cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Myocardial Regeneration for Humans ― Modifying Biology and Manipulating Evolution ―

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide and developing novel therapies to treat and cure the disease remains a high priority in the healthcare research community. Adult stem cells were successful in entering numerous clinical trials over the past 15 years in attempts to regenerate the heart. First-generation adult stem cell therapies for myocardial regeneration were highly promising in small animal models but realized benefits in humans were far more modest. Consequently, second-generation therapeutic approaches in early implementation phases have focused on enhancing cellular properties with higher survival and regenerative potential. Genetic programming dictates cellular fate, so understanding genetic composition and responses at the gene level to influence the outcome of the cell is essential for successful outcomes in regenerative medicine. Genetic editing is at the forefront of scientific innovation and as basic scientific research continues to expand upon understanding eukaryotic regenerative themes, a clearer vision of the possible future therapeutic approaches can be realized. Ultimately, enhancing biology and manipulating evolutional selection of cellular properties will be critical to achieving clinically relevant and biologically meaningful cardiac regeneration.
Forests in Limbo: Assessing Costa Rica's Forest and Land Reform Policies

ABSTRACTIn this article, we consider the stalled implementation of two state policies among recipients of land reform in Costa Rica: the transfer of authority over forests on state agrarian reform lands over to the Ministry of the Environment, and the Rural Development Institute’s requirement to issue land title to the recipients of its land reform projects. To date, neither of these policies is even partially implemented, resulting in both forests and marginalized landholders existing in a state of dual tenure limbo. In this article we draw on document analysis, interviews with policymakers, and interviews with recipients of land reform to determine why these policies have not been implemented. In addition, we assess the potential consequences for forest conservation that this situation has produced by mapping the extent and characteristics of forests that occupy this state of uncertainty.
Curved Space Quantum Field Theory of the 1970S Elucidates Boundary Casimir Energy Today

Results of investigations of the divergent vacuum energy at reflecting boundaries in quantum field theory are summarized. The boundary is modeled by a soft rapidly increasing potential barrier such as a power wall. In the model without pressure anomaly and the principle of virtual work is fulfilled.
THE ASSOCIATION OF DEPRESSION AT ANY TIME TO THE RISK OF DEATH FOLLOWING CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE DIAGNOSIS: THE INTERMOUNTAIN INSPIRE REGISTRY

Background: Depression is a risk factor for CV disease incidence, recurrent events, and death. However, the impact between length of time following a CV event to depression on recurrent outcomes is unknown. Methods: Patients (N=24,137) who had angiographically determined CAD (stenosis ≥70%) were
Modeling Discrete Choice: Categorical Dependent Variables, Logistic Regression, and Maximum Likelihood Estimation

This technical note introduces business students to the concepts of modeling discrete choice (e.g., a consumer purchasing brand A versus brand B) using logistic regression and maximum-likelihood estimation. It draws the analogy between modeling discrete choice and building a regression model with a dummy dependent variable and on an example illustrates the need for estimating the probability of a choice rather than the choice itself, which leads to a special kind of regression – logistic regression. The note presents the concepts of utility and a random utility choice model, of which the logistic regression model is the most commonly used. It shows how choice probabilities can be constructed from utilities leading to the logit model. It then presents the maximum-likelihood estimation (MLE) method of fitting the logit model to the choice data. Working through a detailed example using Solver and accompanying spreadsheet model, the note gives students deep understanding for how MLE works and how it is similar and different to the standard least-squared estimation in linear regression. The note concludes by presenting the results of estimation using StatTools, a commercial statistical software. The note avoids the use of heavy mathematical machinery but still requires rudimentary knowledge of exponent and logarithmic functions, probability, and optimization with Solver, as well as familiarity with the “standard” linear regression. Applications include building of models for consumer choice, estimating price elasticity, price optimization, product versioning, product line design, and conjoint analysis. Excerpt UVA-QA-0779 Nov. 7, 2011 MODELING DISCRETE CHOICE: CATEGORICAL DEPENDENT VARIABLES, LOGISTIC REGRESSION, AND MAXIMUM LIKELIHOOD ESTIMATION Consider an individual choosing between two or more discrete alternatives: a shopper in a grocery store deciding between apple or orange juice, or a prospective student determining which of several university offers he ought to accept. For the juice manufacturer and the university, the ability to predict the outcome of such choices is of vital importance. In this note, we will discuss how this might be done. The process we will follow bears some similarity to a regular linear regression but also has substantial differences, primarily due to the fact that the choices are discrete; that is, they correspond to a categorical dependent variable in regression. The Concept of Utility . . .
Mitochondrial cardiomyopathies feature increased uptake and diminished efflux of mitochondrial calcium

Calcium (Ca2+) influx into the mitochondrial matrix stimulates ATP synthesis. Here, we investigate whether mitochondrial Ca2+ transport pathways are altered in the setting of deficient mitochondrial energy synthesis, as increased matrix Ca2+ may provide a stimulatory boost. We focused on mitochondrial cardiomyopathies, which feature such dysfunction of oxidative phosphorylation. We study a mouse model where the main transcription factor for mitochondrial DNA (transcription factor A, mitochondrial, Tfam) has been disrupted selectively in cardiomyocytes. By the second postnatal week (10-15day old mice), these mice have developed a dilated cardiomyopathy associated with impaired oxidative phosphorylation. We find evidence of increased mitochondrial Ca2+ during this period using imaging, electrophysiology, and biochemistry. The mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter, the main portal for Ca2+ entry, displays enhanced activity, whereas the mitochondrial sodium-calcium (Na+-Ca2+) exchanger, the main portal for Ca2+ efflux, is inhibited. These changes in activity reflect changes in protein expression of the corresponding transporter subunits. While decreased transcription of Nclx, the gene encoding the Na+-Ca2+ exchanger, explains diminished Na+-Ca2+ exchange, the mechanism for enhanced uniporter expression appears to be post-transcriptional. Notably, such changes allow cardiac mitochondria from Tfam knockout animals to be far more sensitive to Ca2+-induced increases in respiration. In the absence of Ca2+, oxygen consumption declines to less than half of control values in these animals, but rebounds to control levels when incubated with Ca2+. Thus, we demonstrate a phenotype of enhanced mitochondrial Ca2+ in a mitochondrial cardiomyopathy model, and show that such Ca2+ accumulation is capable of rescuing deficits in energy synthesis capacity in vitro.
Cost-Effectiveness of Using Standardized Patients to Assess Student-Pharmacist Communication Skills

Objective. To explore the cost-effectiveness of including standardized patients (SP) in the didactic curriculum for application and assessment of students' pharmacist-patient communication skills. Methods. Five role play/case study (RP/CS) activities from a communication skills curriculum were replaced with five SP encounters. Communication was assessed using a rubric. This study developed an economic model to examine the costs and effectiveness of replacing RP/CS events with SP events in knowledge-application and communication assessment. Costs consisted of SP hourly wages for training and delivery of SP events. Outcomes examined were the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) per student. Results. The ICER comparing SP to RP/CS was $100.93 higher per student on first-attempt pass rates and $9.04 per one-point increase in the mean score. Conclusion. SP was more effective and more costly than RP/CS. Further research into students' willingness to pay needs to occur before determining if using SPs is cost-effective in teaching communication skills.
Effects of Diets Differing in Composition of 18-C Fatty Acids on Adipose Tissue Thermogenic Gene Expression in Mice Fed High-Fat Diets

Dietary fatty acids play important roles in the regulation of fat accumulation or metabolic phenotype of adipocytes, either as brown or beige fat. However, a systematic comparison of effects of diets with different composition of 18-C fatty acids on browning/beiging phenotype has not been done. In this study, we compared the effects of different dietary fats, rich in specific 18-carbon fatty acids, on thermogenesis and lipid metabolism. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a control diet containing 5.6% kcal fat from lard and 4.4% kcal fat from soybean oil (CON) or high-fat diets (HFD) containing 25% kcal from lard and 20% kcal fat from shea butter (stearic acid-rich fat; SHB), olive oil (oleic acid-rich oil; OO), safflower oil (linoleic acid-rich oil; SFO), or soybean oil (mixed oleic, linoleic, and α-linolenic acids; SBO) ad libitum for 12 weeks, with or without a terminal 4-h norepinephrine (NE) treatment. When compared to SHB, feeding OO, SFO, and SBO resulted in lower body weight gain. The OO fed group had the highest thermogenesis level, which resulted in lower body fat accumulation and improved glucose and lipid metabolism. Feeding SFO downregulated expression of lipid oxidation-related genes and upregulated expression of lipogenic genes, perhaps due to its high n-6:n-3 ratio. In general, HFD-feeding downregulated Ucp1 expression in both subcutaneous and epididymal white adipose tissue, and suppressed NE-induced Pgc1a expression in brown adipose tissue. These results suggest that the position of double bonds in dietary fatty acids, as well as the quantity of dietary fat, may have a significant effect on the regulation of oxidative and thermogenic conditions in vivo.
P021 : DTT CAN UNCOVER HIDDEN UAS

Aim Luminex Single Antigen (LSA) technology for antibody identification has enabled laboratories to provide highly accurate virtual crossmatch results to surgeons prior to renal transplantation. In our laboratory, unacceptable antigens (UAs) are assigned for antibodies with 1500 MFI or higher. A deceased donor offer was extended to a patient on our waitlist, and the virtual crossmatch was negative. Surprisingly, the actual flow crossmatch was strongly positive for both T cells and B cells. The organ was declined for this patient, and the discrepancy was investigated. Methods The patient was a 53 y.o. female with a prior transplant, multiple pregnancies and transfusions, and 100% cPRA. The strongest antibody this patient had to the donor (A1) had an MFI of only 1167 by LSA beads (One Lambda Inc), which was not considered a UA. In our experience, this should not have caused a positive flow crossmatch. The crossmatch was run with and without Dithiothreitol (DTT) treatment (0.05 M at 37 °C for 30 min), and the results were a Δ MESF of +123,108 (− DTT) and +86,366 (+ DTT) for T cells and +179,841 (− DTT) and +75,565 (+ DTT) for B cells. The sample had never been tested with DTT treatment on LSA beads, so the sample was run with and without DTT on LSA beads in an attempt to explain the positive crossmatch. Results The A1 bead, which had an MFI of only 1167 on LSA beads without DTT, jumped to an MFI of 17,300 with DTT for the same sample. This high MFI correlated with the strongly positive flow crossmatch, and A1 was entered as a UA for this patient. Conclusions Our laboratory had been using DTT routinely for flow crossmatches but not for antibody testing. This patient had a strong antibody to A1 that went undetected by LSA without the use of DTT. Since this discovery, our lab has begun using DTT for all LSA testing in order to more accurately predict crossmatch results.
The central interaction of relaxin with oxytocin

This dissertation is an effort to further define the central relationship of oxytocin (OT) and relaxin. The enclosed experiments have used rats and pigs to study this relationship. The first study looked at the effect of relaxin on the secretion of oxytocin and prolactin in pregnant gilts. Intravenous administration of relaxin appeared to mildly increase the circulating oxytocin and prolactin in pigs at midgestation, but had no effect in late gestational gilts. However, removal of endogenous relaxin in late gestational gilts did cause a large secretion of oxytocin and a mild release of prolactin, followed by a rapid return to baseline values for both hormones. This may indicate that relaxin acts to prevent the premature release of oxytocin in late gestation. The second study looked at the effect of relaxin on the activity of oxytocinergic cells in the hypothalamus of late pregnant rats following intravenous administration of relaxin. Cellular activation was visualized using the immunohistochemical labeling of Fos as a marker. In animals which received relaxin, Fos-like immunoreactivity was increased over that in animals which received vehicle. The increased Fos-like immunoreactivity was found in the supraoptic nucleus (SON), paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and subfornical organ. The Fos-like immunoreactivity in the SON and PVN was co-localized in cells exhibiting oxytocin-like immunoreactivity. This suggests that relaxin is changing the cellular activity within oxytocinergic cells.
Introduction to the Nervous System and Behavioral Toxicology

The staggering pace of change in the neurosciences and neurotoxicology is such that it is exceedingly difficult for the neurotoxicologist to keep up with the field. Since the publication of this volume more than a decade ago, there have been significant advances in our conceptual and technical understanding of the anatomy and function of the nervous system. Our ability to identify changes at the level of the genome and epigenome, molecular and supramolecular assemblies, and collections of systems or signaling cascades is further complicated by the anatomical location of the interaction between the nervous system and the chemical environment. These interactions are made all the more important due to the irreducible fact that the nervous system is the major integrator of sensory and other humoral information and the command center for the initiation, refinement, and control of motor function. In addition to the simple ‘act and react’ functions of the nervous system, higher organisms have the ability to learn, retain, process, and act on an abundance of information that is otherwise expressed as behavior. The sheer complexity of the system, its inputs and outputs, requires that the modern neurotoxicologist have a grasp on all aspects of the anatomy from the molecular to the gross and on. Moreover, an understanding of the division of functions within that system is critical. Of late, advances in technology have permitted insights into the interactions between biochemical and anatomical divisions within the nervous system across the entire organism. Most impressively, these advances are noninvasive and do not require the destruction or isolation of the component elements and may be used in the awake, functioning organism.
Environmental issues in interior textiles

Abstract: The chapter begins by discussing some of the key environmental issues related to interior textile production. It then reviews trends in environmentally responsible textile design and production followed by an overview of some textile certification programs. The chapter concludes with advances in medical textiles, bio textiles and e-textiles.
Detection and diagnosis of lethal yellowing: conventional methods and molecular techniques

Lethal yellowing (LY) is a fast spreading, highly destructive disease of coconut palms and 33 additional palm species. The disease presently occurs in several countries of the western Caribbean region, where it has virtually eliminated the susceptible Atlantic Tall ecotype from many localities. A mycoplasmalike organism (MLO) is believed to be the causal agent of LY. The LY MLO, like all other plant pathogenic MLOs, remains unculturable and thus precludes culture techniques for disease diagnosis. Diagnosis of LY has relied primarily upon symptom identification. Unequivocal disease diagnosis requires further visual confirmation of the presence of MLOs in affected palm tissues. This has traditionally been accomplished by either electron microscopy or DAPI staining in conjunction with epifluorescence microscopy. Although quite sensitive, both techniques are non-specific since they cannot distinguish one MLO from another. DNA-based techniques have recently been developed which enable both sensitive and specific detection of the LY MLO. Use of these new techniques as well as conventional methods for diagnosis of LY are discussed.
Comentario sobre "Vínculo y Teoría de las tres D (Depositante, Depositario y Depositado). Rol y Status” de E. Pichon Rivière.

(2017). Comentario sobre 'Vinculo y Teoria de las tres D (Depositante, Depositario y Depositado). Rol y Status” de E. Pichon Riviere. The International Journal of Psychoanalysis (en espanol): Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 187-201.
Assessment of rimonabant-like adverse effects of purported CB1R neutral antagonist / CB2R agonist aminoalkylindole derivatives in mice.

Abstract Background Cannabinoids may be useful in the treatment of CNS disorders including drug abuse and addiction, where both CB1R antagonists / inverse agonists and CB2R agonists have shown preclinical efficacy. TV-5-249 and TV-6-41, two novel aminoalkylindoles with dual action as neutral CB1R antagonists and CB2R agonists, previously attenuated abuse-related effects of ethanol in mice. Purpose To further characterize these drugs, TV-5-249 and TV-6-41 were compared with the CB1R antagonist / inverse agonist rimonabant in assays relevant to adverse effects and cannabinoid withdrawal. Procedures and findings The cannabinoid tetrad confirmed that TV-5-249 and TV-6-41 were devoid of CB1R agonist effects at behaviorally-relevant doses, and neither of the novel drugs induced rimonabant-like scratching. Generalized aversive effects were assessed, and rimonabant and TV-5-249 induced taste aversion, but TV-6-41 did not. Schedule-controlled responding and observation of somatic signs were used to assess withdrawal-like effects precipitated by rimonabant or TV-6-41 in mice previously treated with the high-efficacy CB1R agonist JWH-018 or vehicle. Rimonabant and TV-6-41 dose-dependently suppressed response rates in all subjects, but TV-6-41 did so more potently in JWH-018-treated mice than in vehicle-treated mice, while rimonabant equally suppressed responding in both groups. Importantly, rimonabant elicited dramatic withdrawal signs, but TV-6-41 did not. Conclusions These findings suggest differences in both direct adverse effects and withdrawal-related effects elicited by rimonabant, TV-5-249, and TV-6-41, which could relate to neutral CB1R antagonism, CB2R agonism, or a combination of both. Both mechanisms should be explored and exploited in future drug design efforts to develop pharmacotherapies for drug dependence.
Withholding Perioperative Steroids in Patients Undergoing Transsphenoidal Resection for Pituitary Disease: Randomized Prospective Clinical Trial to Assess Safety.

BACKGROUND Perioperative steroid protocols for patients undergoing transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) for pituitary pathology vary by institution. OBJECTIVE To assess the safety of withholding glucocorticoids in patients undergoing TSS. METHODS Patients with an intact hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis undergoing TSS for a pituitary tumor at the same academic institution between 2012 and 2015 were randomized to either receive 100 mg of intravenous hydrocortisone followed by 0.5 mg of intravenous dexamethasone every 6 h for 4 doses (STER, n = 23) or to undergo surgery without steroids (NOSTER, n = 20). Postoperative cortisol levels were then used to determine the need for glucocorticoids after surgery. Data regarding postoperative cortisol levels, hospital stay length, and complications were collected. RESULTS Mean postoperative 8 am cortisol levels were higher in the NOSTER group compared to the STER group (745 ± 359 nmol/L and 386 ± 193 nmol/L, respectively, P = .001) and more patients were discharged on glucocorticoids in the STER group (42% vs 12%, P = .07). There was no difference in the incidence of postoperative complications, including hyperglycemia, diabetes insipidus, or permanent adrenal insufficiency. Permanent adrenal insufficiency occurred in 8% of patients. CONCLUSION Perioperative steroids can be safely withheld in patients with an intact HPA axis undergoing TSS. Although administration of perioperative glucocorticoids does not appear to increase the risk of complications, it may interfere with assessment of the HPA axis after surgery.
Natural Disaster Damages and Their Link to Coping Strategy Choices: Field Survey Findings from Post‐Earthquake Nepal

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal on 25 April 2015, was the worst natural disaster to hit Nepal since 1900. This article reports field survey findings on earthquake damages and ex‐post coping responses adopted by rural households in Sindhupalchowk, Nepal. Subsequently, we conduct empirical analyses to illustrate how earthquake damages influence ex‐post coping strategy choices and potentially limit paths to post‐disaster recovery. The goal of this empirical demonstration is to underscore the need to cater post‐disaster policies in developing countries in ways that expand households' post‐disaster coping strategy choices through market and non‐market mechanisms. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Circuit Response Analysis

The flow of current in the circuit branches and drop of voltage across circuit elements depend on their behavior and their ability to store energy. For instance, the voltage drop across a resistor is in phase with its current passing through. But that is not the same in a capacitor or an inductor. This makes the circuit KVL and KCL equations integrodifferential equations. The order of these equations depends on the number of energy-storing elements. In this chapter, the circuit elements are introduced and their equations are discussed. The order of a circuit is discussed, and responses of first- and second-order circuits to their initial condition and to external sources are analyzed.
Hybrid Differential Dynamic Programming in the Circular Restricted Three-Body Problem

This paper presents the application of differential dynamic programming to low-thrust trajectory optimization in the three-body problem along with supporting techniques. A penalty method is suggest...
Share repurchases and wealth transfer among shareholders

Abstract We find positive and significant wealth transfers from individuals to institutions following a share repurchase. It appears that institutional investors are informed shareholders that use share repurchases as an opportunity to magnify the effect of their informational advantage over individual investors. On average, we find wealth transfers from individuals to institutions in the amount of $910 million, over the year following a share repurchase. In the largest stocks, we estimate wealth transfers to institutions as large as $2.7 billion over the five years following a share repurchase. The firm’s share repurchase activity partially obscures the impact of the institutional trading and the ultimate change in ownership. This result is robust to an array of alternative methodologies. We find that institutions usually own a larger portion of the firm, relative to individuals, after a repurchase, even when they are net sellers. They simply sell less than individual investors. Thus, using net changes in ownership as a proxy for relative institutional investor demand can lead to false inference as to the relative informational advantage of institutional investors in quarters with significant repurchasing activity.
Oncologists' Perceptions of a Digital Tool to Improve Cancer Survivors' Cardiovascular Health

Background Cardiovascular (CV) disease continues to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality with higher rates among cancer survivors than in the general population. Objective This study was aimed to understand oncology providers' attitudes toward a digital CV health tool, delivered via a tablet, to promote CV health in cancer survivors. Methods Using qualitative methods, 14 oncologists, from community and academic practice sites, were interviewed while they used the tool. Interviews were videotaped then analyzed using NVivo 11 software. Themes were inductively developed from the interviews. Results Three major themes emerged from the interviews as follows: (1) system functionality, (2) facilitators and barriers to integration, and (3) appropriate end-users. Oncologists recognized the critical role of CV health promotion among cancer survivors and identified features about the tool that would be helpful for CV health promotion. Workflow (subtheme) was a barrier to tool use. This feedback enabled tool redesign for further testing in the context of survivorship care. Conclusion Our findings emphasized the importance of identifying appropriate End-users which may include other survivorship care providers, patients, and primary care providers. Implications Our research addresses the knowledge gap in the use of digital tools in cancer survivorship care, specifically digital tools to promote CV health. Future research is needed to evaluate digital tools in cancer survivorship care. Research investigating patients as users of digital tools may provide additional insight.
Lévi-Strauss révolutionnaire : Pour une critique structuraliste

AbstractFrench anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss kept his distance from the May ’68 events, saying twenty years later that they had “disgusted” him. Why such a rejection, coming from a former soci...
Adaptive fuzzy control with an optimization by using genetic algorithms for grid connected a hybrid photovoltaic–hydrogen generation system

Abstract The integration of significant amounts of renewable-storage hybrid power generation systems to the electric grid poses a unique set of challenges to utilities and system operators. This article deals with the designing methodology of an intelligent control based grid-connected a hybrid system composed of renewable energy source (RES) and storage system (SS). RES is a photovoltaic (PV) source and SS is a process of hydrogen transformation system (H2TS) which composed of alkaline water electrolysis (AWE) for decomposition water by using the PV power, a tank used for gas storage and a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell (FC) to transform the H2 to the electrical energy. The interconnection of the grid with the power generation system (PGS) is ensured through using a DC/AC hysteresis converter and it can synchronize current with the grid voltage among an independent control of active (P) and reactive (Q) power through a possibility of the Q compensation. In the proposed system, three algorithms are applied; two used inside generation and the third is used inside the grid. Perturb and observe (P&O) maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control algorithm always finds optimal power in the PV generator. A simple cascade controls loop of DC-DC boost converter and operate the FC generator to ensure maximum power and to regulate the DC Bus voltage. In addition, adaptive fuzzy logic control (FLC) unit is developed to control the DC/AC inverter, with adopting an off-line optimization based on genetic algorithms (GAs) applauded for tune different issues as scaling factors of the FLC and PIDs gains of the PV and the H2TS control loops. Simulated results prove a big success of the proposed controls of the grid connected the hybrid PV-H2TS with good performance.
Converting Inventions into Innovations in Large Firms

How do large firms innovate? Strategy and innovation scholars view this process as one in which inventors generate new ideas (inventions) and managers turn these ideas into commercial products (inn...
EARS: Enabling Private Feedback Updates in Anonymous Reputation Systems

Reputation systems, designed to remedy the lack of information quality and assess credibility of information sources, have become an indispensable component of many online systems. A typical reputation system works by tracking all information originating from a source, and the feedback to the information with its attribution to the source. The tracking of information and the feedback, though essential, could violate the privacy of users who provide the information and/or the feedback, which could both cause harm to the users’ online well-being, and discourage them from participation. Anonymous reputation systems have been designed to protect user privacy by ensuring anonymity of the users. Yet, current anonymous reputation systems suffer from several limitations, including but not limited to a)lack of support for core functionalities such as feedback update, b) lack of protocol efficiency for practical deployment, and c) reliance on a fully trusted authority. This paper proposes EARS, an anonymous reputation system that ensures user anonymity while supporting all core functionalities (including feedback update) of a reputation system both efficiently and practically, and without the need of a fully trusted central authority. We present security analysis of EARS against multiple types of attacks that could potentially violate user anonymity, such as feedback duplication, bad mouthing, and ballot stuffing. We also present evaluation of the efficiency and scalability of our system based on implementations.
Physiologic Consequences of Caveolin-1 Ablation in Conventional Outflow Endothelia.

Purpose Polymorphisms at the caveolin-1/2 locus are associated with glaucoma and IOP risk and deletion of caveolin-1 (Cav1) in mice elevates IOP and reduces outflow facility. However, the specific location/cell type responsible for Cav1-dependent regulation of IOP is unclear. We hypothesized that endothelial Cav1 in the conventional outflow (CO) pathway regulate IOP via endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) signaling. Methods We created a mouse with targeted deletion of Cav1 in endothelial cells (Cav1ΔEC) and evaluated IOP, outflow facility, outflow pathway distal vascular morphology, eNOS phosphorylation, and tyrosine nitration of iridocorneal angle tissues by Western blotting. Results Endothelial deletion of Cav1 resulted in significantly elevated IOP versus wild-type mice but not a concomitant decrease in outflow facility. Endothelial Cav1 deficiency did not alter the trabecular meshwork or Schlemm's canal morphology, suggesting that the effects observed were not due to developmental deformities. Endothelial Cav1 deletion resulted in eNOS hyperactivity, modestly increased protein nitration, and significant enlargement of the drainage vessels distal to Schlemm's canal. L-Nitro-arginine methyl ester treatment reduced outflow in Cav1ΔEC but not wild-type mice and had no effect on the size of drainage vessels. Endothelin-1 treatment decrease the outflow and drainage vessel size in both wild-type and Cav1ΔEC mice. Conclusions Our results suggest that hyperactive eNOS signaling in the CO pathway of both Cav1ΔEC and global Cav1 knockout mice results in chronic dilation of distal CO vessels and protein nitration, but that Cav1 expression in the trabecular meshwork is sufficient to rescue CO defects reported in global Cav1 knockout mice.
Persistent magnetism in silver-doped BaFe2As2 crystals

We investigate the thermodynamic and transport properties of silver-substituted $\mathrm{BaF}{\mathrm{e}}_{2}\mathrm{A}{\mathrm{s}}_{2}$ (122) crystals up to $\ensuremath{\sim}4.5%$. Similar to other transition-metal substitutions in 122, Ag diminishes the antiferromagnetic $({T}_{N})$ and structural $({T}_{S})$ transition temperatures, but unlike other electron-doped 122s, ${T}_{N}$ and ${T}_{S}$ coincide without splitting. Although magnetism drops precipitously to ${T}_{N}=84\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$ at doping $x=\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}0.029$, it only weakly changes above this $x$, settling at ${T}_{N}=80\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$ at $x=\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}0.045$. Compared to this persistent magnetism in Ag-122, doping other group 11 elements of either Cu or Au in 122 diminished ${T}_{N}$ and induced superconductivity near ${T}_{c}=2\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$ at $x=\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}0.044$ or 0.031, respectively. Ag-122 crystals show reflective surfaces with surprising thicker cross sections for $x\ensuremath{\ge}0.019$, the appearance that is in contrast to the typical thin stacked layered feature seen in all other flux-grown x122 and lower Ag-122. This physical trait may be a manifest of intrinsic weak changes in $c$ lattice and ${T}_{N}$. Our theoretical calculations suggest that Ag doping produces strong electronic scattering and yet a relatively small disruption of the magnetic state, both of which preclude superconductivity in this system.
Modeling flux in tangential flow filtration using a reverse asymmetric membrane for Chinese hamster ovary cell clarification

Tangential flow filtration is advantageous for bioreactor clarification as the permeate stream could be introduced directly to the subsequent product capture step. However, membrane fouling coupled with high product rejection has limited its use. Here, the performance of a reverse asymmetric hollow fiber membrane where the more open pore structure faces the feed stream and the barrier layer faces the permeate stream has been investigated. The open surface contains pores up to 40 μm in diameter while the tighter barrier layer has an average pore size of 0.4 μm. Filtration of Chinese hamster ovary cell feed streams has been investigated under conditions that could be expected in fed batch operations. The performance of the reverse asymmetric membrane is compared to that of symmetric hollow fiber membranes with nominal pore sizes of 0.2 and 0.65 μm. Laser scanning confocal microscopy was used to observe the locations of particle entrapment. The throughput of the reverse asymmetric membrane is significantly greater than the symmetric membranes. The membrane stabilizes an internal high permeability cake that acts like a depth filter. This stabilized cake can remove particulate matter that would foul the barrier layer if it faced the feed stream. An empirical model has been developed to describe the variation of flux and transmembrane pressure drop during filtration using reverse asymmetric membranes. Our results suggest that using a reverse asymmetric membrane could avoid severe flux decline associated with fouling of the barrier layer during bioreactor clarification.
Robotic Transplant Surgery

Utilization of laparoscopy in transplantation increased live donor participation in kidney transplantation—providing improved organ availability and optimized patient and donor outcomes simultaneously. The turn of the century saw the introduction of robotics in transplantation with the first of many robotic approaches to transplantation, including robotic donor nephrectomies and hepatectomies for living donation as well as the common utilization of the robot for kidney and pancreas transplants in obese patients. Propensity score analyses have shown that patients who are obese benefit from robotic transplantation when end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients have received kidney and/or simultaneous pancreas transplants due to reducing postoperative wound complications. Concurrently, the mild increase in warm ischemia time and operative time in comparison to open surgical cases has limited effects on patient survival and graft survival. The efficacy of this technique is a way for patients who are not considered the optimal transplant candidates to reap the benefits of transplantation.
Negative marital interaction, purpose in life, and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older couples: evidence from the Health and Retirement Study

Negative marital interaction and purpose in life have been associated with depressive symptoms. Yet, these associations have not been fully explored in a dyadic context. This study examines the act...
The Japan Proletarian Writers’ League’s ‘Greatest Enemy’: Miyamoto Yuriko Denounces Hayashi Fusao’s Youth

Writing in the early 1960s, literary critic Hirano Ken argued that writer Hayashi Fusao became the Japan Proletarian Writers’ League’s (Nihon Puroretaria Sakka Dōmei) ‘greatest enemy’, following hi...
RHOX10 drives mouse spermatogonial stem cell establishment through a transcription factor signaling cascade

Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are essential for male fertility. Here, we report that mouse SSC generation is driven by a transcription factor (TF) cascade controlled by the homeobox protein, RHOX10, which acts by driving the differentiation of SSC precursors called pro-spermatogonia (ProSG). We identify genes regulated by RHOX10 in ProSG in vivo and define direct RHOX10-target genes using several approaches, including a rapid temporal induction assay: iSLAMseq. Together, these approaches identify temporal waves of RHOX10 direct targets, as well as RHOX10 secondary-target genes. Many of the RHOX10-regulated genes encode proteins with known roles in SSCs. Using an in vitro ProSG differentiation assay, we find that RHOX10 promotes mouse ProSG differentiation through a conserved transcriptional cascade involving the key germ-cell TFs DMRT1 and ZBTB16. Our study gives important insights into germ cell development and provides a blueprint for how to define TF cascades.
Connexin hemichannels regulate redox potential via metabolite exchange and protect lens against cellular oxidative damage

Increased oxidative stress contributes to cataract formation during aging. Anterior epithelial cells are a frontline antioxidant defense system with powerful capacities to maintain redox homeostasis and lens transparency. In this study, we report a new molecular mechanism of connexin (Cx) hemichannels (HCs) in lens epithelial cells to protect lens against oxidative stress. Our results showed haploinsufficiency of Cx43 elevated oxidative stress and susceptibility to cataracts in the mouse lens. Cx43 HCs opened in response to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in human lens epithelium HLE-B3 cells, and this activation contributed to a cellular protective mechanism against oxidative stress-induced apoptotic cell death. Furthermore, we found that Cx43 HCs mediated the exchange of oxidants and antioxidants in lens epithelial cells undergoing oxidative stress. These transporting activities facilitated a reduction of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and maintained the intracellular glutathione (GSH) level through the exchange of redox metabolites and change of anti-oxidative gene expression. In addition, we show that Cx43 HCs can be regulated by the intracellular redox state and this regulation is mediated by residue Cys260 located at the Cx43 C-terminus. Together, our results demonstrate that Cx43 HCs activated by oxidative stress in the lens epithelial cells play a key role in maintaining redox homeostasis in lens under oxidative stress. Our findings contribute to advancing our understanding of oxidative stress induced lens disorders, such as age-related non-congenital cataracts.
The relationship between 19-year trends in medication use and changes in physical function among women in the mid-life: A Study of Women's Health Across the Nation pharmacoepidemiology study.

PURPOSE Medication side effects are a major concern in aging adults who report using an increasing number of medications. The relationship between accumulating medication use and physical function has not been examined in a longitudinal cohort. METHODS We conducted a longitudinal cohort study using prospectively collected data from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Community-dwelling women from five US cities were followed for up to 20 years. The exposure of interest was the number of prescription medications. They were examined as a count variable and then for specific categories of medication. The outcome of interest was physical function measured repeatedly using the short form (SF)-36 physical function (PF) scale. Linear mixed models, using repeated measures of sociodemographics and comorbidities were assessed. RESULTS 1452 participants qualified for the analyses with a median follow-up of 19.2 years. At baseline, the mean age was 46.5 years and 53.5% reported White race. Fully adjusted models demonstrated a reduction in the SF-36 PF of 0.99 for each additional prescription medication used or a 6.14-point reduction for women reporting more than five medications and an 8.92-point reduction among those reporting more than 10 medications. These results were similar across race and ethnicity. Specific medication categories with a significant and largely negative impact (at least a two-point reduction) on physical component score included beta-blockers, analgesics, glucocorticoids, anticonvulsants, anxiolytics, anticoagulants, and anti-depressants. CONCLUSIONS There is a moderate association between increasing medication use and decreasing physical function among women transitioning through the mid-life.
Using diverse potentials and scoring functions for the development of improved machine-learned models for protein–ligand affinity and docking pose prediction

The advent of computational drug discovery holds the promise of significantly reducing the effort of experimentalists, along with monetary cost. More generally, predicting the binding of small organic molecules to biological macromolecules has far-reaching implications for a range of problems, including metabolomics. However, problems such as predicting the bound structure of a protein-ligand complex along with its affinity have proven to be an enormous challenge. In recent years, machine learning-based methods have proven to be more accurate than older methods, many based on simple linear regression. Nonetheless, there remains room for improvement, as these methods are often trained on a small set of features, with a single functional form for any given physical effect, and often with little mention of the rationale behind choosing one functional form over another. Moreover, it is not entirely clear why one machine learning method is favored over another. In this work, we endeavor to undertake a comprehensive effort towards developing high-accuracy, machine-learned scoring functions, systematically investigating the effects of machine learning method and choice of features, and, when possible, providing insights into the relevant physics using methods that assess feature importance. Here, we show synergism among disparate features, yielding adjusted R2 with experimental binding affinities of up to 0.871 on an independent test set and enrichment for native bound structures of up to 0.913. When purely physical terms that model enthalpic and entropic effects are used in the training, we use feature importance assessments to probe the relevant physics and hopefully guide future investigators working on this and other computational chemistry problems.
Gorbachev and Yeltsin as Leaders: Evaluating Yeltsin as Leader

Yeltsin, like Gorbachev, was both a system destroyer and a system builder. During the years that Gorbachev was endeavoring to transform the Marxist- Leninist system into a socialist democracy, Yeltsin evolved into a committed anti-communist revolutionary. His goal became to destroy the communist system along with all those features that Gorbachev hoped to preserve in the name of “socialism” and “Soviet civilization.” Then, on the ruins of that system, Yeltsin promised to build on the territory of Russia a new system, which he depicted as a “market democracy.” As in the case of Gorbachev, Yeltsin's effectiveness as a system destroyer can be evaluated separately from his effectiveness as a system builder. YELTSIN AS SYSTEM-DESTROYER During 1988–1991, Boris Yeltsin evolved into a hero of the anti-communist opposition to Soviet rule. After his overwhelming electoral victories of March 1989 and June 1991, followed by his facing down of the coup plotters in August 1991, his authority at home and abroad had become legendary. He had evolved into a charismatic leader of almost mythic proportions, especially among those who had assumed that the Soviet and communist control structures were unassailable. Thus, as an oppositional leader, Yeltsin is likely to go down in history as a uniquely courageous and effective figure who managed to prevail against seemingly overwhelming odds. His “resurrection” after being purged by the Communist Party apparatus in 1987 was a product of extraordinary political will, intuition, and an uncanny ability to sense and shape the mood of the masses.
Study of Irregular Compaction Curves

Curves of dry density versus moisture content, as yielded by the standard ASTM compaction tests, usually show a single maximum, but some soils exhibit compaction curves with irregular shapes. This study examines some of the influences of soil preparation on these irregular compaction curves. When a surface tension reducing agent, such as aerosol-AY, is added to the water in soil specimen preparation, the shape of the irregular compaction curve will be altered. This effect is regarded as a verification of the effects of negative pore water pressure on the irregular compaction curve. In repeated compaction tests, it is economical and convenient to reuse the soil specimens. The results of liquid and plastic limit tests reveal approximately the same values in new and reused specimens. However, the reused soil specimens reveal a predominantly higher density in the zone of lower water content in an irregular compaction curve.
On the Singularly Perturbed Matrix Differential Riccati Equation

In this paper, the finite-time optimal control problem for time-invariant linear singularly perturbed systems is considered. The reduced-order pure-slow and pure-fast matrix differential Riccati equations are obtained by decoupling the singularly perturbed differential matrix Riccati equation of dimension n 1 + n 2 into the regular differential matrix Riccati equation pure-slow of dimension n 1 and the stiff differential matrix Riccati equation pure-fast of dimension n 2 . A formula is derived that produces the solution of the original singularly perturbed matrix Riccati differential equation in terms of solutions of the pure-slow and pure-fast reduced-order differential matrix Riccati equations and solutions of two reduced-order initial value problems. In addition to its theoretical importance, the main result of this paper can also be used to implement optimal filtering and control schemes for singularly perturbed linear systems independently in pure-slow and pure-fast time scales. An example for a catalytic fluid reactor model has been include to demonstrate the utility of the method.
Time Domain Terahertz Spectroscopy of the Magnetic Field Induced Metal‐Insulator Transition in n:InSb

Temperature (T) and frequency (ω) dependent conductivity measurements are reported for n‐type indium antimonide (InSb) around the magnetic field induced metal‐insulator transition (MIT). For the sample with electron density n= 2.15×1014 cm−3, the critical field is observed at ∼0.7 T in dc transport measurements. The frequency dependent conductivity σ(ω) measured via terahertz time domain spectroscopy indicates a higher critical field ∼1.2 T. Both σdc(T) and σ1(ω) at low temperatures show power law dependence with exponents of α=1.2.