cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Myh7b/miR-499 gene expression is transcriptionally regulated by MRFs and Eos

The sarcomeric myosin gene, Myh7b, encodes an intronic microRNA, miR-499, which regulates cardiac and skeletal muscle biology, yet little is known about its transcriptional regulation. To identify the transcription factors involved in regulating Myh7b/miR-499 gene expression, we have mapped the transcriptional start sites and identified an upstream 6.2 kb region of the mouse Myh7b gene whose activity mimics the expression pattern of the endogenous Myh7b gene both in vitro and in vivo. Through promoter deletion analysis, we have mapped a distal E-box element and a proximal Ikaros site that are essential for Myh7b promoter activity in muscle cells. We show that the myogenic regulatory factors, MyoD, Myf5 and Myogenin, bind to the E-box, while a lymphoid transcription factor, Ikaros 4 (Eos), binds to the Ikaros motif. Further, we show that through physical interaction, MyoD and Eos form an active transcriptional complex on the chromatin to regulate the expression of the endogenous Myh7b/miR-499 gene in muscle cells. We also provide the first evidence that Eos can regulate expression of additional myosin genes (Myosin 1 and β-Myosin) via the miR-499/Sox6 pathway. Therefore, our results indicate a novel role for Eos in the regulation of the myofiber gene program.
Novel membrane and device for direct contact membrane distillation-based desalination process

In the direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) process for desalination, the water vapor flux is strongly affected by the hot brine heat transfer coefficient, conductive heat loss, and long-term flux decline due to membrane pore wetting/fouling, etc. The DCMD process has been explored here using porous hydrophobic polypropylene hollow fibers having three different dimensions and two different wall thicknesses. The outside surfaces of the fibers have been coated with a variety of microporous plasmapolymerized silicone−fluoropolymer coating. A large number of rectangular modules having the hot brine in cross flow over the outside of the fibers and cold distillate flowing in the tube side have been investigated for their DCMD performances with hot brine (1% NaCl) over a brine temperature range of 60−90 °C. The module MXFR 3 containing fibers with larger internal diameter (i.d.) and wall thickness, and having the best performance, was tested in a continuous DCMD run for 120 h with 85 °C brine flowing at a...
Depression, natural killer cell activity, and cortisol secretion

Natural killer (NK) cell activity was evaluated in 34 ambulatory patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and 21 healthy controls. No mean differences between the groups were found. However, female depressives (n = 19) exhibited higher NK activity than female controls (n = 14). The relationship between cortisol secretion and NK activity was examined using an integrated cortisol value derived from multiple blood samples taken between 1:00 and 4:00 PM. This comprehensive assessment of cortisol secretion circumvents spurious "single stick" cortisol values and provides a more accurate determination of hypercortisolemia than the dexamethasone suppression test. NK activity in depressives with cortisol hypersecretion (greater than 11 micrograms/dl) (n = 7) was no different than NK activity in depressives and controls with normal cortisol secretion. Furthermore, there was no correlation between cortisol secretion and NK activity in any of the groups. These results indicate that decreased NK activity is not a consistent finding in MDD and cannot be predicted by the presence of hypercortisolemia in these patients.
The Rules of the Game in the Canadian House of Commons

A LTHOUGH, AS ARISTOTLE observed, man is a social animal, in any group there exist certain norms of behavior which structure the interactions of the individual in that group so as to enable it to achieve its purposive goals and/or maintain its viability. Such norms may be formal ones which require certain types of behavior or they may be informal expectations, conventions or obligations. The latter no less than the former set forth the expectations that the group has for its members and define appropriate and inappropriate actions. The formal rules which govern the functions of and procedures within legislative bodies have long been subjects of study of political scientists. It has been relatively recently, however, that the attention of the discipline has focused on the informal norms of legislative behavior. David Truman has pointed out the importance of these informal "rules of the game" for understanding legislative behavior:
Estimating uncertainty in observational studies of associations between continuous variables: example of methylmercury and neuropsychological testing in children

We suggest that the need to account for systematic error may explain the apparent lack of agreement among studies of maternal dietary methylmercury exposure and neuropsychological testing outcomes in children, a topic of ongoing debate. These sensitivity analyses address the possible role of systematic error on reported associations between low-level prenatal exposure to methylmercury and neuropsychological test results in two well known, but apparently conflicting cohort studies: the Faroe Islands Study (FIS) and the Seychelles Child Development Study (SCDS). We estimated the potential impact of confounding, selection bias, and information bias on reported results in these studies using the Boston Naming Test (BNT) score as the outcome variable. Our findings indicate that, assuming various degrees of bias (in either direction) the corrected regression coefficients largely overlap. Thus, the reported effects in the two studies are not necessarily different from each other. Based on our sensitivity analysis results, it is not possible to draw definitive conclusions about the presence or absence of neurodevelopmental effects due to in utero methylmercury exposure at levels reported in the FIS and SCDS.
Optical brain monitoring for operator training and mental workload assessment.

Abstract An accurate measure of mental workload in human operators is a critical element of monitoring and adaptive aiding systems that are designed to improve the efficiency and safety of human–machine systems during critical tasks. Functional near infrared (fNIR) spectroscopy is a field-deployable non-invasive optical brain monitoring technology that provides a measure of cerebral hemodynamics within the prefrontal cortex in response to sensory, motor, or cognitive activation. In this paper, we provide evidence from two studies that fNIR can be used in ecologically valid environments to assess the: 1) mental workload of operators performing standardized (n-back) and complex cognitive tasks (air traffic control — ATC), and 2) development of expertise during practice of complex cognitive and visuomotor tasks (piloting unmanned air vehicles — UAV). Results indicate that fNIR measures are sensitive to mental task load and practice level, and provide evidence of the fNIR deployment in the field for its ability to monitor hemodynamic changes that are associated with relative cognitive workload changes of operators. The methods reported here provide guidance for the development of strategic requirements necessary for the design of complex human–machine interface systems and assist with assessments of human operator performance criteria.
The Role of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Receptors in Atherosclerosis.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α)-α is a cytokine exhibiting a plethora of activities involved in inflammation, immune regulation, and energy metabolism. TNF is produced by many cell types, including cells found in atherosclerotic lesions, such as activated monocytes or macrophages, T and B lymphocytes, mast cells, and smooth muscle cells. Two receptors mediate the functions of TNF, and both receptors are also present on cells of the artery wall and on cells involved in lesion development. Mice genetically engineered to lack expression of TNF and each of its receptors are now available and are being used to dissect the role of these molecules in protection from or development of atherosclerosis. The role of TNF receptors in atherosclerosis is the primary focus of this review.
Transformer miniaturization for transcutaneous current/voltage pulse applications

A general procedure for the design of a miniaturized step up transformer to be used in the context of surface electrode based current/voltage pulse generation is presented. It has been shown that the optimum secondary current pulse width is 4.5 /spl tau/, where /spl tau/ is the time constant associated with the pulse forming network associated with the transformer/electrode interaction. This criteria has been shown to produce the highest peak to average current ratio for the secondary current pulse. The design procedure allows for the calculation of the optimum turns ratio, primary turns, and secondary turns for a given electrode load/tissue and magnetic core parameters. Two design examples for transformer optimization are presented.
Application of color displays to problems in the undergraduate laboratory

Some topics in psychology are difficult to master without dynamic visual displays. This paper describes a few applications of computer-driven color graphics displays in an undergraduate laboratory in neuropsychology. The paper includes the advantages, disadvantages, and cost of this approach, as well as student reactions and evaluations.
Using visual features to build topological maps of indoor environments

This paper addresses the problem of localization and map construction by a mobile robot in an indoor environment. Instead of trying to build high-fidelity geometric maps, we focus on constructing topological maps, as they are lees sensitive to poor odometry estimates and position errors. We propose a method for incrementally building topological maps for a robot, which uses a panoramic camera to obtain images at various locations along its path and uses the features it tracks in the images to update the topological map. The method is very general and does not require the environment to have uniquely distinctive features.
Drinking patterns among Hispanic adolescents: results from a national household survey.

Objective: This is one of the first studies to examine and compare alcohol use for adolescent Cubans, Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans and other Hispanics. Method: The data come from the 1993 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA), a national probability sample of the U.S. household population. The sample examined here (N = 1,865, 52% male) comprises 200 Cubans, 1,133 Mexican Americans, 255 Puerto Ricans and 277 Central/South Americans who were 12 to 17 years old. Drinking patterns are measured using a quantity-frequency index, and analyses are conducted using Stata. Results: In the cross-tabulations, no ethnic differences in drinking patterns are found for males or females, nor is there evidence of gender differences within ethnic groups, although there are some age differences in alcohol use. In the logistic regression analyses, two ethnic differences emerge, although the factors most consistently associated with drinking behaviors in these analyses are age, Spanish language use and urban resid...
The History of the Biblical Text in the Light of Discoveries in the Judean Desert

The publication in January, 1953, of fragments of an unknown recension of the Greek Bible gave the first unambiguous warnings of a revolution to come in the textual criticism of the Hebrew Bible. Earlier the publication of the great Isaiah scroll of Qumrân, Cave I (IQ Isaa), and later of the second fragmentary roll of Isaiah (IQ Isab), created noise and excitement, but none of the major text-critical schools was forced to shift significant ground. Champions of the Hebraica veritas who had increasingly dominated the field, especially in Europe, noted the close affinities of the scrolls with the traditional text. The failure of IQ Isa to produce a significant number of superior readings despite its antiquity embarrassed lingering survivors of the great critical tradition of the nineteenth century, and delighted biblical exegetes and historians who wished to ply their trade without entering the miasmal precincts of text-critical labors. Despite some attention paid to its occasional affinities with the Old Greek, most scholars, whether prompted by traditionalist prejudgment or sheer inertia, were pleased to label the text vulgar or even sectarian, avoiding thereby a serious reexamination of their text-critical theories.
Are atopic individuals genetically predisposed to produce a specific protease profile in antigen processing

Genetic factors play a major role in the development of allergic diseases such as asthma and atopic dermatitis. Since allergic response involves immune processes such as antigen-processing and -presentation, it is conceivable that the genes involved in the regulation of these processes may be crucial in determining an individual's susceptibility to allergic diseases. In this paper, it is proposed that proteases, used in antigen-processing, are involved in the genetic predisposition to allergic diseases.
The Data Stream Space Complexity of Cascaded Norms

We consider the problem of estimating cascaded aggregates over a matrix presented as a sequence of updates in a data stream. A cascaded aggregate P ±Q is defined by evaluating aggregate Q repeatedly over each row of the matrix, and then evaluating aggregate P over the resulting vector of values. This problem was introduced by Cormode andMuthukrishnan, PODS, 2005 [CM]. We analyze the space complexity of estimating cascaded norms on an n £d matrix to within a small relative error. Let Lp denote the p-th norm, where p is a non-negative integer. We abbreviate the cascaded normLk ±Lp by Lk,p . (1) For any constant k ¸ p ¸ 2, we obtain a 1-pass e O(n1i2/kd1i2/p )-space algorithm for estimating Lk,p . This is optimal up to polylogarithmic factors and resolves an open question of [CM] regarding the space complexity of L4,2. We also obtain 1-pass space-optimal algorithms for estimating L1,k and Lk,1. (2)We prove a space lower bound of­(n1i1/k ) on estimating Lk,0 and Lk,1, resolving an open question due to Indyk, IITK Data StreamsWorkshop (Problem 8), 2006. We also resolve two more questions of [CM] concerning Lk,2 estimation and block heavy hitter problems. Ganguly, Bansal and Dube (FAW, 2008) claimed an e O(1)-space algorithm for estimating Lk,p for any k,p 2 [0,2]. Our lower bounds show this claimis incorrect.
Property Tax Caps and Citizen Perceptions of Local Government Service Quality: Evidence From the Hoosier Survey

This study examines the relationship between property tax caps and citizens’ perceptions of local government service quality using data from the 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 Hoosier Surveys conducted...
Psychiatric disorders in adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities

Relative to other aspects of Down syndrome, remarkably little is known about the psychiatric problems experienced by youth and young adults with this syndrome and if these problems differ from others with intellectual disabilities. Yet adolescence and young adulthood are particularly vulnerable time periods, as they involve multiple life transitions in educational, medical, and other service systems. This study compared the psychiatric diagnoses of 49 adolescent and young adult patients with Down syndrome to 70 patients with other intellectual disabilities (IDs). The groups were similar in age, gender, and level of intellectual impairment. The 119 participants, aged 13 to 29 years (M = 21) were evaluated in one of two specialized psychiatric clinics. In contrast to previous literature, those with Down syndrome versus other IDs had significantly higher rates of psychosis NOS or depression with psychotic features (43% versus 13%). Unlike the ID group, psychosis was predominantly seen in females with Down syndrome. Marked motoric slowing in performing routine daily activities or in expressive language was manifested in 17% of patients with Down syndrome. No group differences were found in anxiety or depressive disorders, and the ID group had significantly higher rates of bipolar and impulse control disorders. These preliminary observations warrant further studies on genetic, neurological, and psychosocial factors that place some young people with Down syndrome or other IDs at high risk for severe psychiatric illness.
Treatment of osteitis pubis and osteomyelitis of the pubic symphysis in athletes: a systematic review

Objectives The authors examined the most current evidence for treatment options in athletes with osteitis pubis and osteomyelitis pubis, attempting to determine which options provide optimal pain relief with rapid return to sport and prevention of symptom reoccurrence. Methods Three databases—MEDLINE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and CINAHL—were searched using the OVID interface for all years between 1985 and May 2008. References were analysed from included studies, and additional relevant articles were obtained for inclusion. Inclusion criteria included (1) humans only, (2) subjects had no apparent risk factors for development of osteitis pubis or osteomyelitis of the pubic symphysis other than athletic involvement, (3) both physical exam findings and diagnostic imaging were used to confirm either diagnosis, and (4) a definitive treatment strategy was identifiable for management of osteitis pubis or osteomyelitis of the pubic symphysis. In total, 25 articles were included in the review. Results There were no randomised controlled trials identified with this study9s search strategy. A total of 195 athletes were diagnosed as having osteitis pubis (186 males, nine females) and treated with either conservative measures/physical therapy, local injection with corticosteroids and/or local anaesthetic, dextrose prolotherapy, surgery or antibiotic therapy. Six case reports/series described conservative treatment measures (physical therapy, rest, non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs). Four case series explored the use of corticosteroid injections in treatment. One case series described the use of dextrose prolotherapy as a treatment modality. Six case series described various surgical techniques (pubic symphysis curettage, polypropylene mesh placement and pubic bone stabilisation) in treatment. Ten case reports/series (10 subjects) outlined antibiotic treatment of osteomyelitis of the pubic symphysis. Conclusions The current medical literature shows only level 4 evidence of the treatment for osteitis pubis in 24 case reports/series in athletes. Without any direct comparison of treatment modalities, it is difficult to determine which individual treatment option is the most efficacious. Further study comparing the different treatment options is necessary to determine which modality provides the fastest return to sport.
First Report of Powdery Mildew on Potato Caused by Leveillula taurica in North America

In August 2004, examination of powdery mildew-infected ‘Russet Burbank’ potato leaves from a furrow-irrigated field in Grant Co., WA, revealed two powdery mildew fungi, one referable to Erysiphe or...
Ran, a GTP-binding protein involved in nucleocytoplasmic transport and microtubule nucleation, relocates from the manchette to the centrosome region during rat spermiogenesis.

Ran, a Ras-related GTPase, is required for transporting proteins in and out of the nucleus during interphase and for regulating the assembly of microtubules. cDNA cloning shows that rat testis, like mouse testis, expresses both somatic and testis-specific forms of Ran–GTPase. The presence of a homologous testis-specific form of Ran–GTPase in rodents implies that the Ran–GTPase pathway plays a significant role during sperm development. This suggestions is supported by distinct Ran–GTPase immunolocalization sites identified in developing spermatids. Confocal microscopy demonstrates that Ran–GTPase localizes in the nucleus of round spermatids and along the microtubules of the manchette in elongating spermatids. When the manchette disassembles, Ran–GTPase immunoreactivity is visualized in the centrosome region of maturing spermatids. The circumstantial observation that fractionated manchettes, containing copurified centrin-immunoreactive centrosomes, can organize a three-dimensional lattice in the presence of taxol and GTP, points to the role of Ran–GTPase and associated factors in microtubule nucleation as well as the potential nucleating function of spermatid centrosomes undergoing a reduction process. Electron microscopy demonstrates the presence in manchette preparations of spermatid centrosomes, recognized as such by their association with remnants of the implantation fossa, a dense plate observed only at the basal surface of developing spermatid and sperm nuclei. In addition, we have found importin β1 immunoreactivity in the nucleus of elongating spermatids, a finding that, together with the presence of Ran–GTPase in the nucleus of round spermatids and the manchette, suggest a potential role of Ran–GTPase machinery in nucleocytoplasmic transport. Our expression and localization analysis, correlated with functional observations in other cell systems, suggest that Ran–GTPase may be involved in both nucleocytoplasmic transport and microtubules assembly, two critical events during the development of functional sperm. In addition, the manchette-to-centrosome Ran–GTPase relocation, together with the similar redistribution of various proteins associated to the manchette, suggest the existence of an intramanchette molecular transport mechanism, which may share molecular analogies with intraflagellar transport. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 63: 131–140, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
TOPOISOMERASE INVOLVEMENT IN MULTIPLICITY REACTIVATION OF PHAGE T4

ABSTRACT The products of phage T4 genes 39, 52 and probably 60 have been previously characterized as forming a type II DNA topoisomerase. Other evidence suggested that this topoisomerase promotes normal initiation of DNA replication, and that when it is defective its loss is partially compensated for by the host gyrase. We present evidence here that mutants defective in genes 39, 52 and 60 have reduced ability to carry out multiplicity reactivation (MR, a form of recombinational repair) of phage DNA damaged either by mitomycin C (MMC) or psoralen plus near-UV light (PUVA). We also observed that there is not extensive superhelicity in the intracellular phage DNA either in the presence or absence of the phage topoisomerase. This tends to rule out the possibility that the topoisomerase influences MR by controlling the general superhelicity of the phage DNA. The dependence of MR on topoisomerase could occur in several possible ways. However, we favor the explanation that the lesions are bypassed by a postreplication recombinational repair process that is influenced by the topoisomerase through its role in initiating replication.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of Water Diffusion in 2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate (HEMA) Gels

A fundamental study focusing on correlating the local water self-diffusion coefficient to the local free water content in 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) gels was conducted. HEMA gels were synthesized with different nominal water content (50% to 90%). MRI measurements of local diffusion coefficient distribution and local water content profiles are conducted on a 600 MHz scanner. The local water content is measured via two spin-echo images with sufficiently long repetition time (TR) to eliminate T1-weighting and two values for the echo time (TE) in order to account for T2-weighting. The local diffusion coefficient is determined using a standard pulsed-field gradient spin-echo sequence. The measured local water content and diffusion coefficient data are compared with several single-parameter diffusion models for interstitial diffusion in the hydrogel (Makie-Meares, Stokes-Einstein, Brownian motion around overlapping spheres).
Compatibility of insulin over 24 hours in standard and bicarbonate-based peritoneal dialysis solutions contained in bags made of different materials.

⇔ Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate potency changes in insulin in different solutions and bag materials used for peritoneal dialysis (PD). One of the PD solutions (Physioneal) tested is available in two different solution containers, PVC and Clear-Flex. Four insulin concentrations (4 IU/L, 10 IU/L, 20 IU/L, and 40 IU/L) were evaluated. This range of concentrations was defined in accordance with standard medical practice. All PD solutions made by Baxter, Castlebar, Ireland. ⇔ Methods: Insulin determination was performed by immunoassay (ELISA). ⇔ Results: In Dianeal, more than 90% of the initial dose of insulin remained available up to 24 hours for all concentrations tested. In Physioneal, for the higher concentrations tested (10 IU/L, 20 IU/L, and 40 IU/L), more than 90% of the initial dose of insulin remained available up to 6 hours, and more than 80% up to 24 hours. For the lowest concentration of insulin tested in Physioneal (4 IU/L), more than 90% of the initial dose of insulin remained available up to 3 hours, and more than 70% up to 24 hours. Also for the lowest concentration of insulin, recovery correlated with the pH of the tested solutions. This effect became apparent over the storage time. ⇔ Conclusions: The data show that insulin adsorption is less than 10% during the first 3 hours for every PD solution tested. Insulin recovery tends to be stable or to decrease slightly over time for the lower insulin concentrations tested. The results for insulin recovery show a correlation with insulin concentration and with pH for the lowest insulin dose tested. From a solution‐container interaction perspective, Clear-Flex is an equivalent alternative to standard PVC material.
Placental LHRH-Like Activity

Multiple endocrine functions of the placenta have long been recognized. However, only recently has the presence of hypothalamic-like release and inhibiting activities in the placenta been realized. One of these activities is similar to LH-RH and recent studies indicate that chorionic LH-RH-like activity interacts within a paracrine system involving chorionic gonadotropin, steroid and prostaglandin (PG) releases. The delineation of this paracrine system within the placenta has led us to reassess and broaden our understanding of the control of placental endocrine function.
Least-squares axial alchemi for Nb site determination in a TiAl intermetallic alloy

Light element intermetallic alloys have attracted considerable attention amongst material scientist because of their high strength at elevated temperatures. For alloys of Ti and Al, for example, it has been found that the addition of a few atomic percent of niobium significantly improves the room temperature strength and ductility. The determination of the atomic percent present, and the distribution of the niobium atoms in TiAl alloys is thus an important problem. In this paper the authors describe the application of the Atom Location by Channelling Enhanced Microanalysis (ALCHEMI) technique to a metastable TiAl alloy (CsCl structure) containing niobium. The aim of the work is to determine the crystallographic site of the Nb, using both the ratio and the statistical ALCHEMI analysis methods. In addition, the authors discuss the problems associated with the application of the ALCHEMI method to metals, and consider the advantages of the use of axial orientations for these materials. The localization effects are also discussed, since they influence quantitative ALCHEMI measurements.
Re-examining power and privilege in collective impact

The dual purpose of this article is to deconstruct the collective impact approach’s treatment of power and privilege while reconstructing the model’s potential to encourage equity agendas in commun...
Differences in predictions of ODE models of tumor growth: a cautionary example

While mathematical models are often used to predict progression of cancer and treatment outcomes, there is still uncertainty over how to best model tumor growth. Seven ordinary differential equation (ODE) models of tumor growth (exponential, Mendelsohn, logistic, linear, surface, Gompertz, and Bertalanffy) have been proposed, but there is no clear guidance on how to choose the most appropriate model for a particular cancer. We examined all seven of the previously proposed ODE models in the presence and absence of chemotherapy. We derived equations for the maximum tumor size, doubling time, and the minimum amount of chemotherapy needed to suppress the tumor and used a sample data set to compare how these quantities differ based on choice of growth model. We find that there is a 12-fold difference in predicting doubling times and a 6-fold difference in the predicted amount of chemotherapy needed for suppression depending on which growth model was used. Our results highlight the need for careful consideration of model assumptions when developing mathematical models for use in cancer treatment planning.
RAN translation—What makes it run?

Nucleotide-repeat expansions underlie a heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative and neuromuscular disorders for which there are currently no effective therapies. Recently, it was discovered that such repetitive RNA motifs can support translation initiation in the absence of an AUG start codon across a wide variety of sequence contexts, and that the products of these atypical translation initiation events contribute to neuronal toxicity. This review examines what we currently know and do not know about repeat associated non-AUG (RAN) translation in the context of established canonical and non-canonical mechanisms of translation initiation. We highlight recent findings related to RAN translation in three repeat expansion disorders: CGG repeats in fragile X-associated tremor ataxia syndrome (FXTAS), GGGGCC repeats in C9orf72 associated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and CAG repeats in Huntington disease. These studies suggest that mechanistic differences may exist for RAN translation dependent on repeat type, repeat reading frame, and the surrounding sequence context, but that for at least some repeats, RAN translation retains a dependence on some of the canonical translational initiation machinery. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI:RNA Metabolism in Disease.
California Dreaming: Replicating the ESA Model, Unusual Cases, and Comparative State Political Analysis

Cross-sectional analyses of American state data testing models in which state size is a meaningful predictor face a nonobvious problem of limited observations. Quite simply, the limited number of large states, and especially the presence of the uniquely large state of California, provides few observations to anchor regression estimates. We explore this problem with close attention to Gray and Lowery's (1996a) energy, stability, area (ESA) model of interest system density, both replicating their results with new data and highlighting the utility and limitations of analyzing unusual cases in comparative state research. After replicating the ESA model, several diagnostics for analyzing outliers, leverage, and influence are examined. We show how supplemental data analyses can be used to assess the source, severity, and, sometimes, the solution of the problem.
No panacea garden

Essay Excerpts Three of the seven distinguished researchers whose autobiographical chapters (Berliner, 2016; Sternberg, 2016; Sweller, 2016) I edited, and one that is in process (Gordon, in press), indicate that they were poor or indifferent students early in their academic careers. That is also true of me; so five of the first seven scholars in the Acquired Wisdom series were poor students. I did not explicitly mention my studying difficulties in this chapter because they had already been described in my memoir about how my family found safe haven from the Holocaust in Shanghai, China, during World War II (Tobias, 2009). It may be useful to examine my difficulties and how they relate to educational practice and concepts in the contemporary educational psychology literature. The late Dick Snow, a friend and colleague at Stanford, once commented that research on instructional innovations seemed to him like a random walk through the panacea garden. I have become sceptical of any instructional development, theory, or instructional method that is expected to improve learning for all students in all subjects. I have lived through prior panaceas like programmed and computer assisted instruction, multimedia education, computer games, and educational movements such as progressive, competency based, open corridor, and inquiry education, and the current panacea - constructivist instruction - from all of which I learned something. There are no panaceas that will easily improve learning for everyone, because good instruction is hard work and difficult to do. [Download the PDF ]
Investigation on Avian Influenza Knowledge and Behavior of Rural Rasidents in Nanxing Township,Guanghan City

Objective To understand the avian influenza kenowledge and related behavior among rural population in Guanghan City so as to provide basis for propaganda. Method Cluster sampling method and questionnair were applied. Result 1 038 persons were investigated,in which 62.90% understood avian influenza endangered one's health,56.45%-84.0% knew the fransmission route,40.75% was aware of washing hands after being confacted with poultry,86.89% of them slaughtered poultry with bare handed,and 12.90% was aware of burying the dead poultry. Conclusion Most farmers understand certain knowledge on avian influenza.It is necessary to strengthen the publicity on prevention knowledge on avian influenza so as to promote the preventive behavior.
Customized Bundling for Internet Information Goods

Based on the characteristics of Internet information goods,this paper studies cus- tomized bundling for a monopolistic firm's Internet information goods.We find that in the pres- ence of transaction costs,pure bundling is not the optimal choice for the firm,neither is the ineen- tive-compatible customized bundling.In contrast,,mixed bundling is the strictly Pareto dominat- ing pricing choice for the firm.
Classic Spotlight: Studies of the Stringent Response.

The views expressed in this Editorial do not necessarily reflect the views of the journal or of ASM. Early investigators of bacterial metabolism felt that the major activities of the cell must be balanced so that every component of the cell could be duplicated in the same time interval. They also
Connoted Strength of Signal Words by Elderly and Non-Native English Speakers

A number of recent studies have examined the connoted strength of signal words used in sign and product label warnings. These words, such as DANGER, WARNING, and CAUTION, are intended to differentiate various levels of hazard (high to low, respectively). Until recently, most studies have only used college students to evaluate signal words. Other populations who are at least equal to or possess greater risk of injury have not been studied. The main purpose of the present research was to determine whether other populations of persons, namely the elderly and non-native English speakers, derive similar meanings (i.e., connoted levels of hazard) from the signal words as have been shown in previous work for college students, as well as, for a sample of grade-school children tested in Silver and Wogalter (1991). A sample of 98 elderly persons and 135 non-native English speakers rated 43 potential signal words on how careful they would be after seeing each term. The results showed that the rank ordering of the wo...
Canine coronary vasodepressor responses to hypoxia are abolished by 8-phenyltheophylline

Anesthetized randomsource mongrel dogs of either sex were instrumented to investigate the effects of 8-phenyltheophylline on changes in coronary perfusion pressure caused by systemic hypoxia under conditions of controlled constant coronary blood flow. In the absence of 8-phenyltheophylline, coronary perfusion pressure decreased from 98 +/- 10 to 69 +/- 4 mmHg (P less than 0.05) at the end of 3 min of systemic hypoxia [arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) = 23 +/- 2 mmHg]. Calculated coronary vascular resistance decreased concomitantly by 30 +/- 5% (P less than 0.05). In the presence of continuously infused 8-phenyltheophylline, equally severe hypoxia increased coronary perfusion pressure from 112 +/- 10 to 129 +/- 13 mmHg (P less than 0.05). Under these conditions, calculated coronary vascular resistance increased 14 +/- 3% (P less than 0.05). Dose-dependent attenuation of the coronary vasodilator response to exogenous adenosine under normoxic conditions was produced by 8-phenyltheophylline. In vehicle-treated dogs, repeat bolus injections of adenosine consistently lowered coronary perfusion pressure by 45 +/- 15%. The vasodepressor response did not vary from one injection to the next. These data demonstrate that under conditions of controlled constant coronary blood flow, treatment with 8-phenytheophylline abolishes coronary vasodilation caused by systemic hypoxia.
Communication: Distinguishing between bulk and interface-enhanced crystallization in nanoscale films of amorphous solid water

The crystallization of amorphous solid water (ASW) nanoscale films was investigated using reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy. Two ASW film configurations were studied. In one case the ASW film was deposited on top of and capped with a decane layer (“sandwich” configuration). In the other case, the ASW film was deposited on top of a decane layer and not capped (“no cap” configuration). Crystallization of ASW films in the “sandwich” configuration is about eight times slower than in the “no cap.” Selective placement of an isotopic layer (5% D2O in H2O) at various positions in an ASW (H2O) film was used to determine the crystallization mechanism. In the “sandwich” configuration, the crystallization kinetics were independent of the isotopic layer placement whereas in the “no cap” configuration the closer the isotopic layer was to the vacuum interface, the earlier the isotopic layer crystallized. These results are consistent with a mechanism whereby the decane overlayer suppresses surface nucleation an...
Improving 3D Structure Prediction of Beta-Barrel Membrane Proteins

Beta-barrel membrane proteins are found in the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria, mitochondria, and chloroplasts. They carry out diverse biological functions, including pore formation, membrane anchoring, enzyme activity, and bacterial virulence. In addition, beta-barrel membrane proteins increasingly serve as scaffolds for bacterial surface display and nanopore-based DNA sequencing. Due to difficulties in experimental structure determination, they are sparsely represented in the protein structure databank and computational methods are required to understand their biophysical principles. We have developed a novel 3D structural template for the construction of beta-barrel membrane proteins, which captures major geometric properties of these proteins. With the help of the prediction procedure of strand registers that we developed, we have achieved a high accuracy for the structure prediction of beta-barrel proteins. In addition, for the beta-barrel proteins with irregular barrel shape, we have further developed an elastic model, which characterizes bending and curvatures of the barrels, to improve the structure prediction of these proteins.
Computational pricing in Internet era

Pricing plays a central rule to a company’s profitability, and therefore has been extensively studied in the literature of economics. When designing a pricing mechanism/ model, an important principle to consider is “price discrimination”, which refers to selling the same resources with different prices according to different values of buyers. To meet the “price discrimination” principle, especially when the number of buyers is large, computational methods, which act in a more accurate and principled way, are usually needed to determine the optimal allocation of sellers’ resources (whom to sell to) and the optimal payment of buyers (what to charge). Nowadays, in the Internet era in which quite a lot of buy and sell processes are conducted through Internet, the design of computational pricing models faces both new challenges and opportunities, considering that (i) nearly realtime interactions between people enable the buyers to reveal their needs and enable the sellers to expose their information in a more expressive manner, (ii) the large-scale interaction data require powerful methods for more efficient processing and enable the sellers to model different buyers in a more precise manner. In this paper, we review recent advances on the analysis and design of computational pricing models for representative Internet industries, e.g., online advertising and cloud computing. In particular, we introduce how computational approaches can be used to analyze buyer’s behaviors (i.e., equilibrium analysis), improve resource utilization (i.e., social welfare analysis), and boost seller’s profit (i.e., revenue analysis). We also discuss how machine learning techniques can be used to better understand buyer’s behaviors and design more effective pricing mechanisms, given the availability of large scale data. Moreover, we make discussions on future research directions on computational pricing, which hopefully can inspire more researchers to contribute to this important domain.
Obesity and Cigarette Smoking: Extending the Link to E-cigarette/Vaping Use.

Objectives In recent years, electronic tobacco (e-cigarette/vaping) use among young adults has grown exponentially. Given past research linking obesity and cigarette smoking, assessing whether this relationship extends to electronic tobacco use is warranted. The current study examined weight status as a correlate of substance use patterns reflecting electronic tobacco use. Methods Survey data were collected from a convenience sample of 452 (59% female) undergraduates attending a large, public university during the 2015-2016 academic year. Latent class analysis (LCA) was conducted to identify substance use classes and examine weight status as a covariate of class membership. Results LCA analyses identified 4 classes: High Substance Use (19%), Risky Alcohol Use (14%), Cigarette/Electronic Tobacco Use (17%), and Low Substance Use (50%). Both obesity status and greater deviation from one's group body mass index (BMI) norm were associated with a higher likelihood of belonging to the Cigarette/Electronic Tobacco Use class. Conclusions Findings suggest that electronic tobacco use may fit well into previously established relationships between higher weight status and tobacco use. Future research should examine the longitudinal processes and pathways underlying the relationship between weight status and electronic tobacco use.
Distribution of circular single‐stranded DNA viruses associated with benthic amphipods of genus Diporeia in the Laurentian Great Lakes

Benthic amphipods of genus Diporeia are key indicators of ecosystem health and were the most abundant invertebrate in the four deep Laurentian Great Lakes until the mid-1990s. The mechanism(s) responsible for declines in Diporeia abundance in Lakes Huron, Michigan and Ontario remain contentious. A previous study identified a circular replication initiator protein-encoding single-stranded (CRESS) DNA virus, LM29173, associated with Diporeia populations. This study surveys the distribution of CRESS-DNA viral genotypes in amphipods from several populations and investigates the relationship between viral presence and nutritional quality of the amphipod. We show that CRESS-DNA virus-like sequences are common in Diporeia nanobiomes, and are detectable as free particles in virioplankton. Among three identified CRESS-DNA viral genotypes (LM29173, LM122 and LH481), LM29173 is a recurrent and prevalent constituent of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron Diporeia-associated viral consortia, with genotype load averaging 726–3,643 copies mg−1 of tissue. LM29173 abundance coincides with amphipod haplotype demographics, and was more prevalent among Diporeia from the southern clade (Lakes Michigan, Huron, New York Finger Lakes) than northern clade (Lake Superior), irrespective of the state of population decline. We expected that the association of CRESS-DNA viruses would impart costs to amphipod physiology. However, viral load of LM29173 did not correlate with amphipod nutritional quality (lipid content, C:N stoichiometry).
An Approach to Solving Two Time-Scale Trajectory Optimization Problems

Abstract The indirect method of solving optimal control problems requires the solution of a Hamiltonian boundary-value problem (HBVP). Geometric properties of Hamiltonian systems and the notion of a dichotomy guide the development of a solution approach for HBVPs that involve two distinct time scales and boundary layers.
Using Ethical Orientations to Explain Administrative Pressure to Practice Unethically: A Pilot Study.

The promotion of students’ welfare is one of the central professional and ethical responsibilities of school psychology practitioners. However, some practitioners are subjected to pressure from adm...
A subsurface depocenter in the South Polar Layered Deposits of Mars

The South Polar Layered Deposits (SPLD) are one of the largest water ice reservoirs on Mars, and their accumulation is driven by variations in the climate primarily controlled by orbital forcings. Patterns of subsurface layering in the SPLD provide important information about past atmospheric dust content, periods of substantial erosion, and variations in local or regional deposition. Here we analyze the SPLD using SHAllow RADar (SHARAD) sounder data to gain a unique perspective on the interior structure of the deposits and to determine what subsurface layers indicate about the preserved climate history. SHARAD data reveal a major deviation from the gently domical layering typical of the SPLD: a subsurface elongate dome. The dome most likely formed due to variations in the accumulation of ice and snow across the cap, with a higher rate occurring in this region over a prolonged period. This SPLD depositional center provides an important marker of south polar climate patterns.
Assessment of Low Probability Material Impacts

Abstract The conceptualization of activities needed to execute effective and publically acceptable geologic storage have advanced greatly in the past decade, but a few gaps in the conceptual framework remain. To close one gap, three key elements — risk assessment, modeling and monitoring — are linked via a process described here as “Assessment of Low Probability Material Impacts” (ALPMI). The purpose of this process is to create a formal and reproducible approach linking risk assessment to monitoring and further linking monitoring results to successful achievement of project objectives. This formal approach can be applied to diverse conditions where CCS may be implemented. Key elements of the ALPMI process are 1) setting quantitative and measurable success criteria; 2) modeling the occurrence of “material impacts” that fail to meet a success threshold; 3) forward modeling the response of monitoring systems to these material impacts such that they can be reliably detected above noise using available equipment deployed at a planned temporal and spatial frequency; 4) collection of data during the project period, and 5) if appropriate reporting a finding that the success criteria have been met. Only via such a hypothesis-driven method can the expected finding, that the storage project is successful, be presented rigorously.
Superior ophthalmic vein thrombosis: A rare complication of Graves’ orbitopathy

ABSTRACTSuperior ophthalmic vein thrombosis is a rare, life- and sight-threatening complication of both infectious and inflammatory orbital disease as well as hypercoagulable state. Only one case of superior ophthalmic vein thrombosis due to thyroid eye disease has been reported in the literature. This article describes the diagnosis and management of a case of superior ophthalmic vein thrombosis due to Graves’ orbitopathy. Early diagnosis is critical to facilitate timely therapeutic intervention. Superior ophthalmic vein thrombosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute on chronic proptosis in the setting of Graves’ orbitopathy, and may represent and under-recognized and under-diagnosed clinical entity.