cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Targeted Taste Cell-specific Overexpression of Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor in Adult Taste Buds Elevates Phosphorylated TrkB Protein Levels in Taste Cells, Increases Taste Bud Size, and Promotes Gustatory Innervation

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is the most potent neurotrophic factor in the peripheral taste system during embryonic development. It is also expressed in adult taste buds. There is a lack of understanding of the role of BDNF in the adult taste system. To address this, we generated novel transgenic mice in which transgene expression was driven by an α-gustducin promoter coupling BDNF expression to the postnatal expression of gustducin in taste cells. Immunohistochemistry revealed significantly stronger BDNF labeling in taste cells of high BDNF-expressing mouse lines compared with controls. We show that taste buds in these mice are significantly larger and have a larger number of taste cells compared with controls. To examine whether innervation was affected in Gust-BDNF mice, we used antibodies to neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) and ATP receptor P2X3. The total density of general innervation and specifically the gustatory innervation was markedly increased in high BDNF-expressing mice compared with controls. TrkB and NCAM gene expression in laser capture microdissected taste epithelia were significantly up-regulated in these mice. Up-regulation of TrkB transcripts in taste buds and elevated taste cell-specific TrkB phosphorylation in response to increased BDNF levels indicate that BDNF controls the expression and activation of its high affinity receptor in taste cells. This demonstrates a direct taste cell function for BDNF. BDNF also orchestrates and maintains taste bud innervation. We propose that the Gust-BDNF transgenic mouse models can be employed to further dissect the specific roles of BDNF in the adult taste system.
Determining the Impact of Within-Die Variation on Circuit Timing

This paper aims to develop a method to determine the impact of within-die variation in transistors on circuit timing, separately from die-to-die variation. To do this, we find a set of corners that detect all critical paths due to within-die variation. Hence, a finite number of simulations is used to explore the impact within-die variation.
Room-temperature hydrogen sensor based on palladium nanowires

Palladium (Pd) nanowires, synthesized by template-nanomanufacturing techniques, has been studied for hydrogen gas-sensing applications at room temperature. In this study, parallel arrays of Pd nanowires were fabricated by electrodeposition from an aqueous plating solution onto the surface of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). The nanowires were then transferred onto a polystyrene film and silver electrical contact pads were fabricated by shadow masking. The morphology of the nanowires was analyzed using atomic force microscope (AFM) in noncontact mode and the diameter of the observed nanowires was measured to be approximately 250 nm. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images revealed that the nanowires fabricated by this procedure were parallel and continuous. Electrodes were patterned by shadow masking and the I-V characteristics of the nanowires were studied. Experimental results indicated that the sensors are highly sensitive to hydrogen, showing a two-order change in conductance. The morphology of the nanowires was analyzed using SEM and AFM in order to understand the properties responsible for the high sensitivity of the nanowires. SEM images showed that the nanowires contain nanogaps in absence of H/sub 2/. Upon exposure to H/sub 2/, the Pd absorbed hydrogen, resulting in the expansion of Pd grains. This expansion results in the closing of the nanogaps. The expansion occurred due to the phase transition from /spl alpha/ to /spl beta/ and the Pd lattice expansion.
Gangs and Social Change

Extant literature on the subject has usually defined gangs as loose associations of individuals engaged in some type of delinquent or criminal activity. Yet researchers have failed to sociologically differentiate gangs from other types of collective behavior. In contrast, this article understands gangs as organizations influenced by the social structure of the urban areas in which they operate. Concentrating on gangs in the US context, the article summarizes both common features and different forms gangs have assumed over five historical eras, arguing that gangs respond to rather than create significant social changes.
Pigmented villonodular synovitis of the temporomandibular joint with intracranial extension: A case series and systematic review

Background Pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) is a rare proliferative disorder of the synovial membrane. PVNS generally affects large joints but occasionally involves the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), with occasional extension into the middle cranial fossa. The purpose of this study was to report our experience with PVNS along with a focused literature review. Methods Patients with PVNS of the TMJ treated at the University of California – San Francisco from 2007 to 2013 were reviewed. A PubMed search was performed to identify additional cases. Results Five patients underwent surgical resection, with 1 recurrence at 61 months. A literature review identified 58 patients, 19 of which had intracranial involvement. Interestingly, intracranial extension was more common in men. Intracranial extension was not associated with an increased rate of recurrence. Conclusion PVNS of the TMJ is a rare entity associated with excellent outcomes, even with intracranial extension. Management should consist of maximal resection, with radiotherapy reserved for extensive or recurrent lesions. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 37: 1213–1224, 2015
A quantile regression approach for estimating panel data models using instrumental variables

Abstract We introduce a quantile regression approach to panel data models with endogenous variables and individual effects correlated with the independent variables. We find newly developed quantile regression methods can be easily adapted to estimate this class of models efficiently.
HLA-A02:01–Restricted Epitopes Identified from the Herpes Simplex Virus Tegument Protein VP11/12 Preferentially Recall Polyfunctional Effector Memory CD8+ T Cells from Seropositive Asymptomatic Individuals and Protect Humanized HLA-A*02:01 Transgenic Mice against Ocular Herpes

The HSV type 1 tegument virion phosphoprotein (VP) 11/12 (VP11/12) is a major Ag targeted by CD8(+) T cells from HSV-seropositive individuals. However, whether and which VP11/12 epitope-specific CD8(+) T cells play a role in the "natural" protection seen in seropositive healthy asymptomatic (ASYMP) individuals (who have never had clinical herpes disease) remain to be determined. In this study, we used multiple prediction computer-assisted algorithms to identify 10 potential HLA-A*02:01-restricted CD8(+) T cell epitopes from the 718-aa sequence of VP11/12. Three of 10 epitopes exhibited high-to-moderate binding affinity to HLA-A*02:01 molecules. In 10 sequentially studied HLA-A*02:01-positive and HSV-1-seropositive ASYMP individuals, the most frequent, robust, and polyfunctional effector CD8(+) T cell responses, as assessed by a combination of tetramer frequency, granzyme B, granzyme K, perforin, CD107(a/b) cytotoxic degranulation, IFN-γ, and multiplex cytokines assays, were predominantly directed against three epitopes: VP11/1266-74, VP11/12220-228, and VP11/12702-710. Interestingly, ASYMP individuals had a significantly higher proportion of CD45RA(low)CCR7(low)CD44(high)CD62L(low)CD27(low)CD28(low)CD8(+) effector memory CD8(+) T cells (TEMs) specific to the three epitopes, compared with symptomatic individuals (with a history of numerous episodes of recurrent ocular herpetic disease). Moreover, immunization of HLA-A*02:01 transgenic mice with the three ASYMP CD8(+) TEM cell epitopes induced robust and polyfunctional epitope-specific CD8(+) TEM cells that were associated with a strong protective immunity against ocular herpes infection and disease. Our findings outline phenotypic and functional features of protective HSV-specific CD8(+) T cells that should guide the development of an effective T cell-based herpes vaccine.
Nonlinear electrodynamics of p-wave superconductors

We consider the Maxwell-London electrodynamics of three-dimensional superconductors in p-wave pairing states with nodal points or lines in the energy gap. The current-velocity relation is then nonlinear in the applied field, cubic for point nodes, and quadratic for lines. We obtain explicit angular and depth-dependent expressions for measurable quantities such as the transverse magnetic moment and associated torque. These dependences are different for point and line nodes and can be used to distinguish between different order parameters. We discuss the experimental feasibility of this method and bring forth its advantages, as well as limitations that might be present.
Hallway gossip between Ras and PI3K pathways

In this issue of Blood, Goodwin et al investigate the pathogenesis of juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML), demonstrating that mutant Shp2 induces granulocyte macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) hypersensitivity and that the p110δ subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) further promotes this dysregulation
Thrombopoietin acts synergistically with LIF to maintain an undifferentiated state of embryonic stem cells homozygous for a Shp-2 deletion mutation.

Thrombopoietin (Tpo) and its receptor, c-mpl, are expressed in murine embryonic stem (ES) cells. ES cells are maintained in a pluripotent state by leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) via activation of the Janus kinase (Jak)–STAT3 signaling pathway. Tpo, like LIF, activates STAT3. We report that Tpo increases the number of undifferentiated colonies derived from wild type or Shp-2 mutant (Shp-2Δ46–110) ES cells. Tpo plus LIF acted synergistically on the Shp-2Δ46–110 ES cells to maintain undifferentiated colonies but no evidence of synergism via Jak–STAT3 activation was detected. Collectively, these data suggest that Tpo can play a role in preventing ES cell differentiation via Jak–STAT3 activation and perhaps via novel pathways that are enhanced in the absence of functional Shp-2.
Geometric computing: Analogue-simulation of a linkage

Abstract New circuits for the electronic analogue computer are described, for the simulation of the motions of the slider-crank and crank-and-swinging-arm mechanisms. These make use of the idea that one or more members may be considered to be elastic. Thereby it is possible also to measure the dynamic forces occurring in these links.
Ovarian pregnancy associated with intrauterine contraceptive devices

Four cases of ovarian pregnancy, occurring over a two-year period in the same hospital, are presented. Each case fulfills Spiegelberg's criteria. Each patient conceived with Cu-7 intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD) in situ. Review of the literature reveals an apparent increase in the frequency of ovarian pregnancy associated with IUD's. This aspect of the problem, as well as the management of this unusual type of ectopic pregnancy, is discussed. The data available do not justify a conclusion that ovarian pregnancies are caused by IUD's. Unless future studies demonstrate a cause-and-effect relationship, this may be merely an interesting coincidence. However, it seems that more than just coincidence is involved, even though the mechanism is unclear.
Phylogenomic analyses of species relationships in the genus Sabal (Arecaceae) using targeted sequence capture

With the increasing availability of high-throughput sequencing, phylogenetic analyses are no longer constrained by the limited availability of a few loci. Here, we describe a sequence capture methodology, which we used to collect data for analyses of diversification within Sabal (Arecaceae), a palm genus native to the south-eastern USA, Caribbean, Bermuda and Central America. RNA probes were developed and used to enrich DNA samples for putatively low copy nuclear genes and the plastomes for all Sabal species and two outgroup species. Sequence data were generated on an Illumina MiSeq sequencer and target sequences were assembled using custom workflows. Both coalescence and supermatrix analyses of 133 nuclear genes were used to estimate species trees relationships. Plastid genomes were also analysed, yielding generally poor resolution with regard to species relationships. Species relationships described in both nuclear gene and plastome sequences largely reflect the biogeography of the group and, to a lesser extent, previous morphology-based hypotheses. Beyond the biological implications, this research validates a high-throughput methodology for generating a large number of genes for coalescence-based phylogenetic analyses in plant lineages.
The circadian clock‐associated gene gigantea1 affects maize developmental transitions

The circadian clock is an internal timing mechanism that allows plants to make developmental decisions in accordance with environmental conditions. In model plants, circadian clock-associated gigantea (gi) genes are directly involved in control of growth and developmental transitions. The maize gigantea1 (gi1) gene is the more highly expressed of the two gi homeologs, and its function is uncharacterized. To understand the role of gi1 in the regulatory networks of the maize circadian clock system, gi1 mutants were evaluated for changes in flowering time, phase change and growth control. When grown in long-day (LD) photoperiods, gi1 mutants flowered earlier than non-mutant plants, but this difference was not apparent in short-day (SD) photoperiods. Therefore, gi1 participates in a pathway that suppresses flowering in LD photoperiods, but not in SD. Part of the underlying cause of early flowering was up-regulated expression of the FT-like floral activator gene zea mays centroradialis8 (zcn8) and the CONSTANS-like flowering regulatory gene constans of zea mays1 (conz1). gi1 mutants also underwent vegetative phase change earlier and grew taller than non-mutant plants. These findings indicate gi1 has a repressive function in multiple regulatory pathways that govern maize growth and development.
Disco: running commodity operating systems on scalable multiprocessors

In this paper we examine the problem of extending modern operating systems to run efficiently on large-scale shared memory multiprocessors without a large implementation effort. Our approach brings back an idea popular in the 1970s, virtual machine monitors. We use virtual machines to run multiple commodity operating systems on a scalable multiprocessor. This solution addresses many of the challenges facing the system software for these machines. We demonstrate our approach with a prototype called Disco that can run multiple copies of Silicon Graphics' IRIX operating system on a multiprocessor. Our experience shows that the overheads of the monitor are small and that the approach provides scalability as well as the ability to deal with the non-uniform memory access time of these systems. To reduce the memory overheads associated with running multiple operating systems, we have developed techniques where the virtual machines transparently share major data structures such as the program code and the file system buffer cache. We use the distributed system support of modern operating systems to export a partial single system image to the users. The overall solution achieves most of the benefits of operating systems customized for scalable multiprocessors yet it can be achieved with a significantly smaller implementation effort.
Nucleotide sequence and expression in Escherichia coli of the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A lyase gene of Pseudomonas mevalonii.

Abstract The mva operon of Pseudomonas mevalonii encodes two enzymes that can convert internalized mevalonate into acetoacetate and acetyl-coenzyme A (CoA). The promoter-proximal gene of this operon is mvaA, the structural gene for 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl (HMG)-CoA reductase (EC 1.1.1.88). The cloning, characterization, and expression of mvaA has been reported (M. J. Beach and V. W. Rodwell, J. Bacteriol. 171:2994-3001, 1989). We report here the nucleotide sequence of another gene of this operon, mvaB, its expression in Escherichia coli, and its identification as the structural gene for HMG-CoA lyase (EC 4.1.3.4). P. mevalonii HMG-CoA lyase is a cytosolic protein with 301 amino acid residues and a molecular weight of 31,600. This represents the first reported sequence of an HMG-CoA lyase from any source.
Computational materials research at the national science foundation

Abstract We will review how the National Science Foundation (NSF) is presently dealing with computational materials research. Computational materials research is here defined broadly to include computational condensed matter physics and computational materials science. While commenting on computational activities across the NSF, the focus will be on activities associated with the Division of Materials Research and particularly the Materials Theory Program. These activities include those associated with the usual course of business involving unsolicited proposals from individual investigators and those involving the new coordinated government initiatives.
Differential expression analysis of RNA-seq data at single-base resolution

RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) is a flexible technology for measuring genome-wide expression that is rapidly replacing microarrays as costs become comparable. Current differential expression analysis methods for RNA-seq data fall into two broad classes: (1) methods that quantify expression within the boundaries of genes previously published in databases and (2) methods that attempt to reconstruct full length RNA transcripts. The first class cannot discover differential expression outside of previously known genes. While the second approach does possess discovery capabilities, statistical analysis of differential expression is complicated by the ambiguity and variability incurred while assembling transcripts and estimating their abundances. Here, we propose a novel method that first identifies differentially expressed regions (DERs) of interest by assessing differential expression at each base of the genome. The method then segments the genome into regions comprised of bases showing similar differential expression signal, and then assigns a measure of statistical significance to each region. Optionally, DERs can be annotated using a reference database of genomic features. We compare our approach with leading competitors from both current classes of differential expression methods and highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each. A software implementation of our method is available on github (https://github.com/alyssafrazee/derfinder).
Constrained Least-Squares Optimization for Robust Estimation of Center of Rotation

This paper presents a new direct method for estimating the average center of rotation (CoR). An existing least-squares (LS) solution has been shown by previous works to have reduced accuracy for data with small range of motion (RoM). Alternative methods proposed to improve the CoR estimation use iterative algorithms. However, in this paper we show that with a carefully chosen normalization scheme, constrained least-squares solutions can perform as well as iterative approaches, even for challenging problems with significant noise and small RoM. In particular, enforcing the normalization constraint avoids poor fits near plane singularities that can affect the existing LS method. Our formulation has an exact solution, accounts for multiple markers simultaneously, and does not depend on manually-adjusted parameters. Simulation tests compare the method to four published CoR estimation techniques. The results show that the new approach has the accuracy of the iterative methods as well as the short computation time and repeatability of a least-squares solution. In addition, application of the new method to experimental motion capture data of the thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) joint yielded a more plausible CoR location compared to the previously reported LS solution and required less time than all four alternative techniques.
Benefits of Participating in Research Interviews

Interviews are a fundamental data collection method used in qualitative health research to help understand people's responses to illness or a particular situation. The risks associated with participating in 7 or 2 hour research interviews when a study focuses on vulnerable populations and sensitive issues are scrutinized by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) and Human Subjects Committees. This paper shifts attention away from the risks to the benefits and describes catharsis, self-acknowledgment, sense of purpose, self-awareness, empowerment, healing, and providing a voice for the disenfranchised as the sometimes unanticipated benefits reported by interview participants
Obsessiveness and a Thematic Apperception Test-Based Measure of Aggression:

Freud (1909/1955) hypothesized a conflict between love and hate in obsessive neurosis. To test this relationship, we compared a Thematic Apperception Test-based measure of aggressive fantasies in college men who scored either high or low on the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised. 64 undergraduate men from beginning classes in psychology participated. Their mean age was 19.4 yr. (SD= 1.7). 16 men with high scores had significantly higher scores on a TAT-based measure of aggressive fantasies toward parents, partners, and others than 15 men with low scores, which is consistent with Freud's hypothesis.
Good-bye Letters: A Therapeutic Writing Exercise

(1995). Good-bye Letters: A Therapeutic Writing Exercise. Addictions Nursing: Vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 84-87.
Terrain-aided localization using electro-optical sensing (TALEOS)

The next generation of weapons systems will benefit from an array of new technologies which, when integrated, will provide the capability of accurately selecting the correct target. For example, target image features can be extracted from high resolution satellite data and this information can be fused with feature positions obtained from a weapon's imaging sensor. This will allow automatic target recognition to be performed. Terrain aided localization using electro-optical sensing (TALEOS) is a robust method of enhancing the performance of an imaging system through the exploitation of other sources of information. The primary image processing technique used in TALEOS is model-matching. The objective of model-matching is to discover the 3D position and orientation of an object (the model) with respect to the sensor reference frame by performing a match with corresponding features. In TALEOS, the model is derived from remotely sensed data and contains information about potentially observable features which might be extracted from the image. Embedded in this extended model is information about specific targets, including their known or estimated position, and features which characterize them. The Sowerby Research Center terrain model facility was used to gather realistic imagery. The terrain model is a 300:1 scale model of a 25 square kilometer area of real terrain. An overhead gantry system carries a video camera over the model enabling a wide variety of flight scenarios to be simulated experimentally. By a combination of special paint schemes and video inversion, pictures of the terrain model can provide a realistic simulation of infrared imagery. An image database was simulated using an overhead view of the model as if seen from a 'satellite' or reconnaissance aircraft. This imagery was utilized to evaluate the performance of the TALEOS technique for comparison with theoretical results. TALEOS integrates the data from the image processing subsystem with data from a (modeled) inertial navigation system, using a Kalman filter, to generate the position of the sensor relative to the target. This paper describes TALEOS. The principles of these technologies are described and test results presented. Possible future developments are discussed.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Heart disease modelling adds a Notch to its belt

The heart is a complex organ, consisting of multiple cell types that coordinately regulate blood flow. Reciprocal Notch pathway signalling in endocardial and myocardial cells is now shown to promote maturation of the ventricular chambers. These insights reveal mechanisms that, when disrupted, can lead to cardiomyopathies.
Portrait of Sixteenth-Century Disability? Quentin Matsys’s A Grotesque Old Woman

Scholars rarely examine art works from a disability studies perspective; their analyses often misinterpret those works, reinforcing contemporary assumptions about disability and its past representations. Accordingly, this paper examines a portrait by sixteenth-century Antwerp artist Quentin Matsys (1466-1529) from a historically situated disability studies perspective. A Grotesque Old Woman (c.1513) has been understood in terms of abnormality. Existing scholarship has suggested that she represents physical, gender, and sexual deviance in the spirit of Erasmian allegories, or an individual with Paget’s disease . Although these interpretations may inform contemporary scholarship, they shed little light on sixteenth-century disability and its artistic representations. This paper demonstrates how the portrait reflects a cultural transition from an earlier collective, religious model of disability to a more “municipal” one which considers disability vis-a-vis individuals engaged in daily commercial or personal activities. This analysis provides insight into how disability was understood in Matsys’s time, contributes to our understanding of the Dutch allegorical and portraiture traditions, and demonstrates what a historically situated disability model offers future research on artistic representations of disability. Figure 1: Image Credits Figure 1: Quentin Matsys, Grotesque Old Woman , photograph courtesy of the National Gallery of Art, London.
Lifespan of rat erythrocytes parasitized by Bartonella muris.

Following splenectomy, rats develop a severe hemolytic anemia due to activation of latent Bartonella muris infection. These organisms apparently produce erythrocyte destruction by means of direct parasitization, rather than through production of a hemolytic toxin.1 The mechanism by which organisms actually cause cell lysis is not known, nor is it known whether there is some reversibility of the cell damage if the organisms are destroyed. We have performed experiments that bear on the reversibility of Bart, muris erythrocyte damage. Chromiumstagged erythrocytes from splenectomized rats were injected into normal rats, as well as into rats pretreated with Terramycin. The lifespan of these erythrocytes was determined and compared with that of erythrocytes from normal rats.
Culture and Transcendence: A Typology of Transcendence. Studies in Philosophical Theology 50, edited by Wessel Stoker and W. L. van der Merwe, Peeters: Leuven, NL and Walpole, MA, 2012, 240 pp. ISBN 978 90 429 2634 9, €52 (paperback)

Culture and Transcendence: A Typology of Transcendence. Studies in Philosophical Theology 50, edited by Wessel Stoker and W. L. van der Merwe, Peeters: Leuven, NL and Walpole, MA, 2012, 240 pp. ISB...
Laboratory rearing of western yellowjackets (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) through a foundress-to-gyne colony cycle

Queens of the western yellowjacket, Vespula pensylvanica (Saussure), collected in the spring, founded nests under laboratory conditions. Of 24 queens collected, 11 initiated nests. Seven nests were transferred into observation hives, 5 produced workers which foraged outdoors, 4 developed multiple combs, and 2 reared reproductives. Flight activity and nest volume of the multiple-comb colonies were monitored weekly. Bionomic data on the multiplecomb nests were taken at either colony death or the end of the season. This project is a step toward the controlled rearing of colonies for behavioral observation, venom collection or biological control of agricultural pest insects.
Christian Ethics and “A Theory of Justice”

L'A. relit le livre de John Rawls, A Theory of Justice (1971), a la lumiere de l'ethique chretienne. La these de cet article consiste a defendre la participation chretienne dans sa position originale sous interpretation politique. Pour cela, il lui faut reprendre les theses de Rawls (Partie I), les evaluer d'un point de vue chretien (Partie II), decrypter la methodologie specifique de Rawls (Partie III) et conclure sur une proposition qui innove dans le domaine ethico-politique
Design of Adaptive Architecture for Mobile Wireless Sensor Networks

As the mobile wireless network technology is becoming more and more mature,it can be used to support more and more small and mini mobile devices and sensors.An adaptive architecture that was designed for mobile wireless sensor networks was discussed.It was a multi level architecture that combined core router nodes and zone-based routing to implement the communication between the devices or sensors.The performance,extendibility and reliability of the mobile wireless sensor networks could be greatly improved.This architecture can also adapt to the mobile and dynamic environments of wireless sensor networks automatically.
Implementation of Psychological Assistance in Diversified Military Tasks

Work experiences of psychological assistance in multiple military tasks is elaborated and summarized in this article. Common adverse psychology of victims includes fear and anxiety,anger and aggressive psychology,compunction and guilty conscience, bigotry and blind action,grief and suicidal mentality. psychological assistance principles of multiple military tasks include early intervention and prevention first,empty cup mentality and counting it as a personal favour,basing on the development,active guidance, and simple method of science. psychological assistance approaches of multiple military tasks includes exploring positive psychological qualities for improving abilities to handle with difficulties,mobilizing social support system for relieving the pressure of bad mood,applying emergency stress interview for alleviating psychological trauma after crisis events,and improving comprehensive security system for enhancing psychological stress tolerance.
Carbohydrates, branched-chain amino acids, and endurance: the central fatigue hypothesis.

The mechanisms of central fatigue are largely unexplored, but the central fatigue hypothesis suggests that increased brain serotonin (5-HT) can cause a deterioration in sport and exercise performance. There is now convincing evidence that exercise-induced increases in the plasma free tryptophan (f-TRP)/branched-chain amino acids (BCCA) ratio are associated with increased brain 5-HT and the onset of fatigue during prolonged exercise. Furthermore, when drugs are administered to alter brain 5-HT, they have the predicted effects on exercise performance. The influence of nutritional manipulations of f-TRP/BCCA on performance is less well established. The effects of BCCA supplementation on exercise performance are mixed, and the published studies often suffer from methodological flaws. Alternatively, dramatic reductions in f-TRP/BCCA and enhanced performance accompany carbohydrate feedings during prolonged exercise. However, it is difficult to distinguish between the effects of carbohydrate feedings on mechanis...
A Conversation with Roger Koenker

Summary Roger William Koenker was born February 21, 1947. He graduated from Grinnell College in 1969 and obtained his PhD in Economics from University of Michigan in 1974 under the direction of Saul Hymans. He was Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) from 1974 to 1976, and a member of Technical Staff at Bell Telephone Laboratories from 1976 to 1983 and returned to UIUC as Professor in 1983. He is currently a William B. McKinley Professor of Economics and Professor of Statistics at UIUC. He is best known for his seminal work on quantile regression, which has emerged as a powerful regression analysis tool across many disciplines. He is a Fellow of the American Statistical Association, Fellow of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics, Fellow of Econometric Society, and recipient of the 2010 Emanuel and Carol Parzen Prize for Statistical Innovation. The conversation covers part of Roger Koenker's career as an econometrician and statistician, starting from his college years.
Epistemic Reasoning and the Logic of Epistemic Concepts

There are two approaches to the logic of epistemic concepts. One is to view it as a field of inquiry analogous to alethic logic or the logic of necessity. The other is to view it as a branch of the logic of preferability. In the present paper, I will take the second approach, making use of the following concepts: (a) epistemic preferability; (b) de re necessity; (c) obtaining, or taking place; and (d) acceptance, or belief
Foundations and Practical Implementations of the Cluster Expansion

Different versions of the cluster expansion are explored using the Mo-Ta system as an example. One of the objectives of this work is to establish a clear distinction between phenomenological expansions that express the energy of an alloy in the form of a generalized Ising model, i.e. with constant pair and many body interactions, and cluster expansions that use a set of complete basis functions in configurational space and define the interactions as projections of the energy onto the basis functions. For the latter case, the interactions are functions of concentration and depend, furthermore, on the full state of order of the system. Such dependence is expected since the configurational energy is shown to be a homogeneous function of degree one in the complete set of configurational variables, or correlation functions, with the interactions being the Euler derivatives of the energy with respect to the correlation functions. For the Mo-Ta system we show that, by including the concentration dependence of the interactions either explicitly or through their dependence on volume, the cluster expansion converges significantly faster than the phenomenological Ising-like models commonly used to represent the energies of disordered alloys.
Watersheds, forests, and childhood health: global relationships and policy opportunities

Abstract Background Ecosystems are being degraded worldwide, reducing biodiversity and threatening human well-being. Especially in developing countries, rural and poor households often depend closely on natural capital for their livelihoods and health. However, the health consequences of ecosystem declines remain difficult to predict. Here, we report on two multicountry analysis to investigate general relationships between ecosystems and human health for these vulnerable populations. Methods We compiled a unique dataset covering about 300 000 children from more than 35 countries, by combining Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) with additional information about socioeconomic, climate, and environmental factors. We first examined the relationship between watershed conditions and diarrhoeal disease, a major cause of child malnutrition and mortality worldwide. In a second analysis, we then related forest cover more broadly to three health outcomes: diarrhoea, stunting, and anaemia. For both analyses, we used nested mixed-effects logit models to predict the probability of disease based on environmental variables as well as covariates representing climate, sanitation, education, and wealth. Findings In the first analysis, we find that more human activity upstream increases the probability of reported diarrhoea (model coefficient 0·10 [standard error (SE) 0·02]), and that higher tree cover upstream reduces it (–0·13 [0·04]). These effects are statistically significant for rural households (human activity: 0·11 [SE 0·03]; tree cover: −0·17 [0·05]), but not urban households (human activity: 0·07 [SE 0·04]; tree cover: −0·07 [0·06]), suggesting shifting dependences from natural to built capital. In the second analysis, we find that increased forest cover reduced the probabilities of all three diseases for the poorest segment of the population, but not for the wealthiest, again indicating differential dependencies on nature. Interpretation These analyses provide evidence that intact ecosystems are associated with improved child health outcomes, especially for the most vulnerable populations. Under certain conditions, therefore, efforts to protect and restore ecosystems could be considered an important public health investment. Funding US National Science Foundation National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (NSF DBI-1052875); Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation; and Mava Foundation via the Luc Hoffmann Institute at WWF International.
Abstract 261: G3bp1-Gas5 Axis Regulates Glucocorticoid Receptor Signaling During Cardiac Hypertrophy

Congestive heart failure is one of the leading causes of mortality in US. With persistent work overload, pathological hypertrophy progresses into an irreversible state of dysfunction and failure. Understanding the mechanisms involved in these advances is crucial to prevent adverse changes in the heart. Studies show that Glucocorticoid (Gc) signaling and -dependent gene transcription promotes cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. High serum cortisol levels have been shown as independent risk factor for increased mortality in patients with cardiac failure. Gc activates cytosolic Glucocorticoid receptor (GR) that translocates to nucleus and regulates gene transcription by binding to genomic GR-response element (GRE). We confirmed nuclear translocation of GR in hypertrophing cardiac myocytes in vitro and in vivo . Our aim was to examine GR signaling in cardiac myocytes. Using in vitro biotin labeling and RNA immunoprecipitation we show that a non-coding RNA Gas5, which harbors decoy GRE sequence associates with GR in cardiac myocytes and competes with genomic GRE for DNA binding domain of GR, thus inhibiting the transcriptional effects of activated GR. Interestingly, this association decreases with hypertrophy or Gc agonist (dexamethasone) stimulation. Conversely, Gas5 association with G3bp1, a RNA binding protein increases in cardiac myocytes with similar stimulations, suggesting that increase in G3bp1-Gas5 binding might play a role in release of activated GR from Gas5. In accordance, expression of exogenous Gas5 in vitro and in vivo restricted hypertrophy, suggesting critical role in progression of hypertrophy. We recently reported that G3bp1 is required for development of cardiac hypertrophy. Moreover, in situ hybridization revealed sequestration of Gas5 transcripts to perinuclear focal regions with growth stimulus, which resemble cytoplasmic protein-RNA aggregates seen with hypertrophic stimulation or G3bp1 over expression in cardiac myocytes. These results suggest that G3bp1 regulates Gas5 cellular compartmental dynamics and hence its GR-repressor function in cardiac myocytes. Thus, we conclude that G3bp1-Gas5 axis regulates GR -dependent gene transcription and progression of pathological cardiac hypertrophy and onset of failure
Thermal Breakdown Kinetics of 1-Ethyl-3-Methylimidazolium Ethylsulfate Measured Using Quantitative Infrared Spectroscopy:

In this work, the thermal stability of the room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethylsulfate ([EMIM][EtSO4]) is investigated using infrared (IR) spectroscopy. Quantitative IR absorption spectral data are measured for heated [EMIM][EtSO4]. Spectra have been collected between 25 ℃ and 100 ℃ using a heated optical cell. Multiple samples and cell pathlengths are used to determine quantitative values for the molar absorptivity of [EMIM][EtSO4]. These results are compared to previous computational models of the ion pair. These quantitative spectra are used to measure the rate of thermal decomposition of [EMIM][EtSO4] at elevated temperatures. The spectroscopic measurements of the rate of decomposition show that thermogravimetric methods overestimate the thermal stability of [EMIM][EtSO4].
Synergistic Elbow Control for a Myoelectric Transhumeral Prosthesis

This paper presents a control approach for a myoelectric transhumeral prostheses that supplements a typical two-site electromyograms (EMG) input with the inertial measurement of arm motion. The inertial measurement is employed to: 1) provide synergistic movement between the prosthetic elbow joint and intact upper arm and 2) to switch control between the myoelectric elbow and hand. In order to assess the prospective efficacy of the control method, experiments were conducted on six healthy subjects who performed a series of pick-and-place tasks within a virtual environment. The assessments compared the time required to complete the pick-and-place tasks using the proposed coordinated control approach, with the time required using a sequential control approach (i.e., the conventional approach used in commercial devices). Subjects on average completed the pick-and-place tasks 34% faster with the coordinated control approach, relative to the conventional sequential EMG method, with no difference in compensatory torso motion.
A Longitudinal Study of the Relation Between Family Functioning and Preschool ADHD Symptoms

The present study examined the bidirectional relation between family functioning and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms across the preschool years. Participants included 197 (...
Outcomes of early carotid stenting and angioplasty in large-vessel anterior circulation strokes treated with mechanical thrombectomy and intravenous thrombolytics

IntroductionProximal cervical internal carotid artery stenosis greater than 50% merits revascularization to mitigate the risk of stroke recurrence among large-vessel anterior circulation strokes un...
The Scope of a Relativistic Quantum Process with Spin-Momentum Entanglement

Using an imperfectly prepared state, we show that under a Lorentz transformation, the evolution of a massive spin-1/2 particle violates many standard assumptions made in quantum information theory, including complete positivity. Unlike other recent endeavors in relativistic quantum information, we are able to quantify and maximize how much information can be transferred through such a quantum process by calculating the scope. We show that, surprisingly, in many instances the relativistic noise increases the amount of information that can be transferred, and in fact, even if the initial state is arbitrarily close to the completely mixed state, information can still be transferred perfectly.
Hemostatic changes in Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Mediterranean spotted fever.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Mediterranean spotted fever are rickettsial infections primarily of endothelial cells that normally have a potent anticoagulant function. As a result of endothelial cell infection and injury, the hemostatic system is perturbed and shows changes that vary widely from a minor reduction in the platelet count (frequently) to severe coagulopathies, such as deep venous thrombosis and disseminated intravascular coagulation (rarely). Changes favoring a hypercoagulable state include endothelial injury and release of procoagulant components, activation of the coagulation cascade with thrombin generation, platelet activation, increased antifibrinoly tic factors, consumption of natural anticoagulants, and possibly high levels of coagulation-promoting cytokines. Yet, most studies have been performed on endothelial cell cultures that provide nonphysiologic, reductionistic, experimental conditions. The lack of flow, platelets, and WBCs makes these experiments far from simulating the response of endothelial cells in the human body. Coagulopathies and thrombotic events should be considered as potential complications of severe Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Mediterranean spotted fever.
Is sexual differentiation of brain and behavior epigenetic

Sexual differentiation of brain and behavior is largely a hormonally driven process occurring perinatally in rodents and prenatally in primates. Considered early life programming, this process occurs at a time when the brain is remarkably immature and often does not manifest until reproductive maturity, raising the question of how brief hormonal exposure early in life could have such an enduring effect. Epigenetic modifications that occur early and persist into adulthood is one feasible explanation. Sufficient evidence exists to confirm that there are indeed epigenetic changes to specific brain regions induced by steroid hormones in males to differentiate them from females, but whether they persist into adulthood is unclear. Regardless, there are strong correlations between early epigenetic changes and adult brain and behavior. Moreover, although generally referred to as a permanent process, there is evidence that adult sex-typic behaviors are malleable and even reversible in mammals under certain conditions and these may be a function of epigenetic maintenance of gene expression that impacts behavior.
Ensemble Laser Diffraction for Online Measurement of Fiber Diameter Distribution during the Melt Blowing Process

Online measurements of the fiber diameter distribution during a melt blowing process were taken using a new laser diffraction technique. This technique measured both the attenuation of the fibers a...
Miniaturized Sub-Megahertz Focused Ultrasound Transducer Composed of Multilayer Hard PZT Ceramics

Catheter-directed ultrasound transducer enables efficient delivery of ultrasound energy to targeted vessel lumens. For intravascular therapies, such as sonothrombolysis, a small size (<8 Fr.), low frequency (<3 MHz) transducer, particularly in sub-megahertz frequency range is preferable to enhance cavitation effects. Our previous studies demonstrated that the forward-looking multi-layer stack of soft PZT ceramic (PZT-5A) can generate moderate acoustic output to induce inertial cavitation of microbubble contrast agent (MCA). In this study, we aim to enhancing the transmitting power intensity by adopting hard PZT ceramic (PZT-4) as an active piezo material. In addition, a metallic concave lens was designed to focus ultrasound energy with an improved focal gain. The electrical and acoustic characteristics of the new transducer were analyzed through finite element analysis (FEA). The performance of the improved model was validated by experimental characterizations. As a result, the peak-negative-pressure reaches up to 2.4 MPa for 120 V pp excitation, which is about 5.5 dB greater than that of the reference.