cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tagless remote refractometric sensor based on WGMs in quantum dot-embedded microspheres

Optical resonances in microspheres have recently been applied to biosensing applications. The resonances, known as Whispering Gallery Modes (WGMs) result from the total internal reflection of the light propagating inside the high index spherical surface within a lower index medium. The evanescent field of the WGM, which extends beyond the microsphere surface, is sensitive to the changes in the local refractive index in the surrounding medium. The high Q factor associated with WGMs enables a highly sensitive sensor element. Here we present a refractometric sensor with high sensitivity based on quantum dot (QD) embedded polystyrene microspheres. Ultrashort laser pulses are used to induce two photon excited luminescence from the QDs inside the microspheres. By optimizing the detection area of the microsphere, an enhanced resonance signal to background ratio can be achieved. Theoretical calculations of the resonance peak shifts are compared with the experimental data. Refractometric sensing based on WGMs is a technique that does not require analyte labeling. In this work, QDs are used as a local, broadband light source within the microspheres to enable remote excitation of the resonant modes. The sensor has great potential in many biosensing applications.
Role of endothelium-derived relaxing factors in arteriolar dilation during muscle contraction elicited by electrical field stimulation.

Objective: To determine the contribution of either endothelium-derived nitric oxide (EDNO) or prostaglandins in the functional vasodilation of first-order arterioles of the hamster cremaster muscle.Methods: First-order arterioles dilated from 72 ± 3 μm to 93 ± 4 μm in response to contraction of the cremaster muscle for 1 min (n = 7). After EDNO inhibition by topical application of 10 μM Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), the resting diameter decreased to 66 ± 3 μm and functional dilation was attenuated to 75 ± 3 μm (P 0.05). To evaluate whether the vasoconstrictor effect of L-NAME on functional dilation is same as other vasoconstrictors, norepinephrine was applied on the cremaster muscle to induce a vasoconstriction (72 ± 2 to 66 ± 1 ...
Social concerns of women undergoing infertility treatment.

Objective Our study was undertaken to determine [1] what women are disclosing to their employer with regard to their infertility, [2] what demographic characteristics are associated with women who are more likely to disclose, and [3] if there is an association between disclosure and lowering one's stress. We hypothesize that, in certain women, disclosure may lower stress, and therefore increase success rate of in vitro fertilization. Design Cross-sectional questionnaire. Setting University Infertility Treatment Center. Patient(s) We handed out a questionnaire to patients being evaluated and treated for infertility over a 6-month period. A total of 267 questionnaires were handed out and all were collected. Main Outcome Measure(s) We collected demographic data as well as information regarding privacy, disclosure, and stress. We then compared women who disclose to their employer that they are being seen by an infertility specialist to those women who do not disclose. We also measured stress and determined if higher stress level was associated with disclosure or nondisclosure. Result(s) Most women who did disclose did so because they needed a reason to leave work for frequent doctor visits. Among women who did not disclose, the main reason for nondisclosure was to protect their privacy. Women with a high school education were more likely to disclose compared with those with a college and postgraduate education. African American/Caribbean American women were least likely to disclose. Those who were out of work more often because of their infertility were more likely to disclose. There was not an association with disclosure and decreasing stress level. Conclusion(s) Women who did or did not disclose their infertility status to their employer were different with regard to level of education, race/ethnicity, and number of visits per month to the doctor. The decision to disclose does not seem to have a significant impact on stress.
Current and future use of indicators for ecosystem based fisheries management

Abstract Implementing ecosystem based fisheries management (EBFM) will require a suite of ecological indices to track the state of an ecosystem, in addition to monitoring species-abundance for both economically important species, as well as species that are not targeted for harvest. However, EBFM implementation requires an examination of current methods and applications of ecological indices that are being used. This paper identifies four key uses for ecosystem indices in the context of EBFM and discusses the implications of each: (1) motivation for socio-political action, (2) information for individual users to modify their behavior, (3) implementation of decision rules for management evaluation, and (4) discovery of ecosystem functions to advance scientific knowledge. In a fisheries management context, ecological indicators will be linked to decision rules based on the definitions of both “ecosystem overfishing” and the current single-species definitions of overfishing. Two components of common ecological indicators are species weightings (i.e. catch or abundance data by species) and the species-specific ecological attributes (e.g. mortality rates, body size, trophic level). We discuss statistical issues that arise from estimating the parameters in ecological index calculations from both fishery-dependent and independent data and the potential biases introduced by using catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) data, catch data, and abundance estimates. Given the range of biases that arise, often the best estimates of species weightings (abundances) are those derived from fish stock assessments. This implies that progress in EBFM may be best served by increasing the number of species for which single-species assessments are done and to expand the list of species to include species which may not be economically important. The policy framework exists to carry out EBFM; however, future works needs to focus on empirical management strategy simulations, as well as theoretical works to identify management criteria based on those indicators.
Congenital diaphragmatic hernia: Arterial structural changes and persistent pulmonary hypertension after surgical repair

Some infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia who die after surgical correction have a transient postoperative period during which systemic oxygenation is adequate (honeymoon period), whereas others have persistent hypoxemia. Using morphometric techniques, we analyzed lung structure, especially the arterial bed, in seven infants who died within 1 week of surgical repair. Three infants comprised the honeymoon group, the PaO 2 transiently being >150 mm Hg in the descending aorta (FiO 2 1.0): four infants comprised the no-honeymoon group and never had PaO 2 >85 mm Hg. All lungs were hypoplastic for age; with one exception, infants in the no-honeymoon group had smaller lungs. Arterial structure in the no-honeymoon group contributed to a greater reduction in pulmonary arterial cross-sectional area. Each infant in the no-honeymoon group had muscularization of intra-acinar arteries and failure of perinatal increase in compliance of small preacinar arteries, features not seen in the honeymoon group or in the normal newborn infant. In addition, compared with the honeymoon group, luminal area of preacinar and intra-acinar arteries in the no-honeymoon group was decreased by reduced external diameter or increased medial thickness. Clinical deterioration in the honeymoon group is based on a vasoconstrictive response of the hypoplastic vascular bed. Persistent hypoxemia in the no-honeymoon group is based on both severity of pulmonary hypoplasia and structural remodeling of the pulmonary arteries.
What is an antibiotic

Potential sites of action are innumerable for selective toxicity of antibiotics to bacterial cells and not to host cells. Available antibiotics are effective by inhibiting synthesis of cell walls, protein, RNA, DNA, or folic acid. Both selective toxicity of antibiotics and resistance to antibiotics depend on the site of action and delivery to the site of action in adequate concentrations. Critical mechanisms for the transport of antibiotics through bacterial barriers and important pharmacokinetic attributes in humans are involved. Adverse effects of antibiotics may be immunologic or nonimmunologic. Nonimmunologic adverse effects of antibiotics are rarely related to slippage in the selectivity of toxicity but are usually the result of unrelated biochemical effects associated with other undesired actions of all drugs. Such undesired side effects can be avoided in drug development only if we understand the biochemical basis of these actions.
Solar rejection for an orbiting telescope

The present work discusses some of the constraints that the optical designer must deal with in optimizing spaceborne sensors that must look at or near the sun. Analytical techniques are described for predicting the effects of stray radiation from sources such as mirror scatter, baffle scatter, diffraction, and ghost images. In addition, the paper describes a sensor design that has been flown on the Apollo Telescope Mount (Skylab) to aid astronauts in locating solar flares. In addition to keeping stray radiation to a minimum, the design had to be nondegradable by the direct solar heat load.
Delignification of Miscanthus by Extraction

Removal of lignin from miscanthus liberates cellulose and hemicellulose for hydrolysis to obtain sugars that can subsequently be fermented to ethanol or butanol. Extraction of lignin from raw miscanthus at 70°C is feasible when the extracting solvent contains a base (Ethylenediamine, EDA) mixed with an organic solvent or a mildly hydrophobic ionic liquid. A 50–50 (by weight) mixture of EDA and ethylene glycol removes 75% of the lignin from raw miscanthus when the weight ratio of solvent to miscanthus is 10:1. At the same ratio of solvent to miscanthus, a 10–90 (by weight) mixture of EDA and ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tosylate ([Emim][Ts]) removes 60% of the lignin. These results suggest that it may be possible to delignify miscanthus by extraction at moderate temperature and atmospheric pressure.
The instability mechanism of single and multilayer Newtonian and viscoelastic flows down an inclined plane

The instability mechanism of single and multilayer flow of Newtonian and viscoelastic fluids down an inclined plane has been examined based on a rigorous energy analysis as well as careful examination of the eigenfunctions. These analyses demonstrate that the free surface instability in single and multilayer flows in the limit of longwave disturbances (i.e., the most dangerous disturbances) arise due to the perturbation shear stresses at the free surface. Specifically, for viscoelastic flows, the elastic forces are destabilizing and the main driving force for the instability is the coupling between the base flow and the perturbation velocity and stresses and their gradient at the free surface. For Newtonian flows at finite Re, the driving force for the interfacial instability in the limit of longwaves depends on the placement of the less viscous fluid. If the less viscous fluid is adjacent to the solid surface then the main driving force for the instability is interfacial friction, otherwise the bulk contribution of Reynolds stresses drives the instability. For viscoelastic fluids in the limit of vanishingly small Re, the driving force for the instability is the coupling of the base flow and perturbation velocity and stresses and their gradients across the interface. In the limit of shortwaves the interfacial stability mechanism of flow down inclined plane is the same as plane Poiseuille flows (Ganpule and Khomami 1998, 1999a, b).
On the transition from brittle to plastic failure in breaking a nanocrystal under tension (NUT)

We are simulating the dynamical failure of three-dimensional notched solids under tension using molecular dynamics, simple interatomic force laws and system sizes from 10 to more than 100 millions atoms. The rare-gas solid will cleave brittlely at failure under mode I loading in the 110 direction. With sufficient loading, the crack velocity can reach a speed where a transition from brittle failure to ductile failure occurs. We show that this critical speed is independent of the loading history and is approximately 0.36 of the Rayleigh sound speed, consistent with our suggestion that this transition is initiated by an intrinsic instability in the crack dynamics.
Novel therapies in MM: from the aspect of preclinical studies

During the last decade, thalidomide, lenalidomide, and bortezomib have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of MM; however, MM remains incurable. The development and progression of multiple myeloma (MM) is a complex multi-step process involving genetic abnormalities in tumor cells at both early and late stages. Moreover, soluble factors and cell–cell contact within the tumor bone marrow (BM) microenvironment promotes MM cell growth, survival, and drug resistance. A number of novel agents targeting both tumor cells and growth factors in the BM milieu have been developed. Currently they are under evaluation in preclinical studies, as single agents and/or in combination, to improve outcome of MM patients.
WE‐G‐BRA‐05: Simulated Troubleshooting Session for Medical Physics Resident Rotations

Purpose: Troubleshooting is a difficult to train, but critical skill for a clinical medical physicist. It is unlikely that residents will have opportunities to troubleshoot many real clinical scenarios during a typical 3 month rotation. The ability to analyze and correct abnormal clinical situations is imperative to providing safe radiation therapy care. We have developed a novel strategy to train medical physics residents to gain such important clinical physics skill. Methods: Simulated troubleshooting sessions were designed for each rotation, featuring problematic clinical scenarios. The resident was required to troubleshoot each scenario in a given time frame. Using a brachytherapy rotation as an example, the transfer tubes connecting the afterloader to the Tandem and Ovoids (T&O) applicators were purposely inserted incorrectly. The resident was asked to deliver a dummy T&O plan in a reasonable time frame including troubleshooting all problems that may occur. Many simulated troubleshooting situations were presented to the resident. Two residents went through a 3 month brachytherapy rotation, one with and the other without the simulated troubleshooting session. All other rotation activities were the same. At the end of the rotation, an oral exam was given to test how well the residents understood the brachytherapy clinical practice. Results: Both residents were able to pass the exam. However, the resident that received the troubleshooting session performed better'‴a superior understanding of the reasons behind the clinical practice and better troubleshooting skills were demonstrated. Conclusions: To train residents to better handle the clinical situations, it is important to include a simulated troubleshooting session into clinical rotations. Simulated troubleshooting sessions are excellent and necessary supplements to the clinical rotations for the residents to gain practical clinical skills.
Protection of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) spermatozoa motility under oxidative stress by antioxidants and seminal plasma.

The protective influence of seminal plasma and the antioxidants catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione (GTH) on quality parameters, oxidative stress indices, and antioxidant activity was studied in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) spermatozoa exposed to the xanthine–xanthine oxidase (X–XO) system. Fish spermatozoa were incubated for 5 and 20 min at 4 °C with X–XO concentrations of 1 mM X–0.1 U/mL, 0.6 mM X–0.05 U/mL, 0.3 mM X–0.025 U/mL, and 0.1 mM X–0.0125 U/mL. A dose-dependent reduction in spermatozoa motility and velocity was observed at concentrations of 0.1 mM X–0.0125 U/mL to 1 mM X–0.1 U/mL XO. Increase in spermatozoa motility parameters was recorded following treatment with antioxidants and seminal plasma. The level of the oxidative stress indices lipid peroxidation (LPO) and carbonyl derivatives of proteins (CP) was significantly reduced after addition of CAT, SOD, or GTH along with seminal plasma. Significant differences in SOD, glutathione reductase, and glutathione peroxidase activity were seen in spermatozoa incubated with, compared to that without, seminal plasma at all studied X–XO concentrations. The data demonstrated that CAT, SOD, or GTH in combination with SP can reduce reactive oxygen species stress in fish spermatozoa and improve spermatozoa quality.
Production Efficiency and Discriminatory Hiring Practices in the National Hockey League: A Stochastic Frontier Approach

This paper studies the production process in the National Hockey League (NHL) and attempts to identify the sources of production inefficiency, including potential inefficiencies associated with preferences for, or against French-Canadians. Employing the method of stochastic frontier estimation, it is shown that production inefficiencies are prevalent in the NHL and can, in part, be traced to differences in coaching ability, team ownership, local sports competition, and management experience. In addition, it is found that teams with unusually high (or low) numbers of French-Canadian players tended to be less efficient, implying that discriminating hiring practices are costly.
Dermatologic laser surgery.

. The laser is becoming an increasingly important surgical and medical instrument in the field of dermatology. Developments in the areas of laser technology and application have significantly broadened its clinical use over the past several years. These rapid changes and advances in the use of the laser for cutaneous processes may make it difficult for the physician to maintain a current base of knowledge in this area. Relevant laser systems and their clinical applications are presented and discussed, as are investigational laser systems, which may be of importance for the future. This will allow the dermatologic surgeon the opportunity to update concepts and evaluate the various laser systems and their cutaneous applications.
Studies in proline metabolism by Schistosoma mansoni—I. Radioautography following in vitro exposure to radioproline C14

Abstract 1. 1. When exposed in vitro to C 14 proline male schistosoma become much more heavily than do females. 2. 2. The areas of concentration in the male are the integument and sub-integument, the paraoesophageal region, the gut and the testes. 3. 3. In the female local accumulation in the posterior ovary and, to a lesser extent, in the mehlis gland was noted. 4. 4. The vitelline gland and duct fail to tag heavily on exposure; the female gut also shows minimal proline uptake. 5. 5. Proline may play a special metabolic role in either the paraoesophageal musculature or in the nearby neural ganglionic ring. 6. 6. Speculations concerning functional implications of these findings are given.
Spinous process hypertrophy associated with implanted devices in the external link model.

Abstract Objective Recent development of a chiropractic subluxation mimic, the external link model, uses titanium implants on lumbar vertebrae in the rat. The objective of this study was to evaluate potential correlations in the model between linking history, bone resorption, exudate formation, and experimentally induced intervertebral hypomobility. Methods Serial lateral radiographs of 73 male Sprague Dawley rats with implanted devices were reviewed. A baseline radiograph was obtained after a 6-week surgical recovery period, and a second radiograph was exposed after an 8-week hypomobility induction period. Spinous hypertrophy at the implant sites (L4, L5, and L6) was measured on the radiographs with a vernier caliper. Bone resorption and exudate build-up were assessed and compared with intervertebral hypomobility data previously collected. Data trends were described using cross-tabulated counts, analysis of variance, and regression analysis. Results Cross-tabulation suggested differences between hypomobility-induced rats and control rats. However, correlation analysis showed no predictive role for spinous hypertrophy relative to intervertebral mobility. Similarly, exudate level did not predict spinous hypertrophy. However, implant presence and vertebral level had a significant interaction, with moderate and severe hypertrophy occurring more frequently at L4 and L6 in hypomobility-induced rats. Age did not materially influence spinous hypertrophy. Conclusions Mechanical stresses produced at the implant bone interface in rats with induced hypomobility contribute to spinous hypertrophy beyond that simply due to the presence of the implants. However, spinous hypertrophy does not contribute significantly to intervertebral hypomobility in the external link model.
what is a disposition

Attempts to capture the distinction between categorical and dispositional states in terms of more primitive modal notions – subjunctive conditionals, causal roles, or combinatorial principles – are bound to fail. Such failure is ensured by a deep symmetry in the ways dispositional and categorical states alike carry modal import. But the categorical/dispositional distinction should not be abandoned; it underpins important metaphysical disputes. Rather, it should be taken as a primitive, after which the doomed attempts at reductive explanation can be transformed into circular but interesting accounts.
Exploring the basis for Tai Chi Chuan as a therapeutic exercise approach

For many centuries Tai Chi has been a martial art form, practiced primarily in Oriental cultures. For the past 300 years this movement approach has been used as an exercise form, practiced by millions of Chinese elderly people. To date, virtually no information exists about the therapeutic elements of this intriguing movement sequence. This article provides a historical review of existing documentation of reputed Tai Chi benefits. The 108 "forms" of Tai Chi Chuan are reduced to 10 composite forms for ease of application of these forms to older individuals within a reasonable time frame. An effort is set forth to identify the potential therapeutic elements within these forms.
A Comparison of Phonological Skills of Boys With Fragile X Syndrome and Down Syndrome

In this study, the authors compared the phonological accuracy and patterns of sound change of boys with fragile X syndrome, boys with Down syndrome, and typically developing mental-age-matched boys...
The resale of right to buy dwellings: a case study of migration and social change in rural England

Drawing on data relating to some 500 households, taken from local government records and questionnaire surveys, this paper examines the processes of migration and social change associated with the resale of former local authority dwellings in a rural part of the East Midlands, England, UK. Legislative change principally stemming from the Housing Act (1980) has given tenants a `right to buy’ their rented dwelling from the local authority landlord. By focussing on the longer term impact of this process the findings of this study reveal a radical discontinuity with the past, as new households with contrasting characteristics to previous occupants move in when these dwellings are resold on the open market. The study shows that the relative affordability of the dwellings in a highly competitive rural housing market is creating an opportunity for comparatively young, dual-career and largely urban families to move to the countryside. Their movement into former local authority dwellings has important implications for the future provision of local needs housing in rural areas.
Reaction Zones in Ultrafine TATB

We have measured the particle velocity of aluminum foils placed between ultrafine TATB and lithium fluoride, where the TATB thicknesses are varied between 0 and 8 mm. Resolution is about ±2 ns. The reaction zones are determined from the data, with 0.3 mm being the average. We suggest a 1-D analytical approach based on the idea that the initiating flyer must put in some minimum amount of energy over one reaction zone length. The energy is calculated three ways: flyer input, reaction zone to be filled and the P2τ initiation energy. Code calculations show the reaction zones rapidly growing in the region dominated by the flyer followed by a slow increase as the detonation takes hold.
Focus on mTOR inhibitors and tacrolimus in renal transplantation: Pharmacokinetics, exposure-response relationships, and clinical outcomes☆

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)-inhibitor-containing immunosuppressive regimens have been developed as part of calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) minimization/withdrawal strategies for renal transplant recipients, with the goal of avoiding CNI-associated nephrotoxicity. This review focuses on the pharmacokinetic interactions and exposure-response relationships of mTOR inhibitors and tacrolimus (TAC), the most widely used CNI. We also discuss key randomized clinical studies that have evaluated use of this combination in renal transplantation. Pharmacokinetic studies have shown that mTOR inhibitors, everolimus (EVR) and sirolimus (SRL), have a large intra- and inter-patient variability in drug exposure, and narrow therapeutic windows (trough levels [C0] 3-8 ng/mL and 5-15 ng/mL, respectively). Consequently, routine therapeutic drug monitoring of EVR and SRL is recommended to optimize efficacy and minimize toxicity in individual patients. As there is a good correlation between C0 and area under the curve (AUC), C0 can be used as a convenient and reliable measure of mTOR drug exposure. Clinical data on the use of EVR or SRL in TAC minimization strategies in renal transplantation are limited. Available evidence suggests that treatment with EVR allows early and substantial TAC minimization when used with basiliximab induction and corticosteroids, to achieve good renal function without compromising efficacy or safety. However, data comparing this combination with other regimens are lacking. Results with SRL are more mixed. SRL in combination with reduced TAC has been shown to provide less nephrotoxicity than the SRL/standard TAC combination, with comparable efficacy and safety. However, this approach has been shown to be inferior to other regimens in terms of patient/graft survival and biopsy-proven acute rejection (vs MMF/TAC) as well as renal function (vs MMF/TAC and SRL/MMF). Further studies are needed to define the therapeutic window for TAC when used in combination with mTOR inhibitors, evaluate EVR/reduced TAC versus other regimens, assess long-term outcomes, and determine efficacy and safety in high-risk patients.
THIRD-ORDER DOUBLY ASYMPTOTIC APPROXIMATIONS FOR COMPUTATIONAL ACOUSTICS

A fully and symmetrically matched, third-order doubly asymptotic computational boundary (DAA3) is presented in both operator and matrix forms. Its performance is then compared with that of other DAA boundaries for the spherical geometry, which admits an exact series solution. Based on stability, accuracy and passivity as performance criteria, DAA3 is found to be superior to all other DAAs formulated to date. However, there are other third-order forms that are nearly as good, and are easier to implement in boundary-element form. The existence of both DAA2 and DAA3 boundaries enables the analyst to assess solution accuracy for a given problem through the comparison of results produced with these higher approximations of different order.
The expression of retinoic acid receptor alpha is increased in the granule cells of the dentate gyrus in schizophrenia

Mounting evidence suggests that schizophrenia is a neurodevelopmental disease resulting in dysfunctional connectivity between various brain regions. Retinoid pathway dysregulation has been proposed as a potentially important factor in the etiology of schizophrenia. Retinoid signaling plays a central role in many aspects of development, ranging from neurogenesis to activity-dependent plasticity, and regulates the expression of many candidate genes for schizophrenia. The retinoid pathway acts through two families of nuclear receptors highly expressed in the hippocampus, the retinoic acid (RAR) and retinoid X (RXR) receptors, both existing in three different subtypes (alpha, beta and gamma) and several isoforms. The present study examines the expression of the retinoid receptors in the dentate gyrus of schizophrenia and nonpsychiatric controls. The proportion of granule cells of the dentate gyrus expressing RAR(alpha) is increased by twofold in schizophrenia, while the proportion of cells expressing RAR(gamma)1 and 2, as well as RXR(beta) and gamma, is unchanged. These results demonstrate a dysregulation in the expression of at least one member of the RAR family of retinoid receptors in schizophrenia. Understanding the basis for this and how it affects downstream molecular pathways associated with hippocampal plasticity may provide insight into the dysfunctional connectivity of schizophrenia.
RISK AND HEDGING BEHAVIOR: THE ROLE AND DETERMINANTS OF LATENT HETEROGENEITY

The notion of heterogeneous behavior is well grounded in economic theory. Recently it has been shown in a hedging context that the influence of risk attitudes and risk perceptions varies for different segments using a generalized mixture regression model. Here, using recently developed individual risk-attitude measurement techniques and experimental and accounting data from investors with differing decision environments, we examine the determinants of the heterogeneity in hedging behavior in a concomitant mixture regression framework. Allowing for latent heterogeneity, we find that risk attitudes and risk perceptions do not influence behavior uniformly and that the heterogeneity is influenced by manager’s focus on shareholder value and the firm’s capital structure
Applying Hsp104 to protein-misfolding disorders.

Hsp104, a hexameric AAA+ ATPase found in yeast, transduces energy from cycles of ATP binding and hydrolysis to resolve disordered protein aggregates and cross-b amyloid conformers. These disaggregation activities are often co-ordinated by the Hsp70 chaperone system and confer considerable selective advantages. First, renaturation of aggregated conformers by Hsp104 is critical for yeast survival after various environmental stresses. Second, amyloid remodeling by Hsp104 enables yeast to exploit multifarious prions as a reservoir of beneficial and heritable phenotypic variation. Curiously, although highly conserved in plants, fungi and bacteria, Hsp104 orthologues are absent from metazoa. Indeed, metazoan proteostasis seems devoid of a system that couples protein disaggregation to renaturation. Here, we re- view recent endeavors to enhance metazoan proteostasis by applying Hsp104 to the specific protein-misfolding events that underpin two deadly neurodegenerative amyloidoses. Hsp104 potently inhibits Ab42 amyloidogenesis, which is connected with Alzheimer's disease, but appears unable to disaggregate preformed Ab42 fibers. By contrast, Hsp104 inhibits and reverses the formation of a-synuclein oligomers and fibers, which are connected to Parkinson's disease. Importantly, Hsp104 antagonizes the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons induced by a-synuclein misfolding in the rat substantia nigra. These studies raise hopes for developing Hsp104 as a therapeutic agent.
Medium-Energy Gamma-Ray Astrophysics with the 3-DTI Gamma-Ray Telescope

Gamma-ray observations in the medium energy range (0.50-50.0 MeV) are central to unfolding many outstanding questions in astrophysics. The challenges of medium-energy gamma-ray observations, however, are the low photon statistics and large backgrounds. We review these questions, address the telescope technology requirements, and describe our development of the 3-Dimensional Track Imaging (3-DTI) Compton telescope and its performance for a new medium-energy gamma-ray mission. The 3-DTI is a large-volume time projection chamber (TPC) with a 2-dimensional gas micro-well detector (MWD) readout.
Fore-cite: Tactics for Evaluating Citation Management Tools

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore a general set of criteria that can be used by librarians and information professionals for the evaluation of citation management tools.Design/methodology/approach – Collection development practices found in the library world are combined with software selection criteria from the corporate sector and applied to the citation management environment. A discussion of these practices identifies general criteria, or best practices, that can be used in the evaluation of various types of citation management tools.Findings – Eight criteria are discussed. Key questions are raised that can assist librarians and information professionals in the evaluation process. Additional resources that may assist with evaluation efforts are highlighted, where applicable.Originality/value – Existing attempts to evaluate citation management tools have employed an approach centering on the features and functionality of a limited set of tools. While effective, these studies neglect new...
Food Deserts and Childhood Obesity

We utilize a panel data set from 2007 to 2009 on the state of Arkansas to identify and determine the effect of food deserts on school district obesity rates. We define food deserts as low-income areas with limited food access. Using both classical panel data models and spatial error models, we find no statistically significant relationship between school district obesity rates and the existence of food deserts in Arkansas. This finding is consistent across different model specifications, in spatial, panel or cross-sectional analysis, and with or without urban school districts in the data. Copyright 2013, Oxford University Press.
19F nuclear magnetic resonance in CeF3

Abstract A 19 F pulsed NMR investigation of single crystals of CeF 3 and CaF 2 -doped CeF 3 has been undertaken in the temperature range 300–570K at a frequency of 14 and 60 MHz. It was found that the free-induction decay is non-linear and could be fit by a sum of exponentials using a nonlinear least square procedure to an appropriate functional form. The results of this analysis indicate that there are three distinct spin-spin relaxation times T 2 , which is consistent with the existence of three inequivalent fluorine sublattices. At room temperature, fluorine ions on two of the sublattices were found to be in motion, with the fastest ion specified as the F 3-type in the Oftedal structure. The temperature dependence of the spin-spin relaxation time T 2 for the fastest ions was found to undergo an inversion at 400 and 385K for the pure and doped samples, respectively. The inversion indicates an increase in the interchange rate of ions between two sublattices. Activation energies are 0.29 ± 0.02 eV in the low temperature region and 0.21 ± 0.01 eV in the high temperature region for the pure sample, with corresponding values of 0.24 ± 0.01 eV and 0.23 ± 0.02 eV for the doped sample. T 1 was approximately the same for both samples, and essentially temperature independent, indicating an exchange-dominated spin-lattice decay mechanism.
A Calcium/Calmodulin-regulated Member of the Receptor-like Kinase Family Confers Cold Tolerance in Plants

Cold is a limiting environmental factor that adversely affects plant growth and productivity. Calcium/calmodulin-mediated signaling is believed to play a pivotal role in plant response to cold stress, but its exact role is not clearly understood. Here, we report that CRLK1, a novel calcium/calmodulin-regulated receptor-like kinase, is crucial for cold tolerance in plants. CRLK1 has two calmodulin-binding sites with different affinities as follows: one located at residues 369–390 with a Kd of 25 nm, and the other located at residues 28–112 with a Kd of 160 nm. Calcium/calmodulin stimulated the kinase activity, but the addition of chlorpromazine, a calmodulin antagonist, blocked its stimulation. CRLK1 is mainly localized in the plasma membrane, and its expression is stimulated by cold and hydrogen peroxide treatments. Under normal growth conditions, there is no noticeable phenotypic difference between wild-type and crlk1 knock-out mutant plants. However, as compared with wild-type plants, the crlk1 knock-out mutants exhibited an increased sensitivity to chilling and freezing temperatures. Northern analysis showed that the induction of cold-responsive genes, including CBF1, RD29A, COR15a, and KIN1 in crlk1 mutants, is delayed as compared with wild-type plants. These results indicate that CRLK1 is a positive regulator of cold tolerance in plants. Furthermore, our results suggest that CRLK1 plays a role in bridging calcium/calmodulin signaling and cold signaling.
Performance characteristics of the multi-zone NAS parallel benchmarks

Summary form only given. We describe a new suite of computational benchmarks that models applications featuring multiple levels of parallelism. Such parallelism is often available in realistic flow computations on systems of meshes, but had not previously been captured in benchmarks. The new suite, named NPB (NAS parallel benchmarks) multizone, is extended from the NPB suite, and involves solving the application benchmarks LU, BT and SP on collections of loosely coupled discretization meshes. The solutions on the meshes are updated independently, but after each time step they exchange boundary value information. This strategy provides relatively easily exploitable coarse-grain parallelism between meshes. Three reference implementations are available: one serial, one hybrid using the message passing interface (MPI) and OpenMP, and another hybrid using a shared memory multilevel programming model (SMP+OpenMP). We examine the effectiveness of hybrid parallelization paradigms in these implementations on three different parallel computers. We also use an empirical formula to investigate the performance characteristics of the hybrid parallel codes.
Facial Behaviors Related to Pain in the Elderly1

Clinicians currently rely almost exclusively on the patient's verbal report for assessing pain. Systematic measures of nonverbal behaviors related to pain could serve as useful adjuncts to verbal behavior in evaluating pain in clinical settings, and might be especially important for patients with communication deficits. A facial expression prototype for pain has been identified which differs from expressions of the negative emotions. This expression accompanies non-facial pain in infants and adults, and also occurs with naturally-arising and experimentally-induced dental pain in young and middle-aged adults. The facial expressions accompanying pain in the elderly may be the same as those occurring in younger adults or may vary because of neuromuscular or psychosocial differences between these groups. Adaptation of direct facial measurement systems for study of the facial expressions of the elderly is an essential step if research in this area is to progress.
Phylogeography and sexual macrocyst formation in the social amoeba Dictyostelium giganteum

Microorganisms are ubiquitous, yet we are only beginning to understand their diversity and population structure. Social amoebae (Dictyostelia) are a diverse group of unicellular eukaryotic microbes that display a unique social behaviour upon starvation in which cells congregate and then some die to help others survive and disperse. The genetic relationships among co-occurring cells have a major influence on the evolution of social traits and recent population genetic analysis found extensive genetic variation and possible cryptic speciation in one dictyostelid species (Dictyostelium purpureum). To further characterize the interplay among genetic variation, species boundaries, social behaviour, and reproductive isolation in the Dictyostelia, we conducted phylogenetic analyses and mating experiments with the geographically widespread social amoeba Dictyostelium giganteum. We sequenced approximately 4,000 basepairs of the nuclear ribosomal DNA from 24 isolates collected from Texas, Michigan, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Wisconsin and identified 16 unique haplotypes. Analyses of the sequence data revealed very little genetic differentiation among isolates and no clear evidence of phylogenetic structure, although there was evidence for some genetic differentiation between the Massachusetts and Texas populations. These results suggest that sexual mating (macrocyst formation) is not likely to correlate with either genetic or geographical distance. To test this prediction, we performed 108 mating experiments and found no association between mating probability and genetic or geographical distance. D. giganteum isolates from across North America display little genetic variation, phylogeographic structure, and genetic differentiation among populations relative to the cryptic species observed within D. purpureum. Furthermore, variation that does exist does not predict the probability of mating among clones. These results have important implications for our understanding of speciation and social evolution in microbes.
Reexamining the Correlates of Adolescent Violent Victimization: The Importance of Exposure, Guardianship, and Target Characteristics

The present study examines the relative contributions of various theoretical constructs to violent victimization by operationalizing multiple measures of exposure to motivated offenders, guardianship, and target characteristics. Using a nationally representative sample of American adolescents, we conducted principal components factor analysis and logistic regression analysis to examine whether such measures do in fact represent empirically distinct constructs and if they are each correlated with violent victimization risk. Findings suggest that both nondelinquent and delinquent routine activities which expose adolescents to motivated offenders increase risk of victimization. In terms of guardianship, parental attachment appears to protect adolescents from victimization, although direct parental control actually increases risk. Finally, only one of four target characteristics—psychological vulnerability—was significantly associated with violent victimization risk. We discuss the implications for theory and...
Subsistence Research in Alaska: Premises, Practices and Prospects

Norman A. Chance is a member of the Department of Anthropology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, C T 06268. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the Alaska Anthropological Association symposium: "Contemporary Themes in Alaskan Subsistence Research." March 1. 1985. The author would like to express special appreciation to Nancy F. Chance, Scott Cook, Charles Smythe, Rosita Worl, and three Human Organization anonymous reviewers for their critical comments and helpful suggestions. Appreciation should also be expressed to the American Philosophical Society and the University of Connecticut Research Foundation for initial funding enabling the author to undertake new field research in Alaska in 1985 and 1986.
Chapter 10 – Herpesviruses

Herpesviruses are highly prevalent viruses that establish a lifelong persistent infection in the host. It was thought most immunocompetent individuals do not succumb to overt virus-associated disease, but evidence is building that herpesviruses may contribute to many disease states previously not associated with these viruses, including vascular diseases. This chapter will review the available literature on this link, with particular emphasis on the mechanisms underlying how herpesviruses promote vascular dysfunction, immune dysregulation, and platelet activation. Because most of the published data on this topic relate to cytomegalovirus, we will focus primarily on this member of the herpesvirus family, with reference to the other members throughout. Finally, how the viruses may impact other risk factors will be summarized.
Cerebrovascular Manifestations of Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), also known as Rendu–Osler–Weber disease, is an autosomal-dominant genetic disorder affecting the vasculature in multiple organ systems. The first reports of the disease were published by several English physicians in the 19th century, including Henry Sutton, Benjamin Babington, and John Legg who described families of patients with recurrent nosebleeds. Between 1896 and 1907, Marie Rendu, William Osler, and Frederick Parkes Weber further described the disease by demonstrating the association between epistaxis, mucocutaneous lesions, and visceral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). In 1909, Frederic Hanes was the first to coin the term HHT; however, the eponym lives on as a tribute to Rendu, Osler, and Weber.1 The pathognomic vascular lesions in HHT are telangiectasias and AVMs. These are frequently seen on the skin and mucus membranes and also in internal organs, such as the liver, lung, gastrointestinal track, and brain. Patients with HHT often present with a wide range of serious neurological, pulmonary, and gastrointestinal complications, such as cerebral and spinal AVMs, cerebral abscess, stroke, epistaxis, pulmonary AVMs (PAVMs), liver AVMs, and gastrointestinal bleeding.2–8 HHT is diagnosed clinically using the Curacao criteria.9 The 4 Curacao criteria are (1) spontaneous and recurrent epistaxis, (2) mucocutaneous telangiectasias (lips, oral cavity, face, and fingers) (3) visceral AVMs (brain, liver, lung, etc.), and (4) diagnosis of HHT in a first degree relative using the same criteria. Patients who meet ≥3 of the 4 criteria are labeled as definite HHT, whereas those with 2 of the 4 criteria are labeled as possible or suspected HHT.10 Patients with 0 or 1 criterion are considered unlikely to have HHT. Patients with HHT present a unique challenge to physicians because of the multisystemic nature of the disease. Because of the higher prevalence of cerebral and spinal vascular manifestations and associated complications, …
NON-CONTRAST MAGNETIC RESONANCE ANGIOGRAPHY CAN ACCURATELY DEFINE ILEOFEMORAL ARTERIAL ACCESS SIZE IN PATIENTS REFERRED FOR TRANSCATHETER AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT

Renal insufficiency is common in patients evaluated for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). While computed tomography (CT) can assess arterial access, it can cause contrast-induced nephropathy. We examined the feasibility of non-contrast magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) to assess