cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Relationships among Depressive Symptoms, Sexually Transmitted Infections, and Pregnancy in African-American Adolescent Girls

Abstract Study Objective To explore relationships among depressive symptoms, sexually transmitted infections (STI), and pregnancy in African-American adolescent girls. Design Retrospective chart review. Setting A hospital-based outpatient practice serving primarily African-American patients. Participants A total of 126 female patients ages 13–19 years who had ligase chain reaction (LCR) for N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis. Methods Charts were reviewed for history of STI, history of pregnancy, LCR results, and a history of depressive symptoms as indicated by standardized provider notes and patient self-administered questionnaire. Data are compared using Fisher's exact test. Results Mean age was 16.6 years (±1.6 years); 19.8% of participants had a history of depressive symptoms, 40.5% had a history of STI, 8.7% had a prior pregnancy, and 18.2% had a positive LCR. Of patients with a history of depressive symptoms, 64% had a history of STI compared to 34.6% of those without depressive symptoms (P = 0.01). A positive LCR was found in 20% of patients with a history of depressive symptoms and 17.8% of patients without (P = 0.78). Of patients with a history of depressive symptoms, 12% had a prior pregnancy compared to 7.9% without such history (P = 0.45). Conclusions African-American adolescent females in our clinic with a history of depressive symptoms were more likely to have a history of STI. A greater percentage of patients with a history of depressive symptoms also had prior pregnancies and/or current STI. Sexually active adolescent girls should be screened for depressive symptoms as part of their evaluation for sexual risk behaviors.
Easing academic reentry

The Reentry Adult Student Project oflers a model for examining the needs and satisfactions of adult students in two-year colleges.
Applying two-level simulated annealing on Bayesian structure learning to infer genetic networks

Bayesian network is a common approach to study gene regulatory networks. Here, we explore the problem of inferring Bayesian structure from data that can be viewed as a search problem. The goal is to find a global optimized probability network model given the data. In this work, we propose a new search algorithm: two-level simulated annealing (TLSA). TLSA performs simulated annealing in two levels with strengthened local optimizer, and is less likely to get tracked at local optimizer. To illustrate the value of TLSA in Bayesian structure learning, the algorithms is applied on simulated datasets generated using the Monte Carlo method. The experimental results are compared with other learning algorithm such as K2.
Fast and effective characterization of 3D region of interest in medical image data

ABSTRACT We propose a framework for detecting, characterizing and classifying spatial Regions of Interest (ROIs) in medical images, such as tumors and lesions in MRI or activation regions in fMRI. A necessary step prior to classification is efficient extraction of discriminative features. For this purpose, we apply a characterization technique especially designed for spatial ROIs. The main idea of this technique is to extract a k-dimensional feature vector using concentric spheres in 3D (or circles in 2D) radiating out of the ROIis center of mass. These vectors form characterization signatures that can be used to represent the initial ROIs. We focus on classifying fMRI ROIs obtained from a study that explores neuroanatomical correlates of semantic processing in Alzheimeris disease (AD). We detect a ROI highly associated with AD and apply the feature extraction technique with different experimental settings. We seek to distinguish control from patient samples. We study how classification can be performed using the extracted signatures as well as how different experimental parameters affect classification accuracy. The obtained classification accuracy ranged from 82% to 87% (based on the selected ROI) suggesting that the proposed classification framework can be potentially useful in supporting medical decision-making. Keywords: Regions of Interest (ROI), classification, feature extraction, characterization, diagnosis, medical decision making
Glaucoma detection with matrix and standard achromatic perimetry

Purpose: Matrix perimetry is a new iteration of frequency doubling technology (FDT) using a smaller target size in the standard achromatic perimetry presentation pattern. This study compared Matrix and Swedish interactive thresholding algorithm (SITA) perimetry performance in detecting glaucoma diagnosed by structural assessment. Design: Prospective cross-sectional study. Methods: Seventy-six eyes of 76 consecutive healthy subjects, glaucoma suspects and glaucoma patients were included. All patients underwent optic nerve head (ONH) photography, SITA and Matrix perimetry and optical coherence tomography (OCT; Stratus OCT) within a six month interval. Glaucoma diagnosis was established by either glaucomatous optic neuropathy or OCT retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness. Mean deviation (MD), pattern standard deviation (PSD), glaucoma hemifield test (GHT) and cluster of abnormal testing locations were recorded from Matrix and SITA. Results: Similar correlations were observed with Matrix and SITA MD and PSD with either cup-to-disc ratio or OCT mean RNFL. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (AROC) curves of MD and PSD for discriminating between healthy and glaucomatous eyes ranged from 0.69 to 0.81 for Matrix and from 0.75 to 0.77 for SITA. There were no statistically significant differences among any corresponding Matrix and SITA AROCs. Conclusions: Matrix and SITA perimetry had similar capabilities for distinguishing between healthy and glaucomatous eyes regardless of whether the diagnosis was established by ONH or OCT RNFL assessment.
Cultural differences in cognitive responding to ads: a comparison of young American and Chinese consumers

This study explored the differences in young consumers' cognitive responses to visual ads across two cultures. In an experiment, 120 college students from the USA and 120 college students from China were exposed to different types of visual ads, and subsequently participants were instructed to recall objects from the ads, and to list thoughts regarding the product/brand meanings. It was found that compared with Chinese participants, participants from the USA recalled more salient objects and generated more product/brand thoughts elicited by salient objects from the ads. Moreover, Chinese participants were more likely to assign a social role to a person recalled from the ads than their American counterparts. These findings suggested that young Americans attended more to salient objects in the ads, and therefore are more analytic than their Chinese participants. Implications for international advertising were provided.
Recent Studies on the Economic History of Venice

The economic development of Venice claims attention for several reasons. As the birthplace of capitalism, Venice has been assigned a leading role in a semi-Marxist scheme of world history. Within a more specifically historical and geographical framework, it presents a classic case of maturity and decay. After being for centuries a leader among world markets it was so placed as to register the effects of the oceanic shift in the world's trade during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
Sexual Dimorphism in Early Feed and Water Intake of Broilers

Abstract Four trials were conducted utilizing two nonselected (randombred) and two selected (commercial broiler) stocks to investigate sex divergence in feed and water intake, and feed efficiency immediately posthatch. Although differences between sexes in body weight were not significant until 4 days of age, male:female ratios indicated that divergence in body weight started immediately posthatch and increased in a more or less linear fashion with age. At 14 days of age males were 7% larger than females (ratio 1.07) in both selected and nonselected stocks. The male:female ratios for feed intake followed the same general pattern as body weight ratios, starting at low levels immediately posthatch and increasing to the same approximate levels (ratio 1.07). Conversely, the male:female water intake ratios indicated that males consumed more water (4 to 9%) than females immediately following hatch and maintained constant rather than increasing ratios through 12 days. Feed efficiency and water:feed ratios were higher for males than females with the magnitude of the difference greater immediately posthatch. Data from these experiments indicated that both feed intake and feed efficiency are involved in the early body weight divergence between males and females.
Designing Interaction Paradigms for Web-Information Search and Retrieval

As the complexity of the information available on the web increases, the role of user-data interaction paradigms is becoming increasingly critical for the success of web information retrieval. Recent years have witnessed significant advances in techniques for indexing and querying web data. However, in the same period, limited advancements have been made in developing paradigms and researching algorithmic issues associated with the design of interfaces for web-search. In this paper, we propose a novel paradigm for enabling multiple-perspective query and interaction in web search. Underlying the proposed metaphor are information and pattern analysis techniques that help determine semantic correlations between web pages, identify and extract information critical for intuitive understanding and hypothesis generation, and support effective and multiple-perspective interactions between users and the data. We provide a comprehensive study on the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed approach in query-retrieval scenarios involving complex information goals. Our investigations point to the importance of developing novel ways to mediate interactions during web-search and will be useful in the development of the next generation of real-world solutions for web information retrieval.
Stress-induced deoxycorticosterone-derived neurosteroids modulate GABA(A) receptor function and seizure susceptibility.

Stress affects seizure susceptibility in animals and humans, but the underlying mechanisms are obscure. Here, we provide evidence that GABA A receptor-modulating neurosteroids derived from deoxycorticosterone (DOC) play a role in stress-related changes in seizure control. DOC, an adrenal steroid whose synthesis is enhanced during stress, undergoes sequential metabolic reduction by 5α-reductase and 3α-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase to form 5α-dihydrodeoxycorticosterone (DHDOC) and allotetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone (THDOC), a GABA A receptor-modulating neurosteroid with anticonvulsant properties. Acute swim stress in rats significantly elevated plasma THDOC concentrations and raised the pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) seizure threshold. Small systemic doses of DOC produced comparable increases in THDOC and PTZ seizure threshold. Pretreatment with finasteride, a 5α-reductase inhibitor that blocks the conversion of DOC to DHDOC, reversed the antiseizure effects of stress. DOC also elevated plasma THDOC levels and protected mice against PTZ, methyl-6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-β-carboline-3-carboxylate, picrotoxin, and amygdala-kindled seizures in mice (ED 50 values, 84–97 mg/kg). Finasteride reversed the antiseizure activity of DOC (ED 50 , 7.2 mg/kg); partial antagonism was also obtained with indomethacin (100 mg/kg), an inhibitor of 3α-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase. Finasteride had no effect on seizure protection by DHDOC and THDOC, whereas indomethacin partially reversed DHDOC but not THDOC. DHDOC, like THDOC, potentiated GABA-activated Cl − currents in cultured hippocampal neurons (≤1 μm) and directly activated GABA A receptor currents (≥1 μm), compatible with a role for DHDOC in the antiseizure activity of DOC. DOC is a mediator of the physiological effects of acute stress that could contribute to stress-induced changes in seizure susceptibility through its conversion to neurosteroids with modulatory actions on GABA A receptors including THDOC and possibly also DHDOC.
Response of near-isogenic sorghum lines, differing at the P locus for plant colour, to grain mould and head smut fungi

Leaves and stalks of many sorghum genotypes accumulate dark red or purple pigments upon wounding while some plants, called ‘tan,’ do not. Grains with unpigmented ‘white’ pericarps grown on tan plants are more desirable for food. The hypothesis tested was that pigments in plants protected grain against the panicle diseases grain mould and head smut. Near-isogenic tan or purple plant colour genotypes with white grain were planted at Lincoln and Ithaca, NE and Corpus Christi, TX. The field grown grain was plated onto semi-selective media to detect the presence of grain colonisation by mould genera Alternaria, Fusarium and Curvularia .M oreFusarium and Curvularia spp. were recovered from grain grown at Corpus Christi than the Nebraska locations; however, there was no indication that the grain from purple plants was more resistant to the three fungal genera. Most fungi were identified morphologically as Alternaria alternata. Molecular identification of Fusarium species, using translation elongation factor 1-α gene sequences, showed that Fusarium thapsinum and Fusarium proliferatum infected grain at all three locations. Head smut disease of panicles, caused by the fungus Sporisorium reilianum, was assessed at Corpus Christi; surprisingly, purple plants had significantly greater disease incidence than tan plants. We propose that the tan plant colour lines with white grain are promising for development of foodgrade sorghums not more susceptible than pigmented lines to grain mould and head smut.
Predatory Bureaucracy: The Extermination of Wolves and the Transformation of the West

M. J. Robinson 2005. Predatory Bureaucracy: The Extermination of Wolves and the Transformation of the West. University Press of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, 473 pp. ISBN 0-87081-819-8, price (paper) $24.95. In our current political climate, major reforms to the Endangered Species Act, as well as the National Environmental Policy Act are working their way through Congress. This book focuses on the history of struggles among politicians, powerful ranching organizations, and mammalogists that elucidates the continuing struggles between the natural world and the laws that govern it. The book brings together a formative history on the dewilding of the western United States, with a focus on the history of predator control of wolves and an in-depth history of wildlife politics and those that drove the structuring of wildlife laws we currently use. The book also summarizes struggles of reintroduction programs across the west, the status of wolves in the western United States, and a ray of hope for mammalogists and others who enjoy the sight of predators in the wild. The book begins with a brief description of the west before it was tamed by the livestock industry. The author recounts explorers' tales of wolves so plentiful that they slept by fires and ran alongside explorers as they rode horses over mountain passes. He continues to paint a picture of what the west used to be, naming accounts of countless prairie dog colonies and bison, antelope, and elk herds seen by early explorers. These accounts are very interesting, taking place in many areas where these animals no longer exist. These accounts recorded early observations of the black-footed ferret's dependence on prairie dog colonies. The 1st chapters also describe the plight of bison, how this led to increases in wolf densities because of carcasses left across the landscape, and subsequent rise of the livestock industry thanks to the railroad system that was constructed throughout the western United States. The book continues with the …
The Coercive Impact of Federal Grants: COPS Grants and the Diffusion of the Community Policing Philosophy

The diffusion of an innovation occurs when it is communicated to other organisations or markets. This study employs institutional theory, focusing on coercive isomorphism, to examine the diffusion of the community policing philosophy via federal funding from the US Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing. Data was derived from the FAST grant programme designated for the hiring of police officers serving smaller jurisdictions. Findings reported that less than half of the possible organisational field accessed a FAST grant, indicating a modest impact of coercive efforts via COPS grants. In addition, while the bulk of FAST grants were awarded during the earliest stages of the grant programme, analysis indicates this behaviour is not what would be expected. Consequently, while most grants were awarded quickly, institutional or occupational isomorphism was not achieved with regard to diffusing the community policing philosophy via a federal grant programme.
Stationary Statistical Properties of Rayleigh-Bénard Convection at Large Prandtl Number

This is the third in a series of our study of Rayleigh-Benard convection at large Prandtl number. Here we investigate whether stationary statistical properties of the Boussinesq system for Rayleigh-Benard convection at large Prandtl number are related to those of the infinite Prandtl number model for convection that is formally derived from the Boussinesq system via setting the Prandtl number to infinity. We study asymptotic behavior of stationary statistical solutions, or invariant measures, to the Boussinesq system for Rayleigh-Benard convection at large Prandtl number. In particular, we show that the invariant measures of the Boussinesq system for Rayleigh-Benard convection converge to those of the infinite Prandtl number model for convection as the Prandtl number approaches infinity. We also show that the Nusselt number for the Boussinesq system (a specific statistical property of the system) is asymptotically bounded by the Nusselt number of the infinite Prandtl number model for convection at large Prandtl number. We discover that the Nusselt numbers are saturated by ergodic invariant measures. Moreover, we derive a new upper bound on the Nusselt number for the Boussinesq system at large Prandtl number of the form
Probabilistic Models of Melodic Interval

Two probabilistic models of melodic interval are compared. In the Markov model , the “interval probability” of a note is defined by the corpus frequency of its melodic interval (the interval to the previous note), conditioned on the previous one or two intervals; in the Gaussian model , the interval probability is a simple mathematical function of the size of the note’s melodic interval and its position in relation to the range of the melody. In both models, this interval probability is then multiplied by the probability of the note’s scale degree to yield its actual probability. The two models were tested on four corpora of tonal melodies using cross-entropy. The Markov model yielded a somewhat lower (better) cross-entropy than the Gaussian model, but is also much more complex, requiring far more parameters. The models were also tested on melodic expectation data, and on their ability to predict the distribution of intervals in a corpus. Possible ways of improving the models are discussed, as well as their broader implications for music cognition.
A Glance at VLSI Optical Interconnects: from the Abstract Modelings of the 1980s to Today’s MEMS Implementations (A Survey Report)

This chapter presents a brief overview of some of the major research contributions in the area of VLSI computing with optical interconnects from the early modelings of the 1980s to today’s MEMS implementations. Both free-space and fiber-guided interconnects are covered. Various models and architectures with optical interconnects are shown, and aspects of their algorithmic design are also reviewed. The chapter concludes with a brief discussion of some of the current advancements in MEMS and nanotechnology that could pave the way towards the actual implementation of some of the theoretical models that were proposed in the 1980s, and eventually towards designing of all optical systems. The materials presented in this chapter are compiled from some of the references that are listed chronologically at the end of the chapter.
Photocharging ZnO Nanocrystals: Picosecond Hole Capture, Electron Accumulation, and Auger Recombination

Photochemical charging of colloidal ZnO nanocrystals has been studied using continuous-wave and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopies in conjunction with electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Experiments have been performed with and without addition of alcohols as hole quenchers, focusing on ethanol. Both aerobic and anaerobic conditions have been examined. We find that ethanol quenches valence-band holes within ∼15 ps of photoexcitation, but does not quench the trapped holes responsible for the characteristic visible photoluminescence of ZnO nanocrystals. Hole quenching yields “charged” nanocrystals containing excess conduction-band electrons. The extra conduction-band electrons quench visible trap-centered luminescence via a highly effective electron/trap-state Auger-type cross-relaxation process. This Auger process is prominent even under aerobic photoexcitation conditions, particularly when samples are not stirred. Charging also reduces exciton nonradiative decay rates, resulting in i...
Exploration of Ceramic Dielectrics for Microscale Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Actuators

Microscale dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuators have been fabricated and experimentally characterized utilizing silicon dioxide for the dielectric barrier with thicknesses of 5 and 10 μm. Using a ceramic dielectric material provides improved device reliability by increasing the lifetime of microscale DBD actuators. Power, velocity, and thrust/force data are reported for several device geometries. The plasma net body force is computed by integrating the spatial body force, and the actuator’s thrust is found using a control volume analysis. By estimating the wall shear force, the plasma force may be recovered for comparison. These two methods show good agreement in estimating the plasma body force.
Rapid Prototyping Systems: Types, Case Studies, and Integration in a Mechanical Engineering Technology Program

This paper describes the current types and applications of rapid prototyping (RP) systems. The capabilities of various types of RP systems are outlined, as are the benefits these systems offer when compared to traditional manufacturing methods, case studies are presented to show how some companies have reduced development costs and time-to-market by implementing RP technology. Finally, it outlines a plan for implementation of a RP system in a Mechanical Engineering Technology curriculum.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Prospective analysis of toxicity in patients treated with strut-adjusted volume implant for early-stage breast cancer.

Abstract Purpose We report the toxicity of patients treated with strut-adjusted volume implant (SAVI) for accelerated partial breast irradiation treated at our institution. Methods and Materials Patients treated from January 2013 to July 2015 with SAVI planned for 10 b.i.d. fractions for a total dose of 34 Gy were included. Acute and late toxicities were prospectively collected on patients in followup and graded by the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4.0. Results A total of 132 patients were included, with 1 patient having synchronous breast cancer treated in each breast. Median followup was 20.0 months (range, 2.7–37.4 months). The median age at diagnosis was 61 years (range, 41–83 years). Forty-two lesions (32%) were in situ, 88 lesions (66%) were Stage 1, and 3 (2%) lesions were Stage 2. The median planning target volume was 58.2 cc (range, 24.2–109.9 cc), median V150 was 26.3 cc (range, 11.5–47.5 cc), and median V200 was 13.0 cc (range, 6.3–26.1 cc). On a pain scale of 0–10 (10 = worst pain), pain was worst on Day 2 of treatment, with an average score of 0.46. There was one acute skin infection; there were three late skin infections, two of which was Grade 3. Other late toxicities were Grade 1 or 2: hyperpigmentation (44%), telangiectasia (0.8%), seroma (9%), fat necrosis (5%), and fibrosis (12%). Crude local recurrence rate was 4%. Conclusion SAVI is a safe treatment option for patients who are candidates for accelerated partial breast irradiation. Local control seems to be excellent, but longer followup is needed.
Recovery of rat adrenal amine stores after insulin administration.

Acute adrenal medullary discharge of catecholamines was produced in response to the hypoglycemia caused by a large dose of insulin (5 IU/kg, intravenously). Rats were killed 4, 24, 48, 72, or 96 hr after drug administration. Intact adrenal storage vesicles were separated from empty vesicles by differential and density gradient centrifugation, and all fractions were analyzed for catecholamines, dopamine β-hydroxylase (a marker for vesicle membranes), and ATP. Four hours after insulin, vesicular catecholamines and ATP fell to 25% of control levels, while vesicular dopamine β-hydroxylase fell to 40%; the enzyme activity increased in the broken vesicle membrane fraction. The ability of isolated storage vesicles to incorporate [ 14 C]epinephrine fell to about 25% of controls, while incorporation of [ 3 H]metaraminol fell only to 65%. Twenty-four hours after insulin administration vesicular ATP, dopamine β-hydroxylase, and [ 14 C]epinephrine incorporation returned to 50-60% of controls, while [ 3 H]metaraminol incorporation returned to normal; vesicular catecholamine content remained at about 25%. Catecholamine recovery consistently lagged behind all other parameters; by 96 hr vesicular catecholamines, ATP, and [ 14 C]epinephrine incorporation approached control levels, while vesicular dopamine β-hydroxylase exceeded control values. Isopycnic sucrose density gradient centrifugation of vesicles from control rats, and from rats given insulin 24 hr previously, indicated that the newly synthesized storage vesicles were able to incorporate both isotopically labeled epinephrine and metaraminol, but that the new vesicles had a lower equilibrium density than the original population of vesicles. They also had a lower catecholamine content and a lower specificity for epinephrine relative to metaraminol than in the controls. The efflux of endogenous or newly incorporated epinephrine from the new vesicles was nearly identical with that of the controls. These data suggest that the sequence of recovery of adrenal amine stores after sympathetic discharge proceeds by the following process: (a) resynthesis of vesicles (reappearance of vesicular dopamine β-hydroxylase) with restoration of ability to incorporate metaraminol; (b) restoration of storage mechanism (ATP) and epinephrine incorporation; (c) restoration of catecholamines; (d) oversynthesis of new vesicles (as determined by dopamine β-hydroxylase measurements).
Optimized 4He Wave Functions Using Monte Carlo Integration

We describe a basis set approach to optimize quantum fluid and solid wave functions. We test the method on 4He using the hypernetted chain approximation and compare to paired-phonon analysis results. We show that only about ten variational parameters are needed to accurately specify an optimized Jastrow correlation. We then give some preliminary results using Monte Carlo integration to optimize these parameters for both the liquid and the solid.
Mechanism of endonuclease cleavage by the HigB toxin

Bacteria encode multiple type II toxin-antitoxin modules that cleave ribosome-bound mRNAs in response to stress. All ribosome-dependent toxin family members structurally characterized to date adopt similar microbial RNase architectures despite possessing low sequence identities. Therefore, determining which residues are catalytically important in this specialized RNase family has been a challenge in the field. Structural studies of RelE and YoeB toxins bound to the ribosome provided significant insights but biochemical experiments with RelE were required to clearly demonstrate which residues are critical for acid-base catalysis of mRNA cleavage. Here, we solved an X-ray crystal structure of the wild-type, ribosome-dependent toxin HigB bound to the ribosome revealing potential catalytic residues proximal to the mRNA substrate. Using cell-based and biochemical assays, we further determined that HigB residues His54, Asp90, Tyr91 and His92 are critical for activity in vivo, while HigB H54A and Y91A variants have the largest effect on mRNA cleavage in vitro Comparison of X-ray crystal structures of two catalytically inactive HigB variants with 70S-HigB bound structures reveal that HigB active site residues undergo conformational rearrangements likely required for recognition of its mRNA substrate. These data support the emerging concept that ribosome-dependent toxins have diverse modes of mRNA recognition.
Applications of an ultra high resolution evanescent microwave imaging probe in the nondestructive testing of materials

We discuss a new family of local probes that use evanescent, or decaying, electromagnetic fields to image nonuniformities in materials with submicron spatial resolutions at 1 to 10 GHz. These evanescent microwave probes (EMP) map the microwave resistivity of the sample, which is affected by various factors including density, moisture, polymerization, carrier mobility and concentration, impurities, oxidation state and temperature. Using the EMP, we have imaged a variety of organic and inorganic materials including metals, semiconductors, insulators, composites, ferromagnetic materials, tooth enamel, botanical and agricultural samples. The spatial resolution of the EMP was theoretically found to be directly proportional to its tip size and it is strongly affected by the distance to the sample. Experimentally, we have shown in the past that the EMP has a spatial resolution of 0.4 μm (1.6 x 10 -5 in.) wavelength/750 000 at 1 GHz. The main objective of this work is to discuss the overall capabilities of the EMP imaging techniques and their applications.
Analysis of Binding Sites for IGF-I on Membranes from Granulosa Cells of Small, Medium, and Large Porcine Follicles

We examined binding of IGF-I to granulosal membranes from small ( 8 mm) porcine follicles. Granulosa cells were aspirated and membranes prepared by dounce homogenization. Membranes from each group were incubated for 16 h at 4°C (optimal conditions) with I-IGF-I in the absence or presence of unlabeled IGF-I (0.01–1 μg/ml), IGF-II (0.5–5 μg/ml), or insulin (0.1–20 μg/ml). Scatchard analysis of the data demonstrated a curvilinear plot for all three groups. The high-affinity sites had the following Ka values (mean ± SEM; nM): small = 6.50 ± 0.09; medium = 6.45 ± 0.44; large = 6.48 ± 0.44. The binding capacities of the high-affinity sites for each group were (pmol/mg protein): small = 1.51 ± 0.17; medium = 1.15 ± 0.14; large = 1.40 ± 0.15. The low-affinity sites had the following Ka values (nM): small = 0.053 ± 0.008; medium = 0.077 ± 0.019; large = 0.077 ± 0.007. The low-affinity sites had the following binding capacities (pmol/mg protein): small = 20.40 ± 3.10; medium = 13.76 ± 0.78; large = 12.99 ± 0.55. Preferential binding for the high-affinity sites was IGF-I > IGF-II > insulin. These data show that although IGF-I plays a role in granulosal differentiation, the affinity and number of high-affinity binding sites do not change during follicular maturation. However, the number of low-affinity binding sites appears to be greater in granulosa cells from small follicles, suggesting a possible role for IGF-II and/or insulin in early follicular maturation.
A 3 1/2 Year Experience with Peritonitis in Children Undergoing CAPD and CCPD

In 3 1/2 years 68 children, mean age 11.1 years, were trained for CAPD or CCPD. Sixty-three episodes of peritonitis occurred during 654 patient months of CAPD (one every 10.4 months) and 31 during 256 patient months of CCPD (one every 8.3 months). At 12 months, 46% were free of peritonitis. Sterile cultures were frequent. When identified, organisms were usually gram positive. Infections responded to antibiotic therapy alone in most cases. Cefazolin was used as initial therapy but tobramycin was added for gram negative organisms. Persistent or recurrent infections were managed by transient catheter removal. The overall catheter survival rate was 69% at one year.
Rotations and accumulation of ellipsoidal microswimmers in isotropic turbulence

Aquatic micro-organisms and artificial microswimmers locomoting in turbulent flow encounter velocity gradients that rotate them, thereby changing their swimming direction and possibly providing cues about the local flow environment. Using numerical simulations of ellipsoidal particles in isotropic turbulence, we investigate the effects of body shape and swimming velocity on particle motion. Four particle shapes (sphere, rod, disc and triaxial ellipsoid) are investigated at five different swimming velocities in the range , where is the swimming velocity and is the Kolmogorov velocity scale. We find that anisotropic, swimming particles preferentially sample regions of lower fluid vorticity than passive particles do, and hence they accumulate in these regions. While this effect is monotonic with swimming velocity, the particle enstrophy (variance of particle angular velocity) varies non-monotonically with swimming velocity. In contrast to passive particles, the particle enstrophy is a function of shape for swimming particles. The particle enstrophy is largest for triaxial ellipsoids swimming at a velocity smaller than . We also observe that the average alignment of particles with the directions of the velocity gradient tensor are altered by swimming leading to a more equal distribution of rotation about different particle axes.
A flexible approach to reconstruct the genomic spatial structure by the genetic algorithm

The 3D structures of the chromosomes play fundamental roles in essential cellular functions, e.g., gene regulation, gene expression, evolution. HiC technique provides the interaction density between loci on chromosomes. Several approaches have been developed to reconstruct the 3D model of the chromosomes from HiC data. However, all of the approaches are based on a particular mathematical model and lack of flexibility for new development. We introduce a novel approach using the genetic algorithm. Our approach is flexible to accept any mathematical models to build a 3D chromosomal structure. Also, our approach outperforms current techniques in accuracy.
A Simulator for Breech Extraction of the Second Twin.

Background Breech extraction of a second twin is a skill useful for any health care provider planning on undertaking vaginal delivery of twins. However, training opportunities in this skill may be limited. Method Using readily available supplies, a reusable model neoprene uterus can be constructed, as can a balloon model to simulate a fetus in the amniotic cavity. Experience The model allowed demonstration of skills expected of trainees and is easy to construct. A simulated vagina addition increased extraction difficulty and increased the probability of balloon (amniotic sac) rupture during simulation. A hysterotomy addition enhanced model applicability for use at simulated cesarean delivery of the breech fetus. Conclusion This educational device for simulation of breech extraction realistically simulates a fetus suspended in an amniotic cavity and challenges learners to use tactile cues for prompt and proper identification, grasping, and delivery of the fetal foot or feet.
Systems design of hierarchically structured materials: Advanced steels

A systems approach integrates processing/structure/property/performance relations in the conceptual design of multilevel-structured materials. Using the example of high performance alloy steels, numerical implemen- tation of materials science principles provides a hierarchy of computational models defining subsystem design parameters which are integrated via computational thermodynamics in the comprehensive design of materials as interactive systems. Materials design class projects address application of the methods in metals, ceramics, and polymers for special applications.
The Counter-Rotating Twin Disks in NGC 4550

We discuss the striking kinematic properties of the S0 galaxy NGC 4550. A detailed analysis of the line-of-sight velocity distribution (LOSVD) along the major axis shows that this galaxy contains two cold, cospatial, counterrotating disks with indistinguishable scale lengths and luminosities. The two disks, twins save the signs of their spin, are also found to have exponential. luminosity profiles. We discuss qualitatively how this system might have formed.
Emergent Typologies of Small Businesses in a Multi-ethnic Wet Market in Malaysia: A Phenomenological Study

Small businesses are an invaluable source of local knowledge that provide insights into indigenous commercial, cultural and social values and beliefs. This article explores various emergent typologies of small businesses in a multi-ethnic Southeast Asian wet market principally with regards to their social responsibility and sustainability. The field site is Jelutong wet market in Penang, Malaysia. The philosophical and methodological framework is phenomenology, and principal data-collection tool is semi-structured interview. Thirty (30) primary interviews and five (5) verification interviews were conducted in various local languages and dialects. Three (3) typologies emerged and named the Lifestyle, Livelihood and Legacy typologies. Identifying and understanding these three (3) typologies in small businesses provide important inputs for public policy.
Descriptive Norms but not Harm Reduction Strategies as a Mediator of Personalized Boosters After a Computerized College Drinking Intervention.

Background Computer-delivered programs to reduce college drinking have strong appeal but are sometimes less efficacious than their in-person counterparts. Boosters may be an ideal way to strengthen and extend the effects of computerized interventions while maintaining low cost and easy dissemination. However, little is known about how they work. Consequently, the current study aimed to explore descriptive perceived drinking norms and use of protective behavioral strategies (PBS) as potential mediators of booster effects. We also examined norms and PBS as mediators of the main intervention. The present study was a follow-up analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial (Alcohol Clin Exp Res 42, 2018, 1735) testing the efficacy of emailed boosters containing personalized feedback after a computerized alcohol intervention. Methods Participants were 537 (67.4% women) emerging adult college drinkers (M age = 19.65, SD = 1.67). They were randomly assigned to one of 3 conditions: general health education, alcohol intervention only, or alcohol intervention plus booster email. Participants completed assessments at baseline and follow-ups through 9 months. Results Descriptive norms were a mediator of booster efficacy where receiving the booster yielded stronger reductions in alcohol use through reduced concurrent norms; however, fully longitudinal models did not reach significance. There was also an indirect effect for the intervention where those who received the intervention experienced an increase in drinking through increased concurrent norms. However, a stronger direct effect was found where those who received the intervention experienced a stronger decrease in drinking after controlling for norms. There was no support for PBS as a mediator of booster or intervention efficacy. Conclusions The present study was the first, to our knowledge, to demonstrate a potential mechanism of change in booster interventions. A simple, succinct reminder via email led to reductions in perceptions of how much peers drink, and this led to reductions in alcohol consumption. Our findings support the promise of utilizing brief and easily implemented targeted messaging to enhance the potency of computerized interventions for college drinkers.
Mouse laser injury models: variations on a theme

A confluence of technological advances in genetic manipulation and molecular-based fluorescence imaging has led to the widespread adoption of laser injury models to study hemostasis and thrombosis in mice. In all animal models of hemostasis and thrombosis, detailing the nature of experimentally induced vascular injury is paramount in enabling appropriate interpretation of experimental results. A careful appraisal of the literature shows that direct laser-induced injury can result in variable degrees of vascular damage. This review will compare and contrast models of laser injury utilized in the field, with an emphasis on the mechanism and extent of injury, the use of laser injury in different vascular beds and the molecular mechanisms regulating the response to injury. All of these topics will be discussed in the context of how distinct applications of laser injury models may be viewed as representing thrombosis and/or hemostasis.
Strength deficits in lower limb prosthesis users: A scoping review.

Background:Strength deficits may play a central role in the severity of balance, mobility, and endurance impairments in lower limb prosthesis users. A body of literature detailing the scope and spe...
What’s in a Name? Undergraduate Student Perceptions of Geography, Environment, and Sustainability Key Words and Program Names

The academic discipline of geography, faced with increasing competition from cognate fields and declining undergraduate enrollments, continues to suffer an identity crisis. In recent decades, many ...
Maximum Entropy Distributions with Quantile Information.

Quantiles are available in various problems for developing probability distributions. In some problems quantiles are elicited from experts and used for fitting parametric models, which induce non-elicited information. In some other problems comparisons are made with a quantile of an assumed model which is noncommittal to the quantile information. The maximum entropy (ME) principle provides models that avoid these issues. However, the information theory literature has been mainly concerned about models based on moment information. This paper explores the ME models that are the minimum elaborations of the uniform and moment-based ME models by quantiles. This property provides diagnostics for the utility of elaboration in terms of the information value of each type of information over the other. The ME model with quantiles and moments is represented as the mixture of truncated distributions on consecutive intervals whose shapes and existence are determined by the moments. Elaborations of several ME distributions by quantiles are presented. The ME model based only on quantiles elicited by the fixed interval method possesses a useful property for pooling information elicited from multiple experts. The elaboration of Laplace distribution is an extension of the information theory connection with minimum risk under symmetric loss functions to the asymmetric linear loss. This extension produces a new Asymmetric Laplace distribution. Application examples compare ME priors with a parametric model fitted to elicited quantiles, illustrate measuring uncertainty and disagreement of economic forecasters based on elicited probabilities, and adjust ME models for a fundamental quantile in an inventory management problem.
Abstract 3564: Anti-tumor effect and HIF1α inhibition by combining CDK4 inhibitor with HSP90 inhibitor in various cancer types including Rb-deficient tumor cells

As solid tumors outgrow their oxygen supply, regions with abnormal vasculature become poorly oxygenated, known as intratumoral hypoxia. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) is the main mediator to hypoxia and promotes angiogenesis, cell survival as well as cancer metastases. Overexpression of HIF1α is correlated with poor prognosis in many malignancies such as colorectal cancers. Targeting HIF1α is a potential strategy for cancer therapy. We have previously shown that cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) stabilizes HIF1α through direct phosphorylation of its Ser668 residue in a Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL)-independent manner both under hypoxia and at G2/M under normoxia (Warfel et al., 2013). It has been acknowledged that the heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is also a VHL-independent HIF1α stabilizer (Isaacs JS et al., 2002). We found that CDK1 may contribute to HSP90-mediated HIF1α stabilization. Combination treatment of HSP90 inhibition and CDK1 knockdown reduces HIF1α expression in hypoxia more robustly than either single treatment. Dual inhibition of CDK1 and HSP90 synergistically decreases cell viability in colorectal cancer cells and suppresses colony formation. We have observed that CDK4 plays a role in HIF1α stabilization. Using the FDA-approved CDK4/6 inhibitors (palbociclib & abemaciclib), we observed that dual inhibition of CDK4 and HSP90 synergistically inhibits cancer viability in colorectal cancer cell lines (eg. HCT116, SW480, DLD1) under both normoxia and hypoxia. Multiple HSP90 inhibitors have been tested, including ganetespib, onalespib, XL888 and TAS116, which indicates such combinational inhibition as a class effect. As expected, the combination treatment of CDK4 knockdown/inhibition and HSP90 inhibition is able to reduce the level of HIF1α and suppress cell viability in various cancer cell lines (eg. colorectal, glioblastoma, breast, and prostate cancers). The combination treatment induces PARP cleavage, indicating activated apoptosis. Interestingly, we found that knockdown of RB does not affect the response of HCT116 or SW480 cells to the combination treatment with abemaciclib and TAS116, although RB deficiency contributes to a relative resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitor monotherapy. Combination of abemaciclib plus TAS116 inhibits cell viability in Rb-deficient cells (eg. H1048 and Saos2). Hypoxia sensitizes the Rb-deficient MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cell line to abemaciclib treatment. Our findings suggest a therapeutic potential for utilizing the combination of CDK4 and HSP90 inhibitors in cancer treatment. Citation Format: Shuai Zhao, Lanlan Zhou, David T. Dicker, Wafik S. El-Deiry. Anti-tumor effect and HIF1α inhibition by combining CDK4 inhibitor with HSP90 inhibitor in various cancer types including Rb-deficient tumor cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 3564.
Complete Genome Sequence of Rahel, a C1 Cluster Mycobacteriophage.

ABSTRACT Rahel is a lytic Myoviridae bacteriophage that infects Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155. It has 1,555,955 bp and 64.7% G+C content. Rahel has a circularly permuted genome with 270 genes, 53 of them of known function, 33 tRNAs, and 1 transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA). Only five genes are coded on the reverse strand.
Effect of Substrate Resistivity, Defects and Temperature on Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells Performance

In this work, we present a comprehensive study to understand how bulk resistivity, defects and operating temperature impact the solar cell performance. Simulations indicate solar cells with excellent surface passivation benefit from substrates with high bulk resistivity as they operate at high injections. For the same defect type and defect concentration, higher lifetime is achieved for wafer with higher bulk resistivity. We fabricate silicon heterojunction lifetime samples on substrates with bulk resistivities from 1 to >15k Ωcm and study the behavior of lifetime and implied parameters at different operating temperatures. The effective lifetimes increase with temperature for wafers in all bulk resistivity ranges. Temperature coefficients are shown to be independent of the bulk resistivity and the measured values are in the range of values previous reported on silicon heterojunctions manufactured for standard bulk resistivity (2–3 Ωcm) wafers.