cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aerial and terrestrial locomotion control of lift assisted insect biobots

This paper presents results on remote control navigation of moths implanted with neuromuscular probes. We have previously demonstrated that the technique of metamorphosis based surgical insertions enables the concept of “insect-based” centimeter scale biobots. Here, we demonstrate for the first time, the control of gait with a radio controlled, balloon-suspended, electrode-instrumented Manduca sexta by altering the direction of turn through applied neuromuscular pulses. We also present sustained flight control in Manduca sexta with demonstration of take-off, controlled yaw, and controlled landing. The assist of the helium balloon for lifting payloads allows for a wide-range of application space where insect biobots can be deployed.
Arsenite-induced Phosphorylation of Histone H3 at Serine 10 Is Mediated by Akt1, Extracellular Signal-regulated Kinase 2, and p90 Ribosomal S6 Kinase 2 but Not Mitogen- and Stress-activated Protein Kinase 1

Arsenite is known to be an environmental human carcinogen. However, the mechanism of action of this compound in skin carcinogenesis is not completely clear. Here, we provide evidence that arsenite can induce phosphorylation of histone H3 at serine 10 in a time- and dose-dependent manner in JB6 Cl 41 cells. Arsenite induces phosphorylation of Akt1 at serine 473 and increases Akt1 activity. A dominant-negative mutant of Akt1 inhibits the arsenite-induced phosphorylation of histone H3 at serine 10. Additionally, active Akt1 kinase strongly phosphorylates histone H3 at serine 10 in vitro. The arsenite-induced phosphorylation of histone H3 at serine 10 was almost completely blocked by a dominant-negative mutant of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 and the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase inhibitor PD98059. N- or C-terminal mutant mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinase 1 or its inhibitor H89 had no effect on arsenite-induced phosphorylation of histone H3 at serine 10 in JB6 Cl 41 cells. However, cells deficient in p90 ribosomal S6 kinase 2 (Rsk2(-/-)) totally block this phosphorylation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Taken together, these results suggested that arsenite-induced phosphorylation of histone H3 at serine 10 is mediated by Akt1, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 and p90 ribosomal S6 kinase 2 but not mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinase 1.
Changes in the Fine Specificity of gp100(209–217)-Reactive T Cells in Patients Following Vaccination with a Peptide Modified at an HLA-A2.1 Anchor Residue

In a recent clinical trial, HLA-A2+ melanoma patients were vaccinated with a peptide derived from the melanoma Ag gp100, which had been modified at the second position (g9-209 2M) to enhance MHC binding affinity. Vaccination led to a significant increase in lymphocyte precursors in 10 of 11 patients but did not result in objective cancer responses. We observed that some postvaccination PBMC cultures were less reactive with tumor cells than they were with g9-209 peptide-pulsed T2 cells. In contrast, g9-209-reactive tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte cultures generally reacted equally with tumor cells and g9-209 peptide-pulsed T2 cells. To investigate this difference in T cell reactivity, T cell cloids derived from the PBMC of three patients vaccinated with g9-209 2M were compared with T cell cloids isolated from g9-209-reactive TIL cultures. All of the T cell cloids obtained from TIL reacted with HLA-A2+, gp100+ melanoma cell lines as well as with g9-209 and g9-209 2M peptide-pulsed targets. In contrast, only 3 of 20 PBMC-derived T cell cloids reacted with melanoma cell lines in addition to g9-209 and to g9-209 2M peptide-pulsed targets. Twelve of twenty PBMC-derived cloids reacted with g9-209 and g9-209 2M peptide-pulsed targets but not with melanoma cell lines. And 5 of 20 PBMC-derived cloids recognized only the g9-209 2M-modified peptide-pulsed targets. These results suggest that immunizing patients with the modified peptide affected the T cell repertoire by expanding an array of T cells with different fine specificities, only some of which recognized melanoma cells.
The effect of viscosity on the thermal activation of kink motion

Plastic deformation of solids is governed by moving dislocations. Therefore, deformation rate, creep rate, and stress relaxation rate are dependent on the dislocation velocity. Two limiting cass can control this velocity: First kinks move through the Peierls potential by thermal activation. Second, kinks move through a viscous medium of phonons, electrons, and radiation, that limits the velocity of the dislocations by scattering. It is shown that the activation energy for kink motion is reduced by the kinetic energy of fast moving dislocations. The necessary dislocation velocities are reached at low temperatures in the superconducting state where the viscosity is very low. A model to describe the observed effects is proposed and compared with experimental results. Plastische Verformung von Festkorpern wird durch Versetzungen getragen. Daher sind die Raten der Verformung, des Kriechens und der Spannungsrelaxation von der Versetzungsgeschwindigkeit abhangig. Zwei Mechanismen begrenzen diese Geschwindigkeit: Erstens bewegen sich Kinken thermisch aktiviert durch das Peierls Potential. Zweitens bewegen sie sich durch ein viskoses Medium aus Elektronen, Phononen und Strahlung. Es wird gezeigt, das die thermische Aktivierungsenergie der Kinkbewegung durch die kinetische Energie schneller Versetzungen reduziert wird. Die notwendigen Versetzungsgeschwindigkeiten werden bei tiefen Temperaturen im supraleitenden Zustand erreicht, da hier die Viskositat hinreichend klein ist. Ein Modell, das die beobachteten Effekte beschreibt, wird vorgeschlagen und mit den experimentellen Ergebnissen verglichen.
A comparison of optimal decoding of convolutional codes over fast fading channels

It is well known that the Bahl, Cocke, Jelinek and Raviv (BCJR) and Viterbi decoding algorithms for convolutional codes are optimal over additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channels. The BCJR algorithm is optimal in the sense that it maximizes the a posteriori probability of each bit and Viterbi algorithm is optimal in that it maximizes the likelihood of each decoded codeword. However, experimental results showed that the difference in their performances over pure AWGN channels with respect to both bit error rate (BER) and word error rate (WER) are negligible. In this paper, the performance of BCJR and Viterbi decoding algorithms over fast changing time-varying wireless channels where channel state information may not be available is investigated. Simulation results show that, with the channel condition changing fast, Viterbi decoding offers better performance than BCJR decoding with respect to both BER and WER. It is also shown that, although the knowledge of channel state information does help BCJR decoding, it still underperforms the Viterbi decoding.
Telescopic time-scale bridging for modeling dispersion in rapidly oscillating flows

Analytical solution of dispersion in rapidly oscillating flows becomes infeasible in complex geometries. Simulation over long durations can be prohibitively expensive when there is a wide separation between the oscillation and dispersion time scales. Here, we present a methodology based on an implicit envelope-tracking scheme coupled with telescopic projections. A test problem, with a known analytical solution, was simulated, and the effect of Peclet number on the dispersivities was investigated. The solution was unaffected by the time steps for telescopic projections while increasing Peclet numbers introduced errors. The error was found to decrease with mesh refinement, but a small inherent error was observed. The method was also applied to a practical problem of interest to us: drug dispersion due to sloshing in the vitreous humor of the eye. Relative to single-scale solution, the method, when applied to the vitreous sloshing problem, produced speedup values of up to 100. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2012
Examining the Communication Skills of a Young Cochlear Implant Pioneer

The purpose of this longitudinal case study was to closely examine one deaf child's experience with a cochlear implant and his speech, language, and communication skills from kindergarten through middle and high school using both developmental and sociocultural frameworks. The target child was one of the first children to receive a cochlear implant in the United States in 1988, when he was 5 years of age. The developmental analysis revealed that prior to receiving a cochlear implant the child demonstrated profound delays in speech and language skill development. His speech and language skills grew slowly during the first 3-4 years following implantation, very rapidly from about 5 through 7 years postimplantation, then slowed to rates that were highly similar to same-age peers with normal hearing. The sociocultural analysis revealed that the child's communicative competence improved; that he used sign language but use of sign language decreased as his oral communication skills improved; that as his oral communication skills improved, the adults talked and directed the topic of conversation less frequently; and that topics became less concrete and more personal over time. The results of this study indicate that we may learn more about how to support children who use cochlear implants by examining what they are saying as well as how they are saying it.
Role of FPGAs in undergraduate project courses

At the University of California, Davis, we have introduced four major year-long design options for students that require students to design a system that meets given specifications with real-world cost constraints and performance requirements. The use of FPGA-based designs has proven to be the key to making it possible to complete these complex projects in the one-year time frame.
Does GARP really fail miserably? A response to Stockman et al . (2006)

Stockman et al . (2006) found that ecological niche models built using DesktopGARP ‘failed miserably’ to predict trapdoor spider (genus Promyrmekiaphila ) distributions in California. This apparent failure of GARP (Genetic Algorithm for Rule-Set Production) was actually a failure of the authors’ methods, that is, attempting to build ecological niche models using single data points. In this paper, we present a re-analysis of their original data using standard methods with the data appropriately partitioned into training/testing subsets. This re-evaluation generated accurate distributional predictions that we contrast with theirs. We address the consequences of model-building using single data points and the need for a foundational understanding of the principles of ecological niche modelling.
Optical studies of electrokinetic processes in dielectric fluids

The behavior of transformer oil and other fluids used for the cooling and insulation of power system equipment is significantly influenced by enforced motion. Spatially resolved optical emission which illustrates the changes brought about by increased velocity in a stressed oil duct is presented. Schlieren records taken under the same circumstances permit the examination of concomitant hydraulic instabilities and their dependence on electric field through EHD vorticity generation. Optical data to show the influence of dielectric interfaces in the stressed gap and the impact of upstream charge injection on prebreakdown light emission are also presented. The results indicate that the modification of flow patterns and formation of a stagnant area are important aspects in determining the events leading to liquid breakdown, and have indicated the importance of oil motion per se in electrokinetic effects in liquid-cooled power system equipment. >
Use of the spherical layer matrix in inhomogeneous media

Summary. Exact solutions of the reduced Helmholtz equation are derived for the case of a spherically symmetric medium in which the velocity has the form v = arPb. If the Earth is modelled in shells of this type then these solutions can be used to approximate the radial wave functions needed for body-wave computations. The spherical layer matrix technique is adapted to the case where velocities vary smoothly within layers.
Studies on some alternative architectures for fault-tolerant automotive multiplexing network systems

A fault-tolerant multiplexing network architecture is described. Comparison of reliabilities and costs are made between systems without fault tolerance, systems with fault tolerance using triple modular redundancy, and systems with fault tolerance with an adaptive architecture. The relationships of these reliability and cost indexes to the system size or the number of nodes are also indicated. >
Rhinosinusitis and mold as risk factors for asthma symptoms in occupants of a water-damaged building.

Mold exposure in damp buildings is associated with both nasal symptoms and asthma development, but the progression of building-related (BR) rhinosinusitis symptoms to asthma is unstudied. We examined the risk of developing BR-asthma symptoms in relation to prior BR-rhinosinusitis symptoms and microbial exposure among occupants of a damp building. We conducted four cross-sectional health and environmental surveys among occupants of a 20-story water-damaged office building. We defined BR-rhinosinusitis symptom (N = 131) and comparison (N = 361) groups from participants’ first questionnaire responses. We compared the odds for the development of BR-asthma symptoms between these two groups over the subsequent surveys, using logistic regression models adjusted for demographics, smoking, building tenure, and first-survey exposures to fungi, endotoxin, and ergosterol. The BR-rhinosinusitis symptom group had higher odds for developing BR-asthma symptoms [odds ratio (OR) = 2.2; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.3–3.6] in any subsequent survey compared to those without BR-rhinosinusitis symptoms. The BR-rhinosinusitis symptom group with higher fungal exposure within the building had an OR of 7.4 (95% CI = 2.8–19.9) for developing BR-asthma symptoms, compared to the lower fungal exposure group without BR-rhinosinusitis symptoms. Our findings suggest that rhinosinusitis associated with occupancy of water-damaged buildings may be a sentinel for increased risk for asthma onset in such buildings. Practical Implications Exposure to mold is associated with the development of asthma in damp building occupants, and rhinitis is known to be a risk factor for asthma. However, there is little information about the degree of risk for the progression of rhinosinusitis to asthma owing to mold exposures in damp buildings. Our study of damp building occupants demonstrates that building-related (BR) rhinosinusitis symptoms were a risk factor for the development of BR asthma symptoms and that exposure to mold (fungi) or other dampness-related agents augments risk for the development of BR asthma symptoms among those with BR rhinosinusitis symptoms. Our findings suggest that occurrence of BR upper respiratory illness in water-damaged buildings may presage future endemic asthma.
Spectroscopy identification performance enhancement of a novel CZT/CsI hybrid system

New hybrid spectroscopic systems directly combine spectra from detectors with very different energy resolutions, accommodating standard analyses of the output hybrid spectrum. Simulations of a hybrid system consisting of a 2 or 4 cm3 cadmium zinc telluride detector combined with a 32.8 cm3 CsI(Tl) were evaluated for identification performance. 29 nuclides of interest for security applications were simulated as singles and unique pairs, producing 435 spectral simulations at live times of 3, 10, 30, 100 and 300 seconds. The nuclides were modeled as point sources at 25 cm with activities that provide an interesting range of statistical significance for the range of counting times. Standard nuclide identification analyses were applied to the component detectors as well as the hybrid combination. Tallies of the results were used to calculate true and false identification rates. The hybrid system was shown to provide an identification performance benefit, consistently achieving performances closest to ideal relative to the separate component detectors. The hybrid approach enables the consideration of a greater variety of measurement system solutions in terms of cost and performance.
Brief Square-root information filtering and fixed-interval smoothing with singularities

The square-root information filter algorithm and the related covariance smoother algorithm have been generalized to handle singular state-transition matrices and perfect measurements. This allows the use of SRIF techniques for problems with delays and state constraints. The generalized algorithms use complete QR factorization to isolate deterministically known parts of the state and nonsingular parts of the state transition and disturbance influence matrices. These factorizations and the corresponding changes of coordinates are used to solve the recursive least-squares problems that are basic to the SRIF technique. Numerical stability, computation time, and storage requirements are comparable to the traditional SRIF algorithms.
Using the Three Stooges to Illustrate the Scientific Method

An exercise using a comedy film is proposed for illustrating social science experimentation and the scientific method. Not every consumer of research or data reports may have had training in research methodology. This article offers a way of introducing research methods and the critical examination of such reports to these consumers, who are often the ones most needful of rigor in assessing data, rather than taking things at face value. Whether one is evaluating information from business, government, or media sources, the lessons learned from Moe, Larry, and Curly in Hoi Polloi are quite valuable.
Morphological Paradigms: Computational Structure and Unsupervised Learning

This thesis explores the computational structure of morphological paradigms from the perspective of unsupervised learning. Three topics are studied: (i) stem identification, (ii) paradigmatic similarity, and (iii) paradigm induction. All the three topics progress in terms of the scope of data in question. The first and second topics explore structure when morphological paradigms are given, first within a paradigm and then across paradigms. The third topic asks where morphological paradigms come from in the first place, and explores strategies of paradigm induction from child-directed speech. This research is of interest to linguists and natural language processing researchers, for both theoretical questions and applied areas.
Institutional Investors and Proxy Voting on Compensation Plans: The Impact of the 2003 Mutual Fund Voting Disclosure Rule

This article examines the impact on shareholder voting of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)'s mutual fund voting disclosure rule, using a paired sample of management proposals on executive equity incentive compensation plans submitted before and after the rule change. In enacting the rule, the SEC intended to increase funds’ engagement in corporate governance. While voting support for management has decreased over time, we find no evidence that mutual funds’ support for management declined after the rule change, as expected by the SEC and advocates of disclosure. In fact, we find evidence of increased support for management by mutual funds after the change.
An Insecticidal-Check Study of the Biological Control of Puncturvine ( Tribulus terrestris ) by Imported Weevils, Microlarinus lareynii and M. lypriformis (Col.: Curculionidae)

To assess the impact of Microlarinus lareynii (Jacquilin du Val) and M. lypriformis (Wollaston) on puncturevine ( Tribulus terrestris L.), half of the plants in irrigated and non irrigated plots were dusted weekly with 10% Diazinon® insecticide to protect them from weevil attack. The mortality, flower, and seed production, and stem lengths (radii) of insecticide-treated and untreated plants in these plots were then compared throughout the 1974 growing season. Water stress apparently was the principle cause of early-season plant mortality; however, weevil attack caused a 60% reduction in flower production on surviving plants in nonirrigated subplots. Moreover, only half of the flowers on these unprotected plants in nonirrigated sub-plots produced fruit late in the growing season. The mean number of seed/fruit from August onwards also was significantly reduced by weevil attack. Stem growth was exponential during June and July in irrigated plots, but was slower and ceased 2–3 wk earlier in nonirrigated plots where the suppressing effect of weevil attack was especially evident.
ORPHELLA HIEMALIS: A NEW AND RARE TRICHOMYCETE OCCURRING IN WINTER-EMERGING STONEFLIES (PLECOPTERA, CAPNIIDAE)

Orphella hiemalis Peterson, Lichtwardt & Huss (Zygomycotina, Trichomycetes, Harpellales) from the hindgut of winter-emerging stonefly nymphs of the genus Allocapnia (Plecoptera, Capniidae) is described and illustrated. It was found in only a few nymphs from two stream sites, one in northwestern Arkansas on the Ozark Plateau, the other in eastern Oklahoma in the Ouachita Mountains. It appears to be a rare species, in contrast to some other gut fungi in Allocapnia spp. Like O. haysii from Nemouridae nymphs in Colorado Rocky Mountain streams, mature sporulating heads of O. hiemalis protrude from the host's anus, and trichospores do not detach from their generative cells in the manner typical of most other Harpellales. Rather, a 3-celled dissemination unit is formed by individual clavate generative cells breaking away from a basal cell together with a sterile, filiform terminal cell and attached allantoid trichospore.
The Nature of Aleutian Disease in Mink. I. Two Forms of Hypergammaglobulinemia as Related to Method of Disease Transmission and Type of Lesion

Aleutian mink disease is generally considered to precipitate spontaneously in ranch mink, with a lethal outcome. A two-year field study of a herd of susceptible mutant mink (sapphires and violets), however, has shown that all individual mink were affected from birth; the well state consisted of periodic low-level hypergammaglobulinemia accompanied by minute vascular occlusions. The spontaneous lethal change in an individual appeared to arise during one of these hypergammaglobulinemic episodes and thus represented a failure of the immune system to control an inherent virus-induced mononucleosis. The fact that the entire herd was affected by the periodic form from birth is considered strong evidence for vertical transmission at a rate of 100%. The incidence of spontaneous precipitation was found to be dependent on the level of hypergammaglobulinemia in the mother during pregnancy.
Daily rhythm of cortisol, and evidence for a photo-inducible phase for prolactin secretion in nonpregnant mares housed under non-interrupted and skeleton photoperiods.

Studies were conducted in anestrous mares to characterize daily rhythms of cortisol in non-interrupted [ambient and 16 h light (L): 8 h dark (D)] and skeleton (10L:4D:2L:8D, 10L:6D:2L:6D and 10L:8D:2L:4D) photoperiods, and to determine if there exists a photosensitive phase for the secretion of prolactin. Neither peak or nadir concentrations of cortisol, nor the time of peak or nadir concentrations differed among photoperiod treatments. Highest concentrations (66 +/- 4.4 ng/ml, mean +/- SE) occurred between 0700 and 0900, whereas lowest concentrations (31 +/- 3.6 ng/ml) were found from 1900 to 2300. Mean daily concentrations of serum prolactin were significantly higher in mares housed under the 16L:8D and the 10L:8D:2L:4D photoperiods as compared with the remaining photoperiod treatments, and were lowest in the ambient photoperiod treatment. The mean daily concentration of prolactin in February among photoperiod treatments was inversely related to the number of days (from December 1) to first seasonal ovulation (r = -.92, P = .027). The results were interpreted to: 1) suggest that mares in the 10L:8D:2L:4D skeleton photoperiod do not phase-shift to interpret the 2-h light pulse as the beginning of their subjective day; and 2) provide further evidence that the photo-inducible phase for both prolactin secretion and the stimulation of seasonal reproductive activity occurs 8 to 10 h following the onset of the dark period (scotophase).
Treatment and Prophylaxis of Pneumocystis carinii Pneumonia

SUMMARY Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and parenteral pentamidine isethionate are effective in 60 to 80 per cent of AIDS patients with pneumocystis pneumonia. Adverse reactions are frequent with both agents, but because the adverse reactions are less severe with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, this agent is the drug of choice for patients who are not known to be intolerant of it. The recommended duration of therapy is 21 days. Aerosolized pentamidine and intravenous trimetrexate are investigational agents that show considerable promise, but their role in the therapy of pneumocystis pneumonia will have to be demonstrated in controlled trials. For patients who fail to respond to conventional agents after 5 to 10 days of therapy, therapeutic alternatives to consider would be trimetrexate, DFMO, or high-dose corticosteroids, the latter given with conventional agents. Prophylaxis against pneumocystis pneumonia is appropriate for HIV- infected patients with fewer than 300 T4 lymphocytes per cu mm, even if they are receiving zidovudine (Retrovir). It also should be considered in patients with a prior history of this infection, irrespective of the T4 count. The efficacy of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, pyrimethamine-sulfadoxine, or aerosolized pentamidine has not yet been substantiated. Many patients cannot tolerate the first two combinations chronically.
Tiotropium reduced exacerbations and health resource use in COPD.

Source Citation Brusasco V, Hodder R, Miravitlles M, et al. Health outcomes following treatment for six months with once daily tiotropium compared with twice daily salmeterol in patients with COPD....
Hunters and scavengers

In charge of upstairs at the Spellman estate sale, Dora watches the scavenger size-up the chair with safety-pinned upholstery. Scabby hands on a computer desk with a crunched corner. That evening, ...
The Beginnings of Disengagement

Historically, strategic overstretch has generally only been recognized after the fact. An intentional overextension would tend to run counter to any notion of rational behavior. In almost every other case of strategic overstretch, it took a major war to force a state to reduce its commitments. In the case of the USSR, however, it wasn’t a global armed conflict but rather a change within the domestic political system that led the Soviet leadership to realize that they had overextended themselves in their Cold War against the United States.
Diazepam Prophylaxis of Febrile Seizures

The results of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of oral diazepam administered only at the time of fever are reported from Tufts University School of Medicine and Boston University School of Public Health, Boston.
Multiscale X-ray fluorescence mapping complemented by Raman spectroscopy for pigment analysis of a 15th century Breton manuscript

We present complementary multiscale X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) mapping and Raman spectroscopy to analyze pigments in a rare medieval Breton manuscript. Once a codex of 129 parchment leaves in the Bergendal Collection (olim MS 8), the manuscript was sold at auction and then subsequently dismembered page-by-page. The leaves were then disseminated on the open market by the biblioclast. The analysis was performed on 12 illustrated leaves (samples) out of the 92 which were recovered by Rare Books and Special Collections at the University of Notre Dame. The combination of elemental mapping with molecular spectroscopy permits an unprecedented analysis of the illuminations in the manuscript. XRF scanning provides both elemental analysis of large-scale objects as well as microscopic examination of individual pigment particles. The XRF mapping indicates distinctive elemental distributions within specific regions of interest. Raman spectroscopy of these selected areas identifies the molecular composition of the pigments. This combination of analytical techniques provides an in-depth characterization of the Breton manuscript on the macro, micro- and molecular levels. The results from different leaves confirm that pigments and inks of illustrated leaves belong to the same palette. The results also show the pigments utilized in illustrations, text, and borders are identical indicating that the manuscript was prepared in a single setting, by a single artisan or a small number of artisans working closely.
Joint link learning and cognitive radio sensing

Novel cooperative spectrum sensing algorithms for cognitive radios (CRs) are developed, which can blindly learn the channel gains between CRs and licensed primary users (PUs), while jointly detecting active PU transmitters at each time instant. A dictionary learning approach is taken to decompose the received signal energy samples per CR into linear combinations of channel gains and PU transmit-powers, up to scaling ambiguity. In addition to a batch baseline algorithm, an efficient online implementation that can track slow variation of channel gains is developed, as well as a distributed alternative, which requires only local message passing among neighbors in CR networks. Numerical tests verify the proposed design.
Abstract 474: Atherosclerotic Macrophages Develop a Progressive Lysosomal Dysfunction that can be Rescued by Induction of a Lysosomal Biogenesis Program

Recent reports of the proatherogenic phenotype of mice with a macrophage-specific autophagy deficiency has renewed interest in the role of the autophagy-lysosomal system in atherosclerosis. Lysosomes have the unique role of serving to process both exogenous material including the excess of atherogenic lipids and endogenous cargo including dysfunctional proteins and organelles. Surprisingly, little is known about the effect of an atherogenic environment on macrophage lysosomes. To address this, we utilize a variety of complementary techniques to show that oxidized LDL and cholesterol crystals, two of the commonly encountered lipid species in the atherosclerotic plaque, create a profound lysosomal dysfunction in cultured peritoneal macrophages. Disruptions in lysosomal pH, enzyme activity, proteolytic capacity, membrane integrity, and morphology are readily seen when cells are incubated with such lipids. Using flow cytometry to isolate resident tissue macrophages, we show that atherosclerotic plaque macrophages show features of dysfunctional lysosomes, a process that appears to be progressive with advanced plaque formation. These observations lead us to investigate whether stimulation of lysosomal function can ameliorate some of these effects. TFEB is the only known transcription factor that acts as a master regulator of lysosomal biogenesis, although its role in macrophages has not been studied. We show that overexpression of TFEB in cultured macrophages initiates a robust prodegradative response including induction of lysosomal genes and the generation of nascent lysosomes. Interestingly, this response can rescue several deleterious effects seen with atherogenic lipid loading including reductions in the secretion of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β and reductions in foam cell formation. Taken together, these data demonstrate that lysosomal function is markedly impaired in atherosclerosis and suggest that induction of a lysosomal biogenesis program can have anti-atherogenic effects.
Photocurable Bioink for the Inkjet 3D Pharming of Hydrophilic Drugs

Novel strategies are required to manufacture customized oral solid dosage forms for personalized medicine applications. 3D Pharming, the direct printing of pharmaceutical tablets, is an attractive strategy, since it allows for the rapid production of solid dosage forms containing custom drug dosages. This study reports on the design and characterization of a biocompatible photocurable pharmaceutical polymer for inkjet 3D printing that is suitable for hydrophilic active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). Specifically, hyaluronic acid was functionalized with norbornene moieties that, in the presence of poly(ethylene) glycol dithiol, Eosin Y as a photoinitiator, and a visible light source, undergoes a rapid step-growth polymerization reaction through thiol-ene chemistry. The engineered bioink was loaded with Ropinirole HCL, dispensed through a piezoelectric nozzle onto a blank preform tablet, and polymerized. Drug release analysis of the tablet resulted in 60% release within 15 min of tablet dissolution. The study confirms the potential of inkjet printing for the rapid production of tablets through the deposition of a photocurable bioink designed for hydrophilic APIs.
Effect of initial composition on phase selection in Ni–Si powder blends processed by mechanical alloying

ABSTRACTThe effect of initial powder blend composition on the synthesis and formation mechanism of nickel silicide phases was investigated by mechanical alloying in Ni-60 and Ni-66.7 at.% Si powder blends. It was noted that the equilibrium NiSi phase started to form in the early stages of milling and that the amount of the NiSi phase in the milled powder increased with increasing milling time. Even though, under equilibrium conditions, a mixture of both the NiSi and NiSi2 phases was expected to be present in the Ni-60 at.% Si composition and the stoichiometric NiSi2 phase in the Ni-66.7 at.% Si composition, the NiSi phase was present in both the compositions investigated. However, while only the NiSi phase was present homogeneously in the Ni-60 at.% Si powder blend, both the NiSi phase and a very small amount of unreacted Si were present in the powder blend of Ni-66.7 at.% Si composition. This unexpected phase constitution in the milled powders was attributed to a partial loss of Si during mechanical allo...
The Use of evangelicus in the Paraphrases

This article is a word study that analyses and interprets how Erasmus uses the adjective evangelicus, -a, -um in his New Testament Paraphrases. The development of the idiom ‘gospel-blank’ ( evangelicus + noun) is analyzed diachronically; the phrases denoting gospel things are divided into six semantic categories. The study shows, on the one hand, that there is a general consistency in how evangelicus is used, the most common pairings predominating in most Paraphrases on the Epistles and Gospels, while, on the other, there is some broadening and lowering of the nouns with which evangelicus is joined, moving from the Paraphrases on the Epistles to the Gospel Paraphrases. Erasmus’ changing attitude to the project of paraphrasing the New Testament provides biographical and historical context in which to place the study’s findings. The study concludes by highlighting the New Testament Paraphrases as Erasmus’ humanistic response to worsening divisions in the early 1520s.
Meconium Peritonitis: Pathology, Evolution, and Diagnosis

The diagnosis of meconium peritonitis has received little attention in the pathology literature. Morphologic features of meconium peritonitis can be confusing to the pathologist unfamiliar with this specific entity, especially in case of extraperitoneal lesions presenting clinically as tumor nodules in the tunica vaginalis. Unfamiliarity with this entity can lead to unnecessary removal of the testis. This paper describes four cases of meconium peritonitis and reviews the literature on the pathology, evolution and diagnostic features of the disease, with emphasis on the healed stage, presenting as a tumor mass in the inguinal canal or tunica vaginalis.
A Review of Adenoviruses in the Etiology of Acute Hemorrhagic Cystitis

In a comparison of children with acute hemorrhagic cystitis it was noted that 51 per cent of those in Sendai, Japan and 23 per cent of those in Chicago, Illinois had adenoviruria during their illness. These 2 populations are the only ones in which the disease has been studied and reported. In both populations male outnumbered female patients, with a ratio of 3.4 to 1 in Japanese children and 2.3 to 1 in American children. Adenovirus type 11 was isolated exclusively in both studies, with the exception of 2 American children who had adenovirus type 21 in the urine. While the Japanese children experienced their illnesses for approximately 2 weeks American children had symptoms for only 4 to 5 days. Virus shedding continued throughout the illness in both populations. The adenovirus 11 strains from American children were antigenically similar to the prototype adenovirus type 11 strain as measured by cross hemagglutination-inhibition procedures. Adenovirus antigen was identified by immunofluorescence in exfoliated bladder epithelial cells from patients with acute hemorrhagic cystitis. Studies to date indicate that adenovirus type 11 is the etiologic agent in some but not all pediatric cases of acute hemorrhagic cystitis.
Higher-Order Deformations

In Chapter 1 we studied deformations of a structure over the dual numbers. These are the first-order infinitesimal deformations. In this chapter we discuss deformations over arbitrary Artin rings, deformations of higher order. A new feature of these is that having a deformation over one Artin ring, it is not always possible to extend it to a larger Artin ring: there may be obstructions. So in each particular case we investigate the obstructions, and when extensions do exist, try to enumerate them. For closed subschemes, invertible sheaves, and vector bundles, that is, Situations A, B, C, we do this in Sections 6, 7. For abstract schemes, Situation D, the results are in Section 10. In Sections 8, 9 we deal with three special cases, namely Cohen–Macaulay subschemes of codimension 2, locally complete intersection schemes, and Gorenstein subschemes in codimension 3. In each of these cases we can track the deformations explicitly and show that they are unobstructed. In Section 11 we show how an obstruction theory affects the local ring of the corresponding para-meter space, and in Section 12 we apply this to prove a classical bound on the dimension of the Hilbert scheme of curves in P3. In Section 13 we describe one of Mumford’s examples of “pathologies” in algebraic geometry, a family of nonsingular curves in P3 whose Hilbert scheme is generically nonreduced.
Abstract 371: Cardiorenal and Neurohumoral Actions of a Novel Designer Natriuretic Peptide, CU-NP, in Canine Experimental Heart Failure

CU-NP is a novel designer natriuretic peptide (NP) consisting of the 17-AA ring of human C-type NP (CNP) and the N- and C- termini of urodilatin (URO). CU-NP was designed to preserve the favorable actions of URO, a NP receptor (NPR)-A agonist while minimizing hypotension by replacing the URO ring with that of CNP, a ligand for NPR-B, which is more abundant in veins than in arteries. Here, we assessed CU-NP for the first time in canine heart failure (HF) to test our hypothesis that CU-NP would activate the second messenger cGMP and exert favorable actions without excessive hypotension. Mild HF was induced by pacing (180 bpm for 10 d). CU-NP 75 ng/kg/min was infused iv into 6 anesthetized dogs for 75 min. GFR was measured by inulin clearance. Fractional reabsorption of Na + (FRNa) was assessed by Li + clearance. Data were collected at pre-infusion (pre-I), 30 and 60 min I and post-I. Plasma renin activity (PRA), angiotensin II (Ang II), aldosterone (Aldo) and cGMP were measured. Mean±SE, P † . CU-NP increased plasma cGMP (17±3 to 41±3 † to 43±2 † to 21±2 pmol/mL), urinary cGMP excretion (1186±152 to 5066±828 † to 5476±876 † to 2394±197 pmol/min), net renal cGMP generation (610±66 to 2977±549 † to 3255±662 † to 1342±200 pmol/min), urine flow (0.09±.01 to 0.50±.15 † to 0.56±.11 † to 0.19±.03 mL/min) and urinary Na + excretion (2.9±.9 to 80.5±29.4 † to 102.0±22.2 † to 22.1±7.9 μEq/min). Proximal (89±2 to 68±5 † to 67±3 † to 79±3* %) and distal FRNa (99.6±.1 to 96±1 † to 96±1 † to 99±.3 %) were reduced. Renal blood flow (238±39 to 281±42* to 294±42 † to 275±42* mL/min) and GFR (40±5 to 51±9 to 51±3 to 53±7* mL/min) were enhanced with a mild decrease in MAP (108±9 to 100±8 † to 96±8 † to 107±8 mmHg). Both CO (2.4±.1 to 2.5±.1 to 2.4±.1 to 2.3±.04 L/min) and SVR (42±3 to 39±3 to 39±3 to 45±3 mmHgL −1 min) were unchanged. PCWP (11±1 to 9±1 † to 8±1 † to 10±1 mmHg) and PAP (16±.8 to 15±.6* to 14±.7 † to 16±.7 mmHg) were reduced. PRA (9±2 to 3±1 † to 2±1 † to 9±2 ng/mL/hr), Ang II (32±7 to 9±2 † to 9±3 † to 19±4 pg/mL) and Aldo (14±5 to 9±2 to 6±2* to 11±3 ng/dL) were suppressed. CU-NP activates cGMP in canine HF and exerts renal-enhancing, cardiac-unloading and RAAS-suppressing actions without excessive hypotension. The therapeutic potential of CU-NP in human HF warrants investigation.
Predicting the Occurrence of Chemicals of Emerging Concern in Surface Water and Sediment Across the U.S. Portion of the Great Lakes Basin

Chemicals of emerging concern (CECs) are introduced into the aquatic environment via various sources, posing a potential risk to aquatic organisms. Previous studies have identified relationships between the presence of CECs in water and broad-scale watershed characteristics. However, relationships between the presence of CECs and source-related watershed characteristics have not been explored across the Great Lakes basin. Boosted regression tree (BRT) analyses were used to develop predictive models of CEC occurrence in water and sediment throughout 24 U.S. tributaries to the Great Lakes. Models were based on the distribution of both broad-scale and source-related watershed characteristics. Twenty-one upstream watershed characteristics, including land cover, number of permitted point sources, and distance to point sources were used to develop models predicting the probability of CEC occurrence in surface water and bottom sediment. Total accuracy of BRT models ranged from 66% to 94% for both matrices. All 21 watershed characteristics were important predictor variables in at least one surface-water model; twenty were important in at least one bottom-sediment model. Among the model variables, developed land use and distance to point sources were important predictors of the presence of CEC classes in both water and sediment. Although limitations exist, BRT models are one tool available for assessing vulnerability of fisheries and aquatic resources to CEC occurrences.
Visualizing the Invisible: A Guide to Designing, Printing, and Incorporating Dynamic 3D Molecular Models to Teach Structure-Function Relationships.

3D printing represents an emerging technology with significant potential to advance life-science education by allowing students to directly explore the relationship between macromolecular structure and function. In this article and supplemental video guide, we describe our development of a model-based instructional module on DNA supercoiling and outline practical tips for implementing models in undergraduate classrooms. We also present a procedure to design and print 3D dynamic models for classroom use. Furthermore, we describe repositories of 3D biomolecule files to make using models accessible and cost-effective.
1981 recent references (Cumulation)

References and a reaction index are presented for all literature received by the National Nuclear Data Center or assigned key numbers between January and December 1981. (AIP)
Bridging biophysics and neurology: aberrant phase transitions in neurodegenerative disease.

Biomolecular condensation arising through phase transitions has emerged as an essential organizational strategy that governs many aspects of cell biology. In particular, the role of phase transitions in the assembly of large, complex ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules has become appreciated as an important regulator of RNA metabolism. In parallel, genetic, histopathological and cell and molecular studies have provided evidence that disturbance of phase transitions is an important driver of neurological diseases, notably amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but most likely also other diseases. Indeed, our growing knowledge of the biophysics underlying biological phase transitions suggests that this process offers a unifying mechanism to explain the numerous and diverse disturbances in RNA metabolism that have been observed in ALS and some related diseases — specifically, that these diseases are driven by disturbances in the material properties of RNP granules. Here, we review the evidence for this hypothesis, emphasizing the reciprocal roles in which disease-related protein and disease-related RNA can lead to disturbances in the material properties of RNP granules and consequent pathogenesis. Additionally, we review evidence that implicates aberrant phase transitions as a contributing factor to a larger set of neurodegenerative diseases, including frontotemporal dementia, certain repeat expansion diseases and Alzheimer disease. In this Review, Nedelsky and Taylor review the evidence that disturbances in phase transition dynamics and the material properties of ribonucleoprotein granules underlie the pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative diseases, including forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia, among others.
Hair cell and neural contributions to the cochlear summating potential

Of the various potentials produced by the cochlea, the summating potential (SP) is typically described as the most enigmatic. Using combinations of ototoxins and neurotoxins, we show contributions ...
Predictors of anxiety and depressive symptoms among teachers in Ghana: Evidence from a randomized controlled trial.

Abstract Rationale While teachers are heralded as key drivers of student learning outcomes, little attention has been paid to teachers’ mental health, especially in less-developed countries such as Ghana. Professional background, workplace environment, and personal life stressors may threaten teachers’ mental health and subsequent effectiveness in the classroom. Objectives The objectives of this study were to investigate 1) whether and how professional background, workplace environment, and personal life stressors predicted teachers’ anxiety and depressive symptoms, and 2) whether participation in a professional development intervention predicted change in teachers’ symptoms over the course of one school year in Ghana. Method We used multilevel models to examine predictors of depressive and anxiety symptoms among 444 kindergarten teachers (98% female; age range: 18-69) who participated in the Quality Preschool for Ghana (QP4G) Study. QP4G was a school-randomized control trial (n = 108 public schools; n = 132 private schools) evaluating a one-year teacher professional development intervention program implemented with and without parental-awareness meetings. Teacher depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed at baseline before the intervention and at the end of the school year. Results Poor workplace environment was associated with increased anxiety and depressive symptoms. Social support also predicted symptoms, with lack of support from students’ parents and being new to the local community associated with more anxiety symptoms. Within teachers’ personal lives, household food insecurity predicted more depressive symptoms. Finally, anxiety and depressive symptoms increased for all teachers over the school year. However, randomization to either intervention was linked to a significantly smaller increase in symptoms over the school year. Conclusions Results suggest that teachers’ personal and professional lives are consequential for their mental health, and that professional development interventions that provide training and in-class coaching and parent engagement may benefit teachers’ mental health.