cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Episodic sucrose intake during food restriction increases synaptic abundance of AMPA receptors in nucleus accumbens and augments intake of sucrose following restoration of ad libitum feeding

Weight-loss dieting often leads to loss of control, rebound weight gain, and is a risk factor for binge pathology. Based on findings that food restriction (FR) upregulates sucrose-induced trafficking of glutamatergic AMPA receptors to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) postsynaptic density (PSD), this study was an initial test of the hypothesis that episodic "breakthrough" intake of forbidden food during dieting interacts with upregulated mechanisms of synaptic plasticity to increase reward-driven feeding. Ad libitum (AL) fed and FR subjects consumed a limited amount of 10% sucrose, or had access to water, every other day for 10 occasions. Beginning three weeks after return of FR rats to AL feeding, when 24-h chow intake and rate of body weight gain had normalized, subjects with a history of sucrose intake during FR consumed more sucrose during a four week intermittent access protocol than the two AL groups and the group that had access to water during FR. In an experiment that substituted noncontingent administration of d-amphetamine for sucrose, FR subjects displayed an enhanced locomotor response during active FR but a blunted response, relative to AL subjects, during recovery from FR. This result suggests that the enduring increase in sucrose consumption is unlikely to be explained by residual enhancing effects of FR on dopamine signaling. In a biochemical experiment which paralleled the sucrose behavioral experiment, rats with a history of sucrose intake during FR displayed increased abundance of pSer845-GluA1, GluA2, and GluA3 in the NAc PSD relative to rats with a history of FR without sucrose access and rats that had been AL throughout, whether they had a history of episodic sucrose intake or not. A history of FR, with or without a history of sucrose intake, was associated with increased abundance of GluA1. A terminal 15-min bout of sucrose intake produced a further increase in pSer845-GluA1 and GluA2 in subjects with a history of sucrose intake during FR. Generally, neither a history of sucrose intake nor a terminal bout of sucrose intake affected AMPA receptor abundance in the NAc PSD of AL subjects. Together, these results are consistent with the hypothesis, but the functional contribution of increased synaptic incorporation of AMPA receptors remains to be established.
Looking Back on Rear-Facing Car Seats: Surveying US Parents in 2011 and 2013

Abstract Objective We sought to determine the age at which US parents first turned their child's car seat to face forward and information sources used to make that decision at the time of the release of the 2011 guidelines for child passenger safety and 30 months later. Methods We administered 2 separate cross-sectional Web-based surveys of nationally representative panels of US parents in May 2011 and November 2013. Survey participation rate was 54% in both years. Parents of children ≤4 years old responded to questions about transitioning from rear-facing to forward-facing car seats (n = 495 in 2011; n = 521 in 2013). Results In 2011, 33% of parents of 1- to 4-year-old children who had been turned to face forward (n = 409) turned at or before 12 months and 16% turned at 2 years or older. In 2013, 24% of parents of 1- to 4-year-old children who had been turned to face forward (n = 413) turned at or before 12 months and 23% turned at 2 years or older. Car seat packaging and clinicians were the most common information sources. Demographic characteristics associated with turning to face forward at or before 12 months of age in 2011 (parent age, education, household income, rural residence) were not significantly associated with transitioning at or before 12 months in 2013. Conclusions Delaying the transition to a forward-facing car seat still represents an opportunity to improve passenger safety in the United States. As common sources of information, clinicians may be influential in a parent's decision to turn their child's car seat to face forward.
Patterning of sapphire substrates via a solid state conversion process

Nanopatterned sapphire substrates offer the potential for improved performance of devices based on III-V nitrides, e.g., light-emitting diodes and laser diodes. Due to the chemical stability and hardness of sapphire, however, surface patterning is a time-consuming and expensive process. Therefore, a novel method was utilized, whereby a surface coating of Al was deposited on a sapphire substrate and patterned into an array of square mesas using e-beam lithography. The lateral dimensions of each mesa were approximately 400 × 400 nm, and the average height was approximately 100 nm. The metallic film was subsequently subjected to an oxidation treatment at 450 °C for 24 h (a heat treatment which had previously been shown to minimize hillock formation). For the second heat treatment, which is necessary to induce migration of the sapphire interface and hence achieve solid state conversion, a range of temperatures (800–1350 °C) was explored. Results showed that for a heat-treatment time of 1 h, pattern retention was achieved for annealing temperatures less than or equal to 1250 °C. Successful epitaxial conversion of the patterned mesas to sapphire was confirmed using electron backscatter diffraction.
The reliability and validity of three non-radiological measures of thoracic kyphosis and their relations to the standing radiological Cobb angle

Summary Hyperkyphosis is implicated in a mounting list of negative outcomes, including higher mortality. Hyperkyphosis research is hindered due to difficulties inherent in its measurement. By showing that three clinical measures of kyphosis are suitable for use in large scale, longitudinal, hyperkyphosis studies, we will facilitate much needed research in this field.
DONALD WINNICOTT AS THEORIST: REVOLUTIONARY OR PARADIGM EXPANDER?

(2014). Donald Winnicott as Theorist: Revolutionary or Paradigm Expander? The Psychoanalytic Quarterly: Vol. 83, No. 2, pp. 465-478.
Correlations Between Burrowing Owl and Black- Tailed Prairie Dog Declines: A 7-Year Analysis

Concern over the status of species associated with prairie dog colonies has increased with the recent proposed listing of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). We monitored burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) populations and prairie dog densities in 17 black-tailed prairie dog colonies in the Nebraska panhandle between 1990 and 1996. All prairie dog colonies were controlled at least once during the study. We observed a 63% decline in nesting pairs of burrowing owls and significant declines in burrow densities. Results indicated a time lag in owl response to changes in active burrow densities. However, in the later years of the study when burrow densities were lowest, owl numbers were positively correlated with the density of active burrows in the same years, indicating active burrows may become more important as burrow density declines. We also monitored fledging success of burrowing owls for 398 nesting attempts over 5 years (1989-93) for a larger set of colonies that included the 17 used in the owl and prairie dog monitoring. Differences in mean fledging success among colonies each year (colony effect) explained most of the variation in fledging success among nesting owls. Vulnerability to badger (Taxidea taxus) predation may in part explain differences in fledging success among colonies; badger predation on owl nests was lower when densities of active prairie dog burrows were high. Efforts are needed to ensure preservation of black-tailed prairie dog colonies for burrowing owls and other species associated with this prairie ecosystem, and to better monitor changes in burrowing owl and prairie dog populations.
Tight binding inhibitors of xanthine oxidase

The enzyme is well-suited to carry out the catalysis of these oxidative reactions, contain- ing as it does four redox-active sites: molybdenum, flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and a pair of iron-sulfur centers of the ferredoxin type (Fe2S2). The purine substrates interact with the enzyme at the molybdenum site of xanthine oxidase and oxygen at the flavin site. The two metabolic reactions above Constitute the final steps of purine catab- olism in primates and as such play an important role in determining the in vivo steady state levels of the various purines, particularly that of uric acid. The introduction of
Multiple-subcarrier modulation for non-directed wireless infrared communication

We examine multiple-subcarrier modulation (MSM) schemes for wireless infrared digital communication in the indoor environment. Intensity modulation with direct detection (IM/DD) is employed, which results in equivalent baseband channels with a nonnegativity constraint on the input. The power efficiencies of modulation schemes are compared at 30 Mb/s and 100 Mb/s over an ensemble of experimentally determined multipath channels. Carrier selection and power shaping are examined as methods for improving MSM performance. It is found that MSM schemes can allow operation at higher data rates than single-carrier modulation schemes without equalization. Moreover, MSM schemes can be more bandwidth-efficient and also can provide a simple and flexible method for multiple access to the channel. However, they are not as power efficient as single-carrier schemes, and this will limit their use to applications which are not power limited.
Looking at Difference: Laura Swanson's Anti-Self-Portraits, Diane Arbus's Portraits, and the Viewer's Gaze

The article argues that disability is a resource for revitalizing the practice of portraiture. Drawing on Tobin Siebers’s work on disability aesthetics and Rosemarie Garland-Thomson’s work on staring, the article explores how disability inflects and redefines the conventions of portraiture and how contemporary portraiture revises the photographic history of disability, a history rooted in the medicalization or enfreakment of bodily difference. After briefly surveying the history of photographic representations of variant bodies, consideration is given to the work of Diane Arbus, whose portraits continue to shape the representation of disability, and then to the work of contemporary photographer Laura Swanson, who positions her work in relation to that of Arbus. Swanson reimagines the portrait by resisting the viewer’s gaze and confronting viewers with their expectations of portraiture, their histories of looking, and their encounters with disability and difference.
Pathogenesis of Calcific Aortic Valve Disease A Disease Process Comes of Age (and a Good Deal More)

Background— Over the past 10 to 15 years, calcific aortic valve disease, which includes aortic sclerosis and aortic stenosis, has come to be recognized as an active process, based on: (1) epidemiologic studies demonstrating associations of specific risk factors with increased prevalence or rate of progression of aortic valve disease; (2) identification, in valve lesions, of histopathologic features of chronic inflammation, lipoprotein deposition, renin-angiotensin system components, and molecular mediators of calcification; and (3) identification of cell-signaling pathways and genetic factors that may participate in valve disease pathogenesis. These studies will be reviewed and organized into a proposed global hypothesis for the pathogenesis of calcific aortic valve disease.
Nerve gas antidotes

Organophosphorus nerve gases such as sarin, soman and VX act mainly by inhibiting cholinesterase at cholinergic synapses. The consequent accumulation of acetylcholine results in muscle twitching, glandular hypersecretion and cognitive and mood effects. High doses cause seizures and death from respiratory failure. Nerve agents affect both main types of cholinergic receptor—muscarinic and nicotinic.1 Treatment of nerve agent poisoning at present relies on two approaches. In the first, an oxime is given to detach the agent from cholinesterase, thus reactivating the enzyme.2 This mitigates both nicotinic and muscarinic effects, for those nerve agents against which oximes are effective (which do not include soman). In the second, the muscarinic antagonist atropine is used to quell the effects of excessive acetylcholine action. Atropine is of special value when the nerve agent is oxime-resistant or when symptoms are already severe. However, atropine targets only excessive muscarinic activity. What about the nicotinic effects? These too are surely important yet seem to be neglected in the published work. We found no mention in conventional sources, in numerous declassified US Department of Defense documents or in about fifty UK Ministry of Defence documents declassified expressly to allow work issues related to nerve agent protection. Nicotine is a convulsant poison,3,4 and nerve agents enhance nicotinic depolarizations5 and modulate nicotinic receptor ion channels directly by an allosteric effect6,7—as does pyridostigmine,8 which is used as a protective measure against nerve gases. Khan et al.9 injected rats intramuscularly with sarin and examined the brains at intervals afterwards (up to 20 h). They noted a biphasic effect on ligand binding (reduced at 1–3 h and increased at 6–12 h) which was much stronger at nicotinic receptors than at muscarinic receptors. More importantly, published evidence suggests that organophosphate exposure causes persistent changes in both muscarinic and nicotinic function. With repeated low-level exposure chronic changes have been reported in muscarinic (M1 and M3) receptors.10 But, in addition, persistent downregulation of nicotinic receptor expression has been demonstrated in rats exposed to a cholinesterase inhibitor.11 These changes were associated, in the animals, with impaired function on cognitive tests, and the nicotinic character of the impairments was confirmed by reversal with nicotine. Thus it would seem appropriate to examine nicotinic antagonists as well as muscarinic ones, as possible therapeutic agents for anticholinesterase nerve gas toxicity.
Simulation software as a service and Service-Oriented simulation experiment

Simulation software is a special category of software that is used by researchers or field experts. As the Service-Oriented Architecture gains its popularity, it is desirable to make simulation software, which originally is accessible only on a single machine, as a service that can be accessed by researchers and field experts over the Internet. Towards this goal, this paper provides a specification for simulation software as a service (SimSaaS) and service-oriented experiment in order to support automatic deployment of simulation services for carrying out experiments. We also present an architecture that provides an integrated experiment development environment which helps researchers to focus on the design of their experiments.
The Usefulness of Senate Confirmation Hearings for Judicial Nominees: The Case of Ruth Bader Ginsburg

In the September 1993 pages of this journal, I asked whether senators can illuminate the political and legal beliefs of Supreme Court nominees by questioning them at confirmation hearings (Comiskey 1993). Many observers of the confirmation process believe that a nominee's testimony can produce insights into the nominee's views that go beyond what is available from the nominee's public record. While such testimony has often proved barren in the past, these observers often express the view that better questioning of nominees can bring forth greater insights in the future (Carter 1988; Melone 1991; Rees 1983; Ross 1987). By contrast, I concluded that the political context in which Supreme Court nominations occur, the motives of participants in the confirmation process, and the incentives facing these participants will likely continue to inhibit illuminating testimony by nominees.Since my previous paper was written before last summer's hearings on the nomination of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, this article examines those hearings. In some respects, her testimony resembled that of most recent nominees. In at least one respect—her candor on abortion—her testimony was a major departure from that of all recent nominees with the partial exception of Robert Bork.
Communication techniques for coping with job burnout

The author advocates approaching the prevention and treatment of burnout from a combination of individual, group, and organizational perspectives. In each area, the communication skills necessary to prevent or reduce burnout are presented. Primary emphasis is placed on techniques for gaining perspective, resolving substantive and affective conflict, developing social support systems, and increasing constructive feedback and employee control. >
“Old Sodom” and “Dear Dad”: Vanbrugh's Celebration of the Sodomitical Subject in The Relapse

Although the sodomitical discourse of the early-eighteenth century was fraught with competing ideologies and significations, this did not preclude the formation and expression of a sodomitical identity founded upon male same-sex desire. Orvis takes the case of Coupler, the sodomite staged in Sir John Vanbrugh's play The Relapse; or, Virtue in Danger (perf. 1696; pub. 1697). Vanbrugh's portrayal of this unabashed, unapologetic sodomite—a sodomite, moreover, who is accepted by the dramatis personae of the play he inhabits—suggests not only that the possibility of a sodomitical desiring subject was widely acknowledged by the theatergoing public of early-eighteenth-century England, but also, and perhaps more importantly, that sodomites were not always understood as monstrous Others against which normative identities were constructed.
Oral Analgesics for Acute Nonspecific Pain

Physicians most often recommend or prescribe oral medication for relief of acute pain. This review of the available evidence supports the use of acetaminophen in doses up to 1,000 mg as the initial choice for mild to moderate acute pain. In some cases, modest improvements in analgesic efficacy can be achieved by adding or changing to a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). The safest NSAID is ibuprofen in doses of 400 mg. Higher doses may offer somewhat greater analgesia but with more adverse effects. Other NSAIDs have failed to demonstrate consistently greater efficacy or safety than ibuprofen. Although they may be more expensive, these alternatives may be chosen for their more convenient dosing. Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors provide equivalent efficacy to traditional NSAIDs but lack a demonstrable safety advantage for the treatment of acute pain. For more severe acute pain, the evidence supports the addition of oral narcotic medications such as hydrocodone, morphine, or oxycodone. Specific oral analgesics that have shown poor efficacy and side effects include codeine, propoxyphene, and tramadol.
Pulmonary Vein Isolation for Atrial Fibrillation: Forever Young

The efficacy of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) as a treatment for drug-refractory atrial fibrillation (AF) has been established through more than 15 years of clinical studies, which have shown consistent, reproducible results worldwide. The PVI technique has evolved to include antral isolation to
On the decomposition mechanisms of new imidazole-based energetic materials.

New imidazole-based energetic molecules (1,4-dinitroimidazole, 2,4-dinitroimidazole, 1-methyl-2,4-dinitroimidazole, and 1-methyl-2,4,5-trinitroimidazole) are studied both experimentally and theoretically. The NO molecule is observed as a main decomposition product from the above nitroimidazole energetic molecules excited at three UV wavelengths (226, 236, and 248 nm). Resolved rotational spectra related to three vibronic bands (0–0), (0–1), and (0–2) of the NO (A 2Σ+ ← X 2Π) electronic transition have been obtained. A unique excitation wavelength independent dissociation channel is characterized for these four nitroimidazole energetic molecules: this pathway generates the NO product with a rotationally cold (10–60 K) and vibrationally hot (1300–1600 K) internal energy distribution. The predicted reaction mechanism for the nitroimidazole energetic molecule decomposition subsequent to electronic excitation is the following: electronically excited nitroimidazole energetic molecules descend to their ground el...
Abstract IA4: Synthetic lethal screens in Drosophila

During development and homeostasis, cells integrate numerous signals that are either systemic or produced by neighboring cells, informing them of the state of the organism, tissues, and neighboring cells. How cells integrate and interpret these various signals is one of the major focuses of our laboratory. We are particularly interested in identifying nodes of signaling networks that allow the crosstalk between canonical pathways and to study the dynamics of signal integration. I will discuss our current studies on the crosstalk between Insulin and Hippo networks and present our approach using mutant cell lines generated with TALENs to perform synthetic lethal screens. Further, I will present both cell lines and in vivo studies in Drosophila gut stem cells aimed to study the dynamics of signaling pathways activation. Citation Format: Norbert Perrimon. Synthetic lethal screens in Drosophila . [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Precision Medicine Series: Synthetic Lethal Approaches to Cancer Vulnerabilities; May 17-20, 2013; Bellevue, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2013;12(5 Suppl):Abstract nr IA4.
Bactericidal action mediated by antibodies specific for heterologous antigens adsorbed to bacterial cells.

ConclusionThe bactericidal activity of complement is mediated by the reaction between antibody and antigens located at the surface of bacterial cells. These surface antigens need not be constituents of the cell but may be substances which have been artificially adsorbed to its surface.
Study on high-yielding cultivation techniques in the ratoon rice of single-middle-late season rice

To explore high-yielding cultivation techniques for Huanghuazhan,different combinations between total amount of nitrogen application for bud development(0,5,7 and 9 kg per 667m2) and stubble heights(20,30 and 40 cm aboveground) were conducted during May to October 2008 in Qianxing Farm of Mapi Town,Boluo County,Guangdong Province.The results showed that there was no significant difference between yields in ratoon rice under four degrees of amount of nitrogen application,and there was significant difference between yields of ratoon rice under different stubble heights,the yield of ratoon rice increased with stubble height and reached the most in 40 cm.stubble height increased the panicle and effective panicle numbers、seed setting rate and 1 000-grain weight.
Fine synthesis and properties of sodium p-isopropyl alkyl benzene sulfonates

Five kinds of sodium p-isopropyl alkyl benzene sulfonates were synthesized through a five-step process,involving Friedel-Crafts reaction,Grignard reaction,reducation,sulfonation and neutralization.Isopropyl benzene,different acyl fatty acid and α-bromoalkanes were used as the starting materials.The structure of the sodium p-isopropyl alkyl benzene sulfonates were as follows:C12-5pS∶R1=C7H15,R2=C4H9;C14-3pS∶R1=C11H23,R2=C2H5;C14-5pS∶C9H19,R2=C4H9;C14-7pS∶R1=C7H15,R2=C6H13;C16-5pS∶R1=C11H23,R2=C4H9.The structure of intermediates and surfactants were identified by FT-IR and ESI-MS.The yield of sodium p-isopropyl alkyl benzene sulfonates were all above 95% by two-phase titration method.The critical micelle concentration(cmc)and the surface tension(γcmc)of the surfactants were measured by Drop volume method.These results indicated that as the branching degree increased,the values of cmc increased,but the values of γcmc reduced;as the carbon number of alkyl chain increased,the values of both cmc and γcmc reduced.
Removal of Caval and Right Atrial Thrombi and Masses Using the AngioVac Device: Initial Operative Experience

Abstract Purpose To describe initial single-center experience with a thrombectomy device in managing right atrial and caval thrombi, tumors, and vegetations. Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis of AngioVac thrombectomy performed in 16 patients (mean age 53 y ± 13; 8 men, 8 women) between August 2013 and August 2015 was performed. Indications included right atrial mass/thrombus (6/16; 37.5%) and iliocaval thrombus (10/16; 62.5%). Procedural success was defined as aspiration of > 70% volume of atrial mass/thrombus or restoration of antegrade caval flow. Results Procedural success was achieved in 4/6 (67%) right atrial masses/thrombi and 10/10 (100%) caval thrombi. All patients (8/8; 100%) with caval thrombus presenting with swelling/edema had improvement or resolution of symptoms. There were no procedural or periprocedural mortalities; complications included one major (6.3%; intraprocedural pulmonary embolus) and one minor (6.3%; access site hematoma not requiring transfusion) complication. Of 16 patients, 14 (87.5%) survived to discharge at a mean of 10 days ± 8 (range, 1–23 d), and 12 patients (75%) were alive at last known follow-up at a mean of 385 days ± 267 (range, 63–730 d). At a mean of 194 days ± 177 (range, 41–372 d), 4/16 (25%) patients were dead; no death was related to AngioVac thrombectomy. At a mean of 66 days ± 21 (range, 49–90 d) after intervention, 3/14 (21.4%) cases with procedural success had local recurrence of mass/thrombus. Conclusions AngioVac thrombectomy can be performed with high procedural success with clinical benefit in patients with right atrial and caval masses/thrombi.
A Study of Cyclic Nucleotide Metabolism and the Histology of Rat Liver During 3’-Methyl-4-Dimethylaminoazobenzene Carcinogenesis III. Cyclic GMP Metabolism

We have studied cAMP metabolism in rat livers undergoing carcinogenesis induced by dietary 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene. A correlation between the biochemical and the histological changes described in the companion paper has been made. In this study, we saw 100% incidence of cholangiocarcinoma by 10 weeks. During weeks 1--10, the biochemistry of tumor-free areas of the livers only was studied; during weeks 11-13, the increased size of the tumors made possible a biochemical study of the tumor tissue as well as the non-tumor tissue, and a comparison between the two was made. Alterations in all parameters of cAMP metabolism were seen from the earliest stages of treatemnt. Most striking were those of adenylate cyclase activity which preceded and accompanied tumor formation, and were seen in both non-tumor and tumor tissue. In the first few weeks of treatment, small acidophilic glycogen-deficient hepatocytes appeared in the periportal areas of the liver lobules. During this time, there was an increase in maximal isoproterenol stimulation of adenylate cyclase and to a lesser extent in the basal activity of the enzyme; increases in phosphodiesterase activity were seen, and were greatest in weeks 1, 2; cAMP levels were diminished in weeks 1, 2 and slightly but not significantly elevated at week 3. From week 4 onwards an even smaller glycogen-deficient cell population appeared in perilobular areas amongst the acidophilic hepatocytes, and tumors began to appear elsewhere in the livers; at this time, there were further marked increases in the basal activity and isoproterenol responsiveness of adenylate cyclase, and the appearance of increased Gpp(NH)p responsiveness of the enzyme; the increase in phosphodiesterase activities seen at week 3 (smaller than that seen in weeks 1, 2) was sustained but did not further increase; cAMP levels were now significantly elevated also, but they did not rise steadily as did the activity of adenylate cyclase. There was a marked difference between the adenylate cyclase activities in non-tumor tissue from tumor-bearing and non-tumor-bearing livers in weeks 4--10, but there was no difference between the phosphodiesterase activities or cAMP levels in these two groups. Adenylate cyclase activity was extremely high in both non-tumor tissue of tumor-bearing livers from weeks 4--10 and tumors from weeks 11--13. Although phosphodiesterase activities were most elevated in the tumors, there were extremely high cyclic AMP levels in these tissues. The difference between the cAMP levels of tumor and non-tumor tissue was striking. Our findings are discussed with respect to the two-state model of carcinogenesis...
Perceptions of Rebuttal Analogy: Politeness and Implications for Persuasion

Recent theorizing about the role of analogy in persuasion suggests that it functions by serving two communicative ends. Specifically, “rebuttal” analogy addresses two communicative functions by ser...
Disruption of the Osteoblast Niche by G-CSF Is Associated with Hematopoietic Stem Cell Quiescence and Loss of Long-Term Repopulating Activity: Role of Cdkn1a

The bone marrow microenvironment plays a key role in regulating hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) function. In particular, bone marrow stromal signals contribute to the maintenance of HSC quiescence, a property that is thought to be associated with long-term repopulating activity. We previously reported that G-CSF treatment disrupts the osteoblast niche by inducing osteoblast apoptosis and inhibiting osteoblast differentiation. In this altered bone marrow microenvironment, we also showed that the number of HSCs in the bone marrow after G-CSF treatment (as defined by CD34− Kit+ Sca+ lineage-cells or CD150+ CD48− CD41− lineage-[SLAM] cells) was unchanged and that the HSCs were more quiescent than HSCs from untreated mice. However, despite the quiescent phenotype, there was a marked loss of HSC long-term repopulating activity. To define mechanisms for this phenotype, we first asked whether G-CSF acts directly on HSCs to inhibit their long-term repopulating activity. Bone marrow chimeras containing wild type and G-CSFR−/− cells were established and treated with G-CSF. The contribution of G-CSFR−/− cells to hematopoiesis remained stable for at least 3 months after G-CSF treatment, demonstrating that the effects of G-CSF on HSC function are not direct. We next performed RNA expression profiling on sorted SLAM cells, a cell population highly enriched for HSCs. These data showed that expression of Cdkn1a (p21cip1/waf1) was increased in HSCs harvested from G-CSF treated mice. To define the contribution of Cdkn1a to HSC quiescence and loss of repopulating activity following treatment with G-CSF, Cdkn1a−/− mice (inbred on a C57BL/6 background) were studied. Wild-type or Cdkn1a−/− mice were treated with G-CSF for 7 days and pulse labeled with bromo-deoxyuridine (BrdU), and the percentage of SLAM cells that labeled with BrdU was determined. Consistent with our previous observations, treatment of wild-type mice with G-CSF resulted in a significant decrease in the percentage of BrdU+ SLAM cells in the bone marrow. In contrast, in Cdkn1a−/− mice, no change in the percentage of BrdU+ SLAM cells after G-CSF treatment was observed [10.08 ± 2.26% (untreated); 10.96 ± 2.80% (G-CSF treated); p = NS]. To assess HSC function, competitive repopulation assays were performed using untreated or G-CSF treated bone marrow from wild type or Cdkn1a−/− mice. Surprisingly, G-CSF had a similar deleterious effect on HSC repopulating activity in both wild type and Cdkn1a−/− mice. Collectively, these data show G-CSF treatment, possibly through disruption of the osteoblast niche, induces HSC quiescence and loss of long-term repopulating activity. HSC quiescence, but not loss of repopulating activity, is dependent upon Cdkn1a−/−. The mechanisms by which G-CSF treatment results in a loss of HSC function are under investigation.
Chapter 5 Measurement of Exposure to Human Papillomaviruses

A key component of clinical and epidemiologic investigation of exposure-disease associations is accurate and reliable measurement of exposure and outcome. Detection of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is important both as an outcome of sexually transmitted disease research and natural history studies and as a critical exposure measure in the study of a variety of diseases, including cervical cancer. Measurement of current HPV infection relies on the detection of HPV DNA from tissues at the site of exposure (e.g., anogenital tract). HPV DNA detection assays have evolved over the past 15 years from assays with low sensitivity and specificity (e.g., filter in situ hybridization), to assays with increasing specificity but low sensitivity (e.g., Southern blot and dot blot hybridization, including ViraPap and Hybrid Capture Tube assays), to assays with both high sensitivity and specificity (e.g., target and signal amplification systems such as PCR and Hybrid Capture 2). No single gold standard test has emerged for the detection of HPV, although several assays have been well validated for use in the detection of the types commonly found in the genital tract. Evolution of the technology to produce virus like particles (VLPs) has helped advance the development of serologic assays to detect antibodies to the L1 capsid protein of HPV as a cumulative measure of past and some prevalent HPV infections.
A GIS Approach to Identifying Socially and Medically Vulnerable Older Adult Populations in South Florida.

Purpose of the Study We define, map, and analyze geodemographic patterns of socially and medically vulnerable older adults within the tri-county region of South Florida. Design and Methods We apply principal components analysis (PCA) to a set of previously identified indicators of social and medical vulnerability at the census tract level. We create and map age-stratified vulnerability scores using a geographic information system (GIS), and use spatial analysis techniques to identify patterns and interactions between social and medical vulnerability. Results Key factors contributing to social vulnerability in areas with higher numbers of older adults include age, large household size, and Hispanic ethnicity. Medical vulnerability in these same areas is driven by disease burden, access to emergency cardiac services, availability of nursing home and hospice beds, access to home health care, and available mental health services. Age-dependent areas of social vulnerability emerge in Broward County, whereas age-dependent areas of medical vulnerability emerge in Palm Beach County. Older-adult social and medical vulnerability interact differently throughout the study area. Implications Spatial analysis of older adult social and medical vulnerability using PCA and GIS can help identify age-dependent pockets of vulnerability that are not easily identifiable in a populationwide analysis; improve our understanding of the dynamic spatial organization of health care, health care needs, access to care, and outcomes; and ultimately serve as a tool for health care planning.
Initial moisture stress, budbreak and two-year field performance of three morphological grades of slash pine seedlings

This study examined the relationship between root collar diameter, plant moisture stress and budbreak in three morphological grades of bareroot 1+0 slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) nursery seedlings and assessed the role of these parameters in predicting field performance potential under operational conditions. Two months after outplanting seedlings with small (≤3.2 mm) diameters exhibited greater signs of moisture stress than those with the largest (≥4.7 mm) diameters, as determined by lower xylem pressure potential values. Intermediate and large-sized seedlings (diameter >3.2 mm) showed earlier budbreak than smaller seedlings with more rapid shoot elongation after planting and had significantly greater survival rates for two years after planting on both a moist flatwoods and a dry sandhill planting site. However, after two years on the more favorable moist site, height and diameter measurements of seedlings with significantly smaller diameters initially did not differ from those of intermediate sized seedlings (diameter >3.2 and <4.7 mm). Large seedlings had greater second-year leader and diameter increments and attained greater total height and diameter after two years on both sites. Decreasing the proportion of smaller seedlings included in the field performance analyses increased overall mean plantation survival while increasing the proportion of large seedlings increased mean two-year total height and diameter as well as annual growth increments.
Prenatal phthalate biomarker concentrations and performance on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II in a population of young urban children.

Abstract Introduction Evidence suggests prenatal phthalate exposures may have neurodevelopmental consequences. Our objective was to investigate prenatal exposure to phthalates and cognitive development in a cohort of young urban children. Materials and methods We recruited pregnant women in New York City from 1998 to 2002 and measured concentrations of nine phthalate metabolites in urine collected in late pregnancy. We administered a neurodevelopmental screening instrument, the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II (BSID-II), to children who returned for follow-up at approximately 24 months (n=276). We estimated associations between phthalate metabolite concentrations in maternal urine and BSID-II indices (Mental Development Index (MDI), Psychomotor Development Index (PDI)). Results We observed no associations between phthalate metabolite concentrations and performance on the MDI or PDI in boys and girls combined. We did, however, observe evidence of effect measure modification by sex. We observed several negative associations between metabolite concentrations and both MDI and PDI scores among girls, suggesting poorer performance across multiple metabolites, with estimates equal to a 2–3 point decrease in score per ln-unit increase in creatinine-standardized metabolite concentration. Conversely, we observed multiple weakly positive associations among boys, equal to a 1–2 point increase in score per ln-unit increase in metabolite concentration. The strongest associations were for the metabolites mono-n-butyl phthalate, mono-isobutyl phthalate, monobenzyl phthalate, and mono(3-carboxylpropyl) phthalate (MCPP). Conclusions Girls of mothers with higher urinary concentrations of MCPP and metabolites of dibutyl phthalates had lower MDI scores on the BSID-II. These same biomarker concentrations were often associated with improved scores among boys. We observed similar results for MnBP, MCPP, and MBzP on the PDI. Given the prevalence of phthalate exposures in reproductive aged women, the implications of potential neurotoxicity warrant further investigation.
Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation Clinical Trials

Catheter ablation is an increasingly used treatment option for patients with ventricular tachycardia (VT) in the setting of structural heart disease. Although there are extensive data from several retrospective studies as well as prospective nonrandomized observational studies, there are limited data from relatively few randomized controlled trials, especially comparing VT ablation with antiarrhythmic drugs. In this review, the authors aim to summarize the major studies examining efficacy of VT ablation in patients with structural heart disease, discuss barriers to enrollment and completion of randomized clinical trials, and propose areas of future research in the field.
Inertial energy harvester for monitoring wind turbine blades

In order to operate a structural health monitoring (SHM) device for a wind turbine blade, one needs to use a slip ring to siphon power from the turbine’s generator or use a power source inside the blade. An energy harvester mounted inside the turbine blade capturing energy from the blades rotation would be a great solution for powering a SHM device for a long period of time. The low rotation speeds (between 5 and 20 RPM for the many large scale turbines) make it challenging to harvest sufficient power. Previous research into energy harvesters in rotating environments (e.g. automotive wheels and propellers on large ships) has examined much higher rotation speeds (in the range of 100 to 1000 RPM). At the rotation speeds of large wind turbines, these harvesters have either not been tested or they produced only a few hundred microwatts. This paper discusses the modeling and experimental validation of an inertial energy harvester for use in low speed wind turbines to power a SHM device. The harvester consists of a magnet placed inside a slider tube and a coil mounted on the outside of the tube. The harvester assembly is then mounted radially inside the turbine blade. As the turbine rotates, the magnet slides along the tube and through the coil. The moving magnet induces a voltage across the terminals of the coil. This voltage can be stored in a capacitor or rechargeable battery which would in turn supply power to a health monitoring system. This paper will outline the modeling of the harvester, validation of an electromechanical coupling model, and testing a prototype harvester on a rotating apparatus.
Modeling Ultrasonic Microstructural Noise in Titanium Alloys

Ultrasonic echoes from small or subtle defects in metals may be masked by competing “noise” echoes which arise from the scattering of sound by grains or other microstructural elements. Algorithms for estimating the detectability of such defects consequently require quantitative models for microstructural noise. In previous work [1,2] we introduced an approximate noise model for normal-incidence immersion inspections using tone-burst pulses, and we used the model to estimate signal/noise ratios for brittle (hard-alpha) inclusions in titanium alloys. In the present work we consider an extension of that noise model to inspections using broadband incident pulses. Like its predecessor, the broadband noise model neglects multiple scattering events, and applies to low-noise, low-attenuation materials. The broadband model provides an expression for the root-mean-square (rms) average amplitude of a given spectral component of the noise, computed on a finite time interval greater than the duration of the pulse. The model can be used to analyze backscattered noise to extract a Figure-of-Merit (FOM) for noise severity which is a property of the specimen and is independent of the measurement system. Conversely, if the FOM of the specimen is known, the model can be used to predict average noise spectral characteristics and average noise levels for various inspection scenarios.
Data-Modeling Identifies Conflicting Signaling Axes Governing Myoblast Proliferation and Differentiation Responses to Diverse Ligand Stimuli.

Skeletal muscle tissue development and regeneration relies on the proliferation, maturation and fusion of muscle progenitor cells (myoblasts), which arise transiently from muscle stem cells (satellite cells). Following muscle damage, myoblasts proliferate and differentiate in response to temporally-varying inflammatory cytokines, growth factors, and extracellular matrix cues, which stimulate a shared network of intracellular signaling pathways. Here we present an integrated data-modeling approach to elucidate synergies and antagonisms among proliferation and differentiation signaling axes in myoblasts stimulated by regeneration-associated ligands. We treated mouse primary myoblasts in culture with combinations of eight regeneration-associated growth factors and cytokines in mixtures that induced additive, synergistic, and antagonistic effects on myoblast proliferation and differentiation responses. For these combinatorial stimuli, we measured the activation dynamics of seven signal transduction pathways using multiplexed phosphoprotein assays and scored proliferation and differentiation responses based on expression of myogenic commitment factors to assemble a cue-signaling-response data compendium. We interrogated the relationship between these signals and responses by partial least-squares (PLS) regression modeling. Partial least-squares data-modeling accurately predicted response outcomes in cross-validation on the training compendium (cumulative R 2 = 0.96). The PLS model highlighted signaling axes that distinctly govern myoblast proliferation (MEK–ERK, Stat3) and differentiation (JNK) in response to these combinatorial cues, and we confirmed these signal-response associations with small molecule perturbations. Unexpectedly, we observed that a negative feedback circuit involving the phosphatase DUSP6/MKP-3 auto-regulates MEK–ERK signaling in myoblasts. This data-modeling approach identified conflicting signaling axes that underlie muscle progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation.
Challenges to interpreting patient reported outcomes in clinical trials: author rejoinder

It is a pleasure to respond to the editorial by Professor Diane L. Fairclough, who has made foundational contributions to the design and analysis of clinical trials that use patient reported outcomes (PROs) (1). I thank her for adding to the discussion of PRO interpretation, and largely agree with the points raised.
Clinician perspectives on strategies to improve patient maternal immunization acceptability in obstetrics and gynecology practice settings

Pregnancy is an ideal time to communicate with women about vaccines for themselves and their infants, yet maternal immunization rates remain suboptimal. This study aimed to identify clinic, provider, and staff-related attributes and facilitators to be utilized for a comprehensive vaccine intervention in ob-gyn clinical settings. We conducted in-depth interviews with 24 providers, both healthcare providers (e.g., physicians, nurse practitioners, midwives) and practice managers, from urban and suburban ob-gyn practices in Georgia and Colorado about their immunization attitudes, practices, and patient experiences. Qualitative analyses included Pearson correlation tests to evaluate patterns and relationships within the data to determine themes. Six major themes emerged: 1) strong provider "buy in" for maternal immunization; 2) the supporting role of clinical/interpersonal cues for vaccine promotion; 3) varying provider-patient communication approaches and its influence on maternal and pediatric uptake; 4) an urgent need for a designated office immunization champion; 5) reimbursement and practice implementation challenges; and 6) region differences in attitudes and values toward maternal immunization. Although providers expressed strong support for maternal immunization practices and offered environmental cues for vaccine promotion, practices often lacked a designated, structured role for an immunization champion equipped to manage delicate conversations with patients. The findings reflect needs for immunization champion identification, training, and support, along with best practices guidelines to improve coordination of vaccine promotion and delivery efforts in ob-gyn provider offices. Additionally, provider training on communication approaches to enhance acceptance and uptake of maternal vaccines is warranted.
Rolling Back Zero Tolerance: The Effect of Discipline Policy Reform on Suspension Usage and Student Outcomes

Beginning in the early 1990s, states and districts enacted zero-tolerance discipline policies that relied heavily on out-of-school suspensions. Recently, districts nationwide have revised these pol...
“Should You Encounter”: The Social Conditions of Empathy

In this essay I analyze a series of first-person homeless accounts and reader responses in the Las Vegas Sun newspaper in order to highlight the social conditions that support or inhibit empathy. I review the rhetorical study of empathy and incorporate work from social psychology and moral philosophy to identify and examine the conditions of assessing victimhood and recognizing of self-other overlap. I find the irony of empathy to be that the very social forces that would necessitate an expansion of empathy also inhibit it through increasing social division and the reluctance of readers to recognize their own vulnerabilities in the positions of others. I contend throughout that a focus on empathy as an individual experience overlooks the social production of empathy, which is more appropriately considered through a rhetorical perspective.