cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Activation of cytokine-producing and antitumor activities of natural killer cells and macrophages by engagement of Toll-like and NOD-like receptors:

Macrophages and natural killer (NK) cells are important antitumor effectors by virtue of their ability to produce cytokines, chemokines and interferons (IFNs) and to mediate tumor cytotoxicity. Little is known about the impact of Toll-like receptor (TLR) and nucleotide binding and oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor (NLR) pathways on NK cell functions, and the role of TLRs and NLRs in macrophage activation is incompletely understood. In this study, we examined the capacities of expressed TLRs and NLRs to elicit cytokine production in human NK cells and THP1 macrophages, and to activate NK cytotoxicity against the squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck cell line Tu167 and erythroleukemia K562 cells. We found that NK cells express high levels of NOD2, NLRP3, TLR3, TLR7, and TLR9, while NOD1 was expressed at low levels. All tested NLR and TLR agonists potentiated NK cytotoxicity against Tu167 cells, whereas only poly (I:C) increased NK cytotoxicity against K562 cells. Poly (I:C) and Escherichia coli RNA markedly up-regulated TNF-a and IFN-g expression in the NK92 cell line and human CD56 + CD3 – primary NK cells. High levels of NOD2, TLR7 and TLR9 proteins were observed in human THP1 cells, followed by TLR3, NOD1, and NLRP3. Stimulation of NLRP3 with E. coli RNA led to the highest induction of TNF-a, IL-6, IL-12p40, RANTES and IFN-b, whereas TLR7, TLR3, TLR9, NOD1 and NOD2 agonists had lower effects. Our data reveal involvement of TLRs and NLRs in potentiation of antitumor cytotoxicity and cytokine-producing activities of human NK cells and macrophages.
Integrating prosodic features in extractive meeting summarization

Speech contains additional information than text that can be valuable for automatic speech summarization. In this paper, we evaluate how to effectively use acoustic/prosodic features for extractive meeting summarization, and how to integrate prosodic features with lexical and structural information for further improvement. To properly represent prosodic features, we propose different normalization methods based on speaker, topic, or local context information. Our experimental results show that using only the prosodic features we achieve better performance than using the non-prosodic information on both the human transcripts and recognition output. In addition, a decision-level combination of the prosodic and non-prosodic features yields further gain, outperforming the individual models.
Power Loss Analyses for Dynamic Phase Number Control in Multiphase Voltage Regulators

To improve efficiency over a wide load range, it is important to dynamically adjust the operational phase number in multiphase voltage regulators. This paper analyzes in detail the power loss profile of a synchronous multi-phase buck converter and defines the optimal phase number under different load conditions. Experimental results are provided to verify the theoretical results.
Migration of exsolved CO2 following depressurization of saturated brines

Geologic disposal of supercritical CO2 in saline aquifers and depleted oil and gas fields will cause large volumes of brine to become saturated with dissolved CO2 at concentrations of 40 g/l or more. As CO2 dissolves in brine, the brine density increases slightly. This property favors the long-term storage security of the CO2 because the denser brine is less likely to move upwards toward shallower depths. However, there are plausible mechanisms by which the CO2-laden brine could be transported to a shallower depth, where the CO2 would come out of solution (exsolve), forming a mobile CO2 gas phase. Recent laboratory experiments of the exsolution process show that the CO2 phase relative permeability measured during exsolution is on the order of 1000 times lower than the relative permeability measured during a conventional CO2 core flood. Numerical simulations of upward brine migration through an open fault were performed using TOUGH2-ECO2N with the two types of relative permeability functions. When traditional core flood relative permeabilities are used, upward flow of a CO2 saturated brine leads to exsolution and the development of a highly mobile CO2 gas phase. When relative permeabilities measured during exsolution are used, the tendency for the exsolved CO2 to migrate as a separate phase is greatly reduced, and the exsolved CO2 can partially block brine flow through the open fault. For the conditions considered, use of the exsolution relative permeability functions reduced the upward CO2 flux by about a factor of four compared to the case with core flood relative permeability functions. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Transdermal Delivery of Bupropion and its Active Metabolite, Hydroxybupropion: A Prodrug Strategy as an Alternative Approach

This investigation includes an evaluation of the percutaneous absorption of bupropion (BUP) and hydroxybupropion (BUPOH) in vitro and in vivo. In addition, a carbamate prodrug of BUPOH (But-BUPOH) was evaluated in vitro. In vitro diffusion studies were conducted in a flow-through diffusion cell system. The in vitro mean steady-state flux of BUP was significantly higher (p < 0.001) compared to BUPOH (320 +/- 16 nmol cm(-2) h(-1) vs. 27 +/- 4 nmol cm(-2) h(-1)). Additionally, a good correlation existed between in vitro and in vivo results. Mean steady-state plasma concentrations of 442 +/- 32 ng/mL and125 +/- 18 ng/mL were maintained over 48 h after topical application of BUP and BUPOH in hairless guinea pigs in vivo, respectively. Although BUP traversed human skin at rates sufficient to achieve required plasma levels, it is chemically unstable and hygroscopic, and unsuitable for transdermal formulation. On the other hand, BUPOH is stable but its transport across skin is much slower. Alternatively, the prodrug But-BUPOH was found to be stable, and also provided a 2.7-fold increase in the transdermal flux of BUPOH across human skin in vitro. Thus, But-BUPOH provides a viable option for the transdermal delivery of BUPOH.
Speeded Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) Response Detection

The hemodynamic response measured by Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) is temporally delayed from the onset of the underlying neural activity. As a consequence, NIRS based brain-computer-interfaces (BCIs) and neurofeedback learning systems, may have a latency of several seconds in responding to a change in participants' behavioral or mental states, severely limiting the practical use of such systems. To explore the possibility of reducing this delay, we used a multivariate pattern classification technique (linear support vector machine, SVM) to decode the true behavioral state from the measured neural signal and systematically evaluated the performance of different feature spaces (signal history, history gradient, oxygenated or deoxygenated hemoglobin signal and spatial pattern). We found that the latency to decode a change in behavioral state can be reduced by 50% (from 4.8 s to 2.4 s), which will enhance the feasibility of NIRS for real-time applications.
Generalized distance functions

We obtain a generalized version of the well-known distance function family L/sub p/ norm. We prove that the new functions satisfy distance function properties. By using these functions, convex symmetric shapes can be described as loci, the set of points which are in equal distance from a given point. We also show that these symmetric convex shapes can be easily parameterized. We also show these distance functions satisfy a Lipschitz-type condition. We provide a fast ray marching algorithm for rendering shapes described by these distance functions. These distance functions can be used as building blocks for some implicit modeling tools such as soft objects, constructive soft geometry, function representations (freps) or ray quadrics.
In-situ hydrothermal synthesis of three-dimensional MnO2–CNT nanocomposites and their electrochemical properties

Three-dimensional (3-D) MnO2–carbon nanotube (CNT) nanocomposites were prepared by a simple one-pot hydrothermal method. An electrode was then prepared with these nanocomposites. For comparative investigation, MnO2 microspheres were also hydrothermally prepared without adding CNTs. The as-synthesized MnO2 microspheres were then mechanically mixed with CNTs to prepare a subsequent electrode. The samples were characterized by electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electrochemical methods. It has been revealed that a 3-D conductive network of CNTs was formed with microspheres of MnO2 nanorods interwoven with and connected by CNTs. As a result, the hydrothermally mixed MnO2–CNT electrode showed a higher specific capacitance than the mechanically mixed electrode. It has therefore been concluded that the hydrothermal mixing method yields a more homogeneous product that is better suited to take full advantages of both the high capacitance of MnO2 and the high electrical conductivity of CNTs. The 3-D MnO2–CNT nanocomposites reported herein have provided a promising electrode material for supercapacitors and other electrochemical energy storage/conversion devices.
Mobile ringtone search through query by humming

In the context of voice-based mobile search, this paper presents a new approach to mobile ringtone search through query by humming: A user can call a service, hum a part of melody through the mobile phone, and obtain the ringtones or songs he or she is looking for. Correspondingly, we propose a method of query by humming tailored to this scenario. A robust front-end processing is first presented to deal with the mobile phone recording, which is distorted due to GSM codec, environment and wireless transmission. Then, a systematic probabilistic model and matching procedure inspired by hidden Markov model (HMM) is presented, by considering the alignment and error tolerance in the matching between query and songs. A rescoring heuristic is finally employed to further improve matching accuracy. Moreover, our system is evaluated on realistic mobile recordings from the field. Experiments show our approach can achieve 83% accuracy on a database with 3000 songs in this realistic scenario.
The Effect of Word Frequency and Lexical Class on Articulatory-Acoustic Coupling

Word frequency and lexical class distinction between function and content words have been shown to significantly influence word production. In this paper, we use real-time magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the effect of word frequency and lexical class on articulatory characteristics (the articulator speed) as well as acoustic characteristics (F0 and short-term energy) in word production. Multiple regression analyses showed that word frequency exhibits significantly higher correlation with articulatory and acoustic factors for content words compared to function words. A Granger causality analysis uncovered a causal relationship from articulatory speed to F0/energy for low-frequency content words. We further observed, using functional canonical correlation analysis, a tight coupling of articulatory and acoustic characteristics for low-frequency content words. These results support the view that word frequency distinctly influences the production of function and content words as manifested in their articulation and acoustics, as well as the dynamic coupling of these temporal streams. Index Terms: word frequency, lexical class, articulatoryacoustic coupling, real-time MRI, speech production.
Inducible nitric oxide synthase in severe human heart failure: impact of mechanical unloading.

In this issue of the Journal , Patten et al. ([1][1]) report the impact of unloading therapy in humans with advanced stage D heart failure who were supported with a left ventricular-assist device (VAD). The authors hypothesized that the hemodynamic improvements that accompany VAD support would
HCV‐infected cells and differentiation increase monocyte immunoregulatory galectin‐9 production

The lectin galectin-9 may help establish and maintain chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Galectin-9 is elevated in the liver and sera of hepatitis C virus patients, induces apoptosis of hepatitis C virus-specific T cells, and increases inhibitory regulatory T cells. Kupffer cells stain strongly for galectin-9 protein in hepatitis C virus patients. In the current study, we determined stimuli that induce galectin-9 production by monocytes and macrophages in hepatitis C virus infection. With the use of real-time PCR and flow cytometry, we analyzed galectin-9 mRNA and protein from human monocytes cocultured with hepatitis C virus-infected cells or noninfectious hepatitis C virus subgenomic replicon cells. We focused on finding the stimuli for galectin-9 production. Additionally, we measured galectin-9 during monocyte-to-macrophage maturation. Finally, we examined galectin-9 in peripheral monocytes from hepatitis C virus patients using flow cytometry. Galectin-9 mRNA increased 8-fold when primary monocytes were exposed to hepatitis C virus--infected cells. Maximum induction required proximity or contact and did not require IFN-γ or hepatitis C virus virions. Coculture of monocytes with subgenomic replicon cells increased galectin-9 5-fold, and purified exosomes from infected cells stimulated galectin-9 production. Stimulation of monocyte TLR3, -7, and -8 increased galectin-9 production. Differentiation of monocytes to macrophages increased galectin-9, and nonclassic monocytes from hepatitis C virus patients had the highest levels of galectin-9. Hepatitis C virus-infected cells stimulated monocytes to produce galectin-9 in close proximity, possibly, in part, as a result of exosomes and endosomal TLRs. Differentiation of monocytes to macrophages increased galectin-9. Nonclassic monocytes from hepatitis C virus patients express the highest galectin-9 levels, suggesting they may contribute to elevated galectin-9 and adaptive immune inhibition in hepatitis C virus infection.
Determination of Specific Binding Interactions at l-Cystine Crystal Surfaces with Chemical Force Microscopy

The pathogenesis of l-cystine kidney stones involves four critical steps: nucleation, crystal growth, crystal aggregation, and crystal adhesion to cells. Although inhibition of crystal growth by l-cystine “imposters” at l-cystine crystal surfaces has been suggested as a plausible route for the suppression of stones, understanding the factors that govern crystal–crystal aggregation and adhesion of crystals to epithelial cells also is essential for devising strategies to mitigate l-cystine stone formation. Chemical force microscopy performed with atomic force microscope tips decorated with functional groups commonly found in urinary constituents that likely mediate aggregation and attachment (e.g., COOH, NH2, SH, CH3, OH) revealed signatures that reflect differences in the chemical affinity of these groups for the (001) and {100} faces of the naturally occurring hexagonal form of l-cystine single crystals and the {110} faces of the non-native tetragonal form. These signatures can be explained by the differe...
Leveraging Dynamical System Theory to Incorporate Design Constraints in Multidisciplinary Design

This work views the multidisciplinary design problem as a discrete dynamical system. The dynamical system is a result of the convergence of the design, which requires that each of the disciplines use the same information, have a common set of assumptions, and satisfy the constraints imposed on the design. An additional dynamical system is formed during the optimization of the design. Using optimal control theory for dynamical systems, allows design constraints to be easily imposed on the design variables and the outputs of each of the contributing analyses at the same level in the design hierarchy. By coordinating these constraints at the same level in the design hierarchy, parts of the design space that have conflicting constraints between design variables and contributing analyses can be avoided. Finally, by viewing the constraints using control theory, established, efficient solution procedures can be invoked in the design process.
Role of duodenum in the control of gastric secretion.

Summary1. The output of free HCI by isolated gastric pouches more than doubled following resection of the duodenum and proximal 20 to 30 cm of jejunum. 2. Interposing a segment of small bowel approximately 1.5 meters long between the stomach and duodenum also caused the output of free HCl from isolated gastric pouches to more than double. 3. The marked increase in HCI secretion following both operations was observed in every case and seemed to be independent of the pre-operative level of HCI secretion by the pouches.
Fluorescence photoactivation by ligand exchange around the boron center of a BODIPY chromophore

Chelation of the boron center of the borondipyrromethene (BODIPY) platform by a catecholate ligand results in effective fluorescence suppression. Electron transfer from the chelating unit to the adjacent chromophore upon excitation is responsible for fluorescence quenching. Under the influence of a photoacid generator, the catecholate chelator can be exchanged with a pair of methoxide ligands. This photoinduced transformation prevents electron transfer and efficiently activates the fluorescence of the BODIPY chromophore.
Wrapping Up the Debt Problem

There is no Latin American or Third World debt crisis-a crisis cannot last eight years. But there is a grave chronic problem, a severe ailment afflicting scores of countries and hundreds of millions of people, brought about in large part by the financial disaster summarized as the foreign debt. It is part of the deep and deepening inequality of the richer and poorer parts of the world; and ameliorating it should have the highest priority. How the debt problem arose is well understood, and it is fairly evident what has to be done about it. Yet there is no active leadership and little movement to do away with the incubus. The necessary action is contrary to the short-term interests of creditors, governments, and even to a considerable extent of debtors, or decisionmakers in debtor countries. Rational policies are excluded, the world is weary of failed proposals, and the subject becomes less discussable and is increasingly neglected. The gravity of the problem is hard to exaggerate. Almost all countries of Latin America are in an apparently permanent depression of nongrowth and poor prospects; the chief options for improvement are drugs and emigration. Latin America has been radically underinvesting for a decade, living on past resources and consuming infrastructure, both economic and human, without adequate replacement. Capital moves not from the capital-rich to the capital-needy nations but the reverse; capital flight from the biggest debtor nations approximates the amount of the foreign debt. Inflation is high almost everywhere, making economic calculations difficult; in a number of countries, it has exploded into four digits, making the monetary system unworkable. Social services have decayed. Undernourished and chronically ill children are undereducated in crumbling educational systems; productivity of labor will be reduced for many years to come. Unemployment not only makes waste and loss of skills but also causes social problems. Human capabilities are drained away as many of the more capable, especially young people, seek better prospects elsewhere. In the widespread demoralization, corruption becomes an omnipresent plague, and lack of faith in improvement makes reform difficult. Just how much the standard of living has suffered is not clear. Statistics such as those published by the World Bank are suspect, because both the Bank and the countries that furnish the information have a strong interest in a rosy picture. Data on
Measurement of Ring Strain Using Butanols: A Physical Chemistry Lab Experiment.

In this article, a bomb calorimeter experiment and subsequent calculations aimed at determining the strain energy of the cyclobutane backbone are described. Students use several butanol isomers instead of the parent hydrocarbons, and they manipulate liquids instead of gases, which makes the experiment much easier to perform. Experiments show that the estimated strain energy is reasonably close to literature values for cyclobutane.
DO YOU THINK LIKE A FIFTH- GRADER? EXPLORING THE TEACHER CHARACTERISTICS OF IMPORTANCE TO STUDENTS FROM TWO DIVERSE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN A RURAL MIDWESTERN COMMUNITY

Background . Since 2002, No Child Left Behind has caused administrators to place great emphasis on academic learning, particularly for students of low income. This has practitioners seeking strategies that will produce student academic growth, yet few are looking to bolster student-teacher relationships, a strategy that has shown promise in the areas of student achievement, student behavior, for students of differing abilities and in different types of schools and situations. Purpose . The purpose of this study was to reveal teacher attributes or characteristics, which were valued by fifth grade students from poverty and affluent schools in a rural midwestern community. Method . Research was conducted using a mixed-methods approach, with the primary data collected from 24 semi-structured student interviews. Results . Results revealed seven teacher attributes that were valued by students. The characteristics included consistent help (with high expectations); a sense of humor; active listening, providing for a sense of community, and several others. Conclusions . The identification of these attributes provides goals for personal development by teachers, regardless of the socio-economic composition of the school where they work. Additionally, these attributes could assist administrators and other hiring officials for school districts in searching for potentially successful hirees, as well as provide a foundation around which a perceiver survey could be developed.
When Does Humorous Marketing Hurt Brands

Humorous advertisements attract attention and entertain consumers. Nonetheless, attempting humor is risky because consumers may be offended by failed humor attempts. We propose another reason that attempting humor is risky: humorous advertisements can hurt brand attitudes by eliciting negative feelings — even when consumers find the ad funny. Three experiments and one correlational study demonstrate that humorous marketing is more likely to hurt the advertised brand when it (1) features a highly threatening humorous ad rather than mildly threatening ad, (2) makes fun of a subset of the population rather than people in general, and (3) motivates avoidance rather than approach. We conclude by offering five guiding questions for marketers who want to use humor to attract attention and entertain consumers without inadvertently hurting brand attitudes.
Friend or Foe? The Media Coverage of Chicago’s Public Housing Transformation

Social movement theory highlights media coverage as a powerful resource for non-institutional actors, but it remains unclear how successful they are in gaining media standing relative to their institutionalized opponents. This study applies Gamson’s concept of media standing to Chicago’s Plan for Transformation, an effort to reform the city’s public housing system. Theory expects institutionalized elites to capture a greater share of coverage, allowing them to frame the rhetoric. I perform a content analysis of 2,151 quotes drawn from 554 articles published in the Chicago Tribune from 1997–2009. Results indicate that bureaucratic actors achieve greater media standing then grassroots counterparts, but neighborhood opposition was not ignored. Negative binomial regression models indicate that coverage of the case was driven by conflict, dialogue, and a need for journalists to balance their stories. Institutionalized actors have an easier time achieving media standing, but the opinions they are allowed to exp...
Characterization of a spectroscopic detector for application in x-ray computed tomography

Recent advances in cadmium telluride (CdTe) energy-discriminating pixelated detectors have enabled the possibility of Multi-Spectral X-ray Computed Tomography (MSXCT) to incorporate spectroscopic information into CT. MultiX ME 100 V2 is a CdTe-based spectroscopic x-ray detector array capable of recording energies from 20 to 160 keV in 1.1 keV energy bin increments. Hardware and software have been designed to perform radiographic and computed tomography tasks with this spectroscopic detector. Energy calibration is examined using the end-point energy of a bremsstrahlung spectrum and radioisotope spectral lines. When measuring the spectrum from Am-241 across 500 detector elements, the standard deviation of the peak-location and FWHM measurements are ± 0.4 and ± 0.6 keV, respectively. As these values are within the energy bin size (1.1 keV), detector elements are consistent with each other. The count rate is characterized, using a nonparalyzable model with a dead time of 64 ± 5 ns. This is consistent with the manufacturer’s quoted per detector-element linear-deviation at 2 Mpps (million photons per sec) of 8.9 % (typical) and 12 % (max). When comparing measured and simulated spectra, a low-energy tail is visible in the measured data due to the spectral response of the detector. If no valid photon detections are expected in the low-energy tail, then a background subtraction may be applied to allow for a possible first-order correction. If photons are expected in the low-energy tail, a detailed model must be implemented. A radiograph of an aluminum step wedge with a maximum height of 20 mm shows an underestimation of attenuation by about 10 % at 60 keV. This error is due to partial energy deposition from higher energy (>60 keV) photons into a lower-energy (∼60 keV) bin, reducing the apparent attenuation. A radiograph of a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) cylinder taken using a bremsstrahlung spectrum from an x-ray voltage of 100 kV filtered by 1.3 mm Cu is reconstructed using Abel inversion. As no counts are expected in the low energy tail, a first order background correction is applied to the spectrum. The measured linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) is within 10% of the expected value in the 60 to 100 keV range. Below 60 keV, low counts in the corrected spectrum and partial energy deposition from incident photons of energy greater than 60 keV into energy bins below 60 keV impact the LAC measurements. This report ends with a demonstration of the tomographic capability of the system. The quantitative understanding of the detector developed in this report will enable further study in evaluating the system for characterization of an object’s chemical make-up for industrial and security purposes.
Preoperative Chronic Opioid Users in Total Knee Arthroplasty-Which Patients Persistently Abuse Opiates Following Surgery?

Abstract Background Chronic opioid users pose a unique challenge for orthopedic surgeons, as they often report suboptimal outcomes following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We aim at identifying risk factors associated with patients who were preoperative chronic opioid users and continued to use 6 months following TKA. Methods All preoperative chronic opioid users among 338 consecutive TKA cases performed at our institution between February and June 2016 were identified and divided into 2 cohorts: patients who (1) persistently used opioids and (2) discontinued use by the 6-month time point following surgery. Baseline characteristics were compared between cohorts in order to determine risk factors for persistent opioid use following TKA. Results Of the 338 patients, 53 (15.7%) were identified as preoperative chronic opioid users. Of these, 23 (43.4%) continued chronic opioid use 6 months following surgery, whereas 14 (4.9%) previously nonchronic users were identified as new chronic users at 6 months. Characteristics that were predictive of persistent opioid use included male gender, prior injury or surgery to the ipsilateral knee, current tobacco smoking status, and a history of psychiatric disorder. Opioid dose consumption of ≥12 mg/d morphine-equivalents over the 3 months leading up to surgery had an increased risk of persistent chronic opioid use by a factor of 6. Conclusion TKA candidates who have complicated medical, social, and surgical histories are at an increased risk of chronic opioid abuse postoperatively. By better understanding the risk factors associated with persistent chronic opioid use, targeted opioid reduction programs may be appropriately implemented to manage this high-risk population.
Millennials, Deliberate Learning, Motivation and Resilience

Law school faculty and staff frequently engage in conversations about the challenges of teaching the millennial generation. The millennial generation will continue to fill law school seats for the next several years. Many of these students have had much different educational and life experiences than the law faculty who have been tasked with teaching them. As such, as educators, we have to adjust our teaching in order to meet the needs of this generation of law students.
A multidirectional model for studying mobility affordance of past landscapes

Abstract This paper presents an approach to modeling human mobility across regional landscapes that considers all possible directions of travel in order to generate a continuous surface of movement probability. The approach improves upon models of human movement that rely on calculating travel costs between discrete points on the landscape by providing a way to examine how landscape features shape the potential for movement. I show how this method can be used to examine questions of mobility affordance, and the consequences for understanding how humans experienced past landscapes. To demonstrate the usefulness of this approach, I apply the methodology to examine the use of hilltop fortifications for controlling mobility during the Late Intermediate Period (1000–1450 CE) in the Colca Valley of the southern Peruvian highlands.
Patient-specific instrumentation (PSI) in total knee arthroplasty (TKA)

Recently, patient-specific instrumentation (PSI) in total knee arthroplasty has been introduced, in which advanced, 3-dimensional imaging (computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging) is used to fabricate cutting guides specific to a patient's anatomy. The purpose of this chapter is to review the evolution of instruments used for alignment in TKA, the impetus for the development of patient-specific instrumentation, the process of preoperative planning and intraoperative technique, and the current literature focusing on the reported advantages of PSI. Lastly, future directions and potential questions with respect to PSI will be presented.
Increased Perfusion Via Laser-mediated Myocardial Channels?

Laser-mediated transmural myocardial revascularization (TMR) is being hailed as a promising new strategy for relieving myocardial ischemia in patients with diffuse coronary artery disease not amenable to bypass graft surgery or angioplasty. Indeed, anecdotal case reports and small clinical studies describing the merits of laser-mediated TMR are emerging in the literature [1–5], and the results of ongoing trials evaluating the efficacy of TMR are eagerly awaited. Surprisingly, however, the fundamental premise of the method — ie. that laser-made channels serve as conduits for the transport of oxygen-rich blood from the left ventricular (LV) lumen to ischemic-but-viable myocardium, thereby restoring blood flow to the compromised tissue and resolving ischremic sequelae — has not been rigorously confirmed in either the clinical setting or under the controlled conditions of the experimental laboratory.
Rapid Reversal of Novel Anticoagulant and Antiplatelet Medications in General Surgery Emergencies

The reversal of the new class of nonvitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) is challenging in the emergent perioperative setting. This summary focuses on the reversal of NOACs, determining the emergent nature (risk analysis), and other considerations in reversal.
VLADIMIR JABOTINSKY AND POPULATION TRANSFERS BETWEEN EASTERN EUROPE AND PALESTINE

Drawing on new archival findings, this article argues that shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War, Vladimir Jabotinsky, founder and leader of the right-wing Revisionist Zionist movement, had begun to advocate for the transfer of the Arab population from Palestine – an aspect of his thought previously unknown. Jabotinsky's support for population transfers runs counter to his lifelong political thought. Prior to the war, Jabotinsky was a staunch advocate of minority rights for Jews in Europe and for extensive autonomy for the Arab population in Palestine. This article argues that Jabotinsky's shift was a product of the war. Jabotinsky believed that millions of Jewish refugees would be prevented from returning to their pre-war homes in eastern Europe and would immigrate en masse to Palestine; to resettle these refugees, the Arab population, he argued, ‘would have to make room’. Attentively following debates on population transfers in Europe, Jabotinsky concluded that the era of minority rights had come to an end and envisioned an increasingly ethno-national Jewish state. By highlighting the eastern Europe context in Jabotinsky's thought, this article emphasizes the importance of studying the history of Zionism alongside the transformation of the nation-state in eastern Europe in the 1940s.
Bioabsorbable Steroid Eluting Stents in the Treatment of Recurrent Rathke's Cleft Cyst.

Objectives Bioabsorbable steroid eluting stents may prevent the stenosis of ostia after sinus surgery. We describe a technique utilizing this technology to prevent the reformation of Rathke's cleft cysts (RCC) after transnasal transsphenoidal surgical drainage. Design This study is based on retrospective review. Setting The research took place at Tertiary academic medical center. Participants Patients who underwent endoscopic marsupialization of RCC with stent placement were participated in this study. Main Outcome Measures Demographics, surgical history, outcomes, and complications were primary measures of this study. Results Four patients underwent drainage of a recurrent RCC with subsequent stent placement. All patients consented to off-label use of the stent. The mean age of patients was 42 years old and the number of prior drainage procedures ranged from 1 to 3. The stent was placed directly into the opening of the cyst after drainage with no other tissue placed into the cyst cavity or opening. The stents are bioabsorbable and were not removed after surgery but were evaluated endoscopically at 2 and 6 weeks after surgery. The patients have been followed for a mean of 14 months after surgery with no evidence of recurrence on endoscopic exam or imaging. No patient had cerebrospinal fluid leak during or after the operation or permanent endocrinopathy. Conclusion The use of a bioabsorbable steroid eluting stent had no unanticipated consequences and all drainage pathways of all the RCCs remain patent. The use of this technology may decrease recurrence rates in revision or complex cases where patients have extensive scarring of the operative field from prior drainage procedures. Further follow-up of the current cases and study in a larger cohort are warranted.
An Isolated Composite Resonant Multilevel Converter with Partial Power Voltage Regulation for Telecom Application

In this paper, an new converter that includes isolated composite resonant multilevel converter (ICRMC) that uses composite converter concept and partial power voltage regulator (PPVR) has been proposed for telecommunication application. The proposed converter can achieve high efficiency at nominal operating point since it takes minimum effort to regulate the output voltage at this point. A comparative study shows that with the proposed two operation modes of ICRMC, the proposed converter has the best capability to maintain lowest total semiconductor power stress among the existing state of the art solutions when the input voltage varies from 36V to 60V. Furthermore, zero current switching (ZCS) can be always achieved on the switching devices in ICRMC under different operating points. A 600W converter has been simulated to validate the theoretical analysis. The estimated peak efficiency can be as high as 97.65%. Fully debugged prototype and experimental results are provided in this paper.
Empirical bubble broadening and effects on decompression schedules

The question of bubble broadening (Ostwald ripening) in the diver under compression- decompression is virtually unanswered and untractable. Effects in vivo have not been measured nor quantified to date and remain unlikely in the near future. We take up this question and suggest hypothetical impacts on diver staging using available data and recent experimental results in the laboratory. A well known and safe bubble model, RGBM, provides a framework to estimate hypothetical effects in mixed gas diving on open circuit (OC) and rebreather (RB) systems. These are estimates and are neither verified nor tested in divers. However the projections are conservative, increasing decompression time and shortening no decompression time limits (NDL), so that implementation in diver staging protocols, software, dive computers and dive tables is patently safe and of interest to modelers, table designers, training agencies, dive tenders, engineers, doctors, dive computer vendors and related professionals. Experiments impacting broadening are briefly detailed. Particular are the broadening studies in hydrocarbon and glycerol substrates. Features of bubble models affected by broadening are quantified within the RGBM framework. Comparative results are given with and without broadening. Broadening times can range from hours to days. Corresponding broadening estimates of decreases in NDLs and increases in decompression times range 2% to 8% for nominal (recreational) exposures and 10% to 18% for extreme diving and extended (technical) exposures. Overall effects are small to moderate within existing data and recreational to technical diving protocols but diver staging effects of broadening increase with depth and exposure time. Beyond 4 hrs broadening time scales effects are insignificant.
Anxious and Overwhelming Affects and Repetitive Negative Thinking as Ecological Predictors of Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) refers to purposely injuring one’s body without suicidal intent via methods such as cutting or hitting oneself, and is a serious health concern that has been linked to detrimental behavioral and physical health consequences. One of the primary reasons that people report engaging in NSSI is that it appears to help them cope with intense affective states and upsetting thoughts, both of which they perceive as unbearable at the time. However, empirical investigation into the affective and cognitive states preceding NSSI has been limited, especially during daily life. The current study utilized ecological momentary assessment to measure multiple daily recordings of negative affect, repetitive negative thinking (RNT), and NSSI thoughts and behaviors among a community sample of adolescents and young adults (N = 47). Findings indicated that anxiety and feeling overwhelmed predicted NSSI most strongly when RNT was elevated, suggesting that these three factors may interact in a process creating an aversive affective state that self-injurers attempt to “escape” by engaging in NSSI.
Chapter 21 – Mammary Gland

The rat mammary gland has been studied extensively as a model for cancer. Factors such as the strain of rat, age, parity, hormones, and diet must all be considered in the proper interpretation of apparent increases in mammary gland neoplasms following exposure to chemicals, radiation, or environmental agents. Nonneoplastic mammary gland changes are also seen in rats. These nonneoplastic changes include degenerative, inflammatory, vascular, hyperplastic, miscellaneous, and toxicologic changes. The accurate assessment of mammary gland changes and understanding their importance is critical, particularly when evaluating drug-related toxicity and carcinogencity.
Combining activatable nanodelivery with immunotherapy in a murine breast cancer model.

A successful chemotherapy-immunotherapy solid-tumor protocol should accomplish the following goals: debulk large tumors, release tumor antigen for cross-presentation and cross-priming, release cancer-suppressive cytokines and enhance anti-tumor immune cell populations. Thermally-activated drug delivery particles have the potential to synergize with immunotherapeutics to accomplish these goals; activation can release chemotherapy within bulky solid tumors and can enhance response when combined with immunotherapy. We set out to determine whether a single protocol, combining locally-activated chemotherapy and agonist immunotherapy, could accomplish these goals and yield a potentially translational therapy. For effective delivery of free doxorubicin to tumors with minimal toxicity, we stabilized doxorubicin with copper in temperature-sensitive liposomes that rapidly release free drug in the vasculature of cancer lesions upon exposure to ultrasound-mediated hyperthermia. We found that in vitro exposure of tumor cells to hyperthermia and doxorubicin resulted in immunogenic cell death and the local release of type I interferons across murine cancer cell lines. Following intravenous injection, local activation of the liposomes within a single tumor released doxorubicin and enhanced cross-presentation of a model antigen at distant tumor sites. While a variety of protocols achieved a complete response in >50% of treated mice, the complete response rate was greatest (90%) when 1 week of immunotherapy priming preceded a single activatable chemotherapeutic administration. While repeated chemotherapeutic delivery reduced local viable tumor, the complete response rate and a subset of tumor immune cells were also reduced. Taken together, the results suggest that activatable chemotherapy can enhance adjuvant immunotherapy; however, in a murine model the systemic adaptive immune response was greatest with a single administration of chemotherapy.
Better Sliding Window Algorithms to Maximize Subadditive and Diversity Objectives

The streaming computation model is a standard model for large-scale data analysis: the input arrives one element at a time, and the goal is to maintain an approximately optimal solution using only a constant, or, at worst, polylogarithmic space.In practice, however, recency plays a large role, and one often wishes to consider only the last w elements that have arrived, the so-called sliding window problem. A trivial approach is to simply store the last w elements in a buffer; our goal is to develop algorithms with space and update time sublinear in w. In this regime, there are two frameworks: exponential histograms and smooth histograms, which can be used to obtain sliding window algorithms for families of functions satisfying certain properties.Unfortunately, these frameworks have limitations and cannot always be applied directly. A prominent example is the problem of maximizing submodular function with cardinality constraints. While some of these difficulties can be rectified on a case-by-case basis, here, we describe an alternative approach to designing efficient sliding window algorithms for maximization problems. Then we instantiate this approach on a wide range of problems, yielding better algorithms for submodular function optimization, diversity optimization and general subadditive optimization. In doing so, we improve state-of-the art results obtained using problem-specific algorithms.
The importance and ease of assessment of oppositional-defiant disorder

Abstract Common, short, and easy-to-administer clinical assessment measures of oppositional-defiant disorder (ODD) are reviewed. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire is recommended as a screener. The Disruptive Behavior Rating Scale is recommended as a narrowband assessment tool. The Inventory of Callous–Unemotional Traits is recommended to assess a severe subtype of ODD. Sample rating forms are included. Questionnaires for assessing comorbid problems including emotional problems and language and academic problems are suggested, including referrals to other professionals (e.g., speech and language therapists). Finally, functional assessment of child misbehavior using Antecedent–Behavior–Consequence charts is recommended before and during treatment.
A Doctor Asks the Lab to Send Cyanide to the Intensive Care Unit

A 64-year-old man with mantle cell lymphoma was intubated owing to respiratory insufficiency. His condition improved, and his physician was considering extubating him. However, there was concern over his most recent pO2 value obtained by arterial blood gas analysis (Table 1). The results obtained were inconsistent with the patient's current clinical presentation. The physician noted that the patient's white blood …
Inhibition of Three Soybean Fungal Plant Pathogens by Lipid Derivatives and Natural Compounds

The use of naturally occurring plant derived compounds, including lipids, fatty acids and triterpenoids to inhibit fungal plant pathogens represents a new approach to controlling agriculturally important fungal diseases. New evidence for the use of sesamol and glycerrhizic acid and their inhibition of three fungal plant pathogens of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) are collectively reviewed. In addition, the application and effectiveness of these alternative natural compounds for biological control of soybean fungal pathogens will be discussed.
Defining a Molecular Signature for Uropathogenic versus Urocolonizing Escherichia coli: The Status of the Field and New Clinical Opportunities.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) represent a major burden across the population, although key facets of their pathophysiology and host interaction remain unclear. Escherichia coli epitomizes these obstacles: this gram-negative bacterial species is the most prevalent agent of UTIs worldwide and can also colonize the urogenital tract in a phenomenon known as asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB). Unfortunately, at the level of the individual E. coli strains, the relationship between UTI and ASB is poorly defined, confounding our understanding of microbial pathogenesis and strategies for clinical management. Unlike diarrheagenic pathotypes of E. coli, the definition of uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) remains phenomenologic, without conserved phenotypes and known genetic determinants that rigorously distinguish UTI- and ASB-associated strains. This article provides a cross-disciplinary review of the current issues from interrelated mechanistic and diagnostic perspectives and describes new opportunities by which clinical resources can be leveraged to overcome molecular challenges. Specifically, we present our work harnessing a large collection of patient-derived isolates to identify features that do (and do not) distinguish UTI- from ASB-associated E. coli strains. Analyses of biofilm formation, previously reported to be higher in ASB strains, revealed extensive phenotypic heterogeneity that did not correlate with symptomatology. However, metabolomic experiments revealed distinct signatures between ASB and cystitis isolates, including in the purine pathway (previously shown to be critical for intracellular survival during acute infection). Together, these studies demonstrate how large-scale, wild-type approaches can help dissect the physiology of colonization versus infection, suggesting that the molecular definition of UPEC may rest at the level of global bacterial metabolism.
College suicide prevention programmes are most effective when they incorporate students' sense of coherence and connectedness in their design.

Commentary on: Blasco MJ, Vilagut G, Alayo I, et al . First-onset and persistence of suicidal ideation in university students: a one-year follow-up study. J Affect Disord 2019;256:192–204. Based on the current evidence suicidal thoughts and behaviour (STB) among university students has shown steady incline. Suicide is the second worldwide cause of death for those between ages 15 and 29.1 Suicidal behaviour (ideation, plan, attempt) has been linked to and stressors such as moving away from …