cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Male Contribution to Broiler Breeder Heat-Induced Infertility as Determined by Sperm-Egg Penetration and Sperm Storage Within the Hen’s Oviduct

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to define the role of the male broiler breeder in heat-induced infertility. Seventy-two Arbor Acres roosters were individually caged at 21 wk of age and divided equally among three heated (H) and three control (C) temperature chambers. Control temperature chambers were held at 21 C. After an 8-wk pretreatment period (20 C), an 8-wk treatment period was conducted in which the temperature in all three of the H chambers was varied from week to week according to the following schedule: Week 1, 27 C; Week 2 through Week 4, 32 C; and Week 5 through Week 8, 21 C. On a weekly basis, semen was pooled by room and inseminated into 12 groups of 10 hens each (2 groups per room). During the 1st wk when males were maintained at 27 C for 12 h, in vivo sperm-egg penetration was reduced by 48% as compared to data obtained when males were maintained at 21 C. Fertility, in vivo sperm-egg penetration, and uterovaginal sperm storage were decreased when semen from males exposed to 32 C was used to inseminate hens as compared to insemination with semen from C males. However, during this same period, the ability of sperm to bind to and penetrate the egg, as determined by in vitro sperm-egg penetration, was similar between sperm from C and H males. After lowering the temperature in the H chambers back to 21 C, in vivo sperm-egg penetration as a result of insemination with semen from H males was analogous to results obtained when C males were used for insemination. Immediately after decreasing the temperature in the H chambers, fertilization of eggs by sperm from H males increased to a level similar to that obtained when eggs were fertilized by sperm from C males but then declined again during the later weeks.
Dendritic cell-based therapeutic cancer vaccines: what we have and what we need

Therapeutic cancer vaccines rely on the immune system to eliminate tumor cells. In contrast to chemotherapy or passive (adoptive) immunotherapies with antibodies or ex vivo-expanded T cells, therapeutic vaccines do not have a direct anti-tumor activity, but aim to reset patients’ immune systems to achieve this goal. Recent identification of effective ways of enhancing immunogenicity of tumor-associated antigens, including the use of dendritic cells and other potent vectors of cancer vaccines, provide effective tools to induce high numbers of circulating tumor-specific T cells. However, despite indications that some of the new cancer vaccines may be able to delay tumor recurrence or prolong the survival of cancer patients, their ability to induce cancer regression remains low. Recent reports help to identify and prospectively remove the remaining obstacles towards effective therapeutic vaccination of cancer patients. They indicate that the successful induction of tumor-specific T cells by cancer vaccines is not necessarily associated with the induction of functional cytotoxic T lymphocytes, and that current cancer vaccines may promote undesirable expansion of Treg cells. Furthermore, recent studies also identify the tools to counteract such phenomena, in order to assure the desirable induction of Th1-cytotoxic T lymphocytes, NK-mediated type-1 immunity and appropriate homing of effector cells to tumors.
Evaluation of the Safety of Quetiapine in Treating Delirium in Critically Ill Children: A Retrospective Review.

Abstract Objective: Quetiapine is an atypical antipsychotic that has been used off-label for the treatment of intensive care unit (ICU) delirium in the adult population, with studies demonstrating both efficacy and a favorable safety profile. Although there is a potential role for quetiapine in the treatment of pediatric ICU delirium, there has been no systematic reporting to date of safety in this patient population. Methods: Pharmacy records were used to identify 55 consecutive pediatric ICU patients who were diagnosed with delirium and received quetiapine. A comprehensive retrospective medical chart review was performed to collect data on demographics, dosing, and side effects. Results: Fifty patients treated between January 2013 and November 2014 were included, and five patients were excluded from the study. Subjects ranged in age from 2 months to 20 years. Median daily dose was 1.3 mg/kg/day, and median duration of treatment was 12 days. There were three episodes of QTc prolongation that were clinica...
A generalized cycle life model of rechargeable Li-ion batteries

Abstract A generalized first principles based charge–discharge model to simulate the cycle life behavior of rechargeable Li-ion batteries has been developed. The model is based on loss of the active lithium ions due to the electrochemical parasitic reaction and rise of the anode film resistance. The effect of parameters such as depth of discharge (DOD), end of charge voltage (EOCV) and overvoltage of the parasitic reaction on the cycle life behavior has been quantitatively analyzed. The experimental results obtained at charge rate of 1 C, discharge rate of 0.5 C, EOCV of 4.0 V and DOD of 0.4 were used to validate the cycle life model. Good agreement between the simulations and the experiments has been achieved up to 1968 cycles. Simulation of a battery subjected to multiple cycling regimes has also been demonstrated.
Stochastic analysis of exit fluid temperature records from the active TAG hydrothermal mound (Mid‐Atlantic Ridge, 26°N): 1. Modes of variability and implications for subsurface flow

[1] Yearlong time series records of exit fluid temperature from the active TAG hydrothermal mound (Mid-Atlantic Ridge, 26°N) reveal a complex space-time pattern of flow variability within the mineral deposit. Exit fluid temperatures were measured every 8–10 min from 17 sites distributed across the upper terrace of the mound from June 2003 to June 2004. High-temperature records were obtained using Deep Sea Power and Light SeaLogger® probes deployed in fractures discharging ∼360°C black smoker fluids, and low-temperature records were obtained using VEMCO Ltd. Minilog probes deployed in cracks discharging ∼20°C diffuse flow fluids. The temperature records are considerably more variable than those acquired from vent fields on the fast spreading East Pacific Rise and exhibit a complex mix of both episodic and periodic variability. The diffuse flow records alternate between periods of discharge and periods of what I infer to be recharge when fluid temperatures are equal to background water column levels (∼2.7°C) as ambient seawater is drawn into the seafloor. The space-time patterns of these episodic variations suggest that they represent reorganizations of the secondary circulation system driving diffuse discharge on the upper terrace of the mound on timescales from a few hours to a few days, most likely in response to permeability perturbations. Harmonic temperature oscillations were observed over a range of periods, with the principal lunar semidiurnal tidal period (M2) being most dominant. During certain times, exit fluid temperatures at diffuse sites pulse at diurnal and semidiurnal tidal periods when they are hovering near background water column levels, which I interpret as flow reversals associated with the vertical displacement of a fluid boundary layer at the seafloor interface when the local net flux is near zero. The pulsing behavior is predicted by poroelastic models of tidal loading but is not consistent with effects from tidal currents, which demonstrates that poroelastic effects from tidal loading modulate shallow subsurface flow at the active TAG mound.
MIT GEOblog: A platform for digital annotation of space for collective community based digital story telling

This paper focuses on guidelines in designing platforms for collective, location-sensitive user generated content, built upon a system that allows for locating mobile subjects within the space. The process of conceptual design, design development, and technical implementation of MIT GEOblog project from a user-interaction design point of view, is used to illustrate the applicability of the guidelines. GEOblog is a web-based platform that allows people to annotate the space, through geo-tagging and sharing user generated content or, in other words, placing digital content over spatial zones that can be retrieved by others based on their real-time sensed location by the system.
techniques of affirmation: deviant behavior, moral commitment, and subcultural identity

Previous studies have examined how individuals act in ways that are considered deviant by mainstream standards and how these individuals neutralize their actions to maintain a positive self concept. But little is known about how individuals who defy social norms by “not doing” socially accepted behaviors construct meaningful subcultural identities. We explore the overlap between “deviant behavior” and subcultural identity through a case study of an abstinence-based subculture called straightedge. Through an analysis of online, textual interaction among participants of an internet forum dedicated to the straightedge youth subculture and focused discussions with forum members, we develop the concept of techniques of affirmation to frame how participants' beliefs regarding abstinence from drugs, alcohol, and promiscuous sex are articulated in subcultural discourse. We identify five affirmation techniques through which straightedge youths remain steadfast to their ideals, beliefs and non-actions: (1) acknowle...
Thermodynamics of cation-macrocyclic compound interaction

Recently reported synthetic macrocyclic molecules with hydrophilic cavities containing multiple binding atoms and with hydrophobic exteriors make possible controlled studies of selective cation complexation. Certain of these cation-ligand systems appear to mimic biological systems which have remarkable element specificities. Such cation-ligand systems may be considered as models for the study of this unusual property of living systems.
Compact X-ray and Extreme-Ultraviolet Light Sources

Bringing the brightness and power of vast synchrotron and free-electron laser sources to the scale of the local lab and clinic marks an important next frontier—and could transform the landscape of X-ray science and technology.
Rapid Optimization of Mcl-1 Inhibitors using Stapled Peptide Libraries Including Non-Natural Side Chains

Alpha helices form a critical part of the binding interface for many protein–protein interactions, and chemically stabilized synthetic helical peptides can be effective inhibitors of such helix-mediated complexes. In particular, hydrocarbon stapling of peptides to generate constrained helices can improve binding affinity and other peptide properties, but determining the best stapled peptide variant often requires laborious trial and error. Here, we describe the rapid discovery and optimization of a stapled-helix peptide that binds to Mcl-1, an antiapoptotic protein that is overexpressed in many chemoresistant cancers. To accelerate discovery, we developed a peptide library synthesis and screening scheme capable of identifying subtle affinity differences among Mcl-1-binding stapled peptides. We used our method to sample combinations of non-natural amino-acid substitutions that we introduced into Mcl-1 inhibitors in the context of a fixed helix-stabilizing hydrocarbon staple that increased peptide helical c...
Legal Options for U.S. Acceptance of a New Climate Change Agreement

The success of ongoing negotiations to establish a new global climate change agreement depends heavily on the agreement’s acceptance by the world’s major economies, in particular the United States. U.S. acceptance of the new agreement being negotiated may or may not require legislative approval, depending on its specific contents. If the new climate change agreement establishes legally-binding emissions limits on the United States, or new legally-binding financial commitments, then this would weigh in favor of submitting it to the Senate or Congress for approval. On the other hand, the President would be on relatively firm legal ground accepting the agreement by executive authority, without the approval of the Senate or Congress, to the extent the agreement is procedurally-oriented, is consistent with and could be implemented on the basis of existing law, and is aimed at implementing or elaborating the UNFCCC.
A test plan for the investigation of human thermoregulation in a microgravity environment

This study constitutes a proposal to investigate human thermoregulation during cognitive tasks in microgravity environment based on the numerical simulations. The simulations are performed using a transient, three-dimensional human thermal model which is being utilized as a "Computational Environmental Chamber." This model includes the effects of tissue conduction, convection by blood flow, vascular heat exchange, tissue metabolism, heat transfer due to respiration, and clothing. The model is validated with the experimental data and an extensive parametric study is conducted. The effects of varying environmental and activity conditions such as air temperature, relative humidity, metabolism, and clothing on human thermal responses such as core and skin temperatures, latent skin heat loss and blood vessel radii are examined. The study is expected to provide a deeper insight to understand the nature of peripheral vascular diseases such as Raynaud's syndrome and diabetic neuropathy. These diseases are characterized by impaired blood flow and heat transfer to the peripheral parts of the body.
Cancer as a marker of genetic medical disease: An unusual case of medullary carcinoma of the kidney

Medullary carcinoma is a recently recognized tumor of the kidney with distinctive microscopic features; the most notable are diffuse and glandular growth patterns, inflammatory infiltrates, and rhabdoid/plasmacytoid cells. It is a clinically aggressive tumor that occurs in relatively young patients. Moreover, this tumor shows a peculiar clinical association: it occurs in patients with sickle cell hemoglobinopathy. The case presented is that of a 37-year-old black woman with a history of bronchial asthma who died suddenly. Autopsy showed a 4-cm renal mass with extension to the inferior vena cava and metastases to the liver. Histologic evaluation showed the characteristic findings of medullary carcinoma of the kidney. This diagnosis prompted the investigation and subsequent detection of sickle cell trait in the deceased, alerting the family to the genetic nature of her illness. This case is the first report of this entity since the original described series of patients and shows the unique nature of this cancer as a marker of a genetic medical disease.
Good Practice in Corporate Governance Transparency, Trust, and Performance in the Microfinance Industry

This dissertation abstract and reflection essay presents the work of Dr. Darline Augustine. The dissertation examines variance in firm performance in the microfinance industry. The investigations u...
Estimating Patient Specific Templates for Pre-operative and Follow-Up Brain Tumor Registration

Deformable registration between pre-operative and follow-up scans of glioma patients is important since it allows us to map post-operative longitudinal progression of the tumor onto baseline scans, thus, to develop predictive models of tumor infiltration and recurrence. This task is very challenging due to large deformations, missing correspondences, and inconsistent intensity profiles between the scans. Here, we propose a new method that combines registration with estimation of patient specific templates. These templates, built from pre-operative and follow-up scans along with a set of healthy brain scans, approximate the patient’s brain anatomy before tumor development. Such estimation provides additional cues for missing correspondences as well as inconsistent intensity profiles, and therefore guides better registration on pathological regions. Together with our symmetric registration framework initialized by joint segmentation-registration using a tumor growth model, we are also able to estimate large deformations between the scans effectively. We apply our method to the scans of 24 glioma patients, achieving the best performance among compared registration methods.
LSD1 Interacts with Zfp516 to Promote UCP1 Transcription and Brown Fat Program

Zfp516, a brown fat (BAT)-enriched and cold-inducible transcription factor, promotes transcription of UCP1 and other BAT-enriched genes for non-shivering thermogenesis. Here, we identify lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) as a direct binding partner of Zfp516. We show that, through interaction with Zfp516, LSD1 is recruited to UCP1 and other BAT-enriched genes, such as PGC1α, to function as a coactivator by demethylating H3K9. We also show that LSD1 is induced during brown adipogenesis and that LSD1 and its demethylase activity is required for the BAT program. Furthermore, we show that LSD1 ablation in mice using Myf5-Cre alters embryonic BAT development. Moreover, BAT-specific deletion of LSD1 via the use of UCP1-Cre impairs the BAT program and BAT development, making BAT resemble WAT, reducing thermogenic activity and promoting obesity. Finally, we demonstrate an in vivo requirement of the Zfp516-LSD1 interaction for LSD1 function in BAT gene activation.
Pifithrin-mu prevents cisplatin-induced cognitive impairment and neuronal mitochondrial dysfunction

Cognitive impairments are common side effects of chemotherapy treatment that may persist long into survivorship. We hypothesized that chemotherapy may induce neuronal mitochondrial dysfunction leading to behavioral impairments. To this end we tested the effect of the novel mitochondrial protectant, pifithrin-mu (PFT-mu) of which we have shown that it protects against neuronal damage after hypoxia-ischemia. Methods Adult C57Bl/6J mice were treated with saline or cisplatin (2.3 mg/kg) and PFT-mu (8 mg/kg), for two cycles (5 days of injections followed by 5 days of rest). A week after the final injection, novel object/place recognition (NOPR) test was performed as a parameter of cognitive function. Brains were harvested and synaptosomes were isolated and tested for mitochondrial function using the Seahorse XFe 24 Extracellular Flux Analyzer and the XF Cell Mito Stress Test Kit. Results Two cycles of cisplatin treatment induced an inability to discriminate between novel and familiar objects. Furthermore, synaptosomes isolated from cisplatin-treated animals showed a decrease in basal respiration ( ∼ 30%), maximal respiration ( ∼ 40%), and spare respirator capacity ( ∼ 50%), suggesting impaired energy metabolism due to chemotherapy. Co-administration of PFT-mu protected mice from cisplatin-induced cognitive impairment as well as cisplatin-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. Taken together, our data suggest that mitochondrial dysfunction of neurons is the underlying mechanism of cisplatin-induced cognitive deficit. Treatment with PFT-mu may represent a realistic therapeutic strategy for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment.
Multi-disciplinary collaborative stem camps

Summer camps designed to increase interest in the computer science discipline have become increasingly popular. More recently, efforts to introduce young minds to all of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields have increased. In this paper we will discuss a summer camp that involves high school educators working with college educators to increase interest in STEM and improve critical thinking skills of rising high school students.
Pile Cap-Pile Group-Soil Interaction

A numerical procedure based on the finite element method is proposed for the analysis of structural systems composed of beam-column (pile), plate (cap) and nonlinear springs (soil). It integrates one-and two-dimensional idealizations for these components in order to obtain an approximation to the three-dimensional problem. It allows for soil-structure interaction effects as influenced by nonlinear soil behavior, loss of contact and tensile stress conditions. The predictions from the procedure show satisfactory comparison with results from other numerical procedures and laboratory observations. A parametric study is conducted to indentify the influence of relative stiffnesses on distribution of loads and displacements in the cap-pile-soil system. The procedure can permit computation of the histories of stresses, moments and displacements in the entire system.
Why medical innovation is valuable: Health, human capital, and the labor market

I develop a dynamic framework to assess the value of pharmaceutical innovation, taking explicit account of how side effects and the labor market affect the demand for medical treatment. In the framework, forward‐looking patients do not simply maximize underlying health or longevity. Rather, they choose labor supply and medicine in light of potential side effects in an effort to jointly manage two forms of human capital: their health and their work experience. I use the framework to examine the treatment and employment decisions of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive men before and after a medical breakthrough known as highly active anti‐retroviral treatment. A novelty of this application is my use of data containing both objective health measures along with reports of physical ailments. This allows me to model each HIV drug along two dimensions of quality—effectiveness and side effects. Using the framework, I am able to identify the impact of side effects on demand and show that counterfactual innovations that reduce side effects can be very valuable. I also show that when no treatment dominates along both dimensions of drug quality, patients exhibit health‐state‐dependent cyclicality in their medical treatment decisions, favoring effective treatments despite side effects when in poor health, but switching to less effective drugs with fewer side effects (or avoiding treatment altogether) when their health improves. Innovation health human capital labor structural models HIV/ AIDS I10 J24 O31
Establishing a successful industry-academia R&D project

Establishing and conducting good R&D projects is an art that brings together industry experts and academic researchers empowering them to tackle and address problems that are not otherwise solvable.
Health risk, price efficiency, and airline seat size regulation

AbstractPurpose: Airline cost-cutting measures have led to shrinking economy-class seats ever since deregulation went into effect 35 years ago. Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, along with restricted mobility, particularly during an emergency evacuation, are among the health and safety hazards seat shrinkage has created for passengers. These have led to several regulatory attempts to define and standardize minimum aircraft seat dimensions. The question for scholarly investigation is whether government can efficiently regulate how air travelers value their health, safety, and comfort (and what consequences might arise therefrom).Methods: Aircraft seat regulation is modeled as a Stag Hunt with two sets of utility-maximizing and interactive players: passengers and airlines. The strategic choices available to each one are identified and tested in the context of a single-play game.Main findings: We find two likely outcomes of passenger and airline risk calculations and mitigation strategies against ...
The Arm Movement Detection (AMD) test: a fast robotic test of proprioceptive acuity in the arm

We examined the validity and reliability of a short robotic test of upper limb proprioception, the Arm Movement Detection (AMD) test, which yields a ratio-scaled, objective outcome measure to be used for evaluating the impact of sensory deficits on impairments of motor control, motor adaptation and functional recovery in stroke survivors. Subjects grasped the handle of a horizontal planar robot, with their arm and the robot hidden from view. The robot applied graded force perturbations, which produced small displacements of the handle. The AMD test required subjects to respond verbally to queries regarding whether or not they detected arm motions. Each participant completed ten, 60s trials; in five of the trials, force perturbations were increased in small increments until the participant detected motion while in the others, perturbations were decreased until the participant could no longer detect motion. The mean and standard deviation of the 10 movement detection thresholds were used to compute a Proprioceptive Acuity Score (PAS). Based on the sensitivity and consistency of the estimated thresholds, the PAS quantifies the likelihood that proprioception is intact. Lower PAS scores correspond to higher proprioceptive acuity. Thirty-nine participants completed the AMD test, consisting of 25 neurologically intact control participants (NIC), seven survivors of stroke with intact proprioception in the more affected limb (HSS+P), and seven survivors of stroke with impaired or absent proprioception in the more affected limb (HSS-P). Significant group differences were found, with the NIC and HSS+P groups having lower (i.e., better) PAS scores than the HSS-P group. A subset of the participants completed the AMD test multiple times and the AMD test was found to be reliable across repetitions. The AMD test required less than 15 min to complete and provided an objective, ratio-scaled measure of proprioceptive acuity in the upper limb. In the future, this test could be utilized to evaluate the contributions of sensory deficits to motor recovery following stroke.
Abstract 499: Renal Endocannabinoids in Salt-Sensitive Hypertension of SHR

Recent evidence suggests that endocannabinoids (ECs) acting on two major cannabinoid receptors (CB 1 and CB 2 ) regulate blood pressure and cardiovascular and renal function in health and disease. However, there is no evidence of the role of ECs in the salt-induced renal damage in hypertensive subjects. In the present study we investigated changes in the content of two major ECs, 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and anandamide ( N -arachidonoylethanolamine), and related functional changes in the kidneys of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) in response to increased dietary salt intake. Male SHRs were given an 8% salt diet (HS; n=7), while their age-matched controls (C; n=7) received standard chow for 5 weeks. ECs were measured by UPLC/MS-MS methods on Applied Biosystems Mass Spectrometry Systems. After 5 weeks on a high salt diet, renal 2-AG (4.29 ± 0.40 vs. 3.32 ± 0.17 ng/mg; p 1 receptor mRNA while CB 2 receptor gene expression was increased in the kidney of salt-loaded SHR. Together these results suggest that alterations in renal ECs may play a significant role in the development of renal injury due to high dietary salt intake.
Stress in the Workplace: A Framework for Research and Practice:

The social work profession has not sufficiently addressed the connection between stressful work environments and the individual problems of workers. The author outlines a theoretical framework for ...
The Noerr-Pennington Problem: A View from the Bench

The decisional process has expanded the First Amendment concept of a petition. It is no longer confined to demands of a redress of grievances. The words now comprehend demands for an exercise of governmental powers in furtherance of the interest and prosperity of the petitioners and their views as politically contentious matters.Despite this blending of rights under the First Amendment, it is important not to overlook the fact that there remain differences between petitions addressed to legislative bodies and petitions addressed to a court. Consideration of a number of key Supreme Court cases illustrates that this is a difficult and evolving area of law, and one which is going to call for difficult decisions.
Population and social security projections for Bangladesh.

Confidence intervals for year 1986 and year 2001 populations for Bangladesh are developed. Rural-urban shifts in population are analyzed through Markov chains, and reveal a significant projected redistribution to urban areas, A study is presented of the actuarial cost of a potential social security program designed to meet the financial needs of an increasing set of urban dwellers. This program would be patterned after a portion of India’s Social Security Program. The program would provide employment-injury protection, death benefits, and retirement benefits, and would be financed through employee and employer contributions. Aggregate projected contributions and benefits for the years 1995, 2005, 2015, and 2025 illustrate the possible program. A discussion of reserve funds to provide for adverse deviations from actuarial and demographic assumptions is included.
Phosphatidylcholine Metabolism in Signal Transduction

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of phosphatidylcholine metabolism in signal transduction. Although the hepatocyte is not an inflammatory cell, there is reason to believe that many of the signaling pathways found in the hepatocyte are also present in the other types of cells. The chapter reviews a work on phosphatidylcholine breakdown and hormone action in the rat liver. These studies reflect the tremendous interest in the mechanisms of signal transduction in many laboratories today. The rat liver has many advantages as a system for elucidating the mechanisms of signal transduction. Approximately, 10 g of liver is available from a 250-gm rat; the collagenase perfusion method yields 3–4 gm of hepatocytes from each liver. These hepatocytes are 85–95% viable and respond to a wide variety of agonists, including epinephrine, norepinephrine, vasopressin, angiotensin II, glucagon, epidermal growth factor, insulin, and ATP.
Association between Industry Payments and Scholarly Impact among Academic Ophthalmologists

Purpose The aim of this article is to examine the association between industry payments to ophthalmologists and scholarly impact. Design Retrospective cross-sectional study. Methods All ophthalmology faculty at United States accredited ophthalmology residency programs were included in this study. The main exposure was industry payments to ophthalmologists in 2016, as reported in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Open Payments Database. The primary outcome was Hirsch index (H-index), a measure of scholarly impact. Results Among 1,653 academic ophthalmologists in our study, 1,225 (74%) received industry payments in 2016. We did not observe a difference between the mean H-index of ophthalmologists receiving any industry payments versus those not receiving any payments (p = 0.68). In analysis including only ophthalmologists who received industry payments, H-index differed significantly by payment amount: 12.6 for ophthalmologists receiving less than $100, 12.2 for those receiving $100 to 1,000, 18.8 for those receiving $1,000 to 10,000, 21.3 for those receiving $10,000 to 100,000, and 29.4 for those receiving greater than $100,000 (p Conclusions Although our analysis cannot prove causality, we observed a significant association between industry payments and scholarly impact among academic ophthalmologists, even after adjusting for gender, academic rank, and subspecialty. Prospective studies should further evaluate this relationship.
Analysis of Influence Factors on the Transmission Capability of the Yu-e Back-to-back VSC-HVDC South Channel

Yu-e back-to-back VSC-HVDC networking project is the first VSC-HVDC networking project whose voltage and capacity is up to±420kV and 5000MW. Currently, it is the VSC-HVDC project of highest voltage and largest capacity in the world which realizes the asynchronous networking between Southwest and Central China power grid and guarantees the safety of hydropower delivery between these two power grids. However, it may cause the units of Enshi and Three Georges power plant unstable when power is transmitted from Southwest power grid to Central China power grid through Yu-E back to back VSC-HVDC project. In view of the problems above, this paper studies the influence of the nearby Yihua HVDC transmission power, the up-delivery power of 500kV Enshi main transformer and output of the adjacent hydropower plant on transmission capability of Yu-E back-to-back VSC-HVDC system.
Sherwood Anderson’s Grotesques in Thomas Boyd’s Points of Honor

Brian Bruce’s 2006 biography is appropriately titled, Thomas Boyd: Lost Author of the “Lost Generation.” Not many readers are familiar with Thomas Boyd, even though his Through the Wheat is general...
Changes in flavor compounds and quality parameters of goat cream butter during extended refrigerated storage

Nine different batches of both salted and unsalted goat cream butter were produced by continuous churning of cream from goat milk, and stored in closed plastic containers at 5°C for 0, 1, 3, 6 mont...
Whose Data Is It Anyway? Lessons in Data Management and Sharing from Resurrecting and Repurposing Lidar Data for Archaeology Research in Honduras

As a response to Hurricane Mitch and the resulting widespread loss of life and destruction of Honduran infrastructure in 1998, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) conducted the first wide-area airborne lidar topographic mapping project in Central America. The survey was executed by the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas at Austin (BEG) in 2000, and it was intended to cover 240 square kilometers distributed among 15 flood-prone communities throughout Honduras. The original data processing produced basic digital elevation models at 1.5-meter grid spacing which were used as inputs for hydrological modeling. The USGS published the results in a series of technical reports in 2002. The authors became interested in this dataset in 2013 while searching for geospatial data that would provide additional context and comparative references for an archaeological lidar project conducted in 2012 in the Honduran Mosquitia. After multiple requests to representatives from the USGS and BEG, we found various types of processed data in personal and institutional archives, culminating in the identification of 8-mm magnetic tapes that contained the original point clouds. Point clouds for the 15 communities plus a test area centered on the Maya site of Copan were recovered from the tapes (16 areas totaling 700 km2). These point clouds have been reprocessed by the authors using contemporary software and methods into higher resolution and fidelity products. Within these new products, we have identified and mapped multiple archaeological sites in proximity to modern cities, many of which are not part of the official Honduran site registry. Besides improving our understanding of ancient Honduras, our experiences dealing with issues of data management and access, ethics, and international collaboration have been informative. This paper summarizes our experiences in the hope that they will contribute to the discussion and development of best practices for handling geospatial datasets of archaeological value.
The acquisition of German declension in additive and concept-based approaches to instruction via computer-based cognitive tutors

Abstract This study examines the different learning outcomes of two computer-based cognitive tutors using two approaches to instructing German declension: an additive, bottom-up approach, which focuses on a stepwise introduction of each case, and a concept-based, top-down approach, which focuses on developing students’ conceptual understanding of the functions related to each case form and the case marking system as a whole. The results indicate that both groups learned, but what and how they learned differed depending on the method of instruction. The additive group showed general gains in production and a slight increase in their ability to correctly interpret object-first sentences. The concept-based group showed larger gains, but in fewer areas. Specifically, the production of adjective endings increased, although there were no differences in determiner production or accuracy. The concept-based group also had a larger gain in their ability to interpret non-SVO word order sentences. This study shows how concept-based approaches to grammar can outperform additive ones, and that the development of these concepts can prepare students for future learning.
Epidemiology, Natural History, and Treatment of Hepatitis Delta Virus Infection in HIV/Hepatitis B Virus Coinfection.

Limited data exist on the prevalence, determinants, and outcomes of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) infection among HIV/hepatitis B virus (HBV)–coinfected persons. This review provides current evidence on the epidemiology, natural history, and treatment of HDV infection in patients with HIV/HBV coinfection and highlights future research needs. Cross-sectional studies in Europe, Africa, South America, and Asia show that the prevalence of HDV among HIV/HBV-coinfected patients ranges from 1.2 to 25%. No studies have evaluated the prevalence of HDV infection among HIV/HBV-coinfected patients in the USA. HDV infection increases the risk of hepatic decompensation and hepatocellular carcinoma among HIV/HBV-coinfected patients. HDV treatment remains limited to pegylated interferon-alpha, which results in sustained virologic response in fewer than 25%. Data on the epidemiology, natural history, and treatment of HDV among HIV/HBV-coinfected persons remain limited. More research is needed to address these knowledge gaps in order to better manage HDV coinfection in HIV/HBV-coinfected patients.
Mammary and extramammary myofibroblastoma: multimodality imaging features with clinicopathologic correlation, management and outcomes in a series of 23 patients

Objective:The purpose of this study was to describe the imaging appearance, diagnosis, and management of mammary and extramammary myofibroblastoma (MFB) in a series of 23 patients.Methods and mater...
Using social media to measure and map visitation to public lands in Utah

Abstract We used nine years of geotagged social media posts uploaded to Flickr and Panoramio to investigate the ability of social media to measure and map spatial patterns in visitation to national parks, national forests, and state parks in Utah, USA. Our analysis shows support for the use of geotagged social media to supplement data collected through traditional means (e.g., on-site counts of visitors) as part of visitor use monitoring protocols. However, we did observe notable differences in the amount of variance in reported visitation explained by geotagged social media. Social media posts made within national parks and national forests captured substantially more of the variation in reported visitation relative to posts made within state parks. We attribute this to a variety of factors including the unique types of sites managed within the state park system, lower levels of visitation relative to national parks and forests within the state, and the method by which the state estimates visitation. We use exploratory spatial analyses to investigate spatial patterns of visitation across public lands. The analysis, performed at three different spatial scales (statewide, region, and county) illustrate the diversity of ways in which geotagged social media can inform outdoor recreation and tourism planning efforts and supplement traditional methods of measuring visitation. Our investigation demonstrates how social media can serve as a useful tool to inform proactive planning and management efforts.
Endothelial Jak3 expression enhances pro-hematopoietic angiocrine function in mice.

Jak3 is the only non-promiscuous member of the Jak family of secondary messengers. Studies to date have focused on understanding and targeting the cell-autonomous role of Jak3 in immunity, while functional Jak3 expression outside the hematopoietic system remains largely unreported. We show that Jak3 is expressed in endothelial cells across hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic organs, with heightened expression in the bone marrow. The bone marrow niche is understood as a network of different cell types that regulate hematopoietic function. We show that the Jak3–/– bone marrow niche is deleterious for the maintenance of long-term repopulating hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSCs) and that JAK3-overexpressing endothelial cells have increased potential to expand LT-HSCs in vitro. This work may serve to identify a novel function for a highly specific tyrosine kinase in the bone marrow vascular niche and to further characterize the LT-HSC function of sinusoidal endothelium. Barcia Duran et al. show that the tyrosine kinase gene Jak3 is expressed in multiple endothelial cell types in the mouse, including in non-hematopoietic organs, with particularly high expression in the bone marrow. Using mice lacking Jak3, they show that Jak3 expressed in the bone marrow niche is important for maintaining long-term repopulating hematopoietic stem cells.
Visual-Inertial Filtering for Human Walking Quantification

We propose a novel system to track human lower-body motion as part of a larger movement assessment system for clinical evaluation. Our system combines multiple wearable Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensors and a single external RGB-D camera. We use a factor graph with a Sliding Window Filter (SWF) formulation that merges 2-D joint data extracted from the RGB images via a Deep Neural Network, raw depth information, raw IMU gyroscope readings, and estimated foot contacts extracted from IMU gyroscope and accelerometer data. For the system, we use an articulated model of human body motion based on differential manifolds. We compare the results of our system against a gold-standard motion capture system and a vision-only alternative. Our proposed system qualitatively presents smoother 3D joint trajectories when compared to noisy depth data, allowing for more realistic gait estimations. At the same time, with respect to the vision-only baseline, it improves the median of the joint trajectories by around 2cm, while considerably reducing outliers by up to 0.6m.
Proteomic Analysis of Nuclear HBV rcDNA Associated Proteins Identifies UV-DDB as a Host Factor Involved in cccDNA Formation.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) utilizes host DNA repair mechanisms to convert viral relaxed circular DNA (rcDNA) into a persistent viral genome, the covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA). To identify said host factors involved in cccDNA formation, we developed an unbiased approach to discover proteins involved in cccDNA formation by precipitating nuclear rcDNA from induced HepAD38 cells and identifying the co-precipitated proteins by mass spectrometry. The DNA damage binding protein 1 (DDB1) surfaced as a hit, coinciding with our previously reported shRNA screen in which shRNA-DDB1 in HepDES19 cells reduced cccDNA production. DDB1 binding to nuclear rcDNA was confirmed in HepAD38 cells via ChIP-qPCR. DDB1 and DNA damage binding protein 2 (DDB2) form the UV-DDB complex and the latter senses DNA damage to initiate the global genome nucleotide excision repair (GG-NER) pathway. To investigate the role of DDB complex in cccDNA formation, DDB2 was knocked out in HepAD38 and HepG2-NTCP cells. In both knockout cell lines, cccDNA formation was stunted significantly, and in HepG2-NTCP-DDB2 knockout cells, downstream indicators of cccDNA such as HBV RNA, HBcAg, and HBeAg were similarly reduced. Knockdown of DDB2 in HBV-infected HepG2-NTCP cells and primary human hepatocytes (PHH) also resulted in cccDNA reduction. Trans-complementation of wild type DDB2 in HepG2-NTCP-DDB2 knockout cells rescued cccDNA formation and its downstream indicators. However, ectopic expression of DDB2 mutants deficient in DNA-binding, DDB1-binding, or ubiquitination failed to rescue cccDNA formation. Our study thus suggests an integral role of UV-DDB, specifically DDB2, in the formation of HBV cccDNA. IMPORTANCE Serving as a key viral factor for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, HBV covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) is formed in the cell nucleus from viral relaxed circular DNA (rcDNA) by hijacking host DNA repair machinery. Previous studies have identified a handful of host DNA repair factors involved in cccDNA formation through hypothesis-driven research with some help from RNAi screening and/or biochemistry approaches. To enrich the landscape of tools for discovering host factors responsible for rcDNA-to-cccDNA conversion, we developed an rcDNA immunoprecipitation paired mass spectrometry assay, which allowed us to pull down nuclear rcDNA in its transitional state to cccDNA and observe the associated host factors. From this assay we discovered a novel relationship between the UV-DDB complex and cccDNA formation, hence, providing a proof-of-concept for a more direct discovery of novel HBV DNA-host interactions that can be exploited to develop new cccDNA-targeting antivirals.
Transgenic poplar expressing the pine GS1a show alterations in nitrogen homeostasis during drought

Transgenic hybrid poplars engineered to express ectopically the heterologous pine cytosolic GS1a display a number of significant pleiotropic phenotypes including enhanced growth, enhanced nitrogen use efficiency, and resistance to drought stress. The present study was undertaken in order to assess mechanisms whereby ectopic expression of pine GS1a in transgenic poplars results in enhanced agronomic phenotypes. Microarray analysis using the Agilent Populus whole genome array has allowed identification of genes differentially expressed between wild type (WT) and GS transgenics in four tissues (sink leaves, source leaves, stems, and roots) under three growth conditions (well-watered, drought, and recovery). Analysis revealed that differentially expressed genes in functional categories related to nitrogen metabolism show a trend of significant down-regulation in GS poplars compared to the WT, including genes encoding nitrate and nitrite reductases. The down-regulation of these genes was verified using qPCR, and downstream effects were further tested using NR activity assays. Results suggest that higher glutamine levels in GS transgenics regulate nitrate uptake and reduction. Transcript levels of nitrogen-related genes in leaves, including GS/GOGAT cycle enzymes, aspartate aminotransferase, GABA shunt enzymes, photorespiration enzymes, asparagine synthetase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, and PII, were also assessed using qPCR revealing significant differences between GS poplars and the WT. Moreover, metabolites related to these differentially expressed genes showed alterations in levels, including higher levels of GABA, hydroxyproline, and putrescine in the GS transgenic. These alterations in nitrogen homeostasis offer insights into mechanisms accounting for drought tolerance observed in GS poplars.
Suppression of human chorionic gonadotropin by progestational steroids

The dynamics of the secretion of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) were studied by culturing explants of normal term placentas for as long as 144 hours. A significant accumulation of immunoreactive hCG (beta-subunit) was first detected at 48 to 72 hours, and a sixfold increase in hCG was observed in control culture medium at 144 hours. Compared to control cultures, progesterone (P < 0.001) in physiologic tissue levels of 5 to 20 micrograms/ml, pregnenolone (P < 0.001), 20 micrograms/ml, and 20 alpha-dihydroprogesterone (P < 0.001), 20 micrograms/ml, suppressed the secretion of hCG throughout the study period. Progesterone decreased the secretion of hCG in a dose-response manner (r = -0.8S87, P < 0.1). No suppression of hCG was observed in the presence of cortisol, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, 17 beta-estradiol, or estriol. The secretion of human chorionic somatomammotropin was unchanged in the presence of progesterone. The augmented hCG response in the presence of dibutyl cAMP (P < 0.001) was significantly, but not completely, suppressed by progesterone 20 micrograms/ml culture medium (P < 0.01). Under these conditions progestational steroids or their immediate metabolites suppress the secretion of hCG, and they may be responsible for the decline in the levels of hCG during pregnancy.