cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of cocaine on basal and pulsatile prolactin levels in rhesus monkeys.

Cocaine abuse is often associated with reproductive cycle dysfunction including altered menstrual cyclicity and decreased ovulation rates. Cocaine might also alter prolactin (PRL) secretion, presumably through the effects of this drug on hypothalamic dopamine, the primary factor regulating pituitary PRL secretion. We assessed basal and pulsatile PRL levels to determine whether hyperprolactinemia is associated with cocaine-induced disruption of menstrual cyclicity in rhesus monkeys. Normally cycling, drug-naive monkeys were studied. Cocaine-treated animals were pair-fed with controls to minimize cocaine-related diferences in caloric intake. Twenty-eight monkeys were randomized to receive daily intravenous (iv) infusion of saline or cocaine (1, 2, or 4 mg/kg) on cycle days 2–14. Daily blood samples were obtained through indwelling catheters for measurement of ovarian steroids, gonadotropins, and PRL. Laparoscopy was performed 2 days after the midcycle estradiol surge to document ovulation. Sixteen other monkeys were randomized to receive daily iv infusion of saline or cocaine (4 mg/kg). Blood samples were obtained every 15 minutes for 8 hours in the early (cycle day 1–5), mid- (cycle day 6–10), and late (cycle day 11–15) follicular phase. Plasma was assayed for PRL, and pulses were identified by cluster analysis. All seven control monkeys had laparoscopically confirmed ovulation compared to two of seven monkeys receiving 1 mg/kg, three of seven monkeys receiving 2 mg/kg, and one of seven receiving 4 mg/kg of cocaine hydrochloride. Cycle length was normal in six of seven controls, and in one of seven, two of seven, and two of seven monkeys receiving the 1, 2, and 4 mg/kg of cocaine, respectively. Estradiol levels were significantly higher in controls versus cocaine-treated monkeys, but there was no diference in basal gonadotropin levels during treatment. Mean PRL levels during treatment were significantly lower (P < .05) in controls (4.6 ± 0.2 ng/mL) as compared to monkeys receiving 1 (6.5 ± 0.6 ng/mL), 2 (6.1 ± 0.4 ng/mL), and 4 mg/kg (7.2 ± 0.6 ng/mL) of cocaine. There was no significant difference in PRL pulse amplitude orfrequency between controls and cocaine-treated monkeys during each cycle phase. Circulating PRL levels were slightly higher in monkeys receiving cocaine during the follicular phase. Although this increase was statistically significant, PRL levels remained well within the euprolactinemic range in cocaine-treated monkeys.
Self-assembled nanoparticle micro-shells templated by liquid crystal sorting

A current goal in nanotechnology focuses on the assembly of different nanoparticle types into 3D organized structures. In this paper we report the use of a liquid crystal host phase in a new process for the generation of micron-scale vesicle-like nanoparticle shells stabilized by ligand–ligand interactions. The constructs formed consist of a robust, thin spherical layer, composed of closely packed quantum dots (QDs) and stabilized by local crystallization of the mesogenic ligands. Ligand structure can be tuned to vary QD packing within the shell and made UV cross-linkable to allow for intact shell extraction into toluene. The assembly method we describe could be extended to other nanoparticle types (metallic, magnetic etc.), where hollow shell formation is controlled by thermally sorting mesogen-functionalized nanoparticles in a liquid crystalline host material at the isotropic to nematic transition. This process represents a versatile method for making non-planar 3D nano-assemblies.
Steroid Effects on Excitable Membranes

Publisher Summary This chapter describes a number of steroid-induced effects at excitable cells that have been found to occur in vivo and relate these changes to changes that may occur in various processes involved in synaptic transmission and membrane excitability. It examines steroid interactions with lipid membranes and presents experimental results concerning the androgen modulation of ionic channels in androgen-sensitive muscles. Steroids act at a molecular level to modulate cell function. Early exposure of a cell during development to a wide variety of steroids and other substances can influence the molecular events that occur at the later stages of development. These are known as the organizational effects of the steroids. In the adult, the effects are activational rather than organizational, and the chapter defines some of the molecular events that underlie these activational effects. This chapter discusses the advantages and disadvantages of a cell culture approach in understanding steroid hormone action on excitable cells and the future directions that this field may take, particularly with regard to the application of the techniques of molecular biology for unraveling the changes that steroids may induce in excitable cells.
Image registration by non-degenerate pixel detection

Image registration is used widely in applications for mapping one image to another. It is a fundamental task in many imaging applications. Existing image registration methods are either feature-based or intensity-based. Feature-based methods first extract relevant image features, and then find a geometrical transformation that best matches the two corresponding sets of features extracted from the two images. The geometrical transformation is estimated directly from the observed image intensities of the two images by an intensity-based image registration method. Most existing methods of both types assume that the mapping transformation has a parametric form or satisfies certain regularity conditions (e.g., it is a smooth function with continuous first or higher order derivatives). They often estimate the mapping transformation globally by solving a global minimization/maximization problem. Such global smoothing methods usually cannot uncover the ill-posed nature of the image registration problem, namely, the mapping transformation is not well defined at certain places, including places where the true image intensity surface is straight. In this thesis, we suggest solving the image registration problem locally, by first studying the local properties of a mapping transformation. Some concepts for describing such local properties are suggested, and an intensity-based local smoothing method for estimating the geometrical transformation is proposed. We also develop a feature-based method based on those concepts. Both theoretical and numerical studies show that our methods are effective in various applications.
A High-Linearity 76–85-GHz 16-Element 8-Transmit/8-Receive Phased-Array Chip With High Isolation and Flip-Chip Packaging

An SiGe transmit-receive phased-array chip has been developed for automotive radar applications at 76-84 GHz. The chip is based on an all-RF beamforming approach and contains 8-transmit channels, 8-receive channels, and a complete built-in-self-test system. Two high-linearity quadrature mixers with an input P1 dB of +2.5 dBm are used and allow simultaneous sum and difference patterns in the receive mode. The chip operates in either a narrowband frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) mode or a wideband mode with > 2-GHz bandwidth. A high-linearity design results in an input P1 dB of -10 dBm (per channel), a system noise figure of 16-18 dB, and a transmit power is 4-5 dBm (per channel). The chip uses a controlled collapse chip connection (C4) bumping process and is flip-chipped on a low-cost printed-circuit board, and results in > 50-dB isolation between the transmit and receive chains. To our knowledge, this work represents the state-of-the-art in terms of complexity at millimeter-wave frequencies and with simultaneous transmit and receive operation for high-performance FMCW radars.
X-ray Structure Determinations of Li[CF3SO2N(CH2)3OCH3] and the Solid Electrolyte [Li⊂12-C-4][CF3SO2N(CH2)3OCH3]

The crystal structures of the lithium salt, Li[CF3SO2N(CH2)3OCH3] and its 12-C-4 complex [Li⊂12-C-4][CF3SO2N(CH2)3OCH3] demonstrate a change in the lithium coordination environment upon complex formation. The longer Li−N bond distance in [Li⊂12-C-4][CF3SO2N(CH2)3OCH3] indicates that the 12-C-4 crown ether weakens the interactions between the lithium cation and the [CF3SO2N(CH2)3OCH3]- anion. Correlations between these structures and previously reported vibrational spectroscopy and ionic conductivity are presented.
Successful Treatment of an Iatrogenic Tracheal Laceration With a Temporary Polyurethane-Coated Nitinol Stent

We report the case of a 63-year-old woman who required emergent intubation after a choking episode at home. It resulted in a 5-cm tear in the membranous trachea. She was treated by placement of a temporary tracheal stent, which was successfully removed 3 months later.
OPTICAL SWITCHING: CONTROLLING LIGHT WITH LIGHT

Light beams cannot control one another directly. Some nonlinear optical material, that is, a material whose transmission properties depend upon the light intensity of a control beam, is needed to transmit the information from a control beam to the main output beam. This chapter describes various schemes for reshaping pulses and controlling optical beams, mostly by modifying the intracavity refractive index and scanning the transmission peaks of a Fabry–Perot interferometer. Pulse self-reshaping occurs whenever an input pulse of sufficient intensity is transmitted through a nonlinear Fabry–Perot resonator. Whenever optical bistability is seen by modulating the input intensity, the output is quite different from the input. Reshaping can occur without bistability. Self-reshaping of optical pulses by sweeping a nonlinear Fabry–Perot cavity can be used to tailor light pulses. In absorptive optical bistability, the electric field can be treated as a real variable; the approach to the stationary state after a perturbation is always monotonic. In dispersive optical bistability, the electric field is necessarily a complex quantity that evolves in a two-dimensional phase space.
Chapter 41 – Is One Form of Radiation Therapy Better Over Another?

The optimal radiotherapeutic approach to treat clinically localized prostate cancer is yet to be established. Current modern radiotherapeutic options involve either the primary use of external beam radiation therapy or the delivery of interstitial brachytherapy. The state-of-the-art techniques consist of three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT), intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), or image-guided transperineal brachytherapy (IGTPB). There are several purported models used in risk appropriation for men with prostate cancer. For patients with clinically localized prostate cancer, the serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), tumor Gleason score, and tumor stage are widely available and are useful in combination to stratify outcome. Comparison of morbidity between 3D-CRT and IGTPB has been limited because of the lack of consistent toxicity scoring guidelines and stratification criteria. There is a limited number of reports of health-related quality of life after prostate cancer treatment comparing IGTPB with 3D-CRT. Appropriate patient selection is important for radical local treatment and to determine the optimal radiotherapeutic technique.
Quantitative Assessment of Aromaticity and Antiaromaticity Utilizing Vibrational Spectroscopy

Vibrational frequencies can be measured and calculated with high precision. Therefore, they are excellent tools for analyzing the electronic structure of a molecule. In this connection, the properties of the local vibrational modes of a molecule are best suited. A new procedure is described, which utilizes local CC stretching force constants to derive an aromaticity index (AI) that quantitatively determines the degree of π-delocalization in a cyclic conjugated system. Using Kekule benzene as a suitable reference, the AIs of 30 mono- and polycyclic conjugated hydrocarbons are calculated. The AI turns out to describe π-delocalization in a balanced way by correctly describing local aromatic units, peripheral, and all-bond delocalization. When comparing the AI with the harmonic oscillator model of AI, the latter is found to exaggerate the antiaromaticity of true and potential 4n π-systems or to wrongly describe local aromaticity. This is a result of a failure of the Badger relationship (the shorter bond is al...
Adsorptive separation of CO2 in sulfur-doped nanoporous carbons: Selectivity and breakthrough simulation

Abstract Sulfur-doped nanoporous carbons were synthesized by post-synthesis modifications with a sulfur-bearing compound that simultaneously enhanced the surface area and introduced sulfur functionalities on carbon. The BET surface areas of these materials were within 837–2865 m2/g with total sulfur contents of 8.2–12.9%. The heat of adsorption of CO2 in low uptake was 60–65 kJ/mol, which is the highest for CO2 adsorption in porous carbons. In order to investigate the adsorptive separation of CO2, nitrogen (N2) and methane (CH4) adsorption isotherms were also measured at 298 K and 760 torr. The selectivity of separation for CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4 was calculated based on the Ideal Adsorbed Solution Theory (IAST) and all the results demonstrated the high CO2 selectivity for the carbon with higher sulfur content. The adsorption isotherms were combined with mass balances to calculate the breakthrough behavior of the binary mixtures of CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4. The simulation results demonstrated that the dimensionless breakthrough time is a decreasing function of the mole fraction of CO2 in the feed stream. In a comparative study with a commercial activated carbon (Maxsorb: BET∼3300 m2/g), both selectivity and breakthrough time were higher for sulfur-doped carbons. The overall results suggest that these sulfur-doped carbons can be employed as potential adsorbents for CO2 separation, natural gas sweetening and biogas upgrading purposes.
Two New Species of Xerolinus Ivie and Hart (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Opatrini) from Jamaica and the Virgin Islands

Abstract Two newly described species of the West Indian genus Xerolinus Ivie and Hart provide new island records for the genus and extend the previously known range of the genus to the south and east. Xerolinus swearingenae Hart and Ivie, new species, is described from Jamaica, whereas Xerolinus camanoensis Hart and Ivie, new species, is described from the Virgin Islands (Great Camanoe).
Polyurethane Microgel Based Microtissue: Interface-Guided Assembly and Spreading

Colloidal gels are three-dimensional networks of microgel particles and can be utilized to design microtissues where the differential adhesive interactions between the particles and cells, guided by their surface energetics, are engineered to spatially assemble the cellular and colloidal components into three-dimensional microtissues. In this work we utilized a colloidal interaction approach to design cell–polyurethane (PU) microgel bimodal microtissues using endothelial cells (ECs) as a normal cell model and a nonmalignant breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) as a cancer cell model. PU microgels were developed from a library of segmental polyurethanes with poly(ethylene glycol) soft segment and aliphatic diisocyanate/l-tyrosine based chain extender as hard segment to modulate the interactions between PU colloidal particles and cells. The surface energies of the microgel particles and cells were estimated using Zisman’s critical surface tension and van Oss–Good–Chaudhury theory (vOGCT) from liquid contact angl...
Case of a Girl with Obesity Seeking Birth Control

There are several issues to consider when choosing a contraceptive method for an adolescent girl with obesity. When prescribing hormonal contraception, it is important to bear in mind that there is an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other obesity-related comorbidities in addition to the increased risks associated with persisting obesity in adulthood. There is also evidence that increasing obesity may decrease the efficacy of some contraceptive modalities. Further, despite higher risks for pregnancy-related complications, overweight or obese females have been shown to be less likely to use contraception than their normal-weight peers. An inability to negotiate contraceptive use with a partner and provider inexperience with prescribing contraception are areas that need to be explored and addressed with such patients. Counseling related to effective emergency contraception is important especially if patients have concerns related to negotiating contraceptive use. A final consideration relates to the importance of providing effective contraception for obese adolescents who are contemplating bariatric surgery and require long-term effective contraception.
S. aureus induces IL-36 to start the itch

Epicutaneous exposure to Staphylococcus aureus phenol-soluble modulin alpha peptides facilitates IL-36–dependent skin inflammation.
Controlling Chronic Diseases Through Evidence-Based Decision Making: A Group-Randomized Trial

INTRODUCTION Although practitioners in state health departments are ideally positioned to implement evidence-based interventions, few studies have examined how to build their capacity to do so. The objective of this study was to explore how to increase the use of evidence-based decision-making processes at both the individual and organization levels. METHODS We conducted a 2-arm, group-randomized trial with baseline data collection and follow-up at 18 to 24 months. Twelve state health departments were paired and randomly assigned to intervention or control condition. In the 6 intervention states, a multiday training on evidence-based decision making was conducted from March 2014 through March 2015 along with a set of supplemental capacity-building activities. Individual-level outcomes were evidence-based decision making skills of public health practitioners; organization-level outcomes were access to research evidence and participatory decision making. Mixed analysis of covariance models was used to evaluate the intervention effect by accounting for the cluster randomized trial design. Analysis was performed from March through May 2017. RESULTS Participation 18 to 24 months after initial training was 73.5%. In mixed models adjusted for participant and state characteristics, the intervention group improved significantly in the overall skill gap (P = .01) and in 6 skill areas. Among the 4 organizational variables, only access to evidence and skilled staff showed an intervention effect (P = .04). CONCLUSION Tailored and active strategies are needed to build capacity at the individual and organization levels for evidence-based decision making. Our study suggests several dissemination interventions for consideration by leaders seeking to improve public health practice.
Fatigue, Constipation, and Depressed Mood

A 62-year-old woman presents to your office after being diagnosed with osteoporosis by her primary care physician. Her T-score is −4.2 at the lumbar spine. Further testing reveals a serum calcium level of 11 mg/dl (normal 8.5–10.5), phosphate level of 1.7 mg/dL (2.5–4.8), intact parathyroid hormone level of 83 pg/mL (15–75), and elevated urinary calcium levels. She denies any previous fractures. Her husband reports that she appears more fatigued and has more difficulty concentrating than before. She denies any history of neck irradiation or family history of thyroid or parathyroid disease. She has no significant past medical or surgical history. She has no known allergies. She occasionally takes ibuprofen for joint pain in her hands. She is a retired schoolteacher who is physically active and enjoys traveling. On review of systems, the patient reports constipation and occasional depressed mood. Physical examination demonstrates a healthy adult female; her neck is supple without masses or adenopathy.
One-Dimensional Spin Channel in Two-Dimensional Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Heterostructures

We show that it is possible to obtain one-dimensional (1D) spin channels at the lateral heterojunction of 2D transition metal dichalcogenides by a current flow without the necessity of any external magnetic field. This originates from the native spin orbit coupling of 2D materials in conjunction with the electric field that develops due to conduction band-offset at the junction. Nonetheless, we show that the underlying physics is very different from the well-known spin Hall effect. We find that the degree of spin polarization could be as high as 0.1 $\%$ for conduction band transport and 0.75 $\%$ for valence band transport at room temperature in a lateral heterostructure of typical 2D semiconductors such as ${\rm MoS}_2$ / ${\rm WSe}_2$ . We also find that the spin polarization increases with longitudinal (transport) effective mass due to increased momentum of the flowing electrons. Such 1D spin channels might allow probing of spin dynamics in confined phase spaces in addition to potentially contributing to spintronics applications.
HVAD Cannula Positioning is Associated with Higher GI Bleed Rates

Purpose HVAD cannula positioning is associated with hemodynamics and heart failure readmissions. However, its impact on hemocompatibility-related adverse events (HRAEs) in general, and GI bleeding in particular, remains uncertain. This study assessed the impact of HVAD cannula positioning on HRAEs. Methods HVAD patients were followed for one year following the index hospitalization discharge, when the cannula coronal angle was quantified from chest X-ray (Figure 1A). One-year freedom from any HRAEs and event rates of each HRAE were compared between those with and without cannula coronal angle >65 degrees. Results Among 46 HVAD patients (median age 61 years, 76% male), 9 patients (20%) had cannula coronal angle >65 degrees. The rate of GI bleeding was significantly higher in the angle >65 group (1.03 vs. 0.19 events/year, p = 0.014). Rates of stroke and pump thrombosis were comparable irrespective of the cannula angle (p >0.05 for all; Figure 1B). One-year freedom from any HRAEs was numerically lower in the angle >65 group compared with the angle ≤65 group (22% vs. 63%, p = 0.062; Figure 1C). Conclusion HVAD cannula coronal angle is associated with increased GI bleed. Prospective studies evaluating surgical techniques to ensure optimal device positioning and its effects on HRAEs are warranted.
Spectrum of Angle Closure, Uveal Effusion Syndrome, and Nanophthalmos.

Nanophthalmos, uveal effusion syndrome, and acute angle closure glaucoma (ACG) can present as a continuum in a patient, as is described here. This patient's angle closure was thought to be caused by idiopathic uveal effusion syndrome, and while there are no generally accepted diagnosis criteria for nanophthalmos, our patient fulfilled the criteria as defined by Wu.10 To prevent development of further angle closure, the decision was made to do cataract extraction as opposed to medical management. How to cite this article Areiter E, Neale M, Johnson SM. Spectrum of Angle Closure, Uveal Effusion Syndrome, and Nanophthalmos. J Curr Glaucoma Pract 2016;10(3):113-117.
Differential nucleosome spacing in neurons and glia

Eukaryotic chromosomes are composed of chromatin, in which regularly spaced nucleosomes containing ∼147 bp of DNA are separated by linker DNA. Most eukaryotic cells have a characteristic average nucleosome spacing of ∼190 bp, corresponding to a ∼45 bp linker. However, cortical neurons have a shorter average spacing of ∼165 bp. The significance of this atypical global chromatin organization is unclear. We have compared the chromatin structures of purified mouse dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons, cortical oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) and cortical astrocytes. DRG neurons have short average spacing (∼165 bp), whereas OPCs (∼182 bp) and astrocytes (∼183 bp) have longer spacing. We measured nucleosome positions by MNase-seq and gene expression by RNA-seq. Most genes in all three cell types have a promoter chromatin organization typical of active genes: a nucleosome-depleted region at the promoter flanked by regularly spaced nucleosomes phased relative to the transcription start site. In DRG neurons, the spacing of phased nucleosomes downstream of promoters (∼182 bp) is longer than expected from the genomic average for DRG neurons, whereas phased nucleosome spacing in OPCs and astrocytes is similar to the global average for these cells (∼183 bp). Thus, the atypical nucleosome spacing of neuronal chromatin does not extend to promoter-proximal regions.
Miracle a hierarchical data acquisition system for laboratory automation

New advances in laboratory instrumentation have given scientists a new dimension to their research, but analysis and interpretation of the data generated by these instruments has increased in difficulty to the point where it has often become a limiting factor in their effective use. It was logical to turn to computer processing of these data to relieve the scientist of this burdensome task. Often the initial approach has been to consider the use of existing digital batch process computing. However, the turnaround problems of overburdened centers can be inhibiting; but even discounting this feature, analog-type data (unless analog processing is employed) must be transformed to digital information. Frequently this is in the form of punched cards. This approach fails to take advantage of interfacing the instrument directly to the computer and thus precludes on-line data acquisition, interactive control, or real-time data processing. Because of the batch and digital orientation of most large computing centers, the probability for linking instruments on-line with special interfacing and real-time demands at these centers, is low indeed, although it has been successfully accomplished at the University of Alabama under Dr. Josiah Macy and at the University of Utah under Dr. Homer Warner among other institutions.
Economic effects of the double burden of malnutrition

Summary Observations from many countries indicate that multiple forms of malnutrition might coexist in a country, a household, and an individual. In this Series, the double burden of malnutrition (DBM) encompasses undernutrition in the form of stunting, and overweight and obesity. Health effects of the DBM include those associated with both undernutrition, such as impaired childhood development and greater susceptibility to infectious diseases, and overweight, especially in terms of increased risk of added visceral fat and increased risk of non-communicable diseases. These health effects have not been translated into economic costs for individuals and economies in the form of lost wages and productivity, as well as higher medical expenses. We summarise the existing approaches to modelling the economic effects of malnutrition and point out the weaknesses of these approaches for measuring economic losses from the DBM. Where population needs suggest that nutrition interventions take into account the DBM, economic evaluation can guide the choice of so-called double-duty interventions as an alternative to separate programming for stunting and overweight. We address the evidence gap with an economic analysis of the costs and benefits of an illustrative double-duty intervention that addresses both stunting and overweight in children aged 4 years and older by providing school meals with improved quality of diet. We assess the plausibility of our method and discuss how improved data and models can generate better estimates. Double-duty interventions could save money and be more efficient than single-duty interventions.
N. R. Madhava Menon: A Global Justice Educator’s Approach to Training Clinical Law Teachers:

This article describes one aspect of Dr N. R. Madhava Menon’s lifelong commitment to bringing ‘socially relevant legal education’ to India and around the world, whereby lawyers would be trained not...
Evaluation of Financial Conflicts of Interest Among Physician-Authors of American College of Rheumatology Clinical Practice Guidelines.

Objective Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) underpin patient care, and ideally authors of these guidelines would be free from outside influence. However, it has been shown many times that authors of professional society CPGs receive large sums of money from industry drug companies, creating financial conflicts of interest. This study investigated industry payments catalogued in the Open Payments Database (OPD) that have been received by authors of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) CPGs. Methods Guidelines on the ACR web site that were published during or after August 2014 were used to retrieve the list of authors. All general, research, associated research, and ownership payments reported on the OPD between the date of publication of the CPG and 12 months prior were extracted in a parallel and blinded manner by 2 investigators. Results Of the 89 US-based physician-authors from the 5 ACR CPGs identified within the study timeframe, 56 (62.9%) had received at least 1 payment according to OPD records. These 56 authors had received a median of $522 (interquartile range $119-2,500), which, combined, was a total of $9,728,751. Nineteen authors had received at least 1 industry payment relevant to the CPG recommendations, for a median amount of $748 and a total of $1,961,362 in relevant payments. Of the total relevant payments received, a significant proportion was undisclosed (for ACR CPGs during or after August 2014, undisclosed payments were $699,561, or 35.7% of the total). Conclusion Fewer than one-half of the US-based physician-authors of ACR CPGs during or after August 2014 had received guideline-relevant industry payments. Nonetheless, a substantial proportion of the money received was not disclosed. Conflict of interest disclosure is a bare minimum requirement, and more permanent solutions may include divestiture or inclusion of more nonconflicted authors.
In vivo imaging of the kinetics of microglial self-renewal and maturation in the adult visual cortex

Microglia are the resident immune cells in the brain with the capacity to autonomously self-renew. Under basal conditions, microglial self-renewal appears to be slow and stochastic, although microglia have the ability to proliferate very rapidly following depletion or in response to injury. Because microglial self-renewal has largely been studied using static tools, the mechanisms and kinetics by which microglia renew and acquire mature characteristics in the adult brain are not well understood. Using chronic in vivo two-photon imaging in awake mice and PLX5622 (Colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) inhibitor) to deplete microglia, we set out to understand the dynamic self-organization and maturation of microglia following depletion in the visual cortex. We confirm that under basal conditions, cortical microglia show limited turnover and migration. Following depletion, however, microglial repopulation is remarkably rapid and is sustained by the dynamic division of the remaining microglia in a manner that is largely independent of signaling through the P2Y12 receptor. Mathematical modeling of microglial division demonstrates that the observed division rates can account for the rapid repopulation observed in vivo. Additionally, newly-born microglia resemble mature microglia, in terms of their morphology, dynamics and ability to respond to injury, within days of repopulation. Our work suggests that microglia rapidly self-renew locally, without the involvement of a special progenitor cell, and that newly born microglia do not recapitulate a slow developmental maturation but instead quickly take on mature roles in the nervous system.
Preparing patients for sexual dysfunction after radiation for anorectal cancers: a systematic review

Abstract Purpose Successful multimodality treatment of anorectal cancers has led to increased numbers of survivors who experience permanent, life-changing side effects of treatment. Little is known about sexual dysfunction (SD) in this population. The etiology of SD after anorectal cancer treatment is complex and multifactorial. However, pelvic radiation plays a significant negative role in anatomic, hormonal, and physiological aspects of sexual function. Methods and Materials A systematic literature review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocols. Information was organized by key concepts useful for patient education, including (1) rates of SD after pelvic radiation for rectal cancer, (2) rates of SD after pelvic radiation for anal cancer, (3) mechanisms of SD and methods to reduce rates of SD, and (4) issues and opportunities related to patient education and discussion of SD after pelvic radiation. Results SD after pelvic radiation for anorectal cancers is common in both men and women. Higher radiation doses may increase the risk for vaginal stenosis; however, it is unclear whether there are similar dose–volume relationships for men. Vaginal dilators and advanced radiation techniques can reduce the radiation dose to sexual organs at risk. Improvement is needed regarding counseling and education of patients about SD. Conclusions This review provides information from previously published studies that clinicians may use in their discussions with patients embarking on pelvic radiation for anorectal cancers. More modern, standardized, and complete data are needed to quantify the risk of SD after treatment. Some methods of sexual toxicity reduction have been studied, but further study into interventions aimed at treating postradiation sexual function are needed.
Residential mobility, mental health, and community violence exposure among Somali refugees and immigrants in North America

Abstract Refugees and immigrants resettled in high income countries often later experience a new phase of residential uncertainty in search of safe and secure housing. This study investigated the effect of past year housing stability on symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and exposure to neighborhood violence among a sample of 1st and 2nd generation Somali young adults (N = 198) living in urban areas in North America. In one year, 8.1% of the sample experienced a forced move and 20.7% of the sample moved voluntarily. Discrimination, neighborhood violence, economic insecurity, and interpersonal conflict precipitated forced moves. Forced moves were associated with worsening PTSD symptomology over one year, while voluntary moves were associated with improvements in symptoms. The current study provides evidence of the importance of safe, stable housing for the mental health of young adult immigrants.
Stochastic mathematical models to balance human and environmental water needs and select the best conservation policy for drought-prone river basins

Abstract In this paper, a multi-objective, multi-period, and stochastic mathematical model is developed to identify drought-resilient strategies for balancing human and environmental water needs given uncertainty about future water availability. The model makes sustainable water withdrawal/distribution decisions for the interconnected water reservoirs of a river network through balancing societal and environmental water needs. These decisions are restricted by the storage capacities of reservoirs and fluctuations of water availability over the planning horizon. The model relies on interval estimation of stochastic hydrological factors, which may be drawn from historical data or future climate projections. The model finds a compromise between drought resilience and satisfaction of water needs through a reliability level that represents the risk attitude of water decision-makers. Finally, the model is extended to include water conservation options. The extended model determines the spatial and temporal prioritization of water reservoirs for water conservation. The proposed models are tested on the Red River of the south-central United States. We quantify tradeoffs between human and environmental water needs and identify water sustainability strategies that are resilient to stochastic drought events. Our model is applicable to drought-prone river basins around the world where water managers seek to balance environmental and human water needs while remaining resilient to unexpected fluctuations in water availability.
High Efficiency Evaporated CdSeTe/CdTe Solar Cells with and without MgZnO Buffer Layer

High efficiencies of ~19% CdTe solar cell devices were made using a thermal evaporation technique to deposit absorber layers of CdSe and CdTe. The absorber films were very high quality for a device fabrication, and with demonstrated high efficiency, it is a viable option to employ thermal evaporation in research and manufacturing. We also investigated four different interfaces scenarios of with and without MZO and CdSe in the device near front interface. The results clearly indicate that Se plays a key role in improving device performance, but the MZO is not necessarily required unless experiment goals demanded. Removing the MZO layer from the device structure and being able to use thermal evaporator for CdTe deposition will help with cost reduction in manufacturing.
Remote Sensing Systems for Urban-Scale Drone and Air Taxi Operations

Future drone and air taxi services will take place in the lowest parts of the atmosphere. In the United States, this region is vastly under sampled by existing atmospheric sensing systems and in-situ sensors. As a result, current and future vehicle operators may lack situational awareness of changing weather conditions, bringing uncertainty to aerial ride sharing, cargo delivery and emergency services, impacting up-time, business viability and safety of both vehicles and resources on the ground. This paper presents interviews with drone and air taxi operators on their weather related needs and current sources of weather information as a first step in defining requirements for integrative remote sensing solutions. The solution system is being prototyped and demonstrated in North Texas in collaboration with universities, government agencies and drone operators.
Predictive Modeling of Laser Shock Peening Induced Near-Surface Residual Stress in Alumina

Abstract Laser shock peening (LSP) is a non-contact surface treatment method that has been experimentally found to help increase fracture toughness, induce near-surface compressive residual stress and increase hardness in ceramic materials. Numerous experiments, with associated costs and challenges, are needed to identify the application-specific LSP parameters. Physics-based computational models provide a less expensive and more flexible alternative to performing the requisite experiments, yet the trade-off between computational cost and accuracy of different models needs to be considered. In this work, LSP treatment finite element simulations are executed using a calibrated Drucker-Prager (DP) plasticity model combined with a Mie-Gruneisen equation of state as well as Johnson-Cook rate dependence and a damage initiation criterion. Unlike existing Johnson-Holmquist (JH) methods, the calibrated DP constitutive model does not require damage model parameters to be continually updated with deformation, resulting in lower computational time. Near-surface compressive residual stress, predicted by the model, is compared to measurements reported in recent experimental studies. At the lowest pulse energy tested (1 J) an approximate 5% difference exists between the simulated RS and that measured by Raman spectroscopy in the experiments. This difference appears to increase with greater pulse energies. A parametric comparison of computational time for differences in laser pulse energy, constitutive models, and materials is also performed. Results reveal that the demonstrated model at the lowest pulse energy on alumina is up to 37.5% faster, and when applied to silicon carbide, is up to 15.7% faster in comparison to existing JH methods.
Por la senda ascendente del positivismo naturalista y de la civilización: aproximación panorámica a los casos de Brasil y Colombia en el paso del siglo XIX al XX

En este breve articulo son contrastados dos escenarios que guardan diversas semejanzas – pero tambien profundas diferencias como lo son Brasil y Colombia, al explorar ciertos puntos de influencia que ejercio en estos espacios en el paso del siglo XIX al XX el cuerpo de pensamiento de raigambre europeo que quizas llevo a su punto maximo el ideario de la civilizacion y el progreso: el positivismo sociologico de orientacion naturalista. Con este fin, el paradigma de la civilizacion es examinado al trasluz de las realidades de progreso, orden y exclusion presentes en estos contextos historicos.
Manufacturing and Post Treatment of SMA Components

We would like to briefly review the different manufacturing techniques and post-treatment techniques employed in the SMA community. This is by no means an exhaustive discussion but a broad overview of some important items. As designers, it is important to having an understanding of these details especially as many of these techniques/treatments discussed here influence the performance of the component immensely.
Globalization, Societal Change, and Adolescence Across the World

Part I: Macro Processes Part II: How Globalization is Influencing Adolescence in Four Domains Conclusion Keywords: adolescence; youth; globalization; family relationships; gender; youth employment; modernization; societal change
Quasi-partitioning: a new paradigm for transaction execution in partitioned distributed database systems

The quasi-partitioning paradigm of operation for partitioned database systems is discussed in which a broken main link between two partitions can be replaced by a much slower backup link (e.g. a dial-up telephone connection). The paradigm solves the problem of preparation for network partitioning. The quasi-partitioning mode of operation has two primitive operations: creeping retrieval and creeping merge. Creeping retrieval increases data availability by crossing partition boundaries (over backup links) to read foreign data. Similarly, creeping merge improves the degree of partition-consistency by crossing partition boundaries to perform merge actions. A quasi-partitioning protocol consists of an adaptation protocol and a merge protocol. Taxonomies are shown for quasi-partitioning adaptation protocols and for quasi-partitioning merge protocols (for restoring partition-consistency after system reconnection). Since merge protocols and adaptation protocols are interdependent, it is indicated here how these protocols should be paired. >
A three dimensional calculation of electron energy loss in a variable parameter free-electron laser

The motion of an electron beam through a longitudinally varying period undulator for a single-pass free-electron laser is studied. It is shown that, under certain conditions, the electrons are trapped in an optical “bucket”, and deliver on the average more energy to the laser field than in constant period undulators of comparable parameters. The limits set by a finite beam emittance and energy spread are studied in detail by three-dimensional computer simulation.
Surface-emitting photonic-crystal distributed-feedback lasers

It is shown that there exists an optimized parameter space that allows a large device area (1 mm2) patterned with a photonic-crystal distributed-feedback (PCDFB) grating to display single-mode lasing in a diffraction-limited circular beam emitted from the surface, with an external differential efficiency of 30–60%.
Collective identity in the straight edge movement: How diffuse movements foster commitment, encourage individualized participation, and promote cultural change

Although social movement scholars generally study movement organizations, a great deal of significant collective action occurs in diffuse, noninstitutional contexts. This article uses the straight edge movement to explore the less structured aspects of movement activity and discuss the roles collective identity plays in diffuse movements. The straight edge collective identity promotes individual action within the context of a commitment to a strong identity. This paper shows how a strong collective identity is the foundation of diffuse movements, providing “structure,” a basis for commitment, and guidelines for individualized participation. Finally, the article demonstrates that organizational conceptualizations of social movements fail to capture important avenues of cultural protest.
Initial evaluation and management of upper airway injuries in trauma patients

Abstract Study Objective: To examine and compare the mechanism of injury, diagnostic findings, initial methods of airway management, and outcome of patients who had upper airway injuries. Design: A retrospective review of hospital records. Setting: A large metropolitan, university-affiliated trauma center. Patients: Forty-six cases of upper airway injuries admitted between 1984 and 1988. Interventions: Diagnostic methods included clinical examination, cervical and thoracic radiographs, bronchoscopy and computerized tomographic (CT) scan. Therapeutic interventions ranged from conservative management with or without endotracheal intubation to operative reconstruction. Measurements and Main Results: Mechanism of injury was knife stab wound in 9 cases, gunshot wound in 17 cases, and blunt trauma in 20 cases. Location was the larynx in 13 cases, trachea in 24 cases, cricoid cartilage in 5 cases, and multiple sites in 4 cases. Diagnostic findings varied considerably according to the mechanism of injury, but radiographic evidence of soft tissue air and wounds opening into the airway were common findings. CT scan and bronchoscopy also were useful diagnostic tools. Overall mortality was 24%, which did not vary according to patient age or mechanism of injury. The airway injury itself was a primary or contributory cause of death in four cases, two of which were tracheal injuries and two injuries at the cricotracheal junction. Conclusions: In any patient with possible upper airway injury, plain radiographs of the chest and neck should be obtained to aid in the diagnosis. Elective intubation should be attempted only with a surgical team present and prepared for emergency tracheotomy. Fiber-optic bronchoscopy could be a valuable aid for both intubation and evaluation in such cases.
Quadratic stabilization and tracking results applied to the benchmark problem

Recent results regarding quadratic stabilization and disturbance attenuation are applied to the benchmark problem. We investigate the minimum achievable levels of disturbance attenuation for different disturbance inputs and controlled outputs. We then develop a feedforward tracking controller design which tracks step inputs while maintaining the disturbance attenuation properties of the regulator.
Synthesis and mechanical properties of leather–epoxy interpenetrating polymer networks

Leather–epoxy interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) were synthesized; these IPNs have an approximate epoxy concentration of 25 wt %. The flexural and tensile moduli of the IPNs prepared are equivalent to those of the epoxy resin. The Izod impact energy and fracture toughness measured for the IPNs, however, exceed those attained by the epoxy resin alone by at least a factor of 4. The glass transition of leather–epoxy IPNs occurs over a wide temperature range, thus indicating that the IPN is an intimate admixture of the epoxy resin throughout the collagen matrix of the hide. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 78: 1224–1232, 2000
Peritoneal dialysis for severe salicylism: An evaluation of indications and results

Since peritoneal dialysis for salicylate intoxication carries a high iatrogenic risk,as compared with the risk of conservative treatment, a study was conducted to evaluate the indications for treatment in 82 consecutive admissions for salicylate poisoning. The following criteria were used in categorizing clinical severity: (1) prolonged delay in receiving conservative therapy; (2) coma; (3) an estimated zero-time serum level of salicylate of greater than 150 mg. per cent; (4) failure to alkalinize the urine by a standard dose of sodium bicarbonate. Detailed results of treatment with peritoneal dialysis are presented in 5 patients. Salicylate removal was found to be more rapid when a dialyzing solution was used which contained 5 per cent albumin.