Evidence for a Shared Mechanism in the Formation of Urea-Induced Kinetic and Equilibrium Intermediates of Horse Apomyoglobin from Ultrarapid Mixing Experiments.

PubMed

Mizukami, Takuya; Abe, Yukiko; Maki, Kosuke

2015-01-01

In this study, the equivalence of the kinetic mechanisms of the formation of urea-induced kinetic folding intermediates and non-native equilibrium states was investigated in apomyoglobin. Despite having similar structural properties, equilibrium and kinetic intermediates accumulate under different conditions and via different mechanisms, and it remains unknown whether their formation involves shared or distinct kinetic mechanisms. To investigate the potential mechanisms of formation, the refolding and unfolding kinetics of horse apomyoglobin were measured by continuous- and stopped-flow fluorescence over a time range from approximately 100 μs to 10 s, along with equilibrium unfolding transitions, as a function of urea concentration at pH 6.0 and 8°C. The formation of a kinetic intermediate was observed over a wider range of urea concentrations (0-2.2 M) than the formation of the native state (0-1.6 M). Additionally, the kinetic intermediate remained populated as the predominant equilibrium state under conditions where the native and unfolded states were unstable (at ~0.7-2 M urea). A continuous shift from the kinetic to the equilibrium intermediate was observed as urea concentrations increased from 0 M to ~2 M, which indicates that these states share a common kinetic folding mechanism. This finding supports the conclusion that these intermediates are equivalent. Our results in turn suggest that the regions of the protein that resist denaturant perturbations form during the earlier stages of folding, which further supports the structural equivalence of transient and equilibrium intermediates. An additional folding intermediate accumulated within ~140 μs of refolding and an unfolding intermediate accumulated in <1 ms of unfolding. Finally, by using quantitative modeling, we showed that a five-state sequential scheme appropriately describes the folding mechanism of horse apomyoglobin.

Altruistic sharing behavior in children: Role of theory of mind and inhibitory control.

PubMed

Liu, Buyun; Huang, Zhelan; Xu, Guifeng; Jin, Yu; Chen, Yajun; Li, Xiuhong; Wang, Qingxiong; Song, Shanshan; Jing, Jin

2016-01-01

This study aimed to assess altruistic sharing behavior in children aged 3 to 5, 6 to 8, and 9 to 11 years and to explore the involvement of potential cognitive mechanisms, namely theory of mind (ToM) and inhibitory control. A total of 158 children completed a dictator game with stickers as incentives. ToM was evaluated using a false belief task in preschoolers and the Strange Story Test in school-age children. Inhibitory control was assessed in preschoolers with the Day-Night task and in older children with the Stroop Color-Word Test. The result was that 48.10% of children aged 3 to 5 years decided to share, and the percentage rose significantly with increasing age. The difference in altruism level in children who decided to share among the three age groups was nonsignificant. These results suggest that mechanisms underlying the decision to share or not and altruistic behavior may be different. No significant linear relations were found between cognitive processes (i.e., ToM and inhibitory control) and sharing behavior. Surprisingly, 9- to 11-year-olds who shared 3 of 10 stickers performed worse in inhibitory control than did those who shared any other number of stickers. In conclusion, the proportion of children who decided to share, but not the level of altruism, increased with age. ToM was not involved in altruistic sharing, whereas inhibitory control may play a role when deciding how much to share. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Curious Relation between Theory of Mind and Sharing in Preschool Age Children

PubMed Central

Cowell, Jason M.; Samek, Anya; List, John; Decety, Jean

2015-01-01

Young children have long been known to act selfishly and gradually appear to become more generous across middle childhood. While this apparent change has been well documented, the underlying mechanisms supporting this remain unclear. The current study examined the role of early theory of mind and executive functioning in facilitating sharing in a large sample (N = 98) of preschoolers. Results reveal a curious relation between early false-belief understanding and sharing behavior. Contrary to many commonsense notions and predominant theories, competence in this ability is actually related to less sharing. Thus, the relation between developing theory of mind and sharing may not be as straightforward as it seems in preschool age children. It is precisely the children who can engage in theory of mind that decide to share less with others. PMID:25658696

The curious relation between theory of mind and sharing in preschool age children.

PubMed

Cowell, Jason M; Samek, Anya; List, John; Decety, Jean

2015-01-01

Young children have long been known to act selfishly and gradually appear to become more generous across middle childhood. While this apparent change has been well documented, the underlying mechanisms supporting this remain unclear. The current study examined the role of early theory of mind and executive functioning in facilitating sharing in a large sample (N = 98) of preschoolers. Results reveal a curious relation between early false-belief understanding and sharing behavior. Contrary to many commonsense notions and predominant theories, competence in this ability is actually related to less sharing. Thus, the relation between developing theory of mind and sharing may not be as straightforward as it seems in preschool age children. It is precisely the children who can engage in theory of mind that decide to share less with others.

Shared and Disorder-Specific Neurocomputational Mechanisms of Decision-Making in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

PubMed

Carlisi, Christina O; Norman, Luke; Murphy, Clodagh M; Christakou, Anastasia; Chantiluke, Kaylita; Giampietro, Vincent; Simmons, Andrew; Brammer, Michael; Murphy, Declan G; Mataix-Cols, David; Rubia, Katya

2017-12-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) often share phenotypes of repetitive behaviors, possibly underpinned by abnormal decision-making. To compare neural correlates underlying decision-making between these disorders, brain activation of boys with ASD (N = 24), OCD (N = 20) and typically developing controls (N = 20) during gambling was compared, and computational modeling compared performance. Patients were unimpaired on number of risky decisions, but modeling showed that both patient groups had lower choice consistency and relied less on reinforcement learning compared to controls. ASD individuals had disorder-specific choice perseverance abnormalities compared to OCD individuals. Neurofunctionally, ASD and OCD boys shared dorsolateral/inferior frontal underactivation compared to controls during decision-making. During outcome anticipation, patients shared underactivation compared to controls in lateral inferior/orbitofrontal cortex and ventral striatum. During reward receipt, ASD boys had disorder-specific enhanced activation in inferior frontal/insular regions relative to OCD boys and controls. Results showed that ASD and OCD individuals shared decision-making strategies that differed from controls to achieve comparable performance to controls. Patients showed shared abnormalities in lateral-(orbito)fronto-striatal reward circuitry, but ASD boys had disorder-specific lateral inferior frontal/insular overactivation, suggesting that shared and disorder-specific mechanisms underpin decision-making in these disorders. Findings provide evidence for shared neurobiological substrates that could serve as possible future biomarkers. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

Using shared needles for subcutaneous inoculation can transmit bluetongue virus mechanically between ruminant hosts

PubMed Central

Darpel, Karin E.; Barber, James; Hope, Andrew; Wilson, Anthony J.; Gubbins, Simon; Henstock, Mark; Frost, Lorraine; Batten, Carrie; Veronesi, Eva; Moffat, Katy; Carpenter, Simon; Oura, Chris; Mellor, Philip S.; Mertens, Peter P. C.

2016-01-01

Bluetongue virus (BTV) is an economically important arbovirus of ruminants that is transmitted by Culicoides spp. biting midges. BTV infection of ruminants results in a high viraemia, suggesting that repeated sharing of needles between animals could result in its iatrogenic transmission. Studies defining the risk of iatrogenic transmission of blood-borne pathogens by less invasive routes, such as subcutaneous or intradermal inoculations are rare, even though the sharing of needles is common practice for these inoculation routes in the veterinary sector. Here we demonstrate that BTV can be transmitted by needle sharing during subcutaneous inoculation, despite the absence of visible blood contamination of the needles. The incubation period, measured from sharing of needles, to detection of BTV in the recipient sheep or cattle, was substantially longer than has previously been reported after experimental infection of ruminants by either direct inoculation of virus, or through blood feeding by infected Culicoides. Although such mechanical transmission is most likely rare under field condition, these results are likely to influence future advice given in relation to sharing needles during veterinary vaccination campaigns and will also be of interest for the public health sector considering the risk of pathogen transmission during subcutaneous inoculations with re-used needles. PMID:26853457

5 Things To Know About Relaxation Techniques for Stress

MedlinePlus

... 5 Things To Know About Relaxation Techniques for Stress Share: When you’re under stress, your body reacts by releasing hormones that produce ... vessels narrow (restricting the flow of blood). Occasional stress is a normal coping mechanism. But over the ...

Involving Research Stakeholders in Developing Policy on Sharing Public Health Research Data in Kenya

PubMed Central

Jao, Irene; Kombe, Francis; Mwalukore, Salim; Bull, Susan; Parker, Michael; Kamuya, Dorcas; Molyneux, Sassy

2015-01-01

Increased global sharing of public health research data has potential to advance scientific progress but may present challenges to the interests of research stakeholders, particularly in low-to-middle income countries. Policies for data sharing should be responsive to public views, but there is little evidence of the systematic study of these from low-income countries. This qualitative study explored views on fair data-sharing processes among 60 stakeholders in Kenya with varying research experience, using a deliberative approach. Stakeholders’ attitudes were informed by perceptions of benefit and concerns for research data sharing, including risks of stigmatization, loss of privacy, and undermining scientific careers and validity, reported in detail elsewhere. In this article, we discuss institutional trust-building processes seen as central to perceptions of fairness in sharing research data in this setting, including forms of community involvement, individual prior awareness and agreement to data sharing, independence and accountability of governance mechanisms, and operating under a national framework. PMID:26297748

Shifting and power sharing control of a novel dual input clutchless transmission for electric vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Jiejunyi; Yang, Haitao; Wu, Jinglai; Zhang, Nong; Walker, Paul D.

2018-05-01

To improve the overall efficiency of electric vehicles and guarantee the driving comfort and vehicle drivability under the concept of simplifying mechanism complexity and minimizing manufacturing cost, this paper proposes a novel clutchless power-shifting transmission system with shifting control strategy and power sharing control strategy. The proposed shifting strategy takes advantage of the transmission architecture to achieve power-on shifting, which greatly improves the driving comfort compared with conventional automated manual transmission, with a bump function based shifting control method. To maximize the overall efficiency, a real-time power sharing control strategy is designed to solve the power distribution problem between the two motors. Detailed mathematical model is built to verify the effectiveness of the proposed methods. The results demonstrate the proposed strategies considerably improve the overall efficiency while achieve non-interrupted power-on shifting and maintain the vehicle jerk during shifting under an acceptable threshold.

Why does it run in families? Explaining family similarity in help-seeking behaviour by shared circumstances, socialisation and selection.

PubMed

Cardol, Mieke; Groenewegen, Peter P; Spreeuwenberg, Peter; Van Dijk, Liset; Van Den Bosch, Wil J H M; De Bakker, Dinny H

2006-08-01

Why do contact frequencies with general practice of family members resemble each other? Many aspects related to the clustering of health-care utilisation within families have been studied, but the underlying mechanisms have not been addressed. This article considers whether family similarity in contact frequency with general practice can be explained as (a) a result of shared circumstances, (b) through socialisation, and (c) through homogeneity of background characteristics. Data from the second Dutch national survey of general practice were used to test these mechanisms empirically. This survey recorded all consultations in 2001 for 104 general practices in the Netherlands, serving 385,461 patients. Information about socio-demographic characteristics was collected by means of a patient survey. In a random sample, an extended health interview took place (n=12,699). Overall, we were able to show that having determinants in common through socialisation and shared circumstances can explain similarity in contact frequencies within families, but not all hypotheses could be confirmed. In specific terms, this study shows that resemblances in contact frequencies within families can be best explained by spending more time together (socialisation) and parents and children consulting a general practitioner simultaneously (circumstances of the moment). For general practitioners, the mechanisms identified can serve as a framework for a family case history. The importance of the mechanism of socialisation in explaining similarities in help-seeking behaviour between family members points to the significance of knowledge and health beliefs underlying consultation behaviour. An integrated framework including these aspects can help to better explain health behaviour.

Evidence for a Shared Mechanism in the Formation of Urea-Induced Kinetic and Equilibrium Intermediates of Horse Apomyoglobin from Ultrarapid Mixing Experiments

PubMed Central

Mizukami, Takuya; Abe, Yukiko; Maki, Kosuke

2015-01-01

In this study, the equivalence of the kinetic mechanisms of the formation of urea-induced kinetic folding intermediates and non-native equilibrium states was investigated in apomyoglobin. Despite having similar structural properties, equilibrium and kinetic intermediates accumulate under different conditions and via different mechanisms, and it remains unknown whether their formation involves shared or distinct kinetic mechanisms. To investigate the potential mechanisms of formation, the refolding and unfolding kinetics of horse apomyoglobin were measured by continuous- and stopped-flow fluorescence over a time range from approximately 100 μs to 10 s, along with equilibrium unfolding transitions, as a function of urea concentration at pH 6.0 and 8°C. The formation of a kinetic intermediate was observed over a wider range of urea concentrations (0–2.2 M) than the formation of the native state (0–1.6 M). Additionally, the kinetic intermediate remained populated as the predominant equilibrium state under conditions where the native and unfolded states were unstable (at ~0.7–2 M urea). A continuous shift from the kinetic to the equilibrium intermediate was observed as urea concentrations increased from 0 M to ~2 M, which indicates that these states share a common kinetic folding mechanism. This finding supports the conclusion that these intermediates are equivalent. Our results in turn suggest that the regions of the protein that resist denaturant perturbations form during the earlier stages of folding, which further supports the structural equivalence of transient and equilibrium intermediates. An additional folding intermediate accumulated within ~140 μs of refolding and an unfolding intermediate accumulated in <1 ms of unfolding. Finally, by using quantitative modeling, we showed that a five-state sequential scheme appropriately describes the folding mechanism of horse apomyoglobin. PMID:26244984

Experience facilitates the emergence of sharing behavior among 7.5-month-old infants

PubMed Central

Xu, Jing; Saether, Lucie; Sommerville, Jessica A.

2016-01-01

Given the centrality of prosociality in everyday social functioning, understanding the factors and mechanisms underlying the origins of prosocial development is of critical importance. This experiment investigated whether experience with reciprocal object exchanges can drive the developmental onset of sharing behavior. Seven-month-old infants took part in two laboratory visits to assess their sharing behavior and ability to release objects. During the intervening 7 −14 day period parents led infants in an intervention in which they were either encouraged to release objects into a container (bucket condition, n = 20), or share objects with the parent in the context of reciprocal object exchanges (sharing condition, n = 20). Results showed that infants in the sharing condition shared significantly more than infants in the bucket condition following the intervention, and infants in the sharing condition significantly increased their sharing behavior across the two visits. Parental empathy moderated the effect of this sharing intervention, but frequency of practice did not. These results suggest that reciprocal turn-taking in dyadic object-exchange interactions may facilitate the early emergence of sharing behavior, and this effect is mediated by parental empathy. PMID:27657650

Shared Genetic Architecture in the Relationship between Adult Stature and Subclinical Coronary Artery Atherosclerosis

PubMed Central

Cassidy-Bushrow, Andrea E.; Bielak, Lawrence F.; Sheedy, Patrick F.; Turner, Stephen T.; Chu, Julia S.; Peyser, Patricia A.

2011-01-01

Background Short stature is associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD); although the mechanisms for this relationship are unknown, shared genetic factors have been proposed. Subclinical atherosclerosis, measured by coronary artery calcification (CAC), is associated with CHD events and represents part of the biological continuum to overt CHD. Many molecular mechanisms of CAC development are shared with bone growth. Thus, we examined whether there was evidence of shared genes (pleiotropy) between adult stature and CAC. Methods 877 asymptomatic white adults (46% men) from 625 families in a community-based sample had computed tomography measures of CAC. Pleiotropy between height and CAC was determined using maximum-likelihood estimation implemented in SOLAR. Results Adult height was significantly and inversely associated with CAC score (P=0.01). After adjusting for age, sex, and CHD risk factors, the estimated genetic correlation between height and CAC score was -0.37 and was significantly different than 0 (P=0.001) and -1 (P<0.001). The environmental correlation between height and CAC score was 0.60 and was significantly different than 0 (P=0.024). Conclusions Further studies of shared genetic factors between height and CAC may provide important insight into the complex genetic architecture of CHD, in part through increased understanding of the molecular pathways underlying the process of both normal growth and disease development. Bivariate genetic linkage analysis may provide a powerful mechanism for identifying specific genomic regions associated with both height and CAC. PMID:21937044

Shared genetic architecture in the relationship between adult stature and subclinical coronary artery atherosclerosis.

PubMed

Cassidy-Bushrow, Andrea E; Bielak, Lawrence F; Sheedy, Patrick F; Turner, Stephen T; Chu, Julia S; Peyser, Patricia A

2011-12-01

Short stature is associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD); although the mechanisms for this relationship are unknown, shared genetic factors have been proposed. Subclinical atherosclerosis, measured by coronary artery calcification (CAC), is associated with CHD events and represents part of the biological continuum to overt CHD. Many molecular mechanisms of CAC development are shared with bone growth. Thus, we examined whether there was evidence of shared genes (pleiotropy) between adult stature and CAC. 877 Asymptomatic white adults (46% men) from 625 families in a community-based sample had computed tomography measures of CAC. Pleiotropy between height and CAC was determined using maximum-likelihood estimation implemented in SOLAR. Adult height was significantly and inversely associated with CAC score (P = 0.01). After adjusting for age, sex and CHD risk factors, the estimated genetic correlation between height and CAC score was -0.37 and was significantly different than 0 (P = 0.001) and -1 (P < 0.001). The environmental correlation between height and CAC score was 0.60 and was significantly different than 0 (P = 0.024). Further studies of shared genetic factors between height and CAC may provide important insight into the complex genetic architecture of CHD, in part through increased understanding of the molecular pathways underlying the process of both normal growth and disease development. Bivariate genetic linkage analysis may provide a powerful mechanism for identifying specific genomic regions associated with both height and CAC. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Central sensitization as the mechanism underlying pain in joint hypermobility syndrome/Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, hypermobility type.

PubMed

Di Stefano, G; Celletti, C; Baron, R; Castori, M; Di Franco, M; La Cesa, S; Leone, C; Pepe, A; Cruccu, G; Truini, A; Camerota, F

2016-09-01

Patients with joint hypermobility syndrome/Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, hypermobility type (JHS/EDS-HT) commonly suffer from pain. How this hereditary connective tissue disorder causes pain remains unclear although previous studies suggested it shares similar mechanisms with neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia. In this prospective study seeking information on the mechanisms underlying pain in patients with JHS/EDS-HT, we enrolled 27 consecutive patients with this connective tissue disorder. Patients underwent a detailed clinical examination, including the neuropathic pain questionnaire DN4 and the fibromyalgia rapid screening tool. As quantitative sensory testing methods, we included thermal-pain perceptive thresholds and the wind-up ratio and recorded a standard nerve conduction study to assess non-nociceptive fibres and laser-evoked potentials, assessing nociceptive fibres. Clinical examination and diagnostic tests disclosed no somatosensory nervous system damage. Conversely, most patients suffered from widespread pain, the fibromyalgia rapid screening tool elicited positive findings, and quantitative sensory testing showed lowered cold and heat pain thresholds and an increased wind-up ratio. While the lack of somatosensory nervous system damage is incompatible with neuropathic pain as the mechanism underlying pain in JHS/EDS-HT, the lowered cold and heat pain thresholds and increased wind-up ratio imply that pain in JHS/EDS-HT might arise through central sensitization. Hence, this connective tissue disorder and fibromyalgia share similar pain mechanisms. WHAT DOES THIS STUDY ADD?: In patients with JHS/EDS-HT, the persistent nociceptive input due to joint abnormalities probably triggers central sensitization in the dorsal horn neurons and causes widespread pain. © 2016 European Pain Federation - EFIC®

Complex pitch perception mechanisms are shared by humans and a New World monkey.

PubMed

Song, Xindong; Osmanski, Michael S; Guo, Yueqi; Wang, Xiaoqin

2016-01-19

The perception of the pitch of harmonic complex sounds is a crucial function of human audition, especially in music and speech processing. Whether the underlying mechanisms of pitch perception are unique to humans, however, is unknown. Based on estimates of frequency resolution at the level of the auditory periphery, psychoacoustic studies in humans have revealed several primary features of central pitch mechanisms. It has been shown that (i) pitch strength of a harmonic tone is dominated by resolved harmonics; (ii) pitch of resolved harmonics is sensitive to the quality of spectral harmonicity; and (iii) pitch of unresolved harmonics is sensitive to the salience of temporal envelope cues. Here we show, for a standard musical tuning fundamental frequency of 440 Hz, that the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a New World monkey with a hearing range similar to that of humans, exhibits all of the primary features of central pitch mechanisms demonstrated in humans. Thus, marmosets and humans may share similar pitch perception mechanisms, suggesting that these mechanisms may have emerged early in primate evolution.

Shared and unique mechanisms underlying binge eating disorder and addictive disorders

PubMed Central

Schulte, Erica M.; Grilo, Carlos M.; Gearhardt, Ashley N.

2018-01-01

Scientific interest in “food addiction” is growing, but the topic remains controversial. One critique of “food addiction” is its high degree of phenotypic overlap with binge eating disorder (BED). In order to examine associations between problematic eating behaviors, such as binge eating and “food addiction,” we propose the need to move past examining similarities and differences in symptomology. Instead, focusing on relevant mechanisms may more effectively determine whether “food addiction” contributes to disordered eating behavior for some individuals. This paper reviews the evidence for mechanisms that are shared (i.e., reward dysfunction, impulsivity) and unique for addiction (i.e., withdrawal, tolerance) and eating disorder (i.e., dietary restraint, shape/weight concern) frameworks. This review will provide a guiding framework to outline future areas of research needed to evaluate the validity of the “food addiction” model and to understand its potential contribution to disordered eating. PMID:26879210

The serotonin axis: Shared mechanisms in seizures, depression and SUDEP

PubMed Central

Richerson, George B.; Buchanan, Gordon F.

2010-01-01

Summary There is a growing appreciation that patients with seizures are also affected by a number of co-morbid conditions, including an increase in prevalence of depression (Kanner, 2009), sleep apnea (Chihorek et al, 2007), and sudden death (Ryvlin et al, 2006; Tomson et al, 2008). The mechanisms responsible for these associations are unclear. Here we discuss the possibility that underlying pathology in the serotonin (5-HT) system of epilepsy patients lowers the threshold for seizures, while also increasing the risk of depression and sudden death. We propose that post-ictal dysfunction of 5-HT neurons causes depression of breathing and arousal in some epilepsy patients, and this can lead to sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). We further draw parallels between SUDEP and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), which may share pathophysiological mechanisms, and which have both been linked to defects in the 5-HT system. PMID:21214537

Evidence of a shared purpose, critical reflection, innovation and leadership in interprofessional healthcare teams: a realist synthesis.

PubMed

Sims, Sarah; Hewitt, Gillian; Harris, Ruth

2015-05-01

Realist synthesis is a theory-driven approach for evaluating complex interventions using empirical evidence, which seeks an explanatory analysis of who a complex intervention works for, how, why, and in what circumstances. Interprofessional teamworking in healthcare is one such complex intervention, as teams are influenced by social and organizational factors, which makes them highly variable and context dependent. This article concludes a series of four articles that report on a realist synthesis of interprofessional teamworking. The synthesis identified 13 mechanisms that are reported in the literature to be the underlying processes through which interprofessional teamworking produces its effects. This article explores four of these mechanisms: a shared purpose; critical reflection; innovation; and leadership. These mechanisms together explain how a team sets and maintains its focus and direction. This article highlights that whilst many assumptions are made within the healthcare literature about how these mechanisms operate within teams, these assumptions are not always founded upon strong empirical evidence.

Longitudinal links between childhood peer acceptance and the neural correlates of sharing.

PubMed

Will, Geert-Jan; Crone, Eveline A; van Lier, Pol A C; Güroğlu, Berna

2018-01-01

Childhood peer acceptance is associated with high levels of prosocial behavior and advanced perspective taking skills. Yet, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these associations have not been studied. This functional magnetic resonance imaging study examined the neural correlates of sharing decisions in a group of adolescents who had a stable accepted status (n = 27) and a group who had a chronic rejected status (n = 19) across six elementary school grades. Both groups of adolescents played three allocation games in which they could share money with strangers with varying costs and profits to them and the other person. Stably accepted adolescents were more likely to share their money with unknown others than chronically rejected adolescents when sharing was not costly. Neuroimaging analyses showed that stably accepted adolescents, compared to chronically rejected adolescents, exhibited higher levels of activation in the temporo-parietal junction, posterior superior temporal sulcus, temporal pole, pre-supplementary motor area, and anterior insula during costly sharing decisions. These findings demonstrate that stable peer acceptance across childhood is associated with heightened activity in brain regions previously linked to perspective taking and the detection of social norm violations during adolescence, and thereby provide insight into processes underlying the widely established links between peer acceptance and prosocial behavior. © 2016 The Authors. Developmental Science Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Involving Research Stakeholders in Developing Policy on Sharing Public Health Research Data in Kenya: Views on Fair Process for Informed Consent, Access Oversight, and Community Engagement.

PubMed

Jao, Irene; Kombe, Francis; Mwalukore, Salim; Bull, Susan; Parker, Michael; Kamuya, Dorcas; Molyneux, Sassy; Marsh, Vicki

2015-07-01

Increased global sharing of public health research data has potential to advance scientific progress but may present challenges to the interests of research stakeholders, particularly in low-to-middle income countries. Policies for data sharing should be responsive to public views, but there is little evidence of the systematic study of these from low-income countries. This qualitative study explored views on fair data-sharing processes among 60 stakeholders in Kenya with varying research experience, using a deliberative approach. Stakeholders' attitudes were informed by perceptions of benefit and concerns for research data sharing, including risks of stigmatization, loss of privacy, and undermining scientific careers and validity, reported in detail elsewhere. In this article, we discuss institutional trust-building processes seen as central to perceptions of fairness in sharing research data in this setting, including forms of community involvement, individual prior awareness and agreement to data sharing, independence and accountability of governance mechanisms, and operating under a national framework. © The Author(s) 2015.

The mechanisms of labor division from the perspective of individual optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Lirong; Chen, Jiawei; Di, Zengru; Chen, Liujun; Liu, Yan; Stanley, H. Eugene

2017-12-01

Although the tools of complexity research have been applied to the phenomenon of labor division, its underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Researchers have used evolutionary models to study labor division in terms of global optimization, but focusing on individual optimization is a more realistic, real-world approach. We do this by first developing a multi-agent model that takes into account information-sharing and learning-by-doing and by using simulations to demonstrate the emergence of labor division. We then use a master equation method and find that the computational results are consistent with the results of the simulation. Finally we find that the core underlying mechanisms that cause labor division are learning-by-doing, information cost, and random fluctuation.

Epilepsy, autism, and neurodevelopment: kindling a shared vulnerability?

PubMed

Gilby, Krista L; O'Brien, Terence J

2013-03-01

Epilepsy and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) share many primary and comorbid symptoms. The degree of clinical overlap is believed to signify a 'spectrum of vulnerability' that arises out of an early common dysfunction in central nervous system development. However, research into the underlying, and potentially shared, etiopathological mechanisms is challenging given the extensive comorbidity profiles. Adding to the degree of difficulty is the frequently evolving recompartmentalization of diagnostic criteria within each disorder. This review discusses potential preclinical strategies that, through the use of animal models, are designed to gain insight into the biological basis of the overlap between epilepsy and autism and to foster a rapid clinical translation of the insights gained. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Our Origins: How and Why We Do and Do Not Differ from Primates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kappeler, Peter

Questions about human origins and uniqueness are at the core of unraveling the essential building blocks of human nature. Probably no other single topic has received more attention across the sciences and humanities than the question of what makes us human and how humans differ from other primates and animals. Evolutionary anthropologists can contribute important comparative evidence to this debate because they adopt a broad perspective that considers both the ancestors of the human species as well as its closest living biological relatives. In this chapter, I review some recent insights into human nature based on this perspective. My focus is on social behavior and its underlying adaptations and mechanisms, because this is the realm of man's most salient features. In contrast to many mainstream contributions on this topic, I emphasize shared behavioral similarities between humans and other primates and outline their underlying mechanisms. These behavioral features shared with other primates include much of our homeostatic behavior and many of our emotions and cognitive abilities, so that together they appear to represent the submerged part of an iceberg. I also briefly summarize some of the uniquely human traits forming the tip of the iceberg and outline current attempts to explain their origin. Accordingly, in this context shared intentionality represents a crucial psychological mechanism that may have been reinforced by a switch to a cooperative breeding system in early Homo evolution. In conclusion, this essay contends that the key essential building block defining human nature is like the core of a Russian doll, while all the outer layers represent our vertebrate, mammalian, and primate legacies.

Population health management guiding principles to stimulate collaboration and improve pharmaceutical care.

PubMed

Steenkamer, Betty; Baan, Caroline; Putters, Kim; van Oers, Hans; Drewes, Hanneke

2018-04-09

Purpose A range of strategies to improve pharmaceutical care has been implemented by population health management (PHM) initiatives. However, which strategies generate the desired outcomes is largely unknown. The purpose of this paper is to identify guiding principles underlying collaborative strategies to improve pharmaceutical care and the contextual factors and mechanisms through which these principles operate. Design/methodology/approach The evaluation was informed by a realist methodology examining the links between PHM strategies, their outcomes and the contexts and mechanisms by which these strategies operate. Guiding principles were identified by grouping context-specific strategies with specific outcomes. Findings In total, ten guiding principles were identified: create agreement and commitment based on a long-term vision; foster cooperation and representation at the board level; use layered governance structures; create awareness at all levels; enable interpersonal links at all levels; create learning environments; organize shared responsibility; adjust financial strategies to market contexts; organize mutual gains; and align regional agreements with national policies and regulations. Contextual factors such as shared savings influenced the effectiveness of the guiding principles. Mechanisms by which these guiding principles operate were, for instance, fostering trust and creating a shared sense of the problem. Practical implications The guiding principles highlight how collaboration can be stimulated to improve pharmaceutical care while taking into account local constraints and possibilities. The interdependency of these principles necessitates effectuating them together in order to realize the best possible improvements and outcomes. Originality/value This is the first study using a realist approach to understand the guiding principles underlying collaboration to improve pharmaceutical care.

Shared Relationship Efficacy of Dyad Can Increase Life Satisfaction in Close Relationships: Multilevel Study

PubMed Central

Ito, Kenichi; Yoshida, Toshikazu

2016-01-01

Characteristics of relationship itself play an important role in determining well-being of individuals who participate in the relationship. We used efficacy expectations mutually shared between close friends or romantic partners as a characteristic of relationship and investigated its impact on their life satisfaction. In Study 1, we conducted a cross-sectional study among 137 pairs of close same-sex friends to test whether the efficacy expectations shared between friends are associated with levels of life satisfaction. In Study 2, we conducted a longitudinal study among 114 heterosexual romantic couples to test predictive validity of the efficacy expectations shared between couples predict levels of life satisfaction 2 month later. In both studies we found a consistent result that as degrees of the efficacy expectations shared between individuals in a relationship increased, the degree of their life satisfaction also increased. Underlying mechanisms that explain how characteristics of relationship itself increase life satisfaction are discussed. PMID:27437946

An emerging case for membrane pore formation as a common mechanism for the unconventional secretion of FGF2 and IL-1β.

PubMed

Brough, David; Pelegrin, Pablo; Nickel, Walter

2017-10-01

Extracellular proteins with important signalling roles in processes, such as inflammation and angiogenesis, are known to employ unconventional routes of protein secretion. Although mechanisms of unconventional protein secretion are beginning to emerge, the precise molecular details have remained elusive for the majority of cargo proteins secreted by unconventional means. Recent findings suggest that for two examples of unconventionally secreted proteins, interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), the common molecular principle of pore formation may be shared. Under specific experimental conditions, secretion of IL-1β and FGF2 is triggered by phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P 2 ]-dependent formation of pores across the plasma membrane. However, the underlying mechanisms are different, with FGF2 known to directly interact with PI(4,5)P 2 , whereas in the case of IL-1β secretion, it is proposed that the N-terminal fragment of gasdermin D interacts with PI(4,5)P 2 to form the pore. Thus, although implemented in different ways, these findings suggest that pore formation may be shared by the unconventional secretion mechanisms for FGF2 and IL-1β in at least some cases. In this Opinion article, we discuss the unconventional mechanisms of FGF2 and IL-1β release with a particular emphasis on recent discoveries suggesting the importance of pore formation on the plasma membrane. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Similarities and Differences in Decision-Making Impairments between Autism Spectrum Disorder and Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Zhang, Long; Tang, Jiulai; Dong, Yi; Ji, Yifu; Tao, Rui; Liang, Zhitu; Chen, Jingsong; Wu, Yun; Wang, Kai

2015-01-01

Although individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and schizophrenia (SCH) share overlapping characteristics and may perform similarly on many cognitive tasks, cognitive dysfunctions common to both disorders do not necessarily share the same underlying mechanisms. Decision-making is currently a major research interest for both ASD and SCH. The aim of the present study was to make direct comparisons of decision-making and disorder-specific underlying neuropsychological mechanisms between the two disorders. Thirty-seven participants with ASD, 46 patients with SCH, and 80 healthy controls (HC) were assessed with the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), which measures decision-making under ambiguity, and the Game of Dice Task (GDT), which measures decision-making under risk. The results revealed that both the ASD and SCH groups had deficits for both the IGT and the GDT compared with the HC. More importantly, in the IGT, participants with ASD displayed a preference for deck A, indicating that they had more sensitivity to the magnitude of loss than to the frequency of loss, whereas patients with SCH displayed a preference for deck B, indicating that they showed more sensitivity to the frequency of loss than to the magnitude of loss. In the GDT, the impaired performance might be due to the deficits in executive functions in patients with SCH, whereas the impaired performance might be due to the deficits in feedback processing in participants with ASD. These findings demonstrate that there are similar impairments in decision-making tasks between ASD and SCH; however, these two disorders may have different impairment mechanisms.

How are stereotypes maintained through communication? The influence of stereotype sharedness.

PubMed

Lyons, Anthony; Kashima, Yoshihisa

2003-12-01

Recent research has suggested that interpersonal communication may be an important source of stereotype maintenance. When communicated through a chain of people, stereotype-relevant information tends to become more stereotypical, thus confirming the stereotypes held by recipients of communication. However, the underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon have yet to be fully determined. This article examines how the socially shared nature of stereotypes interacts with communication processes to maintain stereotypes in communication chains. In 3 experiments, participants communicated a stereotype-relevant story through 4-person chains using the method of serial reproduction. Manipulations included the extent to which communicators believed their audience and other community members shared and endorsed their stereotypes, and also the extent to which they actually shared the stereotypes. The shared nature of stereotypes was found to be a strong contributor to rendering the story more stereotypical in communication. This is discussed in relation to the maintenance of stereotypes through communication.

78 FR 33068 - New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-03

... affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). DATES: The meeting will be held on... Guidance Committee will discuss options for trading quota under the provisions of the U.S./Canada Resource Sharing Understanding and may ask the Council to develop U.S./Canada trading mechanisms. The Enforcement...

Swarm intelligence: when uncertainty meets conflict.

PubMed

Conradt, Larissa; List, Christian; Roper, Timothy J

2013-11-01

Good decision making is important for the survival and fitness of stakeholders, but decisions usually involve uncertainty and conflict. We know surprisingly little about profitable decision-making strategies in conflict situations. On the one hand, sharing decisions with others can pool information and decrease uncertainty (swarm intelligence). On the other hand, sharing decisions can hand influence to individuals whose goals conflict. Thus, when should an animal share decisions with others? Using a theoretical model, we show that, contrary to intuition, decision sharing by animals with conflicting goals often increases individual gains as well as decision accuracy. Thus, conflict-far from hampering effective decision making-can improve decision outcomes for all stakeholders, as long as they share large-scale goals. In contrast, decisions shared by animals without conflict were often surprisingly poor. The underlying mechanism is that animals with conflicting goals are less correlated in individual choice errors. These results provide a strong argument in the interest of all stakeholders for not excluding other (e.g., minority) factions from collective decisions. The observed benefits of including diverse factions among the decision makers could also be relevant to human collective decision making.

Features of the broader autism phenotype in people with epilepsy support shared mechanisms between epilepsy and autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Richard, Annie E; Scheffer, Ingrid E; Wilson, Sarah J

2017-04-01

Richard, A.E., I.E. Scheffer and S.J. Wilson. Features of the broader autism phenotype in people with epilepsy support shared mechanisms between epilepsy and autism spectrum disorder. NEUROSCI BIOBEHAV REV 21(1) XXX-XXX, 2016. To inform on mechanisms underlying the comorbidity of epilepsy and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), we conducted meta-analyses to test whether impaired facial emotion recognition (FER) and theory of mind (ToM), key phenotypic traits of ASD, are more common in people with epilepsy (PWE) than controls. We contrasted these findings with those of relatives of individuals with ASD (ASD-relatives) compared to controls. Furthermore, we examined the relationship of demographic (age, IQ, sex) and epilepsy-related factors (epilepsy onset age, duration, seizure laterality and origin) to FER and ToM. Thirty-one eligible studies of PWE (including 1449 individuals: 77% with temporal lobe epilepsy), and 22 of ASD-relatives (N=1295) were identified by a systematic database search. Analyses revealed reduced FER and ToM in PWE compared to controls (p<0.001), but only reduced ToM in ASD-relatives (p<0.001). ToM was poorer in PWE than ASD-relatives. Only weak associations were found between FER and ToM and epilepsy-related factors. These findings suggest shared mechanisms between epilepsy and ASD, independent of intellectual disability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oversight mechanisms in public managed care programs: from little oversight to negotiations to shared decision-making.

PubMed

Beinecke, R H

1999-01-01

An expanded range of oversight mechanisms is being adopted to hold public human service programs more accountable to funding sources as well as consumers, family members, and providers. Most of these approaches are hierarchical in nature. Some involve negotiated agreements and each is designed to meet certain goals and functions. Each utilizes different forms of decision-making. Stakeholders prefer to be part of a shared decision-making process. Understanding these underlying premises can help to assess the strengths and weaknesses of each method and can suggest how to most effectively utilize combinations of approaches to improve program performance. Whether we will move toward a new paradigm emphasizing participation and collaboration rather than more formal structural approaches is yet undetermined but will greatly affect how programs are monitored and evaluated in the future.

Mitochondrial genetics in Bakers' yeast: a molecular mechanism for recombinational polarity and suppressiveness.

PubMed

Perlman, P S; Birky, C W

1974-11-01

Recombinational polarity and suppressiveness are two well-known but puzzling cytoplasmic genetic phenomena in bakers' yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Little progress has been made in characterizing the underlying molecular mechanisms of these phenomena. In this paper we describe a molecular model for recombinational polarity that is compatible with the available genetic evidence. The model stresses the role of small deletions and excision/repair processes in otherwise canonical recombinational events. According to the model, both phenomena require recombination and may share mechanistic elements.

Revenue-sharing clubs provide economic insurance and incentives for sustainability in common-pool resource systems.

PubMed

Tilman, Andrew R; Levin, Simon; Watson, James R

2018-06-05

Harvesting behaviors of natural resource users, such as farmers, fishermen and aquaculturists, are shaped by season-to-season and day-to-day variability, or in other words risk. Here, we explore how risk-mitigation strategies can lead to sustainable use and improved management of common-pool natural resources. Over-exploitation of unmanaged natural resources, which lowers their long-term productivity, is a central challenge facing societies. While effective top-down management is a possible solution, it is not available if the resource is outside the jurisdictional bounds of any management entity, or if existing institutions cannot effectively impose sustainable-use rules. Under these conditions, alternative approaches to natural resource governance are required. Here, we study revenue-sharing clubs as a mechanism by which resource users can mitigate their income volatility and importantly, as a co-benefit, are also incentivized to reduce their effort, leading to reduced over-exploitation and improved resource governance. We use game theoretic analyses and agent-based modeling to determine the conditions in which revenue-sharing can be beneficial for resource management as well as resource users. We find that revenue-sharing agreements can emerge and lead to improvements in resource management when there is large variability in production/revenue and when this variability is uncorrelated across members of the revenue-sharing club. Further, we show that if members of the revenue-sharing collective can sell their product at a price premium, then the range of ecological and economic conditions under which revenue-sharing can be a tool for management greatly expands. These results have implications for the design of bottom-up management, where resource users themselves are incentivized to operate in ecologically sustainable and economically advantageous ways. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

What kinds of things are psychiatric disorders?

PubMed

Kendler, K S; Zachar, P; Craver, C

2011-06-01

This essay explores four answers to the question 'What kinds of things are psychiatric disorders?' Essentialist kinds are classes whose members share an essence from which their defining features arise. Although elegant and appropriate for some physical (e.g. atomic elements) and medical (e.g. Mendelian disorders) phenomena, this model is inappropriate for psychiatric disorders, which are multi-factorial and 'fuzzy'. Socially constructed kinds are classes whose members are defined by the cultural context in which they arise. This model excludes the importance of shared physiological mechanisms by which the same disorder could be identified across different cultures. Advocates of practical kinds put off metaphysical questions about 'reality' and focus on defining classes that are useful. Practical kinds models for psychiatric disorders, implicit in the DSM nosologies, do not require that diagnoses be grounded in shared causal processes. If psychiatry seeks to tie disorders to etiology and underlying mechanisms, a model first proposed for biological species, mechanistic property cluster (MPC) kinds, can provide a useful framework. MPC kinds are defined not in terms of essences but in terms of complex, mutually reinforcing networks of causal mechanisms. We argue that psychiatric disorders are objectively grounded features of the causal structure of the mind/brain. MPC kinds are fuzzy sets defined by mechanisms at multiple levels that act and interact to produce the key features of the kind. Like species, psychiatric disorders are populations with central paradigmatic and more marginal members. The MPC view is the best current answer to 'What kinds of things are psychiatric disorders?'

Consumer Cost-Sharing in Marketplace vs. Employer Health Insurance Plans, 2015.

PubMed

Gabel, Jon; Whitmore, Heidi; Green, Matthew; Stromberg, Sam; Oran, Rebecca

2015-12-01

Using data from 49 states and Washington, D.C., we analyzed changes in cost-sharing under health plans offered to individuals and families through state and federal exchanges from 2014 to 2015. We examined eight vehicles for cost-sharing, including deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket limits, and compared findings with cost-sharing under employer-based insurance. We found cost-sharing under marketplace plans remained essentially unchanged from 2014 to 2015. Stable premiums during that period do not reflect greater costs borne by enrollees. Further, 56 percent of enrollees in marketplace plans attained cost-sharing reductions in 2015. However, for people without cost-sharing reductions, average copayments, deductibles, and out-of-pocket limits under catastrophic, bronze, and silver plans are considerably higher than under employer-based plans on average, while cost-sharing under gold plans is similar employer-based plans on average. Marketplace plans are far more likely than employer-based plans to require enrollees to meet deductibles before they receive coverage for prescription drugs.

Social Cognition and the Evolution of Language: Constructing Cognitive Phylogenies

PubMed Central

Fitch, W. Tecumseh; Huber, Ludwig; Bugnyar, Thomas

2015-01-01

Human language and social cognition are closely linked: advanced social cognition is necessary for children to acquire language, and language allows forms of social understanding (and, more broadly, culture) that would otherwise be impossible. Both “language” and “social cognition” are complex constructs, involving many independent cognitive mechanisms, and the comparative approach provides a powerful route to understanding the evolution of such mechanisms. We provide a broad comparative review of mechanisms underlying social intelligence in vertebrates, with the goal of determining which human mechanisms are broadly shared, which have evolved in parallel in other clades, and which, potentially, are uniquely developed in our species. We emphasize the importance of convergent evolution for testing hypotheses about neural mechanisms and their evolution. PMID:20346756

A Genetically Informed Study of the Processes Underlying the Association between Parental Marital Instability and Offspring Adjustment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Onofrio, Brian M.; Turkheimer, Eric; Emery, Robert E.; Slutske, Wendy S.; Heath, Andrew C.; Madden, Pamela A.; Martin, Nicholas G.

2006-01-01

Parental divorce is associated with problematic offspring adjustment, but the relation may be due to shared genetic or environmental factors. One way to test for these confounds is to study offspring of twins discordant for divorce. The current analyses used this design to separate the mechanisms responsible for the association between parental…

Inability to empathize: brain lesions that disrupt sharing and understanding another’s emotions

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Emotional empathy—the ability to recognize, share in, and make inferences about another person’s emotional state—is critical for all social interactions. The neural mechanisms underlying emotional empathy have been widely studied with functional imaging of healthy participants. However, functional imaging studies reveal correlations between areas of activation and performance of a task, so that they can only reveal areas engaged in a task, rather than areas of the brain that are critical for the task. Lesion studies complement functional imaging, to identify areas necessary for a task. Impairments in emotional empathy have been mostly studied in neurological diseases with fairly diffuse injury, such as traumatic brain injury, autism and dementia. The classic ‘focal lesion’ is stroke. There have been scattered studies of patients with impaired empathy after stroke and other focal injury, but these studies have included small numbers of patients. This review will bring together data from these studies, to complement evidence from functional imaging. Here I review how focal lesions affect emotional empathy. I will show how lesion studies contribute to the understanding of the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying emotional empathy, and how they contribute to the management of patients with impaired emotional empathy. PMID:24293265

Diabetes mellitus and hypertension: a dual threat.

PubMed

Oktay, Ahmet Afşin; Akturk, Halis Kaan; Jahangir, Eiman

2016-07-01

The following is a review of the current concepts on the relationship between hypertension (HTN) and diabetes mellitus with a focus on the epidemiology and cardiovascular prognostic implications of coexistent HTN and diabetes mellitus, shared mechanisms underlying both conditions and pathophysiology of increased risk of cardiovascular disease, treatment of HTN in individuals with diabetes mellitus, and effects of anti-diabetic medications on blood pressure (BP). Diabetes mellitus and HTN often coexist in the same individual. They share numerous risk factors and underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms, most important of which are insulin resistance and inappropriate activation of the rennin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Recently updated guidelines recommend a BP goal of 140/90 mmHg in most individuals with diabetes mellitus. A new class of anti-diabetic medications, sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors, has shown favorable effects on BP. HTN affects the majority of individuals with diabetes mellitus. Coexistence of diabetes mellitus and HTN, especially if BP is not well controlled, dramatically increases the risk of morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease. BP control is an essential part of management of patients with diabetes mellitus, because it is one of the most effective ways to prevent vascular complications and death.

Eider females form non-kin brood-rearing coalitions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ost, M.; Vitikainen, E.; Waldeck, P.; Sundstrom, L.; Lindstrom, K.; Hollmen, Tuula E.; Franson, J.C.; Kilpi, Mikael

2005-01-01

Kin selection is a powerful tool for understanding cooperation among individuals, yet its role as the sole explanation of cooperative societies has recently been challenged on empirical grounds. These studies suggest that direct benefits of cooperation are often overlooked, and that partner choice may be a widespread mechanism of cooperation. Female eider ducks (Somateria mollissima) may rear broods alone, or they may pool their broods and share brood-rearing. Females are philopatric, and it has been suggested that colonies may largely consist of related females, which could promote interactions among relatives. Alternatively, shared brood care could be random with respect to relatedness, either because brood amalgamations are accidental and nonadaptive, or through group augmentation, assuming that the fitness of all group members increases with group size. We tested these alternatives by measuring the relatedness of co-tending eider females in enduring coalitions with microsatellite markers. Females formed enduring brood-rearing coalitions with each other at random with respect to relatedness. However, based on previous data, partner choice is nonrandom and dependent on female body condition. We discuss potential mechanisms underlying eider communal brood-rearing decisions, which may be driven by the specific ecological conditions under which sociality has evolved in this species.

Searching for Cross-diagnostic Convergence: Neural Mechanisms Governing Excitation and Inhibition Balance in Schizophrenia and Autism Spectrum Disorders

PubMed Central

Foss-Feig, Jennifer H.; Adkinson, Brendan D.; Ji, Jie Lisa; Yang, Genevieve; Srihari, Vinod H.; McPartland, James C.; Krystal, John H.; Murray, John D.; Anticevic, Alan

2017-01-01

Recent theoretical accounts have proposed excitation (E) and inhibition (I) imbalance as a possible mechanistic, network-level hypothesis underlying neural and behavioral dysfunction across neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia (SCZ). These two disorders share some overlap in their clinical presentation as well as convergence in their underlying genes and neurobiology. However, there are also clear points of dissociation in terms of phenotypes and putatively affected neural circuitry. Here we highlight emerging work from the clinical neuroscience literature examining neural correlates of E/I imbalance across children and adults with ASD and adults with both chronic and early-course SCZ. We discuss findings from diverse neuroimaging studies across distinct modalities, conducted with EEG, MEG, 1H-MRS, and fMRI, including effects observed both during task and at rest. Throughout this review we discuss points of convergence and divergence in the ASD and SCZ literature, with a focus on disruptions in neural E/I balance. We also consider these findings in relation to predictions generated by theoretical neuroscience, particularly computational models predicting E/I imbalance across disorders. Finally, we discuss how human non-invasive neuroimaging can benefit from pharmacological challenge studies to reveal mechanisms in ASD and SCZ. Collectively, we attempt to shed light on shared and divergent neuroimaging effects across disorders with the goal of informing future research examining the mechanisms underlying the E/I imbalance hypothesis across neurodevelopmental disorders. We posit that such translational efforts are vital to facilitate development of neurobiologically informed treatment strategies across neuropsychiatric conditions. PMID:28434615

Do emotion-induced blindness and the attentional blink share underlying mechanisms? An event-related potential study of emotionally-arousing words.

PubMed

MacLeod, Jeffrey; Stewart, Brandie M; Newman, Aaron J; Arnell, Karen M

2017-06-01

When two targets are presented within approximately 500 ms of each other in the context of rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP), participants' ability to report the second target is reduced compared to when the targets are presented further apart in time. This phenomenon is known as the attentional blink (AB). The AB is increased in magnitude when the first target is emotionally arousing. Emotionally arousing stimuli can also capture attention and create an AB-like effect even when these stimuli are presented as to-be-ignored distractor items in a single-target RSVP task. This phenomenon is known as emotion-induced blindness (EIB). The phenomenological similarity in the behavioral results associated with the AB with an emotional T1 and EIB suggest that these effects may result from similar underlying mechanisms - a hypothesis that we tested using event-related electrical brain potentials (ERPs). Behavioral results replicated those reported previously, demonstrating an enhanced AB following an emotionally arousing target and a clear EIB effect. In both paradigms highly arousing taboo/sexual words resulted in an increased early posterior negativity (EPN) component that has been suggested to represent early semantic activation and selection for further processing in working memory. In both paradigms taboo/sexual words also produced an increased late positive potential (LPP) component that has been suggested to represent consolidation of a stimulus in working memory. Therefore, ERP results provide evidence that the EIB and emotion-enhanced AB effects share a common underlying mechanism.

Evolutionary Aspects and Regulation of Tetrapyrrole Biosynthesis in Cyanobacteria under Aerobic and Anaerobic Environments

PubMed Central

Fujita, Yuichi; Tsujimoto, Ryoma; Aoki, Rina

2015-01-01

Chlorophyll a (Chl) is a light-absorbing tetrapyrrole pigment that is essential for photosynthesis. The molecule is produced from glutamate via a complex biosynthetic pathway comprised of at least 15 enzymatic steps. The first half of the Chl pathway is shared with heme biosynthesis, and the latter half, called the Mg-branch, is specific to Mg-containing Chl a. Bilin pigments, such as phycocyanobilin, are additionally produced from heme, so these light-harvesting pigments also share many common biosynthetic steps with Chl biosynthesis. Some of these common steps in the biosynthetic pathways of heme, Chl and bilins require molecular oxygen for catalysis, such as oxygen-dependent coproporphyrinogen III oxidase. Cyanobacteria thrive in diverse environments in terms of oxygen levels. To cope with Chl deficiency caused by low-oxygen conditions, cyanobacteria have developed elaborate mechanisms to maintain Chl production, even under microoxic environments. The use of enzymes specialized for low-oxygen conditions, such as oxygen-independent coproporphyrinogen III oxidase, constitutes part of a mechanism adapted to low-oxygen conditions. Another mechanism adaptive to hypoxic conditions is mediated by the transcriptional regulator ChlR that senses low oxygen and subsequently activates the transcription of genes encoding enzymes that work under low-oxygen tension. In diazotrophic cyanobacteria, this multilayered regulation also contributes in Chl biosynthesis by supporting energy production for nitrogen fixation that also requires low-oxygen conditions. We will also discuss the evolutionary implications of cyanobacterial tetrapyrrole biosynthesis and regulation, because low oxygen-type enzymes also appear to be evolutionarily older than oxygen-dependent enzymes. PMID:25830590

Shared cognitive processes underlying past and future thinking: the impact of imagery and concurrent task demands on event specificity.

PubMed

Anderson, Rachel J; Dewhurst, Stephen A; Nash, Robert A

2012-03-01

Recent literature has argued that whereas remembering the past and imagining the future make use of shared cognitive substrates, simulating future events places heavier demands on executive resources. These propositions were explored in 3 experiments comparing the impact of imagery and concurrent task demands on speed and accuracy of past event retrieval and future event simulation. Results provide support for the suggestion that both past and future episodes can be constructed through 2 mechanisms: a noneffortful "direct" pathway and a controlled, effortful "generative" pathway. However, limited evidence emerged for the suggestion that simulating of future, compared with retrieving past, episodes places heavier demands on executive resources; only under certain conditions did it emerge as a more error prone and lengthier process. The findings are discussed in terms of how retrieval and simulation make use of the same cognitive substrates in subtly different ways. 2012 APA, all rights reserved

Load Sharing Behavior of Star Gearing Reducer for Geared Turbofan Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mo, Shuai; Zhang, Yidu; Wu, Qiong; Wang, Feiming; Matsumura, Shigeki; Houjoh, Haruo

2017-07-01

Load sharing behavior is very important for power-split gearing system, star gearing reducer as a new type and special transmission system can be used in many industry fields. However, there is few literature regarding the key multiple-split load sharing issue in main gearbox used in new type geared turbofan engine. Further mechanism analysis are made on load sharing behavior among star gears of star gearing reducer for geared turbofan engine. Comprehensive meshing error analysis are conducted on eccentricity error, gear thickness error, base pitch error, assembly error, and bearing error of star gearing reducer respectively. Floating meshing error resulting from meshing clearance variation caused by the simultaneous floating of sun gear and annular gear are taken into account. A refined mathematical model for load sharing coefficient calculation is established in consideration of different meshing stiffness and supporting stiffness for components. The regular curves of load sharing coefficient under the influence of interactions, single action and single variation of various component errors are obtained. The accurate sensitivity of load sharing coefficient toward different errors is mastered. The load sharing coefficient of star gearing reducer is 1.033 and the maximum meshing force in gear tooth is about 3010 N. This paper provides scientific theory evidences for optimal parameter design and proper tolerance distribution in advanced development and manufacturing process, so as to achieve optimal effects in economy and technology.

Cannabis controversies: how genetics can inform the study of comorbidity.

PubMed

Agrawal, Arpana; Lynskey, Michael T

2014-03-01

To review three key and controversial comorbidities of cannabis use-other illicit drug use, psychosis and depression, as well as suicide, from a genetically informed perspective. Selective review. Genetic factors play a critical role in the association between cannabis use, particularly early-onset use and use of other illicit drugs, psychosis and depression, as well as suicide, albeit via differing mechanisms. For other illicit drugs, while there is strong evidence for shared genetic influences, residual association that is attributable to causal or person-specific environmental factors cannot be ruled out. For depression, common genetic influences are solely responsible for the association with cannabis use but for suicidal attempt, evidence for person-specific factors persists. Finally, even though rates of cannabis use are inordinately high in those with psychotic disorders, there is no evidence of shared genetic etiologies underlying this comorbidity. Instead, there is limited evidence that adolescent cannabis use might moderate the extent to which diathesis influences psychosis. Overlapping genetic influences underlie the association between early-onset cannabis use and other illicit drug use as well as depression and suicide. For psychosis, mechanisms other than shared genetic influences might be at play. © 2014 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Cannabis Controversies: How genetics can inform the study of comorbidity

PubMed Central

Agrawal, Arpana; Lynskey, Michael T.

2014-01-01

Aims To review three key and controversial comorbidities of cannabis use – other illicit drug use, psychosis and depression as well as suicide, from a genetically informed perspective. Design Selective review. Results Genetic factors play a critical role in the association between cannabis use, particularly early-onset use and use of other illicit drugs, psychosis and depression as well as suicide, albeit via differing mechanisms. For other illicit drugs, while there is strong evidence for shared genetic influences, residual association that is attributable to causal or person-specific environmental factors cannot be ruled out. For depression, common genetic influences are solely responsible for the association with cannabis use but for suicidal attempt, evidence for person-specific factors persists. Finally, even though rates of cannabis use are inordinately high in those with psychotic disorders, there is no evidence of shared genetic etiologies underlying this comorbidity. Instead, there is limited evidence that adolescent cannabis use might moderate the extent to which diathesis influences psychosis. Conclusions Overlapping genetic influences underlie the association between early-onset cannabis use and other illicit drug use as well as depression and suicide. For psychosis, mechanisms other than shared genetic influences might be at play. PMID:24438181

Knowledge Sharing among University Students Facilitated with a Creative Commons Licensing Mechanism: A Case Study in a Programming Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Chen-Chung; Lin, Chia-Ching; Chang, Chun-Yi; Chao, Po-Yao

2014-01-01

Creative Commons (CC) mechanism has been suggested as a potential means to foster a reliable environment for online knowledge sharing activity. This study investigates the role of the CC mechanism in supporting knowledge sharing among a group of university students studying programming from the perspectives of social cognitive and social capital…

A shared molecular mechanism underlies the human rasopathies Legius syndrome and Neurofibromatosis-1

PubMed Central

Stowe, Irma B.; Mercado, Ellen L.; Stowe, Timothy R.; Bell, Erika L.; Oses-Prieto, Juan A.; Hernández, Hilda; Burlingame, Alma L.; McCormick, Frank

2012-01-01

The Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway plays a critical role in transducing mitogenic signals from receptor tyrosine kinases. Loss-of-function mutations in one feedback regulator of Ras/MAPK signaling, SPRED1 (Sprouty-related protein with an EVH1 domain), cause Legius syndrome, an autosomal dominant human disorder that resembles Neurofibromatosis-1 (NF1). Spred1 functions as a negative regulator of the Ras/MAPK pathway; however, the underlying molecular mechanism is poorly understood. Here we show that neurofibromin, the NF1 gene product, is a Spred1-interacting protein that is necessary for Spred1's inhibitory function. We show that Spred1 binding induces the plasma membrane localization of NF1, which subsequently down-regulates Ras-GTP levels. This novel mechanism for the regulation of neurofibromin provides a molecular bridge for understanding the overlapping pathophysiology of NF1 and Legius syndrome. PMID:22751498

Frontostriatal Dysfunction During Decision Making in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

PubMed

Norman, Luke J; Carlisi, Christina O; Christakou, Anastasia; Murphy, Clodagh M; Chantiluke, Kaylita; Giampietro, Vincent; Simmons, Andrew; Brammer, Michael; Mataix-Cols, David; Rubia, Katya

2018-03-24

The aim of the current paper is to provide the first comparison of computational mechanisms and neurofunctional substrates in adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) during decision making under ambiguity. Sixteen boys with ADHD, 20 boys with OCD, and 20 matched control subjects (12-18 years of age) completed a functional magnetic resonance imaging version of the Iowa Gambling Task. Brain activation was compared between groups using three-way analysis of covariance. Hierarchical Bayesian analysis was used to compare computational modeling parameters between groups. Patient groups shared reduced choice consistency and relied less on reinforcement learning during decision making relative to control subjects, while adolescents with ADHD alone demonstrated increased reward sensitivity. During advantageous choices, both disorders shared underactivation in ventral striatum, while OCD patients showed disorder-specific underactivation in the ventromedial orbitofrontal cortex. During outcome evaluation, shared underactivation to losses in patients relative to control subjects was found in the medial prefrontal cortex and shared underactivation to wins was found in the left putamen/caudate. ADHD boys showed disorder-specific dysfunction in the right putamen/caudate, which was activated more to losses in patients with ADHD but more to wins in control subjects. The findings suggest shared deficits in using learned reward expectancies to guide decision making, as well as shared dysfunction in medio-fronto-striato-limbic brain regions. However, findings of unique dysfunction in the ventromedial orbitofrontal cortex in OCD and in the right putamen in ADHD indicate additional, disorder-specific abnormalities and extend similar findings from inhibitory control tasks in the disorders to the domain of decision making under ambiguity. Copyright © 2018 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On Proportionate and Truthful International Alliance Contributions: An Analysis of IncentiveCompatible Cost Sharing Mechanisms to Burden Sharing

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-23

Therefore, the mecha- nism induces a stable cost sharing scheme wherein a subset of colluding players will not all benefit . In a subset of colluding...goods are not divisible and are not excludable. Cost sharing mechanisms specific to public goods have been researched extensively in the literature...Jackson & Moulin [1992] consider the sharing of cost for an indivisible public project among many players, and their work was extended by Bag [1997] to

Pervasive sharing of genetic effects in autoimmune disease.

PubMed

Cotsapas, Chris; Voight, Benjamin F; Rossin, Elizabeth; Lage, Kasper; Neale, Benjamin M; Wallace, Chris; Abecasis, Gonçalo R; Barrett, Jeffrey C; Behrens, Timothy; Cho, Judy; De Jager, Philip L; Elder, James T; Graham, Robert R; Gregersen, Peter; Klareskog, Lars; Siminovitch, Katherine A; van Heel, David A; Wijmenga, Cisca; Worthington, Jane; Todd, John A; Hafler, David A; Rich, Stephen S; Daly, Mark J

2011-08-01

Genome-wide association (GWA) studies have identified numerous, replicable, genetic associations between common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and risk of common autoimmune and inflammatory (immune-mediated) diseases, some of which are shared between two diseases. Along with epidemiological and clinical evidence, this suggests that some genetic risk factors may be shared across diseases-as is the case with alleles in the Major Histocompatibility Locus. In this work we evaluate the extent of this sharing for 107 immune disease-risk SNPs in seven diseases: celiac disease, Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and type 1 diabetes. We have developed a novel statistic for Cross Phenotype Meta-Analysis (CPMA) which detects association of a SNP to multiple, but not necessarily all, phenotypes. With it, we find evidence that 47/107 (44%) immune-mediated disease risk SNPs are associated to multiple-but not all-immune-mediated diseases (SNP-wise P(CPMA)<0.01). We also show that distinct groups of interacting proteins are encoded near SNPs which predispose to the same subsets of diseases; we propose these as the mechanistic basis of shared disease risk. We are thus able to leverage genetic data across diseases to construct biological hypotheses about the underlying mechanism of pathogenesis.

Searching for Cross-Diagnostic Convergence: Neural Mechanisms Governing Excitation and Inhibition Balance in Schizophrenia and Autism Spectrum Disorders.

PubMed

Foss-Feig, Jennifer H; Adkinson, Brendan D; Ji, Jie Lisa; Yang, Genevieve; Srihari, Vinod H; McPartland, James C; Krystal, John H; Murray, John D; Anticevic, Alan

2017-05-15

Recent theoretical accounts have proposed excitation and inhibition (E/I) imbalance as a possible mechanistic, network-level hypothesis underlying neural and behavioral dysfunction across neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia (SCZ). These two disorders share some overlap in their clinical presentation as well as convergence in their underlying genes and neurobiology. However, there are also clear points of dissociation in terms of phenotypes and putatively affected neural circuitry. We highlight emerging work from the clinical neuroscience literature examining neural correlates of E/I imbalance across children and adults with ASD and adults with both chronic and early-course SCZ. We discuss findings from diverse neuroimaging studies across distinct modalities, conducted with electroencephalography, magnetoencephalography, proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and functional magnetic resonance imaging, including effects observed both during task and at rest. Throughout this review, we discuss points of convergence and divergence in the ASD and SCZ literature, with a focus on disruptions in neural E/I balance. We also consider these findings in relation to predictions generated by theoretical neuroscience, particularly computational models predicting E/I imbalance across disorders. Finally, we discuss how human noninvasive neuroimaging can benefit from pharmacological challenge studies to reveal mechanisms in ASD and SCZ. Collectively, we attempt to shed light on shared and divergent neuroimaging effects across disorders with the goal of informing future research examining the mechanisms underlying the E/I imbalance hypothesis across neurodevelopmental disorders. We posit that such translational efforts are vital to facilitate development of neurobiologically informed treatment strategies across neuropsychiatric conditions. Copyright © 2017 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploring the Cognitive Foundations of the Shared Attention Mechanism: Evidence for a Relationship between Self-Categorization and Shared Attention across the Autism Spectrum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skorich, Daniel P.; Gash, Tahlia B.; Stalker, Katie L.; Zheng, Lidan; Haslam, S. Alexander

2017-01-01

The social difficulties of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are typically explained as a disruption in the Shared Attention Mechanism (SAM) sub-component of the theory of mind (ToM) system. In the current paper, we explore the hypothesis that SAM's capacity to construct the self-other-object relations necessary for shared-attention arises from a…

Perspectives on Cybersecurity Information Sharing among Multiple Stakeholders Using a Decision-Theoretic Approach.

PubMed

He, Meilin; Devine, Laura; Zhuang, Jun

2018-02-01

The government, private sectors, and others users of the Internet are increasingly faced with the risk of cyber incidents. Damage to computer systems and theft of sensitive data caused by cyber attacks have the potential to result in lasting harm to entities under attack, or to society as a whole. The effects of cyber attacks are not always obvious, and detecting them is not a simple proposition. As the U.S. federal government believes that information sharing on cybersecurity issues among organizations is essential to safety, security, and resilience, the importance of trusted information exchange has been emphasized to support public and private decision making by encouraging the creation of the Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC). Through a decision-theoretic approach, this article provides new perspectives on ISAC, and the advent of the new Information Sharing and Analysis Organizations (ISAOs), which are intended to provide similar benefits to organizations that cannot fit easily into the ISAC structure. To help understand the processes of information sharing against cyber threats, this article illustrates 15 representative information sharing structures between ISAC, government, and other participating entities, and provide discussions on the strategic interactions between different stakeholders. This article also identifies the costs of information sharing and information security borne by different parties in this public-private partnership both before and after cyber attacks, as well as the two main benefits. This article provides perspectives on the mechanism of information sharing and some detailed cost-benefit analysis. © 2017 Society for Risk Analysis.

The Impact of Rate Design and Net Metering on the Bill Savings from Distributed PV for Residential Customers in California

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Energy and Resources Group, University of California, Berkeley; Darghouth, Naim R.; Barbose, Galen

2011-06-01

Net metering has become a widespread mechanism in the U.S. for supporting customer adoption of distributed photovoltaics (PV), but has faced challenges as PV installations grow to a larger share of generation in a number of states. This paper examines the value of the bill savings that customers receive under net metering, and the associated role of retail rate design, based on a sample of approximately two hundred residential customers of California's two largest electric utilities. We find that the bill savings per kWh of PV electricity generated varies by more than a factor of four across the customers inmore » the sample, which is largely attributable to the inclining block structure of the utilities' residential retail rates. We also compare the bill savings under net metering to that received under three potential alternative compensation mechanisms, based on California's Market Price Referent (MPR). We find that net metering provides significantly greater bill savings than a full MPR-based feed-in tariff, but only modestly greater savings than alternative mechanisms under which hourly or monthly net excess generation is compensated at the MPR rate.« less

A Novel Reference Security Model with the Situation Based Access Policy for Accessing EPHR Data.

PubMed

Gope, Prosanta; Amin, Ruhul

2016-11-01

Electronic Patient Health Record (EPHR) systems may facilitate a patient not only to share his/her health records securely with healthcare professional but also to control his/her health privacy, in a convenient and easy way even in case of emergency. In order to fulfill these requirements, it is greatly desirable to have the access control mechanism which can efficiently handle every circumstance without negotiating security. However, the existing access control mechanisms used in healthcare to regulate and restrict the disclosure of patient data are often bypassed in case of emergencies. In this article, we propose a way to securely share EPHR data under any situation including break-the-glass (BtG) without compromising its security. In this regard, we design a reference security model, which consists of a multi-level data flow hierarchy, and an efficient access control framework based on the conventional Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and Mandatory Access Control (MAC) policies.

The lysosomal storage disease continuum with ageing-related neurodegenerative disease.

PubMed

Lloyd-Evans, Emyr; Haslett, Luke J

2016-12-01

Lysosomal storage diseases and diseases of ageing share many features both at the physiological level and with respect to the mechanisms that underlie disease pathogenesis. Although the exact pathophysiology is not exactly the same, it is astounding how many similar pathways are altered in all of these diseases. The aim of this review is to provide a summary of the shared disease mechanisms, outlining the similarities and differences and how genetics, insight into rare diseases and functional research has changed our perspective on the causes underlying common diseases of ageing. The lysosome should no longer be considered as just the stomach of the cell or as a suicide bag, it has an emerging role in cellular signalling, nutrient sensing and recycling. The lysosome is of fundamental importance in the pathophysiology of diseases of ageing and by comparing against the LSDs we not only identify common pathways but also therapeutic targets so that ultimately more effective treatments can be developed for all neurodegenerative diseases. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Differential Contribution of Low- and High-level Image Content to Eye Movements in Monkeys and Humans.

PubMed

Wilming, Niklas; Kietzmann, Tim C; Jutras, Megan; Xue, Cheng; Treue, Stefan; Buffalo, Elizabeth A; König, Peter

2017-01-01

Oculomotor selection exerts a fundamental impact on our experience of the environment. To better understand the underlying principles, researchers typically rely on behavioral data from humans, and electrophysiological recordings in macaque monkeys. This approach rests on the assumption that the same selection processes are at play in both species. To test this assumption, we compared the viewing behavior of 106 humans and 11 macaques in an unconstrained free-viewing task. Our data-driven clustering analyses revealed distinct human and macaque clusters, indicating species-specific selection strategies. Yet, cross-species predictions were found to be above chance, indicating some level of shared behavior. Analyses relying on computational models of visual saliency indicate that such cross-species commonalities in free viewing are largely due to similar low-level selection mechanisms, with only a small contribution by shared higher level selection mechanisms and with consistent viewing behavior of monkeys being a subset of the consistent viewing behavior of humans. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

A Click Chemistry-Based Proteomic Approach Reveals that 1,2,4-Trioxolane and Artemisinin Antimalarials Share a Common Protein Alkylation Profile.

PubMed

Ismail, Hanafy M; Barton, Victoria E; Panchana, Matthew; Charoensutthivarakul, Sitthivut; Biagini, Giancarlo A; Ward, Stephen A; O'Neill, Paul M

2016-05-23

In spite of the recent increase in endoperoxide antimalarials under development, it remains unclear if all these chemotypes share a common mechanism of action. This is important since it will influence cross-resistance risks between the different classes. Here we investigate this proposition using novel clickable 1,2,4-trioxolane activity based protein-profiling probes (ABPPs). ABPPs with potent antimalarial activity were able to alkylate protein target(s) within the asexual erythrocytic stage of Plasmodium falciparum (3D7). Importantly, comparison of the alkylation fingerprint with that generated from an artemisinin ABPP equivalent confirms a highly conserved alkylation profile, with both endoperoxide classes targeting proteins in the glycolytic, hemoglobin degradation, antioxidant defence, protein synthesis and protein stress pathways, essential biological processes for plasmodial survival. The alkylation signatures of the two chemotypes show significant overlap (ca. 90 %) both qualitatively and semi-quantitatively, suggesting a common mechanism of action that raises concerns about potential cross-resistance liabilities.

Differential Contribution of Low- and High-level Image Content to Eye Movements in Monkeys and Humans

PubMed Central

Wilming, Niklas; Kietzmann, Tim C.; Jutras, Megan; Xue, Cheng; Treue, Stefan; Buffalo, Elizabeth A.; König, Peter

2017-01-01

Abstract Oculomotor selection exerts a fundamental impact on our experience of the environment. To better understand the underlying principles, researchers typically rely on behavioral data from humans, and electrophysiological recordings in macaque monkeys. This approach rests on the assumption that the same selection processes are at play in both species. To test this assumption, we compared the viewing behavior of 106 humans and 11 macaques in an unconstrained free-viewing task. Our data-driven clustering analyses revealed distinct human and macaque clusters, indicating species-specific selection strategies. Yet, cross-species predictions were found to be above chance, indicating some level of shared behavior. Analyses relying on computational models of visual saliency indicate that such cross-species commonalities in free viewing are largely due to similar low-level selection mechanisms, with only a small contribution by shared higher level selection mechanisms and with consistent viewing behavior of monkeys being a subset of the consistent viewing behavior of humans. PMID:28077512

Statistical physics of crime: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Orsogna, Maria R.; Perc, Matjaž

2015-03-01

Containing the spread of crime in urban societies remains a major challenge. Empirical evidence suggests that, if left unchecked, crimes may be recurrent and proliferate. On the other hand, eradicating a culture of crime may be difficult, especially under extreme social circumstances that impair the creation of a shared sense of social responsibility. Although our understanding of the mechanisms that drive the emergence and diffusion of crime is still incomplete, recent

Positive Traits in the Bipolar Spectrum: The Space between Madness and Genius

PubMed Central

Greenwood, Tiffany A.

2017-01-01

Bipolar disorder is a severe, lifelong mood disorder for which little is currently understood of the genetic mechanisms underlying risk. By examining related dimensional phenotypes, we may further our understanding of the disorder. Creativity has a historical connection with the bipolar spectrum and is particularly enhanced among unaffected first-degree relatives and those with bipolar spectrum traits. This suggests that some aspects of the bipolar spectrum may confer advantages, while more severe expressions of symptoms negatively influence creative accomplishment. Creativity is a complex, multidimensional construct with both cognitive and affective components, many of which appear to reflect a shared genetic vulnerability with bipolar disorder. It is suggested that a subset of bipolar risk variants confer advantages as positive traits according to an inverted-U-shaped curve with clinically unaffected allele carriers benefitting from the positive traits and serving to maintain the risk alleles in the population. The association of risk genes with creativity in healthy individuals (e.g., NRG1), as well as an overall sharing of common genetic variation between bipolar patients and creative individuals, provides support for this model. Current findings are summarized from a multidisciplinary perspective to demonstrate the feasibility of research in this area to reveal the mechanisms underlying illness. PMID:28277566

Distributed effects of biological sex define sex-typical motor behavior in Caenorhabditis elegans.

PubMed

Mowrey, William R; Bennett, Jessica R; Portman, Douglas S

2014-01-29

Sex differences in shared behaviors (for example, locomotion and feeding) are a nearly universal feature of animal biology. Though these behaviors may share underlying neural programs, their kinematics can exhibit robust differences between males and females. The neural underpinnings of these differences are poorly understood because of the often-untested assumption that they are determined by sex-specific body morphology. Here, we address this issue in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, which features two sexes with distinct body morphologies but similar locomotor circuitry and body muscle. Quantitative behavioral analysis shows that C. elegans and related nematodes exhibit significant sex differences in the dynamics and geometry of locomotor body waves, such that the male is generally faster. Using a recently proposed model of locomotor wave propagation, we show that sex differences in both body mechanics and the intrinsic dynamics of the motor system can contribute to kinematic differences in distinct mechanical contexts. By genetically sex-reversing the properties of specific tissues and cells, however, we find that sex-specific locomotor frequency in C. elegans is determined primarily by the functional modification of shared sensory neurons. Further, we find that sexual modification of body wall muscle together with the nervous system is required to alter body wave speed. Thus, rather than relying on a single focus of modification, sex differences in motor dynamics require independent modifications to multiple tissue types. Our results suggest shared motor behaviors may be sex-specifically optimized though distributed modifications to several aspects of morphology and physiology.

Distributed Effects of Biological Sex Define Sex-Typical Motor Behavior in Caenorhabditis elegans

PubMed Central

Mowrey, William R.; Bennett, Jessica R.

2014-01-01

Sex differences in shared behaviors (for example, locomotion and feeding) are a nearly universal feature of animal biology. Though these behaviors may share underlying neural programs, their kinematics can exhibit robust differences between males and females. The neural underpinnings of these differences are poorly understood because of the often-untested assumption that they are determined by sex-specific body morphology. Here, we address this issue in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, which features two sexes with distinct body morphologies but similar locomotor circuitry and body muscle. Quantitative behavioral analysis shows that C. elegans and related nematodes exhibit significant sex differences in the dynamics and geometry of locomotor body waves, such that the male is generally faster. Using a recently proposed model of locomotor wave propagation, we show that sex differences in both body mechanics and the intrinsic dynamics of the motor system can contribute to kinematic differences in distinct mechanical contexts. By genetically sex-reversing the properties of specific tissues and cells, however, we find that sex-specific locomotor frequency in C. elegans is determined primarily by the functional modification of shared sensory neurons. Further, we find that sexual modification of body wall muscle together with the nervous system is required to alter body wave speed. Thus, rather than relying on a single focus of modification, sex differences in motor dynamics require independent modifications to multiple tissue types. Our results suggest shared motor behaviors may be sex-specifically optimized though distributed modifications to several aspects of morphology and physiology. PMID:24478342

Inattentional Deafness: Visual Load Leads to Time-Specific Suppression of Auditory Evoked Responses

PubMed Central

Molloy, Katharine; Griffiths, Timothy D.; Lavie, Nilli

2015-01-01

Due to capacity limits on perception, conditions of high perceptual load lead to reduced processing of unattended stimuli (Lavie et al., 2014). Accumulating work demonstrates the effects of visual perceptual load on visual cortex responses, but the effects on auditory processing remain poorly understood. Here we establish the neural mechanisms underlying “inattentional deafness”—the failure to perceive auditory stimuli under high visual perceptual load. Participants performed a visual search task of low (target dissimilar to nontarget items) or high (target similar to nontarget items) load. On a random subset (50%) of trials, irrelevant tones were presented concurrently with the visual stimuli. Brain activity was recorded with magnetoencephalography, and time-locked responses to the visual search array and to the incidental presence of unattended tones were assessed. High, compared to low, perceptual load led to increased early visual evoked responses (within 100 ms from onset). This was accompanied by reduced early (∼100 ms from tone onset) auditory evoked activity in superior temporal sulcus and posterior middle temporal gyrus. A later suppression of the P3 “awareness” response to the tones was also observed under high load. A behavioral experiment revealed reduced tone detection sensitivity under high visual load, indicating that the reduction in neural responses was indeed associated with reduced awareness of the sounds. These findings support a neural account of shared audiovisual resources, which, when depleted under load, leads to failures of sensory perception and awareness. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The present work clarifies the neural underpinning of inattentional deafness under high visual load. The findings of near-simultaneous load effects on both visual and auditory evoked responses suggest shared audiovisual processing capacity. Temporary depletion of shared capacity in perceptually demanding visual tasks leads to a momentary reduction in sensory processing of auditory stimuli, resulting in inattentional deafness. The dynamic “push–pull” pattern of load effects on visual and auditory processing furthers our understanding of both the neural mechanisms of attention and of cross-modal effects across visual and auditory processing. These results also offer an explanation for many previous failures to find cross-modal effects in experiments where the visual load effects may not have coincided directly with auditory sensory processing. PMID:26658858

76 FR 44966 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Order Granting Approval of Proposed Rule Change...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-27

... the Shares of the WisdomTree Dreyfus Euro Debt Fund Under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600 July 20, 2011... shares (``Shares'') of the WisdomTree Dreyfus Euro Debt Fund (``Fund'') under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8... trading of Managed Fund Shares on the Exchange. The Shares will be offered by the WisdomTree Trust...

Food-Sharing Networks in Lamalera, Indonesia: Status, Sharing, and Signaling

PubMed Central

Nolin, David A.

2012-01-01

Costly signaling has been proposed as a possible mechanism to explain food sharing in foraging populations. This sharing-as-signaling hypothesis predicts an association between sharing and status. Using exponential random graph modeling (ERGM), this prediction is tested on a social network of between-household food-sharing relationships in the fishing and sea-hunting village of Lamalera, Indonesia. Previous analyses (Nolin 2010) have shown that most sharing in Lamalera is consistent with reciprocal altruism. The question addressed here is whether any additional variation may be explained as sharing-as-signaling by high-status households. The results show that high-status households both give and receive more than other households, a pattern more consistent with reciprocal altruism than costly signaling. However, once the propensity to reciprocate and household productivity are controlled, households of men holding leadership positions show greater odds of unreciprocated giving when compared to households of non-leaders. This pattern of excessive giving by leaders is consistent with the sharing-as-signaling hypothesis. Wealthy households show the opposite pattern, giving less and receiving more than other households. These households may reciprocate in a currency other than food or their wealth may attract favor-seeking behavior from others. Overall, status covariates explain little variation in the sharing network as a whole, and much of the sharing observed by high-status households is best explained by the same factors that explain sharing by other households. This pattern suggests that multiple mechanisms may operate simultaneously to promote sharing in Lamalera and that signaling may motivate some sharing by some individuals even within sharing regimes primarily maintained by other mechanisms. PMID:22822299

Cutaneous Manifestations of Crohn Disease.

PubMed

Hagen, Joshua W; Swoger, Jason M; Grandinetti, Lisa M

2015-07-01

Awareness of the extraintestinal manifestations of Crohn disease is increasing in dermatology and gastroenterology, with enhanced identification of entities that range from granulomatous diseases recapitulating the underlying inflammatory bowel disease to reactive conditions and associated dermatoses. In this review, the underlying etiopathology of Crohn disease is discussed, and how this mirrors certain skin manifestations that present in a subset of patients is explored. The array of extraintestinal manifestations that do not share a similar pathology, but which are often seen in association with inflammatory bowel disease, is also discussed. Treatment and pathogenetic mechanisms, where available, are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploration versus exploitation in space, mind, and society

PubMed Central

Hills, Thomas T.; Todd, Peter M.; Lazer, David; Redish, A. David; Couzin, Iain D.

2015-01-01

Search is a ubiquitous property of life. Although diverse domains have worked on search problems largely in isolation, recent trends across disciplines indicate that the formal properties of these problems share similar structures and, often, similar solutions. Moreover, internal search (e.g., memory search) shows similar characteristics to external search (e.g., spatial foraging), including shared neural mechanisms consistent with a common evolutionary origin across species. Search problems and their solutions also scale from individuals to societies, underlying and constraining problem solving, memory, information search, and scientific and cultural innovation. In summary, search represents a core feature of cognition, with a vast influence on its evolution and processes across contexts and requiring input from multiple domains to understand its implications and scope. PMID:25487706

Sharing, liking, commenting, and distressed? The pathway between Facebook interaction and psychological distress.

PubMed

Chen, Wenhong; Lee, Kye-Hyoung

2013-10-01

Studies on the mental health implications of social media have generated mixed results. Drawing on a survey of college students (N=513), this research uses structural equation modeling to assess the relationship between Facebook interaction and psychological distress and two underlying mechanisms: communication overload and self-esteem. It is the first study, to our knowledge, that examines how communication overload mediates the mental health implications of social media. Frequent Facebook interaction is associated with greater distress directly and indirectly via a two-step pathway that increases communication overload and reduces self-esteem. The research sheds light on new directions for understanding psychological well-being in an increasingly mediated social world as users share, like, and comment more and more.

42 CFR 447.52 - Cost sharing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... agency imposes cost sharing under § 447.54, the process by which hospital emergency room services are... State option, cost sharing imposed for any service (other than for drugs and non-emergency services... group under § 447.56(a), and (iii) For cost sharing imposed for non-emergency services furnished in an...

Milk marketing policy options for the dairy industry in New England.

PubMed

Doyon, M; Criner, G; Bragg, L A

2008-03-01

New England dairy farmers are under intense price pressure resulting from important growth in milk production from lower cost of production Southwest states as well as by retailers' market power. Agricultural officials and legislative bodies in New England and in other Northeast US states are aware of these pressures and have been reacting with emergency dairy farm aid, following a very low 2006 milk price, and with state legislations in an attempt to address perceived excess retailing margins for fluid milk. In this paper, we suggest that a sigmoid demand relationship exists for fluid milk. This demand relationship would explain fluid milk asymmetric price transmission, high-low pricing, and the creation of a large retailing margin (chain surplus) often observed for fluid milk. It is also argued that a sigmoid demand relationship offers an opportunity for state legislators to help Northeast dairy farmers capturing a larger share of the dollar of the consumers through various policy options. Therefore, 5 milk market channel regulatory mechanisms (status quo, price gouging, supply control, fair share policy, and chain surplus return) are discussed and compared. The supply control mechanism was found the most effective at redistributing the chain surplus, associated with the sigmoid demand relationship for fluid milk, to dairy farmers. However, this option is unlikely to be politically acceptable in the United States. Second-best options for increasing dairy farmers' share of the consumers' dollar are the fair price policy and the chain surplus return. The former mechanism would distribute the chain surplus between retailers, processors, and farmers, whereas the latter would distribute it between consumers, retailers, and farmers. Remaining mechanisms would either transfer the chain surplus to retailers (status quo) or to consumers (price gouging).

47 CFR 27.1166 - Reimbursement under the Cost-Sharing Plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... licensed frequency band may seek full reimbursement through the clearinghouse of compensable costs, up to... are expected to act in good faith in satisfying the cost-sharing obligations under §§ 27.1160 through... 47 Telecommunication 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Reimbursement under the Cost-Sharing Plan. 27...

47 CFR 27.1166 - Reimbursement under the Cost-Sharing Plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... licensed frequency band may seek full reimbursement through the clearinghouse of compensable costs, up to... are expected to act in good faith in satisfying the cost-sharing obligations under §§ 27.1160 through... 47 Telecommunication 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Reimbursement under the Cost-Sharing Plan. 27...

A neural model of valuation and information virality

PubMed Central

Baek, Elisa C.; O’Donnell, Matthew Brook; Kim, Hyun Suk; Cappella, Joseph N.

2017-01-01

Information sharing is an integral part of human interaction that serves to build social relationships and affects attitudes and behaviors in individuals and large groups. We present a unifying neurocognitive framework of mechanisms underlying information sharing at scale (virality). We argue that expectations regarding self-related and social consequences of sharing (e.g., in the form of potential for self-enhancement or social approval) are integrated into a domain-general value signal that encodes the value of sharing a piece of information. This value signal translates into population-level virality. In two studies (n = 41 and 39 participants), we tested these hypotheses using functional neuroimaging. Neural activity in response to 80 New York Times articles was observed in theory-driven regions of interest associated with value, self, and social cognitions. This activity then was linked to objectively logged population-level data encompassing n = 117,611 internet shares of the articles. In both studies, activity in neural regions associated with self-related and social cognition was indirectly related to population-level sharing through increased neural activation in the brain's value system. Neural activity further predicted population-level outcomes over and above the variance explained by article characteristics and commonly used self-report measures of sharing intentions. This parsimonious framework may help advance theory, improve predictive models, and inform new approaches to effective intervention. More broadly, these data shed light on the core functions of sharing—to express ourselves in positive ways and to strengthen our social bonds. PMID:28242678

Paradigms and mechanisms of inhalational anesthetics mediated neuroprotection against cerebral ischemic stroke.

PubMed

Wang, Hailian; Li, Peiying; Xu, Na; Zhu, Ling; Cai, Mengfei; Yu, Weifeng; Gao, Yanqin

2016-01-01

Cerebral ischemic stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability and cognitive dysfunction. The high mortality and disability of cerebral ischemic stroke is urging the health providers, including anesthesiologists and other perioperative professioners, to seek effective protective strategies, which are extremely limited, especially for those perioperative patients. Intriguingly, several commonly used inhalational anesthetics are recently suggested to possess neuroprotective effects against cerebral ischemia. This review introduces multiple paradigms of inhalational anesthetic treatments that have been investigated in the setting of cerebral ischemia, such as preconditioning, proconditioning and postconditioning with a variety of inhalational anesthetics. The pleiotropic mechanisms underlying these inhalational anesthetics-afforded neuroprotection against stroke are also discussed in detail, including the common pathways shared by most of the inhalational anesthetic paradigms, such as anti-excitotoxicity, anti-apoptosis and anti-inflammation. There are also distinct mechanisms involved in specific paradigms, such as preserving blood brain barrier integrity, regulating cerebral blood flow and catecholamine release. The ready availability of these inhalational anesthetics bedside and renders them a potentially translatable stroke therapy attracting great efforts for understanding of the underlying mechanisms.

Paradigms and mechanisms of inhalational anesthetics mediated neuroprotection against cerebral ischemic stroke

PubMed Central

Wang, Hailian; Li, Peiying; Xu, Na; Zhu, Ling; Cai, Mengfei; Yu, Weifeng; Gao, Yanqin

2016-01-01

Cerebral ischemic stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability and cognitive dysfunction. The high mortality and disability of cerebral ischemic stroke is urging the health providers, including anesthesiologists and other perioperative professioners, to seek effective protective strategies, which are extremely limited, especially for those perioperative patients. Intriguingly, several commonly used inhalational anesthetics are recently suggested to possess neuroprotective effects against cerebral ischemia. This review introduces multiple paradigms of inhalational anesthetic treatments that have been investigated in the setting of cerebral ischemia, such as preconditioning, proconditioning and postconditioning with a variety of inhalational anesthetics. The pleiotropic mechanisms underlying these inhalational anesthetics-afforded neuroprotection against stroke are also discussed in detail, including the common pathways shared by most of the inhalational anesthetic paradigms, such as anti-excitotoxicity, anti-apoptosis and anti-inflammation. There are also distinct mechanisms involved in specific paradigms, such as preserving blood brain barrier integrity, regulating cerebral blood flow and catecholamine release. The ready availability of these inhalational anesthetics bedside and renders them a potentially translatable stroke therapy attracting great efforts for understanding of the underlying mechanisms. PMID:28217291

Leigh syndrome: neuropathology and pathogenesis.

PubMed

Lake, Nicole J; Bird, Matthew J; Isohanni, Pirjo; Paetau, Anders

2015-06-01

Leigh syndrome (LS) is the most common pediatric presentation of a defined mitochondrial disease. This progressive encephalopathy is characterized pathologically by the development of bilateral symmetrical lesions in the brainstem and basal ganglia that show gliosis, vacuolation, capillary proliferation, relative neuronal preservation, and by hyperlacticacidemia in the blood and/or cerebrospinal fluid. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying this unique pathology has been challenging, particularly in view of the heterogeneous and not yet fully determined genetic basis of LS. Moreover, animal models that mimic features of LS have only been created relatively recently. Here, we review the pathology of LS and consider what might be the molecular mechanisms underlying its pathogenesis. Data from a wide range of sources, including patient samples, animal models, and studies of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (a condition that shares features with LS), were used to provide insight into the pathogenic mechanisms that may drive lesion development. Based on current data, we suggest that severe ATP depletion, gliosis, hyperlacticacidemia, reactive oxygen species, and potentially excitotoxicity cumulatively contribute to the neuropathogenesis of LS. An intimate understanding of the molecular mechanisms causing LS is required to accelerate the development of LS treatments.

Associations Between Fetal Growth and Self-Perceived Health Throughout Adulthood: A Co-twin Control Study.

PubMed

Mosing, Miriam A; Cnattingius, Sven; Gatz, Margaret; Neiderhiser, Jenae M; Pedersen, Nancy L

2016-05-01

The literature shows evidence for long-lasting effects of low birth weight (LBW) on many health outcomes, but little is known about effects on self-perceived health. Findings are mixed and studies are small, mostly focusing on LBW effects on health outcomes before adulthood. Further, as LBW and most health conditions including self-perceived health are partly heritable, associations between birth weight (BW) and adverse health outcomes may also be due to shared genetic as well as other (pre- and postnatal) unmeasured environmental influences. We explored LBW effects on self-perceived health in early and later adulthood using a very large and genetically informative sample of more than 50,000 Swedish twins. In addition, analyses within twin pairs (the co-twin control design) were used to examine potential associations between BW and the offspring's risk for poor self-perceived health independent of shared environmental or genetic factors, evidence which is critical for the understanding of underlying mechanisms. Results showed that lower BW was significantly associated with poorer self-perceived health during adulthood, although the effect size was small. Co-twin control analyses suggested that this increased risk may be due to shared underlying liability (environmental or genetic) rather than a direct effect of BW, but findings were not conclusive.

Mechanisms underlying the association between insomnia, anxiety, and depression in adolescence: Implications for behavioral sleep interventions.

PubMed

Blake, Matthew J; Trinder, John A; Allen, Nicholas B

2018-05-28

There is robust evidence of an association between insomnia, anxiety, and depression in adolescence. The aim of this review is to describe and synthesize potential mechanisms underlying this association and explore implications for the design of adolescent behavioral sleep interventions. Specifically, we examine whether insomnia symptoms are a mechanism for the development of internalizing symptoms in adolescence and whether sleep interventions are an effective treatment for both insomnia and internalizing symptoms in adolescence because they target the shared mechanisms underlying these disorders. Research using different methodologies points to the role of sequential, parallel, and interacting mechanisms. In this paper, we review a wide range of relevant biological (i.e., polymorphisms and dysregulation in serotonin, dopamine, and circadian clock genes; alterations in corticolimbic and mesolimbic brain circuits; cortisol reactivity to stress; inflammatory cytokine dysregulation; biased memory consolidation; changes in sleep architecture), psychological (i.e., cognitive inflexibility, interpretational biases, judgment biases, negative attribution styles, worry, rumination, biased attention to threat, dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep, misperception of sleep deficit), and social mechanisms (i.e., reduced and impaired social interactions, unhelpful parenting behaviors, family stress) and propose an integrative multilevel model of how these phenomena may interact to increase vulnerability to both insomnia and internalizing disorders. Several 'biopsychosocial' mechanisms hold promise as viable treatment targets for adolescent behavioral sleep interventions, which may reduce both insomnia and internalizing symptoms. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Carbon Emission Reduction with Capital Constraint under Greening Financing and Cost Sharing Contract.

PubMed

Qin, Juanjuan; Zhao, Yuhui; Xia, Liangjie

2018-04-13

Motivated by the industrial practices, this work explores the carbon emission reductions for the manufacturer, while taking into account the capital constraint and the cap-and-trade regulation. To alleviate the capital constraint, two contracts are analyzed: greening financing and cost sharing. We use the Stackelberg game to model four cases as follows: (1) in Case A1, the manufacturer has no greening financing and no cost sharing; (2) in Case A2, the manufacturer has greening financing, but no cost sharing; (3) in Case B1, the manufacturer has no greening financing but has cost sharing; and, (4) in Case B2, the manufacturer has greening financing and cost sharing. Then, using the backward induction method, we derive and compare the equilibrium decisions and profits of the participants in the four cases. We find that the interest rate of green finance does not always negatively affect the carbon emission reduction of the manufacturer. Meanwhile, the cost sharing from the retailer does not always positively affect the carbon emission reduction of the manufacturer. When the cost sharing is low, both of the participants' profits in Case B1 (under no greening finance) are not less than that in Case B2 (under greening finance). When the cost sharing is high, both of the participants' profits in Case B1 (under no greening finance) are less than that in Case B2 (under greening finance).

Loss of Neuroprotective Factors in Neurodegenerative Dementias: The End or the Starting Point?

PubMed Central

Benussi, Luisa; Binetti, Giuliano; Ghidoni, Roberta

2017-01-01

Recent clinical, genetic and biochemical experimental evidences highlight the existence of common molecular pathways underlying neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we will explore a key common pathological mechanism, i.e., the loss of neuroprotective factors, across the three major neurodegenerative diseases leading to dementia: Alzheimer's disease (AD), Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and Lewy body dementia (LBD). We will report evidences that the Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), the most investigated and characterized brain neurotrophin, progranulin, a multi-functional adipokine with trophic and growth factor properties, and cystatin C, a neuroprotective growth factor, are reduced in AD, FTD, and LBD. Moreover, we will review the molecular mechanism underlying the loss of neuroprotective factors in neurodegenerative diseases leading to dementia, with a special focus on endo-lysosomal pathway and intercellular communication mediated by extracellular vesicles. Exploring the shared commonality of disease mechanisms is of pivotal importance to identify novel potential therapeutic targets and to develop treatments to delay, slow or block disease progression. PMID:29249935

MedBlock: Efficient and Secure Medical Data Sharing Via Blockchain.

PubMed

Fan, Kai; Wang, Shangyang; Ren, Yanhui; Li, Hui; Yang, Yintang

2018-06-21

With the development of electronic information technology, electronic medical records (EMRs) have been a common way to store the patients' data in hospitals. They are stored in different hospitals' databases, even for the same patient. Therefore, it is difficult to construct a summarized EMR for one patient from multiple hospital databases due to the security and privacy concerns. Meanwhile, current EMRs systems lack a standard data management and sharing policy, making it difficult for pharmaceutical scientists to develop precise medicines based on data obtained under different policies. To solve the above problems, we proposed a blockchain-based information management system, MedBlock, to handle patients' information. In this scheme, the distributed ledger of MedBlock allows the efficient EMRs access and EMRs retrieval. The improved consensus mechanism achieves consensus of EMRs without large energy consumption and network congestion. In addition, MedBlock also exhibits high information security combining the customized access control protocols and symmetric cryptography. MedBlock can play an important role in the sensitive medical information sharing.

11 CFR 100.93 - Travel by aircraft or other means of transportation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... traveled or within seven (7) calendar days thereof. The payment rate must be determined by the time the... travel on an aircraft that is owned or leased under a shared-ownership or other time-share arrangement... travel on an aircraft that is owned or leased under a shared-ownership or other time-share arrangement...

A Decrease in Ambient Temperature Induces Post-Mitotic Enlargement of Palisade Cells in North American Lake Cress.

PubMed

Amano, Rumi; Nakayama, Hokuto; Morohoshi, Yurika; Kawakatsu, Yaichi; Ferjani, Ali; Kimura, Seisuke

2015-01-01

In order to maintain organs and structures at their appropriate sizes, multicellular organisms orchestrate cell proliferation and post-mitotic cell expansion during morphogenesis. Recent studies using Arabidopsis leaves have shown that compensation, which is defined as post-mitotic cell expansion induced by a decrease in the number of cells during lateral organ development, is one example of such orchestration. Some of the basic molecular mechanisms underlying compensation have been revealed by genetic and chimeric analyses. However, to date, compensation had been observed only in mutants, transgenics, and γ-ray-treated plants, and it was unclear whether it occurs in plants under natural conditions. Here, we illustrate that a shift in ambient temperature could induce compensation in Rorippa aquatica (Brassicaceae), a semi-aquatic plant found in North America. The results suggest that compensation is a universal phenomenon among angiosperms and that the mechanism underlying compensation is shared, in part, between Arabidopsis and R. aquatica.

A Decrease in Ambient Temperature Induces Post-Mitotic Enlargement of Palisade Cells in North American Lake Cress

PubMed Central

Morohoshi, Yurika; Kawakatsu, Yaichi; Ferjani, Ali; Kimura, Seisuke

2015-01-01

In order to maintain organs and structures at their appropriate sizes, multicellular organisms orchestrate cell proliferation and post-mitotic cell expansion during morphogenesis. Recent studies using Arabidopsis leaves have shown that compensation, which is defined as post-mitotic cell expansion induced by a decrease in the number of cells during lateral organ development, is one example of such orchestration. Some of the basic molecular mechanisms underlying compensation have been revealed by genetic and chimeric analyses. However, to date, compensation had been observed only in mutants, transgenics, and γ-ray–treated plants, and it was unclear whether it occurs in plants under natural conditions. Here, we illustrate that a shift in ambient temperature could induce compensation in Rorippa aquatica (Brassicaceae), a semi-aquatic plant found in North America. The results suggest that compensation is a universal phenomenon among angiosperms and that the mechanism underlying compensation is shared, in part, between Arabidopsis and R. aquatica. PMID:26569502

Unconscious Imagination and the Mental Imagery Debate

PubMed Central

Brogaard, Berit; Gatzia, Dimitria Electra

2017-01-01

Traditionally, philosophers have appealed to the phenomenological similarity between visual experience and visual imagery to support the hypothesis that there is significant overlap between the perceptual and imaginative domains. The current evidence, however, is inconclusive: while evidence from transcranial brain stimulation seems to support this conclusion, neurophysiological evidence from brain lesion studies (e.g., from patients with brain lesions resulting in a loss of mental imagery but not a corresponding loss of perception and vice versa) indicates that there are functional and anatomical dissociations between mental imagery and perception. Assuming that the mental imagery and perception do not overlap, at least, to the extent traditionally assumed, then the question arises as to what exactly mental imagery is and whether it parallels perception by proceeding via several functionally distinct mechanisms. In this review, we argue that even though there may not be a shared mechanism underlying vision for perception and conscious imagery, there is an overlap between the mechanisms underlying vision for action and unconscious visual imagery. On the basis of these findings, we propose a modification of Kosslyn’s model of imagery that accommodates unconscious imagination and explore possible explanations of the quasi-pictorial phenomenology of conscious visual imagery in light of the fact that its underlying neural substrates and mechanisms typically are distinct from those of visual experience. PMID:28588527

Dissipation of contractile forces: the missing piece in cell mechanics.

PubMed

Kurzawa, Laetitia; Vianay, Benoit; Senger, Fabrice; Vignaud, Timothée; Blanchoin, Laurent; Théry, Manuel

2017-07-07

Mechanical forces are key regulators of cell and tissue physiology. The basic molecular mechanism of fiber contraction by the sliding of actin filament upon myosin leading to conformational change has been known for decades. The regulation of force generation at the level of the cell, however, is still far from elucidated. Indeed, the magnitude of cell traction forces on the underlying extracellular matrix in culture is almost impossible to predict or experimentally control. The considerable variability in measurements of cell-traction forces indicates that they may not be the optimal readout to properly characterize cell contractile state and that a significant part of the contractile energy is not transferred to cell anchorage but instead is involved in actin network dynamics. Here we discuss the experimental, numerical, and biological parameters that may be responsible for the variability in traction force production. We argue that limiting these sources of variability and investigating the dissipation of mechanical work that occurs with structural rearrangements and the disengagement of force transmission is key for further understanding of cell mechanics. © 2017 Kurzawa et al. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). Two months after publication it is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Deep overbite malocclusion: analysis of the underlying components.

PubMed

El-Dawlatly, Mostafa M; Fayed, Mona M Salah; Mostafa, Yehya A

2012-10-01

A deepbite malocclusion should not be approached as a disease entity; instead, it should be viewed as a clinical manifestation of underlying discrepancies. The aim of this study was to investigate the various skeletal and dental components of deep bite malocclusion, the significance of the contribution of each, and whether there are certain correlations between them. Dental and skeletal measurements were made on lateral cephalometric radiographs and study models of 124 patients with deepbite. These measurements were statistically analyzed. An exaggerated curve of Spee was the greatest shared dental component (78%), significantly higher than any other component (P = 0.0335). A decreased gonial angle was the greatest shared skeletal component (37.1%), highly significant compared with the other components (P = 0.0019). A strong positive correlation was found between the ramus/Frankfort horizontal angle and the gonial angle; weaker correlations were found between various components. An exaggerated curve of Spee and a decreased gonial angle were the greatest contributing components. This analysis of deepbite components could help clinicians design individualized mechanotherapies based on the underlying cause, rather than being biased toward predetermined mechanics when treating patients with a deepbite malocclusion. Copyright © 2012 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Impact of Scaffolding Mechanisms on EFL Learners' Individual and Socially Shared Metacognition in Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jafarigohar, Manoochehr; Mortazavi, Mahboobeh

2017-01-01

This study investigated the impact of structuring and problematizing scaffolding mechanisms on 240 Iranian English as a foreign language learners' individual and socially shared metacognition in writing skills. The study also sought to find out whether the learners' proficiency level moderated the effect of the scaffolding mechanisms on…

Molecular mechanisms of mechanotransduction in integrin-mediated cell-matrix adhesion

PubMed Central

Li, Zhenhai; Lee, Hyunjung; Zhu, Cheng

2016-01-01

Cell-matrix adhesion complexes are multi-protein structures linking the extracellular matrix (ECM) to the cytoskeleton. They are essential to both cell motility and function by bidirectionally sensing and transmitting mechanical and biochemical stimulations. Several types of cell-matrix adhesions have been identified and they share many key molecular components, such as integrins and actin-integrin linkers. Mechanochemical coupling between ECM molecules and the actin cytoskeleton has been observed from the single cell to the single molecule level and from immune cells to neuronal cells. However, the mechanisms underlying force regulation of integrin-mediated mechanotransduction still need to be elucidated. In this review article, we focus on integrin-mediated adhesions and discuss force regulation of cell-matrix adhesions and key adaptor molecules, three different force-dependent behaviors, and molecular mechanisms for mechanochemical coupling in force regulation. PMID:27720950

Carbon Emission Reduction with Capital Constraint under Greening Financing and Cost Sharing Contract

PubMed Central

Qin, Juanjuan; Zhao, Yuhui; Xia, Liangjie

2018-01-01

Motivated by the industrial practices, this work explores the carbon emission reductions for the manufacturer, while taking into account the capital constraint and the cap-and-trade regulation. To alleviate the capital constraint, two contracts are analyzed: greening financing and cost sharing. We use the Stackelberg game to model four cases as follows: (1) in Case A1, the manufacturer has no greening financing and no cost sharing; (2) in Case A2, the manufacturer has greening financing, but no cost sharing; (3) in Case B1, the manufacturer has no greening financing but has cost sharing; and, (4) in Case B2, the manufacturer has greening financing and cost sharing. Then, using the backward induction method, we derive and compare the equilibrium decisions and profits of the participants in the four cases. We find that the interest rate of green finance does not always negatively affect the carbon emission reduction of the manufacturer. Meanwhile, the cost sharing from the retailer does not always positively affect the carbon emission reduction of the manufacturer. When the cost sharing is low, both of the participants’ profits in Case B1 (under no greening finance) are not less than that in Case B2 (under greening finance). When the cost sharing is high, both of the participants’ profits in Case B1 (under no greening finance) are less than that in Case B2 (under greening finance). PMID:29652859

Maternal susceptibility to nausea and vomiting of pregnancy: is the vestibular system involved?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Black, F. Owen

2002-01-01

Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy shares many characteristics with motion sickness, a vestibular dependent phenomenon. A number of physiologic changes that occur in normal pregnancy are also known to accompany nausea and vomiting in patients with motion sickness and certain vestibular disorders. This chapter summarizes some shared features of both phenomena. The unmasking of subclinical vestibular disorders may account for some cases of hyperemesis gravidarum. Hormonal effects on neurotransmitter function may also play a role in nausea and vomiting of pregnancy and in some vestibular disorders; however, the specific neural mechanisms of nausea and vomiting have not been identified. Until the neurochemical processes underlying these phenomena are understood, prevention and management will remain in the domain of astute, but so far limited, clinical observation.

The Need for an Interdisciplinary Approach to Norm Diffusion: The Case of Fair and Equitable Benefit-sharing.

PubMed

Parks, Louisa; Morgera, Elisa

2015-11-01

No systematic study discusses the evolution of fair and equitable benefit-sharing across various areas of international law (environment, human rights, oceans), as well as at different levels of regulation (regional and national laws and guidelines, private law contracts, transboundary codes of conduct, customary laws of indigenous peoples and local communities). This article explores the usefulness of an interdisciplinary approach to the study of norm diffusion for understanding how and why fair and equitable benefit-sharing is articulated in different sites. The article discusses mechanisms, actors and frames in norm diffusion, drawing on literature from sociology, international relations and law. The article uncovers underlying similarities in scholarship on norm diffusion across the disciplines considered. It also reflects on the value of an interdisciplinary approach that encourages legal scholars to consider the implications of power structures in the diffusion of law, while the nuances of legal knowledge may lead other social scientists to revisit accepted findings on norm diffusion. These findings appear particularly useful for informing an assessment of the potential of fair and equitable benefit-sharing to promote the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in a fair and equitable manner in the face of power asymmetries.

Modular entanglement.

PubMed

Gualdi, Giulia; Giampaolo, Salvatore M; Illuminati, Fabrizio

2011-02-04

We introduce and discuss the concept of modular entanglement. This is the entanglement that is established between the end points of modular systems composed by sets of interacting moduli of arbitrarily fixed size. We show that end-to-end modular entanglement scales in the thermodynamic limit and rapidly saturates with the number of constituent moduli. We clarify the mechanisms underlying the onset of entanglement between distant and noninteracting quantum systems and its optimization for applications to quantum repeaters and entanglement distribution and sharing.

A new taxonomy for perceptual filling-in

PubMed Central

Weil, Rimona S.; Rees, Geraint

2011-01-01

Perceptual filling-in occurs when structures of the visual system interpolate information across regions of visual space where that information is physically absent. It is a ubiquitous and heterogeneous phenomenon, which takes place in different forms almost every time we view the world around us, such as when objects are occluded by other objects or when they fall behind the blind spot. Yet, to date, there is no clear framework for relating these various forms of perceptual filling-in. Similarly, whether these and other forms of filling-in share common mechanisms is not yet known. Here we present a new taxonomy to categorize the different forms of perceptual filling-in. We then examine experimental evidence for the processes involved in each type of perceptual filling-in. Finally, we use established theories of general surface perception to show how contextualizing filling-in using this framework broadens our understanding of the possible shared mechanisms underlying perceptual filling-in. In particular, we consider the importance of the presence of boundaries in determining the phenomenal experience of perceptual filling-in. PMID:21059374

Sharp peaks in the conductance of a double quantum dot and a quantum-dot spin valve at high temperatures: A hierarchical quantum master equation approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wenderoth, S.; Bätge, J.; Härtle, R.

2016-09-01

We study sharp peaks in the conductance-voltage characteristics of a double quantum dot and a quantum dot spin valve that are located around zero bias. The peaks share similarities with a Kondo peak but can be clearly distinguished, in particular as they occur at high temperatures. The underlying physical mechanism is a strong current suppression that is quenched in bias-voltage dependent ways by exchange interactions. Our theoretical results are based on the quantum master equation methodology, including the Born-Markov approximation and a numerically exact, hierarchical scheme, which we extend here to the spin-valve case. The comparison of exact and approximate results allows us to reveal the underlying physical mechanisms, the role of first-, second- and beyond-second-order processes and the robustness of the effect.

Integrative analysis of omics summary data reveals putative mechanisms underlying complex traits.

PubMed

Wu, Yang; Zeng, Jian; Zhang, Futao; Zhu, Zhihong; Qi, Ting; Zheng, Zhili; Lloyd-Jones, Luke R; Marioni, Riccardo E; Martin, Nicholas G; Montgomery, Grant W; Deary, Ian J; Wray, Naomi R; Visscher, Peter M; McRae, Allan F; Yang, Jian

2018-03-02

The identification of genes and regulatory elements underlying the associations discovered by GWAS is essential to understanding the aetiology of complex traits (including diseases). Here, we demonstrate an analytical paradigm of prioritizing genes and regulatory elements at GWAS loci for follow-up functional studies. We perform an integrative analysis that uses summary-level SNP data from multi-omics studies to detect DNA methylation (DNAm) sites associated with gene expression and phenotype through shared genetic effects (i.e., pleiotropy). We identify pleiotropic associations between 7858 DNAm sites and 2733 genes. These DNAm sites are enriched in enhancers and promoters, and >40% of them are mapped to distal genes. Further pleiotropic association analyses, which link both the methylome and transcriptome to 12 complex traits, identify 149 DNAm sites and 66 genes, indicating a plausible mechanism whereby the effect of a genetic variant on phenotype is mediated by genetic regulation of transcription through DNAm.

Chromatin and lamin A determine two different mechanical response regimes of the cell nucleus.

PubMed

Stephens, Andrew D; Banigan, Edward J; Adam, Stephen A; Goldman, Robert D; Marko, John F

2017-07-07

The cell nucleus must continually resist and respond to intercellular and intracellular mechanical forces to transduce mechanical signals and maintain proper genome organization and expression. Altered nuclear mechanics is associated with many human diseases, including heart disease, progeria, and cancer. Chromatin and nuclear envelope A-type lamin proteins are known to be key nuclear mechanical components perturbed in these diseases, but their distinct mechanical contributions are not known. Here we directly establish the separate roles of chromatin and lamin A/C and show that they determine two distinct mechanical regimes via micromanipulation of single isolated nuclei. Chromatin governs response to small extensions (<3 μm), and euchromatin/heterochromatin levels modulate the stiffness. In contrast, lamin A/C levels control nuclear strain stiffening at large extensions. These results can be understood through simulations of a polymeric shell and cross-linked polymer interior. Our results provide a framework for understanding the differential effects of chromatin and lamin A/C in cell nuclear mechanics and their alterations in disease. © 2017 Stephens et al. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). Two months after publication it is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Factors Influencing Knowledge Sharing among Undergraduate Students: A Malaysian Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ong, Hway-Boon; Yeap, Peik-Foong; Tan, Siow-Hooi; Chong, Lee-Lee

2011-01-01

Knowledge sharing can enhance learning and help to build the knowledge workforce. This paper reports on a study of knowledge sharing behaviour among undergraduate students in Malaysia. Knowledge sharing was found to be influenced by the mechanisms used, various barriers to communication and the motivations behind knowledge sharing. The mechanisms…

Proton Transport and pH Control in Fungi.

PubMed

Kane, Patricia M

2016-01-01

Despite diverse and changing extracellular environments, fungi maintain a relatively constant cytosolic pH and numerous organelles of distinct lumenal pH. Key players in fungal pH control are V-ATPases and the P-type proton pump Pma1. These two proton pumps act in concert with a large array of other transporters and are highly regulated. The activities of Pma1 and the V-ATPase are coordinated under some conditions, suggesting that pH in the cytosol and organelles is not controlled independently. Genomic studies, particularly in the highly tractable S. cerevisiae, are beginning to provide a systems-level view of pH control, including transcriptional responses to acid or alkaline ambient pH and definition of the full set of regulators required to maintain pH homeostasis. Genetically encoded pH sensors have provided new insights into localized mechanisms of pH control, as well as highlighting the dynamic nature of pH responses to the extracellular environment. Recent studies indicate that cellular pH plays a genuine signaling role that connects nutrient availability and growth rate through a number of mechanisms. Many of the pH control mechanisms found in S. cerevisiae are shared with other fungi, with adaptations for their individual physiological contexts. Fungi deploy certain proton transport and pH control mechanisms not shared with other eukaryotes; these regulators of cellular pH are potential antifungal targets. This review describes current and emerging knowledge proton transport and pH control mechanisms in S. cerevisiae and briefly discusses how these mechanisms vary among fungi.

Proton Transport and pH Control in Fungi

PubMed Central

Kane, Patricia M.

2018-01-01

Despite diverse and changing extracellular environments, fungi maintain a relatively constant cytosolic pH and numerous organelles of distinct lumenal pH. Key players in fungal pH control are V-ATPases and the P-type proton pump Pma1. These two proton pumps act in concert with a large array of other transporters and are highly regulated. The activities of Pma1 and the V-ATPaseare coordinated under some conditions, suggesting that pH in the cytosol and organelles is not controlled independently. Genomic studies, particularly in the highly tractable S. cerevisiae, are beginning to provide a systems-level view of pH control, including transcriptional responses to acid or alkaline ambient pH and definition of the full set of regulators required to maintain pH homeostasis. Genetically encoded pH sensors have provided new insights into localized mechanisms of pH control, as well as highlighting the dynamic nature of pH responses to the extracellular environment. Recent studies indicate that cellular pH plays a genuine signaling role that connects nutrient availability and growth rate through a number of mechanisms. Many of the pH control mechanisms found in S. cerevisiae are shared with other fungi, with adaptations for their individual physiological contexts. Fungi deploy certain proton transport and pH control mechanisms not shared with other eukaryotes; these regulators of cellular pH are potential antifungal targets. This re view describes current and emerging knowledge proton transport and pH control mechanisms in S. cerevisiae and briefly discusses how these mechanisms vary among fungi. PMID:26721270

Fuzzy-rule-based Adaptive Resource Control for Information Sharing in P2P Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Zhengping; Wu, Hao

With more and more peer-to-peer (P2P) technologies available for online collaboration and information sharing, people can launch more and more collaborative work in online social networks with friends, colleagues, and even strangers. Without face-to-face interactions, the question of who can be trusted and then share information with becomes a big concern of a user in these online social networks. This paper introduces an adaptive control service using fuzzy logic in preference definition for P2P information sharing control, and designs a novel decision-making mechanism using formal fuzzy rules and reasoning mechanisms adjusting P2P information sharing status following individual users' preferences. Applications of this adaptive control service into different information sharing environments show that this service can provide a convenient and accurate P2P information sharing control for individual users in P2P networks.

Rumor has it...: relay communication of stress cues in plants.

PubMed

Falik, Omer; Mordoch, Yonat; Quansah, Lydia; Fait, Aaron; Novoplansky, Ariel

2011-01-01

Recent evidence demonstrates that plants are able not only to perceive and adaptively respond to external information but also to anticipate forthcoming hazards and stresses. Here, we tested the hypothesis that unstressed plants are able to respond to stress cues emitted from their abiotically-stressed neighbors and in turn induce stress responses in additional unstressed plants located further away from the stressed plants. Pisum sativum plants were subjected to drought while neighboring rows of five unstressed plants on both sides, with which they could exchange different cue combinations. On one side, the stressed plant and its unstressed neighbors did not share their rooting volumes (UNSHARED) and thus were limited to shoot communication. On its other side, the stressed plant shared one of its rooting volumes with its nearest unstressed neighbor and all plants shared their rooting volumes with their immediate neighbors (SHARED), allowing both root and shoot communication. Fifteen minutes following drought induction, significant stomatal closure was observed in both the stressed plants and their nearest unstressed SHARED neighbors, and within one hour, all SHARED neighbors closed their stomata. Stomatal closure was not observed in the UNSHARED neighbors. The results demonstrate that unstressed plants are able to perceive and respond to stress cues emitted by the roots of their drought-stressed neighbors and, via 'relay cuing', elicit stress responses in further unstressed plants. Further work is underway to study the underlying mechanisms of this new mode of plant communication and its possible adaptive implications for the anticipation of forthcoming abiotic stresses by plants.

Genetic Basis of Positive and Negative Symptom Domains in Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Xavier, Rose Mary; Vorderstrasse, Allison

2017-10-01

Schizophrenia is a highly heritable disorder, the genetic etiology of which has been well established. Yet despite significant advances in genetics research, the pathophysiological mechanisms of this disorder largely remain unknown. This gap has been attributed to the complexity of the polygenic disorder, which has a heterogeneous clinical profile. Examining the genetic basis of schizophrenia subphenotypes, such as those based on particular symptoms, is thus a useful strategy for decoding the underlying mechanisms. This review of literature examines the recent advances (from 2011) in genetic exploration of positive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia. We searched electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature using key words schizophrenia, symptoms, positive symptoms, negative symptoms, cognition, genetics, genes, genetic predisposition, and genotype in various combinations. We identified 115 articles, which are included in the review. Evidence from these studies, most of which are genetic association studies, identifies shared and unique gene associations for the symptom domains. Genes associated with neurotransmitter systems and neuronal development/maintenance primarily constitute the shared associations. Needed are studies that examine the genetic basis of specific symptoms within the broader domains in addition to functional mechanisms. Such investigations are critical to developing precision treatment and care for individuals afflicted with schizophrenia.

Using an Adoption–Biological Family Design to Examine Associations Between Maternal Trauma, Maternal Depressive Symptoms, and Child Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors

PubMed Central

Grabow, Aleksandria Perez; Khurana, Atika; Natsuaki, Misaki N.; Neiderhiser, Jenae M.; Harold, Gordon T.; Shaw, Daniel S.; Ganiban, Jody M.; Reiss, David; Leve, Leslie D.

2017-01-01

Maternal trauma is a complex risk factor that has been linked to adverse child outcomes, yet the mechanisms underlying this association are not well understood. This study, which included adoptive and biological families, examined the heritable and environmental mechanisms by which maternal trauma and associated depressive symptoms are linked to child internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Path analyses were used to analyze data from 541 adoptive mother–adopted child (AM–AC) dyads and 126 biological mother–biological child (BM–BC) dyads; the two family types were linked through the same biological mother. Rearing mother’s trauma was associated with child internalizing and externalizing behaviors in AM–AC and BM–BC dyads, and this association was mediated by rearing mothers’ depressive symptoms, with the exception of biological child externalizing behavior, for which biological mother trauma had a direct influence only. Significant associations between maternal trauma and child behavior in dyads that share only environment (i.e., AM–AC dyads) suggest an environmental mechanism of influence for maternal trauma. Significant associations were also observed between maternal depressive symptoms and child internalizing and externalizing behavior in dyads that were only genetically related, with no shared environment (i.e., BM–AC dyads), suggesting a heritable pathway of influence via maternal depressive symptoms. PMID:29162177

Using an adoption-biological family design to examine associations between maternal trauma, maternal depressive symptoms, and child internalizing and externalizing behaviors.

PubMed

Grabow, Aleksandria Perez; Khurana, Atika; Natsuaki, Misaki N; Neiderhiser, Jenae M; Harold, Gordon T; Shaw, Daniel S; Ganiban, Jody M; Reiss, David; Leve, Leslie D

2017-12-01

Maternal trauma is a complex risk factor that has been linked to adverse child outcomes, yet the mechanisms underlying this association are not well understood. This study, which included adoptive and biological families, examined the heritable and environmental mechanisms by which maternal trauma and associated depressive symptoms are linked to child internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Path analyses were used to analyze data from 541 adoptive mother-adopted child (AM-AC) dyads and 126 biological mother-biological child (BM-BC) dyads; the two family types were linked through the same biological mother. Rearing mother's trauma was associated with child internalizing and externalizing behaviors in AM-AC and BM-BC dyads, and this association was mediated by rearing mothers' depressive symptoms, with the exception of biological child externalizing behavior, for which biological mother trauma had a direct influence only. Significant associations between maternal trauma and child behavior in dyads that share only environment (i.e., AM-AC dyads) suggest an environmental mechanism of influence for maternal trauma. Significant associations were also observed between maternal depressive symptoms and child internalizing and externalizing behavior in dyads that were only genetically related, with no shared environment (i.e., BM-AC dyads), suggesting a heritable pathway of influence via maternal depressive symptoms.

Desire-state attribution: Benefits of a novel paradigm using the food-sharing behavior of Eurasian jays (Garrulus glandarius).

PubMed

Ostojić, Ljerka; Cheke, Lucy G; Shaw, Rachael C; Legg, Edward W; Clayton, Nicola S

2016-01-01

In recent years, we have investigated the possibility that Eurasian jay food sharing might rely on desire-state attribution. The female's desire for a particular type of food can be decreased by sating her on it (specific satiety) and the food sharing paradigm can be used to test whether the male's sharing pattern reflects the female's current desire. Our previous findings show that the male shares the food that the female currently wants. Here, we consider 3 simpler mechanisms that might explain the male's behavior: behavior reading, lack of self-other differentiation and behavioral rules. We illustrate how we have already addressed these issues and how our food sharing paradigm can be further adapted to answer outstanding questions. The flexibility with which the food sharing paradigm can be applied to rule out alternative mechanisms makes it a useful tool to study desire-state attribution in jays and other species that share food.

Sharing Medical Data for Health Research: The Early Personal Health Record Experience

PubMed Central

Kaci, Liljana; Mandl, Kenneth D

2010-01-01

Background Engaging consumers in sharing information from personally controlled health records (PCHRs) for health research may promote goals of improving care and advancing public health consistent with the federal Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act. Understanding consumer willingness to share data is critical to advancing this model. Objective The objective was to characterize consumer willingness to share PCHR data for health research and the conditions and contexts bearing on willingness to share. Methods A mixed method approach integrating survey and narrative data was used. Survey data were collected about attitudes toward sharing PCHR information for health research from early adopters (n = 151) of a live PCHR populated with medical records and self-reported behavioral and social data. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression to characterize willingness, conditions for sharing, and variations by sociodemographic factors. Narrative data were collected through semistructured focus group and one-on-one interviews with a separate sample of community members (n = 30) following exposure to PCHR demonstrations. Two independent analysts coded narrative data for major and minor themes using a shared rubric of a priori defined codes and an iterative inductive process. Findings were triangulated with survey results to identify patterns. Results Of PHCR users, 138 out of 151 (91%) were willing to share medical information for health research with 89 (59%) favoring an opt-in sharing model. Willingness to share was conditioned by anonymity, research use, engagement with a trusted intermediary, transparency around PCHR access and use, and payment. Consumer-determined restrictions on content and timing of sharing may be prerequisites to sharing. Select differences in support for sharing under different conditions were observed across social groups. No gender differences were observed; however differences in age, role, and self-rated health were found. For example, students were more likely than nonstudents to favor an opt-out sharing default (unadjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.89, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10 - 7.62, P = .03). Participants over age 50 were less likely than younger participants to report that payment would increase willingness to share (unadjusted OR = 0.94, 95% CI 0.91 - 0.96, P < .001). Students were more likely than nonstudents to report that payment would increase their willingness to share (unadjusted OR 9.62, 95% CI 3.44 - 26.87, P < .001). Experiencing a public health emergency may increase willingness to share especially among persons over 50 (unadjusted OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01 - 1.05, P = .02); however, students were less likely than non-students to report this attitude (unadjusted OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.05 - 0.36, P < .001). Finally, subjects with fair or poor self-rated health were less likely than those with good to excellent self-rated health to report that willingness to share would increase during a public health emergency (unadjusted OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.38 - 0.97, P = .04). Conclusions Strong support for sharing of PCHR information for health research existed among early adopters and focus group participants, with support varying by social group under different conditions and contexts. Allowing users to select their preferred conditions for sharing may be vital to supporting sharing and fostering trust as may be development of safety monitoring mechanisms. PMID:20501431

75 FR 47652 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Order Granting Approval of a Proposed Rule Change...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-06

... Listing and Trading of WisdomTree Dreyfus Commodity Currency Fund under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600... and trade the shares (``Shares'') of the WisdomTree Dreyfus Commodity Currency Fund (``Fund'') under... exchange traded fund. The Shares will [[Page 47653

Essays on optimal capacity and optimal regulation of interconnection infrastructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boffa, Federico

The integration between geographically differentiated markets or between vertically related industries generate effects on welfare that depend on the structure of the underlying markets. My thesis investigates the impact of geographical interconnection on welfare, and illustrates welfare-enhancing modes of regulation of vertically integrated industries and of geographically integrated markets. The first chapter analyzes the effects of interconnection between two formerly fully-separated markets under the assumptions that producers in the two markets are capacity-constrained, and tacitly collude whenever it is rational for them to do so. I find that there exists a set of assumptions under which interconnection brings about greater collusion, hence it reduces overall welfare. The second chapter analyzes the optimal interconnection capacity allocation mechanism for a benevolent electricity regulator when generation is not competitive. The regulator's intervention should not only ensure that interconnection capacity is efficiently allocated to the most efficient firms, but it should also induce a higher welfare in the upstream generation market. In a two-node setting, with one firm per node, I show that the regulatory intervention becomes more effective as the cost asymmetries between the two firms become more pronounced. The third chapter illustrates a regulation mechanism for vertically related industries. Ownership shares of the upstream industry (that displays economies of scale) are allocated to the downstream (competitive) firms in proportion to their shares in the final goods market. I show that the mechanism combines the benefits of vertical integration with those of vertical separation. The advantages of vertical integration consist in avoiding double marginalization, and in internalizing the reduction in average cost resulting from the upstream increase in output; on the other hand, vertical separation allows to preserve the competitiveness of the downstream sector. I also show that this mechanism improves in efficiency with respect to the Demsetz auction, and, finally, that it displays desirable properties as far as collusion and quality levels are concerned. The fourth chapter empirically estimates the benefit of removing the most crucial transmission bottleneck in the Italian electricity market, by building additional transmission capacity. Benefits are found to be relevant.

Somatic NLRP3 mosaicism in Muckle-Wells syndrome. A genetic mechanism shared by different phenotypes of cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes.

PubMed

Nakagawa, Kenji; Gonzalez-Roca, Eva; Souto, Alejandro; Kawai, Toshinao; Umebayashi, Hiroaki; Campistol, Josep María; Cañellas, Jeronima; Takei, Syuji; Kobayashi, Norimoto; Callejas-Rubio, Jose Luis; Ortego-Centeno, Norberto; Ruiz-Ortiz, Estíbaliz; Rius, Fina; Anton, Jordi; Iglesias, Estibaliz; Jimenez-Treviño, Santiago; Vargas, Carmen; Fernandez-Martin, Julian; Calvo, Inmaculada; Hernández-Rodríguez, José; Mendez, María; Dordal, María Teresa; Basagaña, Maria; Bujan, Segundo; Yashiro, Masato; Kubota, Tetsuo; Koike, Ryuji; Akuta, Naoko; Shimoyama, Kumiko; Iwata, Naomi; Saito, Megumu K; Ohara, Osamu; Kambe, Naotomo; Yasumi, Takahiro; Izawa, Kazushi; Kawai, Tomoki; Heike, Toshio; Yagüe, Jordi; Nishikomori, Ryuta; Aróstegui, Juan I

2015-03-01

: Familial cold autoinflammatory syndrome, Muckle-Wells syndrome (MWS), and chronic, infantile, neurological, cutaneous and articular (CINCA) syndrome are dominantly inherited autoinflammatory diseases associated to gain-of-function NLRP3 mutations and included in the cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes (CAPS). A variable degree of somatic NLRP3 mosaicism has been detected in ≈35% of patients with CINCA. However, no data are currently available regarding the relevance of this mechanism in other CAPS phenotypes. To evaluate somatic NLRP3 mosaicism as the disease-causing mechanism in patients with clinical CAPS phenotypes other than CINCA and NLRP3 mutation-negative. NLRP3 analyses were performed by Sanger sequencing and by massively parallel sequencing. Apoptosis-associated Speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC)-dependent nuclear factor kappa-light chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) activation and transfection-induced THP-1 cell death assays determined the functional consequences of the detected variants. A variable degree (5.5-34.9%) of somatic NLRP3 mosaicism was detected in 12.5% of enrolled patients, all of them with a MWS phenotype. Six different missense variants, three novel (p.D303A, p.K355T and p.L411F), were identified. Bioinformatics and functional analyses confirmed that they were disease-causing, gain-of-function NLRP3 mutations. All patients treated with anti-interleukin1 drugs showed long-lasting positive responses. We herein show somatic NLRP3 mosaicism underlying MWS, probably representing a shared genetic mechanism in CAPS not restricted to CINCA syndrome. The data here described allowed definitive diagnoses of these patients, which had serious implications for gaining access to anti-interleukin 1 treatments under legal indication and for genetic counselling. The detection of somatic mosaicism is difficult when using conventional methods. Potential candidates should benefit from the use of modern genetic tools. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

A comparative psychophysical approach to visual perception in primates.

PubMed

Matsuno, Toyomi; Fujita, Kazuo

2009-04-01

Studies on the visual processing of primates, which have well developed visual systems, provide essential information about the perceptual bases of their higher-order cognitive abilities. Although the mechanisms underlying visual processing are largely shared between human and nonhuman primates, differences have also been reported. In this article, we review psychophysical investigations comparing the basic visual processing that operates in human and nonhuman species, and discuss the future contributions potentially deriving from such comparative psychophysical approaches to primate minds.

Epistemic companions: shared reality development in close relationships.

PubMed

Rossignac-Milon, Maya; Higgins, E Tory

2018-01-11

We propose a framework outlining the development of shared reality in close relationships. In this framework, we attempt to integrate disparate close relationship phenomena under the conceptual umbrella of shared reality. We argue that jointly satisfying epistemic needs-making sense of the world together-plays an important but under-appreciated role in establishing and maintaining close relationships. Specifically, we propose that dyads progress through four cumulative phases in which new forms of shared reality emerge. Relationships are often initiated when people discover Shared Feelings, which then facilitate the co-construction of dyad-specific Shared Practices. Partners then form an interdependent web of Shared Coordination and ultimately develop a Shared Identity. Each emergent form of shared reality continues to evolve throughout subsequent phases, and, if neglected, can engender relationship dissolution. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genetic architecture of plant stress resistance: multi-trait genome-wide association mapping.

PubMed

Thoen, Manus P M; Davila Olivas, Nelson H; Kloth, Karen J; Coolen, Silvia; Huang, Ping-Ping; Aarts, Mark G M; Bac-Molenaar, Johanna A; Bakker, Jaap; Bouwmeester, Harro J; Broekgaarden, Colette; Bucher, Johan; Busscher-Lange, Jacqueline; Cheng, Xi; Fradin, Emilie F; Jongsma, Maarten A; Julkowska, Magdalena M; Keurentjes, Joost J B; Ligterink, Wilco; Pieterse, Corné M J; Ruyter-Spira, Carolien; Smant, Geert; Testerink, Christa; Usadel, Björn; van Loon, Joop J A; van Pelt, Johan A; van Schaik, Casper C; van Wees, Saskia C M; Visser, Richard G F; Voorrips, Roeland; Vosman, Ben; Vreugdenhil, Dick; Warmerdam, Sonja; Wiegers, Gerrie L; van Heerwaarden, Joost; Kruijer, Willem; van Eeuwijk, Fred A; Dicke, Marcel

2017-02-01

Plants are exposed to combinations of various biotic and abiotic stresses, but stress responses are usually investigated for single stresses only. Here, we investigated the genetic architecture underlying plant responses to 11 single stresses and several of their combinations by phenotyping 350 Arabidopsis thaliana accessions. A set of 214 000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was screened for marker-trait associations in genome-wide association (GWA) analyses using tailored multi-trait mixed models. Stress responses that share phytohormonal signaling pathways also share genetic architecture underlying these responses. After removing the effects of general robustness, for the 30 most significant SNPs, average quantitative trait locus (QTL) effect sizes were larger for dual stresses than for single stresses. Plants appear to deploy broad-spectrum defensive mechanisms influencing multiple traits in response to combined stresses. Association analyses identified QTLs with contrasting and with similar responses to biotic vs abiotic stresses, and below-ground vs above-ground stresses. Our approach allowed for an unprecedented comprehensive genetic analysis of how plants deal with a wide spectrum of stress conditions. © 2016 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

The use of ketogenic diet in special situations: expanding use in intractable epilepsy and other neurologic disorders

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

The ketogenic diet has been widely used and proved to be effective for intractable epilepsy. Although the mechanisms underlying its anti-epileptic effects remain to be proven, there are increasing experimental evidences for its neuroprotective effects along with many researches about expanding use of the diet in other neurologic disorders. The first success was reported in glucose transporter type 1 deficiency syndrome, in which the diet served as an alternative metabolic source. Many neurologic disorders share some of the common pathologic mechanisms such as mitochondrial dysfunction, altered neurotransmitter function and synaptic transmission, or abnormal regulation of reactive oxygen species, and the role of the ketogenic diet has been postulated in these mechanisms. In this article, we introduce an overview about the expanding use and emerging trials of the ketogenic diet in various neurologic disorders excluding intractable epilepsy and provide explanations of the mechanisms in that usage. PMID:23049588

Common evolutionary trends underlie the four-bar linkage systems of sunfish and mantis shrimp.

PubMed

Hu, Yinan; Nelson-Maney, Nathan; Anderson, Philip S L

2017-05-01

Comparative biomechanics offers an opportunity to explore the evolution of disparate biological systems that share common underlying mechanics. Four-bar linkage modeling has been applied to various biological systems such as fish jaws and crustacean appendages to explore the relationship between biomechanics and evolutionary diversification. Mechanical sensitivity states that the functional output of a mechanical system will show differential sensitivity to changes in specific morphological components. We document similar patterns of mechanical sensitivity in two disparate four-bar systems from different phyla: the opercular four-bar system in centrarchid fishes and the raptorial appendage of stomatopods. We built dynamic linkage models of 19 centrarchid and 36 stomatopod species and used phylogenetic generalized least squares regression (PGLS) to compare evolutionary shifts in linkage morphology and mechanical outputs derived from the models. In both systems, the kinematics of the four-bar mechanism show significant evolutionary correlation with the output link, while travel distance of the output arm is correlated with the coupler link. This common evolutionary pattern seen in both fish and crustacean taxa is a potential consequence of the mechanical principles underlying four-bar systems. Our results illustrate the potential influence of physical principles on morphological evolution across biological systems with different structures, behaviors, and ecologies. © 2017 The Author(s). Evolution © 2017 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

The simple economics of risk-sharing agreements between the NHS and the pharmaceutical industry.

PubMed

Barros, Pedro Pita

2011-04-01

The introduction of new (and expensive) pharmaceutical products is one of the major challenges for health systems. The search for new institutional arrangements is natural. The use of the so-called risk-sharing agreements is one example. Recent discussions have somewhat neglected the economic fundamentals underlying risk-sharing agreements. We argue here that risk-sharing agreements, although attractive due to the principle of paying by results, also entail risks. Too many patients may be put under treatment. Prices are likely to be adjusted upward, in anticipation of future risk-sharing agreements between the pharmaceutical company and the third-party payer. An available instrument is a verification cost per patient treated, which allows obtaining the first-best allocation of patients to the new treatment, under the agreement. Overall, the welfare effects of risk-sharing agreements are ambiguous, and caution is urged regarding their use. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

7 CFR 1468.5 - General provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... with part 1412 of this chapter, on the farm enrolling in CFO and who are eligible for either CRP (7 CFR... payment under CRP, EQIP, or cost-share agreements under WRP are eligible for CFO payment. The provisions... those specified for the eligible conservation practices under CRP, EQIP, or cost-share agreements under...

A wave function for stock market returns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ataullah, Ali; Davidson, Ian; Tippett, Mark

2009-02-01

The instantaneous return on the Financial Times-Stock Exchange (FTSE) All Share Index is viewed as a frictionless particle moving in a one-dimensional square well but where there is a non-trivial probability of the particle tunneling into the well’s retaining walls. Our analysis demonstrates how the complementarity principle from quantum mechanics applies to stock market prices and of how the wave function presented by it leads to a probability density which exhibits strong compatibility with returns earned on the FTSE All Share Index. In particular, our analysis shows that the probability density for stock market returns is highly leptokurtic with slight (though not significant) negative skewness. Moreover, the moments of the probability density determined under the complementarity principle employed here are all convergent - in contrast to many of the probability density functions on which the received theory of finance is based.

Motivation and Self-Regulation in Addiction: A Call for Convergence

PubMed Central

Köpetz, Cătălina E.; Lejuez, Carl W.; Wiers, Reinout W.; Kruglanski, Arie W.

2015-01-01

Addiction models have frequently invoked motivational mechanisms to explain the initiation and maintenance of addictive behaviors. However, in doing so, these models have emphasized the unique characteristics of addictive behaviors and overlooked the commonalities that they share with motivated behaviors in general. As a consequence, addiction research has failed to connect with and take advantage of promising and highly relevant advances in motivation and self-regulation research. The present article is a call for a convergence of the previous approaches to addictive behavior and the new advances in basic motivation and self-regulation. The authors emphasize the commonalities that addictive behaviors may share with motivated behavior in general. In addition, it is suggested that the same psychological principles underlying motivated action in general may apply to understand challenging aspects of the etiology and maintenance of addictive behaviors. PMID:26069472

Wittgenstein running: neural mechanisms of collective intentionality and we-mode.

PubMed

Becchio, Cristina; Bertone, Cesare

2004-03-01

In this paper we discuss the problem of the neural conditions of shared attitudes and intentions: which neural mechanisms underlie "we-mode" processes or serve as precursors to such processes? Neurophysiological and neuropsychological evidence suggests that in different areas of the brain neural representations are shared by several individuals. This situation, on the one hand, creates a potential problem for correct attribution. On the other hand, it may provide the conditions for shared attitudes and intentions.

A Secure and Efficient Audit Mechanism for Dynamic Shared Data in Cloud Storage

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

With popularization of cloud services, multiple users easily share and update their data through cloud storage. For data integrity and consistency in the cloud storage, the audit mechanisms were proposed. However, existing approaches have some security vulnerabilities and require a lot of computational overheads. This paper proposes a secure and efficient audit mechanism for dynamic shared data in cloud storage. The proposed scheme prevents a malicious cloud service provider from deceiving an auditor. Moreover, it devises a new index table management method and reduces the auditing cost by employing less complex operations. We prove the resistance against some attacks and show less computation cost and shorter time for auditing when compared with conventional approaches. The results present that the proposed scheme is secure and efficient for cloud storage services managing dynamic shared data. PMID:24959630

A secure and efficient audit mechanism for dynamic shared data in cloud storage.

PubMed

Kwon, Ohmin; Koo, Dongyoung; Shin, Yongjoo; Yoon, Hyunsoo

2014-01-01

With popularization of cloud services, multiple users easily share and update their data through cloud storage. For data integrity and consistency in the cloud storage, the audit mechanisms were proposed. However, existing approaches have some security vulnerabilities and require a lot of computational overheads. This paper proposes a secure and efficient audit mechanism for dynamic shared data in cloud storage. The proposed scheme prevents a malicious cloud service provider from deceiving an auditor. Moreover, it devises a new index table management method and reduces the auditing cost by employing less complex operations. We prove the resistance against some attacks and show less computation cost and shorter time for auditing when compared with conventional approaches. The results present that the proposed scheme is secure and efficient for cloud storage services managing dynamic shared data.

42 CFR 447.52 - Minimum and maximum income-related charges.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... agency imposes cost sharing under § 447.54, the process by which hospital emergency room services are... option, cost sharing imposed for any service (other than for drugs and non-emergency services furnished... group under § 447.56(a), and (iii) For cost sharing imposed for non-emergency services furnished in an...

Experimental and Numerical Investigation on the Bearing and Failure Mechanism of Multiple Pillars Under Overburden

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Zilong; Chen, Lu; Zhao, Yuan; Zhao, Tongbin; Cai, Xin; Du, Xueming

2017-04-01

To reveal the mechanical response of a multi-pillar supporting system under external loads, compressive tests were carried out on single-pillar and double-pillar specimens. The digital speckle correlation method and acoustic emission technique were applied to record and analyse information of the deformation and failure processes. Numerical simulations with the software programme PFC2D were also conducted. In the compressive process of the double-pillar system, if both individual pillars have the same mechanical properties, each pillar deforms similarly and reaches the critical stable state almost simultaneously by sharing equal loads. If the two individual pillars have different mechanical properties, the pillar with higher elastic modulus or lower strength would be damaged and lose its bearing capacity firstly. The load would then be transferred to the other pillar under a load redistribution process. When the pillar with higher strength is strong enough, the load carried by the pillar system would increase again. However, the maximum bearing load of the double-pillar system is smaller than the sum of peak load of individual pillars. The study also indicates that the strength, elastic modulus, and load state of pillars all influence the supporting capacity of the pillar system. In underground space engineering, the appropriate choice of pillar dimensions and layout may play a great role in preventing the occurrence of cascading pillar failure.

Reading Touch Screen Storybooks with Mothers Negatively Affects 7-Year-Old Readers’ Comprehension but Enriches Emotional Engagement

PubMed Central

Ross, Kirsty M.; Pye, Rachel E.; Randell, Jordan

2016-01-01

Touch screen storybooks turn reading into an interactive multimedia experience, with hotspot-activated animations, sound effects, and games. Positive and negative effects of reading multimedia stories have been reported, but the underlying mechanisms which explain how children’s learning is affected remain uncertain. The present study examined the effect of storybook format (touch screen and print) on story comprehension, and considered how level of touch screen interactivity (high and low) and shared reading behaviors (cognitive and emotional scaffolding, emotional engagement) might contribute to comprehension. Seven-year-olds (n = 22) were observed reading one touch screen storybook and one print storybook with their mothers. Story comprehension was inferior for the touch screen storybooks compared to the print formats. Touch screen interactivity level had no significant effect on comprehension but did affect shared reading behaviors. The mother–child dyads spent less time talking about the story in the highly interactive touch screen condition, despite longer shared reading sessions because of touch screen interactions. Positive emotional engagement was greater for children and mothers in the highly interactive touch screen condition, due to additional positive emotions expressed during touch screen interactions. Negative emotional engagement was greater for children when reading and talking about the story in the highly interactive condition, and some mothers demonstrated negative emotional engagement with the touch screen activities. The less interactive touch screen storybook had little effect on shared reading behaviors, but mothers controlling behaviors were more frequent. Storybook format had no effect on the frequency of mothers’ cognitive scaffolding behaviors (comprehension questions, word help). Relationships between comprehension and shared reading behaviors were examined for each storybook, and although length of the shared reading session and controlling behaviors had significant effects on comprehension, the mechanisms driving comprehension were not fully explained by the data. The potential for touch screen storybooks to contribute to cognitive overload in 7-year-old developing readers is discussed, as is the complex relationship between cognitive and emotional scaffolding behaviors, emotional engagement, and comprehension. Sample characteristics and methodological limitations are also discussed to help inform future research. PMID:27899903

Story time turbocharger? Child engagement during shared reading and cerebellar activation and connectivity in preschool-age children listening to stories.

PubMed

Hutton, John S; Phelan, Kieran; Horowitz-Kraus, Tzipi; Dudley, Jonathan; Altaye, Mekibib; DeWitt, Thomas; Holland, Scott K

2017-01-01

Expanding behavioral and neurobiological evidence affirms benefits of shared (especially parent-child) reading on cognitive development during early childhood. However, the majority of this evidence involves factors under caregiver control, the influence of those intrinsic to the child, such as interest or engagement in reading, largely indirect or unclear. The cerebellum is increasingly recognized as playing a "smoothing" role in higher-level cognitive processing and learning, via feedback loops with language, limbic and association cortices. We utilized functional MRI to explore the relationship between child engagement during a mother-child reading observation and neural activation and connectivity during a story listening task, in a sample of 4-year old girls. Children exhibiting greater interest and engagement in the narrative showed increased activation in right-sided cerebellar association areas during the task, and greater functional connectivity between this activation cluster and language and executive function areas. Our findings suggest a potential cerebellar "boost" mechanism responsive to child engagement level that may contribute to emergent literacy development during early childhood, and synergy between caregiver and child factors during story sharing.

Response time intra-subject variability: commonalities between children with autism spectrum disorders and children with ADHD

PubMed Central

Adamo, Nicoletta; Huo, Lan; Adelsberg, Samantha; Petkova, Eva; Castellanos, F. Xavier

2013-01-01

Despite the common co-occurrence of symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), the underlying mechanisms are under-explored. A potential candidate for investigation is response time intra-subject variability (RT-ISV), a hypothesized marker of attentional lapses. Direct comparisons of RT-ISV in ASD versus ADHD are limited and contradictory. We aimed to examine whether distinct fluctuations in RT-ISV characterize children with ASD and with ADHD relative to typically developing children (TDC). We applied both a priori-based and data-driven strategies to RT performance of 46 children with ASD, 46 with ADHD, and 36 TDC (aged 7–11.9 years). Specifically, we contrasted groups relative to the amplitude of four preselected frequency bands as well as to 400 frequency bins from 0.006 to 0.345 Hz. In secondary analyses, we divided the ASD group into children with and without substantial ADHD symptoms (ASD+ and ASD−, respectively). Regardless of the strategy employed, RT-ISV fluctuations at frequencies between 0.20 and 0.345 Hz distinguished children with ADHD, but not children with ASD, from TDC. Children with ASD+ and those with ADHD shared elevated amplitudes of RT-ISV fluctuations in frequencies between 0.18 and 0.345 Hz relative to TDC. In contrast, the ASD− subgroup did not differ from TDC in RT-ISV frequency fluctuations. RT-ISV fluctuations in frequencies 0.18–0.345 Hz (i.e., periods between 3 and 5 s) are associated with ADHD symptoms regardless of categorical diagnosis and may represent a biomarker. These results suggest that children with ADHD and those with ASD+ share common underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of RT-ISV. PMID:23716135

Exploring the Cognitive Foundations of the Shared Attention Mechanism: Evidence for a Relationship Between Self-Categorization and Shared Attention Across the Autism Spectrum.

PubMed

Skorich, Daniel P; Gash, Tahlia B; Stalker, Katie L; Zheng, Lidan; Haslam, S Alexander

2017-05-01

The social difficulties of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are typically explained as a disruption in the Shared Attention Mechanism (SAM) sub-component of the theory of mind (ToM) system. In the current paper, we explore the hypothesis that SAM's capacity to construct the self-other-object relations necessary for shared-attention arises from a self-categorization process, which is weaker among those with more autistic-like traits. We present participants with self-categorization and shared-attention tasks, and measure their autism-spectrum quotient (AQ). Results reveal a negative relationship between AQ and shared-attention, via self-categorization, suggesting a role for self-categorization in the disruption in SAM seen in ASD. Implications for intervention, and for a ToM model in which weak central coherence plays a role are discussed.

A National Program for Instructional Development in Veterinary Pathology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Billy, C.

1979-01-01

Results of a study by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists to investigate mechanisms to facilitate sharing of audiovisual programs include a content analysis in veterinary pathology, a guidebook for the preparation of instruction, 20 instructional programs, a lesson evaluation mechanism, and a proposal for sharing programs. (JMD)

The Need for an Interdisciplinary Approach to Norm Diffusion: The Case of Fair and Equitable Benefit‐sharing

PubMed Central

Morgera, Elisa

2015-01-01

No systematic study discusses the evolution of fair and equitable benefit‐sharing across various areas of international law (environment, human rights, oceans), as well as at different levels of regulation (regional and national laws and guidelines, private law contracts, transboundary codes of conduct, customary laws of indigenous peoples and local communities). This article explores the usefulness of an interdisciplinary approach to the study of norm diffusion for understanding how and why fair and equitable benefit‐sharing is articulated in different sites. The article discusses mechanisms, actors and frames in norm diffusion, drawing on literature from sociology, international relations and law. The article uncovers underlying similarities in scholarship on norm diffusion across the disciplines considered. It also reflects on the value of an interdisciplinary approach that encourages legal scholars to consider the implications of power structures in the diffusion of law, while the nuances of legal knowledge may lead other social scientists to revisit accepted findings on norm diffusion. These findings appear particularly useful for informing an assessment of the potential of fair and equitable benefit‐sharing to promote the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in a fair and equitable manner in the face of power asymmetries. PMID:28018594

Integrating genome-wide association studies and gene expression data highlights dysregulated multiple sclerosis risk pathways.

PubMed

Liu, Guiyou; Zhang, Fang; Jiang, Yongshuai; Hu, Yang; Gong, Zhongying; Liu, Shoufeng; Chen, Xiuju; Jiang, Qinghua; Hao, Junwei

2017-02-01

Much effort has been expended on identifying the genetic determinants of multiple sclerosis (MS). Existing large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) datasets provide strong support for using pathway and network-based analysis methods to investigate the mechanisms underlying MS. However, no shared genetic pathways have been identified to date. We hypothesize that shared genetic pathways may indeed exist in different MS-GWAS datasets. Here, we report results from a three-stage analysis of GWAS and expression datasets. In stage 1, we conducted multiple pathway analyses of two MS-GWAS datasets. In stage 2, we performed a candidate pathway analysis of the large-scale MS-GWAS dataset. In stage 3, we performed a pathway analysis using the dysregulated MS gene list from seven human MS case-control expression datasets. In stage 1, we identified 15 shared pathways. In stage 2, we successfully replicated 14 of these 15 significant pathways. In stage 3, we found that dysregulated MS genes were significantly enriched in 10 of 15 MS risk pathways identified in stages 1 and 2. We report shared genetic pathways in different MS-GWAS datasets and highlight some new MS risk pathways. Our findings provide new insights on the genetic determinants of MS.

The co-occurrence of multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes: shared aetiologic features and clinical implication for MS aetiology.

PubMed

Tettey, Prudence; Simpson, Steve; Taylor, Bruce V; van der Mei, Ingrid A F

2015-01-15

We reviewed the evidence for the co-occurrence of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) and multiple sclerosis (MS), and assessed the clinical significance of this association and the shared aetiological features of the two diseases. T1D and MS contribute considerably to the burden of autoimmune diseases in young adults. The co-occurrence of MS and T1D has been reported by a number of studies, suggesting that the two conditions share one or more aetiological components. Both conditions have been associated with distinct human leukocyte antigen (HLA) haplotypes but share a number of similarities in clinical, epidemiological and immunological features, leading to suggestions of possible common mechanisms of development. While underlying genetic factors may be important for the co-occurrence of both conditions, some evidence suggests that environmental factors such as vitamin D deficiency may also modulate an individual's risk for the development of both conditions. Evidence on whether the co-occurrence of the two autoimmune conditions will affect the disease course and severity of MS is merely absent. Further studies need to be conducted to ascertain whether the neuropathology associated with T1D might influence the disease course and contribute to the severity of MS. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Beautiful friendship: Social sharing of emotions improves subjective feelings and activates the neural reward circuitry

PubMed Central

Galli, Lisa; Schott, Björn H.; Wold, Andrew; van der Schalk, Job; Manstead, Antony S. R.; Scherer, Klaus; Walter, Henrik

2015-01-01

Humans have a strong tendency to affiliate with other people, especially in emotional situations. Here, we suggest that a critical mechanism underlying this tendency is that socially sharing emotional experiences is in itself perceived as hedonically positive and thereby contributes to the regulation of individual emotions. We investigated the effect of social sharing of emotions on subjective feelings and neural activity by having pairs of friends view emotional (negative and positive) and neutral pictures either alone or with the friend. While the two friends remained physically separated throughout the experiment—with one undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging and the other performing the task in an adjacent room—they were made aware on a trial-by-trial basis whether they were seeing pictures simultaneously with their friend (shared) or alone (unshared). Ratings of subjective feelings were improved significantly when participants viewed emotional pictures together than alone, an effect that was accompanied by activity increase in ventral striatum and medial orbitofrontal cortex, two important components of the reward circuitry. Because these effects occurred without any communication or interaction between the friends, they point to an important proximate explanation for the basic human motivation to affiliate with others, particularly in emotional situations. PMID:25298009

Beautiful friendship: Social sharing of emotions improves subjective feelings and activates the neural reward circuitry.

PubMed

Wagner, Ullrich; Galli, Lisa; Schott, Björn H; Wold, Andrew; van der Schalk, Job; Manstead, Antony S R; Scherer, Klaus; Walter, Henrik

2015-06-01

Humans have a strong tendency to affiliate with other people, especially in emotional situations. Here, we suggest that a critical mechanism underlying this tendency is that socially sharing emotional experiences is in itself perceived as hedonically positive and thereby contributes to the regulation of individual emotions. We investigated the effect of social sharing of emotions on subjective feelings and neural activity by having pairs of friends view emotional (negative and positive) and neutral pictures either alone or with the friend. While the two friends remained physically separated throughout the experiment-with one undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging and the other performing the task in an adjacent room-they were made aware on a trial-by-trial basis whether they were seeing pictures simultaneously with their friend (shared) or alone (unshared). Ratings of subjective feelings were improved significantly when participants viewed emotional pictures together than alone, an effect that was accompanied by activity increase in ventral striatum and medial orbitofrontal cortex, two important components of the reward circuitry. Because these effects occurred without any communication or interaction between the friends, they point to an important proximate explanation for the basic human motivation to affiliate with others, particularly in emotional situations. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press.

76 FR 75932 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change Relating...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-05

... and Trading of Shares of the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Inflation Protection Bond Fund Under NYSE... Change The Exchange proposes to list and trade the shares of the following fund of the WisdomTree Trust (``Trust'') under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600 (``Managed Fund Shares''): WisdomTree Emerging Markets...

Re-Inventing Shared Governance: Implications for Organisational Culture and Institutional Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stensaker, Bjorn; Vabo, Agnete

2013-01-01

Shared governance has been a key historical characteristic of higher education although this form of governance has come under increased pressure in recent decades. It is often argued that shared governance is less relevant for tackling the challenges related to a more dynamic environment of the sector. This paper discusses underlying premises for…

Cross-Resistance: A Consequence of Bi-partite Host-Parasite Coevolution

PubMed Central

Joop, Gerrit

2018-01-01

Host-parasite coevolution can influence interactions of the host and parasite with the wider ecological community. One way that this may manifest is in cross-resistance towards other parasites, which has been observed to occur in some host-parasite evolution experiments. In this paper, we test for cross-resistance towards Bacillus thuringiensis and Pseudomonas entomophila in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, which was previously allowed to coevolve with the generalist entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. We combine survival and gene expression assays upon infection to test for cross-resistance and underlying mechanisms. We show that larvae of T. castaneum that evolved with B. bassiana under coevolutionary conditions were positively cross-resistant to the bacterium B. thuringiensis, but not P. entomophila. Positive cross-resistance was mirrored at the gene expression level with markers that were representative of the oral route of infection being upregulated upon B. bassiana exposure. We find that positive cross-resistance towards B. thuringiensis evolved in T. castaneum as a consequence of its coevolutionary interactions with B. bassiana. This cross-resistance appears to be a consequence of resistance to oral toxicity. The fact that coevolution with B. bassiana results in resistance to B. thuringiensis, but not P. entomophila implies that B. thuringiensis and B. bassiana may share mechanisms of infection or toxicity not shared by P. entomophila. This supports previous suggestions that B. bassiana may possess Cry-like toxins, similar to those found in B. thuringiensis, which allow it to infect orally. PMID:29495405

Knowledge Sharing in an American Multinational Company Based in Malaysia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ling, Chen Wai; Sandhu, Manjit S.; Jain, Kamal Kishore

2009-01-01

Purpose: This paper seeks to examine the views of executives working in an American based multinational company (MNC) about knowledge sharing, barriers to knowledge sharing, and strategies to promote knowledge sharing. Design/methodology/approach: This study was carried out in phases. In the first phase, a topology of organizational mechanisms for…

78 FR 32487 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change Relating...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-30

... and trade the shares of the following under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600 (``Managed Fund Shares... proposes to list and trade the shares (``Shares'') of the PowerShares China A-Share Portfolio (``Fund... with the Commission as an open-end management investment company.\\6\\ \\4\\ A Managed Fund Share is a...

Paradigm for Distributive & Procedural Justice in Equitable Apportionment of Transboundary Ganges Waters Under Changing Climate & Landuse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tyagi, H.; Gosain, A. K.; Khosa, R.; Anand, J.

2015-12-01

Rivers have no regard for human demarcated boundaries. Besides, ever increasing demand-supply gap & vested riparian interests, fuel transboundary water conflicts. For resolving such disputes, appropriation doctrines advocating equity & fairness have received endorsement in the Helsinki Rules-1966 & UN Convention-1997. Thus, current study proposes the principle of equitable apportionment for sharing Ganges waters as it balances the interests & deservedness of all stakeholders, namely, India & its 11 states, Bangladesh, Nepal, & China. The study endeavors to derive a reasonable share of each co-basin state by operationalizing the vague concepts of fairness & equity through an objective & quantitative framework encompassing proportionality & egalitarianism for distributive & procedural justice. Equal weightage factors reflecting hydrology, geography & water use potential are chosen for fair share computation, wherein each contender ranks these factors to maximize his entitlement. If cumulative claims exceed the water availability, each claimant puts forth next ranked factor & this process continues till the claims match availability. Due to inter-annual variability in few factors, scenarios for Rabi & Kharif seasons are considered apart from cases for maximum, upper quartile, median, lower quartile & minimum. Possibility of spatial homogeneity & heterogeneity in factors is also recognized. Sometimes lack of technical information hinders transboundary dispute resolution via legal mechanisms. Hence, the study also attempts to bridge this gap between law & technology through GIS-based SWAT hydrologic model by estimating the Ganges water yield, & consequent share of each riparian for range of flows incorporating e-flows as well, under present & future climate & landuse scenarios. 82% of India's territory lies within interstate rivers, & therefore this research is very pertinent as it can facilitate the decision makers in effective interstate water conflict resolution.

42 CFR 423.782 - Cost-sharing subsidy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... subsidy eligible individuals are entitled to the following: (1) Elimination of the annual deductible under § 423.104(d)(1). (2) Reduction in cost-sharing for all covered Part D drugs covered under the PDP or MA-PD plan below the out-of-pocket limit (under § 423.104), including Part D drugs covered under the PDP...

77 FR 65920 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change Relating...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-31

... Trading of Shares of the Pring Turner Business Cycle ETF Under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600 October 25... Turner Business Cycle ETF. The text of the proposed rule change is available on the Exchange's Web site... and trade shares (``Shares'') of the Pring Turner Business Cycle ETF (``Fund'') under NYSE Arca...

Shared Decision Making for Better Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brost, Paul

2000-01-01

Delegating decision making to those closest to implementation can result in better decisions, more support for improvement initiatives, and increased student performance. Shared decision making depends on capable school leadership, a professional community, instructional guidance mechanisms, knowledge and skills, information sharing, power, and…

The New Neurobiology of Autism

PubMed Central

Minshew, Nancy J.; Williams, Diane L.

2008-01-01

This review covers a fraction of the new research developments in autism but establishes the basic elements of the new neurobiologic understanding of autism. Autism is a polygenetic developmental neurobiologic disorder with multiorgan system involvement, though it predominantly involves central nervous system dysfunction. The evidence supports autism as a disorder of the association cortex, both its neurons and their projections. In particular, it is a disorder of connectivity, which appears, from current evidence, to primarily involve intrahemispheric connectivity. The focus of connectivity studies thus far has been on white matter, but alterations in functional magnetic resonance imaging activation suggest that intracortical connectivity is also likely to be disturbed. Furthermore, the disorder has a broad impact on cognitive and neurologic functioning. Deficits in high-functioning individuals occur in processing that places high demands on integration of information and coordination of multiple neural systems. Intact or enhanced abilities share a dependence on low information-processing demands and local neural connections. This multidomain model with shared characteristics predicts an underlying pathophysiologic mechanism that impacts the brain broadly, according to a common neurobiologic principle. The multiorgan system involvement and diversity of central nervous system findings suggest an epigenetic mechanism. PMID:17620483

Competing for Attention in Social Media under Information Overload Conditions.

PubMed

Feng, Ling; Hu, Yanqing; Li, Baowen; Stanley, H Eugene; Havlin, Shlomo; Braunstein, Lidia A

2015-01-01

Modern social media are becoming overloaded with information because of the rapidly-expanding number of information feeds. We analyze the user-generated content in Sina Weibo, and find evidence that the spread of popular messages often follow a mechanism that differs from the spread of disease, in contrast to common belief. In this mechanism, an individual with more friends needs more repeated exposures to spread further the information. Moreover, our data suggest that for certain messages the chance of an individual to share the message is proportional to the fraction of its neighbours who shared it with him/her, which is a result of competition for attention. We model this process using a fractional susceptible infected recovered (FSIR) model, where the infection probability of a node is proportional to its fraction of infected neighbors. Our findings have dramatic implications for information contagion. For example, using the FSIR model we find that real-world social networks have a finite epidemic threshold in contrast to the zero threshold in disease epidemic models. This means that when individuals are overloaded with excess information feeds, the information either reaches out the population if it is above the critical epidemic threshold, or it would never be well received.

Competing for Attention in Social Media under Information Overload Conditions

PubMed Central

Feng, Ling; Hu, Yanqing; Li, Baowen; Stanley, H. Eugene; Havlin, Shlomo; Braunstein, Lidia A.

2015-01-01

Modern social media are becoming overloaded with information because of the rapidly-expanding number of information feeds. We analyze the user-generated content in Sina Weibo, and find evidence that the spread of popular messages often follow a mechanism that differs from the spread of disease, in contrast to common belief. In this mechanism, an individual with more friends needs more repeated exposures to spread further the information. Moreover, our data suggest that for certain messages the chance of an individual to share the message is proportional to the fraction of its neighbours who shared it with him/her, which is a result of competition for attention. We model this process using a fractional susceptible infected recovered (FSIR) model, where the infection probability of a node is proportional to its fraction of infected neighbors. Our findings have dramatic implications for information contagion. For example, using the FSIR model we find that real-world social networks have a finite epidemic threshold in contrast to the zero threshold in disease epidemic models. This means that when individuals are overloaded with excess information feeds, the information either reaches out the population if it is above the critical epidemic threshold, or it would never be well received. PMID:26161956

Does segmental overlap help or hurt? Evidence from blocked cyclic naming in spoken and written production.

PubMed

Breining, Bonnie; Nozari, Nazbanou; Rapp, Brenda

2016-04-01

Past research has demonstrated interference effects when words are named in the context of multiple items that share a meaning. This interference has been explained within various incremental learning accounts of word production, which propose that each attempt at mapping semantic features to lexical items induces slight but persistent changes that result in cumulative interference. We examined whether similar interference-generating mechanisms operate during the mapping of lexical items to segments by examining the production of words in the context of others that share segments. Previous research has shown that initial-segment overlap amongst a set of target words produces facilitation, not interference. However, this initial-segment facilitation is likely due to strategic preparation, an external factor that may mask underlying interference. In the present study, we applied a novel manipulation in which the segmental overlap across target items was distributed unpredictably across word positions, in order to reduce strategic response preparation. This manipulation led to interference in both spoken (Exp. 1) and written (Exp. 2) production. We suggest that these findings are consistent with a competitive learning mechanism that applies across stages and modalities of word production.

The games economists play: Why economics students behave more selfishly than other students

PubMed Central

Gerlach, Philipp

2017-01-01

Do economics students behave more selfishly than other students? Experiments involving monetary allocations suggest so. This article investigates the underlying motives for the economic students’ more selfish behavior by separating three potential explanatory mechanisms: economics students are less concerned with fairness when making allocation decisions; have a different notion of what is fair in allocations; or are more skeptical about other people’s allocations, which in turn makes them less willing to comply with a shared fairness norm. The three mechanisms were tested by inviting students from various disciplines to participate in a relatively novel experimental game and asking all participants to give reasons for their choices. Compared with students of other disciplines, economics students were about equally likely to mention fairness in their comments; had a similar notion of what was fair in the situation; however, they expected lower offers, made lower offers, and were less willing to enforce compliance with a fair allocation at a cost to themselves. The economics students’ lower expectations mediated their allocation decisions, suggesting that economics students behaved more selfishly because they expected others not to comply with the shared fairness norm. PMID:28873465

The games economists play: Why economics students behave more selfishly than other students.

PubMed

Gerlach, Philipp

2017-01-01

Do economics students behave more selfishly than other students? Experiments involving monetary allocations suggest so. This article investigates the underlying motives for the economic students' more selfish behavior by separating three potential explanatory mechanisms: economics students are less concerned with fairness when making allocation decisions; have a different notion of what is fair in allocations; or are more skeptical about other people's allocations, which in turn makes them less willing to comply with a shared fairness norm. The three mechanisms were tested by inviting students from various disciplines to participate in a relatively novel experimental game and asking all participants to give reasons for their choices. Compared with students of other disciplines, economics students were about equally likely to mention fairness in their comments; had a similar notion of what was fair in the situation; however, they expected lower offers, made lower offers, and were less willing to enforce compliance with a fair allocation at a cost to themselves. The economics students' lower expectations mediated their allocation decisions, suggesting that economics students behaved more selfishly because they expected others not to comply with the shared fairness norm.

Research on Information Sharing Mechanism of Network Organization Based on Evolutionary Game

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Lin; Liu, Gaozhi

2018-02-01

This article first elaborates the concept and effect of network organization, and the ability to share information is analyzed, secondly introduces the evolutionary game theory, network organization for information sharing all kinds of limitations, establishes the evolutionary game model, analyzes the dynamic evolution of network organization of information sharing, through reasoning and evolution. The network information sharing by the initial state and two sides of the game payoff matrix of excess profits and information is the information sharing of cost and risk sharing are the influence of network organization node information sharing decision.

Foundations for a new science of learning.

PubMed

Meltzoff, Andrew N; Kuhl, Patricia K; Movellan, Javier; Sejnowski, Terrence J

2009-07-17

Human learning is distinguished by the range and complexity of skills that can be learned and the degree of abstraction that can be achieved compared with those of other species. Homo sapiens is also the only species that has developed formal ways to enhance learning: teachers, schools, and curricula. Human infants have an intense interest in people and their behavior and possess powerful implicit learning mechanisms that are affected by social interaction. Neuroscientists are beginning to understand the brain mechanisms underlying learning and how shared brain systems for perception and action support social learning. Machine learning algorithms are being developed that allow robots and computers to learn autonomously. New insights from many different fields are converging to create a new science of learning that may transform educational practices.

Foundations for a New Science of Learning

PubMed Central

Meltzoff, Andrew N.; Kuhl, Patricia K.; Movellan, Javier; Sejnowski, Terrence J.

2009-01-01

Human learning is distinguished by the range and complexity of skills that can be learned and the degree of abstraction that can be achieved compared to other species. Humans are also the only species that has developed formal ways to enhance learning: teachers, schools, and curricula. Human infants have an intense interest in people and their behavior, and possess powerful implicit learning mechanisms that are affected by social interaction. Neuroscientists are beginning to understand the brain mechanisms underlying learning and how shared brain systems for perception and action support social learning. Machine learning algorithms are being developed that allow robots and computers to learn autonomously. New insights from many different fields are converging to create a new science of learning that may transform educational practices. PMID:19608908

Anticonvulsants Teratogenic Mechanism Involves Alteration of Bioelectrically-controlled Processes in the Embryo. A hypothesis

PubMed Central

Hernández-Díaz, Sonia; Levin, Michael

2014-01-01

Maternal use of anticonvulsants during the first trimester of pregnancy has been associated with an elevated risk of major congenital malformations in the offspring. Whether the increased risk is caused by the specific pharmacological mechanisms of certain anticonvulsants, the underlying epilepsy, or common genetic or environmental risk factors shared by epilepsy and malformations is controversial. We hypothesize that anticonvulsant therapies during pregnancy that attain more successful inhibition of neurotransmission might lead to both better seizure control in the mother and stronger alteration of bioelectrically-controlled processes in the embryo that result in structural malformations. If our theory were correct, development of pharmaceuticals that do not alter cell resting transmembrane voltage levels could result in safer drugs. PMID:24815983

Effectiveness of shared leadership in Wikipedia.

PubMed

Zhu, Haiyi; Kraut, Robert E; Kittur, Aniket

2013-12-01

The objective of the paper is to understand leadership in an online community, specifically, Wikipedia. Wikipedia successfully aggregates millions of volunteers' efforts to create the largest encyclopedia in human history. Without formal employment contracts and monetary incentives, one significant question for Wikipedia is how it organizes individual members with differing goals, experience, and commitment to achieve a collective outcome. Rather than focusing on the role of the small set of people occupying a core leadership position, we propose a shared leadership model to explain the leadership in Wikipedia. Members mutually influence one another by exercising leadership behaviors, including rewarding, regulating, directing, and socializing one another. We conducted a two-phase study to investigate how distinct types of leadership behaviors (transactional, aversive, directive, and person-focused), the legitimacy of the people who deliver the leadership, and the experience of the people who receive the leadership influence the effectiveness of shared leadership in Wikipedia. Our results highlight the importance of shared leadership in Wikipedia and identify trade-offs in the effectiveness of different types of leadership behaviors. Aversive and directive leadership increased contribution to the focal task, whereas transactional and person-focused leadership increased general motivation. We also found important differences in how newcomers and experienced members responded to leadership behaviors from peers. These findings extend shared leadership theories, contribute new insight into the important underlying mechanisms in Wikipedia, and have implications for practitioners who wish to design more effective and successful online communities.

Development of the cloud sharing system for residential earthquake responses using smartphones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shohei, N.; Fujiwara, H.; Azuma, H.; Hao, K. X.

2015-12-01

Earthquake responses at residential depends on its building structure, site amplification, epicenter distance, and etc. Until recently, it was impossible to obtain the individual residential response by conventional seismometer in terms of costs. However, current technology makes it possible with the Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) sensors inside mobile terminals like smartphones. We developed the cloud sharing system for residential earthquake response in local community utilizing mobile terminals, such as an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch as a collaboration between NIED and Hakusan Corp. The triggered earthquake acceleration waveforms are recorded at sampling frequencies of 100Hz and stored on their memories once an threshold value was exceeded or ordered information received from the Earthquake Early Warning system. The recorded data is automatically transmitted and archived on the cloud server once the wireless communication is available. Users can easily get the uploaded data by use of a web browser through Internet. The cloud sharing system is designed for residential and only shared in local community internal. Residents can freely add sensors and register information about installation points in each region. And if an earthquake occurs, they can easily view the local distribution of seismic intensities and even analyze waves.To verify this cloud-based seismic wave sharing system, we have performed on site experiments under the cooperation of several local communities, The system and experimental results will be introduced and demonstrated in the presentation.

Neurophysiological Correlates of Musical and Prosodic Phrasing: Shared Processing Mechanisms and Effects of Musical Expertise

PubMed Central

Steinhauer, Karsten; DePriest, John; Koelsch, Stefan

2016-01-01

The processing of prosodic phrase boundaries in language is immediately reflected by a specific event-related potential component called the Closure Positive Shift (CPS). A component somewhat reminiscent of the CPS in language has also been reported for musical phrases (i.e., the so-called ‘music CPS’). However, in previous studies the quantification of the music-CPS as well as its morphology and timing differed substantially from the characteristics of the language-CPS. Therefore, the degree of correspondence between cognitive mechanisms of phrasing in music and in language has remained questionable. Here, we probed the shared nature of mechanisms underlying musical and prosodic phrasing by (1) investigating whether the music-CPS is present at phrase boundary positions where the language-CPS has been originally reported (i.e., at the onset of the pause between phrases), and (2) comparing the CPS in music and in language in non-musicians and professional musicians. For the first time, we report a positive shift at the onset of musical phrase boundaries that strongly resembles the language-CPS and argue that the post-boundary ‘music-CPS’ of previous studies may be an entirely distinct ERP component. Moreover, the language-CPS in musicians was found to be less prominent than in non-musicians, suggesting more efficient processing of prosodic phrases in language as a result of higher musical expertise. PMID:27192560

Conservation and functional importance of carbon-oxygen hydrogen bonding in AdoMet-dependent methyltransferases.

PubMed

Horowitz, Scott; Dirk, Lynnette M A; Yesselman, Joseph D; Nimtz, Jennifer S; Adhikari, Upendra; Mehl, Ryan A; Scheiner, Steve; Houtz, Robert L; Al-Hashimi, Hashim M; Trievel, Raymond C

2013-10-16

S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet)-based methylation is integral to metabolism and signaling. AdoMet-dependent methyltransferases belong to multiple distinct classes and share a catalytic mechanism that arose through convergent evolution; however, fundamental determinants underlying this shared methyl transfer mechanism remain undefined. A survey of high-resolution crystal structures reveals that unconventional carbon-oxygen (CH···O) hydrogen bonds coordinate the AdoMet methyl group in different methyltransferases irrespective of their class, active site structure, or cofactor binding conformation. Corroborating these observations, quantum chemistry calculations demonstrate that these charged interactions formed by the AdoMet sulfonium cation are stronger than typical CH···O hydrogen bonds. Biochemical and structural studies using a model lysine methyltransferase and an active site mutant that abolishes CH···O hydrogen bonding to AdoMet illustrate that these interactions are important for high-affinity AdoMet binding and transition-state stabilization. Further, crystallographic and NMR dynamics experiments of the wild-type enzyme demonstrate that the CH···O hydrogen bonds constrain the motion of the AdoMet methyl group, potentially facilitating its alignment during catalysis. Collectively, the experimental findings with the model methyltransferase and structural survey imply that methyl CH···O hydrogen bonding represents a convergent evolutionary feature of AdoMet-dependent methyltransferases, mediating a universal mechanism for methyl transfer.

Neurophysiological Correlates of Musical and Prosodic Phrasing: Shared Processing Mechanisms and Effects of Musical Expertise.

PubMed

Glushko, Anastasia; Steinhauer, Karsten; DePriest, John; Koelsch, Stefan

2016-01-01

The processing of prosodic phrase boundaries in language is immediately reflected by a specific event-related potential component called the Closure Positive Shift (CPS). A component somewhat reminiscent of the CPS in language has also been reported for musical phrases (i.e., the so-called 'music CPS'). However, in previous studies the quantification of the music-CPS as well as its morphology and timing differed substantially from the characteristics of the language-CPS. Therefore, the degree of correspondence between cognitive mechanisms of phrasing in music and in language has remained questionable. Here, we probed the shared nature of mechanisms underlying musical and prosodic phrasing by (1) investigating whether the music-CPS is present at phrase boundary positions where the language-CPS has been originally reported (i.e., at the onset of the pause between phrases), and (2) comparing the CPS in music and in language in non-musicians and professional musicians. For the first time, we report a positive shift at the onset of musical phrase boundaries that strongly resembles the language-CPS and argue that the post-boundary 'music-CPS' of previous studies may be an entirely distinct ERP component. Moreover, the language-CPS in musicians was found to be less prominent than in non-musicians, suggesting more efficient processing of prosodic phrases in language as a result of higher musical expertise.

Towards a collaborative, global infrastructure for biodiversity assessment

PubMed Central

Guralnick, Robert P; Hill, Andrew W; Lane, Meredith

2007-01-01

Biodiversity data are rapidly becoming available over the Internet in common formats that promote sharing and exchange. Currently, these data are somewhat problematic, primarily with regard to geographic and taxonomic accuracy, for use in ecological research, natural resources management and conservation decision-making. However, web-based georeferencing tools that utilize best practices and gazetteer databases can be employed to improve geographic data. Taxonomic data quality can be improved through web-enabled valid taxon names databases and services, as well as more efficient mechanisms to return systematic research results and taxonomic misidentification rates back to the biodiversity community. Both of these are under construction. A separate but related challenge will be developing web-based visualization and analysis tools for tracking biodiversity change. Our aim was to discuss how such tools, combined with data of enhanced quality, will help transform today's portals to raw biodiversity data into nexuses of collaborative creation and sharing of biodiversity knowledge. PMID:17594421

Correlated electron and nuclear dynamics in strong field photoionization of H(2)(+).

PubMed

Silva, R E F; Catoire, F; Rivière, P; Bachau, H; Martín, F

2013-03-15

We present a theoretical study of H(2)(+) ionization under strong IR femtosecond pulses by using a method designed to extract correlated (2D) photoelectron and proton kinetic energy spectra. The results show two distinct ionization mechanisms-tunnel and multiphoton ionization-in which electrons and nuclei do not share the energy from the field in the same way. Electrons produced in multiphoton ionization share part of their energy with the nuclei, an effect that shows up in the 2D spectra in the form of energy-conservation fringes similar to those observed in weak-field ionization of diatomic molecules. In contrast, tunneling electrons lead to fringes whose position does not depend on the proton kinetic energy. At high intensity, the two processes coexist and the 2D plots show a very rich behavior, suggesting that the correlation between electron and nuclear dynamics in strong field ionization is more complex than one would have anticipated.

Unique and shared roles of the posterior parietal and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in cognitive functions

PubMed Central

Katsuki, Fumi; Constantinidis, Christos

2012-01-01

The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) and posterior parietal cortex (PPC) are two parts of a broader brain network involved in the control of cognitive functions such as working-memory, spatial attention, and decision-making. The two areas share many functional properties and exhibit similar patterns of activation during the execution of mental operations. However, neurophysiological experiments in non-human primates have also documented subtle differences, revealing functional specialization within the fronto-parietal network. These differences include the ability of the PFC to influence memory performance, attention allocation, and motor responses to a greater extent, and to resist interference by distracting stimuli. In recent years, distinct cellular and anatomical differences have been identified, offering insights into how functional specialization is achieved. This article reviews the common functions and functional differences between the PFC and PPC, and their underlying mechanisms. PMID:22563310

Cardio-oncology Related to Heart Failure: Common Risk Factors Between Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease.

PubMed

Blaes, Anne; Prizment, Anna; Koene, Ryan J; Konety, Suma

2017-04-01

There is a growing body of evidence that suggests cancer and cardiovascular disease have a shared biological mechanism. Although there are several shared risk factors for both diseases, including advancing age, gender, obesity, diabetes, physical activity, tobacco use, and diet, inflammation and biomarkers, such as insulinlike growth factor 1, leptin, estrogen, and adiponectin, may also play a role in the biology of these diseases. This article provides an overview of the shared biological mechanism between cancer and cardiovascular disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Call Admission Control on Single Node Networks under Output Rate-Controlled Generalized Processor Sharing (ORC-GPS) Scheduler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanada, Masaki; Nakazato, Hidenori; Watanabe, Hitoshi

Multimedia applications such as music or video streaming, video teleconferencing and IP telephony are flourishing in packet-switched networks. Applications that generate such real-time data can have very diverse quality-of-service (QoS) requirements. In order to guarantee diverse QoS requirements, the combined use of a packet scheduling algorithm based on Generalized Processor Sharing (GPS) and leaky bucket traffic regulator is the most successful QoS mechanism. GPS can provide a minimum guaranteed service rate for each session and tight delay bounds for leaky bucket constrained sessions. However, the delay bounds for leaky bucket constrained sessions under GPS are unnecessarily large because each session is served according to its associated constant weight until the session buffer is empty. In order to solve this problem, a scheduling policy called Output Rate-Controlled Generalized Processor Sharing (ORC-GPS) was proposed in [17]. ORC-GPS is a rate-based scheduling like GPS, and controls the service rate in order to lower the delay bounds for leaky bucket constrained sessions. In this paper, we propose a call admission control (CAC) algorithm for ORC-GPS, for leaky-bucket constrained sessions with deterministic delay requirements. This CAC algorithm for ORC-GPS determines the optimal values of parameters of ORC-GPS from the deterministic delay requirements of the sessions. In numerical experiments, we compare the CAC algorithm for ORC-GPS with one for GPS in terms of schedulable region and computational complexity.

Comparison of Object Recognition Behavior in Human and Monkey

PubMed Central

Rajalingham, Rishi; Schmidt, Kailyn

2015-01-01

Although the rhesus monkey is used widely as an animal model of human visual processing, it is not known whether invariant visual object recognition behavior is quantitatively comparable across monkeys and humans. To address this question, we systematically compared the core object recognition behavior of two monkeys with that of human subjects. To test true object recognition behavior (rather than image matching), we generated several thousand naturalistic synthetic images of 24 basic-level objects with high variation in viewing parameters and image background. Monkeys were trained to perform binary object recognition tasks on a match-to-sample paradigm. Data from 605 human subjects performing the same tasks on Mechanical Turk were aggregated to characterize “pooled human” object recognition behavior, as well as 33 separate Mechanical Turk subjects to characterize individual human subject behavior. Our results show that monkeys learn each new object in a few days, after which they not only match mean human performance but show a pattern of object confusion that is highly correlated with pooled human confusion patterns and is statistically indistinguishable from individual human subjects. Importantly, this shared human and monkey pattern of 3D object confusion is not shared with low-level visual representations (pixels, V1+; models of the retina and primary visual cortex) but is shared with a state-of-the-art computer vision feature representation. Together, these results are consistent with the hypothesis that rhesus monkeys and humans share a common neural shape representation that directly supports object perception. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT To date, several mammalian species have shown promise as animal models for studying the neural mechanisms underlying high-level visual processing in humans. In light of this diversity, making tight comparisons between nonhuman and human primates is particularly critical in determining the best use of nonhuman primates to further the goal of the field of translating knowledge gained from animal models to humans. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first systematic attempt at comparing a high-level visual behavior of humans and macaque monkeys. PMID:26338324

75 FR 54590 - Notice of 2010 National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-08

...] Notice of 2010 National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service... Certification Cost-Share Funds. The AMS has allocated $22.0 million for this organic certification cost-share... National Organic Certification Cost- Share Program is authorized under 7 U.S.C. 6523, as amended by section...

30 CFR 285.541 - What is a qualified project for revenue sharing purposes?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... revenue sharing purposes? A qualified project for the purpose of revenue sharing with eligible coastal... area extending 3 nautical miles seaward of State submerged lands. A qualified project is subject to revenue sharing with those States that are eligible for revenue sharing under § 285.542. The entire area...

A Transdiagnostic Approach to Pain and Emotion

PubMed Central

Linton, Steven J

2013-01-01

Emotion and pain are known to be intimately related, but treating co-occurring problems is still in its infancy mainly because we lack a clear theoretical understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved. This lack of understanding is problematic because treatment has proved challenging and co-occurring pain and emotional problems are associated with poor outcome, relapse, and greater sick absenteeism. Transdiagnostics has emerged as one way of focusing on the shared underlying mechanisms that drive comorbid problems. This approach has not been thoroughly examined for pain and emotion. Hence, the purpose of this review is to describe a transdiagnostic approach to pain and emotion and its clinical implications. To this end, the transdiagnostic approach is applied to pain and emotion in a narrative review of the literature. A focus on the function of emotion and pain relative to the context is underscored as a way to understand the relationship better. Avoidance, catastrophic worry, and thought suppression are put forward as three examples of potential transdiagnostic mechanisms that may underlie a co-occurring emotion and pain problem. The approach is readily translated to the clinic where assessment and treatment should focus on identifying transdiagnostic mechanisms. However, additional exploration is needed and therefore suggestions for future research are presented. PMID:24143062

The evolutionary roots of creativity: mechanisms and motivations.

PubMed

Wiggins, Geraint A; Tyack, Peter; Scharff, Constance; Rohrmeier, Martin

2015-03-19

We consider the evolution of cognition and the emergence of creative behaviour, in relation to vocal communication. We address two key questions: (i) what cognitive and/or social mechanisms have evolved that afford aspects of creativity?; (ii) has natural and/or sexual selection favoured human behaviours considered 'creative'? This entails analysis of 'creativity', an imprecise construct: comparable properties in non-humans differ in magnitude and teleology from generally agreed human creativity. We then address two apparent problems: (i) the difference between merely novel productions and 'creative' ones; (ii) the emergence of creative behaviour in spite of high cost: does it fit the idea that females choose a male who succeeds in spite of a handicap (costly ornament); or that creative males capable of producing a large and complex song repertoire grew up under favourable conditions; or a demonstration of generally beneficial heightened reasoning capacity; or an opportunity to continually reinforce social bonding through changing communication tropes; or something else? We illustrate and support our argument by reference to whale and bird song; these independently evolved biological signal mechanisms objectively share surface properties with human behaviours generally called 'creative'. Studying them may elucidate mechanisms underlying human creativity; we outline a research programme to do so. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

The evolutionary roots of creativity: mechanisms and motivations

PubMed Central

Wiggins, Geraint A.; Tyack, Peter; Scharff, Constance; Rohrmeier, Martin

2015-01-01

We consider the evolution of cognition and the emergence of creative behaviour, in relation to vocal communication. We address two key questions: (i) what cognitive and/or social mechanisms have evolved that afford aspects of creativity?; (ii) has natural and/or sexual selection favoured human behaviours considered ‘creative’? This entails analysis of ‘creativity’, an imprecise construct: comparable properties in non-humans differ in magnitude and teleology from generally agreed human creativity. We then address two apparent problems: (i) the difference between merely novel productions and ‘creative’ ones; (ii) the emergence of creative behaviour in spite of high cost: does it fit the idea that females choose a male who succeeds in spite of a handicap (costly ornament); or that creative males capable of producing a large and complex song repertoire grew up under favourable conditions; or a demonstration of generally beneficial heightened reasoning capacity; or an opportunity to continually reinforce social bonding through changing communication tropes; or something else? We illustrate and support our argument by reference to whale and bird song; these independently evolved biological signal mechanisms objectively share surface properties with human behaviours generally called ‘creative’. Studying them may elucidate mechanisms underlying human creativity; we outline a research programme to do so. PMID:25646522

42 CFR 423.782 - Cost-sharing subsidy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... individuals. Full subsidy eligible individuals are entitled to the following: (1) Elimination of the annual deductible under § 423.104(d)(1). (2) Reduction in cost-sharing for all covered Part D drugs covered under the PDP or MA-PD plan below the out-of-pocket limit (under § 423.104), including Part D drugs covered...

42 CFR 423.782 - Cost-sharing subsidy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... individuals. Full subsidy eligible individuals are entitled to the following: (1) Elimination of the annual deductible under § 423.104(d)(1). (2) Reduction in cost-sharing for all covered Part D drugs covered under the PDP or MA-PD plan below the out-of-pocket limit (under § 423.104), including Part D drugs covered...

42 CFR 423.782 - Cost-sharing subsidy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... individuals. Full subsidy eligible individuals are entitled to the following: (1) Elimination of the annual deductible under § 423.104(d)(1). (2) Reduction in cost-sharing for all covered Part D drugs covered under the PDP or MA-PD plan below the out-of-pocket limit (under § 423.104), including Part D drugs covered...

77 FR 31899 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change Relating...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-30

... Trading of iShares Strategic Beta U.S. Large Cap Fund and iShares Strategic Beta U.S. Small Cap Fund Under... Fund Shares''): iShares Strategic Beta U.S. Large Cap Fund and iShares Strategic Beta U.S. Small Cap...: \\3\\ iShares Strategic Beta U.S. Large Cap Fund and iShares Strategic Beta U.S. Small Cap Fund (each...

78 FR 7835 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BOX Options Exchange LLC; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-04

... at $145 per share would carry a total deliverable value of $145,000, and the strike price would be... Jumbo option strike price of $145 was trading at $146 per share, the intrinsic $1 per share value would... Shares Deliverable Upon Exercise 100 shares........ 1,000 shares Strike Price if underlying is 45 45 $45...

76 FR 28493 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change To List...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-17

... of ProShares Short VIX Short-Term Futures ETF, ProShares Short VIX Mid-Term Futures ETF, ProShares Ultra VIX Short-Term Futures ETF, ProShares Ultra VIX Mid- Term Futures ETF, ProShares UltraShort VIX Short-Term Futures ETF, and ProShares UltraShort VIX Mid-Term Futures ETF Under NYSE Arca Equities Rule...

26 CFR 1.936-7 - Manner of making election under section 936 (h)(5); special election for export sales; revocation...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... election to use the cost sharing method or profit split method? A. 1: A possessions corporation makes an election to use the cost sharing or profit split method by filing Form 5712-A (“Election and Verification of the Cost Sharing or Profit Split Method Under Section 936(h)(5)”) and attaching it to its tax...

47 CFR 73.561 - Operating schedule; time sharing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Operating schedule; time sharing. 73.561...; time sharing. (a) All noncommercial educational FM stations will be licensed for unlimited time operation except those stations operating under a time sharing arrangement. All noncommercial educational FM...

38 CFR 17.241 - Sharing medical information services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Sharing medical... AFFAIRS MEDICAL Sharing of Medical Facilities, Equipment, and Information § 17.241 Sharing medical... Under Secretary for Health shall prescribe, Directors of Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers...

Single-molecule protein unfolding and translocation by an ATP-fueled proteolytic machine

PubMed Central

Aubin-Tam, Marie-Eve; Olivares, Adrian O.; Sauer, Robert T.; Baker, Tania A.; Lang, Matthew J.

2011-01-01

All cells employ ATP-powered proteases for protein-quality control and regulation. In the ClpXP protease, ClpX is a AAA+ machine that recognizes specific protein substrates, unfolds these molecules, and then translocates the denatured polypeptide through a central pore and into ClpP for degradation. Here, we use optical-trapping nanometry to probe the mechanics of enzymatic unfolding and translocation of single molecules of a multidomain substrate. Our experiments demonstrate the capacity of ClpXP and ClpX to perform mechanical work under load, reveal very fast and highly cooperative unfolding of individual substrate domains, suggest a translocation step size of 5–8 amino acids, and support a power-stroke model of denaturation in which successful enzyme-mediated unfolding of stable domains requires coincidence between mechanical pulling by the enzyme and a transient stochastic reduction in protein stability. We anticipate that single-molecule studies of the mechanical properties of other AAA+ proteolytic machines will reveal many shared features with ClpXP. PMID:21496645

What happened to anti-malarial markets after the Affordable Medicines Facility-malaria pilot? Trends in ACT availability, price and market share from five African countries under continuation of the private sector co-payment mechanism.

PubMed

Tougher, Sarah; Hanson, Kara; Goodman, Catherine

2017-04-25

The private sector supplies anti-malarial treatment for large proportions of patients in sub-Saharan Africa. Following the large-scale piloting of the Affordable Medicines Facility-malaria (AMFm) from 2010 to 2011, a private sector co-payment mechanism (CPM) provided continuation of private sector subsidies for quality-assured artemisinin combination therapies (QAACT). This article analyses for the first time the extent to which improvements in private sector QAACT supply and distribution observed during the AMFm were maintained or intensified during continuation of the CPM through 2015 in Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda using repeat cross-sectional outlet survey data. QAACT market share in all five countries increased during the AMFm period (p < 0.001). According to the data from the last ACTwatch survey round, in all study countries except Madagascar, AMFm levels of private sector QAACT availability were maintained or improved. In 2014/15, private sector QAACT availability was greater than 70% in Nigeria (84.3%), Kenya (70.5%), Tanzania (83.0%) and Uganda (77.1%), but only 11.2% in Madagascar. QAACT market share was maintained or improved post-AMFm in Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda, but statistically significant declines were observed in Kenya and Madagascar. In 2014/5, QAACT market share was highest in Kenya and Uganda (48.2 and 47.5%, respectively) followed by Tanzania (39.2%), Nigeria (35.0%), and Madagascar (7.0%). Four of the five countries experienced significant decreases in median QAACT price during the AMFm period. Private sector QAACT prices were maintained or further reduced in Tanzania, Nigeria and Uganda, but prices increased significantly in Kenya and Madagascar. SP prices were consistently lower than those of QAACT in the AMFm period, with the exception of Kenya and Tanzania in 2011, where they were equal. In 2014/5 QAACT remained two to three times more expensive than the most popular non-artemisinin therapy in all countries except Tanzania. Results suggest that a private sector co-payment mechanism for QAACT implemented at national scale for 5 years was associated with positive and sustained improvements in QAACT availability, price and market share in Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda, with more mixed results in Kenya, and few improvements in Madagascar. The subsidy mechanism as implemented over time across countries was not sufficient on its own to achieve optimal QAACT uptake. Supporting interventions to address continued availability and distribution of non-artemisinin therapies, and to create demand for QAACT among providers and consumers need to be effectively implemented to realize the full potential of this subsidy mechanism. Furthermore, there is need for comprehensive market assessments to identify contemporary market barriers to high coverage with both confirmatory testing and appropriate treatment.

Genetic Overlap Between Schizophrenia and Volumes of Hippocampus, Putamen, and Intracranial Volume Indicates Shared Molecular Genetic Mechanisms.

PubMed

Smeland, Olav B; Wang, Yunpeng; Frei, Oleksandr; Li, Wen; Hibar, Derrek P; Franke, Barbara; Bettella, Francesco; Witoelar, Aree; Djurovic, Srdjan; Chen, Chi-Hua; Thompson, Paul M; Dale, Anders M; Andreassen, Ole A

2018-06-06

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is associated with differences in subcortical brain volumes and intracranial volume (ICV). However, little is known about the underlying etiology of these brain alterations. Here, we explored whether brain structure volumes and SCZ share genetic risk factors. Using conditional false discovery rate (FDR) analysis, we integrated genome-wide association study (GWAS) data on SCZ (n = 82315) and GWAS data on 7 subcortical brain volumes and ICV (n = 11840). By conditioning the FDR on overlapping associations, this statistical approach increases power to discover genetic loci. To assess the credibility of our approach, we studied the identified loci in larger GWAS samples on ICV (n = 26577) and hippocampal volume (n = 26814). We observed polygenic overlap between SCZ and volumes of hippocampus, putamen, and ICV. Based on conjunctional FDR < 0.05, we identified 2 loci shared between SCZ and ICV implicating genes FOXO3 (rs10457180) and ITIH4 (rs4687658), 2 loci shared between SCZ and hippocampal volume implicating SLC4A10 (rs4664442) and SPATS2L (rs1653290), and 2 loci shared between SCZ and volume of putamen implicating DCC (rs4632195) and DLG2 (rs11233632). The loci shared between SCZ and hippocampal volume or ICV had not reached significance in the primary GWAS on brain phenotypes. Proving our point of increased power, 2 loci did reach genome-wide significance with ICV (rs10457180) and hippocampal volume (rs4664442) in the larger GWAS. Three of the 6 identified loci are novel for SCZ. Altogether, the findings provide new insights into the relationship between SCZ and brain structure volumes, suggesting that their genetic architectures are not independent.

Control processes through the suppression of the automatic response activation triggered by task-irrelevant information in the Simon-type tasks.

PubMed

Kim, Sanga; Lee, Sang Ho; Cho, Yang Seok

2015-11-01

The congruency sequence effect, one of the indices of cognitive control, refers to a smaller congruency effect after an incongruent than congruent trial. Although the effect has been found across a variety of conflict tasks, there is not yet agreement on the underlying mechanism. The present study investigated the mechanism underlying cognitive control by using a cross-task paradigm. In Experiments 1, 2, and 3, participants performed a modified Simon task and a spatial Stroop task alternately in a trial-by-trial manner. The task-irrelevant dimension of the two tasks was perceptually and conceptually identical in Experiment 1, whereas it was perceptually different but conceptually identical in Experiment 2. The response sets for both tasks were different in Experiment 3. In Experiment 4, participants performed two Simon tasks with different task-relevant dimensions. In all experiments in which the task-irrelevant dimension and response mode were shared, significant congruency sequence effects were found between the two different congruencies, indicating that Simon-type conflicts were resolved by a control mechanism, which is specific to an abstract task-irrelevant stimulus spatial dimension. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Direct Binding between Pre-S1 and TRP-like Domains in TRPP Channels Mediates Gating and Functional Regulation by PIP2.

PubMed

Zheng, Wang; Cai, Ruiqi; Hofmann, Laura; Nesin, Vasyl; Hu, Qiaolin; Long, Wentong; Fatehi, Mohammad; Liu, Xiong; Hussein, Shaimaa; Kong, Tim; Li, Jingru; Light, Peter E; Tang, Jingfeng; Flockerzi, Veit; Tsiokas, Leonidas; Chen, Xing-Zhen

2018-02-06

Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are regulated by diverse stimuli comprising thermal, chemical, and mechanical modalities. They are also commonly regulated by phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), with underlying mechanisms largely unknown. We here revealed an intramolecular interaction of the TRPP3 N and C termini (N-C) that is functionally essential. The interaction was mediated by aromatic Trp81 in pre-S1 domain and cationic Lys568 in TRP-like domain. Structure-function analyses revealed similar N-C interaction in TRPP2 as well as TRPM8/-V1/-C4 via highly conserved tryptophan and lysine/arginine residues. PIP2 bound to cationic residues in TRPP3, including K568, thereby disrupting the N-C interaction and negatively regulating TRPP3. PIP2 had similar negative effects on TRPP2. Interestingly, we found that PIP2 facilitates the N-C interaction in TRPM8/-V1, resulting in channel potentiation. The intramolecular N-C interaction might represent a shared mechanism underlying the gating and PIP2 regulation of TRP channels. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Underlying mechanisms for syntrophic metabolism of essential enzyme cofactors in microbial communities

PubMed Central

Romine, Margaret F; Rodionov, Dmitry A; Maezato, Yukari; Osterman, Andrei L; Nelson, William C

2017-01-01

Many microorganisms are unable to synthesize essential B vitamin-related enzyme cofactors de novo. The underlying mechanisms by which such microbes survive in multi-species communities are largely unknown. We previously reported the near-complete genome sequence of two ~18-member unicyanobacterial microbial consortia that maintain stable membership on defined medium lacking vitamins. Here we have used genome analysis and growth studies on isolates derived from the consortia to reconstruct pathways for biogenesis of eight essential cofactors and predict cofactor usage and precursor exchange in these communities. Our analyses revealed that all but the two Halomonas and cyanobacterial community members were auxotrophic for at least one cofactor. We also observed a mosaic distribution of salvage routes for a variety of cofactor precursors, including those produced by photolysis. Potentially bidirectional transporters were observed to be preferentially in prototrophs, suggesting a mechanism for controlled precursor release. Furthermore, we found that Halomonas sp. do not require cobalamin nor control its synthesis, supporting the hypothesis that they overproduce and export vitamins. Collectively, these observations suggest that the consortia rely on syntrophic metabolism of cofactors as a survival strategy for optimization of metabolic exchange within a shared pool of micronutrients. PMID:28186498

The paradox of Foxd3: how does it function in pluripotency and differentiation of embryonic stem cells?

PubMed

Plank-Bazinet, Jennifer L; Mundell, Nathan A

2016-01-01

Uncommitted cells of the early mammalian embryo transition through distinct stages of pluripotency, including establishment of ground state "naïve" pluripotency in the early epiblast, transition to a post-implantation "primed" state, and subsequent lineage commitment of the gastrulating epiblast. Previous transcriptional profiling of in vitro models to recapitulate early to late epiblast transition and differentiation suggest that distinct gene regulatory networks are likely to function in each of these states. While the mechanisms underlying transition between pluripotent states are poorly understood, the forkhead family transcription factor Foxd3 has emerged as a key regulatory factor. Foxd3 is required to maintain pluripotent cells of the murine epiblast and for survival, self-renewal and pluripotency of embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Two recent, simultaneous studies have shed light on how Foxd3 regulates gene expression in early cell fate transitions of progenitor cells. While the two publications shared some common findings, they also presented some conflicting results and suggest different models for the mechanisms underlying Foxd3 function. Here, we discuss the key similarities and differences between the publications, highlight data from the literature relevant to their findings, and hypothesize a potential mechanism of Foxd3 action.

The Co-occurring Use and Misuse of Cannabis and Tobacco: A Review

PubMed Central

Agrawal, Arpana; Budney, Alan J.; Lynskey, Michael T.

2012-01-01

Aims Cannabis and tobacco use and misuse frequently co-occur. This review examines the epidemiological evidence supporting the lifetime co-occurrence of cannabis and tobacco use and outlines the mechanisms that link these drugs to each other. Mechanisms include (a) shared genetic factors; (b) shared environmental influences, including (c) route of administration (via smoking), (d) co-administration and (e) models of co-use. We also discuss respiratory harms associated with co-use of cannabis and tobacco, overlapping withdrawal syndromes and outline treatment implications for cooccurring use. Methods Selective review of published studies. Results Both cannabis and tobacco use and misuse are influenced by genetic factors and a proportion of these genetic factors influence both cannabis and tobacco use and misuse. Environmental factors such as availability play an important role, with economic models suggesting a complementary relationship where increases in price of one drug decrease the use of the other. Route of administration and smoking cues may contribute to their sustained use. Similar withdrawal syndromes, with many symptoms in common, may have important treatment implications. Emerging evidence suggests that dual abstinence may predict better cessation outcomes, yet empirically researched treatments tailored for co-occurring use are lacking. Conclusion There is accumulating evidence that some mechanisms linking cannabis and tobacco use are distinct from those contributing to co-occurring use of drugs in general. There is an urgent need for research to identify the underlying mechanisms and harness their potential etiological implications to tailor treatment options for this serious public health challenge. PMID:22300456

Residential Arrangements and Children's School Engagement: The Role of the Parent-Child Relationship and Selection Mechanisms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Havermans, Nele; Sodermans, An Katrien; Matthijs, Koen

2017-01-01

The increase in shared residential arrangements is driven by the belief that it is in the best interest of the child. The maintenance of contact between child and parents can mitigate negative consequences of separation. However, selection mechanisms may account for a positive relationship between shared residential arrangements and child…

Efficient Access Control in Multimedia Social Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sachan, Amit; Emmanuel, Sabu

Multimedia social networks (MMSNs) have provided a convenient way to share multimedia contents such as images, videos, blogs, etc. Contents shared by a person can be easily accessed by anybody else over the Internet. However, due to various privacy, security, and legal concerns people often want to selectively share the contents only with their friends, family, colleagues, etc. Access control mechanisms play an important role in this situation. With access control mechanisms one can decide the persons who can access a shared content and who cannot. But continuously growing content uploads and accesses, fine grained access control requirements (e.g. different access control parameters for different parts in a picture), and specific access control requirements for multimedia contents can make the time complexity of access control to be very large. So, it is important to study an efficient access control mechanism suitable for MMSNs. In this chapter we present an efficient bit-vector transform based access control mechanism for MMSNs. The proposed approach is also compatible with other requirements of MMSNs, such as access rights modification, content deletion, etc. Mathematical analysis and experimental results show the effectiveness and efficiency of our proposed approach.

Relating group size and posting activity of an online community of financial investors: Regularities and seasonal patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Racca, P.; Casarin, R.; Dondio, P.; Squazzoni, F.

2018-03-01

Group size can potentially affect collective activity and individual propensity to contribute to collective goods. Mancur Olson, in his Logic of Collective Action, argued that individual contribution to a collective good tends to be lower in groups of large size. Today, online communication platforms represent an interesting ground to study such collaborative dynamics under possibly different conditions (e.g., lower costs related to gather and share information). This paper examines the relationship between group size and activity in an online financial forum, where users invest time in sharing news, analysis and comments with other investors. We looked at about 24 million messages shared in more than ten years in the finanzaonline.com online forum. We found that the relationship between the number of active users and the number of posts shared by those users is of the power type (with exponent α > 1) and is subject to periodic fluctuations, mostly driven by hour-of-the-day and day-of-the-week effects. The daily patterns of the exponent showed a divergence between working week and weekend days. In general, the exponent was lower before noon, where investors are typically interested in market news, higher in the late afternoon, where markets are closing and investors need better understanding of the situation. Further research is needed, especially at the micro level, to dissect the mechanisms behind these regularities.

Similar folds with different stabilization mechanisms: the cases of prion and doppel proteins

PubMed Central

Colacino, Stefano; Tiana, Guido; Colombo, Giorgio

2006-01-01

Background Protein misfolding is the main cause of a group of fatal neurodegenerative diseases in humans and animals. In particular, in Prion-related diseases the normal cellular form of the Prion Protein PrP (PrPC) is converted into the infectious PrPSc through a conformational process during which it acquires a high β-sheet content. Doppel is a protein that shares a similar native fold, but lacks the scrapie isoform. Understanding the molecular determinants of these different behaviours is important both for biomedical and biophysical research. Results In this paper, the dynamical and energetic properties of the two proteins in solution is comparatively analyzed by means of long time scale explicit solvent, all-atom molecular dynamics in different temperature conditions. The trajectories are analyzed by means of a recently introduced energy decomposition approach (Tiana et al, Prot. Sci. 2004) aimed at identifying the key residues for the stabilization and folding of the protein. Our analysis shows that Prion and Doppel have two different cores stabilizing the native state and that the relative contribution of the nucleus to the global stability of the protein for Doppel is sensitively higher than for PrP. Moreover, under misfolding conditions the Doppel core is conserved, while the energy stabilization network of PrP is disrupted. Conclusion These observations suggest that different sequences can share similar native topology with different stabilizing interactions and that the sequences of the Prion and Doppel proteins may have diverged under different evolutionary constraints resulting in different folding and stabilization mechanisms. PMID:16857062

7 CFR 1435.313 - Permanent transfer of acreage base histories under proportionate shares.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Permanent transfer of acreage base histories under... histories under proportionate shares. (a) A sugarcane producer on a farm may transfer all or a portion of the producer's acreage base history of land owned, operated, or controlled to any other farm in the...

7 CFR 1435.313 - Permanent transfer of acreage base histories under proportionate shares.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Permanent transfer of acreage base histories under... histories under proportionate shares. (a) A sugarcane producer on a farm may transfer all or a portion of the producer's acreage base history of land owned, operated, or controlled to any other farm in the...

7 CFR 1435.313 - Permanent transfer of acreage base histories under proportionate shares.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Permanent transfer of acreage base histories under... histories under proportionate shares. (a) A sugarcane producer on a farm may transfer all or a portion of the producer's acreage base history of land owned, operated, or controlled to any other farm in the...

7 CFR 1435.313 - Permanent transfer of acreage base histories under proportionate shares.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Permanent transfer of acreage base histories under... histories under proportionate shares. (a) A sugarcane producer on a farm may transfer all or a portion of the producer's acreage base history of land owned, operated, or controlled to any other farm in the...

7 CFR 1435.313 - Permanent transfer of acreage base histories under proportionate shares.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Permanent transfer of acreage base histories under... histories under proportionate shares. (a) A sugarcane producer on a farm may transfer all or a portion of the producer's acreage base history of land owned, operated, or controlled to any other farm in the...

Story time turbocharger? Child engagement during shared reading and cerebellar activation and connectivity in preschool-age children listening to stories

PubMed Central

Phelan, Kieran; Horowitz-Kraus, Tzipi; Dudley, Jonathan; Altaye, Mekibib; DeWitt, Thomas; Holland, Scott K.

2017-01-01

Expanding behavioral and neurobiological evidence affirms benefits of shared (especially parent-child) reading on cognitive development during early childhood. However, the majority of this evidence involves factors under caregiver control, the influence of those intrinsic to the child, such as interest or engagement in reading, largely indirect or unclear. The cerebellum is increasingly recognized as playing a “smoothing” role in higher-level cognitive processing and learning, via feedback loops with language, limbic and association cortices. We utilized functional MRI to explore the relationship between child engagement during a mother-child reading observation and neural activation and connectivity during a story listening task, in a sample of 4-year old girls. Children exhibiting greater interest and engagement in the narrative showed increased activation in right-sided cerebellar association areas during the task, and greater functional connectivity between this activation cluster and language and executive function areas. Our findings suggest a potential cerebellar “boost” mechanism responsive to child engagement level that may contribute to emergent literacy development during early childhood, and synergy between caregiver and child factors during story sharing. PMID:28562619

Suicidal ideation, depression, and conduct disorder in a sample of adolescent and young adult twins

PubMed Central

Linker, Julie; Gillespie, Nathan A; Maes, Hermine; Eaves, Lindon; Silberg, Judy L.

2012-01-01

Background The co-occurrence of suicidal ideation, depression, and conduct disturbance is likely explained in part by correlated genetic and environmental risk factors. Little is known about the specific nature of these associations. Method Structured interviews on 2814 twins from the Virginia Twin Study of Adolescent Behavioral Development (VTSABD) and young adult follow-up (YAFU) yielded data on symptoms of depression, conduct disorder and adolescent and young adult suicidal ideation. Results Univariate analyses revealed that the familial aggregation for each trait was explained by a combination of additive genetic and shared environmental effects. Suicidal ideation in adolescence was explained in part by genetic influences, but predominantly accounted for by environmental factors. A mixture of genetic and shared environmental influences explained ideation occurring in young adulthood. Multivariate analyses revealed that there are genetic and shared environmental effects common to suicidal ideation, depression, and conduct disorder. The association between adolescent suicidal ideation and CD was attributable to the same genetic and environmental risk factors for depression. Conclusions These findings underscore that prevention and intervention strategies should reflect the different underlying mechanisms involving depression and conduct disorder to assist in identifying adolescents at suicidal risk. PMID:22646517

Misery loves company: team dissonance and the influence of supervisor-focused interpersonal justice climate on team cohesiveness.

PubMed

Stoverink, Adam C; Umphress, Elizabeth E; Gardner, Richard G; Miner, Kathi N

2014-11-01

The organizational justice literature has examined the effects of supervisor-focused interpersonal justice climate, or a team's shared perception of the dignity and respect it receives from its supervisor, on a number of important outcomes directed at organizational authorities. Considerably less is known about the potential influence of these shared perceptions on coworker-directed outcomes. In 2 experiments, we predict that a low (unfair) supervisor-focused interpersonal justice climate generates greater team cohesiveness than a high (fair) supervisor-focused interpersonal justice climate. We further examine the process through which this effect occurs. Drawing from cognitive dissonance theory, we predict that low (vs. high) supervisor-focused interpersonal justice climate generates greater team dissonance, or shared psychological discomfort, for team members and that this dissonance serves as an underlying mechanism through which supervisor-focused interpersonal justice climate influences a team's cohesiveness. Our results demonstrate support for these predictions in that low supervisor-focused interpersonal justice climate led to higher levels of both team dissonance and team cohesiveness than did high supervisor-focused interpersonal justice climate, and team dissonance mediated this relationship. Implications and areas for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

Suicidal ideation, depression, and conduct disorder in a sample of adolescent and young adult twins.

PubMed

Linker, Julie; Gillespie, Nathan A; Maes, Hermine; Eaves, Lindon; Silberg, Judy L

2012-08-01

The co-occurrence of suicidal ideation, depression, and conduct disturbance is likely explained in part by correlated genetic and environmental risk factors. Little is known about the specific nature of these associations. Structured interviews on 2,814 twins from the Virginia Twin Study of Adolescent Behavioral Development (VTSABD) and Young Adult Follow-Up (YAFU) yielded data on symptoms of depression, conduct disorder, and adolescent and young adult suicidal ideation. Univariate analyses revealed that the familial aggregation for each trait was explained by a combination of additive genetic and shared environmental effects. Suicidal ideation in adolescence was explained in part by genetic influences, but predominantly accounted for by environmental factors. A mixture of genetic and shared environmental influences explained ideation occurring in young adulthood. Multivariate analyses revealed that there are genetic and shared environmental effects common to suicidal ideation, depression, and conduct disorder. The association between adolescent suicidal ideation and CD was attributable to the same genetic and environmental risk factors for depression. These findings underscore that prevention and intervention strategies should reflect the different underlying mechanisms involving depression and conduct disorder to assist in identifying adolescents at suicidal risk. © 2012 The American Association of Suicidology.

Common Visual Preference for Curved Contours in Humans and Great Apes.

PubMed

Munar, Enric; Gómez-Puerto, Gerardo; Call, Josep; Nadal, Marcos

2015-01-01

Among the visual preferences that guide many everyday activities and decisions, from consumer choices to social judgment, preference for curved over sharp-angled contours is commonly thought to have played an adaptive role throughout human evolution, favoring the avoidance of potentially harmful objects. However, because nonhuman primates also exhibit preferences for certain visual qualities, it is conceivable that humans' preference for curved contours is grounded on perceptual and cognitive mechanisms shared with extant nonhuman primate species. Here we aimed to determine whether nonhuman great apes and humans share a visual preference for curved over sharp-angled contours using a 2-alternative forced choice experimental paradigm under comparable conditions. Our results revealed that the human group and the great ape group indeed share a common preference for curved over sharp-angled contours, but that they differ in the manner and magnitude with which this preference is expressed behaviorally. These results suggest that humans' visual preference for curved objects evolved from earlier primate species' visual preferences, and that during this process it became stronger, but also more susceptible to the influence of higher cognitive processes and preference for other visual features.

The mitochondrial phylogeny of an ancient lineage of ray-finned fishes (Polypteridae) with implications for the evolution of body elongation, pelvic fin loss, and craniofacial morphology in Osteichthyes

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The family Polypteridae, commonly known as "bichirs", is a lineage that diverged early in the evolutionary history of Actinopterygii (ray-finned fish), but has been the subject of far less evolutionary study than other members of that clade. Uncovering patterns of morphological change within Polypteridae provides an important opportunity to evaluate if the mechanisms underlying morphological evolution are shared among actinoptyerygians, and in fact, perhaps the entire osteichthyan (bony fish and tetrapods) tree of life. However, the greatest impediment to elucidating these patterns is the lack of a well-resolved, highly-supported phylogenetic tree of Polypteridae. In fact, the interrelationships of polypterid species have never been subject to molecular phylogenetic analysis. Here, we infer the first molecular phylogeny of bichirs, including all 12 recognized species and multiple subspecies using Bayesian analyses of 16S and cyt-b mtDNA. We use this mitochondrial phylogeny, ancestral state reconstruction, and geometric morphometrics to test whether patterns of morphological evolution, including the evolution of body elongation, pelvic fin reduction, and craniofacial morphology, are shared throughout the osteichthyan tree of life. Results Our molecular phylogeny reveals 1) a basal divergence between Erpetoichthys and Polypterus, 2) polyphyly of P. endlicheri and P. palmas, and thus 3) the current taxonomy of Polypteridae masks its underlying genetic diversity. Ancestral state reconstructions suggest that pelvic fins were lost independently in Erpetoichthys, and unambiguously estimate multiple independent derivations of body elongation and shortening. Our mitochondrial phylogeny suggested species that have lower jaw protrusion and up-righted orbit are closely related to each other, indicating a single transformation of craniofacial morphology. Conclusion The mitochondrial phylogeny of polypterid fish provides a strongly-supported phylogenetic framework for future comparative evolutionary, physiological, ecological, and genetic analyses. Indeed, ancestral reconstruction and geometric morphometric analyses revealed that the patterns of morphological evolution in Polypteridae are similar to those seen in other osteichthyans, thus implying the underlying genetic and developmental mechanisms responsible for those patterns were established early in the evolutionary history of Osteichthyes. We propose developmental and genetic mechanisms to be tested under the light of this new phylogenetic framework. PMID:20100320

Complexities of gene expression patterns in natural populations of an extremophile fish (Poecilia mexicana, Poeciliidae)

PubMed Central

Passow, Courtney N.; Brown, Anthony P.; Arias-Rodriguez, Lenin; Yee, Muh-Ching; Sockell, Alexandra; Schartl, Manfred; Warren, Wesley C.; Bustamante, Carlos; Kelley, Joanna L.; Tobler, Michael

2017-01-01

Variation in gene expression can provide insights into organismal responses to environmental stress and physiological mechanisms mediating adaptation to habitats with contrasting environmental conditions. We performed an RNA-sequencing experiment to quantify gene expression patterns in fish adapted to habitats with different combinations of environmental stressors, including the presence of toxic hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and the absence of light in caves. We specifically asked how gene expression varies among populations living in different habitats, whether population differences were consistent among organs, and whether there is evidence for shared expression responses in populations exposed to the same stressors. We analysed organ-specific transcriptome-wide data from four ecotypes of Poecilia mexicana (nonsulphidic surface, sulphidic surface, nonsulphidic cave and sulphidic cave). The majority of variation in gene expression was correlated with organ type, and the presence of specific environmental stressors elicited unique expression differences among organs. Shared patterns of gene expression between populations exposed to the same environmental stressors increased with levels of organismal organization (from transcript to gene to physiological pathway). In addition, shared patterns of gene expression were more common between populations from sulphidic than populations from cave habitats, potentially indicating that physiochemical stressors with clear biochemical consequences can constrain the diversity of adaptive solutions that mitigate their adverse effects. Overall, our analyses provided insights into transcriptional variation in a unique system, in which adaptation to H2S and darkness coincide. Functional annotations of differentially expressed genes provide a springboard for investigating physiological mechanisms putatively underlying adaptation to extreme environments. PMID:28598519

Integrating primary and secondary care for children and young people: sharing practice.

PubMed

Woodman, Jenny; Lewis, Hannah; Cheung, Ronny; Gilbert, Ruth; Wijlaars, Linda Pmm

2016-09-01

To share innovative practice with enough detail to be useful for paediatricians involved in planning services. A review of practice, adopting a realist approach. We collected detailed information about five initiatives which were presented at two meetings in July and October 2014 and telephone interviews between July and November 2014 with key informants, updating information again in February 2015. The five case studies involved three clinical commissioning groups (CCGs): Islington CCG and Southwark and Lambeth CCG in London and Taunton CCG in the Southwest. All five initiatives involved acute paediatric units. We heard about four distinct types of services designed to bring paediatric expertise into primary care and/or improve joint working between paediatricians and primary care professionals: telephone multidisciplinary team, hospital at home, general practitioner (GP) outreach clinics, and advice and guidance. We defined four common ways that initiatives might work: promoting shared responsibility; upskilling GPs; establishing relationships between paediatricians and primary healthcare professionals; and by taking specialist care to the patient. We derived common aims and mechanisms and generated programme (mid-level) theory for each integrated care initiative about how they might work. These descriptions of what is being done can inform debate about which interventions should be prioritised for wider implementation. There is an urgent need for evaluation of these interventions and more indepth research into how mechanisms and their effectiveness could be assessed. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

76 FR 9065 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Order Approving a Proposed Rule Change To List...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-16

...-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Order Approving a Proposed Rule Change To List and Trade Shares of...,\\2\\ a proposed rule change to list and trade shares (``Shares'') of the SPDR Nuveen S&P High Yield... shares (``Shares'') under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 5.2(j)(3), Commentary .02, which governs the listing...

40 CFR 35.575 - Maximum federal share.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Maximum federal share. 35.575 Section...) § 35.575 Maximum federal share. (a) For Tribes and Intertribal Consortia eligible under § 35.573(a... the maximum federal share to 90 percent if the Regional Administrator determines that the Tribe or...

HdeB chaperone activity is coupled to its intrinsic dynamic properties

PubMed Central

Ding, Jienv; Yang, Chengfeng; Niu, Xiaogang; Hu, Yunfei; Jin, Changwen

2015-01-01

Enteric bacteria encounter extreme acidity when passing through hosts’ stomach. Since the bacterial periplasmic space quickly equilibrates with outer environment, an efficient acid resistance mechanism is essential in preventing irreversible protein denaturation/aggregation and maintaining bacteria viability. HdeB, along with its homolog HdeA, was identified as a periplasmic acid-resistant chaperone. Both proteins exist as homodimers and share similar monomeric structures under neutral pH, while showing different dimeric packing interfaces. Previous investigations show that HdeA functions through an acid-induced dimer-to-monomer transition and partial unfolding at low pH (pH 2–3), resulting in exposure of hydrophobic surfaces that bind substrate proteins. In contrast, HdeB appears to have a much higher optimal activation pH (pH 4–5), under which condition the protein maintains a well-folded dimer and the mechanism for its chaperone activity remains elusive. Herein, we present an NMR study of HdeB to investigate its dynamic properties. Our results reveal that HdeB undergoes significant micro- to milli-second timescale conformational exchanges at neutral to near-neutral pH, under the later condition it exhibits optimal activity. The current study indicates that HdeB activation is coupled to its intrinsic dynamics instead of structural changes, and therefore its functional mechanism is apparently different from HdeA. PMID:26593705

Physician responsibility for the cost of unnecessary medical services.

PubMed

Eisenberg, J M; Rosoff, A J

1978-07-13

Most diagnostic and therapeutic services are ordered by physicians, but physicians practicing under fee-for-service conditions have few incentives to contain the costs of medical care. Without such incentives, effective cost control through mechanisms such as Professional Standards Review Organizations have been disappointing. Several legal approaches might be used to increase physicians' responsibility for the cost of unnecessary services--expansion of tort law, implied contact, redesign of insurance mechanisms, equitable estoppel and informed consent. However, increasing physician responsibility will require uniform but flexible definitions of medical necessity, reliable means for predeterming the need for services and effective penalties or incentives. We propose a peer-review system that would incorporate the sharing of financial risk among physician, hospital, insurer and patient in the fee-for-service sector.

Morbillivirus Experimental Animal Models: Measles Virus Pathogenesis Insights from Canine Distemper Virus

PubMed Central

da Fontoura Budaszewski, Renata; von Messling, Veronika

2016-01-01

Morbilliviruses share considerable structural and functional similarities. Even though disease severity varies among the respective host species, the underlying pathogenesis and the clinical signs are comparable. Thus, insights gained with one morbillivirus often apply to the other members of the genus. Since the Canine distemper virus (CDV) causes severe and often lethal disease in dogs and ferrets, it is an attractive model to characterize morbillivirus pathogenesis mechanisms and to evaluate the efficacy of new prophylactic and therapeutic approaches. This review compares the cellular tropism, pathogenesis, mechanisms of persistence and immunosuppression of the Measles virus (MeV) and CDV. It then summarizes the contributions made by studies on the CDV in dogs and ferrets to our understanding of MeV pathogenesis and to vaccine and drugs development. PMID:27727184

The evolutionary roots of human decision making.

PubMed

Santos, Laurie R; Rosati, Alexandra G

2015-01-03

Humans exhibit a suite of biases when making economic decisions. We review recent research on the origins of human decision making by examining whether similar choice biases are seen in nonhuman primates, our closest phylogenetic relatives. We propose that comparative studies can provide insight into four major questions about the nature of human choice biases that cannot be addressed by studies of our species alone. First, research with other primates can address the evolution of human choice biases and identify shared versus human-unique tendencies in decision making. Second, primate studies can constrain hypotheses about the psychological mechanisms underlying such biases. Third, comparisons of closely related species can identify when distinct mechanisms underlie related biases by examining evolutionary dissociations in choice strategies. Finally, comparative work can provide insight into the biological rationality of economically irrational preferences.

Alteration of bioelectrically-controlled processes in the embryo: a teratogenic mechanism for anticonvulsants.

PubMed

Hernández-Díaz, Sonia; Levin, Michael

2014-08-01

Maternal use of anticonvulsants during the first trimester of pregnancy has been associated with an elevated risk of major congenital malformations in the offspring. Whether the increased risk is caused by the specific pharmacological mechanisms of certain anticonvulsants, the underlying epilepsy, or common genetic or environmental risk factors shared by epilepsy and malformations has been controversial. We hypothesize that anticonvulsant therapies during pregnancy that attain more successful inhibition of neurotransmission might lead to both better seizure control in the mother and stronger alteration of bioelectrically-controlled processes in the embryo that result in structural malformations. We propose that development of pharmaceuticals that do not alter cell resting transmembrane voltage levels could result in safer drugs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Coordination-based inventory management for deteriorating items in a two-echelon supply chain with profit sharing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Jonas C. P.; Lin, Yu-Siang; Wang, Kung-Jeng

2013-09-01

This study develops a model for inventory management consisting of a two-echelon supply chain (SC) with profit sharing and deteriorating items. The retailer and the supplier act as the leader and follower, in which the supplier faces a huge setup cost and economic order quantity ordering strategy. The market demand is affected by the sale price of the product, and the inventory has a deterioration rate following a Weibull distribution. The retailer executes three profit-sharing mechanisms to motivate the supplier to participate in SC optimisation and to extend the life cycle of the product. A search algorithm is developed to determine the solutions as using the profit-sharing mechanisms. The outcomes from numerical experiments demonstrate the profitability of the proposed model.

Do intraspecific or interspecific interactions determine responses to predators feeding on a shared size-structured prey community?

PubMed

ten Brink, Hanna; Mazumdar, Abul Kalam Azad; Huddart, Joseph; Persson, Lennart; Cameron, Tom C

2015-03-01

Coexistence of predators that share the same prey is common. This is still the case in size-structured predator communities where predators consume prey species of different sizes (interspecific prey responses) or consume different size classes of the same species of prey (intraspecific prey responses). A mechanism has recently been proposed to explain coexistence between predators that differ in size but share the same prey species, emergent facilitation, which is dependent on strong intraspecific responses from one or more prey species. Under emergent facilitation, predators can depend on each other for invasion, persistence or success in a size-structured prey community. Experimental evidence for intraspecific size-structured responses in prey populations remains rare, and further questions remain about direct interactions between predators that could prevent or limit any positive effects between predators [e.g. intraguild predation (IGP)]. Here, we provide a community-wide experiment on emergent facilitation including natural predators. We investigate both the direct interactions between two predators that differ in body size (fish vs. invertebrate predator), and the indirect interaction between them via their shared prey community (zooplankton). Our evidence supports the most likely expectation of interactions between differently sized predators that IGP rates are high, and interspecific interactions in the shared prey community dominate the response to predation (i.e. predator-mediated competition). The question of whether emergent facilitation occurs frequently in nature requires more empirical and theoretical attention, specifically to address the likelihood that its pre-conditions may co-occur with high rates of IGP. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2014 British Ecological Society.

Decisions on new product development under uncertainties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Yeu-Shiang; Liu, Li-Chen; Ho, Jyh-Wen

2015-04-01

In an intensively competitive market, developing a new product has become a valuable strategy for companies to establish their market positions and enhance their competitive advantages. Therefore, it is essential to effectively manage the process of new product development (NPD). However, since various problems may arise in NPD projects, managers should set up some milestones and subsequently construct evaluative mechanisms to assess their feasibility. This paper employed the approach of Bayesian decision analysis to deal with the two crucial uncertainties for NPD, which are the future market share and the responses of competitors. The proposed decision process can provide a systematic analytical procedure to determine whether an NPD project should be continued or not under the consideration of whether effective usage is being made of the organisational resources. Accordingly, the proposed decision model can assist the managers in effectively addressing the NPD issue under the competitive market.

Neural Mechanisms of Interference Control Underlie the Relationship between Fluid Intelligence and Working Memory Span

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burgess, Gregory C.; Gray, Jeremy R.; Conway, Andrew R. A.; Braver, Todd S.

2011-01-01

Fluid intelligence (gF) and working memory (WM) span predict success in demanding cognitive situations. Recent studies show that much of the variance in gF and WM span is shared, suggesting common neural mechanisms. This study provides a direct investigation of the degree to which shared variance in gF and WM span can be explained by neural…

Analysis of Knowledge-Sharing Evolutionary Game in University Teacher Team

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huo, Mingkui

2013-01-01

The knowledge-sharing activity is a major drive force behind the progress and innovation of university teacher team. Based on the evolutionary game theory, this article analyzes the knowledge-sharing process model of this team, studies the influencing mechanism of various factors such as knowledge aggregate gap, incentive coefficient and risk…

Framework for community functioning: synthesis of stress gradient and resource partitioning concepts

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

To understand how communities function and generate abundance, I develop a framework integrating elements from the stress gradient and resource partitioning concepts. The framework suggests that guild abundance depends on environmental and spatial factors but also on inter-guild interactions (competitor or facilitator richness), which can alter the fundamental niche of constituent species in negative (competition) or positive direction (facilitation). Consequently, the environmental and spatial mechanisms driving guild abundance would differ across guilds and interaction modes. Using continental data on stream diatoms and physico-chemistry, the roles of these mechanisms were tested under three interaction modes—shared preference, distinct preference, and facilitative, whereby pairs of guilds exhibited, respectively, a dominance-tolerance tradeoff along a eutrophication gradient, specialization along a pH gradient, or a donor-recipient relationship along a nitrogen gradient. Representative of the shared preference mode were the motile (dominant) and low profile (tolerant) guilds, of the distinct preference mode—the acidophilous and alkaliphilous (low profile) guilds, and of the facilitative mode—nitrogen fixers (donors) and motile species (recipients). In each mode, the influences of environment, space (latitude and longitude), and competitor or facilitator richness on guild density were assessed by variance partitioning. Pure environment constrained most strongly the density of the dominant, the acidophilous, and the recipient guild in the shared preference, distinct preference, and facilitative mode, respectively, while spatial effects were important only for the low profile guild. Higher competitor richness was associated with lower density of the tolerant guild in the shared preference mode, both guilds in the distinct preference mode, and the donor guild in the facilitative mode. Conversely, recipient density in the facilitative mode increased with donor richness in stressful nitrogen-poor environments. Thus, diatom guild abundance patterns were determined primarily by biotic and/or environmental impacts and, with the exception of the low profile guild, were insensitive to spatial effects. This framework identifies major sources of variability in diatom guild abundance with implications for the understanding of biodiversity-ecosystem functioning. PMID:29018618

76 FR 52037 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Order Approving a Proposed Rule Change To List...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-19

... the Following Under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.200: ProShares Short DJ-UBS Natural Gas, ProShares Ultra DJ-UBS Natural Gas and ProShares UltraShort DJ-UBS Natural Gas August 15, 2011. I. Introduction On... DJ-UBS Natural Gas, ProShares Ultra DJ-UBS Natural Gas, and ProShares UltraShort DJ-UBS Natural Gas...

76 FR 68521 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Order Granting Approval of Proposed Rule Change...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-04

... Managed Fund Shares of TrimTabs Float Shrink ETF under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600; Correction November... Rule Change to List and Trade Managed Fund Shares of TrimTabs Float Shrink ETF under NYSE Arca Equities...

47 CFR 27.1188 - Dispute resolution under the Cost-Sharing Plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Dispute resolution under the Cost-Sharing Plan. 27.1188 Section 27.1188 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES MISCELLANEOUS WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES 1710-1755 MHz, 2110-2155 MHz, 2000-2020...

47 CFR 27.1172 - Dispute Resolution Under the Cost-Sharing Plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Dispute Resolution Under the Cost-Sharing Plan. 27.1172 Section 27.1172 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES MISCELLANEOUS WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES 1710-1755 MHz, 2110-2155 MHz, 2000-2020...

47 CFR 27.1182 - Reimbursement under the Cost-Sharing Plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Reimbursement under the Cost-Sharing Plan. 27.1182 Section 27.1182 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES MISCELLANEOUS WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES 1710-1755 MHz, 2110-2155 MHz, 2000-2020 MHz, and...

47 CFR 24.251 - Dispute resolution under the Cost-Sharing Plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Dispute resolution under the Cost-Sharing Plan. 24.251 Section 24.251 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES Broadband PCS Policies Governing Microwave Relocation from the...

47 CFR 24.251 - Dispute resolution under the Cost-Sharing Plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Dispute resolution under the Cost-Sharing Plan. 24.251 Section 24.251 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES Broadband PCS Policies Governing Microwave Relocation from the...

47 CFR 24.251 - Dispute resolution under the Cost-Sharing Plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Dispute resolution under the Cost-Sharing Plan. 24.251 Section 24.251 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES Broadband PCS Policies Governing Microwave Relocation from the...

47 CFR 24.251 - Dispute resolution under the Cost-Sharing Plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Dispute resolution under the Cost-Sharing Plan. 24.251 Section 24.251 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES Broadband PCS Policies Governing Microwave Relocation from the...

Time-Varying Transition Probability Matrix Estimation and Its Application to Brand Share Analysis.

PubMed

Chiba, Tomoaki; Hino, Hideitsu; Akaho, Shotaro; Murata, Noboru

2017-01-01

In a product market or stock market, different products or stocks compete for the same consumers or purchasers. We propose a method to estimate the time-varying transition matrix of the product share using a multivariate time series of the product share. The method is based on the assumption that each of the observed time series of shares is a stationary distribution of the underlying Markov processes characterized by transition probability matrices. We estimate transition probability matrices for every observation under natural assumptions. We demonstrate, on a real-world dataset of the share of automobiles, that the proposed method can find intrinsic transition of shares. The resulting transition matrices reveal interesting phenomena, for example, the change in flows between TOYOTA group and GM group for the fiscal year where TOYOTA group's sales beat GM's sales, which is a reasonable scenario.

Time-Varying Transition Probability Matrix Estimation and Its Application to Brand Share Analysis

PubMed Central

Chiba, Tomoaki; Akaho, Shotaro; Murata, Noboru

2017-01-01

In a product market or stock market, different products or stocks compete for the same consumers or purchasers. We propose a method to estimate the time-varying transition matrix of the product share using a multivariate time series of the product share. The method is based on the assumption that each of the observed time series of shares is a stationary distribution of the underlying Markov processes characterized by transition probability matrices. We estimate transition probability matrices for every observation under natural assumptions. We demonstrate, on a real-world dataset of the share of automobiles, that the proposed method can find intrinsic transition of shares. The resulting transition matrices reveal interesting phenomena, for example, the change in flows between TOYOTA group and GM group for the fiscal year where TOYOTA group’s sales beat GM’s sales, which is a reasonable scenario. PMID:28076383

The Pathophysiology of Thyroid Eye Disease (TED): Implications for Immunotherapy

PubMed Central

Gupta, Shivani; Douglas, Raymond

2012-01-01

Purpose of Review Thyroid eye disease (TED) is a poorly understood autoimmune manifestation most commonly associated with Graves’ disease. Current nonspecific treatment paradigms offer symptomatic improvement but fail to target the underlying pathogenic mechanisms and thus, do not significantly alter the long-term disease outcome. The purpose of this review is to provide an update of the current understanding of the immunopathogenesis of TED and explore these implications for targeted immunotherapy. Recent Findings Orbital fibroblasts are integral to the pathogenesis of TED and may modulate immune responses by production of cytokines and hyaluronan in response to activation of shared autoantigens including thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) and insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-R1). Fibrocytes share many of these phenotypic and functional features, suggesting a link between systemic and site-specific disease. Use of targeted immunotherapies in TED is limited, though data from the use Rituximab (RTX), a B cell depleting agent, are encouraging. Sustained clinical response has been seen with RTX in several reports, despite return of peripheral B cell levels to pretreatment levels. Additionally, this response appears to be independent to cytokine and antibody production, suggesting possible modulation of antigen presentation as a mechanism of its effect. Summary Progressive advances in the understanding of the immunopathogenesis of TED continue to spur clinical trials utilizing targeted immune therapies. Continued understanding of the molecular mechanisms of disease will expand potential treatments for TED patients and obviate the need for reconstructive surgical therapies. PMID:21730841

Neuronal Death After Hemorrhagic Stroke In Vitro and In Vivo Shares Features of Ferroptosis and Necroptosis

PubMed Central

Zille, Marietta; Karuppagounder, Saravanan S.; Chen, Yingxin; Gough, Peter J.; Phil, D.; Bertin, John; Finger, Joshua; Milner, Teresa A.; Jonas, Elizabeth A.; Ratan, Rajiv R.

2017-01-01

Background and Purpose Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) leads to disability or death with few established treatments. Adverse outcomes following ICH result from irreversible damage to neurons resulting from primary and secondary injury. Secondary injury has been attributed to hemoglobin and its oxidized product hemin from lysed red blood cells. The aim of this study was to identify the underlying cell death mechanisms attributable to secondary injury by hemoglobin and hemin to broaden treatment options. Methods We investigated cell death mechanisms in cultured neurons exposed to hemoglobin or hemin. Chemical inhibitors implicated in all known cell death pathways were employed. Identified cell death mechanisms were confirmed using molecular markers and electron microscopy. Results Chemical inhibitors of ferroptosis and necroptosis protected against hemoglobin- and hemin-induced toxicity. By contrast, inhibitors of caspase-dependent apoptosis, protein or mRNA synthesis, autophagy, mitophagy or parthanatos had no effect. Accordingly, molecular markers of ferroptosis and necroptosis were increased following ICH in vitro and in vivo. Electron microscopy showed that hemin induced a necrotic phenotype. Necroptosis and ferroptosis inhibitors each abrogated death by greater than 80% and had similar therapeutic windows in vitro. Conclusion Experimental ICH shares features of ferroptotic and necroptotic cell death, but not caspase-dependent apoptosis or autophagy. We propose that ferroptosis or necroptotic signaling induced by lysed blood is sufficient to reach a threshold of death that leads to neuronal necrosis and that inhibition of either one of these pathways can bring cells below that threshold to survival. PMID:28250197

Project Report, Part One, Final Report for Phase I, Rural Shared Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Northern Montana Coll., Havre.

In an attempt to identify, synthesize, and evaluate shared services research and development efforts conducted throughout the nation, and bring those results together in a single report, Part One of a four-part report defines rural shared services and the organizational patterns under which shared service activity exists, describes the activities…

Cognition and dementia in older patients with epilepsy

PubMed Central

Sen, Arjune; Capelli, Valentina

2018-01-01

Abstract With advances in healthcare and an ageing population, the number of older adults with epilepsy is set to rise substantially across the world. In developed countries the highest incidence of epilepsy is already in people over 65 and, as life expectancy increases, individuals who developed epilepsy at a young age are also living longer. Recent findings show that older persons with epilepsy are more likely to suffer from cognitive dysfunction and that there might be an important bidirectional relationship between epilepsy and dementia. Thus some people with epilepsy may be at a higher risk of developing dementia, while individuals with some forms of dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia, are at significantly higher risk of developing epilepsy. Consistent with this emerging view, epidemiological findings reveal that people with epilepsy and individuals with Alzheimer’s disease share common risk factors. Recent studies in Alzheimer’s disease and late-onset epilepsy also suggest common pathological links mediated by underlying vascular changes and/or tau pathology. Meanwhile electrophysiological and neuroimaging investigations in epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, and vascular dementia have focused interest on network level dysfunction, which might be important in mediating cognitive dysfunction across all three of these conditions. In this review we consider whether seizures promote dementia, whether dementia causes seizures, or if common underlying pathophysiological mechanisms cause both. We examine the evidence that cognitive impairment is associated with epilepsy in older people (aged over 65) and the prognosis for patients with epilepsy developing dementia, with a specific emphasis on common mechanisms that might underlie the cognitive deficits observed in epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease. Our analyses suggest that there is considerable intersection between epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease and cerebrovascular disease raising the possibility that better understanding of shared mechanisms in these conditions might help to ameliorate not just seizures, but also epileptogenesis and cognitive dysfunction. PMID:29506031

Implementation of a cloud-based electronic medical record exchange system in compliance with the integrating healthcare enterprise's cross-enterprise document sharing integration profile.

PubMed

Wu, Chien Hua; Chiu, Ruey Kei; Yeh, Hong Mo; Wang, Da Wei

2017-11-01

In 2011, the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Taiwan established the National Electronic Medical Record Exchange Center (EEC) to permit the sharing of medical resources among hospitals. This system can presently exchange electronic medical records (EMRs) among hospitals, in the form of medical imaging reports, laboratory test reports, discharge summaries, outpatient records, and outpatient medication records. Hospitals can send or retrieve EMRs over the virtual private network by connecting to the EEC through a gateway. International standards should be adopted in the EEC to allow users with those standards to take advantage of this exchange service. In this study, a cloud-based EMR-exchange prototyping system was implemented on the basis of the Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise's Cross-Enterprise Document Sharing integration profile and the existing EMR exchange system. RESTful services were used to implement the proposed prototyping system on the Microsoft Azure cloud-computing platform. Four scenarios were created in Microsoft Azure to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed system. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed system successfully completed EMR exchange under the four scenarios created in Microsoft Azure. Additional experiments were conducted to compare the efficiency of the EMR-exchanging mechanisms of the proposed system with those of the existing EEC system. The experimental results suggest that the proposed RESTful service approach is superior to the Simple Object Access Protocol method currently implemented in the EEC system, according to the irrespective response times under the four experimental scenarios. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Curvilinear Stiffeners and Tow Steered Composites for Aeroelastic Tailoring of Transports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stanford, Bret K.; Jutte, Christine V.

2016-01-01

A series of aeroelastic optimization problems are solved on a high aspect ratio wingbox of the Common Research Model, in an effort to minimize structural mass under coupled stress, buckling, and flutter constraints. Two technologies are of particular interest: tow steered composite laminate skins and curvilinear stiffeners. Both methods are found to afford feasible reductions in mass over their non-curvilinear structural counterparts, through both distinct and shared mechanisms for passively controlling aeroelastic performance. Some degree of diminishing returns are seen when curvilinear stiffeners and curvilinear fiber tow paths are used simultaneously.

Negotiation Support Systems for Facilitating International Water Conflicts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirchi, A.; Madani, K.; Rouhani, O. M.

2011-12-01

Two decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Caspian Sea -the largest inland body of water on earth- continues to be the subject of one of the world's most insurmountable disputes, involving Iran, Russia, and the new sovereign states of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. The conflict is over the legal status of this multinational water body, which supplies almost all of the world's black caviar, and holds about 10% and 4% of the world's oil and gas reserves, respectively. Typically, proposed division methods for sharing the Caspian Sea and its valuable resources focus either on the areal shares or on the oil and gas shares of the parties. As such, total gains of littoral states under different division methods have remained unclear. In this study, we have developed the Caspian Sea Negotiation Support System (NSS) to delineate optimal boundaries for sharing the sea. The Caspian Sea NSS facilitates simultaneous consideration of the countries' areal and resource shares from the sea under different sharing methods. The developed model is run under different division scenarios to provide insights into the sensitivity of the countries' gains and locations of nautical boundaries to the proposed division rules and the economic values of the Caspian Sea resources. The results are highly sensitive to the proposed division rules, and there is an indirect relationship between the allocated area and resource shares. The main policy implication of the study is that explicit quantification of the countries' resource and areal gains under any suggested legal regime for governing the Caspian Sea is a precursor the success of the negotiations.

Music reading expertise modulates hemispheric lateralization in English word processing but not in Chinese character processing.

PubMed

Li, Sara Tze Kwan; Hsiao, Janet Hui-Wen

2018-07-01

Music notation and English word reading both involve mapping horizontally arranged visual components to components in sound, in contrast to reading in logographic languages such as Chinese. Accordingly, music-reading expertise may influence English word processing more than Chinese character processing. Here we showed that musicians named English words significantly faster than non-musicians when words were presented in the left visual field/right hemisphere (RH) or the center position, suggesting an advantage of RH processing due to music reading experience. This effect was not observed in Chinese character naming. A follow-up ERP study showed that in a sequential matching task, musicians had reduced RH N170 responses to English non-words under the processing of musical segments as compared with non-musicians, suggesting a shared visual processing mechanism in the RH between music notation and English non-word reading. This shared mechanism may be related to the letter-by-letter, serial visual processing that characterizes RH English word recognition (e.g., Lavidor & Ellis, 2001), which may consequently facilitate English word processing in the RH in musicians. Thus, music reading experience may have differential influences on the processing of different languages, depending on their similarities in the cognitive processes involved. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparative Planetology - Atmospheres and Aeronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huestis, D. L.

2006-05-01

The Earth, planets, moons, comets, and other small bodies in the solar system are quite diverse, yet share a number of characteristics. Each has something to teach us about the others and about the extrasolar planets we are now discovering. Having multiple examples of similar phenomena under different local conditions provides the best means of identifying the underlying mechanisms and of quantitative testing of our understanding. This special session is one of a sequence of events attempting to define and document the comparative planetology vision and provide specific recommendations for actions by the research community and the funding agencies. This presentation will summarize the progress so far and solicit additional ideas and suggestions from the research community, with an emphasis on the atmosphere and aeronomy of the Earth, planets, moons, and comets in the solar system.

Factors Affecting Differences in Medicare Reimbursements for Physicians' Services

PubMed Central

Gornick, Marian; Newton, Marilyn; Hackerman, Carl

1980-01-01

Under Medicare's Part B program, wide variations are found in average reimbursements for physicians' services by demographic and geographic characteristics of the beneficiaries. Average reimbursements per beneficiary enrolled In the program depend upon the percentage of enrolled persons who exceed the deductible and receive reimbursements, the average allowed charge per service, and the number of services used. This study analyzes differences in average reimbursements per beneficiary for physicians' services In 1975 and discusses allowed charges and use factors that affect average reimbursements. Differences in the level of allowed charges and their impact on meeting the annual deductible are also discussed. The study indicates that average reimbursements per beneficiary are likely to continue to vary significantly year after year under the present Part B cost-sharing and reimbursement mechanisms. PMID:10309221

Convergent pathogenic pathways in Alzheimer’s and Huntington disease: Shared targets for drug development

PubMed Central

Ehrnhoefer, Dagmar E.; Wong, Bibiana K.Y.; Hayden, Michael R.

2011-01-01

Neurodegenerative diseases exemplified by Alzheimer’s and Huntington disease are characterized by the progressive neuropsychiatric dysfunction and loss of specific neuronal subtypes. Even though there are differences in the exact sites of pathology and clinical profiles only partially overlap, considerable similarities in disease mechanisms and pathogenic pathways can be observed. These shared mechanisms raise the possibility of common therapeutic targets for drug development. Huntington disease with a monogenic cause and the possibility to accurately identify pre-manifest mutation carriers could be exploited as a ‘model’ for Alzheimer’s disease to test the efficacy of therapeutic interventions targeting shared pathogenic pathways. PMID:22015920

Identification of Genetic Loci Jointly Influencing Schizophrenia Risk and the Cognitive Traits of Verbal-Numerical Reasoning, Reaction Time, and General Cognitive Function.

PubMed

Smeland, Olav B; Frei, Oleksandr; Kauppi, Karolina; Hill, W David; Li, Wen; Wang, Yunpeng; Krull, Florian; Bettella, Francesco; Eriksen, Jon A; Witoelar, Aree; Davies, Gail; Fan, Chun C; Thompson, Wesley K; Lam, Max; Lencz, Todd; Chen, Chi-Hua; Ueland, Torill; Jönsson, Erik G; Djurovic, Srdjan; Deary, Ian J; Dale, Anders M; Andreassen, Ole A

2017-10-01

Schizophrenia is associated with widespread cognitive impairments. Although cognitive deficits are one of the factors most strongly associated with functional outcome in schizophrenia, current treatment strategies largely fail to ameliorate these impairments. To develop more efficient treatment strategies in patients with schizophrenia, a better understanding of the pathogenesis of these cognitive deficits is needed. Accumulating evidence indicates that genetic risk of schizophrenia may contribute to cognitive dysfunction. To identify genomic regions jointly influencing schizophrenia and the cognitive domains of reaction time and verbal-numerical reasoning, as well as general cognitive function, a phenotype that captures the shared variation in performance across cognitive domains. Combining data from genome-wide association studies from multiple phenotypes using conditional false discovery rate analysis provides increased power to discover genetic variants and could elucidate shared molecular genetic mechanisms. Data from the following genome-wide association studies, published from July 24, 2014, to January 17, 2017, were combined: schizophrenia in the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium cohort (n = 79 757 [cases, 34 486; controls, 45 271]); verbal-numerical reasoning (n = 36 035) and reaction time (n = 111 483) in the UK Biobank cohort; and general cognitive function in CHARGE (Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology) (n = 53 949) and COGENT (Cognitive Genomics Consortium) (n = 27 888). Genetic loci identified by conditional false discovery rate analysis. Brain messenger RNA expression and brain expression quantitative trait locus functionality were determined. Among the participants in the genome-wide association studies, 21 loci jointly influencing schizophrenia and cognitive traits were identified: 2 loci shared between schizophrenia and verbal-numerical reasoning, 6 loci shared between schizophrenia and reaction time, and 14 loci shared between schizophrenia and general cognitive function. One locus was shared between schizophrenia and 2 cognitive traits and represented the strongest shared signal detected (nearest gene TCF20; chromosome 22q13.2), and was shared between schizophrenia (z score, 5.01; P = 5.53 × 10-7), general cognitive function (z score, -4.43; P = 9.42 × 10-6), and verbal-numerical reasoning (z score, -5.43; P = 5.64 × 10-8). For 18 loci, schizophrenia risk alleles were associated with poorer cognitive performance. The implicated genes are expressed in the developmental and adult human brain. Replicable expression quantitative trait locus functionality was identified for 4 loci in the adult human brain. The discovered loci improve the understanding of the common genetic basis underlying schizophrenia and cognitive function, suggesting novel molecular genetic mechanisms.

47 CFR 27.1188 - Dispute resolution under the Cost-Sharing Plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Dispute resolution under the Cost-Sharing Plan. 27.1188 Section 27.1188 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON... support to demonstrate that their calculation is reasonable and made in good faith. Specifically, these...

47 CFR 27.1188 - Dispute resolution under the Cost-Sharing Plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Dispute resolution under the Cost-Sharing Plan. 27.1188 Section 27.1188 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON... support to demonstrate that their calculation is reasonable and made in good faith. Specifically, these...

47 CFR 27.1172 - Dispute Resolution Under the Cost-Sharing Plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Dispute Resolution Under the Cost-Sharing Plan. 27.1172 Section 27.1172 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON... provide evidentiary support to demonstrate that their calculation is reasonable and made in good faith...

47 CFR 27.1172 - Dispute Resolution Under the Cost-Sharing Plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Dispute Resolution Under the Cost-Sharing Plan. 27.1172 Section 27.1172 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON... provide evidentiary support to demonstrate that their calculation is reasonable and made in good faith...

A national-scale authentication infrastructure.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Butler, R.; Engert, D.; Foster, I.

2000-12-01

Today, individuals and institutions in science and industry are increasingly forming virtual organizations to pool resources and tackle a common goal. Participants in virtual organizations commonly need to share resources such as data archives, computer cycles, and networks - resources usually available only with restrictions based on the requested resource's nature and the user's identity. Thus, any sharing mechanism must have the ability to authenticate the user's identity and determine if the user is authorized to request the resource. Virtual organizations tend to be fluid, however, so authentication mechanisms must be flexible and lightweight, allowing administrators to quickly establish andmore » change resource-sharing arrangements. However, because virtual organizations complement rather than replace existing institutions, sharing mechanisms cannot change local policies and must allow individual institutions to maintain control over their own resources. Our group has created and deployed an authentication and authorization infrastructure that meets these requirements: the Grid Security Infrastructure. GSI offers secure single sign-ons and preserves site control over access policies and local security. It provides its own versions of common applications, such as FTP and remote login, and a programming interface for creating secure applications.« less

A normalization model suggests that attention changes the weighting of inputs between visual areas

PubMed Central

Cohen, Marlene R.

2017-01-01

Models of divisive normalization can explain the trial-averaged responses of neurons in sensory, association, and motor areas under a wide range of conditions, including how visual attention changes the gains of neurons in visual cortex. Attention, like other modulatory processes, is also associated with changes in the extent to which pairs of neurons share trial-to-trial variability. We showed recently that in addition to decreasing correlations between similarly tuned neurons within the same visual area, attention increases correlations between neurons in primary visual cortex (V1) and the middle temporal area (MT) and that an extension of a classic normalization model can account for this correlation increase. One of the benefits of having a descriptive model that can account for many physiological observations is that it can be used to probe the mechanisms underlying processes such as attention. Here, we use electrical microstimulation in V1 paired with recording in MT to provide causal evidence that the relationship between V1 and MT activity is nonlinear and is well described by divisive normalization. We then use the normalization model and recording and microstimulation experiments to show that the attention dependence of V1–MT correlations is better explained by a mechanism in which attention changes the weights of connections between V1 and MT than by a mechanism that modulates responses in either area. Our study shows that normalization can explain interactions between neurons in different areas and provides a framework for using multiarea recording and stimulation to probe the neural mechanisms underlying neuronal computations. PMID:28461501

A normalization model suggests that attention changes the weighting of inputs between visual areas.

PubMed

Ruff, Douglas A; Cohen, Marlene R

2017-05-16

Models of divisive normalization can explain the trial-averaged responses of neurons in sensory, association, and motor areas under a wide range of conditions, including how visual attention changes the gains of neurons in visual cortex. Attention, like other modulatory processes, is also associated with changes in the extent to which pairs of neurons share trial-to-trial variability. We showed recently that in addition to decreasing correlations between similarly tuned neurons within the same visual area, attention increases correlations between neurons in primary visual cortex (V1) and the middle temporal area (MT) and that an extension of a classic normalization model can account for this correlation increase. One of the benefits of having a descriptive model that can account for many physiological observations is that it can be used to probe the mechanisms underlying processes such as attention. Here, we use electrical microstimulation in V1 paired with recording in MT to provide causal evidence that the relationship between V1 and MT activity is nonlinear and is well described by divisive normalization. We then use the normalization model and recording and microstimulation experiments to show that the attention dependence of V1-MT correlations is better explained by a mechanism in which attention changes the weights of connections between V1 and MT than by a mechanism that modulates responses in either area. Our study shows that normalization can explain interactions between neurons in different areas and provides a framework for using multiarea recording and stimulation to probe the neural mechanisms underlying neuronal computations.

Security of a kind of quantum secret sharing with entangled states.

PubMed

Wang, Tian-Yin; Liu, Ying-Zhao; Wei, Chun-Yan; Cai, Xiao-Qiu; Ma, Jian-Feng

2017-05-30

We present a new collusion attack to a kind of quantum secret sharing schemes with entangled states. Using this attack, an unauthorized set of agents can gain access to the shared secret without the others' cooperation. Furthermore, we establish a general model for this kind of quantum secret sharing schemes and then give some necessary conditions to design a secure quantum secret sharing scheme under this model.

Incentive Mechanism for P2P Content Sharing over Heterogenous Access Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Kenichiro; Hashimoto, Ryo; Yoshino, Makoto; Shinkuma, Ryoichi; Takahashi, Tatsuro

In peer-to-peer (P2P) content sharing, users can share their content by contributing their own resources to one another. However, since there is no incentive for contributing contents or resources to others, users may attempt to obtain content without any contribution. To motivate users to contribute their resources to the service, incentive-rewarding mechanisms have been proposed. On the other hand, emerging wireless technologies, such as IEEE 802.11 wireless local area networks, beyond third generation (B3G) cellular networks and mobile WiMAX, provide high-speed Internet access for wireless users. Using these high-speed wireless access, wireless users can use P2P services and share their content with other wireless users and with fixed users. However, this diversification of access networks makes it difficult to appropriately assign rewards to each user according to their contributions. This is because the cost necessary for contribution is different in different access networks. In this paper, we propose a novel incentive-rewarding mechanism called EMOTIVER that can assign rewards to users appropriately. The proposed mechanism uses an external evaluator and interactive learning agents. We also investigate a way of appropriately controlling rewards based on the system service's quality and managing policy.

Dynamic Impact of Online Word-of-Mouth and Advertising on Supply Chain Performance.

PubMed

Feng, Jian; Liu, Bin

2018-01-04

Cooperative (co-op) advertising investments benefit brand goodwill and further improve supply chain performance. Meanwhile, online word-of-mouth (OWOM) can also play an important role in supply chain performance. On the basis of co-op advertising, this paper considers a single supply chain structure led by a manufacturer and examines a fundamental issue concerning the impact of OWOM on supply chain performance. Firstly, by the method of differential game, this paper analyzes the dynamic impact of OWOM and advertising on supply chain performance (i.e., brand goodwill, sales, and profits) under three different supply chain decisions (i.e., only advertising, and manufacturers with and without sharing cost of OWOM with retailers). We compare and analyze the optimal strategies of advertising and OWOM under the above different supply chain decisions. Secondly, the system dynamics model is established to reflect the dynamic impact of OWOM and advertising on supply chain performance. Finally, three supply chain decisions under two scenarios, strong brand and weak brand, are analyzed through the system dynamics simulation. The results show that the input of OWOM can enhance brand goodwill and improve earnings. It further promotes the OWOM reputation and improves the supply chain performance if manufacturers share the cost of OWOM with retailers. Then, in order to eliminate the retailers from word-of-mouth fraud and establish a fair competition mechanism, the third parties (i.e., regulators or e-commerce platforms) should take appropriate punitive measures against retailers. Furthermore, the effect of OWOM on supply chain performance under a strong brand differed from those under a weak brand. Last but not least, if OWOM is improved, there would be more remarkable performance for the weak brand than that for the strong brand in the supply chain.

Dynamic Impact of Online Word-of-Mouth and Advertising on Supply Chain Performance

PubMed Central

Feng, Jian

2018-01-01

Cooperative (co-op) advertising investments benefit brand goodwill and further improve supply chain performance. Meanwhile, online word-of-mouth (OWOM) can also play an important role in supply chain performance. On the basis of co-op advertising, this paper considers a single supply chain structure led by a manufacturer and examines a fundamental issue concerning the impact of OWOM on supply chain performance. Firstly, by the method of differential game, this paper analyzes the dynamic impact of OWOM and advertising on supply chain performance (i.e., brand goodwill, sales, and profits) under three different supply chain decisions (i.e., only advertising, and manufacturers with and without sharing cost of OWOM with retailers). We compare and analyze the optimal strategies of advertising and OWOM under the above different supply chain decisions. Secondly, the system dynamics model is established to reflect the dynamic impact of OWOM and advertising on supply chain performance. Finally, three supply chain decisions under two scenarios, strong brand and weak brand, are analyzed through the system dynamics simulation. The results show that the input of OWOM can enhance brand goodwill and improve earnings. It further promotes the OWOM reputation and improves the supply chain performance if manufacturers share the cost of OWOM with retailers. Then, in order to eliminate the retailers from word-of-mouth fraud and establish a fair competition mechanism, the third parties (i.e., regulators or e-commerce platforms) should take appropriate punitive measures against retailers. Furthermore, the effect of OWOM on supply chain performance under a strong brand differed from those under a weak brand. Last but not least, if OWOM is improved, there would be more remarkable performance for the weak brand than that for the strong brand in the supply chain. PMID:29300361

Mechanical ventilator - infants

MedlinePlus

... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007240.htm Mechanical ventilator - infants To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. A mechanical ventilator is a machine that assists with breathing. ...

Convergent and divergent pathways decoding hierarchical additive mechanisms in treating cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.

PubMed

Zhang, Ying-Ying; Li, Hai-Xia; Chen, Yin-Ying; Fang, Hong; Yu, Ya-Nan; Liu, Jun; Jing, Zhi-Wei; Wang, Zhong; Wang, Yong-Yan

2014-03-01

Cerebral ischemia is considered to be a highly complex disease resulting from the complicated interplay of multiple pathways. Disappointedly, most of the previous studies were limited to a single gene or a single pathway. The extent to which all involved pathways are translated into fusing mechanisms of a combination therapy is of fundamental importance. We report an integrative strategy to reveal the additive mechanism that a combination (BJ) of compound baicalin (BA) and jasminoidin (JA) fights against cerebral ischemia based on variation of pathways and functional communities. We identified six pathways of BJ group that shared diverse additive index from 0.09 to 1, which assembled broad cross talks from seven pathways of BA and 16 pathways of JA both at horizontal and vertical levels. Besides a total of 60 overlapping functions as a robust integration background among the three groups based on significantly differential subnetworks, additive mechanism with strong confidence by networks altered functions. These results provide strong evidence that the additive mechanism is more complex than previously appreciated, and an integrative analysis of pathways may suggest an important paradigm for revealing pharmacological mechanisms underlying drug combinations. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

78 FR 8456 - Coverage of Certain Preventive Services Under the Affordable Care Act

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-06

... 2713 of the Public Health Service Act requires coverage without cost sharing of certain preventive... Requirement to Cover Contraceptive Services Without Cost Sharing Under Section 2713 of the Public Health..., non-stock, public benefit, and similar types of corporations. However, for this purpose an...

7 CFR 1435.312 - Establishment of acreage bases under proportionate shares.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...) COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS SUGAR PROGRAM Flexible Marketing Allotments For Sugar § 1435.312 Establishment of acreage bases under proportionate... shares as the simple average of the acreage planted and considered planted for harvest for sugar or seed...

7 CFR 1435.312 - Establishment of acreage bases under proportionate shares.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...) COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS SUGAR PROGRAM Flexible Marketing Allotments For Sugar § 1435.312 Establishment of acreage bases under proportionate... shares as the simple average of the acreage planted and considered planted for harvest for sugar or seed...

44 CFR 206.110 - Federal assistance to individuals and households.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... housing assistance to be provided under this section based on considerations of cost effectiveness... needs; or (4) Housing is not available on the private market. (i) Cost sharing. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (i)(2) of this section, the Federal share of eligible costs paid under this subpart...

7 CFR 1435.312 - Establishment of acreage bases under proportionate shares.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...) COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS SUGAR PROGRAM Flexible Marketing Allotments For Sugar § 1435.312 Establishment of acreage bases under proportionate... shares as the simple average of the acreage planted and considered planted for harvest for sugar or seed...

7 CFR 1435.312 - Establishment of acreage bases under proportionate shares.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...) COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS SUGAR PROGRAM Flexible Marketing Allotments For Sugar § 1435.312 Establishment of acreage bases under proportionate... shares as the simple average of the acreage planted and considered planted for harvest for sugar or seed...

7 CFR 1435.312 - Establishment of acreage bases under proportionate shares.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...) COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS SUGAR PROGRAM Flexible Marketing Allotments For Sugar § 1435.312 Establishment of acreage bases under proportionate... shares as the simple average of the acreage planted and considered planted for harvest for sugar or seed...

76 FR 62112 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Order Granting Approval of Proposed Rule Change...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-06

... Listing and Trading of the WisdomTree Dreyfus Australia & New Zealand Debt Fund Under NYSE Arca Equities... rule change to list and trade shares (``Shares'') of the WisdomTree Dreyfus Australia & New Zealand... Shares on the Exchange. The Shares will be offered by the WisdomTree Trust (``Trust''), which was...

Hippocampal activation of microglia may underlie the shared neurobiology of comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder and chronic pain.

PubMed

Sun, Rao; Zhang, Zuoxia; Lei, Yishan; Liu, Yue; Lu, Cui'e; Rong, Hui; Sun, Yu'e; Zhang, Wei; Ma, Zhengliang; Gu, Xiaoping

2016-01-01

The high comorbidity rates of posttraumatic stress disorder and chronic pain have been widely reported, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Emerging evidence suggested that an excess of inflammatory immune activities in the hippocampus involved in the progression of both posttraumatic stress disorder and chronic pain. Considering that microglia are substrates underlying the initiation and propagation of the neuroimmune response, we hypothesized that stress-induced activation of hippocampal microglia may contribute to the pathogenesis of posttraumatic stress disorder-pain comorbidity. We showed that rats exposed to single prolonged stress, an established posttraumatic stress disorder model, exhibited persistent mechanical allodynia and anxiety-like behavior, which were accompanied by increased activation of microglia and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus. Correlation analyses showed that hippocampal activation of microglia was significantly correlated with mechanical allodynia and anxiety-like behavior. Our data also showed that both intraperitoneal and intra-hippocampal injection of minocycline suppressed single prolonged stress-induced microglia activation and inflammatory cytokines accumulation in the hippocampus, and attenuated both single prolonged stress-induced mechanical allodynia and anxiety-like behavior. Taken together, the present study suggests that stress-induced microglia activation in the hippocampus may serve as a critical mechanistic link in the comorbid relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder and chronic pain. The novel concept introduces the possibility of cotreating chronic pain and posttraumatic stress disorder. © The Author(s) 2016.

Function and underlying mechanisms of seasonal colour moulting in mammals and birds: what keeps them changing in a warming world?

PubMed

Zimova, Marketa; Hackländer, Klaus; Good, Jeffrey M; Melo-Ferreira, José; Alves, Paulo Célio; Mills, L Scott

2018-03-05

Animals that occupy temperate and polar regions have specialized traits that help them survive in harsh, highly seasonal environments. One particularly important adaptation is seasonal coat colour (SCC) moulting. Over 20 species of birds and mammals distributed across the northern hemisphere undergo complete, biannual colour change from brown in the summer to completely white in the winter. But as climate change decreases duration of snow cover, seasonally winter white species (including the snowshoe hare Lepus americanus, Arctic fox Vulpes lagopus and willow ptarmigan Lagopus lagopus) become highly contrasted against dark snowless backgrounds. The negative consequences of camouflage mismatch and adaptive potential is of high interest for conservation. Here we provide the first comprehensive review across birds and mammals of the adaptive value and mechanisms underpinning SCC moulting. We found that across species, the main function of SCC moults is seasonal camouflage against snow, and photoperiod is the main driver of the moult phenology. Next, although many underlying mechanisms remain unclear, mammalian species share similarities in some aspects of hair growth, neuroendocrine control, and the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on moult phenology. The underlying basis of SCC moults in birds is less understood and differs from mammals in several aspects. Lastly, our synthesis suggests that due to limited plasticity in SCC moulting, evolutionary adaptation will be necessary to mediate future camouflage mismatch and a detailed understanding of the SCC moulting will be needed to manage populations effectively under climate change. © 2018 The Authors. Biological Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Cambridge Philosophical Society.

UK and Irish Y-STR population data-A catalogue of variant alleles.

PubMed

Aliferi, Anastasia; Thomson, Jim; McDonald, Andrew; Paynter, Vanessa Molin; Ferguson, Steven; Vanhinsbergh, Des; Syndercombe Court, Denise; Ballard, David

2018-05-01

A total of 3128 Y-STR profiles from three UK and one Irish population have been analysed with the PowerPlex Y23 system and are reported here. Instances of haplotype sharing between apparently unrelated individuals were identified and further investigated with the use of the 5 additional markers within the Yfiler Plus kit, resulting in a reduction by 76% in the number of shared haplotypes. Furthermore, Yfiler Plus was also employed to verify locus deletions and duplications observed in Y23 genotypes while inconsistencies between the two kits were sequenced, revealing underlying Y23 primer binding site mutations in loci DYS392 and DYS576. Finally, the mechanism behind a previously reported population specific peak shift observed in DYS481 in South Asian samples has been evaluated and further investigated in a novel case of this phenomenon seen in a Black British individual featuring a different flanking region mutation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A pathway-based view of human diseases and disease relationships.

PubMed

Li, Yong; Agarwal, Pankaj

2009-01-01

It is increasingly evident that human diseases are not isolated from each other. Understanding how different diseases are related to each other based on the underlying biology could provide new insights into disease etiology, classification, and shared biological mechanisms. We have taken a computational approach to studying disease relationships through 1) systematic identification of disease associated genes by literature mining, 2) associating diseases to biological pathways where disease genes are enriched, and 3) linking diseases together based on shared pathways. We identified 4,195 candidate disease associated genes for 1028 diseases. On average, about 50% of disease associated genes of a disease are statistically mapped to pathways. We generated a disease network which consists of 591 diseases and 6,931 disease relationships. We examined properties of this network and provided examples of novel disease relationships which cannot be readily captured through simple literature search or gene overlap analysis. Our results could potentially provide insights into the design of novel, pathway-guided therapeutic interventions for diseases.

Aggression is associated with greater subsequent alcohol consumption: A shared neural basis in the ventral striatum.

PubMed

Chester, David S; DeWall, C Nathan

2018-05-01

Alcohol use and abuse (e.g., binge drinking) are among the most reliable causes of aggressive behavior. Conversely, people with aggressive dispositions (e.g., intermittent explosive disorder) are at greater risk for subsequent substance abuse. Yet it remains unknown why aggression might promote subsequent alcohol use. Both aggressive acts and alcohol use are rewarding and linked to greater activity in neural reward circuitry. Through this shared instantiation of reward, aggression may then increase subsequent alcohol consumption. Supporting this mechanistic hypothesis, participants' aggressive behavior directed at someone who had recently rejected them, was associated with more subsequent beer consumption on an ad-lib drinking task. Using functional MRI, both aggressive behavior and beer consumption were associated with greater activity in the bilateral ventral striatum during acts of retaliatory aggression. These results imply that aggression is linked to subsequent alcohol abuse, and that a mechanism underlying this effect is likely to be the activation of the brain's reward circuitry during aggressive acts. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Pro: 'The usefulness of biomarkers in glomerular diseases'. The problem: moving from syndrome to mechanism--individual patient variability in disease presentation, course and response to therapy.

PubMed

Mariani, Laura H; Kretzler, Matthias

2015-06-01

The diagnosis and treatment decisions in glomerular disease are principally based on renal pathology and nonspecific clinical laboratory measurements such as serum creatinine and urine protein. Using these classification approaches, patients have marked variability in rate of progression and response to therapy, exposing a significant number of patients to toxicity without benefit. Additionally, clinical trials are at risk of not being able to detect an efficacious therapy in relevant subgroups as patients with shared clinical-pathologic diagnoses have heterogeneous underlying pathobiology. To change this treatment paradigm, biomarkers that reflect the molecular mechanisms underlying the clinical-pathologic diagnoses are needed. Recent progress to identify such biomarkers has been aided by advances in molecular profiling, large-scale data generation and multi-scalar data integration, including prospectively collected clinical data. This article reviews the evolving success stories in glomerular disease biomarkers across the genotype-phenotype continuum and highlights opportunities to transition to precision medicine in glomerular disease. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.

Associations between trait emotional intelligence and loneliness in Chinese undergraduate students: mediating effects of self-esteem and social support.

PubMed

Zou, Jilin

2014-06-01

Prior studies indicate that trait emotional intelligence (EI) is associated negatively with loneliness. However, the mechanisms underlying the relationship are not clear. This study assessed whether both self-esteem and social support mediated the associations between trait EI and loneliness. 469 Chinese undergraduate participants whose age ranged from 18 to 23 years (208 women) were asked to complete four self-report questionnaires, including the Wong Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale, the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, and the Multi-Dimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Analyses indicated that self-esteem and social support fully mediated the associations between trait EI and loneliness. Effect contrasts indicated that the specific indirect effect through social support was significantly greater than that through self-esteem. Moreover, a multiple-group analysis indicated that no path differed significantly by sex. These results suggest that social support is more important than self-esteem in the association between trait EI and loneliness. Furthermore, both sexes appear to share the same mechanism underlying this association.

New Observationally-Based Metrics for the Analysis of Coupled Climate Model and Earth System Model Simulations of the Southern Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russell, J. L.

2014-12-01

The exchange of heat and carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and ocean are major controls on Earth's climate under conditions of anthropogenic forcing. The Southern Ocean south of 30°S, occupying just over ¼ of the surface ocean area, accounts for a disproportionate share of the vertical exchange of properties between the deep and surface waters of the ocean and between the surface ocean and the atmosphere; thus this region can be disproportionately influential on the climate system. Despite the crucial role of the Southern Ocean in the climate system, understanding of the particular mechanisms involved remains inadequate, and the model studies underlying many of these results are highly controversial. As part of the overall goal of working toward reducing uncertainties in climate projections, we present an analysis using new data/model metrics based on a unified framework of theory, quantitative datasets, and numerical modeling. These new metrics quantify the mechanisms, processes, and tendencies relevant to the role of the Southern Ocean in climate.

42 CFR 447.68 - Alternative copayments, coinsurance, deductibles, or similar cost sharing charges: State plan...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL... defined at § 447.78, track beneficiaries' incurred premiums and cost sharing through a mechanism developed...

42 CFR 447.68 - Alternative copayments, coinsurance, deductibles, or similar cost sharing charges: State plan...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL... defined at § 447.78, track beneficiaries' incurred premiums and cost sharing through a mechanism developed...

Multiscale Mechanics of Articular Cartilage: Potentials and Challenges of Coupling Musculoskeletal, Joint, and Microscale Computational Models

PubMed Central

Halloran, J. P.; Sibole, S.; van Donkelaar, C. C.; van Turnhout, M. C.; Oomens, C. W. J.; Weiss, J. A.; Guilak, F.; Erdemir, A.

2012-01-01

Articular cartilage experiences significant mechanical loads during daily activities. Healthy cartilage provides the capacity for load bearing and regulates the mechanobiological processes for tissue development, maintenance, and repair. Experimental studies at multiple scales have provided a fundamental understanding of macroscopic mechanical function, evaluation of the micromechanical environment of chondrocytes, and the foundations for mechanobiological response. In addition, computational models of cartilage have offered a concise description of experimental data at many spatial levels under healthy and diseased conditions, and have served to generate hypotheses for the mechanical and biological function. Further, modeling and simulation provides a platform for predictive risk assessment, management of dysfunction, as well as a means to relate multiple spatial scales. Simulation-based investigation of cartilage comes with many challenges including both the computational burden and often insufficient availability of data for model development and validation. This review outlines recent modeling and simulation approaches to understand cartilage function from a mechanical systems perspective, and illustrates pathways to associate mechanics with biological function. Computational representations at single scales are provided from the body down to the microstructure, along with attempts to explore multiscale mechanisms of load sharing that dictate the mechanical environment of the cartilage and chondrocytes. PMID:22648577

Genome characterization, infectivity assays of in vitro and in vivo infectious transcripts of soybean yellow mottle mosaic virus from India reveals a novel short mild genotype.

PubMed

Sandra, Nagamani; Jailani, A Abdul Kader; Jain, Rakesh Kumar; Mandal, Bikash

2017-03-15

Nucleotide sequence of a distinct soybean yellow mottle mosaic virusisolate from Vignaradiata (mungbean isolate, SYMMV-Mb) from India was determined and compared with othermembers of the family Tombusviridae. The complete monopartite single-stranded RNA genome of SYMMV-Mb consisted of 3974nt with six putative open reading frames and includes 5' and 3' untranslated regions of 35 and 254nt, respectively. SYMMV-Mb genome shared 75% nt sequence identity at complete genome level and 67-92% identity at all ORFs level with SYMMV Korean and USA isolates (soybean isolates) followed by CPMoV, whereas it shared very low identity with other tombusviridae members (5-41%). A full-length infectious cDNA clone of the SYMMV-Mb placed under the control of the T7 RNA polymerase and the CaMV35S promoters was generated and French bean plants on mechanical inoculation with in vitro RNA transcripts, p35SSYMMV-O4 plasmid and agroinoculation with p35SSYMMV-O4 showed symptoms typical of SYMMV-Mb infection. The infection was confirmed by DAC-ELISA, ISEM, RT-PCR and mechanical transmission to new plant species. Further testing of different plant species with agroinoculation of p35SSYMMV-O4 showed delay in symptoms but indistinguishable from mechanical sap inoculation and the infection was confirmed by DAC-ELISA, RT-PCR and mechanical transmission to new plants. The system developed here will be useful for further studies on pathogenecity, viral gene functions, plant-virus-vector interactions of SYMMV-Mb and to utilize it as a gene expression and silencing vector. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Relating normalization to neuronal populations across cortical areas.

PubMed

Ruff, Douglas A; Alberts, Joshua J; Cohen, Marlene R

2016-09-01

Normalization, which divisively scales neuronal responses to multiple stimuli, is thought to underlie many sensory, motor, and cognitive processes. In every study where it has been investigated, neurons measured in the same brain area under identical conditions exhibit a range of normalization, ranging from suppression by nonpreferred stimuli (strong normalization) to additive responses to combinations of stimuli (no normalization). Normalization has been hypothesized to arise from interactions between neuronal populations, either in the same or different brain areas, but current models of normalization are not mechanistic and focus on trial-averaged responses. To gain insight into the mechanisms underlying normalization, we examined interactions between neurons that exhibit different degrees of normalization. We recorded from multiple neurons in three cortical areas while rhesus monkeys viewed superimposed drifting gratings. We found that neurons showing strong normalization shared less trial-to-trial variability with other neurons in the same cortical area and more variability with neurons in other cortical areas than did units with weak normalization. Furthermore, the cortical organization of normalization was not random: neurons recorded on nearby electrodes tended to exhibit similar amounts of normalization. Together, our results suggest that normalization reflects a neuron's role in its local network and that modulatory factors like normalization share the topographic organization typical of sensory tuning properties. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Relating normalization to neuronal populations across cortical areas

PubMed Central

Alberts, Joshua J.; Cohen, Marlene R.

2016-01-01

Normalization, which divisively scales neuronal responses to multiple stimuli, is thought to underlie many sensory, motor, and cognitive processes. In every study where it has been investigated, neurons measured in the same brain area under identical conditions exhibit a range of normalization, ranging from suppression by nonpreferred stimuli (strong normalization) to additive responses to combinations of stimuli (no normalization). Normalization has been hypothesized to arise from interactions between neuronal populations, either in the same or different brain areas, but current models of normalization are not mechanistic and focus on trial-averaged responses. To gain insight into the mechanisms underlying normalization, we examined interactions between neurons that exhibit different degrees of normalization. We recorded from multiple neurons in three cortical areas while rhesus monkeys viewed superimposed drifting gratings. We found that neurons showing strong normalization shared less trial-to-trial variability with other neurons in the same cortical area and more variability with neurons in other cortical areas than did units with weak normalization. Furthermore, the cortical organization of normalization was not random: neurons recorded on nearby electrodes tended to exhibit similar amounts of normalization. Together, our results suggest that normalization reflects a neuron's role in its local network and that modulatory factors like normalization share the topographic organization typical of sensory tuning properties. PMID:27358313

Similar traits, different genes? Examining convergent evolution in related weedy rice populations.

PubMed

Thurber, Carrie S; Jia, Melissa H; Jia, Yulin; Caicedo, Ana L

2013-02-01

Convergent phenotypic evolution may or may not be associated with convergent genotypic evolution. Agricultural weeds have repeatedly been selected for weed-adaptive traits such as rapid growth, increased seed dispersal and dormancy, thus providing an ideal system for the study of convergent evolution. Here, we identify QTL underlying weedy traits and compare their genetic architecture to assess the potential for convergent genetic evolution in two distinct populations of weedy rice. F(2) offspring from crosses between an indica cultivar and two individuals from genetically differentiated U.S. weedy rice populations were used to map QTL for four quantitative (heading date, seed shattering, plant height and growth rate) and two qualitative traits. We identified QTL on nine of the twelve rice chromosomes, yet most QTL locations do not overlap between the two populations. Shared QTL among weed groups were only seen for heading date, a trait for which weedy groups have diverged from their cultivated ancestors and from each other. Sharing of some QTL with wild rice also suggests a possible role in weed evolution for genes under selection during domestication. The lack of overlapping QTL for the remaining traits suggests that, despite a close evolutionary relationship, weedy rice groups have adapted to the same agricultural environment through different genetic mechanisms. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Social exclusion in finite populations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Kun; Cong, Rui; Wu, Te; Wang, Long

2015-04-01

Social exclusion, keeping free riders from benefit sharing, plays an important role in sustaining cooperation in our world. Here we propose two different exclusion regimes, namely, peer exclusion and pool exclusion, to investigate the evolution of social exclusion in finite populations. In the peer exclusion regime, each excluder expels all the defectors independently, and thus bears the total cost on his own, while in the pool exclusion regime, excluders spontaneously form an institution to carry out rejection of the free riders, and each excluder shares the cost equally. In a public goods game containing only excluders and defectors, it is found that peer excluders outperform pool excluders if the exclusion costs are small, and the situation is converse once the exclusion costs exceed some critical points, which holds true for all the selection intensities and different update rules. Moreover, excluders can dominate the whole population under a suitable parameters range in the presence of second-order free riders (cooperators), showing that exclusion has prominent advantages over common costly punishment. More importantly, our finding indicates that the group exclusion mechanism helps the cooperative union to survive under unfavorable conditions. Our results may give some insights into better understanding the prevalence of such a strategy in the real world and its significance in sustaining cooperation.

47 CFR 73.3700 - Channel sharing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... conjunction with the reverse auction. (2) The party relinquishing spectrum pursuant to a channel sharing... channel sharing licensee shall retain spectrum usage rights adequate to ensure a sufficient amount of the... carriage rights. A broadcast television station that voluntarily relinquishes spectrum usage rights under...

47 CFR 73.3700 - Channel sharing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... conjunction with the reverse auction. (2) The party relinquishing spectrum pursuant to a channel sharing... channel sharing licensee shall retain spectrum usage rights adequate to ensure a sufficient amount of the... carriage rights. A broadcast television station that voluntarily relinquishes spectrum usage rights under...

Lactate release from astrocytes to neurons contributes to cocaine memory formation.

PubMed

Boury-Jamot, Benjamin; Halfon, Olivier; Magistretti, Pierre J; Boutrel, Benjamin

2016-12-01

The identification of neural substrates underlying the long lasting debilitating impact of drug cues is critical for developing novel therapeutic tools. Metabolic coupling has long been considered a key mechanism through which astrocytes and neurons actively interact in response of neuronal activity, but recent findings suggested that disrupting metabolic coupling may represent an innovative approach to prevent memory formation, in particular drug-related memories. Here, we review converging evidence illustrating how memory and addiction share neural circuitry and molecular mechanisms implicating lactate-mediated metabolic coupling between astrocytes and neurons. With several aspects of addiction depending on mnemonic processes elicited by drug experience, disrupting lactate transport involved in the formation of a pathological learning, linking the incentive, and motivational effects of drugs with drug-conditioned stimuli represent a promising approach to encourage abstinence. © 2016 WILEY Periodicals, Inc.

Neuroendocrine control of seasonal plasticity in the auditory and vocal systems of fish

PubMed Central

Forlano, Paul M.; Sisneros, Joseph A.; Rohmann, Kevin N.; Bass, Andrew H.

2014-01-01

Seasonal changes in reproductive-related vocal behavior are widespread among fishes. This review highlights recent studies of the vocal plainfin midshipman fish, Porichthys notatus, a neuroethological model system used for the past two decades to explore neural and endocrine mechanisms of vocal-acoustic social behaviors shared with tetrapods. Integrative approaches combining behavior, neurophysiology, neuropharmacology, neuroanatomy, and gene expression methodologies have taken advantage of simple, stereotyped and easily quantifiable behaviors controlled by discrete neural networks in this model system to enable discoveries such as the first demonstration of adaptive seasonal plasticity in the auditory periphery of a vertebrate as well as rapid steroid and neuropeptide effects on vocal physiology and behavior. This simple model system has now revealed cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying seasonal and steroid-driven auditory and vocal plasticity in the vertebrate brain. PMID:25168757

Neural autonomic control in orthostatic intolerance.

PubMed

Furlan, Raffaello; Barbic, Franca; Casella, Francesco; Severgnini, Giorgio; Zenoni, Luca; Mercieri, Angelo; Mangili, Ruggero; Costantino, Giorgio; Porta, Alberto

2009-10-01

Inability to maintain the upright position is manifested by a number of symptoms shared by either human pathophysiology and conditions following weightlessness or bed rest. Alterations of the neural sympathetic cardiovascular control have been suggested to be one of the potential underlying etiopathogenetic mechanisms in these conditions. We hypothesize that the study of the autonomic profile of human orthostatic intolerance syndromes may furnish a valuable insight into the complexity of the sympathetic alterations leading to a reduced gravitational tolerance. In the present paper we describe abnormalities both in the magnitude and in the pattern of the sympathetic neural firing observed in patients affected by orthostatic intolerance, attending the upright position. Also, we discuss similarity and differences in the neural sympathetic mechanisms regulating the cardiovascular system during the gravitational stimulus both in clinical syndromes and in subjects returning from space.

K- and Ka-band mobile-vehicular satellite-tracking reflector antenna system for the NASA ACTS mobile terminal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Densmore, Art; Jamnejad, Vahraz; Wu, T. K.; Woo, Ken

1993-01-01

This paper describes the development of the K- and Ka-band mobile-vehicular satellite-tracking reflector antenna system for NASA's ACTS Mobile Terminal (AMT) project. ACTS is NASA's Advanced Communications Technology Satellites. The AMT project will make the first experimental use of ACTS soon after the satellite is operational, to demonstrate mobile communications via the satellite from a van on the road. The AMT antenna system consists of a mechanically steered small reflector antenna, using a shared aperture for both frequency bands and fitting under a radome of 23 cm diameter and 10 cm height, and a microprocessor controlled antenna controller that tracks the satellite as the vehicle moves about. The RF and mechanical characteristics of the antenna and the antenna tracking control system are discussed. Measurements of the antenna performance are presented.

Expansion of TALE homeobox genes and the evolution of spiralian development.

PubMed

Morino, Yoshiaki; Hashimoto, Naoki; Wada, Hiroshi

2017-12-01

Spiralians, including molluscs, annelids and platyhelminths, share a unique development process that includes the typical geometry of early cleavage and early segregation of cell fate in blastomeres along the animal-vegetal axis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this early cell fate segregation are largely unknown. Here, we report spiralian-specific expansion of the three-amino-acid loop extension (TALE) class of homeobox genes. During early development, some of these TALE genes are expressed in staggered domains along the animal-vegetal axis in the limpet Nipponacmea fuscoviridis and the polychaete Spirobranchus kraussii. Inhibition or overexpression of these genes alters the developmental fate of blastomeres, as predicted by the gene expression patterns. These results suggest that the expansion of novel TALE genes plays a critical role in the establishment of a novel cell fate segregation mechanism in spiralians.

Central control of body temperature

PubMed Central

Morrison, Shaun F.

2016-01-01

Central neural circuits orchestrate the behavioral and autonomic repertoire that maintains body temperature during environmental temperature challenges and alters body temperature during the inflammatory response and behavioral states and in response to declining energy homeostasis. This review summarizes the central nervous system circuit mechanisms controlling the principal thermoeffectors for body temperature regulation: cutaneous vasoconstriction regulating heat loss and shivering and brown adipose tissue for thermogenesis. The activation of these thermoeffectors is regulated by parallel but distinct efferent pathways within the central nervous system that share a common peripheral thermal sensory input. The model for the neural circuit mechanism underlying central thermoregulatory control provides a useful platform for further understanding of the functional organization of central thermoregulation, for elucidating the hypothalamic circuitry and neurotransmitters involved in body temperature regulation, and for the discovery of novel therapeutic approaches to modulating body temperature and energy homeostasis. PMID:27239289

Central control of body temperature.

PubMed

Morrison, Shaun F

2016-01-01

Central neural circuits orchestrate the behavioral and autonomic repertoire that maintains body temperature during environmental temperature challenges and alters body temperature during the inflammatory response and behavioral states and in response to declining energy homeostasis. This review summarizes the central nervous system circuit mechanisms controlling the principal thermoeffectors for body temperature regulation: cutaneous vasoconstriction regulating heat loss and shivering and brown adipose tissue for thermogenesis. The activation of these thermoeffectors is regulated by parallel but distinct efferent pathways within the central nervous system that share a common peripheral thermal sensory input. The model for the neural circuit mechanism underlying central thermoregulatory control provides a useful platform for further understanding of the functional organization of central thermoregulation, for elucidating the hypothalamic circuitry and neurotransmitters involved in body temperature regulation, and for the discovery of novel therapeutic approaches to modulating body temperature and energy homeostasis.

The Evolutionary Roots of Human Decision Making

PubMed Central

Santos, Laurie R.; Rosati, Alexandra G.

2015-01-01

Humans exhibit a suite of biases when making economic decisions. We review recent research on the origins of human decision making by examining whether similar choice biases are seen in nonhuman primates, our closest phylogenetic relatives. We propose that comparative studies can provide insight into four major questions about the nature of human choice biases that cannot be addressed by studies of our species alone. First, research with other primates can address the evolution of human choice biases and identify shared versus human-unique tendencies in decision making. Second, primate studies can constrain hypotheses about the psychological mechanisms underlying such biases. Third, comparisons of closely related species can identify when distinct mechanisms underlie related biases by examining evolutionary dissociations in choice strategies. Finally, comparative work can provide insight into the biological rationality of economically irrational preferences. PMID:25559115

Job Sharing in the Schools: A Study of Nine Bay Area Districts. A Preliminary Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Ways to Work, Palo Alto, CA.

Under job sharing, two people share responsibility for one full-time position. Each person has a permanent, part-time job with salary and fringe benefits prorated according to hours worked. Job sharing has been available in some Bay Area school districts for the last four years. For this preliminary report, nine districts--Alum rock, Fremont,…

Genetic dissection of the pre-eclampsia susceptibility locus on chromosome 2q22 reveals shared novel risk factors for cardiovascular disease

PubMed Central

Johnson, Matthew P.; Brennecke, Shaun P.; East, Christine E.; Dyer, Thomas D.; Roten, Linda T.; Proffitt, J. Michael; Melton, Phillip E.; Fenstad, Mona H.; Aalto-Viljakainen, Tia; Mäkikallio, Kaarin; Heinonen, Seppo; Kajantie, Eero; Kere, Juha; Laivuori, Hannele; Austgulen, Rigmor; Blangero, John; Moses, Eric K.; Pouta, Anneli; Kivinen, Katja; Ekholm, Eeva; Hietala, Reija; Sainio, Susanna; Saisto, Terhi; Uotila, Jukka; Klemetti, Miira; Inkeri Lokki, Anna; Georgiadis, Leena; Huovari, Elina; Kortelainen, Eija; Leminen, Satu; Lähdesmäki, Aija; Mehtälä, Susanna; Salmen, Christina

2013-01-01

Pre-eclampsia is an idiopathic pregnancy disorder promoting morbidity and mortality to both mother and child. Delivery of the fetus is the only means to resolve severe symptoms. Women with pre-eclamptic pregnancies demonstrate increased risk for later life cardiovascular disease (CVD) and good evidence suggests these two syndromes share several risk factors and pathophysiological mechanisms. To elucidate the genetic architecture of pre-eclampsia we have dissected our chromosome 2q22 susceptibility locus in an extended Australian and New Zealand familial cohort. Positional candidate genes were prioritized for exon-centric sequencing using bioinformatics, SNPing, transcriptional profiling and QTL-walking. In total, we interrogated 1598 variants from 52 genes. Four independent SNP associations satisfied our gene-centric multiple testing correction criteria: a missense LCT SNP (rs2322659, P = 0.0027), a synonymous LRP1B SNP (rs35821928, P = 0.0001), an UTR-3 RND3 SNP (rs115015150, P = 0.0024) and a missense GCA SNP (rs17783344, P = 0.0020). We replicated the LCT SNP association (P = 0.02) and observed a borderline association for the GCA SNP (P = 0.07) in an independent Australian case–control population. The LRP1B and RND3 SNP associations were not replicated in this same Australian singleton cohort. Moreover, these four SNP associations could not be replicated in two additional case–control populations from Norway and Finland. These four SNPs, however, exhibit pleiotropic effects with several quantitative CVD-related traits. Our results underscore the genetic complexity of pre-eclampsia and present novel empirical evidence of possible shared genetic mechanisms underlying both pre-eclampsia and other CVD-related risk factors. PMID:23420841

Political economies and environmental futures for the sharing economy.

PubMed

Frenken, Koen

2017-06-13

The sudden rise of the sharing economy has sparked an intense public debate about its definition, its effects and its future regulation. Here, I attempt to provide analytical guidance by defining the sharing economy as the practice that consumers grant each other temporary access to their under-utilized physical assets. Using this definition, the rise of the sharing economy can be understood as occurring at the intersection of three salient economic trends: peer-to-peer exchange, access over ownership and circular business models. I shortly discuss some of the environmental impacts of online sharing platforms and then articulate three possible futures of the sharing economy: a capitalist future cumulating in monopolistic super-platforms allowing for seamless services, a state-led future that shifts taxation from labour to capital and redistributes the gains of sharing from winners to losers, and a citizen-led future based on cooperatively owned platforms under democratic control. The nature and size of the social and environmental impacts are expected to differ greatly in each of the three scenarios.This article is part of the themed issue 'Material demand reduction'. © 2017 The Authors.

Political economies and environmental futures for the sharing economy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frenken, Koen

2017-05-01

The sudden rise of the sharing economy has sparked an intense public debate about its definition, its effects and its future regulation. Here, I attempt to provide analytical guidance by defining the sharing economy as the practice that consumers grant each other temporary access to their under-utilized physical assets. Using this definition, the rise of the sharing economy can be understood as occurring at the intersection of three salient economic trends: peer-to-peer exchange, access over ownership and circular business models. I shortly discuss some of the environmental impacts of online sharing platforms and then articulate three possible futures of the sharing economy: a capitalist future cumulating in monopolistic super-platforms allowing for seamless services, a state-led future that shifts taxation from labour to capital and redistributes the gains of sharing from winners to losers, and a citizen-led future based on cooperatively owned platforms under democratic control. The nature and size of the social and environmental impacts are expected to differ greatly in each of the three scenarios. This article is part of the themed issue 'Material demand reduction'.

Political economies and environmental futures for the sharing economy

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The sudden rise of the sharing economy has sparked an intense public debate about its definition, its effects and its future regulation. Here, I attempt to provide analytical guidance by defining the sharing economy as the practice that consumers grant each other temporary access to their under-utilized physical assets. Using this definition, the rise of the sharing economy can be understood as occurring at the intersection of three salient economic trends: peer-to-peer exchange, access over ownership and circular business models. I shortly discuss some of the environmental impacts of online sharing platforms and then articulate three possible futures of the sharing economy: a capitalist future cumulating in monopolistic super-platforms allowing for seamless services, a state-led future that shifts taxation from labour to capital and redistributes the gains of sharing from winners to losers, and a citizen-led future based on cooperatively owned platforms under democratic control. The nature and size of the social and environmental impacts are expected to differ greatly in each of the three scenarios. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Material demand reduction’. PMID:28461431

Connecting the Dots...: Information Sharing by Post-Secondary Educational Institutions under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Richard; Hall, Richard; Gilmer, W. Gerry

2008-01-01

Misunderstanding of privacy laws and regulations impedes appropriate information sharing by post-secondary educational institutions under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 ("FERPA"). Post-Virginia Tech regulatory amendments allow institutions to "connect the dots" regarding a student's behavior and to be…

77 FR 73488 - Alabama; Amendment No. 19 to Notice of a Major Disaster Declaration

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-10

..., 2012, the President amended the cost-sharing arrangements regarding Federal funds provided under the...-line winds, and flooding during the period of April 15 to May 31, 2011, is of sufficient severity and magnitude that special cost sharing arrangements are warranted regarding Federal funds provided under the...

31 CFR 50.92 - Determination of pro rata share.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... INSURANCE PROGRAM Cap on Annual Liability § 50.92 Determination of pro rata share. (a) Pro rata loss... providing property and casualty insurance under the Program if there were no cap on annual liability under... estimates that aggregate insured losses may exceed the cap on annual liability for a Program Year, then...

High School to Community College: New Efforts to Build Shared Expectations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosin, Matthew; Wilson, Kathy

2008-01-01

Although K-12 schools and community colleges share responsibility for the futures of a vast number of young Californians, and both are under pressure to improve student academic achievement, the groups operate under separate governance systems, pursue distinct missions, gauge success based on different measures, and are seldom looked at together.…

47 CFR 27.1166 - Reimbursement under the Cost-Sharing Plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... frequency band may seek full reimbursement through the clearinghouse of compensable costs, up to the... act in good faith in satisfying the cost-sharing obligations under §§ 27.1160 through 27.1174. The... interference from MSS space-to-Earth downlink operations, but may elect to do so, in which case the MSS...

47 CFR 27.1166 - Reimbursement under the Cost-Sharing Plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... frequency band may seek full reimbursement through the clearinghouse of compensable costs, up to the... act in good faith in satisfying the cost-sharing obligations under §§ 27.1160 through 27.1174. The... interference from MSS space-to-Earth downlink operations, but may elect to do so, in which case the MSS...

47 CFR 27.1166 - Reimbursement under the Cost-Sharing Plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... frequency band may seek full reimbursement through the clearinghouse of compensable costs, up to the... act in good faith in satisfying the cost-sharing obligations under §§ 27.1160 through 27.1174. The... interference from MSS space-to-Earth downlink operations, but may elect to do so, in which case the MSS...

26 CFR 1.731-2 - Partnership distributions of marketable securities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... allocated to Security X under section 732(a) plus $25 gain recognized under section 737). (k) Effective date... the excess, if any, of— (i) The distributee partner's distributive share of the net gain, if any...; over (ii) The distributee partner's distributive share of the net gain, if any, which is attributable...

26 CFR 1.731-2 - Partnership distributions of marketable securities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... allocated to Security X under section 732(a) plus $25 gain recognized under section 737). (k) Effective date... the excess, if any, of— (i) The distributee partner's distributive share of the net gain, if any...; over (ii) The distributee partner's distributive share of the net gain, if any, which is attributable...

26 CFR 1.731-2 - Partnership distributions of marketable securities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... allocated to Security X under section 732(a) plus $25 gain recognized under section 737). (k) Effective date... the excess, if any, of— (i) The distributee partner's distributive share of the net gain, if any...; over (ii) The distributee partner's distributive share of the net gain, if any, which is attributable...

26 CFR 1.731-2 - Partnership distributions of marketable securities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... allocated to Security X under section 732(a) plus $25 gain recognized under section 737). (k) Effective date... the excess, if any, of— (i) The distributee partner's distributive share of the net gain, if any...; over (ii) The distributee partner's distributive share of the net gain, if any, which is attributable...

26 CFR 1.731-2 - Partnership distributions of marketable securities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... allocated to Security X under section 732(a) plus $25 gain recognized under section 737). (k) Effective date... the excess, if any, of— (i) The distributee partner's distributive share of the net gain, if any...; over (ii) The distributee partner's distributive share of the net gain, if any, which is attributable...

Light-dependent delta pH and membrane potential changes in halobacterial vesicles coupled to sodium transport

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kamo, N.; Racanelli, T.; Packer, L.

1982-01-01

Bacteriorhodopsin and Halorhodopsin present in Halobacterium halobium strains have been investigated in relation to Na/sup +//H/sup +/ exchange in isolated cell envelope vesicles. Upon illumination, these retinal proteins result in extrusion of sodium ions by either an electrogenic Na/sup +//Ha/sup +/ antiporter and/or a direct sodium pump. Since a molecular characterization of these mechanism(s) of sodium extrusion has not yet been realized, it was of interest to measure directly the light- and sodium-dependent changes in delta pH and membrane potential under nearly identical conditions in S9 and R1mR cell membrane vesicles to gain information on the relation of these retinalmore » proteins to sodium extrusion. These activities were evaluated in terms of their dependence on light intensity, and on the inhibitory effect of chemical modifiers of carboxyl groups (carbodiimides); electroneutral exchanges (monensin and triphenyltin); digitoxin and some analogues; and phloretin. Under most of the conditions and treatments employed, light- and sodium-dependent delta pH led to similar effects in both membrane vesicle types. Hence, it is concluded that the delta pH and delta psi which arise from sodium transport occur by either a single mechanism or by one which shares common features.« less

Mechanisms of kinetic stabilization by the drugs paclitaxel and vinblastine.

PubMed

Castle, Brian T; McCubbin, Seth; Prahl, Louis S; Bernens, Jordan N; Sept, David; Odde, David J

2017-05-01

Microtubule-targeting agents (MTAs), widely used as biological probes and chemotherapeutic drugs, bind directly to tubulin subunits and "kinetically stabilize" microtubules, suppressing the characteristic self-assembly process of dynamic instability. However, the molecular-level mechanisms of kinetic stabilization are unclear, and the fundamental thermodynamic and kinetic requirements for dynamic instability and its elimination by MTAs have yet to be defined. Here we integrate a computational model for microtubule assembly with nanometer-scale fluorescence microscopy measurements to identify the kinetic and thermodynamic basis of kinetic stabilization by the MTAs paclitaxel, an assembly promoter, and vinblastine, a disassembly promoter. We identify two distinct modes of kinetic stabilization in live cells, one that truly suppresses on-off kinetics, characteristic of vinblastine, and the other a "pseudo" kinetic stabilization, characteristic of paclitaxel, that nearly eliminates the energy difference between the GTP- and GDP-tubulin thermodynamic states. By either mechanism, the main effect of both MTAs is to effectively stabilize the microtubule against disassembly in the absence of a robust GTP cap. © 2017 Castle et al. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). Two months after publication it is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

The paradox of Foxd3: how does it function in pluripotency and differentiation of embryonic stem cells?

PubMed Central

Plank-Bazinet, Jennifer L.

2016-01-01

Uncommitted cells of the early mammalian embryo transition through distinct stages of pluripotency, including establishment of ground state “naïve” pluripotency in the early epiblast, transition to a post-implantation “primed” state, and subsequent lineage commitment of the gastrulating epiblast. Previous transcriptional profiling of in vitro models to recapitulate early to late epiblast transition and differentiation suggest that distinct gene regulatory networks are likely to function in each of these states. While the mechanisms underlying transition between pluripotent states are poorly understood, the forkhead family transcription factor Foxd3 has emerged as a key regulatory factor. Foxd3 is required to maintain pluripotent cells of the murine epiblast and for survival, self-renewal and pluripotency of embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Two recent, simultaneous studies have shed light on how Foxd3 regulates gene expression in early cell fate transitions of progenitor cells. While the two publications shared some common findings, they also presented some conflicting results and suggest different models for the mechanisms underlying Foxd3 function. Here, we discuss the key similarities and differences between the publications, highlight data from the literature relevant to their findings, and hypothesize a potential mechanism of Foxd3 action. PMID:27868055

Split-root systems applied to the study of the legume-rhizobial symbiosis: what have we learned?

PubMed

Larrainzar, Estíbaliz; Gil-Quintana, Erena; Arrese-Igor, Cesar; González, Esther M; Marino, Daniel

2014-12-01

Split-root system (SRS) approaches allow the differential treatment of separate and independent root systems, while sharing a common aerial part. As such, SRS is a useful tool for the discrimination of systemic (shoot origin) versus local (root/nodule origin) regulation mechanisms. This type of approach is particularly useful when studying the complex regulatory mechanisms governing the symbiosis established between legumes and Rhizobium bacteria. The current work provides an overview of the main insights gained from the application of SRS approaches to understand how nodule number (nodulation autoregulation) and nitrogen fixation are controlled both under non-stressful conditions and in response to a variety of stresses. Nodule number appears to be mainly controlled at the systemic level through a signal which is produced by nodule/root tissue, translocated to the shoot, and transmitted back to the root system, involving shoot Leu-rich repeat receptor-like kinases. In contrast, both local and systemic mechanisms have been shown to operate for the regulation of nitrogenase activity in nodules. Under drought and heavy metal stress, the regulation is mostly local, whereas the application of exogenous nitrogen seems to exert a regulation of nitrogen fixation both at the local and systemic levels. © 2014 Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The manifold nature of interpersonal relations: the quest for a common mechanism.

PubMed Central

Gallese, Vittorio

2003-01-01

It has been proposed that the capacity to code the 'like me' analogy between self and others constitutes a basic prerequisite and a starting point for social cognition. It is by means of this self/other equivalence that meaningful social bonds can be established, that we can recognize others as similar to us, and that imitation can take place. In this article I discuss recent neurophysiological and brain imaging data on monkeys and humans, showing that the 'like me' analogy may rest upon a series of 'mirror-matching' mechanisms. A new conceptual tool able to capture the richness of the experiences we share with others is introduced: the shared manifold of intersubjectivity. I propose that all kinds of interpersonal relations (imitation, empathy and the attribution of intentions) depend, at a basic level, on the constitution of a shared manifold space. This shared space is functionally characterized by automatic, unconscious embodied simulation routines. PMID:12689377

Successful Architectural Knowledge Sharing: Beware of Emotions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poort, Eltjo R.; Pramono, Agung; Perdeck, Michiel; Clerc, Viktor; van Vliet, Hans

This chapter presents the analysis and key findings of a survey on architectural knowledge sharing. The responses of 97 architects working in the Dutch IT Industry were analyzed by correlating practices and challenges with project size and success. Impact mechanisms between project size, project success, and architectural knowledge sharing practices and challenges were deduced based on reasoning, experience and literature. We find that architects run into numerous and diverse challenges sharing architectural knowledge, but that the only challenges that have a significant impact are the emotional challenges related to interpersonal relationships. Thus, architects should be careful when dealing with emotions in knowledge sharing.

Integrative genomic analysis implicates limited peripheral adipose storage capacity in the pathogenesis of human insulin resistance.

PubMed

Lotta, Luca A; Gulati, Pawan; Day, Felix R; Payne, Felicity; Ongen, Halit; van de Bunt, Martijn; Gaulton, Kyle J; Eicher, John D; Sharp, Stephen J; Luan, Jian'an; De Lucia Rolfe, Emanuella; Stewart, Isobel D; Wheeler, Eleanor; Willems, Sara M; Adams, Claire; Yaghootkar, Hanieh; Forouhi, Nita G; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Johnson, Andrew D; Semple, Robert K; Frayling, Timothy; Perry, John R B; Dermitzakis, Emmanouil; McCarthy, Mark I; Barroso, Inês; Wareham, Nicholas J; Savage, David B; Langenberg, Claudia; O'Rahilly, Stephen; Scott, Robert A

2017-01-01

Insulin resistance is a key mediator of obesity-related cardiometabolic disease, yet the mechanisms underlying this link remain obscure. Using an integrative genomic approach, we identify 53 genomic regions associated with insulin resistance phenotypes (higher fasting insulin levels adjusted for BMI, lower HDL cholesterol levels and higher triglyceride levels) and provide evidence that their link with higher cardiometabolic risk is underpinned by an association with lower adipose mass in peripheral compartments. Using these 53 loci, we show a polygenic contribution to familial partial lipodystrophy type 1, a severe form of insulin resistance, and highlight shared molecular mechanisms in common/mild and rare/severe insulin resistance. Population-level genetic analyses combined with experiments in cellular models implicate CCDC92, DNAH10 and L3MBTL3 as previously unrecognized molecules influencing adipocyte differentiation. Our findings support the notion that limited storage capacity of peripheral adipose tissue is an important etiological component in insulin-resistant cardiometabolic disease and highlight genes and mechanisms underpinning this link.

Microscopic mechanisms contributing to the synchronous improvement of strength and plasticity (SISP) for TWIP copper alloys

PubMed Central

Liu, R.; Zhang, Z. J.; Li, L. L.; An, X. H.; Zhang, Z. F.

2015-01-01

In this study, the concept of “twinning induced plasticity (TWIP) alloys” is broadened, and the underlying intrinsic microscopic mechanisms of the general TWIP effect are intensively explored. For the first aspect, “TWIP copper alloys” was proposed following the concept of “TWIP steels”, as they share essentially the same strengthening and toughening mechanisms. For the second aspect, three intrinsic features of twinning: i.e. “dynamic development”, “planarity”, as well as “orientation selectivity” were derived from the detailed exploration of the deformation behavior in TWIP copper alloys. These features can be considered the microscopic essences of the general “TWIP effect”. Moreover, the effective cooperation between deformation twinning and dislocation slipping in TWIP copper alloys leads to a desirable tendency: the synchronous improvement of strength and plasticity (SISP). This breakthrough against the traditional trade-off relationship, achieved by the general “TWIP effect”, may provide useful strategies for designing high-performance engineering materials. PMID:25828192

Experimental anti-GBM nephritis as an analytical tool for studying spontaneous lupus nephritis.

PubMed

Du, Yong; Fu, Yuyang; Mohan, Chandra

2008-01-01

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that results in immune-mediated damage to multiple organs. Among these, kidney involvement is the most common and fatal. Spontaneous lupus nephritis (SLN) in mouse models has provided valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms of human lupus nephritis. However, SLN in mouse models takes 6-12 months to manifest; hence there is clearly the need for a mouse model that can be used to unveil the pathogenic processes that lead to immune nephritis over a shorter time frame. In this article more than 25 different molecules are reviewed that have been studied both in the anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) model and in SLN and it was found that these molecules influence both diseases in a parallel fashion, suggesting that the two disease settings share common molecular mechanisms. Based on these observations, the authors believe the experimental anti-GBM disease model might be one of the best tools currently available for uncovering the downstream molecular mechanisms leading to SLN.

Microglial aging in the healthy CNS: phenotypes, drivers, and rejuvenation

PubMed Central

Wong, Wai T.

2013-01-01

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), share two characteristics in common: (1) a disease prevalence that increases markedly with advancing age, and (2) neuroinflammatory changes in which microglia, the primary resident immune cell of the CNS, feature prominently. These characteristics have led to the hypothesis that pathogenic mechanisms underlying age-related neurodegenerative disease involve aging changes in microglia. If correct, targeting features of microglial senescence may constitute a feasible therapeutic strategy. This review explores this hypothesis and its implications by considering the current knowledge on how microglia undergo change during aging and how the emergence of these aging phenotypes relate to significant alterations in microglial function. Evidence and theories on cellular mechanisms implicated in driving senescence in microglia are reviewed, as are “rejuvenative” measures and strategies that aim to reverse or ameliorate the aging microglial phenotype. Understanding and controlling microglial aging may represent an opportunity for elucidating disease mechanisms and for formulating novel therapies. PMID:23493481

Potential Mechanisms of Exercise in Gestational Diabetes

PubMed Central

Golbidi, Saeid; Laher, Ismail

2013-01-01

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as glucose intolerance first diagnosed during pregnancy. This condition shares same array of underlying abnormalities as occurs in diabetes outside of pregnancy, for example, genetic and environmental causes. However, the role of a sedentary lifestyle and/or excess energy intake is more prominent in GDM. Physically active women are less likely to develop GDM and other pregnancy-related diseases. Weight gain in pregnancy causes increased release of adipokines from adipose tissue; many adipokines increase oxidative stress and insulin resistance. Increased intramyocellular lipids also increase cellular oxidative stress with subsequent generation of reactive oxygen species. A well-planned program of exercise is an important component of a healthy lifestyle and, in spite of old myths, is also recommended during pregnancy. This paper briefly reviews the role of adipokines in gestational diabetes and attempts to shed some light on the mechanisms by which exercise can be beneficial as an adjuvant therapy in GDM. In this regard, we discuss the mechanisms by which exercise increases insulin sensitivity, changes adipokine profile levels, and boosts antioxidant mechanisms. PMID:23691290

38 CFR 17.240 - Sharing specialized medical resources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... medical resources. 17.240 Section 17.240 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL Sharing of Medical Facilities, Equipment, and Information § 17.240 Sharing specialized medical resources. Subject to such terms and conditions as the Under Secretary for Health shall prescribe...

38 CFR 17.240 - Sharing specialized medical resources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... medical resources. 17.240 Section 17.240 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL Sharing of Medical Facilities, Equipment, and Information § 17.240 Sharing specialized medical resources. Subject to such terms and conditions as the Under Secretary for Health shall prescribe...

45 CFR 156.130 - Cost-sharing requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO HEALTH CARE ACCESS HEALTH INSURANCE ISSUER STANDARDS UNDER THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, INCLUDING STANDARDS RELATED TO EXCHANGES Essential Health Benefits Package § 156.130 Cost-sharing requirements. (a) Annual limitation on cost sharing. (1...

45 CFR 156.130 - Cost-sharing requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Public Welfare Department of Health and Human Services REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO HEALTH CARE ACCESS HEALTH INSURANCE ISSUER STANDARDS UNDER THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, INCLUDING STANDARDS RELATED TO EXCHANGES Essential Health Benefits Package § 156.130 Cost-sharing requirements. (a) Annual limitation on cost sharing. (1...

Exploiting GPUs in Virtual Machine for BioCloud

PubMed Central

Jo, Heeseung; Jeong, Jinkyu; Lee, Myoungho; Choi, Dong Hoon

2013-01-01

Recently, biological applications start to be reimplemented into the applications which exploit many cores of GPUs for better computation performance. Therefore, by providing virtualized GPUs to VMs in cloud computing environment, many biological applications will willingly move into cloud environment to enhance their computation performance and utilize infinite cloud computing resource while reducing expenses for computations. In this paper, we propose a BioCloud system architecture that enables VMs to use GPUs in cloud environment. Because much of the previous research has focused on the sharing mechanism of GPUs among VMs, they cannot achieve enough performance for biological applications of which computation throughput is more crucial rather than sharing. The proposed system exploits the pass-through mode of PCI express (PCI-E) channel. By making each VM be able to access underlying GPUs directly, applications can show almost the same performance as when those are in native environment. In addition, our scheme multiplexes GPUs by using hot plug-in/out device features of PCI-E channel. By adding or removing GPUs in each VM in on-demand manner, VMs in the same physical host can time-share their GPUs. We implemented the proposed system using the Xen VMM and NVIDIA GPUs and showed that our prototype is highly effective for biological GPU applications in cloud environment. PMID:23710465

Similarities in Adolescent Siblings’ Substance Use: Testing Competing Pathways of Influence

PubMed Central

Whiteman, Shawn D.; Jensen, Alexander C.; Maggs, Jennifer L.

2013-01-01

Objective: An accumulating body of work indicates that siblings uniquely influence each other’s alcohol and substance use behaviors during adolescence. The mechanisms underlying these associations, however, are unknown because most studies have not measured sibling influence processes. The present study addressed this gap by exploring the links between multiple influence processes and sibling similarities in alcohol and substance use. Method: The sample included one parent and two adolescent siblings (earlier born age: M = 17.17 years, SD = 0.94; later born age: M = 14.52 years, SD = 1.27) from 326 families. Data were collected via telephone interviews with parents and the two siblings. Results: A series of logistic regressions revealed that, after parents’ and peers’ use as well as other variables including parenting was statistically controlled for, older siblings’ alcohol and other substance use was positively associated with younger siblings’ patterns of use. Furthermore, sibling modeling and shared friends were significant moderators of these associations. For adolescents’ alcohol use, the links between sibling modeling and shared peer networks were interactive, such that the associations between modeling and similarity in alcohol use were stronger when siblings shared friends. Conclusions: Future research should continue to investigate the ways in which siblings influence each other because such processes are emerging targets for intervention and prevention efforts. PMID:23200155

Bisphenol A induces proliferative effects on both breast cancer cells and vascular endothelial cells through a shared GPER-dependent pathway in hypoxia.

PubMed

Xu, Fangyi; Wang, Xiaoning; Wu, Nannan; He, Shuiqing; Yi, Weijie; Xiang, Siyun; Zhang, Piwei; Xie, Xiao; Ying, Chenjiang

2017-12-01

Based on the breast cancer cells and the vascular endothelial cells are both estrogen-sensitive, we proposed a close reciprocity existed between them in the tumor microenvironment, via shared molecular mechanism affected by environmental endocrine disruptors (EDCs). In this study, bisphenol A (BPA), via triggering G-protein estrogen receptor (GPER), stimulated cell proliferation and migration of bovine vascular endothelial cells (BVECs) and breast cancer cells (SkBr-3 and MDA-MB-231) and enhanced tumor growth in vivo. Moreover, the expression of both hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were up-regulated in a GPER-dependent manner by BPA treatment under hypoxic condition, and the activated GPER induced the HIF-1α expression by competitively binding to caveolin-1 (Cav-1) and facilitating the release of heat shock protein 90 (HSP90). These findings show that in a hypoxic microenvironment, BPA promotes HIF-1α and VEGF expressions through a shared GPER/Cav-1/HSP90 signaling cascade. Our observations provide a probable hypothesis that the effects of BPA on tumor development are copromoting relevant biological responses in both vascular endothelial and breast cancer cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploiting GPUs in virtual machine for BioCloud.

PubMed

Jo, Heeseung; Jeong, Jinkyu; Lee, Myoungho; Choi, Dong Hoon

2013-01-01

Recently, biological applications start to be reimplemented into the applications which exploit many cores of GPUs for better computation performance. Therefore, by providing virtualized GPUs to VMs in cloud computing environment, many biological applications will willingly move into cloud environment to enhance their computation performance and utilize infinite cloud computing resource while reducing expenses for computations. In this paper, we propose a BioCloud system architecture that enables VMs to use GPUs in cloud environment. Because much of the previous research has focused on the sharing mechanism of GPUs among VMs, they cannot achieve enough performance for biological applications of which computation throughput is more crucial rather than sharing. The proposed system exploits the pass-through mode of PCI express (PCI-E) channel. By making each VM be able to access underlying GPUs directly, applications can show almost the same performance as when those are in native environment. In addition, our scheme multiplexes GPUs by using hot plug-in/out device features of PCI-E channel. By adding or removing GPUs in each VM in on-demand manner, VMs in the same physical host can time-share their GPUs. We implemented the proposed system using the Xen VMM and NVIDIA GPUs and showed that our prototype is highly effective for biological GPU applications in cloud environment.

Does hearing in response to soft-tissue stimulation involve skull vibrations? A within-subject comparison between skull vibration magnitudes and hearing thresholds.

PubMed

Chordekar, Shai; Perez, Ronen; Adelman, Cahtia; Sohmer, Haim; Kishon-Rabin, Liat

2018-04-03

Hearing can be elicited in response to bone as well as soft-tissue stimulation. However, the underlying mechanism of soft-tissue stimulation is under debate. It has been hypothesized that if skull vibrations were the underlying mechanism of hearing in response to soft-tissue stimulation, then skull vibrations would be associated with hearing thresholds. However, if skull vibrations were not associated with hearing thresholds, an alternative mechanism is involved. In the present study, both skull vibrations and hearing thresholds were assessed in the same participants in response to bone (mastoid) and soft-tissue (neck) stimulation. The experimental group included five hearing-impaired adults in whom a bone-anchored hearing aid was implanted due to conductive or mixed hearing loss. Because the implant is exposed above the skin and has become an integral part of the temporal bone, vibration of the implant represented skull vibrations. To ensure that middle-ear pathologies of the experimental group did not affect overall results, hearing thresholds were also obtained in 10 participants with normal hearing in response to stimulation at the same sites. We found that the magnitude of the bone vibrations initiated by the stimulation at the two sites (neck and mastoid) detected by the laser Doppler vibrometer on the bone-anchored implant were linearly related to stimulus intensity. It was therefore possible to extrapolate the vibration magnitudes at low-intensity stimulation, where poor signal-to-noise ratio limited actual recordings. It was found that the vibration magnitude differences (between soft-tissue and bone stimulation) were not different than the hearing threshold differences at the tested frequencies. Results of the present study suggest that bone vibration magnitude differences can adequately explain hearing threshold differences and are likely to be responsible for the hearing sensation. Thus, the present results support the idea that bone and soft-tissue conduction could share the same underlying mechanism, namely the induction of bone vibrations. Studies with the present methodology should be continued in future work in order to obtain further insight into the underlying mechanism of activation of the hearing system. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Information And Data-Sharing Plan of IPY China Activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, X.; Cheng, W.

2007-12-01

Polar Data-Sharing is an effective resolution to global system and polar science problems and to interdisciplinary and sustainable study, as well as an important means to deal with IPY scientific heritages and realize IPY goals. Corresponding to IPY Data-Sharing policies, Information and Data-Sharing Plan was listed in five sub-plans of IPY Chinese Programme launched in March, 2007,they are Scientific research program of the Prydz Bay, Amery Ice Shelf and Dome A transects(short title:'PANDA'), the Arctic Scientific Research Expedition Plan, International Cooperation Plan, Information and Data-Sharing Plan, Education and Outreach. China, since the foundation of Antarctic Zhongshan Station in 1989, has carried out systematic scientific expeditions and researches in Larsemann Hills, Prydz Bay and the neighbouring sea areas, organized 14 Prydz Bay oceanographic investigations, 3 Amery Ice Shelf expeditions, 4 Grove Mountains expeditions and 5 inland ice cap scientific expeditions. 2 comprehensive oceanographic investigations in the Arctic Ocean were conducted in 1999 and 2003, acquired a large amount of data and samples in PANDA section and fan areas of Pacific Ocean in the Arctic Ocean. A mechanism of basic data submitting ,sharing and archiving has been gradually set up since 2000. Presently, Polar Science Database and Polar Sample Resource Sharing Platform of China with the aim of sharing polar data and samples has been initially established and began to provide sharing service to domestic and oversea users. According to IPY Chinese Activity, 2 scientific expeditions in the Arctic Ocean, 3 in the South Ocean, 2 at Amery Ice Shelf, 1 on Grove Mountains and 2 inland ice cap expeditions on Dome A will be carried out during IPY period. According to the experiences accumulated in the past and the jobs in the future, the Information and Data- Sharing Plan, during 2007-2010, will save, archive, and provide exchange and sharing services upon the data obtained by scientific expeditions on the site of IPY Chinese Programme. Meanwhile, focusing on areas in east Antarctic Dome A-Grove Mountain-Zhongshan Station-Amery Ice Shelf-Prydz Bay Section and the fan areas of Pacific Ocean in the Arctic Ocean, the Plan will also collect and integrate IPY data and historical data and establish database of PANDA Section and the Arctic Ocean. The details are as follows: On the basis of integrating the observed data acquired during the expeditions of China, the Plan will, adopting portal technology, develop 5 subject databases (English version included):(1) Database of Zhongshan Station- Dome A inner land ice cap section;(2) Database of interaction of ocean-ice-atmosphere-ice shelf in east Antarctica;(3) Database of geological and glaciological advance and retreat evolvement in Grove Mountains; (4) Database of Solar Terrestrial Physics at Zhongshan Station; (5) Oceanographic database of fan area of Pacific Ocean in the Arctic Ocean. CN-NADC of PRIC is the institute which assumes the responsibility for the Plan, specifically, it coordinates and organizes the operation of the Plan which includes data management, developing the portal of data and information sharing, and international exchanges. The specific assignments under the Plan will be carried out by research institutes under CAS (Chinese Academy of Sciences), SOA ( State Oceanic Administration), State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping and Ministry of Education.

24 CFR 266.1 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... FINANCE AGENCY RISK-SHARING PROGRAM FOR INSURED AFFORDABLE MULTIFAMILY PROJECT LOANS General Provisions... specifically directs the Secretary to carry out a pilot program of risk-sharing with qualified State and local... under this program. Through risk-sharing agreements with HUD, HFAs contract to reimburse HUD for a...

78 FR 24276 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Order Granting Approval of Proposed Rule Change...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-24

... Amendment No. 1 Thereto, To List and Trade Fourteen Series of the iShares Trust Under NYSE Arca Equities... rule change to list and trade shares (``Shares'') of fourteen series of the iShares Trust (``Trust... roll-over in New Zealand, which would ordinarily be 7:00 a.m., New Zealand time (which would be 1:00 p...

78 FR 76337 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; EDGX Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-17

... under the Market Depth Tier 1 from $0.0032 per share to $0.00325 per share and amend the criteria... Depth Tier 1 from $0.0032 per share to $0.00325 per share and amend the criteria necessary to achieve... Depth Tier 1 The Exchange proposes to amend its Fee Schedule to increase the rebate to add liquidity...

Improvement of Resilience to Disasters in Local Community Using Information Sharing Platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayama, Toru; Suzuki, Yuji; Park, Wonho; Hayashi, Akira

This paper presents a proposal for Disaster Information Sharing Platform, which enable local government and residents to share the disaster information, and to cope with the disaster under the proper balance of Self-help, Mutual-help and Public-help. Informagic, which has been developed as a concrete example of the information sharing platform, enable us to collect information from variety of sources, such as government, local government, research institutes, private contents providers and so forth, and to transmit these information to residents through multi-media, such as internet, mobile-phone network and wireless system. An experiment was conducted under the cooperation of City of Fujisawa, to investigate the effectiveness of such platform for the disaster mitigation. Further, the platform was utilized to provide information to refugees at refuges for the Iwate-Miyagi Inland Earthquake. Through these experiments, effectiveness and issues of the platform and information sharing were investigated.

76 FR 58549 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Order Approving a Proposed Rule Change To List...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-21

... the Teucrium Wheat Fund, the Teucrium Soybean Fund and the Teucrium Sugar Fund Under NYSE Arca... Fund, and the Teucrium Sugar Fund under Commentary .02 to NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.200. The proposed... trade shares (``Shares'') of the Teucrium Wheat Fund, the Teucrium Soybean Fund, and the Teucrium Sugar...

77 FR 9281 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change Relating...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-16

... and Trading of the PIMCO Global Advantage Inflation-Linked Bond Strategy Fund Under NYSE Arca Equities...''): PIMCO Global Advantage Inflation-Linked Bond Strategy Fund. The text of the proposed rule change is... Shares \\3\\ (``Shares'') under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600: PIMCO Global Advantage Inflation-Linked Bond...

Rigidity of quantum steering and one-sided device-independent verifiable quantum computation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gheorghiu, Alexandru; Wallden, Petros; Kashefi, Elham

2017-02-01

The relationship between correlations and entanglement has played a major role in understanding quantum theory since the work of Einstein et al (1935 Phys. Rev. 47 777-80). Tsirelson proved that Bell states, shared among two parties, when measured suitably, achieve the maximum non-local correlations allowed by quantum mechanics (Cirel’son 1980 Lett. Math. Phys. 4 93-100). Conversely, Reichardt et al showed that observing the maximal correlation value over a sequence of repeated measurements, implies that the underlying quantum state is close to a tensor product of maximally entangled states and, moreover, that it is measured according to an ideal strategy (Reichardt et al 2013 Nature 496 456-60). However, this strong rigidity result comes at a high price, requiring a large number of entangled pairs to be tested. In this paper, we present a significant improvement in terms of the overhead by instead considering quantum steering where the device of the one side is trusted. We first demonstrate a robust one-sided device-independent version of self-testing, which characterises the shared state and measurement operators of two parties up to a certain bound. We show that this bound is optimal up to constant factors and we generalise the results for the most general attacks. This leads us to a rigidity theorem for maximal steering correlations. As a key application we give a one-sided device-independent protocol for verifiable delegated quantum computation, and compare it to other existing protocols, to highlight the cost of trust assumptions. Finally, we show that under reasonable assumptions, the states shared in order to run a certain type of verification protocol must be unitarily equivalent to perfect Bell states.

26 CFR 1.482-0T - Outline of regulations under section 482 (temporary).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... accounting requirements. (i) In general. (ii) Reliance on financial accounting. (4) CSA reporting...). (a) In general. (1) RAB share method for cost sharing transactions (CSTs). (2) Methods for platform... accepted accounting principles. (4) Time and manner of making the election. (C) Consistency. (4) IDC share...

7 CFR 1410.3 - General description.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... of the CRP are to cost-effectively reduce water and wind erosion, protect the Nation's long-term... addition to any payments under this part, receive cost-share assistance, rental or easement payments, tax.... However, a participant may not receive or retain CRP cost-share assistance if other Federal cost-share...

7 CFR 1410.3 - General description.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... of the CRP are to cost-effectively reduce water and wind erosion, protect the Nation's long-term... addition to any payments under this part, receive cost-share assistance, rental or easement payments, tax.... However, a participant may not receive or retain CRP cost-share assistance if other Federal cost-share...

7 CFR 1410.3 - General description.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... of the CRP are to cost-effectively reduce water and wind erosion, protect the Nation's long-term... addition to any payments under this part, receive cost-share assistance, rental or easement payments, tax.... However, a participant may not receive or retain CRP cost-share assistance if other Federal cost-share...

7 CFR 1410.3 - General description.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... of the CRP are to cost-effectively reduce water and wind erosion, protect the Nation's long-term... addition to any payments under this part, receive cost-share assistance, rental or easement payments, tax.... However, a participant may not receive or retain CRP cost-share assistance if other Federal cost-share...

7 CFR 1410.3 - General description.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... of the CRP are to cost-effectively reduce water and wind erosion, protect the Nation's long-term... addition to any payments under this part, receive cost-share assistance, rental or easement payments, tax.... However, a participant may not receive or retain CRP cost-share assistance if other Federal cost-share...

42 CFR 447.70 - General alternative cost sharing protections.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false General alternative cost sharing protections. 447.70 Section 447.70 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS PAYMENTS FOR SERVICES Payments: General Provisions Alternative Premiums and Cost Sharing Under...

42 CFR 447.70 - General alternative cost sharing protections.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false General alternative cost sharing protections. 447.70 Section 447.70 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS PAYMENTS FOR SERVICES Payments: General Provisions Alternative Premiums and Cost Sharing Under...

42 CFR 447.70 - General alternative cost sharing protections.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false General alternative cost sharing protections. 447.70 Section 447.70 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS PAYMENTS FOR SERVICES Payments: General Provisions Alternative Premiums and Cost Sharing Under...

42 CFR 447.70 - General alternative cost sharing protections.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false General alternative cost sharing protections. 447.70 Section 447.70 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS PAYMENTS FOR SERVICES Payments: General Provisions Alternative Premiums and Cost Sharing Under...

42 CFR 447.54 - Maximum allowable and nominal charges.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... nonemergency services furnished in a hospital emergency room. (c) Institutional services. For institutional... hospital emergency department. (a) The agency may impose cost sharing for non-emergency services provided... exempt from cost sharing under § 447.56(a), the agency may impose cost sharing for non-emergency use of...

24 CFR 206.107 - Mortgagee election of assignment or shared premium option.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Obligations Mortgage Insurance Premiums § 206.107 Mortgagee election of assignment or shared premium option... shared premium option. 206.107 Section 206.107 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to... COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT MORTGAGE AND LOAN INSURANCE PROGRAMS UNDER NATIONAL...

24 CFR 206.107 - Mortgagee election of assignment or shared premium option.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Obligations Mortgage Insurance Premiums § 206.107 Mortgagee election of assignment or shared premium option... shared premium option. 206.107 Section 206.107 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to... COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT MORTGAGE AND LOAN INSURANCE PROGRAMS UNDER NATIONAL...

77 FR 38344 - Medallion Financial Corp.; Notice of Application

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-27

... increasing the maximum number of shares of Applicant's common stock (``Common Stock'') available for issuance... Amended Director Plan. Under the Amended Director Plan, a maximum of 200,000 shares of Applicant's Common... shares of Applicant's Common Stock that may be issued to any one Eligible Director. The Amended Director...

33 CFR 241.5 - Procedures for estimating the alternative cost-share.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... THE ARMY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FLOOD CONTROL COST-SHARING REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE ABILITY TO PAY.... Determine the maximum possible reduction in the level of non-Federal cost-sharing for any project. (1) Calculate the ratio of flood control benefits (developed using the Water Resources Council's Principles and...

33 CFR 241.5 - Procedures for estimating the alternative cost-share.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... THE ARMY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FLOOD CONTROL COST-SHARING REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE ABILITY TO PAY.... Determine the maximum possible reduction in the level of non-Federal cost-sharing for any project. (1) Calculate the ratio of flood control benefits (developed using the Water Resources Council's Principles and...

33 CFR 241.5 - Procedures for estimating the alternative cost-share.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... THE ARMY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FLOOD CONTROL COST-SHARING REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE ABILITY TO PAY.... Determine the maximum possible reduction in the level of non-Federal cost-sharing for any project. (1) Calculate the ratio of flood control benefits (developed using the Water Resources Council's Principles and...

33 CFR 241.5 - Procedures for estimating the alternative cost-share.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... THE ARMY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FLOOD CONTROL COST-SHARING REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE ABILITY TO PAY.... Determine the maximum possible reduction in the level of non-Federal cost-sharing for any project. (1) Calculate the ratio of flood control benefits (developed using the Water Resources Council's Principles and...

33 CFR 241.5 - Procedures for estimating the alternative cost-share.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... THE ARMY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FLOOD CONTROL COST-SHARING REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE ABILITY TO PAY.... Determine the maximum possible reduction in the level of non-Federal cost-sharing for any project. (1) Calculate the ratio of flood control benefits (developed using the Water Resources Council's Principles and...

In two minds: dual-process accounts of reasoning.

PubMed

Evans, Jonathan St B T

2003-10-01

Researchers in thinking and reasoning have proposed recently that there are two distinct cognitive systems underlying reasoning. System 1 is old in evolutionary terms and shared with other animals: it comprises a set of autonomous subsystems that include both innate input modules and domain-specific knowledge acquired by a domain-general learning mechanism. System 2 is evolutionarily recent and distinctively human: it permits abstract reasoning and hypothetical thinking, but is constrained by working memory capacity and correlated with measures of general intelligence. These theories essentially posit two minds in one brain with a range of experimental psychological evidence showing that the two systems compete for control of our inferences and actions.

Producing and understanding prosocial actions in early childhood.

PubMed

Paulus, Markus; Moore, Chris

2012-01-01

Early prosocial development has become a topic of great interest in recent years as experimental studies have provided evidence that instances of prosocial action can already be found in the second year of life. In this contribution, we review the recent literature on young children's production of prosocial actions, in particular helping, sharing, and comforting, and their understanding of others' prosocial behavior. We summarize the novel insights gained by recent studies and point to directions for future studies. Overall, we suggest that while the field consists of considerable knowledge about the developmental timeline of prosocial behavior, more research is needed to examine and better understand underlying social-cognitive mechanisms.

Short-term perceptual learning in visual conjunction search.

PubMed

Su, Yuling; Lai, Yunpeng; Huang, Wanyi; Tan, Wei; Qu, Zhe; Ding, Yulong

2014-08-01

Although some studies showed that training can improve the ability of cross-dimension conjunction search, less is known about the underlying mechanism. Specifically, it remains unclear whether training of visual conjunction search can successfully bind different features of separated dimensions into a new function unit at early stages of visual processing. In the present study, we utilized stimulus specificity and generalization to provide a new approach to investigate the mechanisms underlying perceptual learning (PL) in visual conjunction search. Five experiments consistently showed that after 40 to 50 min of training of color-shape/orientation conjunction search, the ability to search for a certain conjunction target improved significantly and the learning effects did not transfer to a new target that differed from the trained target in both color and shape/orientation features. However, the learning effects were not strictly specific. In color-shape conjunction search, although the learning effect could not transfer to a same-shape different-color target, it almost completely transferred to a same-color different-shape target. In color-orientation conjunction search, the learning effect partly transferred to a new target that shared same color or same orientation with the trained target. Moreover, the sum of transfer effects for the same color target and the same orientation target in color-orientation conjunction search was algebraically equivalent to the learning effect for trained target, showing an additive transfer effect. The different transfer patterns in color-shape and color-orientation conjunction search learning might reflect the different complexity and discriminability between feature dimensions. These results suggested a feature-based attention enhancement mechanism rather than a unitization mechanism underlying the short-term PL of color-shape/orientation conjunction search.

An information spreading model based on online social networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Tao; He, Juanjuan; Wang, Xiaoxia

2018-01-01

Online social platforms are very popular in recent years. In addition to spreading information, users could review or collect information on online social platforms. According to the information spreading rules of online social network, a new information spreading model, namely IRCSS model, is proposed in this paper. It includes sharing mechanism, reviewing mechanism, collecting mechanism and stifling mechanism. Mean-field equations are derived to describe the dynamics of the IRCSS model. Moreover, the steady states of reviewers, collectors and stiflers and the effects of parameters on the peak values of reviewers, collectors and sharers are analyzed. Finally, numerical simulations are performed on different networks. Results show that collecting mechanism and reviewing mechanism, as well as the connectivity of the network, make information travel wider and faster, and compared to WS network and ER network, the speed of reviewing, sharing and collecting information is fastest on BA network.

78 FR 67420 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; EDGX Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-12

... decrease the rebate to add liquidity under the Market Depth Tier 1 from $0.0033 per share to $0.0032 per... Market Depth Tier 1 from $0.0033 per share to $0.0032 per share. Footnote 1 of the Fee Schedule currently provides that Members may qualify for the Market Depth Tier 1 and receive a rebate of $0.0033 per share for...

Studying the unfolding process of protein G and protein L under physical property space

PubMed Central

Zhao, Liling; Wang, Jihua; Dou, Xianghua; Cao, Zanxia

2009-01-01

Background The studies on protein folding/unfolding indicate that the native state topology is an important determinant of protein folding mechanism. The folding/unfolding behaviors of proteins which have similar topologies have been studied under Cartesian space and the results indicate that some proteins share the similar folding/unfolding characters. Results We construct physical property space with twelve different physical properties. By studying the unfolding process of the protein G and protein L under the property space, we find that the two proteins have the similar unfolding pathways that can be divided into three types and the one which with the umbrella-shape represents the preferred pathway. Moreover, the unfolding simulation time of the two proteins is different and protein L unfolding faster than protein G. Additionally, the distributing area of unfolded state ensemble of protein L is larger than that of protein G. Conclusion Under the physical property space, the protein G and protein L have the similar folding/unfolding behaviors, which agree with the previous results obtained from the studies under Cartesian coordinate space. At the same time, some different unfolding properties can be detected easily, which can not be analyzed under Cartesian coordinate space. PMID:19208146

Shared molecular and cellular mechanisms of premature ageing and ageing-associated diseases.

PubMed

Kubben, Nard; Misteli, Tom

2017-10-01

Ageing is the predominant risk factor for many common diseases. Human premature ageing diseases are powerful model systems to identify and characterize cellular mechanisms that underpin physiological ageing. Their study also leads to a better understanding of the causes, drivers and potential therapeutic strategies of common diseases associated with ageing, including neurological disorders, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Using the rare premature ageing disorder Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome as a paradigm, we discuss here the shared mechanisms between premature ageing and ageing-associated diseases, including defects in genetic, epigenetic and metabolic pathways; mitochondrial and protein homeostasis; cell cycle; and stem cell-regenerative capacity.

Common and Distinct Neural Mechanisms of Attentional Switching and Response Conflict

PubMed Central

Kim, Chobok; Johnson, Nathan F.; Gold, Brian T.

2012-01-01

The human capacities for overcoming prepotent actions and flexibly switching between tasks represent cornerstones of cognitive control. Functional neuroimaging has implicated a diverse set of brain regions contributing to each of these cognitive control processes. However, the extent to which attentional switching and response conflict draw on shared or distinct neural mechanisms remains unclear. The current study examined the neural correlates of response conflict and attentional switching using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a fully randomized 2×2 design. We manipulated an arrow-word version of the Stroop task to measure conflict and switching in the context of a single task decision, in response to a common set of stimuli. Under these common conditions, both behavioral and imaging data showed significant main effects of conflict and switching but no interaction. However, conjunction analyses identified frontal regions involved in both switching and response conflict, including the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and left inferior frontal junction. In addition, connectivity analyses demonstrated task-dependent functional connectivity patterns between dACC and inferior temporal cortex for attentional switching and between dACC and posterior parietal cortex for response conflict. These results suggest that the brain makes use of shared frontal regions, but can dynamically modulate the connectivity patterns of some of those regions, to deal with attentional switching and response conflict. PMID:22750124

Finding the Beat: From Socially Coordinated Vocalizations in Songbirds to Rhythmic Entrainment in Humans.

PubMed

Benichov, Jonathan I; Globerson, Eitan; Tchernichovski, Ofer

2016-01-01

Humans and oscine songbirds share the rare capacity for vocal learning. Songbirds have the ability to acquire songs and calls of various rhythms through imitation. In several species, birds can even coordinate the timing of their vocalizations with other individuals in duets that are synchronized with millisecond-accuracy. It is not known, however, if songbirds can perceive rhythms holistically nor if they are capable of spontaneous entrainment to complex rhythms, in a manner similar to humans. Here we review emerging evidence from studies of rhythm generation and vocal coordination across songbirds and humans. In particular, recently developed experimental methods have revealed neural mechanisms underlying the temporal structure of song and have allowed us to test birds' abilities to predict the timing of rhythmic social signals. Surprisingly, zebra finches can readily learn to anticipate the calls of a "vocal robot" partner and alter the timing of their answers to avoid jamming, even in reference to complex rhythmic patterns. This capacity resembles, to some extent, human predictive motor response to an external beat. In songbirds, this is driven, at least in part, by the forebrain song system, which controls song timing and is essential for vocal learning. Building upon previous evidence for spontaneous entrainment in human and non-human vocal learners, we propose a comparative framework for future studies aimed at identifying shared mechanism of rhythm production and perception across songbirds and humans.

Correlated individual differences suggest a common mechanism underlying metacognition in visual perception and visual short-term memory.

PubMed

Samaha, Jason; Postle, Bradley R

2017-11-29

Adaptive behaviour depends on the ability to introspect accurately about one's own performance. Whether this metacognitive ability is supported by the same mechanisms across different tasks is unclear. We investigated the relationship between metacognition of visual perception and metacognition of visual short-term memory (VSTM). Experiments 1 and 2 required subjects to estimate the perceived or remembered orientation of a grating stimulus and rate their confidence. We observed strong positive correlations between individual differences in metacognitive accuracy between the two tasks. This relationship was not accounted for by individual differences in task performance or average confidence, and was present across two different metrics of metacognition and in both experiments. A model-based analysis of data from a third experiment showed that a cross-domain correlation only emerged when both tasks shared the same task-relevant stimulus feature. That is, metacognition for perception and VSTM were correlated when both tasks required orientation judgements, but not when the perceptual task was switched to require contrast judgements. In contrast with previous results comparing perception and long-term memory, which have largely provided evidence for domain-specific metacognitive processes, the current findings suggest that metacognition of visual perception and VSTM is supported by a domain-general metacognitive architecture, but only when both domains share the same task-relevant stimulus feature. © 2017 The Author(s).

Common and distinct neural mechanisms of attentional switching and response conflict.

PubMed

Kim, Chobok; Johnson, Nathan F; Gold, Brian T

2012-08-21

The human capacities for overcoming prepotent actions and flexibly switching between tasks represent cornerstones of cognitive control. Functional neuroimaging has implicated a diverse set of brain regions contributing to each of these cognitive control processes. However, the extent to which attentional switching and response conflict draw on shared or distinct neural mechanisms remains unclear. The current study examined the neural correlates of response conflict and attentional switching using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a fully randomized 2×2 design. We manipulated an arrow-word version of the Stroop task to measure conflict and switching in the context of a single task decision, in response to a common set of stimuli. Under these common conditions, both behavioral and imaging data showed significant main effects of conflict and switching but no interaction. However, conjunction analyses identified frontal regions involved in both switching and response conflict, including the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and left inferior frontal junction. In addition, connectivity analyses demonstrated task-dependent functional connectivity patterns between dACC and inferior temporal cortex for attentional switching and between dACC and posterior parietal cortex for response conflict. These results suggest that the brain makes use of shared frontal regions, but can dynamically modulate the connectivity patterns of some of those regions, to deal with attentional switching and response conflict. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The motor origins of human and avian song structure

PubMed Central

Tierney, Adam T.; Russo, Frank A.; Patel, Aniruddh D.

2011-01-01

Human song exhibits great structural diversity, yet certain aspects of melodic shape (how pitch is patterned over time) are widespread. These include a predominance of arch-shaped and descending melodic contours in musical phrases, a tendency for phrase-final notes to be relatively long, and a bias toward small pitch movements between adjacent notes in a melody [Huron D (2006) Sweet Anticipation: Music and the Psychology of Expectation (MIT Press, Cambridge, MA)]. What is the origin of these features? We hypothesize that they stem from motor constraints on song production (i.e., the energetic efficiency of their underlying motor actions) rather than being innately specified. One prediction of this hypothesis is that any animals subject to similar motor constraints on song will exhibit similar melodic shapes, no matter how distantly related those animals are to humans. Conversely, animals who do not share similar motor constraints on song will not exhibit convergent melodic shapes. Birds provide an ideal case for testing these predictions, because their peripheral mechanisms of song production have both notable similarities and differences from human vocal mechanisms [Riede T, Goller F (2010) Brain Lang 115:69–80]. We use these similarities and differences to make specific predictions about shared and distinct features of human and avian song structure and find that these predictions are confirmed by empirical analysis of diverse human and avian song samples. PMID:21876156

Specifying Software Behavior for Requirements and Design

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

e.g., Behavior Hiding is comprised of the Function Driver and Shared Services modules. Blacked-out modules, which are concerned with mechanisms for...and Shared Services modules. “The Func- tion Driver Module consists of a set of modules called Func- tion Drivers; each Function Driver is the sole...system environment. Functions that capture the rules determining these output values specify that behavior. The Shared Services module concerns aspects of

Solutions and debugging for data consistency in multiprocessors with noncoherent caches

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bernstein, D.; Mendelson, B.; Breternitz, M. Jr.

1995-02-01

We analyze two important problems that arise in shared-memory multiprocessor systems. The stale data problem involves ensuring that data items in local memory of individual processors are current, independent of writes done by other processors. False sharing occurs when two processors have copies of the same shared data block but update different portions of the block. The false sharing problem involves guaranteeing that subsequent writes are properly combined. In modern architectures these problems are usually solved in hardware, by exploiting mechanisms for hardware controlled cache consistency. This leads to more expensive and nonscalable designs. Therefore, we are concentrating on softwaremore » methods for ensuring cache consistency that would allow for affordable and scalable multiprocessing systems. Unfortunately, providing software control is nontrivial, both for the compiler writer and for the application programmer. For this reason we are developing a debugging environment that will facilitate the development of compiler-based techniques and will help the programmer to tune his or her application using explicit cache management mechanisms. We extend the notion of a race condition for IBM Shared Memory System POWER/4, taking into consideration its noncoherent caches, and propose techniques for detection of false sharing problems. Identification of the stale data problem is discussed as well, and solutions are suggested.« less

Progesterone Inhibition of Neuronal Calcium Signaling Underlies Aspects of Progesterone-Mediated Neuroprotection

PubMed Central

Luoma, Jessie I; Stern, Christopher M; Mermelstein, Paul G.

2011-01-01

Progesterone is being utilized as a therapeutic means to ameliorate neuron loss and cognitive dysfunction following traumatic brain injury Although there have been numerous attempts to determine the means by which progesterone exerts neuroprotective effects, studies describing the underlying molecular mechanisms are lacking What has become clear, however, is the notion that progesterone can thwart several physiological processes that are detrimental to neuron function and survival, including inflammation, edema, demyelination and excitotoxicity One clue regarding the means by which progesterone has restorative value comes from the notion that these aforementioned biological processes all share the common theme of eliciting pronounced increases in intracellular calcium. Thus, we propose the hypothesis that progesterone regulation of calcium signaling underlies its ability to mitigate these cellular insults, ultimately leading to neuroprotection. Further, we describe recent findings that indicate neuroprotection is achieved via progesterone block of voltage-gated calcium channels, although additional outcomes may arise from blockade of various other ion channels and neurotransmitter receptors. PMID:22101209

A model of how different biology experts explain molecular and cellular mechanisms.

PubMed

Trujillo, Caleb M; Anderson, Trevor R; Pelaez, Nancy J

2015-01-01

Constructing explanations is an essential skill for all science learners. The goal of this project was to model the key components of expert explanation of molecular and cellular mechanisms. As such, we asked: What is an appropriate model of the components of explanation used by biology experts to explain molecular and cellular mechanisms? Do explanations made by experts from different biology subdisciplines at a university support the validity of this model? Guided by the modeling framework of R. S. Justi and J. K. Gilbert, the validity of an initial model was tested by asking seven biologists to explain a molecular mechanism of their choice. Data were collected from interviews, artifacts, and drawings, and then subjected to thematic analysis. We found that biologists explained the specific activities and organization of entities of the mechanism. In addition, they contextualized explanations according to their biological and social significance; integrated explanations with methods, instruments, and measurements; and used analogies and narrated stories. The derived methods, analogies, context, and how themes informed the development of our final MACH model of mechanistic explanations. Future research will test the potential of the MACH model as a guiding framework for instruction to enhance the quality of student explanations. © 2015 C. M. Trujillo et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2015 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Qualification and cryogenic performance of cryomodule components at CEBAF

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Heckman, J.; Macha, K.; Fischer, J.

1996-12-31

At CEBAF an electron beam is accelerated by superconducting resonant niobium cavities which are operated submerged in superfluid helium. The accelerator has 42 1/4 cryomodules, each containing eight cavities. The qualification and design of components for the cryomodules under went stringent testing and evaluation for acceptance. Indium wire seals are used between the cavity and helium vessel interface to make a superfluid helium leak tight seal. Each cavity is equipped with a mechanical tuner assembly designed to stretch and compress the cavities. Two rotary feedthroughs are used to operate each mechanical tuner assembly. Ceramic feedthroughs not designed for super-fluid weremore » qualified for tuner and cryogenic instrumentation. To ensure long term integrity of the machine special attention is required for material specifications and machine processes. The following is to share the qualification methods, design and performance of the cryogenic cryomodule components.« less

Mating and male pheromone kill Caenorhabditis males through distinct mechanisms.

PubMed

Shi, Cheng; Runnels, Alexi M; Murphy, Coleen T

2017-03-14

Differences in longevity between sexes is a mysterious yet general phenomenon across great evolutionary distances. To test the roles of responses to environmental cues and sexual behaviors in longevity regulation, we examined Caenorhabditis male lifespan under solitary, grouped, and mated conditions. We find that neurons and the germline are required for male pheromone-dependent male death. Hermaphrodites with a masculinized nervous system secrete male pheromone and are susceptible to male pheromone killing. Male pheromone-mediated killing is unique to androdioecious Caenorhabditis , and may reduce the number of males in hermaphroditic populations; neither males nor females of gonochoristic species are susceptible to male pheromone killing. By contrast, mating-induced death, which is characterized by germline-dependent shrinking, glycogen loss, and ectopic vitellogenin expression, utilizes distinct molecular pathways and is shared between the sexes and across species. The study of sex- and species-specific regulation of aging reveals deeply conserved mechanisms of longevity and population structure regulation.

Incentive compatibility in kidney exchange problems.

PubMed

Villa, Silvia; Patrone, Fioravante

2009-12-01

The problem of kidney exchanges shares common features with the classical problem of exchange of indivisible goods studied in the mechanism design literature, while presenting additional constraints on the size of feasible exchanges. The solution of a kidney exchange problem can be summarized in a mapping from the relevant underlying characteristics of the players (patients and their donors) to the set of matchings. The goal is to select only matchings maximizing a chosen welfare function. Since the final outcome heavily depends on the private information in possess of the players, a basic requirement in order to reach efficiency is the truthful revelation of this information. We show that for the kidney exchange problem, a class of (in principle) efficient mechanisms does not enjoy the incentive compatibility property and therefore is subject to possible manipulations made by the players in order to profit of the misrepresentation of their private information.

Dynamic information routing in complex networks

PubMed Central

Kirst, Christoph; Timme, Marc; Battaglia, Demian

2016-01-01

Flexible information routing fundamentally underlies the function of many biological and artificial networks. Yet, how such systems may specifically communicate and dynamically route information is not well understood. Here we identify a generic mechanism to route information on top of collective dynamical reference states in complex networks. Switching between collective dynamics induces flexible reorganization of information sharing and routing patterns, as quantified by delayed mutual information and transfer entropy measures between activities of a network's units. We demonstrate the power of this mechanism specifically for oscillatory dynamics and analyse how individual unit properties, the network topology and external inputs co-act to systematically organize information routing. For multi-scale, modular architectures, we resolve routing patterns at all levels. Interestingly, local interventions within one sub-network may remotely determine nonlocal network-wide communication. These results help understanding and designing information routing patterns across systems where collective dynamics co-occurs with a communication function. PMID:27067257

Issue bricolage: explaining the configuration of the social movement sector, 1960-1995.

PubMed

Jung, Wooseok; King, Brayden G; Soule, Sarah A

2014-07-01

Social movements occupy a shared ideational and resource space, which is often referred to as the social movement sector. This article contributes to the understanding of the relational dynamics of the social movement sector by demonstrating how ideational linkages are formed through protest events. Using a data set of protest events occurring in the United States from 1960 to 1995, the authors model the mechanisms shaping why certain movement issues (e.g., women's and peace or environmental and gay rights) appear together at protest events. They argue that both cultural similarity and status differences between two social movement issues are the underlying mechanisms that shape joint protest and the resultant ideational linkages between issues. Finally, they show that the linking of issues at protest events results in changes in the prominence of a given issue in the social movement sector.

Mechanisms of Bacterial Colonization of the Respiratory Tract

PubMed Central

Siegel, Steven J.; Weiser, Jeffrey N.

2016-01-01

Respiratory tract infections are an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Chief among these are infections involving the lower airways. The opportunistic bacterial pathogens responsible for most cases of pneumonia can cause a range of local and invasive infections. However, bacterial colonization (or carriage) in the upper airway is the prerequisite of all these infections. Successful colonizers must attach to the epithelial lining, grow on the nutrient-limited mucosal surface, evade the host immune response, and transmit to a susceptible host. Here, we review the molecular mechanisms underlying these conserved stages of carriage. We also examine how the demands of colonization influence progression to disease. A range of bacteria can colonize the upper airway; nevertheless, we focus on strategies shared by many respiratory tract opportunistic pathogens. Understanding colonization opens a window to the evolutionary pressures these pathogens face within their animal hosts and that have selected for attributes that contribute to virulence and pathogenesis. PMID:26488280

Russian comparative embryology takes form: a conceptual metamorphosis toward "evo-devo".

PubMed

Mikhailov, Alexander T

2012-01-01

This essay recapitulates major paths followed by the Russian tradition of what we refer to today as evolutionary developmental biology ("evo-devo"). The article addresses several questions regarding the conceptual history of evolutionary embryological thought in its particularly Russian perspective: (1) the assertion by the St. Petersburg academician Wolff regarding the possible connections between environmental modifications during morphogenesis and the "transformation" of species, (2) the discovery of shared "principles" underlying animal development by von Baer, (3) the experimental expression of Baer's principles by Kowalevsky and Mechnikoff, (4) Severtsov's theory of phylembryogenesis, (5) Filatov's approach to the study of evolution using comparative "developmental mechanics", and (6) Shmalgausen's concept of "stabilizing" selection as an attempt to elucidate the evolution of developmental mechanisms. The focus on comparative evolutionary embryology, which was established by Kowalevsky and Mechnikoff, still continues to be popular in present-day "evo-devo" research in Russia. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Sequestered gravity in gauge mediation.

PubMed

Antoniadis, Ignatios; Benakli, Karim; Quiros, Mariano

2016-01-01

We present a novel mechanism of supersymmetry breaking embeddable in string theory and simultaneously sharing the main advantages of (sequestered) gravity and gauge mediation. It is driven by a Scherk-Schwarz deformation along a compact extra dimension, transverse to a brane stack supporting the supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model. This fixes the magnitude of the gravitino mass, together with that of the gauginos of a bulk gauge group, at a scale as high as [Formula: see text] GeV. Supersymmetry breaking is mediated to the observable sector dominantly by gauge interactions using massive messengers transforming non-trivially under the bulk and Standard Model gauge groups and leading to a neutralino LSP as dark matter candidate. The Higgsino mass [Formula: see text] and soft Higgs-bilinear [Formula: see text] term could be generated at the same order of magnitude as the other soft terms by effective supergravity couplings as in the Giudice-Masiero mechanism.

Working Memory and Parent-Rated Components of Attention in Middle Childhood: A Behavioral Genetic Study

PubMed Central

Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Cutting, Laurie; Thompson, Lee A.; Petrill, Stephen A.

2012-01-01

The purpose of the current study was to investigate potential genetic and environmental correlations between working memory and three behavioral aspects of the attention network (i.e., executive, alerting, and orienting) using a twin design. Data were from 90 monozygotic (39% male) and 112 same-sex dizygotic (41% male) twins. Individual differences in working memory performance (digit span) and parent-rated measures of executive, alerting, and orienting attention included modest to moderate genetic variance, modest shared environmental variance, and modest to moderate nonshared environmental variance. As hypothesized, working memory performance was correlated with executive and alerting attention, but not orienting attention. The correlation between working memory, executive attention, and alerting attention was completely accounted for by overlapping genetic covariance, suggesting a common genetic mechanism or mechanisms underlying the links between working memory and certain parent-rated indicators of attentive behavior. PMID:21948215

Morphological elucidation of basal ganglia circuits contributing reward prediction

PubMed Central

Fujiyama, Fumino; Takahashi, Susumu; Karube, Fuyuki

2015-01-01

Electrophysiological studies in monkeys have shown that dopaminergic neurons respond to the reward prediction error. In addition, striatal neurons alter their responsiveness to cortical or thalamic inputs in response to the dopamine signal, via the mechanism of dopamine-regulated synaptic plasticity. These findings have led to the hypothesis that the striatum exhibits synaptic plasticity under the influence of the reward prediction error and conduct reinforcement learning throughout the basal ganglia circuits. The reinforcement learning model is useful; however, the mechanism by which such a process emerges in the basal ganglia needs to be anatomically explained. The actor–critic model has been previously proposed and extended by the existence of role sharing within the striatum, focusing on the striosome/matrix compartments. However, this hypothesis has been difficult to confirm morphologically, partly because of the complex structure of the striosome/matrix compartments. Here, we review recent morphological studies that elucidate the input/output organization of the striatal compartments. PMID:25698913

A hormone-related female anti-aphrodisiac signals temporary infertility and causes sexual abstinence to synchronize parental care.

PubMed

Engel, Katharina C; Stökl, Johannes; Schweizer, Rebecca; Vogel, Heiko; Ayasse, Manfred; Ruther, Joachim; Steiger, Sandra

2016-03-22

The high energetic demand of parental care requires parents to direct their resources towards the support of existing offspring rather than investing into the production of additional young. However, how such a resource flow is channelled appropriately is poorly understood. In this study, we provide the first comprehensive analysis of the physiological mechanisms coordinating parental and mating effort in an insect exhibiting biparental care. We show a hormone-mediated infertility in female burying beetles during the time the current offspring is needy and report that this temporary infertility is communicated via a pheromone to the male partner, where it inhibits copulation. A shared pathway of hormone and pheromone system ensures the reliability of the anti-aphrodisiac. Female infertility and male sexual abstinence provide for the concerted investment of parental resources into the existing developing young. Our study thus contributes to our deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying adaptive parental decisions.

Molecular physiology and modulation of somatodendritic A-type potassium channels.

PubMed

Jerng, Henry H; Pfaffinger, Paul J; Covarrubias, Manuel

2004-12-01

The somatodendritic subthreshold A-type K+ current (ISA) in nerve cells is a critical component of the ensemble of voltage-gated ionic currents that determine somatodendritic signal integration. The underlying K+ channel belongs to the Shal subfamily of voltage-gated K+ channels. Most Shal channels across the animal kingdom share a high degree of structural conservation, operate in the subthreshold range of membrane potentials, and exhibit relatively fast inactivation and recovery from inactivation. Mammalian Shal K+ channels (Kv4) undergo preferential closed-state inactivation with features that are generally inconsistent with the classical mechanisms of inactivation typical of Shaker K+ channels. Here, we review (1) the physiological and genetic properties of ISA, 2 the molecular mechanisms of Kv4 inactivation and its remodeling by a family of soluble calcium-binding proteins (KChIPs) and a membrane-bound dipeptidase-like protein (DPPX), and (3) the modulation of Kv4 channels by protein phosphorylation.

Simulation modelling of central order processing system under resource sharing strategy in demand-driven garment supply chains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, K.; Thomassey, S.; Zeng, X.

2017-10-01

In this paper we proposed a central order processing system under resource sharing strategy for demand-driven garment supply chains to increase supply chain performances. We examined this system by using simulation technology. Simulation results showed that significant improvement in various performance indicators was obtained in new collaborative model with proposed system.

Perceived affordability of health insurance and medical financial burdens five years in to Massachusetts health reform.

PubMed

Zallman, Leah; Nardin, Rachel; Sayah, Assaad; McCormick, Danny

2015-10-29

Under the Massachusetts health reform, low income residents (those with incomes below 150 % of the Federal Poverty Level [FPL]) were eligible for Medicaid and health insurance exchange-based plans with minimal cost-sharing and no premiums. Those with slightly higher incomes (150 %-300 % FPL) were eligible for exchange-based plans that required cost-sharing and premium payments. We conducted face to face surveys in four languages with a convenience sample of 976 patients seeking care at three hospital emergency departments five years after Massachusetts reform. We compared perceived affordability of insurance, financial burden, and satisfaction among low cost sharing plan recipients (recipients of Medicaid and insurance exchange-based plans with minimal cost-sharing and no premiums), high cost sharing plan recipients (recipients of exchange-based plans that required cost-sharing and premium payments) and the commercially insured. We found that despite having higher incomes, higher cost-sharing plan recipients were less satisfied with their insurance plans and perceived more difficulty affording their insurance than those with low cost-sharing plans. Higher cost-sharing plan recipients also reported more difficulty affording medical and non-medical health care as well as insurance premiums than those with commercial insurance. In contrast, patients with low cost-sharing public plans reported higher plan satisfaction and less financial concern than the commercially insured. Policy makers with responsibility for the benefit design of public insurance available under health care reforms in the U.S. should calibrate cost-sharing to income level so as to minimize difficulty affording care and financial burdens.

Features of Knowledge Building in Biology: Understanding Undergraduate Students' Ideas about Molecular Mechanisms.

PubMed

Southard, Katelyn; Wince, Tyler; Meddleton, Shanice; Bolger, Molly S

2016-01-01

Research has suggested that teaching and learning in molecular and cellular biology (MCB) is difficult. We used a new lens to understand undergraduate reasoning about molecular mechanisms: the knowledge-integration approach to conceptual change. Knowledge integration is the dynamic process by which learners acquire new ideas, develop connections between ideas, and reorganize and restructure prior knowledge. Semistructured, clinical think-aloud interviews were conducted with introductory and upper-division MCB students. Interviews included a written conceptual assessment, a concept-mapping activity, and an opportunity to explain the biomechanisms of DNA replication, transcription, and translation. Student reasoning patterns were explored through mixed-method analyses. Results suggested that students must sort mechanistic entities into appropriate mental categories that reflect the nature of MCB mechanisms and that conflation between these categories is common. We also showed how connections between molecular mechanisms and their biological roles are part of building an integrated knowledge network as students develop expertise. We observed differences in the nature of connections between ideas related to different forms of reasoning. Finally, we provide a tentative model for MCB knowledge integration and suggest its implications for undergraduate learning. © 2016 K. Southard et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

42 CFR 423.782 - Cost-sharing subsidy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cost-sharing subsidy. 423.782 Section 423.782... (CONTINUED) MEDICARE PROGRAM VOLUNTARY MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT Premiums and Cost-Sharing Subsidies... cents. (c) When the out-of-pocket cost for a covered Part D drug under a Part D sponsor's plan benefit...

34 CFR Appendix B to Part 300 - Proportionate Share Calculation

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 34 Education 2 2014-07-01 2013-07-01 true Proportionate Share Calculation B Appendix B to Part 300... CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES Pt. 300, App. B Appendix B to Part 300—Proportionate Share Calculation Each LEA... special education and related services under Part B, as compared with the total number of eligible...

Cost Sharing-Just When I Thought I Knew All the Answers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paoletti, Charles R.

2000-01-01

Discusses issues in the recent debate on cost sharing within the federal government-university partnership, the historical roots of cost sharing, and limitations on the recovery of costs under federally funded research. Notes that the Presidential Review Directive process is working toward a set of guiding principles and recommendations to enhance…

16 CFR 313.12 - Limits on sharing account number information for marketing purposes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Limits on sharing account number information... REGULATIONS UNDER SPECIFIC ACTS OF CONGRESS PRIVACY OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL INFORMATION Limits on Disclosures § 313.12 Limits on sharing account number information for marketing purposes. (a) General prohibition on...

24 CFR 982.508 - Maximum family share at initial occupancy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Maximum family share at initial... Assistance Payment § 982.508 Maximum family share at initial occupancy. At the time the PHA approves a tenancy for initial occupancy of a dwelling unit by a family with tenant-based assistance under the...

33 CFR 241.4 - General policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... interest at a lower level than the standard non-Federal share that would be required under the provisions...) Any reductions in the level of non-Federal cost-sharing as a result of the application of this test... ability to pay test should be structured so that reductions in the level of cost-sharing will be granted...

7 CFR 625.9 - 10-year restoration cost-share agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false 10-year restoration cost-share agreements. 625.9... CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WATER RESOURCES HEALTHY FORESTS RESERVE PROGRAM § 625.9 10-year restoration cost-share agreements. (a) The restoration plan developed under § 625.12 forms the basis for the...

Boeing’s Integrated Defense Systems Restructuring: Significant and Preventable Cost Impacts to Army Aviation Programs

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-18

IDS, the treatment and handling of Boeing World Headquarters (BWHQ) costs, common or shared systems costs, Shared Services Group costs, fringe...these expenses.15 One such example is the addition of the Shared Services Group (SSG) expense to the Mesa and Philadelphia accounting ledgers. Under

40 CFR 33.402 - Are there special rules for loans under EPA financial assistance agreements?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... agreement to capitalize revolving loan funds must either apply its own fair share objectives negotiated with... UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY PROGRAMS Fair Share Objectives § 33.402 Are there special... negotiate separate fair share objectives with entities receiving identified loans, as long as such separate...

Irrigation, risk aversion, and water right priority under water supply uncertainty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Man; Xu, Wenchao; Rosegrant, Mark W.

2017-09-01

This paper explores the impacts of a water right's allocative priority—as an indicator of farmers' risk-bearing ability—on land irrigation under water supply uncertainty. We develop and use an economic model to simulate farmers' land irrigation decision and associated economic returns in eastern Idaho. Results indicate that the optimal acreage of land irrigated increases with water right priority when hydroclimate risk exhibits a negatively skewed or right-truncated distribution. Simulation results suggest that prior appropriation enables senior water rights holders to allocate a higher proportion of their land to irrigation, 6 times as much as junior rights holders do, creating a gap in the annual expected net revenue reaching up to 141.4 acre-1 or 55,800 per farm between the two groups. The optimal irrigated acreage, expected net revenue, and shadow value of a water right's priority are subject to substantial changes under a changing climate in the future, where temporal variation in water supply risks significantly affects the profitability of agricultural land use under the priority-based water sharing mechanism.

Irrigation, risk aversion, and water right priority under water supply uncertainty.

PubMed

Li, Man; Xu, Wenchao; Rosegrant, Mark W

2017-09-01

This paper explores the impacts of a water right's allocative priority-as an indicator of farmers' risk-bearing ability-on land irrigation under water supply uncertainty. We develop and use an economic model to simulate farmers' land irrigation decision and associated economic returns in eastern Idaho. Results indicate that the optimal acreage of land irrigated increases with water right priority when hydroclimate risk exhibits a negatively skewed or right-truncated distribution. Simulation results suggest that prior appropriation enables senior water rights holders to allocate a higher proportion of their land to irrigation, 6 times as much as junior rights holders do, creating a gap in the annual expected net revenue reaching up to $141.4 acre -1 or $55,800 per farm between the two groups. The optimal irrigated acreage, expected net revenue, and shadow value of a water right's priority are subject to substantial changes under a changing climate in the future, where temporal variation in water supply risks significantly affects the profitability of agricultural land use under the priority-based water sharing mechanism.

Irrigation, risk aversion, and water right priority under water supply uncertainty

PubMed Central

Xu, Wenchao; Rosegrant, Mark W.

2017-01-01

Abstract This paper explores the impacts of a water right's allocative priority—as an indicator of farmers' risk‐bearing ability—on land irrigation under water supply uncertainty. We develop and use an economic model to simulate farmers' land irrigation decision and associated economic returns in eastern Idaho. Results indicate that the optimal acreage of land irrigated increases with water right priority when hydroclimate risk exhibits a negatively skewed or right‐truncated distribution. Simulation results suggest that prior appropriation enables senior water rights holders to allocate a higher proportion of their land to irrigation, 6 times as much as junior rights holders do, creating a gap in the annual expected net revenue reaching up to $141.4 acre−1 or $55,800 per farm between the two groups. The optimal irrigated acreage, expected net revenue, and shadow value of a water right's priority are subject to substantial changes under a changing climate in the future, where temporal variation in water supply risks significantly affects the profitability of agricultural land use under the priority‐based water sharing mechanism. PMID:29200529

Number line estimation and complex mental calculation: Is there a shared cognitive process driving the two tasks?

PubMed

Montefinese, Maria; Semenza, Carlo

2018-05-17

It is widely accepted that different number-related tasks, including solving simple addition and subtraction, may induce attentional shifts on the so-called mental number line, which represents larger numbers on the right and smaller numbers on the left. Recently, it has been shown that different number-related tasks also employ spatial attention shifts along with general cognitive processes. Here we investigated for the first time whether number line estimation and complex mental arithmetic recruit a common mechanism in healthy adults. Participants' performance in two-digit mental additions and subtractions using visual stimuli was compared with their performance in a mental bisection task using auditory numerical intervals. Results showed significant correlations between participants' performance in number line bisection and that in two-digit mental arithmetic operations, especially in additions, providing a first proof of a shared cognitive mechanism (or multiple shared cognitive mechanisms) between auditory number bisection and complex mental calculation.

Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury and Autism: Elucidating Shared Mechanisms

PubMed Central

Singh, Rahul; Nguyen, Linda; Motwani, Kartik; Swatek, Michelle

2016-01-01

Pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are two serious conditions that affect youth. Recent data, both preclinical and clinical, show that pediatric TBI and ASD share not only similar symptoms but also some of the same biologic mechanisms that cause these symptoms. Prominent symptoms for both disorders include gastrointestinal problems, learning difficulties, seizures, and sensory processing disruption. In this review, we highlight some of these shared mechanisms in order to discuss potential treatment options that might be applied for each condition. We discuss potential therapeutic and pharmacologic options as well as potential novel drug targets. Furthermore, we highlight advances in understanding of brain circuitry that is being propelled by improved imaging modalities. Going forward, advanced imaging will help in diagnosis and treatment planning strategies for pediatric patients. Lessons from each field can be applied to design better and more rigorous trials that can be used to improve guidelines for pediatric patients suffering from TBI or ASD. PMID:28074078

Quantifying the conservation gains from shared access to linear infrastructure.

PubMed

Runge, Claire A; Tulloch, Ayesha I T; Gordon, Ascelin; Rhodes, Jonathan R

2017-12-01

The proliferation of linear infrastructure such as roads and railways is a major global driver of cumulative biodiversity loss. One strategy for reducing habitat loss associated with development is to encourage linear infrastructure providers and users to share infrastructure networks. We quantified the reductions in biodiversity impact and capital costs under linear infrastructure sharing of a range of potential mine to port transportation links for 47 mine locations operated by 28 separate companies in the Upper Spencer Gulf Region of South Australia. We mapped transport links based on least-cost pathways for different levels of linear-infrastructure sharing and used expert-elicited impacts of linear infrastructure to estimate the consequences for biodiversity. Capital costs were calculated based on estimates of construction costs, compensation payments, and transaction costs. We evaluated proposed mine-port links by comparing biodiversity impacts and capital costs across 3 scenarios: an independent scenario, where no infrastructure is shared; a restricted-access scenario, where the largest mining companies share infrastructure but exclude smaller mining companies from sharing; and a shared scenario where all mining companies share linear infrastructure. Fully shared development of linear infrastructure reduced overall biodiversity impacts by 76% and reduced capital costs by 64% compared with the independent scenario. However, there was considerable variation among companies. Our restricted-access scenario showed only modest biodiversity benefits relative to the independent scenario, indicating that reductions are likely to be limited if the dominant mining companies restrict access to infrastructure, which often occurs without policies that promote sharing of infrastructure. Our research helps illuminate the circumstances under which infrastructure sharing can minimize the biodiversity impacts of development. © 2017 The Authors. Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology.

Distributed clinical data sharing via dynamic access-control policy transformation.

PubMed

Rezaeibagha, Fatemeh; Mu, Yi

2016-05-01

Data sharing in electronic health record (EHR) systems is important for improving the quality of healthcare delivery. Data sharing, however, has raised some security and privacy concerns because healthcare data could be potentially accessible by a variety of users, which could lead to privacy exposure of patients. Without addressing this issue, large-scale adoption and sharing of EHR data are impractical. The traditional solution to the problem is via encryption. Although encryption can be applied to access control, it is not applicable for complex EHR systems that require multiple domains (e.g. public and private clouds) with various access requirements. This study was carried out to address the security and privacy issues of EHR data sharing with our novel access-control mechanism, which captures the scenario of the hybrid clouds and need of access-control policy transformation, to provide secure and privacy-preserving data sharing among different healthcare enterprises. We introduce an access-control mechanism with some cryptographic building blocks and present a novel approach for secure EHR data sharing and access-control policy transformation in EHR systems for hybrid clouds. We propose a useful data sharing system for healthcare providers to handle various EHR users who have various access privileges in different cloud environments. A systematic study has been conducted on data sharing in EHR systems to provide a solution to the security and privacy issues. In conclusion, we introduce an access-control method for privacy protection of EHRs and EHR policy transformation that allows an EHR access-control policy to be transformed from a private cloud to a public cloud. This method has never been studied previously in the literature. Furthermore, we provide a protocol to demonstrate policy transformation as an application scenario. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Data sharing for public health research: A qualitative study of industry and academia.

PubMed

Saunders, Pamela A; Wilhelm, Erin E; Lee, Sinae; Merkhofer, Elizabeth; Shoulson, Ira

2014-01-01

Data sharing is a key biomedical research theme for the 21st century. Biomedical data sharing is the exchange of data among (non)affiliated parties under mutually agreeable terms to promote scientific advancement and the development of safe and effective medical products. Wide sharing of research data is important for scientific discovery, medical product development, and public health. Data sharing enables improvements in development of medical products, more attention to rare diseases, and cost-efficiencies in biomedical research. We interviewed 11 participants about their attitudes and beliefs about data sharing. Using a qualitative, thematic analysis approach, our analysis revealed a number of themes including: experiences, approaches, perceived challenges, and opportunities for sharing data.

Shared acoustic codes underlie emotional communication in music and speech—Evidence from deep transfer learning

PubMed Central

Schuller, Björn

2017-01-01

Music and speech exhibit striking similarities in the communication of emotions in the acoustic domain, in such a way that the communication of specific emotions is achieved, at least to a certain extent, by means of shared acoustic patterns. From an Affective Sciences points of view, determining the degree of overlap between both domains is fundamental to understand the shared mechanisms underlying such phenomenon. From a Machine learning perspective, the overlap between acoustic codes for emotional expression in music and speech opens new possibilities to enlarge the amount of data available to develop music and speech emotion recognition systems. In this article, we investigate time-continuous predictions of emotion (Arousal and Valence) in music and speech, and the Transfer Learning between these domains. We establish a comparative framework including intra- (i.e., models trained and tested on the same modality, either music or speech) and cross-domain experiments (i.e., models trained in one modality and tested on the other). In the cross-domain context, we evaluated two strategies—the direct transfer between domains, and the contribution of Transfer Learning techniques (feature-representation-transfer based on Denoising Auto Encoders) for reducing the gap in the feature space distributions. Our results demonstrate an excellent cross-domain generalisation performance with and without feature representation transfer in both directions. In the case of music, cross-domain approaches outperformed intra-domain models for Valence estimation, whereas for Speech intra-domain models achieve the best performance. This is the first demonstration of shared acoustic codes for emotional expression in music and speech in the time-continuous domain. PMID:28658285

Shared acoustic codes underlie emotional communication in music and speech-Evidence from deep transfer learning.

PubMed

Coutinho, Eduardo; Schuller, Björn

2017-01-01

Music and speech exhibit striking similarities in the communication of emotions in the acoustic domain, in such a way that the communication of specific emotions is achieved, at least to a certain extent, by means of shared acoustic patterns. From an Affective Sciences points of view, determining the degree of overlap between both domains is fundamental to understand the shared mechanisms underlying such phenomenon. From a Machine learning perspective, the overlap between acoustic codes for emotional expression in music and speech opens new possibilities to enlarge the amount of data available to develop music and speech emotion recognition systems. In this article, we investigate time-continuous predictions of emotion (Arousal and Valence) in music and speech, and the Transfer Learning between these domains. We establish a comparative framework including intra- (i.e., models trained and tested on the same modality, either music or speech) and cross-domain experiments (i.e., models trained in one modality and tested on the other). In the cross-domain context, we evaluated two strategies-the direct transfer between domains, and the contribution of Transfer Learning techniques (feature-representation-transfer based on Denoising Auto Encoders) for reducing the gap in the feature space distributions. Our results demonstrate an excellent cross-domain generalisation performance with and without feature representation transfer in both directions. In the case of music, cross-domain approaches outperformed intra-domain models for Valence estimation, whereas for Speech intra-domain models achieve the best performance. This is the first demonstration of shared acoustic codes for emotional expression in music and speech in the time-continuous domain.

Evolution of apoptosis-like programmed cell death in unicellular protozoan parasites.

PubMed

Kaczanowski, Szymon; Sajid, Mohammed; Reece, Sarah E

2011-03-25

Apoptosis-like programmed cell death (PCD) has recently been described in multiple taxa of unicellular protists, including the protozoan parasites Plasmodium, Trypanosoma and Leishmania. Apoptosis-like PCD in protozoan parasites shares a number of morphological features with programmed cell death in multicellular organisms. However, both the evolutionary explanations and mechanisms involved in parasite PCD are poorly understood. Explaining why unicellular organisms appear to undergo 'suicide' is a challenge for evolutionary biology and uncovering death executors and pathways is a challenge for molecular and cell biology. Bioinformatics has the potential to integrate these approaches by revealing homologies in the PCD machinery of diverse taxa and evaluating their evolutionary trajectories. As the molecular mechanisms of apoptosis in model organisms are well characterised, and recent data suggest similar mechanisms operate in protozoan parasites, key questions can now be addressed. These questions include: which elements of apoptosis machinery appear to be shared between protozoan parasites and multicellular taxa and, have these mechanisms arisen through convergent or divergent evolution? We use bioinformatics to address these questions and our analyses suggest that apoptosis mechanisms in protozoan parasites and other taxa have diverged during their evolution, that some apoptosis factors are shared across taxa whilst others have been replaced by proteins with similar biochemical activities.

Evolution of apoptosis-like programmed cell death in unicellular protozoan parasites

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Apoptosis-like programmed cell death (PCD) has recently been described in multiple taxa of unicellular protists, including the protozoan parasites Plasmodium, Trypanosoma and Leishmania. Apoptosis-like PCD in protozoan parasites shares a number of morphological features with programmed cell death in multicellular organisms. However, both the evolutionary explanations and mechanisms involved in parasite PCD are poorly understood. Explaining why unicellular organisms appear to undergo 'suicide' is a challenge for evolutionary biology and uncovering death executors and pathways is a challenge for molecular and cell biology. Bioinformatics has the potential to integrate these approaches by revealing homologies in the PCD machinery of diverse taxa and evaluating their evolutionary trajectories. As the molecular mechanisms of apoptosis in model organisms are well characterised, and recent data suggest similar mechanisms operate in protozoan parasites, key questions can now be addressed. These questions include: which elements of apoptosis machinery appear to be shared between protozoan parasites and multicellular taxa and, have these mechanisms arisen through convergent or divergent evolution? We use bioinformatics to address these questions and our analyses suggest that apoptosis mechanisms in protozoan parasites and other taxa have diverged during their evolution, that some apoptosis factors are shared across taxa whilst others have been replaced by proteins with similar biochemical activities. PMID:21439063

Spam1-associated transmission ratio distortion in mice: Elucidating the mechanism

PubMed Central

Martin-DeLeon, Patricia A; Zhang, Hong; Morales, Carlos R; Zhao, Yutong; Rulon, Michelle; Barnoski, Barry L; Chen, Hong; Galileo, Deni S

2005-01-01

Background While transmission ratio distortion, TRD, (a deviation from Mendelian ratio) is extensive in humans and well-documented in mice, the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Our earlier studies on carriers of spontaneous mutations of mouse Sperm Adhesion Molecule 1 (Spam1) suggested that TRD results from biochemically different sperm, due to a lack of transcript sharing through the intercellular cytoplasmic bridges of spermatids. These bridges usually allow transcript sharing among genetically different spermatids which develop into biochemically and functionally equivalent sperm. Objectives The goals of the study were to provide support for the lack of sharing (LOS) hypothesis, using transgene and null carriers of Spam1, and to determine the mechanism of Spam1-associated TRD. Methods Carriers of Spam1-Hyal5 BAC transgenes were mated with wild-type female mice and the progeny analyzed for TRD by PCR genotyping. Sperm from transgene and Spam1 null carriers were analyzed using flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry to detect quantities of Spam1 and/or Hyal5. Transgene-bearing sperm with Spam1 overexpression were detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization. In wild-type animals, EM studies of in situ transcript hybridization of testis sections and Northern analysis of biochemically fractionated testicular RNA were performed to localize Spam1 transcript. Finally, AU-rich motifs identified in the 3' UTR of Spam1 RNA were assayed by UV cross-linking to determine their ability to interact with testicular RNA binding proteins. Results The Tg8 line of transgene carriers had a significant (P < 0.001) TRD, due to reduced fertilizing ability of transgene-bearing sperm. These sperm retained large cytoplasmic droplets engorged with overexpressed Spam1 or Hyal5 protein. Caudal sperm from transgene carriers and caput sperm of null carriers showed a bimodal distribution of Spam1, indicating that the sperm in a male were biochemically different with respect to Spam1 quantities. Spam1 RNA was absent from the bridges, associated exclusively with the ER, and was shown to be anchored to the cytoskeleton. This compartmentalization of the transcript, mediated by cytoskeletal binding, occurs via protein interactions with 3' UTR AU-rich sequences that are likely involved in its stabilization. Conclusion We provide strong support for the LOS hypothesis, and have elucidated the mechanism of Spam1-associated TRD. PMID:16092963

System Dynamics Modeling for Supply Chain Information Sharing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Yang

In this paper, we try to use the method of system dynamics to model supply chain information sharing. Firstly, we determine the model boundaries, establish system dynamics model of supply chain before information sharing, analyze the model's simulation results under different changed parameters and suggest improvement proposal. Then, we establish system dynamics model of supply chain information sharing and make comparison and analysis on the two model's simulation results, to show the importance of information sharing in supply chain management. We wish that all these simulations would provide scientific supports for enterprise decision-making.

WebBioBank: a new platform for integrating clinical forms and shared neurosignal analyses to support multi-centre studies in Parkinson's Disease.

PubMed

Rossi, Elena; Rosa, Manuela; Rossi, Lorenzo; Priori, Alberto; Marceglia, Sara

2014-12-01

The web-based systems available for multi-centre clinical trials do not combine clinical data collection (Electronic Health Records, EHRs) with signal processing storage and analysis tools. However, in pathophysiological research, the correlation between clinical data and signals is crucial for uncovering the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms. A specific example is the investigation of the mechanisms of action for Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) used for Parkinson's Disease (PD); the neurosignals recorded from the DBS target structure and clinical data must be investigated. The aim of this study is the development and testing of a new system dedicated to a multi-centre study of Parkinson's Disease that integrates biosignal analysis tools and data collection in a shared and secure environment. We designed a web-based platform (WebBioBank) for managing the clinical data and biosignals of PD patients treated with DBS in different clinical research centres. Homogeneous data collection was ensured in the different centres (Operative Units, OUs). The anonymity of the data was preserved using unique identifiers associated with patients (ID BAC). The patients' personal details and their equivalent ID BACs were archived inside the corresponding OU and were not uploaded on the web-based platform; data sharing occurred using the ID BACs. The system allowed researchers to upload different signal processing functions (in a .dll extension) onto the web-based platform and to combine them to define dedicated algorithms. Four clinical research centres used WebBioBank for 1year. The clinical data from 58 patients treated using DBS were managed, and 186 biosignals were uploaded and classified into 4 categories based on the treatment (pharmacological and/or electrical). The user's satisfaction mean score exceeded the satisfaction threshold. WebBioBank enabled anonymous data sharing for a clinical study conducted at multiple centres and demonstrated the capabilities of the signal processing chain configuration as well as its effectiveness and efficiency for integrating the neurophysiological results with clinical data in multi-centre studies, which will allow the future collection of homogeneous data in large cohorts of patients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Armenian Virtual Observatory: Services and Data Sharing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knyazyan, A. V.; Astsatryan, H. V.; Mickaelian, A. M.

2016-06-01

The main aim of this article is to introduce the data management and services of the Armenian Virtual Observatory (ArVO), which consists of user friendly data management mechanisms, a new and productive cross-correlation service, and data sharing API based on international standards and protocols.

Approaches to pharmacy benefit management and the impact of consumer cost sharing.

PubMed

Olson, Bridget M

2003-01-01

Numerous mechanisms have been introduced to deliver prescription drug benefits while controlling pharmaceutical costs. An understanding of the most prominent mechanisms of benefit management is an important step in determining the most effective approach to take in future years. The aims of this review were to illustrate the mechanisms by which managed care has attempted to efficiently and equitably deliver pharmacy benefits and to discuss the impact of such programs, including consumer cost sharing. A review of the literature was conducted using the PreMedline and MEDLINE databases from the years 1966 to 2002, reference lists from relevant articles, and online sources, including news releases, conference materials, and pharmacy benefit management reports. Numerous pharmacy benefit management tools and their impact on utilization, expenditures, and health outcomes are reviewed, including disease state management; utilization management (ie, quantity limitations and prior authorization); drug utilization review; formulary management (ie, open and closed); delivery systems (ie, retail and mail order); and mechanisms for implementing consumer cost sharing (ie, generic incentives, multitiered copayments, and co-insurance). Although there is some evidence to suggest that certain benefit management tools have been successful in reducing health plan expenditures, a more thorough investigation of their potential unintended consequences is needed. Implementing adequate levels of consumer cost sharing is necessary if employers and health plans are to continue offering prescription drug benefits. It is important to remember, however, that quality health care cannot be forfeited for the sake of short-term cost savings.

Immune Modules Shared by Innate Lymphoid Cells and T Cells

PubMed Central

Robinette, Michelle L.; Colonna, Marco

2016-01-01

In recent years, innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) have emerged as innate correlates to T cells. The similarities between ILCs and T cells indicate that lymphocytes of fundamentally distinct lineages can share core “immune modules” that encompass transcriptional circuitry and effector functions, while utilizing non-redundant, complementary mechanisms of pattern recognition to enact these functions. We review modules currently recognized to be shared between ILCs and T cells. PMID:27817796

Organizing physics teacher professional education around productive habit development: A way to meet reform challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Etkina, Eugenia; Gregorcic, Bor; Vokos, Stamatis

2017-06-01

Extant literature on teacher preparation suggests that preservice teachers learn best when they are immersed in a community that allows them to develop dispositions, knowledge, and practical skills and share with the community a strong vision of what good teaching entails. However, even if the requisite dispositions, knowledge, and skills in pursuing the shared vision of good teaching are developed, the professional demands on a teacher's time are so great out of, and so complex during class time that if every decision requires multiple considerations and deliberations with oneself, the productive decisions might not materialize. We argue that the link between intentional decision making and actual teaching practice are teacher's habits (spontaneous responses to situational cues). Teachers unavoidably develop habits with practical experience and under the influence of knowledge and belief structures that in many ways condition the responses of teachers in their practical work. To steer new teachers away from developing unproductive habits directed towards "survival" instead of student learning, we propose that teacher preparation programs (e.g., in physics) strive to develop in preservice teachers strong habits of mind and practice that will serve as an underlying support structure for beginning teachers. We provide examples of physics teacher habits that are to be developed during the program, propose mechanisms for the development of such habits, and outline possible future research agendas around habits.

Plants as models for the study of human pathogenesis.

PubMed

Guttman, David S

2004-05-01

There are many common disease mechanisms used by bacterial pathogens of plants and humans. They use common means of attachment, secretion and genetic regulation. They share many virulence factors, such as extracellular polysaccharides and some type III secreted effectors. Plant and human innate immune systems also share many similarities. Many of these shared bacterial virulence mechanisms are homologous, but even more appear to have independently converged on a common function. This combination of homologous and analogous systems reveals conserved and critical steps in the disease process. Given these similarities, and the many experimental advantages of plant biology, including ease of replication, stringent genetic and reproductive control, and high throughput with low cost, it is proposed that plants would make excellent models for the study of human pathogenesis.

76 FR 34112 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change To List...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-10

... Shares of the WisdomTree Dreyfus Euro Debt Fund Under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600 June 6, 2011... following fund of the WisdomTree Trust (the ``Trust'') under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600 (``Managed Fund Shares''): WisdomTree Dreyfus Euro Debt Fund. The text of the proposed rule change is available at the...

77 FR 32161 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Order Granting Approval of Proposed Rule Change...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-31

... Listing and Trading of the WisdomTree Brazil Bond Fund Under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600 May 24, 2012. I...'') of the WisdomTree Brazil Bond Fund (``Fund'') under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600. The proposed rule... Managed Fund Shares on the Exchange. The Shares will be offered by WisdomTree Trust (``Trust''), a...

Changes in Consumer Cost-Sharing for Health Plans Sold in the ACA's Insurance Marketplaces, 2015 to 2016.

PubMed

Gabel, Jon; Green, Matthew; Call, Adrienne; Whitmore, Heidi; Stromberg, Sam; Oran, Rebecca

2016-05-01

This brief examines changes in consumer health plan cost-sharing--deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket limits--for coverage offered in the Affordable Care Act's marketplaces between 2015 and 2016. Three of seven measures studied rose moderately in 2016, an increase attributable in part to a shift in the mix of plans offered in the marketplaces, from plans with higher actuarial value (platinum and gold plans) to those that have less generous coverage (bronze and silver plans). Nearly 60 percent of enrollees in marketplace plans receive cost-sharing reductions as part of income-based assistance. For enrollees without cost-sharing reductions, average copayments, deductibles, and out-of-pocket limits remain considerably higher under bronze and silver plans than under employer-based plans; cost-sharing is similar in gold plans and employer plans. Marketplace plans are more likely than employer-based plans to impose a deductible for prescription drugs but no less likely to do so for primary care visits.

10 CFR 600.30 - Cost sharing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... requirement does not apply to: (1) An award under the small business innovation research program or the small..., taking into consideration any technological risk relating to the activity. (d) Cost share shall be...

Recalling and forgetting dreams: theta and alpha oscillations during sleep predict subsequent dream recall.

PubMed

Marzano, Cristina; Ferrara, Michele; Mauro, Federica; Moroni, Fabio; Gorgoni, Maurizio; Tempesta, Daniela; Cipolli, Carlo; De Gennaro, Luigi

2011-05-04

Under the assumption that dream recall is a peculiar form of declarative memory, we have hypothesized that (1) the encoding of dream contents during sleep should share some electrophysiological mechanisms with the encoding of episodic memories of the awake brain and (2) recalling a dream(s) after awakening from non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep should be associated with different brain oscillations. Here, we report that cortical brain oscillations of human sleep are predictive of successful dream recall. In particular, after morning awakening from REM sleep, a higher frontal 5-7 Hz (theta) activity was associated with successful dream recall. This finding mirrors the increase in frontal theta activity during successful encoding of episodic memories in wakefulness. Moreover, in keeping with the different EEG background, a different predictive relationship was found after awakening from stage 2 NREM sleep. Specifically, a lower 8-12 Hz (alpha) oscillatory activity of the right temporal area was associated with a successful dream recall. These findings provide the first evidence of univocal cortical electroencephalographic correlates of dream recall, suggesting that the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the encoding and recall of episodic memories may remain the same across different states of consciousness.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Fragile X Syndrome (FXS): Two Overlapping Disorders Reviewed through Electroencephalography—What Can be Interpreted from the Available Information?

PubMed Central

Mc Devitt, Niamh; Gallagher, Louise; Reilly, Richard B.

2015-01-01

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Fragile X syndrome (FXS) are neurodevelopmental disorders with different but potentially related neurobiological underpinnings, which exhibit significant overlap in their behavioural symptoms. FXS is a neurogenetic disorder of known cause whereas ASD is a complex genetic disorder, with both rare and common genetic risk factors and likely genetic and environmental interaction effects. A comparison of the phenotypic presentation of the two disorders may highlight those symptoms that are more likely to be under direct genetic control, for example in FXS as opposed to shared symptoms that are likely to be under the control of multiple mechanisms. This review is focused on the application and analysis of electroencephalography data (EEG) in ASD and FXS. Specifically, Event Related Potentials (ERP) and resting state studies (rEEG) studies investigating ASD and FXS cohorts are compared. This review explores the electrophysiological similarities and differences between the two disorders in addition to the potentially associated neurobiological mechanisms at play. A series of pertinent research questions which are suggested in the literature are also posed within the review. PMID:25826237

Molecular mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders, ADHD and autism.

PubMed

Bădescu, George Mihai; Fîlfan, Mădălina; Sandu, Raluca Elena; Surugiu, Roxana; Ciobanu, Ovidiu; Popa-Wagner, Aurel

2016-01-01

Neurodevelopmental disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism represent a significant economic burden, which justify vigorous research to uncover its genetics and developmental clinics for a diagnostic workup. The urgency of addressing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder comorbidities is seen in the chilling fact that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), mood disorders, substance use disorders and obesity each increase the risk for mortality. However, data about comorbidity is mainly descriptive, with mechanistic studies limited to genetic epidemiological studies that document shared genetic risk factors among these conditions. Autism and intellectual disability affects 1.5 to 2% of the population in Western countries with many individuals displaying social-emotional agnosia and having difficulty in forming attachments and relationships. Underlying mechanisms include: (i) dysfunctions of neuronal miRNAs; (ii) deletions in the chromosome 21, subtelomeric deletions, duplications and a maternally inherited duplication of the chromosomal region 15q11-q13; (iii) microdeletions in on the long (q) arm of the chromosome in a region designated q21.1 increases the risk of delayed development, intellectual disability, physical abnormalities, and neurological and psychiatric problems associated with autism, schizophrenia, and epilepsy and weak muscle tone (hypotonia); (iv) interstitial duplications encompassing 16p13.11.

Lesion Mapping the Four-Factor Structure of Emotional Intelligence

PubMed Central

Operskalski, Joachim T.; Paul, Erick J.; Colom, Roberto; Barbey, Aron K.; Grafman, Jordan

2015-01-01

Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to an individual’s ability to process and respond to emotions, including recognizing the expression of emotions in others, using emotions to enhance thought and decision making, and regulating emotions to drive effective behaviors. Despite their importance for goal-directed social behavior, little is known about the neural mechanisms underlying specific facets of EI. Here, we report findings from a study investigating the neural bases of these specific components for EI in a sample of 130 combat veterans with penetrating traumatic brain injury. We examined the neural mechanisms underlying experiential (perceiving and using emotional information) and strategic (understanding and managing emotions) facets of EI. Factor scores were submitted to voxel-based lesion symptom mapping to elucidate their neural substrates. The results indicate that two facets of EI (perceiving and managing emotions) engage common and distinctive neural systems, with shared dependence on the social knowledge network, and selective engagement of the orbitofrontal and parietal cortex for strategic aspects of emotional information processing. The observed pattern of findings suggests that sub-facets of experiential and strategic EI can be characterized as separable but related processes that depend upon a core network of brain structures within frontal, temporal and parietal cortex. PMID:26858627

Lower urinary tract symptoms and metabolic disorders: ICI-RS 2014.

PubMed

Denys, Marie-Astrid; Anding, Ralf; Tubaro, Andrea; Abrams, Paul; Everaert, Karel

2016-02-01

To investigate the link between lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and metabolic disorders. This report results from presentations and subsequent discussions about LUTS and metabolic disorders at the International Consultation on Incontinence Research Society (ICI-RS) in Bristol, 2014. There are common pathophysiological determinants for the onset of LUTS and the metabolic syndrome (MetS). Both conditions are multifactorial, related to disorders in circadian rhythms and share common risk factors. As in men with erectile dysfunction, these potentially modifiable lifestyle factors may be novel targets to prevent and treat LUTS. The link between LUTS and metabolic disorders is discussed by using sleep, urine production and bladder function as underlying mechanisms that need to be further explored during future research. Recent findings indicate a bidirectional relationship between LUTS and the MetS. Future research has to explore underlying mechanisms to explain this relationship, in order to develop new preventive and therapeutic recommendations, such as weight loss and increasing physical activity. The second stage is to determine the effect of these new treatment approaches on the severity of LUTS and each of the components of the MetS. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Hemophagocytic Syndrome and Critical Illness: New insights into Diagnosis and Management

PubMed Central

Tothova, Zuzana; Berliner, Nancy

2014-01-01

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) comprises a heterogeneous group of diseases which are characterized by a hyperinflammatory state due to uncontrolled T cell, macrophage and histiocyte activation, accompanied by excessive cytokine production. This rare condition is almost uniformly fatal unless promptly recognized and treated. Much progress has been made in the last two decades in our understanding of the mechanisms underlying familial, and to a lesser extent, acquired cases of HLH. Recurrent mutations in more than 10 different genes have now been identified, involving biological pathways converging on intracellular vesicle trafficking, and cytolytic granule exocytosis. Mechanisms underlying the majority of acquired HLH cases, however, remain elusive, hampering both diagnostic evaluation as well as therapeutic management of these patients. Given that the majority of intensive care unit (ICU) patients with sepsis or multiorgan failure share many features of HLH, it is especially critical for pediatric and adult intensivists to be able to recognize patients with bona fide HLH and initiate treatment without delay. In this article, we review our current understanding of the pathophysiology, clinical testing, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with HLH, especially as it pertains to the care of critically ill patients in pediatric and medical ICUs. PMID:24407034

Navigating the plant cell: intracellular transport logistics in the green kingdom.

PubMed

Geitmann, Anja; Nebenführ, Andreas

2015-10-01

Intracellular transport in plant cells occurs on microtubular and actin arrays. Cytoplasmic streaming, the rapid motion of plant cell organelles, is mostly driven by an actin-myosin mechanism, whereas specialized functions, such as the transport of large cargo or the assembly of a new cell wall during cell division, are performed by the microtubules. Different modes of transport are used, fast and slow, to either haul cargo over long distances or ascertain high-precision targeting, respectively. Various forms of the actin-specific motor protein myosin XI exist in plant cells and might be involved in different cellular functions. © 2015 Geitmann and Nebenführ. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). Two months after publication it is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

The genomic basis of adaptive evolution in threespine sticklebacks

PubMed Central

Jones, Felicity C; Grabherr, Manfred G; Chan, Yingguang Frank; Russell, Pamela; Mauceli, Evan; Johnson, Jeremy; Swofford, Ross; Pirun, Mono; Zody, Michael C; White, Simon; Birney, Ewan; Searle, Stephen; Schmutz, Jeremy; Grimwood, Jane; Dickson, Mark C; Myers, Richard M; Miller, Craig T; Summers, Brian R; Knecht, Anne K; Brady, Shannon D; Zhang, Haili; Pollen, Alex A; Howes, Timothy; Amemiya, Chris; Lander, Eric S; Di Palma, Federica

2012-01-01

Summary Marine stickleback fish have colonized and adapted to innumerable streams and lakes formed since the last ice age, providing an exceptional opportunity to characterize genomic mechanisms underlying repeated ecological adaptation in nature. Here we develop a high quality reference genome assembly for threespine sticklebacks. By sequencing the genomes of 20 additional individuals from a global set of marine and freshwater populations, we identify a genome-wide set of loci that are consistently associated with marine-freshwater divergence. Our results suggest that reuse of globally-shared standing genetic variation, including chromosomal inversions, plays an important role in repeated evolution of distinct marine and freshwater sticklebacks, and in the maintenance of divergent ecotypes during early stages of reproductive isolation. Both coding and regulatory changes occur in the set of loci underlying marine-freshwater evolution, with regulatory changes likely predominating in this classic example of repeated adaptive evolution in nature. PMID:22481358

The genomic basis of adaptive evolution in threespine sticklebacks.

PubMed

Jones, Felicity C; Grabherr, Manfred G; Chan, Yingguang Frank; Russell, Pamela; Mauceli, Evan; Johnson, Jeremy; Swofford, Ross; Pirun, Mono; Zody, Michael C; White, Simon; Birney, Ewan; Searle, Stephen; Schmutz, Jeremy; Grimwood, Jane; Dickson, Mark C; Myers, Richard M; Miller, Craig T; Summers, Brian R; Knecht, Anne K; Brady, Shannon D; Zhang, Haili; Pollen, Alex A; Howes, Timothy; Amemiya, Chris; Baldwin, Jen; Bloom, Toby; Jaffe, David B; Nicol, Robert; Wilkinson, Jane; Lander, Eric S; Di Palma, Federica; Lindblad-Toh, Kerstin; Kingsley, David M

2012-04-04

Marine stickleback fish have colonized and adapted to thousands of streams and lakes formed since the last ice age, providing an exceptional opportunity to characterize genomic mechanisms underlying repeated ecological adaptation in nature. Here we develop a high-quality reference genome assembly for threespine sticklebacks. By sequencing the genomes of twenty additional individuals from a global set of marine and freshwater populations, we identify a genome-wide set of loci that are consistently associated with marine-freshwater divergence. Our results indicate that reuse of globally shared standing genetic variation, including chromosomal inversions, has an important role in repeated evolution of distinct marine and freshwater sticklebacks, and in the maintenance of divergent ecotypes during early stages of reproductive isolation. Both coding and regulatory changes occur in the set of loci underlying marine-freshwater evolution, but regulatory changes appear to predominate in this well known example of repeated adaptive evolution in nature.

Shared action spaces: a basis function framework for social re-calibration of sensorimotor representations supporting joint action

PubMed Central

Pezzulo, Giovanni; Iodice, Pierpaolo; Ferraina, Stefano; Kessler, Klaus

2013-01-01

The article explores the possibilities of formalizing and explaining the mechanisms that support spatial and social perspective alignment sustained over the duration of a social interaction. The basic proposed principle is that in social contexts the mechanisms for sensorimotor transformations and multisensory integration (learn to) incorporate information relative to the other actor(s), similar to the “re-calibration” of visual receptive fields in response to repeated tool use. This process aligns or merges the co-actors’ spatial representations and creates a “Shared Action Space” (SAS) supporting key computations of social interactions and joint actions; for example, the remapping between the coordinate systems and frames of reference of the co-actors, including perspective taking, the sensorimotor transformations required for lifting jointly an object, and the predictions of the sensory effects of such joint action. The social re-calibration is proposed to be based on common basis function maps (BFMs) and could constitute an optimal solution to sensorimotor transformation and multisensory integration in joint action or more in general social interaction contexts. However, certain situations such as discrepant postural and viewpoint alignment and associated differences in perspectives between the co-actors could constrain the process quite differently. We discuss how alignment is achieved in the first place, and how it is maintained over time, providing a taxonomy of various forms and mechanisms of space alignment and overlap based, for instance, on automaticity vs. control of the transformations between the two agents. Finally, we discuss the link between low-level mechanisms for the sharing of space and high-level mechanisms for the sharing of cognitive representations. PMID:24324425

75 FR 47323 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Order Granting Approval of Proposed Rule Change...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-05

... Amendment No. 1 Thereto, Regarding Listing and Trading of the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Local Debt Fund... and trade shares of the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Local Debt Fund under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8... trade shares (``Shares'') of the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Local Debt Fund (``Fund'') of the Wisdom...

26 CFR 1.358-2 - Allocation of basis among nonrecognition property.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... respect of shares of stock or securities that were acquired on the same date and at the same price. To the... different prices, the share of stock or security received shall be divided into segments based on the... different prices exchanges such shares of stock or securities under the terms of section 354, 355, or 356...

Share and Share Alike: Educators Can Share Methods and Materials with Greater Ease

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McIntire, Todd

2006-01-01

In 2005, Corpus Christi Independent School District (CCISD) met its Adequate Yearly Progress targets under No Child Left Behind for the third year in a row. All but one of the district's 61 schools was rated "academically acceptable" or better, and more than one quarter achieved a ranking of "recognized" or…

43 CFR 3190.3 - Sharing of civil penalties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Sharing of civil penalties. 3190.3 Section... Contracts for Oil and Gas Inspections: General § 3190.3 Sharing of civil penalties. Fifty percent of any civil penalty collected by the United States as a result of activities carried out by a State under a...

Cost Sharing in Education: Public Finance, School and Household Perspectives. Education Research Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penrose, Perran

This report examines cost sharing, a term that combines the concepts of direct-cost recovery and indirect contributions from pupils, their parents, and sponsors. Such contributions may be voluntary, quasi-compulsory, or even compulsory. For the study reported here, cost sharing is used when the subject under discussion is not restricted to…

Mechanisms of JAK/STAT pathway negative regulation by the short coreceptor Eye Transformer/Latran.

PubMed

Fisher, Katherine H; Stec, Wojciech; Brown, Stephen; Zeidler, Martin P

2016-02-01

Transmembrane receptors interact with extracellular ligands to transduce intracellular signaling cascades, modulate target gene expression, and regulate processes such as proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, and homeostasis. As a consequence, aberrant signaling events often underlie human disease. Whereas the vertebrate JAK/STAT signaling cascade is transduced via multiple receptor combinations, the Drosophila pathway has only one full-length signaling receptor, Domeless (Dome), and a single negatively acting receptor, Eye Transformer/Latran (Et/Lat). Here we investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying Et/Lat activity. We demonstrate that Et/Lat negatively regulates the JAK/STAT pathway activity and can bind to Dome, thus reducing Dome:Dome homodimerization by creating signaling-incompetent Dome:Et/Lat heterodimers. Surprisingly, we find that Et/Lat is able to bind to both JAK and STAT92E but, despite the presence of putative cytokine-binding motifs, does not detectably interact with pathway ligands. We find that Et/Lat is trafficked through the endocytic machinery for lysosomal degradation but at a much slower rate than Dome, a difference that may enhance its ability to sequester Dome into signaling-incompetent complexes. Our data offer new insights into the molecular mechanism and regulation of Et/Lat in Drosophila that may inform our understanding of how short receptors function in other organisms. © 2016 Fisher et al. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). Two months after publication it is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Interplay between Solo and keratin filaments is crucial for mechanical force-induced stress fiber reinforcement.

PubMed

Fujiwara, Sachiko; Ohashi, Kazumasa; Mashiko, Toshiya; Kondo, Hiroshi; Mizuno, Kensaku

2016-03-15

Mechanical force-induced cytoskeletal reorganization is essential for cell and tissue remodeling and homeostasis; however, the underlying cellular mechanisms remain elusive. Solo (ARHGEF40) is a RhoA-targeting guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) involved in cyclical stretch-induced human endothelial cell reorientation and convergent extension cell movement in zebrafish gastrula. In this study, we show that Solo binds to keratin-8/keratin-18 (K8/K18) intermediate filaments through multiple sites. Solo overexpression promotes the formation of thick actin stress fibers and keratin bundles, whereas knockdown of Solo, expression of a GEF-inactive mutant of Solo, or inhibition of ROCK suppresses stress fiber formation and leads to disorganized keratin networks, indicating that the Solo-RhoA-ROCK pathway serves to precisely organize keratin networks, as well as to promote stress fibers. Of importance, knockdown of Solo or K18 or overexpression of GEF-inactive or deletion mutants of Solo suppresses tensile force-induced stress fiber reinforcement. Furthermore, knockdown of Solo or K18 suppresses tensile force-induced RhoA activation. These results strongly suggest that the interplay between Solo and K8/K18 filaments plays a crucial role in tensile force-induced RhoA activation and consequent actin cytoskeletal reinforcement. © 2016 Fujiwara et al. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). Two months after publication it is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

48 CFR 48.104-4 - Sharing alternative-no-cost settlement method.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...-cost settlement method. 48.104-4 Section 48.104-4 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION CONTRACT MANAGEMENT VALUE ENGINEERING Policies and Procedures 48.104-4 Sharing alternative—no-cost settlement method. In selecting an appropriate mechanism for incorporating a VECP into a...

42 CFR 447.76 - Public schedule.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... limit on premiums and cost sharing or just cost sharing. (4) Mechanisms for making payments for required... State must make the public schedule available to the following: (1) Beneficiaries, at the time of their..., or aggregate limits are revised. (2) Applicants, at the time of application. (3) All participating...

Neural correlates of empathic accuracy in adolescence

PubMed Central

Kral, Tammi R A; Solis, Enrique; Mumford, Jeanette A; Schuyler, Brianna S; Flook, Lisa; Rifken, Katharine; Patsenko, Elena G

2017-01-01

Abstract Empathy, the ability to understand others’ emotions, can occur through perspective taking and experience sharing. Neural systems active when adults empathize include regions underlying perspective taking (e.g. medial prefrontal cortex; MPFC) and experience sharing (e.g. inferior parietal lobule; IPL). It is unknown whether adolescents utilize networks implicated in both experience sharing and perspective taking when accurately empathizing. This question is critical given the importance of accurately understanding others’ emotions for developing and maintaining adaptive peer relationships during adolescence. We extend the literature on empathy in adolescence by determining the neural basis of empathic accuracy, a behavioral assay of empathy that does not bias participants toward the exclusive use of perspective taking or experience sharing. Participants (N = 155, aged 11.1–15.5 years) watched videos of ‘targets’ describing emotional events and continuously rated the targets’ emotions during functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning. Empathic accuracy related to activation in regions underlying perspective taking (MPFC, temporoparietal junction and superior temporal sulcus), while activation in regions underlying experience sharing (IPL, anterior cingulate cortex and anterior insula) related to lower empathic accuracy. These results provide novel insight into the neural basis of empathic accuracy in adolescence and suggest that perspective taking processes may be effective for increasing empathy. PMID:28981837

Viewing loved faces inhibits defense reactions: a health-promotion mechanism?

PubMed

Guerra, Pedro; Sánchez-Adam, Alicia; Anllo-Vento, Lourdes; Ramírez, Isabel; Vila, Jaime

2012-01-01

We have known for decades that social support is associated with positive health outcomes. And yet, the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying this association remain poorly understood. The link between social support and positive health outcomes is likely to depend on the neurophysiological regulatory mechanisms underlying reward and defensive reactions. The present study examines the hypothesis that emotional social support (love) provides safety cues that activate the appetitive reward system and simultaneously inhibit defense reactions. Using the startle probe paradigm, 54 undergraduate students (24 men) viewed black and white photographs of loved (romantic partner, father, mother, and best friend), neutral (unknown), and unpleasant (mutilated) faces. Eye-blink startle, zygomatic major activity, heart rate, and skin conductance responses to the faces, together with subjective ratings of valence, arousal, and dominance, were obtained. Viewing loved faces induced a marked inhibition of the eye-blink startle response accompanied by a pattern of zygomatic, heart rate, skin conductance, and subjective changes indicative of an intense positive emotional response. Effects were similar for men and women, but the startle inhibition and the zygomatic response were larger in female participants. A comparison between the faces of the romantic partner and the parent who shares the partner's gender further suggests that this effect is not attributable to familiarity or arousal. We conclude that this inhibitory capacity may contribute to the health benefits associated with social support.

Increased neural responses to empathy for pain might explain how acute stress increases prosociality

PubMed Central

Tomova, L.; Majdandžić, J.; Hummer, A.; Windischberger, C.; Heinrichs, M.

2017-01-01

Abstract Recent behavioral investigations suggest that acute stress can increase prosocial behavior. Here, we investigated whether increased empathy represents a potential mechanism for this finding. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we assessed the effects of acute stress on neural responses related to automatic and regulatory components of empathy for pain as well as subsequent prosocial behavior. Stress increased activation in brain areas associated with the automatic sharing of others’ pain, such as the anterior insula, the anterior midcingulate cortex, and the primary somatosensory cortex. In addition, we found increased prosocial behavior under stress. Furthermore, activation in the anterior midcingulate cortex mediated the effects of stress on prosocial behavior. However, stressed participants also displayed stronger and inappropriate other-related responses in situations which required them to take the perspective of another person, and to regulate their automatic affective responses. Thus, while acute stress may increase prosocial behavior by intensifying the sharing of others’ emotions, this comes at the cost of reduced cognitive appraisal abilities. Depending on the contextual constraints, stress may therefore affect empathy in ways that are either beneficial or detrimental. PMID:27798249

Depression and dementia: cause, consequence or coincidence?

PubMed

Bennett, Sophia; Thomas, Alan J

2014-10-01

The relationship between depression and dementia is complex and still not well understood. A number of different views exist regarding how the two conditions are linked as well as the underlying neurobiological mechanisms at work. This narrative review examined longitudinal and cross sectional studies in the existing literature and determined the evidence supporting depression being a risk factor, a prodrome, a consequence, or an independent comorbidity in dementia. Overall there is convincing evidence to support both the notion that early life depression can act as a risk factor for later life dementia, and that later life depression can be seen as a prodrome to dementia. There is also evidence to support both conditions showing similar neurobiological changes, particularly white matter disease, either indicating shared risk factors or a shared pattern of neuronal damage. These findings highlight the need to examine if effective treatment of depressive episodes has any effect in reducing the prevalence of dementia, as well as clinicians being vigilant for late life depression indicating the incipient development of dementia, and therefore carefully following up these individuals for future cognitive impairment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modulation of Perineuronal Nets and Parvalbumin with Developmental Song Learning

PubMed Central

Balmer, Timothy S.; Carels, Vanessa M.; Frisch, Jillian L.; Nick, Teresa A.

2009-01-01

Neural circuits and behavior are shaped during developmental phases of maximal plasticity known as sensitive or critical periods. Neural correlates of sensory critical periods have been identified, but their roles remain unclear. Factors that define critical periods in sensorimotor circuits and behavior are not known. Birdsong learning in the zebra finch occurs during a sensitive period similar to that for human speech. We now show that perineuronal nets, which correlate with sensory critical periods, surround parvalbumin-positive neurons in brain areas that are dedicated to singing. The percentage of both total and parvalbumin-positive neurons with perineuronal nets increased with development. In HVC (this acronym is the proper name), a song area important for sensorimotor integration, the percentage of parvalbumin neurons with perineuronal nets correlated with song maturity. Shifting the vocal critical period with tutor song deprivation decreased the percentage of neurons that were parvalbumin positive and the relative staining intensity of both parvalbumin and a component of perineuronal nets. Developmental song learning shares key characteristics with sensory critical periods, suggesting shared underlying mechanisms. PMID:19828802

Viewing benefit sharing in global health research through the lens of Aristotelian justice.

PubMed

Dauda, Bege; Dierickx, Kris

2017-06-01

The ethics of benefit sharing has been a topical issue in global health research in resource-limited countries. It pertains to the distribution of goods, benefits and advantages to the research participants, communities and countries that are involved in research. One of the nuances in benefit sharing is the ethical justification on which the concept should be based. Extensive literature outlining the different principles underlying benefit sharing is available. The purpose of this paper is to examine the proposed principles using Aristotelian principles of justice. The paper assesses the central idea of Aristotelian justice and applies and evaluates this idea to benefit sharing in research, especially when commercial research sponsors conduct research in resource-limited countries. Two categories of Aristotelian justice-universal and particular-were examined and their contribution to the benefit-sharing discourse assessed. On the one hand, benefit sharing in accordance with universal justice requires that for-profit research sponsors obey the legal regulations and international standards set for benefit sharing. On the other hand, benefit sharing in accordance with particular justice transcends obeying legal requirements and standards to a realm of acting in an ethically accepted manner. Accordingly, the paper further examines three perspectives of particular justice and develops ethical justification for benefit sharing in global health research. As Aristotelian justice is still relevant to the contemporary discourse on justice, this paper broadens the ethical justifications of benefit sharing in global health research. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Socially Extended Cognition and Shared Intentionality

PubMed Central

Lyre, Holger

2018-01-01

The paper looks at the intersection of extended cognition and social cognition. The central claim is that the mechanisms of shared intentionality can equally be considered as coupling mechanisms of cognitive extension into the social domain. This claim will be demonstrated by investigating a detailed example of cooperative action, and it will be argued that such cases imply that socially extended cognition is not only about cognitive vehicles, but that content must additionally be taken into account. It is finally outlined how social content externalism can in principle be grounded in socially extended cognition. PMID:29892254

Mirror-Like Mechanisms and Music

PubMed Central

D'Ausilio, Alessandro

2009-01-01

The neural processes underlying sensory-motor integration have always attracted strong interest. The classic view is that action and perception are two extremes of mental operations. In the past 2 decades, though, a large number of discoveries have indeed refuted such an interpretation in favor of a more integrated view. Specifically, the discovery of mirror neurons in monkey premotor cortex is a rather strong demonstration that sensory and motor processes share the same neural substrates. In fact, these cells show complex sensory-motor properties, such that observed, heard, or executed goal-directed actions could equally activate these neurons. On the other hand, the neuroscience of music has similarly emerged as an active and productive field of research. In fact, music-related behaviors are a useful model of action-perception mechanisms and how they develop through training. More recently, these two lines of research have begun to intersect into a novel branch of research. As a consequence, it has been proposed recently that mirror-like mechanisms might be at the basis of human music perception-production abilities. The scope of the present short review is to set the scientific background for mirror-like mechanisms in music by examining recent published data. PMID:20024515

On the Structure of Neuronal Population Activity under Fluctuations in Attentional State

PubMed Central

Denfield, George H.; Bethge, Matthias; Tolias, Andreas S.

2016-01-01

Attention is commonly thought to improve behavioral performance by increasing response gain and suppressing shared variability in neuronal populations. However, both the focus and the strength of attention are likely to vary from one experimental trial to the next, thereby inducing response variability unknown to the experimenter. Here we study analytically how fluctuations in attentional state affect the structure of population responses in a simple model of spatial and feature attention. In our model, attention acts on the neural response exclusively by modulating each neuron's gain. Neurons are conditionally independent given the stimulus and the attentional gain, and correlated activity arises only from trial-to-trial fluctuations of the attentional state, which are unknown to the experimenter. We find that this simple model can readily explain many aspects of neural response modulation under attention, such as increased response gain, reduced individual and shared variability, increased correlations with firing rates, limited range correlations, and differential correlations. We therefore suggest that attention may act primarily by increasing response gain of individual neurons without affecting their correlation structure. The experimentally observed reduction in correlations may instead result from reduced variability of the attentional gain when a stimulus is attended. Moreover, we show that attentional gain fluctuations, even if unknown to a downstream readout, do not impair the readout accuracy despite inducing limited-range correlations, whereas fluctuations of the attended feature can in principle limit behavioral performance. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Covert attention is one of the most widely studied examples of top-down modulation of neural activity in the visual system. Recent studies argue that attention improves behavioral performance by shaping of the noise distribution to suppress shared variability rather than by increasing response gain. Our work shows, however, that latent, trial-to-trial fluctuations of the focus and strength of attention lead to shared variability that is highly consistent with known experimental observations. Interestingly, fluctuations in the strength of attention do not affect coding performance. As a consequence, the experimentally observed changes in response variability may not be a mechanism of attention, but rather a side effect of attentional allocation strategies in different behavioral contexts. PMID:26843656

New Developments of the Shared Concern Method.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pikas, Anatol

2002-01-01

Reviews and describes new developments in the Shared Concern method (SCm), a tool for tackling group bullying amongst teenagers by individual talks. The psychological mechanisms of healing in the bully group and what hinders the bully therapist in eliciting them have become better clarified. The most important recent advancement of the SCm…

Achieving Quality in e-Learning through Relational Coordination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Margalina, Vasilica Maria; De-Pablos-Heredero, Carmen; Montes-Botella, Jose Luis

2017-01-01

In this research, the relational coordination model has been applied to prove learners' and instructors' high levels of satisfaction in e-learning. According to the model, organizations can obtain better results in terms of satisfaction by providing shared knowledge, shared goals and mutual respect mechanisms, supported by a frequent, timely and…

Development of an optically-based tension-indicating implanted orthopedic screw with a luminescent spectral ruler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ravikumar, Nakul; Rogalski, Melissa M.; Benza, Donny; Lake, Joshua; Urban, Matthew; Pelham, Hunter; Anker, Jeffrey N.; DesJardins, John D.

2017-03-01

An orthopaedic screw was designed with an optical tension-indicator to non-invasively quantify screw tension and monitor the load sharing between the bone and the implant. The screw both applies load to the bone, and measures this load by reporting the strain on the screw. The screw contains a colorimetric optical encoder that converts axial strain into colorimetric changes visible through the head of the screw, or luminescent spectral changes that are detected through tissue. Screws were tested under cyclic mechanical loading to mimic in-vivo conditions to verify the sensitivity, repeatability, and reproducibility of the sensor. In the absence to tissue, color was measured using a digital camera as a function of axial load on a stainless steel cannulated (hollow) orthopedic screw, modified by adding a passive colorimetric strain gauge through the central hole. The sensor was able to quantify clinically-relevant bone healing strains. The sensor exhibited good repeatability and reproducibility but also displayed hysteresis due to the internal mechanics of the screw. The strain indicator was also modified for measurement through tissue by replacing the reflective colorimetric sensor with a low-background X-ray excited optical luminescence signal. Luminescent spectra were acquired through 6 mm of chicken breast tissue. Overall, this research shows feasibility for a unique device which quantifies the strain on an orthopedic screw. Future research will involve reducing hysteresis by changing the mechanism of strain transduction in the screw, miniaturizing the luminescent strain gauge, monitoring bending as well as tension, using alternative luminescent spectral rulers based upon near infrared fluorescence or upconversion luminescence, and application to monitoring changes in pretension and load sharing during bone healing.

Shared epitope-aryl hydrocarbon receptor crosstalk underlies the mechanism of gene-environment interaction in autoimmune arthritis.

PubMed

Fu, Jiaqi; Nogueira, Sarah V; Drongelen, Vincent van; Coit, Patrick; Ling, Song; Rosloniec, Edward F; Sawalha, Amr H; Holoshitz, Joseph

2018-05-01

The susceptibility to autoimmune diseases is affected by genetic and environmental factors. In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the shared epitope (SE), a five-amino acid sequence motif encoded by RA-associated HLA-DRB1 alleles, is the single most significant genetic risk factor. The risk conferred by the SE is increased in a multiplicative way by exposure to various environmental pollutants, such as cigarette smoke. The mechanism of this synergistic interaction is unknown. It is worth noting that the SE has recently been found to act as a signal transduction ligand that facilitates differentiation of Th17 cells and osteoclasts in vitro and in vivo. Intriguingly, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a transcription factor that mediates the xenobiotic effects of many pollutants, including tobacco combustion products, has been found to activate similar biologic effects. Prompted by these similarities, we sought to determine whether the SE and AhR signaling pathways interact in autoimmune arthritis. Here we uncovered a nuclear factor kappa B-mediated synergistic interaction between the SE and AhR pathways that leads to markedly enhanced osteoclast differentiation and Th17 polarization in vitro. Administration of AhR pathway agonists to transgenic mice carrying human SE-coding alleles resulted in a robust increase in arthritis severity, bone destruction, overabundance of osteoclasts, and IL17-expressing cells in the inflamed joints and draining lymph nodes of arthritic mice. Thus, this study identifies a previously unrecognized mechanism of gene-environment interaction that could provide insights into the well-described but poorly understood amplification of the genetic risk for RA upon exposure to environmental pollutants. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

FALCON: A distributed scheduler for MIMD architectures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Grimshaw, A.S.; Vivas, V.E. Jr.

1991-01-01

This paper describes FALCON (Fully Automatic Load COordinator for Networks), the scheduler for the Mentat parallel processing system. FALCON has a modular structure and is designed for systems that use a task scheduling mechanism. FALCON is distributed, stable, supports system heterogeneities, and employs a sender-initiated adaptive load sharing policy with static task assignment. FALCON is parameterizable and is implemented in Mentat, a working distributed system. We present the design and implementation of FALCON as well as a brief introduction to those features of the Mentat run-time system that influence FALCON. Performance measures under different scheduler configurations are also presented andmore » analyzed with respect to the system parameters. 36 refs., 8 figs.« less

The origins of religious disbelief.

PubMed

Norenzayan, Ara; Gervais, Will M

2013-01-01

Although most people are religious, there are hundreds of millions of religious disbelievers in the world. What is religious disbelief and how does it arise? Recent developments in the scientific study of religious beliefs and behaviors point to the conclusion that religious disbelief arises from multiple interacting pathways, traceable to cognitive, motivational, and cultural learning mechanisms. We identify four such pathways, leading to four distinct forms of atheism, which we term mindblind atheism, apatheism, inCREDulous atheism, and analytic atheism. Religious belief and disbelief share the same underlying pathways and can be explained within a single evolutionary framework that is grounded in both genetic and cultural evolution. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mulder, R.U.; Benneche, P.E.; Hosticka, B.

The University of Virginia Reactor Facility is an integral part of the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics (to become the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering on July 1, 1992). As such, it is effectively used to support educational programs in engineering and science at the University of Virginia as well as those at other area colleges and universities. The expansion of support to educational programs in the mid-east region is a major objective. To assist in meeting this objective, the University of Virginia has been supported under the US Department of Energy (DOE) Reactor Sharing Programmore » since 1978. Due to the success of the program, this proposal requests continued DOE support through August 1993.« less

Understanding User Preferences and Awareness: Privacy Mechanisms in Location-Based Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burghardt, Thorben; Buchmann, Erik; Müller, Jens; Böhm, Klemens

Location based services (LBS) let people retrieve and share information related to their current position. Examples are Google Latitude or Panoramio. Since LBS share user-related content, location information etc., they put user privacy at risk. Literature has proposed various privacy mechanisms for LBS. However, it is unclear which mechanisms humans really find useful, and how they make use of them. We present a user study that addresses these issues. To obtain realistic results, we have implemented a geotagging application on the web and on GPS cellphones, and our study participants use this application in their daily lives. We test five privacy mechanisms that differ in the awareness, mental effort and degree of informedness required from the users. Among other findings, we have observed that in situations where a single simple mechanism does not meet all privacy needs, people want to use simple and sophisticated mechanisms in combination. Further, individuals are concerned about the privacy of others, even when they do not value privacy for themselves.

42 CFR 417.454 - Charges to Medicare enrollees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... § 410.152(l)). (e) Services for which cost sharing may not exceed cost sharing under original Medicare... nursing care defined as services provided during a covered stay in a skilled nursing facility during the...

48 CFR 1516.303-76 - Fee on cost-sharing contracts by subcontractors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... alert to a potential vulnerability for the Government under cost-sharing contracts when evaluating... subcontractor is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the prime. The vulnerability consists of the subsidiary earning a...

Neuronal bases of structural coherence in contemporary dance observation.

PubMed

Bachrach, Asaf; Jola, Corinne; Pallier, Christophe

2016-01-01

The neuronal processes underlying dance observation have been the focus of an increasing number of brain imaging studies over the past decade. However, the existing literature mainly dealt with effects of motor and visual expertise, whereas the neural and cognitive mechanisms that underlie the interpretation of dance choreographies remained unexplored. Hence, much attention has been given to the action observation network (AON) whereas the role of other potentially relevant neuro-cognitive mechanisms such as mentalizing (theory of mind) or language (narrative comprehension) in dance understanding is yet to be elucidated. We report the results of an fMRI study where the structural coherence of short contemporary dance choreographies was manipulated parametrically using the same taped movement material. Our participants were all trained dancers. The whole-brain analysis argues that the interpretation of structurally coherent dance phrases involves a subpart (superior parietal) of the AON as well as mentalizing regions in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. An ROI analysis based on a similar study using linguistic materials (Pallier et al., 2011) suggests that structural processing in language and dance might share certain neural mechanisms. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Microscopic mechanism of nanocrystal formation from solution by cluster aggregation and coalescence

PubMed Central

Hassan, Sergio A.

2011-01-01

Solute-cluster aggregation and particle fusion have recently been suggested as alternative routes to the classical mechanism of nucleation from solution. The role of both processes in the crystallization of an aqueous electrolyte under controlled salt addition is here elucidated by molecular dynamics simulation. The time scale of the simulation allows direct observation of the entire crystallization pathway, from early events in the prenucleation stage to the formation of a nanocrystal in equilibrium with concentrated solution. The precursor originates in a small amorphous aggregate stabilized by hydration forces. The core of the nucleus becomes crystalline over time and grows by coalescence of the amorphous phase deposited at the surface. Imperfections of ion packing during coalescence promote growth of two conjoint crystallites. A parameter of order and calculated cohesive energies reflect the increasing crystalline order and stress relief at the grain boundary. Cluster aggregation plays a major role both in the formation of the nucleus and in the early stages of postnucleation growth. The mechanism identified shares common features with nucleation of solids from the melt and of liquid droplets from the vapor. PMID:21428633

Hormonal interactions during root tropic growth: hydrotropism versus gravitropism.

PubMed

Takahashi, Hideyuki; Miyazawa, Yutaka; Fujii, Nobuharu

2009-03-01

Terrestrial plants have evolved remarkable morphological plasticity that enables them to adapt to their surroundings. One of the most important traits that plants have acquired is the ability to sense environmental cues and use them as a basis for governing their growth orientation. The directional growth of plant organs relative to the direction of environmental stimuli is a tropism. The Cholodny-Went theory proposes that auxin plays a key role in several tropisms. Recent molecular genetic studies have strongly supported this hypothesis for gravitropism. However, the molecular mechanisms of other tropisms are far less clear. Hydrotropism is the response of roots to a moisture gradient. Since its re-discovery in 1985, root hydrotropism has been shown to be common among higher plant species. Additionally, in some species, gravitropism interferes with hydrotropism, suggesting that both shared and divergent mechanisms mediating the two tropisms exist. This hypothesis has been supported by recent studies, which provide an understanding of how roots sense multiple environmental cues and exhibit different tropic responses. In this review, we focus on the overlapping and unique mechanisms of the hormonal regulation underlying gravitropism and hydrotropism in roots.

Epidemiological bases and molecular mechanisms linking obesity, diabetes, and cancer.

PubMed

Gutiérrez-Salmerón, María; Chocarro-Calvo, Ana; García-Martínez, José Manuel; de la Vieja, Antonio; García-Jiménez, Custodia

2017-02-01

The association between diabetes and cancer was hypothesized almost one century ago. Today, a vast number of epidemiological studies support that obese and diabetic populations are more likely to experience tissue-specific cancers, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown. Obesity, diabetes, and cancer share many hormonal, immune, and metabolic changes that may account for the relationship between diabetes and cancer. In addition, antidiabetic treatments may have an impact on the occurrence and course of some cancers. Moreover, some anticancer treatments may induce diabetes. These observations aroused a great controversy because of the ethical implications and the associated commercial interests. We report an epidemiological update from a mechanistic perspective that suggests the existence of many common and differential individual mechanisms linking obesity and type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus to certain cancers. The challenge today is to identify the molecular links responsible for this association. Classification of cancers by their molecular signatures may facilitate future mechanistic and epidemiological studies. Copyright © 2016 SEEN. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Optimizing Data Management in Grid Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zissimos, Antonis; Doka, Katerina; Chazapis, Antony; Tsoumakos, Dimitrios; Koziris, Nectarios

Grids currently serve as platforms for numerous scientific as well as business applications that generate and access vast amounts of data. In this paper, we address the need for efficient, scalable and robust data management in Grid environments. We propose a fully decentralized and adaptive mechanism comprising of two components: A Distributed Replica Location Service (DRLS) and a data transfer mechanism called GridTorrent. They both adopt Peer-to-Peer techniques in order to overcome performance bottlenecks and single points of failure. On one hand, DRLS ensures resilience by relying on a Byzantine-tolerant protocol and is able to handle massive concurrent requests even during node churn. On the other hand, GridTorrent allows for maximum bandwidth utilization through collaborative sharing among the various data providers and consumers. The proposed integrated architecture is completely backwards-compatible with already deployed Grids. To demonstrate these points, experiments have been conducted in LAN as well as WAN environments under various workloads. The evaluation shows that our scheme vastly outperforms the conventional mechanisms in both efficiency (up to 10 times faster) and robustness in case of failures and flash crowd instances.

Are BDNF and glucocorticoid activities calibrated?

PubMed Central

Jeanneteau, Freddy; Chao, Moses V.

2012-01-01

One hypothesis to account for the onset and severity of neurological disorders is the loss of trophic support. Indeed, changes in the levels and activities of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) occur in numerous neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases. A deficit promotes vulnerability whereas a gain of function facilitates recovery by enhancing survival, synapse formation and synaptic plasticity. Implementation of ‘BDNF therapies’, however, faces numerous methodological and pharmacokinetic issues. Identifying BDNF mimetics that activate the BDNF receptor or downstream targets of BDNF signaling represent an alternative approach. One mechanism that shows great promise is to study the interplay of BDNF and glucocorticoid hormones, a major class of natural steroid secreted during stress reactions and in synchrony with circadian rhythms. While small amounts of glucocorticoids support normal brain function, excess stimulation by these steroid hormones precipitate stress-related affective disorders. To date, however, because of the paucity of knowledge of underlying cellular mechanisms, deleterious effects of glucocorticoids are not prevented following extreme stress. In the present review, we will discuss the complementary roles share by BDNF and glucocorticoids in synaptic plasticity, and delineate possible signaling mechanisms mediating these effects. PMID:23022538

Structural insights into the molecular mechanisms of myasthenia gravis and their therapeutic implications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Noridomi, Kaori; Watanabe, Go; Hansen, Melissa N.

The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) is a major target of autoantibodies in myasthenia gravis (MG), an autoimmune disease that causes neuromuscular transmission dysfunction. Despite decades of research, the molecular mechanisms underlying MG have not been fully elucidated. Here, we present the crystal structure of the nAChR α1 subunit bound by the Fab fragment of mAb35, a reference monoclonal antibody that causes experimental MG and competes with ~65% of antibodies from MG patients. Our structures reveal for the first time the detailed molecular interactions between MG antibodies and a core region on nAChR α1. These structures suggest a major nAChR-binding mechanismmore » shared by a large number of MG antibodies and the possibility to treat MG by blocking this binding mechanism. Structure-based modeling also provides insights into antibody-mediated nAChR cross-linking known to cause receptor degradation. Our studies establish a structural basis for further mechanistic studies and therapeutic development of MG.« less

Secret sharing based on quantum Fourier transform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Wei; Huang, Liusheng; Shi, Runhua; He, Libao

2013-07-01

Secret sharing plays a fundamental role in both secure multi-party computation and modern cryptography. We present a new quantum secret sharing scheme based on quantum Fourier transform. This scheme enjoys the property that each share of a secret is disguised with true randomness, rather than classical pseudorandomness. Moreover, under the only assumption that a top priority for all participants (secret sharers and recovers) is to obtain the right result, our scheme is able to achieve provable security against a computationally unbounded attacker.

77 FR 13379 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC; Order Granting Approval of Proposed...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-06

... Relating to the Listing and Trading of Shares of the Emerging Markets Corporate Bond Fund of the WisdomTree... change to list and trade the shares (``Shares'') of the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Corporate Bond Fund (``Fund'') of the WisdomTree Trust (``Trust'') under Nasdaq Rule 5735. The proposed rule change was...

78 FR 75406 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Order Granting Approval of Proposed Rule Change...

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2013-12-11

... Shares of the WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bullish Fund, WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bearish Fund, and the WisdomTree Commodity Currency Bearish Fund Under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600 December 5... and trade shares (``Shares'') of WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bullish Fund, WisdomTree Bloomberg U...

The Impact of Cost Sharing on Internal Efficiency of Public Secondary Schools in Ndivisi Division, Bungoma District Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiveu, Noah Murumba; Mayio, Julius

2009-01-01

Adoption of cost sharing policy in education has witnessed the return to communities and parents a substantial proportion of financial responsibility for schooling. With increased poverty levels, many parents and communities have not been able to meet the cost requirements under cost sharing policy. Thus their investment in education and support…

76 FR 4963 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Order Approving a Proposed Rule Change To List...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-27

... the Teucrium Natural Gas Fund January 21, 2011. I. Introduction On December 3, 2010, NYSE Arca, Inc...\\ a proposed rule change to list and trade shares of the Teucrium Natural Gas Fund under NYSE Arca... proposes to list and trade shares (``Shares'') of the Teucrium Natural Gas Fund (``Fund'') pursuant to NYSE...

31 CFR 50.33 - Entities that do not share profits and losses with private sector insurers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... and losses with private sector insurers. 50.33 Section 50.33 Money and Finance: Treasury Office of the...' Compensation Funds § 50.33 Entities that do not share profits and losses with private sector insurers. (a... share profits and losses with a private sector insurer is deemed to be a separate insurer under the...

12 CFR 220.127 - Independent broker/dealers arranging credit in connection with the sale of insurance premium...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... amendment to § 220.4(k) set forth that creditors who arrange credit for the acquisition of mutual fund shares and insurance are also permitted to sell mutual fund shares without insurance under the provisions... programs which combine the acquisition of both mutual fund shares and insurance. Thus the amendment permits...

12 CFR 220.127 - Independent broker/dealers arranging credit in connection with the sale of insurance premium...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... amendment to § 220.4(k) set forth that creditors who arrange credit for the acquisition of mutual fund shares and insurance are also permitted to sell mutual fund shares without insurance under the provisions... programs which combine the acquisition of both mutual fund shares and insurance. Thus the amendment permits...

Innovation and Cultural Change Task Group Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-05-01

authoritative information sources…common analytic methods… Chief Administrative Officer and Shared Services Problem • Core functions are not well...in a crippling fashion Solution • Chief administrative officer • Shared services (market principles, not primarily consolidation) QDR • Under...Additional Governance Reforms” DoD is said to be considering: – Migrating toward a shared services model for support functions… Defense Business Board

78 FR 33093 - Change in Bank Control Notices; Acquisitions of Shares of a Bank or Bank Holding Company

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-03

... Freeman family control group, to retain voting shares of Texhoma Bancshares, Inc., and thereby indirectly... FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM Change in Bank Control Notices; Acquisitions of Shares of a Bank or Bank Holding Company The notificants listed below have applied under the Change in Bank Control Act (12 U.S.C...

78 FR 76834 - Change in Bank Control Notices; Acquisitions of Shares of a Bank or Bank Holding Company

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2013-12-19

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78 FR 33092 - Change in Bank Control Notices; Acquisitions of Shares of a Bank or Bank Holding Company

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-03

... as a member of the Rowland family control group voting shares of Lead Financial Group, Inc., and... FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM Change in Bank Control Notices; Acquisitions of Shares of a Bank or Bank Holding Company The notificants listed below have applied under the Change in Bank Control Act (12 U.S.C...

77 FR 60118 - Change in Bank Control Notices; Acquisitions of Shares of a Bank or Bank Holding Company

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2012-10-02

..., Illinois; to join the existing Kirschner Family Control Group by acquiring voting shares of Town and... FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM Change in Bank Control Notices; Acquisitions of Shares of a Bank or Bank Holding Company The notificants listed below have applied under the Change in Bank Control Act (12 U.S.C...

78 FR 19708 - Change in Bank Control Notices; Acquisitions of Shares of a Bank or Bank Holding Company

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2013-04-02

... Family Control Group, to acquire voting shares of Johnson Financial Group, Inc., and thereby indirectly... FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM Change in Bank Control Notices; Acquisitions of Shares of a Bank or Bank Holding Company The notificants listed below have applied under the Change in Bank Control Act (12 U.S.C...

77 FR 65382 - Change in Bank Control Notices; Acquisitions of Shares of a Bank or Bank Holding Company

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2012-10-26

..., all of Denver, Colorado; to become members of the Sturm control group, and acquire voting shares of... FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM Change in Bank Control Notices; Acquisitions of Shares of a Bank or Bank Holding Company The notificants listed below have applied under the Change in Bank Control Act (12 U.S.C...

78 FR 25084 - Change in Bank Control Notices; Acquisitions of Shares of a Bank or Bank Holding Company

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-29

... existing Lubar Family Control Group and retain voting shares of Ixonia Bancshares, Inc., and thereby... FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM Change in Bank Control Notices; Acquisitions of Shares of a Bank or Bank Holding Company The notificants listed below have applied under the Change in Bank Control Act (12 U.S.C...