cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
GLOBAL EXISTENCE TO THE NAVIER–STOKES EQUATIONS THROUGH A SELF-SIMILAR-LIKE UPPER SOLUTION

A global existence result is presented for the Navier–Stokes equations filling out all of three-dimensional Euclidean space ℝ3. The initial velocity is required to have a bell-like form. The method of proof is based on symmetry transformations of the Navier–Stokes equations and a specific upper solution to the heat equation in ℝ3 × [0, 1]. This upper solution has a self-similar-like form and models the diffusion process of the heat equation. By a symmetry transformation, the problem is transformed into an equivalent one having a very small initial velocity. Using the upper solution, the equivalent problem is then solved in the time interval [0, 1]. This local solution is then extended to the time interval [0, ∞) by an iterative process. At each step, the problem is extended further in time in an interval of time whose length is greater than one, thus producing the global solution. Each extension is transformed, by an appropriate change of variables, into the first local problem in the time interval [0, 1]. These transformations exploit the diffusive and self-similar-like nature of the upper solution.
CALCIUM OXALATE IN PLANTS: Formation and Function

Calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystals are distributed among all taxonomic levels of photosynthetic organisms from small algae to angiosperms and giant gymnosperms. Accumulation of crystals by these organisms can be substantial. Major functions of CaOx crystal formation in plants include high-capacity calcium (Ca) regulation and protection against herbivory. Ultrastructural and developmental analyses have demonstrated that this biomineralization process is not a simple random physical-chemical precipitation of endogenously synthesized oxalic acid and environmentally derived Ca. Instead, crystals are formed in specific shapes and sizes. Genetic regulation of CaOx formation is indicated by constancy of crystal morphology within species, cell specialization, and the remarkable coordination of crystal growth and cell expansion. Using a variety of approaches, researchers have begun to unravel the exquisite control mechanisms exerted by cells specialized for CaOx formation that include the machinery for uptake and accumulation of Ca, oxalic acid biosynthetic pathways, and regulation of crystal growth.
Genetic Aspects of Pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis are complex inflammatory disorders of the pancreas with unpredictable severity, complications, and clinical courses. Growing evidence for genetic risk and modifying factors, plus strong evidence that only a minority of patients with these disorders are heavy alcohol drinkers, has revolutionized our concept of these diseases. Once considered a self-inflicted injury, pancreatitis is now recognized as a complex inflammatory condition like inflammatory bowel disease. Genetic linkage and candidate gene studies have identified six pancreas-targeting factors that are associated with changes in susceptibility to acute and/or chronic pancreatitis, including cationic trypsinogen (PRSS1), anionic trypsinogen (PRSS2), serine protease inhibitor Kazal 1 (SPINK1), cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), chymotrypsinogen C (CTRC) and calcium-sensing receptor (CASR). Patients with mutations in these genes are at increased risk of pancreatitis caused by a variety of stresses including hyperlipidemia and hypercalcemia. Multiple studies are reporting new polymorphisms, as well as complex gene x gene and gene x environmental interactions.
Cometabolism of 1,1-Dichloro-2,2-Bis(4-Chlorophenyl)Ethylene by Pseudomonas acidovorans M3GY Grown on Biphenyl

1,1-Dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethylene (DDE), a toxic breakdown product of 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT), has traditionally been viewed as a dead-end metabolite: there are no published reports detailing enzymatic ring fission of DDE by bacteria in either soil or pure culture. In this study, we investigated the ability of Pseudomonas acidovorans M3GY to transform DDE and its unchlorinated analog, 1,1-diphenylethylene (DPE). While strain M3GY could grow on DPE, cells grown on DPE as a sole carbon source could not degrade DDE. Cells grown on biphenyl, however, did degrade DDE. Mass balance analysis of [14C]DDE showed transformation of more than 40% of the recoverable radioactivity. Nine chlorinated metabolites produced from DDE were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry–Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry (GC-MS-FTIR) from cultures grown on biphenyl. Recovery of these metabolites demonstrates that biphenyl-grown cells degrade DDE through a meta-fission pathway. This study provides a possible model for biodegradation of DDE in soil by biphenyl-utilizing bacteria.
Students with Severe Speech and Physical Impairments: Opportunity Barriers to Literacy

This qualitative study examined obstacles to literacy for individuals With severe speech and physical impairments (SSPI). Using a constant comparison approach, the authors addressed attitudinal and...
Influence of sucrose polyester on plasma lipoproteins, and cholesterol metabolism in obese patients with and without diabetes mellitus.

Sucrose polyester (SPE) is a nonabsorbable substitute for fat. This study examined its effects in 10 obese patients, 6 with diabetes mellitus. Three diabetics had hypertriglyceridemia. Most patients were studied in three periods: weight maintenance, caloric restriction + SPE, and caloric restriction without SPE. Nondiabetics generally tolerated SPE better than diabetics. In non- diabetic patients caloric restriction + SPE produced a decrease in total cholesterol and in LDL- cholesterol of 20% and 26%, respectively. In normotriglyceridemic diabetic patients caloric restriction + SPE had an effect on plasma lipoproteins similar to that of nondiabetics. In diabetics with hyper- trigbyceridemia caloric restriction (with or without SPE) caused a marked reduction in plasma tri- glycerides. In all patients caloric restriction reduced cholesterol balance and presumably cholesterol synthesis. The feeding of SPE caused increased outputs of fecal neutral steroids suggestive of decreased absorption of cholesterol; SPE also frequently caused a mild increase in fecal acidic steroids (bile acids). Am J Clin Nuir l986;44:620-9.
Polymorphism of Whey2 Protein of Sow's Milk

Abstract Polyacrylamide vertical gel electrophoresis was used to separate an unidentified whey protein variant of sow's milk. The protein which migrates to the area directly below the β -casein fraction of sow's milk was identified as the whey 2 region. The proposed polymorphism appears to be controlled by three codominant alleles labelled Whey 2 A , Whey 2 B , and Whey 2 C , each corresponding to a separate zone within the whey 2 region. Allele A was designated as the fastest migrating, B intermediate, and C the slowest zone. The electrophoretic analysis shows that each allele gives rise to three protein bands, similar to the transferrins in pig serum. After electrophoresis, the homozygous condition appears as a single zone within the whey 2 region comprised of three bands. The heterozygous condition appears as a combination of two zones within the whey 2 region comprised of six bands. A total of six phenotypes is possible and each has been found. Further family studies will be necessary to confirm genetic control of this whey 2 protein polymorphism.
Semi-supervised learning with data calibration for long-term time series forecasting

Many time series prediction methods have focused on single step or short term prediction problems due to the inherent difficulty in controlling the propagation of errors from one prediction step to the next step. Yet, there is a broad range of applications such as climate impact assessments and urban growth planning that require long term forecasting capabilities for strategic decision making. Training an accurate model that produces reliable long term predictions would require an extensive amount of historical data, which are either unavailable or expensive to acquire. For some of these domains, there are alternative ways to generate potential scenarios for the future using computer-driven simulation models, such as global climate and traffic demand models. However, the data generated by these models are currently utilized in a supervised learning setting, where a predictive model trained on past observations is used to estimate the future values. In this paper, we present a semi-supervised learning framework for long-term time series forecasting based on Hidden Markov Model Regression. A covariance alignment method is also developed to deal with the issue of inconsistencies between historical and model simulation data. We evaluated our approach on data sets from a variety of domains, including climate modeling. Our experimental results demonstrate the efficacy of the approach compared to other supervised learning methods for long-term time series forecasting.
Differential socialization of girls and boys in light of cross‐cultural research

The settings for social development provided by a culture are an important but neglected aspect of socialization.
Emergency Evacuation Planning and Preparedness of Transit Facilities: Traffic Simulation Modeling

The growing need for evacuation planning is addressed by using a computer-based model of traffic simulation. The VISSIM traffic simulation tool was used to evaluate a current plan and alternative plans for the deployment of transit during an emergency situation in a transit facility such as a bus depot. Different strategies were simulated to study the effect of evacuation on the surrounding traffic network as well as to help the local transit company (LYNX) evaluate its evacuation plan and consider different possibilities without the risk and cost of actual evacuation drills. Nine evacuation scenarios were simulated and analyzed to reach the best evacuation strategy for the LYNX company's main bus depot. Evacuation strategies evaluated include traffic diversion, bus signal optimization, access restriction, different destinations, and evacuation of pedestrians. Total network delay for each scenario was compared with the base case, and results indicate that pedestrian evacuation was better than using buses....
Designing high-speed serial ports using standard ASIC library elements, tools and design methodologies

This paper describes a high-speed serial port design approach which uses standard ASIC libraries, tools and design methodologies. Leveraging existing backend ASIC tools and technology enabled us to place, route, and verify serial links running up to 622 Mb/s. Our approach has been implemented on multiple chips and validated with a detailed comparison of Spice to static timing analysis.
Fields of Individuals and Neoliberal Logics Japanese Soccer Ideals and the 1990s Economic Crisis

This article explores the relationship between popular representations of soccer and the rise of neoliberal discourse celebrating a new individualism in Japan at the turn of the millennium, a time when the country experienced sharp economic decline and consequent economic restructuring. Examining dominant vocabularies and practices present in coaching discourse, on soccer fields, and in media portrayals of Japanese men’s and women’s professional leagues, the author argues that rather than a coincidental, coeval mirroring between two seemingly unrelated realms—sports and economic transformations—these relationships point to the positioning of soccer over the past 20 years in Japan as a site to educate and physically train individualistic sensibilities and perspectives suitable to and reinforcing of a neoliberal labor market and governmental system.
Incorporating fuzziness into timer-triggers for temporal event handling

Database triggers allow database users to specify integrity constraints and business logics by describing the reactions to events. Traditional database triggers can handle mutating events such as insert, update, and delete. This paper describes our approach to incorporate timer-triggers to handle temporal events that are generated at a given time or at certain time intervals. We propose a trigger language, named FZ-Trigger, to allow fuzziness in database triggers. FZ-Triggers allow fuzzy expressions in the condition part of a trigger with either a mutating event or a temporal event. This paper describes the generation of temporal events, the language of FZ-Triggers, and the system implementation. We also present a motivating example that illustrates the use of FZ-Trigger in the case of reacting to temporal events.
Injectable electronics as a modern day ‘ship in a bottle’

Although the first wearable pacemakers were introduced in the late 1950s, bio-integrated electronics are as relevant today as they were 50 years ago, with modern devices offering the potential for either recording or modulating cellular behavior in three dimensions (3D).1 Such devices hold the promise for opening up exciting new avenues of treatment in a variety of ailments, from neurodegenerative disorders to traumatic spinal injuries.2 However, one key challenge in this field is designing devices that are minimally invasive, with researchers constantly pushing to overcome the challenges associated with incorporating hard planar semiconductors with soft pliable biological tissues.3 Among these concerns, flexibility, size and cytotoxicity all play a crucial role in determining how successful a device is. In their recent work ‘Syringe-injectable electronics’ Charles Lieber and his colleges at Harvard University have taken significant strides in confronting these challenges, exhibiting meshed electronic polymers that can be injected into silicone gels and directly into a live rodent's brain.4 This injectable approach offers several distinct benefits: First, it enables a precise positioning of these probes at a desirable target location. Second, it limits the device’s surgical profile, allowing it to be introduced in a minimally invasive fashion, helps promote long-term bio-integration and reduces glial cell response. Additionally, once injected, these structures are seen to unfurl, expanding into a mesh network with final lateral dimensions up to 30 times the diameter of the insertion needle. This emergent structure included an array of protruding metal nanowire electrodes, connected by polymer ribbons bisecting at 45°. This expansion allows the probes to form intimate contact with the surrounding tissue, enabling multiplexed mechanical strain and neural signaling recordings. We liken this style of design to a modern ‘ship in a bottle’, where a complex object emerges after passing through a narrow channel (Figure 1), enabling an expanded device design while remaining minimally disruptive to the native material. We believe that this approach offers substantial promise and suggests a variety of intriguing device designs. For instance, it should be possible to incorporate an origami/kirigami style folding element into the existing mesh design, allowing the controllable formation of 3D structures. Additionally, recent work has shown that silicon nanowires can be internalized by cellular systems.5 Such constructs could also be incorporated with the current design, acting as possible electronic/force probes and stimulators, enabling studies in previously difficult-to-access intracellular domains. Finally, one important next step is introducing wireless functionality to avoid intrusive electrical contacts. Taken together, this technology offers a promising new approach to bio-integration and helps enable a new generation of minimally invasive devices.
Klein's First Principle: A Proposed Solution

United States v. Klein, 80 U.S. (13 Wall.) 128, 20 L. Ed. 519 (1872) is 125 years old, and still seems to command the attention of the Supreme Court. Abstractly, Klein seems to hold that Congress may not leave standing an operative rule and instruct the Court that circumstance X is to be taken as conclusive evidence that the operative rule has not been satisfied. Rather, Congress must amend the rule itself to make -X part of its content. But on this reading Klein is highly formal and more than a bit silly. It is also deeply puzzling. This essay argues for a more sympathetic and useful understanding of Klein. On this understanding, the judiciary will not allow itself to be made to speak and act against its own best judgment on matters of consequence for our political community which are within its competence. The judiciary will not allow its articulate authority to be employed towards ends antagonistic to its actual judgment, to be made to seem to support and regularize that with which it in fact disagrees. The Religious Freedom Restoration Act is offered as a contemporary example of an egregious violation of this principle.
Cooling dialysate during in-center hemodialysis: Beneficial and deleterious effects

The use of cooled dialysate temperatures first came about in the early 1980s as a way to curb the incidence of intradialytic hypotension (IDH). IDH was then, and it remains today, the most common complication affecting chronic hemodialysis patients. It decreases quality of life on dialysis and is an independent risk factor for mortality. Cooling dialysate was first employed as a technique to incite peripheral vasoconstriction on dialysis and in turn reduce the incidence of intradialytic hypotension. Although it has become a common practice amongst in-center hemodialysis units, cooled dialysate results in up to 70% of patients feeling cold while on dialysis and some even experience shivering. Over the years, various studies have been performed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of cooled dialysate in comparison to a standard, more thermoneutral dialysate temperature of 37 °C. Although these studies are limited by small sample size, they are promising in many aspects. They demonstrated that cooled dialysis is safe and equally efficacious as thermoneutral dialysis. Although patients report feeling cold on dialysis, they also report increased energy and an improvement in their overall health following cooled dialysis. They established that cooling dialysate temperatures improves hemodynamic tolerability during and after hemodialysis, even in patients prone to IDH, and does so without adversely affecting dialysis adequacy. Cooled dialysis also reduces the incidence of IDH and has a protective effect over major organs including the heart and brain. Finally, it is an inexpensive measure that decreases economic burden by reducing necessary nursing intervention for issues that arise on hemodialysis such as IDH. Before cooled dialysate becomes standard of care for patients on chronic hemodialysis, larger studies with longer follow-up periods will need to take place to confirm the encouraging outcomes mentioned here.
UVB-induced apoptosis in keratinocytes is enhanced by the chemopreventive bioflavonoid apigenin.

Fifth AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, Nov 12-15, 2006 B125 Chronic exposure to Ultraviolet B (UVB, 290-320nm) is thought to be the major cause of squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma. Therefore, the need for an agent that is able to reverse, suppress, or prevent UVB-induced carcinogenic progression in the skin is clearly warranted. Previous studies have demonstrated the bioflavonoid apigenin topically applied to mouse skin reduces tumor formation and multiplicity in UVB-treated SKH-1 hairless mice. In our current study we are evaluating the ability of apigenin to exert its chemopreventive effects by inducing apoptosis in human keratinocytes alone and in combination with UVB. We are employing three different cell-based models: HaCaT keratinocytes, primary keratinocytes derived from human neonatal foreskin, and epidermal equivalent cultures. Western blot analysis for PARP cleavage demonstrated the induction of apoptosis in HaCaT cells and primary keratinocyte cultures treated with apigenin (10-25 uM) for 4-24 hours. Treatment of epidermal equivalent cultures with 50 uM apigenin resulted in PARP cleavage as assessed by Western blot analysis. HaCaT keratinocytes and primary human keratinocytes were exposed to UVB (300-1000 J/m2) and harvested 24 hours later. Apoptosis was assessed in monolayer cultures by caspase-9 activation, Annexin-V staining, and Western blot analysis for PARP cleavage. In epidermal equivalent cultures apoptosis was determined by Western blot analysis, as well as histochemical evaluation for sunburn cells and active caspase-3. When HaCaT cells and primary keratinocytes were treated with both UVB and apigenin, the level of UVB-induced apoptosis was enhanced compared to UVB treatment alone. Our results demonstrate that UVB induces apoptosis and furthermore, that apigenin treatment can enhance the apoptotic response initiated by UVB. The chemopreventive action of apigenin may be explained by its ability to enhance UV-induced apoptosis.
Thrombocytosis is Predictive of Postoperative Pulmonary Embolism in Patients With Gynecologic Cancer.

Objectives The prompt diagnosis of postoperative pulmonary embolism (PE) in gynecologic oncology patients is imperative, but the clinical presentation is nonspecific in this high-risk group. We sought to determine risk factors and clinical findings that may assist clinicians in diagnosing PE in the inpatient setting. Methods Radiology data were queried to identify patients with gynecologic cancer who had a postoperative PE evaluation with computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CT-PA). Patient clinical findings at the time of the PE evaluation were abstracted, and univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of PE. Results For 6 years, there were 2498 major gynecologic oncology surgical procedures performed at our institution. Within 14 days of surgery, 107 CT-PA studies were obtained with a positive study rate of 24.3%. In patients with and without PE, there was no significant difference noted for age, oxygen saturations, body mass index and heart rate. After controlling for stage, history of venous thromboembolism (VTE), heart rate, and oxygen saturation, platelet count (odds ratio, 1.26 per 50 counts increase; 95% confidence interval, 1.07–1.48; P = 0.006) and history of VTE (odds ratio, 17.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.77–Inf, P = 0.014) were identified as independent predictors of PE in the multivariate model. Conclusions Although clinicians often use tachycardia and low oxygen saturation as triggers to order PE imaging studies, these signs have a very low specificity. Given the findings of our study, accounting for high platelet count and history of VTE increases the pretest probability of CT-PA study.
Abstract 3195: STAT3 inhibition using shRNA inhibits GBM proliferation, cell migration, anchorage-independent growth of mouse, rat, and human stem-like cells in vitro; and it induces long term survival and anti-GBM immunity in vivo

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the role of Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling on the tumor microenvironment in the most commonly occurring and aggressive primary brain tumor, Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM), including preclinical testing of inhibition of STAT3 expression in vivo in syngeneic and patient derived xenograft (PDX) models of GBM. GBM is genetically heterogeneous, but always overexpresses genes that are vital to cell cycle regulation, cell growth and proliferation, cell invasion, and angiogenesis. STAT proteins are transcription factors associated with gene regulation and expression signatures that are implicated in several survival pathways that enable human GBMs to grow in the brain parenchyma. In addition, STAT3 has been identified as a central mechanism in tumor-induced immunosuppression in GBM and other cancers. We studied the effects of STAT3 inhibition via shRNA down-regulation in vivo and in vitro using patient derived primary glioma cells (HF2303 & MGG8) in conjunction with other glioma lines from humans, mice, and rats (U251, GL26, and CNS-1, respectively). In this study, we found that GBM cells harboring down-regulated STAT3 signaling exhibit delayed proliferation, increased apoptosis, and anchorage independence. In vivo, STAT3 inhibition resulted in increased survival rates when tumor cells were treated with the STAT3 shRNA both pre- and post-GBM implantation (syngeneic GBM model). Our data demonstrate that STAT3 has a profound influence on the GBM microenvironment, which prevents the host from clearing the tumor. Down-regulating this signaling pathway using gene therapeutic strategies allows for infiltration of immune cells, decreased invasion, and a decrease in GBM cells’ proliferation that leads to the tumor elimination in ∼83% of the animals, this was associated with the development of an effective anti-tumor immunity that prevents tumor recurrence. Given the phenotype of STAT3 inhibition in in vitro assays and its success in in vivo GBM models, inhibition of STAT3 expression using shRNA and gene therapy technologies constitutes an attractive strategy for preclinical development as a potent therapeutic target for GBM. Citation Format: Nathan T. VanderVeen, Nicholas Raja, Elizabeth Yi, James Curtin, Peter Chockley, Hikmat Assi, Jonathan Savakus, Tom Mikkelsen, Samuel Rabkin, Pedro R. Lowenstein, Maria G. Castro. STAT3 inhibition using shRNA inhibits GBM proliferation, cell migration, anchorage-independent growth of mouse, rat, and human stem-like cells in vitro; and it induces long term survival and anti-GBM immunity in vivo. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 3195. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-3195
Disrupting Adaptive Bypass Pathways Activated By Targeted Kinase Inhibitors

Small molecule kinase inhibitors that target oncogene-driven cancers often elicit dramatic initial clinical outcomes, but adaptive responses from the kinome and transcriptome limit their efficacy a...
A History of Electronic Music at the University of Iowa

This article provides a close study of the University of Iowa Electronic Music Studios. The point of such a detailed account of one studio is to shed light on activity within the field of electronic music that previously did not occupy a place in the literature. Few of the studios listed in Hugh Davies’s International Electronic Music Catalog have received detailed attention. Until a wider range of close studies that pay attention to the particularities of individual cases becomes available, it will be difficult to do the comparative work necessary to gain an appropriately textured overall account of the development of electronic music in the post-war period. As these detailed studies, based largely on first-hand documentation, increase the resolution of electronic music’s history, they may highlight significant but previously unnoticed, or at least under-appreciated, patterns in the development of electronic music and act as an effective barometer of changing trends.
What Is Constructing Test Items

Constructing test items for standardized tests of achievement, ability, and aptitude is a task of enormous importance—and one fraught with difficulty. The task is important because test items are the foundation of written tests of mental attributes, and the ideas they express must be articulated precisely and succinctly. Being able to draw valid and reliable inferences from a test’s scores rests in great measure upon attention to the construction of test items. If a test’s scores are to yield valid inferences about an examinee’s mental attributes, its items must reflect a specific psychological construct or domain of content. Without a strong association between a test item and a psychological construct or domain of content, the test item lacks meaning and purpose, like a mere free-floating thought on a page with no rhyme or reason for being there at all.
Political activity in escalation of commitment: Sport facility funding and government decision making in the United States

Abstract In the United States, the decision to commit extensive public resources to sport facilities is a contentious topic of debate. Elected officials often commit substantial public resources to sport facility projects amidst contrary empirical evidence and mixed residential approval. This behavior not only implicates the presence of political activity to advance a course of action, but also suggests an escalation of commitment (EoC), the subject of this study. The authors implemented a collective case study approach to examine three municipalities with long-standing histories of subsidizing professional sport facilities. Data collected from influential elected officials and public leaders (N = 13) as well as documents and records revealed (a) political action to be essential in EoC with decisions involving multiple stakeholder groups; (b) the influence and interaction of political action within each EoC determinant; (c) the substantial role of support, resources, power, and influence in efforts to increase and prevent commitment to a failing course of action; and (d) noticeable spillover effects from use of political activity in EoC.
Prorenin receptor (PRR)-mediated NADPH oxidase (Nox) signaling regulates VEGF synthesis under hyperglycemic condition in ARPE-19 cells.

The stimulation of angiotensin II (Ang II), the effector peptide of renin–angiotensin system, has been reported to increase the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) through the a...
Liver disease in cystic fibrosis

Abstract Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a multiorgan disorder, caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, resulting in abnormal regulation of salt and water movement across membranes. In the liver this leads to hyperviscous bile accumulating in the biliary tree, causing cholangiocyte and hepatocyte injury and inflammation, stimulating focal fibrosis. With increased life expectancy CF related liver disease (CFLD) has become a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with CF. Most patients with CFLD remain asymptomatic even though approximately 5–10% develop multilobular cirrhosis during the first decade of life. Most will develop signs of portal hypertension. Active screening for CFLD and introduction of non-invasive imaging techniques and novel biomarkers would identify individuals at risk for cirrhosis prior to its development in order to institute therapy to prevent or reduce disease progression, and can detect patients who have developed clinically silent cirrhosis to allow monitoring and interventions to reduce or mitigate complications. Liver transplant should be considered for those who develop hepatic dysfunction or advanced portal hypertension, although deteriorating pulmonary function and quality of life should also be taken into account. Current research in CFLD focuses on repairing the basic defect and reducing inflammation thus aiming to find treatment modalities that prevent development and/or progression of CLFD.
Lipid stress inhibits endocytosis of melanocortin-4 receptor from modified clathrin-enriched sites and impairs receptor desensitization.

Melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) is a G-protein–coupled receptor expressed in the brain’s hypothalamus where it regulates energy homeostasis. MC4R agonists function to lower food intake and weight. In this respect, although obesity promotes hyperlipidemia and hypothalamic injury, MC4R agonists are nevertheless more effective to reduce food intake within hours of administration in overweight, rather than lean, mice. MC4R undergoes constitutive internalization and recycling to the plasma membrane with agonist binding inducing receptor retention along the intracellular route and, under prolonged exposure, desensitization. Here, we found that, in neuronal cells, lipid stress by exposure to elevated palmitate leaves unchanged the rate by which MC4R and transferrin receptor are constitutively excluded from the cell surface. However, lipid stress disrupted later steps of MC4R and transferrin receptor internalization to endosomes as well as traffic of agonist-occupied MC4R to lysosomes and MC4R desensitization. In the lipid-stressed cells, MC4R and clathrin were redistributed to the plasma membrane where they colocalized to sites that appeared by super-resolution microscopy to be modified and to have higher clathrin content than those of cells not exposed to elevated palmitate. The data suggest that lipid stress disrupts steps of endocytosis following MC4R localization to clathrin-coated sites and exclusion of the receptor from the extracellular medium. We conclude that increased effectiveness of MC4R agonists in obesity may be an unexpected outcome of neuronal injury with disrupted clathrin-dependent endocytosis and impaired receptor desensitization.
Die wirkungsvollste Lichtintensität

Wir haben in den fruheren Kapiteln uber den Einflus der Beleuchtung auf unsere Tatigkeit bzw. auf das Sehen gesprochen und wollen nun versuchen, die fur unsere Arbeit bzw. fur das Sehen gunstigste Lichtintensitat in mehr oder minder genauem Grade festzulegen. Dabei konnen wir uns in erster Linie mit der Frage einer ausreichenden, also blendungsfreien Beleuchtung und weniger mit der Frage der geeigneten Beleuchtung befassen. Es ist Tatsache, das Blendung und verminderte Sichtbarkeit bei geringeren Lichtmengen schwerer fest- und abzustellen sind als bei hohen. Es wurde schon verschiedentlich gesagt, das fur unsere Raumbeleuchtung weit hohere Intensitaten wunschenswert waren, als wir sie heute haben. Aus Erfahrung wissen wir, das sich bei direkter Mittagssonne schwarzer Druck auf weisem Papier nicht sehr angenehm liest, obwohl wir Einzelheiten auf Flachen mit geringeren Reflexionsfaktoren ohne Unbehagen unterscheiden konnen. Aus all dem sehen wir, das das erwunschte Helligkeitsniveau zwischen den jetzt ublichen einigen FK unserer Umgebungsbeleuchtung und den 10000 FK eines Hochsommermittags zu suchen ist.
Evaluation of patient nasal saline irrigation practices following endoscopic sinus surgery

Background Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is an effective treatment for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Postoperative management strategies after FESS often vary from surgeon to surgeon. Recent data suggests that nasal saline irrigation following FESS is almost universally recommended; however, patient adherence has not been formally evaluated. The purpose of this study is to evaluate postoperative nasal irrigation practices and its effects on short-term outcomes in post-FESS patients. Methods Eighty-two patients were followed prospectively following FESS at a tertiary-academic medical institution for 3 postoperative visits. Patients were surveyed on their irrigation practices (start date, frequency, and volume per irrigation per side), and adherence to prescribed antibiotic and steroid regimens. At each visit, 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) questionnaires and endoscopic examinations were evaluated by the Lund-Kennedy Endoscopy Score (LKES). Factors evaluated include: patient demographics (age, sex, ethnicity), preoperative Lund-Mackay and SNOT-22 scores, comorbidities, extent of procedure, and use of nasal packing and/or spacers. Results Adherence to irrigation instructions was 82.9%. Factors significantly associated with compliance with irrigation instructions included younger age (p = 0.0022), prior irrigation (p < 0.0001), revision surgery (p = 0.0014), and non-native English language speaking (p = 0.0095). Patients were more likely to irrigate with larger volumes if they were younger (p = 0.0284), had prior irrigation (p < 0.0001), or had revision surgery (p = 0.0056). Conclusion Multiple factors are associated with patient compliance with nasal saline irrigation after FESS. Ethnic and cultural considerations, such as language barriers, should also be considered to improve outcomes. Identification of patients who may be noncompliant could potentially benefit from increased preoperative counseling to improve adherence rates.
Football helmet impact standards in relation to on-field impacts:

Youth football helmets currently undergo the same impact testing and must satisfy the same criteria as varsity helmets, although youth football players differ from their adult counterparts in anthropometry, physiology, and impact exposure. This study aimed to relate football helmet standards testing to on-field head impact magnitudes for youth and varsity football helmets. Head impact data, filtered to include only impacts to locations in the current National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment standard, were collected for 48 collegiate players (ages 18-23 years) and 25 youth players (ages 9-11 years) using helmet-mounted accelerometer arrays. These on-field data were compared to a series of National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment standard drop tests with a youth and varsity Riddell Speed helmet. In the on-field data, the adult players had a higher frequency of impact than the youth players, and a significant difference in head acceleration magnitude only existed at the top location (p < 0.001). In the laboratory drop tests, the only significant difference between the youth and varsity helmets was at the 3.46 m/s (61 cm) impact to the front location (p = 0.0421). Drop tests generated head accelerations within the top 10% of measured on-field impacts, at all locations and drop heights, demonstrating that drop tests are representative of the most severe head impacts experienced by youth and adult football players on the field. Current standards have been very effective at eliminating skull fracture and severe brain injury in both populations. This analysis suggests that there is not currently a need for a youth-specific drop test standard. However, there may be such a need if helmet testing standards are updated to address concussion, paired with a better understanding of differences in concussion tolerance between youth and adult populations.
State Level Dream Acts and Latino Responsiveness

The rapid growth of the Latino population coupled with increasing tension between state and federal legislation leads to questions of group responsiveness and political efficacy under uncertain circumstances. In recent decades, the federal government has failed to pass an encompassing version of the DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) which seeks to offer a pathway to higher education and a future out of the shadows for many undocumented youth, a significant portion of them being Latino. Though the DREAM Act did not pass at the federal level, many states have proposed and passed similar legislation, this study focuses on the relationship between state passed DREAM Act legislation and its effects on the Latino youth residing in those states. We propose that those states with pseudo-DREAM Acts create a unique environment that fosters participation among the Latino youth residing within the states in question. Though much work has focused on Latino responsiveness of anti-immigrant legislation, very little has been done looking at responsiveness of positive immigrant legislation. We hope to fill this gap by examining the effect that state-level DREAM Acts can have on Latino populations regarding political efficacy and participation, both formal and informal.
Tournament Horizon: A Marathon or a Sprint? It Depends Upon the Level of Heterogeneity in Ability Among Employees

ABSTRACT When choosing to implement a tournament to improve employee performance, managers may choose between two horizons: a single tournament (grand tournament) or a series of consecutive shorter...
Circadian toxicity of environmental pollution. Inhalation of polluted air to give a precedent

Exposures to environmental stressors that derive from pollution (e.g. air, light) or lifestyle choices (e.g. diet, activity, 24-hour-×-7-day) are associated with adverse human health outcomes. For instance, there is evidence that air pollution exposure and changes in sleep/wake pattern increase the risk for vascular and cardiometabolic disorders. Interestingly, air pollution exposure affects pulmonary and cardiovascular functions that follow circadian rhythmicity and increases the risk for pulmonary and cardiovascular events that occur in diurnal patterns suggesting a link between air pollution induced cardiovascular and pulmonary injury and changes in circadian rhythm. Indeed, recent research identified circadian rhythm as an air pollution target and circadian rhythm as factor that increases air pollution sensitivity. Using air pollution exposure as precedent, this review highlights research on how environmental pollution affect circadian rhythm and how circadian rhythm affects the toxicity of environmental stressors.
Translational suppression in gene expression in retroviruses and retrotransposons.

The past 5 years have brought an exciting and very unexpected solution to a longstanding question in retrovirology: the mechanism of expression of the pol gene. Since the earliest studies of retroviral gene expression, the mechanism by which pol, the gene that encodes the critical enzymes reverse transcriptase, integrase, and sometimes protease, acts had remained an enigma. Experiments carried out recently seem to have finally settled this issue, as the pol genes of several retroviruses and one retrotransposon have been shown to be expressed by one or another form of translational suppression. This solution to the problem of pol gene expression is as unexpected as it is unusual. Even 5 year ago there was general agreement in this field that mRNA splicing would ultimately be found to be responsible for expression of the pol functions.
Antibiotic prophylaxis for ureteral stent removal after kidney transplantation.

There are no guidelines for antibiotic prophylaxis for ureteral stent removal after kidney transplantation. We reviewed the charts of 277 adult kidney transplant recipients with ureteral stents transplanted at our center between September 2014 and December 2015 and investigated whether antibiotic prophylaxis for stent removal was associated with reduced incidence of urinary tract infections (UTI). We defined UTI as a urine culture ≥104 CFU/mL of bacterial isolates irrespective of symptoms. Primary outcome was the incidence of UTI within four weeks of stent removal. Among the 277 recipients, 199 (72%) were on sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (SMZ/TMP) as Pneumocystis jirovecii prophylaxis. At the time of ureteral stent removal, 56 recipients (20%) received additional antibiotic prophylaxis (ABX+) and 221 (80%) did not (ABX-). The difference in the incidence of UTI in the ABX(+) group (16%) and ABX(-) group (19%) was not statistically significant (P = 0.85). Variables independently associated with the development of UTI were recipient age (odds ratio [OR] 1.04, [95% confidence interval 1.01-1.07]) and UTI while stents were in situ (OR 3.9 [2.00-7.62]). Use of SMZ/TMP was protective (OR 0.35 [0.18-0.7]). Our study does not show a statistically significant benefit for additional antibiotic prophylaxis for ureteral stent removal. Antibiotic prophylaxis may be beneficial for recipients not on SMZ/TMP at the time of stent removal.
Simultaneous Production of Hydrogen and Oxygen as Affected by Light Intensity in Unicellular Aerobic Nitrogen Fixing Blue Green Alga Synechococcus SP. Miami BGO43511

Aerobic Nitrogen fixing unicellular blue-green alga, Synechococcus sp Miami BG 043511 evolved hydrogen and oxygen simultaneously at a molar ratio of 2 in closed flasks under light saturated condition. Since CO2 evolution was not detected in the gas phase under these conditions water could be the ultimate source for hydrogen and oxygen photoproduction. On the other hand, under light limited conditions, when H2O2 molar ratio was higher than 2, CO2 evolution was associated. Thus, Light intensity markedly regulates hydrogen, oxygen and CO2 production.
Practical Management of the Orthofix Truelok External Circular Fixator in Deformity Correction and Lower Limb Salvage

Circular external fixation offers an important option for reconstructive surgeons. When the soft tissue envelope is compromised, either by disease or trauma, external fixation offers a chance to address limb abnormalities that may otherwise be delayed. The application of the Iizarov apparatus requires skills and experience to address unique scenarios, starting prior to surgery and extending months following application. This article will offer practical management concepts based on the authors’ experience using the Orthofix Truelok system. It is our hope that the information provided will lend to improved management strategies and outcomes for the practitioner and patient.
DreamWalker: Substituting Real-World Walking Experiences with a Virtual Reality

We explore a future in which people spend considerably more time in virtual reality, even during moments when they transition between locations in the real world. In this paper, we present DreamWalker, a VR system that enables such real-world walking while users explore and stay fully immersed inside large virtual environments in a headset. Provided with a real-world destination, DreamWalker finds a similar path in a pre-authored VR environment and guides the user while real-walking the virtual world. To keep the user from colliding with objects and people in the real-world, DreamWalker's tracking system fuses GPS locations, inside-out tracking, and RGBD frames to 1) continuously and accurately position the user in the real world, 2) sense walkable paths and obstacles in real time, and 3) represent paths through a dynamically changing scene in VR to redirect the user towards the chosen destination. We demonstrate DreamWalker's versatility by enabling users to walk three paths across the large Microsoft campus while enjoying pre-authored VR worlds, supplemented with a variety of obstacle avoidance and redirection techniques. In our evaluation, 8 participants walked across campus along a 15-minute route, experiencing a lively virtual Manhattan that was full of animated cars, people, and other objects.
Improving the energy efficiency of room air conditioners in China: Costs and benefits

Abstract China is the world’s largest consumer of room air conditioners, and it contributes about a quarter of global space cooling CO2 emissions. We model the costs and benefits of recently proposed new room air conditioner minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) in China. Our results suggest that newly proposed MEPS brings accumulative CO2 emissions reductions of 12.8% between 2019 and 2050, and accumulative bill saving of 2620 billion RMB to China's consumers. The benefits of the proposed MEPS decrease with longer MEPS revision intervals and increase with shorter intervals—indicating that the intervals should be balanced to maximize benefits while accommodating constraints due to air conditioner manufacturer design cycles. We also model potential nationwide benefits from higher MEPS. Across two increasingly aggressive MEPS scenarios, China’s room air conditioner electricity consumption and CO2 emissions in 2050 are both reduced by 15–53% compared to the proposed MEPS. The highest-efficiency scenario (reaching MEPS of annual performance factor 5.4 in 2025) provides the largest long-term national benefits. These results could inform development of a Chinese regulatory regime that effectively updates room air conditioner MEPS. Because China is the world’s largest manufacturer of room air conditioners, the economic, energy, and emissions benefits resulting from higher Chinese MEPS could also have a global reach.