cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Co-Evolutionary Framework for Systemic Family Therapy*

This piece presents a metaphoric scaffold, a Time Cable from which to build an invisible building. The scaffold is temporary, to be torn down when the building is finished, but it can be recreated when a new building is contemplated. As with all such geo-spatial constructs, it is merely a diagram to hold in one's mind while mastering the systemic approach to family therapy pioneered by the Milan Associates. Since this is their own model, they do not need a scaffold. For me, trying to teach their model, it has proved useful as a working tool.
Measuring performance impact of security protocols in wireless local area networks

In this paper, we study and quantify the impact of the most widely used security protocols, such as 802.1x, EAP, IPSEC, SSL and RADIUS, in wireless local area networks (WLANs). Based on the measurements in a wireless network testbed, we present quantitative, realistic findings with regards to both security functions as well as network performance. First, we describe experimental setup including system configuration and protocol stack. Then, we consider a variety of individual and hybrid security policies in order to capture the impact of security services at different network layers. Moreover, depending upon mobile nodes' current location, user mobility is categorized into non-roaming and roaming scenarios. In addition, we define several performance metrics such as authentication time, authentication messages, response time, throughput to measure the overhead associated with security policies on system performance. Comprehensive experimental measurements and analysis are provided for TCP/UDP traffic streams and network variations to demonstrate the impact of security protocols in WLANs.
Real-time comparison of X-29A flight data and simulation data

This paper presents a technique for comparing, in real time, the flight test time histories for X-29A aircraft with time histories computed from linearized mathematical models. Such a comparison allows the flight test personnel to verify that the aircraft is performing as predicted, to determine regions of nonlinear behavior, and to increase the rate of envelope expansion. The types of mathematical modeling and equipment required, the procedure used, and actual flight test results are discussed.
Fault-tolerant analysis of the spiral computer network topology

Results are presented from the analysis of a computer network topology that has the potential to become a standard in future years. The scheme is named the spiral topology because the architecture is built around modules of four computer nodes each, connected by top and bottom spirals. The spiral topology features a simple internal self-routing algorithm that adapts quickly and automatically to failed computer nodes or links. The six most important direct consequences of the network architecture are (1) ease of expansion, (2) fast, on-the-fly self-routing, (3) extremely high tolerance to failed network nodes or links, (4) increased network security, (5) potential for the total elimination of store and forward transmissions due to routing decision delays, and (6) rendering the maximum-path-length issue moot. >
STUDIES ON CRYSTALLINE UREASE : IV. THE "ANTITRYPTIC" PROPERTY OF CRYSTALLINE UREASE

1. Crystalline urease is not inactivated by trypsin in the absence of a gum. In fact, the presence of trypsin alone in aqueous solutions of urease has an action similar to that of gum, that is, it acts as a "protective colloid" for urease. 2. Crystalline urease is inactivated by trypsin in the presence of a gum. This occurs with great rapidity if purified (crystalline) trypsin is used. 3. If trypsin is added to urease a considerable time before the addition of gum no inactivation of the urease takes place. 4. The suggested explanation is that an inhibitive group of the urease molecule ("antitrypsin") may combine with trypsin to form an irreversible inactive trypsin compound, which cannot attack the urease but has unchanged ureolytic power. This compound cannot be formed if gum is present because the gum has united with a portion of the urease molecule; the tryptic power is thus unimpaired and urease is then digested. This speaks for the protein nature of urease.
Dopaminergic development of prenatal ventral mesencephalon and striatum in organotypic co-cultures

Using organotypic co-cultures of rat embryonic day 14 (E14) ventral mesencephalon (VM) and E21 striatum, we have described the developmental changes in (i) dopamine (DA) neurochemistry; (ii) numbers of DA neurons; and (iii) protein expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), DA transporter (DAT), and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD 65/67), over 17 days in vitro (DIV). Co-cultures demonstrated changes in DA development similar to those observed in vivo. The numbers of VM DA neurons remained relatively constant, while levels of VM DA progressively increased through 10 DIV. After 3 DIV, the levels of striatal DA increased substantially, through 10 DIV. Tissue levels of DA metabolites homovanillic acid (HVA) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) reflected changes in tissue DA concentrations, indicating that release and metabolism of DA are similar to these characteristics observed in vivo. Western blot analysis of TH protein expression revealed large increases in VM TH after only 3 DIV, followed by a decline in levels through 17 DIV; levels of striatal TH, in contrast, increased through this period. Additionally, DAT and GAD 65/67 expression increased, in both the VM and striatum, over 17 DIV. By 17 DIV, many measures of DA function had decreased from those assessed at 10 DIV, thus providing an approximate limit to the effective duration of use of this co-culture model. Our results provide a much-needed description of the neurochemical changes that occur during the maturation of VM and striatum in organotypic co-cultures. Additionally, these results provide a foundation for future studies to assess toxic challenges of the developing nigrostriatal DA system, in vitro.
Stitching in optical processors

Optical processing is supposed to be advantageous in very big problems, because it can handle those problems with minimal spatial and temporal complexity. What happens, though at the other extreme, where the problem is too big to be input into the optical system? I offer some preliminary thoughts here.
The 6-Minute Walk Test as a Predictor of Summit Success on Denali.

Objective To test whether the 6-minute walk test (6MWT), including postexercise vital sign measurements and distance walked, predicts summit success on Denali, AK. Methods This was a prospective observational study of healthy volunteers between the ages of 18 and 65 years who had been at 4267 m for less than 24 hours on Denali. Physiologic measurements were made after the 6MWT. Subjects then attempted to summit at their own pace and, at the time of descent, completed a Lake Louise Acute Mountain Sickness Questionnaire and reported maximum elevation reached. Results One hundred twenty-one participants enrolled in the study. Data were collected on 111 subjects (92% response rate), of whom 60% summited. On univariate analysis, there was no association between any postexercise vital sign and summit success. Specifically, there was no significant difference in the mean postexercise peripheral oxygen saturation (Spo2) between summiters (75%) and nonsummiters (74%; 95% CI, –3 to 1; P = .37). The distance a subject walked in 6 minutes (6MWTD) was longer in summiters (617 m) compared with nonsummiters (560 m; 95% CI, 7.6 to 106; P = .02). However, this significance was not maintained on a multivariate analysis performed to control for age, sex, and guide status (P = .08), leading to the conclusion that 6MWTD was not a robust predictor of summit success. Conclusions This study did not show a correlation between postexercise oxygen saturation or 6MWTD and summit success on Denali.
THE PRESENT STATE OF SWAHILI LITERATURE AS AN ARTISTIC AND SOCIAL PHENOMENON

This study is aimed at giving an overall picture of present state of creative writing in the language of Swahili in the Eastern part of the African continent, i.e. its condition after the year 2000. Key words: Kiswahili, literature, East Africa, novel.
A Concise View of Risk Management for Agrosecurity

AbstractAgrosecurity risks can be readily classified either by their risk nature (such as plant, animal, or human disease) or by their potential impact. Strategies to address agrosecurity risks would include: (A) managing risk by prevention, (B) managing risk by intervention, (C) managing risk through collaboration, and (D) managing risk through communication. Successful risk management will build upon scientific risk assessment, will involve careful planning and preparation, and will require rapid response capability and maintaining open communication channels.
Influence of Diethylstilbestrol on the Turkey With Special Reference to Histological Changes in the Aorta

Abstract INTRODUCTION THE use of diethylstilbestrol (DES) presently is not permissible in the United States as an aid to increasing body weight gains or improving carcass quality in poultry. However, this compound represents a valuable tool for the study of spontaneous dissecting aneurysm (aortic rupture) in turkeys and other metabolic and physiological changes in the bird. DES implantations have been reported by Krista et al. (1961, 1965), Beall et al. (1963), and Simpson and Harms (1965) to increase the incidence of aortic rupture in turkeys. Krista et al. (1965) and Simpson and Harms (1965) reported a concomitant decrease in blood pressure with an increase in aortic rupture. The mechanism of DES producing an increase in aortic rupture has not been elucidated. As reported by Krista et al. (1965), simultaneous injections of testosterone with DES reduced the incidence of aortic rupture. Simpson et al. (1964) noted that additional dietary sodium chloride enhanced…
Femoral vein homograft for neoaortic reconstruction in the Norwood stage 1 operation: A follow-up study

Objective The aim of this study was to analyze our experience with the cryopreserved femoral vein homograft in comparison with standard biomaterials for neoaortic reconstruction in the Norwood stage 1 operation. Methods All patients who underwent the Norwood operation from September 2004 to April 2011 were analyzed retrospectively (n = 107). Patients were grouped into group A (cryopreserved femoral vein homograft; n = 72) or group B (other; n = 35). Intergroup comparisons and dimensional analyses of all available angiograms were performed. Two surgical techniques, "standard homograft cuff" and "homograft tube," were compared. Results Multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed use of biomaterial other than femoral vein ( P = .01; hazard ratio, 3.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4-6.4), weight less than 2.5 kg at the time of stage 1 ( P = .01; hazard ratio, 3.7; 95% CI, 1.7-7.8), and need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenator support after stage 1 ( P P = .03). With the use of the "homograft cuff technique," survival was similar for femoral vein homografts and other biomaterials (group A [67%] vs group B [61%]; P = .85). Similar neoaortic coarctation rates were seen in both groups (A: 25/59 [42%] vs B: 12/26 [46%]; P = .81). A progressive increase in the diameter of the neoaorta was seen over time in both groups with both technical modifications (tube grafts pre–stage 2 vs pre–stage 3: group A [10.61 mm ± 1.93 vs 13.74 mm ± 3.16] [ P P = .049]); cuff repair pre–stage 2 to pre–stage 3: group A [13.98 mm ± 2.13 vs 19.09 mm ± 4.18] [ P = .002] and group B [16.06 mm ± 3.05 vs 19.73 mm ± 2.93] [ P Conclusions Survivals are improved with the use of femoral vein homograft for neoaortic reconstruction for Norwood stage 1 operation, especially when used as a homograft tube with end-to-side aortic reimplantation. Femoral vein homografts have similar recoarctation rates compared with standard biomaterials. Progressive growth/dilation of the neoaorta in proportion to somatic growth is seen with femoral vein tube grafts.
Demo: Medusa: a programming framework for crowd-sensing applications

The ubiquity of smartphones and their on-board sensing capabilities motivates crowd-sensing, a capability that harnesses the power of crowds to collect sensor data from a large number of mobile phone users. Unlike previous work on wireless sensing, crowd-sensing poses several novel requirements: support for humans-in-the-loop to trigger sensing actions or review results, the need for incentives, as well as privacy and security. Beyond existing crowd-sourcing systems, crowd-sensing exploits sensing and processing capabilities of mobile devices. In this paper, we design and implement Medusa, a novel programming framework for crowd-sensing that satisfies these requirements. Medusa provides high-level abstractions for specifying the steps required to complete a crowd-sensing task, and employs a distributed runtime system that coordinates the execution of these tasks between smartphones and a cluster on the cloud. We have implemented ten crowd-sensing tasks on a prototype of Medusa. We find that Medusa task descriptions are two orders of magnitude smaller than standalone systems required to implement those crowd-sensing tasks, and the runtime has low overhead and is robust to dynamics and resource attacks.
UNIVERSAL RELAXATIONAL DYNAMICS NEAR TWO-DIMENSIONAL QUANTUM CRITICAL POINTS

We describe the nonzero temperature $(T)$, low frequency $(\ensuremath{\omega})$ dynamics of the order parameter near quantum critical points in two spatial dimensions $(d)$, with a special focus on the regime $\ensuremath{\Elzxh}\ensuremath{\omega}\ensuremath{\ll}{k}_{B}T$. For the case of a ``relativistic,'' $\mathrm{O}(n)$-symmetric, bosonic quantum field theory we show that, for small $\ensuremath{\epsilon}=3\ensuremath{-}d$, the dynamics is described by an effective classical model of waves with a quartic interaction. We provide analytical and numerical analyses of the classical wave model directly in $d=2$. We describe the crossover from the finite frequency, ``amplitude fluctuation,'' gapped quasiparticle mode in the quantum paramagnet (or Mott insulator), to the zero frequency ``phase'' $(ng~2)$ or ``domain wall'' $(n=1)$ relaxation mode near the ordered state. For static properties, we show how a surprising, duality-like transformation allows an exact treatment of the strong-coupling limit for all n. For $n=2$, we compute the universal T dependence of the superfluid density below the Kosterlitz-Thouless temperature, and discuss implications for the high temperature superconductors. For $n=3$, our computations of the dynamic structure factor relate to neutron scattering experiments on ${\mathrm{La}}_{1.85}{\mathrm{Sr}}_{0.15}{\mathrm{Cu}\mathrm{}\mathrm{O}}_{4}$, and to light scattering experiments on double layer quantum Hall systems. We expect that closely related effective classical wave models will apply also to other quantum critical points in $d=2$. Although computations in appendixes do rely upon technical results on the $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$-expansion of quantum critical points obtained in earlier papers, the physical discussion in the body of the paper is self-contained, and can be read without consulting these earlier works.
A 1.2-V 15-bit 2.5-MS/s oversampling ADC with reduced integrator swings

A low-voltage oversampling analog-to-digital converter for high-speed, high-resolution applications has been integrated in a 0.25-/spl mu/m CMOS technology. The converter employs a sigma-delta modulator with reduced integrator swing ranges to enable operation from a 1.2-V supply. It achieves a dynamic range of 92 dB for a 1.25-MHz signal band at an oversampling ratio of 16, while dissipating 83 mW.
Relation between biliary glutathione excretion and bile acid-independent bile flow.

Glutathione efflux into bile of the fluorocarbon-perfused isolated rat liver was altered with eight different agents (L-buthionine-[S,R]-sulfoximine, cefamandole, sodium arsenite, phenobarbital, fu...
Thin filament proteins and thin filament-linked regulation of vertebrate muscle contraction.

(1984). Thin Filament Proteins and Thin Filament-Linked Regulation of Vertebrate Muscle Contractio. Critical Reviews in Biochemistry: Vol. 16, No. 3, pp. 235-305.
Structural Changes in the SNARE Protein SNAP&25 by PH and Ionic Strength

The SNARE protein SNAP-25 plays a critical role in neuronal exocytosis by providing 2 of the 4 helical regions (SNARE domains) that form a coiled-coil quaternary structure. SNAP-25B contains four cysteines, one tryptophan, and one tyrosine all found in the linker region. Using Circular Dichroism to measure the secondary structure of SNAP-25B, we observe significant structural changes with pH and ionic strength. Three fundamental structures are observed: alpha helix, random coil, and beta sheet. The alpha helix and random coil have been observed previously, but the beta sheet (which is red-shifted to ∼229nm) is observed at pH5.5 and >75mM salt (NaF). The beta-sheet is reversibly changed into alpha helix at pH9. Using the fluorescent signal from tryptophan and tyrosine, an increase in pH reversibly changes the peak emission with a pK of ∼8.5, similar to the expected pKa for the sulfhydryl of cysteine. Replacing all cysteines with serines prevents this shift. The conformational changes observed above may lead to a change in accessibility of the 4 cysteines in SNAP-25B linker. Consistent with this hypothesis, we observe that decreasing ionic strength varies the number of cysteines accessible for labeling with a Biotin-maleimide tag technique developed in our lab (Woodbury et al., 2011. Anal. Biochem. 417:165-173). These data support the hypothesis that the structure of SNAP-25B is sensitive to ionic strength and pH, which may contribute to modulation of exocytosis in vivo.
Distance Sums on a Sphere and Angle Sums in a Simplex

(1956). Distance Sums on a Sphere and Angle Sums in a Simplex. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 63, No. 2, pp. 91-96.
Women in Mammalogy: The Early Years

The first female mammalogists in the United States were collecting, studying, and even publishing on mammals for more than a quarter of a century prior to the establishment of The American Society of Mammalogists in 1919. Martha Maxwell, whose diorama of Colorado's wildlife became the most talked about exhibit at the nation's Centennial Exhibition in 1876 was the first true practitioner of modern taxidermy. Known to leading biologists of the day, her collections documented fauna of the West even as expansionism was causing it rapidly to disappear. Louise Kellogg was the first American woman to publish scientific papers on mammals. Interested in both fossil and Recent taxa, she and her companion of 40 years, Annie Alexander, explored western North America from Alaska to Baja California. The specimens they collected, and the notes and photographs they assembled, serve as an irreplaceable historical record of the flora and fauna of western North America in the first half of this century. As founder and benefactress of the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Annie Alexander's vision and commitment to the establishment of a research-based museum of natural history in California laid the foundation for a program of research, education, conservation, and collections management that has served as a model for similar museums nationwide. Knowledge about the lives of these extraordinary women provides a context for understanding and appreciating the achievements of all female mammalogists who have succeeded them.
A direct reading frequency measuring set

The principle employed in this equipment is, in the first stage, to heterodyne the signal with a known frequency derived from a source of standard frequency and to indicate a digit which is the first figure in the value of the signal frequency. The beat frequency from the first stage is passed to the second Stage, where it is heterodyned again with a lower standard frequency and the second digit indicated. This process is continued until the final stage is reached. The final stage is a deflectional type of frequency meter which indicates the remaining figures in the signal frequency value.The Paper therefore describes the problems involved in devising a system of the above kind, and their solution so that an unambiguous reading of the signal frequency is obtained, without thought on the part of the operator.
SU-D-209-03: Radiation Dose Reduction Using Real-Time Image Processing in Interventional Radiology

Purpose: To characterize changes in radiation dose after introducing a new real-time image processing technology in interventional radiology systems. Methods: Interventional radiology (IR) procedures are increasingly complex, at times requiring substantial time and radiation dose. The risk of inducing tissue reactions as well as long-term stochastic effects such as radiation-induced cancer is not trivial. To reduce this risk, IR systems are increasingly equipped with dose reduction technologies.Recently, ClarityIQ (Philips Healthcare) technology was installed in our existing neuroradiology IR (NIR) and vascular IR (VIR) suites respectively. ClarityIQ includes real-time image processing that reduces noise/artifacts, enhances images, and sharpens edges while also reducing radiation dose rates. We reviewed 412 NIR (175 pre- and 237 post-ClarityIQ) procedures and 329 VIR (156 preand 173 post-ClarityIQ) procedures performed at our institution pre- and post-ClarityIQ implementation. NIR procedures were primarily classified as interventional or diagnostic. VIR procedures included drain port, drain placement, tube change, mesenteric, and implanted venous procedures. Air Kerma (AK in units of mGy) was documented for all the cases using a commercial radiation exposure management system. Results: When considering all NIR procedures, median AK decreased from 1194 mGy to 561 mGy. When considering all VIR procedures, median AK decreased from 49 to 14 mGy. Both NIR and VIR exhibited a decrease in AK exceeding 50% after ClarityIQ implementation, a statistically significant (p<0.05) difference. Of the 5 most common VIR procedures, all median AK values decreased, but significance (p<0.05) was only reached in venous access (N=53), angio mesenteric (N=41), and drain placement procedures (N=31). Conclusion: ClarityIQ can reduce dose significantly for both NIR and VIR procedures. Image quality was not assessed in conjunction with the dose reduction.
Improved density profile measurements in the C-2U advanced beam-driven Field-Reversed Configuration (FRC) plasmas.

In the prior C-2 experiment, electron density was measured using a two-color 6-chord CO2/HeNe interferometer. Analysis shows that high-frequency common mode phase noise can be reduced by a factor of 3 by constructing a reference chord. In the system upgrade from C-2 to C-2U a 4-chord far-infrared laser interferometer was developed, which demonstrated superior sensitivity (1 × 1016 m−2 at >1 MHz bandwidth) and solved the under spatial sampling issue of the C-2 interferometer system. Improved density-profile measurement results are presented in this paper, including evidence of fast-ion modified density profile and stabilization of the n = 1 plasma wobble mode.
Widespread expression of an exogenous gene in the eye after intravenous administration.

PURPOSE Gene-targeting technology and tissue-specific gene promoters were used to produce widespread expression of an exogenous gene throughout the eye, including the retinal pigmented epithelium, after noninvasive intravenous administration of a nonviral plasmid formulation. METHODS An expression plasmid encoding bacterial beta-galactosidase, under the influence of either the simian virus (SV)40 promoter or the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) gene promoter, was packaged in the interior of 85-nm pegylated immunoliposomes (PIL) targeted to transferrin receptor (TfR)-rich structures with the rat 8D3 monoclonal antibody (mAb) to the mouse TfR. Plasmid DNA was packaged in the 8D3-PIL and injected intravenously into adult female BALB/c mice at a dose of 5 micro g DNA per mouse. The eyes were removed 48 hours later, and frozen sections were prepared for beta-galactosidase histochemistry and rhodopsin, TfR, or GFAP immunocytochemistry. RESULTS There was diffuse expression of the SV40/beta-galactosidase gene in the retinal pigmented epithelium. The cellular specificity of gene expression was influenced by the promoter used in the gene construct, evidenced by the fact that gene expression in the inner retina was induced with the GFAP promoter. The beta-galactosidase gene was also widely expressed in the TfR-rich epithelial structures of the eye, including the ciliary body, the iris, the sebaceous glands of the tarsal plate, and the epithelium of the cornea. When the anti-TfR mAb on the PIL was replaced with the rat IgG isotype control, there was no gene expression in the eye. CONCLUSIONS Widespread expression of an exogenous gene throughout the retina pigmented epithelium or other structures of the eye is possible with a noninvasive intravenous administration of a nonviral plasmid that is reformulated with gene-targeting technology. The cellular specificity of gene expression in the eye can be regulated with the use of cell-specific gene promoters.
It’s Not About the Whales: The Continued Need for Protectionist Environmental Law

Environmental law is altering the understanding and practice of law. Environmental Law is a legal discipline derived from social movements during the 1960s and 1970s, and has progressively received social, political, cultural, and legal acceptance. But its legitimacy is derived from extra-legal evidence. Law experienced a similar shift during the Progressive Era of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Progressive legal scholars promoted the Law and Society Movement, which focused on the concept of "legal realism." Legal realism argued that courts consider legal and non-legal evidence in their decision-making processes. They preferred to base legal arguments on empirical research rather than traditional legal rules and institutions. In his 1881 work The Common Law , legal historian Oliver Wendell Holmes noted that experience should govern the creation and application of law, not solely logic. He argued that one had to be aware of all kinds of non-legal matters to develop a thorough understanding of law. In 1921, Judge Benjamin N. Cardozo’s work The Nature of the Judicial Process continued Holmes’s argument. He added that judges should not solely rely upon legal past precedent, but consider all branches of knowledge, experience, information, and their own intuition. Modern legal realists view law not as a fixed phenomenon, but in a state of constant flux, responding to changing social conditions. 1 Environmental law challenges court justices to not only include procedural law and sociological jurisprudence in their decisions, but also to consider each case as unique and different from all others.
Multicenter, Phase 1, Dose Escalation Study of Hypofractionated Stereotactic Radiation Therapy With Bevacizumab for Recurrent Glioblastoma and Anaplastic Astrocytoma

Purpose To establish the maximum tolerated dose of a 3-fraction hypofractionated stereotactic reirradiation schedule when delivered with concomitant bevacizumab to treat recurrent high-grade gliomas. Methods and Materials Patients with recurrent high-grade glioma with Karnofsky performance status ≥60, history of standard fractionated initial radiation, tumor volume at recurrence ≤40 cm 3 , and absence of brainstem or corpus callosum involvement were eligible. A standard 3+3 phase 1 dose escalation trial design was utilized, with dose-limiting toxicities defined as any grade 3 to 5 toxicities possibly, probably, or definitely related to radiation. Bevacizumab was given at a dose of 10 mg/kg every 2 weeks. Hypofractionated stereotactic reirradiation was initiated after 2 bevacizumab doses, delivered in 3 fractions every other day, starting at 9 Gy per fraction. Results A total of 3 patients were enrolled at the 9 Gy × 3 dose level cohort, 5 in the 10 Gy × 3 cohort, and 7 in the 11 Gy × 3 cohort. One dose-limiting toxicity of grade 3 fatigue and cognitive deterioration possibly related to hypofractionated stereotactic reirradiation was observed in the 11 Gy × 3 cohort, and this dose was declared the maximum tolerated dose in combination with bevacizumab. Although no symptomatic radionecrosis was observed, substantial treatment-related effects and necrosis were observed in resected specimens. The intent-to-treat median overall survival was 13 months. Conclusions Reirradiation using a 3-fraction schedule with bevacizumab support is feasible and reasonably well tolerated. Dose-escalation was possible up to 11 Gy × 3, which achieves a near doubling in the delivered biological equivalent dose to normal brain, in comparison with our previous 6 Gy × 5 schedule. Promising overall survival warrants further investigation.
Protease Cathepsins in Cardiomyopathy: From Mechanism to Intervention

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Risk factors that contribute to the heart disease and cardiac dysfunction include diabetes, obesity, hypertension, high blood cholesterol, smoking, alcohol abuse, sedentary life style, unhealthy diet, family history, and aging. Whereas obesity and uncontrolled hypertension can lead to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; chronic alcohol consumption and diabetes can cause dilated cardiomyopathy, both of which can eventually result in an impaired cardiac function and heart failure. Cathepsins are lysosomal proteases that are capable of degrading proteins. Studies have shown that cathepsins, particularly those that belong to the cysteine protease family exhibit an important role in the development of cardiomyopathy and heart failure, probably by regulating cardiac remodeling. In diabetic cardiomyopathy, cathepsin K, the most potent cathepsin in terms of its collagenolytic and elastolytic properties, regulates calcineurin/NFAT transcriptional signaling critical for cardiac remodeling. Under obese conditions, inhibition of cathepsin K results in cardioprotection. Cathepsins also exhibit potential effects on epigenetics associated with alcoholic cardiomyopathy. Therefore, targeting cathepsins may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for the prevention and/or treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
A CMOS-Compatible Plenoptic Sensor Array for Smart Lighting Applications

Large color gamut LED lighting systems offer increased efficiency, improved human health/productivity, and communications. A plenoptic sensor consisting of offset-grating-coupled waveguides and photodetectors provides full spectral/angular coverage.
Resources and References

The references listed below should be consulted by prospective graduate medical students before choosing a graduate medical program: COTH Directory/Educational Programs and Services This publication lists the particular residency programs that are offered by all U.S. teaching hospitals belonging to the Council of Teaching Hospitals (COTH) as well as the accredited U.S. medical schools with which they are affiliated.
Can strand displacement take place in DNA triplexes

This work studies strand displacement in the context of DNA triplexes. We observed that toehold-mediated strand displacement could proceed in DNA triplexes, but at a much slower rate than in DNA duplexes. In this study, strand displacement was studied with native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) for two molecular systems. While both systems were involved in branch migration in a DNA triplex, the toehold forms either a duplex or a triplex. This study provides a new strategy for sequence-specific strand displacement and it is useful for the construction of dynamic DNA nanostructures and control of smart DNA nanodevices.
Dynamic kinetic resolution of biaryl atropisomers by chiral dialkylaminopyridine catalysts

The acylative dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) of configurationally unstable biaryl atropisomers is achieved by using newly developed chiral dialkylaminopyridine catalysts with fluxional chirality. Various types of biaryl substrates containing phenolic structures were subjected to the DKR to obtain a range of acylated biaryl products with enantiomeric ratios up to 90 : 10.
Respiratory Compliance in Late Preterm Infants (340/7-346/7 Weeks) after Antenatal Steroid Therapy.

Objective To compare respiratory compliance in late preterm infants (340/7-346/7 weeks) who received antenatal steroids vs matched late preterm infants who did not receive antenatal steroids. Study design This was a single-center prospective cohort study. Patients were matched for birth weight, gestational age, race, and sex. Respiratory compliance was the primary outcome measured with the single breath occlusion technique. Results We studied 25 late preterm infants treated with antenatal steroids and 25 matched infants who did not receive antenatal steroids. The treated infants had a significantly increased respiratory compliance/kg (adjusted 95% CI 0.05, 0.49; P = .016) and fewer required continuous positive airway pressure (P = .007) or >24 hours of supplemental oxygen (P = .046). There was no difference in surfactant therapy. Conclusions Respiratory compliance was significantly increased in this cohort of late preterm infants born at 340/7-346/7 weeks who received antenatal steroids compared with matched infants who did not receive antenatal steroids. Although not randomized, these data provide physiologic support for the possible beneficial effects of antenatal steroids in late preterm infants.
Conversion of pregnenolone to progesterone by human endometrium in vitro

Abstract Pregnenolone-4-14C was incubated in vitro with human endometrium. One of the products isolated by reverse isotope dilution and paper chromatographic techniques was shown to be progesterone. It is concluded from this observation that the endometrium possesses a functional 3β-ol-dehydrogenase-isomerase enzymic system.
One Channel At-A-Time Multichannel Autoregressive Modeling of Stationary and Nonstationary Time Series

This paper exploits a known but insufficiently attended to idea for the autogressive modeling of multivariate stationary and nonstationary covariance time series. (The term multichannel is common in the engineering literature. Here, we use both terminologies, multivariate and muItich annel.) The idea is to model multichannel thing s one channel ar-a-time as an instantaneous response-orthogonal innovations autoregressive model. Such modeling can be realized using only scalar computations. That idea was implicit in Pagano (1978) and was explicit in a program MULMAR by Kitagawa (Akaike et al, 1979 ), in Newton (1982) and also Sakai (1982). Each of those papers only treated multichannel stationary time series AR modeling. Here , we exploit that idea to address time series analysis problems via the realization of autoregressive models of botti multi channel stationary and multi channel nonstationary covariance times series data.
Projections of Future Sea Level Contributions from the Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets: Challenges Beyond Dynamical Ice Sheet Modeling

As Earth's climate warms, rising sea levels are becoming a great concern. Providing substantiated and well-informed guidance on the amount and rate of future sea level rise is important, but remains challenging. Observations of the Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets-Earth's largest freshwater reservoirs-reveal their ongoing, rapid, and complex changes in response to an evolving climate. The improved understanding of ice sheet behavior resulting from observations is driving the development of ice sheet models, and is allowing better simulation of past, present, and future ice sheet evolution. However, insight into future changes requires a better understanding of how ice sheets interact with other components of the Earth system and associated feedbacks. As climate models start to include dynamical ice sheet components, our understanding of such interactions and the feedback mechanisms will advance. These new developments in ice sheet modeling and their implementation in climate models are timely, as observations indicate an accelerating contribution of ice sheets to sea level rise.
Saving Problematic Mucosae: SPMs in Intestinal Mucosal Inflammation and Repair

The intestinal mucosa serves as a highly selective barrier that allows the absorption of nutrients and water while restricting microbiota access to tissues. This barrier is compromised in inflammatory conditions such as infectious colitis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In response to mucosal injury, there is a temporal recruitment of leukocytes that crosstalk with epithelial cells to orchestrate repair. Specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) play an important role in the resolution of inflammation and epithelial repair. SPMs actively promote resolution of inflammation by contributing to the clearance of neutrophils, stimulating efferocytosis, and promoting epithelial repair. SPMs have potential to serve as targeted therapeutic agents to be used in adjuvant therapy to promote resolution of inflammation and epithelial repair in chronic inflammatory diseases.
Representation of particle motion in the auditory midbrain of a developing anuran

In bullfrog tadpoles, a "deaf period" of lessened responsiveness to the pressure component of sounds, evident during the end of the late larval period, has been identified in the auditory midbrain. But coding of underwater particle motion in the vestibular medulla remains stable over all of larval development, with no evidence of a "deaf period." Neural coding of particle motion in the auditory midbrain was assessed to determine if a "deaf period" for this mode of stimulation exists in this brain area in spite of its absence from the vestibular medulla. Recording sites throughout the developing laminar and medial principal nuclei show relatively stable thresholds to z-axis particle motion, up until the "deaf period." Thresholds then begin to increase from this point up through the rest of metamorphic climax, and significantly fewer responsive sites can be located. The representation of particle motion in the auditory midbrain is less robust during later compared to earlier larval stages, overlapping with but also extending beyond the restricted "deaf period" for pressure stimulation. The decreased functional representation of particle motion in the auditory midbrain throughout metamorphic climax may reflect ongoing neural reorganization required to mediate the transition from underwater to amphibious life.
Renal biopsy under augmented reality guidance

Kidney biopsies are currently performed using preoperative imaging to identify the lesion of interest and intraoperative imaging used to guide the biopsy needle to the tissue of interest. Often, these are not the same modalities forcing the physician to perform a mental cross-modality fusion of the preoperative and intraoperative scans. This limits the accuracy and reproducibility of the biopsy procedure. In this study, we developed an augmented reality system to display holographic representations of lesions superimposed on a phantom. This system allows the integration of preoperative CT scans with intraoperative ultrasound scans to better determine the lesion's real-time location. An automated deformable registration algorithm was used to increase the accuracy of the holographic lesion locations, and a magnetic tracking system was developed to provide guidance for the biopsy procedure. Our method achieved a targeting accuracy of 2.9 ± 1.5 mm in a renal phantom study.
Evaluation of the Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis (LRINEC) score for detecting necrotizing soft tissue infections in patients with diabetes and lower extremity infection

Abstract Aims The aim of this pilot study was to assess the Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis (LRINEC), a scoring system for Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections, to diagnose Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections of the lower extremity in patients with diabetes. Methods Sixty-nine patients with lower extremity infections were prospectively enrolled. The Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis was calculated and logistic regression was performed for each laboratory value. Results The Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis was associated with Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infection diagnosis in patients with diabetes (p = 0.01). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 100%, 69%, 16.6%, and 100% respectively. Elevated C-reactive protein (OR 1.01, p = 0.02, 95% CI [1.002–1.23]) and white blood cell count (OR 1.34, p Conclusions The Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis was useful as a negative predictor of Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infection while C- reactive protein and white blood cell count may have value as individual predictors. We recommend high clinical suspicion of Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections in diabetics as laboratory evaluation may be non-specific.
A probabilistic gene expression barcode for annotation of cell-types from single cell RNA-seq data

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) quantifies gene expression for individual cells in a sample, which allows distinct cell-type populations to be identified and characterized. An important step in many scRNA-seq analysis pipelines is the annotation of cells into known cell-types. While this can be achieved using experimental techniques, such as fluorescence-activated cell sorting, these approaches are impractical for large numbers of cells. This motivates the development of data-driven cell-type annotation methods. We find limitations with current approaches due to the reliance on known marker genes or from overfitting because of systematic differences between studies or batch effects. Here, we present a statistical approach that leverages public datasets to combine information across thousands of genes, uses a latent variable model to define cell-type-specific barcodes and account for batch effect variation, and probabilistically annotates cell-type identity. The barcoding approach also provides a new way to discover marker genes. Using a range of datasets, including those generated to represent imperfect real-world reference data, we demonstrate that our approach substantially outperforms current reference-based methods, in particular when predicting across studies. Our approach also demonstrates that current approaches based on unsupervised clustering lead to false discoveries related to novel cell-types.
Highly efficient neuronal gene knockout in vivo by CRISPR-Cas9 via neonatal intracerebroventricular injection of AAV in mice

CRISPR-Cas systems have emerged as a powerful tool to generate genetic models for studying normal and diseased central nervous system (CNS). Targeted gene disruption at specific loci has been demonstrated successfully in non-dividing neurons. Despite its simplicity, high specificity and low cost, the efficiency of CRISPR-mediated knockout in vivo can be substantially impacted by many parameters. Here, we used CRISPR-Cas9 to disrupt the neuronal-specific gene, NeuN, and optimized key parameters to achieve effective gene knockout broadly in the CNS in postnatal mice. Three cell lines and two primary neuron cultures were used to validate the disruption of NeuN by single-guide RNAs (sgRNA) harboring distinct spacers and scaffold sequences. This triage identified an optimal sgRNA design with the highest NeuN disruption in in vitro and in vivo systems. To enhance CRISPR efficiency, AAV-PHP.B, a vector with superior neuronal transduction, was used to deliver this sgRNA in Cas9 mice via neonatal intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection. This approach resulted in 99.4% biallelic indels rate in the transduced cells, leading to greater than 70% reduction of total NeuN proteins in the cortex, hippocampus and spinal cord. This work contributes to the optimization of CRISPR-mediated knockout and will be beneficial for fundamental and preclinical research.
Public perceptions of the role of government and nonstate actors in responding to COVID-19

In this article, we examine public perceptions of the importance of different levels of government and of nongovernmental entities in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. By analyzing the case of COVID-19, we illuminate patterns that may be helpful for understanding public perceptions of the response to a broader range of crises, including the impacts of hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires, and other hazards. We contribute to the public policy literature on public perceptions of government response to crises and expand it to include consideration of the role of nonstate actors. Drawing on a representative survey of 1200 registered voters in Texas, we find that individuals are more likely to view government as extremely important to respond to the pandemic than nonstate actors. We find that perceptions of the role of state and nonstate actors are shaped by risk perception, political ideology and religion, gender, and race/ethnicity. We do not find evidence that direct impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic consistently shape perceptions of the role of state and nonstate actors.
Interrelatedness of Adverse Childhood Experiences: Exploring Patterns of Exposure and Impacts on Development in Infancy and Toddlerhood

Introduction: Children living in poverty face a range of parenting and environmental risks (Adverse Childhood Experiences; ACEs) that, in the absence of a nurturing caregiver, can result in toxic stress. Unfortunately, many risks co-occur; increasing the number of ACEs experienced by children. This study examined patterns of co-occurring ACEs at ages one (N = 2,361), two (N = 1,993), and three (N = 2,154). Methods: Participants were enrolled in the U.S. Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project. At enrollment, caregivers were 22.7 years of age (SD = 6) and about half …
Size-resolved spatial distribution analysis of aerosols with or without the utilization of a novel aerosol containment device in dental settings

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has imposed unprecedented occupational challenges for healthcare professionals. In dentistry, handheld instruments such as air and electric handpieces, ultrasonic scalers, and air/water syringes are capable of generating aerosols, droplets, and splatter, thereby exposing dental professionals to airborne contaminants such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi. The objective of the present study was to determine the spatial distribution of aerosols by size (0.30 to 20.00 μm) and the efficacy of a novel aerosol containment device (ACD) in a large operatory room with 12 dental chairs. Real-time portable laser aerosol spectrometers were used to measure the size-resolved number concentration of aerosols generated by a collision nebulizer. Results reported demonstrate that aerosol number concentrations significantly decreased as a function of distance with or without the utilization of the ACD. The ACD was able to efficiently decrease (up to 8.56-fold) the number and size distribution of particles in a large dental clinic. The novel device demonstrated higher efficiency for particles shown to contain the highest levels of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in Chinese hospitals, thereby showing great promise to potentially decrease the spreading of nosocomial pathogens in dental settings.