cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanisms of normal fault development at mid-ocean ridges

[1] Slow spreading ridge segments are characterized not only by small, closely spaced faults that develop near the segment center but also by large, widely spaced faults that develop near the segment ends, typically at the inside corner of a ridge-offset intersection. In this study we investigate the competing effects of stress accumulation in the lithosphere and the yield strength of the lithosphere in controlling the location of normal fault formation and direction of propagation. Seismic velocity models from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in the Oceanographer-Hayes region and 29°N and the East Pacific Rise at 9°N were used to estimate the along-axis change in dynamic Young's modulus. Corresponding thermal and rheologic models were calculated to estimate the along-axis variation in yield strength. We then develop a thin-plate model to calculate the predicted location of fault initiation or reactivation and the subsequent propagation direction for different combinations of linear along-axis gradients in Young's modulus and yield strength. On the basis of this model we define two modes of normal fault development at slow spreading segments: mode C (center) faults, which develop at the segment center and propagate outward, and mode E (end) faults, which develop at the segment ends and propagate inward. Mode C faults are predicted to form at ridges where the along-axis variation in yield strength dominates the along-axis accumulation of stress. Conversely, mode E faults are predicted to develop at ridges where stress accumulation toward segment ends overcomes the high yield strength in these locations. In addition to the accumulation of stress caused by along-axis gradients in Young's modulus, we illustrate that shear stresses resisting relative plate motion along a transform fault will generate higher effective stress at inside corners, possibly concentrating mode E faulting in these locations. At fast spreading ridges, where along-axis gradients in stress and lithospheric strength are relatively small, more uniform patterns of faulting are predicted. The results of this study quantify how the interplay between the along-axis variations in stress state and the mechanical properties of the lithosphere controls the style of fault development at mid-ocean ridge segments.
Query planning with limited source capabilities

In information-integration systems, sources may have diverse and limited query capabilities. We show that because sources have restrictions on retrieving their information, sources not mentioned in a query can contribute to the query result by providing useful bindings. In some cases we can access sources repeatedly to retrieve bindings to answer a query, and query planning thus becomes considerably more challenging. We find all the obtainable answers to a query by translating the query and source descriptions to a simple recursive Datalog program, and evaluating the program on the source relations. This program often accesses sources that are not in the query. Some of these accesses are essential, as they provide bindings that let us query sources, which we could not do otherwise. However, some of these accesses can be proven not to add anything to the query's answer. We show in which cases these off-query accesses are useless, and prove that in these cases we can compute the complete answer to the query by using only the sources in the query. In the cases where off-query accesses are necessary, we propose an algorithm for finding all the useful sources for a query. We thus solve the optimization problem of eliminating the unnecessary source accesses, and optimize the program to answer the query.
Ultrastructural alterations in vestibular and cerebellar nuclei of the ataxic rabbit

Using ultrastructural methods degenrative changes were examined in 16 ataxic (ax/ax) rabbits of The Jackson Laboratory strain. These animals were killed between 4 and 53 days after the onset of symptoms using arterial perfusion of a paraformaldehyde-glutaraldehyde fixative made up in cacodylate buffer. Ten age matched controls were also studied. Alterations were observed in both neuropil and neurones of the involved nuclei, those in neuropil ordinarily remaining more significant throughout. The neuropil involvement focused upon astrocytes and axon terminals, the astrocytes showing both oedematous swelling and glycogen accumulation, the terminals secondary degeneration of acute and chronic types. Over time the coalescence of swollen glial processes leads to the formation of fluid filled extracellular spaces which appear to result from rupture of astrocytic membranes. That, together with the splitting of the lamellae of myelinated axons to form other lacunae, gives to the neuropil a progressively more spongioform appearance. With the disappearance of degenerating boutons, that vacuolation leads ultimately to loss of the glial investitures of the contained neurones. Large and medium-sized nerve cells can become involved in either acute or chronic cell change. Nissl substance may undergo compaction around the nucleus, the cytoplasm becoming quite fibrillar with reduction or loss of organelles. Mitochondrial alteration may be the only marker of an involved element. Cell parts in advanced degeneration are wrapped by processes of scavenger cells and removed. Lysosomes are found in excess in degenerating nerve cells, in astrocytes and in macrophages.
Factors Influencing Ball-Player Impact Probability in Youth Baseball:

BACKGROUND: Altering the weight of baseballs for youth play has been studied out of concern for player safety. Research has shown that decreasing the weight of baseballs may limit the severity of both chronic arm and collision injuries. Unfortunately, reducing the weight of the ball also increases its exit velocity, leaving pitchers and nonpitchers with less time to defend themselves. The purpose of this study was to examine impact probability for pitchers and nonpitchers. HYPOTHESIS: Reducing the available time to respond by 10% (expected from reducing ball weight from 142 g to 113 g) would increase impact probability for pitchers and nonpitchers, and players' mean simple response time would be a primary predictor of impact probability for all participants. DESIGN: Nineteen subjects between the ages of 9 and 13 years performed 3 experiments in a controlled laboratory setting: a simple response time test, an avoidance response time test, and a pitching response time test. METHODS: Each subject performed these tests in order. The simple reaction time test tested the subjects' mean simple response time, the avoidance reaction time test tested the subjects' ability to avoid a simulated batted ball as a fielder, and the pitching reaction time test tested the subjects' ability to avoid a simulated batted ball as a pitcher. RESULTS: Reducing the weight of a standard baseball from 142 g to 113 g led to a less than 5% increase in impact probability for nonpitchers. However, the results indicate that the impact probability for pitchers could increase by more than 25%. CONCLUSION: Pitching may greatly increase the amount of time needed to react and defend oneself from a batted ball. RELEVANCE: Impact injuries to youth baseball players may increase if a 113-g ball is used. Language: en
Timbuktu Under Imperial Songhay: A Reconsideration of Autonomy

Songhay sources compiled in the seventeenth century portray the relationship between Gao, the political capital of the state, and Timbuktu, the religious and commercial centre, as abnormally important. The view is that Timbuktu was not only autonomous, but a source of important political influence over policy decisions at Gao. A consensus of contemporary scholars has embraced this depiction. In contrast, the present study argues that Timbuktu was not autonomous, but that Gao was sucessful in achieving its original objective in capturing the city: financial profit. In addition, the evidence is consistent in outlining the relatively negligible political influence of Timbuktu over Gao. The Timbuktu-centric chronicles are largely responsible for this distortion; it is therefore necessary to approach these sources with even greater caution. It is also desirable to re-examine the roles of other sahelian entrepots during the imperial Songhay period to determine more accurately their relative importance.
Auditory Lateralization of Concrete and Abstract Gujarati Words

Previous research has shown that speech comprehension is a left hemisphere (LH) dominant task for right-handed individuals. Associating hemispheres of the brain with specific tasks helps us relate cognitive function to brain structures. The majority of past research has been conducted using English. The purpose of the present research was to determine if language is lateralized in Gujarati, an Indian language, to the same extent as English. In this experiment, participants were asked to determine if an auditorily presented stimulus was a word or nonword in Gujarati. Each word/nonword was presented randomly to the participant’s right or left ear. Because the auditory cortex is arranged contralaterally, words presented to the right ear are initially processed in the left hemisphere and words presented to the left ear are initially processed in the right hemisphere. Half of the real words were concrete words (e.g., carrot) and half were abstract (e.g., truth). According to Paivio’s dual coding theory, concrete words strongly activate both hemispheres, while abstract words strongly activate only the LH. As a result, I hypothesized that concrete words will be processed the fastest and there should be no difference when they are presented to the right ear (LH) or left ear (RH). In contrast, decision times for abstract words should be faster when presented to the right ear (LH) than the left ear (RH). Both abstract and concrete words should be processed faster than nonwords. While further research must be conducted, the results of this experiment provided much needed information about the processing/lateralization of both English and Gujarati words in the brain.
Abstract 138: Characterizing Depressed Symptoms in Younger Women and Men Who Experienced an Acute Myocardial Infarction: Insights from the VIRGO Study

Background: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of the depressive symptom burden among younger men and women, and to better characterize those experiencing depressive symptoms in the weeks leading up to their AMI. Method: The VIRGO study enrolled 3,572 AMI patients (2:1 ratio for women: men; 67.1% women) between 2008 and 2012 (103 US hospitals, 24 in Spain and 3 in Australia) at their index AMI admission. The PHQ-9 (clinically relevant depressive symptoms = PHQ-9 scores ≥10) was administered to assess patients’ depressive symptoms. Demographic, socio-economic, cardiovascular risk, AMI risk factor, perceived stress (PSS-14), and health status information (Seattle Angina Questionnaire [SAQ], EQ-5D) was obtained through patient interviews during the index hospitalization and medical chart abstraction. Information about history of depression was also documented through interviews. Results: A total of 886 (39%) women experienced clinically relevant depressive symptoms vs. 245 (22%) men (P<0.0001). Overall, about half (n=1141, 48%) of women reported a prior history of depression vs. 1 in 4 in men (n=280, 24%) (P<0.0001). Women had higher rates of somatic depressive symptoms (10% vs. 6% in men), as well as a combination of cognitive and somatic symptoms of depression (23% vs. 11% in men) (P<0.0001). High levels of stress (mean score 32±8 vs. 21±8 for men; 34±8 vs. 23±8 for women on PSS-14) and low quality of life scores (mean SAQ Quality of Life score 50±22 vs. 63±21 for men; 45±25 vs. 61±22 for women) were noted among depressed patients, regardless of their gender (all P-values <0.0001 for depressed vs. non-depressed). In both women and men, depression was more prevalent among patients with a lower socio-economic profile (e.g. lower education, uninsured), among those with cardiovascular risk factors (e.g. diabetes, smoking). As compared with men, women had a 2.28-increased odds of experiencing depressive symptoms. This relationship persisted after adjusting for demographic, socio-economic, cardiovascular and AMI risk factors, and health status (OR=1.64; 95%CI 1.36, 1.98). Conclusions: A high depressive symptom burden and prior history of depression was observed among younger women admitted with AMI. Regardless of gender, depression affected those with a lower socio-economic status and cardiovascular risk factors; it was also accompanied with high levels of stress and worse health status. Targeted interventions and preventive strategies should consider addressing this high burden of depressive symptoms among younger depressed AMI patients.
Abstract 32: Liver-Specific Transgenic Expression of Cholesteryl Ester Hydrolase Reduces Atherosclerosis in LDLR-/- Mice

Liver plays a central role in the final elimination of cholesterol from the body either as bile acids or as free cholesterol (FC) and lipoprotein cholesterol is the major source of total biliary cholesterol. HDL is the major lipoprotein responsible for removal and transport of cholesterol mainly as cholesteryl esters (CE) from the peripheral tissues to the liver. While HDL-FC is rapidly secreted into bile, the fate of HDL-CE remains unclear. We have earlier demonstrated the role of human cholesteryl ester hydrolase (CEH, CES1) in hepatic hydrolysis of HDL-CE and increasing bile acid synthesis, a process dependent on SR-BI expression. In the present study, we examined the hypothesis that by enhancing the elimination of HDL-CE into bile/feces liver-specific transgenic expression of CEH will be anti-atherogenic. Increased CEH expression in the liver led to significant increase in flux of HDL-CE to bile acids. In LDLR-/- background, this enhanced elimination of cholesterol led to attenuation of diet-induced a...
Bladder cancer: Active surveillance for low-grade Ta bladder tumours.

Active surveillance is a safe and cost-effective method to manage patients with recurrent papillary, low-grade, Ta bladder tumours. New long-term data from a large patient cohort confirm previous findings that emphasize the benefits of limiting the number of surgical procedures requiring anaesthesia and hospitalization in these, often elderly, patients.
Sporobolomycetaceae in Kansas.

Isolations of Sporobolomycetaceae in Kansas from air and leaf surfaces yielded four species of Sporobolomyces, S. pararoseus, S. gracilis, S. alborubescens, and S. odorus; two species of Tilletiops...
Major open problems in chaos theory, turbulence and nonlinear dynamics

Nowadays, chaos theory, turbulence and nonlinear dynamics lack research focuses. Here we mention a few major open problems: 1. an eective description of chaos and turbulence (chaos and turbulence engineering), 2. rough dependence on initial data - short term unpredictability (turbulence physics), 3. arrow of time, 4. the paradox of enrichment, 5. the paradox of pesticides, 6. the paradox of plankton.
First-principles Study on He Defects in Metals

In the present work,the first-principles are used to systematically study the He defects in face-centred cubic(fcc),body-centred cubic(bcc) and hexagonal close-packed(hcp) metals.The formation energies of He defects at the tetrahedral,octahedral interstitial positions and the substitutional positions are calculated.The stability of the He defects in fcc,bcc and hcp metals also has been discussed.
Dopamine modulates inwardly rectifying hyperpolarization-activated current (Ih) in cultured rat olfactory receptor neurons.

Vargas, Gricelly and Mary T. Lucero. Dopamine modulates inwardly rectifying hyperpolarization-activated current (I h) in cultured rat olfactory receptor neurons. J. Neurophysiol. 81: 149–158, 1999....
Patterns and Causes of Arctic Plant Community Diversity

Attempts to explain and quantify community diversity have been a major paradigm in the development of modern ecology (e.g. Pielou 1975; MacArthur 1960; Whittaker 1965). Questions of the functional significance of diversity, and indeed whether species diversity alone has any functional significance, are also abundant (e.g. Hurlbert 1971; May 1973; Schulze and Mooney 1993). The taxonomic and genetic diversity within a community, the diversity among communities, and the diversity of communities on a landscape all contribute to regional diversity and are all aspects of community diversity. Genetic and species diversity are the building blocks of communities, and define the set of potential plant communities for a given region, but the plant communities into which these taxonomic and genetic units are organized are the most direct and easily measurable indication of overall ecosystem diversity, becuase they represent the integration of species and landscape. Understanding how the diversity of communities may change following a directional change in climate requires an understanding of the processes that control diversity at different levels.
The Affordances and Constraints of Special Education Initial Teacher Licensure Policy for Teacher Preparation.

Initial licensure polices in special education were examined to determine how these policies support or hinder reform efforts to develop teacher education programs that prepare graduates for the increasingly complex needs of diverse students. Initial special education licensure policies are described with an emphasis on the differences across states on two key options: whether licensure for special education teachers is a stand-alone initial license or whether the state requires a general education license prior to obtaining a second license in special education. As the field grapples with how best to prepare both general and special education teachers who can teach to high standards for students with disabilities, the influence of these options is examined in relation to four contemporary issues facing special education and the trade-offs that accrue when a particular licensure option is adopted.
Cultural differences in parenting styles and their effects on teens' self-esteem, perceived parental relationship satisfaction, and self-satisfaction

It is commonly understood that adolescence can be a time when teens attempt to reconcile their own desires and needs with the wishes of their parents. While some adolescents get through this period of time without many problems, others tend to experience many negative effects. It is possible that the parent’s role in the relationship may play a part in the development of teenager’s self-esteem and self-satisfaction. Cultural values such as the Asian American emphasis on interdependence and family harmony may influence the type of parenting style these parents may choose to adopt. A study was performed with 156 teenagers from central New Jersey to determine the effects of parenting styles on teenagers’ self-esteem and overall satisfaction with their parents and themselves. Results indicated that there were no significant differences between race and authoritative parenting style, however, significant differences were found in that Asian American parents tended to be more authoritarian than their Caucasian counterparts. Furthermore, authoritative parenting was found to be associated with higher self esteem and satisfaction. Findings from the study are discussed in terms of the impact of cultural expectations on adolescents’ satisfaction with self and with their parents.
Separating Acute Stroke from Stroke Mimics in a TeleStroke Network: Differential Patient Characteristics and Exam Findings (P07.241)

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine differences in patient characteristics and initial presentation between those with or without a final diagnosis of a cerebrovascular disease (CVD) event. BACKGROUND: Acute teleneurology has largely focused on acute ischemic stroke (AIS) management (“TeleStroke”), but many patients referred for consultation have other non-stroke diagnoses, we highlight the differences between the two cohorts. DESIGN/METHODS: We analyzed 2764 TeleStroke consultations from 2008-2011 from any of the 30 New England (MA, NH, ME) spokes in our Partners TeleStroke Network. Of these, 2137 (77.3%) were diagnosed with CVD. Baseline characteristics between the two groups were compared with univariate and multivariable models. RESULTS: Among CVD cases, most were AIS (74.1%), followed by subacute ischemic stroke (13.3%), TIA (9.7 %) and hemorrhagic stroke (2.9%). In the non-CVD group, there were many diagnoses with the most common being seizure (16.2%) and migraine (16.0%). Compared to the CVD group, the non-CVD group were lower in mean age (56.5 vs. 67.8; p CONCLUSIONS: As TeleStroke consultation expands, increasing numbers of non-CVD patients are being evaluated. These patients differ substantially from their CVD counterparts in their vascular risk profiles, and decision-support tools based on predictive models may help highlight these differences during these complex, time-critical evaluations. Disclosure: Dr. Ali has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cohen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Viswanathan has received personal compensation for activities with Athena Diagnostics. Dr. Feske has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rost has received personal compensation for activities with Genzyme Corporation. Dr. Rost has received research support from Genzyme Corporation. Dr. Silverman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Anderson has received personal compensation for activities with Paolini & Haley, LLP as a consultant. Dr. schwamm has received personal compensation for activities with CoAxia Inc.,Lundbeck DIAS 4 Intl., RTI Health and Medtronic as advisory board and steering committee. Dr. Schwamm has received research support from Alteplase.
CrowdDQS: Dynamic Question Selection in Crowdsourcing Systems

In this paper, we present CrowdDQS, a system that uses the most recent set of crowdsourced voting evidence to dynamically issue questions to workers on Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT). CrowdDQS posts all questions to AMT in a single batch, but delays the decision of the exact question to issue a worker until the last moment, concentrating votes on uncertain questions to maximize accuracy. Unlike previous works, CrowdDQS also (1) optionally can decide when it is more beneficial to issue gold standard questions with known answers than to solicit new votes (both can help us estimate worker accuracy, but gold standard questions provide a less noisy estimate of worker accuracy at the expense of not obtaining new votes), (2) estimates worker accuracies in real-time even with limited evidence (with or without gold standard questions), and (3) infers the distribution of worker skill levels to actively block poor workers. We deploy our system live on AMT to over 1000 crowdworkers, and find that CrowdDQS can accurately answer questions using up to 6x fewer votes than standard approaches. We also find there are many non-obvious practical challenges involved in deploying such a system seamlessly to crowdworkers, and discuss techniques to overcome these challenges.
Discontinuous Galerkin Methods for Relativistic Vlasov–Maxwell System

The relativistic Vlasov–Maxwell (RVM) system is a kinetic model that describes the dynamics of plasma when the charged particles move in the relativistic regime and their collisions are not important. In this paper, we formulate and investigate discontinuous Galerkin (DG) methods to solve the RVM system. When standard piecewise polynomial functions are used to define trial and test spaces, the methods conserve mass as expected. However the energy conservation does not hold due to the specific form of the total energy of the system. In order to obtain provable mass and energy conservation, we take advantage of the flexibility of DG discretizations and enrich the discrete spaces with some non-polynomial function. For the semi-discrete DG methods with standard and enriched spaces, stability and error estimates are established together with their properties in conservation. In actual implementation with the enriched space, special care is needed to reduce the loss of significance for better numerical stability. Numerical experiments, including streaming Weibel instability and wakefield acceleration, are presented to demonstrate the performance of the methods. Positivity-preserving limiter is also used in simulating wakefield acceleration to obtain physically more relevant solutions.
Editorial on "Long-term clinical outcomes of cervical disc arthroplasty: a prospective, randomized, controlled trial" by Sasso et al.

In the paper entitled “Long-term clinical outcomes of cervical disc arthroplasty: a prospective, randomized, controlled trial”, Sasso et al . present seven and ten-year single center data from patients enrolled in the initial FDA Investigational Device Exemption trial of the BRYAN ® cervical arthroplasty device. The authors should be commended on the quality of their investigation, as prospective randomized trials with such long term followup are a rarity in spine surgery.
A Review of Scleral Flap Shape on Trabeculectomy Outcomes

Introduction : Trabeculectomies are amongst the most common surgical procedures to lower intraocular pressure (IOP). Scleral flap dimensions are a key factor in influencing aqueous outflow and subsequent IOP reduction, especially in the early postoperative period. Despite the substantial diversity of scleral flap shapes that is used in practice, there is little information comparing outcomes between them. In this study, we review the literature on the uses and outcomes of various scleral flap shapes. Methods: A literature review was performed using the databases: MEDLINE, SCOPUS, and Web of Science. Search terms for relevant studies included the following: trabeculectomy AND (square OR triang* OR rectang* OR polygon* OR arc OR shape) AND flap. Results: Our initial literature search revealed 71 unique articles, six of which met our inclusion and exclusion criteria and were reviewed. Four articles reported the use of triangular flaps, one rectangular flap, one square flap, and two arc-shaped flaps. The data from each article were reviewed for the following: Surgical technique Early postoperative intraocular pressure reduction Final postoperative intraocular pressure reduction Postoperative complications Conclusions: A myriad of scleral flap shapes is utilized in surgical practice. Essentially all of the trabeculectomy procedures, regardless of scleral flap shape, achieved substantial reductions in IOP with similar success rates. However, due to the variability in surgical technique and lack of direct comparison, we cannot definitively conclude or deny that one flap shape is superior to another. We believe our review provides the most comprehensive analysis of scleral flap shape to date and highlights its importance in regulating aqueous flow, especially in the early postoperative period.
Oral Multimodal Analgesia for Total Joint Arthroplasty.

Abstract Background Oral multimodal analgesia for hip and knee arthroplasty is increasingly used as part of enhanced recovery protocols designed to minimize early postoperative pain and to facilitate early discharge, while minimizing undesirable side effects related to single-agent opioid administration. Methods This article is a review of previously published data evaluating the use of various oral medications in the management of postoperative pain after lower extremity arthroplasty and was presented as part of a symposium at the November 2016 AAHKS Annual Meeting. Results Multimodal analgesia has been shown to reduce opioid consumption and side effects, with a positive effect on both early and longer term outcomes for hip and knee arthroplasty patients. Medications directed at multiple points on the pain cascade minimize pain by different mechanisms. Suggested dosing regimens are proposed. Conclusion Oral multimodal analgesia incorporating a combination of opioid and nonopioid analgesics, selective and nonselective anti-inflammatory drugs, acetaminophen, and gabapentinoids are recommended as a part of a pre-emptive approach to pain management in patients undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty. Reduction of opioid consumption and minimization of side effects are primary outcomes, and prevention of chronic pain can positively affect long-term results.
Vanadium, niobium and tantalum by XPS

We present high-resolution XPS spectra of elemental vanadium, niobium and tantalum sputter-cleaned by Ar^+ ions. The energy scales are shown without applying any corrections, and the position of the Fermi level was verified to be at zero binding energy within better than 0.1 eV, as determined from the Fermi edge measurement.
e-Social Influence and Customers’ Behavioral Intentions on a Bed and Breakfast Website

ABSTRACTThe ubiquitous presence of bed and breakfast (b&b) establishments on social media provides prospective customers with a plethora of information when making lodging choices. To understand cu...
Content-Aware Cognitive Interference Control for Urban IoT Systems

A novel cognitive interference control framework for heterogeneous local access networks supporting computing and data processing in urban Internet of Things (IoT) systems is presented. The notion of cognitive content-aware interference control is introduced, where the transmission pattern of cognitive nodes is dynamically adapted to the state of “protected” IoT data streams. The state describes the performance degradation that interference would cause to algorithms processing the data if the cognitive nodes chose to transmit in the corresponding time period. The framework is instantiated for a case-study scenario, where device-to-device (D2D) and long-term evolution communications coexist on the same channel resource. A city-monitoring application is considered, where the state captures the type of frames within a multimedia video stream processed at the edge of the network to detect and track objects. Numerical results show that the proposed cognitive transmission strategy enables a significant throughput increase of local D2D communications for a target accuracy of the monitoring application.
Piezo1 is a mechanically activated ion channel and mediates pressure induced pancreatitis

Merely touching the pancreas can lead to premature zymogen activation and pancreatitis but the mechanism is not completely understood. Here we demonstrate that pancreatic acinar cells express the mechanoreceptor Piezo1 and application of pressure within the gland produces pancreatitis. To determine if this effect is through Piezo1 activation, we induce pancreatitis by intrapancreatic duct instillation of the Piezo1 agonist Yoda1. Pancreatitis induced by pressure within the gland is prevented by a Piezo1 antagonist. In pancreatic acinar cells, Yoda1 stimulates calcium influx and induces calcium-dependent pancreatic injury. Finally, selective acinar cell-specific genetic deletion of Piezo1 protects mice against pressure-induced pancreatitis. Thus, activation of Piezo1 in pancreatic acinar cells is a mechanism for pancreatitis and may explain why pancreatitis develops following pressure on the gland as in abdominal trauma, pancreatic duct obstruction, pancreatography, or pancreatic surgery. Piezo1 blockade may prevent pancreatitis when manipulation of the gland is anticipated.
T cell-directed IL-17 production by lung granular γδ T cells is coordinated by a novel IL-2 and IL-1β circuit

Immune-mediated lung is considered the result of an exacerbated innate injury immune response, although a role for adaptive lymphocytes is emerging. αβ T cells specific for S. aureus enterotoxin A orchestrate a Tγδ17 response during lung injury. However, the mechanism driving IL-17 production is unclear. Here, we show a role for IL-2 triggering IL-17 production by lung granular γδ T cells as IL-17 synthesis and neutrophil recruitment was reduced by IL-2 blocking mAbs in vitro and in vivo. Mass cytometry analysis revealed that lung γδ T cells responded directly to IL-2 as evident from STAT5 phosphorylation and RoRγt expression. IL-2 receptor blocking mAbs and JAK inhibition impaired STAT5 phosphorylation and IL-17 release. Moreover, inhalation of S. aureus enterotoxin A induced IL-2 secretion and caspase-1-dependent IL-1β activation to drive IL-17 production. This T-cell-mediated inflammasome-dependent IL-17 response is maximum when lung Tγδ17 cells were sequentially stimulated first with IL-2 then IL-1β. Interestingly, when IL-2 is given therapeutically to cancer patients it carries a known risk of lung injury that is largely indistinguishable from that seen in sepsis. Hence, this novel mechanism reveals therapeutic targets treating both acute lung injury and high-dose IL-2 toxicity in cancer.
‘Lost Opportunities’: The African National Congress of South Africa (ANC-SA)’s Evolving Relationship with the Black Consciousness Movement (BCM) in Exile, 1970–1979

An under-researched dimension of the exile politics of the African National Congress of South Africa (ANC-SA) revolves around how they reacted to the rising Black Consciousness Movement (BCM) durin...
Multifunctional Nanoparticles for Target-Specific Imaging and Therapy

Since the early 2000s, we have witnessed an explosive growth in the development, preclinical application, and funding opportunities of nanoparticle research in biomedicine. One of the latest advances in nanoparticle development for biomedical purposes includes multifunctionality. This may apply to different features, including the functionalization to enhance specificity, the integration of multiple drugs, and the inclusion of imaging labels. Combinations of inorganic, polymeric, and natural materials to create hybrid nanoparticles are also possible. The complexity of such nanoparticle platforms increases with the number of materials and functionalities added. In this chapter, we review the latest developments in the design and application of multifunctional hybrid nanoparticles.
Human α 1 -Antitrypsin Phenotypes

For the last several years there has been an increasing interest in the human serum protein α1 -antitrypsin (α1 A) and its deficiency. About 20 years ago this protein was described by Schultze and his group at the Behringwerke in Marburg [1] and it is 10 years since an inherited deficiency was first recorded by Laurell and Eriksson [2].
RNA-seq and flow-cytometry of conventional, scalp, and palmoplantar psoriasis reveal shared and distinct molecular pathways

It has long been recognized that anatomic location is an important feature for defining distinct subtypes of plaque psoriasis. However, little is known about the molecular differences between scalp, palmoplantar, and conventional plaque psoriasis. To investigate the molecular heterogeneity of these psoriasis subtypes, we performed RNA-seq and flow cytometry on skin samples from individuals with scalp, palmoplantar, and conventional plaque psoriasis, along with samples from healthy control patients. We performed differential expression analysis and network analysis using weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA). Our analysis revealed a core set of 763 differentially expressed genes common to all sub-types of psoriasis. In contrast, we identified 605, 632, and 262 genes uniquely differentially expressed in conventional, scalp, and palmoplantar psoriasis, respectively. WGCNA and pathway analysis revealed biological processes for the core genes as well as subtype-specific genes. Flow cytometry analysis revealed a shared increase in the percentage of CD4+ T regulatory cells in all psoriasis subtypes relative to controls, whereas distinct psoriasis subtypes displayed differences in IL-17A, IFN-gamma, and IL-22 production. This work reveals the molecular heterogeneity of plaque psoriasis and identifies subtype-specific signaling pathways that will aid in the development of therapy that is appropriate for each subtype of plaque psoriasis.
Applying Time Delay Procedure to the Instruction of the Severely Handicapped

Research is reviewed that employs delay procedures with the severely handicapped as a means of shifting stimulus control. The parameters of delay procedures are delineated, including prerequisite s...
A Privacy Negotiation Mechanism for the Internet of Things

This paper presents a new privacy negotiation mechanism for an IoT environment that is both efficient and practical to cope with the IoT special need of seamlessness. This mechanism allows IoT users to express and enforce their personal privacy preferences in a seamless manner while interacting with IoT deployments. In addition, the proposed mechanism satisfies the privacy requirements of the IoT deployment owner. Finally, the proposed privacy mechanism is agnostic to the actual IoT architecture and can be used over a user-managed, edge-managed or a cloud-managed IoT architecture. Prototypes of the proposed mechanism have been implemented for each of these three architectures, and the results show the capability of the protocol to negotiate privacy while adding insignificant time overhead.
An Economic Covariance Model of Stock-Bond Dynamics

The price of equity equals the risk-adjusted present discounted value of cash-ﬂows. Discount factors depend upon the short rate process. As such, a link exists between bond and equity returns. This link implies a relationship between volatilities and the stock-bond correlation. I show that the stock-bond correlation increases in interest rate volatility and decreases in cash-ﬂow volatility. These results qualitatively explain the historical variation in the stock-bond correlation including the mysterious sign change around the turn of the century. I take the aforementioned insights and marry them with the multivariate volatility modeling literature to produce an economic covariance model of stock-bond dynamics. The resulting model possesses the empirical quality of an econometric model and the economic content of an asset pricing model. This empirical model outperforms a GJR-DCC model. I provide both in-sample and out-of-sample results. I also show that the results hold for individual stocks.
ROS promote epigenetic remodeling and cardiac dysfunction in offspring following maternal engineered nanomaterial (ENM) exposure

Nano-titanium dioxide (nano-TiO2) is amongst the most widely utilized engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). However, little is known regarding the consequences maternal ENM inhalation exposure has on growing progeny during gestation. ENM inhalation exposure has been reported to decrease mitochondrial bioenergetics and cardiac function, though the mechanisms responsible are poorly understood. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are increased as a result of ENM inhalation exposure, but it is unclear whether they impact fetal reprogramming. The purpose of this study was to determine whether maternal ENM inhalation exposure influences progeny cardiac development and epigenomic remodeling. Pregnant FVB dams were exposed to nano-TiO2 aerosols with a mass concentration of 12.09 ± 0.26 mg/m3 starting at gestational day five (GD 5), for 6 h over 6 non-consecutive days. Aerosol size distribution measurements indicated an aerodynamic count median diameter (CMD) of 156 nm with a geometric standard deviation (GSD) of 1.70. Echocardiographic imaging was used to assess cardiac function in maternal, fetal (GD 15), and young adult (11 weeks) animals. Electron transport chain (ETC) complex activities, mitochondrial size, complexity, and respiration were evaluated, along with 5-methylcytosine, Dnmt1 protein expression, and Hif1α activity. Cardiac functional analyses revealed a 43% increase in left ventricular mass and 25% decrease in cardiac output (fetal), with an 18% decrease in fractional shortening (young adult). In fetal pups, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels were significantly increased (~ 10 fold) with a subsequent decrease in expression of the antioxidant enzyme, phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (GPx4). ETC complex activity IV was decreased by 68 and 46% in fetal and young adult cardiac mitochondria, respectively. DNA methylation was significantly increased in fetal pups following exposure, along with increased Hif1α activity and Dnmt1 protein expression. Mitochondrial ultrastructure, including increased size, was observed at both fetal and young adult stages following maternal exposure. Maternal inhalation exposure to nano-TiO2 results in adverse effects on cardiac function that are associated with increased H2O2 levels and dysregulation of the Hif1α/Dnmt1 regulatory axis in fetal offspring. Our findings suggest a distinct interplay between ROS and epigenetic remodeling that leads to sustained cardiac contractile dysfunction in growing and young adult offspring following maternal ENM inhalation exposure.
Lai-Net: Local-Ancestry Inference with Neural Networks

Local-ancestry inference (LAI), also referred to as ancestry deconvolution, provides high-resolution ancestry estimation along the human genome. In both research and industry, LAI is emerging as a critical step in DNA sequence analysis with applications extending from polygenic risk scores (used to predict traits in embryos and disease risk in adults) to genome-wide association studies, and from pharmacogenomics to inference of human population history. While many LAI methods have been developed, advances in computing hardware (GPUs) combined with machine learning techniques, such as neural networks, are enabling the development of new methods that are fast, robust and easily shared and stored. In this paper we develop the first neural network based LAI method, named LAI-Net, providing competitive accuracy with state-of-the-art methods and robustness to missing or noisy data, while having a small number of layers.
Laboratory analysis of prevalence of Roxavirus infectious Diarrhea in Fengtai District of Beijing during November 2013

Objective Analysis the prevalence of rotavirus and norovirus in non-bacterial infectious diarrhea occurred in Fentai district of Beijing during November 2013 and character the rotavirus detected in these samples.Methods Forty-seven stool specimens were collected randomly from outpatients and 30 environment samples from consulting room of hopitals.Rotavirus and norovirus were screened by real-time RT-PCR.For those rotavirus positive samples,the VP4 and VP7 gene were amplified by RT-PCR.Sequence analysis of Vp7 and Vp4 gene was performed by using the software Mega 4.0.Results Thirty-seven cases had rotavirus infection with the same G9P [8] a serotypes.Only 2 cases were identified to have norovirus infection except 5 were rotavirus and norovirus coinfection.Rotavirus was found from 7 environment samples.Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that VP7 genes in this study were highly homologous with that circulated in Beijing during 2010-2012.Conclusions The results indicated that rotavirus G9P [8] a was a major pathogen of this high incidence acute diarrhea.It is necessary to strengthen the surveillance of G9P[8] a in China. Key words: Rotavirus ; Sequence analysis
Investigation and analysis on monitoring results in clean operating rooms of some hospitals in Huizhou City in 2013

Objective To analyze the differences of the hospital clean operating room in the two levels of City and District in Huizhou City.To promote and improve the comprehensive ability and management level of clean operating room in the medical institutions.In order to achieve the purpose of decreasing and control the nosocomial infection.Methods According to Hospital clean operation Department building technical specifications GB 50333 -2002,32 clean operations in 6 hospitals in Huizhou were chosen randomly (including 2 municipal hospitals and 4 country hospitals) as the sample to detect particle concentration (≥ 0.5 μ m),settling bacteria number,surface bacteria number of instruments.Settling bacteria number was detect in different stage of operations to evaluate the ability of controlling bacteria amount in all chosen operation rooms.The disparity of clean condition was evaluated by statistical analysis.Results The qualified rate reached 80％ in all chosen operation rooms and didn't reveal significant difference (P ＞ 0.05) in Ⅰ-Ⅲ operation rooms of country hospitals and municipal hospitals.Qualified rate and population mean of static particle concentration detection and dynamic bacteria amount detection showed significant difference in Ⅳ operation rooms of two tevel hospitals.Conclusions In hospitals of Huizhou,Ⅰ-Ⅲ operation rooms achieved fine qualified rate while some deficiency existed in individual hospitals.In terms of the controlling of bacteria amount and particle concentration,Ⅳ operation rooms in country hospitals,which needed improvement,were not so effective as those in municipal hospitals. Key words: Clean operation rooms; Static detection; Dynamic detection
An Anatomic Feasibility Study for Revascularization of the Ophthalmic Artery, Part I: Intracanalicular Segment.

Background The anatomico-functional complexity of the ophthalmic segment aneurysms is attributable to the presence of critical neurovascular structures in the surgical field. Surgical clipping of the ophthalmic artery (OpA) aneurysms can result in postoperative visual deficit due to the complexity of the aneurysm, vasospasm, or optic nerve manipulation. In this study, we aimed to characterize the feasibility of an intracanalicular OpA (iOpA) revascularization with 2 donor vessels: an intracranial-intracranial (IC-IC) bypass using the anterior temporal artery (ATA) and an extracranial-intracranial (EC-IC) bypass using the superficial temporal artery (STA). We further discuss their potential role in “unclippable” OpA aneurysms. Methods Twenty cadaveric specimens were used to evaluate the operative exposure of the intradural and intracanalicular OpA segments using an extradural-intradural intracanalicular approach. The arterial caliber and length at the anastomotic sites and required donor artery lengths were measured. The feasibility of the bypass using both donors was assessed. Results The average length of the intradural and intracanalicular segment of the OpA was 9.5 ± 1.6 mm. The mean caliber of the iOpA was 1.5 ± 0.2 mm. The mean ATA length required for an ATA-OpA anastomosis was 26.7 ± 8.9 mm, with a mean caliber of 1.0 ± 0.1 mm. The mean length of STA required for the bypass was 89.9 ± 9.7 mm, with a mean caliber of 1.92 ± 0.4 mm. Conclusions This study confirms the feasibility of iOpA revascularization using IC-IC and EC-IC bypasses. These techniques could potentially be used for prophylactic or therapeutic neuroprotection from retinal ischemic injury while treating complex OpA aneurysms, infiltrative tumors, or intraoperative arterial injuries.
Call for Special Issue on Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity in Rural Schools and Communities: Resistance in Rural Education

In this special issue of TPRE, we aim to highlight research, teaching, and curriculum that operates as resistance to neoliberal and oppressive educational policy and practice by inquiring into issues of social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion in rural education.
Young scholars benefit from collaboration.

Suhas Eswarappa Prameela, K. T. Ramesh and Tim Weihs highlight how students and postdocs can develop their competencies and skills during research collaboration.