cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stratification of Undocumented Migrant Journeys: Honduran Case

This article examines stratification of journeys of undocumented Honduran migrants to the United States. The unequal distribution of wealth across the world forces many people to migrate to wealthier countries. Despite the narrative of free movement of goods and finances, migrants run into the ever strengthening security systems of nation states. Migrants' access to mobility (finances and networks) influences how migrants interact with these systems, which impacts their experiences on their journeys. I conducted in-depth interviews with 21 Honduran migrants and subjected these to narrative analysis. I was able to identify several strata of journeys as well as the processes and specific actors that shape them. The degree to which migrants are subject to abuse, robbery, rape, and death on their journeys, and often their success in reaching their destinations, depend on their access to mobility.
Observations and comments for the solar event of 24 October, 1969

Observations of the flare of October 24, 1969 by Zirin et al. (1971) Solar Phys.19, 463, are given with accompanying graphs of XUV emissions from satellites and four microwave radio emissions from Sagamore Hill Observatory. This event provides an excellent example of the development of two types of radio spectra within the same center and similar profiles for the hard X-ray burst and the 8800 MHz radio profile. The examination of the 2700 MHz burst from the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory provides a clarification of the radio profile and shows the existence of a long enduring burst not previously considered. This event parallels a similar variation of intensity in the soft X-ray burst.
Phencyclidine retards autoshaping at a dose which does not suppress the required response.

Abstract Four groups of five food-deprived hooded Long-Evans rats were injected subcutaneously with saline (vehicle) or 2, 4 or 8 mg phencyclidine (PCP) hydrochloride/kg fifteen minutes before being placed for the first time into operant chambers modified to detect exploratory behaviors. Rearing was found to be more sensitive to disruption by phencyclidine than was unconditioned lever touching (a measure of floor-level exploratory activities). In an autoshaping session immediately following, the group of animals given the low dose of PCP made as many lever-touch responses as the group given saline, but consumed fewer of the food pellets delivered. In addition, none of the animals in the low-dose group showed within-session shortening of the latency to respond which was observed in four of five control animals. The two other groups given higher doses of PCP demonstrated dose-related decrements in responding as well as a reduction in food pellet consumption during the first session of autoshaping. Over the next two daily autoshaping sessions, performance improved in those groups initially suppressed. Performance converged in all groups by the third autoshaping session.
The Effect of State Income Taxation on Per Capita Income Growth

This study examines the impact of changes in marginal state income tax rates on per capita income by comparing income growth in counties on state borders with income growth in adjacent counties across the state border. Compared to a standard cross-sectional analysis, this border-matching technique is a better way to hold constant many factors that can vary for geographical reasons, such as climate, culture, and proximity to markets. The results show that over the 30-year period from 1960 to 1990, states that raised their income tax rates more than their neighbors had slower income growth and, on average, a 3.4% reduction in per capita income.
Dipole screening regime for pyroelectric and ferroelectric films and grains in semiconductor matrix

Abstract We discuss physics of nonlinear screening of thin pyroelectric (or ferroelectric) films or grains in a semiconductor matrix. Such screening is different from a conventional screening of thick pyroelectric films. For thin films or small grains, the polarization dipole is screened by charges that are much smaller than the polarization charge, and the depletion region providing the screening charge might be much larger than the characteristic size of the pyroelectric. These results are important for the analysis and design of numerous devices involving pyroelectric–semiconductor systems.
Membrane-mediated precipitation of calcium phosphate in model liposomes with matrix vesicle-like lipid composition.

Abstract The present study examined calcium phosphate precipitation in aqueous suspensions of artificial liposomes which closely resembled matrix vesicles (MV) in membrane lipid composition. At 22 °C, the liposomes per se did not initiate precipitation in the suspending medium for up to 120 h when the latter was made supersaturated with respect to hydroxyapatite (2.25 mM Ca 2+ , 1.5 mM PO 4 , 240 mosmol, pH 7.4). Likewise, the suspending medium remained stable for up to 72 h when precipitation was induced within the aqueous interiors of the liposomes by encapsulating pH 7.4-buffered 50 mM PO 4 solutions in the interior spaces and making the enclosing membranes permeable to external solution Ca 2+ ions with the ionophore X-537A. However, extraliposomal precipitation readily occurred under these latter conditions when phosphatidylserine (PS) and sphingomyelin (Sph) were deleted from the MV-like lipid formulation used to prepare the liposomes. These results suggest that lipidic membrane constituents such as PS and Sph may have a controlling influence on MV-mediated calcification in vivo by affecting the release of intravesicularly formed mineral crystals into the extracellular matrix space where they can subsequently grow and proliferate.
Interferon Regulatory Factor 7 Is Activated by a Viral Oncoprotein through RIP-Dependent Ubiquitination

As a key mediator of type I interferon (IFN) (IFN-α/β) responses, IFN regulatory factor 7 (IRF7) is essential to host immune defenses. Activation of IRF7 generally requires virus-induced C-terminal phosphorylation, which leads to its nuclear accumulation and activation of target genes. Here we use the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) oncoprotein LMP1, which activates IRF7, to identify factors involved in IRF7 activation. We demonstrate for the first time that RIP activates IRF7 and that RIP and IRF7 interact under physiological conditions in EBV-positive Burkitt's lymphoma cells. We provide evidence that both RIP and IRF7 are ubiquitinated in these cells and that IRF7 preferentially interacts with ubiquitinated RIP. RIP is required for full activation of IRF7 by LMP1, with LMP1 stimulating the ubiquitination of RIP and its interaction with IRF7. Moreover, LMP1 stimulates RIP-dependent K63-linked ubiquitination of IRF7, which regulates protein function rather than proteasomal degradation of proteins. We suggest that RIP may serve as a general activator of IRF7, responding to and transmitting the signals from various stimuli, and that ubiquitination may be a general mechanism for enhancing the activity of IRF7.
Relief programs: When it may be better to give food instead of cash

Abstract A standard way to give relief to the needy is to organize employment or public works programs. It is often argued that in many situations paying workers in cash, instead of food, may be the superior option. The aim of this paper is to caution that some plausible spillover effects may weaken this argument. Observe that paying wages in food and in cash can have differential effects on prices. A cash-for-work program would typically enhance the demand for food, cause food prices to rise and result in more food in the hands of those who have received the wages. This will mean that those who are left out of the program (for example, the old and the infirm) could be worse off.
All-frequency PMD compensator in feedforward scheme

We present the architecture of a broad-band polarization mode dispersion (PMD) compensator in a feedforward PMD compensation scheme. It is comprised of four stages. The net effect of the first two stages is equivalent to a frequency dependent polarization rotation that aligns all PMD vectors into a common direction. The third stage compensates the frequency dependent variable differential group delay (DGD) and the last stage compensates for the isotropic dispersion created by the first three stages. In Stokes space formulation, we describe the algorithm to find the required rotation angles of each stage using the PMD concatenation rule, and show that these rotation angles can be synthesized using all-pass filters (APF) in a compact integrated optics circuit. Through numerical simulations, we show significant improvement of the signal quality as a result of the compensation.
Formation and detectability of Earth-like planets around Alpha-Centauri B †

We simulate the late stages of planet formation around Alpha Centauri B and analyze the detectability of the resulting terrestrial planet systems. The N-body accretionary evolution of a Σ ∝ r −-1 disk populated with 400–900 lunar-mass oligarchs is followed for 200 Myr for each simulation. All of eight runs result in the formation of multiple-planet systems with at least one planet in the 1–2 M ⊕ mass range at 0.5–1.5 AU. We examine the detectability of our simulated planetary systems by generating synthetic radial velocity observations including noise based on the radial velocity residuals to the recently published three planet fit to the nearby K0V star HD 69830. Using these synthetic observations, we find that we can reliably detect a 1.8 M ⊕ planet in the habitable zone of α Centauri B after only three years of high cadence observations. We also find that the planet is detectable even if the radial velocity precision is 3 ms −1 , as long as the noise spectrum is white.
InfoStation: a low-cost electronic document storage, retrieval, and transmission system

Integrating a microcomputer with a videotape recorder (VCR) and facsimile machine produces a powerful information handling system—InfoStation. The VCR can be used to backup the data on the microcomputer's hard disk, and also can be used to archive massive amounts of information for selective retrieval and use. The VCR can function as a publication medium containing both analog and digital information that can be retrieved by a video receiver and a microcomputer; and the VCR can be used to capture digital data broadcast by a television station, for later retrieval and use on a microcomputer. The facsimile machine is a powerful device for inputting bit‐map images of documents into the microcomputer and VCR, and can be used to print and/or transmit those documents to other facsimile machines on demand.
BOSE-EINSTEIN CONDENSATION IN A DILUTE GAS; THE FIRST 70 YEARS AND SOME RECENT EXPERIMENTS

Bose-Einstein condensation, or BEC, has a long and rich history dating from the early 1920s. In this article we will trace briefly over this history and some of the developments in physics that made possible our successful pursuit of BEC in a gas. We will then discuss what was involved in this quest. In this discussion we will go beyond the usual technical description to try and address certain questions that we now hear frequently, but are not covered in our past research papers. These are questions along the lines of “How did you get the idea and decide to pursue it? Did you know it was going to work? How long did it take you and why?” We will review some our favorites from among the experiments we have carried out with BEC. There will then be a brief encore on why we are optimistic that BEC can be created with nearly any species of magnetically trappable atom. Throughout this article we will try to explain what makes BEC in a dilute gas so interesting, unique, and experimentally challenging. 1
Genetic Control of Interconnected Neuronal Populations in the Mouse Primary Visual System

Proliferation and survival of different cell types is thought to be modulated by cell interactions during development that achieve numerical and functional balance. We tested the precision of coregulation of numbers of neurons, glial cells, and endothelial cells in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) in 58 isogenic strains of mice. We acquired matched counts of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in these strains and tested the precision of numerical matching between retina and LGN. Cells were counted using unbiased counting protocols and tissue from the Mouse Brain Library (www.mbl.org). Classification criteria were assessed using immunohistochemical criteria. The LGN contains an average of 17,000 neurons, 12,000 glial cells, and 10,000 endothelial cells. Variation around these means is typically twofold, and cell ratios vary widely. Strain differences in LGN volume correlate moderately well with glial cell number (r = 0.69) and less well with RGC number (r = 0.35) and with LGN neuron number (r = 0.32). Populations of LGN neurons and glial cells correlate only modestly (r = 0.44; p < 0.01). The single most surprising and unequivocal finding was the lack of any detectable correlation between populations of LGN neurons and RGCs, a correlation of merely 0.01 across 56 strains. In contrast, RGC number correlates significantly with LGN glial cell number, a surprising twist on the numerical matching hypothesis (r = 0.33; p < 0.01). We conclude that numbers of these two functionally coupled neuron populations are modulated over a wide range by independent genetic and developmental mechanisms.
Delays and errors in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation by pediatric residents during simulated cardiopulmonary arrests.

Abstract Background The quality of life support delivered during cardiopulmonary resuscitation affects outcomes. However, little data exist regarding the quality of resuscitation delivered to children and factors associated with adherence to American Heart Association (AHA) resuscitation guidelines. Participants Pediatric residents from an academic, tertiary care hospital. Design Prospective, observational cohort study of residents trained in the AHA PALS 2000 guidelines managing a high-fidelity mannequin simulator programmed to develop pulseless ventricular tachycardia (PVT). Main outcome measures Proportion of residents who: (1) started compressions in ≤1min from onset of PVT, (2) defibrillated in ≤3min and (3) factors associated with time to defibrillation. Results Seventy of eighty (88%) residents participated. Forty-six of seventy (66%) failed to start compressions within 1min of pulselessness and 23/70 (33%) never started compressions. Only 38/70 (54%) residents defibrillated the mannequin in ≤3min of onset of PVT. There was no significant difference in time elapsed between onset of PVT and defibrillation by level of post-graduate training. However, residents who had previously discharged a defibrillator on either a patient or a simulator compared to those who had not were 87% more likely to successfully defibrillate the mannequin at any point in time (hazard ratio 1.87, 95% CI: 1.08–3.21, p =0.02). Conclusions Pediatric residents do not meet performance standards set by the AHA. Future curricula should focus training on identified defects including: (1) equal emphasis on "airway and breathing" and "circulation" and (2) hands-on training with using and discharging a defibrillator in order to improve safety and outcomes.
The Death of the Avantgarde

Despite the disappearance of the historical avantgarde before WWII, both scholars and the popular press are reluctant to relinquish the belief in a radical, American, theatrical avantgarde. No other artists epitomize this avantgarde more than the Wooster Group, which, in its 30 years of work, has gradually become recognized as the emblematic avantgarde company. But was the avantgarde that developed in the 1970s ever really an avantgarde at all?
Redescription of Stichotrema pasteelsi (Luna De Carvalho, 1956) with Notes on African Stichotrema (Strepsiptera: Myrmecolacidae)

ABSTRACT Stichotrema pasteelsi (Luna de Carvalho, 1956) is redescribed based on the type specimen, other specimens collected by Luna de Carvalho, and an additional collection of specimens from Ghana. Stichotrema szekessyi (Luna de Carvalho, 1959) becomes a junior synonym of S. pasteelsi based on current knowledge of the variation within the species. A checklist of African Stichotrema is provided along with comments on the known distribution of the genus in Africa.
Style and stability in mother conversational behaviour: a study of individual differences *

This paper explores differences in conversational style among mothers. Although previous research suggests that many aspects of mother speech to the child covary in a way which serves the underlying intention of the mother, it was unclear whether such clusters of conversational behaviour would prove useful in characterizing stylistic differences among mothers across time. An analysis of the functionally-coded speech of 11 mothers showed statistically significant variability among mothers, especially in those behaviours most closely associated with intention. Further, mothers showed stability in these behaviour patterns across two sessions. A typology of mother style, based on the intentions of mothers to direct or converse with their children, is suggested and illustrated by individual cases.
Distributed representation and causal modularity: A rejoinder to Forster and Saidel

Abstract In “Connectionism and the fats of folk psychology”, Forster and Saidel argue that the central claim of Ramsey, Stich and Garon (1991)—that distributed connectionist models are incompatible with the causal discreteness of folk psychology—is mistaken. To establish their claim, they offer an intriguing model which allegedly shows how distributed representations can function in a causally discrete manner. They also challenge our position regarding projectibility of folk psychology. In this essay, I offer a response to their account and show how their model fails to demonstrate that our original argument was mistaken. While I will discuss several difficulties with their model, my primary criticism will be that the features of their model that are causally discrete are not truly distributed, while the features that are distributed are not really discrete. Concerning the issue of projectibility, I am more inclined to agree with Forster and Saidel and I offer a revised account of what we should have said...
Taxonomy of Corruption in Higher Education

This article explores the phenomenon of corruption that has become common in higher education in developing countries around the world. Cases of educational corruption include, among others, paying bribes for grades, buying diplomas, and admissions to universities. An available body of literature on educational corruption does not provide sufficient insight on the nature and structure of the phenomenon. This article attempts to fill in the gaps by developing the taxonomy of corruption in higher education. This taxonomy distinguishes educational-specific corruption from that common to any public sector by identifying corruption that directly and indirectly involves students. Moreover, this article distinguishes different types of educational-specific corruption depending on the area of occurrence and the agents involved. This classification disaggregates the complex phenomenon of corruption in higher education and develops common understanding of its structure and possible agreement on definitions. Different types of corruption may require different theoretical and methodological approaches if research is to be conducted on educational corruption. Deconstruction of corruption in higher education serves as a tool for further research.
Conversation with a ghost: A postscript

Josef Berger, a speechwriter who worked for Harry Truman, Sam Ray‐burn, and Claude Pepper, and who wrote the first draft for Franklin D. Roosevelt's “Last Speech,” commented in an interview recorded in 1965 on his earlier work with Lyndon B. Johnson. Berger felt that Johnson had lost control over decisions leading to escalation in Vietnam, but that once set on his course he stubbornly resisted counter arguments. Berger was worried that ghostwritten speeches were not a reliable indicator of a politician's character or intentions, and that speechwriters too often became invisible shapers of policy.
The effect of process writing software on the quality and length of esl students' writing

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of process writing software on the quality (holistic score) and length (total number of words) of the writing produced by ESL students enrolled in an advanced reading and writing class. Four advanced-intermediate ESL students who had enrolled in an advanced reading and writing class volunteered to participate in the study. During the six weeks of the first summer session of 2004, participants received regular classroom instruction and utilized process writing software ( Essay Punch) to write two academic essays. In addition to the two essays written with process writing software, participants wrote a pretreatment essay, a take home essay---immediately after the second essay with Essay Punch---and a posttreatment essay. Three ESL experts assigned each essay a quality rating according to the scoring guidelines of the Test of Written English Guide (2004). The total number of words per essay was also calculated using Microsoft Word. The quantitative analysis did not produce conclusive results. While all participants obtained their highest quality rating in one of the two essays written with Essay Punch and also wrote their longest essay with this software, their quality ratings and word totals per essay tended to be lower in the posttreatment essay than in the pretreatment essay. To gain a better understanding of the participants' experiences using the software, the researcher also gathered qualitative data through a demographics questionnaire, field notes, a posttreatment questionnaire, and a teacher's survey. Qualitative data were analyzed using inductive analysis, which yielded a list of categories that was later organized into major themes. The qualitative analysis revealed that factors such as the poor integration of the software with the curriculum, the short duration of the experiment, the limited time spent writing with the software, and the individual goals of each participant may have negatively influenced participants' writing performance.
Parasitism of Queen Honeybee Pupae by Melittobia Acasta

SummaryParasitism of developing queen honeybees in Wisconsin by the Old World chalcid Melittobia acasta is reported. Such parasitism may occur elsewhere unnoticed, being difficult to detect.
Distribution of Alkaline Phosphatase in Kidney Following the Use of Histochemical Azo Dye Test

SummaryThe location of the alkaline phosphatase in the kidney of the rat, mouse, and human shown by the use of a histochemical azo dye test is mainly in the proximal convoluted tubule. This distribution agrees substantially with that obtained by the silver technic of other investigators. Minor differences in the enzyme distribution in the three species are described.
The Respiratory Physiology of Myrothecium verrucaria

Growth and respiration of Myrothecium verrucaria were studied under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The enzymes of the major respiratory pathways were assayed and the biochemical functions of the mitochondria examined. The fungus did not grow or produce carbon dioxide anaerobically. Almost all enzymes of the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway, the hexose-monophosphate shunt and the tricarboxylic-acid cycle were active in cell-free preparations. The exceptions were alcohol dehydrogenase and pyruvate decarboxylase. Ethanol was not produced by the mycelium under aerobic or anaerobic conditions, but lactic acid was formed. The mitochondria oxidized NADH and succinate, but not pyruvate. Oxidative phosphorylation occurred, but the P/O ratios were only 0.7 to 0.9.
Impact of interstitial oxygen on the electronic and magnetic structure in superconducting Fe 1 + y Te O x thin films

Interstitial oxygen critical to the emergence of superconductivity in ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{1+y}\mathrm{Te}{\mathrm{O}}_{x}$ thin films has been detected. Its location and concentration are measured by atomic-resolution electron-energy-loss spectroscopy with $x\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}0.09$. The density functional theory calculations show that oxygen incorporation leads to local disorder in the magnetic moments of Fe, hole doping by oxygen forming ionic bonds with Fe, and a large magnetic- and position-dependent increase or reduction in the Te-Fe-Te bond angles. An examination of bonding based on charge density further reveals covalent charge between Fe and Te, and its reduction with O doping.
Recording of intracavity potentials through a single lumen, saline filled cardiac catheter.

SummaryA new technic is described to obtain intracavitary cardiac potentials through the single lumen saline filled cardiac catheter without use of the usual copper wire electrode. If the exploring terminal of an electrocardiograph is connected to the open arm end of a column of blood or saline in a catheter which has been introduced into the cavity of the heart, and if the indifferent electrode is connected to a central terminal, the completed curve will represent chiefly the fluctuations of intra-cardiac potential at the tip of the catheter.
Result Integrity Verification of Outsourced Privacy-preserving Frequent Itemset Mining.

In the recently-emerged Data-Mining-as-a-Service (DMaS) paradigm, a client outsources her data and the data mining needs to a third party service provider. It raises a few security issues including privacy protection and result integrity verification. Most of the recent work studied these two issues separately. In this paper, we focus on the problem of result integrity verification of outsourced privacy-preserving frequent itemset mining. It is challenging to discover the incorrect results by the service provider’s misbehaviors from the mining output that intends to be inaccurate due to privacy protection techniques. We design efficient approaches that can provide high probabilistic guarantee for both correctness and completeness of the frequent itemset mining results. Our experiment results show the efficiency and effectiveness of our approaches.
Temporal bone cancer

Temporal bone cancer, a relatively rare disease, often presents in a subtle manner, which may delay diagnosis. It should be suspected in any case of persistent otitis media or otitis externa that fails to improve with adequate treatment. This article discusses physical and diagnostic imaging indications and epidemiology and histologic distribution of these tumors. Staging systems, patient selection criteria are presented as well as operative techniques and follow-up treatment. Despite advances in operative technique and postoperative care, long-term survival remains poor.
A Novel Recognition Site on Laminin for the α3β1 Integrin

Synthetic peptide GD-2 is a sequence of amino acids derived from the carboxy-terminal long arm of the A chain of laminin. Previous studies have shown that peptide GD-2 promotes the adhesion of human squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells as well as a variety of other cell lines. In this study, we attempted to identify the receptor that SCC cells use to adhere to peptide GD-2. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against a human SCC cell line were generated. One of these mAbs, ASC-1, bound to the surface of SCC cells as determined by flow cytometry. This mAb inhibited SCC cell adhesion to peptide GD-2 and laminin, but not fibronectin or type IV collagen, suggesting that mAb ASC-1 binds to the SCC receptor for the peptide GD-2 sequence of laminin. MAb ASC-1 immunoprecipitated a complex composed of two components of 135 and 116 kDa. Immunoadsorption of ASC-1-binding material from the SCC cell extract by incubation with mAb ASC-1 resulted in the removal of the alpha 3 beta 1 integrin from the extract. Immunohistochemical staining of tissue from a normal human tongue and from a patient with SCC of the tongue revealed that mAb ASC-1 stained the surface of epithelial cells that were in contact with the basement membrane, as well as those cells located two to three layers above the basement membrane. This mAb also stained blood vessels in the squamous tissue. This staining pattern was identical to that observed when the same tissues were stained by a mAb against the alpha 3 integrin subunit. In summary, by use of a new mAb, ASC-1, that recognizes the alpha 3 beta 1 integrin, we have determined that the alpha 3 beta 1 integrin mediates SCC cell adhesion to the peptide GD-2 sequence within laminin.
A Review of “Bridging the Digital Divide with Mobile Services”

This short yet succinct pamphlet on offering mobile services to diverse and disparate communities is packed full of information and helpful suggestions in its brief 34 pages. The author begins by u...
Addressing the challenges of phenotyping pediatric pulmonary vascular disease

Pediatric pulmonary vascular disease (PVD) and pulmonary hypertension (PH) represent phenotypically and pathophysiologically diverse disease categories, contributing substantial morbidity and mortality to a complex array of pediatric conditions. Here, we review the multifactorial nature of pediatric PVD, with an emphasis on improved recognition, phenotyping, and endotyping strategies for pediatric PH. Novel tailored approaches to diagnosis and treatment in pediatric PVD, as well as the implications for long-term outcomes, are highlighted.
Inhibition of HDAC8 and HDAC9 by microbial short-chain fatty acids breaks immune tolerance of the epidermis to TLR ligands

Epidermal keratinocytes participate in immune defense through their capacity to recognize danger, trigger inflammation, and resist infection. However, normal skin immune function must tolerate contact with an abundant community of commensal microbes without inflammation. We hypothesized that microbial environmental conditions dictate the production of molecules that influence epigenetic events and cause keratinocytes to break innate immune tolerance. Propionibacterium acnes, a commensal skin bacterium, produced the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) propionate and valerate when provided a lipid source in hypoxic growth conditions, and these SCFAs inhibited histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity. Inhibition of HDAC activity in keratinocytes promoted cytokine expression in response to Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands for TLR2 or TLR3. This response was opposite to the action of HDAC inhibition on production of inflammatory cytokines by monocytes and involved HDAC8 and HDAC9 because small interfering RNA silencing of these HDACs recapitulated the activity of SCFAs. Analysis of cytokine expression in mice confirmed the response of the epidermis where application of SCFA on the skin surface promoted cytokine expression, whereas subcutaneous administration was inhibitory. These findings show that the products of commensal microbes made under specific conditions will inhibit HDAC activity and break tolerance of the epidermis to inflammatory stimuli.
Rebuilding a broken heart: lessons from developmental and regenerative biology

In May 2016, the annual Weinstein Cardiovascular Development and Regeneration Conference was held in Durham, North Carolina, USA. The meeting assembled leading investigators, junior scientists and trainees from around the world to discuss developmental and regenerative biological approaches to understanding the etiology of congenital heart defects and the repair of diseased cardiac tissue. In this Meeting Review, we present several of the major themes that were discussed throughout the meeting and highlight the depth and range of research currently being performed to uncover the causes of human cardiac diseases and develop potential therapies.
A learning from demonstration framework to promote home-based neuromotor rehabilitation

The paper proposes a learning from demonstration (LfD) framework which will enable children with motor disabilities to perform neuromotor rehabilitation exercises at home- and community- settings. LfD, a popular robot learning paradigm, has traditionally been used to teach embodied robots different skills through demonstrations by lay users. In this paper, we propose a novel application of LfD in the health-care domain. The goal of the proposed LfD framework is to learn standard rehabilitation exercises from a therapist's demonstration during a patient's clinic visit and assist the patient to perform the exercises at home through demonstrating (using a 3D avatar) different steps of the exercise. Motion information and EMG signals of a patient are used to train a Markov Decision Process (MDP) model with different steps of the exercise from real-time demonstrations. The MDP model then tracks the progress of a patient as (s)he performs the exercise at home and provides prompts if there is any error or missed steps. The MDP model also allows quantitative evaluation of a patient's performance and improvements over time, a highly desirable property of any home-based rehabilitation system.
Expedited Phonon Transfer in Interfacially Constrained Polymer Chain along Self-Organized Amino Acid Crystals

In this work, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/amino acid (AA) composites were prepared by a self-organized crystallization process. Five different AAs (cysteine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, ornithine, and lysine) were selected based on their similar functional groups but different molecular structures. The different PVA–AA interactions in the five PVA/AA composites lead to two crystal patterns, i.e., continuous network (cysteine and lysine) and discrete particles (glutamic acid, ornithine, and aspartic acid). Scanning thermal microscopy is then applied to map the distribution of thermal conduction in these composites. It is found that the interface surrounding the crystals plays a dominating role in phonon transport where the polymer chains are greatly restrained by the interfacial confinement effect. Continuous crystal network builds up a continuous interface that facilitates phonon transfer while phonon scattering occurs in discrete crystalline structures. Significantly improved thermal conductivity of ∼0.7...
QoS-Aware Virtual Machine Consolidation in Cloud Datacenter

With the rapid growth of the cloud industry in recent years, energy consumption of warehouse-scale datacenters has become a major concern. Energy-aware Virtual Machine consolidation has proven to be one of the most effective solutions for tackling this problem. Among the sub-problems of VM consolidation, VM placement is the trickiest and can be treated as a bin packing problem which is NP-hard, hence, it is logical to apply a heuristic approach. The main challenge of VM consolidation is to achieve a balance between energy consumption and quality of service (QoS). In this research, we evaluate this problem and design a combined strategy using best fit decreasing bin packing method and multi-pass optimization in VM placement for an efficient VM consolidation. We have used CloudSim toolkit to simulate our experiments. To evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithms we used real-world workload traces from thousand VMs. Results demonstrate that our proposed methods outperform other existing methods.
In vivo imaging of graft-versus-host disease and graft-versus-leukemia

The use of in vivo imaging technologies in small animal models of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has greatly improved our understanding of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and the graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect. Although optical imaging technologies (i.e. bioluminescence and fluorescence imaging) are seldom used in a clinical setting, they are usually the imaging modality of choice for small animal studies due to their relatively low cost and simplicity. However, other technologies, such as positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission computer tomography (SPECT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been taken from the clinic and adapted for use in small animals. Through the use of these technologies, we now know that GVHD occurs in two discrete phases: an initiation phase where T cells infiltrate secondary lymphoid organs, become activated and begin to proliferate, followed by an effector phase where the T cells migrate to and inflict damage on target tissues. How GVHD and GVL are influenced by various receptor/ligand interactions, chemokines and other molecules, which can affect activation, migration and invasion of tissues, is under active investigation. Furthermore, the efficacies of various immunosuppressive therapies, including receptor/ligand interaction disruption and cellular therapy, have been evaluated in vivo and in real time.
Complications Requiring Surgical Correction

Approximately 7.5% of all patients admitted to the United States Army Institute of Surgical Research have injuries of the eye and/or associated structures requiring specific therapy. One-half of the ophthalmic injuries involve the eyelids and conjunctiva (Figure 6-1). Other injuries include corneal ulcers, corneal lacerations, corneal burns, globe penetration, and iridocyclitis.
Wild Mouse Gut Microbiota Promotes Host Fitness and Improves Disease Resistance.

Summary Laboratory mice, while paramount for understanding basic biological phenomena, are limited in modeling complex diseases of humans and other free-living mammals. Because the microbiome is a major factor in mammalian physiology, we aimed to identify a naturally evolved reference microbiome to better recapitulate physiological phenomena relevant in the natural world outside the laboratory. Among 21 distinct mouse populations worldwide, we identified a closely related wild relative to standard laboratory mouse strains. Its bacterial gut microbiome differed significantly from its laboratory mouse counterpart and was transferred to and maintained in laboratory mice over several generations. Laboratory mice reconstituted with natural microbiota exhibited reduced inflammation and increased survival following influenza virus infection and improved resistance against mutagen/inflammation-induced colorectal tumorigenesis. By demonstrating the host fitness-promoting traits of natural microbiota, our findings should enable the discovery of protective mechanisms relevant in the natural world and improve the modeling of complex diseases of free-living mammals. Video Abstract
Diversity in Grain Amaranths and Relatives Distinguished by Genotyping by Sequencing (GBS).

The genotyping by sequencing (GBS) method has become a molecular marker technology of choice for many crop plants because of its simultaneous discovery and evaluation of a large number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and utility for germplasm characterization. Genome representation and complexity reduction are the basis for GBS fingerprinting and can vary by species based on genome size and other sequence characteristics. Grain amaranths are a set of three species that were domesticated in the New World to be high protein, pseudo-cereal grain crops. The goal of this research was to employ the GBS technique for diversity evaluation in grain amaranth accessions and close relatives from six Amaranthus species and determine genetic differences and similarities between groupings. A total of 10,668 SNPs were discovered in 94 amaranth accessions with ApeK1 complexity reduction and 10X genome coverage Illumina sequencing. The majority of the SNPs were species specific with 4,568 and 3,082 for the two grain amaranths originating in Central America Amaranthus cruentus and A. hypochondriacus and 3,284 found amongst both A. caudatus, originally domesticated in South America, and its close relative, A. quitensis. The distance matrix based on shared alleles provided information on the close relationships of the two cultivated Central American species with each other and of the wild and cultivated South American species with each other, as distinguished from the outgroup with two wild species, A. powellii and A. retroflexus. The GBS data also distinguished admixture between each pair of species and the geographical origins and seed colors of the accessions. The SNPs we discovered here can be used for marker development for future amaranth study.
Abstract 322: Cost Effectiveness Analysis of Peripheral Arterial Disease Screening With the Ankle-Brachial Index Test

Introduction: Screening for asymptomatic PAD (aPAD) with the ankle-brachial index (ABI) test may reduce mortality and disease progression by identifying individuals who may benefit from early initiation of cardiovascular (CV) risk reduction therapies. Methods: Using a Markov model, we evaluated the cost-effectiveness of initiating medical therapy (e.g. statin & ACE-inhibitor) after a positive ABI screen in adults 65-years old. We modeled progression to symptomatic PAD (sPAD) and CV mortality with and without screening evaluating quality adjust life years (QALY). Cost of the ABI test, physician visit, new medication, and surgery for sPAD were calculated. Our baseline model estimated 96% of patients already eligible for medical therapy given the similar risk factor profiles of aPAD and CV disease. Repeated screening was considered given the imperfect screening test, development of disease with age, and opportunity to re-initiate therapy given limited medication compliance. Variables with uncertainty underwent a tornado analysis to determine variables with large effects. Results: Our model found an incremental cost of $367 and incremental QALY of 0.0022 with one-time ABI screening resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $169,025/QALY over a 35-year period. Removing the benefits of medication on CV mortality increases the ICER by 51%, and removing the benefits of medication on PAD progression increases the ICER by 16%. A tornado diagram shows variables affecting the ICER (Figure). Screening high-risk populations, such as tobacco users where the prevalence of PAD may be 2.5x higher than the general population of 9%, decreases the ICER to $63,500/QALY. Conclusions: Our cost-effective analysis predicts that one-time ABI screening does not meet generally accepted thresholds for cost effectiveness. Disease prevalence and medication adherence had the largest effects on the ICER and are important to consider in implementing ABI screening.
A Method for the Measurement of Salivary Gland Function in Mice.

Patients with Sjogren's syndrome, an autoimmune disease affecting the exocrine glands, develop salivary gland inflammation and have reduced saliva production. Similarly, saliva production is severely compromised in patients receiving radiation treatment for head and neck cancers. Rodent models, developed to mimic these clinical conditions, facilitate an understanding of the disease pathogenesis and allow for the development of new therapeutic strategies. Therefore, the ability to accurately, reproducibly, and repeatedly measure salivary gland function in animal models is critical. Building on procedures previously described in the literature, a method was developed that meets these criteria and was used to evaluate salivary gland function in mice. An additional advantage of this new method is that it is easily mastered, and has little inter-operator variation. Salivary gland function is evaluated as the amount (weight or volume) or rate (mL/min) of saliva produced in response to pilocarpine stimulation. The collected saliva is a good source for the analyses of protein content, immunoglobulin concentrations, and other biomolecules.
Effect of Water Table Depth on Nutrient Concentrations Below the Water Table in a Spodosol

Water table depth manipulations as implemented in sugarcane fields of Southwestern Florida, USA, were hypothesized to influence the nutrient concentrations below the water table. Concentrations of phosphorus (P), potassium (K), nitrogen (N), and bromide (Br−) were monitored above and below the water table using a column leaching experiment. Three columns were packed with Immokalee soil (A, E, and Bh horizons) classified as a spodosol and fertilizers (NPK) were applied on the soil surface as solids using rates of 11 kg P ha−1, 166 kg K ha−1, and 200 kg N ha−1. A fourth column where fertilizer mixture and bromide were not added acted as a blank. Potassium was also applied as KBr with bromide used as tracer for water movement. Water table was maintained at 30 cm for 6 weeks and lowered to 50 cm deep for another 6 weeks. Samplers were placed in A, E, and Bh horizons and outlets were placed at 30 and 50 cm deep to obtain solutions for monitoring nutrients and tracer. Solution samplers placed in E and Bh horizons were located below the water table. Slightly elevated P, N, and K concentrations in E horizon for a 50-cm water table depth treatment were observed. For both water table treatments, minimal loss of applied N, P, and K below the water table was observed. The results of the study have shown that movement of nutrients below the water table is slow, and depends on the type of nutrients applied and the water table depth.
Potential Applications of Gene Therapy/Transfer to the Treatment of Lower Urinary Tract Diseases/Disorders

Identification of molecular targets for novel therapeutics is a natural consequence of the age of molecular and personalized medicine. How this information is leveraged and applied to the treatment of functional diseases/disorders of the lower urinary tract will determine if this field of medicine can keep pace with technological developments and patient expectations for improved therapies. In this regard, therapeutic improvements for the treatment of lower urinary tract diseases and disorders have been largely incremental over the past 30 years. The goal of this report is to review the evidence pointing toward the enormous potential of gene therapy/transfer to provide a paradigm shift from palliative to curative therapeutic solutions for lower urinary tract diseases/disorders. In fact, it seems clear that gene therapy represents a biotechnology approach particularly suitable to applications in the lower urinary tract. Although much more research is required, ample preclinical evidence already indicates that, for example, gene therapy can favorably impact/alter virtually every aspect of bladder physiology/function. In short, further investigations and continued applications of gene therapy to the treatment of lower urinary tract diseases/disorders seems a prudent step toward potentially marked and more durable therapeutic improvements.
Bridging the digital divide: mobile access to personal health records among patients with diabetes

OBJECTIVES Some patients lack regular computer access and experience a digital divide that causes them to miss internet-based health innovations. The diffusion of smartphones has increased internet access across the socioeconomic spectrum, and increasing the channels through which patients can access their personal health records (PHRs) could help bridge the divide in PHR use. We examined PHR use through a computer-based Web browser or mobile device. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional historical cohort analysis. METHODS Among adult patients in the diabetes registry of an integrated healthcare delivery system, we studied the devices used to access their PHR during 2016. RESULTS Among 267,208 patients with diabetes, 68.1% used the PHR in 2016; 60.6% of all log-ins were via computer and 39.4% were via mobile device. Overall, 63.9% used it from both a computer and mobile device, 29.6% used only a computer, and 6.5% used only a mobile device. After adjustment, patients who were black, Hispanic, or Asian; lived in lower socioeconomic status (SES) neighborhoods; or had lower engagement were all significantly more likely to use the PHR only from a mobile device (P <.05). Patients using the PHR only via mobile device used it less frequently. CONCLUSIONS Mobile-ready PHRs may increase access among patients facing a digital divide in computer use, disproportionately reaching racial/ethnic minorities and lower SES patients. Nonetheless, even with a mobile-optimized and app-accessible PHR, differences in PHR use by race/ethnicity and SES remain. Continued efforts are needed to increase equitable access to PHRs among patients with chronic conditions.