cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chordin Expression, Mediated by Nodal and FGF Signaling, is Restricted by Redundant Function of Two β-catenins in the Zebrafish Embryo

Using embryos transgenic for the TOP-GFP reporter, we show that the two zebrafish b-catenins have different roles in the organizer and germ-ring regions of the embryo. b-Catenin-activated transcription in the prospective organizer region specifically requires b-catenin-2, whereas the ventrolateral domain of activated transcription is abolished only when both b-catenins are inhibited. chordin expression during zebrafish gastrulation has been previously shown in both axial and paraxial domains, but is excluded from ventrolateral domains. We show that this gene is expressed in paraxial territories adjacent to the domain of ventrolateral b-catenin-activated transcription, with only slight overlap, consistent with the now well-known inhibitory effects of Wnt8 on dorsal gene expression. Eliminating both Wnt8/b-catenin signaling and organizer activity by inhibition of expression of the two b-catenins results in massive ectopic circumferential expression of chordin and later, by formation of a distinctive embryonic phenotype (‘ciuffo’) that expresses trunk and anterior neural markers with correct relative anteroposterior patterning. We show that chordin expression is required for this neural gene expression. The Nodal gene squint has been shown to be necessary for optimal expression of chordin and is sufficient in some contexts for its expression. However, chordin is not normally expressed in the ventrolateral germ-ring despite robust expression of squint in this domain. We show the ectopic circumferential expression of chordin and other dorsal genes to be completely dependent on Nodal and FGF signaling, and to be independent of a functional organizer. We propose that whereas the axial domain of chordin expression is formed by cells that are derived from the organizer, the paraxial domain is the result of axial-derived anti-Wnt signals, which relieve the repression that otherwise is set by the Wnt8/b-catenin/vox,vent pathway on latent germ-ring Nodal/FGF-activated expression. � 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Effects of Heat on Oxygen Consumption in Bovine Dental Pulp

Oxygen respiration was studied in bovine pulp slices exposed to temperatures of 50, 55, 80, and 100C. Results indicated that respiration is affected at 50C and destroyed at 55C. The significant but subnormal oxygen consumption measured in tissue heated at 80 and 100C is thought to be caused by autooxidation.
A thermal analysis study of Ibuprofen

Ibuprofen has been subjected to a TG/DTA study over the temperature range of 30 to 350°C in a flowing atmosphere of nitrogen. The heating rate and the flow rate were varied. The DTA shows a melting at around 80°C and boiling point range from 212 to 251°C depending upon the heating rate. The mass loss in the TG data confirms the evaporation of Ibuprofen between them.p. and the normalb.p. Evaporation is limited to the surface area, which is a constant in the crucible holding the sample. The DTG plot shows clearly a zero order process which is consistent with the process of evaporation. The enthalpy of vaporization (Δvap H) calculated by Trouton's rule is found to be in the range of 42.7–46.1 kJ mol−1. TheE act for the zero order reaction is in the range of 81.8–87.0 kJ mol−1 and is calculated by use of the derivative method. The value ofE act is about twice that for ΔH vap in Ibuprofen and differs from other compounds, whereE act ≈Δ H vap . It is suggested that the Ibuprofen molecule is existing as a dimer in the liquid state and dissociates to a monomer in the vapor state.
The implication of technology in mediatisation and mediation approaches to religious studies

This paper investigates the groundwork upon which the concepts of mediatisation and mediation were erected, focusing on the very definition of what media-technology is. These concepts frame the conversation among scholars in the study of religion and media. However, despite the fact that the two keywords share the same root, media, they are understood as incompatible with one another. On the one hand, mediatisation is broadly defined as a historical shift in which the logic of mass media transforms traditional forms of religion, subsuming them under the imperative of the modern marketplace. On the other hand, scholars studying the mediation of religion affirm that media have always shaped and transformed religious practices. This investigation argues that the controversy between the two modes of analysis does not consist of whether or to what extent media technology affects or transforms religion. Rather, the conflict arises from how media technology is defined.
Environmental quality criteria: Some considerations

The physicochemical characteristics of the recipient environment into which chemical contaminants are deposited may influence their chemical speciation, mobility, bioavailability, and toxicity. In formulating Water Quality Criteria, the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States (EPA) considered the modifying effect of abiotic environmental factors on pollutant toxicity in an innovative regulatory approach. Scientific knowledge of the interactions and correlations between pollutant toxicity and abiotic factors remains limited. Recognition of the influence of the physicochemical characteristics of the recipient environment on pollutant toxicity has implications for the eventual formulation of regional, rather than uniform and national, criteria. In addition, in developing Water Quality Criteria that incorporate the effects of pollutants on “aquatic life,” EPA primarily focused on toxicity to aquatic animals and plants (including unicellular algae). The effects of pollutants on microbe-mediated ecological processes that are necessary for maintaining the state and quality of the ecosphere (such as biogeochemical cyclings, litter decomposition, and mineralization) were not included in the formulation of the Water Quality Criteria. To facilitate the recognition and quantification of adverse effects of pollutants on these ecological processes, the development of a computation, termed the “ecological dosage 50%” (EcD50) is recommended. Such a formulation could also be applied to setting environmental quality criteria for terrestrial ecosystems.
Minimum triangle separation for correct z-buffer occlusion

We show that, and how, window coordinate precision (the representations of xwin and ywin), field of view, and error accumulated by single-precision mapping arithmetic contribute to, and sometimes dominate, effective z-buffer resolution. Our results are developed analytically, then verified through simulation. Using our approach system designers can allocate numeric precision more efficiently, and programmers can more confidently predict the minimum triangle-to-triangle separation required to ensure correct z-buffer occlusion.
Biochemical characterization of propionyl CoA carboxylase deficiency: heterogeneity within a single genetic complementation group.

Liver tissues and fibroblasts from patients with propionic acidemia assigned to the pcc BC genetic complementation group have previously been shown to contain normal or near-normal quantities of structurally altered propionyl CoA carboxylases (PCC). Biochemical comparisons of PCCs from extracts of three livers and one placenta belonging to the pcc BC complementation group revealed that the Km values for the enzyme's major substrates, propionyl CoA, bicarbonate, and ATP, and its monovalent activator, potassium, were similar to those of normal PCC. PCC in extracts of one of the livers, however, had an altered isoelectric point (pI = 5.4) compared to that of PCC from normal and other PCC-deficient tissues (pK = 4.6–4.7). Thermostability in the presence of sucrose or ATP differed among several of the mutant PCCs, including the PCC with an altered pI, and from that of normal PCC. To confirm these results and to determine whether valid inferences may be derived from comparisons of mutant and normal PCC in crude extracts, PCC was purified from normal liver and from one of the PCC-deficient livers. The biochemical parameters of the purified carboxylases were similar to those observed in liver extracts. These studies further-more confirmed that, whether purified or in extracts, PCC from the pcc BC group reflects structural mutations. Nevertheless, the abnormal enzyme structure appears to have no corresponding effect on the clinical features of the disorder in various affected individuals. Moreover, there is biochemical heterogeneity within the pcc BC complementation group that probably represents different interallelic gene mutations.
Human milk-derived lactoferrin inhibits mitogen and alloantigen induced human lymphocyte proliferation

Purified lactoferrin (LF), isolated from human milk, was tested for its effect on human T-lymphocyte proliferative responses to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and to alloantigens in mixed lymphocyte culture. LF inhibited proliferation in both assays in a dose-dependent manner. The suppressive effect was not due to LF mediated cytotoxicity since washing cells that had been pre-incubated with LF restored their proliferative activity. LF was most effective in suppressing the PHA response when added within 24 h of culture initiation. Iron saturated LF failed to inhibit PHA-induced proliferation, suggesting that the mechanisms of suppression involve the chelating property of LF. The suppressive effect of LF on T-lymphocyte proliferative response in vitro supports the notion that LF has significant immunoregulatory potential in vivo.
Seasonal Changes and Annual Variability in Daily Plasma Melatonin in the Red-Sided Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis)

We report seasonal and annual variation in the daily cycle of plasma melatonin levels in male red-sided garter snakes, Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis. In autumn of 1989 and 1990, levels averaged a maximum of 210 pg/ml during scotophase and a minimum of 45 pg/ml during photophase and had a similar diel pattern. Under hibernation conditions (4 degrees, 0:24 L:D), melatonin was undetectable and a diel cycle could not be determined. In Spring 1990, melatonin levels rose rapidly and precipitously within an hour of emergence (while in photophase), peaked at levels significantly higher than those seen in the autumn (approximately 900 pg/ml) and remained significantly high for 24 hr after emergence (though the majority of animals did have decreased levels at the 0400 sample). By the 10th day after emergence, a diel cycle was reestablished and absolute melatonin levels had decreased. The next spring (1991), melatonin again rose within an hour after emergence, while in photophase, but not as high as the previous year. Also unlike the previous year, a diel cycle was observed within 24 hr of emergence. Melatonin levels at emergence were significantly higher than those observed 10 days later. Disruption of a diel rhythm of plasma melatonin (by pinealectomy the previous autumn) inhibits courtship behavior by males the next spring, implying a role for melatonin in the stimulation of sexual behavior. Males in 1991 (with quickly established melatonin cycles) courted much sooner after emergence than did males in 1990. Therefore, the initial day/night difference in melatonin levels at emergence (i.e., establishment of a normal diel cycle) may function in synchronizing and modulating reproductive behavior in male red-sided garter snakes.
Optical (Camera-Based) Technology for Seismic Risk Assessment

Due to an increasing bandwidth for data transport in recent computers, optical (camera-based) sensors with high frame rates and reasonable resolutions can nowadays be used with off-the-shelf computers. By monitoring buildings, bridges and other infrastructure with such sensors, they can greatly assist in risk assessment. In this paper, several field application examples are described, largely encompassing the areas of civil infrastructure monitoring. Optical (camera-based) systems can be particularly powerful for monitoring both local and global movements within a scene or environment. Therefore, natural hazards induced by such movements, for example during earthquake events, are an important application area for these new technologies. First, a clear definition of seismic risk assessment is provided. Subsequently, two important fields where cameras may be useful in seismic risk assessment are described. Specifically, the context of (i) early warning systems and (ii) post-earthquake assessment are addressed. An example of using the optical record from a series of large shake table tests is provided and comparison with other methods discussed.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Derivation and application of a unit scoring system for the strong vocational interest blank for women

Scoring keys, based upon unit weights, were made up for fourteen occupations of theStrong Vocational Interest Blank for Women. The study here presented of scores obtained in using these keys, in comparison with scores obtained from Dr. Strong's keys, indicates, for 551 women at the University of Rochester, that the new, unit-weighted keys are valid for all practical purposes and make possible a great saving in scoring time.
A New Procedure for Optimization of a Class of Linear Time-Varying Dynamic Systems

This paper deals with optimization of a class of linear time-varying dynamic systems with n states and m control inputs commanded to move between two fixed states in a prescribed final time. Using a conventional procedure with Lagrange multipliers, it is well known that the optimal solution must satisfy 2n first-order linear differential equations in the state and Lagrange multiplier variables. Due to the specific nature of boundary conditions with states given at the two end times, the two-point boundary value problem must be solved iteratively using shooting methods, that is, there is no closed-form quick procedure to obtain the solution of the problem. In this paper, a new procedure for dynamic optimization of this problem is presented that does not use Lagrange multipliers. In this new procedure, it is shown that for a dynamic system with n = pm, where p is an integer, the optimal solution must satisfy m 2p-order differential equations. Due to the absence of Lagrange multipliers, the higher order diff...
Inhibition of monoacylglycerol lipase reduces nicotine withdrawal.

Background and Purpose Abrupt discontinuation of nicotine, the main psychoactive component in tobacco, induces a withdrawal syndrome in nicotine-dependent animals, consisting of somatic and affective signs, avoidance of which contributes to drug maintenance. While blockade of fatty acid amide hydrolase, the primary catabolic enzyme of the endocannabinoid arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide), exacerbates withdrawal responses in nicotine-dependent mice, the role of monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), the main hydrolytic enzyme of a second endocannabinoid 2-arachidonylglycerol (2-AG), in nicotine withdrawal remains unexplored.
Optimal Dispatching of an Infinite-Capacity Shuttle: Control at a Single Terminal

We study the optimal control of a shuttle system consisting of a single infinite-capacity carrier transporting passengers between two terminals. Passengers arrive according to independent Poisson processes, and at only one of the terminals can the dispatcher hold the carrier for more passengers. Our objective: to determine dispatching rules that minimize the long-run average of a linear passenger-waiting-time cost and a charge per trip made by the carrier. When complete information about the system state is available, and travel times are not random, we prove that it is best to dispatch the carrier if, and only if, the total number of passengers waiting at both terminals is greater than a cutoff value. To compute this cutoff value, we propose an iterative method and find that we can approximate it quite well by a simple function of system costs and parameters similar to the economic-lot-size formula. We propose a dispatching rule which may not be optimal for the case when only the number of passengers waiting at one terminal is known, and we compare its efficiency to that of the optimal rule that uses complete information. We outline extensions to other optimality criteria and to the case of stochastic travel times.
Real Time Visualization of Axonal Transport of GTPase Rab7 in Rat Embryonic Dorsal Root Ganglia

Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) neuropathy, characterized by severe sensory neuron loss, is the most common inherited disorder of the peripheral nervous system. Several GTPase Rab7 protein mutants, mainly targeted to the highly conserved amino acid, have been identified in CMT type 2B. Exact mechanism of how such point mutations cause malfunction of neurons is not well understood. Here, we studied how those Rab7 mutations affect their axonal transport in primary rat dorsal root ganglia neurons. Real time fluorescence imaging revealed that Rab7-containing endosomes engage in bi-directional transport in axons, similar to that of TrkA receptors in the same culture. However, the speed of Rab7 transport is significantly slower than that of TrkA. In addition, there is a clear variation in the speed of axonal transport between wild-type Rab7 and mutated Rab7 proteins. Our work suggested that point mutations of Rab7 proteins could potentially cause or contribute to CMT2B neurodegenerative disease by regulating its axonal transport process.
Idioventricular rhythm falsely suggesting ST-elevation myocardial infarction in a patient with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

0022-0736/$ – see fro doi:10.1016/j.jelectroc T Corresponding Fig. Thrombolytic therapy has been increasingly employed in acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Rapid thrombolytic administration and cardiac catheterization have been shown to decrease mortality. However, the risk of major bleeding requires the judicious administration of such therapy. Therefore, thrombolytics should be avoided in high-risk patients and those without electrocardiogram (ECG) changes. A 42-year-old man complained of chest pain radiating to the back of the neck and right arm. Paramedics in route to a local emergency department gave the patient nitroglycerin
Efficient collision culling among deformable objects using graphics processors

We present a fast collision culling algorithm for performing inter- and intra-object collision detection among complex models using graphics hardware. Our algorithm utilizes visibility queries on the GPUs to eliminate a subset of geometric primitives that are not in close proximity and computes a potentially colliding set (PCS) of primitives. We perform no precomputation and the algorithm proceeds in multiple stages: object-level PCS computation, subobject level PCS computation, followed by exact collision detection. We extend our PCS computation algorithm to perform intra-object or self-collisions between complex models. Furthermore, we describe a novel visibility-based classification scheme to reduce the size of potentially-colliding sets of objects and primitives, and the number of visibility queries for further improving the performance and culling efficiency. We have implemented our algorithm on a PC with an NVIDIA GeForce FX 6800 Ultra graphics card and applied it to three complex simulations, each consisting of objects with tens of thousands of triangles. In practice, we are able to compute all the self-collisions for cloth simulation up to image-space precision at interactive rates.
Population Genetic Consequences of Feeding Habits in Some Forest Lepidoptera

By surveying variation at allozyme loci in several phytophagous lepidopteran species (Geometridae), we have tested two hypotheses about the relationship of genetic variation to environmental heterogeneity: (1) that allozyme polymorphisms may exist because of associations between genotypes and "niches" (different host plants, in this instance), and (2) that the overall genetic variation of a species is correlated with environmental heterogeneity (or breadth of the species' overall ecological niche).—Genetic differentiation among samples of oligophagous or polyphagous species taken from different host species was observed in one of three species, at only one of seven polymorphic loci. The data thus provide no evidence for pronounced genetic substructuring, or "host race" formation in these sexually reproducing species, although host plant-genotype associations in a parthenogenetic moth give evidence of the potential for diversifying selection.—In a comparison of allozyme variation in polyphagous ("generalized") and oligophagous ("specialized") species, heterozygosity appeared to be higher in specialized species, at all polymorphic loci but one. It is possible that this unexpected result arises from a functional relation between breadth of diet and genetic variation.
Synthetic discriminants and eigenvector decompositions

The relationships between the synthetic discriminant function and the filters constructed from two eigenvector decompositions are developed and examined.
Cross Sections and Radar Equation for Nonlinear Scatterers

The nonlinear system concepts of nonlinear transfer functions are extended to nonlinear cross sections which may be used to quantitatively describe the characteristics of a nonlinear scatter. The concept of nonlinear cross sections is used to generalize the radar equation for nonlinear scattering objects.
Inclusive Education for High School Students with Severe Intellectual Disabilities: Supporting Communication

This article provides a summary of different strategies used to support the complex communication needs of high school students with severe intellectual disabilities and additional impairments who are included in general education classrooms. The premise of this paper is that students with severe cognitive disabilities benefit from inclusive educational opportunities at the high school level and can acquire critical communication skills, given the necessary support. High school students typically communicate for a variety of purposes and use a variety of different modes of communication. This variety in purpose and mode extends to students who do not use speech and have other severe disabilities. The role that peers can play in the development of communication for high school students is described, as well as the need to critically evaluate the learning environment in order to identify communication opportunities.
Thermotropic Behavior of Lipophilic Derivatized [60]Fullerenes Studied by Deuterium NMR, X-ray Diffraction, and Microcalorimetry

The dynamics, structure, and thermotropic behavior of a new class of lipophilic [60]fullerene (C 60) derivatives, so-called lipo-fullerenes, have been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance ( 2 H NMR), and X-ray scattering. The lipo-fullerene studied consists of six pairs of perdeuterated C18 alkyl chains as substituents of six covalently attached methylene groups in octahedral sites. The symmetry of this highly symmetrical hexamethanofullerene is Th. We find drastic changes of the molecular arrangement of the lipo-fullerenes induced by temperature. Heating the sample from 20 to 70 °C causes it to undergo two major structural transitions. At 55 °C we observe an exothermic transition from a low-temperature, hard sphere-like packing state of the molecules, with separation distances (6.1 nm) slightly above the maximum diameter of the molecules, to a condensed one. This latter state involves partial intercalation (interdigitation) of the alkyl chains belonging to adjacent molecules and is preceded by partial melting of the chains to accommodate sterically for the (exothermic) interdigitation. The latter allows denser packing with an average separation distance of 4.8 nm. At a temperature of 64 °C, an endothermic melting transition from the interdigitated to a viscous fluidlike state is observed, with an average separation distance of 2.8 nm. Cooling the sample from 70 °C causes a direct transition from the fluid into the low-temperature state with no interdigitation of the chains.
The Golfer's Dilemma: A Reply to Kukla on Curve-Fitting

Reponse a l'article de A. Kukla intitule «Forster and Sober on the Curve-Fitting Problem» («British Journal for the Philosophy of Science», 46, pp. 248-252) qui critique la theorie de la simplicite et des parametres ajustables developpee par l'A. Il s'agit de corriger le critere d'information elabore par H. Akaike (AIC) afin de resoudre le paradoxe du golfeur
Extrafloral Nectar Consumption and Its Influence on Survival and Development of an Omnivorous Predator, Larval Chrysoperla plorabunda (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

We examined the role of extrafloral nectar in the ecology of a larval common green lacewing, Chrysoperla plorabunda (Fitch). Larval lacewings were observed foraging freely in cotton fields and almond orchards to quantify their consumption of extrafloral nectar. Extrafloral nectar was a major component of the diet of neonate lacewing larvae foraging on cotton. Extrafloral nectar consumption increased strongly as the local availability of aphid prey declined. Lacewing larvae also fed frequently on extrafloral nectar when foraging in almond orchards. A manipulative diet experiment in the field demonstrated that in the absence of arthropod prey, extrafloral nectar contributed only slightly to neonate lacewing growth and did not support lacewing development. Nevertheless, extrafloral nectar did promote substantial longevity of first-instar lacewing larvae, which were able to maintain a high level of searching activity. Both the field experiment and a laboratory experiment showed that extrafloral nectar provides nutritional benefits that extend beyond those provided by a simple water source. Lacewing larvae are highly omnivorous: they feed on plant-based resources (extrafloral nectar), on herbivorous arthropod prey (e.g., aphids), and on other predatory or omnivorous arthropods.
Deference to the Executive: The US Debate in Global Perspective

This Chapter examines the practice of deference to the executive, by national courts, in the context of interpreting treaties. When faced with an issue of treaty interpretation, to what extent must a national court engage in its own independent analysis, and to what extent ought the court give weight to interpretations advanced by the executive branch? And if deference to the executive is permissible as a matter of international doctrine, what considerations ought to guide the practice? Rather than assessing the propriety of deference to the executive, or its appropriate forms, from the internal perspective of any particular national order, the Chapter seeks to draw out the three axes of interests at stake: national, international, and individual. Reorienting the problem away from the usual national concerns sheds light on both the difficulty of determining the appropriate balance among these interests, and the importance of attempting to do so.
Late Husserl for the Rhetorical Critic

Questions of objectivity are perennial concerns of rhetorical critics— whether it is attainable, what form it takes, and how generally its results may be held. Given the celebrated “particularity” of any given rhetorical act, “objectivity” in rhetorical criticism is generally inadmissible as a standard for evaluation. The most frequent response to such questions is to assume a relativistic critical stance. Another alternative is to take a phenomenological approach—to let “the things” speak for “themselves.” This approach has taken root in communication studies, but less so in rhetorical criticism, given the (false) dilemma that the objectivity-subjectivity dichotomy forces. Edmund Husserl, in his last works, suggests the real decision lies between “ideal” and genuine objectivity. This study, then, offers up this choice, and proposes—by examining Husserl’s later concepts, method, and extensions—that rhetorical critics can, and perhaps should, seek genuine objectivity.
Leaders vs. Laggards: Operating and Market Performance Using Conditional Life Cycle

The economics and management literature is divided on whether leaders or laggards earn higher future operating and stock returns. While there is theory to support each strategy, empirical research has lacked a suitable proxy to capture leader vs. laggard behavior. This study utilizes a combination of firm-specific and industry life cycle information, referred to as conditional life cycle, to categorize leaders and laggards in order to determine each strategy’s effect on future operating and market performance. We find that, in general, laggards outperform their industries. Further, investors undervalue laggards, even after controlling for known risk factors. The ability to characterize firms based on leader/laggard strategy through conditional life cycle has useful applications in analysis, forecasting, and valuation.
Abstract 145: Mitophagy Protects Against Statin-Induced Cell Death in Muscle Cells

Statins are a family of cholesterol lowering drugs associated with undisputable cardiovascular benefits. However, their use is associated with the risk of developing skeletal muscle myopathy which remains a significant barrier to maximizing the efficacy of statin therapy. Many recognize that the instances of statin-associated myopathy reported grossly underestimate the actual frequency of these events. Statin myopathy is a major reason for why many patients are unable to comply with their prescribed statin treatments. Identifying and understanding the molecular events involved in the development of statin-induced myopathy will pave the way to mitigating the unwanted effect of statin-myopathy. We have identified that statins induce mitochondrial loss in both C2C12 myotubes, and in gastrocnemius muscle of mice evidenced by loss of mitochondrial markers Tom70 and Cox4 by western blot analysis. C2C12 myotubes were treated with 2μM simvastatin for 24 hours, and wild-type C57BL/6 mice were given a daily i.p. dose of 20mg/kg simvastatin for 2 weeks. Pretreatment of C2C12 cells with 100nM bafilomycin for 2 hours before statin treatment attenuated autophagic flux, and prevents the observed loss of mitochondria through Tom70 and Cox4 mitochondrial markers. Thus, the loss of mitochondria is attributable to autophagy (mitophagy). Statin treatment increases the expression of Bnip3 and p62/SQSTM1 (sequestosome 1) which have been identified as important facilitators of mitophagy. We found increased Bnip3 dimerization via western blot under non-reducing conditions which implies increased activity. Furthermore, we observed increased mitochondrial translocation of p62/SQSTM1. Based on our findings, we hypothesized that statin-induced mitophagy may play a key role in the development of muscle myopathy. To investigate the role of mitophagy in statin myopathy, we silenced p62/SQSTM1 via RNAi prior to statin treatment. Surprisingly, reducing mitophagic flux via p62/SQSTM1 silencing resulted in increased destruction of myotubes. This was associated with increased levels of cytosolic cytochrome c. Our data combined suggests that mitophagy protects against statin-mediated cell death by sequestering and eliminating decrepit mitochondria via autophagy.
Bundled Payments: Our Experience at an Academic Medical Center.

Abstract Background The landscape of health care is transitioning from a fee-for-service model to value-based purchasing. Methods We developed evidence-based clinical pathways and risk stratification measures to effectively implement the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement model of value-based purchasing. Results We decreased patients' length of stay, discharge to inpatient facilities, and cost of an episode of patient care. Conclusion The bundled care payment initiative has been successfully implemented for Diagnosis Related Groups 469 and 470, delivering high-quality patient care at a reduced price.
Morphological and physiological responses to aldosterone: time course and sodium dependence

The time course and Na+ dependence of morphological responses to a physiological elevation of aldosterone were examined in the renal cortical collecting duct. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were adrenalectomized and given a basal replacement infusion of aldosterone and dexamethasone by osmotic minipump. The animals were given additional aldosterone by either intravenous infusion or by a second implanted osmotic minipump for either 5 h or 1, 3, 7, or 14 days. Animals were fed either a Na(+)-replete or a low-Na+ diet. After these treatments we conducted a morphometric analysis on kidneys processed for electron microscopy by standard techniques. Increased aldosterone induced detectable proliferation of the basolateral membrane of principal cells after 24 h. Basolateral membrane continued to increase rapidly through 3 days of exposure and thereafter at a modest rate. Cell area and the surface density of the basolateral membrane were also increased by aldosterone treatment. The morphological response to aldosterone was markedly inhibited by maintaining animals on a low-Na+ diet. Acute exposure to elevated aldosterone levels (5 h) increased K+ secretion by principal cells without alterations in basolateral membrane area. Chronic (greater than 24 h) exposure to aldosterone induces morphological adaptations that are accompanied by further elevations in K+ secretion.
Fujimoto-Belleau reaction

Treatment of enol lactone with Grignard reagent leads to cyclic α-substituted α,βunsaturated ketone. An alternative to the Robinson annulation.
Properties of cement–sand-based piezoelectric composites with carbon nanotubes modification

Abstract Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were dispersed in a cement–sand-based piezoelectric composite as conductive fillers to improve its poling efficiency. Specimens were prepared by mixing PZT powders, cement and sand with CNTs. The effect of CNTs ranging from 0 to 0.9 vol% on properties of the composite, including its piezoelectric coefficient, dielectric constant and loss, and sensing characteristic, were characterized. It was found that the addition of CNTs facilitated effective poling under a low electric field of 1 MV/m at room temperature and improved the piezoelectric and dielectric properties of the composite. The composite modified by CNTs achieved optimal properties when the CNTs content was 0.6 vol% and this was verified by the investigation of sensing effects of the composite through compressive tests.
Plasticity: Grain Size Effects III

Previous reports on the subject of ‘Plasticity: Grain Size Effects’ are updated in the present article. Emphasis is given both to historical sources in the development of the subject and to subsequent accomplishments leading to the current status. The Hall–Petch relation, originally employed to describe the yield and cleavage stress dependencies on the reciprocal square root of grain size of iron and steel materials and later applied to description of the complete stress–strain behavior of mild steel, provides the framework for the current presentation. Substantial measurements have been reported for other body-centered cubic metals and also for hexagonal close-packed and face-centered cubic metals. Temperature and strain rate effects are included. Particular attention is given to the H-P microstructural stress intensity parameter, k , that exhibits a rate dependence for hcp and fcc metals. The enduring dislocation pile-up theory for the H-P relation is described. Modification is shown to occur at nanopolycrystalline grain sizes because reduction in the pile-up length leads eventually to expansion of a single dislocation loop against the grain boundary resistance. Also an important issue is raised of potential disorder occurring within nanopolycrystalline grain boundaries according to the method of material production, and thereby, leading to reported reductions in k .
A General Strain Theory Approach to Families and Delinquency

This paper draws on Robert Agnew’s General Strain Theory (GST) to more fully describe the relationship between family dynamics and delinquency. Drawing on the family research, as well as the stress literatures in sociology and psychology, it is first argued that parental strain contributes to those parenting practices that increase the likelihood of juvenile delinquency. Parental strain is most likely to lead to poor parenting when the ability to cope with strain in a legitimate manner is low, the costs of poor parenting is low, and the motivation for poor parenting is high. Among the most important of these parenting practices are poor supervision, excessively harsh discipline, and the failure to establish close emotion bonds with children. It is next argued that these parenting practices contribute to delinquency partly because they increase the juvenile’s level of strain. Because traits like irritability and impulsivity may be genetically based, irritable and impulsive parents are more likely to have children with heightened sensitivity to problematic parenting practices. Further, certain family factors increase the likelihood that juveniles will respond to strain with delinquency (e.g., failure to provide direct instruction and models of legitimate coping, failure to raise costs of delinquent coping, etc.). The strain model that is presented (1) helps integrate important aspects of the research on the family and delinquency, (2) helps better explain why certain family factors impact delinquency, and (3) draws attention to family factors that have been overlooked in the research on families and delinquency. Although we are unable to provide a complete test of the model, we conduct a partial test using data from two national surveys and find preliminary support for our key hypotheses.
Pulse shaping for backscatter radio

Backscatter radio is being increasingly used for identification, sensing, and localization. The increased number of pervasive IoT systems that utilize backscatter radio as a low-power and low-cost communication scheme has led to dense deployments of tags that need to operate under bandwidth constraints. However, typical backscatter radio modulators perform switching “on-off” operation and modulate data with rectangular pulses, which are known to occupy an extensively wide bandwidth. This work derives new techniques and demonstrates front-ends that control the tag reflection coefficient over time in a continuous manner, thus enabling the generation of arbitrary backscattered waveforms and reduced bandwidth occupancy. The principles presented hereby will enable sophisticated tags to perform more complex modulation schemes, while maintaining the RF front-end complexity at low levels, using a single PIN diode or FET.
Winning in a Crisis

It isn’t enough to survive a crisis. You need to figure out how to take control in a crisis or other challenging situation and not only survive but also win and use it to your advantage. As it progresses, you should try to go on the offensive and stop playing defensively. You need to get past reacting to the circumstances and try to take control. This is the hard stuff, but it is the important stuff of leadership. People who spend their lives reacting rather than developing a vision for their future spend their careers being defined by others.
‘My Neighbour Drinks Clean Water, While I Continue To Suffer’: An Analysis of the Intra-Community Impacts of a Rural Water Supply Project in Mozambique

ABSTRACTRural water planners assume the positive impacts of community water projects are spread evenly across the population. We test this assumption by looking at the distribution of benefits within communities that received handpumps in rural Mozambique. Using survey and qualitative data we analyse the characteristics of those groups who benefited from the handpumps and also explore household decision-making processes. Handpump use was determined by distance, availability of other sources, perceptions of water quality, political affiliation, and wealth. We argue that the handpumps reinforced existing social divisions related to income and political affiliation and created new geographic divisions within communities.
A Physicist's Quest in Biology: Max Delbrück and "Complementarity"

Max Delbruck was trained as a physicist but made his major contribution in biology and ultimately shared a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He was the acknowledged leader of the founders of molecular biology, yet he failed to achieve his key scientific goals. His ultimate scientific aim was to find evidence for physical laws unique to biology: so-called "complementarity." He never did. The specific problem he initially wanted to solve was the nature of biological replication but the discovery of the mechanism of replication was made by others, in large part because of his disdain for the details of biochemistry. His later career was spent investigating the effect of light on the fungus Phycomyces, a topic that turned out to be of limited general interest. He was known both for his informality but also for his legendary displays of devastating criticism. His life and that of some of his closest colleagues was acted out against a background of a world in conflict. This essay describes the man and his career and searches for an explanation of his profound influence.
Rhabdomyosarcoma of the lower female genital tract: an analysis of 144 cases

The aim of the present study was to elucidate the clinico-pathological characteristics of female patients with lower genital tract rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) stratified by age group and investigate their prognosis, using a multi-institutional database. The National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was accessed (1973–2013) and a cohort of females diagnosed with RMS of the lower genital tract (vulva, vagina, cervix) was drawn. Five-year overall survival (OS) rate was estimated following generation of Kaplan–Meier curves and compared with the log-rank test. A total of 144 eligible cases were identified; 51.4 and 48.6% originated from the vagina/vulva and the cervix, respectively. Median patient age was 16 years and distant metastases were rare (ten cases). The majority of tumors were of embryonal histology (75.7%). Non-embryonal RMS was more prevalent in the older patient groups. Tumors originating from the cervix were more common among adolescents and premenopausal women. Rate of LN involvement was 52.9 and 20% for vulvovaginal and cervical tumors (p = 0.02). Five-year OS rate was 68.4%; factors associated with better OS were younger age, absence of distant metastasis, embryonal histology, negative LNs, and performance of surgery. For prepubertal girls and adolescents, radical surgery did not confer a survival benefit compared to local tumor excision. RMS of the lower genital tract primarily affects prepubertal girls and adolescents, who have excellent survival rates; however, outcomes for adults remain poor.
Infra-red detection of depolymerization in Tl2O-GeO2-SiO2 glasses

Three series of glasses containing 15, 26, and 35 mol % Tl2O were prepared in the Tl2O-GeO2-SiO2 system and their infra-red spectra, densities, and refractive indices determined. Refraction decreases as SiO2 substitutes for GeO2 and is additive with respect to the two binary series, except for slight positive deviations with the low SiO2content 35 mol % Tl2O glasses. All glass series exhibit small negative molar volume deviations from additivity at low SiO2 contents and small positive deviations from additivity at higher SiO2 contents. The strong compositional dependence of the main infra-red stretching frequency values (1100 cm−1 for SiO2 and 875 cm−1for GeO2) are shown to be relatively sensitive indicators of changes in the polymeric makeup of these ternary oxide glasses. Loosening and/or depolymerization of either pure or damaged MO4 networks is accompanied byv Si-O and/orv Ge-O shifts to smaller frequencies. The frequency changes that accompany the progressive replacement of GeO2 by SiO2 suggest that (a) SiO4 tetrahedra initially replace GeO4 tetrahedra, (b) GeO6 octahedra subsequently transform to GeO4 tetrahedra, and (c) GeO4 tetrahedra finally take part in repair of damaged SiO4 networks. Use of a previously developed infra-red isofrequency contour technique revealed similar ternary trends for the two vibrational modes of interest. This emphasizes the ability of such contour trends to reflect the overall degree of network crosslinking present in ternary oxide glasses.
Transfer Function Estimation in System Identification Toolbox via Vector Fitting

Abstract This paper considers black- and grey-box continuous-time transfer function estimation from frequency response measurements. The first contribution is a bilinear mapping of the original problem from the imaginary axis onto the unit disk. This improves the numerics of the underlying Sanathanan-Koerner iterations and the more recent instrumental-variable iterations. Orthonormal rational basis functions on the unit disk are utilized. Each iteration step necessitates a minimal state-space realization with these basis functions. One such derivation is the second contribution. System identification with these basis functions yield zero-pole-gain models. The third contribution is an efficient method to express transfer function coefficient constraints in terms of the orthonormal rational basis functions. This allows for estimating transfer function models with arbitrary relative degrees (including improper models), along with other fixed and bounded parameter values. The algorithm is implemented in the tfest function in System Identification Toolbox (Release 2016b, for use with MATLAB) for frequency domain data. Two examples are presented to demonstrate the algorithm performance.
The impact of genetic counselors' use of facilitative strategies on cognitive and emotional processing of genetic risk disclosure for Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract Objectives To determine the impact of genetic counselor (GC) communication on cognitive and emotional processing of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) risk information during discussions with patients with clinical diagnoses of mild cognitive impairment and their companion. Methods 79 recordings and transcripts of AD risk disclosure sessions collected as part of the fourth REVEAL Trial were coded using the Roter Interaction Analysis System (RIAS) and the Linguistic Inquiry Word Count (LIWC). Multilevel analyses were used to determine the association between GCs’ use of communication facilitation strategies and patient and companion use of words indicative of cognitive and emotional processing. Results GC used somewhat more cognitive (14%) than emotional (10%) facilitation strategies. Both patients and companions used more words indicative of cognitive (18% and 17%) than emotional (6% and 5%) processing. GC use of facilitative strategies and patient and companion use of cognitive and emotional processing words were significantly associated in both unadjusted and adjusted models (all p-values Conclusions GCs’ use of facilitative strategies assist in cognitive and emotional processing in a way that may be linked to therapeutic benefit. Practice implications These findings highlight mechanisms through which GCs may assist patients and companions to better understand and cope with risk information.
The Role of Oxidative Processes and Metal Ions in Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease

Normal aging is associated with the slow progressive development of physiologic deficits accompanied by a subtle degree of cognitive involvement. A host of reviews summarizing the major biochemical changes associated with aging have been published over the last few years (Kehrer and Lund, 1994; Shigenaga and Ames, 1994; Ames et al., 1993; Beal, 1993; Stadtman, 1992; Mooradian and Wong, 1991). Comprehensive lists of the panoply of age-related changes seen in man may be found in the CRC Handbook of Biochemistry in Aging (Florini, 1981) and the CRC Handbook of Physiology in Aging (Masoro, 1981).