cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distribution of P2Y receptor subtypes on haematopoietic cells

1 RT–PCR-southern hybridization analyses with radiolabelled P2Y receptor cDNAs as probes indicated that the peripheral blood leukocytes and the human umbilical vein endothelial cells express P2Y1, P2Y2, P2Y4 and P2Y6 receptors. 2 Of the haematopoietic cell lines tested, promonocytic U937 cells express P2Y2 and P2Y6, but not P2Y1 or P2Y4; promyelocytic HL-60 cells express the P2Y1, P2Y2 and P2Y6 receptors but not the P2Y4 receptor; K562 cells express P2Y1 but not P2Y2, P2Y4 or P2Y6; and Dami cells express P2Y1, P2Y2, P2Y4 and P2Y6 receptors. 3 Of the peripheral blood leukocytes tested, polymorphonuclear cells express P2Y4 and P2Y6 but not P2Y1 or P2Y2 receptors; monocytes express P2Y1, P2Y2, P2Y4 and P2Y6 receptors and lymphocytes express P2Y1, P2Y2, P2Y4 and P2Y6 receptors. 4 These results suggest a physiological role for different P2Y receptor subtypes in the extracellular nucleotide-mediated stimulation of monocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes and endothelial cells. British Journal of Pharmacology (1998) 123, 789–794; doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0701665
Lost in Transition: The Importance of Ba , the Erosion of Ba

“Arubaito [students’ part-time jobs] are officially prohibited by our school. But even so, as teachers we know full well that students have jobs. We can’t completely enforce the prohibition.” – Teacher in the guidance department of a low-ranking public general high school Multiple contradictions emerged in the 1990s in the Japanese high school-work transition process. On the one hand, many employers continued to value what I called in Chapter 2 the institutional social capital of schools. They continued to rejuvenate their workplaces by hiring new graduates from the same schools they had traditionally turned to, drawing on the inherent predisposition for camaraderie that they presumed school alumni would feel for one another. Many employers continued to expect and hope that their new hires would stay in the firm for many years. In this way, they were stakeholders in their new employees’ futures. The institutional social capital students had access to via their attachment to school was translated by employers into institutional social capital and “social glue” among employees. Meanwhile, as I will say more about in this chapter, parents continued to rely on the school as a stakeholder in their adolescents’ futures. Many parents whose adolescents were not proceeding on to higher education viewed high school as the principal institution that would actively guide their teenagers into the next phase of their lives and orient them to the world of work.
A One-Two Punch for Aging and Brain Malformations

Mitochondria—sometimes called the powerhouses of the cell because of their contribution to cellular metabolism and energy generation—have many features that are quite distinct from other subcellular compartments. Mitochondria are exclusively inherited from our mothers, contain their own (nonnuclear) DNA that is remarkably similar to the bacterial genome, and use oxygen to efficiently convert fuels (glucose, fat, amino acids) to the energy-rich compound adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Because of the catalytic role of ATP in critical biological reactions such as protein synthesis, muscle contraction, and nerve signaling, it is not surprising that mitochondrial dysfunction has been linked to a variety of disorders, particularly those involving skeletal muscle, heart and brain. Now, Ross et al. provide evidence that mutations of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) lead to premature aging, reduced fertility, and brain malformations. The authors bred mice with different combinations of maternally inherited and subsequently acquired (somatic) mtDNA mutations. They found that maternally inherited mtDNA mutations caused premature aging and reduced litter sizes. Furthermore, one-third of animals with both maternally inherited and somatic mutations exhibited microscopic and occasionally macroscopic brain malformations. These malformations were often focal (69%) and involved a variety of brain regions, such as the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and cerebellum. The authors propose that two hits—both maternally inherited and somatic mtDNA mutations—are required for such malformations to occur. These findings suggest that a combination of inherited and somatic mtDNA mutations have an additive effect in creating pathological phenotypes relevant to human dysfunction and disease. If similar mechanisms also operate in humans, then it may be feasible to develop diagnostic tests aimed at assessing the risk for future disease based on the type and load of mtDNA mutations or even to devise therapies aimed at preventing such mutations from occurring and causing disease. J. M. Ross et al., Germline mitochondrial DNA mutations aggravate ageing and can impair brain development. Nature 501 , 412–415 (2013). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23965628
Transport and deposition kinetics of polymer‐coated multiwalled carbon nanotubes in packed beds

In this study, a modified filtration equation that accounts for the transport and kinetics of polymer-coated multiwalled carbon nanotubes in columns packed with crushed Berea sandstone is presented. The columns were saturated with brine solution, in which the salt concentration was varied from 0 to 10 wt%. Experimental results show that the polymer effectively eliminates the effects of salt on particle deposition when the salt concentration is less than or equal to 10 wt%. The calculated cumulative particle recovery is as high as 88.47 ± 0.25%. Results show that, at 10 wt% salt concentration, the proposed equation successfully predicts the experimental behavior, especially at the early stages of the breakthrough, where commonly used models fail. It is argued that the new equation accounts for the dynamic change of single collector efficiency as the deposition process advances. When tested against prior results available in the literature, the proposed model agrees with published data from other investigators. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2016
Teaching Music to the Non-Major: A Review of the Literature

Students pursuing college degrees in fields other than music must often take a music or arts course. Teaching these non-majors has been a traditional responsibility of college and university music ...
Electro-Optic and Non-Linear Optical Coefficients of (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3, BaTiO3, (Sr,Ba)Nb2O6 and Ba2NaNb5O15 Thin Films

The electro-optic properties of sputter-deposited PLZT, BaTiO 3 , SBN, and BNN films on fused silica substrates have been studied using a confocal scanning optical polarization microscope. The Pockels, Kerr, and higher order electro-optic coefficients and their relations to the non-linear optical coefficients in the films are presented. The materials and physical properties of the films are discussed.
Unconventional resource's production under desorption-induced effects

Abstract Thousands of horizontal wells are drilled into the shale formations across the U.S. and hydrocarbon production is substantially increased during past years. This fact is accredited to advances obtained in hydraulic fracturing and pad drilling technologies. The contribution of shale rock surface desorption to production is widely accepted and confirmed by laboratory and field evidences. Nevertheless, the subsequent changes in porosity and permeability due to desorption combined with hydraulic fracture closures caused by increased net effective rock stress state, have not been captured in current shale modeling and simulation. Hence, it is essential to investigate the effects of induced permeability, porosity, and stress by desorption on ultimate hydrocarbon recovery. We have developed a numerical model to study the effect of changes in porosity, permeability and compaction on four major U.S. shale formations considering their Langmuir isotherm desorption behavior. These resources include; Marcellus, New Albany, Barnett and Haynesville Shales. First, we introduced a model that is a physical transport of single-phase gas flow in shale porous rock. Later, the governing equations are implemented into a one-dimensional numerical model and solved using a fully implicit solution method. It is found that the natural gas production is substantially affected by desorption-induced porosity/permeability changes and geomechancis. This paper provides valuable insights into accurate modeling of unconventional reservoirs that is more significant when an even small correction to the future production prediction can enormously contribute to the U.S. economy.
Genomic structure of the gene for the SH2 and pleckstrin homology domain-containing protein GRB10 and evaluation of its role in Hirschsprung disease

Hirschsprung disease (HSCR), or congenital aganglionic megacolon, is the most frequent cause of congenital bowel obstruction. Germline mutations in the RET receptor tyrosine kinase have been shown to cause HSCR. Mice that carry null alleles for RET or for its ligand, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), both exhibit complete intestinal aganglionosis and renal defects. Recently, the Src homology 2 (SH2) domain-containing protein Grb10 has been shown to interact with RET in vitro and in vivo, early in development. We have confirmed the map location of GRB10 on human chromosome 7, isolated human BACs containing the gene, elucidated its genomic structure, isolated a highly polymorphic microsatellite marker adjacent to exon 14 and scanned the gene for mutations in a large panel of HSCR patients. No evidence of linkage was detected in HSCR kindreds and no mutations were found in patients. These data suggest that while GRB10 may be important for signal transduction in developing embryos, it does not play an obvious role in HSCR.
Study on influence of toxicology of Qijin herbal and early lead intervention in pediatric neurological development

Objective: To observe the effect of Qijin herbal on renal cells growth of hamster, and the influence of early lead intervention on neonatal neurobehavior. Methods: Hamster kidney cells were digested with pancreatic enzymes and then diluted to cell suspension with concentration of 4×105, and cultured in the cell culture plate, 1mL in each well, and cultured withcarbon dioxide at the temperature of 37℃. The control group of toxicity was dealing with phenol. 40 puerperas were subjected to experiment, and treated with Qijin herbal for 1 course(10 days). Bayley scales of infant development was used to evaluate the mental development index(MDI) and psychomotor developmental index(PDI) with 3 months old babies. Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry was used to test the lead content in colostrums. Results: Observed for five days continuously, cells did not appear toxic reactions such as shrinkage, swelling and fall of. There was negative correlation between indicators of MDI and PDI and intervening measures of Qijin herbal and early lead intervention. Conclusion: Qijin herbal has no adverse effect on hamster kidney cells growth, and has some impacts on neonatal neurological development.
Hydraulic basis for the evolution of photosynthetic productivity.

Clarifying the evolution and mechanisms for photosynthetic productivity is a key to both improving crops and understanding plant evolution and habitat distributions. Current theory recognizes a role for the hydraulics of water transport as a potential determinant of photosynthetic productivity based on comparative data across disparate species. However, there has never been rigorous support for the maintenance of this relationship during an evolutionary radiation. We tested this theory for 30 species of Viburnum, diverse in leaf shape and photosynthetic anatomy, grown in a common garden. We found strong support for a fundamental requirement for leaf hydraulic capacity (Kleaf) in determining photosynthetic capacity (Amax), as these traits diversified across this lineage in tight coordination, with their proportionality modulated by the climate experienced in the species' range. Variation in Kleaf arose from differences in venation architecture that influenced xylem and especially outside-xylem flow pathways. These findings substantiate an evolutionary basis for the coordination of hydraulic and photosynthetic physiology across species, and their co-dependence on climate, establishing a fundamental role for water transport in the evolution of the photosynthetic rate. As photosynthesis requires water, its transport to and within leaves is a potential determinant of photosynthetic productivity. This comparison of 30 species of Viburnum shows how variations in venation architecture constrain photosynthetic rate.
Knowing Death Well Intimate and Contextual Death Competence among End-of-Life Laborers

End-of-life workers, regardless of occupational status, work against a transformed culture of death and dying. Against that backdrop of technological brinkmanship, segregation of aging and dying fr...
Irreversibility in Fluid Dynamics

Let us begin with a broad view of fluid behavior and then isolate the part which is dependent on the cause of irreversibility. By “fluid” we mean any macroscopic and inanimate sample of matter, solid, liquid, or gas. It is true that solids are not very “fluid,” but they do flow slowly and they do the other things (melt, conduct, react….) covered by theories about “fluid dynamics,” so we have no reason to exclude them here. Nor do we exclude plasma (ionized gases), often referred to as a fourth state of matter, or surface films or even rarefied gases. But we do restrict ourselves at every opportunity to the simplest fluid predicament that can offer the needed examples. We are not trying to construct a fluid dynamics but merely to identify the cause of the irreversible part.
Optogenetic Approaches to Neural Circuit Analysis in the Mammalian Brain

Abstract Unraveling the structural and genetic complexity of the mammalian brain remains one of the greatest challenges for modern biomedical research. The advent of technologies that enable the molecular targeting of neurons in a cell type–specific manner holds great promise for circuit-level dissection of this complexity. Here we focus on a number of strategies to harness optogenetic advances for functional circuit analysis at the level of the delineation of necessary and sufficient circuits for behavioral analysis and the dissection of synaptic input specificity. These insights will be critical for understanding the pathophysiology of complex human neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety disorders, drug addiction, and Parkinson disease.
Orally Active Inhibitors of the Imatinib Resistant Bcr-Abl Mutant T315I.

Resistance to the Bcr-Abl kinase inhibitor imatinib in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is associated with emergence of Bcr-Abl point mutations that preclude effective drug binding. Although most mutants are effectively inhibited with the second generation inhibitors dasatinib and nilotinib, neither compound inhibits the T315I mutant which represents ~ 25% of all clinically observed mutants. Through our program of structure-guided design, we have identified a series of compounds that inhibit the T315I mutant of Bcr-Abl both in vitro and in vivo. AP24534, a representative member of this new series, inhibited the kinase activity of both the wild-type enzyme and the T315I point mutant with IC50s of 3 and 31 nM respectively, and inhibited the proliferation of their respective BaF3-derived cell lines with IC50s of 2 and 14 nM. Additionally, AP24534 inhibited the proliferation of BaF3 cells expressing the clinically relevant mutants Y253F, E255K, H396P, or M351T with IC50s of 2, 7, 1, and 1 nM respectively. Inhibition of cellular proliferation directly correlated with decreased cellular phosphorylation of Bcr-Abl. Daily oral administration of AP24534 to mice bearing subcutaneous xenografts of Bcr-Abl-T315I-expressing BaF3 cells elicited dose-dependent tumor shrinkage, with complete tumor regression observed at the highest doses. In a separate model, daily oral administration of AP24534 significantly prolonged the survival of mice injected intravenously with these cells, at doses ranging from 5–30 mg/kg. These data indicate that this class of inhibitors has the potential to address CML refractory to current targeted agents.
Imaging Genetics with Partial Least Squares for Mixed-Data Types (MiMoPLS)

“Imaging genetics” studies the genetic contributions to brain structure and function by finding correspondence between genetic data—such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)—and neuroimaging data—such as diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). However, genetic and neuroimaging data are heterogenous data types, where neuroimaging data are quantitative and genetic data are (usually) categorical. So far, methods used in imaging genetics treat all data as quantitative, and this sometimes requires unrealistic assumptions about the nature of genetic data. In this article we present a new formulation of Partial Least Squares Correlation (PLSC)—called Mixed-modality Partial Least Squares (MiMoPLS)—specifically tailored for heterogeneous (mixed-) data types. MiMoPLS integrates features of PLSC and Correspondence Analysis (CA) by using special properties of quantitative data and Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA). We illustrate MiMoPLS with an example data set from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) with DTI and SNPs.
Impact of Breast Milk, Respiratory Insufficiency, and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease on Enteral Feeding in Infants With Omphalocele.

ABSTRACTObjectives:The aim of this study was to document the process of achieving full enteral feeding in infants with omphalocele and to identify factors that affect feeding success.Methods:After institutional review board approval (study no. 5100169), 123 infants with omphalocele, born between 199
Cosmic Justice in Breaking Bad : Can Sociopaths and Antiheroes Lead Meaningful Lives?

Vince Gilligan believes that in order for life to be meaningful, actions must have consequences, specifically wrongdoers must be punished. If wrongdoers such as Walt are not punished then there is no point to being good. In other words, in order for life to be meaningful, there must be cosmic justice. After exploring various theories of the meaning of life, we see that theistic theories of meaningfulness can accommodate cosmic justice. I argue that it is this brand of justice that reigns in the world of Breaking Bad.
Deradicalization: Using Triggers for the Development of a US Program

Although the United States (US) is leading the fight against transnational terrorism, and the United Nations (UN) has strongly encouraged an interdependent approach, the US still lacks guidance for a coherent US Deradicalization Program. This is of critical concern given that the US recently received its first publicly known US Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant defector, but currently lacks a policy or program to handle this population, outside of standard incarceration. Moreover, this population, along with homegrown extremists and returning fighters from Syria pose the most likely continued jihadi presence in the US. The purpose of this paper is to review successful program options, and establish a basis on which to develop an effective US program. This paper outlines the known triggers for deradicalization, the known characteristics of the US jihadi population and analyzes the most useful deradicalization program components based on successful international models. Using a qualitative, cross-national content analysis of former jihadi personal narratives, international deradicalization program structure evaluations and major research findings, this paper concludes that a standardized UN sponsored program, with comprehensive services which include credible ideological and psychological support, and amnesty incentives tailored to the US jihadi population, would be the most effective way to address former jihadi population needs while enhancing US national security objectives. Key Middle Eastern stakeholders and Western states must cooperatively develop best methodologies for target populations, by leveraging each other’s competencies and capabilities.
Robust and adaptive control of coexisting attractors in nonlinear vibratory energy harvesters

An immense body of research has focused on nonlinear vibration energy harvesting systems mainly because of the inherent narrow bandwidth of their linear counterparts. However, nonlinear systems dri...
A Test of the Neutron Star Hypothesis for Fomalhaut b

Fomalhaut b is a directly imaged object in the debris disk of the star Fomalhaut. It has been hypothesized to be a planet, however there are issues with the observed colours of the object that do not fit planetary models. An alternative hypothesis is that the object is a neutron star in the near fore- or background of Fomalhaut's disk. We test if Fomalhaut b could be a neutron star using X-ray observations with Chandra's HRC-I instrument in the energy range of 0.08-10 keV. We do not detect X-ray emission from either Fomalhaut b or the star Fomalhaut itself. Our nondetection corresponds to an upper limit on the X-ray flux of Fomalhaut b of F_X < 1.3e-14 erg/cm/s^2 in the energy range 0.08-10 keV. For the A-type central star Fomalhaut, we derive an X-ray upper limit of L_X < 2e25 erg/s in the energy range 0.08-10 keV. Fomalhaut b's X-ray non-detection constrains the parameter space for a possible neutron star significantly, implying surface temperatures lower than 91000 K and distances closer than 13.3 pc to the solar system. In addition we find that reflected starlight from the central star fits the available optical detections of Fomalhaut b; a smaller planet with a large ring system might explain such a scenario.
Intraoperative Imaging Changes Management in Orbital Fracture Repair

Purpose Intraoperative imaging is gaining widespread use in the management of facial fracture repair. The aim of this study was to determine whether intraoperative imaging changes the management of orbital fracture repair. Materials and Methods A retrospective case series was performed of all cases of orbital fracture repair from 2008 to 2015 in which the intraoperative O-arm was used at Regions Hospital (St Paul, MN), a level I trauma center. The primary outcome variable was a change in management, ranging from orbital plate repositioning to proceeding with orbital floor exploration. Results The study sample was composed of 101 patients with a mean age of 40 ± 15 years. Approximately 75% (76 of 101) of patients were male and 25% (25 of 101) were female. All cases were secondary to assault, motor vehicle accident, fall, or gunshot wounds. Use of the O-arm resulted in a change in management in 44% (44 of 101) of cases. In 48% (21 of 44) of these cases in which intraoperative imaging resulted in a change in management, the orbital plate was repositioned to optimize repair. In 16% (7 of 44) of these cases, the orbital plate was exchanged for a different size or type of plate. In 7% (3 of 44) of these cases, the orbital plate was reshaped by bending to improve contour for the repair. In another 7% (3 of 44) of these cases, the orbital plate was reshaped by trimming the plate to optimize the length or width of the plate for repair. In 7% of these cases, the orbital floor required exploration based on intraoperative imaging. In 5% of these cases, the orbital floor was found to be adequately reduced after zygoma reduction based on intraoperative imaging and did not require exploration. Conclusions Use of intraoperative imaging allows the surgeon to make real-time changes in operative management ranging from orbital plate repositioning to deciding whether to proceed with orbital floor exploration. This not only allows for immediate optimization of repair but also could decrease the need for revision procedures, thus decreasing patient morbidity and improving patient outcomes.
Parallel and Large Scale Matrix Computations in Control: Some Ideas

Abstract The design and analysis of time-invariant linear control systems give rise to a variety of interesting linear algebra problems. Numerically effective methods now exist for several of these problems. However, algorithms for large scale computations and efficient parallel algorithms for these problems are virtually nonexistent. In this paper, we propose several efficient generalpurpose parallel algorithms for single-input and multi-input eigenvalue assignment problems. A desirable feature of these algorithms is that they are composed of simple linear algebraic operations such as matrix-vector multiplication, solution of a linear system, and computations of eigensystem and singular values of a symmetric matrix, for which efficient parallel algorithms have already been developed and parallel software libraries are being built based on these algorithms. The proposed algorithms thus have potential for implementations on some existing and future parallel processors. We also propose a numerical method for Sylvester matrix equation arising in the construction of Luenberger observer. The method does not need reduction to”condensed” forms and is thus suitable for large and sparse matrices. The method also exhibits certain parallelism.
Atonement’s Axiological Boundaries

According to the Felix Culpa Theodicy ( FCT ), worlds containing atonement and incarnation are of such great value that God is justified in actualizing such a world, despite all of the moral evil that has accompanied it. Focusing upon Alvin Plantinga’s articulation of this theodicy, I argue against FCT on the basis of normative ethical considerations. On the one hand, the deontic status of at least some actions depends upon the consequences of those actions. On the other hand, the existence of atonement depends upon the deontic status of at least one action. Under certain circumstances, this two-way dependence yields a contradiction if atonement has the kind of value conferred upon it by FCT . I conclude by discussing some implications for Molinism and evidential arguments from moral evil.
Motivating students with practical problems

It can sometimes be difficult for students in an introductory programming class to see the practical applications of the concepts they are learning. This is especially true if programming assignments are presented in a strictly mathematical manner. In this submission, we present three small assignments from the University of Memphis introductory Java course (COMP 1900, CS 1) that apply a variety of programming concepts to real-world problems. The first assignment asks students to write code to compute parking charges, based on the actual short-term parking fee schedule from Memphis International Airport. The second and third assignments focus on finding Facebook friends and simulating a lottery game, respectively. Full assignment descriptions may be found at http://www.ccsc-ms.org/nifty/12/mal/
First-principles prediction of oxygen diffusivity near the (101¯2) twin boundary in titanium

Abstract We study the diffusivity of oxygen interstitials around a ( 10 1 ¯ 2 ) twin boundary in Titanium. First, we identify all possible stable interstitial sites around the twin boundary and compute the corresponding site energies and transition energy barriers for jumps between these sites, using density functional theory. We show that the site energies and the barriers are consistently lower than in bulk, suggesting the higher tendency of oxygen to segregate to the twin boundary region. Using the site and transition energies and an exact solution to the master equation, we then compute the diffusivity of oxygen in the presence of the twin boundary and find enhanced diffusivity around the boundary in all directions. Enhanced diffusivity towards the boundary determines the feasibility of oxygen segregation to favorable sites at the boundary, while increased diffusivity in the boundary plane provides a path for fast diffusion of oxygen. This result reveals the underlying mechanism governing the slow growth of ( 10 1 ¯ 2 ) twin by pinning at the segregated oxygen interstitials.
Reading: Keeping Current

Reading is the primary source of physicians’ medical information. Print is not only the most highly developed and plentiful medium for medical information, but is also relatively economical, convenient, and easily accessible. The electronic media have become competitive with, if they have not surpassed, print media because so much information is readily available at the press of a button. Many physicians are using the Internet to gain easy access to the emerging array of information sources. Almost all the world’s recent medical information is readily available to computer-literate physicians. Although this chapter deals primarily with print publications, remember that most recent information is available both electronically and in print.
"The Good Ole' Girls' Nursing Club": The Male Student Perspective.

Background: Diversity in nursing remains limited with little progress made in the recruitment of males. The purpose of this research was to garner the male nursing students’ perspectives of their l...
The Safety Profile of Percutaneous Minimally Invasive Sacroiliac Joint Fusion

Study Design:Literature review.Objectives:Systematic review of the existing literature to determine the safety of minimally invasive (MI) sacroiliac (SI) joint fusion through the determination of t...
Computing as a mathematical disciplinary practice

Abstract In this paper, we make a case for computing as a mathematical disciplinary practice. We present results from interviews with research mathematicians in which they reflected on the use of computing in their professional work. We draw on their responses to present evidence that computing is an inherent part of doing mathematics and is a practice they want their students to develop. We also discuss the mathematicians’ perspectives on how they learned and teach computing, and we suggest that much needs to be explored about how to teach computing effectively. Our overarching goal is to draw attention to the importance of the teaching and learning of computing, and we argue that it is an imperative topic of study in mathematics education research.
PRESCRIPTION OPIOIDS INCREASE RISK OF 30-DAY ALL-CAUSE READMISSIONS IN PATIENTS WITH HEART FAILURE

Patients with heart failure (HF) are at a greater risk for readmission within 30 days of discharge. Conflicting data exists regarding the impact of prescription opioids on HF readmissions. We retrospectively examined 250 consecutive index patients admitted with the diagnosis of HF at out
Ethics and Equity

Perspectives and views regarding rights are often developed as an attempt to specify the basic freedoms or capabilities that are necessary for human flourishing. Although views on rights acknowledge that natural scarcities constrain the potential for flourishing, they insist that when the action of one human limits the potential of another, this is the paradigmatic case calling for ethical critique. Rights are intended to protect human beings from oppression by other human beings; they are not to be understood as entitlements against the natural world. An alternative starting point is that of “values.” In either case, what is needed is an articulation of the ethical theories under the identified rights or values.
Acute Kidney Injury and Fluid Overload in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) and fluid overload affect a large number of children undergoing cardiac surgery and confer an increased risk for adverse complications and outcomes including death. Survivors of AKI suffer long-term sequelae. The purpose of this narrative review is to discuss the short- and long-term impact of cardiac surgery-associated AKI and fluid overload, currently available tools for diagnosis and risk stratification, existing management strategies, and future management considerations. Improved risk stratification, diagnostic prediction tools, and clinically available early markers of tubular injury have the ability to improve AKI-associated outcomes. One of the major challenges in diagnosing AKI is the diagnostic imprecision in serum creatinine, which is impacted by a variety of factors unrelated to renal disease. In addition, many of the pharmacologic interventions for either AKI prevention or treatment have failed to show any benefit, while peritoneal dialysis catheters, either for passive drainage or prophylactic dialysis, may be able to mitigate the detrimental effects of fluid overload. Until novel risk stratification and diagnostics tools are integrated into routine practice, supportive care will continue to be the mainstay of therapy for those affected by AKI and fluid overload after pediatric cardiac surgery. A viable series of preventative measures can be taken to mitigate the risk and severity of AKI and fluid overload following cardiac surgery and improve care.
Ultrasonically Steerable Graded-Index Optical Waveguides for Deep Tissue Light Delivery: Theory and Applications

Graded-index (GRIN) fibers have been used as implantable optical waveguides to guide light and relay images through the depth of the tissue. We have recently shown that non-invasive ultrasound can generate refractive index gradients within the tissue that form virtual GRIN lenses for imaging and photostimulation deep into the tissue. Here we present the theory behind this idea by analyzing the coupled acoustic-photonic system that models the interaction of light with the ultrasonically modulated medium. We will discuss how changing the parameters of ultrasound will change the confinement and guiding of light within the modulated medium. We will also demonstrate that using a custom-designed cylindrical ultrasonic array, the pressure interference can be controlled to sculpt complex patterns of light in the medium, such as dipole and quadrupole shapes, suitable for multisite imaging. Finally, we will discuss experimental results corroborating the theoretical predictions to generate single and multisite in situ virtual lenses that can be used for fluorescent imaging of mouse brain tissue that expresses green fluorescent protein (GFP).
Oxidative damage diminishes mitochondrial DNA polymerase replication fidelity

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) resides in a high ROS environment and suffers more mutations than its nuclear counterpart. Increasing evidence suggests that mtDNA mutations are not the results of direct oxidative damage, rather are caused, at least in part, by DNA replication errors. To understand how the mtDNA replicase, Pol γ, can give rise to elevated mutations, we studied the effect of oxidation of Pol γ on replication errors. Pol γ is a high fidelity polymerase with polymerase (pol) and proofreading exonuclease (exo) activities. We show that Pol γ exo domain is far more sensitive to oxidation than pol; under oxidative conditions, exonuclease activity therefore declines more rapidly than polymerase. The oxidized Pol γ becomes editing-deficient, displaying a 20-fold elevated mutations than the unoxidized enzyme. Mass spectrometry analysis reveals that Pol γ exo domain is a hotspot for oxidation. The oxidized exo residues increase the net negative charge around the active site that should reduce the affinity to mismatched primer/template DNA. Our results suggest that the oxidative stress induced high mutation frequency on mtDNA can be indirectly caused by oxidation of the mitochondrial replicase.
Socioeconomic disparity of immunologic outcome among people living with HIV in Guangxi, China

The socioeconomic disadvantage may adversely affect HIV treatment outcomes, particularly in resource-limited settings. Data from people living with HIV (PLWH) who were receiving antiretroviral ther...
Storying History Through Family Literacy

At the close of 2020, we hear screams and cries for a moral reckoning. How can we hear the stories that haven’t been told? This chapter is a glimpse of the history of two small, participant-led intergenerational family biliteracy projects in which parents and children participated together. The parents, children, and teachers (many with recent or intergenerational experiences with migration) all had hard-earned expertise in education, human rights, and risk-taking. They tackled complicated learning situations and learned to listen to each other’s stories. These stories informed their varied journeys and could inform our journeys to consider educational leadership promoting new types of participatory projects in different contexts in a world as we hope to “build back better” in the coming years. In addition, the information leads to the dramatic ways in 2020–2021 that history, both in the United States and around the world, has influenced the fissures in our social thread that we depend upon for sustenance and well-being.
Student understandings of career and gainful employment: A critique of US educational policy using structurating activity theory

U.S. policymakers designed the Gainful Employment Rule (GE) and College Scorecard (CS) to make college decision-making, the outcome of major choice, and long-term economic cost/benefits of student ...
Advances in biological therapy for nucleus pulposus regeneration

Summary Objective The intervertebral disc (IVD) is composed of the external annulus fibrosus (AF) and the inner gel-like center, the nucleus pulposus (NP). The elastic NP can function to relieve stress and maintain IVD function by distributing hydraulic pressure evenly to annulus and endplate. Degeneration of the NP, which leads to increased death of NP cells, the loss of proteoglycan (PG), and aberrant gene expression, may result in an overall alteration of the biomechanics of the spinal column and cause low back pain. Recent advances in biological therapy strategies that target therapy at the regeneration of degenerated and damaged NP have been investigated in in vitro and in vivo studies and demonstrated promising outcomes. In this article, we review recent studies of biological approaches for NP regeneration. Method The articles regarding NP regeneration using biomaterials, stem cells, and gene vectors were identified in PubMed databases. Results Stem cell-mediated cell therapy demonstrates the potential to restore the function and structure of the NP. The viral or non-viral vectors encoding functional genes may generate a therapeutic effect when they are introduced into grafted cells or native cells in the NP. Biomaterial scaffolds generate an initial permissive environment for cell growth and allow the remodeling of scaffolds in the regeneration process. Biomaterial scaffolds provide structural support for NP regeneration and serve as a carrier for stem cell and gene vector delivery. Conclusion Though recent studies advance the body of knowledge needed to treat degenerated discs, many challenges need to be overcome before the application of these approaches can be successful clinically.
Spermatogenesis in animals as revealed by electron microscopy. XII. Light and electron microscope studies on spermiogenesis of Cipangopaludina malleata Reeve.

The present study supports the view that peculiar granules appearing in vesicles of the cytoplasm of atypical spermatids of the pond snail Cipangopaludina malleata Reeve are Feulgen-positive elements derived from their nuclei. The mitochondria are condensed at the base of the nucleus of typical spermatids into two conspicuous spheres (nebenkerne) never into four spheres. The cytoplasm of atypical spermatids in early maturation stages is filled with numerous rough-surfaced vesicles, each of which is limited by a single-layered membrane or by a triple-layered unit membrane. In advanced stages, the vesicles containing dense granules giving a positive Feulgen reaction appear in the cytoplasm, their limiting membranes forming in almost complete triple-layered unit membranes. Small circular profiles of the endoplasmic reticulum, which appear as the only cell organelle in the pseudopodia of nutritive cells, are limited by triple-layered unit membranes. The nebenkern strands running helically along the axial tail filaments are provided with a series of lamellae arranged parallel to each other, comprised of folds of the inner layer of the boundary double layers and taking on a type of helical configuration.
The value of knowledge and the pursuit of understanding

Epistemology has for a long time focused on the concept of knowledge and tried to answer questions such as whether knowledge is possible and how much of it there is. Often missing from this inquiry, however, is a discussion on the value of knowledge. In The Value of Knowledge and the Pursuit of Understanding Jonathan Kvanvig argues that epistemology properly conceived cannot ignore the question of the value of knowledge. He also questions one of the most fundamental assumptions in epistemology, namely that knowledge is always more valuable than the value of its subparts. Taking Platos' Meno as a starting point of his discussion, Kvanvig tackles the different arguments about the value of knowledge and comes to the conclusion that knowledge is less valuable than generally assumed. Clearly written and well argued, this 2003 book will appeal to students and professionals in epistemology.
Efficiency of a multilayer-Laue-lens with a 102 μm aperture

A multilayer-Laue-lens (MLL) comprised of WSi2/Al layers stacked to a full thickness of 102 μm was characterized for its diffraction efficiency and dynamical diffraction properties by x-ray measurements made in the far field. The achieved aperture roughly doubles the previous maximum reported aperture for an MLL, thereby doubling the working distance. Negative and positive first orders were found to have 14.2% and 13.0% efficiencies, respectively. A section thickness of 9.6 μm was determined from Laue-case thickness fringes in the diffraction data. A background gas consisting of 90% Ar and 10% N2 was used for sputtering. This material system was chosen to reduce grown-in stress as the multilayer is deposited. Although some regions of the full MLL exhibited defects, the presently reported results were obtained for a region devoid of defects. The data compare well to dynamical diffraction calculations with Coupled Wave Theory (CWT) which provided confirmation of the optical constants and densities assumed for the CWT calculations.
Recombinant bovine α-lactalbumin obtained by limited proteolysis of a fusion protein expressed at high levels in Escherichia coli

A cDNA clone containing the entire coding region for bovine pre-alpha-lactalbumin (LA) together with 27 base pairs of 5'-noncoding and 268 base pairs of 3'-noncoding sequences was isolated from a bovine mammary cDNA plasmid library in the Okayama-Berg vector system using a synthetic oligonucleotide probe and sequenced. The coding segment for mature LA was subcloned into the T7 expression system of Studier and co-workers (Studier, F.W., and Moffatt, B.A. (1986) J. Mol. Biol. 189, 113-130; Rosenberg, A.H., Lade, B.N., Chui, D.S., Lin, S.W., Dunn, J.J., and Studier, F.W. (1987) Gene (Amst.) 56, 125-135) and expressed as a 21-kDa fusion protein that consisted of the mature bovine LA sequence connected to the NH2-terminal 50 residues of human cathepsin D by a linker sequence containing protease cleavage sites. This fusion protein was expressed in an insoluble form and accumulated to about 50% of the total bacterial protein within 3 h after induction of T7 RNA polymerase synthesis. The protein was solubilized, purified by gel filtration, and converted to an active form by treatment with mixtures of reduced and oxidized glutathione in the presence of Ca2+. The maximum specific activity of the fusion protein was about 25% of that of native LA, suggesting that the attachment of an NH2-terminal extension sterically hinders but does not prevent the interaction with galactosyltransferase. The extension also does not block the binding of the regulatory Ca2+ ion that is required for folding from the reduced denatured state. Trypsin cleaved the folded fusion protein specifically at a Lys-Glu bond at the junction with the mature LA sequence to give a product indistinguishable in structure and activity from native LA.
Communication (and Coordination?) in a Modern, Complex Organization

This is a descriptive study of the structure of communications in a modern organization. We analyze a dataset with millions of electronic mail messages, calendar meetings and teleconferences for many thousands of employees of a single, multidivisional firm during a three-month period in calendar 2006. The basic question we explore asks, what is the role of observable (to us) boundaries between individuals in structuring communications inside the firm? We measure three general types of boundaries: organizational boundaries (strategic business unit and function memberships), spatial boundaries (office locations and inter-office distances), and social categories (gender, tenure within the firm). In dyad-level models of the probability that pairs of individuals communicate, we find very large effects of formal organization structure and spatial collocation on the rate of communication. Homophily effects based on sociodemographic categories are much weaker. In individual-level regressions of engagement in category-spanning communication patterns, we find that women, mid- to high-level executives, and members of the executive management, sales and marketing functions are most likely to participate in cross-group communications. In effect, these individuals bridge the lacunae between distant groups in the company's social structure.
Toward a Better Understanding of Equity in Higher Education Finance and Policy

This chapter addresses the question: under what conditions do higher education policies promote equity? I argue that the lack of shared knowledge and precision over what constitutes equity-enhancing policies undermines our efforts to identify and compare educational policies and practices that reconcile individual and public needs in a democracy. I review the theoretical and philosophical foundations of the terms equality and equity, paying particular attention to the contributions of political philosophers interested in (higher) education as a means of achieving distributive fairness, followed by a discussion of the application challenges involved in defining, measuring, and evaluating empirically whether a particular policy or outcome is more or less equitable.
Terminal-group oxidation of retinol by mouse epidermis. Inhibition in vitro and in vivo

Locally applied retinol is metabolized to retinoic acid in mouse epidermis in vivo. To characterize the oxidation system we investigated the ability of soluble extracts of hairless-mouse epidermis to convert retinol and retinal into retinoic acid. The extracts oxidized retinol to retinoic acid in two steps catalysed by two NAD+-dependent enzymes that were resolved on h.p.l.c. The first enzyme catalyses the reversible oxidation of retinol to retinal and is an alcohol dehydrogenase isoenzyme. The second enzyme oxidizes retinal to retinoic acid. Retinol oxidation by epidermal extracts was inhibited by the alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitor 4-methylpyrazole and by the polyene citral. The toxicity and relatively low potency at inhibiting the epidermal alcohol dehydrogenase isoenzyme curtailed the use of 4-methylpyrazole in vivo. However, citral significantly inhibited retinoic acid formation from retinol in the epidermis in vivo. The ability to inhibit the oxidation of retinol to retinoic acid in mouse epidermis provides a potential method to resolve the roles of retinol and retinoic acid in epithelial function.