cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enforcement of the Federal Individual Income Tax: Acting Outside the Boundaries that the Constitution, Law, and Public Policy Have Set

The Sixteenth Amendment’s interpretation and application have been widely contested on multiple fronts throughout the last century, especially where enforcement of the individual income tax is concerned. This contestation has fascinated and enraged scholars for decades as some who have protested the tax’s legal legitimacy have raised some logically compelling arguments against some aspect or another, while others have readily embraced the tax and enshrined it in its entirety with a resolve to defend it as if to their last dying breath. Sadly, the defense camp of the law, the preachers of unchallenged acceptance, has all but suffocated what otherwise could be a robust discussion of possible illegitimacy and unconstitutionality of some forms of this taxation. Indeed, today, “an aura of sanctifying mysticism shrouds the concept of taxation itself.” “The concept of taxation has been so elevated from critical evaluation by the citizenery [sic] that only the foolhardy or very bold dare offer a challenge. For the very act of challenging a concept opens one to ridicule, harassment, scorn, chastisement, and banishment.” Some protests against our system of income taxation as enforced today, because protesting taxation has been so repeatedly shamed, have not yet been dealt with adequately on their logical merits. Courts accept as prima facie “frivolous” any protest arguments raised on certain grounds, no matter how compelling the logic, and so the principles of the argument remain unaddressed but quickly dismissed. This text will discuss some of the logical arguments posed both for and against the constitutionality and legality of the federal individual income tax as it is enforced today. The author concludes that the federal individual income tax, as presently imposed and enforced, is arguably unconstitutional pursuant to the Fourth and Fifth Amendments and pursuant to the doctrines laid down and never overturned by the Supreme Court. Furthermore, the author concludes that the present federal individual income tax is contrary to public policy where it is the quintessence of the graduated income tax, one of the ten pillars of the Communist Manifesto.
Interactive Epistemology: A Survey

For nearly 30 years now, an interesting philosophical problem has been developing and taking shape, but not in the philosophical literature. Interactive epistemology (or interactive knowledge) is a branch of logic dealing with shared knowledge, but it has been dealt with nearly entirely in the economic and computer science literature. My purpose in the current article is to introduce some of the progress that has been made on this topic over the course of the last 30 years, as well as make clear what are some of the more interesting philosophical problems associated with this, along with some of the solutions offered thus far.
Benchmarking of a Thermal Finite Element Approximation Scheme for Externally Cooled Spent Fuel Storage Casks

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is responsible for licensing spent fuel storage casks under Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 72 (10 CFR Part 72). Under these regulations, storage casks must be evaluated to verify that they meet various criteria, including acceptable thermal performance requirements. The purpose of the evaluation described in this paper is to establish the effectiveness of a medium-effort modeling approach and associated simplifying assumptions in closely approximating spent fuel cask component temperature distributions. This predictive evaluation is performed with the ANSYS® code, and is applicable to externally cooled cask designs. The results are compared against experimental measurements and predictions of the COBRA-SFS finite-difference code developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
Exercise training post-MI favorably modifies heart extracellular matrix in the rat.

In order to assess the effect of daily exercise on extracellular matrix remodeling in the heart after myocardial infarction (MI), we measured collagen concentration (%COL) and nonreducible collagen cross-linking (hydroxylysylpyridinoline, HP) in the right ventricle (RV), and regionally within the infarcted (INF) and viable left ventricular free wall (LVF) and septum (LVS), using a rodent MI training model. Methods: Infarcts (19%-24% of LV) were surgically induced in adult rats that were assigned to either trained (MI-TR) or sedentary (MI-SED) groups and compared to sham-surgery sedentary controls (SHAM). Results: In LVF, 10 wk of treadmill running had no effect on the increase (P < 0.001) in %COL seen with MI (MI-SED = 7.14% +/- 0.15%, MI-TR = 7.61% +/- 0.19%, SHAM = 3.55% +/- 0.19%). However, it normalized the increase (P < 0.05) in HP cross-linking (MI-SED = 0.43 +/- 0.02, MI-TR = 0.27 +/- 0.03, SHAM = 0.30 +/- 0.04 mol HP[middle dot]mol-1 collagen). The INF scar in MI-SED rats showed a sevenfold increase in %COL (P < 0.001) compared to SHAM LVF myocardium, an increase that was attenuated by training (MI-SED = 26% +/- 1% vs MI-TR = 21% +/- 2%; P < 0.05). However, training had no effect on MI-induced increases in cross-linking in the INF scar (1.01 +/- 0.22 vs 0.84 +/- 0.14 mol HP[middle dot]mol-1 collagen). In LVS, although a small but significant increase in %COL was seen in both MI groups, HP cross-linking was unaltered compared to SHAM rats. Training also normalized the increase observed in cross-linking in RV after MI. Conclusions: Because increased HP cross-linking in the heart is associated with decreased chamber compliance, these findings may help to explain the improved heart function seen after daily exercise in cardiac rehabilitation patients. (C)2012The American College of Sports Medicine
Cesium molybdate, Cs2MoO4: Heat capacity and thermodynamic properties from 5 to 350 K☆

Abstract The heat capacity of a highly purified sample of crystalline Cs2MoO4 was determined in the temperature range 5 to 350 K by aneroid adiabatic calorimetry. At 298.15 K the heat capacity at constant pressure Cpo(298.15 K), the entropy So(298.15 K), the enthalpy {Ho(298.15 K) − Ho(0)}, and the function {G o (298.15 K ) − H o (0)} 298.15 K were found to be (148.67 ± 0.15) J K−1mol−1, (248.35 ± 0.25) J K−1mol−1, (31631 ± 32) J mol−1, and −(142.26 ± 0.14) J K−1mol−1, respectively. The standard Gibbs energy of formation ΔGfo(Cs2MoO4, c, 298.15 K) obtained from experimental results is −(1407.1 ± 0.5) kJ mol−1.
Networking Technologies Based on IEEE 802.16 and WiMAX

It is a difficult problem to improve the network performance and resource utilization efficiency in wireless communications. As a standard of broadband wireless access systems, IEEE 802.16 adopts Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) and multi-modulation/coding techniques in the physical layer, combines contend and pre-contract mechanisms in the Medium Access Control (MAC) layer. Based on the QoS-related concepts such as connection and service flow, IEEE 802.16 optimizes network entry and initialization, and frame format in order to improve network throughput, reduce network delay, and increase the flexibility of network configuration. Based on IEEE 802.16, WiMAX adopts Point-to-Multipoint (PMP) network topology to realize flexible networking. It is a typical application technology for broadband wireless access systems.
Serologic responses of infertile women to the 60-kd chlamydial heat shock protein (hsp60).

Objective To determine whether women with Chlamydia trachomatis -associated tubal infertility are more likely than other infertile women to have antibodies to a particular region of the 60-kd chlamydial heat shock protein, hsp60. Design Serologic responses to the chlamydial hsp60 were examined in 43 infertile women seropositive for Chlamydia trachomatis , including 21 women with tubal infertility, 13 women with endometriosis, and 9 women with other causes of infertility. Antibody responses were localized to regions of hsp60 using five nonoverlapping recombinant polypeptides. Results Sixteen women with tubal infertility had anti-hsp60 antibodies compared with seven women with endometriosis and two women with other causes of infertility. Antibodies of 11 women with tubal infertility reacted predominantly with a region of hsp60 containing amino acids (201 to 300) compared with 1 woman without tubal infertility. In contrast, antibodies that localized to the carboxyl terminus, amino acids (401 to 544), were seen equally in all groups. Conclusions Among seropositive infertile women, antibodies that localized to amino acids (201 to 300) were immunodominant in those with tubal infertility but not in those with infertility due to other causes.
Autonomic modulation of atrioventricular conduction in ouabain-treated dogs

There is a pronounced interaction between the two autonomic divisions in the control of some cardiac variables, e.g., heart rate and contractility; usually parasympathetic activation suppresses the...
High-Throughput Sequencing-Based Mapping of Cytosine Modifications

Epigenetics includes all meiotically and mitotically heritable changes in gene expression that are not coded in the DNA sequence itself and alter phenotype without changing genotype. Three main processes are known to mediate epigenetic regulation of gene expression: cytosine modification, histone modification, and noncoding-RNA-mediated mechanisms. Recent discoveries and technological advances have revealed a previously unrecognized importance for these processes, in particular cytosine modifications. While the role of 5-methylcytosine has been recognized and well-studied, the roles of the recently rediscovered 5-hydroxymethylcytosine and the newly discovered 5-formylcytosine and 5-carboxylcytosine are beginning to be understood. Next generation sequencing technologies, combined with capture, enzymatic modification and chemical modification techniques, are enabling researchers to understand this expanding field of cytosine modifications. Here, we review current high-throughput sequencing-based techniques for mapping 5-methylcytosine, 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, 5-formylcytosine, and 5-carboxylcytosine.
Adaptive Connectivity for Vehicular Cyber-Physical Systems

Vehicular connectivity is regarded as a backbone for communications in intelligent vehicular CPS to provide timely information to drivers or to provide feedback to the vehicles on the road to enhance road safety and overall traffic efficiency.
Menthol decreases oral nicotine aversion in C57BL/6 mice through a TRPM8-dependent mechanism

Background Nicotine is a major oral irritant in smokeless tobacco products and has an aversive taste. Mentholated smokeless tobacco products are highly popular, suggesting that menthol increases their palatability and may facilitate initiation of product use. While menthol is known to reduce respiratory irritation by tobacco smoke irritants, it is not known whether this activity extends to oral nicotine and its aversive effects. Study design The two-bottle choice drinking assay was used to characterise aversion and preference in C57BL/6 mice to a range of menthol concentrations (10–200 µg/mL). Then, effects of menthol on oral nicotine aversion were determined. Responses were compared with those in mice deficient in the cold/menthol receptor, TRPM8, expressed in trigeminal sensory neurons innervating the oral cavity. Results Mice showed aversion to menthol concentrations of 100 µg/mL and above. When presented with a highly aversive concentration of nicotine (200 µg/mL), mice preferred solutions with 50 or 100 µg/mL menthol added over nicotine alone. In contrast to wild-type mice, Trpm8−/− showed a strong aversion to mentholated (100 µg/mL) nicotine (200 µg/mL) and preferred nicotine alone. Trpm8−/− mice show aversion to lower concentrations of menthol than wild-type mice. Conclusions Oral menthol can reduce the aversive effects of oral nicotine and, at higher concentrations, acts as an irritant by itself. Menthol9s effects in relation to nicotine require TRPM8, the cool temperature sensing ion channel that activates analgesic and counterirritant mechanisms. These mechanisms may underlie preference for menthol-containing smokeless tobacco products and may facilitate initiation of product use.
Effects of dietary copper concentration and source on performance and copper status of growing and finishing steers.

Performance and Cu status were measured in growing and finishing steers supplemented with different copper (Cu) concentrations and sources. Sixty Angus (n = 36) and Angus x Hereford (n = 24) steers were stratified by weight and initial liver Cu concentration within a breed and randomly assigned to treatments. Treatments consisted of 1) control (no supplemental Cu); 2) 20 mg Cu/kg DM from Cu sulfate (CuSO 4 ); 3) 40 mg Cu/kg DM from CuSO 4 ; 4) 20 mg Cu/ kg DM from Cu citrate (C 6 H 4 Cu 2 O 7 ); 5) 20 mg Cu/kg DM from Cu proteinate; and 6) 20 mg Cu/kg DM from tribasic Cu chloride (Cu 2 (OH) 3 Cl). A corn silage-soybean meal-based diet that was analyzed to contain 10.2 mg of Cu/kg DM was fed for 56 d. Steers were then switched to a high-concentrate diet that was analyzed to contain 4.9 mg of Cu/kg DM. Equal numbers of steers per treatment were slaughtered after receiving the finishing diets for either 101 or 121 d. Performance was not affected by Cu level or source during the growing phase. Gain, feed intake, and feed efficiency were reduced (P <.05) by Cu supplementation during the finishing phase. Plasma and liver Cu concentrations were higher in steers receiving supplemental Cu at the end of both the growing and finishing phases. Steers supplemented with 40 mg Cu/kg DM from CuSO 4 had higher (P <.05) liver Cu concentrations than those supplemented with 20 mg Cu/kg DM from CuSO 4 . Liver Cu concentrations did not increase over the finishing phase relative to liver Cu concentrations at the end of the growing phase. These results indicate that as little as 20 mg/kg of supplemental Cu can reduce performance in finishing steers.
Guiding Students towards Sensemaking: Teacher Questions Focused on Integrating Scientific Practices with Science Content.

ABSTRACTScience education reforms articulate a vision of ambitious science teaching where teachers engage students in sensemaking discussions and emphasise the integration of scientific practices with science content. Learning to teach in this way is complex, and there are few examples of sensemaking discussions in schools where textbook lessons and teacher-directed discussions are the norm. The purpose of this study was to characterise the questioning practices of an experienced teacher who taught a curricular unit enhanced with educative features that emphasised students’ engagement in scientific practices integrated with science content. Analyses indicated the teacher asked four types of questions: explication questions, explanation questions, science concept questions, and scientific practice questions, and she used three questioning patterns including: (1) focusing students on scientific practices, which involved a sequence of questions to turn students back to the scientific practice; (2) supporting...
C/EBPα-dependent preneoplastic tumor foci are the origin of hepatocellular carcinoma and aggressive pediatric liver cancer

Recent publications show that classic hepatoblastoma (HBL) is the result of failure of hepatic stem cells to differentiate into hepatocytes, while hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is caused by the dedifferentiation of hepatocytes into cancer stem cells. However, the mechanisms of aggressive HBL and the mechanisms that cause dedifferentiation of hepatocytes into cancer stem cells are unknown. We found that, similar to HCC but opposite to classic HBL, aggressive HBL is the result of dedifferentiation of hepatocytes into cancer stem cells. In both cases of liver cancer, the dephosphorylation of tumor suppressor protein CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/EBPα) at Ser193 (Ser190 in human protein) or mutation of Ser193 to Ala results in a modified protein with oncogenic activities. We have investigated liver cancer in a mouse model C/EBPα-S193A, in a large cohort of human HBL samples, and in Pten/p53 double knockout mice and found that these cancers are characterized by elevation of C/EBPα that is dephosphorylated at Ser190/193. We found that dephosphorylated C/EBPα creates preneoplastic foci with cancer stem cells that give rise to HCC and aggressive HBL. C/EBPα-dependent dedifferentiation of hepatocytes into cancer stem cells includes increased proliferation of hepatocytes, followed by generation of multinucleated hepatocytes and subsequent appearance of hepatocytes with delta-like 1 homolog-positive intranuclear inclusions. We further isolated C/EBPα-dependent multinucleated hepatocytes and found that they possess characteristics of tumor-initiating cells, including elevation of stem cell markers. C/EBPα-dependent cancer stem cells are observed in patients with aggressive HBL and in patients with a predisposition for liver cancer. Conclusion The earliest steps of adult HCC and aggressive pediatric liver cancer have identical features that include conversion of the tumor suppressor C/EBPα into an oncogenic isoform, which further creates preneoplastic foci where hepatocytes dedifferentiate into cancer cells, giving rise to liver cancer. (Hepatology 2018;67:1857-1871).
Magnetostrictive performance of additively manufactured CoFe rods using the LENS (TM) system

Magnetostrictive materials exhibit a strain in the presence of a variable magnetic field. While they normally require large, highly oriented crystallographic grains for high strain values, metal additive manufacturing (3D printing) may be able to produce highly textured polycrystalline rods, with properties comparable to those manufactured using the more demanding free standing zone melting (FSZM) technique. Rods of Co75.8Fe24.2 and Co63.7Fe36.3 have been fabricated using the Laser engineered net shaping (LENSTM) system to evaluate the performance of additively manufactured magnetic and magnetostrictive materials. The 76% Co sample showed an average magnetostriction (λ) of 86 ppm at a stress of 124 MPa; in contrast, the 64% Co sample showed only 27 ppm at the same stress. For direct comparison, a Co67Fe33 single crystal disk, also measured as part of this study, exhibited a magnetostriction value of 131 and 91 microstrain in the [100] and [111] directions, respectively, with a calculated polycrystalline value (λs) of 107 microstrain. Electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD) has been used to qualitatively link the performance with crystallographic orientation and phase information, showing only the BCC phase in the 76% Co sample, but three different phases (BCC, FCC, and HCP) in the 64% Co sample.
An automated behavior analysis system for freely moving rodents using depth image

A rodent behavior analysis system is presented, capable of automated tracking, pose estimation, and recognition of nine behaviors in freely moving animals. The system tracks three key points on the rodent body (nose, center of body, and base of tail) to estimate its pose and head rotation angle in real time. A support vector machine (SVM)-based model, including label optimization steps, is trained to classify on a frame-by-frame basis: resting, walking, bending, grooming, sniffing, rearing supported, rearing unsupported, micro-movements, and "other" behaviors. Compared to conventional red-green-blue (RGB) camera-based methods, the proposed system operates on 3D depth images provided by the Kinect infrared (IR) camera, enabling stable performance regardless of lighting conditions and animal color contrast with the background. This is particularly beneficial for monitoring nocturnal animals' behavior. 3D features are designed to be extracted directly from the depth stream and combined with contour-based 2D features to further improve recognition accuracies. The system is validated on three freely behaving rats for 168 min in total. The behavior recognition model achieved a cross-validation accuracy of 86.8% on the rat used for training and accuracies of 82.1 and 83% on the other two "testing" rats. The automated head angle estimation aided by behavior recognition resulted in 0.76 correlation with human expert annotation. Graphical abstract Top view of a rat freely behaving in a standard homecage, captured by Kinect-v2 sensors. The depth image is used for constructing a 3D topography of the animal for pose estimation, behavior recognition, and head angle calculation. Results of the processed data are displayed on the user interface in various forms.
Effects of neutron irradiation and post-irradiation annealing on the microstructure of HT-UPS stainless steel

Abstract Microstructural changes resulted from neutron irradiation and post-irradiation annealing in a high-temperature ultra-fine precipitate strengthened (HT-UPS) stainless steel were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atom probe tomography (APT). Three HT-UPS samples were neutron-irradiated to 3 dpa at 500 °C, and after irradiation, two of them were annealed for 1 h at 600 °C and 700 °C, respectively. Frank dislocation loops were the dominant defect structure in both the as-irradiated and 600 °C post-irradiation-annealed (PIAed) samples, and the loop sizes and densities were similar in these two samples. Unfaulted dislocation loops were observed in the 700 °C PIAed sample, and the loop density was greatly reduced in comparison with that in the as-irradiated sample. Nano-sized MX precipitates were observed under TEM in the 700 °C PIAed sample, but not in the 600 °C PIAed or the as-irradiated samples. The titanium-rich clusters were identified in all three samples using APT. The post-irradiation annealing (PIA) caused the growth of the Ti-rich clusters with a stronger effect at 700 °C than at 600 °C. The irradiation caused elemental segregations at the grain boundary and the grain interior, and the grain boundary segregation behavior is consistent with observations in other irradiated austenitic steels. APT results showed that PIA reduced the magnitude of irradiation induced segregations.
Case Study: Communication, Language, and Care with a Person of Mexican Heritage with Type 2 Diabetes

Mr. Jose Garcia is a 57-year-old man who identifies culturally as Mexican American or a person of Mexican heritage. He recently presented at the behest of his wife to his primary care physician (PCP) with symptoms of type 2 diabetes such as frequent urination, increased thirst, blurry vision, and tingling in his hands (American Diabetes Association 2017). His blood glucose was 210 and his A1C was 9.5. Mr. Garcia was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and was provided with educational information in English and a prescription for metformin 500 mg two times per day. Mr. Garcia went to his PCP appointment alone since his wife was not able to get off work. After leaving the office, Mr. Garcia felt confused and not sure how to proceed with his prescription and suggestions for managing his new diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. He did not understand much of the discussion and instructions with the nurse and physician regarding his diagnosis. The interactions were in English, and Mr. Garcia did not feel confident in both comprehension and speaking English. Mr. Garcia has certain beliefs about diabetes and was not sure if those beliefs were consistent with what he heard and understood during his visit with the nurse and physician.
Using structural information in modeling and multiple alignments for phylogenetics.

Phylogenetic studies are increasingly based on structural biological data and on statistical formalization. That leads to the study of improved models and of extracting the maximum information from sequence data. In this research, I have proposed to incorporate the structural information in two areas that relate to phylogenetic inference: one is to use a spatial dependent substitution model for likelihood calculation in phylogenetic inference; the other is to use a gap distance measure for MSA evaluation. While the first application is to using an improved substitution models in phylogenetic inference, the second one focuses on the quality of the MSA produced by different alignment procedures. The proposed spatial dependent model was based on our observation that the amino acids close to the functional core region tend to be conservative and these on the periphery are likely subject to mutation. So we proposed a substitution model with its rate for each amino acid dependent on its distance to the catalytic active center, or the functional core of the protein. The SD model has been implemented in the framework of Bayesian hierarchical model, the posterior distribution of the model parameters and the phylogenetic inference was estimated simultaneously using the MCMC Metropolis-Hastings algorithm. The SD model has been applied to 11 enzymes that are primarily to central metabolism that are found in species from all
Path-focused duplication: a search procedure for general matings

The mating paradigm for automated theorem provers was proposed by Andrews to avoid some of the shortcomings in resolution. It facilitates automated deduction in higher-order and non-classical logics. Moreover, there are procedures which translate back and forth between refutations by the mating method and proofs in a natural deduction system. We describe a search procedure, called path-focused duplication, for finding refutations by the mating method. This procedure, which is a complete strategy for the mating method, addresses two crucial issues (inadequately handled in current implementations) that arise in the search for refutations: when and how to expand the search space. It focuses on a particular path that seems to cause an impasse in the search and expands the search space relative to this path in a way that allows the search to immediately resolve the impasse. The search space grows and shrinks dynamically to respond to the requirements that have arisen or have been met in the search process, thus avoiding an explosion in the size of the search space. We have implemented a prototype of this procedure and have been able to easily solve many problems that an earlier program found difficult.
Assessing the mutagenic effects of biomaterials: analyzing the cellular genome and abnormalities

Abstract: Mutagenesis is the underlying molecular mechanism through which natural selection acts and evolution progresses, creating the great genetic diversity seen on the planet. Since the middle of the twentieth century and the determination of the molecular structure of DNA, numerous methods have been developed to detect mutations at the molecular and chromosomal level. These methods have developed at a remarkable speed, and we now are approaching the point where entire genomes will be affordably sequenced, stored and analyzed, leading to a time when information of an individual’s genome becomes a standard activity in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of disease.
Surgical treatment of ischemic mitral regurgitation by repair and replacement

The combination of mitral regurgitation and coronary artery disease presents a most significant challenge to the cardiac surgeon. Over the years this entity has the highest operative risk of any of the commonplace, acquired cardiac lesions treated surgically. Previous results from our clinic and others have documented relatively high operative mortality rates due to the urgency of the presentation, the extremely precarious myocardial function, severe triple-vessel coronary disease and prolonged operative insult, or a combination of all four of these factors [3,7, 8,10,14, 16, 18]. Superimposed on a scenario of congestive failure due to severe valvular regurgitation is an often compromised ventricle derived from factors normally related to mitral regurgitation. In addition, the lack of deliverance of appropriate blood supply to these areas may be further complicated by a previous myocardial infarction and scarring. Many reported series have indicated an operative risk of 12–20% using valve replacement alone.
Keyframe-based bi-directional 2-D mesh representation for video object tracking and manipulation

We propose a new bi-directional 2-D mesh representation of video objects, which utilizes multiple keyframes with forward and backward tracking. Experimental results on use of this representation for video object tracking in the presence of self occlusion are presented.
NextGen training assessment tools in thoracic surgery.

For trainees in a thoracic surgery fellowship, the development of thoracoscopic skills is a principle focus. Not only is minimally invasive lobectomy rapidly becoming the treatment of choice for early stage lung cancer (1), but the sound performance of this operation provides a competitive edge in markets where lung resections are commonly performed via thoracotomy. While competency in this operation is one of the main goals of a general thoracic training program, there are few well-established, standardized, and widely-accepted assessment tools available to help educators prepare their trainees for practice in thoracic surgery.
Fueling ecological neglect in a manufactured tourist city: planning, disaster mapping, and environmental art in Cancun, Mexico

This article explores how tourism urban governance fuels patterns of ecological neglect. It turns a critical eye on Cancun, a leading Caribbean beach tourist destination and battered epicenter of a...
Circulating miRNAs as Tumor Biomarkers

Abstract Early detection, diagnosis, and stratification are vital for the proper management and treatment of cancer patients, and as such the development of sensitive, specific, and informative cancer biomarkers is critical. However, the current diagnostic approach is still based on invasive procedures. For example, tissue biopsy is usually needed to confirm and classify cancer type and grade. The advent of so called “liquid biopsies”—to detect and analyze molecules or cells in circulation that are usually tumor-derived, or produced in response to tumor formation—has shown a lot of promise as a noninvasive method to detect and classify various types of cancer. In this chapter we will look at the use of circulating cell-free microRNAs as tumor biomarkers, and reflect on the challenges and opportunities they face gaining traction in the clinic.
The frog skin that saved fifty million lives — from the bench-side to world-wide

( Please cite as: Sachar D, Hirschhorn N. The frog skin that saved fifty million lives — from the bench-side to world-wide. Gastroenterol Hepatol Bed Bench 2019;12(1):1-2).
Intuition for an Old Curiosity and an Implication for MCMC

Morris and Ebey reported the following curiosity. “The unweighted sample mean is examined as an estimator of the population mean in a first-order autoregressive model. It is demonstrated that the p...
Development of Vibrational Frequency Maps for Nucleobases

Vibrational spectroscopy provides a powerful tool to probe the structure and dynamics of nucleic acids because specific normal modes, particularly the base carbonyl stretch modes, are highly sensitive to the hydrogen bonding patterns and stacking configurations in these biomolecules. In this work, we develop vibrational frequency maps for the C═O and C═C stretches in nucleobases that allow the calculations of their site frequencies directly from molecular dynamics simulations. We assess the frequency maps by applying them to nucleobase derivatives in aqueous solutions and nucleosides in organic solvents and demonstrate that the predicted infrared spectra are in good agreement with experimental measurements. The frequency maps can be readily used to model the linear and nonlinear vibrational spectroscopy of nucleic acids and elucidate the molecular origin of the experimentally observed spectral features.
The ets Family of Genes: Molecular Biology and Functional Implications

To better understand the process of the cellular transformation and conversion of proto-oncogenes to the transforming retroviral oncogenes, our laboratory has pursued the study of the normal cellular genes comparing these to the homologous viral oncogemes. We have focused on the ets gene family which are related to sequences originally identified as a second cellular derived genes transduced by the avian leukemia virus, E26 (Watson et al. 1985). In mammals there are three ets genes located on two different chromosomes, termed ets-1, ets-2 and erg. The ETS-1 gene most related to the cellular ets captured by the virus (v-ets) is located in chromosome 11; the ETS-2 and ERG genes are located on chromosome 21. In higher mammals as well as humans these ets genes, are dispersed in separate chromosomes; but retain their homologous syntenic groups with respect to other genetic markers (Watson et. al. 1986). The ets genes are transcriptionally active, their gene products are homologous to one another and they are differentially regulated. Figure 1 presents a diagramatic comparison of the amino acid sequences of a wide variety of species ranging from Drosophila to humans.
Inkjet Printed Lange Coupler for Antenna Systems

This paper introduces a novel application for inkjet printing for the use in lange coupler designs and in antenna integration. Lange couplers is a subclass of quadrature couplers where the coupled and through ports have a wideband input match, 3 dB split and 90 degree phase shift relative to branchline couplers. However, traditional lange couplers need crossover paths which requires the need for multilayer structures with vias or bondwires, which adds manufacturing complexity. With inkjet printing, the manufacturing complexity is drastically decreased by utilizing single process fabrication using only one machine, the inkjet printer. This work demonstrates, for the first time, a fully inkjet printed lange coupler structure and the easy of integrating this process into designing and fabricating antenna systems.
Epigenetic Signaling in Glia Controls Presynaptic Homeostatic Plasticity

Summary Epigenetic gene regulation shapes neuronal fate in the embryonic nervous system. Post-embryonically, epigenetic signaling within neurons has been associated with impaired learning, autism, ataxia, and schizophrenia. Epigenetic factors are also enriched in glial cells. However, little is known about epigenetic signaling in glia and nothing is known about the intersection of glial epigenetic signaling and presynaptic homeostatic plasticity. During a screen for genes involved in presynaptic homeostatic synaptic plasticity, we identified an essential role for the histone acetyltransferase and deubiquitinase SAGA complex in peripheral glia. We present evidence that the SAGA complex is necessary for homeostatic plasticity, demonstrating involvement of four new genes in homeostatic plasticity. This is also evidence that glia participate in presynaptic homeostatic plasticity, invoking previously unexplored intercellular, homeostatic signaling at a tripartite synapse. We show, mechanistically, SAGA signaling regulates the composition of and signaling from the extracellular matrix during homeostatic plasticity.
Development encounters in international development volunteerism in Guatemala: Quiet encroachments in global street politics:

Neoliberal policies alter development funding, practice, and actors. One effect of this is an increase in untrained individuals from the Global North who travel to the Global South to take action a...
The Risk Optimizing the Antiseizure Medication Regimen for Pregnancy Planning (S48.002)

Objective: We report here on the retrospective arm of a retrospective-prospective study aiming to quantify percentage of reproductive-aged women with epilepsy (WWE) who fail an alteration in the antiseizure medication (ASM) regimen made for an improved reproductive safety profile. Background: WWE of childbearing age require careful reconsideration of their ASM type and dose, given that the maternal benefits of treatment during potential future pregnancies should be weighed against adverse effects on the developing fetus. Design/Methods: We reviewed the charts of WWE of child-bearing age (16–45), seen in the BWH Obstetric Epilepsy subspecialty clinic, BWH and MGH Epilepsy clinics between 2010–17, on a stable ASM regimen for >6 months, undergoing alterations in their ASM regimen for the specific goal of improving the outcome of a future pregnancy. Results: We present here data for 65 WWE undergoing 80 ASM regimen changes. 55/65 (84.62%; 95%CI 73.5%–92.4%) of WWE successfully completed a first optimization of their regimen. Of the 10 WWE that failed , 5 of them (50 %) failed because of side effects, 5 of them (20%) failed because of an increase in seizure frequency. Conclusions: WWE of reproductive age have a high likelihood of successfully switching their AED regimen in preparation for future pregnancies. Possible clinical predictors of this success are discussed. Disclosure: Dr. Voinescu has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Sunovion. Dr. Ehlert has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dworetzky has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pennell has nothing to disclose.
Promoting equitable achievement in STEM: lab report writing and online peer review

Although effective technical communication is an important outcome of undergraduate education in STEM fields, limited process-based writing instruction occurs in these disciplines. This study emplo...
FRI0007 Preferences of rheumatologists for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis flare: is there a standard of care?

Background Differences in physician evaluations, heterogeneity of disease and within patient variability contribute to the lack of a uniform definition of RA flare. As a result, a standardised approach to treatment of RA flare is not likely to exist. However, when presented with the same case scenario, rheumatologists’ choice of treatment should establish a standard of care. Objectives To identify physician medication preferences and the role of steroids in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) flare. Methods A questionnaire describing two versions of the same case of a previously stable RA patient maintained on 17.5 mg/week of methotrexate (MTX), hydroxycholoroquine and NSAIDs, and presenting with signs and symptoms suggesting an increase in disease activity was developed; the second version included the addition of a standing dose of 5 mg of prednisone. Rheumatologists were asked to identify their choice (s) of first-line therapy for each version of the case. The questionnaire was mailed to rheumatologists (adult practice) (n = 995) who were identified through the ACR membership directory. Only physicians currently in practice were included. Results 375 (37.7%) questionnaires were returned between March 12, 2000 and April 25, 2000. 280 qualified for analysis. The results (A: No baseline steroid use, B: 5 mg/d prednisone) below illustrates the frequency with which rheumatologists cited each drug or drug combination as their first choice of treatment for each scenario. The most common change in medication for both cases was addition/adjustment of prednisone (A: n = 248; B: n = 229, C2 = 4.58, p = 0.03). Of those given oral steroids for a limited amount of time, mean increase in daily dose of prednisone was A: 16.4 ± 12.5 mg, B: 18.3 ± 12.5 mg. Duration of increased dose was highly variable ranging from 1 day (bolus) to 3 months. Some rheumatologists chose to continue increased prednisone indefinitely, (A: n = 19; B: n = 14). There appeared to be no consistent relationship between steroid dose and duration. For both cases there was no difference in the number of rheumatologists who increased MTX dose (A: n = 84; B: n = 85). The number of rheumatologists who added another DMARD to the patient’s regimen were more in group A and differed significantly (x2 = 3.97, p = 0.046) from group B. Similarly, rates of initiation of anti-TNF therapy was higher in group A (x2 = 4.68, p = 0.03). However, rates of addition of leflunomide showed no statistically significant difference. Conclusion Though the cases presented were accepted by rheumatologists as RA flare requiring intervention; no consistency of practice other than an increase in steroids could be identified. Further studies determining optimal therapy for increases in RA activity are necessary.
The effects of mixture preburning on detonation wave propagation

Abstract Pressure gain combustion in the form of continuous detonations can provide a significant increase in the efficiency of a variety of propulsion and energy conversion devices. In this regard, rotating detonation engines (RDEs) that utilize an azimuthally-moving detonation wave in annular systems are increasingly seen as a viable approach to realizing pressure gain combustion. However, practical RDEs that employ non-premixed fuel and oxidizer injection need to minimize losses through a number of mechanisms, including turbulence-induced shock-front variations, incomplete fuel-air mixing, and premature deflagration. In this study, a canonical stratified detonation configuration is used to understand the impact of preburning on detonation efficiency. It was found that heat release ahead of the detonation wave leads to weaker shock fronts, delayed combustion of partially-oxidized fuel-air mixture, and non-compact heat release. Furthermore, large variations in wave speeds were observed, which is consistent with wave behavior in full-scale RDEs. Peak pressures in the compression region or near triple points were considerably lower than the theoretically-predicted values for ideal detonations. Analysis of the detonation structure indicates that this deflagration process is parasitic in nature, reducing the detonation efficiency but also leading to heat release far behind the wave that cannot directly strengthen the shock wave. This parasitic combustion leads to commensal combustion (heat release far downstream of the wave), indicating that it is the root cause of combustion efficiency losses.
Selectin-Targeting Glycosaminoglycan-Peptide Conjugate Limits Neutrophil Mediated Cardiac Reperfusion Injury.

Author(s): Dehghani, Tima; Thai, Phung N; Sodhi, Harkanwalpreet; Ren, Lu; Sirish, Padmini; Nader, Carol E; Timofeyev, Valeriy; Overton, James L; Li, Xiaocen; Lam, Kit S; Chiamvimonvat, Nipavan; Panitch, Alyssa | Abstract: AimsOne of the hallmarks of myocardial infarction (MI) is excessive inflammation. During an inflammatory insult, damaged endothelial cells shed their glycocalyx, a carbohydrate-rich layer on the cell surface which provides a regulatory interface to immune cell adhesion. Selectin-mediated neutrophilia occurs as a result of endothelial injury and inflammation. We recently designed a novel selectin-targeting glycocalyx mimetic (termed DS-IkL) capable of binding inflamed endothelial cells. This study examines the capacity of DS-IkL to limit neutrophil binding and platelet activation on inflamed endothelial cells, as well as the cardio-protective effects of DS-IkL after acute myocardial infarction.Methods and resultsIn vitro, DS-IkL diminished neutrophil interactions with both recombinant selectin and inflamed endothelial cells, and limited platelet activation on inflamed endothelial cells. Our data demonstrated that DS-IkL localized to regions of vascular inflammation in vivo after 45 minutes of left anterior descending coronary artery ligation induced MI. Further, findings from this study show DS-IkL treatment had short- and long-term cardioprotective effects after ischemia/reperfusion at the left anterior descending coronary artery. Mice treated with DS-IkL immediately after ischemia/reperfusion and 24 hours later exhibited reduced neutrophil extravasation, macrophage accumulation, fibroblast and endothelial cell proliferation, and fibrosis compared to saline controls.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that DS-IkL has great therapeutic potential after MI by limiting reperfusion injury induced by the immune response.Translational perspectiveCardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Acute inflammation from myocardial infarction (MI) results in damaged endothelial cells, leading to the loss of glycocalyx. Here, we designed a novel selectin-targeting glycocalyx mimetic (termed DS-IkL) capable of binding inflamed endothelial cells. DS-IkL limits neutrophil binding and platelet activation on inflamed endothelial cells. Treatment with DS-IkL in a preclinical model of MI reduces infarct size by preventing neutrophil extravasation, macrophage accumulation, fibroblast and endothelial cell proliferation, and fibrosis. Our findings suggest that DS-IkL has great therapeutic potential after MI by limiting reperfusion injury induced by the immune response.
Parental Buffering of Stress in the Time of COVID-19: Family-Level Factors May Moderate the Association Between Pandemic-Related Stress and Youth Symptomatology.

Nearly all families in the United States were exposed to varying degrees of stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic during the spring of 2020. Building on previous research documenting the pernicious effects of stress on youth mental health, we aimed to test the effects of exposure to COVID-19-related stress on youth symptomatology. Further, in light of evidence suggesting that parents play an important role in buffering children from environmental stress, we assessed how specific parental behaviors (i.e., parental emotion socialization, maintenance of home routines, and availability to discuss the pandemic with child) contributed to effective parental buffering of the impact of pandemic-related stress on children's symptomatology. Conversely, we tested whether parental anxiety-related symptomatology and parenting stress exacerbated the effect of children's exposure to pandemic-related stress on children's symptomatology. Results suggest that parents who engaged in relatively higher levels of emotion coaching of children's negative emotions and who maintained more stable home routines during the pandemic were more effectively able to buffer the effects of pandemic-related stress on children's symptomatology. Parents who reported higher levels of parenting stress and anxiety-related symptomatology were less likely to effectively buffer stress. Though interpretation of the findings is limited due to sole reliance on parental report and the cross-sectional study design due to the constraints of collecting data during a global pandemic, findings underscore the importance of assessing family-level factors when considering the impact of stressors on children's symptomatology and highlight the need to support parents during global events that place families under significant stress.
The Affordable Care Act's Insurance Marketplace Subsidies Were Associated With Reduced Financial Burden For US Adults.

Research suggests that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid expansions improved financial protection for the poor. However, evidence is limited on whether subsidies offered through the ACA Market...
Comparative Analysis of Six Geologic Sequestration Methods

With the extensive use of fossil fuels[1] since the advent of the industrial age, the amount of carbon dioxide emitted is also increasing dramatically, which has also led to a severe greenhouse effect[2]. The method of carbon capture and carbon sequestration[3] proposed in recent years is a good way to deal with too much carbon dioxide. However, Carbon Sequestration is a new idea without enough practice and verification, and its development is not perfect yet. This paper reviews six commonly used geological Carbon dioxide storage methods and compares the advantages and disadvantages of them. It can be concluded that hydrodynamic force sequestration is the most suitable, effective and promising method of Carbon sequestration[4]. This study aims to provide scientific suggestions and theoretical basis for the future development of carbon sequestration, and it also provides effective help and support for environmental protection.