cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stabilization of Nonlinear Systems by Switched Lyapunov Function

If a Lyapunov function is known, a dynamic system can be stabilized. However, computing a Lyapunov function is often challenging. This paper takes a new approach; it assumes a basic Lyapunov-like function then seeks to numerically diminish the Lyapunov value. If the control effort would have no effect at any iteration, the Lyapunov-like function is switched in an attempt to regain control. The method is tested on four simulated systems to give some perspective on its usefulness and limitations. A highly coupled 3rd order system demonstrates the approach’s general applicability and finally the coordinated control of 7 motors for a robotic application is considered. Details on the publicly available software packages for application agnostic software and hardware environments are also presented.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Target Media (B)

The C case concerns the challenges of postmerger integration. The cultural differences of the two companies and the style differences of the two leaders become issues for the new company, which now has a monopoly in the in-building advertising market, and questions about cultural integration take center stage. See also the A (UVA-OB-0910) and B (UVA-OB-0911) cases.
Emerging Science: Interventions in Women at Risk of GDM During Pregnancy

As the prevalence of diabetes continues to rise worldwide, it is increasingly important to identify high-risk populations and to implement strategies to delay or prevent diabetes onset. Women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at substantially increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes and obesity, both currently epidemic in the United States. Diagnosis of GDM, therefore, provides an excellent opportunity to intervene years before the development of this disorder. Indeed, women may be more likely to adopt healthy lifestyle habits during pregnancy and maintain these habits into the postpartum period. This chapter will summarize interventions which rely on lifestyle modifications to prevent GDM or mitigate the effects of GDM during pregnancy. These include changes in diet, as well as physical activity, both of which are established risk factors in the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes. The chapter concludes with recommendations for future intervention studies.
Mechanical properties of bone as a function of rate of deformation.

Rabbit femora and ulnae were tested to fracture in a torsion loading experiment. Various mechanical parameters were determined under five loading rates ranging from 0.003 to 13.2 radians per second. The maximum torque, maximum torsional deformation, energy absorbed to fracture, and torsional stiffness all increased with the rate of deformation, reached a maximum, and then declined. The bones absorbed 67 per cent more energy, had 33 per cent more torque and torsional deformation, and 5 per cent more stiffness at the highest rate of deformation as compared with the lowest.
A new intracellular flush solution improves renal transplant preservation

A new renal preservation flush solution (PB-2) has been developed to minimize the ischemic injury processes that occur during hypothermic storage and reperfusion and that can decrease renal viability and survival. Development of the new formulation took into account the intracellular and biological interactions that occur pre- and post-transplantation. PB-2 was compared with the conventional standardized Collins-2 flush solution in the preservation of autografts in dogs and was found to provide significantly improved renal recovery, viability, and survival. Studies to test the new solution in human renal allograft transplant preservation are planned.
Erythrocyte-modifying capacity of Shigella dysenteriae (SHIGA) antigen and its polysaccharide component.

SummaryThe erythrocyte-modifying capacity of the S. dysenteriae (shiga) antigen complex and its polysaccharide fraction was studied with the following results: 1. Both materials modified red blood cells of sheep, man, rabbit, guinea pig for subsequent specific agglutination by homologous bacterial antibodies obtained from rabbit and horse. The antigens were somewhat more effective after being heated at 100°C for one hour.2. In the presence of guinea pig complement and homologous bacterial (rabbit) antiserum lysis occurred of modified sheep red blood cells but not of human erythrocytes; lysis of modified sheep and human red blood cells was not effected by an equine antiseurm.3. The polysaccharide fraction could be measured as a specific inhibitor of hemagglutination in amounts as small as .006 μg and proved to be twice as effective as the antigen complex. In contrast, the whole antigen was somewhat more active in modifying red blood cells than the polysaccharide component. 4. Of 60 random human sera 18 con...
Prostaglandin EP1 Receptor Subtype Selectivity Takes Shape

The studies of [Ungrin et al. (2001)][1] describe the ligand binding and activation of the human prostaglandin (PG) receptor assayed with an extensive panel of ligands. PGs are a diverse family of autocoids whose synthesis is initiated by cyclooxygenase-mediated metabolism of the unsaturated 20-
Health information exchange: national and international approaches.

Purpose – Health information exchange (HIE), the process of electronically moving patient-level information between different organizations, is viewed as a solution to the fragmentation of data in health care. This review provides a description of the current state of HIE in seven nations, as well was three international HIE efforts, with a particular focus on the relation of exchange efforts to national health care systems, common challenges, and the implications of cross-border information sharing. Design/methodology/approach – National and international efforts highlighted in English language informatics journals, professional associations, and government reports are described. Findings – Fully functioning HIE is not yet a common phenomenon worldwide. However, multiple nations see the potential benefits of HIE and that has led to national and international efforts of varying scope, scale, and purview. National efforts continue to work to overcome the challenges of interoperability, record linking, insufficient infrastructures, governance, and interorganizational relationships, but have created architectural strategies, oversight agencies, and incentives to foster exchange. The three international HIE efforts reviewed represent very different approaches to the same problem of ensuring the availability of health information across borders. Originality/value – The potential of HIE to address many cost and quality issues will ensure HIE remains on many national agendas. In many instances, health care executives and leaders have opportunities to work within national programs to help shape local exchange governance and decide technology partners. Furthermore, HIE raises policy questions concerning the role of centralized planning, national identifiers, standards, and types of information exchanged, each of which are vital issues to individual health organizations and worthy of their attention.
Family-based cognitive-behavioral therapy for pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder: comparison of intensive and weekly approaches.

ABSTRACT Objective: To examine the relative efficacy of intensive versus weekly cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Method: Forty children and adolescents with OCD (range 7-17 years) were randomized to receive 14 sessions of weekly or intensive (daily psychotherapy sessions) family-based CBT. Assessments were conducted at three time points: pretreatment, posttreatment, and 3-month follow-up. Raters were initially blind to randomization. Primary outcomes included scores on the Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, remission status, and ratings on the Clinical Global Impression-Severity and Clinical Global Improvement scales. Secondary outcomes included the Child Obsessive Compulsive Impact Scale-Parent Rated, Children's Depression Inventory, Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children, and Family Accommodation Scale. Adjunctive pharmacotherapy was not an exclusion criterion. Results: Intensive CBT was as effective as weekly treatment with some advantages present immediately after treatment. No group differences were found at follow-up, with gains being largely maintained over time. Although no group × time interaction was found for the Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale ( F 1,38 = 2.2, p = .15), the intensive group was rated on the Clinical Global Impression-Severity as less ill relative to the weekly group ( F 1,38 = 9.4, p 2 1 = 3.6, p = .06). Conclusions: Both intensive and weekly CBT are efficacious treatments for pediatric OCD. Intensive treatment may have slight immediate advantages over weekly CBT, although both modalities have similar outcomes at 3-month follow-up.
Productivity and Quality in Health Care: Evidence from the Dialysis Industry

We show that healthcare providers face a tradeoff between increasing the number of patients they treat and improving their quality of care. To measure the magnitude of this quality-quantity tradeoff, we estimate a model of dialysis provision that explicitly incorporates a centre’s unobservable and endogenous choice of treatment quality while allowing for unobserved differences in productivity across centres. We find that a centre that reduces its quality standards such that its expected rate of septic infections increases by 1 percentage point can increase its patient load by 1.6%, holding productivity, capital, and labour fixed; this corresponds to an elasticity of quantity with respect to quality of−0.2. Notably, our approach provides estimates of productivity that control for differences in quality, whereas traditional methods would misattribute lower-quality care to greater productivity
How to Address a Quality Problem

For quality improvement (QI) projects, the Translating Research into Practice (TRiP) framework is an ideal model for developing and addressing topics locally (see Fig. 6.1) (Pronovost et al. BMJ 337:a1714, 2008). The TRiP framework is a four-step process that evaluates best practices with the goal of creating strategies for implementation at a local level. Using high-quality evidence, the TRiP framework utilizes multidisciplinary collaboration to incorporate knowledge translation for broader dissemination of knowledge into practice. Each step focuses on systems of care rather than care of individual patients with engagement of multidisciplinary teams to assume ownership of the QI project. Finally, this framework encourages adaptation so that the QI intervention can meet the culture of the implementing group when expanded regionally or nationally (Pronovost et al. BMJ 337:a1714, 2008). At the Johns Hopkins Hospital, we have successfully utilized this framework to reduce central line-associated blood stream infections (Pronovost et al. BMJ 340:c309, 2010) and improve prescription of risk-appropriate venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis (Streiff et al. BMJ 344:e3935, 2012). For this purposes of this chapter we will give examples of these successful interventions, though each step can be applied to meet different quality improvement goals.
Student Learning and Growth Resulting from Service as an Intramural Official

Service as an intramural official is a common experience for many college students. This kind of experience is thought to contribute to the growth and development of college students since it invol...
Chembench: A Publicly Accessible, Integrated Cheminformatics Portal

The enormous increase in the amount of publicly available chemical genomics data and the growing emphasis on data sharing and open science mandates that cheminformaticians also make their models publicly available for broad use by the scientific community. Chembench is one of the first publicly accessible, integrated cheminformatics Web portals. It has been extensively used by researchers from different fields for curation, visualization, analysis, and modeling of chemogenomics data. Since its launch in 2008, Chembench has been accessed more than 1 million times by more than 5000 users from a total of 98 countries. We report on the recent updates and improvements that increase the simplicity of use, computational efficiency, accuracy, and accessibility of a broad range of tools and services for computer-assisted drug design and computational toxicology available on Chembench. Chembench remains freely accessible at https://chembench.mml.unc.edu
Perceptual Information of “An Entirely Different Order”: The “Cultural Environment” in The Senses Considered as Perceptual Systems

ABSTRACTJames Gibson's final book, The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception (1979/1986) may have had the unintended effect of overshadowing his prior, seminal work, The Senses Considered as Perceptual Systems (1966). This circumstance is unfortunate because in many ways the final book has a narrower focus. The Senses Considered as Perceptual Systems not only considers other perceptual systems in addition to vision but also it is in this work where Gibson most fully lays out his ecological approach to psychology. In doing so, the book gives more explicit attention to human evolution and sociocultural processes than do his other writings. Although Gibson establishes a framework for considering perception–action commonalities across species, he also examines some of the ways in which perceiving among human and nonhuman animals differ. Among those issues examined are how tool use in the production of pictures and representations has contributed to cultural change, how language can affect perceiving, and h...
The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves

AbstractPolitical decisions about higher education and organizational decision-making within higher educational institutions reflect the acceptance of academic capitalist discourse, placing financi...
Adaptation pathways: ecoregion and land ownership influences on climate adaptation decision-making in forest management

Climate adaptation planning and implementation are likely to increase rapidly within the forest sector not only as climate continues to change but also as we intentionally learn from real-world examples. We sought to better understand how adaptation is being incorporated in land management decision-making across diverse land ownership types in the Midwest by evaluating project-level adaptation plans from a suite of forest management projects developed through the Climate Change Response Framework. We used quantitative content analysis to evaluate 44 adaptation-planning documents developed through the Framework’s Adaptation Workbook within two ecoregional provinces of the Midwest. This approach was used to assess the components of adaptation planning, including the resources that adaptation actions targeted within planning documents, the climate changes and impacts of concern, and the adaptation strategies managers identified. Analyses of adaptation plans show that the most frequent climate changes and impacts of concern included alterations in the amount and timing of precipitation, increased vegetation moisture stress, and forest pest and pathogen impacts. Individual projects identified a diversity of adaptation options, rather than focusing singly on actions that aimed to resist climate impacts, enhance resilience, or transition systems. Multivariate analyses indicate that ecoregion and land ownership influenced adaptation planning, while the type of resources and the climate change impacts managers were concerned with were significantly correlated with the adaptation strategies selected during planning. This finding reinforces the idea that one-size-fits-all guidance on adaptation will be insufficient for land managers. Perceptions of relevant climate impacts differ based on regional and ownership contexts, which naturally leads to differences in preferred adaptation actions.
Self-reported cognitive scales in a US National Survey: reliability, validity, and preliminary evidence for associations with alcohol and drug use.

Aims To evaluate relationships between measures of cognitive functioning and alcohol or drug use among adults (≥ 18 years) in the US general population. Design Two cognitive scales were created based on dimensionality and reliability of self-reported Executive Function Index items. Relationships between the two scales and validators were evaluated. Associations between the cognitive scales and past-year frequency of alcohol or drug use were estimated with adjusted odds ratios (aOR). Setting United States, using the 2012–13 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions–III, a nationally representative adult sample selected by multi-stage probability sampling. Participants 36 085 respondents. Measurements Past-year substance use outcome variables categorized binge drinking, marijuana, cocaine, opioid, sedative/tranquilizer and stimulant use as frequent (at least weekly to daily), infrequent (any to two to three times/month) or no use, assessed by the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule–5. Key predictors were the two cognitive scales. Construct validators included education and functional impairment. Covariates included age, gender, income and race/ethnicity. Findings Nine cognitive items fitted a two-factor model (comparative fit index = 0.973): attention (five items) and executive functioning (four items). Both scales were associated positively with higher education (Ps < 0.001) and negatively with functional impairment (Ps < 0.001), demonstrating construct validity. Poorer attention was associated with frequent and infrequent binge drinking and use of drugs [aOR range = 1.07 (binge drinking) to 1.72 (stimulants), Ps ≤ 0.01]. Poorer executive functioning was associated with frequent binge drinking and use of drugs [aOR range = 1.22 (binge drinking) to 2.03 (cocaine), Ps < 0.001] and infrequent use of all drugs [aOR range = 1.19 (marijuana) to 1.63 (cocaine), Ps < 0.001]. Conclusions Impairments in attention and executive functioning are positively associated with substance use in the US general population.
Optimizing Intraoperative Blood Management for One-Stage Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty:

BackgroundEffective blood management strategies are a major determinant of successful outcomes after one-stage bilateral total knee arthroplasty (BTKA). Proper patient selection with preoperative o...
The Development of Benzimidazole-Based Clickable Probes for the Efficient Labeling of Cellular Protein Arginine Deiminases (PADs)

Citrullination is the post-translational hydrolysis of peptidyl-arginines to form peptidyl-citrulline, a reaction that is catalyzed by the protein arginine deiminases (PADs), a family of calcium-regulated enzymes. Aberrantly increased protein citrullination is associated with a slew of autoimmune diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis (RA), multiple sclerosis, lupus, and ulcerative colitis) and certain cancers. Given the clear link between increased PAD activity and human disease, the PADs are therapeutically relevant targets. Herein, we report the development of next generation cell permeable and “clickable” probes (BB-Cl-Yne and BB-F-Yne) for covalent labeling of the PADs both in vitro and in cell-based systems. Using advanced chemoproteomic technologies, we also report the off targets of both BB-Cl-Yne and BB-F-Yne. The probes are highly specific for the PADs, with relatively few off targets, especially BB-F-Yne, suggesting the preferential use of the fluoroacetamidine warhead in next generation irrevers...
Hippocampal Network Modularity Is Associated With Relational Memory Dysfunction in Schizophrenia.

Abstract Background Functional dysconnectivity has been proposed as a major pathophysiological mechanism for cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. The hippocampus is a focal point of dysconnectivity in schizophrenia, with decreased hippocampal functional connectivity contributing to the marked memory deficits observed in patients. Normal memory function relies on the interaction of complex corticohippocampal networks. However, only recent technological advances have enabled the large-scale exploration of functional networks with accuracy and precision. Methods We investigated the modularity of hippocampal resting-state functional networks in a sample of 45 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and 38 healthy control subjects. Modularity was calculated for two distinct functional networks: a core hippocampal-medial temporal lobe cortex network and an extended hippocampal-cortical network. As hippocampal function differs along its longitudinal axis, follow-up analyses examined anterior and posterior networks separately. To explore effects of resting network function on behavior, we tested associations between modularity and relational memory ability. Age, sex, handedness, and parental education were similar between groups. Results Network modularity was lower in schizophrenia patients, especially in the posterior hippocampal network. Schizophrenia patients also showed markedly lower relational memory ability compared with control subjects. We found a distinct brain-behavior relationship in schizophrenia that differed from control subjects by network and anterior/posterior division—while relational memory in control subjects was associated with anterior hippocampal-cortical modularity, schizophrenia patients showed an association with posterior hippocampal-medial temporal lobe cortex network modularity. Conclusions Our findings support a model of abnormal resting-state corticohippocampal network coherence in schizophrenia, which may contribute to relational memory deficits.
Glycoprotein biosynthesis in plants: Formation of lipid-linked oligosaccharides of mannose and N-acetylglucosamine by mung bean seedlings

Abstract Cell-free enzyme particles from mung bean seedlings catalyze the incorporation of mannose from GDP-[14C]mannose and GlcNAc from UDP-[3H]GlcNAc into glycolipids and into glycoprotein. The most rapidly labeled product from GDP-mannose was characterized as a mannosyl-phosphoryl-polyisoprenol, whereas that from UDP-GlcNAc was a mixture of GlcNAc-(pyro)phosphoryl-polyisoprenol and a disaccharide composed of two N-acetylglucosamine residues attached to the polyisoprenol by a phosphoryl or pyrophosphoryl linkage. Radioactivity from GDP-mannose and UDP-GlcNAc was also incorporated into more polar lipids which have been partially characterized as a series of oligosaccharide-(pyro)phosphoryl-lipids. The mannose-labeled oligosaccharides released from these lipids by mild acid hydrolysis were found to contain GlcNAc at their reducing end indicating that these oligosaccharides contain both GlcNAc and mannose. Both the GlcNAc-labeled and the mannose-labeled oligosaccharides gave multiple radioactive peaks upon paper chromatography indicating that they are composed of a series of different sized oligosaccharides. Finally, radioactivity from GDP-[14C]mannose and UDP-[3H]GlcNAc is incorporated into an insoluble component. Ten percent of the mannose label and all of the GlcNAc label in this insoluble material could be solubilized by digestion with Pronase. The glycopeptides released by Pronase digestion appeared to be approximately the same size as the oligosaccharides from the lipid-linked oligosaccharides based on gel filtration chromatography on Sephadex G-50. The results are consistent with a mechanism for glycoprotein synthesis involving lipid-linked oligosaccharide intermediates.
The Genetic Basis of Toxin Production in Clostridium botulinum and Clostridium tetani

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of the genetic basis of toxin production in Clostridium botulinum and Clostridium tetani. Classified as either tetanus neurotoxin (TeNT) or botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT), they are synthesized as single polypeptide chains that are subsequently cleaved by bacterial proteases to produce di-chain toxins, each comprising a light chain and a heavy chain linked by a single disulphide bridge. The molecular analysis of the toxin structural genes has played a significant part. Genetic analysis has also revealed other information on toxin production, gene transfer, diagnosis, and prevention. Representative genes of all of the clostridial neurotoxins, from the various serotypes and physiological groups, have been isolated and sequenced. Several groups have been involved in the development of oligonucleotide primers for the detection of neurotoxin genes using polymerase chain reaction based methods. Dissemination of the neurotoxin genes between the physiological groups implies that the genes are, or have been at one time, encoded on mobile genetic elements such as transposons, plasmids and bacteriophage genomes.
Simulations for etch/deposition profile evolution

An understanding of the evolution of microscopic surface features under etching or deposition processes is of considerable practical importance in integrated-circuit (IC) manufacturing. On January 20, 1995 Statoshi Hamaguchi from IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center described evolution of the surface \(\varphi (x,y,t) = 0\) by a Hamilton-Jacobi type equation of the form \({\varphi _t} + c\sqrt {\varphi _x^2 + \varphi _y^2} = 0\)where the normal velocitycgenerally depends on and its derivatives in a complicated way. He introduced a shock-tracking algorithm [1] and presented some recent results on surface passivation induced by plasma etching [2] [3] and by metal deposition [4]. He concluded with some open mathematical questions regarding the Hamilton-Jacobi equation for generalc.
Finding wolf homesites: improving the efficacy of howl surveys to study wolves.

Locating wolf (Canis lupus) homesites is valuable for understanding the foraging behavior, population dynamics, and reproductive ecology of wolves during summer. During this period wolf pack members (adults and pups) readily respond to simulated wolf howls (i.e., howl surveys), which allows researchers to estimate the location of the homesite via triangulation. Confirming the actual locations of homesites via ground truthing is labor intensive because of the error surrounding estimated locations. Our objectives were (1) to quantify observer error during howl surveys and compare amongst experience levels, (2) provide a simple method for locating homesites in the field by incorporating observer error, and (3) further document the value of this method for monitoring wolf packs throughout the summer. We located 17 homesites by howl surveys during 2015-2017 in the Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem, Minnesota, USA. Of 62 bearings taken by observers during howl surveys, bearings erred by an average of 7.6° ± 6.3° (SD). There was no difference in observer error between novice and experienced observers. A simple way to increase efficiency when searching for homesites is to search concentric areas (bands) based on estimated observer error, specifically by: (1) adding ±10° error bands around howl survey bearings when ≥3 bearings can be obtained, (2) ±10° and ±20° error bands when 2 bearings are obtained, and (3) ±10° and ±26° error bands when 1 bearing is obtained. By incorporating observer error and understanding how frequently and how far wolves move homesites, it is possible to monitor wolf packs and confirm most, if not all, homesites used by a pack from at least June until August without having a collared individual in a pack.
National liberalisms in a neoliberal age: ideas and economic adjustment in contemporary France and Germany

In contrast to prevailing claims of neoliberal hegemony, this article argues that French and German trajectories of adjustment have diverged from standard neoliberal recipes in important ways. France has accompanied liberalization with macroeconomically oriented measures designed to bolster aggregate demand, while Germany has imposed the burden of reform on outsiders while shielding insiders from the costs of adjustment. This article argues that differences in French and German policy trajectories are informed by distinctive national liberalisms—‘statist liberalism’ in the French case and ‘corporate liberalism’ in Germany—that entail divergent models of state intervention, social organization, and political accountability, while rejecting standard neoliberal prescriptions. It develops these claims through an analysis of French and German labour-market reforms in the 1990s and 2000s and policy responses to the post-2007 crisis. It argues that a focus on the political power of ideas is crucial for understanding broad national adjustment strategies across institutional, policy, and partisan contexts.
The α2,3-selective potentiator of GABAA receptors, KRM-II-81, reduces nociceptive-associated behaviors induced by formalin and spinal nerve ligation in rats

Abstract Clinical evidence indicates that positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of GABAA receptors have analgesic benefit in addition to efficacy in anxiety disorders. However, the utility of GABAA receptor PAMs as analgesics is compromised by the central nervous system side effects of non-selective potentiators. A selective potentiator of GABAA receptors associated with α2/3 subunits, KRM-II-81(5-(8-ethynyl-6-(pyridin-2-yl)-4H-benzo[f]imidazo[1,5-a][1,4]diazepin-3-yl)oxazole), has demonstrated anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, and antinociceptive effects in rodents with reduced motoric side effects. The present study evaluated the potential of KRM-II-81 as a novel analgesic. Oral administration of KRM-II-81 attenuated formalin-induced flinching; in contrast, diazepam was not active. KRM-II-81 attenuated nociceptive-associated behaviors engendered by chronic spinal nerve ligation (L5/L6). Diazepam decreased locomotion of rats at the dose tested in the formalin assay (10 mg/kg) whereas KRM-II-81 produced small decreases that were not dose-dependent (10–100 mg/kg). Plasma and brain levels of KRM-II-81 were used to demonstrate selectivity for α2/3- over α1-associated GABAA receptors and to define the degree of engagement of these receptors. Plasma and brain concentrations of KRM-II-81 were positively-associated with analgesic efficacy. GABA currents from isolated rat dorsal-root ganglion cultures were potentiated by KRM-II-81 with an ED50 of 32 nM. Measures of respiratory depression were reduced by alprazolam whereas KRM-II-81 was either inactive or produced effects with lower potency and efficacy. These findings add to the growing body of data supporting the idea that α2/3-selective GABAA receptor PAMs will have efficacy and tolerability as pain medications including those for neuropathic pain. Given their predicted anxiolytic effects, α2/3-selective GABAA receptor PAMs offer an additional inroad into the management of pain.
Nalbuphine Reduces Opioid-Associated Urinary Retention in Pediatric Patients.

Objectives To evaluate the effect of nalbuphine administration on urine output in critically ill children with opioid-associated urinary retention. Design Institutional review board approved, single center, retrospective medical chart review. Setting Large medical-surgical PICU within a free-standing, tertiary care children's hospital. Patients Patients admitted to the PICU between October 1, 2014, and February 29, 2016, who received IV nalbuphine after meeting criteria for opioid-associated oliguria (defined as urine output below 1 mL/kg/hr and received at least one dose of opioid therapy within the preceding 12 hr). Interventions None. Measurement and main results Seventeen patients who received 21 doses of nalbuphine were analyzed. The median age and weight of patients were 6 years (interquartile range, 3-11.5 yr) and 18 kg (interquartile range, 12-35 kg), respectively. Two distinct dosing strategies became evident, specifically 0.05 mg/kg (n = 11 doses) and 0.1 mg/kg (n = 10 doses). Urine output increased significantly from baseline (median, 0 mL/kg/hr; interquartile range, 0-0.53 mL/kg/hr) to 6 hours post nalbuphine administration (median, 1.48 mL/kg/hr; interquartile range, 0-2 mL/kg/hr; p = 0.0002). Patients who received 0.1 mg/kg/dose had a greater urine output response compared with those who received 0.05 mg/kg/dose. Five patients (29%) had a catheter inserted into their bladder after administration of nalbuphine. Pain scores (grouped 6 hr before and after nalbuphine administration and single pain scores documented immediately before and after nalbuphine administration) were unchanged. Conclusions Nalbuphine administration, at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg, improved urine output in a cohort of children with opioid-associated urinary retention. Pain control did not appear influenced by the provision of nalbuphine. Additional studies are needed to determine the influence of nalbuphine on urinary catheter insertion rates and catheter-associated urinary tract infections.
Regulation of neuronal connectivity in the mammalian brain by chromatin remodeling

Precise temporal and spatial control of gene expression is essential for brain development. Besides DNA sequence-specific transcription factors, epigenetic factors play an integral role in the control of gene expression in neurons. Among epigenetic mechanisms, chromatin remodeling enzymes have emerged as essential to the control of neural circuit assembly and function in the brain. Here, we review recent studies on the roles and mechanisms of the chromodomain-helicase-DNA-binding (Chd) family of chromatin remodeling enzymes in the regulation of neuronal morphogenesis and connectivity in the mammalian brain. We explore the field through the lens of Chd3, Chd4, and Chd5 proteins, which incorporate into the nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase (NuRD) complex, and the related proteins Chd7 and Chd8, implicated in the pathogenesis of intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorders. These studies have advanced our understanding of the mechanisms that regulate neuronal connectivity in brain development and neurodevelopmental disorders of cognition.
Coordinated Enticement: Analyst Optimism and CEO Optimism

This paper studies the relation between analyst optimism and CEO optimism. The CEO optimism indicator is derived from unexercised option moneyness. Bias, a common measure of analyst optimism, is partly driven by information bias. To identify the correlation between CEO optimism and analyst optimism, I use a control function to control for information bias. When acting on information, analysts expect lower earnings from optimistic CEOs; the average partial effect of information bias (or expected earnings) is -33%. However there is a positive correlation between analyst optimism and CEO optimism; the average partial effect of optimism is 29%. These results remain robust when controlling for year effects and firm fixed effects. The evidence suggests that correlated optimism is driven by behavioral CEO optimism and strategic analyst optimism; strategically optimistic analysts cover behaviorally biased CEOs in an effort to influence investors.
An Adaptive QoS Representation and Resource Allocation Scheme for Multimedia and Wireless ATM Networks Using Genetic Algorithms

An adaptive resource allocation and call admission control scheme based on genetic algorithms is proposed. The scheme is applied to both wired broadband networks and wireless ATM networks using an adaptive resource allocation framework. A multimedia application consists of three distinct substreams (video, audio and data). Each substream declares to the network a preset range of acceptable quality of service (QoS) requirements (e.g., high, medium, low) instead of just a single one. For example, MPEG-based video can be transmitted at different levels of varying qualities. As resource availability in the wireless network changes, the control scheme selects the best possible QoS level that each substream can obtain. In case of congestion, the control scheme attempts to free up some resources by degrading the QoS of existing calls to a lesser level in order to accommodate new calls. This is done, however, under the constraint of achieving maximum utilization of the resources; and sharing them fairly among the calls. The degradation in the QoS is limited to a minimum value for each substream defined in a user-defined profile. From the user perspective, the perception of the QoS degradation is very graceful and happens only during over-load periods. The network services, on the other hand, are greatly enhanced due to the fact that the call blocking probability is significantly decreased. Genetic algorithms have been used to solve the optimization problem. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed scheme performs well in terms of increasing the number of calls admitted while effectively utilizing the available bandwidth fairly among the calls
Control structures for process piping systems

Abstract Many chemical processes require complex piping configurations to achieve a variety of objectives such as splitting a stream into multiple parallel streams, blending several streams, bypassing units and interconnecting process units. The plumbing required for effective fluid-mechanics performance and the control structure required for effective dynamic control differ from case to case. Liquid streams need to be handled in a different manner than vapor streams because their incompressibility prohibits having two control valves in series. This paper presents several important examples of process piping configurations and practical control structures for achieving good performance.
Forty-Year Shifting Distribution of Systolic Blood Pressure With Population Hypertension Treatment and Control.

Background: Hypertension awareness, treatment, and control programs were initiated in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s. Whereas blood pressure (BP) control in the population and subsequ...
Race salience and attorney statements: the unique role of defense opening statements and closing arguments

The purpose of this study was to investigate how the race salience effect influences juror decision making when manipulated through defense attorney statements. The literature is unclear regarding the ability of attorney statements to manipulate race salience and the individual influence of opening statements and closing arguments in creating the effect. In the current study, 207 undergraduate White mock jurors participated in a simulated criminal assault case in which defendant race was made salient through defense attorney statements (through opening statements, closing arguments, or both). Results indicated a race salience effect for verdict choice when race was salient and suggested that closing arguments may be particularly important in creating this effect. Our results also suggest that race salience creates an outgroup favoritism effect rather than the equalizing effect identified in early research. Implications of these findings for the race salience and juror decision making literature are discussed along with implications for actual court cases.
Encoding and Decoding DNA Sequences by Integer Chaos Game Representation

Abstract DNA sequences are fundamental for encoding genetic information. The genetic information may be understood not only from symbolic sequences but also from the hidden signals inside the seque...
Prospective Study of Fractional Carbon Dioxide Laser Therapy for Symptoms of Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause: One-Year Follow-Up

Background: Our objective is to prospectively evaluate pixelated carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) laser therapy for the treatment of symptomatic genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) over 1 year using both subjective and objective assessment methods. Methods: Subjects with symptomatic GSM completed pre-treatment evaluations. Subjects underwent three standardized pixelated CO 2 laser treatments 4 weeks apart. Use of other treatments during the study period was prohibited. Subjects completed five subjective GSM questionnaires (visual analog grading scale for vaginal atrophy symptoms (VAS-VA), Symptoms of Atrophic Vaginitis Questionnaire (SAVQ), and a modified Vulvovaginal Symptom Questionnaire (mVSQ), Urinary Distress Inventory (UDI-6) and the Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Function Questionnaire (PISQ-12)) and physical assessments (Bachmann Vaginal Health Index (BVHI) and Vaginal Health Assessment (VHA)) 2 weeks after each treatment, and at 1 year. Vaginal cytologic maturation assessment was performed before and after each treatment. Three random subjects also underwent vaginal biopsy after treatments were completed. A P value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Fifteen subjects were recruited with an average age of 58.3 years (range 43 - 70). Subjects had significant improvements on four of the five subjective assessments of GSM and on the two objective indices, from baseline to shortly after the third treatment, and were maintained at 1-year follow-up, with no worsening of the improvements. Subjects did not have significant improvement in urinary symptoms. Histologically, the surface epithelium ranged from within normal limits to mild squamous atrophy. There was mild submucosal vascular congestion in all specimens, with evident neovascularization. Conclusions: Clinically significant improvement was noted in subjective and objective assessments of GSM, and was sustained for 1 year following pixelated CO 2 laser therapy. Histologic changes were consistent with mild submucosal neovascularization rather than estrogen-like epithelial squamous maturation. J Clin Gynecol Obstet. 2021;10(1):11-17 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jcgo729
Precise and pervasive phasic bursting in locus coeruleus during maternal behavior

ABSTRACT The noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) mediates key aspects of arousal, memory, and cognition in structured tasks, but its contribution to natural behavior remains unclear. Neuronal activity in LC is organized into sustained (‘tonic’) firing patterns reflecting global brain states and rapidly fluctuating (‘phasic’) bursts signaling discrete behaviorally significant events. LC’s broad participation in social behavior including maternal behavior is well-established, yet the temporal relationship of its activity to sensory events and behavioral decisions in this context is unknown. Here, we made electrical and optical recordings from LC in female mice during maternal interaction with pups. We find that pup retrieval stably elicits precisely timed and pervasive phasic activation of LC that can’t be attributed to sensory stimuli, motor activity, or reward. Correlation of LC activity with retrieval events shows that phasic events are most closely related to subsequent behavior. We conclude that LC likely drives goal-directed action selection during social behavior with globally-broadcast noradrenaline release.
A technology of a different sort: microraft arrays

A common procedure performed throughout biomedical research is the selection and isolation of biological entities such as organelles, cells and organoids from a mixed population. In this review, we describe the development and application of microraft arrays, an analysis and isolation platform which enables a vast range of criteria and strategies to be used when separating biological entities. The microraft arrays are comprised of elastomeric microwells with detachable polymer bases (microrafts) that act as capture and culture sites as well as supporting carriers during cell isolation. The technology is elegant in its simplicity and can be implemented for samples possessing tens to millions of objects yielding a flexible platform for applications such as single-cell RNA sequencing, subcellular organelle capture and assay, high-throughput screening and development of CRISPR gene-edited cell lines, and organoid manipulation and selection. The transparent arrays are compatible with a multitude of imaging modalities enabling selection based on 2D or 3D spatial phenotypes or temporal properties. Each microraft can be individually isolated on demand with retention of high viability due to the near zero hydrodynamic stress imposed upon the cells during microraft release, capture and deposition. The platform has been utilized as a simple manual add-on to a standard microscope or incorporated into fully automated instruments that implement state-of-the-art imaging algorithms and machine learning. The vast array of selection criteria enables separations not possible with conventional sorting methods, thus garnering widespread interest in the biological and pharmaceutical sciences.
Fourteen-day Delay of Cerebral Ischemia due to Vasospasm after Traumatic Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Mild Head Injury (P1.3-010)

Objective: To describe a patient with traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage after a mild head injury who presents two weeks later with left middle cerebral artery vasospasm and ischemia. Background: Cerebral vasospam is a well-known complication in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) that can lead to hypoperfusion and eventually delayed ischemia, which is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in aSAH. Vasospasm in aSAH is expected to develop between days 4 and 14. For unclear reasons, vasospasm is less common after traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (tSAH) and if present, typically see in patients with severe head injuries. The onset has been reported to be as early as 1–2 days after injury and peaks at 5–7 days. We report a rare case of delayed cerebral ischemia occurring 14 days after mild traumatic head injury (GCS 14). Design/Methods: Case Report. Results: A 56-year-old man with no significant past medical history except for a motorcycle accident with head trauma found to have bilateral frontal lobe subarachnoid hemorrhage two weeks prior presented with sudden onset aphasia. CT angiogram demonstrated severe vasospasm of left M1/M2 portion of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) as well as portions of the anterior cerebral artery (ACA). Patient was started on oral nimodipine for vasospasm and aspirin. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated ischemic small infarcts in the distant left frontal and parietal lobes. Vasospasm was closely monitored with daily transcranial dopplers studies which showed improvement over the week. Clinically, his symptoms resolved, and he was discharged without any deficits. Conclusions: Cerebral vasospasm although well reported after aSAH, is less common in tSAH especially in mild head injury. Incidence and time course differ between the two, which may suggest different mechanisms of delayed cerebral ischemia. Our case demonstrates that delayed ischemia can occur even in mild head trauma and may warrant closer monitoring after discharge. Disclosure: Dr. Maran has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gadani has nothing to disclose. Dr. Silverman has nothing to disclose.
A feedback loop between heterochromatin and the nucleopore complex controls germ-cell to oocyte transition during Drosophila oogenesis

Germ cells differentiate into oocytes that become totipotent upon fertilization. How the highly specialized oocyte acquires this distinct cell fate is poorly understood. During Drosophila oogenesis, H3K9me3 histone methyltransferase SETDB1 translocates from the cytoplasm to the nucleus of germ cells concurrent with oocyte specification. Here, we discovered that nuclear SETDB1 is required to silence a cohort of differentiation-promoting genes by mediating their heterochromatinization. Intriguingly, SETDB1 is also required for the upregulation of 18 of the ~30 nucleoporins (Nups) that comprise the nucleopore complex (NPC). NPCs in turn anchor SETDB1-dependent heterochromatin at the nuclear periphery to maintain H3K9me3 and gene silencing in the egg chambers. Aberrant gene expression due to loss of SETDB1 or Nups results in loss of oocyte identity, cell death and sterility. Thus, a feedback loop between heterochromatin and NPCs promotes transcriptional reprogramming at the onset of oocyte specification that is critical to establish oocyte identity.
OPEX savings of all-optical core networks

All-optical networks offer the potential for significant operational cost advantages and deployment benefits. This paper highlights the results from an analysis of BT's Core infrastructure detailing OPEX savings, deployment benefits and new revenue opportunities.