cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 408: Macrophage-mediated Low Density Lipoprotein Modification Reduces Foam Cell Formation

Macrophage metabolism of LDL-derived cholesterol is thought to be a key process regulating the composition and progression of atherosclerotic lesions, including the generation of cholesterol-loaded macrophage foam cells and the lipid-rich necrotic core. Many mechanisms contribute to macrophage endocytosis of LDL, and we recently reported that selective cholesteryl ester (CE) uptake contributes to LDL-induced macrophage cholesterol accumulation. Selective uptake is expected to result in the net removal of cholesteryl ester from LDL; however, the effect of this and other LDL modifications that may occur during incubation with macrophages is not understood. In the current investigation, we pre-incubated LDL for 1-2 days with macrophages in order to promote macrophage-mediated LDL modification. Surprisingly, when macrophage-conditioned LDL was transferred to fresh macrophages, much less cholesterol accumulation resulted compared to cells incubated with unconditioned LDL, as indicated by cholesterol quantification and by neutral lipid staining with Oil Red-O. This difference was not accounted for by changes in uptake of the modified 125I-LDLs, but instead was associated with a large decrease in selective [3H]CE uptake. In contrast, uptake of the non-hydrolyzable CE analog [3H]cholesteryl ether was not reduced, suggesting that reduced uptake in macrophage-conditioned LDL may be due to changes in the hydrolysis of LDL-derived CE or its subsequent metabolism. Cell-mediated LDL oxidation was considered as a possible mechanism for changes in selective CE uptake. However, agarose gel electrophoretic mobility of LDL and analysis of LDL cholesteryl esters indicated that reduced selective uptake and foam cell formation did not depend on extensive oxidative modifications of LDL. These results indicate the importance of selective CE and suggest that macrophage-mediated LDL modification may reduce foam cell formation in some circumstances.
Neutrophil elastase increases airway ceramide levels via upregulation of serine palmitoyltransferase

Altered sphingolipid metabolism is associated with increased inflammation; however, the impact of inflammatory mediators, including neutrophil elastase (NE), on airway sphingolipid homeostasis rema...
Holocaust Survival Stories: Change Over Time

Those Holocaust survivors who have found it impossible to discuss their experiences often face a bleak old age (Krystal, 1990). Some of those who have reached an audience, however, have been changed by the experience of writing. This paper analyzes the differences between those writers whose stories remain static, like Jerzy Kosinski, and others like Elie Wiesel, Gerda Weissmann Klein, and Aharon Appelfeld, whose accounts have become more complex as they aged.
Formal Inversion of the Self-Consistent Problem for Triaxial Galaxies

Triaxial separable potentials V(λ,μ,v) = f λ + f μ + f v ≥ 0, with $${f_\lambda } = \frac{{f\left( \lambda \right)}}{{\left( {\lambda - \mu } \right)\left( {\lambda - v} \right)}},{f_\mu }\frac{{f\left( \mu \right)}}{{\left( {\mu - v} \right)\left( {\mu - \lambda } \right)}},{f_v} = \frac{{f\left( v \right)}}{{\left( {v - \lambda } \right)\left( {v - \mu } \right)}},$$ (1) admit three constants of the motion (see de Zeeuw 1985 for more details), for which we can take the following set: $$E = \sum\limits_{cyc} {\left( {f\lambda - \frac{1}{2}v_\lambda ^2} \right)} ,J = \sum\limits_{cyc} {\left( {\mu + v} \right)\left( {{f_\lambda } - \frac{1}{2}v_\lambda ^2} \right)} ,K = \sum\limits_{cyc} {\mu v\left( {{f_\lambda } - \frac{1}{2}v_\lambda ^2} \right)} .$$ (2) Here v λ , v μ and v v are the velocity components in the (λ,μ,v) coordinate system, and we recognize in E the binding energy per unit mass.
Error Rate in Multimodal Mobility Systems

In this paper we present the results of a trial undertaken with a platform that supports multimodal applications for 3G cellular phones. A novel aspect of our work is multimodal interaction capable of supporting natural language speech and text data entry. The focus of our research is to understand user behavior in response to errors encountered whilst interacting with mobile applications that furnish a multimodal user interface. We observed an increase in the user's propensity to alternate between UI modes when encountering errors, as well as increased termination rates even though an alternative mode was available to complete tasks. Given the multiplicity of user interfaces, mutlimodal solutions provide a novel way to improve user response to errors. By analyzing how users respond to errors in multimodal applications we wish to develop a capability for error self-recovery in order to reduce the termination rate upon error. This paper presents the components of our platform and key results of our trial.
Impact of patient obesity on radiation doses received by scrub technologists during coronary angiography.

BACKGROUND The impact of patient obesity on scrub technologist radiation dose during coronary angiography has not been adequately studied. METHODS Real-time radiation exposure data were prospectively collected during consecutive coronary angiography cases. Patient radiation dose was estimated by dose area product (DAP). Technologist radiation dose was recorded by a dosimeter as the personal dose equivalent (Hp (10)). Patients were categorized according to their body mass index (BMI): <25.0, lean; 25.0-29.9, overweight; ≥30.0, obese. The study had two phases: in Phase I (N = 351) standard radiation protection measures were used; and in Phase II (N = 268) standard radiation protection measures were combined with an accessory lead shield placed between the technologist and patient. RESULTS In 619 consecutive coronary angiography procedures, significant increases in patient and technologist radiation doses were observed across increasing patient BMI categories (p < 0.001 for both). Compared to lean patients, patient obesity was associated with a 1.7-fold increase in DAP (73.0 [52.7, 127.5] mGy × cm2 vs 43.6 [25.1, 65.7] mGy × cm2, p < 0.001) and a 1.8-fold increase in technologist radiation dose (1.1 [0.3, 2.7] μSv vs 0.6 [0.1, 1.6] μSv, p < 0.001). Compared to Phase I, use of an accessory lead shield in Phase II was associated with a 62.5% reduction in technologist radiation dose when used in obese patients (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS During coronary angiography procedures, patient obesity was associated with a significant increase in scrub technologist radiation dose. This increase in technologist radiation dose in obese patients may be mitigated by use of an accessory lead shield.
Vascular compliance in women with polycystic ovary syndrome treated with spironolactone.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age in the United States and has been associated with several diseases including cardiovascular disease, obesity, and glucose intolerance. In this study, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, pulse pressure (vascular compliance), large artery elasticity, systemic vascular resistance (SVR), total vascular impedance (TVI), and body mass index (BMI) were measured before and after treatment with spironolactone in 10 women with PCOS. Systolic BP, diastolic BP, and BMI were similar prior to treatment and after treatment. Pulse pressure decreased slightly post-treatment compared to pretreatment but not to significance (P = 0.07). The results show that after treatment with spironolactone, there was a statistically significant increase in large artery elasticity (P = 0.047), while there was a statistically significant decrease in SVR and TVI (P = 0.0005 and P = 0.03). This study indicates that treatment with spironolactone improves large artery elasticity and reduces systemic vascular resistance without any change in small artery elasticity.
Taxonomy and Identification of Isoetes (Isoetaceae) in Texas Based on Megaspore Features

Scanning electron microscopy examination of Texas specimens of Isoetes revealed differences in megaspore ornamentation patterns of the proximal and distal surfaces that support the recognition of four species of the genus in Texas. These include I. butleri and I. melanopoda, both of widespread occurrence in the central United States, I. lithophila, a central Texas endemic, and I. piedmontana, which we report as new to the state. A key to species based upon megaspore characteristics, distributions, a limited list of exsiccate, and descriptions and micrographs of megaspores are included.
Abstract P148: Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptors are Localized to Primary Endothelial Cilia and Involved in Nitric Oxide Signaling

Primary cilia are considered sensory hubs housing a variety of mechanosensory proteins, chemosensory receptors, and ion channels to translate extracellular stimuli into an intracellular biochemical...
Why Facilitate Ticket Exchanges and Other Reselling Markets: Pricing Capacity and Recourse Strategies

Perishable capacity is often sold before it is used (e.g., tickets sold weeks before a sporting event) which creates the opportunity to include in the pricing mechanism a recourse strategy, i.e., allowing the firm or buyer to change ownership after an initial transaction. For example, a buyer could be allowed to resell the purchased unit to another buyer (e.g., a ticket exchange), or the firm could offer the option of a partial refund if the buyer prefers to relinquish it, or the firm could overbook, i.e., sell some of its capacity twice with some compensation to those denied service. Recourse mechanisms are controversial. For example, why should a firm allow its customers to profit from reselling the firm's good, especially if the “customer” is merely a speculator with no actual value for consuming it? We find that allowing such recourse can substantially increase the firm's profit because it allows the firm to ensure more of its capacity is sold and effectively enables the firm to sell that capacity at multiple prices. Among the recourse strategies, reselling is generally best. In fact, reselling is so effective that speculators play no role, and should not be a concern to the firm. We conclude that a firm selling capacity in advance should generally adopt some recourse strategy, and when feasible, reselling is particularly attractive.
Ex vivo and in vivo stable isotope labelling of central carbon metabolism and related pathways with analysis by LC-MS/MS

Targeted tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) has been extremely useful for profiling small molecules extracted from biological sources, such as cells, bodily fluids and tissues. Here, we present a protocol for analysing incorporation of the non-radioactive stable isotopes carbon-13 (13C) and nitrogen-15 (15N) into polar metabolites in central carbon metabolism and related pathways. Our platform utilizes selected reaction monitoring (SRM) with polarity switching and amide hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) to capture transitions for carbon and nitrogen incorporation into selected metabolites using a hybrid triple quadrupole (QQQ) mass spectrometer. This protocol represents an extension of a previously published protocol for targeted metabolomics of unlabeled species and has been used extensively in tracing the metabolism of nutrients such as 13C-labeled glucose, 13C-glutamine and 15N-glutamine in a variety of biological settings (e.g., cell culture experiments and in vivo mouse labelling via i.p. injection). SRM signals are integrated to produce an array of peak areas for each labelling form that serve as the output for further analysis. The processed data are then used to obtain the degree and distribution of labelling of the targeted molecules (termed fluxomics). Each method can be customized on the basis of known unlabeled Q1/Q3 SRM transitions and adjusted to account for the corresponding 13C or 15N incorporation. The entire procedure takes ~6-7 h for a single sample from experimental labelling and metabolite extraction to peak integration.
Distinct characteristics of genes associated with phenome-wide variation in maize (Zea mays)

ABSTRACT Naturally occurring functionally variable alleles in specific genes within a population allows the identification of which genes are involved in the determination of which phenotypes. The omnigenetic model proposes that essentially all genes which are expressed in relevant contexts likely play some role in determining phenotypic outcomes. Here, we develop an approach to identify genes where natural functional variation plays a role in shaping many phenotypic traits simultaneously. We demonstrate that this approach identifies a distinct set of genes relative to conventional genome wide association using data for 260 traits scored a maize diversity panel, and the genes identified using this approach are more likely to be independently validated than genes identified by convetional genome wide association. Genes identified by the new approach share a number of features with a gold standard set of genes characterized through forward genetics which separate them from both genes identified by conventional genome wide association and the overall population of annotated gene models. These features include evidence of significantly stronger purifying selection, positional conservation across the genomes of related species, greater length, and a scarcity of presence absence variation for these loci in natural populations. Genes identified by phenome-wide analyses also showed much stronger signals of GO enrichment and purification than genes identified by conventional genome wide association. Overall these findings are consistent with large subset of annotated gene models – despite support from transcriptional and homology evidence – being unlikely to play any role in determining organismal phenotypes.
The financial benefits of persistently high forward citations

We explored the balance between societal benefits that negatively affect firms’ financial performance by eroding their competitive advantage and positive effects that enhanced their reputations as technological leaders to study the effects of forward citations upon firms’ financial performance. Results suggest that the potentially negative effects of receiving forward citations that diffused internally-developed knowledge through users’ subsequent inventions is sometimes offset by potential increases in the reputational effects enjoyed by competitors that persistently produce blockbuster patents (as well as by inventions that prove to be highly basic or “gateway” in their impact upon subsequent technology streams). This positive effect is not universal for all firms as the number of highly cited patents that benefit firms’ abilities to realize higher returns on sales is limited by the speed with which diffusion of knowledge embedded within patented inventions occurs.
Robotically-Assisted Sonic Therapy for Renal Ablation in a Live Porcine Model: Initial Preclinical Results.

Abstract Purpose To demonstrate the feasibility of Robotically Assisted Sonic Therapy (RAST)—a noninvasive and nonthermal focused ultrasound therapy based on histotripsy—for renal ablation in a live porcine model. Materials and Methods RAST ablations (n = 11) were performed in 7 female swine: 3 evaluated at 1 week (acute) and 4 evaluated at 4 weeks (chronic). Treatment groups were acute bilateral (3 swine, 6 ablations with immediate computed tomography [CT] and sacrifice); chronic single kidney (3 swine, 3 ablations; CT at day 0, week 1, and week 4 after treatment, followed by sacrifice); and chronic bilateral (1 swine, 2 ablations). Treatments were performed using a prototype system (VortxRx; HistoSonics, Inc) and targeted a 2.5-cm-diameter sphere in the lower pole of each kidney, intentionally including the central collecting system. Results Mean treatment time was 26.4 minutes. Ablations had a mean diameter of 2.4 ± 0.3 cm, volume of 8.5 ± 2.4 cm3, and sphericity index of 1.00. Median ablation volume decreased by 96.1% over 4 weeks. Histology demonstrated complete lysis with residual blood products inside the ablation zone. Temporary collecting system obstruction by thrombus was observed in 4/11 kidneys (2 acute and 2 chronic) and resolved by 1 week. There were no urinary leaks, main vessel thromboses, or adjacent organ injuries on imaging or necropsy. Conclusions In this normal porcine model, renal RAST demonstrated complete histologic destruction of the target renal tissue while sparing the urothelium.
A pilot safety study of gemcitabine and cisplatin (GC) with atezolizumab (A) as first-line therapy in patients (pts) with metastatic urothelial cancer (mUC).

4559Background: GC has a high overall response rate (ORR) but a high relapse rate in pts with untreated mUC. Inhibition of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) with A can lead to long-term survival, b...
Primary human chondrocytes respond to compression with plasma membrane receptors and by microtubule activation: a phosphoproteomic study

Abstract Chondrocytes are responsible for maintaining the cartilage that helps joints like the knee and hip bear load and move smoothly. These cells typically respond to physiological compression with pathways consistent with matrix synthesis, and chondrocyte mechanotransduction is essential for tissue and joint homeostasis. In osteoarthritis (OA), chondrocyte mechanotransduction appears to be dysregulated, yet many pathways and mechanisms of osteoarthritic chondrocyte mechanotransduction remain poorly understood. The objective of this study is to document the phosphoproteomic responses of primary osteoarthritic chondrocytes to physiological sinusoidal compression. Here we show that OA chondrocytes respond to physiological compression by first activating proteins consistent with cytoskeletal remodeling and decreased transcription, and then later activating proteins for transcription. These results show that several microtubule-related proteins respond to compression, as well as proteins related to calcium signaling, which has previously been extensively shown in chondrocytes. Our results demonstrate that compression is a relevant physiological stimulus for osteoarthritic chondrocytes. We anticipate these data to be a starting point for more sophisticated analysis of both normal and osteoarthritic chondrocyte mechanotransduction. For example, finding differences in compression-induced phosphoproteins between normal and OA cells may lead to druggable targets to restore homeostasis to diseased joints.
Social Justice Leadership in Urban Schools: What do Black and Hispanic Principals Do to Promote Social Justice?

Despite the constant barrage of federal and state initiatives and reforms, many challenges to needy schools still remain. Students in the United States who are from low-income families, who are of color, and for whom English is not their first language, continue to be under-represented, undereducated, and underperform. Utilizing a qualitative research methodology, this study examined how and to what extent black and Hispanic principals working in urban schools were exercising social justice leadership in their schools, sought a better understanding of how they had become social justice leaders, and explored what they had done to promote social justice.Malgre le deluge incessant d’initiatives et de reformes de la part du gouvernement federal et des etats, les ecoles defavorisees continuent a faire face a de nombreux defis. Aux Etats-Unis, les eleves de familles a faible revenu, qui sont de couleur et pour qui l’anglais n’est pas la langue maternelle continuent a etre sous-representes, sous-scolarises et moins performants. Reposant sur une methodologie de recherche qualitative, cette etude s’est penchee sur les directeurs noirs et hispaniques d’ecoles en milieu urbain pour etablir comment, et dans quelle mesure, ils exercaient un leadeurship en justice sociale dans leurs ecoles; pour mieux comprendre comment ils etaient devenus des leadeurs en justice sociale; et pour etudier ce qu’ils avaient fait pour promouvoir la justice sociale.Mots cles : leadeurship en justice sociale; directeurs d’ecole noirs et hispaniques; equite et egalite; modelisation; education en milieu urbain
Stereotactic body radiation therapy is associated with improved overall survival compared to chemoradiation or radioembolization in the treatment of unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Abstract Background Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a highly lethal malignancy. For patients with locally advanced, unresectable disease, numerous liver-directed therapy options exist, including chemoradiation (CRT), stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), and transarterial radioembolization (TARE). There is no randomized data to inform clinicians regarding the optimal treatment modality. Method We used the National Cancer Database (NCDB) to study the overall survival (OS) of patients with ICC treated with CRT, SBRT, and TARE. We used Cox proportional hazards modeling and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) to account for confounding variables. Results We identified 170 patients with unresected ICC treated with SBRT (n = 37), CRT (n = 61), or TARE (n = 72). SBRT was associated with higher OS compared to CRT (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.37; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.20–0.68; p = 0.001) and TARE (HR = 0.40; 95% CI 0.22–0.74; p = 0.003). On multivariable analysis, SBRT remained associated with higher OS compared to CRT (HR = 0.44; 95% CI 0.21–0.91; p = 0.028) and TARE (HR = 0.42; 95% CI 0.21–0.84; p = 0.014). After IPTW (Bonferroni-adjusted significance threshold, α = 0.017), SBRT again had a statistically significant association with higher OS compared to CRT (HR = 0.22; 95% CI 0.11–0.44; p Conclusions We found SBRT is associated with higher OS when compared to CRT or TARE for the treatment of unresectable ICC. Due to the retrospective nature of the study and potential selection bias, these findings should be evaluated prospectively.
Highly Reliable Piezoelectric Process Technology in Volume Foundry for Emerging Mems Applications

This work presents the piezoelectric process technology developed in a high volume foundry for emerging MEMS applications. Innovative reliability enhancement techniques for piezoelectric devices are demonstrated to significantly boost (1) dielectric breakdown voltage from 30V to 110V, (2) time-dependent-dielectric-breakdown lifetime by 100X, (3) temperature-humidity-bias stress robustness (0% failure achieved), and (4) PZT imprint and fatigue controllability (99% recovery from imprint achieved) to fulfill stringent reliability and piezoelectric performance stability criteria for emerging MEMS applications in Internet of Things (IoT) era.
On the Emergence of Spacetime Dimensions from Kolmogorov Entropy

This short pedagogical report is based on a couple of premises. First, it was recently shown that the long run of non-equilibrium Renormalization Group flows is prone to end up on strange attractors. As a result, multifractals are likely to provide the proper framework for the characterization of effective field theories. Secondly, it is known that multifractal analysis uses the Kolmogorov entropy (K-entropy) to quantify the degree of disorder in chaotic systems and turbulent flows. Building on these premises, the report details the remarkable connection between K-entropy, multifractal sets and spacetime dimensions. It also supports the proposal that near and above the Fermi scale, spacetime is defined by continuous and arbitrarily small deviations from four-dimensions.
Profiling Instructor Activities Using Smartwatch Sensors in a Classroom

During a classroom session, an instructor performs several activities, such as writing on the board, speaking to the students, gestures to explain a concept. A record of the time spent in each of these activities could be valuable information for the instructors to virtually observe their own style of instruction. It can help in identifying activities that engage the students more, thereby enhancing teaching effectiveness and efficiency. In this work, we present a preliminary study on profiling multiple activities of an instructor in the classroom using smartwatch sensor data. The proposed approach uses data from available sensors in the smartwatch and builds a machine learning model to predict the activities of an instructor. We use a benchmark dataset that was collected in the wild to test out the feasibility of classifying the activities. Different machine learning models are used and the results are compared using multiple metrics to show the efficacy of predictive modeling in automatic classroom observation of instructors.
Chapter 7 – Relativistic Photography

Chapter 7, relativistic photography using a pinhole camera, is unique to this book. It is the arena in which the power of Lorentz transformation and the limitation, even the incorrectness, of the use of the concepts of time dilation and length contraction are illustrated. Conditions under which length contraction can be photographed are investigated, and the reason why ordinary photography of relativistically moving objects does not reveal this length contraction is elaborated. Using Lorentz transformation of the events of emission of light beams at the source and their reception at the pinhole, the photograph of a rod is studied and it is shown that, depending on its orientation, its image can be a line or a curve. This result is then used to describe the image of a cube. One of the outstanding results of this chapter is the rigorous proof—obtained in multiple ways—that the photograph of a relativistically moving sphere in a pinhole camera is an ellipse elongated along the direction of motion, and that the image of such a sphere is a circle if and only if it moves directly toward or away from the camera.
Survey on smoking/smoking cessation status and related factors of smoking cessation between urban and rural adult smokers in Wenzhou

Objective To study the behaviors of smoking/smoking cessation and the factors related to smoking cessation in adult smokers of Wenzhou. Methods Stratified multi-stage probability proportionate to size sampling (PPS) method and simply random sampling were carried out step by step to select subjects; Lucheng, Ouhai, Longwan, Rui'an, Yueqing, Yongjia were selected from the 11 counties of Wenzhou in the first step, then 1 or 2 streets were selected by PPS within the chosen district or county, after that, 2 communities were selected from every street with PPS, and 300 families were chosen with simply random sampling method and registered as well, then, by the random sampling method, 40 adult smokers were chosen among the registered ones. General information, smoking status, smoking cessation and its associated factors of the 40 smokers were collected by face to face interviews with a questionnaire between October and December of 2014. At the end, the rates and constituent ratios were compared by χ2 test, and the Logistic regression was used to explore the influential factors of smoking cessation among the smokers. Results Present smoking rate among Wenzhou male residents aged 18 years or over was 22.3% (3 310/14 817), in males it was 43.0% (3 252/7 556), (urban male 42.0%, rural male 43.9%), and in female it was 0.8% (58/7 261) (urban female 1.0%, rural female 0.7%). The average age of their first time smoking among rural smokers was earlier than the urban ones'(19.65±4.30 vs. 21.87±7.30, P<0.01), with 81.4% (522/641) of the smokers smoked every day and started their daily smoking patterns since the average age of (25.32±15.06), besides these, 46.2% (295/641) of them smoked more than 20 cigarettes per day. Among the smokers investigated, the total smoking-quitting rate was 37.8% (242/641), with 41.3% (100/242) of smokers trying to quit smoking more than once in the last 12 months. The results of multi-variate logistic regression demonstrated that getting ill in the past year (OR=2.608, 95% CI: 1.217 -3.810), friends quitted smoking successfully (OR=1.490, 95%CI: 1.124 -1.750), concerning about their health (OR=1.616, 95%CI: 1.127 - 2.319) were associated with urban smokers' intention to quit smoking; people being in good health would not take quitting smoking into account (OR=0.761, 95% CI=0.582 -0.994). As to rural smokers, except for getting ill in the past year (OR=2.997, 95%CI: 1.651 -5.435), and shortage of money was another important reason that could promote them to quit smoking (OR=1.519, 95% CI: 1.076 -2.142). Conclusion Knowledge of smoking harmfulness among smokers was still insufficient, and the smokers' intention to quit smoking was associated with individual and environmental factors. To promote smokers to quit, smoking cessation service providing and education for tobacco control should be strengthened. Key words: Smoking; Smoking cessation; Behavior
TGR5 Signaling in Hepatic Metabolic Health

TGR5 is a G protein-coupled bile acid receptor that is increasingly recognized as a key regulator of glucose homeostasis. While the role of TGR5 signaling in immune cells, adipocytes and enteroendocrine L cells in metabolic regulation has been well described and extensively reviewed, the impact of TGR5-mediated effects on hepatic physiology and pathophysiology in metabolic regulation has received less attention. Recent studies suggest that TGR5 signaling contributes to improvements in hepatic insulin signaling and decreased hepatic inflammation, as well as metabolically beneficial improvements in bile acid profile. Additionally, TGR5 signaling has been associated with reduced hepatic steatosis and liver fibrosis, and improved liver function. Despite the beneficial effects of TGR5 signaling on metabolic health, TGR5-mediated gallstone formation and gallbladder filling complicate therapeutic targeting of TGR5 signaling. To this end, there is a growing need to identify cell type-specific effects of hepatic TGR5 signaling to begin to identify and target the downstream effectors of TGR5 signaling. Herein, we describe and integrate recent advances in our understanding of the impact of TGR5 signaling on liver physiology and how its effects on the liver integrate more broadly with whole body glucose regulation.
Brief Report: Accuracy of FIB-4 for Cirrhosis in People Living With HIV and Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Author(s): Torgersen, Jessie; Kallan, Michael J; Carbonari, Dena M; Park, Lesley S; Mehta, Rajni L; D'Addeo, Kathryn; Tate, Janet P; Lim, Joseph K; Goetz, Matthew Bidwell; Rodriguez-Barradas, Maria C; Brau, Norbert; Brown, Sheldon T; Taddei, Tamar H; Justice, Amy C; Lo Re, Vincent | Abstract: BackgroundHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may develop in the absence of cirrhosis in HIV, and determining how often this occurs can provide insights into mechanisms of carcinogenesis. Studies evaluating the prevalence of cirrhosis in the setting of HCC among people living with HIV (PLWH) often rely on noninvasive markers, such as the Fibrosis-4 Index for Hepatic Fibrosis (FIB-4). However, the accuracy of FIB-4 for cirrhosis in the setting of HCC has not been determined among PLWH.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study among PLWH in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study with VA cancer registry-confirmed HCC diagnosed between 1999 and 2015. FIB-4 was calculated using the age, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and platelet count obtained closest to, but within 1 year before, HCC diagnosis. Medical records were reviewed within 1 year before HCC diagnosis to determine the cirrhosis status. We evaluated the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve and performance characteristics of FIB-4 for confirmed cirrhosis.ResultsIncident HCC was diagnosed in 302 PLWH. After medical record review, 203 (67.2%, 95% confidence interval: 61.6% to 72.5%) had evidence of cirrhosis. FIB-4 identified patients with cirrhosis with an area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.67 (95% confidence interval: 0.60 to 0.73). FIB-4 scores g5.0 had a positive predictive value g80% and specificity of g77%, negative predictive value of l41%, and sensitivity of l45%.ConclusionThe accuracy of FIB-4 for cirrhosis in the setting of HIV and HCC is modest and may result in misclassification of cirrhosis in this population.
Diagnostic Usefulness of Histological Examination of the Left Ventricular "Core" Excised to Insert a Left Ventricular Assist Device in Patients With Severe Heart Failure.

The left ventricular assist device (LVAD) has proven to be beneficial for patients with severe heart failure poorly responsive to anti heart failure medicine. To examine both grossly and histologically the portion of left ventricular (LV) free wall excised (“the left ventricular core”) to insert a LVAD in 337 patients with severe heart failure from a variety of causes. We collected together all photographs of LV “cores” and the histologic sections prepared from them and reexamined both. Despite the fact that these LV cores usually weighed >100 times the quantity of myocardium available to examine compared with that available by biotome inserted via a transvenous catheter, the number in which histologic study allowed an unequivocal diagnosis was limited. Examination of the clinical records usually was required to establish the definitive diagnosis. Although the presence of a scarred myocardial wall usually suggested ischemic cardiomyopathy (IC), the scarring may not have involved the LV apex resulting in a nonscarred portion of myocardium simulating idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC). Moreover, about 10% of the patients with IDC have myocardial scars thus simulating IC. Involvement of the LV core by amyloid, sarcoid, myocarditis, and acute infarction, of course, allowed a specific anatomic diagnosis. Despite the presence of ample tissue to secure a definitive diagnosis, the combination of clinical input and morphologic assessment was required to arrive at a definite diagnosis in most patients.
Mixed-mode stress intensity factors computation in functionally graded materials using a hypercomplex-variable finite element formulation

The hypercomplex-variable finite element method, ZFEM, is extended to compute the mode I and mode II energy release rates (ERR) for functionally graded materials. The ERR is computed using an efficient local stiffness derivative approach, L-ZFEM, that computes the derivative of the stiffness matrix at the element level using the highly accurate complex-variable sensitivity method. Mode I and II values are computed using the appropriate perturbation of the surrounding crack tip elements, i.e., perturbations in the self-similar (mode I) and perpendicular (mode II) directions. The energy release rate values are as accurate as the J-integral results. The advantage of this approach is that the derivatives are only required for a small number of elements surrounding the crack tip and no energy conservation integrals are required. In addition, derivatives of the ERR with respect to the FGM material properties are computed by combining the local stiffness derivative approach with a global complex variable formulation, G-ZFEM. This methodology was implemented into the commercial finite element software Abaqus through a combination of Abaqus intrinsic elements and a complex variable user element subroutine (UEL). Numerical results are compared against analytical solutions and other numerical approaches and demonstrate excellent accuracy.
Production of Protective Face Shields in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA from the 1819 Innovation Hub at the University of Cincinnati

The Innovation Hub at the University of Cincinnati played an essential role in the community during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic to adapt, innovate, and accommodate the needs of the community for high-quality face shield production. Dedication and ingenuity led to a timely response that provided essential PPE for local healthcare providers.
Computational Modeling of Photovoltaic Mini-Modules Undergoing Accelerated Stress Testing

A finite element model of a four-cell photovoltaic mini-module was developed and compared to experimental results from an accelerated stress test protocol in order to validate that computational models can accurately represent their physical counterparts when subjected to mechanical loading and to assess mini-module representativeness against full scale photovoltaic modules. Deflected shapes across the simulated mini-modules were compared to measured mini-module shapes when subjected to various pressure loads. Displaced mini-module shape results constrained to the experimental protocols of 0.4 mm and 1.1 mm of displacement at the mini-module center were compared to experimental results of full-size modules subjected to module qualification test load levels of 1.0 kPa and 2.4 kPa, to assess if the bending of mini-modules was representative of full-sized modules under the load. Temperature cycling was incorporated into the model to simulate the impacts of stress due to thermal expansion of the backsheet and cells. A preliminary uncertainty analysis was performed to show how variations in material properties and geometric parameters change the simulation results.
Acute toxic exposures in children: analysis of a three year registry managed by a Pediatric poison control Center in Italy.

Acute pediatric poisoning is an emerging health and social problem. The aim of this study is to describe the characteristics of a large pediatric cohort exposed to xenobiotics, through the analysis of a Pediatric Poison Control Center (PPCc) registry. This study, conducted in the Pediatric Hospital Bambino Gesu of Rome, a reference National Pediatric Hospital, collected data of children whose parents or caregivers contacted the PPCc by phone (group “P”), or who presented to the Emergency Department (group “ED”), during the three-year period 2014–2016. Data were prospectively and systematically collected in a pre-set electronic registry. Comparisons among age groups were performed and multivariable logistic regression models used to investigate associations with outcomes (hospital referral for “P”, and hospital admission for “ED”group). We collected data of 1611 children on group P and 1075 on group ED. Both groups were exposed to both pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical agents. Pharmaceutical agent exposure increased with age and the most common route of exposure was oral. Only 10% among P group were symptomatic children, with gastrointestinal symptoms. Among the ED patients, 30% were symptomatic children mostly with gastrointestinal (55.4%) and neurologic symptoms (23.8%). Intentional exposure (abuse substance and suicide attempt), which involved 7.7% of patients, was associated with older age and Hospital admission. Our study describes the characteristics of xenobiotics exposures in different paediatric age groups, highlighting the impact of both pharmacological and intentional exposure. Furthermore, our study shows the utility of a specific PPCc, either through Phone support or by direct access to ED. PPCc phone counselling could avoid unnecessary access to the ED, a relevant achievement, particularly in the time of a pandemic.
Role of mutant p53 mediated transactivation in oncogenesis and gain-of-function. NF-κB2 and chemoresistance

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 3348 Over-expression of mutant p53 is a common theme in tumors suggesting a selective pressure for p53 mutation in cancer development and progression. Here, we have investigated the role of mutant p53-mediated transactivation in gain-of-function. We have expressed mutant p53 in various cell types and tested for gain-of-function phenotypes. In tumorigenicity studies, non-tumorigenic p53-null murine 10(3) cells expressing p53-D281G were found to be tumorigenic in nude mice whereas cells stably transfected with vector alone or cells expressing transactivation deficient mutants were not. This re-enforced the notion that gain-of-function is dependent on mutant p53’s transactivation ability. Similarly, Saos-2 human osteosarcoma cells expressing a transactivation deficient mutant p53 generated fewer colonies in soft agar than those expressing the transactivating p53-D281G form. Furthermore, H1299 cells expressing p53 mutants (p53-R175H, -R273H or -D281G) showed decreased sensitivity to etoposide, a common chemotherapeutic agent; however, cells expressing the transactivation deficient mutant p53-D281G (L22Q/W23S) had significantly lower resistance to etoposide treatment. Growth curves of these cells followed a similar pattern. Gene expression profiling of cells expressing transcriptionally active mutant p53 proteins revealed a striking pattern that all three p53 mutants induced expression of approximately 100 genes involved in various aspects of cell growth. The genes identified included anti-apoptotic genes (API5, MCL-1 and NF-κB2), transcription factors (NF-κB2 and E2F-5), cell cycle related genes (ASNS, CDC25A, Cyclin B2 and MCM6), angiogenic genes (ANGPT1), oncogenic/transforming genes (EBAG9, ITGA6, API5, MCL-1, c-myc and C-SYN) and various others (NARS, POLD2 and RNA polII E). These results strongly suggest that tumor-derived mutant p53-mediated transactivation has a significant role in oncogenic development. Among the identified genes, NF-κB2 is prominent anti-apoptotic gene. Treatment of H1299 cells expressing mutant p53 with the NF-κB inhibitor sulfasalazine increased the sensitivity of the cells to etoposide. This and other data, suggest that the NF-kB pathway plays a role in chemoresistance.
Thriving in the Cold: Glacial Expansion and Post-Glacial Contraction of a Temperate Terrestrial Salamander (Plethodon serratus)

The dynamic geologic history of the southeastern United States has played a major role in shaping the geographic distributions of amphibians in the region. In the phylogeographic literature, the predominant pattern of distribution shifts through time of temperate species is one of contraction during glacial maxima and persistence in refugia. However, the diverse biology and ecology of amphibian species suggest that a “one-size-fits-all” model may be inappropriate. Nearly 10% of amphibian species in the region have a current distribution comprised of multiple disjunct, restricted areas that resemble the shape of Pleistocene refugia identified for other temperate taxa in the literature. Here, we apply genetics and spatially explicit climate analyses to test the hypothesis that the disjunct regions of these species ranges are climatic refugia for species that were more broadly distributed during glacial maxima. We use the salamander Plethodon serratus as a model, as its range consists of four disjunct regions in the Southeast. Phylogenetic results show that P. serratus is comprised of multiple genetic lineages, and the four regions are not reciprocally monophyletic. The Appalachian salamanders form a clade sister to all other P. serratus. Niche and paleodistribution modeling results suggest that P. serratus expanded from the Appalachians during the cooler Last Glacial Maximum and has since been restricted to its current disjunct distribution by a warming climate. These data reject the universal applicability of the glacial contraction model to temperate taxa and reiterate the importance of considering the natural history of individual species.
CHAPTER 15 – Do Apes Ape?

Many researchers assume that the answer to the question of imitation in apes is more positive due to two complicating factors. First, there are many different ways to ape. A number of theorists have demonstrated that the same behavioral outcome may result from very different processes of learning and social learning. This potential ambiguity in what it means to “ape,” thus, makes the current question less than totally straightforward, and it means that a certain amount of theoretical work must be done before the relevant research literature may be usefully examined. The second complicating factor is that research on the social learning of apes comes from very different sources. These studies have the virtue of ecological validity, but their lack of experimental control means that they are of limited usefulness in determining with any precision the learning processes that are responsible for the observed population differences. This chapter closes with the conclusion that captive chimpanzees raised by their mothers are a better model for wild chimpanzees than chimpanzees that are raised in human-like ways. This means that the answer to the more general question of whether apes ape is—only when trained by humans, either formally or informally, to do so. It is possible that there are further important distinctions to be made in various types of social understanding and learning that one has yet to recognize.
Application of Formal Word-Level Analysis to Constrained Random Simulation

Constrained random simulation is supported by constraint solvers integrated within simulators. These constraint solvers need to be fast and memory efficient to maintain simulation performance. Binary Decision Diagrams (BDDs) have been successfully applied to represent constraints in this context. However, BDDs are vulnerable to size explosions depending on the constraints they are representing and the number of Boolean variables appearing in them. In this paper, we present a word-level analysis tool DomRedto reduce the number of Boolean variables required to represent constraints by reducing the domain of constraint variables. DomRedemploys static analysis techniques to obtain these reductions. We present experimental results to illustrate the impact of this tool.
250 MHz digital FIR filters for PRML disk read channels

Digital FIR filters are key components of state-of-the-art partial-response signaling maximum-likelihood detection (PRML) read/write channel ICs but consume significant circuit area and power. These 10-tap and 8-tap, 6b filters provide PR-IV channel equalization at 20+MB/s data rates. Achieving these data rates while reducing power and area requires an optimized distributed arithmetic (DA) architecture combined with custom circuit design and layout. These filters improve attainable data rate by a factor of about 1.5 and power and area consumption by a factor of two, compared with standard-cell-designed filters using the same architecture and technology.
The Use of the Term 'Boy' as Evidence of Race Discrimination: Apparently the 11th Circuit Didn't Get the Memo?

In an unusual and interesting case, the 11th Circuit decision was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, the Supreme Court rendered a decision remanding the case with guidance, and upon remand, the 11th Circuit virtually ignored the Court's guidance and went its own way. The Supreme Court determined that the term "boy," when used in referring to an adult African American male, can, under certain circumstances, be evidence of race discrimination. Despite the evidence, the 11th Circuit on remand did not find such circumstances to be present in this case. The decision is not only peculiar in its decision to give only lip service to the Supreme Court's guidance, but also in its staunch refusal to recognize the vestiges of the stark historical realities of the three southern states within the circuit.
Constructing Task-Specific Taxonomies for Document Collection Browsing

Taxonomies can serve as browsing tools for document collections. However, given an arbitrary collection, pre-constructed taxonomies could not easily adapt to the specific topic/task present in the collection. This paper explores techniques to quickly derive task-specific taxonomies supporting browsing in arbitrary document collections. The supervised approach directly learns semantic distances from users to propose meaningful task-specific taxonomies. The approach aims to produce globally optimized taxonomy structures by incorporating path consistency control and usergenerated task specification into the general learning framework. A comparison to state-of-the-art systems and a user study jointly demonstrate that our techniques are highly effective.