cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protein kinase Cϵ associates with signal transducers and activators of transcription 3, which is constitutively activated during induction and progression of prostate cancer

118 Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men. We now present that Protein kinase C ϵ (PKCϵ) and signals transducers and activators of transcription 3 (Stat3), two widely documented proteins with oncogenic traits, interact with each other in their signals to the development of PCa. Both PKCϵ and activated Stat3 are overexpressed in human PCa. The expression levels of PKCϵ, as determined by immunohistochemistry of human PCa tissue microarrays, correlated with the aggressiveness of PCa. To investigate the significance of the upregulation of PKCϵ and Stat3 in the induction and progression of PCa, we employed TRAMP (Transgenic Adenocarcinoma of Mouse Prostate) mice, which spontaneously develop PCa. Both PKCϵ protein and activity levels were increased while Stat3 was constitutively activated in PCa specimens from TRAMP mice. Further analyses of Stat3-associated upstream and downstream signaling components revealed elevated expression of IL-6, Jak1 and Jak2, several cell cycle (p21 and p27) and anti-apoptotic (survivin, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL) regulatory proteins. A more detailed kinetic study with TRAMP mice (13, 26, 39, and 42 weeks old) elicited a parallel increase in the level of expression of PKCϵ and phosphorylated Stat3 in prostate tissue starting in 26-week old TRAMP mice. To further explore the PKCϵ signal transduction pathways to activation of Stat3, the interaction of PKCϵ with Stat3 was determined via reciprocal immunoprecipitation/blotting experiments. We found that prostate Stat3 co-immunoprecipitated with PKCϵ. PKCϵ-associated Stat3 was phosphorylated at both tyrosine 705 and serine 727. Association of PKCϵ with Stat3, as determined by double immunofluorescence staining, was observed both in the cytoplasm and nucleus of PCa specimens. Similar association of PKCϵ with Stat3 was observed in human prostate cancer cell lines. (LNCaP, PC-3, DU145) Inhibition of PKCϵ using specific siRNA in DU145 cells prevented Stat3Ser727 phosphorylation. Also, in an immunocomplex kinase assay, PKCϵ phosphorylated Stat3 at serine 727 residue. Taken together, these results indicated for the first time that PKCϵ associates with Stat3 in PCa and PKCϵ is a Stat3Ser727 kinase. PKCϵ and Stat3 may be potential molecular targets for the prevention and treatment of human PCa (Supported by NIH grants CA102431 and CA35368).
Cerebral Gray Matter Volume Reductions in Dyslexics

Brain MR images were compared in 16 right-handed men (mean age, 24 years; range 18 to 40) with dyslexia and 14 control subjects using a voxel-based analysis, at Stanford University School of Medicine, CA.
Delayed Seropositivity for West Nile Virus in Post-transplant Patients: a Case Series. (P1.337)

Objective: Here we report a small case series of three post-transplant patients on tacrolimus who were seen at our hospital in the late summer months for rapid deterioration in mental status associated with fevers and weakness. Background: West Nile Virus (WNV) is a seasonal mosquito borne flavivirus well known as a cause of aseptic meningitis, particularly in the immunosuppressed. Serum and CSF studies for WNV IgM are commonly relied upon to rule out WNV as the etiology of encephalitis. Methods: All three patients were seen by the Neurology service at our hospital, a tertiary referral center for the greater Los Angeles area. History, imaging, exam findings and laboratory data was obtained by treating physicians including transplant and ICU teams. Results: All three patients were transplant recipients on tacrolimus presenting with rapid onset depressed mental status. Patients one and three had flaccid paralysis on presentation, and patient two had a parkinsonian presentation which progressed to flaccid paralysis. All three had initial CSF pattern of pleocytosis with negative studies for WNV IgM in the CSF and serum. Repeat serum studies for WNV IgM were sent returned positive after a delay of at least one week on all three patietns. MRI showed bilateral midbrain T2 hyperintensity in the region of the substantia nigra, one of which subsequently developed diffusion restriction in the thalamocapsular region. Two of the three patients remained comatose, and the third regained only lateral eye movements. Conclusions: There should be a high level of clinical suspicion for West Nile encephalitis despite early seronegativity in post-transplant patients on immunosuppressive agents. Presentation during the summer months and presence of bilateral substantia nigra lesions should further strengthen clinical suspicion. Further studies to assess the benefits of holding immunosuppressive medication early in the disease course are warranted. Disclosure: Dr. Massa has nothing to disclose. Dr. Manthena has nothing to disclose.
Abstract PR17: The transcriptional repressor Slug promotes the DNA damage response

The transcriptional repressor Slug/SNAI2 orchestrates epigenetic programs indispensable for tissue self-renewal and tumorigenesis. Although Slug-deficient animals are highly sensitive to lethal irradiation, the direct biological relationship between Slug and the DNA damage response remains largely unexplored. Here we report that Slug interacts with DNA repair proteins, including FANCI, BCCIP and PARP1, in a mass spectrometry screen for Slug binding partners. In response to double-strand breaks (DSBs) induced by irradiation, Slug-deficient cells exhibited a marked delay in the resolution of γH2ax foci. Furthermore, we showed that Slug inhibition significantly impaired DSBs repair that is mediated by homologous recombination. Accordingly, Slug-deficient mouse tissue accumulates DNA damage markers and showed altered nuclear morphology. Mechanistically, Slug interacts with and is stabilized by ATM upon DNA damage. Finally, we demonstrated that Slug depletion sensitizes aggressive triple-negative breast cancer cells to irradiation and chemotherapy. These findings suggest that Slug may be an important regulator of the DNA damage response and an attractive therapeutic target for aggressive cancer types. This abstract is also being presented as Poster B16. Citation Format: Wenhui Zhou, Jian Ouyang, Kathryn Huber, Charlotte Kuperwasser. The transcriptional repressor Slug promotes the DNA damage response [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on DNA Repair: Tumor Development and Therapeutic Response; 2016 Nov 2-5; Montreal, QC, Canada. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2017;15(4_Suppl):Abstract nr PR17.
Attentiveness to eyes predicts generosity in a reputation-relevant context

Abstract Eyes play a vital role in human social interactions. In fact, some prior work indicates that simply the presence of eyes or eye-like stimuli increases people's prosocial behavior, arguably because the eyes serve as cues of being watched and thus elicit reputational concerns. The current study was designed to address two questions in this regard. First, we examined how salient the eyes are among the human features. Second, we asked whether individual differences in attentiveness to eyes (but not other human features such as ears or hands) are predictive of reputation-enhancing behavior. Using an eye-tracking paradigm, we found that participants looked longest to eyes compared to other human features. Critically, greater attentiveness to eyes correlated with greater generosity on a donation task, but only in a reputation-relevant context (i.e., when donations were public but not when they were anonymous). Attentiveness to other human features did not predict donation behavior. Eyes are thus an especially salient human feature, and attentiveness to eyes may signal individuals' concerns about their reputations.
Progressive Abduction Loading Therapy with Horizontal-Plane Viscous Resistance Targeting Weakness and Flexion Synergy to Treat Upper Limb Function in Chronic Hemiparetic Stroke: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background. Progressive abduction loading therapy has emerged as a promising exercise therapy in stroke rehabilitation to systematically target the loss of independent joint control (flexion synergy) in individuals with chronic moderate/severe upper extremity impairment. Pre-clinical investigations have identified abduction loading during reaching exercise as a key therapeutic factor to improve reaching function. An augmentative approach may be to additionally target weakness by incorporating resistance training to increase constitutive joint torques of reaching with the goal of improving reaching function by “overpowering” flexion synergy. The objective was therefore to determine the therapeutic effects of horizontal-plane viscous resistance in combination with progressive abduction loading therapy. Methods. 32 individuals with chronic hemiparetic stroke were randomly allocated to two groups. The two groups had equivalent baseline characteristics on all demographic and outcome metrics including age (59±11 years), time post-stroke (10.1±7.6 years), and motor impairment (Fugl-Meyer, 26.7±6.5 out of 66). Both groups received therapy 3 times/week for 8 weeks while the experimental group included additional horizontal-plane viscous resistance. Quantitative standardized progression of the intervention was achieved using a robotic device. The primary outcomes of reaching distance and velocity under maximum abduction loading and secondary outcomes of isometric strength and a clinical battery were measured at pre-, post-, and 3 months following therapy. Results. There was no difference between groups on any outcome measure. However, for combined-groups, there was a significant increase in reaching distance (13.2%, effect size; d=0.56) and velocity (13.6%, effect size; d=0.27) at post-testing that persisted for 3 months and also a significant increase in abduction, elbow extension, and external rotation strength at post-testing that did not persist 3 months. Similarly, the clinical battery demonstrated a significant improvement in participant-reported measures of “physical problems” and “overall recovery” across all participants. Conclusions. The strengthening approach of incorporating horizontal-plane viscous resistance did not enhance the reaching function improvements observed in both groups. Data does not support the postulation that one can be trained to “overpower” the flexion synergy with resistance training targeting constitutive joint torques of reaching. Instead, flexion synergy must be targeted with progressive abduction loading to improve reaching function. Trial Registration. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01548781.
Abstract 17421: Vector Flow Mapping Quantification of Left Ventricular Energy Loss Occurring in Normal Subjects

Introduction: Vector flow mapping (VFM) can uniquely quantify left ventricular (LV) flow dynamics non-invasively. Energy loss produced by turbulent flow has promise to characterize cardiovascular d...
Kernel Detailed Design

This chapter provides an overview of the detailed design of the Alpha kernel. It starts with a description of the kernel's implementation structure, then provides details related to the major internal data structures, followed by details of the kernel mechanisms.
Sources and Turnover Rates of Taurine in Newborn, Weanling, and Mature Rats

The pharmacology of taurine has received close study, and taurine has been shown to be beneficial in conditions as diverse as genetic cardiomyopathy (1), cardiac arrhythmias (2), and epilepsy (5). Deficiencies in taurine have also been associated with the development of such pathological processes as retinal degeneration in cats (9) and cardiomyopathy in humans (4). These investigations have linked taurine with various phenomena without yielding insight into the mechanism by which taurine is acting, or its normal functional involvement in cellular processes.
BGRAPH: A Program for Biplot Multivariate Graphics

BGRAPH (Tsianco, 1980) is an inter-active conversational program to perform biplot multivariate graphics. The program generates two-and three-dimensional biplot displays based on the singular value decomposition (SVD) of a matrix and the resulting rank 2 or 3 approximations. Three dimensional displays may be either orthogonal projections, perspective projections, stereograms or analyglyphs. Other capabilities of the program include subset selection, selective labeling of points, rotation of axes, construction of ellipsoids of concentration, MANOVA biplots and plot storage.
Biogeographic and Ecological Forces Responsible for Speciation in Ateles

We used the results of phylogenetic analyses of relationships among spider monkeys (Ateles) based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA to investigate questions of their evolutionary origins and speciation mechanisms. We employed the concept of a local molecular clock to date nodes of interest (corresponding to hypothesized species and subspecies) in the various phylograms for comparison to hypothesized biogeographical events that might have affected speciation. We considered various mechanisms—Pleistocene refuge formation, riverine barriers, geological fluctuations, and ecological changes associated with these mechanisms—for their contribution to speciation in Ateles. Most speciation among the various species of Ateles occurred during the middle to late Pliocene, suggesting that Pleistocene refuge formation was not a key speciation mechanism. However, it is likely that the genetic structure of populations of Ateles was modified to some extent by refuge formation. Additionally, riverine barriers do not seem to interrupt gene flow significantly among Ateles. No river formed a barrier among species of Ateles, with the exception of the lower Amazon and possibly some of the black-water rivers draining the Guianan highlands. Large-scale geographic changes associated with the continued rise of the eastern and western cordilleras of the northern Andes and associated changes in habitat were the most important causes of speciation in Ateles. The various factors that modify genetic structure in Ateles are important to consider in order to protect endangered primate genera in the Neotropics.
Inferring File System of Solid State Drives based on Current Consumption

With the increasing demand for faster reliable secondary storage, Solid State Drives (SSDs) have provided a viable replacement for Hard Disk Drives (HDDs). SSDs contain NAND flash memory components and a processor that executes firmware at the device level to optimize performance. The on-board processor and firmware handle operations such as garbage collection and encryption with no visibility to the user. Therefore, classifying SSD internal behavior can help identify compromised devices. This paper utilizes high precision measurements of power used by an SSD via an oscilloscope, to infer a drive's file system format. We consider four file systems (NTFS, exFAT, FAT32 and EXT4) and demonstrate that frequency analysis of power consumption can identify the system in use. In particular, we show that transforming the frequency-domain power signature with principal components analysis can produce a small number of highly predictive features. Using a k-NN classifier, we then demonstrate that these features enable an SSD's power signature to identify the correct file system 94.3 percent accuracy on a Samsung SSD and with 96.5 percent accuracy on a Crucial SSD.
Stable isotopes indicate that zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) increase dependence of lake food webs on littoral energy sources

The influence of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) on phytoplankton abundance is well known, but their community‐level impact on energy flow is less clear. Reduced phytoplankton abundance could increase reliance of fish and aquatic invertebrates on alternative energy sources such as epiphyton and benthic algae. We assessed impacts of zebra mussels on energy flow by comparing food webs in two Minnesota, USA, lakes during summers of 2013 and 2014. Lake Carlos had a dense population of zebra mussels, while upstream Lake Ida was free of zebra mussels until this study began and maintained low densities during our study. We used baseline‐corrected (BC) δ¹³C to test whether fish and littoral invertebrate primary and secondary consumers were more reliant on littoral carbon in Carlos compared to Ida. We also used BC δ¹⁵N to determine if trophic position of fish species differed between lakes. Lastly, we compared isotopic niche space by estimating standard ellipse areas for fish species in Carlos and Ida lakes, and tested whether the community‐level range of trophic levels, reliance on littoral carbon and standard ellipse area differed between lakes. Results showed invertebrate secondary consumers had more enriched BC δ¹³C in Carlos than in Ida, indicating greater reliance on littoral energy. Mixing models indicated that 10 of 11 fish species were more reliant on littoral carbon in Carlos, with littoral carbon use in the 10 species 1.5‐fold higher in Carlos. Isotopic niche analysis also showed increased littoral reliance in Carlos fish, as the same 10 fish species in Carlos had statistically distinct ellipses that were enriched in δ¹³C. Mixing models also indicated that seven of 11 fish species analysed had significantly higher trophic positions in Lake Carlos. In contrast, community‐scale metrics for fish showed no difference between lakes in the range of trophic levels, range of reliance on littoral energy, or size of standardised ellipse area of isotopic niche space. This indicates that, despite most individual fish species increasing their reliance on littoral energy and shifting upwards in trophic position, the overall size of the community isotopic niche area remained similar between lakes. Our results indicate that zebra mussels have community‐wide impacts on energy flow in lakes, with invertebrate predators and many species of fish increasing their reliance on littoral energy sources, and most species of fish shifting to higher trophic positions. A key question is whether increased water clarity associated with zebra mussels can increase littoral production sufficiently to compensate for higher demand. If not, it is plausible that invertebrate and fish production will decline due to increased intra‐ and inter‐specific competition.
More time in the kitchen, less time on the streets: the micropolitics of cultivating an ethic of care in alternative food networks

There is increased attention to alternative food efforts as individuals and groups seek to build stronger local food infrastructures to increase accessibility, transparency, and fairness with how f...
A Game-Theoretic Framework for Distributed Voltage Regulation over HVDC grids

In this paper we propose a non-cooperative game-theoretical framework to design the strategic behaviour of buses involved in a HVDC grid that are connected to renewable resources. This framework takes under consideration voltage stability issues as well as economic factors when the current carried by the power lines is constrained. In order to reach an agreement in the decisions of the buses, an iterative distributed Nash equilibrium seeking algorithm is implemented. Existence and stability conditions for the equilibrium are introduced for the unconstrained case and simulations show the robustness of the algorithm for the constrained scenario.
Potential therapeutic use of relaxin in accelerating closure of cranial bone defects in mice.

Bone fractures are associated with considerable morbidity and increased mortality. A major limitation to healing is lack of bone blood flow, which is impaired by physical disruption of intraskeletal and/or periosteal vasculature by the fracture. Thus, pharmacological interventions are needed to improve osseous blood flow, thereby accelerating bone fracture closure. Relaxin is secreted by the ovary and circulates in rodents and humans during pregnancy. Because relaxin might benefit bone fracture healing by stimulating angiogenesis, vasculogenesis (and potentially osteogenesis) through mobilization and activation of bone marrow progenitor cells, and by increasing blood flow via vasodilation, we investigated whether relaxin administration would accelerate closure of a calvarial defect in mice. Whether administered systemically by osmotic pump or locally by collagen scaffolds for ~2 week period after lesioning, relaxin did not accelerate bone healing. Despite implementing relaxin doses that reached plasma concentrations spanning the physiological to supraphysiological range, testing the closure of two different sizes of calvarial lesions, allowing for different intervals of time from instigation of cranial lesion to euthanasia, and investigating mice of different ages, we did not observe a significant benefit of relaxin in bone lesion healing. Nor did we observe stimulation of blood vessel formation in the bone lesion by the hormone. An incidental finding was that relaxin appeared to enhance trabecular bone growth in an uninjured control bone (femur). Although the results of this study were not supportive of a therapeutic benefit for relaxin on calvarial defect closure, future investigation is needed employing different animal species and experimental models of bone fracture.
A New Class of Pyridine-Amide Containing Ti and Zr Based Catalysts for Olefin Polymerization: Influence of Ligand Substituents

Two tridendate pyridine-amide ligands in di-deprotonated form have been used to synthesize new titanium and zirconium complexes. The molecular structure of pentafluoro containing Titanium and Zirconium complexes were determined by DFT calculations. These new metal complexes have been further evaluated for ethylene polymerization activity in the presence of co-catalyst methylaluminoxane (MAO) under atmospheric pressure, producing polyethylenes with moderate molecular weights and unimodal molecular weight distribution. Remarkably, zirconium complexes show higher activity than titanium complexes under the same polymerization condition. The catalytic activity of all the complexes were found to be temperature dependent and reach their highest efficiency at 70 °C. The influence of the nature of the ligands and reaction parameters upon the catalytic activities has been studied. Additionally, the pentafluoro containing Zirconium and Titanium complexes were further evaluated for the copolymerization of ethylene and propylene and exhibited good catalytic activity. A new class of titanium and zirconium based metal complexes were synthesised from pyridine-amide containing ligands. The synthesised complexes have been evaluated for ethylene polymerization in the presence of co-catalyst methylaluminoxane (MAO) under atmospheric pressure. Interestingly, zirconium complexes show high catalytic activities than titanium complexes under the same polymerization condition.
Pharmacogenomic Testing In Pediatrics: Navigating The Ethical, Social, And Legal Challenges

For the past several years, the implementation of pharmacogenetic (PGx) testing has become widespread in several centers and clinical practice settings. PGx testing may be ordered at the point-of-care when treatment is needed or in advance of treatment for future use. The potential benefits of PGx testing are not limited to adult patients, as children are increasingly using medications more often and at earlier ages. This review provides some background on the use of PGx testing in children as well as mothers (prenatally and post-natally) and discusses the challenges, benefits, and the ethical, legal, and social implications of providing PGx testing to children.
THE EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM, NOT ANXIETY OR DEPRESSION: HOW INSOMNIA SYMPTOMS PREDICT ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION

Symptoms of insomnia are associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety in older adults, yet less is known about the impact of specific forms of insomnia (i.e. onset, maintenance, and terminal insomnia). We explored how insomnia type predicted symptoms of anxiety and depression in older adults (n = 133; mean age 69, range 65-89). We hypothesized that onset and maintenance insomnia would have stronger relations to depression and anxiety than terminal insomnia. Regression analyses indicated that onset insomnia was the only significant predictor of anxiety symptoms, and maintenance was the only significant predictor of depressive symptoms. Thus, our findings suggest that despite overlap between depression and anxiety, insomnia may have different mechanisms of affecting each disorder. Implications for the treatment of anxiety and depressive symptoms by addressing insomnia problems will be discussed.
Local dynamic stability during long-fatiguing walks in people with multiple sclerosis

Abstract Background Altered balance/stability during walking is common in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). While dynamic gait stability has been related to falling and localized muscle fatigue, it has rarely been studied in MS. Specifically, the effects of walking-related fatigue on dynamic stability are unclear in PwMS. Research questions: 1) Are temporal changes in dynamic stability during long-walks different among PwMS and healthy controls (HC)? 2) Is there a relationship between stability and walking performance changes in PwMS? Methods Twenty-five PwMS and ten HC participated in the six-minute walk test (6MWT) wearing six-wireless inertial sensors. Local dynamic stability (LDS) during gait was quantified by maximum-finite-time Lyapunov exponents (λS), where larger λS indicates less stable dynamics. Linear mixed models were fit to compare changes in LDS and walking performance over time among two groups. Additionally, the percent changes in λS and distance from minute 1 to 6 were recorded as Dynamic Stability Index (DSI6-1) and Distance-Walked Index (DWI6-1) respectively. Finally, Pearson correlation compared the association between DSI6-1 and DWI6-1. Results A significant group*time interaction was found for LDS. PwMS did not have different LDS than HC until minute-4 of walking, and differences persisted at minute-6. Further, PwMS walked significantly shorter distances and demonstrated a greater decline in walking performance (DWI6-1) during the 6MWT. Finally, DSI6-1 and DWI6-1 were significantly correlated in PwMS. Significance The dynamic stability differences among PwMS and HC were only apparent after 3-minutes of walking and ∼60% of PwMS became less stable over time, supporting the use of long walks in MS to capture stability changes during the motor task performance. A significant relationship between the decline in stability and poor walking performance over time during the 6MWT suggested a possible role of walking-related fatigue in the worsening of balance during long walks in PwMS.
A multistage elastocaloric refrigerator and heat pump with 28 K temperature span

Elastocaloric refrigerators are a promising alternative to the vapor compression cycle because they do not require refrigerants with high global warming potential. However, these coolers have yet to achieve temperatures low enough to — for example — be used as standard household refrigerators. We built one-stage, two-stage, and three-stage elastocaloric cooling systems to determine if staging of the elastocaloric effect could significantly expand temperature span. Our three-stage system achieved 1.5 times the maximum temperature span of our single-stage system, and produced the highest temperature span of any elastocaloric device to-date at 28.3 °C, where previously the record was 19.9 °C. Interestingly, we found that multistage systems can achieve equivalent temperature spans but at higher coefficients of performance compared to similarly-constructed single-stage systems.
Mechanochemical synthesis of glycine oligomers in a virtual rotational diamond anvil cell

Mechanochemistry of glycine under compression and shear at room temperature is predicted using quantum-based molecular dynamics (QMD) and a simulation design based on rotational diamond anvil cell (RDAC) experiments. Ensembles of high throughput semiempirical density functional tight binding (DFTB) simulations are used to identify chemical trends and bounds for glycine chemistry during rapid shear under compressive loads of up to 15.6 GPa. Significant chemistry is found to occur during compressive shear above 10 GPa. Recovered products consist of small molecules such as water, structural analogs to glycine, heterocyclic molecules, large oligomers, and polypeptides including the simplest polypeptide glycylglycine at up to 4% mass fraction. The population and size of oligomers generally increases with pressure. A number of oligomeric polypeptide precursors and intermediates are also identified that consist of two or three glycine monomers linked together through C–C, C–N, and/or C–O bridges. Even larger oligomers also form that contain peptide C–N bonds and exhibit branched structures. Many of the product molecules exhibit one or more chiral centers. Our simulations demonstrate that athermal mechanical compressive shearing of glycine is a plausible prebiotic route to forming polypeptides.
Living Standards in Southeast Asia: Changes over the Long Twentieth Century, 1900–2015

Economic history is one of those rare academic disciplines where scholarly impact and creative insights tend to improve with the author’s age. Now in her seventies, Anne Booth exemplifies this tend...
A perovskite retinomorphic sensor

Designed to outperform conventional computers when performing machine-learning tasks, neuromorphic computation is the principle whereby certain aspects of the human brain are replicated in hardware. While great progress has been made in this field in recent years, almost all input signals provided to neuromorphic processors are still designed for traditional (von Neumann) computer architectures. Here, we show that a simple photosensitive capacitor will inherently reproduce certain aspects of biological retinas. We found that capacitors based on metal halide perovskites will output a brief voltage spike in response to changes in incident light intensity, but output zero voltage under constant illumination. Such a sensor is not only optimized for use with spiking neuromorphic processors but also anticipated to have broad appeal from fields such as light detection and ranging, autonomous vehicles, facile recognition, navigation, and robotics.
Self-Perceptions of Attractiveness and Offending During Adolescence:

Despite a well-established body of research demonstrating that others’ evaluations of a person’s physical attractiveness carry significant meaning, researchers have largely ignored how self-percept...
Role of Sea Surface Microlayer Properties in Cloud Formation

To date, the relative contribution of primary marine organic matter to the subset of atmospheric particles that nucleate cloud droplets is highly uncertain. Here, cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) measurements were conducted on aerosolized sea surface microlayer (SML) samples collected from the North Atlantic Ocean during the NASA North Atlantic Aerosols and Marine Ecosystems Study (NAAMES), κ values were predicted for three representative high molecular weight (HMW) organic components of marine aerosol: 6-glucose, humic acid, and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO). The predicted κ values for pure organic aerosols varied by only ±0.01 across all of the organics chosen. For the desalted SML samples, calculations assuming an organic composition of entirely RuBisCO provided the closest predicted κ values for the desalted SML samples with a mean κ value of 0.53±0.10. These results indicate that it is the sea salt in the SML which drives the cloud formation potential of marine aerosols. While the presence of organic material from the ocean surface waters may increase aerosol mass due to enrichment processes, cloud formation potential of mixed organic/salt primary marine aerosols will be slightly weakened or unchanged compared to sea spray aerosol.
Piloting a brief intervention plus mobile boosters for drug use among emerging adults receiving emergency department care.

Abstract Purpose There are few efficacious prevention interventions for emerging adults (ages 18–25) drug use and concomitant risks (e.g., sexual risk behaviors). We developed and evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of an Emergency Department (ED)-initiated brief intervention (BI) combined with booster messaging as a clinician-extender primarily focusing on drug use, with a secondary focus on condomless sex. We examined descriptive outcomes of alcohol, drug use, and condomless sex. Procedures We recruited N = 63 emerging adults who used drugs (primarily cannabis) from an ED (72.4 % participation rate). Their mean age was 21.7 years (SD = 2.3); 67 % were female and 52.4 % were Black/African American. Participants randomized to the intervention (N = 31) received a BI and 28 days of tailored booster messaging (based on drug use motives) daily, and the control condition received a community resource brochure. A post-test occurred at 1-month with a follow-up at 2-months. Results The intervention was well-received (83.9 % allocated completed the BI) with 79 % overall liking the BI and 71 % finding it helpful to discuss substances. Mean ratings of booster messages were > 4.0 (5-point scale); 77 % liked the daily messages and 91 % found them helpful. Descriptively, the intervention group evidenced absolute reductions over time on alcohol outcomes, cannabis use, and condomless sex. Conclusions This BI with booster messages was feasible and acceptable in the target population of emerging adults who use drugs (i.e., mostly cannabis). This intervention model, initiated during a healthcare visit and accompanied by a clinician-extender, should be tested in a future fully-powered trial.
Advocating for Latino equity: Oral histories of Chicago women leaders

Although a number of scholars have studied the dynamics of migration from Puerto Rico to Chicago, which accelerated between the early 1950s and late 1960s, the story of Puerto Rican community leade...
Foreword to the JCTS COVID-19 special issue

A challenge not only to our ability to carry on vital research despite lab closures, but also to our capacity to respond to the urgent research needs of COVID-19 itself – its diagnosis, characterization, treatment, prevention, and sequelae, while at the same time supporting the increase clinical needs as well as enhanced public health response. Leaders of the CTSA hubs across the country managed and directed critical COVID-19 response efforts at their institutions and quickly shared their experiences, observations, and best practices on medical and operational adaptations to the pandemic through a network-wide communication mechanism established by the CTSA Center for Leading Innovation and Collaboration (CLIC). Clinical trials were initiated rapidly, many of which were facilitated by accelerated IRB review that was made possible by SMART IRB and IREx. [...]in perhaps, the most ambitious EHR project ever undertaken, COVID-19 patient data were rapidly collected, harmonized, organized, and made available in a secure environment in just a few months, involving over 1000 people from the NCATS’ informative program, the Center for Data to Health (CD2H), virtually every CTSA hub, many Institutional Development Award Network for Clinical and Translational Research institutions/organizations (IDeA-CTRs), and NCATS.
Limited partnership: Business, government, civil society, and the public in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI)

This article assesses the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a public-private partnership designed to help resource-rich countries avoid corruption in the management of extractive industry revenues. Thirty-two nations have adopted EITI, and the numbers of implementing nations are rapidly increasing. However, the EITI partnership is not as effective as it could be for three reasons. First, the partners (governments, civil society, and business) have different visions of EITI. Second, some implementing governments have not allowed civil society to participate fully in the process or have not consistently provided civil society with the information they need to hold their governments to account. In this regard it is a limited partnership. Third, in many participating countries, the public and legislators may not be aware of EITI. Thus, although public participation is essential to the success and potential positive spillovers of EITI, the public is essentially a silent partner, limiting the ability of the EITI to succeed as a counterweight to corruption. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nonmetric Subadult Skeletal Sexing Traits: I. A Blind Test of the Accuracy of Eight Previously Proposed Methods Using Prehistoric Known-Sex Mummies from Northern Chile

While a number of nonmetric sex-related traits have been proposed, the accurate assignment of sex to subadult skeletal materials is generally considered problematic. Eight previously proposed nonmetric traits of the ilia and mandible have been demonstrated by other researchers to be related to the known-sex of subadults, yet there has been relatively little research attempting to evaluate the utility of these traits using independent collections of known-sex subadult skeletal remains. These eight traits include: elevation of the auricular surface, angle of the greater sciatic notch, depth of the greater sciatic notch, the "arch criteria," curvature of the iliac crest, gonial eversion, mandibular protrusion, and mandibular arcade shape. The present study blindly tested these eight nonmetric traits using 85 autopsied prehistoric known-sex mummified subadult remains from northern Chile that range in age between newborn and 15 skeletal years of age. The two primary questions examined for each trait are: (1) are the different character states for each of the eight traits related to known-sex, and (2) which of the eight traits are accurate enough for use in forensic cases? These questions are examined for each trait by both sex and age class so as to uncover potential sex- and age-related strengths and weaknesses for each of the characteristics. The results indicate that all eight of the previously proposed subadult sex-related traits are indeed related to known-sex, but that there is a great deal of variation by both sex and age in terms of the strength of congruent sex-related associations. With the exception of gonial eversion, all of the traits produced statistically significant chi2 values for their associations with known-sex when all subadult remains were considered. However, when all subadults are considered, only four traits demonstrated acceptable levels of accuracy for forensic applications. These traits include the arch criteria (82.3%), angle of the sciatic notch (80.7%), depth of the sciatic notch (79.0%), and mandibular arcade shape (77.6%). For subadults ranging in age from newborn to five skeletal years of age, only depth of the sciatic notch (81.5%) and the arch criteria (81.5%) approach acceptable levels of accuracy for use in forensic cases. The implications of these results are discussed and recommendations for bioarchaeological and forensic applications are made.
Glenn Gould and the Rhetorics of Sound

Abstract Given the increased attention to working with sound in multimodal and multimedia compositions, this essay summarizes current pedagogical research and scholarly conversations and then argues for more attention to the work of Canadian pianist and recording artist Glenn Gould, who was amongst the foremost artists of his time in critically thinking about and productively expanding the possibilities of sound recording and manipulation. Gould's own voice is a key feature of many of his recordings, and his brilliant radio documentaries serve as challenging models for what contemporary compositionists might do with sound and voice in the teaching of multimodal composing. Indeed, Gould anticipated so much contemporary media production, particularly a “do-it-yourself” aesthetic, from which we can still learn. Moreover, as Gould was primarily a musician and sound artist, his insights into and practice with working with sound and voice treat both sound and voice as their own material media; they are not, for Gould, metaphors and stand-ins for textual meaning making and, as such, his work might inform a multimodal compositional pedagogy that takes seriously the particular affordances of sound and voice. Attention to such work might help us consider what can be done with sound and voice in the production of multimedia “texts” where sound and voice act beyond the textual—not just as metaphors for textual meaning making, but as materialities with their own particular rhetorical and affective affordances and dimensions.
Different isomers of [RuII(NO+)(hedta)(H2O)] prepared from Ru(NO)Cl3 via chelation by hedta3− than by NO2 − addition to [Ru(H2O)(hedta)]−

Abstract NO 2 − substitution on [Ru II (H 2 O)(hedta)] − , followed by acidification, forms almost exclusively the cis -equatorial [Ru II (NO + )(hedta)] isomer ( 1a ) ( υ NO =1846 cm −1 ). However, the reaction of a pre-formed ruthenium nitrosyl complex, Ru(NO)Cl 3 (H 2 O) 2 , with hedta 3− (pH∼3.0, 1.5 h, ∼80 °C) produced two different products ( 2a , 2b ). Complexes 2a and 2b , [Ru(NO)(hedta)X], have structures that are derived from the energetically much less favorable cis -polar [Ru II (NO + )(hedta)] isomer by a displacement of one glycinato donor by X=H 2 O or Cl − , either trans ( 2b ) or cis ( 2a ) to NO + . Both isomer products ( 2a , 2b ) have υ NO =1882 cm −1 , indicative of rather similar oxygen donors trans to NO + . Complex 2a (66%) has the NO + group cis to in-plane X=H 2 O or Cl − and the two N donors of hedta 3− . Complex 2a also has one axial glycinato chelate from the N -hydroxyethyl nitrogen ( R ), and one in-plane glycinato chelate from the second N donor ( R ). The ( R , R ) placement of the pendant ethyl and glycinato units are in an ‘up,down’ arrangement for 2a , minimizing repulsions for the pendant groups. Complex 2b (33%) has two in-plane glycinato chelate rings and the two in-plane en-type N donors, as for cis -polar [Ru(NO)(hedta)], but with the axial glycinato group of 2a moved to the in-plane location, and retaining the ( R , R ) ‘up,down’ chiralities. The coordination assignments for the glycinato rings from 1 H and 13 C NMR data are supported by MMFF94 calculations wherein 2a ( R , R ) (‘up,down’) is more stable than ( R , S ) (‘up,up’) by approximately 36 kcal mol −1 . The calculations are sensitive to the central angles with the Ru center, which were constrained to 90° angles in the calculations. For lesser isomer 2b , it was determined that the stability of the placement of pendant groups follows the order ( R , R ) (‘up,down’)>( S , R ) (‘down,down’)∼( S , S ) (‘down,up’) > ( R , S ) (‘up,up’). The Ru II (NO + )/Ru II (NO − ) reduction potential of 2a and 2b is −0.12 V versus NHE, similar to −0.10 V for 1a . Since the [Ru(NO)(hedta)] coordination is most favored for a cis -equatorial complex than complexes derived from cis -polar, the addition of the hedta 3− ligand forms 2a and 2b under kinetic control wherein substitution of the first and second N donors occur cis to the NO + group.
The Definitive Reform: Why Did Mexico’s PRI Propose and Approve the 1996 Electoral Reform?

Mexico’s 1996 electoral reform catalyzed the end of seven decades of uninter- rupted rule by the PRI. This paper offers a new explanation of why president Ernesto Zedillo proposed this definitive electoral reform the day he took power, as well as why his party, the PRI, unanimously approved it during the second half of 1996. Supported by a wide array of primary and secondary sources, I argue that Zedillo called for a new electoral reform in order to reduce the political instability generated by the recurrent post-electoral conflicts that characterized Mexico’s state and municipal elections during the 1988-1994 period. The PRI, in turn, supported the reform for two reasons. First, certain parts of it significantly benefited the party. Second, Zedillo still enjoyed the institutional and extra- institutional powers that had made Mexico’s president the most powerful actor within the political regime. This allowed him to convince and, if necessary, force the members of the PRI to approve those aspects of the reform that were a priority for him, even when they might go against the official party’s interests.
Community detection in large‐scale networks: a survey and empirical evaluation

Community detection is a common problem in graph data analytics that consists of finding groups of densely connected nodes with few connections to nodes outside of the group. In particular, identifying communities in large-scale networks is an important task in many scientific domains. In this review, we evaluated eight state-of-the-art and five traditional algorithms for overlapping and disjoint community detection on large-scale real-world networks with known ground-truth communities. These 13 algorithms were empirically compared using goodness metrics that measure the structural properties of the identified communities, as well as performance metrics that evaluate these communities against the ground-truth. Our results show that these two types of metrics are not equivalent. That is, an algorithm may perform well in terms of goodness metrics, but poorly in terms of performance metrics, or vice versa. © 2014 The Authors. WIREs Computational
Alcohol Intake and Its Relationship with Bone Mineral Density, Falls, and Fracture Risk in Older Men

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between alcohol intake and problem drinking history and bone mineral density (BMD), falls and fracture risk. DESIGN: Cross-sectional and prospective cohort study. SETTING: Six U.S. clinical centers. PARTICIPANTS: Five thousand nine hundred seventy-four men aged 65 and older. MEASUREMENTS: Alcohol intake and problem drinking histories were ascertained at baseline. Follow-up time was 1 year for falls and a mean of 3.65 years for fractures. RESULTS: Two thousand one hundred twenty-one participants (35.5%) reported limited alcohol intake ( /=14 drinks/wk) in the year before baseline. One thousand one men (16.8%) had ever had problem drinking. In multivariate models, as alcohol intake increased, so did hip and spine BMD (P for trend <.001). Greater alcohol intake was not associated with greater risk for nonspine or hip fractures. Men with light intake, but not moderate to heavy intake, had a lower risk of two or more incident falls (light intake: relative risk (RR)=0.77, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.65-0.92; moderate to heavy intake: RR=0.83, 95% CI=0.63-1.10) than abstainers. Men with problem drinking had higher femoral neck (+1.3%) and spine BMD (+1.4%), and a higher risk of two or more falls (RR=1.59; 95% CI=1.30-1.94) than those without a history of problem drinking and similar total hip BMD and risk of fracture. CONCLUSION: In older men, recent alcohol intake is associated with higher BMD. Alcohol intake and fracture risk is unclear. Light alcohol intake may decrease the risk of falling, but a history of problem drinking increased fall risk. Language: en
Using Focus Groups for Instrument Development

Abstract The purpose of this focus group research was to identify themes related to fruit and vegetable consumption in older adults that could be used as the basis for instrument development. The Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change (TTM) was used as a framework to guide this research. Adults over the age of 60 completed a food frequency screener, and were designated into “low” and “high” fruit and vegetable intake groups. Participants responded to some general as well as stage-specific questions, dependent upon group. Data were analyzed by two independent researchers, and level of agreement was consistently high. Data reduction was accomplished by identification of inductively derived themes. The derived themes made conceptual and operational sense, and were used as a basis for development of quantitative measures related to fruit and vegetable consumption of older adults. Instrument development represents an exciting application of focus group research that deserves increased attention.