cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 3588: Induced Pluripotent and Fetal Derived Neural Stem Cells Differ in Chemokine and Receptor Expression.

Introduction: Cell based therapies have shown a considerable ability to improve functional outcome when administered after experimental stroke. Intra-arterial (IA) cell transplantation has been shown to be a valuable alternative transplantation method for cell treatment. The success of IA therapy depends on the targeted homing and subsequent migration of cells to the injured brain area. This process is reliant on neural stem cell (NSC) expression of chemokines and their receptors. Understanding the differences in cell expression of these molecules and the resulting differences in chemotaxis will help identify ideal cell types for transplantation. Previously, we compared mRNA from human and mouse NSCs and found that only a 10% overlap in chemokine expression. We wanted to determine if there are also variations between different cell types from the same species. We compared NSCs obtained from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS NSCs), to fetal NSCs (F NSC). We used RT-qPCR, in vitro cell migration, and quantification of cell secretion to compare chemokine and ligand expression in F NSCs and iPS NSCs. Methods: Secondary neurospheres originating from FVB mice were generated from either fetal primary NSCs from E17.5 mice (F NSC), or derived by transducing neurospheres originating from E3 mice with Oct4 (iPS NSC). Cells were grown as neurospheres in growth media treated with EGF and FGF. RT-qPCR was performed on extracted RNA using microarray technology for chemokine receptors and ligands. Luminex immunological assay was completed to assess secreted cytokines and inflammatory proteins. The Boyden chamber migration assay was used to determine migration to SDF-1 or MCP-1 at varying concentrations. Results: RNA expression was detected for 58% of the factors assessed. F NSCs alone expressed 6% (e.g. mmp2, Cxcl10), iPS NSCs alone expressed 16% (e.g. CCL2, CCL7, LIF), and both iPS NSCs and F NSCs expressed 20% (e.g. BDNF, HIF1a, CXCR4) of the detected factors. We assessed 26 secreted proteins, 73% occurred at detectable levels, of these 74% were expressed more highly in F NSCs than in iPS NSCs, including, il-1α, CCL3, CCL5, TNF-α, and VEGF; iPS NSCs secreted higher levels of MCP3, Il-3, and substantially more MCP-1 (113.7 ± 1.44 vs 52.78 ±4.221 pg/ml). iPS NSCs also had a higher migratory response to MCP-1 than F NSCs did (p Conclusions: Several chemokines and their receptors were differentially expressed in mouse iPS and F NSCs. These differences may result in variations in the NSC response to the ischemic brain. The profile of chemokine and chemokine receptor expression on NSCs should be strongly considered when selecting cell types for post stroke treatment.
Hydrogen Storage Using Carbon Nanostructures

Carbon nanostructures were reported to be very promising materials for hydrogen storage, and a great deal of interest has been focused on adsorption of molecular hydrogen in carbon nanostructures. Although many experimental results for hydrogen storage in carbon nanostructures were reported, corresponding theoretical studies have not been developed and adsorption mechanisms have not been fully identified. Better understanding of molecular level phenomena provides clues to designing hydrogen storage that performs better. Atomic simulations are useful in the evaluation of hydrogen storage capacity of carbon nanotubes. In this paper, molecular simulations of hydrogen physisorption in carbon nanotubes were conducted. Hydrogen density distribution near carbon nanotubes was studied, and hydrogen storage capability is determined by computing hydrogen to carbon atom ratio. The peak hydrogen concentration around the nanostructures was simulated to be located relatively consistently around 3 angstroms away from each nanostructure.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Alfvén Wave Propagation in a Solar Magnetic Structure

The effect of magnetic field expansion and density stratification is studied for shear Alfven wave propagation in an open magnetic structure emerging from the sun. It is shown that because of magnetic expansion, the coefficient of transmission for wave periods of a minute is about 10%, one order of magnitude larger than the one obtained by assuming constant magnetic field intensity.
Clinical analysis of common inhalant allergens in respiratory alIergic diseases of children in Nanjing

Objective:To investigate the main inhalant allergens in children with respiratory allergic disease in Nanjing urban districts and provide evidence for prevention and treatment of patients with respiratory allergic diseases.Methods:All cases were collected from out-patient and in-patient department of the Nanjing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University from June 1 st,2009 to July 31 th,2010.Four thousand three hundred and fifty-five children lived in Nanjing urban districts,aged from 1 to 12 years old with diagnoses of asthma and(or)allergic rhinitis were enrolled.All the patients underwent skin prick tests(SPT)with 13 standardized common inhalant allergens.The positive rates,grades and categories of allergens were analyzed.Results:①Of the 4 355 patients,2 618(60.1%)were atopic.Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus(D.p,52.0%)and Dermatophagus farinae(D.f,50.9%)were the most prevalent inhalant allergens.② As age growing,the positive rates,grades and categories of skin prick tests increased,and the preponderance of atopy in boys was more significant.Conclusion:D.p and D.f were the most prevalent inhalant allergens in respiratory allergic disease in Nanjing urban districts.With age growing,children,especially boys,with respiratory allergic disease are more sensitive to inhalant allergens.
Localization of Y1 receptors for NPY and PYY on vascular smooth muscle cells in rat pancreas.

To localize binding sites for peptide YY (PYY) in the pancreas we utilized a slide-mount autoradiographic technique on frozen sections of rat pancreas incubated with 125I-Tyr36-PPY. Saturable autoradiographic labeling was located over pancreatic blood vessels, whereas islets, acinar cells, ducts, and neural elements did not appear to be specifically labeled. Isolated vascular fragments were prepared by collagenase digestion of rat pancreas. Binding experiments with 125I-Tyr36-PYY showed saturable binding to the fraction enriched in blood vessels but not to acini. Inhibition of 125I-Tyr36-PYY binding by nonradioactive neuropeptide Y (NPY) and PYY were similar, with half-maximal inhibition at 31.2 +/- 5 pM (n = 6); the potency of pancreatic polypeptide (PP) was 10,000 times lower. The binding site was classified as belonging to a Y1 type of NPY and/or PYY receptors, since [Leu31,Pro34]NPY, a specific Y1-receptor agonist, inhibited binding similar to NPY. To further localize the bound [125I-Tyr36]PYY within ...
Inhibitory Potential of Four-Carbon Dicarboxylic Acids on Clostridium botulinum Spores in an Uncured Turkey Product.

Organic acids offer promising options for the food industry in its attempt to ensure product safety and to meet consumer demand for minimally processed foods. In this study, four-carbon dicarboxylic acids were individually screened for their inhibitory potential against proteolytic Clostridium botulinum spores. Ground turkey breast meat was formulated with 1.4% sodium chloride (NaCl), 0.3% sodium pyrophosphate, 2% organic acid, 8% water and 500 spores/g of a six-strain mixture of proteolytic C. botulinum . Samples were adjusted to pH 6. Ten g of product in vacuum packages were heated in 75°C water for 20 min, cooled and incubated for 0 to 25 days at 28°C. Botulinal neurotoxin was detected at two days in control samples (0% acid) and at five days in 2% malic acid (0.13 M), aspartic (0.13 M), tartaric (0.12 M), succinic (0.15 M), fumaric (0.15 M) samples. Toxin was undetected at 25 days in samples treated with maleic acid (0.15 M). Maleic acid reduced total aerobic bacteria and lactic acid organisms in temperature-abused product, compared to controls. Further systematic investigation of these and related compounds with prior approval for food-use may demonstrate previously unrecognized antibacterial potential.
Social, Psychological, And Physical Aspects Of The Work Environment Could Contribute To Hypertension Prevalence

Studies on the physical and social characteristics of the workplace have begun to provide evidence for the role of specific workplace factors on health. However, the overall contribution of the workplace to health has not been considered. Estimates of the influences on health across domains of the work environment are a critical first step toward understanding what level of priority the workplace should take as the target for public policies to improve health. The influences or contribution of these domains on health in the work environment are particularly useful to study since they are potentially modifiable through changes in policies and environment. Our analysis used detailed data from blue-collar industrial workers at two dozen Alcoa plants. It includes work environmental measures of psychological hazards, physical hazards, and the workplace social environment, to estimate the overall importance of the workplace environment for hypertension. Our findings suggest that social, psychological, and physical aspects of the work environment could contribute to a substantial proportion of hypertension prevalence. These attributes of the workplace could thus be a useful target for improving workforce health.
Uterine leiomyosarcoma: Epidemiology, contemporary treatment strategies and the impact of uterine morcellation

Leiomyosarcoma, a rare tumor subtype, accounts for 1% of all uterine malignancies, but contributes to a significant proportion of uterine cancer deaths. Surgery is considered the mainstay of treatment for all soft tissue sarcomas, including uterine variants. However, uterine leiomyosarcoma is challenging to diagnose preoperatively and can mimic the appearance of benign uterine leiomyomas. Recently, concerns have grown in this regard, as surgeons have utilized uterine morcellation and myomectomy procedures unknowingly in the setting of occult uterine sarcoma. Because of aggressive tumor biology and relative chemotherapy and radiotherapy resistance, efficacious therapies to achieve prolonged survival or cure in those with both early and advanced-stage uterine leiomyosarcoma have been elusive. The strongest determinant of survival remains stage at diagnosis, though prediction models may provide a more accurate prognosis. Given the aggressive nature of this sarcoma subtype, novel early detection strategies and targeted therapies are the focus of several recently published and ongoing studies. While gemcitabine/docetaxel and doxorubicin remain the most active regimens in the treatment of advanced or recurrent disease, currently available cytotoxic regimens remain inadequate, with 5-year disease-specific survival of <30%. Pazopanib, trabectedin and olaratumab, are FDA-approved, targeted therapies with activity in uterine and other leiomyosarcomas, while aromatase inhibitors and immunotherapies are under active investigation. This review provides a critical appraisal of the literature regarding the contemporary surgical and medical management of uterine leiomyosarcoma, the role of targeted therapies, and the implications of uterine morcellation on gynecologic surgical practice.
Influence of Cross-Linking, Temperature, and Humidity on CO2/N2 Separation Performance of PDMS Coated Zeolite Membranes Grown within a Porous Poly(ether sulfone) Polymer

Studies of zeolite membranes for gas separations, including natural gas purification, biogas purifications, and CO2/N2 separation are well documented. In this paper, using CO2/N2 separation as a model system, we examine a series of zeolite (faujasite)/polymer composite membranes. These zeolite membranes were prepared by growing a continuous zeolite layer within a porous poly(ether sulfone) (PES) support followed by a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coating layer to fix defects in the zeolite/PES layer. The effect of PDMS cross-linking, humidity in the feed gas (46 ppm), and temperature on the transport properties were studied. The separation performance was significantly improved with membranes that used cross-linked PDMS versus un-cross-linked PDMS. At room temperature, the introduction of humidity completely suppressed CO2/N2 separation. With higher temperatures, the effect of humidity on CO2/N2 separation performance was alleviated to some extent. Exposure to humidity at high temperature led to poor recove...
Formal verification of ladder logic programs using NuSMV

Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are heavy-duty computers used to control industrial systems. For many years these systems were physically separated from any other network making attacks extremely difficult. However, these increasingly connected systems have not improved much in terms of security, leaving them vulnerable to attacks. This paper attempts to show that ladder logic programs for PLCs can be modeled in NuSMV and verified using computational tree logic (CTL) specifications. This paper also shows how simple changes to the ladder logic program can cause catastrophic damage to the PLC system. This intruded code can be difficult to detect by looking at the ladder logic program because the change is so small. However, the intruded code can be modeled in NuSMV and identified by properly written CTL specifications.
Book Review: The Lawyer Bubble: A Profession in Crisis, by Stephen J. Harper

Stephen J. Harper’s The Lawyer Bubble: A Profession in Crisis, is the latest iteration of the “institutional failure” or “business disaster” story. A number of such books were published around 1990, and have been quite popular since then, for businesses (such as Enron and Tyco) keep failing in such spectacular fashion. The Great Recession that began in December 2007 led to another round of business disaster books, and like their forebears these books make a hard sell for the claim that the disaster was of a titanic nature. And where the business disaster book is found, the legal disaster book is sure to follow. The Lawyer Bubble has an important point to make: The legal profession suffers from major problems and is in crisis. Unfortunately for its author, these problems do not include a bubble of lawyers, making the catchy title inapt. Additionally, the structure of The Lawyer Bubble, and its quite modest proposals for reform, leave the reader wondering for whom Harper believes he is writing. The Lawyer Bubble requires too much background knowledge to be of much use to undergraduates thinking of entering law school, offers little new for academics worried about their students, and proposes few things that most big law firm managing partners will readily accept. Thus, the approach taken in The Lawyer Bubble, as well as its title, results in hiding rather than highlighting serious structural problems within the legal profession.
Cradle-to-Grave Life Cycle Assessment and Techno-Economic Analysis of Polylactic Acid Composites with Traditional and Bio-Based Fillers

This research focused on life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic analysis (TEA) comparisons of polylactic acid (PLA) composites, in order to compare organic to inorganic fillers. Organic fillers included DDGS, flax, hemp, rice husks, and wood, and were compared against inorganic fillers (glass and talc) for PLA-based composites. This study utilized LCAI and TEA methodology to estimate and quantify costs, emissions, and energy intensity (EI) associated with material acquisition, processing, transport, and end-of-life treatment used during plastic composite production. Emission categories analyzed include global warming potential (GWP), air acidification (AA), air eutrophication (AE), water eutrophication (WE), ozone layer depletion (OLD), air smog (AS), high carcinogens (HC), and high non-carcinogens (HNC). To achieve a “Cradle-to-Grave” perspective, two models were meshed, the plastic comparator (PC) and EIO-LCA (EIO), to simulate the EI and emissions associated over the entire life cycle. Based assumptions used, this research has shown that utilizing land fill end-of-life treatment and glass filler composite was the most environmentally harmful option, and maintained the highest economic impact, for all impact categories during PLA composite production. Alternatively, both DDGS and wood filler composites paired with recycling end-of-life treatment were shown to be the least environmentally damaging method and incurred the lowest cost of all PLA composites considered. This study also suggests that utilization of organic bio-based fillers produces a lower economic/environmental impact, and EI, compared to utilization of inorganic fillers in PLA composites. Accordingly, this research has demonstrated the impact of LCA/TEA paired analysis when assessing the bioplastic and biocomposite processing, which may be utilized as a precursor for parallel research undertakings.
Sensitivity Aspects of Adaptive Control

Abstract Early workers in Adaptive Control emphasized that a main hope for Adaptive Controllers would be reduced sensitivity to plant perturbations. By abstracting away from the adaptation mechanism an attempt is made here to calculate sensitivity functions for some common Self Tuning Controllers. The results are promising and represent a first step in this direction
Tellurium-Induced Demyelination

Inclusion of elemental tellurium in the diet of young rats produces a peripheral neuropathy characterized by a highly synchronous demyelination. This is one of the few such non-immunological models available. Other models may result in an asynchronous patchwork of demyelinating and remyelinating segments (e.g., lead intoxication), or are localized to very discrete regions (e.g., demyelination induced by topical application of lysolecithin or diphtheria toxin). Morphological studies of tellurium intoxication suggest that the initial damage is to the myelinating Schwann cell (Lampert and Garrett, 1971; Hammang et al., 1986) and that vulnerability is proportional to the length of the internodal segment supported by the Schwann cell; the more myelin supported by the Schwann cell, the greater the vulnerability (Bouldin et al., 1988). It is thus uniquely suited for biochemical studies of primary demyelination. Even in the continued presence of tellurium, morphologically observable demyelination diminishes after a few days and, a week after initiation of treatment, the nerve is well launched into a phase of rapid remyelination. We are currently investigating this model with the goal of gaining a better understanding of what metabolic processes are directly affected by tellurium and, assuming there are discrete metabolic alterations, why the resultant pathology is expressed only or preferentially in myelinating Schwann cells.
Abstract 424: An IFNg-regulated Macrophage Protein Network Links Type 2 Diabetes to Atherosclerosis

Type 2 diabetics have a higher risk for atherosclerosis, but the mechanisms underlying the increased risk are poorly understood. Macrophages, which are activated in type 2 diabetes (T2D) and have a role in all stages of atherogenesis, are an attractive link. Our hypothesis is that T2D promotes macrophage dysfunction to promote atherosclerosis. To investigate the relationship between T2D and macrophage dysfunction, we used a proteomics approach to identify dysregulated proteins secreted from peritoneal macrophages in a diet induced mouse model of obesity and insulin resistance in the absence of hypercholesterolemia. Twenty-seven T2D responsive proteins were identified that predict defects in many of the critical functions of macrophages in atherosclerosis (e.g. decreased apoE- cholesterol efflux; decreased MFGE8 – efferocytosis, increased MMP12- matrix degradation). The macrophages from lean and obese mice were not lipid loaded, but the obese macrophages accumulated significantly more cholesterol when exposed to high levels of atherogenic lipoproteins in vitro suggesting that dysregulation of the T2D responsive proteins in diabetic mice render macrophages more susceptible to cholesterol loading. Importantly, many of these same protein changes, which were present in atherosclerotic Ldlr-/- mice with T2D, were normalized when these mice were fed non-diabetogenic hypercholesterolemic diets. Thus, foam cell formation in the presence and absence of T2D produces distinct effects on macrophage protein levels, and hence function. Further, we identify IFNγ as a mediator of the T2D responsive protein dysfunction. IFNγ, but not other cytokines, insulin or glucose, promote the T2D responsive protein dysregulation and increased susceptibility to cholesterol accumulation in vitro and the dysregulation is not observed in macrophage foam cells obtained from obese, diabetic IFNγ receptor 1 knockout animals. We also demonstrate that IFNγ can target these proteins in arterial wall macrophages in vivo . These studies suggest that IFNγ is an important mediator of macrophage dysfunction in T2D that may contribute to the enhanced cardiovascular risk in these patients.
Why It Is Important to Promote Clinical Independence Among Health Professionals Working in Prisons, Jails, and Other Detention Settings

The author discusses the ethical role of health care personnel in caring for prisoners. He mentions the need for clinical treatment that is not influenced by the institutions' authorities, the difficulties in gaining the trust of patients and the authorities, and the need to educate personnel regarding the ethics of medical care.
Videolaryngoscopy for Intubation Training

Intubation in the neonate can present unique challenges to an inexperienced clinician. The videolaryngoscope provides more easy visualization of the airway, as well as more reliable access to the airway. Since its inception, the videolaryngoscope has been modified from its original adult design for use in the pediatric patient population. Following its production, one of its main uses has been in the training of inexperienced operators, gaining widespread use in training hospitals. Before its introduction, instructors at these institutions relied solely on feedback from the trainee during intubation, rather than visual confirmation. Use of the videolaryngoscope to instruct trainees on the technique of intubation improves feedback given to the trainee as well as the first-attempt success rates, while lowering esophageal intubation rates. The available literature suggests that the use of videolaryngoscopy improves visualization of the glottis while sacrificing time to pass the endotracheal tube. Both methods (direct and videolaryngoscopy) proved to have similar times for intubation as well as intubation success rates for experienced practitioners. In the neonatal and pediatric populations specifically, another crucial use of videolaryngoscopy is its superiority in treating patients with a difficult airway. It enhances the operator’s ability to visualize the glottis in cases with no direct line of sight to the glottis.
Transient Analysis of Nonhomogeneous Continuous Time Markov Chains Describing Realistic LAN Systems

Most actual local area network (LAN) systems experience surges in the number of users that vary in magnitude over time. In addition, these surges may often be approximated by a periodic process (with a period of one day or one week). Therefore, a nonhomogeneous continuous time Markov chain (CTMC) may be the best model for such a system, at least for those periods of the day when these surges vary rapidly in magnitude. The transient analysis of time-varying linear systems is highly advanced in the field of systems and control theory. We present a review of some useful results, and then apply them to the analysis of nonhomogeneous CTMCs (especially periodic ones). One of the results of this analysis is a very simple method for transforming any nonhomogeneous CTMC (not just a. periodic one) to an equivalent homogeneous CTMC that is then amenable to such homogeneous methods as uniformization. We also present what we feel is a more realistic transient model for the discrete changes in user population that are observed.
A Self-adaptive Boundary Element Technique for 2-D Potential Analysis

ABSTRACT A technique to predict the error associated with a boundary element mesh for 2-D potential problems is proposed. Due to the boundary element discretization process, errors associated with the potential and flux are found based on coarse mesh. Utilizing the predicted error for an element, a new mesh is predicted within a user prescribed accuracy tolerance. The accuracy of the technique is demonstrated by two example problems. The proposed algorithm can be easily implemented as part of the postprocessor in a boundary element software system.
Exploring the Importance of Surface Diffusion in Stability of Vapor-Deposited Organic Glasses.

Stable glasses are formed during physical vapor deposition (PVD), through the surface-mediated equilibration process. Understanding surface relaxation dynamics is important in understanding the det...
Loss of nuclear envelope integrity? No probLEM—BAF has it covered

Ruptures of the nuclear envelope can drive a catastrophic loss of nucleocytoplasmic compartmentalization. In this issue, Halfmann et al. (2019. J. Cell Biol. https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201901116) describe a mechanism for surveilling the integrity of the nuclear barrier and coupling the sensing of nuclear ruptures to the recruitment of the nuclear envelope repair machinery.
An assessment and extension of geometrically nonlinear beam theories

Abstract Equations of motion for beams assuming only longitudinal, normal stress are derived for large-amplitude beam deflection. The formulation includes various physical extensibility conditions without expansion or truncation of their nonlinear nature. The Lagrange multiplier for an inextensible beam model is explicitly written. The limits of the applicability of various beams models with purely longitudinal, normal stress are explored, and the validity of a pure transverse displacement for a beam with fixed ends is quantified.
Preparation and Characterization of Benzotriazolium Perrhenate

Abstract The title compound, [C6H6N3][ReO4], crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c (a = 12.854(2) A; b = 4.9121(8) A; c = 14.819(2) A). The solid-state structure of the compound is stabilized by a series of hydrogen bonds. The solubility of [C6H6N3][ReO4] was measured in H2O, CH3OH (MeOH), and HCl (0.5 M and 6 M). Nuclear magnetic resonance measurements (1H NMR and 13C NMR) were performed, and results were consistent with the presence of the organic cation. The UV–visible spectrum shows a solvent dependency which DFT simulations indicate arise from which benzotriazole (BTA) species are present in solution (i. e., [C6H4N3]− in H2O, C6H5N3 in MeOH and [C6H6N3]+ in 5 M HCl).
SPECULATIONS ON FUNCTIONS OF THE BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER

Publisher Summary The blood–brain barrier (BBB) refers to the selective permeability of the capillaries of the central nervous system (CNS). In the entire body, about one-fifth of the tissue volume is extracellular fluid (ECF), and of this, about one-fifth is pumped through permeable microvasculature to keep the entire ECF uniform in composition. In the general body, the major routes of exchange through the capillary wall appear to be extracellular via intercellular clefts and pinocytosis. There is an agreement that these nonspecific routes are virtually absent in the brain and that almost all exchange of substances through the walls of brain capillaries seems to be transcellular, with the substances passing directly through the plasma membranes and cytoplasm of the brain capillary endothelial cell. Whether transcellular transport also takes place in general capillaries is not clear. Some substances such as blood gases readily penetrate the general capillary cells through selective exchange, but this cannot be seen against the background of the large nonspecific extracellular exchange available to all small molecules.
It's about time: The role of temporal variability in improving assessment of executive functioning.

Objective: Executive Functioning (EF) is a group of cognitive abilities related to one’s capacity to engage in and maintain goal-oriented behaviours and is one of the most important constructs in n...
Assessing the process-based model of regulation within a jail setting: arrestees’ perceptions of procedural justice, trust and obligation to obey

A substantial body of research has demonstrated the importance of procedural justice, trust, and obligation to obey in generating enhanced levels of compliance and cooperation with the criminal jus...
Hippocampal alterations in glutamatergic signaling during amyloid progression in AβPP/PS1 mice.

Our previous research demonstrated that soluble amyloid-β (Aβ)42, elicits presynaptic glutamate release. We hypothesized that accumulation and deposition of Aβ altered glutamatergic neurotransmission in a temporally and spatially dependent manner. To test this hypothesis, a glutamate selective microelectrode array (MEA) was used to monitor dentate (DG), CA3, and CA1 hippocampal extracellular glutamate levels in 2–4, 6–8, and 18–20 month-old male AβPP/PS1 and age-matched C57BL/6J control mice. Starting at 6 months of age, AβPP/PS1 basal glutamate levels are elevated in all three hippocampal subregions that becomes more pronounced at the oldest age group. Evoked glutamate release was elevated in all three age groups in the DG, but temporally delayed to 18–20 months in the CA3 of AβPP/PS1 mice. However, CA1 evoked glutamate release in AβPP/PS1 mice was elevated at 2–4 months of age and declined with age. Plaque deposition was anatomically aligned (but temporally delayed) with elevated glutamate levels; whereby accumulation was first observed in the CA1 and DG starting at 6–8 months that progressed throughout all hippocampal subregions by 18–20 months of age. The temporal hippocampal glutamate changes observed in this study may serve as a biomarker allowing for time point specific therapeutic interventions in Alzheimer’s disease patients.
Abnormal cardiac and metabolic measures correlate significantly with lower performance and activity in overweight chronic liver disease.

People with Hepatitis C (HCV) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the United States follow national trends toward a sedentary lifestyle and are increasingly at risk for hypertension. The intent of this study was to identify potential correlates of exercise tolerance in people with two types of chronic liver disease (CLD)-NAFLD and HCV. Measures included cardiac output, oxygen consumption and stroke volume, blood pressure, distance walked in 6 minutes, clinical laboratory tests, and medications influencing the autonomic nervous system, patient self-reports of activity, fatigue, and health-related quality of life (HRQL). A total of 67 patients completed the 6-minute walk test [45.1% Female, Age 51.7 ± 8.0 years, Body Mass Index 32.8 ± 5.9, 60% HCV]. At baseline, 70% had either diastolic (DBP) or systolic blood pressure outside normal range. Performance and cardiorespiratory measures correlated strongly with one another, but not with activity. Patients with abnormal DBP reported significantly lower maximum activity (MAS; r = -.254, P = .041, CI = -0.51 to -0.010; MAS 70.6 vs 82.5), significantly higher DBP post-6-minute walk test (r = .524, P = .0001, CI = 0.287-0.762) and significantly lower overall HRQL items related to physical domains (r = .273, P = .029, CI = -0.518 to -0.029). Mental-domain HRQL and depression measures did not correlate significantly with blood pressure. This study reports a significant correlation between both pre-hypertensive and hypertensive DBP, poor physical-domain self-reports, HRQL, and performance in CLD patients.
Daily Stress Processes in a Pandemic: The Effects of Affect, Worry, and Age

On March 13th, 2020, the World Health Organization declared a novel coronavirus, COVID-19, a pandemic Given the day-to-day behavioral changes necessitated by this global threat, the current study examined daily stress reactivity and its potential moderators during the COVID-19 pandemic Two-level, multilevel modeling was used to examine the daily relationship between perceived stress and negative affect, as well as the moderating effects of daily positive affect, average pandemic worry, and age, on this process Participants included 349 individuals from the young adult, midlife, and later-life cohorts of the Notre Dame Study of Health WAge Range = 26-89) Individuals were affectively reactive to perceived stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, experiencing higher negative affect on days of higher perceived stress Regarding moderators, older individuals were less stress reactive than younger individuals, and the extent of individuals’ pandemic worry exacerbated their stress reactivity Furthermore, daily positive affect buffered daily stress reactivity, regardless of pandemic worry and age In sum, individuals who were younger or more worried about the pandemic tended to be more stress reactive than older or less worried individuals Furthermore, daily positive affect buffered stress reactivity, and this buffering effect did not depend on age or the extent to which individuals were worried about the pandemic Thus, mobilizing positive affect during the COVID-19 pandemic may be a promising avenue for intervention in daily stress processes
Evaluating the Accuracy of Home Appraisals Using Refinance Transactions

The precision of appraisals used to refinance mortgages is particularly difficult to evaluate because there are no sales prices to serve as a basis for comparison. This paper estimates the accuracy of refinance appraisals using a novel methodology that does not require using a sales price as a benchmark: specifically, comparing the performance of appraisals against automated valuation model forecasts to predict loan default. By using a modification of the Vuong (1989) test for non-nested model performance, ranges of the forecast standard errors can be identified in which (1) model valuations outperform appraisals; (2) the performance of both approaches is similar; and (3) appraisals are superior. A second contribution of this paper is to document the improvement in appraisal precision after the Home Valuation Code of Conduct (HVCC) became effective. Our preferred estimates indicate that in the context of refinance transactions over the January 2000–April 2009 period before the HVCC was adopted, appraisals are as precise as a model forecast, with a standard error of approximately 19 percent. In the post-HVCC period, this precision improves to about 12 percent.
PARP inhibitors: shifting the paradigm in the treatment of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer, being one of the most fatal cancers, is the 7th leading cause of death globally. Cancer that is resistant to current treatment proves that there is a need for personalized and targeted therapy, based on the tumor and genomic markers. Pembrolizumab and Larotrectinib are examples of current medications used as targeted therapy in pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer has many different molecular subgroups, providing the opportunity for the development of new drugs that can target these groups. Poly (ADP-Ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) are a group of drugs inhibiting PARP to decrease the stability of the cancer cells. Currently, PARPi are mostly used in ovarian and breast cancer. There are multiple studies that have shown positive effects of PARPi in decreasing the tumor burden in advanced pancreatic cancer. PARPi are the future of pancreatic cancer management, and hence it is important to understand their mechanism, resistance pathways, and their application in the real world.
Preschool teacher-child relationships and children's expressive vocabulary skills: The potential mediating role of profiles of children's engagement in the classroom

Abstract Prior research suggests that positive teacher-child relationships support children's engagement in the classroom and their language skills. This short-term longitudinal study explored whether profiles of preschool children's engagement in the classroom (winter) mediated the association between teacher-child relationships (fall) and children's language skills (spring). The analytic sample included 708 children. Children's engagement was measured using a direct observational measure called the inCLASS. A latent profile analysis revealed six profiles of children's engagement: (1) highly engaged with tasks and peers; (2) engaged; (3) low engagement; (4) mild conflict; (5) high conflict, but positive engagement with teachers; and (6) extreme conflict. Using the low engagement profile as the reference group, mediation analyses revealed 3 indirect effects: (a) close-teacher-child relationship (as reported by teachers using the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale) was positively related to children's growth in expressive vocabulary (EV) skills (Woodcock-Johnson III Picture Vocabulary subscale) by spring through membership in the engaged rather than the low engagement profile; (b) a close relationship with a teacher was negatively related to children's EV skills through membership in the mild conflict profile with teachers and peers, and (c) a conflictual relationship with a teacher was negatively related to children's EV skills through membership in the mild conflict profile. Poor teacher-student relationships can lead children to become unengaged or negatively engaged in the classroom. Improving close teacher-child relationships can support more optimal patterns of engagement in the classroom, with positive implications for their EV development.
Two-In-One: A Design Space for Mapping Unimanual Input into Bimanual Interactions in VR for Users with Limited Movement.

Virtual Reality (VR) applications often require users to perform actions with two hands when performing tasks and interacting with objects in virtual environments. Although bimanual interactions in VR can resemble real-world interactions -- thus increasing realism and improving immersion -- they can also pose significant accessibility challenges to people with limited mobility, such as for people who have full use of only one hand. An opportunity exists to create accessible techniques that take advantage of users' abilities, but designers currently lack structured tools to consider alternative approaches. To begin filling this gap, we propose Two-in-One, a design space that facilitates the creation of accessible methods for bimanual interactions in VR from unimanual input. Our design space comprises two dimensions, bimanual interactions and computer assistance, and we provide a detailed examination of issues to consider when creating new unimanual input techniques that map to bimanual interactions in VR. We used our design space to create three interaction techniques that we subsequently implemented for a subset of bimanual interactions and received user feedback through a video elicitation study with 17 people with limited mobility. Our findings explore complex tradeoffs associated with autonomy and agency and highlight the need for additional settings and methods to make VR accessible to people with limited mobility.
Deploying a Single-Energy O-Ring Linac as the Sole Treatment Machine in a Community Setting: A Feasibility Study.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S) A novel O-ring Linac (ORL) offers a fully enclosed gantry with a single energy (6 MV) flattening filter-free photon beam, improved kV CBCT, a maximum treatment length of 36 cm (dual-isocenter setup), and a translation-only 3DOF couch for IGRT. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the viability of this ORL for use in a single-room clinic setting and to assess implementation challenges. MATERIALS/METHODS Treatment statistics of the single-energy ORL over a 1-year period from our main campus (5-linac lineup) were used to develop a ORL machine utilization model; 2 years of treatment statistics from 3 single-room locations with multi-energy C-arm Linac were analyzed to generate a population-based disease distribution model for a typical single-room center. A percentage frequency distribution of key anatomical sites is summarized in Table 1. The ORL utilization model was then extended to the network disease distribution model to assess the percentage of patients in network that can be treated using the ORL. RESULTS Table 1 shows the 9 anatomical sites accounting for ∼96% of network cases, all of which have corresponding active treatment protocols using the ORL at our main campus. Some 2D/3D treatments required modifications to planning workflow based on technical limitations of the ORL. Less than 1% of treatments at network locations required field sizes exceeding 36 cm, which is the ORL's limit. Electron treatments constitute ∼10% of network cases, of which 74% were for breast boost treatments. Considering 80% of breast boost treatments at our main campus were delivered on ORLs, over half of network electron cases can be safely treated on an ORL with photons. kV-CBCT is required for all ORL daily treatments. Despite the lack of 6DOF couch, ∼80% of ORL treatment fractions did not require manual repositioning for rotational corrections. Averaged appointment durations were reduced from 20 min on C-Arm Linac to 14 min on ORL. CONCLUSION Our model indicated that approximately 95% of the patient population at a single-Linac clinic can be treated using the ORL photon-only system. Streamlined IGRT workflow improved the ORL's overall efficiency compared to C-Arm Linac. Although some modifications to planning workflows are required, the ORL improves overall efficiency and is in general suitable for a single-room clinic.
Intersection Auctions and Reservation-Based Control in Dynamic Traffic Assignment

Autonomous vehicle (AV) technology is maturing, and AVs are being test-driven on public roads. A promising intersection control policy, tile-based reservation (TBR), proposed by Dresner and Stone in 2004, could improve intersection capacity beyond the capabilities of optimized traffic signals. Although TBR has been studied in several microsimulation models, it has yet to be analyzed under user equilibrium behavior. In this study, TBR was modeled in the dynamic traffic assignment to draw on the extensive literature on vehicle routing behaviors. With the proposed model, TBR can be computationally simulated on large city networks, with the goal of solving the traffic assignment problem. TBR also arbitrarily prioritizes vehicle movement, and high-value-of-time travelers may be able to gain priority through intersection auctions, as suggested by the literature. An in-depth study of simple intersection auctions found that much of the benefit (over first-come, first-served prioritization) resulted from the rando...
Effect of a Side Collision-Avoidance Signal on Simulated Driving with a Navigation System

Effects of a side collision-avoidance system (SCAS) signal on driving behavior were examined in an environment in which a nagivation signal was also used. Sixteen undergraduate students participated in this study, and a computerbased STISIM driving simulator was used in the project. Subjects were asked to respond to two signals, a visually displayed directional signal generated by a simulated navigation system (NAS) and a monaural auditory tone from a simulated SCAS presented after a NAS signal. Subjects were instructed that the SCAS signal conveyed directional information about an impending threat (the location of the danger from which they were to turn, or the escape direction toward which they were to turn). Contrary to previous findings in a non-driving environment (Wang et al., 2003), response time (RT) was significantly shorter for the group in which the location of the SCAS signal was spatially compatible with the location of the danger than for the group in which the SCAS signal location was incompatible with the location of the danger. Mean RT was not significantly shorter when the direction of the NAS signal and the location of the SCAS signal corresponded than when they did not. Given that subjects tended to withhold responding until they perceived the encroaching car, the benefit of a SCAS may be to direct a driver’s attention in the direction of an impending threat before the driver would ordinarily detect it.
Detecting sweet and umami tastes in the gastrointestinal tract

Information about nutrients is a critical part of food selection in living creatures. Each animal species has developed its own way to safely seek and obtain the foods necessary for them to survive and propagate. Necessarily, humans and other vertebrates have developed special chemosensory organs such as taste and olfactory organs. Much attention, recently, has been given to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract as another chemosensory organ. Although the GI tract had been considered to be solely for digestion and absorption of foods and nutrients, researchers have recently found taste-signalling elements, including receptors, in this tissue. Further studies have revealed that taste cells in the oral cavity and taste-like cells in the GI tract appear to share common characteristics. Major receptors to detect umami, sweet and bitter are found in the GI tract, and it is now proposed that taste-like cells reside in the GI tract to sense nutrients and help maintain homeostasis. In this review, we summarize recent findings of chemoreception especially through sweet and umami sensors in the GI tract. In addition, the possibility of purinergic transmission from taste-like cells in the GI tract to vagus nerves is discussed.
Map, Bridge, Integrate Model (MBI)

Map, bridge, integrate (MBI) model offers a way to recognize and analyze cultural differences. Ignoring cultural differences may be easier in the short term, but may well create problems over time. Keywords: MBI; cultural diversity; cultural differences
The Knots of Quantum Thermodynamics

Several years ago, in the course of intense discussions with one of us concerning research problems of mutual interest, our colleague Wolfgang Yourgrau repeatedly employed the colorful term “knots”—perhaps an allusion to the story of Gordius of Phrygia—to denote challenging fundamental dilemmas in the conceptual fabric of physical theory. The galaxy of foundations problems he investigated during his remarkably productive life included, among many other interests, topics in quantal, statistical, and thermal physics. Issues both old and new which arise in efforts to unify these sciences surely qualify as excellent specimens of Professor Yourgrau’s knots in natural philosophy. Hence, to honor his memory, we offer an essay on the knots of quantum thermodynamics. In order to focus mainly upon what Yourgrau used to call “tough science” as opposed to historiographic or metalinguistic analysis, we shall not dwell on the epistemological aspects but proceed immediately to the mathematical foundations of our subject.
Factoring Polynominals over Finite Fields and Stable Colorings of Tournaments

In this paper we develop new algorithms for factoring polynomials over finite fields by exploring an interesting connection between the algebraic factoring problem and the combinatorial problem of stable coloring of tournaments. We present an algorithm which can be viewed as a recursive refinement scheme through which most cases of polynomials are completely factored in deterministic polynomial time within the first level of refinement, most of the remaining cases are factored completely before the end of the second level refinement, and so on. The algorithm has average polynomial time complexity and (n \(^{\rm log{\it n}}\) logp) O(1) worst case complexity. Under a purely combinatorial conjecture concerning tournaments, the algorithm has worst case complexity (n \(^{\rm loglog{\it n}}\) logp) O(1). Our approach is also useful in reducing the amount of randomness needed to factor a polynomial completely in expected polynomial time. We present a random polynomial time algorithm for factoring polynomials over finite fields which requires only log p random bits. All these results assume the Extended Riemann Hypothesis.