cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of the pulmonary epithelium and inflammatory signals in acute lung injury

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a clinical disease marked by respiratory failure due to disruption of the epithelial and endothelial barrier, flooding of the alveolar compartment with protein-rich fluid and recruitment of neutrophils into the alveolar space. ALI affects approximately 200,000 patients annually in the USA and results in approximately 75,000 deaths. It is associated with prolonged mechanical ventilation, intensive medical care, high morbidity and mortality, and rising healthcare costs. Owing to its impact on public health, great strides have been made towards understanding the pathobiology of ALI to affect outcome. This review will focus on the role of the epithelial cell in the pathogenesis and resolution of ALI and the role of various inflammatory mediators in ALI.
Wnt Proteins Are Self-Renewal Factors for Mammary Stem Cells and Promote Their Long-Term Expansion in Culture

Adult stem cells have the ability to self-renew and to generate specialized cells. Self-renewal is dependent on extrinsic niche factors but few of those signals have been identified. In addition, stem cells tend to differentiate in the absence of the proper signals and are therefore difficult to maintain in cell culture. The mammary gland provides an excellent system to study self-renewal signals, because the organ develops postnatally, arises from stem cells, and is readily generated from transplanted cells. We show here that adult mammary glands contain a Wnt-responsive cell population that is enriched for stem cells. In addition, stem cells mutant for the negative-feedback regulator Axin2 and therefore sensitized to Wnt signals have a competitive advantage in mammary gland reconstitution assays. In cell culture experiments, exposure to purified Wnt protein clonally expands mammary stem cells for many generations and maintains their ability to generate functional glands in transplantation assays. We conclude that Wnt proteins serve as rate-limiting self-renewal signals acting directly on mammary stem cells.
UNIFIED PHONON-COUPLED SU(N) MODELS FOR ANOMALIES IN METAL DEUTERIDES

We present a systematic, but abbreviated, account of issues and models for anomalies in metal deuterides. To interact, deuterons must get close to one another, and we consider conditions under which this occurs and the ramifications. Within the general picture under discussion, anomalies are ultimately a consequence of phonon exchange that occurs when nuclear reactions take place in the solid state. We review the generalization of the resonating group method for reactions in vacuum to include solid state effects, and discuss implications for experiment. Phonon exchange in the case of a much simplified scalar Gaussian nuclear model is reviewed. The coupling of reactions at different sites is explored, and connections are made with recent experiments on alpha emission. The fastest site-other-site reactions are null reactions in which fusion reactions and their inverses are coupled. A consideration of these processes leads to the conclusion that compact states should be present stabilized by phonon exchange, and that these may be responsible for anomalies in recent beam experiments with metal deuterides. Energy exchange between nuclei and the lattice can be very efficient, according to results from idealized models for null reactions involving many sites. Aspects of excess heat production and other effects appear to be addressed by the new models.
Transverse effects due to random displacement of resistive wall segments and focusing elements

In this paper, we study the single bunch transverse beam dynamics in the presence of random displacements of resistive wall segments and focusing elements. Analytical formulas are obtained for long-range resistive wall wake, together with numerical results for short-range resistive wall wake. The results are applied to the LCLS project and some other proposed accelerators.
Meals offered in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program.

This paper presents findings from the School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study on the meals offered to students under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP). On average, NSLP lunches provide the program goal of at least one-third of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for most nutrients. The average amounts of total fat and saturated fat as a percentage of food energy in NSLP lunches, however, exceed the Dietary Guidelines ' goals. The amount of sodium exceeds National Research Council (NRC) recommendations, but the amount of cholesterol is within the recommended range. With the excep- tion of food energy, SBP breakfasts on average provide the program goal of at least one-fourth of the RDA. They are close to the Dietary Guidelines ' goal for total fat, but exceed it for saturated fat. SBP breakfasts provide amounts of cholesterol that exceed the recommendations. Am J Clin Nutr 1995; 61(suppl): 1875-985
Causes and significance of variation in mammalian basal metabolism

Mammalian basal metabolic rates (BMR) increase with body mass, whichs explains approximately 95% of the variation in BMR. However, at a given mass, there remains a large amount of variation in BMR. While many researchers suggest that the overall scaling of BMR with body mass is due to physiological constraints, variation at a given body mass may provide clues as to how selection acts on BMR. Here, we examine this variation in BMR in a broad sample of mammals and we test the hypothesis that, across mammals, body composition explains differences in BMR at a given body mass. Variation in BMR is strongly correlated with variation in muscle mass, and both of these variables are correlated with latitude and ambient temperature. These results suggest that selection alters BMR in response to thermoregulatory pressures, and that selection uses muscle mass as a means to generate this variation.
Role of viruses in human evolution.

The study of viral molecular genetics has produced a considerable body of research into the sequences and phylogenetic relationships of human and animal viruses. A review of this literature suggests that humans have been afflicted by viruses throughout their evolutionary history, although the number and types have changed. Some viruses show evidence of long-standing intimate relationship and cospeciation with hominids, while others are more recently acquired from other species, including African monkeys and apes while our line was evolving in that continent, and domesticated animals and rodents since the Neolithic. Viral selection for specific resistance polymorphisms is unlikely, but in conjunction with other parasites, viruses have probably contributed to selection pressure maintaining major histocompatibility complex (MHC) diversity and a strong immune response. They may also have played a role in the loss in our lineage of N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc), a cell-surface receptor for many infectious agents. Shared viruses could have affected hominid species diversity both by promoting divergence and by weeding out less resistant host populations, while viruses carried by humans and other animals migrating out of Africa may have contributed to declines in other populations. Endogenous retroviral insertions since the divergence between humans and chimpanzees were capable of directly affecting hominid evolution through changes in gene expression and development.
Diagnostic Approach for Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Poultry on the Basis of Antibodies to NS1, the Nonstructural Protein of Influenza A Virus

Vaccination programs for the control of avian influenza (AI) in poultry have limitations due to the problem of differentiating between vaccinated and virus-infected birds. We have used NS1, the conserved nonstructural protein of influenza A virus, as a differential diagnostic marker for influenza virus infection. Experimentally infected poultry were evaluated for the ability to induce antibodies reactive to NS1 recombinant protein produced in Escherichia coli or to chemically synthesized NS1 peptides. Immune sera were obtained from chickens and turkeys inoculated with live AI virus, inactivated purified vaccines, or inactivated commercial vaccines. Seroconversion to positivity for antibodies to the NS1 protein was achieved in birds experimentally infected with multiple subtypes of influenza A virus, as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot analysis. In contrast, animals inoculated with inactivated gradient-purified vaccines had no seroconversion to positivity for antibodies to the NS1 protein, and animals vaccinated with commercial vaccines had low, but detectable, levels of NS1 antibodies. The use of a second ELISA with diluted sera identified a diagnostic test that results in seropositivity for antibodies to the NS1 protein only in infected birds. For the field application phase of this study, serum samples were collected from vaccinated and infected poultry, diluted, and screened for anti-NS1 antibodies. Field sera from poultry that received commercial AI vaccines were found to possess antibodies against AI virus, as measured by the standard agar gel precipitin (AGP) test, but they were negative by the NS1 ELISA. Conversely, diluted field sera from AI-infected poultry were positive for both AGP and NS1 antibodies. These results demonstrate the potential benefit of a simple, specific ELISA for anti-NS1 antibodies that may have diagnostic value for the poultry industries.
The role teachers' expectations and value assessments of video games play in their adopting and integrating them into their classrooms

Video games have become an essential part of the way people play and learn. While an increasing number of people are using games to learn in informal environments, their acceptance in the classroom as an instructional activity has been mixed. Successes in informal learning have caused supporters to falsely believe that implementing them into the classroom would be a relatively easy transition and have the potential to revolutionise the entire educational system. In spite of all the hype, many are puzzled as to why more teachers have not yet incorporated them into their teaching. The literature is littered with reports that point to a variety of reasons. One of the reasons, we believe, is that very little has been done to convince teachers that the effort to change their curriculum to integrate video games and other forms of technology is worthy of the effort. Not until policy makers realise the importance of professional development and training as an important use of funds will positive changes in thinking and perceptions come about, which will allow these various forms of technology to reach their potential. The authors have hypothesised that the major impediments to useful technology integration include the general lack of institutional infrastructure, poor teacher training, and overly-complicated technologies. Overcoming these obstacles requires both a top-down and a bottom-up approach. This paper presents the results of a pilot study with a group of preservice teachers to determine whether our hypotheses regarding potential negativity surrounding video games was valid and whether a wider scale study is warranted. The results of this study are discussed along with suggestions for further research and potential changes in teacher training programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
NDSeq: runtime checking for nondeterministic sequential specifications of parallel correctness

We propose to specify the correctness of a program's parallelism using a sequential version of the program with controlled nondeterminism. Such a nondeterministic sequential specification allows (1) the correctness of parallel interference to be verified independently of the program's functional correctness, and (2) the functional correctness of a program to be understood and verified on a sequential version of the program, one with controlled nondeterminism but no interleaving of parallel threads.We identify a number of common patterns for writing nondeterministic sequential specifications. We apply these patterns to specify the parallelism correctness for a variety of parallel Java benchmarks, even in cases when the functional correctness is far too complex to feasibly specify.We describe a sound runtime checking technique to validate that an execution of a parallel program conforms to its nondeterministic sequential specification. The technique uses a novel form of conflict-serializability checking to identify, for a given interleaved execution of a parallel program, an equivalent nondeterministic sequential execution. Our experiments show a significant reduction in the number of false positives versus traditional conflict-serializability in checking for parallelization bugs.
Measurements of Ultimate Accelerating Gradients in the SLAC Disk-Loaded Structure

This paper is a status report on an on-going program at SLAC to study accelerator structures under high-gradient electric field conditions. The study is a part of a much broader program dealing with future linear colliders. The accelerating gradient that might be achievable in such machines is a crucial parameter because once the beam energy is selected, the gradient determines the length of the linac and directly or indirectly affects the choice of many other parameters such as frequency, energy consumption, size and number of RF sources, alignment, wakefield control, etc. The experiments done so far at SLAC deal with a conventional disk-loaded accelerator section of the constant-gradient type running at 2856 MHz. The original objective was to reach an accelerating gradient of at least 100 MV/m. The accelerating gradient at which the SLAC disk-loaded waveguide operates routinely is about 9 MV/m (with 36 MW klystrons feeding four 3 m sections without SLED) and about 12 MV/m with SLED I (2.5 sec pulse). With 50 MW tubes and SLED II (5 sec pulse) the gradient is presently being increased to over 20 MV/m. To reach 100 MV/m in a conventional 3 m constantgradient section without SLED, one would need amore » klystron with a peak power output of 900 MW. Since such a tube is not available, we decided to use a short standing-wave section in which the resonant fields can build up. The design criteria for this section, the fabrication, matching and tuning, the experimental set-up and the results are described.« less
The optimal projection equations for reduced-order state estimation: The singular measurement noise case

The optimal projection equations for reduced-order state estimation are generalized to allow for singular (i.e., colored) measurement noise. The noisy and noise-free measurements serve as inputs to dynamic and static estimators, respectively. The optimal solution is characterized by necessary conditions which involve a pair of oblique projections corresponding to reduced estimator order and singular measurement noise intensity.
Enzymatic glucose sensor based on electrospun Mn 2 O 3 -Ag nanofibers

The Mn 2 O 3 -Ag nanofibers were fabricated by electrospinning PVP sol-gel solution containing Mn(NO 3 ) 2 and AgNO 3 , followed by calcination in air at 500 °C for 3 h. The as-prepared Mn 2 O 3 -Ag nanofibers were employed as the immobilization matrix for glucose oxidase (GOD) to construct an amperometric sensor for glucose detection in pH 7 phosphate buffer. The Mn 2 O 3 -Ag-GOD modified electrode demonstrated fast response to glucose, along with high sensitivity and excellent selectivity. Based on these good results, the Mn 2 O 3 -Ag based composites were proved to be a promising biosensing platform for the construction of glucose biosensor.
Competitive Inhibition Can Linearize Dose-Response and Generate a Linear Rectifier

Many biological responses require a dynamic range that is larger than standard bi-molecular interactions allow, yet the also ability to remain off at low input. Here we mathematically show that an enzyme reaction system involving a combination of competitive inhibition, conservation of the total level of substrate and inhibitor, and positive feedback can behave like a linear rectifier-that is, a network motif with an input-output relationship that is linearly sensitive to substrate above a threshold but unresponsive below the threshold. We propose that the evolutionarily conserved yeast SAGA histone acetylation complex may possess the proper physiological response characteristics and molecular interactions needed to perform as a linear rectifier, and we suggest potential experiments to test this hypothesis. One implication of this work is that linear responses and linear rectifiers might be easier to evolve or synthetically construct than is currently appreciated.
High speed terahertz modulation from metamaterials with embedded high electron mobility transistors

We present a computational and experimental study of a novel terahertz (THz) device resulting from hybridization of metamaterials with pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs), fabricated in a commercial gallium arsenide (GaAs) process. Monolithic integration of transistors into each unit cell permits modulation at the metamaterial resonant frequency of 0.46 THz. Characterization is performed using a THz time-domain spectrometer (THz-TDS) and we demonstrate switching values over 30%, and THz modulation at frequencies up to 10 megahertz (MHz). Our results demonstrate the viability of incorporating metamaterials into mature semiconductor technologies and establish a new path toward achieving electrically tunable THz devices.
Sleep quality and blood pressure dipping in obstructive sleep apnea

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with poor sleep quality and a high incidence of nondipping. The aim of this study was to determine the association of sleep quality and nocturnal blood pressure (BP) dipping in an OSA population. Methods: A total of 44 untreated subjects with mild to severe OSA underwent overnight-attended polysomnography and 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring. Subjects were off antihypertensive medication. The percentage of slow wave sleep, percentage of time awake after sleep onset during the sleep period, sleep efficiency, and arousal index were chosen as measurements of sleep quality. Dipping was evaluated using the change in systolic BP, diastolic BP, and mean arterial pressure. Patients were classified as dippers and nondippers based on a nocturnal drop in mean arterial pressure > 10%. Differences between groups were evaluated by independent sample t tests. Pearson correlation and linear regression were used to evaluate the association of sleep quality and dipping. Results: There were no differences between dippers and nondippers with regard to body mass index, age, or respiratory disturbance index. A total of 84% were nondippers. No difference was found between dippers and nondippers in sleep quality. None of the sleep quality measures correlated with the measurements of dipping. In multiple regression analyses, the percentage of slow wave sleep and arousal index each independently predicted only a small percentage of the variance (approximately 10%) of nocturnal DBP dipping. Conclusions: The prevalence of nondipping was very high in a population of untreated patients with mild to severe OSA. Nonetheless, sleep quality did not appear to be related to BP dipping.
APPROACHING A PERSISTENT FAVORSKII ZWITTERION

Abstract 2-Phenalanone has been synthesized via a double Curtius procedure and converted to the conjugate acid of 2-phenalenylium oxide, a potential persistent Favorskii zwitterion.
Adolescent Substance Use: Epidemiology and Implications for Public Policy 241

This article discusses the epidemiology of adolescent substance use, including licit drugs and illicit drugs. The focus is on nationally representative samples of eighth-, tenth-, and twelfth-grade students from both public and private schools. Prevalence rates and recent trends are discussed for subgroups based on gender, geographic region, population density, parental education, and racial or ethnic groups. Some implications for public policy are presented.
The phosphorus needs of young broiler chicks in relationship to dietary nutrient density level.

A study was conducted to determine if the dietary need of the broiler chick for available phosphorus remained in constant ratio to the energy content of the diet. Corn-soybean meal diets were prepared with dietary energy levels of 2970, 3190 and 3410 M.E. kcal./kg. with inorganic P levels from 0.13 to 0.63% in increments of 0.10%. Least squares analyses were used to determine points of maximum response for body weight tibia ash, and efficiency of feed utilization through 28 days of age. Small but consistent reductions were observed in available phosphorus energy ratios as the dietary energy level increased. For maximum response chicks needed the following levels of inorganic phosphorus per 1000 M.E. kcal./kg. at 2970, 3190 and 3410 M.E. kcal./kg., respectively: (a) for body weight, 0.159, 0.153, 0.144%; (b) for tibia ash, 0.170, 0.168, 0.151%; (c) for feed utilization, 0.153, 0.145, 0.138%.
Cationic Surface-Active Monomers as Reactive Surfactants for AGET Emulsion ATRP of n-Butyl Methacrylate

A surface-active monomer 11′-(methacryloyloxy)-undecyl(trimethyl)ammonium bromide (MUTAB) was synthesized and used as a stabilizer and comonomer for activator generated by electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization (AGET ATRP) of n-butyl methacrylate (BMA) in emulsion. This reactive “surfactant” was applied in a continuous two-step microemulsion to emulsion technique. Stable polymer latexes with size ranging from 40 to 200 nm were obtained by adjusting the amount of reactive surfactant introduced to the system. The surfactant concentration could be decreased to as low as 1.3 wt % in the final emulsion (5.9 wt % vs monomer), while still maintaining good colloidal stability. The cationic reactive surfactants were covalently anchored on the surfaces of the formed particles, as indicated by a positive zeta potential. In addition, a well-controlled polymerization process was achieved by ATRP, as evidenced by the smooth growth in molecular weight of the polymer chains as the polymerization progresse...
Solar control of the Martian magnetic topology: Implications from model-data comparisons

Abstract One of the goals of the upcoming MAVEN mission to Mars is to investigate the effects of the crustal remanent fields on the solar wind plasma interaction and the upper atmosphere. The MGS Electron Reflectometer and magnetometer observations can be used to test the idea that, if the future data from the electron spectrometer (SWEA) are separated for the two prevalent interplanetary field orientations (Parker spirals ׳toward׳ and ׳away׳ from the Sun), one may be able to detect specific differences in the pattern of locations of open magnetic fields (where photoelectrons can escape from Mars׳ ionosphere into space), as well as patterns of photoelectrons in the Martian magnetotail. We use a pair of BATS-R-US MHD model results of the Mars–solar wind interaction, in a manner similar to that tested by Liemohn et al. in 2006 on Mars Express ELS electron data, to define these patterns of expected photo-electron detections on a global scale. Those cases have the strongest southern hemisphere crustal fields at noon or midnight, a matter of importance in such investigations because these patterns will be sensitive to the local time of those fields. We compare some MGS data-based maps of the time periods selected for their open field signatures in the pitch angle distributions and energy spectra, and separated by interplanetary field orientation inferred from Mars magnetosheath observations. This exercise illustrates the power (and necessity) of the global model comparisons as a means of interpreting the very complex Mars–solar wind interaction and its effects.
Safety concerns with long-term opioid use.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: The benefits of opioid therapy must be balanced by any adverse effects. In recent years, prescription opioids have been increasingly prescribed, but have also been associated with increased abuse, overdose and death.Areas covered: This review will categorize the common risks of opioid administration. Recognized adverse effects of opioid therapy include constipation, tolerance, endocrinopathies, sleep disorders, cognitive effects, respiratory depression, overdose and addiction. Studies have shown that there is increased risk of overdose and death with higher daily opioid doses, particularly above a morphine equivalent oral daily dose of 100 milligrams. Extended-release/long acting (ER/LA) opioid formulations may be beneficial for the compliant patient, yet may expose a higher risk for abuse if used inappropriately since each tablet carries a larger dose of medication.Expert opinion: Prospective, controlled one-year trials are needed to establish the efficacy and safety profile of chro...
On the Establishment of College Students' Preventive System of Lack of Honesty

Honesty is an important criterion of fair competition.College students are the work force of future society.As a result,their qualities of honesty influence the rise and fall of our nation.But,there are lots of dishonest phenomena on the campus of universities nowadays.In order to solve this problem and enhance the honesty qualities of college students,this article begins with the measure of preventing dishonest behaviors and puts forward some measures to solve this problem.In this way,dishonest behaviors of college students can be prevented effectively and the aim that prevention is better than cure can be achieved.
Strabismus and learning disabilities.

(1975). Strabismus and Learning Disabilities. American Orthoptic Journal: Vol. 25, No. 1, pp. 38-45.
Echocardiography and Focused Cardiac Ultrasound.

OBJECTIVES The following review will describe the use of focused cardiac ultrasound performed by noncardiologists and its role as an acute hemodynamic monitoring tool in pediatric cardiac critical care. DATA SOURCE MEDLINE and PubMed. CONCLUSION The use of focused cardiac ultrasound has grown tremendously over recent years, and is increasingly being performed and interpreted by intensivists, anesthesiologists, and emergency medicine physicians. These imaging techniques are useful in establishing etiologies of cardiac dysfunction and should compliment the physical examination and standard hemodynamic monitoring.
Modern Acting: Obscured by the Method’s “American” Style

Chapter 4 considers cultural developments that led Method acting to be mistakenly seen as the only emotion-based, internal approach to performance. It explores tensions created by the influence that British traditions have had on American film and theatre, and the attack on British and Anglo-American actors mounted by members of the Actors Studio starting in the late 1940s. The chapter shows that Montgomery Clift and Marlon Brando, whose performances in the late 1940s and early 1950s seemed to offer a new “American” style, were not Method actors; Clift studied with Alfred Lunt, and Marlon Brando worked with Stella Adler. The chapter also explores ways in which Elia Kazan’s and Marilyn Monroe’s connection to the Actors Studio contributed to Method acting’s visibility in American popular culture.
Elastic WDM switching for scalable data center and HPC interconnect networks

An elastic WDM switch, suitable for silicon photonic integration, was recently proposed by the authors. Here, we summarize its characteristics, and show how it can enhance the scalability and performance of data centers and HPCs.
Correlated XANES, TEM, and NanoSIMS of presolar graphite grains

Abstract We report correlated XANES, TEM, and NanoSIMS measurements of twelve presolar graphite grains extracted from primitive meteorites and for which isotopic data indicate predominantly Type-II supernovae origins. We find continued evidence for isotopic heterogeneities in presolar graphite grains, including the first observation of a radial gradient in the inferred initial 26Al/27Al within a presolar graphite grain. The XANES spectra of these samples show a variety of minor absorbances near the C K-edge, attributable to vinyl-keto, aliphatic, carboxyl, and carbonate molecules, as well as possible damage during sample preparation. Each sample exhibits homogeneous C K-edge XANES spectra within the graphite, however, showing no correlation with isotopic heterogeneities. Gradients in the isotope ratios of C, N, O, and Al could be due to both processes during condensation, e.g., mixing in stellar ejecta and granular transport, and post-condensation effects, such as isotope dilution and exchange with isotopically normal material in the early Solar System or laboratory, the latter of which is a significant issue for high-density presolar graphite grains. It remains unknown whether the mechanisms behind isotope exchange would also affect the local chemistry and therefore the XANES spectra. Ti L-edge XANES from most Ti-rich subgrains match standard spectra for TiC and potentially TiCN. A rare rutile (TiO2) subgrain has been identified, though it lacks the lowest energy L3 peak typically seen in standard spectra. Ca has also been identified by EDXS in TiC subgrains, likely due to the decay of live 44Ti at the time of formation. Future NanoSIMS measurements will determine the variability of initial 44Ti in TiC subgrains, an important constraint on mixing in the ejecta of the grains’ parent supernovae.
Treatment with the Small Molecule Genistein Increases Hepcidin Expression In Zebrafish Embryos and Human Hepatocytes

Abstract Abstract 4245 Hepcidin, a transcriptionally regulated peptide hormone, produced by hepatocytes in response to iron overload, decreases intestinal iron absorption and macrophage iron release via effects on ferroportin. Hepcidin is a potential drug target for patients with iron overload syndromes, because its levels are inappropriately low in these patients. Among patients with hereditary hemochromatosis, premenopausal women exhibit less severe iron overload than their male counterparts. While this has been attributed to menstrual blood loss, we hypothesized that estrogens may play a role in regulating Hepcidin expression. We tested estradiol and the phytoestrogens, genistein, apigenin, daizdein, and genistin, for their effects on hepcidin expression in zebrafish embryos. In addition to its estrogenic effects, genistein is known to inhibit multiple protein tyrosine kinases. We found that genistein treatment from 28–52 hours post-fertilization in zebrafish embryos enhanced hepcidin transcript levels relative to liver size, as assessed by whole mount in situ hybridization, while estradiol and the other phytoestrogens did not produce a similar effect. To evaluate whether these effects were conserved in human hepatocytes, we treated HepG2 cells with genistein for 24 hours. We found that genistein treatment was associated with a significant increase in Hepcidin transcript levels, which was abrogated by co-treatment with the bone morphogenic protein (BMP) signaling antagonist dorsomorphin, but not by co-treatment with the estrogen receptor antagonist ICI 182,780. In conclusion, genistein promotes Hepcidin expression in hepatocytes in a BMP-dependent, but estrogen receptor independent manner. Future experiments will address the signaling pathway by which genistein exerts its effect on Hepcidin expression. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Aggregating out of indeterminacy: Social choice theory to the rescue

This article explores public reason liberalism’s indeterminacy problem, a problem that obtains when we admit significant diversity into our justificatory model. The article argues first that Gerald Gaus’s solution to the indeterminacy problem is unsatisfactory and second that, contra Gaus’s concerns, social choice theory is able to solve public reason’s indeterminacy problem. Moreover, social choice theory can do so in a way that avoids the worries raised against Gaus’s solution to the indeterminacy problem as well as the worries Gaus himself raises against the use of social choice mechanisms. Social choice theory thus rescues public reason liberalism by aggregating out of indeterminacy.
Giambattista Della Porta’s Theory of Vision in the De refractione of 1593: Sources, Problems, Implications

In both the Magiae Naturalis Libri XX of 1589 and the De Refractione of 1593, Giambattista Della Porta likens the eye to a camera obscura, the pupil serving as a narrow “window” through which images from outside are projected onto the screen of the crystalline lens. This, as Kepler recognized, was a major insight. Yet even a cursory look at Della Porta’s account of vision in the De Refractione shows that, far from being guided by this insight, he ignored it completely, the result being that his theory of sight conflicts with the idea that the eye acts like a camera obscura. It is my aim in this paper to explain precisely how the two conflict and, in the process, to suggest some possible sources and implications of that conflict. In the process, I will look at various aspects of his theory of sight with an eye toward explaining how they are at times both innovative and problematic.
Misbehavioral Law and Economics: Heterogeneous Preferences and Consumer Regulation

This paper examines policy responses to mistakes individuals make in financial decisions like payday loans and day-trading. One goal of policy is to match the choices we make to what we really want — our preferences. This is difficult because a mistaken and a non-mistaken chooser have different preferences despite their identical choices, and their actual preferences cannot be measured directly.Preferences are informed by subjective tastes and by objective circumstances, and both vary from person to person. Consider two investors who each choose to day-trade, which will almost certainly lose them money. The two may differ from each other in their tastes — how much they enjoy the thrill of a gambling-like activity — and in their circumstances — the degree to which a loss will damage their financial health. Consumers usually know best when it comes to subjective tastes, while third-party interventions can often account for objective circumstances in guiding choices. Circumstance-focused policies can employ proxies — rules that are tailored around observable traits that are proxies for the relevant circumstances, such as minimum income requirements in some parts of the securities law. By contrast, for making outcomes sensitive to taste, policymakers should employ elicitation strategies, that get consumers to reveal more information about private tastes. This paper describes both options, and discusses how to assess the costs of residual mismatching.
Prevent-teach-reinforce for families: A model of individualized positive behavior support for home and community, by G. Dunlap, P. S. Strain, J. K. Lee, J. D. Joseph, C. Vatland, & L. Fox: (2017). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes (221 pp., $44.95, ISBN: 978-1-59857-978-9).

Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Families (PTR-F) is an instructional resource for professionals “who provide support for families that include children whose lives are compromised by challenging behavi...
Oncologists’ Views on Using Value to Guide Cancer Treatment Decisions

Abstract Objectives Cancer costs have increased substantially in the past decades, prompting specialty societies to urge oncologists to consider value in clinical decision making. Despite oncologists' crucial role in guiding cancer care, current literature is sparse with respect to the oncologists' views on value. Here, we evaluated oncologists perceptions of the use and measurement of value in cancer care. Methods We conducted in-depth, open-ended interviews with 31 US oncologists practicing nationwide in various environments. Oncologists discussed the definition, measurement, and implementation of value. Transcripts were analyzed using matrix and thematic analysis. Results Oncologists' definitions of value varied greatly. Some described versions of the standard health economic definition of value, that is, cost relative to health outcomes. Many others did not include cost in their definition of value. Oncologists considered patient goals and quality of life as important components of value that they perceived were missing from current value measurement. Oncologists prioritized a patient-centric view of value over societal or other perspectives. Oncologists were inclined to consider the value of a treatment only if they perceived treatment would pose a financial burden to patients. Oncologists had differing opinions regarding who should be responsible for determining whether care is low value but generally felt this should remain within the purview of the oncology community. Conclusions Oncologists agreed that cost was an important issue, but disagreed about whether cost was involved in value as well as the role of value in guiding treatment. Better clarity and alignment on the definition of and appropriate way to measure value is critical to the success of efforts to improve value in cancer care.
Predictions and Incongruency in Object Recognition: A Cognitive Neuroscience Perspective

The view presented here is that visual object recognition is the product of interaction between perception and cognition, a process budding from memories of past events. Our brain is proactive, in that it is continuously aiming to predict how the future will unfold, and this inherent ability allows us to function optimally in our environment. Our memory serves as a database from which we can form analogies from our past experiences, and apply them to the current moment. We are able to recognize an object through top-down and bottom-up processing pathways, which integrate to facilitate successful and timely object recognition. Specifically, it is argued that when we encounter an object our brain asks “what is this like” and therefore draws on years of experience, stored in memory, to generate predictions that directly facilitate perception. These feed-forward and feed-back systems tune our perceptive and cognitive faculties based on a number of factors: predictive astuteness, context, personal relevance of the given event, and the degree to which its potential rarity differs from our original expectations. We discuss both computational and theoretical models of object recognition, and review evidence to support the theory that we do not merely process incoming information serially, and that during our attempts to interpret the world around us, perception relies on existing knowledge as much as it does on incoming information.
The Roles of Endothelium, Platelets,and Smooth Muscle Cells in Intimal Healing

The continual remodeling of the artery wall significantly narrows the lumen. It contributes to the development of atherosclerotic plaque through the incorporation of lipid into the arterial intima. The steps in the repair of arterial intima include platelet accumulation followed by leukocyte attachment to denuded areas, smooth muscle migration from the media, deposition of extracellular connective tissue components, and endothelial proliferation from undamaged artery branches. Intimal growth and regression seem related to re-endothelialization, platelets, the pituitary, and unidentified factors.
Temporal sequence alignment in electronic health records for computable patient representation

Constructing patient representation from EHRs has become an emerging hot research topic, as it is widely used for predicting disease prognosis, medication outcomes and mortality, and identifying patients who are similar to a target patient. Sequence alignment methods are able to preserve the temporal sequence information in patient medical records when constructing computable patient representation and thus are worth comprehensive and objective evaluation. In this work, we synthesized patient medical records using a set of synthesis operations on top of real patient medical records from a large real-world EHR database. Then we tested two cutting-edge sequence alignment methods, namely dynamic time warping (DTW) and Needleman-Wunsch algorithm (NWA) for the purpose of patient medical records alignment, in order to understand their strengths and limitations. Our results show that both DTW and NWA outperform the reference alignment. DTW seems to align better than NWA by inserting new daily events and identifying more similarities between patient medical records. By incorporating medical knowledge, we can improve the temporal sequence alignment by these algorithms even better and create more accurate patient representation for predictive models and patient similarity calculation.
Experience of Homelessness Discrimination Among Emerging Adults: A Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis:

The goal of the current study was to describe the experiences of discrimination based on homelessness among youth between the ages of 18 and 24 using both quantitative and qualitative data. Pilot d...
A Percentile Multi-Verse Optimizer Algorithm applied to the Knapsack problem

Many problems addressed in operational research are combinatorial and NP-hard type. Therefore, designing binary algorithms based on swarm intelligence continuous metaheuristics is an area of interest in operational research. In this paper we use a general binarization mechanism based on the percentile concept. We apply the percentile concept to multiverse optimizer algorithm to solve multidimensional knapsack problem (MKP). Experiments are designed to demonstrate the utility of the percentile concept in binarization. Additionally, we verify the efficiency of our algorithm through benchmark instances, showing that Binary multi-verse Optimizer (BMVO) obtains adequate results when it is evaluated against another state of the art algorithm.
Interfacial coupling across incompatible meshes in a monolithic finite-strain thermomechanical formulation

Abstract A stabilized interface method is presented for monolithic coupling of thermomechanical fields across incompatible internal interfaces. Embedding Discontinuous Galerkin (DG) ideas in the Variational Multiscale (VMS) framework yields interface coupling terms that accommodate nonmatching discretizations across glued meshes. A unique feature of the method that emanates from fine-scale modeling facilitated by VMS is the derivation of analytical expressions for the Lagrange multipliers that enforce continuity of the fields across nonmatching meshes. This stabilized form is free of any user-defined parameters and renders itself to consistent linearization that leads to quadratic convergence of the method. The coupling terms at the interface also provide an avenue to employ various kinematic models for interfacial response in multi-constituent materials. An interfacial gap/crack function is introduced together with the conjugate traction vector to model discrete interfacial failure in multi-material applications. An algorithm for consistent implementation of interfacial models for tension, compression, and sliding friction across non-conforming meshes is presented. Test cases that employ 8-node hexahedra and 4-node tetrahedra are presented that highlight the generality of the method and validate its robustness for mathematically nonsmooth thermomechanical problems.
Separation of human lymphocyte subpopulations by density gradient electrophoresis. I. Different mobilities of T (T mu, T alpha) and B lymphocytes from human tonsils.

Abstract T and B lymphocytes from human tonsils were separated by density gradient electrophoresis on the basis of their surface charge. The high-mobility cell fractions were found to be highly enriched in T lymphocytes with only very small proportions of B cells. In contrast, the low-mobility fractions were predominantly B lymphocytes, and had only 10 to 30% contamination of T cells. The intermediate-mobility fractions contained both T and B lymphocytes in approximately equal proportions. IgM-bearing lymphocytes, as well as cells with receptors for mouse erythrocytes, the Fc portion of IgG, and complement were found in the intermediate- and low-mobility fractions. T lymphocytes, prepared by E rosetting, were also electrophoresed by this method and found to be of higher mobility as compared with peripheral blood T lymphocytes. T cells with Fc receptors for IgM (Tμ) or IgA (Tα) were found to be considerably heterodisperse with regard to surface charge and were present in all fractions. The separated cell fractions were treated in vitro with various concentrations of concanavalin A and thereafter examined for Tμ, Tγ, and Tα phenotypes. Low concentrations of Con A (2.5 μg/ml) had no effect on cell surface phenotypes. However, higher concentrations of Con A (20μg/ml) significantly reduced the numbers of T cells having IgM receptors (Tμ), but failed to alter the expression of the Tγ phenotype. The latter finding contrasts to that observed with T cells from the peripheral blood where high concentrations of Con A increase the proportions of the Tγ cells. This study demonstrates that density gradient electrophoresis can be used for the separation and study of lymphocyte subpopulations from human tonsils.
5 – Laboratory Techniques

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the various ways by which phytolith preparations are made from plants and soils. A variety of techniques for isolation from plants and soils can be used, depending on plant and soil type, available equipment, money, and labor; certain procedures should also be avoided. Phytoliths are very soluble in hydrofluoric acid and strong bases, especially when heated in these solutions. They are resistant to burning but cannot be heated above the melting point of silica (950° C), when distortion takes place. The phytolith laboratory requires certain basic pieces of equipment for extraction of soils and modern plant material. If elaborate techniques and devices to view phytoliths are desired, then more and higher priced equipment is needed, but for routine study, the sophistication of equipment need not be great. In 1929, Netolitsky described many ways of studying silica in modern plants, most of which involved direct ignition or ashing. The resulting inorganic residues, which contained the silicified microstructures of plants, were known as spodograms (spodos is Greek for ash), and many of the early archaeological references to phytoliths were studies of spodograms found in burnt ceramics and ash heaps. Schellenberg (1908) and Netolitzky (1900, 1914) were able to make detailed comparisons and identifications of these siliceous residues found in archaeological sites.