cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Megakaryocytic differentiation induced by constitutive activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase

The K562 erythroleukemia cell line was used to study the molecular mechanisms regulating lineage commitment of hematopoietic stem cells. Phorbol esters, which initiate megakaryocyte differentiation in this cell line, caused a rapid increase in extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK), which remained elevated for 2 h and returned to near-basal levels by 24 h. In the absence of extracellular stimuli, ERK could be activated by expression of constitutively active mutants of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase kinase (MKK), resulting in cell adhesion and spreading, increased cell size, inhibition of cell growth, and induction of the platelet-specific integrin alphaIIb beta3, all hallmarks of megakaryocytic differentiation. In contrast, expression of wild-type MKK had little effect. In addition, constitutively active MKK suppressed the expression of an erythroid marker, alpha-globin, indicating the ability to suppress cellular responses necessary for alternative cell lineages. The MKK inhibitor PD98059 blocked MKK/ERK activation and cellular responses to phorbol ester, demonstrating that activation of MKK is necessary and sufficient to induce a differentiation program along the megakaryocyte lineage. Thus, the MAP kinase cascade, which promotes cell growth and proliferation in many cell types, instead inhibits cell proliferation and initiates lineage-specific differentiation in K562 cells, establishing a model system to investigate the mechanisms by which this signal transduction pathway specifies cell fate and developmental processes.
Response of Human Malignant Gliomas and CNS Tissue to 125I Brachytherapy: A Study of Seven Autopsy Cases

The effects of 125I brachytherapy on malignant human gliomas and CNS tissue was studied in seven patients dying after such treatment. All the patients had biopsy proven malignant gliomas and all had failed therapy with external radiation and chemotherapy. Isodose curves of the brachytherapy were superimposed on the sectioned brain and sections prepared to determine the effects of various dose levels on tumor and CNS tissue. Tumor recurred in six of seven patients and was within 2.0 cm of the initial tumor site as determined by computed tomographic (CT) and radionuclide (RN) studies in five of six patients. There were three zones of tissue response: 1. a central zone of complete coagulative necrosis from high radiation doses; 2. an intermediate zone of complete to almost complete demyelination with extensive tissue destruction but preservation of altered vascular and astrocytic elements with a variable inflammatory and reactive response, and, 3. a zone of invomplete and irregular demyelination also with gliosis and inflammatory-reactive response.
The role of cystatin-C in the confirmation of reduced glomerular filtration rate among the oldest old.

INTRODUCTION Current guidelines suggest using cystatin-C to confirm a reduced creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFRcr) when the latter is thought to be inaccurate. Older adults have reduced muscle mass, which may affect the accuracy of eGFRcr. We evaluated the use of cystatin-C-based eGFR (eGFRcys) to confirm reduced eGFRcr among adults ≥ 80 years of age and, for comparison, younger adults. MATERIAL AND METHODS We analyzed data from 3,059 REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study participants with reduced eGFRcr (< 60 ml/min/1.73 m(2)) enrolled in 2003-2007 who were not on dialysis. eGFRcr and eGFRcys were calculated using age, sex and race-adjusted equations. Confirmed reduced eGFRcr was defined as eGFRcys < 60 ml/min/1.73 m(2). Prevalence of chronic kidney disease complications at baseline and all-cause mortality up to March 2012 were calculated. Analyses were stratified by age: < 65, 65-79 and ≥ 80 years. RESULTS Among participants < 65, 65-79 and ≥ 80 years of age, 76.5%, 85.7% and 92.5%, respectively, had reduced eGFRcr confirmed with eGFRcys (p < 0.001). Among participants ≥ 80 years of age, those with reduced eGFRcr confirmed with eGFRcys had higher prevalence of hypertension (79.1% vs. 65.1%, p = 0.03) and albuminuria (38.3% vs. 22.7%, p = 0.04) and higher risk for all-cause mortality (hazard ratio: 2.43; 95% confidence interval: 1.19-5.01) as compared with those in whom reduced eGFRcr was not confirmed by eGFRcys. CONCLUSIONS Reduced eGFRcr was confirmed using eGFRcys for the vast majority of adults ≥ 80 years. These results suggest that using cystatin-C to confirm a reduced eGFRcr may not be necessary among the oldest old.
Speech sound learning depends on individuals’ ability, not just experience

Aims:The goal of this study was to investigate if phonetic experience with two languages facilitated the learning of novel speech sounds or if general perceptual abilities independent of bilinguali...
Progenitor cell assays predict hematopoietic reconstitution after syngeneic transplantation in mice.

Abstract Hematopoietic reconstitution following syngeneic bone marrow transplantation with graded doses of untreated and drug-treated bone marrow was studied in B6D2F1 mice. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units (CFU-GM) and spleen colony-forming units (CFU-S) showed similar in vitro drug sensitivities. Both the speed of hematologic recovery and survival of mice transplanted with untreated or drug-treated bone marrow were directly related to the number of CFU-GM or CFU-S transplanted. Similar hematologic recovery was seen for untreated marrow transplants and treated transplants that had similar CFU-GM or CFU-S content. There is a minimum number of transplanted CFU-GM or CFU-S that allows survival of lethally irradiated mice. This number is present in a marrow transplant containing the equivalent of 5 × 10 3 untreated cells or producing one to two spleen colonies. There also exists a maximum value for the number of hematopoietic progenitors in a marrow graft, above which the rate of hematologic recovery following transplantation is rapid and no detectable increase in the rate is seen with increasing CFU-GM or CFU-S content. The presence of this maximum value for transplanted progenitors and variations in culture techniques are probably the reasons previous studies have not always shown a correlation between CFU-GM content and hematologic recovery after bone marrow transplantation.
Counter Braids: Asymptotic optimality of the message passing decoding algorithm

A novel counter architecture, called Counter braids, has recently been proposed for per-flow counting on high-speed links. Counter braids has a layered structure and compresses the flow sizes as it counts. It has been shown that with a maximum likelihood (ML) decoding algorithm, the number of bits needed to store the size of a flow matches the entropy lower bound. As ML decoding is too complex to implement, an efficient message passing decoding algorithm has been proposed for practical purposes. The layers of Counter Braids are decoded sequentially, from the most significant to the least significant bits. In each layer, the message passing decoder solves a sparse signal recovery problem. In this paper we analyze the threshold dimensionality reduction rate (d-rate) of the message passing algorithm, and prove that it is correctly predicted by density evolution. Given a signal in R+ n with ne non-vanishing entries, we prove that one layer of Counter Braids can reduce its dimensionality by a factor 2.08 epsi log(1/epsi) + O(epsi). This essentially matches the rate for sparse signal recovery via L1 minimization, while keeping the overall complexity linear in n.
Minding the Gaps: A Methodological Approach to Inter-Individual Variability in Skeletal Completion

In order to ensure sufficient sample sizes, bioarchaelogical studies of individual health in prehistory must often rely on assemblages that demonstrate high inter-individual variability in skeletal completion. Determining whether higher insult frequencies in particular individuals result from their greater skeletal preservation is a key step in understanding ancient health and disease. This study uses a simple new z-score residual approach to control for inter-individual differences in skeletal completion while comparing multiple variables. To test this method, a sex- and age-balanced sample of 85 adult individuals was selected from five Middle and Late Woodland sites in Illinois: Helton ( 11GE540), Gibson (1105), Ledders (11C132), Ray (11BR104,) and Carter ( 11GE624). Data on the frequency of nine different health indicators were collected, and statistically significant period- or sex-based differences in osteoarthritis, alveolar resorption, and hypoplasias were observed, illustrating the utility of this approach for bioarchaeologists concerned with the effects of skeletal completion on assessments of prehistoric health.
Efficacy of resource objective wildfires for restoration of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests in northern Arizona

Abstract Current conditions in dry forests of the western United State have given rise to policy mandates for accelerated ecological restoration on U.S. National Forest System and other public lands. In southwestern ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Laws.) forests, mechanized tree thinning and prescribed fire are common restoration treatments but are not acceptable for all sites. Currently there is much interest in managing naturally ignited fires to accomplish restoration objectives but few studies have systematically examined the efficacy of such “resource objective” wildfires for restoring historical ranges of variability (HRV). In this study we used field plots to retrospectively sample 10 resource objective fires on two national forests in northern Arizona. We used four burn severity classes identified on Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (MTBS) maps to stratify field sampling and compared post-fire means for 12 structure and hazardous fuels attributes to HRV and guidelines for ecosystem management. Results indicated significant differences among burn severity classes in tree density, basal area, coarse wood loads, canopy cover, and canopy fuel loads. Furthermore, areas classified as moderate (M) burn severity met HRV ranges for more attributes (67%) than did other areas in other severity classes. High (H) severity areas were within HRV for the fewest (17%) of the 12 attributes. Restoration ranges for large snag density, tree patch density and maximum patch size, and tree diameter distribution were not met within any burn severity class. Resource objective fire landscapes were comprised mainly (85%) of areas classified as unburned/low (U/L) and low (L) burn severity, whereas the M severity class made up just 12% of fire landscapes on average. Overall effectiveness of resource objective fires for meeting restoration objectives was 42%. Results suggested that effectiveness may be increased by managing for proportionally more moderate burn severity on these landscapes. For this, managers will be required to accept greater risk in terms of escaped fires and high-severity fire, which, in turn, will necessitate increasing public awareness of the potential benefits and limitations of managing wildfires for restoring ponderosa pine forest ecosystems.
Aboveground biomass responses to organic matter removal, soil compaction, and competing vegetation control on 20-year mixed conifer plantations in California

Abstract We measured vegetation growth 5, 10, and 20 years following plantation establishment at 12 Long-Term Soil Productivity installations in California’s Sierra Nevada and Southern Cascades. The combined effects of soil compaction (none, moderate, severe), organic matter removal (tree bole only, whole tree, whole tree plus forest floor), and competing vegetation control (complete: VC, none: NVC) on aboveground biomass were tested. Soils ranged from sandy loams to clay loams and were compacted (10–25% bulk density increase) prior to planting of mixed-conifer seedlings. Soil compaction resulted in a 15% increase in planted tree biomass on a plot-scale basis, attributed to improved seedling survival, along with reduced competing vegetation biomass on NVC plots. The unexpected response of tree growth to compaction was consistent across the LTSP sites. After year 5, there were no differences among the diverse organic matter treatments in tree biomass, periodic annual increment, or competing vegetation biomass. In contrast, vegetation control had a strong positive effect on tree biomass, about 68% greater tree growth (129.13 Mg ha−1) compared to trees grown on NVC plots (76.83 Mg ha−1). However, total vegetation biomass (trees + competing vegetation) was greater without vegetation control for the initial 10 years of the study, prior to canopy closure. The results showed near-complete tolerance by forest biomass to soil compaction and surface organic matter manipulation on LTSP plantations across a wide geographic range in California. Vegetation control was the single most important factor affecting 20-year tree biomass.
Clodronate Improves Survival of Transplanted Hoxb8 Myeloid Progenitors with Constitutively Active GMCSFR in Immunocompetent Mice

New methods to produce large numbers of myeloid progenitor cells, precursors to macrophages (MΦs), by maintaining Hoxb8 transcription factor activity1 has reinvigorated interest in MΦ cell therapies. We generated Hoxb8-dependent myeloid progenitors (HDPs) by transducing lineage-negative bone marrow cells with a constitutively expressed Hoxb8 flanked by loxP. HDPs proliferate indefinitely and differentiate into MΦ when Hoxb8 is removed by a tamoxifen-inducible Cre. We genetically modified HDPs with a constitutively active GMCSF receptor and the tamoxifen-induced transcription factor IRF8, which we have termed "HDP-on." The HDP-on proliferates without GMCSF and differentiates into the MΦ upon exposure to tamoxifen and ruxolitinib (GMCSF inhibitor via JAK1/2 blockade). We quantified the biodistribution of HDPs transplanted via intraperitoneal injection into immunodeficient NCG mice with a luciferase reporter; HDPs are detected for 14 days in the peritoneal cavity, liver, spleen, kidney, bone marrow, brain, lung, heart, and blood. In immunocompetent BALB/c mice, HDP-on cells, but not HDPs, are detected 1 day post-transplantation in the peritoneal cavity. Pretreatment of BALB/c mice with liposomal clodronate significantly enhances survival at day 7 for HDPs and HDP-on cells in the peritoneal cavity, spleen, and liver, but cells are undetectable at day 14. Short-term post-transplantation survival of HDPs is significantly improved using HDP-on and liposomal clodronate, opening a path for MΦ-based therapeutics.
A Minor but Important Aspect of Teaching Large Classes: When to Let in Late Students?

Some students are late for classes. If we let in these late, this disrupts the class and decreases the amount of effective lecture time for the students who arrived on time. On the other hand, if many students are late and we do not let them in, these students will miss the whole lecture period.
The proteasome and proteasome inhibitors in multiple myeloma

Proteasome inhibitors are one of the most important classes of agents to have emerged for the treatment of multiple myeloma in the past two decades, and now form one of the backbones of treatment. Three agents in this class have been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration-the first-in-class compound bortezomib, the second-generation agent carfilzomib, and the first oral proteasome inhibitor, ixazomib. The success of this class of agents is due to the exquisite sensitivity of myeloma cells to the inhibition of the 26S proteasome, which plays a critical role in the pathogenesis and proliferation of the disease. Proteasome inhibition results in multiple downstream effects, including the inhibition of NF-κB signaling, the accumulation of misfolded and unfolded proteins, resulting in endoplasmic reticulum stress and leading to the unfolded protein response, the downregulation of growth factor receptors, suppression of adhesion molecule expression, and inhibition of angiogenesis; resistance to proteasome inhibition may arise through cellular responses mediating these downstream effects. These multiple biologic consequences of proteasome inhibition result in synergistic or additive activity with other chemotherapeutic and targeted agents for myeloma, and proteasome inhibitor-based combination regimens have become established as a cornerstone of therapy throughout the myeloma treatment algorithm, incorporating agents from the other key classes of antimyeloma agents, including the immunomodulatory drugs, monoclonal antibodies, and histone deacetylase inhibitors. This review gives an overview of the critical role of the proteasome in myeloma and the characteristics of the different proteasome inhibitors and provides a comprehensive summary of key clinical efficacy and safety data with the currently approved proteasome inhibitors.
From Digital Consumption to Digital Invention: Toward a New Critical Theory and Practice of Multiliteracies

The teaching of media and digital literacies has gained increased attention in the 20 years following the New London Group’s landmark publication. From approaches urging the study of popular culture to calls for youth led social media revolution, there is no shortage of approaches. Yet scant attention is offered toward articulating a new and comprehensive theory of pedagogy and production that acknowledges the changing tools and technologies at young people’s disposal, conceptualizes young people as media producers, and applies these developments to today’s complex classroom context. We aim to articulate a new critical theory of multiliteracies that encompasses 4 types of digital engagement: (a) critical digital consumption, (b) critical digital production, (c) critical distribution, and (d) critical digital invention. We make the argument that a new critical theory of multiliteracies needs to account for each of these types of digital engagement but that, ultimately, we must move beyond theorizing our yo...
Acquired infection during neonatal and pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Introduction:Our objectives are to (1) describe the pathogens, site, timing and risk factors for acquired infection during neonatal and pediatric ECMO and (2) explore the association between acquir...
Mother's recorded voice on emergence can decrease postoperative emergence delirium from general anaesthesia in paediatric patients: a prospective randomised controlled trial.

Abstract Background Emergence delirium is a behavioural disturbance after general anaesthesia in children that can distress patients, parents, and primary caregivers. We hypothesised that listening to the mother's recorded voice can reduce ED compared with listening to a stranger's recorded voice. Methods This prospective, double-blind, randomised study was conducted in 2- to 8-yr-old patients who had undergone general anaesthesia. Sixty-six patients were randomly assigned to listen to either the mother's voice (Group M, n=33) or a stranger's voice (Group S, n=33). The primary outcome was the initial paediatric assessment of emergence delirium (PAED) score on arrival at a postanaesthesia care unit (PACU). Other outcomes were the incidence of emergence delirium; Watcha, PAED, and pain scores; PACU stay time; durations between cessation of anaesthetics and bispectral index (BIS) levels of 60, 70, and 80; eye opening time; extubation time; and total consumption of analgesics during the PACU stay. Results The mother's voice reduced the initial PAED score compared with a stranger's voice [mean (standard deviation), 9.8 (2.5) vs 12.5 (4.1); P=0.002]. The incidence of emergence delirium during the PACU stay was higher in Group S than in Group M [60.6% vs 24.2%, odds ratio (95% confidence interval): 4.88 (1.7–13.9); P=0.006]. The BIS >60 time was shorter in Group M than in Group S (P=0.006). Conclusions The mother's voice reduced emergence delirium scores and the incidence of emergence delirium in paediatric patients compared with a stranger's voice after general anaesthesia. Clinical trial registration NCT 02955680.
Fault Tolerant Nonrepetitive Trajectory Tracking for MIMO Output Constrained Nonlinear Systems Using Iterative Learning Control

Most works on iterative learning control (ILC) assume identical reference trajectories for the system state over the iteration domain. This fundamental assumption may not always hold in practice, where the desired trajectories or control objectives may be iteration dependent. In this paper, we relax this fundamental assumption, by introducing a new way of modifying the reference trajectories. The concept of modifier functions has been introduced for the first time in the ILC literature. This proposed approach is also a unified framework that can handle other common types of initial conditions in ILC. Multi-input multi-output nonlinear systems are considered, which can be subject to the actuator faults. Time and iteration dependent constraint requirements on the system output can be effectively handled. Backstepping design and composite energy function approach are used in the analysis. We show that in the closed loop analysis, the proposed control scheme can guarantee uniform convergence on the full state tracking error over the iteration domain, beyond a small initial time interval in each iteration, while the constraint requirements on the system output are never violated. In the end two simulation examples are shown to illustrate the efficacy of the proposed ILC algorithm.
Evidence for Metabolic Turnover of Polyphenolics in Tropical Brown Algae

Polyphenolic chemical defenses of plants have traditionally been classified as immobile or quantitative and as such are believed to have low to negligible rates of turnover. This assumption is an important element in many ecological theories of chemical defense that invoke cost versus benefit relationships, because (1) turnover increases the metabolic cost of maintaining an effective level of defense, and (2) changes in the rate of turnover could affect the conclusions of studies that rely upon static concentration (standing crop) measurements, since changes in compound synthesis may not emerge as corresponding changes in compound concentration. By using a stable-isotope labeling technique, we measured rates of synthesis and turnover for the polyphenolic compounds of marine brown algae in laboratory and field experiments. During the laboratory experiment, we observed the relatively rapid turnover of phlorotannins in a population of the tropical brown alga Lobophora variegata. In order to determine if such metabolic turnover in brown algae occurred under natural conditions, we then measured in situ rates of synthesis, polymerization, and turnover for extractable phlorotannins in two species of tropical marine brown algae, Sargassum hystrix var. buxifolium (Fucales) and Dictyopteris justii (Dictyotales), over a 17-day period in the field. We found that phlorotannins in L. variegata and S. hystrix var. buxifolium demonstrated rapid rates of turnover in laboratory culture and in situ field experiments, respectively. The trends for D. justii also support the presence of turnover. Results indicate that (1) the assumption that algal polyphenolics can be grouped with the tannins of vascular plants as "immobile" defenses needs to be reevaluated, (2) estimates of the metabolic cost of algal polyphenolics that presume negligible rates of turnover may significantly underestimate the total cost of defense, and (3) studies designed to test the predictions of ecological theories for the phlorotannin concentrations of tropical brown algae may be affected by changes in the rates of metabolic turnover.
Stimulus Information and Processing Mechanisms in Visual Space Perception

Abstract Most current models of the perception of visual space follow one of two courses. Some begin with a superficial analysis of the visual information contained in the light reflected from surfaces in a visual scene to the eye and then work out highly sophisticated information processing models of how that information is used. Others begin with a detailed analysis of the stimulus information available at the eye, and then provide only a superficial processing description, if they provide one at all. The empiricists, beginning with Helmholtz and followed by many others (e.g., Rock, Epstein, Leibowitz, and perhaps Hochberg) generally pursue the first approach, while Gibson and some of his disciples represent virtually all of the work on the second. It is my thesis that progress on space perception is doomed until we create a thoroughly Gibholtzian approach, in which the stimulus analysis is based on the information available from realistic scenes viewed by two-eyed, moving observers, and the processing analysis is based on how the richness of this stimulus information is extracted or picked up to construct representations of visual space in our heads. The present paper is in two parts. The first describes the major categories of available information contained in light, how those sources of information are related to each other, and how the perceiver acquires or comes into contact with such sources of information. The second part is concerned with how that information is processed or used. Finally, because we are able to perceive the layout of space when looking at photographs and paintings of scenes, and at sequences of pictures that create motion, the same pair of analyses - one for stimulus information and one for processing - is presented for cases in which one looks at flat displays of scenes and sequences of motion pictures.
Coordination and contextuality: revealing the nature of emergent mathematical understanding by means of a clinical interview

Clinical interviews provide a rich source of data about the nature of student understanding. We use the "knowledge in pieces" (diSessa, 1993) epistemological framework to analyze a clinical interview of a sixth-grade student's knowledge of fraction equivalence. We focus on the coordination of his knowledge across representational contexts. Our analysis reveals a local understanding of "fraction as quantity" that we hypothesize could be leveraged in helping the student build a more coordinated understanding of fraction equivalence.
The Effects of Landscape Urbanization on the Gut Microbiome: An Exploration Into the Gut of Urban and Rural White-Crowned Sparrows

Urban habitats present new ecological and evolutionary challenges for animals. Noise and infrastructure often change behavior and community composition, with potential physical costs such as decreased condition. However, the underlying mechanisms driving these patterns are virtually unknown. One potential driver of condition within a species is the diversity of the gut microbiome. Here, we investigate how the urban habitat affects the gut microbiome of White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys) using spatial analyses of land cover (impervious, scrub, grass, and trees) at the regional level and territory level in urban San Francisco, CA and nearby rural Point Reyes, CA. We hypothesized that urbanization of habitats affects gut microbial composition and diversity through direct effects on diet and/or indirect environmental effects. We measured gut microbial community diversity from 16s rRNA sequences amplified from cloacal swabs. We find that the urban and rural microbiomes are significantly different, such that the urban microbiome is more diverse than the rural microbiome. This relationship may be due to a more variable landscape in urban habitats as compared to rural habitats, which are mainly composed of native scrub. We do not find support for regional impervious cover affecting the gut microbiome, but the more precise territory level analyses show that higher tree cover correlates with increased alpha diversity and impervious cover correlates with relative abundances of gut microbial taxa (Unifrac beta diversity). Although some studies show that gut diversity affects physiology, our measures of body condition do not indicate a strong relationship. Our results highlight how changes in the landscape may affect the gut microbiome of animals in an ever-urbanizing world, and provides a baseline for future studies of how anthropogenic change affects communities at multiple levels.
Classroom Instruction from A to Z

Learn the most effective ways to promote student learning. This second edition of bestselling author Barbara Blackburn’s Classroom Instruction from A to Z covers a broad range of key instructional strategies to help you create more meaningful, engaging learning experiences for your students. Each chapter from A to Z offers guidance on a specific aspect of classroom instruction, such as planning strong lessons; assessing student learning; creating more successful homework assignments; differentiating instruction; and scaffolding students for success. Throughout the book, you’ll find practical strategies and tools that you can implement immediately, no matter what subject area or grade level you teach. Topics new to this updated edition include: Exploring blended learning techniques such as flipped classrooms; Strategies for implementing social emotional learning and mindfulness; Understanding diverse learners and accommodating all students; Teaching academic vocabulary in deeper ways; and Integrating subjects and promoting writing across the curriculum. With twenty-six chapters each devoted to a different aspect of instruction, this book has something to offer both new and experienced looking to improve student learning. Additionally, classroom-ready tools are available as free eResources from our website, http://www.routledge.com/9781138935952.
Success In Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ulcer Prevention: A Tale In Two Data Sets

Chart-based surveillance reviews indicate that the incidence of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs) declined 23 percent during 2010–14, equating to an estimated savings of $1 billion during t...
Designing for identity in game-based learning

Games for learning often aim to change players’ identities (e.g., helping students be more like scientists, urban planners, or empowered problem solvers). An alternative approach to changing player...
Two- Versus Four-Times Weekly Acupuncture-Like Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation for Treatment of Radiation-Induced Xerostomia: A Pilot Study.

Background: Xerostomia occurs in the majority of patients undergoing chemoradiation therapy for head and neck cancer (HNC). Acupuncture-like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (ALTENS) tre...
Saying No to Neurolaw: When and Why the U.S. Public Disapproves of Neuroscience in the Criminal Courts

Neurolaw is fast emerging on the scholarly and legal scene. As neuroscience findings receive more attention and incorporation into the legal system, a critical yet unexplored question is: How will neuroscience-based explanations for behavior affect public support for change in the criminal justice system? Public support for criminal law reform will be heavily influenced by the ways in which the issue is framed, and which framing (amongst different and potentially conflicting views) citizens choose to adopt. Recognizing the central role that issue framing plays in the formation of public opinion, this study examines the influence of neuroscience-based explanations of behavior on public support for legislative changes in the criminal justice system. We investigate how citizens respond when they are presented with multiple, often contradictory frames. This marks the first research to date examining how individuals react to contrasting arguments about the influence that neuroscience should have on the legal system. The results of two large web-based experiments, as well as a nationally representative phone experiment, in which participants were presented with either a positive or negative frame before reading a neutral neuroscience study, suggest that, controlling for a host of individual demographics, the framing of neurolaw, and the way in which it interacts with political identification, is influential with regard to policy support, voting intentions, and case-level punishment decisions. Specifically, whereas a positive framing of the potential for neuroscience to influence the law (e.g., reduce violent crimes) does not result in different reactions based on political ideology, a negative framing (e.g., criminals will not be held responsible for their actions) makes conservatives less supportive of legal reforms based on neuroscience, less likely to vote for a judge who endorses such reforms, and advocate more punishment of an offender. And, we found that this judgment was driven by conservatives more negative view of the offender, thus elevating how punishment-worthy he was.
Audiologic testing in children with Down Syndrome: Are current guidelines optimal?

Abstract Introduction Down Syndrome (DS) is a Tier 1 risk factor for hearing loss. Guidelines exist to ensure close monitoring of children with DS for hearing loss. It is important to consider the timing of testing in order to obtain meaningful audiologic data in this high-risk population. The purpose of this study is to present hearing outcomes for children with DS during the first 8 years of life and to assess these outcomes in the context of current screening guidelines. Methods Retrospective review of audiometric outcomes was conducted for children with DS age 8 or younger who presented to a multidisciplinary DS clinic between January 2014 to June 2017. Age at the time of testing, as well as test success rate and hearing loss type and severity were noted. Results 131 patients were included in the study, 52% of which were male. 36% of the patients failed their newborn hearing screening and only 9% of those subjects had normal hearing on subsequent testing. Most hearing loss identified was mild and conductive in nature. Inconclusive results were most likely to be obtained at 6–10 months of age. Conclusion Hearing loss is common among children with DS. To optimize the quality of testing and avoid the need for sedation in followup testing, routine follow-up hearing screening should be performed either before 6 months of age or after 10 months of age.
TCR Signal Strength and Antigen Affinity Regulate CD8+ Memory T Cells.

CD8+ T cells play a critical role in adaptive immunity, differentiating into CD8+ memory T cells that form the basis of protective cellular immunity. Vaccine efficacy is attributed to long-term protective immunity, and understanding the parameters that regulate development of CD8+ T cells is critical to the design of T cell-mediated vaccines. We show in this study using mouse models that two distinct parameters, TCR signal strength (regulated by the tyrosine kinase ITK) and Ag affinity, play important but separate roles in modulating the development of memory CD8+ T cells. Unexpectedly, our data reveal that reducing TCR signal strength along with reducing Ag affinity for the TCR leads to enhanced and accelerated development of CD8+ memory T cells. Additionally, TCR signal strength is able to regulate CD8+ T cell effector cytokine R production independent of TCR Ag affinity. Analysis of RNA-sequencing data reveals that genes for inflammatory cytokines/cytokine receptors are significantly altered upon changes in Ag affinity and TCR signal strength. Furthermore, our findings show that the inflammatory milieu is critical in regulating this TCR signal strength-mediated increase in memory development, as both CpG oligonucleotide treatment or cotransfer of wild-type and Itk-/- T cells eliminates the observed increase in memory cell formation. These findings suggest that TCR signal strength and Ag affinity independently contribute to CD8+ memory T cell development, which is modulated by inflammation, and suggest that manipulating TCR signal strength along with Ag affinity, may be used to tune the development of CD8+ memory T cells during vaccine development.
Fracture Testing of Injection-Molded Glass and Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastics

A study is reported of the application of linear elastic fracture toughness testing techniques to short glass and carbon fiber-reinforced injection-molded thermoplastics. The materials were typical of high-temperature engineering thermoplastics and included polycarbonate, polysulfone, nylon 6/6, polyphenylene sulfide, and poly(amide-imide). Tests were run on specimens of various sizes and shapes with machined notches and fatigue cracks. Results are reported for modes of crack growth, applicability of linear elastic fracture mechanics, and test peculiarities. Attempts to correlate the matrix toughness and fiber length with composite toughness are discussed.
Minimal and maximal extensions of M-hypoelliptic proper uniform pseudo-differential operators in $$L^p$$ L p -spaces on non-compact manifolds

In the context of manifolds of bounded geometry, we show that the properties of proper uniform pseudo-differential operators (PUPDOs) constructed by Kordyukov, Meladze, and Shubin carry over to PUPDOs whose local representations have symbols belonging to the (weighted) class $$M_{\rho ,\varLambda }^{m}$$ introduced by Garello and Morando. Under the M-ellipticity assumption, we show that the minimal and maximal extensions of such PUPDOs in the $$L^p$$ -spaces, where $$1<p<\infty $$ , coincide.
icSmartGrid 2020 Keynote Speakers

Dual Active Bridges (DAB) are common power electronics building blocks traditionally used in various electrically isolated converter systems. There is a renewed interest in understanding and developing DABs as core components for Solid State Transformers (SST). These transformers can add flexibility, controllability, and reliability to existing electrical distribution systems. Major elements of a DAB are two H-bridge converters and a high frequency transformer. With the advent of Wide Band Gap (WBP) devices offering higher voltage and power ratings, many initiatives have started to replace the traditional low frequency transformers with compact and controllable SSTs. In this talk, first the design and development of high frequency transformers are discussed. Then, several control methods for the DABs including phase-shift, duty ratio, and triple phase shifts are discussed to control the power flow. Methods are discussed to minimize the RMS current, reduce reactive power transfer, and minimize converter loss. Applications of DABs for several SST configurations a are also discussed.
Microplastics occurrence and fate in the environment

Microplastics (MPs) are found in all conceivable media from air, sediments, soils, freshwater, seawater, and organisms, including humans. This paper emphasizes current advances in the study of MPs and presents a review of recent two years of literature on the occurrence and fate of these particles in the environment. The occurrence and fate of MPs are affected by their characteristics and interaction with the media in the environment, including particle mobility and transport processes. The distribution patterns of MPs are affected by their shape, with fibers being transported farther from their sources because they are lighter and smaller. Some results showed that MP distribution is not affected by meteorological parameters or by their density. Soils were shown as important sources of MPs. There are many possible sources of MPs in the environment, and many studies focus on explaining the occurrence and fate of these particles. However, still, MPs transportation is one of the topics that needs more research data.
Fighting COVID-19: patterns in international data

This paper provides an empirical evaluation of countries’ performance in !ghting COVID -19, utilizing a performance index (which we call the Disaster Index) based on four health and economic indicators: deaths per population size, deaths per con!rmed cases, and quarterly real gross domestic product ( GDP ) and monthly unemployment rate relative to pre-pandemic values. International data patterns are studied for these four indicators and the Disaster Index to analyze trends and basic empirical relationships. The approach is descriptive and primarily based on graphs, scatter diagrams, and correlation analysis. The ten best performers based on the Disaster Index for the !rst half of 2020 were (ranked 1st to 10th): Singapore, Taiwan, Belarus, Korea, New Zealand, Japan, Norway, Israel, Czechia, and Lithuania. The worst twelve performers were (bad to worst): Sweden, US , Canada, Philippines, France, Columbia, Spain, Belgium, United Kingdom, Ecuador, Italy, and Peru. Thus, high-income Asian countries performed relatively better than low-income Asian countries, European, and American countries in the !rst half of 2020. Reasons for this geographical divide are very important and must be studied more carefully and closely, as successful methods in better performing countries will provide some lessons for other countries. It also would be interesting to see how this Disaster Index pro!le shifts in 2021 as vaccination and economic relief accelerate in countries like the United States. The pandemic exhibited the vulnerabilities in the world and reemphasized the vital signi!cance of international coordination and cooperation in a globalized world. Recent trends show that most countries still have a long way to go to control the virus. Vaccination is a reassuring fresh hope, a potential game-changer, though requiring careful, painstaking, and timely implementation. JEL classification: C00, E00, F00, I1, O57
Channelopathies

In patients with mutations in the genes that encode the chloride, sodium, and calcium channels in skeletal muscle, there is abnormal function of the muscle membrane, which can cause myotonia or attacks of weakness. Mutations in the chloride and sodium channels can lead to myotonia, which typically begins in early childhood. Mexiletine is usually effective in controlling myotonia in these patients. Mexiletine is also effective in preventing attacks of cold-provoked muscle paralysis in patients with paramyotonia congenita, a sodium channel disorder. Certain mutations in the sodium channel cause attacks of hyperkalemic periodic paralysis; these attacks are often controlled with thiazide diuretics. Mutations in the skeletal muscle calcium channel cause periodic attacks of weakness, but hypokalemia (not hyperkalemia) occurs during these episodes. The carbonic anhydrase inhibitors acetazolamide and dichlorphenamide prevent attacks of hypokalemic periodic paralysis, although the mechanism by which they produce this protective effect remains a mystery. Interestingly, the hypokalemic attacks with periodic weakness that occur in some thyrotoxic patients are made worse by acetazolamide. This undesirable response to treatment emphasizes that not all disorders associated with hypokalemic periodic paralysis will benefit from carbonic anhydrase inhibitor therapy. DNA analysis to search for a mutation in the genes that encode for chloride, sodium, or calcium channels in skeletal muscle is helpful to establish the diagnosis. Some patients may eventually require provocative testing, however, to evaluate the attack of weakness and to reach a final diagnosis. Fortunately, there are effective treatments for the channelopathies that affect the skeletal muscle membrane.
Heat Source Characterization for Quantitative Thermal Nondestructive Evaluation

One aspect of providing more accurate quantitative thermal inspection systems is the characterization of the lamp heat source. By measuring the heat source temporal profile, the lamp response can then be removed from the measurement for more accurate results. In measuring thermal diffusivity, Parker measured the irradiance history of a flash lamp at discrete wavelengths and approximated the energy of the pulse as a triangle [1]. Recently, this has become of more interest since advances in infrared cameras have now allowed for much higher sampling rates allowing for inspection of very fast transient temperature events. These events can potentially be influenced by the thermal heat flux temporal profile.
Equations for Thrust Programs

A new analytical technique is presented which considers guidance and the determination of thrust programs as inverse trajectory problems. The trajectory of a body is uniquely determined — excepting trivial special cases — if the force field and the initial conditions are given. The inverse problem, i.e. determining the force acting on a vehicle which, with given initial conditions will describe a given orbit or trajectory, does not possess unique solution. The force acting on the vehicle is separated into two parts, one representing the given gravitational field, the other — to be determined — is associated with the vehicle produced propulsion, orbit correction or guidance force. It is shown that for a predetermined orbit the determination of this second force requires the solution of differential equations. Several sets of functions are obtained satisfying the problem and several special examples, related to lunar and interplanetary missions, are mentioned. Optimization techniques emerging naturally are discussed. The technique is applied to the problem of solar sails with variable sail angle and to the restricted three body problem.
Infinite covering systems of congruences which don’t exist

We prove there is no infinite set of congruences with: every integer satisfying exactly one congruence, distinct moduli, the sum of the reciprocals of the moduli equal to 1, the lcm of the moduli divisible by only finitely many primes, and a prime greater than 3 dividing any of the moduli.
A correlation of the cytology of the urinary sediment with endometrial histology

I N A previous paper weI have reported changes in the cytology of the urinary sediment that correspond to various levels of estrogen and progesterone during the female reproductive cycle. Other,+ 3 have also studied the morphology of the desquamated cells of the urinary tract in relation to hormonal variations. Papanicolaou2 was the first to recognize the influence of estrogen upon such cells. South American worker9 have placed the emphasis upon changes in cells from the anterior urethra, while we have studied cells from the bladder and upper urinary tract. The present study is concerned with a correlation of the cytology of the urinary sediment with the morphology of the endometrium in various normal and pathological states. It is our purpose to demonstrate the response of the urinary smears to the cyclical variations of the female reproductive life by comparison with tissue sections of endometrium obtained at the same time. This study also gives some insight into the hormonal variations in certain pathological states. Methods A total of 53 patients were studied, including 27 women with normal menstrual cycles and 8 postmenopausal women. Pathologic states included 7 patients with anovulatory bleeding, 4 with endometrial hyperplasia, 5 with adenocarcinoma of the uterine fundus, one with ectopic pregnancy, and one with a masculinizing tumor of the adrenal. Specimens of endometrium were obtained by dilatation and curettage of the uterus except in two instances where endometrial biopsies were obtained by means of a Novak curette. At the time of the curettage a ,catheterized urine specimen was obtained. The urine (60 cc.) was centrifuged, and the sediment was smeared and stained by a modification of Papanicolaou’s method.4