cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estrogen receptor‐α deficiency promotes increased TNF‐α secretion and bacterial killing by murine macrophages in response to microbial stimuli in vitro

In this series of studies, we determined the potential role of intracellular estrogen receptors (ER), ERalpha and ERbeta, on macrophage function in response to bacterial stimuli. The sex hormone 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) and ER have been shown to modulate inflammatory responses as well as T helper cell type 1 (TH1)/TH2 responses. The mechanisms E(2) and its receptors use to alter these immune functions remain largely unknown. ERalpha and ERbeta possess complex actions in tissues where they are expressed. We have characterized the receptor repertoire of murine dendritic cells and thioglycollate-elicited peritoneal macrophages (PM). Both cell types express mRNA for ERalpha. Neither cell type expressed detectable amounts of ERbeta mRNA, as determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction using exon-specific primers spanning each of the seven intron/exon junctions. Primary macrophages from ERalpha- and ERbeta-deficient severe combined immunodeficiency mice [ERalpha knockout (KO) and ERssKO, respectively] were used to delineate the effects and potential mechanisms via which steroid receptors modulate macrophage function. ERalpha-deficient PM exposed ex vivo to lipopolysaccharide or Mycobacterium avium exhibited significant increases in tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) secretion as well as reduction in bacterial load when compared with wild-type (WT) PM. In contrast, ERbeta-deficient PM possessed no significant difference in TNF-alpha secretion or in bacterial load when compared with WT littermates. These studies suggest that ERalpha, but not ERbeta, modulates murine PM function.
A computer architecture for dynamic finite element analysis

The explicit finite element method for dynamic structural analysis can be expressed in a highly parallel form. A proposed architecture is described that addresses the fundamental algorithmic issues of the method. An approximation equation for the efficiency is given as a function of processing time for a single element, the fundamental interprocessor communication time, the number of processors, and the number of finite elements. The predicted speedups are plotted against postulated parallel processor speedup bounds, and are shown to be much closer to the upper (linear) bound than to the lower bounds of Amdahl and Minsky.
Deconvolution of the PSF of a seismic lens

We show that if seismic data d is related to the migration image by m mig = L Td . then m mig is a blurred version of the actual reflectivity distribution m , i.e., m mig = (L TL )m . Here L is the acoustic forward modeling operator under the Born approximation where d = Lm . The blurring operator (L TL ), or point spread function, distorts the image because of defects in the seismic lens, i.e., small source-receiver recording aperture and irregular/coarse geophone-source spacing. These distortions can be partly suppressed by applying the deblurring operator (L TL )-1 to the migration image to get m = (L TL )-1m mig . This deblurred image is known as a least squares migration (LSM) image if (L TL )-1L T is applied to the data d using a conjugate gradient method, and is known as a migration deconvolved (MD) image if (L TL )-1 is directly applied to the migration image m mig in (kx, ky, z ) space. The MD algorithm is an order-of-magnitude faster than LSM, but it employs more restrictive assumptions. We also show that deblurring can be used to filter out coherent noise in the data such as multiple reflections. The procedure is to, e.g., decompose the forward modeling operator into both primary and multiple reflection operators d = (L prim + L multi )m , invert for m , and find the primary reflection data by d prim = L prim m . This method is named least squares migration filtering (LSMF). The above three algorithms (LSM, MD and LSMF) might be useful for attacking problems in optical imaging.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Evaluating Net-Zero Energy Houses from the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011

The Solar Decathlon is a two year, international project where university students compete to design, build, and test energy-efficient, net-zero homes. By definition, net-zero energy houses annually produce as much electricity as they consume. The 2011 Solar Decathlon, held in Washington D.C., had 19 university teams from around the world. Unfortunately, many past Solar Decathlon houses have traditionally been very costly. However, the 2011 Solar Decathlon was the first competition to have an affordability contest. The affordability contest required each home to be valued under an estimated builder’s cost of $250,000, forcing the teams to select economically feasible solutions for creating net zero energy houses. Finding super-efficient, solarpowered, and affordable houses can be done by evaluating the contests associated with the Solar Decathlon 2011. The main cost-effective and energy saving components were discovered by researching final competition scoring of each specific contest. Heat pump water heaters, properly sized photovoltaic arrays, and HVAC systems with proper dehumidification were the main findings of this research. Fortunately, all of these findings can immediately be implemented into the design of net-zero energy housing with off-the-shelf products.
Farnesyltransferase inhibitors in breast cancer therapy

Farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) belong to a group of agents originally designed to prevent membrane attachment of Ras protein by inhibiting a key step in its post-translational processing. It was thus hypothesized that FTIs would curtail the oncogenic ras-mediated proliferative and antiapoptotic signals that are activated in human tumors. Although the Ras protein is mutated in only < 5% of breast cancers, there are multiple aberrant pathways that lead to activation of wild-type ras signaling. Moreover, FTIs have consistently demonstrated efficacy in tumors regardless of their ras mutational status. Thus, the role of other protein targets in mediating the antitumor effect of FTIs is being elucidated. This article reviews current data on the use of FTIs in breast cancer.
Deciphering Protein Dynamics from NMR Data Using Explicit Structure Sampling and Selection

Perhaps one of the most prominent realizations of recent years is the critical role that protein dynamics plays in many facets of cellular function. While characterization of protein dynamics is fundamental to our understanding of protein function, the ability to explicitly detect an ensemble of protein conformations from dynamics data is a paramount challenge in structural biology. Here, we report a new computational method, Sample and Select, for determining the ensemble of protein conformations consistent with NMR dynamics data. This method can be generalized and extended to different sources of dynamics data, enabling broad applicability in deciphering protein dynamics at different timescales. The structural ensemble derived from Sample and Select will provide structural and dynamic information that should aid us in understanding and manipulating protein function.
Lyapunov stability and Lyapunov functions of infinite dimensional systems

Sufficient conditions are found for the existence of positive definite functions of state which are nonincreasing in time along any trajectory of an autonomous system. The class of systems considered is quite general, and no restriction is made concerning the dimension of the state space or separability of effects of state and input of the subsystems. If certain other relations between the norm of interest on the state space and the positive definite functions are established, Lyapunov or in some cases asymptotic stability in the large can be established. The sufficiency part of the Kalman-Yacubovich lemma as applied to the same problem, is extended to include infinite dimensional systems. That is, it is shown that if the Popov criterion is satisfied, then a Lyapunov function of the Lur'e type exists, even in the infinite dimensional case.
Smith-Petersen Vitallium Mold Arthroplasty: Case Report with a Fifty-One-Year Follow-Up and Histopathologic Analysis.

Before the advent of total hip arthroplasty, cup arthroplasty was the main method used for hip reconstruction. In 1923, M.N. Smith-Petersen devised the first mold arthroplasty of the hip, made from glass, at the Massachusetts General Hospital; in 1939, he revised the implant to a cup made from Vitallium, a cobalt-chrome alloy1. Vitallium mold arthroplasty became the standard procedure for hip arthroplasty until the introduction of a low-frictional torque arthroplasty by Sir John Charnley in the 1960s2. We present a patient with a fifty-one-year follow-up of a Smith-Petersen mold arthroplasty with histological analysis of the femoral head. To the best of our knowledge, there has never been a longer follow-up of this type of arthroplasty published in the North American literature. The patient was informed that data concerning the case would be submitted for publication, and she provided consent. The patient, a sixty-three-year-old otherwise healthy woman, had undergone a Smith-Petersen mold arthroplasty of the left hip in 1961 at the age of twelve following pinning of a slipped capital femoral epiphysis that had failed secondary to osteonecrosis of the femoral head. She had functioned remarkably well with this procedure and was able to maintain a normal lifestyle for five decades. In the several years prior to presentation, however, she had developed progressively worsening left hip and lower back pain with increasingly limited left hip range of motion, and she had begun to use a cane with increasing frequency while walking. Physical examination while walking revealed a mild limp with no Trendelenburg gait. The …
Disruption of the vimentin intermediate filament system during adipose conversion of 3T3-L1 cells inhibits lipid droplet accumulation

During the differentiation of 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes, vimentin intermediate filaments are reorganized to form cage-like structures around the nascent lipid droplets. Initial studies with 3T3-L1 cells indicated that aggregation of vimentin filaments by nocodazole treatment during or shortly after induction of adipose conversion dramatically reduced the lipid droplet content of 3T3-L1 cells 96–120 hours after induction. Specific but transient disruption of vimentin following anti-IFA antibody injection also resulted in a decrease in lipid droplet formation in differentiating cells. To specifically and stably affect filament organization, 3T3-L1 cells lines were established by transfection with a glucocorticoid-regulatable, dominant negative mutant vimentin cDNA expression plasmid. Treatment of these cells (83 delta C) with dexamethasone resulted in expression of vimentin with a carboxyl-terminal deletion, which led to the disruption of the endogenous filament network. Induction of adipose conversion in 83 delta C cells lead to the formation of lipid droplets comparable to those seen in untransfected 3T3-L1 cells. Addition of dexamethasone during the adipose conversion of 83 delta C cells did not affect the induction of the marker enzyme glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase or the incorporation of [14C]palmitate into triglycerides during a 10 minute pulse label. There was, however, a failure to form prominent lipid droplets and to accumulate [14C]palmitate-labeled triglycerides. Pulse-chase experiments indicated that the failure of these cells to accumulate triglyceride was associated with an increased rate of turnover. These studies indicate that vimentin filaments provide a function that influences lipid stability during adipose conversion of 3T3-L1 cells.
Hot Quark Plasma in ISR Nuclear Collisions: January 1981

In 1980/81 the ISR community of Physicists at CERN was preparing for a heavy ion experimental program. My lecture was moved-up from a later AA-meeting after another speaker bowed-out from the α-meeting. Before describing my presentation, I provide a few circumstantial details of potential interest.
Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome after Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy: A Randomized Single-Blind Clinical Trial Evaluating the Impact of Irrigation Pressure.

Purpose: We evaluated the impact of intraoperative irrigation pressures on the risk of systemic inflammatory response after percutaneous nephrolithotomy.Materials and Methods: Between January 2014 and March 2015, 90 patients with renal stones planned for percutaneous nephrolithotomy were randomized between low (80 mm Hg) and high (200 mm Hg) irrigation pressure. Patient demographics, perioperative outcomes and systemic inflammatory response incidence rates were compared using the chi-square and Wilcoxon signed rank tests.Results: Mean patient age, gender, body mass index and other perioperative outcomes were similar in both arms. High pressure irrigation was associated with a higher risk of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (46%) compared to low pressure irrigation (11%, p=0.0002). On multivariate analysis only high irrigation pressure, paraplegia or neurogenic bladder and nonquinolone perioperative medication were predictive of postoperative systemic inflammatory response syndrome.Conclusions: High...
Bt Maize Seed Mixtures for Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): Larval Movement, Development, and Survival on Non-transgenic Maize

In 2012 and 2013, field trials were conducted near Rosemount, MN, to assess the movement and development of Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) larvae on non-Bt refuge corn plants within a seed mixture of non-Bt and Bt corn. The Bt corn hybrid expressed three Bt toxins-Cry1Ab, Cry1F, and Vip3A. As the use of seed mixtures for insect resistance management (IRM) continues to be implemented, it is necessary to further characterize how this IRM approach impacts resistance development in ear-feeding Lepidopteran pests. The potential for Bt pollen movement and cross pollination of the non-Bt ears in a seed mixture may lead to Bt toxin exposure to larvae developing on those refuge ears. Larval movement and development by H. zea, feeding on non-Bt refuge plants adjacent to either transgenic Bt or non-Bt plants, were measured to investigate the potential for unintended Bt exposure. Non-Bt plants were infested with H. zea eggs and subplots were destructively sampled twice per week within each treatment to assess larval development, location, and kernel injury. Results indicate that H. zea larval movement between plants is relatively low, ranging from 2-16% of larvae, and occurs mainly after reaching the second instar. Refuge plants in seed mixtures did not produce equivalent numbers of H. zea larvae, kernel injury, and larval development differed as compared with a pure stand of non-Bt plants. This suggests that there may be costs to larvae developing on refuge plants within seed mixtures and additional studies are warranted to define potential impacts.
Plasma estradiol, estriol, and progesterone in human pregnancy

Abstract The plasma concentrations of unconjugated estradiol (E 2 ), estriol (E 3 ), and progesterone (P) were measured by radioligand and radioimmunoassay in 8 patients with severe and 4 patients with mild Rh-isoimmunization disease. An abnormal ratio of either E 2 /E 3 or P/E 3 was found to precede each of 5 perinatal deaths attributed to hemolytic disease. Normal ratios of both E 2 /E 3 and P/E 3 were found in 6 of 12 patients and were associated with good fetal prognosis. A normal ratio of only one of either E 2 /E 3 or P/E 3 was associated with 2 and 1, respectively, of the 5 perinatal deaths attributed to the hemolytic disease. Determining both E 2 /E 3 and P/E 3 ratios is necessary for predicting fetal well-being in patients with Rh-isoimmunization disease. The method may be helpful in the follow-up of patients who undergo intrauterine fetal transfusion and may provide a more thorough assessment of fetoplacental function.
Pulsed Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition from CH2F2, C2H2F4, and CHCIF2

Pulsed plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition films have been grown from C2H2F4, CH2F2, and CHCLF2. C-Is x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicates a prevalence of C-CF species in the films from C2H2F4 and CH2F2, whereas CF2 species dominate the films from CHC1F2. The CFx species distributions for the films are largely controlled by the competition between CF2-producing and HF elimination reactions in the pulsed plasmas. Dominance by HF elimination produces films with high C-CF and CF concentrations (e.g., CH2F2), whereas dominance by CF2-producing reactions leads to films with higher CF2 concentrations (e.g., CHCIF2). The % CF3 in the film is lowest for the precursor having the lowest F:H ratio, CH2F2. Little or no hydrogen was detected in the deposited films. Thermal degradation of films from C2H2F4 and CH2F2, as probed by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, shows a loss through CF3 detachment and HF elimination. Pulsed plasma films from all three precursors gave dielectric constants of 2.4, with loss tangents on the order of 10-2. Dielectric measurements of pulsed plasma films from hexafluoropropylene oxide (HFPO) gave a dielectric constant of 2.0 ± 0.1 with a loss tangent of 0.009.
The Effect of Particle Lag on Supersonic Turbulent Boundary Layer Statistics

Strong evidence exists that experimental data gathered in high speed flows using particle-based techniques exhibit significant particle lag effects on magnitudes of turbulence quantities. The authors present new data and a linear first-order lag correction scheme based upon Reynolds stress spectral functions which explain discrepancies in stress magnitudes and expected,van Driest-scaled results. It is shown that due to the characteristicsally ‘flat’ spectrum exhibited by the normal-to-wall stress, that term is most susceptible to frequency filtering effects due to particle lag, while the stream-wise stress is affected little, corroborating experimental findings presented by other authors. The proposed correction scheme makes use of scaling relationships from subsonic flows to permit use of spectral data. Mean velocities and Reynolds stresses have been measured for a Mach 2.0 supersonic smooth wall turbulent boundary layer flow using a three-velocity-component laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV). The semi-local scaling for turbulent statics shows better agreement with incompressible flows than the conventional Morkovin’s scaling. Reynolds stresses have been corrected based on the particle lag model and subsonic Reynolds stresses spectra. The particle lag correction affects significantly the magnitude of Reynolds stresses and seems to be the main reason for lower Reynolds stresses reported in previous compressible turbulent boundary layer LDV measurements.
Determining the Lipid Tilt Modulus by Simulating Membrane Buckles.

Lipid tilt affects the energy of membrane deformations on scales comparable to the membrane’s thickness. The surface divergence of the tilt field creates a local spontaneous curvature, while tilt itself is quadratically penalized with a strength given by the tilt modulus. Traditionally, this modulus is determined by measuring the power spectrum of lipid orientation fluctuations. Here we present a novel approach which does not rely on fluctuations but instead exploits the fact that curvature gradients induce a tilt field. Its implementation extends a technique previously developed by us for localizing the position of the pivotal plane in buckling simulations, which quantifies the lipid imbalance across segments cut out from a complete buckle. Lipid tilt affects this count in a predictable way, and the signal can be quantified well enough to back out the tilt modulus—at no additional cost and with about 5% precision for not too coarse models. We apply our technique to three lipid models of very different re...
Study on Demand Response Markets and Programs in Electricity Markets

The effective way to implement demand response is the demand response markets and demand response programs, and the drive is demand response benefits. Design principles of demand response markets and main components of demand response programs are put forward. Types of demand response markets and demand response programs are divided, and timescales of them are explored, the essence of demand response is expounded and the actions of demand response in improving grid reliability, lowering grid cost, increasing market efficiency, enhancing the ability of risk management, improving environmental quality, elevating service level and relieving market power are analyzed. The conditions of implementing demand response in PJM market are described in detail. Some suggestions and assumptions for the construction of demand response markets and demand response programs in China are proposed.
Interfacing TuLiP with the JPL statechart autocoder: Initial progress toward synthesis of flight software from formal specifications

This paper describes the implementation of an interface connecting the two tools : the JPL SCA (Statechart Autocoder) and TuLiP (Temporal Logic Planning Toolbox) to enable the automatic synthesis of low level implementation code directly from formal specifications. With system dynamics, bounds on uncertainty and formal specifications as inputs, TuLiP synthesizes Mealy machines that are correct-by-construction. An interface is built that automatically translates these Mealy machines into UML statecharts. The SCA accepts the UML statecharts (as XML files) to synthesize flight-certified2 implementation code. The functionality of the interface is demonstrated through three example systems of varying complexity a) a simple thermostat b) a simple speed controller for an autonomous vehicle and c) a more complex speed controller for an autonomous vehicle with a map-element. In the thermostat controller, there is a specification regarding the desired temperature range that has to be met despite disturbance from the environment. Similarly, in the speed-controllers there are specifications about safe driving speeds depending on sensor health (sensors fail unpredictably) and the map-location. The significance of these demonstrations is the potential circumventing of some of the manual design of statecharts for flight software/controllers. As a result, we expect that less testing and validation will be necessary. In applications where the products of synthesis are used alongside manually designed components, extensive testing or new certificates of correctness of the composition may still be required.
Drugs for Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction is defined as the persistent inability to achieve or maintain penile erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance, commonly known as impotence—the inability to get and keep an erection firm enough for sex.
Creating Emotionally Intelligent Schools With RULER

How educators and students process and respond to emotions can either enhance or impede the development of the whole child. Social and emotional learning (SEL) refers to the processes of developing...
You'll Be Comfortable after Surgery: The Ethical Imperative of Better Pre-Operative Pain Management for Osteoarthritis

Based on the author’s own experience as a patient, this essay describes society’s need to effectively address the frequent failure of physicians to fulfill their ethical duty to alleviate the pain of patients with osteoarthritis who are awaiting surgery. While physicians are generous in prescribing opioid medications for orthopedic patients postoperatively, patients’ pre-operative pain often goes unrelieved, as physicians attempt to balance the obligation to act beneficently with their concern about harming the patient by enabling misuse or abuse of potentially life-threatening pharmacological agents.
Einstein, Egypt and former glories

Einstein's breakthroughs in 1905 have been celebrated at conferences around the world, with more planned for later this year. However, few of these events have been in the Islamic or developing world,which is why a major Einstein celebration in a leading Islamic country like Egypt is a significant event.
A large multicenter study of recurrence after surgical resection of branch-duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas.

Background Surgery for pancreatic branch-duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (BD-IPMN) is indicated for therapy of symptomatic patients and to prevent development of invasive cancer. There is currently no consensus on management of BD-IPMN patients after surgical resection. The aim of this retrospective multicenter study was to determine the recurrence and long-term survival after surgical resection of BD-IPMN and to determine the predictive factors of recurrence. Methods All patients who underwent surgery for BD-IPMN from 2005 to 2011 at 2 centers were identified. The diagnosis of BD-IPMN was based upon imaging and endosonographic analysis, and was confirmed by pathological analysis. The lesions were classified into 4 categories according to the WHO classification. Data on cyst characteristics, operative procedure, recurrence, and follow-up were evaluated. Recurrence was defined as the presence of BD-IPMN or mass in the remnant pancreas after surgery as seen on follow-up imaging. Recurrence suspected on imaging was confirmed via histological analysis when possible. Results A number of 271 patients (67% female; mean age 63.4 yrs) with BD-IPMN underwent surgical resection. The mean size of the cyst was 24.2mm (range, 12-80). There were 34 (12.5%) patients with an associated mass. 82 (30.3%) patients had worrisome features in the cyst on pre-operative EUS, included mural nodules (N.=25), solid component (N.=27), debris (N.=25), and a dilated major pancreatic duct (N.=5). 144(53%) patients had a pancreaticoduodenectomy for head lesions, 125 (46%) had distal pancreatectomy for tail/body lesions, and 1 (1%) underwent a total pancreatectomy. Histology showed 86% with noninvasive IPMN (adenoma 31%, moderate dysplasia 24%, severe dysplasia or carcinoma in situ 31%) and 14% with invasive IPMN. The mean patient follow-up was 28 months (range, 10-180 months). Recurrence in the remnant pancreas occurred in 34 (12.5%) patients. Of the patients with recurrence, 3/34 had invasive carcinoma and 31/34 had noninvasive cystic lesions; all patients with invasive carcinoma recurrence were those with a previous invasive IPMN. On MVA, risk factors for cyst recurrence were severe dysplasia/intraductal carcinoma in situ and invasive IPMN even after adjusting for elevated CEA (>193 ng/mL), type of surgery, and cyst size (OR 2.8, 95% CI=1.1-7.3; P=0.028). 3 patients who had invasive IPMN and 1 who had severe dysplasia patient with recurrence died, all because of recurrent cancer, with the mean time from recurrence to death being 36 months. Conclusions The risk of BD-IPMN recurrence after resection depends upon the histological type, with the highest-risk groups being those with severe dysplasia/intraductal carcinoma in situ and invasive IPMN. Even after negative resection margins, the pancreatic remnant still harbors a risk of recurrence which requires long-term surveillance.
Introduction: Lifespans and Pathologies Present at Death in Laboratory Animals

This initial chapter introduces those that follow with a summary of the life spans and end of life pathologies of the several species that are included in later chapters. It is not presented as a complete coverage, but rather as background for what follows, as gathered from the literature and personal information. Included here is that information on yeast as Saccharomyces cervisiae, round worms as Caenorhabditis. elegans, the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, mice, rats, dogs, primates, and some bats and birds. The following chapters will compare findings in their specific area of coverage for those species for which such data is available.
Using column experiments to examine transport of As and other trace elements released from poultry litter: Implications for trace element mobility in agricultural watersheds

Trace elements are added to poultry feed to control infection and improve weight gain. However, the fate of these trace elements in poultry litter is poorly understood. Because poultry litter is applied as fertilizer in many agricultural regions, evaluation of the environmental processes that influence the mobility of litter-derived trace elements is critical for predicting if trace elements are retained in soil or released to water. This study examined the effect of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in poultry litter leachate on the fate and transport of litter-derived elements (As, Cu, P and Zn) using laboratory column experiments with soil collected from the Delmarva Peninsula (Mid-Atlantic, USA), a region of intense poultry production. Results of the experiments showed that DOC enhanced the mobility of all of the studied elements. However, despite the increased mobility, 60-70% of Zn, As and P mass was retained within the soil. In contrast, almost all of the Cu was mobilized in the litter leachate experiments, with very little retention in soil. Overall, our results demonstrate that the mobility of As, Cu, Zn and P in soils which receive poultry litter application is strongly influenced by both litter leachate composition, specifically organic acids, and adsorption to soil. Results have implications for understanding fate and transport of trace elements released from litter application to soil water and groundwater, which can affect both human health and the environment.
Clutching the Vacuum

A scholarship recipient within a private upper/middle-class and primarily white space, Coffee experienced high school as a process of unlearning and regulating herself and her social class embodied literacies (Jones and Vagle, Educational Researcher 42(3):318–339, 2013; Jones, Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy 56(7):525–529, 2013). In this chapter, Coffee describes a moment when she was cleaning a classroom as part of her work-study responsibilities. Coffee examines this flashpoint attuned toward the histories that orient bodies to objects and spaces in particular ways, meritocratic educational narratives and hierarchies that rely on particular labors becoming background, and the powerful resistance and wisdom that resides within the body. In this moment, braced, mind racing, clutching the vacuum, her body knew and struggled within the impossible contradiction it was tasked to inhabit.
A local search algorithm for the Witsenhausen's counterexample

We propose a local search algorithm to find an optimal controller of the Witsenhausen's counterexample, which still remains unknown. Via variational analysis, a few necessary conditions are derived, and the algorithm is guided by the conditions. The analysis does not require preliminary knowledge about the property of the target cost function, nor does it make any assumption about the functional form of the controller. As such, our method is applicable for a wide range of problems with similar structures as the Witsenhausen's counterexample. Through numerical simulations, we demonstrate that our algorithm outperforms all previous results on the benchmark case. Our results also manifest some structural properties of the first-stage state variable, including that it is not piecewise affine but nonlinear within each step, and that its shape changes from picewise continuous to sigmoid-like as the first-stage cost coefficient increases. Furthermore, a variety of parameter settings are fed to the algorithm, and the generated results can serve as the best upper bounds known thus far under those parameter settings.
Race, Pre-College Philosophy, and the Pursuit of a Critical Race Pedagogy for Higher Education.

This article seeks to explore ways in which pre-college pedagogical resources – particularly Critical Race Pedagogy (CPR) developed for high school students, as well as Philosophy for Children (P4C...
Density, Personal Control, and Design

High-density environments are often—but not always—uncontrollable environments. This distinction may be the key in understanding the circumstances under which density adversely affects behavior. In addition, it suggests a number of design-related interventions that can increase the controllability and livability of environments.
Notch Pathway Modulators as Anticancer Chemotherapeutics

Abstract The Notch signaling pathway plays a key role in maintaining a balance between cell proliferation and apoptosis. Dysregulation of Notch signaling has been implicated as a causative agent for the development of several types of human cancer. Recent studies have demonstrated both an oncogenic and tumor suppressor role for Notch signaling, depending on the cell type; therefore, the identification and development of novel activators and inhibitors of the pathway hold promise as future anticancer chemotherapeutics. To date, several natural products and synthetic small molecules have been identified as Notch pathway modulators and studied for their anticancer effects in vitro and in vivo . This review provides a synopsis of the current state of these compounds as potential anticancer agents.
Communication Constraints and Ad Hoc Scheduling

Communication constraints, in the context of scheduling in a wireless ad hoc (multi-hop) network, are a set of rules defining permissible concurrent transmissions. These rules may be imposed either by technological limitations of the transceiver, or by the operational mode of the network. This paper considers 24 distinct communication constraint sets (CCS) by comparing the average cardinality of a maximal schedule under each CCS using a greedy edge selection heuristic. The average cardinality as a function of the network size is studied via Monte Carlo simulation. The simulation results are useful for network and transceiver designers by identifying the sensitivity of scheduling performance to the CCS. In particular, the results illuminate that the performance gain obtainable by removing each constraint is highly dependent upon the overall CCS.
Alterations of Perception After Brain Injury

The previous speakers have approached the relation of brain and conscious experience primarily by considering single units; they have surveyed the microstructure of neo- and archicortex, the interplay of inhibitory and excitatory synapses, the possible functional significance in the grouping of neurons into cortical layers and columns, the effects of direct electrical stimulation of the exposed cortex, and the routing of impulses over single fibers in visual and somatic sensory pathways.
Scheduling and Financial Planning in Stochastic Activity Networks

Stochastic Activity Networks (SANs) deal with projects where the required duration or resources for some or all activities are given as random variables characterized by their own probability distribution functions (pdfs). Managing a SAN project requires dealing with several important issues. One of the primary issues is the determination of the optimal project financial plan for a selected planned budget (PB) and the corresponding project schedule and completion time.
Drug-Induced Craving for Methamphetamine Is Associated With Neural Methamphetamine Cue Reactivity.

Objective:Drug craving serves as the major motivator to propagate drug use and is thought to elicit relapse in abstinent individuals. Although craving for methamphetamine has been investigated usin...
Should This Patient Be Screened for Atrial Fibrillation?: Grand Rounds Discussion From Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Two cardiologists discuss the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines on atrial fibrillation and whether they would recommend anticoagulation for a specific patient with screen-detected atri...
The feature boost in false memory: the roles of monitoring and critical item identifiability.

The feature boost refers to increased false memories for word lists that are both associatively and categorically (C + A) related to a non-presented critical item (CI) relative to lists that are on...
Chondromyxoid Fibroma of the Sacral Spine

Background and Importance. Chondromyxoid fibromas are rare tumors of cartilaginous origin typically found in long bones. They usually present during the second and third decades of life. In this case report, we describe the case of a 60-year-old male who presented with back pain and was later found to have a sacral mass. Further immunohistochemical analysis determined that the mass was a chondromyxoid fibroma. Clinical Presentation. A 60-year-old male presented with worsening lower back pain over the course of 2 years. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a destructive mass centered at S4 with heterogeneous enhancement. The patient underwent an S3-to-Co1 laminectomy for gross total resection of the tumor. Histology demonstrated a biphasic, lobulated appearance, characteristic of a chondromyxoid fibroma. The tissue stained faintly positive for multicytokeratin, and it was negative for markers S-100 protein and brachyury, indicating that it was not a chordoma. Conclusion. Only 8 cases have documented sacral chondromyxoid fibroma. As these are exceedingly rare tumors, especially within the sacral spine, the differential diagnosis includes other malignant tumors more likely to be found in the spine, particularly chordomas and chondrosarcomas. Immunohistochemistry and histology are essential in making a definitive diagnosis. This case provides a comprehensive illustration of the clinical presentation, radiographic findings, and immunohistochemistry of sacral chondromyxoid fibroma.
Clinical and genetic analysis of a neonate with Cornelia de Lange syndrome 5 caused by HDAC8 gene mutation

Objective To explore the genetic cause of a neonate with congenital dysplasia, growth retardation through clinical evaluation, laboratory tests and next generation sequencing (NGS). Methods Peripheral blood samples were obtained from the child and his parents. Whole genomic DNA was extracted and subjected to NGS. Suspected mutation was predicted by bioinformatic tools and validated by Sanger sequencing. Results The child was found to carry a c. 556G>A (p.E186K) mutation of the HDAC8 gene on the X chromosome, which was predicted to be pathogenic by Bioinformatic analysis. Conclusion The patient was diagnosed as Cornelia de Lange syndrome 5 caused by the c. 556G>A mutation of the HDAC8 gene. Key words: Cornelia de Lange syndrome; HDAC8 gene; Next generation sequencing
Antioxidant performances of corn gluten meal and DDGS protein hydrolysates in food, pet food, and feed systems

Abstract Protein hydrolysates from corn gluten meal (CGM) and distillers’- dried grains with solubles (DDGS) were prepared with Neutrase and Alcalase, and the antioxidant activity of those hydrolysates in bulk oils, ground pork, canine pet food, and pig feed were evaluated by measuring oxidation stability based on peroxide value (PV) and thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS) value. Alcalase-hydrolyzed CGM (CPH-A) and Neutrase-hydrolyzed CGM (CPH–N) had stronger 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity than Alcalase-hydrolyzed DDGS (DPH-A) and Neutrase-hydrolyzed DDGS (DPH-N). The CPH-N showed better prevention on lipid oxidation in both corn oil and fish oil compared with other corn antioxidants. The best oxidation prevention in ground meat was observed with 2 g/kg of CPH-N. Lipid oxidation in pet food containing 2% DPH-A was efficiently retarded by 37.8% reduction at the end of the incubation, and TBARS value of pig feed containing 2% CPH-N was reduced the most compared with other treatments. However, there was no significant difference in growth performance and plasma antioxidant concentration between broilers fed with DDGS or Alcalase-treated DDGS. Overall, CGM and DDGS protein hydrolysates could potentially be used as naturally derived antioxidant in food, pet food, and feed systems with good protection efficiency for lipid oxidation to improve product storage stability.
Caloric restriction following early-life high fat-diet feeding represses skeletal muscle TNF in male rats.

Abstract Chronic metabolic diseases are on the rise worldwide and their etiology is multifactorial. Among them, inflammatory components like Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF), contribute to whole-body metabolic impairment. Caloric Restriction (CR) combats metabolic diseases, but how it reduces inflammation remains understudied. We aimed to evaluate the impact of chronic CR on muscle inflammation, in particular TNF. In our study, 4-week old male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a high-fat diet (HF, 45% Kcal of fat from lard) ad libitum for 3 months. After estimation of their energy requirement (1 month), they were then divided into three groups: HF ad libitum (OL), weight maintenance with AIN93M (9.5% Kcal from fat; ML, 100% of energy requirement), and caloric restriction (CR, AIN93M with 75% of energy requirement). This dietary intervention continued for six months. At this point, rats were sacrificed and gastrocnemius muscle was collected. CR induced a profound shift in fat and lean mass, and decreased growth factor IGF-1. Muscle qPCR analysis showed a marked decrease in inflammation and TNF (premRNA, mRNA, and protein) by CR, accompanied by Tnf promoter DNA hypermethylation. CR increased expression of histone deacetylase Sirt6 and decreased methyltransferase Suv39h1, together with decreased Tnf promoter and coding region binding of NF- κB and C/EBP-β. Following miRNA database mining, qPCR analysis revealed that CR downregulated the proinflammatory miR-19b and increased the anti-inflammatory miR-181a and its known targets. Chronic CR is able to regulate muscle-specific inflammation by targeting the NF-κB pathway as well as transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of Tnf gene.
Observations on the Field of UX Research

Five observations on human factors and ergonomics are compared to user experience (UX) research. This paper highlights similarities and differences to the original reflections made by Salas (2008) ...
The Impact of the Renaissance Dam Crisis on Cropping Pattern and the Employment in the Agricultural Sector in Egypt

Agriculture is the main water consumer in Egypt, accounting for 77% of the available water resources, amounting to about 81 billion m3 in 2018, but it faces internal and external challenges that hinder its future development, whether due to increased demand for it or the potential effects for building and operating the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. This may affect Egypt's annual share of the Nile River water, representing about 71% of the total water supply. Therefore, the research is aimed to study the current and future status of the Egyptian water resources, and the expected economic effects of the scenarios for filling the dam, on the cropping pattern and agricultural employment.The study showed many important results including: The water deficit of the agricultural sector according to the three scenarios of filling the dam in (three years, five years, and seven years) estimated at 14.5, 8.7, and 6.22 billion m3, respectively. This was reflected in the decrease in the crop area at a decrease rate representing about 21.81%, 15.48%, and 9.85%, respectively, compared to the current situation. Also, it was reflected in reducing the rates of demand for agricultural labor and thus increasing unemployment rates in the future by about 24.79%, 19.5%, and 13.73%, respectively; Finally, decline the total return according to the three scenarios of filling the dam in by 4.52%, 9.36%, and 21.22% compared to the current situation, respectively.
Seismic Performance of Deeply Embedded Conceptual Advanced Reactors: Three-Dimensional Nonlinear Soil-Structure Interaction Analyses

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s functional containment concept provides advanced nuclear power plant designers with more flexibility in terms of the civil/structural design if the appropri...
COVID and Congregations: An Analysis of Religious Messages on Facebook during the Coronavirus Crisis

Religious organizations are critical in post-crisis renewal. Less is known about how effective these organizations are during other stages of a crisis. Furthermore, religious organizations’ crisis ...
Problem-solving therapy-induced amygdala engagement mediates lifestyle behavior change in obesity with comorbid depression: a randomized proof-of-mechanism trial.

BACKGROUND Depression hinders obesity treatment; elucidating mechanisms may enable treatment enhancements. OBJECTIVES The aim was to investigate whether changes in neural targets in the negative affect circuit following psychotherapy mediate subsequent changes in weight and behaviors. METHODS Adults (n = 108) with obesity and depression were randomly assigned to usual care or an intervention that delivered problem-solving therapy (PST) for depression over 2 mo. fMRI for brain imaging was performed at baseline and 2 mo. BMI, physical activity, and diet were measured at baseline and 12 mo. Mediation analysis assessed between-group differences in neural target changes using t test and correlations between neural target changes and outcome changes (simple and interaction effect) using ordinary least-squares regression. RESULTS Compared with usual care, PST led to reductions in left amygdala activation (-0.75; 95% CI: -1.49, -0.01) and global scores of the negative affect circuit (-0.43; -0.81, -0.06), engaged by threat stimuli. Increases in amygdala activation and global circuit scores at 2 mo correlated with decreases in physical activity outcomes at 12 mo in the usual-care group; these relations were altered by PST. In relation to change in leisure-time physical activity, standardized β-coefficients were -0.67 in usual care and -0.01 in the intervention (between-group difference: 0.66; 0.02, 1.30) for change in left amygdala activation and -2.02 in usual care and -0.11 in the intervention (difference: 1.92; 0.64, 3.20) for change in global circuit scores. In relation to change in total energy expenditure, standardized β-coefficients were -0.65 in usual care and 0.08 in the intervention (difference: 0.73; 0.29, 1.16) for change in left amygdala activation and -1.65 in usual care and 0.08 in the intervention (difference: 1.74; 0.85, 2.63) for change in global circuit scores. Results were null for BMI and diet. CONCLUSIONS Short-term changes in the negative affect circuit engaged by threat stimuli following PST for depression mediated longer-term changes in physical activity. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02246413 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02246413).
The Olympic Drug Taker

Canada’s Ben Johnson was stripped of his gold medal for the 100-metre dash in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. According to his coach, Charlie Francis, this instance of drug taking is only the tip of the sports iceberg. Numerous other Canadian athletes have been implicated in the use of anabolic steroids, and world-class athletes from several other countries have been implicated. Other high-profile Olympic drug takers include Lance Armstrong (USA), 2000, biking; Luiza Galiulina (Uzbekistan), 2012, gymnast; Marion Jones (USA), 2000, sprinter; many members of the Russian team, 2012, 2014 and 2016; Nicklas Backstrom (Sweden), 2014, hockey; Andreea Raducan (Romania), 2000, gymnast; Tyson Gay (USA), 2012, sprinter; Ross Rebagliati (Canada), 1998, snow-boarder; Johann Muhlegg (Spain), 2002, cross-country skier.
Next Steps for Social Robotics in an Aging World

Scientists and engineers are exploring technological solutions to place inside people’s homes to solve challenges associated with rising healthcare needs and an aging population. This trend in technology is known informally as smart living. The technologies being investigated may hold a promising future for the elderly population, allowing them to continue to live inside their home while aging. However, when novel devices are introduced to support aging in place, designs often fail to consider the struggles older individuals face in their everyday lives. Excluding such considerations means continuing to develop technologies that do not truly serve the needs of older adults. Earth is projected to be home to 9.3 billion people by 2050, 2 billion of which are likely to be 65 or older [1] . Therefore, there is a pronounced need for a human-centered approach to appropriately address the needs, wants, opinions, behaviors, and psychosocial aspects of older adults desiring to age in place.