an Argon 532-nm laser attached to a customized slit-lamp delivery system. Sterility was confirmed by weekly fecal cultures and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Results The experiment was repeated twice at different time points using seven mice (14 eyes). Stool cultures and RT-PCR remained negative for 14 days post-procedure in all mice. Lectin immunostaining performed on choroidal flatmounts confirmed the presence of CNV lesions 2 weeks after laser treatment. Conclusions We established a GF mouse model of nAMD with detailed guidelines to deliver retinal laser in GF mice maintaining sterility after the laser procedure. Translational Relevance To our knowledge, this is the first protocol that describes a GF murine model of laser-induced CNV. In addition to nAMD, this animal model can be used to investigate host-microbial interactions in other eye diseases with laser-induced mouse models such as glaucoma and retinal vein occlusion.
College-level Baccalaureate-MD Student Perceptions of Research and Research-Oriented Careers

Purpose Concern about the decline in physician scientists has generated interest in promoting research participation among medical students. This study aimed to examine perceptions of research and research-oriented careers among college-level baccalaureate-MD (BA/MD) students at one institution in the United States. Methods A cross-sectional survey was distributed to a sample of 241 BA/MD students. Descriptive statistics were used to examine research perceptions of participants. Results The response rate was 52% (126/241). Most respondents conducted scientific research in high school and were interested in research-oriented careers. Most students participated in a research program (research course, faculty mentorship, or research grant), disseminated their research, and believed that research programs would be helpful for their research participation. The most common perceived barriers were a lack of time, interest, and prior research experience. Conclusions College-level BA/MD students had positive perception of research-oriented careers and found student research programs helpful. However, addressing key barriers such as lack of time, interest and experience will help expand BA/MD student engagement in research.
Sooner or Later? A Study of Report Timing

In this paper, we study the timing of reporting in the presence of financing constraints, and examine how the timing of reporting affects endogenous input decisions and thus impacts efficiency. We find that when the entrepreneur's input is crucial in determining a project's outcome, it is efficient either to require no report or to make the reporting time late. When the input is not crucial but it is still desirable, the reporting time should be set sufficiently early. When the input is too costly and/or not very effective, the reporting time should be set at the middle point of the period. Our message is that, to inform the debate on whether the best reporting time should be sooner or later, we should take into consideration the role of firms/entrepreneurs' endogenous input in determining projects' outcomes.
An Affect-Conditioning Model of Nonhuman Primate Vocal Signaling

We outline a model of nonhuman primate vocal behavior, proposing that the function of calling is to influence the behavior of conspecific receivers and that a Pavlovian conditioning framework can account for important aspects of how such influence occurs. Callers are suggested to use vocalizations to elicit affective responses in others, thereby altering the behavior of these individuals. Responses can either be unconditioned, being produced directly by the signal itself, or conditioned, resulting from past interactions in which the sender both called and produced affective responses in the receiver through other means.
Observational study of the IMF spiral north and south of the current sheet

We have analyzed 23 years of spacecraft observations spanning 27 AU. Our analysis reveals both an overwinding of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and a sustained asymmetry between the northern and southern hemispheres of the heliosphere. Nonzero azimuthal field components at the source boundary may account for the observed overwinding. The north-south asymmetry, whereby the IMF spiral north of the current sheet is more tightly wound than the IMF spiral south of the current sheet, persists due to unknown sources. It is also shown that there exist significant, correlated departures from the Parker theory in the azimuthal component of the field.
ABO antibody titers are not predictive of hemolytic reactions due to plasma-incompatible platelet transfusions.

BACKGROUND: The overall risk of hemolytic transfusion reactions (HTRs) from plasma (minor)-incompatible platelet (PLT) transfusions and the role of a critical anti-A or anti-B titer in predicting and preventing these reactions has not been clearly established. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We evaluated all apheresis PLT (AP) transfusions for 3 months. Using the gel titer method, we determined the anti-A and/or the anti-B immunoglobulin (Ig)G titer for all incompatible APs. Reported febrile transfusion reactions and HTRs were recorded; transfusions were not prospectively evaluated by the study team. A posttransfusion direct antiglobulin test (DAT) and eluate were performed after a reported febrile or hemolytic reaction for patients who received plasma-incompatible APs. RESULTS: A total of 647 of 4288 AP transfusions (15.1%) were plasma incompatible. Group O APs (n = 278) had significantly higher anti-A and anti-B titers than group A or B APs (p < 0.0001). No group A or B APs had a titer of more than 128 (0/342). For group O APs, 73 had titers of 256 or greater (26.3%), and 27 had titers of 512 or greater (9.7%). No HTRs were reported to any plasma-incompatible AP transfusion during the study period. Two plasma-incompatible AP transfusions were associated with fever and chills and positive DATs, of which one had a positive eluate. The incidence of a DAT and eluate-positive febrile transfusion reaction in the plasma-incompatible AP population is 0.15% (95% confidence interval, 0.0%-0.86%). CONCLUSION: A critical anti-A or -B titer is not sufficient to predict the risk of hemolysis in patients receiving plasma-incompatible APs, although underreporting of reactions to the blood bank may limit the generalizability of this study.
Development of Deductive Reasoning across the Life Span

The present chapter offers both a summary of the developmental findings concerning deductive reasoning and a review of the existing developmental theories of deduction. The potential of these theories for resolving striking inconsistencies between the developmental and adult literatures on deduction is a central concern. The principle theories reviewed include Overton's Neo-Piagetian competence-procedural account, Braine and O'Brien's natural deduction theory, Markovits' developmental mental models theory, pragmatic schemas theory, and the metacognitive theories of Kuhn and Moshman. With the exception of the competence-procedural account, these theories focus primarily on the development of deductive reasoning through early adulthood. In an attempt to redress this limitation, the chapter provides an extensive discussion of the surprisingly limited and somewhat atheoretical late adult development literature on deduction. Keywords: deductive inference; indeterminacy; competence and procedure; metalogic; mental models; executive functions
Fatigue Analysis of Ultrafine Grained Al 1050 Alloy Produced by Cyclic Forward Backward Extrusion

In this work, fatigue behavior of ultrafme-grained (UFG) Al 1050 alloy produced by a cyclic forward-backward extrusion (CFBE) was studied. Initial average grain size of 120 urn was reduced to lum, 600nm and 320nm using 1, 2 and 3 cycles CFBE process, respectively. After three CFBE cycles, both yield strength and tensile strength increased about 3.5 and 3 times greater than those of as-received samples. Fatigue tests were carried out under load-controlled mode at a frequency of 15 Hz. Results indicate that grain refinement of Al 1050 samples improved the resistance to fatigue crack nucleation under predominantly high cycle fatigue loading. To explain the formation process of damage surfaces, micro structure changes in the damage surfaces caused by cyclic stresses were studied by scan electron microscopy (SEM).
Effect of point sampling density in quantifying mouse lung emphysema.

In the official joint policy document of the American Thoracic Society and European Respiratory Society (Hsia et al., Am J Respir Crit Care Med 181:394-418), the need for proper stereologic assessment of lungs was emphasized. In this document it was emphasized that for the quantitative analysis of lung histologic sections, one of the most robust and reliable methods is point and intercept counting (Knudsen et al., J Appl Physiol 108:412-421). One of the practical aspects of this method is how many points or intercepts are needed. The answer to this question has been considered from a theoretical perspective, and it depends on the relative magnitudes of the methodological and biologic variabilities. Although it is generally accepted that in a normal lung, one needs only 100–200 points to sufficiently lower the methodological variability, given the increased variability often seen in experimental emphysematous lung injury, the requisite number of points of intercepts has not been evaluated. In this study, we examined this question by focusing on some of the relevant sampling levels in mice with extensive elastase-induced emphysema. Using fixed samples of tissue blocks, we varied the number of sampling points or intercepts from about 25 to 1,000 in control and emphysematous lungs. Our results show that, at the sampling levels investigated, even with the increased heterogeneity in the lung tissue damage caused by elastase, the number of sampling points needed to detect changes is similar to what is needed for control mice. Anat Rec, 298:531–537, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The inner power of a graph

We define a new graph operation called the k th inner power . The construction—which is somewhat analogous to the k th power with respect to the direct product—seems to lend itself nicely to certain questions concerning cancellation over the direct product. We prove several results about bipartiteness and connectedness of inner powers, and we prove that the inner power distributes over the direct product. We explore a potential connection between inner powers and the problem of cancellation over the direct product.
Savings upon Re-Aiming in Visuomotor Adaptation.

UNLABELLED: Sensorimotor adaptation has traditionally been viewed as a purely error-based process. There is, however, growing appreciation for the idea that performance changes in these tasks can arise from the interplay of error-based adaptation with other learning processes. The challenge is to specify constraints on these different processes, elucidating their respective contributions to performance, as well as the manner in which they interact. We address this question by exploring constraints on savings, the phenomenon in which people show faster performance gains when the same learning task is repeated. In a series of five experiments, we demonstrate that error-based learning associated with sensorimotor adaptation does not contribute to savings. Instead, savings reflects improvements in action selection, rather than motor execution. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Savings is the phenomenon in which people show faster relearning of a previously forgotten memory. In the motor learning domain, this phenomenon has been a puzzle for learning models that operate exclusively on error-based learning processes. We demonstrate, in a series of experiments, that savings selectively reflects improvements in action selection: Participants are more adept in invoking an appropriate aiming strategy when presented with a previously experienced perturbation. Indeed, improvements in action selection appear to be the sole source of savings in visuomotor adaptation tasks. We observe no evidence of savings in implicit error-based adaptation. Language: en
Does sympatry predict life history and morphological diversification in the Mexican livebearing fish Poeciliopsis baenschi

Understanding why some species coexist and others do not remains one of the fundamental challenges of ecology. Although there is evidence to suggest that closely-related species are unlikely to occupy the same habitat because of competitive exclusion, there are many cases where closely-related species do co-occur. Research comparing sympatric and allopatric populations of co-occurring species provides a framework for understanding the role of phenotypic diversification in species coexistence. In the present study, we compare phenotypic divergence between sympatric and allopatric populations of the livebearing fish, Poeciliopsis baenschi. We focus on life-history traits and body shape, comprising two sets of integrated traits likely to diverge in response to varying selective pressures. Given that males and females can express different phenotypic traits, we also test for patterns of divergence among sexes by comparing size at maturity and sexual dimorphism in body shape between males and females in each population type. We take advantage of a natural experiment in western Mexico where, in some locations, P. baenschi co-occur with a closely-related species, Poeciliopsis turneri (sympatric populations) and, in other locations, they occur in isolation (allopatric populations). The results obtained in the present study show that sympatric populations of P. baenschi differed significantly in life-history traits and in body shape compared to their allopatric counterparts. Additionally, males and females showed different responses for size at maturity in sympatric conditions versus allopatric conditions. However, the amount of sexual dimorphism did not differ between sympatric and allopatric populations of P. baenschi. Hence, we conclude that not all traits show similar levels of phenotypic divergence in response to sympatric conditions. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 100, 608–618.
Hydrolysis of 4-methylumbelliferyl butyrate: A convenient and sensitive fluorescent assay for lipase activity

A rapid, sensitive and convenient fluorescent assay was developed to screen for lipase activity. The non-fluorescent substrate, 4-methylumbelliferyl butyrate (4-MUB), solubilized in either liposomal dispersions or bile salt/lecithin mixed micelles, is hydrolyzed to butyric acid and the highly fluorescent compound, 4-methylumbelliferone (4-MU). Assays are run at 37 C for 10 min, terminated, and the changes in fluorescence quantitated with a Turner III fluorometer. Both lingual and pancreatic lipases exhibit activity against this artificial substrate. The assay has several advantages: nmoles 4 MU/ml/hr are measured allowing the detection of very low lipolytic activity; multiple samples may be simultaneously assayed, and only a brief incubation period is required.
Electrolytically generated silver(II) as a coulometric titrant

Abstract The use of electrolytically generated silver(II) as a coulometric titrant has been studied. Difficulties arising from the current efficiency for generation of silver (II) at a platinum or gold electrode and from the reduction of silver(II) by water, have been overcome. The precautions necessary for accurate titrations of oxalic acid, cerium(III), arsenic(III) and vanadium(IV) by amperometric or potentiometric methods are detailed. Manganese and chromium could not be determined directly. Substances which reduce nitric acid could be determined if care was taken.
Point and standard error estimation for quantiles of mixed flood distributions

This paper explores the use of finite mixture models in the study of flood frequency distributions with multiple components. It focuses on further methodological developments for finite mixture models, including an accelerated version of the EM algorithm to derive both parameter estimates and the observed information matrix, estimation of the .99 quantile of the mixture distribution, and standard error estimation of the quantile. In case studies, the lognormal finite mixture model will be compared to other models - specifically the widely-used log-Pearson Type III distribution, the Gumbel distribution, and the GEV distribution. A multidimensional gradient plot and information criteria will be discussed as diagnostics for the number of mixing components.
Pattern Detection of Multivariate Hormonal Systems

A method of data analysis which aims at the detection of the significant periodicities as well as of the irregular high frequency oscillations (perturbations) in biological time series (TS) is proposed. The significant frequency modes are detected by application of a statistical significance criterion on the periodogram derived from the given TS; they are used to construct the significant periodic series. The latter is then subtracted from the original TS in order to obtain the detrended TS defined as the perturbation series which is considered as the outcome of a stochastic process. Under the assumption of Gaussian characteristics for the stochastic process, evidence of which is available, a probabilistic basis for both univariate and bivariate analysis is provided. A ``surprisal'' measure defined as the reciprocal of the probability for an outcome of a stochastic process (or a pair of correlated porcesses) is introduced to account for both the average as well as the localized perturbation of the TS (or the correlation between the pair of TS). A dependence tree configuration that maximizes the overall mutual information or dependence among branches is proposed as an optimal representation of a multivariate system. Lag-correlation analysis and cospectrum tests are adopted for validation and modification of the configuration generated. Simulated systems are employed to test the extent of linear approximation of various nonlinear functions as well as the sensitivity of the proposed method when the simulated system is subject to disturbances of varied type and degree.
Laboratory absorption strengths and line shape parameters in the 4-0, 5-0, and 6-0 vibration bands of HD☆

Experimental values for the visible vibration-dipole bands of HD are improved through a study of weak, unsaturated absorption lines of HD against a well-defined white light continuum at low gas densities between 0.3 and 1.7 amagats. Spectral resolution was high enough to allow recovery of line profiles with only minor corrections for instrumental effects, so line strengths and shapes are determined directly without recourse to theoretical assumptions regarding the curve of growth, and the unusual phenomenon of collision narrowing in HD is directly observed in the line shape for the first time. Accurate line strengths are reported, the behavior of spectral profiles as a function of gas density is discussed, and the pressure shift coefficients are determined. These are compared with previous laboratory work done either at lower spectral resolving power or at higher gas densities.