cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol-Induced Apoptosis in Jurkat Leukemia T Cells Is Regulated by Translocation of Bad to Mitochondria

Plant-derived cannabinoids, including Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), induce apoptosis in leukemic cells, although the precise mechanism remains unclear. In the current study, we investigated the effect of THC on the upstream and downstream events that modulate the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) module of mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways primarily in human Jurkat leukemia T cells. The data showed that THC down-regulated Raf-1/mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK kinase (MEK)/ERK/RSK pathway leading to translocation of Bad to mitochondria. THC also decreased the phosphorylation of Akt. However, no significant association of Bad translocation with phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt and protein kinase A signaling pathways was noted when treated cells were examined in relation to phosphorylation status of Bad by Western blot and localization of Bad to mitochondria by confocal analysis. Furthermore, THC treatment decreased the Bad phosphorylation at Ser(112) but failed to alter the level of phospho-Bad on site Ser(136) that has been reported to be associated with phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt signal pathway. Jurkat cells expressing a constitutively active MEK construct were found to be resistant to THC-mediated apoptosis and failed to exhibit decreased phospho-Bad on Ser(112) as well as Bad translocation to mitochondria. Finally, use of Bad small interfering RNA reduced the expression of Bad in Jurkat cells leading to increased resistance to THC-mediated apoptosis. Together, these data suggested that Raf-1/MEK/ERK/RSK-mediated Bad translocation played a critical role in THC-induced apoptosis in Jurkat cells.
Quasi-Monte Carlo

This chapter discusses alternatives to Monte Carlo simulation known as quasi-Monte Carlo or low-discrepancy methods. These methods differ from ordinary Monte Carlo in that they make no attempt to mimic randomness. Indeed, they seek to increase accuracy specifically by generating points that are too evenly distributed to be random. Applying these methods to the pricing of derivative securities requires formulating a pricing problem as the calculation of an integral and thus suppressing its stochastic interpretation as an expected value. This contrasts with the variance reduction techniques of Chapter 4, which take advantage of the stochastic formulation to improve precision.
Underfill acceleration factor based on thermal fatigue crack growth rate

A common failure mechanism of organic packages during thermal cycling is underfill cracking, which then leads to solder joint failure. To prevent failure of the package the resistance to fracture and fatigue crack growth in the underfill must be greater than the thermal stress loading. Fracture and fatigue behaviors are conventionally characterized by mechanically induced fracture and fatigue tests despite the fact that fatigue fracture in actual packages is thermally induced during temperature changes. As previously reported [1], we developed a thermally induced fracture testing method in which cracks in fracture samples were grown without applying external mechanical stress but via inducing a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch thermal stress. Preliminary thermal fatigue crack growth rate data [2] were presented including a discussion of thermal fatigue fracture methodology development. In this work, we extend the applicability of the temperature-dependent thermal fatigue fracture behavior to a material-level acceleration factor with the goal to aid material selection and package lifetime prediction. Conventional acceleration factors (AF) are typically measured/predicted at package/component levels. The material-level acceleration factor in this work can be used for material selection criterion and package lifetime prediction to improve package reliability. Underfill cracks were thermally fatigued by applying two temperature spans (100 and 130°C) and the numbers of cycles to fast fracture (N f ) were measured. The thermal stress intensity factor (SIF) was calculated using measured crack length and thermal loading and correlated to N f . We introduced an equivalent temperature (T eqv ) and used it to project AF at temperatures different from the testing temperature. An analytical form of AF was determined at the minimum temperature (T min ) of 20°C and used to compare the measurement at T min of 50°C. Good agreement was obtained. The crack growth rates resulting from each thermal cyclic load, da/dN vs. K T , were fit using a Paris law.
Blind estimation of multiple digital signals transmitted over FIR channels

Using oversampling and the finite-alphabet property of digital communication signals, it is possible to blindly identify an FIR channel carrying a superposition of such signals, provided they have the same (known) period, and certain rank conditions on the data and channel matrices are satisfied. In particular, this technique allows separation of finite alphabet signals, removal of intersymbol interference, and synchronization of the signals. An algorithm is proposed and tested on simulated data. >
Epigenetic regulation of colon cancer and intestinal stem cells

The importance and role of the cellular epigenome in cell fating and development have been studied for decades. The epigenome encompasses a range of attributes including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and chromatin remodelers; together these components define the cellular transcriptome, identity, and function. The cellular epigenome is dynamic in response to environmental signals, modifiable during normal cell differentiation and is heritable in daughter cells. This plasticity, however, poses a risk for misregulation and may underlie a number of hereditary disorders, development defects, and cancer. Although the first epigenetic change described in cancer was gene hypomethylation [Holliday R, Jeggo PA: Mechanisms for changing gene expression and their possible relationship to carcinogenesis.Cancer Surv 1985, 4:557-581; Feinberg AP, Vogelstein B: Hypomethylation distinguishes genes of some human cancers from their normal counterparts.Nature 1983, 301:89-92], we know that cancers not only display global hypomethylation, but also, site-specific gene hypermethylation in addition to changes in chromatin modifications. Mechanisms explaining the sometimes paradoxical epigenetic changes observed in cancer, their contributions to tumor initiation and progression and how epigenetics relate to genetic events are poorly understood. In this review we will briefly discuss recent findings on the epigenomic states observed in colon cancer, in particular, how perturbations to the genome and epigenome together may contribute to initiation and progression of colon cancer.
EFFECT OF VITAMIN B COMPLEX DEFICIENCY ON INACTIVATION OF ESTRONE IN THE LIVER

IN A PRELIMINARY NOTE (i) we have reported that deficiency of the vitamin B complex in female rats markedly diminishes the inactivation of estrone in the liver. Further study of this phenomenon, which is the subject of the present communication, shows that the inactivation mechanism, impaired by vitamin B deficiency, may be restored by addition of brewers yeast to the diet. Subsequent depletion of the diet is again capable of interfering with the destruction of estrone in the liver. The flow of estrogen through this organ can thus be controlled at will, by withholding the vitamin B complex or by restoring it to the diet. Within a few years after the isolation of the first crystalline estrogen, it became apparent that this and related compounds are rapidly inactivated in the body. Much of the early literature has been reviewed elsewhere (a). Perhaps the earliest clue to the possibility that estrogen is destroyed by an organ or organs in the portal circulation was the observation by Evans and Burr in 1926 (...
Meeting the needs of the aviation industry through aviation maintenance technician schools

There is an acknowledged shortage of trained aviation technicians within the aviation industry, particularly in the USA. While initiatives have been proposed to replace those retiring from the industry or leaving for other industries, a major concern is the ability to provide qualified entry level technicians. This paper investigates the role and capabilities of FAA approved Aviation Maintenance Technician Schools (AMTS) in supplying qualified technicians for an environment of increasingly complicated aircraft, dwindling maintenance budgets and increased flight schedules. A preliminary study was conducted that included over 25% of the 176 AMTSs currently approved by the FAA. The study explored over 50 attributes of each school to examine current practices and capabilities, and recommend ways to meet industry needs in the coming years. Results showed trends in enrolments, expected graduates, and plans for expansion or change. Other data such as tuition, programme capabilities and student demographics are also discussed.
Detection of ClC-3 and ClC-5 in epididymal epithelium: immunofluorescence and RT-PCR after LCM.

Epithelial cells of the epididymis and vas deferens establish an optimum luminal environment in which spermatozoa mature and are stored. This is achieved by active transepithelial transport of vari...
A simple low-bandwidth broadcasting protocol for video-on-demand

Broadcasting protocols can reduce the cost of video-on-demand services by using much less bandwidth to transmit videos that are simultaneously watched by many viewers. Unfortunately, the most efficient broadcasting protocols are also the most difficult to implement because they allocate a multitude of very low bandwidth streams to each video. We present a protocol that uses between three and seven high-bandwidth streams per video and never requires more than five percent more bandwidth than any other protocol to guarantee a given average waiting time.
Lipoarabinomannans derived from different strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis differentially stimulate the activation of NF-kappa B and KBF1 in murine macrophages.

The inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) is rapidly induced in macrophages after exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Recently it was shown that lipoarabinomannan (LAM) derived from an attenuated (H37Ra) strain of M. tuberculosis (AraLAM) was capable of macrophage activation and induction of TNF-alpha production, whereas LAM derived from the virulent Erdman strain (ManLAM) was considerably reduced in this activity. A critical component in the regulation of many genes central to immune function is the transcription factor NF-kappa B. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated induction of TNF-alpha expression in murine macrophages has been demonstrated to be regulated in part by NF-kappa B. In this study, we demonstrate that AraLAM is capable of rapid activation of NF-kappa B- and KBF1-binding activities in C3H/HeN bone marrow-derived macrophages and the J774.A and RAW264.7 murine macrophagelike cell lines, whereas ManLAM is considerably less potent at stimulating NF-kappa B. Treatment of RAW264.7 cells with AraLAM or LPS results in the stimulation of DNA binding of both forms within 7.5 min, which peaks within 30 min and 1 h, respectively. Interestingly, treatment of RAW264.7 macrophage-like cells with AraLAM, LPS, or ManLAM for greater than 2 h resulted in significant accumulation of KBF1. Inhibition of protein synthesis blocked the transient nature of NF-kappa B activation as well as the accumulation of KBF1. Using Western immunodetection of the NF kappa B1 p50 subunit, we also show that AraLAM and LPS stimulate the loss of the NF kappa B1 p105 precursor. These results demonstrate that NF-kappa B and KBF1 are rapidly induced in response to AraLAM and may play a role in avirulent M. tuberculosis activation of TNF-alpha expression in macrophages. The differential temporal regulation of kappa B element DNA-binding activities and the transient stimulation of NF kappa B followed by the sustained accumulation of KBF1 may serve as a feedback switch ensuring transient induction of TNF-alpha transcription.
Preclinical study of dimebon on β-amyloid-mediated neuropathology in Alzheimer's disease

Background: Dimebon is a retired non-selective antihistamine drug currently being investigated as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Results from several completed clinical trials are mixed and contradictory. Proper interpretations of these clinical observations, as well as future development of dimebon in AD treatment are complicated by the lack of concrete information on the mechanisms by which dimebon might benefit AD. Results: The present studies are designed specifically to assess whether dimebon might modulate b-amyloid (Ab)-mediated responses which are central to the development and progression of AD dementia. We found that dimebon is bioavailable in the brains of mice following oral administration. AD mice chronically treated with dimebon exhibited a trend of improvement in spatial memory function without affecting the levels of total Ab as well as soluble oligomeric Ab in the brain. The same trend of behavior improvement is also seen in wild type animals chronically treated with dimebon. Conclusion: Collectively, our preclinical studies using the TgCRND8 AD mouse model demonstrated that dimebon might have some beneficial effect in improving cognitive function independent of Alzheimer’s disease-type Abrelated mechanisms or global energy metabolism in the brain. Observations from our study and others suggesting dimebon might improve cognition in wild type mice and rats raises the possibility that dimebon might be able to benefit cognitive function in patients with other neurodegenerative disorders, such as Huntington’s disease, or in the aging population. Additional studies will be necessary to clarify the mechanisms by which dimebon might directly or indirectly benefit cognitive function.
Angptl4 links α-cell proliferation following glucagon receptor inhibition with adipose tissue triglyceride metabolism

Type 2 diabetes is characterized by a reduction in insulin function and an increase in glucagon activity that together result in hyperglycemia. Glucagon receptor antagonists have been developed as drugs for diabetes; however, they often increase glucagon plasma levels and induce the proliferation of glucagon-secreting α-cells. We find that the secreted protein Angiopoietin-like 4 (Angptl4) is up-regulated via Pparγ activation in white adipose tissue and plasma following an acute treatment with a glucagon receptor antagonist. Induction of adipose angptl4 and Angptl4 supplementation promote α-cell proliferation specifically. Finally, glucagon receptor antagonist improves glycemia in diet-induced obese angptl4 knockout mice without increasing glucagon levels or α-cell proliferation, underscoring the importance of this protein. Overall, we demonstrate that triglyceride metabolism in adipose tissue regulates α-cells in the endocrine pancreas.
A Spatial-Econometric Analysis of Attraction and Repulsion of Private Conservation by Public

Private land trusts protect much land in the U.S., but private groups may fail to coordinate conservation decisions with other conservation agents. Furthermore, it is difficult for public agencies to make optimal reserve-site selections without knowing how these public reserves might influence the configuration of private conservation. Because the configuration of conservation contributes to the total benefits land provides, we analyze spatial data on conservation in California, Illinois and Massachusetts to explore relationships between the locations of private and public conservation land. We find evidence that private protected acres are clustered together in space. In California, we find that private land conservation is attracted towards places where the government has reserves. In contrast, we find that government reserves in Illinois and Massachusetts act to shift private conservation away from the townships in which they are located in a mixture of spatial repulsion and simple acreage displacement.
Implementing Cyber Security Requirements and Mechanisms in Microgrids

A microgrid is a collection of distributed energy resources, storage and loads under common coordination and control that provides a single functional interface to enable its management as a single unit. Microgrids provide several advantages such as power quality control, uninterrupted power supply and integration of renewable resources. However, microgrids are increasingly connected to the Internet for remote control and management, which makes them susceptible to cyber attacks. To address this issue, several pilot deployments have implemented bolt-on security mechanisms, typically focused on securing the protocols used in microgrids. Unfortunately, these solutions are inadequate because they fail to address some important cyber security requirements.
Multimodality Imaging in Coronary Artery Disease: Focus on Computed Tomography

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of mortality worldwide, and various cardiovascular imaging modalities have been introduced for the purpose of diagnosing and determining the severity of CAD. More recently, advances in computed tomography (CT) technology have contributed to the widespread clinical application of cardiac CT for accurate and noninvasive evaluation of CAD. In this review, we focus on imaging assessment of CAD based upon CT, which includes coronary artery calcium screening, coronary CT angiography, myocardial CT perfusion, and fractional flow reserve CT. Further, we provide a discussion regarding the potential implications, benefits and limitations, as well as the possible future directions according to each modality.
CRT-407 Physiological Adaptation of the Left Ventricle during Healthy Pregnancy assessed by Two-Dimensional Speckle Tracking Echocardiography

Pregnant women experience adaptation of the cardiovascular system to hemodynamic changes. The aim of this study was to assess cardiovascular changes during normal pregnancy using speckle tracking echocardiography (STE). Pregnant subjects were enrolled retrospectively if they underwent a
Energy-Based Lifetime Maximization and Security of Wireless-Sensor Networks With General Nonideal Battery Models

We study the problem of maximizing the lifetime of a sensor network by means of routing and initial energy allocation over its nodes. We consider a general state space battery model and show that similar results to our previous work with simpler battery dynamics are still valid. In particular, we show that under this general dynamic battery model, there exists an optimal policy consisting of time-invariant routing probabilities in a fixed topology network and these can be obtained by solving a set of nonlinear programming (NLP) problems. Moreover, we show that the problem can be reformulated as a single NLP problem. In addition, we consider a joint routing and initial energy allocation problem over the network nodes with the same network lifetime maximization objective. We prove that the solution to this problem is given by a policy that depletes all node energies at the same time and that the corresponding energy allocation and routing probabilities are obtained by solving an NLP problem. Finally, we examine a network's performance under security threats, typified by faked-cost attacks, in terms of its lifetime and its normalized throughput. We illustrate how the optimal routing probabilities, as well as the network lifetime, are robust under such forms of routing attacks even though its normalized throughput can be significantly reduced.
Toward Chemical Accuracy in the Description of Ion-Water Interactions through Many-Body Representations. I. Halide-Water Dimer Potential Energy Surfaces.

Despite recent progress, a unified understanding of how ions affect the structure and dynamics of water across different phases remains elusive. Here, we report the development of full-dimensional many-body potential energy functions, called MB-nrg (Many-Body-energy), for molecular simulations of halide ion–water systems from the gas phase to the condensed phase. The MB-nrg potentials are derived entirely from “first-principles” calculations carried out at the F12 explicitly correlated coupled-cluster level including single, double, and perturbative triple excitations, CCSD(T)-F12, in the complete basis set limit. Building upon the functional form of the MB-pol water potential, the MB-nrg potentials are expressed through the many-body expansion of the total energy in terms of explicit contributions representing one-body, two-body, and three-body interactions, with all higher-order contributions being described by classical induction. The specific focus of this study is on the MB-nrg two-body terms represe...
Engineering AAV receptor footprints for gene therapy

Adeno-associated viruses (AAV) are currently at the forefront of human gene therapy clinical trials as recombinant vectors. Significant progress has been made in elucidating the structure, biology and tropisms of different naturally occurring AAV isolates in the past decade. In particular, a spectrum of AAV capsid interactions with host receptors have been identified and characterized. These studies have enabled a better understanding of key determinants of AAV cell recognition and entry in different hosts. This knowledge is now being applied toward engineering new, lab-derived AAV capsids with favorable transduction profiles. The current review conveys a structural perspective of capsid-glycan interactions and provides a roadmap for generating synthetic strains by engineering AAV receptor footprints.
Transurethral ureteroscopy and nephroscopy in men and women using standard adult endoscopic equipment.

Abstract A technique of transurethral ureteroscopy and nephroscopy using a 30-degree cystoscopic lens is presented. This technique is applicable to men and women.
The Rationale for the Treatment of Women with Potentially Curable Breast Carcinoma

The multicentricity of origin of breast carcinoma and our current inability to determine clinically the histologic status of axillary and internal mammary nodes should be of prime consideration in structuring the treatment plan for women with potentially curable carcinoma of the breast.
Practice of States and Unilateral Denunciation

It is well established that the practice of states, apart from treaties, constitutes the main source of international law. Although rules derived from treaties are playing an increasing role in regulating various aspects of relations among states, a significant area of international relations continues to be governed by principles and rules deduced from the practice of states. Furthermore, the practice of states alone constitutes the source of fundamental and universal norms since rarely do treaties embrace all the states.
Dirty war: chemical weapon use and domestic repression

AbstractThe utilization of chemical weapons to quash domestic rebellion is a drastic action for a regime facing domestic challengers to take, especially given the reputation costs and risk of international intervention. However, recent developments have illustrated that some regimes have contemplated and implemented extraordinary measures (including the use of chemical munitions) to quash rebellion. This study addresses the question of why some states utilize chemical weapons against domestic challengers while others refrain from this level of state repression. I argue that the utilization of chemical weapons has both domestic and international elements. Specifically, that ethnic cleavages that lead to secessionist challenges and factors associated with inter-state rivalry impact the likelihood that a state utilizes the employment of chemical munitions. I test my argument and other explanations regarding repression with a casestudy approach utilizing captured Iraqi Government documents comparing Iraq’s Al...
Assessing improvements to the parallel volume rendering pipeline at large scale

Computational science's march toward the petascale demands innovations in analysis and visualization of the resulting datasets. As scientists generate terabyte and petabyte data, it is insufficient to measure the performance of visual analysis algorithms by rendering speed only, because performance is dominated by data movement. We take a systemwide view in analyzing the performance of software volume rendering on the IBM Blue Gene/P at over 10,000 cores by examining the relative costs of the I/O, rendering, and compositing portions of the volume rendering algorithm. This examination uncovers room for improvement in data input, load balancing, memory usage, image compositing, and image output. We present four improvements to the basic algorithm to address these bottlenecks. We show the benefit of an alternative rendering distribution scheme that improves load balance, and how to scale memory usage so that large data and image sizes do not overload system memory. To improve compositing, we experiment with a hybrid MPI - multithread programming model, and to mitigate the high cost of I/O, we implement multiple parallel pipelines to partially hide the I/O cost when rendering many time steps. Measuring the benefits of these techniques at scale reinforces the conclusion that BG/P is an effective platform for volume rendering of large datasets and that our volume rendering algorithm, enhanced by the techniques presented here, scales to large problem and system sizes.
A game theory-based distributed power control algorithm for femtocells

In this paper, we propose a novel game theoretic model to determine optimal pilot power for femtocells in a WCDMA heterogeneous network (HetNet) deployment. The proposed utility function takes proportional fairness into consideration in pilot power allocation of femto APs and accepts CPICH measurements of femtocell user equipment (FUE) with co-channel interference values as input parameters. We prove that the proposed game model is supermodular and converges to a Nash Equilibrium. Results indicate that our Distributed Power Control algorithm converges quickly and is sensitive to interference and load variations within the femtocells.
STRATEGIC STAFFING: EXERCISES THAT LINK STAFFING STRATEGY TO BUSINESS STRATEGY

Staffing can be an administrative or a strategic function. When conducted strategically, staffing helps an organization to acquire the human capital necessary to create competitive advantage and to achieve its business goals. Because many human resource courses do not take a strategic approach, this paper presents exercises designed to help students to understand that a staffing strategy must be based on an organization’s business strategy and to provide students with the opportunity to develop staffing policies and practices that can support and advance an organization’s business strategy.
Utilization and trends in palliative therapy for stage IV pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients: a U.S. population-based study

Background: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is an aggressive malignancy, with most patients diagnosed with advanced or metastatic disease. Palliative therapies comprise an important, but underutilized, aspect of care. This aim of this study was to characterize the trends, factors, and outcomes associated with utilization of palliative therapies. Methods: Patients with stage IV pancreatic adenocarcinoma from the 2003–2011 U.S. National Cancer Database were identified and stratified by receipt of palliative therapy. Linear regression, multivariable logistic regression, and survival analyses using multivariate proportional hazards models were performed. Results: Sixty-eight thousand and seventy-five patients with stage IV disease were identified, of which only 11,449 (16.8%) underwent designated palliative therapy. The majority received systemic chemotherapy (37.2%), followed by surgery (19.0%), pain management alone (15.3%), radiation (8.1%), referral alone (11.7%), or a combination thereof (8.7%). Utilization of palliative therapies increased from 12.9% in 2003 to 19.2% in 2011 (P Conclusions: Despite the continued dismal prognosis of pancreatic cancer, palliation of symptoms remains underutilized in this country, particularly in non-Caucasian, older patients. Increased awareness of palliative options may help increase its utilization.
Microgeographic Adaptation of Wood Frog Tadpoles to an Apex Predator

Rapid adaptation of defenses can alter ecological dynamics following introduction of a new predator. We tested for local adaptation in Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica) populations that face varying selection from an apex predator, the Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum), which is expanding its distribution in the study region. We performed a reciprocal transplant experiment with Wood Frog eggs and tadpoles and tested survival of tadpoles when exposed to Marbled Salamander larvae in experimental predation trials. We also evaluated life history, behavioral, and morphological trait variation with respect to origin and transplant environments. We found that tadpoles from populations exposed to high risk from Marbled Salamanders survived better when raised in high-risk environments than tadpoles from low-risk populations. However, tadpoles from high-risk environments experienced lower survival than those from low-risk environments when raised in low-risk environments. Development rate, activity, and morphology dif...
Lesson unplanning: toward transforming routine tasks into non-routine problems

How might teachers transform routine tasks into non-routine ones? The purpose of this article is to address this question. The article opens with a discussion of why non-routine problems require creative and original thought. Specifically, I discuss how non-routine problems require students to confront uncertainty and how uncertainty can serve as a catalyst for creative thought and action. Next, I discuss how the logic of routine tasks can impede original and creative thought. I then introduce the concept of lesson unplanning and explain how it can be used to convert routine tasks into non-routine problems. I also discuss how non-routine problems can range from more modest in-classroom assignments to more ambitious efforts. The paper closes with a brief discussion of directions for future research and practice.
Changes in tissue and cerebral oxygenation following spinal anesthesia in infants: a prospective study

Use of spinal anesthesia (SA) in children may address concerns about potential neurocognitive effects of general anesthesia. We used near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to assess the effects of SA on cerebral and tissue oxygenation in 19 patients aged 7 ± 3 months. Prior to SA placement, NIRS monitors were placed on the forehead (cerebral) and the thigh (tissue). Intraoperative cerebral and tissue saturation were 73 ± 7 and 80 ± 11%, respectively, before SA placement. NIRS measurements were monitored every minute for 30 min after SA placement and modeled using mixed-effects linear regression. Regression estimates showed that cerebral saturation remained stable from 67% [95% confidence interval (CI) 63, 71%] after SA placement to 68% (95% CI 65, 72%) at the conclusion of monitoring. After SA placement, tissue saturation was elevated compared to baseline values; but further change [from 91% (95% CI 89, 93%) to 93% (95% CI 91, 95%) at the end of monitoring] was clinically non-significant. All patients breathed spontaneously on room air without changes in oxygen saturation. Blood pressure and heart rate decreased after SA placement, but no changes in hemodynamic parameters required treatment. These data provide further evidence of the neutral effect of SA on cerebral oxygenation 30 min after block placement.
A 12b, 75MS/s Pipelined ADC Using Incomplete Settling

This paper proposes a mixed-signal technique that exploits incomplete settling to achieve ultra low power residue amplification. In the first stage of the presented 12-bit, 75-MS/s prototype ADC, the employed open-loop gain stage dissipates only 2.9mW from a 3V supply, achieving a 94% power reduction over a typical op-amp implementation. The complete pipelined ADC achieves a measured SNR of 66dB (fin = 1MHz), consumes 273mW and occupies 7.9mm in 0.35mum CMOS
Dehydron analysis: quantifying the effect of hydrophobic groups on the strength and stability of hydrogen bonds

In the past decade, research has demonstrated that defectively packed hydrogen bonds, or "dehydrons," play an important role in protein-ligand interactions and a host of other biochemical phenomena. These results are due in large part to the development of computational techniques to identify and analyze the hydrophobic microenvironments surrounding hydrogen bonds in protein structures. Here, we provide an introduction to the dehydron and the computational techniques that have been used to uncover its biological and biomedical significance. We then illustrate how dehydron-based computational analysis can be used as a basis for reengineering pharmaceutical compounds to improve their binding specificities.
The hospital medicine movement.

Financial and patient-safety concerns gave rise to the hospitalist movement and caused it to grow rapidly. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Koch and Latham (Eds.): Key Thinkers on Cities

When Regan Koch, a human geography professor at Queen Mary University (London, UK) and Alan Latham, a Department of Geography affiliate at University College, London, decided to assess urban studie...
Non-chaotic and chaotic propagation of stationary and dynamic images through MVKS turbulence

ABSTRACTAnisoplanatic electromagnetic (EM) propagation across a turbulent atmosphere has been recently examined for an unmodulated carrier propagating over an image-bearing transparency through opt...
Determination of Electrical Stimuli Parameters To Transdifferentiate Genetically Engineered Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Neuronal or Glial Lineages

This study investigated the effect of electrical stimuli parameters using graphene-based devices for the transdifferentiation of genetically engineered brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) hypersecreting mesenchymal stem cells (BDNF-MSCs) into neuronal or glial lineages. The results suggest that BDNF-MSCs have the tendency to transdifferentiate into both neuronal and Schwann cell (SC)-like phenotypes at lower voltages (25–50 mV). However, as the applied voltage changed from 25 to 100 mV at 50 Hz, the transdifferentiation of BDNF-MSCs yielded more into SC-like phenotypes and resulted in complete transdifferentiation into SC-like phenotypes at 100 mV and 50 Hz. With an increase in voltage to 100 mV, the complete transdifferentiation to SC-like phenotypes also resulted in enhanced paracrine activity leading to total secretion of nerve growth factor (NGF) up to 50 ng/mL with pronounced biological activity, causing neurite extension of 4 μm/cell on PC12-TrkB cells. Moreover, 90% of the transdifferentiated cells demonstrated significant myelination potential. The contact co-culture of BDNF-MSCs with adult hippocampal progenitor cells (AHPCs) in the presence of electrical stimuli resulted in differentiation of BDNF-MSCs into SC-like phenotypes accompanied by synergistic neurite extension of AHPCs. Overall, this study demonstrates the possibility of controlling simultaneous and spatial differentiation of MSCs into selected neuronal and glial lineages at desired ratios via changes in electrical stimuli through graphene-based devices and can contribute to the development of novel cell-based strategies for nervous system rescue and repair. This work evaluates the effect of different electrical stimuli conditions applied through inkjet-printed and laser-annealed graphene-based interdigitated circuits on the differentiation behavior of mesenchymal stem cells. Our results suggested that it is possible to spatially and locally control the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into final lineage type (glial or neuronal) by manipulating the electrical stimuli. The future work will include the control of stem cell differentiation and fate commitment in an in vivo model using electrical stimuli.
Chapter 117 – Hemolymph

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses hemolymph, which is the circulating fluid or “blood” of insects. Insect hemolymph differs substantially from vertebrate blood, with the absence of erythrocytes and a high concentration of free amino acids being two of the common distinguishing features. Themain component of hemolymph is water, which functions as a solvent for a variety of molecules. Water in hemolymph makes up to 20–50% of the total water in insect bodies, with larval stages generally having a larger relative hemolymph volume than adults. Hemolymph serves as a water storage pool for use by tissues during desiccation and as a storage depot for other types of chemicals. It also contains circulating cells called hemocytes. Hemolymph can function as a hydraulic fluid, for example, in the expansion of a newly molted butterfly's wings and serves important roles in the immune system and in transport of hormones, nutrients, and metabolites.
Thermoelectric composite with enhanced figure of merit via interfacial doping

In order to improve the thermoelectric conversion efficiency and figure of merit, ZT, composite materials of organic or inorganic constituents often are considered. The limitation of this approach is set by the effective medium theory, which states that the ZT in a composite material cannot exceed the greatest value of any single constituent, if the constituents do not interact. Here, we describe a method that circumvents this limit, based on the introduction of interfacial doping. An electrically and thermally insulating medium is distributed into a conventional thermoelectric host material but is coated with an aliovalent acceptor that is allowed to diffuse locally into the host matrix, thereby doping it locally. The thermal conductivity decreases when the insulating material is added, but the more electrically conducting region around the insulator prevents an equally large increase in electrical resistivity. Employing this method in p-type (Bi1-xSbx)2Te3 compounds results in a maximum figure of merit zT = 1.3, an over 10% improvement compared to the host material alone. We report synthesis and measurement techniques in addition to thermoelectric transport properties. While we report on one material system, the concept is not specific to that system and may be used to provide functionality in other thermoelectric composites.
“Tackling the federal debt problem fairly”: Context for the introductory class

William Gale’s “Tackling the Federal Debt Problem Fairly” provides a wide array of content for the economics instructor of any number of courses. In this brief introduction, we wish to highlight so...
Correlates of Attention in the Cingulate Cortex During Gambling in Humans

People make decisions multiple times on a daily basis. However, some decisions are easier to make than others and perhaps require more attention to ensure a positive outcome. During gambling, one should attempt to compute the expected rewards and risks associated with decisions. Failing to allocate attention and neural resources to estimate these values can be costly, and in some cases can lead to bankruptcy. Alpha-band (8-12 Hz) oscillatory power in the brain is thought to reflect attention, but how this influences financial decision making is not well understood. Using local field potential recordings in nine human subjects performing a gambling task, we compared alpha-band power from the cingulate cortex (CC) during trials of low and high attention. We found that alpha-band power tended to be higher during a 2 second window after a fixation cue was shown in low attention trials.
WHAT SHOULD JUDGES DO IN CHAPTER 11

In this symposium dedicated to the American Bankruptcy Institute’s Commission on Chapter 11 Reform, whose proposals remain a secret at the time of this writing, Professor Jacoby argues that doctrinal reforms to corporate bankruptcy are incomplete without considering the role of institutional actors, particularly judges and courts. The judge’s role tends to receive too-limited attention. First, chapter 11 is often characterized as an extension of corporate transacting rather than as complex federal court litigation. In addition to overemphasizing the corporate law elements of chapter 11 to the exclusion of other intersections, this view overlooks the fact that many civil and even criminal actions before the district court have strong transactional elements, Second, the 1978 Bankruptcy Code drafters exhorted judges to be no more or less than umpires of discrete disputes, perhaps leading some reformers to believe the question to be already asked and answered. Yet, the modern bankruptcy system, as evolved, encourages bankruptcy judges to accomplish divergent objectives: promote quick resolution of disputes through party settlement, and exercise independent duties even in the absence of party objection—issues with which the federal district court also continues to wrestle.
Visualizing Ancient Culture Through the Design of Intermodal Extended Reality Experiences

The purpose of this paper is to propose findings on a process for developing and designing a hybrid Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality (VR/AR) system that facilitates artifact discovery and meaning-making at the Guard dig site near the Little Miami River. Both researchers and visitors use this active archeological dig site. The content for this system uses a combination of computer-generated and photogrammetry type models to show the world of the Ft. Ancient people. The virtual presentation of these artifacts uses both a VR and AR system or Extended Reality (XR) system, to share critical cultural stories about this ancient culture. Approaching the design of this project demanded the use of designerly thinking, design research and co-design principles with archeologists, the local community, and potential visitors. This process, based on agile methodologies, ensures the needs of researchers, stakeholders, and visitors are met. The research highlights the challenges facing, exhibit, museum and historical landmark designers as they strive to create a more vibrant and dynamic experience while at the same time creating a historically accurate recreation. The main issues facing an immersive designer consist of the blending of relevance, expectations, engaging interpretation, and finally creating a cultural hub.
Paired motor cortex and spinal cord epidural stimulation strengthens sensorimotor connections and improves forelimb function after cervical spinal cord injury in rats.

Abstract Associative plasticity occurs when two stimuli converge on a common neural target. We sought to use the strong convergence between motor and sensory systems in the spinal cord to restore movement after spinal cord injury (SCI). We developed a paired motor cortex and dorsal spinal cord stimulation protocol to target this interaction called spinal cord associative plasticity (SCAP). Subthreshold spinal cord stimulation strongly augments motor cortex evoked potentials at the time they are paired, but only when they arrive synchronously in the spinal cord. We tested the hypothesis that this paired stimulation effect depended on cortical descending motor and spinal cord proprioceptive afferents. Selective inactivation of either of these pathways fully abrogated the paired stimulation effect. We then found that repetitive pairing in awake rats increased spinal excitability for hours after pairing ended. To apply this protocol as therapy, we optimized the parameters to promote strong and long-lasting effects. This effect was just as strong in rats with cervical SCI as in un-injured rats, demonstrating that spared connections after SCI are sufficient to support this plasticity. When 30 minutes of paired stimulation was done over 10 days, the effect of pairing was sustained for weeks. In addition, H-reflex modulation improved, showing decreased hyperreflexia that also persisted for weeks. Importantly, repetitive paired stimulation supported enhanced recovery of forelimb dexterity in rats after SCI with no augmentation of injury-induced neuropathic pain. We conclude that SCAP strengthens sensory-motor connections within the spinal cord, resulting in decreased hyperreflexia and improved forelimb function after SCI. Significance Statement Despite evidence that electrical stimulation of spared nervous system connections can facilitate recovery after SCI, strongly overlapping sensory and motor connections in the spinal cord have not been targeted for therapy. Here we demonstrate a robust paired stimulation paradigm that depends on corticofugal and proprioceptive afferent convergence in the spinal cord. The paradigm, termed SCAP for spinal cord associative plasticity, produced large-scale physiological changes in a preclinical model of cervical SCI. Importantly, SCAP caused lasting improvements in dexterity and decreased hyperreflexia in rats with SCI. Thus, we have determined the neural circuits that drive SCAP and have preclinical evidence for its efficacy to restore function after incomplete cervical SCI, the most common SCI in people.
Density functional study of non-isothermal hard sphere fluids

Using a version of dynamical density functional theory, we explore a microscopic structure of hard-sphere fluids in the presence of a temperature gradient. When combined with the assumption of loca...
A general approach for stabilizing nanobodies for intracellular expression

Abstract Conventional antibodies and their derived fragments are difficult to deploy against intracellular targets in live cells, due to their bulk and structural complexity. Nanobodies provide an alternative modality, with well documented examples of intracellular expression. Despite their promise as intracellular reagents, there has not been a systematic study of nanobody intracellular expression. Here, we examined intracellular expression of 75 nanobodies from the Protein Data Bank. Surprisingly, a majority of nanobodies were unstable in cells, illustrated by aggregation and clearance. Using comparative analysis and framework mutagenesis, we developed a general approach that stabilized a great majority of originally intracellularly unstable nanobodies, without compromising target-binding function. Additionally, we identified distinct sequence features impacting nanobody intracellular stability, and demonstrated mutationally stabilized nanobody expression in vivo, in the murine retina and in E. coli. This work will allow for standardized nanobody engineering for intracellular applications, potentiating a growing field of intracellular interrogation and intervention.
The causal effects of chronic air pollution on the intensity of COVID-19 disease: Some answers are blowing in the wind

The threats posed by COVID-19 have catalyzed a search by researchers across multiple disciplines for policy-relevant findings about critical risk factors. We contribute to this effort by providing causal estimates of the link between increased chronic ambient pollutant concentrations and the intensity of COVID-19 disease, as measured by deaths and hospitalizations in New York City from March through August, 2020. Given concerns about unobservable characteristics that contribute to both ambient air pollutant concentrations and the impacts of COVID-19 disease, we instrument for pollutant concentrations using the time spent downwind of nearby highways and estimate key causal relationships using two-stage least squares models. The causal links between increases in concentrations of our traffic-related air pollutants (PM2.5, NO2, and NO) and COVID-19 deaths are much larger than the correlations presented in recent observational studies. We find that a 0.16 g/m3 increase in average ambient PM2.5 concentration leads to an approximate 30% increase in COVID-19 deaths. This is the change in concentration associated with being downwind of a nearby highway. We see that this effect is mostly driven by residents with at least 75 years of age. In addition to emphasizing the importance of searching for causal relationships, our analysis highlights the value of increasing the density of pollution-monitoring networks and suggests potential benefits of further tightening of Clean Air Act amendments, as our estimated effects occur at concentrations well below thresholds set by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.