cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neuroimaging in Baboons

The use of animal models is crucial because many important scientific questions require experimental designs precluded in humans by ethical considerations. These designs include experimental brain lesions, investigational treatments, untreated controls for disease, and invasive physiological monitoring. Important brain functions differ between primates and rodents (Berger et al., 1991), so some investigations of human-relevant physiology require nonhuman primate subjects. Additionally, development of new research techniques in nonhuman primates allows estimation of the data required to judge safety for later human applications, such as dosing and toxicology for a new computed tomography (CT) contrast agent. Baboons (Papio spp.) have been employed for neuroimaging studies for many years. A primary motivation for their use is their relatively large brain (approximately 185 mL as opposed to 55–110 mL for various macaque species). This advantage is especially salient, given theoretical and practical limitations on image resolution for important imaging methods. An additional advantage of baboons is their relative hardiness in the laboratory setting. The primary limitations of baboons for research, compared with macaques, involve larger bodies, less docile behavior, and lesser ability to learn. The larger size translates to higher space requirements for laboratory housing, and to increased strength, hence danger to humans if agitated. The other two limitations lead to difficulty in training baboons for awake studies. Some important neuroimaging studies can be performed in sedated animals. However, other experimental designs require interaction with the animal during the scan, and some physiological measurements are affected by sedation with any class of anesthetic (Grome and McCulloch, 1981; Mies et al., 1981; McCulloch, 1984; Nehls et al., 1990; Ueki et al., 1992; Engber
From teaching to assessment: Benefits of interactive lecture cues

The current study examined the effectiveness of active lecture cues, rather than passive lecturing, on three levels of Bloom’s taxonomy. Distributed rehearsal lecture cues (DRLC) query students about course material in a repetitive manner. Conversely, elaborative rehearsal lecture cues (ERLC) prompt students to personally connect with the material. It was hypothesised that students’ scores would be significantly higher for constructs taught using either active lecture cue than passive lecture techniques. It was hypothesised that DRLC would be the most effective for knowledge level test items, while ERLC would be most effective for comprehension and application level test items. Repeated measure ANOVAs supported the hypotheses, suggesting active lecturing techniques influence the level at which students learned the information.
Epitaxial Growth of MgxCa1-xO on GaN by Atomic Layer Deposition.

We demonstrate for the first time that a single-crystalline epitaxial MgxCa1–xO film can be deposited on gallium nitride (GaN) by atomic layer deposition (ALD). By adjusting the ratio between the amounts of Mg and Ca in the film, a lattice matched MgxCa1–xO/GaN(0001) interface can be achieved with low interfacial defect density. High-resolution X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows that the lattice parameter of this ternary oxide nearly obeys Vegard’s law. An atomically sharp interface from cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed the high quality of the epitaxy. High-temperature capacitance–voltage characterization showed that the film with composition Mg0.25Ca0.75O has the lowest interfacial defect density. With this optimal oxide composition, a Mg0.25Ca0.75O/AlGaN/GaN metal–oxide–semiconductor high-electron-mobility (MOS-HEMT) device was fabricated. An ultrahigh on/off ratio of 1012 and a near ideal SS of 62 mV/dec were achieved with this device.
Antisuicidal response following ketamine infusion is associated with decreased nighttime wakefulness in major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder

Objective Insomnia and disrupted sleep are associated with increased risk of suicide. The N-methyl-d-aspartate antagonist ketamine has been associated with reduced suicidal thoughts, but the mechanism of action is unknown. This study sought to evaluate differences in nocturnal wakefulness in depressed individuals who did and did not have an antisuicidal response to ketamine. Methods Thirty-four participants with baseline suicidal ideation diagnosed with either DSM-IV major depressive disorder (n = 23) or bipolar depression (n = 11) between 2006 and 2013 completed nighttime electroencephalography (EEG) the night before and the night after a single ketamine infusion (0.5 mg/kg over 40 minutes). Suicidal ideation was assessed at baseline and the morning after ketamine infusion via several measures, including the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale suicide item, the suicide item of the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale, and the first 5 items of the Scale for Suicide Ideation. A generalized linear mixed model evaluated differences in nocturnal wakefulness, as verified by EEG, between those who had an antisuicidal response to ketamine and those who did not, controlling for baseline nocturnal wakefulness. Results were also compared to the sleep of healthy controls (n = 22). Results After analyses adjusted for baseline sleep, participants with an antisuicidal response to ketamine showed significantly reduced nocturnal wakefulness the night after ketamine infusion compared to those without an antisuicidal response (F₁,₂₂ = 5.04, P = .04). Level of nocturnal wakefulness after antisuicidal response to ketamine did not differ significantly from nocturnal wakefulness in the control sample but did differ at a trend level (F₁,₄₀ = 3.15, P = .08). Conclusions Reductions in wakefulness following ketamine may point to a biological mechanism underlying the effect of ketamine on suicidal ideation. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00088699.
Poesía e historia en el Compendio Historial (1630) de Melchor Jufré de Águila

In this article, I analyze the intersections between poetry and history in Melchor Jufre de Aguila’s Compendio Historial del Descubrimiento y Conquista del Reino de Chile (1630). To that end, I first describe the book’s material trajectory in order to distinguish writing and publishing practices linked to specific orders of the discourse. Then I discuss the different historiographic and poetic models used in the text, examining the humanist tradition of the abbreviated chronicle and the substitution of the epic poetry by Gongorist poetry as the model for representing the conquest at the beginning of the seventeenth century. Finally, I analyze Jufre de Aguila’s critique of defensive war, as well as his dispute with Jesuit missionary Luis de Valdivia, illustrating some of the discursive conflicts that were held in the nascent lettered order of colonial Chile.
Analysis and Intervention of Self-Injurious Behavior.

This research utilized combined multitreatment and multiple baseline designs to determine the relative influences of task demands, vibration, and a brief overcorrection procedure on two topographies of self-injurious behavior in one 16-year-old retarded male. Results showed that: (1) under high demand conditions only one topography of self-injury displayed systematic change (increased frequency), (2) under a vibration condition with no demands both topographies decreased from baseline levels, and (3) a 30-second overcorrection procedure was successful in virtually eliminating self-injury at initial implementation and at a 1-year follow-up. Social validity measures confirmed the findings of response suppression and, additionally, increases in social play behavior. These data suggest that the self-injurious behaviors within one person, may be controlled by more than one stimulus condition.
A Control-Relevant Multivariable System Identification Methodology Based on Orthogonal Multifrequency Input Perturbations

Abstract In this paper, we propose a MIMO system identification method utilizing an orthogonal multifrequency input perturbation which we call the “zippered᾿ Schroeder-phased signal. Guidelines for the design of a plant-friendly “zippered᾿ Schroeder-phased input are presented based on a priori knowledge of open-loop time constants and closed-loop system response requirements of the system to be identified. A frequency response estimate is then obtained by applying discrete Fourier transforms (DFTs) to the data. Control-relevant parameter estimation via a frequency-weighted curvefitting problem formulation tailored for orthogonal signal perturbations is presented. Application of the methodology is shown for the case of Model Predictive Control of a high purity binary distillation column, a nonlinear, highly interactive system.
A machine learning approach to evaluating translation quality

We explored supervised machine learning (ML) techniques to understand and predict the adequacy and fluency of English-Spanish machine translation. Five experiments were conducted using three classifiers in Weka, an open-source ML tool. We found that the highest performance was achieved by applying a dimensionality reduction approach to the classification task, which included collapsing a numeric scale of quality to two categories: high quality and low quality. Our results showed that the Support Vector Machine classifier performed the best at predicting the adequacy (65.65%) and fluency (65.77%) of the translations. More research is needed to explore the methodologies of applying ML to translation evaluation.
Global Nonlinear Fitness Function for Protein Structures

We examine the problem of constructing fitness landscape of proteins for generating amino acid sequences that would fold into an a priori determined structural fold. Such a landscape would be useful for engineering proteins with novel or enhanced biochemistry. It should be able to characterize the global fitness landscape of many proteins simultaneously, and can guide the search process to identify the correct protein sequences. We introduce two geometric views and propose a formulation using mixture of nonlinear Gaussian kernel functions. We aim to solve a simplified protein sequence design problem. Our goal is to distinguish each native sequence for a major portion of representative protein structures from a large number of alternative decoy sequences, each a fragment from proteins of different folds. The nonlinear fitness function developed discriminates perfectly a set of 440 native proteins from 14 million sequence decoys, while no linear fitness function can succeed in this task. In a blind test of unrelated proteins, the nonlinear fitness function misclassifies only 13 native proteins out of 194. This compares favorably with about 3–4 times more misclassifications when optimal linear functions are used. To significantly reduce the complexity of the nonlinear fitness function, we further constructed a simplified nonlinear fitness function using a rectangular kernel with a basis set of proteins and decoys chosen a priori. The full landscape for a large number of protein folds can be captured using only 480 native proteins and 3200 nonprotein decoys via a finite Newton method, compared to about 7000 proteins and decoys in the original nonlinear fitness function. A blind test of a simplified version of sequence design was carried out to discriminate simultaneously 428 native sequences with no significant sequence identity to any training proteins from 11 million challenging protein-like decoys. This simplified fitness function correctly classified 408 native sequences, with only 20 misclassifications (95% correct rate), which outperforms several other statistical linear fitness functions and optimized linear functions. Our results further suggested that for the task of global sequence design, the search space of protein shape and sequence can be effectively parameterized with a relatively small number of carefully chosen basis set of proteins and decoys. For example, the task of designing 428 selected nonhomologous proteins can be achieved using a basis set of about 3680 proteins and decoys. In addition, we showed that the overall landscape is not overly sensitive to the specific choice of the proteins and decoys. The construction of fitness landscape has broad implication in understanding molecular evolution, cellular epigenetic state, and protein structures. Our results can be generalized to construct other types of fitness landscape.
A systematic scoping review of the recent literature (∼2011–2017) about the costs of illness to parents of children diagnosed with cancer

Abstract Purpose The study purpose was to map and identify gaps in the recent (∼2011–2017) literature on the costs of illness to parents of children diagnosed with cancer. The costs of illness include direct costs, indirect costs and psychosocial costs. Methods A systematic scoping review was conducted. Data sources included PubMed, CINAHL, PsychInfo and EconLit. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they were conducted in high-income countries, published in the English language, and reported parent perspectives on direct costs, indirect costs and/or psychosocial costs due to financial costs. Results 25 studies were eligible. Most were conducted in Canada, the USA, or Sweden. The studies used a variety of designs, target populations, time frames and sample sizes. Intervention studies were lacking. Across studies fathers were underrepresented. While no study comprehensively measured costs of illness, more studies used rigorous methods and considered psychosocial costs. Financial costs were measured using a micro-costing or general estimates approach. Psychosocial costs were measured using a variety of PRO measures, some of which were investigator developed. The studies provide evidence that financial toxicity occurs in pediatric oncology. Conclusions Future studies should comprehensively measure costs using a consistent set of established measures and make efforts to recruit fathers to cost of illness research. Interventions to mitigate financial toxicity are needed.
Mechanical Influences on Bone Mass and Morphology

While the ability of exercise to favorably influence bone mass and strength has been established long ago, the challenge becomes to determine which specific components of the loading milieu are anabolic and anti-resorptive to bone tissue and how to translate this information to the clinic. Loading parameters such as force magnitude, loading duration, or loading frequency all have a critical impact on altering the levels of bone formation and resorption and may interact with each other to define the skeletal outcome of any applied loading regime. Recent advances in understanding which components of bone’s mechanical milieu are osteogenic have allowed the development of biomechanical prophylaxes against bone loss, including the anabolic potential of extremely low-level, high-frequency mechanical signals, an example of a non-drug intervention for the prevention of bone loss. Studies such as these, while preliminary, emphasize that signals need not be large to be effective and that there may be ways of stimulating the skeleton mechanically without necessarily requiring an individual to exercise.
An Ecological Perspective on Nonprofit Research

Richard Steinberg’s chapter (this volume) is a work of remarkable scope, which cuts a trail through most of the issues that engage nonprofit researchers. The underbrush is thick and one can only marvel at the sharpness and clarity with which he slices away to reveal, in some cases, cumulating wisdom and, in others, more interesting and sophisticated research problems.
Shaking a Piece of String to Rest

Periodic disturbances play an important role in many diverse areas within science and engineering. Examples of periodic disturbances are the motion of a pendulum in a gravitational field, the motion of celestial bodies, and oscillations in an electrical circuit. When periodic disturbances travel in space, they are described collectively as “wave motion.” Some familiar examples of wave motion are the motion of ripples on the surface of a pond, sound waves, and transverse vibrations on a taut, flexible string.
Sandwiched PRS Fabry-Perot Structure for Achieving Compactness and Improved Aperture Efficieny

This paper presents a unique approach to achieve compactness and improved aperture efficiency through sandwiched partially reflecting surface (SPRS) in the Fabry-Perot antenna. The proposed antenna features both low profile and high aperture efficiency. A prototype antenna has been designed and validated numerically, which can achieve an aperture efficiency of 74.94% and a gain of 12.35 dBi at 25.3 GHz.
Intercisternal substances of the Golgi apparatus

In media of high ionic strength, neutral pH, low temperature, and varying ion composition, plant dictyosomes were disassembled into component cisternae. The effective ions included phosphotungstate and several halides. Constituents of the intercisternal or bonding regions were revealed through electron microscope analysis. These included intercisternal elements and electrontransparent plaques of undetermined composition. The intercisternal plaques were confined to the central platelike regions of cisternae and were distinct from the intercisternal fibers. The findings demonstrate that plant dictyosomes can be dissociated into component cisternae. With monovalent halide salts, the unstacking process was sufficiently mild to reveal constituents of the intercisternal region as well as yield intact single cisternae.
INTERMACS Profile Does Not Predict Required Flow Rate of CF-LVAD at Discharge

Purpose Recent studies involving partial-support ventricular assist device (VADs) have suggested INTERMACS Profiles may be used as a means of identifying patients with less severe heart failure who require lower flow rates. We explore which preoperative factors are predictive of continuous-flow left VAD (CF-LVAD) flow requirements at discharge. Methods Retrospective review of 206 patients who underwent primary implantation of CF-LVAD from May 2013 through August 2017 at our center and survived to discharge. We performed step-wise multiple linear regression analysis on preoperative factors to identify factors that predicted CF-LVAD flow rates at the time of discharge. Results Of the 206 patients in our study, 27 (13.1%) were INTERMACS Profile 1, 53 (25.7%) were Profile 2, 95 (46.1%) were Profile 3, 14 were Profile 4, and 17 (6.8%) were Profile 5-7. Mean flow rates at discharge were 5.3±1.3, 5.3±1.6, 4.9±1.3, 5.3±1.2, and 5.8±1.0 L/min, respectively. Linear regression analysis showed INTERMACS Profile was not correlated with LVAD flow (p=0.73). Age (Regression Coefficient [RC] = -0.03, p=0.009), body surface area (BSA; RC = 0.23, p=0.03), creatinine (RC = 0.40, p=0.02) and mean right atrial pressure (RC = 0.05, p=0.02) were significantly correlated with higher flow rates (Table). Conclusion INTERMACS Profile was not a predictor of required flow rates for patients on CF-LVAD support at the time of discharge. Younger age, higher BSA, and preoperative creatinine and mean right atrial pressure predicted greater flow requirements. Further studies are warranted to devise predictive models of CF-LVAD flow requirements.
Pesticide residues in fruit and vegetables.

Publisher Summary Pesticides are used extensively throughout the world to improve agricultural production by reducing pest populations such as insects, weeds, and plant diseases. While the inherent toxicological properties of pesticides allow them to control pests in agriculture, there is significant concern about the potential risks posed by pesticides to the environment, non-target organisms, and to humans who may be inadvertently exposed to them. Consumer concern regarding pesticide residues in foods has been responsible, in part, for the increased demand in foods certified to be “oeorganic”. US national standards for organic foods were developed in 2000 and have ensured greater uniformity among organic food production practices. The standards prohibit the use of most synthetic pesticides, although natural pesticides derived from sources such as minerals, plants, and microbes are permitted. Pesticides may leave residues in a variety of foods, including meats, poultry, dairy products, and grains. This chapter focuses on the pesticide residues in fruit and vegetables and discusses the types and amounts of pesticides used, pesticide regulation, residue monitoring, and risk assessment.
Liquid crystal nose based on chiral photonic band gap materials: principles of selective response

Novel liquid crystalline (LC) compositions are suggested and studied as elements of LC-nose. This allows for optical detection of several volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Ethanol, toluene, pyridine and acetic acid were detected by means of colorimetric and spectroscopic techniques during their diffusion inside chiral elements of LC-nose. Selectivity to different VOCs is enhanced by means of components of liquid crystal matrix with different viscosity, affinities to the solvents, and abilities to form hydrogen bonding.
The impact of financial toxicity in gastrointestinal cancer patients

Abstract Background Biopsychosocial distress screening is a critical component of comprehensive cancer care. Financial issues are a common source of distress in this patient population. This study uses a biopsychosocial distress screening tool to determine the factors associated with financial toxicity and the impact of these stressors on gastrointestinal cancer patients. Methods A 48-question, proprietary distress screening tool was administered to patients with gastrointestinal malignancies from 2009 to 2015. This validated, electronically-administered tool is given to all new patients. Responses were recorded on a 5-point Likert scale from 1 (not a problem) to 5 (very severe problem), with responses rated at ≥3 indicative of distress. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to analyze the data. Results Most of the 1,027 patients had colorectal (50%) or hepatobiliary (31%) malignancies. Additionally, 34% of all patients expressed a high level of financial toxicity. Age greater than 65 (odds ratio: 0.63, 95% confidence interval: 0.47–0.86, P Conclusion Financial toxicity impacts a large number of cancer patients. Further study of at-risk populations may identify patients who would benefit from pre-emptive education and counseling interventions as part of their routine cancer care.
Resonant tunneling anisotropic magnetoresistance induced by magnetic proximity

We reveal that the interplay between Rashba spin-orbit coupling and proximity-induced magnetization in a two-dimensional electron gas leads to peculiar transport properties and large anisotropy of magnetoresistance. While the related tunneling anisotropic magnetoresistance (TAMR) has been extensively studied before, we predict an effect with a different origin arising from the evolution of a resonant condition with the in-plane rotation of magnetization and having a much larger magnitude. The resonances in the tunneling emerge from a spin-parity-time symmetry of the scattering states. However, such a symmetry is generally absent from the system itself and only appears for certain parameter values. Without resonant behavior in the topological surface states of a proximitized three-dimensional topological insulator (TI), TAMR measurements can readily distinguish them from often misinterpreted trivial Rashba-like states inherent to many TIs.
Antihyperglycemic Therapies With Expansions of US Food and Drug Administration Indications to Reduce Cardiovascular Events: Prescribing Patterns Within an Academic Medical Center

Sodium-glucose cotransport protein-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) have been shown to reduce cardiovascular events in high-risk patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We examined real-world use of these agents at a US academic medical center in the state of Mississippi. Prescriptions, provider specialty, and insurance status of users of SGLT2is and GLP-1RAs in patients with T2DM, and T2DM and cardiovascular disease (CVD) seen from 1st January 2013 to 30th June 2019 were obtained by electronic health records review. We identified 21,173 patients with T2DM and CVD. Overall, 306 (1.4%) and 349 (1.6%) patients received a SGLT2i and GLP-1RA, respectively. After the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded empagliflozin and liraglutide indications, a mean difference of 19.2 and 12.7 greater quarterly new prescriptions was noted, respectively, whereas no such rise in canagliflozin was observed. Primary care physicians accounted for 53.4% SGLT2i prescriptions, endocrinology for 30.3%, and cardiology for 6.0%. Primary care physicians accounted for 45.1% GLP-1RA prescriptions, endocrinology for 45.0%, and cardiology for 1.4%. Prescription patterns did not largely differ by patient insurance status. In conclusion, prescription of evidence-based therapies to improve CVD outcomes in high-risk patients with T2DM remains very low after several years of evidence generation. Low uptake was evident across insurance types. Modest increases in use were observed after regulatory expansions in labeling; however, cardiologists rarely engaged in prescription, underscoring the need for widespread implementation strategies across health care systems.
The Migration Pattern of Florida Seasonal Farmworkers

This article investigates the migration pattern of seasonal farmworkers in the Florida strawberry industry based on a worker survey conducted in 2016. In the survey, we asked workers where they were working and what crops they were working on before this job. We also asked where they would migrate and what crops they would be working on after this job. We found most workers were from Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, California in that order, and similar percentages of workers would migrate to these states after the job. Blueberries, tomatoes, and apples were the top three crops they were working on before and after the job.
Public Opinion on Refugee Policy in the United States, 1938-2019: Increasing Support for Refugees and the Sympathy Effect:

Eight decades of opinion polls (1938–2019) on US refugee policies show that most Americans have historically opposed admitting refugees but this trend has been reversed in the twenty-first century....
The Influence of Obesity on Hospital Admission After Outpatient Foot and Ankle Surgery.

Abstract We examined the association of body mass index (BMI) with sociodemographic data, medical comorbidities and hospital admission following ambulatory foot and ankle surgery. We conducted an analysis utilizing data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database from 2007 to 2016. Adult patients who underwent ankle surgery defined as ankle arthrodesis, ankle open reduction and internal fixation, and Achilles tendon repair in the outpatient setting. We examined 6 BMI ranges:
Numerical study of a latent heat thermal energy storage system enhanced by varying fin configurations

Abstract This paper presents the results of a numerical study to investigate the effects of employing annular fins on the performance of a latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) system during the charging and discharging processes. The volume of the fins is kept constant for all the studied cases. The LHTES system consists of a cylindrical container filled with RT55 as the phase change material with a central pipe that passes through the container carrying the heat transfer fluid. The system was tested with no fins attached to the central pipe as the benchmark case. The fins were split into two categories: ten fins with a thickness of 1.587 mm and twenty fins with a thickness of 0.794 mm. These two categories were then subcategorized to uniform and variable fin lengths. The fin configuration that enhanced the charging process the most was twenty fins of variable length with long fins on the bottom of the pipe which resulted in a charge time decrease of 73.7%. For the discharging process, the optimal configuration was twenty fins with a uniform length which resulted in a time decrease of 79.2%. With respect to both charging and discharging time, the most effective configuration was the twenty-fin configuration with a uniform length which decreased the overall time by 76.3%.
Association between county level cannabis dispensary counts and opioid related mortality rates in the United States: panel data study

Abstract Objective To examine county level associations between the prevalence of medical and recreational cannabis stores (referred to as dispensaries) and opioid related mortality rates. Design Panel regression methods. Setting 812 counties in the United States in the 23 states that allowed legal forms of cannabis dispensaries to operate by the end of 2017. Participants The study used US mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention combined with US census data and data from Weedmaps.com on storefront dispensary operations. Data were analyzed at the county level by using panel regression methods. Main outcome measure The main outcome measures were the log transformed, age adjusted mortality rates associated with all opioid types combined, and with subcategories of prescription opioids, heroin, and synthetic opioids other than methadone. The associations of medical dispensary and recreational dispensary counts with age adjusted mortality rates were also analyzed. Results County level dispensary count (natural logarithm) is negatively related to the log transformed, age adjusted mortality rate associated with all opioid types (β=−0.17, 95% confidence interval −0.23 to −0.11). According to this estimate, an increase from one to two storefront dispensaries in a county is associated with an estimated 17% reduction in all opioid related mortality rates. Dispensary count has a particularly strong negative association with deaths caused by synthetic opioids other than methadone (β=−0.21, 95% confidence interval −0.27 to −0.14), with an estimated 21% reduction in mortality rates associated with an increase from one to two dispensaries. Similar associations were found for medical versus recreational storefront dispensary counts on synthetic (non-methadone) opioid related mortality rates. Conclusions Higher medical and recreational storefront dispensary counts are associated with reduced opioid related death rates, particularly deaths associated with synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. While the associations documented cannot be assumed to be causal, they suggest a potential association between increased prevalence of medical and recreational cannabis dispensaries and reduced opioid related mortality rates. This study highlights the importance of considering the complex supply side of related drug markets and how this shapes opioid use and misuse.
Facultative variation across a shallow to deep torpor spectrum in hummingbirds

Many small endotherms use torpor, saving energy by a controlled reduction of their body temperature and metabolic rate. Some species (e.g. arctic ground squirrels, hummingbirds) enter deep torpor, dropping their body temperatures by 23-37 {degrees}C, while others can only enter shallow torpor (e.g., pigeons, 3-10 {degrees}C reductions). However, deep torpor in mammals can increase predation risk (unless animals are in burrows or caves), inhibit immune function, and result in sleep deprivation, so even for species that can enter deep torpor, facultative shallow torpor might help balance energy savings with these potential costs. Deep torpor occurs in three avian orders. Although the literature hints that some bird species can use both shallow and deep torpor, little empirical evidence of such an avian torpor spectrum exists. We infrared imaged three hummingbird species that are known to use deep torpor, under natural temperature and light cycles, to test if they were also capable of shallow torpor. All three species used both deep and shallow torpor, often on the same night. Depending on the species, they used shallow torpor for 5-35% of the night. The presence of a bird torpor spectrum indicates a capacity for fine-scale physiological and genetic regulation of avian torpid metabolism.
Fins of Fury or Fainéant: Fluoxetine impacts the aggressive behavior of fighting fish (Betta splendens).

Abstract While an extensive literature has demonstrated that the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant fluoxetine, disrupts aggressive behavior in male Betta splendens the behavioral mechanisms underlying this disruption remain unknown. To elucidate the behavioral mechanism underlying fluoxetine, male fish were acutely exposed to a 10 μmol (0.0034578 μg/L) concentration of fluoxetine for 25 days using an ABA design. Male Betta splendens are naturally aggressive fish with well-studied and patterned behavioral responses. Importantly, aggressive behavior in this species can be conditionally primed allowing for examination of motivational components of behavior in addition to motor performance. The present study focused on using female fish as an ecologically relevant prime for eliciting aggressive behavior as a means of examining the motivational and motoric effects of fluoxetine. We found that male courtship with a female was strongly correlated with aggressive responding against a mirror. However, despite the strong correlation male fish were not found to have different levels of aggression or changes in aggressive responding when compared to males not primed with a female. Also, latency was not different between the no female prime and female prime males for either the excitatory mirror condition or inhibitory white wall condition, of which the fish had no preference. However, fluoxetine was found to have profound effects on all males in the study regardless of prime type, with increases in latency for the mirror and white wall and decreases in aggressive responding to the mirror. These results support the hypothesis that fluoxetine impairs aggressive motivation and movement in Betta splendens.
Functional interaction between Mrp4 (abcc4) and Bcrp (abcg2) as revealed by the single and double-knockout mouse

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 606 Recent studies from our laboratory and others (Mol. Cancer Therap. 4, 547, 2005) have demonstrated that Mrp4 can transport and confer resistance to camptothecins. It is well known that Bcrp also transports and confers resistance to camptothecins. Bcrp is prominently expressed at the apical surface of polarized cells (intestinal epithelium), whereas Mrp4 is expressed, depending upon the tissue, at either the apical or basolateral membrane in vivo (MCB. 24, 7612 2005). Thus, it is possible in some tissues that Mrp4 and Bcrp might functionally oppose each other in vivo. Moreover, we have noted that in the absence of Mrp4 some tissues upregulated Bcrp, further suggesting these proteins have a functional overlap and might compensate for one another. To understand the role of these transporters in vivo we have developed the Mrp4 and Bcrp double-knockout (DKO) mice and performed various analyses. The mice are viable and fertile and gain weight as expected. Hematologic analysis reveals no disruption in formation of mature myeloid or lymphoid elements. Given the lack of obvious physiological impairment in the DKO, we will report on how the absence of each transporter and both together affects chemotherapeutic drug distribution in vivo. These findings will reveal the contribution of each transporter to their common substrates.
The Arbitrary Nature of Giftedness

This chapter demonstrates the arbitrary nature of giftedness in the United States. It describes five ways in which labeling and identifying children for gifted programs is an arbitrary decision. It will make explicit the subjective decision-making and value systems that underlie most protocols for identifying gifted children and describe the implications that it has on policies and practices in gifted education. Finally, the chapter will propose a vision for the field of gifted education that recognizes and celebrates the diversity of children and supports the role of the gifted educator to develop and nurture the strengths of all students.
Beyond What “Is” and What “Is-Not”

Abstract Functional contextualism is a philosophy of science that maintains a notable silence on issues pertaining to philosophical ontology. Presumably, this is because ontological statements are not needed for successful working within functional contextualist scientific activities, such as behavioral research and practice. While this position is sound within the philosophical system of functional contextualism, it may appear bizarre to outside practitioners and scholars, with the effect of creating barriers to interdisciplinary collaboration. We propose that, as pragmatists, functional contextualists can adopt ontological language in particular contexts of interdisciplinary collaboration for the purposes of working more successfully with others. In this paper, we briefly describe this position and discuss hypothetical and real examples of potentially more-fruitful and less-fruitful examples of ontological speaking.
Brain Tumor Therapy Using Genetically Engineered Replication-Competent Virus

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on brain tumor therapy using genetically engineered replication-competent virus. The most malignant and fastest growing tumor in the brain is glioblastoma multiforme. This tumor, even with modern technology using neurosurgical techniques, radiation, and chemotherapy, allows a patient a median survival of about one year after diagnosis. The proposed therapeutic mechanisms involve either direct cell killing by the virus or the production of new antigens on the tumor cell surface to induce immunologic rejection. Viruses are the most efficient means for getting foreign genes into cells. Various preliminary studies have suggested that the concept of viral tumor therapy is feasible because a virus can be genetically engineered to kill glioblastoma cells in situ with relative sparing of the surrounding brain. In glioblastoma multiforme, the tumor cells are rapidly proliferating, whereas the normal brain cells are quiescent and postmitotic. Therefore, the tumor cells provide a selected target for the mutated virus to replicate, lyse these cells, and spread to the surrounding proliferating tumor cells. Many steps are involved in viral antitumor therapy: distinguishing between the normal tissue and abnormal tumor cells .effective targeting and elimination of the abnormal cells by the virus and amplifying this effect to surrounding tumor cells. The discussion includes replication-incompetent and replication-competent vectors for gene transfer to tumors and the safety issues associated with it. To overcome the potential safety problems related to the viral antitumor therapy, other HSV mutants with decreased neurovirulence are also explored. Such mutant(s) would enable the administration of higher doses of virus, rendering treatment more effective, for example mutant RE6 and mutant R3616. Immune-mediated tumor therapy via gene delivery is an active area of research. Also, the viruses described in this chapter can be further engineered to produce cytokines to increase antitumor therapy.
Subcellular localization of PEPCK and metabolism of gluconeogenic substrains of renal cell lines

The two gluconeogenic substrains of renal epithelial cells, LLC-PK1-FBPase+ and OKGNG+, have been shown to differ markedly in their metabolism of lactate and pyruvate. OKGNG+ cells consumed lactate as well as pyruvate at high rates in contrast to LLC-PK1-FBPase+ cells, which failed to take up or utilize lactate. (Aminooxy)acetate (AOA), an inhibitor of transamination reactions, was used to further delineate these differences. Lactate consumption of OKGNG+ cells was significantly inhibited by AOA, whereas pyruvate consumption by LLC-PK1-FBPase+ cells was slightly stimulated. Growth of OKGNG+ cultures, however, could be achieved on lactate in the presence of AOA. From these results it was concluded that the cell strains might differ in the subcellular distribution of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK). LLC-PK1-FBPase+ cells may express both mitochondrial and cytosolic PEPCK isoenzymes, whereas OKGNG+ cells express only the mitochondrial isoenzyme. This was tested by directly assaying PEPCK activity in subcellular fractions of the cells. In OKGNG+ cells PEPCK activity fractionated with the mitochondrial marker glutamate dehydrogenase; however, in LLC-PK1-FBPase+ cells two-thirds of PEPCK activity was found in the cytosol. In LLC-PK1-FBPase+ cells, PEPCK activity increased twofold on incubation in acidic culture medium (pH 6.9) for 18 h, in contrast to the PEPCK activity in OKGNG+ cells. Northern blot analysis using cDNA probes specific for the mitochondrial and cytosolic PEPCK mRNAs confirmed the enzyme activity data. In LLC-PK1-FBPase+ cells strong expression of cytosolic PEPCK mRNA was observed, whereas in OKGNG+ cells only very low levels could be detected.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The effectiveness of a single regional model in predicting non-native woody plant naturalization in five areas within the Upper Midwest (United States)

Numerous predictive models have been developed to determine the likelihood that non-native plants will escape from cultivation and potentially become invasive. Given the substantial biological and economic costs that can result from the introduction of a new invasive plant and the unending pressures of world trade and transport, the creation and implementation of effective predictive models are becoming increasingly important. One key question in the development of such models focuses on the geographic scope at which models can best be developed and applied. We have developed models to predict woody-plant naturalization in five local areas within the Upper Midwest (United States). Herein, we consider whether naturalization can be reasonably predicted from a single model for the entire region or whether local models are required for each specific area. We develop a random forest model to predict the probability of naturalization in the region and compare out-of-sample prediction errors between the regional and local models. The regional model makes better predictions of the probability of naturalization for those species observed to naturalize but worse predictions for those not currently observed to naturalize. This model development process has given us an opportunity (not previously addressed in the literature) to examine the strengths and weaknesses of local and regional approaches, with the ultimate intent of optimizing geographic scope.
IEEE 802.11b cooperative protocols: a performance study

This paper investigates the use of cooperative communications in the context of IEEE 802.11b to combat radio signal degradation. The performance gain of both an existing cooperative protocol and the one proposed in the paper is discussed. It is quantitatively shown how much the two cooperative protocols increase throughput, lower delivery latency, and extend transmission span, when compared to the conventional IEEE 802.11b protocol. These features may help improve connectivity and network performance in ad hoc applications.
Roles of B cells in rheumatoid arthritis

B lymphocytes play several critical roles in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. They are the source of the rheumatoid factors and anticitrullinated protein antibodies, which contribute to immune complex formation and complement activation in the joints. B cells are also very efficient antigen-presenting cells, and can contribute to T cell activation through expression of costimulatory molecules. B cells both respond to and produce the chemokines and cytokines that promote leukocyte infiltration into the joints, formation of ectopic lymphoid structures, angiogenesis, and synovial hyperplasia. The success of B cell depletion therapy in rheumatoid arthritis may depend on disruption of all these diverse functions.
Mass Loss from Single and Close Binary Stars

My commission was to give a lecture on “Stellar Evolution in the Galaxy”. I actually delivered a lecture on the evolution of close binary stars, with emphasis on that scenario for the formation of type 1 supernovae that has as its penultimate stage two white dwarfs which are separated by only a fraction of a solar radius and which are rapidly approaching one another due to the loss of orbital angular momentum via the emission of gravitational wave radiation. While listening for two weeks to dozens of fascinating lectures on Galactic stellar content and on Galactic structure which treat stars as points of fixed mass, I wondered how the pretty pictures (of, say, Galactic potential and stellar orbits) would change if one were to take into account the facts that: as they evolve, the majority of single stars which evolve beyond the main sequence in a Hubble time lose on the order of half or more of their initial mass; close binary stars, as a rule, lose much more than half of their initial mass in a sequence of common envelope events; and, in all cases, the major mass loss event is of short duration and is in all likelihood not spherically symmetric. Thus, the stars that respond to and are used to help define the Galactic potential: (1) experience changes in their kinematic characteristics due to impulses imparted in asymmetric mass-loss events which occur on a time scale quite short compared to a Galactic rotation period and (2) eject substantial quantities of matter in gaseous form to contribute to the Galactic potential in a way quite different from the way in which the parent star contributed.
The significance of fluvial erosion, channel storage and gravitational processes in sediment production in a small mountainous catchment area

In an area with highly erodible Pleistocene loose sediments, investigations on the significance of different sediment production processes were carried out. Data obtained during storm events show that channel storage and flushing dominate the sediment loads of the 10.1 ha research basin. Only about 20% of sediments transported out of the basin are explicable by fluvial erosion on bare erosional scars. Calculations of sediment budgets for two-year periods by means of regression models for hillslope erosion by water and sediment loads of the receiving river, demonstrate that only 50% of the annual sediment load of the river can be explained by sediment production processes due to rainfall and running water on hillslopes. The rest of the annual sediment load results from gravitational processes, which mainly occur in winter during ablation periods. Therefore an alternation of sediment production by gravitational processes in winter and removal by fluvial processes during summer can be assumed.
A Nondifferentiable Optimization Algorithm for Structural Problems with Eigenvalue Inequality Constraints

ABSTRACT This paper presents a nondifferentiable optimization algorithm for solution of structural optimal design problems with eigenvalue inequality constraints. The algorithm is shown to be convergent both in the L ∞ and in the sequence space topologies.