cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
320 ONTOGENY OF GLUCOCORTICOID RECEPTOR EXPRESSION IN THE NEONATAL RAT BRAIN

Background Glucocorticoids play a key role in multiple cellular processes, including immune function, inflammation, and cell death. Its effects are mediated by the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), predominantly expressed in the cortex and hippocampus of the adult brain. We have previously shown that GR expression is downregulated in the cerebral cortex of the neonatal rat in response to focal cerebral ischemia; however, little is known about the ontogeny of GR expression in the neonatal brain. Objectives To elucidate the ontogeny of GR expression in the neonatal rat brain. Methods For Western blot analysis, Sprague-Dawley rat pups were sacrificed on postnatal day 1 (P1), P3, P7, or P10 (n = 4 per time point) and homogenates were obtained from the cortex, striatum, and cerebellum. Digital densitometry was used to quantitate Western blot results. For immunohistochemistry (IHC), pups were perfused with 4% paraformaldehyde in 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) on P1, P3, P7, or P10 (n = 4 per time point) and serial frozen sections (40 μm thick) were obtained from harvested brains. Western blots and IHC were based on an anti-rabbit GR antibody with AP anti-rabbit IgG labeling and NBT-BCIP band visualization for Western blots and biotinylated anti-rabbit IgG labeling with peroxidase-conjugated streptavidin and cobalt-glucose oxidase-DAB intensification visualization for IHC. Results Compared to the cortex, GR expression by Western blot was 16% greater in the hippocampus, 28% greater in the striatum, and 6% greater in the cerebellum. However, this pattern altered with increasing postnatal age, with steady increases in cortical levels, maintenance of hippocampal levels, fluctuation of striatal levels, and marked decreases in cerebellar levels. By P10, compared to analogous regions at P1, GR expression was 12% greater in the cortex, 3% lower in the hippocampus, 1% lower in the striatum, and 28% lower in the cerebellum. Immunohistochemistry staining confirmed the Western blot findings. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first report of GR ontogeny in the developing neonatal rat brain. All areas of the neonatal brain expressed GR at birth. During the first 10 days of life, cortical GR expression steadily increased while that in the cerebellum steadily decreased; GR expression in the hippocampus and striatum remained relatively constant during this time. GR mRNA determinations from the cortex during P1 to P10 are ongoing. Understanding the ontogeny of GR expression in the neonatal rat brain will aid with interpretation of alternations in GR expression in response to insults or medications used in this neonatal animal model.
IEEE Journal on Multiscale and Multiphysics Computational Techniques (JMMCT)

In August 2015, the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society, Microwave Theory and Techniques Society, and Electromagnetic Compatibility Society jointly created the IEEE Journal on Multiscale and Multiphysics Computational Techniques (JMMCT).
MOGADOR revisited: Improving a genetic approach to multi-objective corridor search

The MOGADOR algorithm is a specialized heuristic approach to the shortest path problem, which employs genetic operators to the search for near optimal corridors within the context of multiple independent objectives. This article expands upon the work contained in the MOGADOR algorithm’s debut publication by introducing a set of refined techniques for initializing the algorithm, which are responsive to the characteristics of the problem specification, the desired runtime, and the global quality of the output solution set. A core component of these techniques is the introduction of a novel process for constructing so-called pseudo-random walks that is based on the repetitive sampling of a dynamically parameterized bivariate-normal distribution. Guidance is provided regarding the appropriate parameterization of the proposed initialization procedure for a variety of problem contexts. The article concludes with a prospective treatment of different approaches to the parallelization of the algorithm’s various components and references an open source library containing the source code for the various new algorithms introduced.
The Costs and Effects of Market Entry

Evolution of any industry occurs through the entry of new firms and the growth of existing firms through increased market share. This market entry of new firms has its inherent costs. Some of these costs may arise due to various strategies of deterrence adopted by the existing firms. Other costs may be due to the market uncertainty, which may arise in the post-entry environment. The effects of entry include both the threat of potential entry into an oligopolistic industry regarding pricing, investment and R&D with advertising and also the actual entry affecting the strategies of oligopolistic suppliers in the post-entry game situation.
ALS Mutations Disrupt Phase Separation Mediated by α-Helical Structure in the TDP-43 Low-Complexity C-Terminal Domain.

RNA-binding protein TDP-43 mediates essential RNA processing but forms cytoplasmic neuronal inclusions via its C-terminal domain (CTD) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). It remains unclear if aggregated TDP-43 is neurotoxic and if ∼50 ALS-associated missense mutations in TDP-43 CTD promote aggregation, or if loss of normal function plays a role in disease. Recent work points to the ability of related proteins to assemble into functional phase-separated ribonucleoprotein granules via their structurally disordered prion-like domains. Here, we provide atomic details on the structure and assembly of the low-complexity CTD of TDP-43 into liquid-liquid phase-separated in vitro granules and demonstrate that ALS-associated variants disrupt interactions within granules. Using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, simulation, and microscopy, we find that a subregion cooperatively but transiently folds into a helix that mediates TDP-43 phase separation. ALS-associated mutations disrupt phase separation by inhibiting interaction and helical stabilization. Therefore, ALS-associated mutations can disrupt TDP-43 interactions, affecting function beyond encouraging aggregation.
Rectal gastrointestinal stromal tumor with metastasis to the penis: Case report and review of literature

We report the case of a 51-year-old gentleman with previously diagnosed gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) of the rectum with metastasis to the penis. The patient underwent abdominoperineal resection of the primary tumor with negative margins and completed a three-year course of imatinib mesylate (Gleevec). Forty months after resection of his rectal tumor, the patient presented to his urologist with worsening testicular pain, mild lower urinary tract obstructive symptoms, and nocturia. A pelvic MRI revealed the presence of an ill-defined mass in the right perineum extending from the base of the penis to the penoscrotal junction. Biopsy of this mass was consistent with metastatic GIST. To our knowledge, this is the first report of metastatic GIST to the penis.
Multicompartment Micelles by Aqueous Self-Assembly of μ-A(BC)n Miktobrush Terpolymers

The aqueous self-assembly of μ-A(BC)n miktobrush terpolymers has been studied using dynamic light scattering and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy. In this system, the A block is hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide), “O”, the B block is hydrophobic poly(methylcaprolactone), “C”, and the C block is hydrophobic and oleophobic poly(perfluoropropylene oxide), “F”. Two terpolymers were examined: one with an average of about two C blocks and two F blocks and another with an average of about three C blocks and two F blocks. In both cases, the total molar mass is near 40 kg mol–1, and the volume fraction of the single O block is greater than 50% of the whole. Both samples form multicompartment micelle structures with subdivided solvophobic cores of C and F domains. The morphologies observed are generally analogous to those previously observed for the self-assembly of μ-ABC miktoarm star terpolymers, namely, “raspberry” and “hamburger” micelles; however, an intriguing multicompartment polymersome morphology w...
Reduced Retinoblastoma Protein Expression Is Associated with Decreased Patient Survival in Medullary Thyroid Cancer.

Background: The retinoblastoma (RB) transcriptional corepressor 1 protein functions to slow cell-cycle progression. Inactivation of RB by reduced expression and/or hyperphosphorylation allow for enhanced progression through the cell cycle. Murine models develop medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) after generalized loss of RB. However, RB expression in MTC has only been evaluated in a small number of tumors, with differing results. The objective of this study was to determine whether reduced expression of RB and/or overexpression of hyperphosphorylated RB predict MTC aggressive behavior. Methods: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded primary thyroid tumors and lymph node metastases from MTC patients were evaluated for calcitonin, RB, and phosphorylated RB (pRB) expression by immunohistochemistry. Two expert pathologists evaluated the slides in a blinded manner, and the immunohistochemistry results were compared to disease-specific survival as a primary endpoint. Results: Seventy-four MTC samples from 56 patients...
MPK3- and MPK6-Mediated ICE1 Phosphorylation Negatively Regulates ICE1 Stability and Freezing Tolerance in Arabidopsis

Summary Low temperatures affect plant growth, development, productivity, and ecological distribution. Expression of the C-repeat-binding factor ( CBF ) transcription factors is induced by cold stress, which in turn activates downstream cold-responsive ( COR ) genes that are required for the acquisition of freezing tolerance. Inducer of CBF expression 1 (ICE1) is a master regulator of CBF s, and ICE1 stability is crucial for its function. However, the regulation of ICE1 is not well understood. Here, we report that mitogen-activated protein kinase 3 (MPK3) and MPK6 interact with and phosphorylate ICE1, which reduces its stability and transcriptional activity. Consistently, the mpk3 and mpk6 single mutants and the mpk3 mpk6 double mutants show enhanced freezing tolerance, whereas MPK3/MPK6 activation attenuates freezing tolerance. Phosphor-inactive mutations of ICE1 complement freezing sensitivity in the ice1-2 mutant. These combined results indicate that MPK3/MPK6 phosphorylate and destabilize ICE1, which negatively regulates CBF expression and freezing tolerance in plants.
Held in the Thrall: Morrison’s Southern Men and the Arrested Motion of Tight Space

Macon Dead, Joe Trace, and Son Green can each be understood as figures held in the thrall of aspiration, consternation, and rage, the by-products of an overriding sense of estrangement. As such it would be easy to infer that these particular characters are synonymous with failure.
Response to Oosterhuis: Empirically Justified Uses of Spanking: Toward a Discriminating View of Corporal Punishment:

This article makes a case for discriminating appropriate from inappropriate corporal punishment utilizing empirical research and the larger scriptural context of the rod passages in Proverbs. Three...
Differential mobility spectrometry (DMS) reveals the elevation of urinary acetylcarnitine in non-human primates (NHPs) exposed to radiation

Acetylcarnitine has been identified as one of several urinary biomarkers indicative of radiation exposure in adult rhesus macaque monkeys (non-human primates, NHPs). Previous work has demonstrated an up-regulated dose-response profile in a balanced male/female NHP cohort1. As a contribution toward the development of metabolomics-based radiation biodosimetry in human populations and other applications of acetylcarnitine screening, we have developed a quantitative, high-throughput method for the analysis of acetylcarnitine. We employed the Sciex SelexIon DMS-MS/MS QTRAP 5500 platform coupled to flow injection analysis (FIA), thereby allowing for fast analysis times of less than 0.5 minutes per injection with no chromatographic separation. Ethyl acetate is used as a DMS modifier to reduce matrix chemical background. We have measured NHP urinary acetylcarnitine from the male cohorts that were exposed to the following radiation levels: control, 2 Gy, 4 Gy, 6 Gy, 7 Gy and 10 Gy. Biological variability, along with calibration accuracy of the FIA-DMS-MS/MS method, indicate LOQ of 20 μM, with observed biological levels on the order of 600 μM and control levels near 10 μM. There is an apparent onset of intensified response in the transition from 6 Gy to 10 Gy. The results demonstrate that FIA-DMS-MS/MS is a rapid, quantitative technique that can be utilized for the analysis of urinary biomarker levels for radiation biodosimetry.
Assessment and Treatment of Risk in the Clinic Setting

The assessment of global cardiovascular risk at baseline and in response to therapy is an important component in both cardiac rehabilitation (CR) and the clinic setting that accompanies it. At our institution, we assess risk before and following a period of CR using established modifiable markers of cardiovascular risk, including status of lipids, blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, central adiposity, depression, social support, and others. The goal is then to modify the risk to prevent downstream cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Although much is accomplished in the setting of the CR program itself, much can be accomplished in the clinic-based visits with physicians and physician extenders to reinforce messages from the CR program, to titrate and optimize medical therapy, as addressed in previous chapters, and to further refine risk modification strategies when CR is completed. For lifestyle modification to be successful in the clinic setting, the provider must base the approach on a behavioral construct that to the clinician makes sense and can readily be employed. We have found the standard Stages of Change construct (1) to be the most useful in our clinics.
Automated Interface Design Techniques

This chapter presents a short overview of several systems for automating the design of human-computer interfaces. The sophistication of these systems varies from simple skeletal frameworks for organizing interface entities to systems using extensive knowledge to fully automate the design of interfaces with a variety of styles, emphases and metaphoric characteristics. From the existing body of research, trends for future research in this area are abstracted and extrapolated.
Motor System I: Movement & Motor Pathways

In studying the motor system, we will consider reflex activity, central generators of patterns of movement, voluntary movement and learned movements. We will also consider two inter-related aspects: posture and movement. Under posture we will be studying static or tonic reactions. In the following discussion, we will examine motor function at the level of the spinal cord, the brain stem and cerebral cortex. It is important to realize that motor functions are represented at successively higher physiological and anatomical levels of the neural axis. As we go higher in the neural axis, we are utilizing and modifying mechanisms that have been integrated at a lower level of the neural axis, a concept first expressed in the modern era by Jackson. Thus pattern generators/centers make use of the motor mechanisms involved in reflexes without the necessity of afferent input. In turn voluntary and learned movements incorporate or impose a higher level of a more complex cortical control of these reflex and central pattern mechanisms.
Optimal Power Flow Considering Frequency Security Constraint

This paper presents a method of including a frequency stability constraint within the framework of the optimal power flow problem. Increasing replacement of conventional generation by renewable resources that contribute little or no frequency regulation capability may necessitate the enforcement of such a constraint to meet frequency security requirements. The system frequency is required to be maintained within a safe limit, thus indicating the balance between generation and consumption. Hence, the solution for optimization of power flow should not only give a minimum cost of generation within the operating conditions, but also ensure frequency stability. In order to obtain this solution, the requirement of frequency stability is introduced as a new constraint of the power dispatch problem and is represented by the maximum frequency deviation limit. This new constraint is constructed as a non-linear function of system inertia and the frequency regulation constant, since frequency deviation is highly sensitive to these factors. A genetic algorithm is utilized in implementing the power flow optimization problem. The IEEE RTS-79 test system is used to demonstrate the proposed idea.
Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring in 2019: Past, Present, and Future

In this review, we sought to present a clinically relevant history of coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring from its initial introduction, to its more recent widespread adoption and guideline endorsement, to future directions of cutting-edge CAC research. Since prior exhaustive reviews on CAC scoring, the introduction of the Pooled Cohort Equations (PCEs) for the assessment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk has been formative in reframing how clinicians discuss risk and prevention with their patients. However, given weaknesses in the performance of the PCEs, additional risk markers have been tested with none being equal to CAC scoring with its ability to reclassify risk. The use of CAC = 0 as a negative risk factor has proven reliable in diverse populations and has led to increased adoption of CAC scoring by clinical practice guidelines. Newer data explores how CAC scoring can be employed for the quantification of risk in different diseases including modeling the competing risks of ASCVD vs. cancer, how CAC can reclassify risk even on non-ECG gated chest computed tomography, and how the algorithm for scoring a CAC scan can be improved in the future. CAC scoring is a powerful adjunct to the PCEs in further characterizing risk, particularly in borderline to intermediate-risk populations. Newer studies suggest that CAC scoring can be adapted to non-ECG gated chest CTs and that newer CAC scores, which take into consideration the number of vessels, the diffusivity of disease, and important gender-specific interactions, can improve on the traditional Agatston method. Future research will continue to explore these newer areas as well as provide models for forecasting the lifetime risks of ASCVD vs. cancer based on age and sex-specific CAC scores.
Toxicokinetics of cis- and trans-Permethrin: Influence of Isomer, Maturation, and Sex

Permethrin exposure of children and adults is widespread in many populations, but knowledge of its relative toxicokinetics (TK) and health risks in immature age groups is lacking. Studies were conducted in rats to determine the influence of immaturity and sex (on plasma and target organ dosimetry of each of the insecticide's 2 isomers, cis- and trans-permethrin [CIS and TRANS]). Postnatal day 15, 21, and 90 (adult), Sprague Dawley rats were orally administered a graduated series of doses of CIS and TRANS in corn oil. Serial sacrifices were conducted over 24 h to obtain plasma, brain, liver, skeletal muscle, and fat profiles of CIS and TRANS. Levels of TRANS decreased relatively rapidly, despite administration of relatively high doses. Concentrations of each isomer in plasma, brain, and other tissues monitored were inversely proportional to the animals' age. The youngest pups exhibited 4-fold higher plasma and brain area under the curves than did adults. Little difference was observed in the TK of CIS or TRANS between adult male and female rats, other than higher initial plasma and liver CIS levels in females. Elevated exposure of the immature brain appears to be instrumental in increased susceptibility to the acute neurotoxicity of high-dose permethrin (Cantalamessa [1993]), but it remains to be established whether age-dependent TK is relevant to long-term, low-level risks.
A Double-Blinded, Randomized Study Evaluating the In Vivo Effects of a Novel Dental Gel on Enamel Surface Microstructure and Microhardness.

Author(s): Anbarani, Afarin Golabgir; Ho, Jessica; Vu, Thinh Hung; Forghany, Ali; Lam, Tracie; Khashai, Erisa; Sahni, Karan; Takesh, Thair; Wilder-Smith, Petra | Abstract: OBJECTIVES:The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vivo effects of a 2.6% edathamil gel (Livionex® Dental Gel) on surface microhardness and microstructure in 180 pre-eroded enamel chips. METHODS:This was a double-blind, randomized study. Two enamel chips each were cut from 90 healthy sterilized extracted teeth. One chip from each pair underwent microhardness testing and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to establish baselines. The remaining 90 samples were demineralized, and then mounted onto intra-oral retainers worn by nine subjects, with five chips mounted on each retainer for each of the two study arms. In one two-week study arm subjects brushed with the control toothpaste; in the other they used the test gel. Study arms were separated by a two-week washout. Sequence of toothpaste use was randomized. At the end of each study arm, samples underwent microhardness measurements (Knoop) and SEM visualization. RESULTS:After intraoral wear, enamel chips recovered fully from demineralization, with no significant difference in microhardness between the two treatments (p g 0.05). In SEM images, enamel surfaces at study's end also appeared comparable in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS:Pre-eroded enamel chips remineralized intra-orally to a similar level after using a control or a test toothpaste containing 2.6% edathamil.
Structure of an Arc-ane virus-like capsid

Recent findings unveil a viral-like mechanism for the transmission of synaptic plasticity signals involving the activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc). Arc forms capsid-like particles that package RNA and are transported across synapses. Here Erlendsson et al. present a high-resolution structural representation of Arc capsids, enabling deeper analysis of their function.
Middle Meningeal Artery Embolization for Chronic Subdural Hematoma: A National Database Study of 191 Patients in the United States.

Background Middle meningeal artery embolization (MMAE) has been used as an effective minimally invasive treatment for chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH). The demographics and clinical outcomes after MMAE treatment for cSDH have not yet been studied using a national database. Methods We queried all MMAE cases up to October 7, 2020, from the TriNetX Analytics Network. We identified patients >18 years old who underwent MMAE for treatment of cSDH. Patient demographics, baseline characteristics, comorbidities, and clinical outcomes were evaluated within 180 days after MMAE. Analyses of 180-day mortality and recurrence were performed after propensity score matching to control for baseline characteristics and comorbidities. Results The study included 191 patients (mean age 71.2 ± 13.5 years, 73.3% male, 69.6% White, 13.6% Black/African American, and 16.8% other race). Essential hypertension (71.3%), heart disease (62.8%), type 2 diabetes mellitus (27.2%), nicotine dependence (23.6%), chronic kidney disease (19.4%), and overweight/obesity (19.4%) were among the most prevalent comorbidities. At presentation, 20.4% and 40.3% of patients were on antiplatelet and anticoagulation therapy, respectively. Outcomes within 180-day follow-up were 6.3% (1.0%–5.8% when propensity matched) for mortality (12 patients), 7.3% for craniotomy/craniectomy after MMAE (14 patients), 0.52%–5.2% for burr hole procedures (1–10 patients), and no patients with low vision/blindness. Conclusions MMAE is a safe and effective minimally invasive procedure for treatment of cSDH. This is the first analysis of patients undergoing MMAE for cSDH using a national database.
Acute Arthroscopic Removal of a Bullet Embedded in the Glenoid: A Case Report.

Introduction Retained bullets in joint spaces have been shown to cause both mechanical and chemical damage to the joint surfaces, leading to the risk of arthritis if untreated. Case Report A case of arthroscopic treatment for a gunshot to the shoulder with a retained bullet embedded in the glenoid is presented. The patient presented with multiple gunshots to his back and extremities, including gunshot to the left leg with popliteal vein injury, gunshot to the back with lumbar level laminar fractures and acute spinal cord injury, and gunshot to the left shoulder with a retained bullet in the posterior superior glenoid. Conclusion Shoulder arthroscopy can be successfully employed to retrieve larger embedded bullet or foreign body with the help of tools such as laparoscopic graspers. Even with significant glenoid bone defect, the stability of the shoulder joint does not get compromised if the bone defects are located posterosuperiorly.
Resilient Control in the Presence of Man-in-the-Middle Attacks

Cyber-physical systems, which are ubiquitous in modern critical infrastructure, oftentimes rely on sending actuation commands and sensor measurements over a network, subjecting this information to potential man-in-the-middle attacks. These attacks can take the form of denial of service attacks or integrity attacks. Previous approaches at ensuring the resiliency of the overall control system against these types of attacks have leveraged functional redundancy in the system, including resilient estimation and reconfigurable control. However, these approaches are only able to ensure resiliency up to a particular subset of the actuator commands and sensor measurements being compromised. In contrast, we introduce a resiliency mechanism in this paper that can ensure safety for the overall system when all the actuator commands and sensor measurements are compromised. In addition, this approach does not require the implementation of any detection algorithm. We leverage communication redundancy in the number of pathways across the network to guarantee safety when up to a certain percentage of those pathways are compromised. The conditions under which safety is guaranteed are presented along with the resiliency mechanism itself, and our results are illustrated via simulation.
Tied & Reduced RNN-T Decoder

Previous works on the Recurrent Neural Network-Transducer (RNN-T) models have shown that, under some conditions, it is possible to simplify its prediction network with little or no loss in recognition accuracy (arXiv:2003.07705 [eess.AS], [2], arXiv:2012.06749 [cs.CL]). This is done by limiting the context size of previous labels and/or using a simpler architecture for its layers instead of LSTMs. The benefits of such changes include reduction in model size, faster inference and power savings, which are all useful for on-device applications. In this work, we study ways to make the RNN-T decoder (prediction network + joint network) smaller and faster without degradation in recognition performance. Our prediction network performs a simple weighted averaging of the input embeddings, and shares its embedding matrix weights with the joint network's output layer (a.k.a. weight tying, commonly used in language modeling arXiv:1611.01462 [cs.LG]). This simple design, when used in conjunction with additional Edit-based Minimum Bayes Risk (EMBR) training, reduces the RNN-T Decoder from 23M parameters to just 2M, without affecting word-error rate (WER).
My problem or yours? Interpersonal problems and marital quality.

OBJECTIVE Research has consistently illustrated the impact of personality on marital quality. Given the inherent dyadic nature of relationships, recent investigations have integrated spouse-rated personality to account for both spouses' perspectives. Grounded in Contemporary Integrative Interpersonal Theory, we viewed personality through an interpersonal lens and conceptualized maladaptive interpersonal functioning as interpersonal problems. The present study examined the incremental validity of spouse-rated interpersonal problems beyond self-reported interpersonal problems to predict marital quality within an expanded actor-partner interdependence model (APIM). METHOD Within a community sample of heterosexual, married couples (N = 110), we used expanded APIMs, integrating both self-report and spouse-rating, to test the incremental validity of spouse-perceived interpersonal problems over self-perceived interpersonal problems on marital quality through a model comparison approach. We tested for possible gender differences in effects. RESULTS Spouse perception, notably spouse-rated partner effects, appears to be the most frequent predictor of marital quality, and self-perception had less impact. CONCLUSION Given the implications marital quality has on health and well-being, intervention efforts capitalizing on acceptance of spouses' perspectives are likely to lead to greater improvements in quality and overall health.
Broken Bridges: The Role of Brokers in Connecting Educational Leaders Around Research Evidence

Few studies have examined the brokering role that some educators play in providing access to research evidence. Our study uses social network analysis to examine the type of brokering roles that exist, as well as identify who plays these roles, and to understand how research evidence moves through formal and informal relationships. Our results show that Area Superintendents are an important source of research evidence, serving key brokering roles between disconnected actors. Individuals in these formal leadership positions bridge research evidence between actors. Findings speak to the important role that brokers play in diffusing research evidence in school systems, highlight a disconnect between formal district structures and the informal interactions between leaders, and indicate that additional attention is needed by policymakers to retain key leaders.
Modification of a Colliculo-thalamocortical Mouse Brain Slice, Incorporating 3-D printing of Chamber Components and Multi-scale Optical Imaging

The ability of the brain to process sensory information relies on both ascending and descending sets of projections. Until recently, the only way to study these two systems and how they interact has been with the use of in vivo preparations. Major advances have been made with acute brain slices containing the thalamocortical and cortico-thalamic pathways in the somatosensory, visual, and auditory systems. With key refinements to our recent modification of the auditory thalamocortical slice(1), we are able to more reliably capture the projections between most of the major auditory midbrain and forebrain structures: the inferior colliculus (IC), medial geniculate body (MGB), thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN), and the auditory cortex (AC). With portions of all these connections retained, we are able to answer detailed questions that complement the questions that can be answered with in vivo preparations. The use of flavoprotein autofluorescence imaging enables us to rapidly assess connectivity in any given slice and guide the ensuing experiment. Using this slice in conjunction with recording and imaging techniques, we are now better equipped to understand how information processing occurs at each point in the auditory forebrain as information ascends to the cortex, and the impact of descending cortical modulation. 3-D printing to build slice chamber components permits double-sided perfusion and broad access to networks within the slice and maintains the widespread connections key to fully utilizing this preparation.
Shift-time Limited Acceleration: Final Drive Ratios in Formula SAE

Even with relatively unrestrictive rules in the Formula SAE competition, established teams are fighting diminishing returns in vehicle mass and engine horsepower. The typical FSAE vehicle incorporates a six speed gearbox, yet reaches a (course-limited) top speed in competition of only about 110 kph. Selecting a final drive for this top speed would result in 5 gearshifts in less than 4 seconds. As a result, final drive ratio is very sensitive to shift delay time. Although vehicle mass, engine performance and traction still play a major role, a typical FSAE vehicle acceleration is significantly limited by the time it takes to complete a gearshift.
Evolutionary rate depends on number of protein-protein interactions independently of gene expression level: Response

A response to Fraser HB, Hirsh AE: Evolutionary rate depends on number of protein-protein interactions independently of gene expression level. BMC Evol Biol 2004, 4:13
Magnitude and duration of lung response to dexamethasone in fetal sheep

Some cases of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) occur after optimal prenatal exposure to glucocorticoids. To explore whether some of these cases might be due to a transient effect of glucocorticoids on developing fetal lung, we studied nine chronically catheterized sheep fetuses after infusion of 500 micrograms of dexamethasone phosphate. Daily efflux of disaturated phosphatidylcholine (DSPC) from fetal tracheal fluid was measured. Three cases showed no response, two showed an early sustained rise in DSPC, and four showed an unsustained response. We interpret these data as indicating that the fetus may respond in a variety of ways to glucocorticoids, depending possibly on such factors as stage of maturity, sex, dose, and duration of exposure.
Osmosis or Cosmosis

Osmosis has been falsely described as a diffusion process; miscomprehension of its role and nature in biological systems is wide spread. Corrected models for osmosis refer to theory in physics that yet suffer for explanation that captures nature soundly. In this report cosmological/philosophical explanation is evolved that removes osmosis from the category of processes associated with life systems to a universal position. A mathematical method to generate natural shapes is presented and analogy is made to physical and introduced philosophical aspects of the osmotic process.
Loss of soil resources from water-eroded versus uneroded cropland sites under simulated rainfall

Soil erosion is widespread in agricultural lands of the US Corn Belt. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of antecedent erosion on loss of soil under laboratory simulated rainfall. The soil was obtained from the surface layer of eroded (ER) and uneroded (UN) sites within a conservation agro-ecosystem in central Ohio, USA. Air-dried soil was subjected to a rainfall simulation for 60 min (dry run), and to another simulation (wet run) 24 h after the dry run. In the dry run, the cumulative water runoff, sediment yield, and soil organic carbon loss were higher in ER (12.3 L/m 2 , 169.3 g/m 2 , and 5.6 g/m 2 , respectively) than in the UN (7.3 L/m 2 , 22.6 g/m 2 , and 0.9 g/m 2 respectively). An opposite trend was observed for the cumulative water infiltration (0.9 and 3.9 L/m 2 , respectively). In the wet run, despite a similar cumulative water runoff from the two erosional phases (20.1 and 19.6 L/m 2 in ER and UN respectively), sediment yield and soil organic carbon loss were higher in ER (484.4 g/m 2 , and 16.3 g/m 2 respectively) than in the UN (146.6 g/m 2 , and 5.3 g/m 2 respectively). Also for the wet run, an opposite trend was observed for the cumulative infiltration (0.8 and 5.8 L/m 2 respectively). This study suggests that past erosional processes increase the susceptibility of remaining soil to accelerated erosion.
Effects of midbrain lesions on female sexual behavior in the rat.

Abstract Female sexual behavior was observed in ovariectomized female rats treated with varying doses of estrogen and progesterone, following electrolytic midbrain lesions. Severe deficits in receptivity were produced by lesions aimed at the dorsal and ventral norepinephrine pathways (DV lesions) and by lesions intended to destroy meso-limbic (A-10) dopamine-producing cells. Significant but less profound impairments were seen following lesions aimed at the serotonin-producing raphe nucleus or the nigro-striatal dopamine cells. Systemically administered d-amphetamine was found to increase receptivity in severely impaired A-10 and DV animals. The observed deficits may result from damage to midbrain structures involved in the sensory-motor or hormonal mediation of the lordosis reflex, or from disruption of a neurochemical system involved in control of lordosis.
Multi-dimensional organization and browsing of object-oriented systems

A two-dimensional organization for object-oriented systems and a browser supporting that organization are described. The organization provides sites for documenting both generic functions and object types, allows convenient browsing and information hiding according to both function and type, and supports the notion of abstract types. Also described is the extension of the organization and browser to multiple dimensions to allow for multi-methods that are split into separate implementations based on criteria in addition to receiver type. Inheritance and information hiding in the multidimensional case are discussed briefly. The multidimensional browser has been implemented on top of the RPDE/sup 3/ environment framework. >
Stored red blood cell transfusions: iron, inflammation, immunity, and infection

Emily Cooley was a highly regarded medical technologist and morphologist. The "Emily Cooley Lectureship and Award" was established to honor her, in particular, and medical technologists, in general. This article reviews some basic concepts about the "life of a red blood cell" (RBC) and uses these to discuss the actual and potential consequences that occur in patients after clearance of transfused refrigerator storage-damaged RBCs by extravascular hemolysis.
Who will cross the border? - The transition of political discussion into the newly emerged venues

Abstract This study explores the political implications of new communication technologies with a focus on their role as political discussion venues. Assuming that new technologies could expand the sphere for political discourse, we investigate the transition of citizens’ face-to-face political discussion into the computer-mediated online context. With analyses of a representative sample of US adults, this study explicates the link between the traditional and newly emerged discussion venues online. Our results reveal that significant differences in the transition pattern arise from variances in citizens’ political interest and age. In addition, in an attempt to reconcile the two seemingly conflicting hypotheses, we examine the role of political interest and age in the transition process within one integrated theoretical framework. Our findings highlight the conditions under which the democratic potential of the new venues becomes magnified, and draws attention to the importance of examining the dynamics underlying the transition of discussion venues.
Microstructural studies of Ti-Al alloys in the vicinity of the “eutectoid” reaction (α→α2+γ)

Summary Various experimental techniques have been utilized to study the constitution of TiAl alloys in the vicinity of the “eutectoid” reaction reported by Shull, et al. (3) and Murray (4). The results indicate that the apparent invariant reaction observed during. heating in the DTA is related to transformation of the α 2 to α and that the “eutectoid-like” structure is produced by the decomposition of the high-temperature α phase via a cellular reaction (α ss →α+γ). Further work is in progress to establish more clearly the nature of the invariant between the three co-existing phases α, α 2 and γ.
Long-wavelength ultraviolet photoproduction of amino acids on the primitive Earth.

Long wavelength UV photoproduction of amino acids on primitive earth, using hydrogen sulfide as photon acceptor
Note-On Choosing Between Rev. Bayes and Prof. Von Neumann

In a recent issue of Management Science, Kadane and Larkey [10], [11] debated with Harsanyi [8], [9] on the relative merits of strategic policies derived from game theoretic vs. Bayesian decision-theoretic orientations. While the fact that the two orientations are virtually first cousins gives a Middle Eastern flavor to the discussion, just as the problems of that unfortunate spot on the globe, the two orientations have substantive differences that should be attended to by people faced with managerial decision problems modelled as games.
Interactions of antiparasitic alkaloids with Leishmania protein targets: a molecular docking analysis

Background: Leishmaniasis is a collection of chronic diseases caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania. Current antileishmanial chemotherapeutics have demonstrated adverse side effects and therefore RD juliflorine, juliprosine, prosopilosidine and prosopilosine with Leishmania mexicana glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; and ancistrogriffithine A with L. major N-myristoyl transferase. Conclusion: This molecular docking study has provided evidence for what classes and structural types of alkaloids may be targeting specific Leishmania protein targets.
Analysis of Mean Climate Conditions in Senegal (1971–98)

Abstract This paper presents a GIS-based analysis of climate variability over Senegal, West Africa. It responds to the need for developing a climate atlas that uses local observations instead of gridded global analyses. Monthly readings of observed rainfall (20 stations) and mean temperature (12 stations) were compiled, digitized, and quality assured for a period from 1971 to 1998. The monthly, seasonal, and annual temperature and precipitation distributions were mapped and analyzed using ArcGIS Spatial Analyst. A north–south gradient in rainfall and an east–west gradient in temperature variations were observed. June exhibits the greatest variability for both quantity of rainfall and number of rainy days, especially in the western and northern parts of the country. Trends in precipitation and temperature were studied using a linear regression analysis and interpolation maps. Air temperature showed a positive and significant warming trend throughout the country, except in the southeast. A significant corre...
Data-driven fault diagnosis in a hybrid electric vehicle regenerative braking system

Regenerative braking is one of the most promising and environmentally friendly technologies used in electric and hybrid electric vehicles to improve energy efficiency and vehicle stability. In this paper, we discuss a systematic data-driven process for detecting and diagnosing faults in the regenerative braking system of hybrid electric vehicles. The process involves data reduction techniques, exemplified by multi-way partial least squares, multi-way principal component analysis, for implementation in memory-constrained electronic control units and well-known fault classification techniques based on reduced data, such as support vector machines, k-nearest neighbor, partial least squares, principal component analysis and probabilistic neural network, to isolate faults in the braking system. The results demonstrate that highly accurate fault diagnosis is possible with the pattern recognition-based techniques. The process can be employed for fault analysis in a wide variety of systems, ranging from automobiles to buildings to aerospace systems.
Pregnancy Folklore Revisited: The Case of Heartburn and Hair

ABSTRACT: Background: Folklore can originate by detection of actual associations between seemingly unrelated events and perpetuated through oral tradition. The objective of this study was to determine whether a common pregnancy belief that women who experience a lot of heartburn give birth to newborns with a lot of hair is accurate. Methods: Sixty-four pregnant women ranked the severity of their degree of heartburn during pregnancy. Independent coders rated newborn hair volume using 2 photographs of the infant’s head, taken shortly after birth. Results: Most (78%) women reported some degree of heartburn. Symptom severity was unrelated to fetal sex and maternal characteristics including parity, age, or weight. The simple linear relationship between heartburn severity and hair volume was significant rs(62) = 0.40, p < 0.001. Categorical analysis by severity score and hair ranking revealed a similar association (χ2= 23.93, p < 0.05). Most (23/28) women who reported moderate or severe heartburn gave birth to babies with average or above average amounts of hair, and conversely, most (10/12) women reporting no heartburn had babies with less than average or no hair. Conclusions: Contrary to expectations, it appears that an association between heartburn severity during pregnancy and newborn hair does exist. We propose a shared biologic mechanism involving a dual role of pregnancy hormones in both the relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter and the modulation of fetal hair growth. (BIRTH 33:4 December 2006)
Sex Differences in Reaction to Spatial Invasion

Men and women invaded the personal space of other men and women in bars and elevators. Men allowed invading women to come the closest followed by women being invaded by women, men being invaded by men, and women being invaded by men.
Topotactic route for new layered perovskite oxides containing fluorine: Ln1.2Sr1.8Mn2O7F2 (Ln = Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, and Gd)

Abstract A series of fluorine intercalated Ruddlesden–Popper layered perovskites, Ln 1.2 Sr 1.8 Mn 2 O 7 F 2 (Ln = La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, and Gd) were synthesized from the parent oxides, Ln 1.2 Sr 1.8 Mn 2 O 7 , with the organic reagent, poly(vinylidene fluoride), as the fluorine source. Oxidative intercalation readily occurred by decomposition of the organic fluoride immediately adjacent to the parents.
DNA synthesis, mitosis, and differentiation in cardiac myogenesis.

Abstract Cardiac muscle cells obtained by trypsinizing 5-day chick embryonic heart were cultured as single cells in separate culture dishes. Using this technique, problems of heterotypic cell interactions, “overgrowth” of one cell type, etc., are eliminated. Experiments performed on these single cell cultures show that the muscle cells in the embryonic chick hearts differ in morphology, including content of cross-striated myofibrils; in ability to synthesize DNA and undergo mitosis; and in frequency of contraction. Contracting cells containing cross-striated myofibrils undergo mitosis in vitro, giving rise to spontaneously beating daughter cells. These daughter cells contain cytoplasmic fibrils, which bind fluorescein-labeled antimyosin immediately after cytokinesis. Some cardiac muscle cells from 5-day heart do not divide in culture; the rest undergo 1–5 doublings. This preliminary investigation suggests that the new muscle cells formed during cardiac growth are derived from mitotically active “overtly” differentiated cardiac muscle cells.
Water Vapor as a Factor Affecting the Survival of Ephestia Elutella and Lasioderma Serricorne at Reduced Pressure

Until comparatively recent years the study of the effect of artificially reduced pressures on insects has been neglected, although Robert Boyle (1670) made observations on the activity of insects and other animals exposed in partial vacuum and was apparently the first to record notes on the effects of lowered pressures. Following his observations, many years, even centuries, elapsed before entomologists began to pay serious attention to this factor. Cole (1906) carried out some experiments with the rice weevil ( Sitophilus oryza (L.)) in a reduced atmosphere, and since that time several investigators have made studies of this question. The data which have been accumulated and presented indicate that the investigators entertain different concepts, in some cases opposite in nature, on the effect of reduced pressure on insects.