cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Runt Domain Factor (Runx)-dependent Effects on CCAAT/ Enhancer-binding Protein δ Expression and Activity in Osteoblasts

Transcription factor CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein delta (C/EBPdelta) is normally associated with acute-phase gene expression. However, it is expressed constitutively in primary osteoblast cultures where it increases insulin-like growth factor I synthesis in a cAMP-dependent way. Here we show that the 3' proximal region of the C/EBPdelta gene promoter contains a binding sequence for Runt domain factor Runx2, which is essential for osteogenesis. This region of the C/EBPdelta promoter directed high reporter gene expression in osteoblasts, and specifically bound Runx2 in osteoblast-derived nuclear extract. C/EBPdelta gene promoter activity was reduced by mutating the Runx binding sequence or by co-transfecting with Runx2 antisense expression plasmid, and was enhanced by overexpression of Runx-2. Exposure to prostaglandin E(2) increased Runx-dependent gene transactivation independently of Runx2 binding to DNA. Runx2 bound directly to the carboxyl-terminal region of C/EBPdelta itself, and its ability to drive C/EBPdelta expression was suppressed when C/EBPdelta or its carboxyl-terminal fragment was increased by overexpression. Consistent effects also occurred on C/EBPdelta-dependent increases in gene expression driven by synthetic or insulin-like growth factor I gene promoter fragments. These interactions between Runx2 and C/EBPdelta, and their activation by prostaglandin E(2), provide new evidence for their importance during skeletal remodeling, inflammatory bone disease, or fracture repair.
Evidence of arthropod‐plant interactions in the Upper Triassic of the southwestern United States

Leaves from the Upper Triassic Chinle Formation in the southwestern United States show evi dence of having provided nourishment and shelter for several different types of arthropods. This evidence consists of three or four morphotypes of feeding traces and a well-defined type of gall. The feeding traces occur on the pinnules of the filicalean fern Cynepteris lasiophora (Daugherty) Ash and the pinnae of the bennettitalean leaf Zamites sp. and Marcouia neuropter-oides Ash, a gymnosperm leaf of uncertain relationships. Typically, the feeding traces are only a few mm in length and have smooth, continuous margins which are often bordered by a nar-row dark band that represents reaction tissue formed in response to feeding. Presence of this tissue indicates that the leaves continued to function after the damage occurred and while they were still attached to the parent plant. The relatively small size and shape of the feeding traces shows that they were most likely produced by grazing insects. Gall-like swellings are found on the leaves of Dechellyia gormanii Ash, another gymnosperm fossil of uncertain relationships. The swellings are well defined, round to deltoid in outline, and bulbous. Typically, only one such swelling occurs on a leaf. Leaves that have these swellings are often distorted or terminate abruptly at the disturbance, particularly if the structure extends over the edge of the leaf. The swellings resemble galls induced on leaves of certain modern plants by eriophyid mites and apparently are either prosoplasmatic histioid pit galls or pouch galls.
Design and Fabrication of Diffractive Light-Collecting Microoptical Device with 1D and 2D Lamellar Grating Structures

This paper presents the optimal design method of diffractive light-collecting microoptical device and its fabrication method by E-beam lithography, fast atom beam etching, and hot-embossing processes. The light-collecting device proposed in the paper is comprised of 9 (3 × 3) blocks of optical elements: 4 blocks of 1D lamellar grating structures, 4 blocks of 2D lamellar grating structures, and a single block of nonpatterned element at the center, which acts for lens to be able to collect the diffracted and transmitted lights from the lamellar grating structures into the focus area. The overall size of the light-collecting device is 300 × 300 μm2, and the size of each block was practically designed as 100 × 100 μm2. The performance of 1D and 2D lamellar grating structures was characterized in terms of diffraction efficiency and diffraction angle using a rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA) method, and those geometric parameters, depth, pitch, and orientation, were optimized to achieve a high light-collecting efficiency. The master molds for the optimized structures were fabricated on Si substrate by E-beam lithography and fast atom beam etching processes. The 100 μm thick patterned polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) film was then replicated by a hot-embossing process. As a result, the patterned PMMA film collected 63.0% more incident light than a nonpatterned one.
Continuing to struggle with the term "harm reduction".

I am pleased to have this opportunity to comment on Alan Leshner's Macroscopy (this issue)1 recommending that the term “harm reduction” be expunged from relevant professional lexicons. To the extent that this recommendation could be successfully implemented, it engenders no disagreement from me. Instead, my comments focus on how to deal with the vast world of literature and other activities that already exist around the term. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2008); 83, 4, 522–523.doi:10.1038/sj.clpt.6100498
Derivation And Application Of Extended Parabolic Wave Theories

The parabolic approximation, applied to the propagation of time harmonic scalar waves, replaces the governing Helmholtz equation with a SchrOdinger equation. The primary computational advantage of this approximation is that it is first order in the range coordinate. The validity of the approximation limits variations in an inhomogeneous wave number field to be both small, over the total range of the experiment, and slow, as measured on a length scale determined by an averaged wavelength. Thus, the validity of the approximation can be severely strained in a number of applications; e.g., it is difficult to justify its application in the presence of regions of rapid, even discontinuous, changes near a surface that runs in the range direction. In this paper we consider the derivation of extended parabolic wave theories which retain the feature that they are first order in the range coordinate. Distinguishing the extended theories from the ordinary one, i.e. the SchrOdinger equation, is the manner in which the cross-range coordinates enter. In the ordinary theory, they appear via the two-dimensional Laplacian, a differential or local operator; in the extended theories they appear via non-local operators. Obtaining explicit forms for specific nonlocal cross-range operators requires the solution of factor-ordering problems which have their counterpart in the correspondence between quantized theories governing the evolution of dynamical systems and their related classical formulations. The operator construction can be related to the construction of both coordinate and phase space path integrals for the appropriate wave propagator and further provides for the formulation and exact solution of a multidimensional nonlinear inverse problem appropriate for ocean acoustic and seismic modelling.© (1982) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Secular Stability of Rapidly Rotating Stars of Arbitrary Structure.

The aim of the present paper will be to utilize Poincare's criteria to investigate secular stability of self-gravitating configurations, of arbitrary structure, in the state of rapid rotation. The potential energy, a knowledge of which is necessary for application of these criteria, will be determined by an extension of Clairaut's method; and its evaluation in terms of suitably chosen generalized coordinates carried out explicitly to quantities of fourth order in superficial oblateness, for configurations of arbitrary internal structure. The method employed can, moreover, clearly be extended to attain accuracy of any order — at the expense of mere manipulative work which lends itself to machine automation; and the angular velocity of axial rotation can be an arbitrary function of position as well as of the time. An application of our results to homogeneous configurations in rigig-body rotation will be undertaken to demonstrate that our method, when applied to a case for which a closed solution exists, leads to results which are consistent with it.
Blood loss from arthroscopic autogenous patellar tendon anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Thirty patients who had arthroscopically assisted autogenous patellar tendon anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions were retrospectively reviewed to determine the blood loss associated with this procedure. On average, a 1.5 U blood loss (9-point hematocrit decrease) occurred with this procedure. The amount of blood lost was not affected by use of an intraoperative tourniquet. Blood loss was minimally increased by extra-articular iliotibial band surgery and was unrelated to surgical timing, in the acute versus chronic phase of the injury.
Believing, belonging, meaning, and religious coping

The provocative findings by Inzlicht, Tullett, and Good (IT&G) indicate that religious belief reduces brain responses associated with anxiety. They show that this is linked to perception of the wor...
From Hostage to Host: Confessions of a Spirit Medium in Niger

Spirit possession ostensibly solves problems by freeing the object of possession from certain responsibilities, yet it also creates a whole nexus of unavoidable obligations as the human host learns to cope with the social, financial, and moral demands of her powerful alter ego. Rather than simplifying situations, possession complicates them by introducing new relations and enabling new forms of communication. In this article, I explore what bori possession as communication entailed for a young Mawri woman from Dogondoutchi (Niger) when her possessing spirit made dramatic revelations that forced her to make changes in her life. I show that possession opens up a space of self-awareness for mediums as they struggle to gain progressive control over the terms of their relationships with spirits. In this space of reflexivity they help create and in their role as interlocutors, accusers, or diviners, spirits play a crucial role in the refashioning of human histories and identities.
Robot planning and control via potential functions

There mingle in the contemporary field of robotics a great many disparate currents of thought from a large variety of disciplines. Nevertheless, a largely unspoken understanding seems to prevail in the field to the effect that certain topics are conceptually distinct. In general, methods of task planning are held to be unrelated to methods of control. The former belong to the realm of geometry and logic whereas the latter inhabit the earthier domain of engineering analysis; geometry is usually associated with off-line computation whereas everyone knows that control must be accomplished in real-time; the one is a “high level” activity whereas the other is at a “low level”. This article concerns one circle of ideas that, in contrast, intrinsically binds action and intention together in the description of the robot’s task. From the perspective of task planning, this point of view seeks to represent abstract goals via a geometric formalism which is guaranteed to furnish a correct control law as well. From the perspective of control theory, the methodology substitutes reference dynamical systems for reference trajectories. From the point of view of computation, less is required off-line, while more is demanded of the real-time controller. From the historical perspective, these techniques represent the effort of engineers to avail themselves of natural physical phenomena in the synthesis of unnatural machines. For more information: Kod*Lab Disciplines Electrical and Computer Engineering | Engineering | Systems Engineering Comments Copyright Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Reprinted from The Robotics Review, Part 1, 1989, pages 349-367. NOTE: At the time of publication, author Daniel Koditschek was affiliated with Yale University. Currently, he is a faculty member in the Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. This journal article is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/ese_papers/673
Fullerenes in Aromatic Solvents: Correlation between Solvation-Shell Structure, Solvate Formation, and Solubility

In this work, an all-atom molecular dynamics simulation technique was employed to gain insight into the dynamic structure of the solvation shell formed around C60 and phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) in nine aromatic solvents. A new method was developed to visualize and quantify the distribution of solvent molecule orientations in the solvation shell. A strong positive correlation was found between the regularity of solvent molecule orientations in the solvation shell and the experimentally obtained solubility limits for both C60 and PCBM. This correlation was extended to predict a solubility of 36 g/L for PCBM in 1,2,4-trimethylbenze. The relationship between solvation-shell structure and solubility provided detailed insight into solvate formation of C60 and solvation in relation to solvent molecular structure and properties. The determined dependence of the solvation-shell structure on the geometric shape of the solvent might allow for enhanced control of fullerene solution-phase behavior dur...
Changing Western Landscapes, Debt, and Oil: A Perspective

Rapidly rising consumer debt, a real estate bubble, and depletion of world oil reserves could greatly affect western rangelands and ranching. DOI:10.2458/azu_rangelands_v28i4_holechek2
Contingent versus deterministic plans in multi-modal journey planning

Deterministic planning is the de facto standard in deployed multi-modal journey planning systems. However, in reality, transportation networks feature many types of uncertainty, including variations of the arrival and the departure times of public transport vehicles. Under uncertainty, deterministic plans could result in missed connections, leading to an arrival time much worse than originally planned. We contribute an empirical study using transportation network data from three European cities. We show that, in the presence of uncertainty, contingent plans can often provide significant savings in terms of travel time. We view our results as important because they advocate adopting uncertainty-aware multi-modal journey plans, shifting from the current practice based on using deterministic planning.
Twelfth Night presented by Propeller at the Hampstead Theatre, July 2, 2013

Review of Propeller's production of Twelfth Night directed by Edward Hall at the Hampstead Theatre
Imperial Ambivalence: Gender, Discourse and Empire in Early Twentieth-Century Women's Travel Narratives of the Philippines

Regarding the US occupation of the Philippines, postcolonial scholars investigating the feminization of the United States’ colonial politics have exposed the imperialist agenda hidden behind the policy of benevolent assimilation. However, by focusing on white women's complicity in the colonization effort, scholarship often overlooks white women's ambivalent relationship with empire. This essay examines this ambivalence, exploring the ways women's travel narratives of the Philippines exploit the dominant discourses in order to increase white women's agency. Specifically, I show how Emily Bronson Conger in An Ohio Woman in the Philippines (1908) utilizes the discourse of domesticity to achieve empowerment through the expansion of the domestic sphere, and how Mary Helen Fee in A Woman's Impression of the Philippines (1910) manipulates the discourse of uplift to undermine the notion of separate spheres and assert herself as an independent subject. Though the occupation is a means of empowerment, it is ultimat...
Oxidation of trimethoprim by ferrate(VI): kinetics, products, and antibacterial activity.

Kinetics, stoichiometry, and products of the oxidation of trimethoprim (TMP), one of the most commonly detected antibacterial agents in surface waters and municipal wastewaters, by ferrate(VI) (Fe(VI)) were determined. The pH dependent second-order rate constants of the reactions of Fe(VI) with TMP were examined using acid–base properties of Fe(VI) and TMP. The kinetics of reactions of diaminopyrimidine (DAP) and trimethoxytoluene (TMT) with Fe(VI) were also determined to understand the reactivity of Fe(VI) with TMP. Oxidation products of the reactions of Fe(VI) with TMP and DAP were identified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). Reaction pathways of oxidation of TMP by Fe(VI) are proposed to demonstrate the cleavage of the TMP molecule to ultimately result in 3,4,5,-trimethoxybenzaldehyde and 2,4-dinitropyrimidine as among the final identified products. The oxidized products mixture exhibited no antibacterial activity against E. coli after complete consumption of TMP. Removal of...
Biocompatible Silk Fibroin Optical Fibers

Biocompatible waveguides were created by encapsulating a silk fibroin film (n=1.54) inside a silk fibroin hydrogel (n=1.34). We found these structures capable of guiding light in tissue.
A Systematic Comparison of Detailed Soot Models and Gas-Phase Chemical Mechanisms in Laminar Premixed Flames

ABSTRACTThis research is part of an ongoing assessment to identify the most promising soot models for applications to laboratory turbulent flames, and ultimately to practical combustion systems. To that end, it is of interest to compare soot model simulation results with experiments over a broad range of conditions. Here five steady, one-dimensional, laminar, premixed ethylene flames have been targeted that cover a range of C/O ratios (0.68 to 0.88), pressures (1 atm to 10 bar), and peak soot levels (0.03 to 3.2 ppm). Seven different chemical mechanisms have been considered. For each mechanism, results from several soot model variants are compared. Two different approaches for soot aerosol dynamics are used: a discrete sectional method (DSM), and a method of moments with interpolative closure (MOMIC). DSM and MOMIC results are also compared with those from a widely used semi-empirical two-equation soot model. The main figure-of-merit is the ratio of computed-to-measured peak soot volume fraction. The comp...
A Practical Solution to the Cactus Stack Problem

Work-stealing is a popular method for load-balancing dynamic multithreaded computations on shared-memory systems. In theory, a randomized work-stealing scheduler can achieve near linear speedup when the computation has sufficient parallelism and requires stack space that is linear in the number of processors. In practice, however, work-stealing runtimes sacrifice interoperability with serial code to achieve these bounds. For example, both Cilk and Cilk++ prohibit a C function from calling aCilk function. Other work-stealing runtime systems that do not have this restriction either lack a strong time bound, which might cause them to deliver little or no speedup in the worst case, or lack a strong space bound, which might lead to an excessive memory footprint. This problem was previously described as the cactus stack problem.In this paper, we present Fibril, a new multithreading library that supports a fork-join programming model using work-stealing. Fibril solves the cactus stack problem by (1) implementing on a cactus stack that conforms to the calling conventions of serial code and (2) returning unused memory pages of suspended stacks to the operating system to bound consumption of physical memory. Theoretically, Fibril achieves strong bounds on both time and memory usage without sacrificing interoperability with serial code. Empirically, Fibril achieves up to 3x the performance of Intel Cilk Plus and up to 8x the performance of Intel Threading Building Blocks for the 12 benchmarks we evaluated.
Long-Term Follow-Up of Free Microvascular Fibular Transfer for Idiopathic Femoral Head Necrosis

The so-called idiopathic femoral head necrosis (IFHN) is still one of the major challenges for the orthopedic surgeon. Although the etiology is complex, varied, and obscure, the pathology is well defined. There have been a number of reports of the possible pathogenesis and the various surgical techniques for treatment.
The impact of maintainability on the manufacturing system architecture

The rapid development of big data technologies can improve the maintainability of machines and equipment in manufacturing systems, which could impact the selection of the optimal system architecture. In this paper, two typical architectures for large manufacturing systems − serial lines in parallel and reconfigurable manufacturing systems − are considered, and their productivities are compared. A decision locus is calculated that divides the configuration space into two areas; in each area, one of the architectures is the preferred one. It is also investigated how the locus is affected by different parameters, such as system size, buffer capacity and machine or gantry maintainability. The analysis provides valuable managerial insights for designing the architecture of large manufacturing systems.
Human Factors Design Guidelines for V2I Driver-Infrastructure-Interface Displays:

This paper describes an FHWA report developed as part of the Human Factors for Connected Vehicles (HFCV) program, whose goal is to minimize driver workload by eliminating connected vehicle (CV) dev...
New Perspectives on Spatial Patterns of Agrarian Reform: A Comparison of Two Russian Oblasts

The author, based on field work, interviews, and examination of local and regional literature and official statistical sources, compares the experience in agrarian reform in two disparate locations—KostToma Oblast, northeast of Moscow in the Noncher-nozem Region, and Rostov Oblast on Russia's Black Sea littoral in the fertile Chernozem (Black Earth) region. It examines both the reorganization of state and collective farms and the establishment of private peasant farms in the two oblasts, with particular emphasis on the latter. The sections on private farms represent an initial attempt, based on in-depth information for a limited sample population, to garner insights, at the rayon level, into factors that may be influencing regional variations in the number, size, and location of private farms across the Russian countryside. 2 maps, 6 tables, 53 references.
DC Comparison of a Programmable Josephson Voltage Standard and a Josephson Arbitrary Waveform Synthesizer

We present the first dc comparison of a programmable Josephson voltage standards and a pulse-driven Josephson arbitrary waveform synthesizer (JAWS) at 3 V. Both circuits are mounted side-by-side on the cold stage of a cryocooler. The relative agreement achieved was better than 1 part in 108. This measurement allowed us to identify systematic errors of the JAWS system. An undesired current injection from the JAWS isolation amplifier into the measurement circuit was responsible for an error voltage of a few nanovolts.
Phasen der Positionsübernahme

Die Prozesse, die Manager bei der Positionsubernahme durchlaufen, konnen sehr unterschiedlich sein, ebenso wie die Probleme, mit denen sie dabei konfrontiert sind. Betrachten wir zum Beispiel einmal die folgenden Kurzdarstellungen von zwei erfolgreichen Fallen. In einem Fall war der neue Manager Brancheninsider, wahrend er im anderen branchenfremd war.
Control gain adaptation in virtual reality mediated human–telerobot interaction: Research Articles

The Internet connects millions of computers worldwide, and provides a new potential working environment for remote-controlled telerobotic systems. The main limitation of using the Internet in this application is random delays between communicating nodes, which can cause disturbances in human–machine interaction and affect telepresence experiences. This is particularly important in systems integrating virtual reality technology to present interfaces. Telepresence, or the sense of presence in a remote environment, hypothetically is positively related to teleoperation task performance. This research evaluated the effect of constant and random network (communication) delays on remote-controlled telerover performance, operator workload, and telepresence experiences. The research also assessed the effect of using a system gain adaptation algorithm to offset the negative impact of communication delays on the various response measures. It was expected that with gain adaptation, system stability, performance, and user telepresence experiences would improve with a corresponding decrease in workload. Results indicated that gain adaptation had a significant effect on the performance measures. The study demonstrated that gain adaptation could reduce deterioration in telepresence experiences and improve user performance in teleoperated and telerobotic control. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hum Factors Man 15: 259–274, 2005.
MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS IN CHARACTERIZATION OF LIMESTONE UNITS BASED ON MINOR- AND TRACE-ELEMENT CONTENTS

ABSTACT We have demonstrated with the multivariate-analysis techniques that minor and trace elements can be used as diagnostic criteria for Pennsylvanian limestones in the Western Kentucky Coal Field. Twelve elements, including Al, Co, Cr, Eu, Fe, La, Lu, Mn, Na, Sc, Tb, and Th, have been determined by instrumental neutronactivation analysis on a total of 48 composite chip samples. Thirty of the samples were obtained from the Curlew Limestone, eight from the Lewisport, and ten from the Lead Creek. Stratigraphic equivalency of these sample suites were determined from geologic mapping. Multivariate analyses allow us to classify these limestone units through classification functions or to manipulate the twelve geochemical variables into a two-dimensional plot through canonical variables, or a discriminant-function line. The plot shows a clear separation between the Curlew and the Lewisport groupings whereas the Lead Creek overlaps the Curlew grouping. This may indicate that if the Lead Creek is not shown otherwise to be discrete or transitional, it should be assigned to the Curlew grouping. Projection of samples on a discriminant-function line enables us to determine a convenient index based on Mahalanobis' distance between the Curlew and the Lewisport. The indices have proved to be useful in identifying limestone units which otherwise cannot be uniquely characterized. R-mode factor analyses for these three limestone units indicated Na, Mn, and Al account for at least 90 percent of the elemental variation. The factor analysis reveals that possible Fe contamination, as related to the use of geologic hammer in sampling, will not affect our result.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain: Clinical and Research Applications in Schizophrenia

Since the late 1970s, the study of brain structure in schizophrenia has been one of the most intense areas of psychiatric research (Nasrallah and Weinberger 1986). A key factor was the advent of noninvasive in vivo brain imaging techniques such as computerized tomography (CT) in the early 1970s, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the early 1980s (Cohen et al. 1988). Unlike the highly invasive and methodologically unreliable pneumoencephalography (PEG) which for decades was the only way to visualize the internal CSF-filled spaces of the brain, CT provided a much more detailed view of cerebral structures (in the axial plane) which revolutionized the diagnosis and research of brain lesions and structural disorders. When MRI, previously known as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), became available in the early 1980s, significantly more detailed brain images were obtained in all three planes: axial, coronal, and sagittal (Fig. 1). Since the mid- 1980s, an increasing number of investigators have been using MRI for the study of structural brain pathology in schizophrenia (Garber et al. 1988).
Adapting to Customer Initiative: Insights from Human Service Encounters

As more and more service channels migrate from “live” human providers to automated “bot” systems, there is a need to understand the interactional machinery behind human-human service encounters upon which to best design semi-automated interactions. This chapter uses conversation analysis to examine some of the interactional patterns occurring in call center service encounters that are consequential for their outcomes. We discuss how the first few turns of the interaction projects a trajectory based on how the customer adheres to or deviates from the structure of the institutional service opening. We discuss how information is interactionally structured which informs the design of more natural exchanges and unpackages collaborative understanding. Finally, we examine the call’s closing and analyze the practices of disengagement that signal customer satisfaction or discontent. The findings point to the ways that natural human service interaction practices can be applied to conversational system design at two levels: the turn level to enable appropriate next responses, and the activity level to understand the interactional trajectory.
Methamphetamine decreases K+ channel function in human fetal astrocytes by activating the trace amine-associated receptor type-1.

Methamphetamine (Meth) is a potent and commonly abused psychostimulant. Meth alters neuron and astrocyte activity; yet the underlying mechanism(s) is not fully understood. Here we assessed the impact of acute Meth on human fetal astrocytes (HFAs) using whole-cell patch-clamping. We found that HFAs displayed a large voltage-gated K+ efflux (IKv ) through Kv /Kv -like channels during membrane depolarization, and a smaller K+ influx (Ikir ) via inward-rectifying Kir /Kir -like channels during membrane hyperpolarization. Meth at a 'recreational' (20 μM) or toxic/fatal (100 μM) concentration depolarized resting membrane potential (RMP) and suppressed IKv/Kv-like . These changes were associated with a decreased time constant (Ƭ), and mimicked by blocking the two-pore domain K+ (K2P )/K2P -like and Kv /Kv -like channels, respectively. Meth also diminished IKir/Kir-like , but only at toxic/fatal levels. Given that Meth is a potent agonist for the trace amine-associated receptor type-1 (TAAR1), and TAAR1-coupled cAMP/cAMP-activated protein kinase (PKA) cascade, we further evaluated whether the Meth impact on K+ efflux was mediated by this pathway. We found that antagonizing TAAR1 with N-(3-Ethoxyphenyl)-4-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-3-(trifluoromethyl)benzamide (EPPTB) reversed Meth-induced suppression of IKv/Kv-like ; and inhibiting PKA activity by H89 abolished Meth effects on suppressing IKv/Kv-like . Antagonizing TAAR1 might also attenuate Meth-induced RMP depolarization. Voltage-gated Ca2+ currents were not detected in HFAs. These novel findings demonstrate that Meth suppresses IKv/Kv-like by facilitating the TAAR1/Gs /cAMP/PKA cascade and altering the kinetics of Kv /Kv -like channel gating, but reduces K2P /K2P -like channel activity through other pathway(s), in HFAs. Given that Meth-induced decrease in astrocytic K+ efflux through K2P /K2P -like and Kv /Kv -like channels reduces extracellular K+ levels, such reduction could consequently contribute to a decreased excitability of surrounding neurons. OPEN SCIENCE BADGES: This article has received a badge for *Open Materials* because it provided all relevant information to reproduce the study in the manuscript. The complete Open Science Disclosure form for this article can be found at the end of the article. More information about the Open Practices badges can be found at https://cos.io/our-services/open-science-badges/.
100.37 Rotational Atherectomy Versus Orbital Atherectomy With Percutaneous Coronary Interventions: A Meta-Analysis

With an aging population and increasing risk factors for coronary artery calcification (CAC), a rising number of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) involve the treatment of CAC. Consequently, adjunctive atherectomy has become an important part of PCI. While rotational atherectomy (RA) has
Topic: Voting Rights and Political Participation

Citizen participation is a hallmark of democracy. It depends on the belief—supported by reality—that each citizen is entitled to vote, and that votes will be counted accurately and weighted equally...
A Review of Language Development Protocols for Individuals with Autism

The present review sought to examine contemporary applied behavior analytic (ABA)-based assessment and curriculum protocols for teaching language skills to children with autism and evaluate the evidence supporting their reliability, validity, and effectiveness. Results of the literature search revealed the existence of 18 ABA educational assessments and curriculum protocols. Of the 18 protocols reviewed, only four had data supporting the reliability and validity of the assessment tools that are used to identify skills for treatment, and just four protocols had data supporting the effectiveness of their corresponding training curricula. Several protocols have failed to generate data supporting their utility as behavior analytic tools for use with individuals with autism or other intellectual disabilities, although a few have generated meaningful data and may therefore confer a technological and applied benefit to the field of ABA.
Na1.5Ag1.5MO3F3 (M: Mo, W): An Ordered Oxyfluoride Derivative of the LiNbO3 Structure.

The title compounds are synthesized by solid state reaction of stoichiometric mixtures of NaF, AgF, and WO3 or MoO3 (Ag tubes, 550 °C, 216 h).
Performance Tracking: A Multimedia Informatics System to Improve Decision Support in Movement Analysis

Decisions for improving motor function in human subjects both with disability, injury prevention, and performance improvements are made through clinical and movement analysis. Currently, this analysis facilitates identifying abnormalities in an individual’s neuro-musculoskeletal motor function. However definitively identifying the underlying cause or long-term consequences of a specific abnormality in the individual’s movement pattern is difficult since this requires information from multiple sources and formats across different times and currently relies on the experience and intuition of the expert. In addition, this data must be persistent for longitudinal outcome studies. Therefore a multimedia informatics system, comparable to an electronic patient record (ePR) system, that integrates multiple sources of informatics data could have a significant impact on decision support within this analysis workflow. In this chapter, the methodology, design, and architecture of such an informatics system including use case data types that need integration in order to develop relevant decision support tools are discussed. The end result is a new frontier area of imaging informatics research that supports improvement in performance.
Chapter 21 – Follicular Development: Mouse, Sheep, and Human Models

Ovarian folliculogenesis in mammals is a cyclic and dynamic process that involves dramatic change in the size and number of various cell types of the ovary. The oocyte lies at the epicenter of the ovarian follicle, surrounded by the somatic granulosa and thecal cell layers. Oocyte growth and differentiation within the follicles is remarkable and highly dependent on fruitful interactions between the dictyate oocyte and their surrounding soma. Many genes are involved to ensure that such interactions select the most promising mature egg for fertilization and embryo development. Numerous unique molecular events occur during folliculogenesis and include synthesis of embryonic transcripts, as well as setting down of maternal imprints. Unique transcription factors such as NOBOX, LHX8, SOHLH1, and SOHLH2 drive expression of oocyte-specific secreted factors such as BMP15 and GDF9. These factors stimulate somatic cell growth and development, which in turn affects oocyte growth and selection. Furthermore, essential early embryonic transcripts are synthesized and stored during ovarian folliculogenesis and include MATER, ZAR1, and NPM2. Gonadotropins FSH and LH impart central control to folliculogenesis and direct the impressive growth of follicles, which culminates in ovulation. Poorly understood selection mechanisms ensure that only a few oocytes will be chosen for fertilization and the vast majority will perish. In the future, genomic, metabolomic, and epigenomic pathways that are specific to the ovary will provide useful diagnostics to predict premature ovarian aging, potentially regulate recruitment of primordial follicles and prolong reproductive lifespan, and regulate fertility. Animal models have been invaluable in understanding mammalian folliculogenesis, and our dependence on them will persist for the foreseeable future.
Decentralized Fault Diagnosis and Prognosis Scheme for Interconnected Nonlinear Discrete-Time Systems

This paper deals with the design of a decentralized fault diagnosis and prognosis scheme for interconnected nonlinear discrete-time systems which are modelled as the interconnection of several subsystems. For each subsystem, a local fault detector (LFD) is designed based on the dynamic model of the local subsystem and the local states. Each LFD consists of an observer with an online neural network (NN)-based approximator. The online NN approximators only use local measurements as their inputs, and are always turned on and continuously learn the interconnection as well as possible fault function. A fault is detected by comparing the output of each online NN approximator with a predefined threshold instead of using the residual. Derivation of robust detection thresholds and fault detectability conditions are also included. Due to interconnected nature of the overall system, the effect of faults propagate to other subsystems, thus a fault might be detected in more than one subsystem. Upon detection, faults local to the subsystem and from other subsystems are isolated by using a central fault isolation unit which receives detection time information from all LFDs. The proposed scheme also provides the time-to-failure or remaining useful life information by using local measurements. Simulation results provide the effectiveness of the proposed decentralized fault detection scheme.
Adolescent Fathers' Perceptions and Experiences of Fatherhood: A Qualitative Exploration with Hispanic Adolescent Fathers.

abstract Purpose The purpose of this secondary analysis of qualitative data was to understand the multifactorial influences that impact the health and health behaviors of Hispanic adolescent fathers Design & methods Qualitative description was the method used for this secondary analysis. The theoretical domains of the Vulnerable Populations Conceptual Framework were used to guide this study. The semi-structured interviews of 17 participants were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Participants were Hispanic adolescent fathers, between the ages of 16 and 23 years, who were attending a fatherhood program. Results Most participants came from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and unstable families. Additionally, their exposure to widespread neighborhood and domestic violence resulted in gang involvement and illegal activities. The cumulative impact of adverse childhood events resulted in substance use and psychological distress. However, becoming a father was transformative, motivating adolescents to stop engaging in destructive, unhealthy behaviors. Conclusion Adolescent fathers’ well-being is an important component of perinatal health because it affects family functioning and health outcomes in their children. The perinatal period presents a “golden” opportunity to promote health and should be leveraged by nurses to allow adolescent fathers to become involved during the perinatal period. Practice Implications A family-centered approach is critical in addressing the complex needs of this population. An assessment of their psychosocial environment, including childhood trauma, is necessary to help nurses identify at-risk fathers. Additionally, trauma informed care is a valuable tool that nurses can utilize to foster trust in Hispanic adolescent fathers.
Gastrointestinal stromal tumor: a review of current and emerging therapies

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are rare neoplasms arising from the interstitial cell of Cajal in the gastrointestinal tract. Two thirds of GIST in adult patients have c-Kit mutation and smaller fractions have platelet derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) mutation. Surgery is the only curative treatment for localized disease. Imatinib improves survival when used adjuvantly and in advanced disease. Several targeted therapies have also improved survival in GIST patients after progression on imatinib including sunitinib and regorafenib. Recently, United States Federal and Drug Administration (FDA) approved two new tyrosine kinase inhibitors for the treatment of heavily pretreated advanced/unresectable GIST including avapritinib (a selective inhibitor for PDGFRA exon 18 mutation including D842V mutations) and ripretinib (a broad-spectrum kinase inhibitor of c-Kit and PDGFRA). In this article, we will provide a comprehensive review of GIST including the current standard of care treatment and exploring future paradigm shifts in therapy.
Higher Education Finance between Ghana and the United States.

Over the years, there has been a tremendous increase in enrollment in higher education as well as the cost of attendance. This article comparatively analyzes the higher education finance between the United States of America (U.S.A.) and Ghana, taking into consideration the goals of higher education, enrollment and expenditure, and the various sources of finance available to students in both countries. The source of education finance between both countries is examined through the lens of neoliberalism, which prioritizes capitalism, free trade, and market in public institutions, specifically higher education. While there are disparities in the financing of higher education in both countries, there is a similarity in the limited access to higher education and funding by students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.
Disturbance source identification for multivariable control

A unique method for identifying the directional information of how stochastic disturbances propagate through the dynamics of a linear, multivariable system is presented. No new theoretical results are used to arrive at the method. Rather, it is an integration of existing time and frequency domain identification techniques into an iterative curve fitting procedure. Beginning with an input to output model of the system and time domain output measurements, the method first produces a nonparametric estimate of the output power spectral density and then fits a parameterized model to it using a non-linear least squares tuning algorithm. The main advantage of this procedure is the ability to directly judge and enhance the quality of the estimates by graphically evaluating the differences in the individual nonparametric and parametric spectral density estimates. A simulation, in which a wind gust disturbance that excites an aircraft, is identified illustrates the quality of the estimates produced by the method. The estimate is then used to design controllers which reject the wind gust disturbance. Doing so demonstrates that the method does provide the necessary directional information needed to obtain good levels of disturbance rejection performance.
Teaching Knowledge, Skills, and Values of Professional Identity Formation

Both Best Practices for Legal Education and Educating Lawyers: Preparation for the Profession of Law suggest that it is a best practice to cultivate students’ professional identity formation explicitly and pervasively as part of the program of legal education. Helping students develop their “professional identity” is different from teaching them “professionalism,” as the latter term is often interpreted. Lawyer professionalism has often referred to adherence to standards or norms of conduct beyond those required by the ethical rules, and the focus of the current discussion of professionalism largely remains on outward conduct like civility and respect for others. Civility and respect for others are foundational to emerging lawyers’ understanding of professional conduct, but professional identity engages students at a deeper level by asking them to internalize principles and values such that their actions flow habitually from their moral compass. The process of forming students’ professional identities requires exposing them to explicit areas of knowledge, skills, and values. This section of the forthcoming book Building on Best Practices: Transforming Legal Education in a Changing World (Lexis 2015) builds on Best Practices’ thesis concerning what it means to be a legal professional first by identifying more specifically the content of that knowledge and the nature of those values and skills, and then by discussing particular teaching methods aimed at promoting students’ professional identity formation. Because formation of developing lawyers’ professional identities requires pervasive efforts, a law school that has embraced the goal of formation ought to combine the practices suggested in this section with those in the other sections of Building on Best Practices.
Observations of Non‐Thermal Radiation from Planets

Nonthermal radio emissions from earth, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus are reviewed. The dominant source of emission at each planet appears to be AKR-like auroral emission in the X-mode. O-mode emissions are substantially responsible. There is a remarkably constant scaling factor relating the total solar wind input power into each planetary system and the AKR-like auroral emissions.
A More Efficient Representation of Obscuration for VRCC-3D+ Relations

Abstract—VRCC-3D+ is an implementation of a regionconnection calculus that qualitatively determines the spatialrelation between two 3D objects in terms of connectivity andobscuration. The eight connectivity relations are conceptually thesame as RCC8, but calculated in 3D rather than 2D. The ﬁfteenobscuration relations are calculated using the projection of the 3Dobjects on a particular 2D plane and the distance of the objectsfrom the viewpoint. Herein we present a smaller, more preciseset of VRCC-3D+ obscuration relations that retains the qualitiesof being jointly exhaustive and pairwise disjoint. However, thisnew set of relations overcomes two problems that existed in theprevious set of ﬁfteen relations: (1) lack of a precise mathematicaldeﬁnition for a key predicate, InFront, and (2) lack of an intuitivemapping of converse relations.Index Terms—Computer vision, qualitative spacial reasoning,VRCC-3D, region connection calculus, spatial relations. I. I NTRODUCTION Q UALITATIVE spatial reasoning (QSR) in two dimen-sions is a well-studied ﬁeld, and includes models suchas the connectivity-based RCC systems [1], [2], [3], andobscuration-based systems such as LOS-14 [4], OCS-14 [5],and OCC [6]. These systems, while expressive, do notaccurately portray the real world wherein objects exist andare perceived in three dimensions, not two. As computingpower increases and the need to analyze three-dimensionaldata (e.g., stereoscopic video, robotic vision, etc.) increases,two-dimensional reasoning systems can be inefﬁcient, or eveninadequate, for sophisticated applications.To ameliorate the shortcomings of two-dimensional QSRsystems, Albath et al. developed RCC-3D [7], whicheventually evolved into VRCC-3D+ [8]. VRCC-3D+ usescomposite relations that express both connectivity andobscuration from a given perspective. The connectivity-basedrelations are the RCC8 relations (DC, EC, EQ, PO, TPP, TPPc,NTPP, NTPPc) deﬁned in three dimensions; these relationshave been an ongoing focus of optimization and reﬁnementin the implementation as a QSR system [9]. The obscurationportion of the composite relations are reﬁnements on the basicconcepts of no obscuration (nObs), partial obscuration (pObs),equal obscuration (eObs), and complete obscuration (cObs).