cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neural Correlates of Sensitive Periods in Avian Song Learning

A wide range of neural events takes place during avian song learning, including changes in receptor systems and synaptic organization and the wholesale production and growth of new cells and their connections. Any (or all) of these events may be involved in song learning, and therefore their timing may restrict when auditory memories are laid down in the song system and when these memories are used to pattern vocal behavior. In particular, mounting evidence indicates that NMDA receptor activation participates in the acquisition of auditory memories during song learning, and developmental changes in the number and function of NMDA receptors within the song system may regulate the capacity for song learning. These developmental changes in NMDA receptors occur in conjunction with a period of synapse elimination, and NMDA receptor activation during song learning may regulate this regressive event. In addition, both developmental and seasonal periods of vocal learning correlate well with neuronal addition and turnover within the vocal motor pathway. This temporal overlap provides the opportunity for auditory experience to shape the initial organization of naive motor circuitry. Thus, a variety of cellular substrates present themselves as candidates for providing the neural plasticity necessary for song learning and may together regulate how and when experience is stored in the nervous system.
A simple procedure to solve motion and structure from three orthographic views

In his work on motion analysis, Ullman (1979) showed that for the orthographic case, four-point correspondences over three views are sufficient to determine motion and structure of the four-point rigid configuration. However, his method is nonlinear and the conditions of uniqueness and convergence of his algorithm are not made clear. A simple linear algorithm to solve Ullman's problem of determining motion and structure from three orthographic views is presented. Necessary and sufficient conditions of a unique solution are also given. >
Modification of single event upset cross section of an SRAM at high frequencies

Single event upset cross sections exhibit a clock frequency dependence, the origins of which have been investigated in a CMOS SRAM, both with a pulsed laser synchronized to the operation of the circuit and with a circuit simulator modeling program.
Identification and characterization of a novel ferric reductase from the hyperthermophilic Archaeon Archaeoglobus fulgidus.

Archaeoglobus fulgidus, a hyperthermophilic sulfate-reducing Archaeon, contains high Fe3+-EDTA reductase activity in its soluble protein fraction. The corresponding enzyme, which constitutes about 0.75% of the soluble protein, was purified 175-fold to homogeneity. Based on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the ferric reductase consists of a single subunit with a M r of 18,000. TheM r of the native enzyme was determined by size exclusion chromatography to be 40,000 suggesting that the native ferric reductase is a homodimer. The enzyme uses both NADH and NADPH as electron donors to reduce Fe3+-EDTA. Other Fe3+complexes and dichlorophenolindophenol serve as alternative electron acceptors, but uncomplexed Fe3+ is not utilized. The purified enzyme strictly requires FMN or FAD as a catalytic intermediate for Fe3+ reduction. Ferric reductase also reduces FMN and FAD, but not riboflavin, with NAD(P)H which classifies the enzyme as a NAD(P)H:flavin oxidoreductase. The enzyme exhibits a temperature optimum of 88 °C. When incubated at 85 °C, the enzyme activity half-life was 2 h. N-terminal sequence analysis of the purified ferric reductase resulted in the identification of the hypothetical gene, AF0830, of the A. fulgidusgenomic sequence. The A. fulgidus ferric reductase shares amino acid sequence similarity with a family of NAD(P)H:FMN oxidoreductases but not with any ferric reductases suggesting that theA. fulgidus ferric reductase is a novel enzyme.
Assimilation of Altimeter Data into an Ocean Circulation Model: Space versus Time Resolution Studies

Abstract One of the most important forthcoming synoptic datasets for ocean circulation studies will he the sea-surface height data provided by the TOPEX /POSEIDON satellite. The TOPEX/POSEIDON project is in the planning stage and must still decide upon the particular characteristics of the satellite track. The repeat period will be between 10 and 20 days for a variety of technical and strategic reasons. These choices win give a global coverage with spatial resolution (east-west or north-south separation of crossover points) in midlatitudes of roughly 2.8° of latitude and longitude for a 10-day repeat orbit and 1.4° of latitude and longitude for a 20-day repeat orbit. Thus, the crucial question we address in the present study is: what is the effect of changing space or time resolution or both upon the success of a numerical model in reconstructing a four-dimensional picture a the ocean circulation through the assimilation of altimetric data? To answer this question we carry out a series of numerical experi...
Information Theoretical Clustering via Semidefinite Programming

We propose techniques of convex optimization for information theoretical clustering. The clustering objective is to maximize the mutual information between data points and cluster assignments. We formulate this problem first as an instance of max k cut on weighted graphs. We then apply the technique of semidefinite programming (SDP) relaxation to obtain a convex SDP problem. We show how the solution of the SDP problem can be further improved with a lowrank refinement heuristic. The low-rank solution reveals more clearly the cluster structure of the data. Empirical studies on several datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach. In particular, the approach outperforms several other clustering algorithms when compared on standard evaluation metrics.
Drug Delivery to the Brain by Blood-Brain Barrier Circumvention and Drug Modification

Recent advances in the fields of pharmacology and molecular biology have spurred the development of several interesting and highly effective therapeutic agents for the treatment of a wide variety of malignant, infectious, and genetic diseases. While many chemotherapeutic agents exhibit excellent activity in vitro, their therapeutic efficacy is often significantly diminished when administered to appropriate animal models, since they are unable to gain access to the diseased site at a sufficient concentration for an appropriate time. This is particularly common when the disease is sequestered within the CNS. As described by Neuwelt (Chapter 17, Vol. 2, Parts A and B) and Greig (Chapter 16, Vol. 2), this problem is commonly encountered by neurooncologists in the treatment of both primary and metastatic brain tumors. As a consequence, the prognosis of such patients remains extremely poor.92 Possibly less extreme but of equal importance is the clinical observation that CNS drug-delivery problems are prevalent in the treatment of patients with acute cerebral bacterial and viral infections as well as with neurotransmitter and enzyme-deficiency diseases, such as Parkinson, Huntington, and Tay-Sachs disease.
Virtual time

Virtual time is a new paradigm for organizing and synchronizing distributed systems which can be applied to such problems as distributed discrete event simulation and distributed database concurrency control. Virtual time provides a flexible abstraction of real time in much the same way that virtual memory provides an abstraction of real memory. It is implemented using the Time Warp mechanism, a synchronization protocol distinguished by its reliance on lookahead-rollback, and by its implementation of rollback via antimessages.
Bayesian Collaborative Sampling for Multidisciplinary Design

The use of high order analysis codes such as CFD for multi-disciplinary design in early design phases is dicult due to the computational expense of the codes as well as iterative solutions required for inter-disciplinary compatibility. For example, for aero-structural design of a wing, iterative function calls from both disciplines may be needed to ensure that the wing shape used in the aerodynamics discipline is consistent with the deformed shape computed in the structures discipline. Bayesian collaborative sampling (BCS) is an adaptive sampling method that concentrates samples of disciplinary analyses in regions of a design space that are favorable to a system objective and compatible between disciplines. a BCS combines the collaborative optimization (CO) architecture with Bayesian models. In this example, a sparse Bayesian regression model is used to predict expected improvement and probable compatibility discrepancies, which are used as sampling criteria within a bilevel architecture. This technique can be used to explore a multidisciplinary design space when analysis function calls are expensive or limited. A simple glider wing aero-structures design problem is used as a test case. BCS concentrates sample points in regions of high lift-to-drag ratio and inter-disciplinary compatibility.
What's in the Literature?

For this issue of Journal, a few recent publications that discuss disorders of motor unit (motor neuron, nerve, neuromuscular junction, and muscle) are selected. Articles about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, hereditary neuropathies, myasthenia gravis, and myopathies that convey a salient clinical lesson are discussed. There have been many other excellent publications in the past few months, but the space constrains do not allow to include them all.
Study on Correlation among Depression, Social Support and Coping Style in Primiparas before Labor

Objective To understand depression and its correlation between social support and coping style in primiparas before labor.Methods Self-Rating Depression Scale(SDS),Social Support Rating Scale(SSRS) and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire(SCSQ) were adopted to measure the status of depression,social support and coping style in 122 primiparas before labor.Results 14.8% of the surveyed were with depression before labor.The SDS average score of primiparas were obviously higher than that of the norm.Depression in primiparas were negatively correlated with the use of social support and active coping style,and positively correlated with negative coping style.Conclusion Depression in primiparas before labor was in a serious state.Using more social support and taking positive coping style could help relieve depression.
A novel flow cytometric assay for detection of residual disease in patients with B‐lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma post anti‐CD19 therapy

Background: Residual disease detection following therapy is an important prognostic variable in B-lymphoblastic leukemia (B-LL). Most flow cytometric strategies for detecting B cell malignancy utilize CD19 to identify B cells. With growing use of anti-CD19 targeted therapies, alternative strategies are needed for residual disease detection. We describe an approach for residual disease detection in this setting. Methods: A novel combination was designed using expression of CD22 or CD24 (without CD66b) for B cell detection in combination with markers aberrantly expressed in B-LL (CD10, CD20, CD34, CD38, and CD45). The performance characteristics of this combination were evaluated and compared to a standard, validated B-LL MRD assay using 10 known negative samples, 10 overtly positive samples, and 11 post-therapy samples (prior therapy other than anti-CD19 therapy). Subsequently, results from the first 100 samples on which the new tube was performed were reviewed. Results: The described combination performed well in the initial analysis of 31 samples with all negative and positive samples correctly classified. In positive samples, the percentage of abnormal cells correlated well between the standard and new assay. Evaluation of the first 100 samples demonstrated good performance with adequate detection of CD19-positive and CD19-negative B-LL. Additionally, it was observed that patients receiving anti-CD19 therapies demonstrate an increased proportion of CD19-negative progenitors. Conclusions: These preliminary findings describe a strategy that performs well for residual disease detection in B-LL post anti-CD19 therapy. Such alternative strategies will become more important as the use of targeted immunotherapies becomes more common. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Integration and Inspiration: A Spartan's Take on Physiology.

The fall of 2012 saw an academic transition in my life that would ultimately have a profound impact on my professional goals and aspirations. After years of tedious preparation and youthful impatience, my college career had finally begun at Michigan State University. Relying on my previous interests
Evolution: Genomic remodelling in the primate brain.

In many mammals, the gene Ostn is expressed in muscles and bones. The discovery that the primate OSTN gene has been repurposed to also act in neurons provides clues to how humans evolved their cognitive abilities. See Article p.242 Much of the research on the gene expression networks that drive brain development has been performed in mice. Relatively little is known about how expression networks in other animal groups—particularly primates, in which the cerebral cortex is expanded—might differ from the mouse model. Here, Michael Greenberg and colleagues identify a non-neuronal secreted factor in mice, Osteocrin, that may have been re-purposed evolutionarily as a neuronal development gene in primates. Osteocrin is specifically expressed in the neocortex of the humans and macaques. In mice it is enriched in bone and muscle tissues, but not in the brain.
Long-term evaluation of mucosal and systemic immunity and protection conferred by different polio booster vaccines.

Oral polio vaccine (OPV) and Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) have distinct advantages and limitations. IPV does not provide mucosal immunity and introduction of IPV to mitigate consequences of circulating vaccine-derived polio virus from OPV has very limited effect on transmission and OPV campaigns are essential for interrupting wild polio virus transmission, even in developed countries with a high coverage of IPV and protected sewer systems. The problem is magnified in many countries with limited resources. Requirement of refrigeration for storage and transportation for both IPV and OPV is also a major challenge in developing countries. Therefore, we present here long-term studies on comparison of a plant-based booster vaccine, which is free of virus and cold chain with IPV boosters and provide data on mucosal and systemic immunity and protection conferred by neutralizing antibodies. Mice were primed subcutaneously with IPV and boosted orally with lyophilized plant cells containing 1 μg or 25 μg polio viral protein 1 (VP1), once a month for three months or a single booster one year after the first prime. Our results show that VP1-IgG1 titers in single or double dose IPV dropped to background levels after one year of immunization. This decrease correlated with >50% reduction in seropositivity in double dose and <10% seropositivity in single dose IPV against serotype 1. Single dose IPV offered no or minimal protection against serotype 1 and 2 but conferred protection against serotype 3. VP1-IgA titers were negligible in IPV single or double dose vaccinated mice. VP1 antigen with two plant-derived adjuvants induced significantly high level and long lasting VP1-IgG1, IgA and neutralizing antibody titers (average 4.3–6.8 log2 titers). Plant boosters with VP1 and plant derived adjuvants maintained the same level titers from 29 to 400 days and conferred the same level of protection against all three serotypes throughout the duration of this study. Even during period, when no plant booster was given (∼260 days), VP1-IgG1 titers were maintained at high levels. Lyophilized plant cells expressing VP1 can be stored without losing efficacy, eliminating cold chain. Virus-free, cold-chain free vaccine is ready for further clinical development.
The (Non)Utility of Predicate-Argument Frequencies for Pronoun Interpretation.

State-of-the-art pronoun interpretation systems rely predominantly on morphosyntactic contextual features. While the use of deep knowledge and inference to improve these models would appear technically infeasible, previous work has suggested that predicate-argument statistics mined from naturally-occurring data could provide a useful approximation to such knowledge. We test this idea in several system configurations, and conclude from our results and subsequent error analysis that such statistics offer little or no predictive information above that provided by morphosyntax.
Belimumab for the treatment of recalcitrant cutaneous lupus

BackgroundBelimumab is a monoclonal antibody that reduces B lymphocyte survival by blocking the binding of soluble human B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) to its B cell receptors. The utility of belim...
The influence of non-rigid anatomy and patient positioning on endoscopy-CT image registration in the head and neck:

Purpose To assess the influence of non-rigid anatomy and differences in patient positioning between CT acquisition and endoscopic examination on endoscopy-CT image registration in the head and neck. Methods Radiotherapy planning CTs and 31-35 daily treatment-room CTs were acquired for nineteen patients. Diagnostic CTs were acquired for thirteen of the patients. The surfaces of the airways were segmented on all scans and triangular meshes were created to render virtual endoscopic images with a calibrated pinhole model of an endoscope. The virtual images were used to take projective measurements throughout the meshes, with reference measurements defined as those taken on the planning CTs and test measurements defined as those taken on the daily or diagnostic CTs. The influence of non-rigid anatomy was quantified by 3D distance errors between reference and test measurements on the daily CTs, and the influence of patient positioning was quantified by 3D distance errors between reference and test measurements on the diagnostic CTs. The daily CT measurements were also used to investigate the influences of camera-to-surface distance, surface angle, and the interval of time between scans. Results Average errors in the daily CTs were 0.36 ± 0.61 cm in the nasal cavity, 0.58 ± 0.83 cm in the naso- and oropharynx, and 0.47 ± 0.73 cm in the hypopharynx and larynx. Average errors in the diagnostic CTs in those regions were 0.52 ± 0.69 cm, 0.65 ± 0.84 cm, and 0.69 ± 0.90 cm, respectively. All CTs had errors heavily skewed towards 0, albeit with large outliers. Large camera-to-surface distances were found to increase the errors, but the angle at which the camera viewed the surface had no effect. The errors in the Day 1 and Day 15 CTs were found to be significantly smaller than those in the Day 30 CTs (p < 0.05). Conclusions Inconsistencies of patient positioning have a larger influence than non-rigid anatomy on projective measurement errors. In general, these errors are largest when the camera is in the superior pharynx, where it sees large distances and a lot of muscle motion. The errors are larger when the interval of time between CT acquisitions is longer, which suggests that the interval of time between the CT acquisition and the endoscopic examination should be kept short. The median errors found in this study are comparable to acceptable levels of uncertainty in deformable CT registration. Large errors are possible even when image alignment is very good, indicating that projective measurements must be made carefully to avoid these outliers. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Evaluating Ways to Reduce the Harmful Effects of Irrigating Nursery Crops with Water High in Soluble Salts

The effects of watering technique on container grown Lonicera tatarica L. ‘Zabelii’ and Philadelphus x virginalis Rehd. irrigated with water high in soluble salts were investigated during the 1982 and 1983 growing seasons. Hand, mini-sprinkling, and sprinkler irrigation were compared. The quality of irrigation water used in this experiment included: A) EC 0.12 mmhos/cm, pH 6.6, SAR 0.3 (city water); B) EC 1.42 mmhos/cm, pH 7.5, SAR 2.0; and C) EC 2.48 mmhos/cm, pH 7.8, SAR 2.9. Mini-sprinkling resulted in significantly greater growth of Philadelphus x virginalis when compared to sprinkler irrigation. This increase in growth was attributed to greater media moisture, prevention of leaf contact with irrigation water, and the possible leaching of salts by the spotspitter type of mini-sprinkling utilized.
Chapter 2 - The Politics and Practice of Social Experiments: Seeds of a Revolution

Abstract Between 1970 and the early 2000s, there was a revolution in support for the use of field experiments to evaluate social programs. Focusing on the welfare reform studies that helped to speed that transformation in the United States, this chapter describes the major challenges to implementing randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in real world conditions, how they emerged and were overcome, and how initial conclusions about conditions necessary to success—strong financial incentives, tight operational control, and small scale—proved to be wrong. Drawing on specific evaluations that were turning points in this 40-year story, the chapter highlights how these studies demonstrated the feasibility of using high-quality RCTs to address important problems, produced results that many considered unusually persuasive, and contributed to the conclusion that alternatives were less credible. It also examines how experimental methods evolved (for example, in the reliance on administrative records and multiarm designs) to meet political, financial, and research needs. The final section discusses lessons from this experience for other fields.
Calcium Cobalt Hexacyanoferrate Cathodes for Rechargeable Divalent Ion Batteries

Calcium cobalt hexacyanoferrate (CaCoHCF) was synthesized and tested as a cathode material for rechargeable batteries, using divalent cations (Mg2+, Ca2+, Ba2+). CaCoHCF demonstrated reversible specific capacity and coulombic efficiency (in parentheses) of 45.49 mAh/g (99.18%) for Mg2+, 55.04 mAh/g (99.2%) for Ca2+, and 44.09 mAh/g (99.42%) for Ba2+, at a current density of 25 mA/g. Of the three ions, Ca2+ resulted in the highest absolute specific capacity as well as high specific capacity utilization. The cathodes were also subjected to rate capability measurements using current densities of 50 mA/g (30 cycles) and 0.1 A/g (100 cycles). Upon addition of 2 mL water to the non-aqueous electrolyte, the fraction of theoretical specific capacity increased to 0.55 for Mg2+, 94.8% for Ca2+, and 95.53% forBa2+. This increase has been interpreted as the ability of the cathode material to intercalate and de-intercalate more ions due to the electrostatic shielding provided by water molecules between the host lattice and the guest cations. An empirical relationship between the cation size and specific capacity utilization is presented.Calcium cobalt hexacyanoferrate (CaCoHCF) was synthesized and tested as a cathode material for rechargeable batteries, using divalent cations (Mg2+, Ca2+, Ba2+). CaCoHCF demonstrated reversible specific capacity and coulombic efficiency (in parentheses) of 45.49 mAh/g (99.18%) for Mg2+, 55.04 mAh/g (99.2%) for Ca2+, and 44.09 mAh/g (99.42%) for Ba2+, at a current density of 25 mA/g. Of the three ions, Ca2+ resulted in highest absolute specific capacity as well as high specific capacity utilization. The cathodes were also subjected to rate capability measurements using current densities of 50 mA/g (30 cycles) and 0.1 A/g (100 cycles). Upon addition of 2 mL water to the non-aqueous electrolyte, the fraction of theoretical specific capacity increased to 0.55 for Mg2+, 94.8% for Ca2+, and 95.53% forBa2+. This increase has been interpreted as the ability of the cathode material to intercalate and de-intercalate more ions due to the electrostatic shielding provided by water molecules between the host lattice and the guest cations. An empirical relationship between the cation size and specific capacity utilization is presented.
Full-duplex relays under multilevel coding: Correlation design via modulation labeling

Unlike the half-duplex relay, the performance of the full-duplex relay is highly sensitive to the correlation between the source and relay codebooks. Linear coding complicates the design of correlated codebooks, for example in multilevel coding (MLC) linear codes at each layer can only have correlation zero or one, leading to a performance penalty that has been characterized in earlier work. In this paper, we propose a new design technique that significantly reduces the correlation penalty of linear codes via intelligent labeling for the modulation. The basic idea is as follows: the chain rule for mutual information, which is the backbone of MLC, is not-unique in two ways: the labeling of modulation constellation as well as the ordering of the chain rule. Our optimization at each level pushes the mutual information terms involving new information (for the relay) or beamforming information to zero or one. In effect this finds a suitable decomposition of overall correlation to a set of binary correlations at individual levels of MLC. Simulations show that point-to-point LDPC codes in combination with the proposed correlation design lead to excellent performance.
Low-Level Radioactive Waste from Rare Metals Processing Facilities

The federal government has recognized that companies which process thorium and uranium ores require regulatory controls in order to protect man and the environment from unnecessary radiation. The recent passage in November, 1978 of the Uranium Mill Tailings Bill (H.R. 13650) demonstrates the government’s recognition that the front-end of the uranium fuel cycle, i.e., mining and milling of uranium, had been neglected. The bill defines procedures for a remedial action program at inactive mill sites and regulations for active mill sites.
Brd4 regulates the expression of essential autophagy genes and Keap1 in AML cells

// Min Huang 1 , Li Zhu 2 , Jacqueline S. Garcia 3 , Michael X. Li 4 , Andrew J. Gentles 5 and Beverly S. Mitchell 1 1 Department of Medicine, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA 2 Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA 3 Department of Medicine, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA 4 Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA 5 Department of Medicine, Biomedical Informatics Research, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA Correspondence to: Beverly S. Mitchell, email: bmitchell@stanford.edu Keywords: Brd4; autophagy; AML; Keap1 Received: October 26, 2017 Accepted: January 19, 2018 Published: February 07, 2018 ABSTRACT We have recently reported that activation of Brd4 is associated with the presence of autophagy in NPMc+ and MLL AML cells. In order to determine the mechanisms underlying this relationship, we have examined the role of Brd4 in regulating the expression of several genes that are central to the process of autophagy. We found that Brd4 binds to the promoters of ATG 3, 7 and CEBPβ, and expression of these genes is markedly reduced by inhibitors of Brd4, as well as by Brd4-shRNA and depletion of CEBPβ. Inhibitors of Brd4 also dramatically suppress the transcription of Keap1, thereby increasing the expression of anti-oxidant genes through the Nrf2 pathway and reducing the cytotoxicity induced by Brd4 inhibitors. Elimination of ATG3 or KEAP1 expression using CRISPR-cas9 mediated genomic editing markedly reduced autophagy. We conclude that Brd4 plays a significant role in autophagy activation through the direct transcriptional regulation of genes essential for it, as well as through the Keap1-Nrf2 axis in NPMc+ and MLL-fusion AML cells.
A Genealogy of Women’s (Un)Ethical Bodies

This chapter offers a brief historical overview of the gendered mind/body dualism associated with the rationalist tradition, according to which women’s bodies have been viewed as a threat to reason and to ethics. Taking up critiques of this model offered by Beauvoir and Fanon, I maintain that the body of the Other makes an ethical claim upon us in the form of “bodily imperatives.” I conclude with a critical analysis of contemporary feminist ethics that seeks to move beyond the false dichotomies of mind/body, reason/emotions, transcendence/immanence, and male/female dualisms. Assuming as their starting point the universality of human dependency and the debilitating reality of embodied oppression, contemporary feminist ethicists seek to overturn the sexist, racist, and ableist effects of a philosophical tradition that has always privileged some minds and bodies over others.
Antifungal amphiphilic kanamycins: new life for an old drug

Classical aminoglycoside antibiotics are obsolete or hampered by the emergence of drug resistant bacteria. Recent discoveries of antifungal amphiphilic kanamycins offer new strategies for reviving and repurposing these old drugs. A simple structural modification turns the clinically obsolete antibacterial kanamycin into an antifungal agent. Structure-activity relationship studies have led to the production of K20, an antifungal kanamycin that can be mass-produced for uses in agriculture as well as in animals. This review delineates the path to the discovery of K20 and other related antifungal amphiphilic kanamycins, determination of its mode of action, and findings in greenhouse and field trials with K20 that could lead to crop disease protection strategies.
Pathology of Nasal Polyps

The most common polyps found in the nose and paranasal sinuses are those associated with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Histologic subclassification of CRS polyps is mainly descriptive and is not specific for any particular entity. The presence of eosinophilic mucin should not be ignored, since this places the disease in the EMCRS/AFS category. Unilateral or unusual appearance necessitates the need to biopsy a polyp to exclude other possible lesions. Other lesions that present as polypoid masses include Schneiderian papillomas and mesenchymal neoplasms.
Possible Effects of Orbital Variations on Past Sources and Transports of Eolian Material: Estimates from General Circulation Model Experiments

Paleoclimate simulation experiments for various orbital configurations of precession, tilt and eccentricity (for 9000 and 125,000 years ago) and for glacial-age boundary conditions (for 18,000 years ago) provide examples of possible variations in sources/sinks and transports of eolian material. These types of experiments are likely to play an increasingly important role in helping to interpret the eolian sediment record.
Genetic landscape of isolated pediatric cataracts: extreme heterogeneity and variable inheritance patterns within genes

Pediatric cataract represents an important cause of pediatric visual impairment. While both genetic and environmental causes for pediatric cataract are known, a large proportion remains idiopathic. The purpose of this review is to discuss genes involved in isolated pediatric cataract, with a focus on variable inheritance patterns within genes. Mutations in over 52 genes are known to cause isolated pediatric cataract, with a major contribution from genes encoding for crystallins, transcription factors, membrane proteins, and cytoskeletal proteins. Interestingly, both dominant and recessive inheritance patterns have been reported for mutations in 13 different cataract genes. For some genes, dominant and recessive alleles represent distinct types of mutations, but for many, especially missense variants, there are no clear patterns to distinguish between dominant and recessive alleles. Further research into the functional effects of these mutations, as well as additional data on the frequency of the identified variants, is needed to clarify variant pathogenicity. Exome sequencing continues to be successful in identifying novel genes associated with congenital cataract but is hindered by the extreme genetic heterogeneity of this condition. The large number of idiopathic cases suggests that more genes and potentially novel mechanisms of gene disruption remain to be identified.
Computational Analysis of Interaction of a Sweeping Jet with an Attached Crossflow

Computational-fluid-dynamics-based simulations are conducted to investigate the interaction of a sweeping jet generated by a fluidic oscillator with an attached turbulent crossflow. Improved delaye...
Postoperative Outcomes in Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty Patients With Preexisting Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review:

Introduction:To evaluate the body of evidence on the predictive value of preoperative cognitive impairment on in-hospital, short-term, and midterm postoperative outcomes for elderly patients underg...
The architecture of Fazang’s six characteristics

This paper examines the Huayan teaching of the six characteristics as presented in the Rafter Dialogue from Fazang’s Treatise on the Five Teachings. The goal is to make the teaching accessible to t...
Strange Situation at the Border: Examining the Importance of Attachment and Consequences of Forcible Separation

Immigrant families that flee their native countries to seek asylum in the USA are now met with numerous challenges along their journey. Once they arrive, many are faced with incarceration for illegal entry, which results in the separation of children from their parents based on the immigration policies from the Trump Administration. Children of all ages are separated and held in less than desirable facilities, without any contact with their parents or knowledge of their well-being. This abrupt separation between parent and child for an extended period of time is detrimental to the development of the child. Research had found life stressors on young children negatively impact the structure of the brain and connectivity. It is critical to the growth and development of a child to develop a strong bond with their caregiver in order to establish trust and intimacy, according to attachment theory. A deficit in this area can result in issues with future relationships where developing a bond and trust and having confidence might be difficult to embrace. Children experiencing attachment disorder might display behaviors that are aggressive and tend to lack showing affection towards others.
Syntheses of optically active tetrahydro-1H-pyrrolo[1,2-a]imidazol-2-ones and hexahydroimidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-2(3H)-ones.

The reactions of (2S)-2-amino-2-substituted-N-(4-nitrophenyl)acetamides 16a−c, succindialdehyde (13), and benzotriazole afforded enantiopure (3S,5R,7aR)-5-(1H-1,2,3-benzotriazol-1-yl)-3-substituted-1-(4-nitrophenyl)tetrahydro-1H-pyrrolo[1,2-a]imidazol-2-ones 17a−c, which were converted by sodium borohydride into (3S,7aR)-3-substituted-1-(4-nitrophenyl)tetrahydro-1H-pyrrolo[1,2-a]imidazol-2-ones 18a−c. Chiral (2S)-2-amino-2-substituted-N-(4-methylphenyl)acetamides 12a−d, easily prepared in two steps from N-Boc-α-amino acids 10a−d, similarly reacted with glutaraldehyde (20) and benzotriazole to generate 5-benzotriazolyl-3-substituted-hexahydroimidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-2(3H)-ones 21a−d, which were converted by sodium borohydride directly into optically active 3-substituted-hexahydroimidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-2(3H)-ones 22a−d.
Spatiotemporal pH Heterogeneity as a Promoter of Cancer Progression and Therapeutic Resistance

Dysregulation of pH in solid tumors is a hallmark of cancer. In recent years, the role of altered pH heterogeneity in space, between benign and aggressive tissues, between individual cancer cells, and between subcellular compartments, has been steadily elucidated. Changes in temporal pH-related processes on both fast and slow time scales, including altered kinetics of bicarbonate-CO2 exchange and its effects on pH buffering and gradual, progressive changes driven by changes in metabolism, are further implicated in phenotypic changes observed in cancers. These discoveries have been driven by advances in imaging technologies. This review provides an overview of intra- and extracellular pH alterations in time and space reflected in cancer cells, as well as the available technology to study pH spatiotemporal heterogeneity.
Skeletal effects of combined medical and surgical management of primary hyperparathyroidism.

Abstract Background Parathyroidectomy (PTX) increases bone mineral density and decreases fracture risk in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. This study examined the effect of adding bisphosphonates either before or after PTX on skeletal outcomes. Methods A retrospective cohort study of bisphosphonate-naive patients (1995-2016) with osteoporosis and primary hyperparathyroidism (calcium >10.5 mg/dL; PTH >65) was performed. Time-varying Cox regression was used to estimate an adjusted risk of any fracture in 5 comparison groups: observation, bisphosphonates alone, PTX alone, bisphosphonates then PTX, and PTX then bisphosphonates. The secondary outcome was change in bone mineral density of the hip. Results The cohort comprised 1,737 patients, of whom 303 underwent PTX (17%), 433 received bisphosphonates only (25%), 125 had bisphosphonates then PTX (7%), and 69 had PTX then bisphosphonates (4%). PTX was associated with a decrease in fracture risk (HR 0.55, 95% CI 0.35–0.84), as was bisphosphonates then PTX (HR 0.46, 95% CI 0.25–0.83). In contrast, the fracture risks associated with PTX then bisphosphonates (HR 1.09, 95% CI 0.65–1.81) and bisphosphonates alone (HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.62–1.08) were similar to observation. Hip bone mineral density increased after both PTX (5.50%, 95% CI 3.39–7.61) and PTX then bisphosphonates (6.30%, 95% CI 2.53–10.07). Conclusion Bisphosphonate initiation after PTX may interfere with the beneficial effects of PTX on fracture risk in osteoporotic patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.
Anti-HLA Class I Antibodies Alter Gene Expression in Human Natural Killer Cells

Natural killer (NK) function can be augmented by a variety of agents, including interleukin 2 (IL2) and interferon (IFN) (1–3). Anti-HLA class I and anti-LFA-1 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) also affect NK lysis at the level of the effector cell (4–8). These modulators were used to assess potential changes in gene expression in a human NK clone (NK3.3) associated with activation or inhibition of lytic function. We have found that augmentation of NK3.3 lysis by IL2, IFN-β, and the anti-HLA A-locus-specific MAb 131 (9) is associated with increased levels of message encoding the proto-oncogene c-myb. Conversely, inhibition of lysis by the anti-HLA A,B,C-specific MAb W6/32 (10) results in decreased c-myb expression. The anti-LFA-1 MAb ICII (8), which inhibits the lysis of K562 but not of MOLT-4 target cells by NK3.3, has no effect on c-myb expression. These results indicate that anti-HLA class I MAbs alter gene expression in NK cells and that c-myb expression may be associated with NK lytic function.
Prior viral illness increases heat stroke severity in mice

NEW FINDINGS What is the central question of this study? We hypothesized that prior illness would increase the susceptibility to and severity of heat stroke (HS). What is the main finding and its importance? We provide the first experimental evidence, using a mouse model of HS, that recent viral illness increases the severity of HS. Our data indicate that this effect is not attributable to the exacerbation of hyperthermia but is a consequence of ongoing coagulation and systemic inflammatory reactions. Our data suggest that measurement of platelets, cytokines and chemokines before heat exposure might be indicative of susceptibility to HS, with coagulation and inflammation being potential targets for intervention that could improve recovery. ABSTRACT It is hypothesized that prior illness exacerbates heat stroke (HS) in otherwise healthy organisms by augmenting hyperthermia during heat exposure or deactivating cellular pathways that protect against organ injury. To test these hypotheses, we injected telemetered male C57BL/6J mice with lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 50 µg kg-1 i.p.) or polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (PIC; 100 µg i.p.) as a bacterial or a viral mimic, respectively, with saline (SAL; equivalent volume) as a control. Mice recovered for 48 or 72 h before HS (maximal core temperature = 42.4°C). Platelet counts, cytokines, chemokines and organ injury were determined 48 or 72 h after injection (without heating) or at maximal core temperature and at 1 day of recovery from HS. In the absence of heat, PIC induced more robust signs of sickness and increased cytokines and chemokines (TNF-α, RANTES, IP-10 and MIP-1β) at 48 h, which was not observed with LPS (P < 0.05). Responses of both groups recovered by 72 h, although low platelet counts persisted after PIC (P < 0.05). Heat-induced hyperthermia was similar among mice injected with SAL, LPS and PIC; however, PIC-injected mice displayed more severe responses during recovery from HS, with reduced survival (48 h, 70 versus 100%; P < 0.05), deeper and longer post-HS hypothermia, greater reductions in platelets, elevated RANTES, IP-10, IL-6 and TNF-α and greater duodenal injury (P < 0.05). By 72 h, survival from HS was no longer reduced in PIC-injected mice, although hypothermia, the reduction in platelets and elevated cytokines persisted. Our data indicate that prior illness exacerbates the severity of HS in the absence of signs of illness at the time of heat exposure and suggest that this is attributable to persistent coagulation and inflammatory reactions that might be targets for intervention to improve recovery.
Tasting fire: Affective turn in Qur’anic depictions of divine punishment

Several Qur’anic passages suggest humans will experience God’s punishments through their sense of ‘taste.’ While the Qur’an conveys some of the ways that taste functions and relays knowledge in both earthly and paradisiacal realms, it is in the context of punishment that taste delivers the divine message more forcefully and directly than the other senses. The responses sparked by the horror of God’s pressing abhorrent flavors on one’s tongue, and down one’s throat, prompted the most strident disbeliever to cultivate a more righteous and receptive character, so that s/he may ‘taste mercy
Why students do not turn on their video cameras during online classes and an equitable and inclusive plan to encourage them to do so

Enrollment in courses taught remotely in higher education has been on the rise, with a recent surge in response to a global pandemic. While adapting this form of teaching, instructors familiar with traditional face-to-face methods are now met with a new set of challenges, including students not turning on their cameras during synchronous class meetings held via videoconferencing. After transitioning to emergency remote instruction in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, our introductory biology course shifted all in-person laboratory sections into synchronous class meetings held via the Zoom videoconferencing program. Out of consideration for students, we established a policy that video camera use during class was optional, but encouraged. However, by the end of the semester, several of our instructors and students reported lower than desired camera use that diminished the educational experience. We surveyed students to better understand why they did not turn on their cameras. We confirmed several predicted reasons including the most frequently reported: being concerned about personal appearance. Other reasons included being concerned about other people and the physical location being seen in the background and having a weak internet connection, all of which our exploratory analyses suggest may disproportionately influence underrepresented minorities. Additionally, some students revealed to us that social norms also play a role in camera use. This information was used to develop strategies to encourage-without requiring-camera use while promoting equity and inclusion. Broadly, these strategies are to not require camera use, explicitly encourage usage while establishing norms, address potential distractions, engage students with active learning, and understand your students' challenges through surveys. While the demographics and needs of students vary by course and institution, our recommendations will likely be directly helpful to many instructors and also serve as a model for gathering data to develop strategies more tailored for other student populations.
General Design Principles for Resilience and Adaptive Capacity in Legal Systems--With Applications to Climate Change Adaptation

As climate change begins to disrupt the settled expectations of humans, demands on the legal system will be intense and long term. Is the law up to the task? If it is, it will be at least in part because the legal system proves to be resilient and adaptive. This Article therefore explores how to think about designing legal instruments and institutions now with confidence they will be resilient and adaptive to looming problems as massive, variable, and long term in scale as climate change. Drawing from the body of resilience theory forged in natural and social sciences, this Article is the first to synthesize resilience theory in a framework relevant to lawyers and explore the general design principles it suggests for legal systems. The Article opens by examining resilience—what it is and how to design for it in legal systems. It explores the normative dimensions of resilience and makes important distinctions between resilience of legal systems, resilience of laws they produce, and resilience of the other social and natural systems law addresses. Similarly, this Article examines the theoretical context and design principles for adaptive capacity, focusing on adaptive management theory as an example for legal design. Fusing these two concepts, this Article suggests applications of these general principles to the challenge of designing law for responding to climate change, arguing that climate change adaptation law should draw from theories of adaptive management, dynamic federalism, new governance, and transgovernmental networks.
Real-Life Conundrums in the Struggle for Institutional Transformation:

Intersecting systems of inequality (i.e., gender and race/ethnicity) are remarkably resistant to change. Many universities, however, seek National Science Foundation Institutional Transformation aw...
Variations of Arctic winter ozone from the LIMS Level 3 dataset

Abstract. The Nimbus 7 limb infrared monitor of the stratosphere (LIMS) instrument operated from October 25, 1978, through May 28, 1979. Its Version 6 (V6) profiles and their Level 3 or zonal Fourier coefficient products have been characterized and archived in 2008 and in 2011, respectively. This paper focuses on the value and use of daily ozone maps from Level 3, based on a gridding of its zonal coefficients. We present maps of V6 ozone on pressure surfaces and compare them with several rocket-borne chemiluminescent ozone measurements that extend into the lower mesosphere. Daily, synoptic maps of V6 ozone and temperature illustrate that they are an important aid in interpreting satellite limb-infrared emission versus local measurements, especially when they occur during dynamically active periods of northern hemisphere winter. We then show a sequence of V6 maps of upper stratospheric ozone, spanning the minor stratospheric warmings of late January and early February 1979. The map sequence of V6 geopotential height reveals how ozone was changing in the vortex and at the centers of adjacent anticyclones. We also report on zonal variations of the tertiary ozone maximum of the upper mesosphere and its associated temperature fields during winter. These several examples provide a guide to researchers for further exploratory analyses of middle atmosphere ozone from LIMS.