cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Bistable Microelectronic Circuit for Sensing Extremely Low Electric Field

Bistable systems are prevalently found in many sensor systems. Recently, we have explored unidirectionally coupled overdamped bistable systems that admit self-sustained oscillations when the coupling parameter is swept through the critical points of bifurcations. Complex behaviors emerge, in addition, from these relatively simple coupled systems when an external signal ac or dc is applied uniformly to all the elements in the array. In particular, we have demonstrated this emergent behavior for a coupled system comprised of mean-field hysteretic elements describing a single-domain ferromagnetic sample. The results are being used to develop extremely sensitive magnetic sensors capable of resolving field changes as low as 150 pT by observing the changes in the oscillation characteristics of the coupled sensors. In this paper, we explore the underlying dynamics of a coupled bistable system realized by coupling microelectronic circuits, which belong to the same class of dynamics as the aforementioned ferromagnetic system, with the nonlinear features and coupling terms modeled by hyperbolic tangent nonlinearities; these nonlinearities stem from the operational transconductance amplifiers used in constructing the microcircuits. The emergent behavior is being applied to develop an extremely sensitive electric-field sensor.
Occurrence of Enterococci in Animals in a Wild Environment

Enterococci were obtained from the feces of 71% of 216 mammals, 86% of 70 reptiles, and 32% of 22 birds sampled in a truly wild environment, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Patterns of food dependence and also of species dependence were observed. Among the lower classes of the primarily herbivorous mammals, the enterococci occurred sporadically; however, of the six species of Sciuridae, the gray squirrel, and of four species of Cricetidae, the red-backed mouse, the enterococci appear to be natural hosts. The enterococci were not obtained from most specimens of moles, shrews, or rabbits but they were obtained from most specimens of bats and from the carnivorous mammals, such as fox, bear, raccon, skunk, and boar. Streptococcus faecalis was obtained from 12 reptiles, and a caseolytic variant was obtained from 37 specimens of the reptiles. The strongly reducing, tellurite-tolerant species, S. faecalis, its caseolytic variant, and S. faecalis var. zymogenes were isolated from 127 or 41% of 308 specimens cultured. S. faecium was recovered from 87 or 28% of the animals, chiefly from the wild boar (60 of 64 trials) and the black bear. S. zymogenes was obtained from 1 of 31 bats, 3 of 12 raccoons, and 1 of 3 owls.
The False Consensus Effect in Estimates of Smoking Prevalence Underlying Mechanisms

The current study investigated four possible causal mechanisms underlying the false consensus effect in the context of cigarette smoking. Little support was found for attributional or conformity-based mechanisms. However, support for both a selective exposure and a motivational explanation was found.
Computer program to predict heat transfer through glass.

Thermal behavior of space vehicle window systems predicted by mathematical analysis and computer methods for heat transfer through glass
US Counterpoint to Chapter 23

Chapter 23 is a thorough and succinct review of current management practice for patients with an implantable pacemaker. Implantable cardiac devices can be divided into those that have algorithms to treat or address rhythm disorders and/or cardiac timing and those that monitor pressures. Cardiac rhythm management devices include pacemakers, implantable cardiac defibrillators, cardiac resynchronization devices, and implantable loop recorders. The implantable hemodynamic monitor, an implantable device that has been studied for measuring intracardiac pressures, is currently not approved in the United States. The authors’ recommendations on cardiac pacemaker use and follow-up are based on the published guidelines from experts at the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology (1), as well as their own recognized extensive clinical experience. The chapter is applicable to both physicians and other health care providers who plan to care for these patients.
P.9.5 A novel NEFL gene mutation is identified in a family diagnosed with Nemaline Myopathy

We describe a family of four members (a mother and her three sons) diagnosed with a skeletal muscle disease with biopsy findings consistent with nemaline myopathy (NM) in two, one with non-specific myopathy and one with neurogenic atrophy and myopathic features. Interestingly, some of the clinico-pathological findings were consistent with involvement of the peripheral nerves. Sanger sequencing did not identify a pathogenic mutation in genes associated with NM. Given the atypical presentation not attributable to a known NM gene, linkage analysis was performed on DNA samples from the four affected members along with whole genome sequencing (WGS) on mother’s DNA (proband). On bioinformatic analysis, she was identified to carry a heterozygous mutation c.1261C>T in the NEFL gene predicted to cause premature termination of the transcript and a truncated neurofilament light polypeptide protein (p.R421X). This mutation was not present in dbSNP Build 137 or Exome variant server, Washington University, and it was confirmed to be present in all the four affected members of the family by Sanger sequencing. Further, Autosomal dominant mutations in NEFL are associated with Charcot–Marie–Tooth (CMT) disease, subtypes CMT2E/CMT1F. Most of the pathogenic NEFL mutations are missense changes postulated to cause dominant negative effects. Quantitative real-time PCR was performed on cDNA, extracted from muscle samples from an affected family member and an age-matched control, and the mutant transcript was found to be stable. We hypothesize that the mutant transcript does not undergo nonsense-mediated decay, thereby encoding a truncated protein that interferes with the function of the wild type NEFL protein. Further work is underway to understand the molecular basis of the disease. This finding further expands the spectrum of NEFL mutation-associated phenotypes to NM.
Electroporation Can Efficiently Transfect hESC-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells without Inducing Differentiation

Electroporation is a common method of gene transfer that has recently been used to efficiently transfect mesenchymal stem (stromal) cells (MSCs); however, the electrical stimulus has the potential to alter cell state. This study examines possible negative effects of electroporation of human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived MSCs including, loss of potency or induction of differentiation. Immunofluorescence and PCR were used to quantify protein and RNA expression of CD73 (an MSC marker) and markers of mature mesenchymal cell types following electroporation. The relative fraction of cells expressing CD73 protein was not altered in cells exposed to a 20 ms pulse at 1000 V or 1500 V compared to controls even after three passages, suggesting MSCs retain multipotency following electroporation. In addition, RNA expression of markers indicative of mature cells of bone, fat and cardiac muscle did not differ from unmanipulated controls soon after electroporation. Taken together, these results indicate electroporation under conditions favorable for MSC transfection does not significantly alter stem cell state.
New strategies in allogeneic stem cell transplantation: immunotherapy using irradiated allogeneic T cells

Recipients of T cell-depleted allogeneic bone marrow transplants have increased risks of relapse and graft rejection. The addition of donor T cells to the TCD allograft will decrease the risk of graft rejection but will increase the risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Relapse of leukemia or lymphoma following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation can be successfully treated with post-transplant infusions of donor lymphocytes. A relatively small number of donor T cells can have a profound anti-tumor effect and facilitate engraftment, but has an unpredictable potential for severe GVHD. An alternative to using viable immunocompetent donor immune cells to facilitate engraftment and to treat relapsed patients are donor lymphocytes that have been treated to limit their ability to proliferate and cause GVHD. T cells treated with irradiation retain cytotoxic activity against tumor cells and host immune cells. We have tested the hypothesis that allogeneic donor T cells treated with low-dose irradiation will facilitate engraftment and mediate an anti-leukemia effect in a mouse model of bone marrow transplantation. Multiple infusions of irradiated allogeneic donor lymphocytes in the peri-transplant period had graft-enhancing activity without resulting in GVHD. Murine recipients of irradiated allogeneic splenocytes and allogeneic bone marrow had stable donor-derived hematopoiesis without a significant contribution of irradiated donor cells to the T cell compartment. Removing T cells from the allogeneic splenocytes prior to irradiation largely eliminated their graft facilitating activity. Based upon the promising results of the pre-clinical murine studies, we initiated a phase I clinical trial of multiple infusions of irradiated allogeneic lymphocytes in patients who had relapsed after allogeneic BMT. Of 12 patients treated to date on this study, three have shown objective responses of their leukemia or lymphoma to multiple infusions of irradiated donor lymphocytes. We have initiated a new phase I clinical study to test the efficacy of multiple infusions of irradiated allogeneic cytotoxic T cells to facilitate engraftment in allogeneic transplantation. Successive cohorts of patients will be transplanted with allogeneic stem cells alone, or a combination of allogeneic stem cells and increasing numbers of irradiated allogeneic T cells. Irradiated allogeneic lymphocytes that retain short-term allo-specific cytotoxicity and lack the potential for clonal expansion in vivo can be considered as a novel form of immunotherapy with defined pharmacokinetics.
Pulsed dye laser fragmentation of ureteral calculi : a review of the first 50 cases performed at virginia mason medical center

AbstractDuring the preceeding 21/2 years 50 patients have undergone laser fragmentation of ureteral calculi at our medical center. Of these 50 patients 48 (96%) became free of stones without the need for an open operation: 44 (88%) were managed in 1 setting and 4 required adjunctive extracorporeal shock wave or ultrasonic lithotripsy, or a repeat session with the laser. Two patients (4%) eventually required an open operation: 1 required ureterolithotomy for a large impacted stone overlying the bony pelvis after a ureteroscope could not be advanced to this level and 1 had a good initial result with the laser but a persistent ureteral stricture developed and he required ureteroureterostomy 4 months later. Both open procedures were necessitated by mid ureteral stones, and the ureteral stricture was believed to be related to ureteroscopy and the impacted nature of the stone, rather than any damage by the laser probe.
Extensively parameterized mutation–selection models reliably capture site-specific selective constraint

The mutation-selection model of coding sequence evolution has received renewed attention for its use in estimating site-specific amino acid propensities and selection coefficient distributions. Two computationally tractable mutation-selection inference frameworks have been introduced: One framework employs a fixed-effects, highly parameterized maximum likelihood approach, whereas the other employs a random-effects Bayesian Dirichlet Process approach. While both implementations follow the same model, they appear to make distinct predictions about the distribution of selection coefficients. The fixed-effects framework estimates a large proportion of highly deleterious substitutions, whereas the random-effects framework estimates that all substitutions are either nearly neutral or weakly deleterious. It remains unknown, however, how accurately each method infers evolutionary constraints at individual sites. Indeed, selection coefficient distributions pool all site-specific inferences, thereby obscuring a precise assessment of site-specific estimates. Therefore, in this study, we use a simulation-based strategy to determine how accurately each approach recapitulates the selective constraint at individual sites. We find that the fixed-effects approach, despite its extensive parameterization, consistently and accurately estimates site-specific evolutionary constraint. By contrast, the random-effects Bayesian approach systematically underestimates the strength of natural selection, particularly for slowly evolving sites. We also find that, despite the strong differences between their inferred selection coefficient distributions, the fixed- and random-effects approaches yield surprisingly similar inferences of site-specific selective constraint. We conclude that the fixed-effects mutation-selection framework provides the more reliable software platform for model application and future development.
Radioimmunoassay of tricyclic antidepressants

The tricyclic antidepressant drugs (TCA) are widely used in the treatment of depression. Since there are marked interindividual differences in the steady state concentrations of a TCA in plasma, the monitoring of the plasma concentrations as a guide to effective dosage has been developed. There are indications that both high and low concentrations of nortriptyline (NT), for example, are associated with poor clinical responses (Asberg, 1974; Kragh-Sorensen et al., 1976), while the response may increase linearly with the plasma concentrations of imipramine and amitriptyline (AMI) (Gram, 1980).
Liquid encapsulated laser chemical vapor deposition of Al

Laser chemical vapor deposition (LCVD) has been actively investigated as a method for direct, high speed patterning of thin film electronic materials such as metals, semiconductors, and insulators.1 The requirement of high vapor pressure reactants in order to achieve the necessary high deposition rates and right speeds can severely restrict the choice of LCVD systems, particularly for such highly conductive materials as Al, Au, and Cu. Al provides an interesting case as a high vapor pressure precursor, trimethylaluminum (TMA), exists but does not decompose cleanly on heating and LCVD deposits normally contain significant amounts of carbon. Triisobutylaluminum (TIBA),2 on the other hand, decomposes cleanly to Al, but has a low vapor pressure.
A GeoPackage implementation of common map API on Google Maps and OpenLayers to manipulate agricultural data on mobile devices

Characterized by features of standards-based, platform-independent, portable, self-describing, and compact, GeoPackage, a new open format for geospatial information container, makes it much easier to manipulate geospatial data on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. In this paper, we present a GeoPackage based mobile application implementing Common Map API on both Google MapsTM and OpenLayers to assist in the manipulation of agricultural data on mobile devices. The app provides geospatial operations to access, manage, analyze, and visualize agricultural data on Google MapsTM and OpenLayers at the same time. Besides, by integrating with Apache Cordova architecture, users are able to run the app on multiple mobile platforms such as iOS and Android with little effort.
Multichannel emission spectrometer for high dynamic range optical pyrometry of shock-driven materials

An emission spectrometer (450-850 nm) using a high-throughput, high numerical aperture (N.A. = 0.3) prism spectrograph with stepped fiberoptic coupling, 32 fast photomultipliers and thirty-two 1.25 GHz digitizers is described. The spectrometer can capture single-shot events with a high dynamic range in amplitude and time (nanoseconds to milliseconds or longer). Methods to calibrate the spectrometer and verify its performance and accuracy are described. When a reference thermal source is used for calibration, the spectrometer can function as a fast optical pyrometer. Applications of the spectrometer are illustrated by using it to capture single-shot emission transients from energetic materials or reactive materials initiated by km⋅s-1 impacts with laser-driven flyer plates. A log (time) data analysis method is used to visualize multiple kinetic processes resulting from impact initiation of HMX (octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine) or a Zr/CuO nanolaminate thermite. Using a gray body algorithm to interpret the spectral radiance from shocked HMX, a time history of temperature and emissivity was obtained, which could be used to investigate HMX hot spot dynamics. Finally, two examples are presented showing how the spectrometer can avoid temperature determination errors in systems where thermal emission is accompanied by atomic or molecular emission lines.
Optimality and large deviations of queues under the pseudo-Log rule opportunistic scheduling

We consider a wireless node shared by multiple user flows where the channel capacity available to each user varies randomly with time. A scheduling rule in this context selects which flow to serve based on the current channel state and user queues. This involves a tradeoff between maximizing current service rate (being opportunistic) versus balancing unequal queues (enhancing user-diversity to enable future high capacity opportunities). We propose a throughput-optimal scheduling rule, called the pseudo-Log (p-Log) rule, and show that in the case of two users, it maximizes the asymptotic exponential decay rate of the sum-queue distribution. The proof relies on the radial sum-rate monotonicity (RSM) property satisfied by the p-Log rule, whereby as the queues scale up linearly, the scheduling rule de-emphasizes queue-balancing in favor of greedily maximizing the service rate. It also relies on refined sample path large deviation principle recently introduced by Stolyar to study such non-homogenous schedulers. In a companion paper we demonstrate via further analysis and simulations other virtues of RSM opportunistic schedulers (in particular the Log rule) in terms of minimizing overall mean delay, robustness to uncertainty in the traffic and channel statistics etc. The p-Log rule is a slight modification of the Log rule, for the sake of analytical convenience.
Conditions and calibration to obtain comparable grey values between different clinical cone beam computed tomography scanners.

Objectives:The objective of the present study was to examine the grey value parameters and their magnitudes produced by CBCT and whether they are influenced by different scanners with various scanning conditions.Methods:An ATOM Max dental and diagnostic artificial head was scanned by two CBCT scanners (Planmeca and iCAT). Under full field of view with normal dose and ultralow-dose (ULD) conditions, the Planmeca scanner was examined for three scanning resolutions (200, 400, and 600 micron voxel sizes) and the iCAT scanner was tested for four scanning resolutions (200, 250, 300 and 400 micron voxel sizes). After 9 weeks, the artificial head was scanned again by the Planmeca scanner with the same scanning conditions. In addition, two hydroxyapatite phantoms (1220 and 1540 mg cm−3) were adhered on the artificial head and scanned using normal and ULD scanning conditions of 400 micron voxel size with both scanners. The grey value histogram of each region, which is proportional to the bone mineral density (BMD) ...
Fractal Analysis of Cancer Cell Surface

Fractal analysis of the cell surface is a rather sensitive method which has been recently introduced to characterize cell progression toward cancer. The surface of fixed and freeze-dried cells is imaged with atomic force microscopy (AFM) modality in ambient conditions. Here we describe the method to perform the fractal analysis specifically developed for the AFM images. Technical details, potential difficulties, points of special attention are described.
GAT107, a Novel Agonistic Positive Allosteric Modulator of α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Restores Hyperoxia-Compromised Macrophage Function

Macrophages are the first line of defense against invading pathogens. However, exposure to prolonged hyperoxia compromises their ability to phagocytose and kill bacteria. Exposure to prolonged hyperoxia (≥95% O2) leads to the release of nuclear HMGB1 into the extracellular milieu, where HMGB1 acts as a potent proinflammatory cytokine and suppresses macrophage’s functions (2). The vagus nerve of the autonomous nervous system regulates the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, thus may modulate HMGB1-mediated damage. Agonists bind to the orthosteric site of α7nAchR and at high concentrations may cause desensitization and can disrupt the endogeous tone of the receptor. Use of ago-PAM (positive allosteric modulator) of the α7nAchR can synergize and enhance orthosteric site mediated signaling without disrupting the endogenous signaling. We tested whether GAT107 (a novel ago-PAM) can (1) decrease hyperoxia-induced HMGB1 release from macrophages and (2) improve hyperoxia-compromised macrophage phagocytosis. RAW 264.7 cells, a macrophage like cell line, were exposed to different concentrations of GAT107 prior to exposure to 95% O2. The results show that GAT107 at trace concentrations (1.1 and 3.3μM) improved hyperoxia-compromised phagocytic ability of macrophages. In addition, at the same concentrations it effectively inhibits oxidative stress-induced release of nuclear HMGB1 to the extracellular milieu at concentrations that are non-toxic to the cells. These data indicate that GAT107 can improve hyperoxia-compromised phagocytosis via inhibiting nuclear HMGB1 release into the extracellular milieu. Therefore, targeting α7nAchR using GAT107 may be a possible novel pharmacological agent that can be used to mediate proinflammatory reflex in macrophages.
Final results from a phase II trial of systemic chemotherapy in a small cell urothelial cancer: Evidence supporting neoadjuvant chemotherapy from the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

5083 Background: Previously reported retrospective data supported a potential role for neoadjuvant chemotherapy in small cell urothelial cancer (SCUC). We now report final results from a phase II c...
Skin Tone and Self-Employment: is there an Intra-Group Variation among Blacks?

The purpose of this paper is to formally evaluate whether odds of entry into self-employment decrease as skin tone darkens for Blacks in the United States. Extending past work on inter-group differences in Black-White self-employment, based on data from National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997, with darker skin tone the odds of self-employment decline. Having spent more time in labor force further decreases the likelihood of self-employment for darker skin tone Blacks, and being a high-school graduate, scoring high on Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), or higher past year income are not associated with self-employment of darker skin tone Blacks. While darker skin tone Blacks who are self-employed derive lower income, those who are self-employed and with more human capital (longer time spent in the labor force, scoring high on ASVAB or being a high school graduate) have a higher income.
Design and planning strategy for energy storage system in a shipboard dc hybrid power system

Careful design and planning is essential for successful integration of energy storage system (ESS) in a shipboard dc hybrid power system. An optimization model for resiliency enhancement and total cost reduction is proposed in this paper. The resilience of a shipboard power system with and without ESS are evaluated by means of resiliency index values under fault conditions. Furthermore, the influence of ESS on total cost is analyzed quantitatively. A detailed design of ESS is carried out, and optimal ESS configurations with different device combinations for various requirements are determined. Both single-node static and dynamic planning strategies are evaluated and the principles of planning strategy selection are discussed. Several key results are presented from the optimization model, built on General Algebraic Modeling System (GAMS) platform. Simulation results show significant improvement from the proposed design and planning of ESS on shipboard dc hybrid power system.
Effects of Tillage and Irrigation Management on Sugarbeet Production

Increased water demands and drought have resulted in a need to determine the impact of tillage and deficit water management practices in irrigated sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L.) production. This study was conducted over three growing seasons (2012, 2013, and 2015) at the USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research Laboratory in Kimberly, ID on a Portneuf silt loam soil. Treatments consisted of two tillage treatments (strip tillage [ST] and conventional tillage [CT]) and four water input treatments (approximately 100, 75, 50 and 25 percent of estimated crop ET [ETd]) using a linear move irrigation system. Estimated recoverable sucrose (ERS) yield, root yield, sucrose concentration and brei nitrate concentration were statistically the same for ST and CT across all water input levels. However, there was a significant tillage by water interaction for root yield in 2012. The significant interaction was a result of ST at the W3 (approx. 57 percent ETd) water input level having a higher root yield (72 Mg/ha) compared to the CT treatment (63 Mg/ha). Water input had significant effects on ERS and root yields. In general, as water input increased, ERS and root yields increased. Estimated recoverable sucrose and root yields in 2012, 2013, and 2015 were maximized at the ETd rates of 75, 97 and 58 percent, respectively. Data from this study supports the use of ST in sugarbeet production at various water input rates ranging from full irrigation to deficit irrigation. This support is based on equal yield potential with CT, tillage cost savings compared to CT, and agronomic and environmental benefits associated with increased soil surface residue.
ENDOSCOPIC ULTRASOUND-GUIDED FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF ADRENAL METASTASIS IN A HIGH-RISK POPULATION.

ABSTRACT Objective: While the left adrenal gland is readily accessible via endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA), data regarding the utility of EUS-FNA in the diagnosis of adrenal lesions remain limited. We aimed to (1) describe the clinical context, adverse event rate, and diagnostic performance of EUS-FNA, and (2) compare the safety profile and diagnostic accuracy of EUS-FNA with percutaneous adrenal biopsy. Methods: Single-center, retrospective cohort study. Medical records of patients who underwent adrenal EUS-FNA from 2005–2016 were reviewed. Biopsy outcomes were evaluated using a predefined reference standard. Results were compared to patients who underwent percutaneous biopsy (n = 419; 1994–2014) at the same institution. Results: A total of 121 patients underwent EUS-FNA of 122 adrenal lesions (left [n = 121]; right [n = 1]; mean lesion size, 1.8 cm). Cytology was positive for malignancy in 35 (29%), suspicious for malignancy in 1 (1%), atypical in 1 (1%), negative for malig...
Measuring the mass distribution in stellar systems

One of the fundamental tasks of dynamical astronomy is to infer the distribution of mass in a stellar system from a snapshot of the positions and velocities of its stars. The usual approach to this task (e.g., Schwarzschild's method) involves fitting parametrized forms of the gravitational potential and the phase-space distribution to the data. We review the practical and conceptual difficulties with this approach and describe a novel statistical method for determining the mass distribution that does not require determining the phase-space distribution of the stars. We show that this new estimator out-performs other distribution-free estimators for the harmonic and Kepler potentials.
Unplanned Hospital Encounters After Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in 3 Large North American States.

Background & Aims We have few population-level data on the performance of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in the United States. We investigated the numbers of unplanned hospital encounters (UHEs), patient and facility factors associated with UHEs, and variation in quality and outcomes in the performance of ERCP in 3 large American states. Methods We collected data on 68,642 ERCPs, performed at 635 facilities in California, Florida, and New York from 2009 through 2014. The primary endpoint was number of UHEs with an ERCP-related event within 7 days of ERCP; secondary endpoints included number of UHEs within 30 days and mortality within 30 days. Each facility was assigned a risk-standardized cohort, and variations in number of UHEs were analyzed with multivariable analysis. Results Among all ERCPs, 5.8% resulted in a UHE within 7 days and 10.2% within 30 days. Performance of sphincterotomy was significantly associated with a higher risk of UHE at 7 and 30 days (P Conclusions In an analysis of outcomes of 68,642 ERCPs performed in 3 states, we found a higher-than-expected number of UHEs. There is substantial unexplained variation in risk for adverse events after ERCPs among facilities, and volume is the strongest predictor of risk. Annual facility volumes above approximately 150 ERCPs per year may protect against UHE.
Sit Back and Listen — The Relevance of Patients’ Stories to Trauma-Informed Care

Sit Back and Listen Patients reveal their most personal and painful life experiences when we build trusting relationships and encourage open dialogue. But how can we encourage the dialogue required for trauma-informed care in today’s health care climate?
Microbiome control of innate reactivity

Numerous scientific disciplines, including immunology, are now positioned to fully realize the potential of the intestinal microbiome to modulate a wide array of basic processes. Increasingly, microbiota-derived metabolites are being recognized for mediating these effects. Coupled with advances in large scale sequencing and mass spectrometry, research into the microbiota and their metabolites has entered into an era of rapid discovery. Here, we review recent studies that have shown how-specific metabolic products of the microbiome alter properties of the innate immune system that in turn modulate response to infection and immunity.
Molecular monolayers as semiconducting channels in field effect transistors.

This chapter describes the fundamental study of charge transport through single layers of ?-conjugated molecules organized to form the semiconducting channels of field-effect transistors (FETs). Physical and chemical methods of evaporation, Langmuir-Blodgett assembly and transfer, and self-assembly have been used by the community to realize single molecular monolayers on the gate or gate dielectric surface of FETs. Advancements in molecular design and chemical modification of FET interfaces continue to improve measured charge transport properties in FETs. These monolayer FETs have been integrated in electronic circuitry and demonstrated as chemical sensors, where they promise the ultimate in performance as the entire molecular monolayer is modulated by the applied gate field and is accessed by analytes, respectively.
Optical dopamine monitoring with dLight1 reveals mesolimbic phenotypes in a mouse model of neurofibromatosis type 1

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant disorder whose neurodevelopmental symptoms include impaired executive function, attention, and spatial learning and could be due to perturbed mesolimbic dopaminergic circuitry. However, these circuits have never been directly assayed in vivo. We employed the genetically encoded optical dopamine sensor dLight1 to monitor dopaminergic neurotransmission in the ventral striatum of NF1 mice during motivated behavior. Additionally, we developed novel systemic AAV vectors to facilitate morphological reconstruction of dopaminergic populations in cleared tissue. We found that NF1 mice exhibit reduced spontaneous dopaminergic neurotransmission that was associated with excitation/inhibition imbalance in the ventral tegmental area and abnormal neuronal morphology. NF1 mice also had more robust dopaminergic and behavioral responses to salient visual stimuli, which were independent of learning, and rescued by optogenetic inhibition of non-dopaminergic neurons in the VTA. Overall, these studies provide a first in vivo characterization of dopaminergic circuit function in the context of NF1 and reveal novel pathophysiological mechanisms.
Policy articulation and paradigm transformation: the bureaucratic origin of China’s industrial policy

Existing studies of state-led industrial development argue that state autonomy is essential for formulating consistent and coherent industrial policies. This article shows that autonomous bureaucra...
Estradiol treatment attenuates high fat diet-induced microgliosis in ovariectomized rats.

Abstract Consumption of a high fat diet (HFD) increases circulating free fatty acids, which can enter the brain and promote a state of microgliosis, as defined by a change in microglia number and/or morphology. Most studies investigating diet-induced microgliosis have been conducted in male rodents despite well-documented sex differences in the neural control of food intake and neuroimmune signaling. This highlights the need to investigate how sex hormones may modulate the behavioral and cellular response to HFD consumption. Estradiol is of particular interest since it exerts a potent anorexigenic effect and has both anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects in the brain. As such, the aim of the current study was to investigate whether estradiol attenuates the development of HFD-induced microgliosis in female rats. Estradiol- and vehicle-treated ovariectomized rats were fed either a low-fat chow diet or a 60% HFD for 4 days, after which they were perfused and brain sections were processed via immunohistochemistry for microglia-specific Iba1 protein. Four days of HFD consumption promoted microgliosis, as measured via an increase in the number of microglia in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) of the hypothalamus and nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), and a decrease in microglial branching in the ARC, NTS, lateral hypothalamus (LH), and ventromedial hypothalamus. Estradiol replacement attenuated the HFD-induced changes in microglia accumulation and morphology in the ARC, LH, and NTS. We conclude that estradiol has protective effects against HFD-induced microgliosis in a region-specific manner in hypothalamic and hindbrain areas implicated in the neural control of food intake.
Cryogenic single-molecule active control microscopy with a photoactivatable fluorescent protein

Single-molecule superresolution methods enable imaging of specifically-labeled biological samples with structures on length scales below the diffraction limit of visible light. Imaging samples at cryogenic temperatures (77 K) significantly reduces photobleaching, allowing more photons to be collected per emitter and thus improving the localization precision. Cryogenic single-molecule imaging also facilitates correlative imaging with cryogenic electron tomography (cryoET), which provides images of whole biological cells with high-resolution cellular contrast. Combining these two techniques by performing optical imaging under conditions that do not damage the sample for cryoET allows the combination of the high sensitivity and specificity from single-molecule fluorescence with the cellular context from cryoET. In this work, we use PAmKate, a red photoactivatable fluorescent protein, to perform cryogenic single-molecule imaging of proteins in the model organism Caulobacter crescentus at 77 K with sufficiently low illumination powers to prevent damage of the cryogenic sample. The enhanced number of photons detected allows localization precision to be improved to values below 10 nm.
Paternally Inherited P-Element Copy Number Affects the Magnitude of Hybrid Dysgenesis in Drosophila simulans and D. melanogaster.

Transposable elements (TEs) are repetitive regions of DNA that are able to self-replicate and reinsert themselves throughout host genomes. Since the discovery of TEs, a prevalent question has been whether increasing TE copy number has an effect on the fitness of their hosts. P-elements (PEs) in Drosophila are a well-studied TE that has strong phenotypic effects. When a female without PEs (M) is crossed to a male with them (P), the resulting females are often sterile, a phenomenon called hybrid dysgenesis (HD). Here, we used short- and long-read sequencing to infer the number of PEs in the genomes of dozens of isofemale lines from two Drosophila species and measured whether the magnitude of HD was correlated with the number of PEs in the paternal genome. Consistent with previous reports, we find evidence for a positive correlation between the paternal PE copy number and the magnitude of HD in progeny from ♀M × ♂ P crosses for both species. Other crosses are not affected by the number of PE copies. We also find that the correlation between the strength of HD and PE copy number differs between species, which suggests that there are genetic differences that might make some genomes more resilient to the potentially deleterious effects of TEs. Our results suggest that PE copy number interacts with other factors in the genome and the environment to cause HD and that the importance of these interactions is species specific.
Citizenship, Personhood, and the Constitution in 2020

This essay is a retrospective on a conference on “The Future of the Constitution in 2020,” which took place at Yale Law School in 2005. When the conversation began, it became clear that some of the assembled scholars saw citizenship as the key to a reinvigorated progressive agenda. The hope was that appeals to citizenship would revitalize the democratic process and mitigate the class divide through the redistribution of resources. Although I had originally planned to address an entirely different topic, I revised my remarks to insist on claims of personhood as essential to our country’s prospects for redemptive constitutionalism. In doing so, I made clear that citizenship can be a sword wielded against immigrant communities, particularly disadvantaged communities of color, as well as a shield for those who fear that the nation-state’s bonds are fraying under the political and economic pressures that come with a powerful global economy. Now that 2020 has arrived, this essay explains why those fears have been vindicated. In 2005, I had grave doubts that a progressive agenda for citizenship would be realized. Because citizenship has been deployed in such profoundly exclusionary and dehumanizing ways, it remains hard to imagine it as the core organizing principle for an inclusive, egalitarian community. As I pointed out at the time, citizenship is an especially fraught concept for a progressive agenda because the United States has been experiencing high levels of immigration, including from Latin America. So, I was convinced then and am even more convinced now that citizenship is likely to be a destructive wedge issue in partisan politics rather than a tool for promoting equality and engagement. Progressive calls for a citizenship agenda legitimate the distinction between citizens and non-citizens, marginalize the claims to personhood that immigrants make, and still fail to deliver much in the way of hoped-for political and economic reforms. Meanwhile, as demonstrated by recent struggles over apportionment and the Census, conservatives have tried to use citizenship to restrict access to meaningful representation for immigrants and the communities of color in which they reside. Drawing on current political developments as well as contemporary litigation, the essay closes by examining how personhood, an increasingly pallid source of constitutional protection, might be revived through a focus on areas of law and policy that necessitate recognition of our common humanity and interdependent fates.
The effects of atrazine on the microbiome of the eastern oyster: Crassostrea virginica.

Long-standing evidence supports the importance of maintaining healthy populations of microbiota for the survival, homeostasis, and complete development of marine mollusks. However, the long-term ecological effects of agricultural runoff on these populations remains largely unknown. Atrazine (6-Chloro-n-ethyl-n′-(1-methylethyl)-triazine-2,4-diamine), a prevalent herbicide in the United States, is often used along tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay where oyster breeding programs are concentrated. To investigate any potential effects atrazine maybe having on mollusk-prokaryote interactions, we used 16S rRNA gene amplicons to evaluate how microbial compositions shift in response to exposure of environmentally relevant concentrations of atrazine previously found within the Chesapeake Bay. The dominant bacterial genera found within all groups included those belonging to Pseudoalteromonas, Burkholderia, Bacteroides, Lactobacillis, Acetobacter, Allobaculum, Ruminococcus, and Nocardia. Our results support previously published findings of a possible core microbial community in Crassostrea virginica. We also report a novel finding: oysters exposed to atrazine concentrations as low as 3 µg/L saw a significant loss of a key mutualistic microbial species and a subsequent colonization of a pathogenic bacteria Nocardia. We conclude that exposure to atrazine in the Chesapeake Bay may be contributing to a significant shift in the microbiomes of juvenile oysters that reduces fitness and impedes natural and artificial repopulation of the oyster species within the Bay.
“We’re All Born with Equal Opportunities”: Hegemonic Individualism and Contextual Mitigation among Delaware Capital Jurors

The Supreme Court has ruled that evidence derived from a capital defendant’s life history is crucial for making the reasoned moral judgment that is central to the death penalty’s constitutionality. However, Dunn and Kaplan (2009) suggested that individualism is so embedded in American culture that most people defer to it uncritically, which makes the use of such contextualizing mitigating evidence challenging. Prior studies suggest that capital jurors do not understand mitigation and focus on guilt-related issues when making their sentencing decisions, but they do not examine why this is so. This study extends these prior works by comparing the content of penalty trial transcripts to the evidence discussed by 35 former capital jurors from eight trials (four that ended with a life sentence and four that ended with a death sentence) in Delaware. The results indicate that whether they voted for life or death, the jurors based their sentencing decisions primarily on the individualistic guilt-centered question of culpability because they rejected the relevance of contextualizing life history evidence, thus supporting and extending Dunn and Kaplan’s (2009) theory. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Use of the Modified Unilateral Cleft Lip Repair Technique to Establish a Cupid's Bow With a Natural Structure.

Introduction:There are several surgical techniques for unilateral cleft lip repair. In most of these techniques, the points where the postoperative scars cross the vermilion border are on the peak ...
Blessed Hildegard: Another Kind of Lollard Saint

The heavily modified version of pseudo-Hildegard’s prophecy Insurgent gentes found in the Wycliffite manuscript Cambridge, Trinity College B.14.50, helps us to revise our understanding of lollard views on saints, as well as on the reception of this text in England. In contrast with the copies of Insurgent gentes produced in England that were consulted by Kerby-Fulton et al. for their recent edition of the text, the version in Trinity B.14.50 includes a preface that claims Hildegard was canonized by Pope Eugene and several interpolations that nudge the text into voicing common lollard themes. Two Middle English translations not consulted by Kerby-Fulton et al., and also some Bohemian copies in Latin, similarly refer to Hildegard as a saint. These and other similarities point to a lively exchange between England and Bohemia over this prophecy rather than an isolated English tradition. As in other lollard depictions of sanctity, hypocrisy in the guise of holiness is the worst kind of corruption, while saints are those who denounce this corruption regardless of the consequences. This chapter is followed by a transcription and translation of Cambridge, Trinity College MS B.14.50, fols. 67v-68r.
Alkaline pH Increases Swimming Speed and Facilitates Mucus Penetration for Vibrio cholerae

Intestinal mucus is the first line of defense against intestinal pathogens. It acts as a physical barrier between epithelial tissues and the lumen that enteropathogens must overcome to establish a successful infection. We investigated the motile behavior of two V. cholerae strains (El Tor C6706 and Classical O395) in mucus using single cell tracking in unprocessed porcine intestinal mucus. We determined that V. cholerae is able to penetrate mucus using flagellar motility and that alkaline pH increases swimming speed, and consequently, improves mucus penetration. Microrheological measurements indicate that changes in pH between 6 and 8 (the physiological range for the human small intestine) had little effect on the viscoelastic properties of mucus. Finally, we determined that acidic pH promotes surface attachment by activating the mannose-sensitive haemagglutinin (MshA) pilus in V. cholerae El Tor C6706 without a measurable change in the total cellular concentration of the secondary messenger cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP). Overall, our results support that pH is an important factor affecting the motile behavior of V. cholerae and its ability to penetrate mucus. Therefore, changes in pH along the human small intestine may play a role in determining the preferred site for V. cholerae during infection. IMPORTANCE The diarrheal disease cholera is still a burden for populations in developing countries with poor sanitation. To develop effective vaccines and prevention strategies against Vibrio cholerae, we must understand the initial steps of infection leading to the colonization of the small intestine. To infect the host and deliver the cholera toxin, V. cholerae has to penetrate the mucus layer protecting the intestinal tissues. However, the interaction of V. cholerae with intestinal mucus has not been extensively investigated. In this report, we demonstrated using single cell tracking that V. cholerae is able to penetrate intestinal mucus using flagellar motility. In addition, we observed that alkaline pH improves the ability of V. cholerae to penetrate mucus. This finding has important implications for understanding the dynamics of infection because pH varies significantly along the small intestine, between individuals, and between species. Blocking mucus penetration by interfering with flagellar motility in V. cholerae, reinforcing the mucosa, controlling intestinal pH, or manipulating the intestinal microbiome, will offer new strategies to fight cholera.