cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Function of catalysts in hydrothermal cracking of heavy oil

Five catalysts were prepared from nickel ores and optimal catalyst was screened out.Catalytic activity of the catalyst for hydrothermal cracking of heavy oil was studied,especially influence of reaction temperature and catalyst loadings on viscosity and average molecular weight of the treated heavy oil.The results show that Liaohe heavy oil can undergo aquathermolysis in steam injection process.The results showed that hydrothermal cracking occurred while injecting steam,and the catalyst had catalytic activity for hydrothermal cracking of heavy oil at higher temperature;viscosity and average molecular weight of heavy oil was thus lowered.The results provided theoretical basis for down-hole catalytic upgrading of heavy oil.
Maximizing safe resection of low- and high-grade glioma

Surgical resection plays a central role in the management of gliomas. In this study, we review the evidence in support of extent of resection to improve survival, symptom management, and time to malignant transformation in low- and high-grade gliomas, and summarize the findings from our literature search regarding the role of extent of resection and intraoperative practices to maximize safety. There is a growing body of evidence supporting improved overall survival, improved progression-free survival, and superior quality of life with greater extent of resection. Additionally, a better understanding of central nervous system plasticity allows for a staged approach to the surgical management of low- and intermediate-grade gliomas. A number of intraoperative techniques have been utilized to offer safer glioma surgery with greater extent of resection. Approaches such as awake brain tumor surgery can be safely performed with low failure rates and excellent long-term functional outcomes.
Medical hypophysectomy: II. Variability of ovarian response to gonadotropin therapy

In an attempt to control individual variability of ovarian response to gonadotropin therapy, ovulatory monkeys received either "pure" follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) or human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG), with or without gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist administration. Among females that responded to gonadotropin therapy, the GnRH antagonist reduced ( P
Sine-wave electrical stimulation initiates a voltage-gated potassium channel-dependent soft tissue response characterized by induction of hemocyte recruitment and collagen deposition.

Soft tissue repair is a complex process that requires specific communication between multiple cell types to orchestrate effective restoration of physiological functions. Macrophages play a critical role in this wound healing process beginning at the onset of tissue injury. Understanding the signaling mechanisms involved in macrophage recruitment to the wound site is an essential step for developing more effective clinical therapies. Macrophages are known to respond to electrical fields, but the underlying cellular mechanisms mediating this response is unknown. This study demonstrated that low-amplitude sine-wave electrical stimulation (ES) initiates a soft tissue response in the absence of injury in Procambarus clarkii This cellular response was characterized by recruitment of macrophage-like hemocytes to the stimulation site indicated by increased hemocyte density at the site. ES also increased tissue collagen deposition compared to sham treatment (P < 0.05). Voltage-gated potassium (KV) channel inhibition with either 4-aminopyridine or astemizole decreased both hemocyte recruitment and collagen deposition compared to saline infusion (P < 0.05), whereas inhibition of calcium-permeable channels with ruthenium red did not affect either response to ES Thus, macrophage-like hemocytes in P. clarkii elicit a wound-like response to exogenous ES and this is accompanied by collagen deposition. This response is mediated by KV channels but independent of Ca(2+) channels. We propose a significant role for KV channels that extends beyond facilitating Ca(2+) transport via regulation of cellular membrane potentials during ES of soft tissue.
Economic Concepts: The Delicate Balance between Realism and Romance

Revolutionary socialist governments ordinarily face a delicate choice. How much of the previous superstructure is valid and indeed necessary for the functioning of the post-revolutionary economy, and how much must be dropped or added to so as to differentiate the new order from the old? In this connection, the Soviet experience in attempting to combine various elements of realism and romanticism may be illustrative, although similar choices have no doubt occurred in other non-capitalist countries since the Second World War.1 As a contemporary Soviet writer citing the realistic Lenin puts it, The Soviet state has, since the October Revolution, traversed a complex road of economic development. Basing itself upon objective laws, it has made use, in its work, of a number of old methods and forms inherited from capitalism, such as trade, a government budget, taxes, and also of such major economic categories as price and pricing. Here, as in all its historical creations, the proletariat takes its weapons from capitalism; it does not ‘invent’, does not ‘create out of nothing’.2
Disorders of Calcium Metabolism and Bone

Calcium is essential for skeletal integrity and plays an essential role in the function of all of the living cells of the body. The intracellular and intravascular concentration of calcium in blood is maintained within a narrow range. Increases or decreases in serum and intracellular calcium concentrations may be caused by a wide range of etiologies and can lead to profound changes in organ function.
Why might the rich be indifferent to income growth of their own countries

Abstract The paper shows using empirical evidence from more than 100 countries’ household surveys, that income gains that the rich can realize through a more unequal distribution are often much larger than the realistic gains from a distribution-neutral growth. The rich are thus more likely to support policies that increase inequality than be concerned about income growth of their countries.
Synergistic vulnerabilities: climate variability and fire management policy increase farming challenges in southeastern Mexico

Agricultural fire for land preparation is central in the livelihoods of subsistence farmers practicing shifting cultivation. Achieving a good agricultural burn, one in which the biomass is thoroughly consumed within the chosen area, depends on specific weather conditions. Fire use decisions are also shaped by institutions that define the timing and rules for fire use but also constrain the alternatives and shape adaptive capacities. Global and regional climate changes interact with the institutional framing of fire management affecting local fire use and burn outcomes. These effects are documented and analyzed to suggest adaptations to existing governance systems. We examined subsistence farmers’ socio-ecological vulnerability in the Calakmul municipality, located in southeastern Mexico. Using interviews with farmers and government agents, as well as participatory mapping and observation of agricultural burns, we studied fire management knowledge, practices and burn outcomes. Our results describe a continuum of burn outcomes covering good agricultural burns, uncontrolled burns leading to wildfires and “malquemados” literally poorly burned areas. Malquemados represent unsuccessful combustion associated with excess moisture that results in scorched vegetation. We discuss how unexpected early rains trigger effects that cascade through space and the ecological, economic and cultural domains. We argue that fire management has been historically approached from a conservation standpoint yet agricultural fire use and wildfire prevention should also be addressed from a rural development perspective. This shift in fire management would lead to the proper inclusion of the entire array of burn outcomes in studies and policies addressing farmers’ vulnerability amplified by synergistic effects between climate variability and institutional change.
Recent advancements in combination subunit vaccine development

Viral structural proteins share a common nature of homotypic interactions that drive viral capsid formation. This natural process has been mimicked in vitro through recombinant technology to generate various virus-like particles (VLPs) and small subviral particles that exhibit similar structural and antigenic properties of their authentic viruses. Therefore, such self-assembled, polyvalent, and highly immunogenic VLPs and small subviral particles are excellent subunit vaccines against individual viruses, such as the VLP vaccines against the hepatitis B virus, human papilloma virus, and hepatitis E virus, which have already been in the markets. In addition, various antigens and epitopes can be fused with VLPs, small subviral particles, or protein polymers, forming chimeric mono-, bi-, or trivalent vaccines. Owing to their easy-production, un-infectiousness, and polyvalence, the recombinant, chimeric vaccines offer a new approach for development of safe, low-cost, and high efficient subunit vaccines against a single or more pathogens or diseases. While the first VLP-based combination vaccine against malaria has been approved for human use, many others are under development with promising future, which are summarized in this commentary.
Statistical models of nearly complete elastic rough surface contact-comparison with numerical solutions

Extensive studies exist on the limiting case of the contact of homogeneous, isotropic, elastic nominally flat rough surfaces in which the real area of contact is relatively small in comparison to the nominal contact area, e.g., Greenwood–Williamson (GW) model. Another limiting case, where the real area of contact is nearly the same as the nominal contact area, has received much less attention. This case is referred to as nearly complete contact. In a recent paper, Xu et al. [32] developed a statistical approach under the framework of GW model to simulate the nearly complete contact. Non-contact area consists of numerous non-contact regions. Each non-contact area is treated as a mode-I crack. The distribution of the non-contact regions is equivalent to that of the asperities of the “pressure surface” (the geometry of the pressure distribution when complete contact occurs) and can be quantified statistically by Nayak's random theory if two mating surfaces are Gaussian. Three statistical models, namely (i) the modified Greenwood–Williamson (GW) model, (ii) the modified Nayak–Bush model and (iii) the modified Greenwood model, are developed. In the current paper, the non-contact ratio and the average interfacial gap predicted by the above three statistical models, together with the Persson model, are compared with the deterministic numerical model within the range of the nearly complete contact. A new algorithm is developed to generate the rough surfaces which are isotropic, Gaussian and fractal. Four different surface groups are generated with 1000 realizations in each. The probability density functions of the rough surfaces and the corresponding “pressure surfaces” are compared with Nayak's random theory. A discussion addresses the following: (1) which numerical deterministic model should be used and (2) which methodology should be utilized to calculate the inputs for the statistical model and the Persson model. The differences between the statistical models, the Persson model and the numerical model at nearly complete contact are explored.
A First Timer's View of IFLA WLIC 2016

ABSTRACTKathryn McNamara attended the 2016 World Library and Information Congress as an IFLA National Committee Fellow. This first-person account shares her experiences at the conference.
Role of Carbon Monoxide in Catalyst Reconstruction for CO Hydrogenation: First-Principles Study of the Composition, Structure, and Stability of Cu/Co(101̅2) as a Function of CO Pressure

CoCu-based catalysts are promising candidates for the large-scale application of CO hydrogenation to higher alcohols with varying hydrocarbon chain length. To mimic the Co@Cu core–shell structure of nanosized CoCu particles, we choose a Cu/Co(1012)-oriented slab and find, in agreement with chemical imaging results, that the slab surface is always Cu-terminated, with Co underneath. Using DFT calculations, we observe major surface atom exchange in the presence of adsorbed CO, with up to 50% of the Cu atoms being replaced by Co in the straight-chain steps of the slab surface. Co atom exchange beyond 50% is not observed. More specifically, this work is accomplished by scanning the configurational space of adsorbed CO, surface Co, and surface Cu and then identifying minimum-energy surface configurations. Phase diagrams are also constructed to determine the thermodynamic driving force imposed in the presence of adsorbed CO. The inclusion of surface phonon modes is shown to ensure the correctness of the calcula...
Modeling and Simulating Multiple Failure Masking Enabled by Local Recovery for Stencil-Based Applications at Extreme Scales

Obtaining multi-process hard failure resilience at the application level is a key challenge that must be overcome before the promise of exascale can be fully realized. Previous work has shown that online global recovery can dramatically reduce the overhead of failures when compared to the more traditional approach of terminating the job and restarting it from the last stored checkpoint. If online recovery is performed in a local manner further scalability is enabled, not only due to the intrinsic lower costs of recovering locally, but also due to derived effects when using some application types. In this paper we model one such effect, namely multiple failure masking, that manifests when running Stencil parallel computations on an environment when failures are recovered locally. First, the delay propagation shape of one or multiple failures recovered locally is modeled to enable several analyses of the probability of different levels of failure masking under certain Stencil application behaviors. Our results indicate that failure masking is an extremely desirable effect at scale which manifestation is more evident and beneficial as the machine size or the failure rate increase.
Adaptive Immune Responses to Zika Virus Are Important for Controlling Virus Infection and Preventing Infection in Brain and Testes.

The recent association between Zika virus (ZIKV) and neurologic complications, including Guillain-Barre syndrome in adults and CNS abnormalities in fetuses, highlights the importance in understanding the immunological mechanisms controlling this emerging infection. Studies have indicated that ZIKV evades the human type I IFN response, suggesting a role for the adaptive immune response in resolving infection. However, the inability of ZIKV to antagonize the mouse IFN response renders the virus highly susceptible to circulating IFN in murine models. Thus, as we show in this article, although wild-type C57BL/6 mice mount cell-mediated and humoral adaptive immune responses to ZIKV, these responses were not required to prevent disease. However, when the type I IFN response of mice was suppressed, then the adaptive immune responses became critical. For example, when type I IFN signaling was blocked by Abs in Rag1 −/− mice, the mice showed dramatic weight loss and ZIKV infection in the brain and testes. This phenotype was not observed in Ig-treated Rag1 −/− mice or wild-type mice treated with anti–type I IFNR alone. Furthermore, we found that the CD8+ T cell responses of pregnant mice to ZIKV infection were diminished compared with nonpregnant mice. It is possible that diminished cell-mediated immunity during pregnancy could increase virus spread to the fetus. These results demonstrate an important role for the adaptive immune response in the control of ZIKV infection and imply that vaccination may prevent ZIKV-related disease, particularly when the type I IFN response is suppressed as it is in humans.
A Scaling Compatible, Synthesis Friendly VCO-based Delta-sigma ADC Design and Synthesis Methodology

Conventional analog/mixed-signal (AMS) circuits design methodology relying heavily on the use of operational amplifiers (opamps) to process signals in voltage-domain (VD) encounters severe difficulties in advanced nanometer-scale CMOS process. We present a novel scaling compatible, synthesis friendly ring voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) based time-domain (TD) delta-sigma analog-to-digital converter (ADC) whose performance improves as technology advances. Decomposed into digital gates (e.g. inverters) and a small set of simple customized cells (e.g. resistors), its layout is fully synthesizable by leveraging digital layout synthesis tools. Post-layout simulation results demonstrate the scaling compatibility of the proposed ADC and a drastic boost to design productivity.
Selective inhibition of M5 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors attenuates cocaine self-administration in rats.

Cocaine use disorder (CUD) remains a debilitating health problem in the United States for which there are no Food and Drug Administration-approved treatment options. Accumulating anatomical and electrophysiological evidence indicates that the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) subtype 5 (M5 ) plays a critical role in the regulation of the mesolimbic dopaminergic reward circuitry, a major site of action for cocaine and other psychostimulants. In addition, M5 knockout mice exhibit reduced cocaine self-administration behaviors with no differences in sugar pellet-maintained responding relative to wild-type mice. These findings suggest that selective inhibition of M5 mAChR may provide a novel pharmacological approach for targeting CUD. Recently, we reported the synthesis and characterization of ML375, a selective negative allosteric modulator (NAM) for the rat and human M5 mAChR with optimized pharmacokinetic properties for systemic dosing in rodents. In the present study, male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to self-administer intravenous cocaine (0.1-0.75 mg/kg/infusion) under a 10-response fixed ratio or a progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement. Under both schedules of reinforcement, ML375 produced dose-related reductions in cocaine self-administration. ML375 also modestly reduced sugar pellet-maintained responding on the 10-response, fixed ratio schedule but had no effect under a progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement. Further, ML375 did not affect general motor output as assessed by a rotarod test. Collectively, these results provide the first demonstration that selective inhibition of M5 using the M5 NAM ML375 can attenuate both the reinforcing effects and the relative strength of cocaine and suggest that M5 NAMs may represent a promising, novel treatment approach for CUD.
UDE-Based Variable Impedance Control of Uncertain Robot Systems

A fundamental requirement in robot control is the capability to improve the robot–environment interaction performance. Motivated by the fact that humans are able to adapt limb impedance to stably interact with various environments with skillful dexterity, this paper investigates the variable impedance control for robots, subject to uncertainties from plant model or environment. The proposed variable impedance control assists the robot to perform given interaction tasks with its unknown environment and improves the overall robot–environment system performance. The stiffness, damping, and inertia can be changed during interaction tasks, which results in configuration-dependent impedance dynamics. The uncertainty and disturbance estimator (UDE) is used to approximate the plant model with only partial information known. The prominent feature of the UDE-based control is that only the bandwidth information of the unknown plant model is needed for the control design. A stability condition for selecting the stiffness, damping, and inertia in the impedance model is provided to guarantee the stability of the control system. Extensive simulation studies are carried out to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Varietal Resistance Against the Rice Water Weevil in Field and Greenhouse Studies

The resistance of commercial rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties widely grown in Louisiana was assessed against the rice water weevil, Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), the major insect pest of rice in the United States, in a 5-yr field study that included conventional inbred, herbicide-tolerant, and hybrid varieties. Resistance was evaluated by comparing densities of immature rice water weevils (larvae and pupae) in root-soil core samples taken at two time points after flooding. Randomized block experiments were conducted in two different locations to enable identification of potentially resistant varieties over diverse environments. There were small but significant differences in the resistance of commercial varieties over the 5-yr field study. The variety 'Jefferson' was found to support larval densities 6-70% lower than other varieties, while 'Jupiter' often supported higher larval densities. Greenhouse experiments evaluated adult preference for oviposition and survivorship of larvae on different varieties. Females exhibited limited ovipositional preference for varieties: numbers of weevil eggs per plant differed significantly among varieties in choice tests but not in no-choice tests, while first instar densities in both choice and no-choice tests showed no significant differences among varieties. Analysis of data from both choice and no-choice tests showed that numbers of late instars and pupae differed significantly among varieties, suggesting presence of antibiosis in some cultivars. Our results suggest that none of the varieties tested possess high levels of resistance to rice water weevil infestation, although 'Jupiter' appears to be more susceptible than other varieties and 'Jefferson' appears to be somewhat more resistant.
EXPERIMENTAL MECHANICS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW MINIATURE PRESSURE TRANSDUCER

Abstract —This paper describes the development of a miniature pressure transducer of the diaphragm type, with strain elements based on a new concept. In order to make advantageous use of the strain distribution inherent in the pressure-loaded diaphragm, the boundary between the regions in which the larger surface strains are respectively radial and tangential in direction is of primary importance. Calculations based on the small-deflection theory of thin plates predicted that the location of this transitional boundary depends only on the relative rigidity of the support at the plate edge and the plate diameter. Since the plate was soldered to its support ring, it was difficult to calculate the effective rotational rigidity at the support. Therefore, it was decided to determine the transitional radius experimentally. The diaphragm was only 0.0025 in. thick and 0.190 in. in diameter. Thus, it was necessary to develop a special microanalysis technique, using ultrathin brittle-lacquer coating. Special procedures were required for dilution, spraying, and curing. The diaphragm was loaded by applying pressure on the surface opposite to the one on which the brittle lacquer had been applied. At 50 psig, the outermost tangential cracks in the inner region occurred at a radius of 0.083 in. This value was intermediate between the radii calculated to correspond to the threshold strain, assuming a rigidly-clamped edge and a simple support, respectively. As a consequence of this result, it was, decided to use a support ring made integral with the diaphragm in the final transducer. This gives a much more consistent support rigidity and has the added advantage of decreasing the hysteresis loss. Consideration of the strain distribution on the diaphragm surface shows that the optimum arrangement is to have radial strain elements in the outer region and tangential ones in the central portion. A unitized etched-foil design was developed in which all four arms of the bridge are active arms on the diaphragm surface. The principal advantages of this design are its internal temperature compensation and its high voltage output per unit pressure change. Finally, performance data for the final transducer were gathered.
Potential Therapeutic Application for Nicotinic Receptor Drugs in Movement Disorders

Emerging studies indicate that striatal cholinergic interneurons play an important role in synaptic plasticity and motor control under normal physiological conditions, while their disruption may lead to movement disorders. Here we discuss the involvement of the cholinergic system in motor dysfunction, with a focus on the role of the nicotinic cholinergic system in Parkinson's disease and drug-induced dyskinesias. Evidence for a role for the striatal nicotinic cholinergic system stems from studies showing that administration of nicotine or nicotinic receptor drugs protects against nigrostriatal degeneration and decreases L-dopa-induced dyskinesias. In addition, nicotinic receptor drugs may ameliorate tardive dyskinesia, Tourette's syndrome and ataxia, although further study is required to understand their full potential in the treatment of these disorders. A role for the striatal muscarinic cholinergic system in movement disorders stems from studies showing that muscarinic receptor drugs acutely improve Parkinson's disease motor symptoms, and may reduce dyskinesias and dystonia. Selective stimulation or lesioning of striatal cholinergic interneurons suggests they are primary players in this regulation, although multiple central nervous systems appear to be involved. Implications Accumulating data from preclinical studies and clinical trials suggest that drugs targeting CNS cholinergic systems may be useful for symptomatic treatment of movement disorders. Nicotinic cholinergic drugs, including nicotine and selective nAChR receptor agonists, reduce L-dopa-induced dyskinesias, as well as antipsychotic-induced tardive dyskinesia, and may be useful in Tourette's syndrome and ataxia. Subtype selective muscarinic cholinergic drugs may also provide effective therapies for Parkinson's disease, dyskinesias and dystonia. Continued studies/trials will help address this important issue.
SIMS Analysis Methodology to Determine Sc Diffusion in Silicon Oxide

the Scandium (Sc) diffusion in silicon oxide (SiO2) from ScAlN thin film was investigated using Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) instead of using the X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) techniques. Sc, Al, and Si elements depth profiles were performed from sample front side and back side. Al and Sc performance at ScAlN/SiO2 interface and in SiO2 layer was compared for two conditions, annealed and non-annealed. To obtain precise test result, an effective sample preparation was implemented, which will be discussed in the paper.
An Architecture to Enable Secure Firmware Updates on a Distributed-Trust IoT Network Using Blockchain

The world has evolved to a point where it is impossible to imagine interaction without networks or without connections between devices and people. The advent of the fifth industrial revolution saw the rise of interconnected devices and ‘things’. Internet of Things (IoT) has become the defacto standard for devices and people communicating with each other. The newer the devices that are released in the market so has to be the security be updated to counter security attacks. Every device has to be updated to the latest firmware to keep it secure and work optimally; this paper proposes an architecture to facilitate a secure firmware update in a distributed trust-based blockchain IoT network.
Practical insights into liquid loading within hydraulic fractures and potential unconventional gas reservoir optimization strategies

Abstract The U.S. has experienced a resurgence of the upstream hydrocarbon sector in recent years, owing to the economic extraction of oil and gas from ultra-tight reservoirs using multistage hydraulic fracturing in horizontal wells. This success is often attributed to slick-water stimulation treatments that help create extensive complexity and contact with the low permeability reservoir. In this process, hundreds of thousands of barrels of water are pumped downhole, along with friction reducers, low concentration linear gel, fracture propping sand and other additives, to create and sustain these fractures. However, only a small percentage of this stimulation water is recovered back once the well is put back on production. This not only leads to excessive water hauling costs for operators in each consecutive well but also liquid blockage for hydrocarbon flow. Such water blockage/loading may become a serious concern in dry gas reservoirs such as the Marcellus field in the northeastern U.S., due to the unfavorable hydrocarbon mobility ratios. In spite of its implications on early and late time well performance, the issue of hydraulic fracture cleanup and gas flowback through it when drained through a horizontal wellbore is still an insufficiently understood subject. In this study the authors investigate the potential of liquid loading (stimulation water or condensate) within the hydraulic fracture itself due to low matrix permeability and insufficient drawdown conditions. Similar conditions may also arise late in the life of well when the reservoir pressure has declined significantly or due to wellbore design issues. A 3D reservoir simulation model with a discrete, planar hydraulic fracture is set up to investigate the competition between capillary, viscous and gravity forces within the fracture. The results indicate a strong tendency for liquid loading in the ultra-low permeability gas reservoirs under common operational constraints and offer recommendations on best practices to minimize its impact.
Aerosol Direct Radiative Effect Sensitivity Analysis

AbstractTo both reconcile the large range in satellite-based estimates of the aerosol direct radiative effect (DRE) and to optimize the design of future observing systems, this study builds a frame...
Acute Upper Limb Ischemia as the First Manifestation in a Patient with COVID-19

Abstract Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) first emerged in December 2019 in China and rapidly spread worldwide. Although various studies have reported that COVID-19 is associated with a hypercoagulable state and thrombotic complications in critically ill patients, there are few case reports on thrombotic events as one of the presenting symptoms. We report a case of acute upper extremity ischemia as the initial clinical presentation of a patient with COVID-19.
Adult Dermal Stem Cells for Scaffold-Free Cartilage Tissue Engineering: Exploration of Strategies

Dermis-isolated adult stem (DIAS) cells, abundantly available, are attractive for regenerative medicine. Strategies have been devised to isolate and to chondroinduce DIAS cells from various animals. This study aimed to characterize DIAS cells from human abdominal skin (human dermis-isolated adult stem [hDIAS] cells) and to compare and to refine various chondroinduction regimens to form functional neocartilage constructs. The stemness of hDIAS cells was verified (Phase I), three chondroinduction pretreatments were compared (Phase II), and, from these, one regimen was carried forward for refinement in Phase III for improving the mechanical properties of hDIAS cell-derived constructs. Multilineage differentiation and mesenchymal stem cell markers were observed. Among various chondroinduction pretreatments, the nodule formation pretreatment yielded constructs at least 72% larger in diameter, with higher glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content by 44%, compared with other pretreatments. Furthermore, it was found that culturing cells on nontissue culture-treated surfaces yielded constructs (1) on par with constructs derived from aggrecan-coated surfaces and (2) with superior mechanical properties than constructs derived from cells cultured on tissue culture-treated surfaces. After the nodule formation pretreatment, combined supplementation of TGF-β1, IGF-I, and fetal bovine serum significantly enhanced aggregate modulus and shear modulus by 75% and 69%, respectively, over the supplementation by TGF-β1 alone. In summary, human skin-derived DIAS cells are responsive to chondroinduction for forming neocartilage. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of the resultant human constructs can be improved by treatments shown to be efficacious in animal models. Advances made toward tissue-engineering cartilage using animal cells were shown to be applicable to hDIAS cells for cartilage repair and regeneration.
The Subject and Power of Bioethics

The present paper argues that late work of Michel Foucault is helpful in understanding contemporary bioethics. Specifically, Foucault’s writings on biopower and subjectivity are increasingly relevant as we consider the intersection of public policy and clinical ethics in a socio-political context increasingly structured by the demands of neoliberalism. Although Foucault’s earlier work on the clinical gaze has been important to bioethics, that is no longer as important as his later, incomplete research into power and subjectivity. The paper develops this argument in four steps. In the first, I look at a classic phenomenological approach to clinical bioethics by Richard Zaner, starting from which I develop a Foucauldian perspective. In that section I also offer a basic outline of what I take Foucault’s primary theoretical contributions to be by way of an initial explication of the biopower-subjectification nexus. The following two sections of the paper present exemplary applications of Foucauldian theory to two areas at the intersection of public policy and clinical bioethics. The first is the procedure for testing women for the BRCA1/2 mutations, mutations that impose on carriers a significant risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. A comparison between American and Dutch practices underscores not only the new ways that genetic testing interpret the body, but also the importance of local political and cultural contexts for understanding how the test is presented, administered and managed. The second is a consideration of the intersection of employee wellness programs and wearable technologies. In it, I develop Foucault’s thought that subjects in the Christian West have long been encouraged to understand themselves confessionally, offering to authority figures the “truth” about themselves. I then interpret the compulsory use of wearables as a verification strategy for compliance with wellness programs as exemplary of such confessional strategies. The final section ties the discussion back to the clinical encounter as Zaner formulates it as an inherently moral encounter structured by vulnerabilities that matter for understanding the selfhood of patients. Based on the preceding examples, I make the case that American understandings of selfhood are increasingly separated from any sense of publicness, and that this structuring of selfhood is of increasing importance in framing and adequately understanding bioethics today.
Anyone else have this experience: Sharing the Emotional Labor of Tracking Data About Me

Self-tracking technologies, ranging from digital thermometers to wearable fitness trackers, allow users to use personal data accumulated from their everyday activities. But, to use these data, people have to make sense of how these numbers and figures are relevant to their lives in some way in order to make decisions and gain new insight. This process is impacted by people's emotional reactions to their data. While seeking support from others can be an effective strategy for overcoming these emotional challenges, self-trackers face unique barriers in sharing their personal data. Our study investigates 1) how users seek out support online for emotional barriers elicited by their self-tracking data and 2) what self-described impact this sharing has on their self-tracking practices. To investigate these topics, we analyzed discussions in two online communities on Reddit.com centered around infertility and trying to conceive that consistently describe self-tracking experiences. We found that community members described three distinct driving emotional tensions with their self-tracking data. In seeking community input, users were focused on support for understanding and acting upon their feelings and emotions. Even when data was uncertain, frustrating, or viewed as inaccurate, comparing and learning with others benefited users through feelings of connection, control, and humor this collective sense-making provided. Additionally, we found that users taking breaks from self-tracking in whole or part appeared to support their emotional well-being and long-term motivation to track. Based on these findings, we conclude that self-tracking data has social and emotional value beyond perceived accuracy and individual treatment goals.
Protective effect of 25(OH)D3 against cellular stress in breast epithelial cells: Evidence of chemopreventive function of vitamin D from a different angle

1647 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) is prohormone for the active form of vitamin D and is also a major vitamin D metabolite found in circulation.. Due to the recent identification of expression of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 1α-hydroxylase in many vitamin D target organs, 25(OH)D3 has been considered to have a direct effect as vitamin D in these tissues including breast. Since cellular stress is considered as a potential causative factor for carcinogenesis, in the present study, we investigated whether 25(OH)D3 protects breast epithelial cells from cellular stress using an established breast epithelial cell line MCF12F., We used multiple stress models including serum starvation, hydrogen peroxide and protease inhibitor treatments. Cell proliferation was evaluated by crystal violet assay, and protein expression was examined by western blot analysis. MCF12F cells were cultured in DMEM/F12 containing 5% horse serum and supplements, serum starvation was induced by switching cells from normal culture condition to serum starved culture condition (MEM containing 2% FBS without supplements). Under this stressed condition, 250 nM 25(OH)D3 treatment increased absorbance by 1.5 fold as shown by crystal violet assay, which is proportional to cell number, while in normal culture condition, 25(OH)D3 inhibited cell proliferation by more than 50% after 7 day treatment, suggesting a bidirectional regulation of cell proliferation of breast epithelial cells under different conditions. These results suggest an important role of 25(OH)D3 against cellular stress and in maintaining cell homeostasis. Under serum starved-stressed condition, 25(OH)D3 consistently down regulated p53 and unregulated PCNA, while prohibitin was differentially regulated by vitamin D, suggesting that these molecules were involved in the stress-process and may be potential target genes of vitamin D. Under another stress-inducing protocol, one hour treatment with hydrogen peroxide (100-400 nM) caused dose dependent cell death in MCF12F cells, while pretreatment with 25(OH)D3 significantly prevented cell death caused by short hydrogen peroxide treatment. In addition, 25(OH)D3 also significantly inhibited apoptosis when cells were stressed by protease inhibitor MG132 (50 µM). These data suggest a a significant protective role of 25(OH)D3 in breast epithelial cells under stressed condition that could induce cell transformation. This is the first report to demonstrate dual physiological chemopreventive role of vitamin D prohormone.. This work was supported by NCI R03 CA121365 (X.P.) and NCI R01 CA82316 (R.G.M.).
Trajectories of parent-adolescent relationship quality among at-risk youth: parental depression and adolescent developmental outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Although the parent-adolescent relationship has been studied intensely, predictors and consequences of changes in the quality of the relationship across time have not been examined. OBJECTIVES: This study examined the role of parent depression on changes in the parent-adolescent relationship, defined as support and conflict, and subsequent effects of relationship change on adolescent psychosocial outcomes including risky behavior, substance use, depressive symptoms, and hopelessness. METHOD: Using data from a large prevention study, the sample included 110 youth at risk for high school drop out from the control condition; the sample was 48.2% of female, with a mean age of 15.9years. The data, gathered from adolescents and their parents across a period of approximately 18months, were analyzed using growth mixture modeling. RESULTS: Three distinct trajectories for parent-adolescent conflict (high-decreasing, low-increasing, low-stable trajectory) were identified as well as a single growth model for support, which revealed a slight decline in support across time. Parent depression was a significant predictor of perceived support, but not of membership in trajectories of conflict. Low parent-adolescent support was associated with adolescent depression and hopelessness measured 18months post-baseline. Adolescents in the low but increasing conflict trajectory and those having a parent with depression reported increased depression and hopelessness 18months later. DISCUSSION: Parent-Adolescent support and conflict were associated with adolescent emotional outcomes, particularly depression and hopelessness. The findings provide evidence that will inform prevention strategies to facilitate parent-adolescent support, minimize the negative impact of relationship conflict, and thereby promote healthy psychosocial outcomes for at-risk adolescence. Language: en
Antibody Cross-Linking of Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Leads to Its Rapid Repartitioning into Detergent-Insoluble Fractions, and Altered Protein Phosphorylation and Cell Morphology

Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) is, quantitatively, a relatively minor component of the myelin membrane. Nevertheless, peritoneal administration of MOG evokes potent cellular and humoral immunoreactivity, resulting in an experimental allergic encephalitis with immunopathology similar to multiple sclerosis. Moreover, antibodies against MOG cause myelin destruction in situ . Therefore, it appears that MOG-related demyelination is dependent on anti-MOG antibody, but the mechanism(s) by which it occurs is unclear. Of potential significance are observations that some proteins are selectively partitioned into specialized plasma membrane microdomains rich in glycosphingolipids and cholesterol (“lipid rafts”). In particular, during ligand or antibody cross-linking, various plasma membrane receptors undergo enhanced partitioning into rafts as an obligatory first step toward participation in early signal transduction events. In contrast to mature myelin, in oligodendrocytes (OLs) in culture MOG is not raft associated [Triton X-100 (TX-100) soluble, 4°C]. However, in this study we show that antibody cross-linking (anti-MOG plus secondary antibody) of MOG on the surface of OLs results in the repartitioning of ∼95% of MOG into the TX-100-insoluble fraction. This repartitioning of MOG is rapid (≤1 min), antibody dose dependent, requires an intact cytoskeleton, leads to phosphorylation or dephosphorylation of tyrosine, serine, and threonine residues in specific proteins (e.g., β-tubulin, Gβ 1–2 ), and invokes a rapid retraction of OL processes. After removal of the cross-linking antibodies, these events are reversed. We hypothesize that antibody-mediated repartitioning of MOG into TX-100-insoluble glycosphingolipid–cholesterol-rich microdomains initiates specific cellular signaling that could be related to initial steps of MOG-mediated demyelination.
Tolerance engineering in bacteria for the production of advanced biofuels and chemicals

During microbial production of solvent-like compounds, such as advanced biofuels and bulk chemicals, accumulation of the final product can negatively impact the cultivation of the host microbe and limit the production levels. Consequently, improving solvent tolerance is becoming an essential aspect of engineering microbial production strains. Mechanisms ranging from chaperones to transcriptional factors have been used to obtain solvent-tolerant strains. However, alleviating growth inhibition does not invariably result in increased production. Transporters specifically have emerged as a powerful category of proteins that bestow tolerance and often improve production but are difficult targets for cellular expression. Here we review strain engineering, primarily as it pertains to bacterial solvent tolerance, and the benefits and challenges associated with the expression of membrane-localized transporters in improving solvent tolerance and production.
The Diminishing Influence of Celebrity Authors in a Diversified World of Accounting Journals

While the ranking of accounting journals has been extensively and continually investigated by scholars, very few studies have examined the trend and dynamics of the ranking. This research is an attempt to fill the void by testing four hypotheses related to pre-established lists of accounting journal tiers corroborated in the literature and the citations of articles published in those journals to ascertain if differences exist over time. The authors contribute to the current literature by examining the topic in a dynamic context, rather than as a static subject. Furthermore, the study introduces a simplified citationbased method which combines existing opinions of journal quality with timely updates in the field. The findings suggest a diminishing influence of celebrity authors and a more democratic and diversified world of accounting journals. While top tier journals maintain their lead, the gap between them and journals of lower tiers is shrinking. This new reality carries profound implications for researchers as well as policy makers in business schools.
Total Ankle Arthroplasty: The US Experience

Ankle arthritis severely disables those it affects. Most commonly, it presents after ankle trauma, though instability, deformity, and inflammatory arthropathy are other common causes. Quality of life is affected to a degree similar to hip arthritis.1 A variety of surgical treatment options are available including ankle debridement, distraction arthroplasty, interposition arthroplasty, arthrodesis, allograft replacement, and total joint arthroplasty, each with its own limitations and benefits.2 Knowledge of these techniques allows the surgeon to tailor treatment of ankle arthritis based on patient needs, expected benefits, and risks.
The Buckling of Thin Spherical Shells

Precise numerical solutions are obtained for the energy and equilibrium equations given by Th. von Karman and H. S. Tsien for thin spherical shells under uniform external pressure. The method of solution employs a power series expansion to move away from the singularity at the initial boundary, and a stepby-step integration procedure throughout the desired angle open­ ing of the shell. The "small angle" assumption is eliminated without introducing trigonometric computation. For fixed ra­ dius and thickness, the various equilibrium configurations of the shell are obtained as a function of two parameters, one corre­ sponding to external pressure and the other corresponding to the curvature of the shell at the central point. The solutions indicate clearly the behavior of the shell in both the pre-buckled and post-buckled states, and yield distinct values for the upper and lower buckling loads. These critical loads are determined on the basis of the load-deflection char­ acteristics. The results obtained depend critically on terms which are neglected in the classical theory by the process of linearization. The same computing procedures were applied to the mathe­ matical formulation of Keller, Greenberg, and Reiss and yield an improved resolution of the phenomena associated with buckling. The calculations were performed on the IBM 650 Electronic Data Processing Machine.
Heritability of immunological characteristics in Florida Scrub-Jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens)

The degree to which immunological phenotype is under genetic control as opposed to plasticity in response to variable environmental conditions remains largely unknown in natural populations. We ass...