cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Introduction to the Symposium on Research on Social Dilemmas

In 2002 Elinor Ostrom and some of her colleagues organized a working group on Testing Theoretical Models of Individual Behavior in Dynamic Social Dilemmas and held the first meeting of this group at Indiana University Bloomington in 2003. There have now been five subsequent meetings of different incarnations of this group (2006, Max Planck Institute, Jena; 2008, Florida State University; 2010, Rice University; 2013, California Institute of Technology; 2015, Brown University) prior to the most recent one, the seventh in total, held in 2017 at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. With each of these meetings, the size of the group and scope of the work presented has changed and shifted as new people become part of the group and as the research questions relevant to social dilemma researchers change over time. As a way of commemorating these events, the organizers have felt that it would be useful to create special issues or symposia in journals related to the meetings as a way of capturing a snapshot of the issues at the frontier of social dilemma research at each point in time. The 2013 meeting at Cal Tech was the first to take place after Ostrom's death in 2012, and it produced two such special issues, in part to memorialize her: one at the Journal of Theoretical Politics edited by Eric Coleman and Rick Wilson published in 2016, and one at Experiment Economics edited by Jimmy Walker and Mark Isaac published in 2015. In conjunction with the 2017 meetings at UMass Amherst, a call for papers went out for submissions to this current Symposium issue inviting submissions from people who have been affiliated with this group and to others working in the area so that we could present a compelling set of papers that encompass a broad range of the work aimed at helping us to better understand issues related to social dilemmas. The journal received a large number of submissions of very high‐quality work that was sent through the standard review process for the journal. In the end we are publishing eight of those submissions and are pleased with the quality and breadth of coverage these papers represent. We are also happy that while we received and will be publishing papers by authors with a direct association with these meetings, we also received many submissions by authors with no connection to the meetings and will be publishing several of these as well.
Improving responses to juvenile burglary offenders

The purpose of this paper is to make evidence-based recommendations for improving the responses of criminal justice agencies to juvenile burglary offenders.,The paper first analyzes what is known about factors relevant to young offenders’ initiation into burglary and subsequent persistence in that offense. It then evaluates research regarding juvenile justice interventions that can mitigate those factors in order to prevent youth from becoming involved in burglary or to encourage desistance in juvenile burglars.,Effective early intervention with juvenile burglars is vital, as burglars often begin committing this crime in their early teens and quickly develop expertise in the offense. Evidence supports the importance of positive mentoring, substance abuse programs, some forms of restorative justice and multi-modal interventions with education and employment components, while waiving these youth to adult court appears to offer little benefit over less punitive approaches.,This work delivers an original contribution by providing an analysis of existing burglary and juvenile justice research that may be useful to policymakers, law enforcement and other justice practitioners.
Climatic Universal System

Knowledge is immeasurable and exceeds single individuals. Unlike raw materials that can be processed and assembled mechanically, it is alive and collectively produced, hence difficult to control an...
A Machine Learning Approach for Structural Health Monitoring Using Noisy Data Sets

Continuous structural health monitoring of civil infrastructure can be achieved by deploying an Internet of Things network of distributed acceleration sensors in buildings to capture floor movement. Postdisaster damage levels can be computed based on the peak relative floor displacement as specified in government standards. This article uses machine learning approaches to identify the status of buildings postevent based on accelerometer traces. Prior work in the field assumed the use of high-quality accelerometers for displacement estimation. In this article, we focus on using lower quality and cheaper accelerometers, while accounting for noise effects by incorporating noisy data sets in machine learning approaches for classification. A labeled acceleration data set of buildings response to earthquakes was created, where each sample is labeled with its corresponding damage severity. Sensor noise is included in the data set to model nonideal sensors. Classification performance of machine learning algorithms, such as support vector machine, K-nearest neighbor, and convolutional neural network, is presented. Techniques for addressing noise levels are proposed, and the results are compared with regular noise cancellation techniques that adopt high-pass filtering. Note to Practitioners —This article presents a methodology for automatic estimation of buildings status in the aftermath of a natural disaster, such as an earthquake. It focuses on using low-cost inertial sensors, such as accelerometers, to sense buildings’ vibrations and then applying machine learning algorithms to detect damage. Utilizing the convolutional network approach, the proposed methods detect the building damage state with high accuracy. Since this article focuses on using cheap sensors, the cost of deploying a sensor network to monitor buildings is reduced significantly. Deploying this network enables rescue and reconnaissance teams to have a clear view of the most vulnerable structures.
Hematopoietic regulatory factors produced in long-term murine bone marrow cultures and the effect of in vitro irradiation

The nature of hematopoietic regulatory factors elaborated by the adherent (stromal) cells of long-term murine bone marrow cultures and the effect of in vitro stromal irradiation (XRT) on the production of these factors was investigated. Using an in situ stromal assay employing a double layer of semisolid agar, it was possible to demonstrate stromal elaboration of at least two colony-stimulating activities, ie, granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating activity (G/M- CSA) and megakaryocyte colony-stimulating activity (Meg-CSA). Exposure of the stroma to XRT resulted in dose-dependent elevations of both activities that correlated inversely with total myeloid cell mass as determined by concurrent reductions in total supernatant cell recoveries from irradiated cultures. Mixture experiments that combined control and irradiated stroma revealed that the hematopoietically active control stroma could block detection of XRT-related G/M-CSA elevations. These data implicate a local negative feedback mechanism in the regulation of hematopoiesis. Antiserum directed against purified L cell colony-stimulating factor (CSF) reduced granulocyte/macrophage colony formation in the target layer but did not effect the increased Meg-CSA. While a radioimmunoassay for L-cell type CSF was unable to detect significant differences in concentrated media from control and irradiated cultures, bioassays of these media revealed XRT-related G/M- CSA elevations. These results indicate that the G/M-CSA elaborated in these cultures is immunologically distinct from the Meg-CSA produced, and although distinct from L cell CSF, the G/M-CSA is crossreactive with the L cell CSF antiserum. Morphologic, histochemical, and factor VII antigen immunofluorescent studies were performed on the stromal cell population responsible for production of these stimulatory activities. In addition to “fat” cells, the stromal cells remaining after XRT were composed of two predominant cell populations. These included a major population of acid phosphatase and nonspecific esterase-positive macrophage-like cells and a minor population of factor VII antigen negative epithelioid cells.
Extrathyroidal extension predicts negative clinical outcomes in papillary thyroid cancer.

Abstract Background The eighth edition American Joint Committee on Cancer tumor-node-metastasis staging for well-differentiated thyroid cancers, no longer considers “minimal” extrathyroidal extension for tumor staging. This change prompted us to examine the effect of extrathyroidal extension on patient outcomes. Methods Patients (n = 177,497) in the 2016 National Cancer Database with classic papillary thyroid cancer were evaluated to determine the effect of extrathyroidal extension on overall survival and risk for nodal and distant metastases. Kaplan-Meier curves with the log-rank test were used to evaluate survival differences. Multivariable Cox and logistic regression analyses included relevant clinicopathologic variables (e.g. age, sex, race, and Charlson Comorbidity Index). Results Patients with “minimal” extrathyroidal extension had worse survival versus patients with no extrathyroidal extension (10-year survival 89.3% vs 93.1%, hazard ratio 1.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.13−1.35; P Conclusion All levels of extrathyroidal extension, including microscopic, were associated with increased risk for nodal and distant metastasis. Both minimal and macroscopic extrathyroidal extension were also associated with decreased overall survival. Such findings have the potential to affect the clinical decision making for patients diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer.
Impact of Spinal Cord Stimulation on Opioid Dose Reduction: A Nationwide Analysis

BACKGROUND Opioid misuse in the USA is an epidemic. Utilization of neuromodulation for refractory chronic pain may reduce opioid-related morbidity and mortality, and associated economic costs. OBJECTIVE To assess the impact of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) on opioid dose reduction. METHODS The IBM MarketScan® database was retrospectively queried for all US patients with a chronic pain diagnosis undergoing SCS between 2010 and 2015. Opioid usage before and after the procedure was quantified as morphine milligram equivalents (MME). RESULTS A total of 8497 adult patients undergoing SCS were included. Within 1 yr of the procedure, 60.4% had some reduction in their opioid use, 34.2% moved to a clinically important lower dosage group, and 17.0% weaned off opioids entirely. The proportion of patients who completely weaned off opioids increased with decreasing preprocedure dose, ranging from 5.1% in the >90 MME group to 34.2% in the ≤20 MME group. The following variables were associated with reduced odds of weaning off opioids post procedure: long-term opioid use (odds ratio [OR]: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.21-0.30; P < .001), use of other pain medications (OR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.65-0.87; P < .001), and obesity (OR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.60-0.94; P = .01). CONCLUSION Patients undergoing SCS were able to reduce opioid usage. Given the potential to reduce the risks of long-term opioid therapy, this study lays the groundwork for efforts that may ultimately push stakeholders to reduce payment and policy barriers to SCS as part of an evidence-based, patient-centered approach to nonopioid solutions for chronic pain.
Distinct Myocardial Gene Expression Signatures in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

Background Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) constitutes half of all HF and lacks effective therapy, yet myocardial biological data from HFpEF patients is nearly non-existent. Methods We prospectively obtained right ventricular septal endomyocardial biopsies in HFpEF. Myocardial tissue from HFpEF (n=41), heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF, n=30) and control (CON, n=24) were analyzed by RNA sequencing. Results HFpEF patients were older, more often African American (68%), with more diabetes (63%) and higher body mass index (median 41 kg/m2 [36-46]), compared to HFrEF. Agnostic principal component and hierarchical gene clustering analyses separated HFpEF, HFrEF and CON with minimal overlap (Figure 1A, 1B). HFpEF uniquely upregulated genes clustered in mitochondrial ATP synthesis/electron transport pathways that correlated with obesity; these pathways were downregulated in HFrEF. HFpEF uniquely down-regulated genes in endoplasmic reticulum stress, autophagy, and angiogenesis, uncorrelated with obesity. A subset of downregulated genes in HFpEF (upregulated in HFrEF) were functionally tested by knock-down in Drosophila; 65% altering fractional shortening and/or delaying relaxation. Three transcriptome-derived HFpEF subgroups were identified with distinct clinical correlates and clinical outcomes (Figure 1C, 1D): 1) mostly male with pulmonary hypertension, elevated cardiac biomarkers, altered stress/sarcomere genes, and worse event-free survival; 2) female with low cardiac biomarkers and inflammatory signaling; and 3) mixed sex with altered extracellular matrix genes. Obesity, hypertension, and hypertrophy were similar. Conclusions HFpEF has a distinct transcriptional profile from HFrEF, involving pathways both dependent and independent of obesity. These transcriptome signatures defined molecular-subgroups within HFpEF and highlight new signaling targets that may prove valuable for precision therapeutics.
Protected by Association? The Supreme Court’s Incomplete Approach to Defining the Scope of the Third-Party Retaliation Doctrine

For decades, courts have struggled with how to treat claims of "third party retaliation" – situations where one employee engages in some protected activity for purposes of Title VII but where the employer retaliates not against that employee, but rather against one of his or her coworkers – his or her spouse, or sibling, or mere workplace acquaintance. While some courts have permitted these third-party retaliation claims in order to ensure robust safeguards against workplace discrimination, other courts have deemed this type of employer conduct to be outside the scope of Title VII’s retaliation provision. With its January 2011 decision in Thompson v. North American Stainless, LP., the United States Supreme Court finally has weighed in on this issue, deeming employees protected against third-party retaliation under Title VII. This Article stands as one of the first in-depth examinations of Thompson and its potential impact on both employers and employees. While this Article approves of the Supreme Court’s decision to deem third-party retaliation claims viable under Title VII, this Article proposes a different framework for analyzing these claims than that applied by the Supreme Court in this case. Specifically, this Article argues that courts should apply jurisprudence from negligent infliction of emotional distress cases to conduct a more structured analysis of third-party retaliation claims. In addition, this Article argues that courts should define the class of plaintiffs who can assert third-party retaliation claims by requiring that only individuals who have engaged in some protected activity can sue. Other employees affected by employer retaliation – those who receive adverse treatment from their employer, but who did not themselves engage in any protected activity – should not be permitted to bring third-party retaliation claims. In articulating this framework, this Article seeks to strike a balance between deterring employers from engaging in retaliatory behavior while avoiding the negative consequences that could result from failing to place reasonable limits on the third-party retaliation doctrine.
Professor Irvin Glassman

19 September 1923 – 14 December 2019Irvin Glassman, the Robert H. Goddard Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Emeritus at Princeton University, passed away on December 14, 2019, at h...
Real-Life Prescribing of SGLT2 Inhibitors: How to Handle the Other Medications, Including Glucose-Lowering Drugs and Diuretics

Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) have emerged as an effective therapy for improving outcomes in diabetic and nondiabetic kidney disease (1,2). Clinical trials have demonstrated the benefits of SGLT2is for secondary prevention of adverse cardiovascular (CV) effects in patients with established atherosclerotic disease and/or heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (3⇓⇓⇓–7). It is imperative for clinicians to assess the use of SGLT2is in medically eligible patients and prescribe these agents when appropriate. Despite the overwhelming evidence of the benefits of SGLT2i therapy, the prescription rate remains dismally low, particularly among patients most likely to benefit from cardiorenal protective effects (8). Several potential factors contribute to low SGLT2i prescription rate, including prescriber hesitancy, treatment inertia, and high drug cost. In this article, we review clinical indications for SGLT2i use, therapeutic and adverse effects, and our approach to handling concomitant medications. The use of SGLT2is is clinically indicated in the following circumstances. 1. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and albuminuric kidney disease (albuminuria of ≥200 mg/g of creatinine plus eGFR of 25–90 ml/min per 1.73 m2). In the CREDENCE Trial, canagliflozin decreased the primary cardiorenal end point by 30%, compared with placebo, in patients with diabetic kidney disease (1). In the DAPA-CKD trial, dapagliflozin reduced the primary cardiorenal end point by 39%, compared with placebo, in patients with diabetic and nondiabetic kidney disease (2). 2. Nondiabetic albuminuric kidney disease (albuminuria ≥200 mg/d plus eGFR of 25–75 ml/min per 1.73 m2). In the DAPA-CKD trial, a third of the patients did not have T2DM, and the cardiorenal benefits of dapagliflozin were similar among patients with nondiabetic and diabetic kidney disease (2). 3. T2DM with CV disease. In the EMPA-REG and CANVAS trials, empagliflozin and canagliflozin demonstrated a 14% reduction in the primary end point of major …
Relaxation and Coherence Transfer in Dual-Mode Vibrational Polaritons Tracked with 2DIR

Strong coupling between microcavities and molecular vibrations may enable direct, external control over chemical dynamics. We use ultrafast 2DIR to probe a unique system with two vibrational modes strongly coupled to two distinct cavity modes.
Dispositional Negative Emotionality in Childhood and Adolescence Predicts Structural Variation in the Amygdala and Caudal Anterior Cingulate During Early Adulthood: Theoretically and Empirically Based Tests.

Substantial evidence implicates the amygdala and related structures in the processing of negative emotions. Furthermore, neuroimaging evidence suggests that variations in amygdala volumes are related to trait-like individual differences in neuroticism/negative emotionality, although many questions remain about the nature of such associations. We conducted planned tests of the directional prediction that dispositional negative emotionality measured at 10–17 years using parent and youth ratings on the Child and Adolescent Dispositions Scale (CADS) would predict larger volumes of the amygdala in adulthood and conducted exploratory tests of associations with other regions implicated in emotion processing. Participants were 433 twins strategically selected for neuroimaging during wave 2 from wave 1 of the Tennessee Twins Study (TTS) by oversampling on internalizing and/or externalizing psychopathology risk. Controlling for age, sex, race-ethnicity, handedness, scanner, and total brain volume, youth-rated negative emotionality positively predicted bilateral amygdala volumes after correction for multiple testing. Each unit difference of one standard deviation (SD) in negative emotionality was associated with a .12 SD unit difference in larger volumes of both amygdalae. Parent-rated negative emotionality predicted greater thickness of the left caudal/dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (β = 0.28). Associations of brain structure with negative emotionality were not moderated by sex. These results are striking because dispositions assessed at 10–17 years of age were predictive of grey matter volumes measured 12–13 years later in adulthood. Future longitudinal studies should examine the timing of amygdala/cingulate associations with dispositional negative emotionality to determine when these associations emerge during development.
Thunderstorms Do Not Get Butterflies

AbstractOne important limitation on the accuracy of weather forecasts is imposed by unavoidable errors in the specification of the atmosphere’s initial state. Much theoretical concern has been focused on the limits to predictability imposed by small-scale errors, potentially even those on the scale of a butterfly. Very modest errors at much larger scales may nevertheless pose a more important practical limitation. We demonstrate the importance of large-scale uncertainty by analyzing ensembles of idealized squall-line simulations. Our results imply that minimizing initial errors on scales around 100 km is more likely to extend the accuracy of forecasts at lead times longer than 3–4 h than efforts to minimize initial errors on much smaller scales. These simulations also demonstrate that squall lines, triggered in a horizontally homogeneous environment with no initial background circulations, can generate a background mesoscale kinetic energy spectrum roughly similar to that observed in the atmosphere.
Proceedings of the 2nd ACM workshop on Wireless security

Welcome to the Second ACM Workshop on Wireless Security (WiSe). This workshop is being organized with the goal of providing a forum for the exciting research in the increasingly important area of wireless security. We also hope that this workshop will bring together wireless networking and security research communities. Such interactions are expected to increase the number and quality of wireless security research.The workshop received 41 paper submissions, and we thank all the authors for submitting their work to the workshop. Ten submissions were accepted as regular papers which will be presented in the paper sessions at the workshop. Due to the time limitations of a one-day workshop, many interesting submissions could not be accepted as regular papers. The program committee, therefore, recommended some of the submissions for inclusion in a poster session. The poster session at the workshop will include four such presentations. We have an excellent program, and we believe that you will enjoy attending the paper and poster presentations.
Shallow water acoustics: a review of DREA research

From 1949 to 1989, the Defence Research Establishment Atlantic (DREA) conducted research in shallow water environmental acoustics in support of passive sonar applications in submarine detection. The emphasis was on collecting ambient noise and transmission loss data in a variety of geographical areas of interest with different seabed types in all seasons of the year. Significant progress was made in understanding the physical mechanisms governing the acoustic environment, especially the role of the seabed. The modelling capability improved substantially, drawing on computer codes developed inhouse and elsewhere. An important lesson learned was that passive detection is governed by the sum of transmission loss and ambient noise level, which varies from site to site much less than each component considered separately. Despite the progress made, much remains to be done, particularly with regard to the performance of hydrophone arrays in shallow water environments. The way ahead should include: experimental studies of array performance; environmental acoustics measurements relevant to active sonar in shallow water; bottom-mounted sensors (including geophones); and integration of oceanographic and geophysical databases with sonar models in three-dimensional environments
Exploring remote earthquake triggering potential across EarthScopes' Transportable Array through frequency domain array visualization

To better understand earthquake source processes involved in dynamically triggering remote aftershocks, we use data from the EarthScope Transportable Array (TA) that provide uniform station sampling, similar recording capabilities, large spatial coverage, and, in many cases, repeat sampling at each site. To avoid spurious detections, which are an inevitable part of automated time domain amplitude threshold detection methods, we develop a frequency domain earthquake detection algorithm that identifies coherent signal patterns through array visualization. This method is tractable for large data sets, ensures robust catalogs, and delivers higher resolution observations than what are available in current catalogs. We explore seismicity rate changes local to the TA stations following 18 global main shocks (M ≥ 7) that generate median peak dynamic stress amplitudes of 0.001–0.028 MPa across the array. From these main shocks, we find no evidence of prolific or widespread remote dynamic triggering in the continental U.S. within the main shock's wave train or following main shock stress transients within 2 days. However, limited evidence for rate increases exist in localized source regions. These results suggest that for these data, prolific, remote earthquake triggering is a rare phenomenon throughout a wide range of observable magnitudes. We further conclude that within the lower range of previously reported triggering thresholds, surface wave amplitude does not correlate well with observed cases of dynamic triggering. We propose that other characteristics of the triggering wavefield, in addition to specific conditions at the site, will drive the occurrence of triggering at these amplitudes.
Chronic CRF1 receptor blockade reduces heroin intake escalation and dependence-induced hyperalgesia.

Opioids represent effective drugs for the relief of pain, yet chronic opioid use often leads to a state of increased sensitivity to pain that is exacerbated during withdrawal. A sensitization of pain-related negative affect has been hypothesized to closely interact with addiction mechanisms. Neuro-adaptive changes occur as a consequence of excessive opioid exposure, including a recruitment of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and norepinephrine (NE) brain stress systems. To better understand the mechanisms underlying the transition to dependence, we determined the effects of functional antagonism within these two systems on hyperalgesia-like behavior during heroin withdrawal utilizing models of both acute and chronic dependence. We found that passive or self-administered heroin produced a significant mechanical hypersensitivity. During acute opioid dependence, systemic administration of the CRF1 receptor antagonist MPZP (20 mg/kg) alleviated withdrawal-induced mechanical hypersensitivity. In contrast, several functional adrenergic system antagonists (clonidine, prazosin, propranolol) failed to alter mechanical hypersensitivity in this state. We then determined the effects of chronic MPZP or clonidine treatment on extended access heroin self-administration and found that MPZP, but not clonidine, attenuated escalation of heroin intake, whereas both drugs alleviated chronic dependence-associated hyperalgesia. These findings suggest that an early potentiation of CRF signaling occurs following opioid exposure that begins to drive both opioid-induced hyperalgesia and eventually intake escalation.
The tip of the iceberg: a giant pelvic atypical lipoma presenting as a sciatic hernia

This case report highlights two unusual surgical phenomena: lipoma-like well-differentiated liposarcomas and sciatic hernias. It illustrates the need to be aware that hernias may not always simply contain intra-abdominal viscera. A 36 year old woman presented with an expanding, yet reducible, right gluteal mass, indicative of a sciatic hernia. However, magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a large intra- and extra-pelvic fatty mass traversing the greater sciatic foramen. The tumour was surgically removed through an abdomino-perineal approach. Subsequent pathological examination revealed an atypical lipomatous tumour (synonym: lipoma-like well-differentiated liposarcoma). The patient remains free from recurrence two years following her surgery. The presence of a gluteal mass should always suggest the possibility of a sciatic hernia. However, in this case, the hernia consisted of an atypical lipoma spanning the greater sciatic foramen. Although lipoma-like well-differentiated liposarcomas have only a low potential for recurrence, the variable nature of fatty tumours demands that patients require regular clinical and radiological review.
Cyclic AMP regulates basement membrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan, perlecan, metabolism in rat glomerular epithelial cells.

Perlecan, the basement membrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG), has been fully cloned from mouse and human tissues. When a cRNA probe of murine perlecan cDNA was employed in RNase protection assay to test whether rat glomerular epithelial cells (GEC) constitutively express perlecan, several bands of hybridization were seen, suggesting that sequences between rat and murine perlecan may not be identical. Using primers based on published cDNA sequences of murine and human perlecan and polyA+ RNA of rat GEC, we synthesized a 497 by product (RPD-1) by RT PCR. The deduced aminoacid sequence showed an 85% and 88% homology with domain I of murine and human perlecan, respectively. The three putative sites containing the consensus sequence SGD for attachment of heparan sulfate chains were fully conserved in the rat perlecan as was a site (NFT) for attachment of N-linked oligosaccharide. RPD-I detected a > 9.5 kb transcript of perlecan in RNA of GEC, similar in size to that present in rat glomeruli. Employing a riboprobe synthesized from RPD-I in RNase protection assay we examined whether dbcAMP regulated perlecan expression in the GEC. At 1, 6, 24 and 48 h of incubation, l mM dbcAMP caused 43%, 32%, 47% and 40% reduction in mRNA abundance of perlecan, respectively. Immunoprecipitation showed a corresponding reduction of 61%, 70% and 65% in the synthesis of 35SO4 labeled basement membrane HSPG by the GEC following 12, 24 and 48 h of incubation with dbcAMP Following incubation for 1 and 24 h prostaglandins, PGE1 and PGE2 (1 uM), known activators of glomerular adenylate cyclase, reduced perlecan mRNA abundance to a similar extent as dbcAMP on northern analysis. Our results show that glomerular basement membrane HSPG synthesized by the GEC belongs to the perlecan family. Decrease of GEC perlecan gene expression and synthesis by cAMP and prostaglandins may be of relevance to proteinuric states characterized by activation of these mediators.
Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography: Emerging Roles in the Evaluation of Putative Alzheimer’s Disease-Modifying Treatments

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with characteristic and progressive reductions in flourodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) measurements of the regional cerebral metabolic rate for glucose. These reductions begin years before the onset of symptoms, are correlated with clinical severity, and may help predict an affected patient's clinical course and neuropathological diagnosis. Like several other AD biomarkers, FDG PET has the potential to accelerate the evaluation of AD-modifying treatments, particularly in the earliest clinical and preclinical stages. This article considers FDG PET's role in the detection and tracking of AD, its emerging roles in the evaluation of disease-slowing treatments, some of the issues involved in the acquisition, analysis, and interpretation of FDG PET data, and the evidence needed to help qualify FDG PET and other biomarkers for use in the accelerated approval of AD-slowing treatments. It recommends scientific strategies and public policies to further establish the role of FDG PET and other AD biomarkers in therapeutic trials and find demonstrably effective disease-modifying and presymptomatic AD treatments as quickly as possible.
The Use of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone to Discuss Identity Development with Gifted Adolescents

This article examines the process of identity development in gifted adolescents and provides a theoretical and research-based explanation of its importance for influencing achievement and quality of life in adulthood. Teachers, counselors, and parents can use Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Rowling, 1997) as a springboard into discussion of identity issues with adolescents, helping them to understand and successfully negotiate the challenges of this phase of life. The article describes the theoretical rationale for such an approach, outlines some practical issues involved, and closes with a sample lesson plan of a session suitable for gifted middle school students.
The Biology of Hernia Formation

Abdominal wall hernias occur when tissue structure and function are lost at the load-bearing muscle, tendon, and fascial layer. The fundamental biologic mechanisms are primary fascial pathology or surgical wound failure. In both cases, cellular and extracellular molecular matrix defects occur. Primary abdominal wall hernias have been associated with extracellular matrix diseases. Incisional hernias and recurrent inguinal hernias more often involve a combination of technical and biologic limitations. Defects in wound healing and extracellular matrix synthesis contribute to the high incidence of incisional hernia formation following laparotomy.
Are functional and demographic senescence genetically independent

Biogerontology has traditionally focused on demographic senescence by searching for environmental manipulations and genes that extend life span. Relatively little is known about age-specific changes in functional traits and how demographic and functional senescence are genetically (co)regulated. To determine whether functional and demographic senescence have a similar genetic basis, we measured genotypic variation in the age-related change in cold-stress resilience and age-specific mortality using ten inbred lines of Drosophila melanogaster. Cold-stress resilience was measured as the average time for a population of flies to recover from a chill coma after being placed on melting ice for 6 h. We found genotypic variation in both sexes for chill-coma resilience, for the rate at which it declines with age, for longevity, for the initial mortality rate, and for the rate at which mortality increases with age. However, there was no genotypic correlation between any of these functional and demographic parameters. These results suggest that deterioration of at least some functional traits might be genetically independent of mortality patterns. Models for the genetic basis of senescence may do well to distinguish between quality and quantity of life in terms of their genetic architectures, and the way selection acts upon these two age-related factors.
Genetic Algorithms in Noisy Environments

Genetic algorithms are adaptive search techniques which have been used to learn high-performance knowledge structures in reactive environments that provide information in the form of payoff. In general, payoff can be viewed as a noisy function of the structure being evaluated, and the learning task can be viewed as an optimization problem in a noisy environment. Previous studies have shown that genetic algorithms can perform effectively in the presence of noise. This work explores in detail the tradeoffs between the amount of effort spent on evaluating each structure and the number of structures evaluated during a given iteration of the genetic algorithm. Theoretical analysis shows that, in some cases, more efficient search results from less accurate evaluations. Further evidence is provided by a case study in which genetic algorithms are used to obtain good registrations of digital images.
Picotamide reduced all-cause mortality more than aspirin in type 2 diabetes mellitus and peripheral arterial disease.

Source Citation Neri Serneri GG, Coccheri S, Marubini E, Violi F. Picotamide, a combined inhibitor of thromboxane A2 synthase and receptor, reduces 2-year mortality in diabetics with peripheral art...
Highway Capacity Manual and Highway Capacity software 2000 and advanced transportation modeling tools: Focus group findings

Focus groups were conducted in several cities throughout the United States and Canada between June 2002 and July 2003 to gain insight into the use of the newly released Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) 2000 and to understand better how professionals choose advanced modeling tools. Part I of the HCM 2000 was noted as being a good reference for both laypersons and those working with the HCM on a daily basis. Part V was noted as needing improvement to be useful to professionals, including more specific information regarding model strengths and weaknesses. In regard to the use of computer-based models, more than 80% of the participants use the HCM and the Highway Capacity Software to analyze operational performance and estimate capacity of highway systems. For advanced modeling techniques, 70% of those surveyed turn to SYNCHRO, but few participants could say why they had chosen a particular software package other than being directed by a sponsor agency to use it. It is noted that focus groups are a useful means ...
A Wavelength Encoded Fiber Fabry Perot Sensor with Multiple Addressable Free Spectral Ranges

Short fiber Fabry Perot cavities have been demonstrated as quasi-point sensors for temperature and strain measurements [1,2]. These single cavity sensors have fixed spectral ranges determined by the fixed cavity length of the Fabry Perot (FP) cavity. We propose here a wavelength encoded Fabry Perot sensor with a range of addressable free spectral ranges allowing multiple dynamic ranges and resolutions to be realized in a single sensor head and the use of a simple wavelength interrogation scheme.
Worsening of left ventricular end-systolic volume and mitral regurgitation without increase in left ventricular dyssynchrony on acute interruption of cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Background: Responders to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) have greater left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony than nonresponders prior to CRT. Aim: We conducted this study to see whether the long term responders have more worsening of LV dyssynchrony and LV function on acute interruption of CRT. Materials and Methods: We identified 22 responders and 13 nonresponders who received CRT as per standard criteria for 23.73 ± 7.9 months (median 24.5 months). We assessed the acute change in LV function, mitral regurgitation (MR) and compared LV dyssynchrony in CRT on and off modes. Results: On turning off CRT, there was no significant worsening of LV dyssynchrony in both responders and nonresponders. The dyssynchrony measurements by SPWMD, TDI and 3D echocardiography did not correlate significantly. LVESV increased (p = 0.02) and MR (p = 0.01) worsened in CRT-off mode in responders only without significant change in LVEF or LV dimensions. Discussion and Conclusion: In long-term responders to CRT, there is alteration in the function of remodeled LV with acute interruption of CRT, without significant worsening of LV dyssynchrony. The role of different echocardiographic parameters in the assessment of LV dyssynchrony remains controversial. Even after long-term CRT reversely remodels the LV, the therapy needs to be continued uninterrupted for sustained benefits.
Fluid Flow of Liquid Plutonium Alloys in an Oscillating-Cup Viscosimeter

An oscillating‐cup viscosimeter was utilized to measure the viscosity of three low‐melting plutonium alloys. The derived relationship for the viscosity calculation was confirmed by measurements on standard viscosity oils and on liquid metals which covered wide ranges of viscosities. Abnormal behavior was detected for the three plutonium alloys. When the period of oscillation was greater than 11.0 sec for the three plutonium alloys, the logarithmic decrement passed through a maximum, then decreased as the temperature decreased; at the same time the period of oscillation increased greatly. When the period of oscillation was 2.7 sec, the plutonium alloys behaved normally but showed very large viscosities, which approached 25 cP. The cause of the anomalous behavior was not determined but indicated possible viscoelastic or non‐Newtonian behavior.
Implementation of National HIV Screening Recommendations in the Indian Health Service.

Background:The Indian Health Service (IHS), a federal agency, provides direct patient care to an estimated 1.9 million American Indian/Alaska Native patients across a large and decentralized networ...
Blink Rate in Pediatric Complex Partial Seizure Disorder

This study examined spontaneous blink rate, a putative measure of dopamine function, in 30 children with complex partial epilepsy and 61 normal children. The children with epilepsy had significantly lower blink rates than the normal children in a conversation and a verbal recall task, particularly if they had a schizophrenia-like psychosis, EEG evidence for left focal epileptic activity, illogical thinking, discourse deficits, and distractibility. They modulated their blink rates across a listening, a conversation, and a verbal recall task like the normal children. Given previously reported low blink rates in schizophrenic children, these findings suggest that children with complex partial epilepsy or schizophrenia might have similar biological features.
Relationship between social desirability scale value and probability of endorsement for responses in social situations.

Abstract Sixty-nine responses to the cartoons in the Rosenzweig P-F Study were shown separately to two groups. One group of 97 Ss rated each response on a 9-point scale of social desirability; a second group of 113 Ss indicated whether or not they themselves would make the response. The ratings on social desirability of the 69 responses were highly reliable. Secondly, there was a significant positive correlation between the social desirability scale value of a response and the per cent of Ss saying they would make that response. It is concluded that, as with items in personality tests, responses in social situations can be reliably evaluated in terms of social desirability and that such evaluations are associated with the probability of endorsement of these responses.
HIV Risk and Substance Use in Men Who Have Sex with Men Surveyed in Bathhouses, Bars/Clubs, and on Craigslist.org: Venue of Recruitment Matters

There has been little evaluation regarding whether men who have sex with men (MSM) recruited in one type of venue differ in behavioral and demographic characteristics from those recruited in others. We surveyed MSM in gay bars/clubs (n = 199), bathhouses (n = 194), and off Craigslist.org (n = 208). Men in bathhouses reported the greatest average number of partners and were less likely to disclose their HIV status. Among men reporting anal sex; those on Craigslist reported the least condom use. Finally, men surveyed in gay bars/clubs were the youngest of the three and the most likely to be single; they also reported the highest levels of attachment to the gay community and the most frequent alcohol use. Our findings demonstrate the need to tailor HIV prevention efforts to the location in which they are targeted, and for researchers to evaluate if participants differ by recruitment source.
Enabling multi-task computation on Galaxy-based gateways using swift

The Galaxy science portal is a popular gateway to data analysis and computational tools for a broad range of life sciences communities. While Galaxy enables users to overcome the complexities of integrating diverse tools into unified workflows, it has only limited capabilities to execute those tools on the parallel and often distributed high-performance resources that the life sciences fields increasingly requires. We outline here an approach to meet this pressing requirement with the Swift parallel scripting language and its distributed runtime system. Swift's model of computation - implicitly parallel functional dataflow - is an elemental abstraction to which the core computing model of Galaxy maps very closely. We describe an integration between Galaxy and Swift that is transforming Galaxy into a much more powerful science gateway, retaining its user-friendly nature while extending its power to execute highly scalable workflows on diverse parallel environments.
NSF grant reductions

Many National Science Foundation grants will be reduced this year as a result of a provision in H.R. 3299. The provision stems from disagreement between the Congress and the administration on how to make budget deficit cuts required by the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings budget law. An agreement was made to cut $4.55 billion through a reduction in discretionary spending, by what amounts to 1.4% across-the-board. The cuts will affect all discretionary federal domestic and defense programs.
Effect of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene and splenectomy on virus titer and blood picture in Friend virus leukemia.

SummaryIn Friend virus leukemia, 7,12-dimethylbenz[a] anthracene (DMBA) delays the neoplastic transformation of the reticulum cells in the spleen, as shown by histologic examination, and decrease in virus titer, and suppresses their maturation to erythroblastic cells as shown by histologic examination and absence of erythroblasts in the peripheral blood. DMBA also lowers the elevated white blood cell count. Splenectomy alone prolongs the survival time in Friend virus leukemia, but it produces a rapidly fatal profound anemia when combined with DMBA, probably because of damage to the bone marrow.
Adenylate cyclase and phosphodiesterase activity of normal and SV40 virus-transformed hamster astrocytes in cell culture

Abstract Adenylate cyclase and phosphodiesterase activity were determined in pure cultures of astrocytes derived from newborn hamster brains. The activities of both enzymes were of the same order of magnitude as that found in whole cerebrum of newborn hamsters. Phosphodiesterase activity of SV 40 virus-transformed newborn hamster astrocytes was similar to that of normal newborn hamster astrocytes. Adenylate cyclase activity of the virally transformed cells was less than one-half that of the normal astrocytes. The results show that normal and neoplastic astrocytes contain the enzymatic machinery required to synthesize and hydrolyze adenosine 3′, 5′-monophosphate (cyclic 3′,5′-AMP). The findings suggest a role for cyclic 3′,5′-AMP in astrocyte function and indicate a possible mechanism for communication of neurons with astrocytes.
Effect of laser intensity upon density and temperature measurements made with laser-induced predissociative fluorescence

Laser induced predissociative fluorescence is often used for diagnostics because its short-lived upper states are minimally disturbed by collisions. We discuss here the effects of lower-state collisions using parameters relevant to atmospheric flames. A simple model, with no adjustable parameters, produces a reasonable fit to the data. It predicts that, even at very modest laser energies, the fluorescence intensity is almost directly proportional to the rate constant for rotational energy transfer (RET) within the lower vibrational states. Here we present calculations that show that the ratio of LIPF signals from two rotational states, and thus the deduced temperature, is very sensitive to laser intensity. The conversion of a measured fluorescence ratio to temperature is particularly difficult, because RET rates can be a function of local conditions and of the laser is also important.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.