cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neuroglobin expression in the cochlea of rat pups exposed to chronic very mild carbon monoxide (25 ppm) in air during and after the prenatal period

Abstract The distribution of neuroglobin (Ngb) was investigated in the normal rat cochlea using immunohistochemistry and non-radioactive insitu hybridization. We also determined whether chronic, very mild CO exposure at 25 ppm in air over the gestational and postnatal period alters the expression of Ngb. Pregnant rats were exposed chronically to CO from gestational days 5–20. Four groups were made as follows: prenatal exposure to CO only; prenatal exposure to CO followed by postnatal exposure from postnatal days (5) P5 to P20; rat pups were exposed to CO from P5 to P20; controls (air without CO). In normal adult rats and control group pups, Ngb was found in spiral ganglia neurons, fibrocytes of the spiral ligament, and supporting cells of the organ of Corti. Ngb was not present in the stria vascularis and the inner and outer hair cells. At P20 Ngb immunoreactivity and transcript expression decreased in spiral ganglia neurons and the spiral ligament in the prenatal and pre- and postnatal groups. This decrease was not observed in the postnatal group. Ngb-IR did not decrease in supporting cells in any CO group. Cytochrome-C immunoreactivity followed Ngb distribution in normal controls and CO treated groups. A decrease in Ngb in spiral ganglia neurons and rat spiral ligament, but not in supporting cells, following CO exposure supports the idea that chronic, mild exposure to CO may create a vulnerable cellular environment predisposed to adverse cochlear development.
Pothead or pot smoker? A taxometric investigation of cannabis dependence.

Background Taxometric methods were used to discern the latent structure of cannabis dependence. Such methods help determine if a construct is categorical or dimensional. Taxometric analyses (MAXEIG and MAMBAC) were conducted on data from 1,474 cannabis-using respondents to the 2001–2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). Respondents answered questions assessing DSM-IV criteria for cannabis dependence.
A Generalized Multivariate Approach for Correlation-Based Pattern Discovery from Replicated Molecular Profiling Data

Correlation-based pattern discovery from replicatedmolecular profiling data enables essential data mining tasks, such as discovering biomolecule association networks and functional modules. Unfortunately, the existing approaches are not tailoredto analyze replicated measurements, which is further confused by various replication mechanisms. With few exception, existing approaches average or summarize over replicates of diverse magnitude, which might wipe out important patterns of low magnitude and/or cancel out patterns of similar magnitude. The averaging or summarizing procedure, originally targetedfor univariate differential expression analysis, has become a nuisance in multivariate correlation-based pattern discovery. Multivariate approaches that treat each replicate individually provide a promising alternative. Here we propose a multivariateparsimonious correlation model for replicated molecular profilingdata with blind replication mechanisms, and a constrained (lessparsimonious) correlation model explicitly considers the informedreplication mechanisms. We derive a generalized formula forcorrelation-based pattern discovery for both blind and informedreplication mechanisms. To promote it’s use among the biomedicalresearch community, we develop a correlation-based patterndiscovery software with Graphical User Interface (GUI) foranalyzing replicated molecular profiling data.
Towards Improving Query Performance of Web Feature Services (WFS) for Disaster Response

While OGC's WFS facilitates disseminating heterogeneous spatial data over the Web and allows feature-level geospatial information sharing and synchronization, performance issues challenge the efficient and effective utilization of WFS for disaster response. Literature shows that obtaining spatial information becomes very slow when querying WFS systems from large geospatial databases over the Internet. Solutions on how to improve the WFS system performance so that spatial data can be delivered to disaster responders within a reasonable amount of time are needed. This paper proposes a parallel approach based on Voronoi diagram indexing and data/task parallelism for improving the query performance of WFS systems for disaster applications. Experimental results show that the parallel approach can significantly improve the response time needed to process the spatial queries from a massive volume of spatial data for disaster response.
Electrolyte content of milk differs in normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats

Milk samples were collected from lactating spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) normotensive females 14 days postpartum and were later analyzed for content of calcium (Ca++), sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), chloride (Cl−), magnesium (Mg++), and total protein. Our findings revealed that milk samples from SHR females had significantly higher concentrations of Na+ and Cl− and significantly lower concentrations of Ca++, K+, and protein when compared with samples from WKY females. In addition, the Na+/K+ ratio for milk samples from SHR was significantly higher that that for samples from WKY. Milk levels of Mg++ were similar for females of the two strains. These results indicate that preweanling dietary content of several electrolytes implicated in the development of hypertension differs substantially between SHR and WKY pups. Such differences in milk electrolyte levels may constitute an important environmental trigger for age-related increases in arterial pressures of SHRs.
Helix parameters optimization for Wi-Max applications

Wi-Max is the fourth generation of high speed broad band internet connection. With a suitable antenna it can cover L.O.S. thirty miles with 5GHz at the speed of 70 Mbps. It will be available to the public at very low monthly subscription, thus, over riding the high cost of internet connection [1]. The key element for Wi-Max applications is the construction of a proper beam forming antenna. In this article we introduce a special optimized tapered helix antenna which can direct the beam in the desired direction. Our preliminary optimization shows that a tapered helix with 11 turns, 11 inches height, and 1.5 centimeter spacing between turns, can yield a gain of 13.5dbi with 3db beam width of 30˚ which are quite satisfactory for Wi-Max applications. It is shown that simulation and theoretical results are in good agreement.
Soft Modeling and Special Education

This article briefly describes soft modeling with partial least squares (pls) in a nontechnical manner. soft modeling with pls was developed by herman wold (1985) for model building and evaluation in situations with high complexity but without well-articulated theories. because many believe that this is the situation in education, we believe that soft modeling with pls is a useful tool for educational research.
Minireview: IGF, Insulin, and Cancer

In recent years, the influence of the IGF system and insulin on cancer growth has been widely studied. Observational human studies have reported increased cancer mortality in those with obesity and type 2 diabetes, which may be attributable to hyperinsulinemia, elevated IGF-I, or potentially both factors. Conversely, those with low insulin, IGF-I and IGF-II levels appear to be relatively protected from cancer development. Initial attention focused on the role of IGF-I in tumor development. The results of these investigations allowed for the development of therapies targeting the IGF-I receptor signaling pathway. However, after in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrating that insulin may also play a significant and independent role in tumorigenesis, insulin is now receiving more attention in this regard. Some studies suggest that targeting insulin receptor signaling may be an important alternative or adjunct to targeting IGF-I receptor signaling. In this minireview, we discuss some of the recent in vitro, a...
Net interest margins and firm performance in developing countries

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the relationship between performance and some macro and micro variables in the Argentine commercial banking industry. Included are the profitability and interest variables; return on assets (ROA) and net interest margin (NIM) over the period of 1994 to 2011.Design/methodology/approach – The empirical construct is guided by recent theories of banking performance that employ an industrial organization framework and two dependent variables (with identical control variables) to assure robustness and comparability in findings. The variables for the panel estimated generalized least square (panel EGLS) are constructed using income statements of 62 commercial banks (firm‐level data) as well as a number of industry‐specific and macroeconomic indicators.Findings – Factors such as expense management (operating cost efficiency/inefficiency), leverage and liquidity appear to be important forces behind the net interest margins (NIM) and profits (ROA) in the Argentine banking indust...
Differential regulation of glutathione S-transferases in cultured hepatocytes

Specific cDNA probes were used to determine steady-state mRNA levels for the multiple glutathione S-transferases in primary hepatocyte cultures. In the first 24 hr of culture, gene transcripts for the Ya family decreased sharply, Yb3 disappeared completely, but changes in levels of mRNA for Yb1 and Yb2 were smaller. These results suggest that the isoenzymes are regulated independently. Yp mRNA, which is present at greatly elevated levels in hyperplastic nodules and hepatocellular carcinomas but not in normal adult livers, was hardly detectable in freshly isolated hepatocytes, but Yp transcripts rapidly accumulated in the first 24 hr in culture and continued to increase for 72 hr. Decreased levels in Ya and Yc and increases in Yp were detected by immunoblotting methods, indicating that translation products changed together with mRNA levels in the cultured cells. The appearance of Yp transcripts in hepatocytes was effectively blocked by addition of dexamethasone to the culture medium. Elevations of Yp levels are characteristic of the cell culture system and factors regulating Yp transcription in nodules and carcinomas may also be operative in cultured hepatocytes.
The experience of acupuncture for treatment of substance dependence.

Purpose: To explore the meaning of substance abusers' experience while receiving acupuncture as a part of the treatment for substance dependence. Design: Phenomenology. Eight participants with diagnosis of substance dependence were selected for the study. The participants were in an inpatient setting with detoxification and rehabilitation programs provided to substance abusers. Methods: In 1997, eight substance abusers who had accepted acupuncture as a part of their treatment for substance dependence were interviewed about their experiences with acupuncture treatment. Data collection included interviews with each of the subjects, the researcher's field notes, and demographic data obtained from the participants' medical records. The verbatim transcripts of each of the interviews were analyzed using Giorgi's modification of phenomenological method. Findings: Analysis of the data after one treatment with acupuncture indicated seven major themes: anticipation of pain, apprehension concerning a new experience, mood elevation, inability to describe the experience, physical sensation, relaxation, and improved sleep. Conclusions: The substance abusers' experiences with acupuncture revealed an acceptance of a new treatment method, and demonstrated potential for healing through integration and balance. Further research is indicated to assess the effects of repeated treatments
Frequency Analysis of an Arbitrarily Supported, Exponentially Tapered Beam

In most introductory vibration textbooks, the vibration of non-uniform beams is not covered. In this paper, the free vibration of an arbitrarily supported Euler–Bernoulli beam of constant thickness and exponentially varying width is investigated. The ‘assumed modes‘ method is utilized to obtain the approximate natural frequencies of the tapered beam, where the basis functions used in the expansion correspond to the eigenfunctions of the uniform beam, including its rigid-body modes. Expressing the eigenfunctions in terms of exponentials, the generalized masses and stiffnesses for the non-uniform beam can all be obtained in closed form, which substantially simplifies the analysis. The proposed scheme is simple to code, efficient to apply and can be easily modified to accommodate a tapered beam with various boundary conditions. Additionally, with slight modifications, the proposed method can also be used to analyze the free vibration of a combined system consisting of an exponentially varying beam carrying l...
PC based graphic display real-time particle beam uniformity

A technique has been developed to support the study of the effects of cosmic rays on integrated circuits. The system is designed to determine the particle distribution across the surface of an integrated circuit accurately while the circuit is bombarded by a particle beam. The system uses photomultiplier tubes, an octal discriminator, a computer-controlled NIM quad counter, and an IBM PC. It provides real-time operator feedback for fast beam tuning and monitors momentary fluctuations in the particle beam. The hardware, software, and system performance are described. >
Identification of the Nuclear Export Signal and STAT-Binding Domains of the Nipah Virus V Protein Reveals Mechanisms Underlying Interferon Evasion

The V proteins of Nipah virus and Hendra virus have been demonstrated to bind to cellular STAT1 and STAT2 proteins to form high-molecular-weight complexes that inhibit interferon (IFN)-induced antiviral transcription by preventing STAT nuclear accumulation. Analysis of the Nipah virus V protein has revealed a region between amino acids 174 and 192 that functions as a CRM1-dependent nuclear export signal (NES). This peptide is sufficient to complement an export-defective human immunodeficiency virus Rev protein, and deletion and substitution mutagenesis revealed that this peptide is necessary for both V protein shuttling and cytoplasmic retention of STAT1 and STAT2 proteins. However, the NES is not required for V-dependent IFN signaling inhibition. IFN signaling is blocked primarily by interaction between Nipah virus V residues 100 to 160 and STAT1 residues 509 to 712. Interaction with STAT2 requires a larger Nipah virus V segment between amino acids 100 and 300, but deletion of residues 230 to 237 greatly reduced STAT2 coprecipitation. Further, V protein interactions with cellular STAT1 is a prerequisite for STAT2 binding, and sequential immunoprecipitations demonstrate that V, STAT1, and STAT2 can form a tripartite complex. These findings characterize essential regions for Henipavirus V proteins that represent potential targets for therapeutic intervention.
Laboratory and Science Teaching

Hegarty-Hazel (1990, p. 4) defines the laboratory as any environment “where students engage in planned learning experiences, and interact with materials to observe and understand phenomena.” Anderson (1976, p. 7) adds that the school science laboratory is a place “where students can investigate natural phenomena in an immediate or first-hand experience and apply various cognitive skills toward an interpretation of these phenomena.”
Simulation-Based Evaluation of Learning Sequences for Instructional Technologies

Instructional technologies critically depend on systematic design and learning hierarchies are a commonly advocated tool for designing instructional sequences. But hierarchies routinely allow numerous sequences and choosing an optimal sequence remains an unsolved problem. This study explores a simulation-based approach to modeling learning hierarchies and the sequencing problem with a special focus on mastery learning over time. Computer simulations of eight hierarchies from the literature address two general questions about hierarchies and sequences: Do different valid instructional sequences for a given hierarchy lead to significant differences in simulated learning outcomes?, and How do hierarchy structures and student ability influence learning? Two findings emerge from the simulations: equally valid instructional sequences can produce widely divergent learning outcomes, and student ability can interact with sequence and hierarchy structure to disadvantage lower-ability learners. The paper concludes with observations on the role of simulations in the analysis and validation of instructional design and large-scale instructional systems.
Electrical-thermal co-simulation for large-scale analysis of integrated circuits

An electrical-thermal co-simulation is presented for analysis of integrated circuits. The co-simulation addresses a wide range of situations where strong interactions between electrical designs and thermal issues have to be properly accounted. The capability of the co-simulation is extended to deal with large-scale problems by incorporating a domain decomposition scheme, parallel computing, and an adaptive time-stepping scheme. Numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the capability and efficiency of the co-simulation.
Delayed Postoperative Neurologic Deficits in Spinal Deformity Surgery.

Study Design.A cross-sectional survey of surgeon members of the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS).Objective.This study sought to characterize the incidence, clinical presentation, diagnostic workup, treatment, and neurologic prognosis following delayed postoperative neurologic deficit (DPND) in patie
Exploring aging-related stress among older spousal caregivers.

An increasing number of older cancer patients are receiving care at home from an informal caregiver who is likely to be an older adult and spouse (American Cancer Society, 2013; Given & Grant, 2012). The reciprocal nature of the illness experience between patient and family caregiver exists among older spouses, where there is increased mortality risk as a result of caregiving burden (van Ryn et al., 2011). Caregiver burden has been found to be associated with more advanced cancer, elevated patient distress, higher caregiving demands, and a lack of caregiver resources, all of which characterize geriatric oncology care (van Ryn et al., 2011; Weitzner, Haley, & Chen, 2000). Although the care needs of geriatric oncology patients have been well documented, little attention has been paid to older spousal caregivers who often provide day-to-day oversight and care. Older spousal caregivers provide more extensive and comprehensive care, maintain the caregiving role longer, experience more severe adjustment demands on lifestyle, and report greater burden and personal strain than younger spouses or other caregivers (Daly, Douglas, Lipson, & Foley, 2009; Haley, 2003; Hauser & Kramer, 2004). In addition to having an increased risk of depression (Haley, LaMonde, Han, Burton, & Schonwetter, 2003), older caregivers are more likely to have physical problems and a lack of financial and social resources (Covinsky et al., 2003). Cancer patients and their caregivers are least satisfied with prognosis information and information about pain management (Hannon et al., 2013), yet older spousal caregivers report that the demands of caregiving activity include providing emotional support and managing patient behavioral problems (Park et al., 2013). Currently, there are no clear interventions that address the caregiving role in light of aging-related comorbidities and functional changes (Given & Grant, 2012). With little known about aging-related stressors during caregiving, a case study approach was used to describe specific caregiving issues for older spousal caregivers of cancer patients receiving hospice care.
Estimation of linear target-layer trajectories using cluttered point cloud data

The problem of estimating a target-layer trajectory, modeled by a straight line, in 2D point clouds that contain target locations and overwhelming clutter is studied. These point clouds are generated by an image-based pre-processing tool, termed ATR, operating on SONAR image data that results in: (1) point locations and (2) an ATR score: a measure of the “target-likeness” for each point. The model of choice assumes that the observed point cloud is a superposition of two spatial processes: (1) a 1D Poisson process along the target-layer line, corrupted by 2D Gaussian noise, denoting target locations and (2) a 2D Poisson process denoting clutter. It is further assumed that the target-likeness measure follows known probability distributions for both target locations and clutter. The line is parameterized by distance from the origin and the angle with respect to a horizontal axis, and the likelihood of these parameters for observed data is derived. Using a maximum-likelihood approach, a gradient-based estimate for line parameters and other nuisance parameters is developed. A formal procedure that tests for the presence of a target-layer trajectory in the point cloud data is additionally developed. The success of this method in both simulated and real datasets collected by NSWC PCD is demonstrated.
Analysis of Thermal-Mechanical Interactions of STEM Booms

Future missions to Mars and the outer planets will rely on solar electric propulsion systems. These propulsions systems will require large amount of electrical power, which will be delivered using large, deployable solar arrays. Flexible substrate solar arrays have been proposed as a technology that will allow small stowed volumes and the necessary solar cell area. History has shown that flexible—substrate arrays are subject to thermal induced motions. Using current computational tools, these coupled thermal-mechanical interaction problems require long simulation times. A methodology for using Abaqus to perform efficient, coupled thermal-mechanical analysis is presented. The approach utilizes user developed sub-routines within Abaqus to calculate the heat flux and resulting temperature distribution, which are then applied to the structure and the resulting deformations determined. The approach shows good agreement with published results and is applicable to the analysis of future large, built-up solar array structures. Results are presented for STEM booms based on the boom design used on the Hubble Space Telescope. Results are compared between booms of open and closed cross section. Open cross section booms show smaller thermal gradients due to shorter conduction paths that result in slightly smaller vibrations. Wall thickness has a strong influence on the thermal gradient that develops as smaller wall thicknesses result in higher thermal resistance and larger temperature gradients across the boom diameter.
Methane adsorption and dissociation on iron oxide oxygen carriers: the role of oxygen vacancies

We performed ab initio DFT+U calculations to explore the interaction between methane and iron oxide oxygen carriers for chemical looping reaction systems. The adsorption of CH4 and CHx (x = 0–3) radicals on α-Fe2O3(001), and the influence of oxygen vacancies at the top surface and on the subsurface on the adsorption properties of the radicals was investigated. The adsorption strength for CH4 and C radicals at the top of the α-Fe2O3(001) surface in the presence of oxygen vacancies is lower than that on the stoichiometric surface. However, for methyl (CH3), methylene (CH2) and methine (CH) radicals, it is correspondingly higher. In contrast, the oxygen vacancy formation on the subsurface not only increases the adsorption strength of CH3, CH2 and CH radicals, but also facilitates C radical adsorption. We found that oxygen vacancies significantly affect the adsorption configuration of CHx radicals, and determine the probability of finding an adsorbed species in the stoichiometric region and the defective region at the surface. With the obtained adsorption geometries and energetics of these species adsorbed on the surface, we extend the analysis to CH4 dissociation under chemical looping reforming conditions. The distribution of adsorbed CH4 and CHx (x = 0–3) radicals is calculated and analyzed which reveals the relationship between adsorbed CHx radical configuration and oxygen vacancies in iron oxide. Also, the oxygen vacancies can significantly facilitate CH4 activation by lowering the dissociation barriers of CH3, CH2 and CH radicals. However, when the oxygen vacancy concentration reaches 2.67%, increasing the oxygen vacancy concentration cannot continue to lower the CH dissociation barrier. The study provides fundamental insights into the mechanism of CH4 dissociation on iron based oxygen carriers and also provide guidance to design more efficient oxygen carriers.
Electrophysiology Meets Ecology: Investigating How Vision is Tuned to the Life Style of an Animal using Electroretinography

Students learn best when projects are multidisciplinary, hands-on, and provide ample opportunity for self-driven investigation. We present a teaching unit that leads students to explore relationships between sensory function and ecology. Field studies, which are rare in neurobiology education, are combined with laboratory experiments that assess visual properties of insect eyes, using electroretinography (ERG). Comprised of nearly one million species, insects are a diverse group of animals, living in nearly all habitats and ecological niches. Each of these lifestyles puts different demands on their visual systems, and accordingly, insects display a wide array of eye organizations and specializations. Physiologically relevant differences can be measured using relatively simple extracellular electrophysiological methods that can be carried out with standard equipment, much of which is already in place in most physiology laboratories. The teaching unit takes advantage of the large pool of locally available species, some of which likely show specialized visual properties that can be measured by students. In the course of the experiments, students collect local insects or other arthropods of their choice, are guided to formulate hypotheses about how the visual system of “their” insects might be tuned to the lifestyle of the species, and use ERGs to investigate the insects’ visual response dynamics, and both chromatic and temporal properties of the visual system. Students are then guided to interpret their results in both a comparative physiological and ecological context. This set of experiments closely mirrors authentic research and has proven to be a popular, informative and highly engaging teaching tool.
Chapter 11 – Synchronous FSM Design Considerations and Applications

Publisher Summary This chapter also summarizes a number of design considerations and problem areas. It focuses on the basic concepts of design and analysis. These design considerations and problem areas include logic noise in the output signals; problems associated with asynchronous inputs, metastability, and clock distribution; and the initialization and reset of the finite state machine (FSM). Improper design of an FSM can lead to the presence of logic noise in output signals, and this noise can cause the erroneous triggering of a next stage switching device to which the FSM is attached. Therefore, it may be important that FSMs be designed to issue signals that are free of unwanted logic transients (noise) called glitches. There are two main sources of output logic noise in an FSM: glitches produced by state variable race conditions and glitches produced by static hazards in the output logic. A glitch that occurs as a result of two or more state variable changes during a state-to-state transition is called an output race glitch or simply ORG.
Power quality assessment via physically based modeling and statistical methods

Power quality at the consumer site is affected by (a) temporary disturbances that may originate anywhere in the system and (b) waveform distortion from nonlinear loads. The sources of disturbances are multiple and with varying parameters. For example in many places of the world, the most frequent disturbances originate from lightning activity near electric installations. Lightning may result in flashover causing voltage sags to some portion of the distribution system, voltage swell to other areas, as well as interruption of power. The number of customers affected depends on the design of the system and placement of interruption devices, while the level of voltage sags or swells may depend on the grounding system, size of neutral, etc. To properly capture these effects, the system model should explicitly represent these design details of the system. This paper presents a model that quantifies the impact of grounding system design on the power quality. It is also pointed out that many of the causes are statistically distributed both in time and in space. Statistical methods represent the best way for meaningful assessment of their effects on power quality. When these methods are combined with physically based models of the system, they provide an excellent tool for correlating design options to power quality performance. Examples of this approach are presented in this paper using Monte Carlo simulation techniques. The approach is suitable for cost-benefit analysis.
Against Judicial Accountability: Evidence from the Six Month List

A little known mechanism instituted to improve judicial accountability and speed up the work of the federal judiciary has led to unintended consequences, many of them unfortunate. Federal district court judges are subject to a requirement known as the Six Month List. By law, every judge’s backlog (cases older than three years and motions pending more than six months) is made public twice a year. Since judges have life tenure and fixed salaries, a mere reporting requirement might not influence their behavior. But it does. Using the complete record of all federal civil cases between 1980 and 2017 and a hand-coded sample of summary judgment resolutions, we demonstrate that the List leads judges to close substantially more cases and decide more motions in the week immediately before it is compiled. While average motion processing time is shortened by 10 to 40 days, duration is actually lengthened for some motions (those for which the deadline is least pressing). Moreover, we find suggestive evidence that the List has substantive consequences: in an effort to comply with the List, judges may be making more errors. Theory suggests that giving judges an incentive for faster case processing is probably a mistake. But since this incentive is Congressionally mandated, we offer an alternative mechanism that will limit distortions until Congress acts to relieve the federal courts of this unnecessary burden.
Abstract 1036: Non-myogenic origin of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in children. Despite aggressive chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery, clinical outcomes for RMS have not improved for three decades, emphasizing the need to uncover the molecular underpinnings of the disease. RMS includes two histopathologic subtypes: alveolar RMS, driven by the fusion protein PAX3/7-FOXO1, and embryonal RMS (ERMS), which is genetically heterogeneous. RMS has been presumed to originate from derailed muscle progenitors based on the histologic appearance and gene expression pattern of the tumors. However, an origin restricted to skeletal muscle does not explain RMS occurring in tissues devoid of skeletal muscle such as the prostate, bladder, biliary tree and the omentum. Previously, we showed that activation of Sonic Hedgehog signaling through expression of a conditional, constitutively active Smoothened allele, SmoM2, under control of an adipocyte-restricted adipose protein 2 (aP2)-Cre recombinase transgene in mice gives rise to aggressive skeletal muscle tumors that display the histologic and molecular characteristics of human ERMS. In this model, tumorigenesis occurs with high penetrance (~80%), is early onset (by 2 months of age), and is restricted to the head and neck. Also, unlike previous RMS models, this model requires no additional background mutations, such as inactivation of p53, and results in only ERMS neoplasia. We illustrated that the gene expression signature of the aP2-Cre;SmoM2 tumors recapitulates both other mouse ERMS models as well as human ERMS. With the short latency and anatomic restricted tumor location, we sought to leverage this model to explore the cell of origin. Here, we use genetic fate mapping of aP2-cre with reporter mice to determine the effect of constitutive hedgehog activation on the identity and localization of aP2-Cre expressing cells. aP2-cre expressing cells are found in both brown and white adipose and to be localized within the muscle intersitium but not beneath the laminin sheath of the muscle fibers. These aP2-cre expressing cells are distinct from Pax7-positive skeletal muscle stem cells or satellite cells and do not contribute to myofiber formation. Instead these cells were confirmed to be endothelial by gene expression analysis. Colocalization between aP2-cre expressing cells and CD31 was also observed. When compared to aP2-Cre;R26-Tom mice, the addition of oncogenic SmoM2 (aP2-Cre;R26-Tom;SmoM2) resulted in embryonic expansion of these aP2-lineage interstitial muscle cells and formation of ERMS. Our findings suggest that non-skeletal muscle progenitors are a cell of origin for Sonic Hedgehog-driven ERMS. Citation Format: Catherine J. Drummond, Matthew R. Garcia, Daniel J. Devine, Jennifer Peters, Victoria Frohlich, David Finkelstein, Mark E. Hatley. Non-myogenic origin of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1036. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-1036
Spin–Orbit Torques in Metallic Magnetic Multilayers: Challenges and New Opportunities

Two decades after the discovery of the giant magnetoresistance that revolutionizes the hard disk drive, the rapid development of spin torque-based magnetic random access memory has once again demonstrated the great potential of spintronics in practical applications. While the industrial application is mainly focusing on the implementation of current-induced spin transfer torque (STT) in magnetic tunnel junctions, a new type of spin torque emerges due to the spin–orbit interaction in magnetic multilayers. A great effort has been devoted by the scientific community to study the so-called spin–orbit torque (SOT), which is not only of interest to fundamental science, but also exhibits potential for the application of current-induced magnetization switching. In this paper, we will review recent development in the SOTs including the fundamental understanding, materials development and measurement techniques. We will also discuss the challenges of using the SOT in potential applications, particularly on the swit...
An FPGA-Based Coprocessor for Hash Unit Acceleration

In recent times, applications like web-based search, antivirus scanners, cloud computing, social media applications, and network applications are extremely common. The hash table is a heavily used data structure in such applications. Modern microprocessors have several special function units (SFUs) such as a floating point unit, a memory management unit, and a cryptography unit. However, hashing is typically performed in software, which reduces the performance of such applications. In this paper, we propose an FPGA-based implementation of a hash unit (a hash function and a hash table) in an FPGA. The FPGA-based hash unit is implemented as a coprocessor for a CPU. The CPU and the FPGA communicate through a PCI Express (PCIe) interface. The hash table in our hash unit is implemented as a content-addressable memory (CAM), to enhance the speed of hash operations. The hash unit (HU) coprocessor is tested in the context of virus checking application, when the hashing operation only requires membership checks. Our HU can be used in other hashing applications as well; we use virus checking as a representative application. Hashing operations are performed in a batch on the FPGA, to provide better utilization of the PCIe bus. We demonstrate a significant performance of up to 7.3&#xd7; for our FPGAbased hash unit implementation compared to a software-based hashing implementation. This speedup is for the entire virus checking application (not just the hash lookup portion of the virus checking application).
Symptoms related to new flight attendant uniforms

Flight attendants at Alaska Airlines reported health symptoms after the introduction of new uniforms in 2011. The airline replaced the uniforms in 2014 without acknowledging harm. To understand possible uniform-related health effects, we analyzed self-reported health symptoms in crew who participated in the Harvard Flight Attendant Health Study between 2007 and 2015, the period before, during, and after the introduction of new uniforms. We calculated a standardized prevalence of respiratory, dermatological and allergic symptoms at baseline, as well as during and after uniform changes in 684 flight attendants with a varying number of surveys completed across each time point. We used Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) to model the association between symptoms at baseline versus the exposure period after adjusting for age, gender and smoking status and weighting respondents for the likelihood of attrition over the course of the study period. We found the following symptom prevalence (per 100) increased after the introduction of new uniforms: multiple chemical sensitivity (10 vs 5), itchy/irritated skin (25 vs 13), rash/hives (23 vs 13), itchy eyes (24 vs 14), blurred vision (14 vs 6), sinus congestion (28 vs 24), ear pain (15 vs 12), sore throat (9 vs 5), cough (17 vs 7), hoarseness/loss of voice (12 vs 3), and shortness of breath (8 vs 3). The odds of several symptoms significantly increased compared to baseline after adjusting for potential confounders. This study found a relationship between health complaints and the introduction of new uniforms in this longitudinal occupational cohort.
Efficacy of Combination Antibiotic Therapy for Refractory Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease

BACKGROUND Recent studies have shown that oral combination antibiotics may improve disease course in refractory inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Here, we describe the use of combination oral antibiotics as salvage therapy in refractory ulcerative colitis (UC), Crohn's colitis, and IBD-unclassified (IBD-U) at a large pediatric IBD center. METHODS Clinical response, disease activity indices, adverse events, and clinical outcomes were measured up to 1 year after antibiotic treatment in this retrospective cohort study of children with medically refractory IBD colitis. RESULTS Sixty-three patients with refractory UC, Crohn's colitis, and IBD-U (median age [interquartile range {IQR}], 15.3 [11.2-16.5] years; median disease duration [IQR], 1.2 [0.41-4.6] years) received a combination of 3 or 4 oral antibiotics (most commonly amoxicillin, metronidazole, and either doxycycline or ciprofloxacin) for a median (IQR) of 29 (21-58) days. Thirty-four patients (54%) were deemed corticosteroid-refractory or -dependent, with the majority (62/63) having a previous or present loss of response or primary nonresponse to anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (anti-TNFα) therapy. Use of combination antibiotics led to a significant decrease in median Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index (PUCAI) score (IQR) from 55 (40-65) to 10 (0-40; P < 0.0001) over 3 ± 1 weeks, with 25/63 (39.7%) patients achieving clinical remission (PUCAI <10 points). The clinical benefits of oral antibiotics were independent of anti-TNFα therapy optimization. Among children entering clinical remission (n = 25), only 1 patient required surgery at 1-year follow-up, vs 10 patients in the nonresponder group. Negative predictors of response to combination antibiotics were exposure to doxycycline (odds ratio [OR], 0.25; 95% CI, 0.08-0.76) and PUCAI ≥65 at baseline (OR, 0.2; 95% CI, 0.05-0.74). CONCLUSIONS Oral combination antibiotics appears to be an effective rescue and steroid-sparing therapy to induce remission in the short term in patients failing a biologic.
Sepsis: An Update on Current Practices in Diagnosis and Management

Despite several advancements in care over the last few decades, sepsis continues to carry a high morbidity and mortality burden in the United States. With its varied presentations, cases of sepsis are likely to be encountered by general practitioners in both inpatient and outpatient settings. In the recent years, there has been much debate about the appropriate criteria to diagnose patients with sepsis with a concurrent change in management guidelines. This article reviews definitions, diagnosis and treatment guidelines in current practice in the management of patients with sepsis.
CD40 Stimulation and Antitumor Effects

CD40–CD40L interactions play an important role in the generation of humoral and cell-mediated immunity. Due to the expression of CD40 on antigen presenting cells, it has become an attractive target for immunotherapy against cancer. Recent studies have focused on using CD40 stimulation as an adjuvant, and in conjunction with cytokines and other factors to elicit antitumor responses. However, due to the pleiotropic effects of CD40 stimulation, and the wide array of cell types upon which it is expressed, new studies are also focusing on the nonimmune related consequences of systemic and local CD40 stimulation. Systemic administration of immunotherapy regimens containing CD40 stimulation via soluble ligands and agonist antibodies has been associated with some toxicities, and direct stimulation of CD40 expressed on various malignancies and vascular endothelium has elucidated a possible role for CD40 in the transformation and progression of malignancies. This review focuses on the role of CD40 stimulation in the generation of innate and adaptive antitumor responses, as well as the direct effects of CD40 stimulation on tumor survival, death, and angiogenesis.
Orthodontic-surgical interaction in the management of cleft lip and palate.

The orthodontist’s role in the cleft palate team requires close collaboration with the surgeons and other team members. The rationale of timing and sequencing of orthodontic treatment is discussed in various time frames.
Argumentation, Critical Reasoning, and Problem Solving

Instructional designers must work in interdisciplinary contexts with incomplete information and with resource constraints. Instructional designers and instructional design researchers must have a broad understanding of multiple theories that inform and impact the planning and implementation of effective learning activities and environments. Obviously relevant theories include learning theory, systems theory, communications theory, and media theory [see Spector (2011), Foundations of educational technology: Integrative approaches and interdisciplinary perspectives. New York, NY: Routledge]. In addition, instructional practitioners and researchers, and others working in complex problem-solving domains, require a great deal of skill in collecting and analyzing information from multiple sources in a variety of formats and presenting relevant syntheses to decision makers and others. How is this vast knowledge base best developed in an individual? How do instructional designers and others acquire and master the relevant set of complex problem-solving skills? In order to answer these questions, it is necessary to develop a theoretically grounded and empirically justified framework for assessing the progressive development of argumentation, critical reasoning, and problem solving.
The Riemann Hypothesis is a consequence of CT -invariant Quantum Mechanics

The Riemann’s hypothesis (RH) states that the nontrivial zeros of the Riemann zeta-function are of the form sn = 1/2 + i n. By constructing a continuous family of scaling-like operators involving the Gauss-Jacobi theta series and by invoking a novel CT -invariant Quantum Mechanics, involving a judicious charge conjugation C and time reversal T operation, we show why the Riemann Hypothesis is true. An infinite family of theta series and their Mellin transform leads to the same conclusions.
Models of strategic interaction in quantities vs. prices with differentiated goods

Abstract Two important topics in industrial organization are the difference between quantity and price competition in oligopoly, and the role of product differentiation in determining market outcomes. We consider a consistent framework in which these issues can be explored, using a base model of product differentiation. We consider the properties of the market outcomes under price and quantity competition, with both simultaneous and sequential moves. We then present a series of numerical simulation models that can be used to efficiently explore the model properties under various assumptions. The models are built in Excel, and utilize both numerical and graphical presentations. They are suitable for classroom use in presentations, and in directed student assignments. We discuss a number of exercises, and our experiences with using the models in a number of different course contexts.
Enriched environment regulates thymocyte development and alleviates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice.

Abstract Environmental and social factors have profound impacts on immune homeostasis. Our work on environmental enrichment (EE) has revealed a novel anti-obesity and anticancer phenotype associated with enhanced activity of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes in secondary lymphoid tissues. Here we investigated how an EE modulated thymus and thymocyte development. EE decreased thymus mass and cellularity, decreased the double positive thymocyte population, increased the proportion of CD8+ T cells, reduced the CD4:CD8 ratio, and downregulated CD69 expression in T cells. In a model of multiple sclerosis: experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), EE alleviated symptoms, inhibited spinal cord inflammation through regulation of type 1 T-helper cells mediated by glucocorticoid receptor signaling, and prevented EAE-induced thymic disturbance. Our mechanistic studies demonstrated that hypothalamic BDNF activated a hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis mediating the EE’s thymic effects. Our results indicate that a lifestyle intervention links the nervous, endocrine, and adaptive immune system, allowing the body to adapt to internal and external environments.
Traumatic Brain Injury and Psychiatric Co-Morbidity in the United States

The objective of the present study was to provide a nationally representative psychiatric epidemiologic investigation of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its co-morbid conditions. Data from the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC-III) collected between 2012 and 2013 was used. Results indicated that TBI was significantly associated with any lifetime mental health (AOR = 2.32, 95% CI = 1.65-3.70), substance use disorder (AOR = 1.57-1.01-2.42), and violent (AOR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.03-2.65) and nonviolent (AOR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.25-2.70) criminal behaviors. In our study, TBI was highly comorbid with psychiatric disorders and especially antisocial behaviors, both violent and non-violent.
Memory’s Ends: Thinking as Grace in Thomas Hooker’s New England

This essay examines the role of memory in the theology of first-generation New England divine Thomas Hooker. Drawing particular attention to Hooker’s application of imagistic and dialectical mnemonics in his well-known but controversial doctrine of “preparation,” it discovers a Puritan theory of grace that sought to come closer to God by escaping idolatrous thinking, on the one hand, and mechanistic cognition, on the other. Reconceiving Hooker’s preparation as a memorial style and placing that ars memoria at the center of transatlantic Puritan controversies about grace, the essay provides a new model for reading Puritanism not as the start of an American telos but at the end of a European intellectual inheritance.