cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Small interfering RNAs targeting cyclin D1 and cyclin D2 enhance the cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic agents in mantle cell lymphoma cell lines

AbstractCyclin D1 (CCND1) is a known cell cycle regulator whose overexpression is a hallmark of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Although molecular techniques have unified the diagnostic approach to MCL, no therapeutic advances have been made to target this particular pathway. The significance of CCND1 in the pathogenesis and treatment of MCL has yet to be defined. We have taken advantage of RNA interference (RNAi) to down-regulate CCND1 expression in two MCL cell lines (Granta-519 and Jeko-1) to investigate the cytotoxic effect of combining RNAi with conventional chemotherapeutic agents. We designed four small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) specific to CCND1, one specific to CCND2, and one dual-targeting siRNA that simultaneously down-regulates CCND1 and CCND2. Etoposide and doxorubicin were used as chemotherapeutics in combination with the siRNAs. The transfected siRNAs in MCL cell lines triggered 40–60% reduction in target mRNA and protein levels. Importantly, the siRNA-mediated reduction in cyclins resulted in ...
Positive decreasing solutions of quasilinear dynamic equations

We consider a quasilinear dynamic equation reducing to a half-linear equation, an Emden-Fowler equation or a Sturm-Liouville equation under some conditions. Any nontrivial solution of the quasilinear dynamic equation is eventually monotone. In other words, it can be either positive decreasing (negative increasing) or positive increasing (negative decreasing). In particular, we investigate the asymptotic behavior of all positive decreasing solutions which are classified according to certain integral conditions. The approach is based on the Tychonov fixed point theorem.
Polymorphisms and Haplotypes of the Regulator of G Protein Signaling-2 Gene in Normotensives and Hypertensives

Regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins stimulate the GTPase activity of G α subunits of heterotrimeric G proteins, thereby negatively regulating G protein-coupled receptor signaling. RGS2, which preferentially alters G αq -mediated signaling, may be important for cardiovascular health, because knockout of RGS2 in mice is associated with altered smooth muscle relaxation and hypertension. In this study, we determined genetic variation in the human RGS2 gene by sequencing DNA in normotensive and hypertensive populations of whites (n=128) and blacks (n=122). We identified 14 single nucleotide polymorphisms and 2 two-base insertion/deletions (in/del; 1891 to 1892 TC and 2138 to 2139 AA). Although most of the genetic variants were found at low allelic frequency, in particular in coding regions, the 1891 to 1892 TC and 2138 to 2139 AA intronic in/del were in linkage disequilibrium and were associated with hypertension in blacks ( P P
Closure of leak at the tip of the “J” after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis using a novel over-the-scope clipping system

OBJECTIVE: leaks from the body or the tip of the J-pouch can occur after restorative proctocolecotmy. Although it may follow an indolent clinical course, it often requires surgical repair or pouch revision. Here we describe a novel endoscopic approach to close the leak at the tip of the J pouch. DESIGN: pouchoscopy was performed under sedation and endoscopic over-the-scope clipping system was used for the management of a leak from the tip of a J-pouch. RESULTS: under sedation, a pouchoscopy was performed and the deep tip of "J" leak was detected with a guidewire, along with water-contrasted pouchogram. The contained cavity from the leak was cleaned with hydrogen peroxide and 50% dextrose. Debridement of the epithelialized mouth of the leak was performed with an endoscopic cytology brush. Then endoscopic over-the-scope clipping system was used and the leak defect was completely closed. There was no bleeding or perforation. The entire procedure took 25 min. The patient continued to do well and reported resolution of the low back pain symptom. CONCLUSION: we reported the first case in the literature that a leak from the tip of a J-pouch was endoscopically occluded using a novel over-the-scope clipping system.
Operating system power minimization through run-time processor resource adaptation

The increasingly constrained power budget of today’s microprocessor has resulted in a situation where power savings of all components in a system have to be taken into consideration. The Operating System (OS), which manages both software and hardware resources, dissipates a significant portion of power in the execution of many modern applications. This paper profiles run-time OS power/performance characteristics and advocates a routine based OS-aware microprocessor resource adaptation mechanism to save run-time OS power. This approach permits precise hardware reconfigurations for the OS with low overhead and allows fine-grained performance/power tuning at the microarchitectural level. Simulation results show that compared to existing sampling-based adaptation schemes, this novel methodology yields a more attractive power and performance trade-off on OS execution. To our knowledge, this work is the first to address the power saving issue of the OS itself, an increasingly important area that has been largely overlooked in previous studies.
Modified Bayesian Kriging for Noisy Response Problems for Reliability Analysis

Abstract : This paper develops a new modified Bayesian Kriging (MBKG) surrogate modeling method for problems in which simulation analyses are inherently noisy and thus standard Kriging approaches fail to properly represent the responses. The purpose is to develop a method that can be used to carry out reliability analysis to predict probability of failure. The formulation of the MBKG surrogate modeling method is presented, and the full conditional distributions of the unknown MBKG parameters are presented. Using the full conditional distributions with a Gibbs sampling algorithm, Markov chain Monte Carlo is used to fit the MBKG surrogate model. A sequential sampling method that uses the posterior credible sets for inserting new design of experiment (DoE) sample points is proposed. The sequential sampling method is developed in such a way that the newly added DoE sample points will provide the maximum amount of information possible to the MBKG surrogate model, making it an efficient and effective way to reduce the number of DoE sample points needed. Therefore, the proposed method improves the posterior distribution of the probability of failure efficiently. To demonstrate the developed MBKG and sequential sampling methods, a 2-D mathematical example with added random noise is used. It is shown how, with the use of the sequential sample method, the posterior distribution of the probability of failure converges to capture the true probability of failure. A 3-D multibody dynamics (MBD) engineering block-car example illustrates an application of the new method to a simple engineering example for which standard Kriging methods fail.
Analysis of MHC-Specific Peptide Motifs

Vertebrate immune responses hinge on T cell receptor (TCR)-mediated recognition of antigenic peptides bound to polymorphic class I and class II molecules of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC). The polymorphism that exists at MHC class I and class II loci has no known parallel in the vertebrate genome. The desire to understand the origins and functional consequences of MHC polymorphism has engaged and challenged immunologists, molecular biologists, and population geneticists alike over the past 50 years. It is only recently that extensive structural and biochemical analyses have given way to “enlightenment” at the molecular level and provided fresh insights into MHC polymorphism and its functional concomitants. For both class I and class II molecules, structure and function are inextricably linked through the binding of peptides, and polymorphism is now understood in terms of its contribution to the peptide binding specificities (“motifs”) associated with various MHC allomorphs.
Strategic marketing, marketing strategy and market strategy

In the lead article of this issue, Hunt (2015) provides an exposition of how the resource-advantage (R-A) theory undergirds the sixteen foundational premises of marketing strategy advanced in Varadarajan (Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 38 (2), 119-140, 2010). Hunt notes that R-A theory and its three foundational strategies, and the sixteen foundational premises of marketing strategy complement each other in securing the theoretical foundations of the field of strategic marketing. Building on Hunt’s article, this commentary provides additional insights into issues fundamental to the field of strategic marketing and R-A theory, and the foundational premises of marketing strategy and R-A theory. The commentary also provides a retrospective and prospective discussion of the domain of strategic marketing, definition of marketing strategy, issues fundamental to the field of strategic marketing, and the foundational premises of marketing strategy that I had proposed in my above referenced article. In the context of theory development, empirical research and organization of the cumulative body of knowledge in the field of strategic marketing, I highlight the conceptual distinction between marketing strategy and market strategy.
Cervicogenic headaches: radiofrequency neurotomy and the cervical disc and fusion.

Objective Headaches that originate from pathology of the cervical spine, called "cervicogenic headache", have been debated, described, and treated by various researchers. This paper describes the use of radiofrequency neurotomy procedures to relieve cervicogenic headache at several strategic locations. Procedures listed include those to the greater occipital nerve territory, the C2 medial rami, and the cervical discs. Anatomy relevant to the innervation of the disc by way of the sympathetic chain is described and illustrated. Methods Radiofrequency neurotomy procedures were performed following either a successful nerve block in either the distribution of the greater occipital nerve or the C2 medial rami, or after provocative cervical discography. Cervical disc and fusion surgery is being correlated to the nerve supply of the discs and ligaments. Results The majority of patients suffering from cervicogenic headaches can be totally relieved for a lifetime, especially if the pain is unilateral. A very, very small percentage of these patients cannot be helped. The remaining sufferers have a considerable reduction in the intensity and frequency of pain. Discussion Each of the procedures discussed, or a combination of all of them, can alleviate cervicogenic headaches completely, as is our goal.
Performance Limitations of a Class of Two-Stage Electro-Hydraulic Flow Valves

AbstractBy examining the dynamics of a popular type of two-stage electronic proportional valve, this paper addresses its performance limitations, with both cautions in control implementation and suggestions in valve design. While several benefits do exist, there are limitations to the closed loop performance of the valve when it is included in a valve-controlled electro-hydraulic system. These limitations come from the structural feature that the pilot flow not only controls but also contributes to the total flow. Although for steady state performance this design gives a higher flow efficiency, for dynamic performance it results in zeros in the open loop transfer function, which will limit the closed loop bandwidth of a flow control system. A non-linear analytical model of this particular type of valve is derived first. It is then simplified as a reduced order linear model with the inherit system zeros illustrated. Validation of the analysis is obtained by experimental results on a testbed.
Serum LH levels following multiple LHRH injections in aging rats.

SummaryThe effect of three serial injections of 500 ng of LHRH on serum LH was tested in young (4-5 mo) and aged (24-28 mo) male and female Long-Evans rats. Aged female groups were rats showing constant estrous or pseudopregnant vaginal cytology (at least 10 days of cornified or leucocytic vaginal smears, respectively) which were compared to young female rats at estrous and diestrous stages of their ovarian cycle. The increase in serum LH following the first LHRH stimulation was less in the aged than in the young groups. Serum LH concentrations in the aged female group were progressively increased following the second and third LHRH injections. The increase in serum LH following the second and third LHRH injections was similar in young and aged female groups. LH concentration in blood samples collected before LHRH injection was progressively increased in both aged female groups. Although LH was greater in young than aged males after the first LHRH injection, LH concentrations after the second and third in...
A Toxoplasma gondii Ortholog of Plasmodium GAMA Contributes to Parasite Attachment and Cell Invasion.

ABSTRACT Toxoplasma gondii and its Plasmodium kin share a well-conserved invasion process, including sequential secretion of adhesive molecules for host cell attachment and invasion. However, only a few orthologs have been shown to be important for efficient invasion by both genera. Bioinformatic screening to uncover potential new players in invasion identified a previously unrecognized T. gondii ortholog of Plasmodium glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored micronemal antigen (TgGAMA). We show that TgGAMA localizes to the micronemes and is processed into several proteolytic products within the parasite prior to secretion onto the parasite surface during invasion. TgGAMA from parasite lysate bound to several different host cell types in vitro , suggesting a role in parasite attachment. Consistent with this function, tetracycline-regulatable TgGAMA and TgGAMA knockout strains showed significant reductions in host cell invasion at the attachment step, with no defects in any of the other stages of the parasite lytic cycle. Together, the results of this work reveal a new conserved component of the adhesive repertoire of apicomplexan parasites. IMPORTANCE Toxoplasma gondii is a successful human pathogen in the same phylum as malaria-causing Plasmodium parasites. Invasion of a host cell is an essential process that begins with secretion of adhesive proteins onto the parasite surface for attachment and subsequent penetration of the host cell. Conserved invasion proteins likely play roles that were maintained through the divergence of these parasites. Here, we identify a new conserved invasion protein called glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored micronemal antigen (GAMA). Tachyzoites lacking TgGAMA were partially impaired in parasite attachment and invasion of host cells, yielding the first genetic evidence of a specific role in parasite entry into host cells. These findings widen our appreciation of the repertoire of conserved proteins that apicomplexan parasites employ for cell invasion.
Diffuse Xanthogranulomatous Pyelonephritis in Children: An Unrecognized Variant

AbstractXanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis in childhood has been thought to exist only in focal form. We encountered 2 cases of diffuse xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis in children and have found 3 others reported in the literature, making it necessary to change this concept. The essential radiologic and pathologic differences between focal and diffuse xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis are reviewed.
Lactate removal is not enhanced in nonstimulated perfused skeletal muscle after endurance training

The effects of endurance training (running 40 m/min, 10% grade for 60 min, 5 days/wk for 8 wk) on skeletal muscle lactate removal was studied in rats by utilizing the isolated hindlimb perfusion te...
Bowel Ischemia from Heat Stroke: A Rare Presentation of an Uncommon Complication

A healthy 27-year-old female presented to the hospital after she collapsed an hour into her first marathon run on a hot humid day. On presentation, she was hyperthermic, encephalopathic, tachycardic, and hypotensive. On admission, she was found to have lactic acidosis, rhabdomyolysis, and acute kidney injury and was treated with cold normal saline and cooling blankets. She subsequently started having abdominal pain and bloody bowel movements. Computed tomography of the abdomen revealed ascending colon thickening. Furthermore, her lab findings showed transaminitis and elevated coagulation parameters. Due to the acute hypotensive state from the heat stroke, patient had developed bowel ischemia, ischemic hepatitis, and disseminated intravascular coagulation, all of which are uncommon complications of heat stroke. She was managed aggressively with intravenous fluid hydration with resolution of her symptoms over the course of 4 days. In addition to the uncommon complications, early presentation of this bowel ischemia despite adequate hydration in such a healthy individual is another unique aspect of the case.
Direct Measurement of Trafficking of the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator to the Cell Surface and Binding to a Chemical Chaperone.

Mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) result in the disease cystic fibrosis. Deletion of Phe508, the most prevalent mutation associated with this disease, disrupts trafficking of the protein. Small molecule correctors yield moderate improvements in the trafficking of ΔF508-CFTR to the plasma membrane. It is currently not known if correctors increase the level of trafficking through improved cargo loading of transport vesicles or through direct binding to CFTR. Real-time measurements of trafficking were utilized to identify the mechanistic details of chemical, biochemical, and thermal factors that impact CFTR correction, using the corrector molecule VX-809, a secondary mutation (I539T), and low-temperature conditions. Each individually improved trafficking of ΔF508-CFTR to approximately 10% of wild-type levels. The combination of VX-809 with either low temperature or the I539T mutation increased the amount of CFTR on the plasma membrane to nearly 40%, indicating synerg...
Assessment of cytologic differentiation in high-grade pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms: A multi-institutional study.

BACKGROUND Well-differentiated (WD) and poorly differentiated (PD) pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms are biologically distinct entities with different therapies and prognoses. WD neoplasms with elevated proliferation (Ki-67 > 20%) have been shown to have an overlapping histology with PD neuroendocrine carcinomas. This study compared expert cytomorphologic assessments of differentiation in pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms in a multi-institutional study. METHODS Fine-needle aspiration specimens from pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (grade 2 [G2] and grade 3 [G3] according to the 2017 World Health Organization classification; n = 72) were diagnosed independently by 3 cytopathologists as WD or PD (poorly differentiated large cell type [PD-L] or poorly differentiated small cell type [PD-S]) purely on the basis of cytomorphology. Their diagnoses were compared with a final classification supported by immunohistochemistry (retinoblastoma (RB), death domain- associated protein (DAXX), and α thalassemia/mental retardation syndrome X-linked (ATRX) protein expression), targeted mutation analysis (Memorial Sloan Kettering–Integrated Mutation Profiling of Actionable Cancer Targets), prior history of G1/G2 histology, and consensus. RESULTS The rate of agreement on differentiation was 38% (15 WD cases and 12 PD cases) for the 70 cases included (55 WD cases [n = 19 G2, n = 31 G3, and n = 5 could not be graded] and 15 PD cases [n = 6 PD-S, n = 6 PD-L, and n = 3 PD, not otherwise specified). Two cases could not be classified by the employed methods. PD carcinomas had a higher rate of agreement (10 of 15 [67%]) than WD neoplasms (15 of 55 [27%]). Round nuclei and plasmacytoid cells were associated with agreement for WD cases, whereas apoptosis and angulated nuclei were associated with disagreement. Necrosis was associated with agreement for PD cases. CONCLUSIONS A purely morphologic approach to the distinction between G2 and G3 pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms based on cytology can be challenging, with disagreement found among experienced cytopathologists. Cancer Cytopathol 2017. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Cancer biology still needs physicists

Considering game theory and the role of physical forces could lead to better treatments for cancer, says Robert Austin.
Influenza Virus Pathogenesis and Vaccines

Infections with seasonally prevalent strains of influenza cause a substantial healthcare burden worldwide. Influenza gains access to the host through the mucosa of the upper respiratory tract, but exerts most of its pathologic effects in the lower respiratory tract. The threat of avian influenza strains to cause bird to human and then human to human transmission and hence pandemic influenza, is serious. Thus, while improved vaccines for seasonal influenza, particularly for infants and the elderly, are sought for, new vaccines that are effective against pandemic influenza strains are urgently needed.
Pest Origins, Pesticides, and the History of Biological Control

The human population is large and still expanding. To gain more farmland, native ecosystems are being rapidly converted to human use, destroying forests, soil, and native plants and animals. To produce sufficient food, commercial and subsistence farming systems must be highly productive, but sustainable and nonpolluting. However, to preserve the world for the future, space must be left for wild animals and wild places. To do both of these things is the great challenge of the early twenty-first century. Part of the solution to this problem is biological control, the foundation on which sustainable, nonpolluting pest control for tomorrow’s farms must be built.
A speech interface for forms on WWW.

There is a wide variety of forms that a user encounters on the world wide web (WWW). In this paper, we describe the design of a speech interface that can be used over the web to fill forms. This presents several problems, for example, communicating with speech recognizer, parsing one or more forms embedded in text, generating appropriate language models and dictionary entries, and presenting appropriate information (responses and queries) to the user. Many database and non-database retrieval tasks can be viewed as form-filling tasks. Goddeau [2] also describes a form-based dialogue manager for spoken language understanding tasks. This tends to support our belief that a speech interface for forms is an important first step in the design of distributed spoken language systems, which can assist the user in problem solving activities.
Risk factors of hippocampal sclerosis in the oldest old: The 90+ Study

Objective To examine the risk factors and comorbidities of hippocampal sclerosis (HS) in the oldest-old. Methods A total of 134 participants with dementia from The 90+ Study with longitudinal evaluations and autopsy were included in this investigation. Participants were divided into 2 groups, one with and one without HS pathology, and differences in clinical and pathologic characteristics were compared. Results Persons with HS tended to have a longer duration of dementia compared to participants without HS (mean 4.0 years vs 6.7 years, odds ratio [OR] 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11–1.42; p p = 0.011), high thyroid-stimulating hormone (OR 4.94; 95% CI 1.40–17.46; p = 0.013), or high thyroid antibodies (OR 3.45; 95% CI 1.09–10.88; p = 0.035). Lewy body disease (LBD) pathology was also associated with an increased likelihood of HS (OR 5.70; 95% CI 1.22–26.4; p = 0.027). Conclusion We identified autoimmune conditions (rheumatoid arthritis and thyroid disease) as potential risk factors for HS in our cohort. LBD was the only pathology that was associated with increased odds of HS and those harboring HS pathology had a longer duration of dementia. This suggests multiple pathways of HS pathology among the oldest-old.
General Principles Governing Criminal Liability of Corporations, Their Employees and Officers

This chapter provides a general review of the basic principles governing corporate criminal liability in the United States, as well as the principles governing the criminal liability of corporate employees and officers. The chapter reflects the dramatic increase in the prosecution of business crime since the mid-1980s, both on a federal and state level. The chapter includes current criticisms of corporate criminal liability as well as the potential development of an organizational approach to such liability; developments in the use of corporate compliance programs and their legal impact; developments in the responsible corporate officer doctrine and the doctrine of willful blindness; and developments in individual defenses based on misunderstanding of the law and claims of constitutional vagueness in business crime statutes. The chapter also includes a section on prosecutorial policies, including the legal issues involved in deferred prosecution and non-prosecution agreements and the special problems of internal corporate investigations.
The Telecom Act of 1996 Requires the FCC to Classify Commercial Internet Access as a Telecommunications Service

Thousands of papers and comments have been written about what Open Internet policies would best serve the public interest, and thousands more have been written about whether better Open Internet policies could be supported by calling Internet access a telecommunications service under Title II of the Communications Act or an information service. Even the authors of this comment have written about these topics.123 However, this particular comment will address neither of these topics. Instead, it will consider only whether or not commercial Internet access is or is not a telecommunications service under current law. Although many issues are delegated to the FCC as an expert agency, the FCC is still required to follow the laws passed by Congress and signed by the President, and the FCC’s discretion has bounds. In this matter, we find that the Communications Act of 1934 as modified by the Telecommunications Act requires the FCC to define commercial Internet access as a telecommunications service. Opinions will differ as to whether this is a good or bad result for the future of the Internet, but this question is outside the scope of this comment.
Redundant function of Ets1 and Ets2 in regulating M-phase progression in post-natal angiogenesis

ABSTRACT Angiogenesis is a highly orchestrated process involving complex crosstalk between several endothelial cell processes including cell cycle, cell survival and migration. Transcription factors ETS1 and ETS2 are required for EC functions necessary for embryonic angiogenesis. Here, by utilizing endothelial cell-specific deletion of Ets1 and Ets2 on post-natal angiogenesis we demonstrate that ETS1 and ETS2 have a redundant regulatory role in controlling the expression of key G2/M regulators and anti-apoptotic gene modules by recruiting the transcriptional activator CBP/p300 to the enhancers of these genes. Further, cultured aortic ECs lacking both ETS1 and ETS2 demonstrated G2/M phase arrest and increased apoptosis. In vivo, EC infiltration and invasion was attenuated when matrigel admixed with mouse mammary tumor cells was injected into adult mice with EC-specific ablation of Ets1 and Ets2. These results demonstrate that deletion of Ets1 and Ets2 in endothelial cells inhibits angiogenesis by altering cell cycle progression and decreasing cell survival.
School Based Mental Health Promotion

Integrating health education and health promotion into practice is routinely done by nurses. According to a national survey, the need for mental health services has increased in over two thirds of school districts. This article describes the screening of 193 adolescents in Rural Western Pennsylvania’s 9th, 10th, and 11th graders for depressive symptoms. Ten percent (N=19) of students had depressive symptoms, the majority of which were female. These students were interviewed by the research team. The outcome themes and referrals are reported as well as the discussion of implications for nurses in screening for depression and health promotion.
Abnormal REM Sleep Atonia Control in Patients With Chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (1607)

Objective: We aimed to comparatively analyze REM sleep without atonia levels between patients with chronic Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with and without REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD), idiopathic RBD (iRBD), and controls. Background: PTSD is characterized by persistent mental and emotional stress following physically or psychologically traumatic events. Vivid recall of events, including traumatic nightmares, and prominent sleep disturbances are frequent in PTSD. Previous studies suggest military combat associated PTSD and psychiatric illness may share clinical features, such as altered REM sleep without atonia (RSWA), with idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD). Design/Methods: We selected 18 PTSD, 18 PTSD+RBD, 15 iRBD, and 51 healthy control patients matched for age and sex from the Mayo Clinic Center for Sleep Medicine’s polysomnography database for RSWA quantification. RSWA amounts in the submentalis (SM) and anterior tibialis (AT) were quantitatively analyzed in accordance with previously published methods. Non-parametric analyses were performed to compare RSWA, patient demographics, and PSG data. Results: Patients with PTSD had significantly higher RSWA than controls in all RSWA density measures (p Conclusions: PTSD patients have significantly higher RSWA than controls, with PTSD+RBD patients having higher RSWA levels than PTSD patients. These data provide the first evidence for abnormal RSWA control in patients with chronic PTSD. This provides evidence for a unique biology in PTSD that could imply a future risk for neurodegenerative disease in PTSD similar to RBD patients. Further prospective studies will need to be performed on patients with PTSD to further understand this risk. Disclosure: Dr. Feemster has nothing to disclose. Dr. Steele has nothing to disclose. Dr. Palermo has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tao has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bauer has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rivera has nothing to disclose. Dr. Walters-Smith has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gossard has nothing to disclose. Dr. Teigen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Timm has nothing to disclose. Dr. McCarter has nothing to disclose. Dr. St. Louis has nothing to disclose.
Hydrography of the Red Sea Brines

The temperature and salinity characteristics of the Red Sea brines and their overlying waters are discussed, and data from the 1966 CHAIN cruise are presented. Most papers on this subject have reported “salinity” values derived from volumetric dilution of the sample with distilled water and conductometric measurement of the dilute sample. The errors in this procedure are described, and the true salinity of a number of samples has been measured. Layering in the brines is discussed. Some practical difficulties of sampling in the deeps are outlined.
Enrollment in public-prekindergarten and school readiness skills at kindergarten entry: Differential associations by home language, income, and program characteristics

Abstract The present study examined differences in school readiness skills in the fall of kindergarten between pre-K attendees and non-attenders (n = 2581) among children in a large, diverse county. Also considered was the extent to which skills associated with pre-K enrollment varied as a function of children’s background characteristics and features of their pre-K program. Results revealed pre-K attenders demonstrated better academic and executive function skills in the first months of kindergarten than non-attenders; no consistent differences were detected for teachers’ reports of children’s socioemotional adjustment. Differences in academic skills and self-regulation associated with attendance in pre-K were largest for dual language learners and children from the lowest-income families. Children enrolled in private pre-K programs demonstrated less optimal socioemotional skills at kindergarten entry.
Lossy Compression for Integrating Event Cameras

Event cameras are biologically-inspired sensors that upend the framed, synchronous nature of traditional cameras. Singh et al. proposed a novel sensor design wherein incident light values may be measured directly through continuous integration, with individual pixels' light sensitivity being adjustable in real time, allowing for extremely high frame rate and high dynamic range video capture. Up to this point, there has been little research into compressing this event data, and even less that has investigated a robust method of lossy compression. This paper makes an inroad in this area, proposing a lossy model-based compression scheme with user-controlled quality levels and examine its compression efficiency and reconstructed image quality for several synthetic scenes. In our experiments, we observe space savings over the original event stream upwards of 95% with only minor losses in reconstructed image quality.
Prediction Model Assessing Risk of Delivery after Diagnosis of Abnormal Umbilical Artery Doppler.

Objective Umbilical artery Doppler (UAD) velocimetry abnormalities are associated with increased neonatal morbidity and mortality. Currently, there are no risk stratification methods to assist in antepartum management such as timing of antenatal corticosteroids (ACS). Therefore, we sought to develop a model to predict risk of delivery within 7 days following diagnosis of abnormal UAD velocimetry in patients with fetal growth restriction (FGR). Study design Retrospective single referral center study of liveborn singleton pregnancies complicated by FGR and ≥1 abnormal UAD velocimetry value (≥95th percentile for gestational age [GA]). We considered 17 variables and used backward stepwise logistic regression to create a multivariable model for the prediction of delivery within 7 days. We assessed model fit with calibration, discrimination, likelihood ratios, and area under the curve. Internal validation of the model was assessed by using the bootstrap method. Results Between 2008 and 2015, a total of 176 patients were eligible and included for model development. Median (range) GA at initial eligibility was 32.1 weeks (28.1-36.1 weeks) and from initial eligibility until delivery was 21 days (0-104 days). Fifty-two patients (30%) were delivered in the 7 days following inclusion. GA at first abnormal UAD, severity of first abnormal UAD, oligohydramnios, preeclampsia, and pre-pregnancy BMI were included in the model. The model had an area under the ROC curve of 0.94 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.90-0.98), sensitivity of 85%, and specificity of 91%. If the model alone were used for ACS timing, 85% of the cohort who delivered in the following week would have received ACS, and ACS would not have been given to 91% who delivered later. Internal validation yielded similar results with a mean area under the curve (95% CI) of 0.94 (0.88-0.98). Conclusion If validated externally, our model can be used to predict risk of delivery in patients with FGR and abnormal UAD velocimetry, potentially improving timing of ACS. Key points · Risk of delivery in seven days can be predicted.. · Risk of delivery can inform corticosteroid timing.. · External validation can further develop a clinical aid..
Im)precise trial descriptions

Summary Terms such as prospective, interventional, and controlled are redundant in the context of randomised trials, and are therefore distracting. Pragmatic should probably be reserved for trials that intentionally control little except the exposure. The term pilot should be reserved for trials that were designated to a priori and registered as pilot trials, and have appropriate pilot outcomes. ‘Pragmatic' and ‘real-world' should not be inserted to excuse poor trial design; and similarly, ‘pilot' should not be appended to excuse inadequate power.
COVID-19 Vaccine-Breakthrough Infections Requiring Hospitalization in Mayo Clinic Florida through August 2021.

We characterized COVID-19 breakthrough cases admitted to a single center in Florida. With the emergence of delta variant, an increased number of hospitalizations was seen due to breakthrough infections. These patients were older and more likely to have comorbidities. Preventive measures should be maintained even after vaccination.
Wound-Based Bacterial Biofilm Imaging for Selective Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Treatment

Bacterial biofilms on chronic wounds are a major global health concern. They delay wound healing and even cause further deterioration. They have also been shown to be highly resistant to treatment options such as the use of antibiotics and antiseptics. Cold atmospheric pressure plasmas (CAP) have the potential to remove biofilms from chronic wounds. The goal of this study is to develop an imaging technique to identify biofilm regions on a wound surface for selective treatment with a CAP jet, thereby, avoiding damage to healthy tissue. The imaging technique is carried out using Trypan Blue, a dye that selectively stains dead cells as well as bacterial biofilms. Various combinations of ambient multi-colored LED lights were explored to obtain maximum differentiation between the blue-stained biofilm regions and the substrates during image acquisition with the aid of a monochrome camera. CAP treatment of biofilm regions was carried out using a 1.37 lpm Ar/H 2 O plasma jet device with discharge voltage of 3.54 kV and discharge current of 1.2 mA. The average speed of the plasma jet over the substrate is 1 mm/s and the gap between the substrate and the discharge is 2 mm. This in vitro study was carried out on 12 glass and 10 chicken tissue substrates and imaging results were visually and statistically compared to fluorescence imaging by comparing the area of biofilm regions obtained by both methods. Also, the action of the plasma discharge was evaluated via the fluorescence images. CAP treatment of biofilm on chicken tissue has shown the ability to remove the biofilm, and these results will be presented.
Resisting Ideological English: Agency and Valuing Against Reified Abstractions and Erasures

B y preserving the intent of the original French title of Franz Fanon’s great work, Les Damnes de la Terre as The Damned of the Earth , Lewis Gordon makes a critical contribution beyond his already notable contribution to Fanon Studies. At the start of What Fanon Said , Gordon says in the notes, “The title of [ The Wretched of the Earth ] is one with which I have much disagreement, so in this book it will be referred to in its proper translation as The Damned of the Earth ” (2015, 151). Hearing in Gordon’s point h ere a philosophy of translation, I will explain how the proper translation of “ les damnes ” as “ the damned ” serves our understanding of resisting ideological language such as “ the wretched ” or connotations of wretchedness in daily language, which erase being, agency, and the value of living beings. “ The damned, ” a noun born of and still a verb, connotes the active colonial damn ing as a historical process driven by culpable agents. 1 Put differently, “ the damned ” “preserves” in the meaning of the words, the reality or fact of active colonial damn ing as a historical process driven by culpable agents; it does so in naming that action is done upon peoples, who are by that fact, colonized peoples. Gordon thus provides remedy to the ideological consequences of the better-known translation of the title of the work that would have the reader or listener more readily call up the sense of “ unfortunate or unhappy people, ” which the “ wretched ” “translation” connotes. 2 I develop and defend the theoretical and socio-political centrality of Gordon rejecting “ the wretched ” in favor of “ the damned, ” preserving in translation the essential agency of those doing the damning on the condition of the damned.
Infrared spectroscopic identification of the C–O stretching vibration associated with the tyrosyl Z⋅ and D⋅ radicals in photosystem II

Abstract Photosystem II (PSII) is a multisubunit complex, which catalyzes the photo-induced oxidation of water and reduction of plastoquinone. Difference Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy can be used to obtain information about the structural changes accompanying oxidation of the redox-active tyrosines, D and Z, in PSII. The focus of our work is the assignment of the 1478 cm−1 vibration, which is observable in difference infrared spectra associated with these tyrosyl radicals. The first set of FT-IR experiments is performed with continuous illumination. Use of cyanobacterial strains, in which isotopomers of tyrosine have been incorporated, supports the assignment of a positive 1478/1477 cm−1 mode to the C–O stretching vibration of the tyrosyl radicals. In negative controls, the intensity of this spectral feature decreases. The negative controls involve the use of inhibitors or site-directed mutants, in which the oxidation of Z or D is eliminated, respectively. The assignment of the 1478/1477 cm−1 vibrational mode is also based on control EPR and fluorescence measurements, which demonstrate that no detectable Fe2+QA− signal is generated under FT-IR experimental conditions. Additionally, the difference infrared spectrum, associated with formation of the S2QA− state, argues against the assignment of the positive 1478 cm−1 line to the C–O vibration of QA−. In the second set of FT-IR experiments, single turnover flashes are employed, and infrared difference spectra are recorded as a function of time after photoexcitation. Comparison to kinetic transients generated in control EPR experiments shows that the decay of the 1477 cm−1 line precisely parallels the decay of the D⋅ EPR signal. Taken together, these two experimental approaches strongly support the assignment of a component of the 1478/1477 cm−1 vibrational lines to the C–O stretching modes of tyrosyl radicals in PSII. Possible reasons for the apparently contradictory results of Hienerwadel et al. (Biochemistry 35 (1996) 15447–15460 and Biochemistry 36 (1997) 14705–14711) are discussed.
Mock-up of hazardous material handling tasks using a dual-arm robotic system

This paper describes experimentation in the deployment feasibility of robotic systems for Deactivation and Decommissioning (D&D) tasks associated with hazardous nuclear site clean-up. The dismantlement process often involves size reduction of the equipment so that it can be stored more efficiently in nuclear waste sites. The prototyping of a D&D type task using a dual-arm robotic system is selected for a mock-up application. The material size reduction task includes the use of one arm of the dual-arm robot to hold and position the work piece while the other arm uses off-the-shelf tooling to perform work on the work piece in a cooperative manner. Descriptions of the requirements, system hardware and prototype experiment are provided.
Dopaminergic modulation of dye coupling between neurons in the core and shell regions of the nucleus accumbens.

The presence of dye coupling and electrotonic coupling within the nucleus accumbens was examined using intracellular recording and staining in rat brain slices. In 24% of the cells examined, injection of single accumbens neurons with the dye Lucifer yellow resulted in the complete labeling of more than one cell. To examine whether this coupling is regulated by dopamine (DA), the extent of dye coupling was assessed in the presence of dopaminergic agonists and antagonists. In the core region of the accumbens, D1 receptor stimulation induced a decrease in the incidence of dye coupling; this effect could be blocked by the D1 antagonists SCH 23,390 and SCH 39,166, by the D2 antagonist sulpiride, or by depletion of DA by reserpine and alpha-methyl-p- tyrosine coadministration, but not by the atypical antipsychotic drug clozapine. In contrast, in the posterior part of the shell region, D2 receptor stimulation increased the incidence of coupling independent of the state of D1 receptor activation. Fast spikelets resembling coupling potentials were found to occur only in neurons that also showed dye coupling, and could be attenuated in core neurons by D1 receptor stimulation. These findings suggest that DA, in addition to its actions on the membrane of single neurons, may also affect neuronal integration on a network level by regulating the transfer of information between adjacent neurons within the nucleus accumbens.
A safety study on intrathecal delivery of autologous mesenchymal stromal cells in rabbits directly supporting Phase I human trials.

Background There are no effective treatments that slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. A major challenge of treatment in neurodegenerative diseases is appropriate delivery of pharmaceuticals into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of affected individuals. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs—either naive or modified) are a promising therapy in neurodegenerative diseases and may be delivered directly into the CSF where they can reside for months. In this preclinical study, we evaluated the safety of intrathecal autologous MSCs in a rabbit model. Study Design and Methods Autologous adipose-derived MSCs (or artificial CSF) were delivered intrathecally, either with single or with repeated injections into the foramen magnum of healthy rabbits and monitored for 4 and 12 weeks, respectively. Results Rabbits tolerated injections well and no definitive MSC-related side effects were observed apart from three rabbits that had delayed death secondary to traumatic foramen magnum puncture. Functional assessments and body weights were equivalent between groups. Gross pathology and histology did not reveal any abnormalities or tumor growth. Complete blood count data were normal and there were no differences in CSF interleukin-6 levels in all groups tested. Conclusion Our data suggest that intrathecal delivery of autologous MSCs is safe in a rabbit model. Data from this study have supported two successful investigational new drug applications to the Food and Drug Administration, resulting in the initiation of two clinical trials using autologous MSCs in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multiple system atrophy.
Arte para o Apocalipse: as esculturas de Frink no filme The Damned

Blacklisted and exiled, American director Joseph Losey finished The Damned in England in 1961 but Hammer Films did not release it until 1963 (then with severe cuts) and it wasn’t seen until 1965 in the U.S., further changed and retitled These Are the Damned . Adapted by Evan Jones from The Children of Light, a novel by H.L. Lawrence, The Damned is a strange hybrid of science fiction, horror and social commentary that in some ways anticipates by a decade Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange . Beautifully photographed in black-and-white on location in Weymouth, it brings a mysterious American stranger (Macdonald Carey)—perhaps a fugitive—into a violent confrontation with a gang of Teddy Boys and ultimately into a deadly, dystopic government experiment with radioactive children. Among the film’s considerable changes to Lawrence’s narrative was the addition of a major character: a sculptor, whose cliff-top studio is a vivid and key location and whose works function as visual omens of a social and technological apocalypse to come. Freya Neilson (Viveca Lindfors) was conceived expressly to employ the work of sculptor Elisabeth Frink (1930-1993), whose scarred, distressed figural works of the period included anthropomorphic birds, winged men, fallen men, horse heads and other morbid ciphers of existential dread. In the film these works of plaster and bronze embody the age of anxiety even as they represent art as a redemptive alternative to the cold-bloodedness of both lowbrow Teddy Boy (Oliver Reed) and highbrow Government scientist (Alexander Knox). Associated with the postwar structure of feeling that Herbert Read characterized as “the geometry of fear,” Frink’s work performs a major role in The Damned , giving form to psychosocial ills and fears of the postwar generation.