cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Performance Optimization of Latency Insensitive Systems Through Buffer Queue Sizing of Communication Channels

This paper proposes for latency insensitive systems a performance optimization technique called channel buffer queue sizing, which is performed after relay station insertion in the physical design stage. It can be shown that proper queue sizing can reduce or even completely avoid the performance loss due to imbalanced relay stations insertion in reconvergent paths. Moreover, the problem of queue sizing and placement of the additional buffers for maximum performance is formulated and studied to properly allocate available chip areas in the layout to communication channels. An algorithm based on mixed integer linear programming is proposed. Experimental results show that queue sizing is effective in improving the performance of latency insensitive systems even under tight area constraints. Moreover, the proposed algorithm is sufficiently efficient in obtaining the optimal solution for systems of practical sizes.
Reduction of joint pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis who have received monthly telephone calls from lay personnel and whose medical treatment regimens have remained stable.

Objective We previously reported that monthly telephone contact by lay personnel, to promote self-care for patients with osteoarthritis (OA), was associated with improved joint pain and physical function after 1 year of followup. The present study was a secondary analysis to determine whether improvement was contingent on intensified medical treatment. Methods We reanalyzed control/treatment group differences in all 40 subjects with radiographically confirmed knee OA who had had no changes in antirheumatic drug therapy or institution of physical therapy during the period of observation. Results Group differences in measured pain remained significant (effect size [ES] = 0.65 SD, P less than 0.01). The same trend was observed for physical function (ES = 0.53 SD, P not significant). Conclusion The findings in this reanalysis suggest that periodic telephone support interventions are effective enough to be regarded as an adjunctive treatment for OA.
Remnant charge of slow multicharged ions scattered from a gold surface.

A time-of-flight technique has been used to measure the remnant charge of laser-produced pulses of multicharged C k+ (k=1-4), Al m+ (m=3-6), and Pb n+ (n=2-6) ions incidenton a clean amorphous Au surface under UHV conditions. Remnant charge states were investigated for 15 o , 30 o , and 45 o scattering angles for C and Al ions and 15 o only for Pb. For all angles considered, C and Pb were found to be completely neutralized after scattering from the Au surface
Are inflammatory profiles the key to personalized Alzheimer's treatment?

SUMMARY There is currently no disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and the need is great as the number of people diagnosed with AD is predicted to steadily increase. Inflammation is associated with AD, and is predictive of more advanced disease pathology and cognitive impairment. Moreover, preventing inflammation reduces the risk of developing AD. However, clinical trials with anti-inflammatory treatment have not been successful. One reason may be that there is diversity in the immune response and reducing immune activity with anti-inflammatories is not appropriate in all conditions. Recently, we have begun to apply categorizations, used to characterize the peripheral immune response, to the immune processes of the brain. When we do this, we are able to describe an individual’s inflammatory profile within this spectrum. We have observed that patients with early AD are distributed across two broad categories of immune activation. If we recognize the diversity within this cohort of indiv...
Social History and Dance as Education

that dance must meet the “charge of the academy” (p. 116): to “push back the boundaries of knowledge, forward the cultural legacy, and contribute to society” (p. 319). Anyone who attends dance education conferences or works in a dance department is familiar with questions that underlie Hagood’s remark: Why teach dance in a university or in public education? How does dancing further the greater good? How can dance be considered research or to increase knowledge? In my recent reading of histories of dance education, I was struck by the contribution that contemporary historians make to thinking about dance as education. To a field that is obsessed with drawing up standards and proving worth, historians of dance education, particularly social historians of dance education, lend information about the impact of the moving body in the social sphere, as dancers form and reform schools and dance organizations, shape ideas about the body, dancing, and education, and transform the ways people are seen and understood. In this chapter, I develop a short summary of dance education in American public schools and colleges and universities, derived entirely from existing literature. I also discuss the current state of historical writing in dance education and project some ideas for future research. (One obvious deficit in the literature will be clear in my summary: that histories of dance education have been limited to the experiences of European immigrants to the United States.) As a conclusion, I return to the perspectives that historians bring to understanding dance as education. The writings I cite and discuss include Nancy Lee Chalfa Ruyter’s Reformers and Visionaries: The Americanization of the Art of Dance (1979), Ruyter’s entry in the International Encyclopedia of Dance (1998), Hagood’s A History of Dance in Higher Education (2000), Janice Ross’s Moving Lessons: Margaret H’Doubler and the Beginning of Dance in American Education (2000), and Linda J. Tomko’s Dancing Class: Gender, Ethnicity, and Social Divides in American Dance, 1890–1920 (1999). I also include information found on Websites of dance organizations, universities, and databases.
Oral steroids for improved function but not pain in acute radiculopathy due to disc herniation

Commentary on : Goldberg H, Firtch W, Tyburski M, et al. Oral steroids for acute radiculopathy due to a herniated lumbar disk: a randomised clinical trial. JAMA 2015;313:1915–23.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3] The toll low back pain (LBP) exerts on society is enormous. Approximately 40% of cases of chronic LBP are primarily neuropathic in nature,1 which may make them responsive to corticosteroids. A randomised trial performed in 208 patients with acute radiculopathy found that 30% of those who received piroxicam or placebo continued to experience symptoms at 3 months, with few people reporting resolution afterwards.2 These results are consistent with other studies suggesting that radicular pain that persists for longer than 3 months after injury is likely to become chronic. For systemic steroids, most but not all studies have failed to demonstrate significant benefit.3 The authors performed a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DJAMA%26rft.volume%253D313%26rft.spage%253D1915%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1001%252Fjama.2015.4468%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F25988461%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1001/jama.2015.4468&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=25988461&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febmed%2F20%2F4%2F138.atom
Early Cellular Changes in the Ascending Aorta and Myocardium in a Swine Model of Metabolic Syndrome.

Background Metabolic syndrome is associated with pathological remodeling of the heart and adjacent vessels. The early biochemical and cellular changes underlying the vascular damage are not fully understood. In this study, we sought to establish the nature, extent, and initial timeline of cytochemical derangements underlying reduced ventriculo-arterial compliance in a swine model of metabolic syndrome. Methods Yorkshire swine (n = 8 per group) were fed a normal diet (ND) or a high-cholesterol (HCD) for 12 weeks. Myocardial function and blood flow was assessed before harvesting the heart. Immuno-blotting and immuno-histochemical staining were used to assess the cellular changes in the myocardium, ascending aorta and left anterior descending artery (LAD). Results There was significant increase in body mass index, blood glucose and mean arterial pressures (p = 0.002, p = 0.001 and p = 0.024 respectively) in HCD group. At the cellular level there was significant increase in anti-apoptotic factors p-Akt (p = 0.007 and p = 0.002) and Bcl-xL (p = 0.05 and p = 0.01) in the HCD aorta and myocardium, respectively. Pro-fibrotic markers TGF-β (p = 0.01), pSmad1/5 (p = 0.03) and MMP-9 (p = 0.005) were significantly increased in the HCD aorta. The levels of pro-apoptotic p38MAPK, Apaf-1 and cleaved Caspase3 were significantly increased in aorta of HCD (p = 0.03, p = 0.04 and p = 0.007 respectively). Similar changes in coronary arteries were not observed in either group. Functionally, the high cholesterol diet resulted in significant increase in ventricular end systolic pressure and–dp/dt (p = 0.05 and p = 0.007 respectively) in the HCD group. Conclusion Preclinical metabolic syndrome initiates pro-apoptosis and pro-fibrosis pathways in the heart and ascending aorta, while sparing coronary arteries at this early stage of dietary modification.
A comparison of initial condition-,multi-physics-and stochastic physics-based ensembles in predicting Beijing “7.21” excessive storm rain event

Using the historical Beijing"7.21"extreme precipitation event as an example,the six ensemble schemes(the initial condition(IC),multi-physics(MULTI),3 stochastic physics as well as a combination of IC and stochastic-physics(COM)were compared in the following three aspects of heavy precipitation forecasts:the performance of ensemble means,ensemble ranges and probabilities with respect to the control forecast,characteristics of ensemble spreads,and spread-forecast error relations.The results show that:(1)In spite of the existence of large systematic forecast error,all the ensembles,especially the IC,MULTI and COM,are able to noticeably improve torrential-rain prediction over the control forecast in both intensity and location,and provide more complete information including the forecast uncertainty for users to make a better decision.(2)Forecast spreads of the three stochastic physics ensembles are similar to each other,generally much less than those of the IC and MULTI ensembles and mainly concentrated near the center of the severe rainfall area.As a result,the ensemble spread is enhanced in the vicinity of the severe precipitation area but little is changed elsewhere after stochastic physics is employed in addition to IC perturbations,which leads to virtually no improvement to the overall spread over a larger domain comparing to that of the IC ensemble.By decomposing spread over the spatial scales,it further shows that the forecast diversity contributed by the stochastic physics is mainly in the smaller-scale(320 km,it could reach to a similar level to those by the IC and MULTI ensembles at scale 160 km),while the contribution from the IC and MULTI perturbations to spread could extend another400-500 km reaching to larger scales such as 1000 km;at smaller scales( 500 km),multi-physics technique could produce larger precipitation spread than IC perturbation does,another advantage of multi-physics approach over other approaches is that it could partially reduce forecast bias.And,(3)the spread spectrum is similar to the forecast error spectrum over spatial scales for all the ensembles,i.e.,decreasing with the increase of the spatial scale.However,the magnitude of the spread spectrum is smaller than that of the forecast error spectrum(indicating under-dispersion),this departure increases rapidly with the decrease of spatial scale and becomes large over the small scales.
THE UNCERTAINTY ASSESSMENT OF HOSPITAL SEWAGE FECAL COLIFORM TEST RESULTS

Objective To study the uncertainty of fecal coliform test results of hospital sewage and to identify the main uncertainty factors which affect the test results.Methods On-site sewage collection was used to do fecal coliform tests and to assess the sources of uncertainty in the test results.Results The uncertainty of this fecal coliform test of hospital sewage was 0.1408,the repeatability limit was 1.5978 and the reproducibility limit was 1.5248.Conclusion The analysis of uncertainty can effectively acquire the credibility and accuracy of test results.This established uncertainty assessment method is suitable for the uncertainty assessment of similar fecal coliform tests.
Testimony Before the California State Assembly, Committee on Revenue and Taxation, Informational Hearing on Academic Perspectives on the Tax Recommendations of the Commission on the 21st Century Economy

Testimony and presentation by David Gamage, Assistant Professor at the UC Berkeley School of Law, before the California State Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation in October, 2009. The topic of the hearing was: Academic Perspectives on the Tax Recommendations of the Commission on the 21st Century Economy. The hearing was televised on the California Channel. Professors Alan Auerbach, Kirk Stark and Steven Sheffrin also testified.
Optimal routing and charging of an Uber-like electric vehicle considering dynamic electricity price and passenger satisfaction

This paper explores and presents a detailed mathematical model for optimal routing and charging of an Uber-like electric vehicle (EV) taking into account dynamic electricity price and passenger satisfaction. Based on an extended Pickup and Delivery Problem (PDP), the proposed optimization problem aims at the determination of the best route from the start node (origin) to the end node (final destination) while satisfying the requirements of all passengers (e.g., travel time and travel distance), together with reducing the driver's operation cost (e.g., electricity charging cost). The proposed model can be extended and developed into multi-vehicle optimal routing and charging problems.
A CUBIC TETRAHEDRAL ADAPTATION OF THE HEMI-CUBE ALGORITHM

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses cubic tetrahedral adaptation of the hemi-cube algorithm. The hemi-cube algorithm has become the most popular method of calculating radiosity solutions for complex environments containing hidden surfaces and shadows. A cubic tetrahedral adaptation of this algorithm increases performance by reducing the number of projection planes from five to three, while maintaining the simplicity of the required clipping and projection operations. The hemi-cube algorithm calculates the amount of light landing on a patch from every other patch by transforming the environment so that the receiving patch's center is at the origin and its normal coincides with the positive z axis. An imaginary cube is constructed around the center of the receiving patch. The upper half of this cube provides four half-faces and one full face onto which the environment is projected. Each of these faces is divided into square pixels at a given resolution. The hemi-cube is illustrated in the chapter. An advantage of the cubic tetrahedral adaptation is the fact that each of the faces is identical. The hemi-cube uses four half-faces and one full face of a cube, thus requiring the top face to be treated differently than the four side faces.
Managing Pediatric Spinal Cord Injury Through Adulthood

(2004). Managing Pediatric Spinal Cord Injury Through Adulthood. The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine: Vol. 27, No. sup1, pp. S2-S2.
Quantifying Spectra in the Frequency Domain

This article provides an overview of frequency-domain spectral fitting methods for one-dimensional magnetic resonance spectra (MRS) in vivo. Methods presented range from simple peak integration, curve-fitting based on different line-shape models, through to linear combination minimization routines that make extensive use of prior knowledge and simulated or acquired ‘basis sets’ of spectra from constituent compounds. It is shown that the choice of analysis method depends strongly on the type of data to be analyzed, with the simpler methods working best on relatively sparse spectra with minimal peak overlap and cross-correlation. Quantification accuracy is critically dependent on data acquisition and analysis parameters. Uncertainty estimates are discussed, and analyses of human MRS data are exemplified. MRS can give accurate and reproducible concentration estimates of many metabolites with relatively small signals, provided that appropriate care and attention is paid to both data acquisition and analysis protocols. Keywords: MRS; quantification; LCModel; VeSPA; GAMMA; spectral simulation
China's medical savings accounts: an analysis of the price elasticity of demand for health care.

Although medical savings accounts (MSAs) have drawn intensive attention across the world for their potential in cost control, there is limited evidence of their impact on the demand for health care. This paper is intended to fill that gap. First, we built up a dynamic model of a consumer’s problem of utility maximization in the presence of a nonlinear price schedule embedded in an MSA. Second, the model was implemented using data from a 2-year MSA pilot program in China. The estimated price elasticity under MSAs was between −0.42 and −0.58, i.e., higher than that reported in the literature. The relatively high price elasticity suggests that MSAs as an insurance feature may help control costs. However, the long-term effect of MSAs on health costs is subject to further analysis.
Evaluating barriers to adopting telemedicine worldwide: A systematic review

Introduction and objective Studies on telemedicine have shown success in reducing the geographical and time obstacles incurred in the receipt of care in traditional modalities with the same or greater effectiveness; however, there are several barriers that need to be addressed in order for telemedicine technology to spread. The aim of this review is to evaluate barriers to adopting telemedicine worldwide through the analysis of published work. Methods The authors conducted a systematic literature review by extracting the data from the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and PubMed (MEDLINE) research databases. The reviewers in this study analysed 30 articles (nine from CINAHL and 21 from Medline) and identified barriers found in the literature. This review followed the checklist from Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2009. The reviewers organized the results into one table and five figures that depict the data in different ways, organized by: barrier, country-specific barriers, organization-specific barriers, patient-specific barriers, and medical-staff and programmer-specific barriers. Results The reviewers identified 33 barriers with a frequency of 100 occurrences through the 30 articles. The study identified the issues with technically challenged staff (11%), followed by resistance to change (8%), cost (8%), reimbursement (5%), age of patient (5%), and level of education of patient (5%). All other barriers occurred at or less than 4% of the time. Discussion and conclusions Telemedicine is not yet ubiquitous, and barriers vary widely. The top barriers are technology-specific and could be overcome through training, change-management techniques, and alternating delivery by telemedicine and personal patient-to-provider interaction. The results of this study identify several barriers that could be eliminated by focused policy. Future work should evaluate policy to identify which one to lever to maximize the results.
Abstract 15621: Lack of Medical Insurance is an Independent Predictor of Increased Inter-Facility Transfer for St-Elevation Myocardial Infarction in U.S. Emergency Departments

Introduction: Only 31% of U.S. hospitals have primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) capabilities for patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Lack of medical insurance has been shown to affect the decision to transfer from U.S. emergency departments (ED), but its effect on transfer to PCI centers for STEMI is unknown. Hypothesis: Lack of medical insurance is related to higher ED transfer rates for patients with STEMI. Methods: We used the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) to model predictors of transfer among ED patients diagnosed with STEMI between 2006 and 2011. Our multivariable logistic regression model included ED disposition as the outcome (transfer vs admit to same hospital), insurance status as the primary exposure (none, government, private, and other), controlling for age group, gender, year, US region, ED patient volume, household income in patient’s home zip code, and weekend presentation. Results: Our sample included 1,428,653 ED STEMI visits, including 259,376 (18.2%) transfers. STEMI transfer rates increased from 15% in 2006 to 20.5% in 2011. The adjusted odds ratio for transfer among self-pay patients compared with those with government insurance was 1.80 (95% CI 1.64,1.98) and compared to those with private insurance was 1.27 (95% CI 1.17,1.39) ( Table ). Conclusions: Controlling for other variables ( Table ), having no medical insurance was independently associated with higher transfer rates compared with having private or government insurance. These results suggest that insurance status influences the location of care for patients presenting to the ED with STEMI. Further research is required to explore illness severity and facility factors.
Drug development pipeline for myeloproliferative neoplasms: Potential future impact on guidelines and management

The unprecedented success of ruxolitinib in myelofibrosis (MF) has paved the way for the development of other Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors and other agents representing diverse drug classes and mechanisms of action in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). In particular, the symptomatic benefits afforded by ruxolitinib have led to the recognition of "clinical improvement" in symptoms and the spleen in international consensus response criteria for MF. Ruxolitinib is also approved for the second-line treatment of polycythemia vera and is being developed for essential thrombocythemia. Appreciation of the universal role of activated JAK/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling in MPNs and improved understanding of the canonical and noncanonical actions of JAK2 have yielded a number of drug targets beyond JAK2 in MPNs, which form the basis for a number of ruxolitinib-based rational combinations that are being explored in MF. Other JAK inhibitors with the potential for significantly less myelosuppression or even improvement of anemia continue to be tested. Finally, agents with very distinct mechanisms of action, such as novel interferon formulations, antifibrotic agents, and telomerase inhibitors, are being pursued in polycythemia vera and MF, respectively. This article reviews the current landscape of clinical drug development in MPNs, focusing on the most promising agents and combinations.
Neural Network Representation of Tensor Network and Chiral States.

We study the representational power of a Boltzmann machine (a type of neural network) in quantum many-body systems. We prove that any (local) tensor network state has a (local) neural network representation. The construction is almost optimal in the sense that the number of parameters in the neural network representation is almost linear in the number of nonzero parameters in the tensor network representation. Despite the difficulty of representing (gapped) chiral topological states with local tensor networks, we construct a quasi-local neural network representation for a chiral p-wave superconductor. This demonstrates the power of Boltzmann machines.
Household adaptive capacity: a social networks approach in rural South Africa

This article explores social network analysis (SNA) as a means to revise and expand the concept of adaptive capacity in household-level research on climate change adaptation. SNA has recently been integrated into research on adaptive capacity in the global change sciences, but often not at the household level. The methodology relies heavily on measuring food, money, wood and water, labour, and information about disease exchanges between households, all of which are referenced in previous work on adaptation in the developing world. The regional focus is the rural Eastern Cape of South Africa but results have wider geographic application. Results bring into question assumptions about adaptive capacity’s relationship to network centrality, one of the most common measures in SNA. This is particularly where exchanges of wood and water and the information about disease are concerned. In the case of the former, results controvert contemporary work on livelihoods and natural resource dependence, while the latter ...
Screening of conventional anticonvulsants in a genetic mouse model of epilepsy.

Objective Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder that affects 1% of the population. Approximately, 30% of individuals with epilepsy are refractory to treatment, highlighting the need for novel therapies. Conventional anticonvulsant screening relies predominantly on induced seizure models. However, these models may not be etiologically relevant for genetic epilepsies. Mutations in SCN1A are a common cause of Dravet Syndrome, a severe epileptic encephalopathy. Dravet syndrome typically begins in infancy with seizures provoked by fever and then progresses to include afebrile pleomorphic seizure types. Affected children respond poorly to available anticonvulsants. Scn1a+/− heterozygous knockout mice recapitulate features of Dravet syndrome and provide a potential screening platform to investigate novel therapeutics. In this study, we conducted a screening of conventional anticonvulsants in Scn1a+/− mice to establish assays that most closely correlate with human response data. Methods On the basis of clinical response data from a large, single center, retrospective survey of Dravet syndrome case records, we selected nine drugs for screening in Scn1a+/− mice to determine which phenotypic measures correlate best with human therapeutic response. We evaluated several screening paradigms and incorporated pharmacokinetic monitoring to establish drug exposure levels. Results Scn1a+/− mice exhibited responses to anticonvulsant treatment similar to those observed clinically. Sodium channel blockers were not effective or exacerbated seizures in Scn1a+/− mice. Overall, clobazam was the most effective anticonvulsant in Scn1a+/− mice, consistent with its effect in Dravet syndrome. Interpretation Genetic models of spontaneous epilepsy provide alternative screening platforms and may augment the AED development process. In this study, we established an effective screening platform that pharmacologically validated Scn1a+/− mice for preclinical screening of potential Dravet syndrome therapeutics.
The Happy Land Homicides: 87 Deaths Due to Smoke Inhalation

We reviewed all 87 deaths from the Happy Land Social Club fire. All deaths were due to smoke inhalation. The carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) concentrations ranged from 37 to 93% with a mean of 76.5%. The vast majority (97%) of the decedents had a COHb concentration over 50%. Cyanide blood concentrations ranged from 0 to 5.5 mg/L with a mean of 2.2 mg/L. Nine decedents had no cyanide detected, and seven had cyanide concentrations of less than 1 mg/L. Fewer than one third of the decedents had thermal injuries, and most were partial thickness burns involving less than 20% body surface area. Ethanol was detected in 72% of decedents with a range of 0.01 to 0.29 g% and a mean blood concentration of 0.11 g%. Cocaine or cannabinoid use was identified in 9% of the decedents. All decedents were visually identified, and all had soot in the airway extending to the major bronchi. Carboxyhemoglobin concentrations corresponded well with deaths from smoke inhalation. Cyanide concentrations did not correspond with the extent of smoke inhalation, and the role of cyanide in contributing to these deaths is doubtful. Hydrogen chloride inhalation, as evidenced by comparison of the pH of tracheal mucosa to controls, was not a factor.
N-Caffeoyltryptamine, a Potent Anti-Inflammatory Phenolic Amide, Suppressed MCP-1 Expression in LPS-stimulated THP-1 Cells and Rats Fed a High-Fat Diet.

Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is a well-known chemokine critically involved in the pathophysiological progression of several inflammatory diseases including arthrosclerosis. N-caffeoyltryptamine is a phenolic amide with strong anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, in this paper, the potential effect of N-caffeoyltryptamine on MCP-1 expression was investigated as a potential p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase inhibitor in vitro and in vivo. At the concentration of 20 μM, N-caffeoyltryptamine significantly inhibited p38 MAP kinase α, β, γ and δ by 15–50% (p < 0.05), particularly p38 MAP kinase α (IC50 = 16.7 μM) and β (IC50 = 18.3 μM). Also, the pretreatment of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated THP-1 cells with N-caffeoyltryptamine (10, 20 and 40 μM) led to significant suppression of MCP-1 production by 10–45% (p < 0.05) in the cells. Additionally, N-caffeoyltryptamine was also able to significantly downregulate MCP-1 mRNA expression in the THP-1 cells (p < 0.05). On the basis of this strong inhibition in vitro, an animal study was conducted to confirm this inhibitory effect in vivo. Rats were divided into three groups (n = 8): a normal control diet (C), a high-fat diet (HF), or a high-fat diet supplemented with N-caffeoyltryptamine (2 mg per day) (HFS). After 16 weeks, blood samples were collected from the rats in each group, and MCP-1 levels were determined in plasma with other atherogenic markers (C-reactive protein and soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin)). As expected, the average MCP-1 levels of the HF group were found to be higher than those of the C group (p < 0.05). However, the MCP-1 levels of the HFS group were significantly lower than those of the HF group (p < 0.05), suggesting that N-caffeoyltryptamine could decrease MCP-1 expression in vivo. Related to other atherogenic markers such as C-reactive protein and sE-selectin, there was no significant difference in their levels between the HF and HFS groups. These data suggest that N-caffeoyltryptamine may specifically suppress MCP-1 expression in vitro and in vivo, possibly by inhibiting p38 MAP kinase.
Phosphorylation of TXNIP by AKT Mediates Acute Influx of Glucose in Response to Insulin.

Summary Growth factors, such as insulin, can induce both acute and long-term glucose uptake into cells. Apart from the rapid, insulin-induced fusion of glucose transporter (GLUT)4 storage vesicles with the cell surface that occurs in muscle and adipose tissues, the mechanism behind acute induction has been unclear in other systems. Thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP) has been shown to be a negative regulator of cellular glucose uptake. TXNIP is transcriptionally induced by glucose and reduces glucose influx by promoting GLUT1 endocytosis. Here, we report that TXNIP is a direct substrate of protein kinase B (AKT) and is responsible for mediating AKT-dependent acute glucose influx after growth factor stimulation. Furthermore, TXNIP functions as an adaptor for the basal endocytosis of GLUT4 in vivo, its absence allows excess glucose uptake in muscle and adipose tissues, causing hypoglycemia during fasting. Altogether, TXNIP serves as a key node of signal regulation and response for modulating glucose influx through GLUT1 and GLUT4.
Alterations to the Foveal Cone Mosaic of Diabetic Patients.

Purpose We measured localized changes occurring in the foveal cone photoreceptors and related defects in the cone mosaic to alterations in the nearby retinal vasculature. Methods The central 4° of the retina of 54 diabetic (53.7 ± 12.5 years) and 85 control (35.8 ± 15.2 years) participants were imaged with the Indiana adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope. Foveal cones and overlying retinal capillaries were imaged and infrared scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (IR SLO) images and optical coherence tomography (OCT) B-scans were obtained. Follow-up imaging sessions were performed with intervals from 4 to 50 months for 22 of the 54 diabetic participants. Results The foveal cone mosaics of 49 of 54 diabetic participants were of sufficient quality to assess the absence or presence of small localized defects in the cone mosaic. In 13 of these 49 diabetic participants we found localized defects, visualized as sharp-edged areas of cones with diminished reflectivity. These small, localized areas ranged in size from 10 × 10 μm to 75 × 30 μm. Of these 13 participants with cone defects, 11 were imaged over periods from 4 to 50 months and the defects remained relatively stable. These dark regions were not shadows of overlying retinal vessels, but all participants with these localized defects had alterations in the juxtafoveal capillary network. Conclusions The foveal cone mosaic can show localized areas of dark cones that persist over time, that apparently correspond to either missing or nonreflecting cones, and may be related to local retinal ischemia.
Psychiatric Symptoms in Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

Neuropsychiatric symptoms are among the most prominent manifestations of generalized chemical sensitivity. Patients, clinicians, and researchers are in agreement that symptoms such as depression, i...
A tree analysis of unprovable combinatorial statements

In this paper we introduce a combinatorial measure of largeness for finite sets of integers (called arboricity) which is a finitary analogue of Konig’s Infinity Lemma. The existence of arboreal sets is shown to be very closely correlated with the Paris-Harrington version of Ramsey’s Theorem and is therefore unprovable in Peano arithmetic. Arboricity can also be exactly characterized in terms of ordinal numbers less than e0. The ordinal characterization turns out to be only a very slight modification of the notion "α-large" introduced by Ketonen. Thus by "transitivity" this gives a simplified proof of bounds for the Ramsey-Paris-Harrington numbers previously derived by Ketonen and Solovay. Applications of arboreal sets to a selection of other combinatorial problems are also given.
The origin of plasmid DNA transfer during bacterial conjugation.

Bacterial conjugation is the process of gene transfer requiring cell-to-cell contact. Such mating systems are widespread in bacteria and have been described in many gram-positive and gram-negative organisms (1–3). However, detailed studies on the mechanism of DNA transfer during conjugation have been carried out only in gram-negative bacteria (4). The conjugation systems studied in gram-negatives are encoded by plasmids, and mediate the transfer of plasmid and, occasionally, chromosomal DNA from the donor to the recipient cell. Although transformation and transduction of plasmids occur, conjugation appears to be the major mechanism of plasmid DNA transfer in nature. In addition, conjugation is the only means of gene-tic exchange between different groups of bacteria, since transformation and transduction are generally limited to exchange between closely related members of the same genus or species. The promiscuous gene transfer mediated by broad host-range plasmids means that the gene pool available to bacteria is immensely larger than if genetic exchange was restricted by species barriers. Therefore, broad host-range conjugation enables bacteria to draw upon a very large genetic reservoir when subjected to evolutionary pressures. The most dramatic clinical example of this exceptional adaptability is the development and spread of antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria.
Locating Oneself on a Map in Relation to Person Qualities and Map Characteristics

Adults were taken to various positions on a college campus and asked to mark their locations on a round or square map drawn from either directly overhead or from an oblique angle. In session 1, participants were also given paper and pencil spatial tests to assess their skills in mental rotation (2D figure rotation), spatial visualization (paper folding), and spatial perception (water level). In session 2, participants completed computer-based navigation and mapping tasks. Performance varied widely among participants. Regression analyses showed that spatial skills predicted performance on both campus and computer mapping tasks, but the specific spatial skills that predicted success differed. Across map types, some differences in strategies and speed were observed. Findings show the value of research with both real and simulated environments, and with maps having varying cartographic properties.
Neonatal Androgen and Estrogen Treatments Masculinize the Size of Motoneurons in the Rat Spinal Nucleus of the Bulbocavernosus

1. Newborn female rats were injected with either a nonaromatizable androgen, dihydrotestosterone propionate (DHTP; 1 mg), or estrogen benzoate (EB; 100 micrograms), or both, or sesame oil vehicle only as a control. In the first experiment, females were injected only on the day of birth (day 1). In the second experiment, females were given daily injections on either days 1, 3, and 5 of life or on days 6, 8, and 10. At 60 days of age the animals were sacrificed and the size of the somata and nuclei of motoneurons in the spinal nucleus of the bulbocavernous (SNB) was determined. 2. As in earlier studies, neonatal EB had no effect on the adult numbers of SNB cells, and the present study demonstrated estrogen's ineffectiveness in this regard in either the absence or the presence of DHTP. Nor did neonatal estrogen influence the survival of the SNB target musculature. 3. In agreement with previous studies, early DHTP treatment resulted in more SNB cells in adulthood and both late and early neonatal treatment with DHTP also resulted in larger SNB cells in adulthood. 4. We report for the first time that neonatal EB treatment also resulted in larger adult SNB cells. EB exerted this effect after a single injection on the day of birth or after multiple injections during the early neonatal period (days 1-5) but not after late neonatal injections. 5. These data suggest that both androgens and estrogens normally act to masculinize the size of SNB motoneurons, while only androgens affect the number of SNB cells.
The Neurostructure of Morality and the Hubris of Memory Manipulation

Neurotechnologies that promise to dampen (via pharmacologicals), disassociate (via electro-convulsive therapy), erase (via deep brain stimulation), and replace (via false memory creation) unsavory episodic memories are no longer the subject of science fiction. They have already arrived, and their funding suggests that they will not disappear anytime soon. In light of their emergence, this essay examines the neurostructure of normative morality to clarify that memory manipulation, which promises to take away that which is bad in human experience, also removes that which enables human beings to be good. Concepts such as free will, moral responsibility, and the neurobiological basis of moral reasoning are explored to underscore the fundamental hubris inherent to the memory manipulation enterprise.
A health sciences library promotes wellness with free yoga

Background: Yoga is a popular physical exercise activity with mental health benefits. Public and academic libraries have offered free yoga as their primary movement-based program. Case Presentation: In an attempt to bolster wellness and connect to the health sciences community, an academic health sciences library offered free yoga as a ten-week trial series in summer 2016. At the end of the trial series, weekly attendance and online feedback data determined that this series should continue. Conclusions: Yoga provides health professionals and students with a welcomed midday break from a stressful work environment. Additionally, by partnering with yoga instructor trainee programs, the financial burden is low for the library.
Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Risk among Kidney Transplant Patients

ABSTRACTPurposeResearch examining the relationship between physical activity (PA) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors among kidney transplant recipients (KTR) is limited. Accordingly, we sought to 1) describe the levels of PA in KTR and 2) analyze the associations between PA levels and CVD
Dosis und Applikationsvolumen

Im Biologielabor gibt es immer wieder Situationen, in denen einem Versuchstier eine bestimmte Menge eines Stoffes verabreicht oder auf einer Versuchsflache eine definierte Menge einer Substanz appliziert werden muss. Dabei steht man vor dem Problem, dass jedes Versuchstier unterschiedlich schwer oder die Versuchsflachen unterschiedlich gros sind. Um miteinander vergleichbare Resultate zu erhalten, mussen diese unterschiedlichen Voraussetzungen standardisiert werden. In der Regel geschieht dies, indem definiert wird, welche Masse oder welches Volumen einem Versuchstier pro Kilogramm Korpermasse appliziert wird oder welche Mengen eines Stoffes pro Quadratmeter oder pro Hektar eingesetzt werden mussen. Solch standardisierte Mengen werden als Dosis bezeichnet.
Halos and egos: Rankings and interspecialty deference in multispecialty U.S. Hospitals

This paper examines how media rankings shift patterns of collaboration and deference between professional groups within organizations. Diversified and multidisciplinary organizations such as univer...
The Management Approach to the Adolescent IBD Patient: Health Maintenance and Medication Considerations

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is often diagnosed during adolescence and can have a deep impact on the physical, hormonal, developmental, and psychosocial changes associated with this life period. The purpose of this review is to address the particular manifestations of IBD (such as growth and pubertal delay), health maintenance issues, and treatment considerations in the adolescent. The need for a multidisciplinary approach to recognize and address growth and pubertal delay, bone health, as well as the psychosocial impact of IBD on the adolescent has been increasingly recognized as an integral part of IBD care in this population. Vaccinations schedule, preventive health measures, and promoting compliance with care are particularly important during adolescence. Replacing nutrients deficits is also crucial: in particular, vitamin D has been shown to play a role in the gut immune system, and adequate vitamin D levels might promote IBD remission. Iron replacement should be done by intravenous route since oral iron is poorly absorbed in chronic inflammatory states. Finally, recent data have shed light on the increased risk of particular types of lymphoma in adolescent on thiopurines, whereas biologic therapies, in particular, anti-TNF, now are positioned as a preferred and effective steroid-sparing agents in moderate to severe IBD. Management of adolescents with IBD is not without significant challenges. An early implementation of steroid-sparing therapies, a multidisciplinary treatment approach, and a dynamic physician-patient relationship are essential to achieve remission, prevent disease-related complications but also optimize developmental, physical, and psychosocial health, and encourage compliance and transition to adult care.
3.05 – Biomass

Biomass has been used as a fuel source ever since humanity learned to make fire and served as the primary source of energy before fossil fuels became common in the twentieth century. Biomass is still the dominant source of energy for one billion of the poorest people. Biofuels are attractive for a number of reasons - plants act as `solar panels', capture carbon, and store energy. Their large-scale adaptation as energy source for modern industrial societies hinges on the solar utilization efficiency of plants. Plants appear to have similar efficiencies in capturing solar radiation as the most efficient solar panels that can be deployed at large scale, but the plants' own metabolism combined with the 'metabolism' of the infrastructure to produce biofuel from biomass yields a very low solar utilization. The climate vulnerability of biomass as renewable energy source is largely similar to food crops. Slight differences might be expected for different biofuel types. First generation biofuels might be more vulnerable due to constrains on deploying often energy intensive agricultural practices that can offset adverse climate impacts. Second generation biofuels are likely to be more resilient than food crops since their feedstock comes from marginal lands that are more close to natural vegetation.
Pan-African Strategies for Environmental Preservation: Why Women's Rights are the Missing Link

The intimate connection between human and environmental rights has been explored extensively. Largely omitted from the discussion, however, is the role rural women have played, and can play, in protecting environmental rights. This Article argues that the protection and fulfillment of women's human rights, in the context of an evolving Pan-African system for the protection of environmental rights, can be a catalyst for positive environmental change in Sub-Saharan African countries. Using examples from several Sub-Saharan African countries, this Article explores the potential benefits of increasing women's participation in their communities as an effective strategy for environmental protection. Enhancing women's roles in environmental policymaking and granting them greater land rights will result in more effective environmental preservation, while also improving the realization of women's rights.
Disproportionate Minority Contact: An Expanded Examination of how Threat of Violent and Sexual Offending Impacts Court Outcomes:

Racial disparities in the U.S. juvenile justice system appear to be attenuated for people with sexual and violent versus drug and property offenses. Existing theories such as the racial threat hypo...