cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional assessment and quality of life in essential tremor with bilateral or unilateral DBS and focused ultrasound thalamotomy.

Background Thalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS) has largely replaced radiofrequency thalamotomy as the treatment of choice for disabling, medication-refractory essential tremor. Recently, the development of transcranial, high-intensity focused ultrasound has renewed interest in thalamic lesioning. The purpose of this study is to compare functional outcomes and quality of life in essential tremor patients treated with either bilateral Vim DBS or unilateral procedures (focused ultrasound or DBS). We hypothesized that all three would effectively treat the dominant hand and positively impact functional outcomes and quality of life as measured with the Clinical Rating Scale for Tremor and the Quality of Life in Essential Tremor Questionnaire. Methods This is a retrospective study of medication-refractory essential tremor patients treated at the University of Virginia with bilateral Vim DBS (n = 57), unilateral Vim DBS (n = 13), or unilateral focused ultrasound Vim thalamotomy (n = 15). Tremor was rated for all patients before and after treatment, using the Clinical Rating Scale for Tremor and Quality of Life in Essential Tremor Questionnaire. Results Patients undergoing bilateral DBS treatment had more baseline tremor and worse quality of life scores. Patients had significant improvements in tremor symptoms and quality of life with all three treatments. Both DBS procedures improved axial tremor. No difference was seen in the degree of improvement in upper extremity tremor score, disability, or overall quality of life between bilateral and either unilateral procedure. Conclusions Bilateral thalamic DBS improves overall tremor more than unilateral DBS or focused ultrasound treatment; however, unilateral treatments are equally effective in treating contralateral hand tremor. Despite the greater overall tremor reduction with bilateral DBS, there is no difference in disability or quality of life comparing bilateral versus unilateral treatments. © 2015 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Evaluation of Parameter Contribution to Neural Network Size and Fitness in ATHENA for Genetic Analysis

The vast amount of available genomics data provides us an unprecedented ability to survey the entire genome and search for the genetic determinants of complex diseases. Until now, Genome-wide association studies have been the predominant method to associate DNA variations to disease traits. GWAS have successfully uncovered many genetic variants associated with complex diseases when the effect loci are strongly associated with the trait. However, methods for studying interaction effects among multiple loci are still lacking. Established machine learning methods such as the grammatical evolution neural networks (GENN) can be adapted to help us uncover the missing interaction effects that are not captured by GWAS studies. We used an implementation of GENN distributed in the software package ATHENA (Analysis Tool for Heritable and Environmental Network Associations) to investigate the effects of multiple GENN parameters and data noise levels on model detection and network structure. We concluded that the models produced by GENN were greatly affected by algorithm parameters and data noise levels. We also produced complex, multi-layer networks that were not produced in the previous study. In summary, GENN can produce complex, multi-layered networks when the data require it for higher fitness and when the parameter settings allow for a wide search of the complex model space.
The Disinfectant Action of Certain Bacterial Stains

Among the earliest workers to note the disinfectant action of bacterial stains were Cornil and Babes,' two botanists, who found, in working with methyl violet, that it possessed a toxic action on various bacteria. In 1890 Stilling published results of work with a dye, probably a mixture of dyes which he called pyoktannin. His experiments, none too carefully performed, with B. subtilis, B. anthracis, and M. aureus, led him to the conclusion that the dye was a general bacterial poison, its antiseptic strength being three times that of bichlorid of mercury, and that the action of the dye was directly proportional to the strength of the dilution used, and to the time of the exposure. Spina2 in his article speaks of the use of indigo and methylene blue in the staining of culture media. He uses, however, in ioo c.c. of culture media only a few drops of a sterile saturated solution of the dye, this, of course, being too high a dilution to have any active disinfectant or bactericidal action, even if the stain itself possessed such a property. Spina also notes that in this dilution bacteria have a marked reducing action upon the stain used. HuberJ shows the effect of diffused light upon broth cultures of streptococci stained with eosin and erythrosin and exposed to the light for different periods of time as follows: Streptococcus exposed to diffused light for I hr. showed growth on first and second day in unstained broth, eosin stained broth, and erythrosin stained broth. Exposure for 3 and 6 hrs. resulted in growth on first and second day in unstained broth, but no growth in eosin stained broth or erythrosin stained broth. The control which was not exposed showed growth in all 3 broths. Results with B. diphtheriae were practically the same except that there was only a slight growth in the 3-hr. exposure on the second day. Conradi and Drigalski4 deal principally with crystal violet in culture media which inhibited numerous cocci and bacteria, but had no effect upon B. coli and B. typhosus. A number of organisms belonging to the subtilis group are also mentioned among those that grew on their crystal violet plates. Penzolds also notes a definite bactericidal action of certain bacterial stains. Another work of interest and. of more recent date is that of DeWitt.6 In these experiments with the various dyes, two drops of a per cent solution of each dye are
Vitamin A Deficiency in Chicks Produced by Adding High Levels of Bentonite to Synthetic Diets

Abstract BENTONITE is a naturally occurring clay of volcanic origin with many industrial uses. It has extremely small particle size and unusual adsorptive properties. Several types of bentonite exist composed of a variety of minerals (chiefly, montmorillonite) and containing principally aluminum silicate with lesser amounts of oxides and silicates of iron, magnesium, calcium, sodium, with a variety of minor elements. “Sodium bentonites” contain up to 3 percent of sodium, whereas “calcium bentonites” contain 1 or 2 percent of calcium and little sodium. Sodium bentonite has been used for many years in crate-fattening mashes for poultry and in recent years it has been widely used by the feed manufacturing industry as a “lubricating” agent and binder in pelleting processes. Levels from 1 to 2.5 percent are commonly used in pelleted poultry feeds. Our interest in bentonite grew out of various published and unpublished observations of possible growth stimulating activity of soil or…
Experimental Investigation and Modelling of Laser Machining of Sapphire for High Temperature Pressure Transducers

Sensing of pressure at high temperatures is currently limited by melting temperature and the plastic deformation undergone by silicon based technologies due to brittle to ductile transition. Sapphire has been proposed as an alternative sensing material that can overcome these temperature limitations using photonic methods. In order to manufacture the sensors, an ultra-short pulsed laser is utilized to machine sapphire as opposed to plasma etching methods used in silicon-based microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. Here we quantify the change in mechanical properties of sapphire due to laser machining. Vicker’s indentations were applied to both pristine and laser machined specimens showing that there is a toughening effect due to the machining process. The underlying mechanisms associated with toughening were quantified using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and a single crystal plasticity model using finite element analysis. The TEM cross-sections illustrated dense sub-surface regions of dislocations only in laser machined specimens. To further understand the toughening, finite element modeling of nanoindentations were conducted and compared with data illustrating complex evolution of the single crystal sapphire material underneath the nanoindent. The modeling and data comparison suggest hardening occurs locally that can be associated with an increase in the elastic properties as well as local damage.
AN OPERATIVE TECHNIQUE WITH CARDIOPULMONARY BYPASS FOR PRODUCING CHRONIC ANOXEMIA IN CALVES.

SUMMARY A technique is described for producing chronic hypoxia in calves by partial diversion of the inferior vena cava into the left atrium. The arterial hypoxia produced by an intracardiac shunt did not produce pulmonary hypertension, though a comparable degree of hypoxia produced by breathing 10 to 15 per cent oxygen did produce pulmonary hypertension. This difference in response suggests that the receptor mechanism initiating pulmonary hypertension is more sensitive to oxygen concentration in alveolar gas than in pulmonary capillary blood. The technique of cardiopulmonary bypass in young calves is described, as the calf may be a suitable experimental animal for several experimental cardiac procedures because of the large size of the structures present. The technical assistance of Dr. C. E. Eastin, D.V.M., was very helpful during these experiments.
A decade’s experience with an individualized clomiphene treatment regimen including its effect on the postcoital test

During a 10-year period, 428 women received clomiphene citrate according to a graduated therapeutic regimen in which the dose of clomiphene and the laboratory studies were individualized according to each patient's history, examination and response. Of the 428 patients, 85.3% ovulated and 42.8% conceived. The great majority of those who conceived did so during the first three ovulatory cycles. There was no evidence that clomiphene therapy was associated with the induction of another cause of infertility. Overall, 88.2% of those with no other causes for infertility who ovulated also conceived. However, only 7.8% of those who had one or more factors in addition to anovulation became pregnant. There was no evidence that clomiphene adversely affected the postcoital test, as only 15% of the patients had poor cervical mucus. The low rate of complications of this treatment, 5.1% cyst formation as well as the 14% abortion rate and the 2.6% congenital anomaly rate and the excellent gestational outcome in those who conceived support the use of this treatment regimen.
Spacewalks and Amusement Rides: Illustrations of Geometric Phase

Geometric phase in a dynamical system can be visualized as the interplay between two periodic functions which go in and out of “synch.” Using illustrations of a boy′s walk in space and a dizzying f...
Systems of Linear Differential Equations

Many problems in physics, biology, and engineering involve rates of change dependent on the interaction of the basic elements—particles, populations, and charges—on each other. This interaction is frequently expressed as a system of ordinary differential equations. This chapter discusses systems of linear differential equations. It presents the relation of elements of theory developed for systems to the more familiar case of scalar equations. The theory for scalar linear differential equations is best applied directly to the n th-order scalar equation. Many differential equations arise in a context that produces periodic rather than constant coefficients. The periodicity may reflect the variation of seasons in a population model or the rotation of the moon in a model of tidal activity. Moreover, certain stability questions for periodic solutions of nonlinear equations reduce to questions of the behavior of periodic linear systems. These equations have much in common with the constant coefficient case and the principal theorem lies close to the surface.
A method for the measurement and analysis of SAR signal random phase error

This Paper explains the importance of phase error measurement and analysis through the research on the impact of SAR phase error on linear frequency-modulated imaging and introduces a method for the measurement and analysis of SAR phase error. The intrapulse phase error can be analyzed and measured correctly via the application of Tektronix Real-Time Spectrum Analyzer RSA6114A together with radar analysis software or SignalVu software matching with Tektronix Oscilloscope.
Oxidation-reduction reactions involving ascorbic acid and the hexosemonophosphate shunt in corneal epithelium.

A dehydroascorbic acid reductase and a glutathione peroxidase have been shown to be present in corneal epithelium. Ascorbic acid (ASC), dehydroascorbate (DHA), or hydrogen peroxide (HtOt) can be coupled to the glutathione reductase system to effect nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidation. A coupling of the hexosemonophosphate (HMP) shunt via the pyridine nucleotide, NADPH, to DHA has been demonstrated. The suggestion is made that the rate of ASC oxidation in vivo is probably adequate to reoxidize a significant fraction of the NADPH generated by the shunt. ASC, glutathione (GSH), HsOi, and total soluble thiol concentrations of corneal epithelium were determined. At levels of HtOt within the observed physiological limit, endogenous catalase is inactive.
All-Trans-Retinoic Acid (ATRA) Induces Autophagy in Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia Cells.

All-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA), a naturally occurring derivative of vitamin A (retinol), is a potent inducer of cellular differentiation, growth arrest, and apoptosis in various tumor cell lines. ATRA induces terminal differentiation of immature leukemic promyelocytes into normal mature granulocytes in vitro and in vivo, leading to a complete remission in majority of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) patients. Thus, this system provides an excellent in vitro model for studying the molecular events taking place during the terminal differentiation of myeloid cells. Apoptosis (type I) and autophagy (type II) are both highly regulated forms of programmed cell death and play crucial roles in such physiological processes as the development, homeostasis and elimination of unwanted cells. In contrast to apoptosis, autophagic cell death is caspase-independent and does not involve classic DNA laddering. Recent studies suggest that cancer cells in general tend to undergo less autophagy than their normal counterparts, supporting the contention that defective autophagic cell death plays a role in the process of carcinogenesis. The present study provides the first evidence that ATRA induces autophagy in acute promyelocytic leukemia cells. We demonstrated that treatment of APL (NB4) cells with ATRA resulted in a marked increase in formation of the acidic vesicular organelles demonstrated by acridine orange staining detected by flow cytometry. ATRA treatment caused about 12-fold increase in number of acridine orange positive cells compared to untreated group. Furthermore, ATRA induced marked upregulation of microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3-II), an important hallmark of autophagy, by western blot analysis. To determine the mechanim by which ATRA induces autophagy we examined expression of Beclin-1, an autophagy-inducing protein, and Bcl-2, an inhibitor of Beclin-1 as well as levels of mTOR, a suppressor of autophagy, upon ATRA treatment. ATRA inhibited Bcl-2, upregulated Beclin-1 expression and reduced induction of activation/phosphorylation of mTOR in NB4 cells. However, rapamycin, a specific inhibitor of mTOR failed to induce autophagy, suggesting that ATRA-mediated autophagy was independent of the mTOR pathway. We are currently testing whether inhibition of Beclin-1 can prevent ATRA-induced autophagy in APL cells. In conclusion, our results revealed that ATRA plays a role in regulation of autophagy by reducing Bcl-2 and inducing protein Beclin-1, which in turn induces autophagy, suggesting a novel action and mechanism of ATRA in regulation of autophagy in APL cells.
Insult, then Injury: Interpersonal and Institutional Betrayal Linked to Health and Dissociation

Psychological trauma, particularly trauma involving betrayal, has been linked to health problems. Betrayal trauma is also characterized by dissociation and difficulty remembering as victims face co...
Pharmacokinetics and safety profile of single-dose administration of an estrogen receptor β-selective phytoestrogenic (phytoSERM) formulation in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.

Objective Selected estrogen receptor β-selective phytoestrogen (phytoSERM), a preparation of genistein, daidzein, and S-equol, has an 83-fold selective affinity for estrogen receptor (ER) β, and may promote neuronal survival and estrogenic mechanisms in the brain without exerting feminizing activity in the periphery. The aim of this study was to assess the safety, tolerability, and single-dose pharmacokinetics of the phytoSERM formulation in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Methods Eighteen women aged 45 to 60 years from a 12-week clinical trial evaluating cognitive performance and vasomotor symptoms were randomly assigned to placebo, 50 mg, or 100 mg phytoSERM treatment groups. Plasma levels of the three parent phytoestrogens and their metabolites were measured before and at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 24 hours after ingestion by isotope dilution high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Results Plasma concentrations of genistein, daidzein, and S-equol peaked at 9, 6, and 4 hours, respectively, for the 50-mg dose, and at 6, 6, and 5 hours, respectively, for the 100-mg dose. The maximum concentration (Cmax) and area under the curve (AUC) for the three parent compounds were greater in the 100-mg dose group, indicating a dose-dependent change in concentration with the phytoSERM treatment. No adverse events were elicited. Conclusions A single-dose oral administration of the phytoSERM formulation was well-tolerated and did not elicit any adverse events. It was rapidly absorbed, reached high plasma concentrations, and showed a linear dose-concentration response in its pharmacokinetics. These findings are consistent with previously reported parameters for each parent compound (Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01723917).
Neuro-Ophthalmic Considerations in Pediatric Orbital and Oculoplastic Disease

The pediatric oculoplastic surgeon frequently cares for patients whose clinical manifestations mimic or represent a neuro-ophthalmic condition. A familiarity with neuro-ophthalmic entities commonly seen by the oculoplastic subspecialist is critical, as proper recognition is essential to ensuring timely diagnosis, treatment, and, sometimes, the avoidance of unnecessary surgery. Myasthenia gravis, congenital myasthenic syndromes, Horner syndrome, third nerve palsy, optic nerve glioma, cavernous sinus thrombosis, myotonic muscular dystrophy, chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia, Kearns-Sayre syndrome, and congenital fibrosis of the extraocular muscles are diseases covered in this chapter. Although some of these conditions are covered elsewhere in this textbook, this chapter focuses on the neuro-ophthalmic features and implications which are relevant for the oculoplastic surgeon.
Pain Management Progressing to Addiction in a Young Man with Quadriplegia

Pain management became central to this case with the patient progressing from requiring oral opioids to IV opioids. His requirement for pain medication became unrelenting. The saga grew more complicated as his demands alienated not just hospital staff but his parents as well. The parents’ marriage was tenuous with mother blaming the father for the patient’s tragic competitive boating accident which involved a motorized recreational vehicle. Both ultimately blamed the hospital staff for their son’s lack of progress. The author follows the patient’s odyssey from legitimate pain management requirements to opioid addiction. The author discusses the management of pain through analgesic medication in some detail.
Barriers and Opportunities: Examining Attitudes Toward Traditional and Mobile Health Services in a Non-Clinical Sample of Non-Hispanic White and Latino/a Undergraduates

Many struggling with mental health difficulties do not receive services and this discrepancy is greater for underserved populations, such as Latinos/as. Understanding ethnic differences related to treatment barriers and willingness to use alternative modalities, such as mobile health (m-health) technology, may help address these discrepancies. Participants were 250 undergraduates (47.2% Latino/a and 32.8% non-Hispanic (NH) White). Most identified as female and were aged between 18 and 20. Participants completed measures of acculturation, distress, and attitudes toward traditional services and mobile technology. When group differences in treatment barriers were examined, Latinos/as were less likely to report having health insurance than NH Whites. Both groups were equally open to using m-health, although willingness to use it was linked with greater acculturation among Latinos/as. Mobile technology may be a viable means to reducing mental health disparities among Latinos/as. However, scholars must consider how to make such approaches to be acceptable to individuals who are lower in acculturation.
Inositol Lipid Turnover, Ca 2+ Mobilization, and Increased Ca 2+ Influx in Heat-Stressed Cells

We have investigated membrane permeability to Ca2+ and Ca2+ levels in cells subjected to heat stress. Heat caused a large and rapid rise in intracellular free calcium (Ca2+ i) within 2 min at 45°C Effects on transmembrane Ca2+ influx were more gradual, requiring 30 min at 45°C before increases were observed. The early rise in Ca2+ i appeared to be due to release from internal Ca2+ stores. Changes in Ca2+ homeostasis were correlated with alterations in membrane phosphoinositide (PI) turnover. The early rise in Ca2+ i was preceded by rapid (30 sec) release of inositol triphosphate, a PI catabolite that mobilizes Ca2+ from internal pools. Increased Ca2+ influx was closely correlated with membrane accumulation of phosphatidic acid, a lipid catabolite of PI with Ca2+ ionophoretic properties. The results indicate that heat, acting at the membrane, precipitates a cascade of interacting lipid and ionic changes that may be involved in the mediation of thermal injury.
Erwartungen und Herausforderungen in der Gastroenterologie

Die Fachrichtung der Gastroenterologie stellt eine schwierige, aber auch lohnende Herausforderung dar. Bei allen gastrointestinalen Storungen und insbesondere jenen, die am haufigsten auftreten, den funktionellen gastrointestinalen Storungen (FGIS), ist es wichtig, Kunst und Wissenschaft der Medizin zu vereinen. Dies erfordert effiziente Kommunikationsfahigkeiten zur Forderung der Arzt-PatientIn-Beziehung sowie ein kritisches Urteilsvermogen, um diagnostische und Behandlungsentscheidungen zum Wohle der PatientInnen treffen zu konnen. Dieses Kapitel bietet einen Uberblick uber die Herausforderungen und Erwartungen, die ich in diesem Zusammenhang sehe.
Cultural Psychotherapy: A Consideration of Psychosocial Class and Cultural Differences in Group Treatment

Most psychotherapists are aware of the many social issues and cultural factors that influence development throughout each individual life. Human nature, being a social nature, exists within relationships to others, the community, and a culture, sometimes a mixture of cultures. One social parameter, social class, redefined here as psychosocial class, has not received the same attention from psychotherapists as gender issues or ethnicity, two other important sociocultural spheres of influence on everyday life. It is suggested that group therapists are in a unique position to develop a cultural psychotherapy that addresses psychosocial class and cultural aspects of mental health. This paper includes a preliminary model of cultural psychotherapy that highlights the psychology of social class and culture for psychodynamic group psychotherapy.
Convergent Evolution of C239S Mutation in Pythium spp. β-Tubulin Coincides with Inherent Insensitivity to Ethaboxam and Implications for Other Peronosporalean Oomycetes.

Ethaboxam is a benzamide antioomycete chemical (oomicide) used in corn and soybean seed treatments. Benzamides are hypothesized to bind to β-tubulin, thus disrupting microtubule assembly. Recently, there have been reports of corn- and soybean-associated oomycetes that are insensitive to ethaboxam despite never having been exposed. Here, we investigate the evolutionary history and molecular mechanism of ethaboxam insensitivity. We tested the sensitivity of 194 isolates representing 83 species across four oomycete genera in the Peronosporalean lineage that were never exposed to ethaboxam. In all, 84% of isolates were sensitive to ethaboxam (effective concentration to reduce optical density at 600 nm by 50% when compared with the nonamended control [EC50] 11 μg ml-1). Of the insensitive isolates, two different transversion mutations were present in the 239th codon in β-tubulin within three monophyletic groups of Pythium spp. The transversion mutations lead to the same amino acid change from an ancestral cysteine to serine (C239S), which coincides with ethaboxam insensitivity. In a treated soybean seed virulence assay, disease severity was not reduced on ethaboxam-treated seed for an isolate of Pythium aphanidermatum containing a S239 but was reduced for an isolate of P. irregulare containing a C239. We queried publicly available β-tubulin sequences from other oomycetes in the Peronosporalean lineage to search for C239S mutations from other species not represented in our collection. This search resulted in other taxa that were either homozygous or heterozygous for C239S, including all available species within the genus Peronospora. Evidence presented herein supports the hypothesis that the convergent evolution of C239S within Peronosporalean oomycetes occurred without selection from ethaboxam yet confers insensitivity. We propose several evolutionary hypotheses for the repeated evolution of the C239S mutation.
Abstract 1476: Decoding the immunologic landscape of human clear cell renal carcinoma

Immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) play a critical role in regulating tumor development and response to targeted immunotherapy. While it is well-accepted that clear cell renal carcinoma (ccRCC) is characterized by a T-cell infiltrate, differential activation states within the tumor and the contribution of other immunomodulatory cells remain relatively unexplored. We sequenced approximately 30,000 immune cells at the single-cell level from tumor and matched adjacent normal tissue in ccRCC patients. With a median of 3300 Unique Molecular Identifiers (UMIs)/cell, we were able to capture the expression of 1000 genes per cell on average and 21,000 genes across all cells from each patient. We used Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) -transformation to visualize the various clusters and found that the tumor and adjacent normal tissue were distinct, with each having two major sub-clusters - lymphoid and myeloid cells. The data demonstrated a higher fraction of lymphoid infiltrate(~70-75%) than myeloid in a relatively stable ratio across patients, with tumor containing a slightly higher fraction of lymphoid cells. The normal and tumor cell subtypes were distinguished by multiple iterations of PAM clustering (Partitioning Around Mediods) with feature selection using the iterClust algorithm. Top differentially expressed genes in each cluster were identified and cross-referenced with known immune cell markers along with pathway enrichment analysis for cell typing. Among the tumor lymphoid population, genes specific for T-cells, including markers of functional exhaustion were the most highly expressed. A separate sub-cluster of cells consistent with cytotoxic T and/or NK cells was also identified. We found a distinct population of monocytes within the myeloid cluster that was present exclusively in the tumor tissue. This population expressed high levels of complement factors C1QA, C1QB, C1QC, as well as ApoE. The latter has been implicated as a driver of myeloid cell immunosuppression, indicating a possible regulatory role in the TME of ccRCC that has not previously been described. The phenotype of the immune cell populations in tumor was further validated by spectral flow cytometry. This study demonstrates relative abundance of cell types in the immune microenvironment within ccRCC tumors and also identifies a novel C1Q-high myeloid sub-population specific to the tumor, suggesting its possible role in RCC tumorigenesis or progression. Citation Format: Nivedita Chowdhury, Aleksandar Obradovic, David Aggen, Vinson Wang, Xinzheng Guo, Guarionex J. DeCastro, Hongxu Ding, Andrea Califano, Charles G. Drake. Decoding the immunologic landscape of human clear cell renal carcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1476.
A Game of Thrones in China: The Case of Cixi, Empress Dowager of the Qing Dynasty (1835–1908)

Women who have served as regents or dowagers, counselling young boy rulers, predate the existence of written history. In 1478 BCE, Hatshepsut ruled for 20 years as regent to the boy pharaoh Thutmose III. Other examples from antiquity, during the height of the Roman Empire, include the reign of Cornelia Africana, mother of the Gracchi. Eleanor of Aquitaine and Margaret of Anjou wielded considerable influence at court in premodern Europe. Catherine the Great ruled over one of the most prosperous and dynamic periods in the history of Imperial Russia. Throughout history, women who ruled by direct means or as regents frequently challenged conventional gender norms of the day. Whether they know it or not, fans of the popular series Game of Thrones have been given a very realistic portrayal of this kind of gendered power in the character of Cersei Lannister. For fans and scholars alike, it is instructive to weigh her character against the legacy of one of the most well-known female regents in world history, China’s empress dowager Cixi. She was one of the last women in world history to rule as a dowager and is almost synonymous with the term. Cixi ruled China as a regent during the later years of the Qing dynasty (1861–1908).
Perceived Confidentiality Risks of Mobile Technology-Based Ecologic Momentary Assessment to Assess High-Risk Behaviors Among Rural Men Who Have Sex with Men

Although men who have sex with men (MSM) within rural communities are disproportionately impacted by HIV, limited HIV research and programmatic resources are directed to these communities within the U.S. There is a need for improved behavioral data collection methods to obtain more detailed information on the relationship between rural environments, sexual behavior, and substance use. Utilization of mobile health (mHealth) technologies, such as ecologic momentary assessment (EMA), has been advocated for; however, limited research has evaluated its utility among rural MSM. Forty MSM residing in rural Oklahoma were recruited to complete in-depth interviews related to participating online/mobile-based HIV prevention research. Men described a willingness to participate in HIV and substance use studies that use EMA methodologies for data collection; however, they raised various research-related concerns. In particular, participants indicated potential privacy and confidentiality concerns related to the use of the mobile technology-based EMA in public and the storage of data by researchers. Given the varying degree of sexual orientation and substance use disclosure by participants, rural MSM were largely concerned with being inadvertently "outed" within their communities. Men described the various strategies they could employ to protect private information and methods to minimize research risk. Study findings suggest that EMA is an acceptable research methodology for use among rural MSM in the context of HIV and sexual health information, when privacy and confidentiality concerns are adequately addressed. Input from community members and stakeholders is necessary to identify potential areas of concerns for participants prior to data collection.
Particle sensing with confined optical field enhanced fluorescence emission (Conference Presentation)

A surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based optical sensor is developed for real-time measurement of nano-scale binding events near a gold surface. The system, which we call confined optical field enhanced fluorescence emission (Cofefe), replaces the cw laser used in SPR devices by a femtosecond source, allowing for the generation and detection of optical non-linearities at the sensor surface. The binding events show up in the detector as diffraction limited spots against a dark background. We also demonstrate that the sensor can reliably register DNA hybridization adsorption events without any bright background or interference patterns that plague the traditional SPRI systems.
On the role of predicted in vivo mitral valve interstitial cell deformation on its biosynthetic behavior

Ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR), a frequent complication of myocardial infarction, is characterized by regurgitation of blood from the left ventricle back into the left atrium. Physical interventions via surgery or less-invasive techniques are the only available therapies for IMR, with valve repair via undersized ring annuloplasty (URA) generally preferred over valve replacement. However, recurrence of IMR after URA occurs frequently and is attributed to continued remodeling of the MV and infarct region of the left ventricle. The mitral valve interstitial cells (MVICs) that maintain the tissue integrity of the MV leaflets are highly mechanosensitive, and altered loading post-URA is thought to lead to aberrant MVIC-directed tissue remodeling. Although studies have investigated aspects of mechanically directed VIC activation and remodeling potential, there remains a substantial disconnect between organ-level biomechanics and cell-level phenomena. Herein, we utilized an extant multiscale computational model of the MV that linked MVIC to organ-level MV biomechanical behaviors to simulate changes in MVIC deformation following URA. A planar biaxial bioreactor system was then used to cyclically stretch explanted MV leaflet tissue, emulating the in vivo changes in loading following URA. This simulation-directed experimental investigation revealed that post-URA deformations resulted in decreased MVIC activation and collagen mass fraction. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that URA failures post-IMR are due, in part, to reduced MVIC-mediated maintenance of the MV leaflet tissue resulting from a reduction in physical stimuli required for leaflet tissue homeostasis. Such information can inform the development of novel URA strategies with improved durability.
Impact of numerical hydrodynamics in turbulent mixing transition simulations

Underresolved simulations are unavoidable in high Reynolds (Re) and Mach (Ma) number turbulent flow applications at scale. Implicit large-Eddy simulation (ILES) often becomes the effective strategy to capture the dominating effects of convectively driven flow instabilities. We evaluate the impact of three distinct numerical strategies in simulations of transition and turbulence decay with ILES: the Harten–Lax–van Leer (HLL) Riemann solver applying Strang splitting and a Lagrange-plus-Remap formalism to solve the directional sweep—denoted split; the Harten–Lax–Van Leer-Contact (HLLC) Riemann solver using a directionally unsplit strategy and parabolic reconstruction—denoted unsplit; and the HLLC Riemann solver using unsplit and a low-Ma correction (LMC)—denoted unsplit*. Three case studies are considered: (1) a shock tube problem prototyping shock-driven turbulent mixing, (2) the Taylor–Green Vortex (TGV) prototyping transition to turbulence, and, (3) an homogeneous isotropic turbulence (HIT) case, focusing on the impact of discretization on transition and decay from fixed well-characterized initial conditions. Significantly more accurate predictions are provided by the unsplit schemes, in particular, when augmented with the LMC. For given resolution, only the unsplit schemes predict the turbulent mixing transition after reshock observed in the shock tube experiments. Relevant comparisons of ILES based on Euler and Navier–Stokes equations addressing potential occurrence of low-Re regimes in the applications are presented. Unsplit* schemes are instrumental in allowing to capture the spatial development of the TGV flow and its validation at prescribed Re with significantly less resolution. HIT analysis confirms higher simulated turbulence Re and increased small-scale content associated with the unsplit discretizations.
The Long Noncoding RNA FEDORA is a Cell-Type- and Sex-Specific Regulator of Depression

Women suffer from depression at twice the rate of men, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we identify dramatic baseline sex differences in expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in human postmortem brain tissue that are profoundly lost in depression. One such lncRNA, RP11-298D21.1 (which we termed FEDORA), is enriched in oligodendrocytes and neurons and upregulated in several cortical regions of depressed females but not males. We found that virally-expressing FEDORA selectively either in neurons or in oligodendrocytes of prefrontal cortex promoted depression-like behavioral abnormalities in female mice only, changes associated with cell-type-specific regulation of synaptic properties, myelin thickness, and gene expression. We also found that blood FEDORA levels have diagnostic significance for depressed women. These findings demonstrate the important role played by lncRNAs, and FEDORA in particular, in shaping the sex-specific landscape of the brain and contributing to sex differences in depression.
Freedom, History, and the Commercial Order of Polity

We have set out to understand the passage of Adam Smith’s first principles into a system of society; or, conversely, the theoretical genesis of commercial society. Societies experience a coming into being and a passing away, to which is apposite the matter of those fateful pages with which Plato concludes The Republic: at their politic as at their moral inception, men collective, like men individual, seek out an end and a way of life, bestial or exalted or mediocre, the incidents of which, but not the guiding principle, must be unknown to them when they choose. The choice is free, but once made there is no turning aside. And the choice is made at inception, which corresponds with the fact that each being’s individuality or existence as proper individual proceeds from and begins with his difference from all others, which difference is intelligible in terms of the separate end or function of each. In a sense, then, the individual, man or society, does not begin to exist as individual until it is launched, or has launched itself, toward its singular end by its own proper decision.
Transient wave propagation in non-homogeneous viscoelastic media

Propagation of transient pressure waves in nonhomogeneous viscoelastic media with a cylindrical hole of circular cross section is investigated by employing the theory of propagating surfaces of discontinuities. The non-homogeneities are assumed to depend on the radial distance from the axis of the cylindrical hole. The solutions for the normal stress components and the radial particle velocity are expressed as Taylor series expansions about the time of arrival of the wave front. Two types of boundary conditions are considered. The wall of the cylindrical hole is either subjected to uniform pressure or to uniform radial particle velocity both of which have arbitrary dependence on time. Then the solutions are reduced to the special case of homogeneous viscoelastic media. Numerical computations are carried out for a homogeneous standard linear solid and for a uniform pressure with a step distribution in time applied at the wall of the hole. These numerical results are compared with those obtained previously by other investigators who have employed the method of characteristics.
Chapter 6 Hybrid Explicit/Implicit Solvation Methods

Publisher Summary This chapter describes a recent method that draws on ideas from these hybrid shell methods to reduce the computational cost of replica exchange molecular dynamics (REMD), an enhanced sampling method that has gained popularity for peptide and small protein folding studies. The chapter focuses on the hybrid shell approaches and briefly summarizes recent progress in this area. The hybrid shell method does not reduce the size of the simulated system, such as the solvent shell methods during dynamics, but the number of replicas required for the overall REMD simulation is reduced. Shell methods reduce system size by explicitly including solvent molecules only for the first 1–2 solvent shells and can be extremely useful in studies requiring extensive conformational sampling at a reduced cost. However, current implementations may not yet be ready for the simulation of large-scale conformational changes, because the number of water molecules in the solvent shell depends strongly on solute conformation. Hybrid solvation can be used with other methods to improve computational efficiency as seen with REMD simulations using hybrid exchange potential.
Experimental results on target detection in cluttered medium using electromagnetic time-reversal techniques

We describe an experimental technique that can be used to improve the detection performance of a radar system in cluttered environments. The detection algorithm depends on time-reversal techniques. By using time-reversal, the response from cluttered medium is first nulled. When the target enters into the medium, the electromagnetic energy focuses around the target so that a stronger echo is obtained. The initial experimental results show that using time-reversal techniques, we can improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the return-echo due to the target compared to conventional change-detection radar.
Hispanic Child Languages: Typical and Impaired Development edited by GRINSTEAD, JOHN

The article reviews the book "Hispanic Child Languages: Typical and Impaired Development," edited by John Grinstead, part of the John Benjamins series on Language Acquisition and Disorders.
Adiabatic-approximation survey of breakup effects in deuteron-induced reactions

We investigate breakup effects in a three-body model of deuteron elastic scattering and stripping reactions for a variety of potential parameters, bombarding energies, and momentum matching conditions. The investigation is based on the adiabatic approximation with relative angular momentum $l=0$. We test this approximation by comparisons with several available coupled-channel calculations. The adiabatic wave function is divided into elastic and breakup parts, whose contributions to stripping are discussed separately. Breakup is seen to be primarily an effect of the nuclear interior. Elastic scattering is discussed by fitting a local equivalent potential to the elastic part of the wave function. This potential shows several characteristic features which are fairly stable with respect to the potential parameters and bombarding energies. The validity and limitations of the adiabatic approximation are examined. The approximation is seen to be fairly good for elastic scattering, but of only marginal value for stripping reactions. Possible improvements of the adiabatic approximation are discussed.NUCLEAR REACTIONS Adiabatic approximation, coupled-channel calculations, folding model, three-body wave function, local equivalent potential, deuteron stripping reactions.
Developmental trends in the interaction between auditory and linguistic processing.

The developmental course of multidimensional speech processing was examined in 80 children between 3 and 6 years of age and in 60 adults between 20 and 86 years of age. Processing interactions were assessed with a speeded classification task (Garner, 1974a), which required the subjects to attend selectively to the voice dimension while ignoring the linguistic dimension, and vice versa. The children and adults exhibited both similarities and differences in the patterns of processing dependencies. For all ages, performance for each dimension was slower in the presence of variation in the irrelevant dimension; irrelevant variation in the voice dimension disrupted performance more than irrelevant variation in the linguistic dimension. Trends in the degree of interference, on the other hand, showed significant differences between dimensions as a function of age. Whereas the degree of interference for the voice-dimension-relevant did not show significant age-related change, the degree of interference for the word-dimension-relevant declined significantly with age in a linear as well as a quadratic manner. A major age-related change in the relation between dimensions was that word processing, relative to voice-gender processing, required significantly more time in the children than in the adults. Overall, the developmental course characterizing multidimensional speech processing evidenced more-pronounced change when the linguistic dimension, rather than the voice dimension, was relevant.
Activation of the Ah Receptor Signal Transduction Pathway by Bilirubin and Biliverdin

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-dependent transcription factor that mediates many of the biological and toxicological actions of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD, dioxin) and related chemicals. Although no endogenous physiological ligand for the AhR has yet been described, persistent expression of hepatic CYP1A1 gene expression (an AhR-dependent response) in congenitally jaundiced Gunn rats indirectly supports the existence of such a ligand(s) in these animals. High plasma levels of the heme degradation product bilirubin (BR) in these animals prompted us to evaluate whether BR is an endogenous AhR agonist. Expression of dioxin responsive element (DRE)-driven luciferase gene expression in stably transfected mouse, guinea pig, rat, and human cells was induced by treatment with physiological concentrations of BR. Biliverdin (BV), the metabolic precursor of bilirubin, also induced luciferase activity in all species. BR and BV not only stimulated AhR transformation and DRE binding in vitro andin cells in culture, but competitive inhibition of [3H]TCDD-specific binding to the cytosolic AhR revealed that these chemicals are AhR ligands. The significantly greater inducing potency of these chemicals in intact cells, compared to their ligand binding and AhR transformation potency in vitro, suggests that BR and BV may also be converted within the cell to a more potent activator(s). Our results demonstrate that the heme degradation products BR and BV are AhR ligands which can regulate the AhR-dependent gene expression pathway.
Cardiac monoamine oxidase in rat.

THE monoamine oxidase (MAO) of the rat heart exhibits the unusual property of increasing in activity with increasing age and weight1. This property is not shared by the liver or brain; these organs reach a maximum MAO activity early in life and presumably maintain these levels for the rest of the animal's life span. This communication presents further information about the properties of MAO in the rat heart and its comparison with other tissues and species of animals.
Ultraviolet light-induced DNA damage in transcribed sequences: no change in repair with age.

Abstract We studied the repair of a plasmid vector containing the chloramhenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene by treating the plasmid with UV light and then transfecting this plasmid into fibroblasts from human fetal lung (in vitro aging) and into primary cultured fibroblasts from rat lung and skin. This methodology allows us to examine the repair of specific transcribed DNA sequences. There was no age-related change in the repair of UV damage in these cells. Rat embryo fibroblasts at different passages transfected with the plasmid also revealed no significant alteration in UV repair as a function of passage number.