cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tissue- and sex-specific effects of β-carotene 15,15' oxygenase (BCO1) on retinoid and lipid metabolism in adult and developing mice.

In mammals, β-carotene-15,15′-oxygenase (BCO1) is the main enzyme that cleaves β-carotene, the most abundant vitamin A precursor, to generate retinoids (vitamin A derivatives), both in adult and developing tissues. We previously reported that, in addition to this function, BCO1 can also influence the synthesis of retinyl esters, the storage form of retinoids, in the mouse embryo at mid-gestation. Indeed, lack of embryonic BCO1 impaired both lecithin-dependent and acyl CoA-dependent retinol esterification, mediated by lecithin:retinol acyltransferase (LRAT) and acyl CoA:retinol acyltransferase (ARAT), respectively. Furthermore, embryonic BCO1 also influenced the ester pools of cholesterol and diacylglycerol. In this report, we gained novel insights into this alternative function of BCO1 by investigating whether BCO1 influenced embryonic retinoid and lipid metabolism in a tissue-dependent manner. To this end, livers and brains from wild-type and BCO1−/− embryos at mid-gestation were analyzed for retinoid and lipid content, as well as gene expression levels. We also asked whether or not the role of BCO1 as a regulator of lecithin- and acyl CoA-dependent retinol esterification was exclusively restricted to the developing tissues. Thus, a survey of retinol and retinyl ester levels in adult tissues of wild-type, BCO1−/−, LRAT−/− and LRAT−/−BCO1−/− mice was performed. We showed that the absence of BCO1 affects embryonic retinoid and lipid homeostasis in a tissue-specific manner and that retinyl ester formation is also influenced by BCO1 in a few adult tissues (pancreas, lung, heart and adipose) in a sex-dependent manner.
Measurements of Momentum and Heat Transfer across the Air–Sea Interface

Abstract This study makes direct measurements of turbulent fluxes in the mixed layer in order to close heat and momentum budgets across the air–sea interface and to assess the ability of rigid-boundary turbulence models to predict mean vertical gradients beneath the ocean’s wavy surface. Observations were made at 20 Hz at nominal depths of 2.2 and 1.7 m in ∼16 m of water. A new method is developed to estimate the fluxes and the length scales of dominant flux-carrying eddies from cospectra at frequencies below the wave band. The results are compared to independent estimates of those quantities, with good agreement between the two sets of estimates. The observed temperature gradients were smaller than predicted by standard rigid-boundary closure models, consistent with the suggestion that wave breaking and Langmuir circulation increase turbulent diffusivity in the upper ocean. Similarly, the Monin–Obukhov stability function ϕh was smaller in the authors’ measurements than the stability functions used in rig...
CRITICAL FIELD AND MAGNETORESISTANCE OF SINGLE CRYSTAL TmNi2B2C

In-plane resistance as a function of magnitude and direction of the magnetic field and the temperature has been measured for TmNi2B2C from above the superconducting transition temperature at 10.7 K to below the magnetic transition TN=1.5 K. The superconducting upper critical field HC2(T) exhibits a large anisotropy and structure in the vicinity of TN. The magnetoresistance above TC is large and changes sign as the direction of the magnetic field is rotated from in-plane to parallel with the c-axis.
A case study of the in-class use of a video game for teaching high school history

This study examines the case of a sophomore high school history class where Making History, a video game designed with educational purposes in mind, is used in the classroom to teach about World War II. Data was gathered using observation, focus group and individual interviews, and document analysis. The high school was a rural school located in a small town in the Midwestern United States. The teacher had been teaching with the game for several years and spent one school week teaching World War II, with students playing the game in class for three days of that week. The purpose of this study was to understand teacher and student experiences with and perspectives on the in-class use of an educational video game. Results showed that the use of the video game resulted in a shift from a traditional teacher-centered learning environment to a student-centered environment where the students were much more active and engaged. Also, the teacher had evolved implementation strategies based on his past experiences using the game to maximize the focus on learning.
Perceptions of occupational risk by US commercial fishermen

Abstract The dangers associated with commercial fishing are well documented, and fishermen consistently face one of the highest job-related mortality risks of all US occupations. This study explored fishermen's perceptions of these risks in a representative sample of Maine commercial fishing vessel captains. Data were collected on sociodemographic characteristics and risk preferences during sea boardings of working commercial fishing vessels (n=233) along the full extent of the Maine coastline. Trends in perceived risk were explored across the various sociodemographic categories. Fishermen in this study consistently undervalued their true occupational risk, and rated it as average despite consistent evidence to the contrary. Those more likely to downgrade the risk of fishing included state registered vessels and those found to be non-compliant with existing safety regulations. Less educated fishermen and those who come from a fishing family were also more likely to underrate the risks, as were those fishermen who displayed risk-loving tendencies in other facets of their lives such as smokers and those who did not use seat belts. Middle-aged fishermen were also more likely to underrate the risk than the youngest and oldest groups, suggesting that overconfidence grows and then wanes over time. The results of this study strongly suggest that the current safety training and awareness programs targeting fishermen are inadequate. Furthermore, widespread voluntary participation in organized safety training is unlikely since the majority of fishermen believed that the risks were not relevant to their own activities.
Drastically lowering the titer of waterborne bacteriophage PRD1 by exposure to immobilized hydrophobic polycations

Decrease in the titer of bacteriophage PRD1 (a model of animal adenoviruses) in aqueous solutions caused by the presence of systematically chemically derivatized surfaces was kinetically investigated. The greatest loss of infectivity – up to a 4-log reduction in the titer – was observed with immobilized hydrophobic polyethylenimine-based and dendrimer-based polycations.
Eigenpolarization theory of monolithic nonplanar ring oscillators

Diode-laser-pumped monolithic nonplanar ring oscillators (NPROs) in a applied magnetic field can operate as unidirectional traveling-wave lasers. The diode laser pumping, monolithic construction, and unidirectional oscillation lead to narrow linewidth radiation. Here, a comprehensive theory of the eigenpolarizations of a monolithic NPRO is presented. It is shown how the properties of the integral optical diode that forces unidirectional operation depend on the choice of the gain medium, the applied magnetic field, the output coupler, and the geometry of the nonplanar ring light path. Using optical equivalence theorems to gain insight into the polarization characteristics of the NPRO, a strategy for designing NPROs with low thresholds and large loss nonreciprocities is given. An analysis of the eigenpolarizations for one such NPRO is presented, alternative optimization approaches are considered, and the prospects for further reducing the linewidths of these lasers are briefly discussed. >
A simplified characterization method including saturation effects for permanent magnet Machines

This paper presents a simplified experimental method to accurately estimate the parameters of a permanent magnet synchronous machine. It accounts for the self and cross saturation effects over the entire operation range of the machine. Experimentally, the procedure is performed only using the components typically used in a traction drive system, such as current sensors, a position encoder, a DC link voltage sensor and a digital signal processor. AC voltage sensors, analog filtering hardware and additional measuring equipment are not required. With fewer components, the method is suitable for machine commissioning in the field. Therefore, the process of characterization is no longer confined to a laboratory environment. The method was experimentally verified using a 10-kW SmCo and a 125-kW NdFeB interior permanent magnet machine.
Human T‐lymphotropic virus type I: A retrovirus causing chronic myeloneuropathies in tropical and temperate climates

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I), the first human retrovirus to be isolated, is the cause of endemic tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP). Originally, this chronic neurological disorder was described as a disease seen among blacks of low socioeconomic status living in tropical countries, and thus for many decades TSP remained a little known curiosity outside the endemic regions. The link between HTLV-I infection and TSP was made fortuitously, when antibodies to HTLV-I were found in serum and cerebrospinal fluid of TSP patients in Jamaica, Colombia, and Martinique. Soon thereafter a similar disorder, designated HTLV-I associated myelopathy (HAM), was reported from southern Japan. This broadened the geographic and ethnic boundaries of this chronic myelopathy and the disease has now been reported in multiple ethnic groups from more than 40 countries, in both tropical and temperate regions. The name TSP/HAM is now used to include all patients (regardless of race or country of origin) who have HTLV-I-positive endemic TSP or HAM.
Circulatory Changes in Acute Glomerulonephritis

Conflicting opinions have been expressed as to the mechanism of pulmonary and peripheral congestion frequently observed in the oliguric stage of acute glomerulonephritis. Hemodynamic studies in 7 patients studied during the oliguric edematous phase of the disease demonstrated that these patients have high ventricular filling pressures associated with an increase in cardiac output and are, therefore, examples of a high output congestive state.
High‐performing institutions and their implications for studying underrepresented minority students in STEM

Researchers studying underrepresented minority students in STEM can learn much from the examination of successful cases. In this chapter, authors discuss how the analysis of high-performing institutions can inform future research on students of color in STEM.
Two band model for superconducting copper oxides

Abstract Assuming that predominant charge carriers in superconducting cooper oxides are holes on O sites, we derive a microscopic model representing a coupled system of spin degrees of freedom on Cu sites and a low concentration of mobile holes. The analysis of a single magnetic polaron shows a large enhancement of the hole effective mass and a strong sensitivity of the antiferromagnetic ground state on doping. Possible mechanisms for the hole pairing are also discussed.
1200 nm GaAs-based vertical cavity lasers employing GaInNAs multiquantum well active regions

Elemental source molecular beam epitaxy has been used to grow vertical cavity laser diodes on GaAs substrates that employ GaInNAs multiquantum well active regions and AlAs-GaAs distributed Bragg reflectors. The laser diodes emitted light at 1200 nm and had threshold current densities of 2.5 kA/cm/sup 2/ and efficiencies of 0.066 W/A under room temperature pulsed operation.
Spatial Scales of Current Speed and Phytoplankton Biomass Fluctuations in Lake Tahoe

Spectral analysis of current speed and chlorophyll a measurements in Lake Tahoe, California and Nevada, indicates that considerably more variance exists at longer length scales in chlorophyll than in the current speeds. Increasingly, above scales of approximately 100 meters, chlorophyll does not behave as a simple passive contaminant distributed by turbulence, which indicates that biological processes contribute significantly to the observed variance at these large length scales.
In retrospect: The five lives of the psychiatry manual

Roy Richard Grinker describes the military origins of the key reference work for diagnosing mental illness.
Participatory action research for environmental health : Encountering Freire in the Urban Barrio

The community-based approach to health research and intervention is a model of inquiry rooted in Freire’s participatory action research (PAR). We need to show, in concept and practice, what it is a...
COMPARISON OF FUZZY SIGNAL DETECTION AND TRADITIONAL SIGNAL DETECTION THEORY: ANALYSIS OF DURATION DISCRIMINATION OF BRIEF LIGHT FLASHES

Both Traditional and Fuzzy Signal Detection Theory (SDT) methods of analyses were compared using a duration discrimination task of brief light flashes. Both difficulty and response bias (by instruction) were manipulated. The two methods clearly provided different estimates of SDT parameters. The Fuzzy SDT analyses inflated performance while the traditional SDT analyses underestimated performance. In some cases performance on the ‘easier’ condition was worse than on the more ‘difficult’ condition. This may be due to differences in the range of durations discriminated, which was narrower in the ‘easier’ condition. Range of stimuli used can impact performance, although it or maybe an artifact of the procedure for the crisp analysis. Fuzzy SDT met the assumptions of traditional SDT, the assumption of normally distributed noise and signal plus noise distribution holds. In addition, the equal variance assumption holds for the more difficult discrimination for all participants.
A Role for Entrepreneurs: An Observation on Lowering Healthcare Costs via Technology Innovation

In many industries, entrepreneurs are asked to undergo a process called “frugal innovation.” This process supports advances in technology that drive own spending and improve results or leave them static. ikewise, in the healthcare system, there is a shift occuring calling for a reduction in spending. Key to this shift ill be implementation of innovative devices brought orward by entrepreneurs. Although technologymay add o costs in the near-term, most of the empirical analysis hows that the aggregate benefits vastly outweigh expenitures. However, several regulatory and perceptual chalenges exist that entrepreneurs will have to overcome.
How Numbers Bias Preschoolers’ Spatial Search

Numbers often bias adults’ spatial performance. Because the direction of this bias (left-to-right versus right-to-left) is culture-specific, it has been assumed that spatial-numeric associations develop with reading practice or schooling. The authors tested this assumption by examining spatial-numeric associations in pre-reading preschoolers. Preschoolers were shown two boxes (sample and matching boxes) subdivided into seven verbally numbered “rooms” (e.g., “the four room”). A “winner” card was revealed in the sample box, and children searched for the “winner” in the matching box (located in the same-numbered room). Preschoolers were faster and more accurate when rooms increased numerically from left-to-right versus right-to-left. This advantage was apparently caused by numbers influencing preschoolers’ encoding of spatial locations: Ordering of numbers in the sample box affected preschoolers’ search greatly, whereas ordering of numbers in the matching box did not. The authors conclude that numeric effect...
New concepts in the pathogenesis and treatment of psoriasis: key roles for IL-23, IL-17A and TGF-β1

Psoriasis is a complex inflammatory skin disease that is thought to be mediated by T helper (Th)1 cells that secrete interferon-γ. Interestingly, recent advances by cellular immunologists have identified a new distinct type of T cell, called a Th17 cell, that plays an essential pathogenic role in several classic autoimmune inflammatory diseases previously believed to be Th1 diseases. Recent data also suggest that Th17 cells play a key role in psoriasis pathogenesis. Cytokines that are critical to the development, survival, proliferation, and function of Th17 cells include transforming growth factor β1 (initial differentiation), interleukin-23 (survival and proliferation), and interleukin-17A (proinflammatory effector function). If psoriasis is proven to be a Th17 disease and not a Th1 disease, these cytokines will be attractive targets for future therapies for individuals with psoriasis. These new concepts regarding psoriasis pathogenesis and treatment are the focus of this review.
Prospective studies of suicidal behavior in major depressive and bipolar disorders: what is the evidence for predictive risk factors?

OBJECTIVE: Prospective studies over the past 30 years have identified an array of predictive indicators for suicidal acts in mood disorders. However, prediction of suicidal behavior remains an elusive goal. This paper reviewed evidence from prospective studies for clinical factors that elevate risk of suicidal acts in that group. METHOD: English language prospective studies of suicidal behavior in major depressive and bipolar disorders were examined. RESULTS: The predictors with the best support were a past history of suicidal behavior and the presence of refractory or recurrent depressions. For other risk factors, there was either not enough data to consider them robust or findings were contradictory. CONCLUSION: Future studies must not only be comprehensive in their inclusion of potentially contributing factors, but must also address their relative importance towards the goal of developing predictive models and enhance suicide prevention efforts. Language: en
AN ACTIVE PSEUDOPEPTIDE ANALOG OF THE LEUCOKININ INSECT NEUROPEPTIDE FAMILY

A pseudopeptide analog of the active core of the leucokinin insect neuropeptide family was synthesized and found to retain myotropic activity. No reports of active pseudopeptide analogs of an insect or other invertebrate neuropeptide have previously appeared in the literature. The pseudopeptide (Phe psi [CH2-NH] Phe-Ser-Trp-Gly-NH2) contains a reduced-amide linkage between the two N-terminal Phe residues. Unlike its amide-bond containing counterpart, the activity of the pseudopeptide was not destroyed upon exposure to aminopeptidase M.
Generalization of visual matching and delayed matching by a California sea lion (Zalophus californianus)

Only a limited number of species have been found capable of generalized matching-to-sample (MTS) after exposure to relatively few training exemplars. We trained a juvenile, experimentally naive California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) in MTS, using a pair of three-dimensional objects as samples. Successful matching to a criterion of 90% correct or better over 2 successive sessions was attained in 12 sessions (269 trials and 70 errors). Two subsequent “partial” transfer tests, in which each of the two training objects was paired with a novel test object, and four additional transfer tests, all with novel objects, were presented following training. An 80% performance criterion over 2 successive sessions was reached, or closely approximated, in from 2 to 4 transfer sessions for all transfer tests; errors to criterion tended to be reduced across the successive novel transfer tests and were as few as five during the final two tests; and performance on the first 48 trials of the last two novel transfers was not significantly different from a near-ceiling level baseline performance measure. Neophobic responses of the sea lion to new objects precluded an unbiased evaluation of immediate (Trial 1) transfer. The sea lion’s short-term memory for sample objects was also measured. Matching performance was maintained at a level of 78% correct responses or better for delays through to 45 sec after removal of the sample object. At a 58-sec delay, the longest tested, performance declined to 69% correct responses. These retention levels are only somewhat below levels reported for dolphins and nonhuman primates tested on visual delayed MTS, but they are above levels typically reported for pigeon subjects.
Stochastic Solution for Uncertainty Propagation in Nonlinear Shallow-Water Equations

This paper presents a stochastic approach to describe input uncertainties and their propagation through the nonlinear shallow-water equations. The formulation builds on a finite-volume model with a Godunov-type scheme for its shock capturing capabilities. Orthogonal polynomials from the Askey scheme provide expansion of the variables in terms of a finite number of modes from which the mean and higher-order moments of the distribution can be derived. The orthogonal property of the polynomials allows the use of a Galerkin projection to derive separate equations for the individual modes. Implementation of the polynomial chaos expansion and its nonintrusive counterpart determines the modal contributions from the resulting system of equations. Examples of long-wave transformation over a submerged hump illustrate the stochastic approach with uncertainties represented by Gaussian distribution. Additional results demonstrate the applicability of the approach with other distributions as well. The stochastic solution agrees well with the results from the Monte Carlo method, but at a small fraction of its computing cost.
Training Tomorrow's Medical Education Leaders: Creating a General Pediatric Master Educator Fellowship

From the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine/Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH uring the past decade, the need for proficient and inspiring clinician educators in pediatric graduate medical education has become increasingly critical with the evolving work hour changes and increasing content requirements in medical student, resident, and fellow training. General pediatrics divisions are mainly responsible for resident continuity clinics and provide a large percentage of the leadership and teaching for both residency programs andmedical student clerkships, making training in education for these individuals essential. Traditionally, training in academic pediatric fellowships intensively focuses on research methodology and outcomes, and training in education was secondary. We believe medical educator training requires an equally rigorous approach to learn to create innovative curricula while effectively evaluating their impact on physicians’ skills, behaviors, and, ultimately, associated patient health care outcomes. Additionally, there is an increasing recognition that leadership training for academic pediatricians is required to prepare physicians to respond to new roles and responsibilities, such as leading faculty development programs, quality improvement projects, and strategic planning, and promoting evidence-based medicine and health care policy changes. To address these needs, an innovative General Pediatrics Master Educator Fellowship (GPMEF) was launched at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in fall 2011 to formally train general pediatricians in the science of education via a unique curriculum focusing on educational scholarship and research, structured learning experiences in clinical teaching, and fostering of leadership skills. This GPMEF is uniquely designed to create a cadre of medical educators trained in educational innovation, evaluation, research methodology, and academic leadership.
Overcoming rapid inactivation of lung surfactant: Analogies between competitive adsorption and colloid stability

Lung surfactant (LS) is a mixture of lipids and proteins that line the alveolar air-liquid interface, lowering the interfacial tension to levels that make breathing possible. In acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), inactivation of LS is believed to play an important role in the development and severity of the disease. This review examines the competitive adsorption of LS and surface-active contaminants, such as serum proteins, present in the alveolar fluids of ARDS patients, and how this competitive adsorption can cause normal amounts of otherwise normal LS to be ineffective in lowering the interfacial tension. LS and serum proteins compete for the air-water interface when both are present in solution either in the alveolar fluids or in a Langmuir trough. Equilibrium favors LS as it has the lower equilibrium surface pressure, but the smaller proteins are kinetically favored over multi-micron LS bilayer aggregates by faster diffusion. If albumin reaches the interface, it creates an energy barrier to subsequent LS adsorption that slows or prevents the adsorption of the necessary amounts of LS required to lower surface tension. This process can be understood in terms of classic colloid stability theory in which an energy barrier to diffusion stabilizes colloidal suspensions against aggregation. This analogy provides qualitative and quantitative predictions regarding the origin of surfactant inactivation. An important corollary is that any additive that promotes colloid coagulation, such as increased electrolyte concentration, multivalent ions, hydrophilic non-adsorbing polymers such as PEG, dextran, etc. added to LS, or polyelectrolytes such as chitosan, also promotes LS adsorption in the presence of serum proteins and helps reverse surfactant inactivation. The theory provides quantitative tools to determine the optimal concentration of these additives and suggests that multiple additives may have a synergistic effect. A variety of physical and chemical techniques including isotherms, fluorescence microscopy, electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction show that LS adsorption is enhanced by this mechanism without substantially altering the structure or properties of the LS monolayer.
Germanic Evidence for a Neglected Indo-European Root

An IE root * bhel (ə)- ‘strike, hit, hew, chop’, although not included in the standard IE etymological dictionaries, is shown to underly a number of etymologically obscure Germanic words, such as OHG bolz(o) ‘bolt’, Go. bliggwan ‘to beat’, OIcel. bella ‘to hit’, blak ‘slap, blow’, OHG blast ‘a throwing to the ground’, OHG bloh, bloc ‘block of wood’, and possibly OHG balko ‘beam’. Since related words can be found in Italic, Celtic, Baltic, and perhaps also Slavic and Greek, there would seem to be sufficient justification for the addition of this root to the inventory of recognized IE roots.
Role of proteomics in translational research in cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer morbidity and mortality in women worldwide. More than 98% of cases are related to a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Infection with specific subtypes of HPV has been strongly implicated in cervical carcinogenesis. The identification and functional verification of host proteins associated with HPV E6 and E7 oncoproteins may provide useful information for understanding cervical carcinogenesis and the development of cervical cancer-specific markers. In addition, proteomic profiling of altered proteins by anticancer drugs on cervical cancer cells may contribute to providing the fundamental resources for investigation of disease-specific target proteins, elucidation of the novel mechanisms of action and development of new drugs. The advent of proteomics has provided the hope of discovering novel biological markers for use in the screening, early diagnosis and prediction of response to therapy. This review describes the studies where profiles of protei...
Arthroscopic subacromial decompression: Results in advanced impingement syndrome

Abstract A study group composed of 25 shoulders in 24 patients underwent arthroscopic subacromial decompression for advanced impingement syndrome. There were no full thickness rotator cuff tears, biceps tendon ruptures, significant acromioclavicular arthrosis, or evidence of glenohumeral instability. Twenty men and four women ranging in age from 18 to 63 years (mean age 37) with dominant arm involvement in 17/24 were evaluated for an average follow-up of 20.3 months (range 14–32) postoperatively. Operative results were based on the UCLA shoulder rating scale. Eighty-eight percent of the cases (22/25) had good or excellent results. Twelve percent had fair results (3/25). There were no poor results. The average UCLA pain score improved from 2.6 preoperative (constant pain) to 7.8 postoperative (occasional pain). Ninety-two percent of the patients were satisfied, said they were better, and that they would have the surgery again. Arthroscopic subacromial decompression is recommended as an alternative to open anterior acromioplasty in advanced impingement syndrome.
Multiple Metacarpal Fractures

Whenever more than one metacarpal is fractured and displaced, each fracture compounds the instability, deformity, and muscular imbalance created by the other. In such injuries, it is particularly important to restore anatomy and stability to avoid permanent deformity, dysfunction, and stiffness (Figs. 20-1 A Figs. 20-1 A Figs. 20-1 C Figs. 20-1 D, 20-2 A-E, 20-3 A-G, 20-4 A-H). If the fractures are not adequately reduced, as the metacarpals shorten, the metacarpophalan-geal joints creep into extension and gradually stiffen there, with loss of the longitudinal arch. The surrounding soft tissue becomes indurated and edematous, and fracture disease, as described in Chapter 3, can occur. Whenever there is marked dorsal angulation of a metacarpal fracture, the adjacent metacarpal bases should be inspected for fracture or dislocation (Figs. 20-3 A-G).
Working group 3: Coronal streamers

The working group on coronal streamers convened on the first day of the 2nd SOHO Workshop, which took place in Marciana Marina, Isola d’Elba, 27 September-1 October 1993. Recent progress in streamer observational techniques and theoretical modeling was reported. The contribution of streamers to the mass and energy supply for the solar wind was discussed. Moreover, the importance of thin electric current sheets for determining both the gross dynamical properties of streamers and the fine-scale filamentary structure within streamers, was strongly emphasized. Potential advances to our understanding of these areas of coronal physics that could be made by the contingent of instruments aboard SOHO were pointed out.
Molecular Detection of Nosema apis and N. Ceranae from Southwestern and South Central USA Feral Africanized and European Honey Bees, Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

A Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) molecular diagnostic survey for the honey bee pathogens Nosema apis Zander and N. ceranae Fries was conducted on feral Africanized honey bee (AHB) and European honey bee (EHB), Apis mellifera L., populations sampled from Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, Utah, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. Polymerase Chain Reaction — Restriction Fragment Length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis of a 220 bp small subunit (SSU) marker was conducted on 517 samples, consisting of 245 AHB and 272 EHB individuals. A total of 43 samples (8.3%) were positive for Nosema; of these, 82.1% were N. ceranae, and the remainder were N. apis. No mixed samples were observed. For the AHB samples, Nosema was detected in 9.0% of the samples with 89.5% of the Nosema identified as N. ceranae, and 10.5% as N. apis. With the EHB samples, 7.7% had Nosema; 75.0% of these with N. ceranae, and 25.0% with N. apis. No significant difference was observed between AHB and EHB feral samples for occurrence of each Nosema species and prevalence of Nosema infection. Among the AHB samples, Nosema was more common in Utah and Texas than in New Mexico and Oklahoma. Nosema infection rates for feral honey bees was considerably lower than levels observed with managed honey bees in studies from New York, South Dakota, and Virginia.
Modeling and Evaluation of Homing-Pigeon Based Delay Tolerant Networks with Periodic Scheduling

In this paper, we analyze a new type of delay tolerant networks (DTN) where each node owns multiple dedicated messengers, called pigeons. The only form of internode communication is for a pigeon to periodically carry a batch of messages originated at the home node, deliver to the corresponding destination nodes and return home. We name this as homing-pigeon (HoP) based routing mechanism, which is an effective way to overcome end-to-end disconnection in DTN. In this work, we model the HoP mechanism analytically with a periodic pigeon scheduling algorithm. Our analysis focuses on understanding the pigeon departure frequency from the home node while keeping the message delivery ratio above a given threshold. Simulation results are given to validate our analysis.
Does a single metal ion bridge the A-9 and scissile phosphate groups in the catalytically active hammerhead ribozyme structure?

We have constructed a model structure that we believe represents the strongest possible physically and chemically reasonable representation of a hypothesized catalytically active hammerhead ribozyme structure in which a single divalent metal ion bridges the A9 and scissile phosphate groups. It has been proposed that such a structure arises from a conformational change in which the so-called ground-state structure (as observed by X-ray crystallography) rearranges in such a way that the pro-R oxygen atoms of both the A9 and scissile phosphate groups are directly coordinated by a single divalent metal ion in the transition-state of the hammerhead ribozyme cleavage reaction. We show that even the small subset of possible model structures that are consistent with these requirements, and that are stereochemically and sterically reasonable, are contradicted by experimental evidence. We also demonstrate that even a minimal subset of assumptions, i.e. that stems I and II are helical and that the two phosphate groups are coordinated by a divalent metal ion in the standard octahedral geometry, are sufficient to lead to this contradiction. We therefore conclude that such a mechanism of hammerhead ribozyme catalysis is untenable, at least in its present formulation.
Chinese Textiles from the Collections of the Field Museum

Chinese Textiles from the Collections of the Field Museum. An online exhibition of the Department of Anthropology, The Field Museum.YULINGHUANG
Solar flux variation of the thermospheric molecular oxygen density

The paper presents measurements of the thermospheric molecular oxygen density obtained from the Atmosphere Explorer (AE) satellites and composition data obtained from rocket-based experiments which provide information on the distribution of O2 between 120 and 200 km as a function of solar flux. The rocket experiment data can be analyzed for long-term variations, which show that the O2 density at 200 km shows little variation but at 120 km decreases approximately 30% for the F sub 10.7-cm flux.
Scale-dependent impacts of invasive species: a reply to Chase et al. (2015).

Chase et al. [[1][1]] concluded that our criticism [[2][2]] of the universal scale-dependent impacts of invasive species on plant communities advocated by Powell et al . [[3][3]] was inappropriate because of confounding factors not accounted for in our analyses. Admittedly, our procedure was not the
P21 upregulation by grape seed extract involves generation of reactive oxygen species and sustained activation of ERK1/2 in HT29 cells

3058 Cell cycle progression is a tightly regulated process inside normal cells, which is achieved by concerted action of various cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases and their inhibitors. Any abnormality in this regulation provides unlimited replicative potential to the cells, which is a basic underlying defect in cancer. Accordingly, the strategies which could put a check on this uncontrolled proliferation, such as targeting expression and function of cell cycle regulatory molecules that favors growth inhibition, are highly desirable. In our completed studies, we found that grape seed extract (GSE) inhibits the growth and induces apoptosis in human colon carcinoma HT29 cells under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. At molecular level, we found that GSE upregulates the levels of p21/WAF1 in both HT29 cells in culture as well as xenograft in athymic nude mice. Based on these recent findings, here we conducted detailed studies to elucidate the mechanism of p21 upregulation by GSE in HT29 cells. Treatment of cells with GSE (0-100 µg/ml) resulted in a strong dose- and time-dependent phosphorylation of ERK1/2, consistent with p21 induction. For example, time course study revealed that an increase in ERK1/2 phosphorylation following GSE treatment occurs as early as 30min and was sustained till 6h of treatment time. Similarly, the upregulation of p21 levels following GSE treatment of cells was seen as early as 30mins which increased further in a time dependent manner till 6h. Together, these observations suggested a possible link between upregulation of p21 by GSE and a sustained activation of ERK1/2 phosphorylation, which was confirmed by pharmacological inhibitor studies where two different MEK inhibitors, PD98059 and U0126, abrogated GSE-induced p21 upregulation. In other studies assessing the upstream effector of ERK1/2 phosphorylation by GSE, we observed that pretreatment of cells with N-acetylcysteine inhibits ERK1/2 phosphorylation as well as p21 upregulation, suggesting that generation of reactive oxygen species is an upstream event in this signaling cascade. Additional studies, where cells were treated with actinomycin D or cycloheximide along with GSE, showed almost complete decrease in GSE-caused upregulation of p21 protein levels; however, cycloheximide chase experiment revealed that GSE does not alter p21 protein stability. Together, these observations suggest that GSE possibly upregulates p21 at transcriptional and/or translational levels via reactive oxygen species-generated sustained activation of ERK1/2, supporting the fact that this could be an important molecular target based approach for colon cancer prevention and intervention by dietary phytochemicals including grape seed extract.
Angiotensin II relaxation of rainbow trout vessels in vitro

The effects of salmonid angiotensin II ([Asn1,Val5]ANG II) were examined in isolated trout arteries [celiacomesenteric (CMA), coronary (COA), 3rd or 4th gill arch epibranchial (EBA), ventral aorta (VA)] and veins [anterior cardinal (ACV) and ductus Cuvier strips (DOC)]. ANG II (10(-10)-10(-6) M) produced modest (< 50% other agonists) transient contractions in otherwise unstimulated COA but was a poor agonist in other vessels. In precontracted vessels, ANG II responses were triphasic; transient contraction (P1), relaxation (P2), and partial recovery (P3) and vessel specific. P1 was similar to uncontracted vessels. With 10(-6) MANG II, %P2 was: EBA, 60.3 +/- 8.3% (n = 22); CMA, 48.8 +/- 8.8% (n = 4); ACV, 38.8 +/- 5.3% (n = 29); VA, 29.4 +/- 4.9% (n = 8); DOC, 25.5 +/- 2.4% (n = 14); COA, 13.2 +/- 6.7% (n = 4). P2 in EBA and ACV was dose dependent [EBA vs. ACV: mean effective concentration (EC50) = 3.6 x 10(-9) +/- 8.1 x 10(-10) M, n = 7 vs. 6.2 x 10(-8) +/- 2.3 x 10(-8) M, n = 8, respectively; P < or = 0.05] and inhibited by indomethacin but unaffected by propranolol, NG-monomethyl-L-arginine, saralasin, PD-123177, or DuP-753. Removal of EBA endothelium also inhibited relaxation. By comparison, ANG II did not relax bullfrog arteries (dorsal aorta, systemic arch, CMA) or femoral veins. These results show that, in large vessels of trout, the predominant effect of ANG II is an endothelium-dependent, prostanoid-mediated relaxation that is unaffected by classical ANG II-receptor antagonists.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A Bayesian Hierarchical Model for Prediction of Latent Health States from Multiple Data Sources with Application to Active Surveillance of Prostate Cancer

In this article, we present a Bayesian hierarchical model for predicting a latent health state from longitudinal clinical measurements. Model development is motivated by the need to integrate multiple sources of data to improve clinical decisions about whether to remove or irradiate a patient's prostate cancer. Existing modeling approaches are extended to accommodate measurement error in cancer state determinations based on biopsied tissue, clinical measurements possibly not missing at random, and informative partial observation of the true state. The proposed model enables estimation of whether an individual's underlying prostate cancer is aggressive, requiring surgery and/or radiation, or indolent, permitting continued surveillance. These individualized predictions can then be communicated to clinicians and patients to inform decision-making. We demonstrate the model with data from a cohort of low risk prostate cancer patients at Johns Hopkins University and assess predictive accuracy among a subset for whom true cancer state is observed. Simulation studies confirm model performance and explore the impact of adjusting for informative missingness on true state predictions. R code and simulated data available at this https URL.
Faculty narcissism and student outcomes in business higher education: A student-faculty fit analysis

We examined the relationship between personality congruence on faculty and student narcissism with student perceptions of professor status, the perceived difficulty of the class, and student performance in the classroom. Data were collected from business students and faculty at an AACSB-accredited business school at a comprehensive state university. Results indicated that narcissism congruence was significantly related to a student's final grade in the class such that less congruence was associated with lower course grades and that this negative association was partially mediated by perceived professor status and perceived class difficulty. Particularly concerning was the finding that more narcissistic faculty were associated with detrimental outcomes for less narcissistic students. Considering the well-documented and profoundly negative implications of narcissism for workplace environments, this finding suggests a need for future research on the impact of narcissistic faculty on business students and on successful intervention strategies.
International Airport Impacts to Air Quality: Size and Related Properties of Large Increases in Ultrafine Particle Number Concentrations

We measured particle size distributions and spatial patterns of particle number (PN) and particle surface area concentrations downwind from the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) where large increases (over local background) in PN concentrations routinely extended 18 km downwind. These elevations were mostly comprised of ultrafine particles smaller than 40 nm. For a given downwind distance, the greatest increases in PN concentrations, along with the smallest mean sizes, were detected at locations under the landing jet trajectories. The smaller size of particles in the impacted area, as compared to the ambient urban aerosol, increased calculated lung deposition fractions to 0.7−0.8 from 0.5−0.7. A diffusion charging instrument (DiSCMini), that simulates alveolar lung deposition, measured a fivefold increase in alveolar-lung deposited surface area concentrations 2−3 km downwind from the airport (over local background), decreasing steadily to a twofold increase 18 km downwind. These ratios (elevated lun...
Prevalence of Hoarding in an Adult Inpatient Population and Its Association With Axis I Diagnoses.

ABSTRACT Objective Hoarding behavior is not limited to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) alone. With the objective of highlighting the association between hoarding behavior and common psychiatric disorders, we explored its occurrence in psychiatric inpatients and co-occurrence with Axis I diagnoses. Methods In this prospective cohort study, we enrolled adult psychiatric inpatients by simple random sampling at an urban, community-based, academic medical center. Patients were screened for hoarding using the validated Hoarding Rating Scale-Interview, and those meeting criteria for clinically significant hoarding were assessed for Axis I disorders. Results Clinically significant hoarding was observed in 33% of the 200 acute psychiatry patients admitted to the study. Mood disorders were positively associated with hoarding (p = 0.033), whereas psychotic spectrum disorders had a weaker association with it (p = 0.015). Conclusion This study indicates a need for clinicians to be mindful that hoarding manifests in many forms of mental illness and is not limited to OCD alone.
Interfacial Acid Dissociation and Proton Exchange Following Collisions of DCl with Salty Glycerol and Salty Water

Gas−liquid scattering experiments can help elucidate the pathways for solvation and dissociation of DCl molecules in solvents such as pure and salty glycerol and salty water. These acidic gas−protic solvent systems display rich dynamic behavior because the gas phase provides an escape route for transient products, including DCl that desorbs before reaction and HCl created by rapid D → H exchange. Our observations shed light on the roles of dissolved salts on acid dissociation and proton transport at the surfaces of protic liquids.
An Analysis on the Errors Induced by the Calibration of Auto Refractometers

In this paper,it describe a necessary condition about calibrating the auto refractometer.It give an analysis on errors induced by the calibration.
Analyzing adaptive modulation in spinal motor neurons using multi-objective evolutionary algorithms

Spinal motoneurons have long been thought to be simply part of a relay system that provides rapid, stereotyped outputs for muscles on the basis of a supraspinal plan tuned by sensory inputs, and activity-dependent plasticity (ADP) has been presumed to be a property of the brain. However, recent work indicates that ADP occurs in spinal motor neurons during development, as well as later in life with skills acquisition and maintenance, and in response to trauma and disease [1]. Understanding how spinal motoneuron output can be modified by both increased and decreased activity is thus a fundamental challenge with implications for athletic training, rehabilitation, and advanced prosthetics. We hypothesize that that alteration in the function of Kv7.2 channel (which carries the M current) and changes in axonal initial segment (AIS) properties are the primary mechanisms of adaptation of spinal motoneurons to prolonged network activation. This hypothesis is supported by the literature and our experimental data demonstrating that persistent activation of spinal cord networks decreases spinal motoneuron output in a manner consistent with the enhancement of a sub-threshold, non-inactivating potassium conductance. KCNQ/Kv7 channels, which are non-inactivating potassium channels that activate in the sub-threshold range [2], are expressed at the AIS, nodes of Ranvier, and soma of spinal motoneurons [3,4], and modulate their excitability [5,6]. To test our hypothesis, we developed a realistic computational model of spinal motoneuron activity before and after persistent network activation. As the starting point, we utilized a reconstructed spinal motoneuron morphology of neonatal mice [7] together with the detailed specification of the active and passive somatodendritic and axonal properties derived from a rodent cortical neuron model [8]. The model parameter values were adjusted to match our recordings of motoneuron electrophysiological properties using a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm (MOEA) [9]. The algorithm matches multiple selection criteria simultaneously (e.g., spike frequency, shape, adaptation rate, etc.) and generates entire collections of neuronal models that can be mined for rules describing the phenomena captured by the models (for instance, co-regulations between ionic conductances). Furthermore, since the MOEA generates two independent databases of models (i.e., before and after persistent activation), we are able to directly compare the phenomena discovered by our data mining process in each dataset, thus elucidating the mechanisms underlying plasticity.