cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automated multiple fish tracking in three-Dimension using a Structured Light Sensor

Structured Light (SL) emission sensor was used to monitor multiple fish activities.Introduced tracking system is able to track multiple fish in three-Dimension (3D).Accuracy assessment of results showed reliable trajectory.Introduced system can be used to monitor fish behaviours as a welfare indicator. Image-based monitoring using video tracking has been showing potential in aquaculture behavioural studies during the past decade. It provides higher spatial and temporal resolution in comparison to most conventional methods such as hand scoring, tagging or telemetry. It also permits more quantitative environmental data to be collected than do other methods. Studies about trajectory are usually based on tracking in two-Dimensional (2D) environments; however, most aquatic organisms move in a three-Dimensional (3D) environment, which greatly influences ecological interactions. Furthermore, in most 2D image analysis, occlusion of fish is a frequent problem for analysis of tracking and ultimately evaluating their behaviour. Recently, sensors based on 3D single point imaging technology, which can provide geometric information of 3D environment with high-frame rate in real time have been developed. These sensors provide the opportunity to develop a practical and affordable tracking system to study movements of multiple fish in real-time. This study aims to develop a multiple fish tracking system in 3D space based on currently available structured-light sensor. Kinect I as low cost available structured-light sensor was used to record a 10-min video from four Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) which were freely swimming in an aquarium. The video was processed to identify position of each fish in 3D space (x, y, and z) within each frame so as to create a trajectory. The system accurately (98%) tracked multiple tilapia in an aquarium. Another objective of this study was comparing trajectory of introduced system with stereo vision as a conventional method for monitoring in 3D space. This study is contributing to feasibility of new sensor for monitoring fish behaviours in 3D space.
RESTING MECHANOMYOGRAPHIC AMPLITUDE FROM THE VASTUS LATERALIS MUSCLE IN DIFFERENT POSTURAL RESTING POSITIONS FOLLOWING AEROBIC EXERCISE

Purpose: To evaluate the post-exercise time course for muscle relaxation and recovery following aerobic exercise in different postural resting positions between the dominant and non-dominant vastus lateralis muscles. Methods: Subjects exercised on an upright cycle ergometer, using only their dominate leg, for 2min at 30% VO2 peak. Following this warm-up, subjects then cycled for 30min at 60% VO2 peak. After the aerobic phase, subjects cooled down for 2min at 30% VO2 peak. Resting mechanomyographic amplitude was measured prior to and following aerobic exercise. Results: There was an approximate 12.6±14.8% and 14.2±15.9% decrease (upright sitting position with the subject’s knee joint angle fixed at 180∘) and an approximate 6.7±14.5% and 13.8±14.3% decrease (upright sitting position with the subject’s knee joint angle fixed at 90∘) in normalized mechanomyographic amplitude after aerobic exercise for the dominant and non-dominate vastus lateralis muscles, respectfully. Conclusion: There appears to be a poten...
Treatment of an Acute Anterior Disk Displacement in the Temporomandibular Joint A Case Report

The purpose of this case report is to describe the effects of a home exercise program and iontophoretic delivery of an anti-inflammatory agent and an anesthetic in the treatment of a patient with an acute internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). A 71-year-old woman was referred to physical therapy for treatment of an acute anterior displacement of the disk in the TMJ. She received two treatments consisting of iontophoretic delivery of dexamethasone sodium phosphate and lidocaine hydrochloride, and a home exercise program was prescribed. Clinical signs and symptoms were reduced after the first treatment and continued to abate during the course of treatment. Six weeks after treatment, her jaw range of motion remained within normal limits. She also reported being pain free and having resumed eating her regular diet.
EARLY CULTURES IN NORTHWESTERN AMERICA

The major problem in studying Early Man in northwestern America would appear to be the definition of adequate criteria for the identification of cultures. What is needed is recognition of cultures rather than technological tool-making traditions. A useful approach is to establish a model of relationships between environments and cultures. A basic assumption is that both environment and culture are continuous and that present environments permit recognition of past cultures. The identification of multiple environments in northwestern America permits the deduction that there were also multiple early cultures. Some proof of the models is to be seen in the presence of archaeological continuums rather than in layer-cake sequences. In the Northwest the layer-cake sequences should be expressive of intercultural relationships, and such relationships should occur on the margins of environmental areas. As a consequence of the models, three basic early cultures have been defined, with one potential culture as yet undefined. These are: (1) Old Cordilleran culture, (2) Mountain-Plains culture, and (3) Bitterroot culture, which may have been antecedent to the Desert culture. All three cultures are virtually equal in geologic time, though not necessarily in absolute time. A number of problems remain, but the approach is suggested as a means of recognizing that there are cultures probably equivalent in time to any previously recognized elsewhere in the New World.
Analysis of food poisoning in Wuxi City during 2008-2009.

[Objective]To understand the features and the law of food poisoning in Wuxi City,and provide scientific evidence for the prevention and controlling of food poisoning in the future.[Methods]Statistical analysis was made on the food poisoning reports and spot investigation reports of Wuxi City during 2008-2009.[Results]A total of 53 incidents of food poisoning were reported, with 795 cases and no death cases. The main pathogenic bacteria in bacterial food poisoning which was the primary cause of food poisoning was Vibrio parahaemolyticus,and the food poisoning took place mostly in the catering service units.[Conclusion]The practical emergency preplan for food poisoning should be developed,emergency response system should be completed,and? healthy management should be enhanced to the catering service units,household,collective canteens and food vendors for the prevention and controlling of food poisoning.
Preliminary Analysis on Knowledge and Attitude of Female Breast Cancer in Fucheng District,Mianyang

Objective To investigate the current situation of relevant knowledge and attitude of female breast cancer in Fucheng District.Methods The relevant knowledge and attitude of breast cancer among the women aged 35 and 69 years and lived in Fucheng District more than three years were surveyed by questionnaires.The quantity characteristics and distribution law of the relevant indexes were described and statistically analyzed.Results 84.3% of the women were eligible on related knowledge of breast cancer,and there were statistically significant differences in the scores among women with different educational backgrounds and income levels.The higher the educational background and income level,the higher the score.Most women were willing to attend breast inspection.91.9% of the community women thought it was necessary to promote preventive measures.Conclusions Health education and early screening of female breast cancer should be strengthened,especially in improving the cognitive level of breast cancer for those women with poor educational background and low income.
Determination of sodium cyclamate in foods by capillary pillar

Objective:Some food composition complicacy,especially sauce,separate degree of sodium cyclamate is not good,result in the certain error margin in measurement result.Because of capillary pillar has better separation result than the filled pillar,therefore go forward an improvement in the foundation of the national method.Methods:Adoption HP-5 capillary pillar proceeds separate,and use hydrogen flames detector to examination.Results:Use this method line range related coefficient r=0.9999,recovery rate is 91.6%～96.6%,RSD 0.77%～1.76%,and lowest examination content is 2.5 mg/kg.Conclusion:Using this method,you can get high sophistication,accurate degree and separate degree,you can also will nicely avoid every kind of interference inside the sample.
Information foraging as a foundation for code navigation.

The process of traversing an unfamiliar code base to fulfill software maintenance tasks is referred to as code navigation. Studies show that even experienced developers have difficulty navigating around programs of very moderate size. The problem associated with code navigation is presumably worse when less experienced developers try to maintain unfamiliar and large programs, a situation that is not uncommon in the software industry. Thus, a major software engineering challenge is to understand the fundamental mechanisms that underlie the developers’ code navigation behavior. In this talk, I introduce a novel and unified theory based on the premise that we can study developers’ information seeking strategies in light of the foraging principles that evolved to help our animal ancestors to find food and to help users to find useful information on the Web. The central hypothesis is that developers evolve the strategies to maximize the gains of useful information to their maintenance tasks per unit cost. In this way, the developers’ behavior and their information and task environments co‐evolve, each shaping the other in important ways. We recently conduct studies on code navigation graphs and software clustering to investigate the underlying foraging theory’s tenets in the context of code navigation. The studies provide valuable insight into information seeking in software maintenance. The research opens the avenue towards the development of ecologically valid tool support to augment developers’ code search skills. Biography: Nan Niu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Mississippi State University. His main research interests are in the area of Software Engineering. His current research focus is on the information seeking strategies that developers use in software development and maintenance. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in 2009, his M.Sc. degree from the University of Alberta in 2004, and his B.Eng. degree from Beijing Institute of Technology in 1999. He worked as a software engineer at Lenovo from 1999 to 2001 in Beijing, China. C O M P U T ER S C I E N C E D E P A R T M E N T C O L L O Q U I U M
Elevated mitochondria-coupled NAD(P)H in endoplasmic reticulum of dopamine neurons.

Multiphoton autofluorescence shows that NAD(P)H is elevated in dopamine neurons. Much of the NAD(P)H is localized to the ER, and perturbing mitochondrial function alters ER NAD(P)H. The NAD(P)H cou...
Cortical activity predicts good variation in human motor output

Human movement patterns have been shown to be particularly variable if many combinations of activity in different muscles all achieve the same task goal (i.e., are goal-equivalent). The nervous system appears to automatically vary its output among goal-equivalent combinations of muscle activity to minimize muscle fatigue or distribute tissue loading, but the neural mechanism of this “good” variation is unknown. Here we use a bimanual finger task, electroencephalography (EEG), and machine learning to determine if cortical signals can predict goal-equivalent variation in finger force output. 18 healthy participants applied left and right index finger forces to repeatedly perform a task that involved matching a total (sum of right and left) finger force. As in previous studies, we observed significantly more variability in goal-equivalent muscle activity across task repetitions compared to variability in muscle activity that would not achieve the goal: participants achieved the task in some repetitions with more right finger force and less left finger force (right > left) and in other repetitions with less right finger force and more left finger force (left > right). We found that EEG signals from the 500 milliseconds (ms) prior to each task repetition could make a significant prediction of which repetitions would have right > left and which would have left > right. We also found that cortical maps of sites contributing to the prediction contain both motor and pre-motor representation in the appropriate hemisphere. Thus, goal-equivalent variation in motor output may be implemented at a cortical level.
DNA Editing: A Primer

Abstract RNA-guided Cas9 nucleases based on the prokaryotic CRISPR-Cas systems provide an unprecedented ease in being able to edit the genomes of diverse organisms. As a single unifying factor capable of co-localizing RNA, DNA, and protein, I believe tools and techniques based on Cas9 will grant exquisite control over cellular organization, regulation, and behavior. Here I will describe work on development of the CRISPR-Cas9 targeting methodology, and detail current and prospective genome-engineering methodologies. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Book Review: The Unintended Reformation by Brad S. Gregory

Review of The Unintended Reformation: How a Religious Revolution Secularized Society by Brad S. Gregory. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2012. 592pp. $39.95 hardcover.
Current and Emerging Therapies in Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer (PC) continues to be the fourth leading cause of cancer-related mortality despite decades of attempts to eradicate this disease. To this day, an effective tool for the screening and early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is missing. A number of biomarkers was evaluated in the diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic settings of pancreatic cancer. KRAS, which is mutated in >90% of cases, is considered a rational target in treating pancreatic cancer. Unfortunately, therapy targeting KRAS is still lacking. MicroRNAs represent an attractive biomarker due to their abundance and feasibility of analysis. Multiple panels of microRNAs can differentiate pancreatic cancer from healthy and nonmalignant tissues. Biomarkers, such as hENT1 and SPARC, may assist in predicting benefit from specific therapeutic agents and be a tool to provide patients with an “individualized” treatment plan. Furthermore, “liquid biopsies” may allow monitoring circulating tumor DNA and circulating tumor cells during therapy. However, to this date, CA 19-9 remains the only FDA-approved biomarker for use in the clinic.
Self-control failure scenarios in daily life: Developing a taxonomy of goals and temptations

Our aim was to develop a taxonomy of commonly experienced goals and temptations. We expected to find evidence of interpersonal self-control challenges and avoidance temptations (e.g., avoid a difficult conversation), as these are anecdotally frequent but under represented in the psychological literature. In Study 1, we used qualitative coding to develop a taxonomy, after asking people to describe a goal and a competing temptation in four recent personal situations involving self-control failure. From these narrative descriptions, we identified categories of goals and temptations and then coded each scenario. We then verified the frequency of these goal and temptation categories (Study 2). Findings revealed many instances of interpersonal self-control challenges and some evidence of avoidance temptations, as well as the common phenomenon of being tempted to “not do the goal.” We discuss the variability in how people describe their goals in terms of approach and avoidance framing with the intention of outlining avenues for future research on commonly experienced self-control scenarios.
Determining the impact of pre-radiation treatment verification simulation/dry run by analyzing intradepartmental reported incidents and surveying staff and patients.

Abstract Purpose Error identification in radiation therapy is critical to maintain a safe and efficient therapeutic environment. A verification simulation (VS; also called a dry run for patient information) provides a dedicated time prior to treatment to duplicate steps of patient setup, imaging, and treatment process as a final quality assurance step. Through the use of surveys and analysis of reported incidents, we sought to determine the value of a VS before initiating patient treatment. Methods and materials In November 2014, a VS was instituted across our network of 11 radiation oncology clinics. A comparison of the incident rate reported through our departmental incident learning system (ILS) was made between a non-VS group (965 patients who were treated in the 18 months prior to instituting the VS) and a VS group (984 patients who were treated over 18 months with the VS policy in place). From August to December 2016, surveys were completed by 211 patients and 55 physicians, nurses, and therapists detailing their perspectives on the VS. Results There were 28 incidents (2.9%) in the non-VS group compared with 18 incidents (1.8%) in the VS group (P = .03). In the VS group, more incidents were detected before the day of treatment (P = .03) and fewer incidents on the day of treatment (P = .02). In addition, a trend toward fewer incidents after treatment started (P = .09) was observed. Patient surveys indicated that 99.5% of patients were informed of the VS, 83% reported decreased anxiety during treatment, and 5% indicated concerns about delaying treatment. The majority of staff members (67%) were satisfied with the VS. Conclusions A VS helps identify and correct incidents before the administration of radiation therapy and reduces patient anxiety.
Narratoria, an Authoring Suite for Digital Interactive Narrative

In this paper we present an authoring tool called Narratoria 1 that allows non-technical experts in the field of digital entertainment to create interactive narratives with 3D graphics and multimedia. Narratoria allows experts in digital entertainment to participate in the generation of story-based military training applications. Users of the tools can create story-arcs, screenplays, pedagogical goals and AI models using a single software application. Using game engines, which provide direct visual output in a real-time feedbackloop, users can view the final product as they edit.
Birds of a FETHR: open, decentralized micropublishing

Microblogging, as exemplified by Twitter, is gaining popularity as a way to exchange short messages within social networks. However, the limitations of current microblog services--proprietary, centralized, and isolated-- threaten the long-term viability of this new medium. In this work we investigate the current state of microblogging and envision an open, distributed micropublishing service that addresses the weaknesses of today's systems. We draw on traces taken from Twitter to characterize the microblogging workload. Our proposal, fethr, connects micropublishers large and small in a single global network. New messages are gossiped among subscribers using a lightweight http-based protocol. Cryptographic measures protect authenticity and continuity of updates and prove message ordering even across providers.
Adolescent Culture and the Tragedy of Rampage Shootings

School shootings are to a great extent driven by the culturally rooted status struggles of adolescents. Alongside material resources and physical attractiveness strategies of self-assertion and self-presentation play an absolutely central role in the struggle to achieve an acceptable place in the peer hierarchy. Especially within the lifeworlds of male adolescents, media-communicated cultural scripts of masculinity thus become the yardstick of their own action. Failure to live up to these prevalent norms creates increasing pressure within adolescents when feelings of powerlessness, desperation, and shame have to be overcome, and the contribution cites diverse examples illustrating the social mechanisms that reproduce, stabilize, and intensify this logic. Relevant case studies show how a school shooting can be read as a radicalization of society’s ideals of masculinity and a dramatic form of adolescent identity management.
Insights from Recent Advances in Animal Models of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Experimental animal models of intestinal inflammation that mimic inflammatory bowel disease (Nat Genet 2010, 42(4), 332–337) have become increasingly common over the last 2 decades. These include experimentally induced and genetically altered models as well as models of spontaneous intestinal inflammation. None of these models exactly replicate all features of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, the two major subtypes of human IBD, but they have furthered our understanding and define the pathogenesis underlining intestinal inflammation. Of particular note is the recognition that enteric microorganisms play a central role in the maintenance of normal mucosal immune homeostasis and the development of pathologic innate and adaptive immune responses that lead to mucosal inflammation and disease. In this review, we summarize the data gathered from commonly utilized animal models of IBD. In addition, we review experimental models developed to define the role of recently identified human IBD susceptibility genes. These genes may regulate host responsiveness against microbial and environmental factors and control immune effector molecules during inflammation. These models not only promise to increase our understanding of the pathogenesis of IBD but also provide rationale for new therapeutic strategies.
Clinical Virtual Reality: Emerging Opportunities for Psychiatry

Virtual reality (VR) technology offers new opportunities for the development of innovative clinical research, assessment, and intervention tools. VR-based testing, training, teaching, and treatment approaches that would be difficult, if not impossible, to deliver with traditional methods are now being developed that take advantage of the assets that are available with VR technology. As research evidence continues to indicate clinical efficacy, VR applications are being increasingly regarded as providing innovative options for targeting the cognitive, psychological, motor, and functional impairments that result from various clinical health conditions. VR allows for the precise presentation and control of stimuli in dynamic, multisensory, 3D computer-generated simulations as well as providing advanced methods for capturing and quantifying behavioral responses. These characteristics support the rationale for the use of VR applications in clinical assessment, intervention, and training. This article begins with a brief review of the history of and rationale for the use of VR with clinical populations. It then details one use case for the clinical application of VR-the exposure-therapy treatment of anxiety disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder. Although significant work is cited in other areas of clinical VR (e.g., pain management, cognitive and physical assessment and rehabilitation, eating disorders, social skills, and clinical training), a full overview of such a broad literature is beyond the scope of this article. Thus, the authors have opted to provide more in-depth analysis of one specific clinical area that clearly illustrates how VR has been successfully applied and is supported by an encouraging and evolving scientific literature.
Novel Arginine-containing Macrocyclic MMP Inhibitors: Synthesis, 99m Tc-labeling, and Evaluation

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are involved in tissue remodeling. Accordingly, MMP inhibitors and related radiolabeled analogs are important tools for MMP-targeted imaging and therapy in a number of diseases. Herein, we report design, synthesis, and evaluation of a new Arginine-containing macrocyclic hydroxamate analog, RYM, its hydrazinonicotinamide conjugate, RYM1 and 99mTc-labeled analog 99mTc-RYM1 for molecular imaging. RYM exhibited potent inhibition against a panel of recombinant human (rh) MMPs in vitro. RYM1 was efficiently labeled with 99mTcO4− to give 99mTc-RYM1 in a high radiochemical yield and high radiochemical purity. RYM1 and its decayed labeling product displayed similar inhibition potencies against rhMMP-12. Furthermore, 99mTc-RYM1 exhibited specific binding with lung tissue from lung-specific interleukin-13 transgenic mice, in which MMP activity is increased in conjunction with tissue remodeling and inflammation. The results support further development of such new water-soluble Arginine-containing macrocyclic hydroxamate MMP inhibitors for targeted imaging and therapy.
Small Is Beautiful: Growth and Detection of Nanocrystals

With the advent of X-Ray free electron lasers (FELs), the field of serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) was borne, allowing a stream of nanocrystals to be measured individually and diffraction data to be collected and merged to form a complete crystallographic data set. This allows submicron to micron crystals to be utilized in an experiment when they were once, at best, only an intermediate result towards larger, usable crystals. SFX and its variants have opened new possibilities in structural biology, including studies with increased temporal resolution, extending to systems with irreversible reactions, and minimizing artifacts related to local radiation damage. Perhaps the most profound aspect of this newly established field is that “molecular movies,” in which the dynamics and kinetics of biomolecules are studied as a function of time, are now an attainable commodity for a broad variety of systems, as discussed in Chaps. 11 and 12. However, one of the historic challenges in crystallography has always been crystallogenesis and this is no exception when preparing samples for serial crystallography methods. In the following chapter, we focus on some of the specific characteristics and considerations inherent in preparing a suitable sample for successful serial crystallographic approaches.
Effect of Worry Level on Recall Memory for Odors in ApoE-ε4 Carriers and Non-Carriers

Objective: Increased levels of worry, age, and presence of the apolipoprotein-E (ApoE)-e4 allele are associated with the risk of developing cognitive declines and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Odor memory performance has been shown to vary as a function of age and ApoE genotype, and odor memory tests are sensitive to preclinical AD. Worry is known to influence verbal memory; however, its effects on odor memory are unknown. This study aimed to assess the relationships between worry, age, and e4 status on odor memory. Method: Worry was evaluated for young (n = 53) and older (n = 45) adults using the Penn State Worry Questionnaire. Odor memory was assessed using the California Odor Learning Test, an olfactory analogue to the California Verbal Learning Test. Results: A significant main effect of worry on long-delay free recall was found, such that increasing worry was associated with better recall across age and e4 status. A significant interaction effect between e4 status and worry on both short-and long-delay cued recall was found, such that across age, higher worry was associated with increased cued recall scores among e4-negative adults, and decreased scores among e4-positive adults. Conclusions: Findings demonstrated that worry influences odor memory and exerts a particular effect on cued recall among e4 carriers who are at a greater risk of developing AD. Worry is a modifiable predictor of cognitive decline and risk of dementia in aging. Future studies on the effects of treatments aimed at reducing worry (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapies for anxiety) on changes in cognitive functioning are warranted.
Musical emotion perception in bimodal patients: Relationship between bimodal benefit and neural representation of temporal fine structure using Rhodes piano stimuli

Combining electric and acoustic hearing across ears allows significant “bimodal hearing” benefit for speech recognition, sound quality, and music perception. The degree of bimodal benefit for speech recognition and musical emotion perception is significantly correlated with neural representation of F0 envelope using the frequency following response (FFR) for a 170-ms /da/ stimulus (D’Onofrio et al., in prep). The purpose of the current study is to examine the relationship between bimodal benefit for musical emotion perception and neural representation of F0 using Rhodes piano stimuli at the following fundamental frequencies: 98 Hz (G2), 262 Hz (C4), and 440 Hz (A4). Our hypotheses are (1) the correlation between bimodal benefit and neural representation of F0 and temporal fine structure will be strengthened via use of a “music” stimulus, compared to the /da/ “speech” stimulus, and (2) bimodal benefit for speech recognition will be better explained via FFR for speech stimuli. Stimuli were presented at 90 d...
Achievability of thermodynamic uncertainty relations

The thermodynamic uncertainty relations provide a universal trade-offs between entropy dissipation rate and fluctuations in transport current. This relation has been mostly used to estimate a minimum entropy dissipation rate by experimentally measuring current fluctuations. Here we consider joint currents and show that such uncertainty relations cannot be simultaneously achievable for any two currents, which leads to a potential underestimation of the minimum entropy dissipation rate.
Directed Printing and Reconfiguration of Thermoresponsive Silica-pNIPAM Nanocomposites

Printing of polymeric composites into desired patterns and shapes has revolutionized small-scale manufacturing processes. However, high-resolution printing of adaptive materials that change shape in response to external stimuli remains a significant technical challenge. The article presents a new approach of printing thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) into macroscopic structures that dynamically reconfigure in response to heating and cooling cycles. The printing process is performed using an external laser source, which enables thermal cross-linking of the polymer ink consisting of monomer, cross-linker, initiator, and inorganic nanoparticles. It is shown that the addition of silica nanoparticles enhances the mechanical properties of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) while maintaining its thermoresponsiveness at micrometer-scale resolution, which otherwise is not feasible by extrusion-based three-dimensional printing techniques. It is demonstrated that spatial reconfiguration of the printed monolayers upon increasing temperature is governed by the local geometry, which enables mimicking the reconfiguration of plant leaves in a natural environment. The study lays a foundation for developing a new fabrication platform to print thermoresponsive structures that may find applications in biomedical implants, sensors, and other multi-responsive materials.
Hepatic and intestinal biotransformation gene expression and drug disposition in a dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis mouse model

We examined the impact of gut inflammation on the expression of cytochrome P450 (P450) and other biotransformation genes in male mice using a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis model. Several P450 isoforms, including CYP1A, CYP2B, CYP2C, and CYP3A, were down-regulated, accompanied by decreases in microsomal metabolism of diclofenac and nifedipine, in the liver and small intestine. The impact of the colitis on in vivo clearance of oral drugs varied for four different drugs tested: a small decrease for nifedipine, a relatively large decrease for lovastatin, but no change for pravastatin, and a large decrease in the absorption of cyclosporine A. To further assess the scope of influence of gut inflammation on gene expression, we performed genome-wide expression analysis using RNA-seq, which showed down-regulation of many CYPs, non-CYP phase-I enzymes, phase-II enzymes and transporters, and up-regulation of many other members of these gene families, in both liver and intestine of adult C57BL/6 mice, by DSS-induced colitis. Overall, our results indicate that gut inflammation suppresses the expression of many P450s and other biotransformation genes in the intestine and liver, and alters the pharmacokinetics for some but not all drugs, potentially affecting therapeutic efficacy or causing adverse effects in a drug-specific fashion.
U.S. military tests radiation belt cleanup in space

The U.S. military thought it had cleared the decks when, on 9 July 1962, it heaved a 1.4-megaton nuclear bomb some 400 kilometers into space: Orbiting satellites were safely out of range of the blast. But in the months that followed the test, called Starfish Prime, satellites began to wink out one by one. There was an unexpected aftereffect: High-energy electrons, shed by radioactive debris and trapped by Earth9s magnetic field, were fritzing out the satellites9 electronics and solar panels. Now, defense scientists are trying to devise a cure. Three space experiments—one now in orbit and two being readied for launch in 2021—aim to gather data on how to drain high-energy electrons trapped by Earth9s magnetic field in radiation belts encircling the planet.
Noradrenergic regulation of the basolateral amygdala

Abstract The biogenic amine norepinephrine (NE) is synthesized in a small, heterogeneous population of brain stem neurons that project throughout the central nervous system. Although NE was originally thought to serve primarily as an arousal signal, it is now widely recognized as a critical mediator of emotional influences on a broad range of behavioral and cognitive tasks. Importantly, a growing body of evidence suggests that dysregulation of brain NE signaling contributes to many neurological disorders, including anxiety and stressor disorders, depression, as well as neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer’s. While many NE circuits contribute to its diverse roles in normal and pathological brain function, NE innervation of the basolateral amygdala (BLA) has received considerable attention, particularly in encoding the influences of negative affect on cognitive processing. Early evidence suggested that NE signaling in the BLA played a central role in promoting the enhancement of fear-related memories and more recent findings suggest that alterations in BLA NE signaling may drive maladaptive phenotypes associated with affective disorders like PTSD. The goal of this chapter is to review the literature describing the role of BLA NE signaling in the healthy and diseased state with a focus on illuminating potential therapeutic avenues.
Chapter 1 – Systems Immunology

Historically, the most common scientific and clinical practice for studying the immune system has been to evaluate its individual components. This approach cannot show how the system functions across multiple levels of biology and does not connect the dots between interacting elements that drive immune response to internal and external stimuli. This chapter introduces the immune system as a distributed and decentralized network of molecules, cells, and tissues that integrates with every organ system and provides a readout on an individual’s state of health. We also review the young field of systems immunology. This field has embraced large-scale data collection with high-throughput technologies and helped pioneer integrative analyses to help synthesize these data into predictive models that can offer insights into immunological processes, can be used to identify diagnostic markers for pathophysiology, and can aid discovery of therapies for immune-mediated diseases.
Holographic Techniques in Crystal Growth

A hologram is a recording, on some photosensitive medium, of the amplitude and phase of coherent light scattered from an object. When the hologram is illuminated by monochromatic light, it can reproduce the amplitude and phase of this scattered light, and thus reconstruct an image of the original object. This reconstructed image has unique properties which make it especially useful for quantitative observations of the shapes of objects. Objects everywhere within the field of view of the hologram are reconstructed in sharp focus, irrespective of their distance from the plane of the hologram. Because the hologram reconstructs the phase, as well as the amplitude, of the light scattered from the object, several interferometric techniques can be used to make precision measurements of the object. Holography is more difficult and costly than conventional photography, and its application is usually advantageous only when makes use of these special depth of focus and phase information properties.
THE RELIABILITY AND MINIMAL DETECTABLE CHANGE OF THE ELY AND ACTIVE KNEE EXTENSION TESTS.

Background Muscle length is a common component of the physical therapy examination, which may include the prone knee flexion (Ely) and active knee extension (AKE) tests. Clinicians using these tests should understand the clinimetric properties. Purpose To investigate the reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC95) of the Ely and AKE tests. Study design Reliability analysis. Methods Seventy-one asymptomatic adults (mean age 24.6 + /- 2.8 years) were recruited based on a convenience sample. Two examiners each performed the Ely and AKE test one time each in an intrasession design for the interrater reliability component, with one examiner repeating the tests one time 48 hours later to determine the intra-rater reliability. Results were recorded based on one trial per test and utilized a pelvic strap for the Ely test and an adjustable bolster for the AKE test. A separate researcher recorded measurements and results were blinded from the examiners. Results The Ely test had excellent intra-rater and inter-rater reliability with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) (3,1) of 0.900 and ICC (2,1) of 0.914 respectively. The intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of the AKE test was good with ICC (3,1) of 0.882 and ICC (2,1) 0.886 respectively. The MDC95 indicated that a change greater than or equal to 8° and 12° is required to exceed the threshold of error for the Ely and AKE test respectively. Conclusion The Ely and AKE tests have good to excellent inter-rater and intra-rater reliability for measuring rectus femoris and hamstring muscle length when stabilization of the pelvis and hip is accounted for. The MDC should be considered as a threshold for true change in the asymptomatic adult population. Levels of evidence 2b.
Developing the TIC Grade: A Youth Self-Report Measure of Perceptions of Trauma-Informed Care.

BACKGROUND:Service delivery organizations are advancing the provision of trauma-informed care (TIC) for youth to improve outcomes. However, currently there are no validated, reliable evaluation mea...
South African Constitutional History

This version is a pre-publication draft of the chapter that appeared in "Constitutional Law of South Africa" in 1996.
The Case for Universal Testing of Colorectal Tumors for Microsatellite Instability: A Coming Mismatch Between Clinical and Laboratory Testing

There is a clear trend toward universal testing of newly diagnosed colorectal cancers (CRCs) for evidence of microsatellite instability (MSI) [1–4]. MSI involves easily detected changes in the length of short nucleotide repeat sequences that are acquired in tumors but that are not present in normal tissues. Such changes, originally detected with PCR-based methods, are essentially a universal feature of CRCs in patients with hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC or ‘‘Lynch syndrome’’). However, about 15 % of all CRCs show MSI, and of these, 20 % have underlying HNPCC, with additional, but readily available tests needed to distinguish likely sporadic from likely HNPCC [5]. Convergent data support the feasibility and utility of universal MSI testing:
Interferons and Antiviral Action

Viruses and their hosts have evolved to coexist by maintaining viral homeostasis. At the organism level, the immune system of the host plays a major role in clearing the infection or driving the viruses to enter a latent phase. In addition to the direct action of the cells of the immune system, various cytokines, most importantly the interferons (IFNs) system, produced by them are critically important in this process. The majority of the interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) that are induced by IFN, double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), and viruses contain IFN-stimulated response elements (ISREs) in their promoters. The usual mechanism calls for inhibition of several steps of viral gene expression through the actions of several ISG products. ISG-encoded proteins have been chosen because of the diversity of their functions and their perceived importance in mediating antiviral actions. Protein kinase RNA regulated (PKR) was one of the earliest antiviral ISGs identified and is one of the most thoroughly investigated to date. PKR has been implicated in regulation of apoptosis both in the presence and absence of viral infection. The importance of PKR in mediating antiviral actions of IFN is manifested by the variety of strategies used by different viruses to evade PKR’s activation or action. The common structural features of adenosine deaminase acting on RNA (ADAR) family proteins include a dsRNA-binding domain and a conserved cytidine deaminase domain at the carboxyl terminus that contains highly conserved residues thought to be involved in catalysis.
Protein Secondary-Structure Modeling with Probabilistic Networks

In this paper we study the performance of probabilistic networks in the context of protein sequence analysis in molecular biology. Specifically, we report the results of our initial experiments applying this framework to the problem of protein secondary structure prediction. One of the main advantages of the probabilistic approach we describe here is our ability to perform detailed experiments where we can experiment with different models. We can easily perform local substitutions (mutations) and measure (probabilistically) their effect on the global structure. Window-based methods do not support such experimentation as readily. Our method is efficient both during training and during prediction, which is important in order to be able to perform many experiments with different networks. We believe that probabilistic methods are comparable to other methods in prediction quality. In addition, the predictions generated by our methods have precise quantitative semantics which is not shared by other classification methods. Specifically, all the causal and statistical independence assumptions are made explicit in our networks thereby allowing biologists to study and experiment with different causal models in a convenient manner.
Network coding in wireless networks

Network coding improves throughput in wireless networks. When applied to battery driven devices, like wireless sensor nodes, it extends the network lifetime. Network coding reduces the energy consumption by minimizing the number of transmissions required to communicate a given amount of information across the network. However, aggressive application of network coding adversely affects the network lifetime. We illustrate this trade off in this paper, and show that the existing throughput based network coding approaches cannot be applied to energy-constrained networks. Specifically, we address the following routing problem. Given a set of traffic demands the goal is to route the demands across the network with the objective of minimizing the total energy consumption while providing guarantees on the lifetime of individual nodes. This work studies both multi-path and single-path variations of the above routing problem. We present analytical formulations to solve the problems optimally. Evaluation of the multi-path problem indicates that the proposed solution is 35% more energy efficient than no-network-coding solution while still meeting required lifetime constraints. However, network coding is a costly technique to apply. This technique involves extra overhead in terms of control message transmissions, and may result into unbounded delays. These factors offset the performance enhancements that are otherwise achievable through network coding. In this work, we characterize a network to determine regions (nodes), where application of coding can be advantageous. This serves two purposes. First, if a network is well suited to effectively use coding then performance enhancement would dominate instead of latency and additional overhead issues. Second, coding-aware routing protocols can be designed, which use topology information to route the packets effectively in the network.
Sensing by growing antennas: A novel approach for designing passive RFID based biosensors

In this paper, we show that a silver-enhancement technique can be used to self-assemble a radio-frequency (RF) antenna which then can be used for designing a radio-frequency identification (RFID) based biosensor. Using the proposed biosensor, the concentration of target analytes or pathogens can be remotely interrogated in a concealed, packaged or in a bio-hazardous environment, where direct measurement is considered to be impractical. The presence of the target analytes or pathogens, self-powers a silver-enhancement process which then assembles a chain of micro-monopole antennas. As the size of the silver-enhanced particles grows, the chain of micro-antenna segments bridge together to complete a dipole structure that reflects impinging RF signals at a desired frequency. We validate the proof-of-concept for IgG detection and demonstrate that different concentrations of rabbit IgG (ranging from 20ng to 60ng in this paper) can be detected based on the strength of the reflected RF signal received at a 915MHz COTS RFID reader.
An Appraisal of California's No-Fault Divorce Law

California's no-fault divorce law became effective in 1970.1 As the nation's first "pure" no-fault divorce law, it removed consideration of marital fault from the grounds for divorce,2 from the award of spousal support,3 and from the division of property.4 The Act retained fault as a relevant factor during marital dissolution proceedings on only two issues. First, if necessary, fault could be used to prove the existence of one of the no-fault grounds for dissolution: irreconcilable differences that had caused the irremediable breakdown of the marriage.5 In addition, fault was admissible on the question of child custody to show that parental custody would be detrimental to the child.6 The no-fault law treated post-marital fault as determinative on one aspect of post-dissolution modification proceedings: in the absence of an agreement to the contrary, spousal support might be revoked or modified upon a showing that the supported spouse was living in nonmarital cohabitation with a third person and holding himself or herself out as married to that person.7