cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vasopressin contributes to dynorphin modulation of hypoxic cerebrovasodilation

Because pial artery dilation during a 20- or 40-min hypoxic exposure was less than that observed during a 5- or 10-min exposure, stimulus duration determines the vascular response to hypoxia. Dynorphin (Dyn) modulates hypoxic pial dilation and contributes to decremented dilation during longer hypoxic exposures. This study was designed to determine whether vasopressin (VP) contributes to Dyn modulation of hypoxic pial dilation in newborn pigs equipped with a closed cranial window. Moderate (M) and severe (S) hypoxia (arterial PO2 approximately 35 and 25 mmHg, respectively) had no effect on cerebrospinal fluid VP during a 5-min exposure but increased its concentration during longer exposure periods. The VP antagonist [beta-mercapto-beta,beta-cyclopentamethylenepropionyl1,O-Me-Tyr2, Arg8]vasopressin (MEAVP) had no influence on pial dilation during the 5-min exposure but potentiated the 20- and 40-min M and S hypoxic exposure dilations: 21 +/- 2 vs. 29 +/- 3% and 23 +/- 2 vs. 33 +/- 2% for 20- and 40-min S hypoxic dilation before and after MEAVP. Topical VP during 5 min of hypoxia elicited dilation that was reversed to vasoconstriction during 20 min of S and 40 min of M and S hypoxia. Similarly, during 5 min of hypoxia, Dyn elicited dilation that was reversed to vasoconstriction during longer hypoxic periods. MEAVP blunted this Dyn-induced vasoconstriction. These data show that VP modulates hypoxic pial dilation in a stimulus duration-dependent manner and that VP contributes to the reversal of Dyn from a dilator to a constrictor during prolonged hypoxia. Finally, these data suggest that VP contributes to Dyn modulation of hypoxic cerebrovasodilation.
Activation of latent HIV-1 by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and its purified protein derivative in alveolar macrophages from HIV-infected individuals in vitro

Although Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and its purified protein derivative (PPD) induce HIV in cell lines that harbor latent HIV infection, it is not known whether similar activation of HIV in primary macrophages infected with HIV occurs. This possibility was examined using alveolar macrophages (AM) obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage of HIV-infected subjects with CD4 counts <200/microl. PPD induced transcription of HIV in AM from HIV-infected subjects by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). PPD and MTB infection also induced HIV production in AM from these HIV-infected patients, determined by HIV p24 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Viral production in AM required short periods of cell contact with allogeneic lymphocytes. HIV was only inducible, however, in AM from subjects with detectable HIV load (one to three copies of HIV DNA/1000 cells). Thus, MTB and its PPD can induce HIV in latently infected AM.
Antral gastrin cell hyperfunction associated with chronic pancreatitis

This report describes a patient with antral gastrin cell hyperfunction who also had pancreatic pseudocyts and partial common bile duct obstruction secondary to chronic pancreatitis. A 60-year-old female had a th ree-month h istory of worsening epigastric discomfort with episodes of nausea, vomiting and weight loss. The patient had no history of peptic ulcer disease and no ulcers were demonstrated during diagnostic work-up. Baseline fasting serum gastrins were 715 and 1000 pg/ml [normal 50 to 170 pg/ml). These decreased to 515 pg/ml during an intravenous secretin test and increased up to 2155 pg/ml after a protein meal test. The patient also had chronic pancreatitis, multiple pancreatic pseudocysts and a partial common bile duct obstruction. Truncal vagotomy and antrectomy for antral gastrin cell hyperfunction. Roux-en-Y cystjejunostomy for pancreatic pseudocysts and choledochojejunostomy for common bile duct stricture were performed. Three months after the operation, the patient was symptom-free and fasting serum gastrin levels at one week, two months and three months after the surgery were 11, 40 and 50 pg/ml, respectively.
A longitudinal study of laboratory- and diary-based sleep measures in healthy "old old" and "young old" volunteers

The major aim of this study was to examine laboratory- and diary-based measures of sleep in a group of healthy ("successfully aging") "old old" subjects (> or = 75 years of age), as contrasted with a group of "young old" subjects (60-74 years of age), who were followed longitudinally for 2 years. We hypothesized that sleep would deteriorate to a greater extent over time among the old old subjects than among the young old. The study group consisted of 50 elders (21 male, 29 female; 23 old old, 27 young old), each studied at baseline and then again at 1- and 2-year follow-up. Analysis of variance was used to determine main effects of age group, gender and time on key sleep measures. Most measures were found to be remarkably stable over time. However, some decay was detected in sleep efficiency among the old old, but not among the young old. In a multiple regression model for the cohort as a whole, age, cognitive status and medical burden at baseline predicted subsequent declines in sleep efficiency over the 2-year period. To our knowledge, this is the first longitudinal data set on sleep in the healthy old old.
Using Video from Mobile Phones to Improve Pediatric Phone Triage in an Underserved Population

Abstract Background: Video-capable mobile phones are widely available, but few studies have evaluated their use in telephone triage for pediatric patients. We assessed the feasibility, acceptability, and utility of videos sent via mobile phones to enhance pediatric telephone triage for an underserved population with asthma. Materials and Methods: We recruited children who presented to an urban pediatric emergency department with an asthma exacerbation along with their parent/guardian. Parents and the research team each obtained a video of the child's respiratory exam, and the research team conducted a concurrent in-person rating of respiratory status. We measured the acceptability of families sending videos as part of telephone triage (survey) and the feasibility of this approach (rates of successful video transmission by parents to the research team). To estimate the utility of the video in appropriately triaging children, four clinicians reviewed each video and rated whether they found the video reassur...
Meniscus allograft transplantation with bony fixation

The medial and lateral menisci possess different morphologic characteristics. The medial meniscus is crescent shaped and covers approximately one-third of the tibial plateau (Fig. 50.1). The medial meniscus root attachments are more anterior and posterior than those of the lateral meniscus, with the posterior root attachment adjacent to the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tibial insertion (Fig. 50.2). The medial meniscus also has a capsular attachment to the deep medial collateral ligament (MCL). In contrast, the lateral meniscus is semicircular in shape and covers greater than 50 % of the lateral tibial plateau [3] (Fig. 50.1). The anterior and posterior lateral meniscal root attachments are closely associated with the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) [11, 19] (Fig. 50.2). Additional attachments of the lateral meniscus include the meniscofemoral ligaments of Wrisberg and Humphrey, the popliteomeniscal fascicles, and the coronary ligaments [9, 17]. The meniscofemoral ligaments contribute significantly to lateral meniscal stability as their cross-sectional area averages approximately 7–35 % of the cross-sectional area of the PCL [8]. Despite these attachments, the lateral meniscus is more mobile than the medial meniscus [3]. The semicircular shape of the lateral meniscus, with root attachments in close proximity to each other, differs from the crescent shape of the medial meniscus; this feature plays a role in possible transplantation techniques. In the procedure section of this chapter, a bone bridge technique for lateral meniscus transplantation will be discussed. However, a bone block technique is more difficult for medial meniscus transplantations, because the tibial root attachment sites are far apart. Further, a bone block technique for medial meniscus transplantation requires the removal of the medial tibial spine and a small portion of the articular cartilage of the medial tibial plateau.
Compliance with psychiatric treatment in primary care : Review and strategies

Patient compliance (also referred to as adherence) may be the rate-limiting step in recovery from psychiatric illness treated in the primary care setting. Various strategies to encourage greater compliance have been discussed in recent clinical literature. Many of these approaches are associated with more favorable clinical outcomes and can be used with existing clinical resources and minimal impact on clinician time. The majority of research on compliance and outcomes in psychiatric or primary care models has focused on mood disorders, but the lessons leaned may be logically applied to other psychiatric illnesses common in primary care practices (eg, cognitive disorders, anxiety disorders, and psychotic disorders). This article presents several practice modifications that can be applied to the primary care or psychiatry model to facilitate increased patient compliance and thus increase the chances for favorable clinical outcomes.
80 Nicotine increases eclampsia-like seizure threshold and attenuates microglial activity in rat hippocampus through the A7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

Introduction A considerable number of studies have demonstrated that nicotine, a α 7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor ( α 7-nAChR) agonist, can dampen immune response through the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. Evidence suggests that inflammation plays a critical role in eclampsia, which contributes to maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Objectives In the present study, possible anti-inflammation and neuro-protective effects of nicotine via α 7-nAChRs have been investigated after inducing eclampsia-like seizures in rats. Methods Rat eclampsia-like models were established by administering lipopolysaccharide (LPS) plus pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) in pregnant rats. Rats were given nicotine from gestation day (GD) 14–19. Then, clinical symptoms were detected. Seizure severity was recorded by behavioral tests, serum levels of inflammatory cytokines were measured by Luminex assays, microglia and astrocyte expressions were detected by immunofluorescence, and changes in neuronal number in the hippocampal CA1 region among different groups were detected by Nissl staining. Results Our results revealed that nicotine effectively improved fetal outcomes. Furthermore, it significantly decreased systolic blood pressure, and maternal serum levels of Th1 cytokines (TNF- α , IL-1 β , IL-6 and IL-12P70) and an IL-17 cytokine (IL-17A), dramatically increased Th1 cytokine (IL-4) and eclampsia-like seizure threshold. Moreover, this attenuated neuronal loss and decreased the expression of microglial activation markers of the hippocampal CA1 region in the eclampsia-like group. Additionally, pretreatment with α -bungarotoxin, a selective α 7-nAChR antagonist could prevent the protective effects of nicotine in eclampsia-like model rats. Conclusion Our findings indicate that the administration of nicotine may increase eclampsia-like seizure threshold and attenuate microglial activity in rat hippocampus through the α 7 nicotinic receptor.
Regarding agroecological agribusiness issues

According to actual conditions agricultural production development was achieved by harming the environment. The traditional agricultural methods (the natural farms, and plants and animals using in a rural manner) was bequeath us the ruined environment (erosion, barren fields etc). Modern agriculture which based on technical - technological accomplishments could harms it even more and immeasurable. We couldn’t let that development and prosperity of agricultural production does more harm and endanger the environment which could lead to ecological problems with immeasurable consequences. The Agrarian policy should takes into considerations agribusiness agroecological issues in conditions like these. The major goal of a modern agricultural productions and food industry isn’t only to produce more food with lowest possible prices but to contribute the environment protection and prosperity by their activities. Production of "Eco food" was presumed by using of proper ecological technology. Normally, the profile of agribusiness managers should be changed in the first place. They should be the modern type of eco - managers. Their primary task should be to manage the control of applying eco principles with agricultural production. According to the modern agricultural enterprises business managing, beside the market realization as the business component, we should take into consideration the applying of eco principles level as well. Its applying should be considered as preventive measures in the environment protection. The point is that’s much more expensive to overhaul harming consequences provoked by ignoring of the modern agricultural eco principles than stick with them. .
Project Scoping Process Model Development to Achieve On-Time and On-Budget Delivery of Highway Projects

Transportation agencies have significantly improved many aspects of project delivery, yet they continue to be challenged by cost increases and time delays that occur after a project is programmed and funded. An increase or a change in the scope of a project to improve facility performance is a common source of such cost increases and schedule delays. Therefore, this study focused on improvement in the project scoping process (PSP) to achieve on-time and on-budget delivery of highway projects. The thrust of this research was to develop a framework that could help transportation agencies improve their scope development processes and practices. A key effort in this study was to assess current project scoping practices. After a literature review, the research team developed a survey protocol, distributed questionnaires, collected survey data, and performed data analysis. Forty responses were received that represented 23 state transportation agencies (STAs). On the basis of the survey responses, six STAs were ...
Rate capability and magnetic field tolerance measurements of fast timing microchannel plate photodetectors

Abstract Microchannel plate photodetectors provide both picosecond time resolution and sub-millimeter position resolution, making them attractive photosensors for particle identification detectors of a future U.S. Electron Ion Collider. We have tested the rate capability and magnetic field tolerance of 6 × 6 cm2 microchannel plate photodetectors fabricated at Argonne National Laboratory. The microchannel plate photodetector is designed as a low-cost all-glass vacuum package with a chevron pair stack of next-generation microchannel plates functionalized by atomic layer deposition. The rate capability test was performed using Fermilab’s 120 GeV/c primary proton beam, and the magnetic field tolerance test was performed using a solenoid magnetic with tunable magnetic field strength up to 4 T. The measured gain of the microchannel plate photodetector is stable up to 75 kHz/cm2 and varies depending on the applied magnetic field strength and the rotation angle relative to the magnetic field direction.
Dürer’s Feast of the Rose Garland and the Scuola dei Tedeschi as Strategies for Mediating Foreign, Masculine Identity

The German merchant community in Venice faced pressure to please three different masters—the city, the pope, and the Emperor. Failure to maintain good relations could disrupt business and damage profits. This was especially true for a group of merchants required to live together despite particular regional differences and tensions. Members of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi were classified as others whose public and business behaviors were under the scrutiny of the Venetian government, citizens, and other merchants. For the Fondaco to function properly, it was necessary to rebuild and reassert an inherently masculine brotherhood based on good faith and equity. In this context, Albrecht Durer’s Feast of the Rose Garlands and the Scuola dei Tedeschi both support the (re)creation of a communal, masculine identity.
The Bias of Crowds: How Implicit Bias Bridges Personal and Systemic Prejudice

As public awareness of implicit bias has grown in recent years, studies have raised important new questions about the nature of implicit bias effects. First, implicit biases are widespread and robu...
Outpatient Antibiotic Use and the Need for Increased Antibiotic Stewardship Efforts

Antibiotic-resistant infections pose a growing threat to public health. Antibiotic use, regardless of whether it is warranted, is a primary factor in the development of resistance. In the United States, the majority of antibiotic health care expenditures are due to prescribing in outpatient settings. Much of this prescribing is inappropriate, with research showing that at least 30% of antibiotic use in outpatient settings is unnecessary. In this State of the Art Review article, we provide an overview of the latest research on outpatient antibiotic prescribing practices in the United States. Although many of the researchers in these studies describe antibiotic prescribing across all patient age groups, we highlight prescribing in pediatric populations when data are available. We then describe the various factors that can influence a physician’s prescribing decisions and drive inappropriate antibiotic use and the potential role of behavioral science in enhancing stewardship interventions to address these drivers. Finally, we highlight the role that a wide range of health care stakeholders can play in aiding the expansion of outpatient stewardship efforts that are needed to fully address the threat of antibiotic resistance.
Buddhists, Get Your Prayer On: Reflections on Christian Spontaneous Prayer by a Buddhist Chaplain

Buddhist chaplain Harrison Blum draws inspiration from spontaneous Christian prayer in challenging Western Buddhists to expand the often internal, silent, and measured nature of their practice into something more relational, spoken, and prophetic. Drawing from examples of his university, medical, and psychiatric care chaplaincy work, Blum describes his own path to finding his authentic voice in praying across faith traditions, and in turn invites further modalities of Buddhist practice beyond silent meditation and Dharma talks.
O neoliberalismo global, a resistencia e a deformacao da educacao

In this paper I position the increasing inequality inside and between education and economic and social systems within the policy context of global neo-liberal Capitalism. Restructuring of schooling and education has taken place internationally under pressure from local and international capitalist organizations and compliant governments. In this paper I examine some effects of neo-liberal policies. These have increased inequalities globally and nationally, diminished democratic accountability and stifled critical thought-by compressing and repressing critical space in education today. I critique neo-liberal theory in education policy and suggest how the marketization of education has deformed a number of aspects of education: its goals, motivations, methods, standards of excellence and standards of freedom in education. Capital and neo-liberal ideology and policy seek to neutralize and destroy potential pockets of resistance to global corporate expansion and neo-liberal Capital, serving to perpetuate the interests of Capital at the expense of the global and national working class. The intrusion of Capital into education threatens to undermine one important site for its contestation. I conclude by looking at sites of resistance to the global neo-liberal deformation of education and society and by calling for education and other cultural workers to work towards economic and social equality
Integration and convergence in the internal dynamics of industrial districts. A case study

Italian industrial districts have captured the attention of many economists as a specific model of local development1. Analyses that focus on studying specific industrial districts contribute, on the one hand, towards explaining the ongoing success of ‘made in Italy’ abroad (Maggioni and Nosvelli, 2000; Becattini, 1998) and, on the other hand, towards justifying the particular structure of production centred around small and medium-sized firms (Becattini, 1997). This work aims to contribute to the analysis of the interactions among different sectors that constitute the production structure of the district, and in particular what happens when a district includes a sub-district as defined by the criteria for industrial districts definition established by ISTAT in Italy.
A role for genes in the 'caregiver stress process'?

The stress that accompanies caring for one’s parent, and the contribution of that stress to adverse physical and mental-health outcomes, is extensively studied and widely acknowledged. Yet there has been almost no attempt to incorporate the well-documented role of genetic variation in psychological distress into research on caregiving. We use phenotypic data from a large, population-based sample linked to extensive genotype data to develop a polygenic risk score (PRS) for depression, and test for both direct and interactive effects of the PRS in a multilevel repeat-measures model of caregiver-related stress. We distinguish three groups: potential caregivers (those with a living parent who does not need care), noncaregivers (those who do not provide care to their parent that needs care), and caregivers. We also obtain separate estimates according to the gender of both the parent and child. We found that a parent’s need for care, and the child’s provision of care, are associated with depression in some but not all cases; in contrast the PRS was significantly associated with the risk for increased depressive symptoms (with P ≤ 0.01) in all cases. These findings support an additive genetic contribution to the diathesis-stress model of depression in the context of caregiving.
Altera's Bonkers Accounting: Stock Compensation Really is a Cost

In this article, Johnson discusses Altera v. Commissioner, 145 T.C. 91 (2015) on appeal in the Ninth Circuit and the regulations that would match the costs of stock compensation to foreign income under a qualified cost-sharing agreement, and he argues that there is no merit to professor Joseph A. Grundfest’s claims that stock compensation has no cost.
Cardiovascular calcification: artificial intelligence and big data accelerate mechanistic discovery

Cardiovascular calcification is a health disorder with increasing prevalence and high morbidity and mortality. The only available therapeutic options for calcific vascular and valvular heart disease are invasive transcatheter procedures or surgeries that do not fully address the wide spectrum of these conditions; therefore, an urgent need exists for medical options. Cardiovascular calcification is an active process, which provides a potential opportunity for effective therapeutic targeting. Numerous biological processes are involved in calcific disease, including matrix remodelling, transcriptional regulation, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, calcium and phosphate signalling, endoplasmic reticulum stress, lipid and mineral metabolism, autophagy, inflammation, apoptosis, loss of mineralization inhibition, impaired mineral resorption, cellular senescence and extracellular vesicles that act as precursors of microcalcification. Advances in molecular imaging and big data technology, including in multiomics and network medicine, and the integration of these approaches are helping to provide a more comprehensive map of human disease. In this Review, we discuss ectopic calcification processes in the cardiovascular system, with an emphasis on emerging mechanistic knowledge obtained through patient data and advances in imaging methods, experimental models and multiomics-generated big data. We also highlight the potential and challenges of artificial intelligence, machine learning and deep learning to integrate imaging and mechanistic data for drug discovery.
The Rationale for a Methodical Approach to Interpreting the Complete Blood Count and Its Development

Using a consistent and methodical approach to interpreting results of a complete blood count can help ensure that reported results are accurate and no diagnostically significant results are overlooked. The approach presented in the Focus articles to follow was developed through observation of professionals and refined after use with hundreds of students. The approach is different than diagnostic algorithms used by care providers in that the steps aid in detection of spurious results that must be corrected before results can be reported by the laboratory. ABBREVIATIONS:CBC - complete blood count
Assessing occupational risk in designs of production processes of nano-materials

Abstract Building safe production places can protect workers more effectively than managing risks in a plant that has been conceived without taking into account safety upfront. In this paper, we describe an approach to assessing potential risks already at the stage of design of production processes of nano-enabled products. In a chemical plant, risk results from the combination of hazard of the chemicals and exposure of workers to them. Toxicological profiles of novel nanomaterials, however, are generally unknown; in addition, the impossibility of measuring exposure in a plant that does not exist yet exacerbates the challenge of designing safe production processes. This paper describes a simple method to formulate realistic hypotheses about the toxicity of untested nanoparticles and derives a simplified model of exposure that enables non-specialists (e.g., managers, engineers) to analyze potential risks in projects of future production plants. As an example of analysis of risk in the absence of experimental data, the paper describes the procedure to generate maps of risks of two envisaged production chains of antibacterial textiles: 1) sonochemical synthesis and deposition of bactericidal nanoparticles, and 2) spray deposition of suspension of bactericidal nanoparticles.
Label Free Particle-by-Particle Quantification of DNA Loading on Sorted Gold Nanostars.

This paper describes a label free technique for determining ligand loading on metal nanoparticles using a variant of secondary ion mass spectrometry. Au4004+ clusters bombard DNA-functionalized ani...
Phase 1 study of elotuzumab in combination with autologous stem cell transplantation and lenalidomide maintenance for multiple myeloma.

8021Background: Elotuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody directed against SLAMF7 that is approved for use in relapsed multiple myeloma. We initiated a single-center, open label, phase 1 trial ...
Regulation of Genomic Output and (Pluri)potency in Regeneration

Regeneration is a remarkable phenomenon that has been the subject of awe and bafflement for hundreds of years. Although regeneration competence is found in highly divergent organisms throughout the animal kingdom, recent advances in tools used for molecular and genomic characterization have uncovered common genes, molecular mechanisms, and genomic features in regenerating animals. In this review we focus on what is known about how genome regulation modulates cellular potency during regeneration. We discuss this regulation in the context of complex tissue regeneration in animals, from Hydra to humans, with reference to ex vivo-cultured cell models of pluripotency when appropriate. We emphasize the importance of a detailed molecular understanding of both the mechanisms that regulate genomic output and the functional assays that assess the biological relevance of such molecular characterizations.
Desktop publishing in libraries

Un micro-ordinateur possedant un programme permettant d'entrer des textes en utilisant des polices de caracteres divers, ainsi que des graphiques, une imprimante laser et, au besoin, quelques autres equipements comme un scanner permettant de sumeriser une photographie, tels sont les elements de base permettant aux bibliothecaires ou aux chercheurs de mettre en place une edition de bureau de qualite. Les systemes les plus courants sont passes en revue: equipement, couts,... et resultats obtenus puisque l'article est compose suivant differents procedes. La simplicite et la qualite de ce nouveau mode d'edition vont certainement ouvrir un nouveau marche. (INTD)
Eradicating the Label “Offender” from the Lexicon of Restorative Practices and Criminal Justice

This Essay enumerates three reasons for abandoning the prevailing practice of utilizing the label “offender” when referring to a person who has committed a crime. The Essay next identifies and debunks reasons that have been cited for persisting in referring to a person as an “offender.” The Essay then explores the question of what term or terms could supplant this label and profiles signs of emerging support for desisting from the convention of calling people “offenders.” One of the themes that permeates this Essay is that the language we use when referring to people can thwart systemic and cultural change – in this context, a change in how people who have committed a crime are viewed and treated, both within the criminal-justice system and by society at large.
A human rights approach to understanding provider knowledge and attitudes toward the human papillomavirus vaccine in São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract Objective To determine the extent to which human rights considerations influence the attitudes of healthcare providers in Brazil with regard to access to the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for females over 13 and males of all ages. Methods From May to August 2015, we conducted a cross-sectional study among healthcare providers in eight public health clinics in the city of Maua, Brazil. Frequency analysis was conducted across three subject areas: access, knowledge, and attitudes. Results A total of 154 surveys were analyzed. Providers reported their perception that Brazilians do not have equal access to health (80%) and the vaccine exclusions limit an individual's right to health (72%). Providers stated it is medically effective to vaccinate females over the age of 13 (77%), these females should be vaccinated (84%), and they would vaccinate them (82%). Similar responses were reported for males. Conclusion Cervical cancer is the 4th leading cause of cancer among females in Brazil. Most cervical cancer cases are caused by persistent HPV infection, preventable through HPV vaccination. Limiting access to the HPV vaccine when medically efficacious is a perceived infringement of an individual's right to health. Brazil has a constitutional responsibility to reduce these access barriers.
Linking meaningfulness to work outcomes through job characteristics and work engagement

This study examined complex structural relationships among different organizational constructs affecting organizational performance at the individual level, which included psychological- (meaningfu...
Control of nonlinear systems using periodic parametric perturbations with application to a reversed field pinch

In this thesis, the possibility of controlling low- and high-dimensional chaotic systems by periodically driving an accessible system parameter is examined. This method has been carried out on several numerical systems and the MST Reversed Field Pinch. The numerical systems investigated include the logistic equation, the Lorenz equations, the Roessler equations, a coupled lattice of logistic equations, a coupled lattice of Lorenz equations, the Yoshida equations, which model tearing mode fluctuations in a plasma, and a neural net model for magnetic fluctuations on MST. This method was tested on the MST by sinusoidally driving a magnetic flux through the toroidal gap of the device. Numerically, periodic drives were found to be most effective at producing limit cycle behavior or significantly reducing the dimension of the system when the perturbation frequency was near natural frequencies of unstable periodic orbits embedded in the attractor of the unperturbed system. Several different unstable periodic orbits have been stabilized in this way for the low-dimensional numerical systems, sometimes with perturbation amplitudes that were less than 5% of the nominal value of the parameter being perturbed. In high-dimensional systems, limit cycle behavior and significant decreases in the system dimension were also achieved using perturbations with frequencies near the natural unstable periodic orbit frequencies. Results for the MST were not this encouraging, most likely because of an insufficient drive amplitude, the extremely high dimension of the plasma behavior, large amounts of noise, and a lack of stationarity in the transient plasma pulses.
Physical Activity and Psychological Stress Detection and Assessment of Their Effects on Glucose Concentration Predictions in Diabetes Management

Objective: Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) enables prediction of the future glucose concentration (GC) trajectory for making informed diabetes management decisions. The glucose concentration values are affected by various physiological and metabolic variations, such as physical activity (PA) and acute psychological stress (APS), in addition to meals and insulin. In this work, we extend our adaptive glucose modeling framework to incorporate the effects of PA and APS on the GC predictions. Methods: A wristband conducive of use by free-living ambulatory people is used. The measured physiological variables are analyzed to generate new quantifiable input features for PA and APS. Machine learning techniques estimate the type and intensity of the PA and APS when they occur individually and concurrently. Variables quantifying the characteristics of both PA and APS are integrated as exogenous inputs in an adaptive system identification technique for enhancing the accuracy of GC predictions. Data from clinical experiments illustrate the improvement in GC prediction accuracy. Results: The average mean absolute error (MAE) of one-hour-ahead GC predictions with testing data decreases from 35.1 to 31.9 mg/dL (p-value = 0.01) with the inclusion of PA information, and it decreases from 16.9 to 14.2 mg/dL (p-value = 0.006) with the inclusion of PA and APS information. Conclusion: The first-ever glucose prediction model is developed that incorporates measures of physical activity and acute psychological stress to improve GC prediction accuracy. Significance: Modeling the effects of physical activity and acute psychological stress on glucose concentration values will improve diabetes management and enable informed meal, activity and insulin dosing decisions.
Tyrosine phosphatases in cancer: Targets for therapeutic intervention

Protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) function to remove the phosphoryl group from phosphotyrosine, phosphoserine, and phosphothreonine residues and are important regulators of cellular signal transduction. A number of enzymes from the PTPase superfamily are potential drug targets for cancer chemotherapy. Those that are discussed include: the receptor-like PTPases, PTPα, and PTPe, which dephosphorylate and activate Src; the cytoplasmic PTPase SHP-2, which is essential for growth factor-mediated signaling; JSP-1 (a.k.a. VHX, MKPX, or JKAP), which is required for the activation of growth factor and/or cytokine signaling; the PTPase that suppresses apoptosis, FAP-1; and several dual specificity phosphatases involved in the cell cycle, including Cdc25, KAP, Cdc14, and PRL.
Freshwater Mussel Assemblages in the Black River, Missouri and Arkansas

Freshwater mussel assemblages show predictable variation according to large-scale biogeographic factors and stream-size gradients, but smaller-scale assemblage patterns are less well known. The goal of this study was to classify and delineate mussel assemblages of the Black River, Missouri and Arkansas, USA, along an upstream–downstream gradient and with regard to physiography and biogeographical regions. We analyzed mussel assemblages using nonmetric multidimensional scaling and indicator-species analysis. Our results yielded three assemblage groupings distributed along the upstream–downstream gradient and thereby considered aquatic ecological systems (100–1,000 km2) in a hierarchical spatial classification scheme. These groupings also support previously proposed biogeographical differences for mussels and fishes between the Ozark Highlands and Mississippi Alluvial Plain physiographic regions. Each group was characterized by 2–13 indicator species. Our demonstration of small-scale patterns of mussel assemblage change will be useful for conservation planning and for a better understanding of mussel assemblage dynamics.
MET inhibition downregulates DR4 expression in MET-amplified lung cancer cells with acquired resistance to EGFR inhibitors through suppressing AP-1-mediated transcription

Death receptor 4 (DR4) is a cell surface protein that is generally thought to mediate apoptosis upon binding to its ligand named TRAIL. However, its contribution to apoptosis resistance has also been reported. MET (or c-MET) gene amplification represents an important mechanism for acquired resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) against EGFR mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study focuses on demonstrating the impact of MET inhibition on DR4 modulation in MET-amplified EGFR mutant NSCLC cell lines and the underlying mechanisms. Several MET inhibitors decreased DR4 levels in MET-amplified HCC827 cell lines resistant to EGFR-TKIs with no or limited effects on modulating DR5 levels, while increasing DR4 levels in HCC827 parental cells and other NSCLC cell lines. MET inhibitors did not affect DR4 stability, but decreased DR4 mRNA levels with suppression of AP-1-dependent DR4 promoter transactivation. Moreover, these inhibitors suppressed ERK and c-Jun phosphorylation accompanied with decreasing c-Jun levels. Hence, it is likely that MET inhibition downregulates DR4 expression in MET-amplified EGFR mutant NSCLC cells through suppressing AP-1-mediated DR4 transcription. Osimertinib combined with MET inhibition synergistically induces apoptosis in the MET-amplified EGFR mutant NSCLC cells accompanied with augmented DR4 reduction both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, MET inhibition combined with TRAIL enhanced killing of MET-amplified EGFR mutant HCC827/AR cells, but not HCC827 parental cells. These data collectively suggest that DR4 may possess an unrecognized anti-apoptotic function, contributing to apoptosis resistance under given conditions.
Joint User Association and Caching in Wireless Heterogeneous Networks with Backhaul

We consider a mobile network consisting of both the wireless access network and the backhaul network. All base stations in the access network and gateways in the backhaul network are equipped with caches, so that routing costs for serving content requests can be reduced by caching the requested content items closer to the users. In this case, user association in the wireless access network must be aware of both the quality of wireless channels and the content caching strategy. In this paper, we propose a framework that jointly optimizes wireless user association and content caching in both access and backhaul networks. The resulting problem is NP-hard. We propose a polynomial-time algorithm based on convex approximation and pipage rounding that produces a solution within a constant factor of 1 − 1/e from the optimal. Simulation results show that the proposed joint algorithm outperforms schemes that combine cache-independent user association methods with traditional caching strategies (e.g. LRU) in terms of minimizing the aggregate routing cost and backhaul traffic while achieving a high data sum rate in the access network.
Neighborhoods, Racism, Stress, and Preterm Birth Among African American Women: A Review.

African American women are more likely to experience preterm birth (<37 completed weeks gestation) compared with White women. African American women are also more likely to live in neighborhoods ch...
Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship

Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine (NPM) fellowship is a dynamic 3-year training program that incorporates clinical experiences and research training. Neonatology trainees are encouraged to choose scholarly work that aligns with their personal interests and career goals. Choosing a supportive and motivating mentor is important for scholarly success. Throughout fellowship, trainees are encouraged to reflect on what type of physician role they envision for themselves. All trainees are required to pass the NPM boards following the completion of their fellowship.
Abstract 4488: Multi-functional, miR-205 complexed, gemcitabine conjugated nanomedicines for effective treatment of chemo-resistant pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Aberrant expression of small, non-coding RNAs called miRNAs in tumor tissues result in anomalous levels of genes and proteins which trigger metastasis and chemoresistance, and aggravate stemness among the cancer cells. We investigated one such miRNA, miR-205 identified through various softwares (TARGETSCAN, miRDB and DIANACOT) and validated experimentally as a potential target for treatment of advanced stage pancreatic cancer. Most of the current attempts to deliver such potent biologically complex molecules fail clinically owing to the challenges of structural and functional stability involved in their formulation and in vivo delivery. In this study, we constructed a multifunctional, self-assembling, copolymer with carboxyl pendant groups (mPEG-PCC) which exhibited efficient conjugation with gemcitabine (12.1% w/w) and simultaneously formed stable complexes with miR-205 at N/P 16/1. Both the therapeutic molecules which are otherwise known for plasma degradation demonstrated long-term stability in plasma when delivered through our system. Nanomedicines prepared using this polymer by film hydration method showed a size of ∼72.9 nm and sustained gemcitabine release of ∼40% in 10 days which was not affected by the co-presence of miRNA in the formulation. In gemcitabine resistant MIA PaCa-2R pancreatic cancer cells, the formulations showed a transfection efficiency of more than 90% (by flow cytometry), reversal of chemo-resistance (cell viability assay) and decrease in invasive and migratory ability of the cancer cells (Matrigel® invasion assays). In vivo evaluation in xenograft model developed using MIA PaCa-2R cells indicated significantly diminished tumor growth in miR-205/gemcitabine nanomedicines treated group. Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Deepak Chitkara, Anupama Mittal, Stephen W. Behrman, Ram I. Mahato. Multi-functional, miR-205 complexed, gemcitabine conjugated nanomedicines for effective treatment of chemo-resistant pancreatic adenocarcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 4488. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-4488
The Wide and Narrow of Reflective Equilibrium

In a well-known series of articles, Norman Daniels has drawn a contrast between wide reflective equilibrium and a more traditional method of theory acceptance in ethics that would be employed by a sophisticated moral intuitionist. The more traditional method is geared towards achieving a narrow equilibrium, or ‘an ordered pair of (a) a set of considered moral judgments acceptable to a given person P at a given time, and (b) a set of moral principles that economically systematizes (a).’ Although we might achieve narrow reflective equilibrium by deducing particular moral judgments from self-evident moral principles, the more plausible approach is to start from our particular moral judgments. Here we begin by screening our intial moral judgments to eliminate those in which we have little confidence and those made under circumstances conducive to error. We then search for general moral principles that best account for the remaining ‘considered’ moral judgments.
Categorial Inference and Modal Logic

This paper establishes a connection between structure sensitive categorial inference and classical modal logic. The embedding theorems for non-associative Lambek Calculus and the whole class of its weak Sahlqvist extensions demonstrate that various resource sensitive regimes can be modelled within the framework of unimodal temporal logic. On the semantic side, this requires decomposition of the ternary accessibility relation to provide its correlation with standard binary Kripke frames and models.
Impacts of Agriculture on Aquatic Ecosystems in the Humid United States

Agricultural development of the United States profoundly altered hydrologic processes, resulting in severe degradation of aquatic ecosystems. The conversion of natural landscapes to agricultural lands increased the peak and volume of surface runoff, causing massive soil erosion, stream channel enlargement, and introduction of enormous quantities of fine-grained sediment to lakes, streams, floodplains, and wetlands. During the years following the creation of the U.S. Soil Conservation Service in 1935, the gradual adoption of conservation practices resulted in significant reductions in surface runoff, soil erosion and sediment transport, as well as increases in baseflow. This amelioration of agricultural impacts is not well documented in most areas. More recently, increasing yield pressures, loss of soil fertility, and poor nutrient management have resulted in excess agricultural fertilizer use. Today, by adopting appropriate agricultural practices, it is possible to greatly reduce, and in some cases eliminate, adverse impacts of agriculture. However, the historical use of damaging agricultural practices has left a lasting legacy in many regions. Some of these legacies, such as channel straightening, can and have been reversed by restoration. Others, such as fine-grained sediment in streams, channels disconnected from their floodplains, and eutrophication due to excess nutrients, are much more difficult to reverse and represent a fundamental change in riparian habitat. Restoration of this habitat is infeasible in many situations.
The Convergence of the Extended Kalman Filter

We demonstrate that the extended Kalman filter converges locally for a broad class of nonlinear systems. If the initial estimation error of the filter is not too large then the error goes to zero exponentially as time goes to infinity. To demonstrate this, we require that the system be C 2 and uniformly observable with bounded second partial derivatives.
Inhibitory effect of ketoconazole on the pharmacokinetics of a multireceptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor BMS-690514 in healthy participants: assessing the mechanism of the interaction with physiologically-based pharmacokinetic simulations.

BMS-690514, a selective inhibitor of the ErbB and vascular endothelial growth factor receptors, has shown antitumor activity in early clinical development. The compound is metabolized by multiple enzymes, with CYP3A4 responsible for the largest fraction (34%) of metabolism. It is also a substrate of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in vitro. To assess the effect of ketoconazole on BMS-690514 pharmacokinetics, 17 healthy volunteers received 200 mg BMS-690514 alone followed by 100 mg BMS-690514 with ketoconazole (400 mg once daily for 4 days). The AUC(∞) of 100 mg BMS-690514 concomitantly administered with ketoconazole was similar to that of 200 mg BMS-690514 alone. The dose-normalized C(max) and AUC(∞) of BMS-690514 from the 100-mg BMS-690514/400-mg ketoconazole treatment increased by 55% and 127%, respectively, relative to those from 200 mg BMS-690514 alone. Prediction of the drug-drug interaction (DDI) using a population-based simulator (Simcyp) indicated that, in addition to CYP3A4 inhibition, the inhibition of P-gp by ketoconazole in the intestine, liver, and kidneys must be invoked to fully account for the DDI observed. This finding suggests that the inhibition of P-gp by ketoconazole, along with its effect on CYP3A4, needs to be considered when designing a DDI study of ketoconazole with a victim drug that is a dual substrate.