cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Store-Operated Calcium Entry Promotes the Degradation of the Transcription Factor Sp4 in Resting Neurons

Calcium (Ca(2+)) signaling activated in response to membrane depolarization regulates neuronal maturation, connectivity, and plasticity. Store-operated Ca(2+) entry (SOCE) occurs in response to depletion of Ca(2+) from endoplasmic reticulum (ER), mediates refilling of this Ca(2+) store, and supports Ca(2+) signaling in nonexcitable cells. We report that maximal activation of SOCE occurred in cerebellar granule neurons cultured under resting conditions and that this Ca(2+) influx promoted the degradation of transcription factor Sp4, a regulator of neuronal morphogenesis and function. Lowering the concentration of extracellular potassium, a condition that reduces neuronal excitability, stimulated depletion of intracellular Ca(2+) stores, resulted in the relocalization of the ER Ca(2+) sensor STIM1 into punctate clusters consistent with multimerization and accumulation at junctions between the ER and plasma membrane, and induced a Ca(2+) influx with characteristics of SOCE. Compounds that block SOCE prevented the ubiquitylation and degradation of Sp4 in neurons exposed to a low concentration of extracellular potassium. Knockdown of STIM1 blocked degradation of Sp4, whereas expression of constitutively active STIM1 decreased Sp4 abundance under depolarizing conditions. Our findings indicated that, in neurons, SOCE is induced by hyperpolarization, and suggested that this Ca(2+) influx pathway is a distinct mechanism for regulating neuronal gene expression.
Parental Support and Underrepresented Students’ Math/Science Interests The Mediating Role of Learning Experiences

Using social cognitive career theory (SCCT), the present study examined the role of parental support and investigative learning experiences (i.e., performance accomplishments, verbal persuasion, vi...
Representing episodic memory in a system-level model of the brain

We discuss the problem of finding neuroscientific and psychologically plausible representations of the memories of events and episodes. In order to do this we need to take into account the neuroanatomical connectivity between the cortex and the hippocampal complex, and also the cognitive psychology of episodic memory. We then need to develop a model of the cortex and hippocampal complex and to find representations of events that are consistent with biological information-processing constraints. We conclude that events and episodes can be represented by certain codes which are stored in associative memories.
Local Evaluations of Neighborhood Change

Abstract Questions arise concerning the nature and organization of residents' perceptual responses to neighborhood change. Transactionalism, with its focus on context and change, provides a theoretical basis for an empirical study that attempts to identify and evaluate the human dimensions of change within the context of an inner-city neighborhood of San Diego, California. Using quasi-nonmetric weighted multi-dimensional scaling (WMDS), I analyzed similarity matrices, which are derived from asking a sample of residents to respond to different neighborhood contexts. The WMDS suggests that residents place great importance on neighborhood stability. A modified form of repertory grid analysis provides insight into how individuals respond to specific neighborhood changes. Residential and commercial establishments that had disappeared from the area are, on the whole, preferred. Residents dislike large new developments, finding them cold, mass-produced and impersonal. A non-metric classic multi-dimensional scali...
Stimulus properties of a new designer drug: 4-methylaminorex (“U4Euh”)

Abstract Like other phenylisopropylamine derivatives, 4-methylaminorex is a central stimulant. The cis isomer of 4-methylaminorex (“U4Euh”; “ICE”) has appeared on the clandestine market as a novel designer drug and was recently classified as a Schedule I substance. In the present investigation, the stimulus properties of racemic cis , racemic trans , and all four individual optical isomers of 4-methylaminorex were examined in rats trained to discriminate 1 mg/kg of S (+)amphetamine sulfate from saline. The S (+)amphetamine stimulus generalized to all of the agents investigated and the relative potencies of the optical isomers (followed by ED 50 values) were as follows: trans (4 S ,5 S ) (0.25 mg/kg) > cis (4 S ,5 R ) (1.2 mg/kg) = cis (4 R ,5 S ) (1.5 mg/kg) > trans (4 R , 5 R ). The trans (4 R ,5 R ) isomer did not completely substitute for S (+)amphetamine unless a longer (i.e., 60-min) presession injection interval was used, suggesting that it has a longer duration of onset that the other isomers of 4-methylaminorex. The results, which are consistent with established structure-activity relationships, suggest that the trans (4 S ,5 S ) isomer (which has not been scheduled) is similar in potency to (+)amphetamine (ED 50 =0.4 mg/kg) and is more potent than either of the cis isomers.
One Market for the Americas

Mexico, the United States, and Canada may soon agree to become the largest trading market in the world. The author suggests that companies factor the influence of this free‐trade pact into their long‐range plans.
Outcomes of Minimally Invasive Valve Surgery Versus Median Sternotomy in Patients Age 75 Years or Greater

Background Advanced age is a major predictor of poor outcome in patients undergoing valve surgery. We hypothesized that elderly patients who underwent minimally invasive valve surgery for aortic or mitral valve disease would do better when compared with those undergoing the standard median sternotomy. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 2,107 consecutive heart operations at our institution and identified 203 patients, age 75 years or greater, who underwent isolated mitral or aortic valve surgery. Outcomes of those who had minimally invasive valve surgery through a right minithoracotomy were compared with those who had a median sternotomy. Results Of the 203 patients, 119 (59%) underwent a minimally invasive approach, while 84 (41%) had a median sternotomy. The median postoperative length of stay was 7 days (interquartile range [IQR] 6 to 10) versus 12 days (IQR 9 to 20), p less than 0.001, and intensive care unit length of stay was 52 hours (IQR 44 to 93) versus 119 hours (IQR 57 to 193), p less than 0.001 for minimally invasive and median sternotomy, respectively. In-hospital mortality was 2 (1.7%) versus 8 (9.5%, p=0.01 and composite postoperative morbidity and mortality occurred in 25 (21%) versus 38 (45.2%), p less than 0.001, in minimally invasive versus median sternotomy, respectively. The difference was driven by the following: a lower incidence of acute renal failure, 1 (0.8%) versus 14 (16.7%), p less than 0.001; prolonged intubation 23 (19.3%) versus 32 (38.1%), p=0.003; wound infections 1 (0.8%) versus 5 (6%), p=0.034; and death. Conclusions Minimally invasive surgery for isolated valve lesions in elderly patients yields a lower morbidity and mortality when compared with median sternotomy and should be considered when such individuals require valve surgery.
An investigation of containment pressurization by sodium spray fires

Abstract An investigation of the sodium spray burning phase of LMFBR hypothetical low probability core disruptive accidents (HCDAs) has been undertaken in order to test the response of various containment designs. The HCDAs are produced by arbitrarily inserting unrealistically large amounts of reactivity in a short period of time. The spray fires result from a HCDA which causes head failure due to high-velocity impact by the sodium pool followed by rotating plug jump, loss of rotating plug seals, control rod ejection, failure of instrument tubes, or breach of in-vessel transfer machine ports. Head failure can in principle lead to the injection of significant amounts of sodium into the reactor containment building by residual pressure of the HCDA gas bubble, which forces the upper plenum sodium through the interstitial spaces (e.g., rotating plug gaps, control rod housings, etc.) in the breached head structure. Calculations were made of the hydraulic behavior of the sodium under various injection scenarios for both pool and loop reactor systems. In the case of plug jump, although massive amounts of sodium can be injected into the containment building, the injection will be primarily in a radial direction, and the major consequences could be a low-intensity pool fire rather than a high-intensity sodium spray fire. However, if the bearing housing on the rotating plug fails, a 20 atm initial HCDA residual bubble pressure has the potential for injecting a sodium stream through the rotating plug gaps which could potentially impact the containment building ceiling. Sodium discharges through broken control rod housings could also impact the ceiling and become widely dispersed. The SOMIX-1 sodium spray fire code was used to calculate the energy releases corresponding to a variety of head failure scenarios corresponding to the cases where a high velocity jet impinges on the ceiling of the containment building. The calculated maximum pressure rise was about 2.1 atm. The analysis showed that containment building pressures do not always increase with increasing sodium injection rates since the oxygen concentration can be reduced to a level where the spray begins to cool rather than heat the gas.
High-pressure liquid chromatography of plasma free acid porphyrins.

Abstract The separation and quantitation of plasma free acid porphyrins by high-pressure liquid chromatography and fluorescence is described. Porphyrins were extracted from plasma in a simple manner with a recovery >90%. They were separated by high-pressure liquid chromatography on a silica gel (10 μm) column, using a gradient of acetone:dilute acetic acid. Resolution of seven free acid porphyrin standards including coproporphyrins I and III, but not uroporphyrins I and III, was achieved in 12 min at picomolar concentrations. Plasma of patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria displayed protoporphyrin. Uroporphyrin was the only porphyrin found in plasma of eight patients with porphyria cutanea tarda. Normal plasma contained small amounts of uroporphyrin and/or traces of protoporphyrin.
BOCOG's outsourcing contracts: The vendor's perspective ☆

Abstract To date, most research on outsourcing is modeled from the client's perspective. In this paper, we approach the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) outsourcing contracts from the vendors’ perspective. Since a vendor always has the option to accept or not accept an outsourcing contract, we use the theory of options to analyze the vendor's decision making, i.e., the trigger point, which coincides with the optimal profit level, of the vendor's decision to pursue an outsourcing contract. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the model and its potential benefits for vendors’ decision making.
The Role of Social Stratification in the Aztec Empire: A View from the Provinces

This paper explores the role of social stratification in the regional organization of the Triple Alliance, or Aztec empire. Unlike previous interpretations that see military coercion as the main force integrating the empire, I argue that the primary integrative factor was collusion between rulers of the core states and the nobility of the provinces, who gained economic rewards for their participation in the tribute empire. The common interest of the Mesoamerican nobility transcended political boundaries. The fundamental social and economic cleavage in Postclassic Mesoamerica was not between the Triple Alliance states and the provinces, as many have argued, but rather between the nobles and the commoners. The proposed model is supported through examination of the provincial polity of Cuauhnahuac in western Morelos, Mexico.
Controllable Bandwidth for FM Radio Receivers

This paper describes the system concept of controllable intermediate frequency (IF) bandwidth (BW) for FM radio receivers, which provide value improvement of the performance parameters for consumer expectation, i. e., signal to noise ratio (SNR), selectivity, and distortion.
Physical analysis of murine albino deletions that disrupt liver-specific gene regulation or mesoderm development.

Complementation analyses of radiation-induced deletion mutations involving the albino (c) locus in Chromosome (Chr) 7 of the mouse have identified several loci, in addition toc, that have important roles in development. The “mesoderm-deficient” (msd) and “hepatocyte-specific developmental regulation-1” (hsdr-1) loci, which are proximal and tightly linked toc, are important in the formation of mesoderm and in the regulation of liver- and kidney-specific induction of various enzymes and proteins, respectively. Cloning deletion-breakpoint-fusion fragments caused by lethal albino deletions that genetically define the extents of themsd andhsdr-1 loci is one way of generating molecular probes for studying the gene(s) involved in these phenotypes. The distal breakpoints of five such deletions were positioned on a long-range (PFGE) map of ∼1.7 Mb of wild-type DNA surrounding thec, D7Was12, andEmv-23 loci. In addition, the distal breakpoints of two viable albino deletions, which remove part of the tyrosinase gene and extend distally, were localized in the vicinity of the lethal deletion breakpoints. Therefore, the viable deletions can be exploited to generate additional DNA probes that should facilitate the isolation of breakpoint clones from chromosomes carrying lethal deletions defininghsdr-1 andmsd.
Ruthenium tetroxide catalysed oxidation of Illinois No. 6 coal. The formation of volatile monocarboxylic acids

Abstract Ruthenium tetroxide selectively oxidizes activated aromatic compounds under mild conditions and has been used for the catalytic oxidation of several different coals. The quantities of the volatile monocarboxylic acids with 2–6 carbon atoms have been determined by an isotope dilution technique. The amount of ethanoic acid ranges from 1 to 3mol/100C and the quantities of propanoic acid, and butanoic acid exceed 0.1 mol/100C. Methylpropanoic, pentanoic, 2-methylbutanoic, 3-methylbutanoicand hexanoic acid are formed in lesser amounts. The outcome of the experiment depends upon whether or not the coal has been extracted prior to oxidation. The results for Illinois No. 6 coal expressed in moles of ethanoic acid produced/l00C illustrate this feature: raw whole coal, 1.9; coal extracted by the method of Hayatsu and co-workers, 1.0. Dehydrogenation with benzoquinone prior to oxidation increases the yield of ethanoic acid to sol1.5mol 100C. The amounts of ethanoic acid obtained from the other extracted coals are 1.0 for Texas lignite, 1.2 for Rawhide subbituminous, 3.4 for Pittsburgh No. 8, 3.3 for a higher ranking bituminous coal (PSOC 726) and 0.7 for an anthracite (PSOC872). The results obtained in this study are compared with related information concerning the distribution of alkyl groups within coal by other methods.
Point-Source Artifacts in Fresnel Zone Plate Imaging

When a Fresnel zone plate is used as a coded aperture to image large-area sources of X-rays or gamma rays, it is necessary to use a half-tone screen. It is shown here that small-area sources, with such a system, will always produce strong ghost images or artifacts.
Atomic Force Microscopic Analysis of Highly Defined Protein Patterns Formed by Microfluidic Networks

This paper describes the formation of highly defined two-dimensional protein arrays onto a polymeric substrate expressing biotin functionalities at its surface. Micron-scale arrays of avidin were created by exploiting its interaction with biotin, thereby creating a versatile patterned surface onto which any biotinylated species can be subsequently immobilized. The patterning process utilized the technique of microfluidic networks (μFN) to spatially confine the flow of protein solution on a substrate. We describe methods developed to control protein deposition with nanometer-scale precision. Utilizing atomic force microscopy (AFM), these patterned surfaces were analyzed to the molecular level. In addition, the applicability of this technique to a wider range of substrates has been investigated. In particular, developments within the μFN technique have enabled the successful formation of protein micropatterns onto a highly hydrophilic surface, a substrate which is generally not suited to the technique of μFN.
A physician workforce for the 21st century

Medicine is entering an unprecedented era of provider abundance, including both physician and nonphysician providers. Over the next several decades, the projected number of primary care physicians will be more than adequate to meet national needs, although there is no assurance that any number of physicians will create an equitable distribution. At the same time, a growing surplus of specialists is projected. A balanced abundance in both primary care and specialty medicine will continue if approximately 33% of first-year residents ultimately practice primary care and 67% become specialists. In contrast, a shift to 50:50, as has been proposed by the Committee on Graduate Medical Education and others, will lead to a superabundance in primary care and a potential deficiency in specialty medicine later in the 21st century. Under either scenario, maintaining balance will be aided by those physicians with sufficient generalist skills to enable them to practice at the interface of primary care and specialty medicine, the domain of "middle care." The nation will be well served by educational policy that imparts such generalist expertise to medical students and that creates a workforce of highly skilled physicians capable of caring for patients in the technologically advanced clinical environment of the future.
Blood Flow in the Diabetic Leg

Femoropopliteal bypass grafting with reversed saphenous vein was performed in 47 nondiabetic and 27 diabetic extremities. Graft flow was measured with an electromagnetic flow probe before and after injection of 15 mg of papaverine into the graft. Basal flow (nondiabetic, 74 ± 6; diabetic, 76 ± 11 ml/min) was similar in the two groups. Peak flow was significantly higher in the nondiabetic group (217 ± 14 ml/min) than in the diabetic group (169 ± 18 ml/min, P < 0.05), and the outflow tract was significantly better in the nondiabetics (12.2 ± 0.5) than in the diabetics (8.6 ± 0.7, P < 0.001). When flow was related to the quality of the outflow tract, there was no significant difference between nondiabetics and diabetics. Diabetics with occlusive vascular disease have greater involvement of the tibial and peroneal arteries than do nondiabetics. Vascular reactivity is not significantly impaired, and arterial reconstruction should not be withheld on the basis of anteriolar-capillary involvement.
Metamaterials with negative permittivity and permeability: background, salient features, and new trends

Here the author presents a brief background and the history of complex media, in particular the materials with negative permittivity and permeability, and then he discusses some of the salient electromagnetic features of these metamaterials. This is followed by description of some of the ideas regarding potential future applications of these metamaterials in devices and components, along with physical remarks and intuitive justification.
Extraction of Individual Muscle Mechanical Action From Endpoint Force

Most motor tasks require the simultaneous coordination of multiple muscles. That coordination is poorly understood in part because there is no noninvasive means of isolating a single muscle's contribution to the resultant endpoint force. The contribution of a single motor unit to isometric tasks can, however, be characterized using the spike-triggered averaging (STA) technique, applied to a single motor unit's spike train. We propose that a technique analogous to STA, which we call electromyogram (EMG)-weighted averaging (EWA), can be applied to surface EMGs to extract muscle mechanical action from the natural endpoint force fluctuations generated during steady isometric contraction. We demonstrate this technique on simultaneous recordings of fingertip force and surface EMG from the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) and extensor indicis (EI) of humans. The EWA direction was approximately the same across a wide range of fingertip force directions, and the average EWA direction was consistent with mechanical action direction of these muscles estimated from cadaveric and imaging data: the EWA directions were 193 ± 2° for the FDI and 71 ± 5° for the EI (95% confidence). EWA transient behavior also appears to capture temporal characteristics of muscle force fluctuations with peak force time and general waveform shape similar to that of the associated spike-triggered averages from single motor units. The EWA may provide a means of empirically characterizing the complex transformation between muscle force and endpoint force without the need for invasive electrode recordings or complex anatomical measurements of musculoskeletal geometry.
A Versatile Mismatch Recognition Agent: Specific Cleavage of a Plasmid DNA at a Single Base Mispair†

[Rh(bpy)2(chrysi)]3+ is a novel, sterically bulky DNA intercalator that has been designed to bind specifically in the destabilized regions near DNA base mismatches and, upon photoactivation, to cleave the DNA backbone. Here the molecule is shown to be both a general and remarkably specific mismatch recognition agent. Specific DNA cleavage is observed at over 80% of mismatch sites in all the possible single base pair sequence contexts around the mispaired bases. Moreover, the complex is highly site-specific; it is shown to recognize and photocleave at a single base mismatch in a 2725 base pair linearized plasmid heteroduplex. Sterically demanding intercalators such as [Rh(bpy)2(chrysi)]3+ may have application both in mutation detection systems and as mismatch-specific chemotherapeutic agents.
The Systematic Distortion Hypothesis, Halo, and Accuracy: An Individual-Level Analysis

In several social perception studies investigators have concluded that raters' semantic conceptual similarity schemata serve to guide and constrain dimensional covariance in the rating judgment process. This effect has been hypothesized to be most likely when ratings are memory based and raters lack relevant job or ratee information. Recent research that has explored the effects of conceptual similarity schemata on performance ratings and halo error has provided some limited support for this systematic distortion hypothesis (SDH). However, these studies are limited because researchers have examined this phenomena using group-level analyses, whereas the theory references individual-level judgment processes. The present study investigated the phenomena at the individual level. The effects of varying levels of rater job knowledge (high, medium, and low) and familiarity with ratees (high and low) were examined for conceptual similarity-rating and rating-true-score covariation relations, for measures of halo, and for rating accuracy components. Results provided support for the SDH, but indicated a boundary condition for its operation and revealed some surprising findings for individual-level rater halo.
MR imaging of choroid plexus lipomas.

This paper describes the MR findings of a case of pericallosal lipomas with contiguous choroid plexus lipomas and a right sylvian fissure subarachnoid lipoma
Acute Myelomonocytic Leukemia in a Dog

An adult female Collie with anorexia, lethargy, posterior limb ataxia, and enterorrhagia had severe leukemia. In the peripheral blood were granulocytes, monocytes and cells with characteristics of both (myelomonocytic intermediates). The dog died within 17 days of the onset of illness. There were widely disseminated green-yellow foci of leukocytes of the same types as in the peripheral blood. A diagnosis of acute rnyelo­ monocytic leukemia was made.
Equivalence of nonlinear shift-registers

Two forms of nonlinear-feedback shift-registers are considered. In the Type-I register, the feedback output is added to the shift-register contents at an arbitrary number of stages. In the type-II register, the feedback is input to the first stage only. It is shown that for every Type-I register there is an equivalent Type-II register in the sense that the autonomous state diagrams differ only by a labelling of the states. Moreover, the mapping between equivalent states can always be chosen to be a linear transformation. This theorem is a well-known result in the theory of linear-feedback shift-registers and is thus seen to apply unchanged to the nonlinear case.
Improving Lexical Semantics for Sentential Semantics: Modeling Selectional Preference and Similar Words in a Latent Variable Model

Sentence Similarity [SS] computes a similarity score between two sentences. The SS task differs from document level semantics tasks in that it features the sparsity of words in a data unit, i.e. a sentence. Accordingly it is crucial to robustly model each word in a sentence to capture the complete semantic picture of the sentence. In this paper, we hypothesize that by better modeling lexical semantics we can obtain better sentential semantics. We incorporate both corpus-based (selectional preference information) and knowledge-based (similar words extracted in a dictionary) lexical semantics into a latent variable model. The experiments show state-of-the-art performance among unsupervised systems on two SS datasets.
Accretion Disks and Jets in Protostellar Systems

There is growing observational evidence for the presence of Keplerian circumstellar disks around newly formed stars. There is also mounting evidence for the association of such disks with energetic bipolar outflows from these objects. In addition, the projected magnetic field vecotrs around these sources are generally found to be well aligned with the direction of the outflow and the axis of the associated disk, pointing to the possible dynamical role of ordered magnetic fields in the accretion and outflow processes. A general scenario which attempts to tie these various pieces of evidence together is presented. In this picture, the apparent association between disks and jets is attributed to the fact that the outflows are powered by accretion and actually are the main sink for the excess angular momentum and the liberated gravitational energy of the accreted matter. According to this interpretation, the coupling between the inflow and the outflow is achieved through the ordered magnetic field that threads the disk and gives rise to a centrifugally driven wind from the disk surface. This interpretation is illustrated with the help of a self-consistent accretion-outflow model of magnetized accretion disks wherein magnetic stresses transport all the excess angular momentum. In this steady-state model, the shearing and advection of the magnetic field lines inside the disk are balanced either by ambipolar diffusion or by Ohmic resistivity. Radially self-similar solutions for the disk magnetic field configuration are presented, and it is demonstrated that they can be matched continuously onto centrifugally driven wind solutions which become super-Alfvenic and magnetically collimated at a finite height above the disk.
Inductive query by examples (IQBE): a machine learning approach

This paper presents an incremental, inductive learning approach to query-by-examples for information retrieval (IR) and database management systems (DBMS). After briefly reviewing conventional information retrieval techniques and the prevailing database query paradigms, we introduce the ID5R algorithm, previously developed by Utgoff (1989), for "intelligent" and system-supported query processing. >
Finite volume ocean circulation model

A three dimensional finite volume ocean circulation model with a free surface is presented. The basic equations are transformed from differential into integral forms using the hydrostatic and anelastic approximations. The integral equations are solved for finite volumes (rather than grid points) with the flux conservation easily enforced even on arbitrarily meshes. Moreover, this model can easily incorporate the upwind scheme to increase the computational stability and the high-order combine compact schemes to enhance the accuracy. For abrupt topography, a crystal grid discretization is designed to reduce computational errors such that the four lateral boundaries of each finite volume are perpendicular to x and y axes, and the two vertical boundaries are not purely horizontal. This grid system reveals a superior feature than z- and sigma coordinate systems. The accuracy of this model was tested by the standard seamount test case.
Investigating cross-Gulf trade in the Iron Age III period: chronological and compositional data on Burnished Maroon Slipped Ware (BMSW) in southeastern Arabia and Iran

Recently obtained ceramic compositional data from the late Iron Age sites of Tepe Yahya in Iran and Sharm in the United Arab Emirates is presented in this paper. Analysis of this data suggests that a distinctive ceramic, Burnished Maroon Slipped Ware (BMSW), was produced somewhere in southern Iran and exported across the Gulf to eastern Arabia. That this trade was not limited to any defined historical period, such as that represented by the Achaemenid Empire, is suggested by a series of new AMS C 14 dates from Tepe Yahya. The paper concludes with speculative comments on the possible elite nature of BMSW in societies on either side of the Straits of Hormuz.
Does Interviewer Religious Dress Affect Survey Responses? Evidence from Morocco

Few studies examine religiosity-of-interviewer effects, despite recent expansion of surveying in the Muslim world. Using data from a nationally-representative survey of 800 Moroccans conducted in 2007, this study investigates whether and why interviewer religiosity and gender affect responses to religiously-sensitive questions. Interviewer dress affects responses to four of six items, but effects are larger and more consistent for religious respondents, in support of power relations theory. Religious Moroccans provide less pious responses to secular-appearing interviewers, whom they may link to the secular state, and more religious answers to interviewers wearing hijab, in order to safeguard their reputation in a society that values piety. Interviewer traits do not affect the probability of item-missing data. Religiosity-of-interviewer effects depend on interviewer gender for questions about dress choice, a gendered issue closely related to interviewer dress. Interviewer gender and dress should be coded and controlled for to reduce bias and better understand social dynamics.
Maintaining sexual health throughout gynecologic cancer survivorship: A comprehensive review and clinical guide

Objective The diagnosis and treatment of gynecologic cancer can cause short- and long-term negative effects on sexual health and quality of life (QoL). The aim of this article is to present a comprehensive overview of the sexual health concerns of gynecologic cancer survivors and discuss evidence-based treatment options for commonly encountered sexual health issues.
THE EFFECT OF TRYPTOPHAN LOAD AND VITAMIN B6 SUPPLEMENTATION ON URINARY EXCRETION OF TRYPTOPHAN METABOLITES IN HUMAN MALE SUBJECTS

SUMMARY I. Urinary excretion of tryptophan metabolites of the kynurenine pathway before and after a loading dose of 2 g of L-tryptophan (both before and during supplementa­ tion with vitamin B6) was studied in normal young male subjects and in elderly male subjects with prostatic diseases. 2. The increase in urinary excretion of tryptophan metabolites in the normal male subjects after a loading dose of 2 g of L-tryptophan was unchanged after vitamin B 6 supplementation, indicating that this dose does not exceed the normal capacity of the kynurenine pathway. 3. It is therefore concluded that a loading dose of 2 g of L-tryptophan is preferable when studying the capacity of the kynurenine pathway. 4. In about three-quarters of the elderly male subjects with prostatic diseases, the capacity of the kynurenine pathway was normal. 5. In about one-quarter of the subjects with prostatic diseases after a loading dose of 2 g of L-tryptophan there was abnormally high urinary excretion of one or several tryptophan metabolites, which could be normalized by vitamin B 6 , indicating that the capacity of the kynurenine pathway had been exceeded in these subjects. 6. Urinary excretion of individual tryptophan metabolites after a loading dose of 2 g of L-tryptophan was constant in the same subject when studied under unchanged conditions, whether there was a normal or a decreased capacity of the kynurenine pathway. 7. It is concluded that a single determination of urinary excretion of tryptophan metabolites after a loading dose of 2 g of t-tryptophan is sufficient to determine the capacity of the kynurenine pathway.
Simulation as a training tool for intimate partner violence screenings

Abstract Background This project developed an intimate partner violence (IPV) training program that included a simulation experience for a Midwestern nursing school's undergraduate curriculum. The IPV training program incorporated both traditional teaching modalities and experiential learning through simulation. Methods The study examined the effect of the IPV training program on three domains: (a) perceived preparation, (b) perceived knowledge, and (c) actual knowledge. The survey instrument was an adapted version of the Physician Readiness to Manage Intimate Partner Violence Survey modified with language that focused on students in the health care arena. The survey was administered to participants at three points during the training program: (a) before the training program; (b) after the didactic lecture, but before the simulation; and (c) after the simulation experience with a standardized patient. Results Results indicated that IPV training had significant effect on the perceived preparation, perceived knowledge, and actual knowledge. Results in all three domains also revealed a significant positive change between traditional lecture and simulation (p Conclusions The results of this study showed comprehensive IPV training program is effective in increasing nursing student's confidence and competence in addressing IPV. In addition, this study found simulation as a teaching modality is a more powerful tool than lecture alone.
Surface and bulk crystallization of amorphous solid water films: Confirmation of "top-down" crystallization

Here, the crystallization kinetics of nanoscale amorphous solid water (ASW) films are investigated using temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS). TPD measurements are used to probe surface crystallization and RAIRS measurements are used to probe bulk crystallization. Isothermal TPD results show that surface crystallization is independent of the film thickness (from 100 to 1000 ML). Conversely, the RAIRS measurements show that the bulk crystallization time increases linearly with increasing film thickness. These results suggest that nucleation and crystallization begin at the ASW/vacuum interface and then the crystallization growth front propagates linearly into the bulk. This mechanism was confirmed by selective placement of an isotopic layer (5% D2O in H2O) at various positions in an ASW (H2O) film. In this case, the closer the isotopic layer was to the vacuum interface, the earlier the isotopic layer crystallized. These experiments provide direct evidence to confirm that ASW crystallization in vacuum proceeds by a “top-down” crystallization mechanism.
Ideal Point Estimation and Selection Bias on the United States Supreme Court

This paper addresses a long-standing limitation of analyses of Supreme Court ideology, which is the fact that the Court's docket is discretionary and thus renders the pool of votes a highly non-random sample. While many scholars rely on ideology measures that rely on information drawn from justices' votes, I argue that the political conditions in which the Court operates has the capacity to fundamentally reshape the Court's incentives to take on certain types of cases (e.g., those of higher or lower salience), the votes on which we observe. In addition to demonstrating the dynamic nature of the substantive composition of the Court's docket, the paper goes on to show that justices' propensity to vote in liberally or conservatively is quite dependent upon the policy domain in which they are judging. Thus, if we base our analyses on justices' votes, we will have systematic bias in our inferences about Supreme Court justices' ideology and their relation to the other branches in the American separation-of-powers system. The paper additionally sheds new light on the asymmetric power of congressional and public opinion constraint on the Supreme Court, and the complications that it can present in using vote-based measures of judicial preferences.
Impaired dilation of skeletal muscle microvessels to reduced oxygen tension in diabetic obese Zucker rats.

This study determined alterations to hypoxic dilation of isolated skeletal muscle resistance arteries (gracilis arteries; viewed via television microscopy) from obese Zucker rats (OZR) compared wit...
The charge distribution on the human femur due to load.

A method is presented for measuring accurately the piezoelectric modulus of small areas on the surface of whole dried bone and of specimens cut from dried bone. The results indicate that the ordered matrix necessary for the piezoelectric effect varies from place to place giving rise to regions of positive and negative charge on the surface of the bone. A map of the charge distribution on the surface of a typical femur under load is presented, and a model of the collagen fiber orientation consistent with the known organization of bone is proposed that explains to some extent the variability of the surface charge-load observations.
Interactive legends

The benefits of information visualization may be increased by adding a visual representation of the data-to-graphics encoding employed in the visualization. This paper introduces interactive legends that provide both an economical format for conveying a mapping and a widget through which the mapping can be adjusted by users. The explicit representation of the visual encoding creates an environment in which the user can focus cognitive resources on understanding the displayed data rather than on making sense of how the visualization is organized. Legend keys also promote a continuous style of interaction that allows users to adjust the appearance of the observed data according to their understanding and interest. We show the flexibility of legend keys by using them to query the information based on the properties of interest and to focus the presentation on the objects and properties relevant to the current task.
Common Genetic Variant Association with Altered HLA Expression, Synergy with Pyrethroid Exposure, and Risk for Parkinson's Disease: An Observational and Case-Control Study.

The common noncoding single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs3129882 in HLA-DRA is associated with risk for idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD). The location of the SNP in the major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) locus implicates regulation of antigen presentation as a potential mechanism by which immune responses link genetic susceptibility to environmental factors in conferring lifetime risk for PD. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of this SNP on the MHC-II locus and its synergy with pesticide exposure. For immunophenotyping, blood cells from 81 subjects were analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR and flow cytometry. A case–control study was performed on a separate cohort of 962 subjects to determine association of pesticide exposure and the SNP with risk of PD. Homozygosity for G at this SNP was associated with heightened baseline expression and inducibility of MHC class II molecules in B cells and monocytes from peripheral blood of healthy controls and PD patients. In addition, exposure to a commonly used class of insecticide, pyrethroids, synergized with the risk conferred by this SNP (odds ratio=2.48, P=0.007), thereby identifying a novel gene–environment interaction that promotes risk for PD via alterations in immune responses. In sum, these novel findings suggest that the MHC-II locus may increase susceptibility to PD through presentation of pathogenic, immunodominant antigens and/or a shift toward a more pro-inflammatory CD4+ T-cell response in response to specific environmental exposures, such as pyrethroid exposure through genetic or epigenetic mechanisms that modulate MHC-II gene expression. Exposure to insecticides called pyrethins has long been associated with an increased risk of Parkinson's disease, and so has a particular genetic variation that affects the immune system. Scientists also know that people with PD have more inflammation in their brains than is normal. Malu G. Tansey and coworkers, at Emory University in the United States, suggest that pyrethin exposure triggers an elevated immune response that contributes to PD in people with the genetic variation. Among 962 people with known exposure to pyrethins (half with PD), those with the genetic variant—a small change in the DNA that encodes immune responsive molecules called MHC-II—had a higher PD risk. Furthermore, blood samples from an additional 81 volunteers (half with PD), revealed that the cells from people carrying the ‘GG' genetic variation had elevated levels of MHC-II molecules, indicating a heightened inflammatory response.
POTENT ANTISENSE OLIGONUCLEOTIDES TO APO(A) NORMALIZE PLASMA LP(A) LEVELS IN THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WITH ELEVATED LP(A): RESULTS OF ISIS-APO(A)RX PHASE 2 AND ISIS-APO(A)-LRX PHASE 1 TRIALS

Elevated Lp(a) levels are causal, independent predictors of CVD and aortic stenosis (AS). Specific therapies to potently lower Lp(a) are lacking. We assessed the safety and efficacy of ISIS-APO(a)Rx in patients with elevated Lp(a) and of ISIS-APO(a)-LRx, an optimized antisense oligonucleotide (ASO)
Optimizing Adherence and Outcomes in Psychotherapy

Which psychiatric treatments work best for which patients and why? That is a question that psychiatrists and psychologists grapple with in clinical practice every day. Likewise, for decades psychotherapy researchers have asked similar questions empirically: namely, which treatment, patient, and therapistfactorscontributetonegativeorpositiveoutcomes in psychotherapy (1, 2)? Psychotherapy is a mainstay for the comprehensive treatment of many psychiatric disorders, often being coupled with medications for the management of symptoms. Adverse reactions to medications are routinely documented in the process of approving the drug for use. But what do we know about the potential for psychotherapy to be ineffective—or worse, harmful? A prominent recent example of possible harm resulting from psychotherapy came from David Morris, a former Marine writing intheNew York Times,whowrotecompellingly that he felt thetherapy(prolongedexposuretherapy) retraumatized himandsignificantlyworsenedhissymptoms(3).Othershave noted that real-world efficacy and retention rates for this “gold standard” therapy are low, with a significant proportion of nonresponders (4). Even those who respond to treatment may still have very significant symptoms of PTSD (4). A recent contribution to the empirical literature on optimizing outcomes and mitigating harm in psychotherapy is
Robotic ventral rectopexy

Abstract Robotic surgery is a safe technique for the treatment of rectal prolapse with specific advantages over both open abdominal and laparoscopic techniques. Robotic surgery provides high-quality, three-dimensional visualization of the pelvic anatomy while facilitating the dissection of the rectovaginal septum and suturing in the deep pelvis compared to laparoscopic techniques. These advantages make robotic surgery ideally suited for minimally invasive ventral rectopexy, a technique with a proven low recurrence rate and excellent functional outcomes. Although robotic surgery is associated with longer operative times, these times can be reduced with increased experience. The major disadvantage of robotic surgery still remains a higher hospital cost compared with laparoscopy and open techniques. Despite a growing body of evidence, there is still limited clinical data regarding the benefits of robotic surgery and further prospective clinical trials are needed to affirm the role of robotic surgery in the treatment of rectal prolapse.
Laying Stress on the National Cultural Features Grade and Boosting Qinzhou's Uniqueness Tourism

In the term of the tourism resource,Qinzhou's national culture has its superiority with great market potentialities,Qinzhou should catch hold of the opportunity of the development of westem China and the entry into WTO to make good use of privilege policy,to lay stress on the local cultural characteristics,to develop Qinzhou's Uniqueness Tourism counting on the local scenic spots and historical sites,ethinic regional holidays and festivals,and national traditions and customs,Through government dominant control and all round propaganda,to spur the national cultural tourism resources,and transform their superiorities into economic ones.
Monitoring of iodine nNutrition level of population in Chenggu County of Shanxi Province from 2010-2011

[Objective]To study and observe dynamically the iodine content in edible salt at household and iodine nutrition level of school aged children after basic eliminating iodine deficiency disease,and provide the scientific guidance for its control.[Methods]Sampling test and result analysis were performed on iodized salt consumption and urine sample of pupils aged 8-10 years respectively,according to the "Iodized Salt Surveillance Program in Shanxi Province" and "Urinary Iodine Surveillance program of School Aged Children in Shanxi Province".[Results] The proportion of households iodized salt consumption rate was 98.78%.The media of iodized salt was 31.1 mg/kg and the CV was17.6%,the median of urinary iodine was 321.5 μg/L of pupils aged 8-10 years.[Conclusion]After achieving the stage goal of eliminating iodine deficiency disease,the quality of iodized salt is stable in Chenggu County.It is sufficient to ensure the iodine nutritional requirements,however,the iodine nutrition level of some students is relatively high,the side effect of excessive iodine intake should be taken into consideration.
Design and application of GPS control network for ZuoJiang Waterway Project

Taking the waterway survey for the ZuoJiang river section between Xianfeng HPP and Shanxiu HPP as example,an introduction was made on GPS engineering survey control network in respects of design,data acquisition,baseline vector calculation and network adjustment,including the methods and experience.
Rapid Protein Digestion and Purification with Membranes Attached to Pipet Tips.

This paper presents rapid protein purification and proteolysis methods that integrate membrane technology and pipet tips. Pushing a protein-containing solution through a protease-modified membrane at the end of a pipet tip digests proteins in 30 s or less, and the short proteolysis time avoids reformation of disulfide bonds to enable tryptic digestion without alkylation of cysteine residues. Moreover, proteolysis is more complete than digestion for 30 min in solution. Antibody digestion at the end of a pipet tip leads to 100% peptide coverage in MS analyses. Similarly, when membranes contain Ni2+ complexes, pipetting aqueous polyhistidine-tagged protein through the membrane and subsequent rinsing and elution yield purified polyhistidine-tagged protein in 2 min. These applications demonstrate the potential for combining functional membranes and pipet tips for rapid sample purification and pretreatment.