cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dopaminergic Neurons: Effects of Electrical Stimulation on Dopamine Biosynthesis

Electrical stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle was employed in order to study the effects of increased impulse flow on dopamine synthesis. Stimulation at frequencies ranging from 5 to 30 Hz resulted in an increase in the specific activity of dopamine isolated from the neostriatum 20 min after intravenous administration of [ 3 H]tyrosine. The optimal frequency for this effect was 15 Hz. Similar results were found in the olfactory tubercles. Phenylalanine was also found to be a precursor for neostriatal dopamine. The increase in neostriatal dopamine specific activity following labeled precursor administration continued for 15 min after stimulation. About 99% of the total fraction of labeled catecholamines found in the neostriatum 20 min following tyrosine administration was identified as dopamine by Amberlite CG-120 column chromatography. Dopa accumulation following dopa decarboxylase inhibition was also increased by electrical stimulation. This increased accumulation of dopa continued for at least 15 min after stimulation. These data are discussed in terms of the ability of increased impulse flow to increase dopamine synthesis by altering the activity of tyrosine hydroxylase in dopaminergic neurons.
Temporal Trends and Racial/Ethnic Inequalities for Legal Intervention Injuries Treated in Emergency Departments: US Men and Women Age 15–34, 2001–2014

In the USA, public health and medical professional associations have identified police violence as an issue of concern, calling for better monitoring of injuries caused by use of force and more research about the health consequences of police practices.1 – 3 A number of recent papers by public health scholars have addressed these issues: Some have examined the ways in which racially discriminatory policing influences health and community cohesion.4 , 5 Others have explored various options for using public health monitoring systems to provide better data to epidemiologists and the public on police-related fatalities and gunshot injuries.6 – 8 Still, others have produced analyses of existing injury and mortality data derived from hospital records and death certificates.9 – 11 Researchers have yet to answer basic epidemiological questions about police violence, however, such as whether the incidence rate of injuries caused by US police has changed over time, or the degree to which these injuries are properly coded as “legal intervention” (i.e., those caused by law enforcement, as per the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)) and are therefore identifiable in statistical analyses of hospital data. Additionally, little attention has been paid to the role of private security guards in use-of-force incidents, even as the private security industry has grown steadily since 2001, and the number of private guards in the USA has come to be roughly equal to the number of police officers.12 , 13 The ICD definition of legal intervention refers to injuries inflicted by “police or other law-enforcing agents,” and does not make explicit mention of private security guards.14 This study adds to a growing literature on legal intervention injuries by analyzing nationally representative US data on injuries inflicted by police and private security and treated in hospital emergency departments (EDs). We aim to determine how numerous these injuries are, whether incidence rates have changed over time, and whether these rates vary by race/ethnicity.
Abstract A051: Characterization of IDO1 and TDO2 in pediatric central nervous system tumors

Purpose: Indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) and tryptophan dioxygenase (TDO2) are tryptophan catabolic enzymes that have been implicated in facilitating immunosuppression in cancer. With respect to the central nervous system (CNS), both enzymes have been correlated with decreased overall survival in adult patients with glioma. Based on these observations, we questioned whether pediatric CNS tumors, which constitute the most common form of solid cancer in children, also possess expression and activity for these immunosuppressive mediators. Experimental Design: Purified RNA from pediatric patient tumor tissue was obtained from the Children9s Brain Tumor Tissue Consortium (Philadelphia, PA) and utilized for qRT-PCR analysis of IDO1, TDO2, CD3e, IFNγ, and TGFβ1. Primary cell lines were propagated from fresh tumor tissue acquired by Dr. Rintaro Hashizume, Ph.D. (Northwestern University) and cultured for 48 hours alone or with a combination of 100 ng/mL IFNγ and 10, 50, 250 or 1000 nM L1MT, D1MT and BGB-5777; a novel pharmaceutical-grade IDO1 inhibitor (Beigene). Cell culture supernatants were collected at 48 hours for detection of tryptophan (Trp) and kynurenine (Kyn) levels by high pressure liquid chromatography. The cells were collected confirmed for IDO1 protein expression via western blot. Results: RT-PCR defined two populations of pediatric high grade glioma (HGG) based on high (>3 fold expression compared to average) versus low ( Conclusion: These data show for the first time that, IDO1 is expressed in pediatric tumors and the novel blood brain barrier-penetrating IDO1 inhibitor, BGB-5777, is a highly potent inhibitor of enzymatic activity in this setting. Given that IDO1 inhibitors are already in multiple clinical trials for adults with brain cancer, these data suggest that BGB-5777 may be a valuable tool for inhibiting IDO1 in the setting of malignant pediatric brain cancer. Citation Format: Kristen Lauing, Rishi Lulla, Lijie Zhai, Rintaro Hashizume, Jason Fangusaro, Derek A. Wainwright. Characterization of IDO1 and TDO2 in pediatric central nervous system tumors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Second CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; 2016 Sept 25-28; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2016;4(11 Suppl):Abstract nr A051.
Control of air pollution at Rand Carbide Limited, Witbank

The measures taken by Rand Carbide Limited from the 1950s to 1976 to control dust emission from the electric furnaces at its Witbank factory are descriptionbed. A new design of furnace for calcium carbide followed by a dry-fabric filtration plant for the furnace gases was not successful in arresting the dust. A 131 m chimney commissioned in 1968 effectively dispersed the dust-laden gases from both carbide and ferrosilicon production and so brought considerable alleviation. In 1974 a bag-filter dust-collecting plant was successfully commissioned on a 6 MV.A carbide furnace, and this was followed in 1976 by a bag-filter plant on a 46,5 MV.A ferrosilicon furnace. The company has spent con. siderable effort and money over two decades in trying to combat dust emission, but eventual success had to await technological development.
Fusion Pore Selectivity in Chromaffin Cells

Healthy physiological conditions depend on dynamic release of neurotransmitters and hormones by exocytosis, which is initiated by the fusion pore. Previous studies show that reduction of extracellular [NaCl] decreases the amperometric foot current, indicating no co-release of anions with transmitter. It is unknown if this is due to cation selectivity of the fusion pore or due to negatively charged ions, such as ATP, being bound to the granular matrix and unavailable for release. Such selectivity might be expected if the fusion pore is lined by negative charges from lipids and protein. If the initial fusion pore is selective for cations, then its selectivity will affect the rate of transmitter release via the reversal potential across the fusion pore. If the fusion pore is non-selective, then the flux of anions from extracellular space into the vesicle is expected to reduce the rate of release of positively charged catecholamines by making the vesicle lumen more negative. Using amperometry we investigate in chromaffin cells if the transmitter release rate through the fusion pore changes when extracellular chloride is exchanged by the less mobile D-glutamate anion. Electrodiffusion calculations predict that for a non-selective anion permeable fusion pore the average foot current amplitude should increase by ∼30% when chloride is exchanged by D-glutamate with a mobility of 0.25 relative to chloride, whereas no change in foot current is expected for a cation selective fusion pore. Preliminary analysis of all amperometric events in chromaffin cells, results in a mean amperometric foot current of 1.14±0.139 pA in the presence of chloride, and 1.04±0.07 pA for D-glutamate. Further sample collections and analysis will reveal if there is a significant difference in foot current amplitude depending on anion mobility and reveal if the early narrow fusion pore is cation selective.
Langerhans Cells and T Cells in Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis Have Distinct Cytokine and Growth Factor Gene Expression Profiles Depending on the Clinical Risk Groups.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) can present in several clinical forms with expected response to therapy categorized by the organ systems involved. Low Risk patients (unifocal bone, skin, or lymph nodes disease) are nearly always cured of the disease, patients with multifocal bone involvement are more likely to have relapses, and High Risk patients (involving liver, lung, spleen, or bone marrow) have only a 50% chance of cure. The etiology of LCH is unknown and controversy exists whether this is purely an immunologic dysfunction or a neoplastic disease since the Langerhans cells have been identified as a clonal proliferation. Understanding interaction of Langerhans cells (LC) with T lymphocytes and macrophages in the lesions of Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is critical to elucidating LCH pathophysiology. We have used laser capture microdissection to isolate CD1a+ LC and CD3+ T cells from frozen LCH lesions. RNA from the dissected cells was enzymatically amplified, hybridized to a cytokine/growth factor array and analyzed for quantity of gene expression after normalizing to b-actin. A complex expression profile has emerged: Gene Expression in LCH Clinical Groups Growth factor and cytokine interactions from these LCH patients with different clinical presentations illustrates the importance of both LC and T-cells as well as the known influence of macrophages on the type of LCH. Although previous studies have shown TNF-a is an important factor, our data illustrates that other cytokines and growth factors may play critical roles, because of their relative higher gene expression when compared with TNF-a. These data will facilitate development of in vitro systems to test our hypotheses that a combination of cytokines/growth factors may be important in varying LCH clinical presentations.
Social Norms: A Review

Social norms, as a topic of inquiry, has garnered a lot of attention from a variety of perspectives in recent years. Because of the rapidly-growing interest in social norms from scholars in multiple disciplines, this area of scholarship is often characterized by a lack of clarity on what constitutes social norms and how key concepts are operationalized. The objectives of this article are to (a) provide a review of the fast-expanding literature on social norms, (b) delineate similarities and differences in key operational definitions, (c) highlight findings linking social norms and human behaviors, (d) review theories that explicate how norms affect behaviors, and (e) provide suggestions for future research in this area. This review highlights the need to specify moderators in the relationship between norms and behaviors (which represent conditions under which social norms exert their influence) and then to categorize these underlying moderators according to a theoretically compelling framework. This review highlights the need for more studies designed to test the causal relationship between social norms and behaviors as well as those that study norms from a qualitative perspective.
Politcal Sex Scandals: Post-Conventional Morality Approach

The purpose of this study to sonographically explore political sex scandals in the United States utilizing Lawrence Kohlberg’s post-conventional morality lens, as well as examine the etiologic factors of sex scandals, and proffer pragmatic solutions such as sonic therapeutic intervention among others for a sustainable and positive social change. I inductively generated data through documentary analysis. The findings show that low self-control, pornography, intoxication, erotic literature, identity crisis, power and testosterone, contemplation, environment, and cheating proclivity are some key etiologies of political sex scandals. The limitation of the study is that inasmuch as the perception of political sex scandals and political sex scandals are cultural phenomena the study is not generalizable. The practical implication of the study is that any political leader can take advantage of the study through the application of its recommendations to themselves for personal sustainable renewal without having to incur any cost, or/and change their status. The social implication of the study is that if political elites are able to implement the recommendation(s) of the study, mitigation of sex scandals would prevail. The originality of the study is rooted in the fact that it filled the gap in social change literature because this is the first of its kind in the discipline.
Effect of Obesity and Underweight Status on Perioperative Outcomes of Congenital Heart Operations in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults: An Analysis of Data from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Database.

Background:Extreme body mass index (BMI; either very high or very low) has been associated with increased risk of adverse perioperative outcome in adults undergoing cardiac surgery. The effect of B...
Passive Pressure Tube Light Water Reactors

High-power-rating [{ge} 1,000 MW(electric)] passive pressure tube light water-cooled reactors are described that have the ability to reliably discharge decay heat to the ultimate heat sink, without the need to replenish primary coolant in loss-of-coolant accidents, while ensuring the integrity of the fuel and reusability of major reactor components. Evaluation shows that pressure tube reactors have the attractive potential to dissipate the decay heat from voided fuel elements of large-power-rating cores without exceeding safe temperature limits. Two basic versions of a pressure tube light water-cooled and -moderated reactor--the dry and wet calandria concepts--are proposed, and their advantages and limitations are discussed.
Liquidity, bank runs, and fire sales under local thinking

Abstract We examine the implications on banking crises when markets are populated by agents that neglect tail risks and form expectations conditioned on a favorable subset of possible states of the economy. We find that optimal bank liquidity is lower than would be the case under rational expectations, and, consequently, the banking system is more vulnerable to adverse shocks, which lead to bank runs. Asset pledgeability of surviving banks is also affected so that their capacity to raise external funds for purchasing assets of distressed banks is weakened. Further, we examine the case when asset returns are correlated through securitization. In this case adverse shocks are felt uniformly across the banking sector and banks that survive with the help of a public liquidity backstop will become risk-averse and reluctant to purchase distressed assets. Finally, we explore a government funded asset purchase program, that is implemented with an asset price target.
Parental correlates of food parenting practices: socioeconomic status, weight, and dieting status.

Little research has considered how parents’ socioeconomic indicators, body mass index (BMI), and dieting status relate to their food parenting. The current study used self-report data from parents ...
From telephone to office: Intake attendance as a function of appointment delay.

In the present study, 116 clients calling an outpatient cocaine treatment clinic were randomly assigned to intake appointments scheduled either the same day, 1 day, 3 days, or 7 days later. Significantly more subjects scheduled 1 day later attended their intake appointments (72%), compared to those scheduled 3 days (41%) or 7 days (38%) later. Odds ratios indicate that subjects offered intake appointments approximately 24 h following their initial contact are more than four times as likely to attend their intakes as those scheduled later. This accelerated intake procedure allows clinics to reach more patients in need of services.
The Decline And Isolation Of Fisher Populations Prior To European Settlement: Insights From Dna Analysis

Historical and contemporary genetic information can provide insights into the nature of population expansions or contractions and temporal changes in abundance and connectivity. Fisher (Martes pennanti) populations in California are thought to have declined precipitously over the last 150 yrs and currently only two populations remain in the state that are both geographically and genetically isolated from each other. In this study we looked at whether the isolation of these two populations is a result habitat alteration and trapping that accompanied European settlement in the mid-1800s or if it is the result of a more ancient demographic event. We collected both historical and contemporary genetic samples from each of the two extant fisher populations. We successfully obtained microsatellite genotypes at 10 loci for 21 museum specimens (dated 1882-1920) and 275 contemporary individuals (2006-2009). We found significant temporal shifts in allele frequencies between historical and contemporary samples between regions indicating large amounts of genetic drift likely due to isolation and small population size. We found a strong genetic signal for a 90 percent contraction in effective population size of fisher and estimated that this decline occurred over a thousand years ago. As a decline in abundance of this magnitude likely resulted in contraction of the geographic range, our analyses suggest that fisher populations in California became isolated from one another far prior to the European settlement of the state.
Microfoundations of Terrorism: Exit, Sincere Voice, and Self-Subversion in Terrorist Networks

Group pressure is a powerful tool at terrorist groups' disposal to uphold its network. The paper presents a behavioral model that explains how the radical leadership sustains group unity by pressuring likely dissidents into conformity. It explains that dissenters face three options. The first is exit, where a dissident leaves the organization to avoid group pressure. The second option is sincere voice or openly challenging the group's preferences. The first two options have prohibitive costs, making the third option, namely self-subversion the dominant response. Self-subversion is the suppression of a dissident's private opinions to conform to the demands of the leadership. One of the repercussions of self-subversion is distortion of collective decisions, leading to the radicalization of the group's members. The paper concludes with some policy prescriptions in the global struggle against international terrorism.
Making Gullah: A History of Sapelo Islanders, Race, and the American Imagination. By Melissa L. Cooper

Melissa L. Cooper’s Making Gullah challenges the oft-told narrative that Sapelo Island is a place where time stood still. Rather, she shows it as a community of survivors, living and evolving throu...
Tracing the Evolution of Student Voice in Educational Research

As educational research that embraces “student voice” has proliferated, the terms and practices associated with this work have multiplied to address the particular philosophical, methodological and ethical issues involved. This discussion summarises the key developments in the evolution of student voice in educational research from early efforts in the 1990s to elicit student perspectives regarding their learning in primary and secondary schools, through to more current approaches to working with students as partners in or as leaders of educational research projects in primary through tertiary educational contexts. The chapter touches upon definitions and contexts of “student voice”; the relationship among voice, rights and power; research methods that have evolved to integrate student voice and participation; the diversification of voices included in student voice research; and changes in (re)presentation of students in educational research.
Protocells and RNA Self-Replication

The general notion of an "RNA world" is that, in the early development of life on the Earth, genetic continuity was assured by the replication of RNA, and RNA molecules were the chief agents of catalytic function. Assuming that all of the components of RNA were available in some prebiotic locale, these components could have assembled into activated nucleotides that condensed to form RNA polymers, setting the stage for the chemical replication of polynucleotides through RNA-templated RNA polymerization. If a sufficient diversity of RNAs could be copied with reasonable rate and fidelity, then Darwinian evolution would begin with RNAs that facilitated their own reproduction enjoying a selective advantage. The concept of a "protocell" refers to a compartment where replication of the primitive genetic material took place and where primitive catalysts gave rise to products that accumulated locally for the benefit of the replicating cellular entity. Replication of both the protocell and its encapsulated genetic material would have enabled natural selection to operate based on the differential fitness of competing cellular entities, ultimately giving rise to modern cellular life.
Routine Septal Myectomy During Subaortic Stenosis Membrane Resection: Effect on Recurrence Rates

Recurrence of subaortic stenosis (SubAS) is up to ~ 19% following resection. Historically, treatment has consisted of membrane resection alone. This study investigated the effect of routine septal myectomy in addition to membrane resection. A single-center retrospective review was performed in all patients < 18 years of age undergoing membrane resection with septal myectomy for SubAS from 2003 to 2013. Demographic, perioperative, and follow-up data were collected. Freedom from reoperation and risk factors for reoperation were determined. 107 patients (median age 4.8 years) were included. There was one in-hospital death, five patients (5%) requiring pacemaker, and no iatrogenic ventricular septal defects. Follow-up was 80% complete and median follow-up was 4.9 years (range 0.5–12 years). Fourteen (16%) subjects required reoperation. Freedom from reoperation was 98% at 1 year, 86% at 5 years, and 69% at 10 years (Fig. 1). There was no difference in decrease of peak gradient between subjects who did and did not require reoperation (− 47 vs. − 40 mmHg; p = 0.59). In univariate analysis, chromosomal anomaly (hazard ratio [HR] 5.0, p = 0.02), smaller body surface area (HR 0.1, p = 0.03), and younger age at surgery (HR 0.7, p = 0.01) were significantly associated with reoperation. The routine use of myectomy with membrane excision did not result in a lower rate of reoperation or higher rates of complications compared to historical controls. Younger age, smaller size, and chromosomal anomaly were associated with increased risk for reoperation. Patients with these risk factors may benefit from more intensive long-term follow-up.
Surgical treatment of post-inflammatory hydrocephalus. Analysis of 101 cases.

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the outcomes of surgical treatment for post-inflammatory hydrocephalus in pediatric patients. The patient’s age, surgical technique and type of implants, revision rate (depending on the cause for revision and shunt type), and final outcome measured with Neurologic Outcome Scale for Infants and Children (NOSIC) scale were evaluated. We performed a retrospective analysis of 101 patients with post-inflammatory hydrocephalus, treated in Polish Mother’s Memorial Hospital Research Institute since 2005. Children with comorbidities (e.g., tumors or hemorrhages) were excluded from the study. The assessment included patient age, surgical technique (ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) or neuroendoscopy) and type of implant, revision rate (considering its cause), and final outcome measured in Neurologic Outcome Scale for Infants and Children (NOSIC) scale. VPS implantation was the most common surgical technique. It was performed in 66.33% (n = 67) of cases. Neuroendoscopic procedure was used in 33.66% of cases (n = 34). Revision rate of VPS was 52.23% (n = 35). Endoscopic third ventricle ventriculostomy (ETV) was efficient only in 5 cases (14.7%), whereas in 29 cases (85.3%), it was followed by VPS implantation. Revision rate in VPS implantation after ETV reached 55.17% (n = 16). In all age groups, VPS implantation was the most frequently used procedure. Revisions of the shunt systems occurred most frequently in the 1–3 (n = 21 41.18%) and < 1 (n = 12, 23.53%) age ranges. The type of valve that most often underwent dysfunction was flow-regulated type (n = 23, 62.16%). The type of valve that was the least frequently revised was differential pressure type (n = 11, 17.18%). In all age groups, mechanical dysfunction was the most frequent cause of shunt disability. Average NOSIC score ranged from 39 to 98 (average 80.58, standard deviation ± 13.34). NOSIC result relative to individual operational techniques was as follows: ETV + VPS—80.17 (n = 29, standard deviation ± 11.44), VPS—80.44 (n = 67, standard deviation ± 14.30), and ETV—80.80 (n = 5, standard deviation ± 11.62). There was no difference between the outcome of the NOSIC and the type of implanted valve or its dysfunction. In our analysis, post-inflammatory hydrocephalus accounts for 11.7% of all hydrocephalus types. Of post-inflammatory hydrocephalus, multiloculated type accounts for 14.9%. The most common type of surgery in these patients is implantation of the ventriculoperitoneal system. The most frequent revisions of the VPS system occur in the group of the younger children (< 3). The most common type of a dysfunction shunt is the differential pressure valve, and the rarest type the flow-regulated type. In the case of mechanical dysfunction, occlusion of the intraventricular catheter is the most common reason. ETV does not affect the frequency of VPS revisions. The average NOSIC score in children treated with hydrocephalus is below normal, and the best results are observed in the youngest children.
Environmental Justice in Unconventional Oil and Natural Gas Drilling and Production: A Critical Review and Research Agenda.

The drilling phase of oil and natural gas development is a growing area of environmental justice (EJ) research, particularly in the United States. Its emergence complements the longstanding EJ scho...
Data is a development issue

This paper uses a wide range of metrics to show that most developing and middle-income countries are not ready or able to provide an environment where their citizens’ personal data is protected and where public data is open and readily accessible. Not surprisingly, greater wealth is associated with better scores on all the metrics. Yet, many industrialized countries are also struggling to govern the many different types and uses of data. The paper argues that data governance will be essential to development, and that donor nations have a responsibility to work with developing countries to improve their data governance.[enter Abstract Body]
Is Fever a Red Flag for Bacterial Pneumonia in Children With Viral Bronchiolitis

We hypothesized that fever in children with viral bronchiolitis indicates the need for consideration of superimposed bacterial pneumonia. We conducted a retrospective study of 349 children aged 2 y...
A Cascaded Multi-modality Analysis in Mild Cognitive Impairment

Though reversing the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has so far not been possible, a more tractable goal may be the prevention or slowing of the disease when diagnosed in its earliest stage, such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Recent advances in deep modeling approaches trigger a new era for AD/MCI classification. However, it is still difficult to integrate multi-modal imaging data into a single deep model, to gain benefit from complementary datasets as much as possible. To address this challenge, we propose a cascaded deep model to capture both brain structural and functional characteristic for MCI classification. With diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data, a graph convolution network (GCN) is constructed based on brain structural connectome and it works with a one-layer recurrent neural network (RNN) which is responsible for inferring the temporal features from brain functional activities. We named this cascaded deep model as Graph Convolutional Recurrent Neural Network (GCRNN). Using Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI-3) dataset as a test-bed, our method can achieve 97.3% accuracy between normal controls (NC) and MCI patients.
Recent Progress in Conducting Polymers: Can We Expect Polymers with Conductivity Greater Than Copper and Strength Greater than Steel?

Although improvement of solid state properties through higher quality materials is a general goal of materials science, until recently there had been little optimism that this would be successful for the electrical conductivity of polymers. The reason for this is that, in order to achieve “metallic” behavior, doping to a relatively high level is required; the resulting charged impurities might then be expected to cause scattering and localization. Thus, the need for doping would negate any improvements toward macromolecular chain perfection.
Epigenetics as a key link between psychosocial stress and aging: concepts, evidence, mechanisms .

Psychosocial stress-especially when chronic, excessive, or occurring early in life-has been associated with accelerated aging and increased disease risk. With rapid aging of the world population, the need to elucidate the underlying mechanisms is pressing, now more so than ever. Among molecular mechanisms linking stress and aging, the present article reviews evidence on the role of epigenetics, biochemical processes that can be set into motion by stressors and in turn influence genomic function and complex phenotypes, including aging-related outcomes. The article further provides a conceptual mechanistic framework on how stress may drive epigenetic changes at susceptible genomic sites, thereby exerting systems-level effects on the aging epigenome while also regulating the expression of molecules implicated in aging-related processes. This emerging evidence, together with work examining related biological processes, begins to shed light on the epigenetic and, more broadly, molecular underpinnings of the long-hypothesized connection between stress and aging. .
Ca~(2+) is involved in muscarine acetylcholine-receptor-mediated acetylcholince singal transduction in guard cells of Vicia faba L.

Acetylcholine (ACh) is an important neurochemical transmitter in animals; it also exists in plants and plays a significant role in various kinds of physiological functions in plants. ACh has been known to induce the stomatal opening. By monitoring the changes of cytosolic Ca2+ with fluorescent probe Fluo-3 AM under the confocal microscopy, we found that exogenous ACh increased cytosolic Ca2+ concentration of guard cells ofVicia faba L. Muscarine, an agonist of muscarine acetylcholine receptor (mAChR), could do so as well. In contrast, atropine, the antagonist of mAChR abolished the ability of ACh to increase Ca2+ in guard cells. This mechanism is similar to mAChR in animals. When EGTA was used to chelate Ca2+ or ruthenium red to block Ca2+ released from vacuole respectively, the results showed that the increased cytosolic Ca2+ mainly come from intracellular Ca2+ store. The evidence supports that Ca2+ is involved in guard-cell response to ACh and that Ca2+ signal is coupled to mAChRs in ACh signal transduction in guard cells.
Non-surgical “Watch and Wait” Approach to Rectal Cancer

The standard of care for locally advanced rectal cancer is preoperative chemoradiation (CRT) followed by total mesorectal excision (TME). Patients who achieve a pathologic complete response (pCR) to CRT have favorable oncologic outcomes. Given the significant morbidity and long-term effects on quality of life associated with radical resection, the role of surgery in the subgroup of patients with a clinical complete response (cCR), of whom a significant proportion may have a pCR, is under debate. An emerging tailored approach to treatment is a “watch and wait” strategy in patients who have a cCR after CRT with the goal of organ preservation. However, concordance between a cCR and pCR is not highly reliable, and improved multimodality prediction algorithms are needed to better predict which patients have achieved a pCR and can therefore safely undergo a “watch and wait” approach. We review the current data on non-operative management of rectal cancer and ongoing controversies associated with this approach.
Axial variability of pattern formation in Rayleigh-Bénard convection: MRI velocimetry in a low aspect ratio cylinder

Abstract Natural convection is a fundamental hydrodynamic instability and a template process for the study of pattern formation. It is also an important mode of energy transport in natural geophysical and environmental systems, as well as technological applications. In solar heating devices, pasteurization processes, industrial mixing, and pebble-bed nuclear reactors, low aspect ratio systems of greater depth than width are widely used for their favorable convection properties. Here, magnetic resonance imaging was used to quantify the axial spatial variation of flow patterns in a narrow cylinder. Fluid velocity maps were acquired in multiple transverse and longitudinal planes. It is shown that the flow patterns vary significantly as a function of the height above the heated bottom boundary. The large scale circulation varies among predicted azimuthal mode patterns. Azimuthal 180o reorientation of the upward and downward flow cells was observed over short axial distances. The complex circulation patterns observed suggest acquisition of velocity data in only one plane could lead to mischaracterization of flow patterns in low aspect ratios systems, an aspect of the current literature which is lacking quantification. A preliminary computational fluid dynamics model in STAR-CCM+, corroborated by the experimental results, provided velocity and temperature data for the full fluid column height. Together these results indicate the need for further investigation into circulation characteristics in long narrow cylinders. Enhanced understanding of these rapid axial variations in flow pattern will allow better modeling of heat and mass transport in low aspect ratio natural convection flows.
PPARγ/PGC1α signaling as a potential therapeutic target for mitochondrial biogenesis in neurodegenerative disorders

Neurodegenerative diseases represent some of the most devastating neurological disorders, characterized by progressive loss of the structure and function of neurons. Current therapy for neurodegenerative disorders is limited to symptomatic treatment rather than disease modifying interventions, emphasizing the desperate need for improved approaches. Abundant evidence indicates that impaired mitochondrial function plays a crucial role in pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative diseases and so biochemical factors in mitochondria are considered promising targets for pharmacological-based therapies. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors-γ (PPARγ) are ligand-inducible transcription factors involved in regulating various genes including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma co-activator-1 alpha (PGC1α). This review summarizes the evidence supporting the ability of PPARγ-PGC1α to coordinately up-regulate the expression of genes required for mitochondrial biogenesis in neurons and provide directions for future work to explore the potential benefit of targeting mitochondrial biogenesis in neurodegenerative disorders. We have highlighted key roles of NRF2, uncoupling protein-2 (UCP2), and paraoxonase-2 (PON2) signaling in mediating PGC1α-induced mitochondrial biogenesis. In addition, the status of PPARγ modulators being used in clinical trials for Parkinson's disease (PD), Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Huntington's disease (HD) has been compiled. The overall purpose of this review is to update and critique our understanding of the role of PPARγ-PGC1α-NRF2 in the induction of mitochondrial biogenesis together with suggestions for strategies to target PPARγ-PGC1α-NRF2 signaling in order to combat mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative disorders.
BitJabber: The World’s Fastest Electromagnetic Covert Channel

An air-gapped computer is physically isolated from unsecured networks to guarantee effective protection against data exfiltration. Due to air gaps, unauthorized data transfer seems impossible over legitimate communication channels, but in reality many so-called physical covert channels can be constructed to allow data exfiltration across the air gaps. Most of such covert channels are very slow and often require certain strict conditions to work (e.g., no physical obstacles between the sender and the receiver). In this paper, we introduce a new physical covert channel named BitJabber that is extremely fast and strong enough to even penetrate concrete walls. We show that this covert channel can be easily created by an unprivileged sender running on a victim’s computer. Specifically, the sender constructs the channel by using only memory accesses to modulate the electromagnetic (EM) signals generated by the DRAM clock. While possessing a very high bandwidth (up to 300,000 bps), this new covert channel is also very reliable (less than 1% error rate). More importantly, this covert channel can enable data exfiltration from an air-gapped computer enclosed in a room with thick concrete walls up to 15 cm.
Default in Today's Advanced Economies: Unnecessary, Undesirable, and Unlikely

This note summarizes the main arguments put forward by some market commentators who argue that default is inevitable, and presents a rebuttal for each argument in turn. Their main arguments focus on the size of the adjustment and continued market concerns reflected in government bond spreads. The essence of our reasoning is that the challenge stems mainly from the advanced economies’ large primary deficits. Thus, by lowering the interest bill while triggering the need to move to primary balance or a small primary surplus, default would not significantly reduce the need for major fiscal adjustment. In contrast, the emerging economies that defaulted in recent decades did so primarily as a result of high debt servicing costs, often in the context of major external shocks. We conclude that default would be ineffective and undesirable in today’s advanced economies.
Current Pain Research: The Genetics of Pain

Summary Current research has demonstrated that individual variation in pain of neural origins can be explained, in part, by the heritability of pain sensitivity and response to analgesics. Recent studies also have demonstrated gender differences in pain sensitivity and response to analgesics, which may explain the incidence and intensity of TMD signs and symptoms in women compared to men. It appears that the genetics of pain and pain sensitivity are expressed, in part, by alterations in the endogenous opioid pain modulatory system. Future clinicians and researchers will likely be able to apply genetic investigations and gene therapies to prevent, diagnose, and treat patients with acute and chronic orofacial pain conditions. The beneficiary of such high technique methods will be the patients and their families because genotype analyses can be used to provide individualized health care rather than care through traditionally based patient population means.
Modélisation de réseaux IoT hétérogènes à des fins d’évaluation de sécurité

L’Internet des objets evolue rapidement, avec toujours plus de protocoles et d’objets deployes, a grande echelle ou dans des environnements cloisonnes. Cependant, avec cette emergence de protocoles, viennent de nouvelles problematiques de securite. En effet, les protocoles IoT sont heterogenes, specifiques a des besoins particuliers et utilises dans des domaines d’applications divers, les rendant complexes a securiser. Plusieurs solutions existent pour evaluer et ameliorer la securite des systemes complexes, notamment le test d’intrusion. Dans cette these, nous decrivons une methodologie de modelisation de reseaux IoT heterogenes, utilisee comme support d’analyse dans la realisation de tests d’intrusion. Nous centrons cette methodologie sur des protocoles IoT a courte portee, tels que Zigbee, BLE et OS4I. Cependant, son approche modulaire lui permet d’etre fonctionnelle pour le plus grand nombre de protocoles IoT, sans devoir etre modifiee pour l’ajout ou l’evolution d’un protocole. Pour cela, nous presentons d’abord une approche generique, reposant sur quatre criteres, qui permet de decrire et comparer, selon un modele homogene, plusieurs protocoles IoT. Nous exposons, ensuite, une classification des attaques concernant les protocoles IoT, en trois parties, afin de comprendre, preciser la cible de l’attaque et son impact. Ces modeles abstraits et generiques nous permettent ainsi l’elaboration d’une structure generique, que nous appelons paquet generique. C’est sur ce dernier que repose notre processus de modelisation, compose de quatre graphes. Nous proposons une construction iterative de ces graphes, allant du graphe representant les communications point a point du reseau, jusqu’a celui mettant en evidence les applications detectees dans le reseau. La generation de chaque graphe necessite l’utilisation de fonctions, prenant en entree plusieurs patterns et le graphe precedent. Nous proposons enfin une plateforme d’experimentations, composee de plusieurs objets, melangeant des dispositifs proprietaires et d’autres configurables. Elle permet notamment l’evaluation de notre methodologie de modelisation dans des conditions experimentales differentes. Dans le cas ideal, nous constatons que la modelisation detecte toutes les applications deployees dans le reseau. Le resultat est egalement pertinent lorsque nous degradons notre observation par l’utilisation du chiffrement dans les communications. En effet, nous constatons alors que toutes les applications sont detectees, malgre un nombre plus important de faux positifs. L’ensemble des fonctions et patterns definis dans notre methodologie de modelisation est implemente dans IoTMap, un framework, que nous avons rendu open source.
Arthroscopic Latarjet Procedure Utilizing a Latarjet With Cortical Button Fixation Performed in the Lateral Position

Abstract Shoulder instability is a commonly seen pathology. The Latarjet procedure was first described in 1954 to address recurrent instability or patients with glenoid bone loss. Since its introduction, the procedure has been widely adopted and modified, including being performed all-arthroscopically. Various arthroscopic techniques have been described, but we present a technique performed in the lateral decubitus position that takes advantage of a pneumatic arm holder. After arthroscopic diagnosis, multiple accessory portals are established and used to accomplish the technique. Next, the coracoid is prepared and cut using a cannulated drill guide, followed by arthroscopic glenoid preparation using a cannulated drill system to ensure appropriate position of the coracoid. The subscapularis split is performed arthroscopically, and finally the coracoid is fixed with use of the EndoButton device.
'Michael Field': Poetry, Aestheticism and the Fin de Siècle

Acknowledgements Introduction: 'something fierce, subtle, strange, singular' 1. The diaries and dramas: life-writing and the temporal patterns of aestheticism 2. Long Ago: the male pseudonym, fin-de-siecle sexualities and Sappho's historical leap 3. Sight and Song: Botticelli and ekphrastic paradox 4. Underneath The Bough: dual authorship and lyric song 5. Wild Honey from Various Thyme: apian aestheticism and the lyric book collection 6. The Catholic poetry: the spiritual and historical 'turn' of the century Conclusion: modernism and the fin de siecle Notes Bibliography of material by Katharine Bradley and Edith Cooper General bibliography Index.
Nuclear continuum charge exchange of hadrons at xB>1

Abstract The low energy loss regions of a large array of measured doubly differential cross sections for inclusive continuum single charge exchange (SCX) for ( p , n x ) and ( π , π 0 x ) are analyzed in the Bjorken scaling system to seek similarities in their corresponding responses. Spectra are considered for proton beam energies from 495 to 1600 MeV, across a very wide range of target nuclei. For many cases, use of a simple Glauber model and a very simple mechanism are shown to unite the ( p , n x ) responses of these nuclei for Bjorken scaling variables x B larger than one, with energy losses less than would be obtained for quasifree scattering, and many of the responses are seen to be the same for all energies and many angles. The pion SCX spectra at two energies are found to match those induced by protons. Comparisons are made to similar continuum spectra without charge exchange (NCX).
Applying the science of learning to medical education

OBJECTIVE The goal of this paper is to examine how to apply the science of learning to medical education. SCIENCE OF LEARNING The science of learning is the scientific study of how people learn. Multimedia learning - learning from words and pictures - is particularly relevant to medical education. The cognitive theory of multimedia learning is an information-processing explanation of how people learn from words and pictures. It is based on the idea that people have separate channels for processing words and pictures, that the capacity to process information in working memory is limited, and that meaningful learning requires appropriate cognitive processing during learning. SCIENCE OF INSTRUCTION The science of instruction is the scientific study of how to help people learn. Three important instructional goals are: to reduce extraneous processing (cognitive processing that does not serve an instructional objective) during learning; to manage essential processing (cognitive processing aimed at representing the essential material in working memory) during learning, and to foster generative processing (cognitive processing aimed at making sense of the material) during learning. Nine evidence-based principles for accomplishing these goals are presented. CONCLUSIONS Applying the science of learning to medical education can be a fruitful venture that improves medical instruction and cognitive theory.
The Case of Ghana: A Third-World Development Analysis

The objective of this paper is to present a prototype developmental policy to the government of Ghana. Since the present developmental state of Ghana derives not only from the country's post-colonial experiences but the colonial as well, it is prudent for the purposes of clarity and coherence of facts to give an overview of the country's colonial and post-colonial experience.