cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Suicide Attempts and Nonpatient College Students

ABSTRACT Suicide rates are high for college students. Completed suicides have been associated with affective disorders and alcoholism. Suicide attempts are more characteristic of somatization disorder (hysteria or Briquet's Syndrome) and antisocial personality. The present study examines the psychiatric histories of 560 nonpatient university students. Diagnoses are based on the Washington University diagnostic criteria for psychiatric research (Feighner, 1972). Suicide attempts were reported by 10.5% of students. More women (13.2%) than men (8.5%) had attempted suicide. Attempts were not age related. Attempters were younger than nonattempters (mean ages 21.4 years versus 22.3 years). Women students who were ever married and had attempted suicide were four times more likely to be separated or divorced than were their nonattempter counterparts (66.7% vs. 14.8%, p One of every 20 (4.9%) students whose histories did not suggest a psychiatric illness did report at least one suicide attempt. Higher attempt rates were associated with all psychiatric disorders studied. The increased attempt rates were not statistically significant for unipolar primary affective disorder, alcoholism, drug use, or homosexuality. Attempt rates were significantly higher for the bipolar primary affective disorder (14.3%, p
Not a Twitter Revolution: Anti-neoliberal and Antiracist Resistance in the Ferguson Movement

Drawing from the literature on digital media, social movements, and race and class politics, this study analyzes the role media played in the 2014 and 2015 Ferguson Movement. Contrary to current conversations about #Ferguson, this article elevates the voices of local activists who organized from the streets of St. Louis, Missouri, through an analysis of 21 unstructured interviews with community activists. It also places these interviews within the context of Twitter discourse. Employing a mixed-methods approach, we illustrate how local activists repositioned themselves in ways not always captured via social media (particularly during the movement’s early stages). Such findings illustrate a more complex movement that is antiracist, anti-neoliberal, and locally specific.
Subspace-Driven Output-Only Based Change-Point Detection of Low-Amplitude Forced Oscillations in Power Systems

The use of Phasor Measurement Units (PMU) has enabled monitoring the power system dynamics online. There are many PMUs installed which will give a comprehensive view in real or near real time of the entire system. Forced oscillations are considered rogue inputs to the system originating from malfunctioning equipment and is gaining more attention from researchers. Moreover, the forced oscillations also have a negative impact on estimation of mode and mode-shape if not properly accounted for. In this paper, the low amplitude forced oscillations are detected using a subspace state-space based change-of-point detection method. There are several algorithms that are based on the recursive version of the subspace state-space method. The algorithm used in this paper has a moving reference which is updated for the online applications. The algorithm is able to detect small forced oscillations to the system that are buried in the system natural response in a real-time manner.
Singularities in Twist-3 Quark Distributions

We find in one-loop calculations and spectator models that twist-3 generalized parton distributions exhibit discontinuities. In the forward limit, these discontinuities grow into Dirac delta functions which are essential to satisfy the sum rules involving twist-3 parton distribution functions (PDFs). We calculate twist-3 quasi-PDFs as a function of longitudinal momentum and identify the Dirac delta function terms with momentum components in the nucleon state that do not scale as the nucleon is boosted to the infinite momentum frame.
Deep-2'-O-Me: Predicting 2'-O-methylation sites by Convolutional Neural Networks

2'-O-methylation (2'-O-me) of ribose moiety is one of the significant and ubiquitous post-transcriptional RNA modifications which is vital for metabolism and functions of RNA. Although recent development of new technology (Nmseq) enabled biologists to find precise location of 2'-O-me in RNA sequences, there is still a lack of computational tools that can also provide high resolution prediction of this RNA modification. In this paper, we propose a deep learning based method that takes advantage of an embedding method to learn complex feature representation of pre-mRNA sequences and employs a Convolutional Neural Network to fine-tune the features required for accurate prediction of such alteration. Specifically, we adopted dna2vec, a biological sequence embedding method originally inspired by the word2vec model of text analysis, to yield embedded representation of sequences that may or may not contain 2-O-me sites before feeding those features into CNN for classification. Our model was trained using the data collected from Nm-seq experiment. The proposed method achieved AUC and auPRC scores of 90% outperforming existing state-of-the-art algorithms by a significant margin in both balanced and unbalanced class testing scenarios.
Combining Evolutionary Covariance and NMR Data for Protein Structure Determination

Accurate protein structure determination by solution-state NMR is challenging for proteins greater than about 20kDa, for which extensive perdeuteration is generally required, providing experimental data that are incomplete (sparse) and ambiguous. However, the massive increase in evolutionary sequence information coupled with advances in methods for sequence covariance analysis can provide reliable residue-residue contact information for a protein from sequence data alone. These "evolutionary couplings (ECs)" can be combined with sparse NMR data to determine accurate 3D protein structures. This hybrid "EC-NMR" method has been developed using NMR data for several soluble proteins and validated by comparison with corresponding reference structures determined by X-ray crystallography and/or conventional NMR methods. For small proteins, only backbone resonance assignments are utilized, while for larger proteins both backbone and some sidechain methyl resonance assignments are generally required. ECs can be combined with sparse NMR data obtained on deuterated, selectively protonated protein samples to provide structures that are more accurate and complete than those obtained using such sparse NMR data alone. EC-NMR also has significant potential for analysis of protein structures from solid-state NMR data and for studies of integral membrane proteins. The requirement that ECs are consistent with NMR data recorded on a specific member of a protein family, under specific conditions, also allows identification of ECs that reflect alternative allosteric or excited states of the protein structure.
Dynamic response of a tunable MEMS accelerometer based on repulsive force

Abstract This paper describes a tunable MEMS electrostatic accelerometer that uses a repulsive electrode configuration so that the design is not hampered by capacitive pull-in instability. The repulsive force configuration enables the increase of DC bias voltage without suffering from the pull-in failure mode. This flexibility in increasing voltage can be employed as a tuning parameter to widen the working frequency range and to improve the robustness of the accelerometer. A lumped parameter model is developed to simulate the response of the microstructure under a combination of electrostatic and dynamic mechanical loading. The electrostatic force is estimated using a finite element simulation. The nonlinear equations of motion are solved for harmonic base excitations and half-sine shock loads using the shooting and the long-time integration methods, respectively. To validate the model, a sensor is fabricated and characterized under harmonic base excitation and mechanical shocks. A mechanical sensitivity of 0.1 μm/g is achieved when the bias voltage is 40 V. The experimental data are in good agreement with the simulation results. The comprehensive dynamical characterization presented in this study contributes to the development of functional accelerometers with tunable capabilities to harmonic and shock accelerations.
Event Triggered Social Media Chatter: A New Modeling Framework

In this paper, we develop a new modeling framework for the event-triggered social media chatter. The new framework is inspired by the two well-established modeling frameworks—the ignorant-spreader-recovered model for information spread and the Sethi model for marketing. This paper discusses various microscopic and macroscopic approaches and the need for an integrated model. Starting from the existing models, we argue and propose the new model. This paper also proposes the idea of a basic reproductive rate $R_{0}$ applied to social media information spread under a marketing-model-based framework. Following that, two case studies are presented from compiled Twitter data as examples of event-based social media triggers ( #shooting ) and social movements ( #MeToo ). The resulting data are compared with our proposed model. Model parameters are estimated using nonlinear estimation methods. Results are found to be encouraging and are discussed in the end to support and validate the proposed framework.
Tittmann and the 'Tiger Car' : competing conceptions of modernity in Haiti, 1946-50

OF THE THESIS TITTMANN AND THE 'TIGER CAR:' COMPETING CONCEPTIONS OF MODERNITY IN HAITI, 1946-50 by Sean Bloch Florida International University, 2003 Miami, Florida Professor James Sweet, Major Professor The purpose of this project was to address the lack of scholarship on mid-twentieth century Haitian history and illustrate its significance. It employs primary and secondary sources in shaping a Gramscian historical narrative. Ideas of "everyday resistance" and internal and external politics are also be of significance to this work. In mid-twentieth century Haiti, the black-nationalist rhetoric of noirisme became the dominant political ideology. Blackness was amorphous and its application to politics was dependent upon class. In proclaiming blackness the average Haitian was attacking the class schism that beleaguered the island. Yet for the elite noirisme was a conduit to modernity and a useful tool for muting the division between rich and poor. With the election of Dumarsais Estim6 in 1946, dialogue between the U.S. government, the Haitian elite, and the masses, relative to definitions of modernity played out within the new political reality of noirisme.
A note on the permutationally convex games

If marginal worth vector of a game for an ordering is in the core, the game does not have to be a p.c. game.
Recruitment of mRNAs to P granules by condensation with intrinsically-disordered proteins

RNA granules are protein/RNA condensates. How specific mRNAs are recruited to cytoplasmic RNA granules is not known. Here, we characterize the transcriptome and assembly of P granules, RNA granules in the C. elegans germ plasm. We find that P granules recruit mRNAs by condensation with the disordered protein MEG-3. MEG-3 traps mRNAs into non-dynamic condensates in vitro and binds to ~500 mRNAs in vivo in a sequence-independent manner that favors embryonic mRNAs with low ribosome coverage. Translational stress causes additional mRNAs to localize to P granules and translational activation correlates with P granule exit for two mRNAs coding for germ cell fate regulators. Localization to P granules is not required for translational repression but is required to enrich mRNAs in the germ lineage for robust germline development. Our observations reveal similarities between P granules and stress granules and identify intrinsically-disordered proteins as drivers of RNA condensation during P granule assembly.
Chapter 64 – Chylomicrons

: Chylomicrons (CMs) arise solely from the intestine, and contain TG primarily of dietary origin. CMs also contain PLs, CH, CEs, and usually one fat soluble vitamin. High amounts of CMs in blood cause serum to become lactescent. Nascent CMs must acquire Apo-C from circulating HDL in order to become effective substrates for LPL (i.e., clearing factor lipase). Once parent CMs have become depleted of most of their TG by extrahepatic tissues, they become CM remnants. Remnant CMs require Apo-E in order to become cleared by the liver. The LPL associated with cardiac muscle has a low Km for TG, whereas that associated with adipose tissue has a high Km. When CMs are administered intravenously, approximately 80% of their labeled Fas are found in extrahepatic tissues
Metastasectomy for melanoma is associated with improved overall survival in responders to targeted molecular or immunotherapy.

Background and objectives Metastasectomy for melanoma provides durable disease control in carefully selected patients. Similarly, BRAF-targeted and immune checkpoint inhibition has improved median overall survival (OS) in metastatic patients. We hypothesized that there is an increasing role for metastasectomy in melanoma patients responding to these therapies. Methods Retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database identified 128 patients with stage IV melanoma who received targeted molecular and/or checkpoint inhibitors at an academic institution from 2006 to 2017. Records were reviewed to characterize clinicopathologic characteristics, response to treatment, and intent of surgery for those who underwent metastasectomy. OS was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method. Results Median OS from stage IV diagnosis was 31.3 months. A total of 81 patients received checkpoint inhibitors, 11 received targeted inhibitors, and 36 received both. A total of 73 patients underwent metastasectomy. Indications for surgery included the intent to render disease-free (54%), palliation (34%), and diagnostic confirmation (11%). Responders to systemic therapy who underwent metastasectomy had improved OS compared to responders who did not (84.3 vs. 42.9 months, P = .018). Conclusions Metastasectomy for melanoma is associated with improved OS in patients that respond to targeted molecular or immunotherapy. Resection should be strongly considered in this cohort as multimodality treatment results in excellent OS.
Experimental study on a novel three-phase absorption thermal battery with high energy density applied to buildings

Abstract Buildings contribute to 75% of total electricity consumption and 80% of peak electricity demand in the United States. A significant portion of building electricity consumption goes to space conditioning. Therefore, using thermal energy storage (TES) to decouple the building electricity consumption and the fluctuating space-conditioning load has significant potential to shift peak electricity demand and improve the stability of the grid. To provide effective TES within the spatial constraints in buildings, a three-phase absorption thermal battery (TATB) system with very high energy storage density was designed and studied. The TATB stores low-temperature heat in hydrate crystals of salts and supports space conditioning through absorption systems. In this study, a benchtop TATB using lithium chloride (LiCl) hydrate crystals as the storage material was tested under practical operating conditions for its energy storage density and discharge rate. The TATB successfully generated LiCl hydrate crystals during charging mode and then dissolved the crystals during discharging mode. A material-based energy storage density of 300 kWh/m3 (specific energy of 903 kJ/kg) was achieved with a discharge rate of up to 1.3 kW thermal energy. The test results verified the high performance of the TATB and encouraged further development of this technology.
What is the endoscopic incidence of stenosis related to reflux and what is the incidence of recurrences of reflux stenosis

J. R. Bennett of Hull, England [1] has suggested an incidence of between 20 and 40 new strictures per year per million population in the United Kingdom.
Abstract P658: Epidemiology and Stroke Complications of IVDU-Associated Endocarditis in the Heart of the Opioid Epidemic

Introduction: The United States is experiencing a rapidly increasing rate of opioid drug abuse. Intravenous drug use related endocarditis and resultant septic embolic stroke, intracranial hemorrhag...
Thirty-Day Post-Discharge Outcomes Following COVID-19 Infection.

The clinical course of COVID-19 includes multiple disease phases. Data describing post-hospital discharge outcomes may provide insight into disease course. Studies describing post-hospitalization outcomes of adults following COVID-19 infection are limited to electronic medical record review, which may underestimate the incidence of outcomes. To determine 30-day post-hospitalization outcomes following COVID-19 infection. Retrospective cohort study Quaternary referral hospital and community hospital in New York City. COVID-19 infected patients discharged alive from the emergency department (ED) or hospital between March 3 and May 15, 2020. Outcomes included return to an ED, re-hospitalization, and mortality within 30 days of hospital discharge. Thirty-day follow-up data were successfully collected on 94.6% of eligible patients. Among 1344 patients, 16.5% returned to an ED, 9.8% were re-hospitalized, and 2.4% died. Among patients who returned to the ED, 50.0% (108/216) went to a different hospital from the hospital of the index presentation, and 61.1% (132/216) of those who returned were re-hospitalized. In Cox models adjusted for variables selected using the lasso method, age (HR 1.01 per year [95% CI 1.00–1.02]), diabetes (1.54 [1.06–2.23]), and the need for inpatient dialysis (3.78 [2.23–6.43]) during the index presentation were independently associated with a higher re-hospitalization rate. Older age (HR 1.08 [1.05–1.11]) and Asian race (2.89 [1.27–6.61]) were significantly associated with mortality. Among patients discharged alive following their index presentation for COVID-19, risk for returning to a hospital within 30 days of discharge was substantial. These patients merit close post-discharge follow-up to optimize outcomes.
Unmitigated Surgical Castration in Calves of Different Ages: Electroencephalographic and Neurohormonal Findings.

Castration is a common management procedure employed in North American cattle production and is known to cause a pain response. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of unmitigated surgical castration on the electroencephalography (EEG) responses and plasma substance P (SP) concentrations in calves of different ages under the same experimental conditions. Thirty male Holstein calves in three age categories [<6 weeks (6W); 3 months (3M); 6 months (6M); 10 calves per age group] were used in the study. Calves were subjected to a simulated castration session (SHAM) followed 24 h later by surgical castration (CAST) without analgesia. An EEG analysis was performed before the procedure (i.e., baseline), at treatment, and 0–5, 5–10, and 10–20 min post-treatment for both SHAM and CAST, respectively. Blood samples were collected immediately prior to both treatments (time 0) and again at 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 h after both treatments. The EEG results showed a three-way interaction between treatment, age, and time for delta and beta absolute power, beta relative power, total power, and median frequency (p = 0.004, p = 0.04, p = 0.04, p = 0.03, and p = 0.008, respectively). Following CAST, EEG total power decreased, and median frequency increased relative to SHAM in 6W and 3M calves only following treatment. For 6W and 3M calves, delta and beta absolute power increased at CAST and at later time points relative to SHAM. Marginal evidence for two-way interactions was noted between time and treatment and between age and treatment on the concentration of SP (p = 0.068 and p = 0.066, respectively). Substance P concentrations decreased in CAST treatment compared to SHAM at the later times (8 h: p = 0.007; 12 h: p = 0.048); 6W calves showed lower SP concentration at CAST relative to SHAM (p = 0.017). These findings indicate variation in EEG responses and in SP concentrations following unmitigated surgical castration in calves and that these responses may be age specific. These EEG findings have implications for supporting the perception of the pain associated with surgical castration in young calves and emphasize the urgency of pain mitigation strategies during routine husbandry practices such as castration, as typically implemented in North American cattle management.
Links between socioeconomic disadvantage, neural function, and working memory in early childhood.

Children reared in socioeconomically disadvantaged environments are at risk for academic, cognitive, and behavioral problems. Mounting evidence suggests that childhood adversities, encountered at disproportionate rates in contexts of socioeconomic risk, shape the developing brain in ways that explain disparities. Circuitries that subserve neurocognitive functions related to memory, attention, and cognitive control are especially affected. However, most work showing altered neural function has focused on middle childhood and adolescence. Understanding alterations in brain development during foundational points in early childhood is a key next step. To address this gap, we examined functional near-infrared-spectroscopy-based neural activation during a working memory (WM) task in young children aged 4-7 years (N = 30) who varied in socioeconomic risk exposure. Children who experienced greater disadvantage (lower income to needs ratio and lower Hollingshead index) exhibited lower activation in the lateral prefrontal cortex than children who experienced less to no disadvantage. Variability in prefrontal cortex activation, but not behavioral performance on the WM task, was associated with worse executive functioning in children as reported by parents. These findings add to existing evidence that exposure to early adversity, such as socioeconomic risk, may lead to foundational changes in the developing brain, which increases risk for disparities in functioning across multiple cognitive and social domains.
U.S. Light Fixture Manufacturing in the LED Illumination Era

The U.S. light fixture market significantly expanded after 2010, driven by the economic recovery and demand for more efficient light-emitting diode (LED) products. U.S. manufacturers transitioned to LED products and increased production and employment, but they also consolidated and closed plants, lost market share and faced pricing pressures from imports.
Outdoor performance stability and controlled light-soak testing of amorphous silicon multijunction modules at NREL

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has been testing amorphous silicon (a-Si) photovoltaic (PV) modules for more than a decade. NREL has been conducting controlled light-soak testing of multijunction a-Si modules to characterize their performance for stability evaluation as well as to benchmark the technology status. Some of the test modules, after controlled light-soak testing, have been installed outdoors. The authors have observed that under outdoor exposure, the modules further degrade in performance, possibly due to lower outdoor temperatures and varying spectra. The paper presents data on the light-induced degradation for the third controlled light-soak test on multijunction a-Si modules as well as outdoor performance data on single- and multijunction modules under prevailing conditions.
Determination of aminosugar linkages in glycolipids by methylation: Aminosugar linkages of ceramide pentasaccharides of rabbit erythrocytes and of Forssman antigen☆

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometric identification of partially methylated aminosugars has been developed: (a) various kinds of O-methylated 2-deoxy-2-(N-methyl)-acetamidohexitols were prepared from partially O-(1-methoxy)-ethylated 2-deoxy-2-acetamidohexoses, and their gas chromatography-mass spectrometric patterns were determined; (b) permethylated glycolipids gave a satisfactory yield of 2-deoxy-2-N-methyl-amidohexoses by acetolysis with 0.5 n sulfuric acid in 95% acetic acid, followed by aqueous hydrolysis; (c) the resulting partially methylated aminosugars and neutral sugars were analyzed after borohydride reduction and acetylation according to the procedure of Lindberg and associates (Bjorndal, Lindberg and Svennson, 1967; Bjorndal, Hellerqvist, Lindberg and Svensson, 1970). This method was successfully applied to analysis of aminosugar linkages in blood group B-active ceramide pentasaccharide from rabbit erythrocytes and in Forssman antigen of equine spleen. The structure of blood group B-active glycolipid of rabbit erythrocyte was found to be Galα1 → 3Galβ1 → 4G1cNAcβ1 → 3Ga11 → 4Glc → Cer, and that of Forssman antigen to be GaNAcα1 → 3GalNAcβ1 → 3Galα1 → 4Ga11 → 4Glc → Cer.
HOX decoy peptide enhances the ex vivo expansion of human umbilical cord blood CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells/hematopoietic progenitor cells.

The isolation and characterization of living human epithelial stem cells is difficult because distinguishing cell surface markers have not been identified with certainty. Side population keratinocytes (SP-KCs) that efflux Hoechst 33342 fluorescent dye, analogous to bone marrow-derived side population (SP) hematopoietic stem cells, have been identified in human skin, but their potential to function as keratinocyte stem cells (KSCs) in vivo is not known. On the other hand, human keratinocyte populations that express elevated levels of beta1 and alpha6 integrins and are distinct from SP-KCs, which express low levels of integrins, may be enriched for KSCs based on reported results of in vitro cell culture assays. When in vitro assays were used to measure total cell output of human SP-KCs and integrin-bright keratinocytes, we could not document their superior long-term proliferative activity versus unfractionated keratinocytes. To further assess the KSC characteristics in SP-KCs and integrin-bright keratinocytes, we used an in vivo competitive repopulation assay in which bioengineered human epidermis containing competing keratinocyte populations with different human major histocompatibility (MHC) class I antigens were grafted onto immunocompromised mice, and the intrinsic MHC class I antigens are used to quantify expansion of competing populations. In these in vivo studies, human SP-KCs showed little competitive expansion in vivo and were not enriched for KSCs. In contrast, keratinocytes expressing elevated levels of alpha6 integrin and low levels of CD71 (alpha6-bright/CD71-dim) expanded over 200-fold during the 33-week in vivo study. These results definitively demonstrate that human alpha6-bright/CD71-dim keratinocytes are enriched with KSCs, whereas SP-KCs are not.
MORQUIO'S DISEASE. A RADIOLOGIC AND MORPHOLOGIC STUDY.

The radiologic and morphologic changes seen in a patient with Morquio9s disease who came to autopsy are described and discussed. Pathologic changes were limited to cartilage and consisted of cytochemically definable lesions of the matrix characterized by the presence of amorphous and fibrillar lesions and the accumulation of foam cells. An abnormal accumulation of mucopolysaccharides in foam cells and cartilage matrix was present. No evidence of visceral storage of mucopolysaccharides, such as is seen in Hurler9s disease, was present. In addition to Morquio9s disease, this patient had a patent ductus arteriosus. Clinical features and radiologic changes in an older living sibling, who has had Morquio9s disease and is now apparently developing the Morquio-Ullrich variant, are described.
My Intimacy with Pedagogy of the Oppressed

During my undergraduate studies, there was a course that was required of all freshmen for completion of any degree program. The class was very large and met in an auditorium-styled seating lecture hall. Psychology 101 was considered one of the basics, and it was unavoidable. There was only one professor that taught the course during my first semester, a tenured member of the faculty, with a reputation for being really tough. On the first day of class, he began his lecture with a look at how the world “really” is. He pontificated about which race of people in the class were genetically inclined to do the best, and which ones would struggle, bordering failure. He pointed out who was more inclined to lead fruitful lives, and how many of us would not be at the university by the end of the semester. We heard of how some of our cultures forbade us to excel in certain aspects of life, and who those persons were that would ultimately be successful in whatever they endeavored, adding ever so often quotes and citations from literature that supported these notions. After grunts and sighs grew in the lecture hall, he proclaimed, “This is not my opinion, these are the facts.”
The C terminus of the alpha subunit of RNA polymerase is not essential for transcriptional activation of sigma 54 holoenzyme.

Abstract Several activators of sigma 70 holoenzyme whose binding sites lie upstream of the -35 region of promoters require the C-terminal region of the alpha subunit of RNA polymerase to activate transcription. (These are among class I activators, which require the C-terminal region of the alpha subunit for transcription activation.) Because transcription by sigma 54 holoenzyme universally depends upon activators whose binding sites lie well upstream (or downstream) of promoters, we determined whether the C-terminal region of the alpha subunit was also required for transcription from the sigma 54-dependent promoter for the glnA operon. Nitrogen regulatory protein C-dependent activation from the glnA promoter remained good when RNA polymerases containing C-terminal truncations of the alpha subunit were employed. This was also the case for nitrogen fixation protein A-dependent activation if a nitrogen fixation protein A-binding site was appropriately placed upstream of the glnA promoter. These results lead to the working hypothesis (as yet untested) that activators of sigma 54 holoenzyme, which appear to make direct physical contact with the polymerase to catalyze a change in its conformation, activate the sigma 54 holoenzyme by contacting the sigma subunit rather than the alpha subunit of the core enzyme.
Influence of the Formamidine Pesticide Chlordimeform on Ovulation in the Female Hamster: Dissociable Shifts in the Luteinizing Hormone Surge and Oocyte Release

The formamidine pesticide chlordimeform (CDF) has been found to interfere with the hormonal control of ovulation in the rat by a presumptive disruption in the catecholaminergic regulation of the midcycle surge of luteinizing hormone (LH). While the brain hypothalamic mechanisms underlying generation of the hamster surge have not been as well-defined, there is evidence for an adrenergic component. The present experiments were designed to investigate the effects of CDF on ovulation in the golden hamster and whether any observed alterations are associated with differences in the appearance of the surge. Intraperitoneal CDF injections (0, 75, 150, or 200 mg/kg) at 1400 hr on proestrus caused a dose-related reduction in oocytes retrieved at 0700 hr on the day of estrus. Additional experiments demonstrated that this effect was due to a delay in ovulation and not a decrease in the complement of oocytes released. Doses of 150 or 200 mg/kg at 1100 hr or 200 mg/kg at 1600 hr were without a comparable ovulatory effect. Characterization of the LH surge indicated that there was a dose-related delay, but that this effect was not sufficient to account for the delay in ovulation. Animals dosed at 1100 hr (150 or 200 mg/kg) exhibited shifts in the surge identical to those animals injected at 1400 hr, but did not show any such detectable effects on the time of oocyte release. CDF administered at 1100 or 1400 hr also caused alterations in serum estradiol and progesterone, even at a relatively low dose of 37.5 mg/kg. The results indicate that CDF given at a time just prior to the preovulatory rise in LH is able to impede ovulation in the hamster by possibly influencing some ovulatory event(s) triggered by the surge. Also, the ability of CDF to alter the timing of LH release is consistent with catecholaminergic participation in the generation of the gonadotropin signal stimulating the final events leading to ovulation. Under the present conditions, this perturbation can be characterized as a delay in the LH trigger, rather than a blockade.
Control of Growth Factor Networks by Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans

Growth factor binding to transmembrane protein receptors is generally understood to initiate cell signaling. Receptor binding of heparin-binding growth factors (HB-GFs), such as fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), is regulated by interactions with heparan sulfate proteoglycans. While there is some specificity for binding to heparan sulfate, overlap in sites for different growth factors may allow for cross regulation. Here we demonstrate, using experiments and computer simulations, that the HB-GFs FGF-2 and heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) can cross regulate receptor binding of the other despite having unique receptors. The ability of HSPG to stabilize HB-GF receptor binding is critical for competing growth factors to modulate receptor binding with both enhanced and reduced binding possible depending on this stabilization process. HSPG density and affinity for HB-GF are also critical factors for HB-GF cross regulation. Simulations further reveal that HB-GF can regulate receptor binding of non-HB-GFs such as EGF even when the two proteins share no binding sites when other HB-GF are present within the network. Proliferation studies demonstrate potentiation of HB-EGF-induced growth by FGF-2 indicating that competition networks can alter biological response. Exogenous manipulation of cellular responses to growth factors in complex living systems will require understanding the HSPG-controlled network.
Estimating Price Indices for Residential Property: A Comparison of Repeat Sales and Assessed Value Methods

Abstract Accurate estimation of price indices for residential property is an essential feature of real estate research, especially in view of recent efforts to forecast price trends for the 1990s. In this article, price trends are estimated by using the sales price, assessed value and date of sale for every residential property transaction between independent parties. This assessed value (AV) methodology is compared to the repeat sales (RS) method. This article develops a simple method for correcting the effect of the measurement errors associated with assessed value. We demonstrate that the large samples available with the AV method allow the measurement error problem to be reduced to negligible proportions. Using data on the Hartford, Connecticut metropolitan area, we find that price trends estimated from the AV and RS methods are substantially similar over a seven-year period. But the RS method is inefficient because it uses a relatively small subset of the data. Our results indicate that it remains in...
Estrogen priming modulates autoreceptor-mediated potentiation of dopamine uptake.

Abstract The ability of a physiological dose of estrogen (estradiol benzoate, estrogen: 10 μg 48 and 24 h prior) to modulate autoreceptor-mediated changes in dopamine transport properties was investigated in a synaptosomal preparation prepared from the nucleus accumbens of ovariectomized rats. Quinpirole (1–100 μM)-mediated potentiation of [ 3 H]dopamine uptake was attenuated in synaptosomes from estrogen-primed animals. Haloperidol (10 μM) inhibited basal uptake and effectively prevented quinpirole potentiation of uptake in both ovariectomized and estrogen-primed samples. The ability of selective protein phosphatase inhibitors to modulate autoreceptor-mediated potentiation of dopamine uptake was also examined. Pretreatment with protein phosphatase 2B (deltamethrin, cypermethrin) or protein phosphatase 1 (tautomycin) inhibitors attenuated basal and quinpirole-potentiated dopamine uptake in ovariectomized but not estrogen-primed tissue. These data suggest that autoreceptor-mediated activation of dopamine transport can be regulated by physiological doses of estrogen and implicate a role for protein phosphorylation in autoreceptor-mediated potentiation of dopamine uptake.
The Essence of the Family Critical Illness Experience and Nurse-Family Meetings

Nursing care of families is essential to strong family support and maintenance of family health during a critical illness. Secondary data analysis of interviews conducted with 11 families with a family member in the intensive care unit revealed two essences: the family critical illness experience and the family vision for the kind of care families required and desired from nurses. The purpose of this article was to explicate the essence of these phenomena and their implications for family nursing practice. Findings affirm the need for a family intervention described in the literature, that of regularly scheduled nurse—family meetings. Although developed for work with families experiencing a chronic illness, bringing families together and inviting meaningful conversation about their experiences is appropriate for families experiencing critical illness. Nurse—family meetings acknowledge suffering and vulnerability of families when a loved one is critically ill and afford families an opportunity for honest s...
Spatial statistics: A quantitative geographer’s perspective

Abstract Historically, major contributions to popularizing spatial statistics derived from the pioneering work of Cliff and Ord. One outcome was the development of spatial econometrics. With the passing of time, this body of work merged with geostatistics to form the present day discipline of spatial statistics. The families of auto- and semivariogram models constitute a prominent component of the subject matter of contemporary spatial statistics. Its expansion from linear to generalized linear statistical models involves new methodologies, one of which is eigenvector spatial filtering. This paper presents evidence that this particular new methodology furnishes an effective dimension reduction substitution for the spatial lag matrix appearing in spatial auto-models. It also summarizes ongoing extensions of this methodology to space-time and spatial interaction data. Eigenvector spatial filtering methodology presents a new frontier for spatial statistical research.
Controlled growth and modification of aligned carbon nanotubes for multifunctional nanocomposites and nanodevices

We, along with others, have developed several chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods for large-scale production of vertically-aligned single-walled, multiwalled, and super-long carbon nanotube arrays.1–3 The resultant aligned carbon nanotube arrays can be transferred onto various substrates of particular interest in either a patterned or non-patterned fashion. The well-aligned structure provides additional advantages for not only an efficient device construction but also controlled surface modification. The controlled surface functionalization of aligned carbon nanotubes is particularly attractive, as it allows surface characteristics of the aligned carbon nanotubes to be tuned in a region-specific fashion while their alignment structure can be largely retained.4,5 We have also reported the preferential synthesis of semiconducting vertically-aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes for direct use in FETs even without any purification/separation.6 In collaboration with colleagues in GeorgiaTech (Zhong Lin Wang), University of Akron (Zhenhai Xia), and AFRL (Morley Stone and Michael Durstock), we have further demonstrated that metal-free, nitrogen-doped aligned carbon nanotubes exhibited a high electrocatalytic activity (∼4 times of that of the platinum catalyst) for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) with an excellent long-term operation stability and free from the crossover/CO-poisoning effect,7 and that hierarchically-structured aligned carbon nanotube arrays with a straight body segment and a curly entangled top showed almost ten-times stronger shear adhesion force than that of a real gecko foot but still can be easily lifted off in the normal direction when desired.8 On the other hand, the combination of aligned carbon nanotubes with appropriate macromolecules or other materials (e.g., DNA chains, proteins, metal nanoparticles) has been demonstrated to create synergetic effects, that provide the basis for the development of numerous multifunctional nanocomposite materials and devices,9,10 including sensors, membranes, flexible electronics, and energy-related systems. In this talk, I will summarize some of our rational concepts for the controlled functionalization of aligned carbon nanotubes for multifunctional materials and device applications, along with an overview on the recent developments in this exciting field.
The Propagation of a Crack by a Rigid Wedge in an Infinite Power Law Viscoelastic Body.

Abstract : Closed form solutions are obtained for the problem of a crack propagated by a 2-dimensional rigid wedge of finite thickness in an infinite power law viscoelastic body. The distance from the crack tip to the point of contact with the wedge is determined from the assumption that in the vicinity of the crack tip, forces of cohesion act to produce a smoothly closing crack with continuous stresses. Finally, a simple formula expressing the stress intensity factor as a function of the speed of penetration and the length of the free crack surface is exhibited. (Author)
A passivity based controller for free base manipulators

A feedback linearization technique is used in conjunction with passivity concepts to design robust controllers for free base robots. It is assumed that bounded modeling uncertainties exist in the inertia matrix and the vector representing the coriolis, centripetal, and friction forces. Under these assumptions, the controller guarantees asymptotic tracking of the joint variables. A Lagrangian approach is used to develop a dynamic model for space robots. Closed-loop simulation results are illustrated for a simple case of a single link planar space manipulator with freely floating base.
Effect of thermal stress and short-wavelength visible radiation on phosphor-embedded LED encapsulant degradation

Abstract This study evaluated the effects of short-wavelength radiation and thermal stress leading to thermal degradation of an LED encapsulant, which contributes to reduced light output. The effect of light transmission was measured in encapsulant samples with different YAG:Ce phosphor concentrations mixed in epoxy, which were subjected to short-wavelength optical radiation and thermal stress. Encapsulant samples with increasing phosphor concentrations showed lower degradation rates of the encapsulant under thermal stress, while under short-wavelength optical radiation the samples with phosphor showed higher degradation rates.
ERRATUM A COMPARISON OF THE KEY-PECK AND TREADLE-PRESS OPERANTS IN THE PIGEON: DIFFERENTIAL-REINFORCEMENT-OF-LOW-RATE SCHEDULE OF REINFORCEMENT1

Key pecking and treadle pressing in pigeons were compared under concurrent (key-treadle) and single-operant differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate schedules of food reinforcement ranging from 5 to 60 sec (concurrent procedure) or 5 to 120 sec (single-operant procedure). Under both procedures, the two operants followed the same general law: decreasing response rate and reinforcement rate and increasing number of responses per reinforcement as a function of increasing schedule interval. High correlations were found between key pecking and treadle pressing for the measures of response rate, reinforcement rate, and responses per reinforcement. Regression equations allowed the prediction of treadle pressing from key pecking. More bursting occurred in responding to the key, and key pecking showed a more precise temporal discrimination than treadle pressing. A test for sequential dependencies between key and treadle responses showed significant dependencies not only under the concurrent procedure but also in data created artificially by merging key and treadle sequences from different pigeons under the concurrent procedure and from the same pigeon under the single-operant procedure. It seems likely that the sequential dependencies found were due to the independent action of the schedule on each operant and that behavioral dependencies did not occur with the concurrent training procedure. The key-peck operant does not appear to have any special qualities that preclude its use in discovering general laws of behavior, at least under the differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate schedule. The usefulness of the key peck in other situations requires direct experimental study.
Exploratory proteomic analysis of hypobaric hypoxia and acute mountain sickness in humans.

Our objective in this exploratory study was to identify novel biomarkers of importance for acute mountain sickness (AMS) using discovery-based proteomic methods. Peripheral blood samples were colle...
Is There Hope for Return of Function in Lower Extremities Paralyzed by Spinal Cord Injury

l p ( o I t t t i a hile caring for spinal cord–injured military personnel t the end of World War II, LW Freeman, PhD, MD 1915–1969), started to believe that there was hope for eturn of function after spinal cord injury. He spent the est of his life doing animal investigations and human pinal cord injury care, including exhaustive microcopic studies of growing axons. These studies coninced Freeman that axons transected in the spinal cord r spinal nerve roots have a “relentless compulsion” to row until they participate in return of function. During is short but productive life, return of function after pinal cord injury was successfully demonstrated in hunreds of laboratory animals. This caused him to believe he same thing could be achieved in humans. Had he ived a few more years, return of function in humans ith spinal cord injury might have been accomplished. his synopsis of a few of Freeman’s reports, published efore Medline indexing, may be useful in helping inestigators and neurosurgeons to accomplish what a fatal llness denied Freeman. Two decades of investigation showed Freeman how to eep laboratory animals in good health long enough for xons to grow and provide return of function after cleanut transection of the spinal cord. Most human spinal ord injuries result from fracture dislocation of the spial column, disrupting axons in several centimeters of he spinal cord. As a result, a longer bridge of axonal egrowth is required in humans with spinal cord injury han in laboratory animals with spinal cords that receive clean axon-severing cut. Freeman’s animal studies showed that peripheral erves can provide an axonal bridge across the longer reas of spinal cord damage commonly seen after human pinal cord injury. In one investigation, 1 cm of spinal ord was removed at the eighth thoracic level in 30 adult
Seasonal Abundance and Impact of the Sunflower Stem Weevil Parasitoid, Nealiolus curculionis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), in the Northern Great-Plains1

Abstract Nealiolus curculionis (Fitch) is a univoltine, solitary, endophagous larval parasitoid of the sunflower stem weevil, Cylindrocopturus adspersus (LeConte), in both cultivated and native sunflower. This parasitoid represented 96% of all parasitoids attacking the weevil from 1980 to 1991. Adult parasitoids were active in the field from late June to late August (1980-1985). Eggs were deposited in early instar weevils feeding within the sunflower stem. The immature parasitoids overwintered in diapausing weevil larvae in the sunflower stem. Parasitization of overwintering sunflower stem weevil larvae varied from 5 to 32% (1980 to 1991). Adult parasitoids emerged in early June through mid-July, which was earlier and more rapid than the emergence of their host. Postdiapause development of N. curculionis required 31 days after the parasitoid larvae exited the weevil larva for adult eclosion. Parasitoid males and females lived 9 days in the laboratory when supplied with honey as a food source. Results indicated that overall parasitization has increased from levels reported in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The parasitoid appears to be a consistent mortality factor in the population dynamics of the sunflower stem weevil in cultivated sunflower, though the adult populations are often low.