cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differential electrophysiological properties of dopamine D1 and D2 receptor‐containing striatal medium‐sized spiny neurons

The electrophysiological properties of distinct subpopulations of striatal medium-sized spiny neurons (MSSNs) were compared using enhanced green fluorescent protein as a reporter gene for identification of neurons expressing dopamine D1 and D2 receptor subtypes in mice. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings in slices revealed that passive membrane properties were similar in D1 and D2 cells. All MSSNs displayed hyperpolarized resting membrane potentials but the threshold for firing action potentials was lower in D2 than in D1 neurons. In voltage clamp, the frequency of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents was higher in D2 than in D1 cells and large-amplitude inward currents (> 100 pA) were observed only in D2 cells. After tetrodotoxin this difference was reduced, suggesting that sodium conductances contribute to the increased frequencies in D2 cells. After pharmacological blockade of GABA(A) receptors, a subset of D2 cells also displayed large spontaneous membrane depolarizations and complex responses to stimulation of the corticostriatal pathway. To further characterize ionotropic glutamate receptor function, alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA) was applied onto dissociated MSSNs. Application of AMPA alone or in the presence of cyclothiazide (an AMPA receptor desensitization blocker) evoked larger currents in D1 than in D2 cells. Together, these data demonstrate significant differences in electrophysiological properties of subpopulations of MSSNs defined by selective expression of D1 and D2 receptors. D2 cells display increased excitability and reflect ongoing cortical activity more faithfully than D1 cells, an effect that is independent of postsynaptic AMPA receptors and probably results from stronger synaptic coupling. This could help to explain the increased vulnerability of D2 MSSNs in neurodegenerative disorders.
Writing Cover Letters That Address Instructor Feedback Improves Final Papers in a Research Methods Course.

We examined how writing cover letters to the instructor influenced final papers in research methods courses. After receiving instructor feedback on drafts of each section of an American Psychological Association style research paper throughout the semester, students in two classes wrote cover letters to the instructor explaining how the instructor feedback was incorporated into their final paper. Students in the two control classes received the same type of feedback throughout the semester but were not required to write cover letters. Students enrolled in the cover letter classes showed more improvement in the quality of their papers than the students in the control classes. Using cover letters to articulate how feedback is being incorporated may help students more efficiently organize and respond to instructor feedback. Future researchers might investigate whether students’ reflective ability is a significant moderator in effective feedback utilization.
Implementing and assessing an evidence-based electrolyte dosing order form in the medical ICU.

Summary The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and nursing acceptability of a nursing initiated, evidence-based order form to replace potassium, magnesium, and phosphate in the MICU. Methods: This retrospective study compared patients receiving electrolyte replacement with the order form to matched historical control patients receiving traditional electrolyte replacement (no order form). The primary outcomes were absolute change in serum concentrations and the proportion of doses achieving normal serum concentrations. Other outcomes were adverse events as documented in the medical record and nursing acceptability as assessed by survey. Results: The 2 groups (12 in each group) were similar. The order form and control groups received 36 and 62 potassium doses, 14 and 48 magnesium doses, and 34 and 13 phosphorus doses, respectively. Doses of all three electrolytes were significantly larger with the order form. Absolute changes in potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus serum concentrations for the order form group and control group were 0.36 ± 0.42 versus 0.11 ± 0.43 mmol/l (p < 0.01), 0.56 ± 0.69 versus 0.13 ± 0.40 mequiv./l (p = 0.07), and 0.53 ± 0.82 versus 0.66 ± 0.83 mg/dl (p = 0.63), respectively. Normal serum concentrations achieved for each electrolyte replacement dose in the order form group and control group were 72% versus 18% (p < 0.001), 86% versus 21% (p < 0.001), and 47% versus 62% (p = 0.57), respectively. No adverse events occurred. The nursing survey showed satisfaction and comfort using the order form. Conclusions: The use of the order form provided greater efficiency for replacing potassium and magnesium but not phosphorus without increasing the occurrence of adverse events. The order form was well received by nursing staff. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Sri Lanka's Rural Non-farm Economy: Removing Constraints to Pro-poor Growth

Summary We use a survey of rural enterprises from Sri Lanka to explore characteristics of the informal non-farm sector and identify obstacles to its expansion and productivity. Value added in this sector amounts to 80% of agricultural GDP participating households’ incomes are significantly higher than those of households who do not participate. Barriers to entry are low and the impact of non-farm development on inequality modest, implying a large potential contribution to growth and poverty reduction. Infrastructure constraints negatively affect new startups, investment in, and productivity of existing enterprises, with small enterprises being particularly affected.
Low temperature cofired ceramic: an enabler of high power RF integrated amplifiers

Multi-layer ceramic technologies have been viewed recently as an enabler to increase the electrical functionality in a cost effective manner for high power discrete transistors. High power applications have stringent requirements on conductor losses, thermal characteristics and repeatability of design. We present a characterization of these factors and a preliminary definition of the boundary conditions for use in RF integrated amplifiers.
Analysis of axisymmetrically-loaded filament wound composite cylindrical shells

Abstract Exact elasticity solutions for laminated composite cylindrical shells under axisymmetric loading are presented. The material of the shell is assumed to be cylindrically anisotropic. Based on the three-dimensional anisotropic elasticity, three coupled governing partial differential equations in terms of displacements are developed. The general expressions for the stresses and displacements by using the Frobenius method in the radial coordinate are discussed. The closed form solutions based on Flugge thin shell theory are also derived for comparison purposes. Detailed stress and displacement distributions for long laminated shells with layups [90/0/45/−45] s and [45/−45] s under periodic band loads are investigated.
Strategy instruction in early childhood math software: detecting and teaching single-digit addition strategies

In early childhood mathematics, strategy-use is an important indicator of children's conceptual understanding and is a strong predictor of later math performance. Strategy instruction is common in many national curricula, yet is virtually absent from most math software. The current study describes the design of one software activity teaching single-digit addition strategies. The study explores the effectiveness of the software in detecting the strategies first-graders use and teaching them to use more efficient strategies. Instead of a business-as-usual control group, the study explores the effects of one aspect of the software: the pedagogical agent, investigating whether multiple agents are more effective than a single agent when teaching about multiple strategies. The study finds that while children do not accurately report their own strategies, the software log is able to detect the strategies that children use and is particularly adept at detecting the effective use of an advanced strategy with a model that performs 67% better than chance. Overall, children improve in their accuracy, speed, and use of advanced strategies. Of the three teaching tools available to the children, the count on tool was most effective in encouraging use of an advanced strategy, highlighting a need to revise the other tools. Low-performers correctly used advanced strategies more frequently across the six sessions, while mid-performers improved after just one session and high-performers' correct use of an advanced strategy was consistent across the sessions. Whether a student saw lessons featuring a single agent or multiple agents did not have strong effects on performance. More research is needed to improve the strategy detection models, refine the tools and lessons, and explore other features of the software.
Engaging Literacy Practices Through Inquiry and Enactment in Teacher Education

Current expanded views of literacy are recasting the debate in the U.S. about “why Johnny can’t read” (Flesch, 1955) from focusing narrowly on improving language instruction to looking more broadly at disciplinary literacy instruction across content areas.
Sulfate concentrations and transport in human bronchial epithelial cells.

Inorganic sulfate concentrations in the cytoplasm of human bronchial epithelial cells exceeded levels in the bathing medium under all circumstances tested. Cell sulfate concentrations were directly related to medium sulfate concentrations and inversely related to medium chloride concentrations. In physiological media there was a sulfate compartment of approximately 0.3 mM that exchanged very slowly with extracellular sulfate. In media lacking chloride, sulfate was accumulated by the cells to a level as high as 2 mM. Sulfate uptake was markedly inhibited by external chloride and by stilbene sulfonic acid derivatives but was not affected by sodium in the medium. Efflux of 35SO4(2-) was stimulated by both chloride and sulfate in the bathing medium but inhibited by stilbenes. The following compounds had no effect on sulfate movements: phorbol esters, adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate derivatives, and okadaic acid. Changes in medium tonicity were likewise without effect. Our results suggest that human bronc...
An empirical exploration of scientists’ social responsibilities

The evolving social contract between science and society has led to increasing calls, inside and outside science, for greater public accountability on the part of scientists and engineers, which has focused more attention on their responsibilities to the larger society. Yet, there is no consensus on what those responsibilities are or should be. The American Association for the Advancement of Science has launched a project to inform global discussions of those responsibilities by gathering data on what scientists and engineers view as their broader responsibilities. Some results from a preliminary questionnaire are presented in this essay along with plans to build on this initial effort.
Wealth Inequality and CEO Compensation

Over the past twenty years there has been a dramatic increase in both CEO pay and the wealth of the richest Americans. We examine three hypotheses regarding the relationship between wealth inequality and CEO compensation: first, that the increase in CEO income inequality helped cause increased wealth inequality; second, that increases in wealth inequality helped cause increased CEO income inequality; and third, that both types of inequality are caused by a third factor. We test these hypotheses by using ExecuComp and Forbes 400 data to estimate power law distributions and compare the behavior of these distributions over time. We find no support for any of the three hypotheses.
Some Recent Advances in Algebra

(1939). Some Recent Advances in Algebra. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 46, No. 1, pp. 3-19.
Teaching the New, Ideal Anthology

As my eye roves over my American Literature bookshelf, I recognize that recent editions of several popular two-volume anthologies increased the selections by women and Blacks. One now includes a section on the Indian Heritage. Despite these encouraging signs, the popular anthologies still present only eight to ten Black authors. Hispanic or other non-mainstream authors and literary cultures are ignored. When I use these books my students are likely to conclude that American Literature was created primarily by white males of European, usually English, background. On the shelf beside these anthologies is an open space, a place I reserve for the new, ideal anthology. When I shall teach the new book, my students will form much more diverse conceptions of American Literature.
Abstract 5430: Docosahexaenoic acid attenuates glycolytic metabolism and the Warburg phenotype by targeting hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha in breast cancer.

Dietary factors have been estimated to account for approximately 30-40 percent of cancer incidence and research has shown that high fat diets rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are associated with lower cancer occurrences, including breast cancer. The glycolytic switch, known as the Warburg Effect, is observed in many malignant models, which results in a unique metabolic shift in energy metabolism where tumor cells increase anaerobic glycolysis even in the presence of normal oxygen levels. In our laboratory, we have shown that the n-3 PUFA, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; C22:6), significantly decreases total cellular ATP and the transcriptional activity and protein levels of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α), a major contributor to the Warburg phenotype. In this project, we set out to determine if DHA is responsible for attenuating the Warburg Effect through a HIF-1α-dependent mechanism. Alterations in glucose uptake and usage upon supplementation with DHA were examined in vitro in the breast cancer BT-474, MDA-MB-231, and non-transformed MCF-10A cell lines. Total glucose transporter 1 (GLUT 1) protein levels were determined in each cell line. No change was seen upon DHA supplementation in the MDA-MB-231 cell line, which may be due to overexpression of GLUT 1. However, GLUT 1 protein levels were significantly down in response to DHA treatment in the BT-474 cell line. We also observed significant decreases in glucose consumption through glycolysis and lactate production in the BT-474 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines upon DHA supplementation. However, no change was seen in the non-transformed cell line MCF-10A, suggesting that DHA is having anti-glucose-metabolism effects specifically on cancer cells, but not on non-transformed cells. Moreover, HIF-1α small interfering RNA (siRNA) experiments showed a similar trend in GLUT 1 expression and glycolytic capacity in the BT-474 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, suggesting that DHA is exerting some of its anti-cancer effects through HIF-1α. Based on these findings, changes in glucose transporter expression and glucose usage likely contribute to the impaired growth and survival of malignant cell lines supplemented with DHA. Currently, therapies are being developed to target the Warburg Effect in the treatment of cancer and DHA could likely enhance such therapies. Citation Format: Michael Mouradian, Keith D. Kikawa, Ronald S. Pardini. Docosahexaenoic acid attenuates glycolytic metabolism and the Warburg phenotype by targeting hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha in breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5430. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-5430
Transient Behavior, Nocturnal Activity Patterns, and Feeding Efficiency of Vampire Bats (Desmodus Rotundus) under Natural Conditions

During 5 netting nights, 99 vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) (37 males, 57 females, five sex unrecorded) were taken in a mist net stretched before the entrance of a permanent cave roost in Tabasco. Each was banded; weight, sex, time of capture, and direction of passage (in or out of the roost) were noted; and the bat was then released. Because 33 individuals were recaptured one or more times, a total of 139 bats was handled. The repopulation of another roost during biweekly intervals following two successive removals of almost all bats present is recorded also. Analysis of these data suggest the following conclusions: 1) within a given population there may be multiple diurnal roosts among which individuals shift on a more or less daily and perhaps opportunistic basis (it has generally been assumed that vampires use a single home roost to which the same individuals return each day); 2) maximum foraging activity is restricted to the earlier hours of the evening; 3) vampires forage only after dark, the mean foraging time being estimated to be about 2 hours; 4) vampires seem not to utilize temporary nocturnal roosts in the usually Accepted sense, but return directly to a diurnal roost after foraging; 5) most individuals probably forage only once nightly; 6) heavy precipitation tends to suppress foraging activity; 7) differences in foraging pattern between the sexes were not apparent; 8) the amount of blood consumed may depend upon the length of the foraging period; 9) wild vampires probably consume not less than 20 per cent (of fasting body weight) more blood per diem than vampires in captivity, but variation from day to day apparently is great.
The Current and Future Therapies for Human Osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common non-hematologic malignant tumor of bone in adults and children. As sarcomas are more common in adolescents and young adults than most other forms of cancer, there are a significant number of years of life lost secondary to these malignancies. OS is associated with a poor prognosis secondary to a high grade at presentation, resistance to chemotherapy and a propensity to metastasize to the lungs. Current OS management involves both chemotherapy and surgery. The incorporation of cytotoxic chemotherapy into therapeutic regimens escalated cure rates from <20% to current levels of 65-75%. Furthermore, limb-salvage surgery is now offered to the majority of OS patients. Despite advances in chemotherapy and surgical techniques over the past three decades, there has been stagnation in patient survival outcome improvement, especially in patients with metastatic OS. Thus, there is a critical need to identify novel and directed therapy for OS. Several Phase I trials for sarcoma therapies currently ongoing or recently completed have shown objective responses in OS. Novel drug delivery mechanisms are currently under phase II and III clinical trials. Furthermore, there is an abundance of preclinical research which holds great promise in the development of future OS-directed therapeutics. Our continuously improving knowledge of the molecular and cell-signaling pathways involved in OS will translate into more effective therapies for OS and ultimately improved patient survival. The present review will provide an overview of current therapies, ongoing clinical trials and therapeutic targets under investigation for OS.
Computational Prediction of High Thermoelectric Performance in Hole Doped Layered GeSe

Thermoelectric materials enable direct conversion between thermal and electrical energy and provide a viable route for power generation and electric refrigeration. In this paper, we use first-principles based methods to predict a very high figure of merit (ZT) performance in hole doped GeSe crystals along the crystallographic b-axis, with maximum ZT ranging from 0.8 at 300 K to 2.5 at 800 K. This extremely high thermoelectric performance is due to a threefold synergy of properties in this material: (1) the exceptionally low lattice thermal conductivity in GeSe due to anharmonicity of vibrational modes, (2) the increased electrical conductivity due to hole doping and increased carrier concentration, and (3) an enhanced Seebeck coefficient via a multiband effect induced by hole doping. The predicted ZT results of hole-doped GeSe are higher than that of hole doped SnSe, which we have recently reported as having experimentally observed record-breaking thermoelectric efficiency. The overall ZT of hole doped Ge...
Case 1: Intractable Rash in a 7-month-old Boy.

1. Priyanka Rao, MD* 2. Jennifer Stojan, MD* 1. *University of Michigan Mott Children’s Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI. A 7-month-old previously healthy boy presents with a diffuse rash. Three months ago he developed an erythematous perioral rash that spread to his trunk and extremities. The rash persisted despite treatment with numerous corticosteroid creams, antibiotic courses, and antifungal treatments. The rash is not pruritic or painful, and he has been afebrile. He has also had hair loss. The boy has no history of diarrhea, viral respiratory tract infections, acute otitis media, or other rashes. He is growing and developing appropriately and is up-to-date on his immunizations. He breastfeeds without difficulty and in the last month has begun to eat a small amount of soft, age-appropriate foods. His general skin care consists of three to four baths per week with lukewarm water. He is moisturized with petroleum immediately following his baths. His family has been trying tar shampoo and uses fragrance-free laundry detergent. On physical examination, his vital signs are all within age-appropriate ranges, and he appears well. His weight is 8.5 kg (31st percentile), length is 70 cm (41st percentile), …
Methods of Finding Tandem Repeat in String

Tandem repeat takes such an important role in gene composition and evolution that the search and analysis of tandem repeat have become one of the front domain and research focus. There are multiple methods in recent works, mainly including two methods. One is based on LZ decomposition, and the other is based on suffix tree index. This pa- per summarize these two O(nlogn) methods and takes a thorough analysis and comparison of their performance.
Is Gastroparesis Found More Frequently in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis? A Systematic Review

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is associated with different gastrointestinal motility disturbances and syndromes. We aim to assess gastric emptying in patients with CF compared to healthy controls by a systematic review of existing literature. Medical databases and abstracts from major gastroenterology and CF meetings were reviewed. Emptying times in CF patients were compared with healthy controls using random effects models. Subgroup analysis stratified results by age and diagnostic modality. Nineteen studies from 7 countries included 574 subjects (359 CF patients and 215 controls). Using pooled analysis frequency of gastroparesis was high (38%, 95% CI 30–45%) but results were highly dependent on the diagnostic modality. Delayed gastric emptying is more common in CF compared to general population. Scintigraphy identified rapid gastric emptying in a subgroup of CF patients, but this finding disappeared with adequate pancreatic enzyme replacement and after other diagnostic modalities were included.
Proposed role for leukotrienes in the pathophysiology of multiple systems organ failure.

The purpose of this article is to review those properties of the leukotrienes that may be important in the pathophysiologic events that culminate in the development of multiple systems organ failure (MSOF). In critically ill patients, the systems at risk for progressive impairment include the heart and systemic circulation, the lungs, the kidneys, the gastrointestinal tract, and the central nervous system. The leukotrienes, by virtue of their effects on vascular reactivity and microvascular permeability, as well as their effects on the accumulation and activation of inflammatory cells, may play an important role in the development and progression of MSOF.
Mechanical constraints as common ground between people and computers

This thesis presents a new type of human-computer interface based on mechanical constraints that combines some of the tactile feedback and affordances of mechanical systems with the abstract computational power of modern computers. The interface is based on a tabletop interaction surface that can sense and move small objects on top of it. Computation is merged with dynamic physical processes on the tabletop that are exposed to and modified by the user in order to accomplish his or her task. The system places mechanical constraints and mathematical constraints on the same level, allowing users to guide simulations and optimization processes by constraining the motion of physical objects on the interaction surface. The interface provides ample opportunities for improvisation by allowing the user to employ a rich variety of everyday physical objects as interface elements. Subjects in an evaluation were more effective at solving a complex spatial layout problem using this system than with either of two alternative interfaces that did not feature actuation. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
Pastoral Care to Kidney Transplant Recipients

Discusses briefly the nature and characteristics of dialysis, pre-transplant patients, and post-transplant patients; and identifies pastoral care issues particularly relevant to each phase of the kidney transplant recipient's journey. Concludes that the key to offering authentic pastoral care to these patients is the wise integration of information and genuine concern.
Computer-aided Mediation in Federal Court

Computer-aided mediation of court cases was born, officially, in 1987. It was in that year that Professor Stuart S. Nagel, University of Illinois, and this author teamed up as co-mediators and successfully resolved a million-dollar federal court case through the application of computer technology and decision-aiding software. As of this writing, it is the only known reported successful merger of minds and microcomputers in the resolution of an actual court case. Assisting us on the project was Paul Bernstein, a nationally recognized, Chicago-based expert in computer applications in law practice and telecommunications. The purpose of this chapter is to describe what computer-aided mediation is and to explain its specific application in the federal court case just mentioned.
Cartilage extracellular matrix as a biomaterial for cartilage regeneration

The extracellular matrix (ECM) of various tissues possesses the model characteristics that biomaterials for tissue engineering strive to mimic; however, owing to the intricate hierarchical nature of the ECM, it has yet to be fully characterized and synthetically fabricated. Cartilage repair remains a challenge because the intrinsic properties that enable its durability and long-lasting function also impede regeneration. In the last decade, cartilage ECM has emerged as a promising biomaterial for regenerating cartilage, partly because of its potentially chondroinductive nature. As this research area of cartilage matrix-based biomaterials emerged, investigators facing similar challenges consequently developed convergent solutions in constructing robust and bioactive scaffolds. This review discusses the challenges, emerging trends, and future directions of cartilage ECM scaffolds, including a comparison between two different forms of cartilage matrix: decellularized cartilage (DCC) and devitalized cartilage (DVC). To overcome the low permeability of cartilage matrix, physical fragmentation greatly enhances decellularization, although the process itself may reduce the chondroinductivity of fabricated scaffolds. The less complex processing of a scaffold composed of DVC, which has not been decellularized, appears to have translational advantages and potential chondroinductive and mechanical advantages over DCC, without detrimental immunogenicity, to ultimately enhance cartilage repair in a clinically relevant way.
Enzyme Studies of ϕX174 DNA Replication

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the enzyme studies of φx174 DNA rep1ication. Replication of the single-stranded DNA of phage φx174 can be divided into three stages. In stage I, the single-stranded circle is converted into a duplex replicative form (RF-I) by the action of the DNA replication enzymes of the Escherichia coli host cell. In the second stage, multiple copies of RF-I are generated using the newly synthesized RF-I as a template; this process requires two additional proteins, the phage-encoded gene A protein and host rep protein. In the final stage, further production of RF-I ceases and only the viral strand is synthesized for envelopment into the capsid of a progeny phage. This last stage requires the gene A, rep proteins and also the products of the phage genes B, D, F, G, and H. The enzymology of E. coli replication proteins employed in φxDNA replication is a guide to their action in replicating the host chromosome. The chapter discusses the six repriming proteins that are required for SS––>RF on SSB-Coated φX DNA. It also presents that protein n’ recognizes a specific sequence of φX DNA. The chapter concludes with reconstitution of the RF ­––>RF system from purified proteins.
Enhanced Late Na and Ca Currents as Effective Antiarrhythmic Drug Targets.

While recent advances clarified the molecular and cellular modes of action of antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs), their link to suppression of dynamical arrhythmia mechanisms remains only partially understood. The current classifications of AADs (Classes 1, III, and IV) rely on blocking peak Na, K and L-type calcium currents (ICa,L), with Class II with dominant beta receptor blocking activity and Class V including drugs with diverse classes of actions. The discovery that the calcium and redox sensor, cardiac Ca/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) enhances both the late Na (INa-L) and the late ICa-L in patients at high risk of VT/VF provided a new and a rational AAD target. Pathological rise of either or both of INa-L and late ICa,L are demonstrated to promote cellular early afterdepolarizations (EADs) and EAD-mediated triggered activity that initiates VT/VF in remodeled hearts. Selective inhibition of the INa-L without affecting their peak transients with the highly specific prototype drug, GS-96 suppresses these EAD-mediated VT/VFs. As in the case of INa-L, selective inhibition of the late ICa,L without affecting its peak with the prototype drug, roscovitine suppressed oxidative EAD-mediated VT/VF. These findings indicate that specific blockers of the late inward currents without affecting their peaks (gating modifiers), offer a new and effective AAD class action i.e., “Class VI.” The development of safe drugs with selective Class VI actions provides a rational and effective approach to treat VT/VF particularly in cardiac conditions associated with enhanced CaMKII activity such as heart failure.
Addressing the Question: Phototherapy and the Risk of Skin Cancer

Given that UVA and UVB from natural sunlight are known to be carcinogenic to the skin, the main safety question for dermatologists and patients alike is the risk of skin malignancy of phototherapy. UVB phototherapy appears not to have any increased risk of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer. There is evidence of an increased risk of developing non-melanoma skin cancer with more than 250 treatments of PUVA in fair-skinned Caucasian individuals. The risk of genital skin cancers with UVB and PUVA are unclear, and therefore, genital shielding should be routinely practiced.
Abstract 14959: RNA-Seq Analysis of Peripheral Blood Monocyte Gene Expression Before and After Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy

Introduction: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) management could be improved with a better understanding of physiological pathways associated with improved responses, but routine myocardial tissue assessment is not feasible because of risks associated with cardiac biopsies. RNA analysis of peripheral blood monocytes (PBMCs) may be a promising alternative. Hypothesis: CRT responders have a unique gene expression profile in circulating PBMCs compared with nonresponders. Methods: RNA-Seq analysis of PBMCs was performed in n=14 patients before CRT and at a median 2.05 years after initial CRT implantation in responders and surviving nonresponders. Responders had at least a 15% reduction in left ventricular end-systolic volume and at least a 2 ml/kg/minute improvement in peak VO 2 after CRT. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to confirm changes in selected genes of interest. Results: Responders exhibited many changes not seen in nonresponders, particularly in key pathways including immune system and cytokine signaling; apoptosis and the cell cycle; phospholipid metabolism; glucose metabolism including glycolysis; gluconeogenesis and pyruvate metabolism including the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle; NF kappa beta signaling; tubular function; transforming growth factor-beta signaling; and the response to oxidative stress. 2,365 genes had significant changes in responders (p Conclusions: RNA-Seq analysis of PBMCs after CRT demonstrates many genes in key pathways with significant changes in responders but not nonresponders. These methods may be particularly useful in assessing prognosis after CRT.
A Mistake in the Commodification Debate

A significant debate has developed around the question: What are the moral limits of the market? This paper argues that this debate proceeds on a mistake. Both those who oppose specific markets and those who defend them, adopt the same deficient approach. Participants illicitly proceed from an assessment of the transactions making up a market to a judgment of that market's permissibility. This inference is unlicensed. We may know everything there is to know about the transactions in a specific market—they might all be absolutely bad—but we will not yet know whether that market should be prohibited. To discern this, to establish that intervention into some specific market is justifiable, one must supply a rather different assessment. One must compare the outcome in which that market is permitted with the best outcome available in its absence. None in this debate has offered such a judgment.
Toward Transparent Data Management in Multi-Layer Storage Hierarchy of HPC Systems

Upcoming exascale high performance computing (HPC) systems are expected to comprise multi-tier storage hierarchy, and thus will necessitate innovative storage and I/O mechanisms. Traditional disk and block-based interfaces and file systems face severe challenges in utilizing capabilities of storage hierarchies due to the lack of hierarchy support and semantic interfaces. Object-based and semantically-rich data abstractions for scientific data management on large scale systems offer a sustainable solution to these challenges. Such data abstractions can also simplify users involvement in data movement. In this paper, we take the first steps of realizing such an object abstraction and explore storage mechanisms for these objects to enhance I/O performance, especially for scientific applications. We explore how an object-based interface can facilitate next generation scalable computing systems by presenting the mapping of data I/O from two real world HPC scientific use cases: a plasma physics simulation code (VPIC) and a cosmology simulation code (HACC). Our storage model stores data objects in different physical organizations to support data movement across layers of memory/storage hierarchy. Our implementation sclaes well to 16K parallel processes, and compared to the state of the art, such as MPI-IO and HDF5, our object-based data abstractions and data placement strategy in multi-level storage hierarchy achieves up to 7× I/O performance improvement for scientific data.
High Dimensional Functionomic Analysis of Human Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells at a Single Cell Level

The ability to conduct investigation of cellular transcription, signaling, and function at the single-cell level has opened opportunities to examine heterogeneous populations at unprecedented resolutions. Although methods have been developed to evaluate high-dimensional transcriptomic and proteomic data (relating to cellular mRNA and protein), there has not been a method to evaluate corresponding high-dimensional functionomic data (relating to cellular functions) from single cells. Here, we present a protocol to quantitatively measure the differentiation potentials of single human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, and then cluster the cells according to these measurements. High dimensional functionomic analysis of cell potential allows cell function to be linked to molecular mechanisms within the same progenitor population.
IntelliLight: A Reinforcement Learning Approach for Intelligent Traffic Light Control

The intelligent traffic light control is critical for an efficient transportation system. While existing traffic lights are mostly operated by hand-crafted rules, an intelligent traffic light control system should be dynamically adjusted to real-time traffic. There is an emerging trend of using deep reinforcement learning technique for traffic light control and recent studies have shown promising results. However, existing studies have not yet tested the methods on the real-world traffic data and they only focus on studying the rewards without interpreting the policies. In this paper, we propose a more effective deep reinforcement learning model for traffic light control. We test our method on a large-scale real traffic dataset obtained from surveillance cameras. We also show some interesting case studies of policies learned from the real data.
Ecologically Based Interventions in Residential and School Facilities: Theory or Practice?.

An overriding theme within systemic therapies has been the need for the development of a comprehensive and coordinated network of community-based treatment resources to effectively meet the unique needs of adolescents experiencing emotional difficulties. An ecosystemic approach to meeting this need focuses on the interdependence of such environmental elements as the residential institution, the school, various social agencies, peer group, and the family in the life of the adolescent. Ecological interventions consider the significant environmental elements, the relationships among these elements, and the adolescent's interaction with them. Such an ecosystemic model is essential to planning and implementing academic and social programs for our youth. This paper illustrates some important differences between interdisciplinary and ecological perspectives. It highlights the use of ecosystemic models in residential and school facilities and also enumerates areas where ecologically based changes might be appropriate. In addition, it outlines operational guidelines focusing on the reintegration of the adolescent from the institution back to the neighborhood school.
Contributors to a Signal from an Artificial Contrast

Data from a process or system is often monitored in order to detect unusual events and this task is required in many disciplines. A decision rule can be learned to detect anomalies from the normal operating environment when neither the normal operations nor the anomalies to be detected are pre-specified. This is accomplished through artificial data that transforms the problem to one of supervised learning. However, when a large collection of variables are monitored, not all react to the anomaly detected by the decision rule. It is important to interrogate a signal to determine the variables that are most relevant to or most contribute to the signal in order to improve and facilitate the actions to signal. Metrics are presented that can be used determine contributors to a signal developed through an artificial contrast that are conceptually simple. The metrics are shown to be related to traditional tools for normally distributed data and their efficacy is shown on simulated and actual data.
Prevalence of Adverse Events in Children With Congenital Hyperinsulinism Treated With Diazoxide

Context Diazoxide, the only U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved drug to treat hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia, has been associated with several adverse events, which has raised concerns about the safety of this drug. Existing reports are limited to small studies and case reports. Objective To determine prevalence of and clinical factors associated with adverse events in infants and children treated with diazoxide. Design Retrospective cohort study of children with hyperinsulinism (HI) treated with diazoxide between 2003 and 2014. Setting The Congenital Hyperinsulinism Center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Patients Children and infants with laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of HI. Main outcome measures Prevalence of pulmonary hypertension (PH), edema, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and hyperuricemia was determined. Tests of association and logistic regression were used to identify potential risk factors. Results A total of 295 patients (129 female) met inclusion criteria. The median age at diazoxide initiation was 29 days (interquartile range, 10 to 142 days; n = 226 available start dates); 2.4% of patients were diagnosed with PH after diazoxide initiation. Children with PH (P = 0.003) or edema (P = 0.002) were born at earlier gestational age and more frequently had potential PH risk factors, including respiratory failure and structural heart disease (P Conclusion In this large cohort, PH occurred in infants with underlying risk factors, but no identifiable risk profile emerged for other adverse events. The relatively high prevalence of neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and hyperuricemia suggests the value in proactively screening for these side effects in children treated with diazoxide.
Spectrum of complications in childhood Enteric Fever as reported in a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Objective To find out frequency of various complications in children admitted with Enteric Fever at a tertiary care hospital. Methods This was prospective cross sectional study, carried out in the Pediatric Medicine department of The Children's Hospital Lahore from Dec 2014 to March 2017. Children of both genders with age range of 6 months to 16 years diagnosed as enteric fever on the basis of clinical features and positive Typhidot, or blood culture were included in the study. All 180 patients were scrutinized for all possible complications. Where ever required and feasible appropriate and relevant investigations were done to document complications. Data was analyzed by SPSS version 20. Results Mean age of children was 7.2±3.38, majority 94 (52.2%) were 5-10 years old. Out of 180 patients, complications were noted in 58 (32.2%). Neurological complications 30.7% encompassed maximum complications followed by hepatobiliary 24.61%, abdominal 16.92% hematological 9.23%, bone and joints 7.69%, respiratory system 6.1% and cardiovascular system 4.41%. Mortality rate was 1.6%. Thrombocytopenia and leucopenia were significantly associated with complications with p value of 0.002 and 0.003 respectively. Conclusion Enteric fever is causing our children to suffer by its numerous perplexing and fatal complications. The most vulnerable age for enteric fever and its complication is 5-10 years. To combat these issues large scale vaccination remains promising option at least in most susceptible age group.
Modeling the response of northwest Greenland to enhanced ocean thermal forcing and subglacial discharge

Abstract. Calving-front dynamics is an important control on Greenland's ice mass balance. Ice front retreat of marine-terminating glaciers may, for example, lead to a loss in resistive stress, which ultimately results in glacier acceleration and thinning. Over the past decade, it has been suggested that such retreats may be triggered by warm and salty Atlantic Water, which is typically found at a depth below 200–300 m. An increase in subglacial water discharge at glacier ice fronts due to enhanced surface runoff may also be responsible for an intensification of undercutting and calving. An increase in ocean thermal forcing or subglacial discharge therefore has the potential to destabilize marine-terminating glaciers along the coast of Greenland. It remains unclear which glaciers are currently stable but may retreat in the future and how far inland and how fast they will retreat. Here, we quantify the sensitivity and vulnerability of marine-terminating glaciers along the northwest coast of Greenland (from 72.5 to 76 ∘ N) to ocean forcing and subglacial discharge using the Ice Sheet System Model (ISSM). We rely on a parameterization of undercutting based on ocean thermal forcing and subglacial discharge and use ocean temperature and salinity from high-resolution ECCO2 (Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean, Phase II) simulations at the fjord mouth to constrain the ocean thermal forcing. The ice flow model includes a calving law based on a tensile von Mises criterion. We find that some glaciers, such as Dietrichson Gletscher or Alison Glacier, are sensitive to small increases in ocean thermal forcing, while others, such as Illullip Sermia or Cornell Gletscher, are remarkably stable, even in a +3 ∘ C ocean warming scenario. Under the most intense experiment, we find that Hayes Gletscher retreats by more than 50 km inland by 2100 into a deep trough, and its velocity increases by a factor of 3 over only 23 years. The model confirms that ice–ocean interactions can trigger extensive and rapid glacier retreat, but the bed controls the rate and magnitude of the retreat. Under current oceanic and atmospheric conditions, we find that this sector of the Greenland ice sheet alone will contribute more than 1 cm to sea level rise and up to 3 cm by 2100 under the most extreme scenario.
Ray Stalker Memorial Lecture: Legacy at T5

Ray Stalker’s invention of the free piston driver concept as uniquely suited to the study of high-enthalpy nonequilibrium phenomenon has resulted in a worldwide legacy of facilities such as the T1–T4 tunnels in Australia, HEG in Germany, T5 at Caltech, and HIEST at JAXA, Kakuda, Japan. In this talk, I will discuss recent and ongoing research in our group at Caltech that has focused on hypervelocity flows in which gas dynamics and thermochemistry are tightly coupled. To this end, we perform experiments in two impulse facilities which build on Ray Stalker’s legacy, including the T5 reflected shock tunnel and the Hypervelocity Expansion Tube facility.
A new Transition Radiation detector based on GEM technology

Abstract Transition Radiation Detectors (TRD) have the attractive feature of separating particles by their gamma factor. Classical TRDs are based on Multi-Wire Proportional Chambers (MWPC) or straw tubes, using a Xenon based gas mixture to efficiently absorb transition radiation photons. These detectors operate well in experiments with relatively low particle multiplicity. The performance of MWPC-TRD in experiments with luminosity of order 10 34 cm 2 s − 1 and above, is significantly deteriorated due to the high particle multiplicity and channel occupancy. Replacing MWPC or straw tubes with a high granularity Micro Pattern Gas Detectors (MPGD) like Gas Electron Multipliers (GEMs), could improve the performance of the TRD. In addition, GEM technology allows one to combine a tracker with TRD identification (GEM-TRD/T). This report presents a new TRD development based on GEM technology for the future Electron Ion Collider (EIC). The first beam test was performed at Jefferson Lab (Hall-D) using 3–6 GeV electrons. A GEM-TRD/T module has been exposed to electrons with and without a fiber radiator. First results of test beam measurements and comparison with Geant4 Monte Carlo are presented in this article.