cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Local accumulation of acetylcholine receptors is neither necessary nor sufficient to induce cluster formation.

Acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) accumulate at developing neuromuscular junctions in part via lateral migration of diffusely expressed receptors. Using a model system--cultured Xenopus muscle cells exposed to electric fields--we have shown that AChRs, concentrated at the cathode-facing cell pole, continue to aggregate there after the field is terminated (Stollberg and Fraser, 1988). These observations are consistent with the possibility that the field-induced increase in receptor concentration triggers the aggregation event. Only 2 other molecular events could initiate the electric field-induced receptor aggregation: (1) a local increase in the density of some other molecules, or (2) a voltage-sensitive mechanism. Treatment of muscle cell cultures with neuraminidase changes the cell surface charge and has been reported to reverse the direction of electromigration for AChRs and concanavalin A binding sites (Orida and Poo, 1978). Using digitally analyzed fluorescence videomicroscopy, we find that AChRs in neuraminidase-treated cultures accumulate at both cell poles in an electric field. After termination of the field, the AChR continues to aggregate at the cathode-facing pole, as in cells not treated with neuraminidase. However, receptor density decreases at the anode-facing pole, indicating that elevated AChR density does not initiate receptor aggregation. Cells pretreated with neuraminidase and trypsin (which blocks receptor aggregation) display reversed receptor distributions compared to untreated controls, indicating that electromigration has indeed been reversed. The rate at which neuraminidase- and trypsin- treated cells approach steady-state distributions indicates a receptor diffusion constant of ≈ 1.2 x 10^(-9) cm^2/sec, consistent with a diffusion trap mechanism of receptor aggregation. These results are the first conclusive demonstration that the local concentration of receptors is neither necessary nor sufficient to induce receptor clustering. Our observations suggest that receptor clustering is triggered by the accumulation of some other molecules, or by a voltage-sensitive mechanism.
Surface and Bulk Properties which Influence Ion-Beam Hydrogenation of Silicon

The time evolution of dopant passivation in p and n-type silicon Schottky and MIS barriers has been investigated for low-energy H ions implanted directly into the silicon through a 400-A front-electrode metallization. Knowledge of the dependence of the near-surface hydrogen concentration on time and experimental parameters is crucial to the analysis of these experiments. Hydrogenation effects are observed to vanish at ion energies below 800 eV, which suggests that the front electrode, rather than being a source of H, will behave as a sink for H diffusing in the silicon. Accordingly, we show that a steady-state H concentration proportional to the ion-deposition flux and deposition depth is established in a time interval less than a second near the electrode. Although some of the mobile H appears to be in a positively charged state, we calculate that the bias voltage applied to samples has only a small influence on the near-surface H concentration. An extensive study of the effects of sample temperature, beam flux, and ion energy supports these concepts and has revealed no evidence of ion-damage induced H trapping. The possible importance of H.H recombination is suggested by data obtained at the higher H concentrations.
Mobile Healthcare: Opportunities and Challenges

The healthcare crisis in the US has caught national attention because of its high percentage of GDP spending. Healthcare reform has become a heated topic of discussion. Its key lies in quality of care, the foundation of which is information. Mobile- healthcare has the potential to greatly improve the quality of healthcare. It encompasses the realm of healthcare activities empowered by the whole spectrum of computer, communication and information technologies. The challenges of the current healthcare landscape and potential solutions offered by m-healthcare are presented in four distinct yet related domains: service, technology, finance and organization. This paper addresses healthcare as a whole, with special remarks directed exclusively to the radiology subspecialty due to its unique requirements of large bandwidth for transferring image data and exacting screen size for image display.
Blood Purification Procedures and Their Related Short- and Long-Term Effect on Patients

: At present, approximately 1 million patients are on chronic hemodialysis in the world. Some patients have been dialyzed for more than 20 years. However, chronic hemodialysis produces a new type of disease known as chronic hemodialysis syndrome. Procedurally induced immunomodulation may be the cause of this syndrome. Hematological changes imposed by this extracorporeal circulation for hemodialysis are discussed in this article. A comparison with procedurally induced immunomodulation by apheresis procedures is also provided. This repeated exposure of the blood-to-blood purification device with a large foreign surface produces quite substantial immunological effects to the patient. Thus, further studies were necessary to analyze more clearly the adaptation mechanism of the human defense system. On the basis of these studies, the following conclusion could be derived. Typically, Stage 1, human adaptation to the implanted or applied man-made machine, would be 48 h and could be divided into 3 phases. They would be Phase I (15–30 min) leukocyte storage, Phase II (2–24 h) leukocyte release, and Phase III (24–48 h) completion of the proper leukocyte response. To adapt hematologically in 48 h, the patient may experience 3 phases of adaptation reactions. When patients are subjected to extracorporeal circulation, the immunosuppressive state of hemodialysis is hypothesized through these studies.
Demand-side management: Research opportunities for electric utilities

Abstract Because of dramatic changes in electricity costs, prices, and consumption during the past decade, electric utilities are faced with many new opportunities on the customer side of the meter. Design, analysis, and implementation of successful conservation and load management programs, however, require additional research. This paper discusses several important research topics related to assessment of electricity-conserving technologies, impacts of utility conservation and load management programs, and the electric utility planning process.
The Virgin, the Bride, and the Church: Reading Psalm 45 in Ambrose, Jerome, and Augustine

Within the past decade or so, historical studies of early Christianity have been affected by what has been called the “linguistic turn.” This development has entailed a new appreciation of the varied forms of Christian “discourse” and their importance in shaping the cultural, political, and social worlds of late antiquity. For example, historians of religion and culture, such as Judith Perkins and Kate Cooper, have drawn attention to the way in which narrative representation in early Christian literature functioned to construct Christian identities and to negotiate power relations both within the church and in society at large. It has become increasingly difficult for historians to ignore the power of rhetoric in shaping the imaginative (and, therefore, real) worlds of late ancient Christians.
Elevated calcium and activation of trypsinogen in rat pancreatic acini

Background—Acute pancreatitis associated with hypercalcaemia has been described in humans and experimental animals. It has been demonstrated that calcium dose dependently accelerates trypsinogen activation, and it is generally believed that ectopic activation of digestive enzymes is an early event in the pathophysiology of acute pancreatitis. Aims and methods—Trypsinogen activation peptide (TAP) was measured in isolated rat pancreatic acini exposed to elevated extracellular calcium in order to investigate the association between calcium and trypsinogen activation in living cells. TAP was determined in the culture medium either before (extracellular compartment) or after (intracellular compartment) cell homogenisation. Results—Neither secretory stimulation nor elevated calcium alone caused an increase in TAP levels. Maximal cerulein or carbachol stimulation superimposed on high medium calcium, however, significantly increased intracellular trypsinogen activation twofold. This increase was inhibited by either N G -monomethyl-Larginine (L-NMMA) or verapamil. Acinar cell morphology and function remained intact as demonstrated by electron microscopy and secretagogue dose-response studies. Conclusions—These results support the hypothesis that increased intracellular trypsinogen activation is an early step in the pathogenesis of hypercalcaemia induced pancreatitis. The model may have a bearing on other types of pancreatitis as elevated cytosolic calcium is thought to be an early event in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis in general. (Gut 1997;41:339‐343)
SloR modulation of the Streptococcus mutans acid tolerance response involves the GcrR response regulator as an essential intermediary.

Streptococcus mutans, the primary causative agent of human dental caries, grows as a biofilm on the tooth surface, where it metabolizes dietary carbohydrates and generates acid byproducts that demineralize tooth enamel. A drop in plaque pH stimulates an adaptive acid-tolerance response (ATR) in this oral pathogen that allows it to survive acid challenge at pHs as low as 3.0. In the present study, we describe the growth of an S. mutans mutant, GMS901, that harbours an insertion–deletion mutation in gcrR, a gene that encodes a transcriptional regulatory protein. The mutant is acid-sensitive and significantly compromised in its ATR relative to the UA159 wild-type progenitor strain. Consistent with these findings are the results of real-time quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) experiments that support the GcrR-regulated expression of known ATR genes, including atpA/E and ffh. Although we observed gcrR transcription that was not responsive to acidic pH, we did note a significant increase in gcrR expression when S. mutans cells were grown in a manganese-restricted medium. Interestingly, the results of gel mobility shift assays indicate that the S. mutans SloR metalloregulatory protein is a potential regulator of gcrR by virtue of its manganese-dependent binding to the gcrR promoter region, and expression studies support the hypothesis that sloR transcription is responsive to manganese deprivation and acidic pH. Taking these results together, we propose that SloR–Mn modulates S. mutans gcrR expression as part of a general stress response, and that GcrR acts downstream of SloR to control the ATR.
On the behaviour of the characteristic function of a probability distribution in the neighbourhood of the origin

Let X be a real valued random variable with probability measure P and distribution function F. It will be convenient to take F as the intermediate distribution function defined by . In mathematical analysis it is a little more convenient to use this function rather than , which arise more naturally in probability theory. In all cases we shall consider With this definition, if the distribution function of X is F(x), then the distribution function of −X is 1−F(−x). The distribution of X is symmetrical about 0 if F(x) = 1 − F(−x).
Why double-stranded RNA resists condensation

The addition of small amounts of multivalent cations to solutions containing double-stranded DNA leads to inter-DNA attraction and eventual condensation. Surprisingly, the condensation is suppressed in double-stranded RNA, which carries the same negative charge as DNA, but assumes a different double helical form. Here, we combine experiment and atomistic simulations to propose a mechanism that explains the variations in condensation of short (25 base-pairs) nucleic acid (NA) duplexes, from B-like form of homopolymeric DNA, to mixed sequence DNA, to DNA:RNA hybrid, to A-like RNA. Circular dichroism measurements suggest that duplex helical geometry is not the fundamental property that ultimately determines the observed differences in condensation. Instead, these differences are governed by the spatial variation of cobalt hexammine (CoHex) binding to NA. There are two major NA-CoHex binding modes--internal and external--distinguished by the proximity of bound CoHex to the helical axis. We find a significant difference, up to 5-fold, in the fraction of ions bound to the external surfaces of the different NA constructs studied. NA condensation propensity is determined by the fraction of CoHex ions in the external binding mode.
A 2×2 Dynamic Polarization-Controlling integrated phased array

Radiator arrays with Dynamic Polarization Control (DPC) and 2D beam steering enable polarization matching to the receiver antenna regardless of its polarization, orientation, and location. A fully integrated 122.9 GHz 2×2 DPC multi-port driven phased array radiates all linear polarizations (0°–180° polarization angles) with axial ratios above 14 dB, and controls the axial ratio from 1.2 dB (circular) to 17.8 dB (linear) with a maximum EIRP of +12.3 dBm and 2D beam steering of up to 15°.
Exploring new concepts in the management of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: is exercise the key for improving treatment?

approximately 50% of all patients diagnosed with heart failure (HF) have HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) ([1][1]). Despite having preserved systolic function at rest, these patients display reduced cardiac functional reserve and morbidity/mortality rates similar to values observed in HF
Open Reading Frames Associated with Cancer in the Dark Matter of the Human Genome

Background: The uncharacterized proteins (open reading frames, ORFs) in the human genome offer an opportunity to discover novel targets for cancer. A systematic analysis of the dark matter of the human proteome for druggability and biomarker discovery is crucial to mining the genome. Numerous data mining tools are available to mine these ORFs to develop a comprehensive knowledge base for future target discovery and validation. Materials and Methods: Using the Genetic Association Database, the ORFs of the human dark matter proteome were screened for evidence of association with neoplasms. The Phenome- Genome Integrator tool was used to establish phenotypic association with disease traits including cancer. Batch analysis of the tools for protein expression analysis, gene ontology and motifs and domains was used to characterize the ORFs. Results: Sixty-two ORFs were identified for neoplasm association. The expression Quantitative Trait Loci (eQTL) analysis identified thirteen ORFs related to cancer traits. Protein expression, motifs and domain analysis and genome-wide association studies verified the relevance of these OncoORFs in diverse tumors. The OncoORFs are also associated with a wide variety of human diseases and disorders. Conclusions: Our results link the OncoORFs to diverse diseases and disorders. This suggests a complex landscape of the uncharacterized proteome in human diseases. These results open the dark matter of the proteome to novel cancer target research.
Heat transfer of ascending cryomagma on Europa

Abstract Jupiter's moon Europa has a relatively young surface (60–90 Myr on average), which may be due in part to cryovolcanic processes. Current models for both effusive and explosive cryovolcanism on Europa may be expanded and enhanced by linking the potential for cryovolcanism at the surface to subsurface cryomagmatism. The success of cryomagma transport through Europa's crust depends critically on the rate of ascent relative to the rate of solidification. The final transport distance of cryomagma is thus governed by initial melt volume, ascent rate, overall ascent distance, transport mechanism (i.e., diapirism, diking, or ascent in cylindrical conduits), and melt temperature and composition. The last two factors are especially critical in determining the budget of expendable energy before complete solidification. Here we use these factors as constraints to explore conditions under which cryomagma may arrive at Europa's surface to facilitate cryovolcanism. We find that 1–5 km radius warm ice diapirs ascending from the base of a 10 km thick stagnant lid can reach the shallow subsurface in a partially molten state. Cryomagma transport may be further facilitated if diapirs travel along pre-heated ascent paths. Under certain conditions, cryolava transported from 10 km depths in tabular dikes or pipe-like conduits may reach the surface at temperatures exceeding 250 K. Ascent rates for these geometries may be high enough that isothermal transport is approached. Cryomagmas containing significant amounts of low eutectic impurities can also be delivered to Europa's surface by propagating dikes or pipe-like conduits.
Through-pellicle defect inspection of EUV masks using an ArF-based inspection tool

The use of EUV photomasks in a semiconductor manufacturing environment requires their periodic inspection to ensure they are continually free of defects that could impact device yield. Defects typically occur from fall-on particles or from surface degradation such as “haze”. The proposed use of a polycrystalline-based EUV pellicle to prevent fall-on particles would preclude periodic through-pellicle mask defect inspection using e-beam, as well as, DUV inspection tools (the pellicle is opaque at DUV wavelengths). Thus, to use these types of defect inspection tools would require removal of the EUV pellicle before inspection. After inspection, the pellicle would need to be re-attached and the mask re-qualified using a test wafer, thus causing expense and delays. While EUV-wavelength inspection tools could inspect through such a pellicle precluding the need to remove the pellicle, these tools are not likely to be available in the commercial marketplace for many years. An alternate EUV pellicle material has been developed that is semi-transparent to 193nm wavelengths, thus allowing through-pellicle inspection using existing ArF-based, or other 193nm wavelength mask inspection tools. This eliminates the requirement to remove the pellicle for defect inspection and the associated time and expense. In this work, we will conduct an initial evaluation of through-pellicle EUV mask defect inspection using an existing 193nm mask inspection tool. This initial evaluation will include durability of the pellicle to defect inspection, and impact of the pellicle on inspection tool performance.
Notes on Cougar Productivity and Life History

Records collected principally from 1946 through 1958 in Utah and Nevada have shown that the cougar may have young any month of the year. However, birth months, as determined by reference of juvenile weights from 145 litters to a growth curve, indicated that about 60 per cent of the litters were probably born from June through September with a peak in July. The highest incidence of pregnancy for 199 mature females was noted in June and July. Forty-one per cent of 299 mature females had young at the time of capture. Evidence is presented that some females apparently have young as often as 12–15 months, but a 2-year interval appears the rule. Most young apparently remain with their mothers for at least a year. The average size of 258 postnatal litters was 2.9 (range, 1–5) and of 66 prenatal litters it was 3.4 (range, 1–6).
Bending Strength and Microstructure of Al2O3-Y2O3-MgO and Al2O3-Y2O3-ZrO2-MgO Composite Ceramics

Alumina ceramics containing Y2O3 and a small amount of MgO were sintered and their physical properties, such as bulk density, bending strength, and shrinkage, and microstructure were investigated comparing with alumina ceramics containing 3Y-ZrO2 and a small amount of MgO. The results are as follows: (1) The bending strength of the Al2O3-Y2O3-MgO sintered composite showed a relatively high value of 330MPa when it contained 10wt% Y2O3. (2) In the Al2O3-Y2O3-MgO sintered composite containing 30 to 60wt% Y2O3, a great number of pores were generated. (3) Identification of the Al2O3-Y2O3-MgO sintered composite by XRD revealed that the composites containing 10 to 30wt% Y2O3 were composed of α-Al2O3 and 3Y2O3⋅5Al2O3. It was also clarified that the composite containing 60wt% Y2O3 consisted of 3Y2O3⋅5Al2O3 and 2Y2O3⋅Al2O3. (4) Comparison of the Al2O3-Y2O3-MgO sintered composites with the Al2O3-Y2O3-ZrO2-MgO ones showed that the latter were more advantageous in high physical properties and fine grained structure than the former.
Two New Operculate Chytrids

Chytridium aggregatum occurs as a saprophyte on dead and decaying filaments of Spirogyra crassa, Cladophora sp., and Oedogonium sp. in New Jersey and New York and has been cultured to a limited ext...
Results of Table-Top Fundamental Physics Experiments at Berkeley

Ongoing experiments will be discussed: measurement of parity violation in ytterbium and dysprosium, search for variation of the fine-structure “constant” in dysprosium, and tests of Bose-Einstein statistics for photons in two-photon transitions in barium.
A Comprehensive Evaluating Study on the Key Industries in Shandong State-owned Enterprises

Based on the updated and revised industry classification of national economy in 2011,and using SPSS's factor analysis of financial performance index,management performance index and the scale index,we get the comprehensive rankings of state-owned enterprise of various industries in Shandong Province.It shows the industry structure of the state-owned enterprise in Shandong Province objectively.Meanwhile,the changes of the top twenty key industries in recent ten years foretell the laws of the state economy layout development.That is,the layout of the state sector in secondary industry has changed little while in tertiary industry the steady progress has been made in pro bono and hi-tech industries.
Postoperative Complications After Distal Pancreatectomy Performed During Cytoreductive Surgery for Gynecologic Malignancies.

Objectives To investigate the incidence of pancreatic leak and other postoperative complications after distal pancreatectomy performed during debulking surgery for gynecologic malignancies. Methods All patients who underwent distal pancreatectomy during their debulking surgery from 2010 to 2014 were identified. Postoperative complications within 30 days and pancreatic leak within 120 days after surgery were included. Results Eighteen patients met the inclusion criteria. The median age was 62 years (36–78 years). Four patients (22%) were admitted to the intensive care unit, and the average length of hospital stay was 10 days. Nine patients developed postoperative complications within 30 days after surgery (50%) with no perioperative mortality up to 90 days after surgery. No patients required reexploration. The median time from surgery to initiation of chemotherapy was 39.5 days. Two patients developed pancreatic leak (11%). Among the patients who developed pancreatic leak, the average length of hospital stay was 11.5 days and time to initiation of chemotherapy was 75 days. Conservative management was successful in both cases. Conclusion In this series, the rate of pancreatic leak was lower than previously reported with no perioperative mortality or surgical reexploration. However, the time to initiation of chemotherapy was delayed in those who developed pancreatic leak. These data are important in patient counseling and decision making at the time of debulking surgery. Gynecologic oncologists considering distal pancreatectomy should be familiar with perioperative management of these patients.
First Medicare Demonstration of Concurrent Provision of Curative and Hospice Services for End-of-Life Care

Hospice developed in the United States in the 1970s as a way to address unmet needs for end-of-life care: support for pain and symptom management provided in the location and manner that the patient and family prefer. In Europe and Australia, hospice is available from the time of diagnosis of an advanced life-limiting illness onward, but in the United States, the Medicare hospice benefit restricts eligibility for these services to patients who no longer receive curative treatment. We provide background and analysis of the first Medicare hospice demonstration in 35 years that will test the concurrent provision of curative and hospice services for terminally ill individuals with a life expectancy of six months or less. This demonstration is a harbinger of potential policy changes to hospice and palliative care in the United States that could reduce barriers to end-of-life care that aligns with patient and family preferences as the demand for care increases with an aging population.
Vocabulary, Reading and Classroom Supports for Language

Successful acquisition of the ability to read with comprehension is essential for school success and for full participation in the mainstream technological society. The ability to read with comprehension draws on multiple intellectual skills, with vocabulary and other language abilities being of central importance (Hoover and Gough, 1990; Rapp, van den Broek, McMaster, Panayiota and Espin, 2007). Although vocabulary has long been recognized as important to reading success (Anderson and Freebody, 1981; National Reading Panel, 2000), instruction in the early grades in the United States traditionally has focused heavily on issues related to decoding (i.e. letter knowledge, phonics and associated phonemic awareness ability). Explicit, intentional instruction related to building vocabulary has tended to begin around fourth or fifth grade and in some cases has been delayed until high school. But mounting evidence suggests that by attending narrowly to ‘basic skills’ at the expense of vocabulary, later reading comprehension abilities suffer.
Wavelength-Selective Photocatalysis Using Gold–Platinum Nanorattles

The selectivity of a thermal catalyzed reaction with multiple products, catalyzed on the surface of a catalyst exhibiting different surface facets and surface energy, is controlled by the temperature. Manipulating the temperature makes one product more dominant than the other. The selectivity of the photochemical reaction on the surface of plasmonic nanocatalyst of multiple plasmon modes is controlled by changing the wavelength of the exciting light. Gold nanospheres (AuNSs) located inside gold–platinum double-shell nanoparticles in a rattle structure were prepared with different sizes and showed two plasmon spectral modes. The high-energy plasmon mode corresponds to the photoexcitation of the small nanosphere, whereas the low-energy plasmonic mode is related to both the gold–platinum double-shell plasmon and the inside nanosphere, as assigned by calculation using the discrete dipole approximation (DDA) simulation technique. Photodimerization of 4-nitrothiophenol (4NTP) adsorbed on the surface of gold–pla...
Targeting biofilms and persisters of ESKAPE pathogens with P14KanS, a kanamycin peptide conjugate.

Abstract Background The worldwide emergence of antibiotic resistance represents a serious medical threat. The ability of these resistant pathogens to form biofilms that are highly tolerant to antibiotics further aggravates the situation and leads to recurring infections. Thus, new therapeutic approaches that adopt novel mechanisms of action are urgently needed. To address this significant problem, we conjugated the antibiotic kanamycin with a novel antimicrobial peptide (P14LRR) to develop a kanamycin peptide conjugate (P14KanS). Methods Antibacterial activities were evaluated in vitro and in vivo using a Caenorhabditis elegans model. Additionally, the mechanism of action, antibiofilm activity and anti-inflammatory effect of P14KanS were investigated. Results P14KanS exhibited potent antimicrobial activity against ESKAPE pathogens. P14KanS demonstrated a ≥ 128-fold improvement in MIC relative to kanamycin against kanamycin-resistant strains. Mechanistic studies confirmed that P14KanS exerts its antibacterial effect by selectively disrupting the bacterial cell membrane. Unlike many antibiotics, P14KanS demonstrated rapid bactericidal activity against stationary phases of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens. Moreover, P14KanS was superior in disrupting adherent bacterial biofilms and in killing intracellular pathogens as compared to conventional antibiotics. Furthermore, P14KanS demonstrated potent anti-inflammatory activity via the suppression of LPS-induced proinflammatory cytokines. Finally, P14KanS protected C. elegans from lethal infections of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens. Conclusions The potent in vitro and in vivo activity of P14KanS warrants further investigation as a potential therapeutic agent for bacterial infections. General significance This study demonstrates that equipping kanamycin with an antimicrobial peptide is a promising method to tackle bacterial biofilms and address bacterial resistance to aminoglycosides.
Three-dimensional hydrodynamical models of wind and outburst-related accretion in symbiotic systems

Gravitationally focused wind accretion in binary systems consisting of an evolved star with a gaseous envelope and a compact accreting companion is a possible mechanism to explain mass transfer in symbiotic binaries. We study the mass accretion around the secondary caused by the strong wind from the primary late-type component using global three-dimensional hydrodynamic numerical simulations during quiescence and outburst stages. In particular, the dependence of the mass accretion rate on the mass-loss rate, wind parameters and phases of wind outburst development is considered. For a typical wind from an asymptotic giant branch star with a mass-loss rate of 1e-6 Msun/year and wind speeds of 20-50 km/s, the mass transfer through a focused wind results in efficient infall on to the secondary. Accretion rates onto the secondary of 5-20 per cent of the mass-loss from the primary are obtained during quiescence and outburst periods where the wind velocity and mass-loss rates are varied, about 20-50 per cent larger than in the standard Bondi-Hoyle-Lyttleton approximation. This mechanism could be an important method for explaining observed accretion luminosities and periodic modulations in the accretion rates for a broad range of interacting binary systems.
RNA Sequencing Analysis of Neural Cell Lines: Impact of Normalization and Technical Replication

RNA sequencing offers a versatile platform for profiling biological samples. The novelty and flexibility of this technology has the potential to introduce technical variation at distinct points in the experimental workflow. We evaluated variation in RNA sequencing data acquired from commercially available cell lines cultured in our laboratory: human neural stem cells and normal human astrocytes. After normalizing data with three different methods, we used principal variance component analysis to estimate the contribution to technical variance from replicate cell lots, library preparations, and flow cells. Differentially expressed genes were evaluated using ANOVA analysis. Results indicate that the largest component of technical variance was library preparation. Moreover, comparative analysis of RNA sequencing data from the two cell types showed that the identification of differentially expressed genes and the contributions to variance are strongly influenced by the normalization method. Our results underscore the necessity for technical replication in RNA-seq experiments.
Uncertain impulsive differential systems of fractional order: almost periodic solutions

In this paper, we investigate the existence and stability of almost periodic solutions of impulsive fractional-order differential systems with uncertain parameters. The impulses are realised at fix...
Dexamethasone-mediated upregulation of calreticulin inhibits primary human glioblastoma dispersal Ex vivo

Dispersal of Glioblastoma (GBM) renders localized therapy ineffective and is a major cause of recurrence. Previous studies have demonstrated that Dexamethasone (Dex), a drug currently used to treat brain tumor-related edema, can also significantly reduce dispersal of human primary GBM cells from neurospheres. It does so by triggering α5 integrin activity, leading to restoration of fibronectin matrix assembly (FNMA), increased neurosphere cohesion, and reduction of neurosphere dispersal velocity (DV). How Dex specifically activates α5 integrin in these GBM lines is unknown. Several chaperone proteins are known to activate integrins, including calreticulin (CALR). We explore the role of CALR as a potential mediator of Dex-dependent induction of α5 integrin activity in primary human GBM cells. We use CALR knock-down and knock-in strategies to explore the effects on FNMA, aggregate compaction, and dispersal velocity in vitro, as well as dispersal ex vivo on extirpated mouse retina and brain slices. We show that Dex increases CALR expression and that siRNA knockdown suppresses Dex-mediated FNMA. Overexpression of CALR in GBM cells activates FNMA, increases compaction, and decreases DV in vitro and on explants of mouse retina and brain slices. Our results define a novel interaction between Dex, CALR, and FNMA as inhibitors of GBM dispersal.
HIV-ASSOCIATED HODGKIN'S DISEASE:Biologic and Clinical Aspects

The incidence of HD appears to have increased in HIV-infected individuals, with HIV-seropositive intravenous drug users most likely to develop the disorder. All groups at risk for HIV, however, may develop HD. The pathologic spectrum of HD in the setting of HIV infection is distinct from that seen in "de novo" HD in the United States, with the majority of patients diagnosed with the mixed cellularity subtype, as opposed to the more usual occurrence of nodular sclerosis in "de novo" disease. The presence of fibrohistiocytic stromal cells within involved tissues is also a distinct characteristic of HIV-associated HD. Epstein-Barr viral genome has been detected within tumor cell nuclei, and it may be involved in the pathogenesis of disease. Clinically, patients often present with systemic "B" symptoms and widely disseminated extranodal disease, seen in 75% to 90%. Bone marrow is involved in 40% to 50% of cases at diagnosis. Complete remission may be achieved in approximately 50% of patients after use of combination chemotherapy, but median survival is short, in the range of 12 to 18 months. Death is often due to bacterial or opportunistic infection (or both), often occurring in the setting of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia.
Transdifferentiation of retinal pigment epithelial cells from epithelial to mesenchymal phenotype.

PURPOSE To describe and evaluate retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell transdifferentiation in vitro and to determine its importance to the development of proliferative vitreoretinal disorders. METHODS Porcine RPE cells from single animals were examined at different passages in culture. The authors examined cellular morphology, contraction of a collagenous matrix, and adhesion to fibronectin and type I collagen-coated substrata. These activities were correlated with loss of epithelial characteristics, redistribution of the actin cytoskeleton, and expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), a marker of myoid differentiation. RESULTS During routine culture on tissue culture plastic, porcine RPE cells lose epithelial characteristics and acquire a mesenchymal cell-like phenotype. The ability of cultured porcine RPE cells to adhere to and exert tractional forces on an extracellular matrix increases with continued passage in vitro and transdifferentiation. This correlates with the loss of the differentiated epithelial morphology, decreased expression of the epithelial marker cytokeratin 18, redistribution of the actin cytoskeleton, and de novo expression of alpha-SMA. CONCLUSION Results indicate that RPE transdifferentiate in culture and that this transition is accompanied by a shift in biologic activities. Therefore, morphologic and behavioral transdifferentiation of these cells in culture are influencing factors in experimental pathology. The potential relevance of these extensive changes to the biology of proliferative vitreoretinal disorders is discussed.
Current Status of Therapy for Acute Leukemia

Therapy for acute leukemia has improved so rapidly in the last 22 years that many clinical investigators are evaluating therapy regimens designed to be curative rather than merely palliative [1, 2, 3]. For the childhood form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) the frequency of induction of at least one complete hematological remission is in excess of 85 per cent. Virtually every child with ALL treated with vincristine and prednisone with or without addition of a drug such as 6-mercaptopurine will demonstrate complete regression of all evidence of disease. This is associated with complete recovery of bone marrow function resulting in normal levels of the formed elements of the blood within 3 to 5 weeks following diagnosis. Chemotherapy has such a high degree of selectivity for the tumor that remission induction can be accomplished with little morbidity and virtually no mortality. The requirements for supportive therapy are minimal in the majority of children. The exceptional failures are recorded only in children with established, irreversible complications such as hemorrhage and infection. Thus, the job of inducing remission of disease for ALL is virtually accomplished.
Service-Learning, Writing and Reflection: A Bakhtinian Analysis.

ABSTRACTThis article presents a study of prospective teachers’ writing about service-learning experiences. Focusing on three teachers’ writing about their work with students who are ‘at-risk’ of school failure, this article outlines how Bakhtin’s theory of dialogism assists in understanding the responsive quality of writing. Specifically, the article depicts how Bakhtin’s concepts of heteroglossia, internally persuasive discourse and answerability are present within teachers’ texts. Through exploring prospective teachers’ writing as related to their work within service-learning contexts, this article explores how writing becomes a site for inquiry and reflection for prospective teachers to consider the act of teaching.
The future of the E-P Instability in the SNS Accumulator Ring

Concerns about the e-p instability drove many decisions during the design of the accumulator ring for Oak Ridge’s Spallation Neutron Source. To date, these decisions seem justified since e-p activity has been observed at the mm scale as a broadband transverse excitation, but it has not been a limiting factor (or even a contributor to normal losses) during operation up to the design power of 1.4 MW. However, the proton power upgrade (PPU) [1] will increase beam energy from 1.0 GeV to 1.3 GeV to allow 2.0 MW operation on the first target station, and eventually the Second Target Station project (STS) [2] will require an increase in beam current in the ring of about 50% above current operation resulting in 2.8 MW beam. This paper explores the potential for e-p induced beam instability during PPU and STS operation, the predicted effectiveness of existing e-p mitigation measures in the SNS ring, and potential experiments to test these predictions within current operational limitations.
Histone Serotonylation: Can the Brain Have "Happy" Chromatin?

Recent work from Farrelly et al. (2019) indicates that histone tails can be serotonylated, suggesting a previously unappreciated direct mechanism of potential crosstalk between bioactive amines and the epigenome.
A Stochastic Multi-Commodity Logistic Model for Disaster Preparation in Distribution Systems

This paper proposes a stochastic optimization approach for disaster preparation in distribution systems. For an upcoming storm, utilities should have a preparation plan that includes warehousing restoration supplies, securing staging sites (depots), and prepositioning crews and equipment. Pre-storm planning enables faster and more efficient post-disaster deployment of crews and equipment resources to damage locations. To assist utilities in making this important preparation, this paper develops a two-stage stochastic mixed integer linear program. The first stage determines the depots, number of crews in each site, and the amount of equipment. The second stage is the recourse action that deals with acquiring new equipment and assigning crews to repair damages in realized scenarios. The objective of the developed model is to minimize the costs of depots, crews, equipment, and penalty costs associated with delays in obtaining equipment and restoration. We consider the uncertainties of damaged lines, number and type of equipment required, and expected repair times. The model is validated on modified IEEE 123-bus distribution test system.
Facial Expression Recognition Using Deep Siamese Neural Networks with a Supervised Loss function

This paper presents a novel algorithm for an end-to-end facial expression recognition(FER) system based on deep Siamese neural networks equipped with a supervised loss function. Our method learns a powerful FER system by dynamically modulating verification signal over identification/classification signal. The identification signal increases the inter-class variations by maximizing the distance between the features for different classes, while the verification signal reduces the intra-class variations by minimizing the distance between features for the same class. We have evaluated our method on the AffectNet dataset [10] and achieved promising results compared to other deep learning models.
BooM-Vio: Bootstrapped Monocular Visual-Inertial Odometry with Absolute Trajectory Estimation through Unsupervised Deep Learning

Machine learning has emerged as an extraordinary tool for solving many computer vision tasks by extracting and correlating meaningful features from high dimensional inputs in ways that often exceed the best human-derived modeling efforts. However, the area of vision-aided localization remains diverse with many traditional, model-based approaches (i.e. filtering- or nonlinear least- squares- based) often outperforming deep, model-free approaches. In this work, we present Bootstrapped Monocular VIO (BooM), a scaled monocular visual-inertial odometry (VIO) solution that leverages the complex data association ability of model-free approaches with the ability to exploit known geometric dynamics with model-based approaches. Our end-to-end, unsupervised deep neural network simultaneously learns to perform visual-inertial odometry and estimate scene depth while scale is enforced through a loss signal computed from position change magnitude estimates from traditional methods. We evaluate our network against a state-of-the-art (SoA) approach on the KITTI driving dataset as well as a micro aerial vehicle (MAV) dataset that we collected in the AirSim simulation environment. We further demonstrate the benefits of our combined approach through robustness tests on degraded trajectories.
Debt Maturity and the Threat of Human Capital Departure — Evidence from CEOs near Retirement Age

Employees are free to leave a firm. The mere threat of losing human capital should affect firms' debt financing as Hart and Moore (1994) argue. However, little empirical evidence exists. I uncover such evidence by studying how loans change as CEOs approach retirement age. I find that loan maturities shorten substantially when CEOs are near mandatory or customary retirement age, as well as near their instrumented or actual retirement. Among loans within the same firm-year, maturities decline by more if lenders are overall more averse to new CEOs, or if lenders perceive a larger increase in uncertainty about CEOs. Comparing loans within the same firm-year controls for observable and unobservable factors related to firms or CEOs, and suggests that lenders drive the shortening of loan maturities. Moreover, if the CFO is also departing, loan maturities decline by more. If the retired CEO stays in another role or an internal successor is identified, loan maturities do not decrease. Overall, results suggest that loan maturities shorten because lenders change the menu of loan contracts in response to the threat of firms losing key human capital.
LiGET: Transfering files via Li-Fi

With the radio spectrum growing ever more crowded and demands for faster, more secure wireless connections continuing to skyrocket, the prospect of communication via the light spectrum grows. This technology, known as Light Fidelity (Li- Fi), has been generally considered state of the art and not sufficiently accessible either as a commercial product or for educational use. This paper will demonstrate the viability of undertaking an Arduino based Li-Fi file transfer system as undergraduate work.
Introducing Suns-VR as an enhancement to Suns-V OC for Characterizing Photovoltaic Cells and Modules

Suns-V OC has been used extensively to characterize silicon photovoltaics at the cell and system level but does not measure power or current. The addition of a single load resistor, a simple adaptation to Suns-V OC , which we denote as Suns-VR, enables the measurement of the module power and the short circuit current. We demonstrate that by using a single load resistor, we can gather an accurate determination of the efficiency, maximum power, and short circuit current of a solar module by varying the illumination. Combining the Suns-VR and the Suns-V OC allows for a full characterization of solar cells and modules including the parameters of V OC , I SC , FF, P MAX , R SERIES , R SHUNT and ideality factor with applications in both indoor and outdoor testing. This manuscript demonstrates the accuracy of using Suns-VR indoors on a 8-cell module.
Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus Infection Identified From Nontargeted Screening Among Adult Visitors in an Academic Appalachian Regional Emergency Department

Background We describe the initial results of an adult academic emergency department (ED) nontargeted hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening program serving Appalachia, which is disproportionately affected by the opioid epidemic. Methods The study was a retrospective screening study of ED systematic, nontargeted, opt-out HCV testing outcomes from July 2018 through September 2020. Eligibility requirements for "nontargeted" HCV testing included age ≥18 years, verbally able to communicate, receiving bloodwork already as part of routine clinical care, and not opting out of testing. For eligible individuals who did not opt out of testing, an HCV antibody (Ab) test was performed. Reactive Ab tests were confirmed with reflexive HCV RNA testing. The primary study outcome was the characterization of HCV Ab and RNA prevalence. Results There were 75 722 unique adult visitors during the period studied. Of these, 54 931 individuals were verbally engaged regarding testing and did not opt out. A total of 34 848 individuals received HCV Ab testing, with 3665 patients (10.5%) having reactive results. RNA confirmatory testing was reflexively performed in all Ab-positive patients, with 1601 (50.3%) positive. The majority of HCV Ab- and RNA-positive patients were young, born after 1965, and were more likely to be White, male, Medicaid insured, and report a history of injection drug use. Conclusions ED nontargeted, opt-out testing can identify a high prevalence of HCV infection among adult visitors. HCV infection was disproportionately high among younger, White individuals, likely reflecting the escalating syndemic of opioid injection and HCV transmission in Appalachia.