cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A High-Throughput Method to Measure NaCl and Acid Taste Thresholds in Mice

To develop a technique suitable for measuring NaCl taste thresholds in genetic studies, we conducted a series of experiments with outbred CD-1 mice using conditioned taste aversion (CTA) and two-bottle preference tests. In Experiment 1, we compared conditioning procedures involving either oral self-administration of LiCl or pairing NaCl intake with LiCl injections and found that thresholds were the lowest after LiCl self-administration. In Experiment 2, we compared different procedures (30-min and 48-h tests) for testing conditioned mice and found that the 48-h test is more sensitive. In Experiment 3, we examined the effects of varying strength of conditioned (NaCl or LiCl taste intensity) and unconditioned (LiCl toxicity) stimuli and concluded that 75–150 mM LiCl or its mixtures with NaCl are the optimal stimuli for conditioning by oral self-administration. In Experiment 4, we examined whether this technique is applicable for measuring taste thresholds for other taste stimuli. Results of these experiments show that conditioning by oral self-administration of LiCl solutions or its mixtures with other taste stimuli followed by 48-h two-bottle tests of concentration series of a conditioned stimulus is an efficient and sensitive method to measure taste thresholds. Thresholds measured with this technique were 2 mM for NaCl and 1 mM for citric acid. This approach is suitable for simultaneous testing of large numbers of animals, which is required for genetic studies. These data demonstrate that mice, like several other species, generalize CTA from LiCl to NaCl, suggesting that they perceive taste of NaCl and LiCl as qualitatively similar, and they also can generalize CTA of a binary mixture of taste stimuli to mixture components.
Trumpet slices of the Schwarzschild-Tangherlini spacetime

We study families of time-independent maximal and 1 + log foliations of the Schwarzschild-Tangherlini spacetime, the spherically symmetric vacuum black hole solution in D spacetime dimensions, for D ≥ 4. We identify special members of these families for which the spatial slices display a trumpet geometry. Using a generalization of the 1 + log slicing condition that is parameterized by a constant n we recover the results of Nakao, Abe, Yoshino, and Shibata in the limit of maximal slicing. We also construct a numerical code that evolves the Baumgarte-Shapiro-Shibata-Nakamura equations for D = 5 in spherical symmetry using moving-puncture coordinates and demonstrate that these simulations settle down to the trumpet solutions.
A protein-RNA specificity code enables targeted activation of an endogenous human transcript

Programmable protein scaffolds that target DNA are invaluable tools for genome engineering and designer control of transcription. RNA manipulation provides broad new opportunities for control, including changes in translation. PUF proteins are an attractive platform for that purpose because they bind specific single-stranded RNA sequences by using short repeated modules, each contributing three amino acids that contact an RNA base. Here, we identified the specificities of natural and designed combinations of those three amino acids, using a large randomized RNA library. The resulting specificity code reveals the RNA binding preferences of natural proteins and enables the design of new specificities. Using the code and a translational activation domain, we designed a protein that targets endogenous cyclin B1 mRNA in human cells, increasing sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs. Our study provides a guide for rational design of engineered mRNA control, including translational stimulation.
A method to recover counting distributions from their characteristic functions

A method that does not use numerical integration is presented for approximating the cumulative distribution of integer-valued random variables from their characteristic functions. Bounds on the approximation error are also given. The method is then used to compute photomultiplier counting distributions.
Ultrastructural changes in Leydig cells of streptozotocininduced diabetic rats

Hyperglycemia (experimental diabetes) was induced in adult male rats by destruction of the pancreatic beta cells with a single intravenous injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Testes from diabetic, from insulin-treated diabetic, and from sham-injected normal rats were fixed by vascular perfusion. The fine structure of Leydig cells was examined at two, three, and four weeks after the STZ injection in the untreated diabetic animals, and at four weeks in the controls and insulin-treated diabetic rats. A number of morphological changes was observed in Leydig cells of untreated diabetic animals. Most obvious of these was an accumulation of lipid droplets, not normally present in Leydig cells in adults of this species. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) was markedly reduced in Leydig cells of the hyperglycemic rats. Several types of intracellular bodies were seen exclusively in Leydig cells of the untreated diabetic animals. Many resembled secondary lysosomes or dense bodies, while others appeared to be autophagic vacuoles. In addition, a small, granule-containing lamellar structure was seen either within a typical dense body or free in the cytoplasm. Myelin-like structures were commonly observed within the cytoplasm of the Leydig cell or within mitochondria. The appearance of the mitochondria in diabetic rats was otherwise normal. The extracellular spaces surrounding Leydig cells from untreated hyperglycemic rats also contained large accumulations of myelin-like material. These structural changes appear to be direct consequences of the diabetic state of the animals, since the ultrastructure of insulin-treated diabetic rats did not differ from that of the controls. These findings may reflect an alteration or breakdown of Leydig cell components normally involved in the synthesis of androgen, and correlate with previous reports of lowered circulating levels of testosterone in diabetic rats.
Covered Farm Mortgage Bonds in the United States During the Late Nineteenth Century

Covered mortgage bonds have been used successfully in Europe for two centuries, but failed in the United States when introduced as farm mortgage debentures in the 1880s. Using firm-level data and a sample of loans made by one Kansas mortgage company, I find that debenture programs grew out of established loan brokerage operations and were used to fund mortgages that were difficult to broker because of size, term, or risk characteristics. Debentures broadened access to the interregional mortgage market and facilitated an expansion of western farm mortgage debt before the innovation failed in the mortgage crisis of the 1890s.“[T]he availability of affordable mortgage financing is essential to turning the corner on the current housing crisis …. One option we have looked at extensively is covered bonds, which … have the potential to increase mortgage financing, improve underwriting standards, and strengthen U.S. financial institutions ….”Secretary of Treasury Henry PaulsonJuly 28, 2008
Correctional Officers and the Incarcerated Mentally Ill: Responses to Psychiatric Illness in Prison

Based on ethnographic fieldwork in a U.S. men's prison, I investigate how this social and cultural context structures relations between correctional officers and inmates with severe mental illness. Utilizing interpretivist perspectives, I explore how these relations are structured by trust, respect, and meanings associated with mental illness. Officers' discretionary responses to mentally ill inmates included observations to ensure psychiatric stability and flexibility in rule enforcement and were embedded within their role to ensure staff and inmate safety. Officers identified housing, employment, and social support as important for inmates' psychiatric stability as medications. Inmates identified officers' observation and responsiveness to help seeking as assisting in institutional functioning. These findings demonstrate that this prison's structures and values enable officers' discretion with mentally ill inmates, rather than solely fostering custodial responses to these inmates' behaviors. These officers' responses to inmates with mental illness concurrently support custodial control and the prison's order.
Plasma ghrelin and liquid gastric emptying in children with functional dyspepsia consistent with post-prandial distress syndrome.

Background Adult studies indicate a role for ghrelin in functional dyspepsia (FD) mediated through ghrelin's effect on gastric emptying (GE). This study examines the relationship between ghrelin, liquid GE, and pain in children with FD. Methods Thirteen FD patients reporting symptoms consistent with post-prandial distress syndrome (PDS) and 17 healthy controls were enrolled. All participants received a liquid meal containing 13C-sodium acetate. Pain severity, liquid GE utilizing exhaled 13CO2 from the sodium acetate breath tests (ABT), plasma acyl ghrelin (AG), and des-acyl ghrelin concentrations were measured at specific intervals over 240 min following ingestion. Key Results FD-PDS patients demonstrated lower mean baseline AG (14.8 ± 9.7 vs 27.2 ± 14.0 fmol/mL; p = 0.013), AG Cmax (24.6 ± 8.2 vs 40.5 ± 16.8 fmol/mL; p = 0.007), and AG flux (18.2 ± 7.8 vs 32.7 ± 17.3 fmol/mL; p = 0.015) than controls. The time to reach maximum exhaled 13CO2 concentration (T max) was longer in FD patients than controls (47.5 ± 18.5 vs 35.8 ± 11.8 min; p = 0.046). Significant relationships between ghrelin analyte ratios and ABT parameters were largely confined to control participants. Conclusions & Inferences FD-PDS in children is associated with lower fasting and maximum AG concentrations, and dampened AG flux. These data suggest a possible role for altered ghrelin physiology in the pathogenesis of PDS.
Expression profiling identifies dysregulation of myosin heavy chains IIb and IIx during limb immobilization in the soleus muscles of old rats

Aged individuals suffer from multiple dysfunctions during skeletal muscle atrophy. The purpose of this study was to determine differential changes in gene expression in atrophied soleus muscle induced by hindlimb immobilization in young (3–4 months) and old (30–31 months) rats. The hypothesis was that differentially expressed mRNAs with age-atrophy interactions would reveal candidates that induce loss of function responses in aged animals. Each muscle was applied to an independent set of Affymetrix micoarrays, with 385 differentially expressed mRNAs with atrophy and 354 age-atrophy interactions detected by two-factor ANOVA (α of 0.05 with a Bonferroni adjustment). Functional trends were observed for 23 and 15 probe sets involved in electron transport and the extracellular matrix, respectively, decreasing more in the young than in the old. Other functional categories with atrophy in both ages included chaperones, glutathione-S-transferases, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, reductions in Z-line-associated proteins and increases in probe sets for protein degradation. Surprisingly, myosin heavy chain IIb and IIx mRNAs were suppressed in the atrophied soleus muscle of old rats as opposed to the large increases in the young animals (16- and 25-fold, respectively, with microarrays, and 61- and 68-fold, respectively, with real-time PCR). No significant changes were observed in myosin heavy chain IIb and IIx mRNA with micoarrays in the atrophied soleus muscles of old rats, but they were found to increase six- and fivefold, respectively, with real-time PCR. Therefore, deficiencies in pre-translational signals that normally upregulate myosin heavy chain IIb and IIx mRNAs during atrophy may exist in the soleus muscle of old animals.
Effects of Soil Erosion on Soil Properties as Related to Crop Productivity and Classification

Soil erosion is the detachment and movement by wind or water of soil particles from their place of origin. Soil productivity is the capacity of a soil, in its normal environment, to produce a particular plant or sequence of plants under a specified management system. Productivity is generally expressed in terms of yields. Two recent committee reports (The National Soil Erosion-Soil Productivity Research Planning Committee, 1981 ; Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, 1982) have discussed in detail the soil erosion and soil productivity problem. Their discussions will not be reported here. Whether it is called the topsoil, surface soil, A horizon, or epipedon, the part of the soil affected first by erosion is the surface few centimeters, which is generally highest in organic matter and plant nutrients.
Simulated Ankle Equinus Affects Knee Kinematics During Gait.

Background It is critical to distinguish gait compensations from true abnormalities when planning interventions to improve gait in individuals with neuromuscular disorders.
Letter: Factors in child neglect--working Indian mothers.

Oakland and Kane9s1 failure to find a correlation between employment of Indian mothers and child neglect should help clarify misconceptions of professionals dealing with Navajo Indians. Undoubtedly, perpetuation of such misconceptions is closely related to Indian health problems subsequently defined by Mortimer2 and Kemberling.3 It should be appreciated that since Indian tribes vary widely in their life style, statements applying to Navajos are not necessarily uniformly applicable to all Indians. Misconceptions such as "out-of-home employment leads to abuse and neglect" help explain why progress has been slow in dealing effectively with this major social problem.
Migrant Women in the Context of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families

A major trend in contemporary international migration is the recruitment of women as migrant workers, both documented and undocumented. This article discusses their invisibility and the efforts dur...
The GSU/CHARA program of binary star: Speckle interferometry ? Recent results

A new catalog of speckle interferometric measurements of binary stars has recently been compiled; some statistics of the catalog are presented. Capabilities of the technique of speckle interferometry are demonstrated by new orbital elements of four binary star systems.
Temperature Dependence of the Intrinsic Stress and Biaxial Modulus of Plasma Deposited Silicon Nitride and Silicon Oxynitride Films

The intrinsic stress and biaxial modulus of thin films of amorphous silicon nitride (0.5μm) and silicon oxynitride (1.5 to 2.5 μm) were measured following deposition (Ts=260 to 610°C), and then at discrete intervals throughout an annealing cycle. The biaxial modulus and intrinsic stress of the silicon nitride films increased from 110 GPa and 130 MPa, respectively, to 180 GPa and 680 MPa as the deposition temperature increased from Ts=340°C to Ts=610°C. The elemental composition was unaffected by the deposition temperature. Annealing at 1100°C increased the intrinsic stress to ≃ 1.8 GPa, as nitrogen and hydrogen were lost. Films with “near-stoichiometric” compositions (SiN1.1; H = 12 at.%) did not crack. Adding oxygen to form silicon oxynitride lowered both the biaxial modulus (20–30 GPa) and the intrinsic stress (−50 to 100 MPa). All the silicon oxynitride compositions (SiO0.3N1.0 to SiO1.7N0.5) were unstable when annealed above the deposition temperature (260°C). Films grown using mostly nitrous oxide (R = N2O/(N20+NH3) < 0.5) oxidized at 350°C to form silica. Simultaneously, the biaxial modulus and intrinsic stress increased to 100 GPa and 170 MPa, respectively. Films grown from mostly ammonia (R <0.5) lost nitrogen and hydrogen and cracked when the temperature exceeded the deposition temperature by 40 to 90°C. The stress induced by the elemental loss was ≃ 600 MPa.
Estimating E. coli and Enterococcus loads in a coastal Texas watershed

Pathogens are the principal cause of water body impairment for 303(d) listed waters in Texas and across the United States with 10,654 impairments nationally (TCEQ 2012; USEPA 2013). In Texas, 45% of 568 total impairments are caused by elevated bacteria levels (TCEQ 2012). Models such as the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and Hydrological Simulation Program-FORTRAN (HSPF) have been used for assessing bacterial sources and loading. Other simplistic microbial models, such as the Potential Nonpoint Pollution Index (PNPI), Spatially Explicit Delivery MODel (SEDMOD), and Spatially Explicit Load Enrichment Calculation Tool (SELECT), have been developed to rank potential pollution impacts from nonpoint sources and identify critical areas primarily using land use and geomorphology. Citation: Borel K, Karthikeyan R, Berthold TA, Wagner K. 2014. Estimating E. coli and Enterococcus loads in a coastal Texas watershed. Texas Water Journal. 6(1):33-44. Available from: https://doi.org/10.21423/twj.v6i1.7008.
The accuracy of gastric insufflation in testing for gastroesophageal perforations during laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication.

BACKGROUND Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication is an effective technique for the symptomatic relief of the manifestations of gastroesophageal reflux disorder but is associated with a 0.8-1% rate of gastroesophageal perforation. Early detection and repair of these injuries is critical to patient outcome, but occult injuries occur and may be missed. Gastric insufflation technique evaluates the integrity of the gastroesophageal wall after laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication. Gastric insufflation technique involves occlusion of the proximal stomach with a noncrushing bowel clamp while insufflating the submerged gastroesophageal junction. We conducted an animal study to assess the utility of gastric insufflation technique. METHODS Five pigs (mean weight, 40.4 kg) underwent testing of laparoscopic gastric insufflation technique. In four animals, laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication was performed and then gastroesophageal junction injuries were created (3-5 mm distraction-type wall injuries). Non-crushing bowel clamps provided occlusion of the pylorus and then the proximal stomach during gastroesophageal insufflation. The gastroesophageal junction was then submerged. In the fifth animal, gastric insufflation technique was repeated while calibrated injuries were created to determine the smallest detectable injury. An injury was considered detectable if rising air bubbles were noted from the submerged gastroesophageal structures. Maximal luminal pressures needed to detect injuries were recorded with an in-line manometer. RESULTS In all animals, 5-7 mm injuries of the gastroesophageal junction were easily detected using gastric insufflation technique when the proximal stomach was occluded. When the pylorus alone was occluded, detection of gastroesophageal injuries was inconsistent. Small injuries ( 2.5 mm). Pyloric occlusion and insufflation reliably evaluates the anterior stomach for injury. Gastric insufflation technique is a useful method for detecting gastroesophageal injury after laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication.
A Data Quality and Data Confidentiality Assessment of Complementary Cell Suppression

Complementary cell suppression has been used for disclosure limitation of magnitude data such as economic censuses data for decades. This paper examines data quality and data confidentiality characteristics of cell suppression. We demonstrate that when cell suppression is not performed using a proper mathematical model, it can fail to protect. Moreover, we demonstrate that properly executed suppression based on standard disclosure definitions can be vulnerable to other attacks, sometimes fatally.
Computation within cultured neural networks

In this paper we present three related areas of research we are pursuing to study neural computation in vitro. Rat cortical neurons cultured on 60 channel multielectrode array (MEA) allow the researcher to measure from and stimulate sixty different sites across a small population of neurons grown in vitro. Using this system we can send stimulation patterns into the network and study how these living neural networks compute by measuring its outputs. Our first series of studies uses chaotic control techniques to study the dynamics and potentially control the behavior of cortical network. At the same time, we are beginning to apply a model of computation called the liquid state machine or LSM model developed by Wolfgang Maass to provide a firm mathematical framework from which to proceed with our investigations. Each of these components is integrated into a third area investigating the role of computation and feedback using a real-time sensory-motor feedback robotic flight system.
A novel approach to arc flash mitigation using passive series filters

Arc flash incidents are among the major safety concerns for personnel working near electrical equipment. Most of the literature approaches arc flash mitigation through modified protection schemes that attempt to limit the amount of time that an arc fault occurs, in turn minimizing the energy and associated damage of an arc flash incident. In this paper, signature characteristics of an arc fault were studied in the time and frequency domains. This included the simulation of the Andrea arc models and laboratory obtained experimental data. Finally, two passive series filters were designed to prevent potential arcs from gaining sufficient energy to ignite. The effectiveness of the designed filters was demonstrated through computer simulation. Results show that an arc flash can potentially be eliminated completely utilizing either filter.
Increased mortality from complications of pulmonary hypertension in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement

Aortic stenosis (AS) leads to pulmonary hypertension (PH) and right ventricle (RV) failure. Our goal was to describe mortality related to postoperative complications in PH patients undergoing trans...
SOTALOL VERSUS OTHER ANTI-ARRHYTHMIC MEDICATIONS FOR CARDIOVERSION OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION AND MAINTENANCE OF SINUS RHYTHM: META-ANALYSIS OF RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDIES

Background: Sotalol is a class III anti-arrhythmic drug. According to the 2014 AHA/ACC/HRS guidelines on atrial fibrillation (AF), sotalol has a class I recommendation for use in maintenance of sinus rhythm but there are no recommendations regarding its use for pharmacologic cardioversion in AF.
Seizures and Quantitative EEG

Continuous electroencephalogram (cEEG) monitoring has become increasingly common in ICU patients as nonconvulsive seizures and nonconvulsive status epilepticus are more widely recognized. Timely seizure recognition is important for clinical care and time-sensitive interventions. However, continuous EEG monitoring requires time-consuming review by expert neurophysiologists, which is difficult when resources are limited. As cEEG utilization has grown, there has been growing interest in quantitative methods by which to speed-up and enhance conventional visual review. In this chapter, we review various quantitative methods that have been developed to evaluate EEG signals (qEEG). We focus particularly on time-frequency representations of EEG data, known as “compressed spectral arrays” (CSAs) or simply spectrograms. We describe the basic theory behind spectral analysis and spectral estimation and how features of pathological EEG patterns, sharpness, and rhythmicity are reflected in spectrograms. We illustrate the theory with synthetically generated signals and with multiple real clinical cases. We propose a novel terminology by which to categorize the most commonly recurring CSA patterns. Finally, we touch on the clinical implications of using qEEG methods and other non-seizure-related uses of qEEG.
Learning, Negotiating, and Surviving in Child Welfare: Social Capitalization Among Recently Hired Workers

ABSTRACTIn the child welfare workplace, accessible relationships and support, although understudied, are vital to worker success. Using telephone interviews with a statewide sample of recently hired, frontline workers (N = 38), this study applied a social capital framework to consider support functionality or capitalization. Findings highlight that, although nearly all workers recognized the importance of instrumental and expressive support, many workers did not capitalize on support. Agencies may benefit from an atmosphere focused on collective interests rather than individual survival. Policy can promote supportive atmospheres through providing agencies with the ability and time to foster recently hired workers’ skills.
Sleeping with the Enemy: The Male Gaze and Same-Sex Relationships on Broadcast Network Television

With 1975’s “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema,” Laura Mulvey forced us to acknowledge that our “fascination with film” hinges on seeing women through a male gaze. But in recent years, the concept has been derided as irrelevant with today’s fragmented intellectual and media landscape that favors intersectionality. Cory Albertson redeploys Mulvey’s theoretical acumen to analyze how the male gaze still functions as a mechanism to illuminate patriarchal influence, but within societal representations (and acceptability of) lesbian, bisexual, and queer relationships. Albertson situates his analysis around a 2011 Gallup poll which marked the first year a majority of the American public “favored” same-sex marriage—a nine-point (and largest ever year to year) increase from 2010. The previous year’s GLAAD “Where We Are on TV” report found the 2010–2011 television season’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Queer (LGBQ) characters had their highest percentage in the report’s then-15-year history. This season saw Glee and The Good Wife hit their ratings zenith while stalwarts like Grey’s Anatomy hit new, important LGBQ milestones. Using these shows, Albertson demonstrates how the male gaze, as a feminist methodology (and, by extension, feminism as an activist ideology) maintains its relevance through its mobilization in/by the aesthetics, sexual practices, and gender acceptability of LGBQ characters. He finds the shows create “normal” same-sex relationships remarkably similar to the heteronormative ideal. And the central component of that normalcy hinges on being bound by the male gaze where lesbian, bisexual, and queer characters are sexualized in service of heterosexual men’s pleasure.
Taking Full Measure of Today's Radiologist.

An introduction to the November 2007 issue of Virtual Mentor on the ethical issues in diagnostic radiology. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Estimation of direct, maternal, and grandmaternal genetic effects for weaning weight in several breeds of beef cattle.

Weaning weights from nine parental breeds and three composites were analyzed to estimate variance due to grandmaternal genetic effects and to compare estimates for variance due to maternal genetic effects from two different models. Number of observations ranged from 794 to 3,465 per population. Number of animals in the pedigree file ranged from 1,244 to 4,326 per population. Two single-trait animal models were used to obtain estimates of covariance components by REML using an average information method. Model 1 included random direct and maternal genetic, permanent maternal environmental, and residual environmental effects as well as fixed sex x year and age of dam effects. Model 2 in addition included random grandmaternal genetic and permanent grandmaternal environmental effects to account for maternal effects of a cow on her daughter's maternal ability. Non-zero estimates of proportion of variance due to grandmaternal effects were obtained for 7 of the 12 populations and ranged from .03 to .06. Direct heritability estimates in these populations were similar with both models. Existence of variance due to grandmaternal effects did not affect the estimates of maternal heritability (m2) or the correlation between direct and maternal genetic effects (r(am)) for Angus and Gelbvieh. For the other five populations, magnitude of estimates increased for both m2 and r(am) when estimates of variance due to grandmaternal effects were not zero. Estimates of the correlation between maternal and grandmaternal genetic effects were large and negative. These results suggest that grand-maternal effects exist in some populations, that when such effects are ignored in analyses maternal heritability may be underestimated, and that the correlation between direct and maternal genetic effects may be biased downward if grandmaternal effects are not included in the model for weaning weight of beef cattle.
S-11 : Inflammasomes in health, dysbiosis, and disease

Dysregulation of the immune system and host-microbiota interaction has been associated with the development of metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Recent studies in our lab have elucidated the important function of inflammasomes as steady-state sensors and regulators of the gut microbiota. Mice with disrupted inflammasome pathway have been shown to develop a colitogenic microbial community, which resulted in exacerbation of chemical-induced colitis and diet-induced steatohepatitis. As increasing evidence has demonstrated the profound effect of intestinal microbiome on host metabolism, the goal of this study was to examine the role of inflammasome-regulated microbiota in the pathogenesis of obesity and associated metabolic disorders. Notably, we found that mice lacking the inflammasome adaptor ASC developed increased adiposity and impaired glucose tolerance on regular chow. When fed with a high fat diet (HFD), mice lacking ASC, NLRP6, caspase-1 or IL-18 all manifested exacerbated obesity, adiposity and insulin resistance. 16S-rRNA based metagenomic analysis demonstrated an altered fecal microbial composition in HFD-fed ASC KO mice. Cross-fostering to WT mothers and antibiotic treatment diminished the aberrant microbiota in ASC KO mice and abrogated their metabolic phenotype. Together, these data suggest that the inflammasomes play a critical role in regulating energy metabolism via modulation of the gut microbiome. The relationship between the mucosal immune system, host metabolism and the microbiome will be discussed.
PFCA: a programmable FIB caching architecture

Ternary Content-Addressable Memory (TCAM) chips are used to store Forwarding Information Bases (FIB) in modern routers. TCAM provides next hop lookup for IP packets at the line-rate. However, TCAM is expensive and energy-consuming; in addition, the constant FIB growth may lead to TCAM overflow problem. Yet only a small portion of FIB entries carries the most of the network traffic. Thus, FIB caching, namely, installing the most popular entries in a fast memory, e.g., TCAM, may significantly minimize TCAM usage. In this work, we leverage the concept of the programmable data plane to design a Programmable FIB Caching Architecture (PFCA) with two levels of cache. We present a pipeline-based algorithm to detect the least popular prefixes in a cache for victim eviction. We tested the prototype of PFCA using real traffic traces and an FIB with more than 599K entries. Our results show that PFCA achieves 99.8% hit ratio for Level-1 cache with 20K entries and nearly 99.9% hit ratio for Level-2 cache with 40K entries. We also demonstrate that PFCA significantly reduces the number of BGP updates in the cache and thus makes the cache more stable.
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Can Successfully Support Patients With Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Lieu of Mechanical Ventilation.

OBJECTIVES Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is increasingly used in the management of severe acute respiratory distress syndrome. With extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, select patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome can be managed without mechanical ventilation, sedation, or neuromuscular blockade. Published experience with this approach, specifically with attention to a patient's respiratory drive following cannulation, is limited. DESIGN We describe our experience with three consecutive patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome supported with right jugular-femoral configuration of venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation without therapeutic anticoagulation as an alternative to lung-protective mechanical ventilation. Outcomes are reported including daily respiratory rate, vital capacities, and follow-up pulmonary function testing. RESULTS Following cannulation, patients were extubated within 24 hours. During extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support, all patients were able to maintain a normal respiratory rate and experienced steady improvements in vital capacities. Patients received oral nutrition and ambulated daily. At follow-up, no patients required supplemental oxygen. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation can provide a safe and effective alternative to lung-protective mechanical ventilation in carefully selected patients. This approach facilitates participation in physical therapy and avoids complications associated with mechanical ventilation.
l-Alanine activates hepatic AMP-activated protein kinase and modulates systemic glucose metabolism

Abstract Objective AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK) is recognized as an important nutrient sensor contributing to regulation of cellular, tissue, and systemic metabolism. We aimed to identify specific amino acids which could modulate AMPK and determine effects on cellular and systemic metabolism. Methods We performed an unbiased amino acid screen to identify activators of AMPK. Detailed analysis of cellular signaling and metabolism was performed in cultured hepatoma cells, and in vivo glucose metabolism and metabolomic patterns were assessed in both chow-fed mice and mice made obese by high-fat diet feeding. Results Alanine acutely activates AMP kinase in both cultured hepatic cells and in liver from mice treated in vivo with Ala. Oral alanine administration improves systemic glucose tolerance in both chow and high fat diet fed mice, with reduced efficacy of Ala in mice with reduced AMPK activity. Our data indicate that Ala activation of AMPK is mediated by intracellular Ala metabolism, which reduces TCA cycle metabolites, increases AMP/ATP ratio, and activates NH3 generation. Conclusions Ala may serve as a distinct amino acid energy sensor, providing a positive signal to activate the beneficial AMPK signaling pathway.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in obese adolescent females is associated with multi-tissue insulin resistance and visceral adiposity markers.

Objective Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with insulin resistance (IR) and visceral adiposity in adults and boys, but girls with NAFLD are understudied. We sought to evaluate adipose, liver, and skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity in obese adolescent females with or without hepatic steatosis (HS) (intrahepatic triglyceride (IHTG) content >5.5%) along with cardiometabolic components typically associated with IR. Study design 73 obese adolescent girls at high risk for NAFLD were enrolled. Participants underwent fasting labs, an MRI to measure IHTG and visceral fat, 31phosphorous MR spectroscopy for muscle mitochondrial function, 1H MR spectroscopy for intramyocellular lipid (IMCL), bicycle ergometry to assess VO2peak and a 4-phase hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp with isotope tracers to measure hepatic and peripheral IR. 29 participants had HS [age 15 yrs(13,16), BMI%ile 98.7(97.4,99.0), IHTG 10.4%(8.0,13.5)] and 44 did not [age 15 yrs(13,17), BMI%ile 98.5(96.2,99.0), IHTG 2.0%(1.1,3.0)]. Results During hyperinsulinemia, participants with HS vs. non-HS had failure to suppress free fatty acids (p = 0.008), endogenous glucose release (p = 0.002), and a lower glucose metabolic rate of disappearance (Rd) (p = 0.012). Girls with NALFD also had higher visceral fat (p < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (p = 0.026), triglycerides (p = 0.02), ALT (p < 0.01) and white blood cell count (p < 0.01), and lower adiponectin (p = 0.02). There was no difference between girls with and without HS in systemic glycerol turnover measured with glycerol release, or in IMCL, mitochondrial function or VO2peak. Conclusions Obese adolescent girls with HS have evidence of multi-tissue IR, visceral adiposity, inflammation and multiple components of the metabolic syndrome, arguing for close cardiometabolic surveillance over time of girls with HS.
Chemical aging and impacts on hydrophilic and hydrophobic polyether sulfone (PES) membrane filtration performances

Abstract To better understand the effect of chemical aging processes on membrane filtration performance, this study assessed chemical aging of hydrophobic and hydrophilic polyether sulfone (PES) membranes via static immersion in and dynamic filtration with a sodium hypochlorite solution. After chemical aging, the membrane's physicochemical characteristics (i.e., surface porosity, roughness, surface charge and hydrophobicity, modifiers distribution) and mechanical properties (i.e., tensile strength and elongation) were holistically studied. The results indicate the aging process was dependent on the aging intensity (e.g., 1–10 days) and modes (static or dynamic). PES membranes demonstrated faster and severer degradation in dynamic filtration than in static immersion. Furthermore, AFM-IR and FTIR microscopy with IR mapping were used to analyze the distribution of modifiers on the membrane surface after the aging treatment. Finally, the membrane filtration performance was investigated with the pure water permeability and the foulant rejection.
Performance Evaluation of Adaptive Traffic Control Algorithms with Real Traffic Data for Future Measure of Effectiveness (MOE)

Vehicle to infrastructure (V2I) communication may eliminate problems associated with traditional traffic control systems. With the SAE J2735 standard and IntelliDriveSM, real time as well as vehicle specific information (such as vehicle occupancy or the engine capacity) is available to a traffic controller. This technology enables the controller to collect data from nearby vehicles periodically. Goal of designing adaptive traffic signal control that utilizes these data elements is to optimize appropriate metric at an intersection. This paper involves performance evaluation of adaptive traffic control algorithms with real traffic data. Such algorithms and results of their simulation with real traffic data collected from a city junction are presented. Simulation reveals that adaptive algorithms perform better (more than 7%) than the normal algorithm in optimizing several metrics.
El engaño de la piel: la transmutación alquímica del sujeto transexual en "La piel que habito"

espanolEl presente articulo considera el proceso creativo y transformativo por el que pasa el/la protagonista transexual de “La piel que habito” (2011) y lo equipara al proceso antiguo de la alquimia, pues ambos tienen como objetivo el perfeccionamiento, la imitacion y la adulteracion, o falsificacion, de la naturaleza. El proposito principal del ensayo, aparte de delinear los elementos alquimicos presentes en el filme, es explorar la (con)fusion de ciertos binarios, como lo autentico y lo artificial, lo masculino y lo femenino y el Yo y el Otro. Se plantea que, como en la alquimia, Almodovar presenta a la figura del transexual –o del hermafrodita– como el ser perfecto, o la Piedra Filosofal, ya que encarna tanto lo femenino como lo masculino en un solo cuerpo. Ademas, a semejanza del oro alquimico y de las obras de arte, se propone que el/la protagonista, Vicente/Vera, representa una copia mas perfecta de su referente original, lo cual subraya su nebulosa autenticidad existencial. Al final de este estudio, se establece un vinculo entre la transformacion fisica y ontologica de Vicente/Vera y la “mise-en-scene” que este realiza para poder sobrevivir. Se concluye que el caracter transformativo e ilusorio de lo teatral concuerda con el aspecto experimental y artificioso de la alquimia. EnglishThis article considers the creative and transformative process undergone by the main protagonist –a transsexual– of “La piel que habito” (2011) while comparing it to the age-old alchemical process, as the two share a common objective: the perfection, imitation, and adulteration-or falsification-of nature. The main purpose of this essay, aside from delineating the alchemical motifs present throughout the film, is to explore the (con)fusion of a particular set of binaries, such as the authentic and the artificial, the masculine and the feminine, and the Self and the Other. The author maintains that, as with alchemy, Almodovar presents the figure of the transsexual, or of the hermaphrodite, as the perfect being, or the Philosopher’s Stone, as s/he embodies both the feminine and the masculine in one body. Moreover, like alchemical gold and works of art, this study proposes that the protagonist, Vicente/Vera, represents a more perfect copy of the original, which underscores his/her ambivalent existential authenticity. The author highlights the similarities between Vicente/Vera’s physical and ontological transmutation and the “mise-en-scene” in which he/she must embark in order to survive. Finally, the essay concludes that the transformative, illusory nature of the theatrical parallels the experimental and deceiving aspect of alchemy.
Role of LLT1 and PCNA as Natural Killer Cell Immune Evasion Strategies of HCT 116 Cells.

Background/aim Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a subpopulation of cells that retain self-renewal and pluripotency capabilities, are resistant to chemotherapy, and are thought to facilitate metastasis. Target cell expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) or lectin-like transcript 1 (LLT1) inhibits natural killer (NK) cell functions. The purpose of this study was to characterize the expression of LLT1 or PCNA as NK cell evasion strategies of HCT 116, a colorectal cancer cell line. Materials and methods Protein expression was determined by flow cytometry and/or confocal microscopy. Stem-like cells were sorted and characterized, and NK cell effector functions measured by interferon-γ secretion and cytotoxicity assay. Results PCNA expressing cells are potential CSCs, blocking PCNA alters interferon-γ secretion, and blocking PCNA or LLT1 increases cytotoxicity. Conclusion PCNA is a potential biomarker of stem-like colon cancer cells. Based on the results of this study, PCNA and LLT1 should be further explored as in vivo immunotherapeutic targets for NK cell-mediated killing.
Academic Leadership During a Pandemic: Department Heads Leading With a Focus on Equity

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented crisis with momentous challenges for higher education institutions Academic leaders have been charged with restructuring their systems, ensuring instructional quality while operating with significantly diminished resources For department heads of units with leadership preparation programs, the complexity of this crisis is layered upon fundamental scholarship about leadership, which reports the effectiveness of leadership as a collective incorporating the shared and diverse talents of faculty, students, and program stakeholders This work of educational leadership rests on a public and democratic ethic promoting social justice and equity as the practices and outcomes for schooling at any level In this article, three department heads of educational leadership units in major research universities use dialogic inquiry to reflect on our responses to complex demands brought forth by the pandemic We share insights into our decision making, as we have led with a focus on equity We address dilemmas and conflicts that we have addressed as departmental leaders during this critical period of institutional challenges, changing institutional policies and practices, and declining resources, as we have worked to ensure equitable access and distribution of resources for students, faculty, and staff We conclude with implications for department heads who strive to maintain a focus on equity during times of sweeping organizational change © Copyright © 2020 Kruse, Hackmann and Lindle
Second opinion needed: communicating uncertainty in medical machine learning

There is great excitement that medical artificial intelligence (AI) based on machine learning (ML) can be used to improve decision making at the patient level in a variety of healthcare settings. However, the quantification and communication of uncertainty for individual predictions is often neglected even though uncertainty estimates could lead to more principled decision-making and enable machine learning models to automatically or semi-automatically abstain on samples for which there is high uncertainty. In this article, we provide an overview of different approaches to uncertainty quantification and abstention for machine learning and highlight how these techniques could improve the safety and reliability of current ML systems being used in healthcare settings. Effective quantification and communication of uncertainty could help to engender trust with healthcare workers, while providing safeguards against known failure modes of current machine learning approaches. As machine learning becomes further integrated into healthcare environments, the ability to say “I’m not sure” or “I don’t know” when uncertain is a necessary capability to enable safe clinical deployment.
Abstract P116: VARIATION IN MEAN ARTERIAL PRESSURE (MAP) AND ITS HEMODYNAMIC COMPONENTS DURING 24-HOUR AMBULATORY PULSE WAVE ANALYSIS: IMPACT OF AGE, RACE, GENDER AND BODY SIZE

BP is highly variable within and between individuals but the impact of variation in underlying hemodynamic components is unknown. We tested the feasibility and clinical associations of quantitated ...
Symposium: Ethical Conflicts in the Forensic Sciences Introduction

Throughout the history of the forensic sciences, its members have shown a particular concern for the attainment of high professional and ethical standards. Forensic scientists are expected to be honest with respect to their qualifications, examinations, and conclusions; they should be technically competent and only use methods of proven reliability; they should remain totally objective and nonpartisan with respect to their review of evidence and delivery of expert testimony; and they are expected to present understandable and balanced reports/testimony to legal decision makers. However, the reality is that forensic scientists function within an adversarial system of justice that places a high premium on winning cases. They, too, sometimes find themselves employed by units of the legal system that fail to provide the leadership and resources necessary to insure competent and balanced examinations of evidence.
Excitonic absorption in modulation-doped GaAs/AlxGa

We have performed transmission measurements in a range of undoped through heavily-modulation-doped GaAs/${\mathrm{Al}}_{\mathrm{x}}$${\mathrm{Ga}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{x}}$As multiple-quantum-well structures. The observed absorption spectra demonstrate quenching of the excitonic oscillations with increasing quasi-two-dimensional electron gas. The electron density corresponding to the total bleaching of the lowest excitonic oscillation is greater than or equal to 3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{11}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}2}$ for a quantum well size of 200 A\r{}. Theoretical calculations of the absorption spectra which include the effect of carrier screening have been made. The results show that both long-range and short-range many-body effects should be included to explain the experimentally observed spectra. In the modulation-doped case, we conclude that the phase-space filling and exchange of the electron gas are the dominant effects on excitonic absorption. From the observation that the linewidth increases with the electron density, we demonstrate that the exciton lifetime reduces due to the interaction between the electrons and the excitons.
Factors Influencing Activated Sludge Properties

Activated sludge dewatering and thickening properties were found to depend upon the concentration of bio-polymers in solution. Sludge conditioning agents were found to function by coagulation of solution polymers. Solution polymers could also be reduced by biological means. If activated sludge is held under anaerobic conditions then followed by aeration the polymers were found to decline. The rate and extent of polymer decay was dependent upon the dissolved oxygen concentration.