cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Governance As a Catalyst for Policy Change: Creating a Contingent Faculty Friendly Academy

Policymakers and leaders have been calling for changes in the Academy for nontenure-track faculty. This study focuses on the role of governance in creating that policy change, and the practices facilitating their role in changing the institution through governance. Findings include: governance facilitating day-to-day changes, establishing nontenure-track credibility, and dismantling stereotypes; and policies that define faculty roles and enable participation.
Radar deception through phantom track generation

This paper presents a control algorithm to be used by a team of ECAVs (electronic combat air vehicle) to deceive a network of radars through the generation of a phantom track. An important feature of the algorithm is that it translates kinematic constraints on the ECAV dynamic system into constraints on the phantom point. The phantom track between two specified waypoints then evolves without violating any of the system constraints. The evolving phantom track in turn generates the actual controls on the ECAVs so that ECAVs have flyable trajectories.
A Monte-Carlo estimate of DNA loop formation.

The ends of rather short double-helical DNA segments (approximately two persistence lengths) can be enzymatically joined to form closed circles. Such covalent closure into circles is a measure of the likelihood of the two ends of the DNA coming into close contact. There is a length of DNA for which loop formation is most likely to occur. We have determined the chain-length dependence of loop formation for stiff chains using computer-generated chains of cylinders. The distribution from which the values for the angles between cylinders were chosen relates the chain parameters to a given chain persistence. Our results are compared with those of other theories, including a statistical wormlike chain model, and with the experimental measurements for ring closure of DNA restriction fragments.
Comparison of beak-trimming methods on early broiler breeder performance

Beak trimming is necessary in commercial broiler breeders to prevent or decrease trauma as they mature. Two common beak-trimming methods were evaluated by early performance comparison with nontrimmed chicks (NBT). The robotic electrocautery device (ECD) trims and cauterizes the beak tip. The robotic infrared beak-trimming device (IBT) applies an infrared light beam to destroy the live basal tissue while leaving the hard corneum intact for the first approximately 10 d. In 2 experiments, day-of-hatch Ross 708 by-product chicks were obtained from a local hatchery, where 1/3 of the chicks were trimmed using IBT. All chicks were then transported to another hatchery where 1/3 were trimmed using ECD and 1/3 were NBT. Personnel at each hatchery were highly experienced and skilled with their respective technique. All chicks were then transported to University of Arkansas facilities. Before placement in each experiment, chicks were individually neck-tagged and weighed, and in experiment 1, beaks were measured using a digital caliper. A small but significant transient reduction in BW gain was observed at 14 d due to ECD as compared with NBT controls, although ECD was not different than IBT in experiment 1. In experiment 2, IBT birds were significantly heavier at 11 d by 7.8 and 8.7 g than the NBT or ECD, respectively. However, at d 21 and 42, no significant differences in BW or BW gain were observed. When beak trimming was performed on day of hatch by skilled and experienced personnel, little measurable effect on early performance was observed during the first 6 wk of life. Decreased broiler performance is generally considered a sensitive indication of physical or psychogenic stress. Given the marked reduction in beak-inflicted trauma with beak trimming birds as they reach sexual maturity, these results suggest that when properly performed, neither of these beak-trimming methods causes sufficient physical or psychogenic stress to markedly affect early growth rate.
Optimal Foraging by Birds: Experiments for Secondary & Postsecondary Students

Optimal foraging theory attempts to explain the foraging patterns observed in animals, including their choice of particular food items and foraging locations. We describe three experiments designed to test hypotheses about food choice and foraging habitat preference using bird feeders. These experiments can be used alone or in combination and can also provide a foundation for students to develop extensions incorporating the basic methodology. We see these experiments as most applicable in secondary and postsecondary education, but they could be adapted for a variety of educational environments and for students with a variety of backgrounds.
ID: 141: ANTIVIRAL INNATE IMMUNE RESPONSES IN HUMAN BRONCHIAL EPITHELIAL CELLS (HBECS) OF SMOKERS ARE IMPAIRED THROUGH EPIGENETIC MODIFICATIONS

Rationale Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading global cause of morbidity and mortality. Cigarette smoking (CS) is the main risk factor for the development of COPD and most COPD exacerbations are caused by respiratory infections including influenza. Influenza A virus (IAV) infections are more severe in smokers with increased morbidity and mortality. The mechanism of increased susceptibility to infections in smokers is likely due to alteration of immunologic host defenses. Our group has shown that Retinoic acid-inducible protein I (RIG-I) induction in the lung is inhibited by CS in our human lung organ culture model and two animal models. Methods We investigated RIG-I, TLR3 and interferon (IFN) induction by IAV in human bronchial epithelial cells (HBEC) isolated from smokers or non-smokers. Subcultured HBECs were infected with A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 (PR8) influenza virus at an MOI of 1. Virus-free diluents (mock) were used as negative controls. After 24 h infection, cells and supernatants were collected for qRT-PCR, immunoblot or ELISA to determine RIG-I, TLR3 and IFN expression levels. Results As expected, we found IAV PR8 exposure induced a vigorous IFN-β, IFN-λ 1 and IFN-λ 2/3 antiviral response in HBECs from nonsmokers as well as high RIG-I and TLR3 induction by virus. In cells from smokers, viral RIG-I and TLR3 mRNA induction was reduced 87% and 79% compared to the response from nonsmokers. CS inhibited viral induction of the IFN-β, IFN-λ1 and IFN-λ 2/3 mRNA response 85%, 96% and 95%, respectively, from that seen in HBEC from nonsmokers. However, preincubation with the demethylating agent 5-Aza-2-deoxycytidine reversed the immunosuppressive effects of CS exposure in HBEC since normal induction of all three IFNs was restored. We also demonstrated, even without virus infection, that IFN-β-mediated induction of RIG-I and TLR3 was also suppressed in cells from smokers. Conclusions Our results suggest that active smoking reduces expression of antiviral cytokines in primary HBECs. This effect likely occurs via downregulation of RIG-I and TLR3 through epigenetic modifications. Reduction in lung epithelial cell RIG-I and TLR3 responses may be one major mechanism contributing to the increased incidence of viral respiratory infections in smokers and to viral induction of acute exacerbations of COPD.
Aromatic transition states in nonpericyclic reactions: anionic 5-endo cyclizations are aborted sigmatropic shifts.

The transition states (TSs) of 5-endo-dig and 5-endo-trig anionic ring closures are the first unambiguous examples of nonpericyclic reactions with TSs stabilized by aromaticity. Their five-center, six-electron in-plane aromaticity is revealed by the diatropic dissected nucleus-independent chemical shifts, −24.1 and −13.7 ppm, respectively, resulting from the delocalization of the lone pair at the nucleophilic center, a σ CC bond, and an in-plane alkyne (or alkene) π bond. Other seemingly analogous exo and endo cyclization TSs do not have these features. A symmetry-enhanced combination of through-space and through-bond interactions explains the anomalous geometric, energetic, and electronic features of the 5-endo ring closure transition state. Anionic 5-endo cyclizations can be considered to be “aborted” [2,3]-sigmatropic shifts. The connection between anionic cyclizations and sigmatropic shifts offers new possibilities for the design and electronic control of anionic isomerizations.
Efficient 3D Inversion of MT Data Using Integral Equations Method And the Receiver Footprint Approach: Application to the Large-scale Inversion of the EarthScope MT Data

In this paper we present an accurate and efficient method of 3D inversion of MT data. We address two common problems of 3D MT inversion: computational time and memory requirements. The method is based on an IE formulation of the EM forward modeling problem. We apply the quasi-Born approximation to compute the Frechet derivative. This allows us to use only one rigorous forward modeling per inversion iteration. We have also developed a receiver footprint approach which dramatically reduces the computer memory needed for the Frechet derivative calculations. We apply our 3D inversion method to the MT data collected in the western United States as a part of the EarthScope project. The inverted electrical conductivity distribution agrees reasonably well with geological features of the region as well as with 3D MT inversion results obtained by other researchers.
What is a Critical Juncture? Permissive and Productive Conditions in Historical Causation

Despite frequent use, scholars have failed to develop explicitly the causal logic of the critical juncture framework. This paper proposes that to do so we must distinguish between permissive and productive conditions in historical causation. While permissive conditions mark the loosening of constraints on agency or contingency, productive conditions act within the context of permissive conditions to produce the divergence across cases that (if reinforced after the juncture closes) characterizes a critical juncture. I develop these concepts in detail, trace their presence through several classic critical juncture accounts, and show the implications of the application of this framework for theory development and research design.
When the side effect is really the symptom.

To improve compliance with medication regimens, the following recommendations, based on recent developments in the treatment of schizophrenia, may be useful.
The role of stress echocardiography in the evaluation of coronary artery disease and myocardial ischemia in women

Considering the unfavorable prognosis of women with ischemic heart disease, an aggressive but safe approach to evaluate women presenting with chest pain is warranted so that coronary artery disease (CAD) can be identified and treated early. Stress echocardiography (SE) has matured into an invaluable technique for the noninvasive detection of obstructive epicardial CAD. Its versatility, accuracy, safety, noninvasiveness, and lack of radiation exposure make SE an attractive technique to apply to the assessment of women with known or suspected heart disease. This article focuses on the current evidence supporting the role of SE in the assessment of CAD and myocardial ischemia in women.
Links of Science and Technology

Science is many things to different people — a quest for deeper knowledge of the world around us, a source of vast enjoyment, and a means of serving mankind through innovation. In the earlier chapters I have tried to make clear each of these roles of nuclear tracks. Here we examine the interplay of science and technology, starting with the deliberate purpose of translating newly recognized science into practical, commercial accomplishments.
In hindsight if treatment had begun early: A study to determine the OS and PFS in patients with stage III lung carcinoma based on the time elapsed from the diagnosis to start of treatment.

230Background: Stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is defined as loco-regionally advanced disease due to primary tumor extension into the extra-pulmonary structures (T3 or T4) or mediastinal lymph node involvement (N2 or N3) without evidence of distant metastasis. Patients are concerned about beginning treatment early after diagnosis. The role of the study is to determine the outcome if treatment is started within 8 weeks or after 8 weeks. In a retrospective study, the Cleveland Clinic’s database was used to identify patients treated through 2003 – 2014. Methods: Stage III NSCLC was ascertained as per the pathological or clinical stage. Kaplan-Meier estimate was used to determine the survival of patients. Results: Of the 561 patients patients with stage III NSCLC, 408 had treatment within 8 weeks and 153 after 8 weeks. See table. Treatment within 8 weeks of diagnosis: In total, 105 patients were recorded as having died, the median survival was 55.1 months (95% CI: 48.2, 62.5). The 2-year survival...
Acute myeloid leukemia in the elderly: therapeutic options and choice

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) therapies are rapidly evolving with novel targeted therapies showing high-level responses in a notoriously difficult to treat group of patients – the elderly and unfit. This review will examine the outcomes of older AML patients (>60 years old) with conventional induction strategies, and published literature on risks of pursuit of induction. Low-intensity combination therapy response rates appear to be approaching that of induction regimens, and with lower toxicity, low-intensity therapy likely represents the future standard approach in this age group. Lastly, allogeneic transplant appears to have a role in increasing durable remissions regardless of age and should be considered in patients with limited comorbidities.
Delayed antioxidant enzyme increases induced by nanoparticles are mediated by NF-kappa B

Silica nanoparticles coated with iron (SiO 2 -Fe) stimulate NF-kB-dependent cytokine expression in human THP-1 macrophages within 3 h. SiO 2 -Fe also increased four antioxidant genes, glutamate cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC), GCL modifier subunit (GCLM), heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), and NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase-1 (NQO-1). But, increased expression of Nrf2-regulated genes was delayed; at 6 h, GCLC expression was below baseline while expression of the other three genes was unchanged. By 18 h however, expression of all four antioxidant genes was significantly increased. Sulforaphane, an Nrf2 activator, induced all antioxidant enzymes by 3 h. We suspected that activation of NF-kB by SiO 2 -Fe caused the delay in the Nrf2 response. Nrf2 nuclear translocation occurred later than NF-kB p65 protein while SN50, an NF-kB inhibitor, stopped cytokine production and prevented the decrease in GCLC at 6 h. But, surprisingly, SN50 also abolished induction of all antioxidant genes and inhibited SiO 2 -Fe induced Nrf2 nuclear translocation, but did not affect basal or sulforaphane-induced antioxidant gene expression. Finally, Nrf2 silencing decreased both basal and SiO 2 -Fe- induced antioxidant gene expression. We therefore conclude that SiO 2 -Fe activation of NF-kB causes both an initial suppression and then an activation of Nrf2-regulated genes in THP-1 macrophages.
Tracer Kinetic Modeling in Positron Computed Tomography

The tracer technique uses a measurable substance to trace a dynamic process, such as flow, transport, or chemical reactions. The technique is neither new nor rarely used. For example, it has been used in our daily lives to estimate intuitively the flow speed in a river by observing the drifting of floats in the river. The application of the technique to physiological systems in the 19th century by injecting dye in the circulatory system to measure cardiac output(1, 2). The success of this application has led to many biomedical tracer techniques, including the measurement of cerebral blood flow in man(3). After the development of radioisotope tracer techniques(4) and external detection capabilities, tracer techniques have become widely used in many applications(5–9). With the recent development of positron emission computed tomography, i.e., positron CT(10), tracer techniques became an essential, integral part of this new technique for measuring many physiologic or biochemical parameters in man(ll, 12). Studies dealing with the principles and treatment of tracer techniques developed in parallel and have become more rigorous (13–17).
Abstract 5676: Functional pairing of immunomodulatory targets in anaplastic thyroid cancer

Thyroid cancer is the most common type of endocrine malignancy that has an escalating global frequency. Although most well differentiated thyroid cancers (WDTC) are manageable and respond to current therapeutic modalities, undifferentiated anaplastic thyroid cancers (ATC) exhibit a dramatically different clinical behavior and poor prognosis. With the recent development of immunotherapies, targeted, well-defined treatment plans can demonstrate promising treatment outcomes in ATC patients. Precise immunological targets in ATCs with potential clinical relevance are unknown. Major progress has been made in last 5 years toward development of immune checkpoint inhibitors using anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies for cancer treatment which has made immunotherapies one of the mainstream treatment choices. Few additional members of the immunoglobulin superfamily of receptors, like LAG3, TIM3 and VISTA have recently been identified as potential checkpoint targets. Interestingly some of these molecules including TIM3 and PD-L1 promote tumor progression and immune escape. Identification of specific immunotherapeutic targets requirs a better understanding of the immune microenvironment in ATC. To this end we evaluated the expression of prominent co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory cell surface molecules by RT-PCR in three thyroid cancer cell lines - TPC-1 (papillary), CGTH-W-1 (follicular) and 8505C (anaplastic). We observed that many co-inhibitory molecules were upregulated in all three tumor cell lines. CTLA4, interestingly, had the highest expression in 8505C. Additionally we observed differential expression of BTLA, LAIR1, TIM3 and VISTA between TPC-1 and 8505C. LAG3, PD-1 and PD-L1 were also upregulated in 8505C compared to TPC-1. Similar pattern was observed with the expression of co-stimulatory molecules, CD40L and GITR . GITR has been shown to have a tumor suppressor function in multiple myeloma. Another co-stimulatory molecule OX40, which has shown promise in tumor recession when targeted, was upregulated in all three cell lines and 8505C showed the highest expression. Our findings suggest that the aggressive and less immunogenic phenotype of ATC might be attributed to the differential expression of these molecules. Targeting these immunomodulatory molecules in ATC warrants a better understanding of the crosstalk between them and it might provide an efficient means for the disease management. Citation Format: Sanjukta Chakraborty, Rachana R. Maniyar, Neha Y. Tuli, Ghada Ben Rahoma, Cameron Budenz, Sarnath Singh, Jan Geliebter, Raj Tiwari. Functional pairing of immunomodulatory targets in anaplastic thyroid cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5676. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-5676
Prognosis of women with stage I endometrioid endometrial cancer and synchronous stage I endometrioid ovarian cancer

Objective Synchronous endometrial and ovarian cancer with endometrioid histology at two cancer sites typically presents with early-stage disease and is thought to have a good prognosis. We examined the survival of women with early-stage endometrioid endometrial cancer who had synchronous early-stage endometrioid ovarian cancer.
Recruitment and localization of eosinophils to glioma

558 Complex interplay between neoplasm and the peri-tumor microenvironment influences disease progression. Local release of a cadre of bioactive molecules by both tumor and stromal component cells leads to the recruitment of inflammatory cells the pathobiological significance of which has not been well delineated. Eosinophils have been observed in regions of tumor necrosis where they are thought to be involved in tissue remodeling. Indeed conditioned media from necrotizing tumor cells contain potent eosinophil chemoattractant(s). No information currently exists describing the role of eosinophil recruitment to CNS tumors, such as oligodendrogliomas and glioblastomas (GBM). Anti-MBP antibody (eosinophil-specific marker) staining of human brain tumor biopsies reveals that eosinophils localize to necrotic areas and the tumor rim. To further investigate specific localization pattern of eosinophils in glioma, purified, fluorescently-labeled eosinophils were injected ipsilaterally into the brains of athymic nude mice bearing established intracranial GBM xenografts. Twenty-four hours following eosinophil insertion, the mice were sacrificed and brains examined by fluorescence microscopy. Fluorescently-labeled eosinophils were observed exclusively surrounding tumor foci with none seen independent of tumor. Intriguingly, labeled eosinophils could be seen surrounding tumor foci in the contralateral hemisphere, which suggests a very dynamic honing process. Further studies are ongoing to determine the mode of eosinophil migration within the CNS and to compare outcomes of xenograft mice with and without eosinophil allografts.
Integrating the arts into head start classrooms produces positive impacts on kindergarten readiness

Abstract Arts enrichment may provide important opportunities for the development of pre-academic skills, since much of what young children do as play, including singing, drawing, and dancing, engages the senses and primes the brain for learning. The Wolf Trap’s Early Learning Through the Arts program, a national program that is designed to integrate performing arts into the early childhood education (ECE) curriculum and provide instructional training on delivery strategies, is an exemplar program that provides this type of experiential learning; and program implementation and teacher training approaches vary for each individualized program.
The effect of cognitive load on the vowel onsets of older and younger adults

The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of cognitive load on the vowel timing of older and younger adults. It was hypothesized that the participants would have longer and less extensive second formant (F2) transitions in the heavier cognitive load condition. It was also hypothesized that the older adults would have longer and less extensive F2 transitions than the younger adults. Eight adults, four younger and four older, equally matched for sex participated. They completed a sentence-level Stroop task in two conditions, congruent and incongruent, that varied on cognitive load. Eight sentences were produced in each condition. Plosive-vowel syllables were selected for measurement before the color words, at the color words, and after the color words. All participants exhibited longer and more extensive vowel transitions before and at the color word in comparison to afterwards. In the incongruent condition, the color words had longer F2 transition durations. The older adults had longer F2 transition durations than the younger adults. The F2 transition frequency extent was greatest at the color word. The older adults had wider F2 transitions at the color word that also were wider for the incongruent words.The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of cognitive load on the vowel timing of older and younger adults. It was hypothesized that the participants would have longer and less extensive second formant (F2) transitions in the heavier cognitive load condition. It was also hypothesized that the older adults would have longer and less extensive F2 transitions than the younger adults. Eight adults, four younger and four older, equally matched for sex participated. They completed a sentence-level Stroop task in two conditions, congruent and incongruent, that varied on cognitive load. Eight sentences were produced in each condition. Plosive-vowel syllables were selected for measurement before the color words, at the color words, and after the color words. All participants exhibited longer and more extensive vowel transitions before and at the color word in comparison to afterwards. In the incongruent condition, the color words had longer F2 transition durations. The older adults had longer F2 transi...
Comparing Spoken Dialog Corpora Collected with Recruited Subjects versus Real Users

Empirical spoken dialog research often involves the collection and analysis of a dialog corpus. However, it is not well understood whether and how a corpus of dialogs collected using recruited subjects differs from a corpus of dialogs obtained from real users. In this paper we use Let’s Go Lab, a platform for experimenting with a deployed spoken dialog bus information system, to address this question. Our first corpus is collected by recruiting subjects to call Let’s Go in a standard laboratory setting, while our second corpus consists of calls from real users calling Let’s Go during its operating hours. We quantitatively characterize the two collected corpora using previously proposed measures from the spoken dialog literature, then discuss the statistically significant similarities and differences between the two corpora with respect to these measures. For example, we find that recruited subjects talk more and speak faster, while real users ask for more help and more frequently interrupt the system. In contrast, we find no difference with respect to dialog structure.
Blood-retinal barrier breakdown investigated by real-time magnetic resonance imaging after gadolinium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid injection

Recent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies show that gadolinium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA) entry into the vitreous space can be used as a qualitative marker of blood-retinal barrier (BRB) disruption. To determine if a more quantitative measurement of BRB breakdown could be obtained, the utility of acquiring real-time, T1-weighted proton images was studied after Gd-DTPA injection. Two days before the MRI experiment, panretinal photocoagulation was done. The mean signal intensity over selected regions-of-interest (ROI) in the vitreous and anterior chamber was followed before and after (0, 10, 20, 30, 45, and 60 min) Gd-DTPA injection (1.0 mmol/kg, intravenously). At every laser power setting used in this study (0, 200, 400, 600, and 800 mW), the change in the mean signal intensity could be approximated by a simple exponential equation. However, the time constants determined for these curves were too imprecise to be useful as correlates between laser power and BRB breakdown. The slope of the line fit to the data in the first 20 min postinjection (ie, an initial-rate analysis) was a more precise correlate between BRB breakdown and laser power. This slope represented the rate of change in mean signal intensity in the ROI as a result of the entry of Gd-DTPA, and it was called the "leakiness" parameter. The leakiness parameter reflected changes in the permeability surface area product of the BRB if the blood flow and the Gd-DTPA arterial concentration immediately after injection were approximately the same between animals.
An LP-based successive overrelaxation method for linear complementarity problems

A sparsity preserving LP-based SOR method for solving classes of linear complementarity problems including the case where the given matrix is positive-semidefinite is proposed. The LP subproblems need be solved only approximately by a SOR method. Heuristic enhancement is discussed. Numerical results for a special class of problems are presented, which show that the heuristic enhancement is very effective and the resulting program can solve problems of more than 100 variables in a few seconds even on a personal computer.
Role of Rafts in Virus Fusion and Budding

The discovery that cell membranes are a mosaic of at least two domains (raft and nonraft) differing in lipid composition has led to an explosion of studies investigating the domain localization of a large number of individual proteins, including proteins involved in the cellular entry and egress of viruses and other pathogens. The driving force behind these studies is the assumption that the partitioning between domains has functional consequences, and will shed light on fundamental processes in cell biology such as signaling, trafficking, macromolecular assembly, regulation of protein interactions, and membrane fission and fusion.
Potential role of phase variation of type 1 pili in urinary tract infection and bacterial prostatitis

Adherence of Escherichia coli to uroepithelial cells is an important step in the pathogenesis of urinary tract infection. The process is frequently mediated by pili which undergo phase variation in response to changes in environmental growth conditions in vitro. It is possible that phase variation of pili and other bacterial virulence factors may play a role in the pathogenesis of bacterial prostatitis. The obvious differences in the environmental conditions of urethra, bladder, and prostate could favor strains that have the ability to adapt. For example, adhesion to the urethral and bladder mucosa could be facilitated by pili and their expression could be advantageous in the early phase of prostatitis. However, after the prostate ducts are colonized, pili may be detrimental since they can render E. coli more susceptible to phagocytosis. Further studies on phase variation of virulence factors of bacteria that cause prostatitis appear warranted.
Vitamin K’s Role in Age-Related Bone Loss: A Critical Review

Vitamin K is a group of structurally similar vitamers that all function as an enzymatic cofactor in the conversion of specific glutamic acid (Glu) residues to gamma (γ)-carboxyglutamic acid (Gla) residues in certain proteins. The common feature of these proteins is that the Gla residues are essential for binding calcium. While the most commonly known vitamin K-dependent (VKD) proteins function in coagulation, several VKD proteins are present in extra-hepatic tissue, including bone. There are two naturally occurring form of vitamin K that share a common chemical structure—a 2-methyl-1,4-napthoquinone (Fig. 29.1) and are capable of carboxylating VKD proteins. The primary dietary form, phylloquinone (vitamin K1), which has a phytyl group at the 3-position, is found in green leafy vegetables and vegetable oils. Phylloquinone contributes up to 60 % of total dietary vitamin K intakes. Menaquinones, collectively known as vitamin K2, differ structurally from phylloquinone by their 3′-substituted unsaturated multiprenyl group side chain. Menaquinone-4 (MK-4) is primarily found in poultry and pork products because a synthetic precursor to MK-4, menadione (vitamin K3) is abundant in animal feed. Physiologically, phylloquinone can also be converted to MK-4. While phylloquinone is the predominate form of vitamin K in circulation and in bone, MK-4 concentrations are higher than phylloquinone in other extrahepatic tissues. Unlike other menaquinones, MK-4 is not formed from bacterial synthesis. Therefore the common usage of the term, vitamin K2, to include all menaquinones is misleading as there are different origins and potential functions within this large group of vitamers. Longer-chain menaquinones [menaquinone-7 (MK-7)–menaquinone-10] originate from bacterial synthesis, and are primarily found in fermented dairy products and fermented plant-based foods. Natto, for example, is a fermented soy food traditionally eaten in Japan and is rich in MK-7. However, menaquinones generally contribute less to total vitamin K intakes of Western diets than phylloquinone. The role of long-chain menaquinones to human health is complicated by the fact that they are also synthesized by bacteria in the lower intestine. Not all intestinal bacteria synthesize menaquinones and the intestinally synthesized menaquinones are not well-absorbed, so their contribution to vitamin K nutritional status is uncertain. For the purpose of this review, we will focus on vitamin K intakes from food and/or supplements, and will assume that circulating vitamin K concentrations are derived primarily from intakes.
Distributed Detection of Correlated Signal Using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (Poster)

The distributed detection problem with consideration of correlated sensor observations is an NP-hard problem. In this paper, a heuristic Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm, which consists of methods of slice sampling and simulated annealing, is investigated to solve this problem. Based on the criterion of minimizing the probability of error, sub-optimal solutions including fusion rules and sensor decisions are acquired. The performance of this algorithm is studied with analysis of experimental results.
Interactive training and operation ecosystem for surgical tasks in mixed reality

Inadequate skill in performing surgical tasks can lead to medical errors and cause avoidable injury or death to the patients. On the other hand, there are situations where a novice surgeon or resident does not have access to an expert while performing a task.
Building thermally stable supercapacitors using temperature-responsive separators

Thermal runaway is posing big threat towards common electrochemical devices, such as lithium ion batteries and supercapacitors. It is caused by heat accumulated within electrochemical device and can cause devices to lose functionality, shorten service-life, or even cause hazardous fires and explosions. One effective approach to tackle thermal runaway is to break the electrochemical reaction Arrhenius thermal loop by introducing reaction inhibiting components into the system. Herein, through facile wet casting method, a temperature responsive polymer, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) was cast into thin film and sandwiched in between polypropylene (PP) to make into a temperature responsive separator. It was found that once the temperature rose to 70 °C, instead of increasing in capacitance like in the control, PNIPAM-included batches decreased in capacitance. This capacitance reduction was mainly contributed by increased charge transfer resistance, which was caused by the sol–gel transition and precipitating PNIPAM chains residing upon PP membrane. A similar capacitance reduction was also observed for the ferricyanide redox system. Further investigation also revealed thicker PNIPAM films exhibited enhanced capacitance reduction and scan rate dependency. Temperature responsive polymer separators may prove to be an effective method to suppress high temperature electrochemical reactions and thus offer promise to reversible, thermally stabilized electrochemical devices.
Neurophysiological Closed-Loop Control for Competitive Multi-brain Robot Interaction

This paper discusses a general architecture for multi-party electroencephalography (EEG)-based robot interactions. We explored a system with multiple passive Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) which influence the mechanical behavior of competing mobile robots. Although EEG-based robot control has been previously examined, previous investigations mainly focused on medical applications. Consequently, there is limited work for hybrid control systems that support multi-party, social BCI. Research on multi-user environments, such as gaming, have been conducted to discover challenges for non-medical BCI-based control systems. The presented work aims to provide an architectural model that uses passive BCIs in a social setting including mobile robots. Such structure is comprised of robotic devices able to act intelligently using vision sensors, while receiving and processing EEG data from multiple users. This paper describes the combination of vision sensors, neurophysiological sensors, and modern web technologies to expand knowledge regarding the design of social BCI applications that leverage physical systems.
Risk of female sexual dysfunction following concussion in women of reproductive age.

ABSTRACTObjectives: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) has frequently been associated with changes in sexual functioning. The TBI and sexuality literature, however, has limited generalizability to concus...
Intelligent Situational-Awareness Architecture for Hybrid Emergency Power Systems in More Electric Aircraft

In this chapter, we exploit the deep learning and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) techniques to develop an intelligent situational awareness system for energy management systems of the emergency hybrid auxiliary power unit (APU) for more-electric aircrafts. Our proposed security control strategy consists of two main mechanisms: (1) deep learning-based attack detection scheme that explores the techniques of convolutional neural networks, deconvolutional neural networks, and recurrent neural networks and (2) adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS)-based estimation method to calculate the true values of the compromised data. In this chapter, we also present some simulation results to illustrate the effectiveness of our proposed method in detecting the cyber-attacks, such as false data injection (FDI) attacks, and mitigating the impact of the cyber-attacks in the energy management for the hybrid APUs in more-electric aircrafts.
Surfactant protein-D modulation of pulmonary macrophage phenotype is controlled by S-nitrosylation.

Surfactant protein-D (SP-D) is a regulator of pulmonary innate immunity whose oligomeric state can be altered through S-nitrosylation to regulate its signaling function in macrophages. Here, we exa...
Abstract P5-03-07: Distribution of the 21-gene recurrence score (RS) assay (Oncotype DX) in carriers of germline mutations associated with breast cancer predisposition syndromes

Background: BRCA1/2 carriers have higher scores in the 21-gene RS assay compared to non-carriers. Little is known about the 21-gene RS patterns in women harboring germline mutations in genes outside BRCA1/2. Methods: We utilized the Mayo Clinic Breast Cancer Study Registry to identify individuals with non-metastatic estrogen receptor positive breast cancer and clinical 21-gene RS results available. We cross-referenced this with an institutional registry of patients tested for hereditary cancer genes, either from the electronic health record or from a research study conducted using a custom QIAseq multiplex amplicon-based panel (Qiagen). The latter assay covered target regions of all coding regions for the following predisposition genes: ATM, BARD1, BLM, BRCA1, BRCA2, BRIP1, CDH1, CDKN2A, CHEK2, ERCC2, FANCC, FANCM, MLH1, MRE11A, MSH2, MSH6, MUTYH, NBN, NF1, PALB2, PMS2, PTEN, RAD50, RAD51C, RAD51D, RECQL, PRSS1, STK11, TP53, and XRCC2. Student’s t-test was used to compare 21-gene RS between carriers, non-carriers, and specific carrier genes (JMP v 14.0). Results: 282 patients were identified with early stage breast cancer and 21-gene RS available, including 85 known mutation carriers and 197 non-carriers (or unknown carrier status). Germline mutations were identified in CHEK2 (n=25), BRCA2 (n=18), ATM (n=10), BRCA1 (n=5), PALB2 (n=5), TP53 (n=3), FANCM (n=2), MUTYH (n=2), PMS2 (n=2), PPM1D (n=2), RECQL (n=2), BARD1 (n=1), BLM (n=1), CDH1 (n=1), ERCC2 (n=1), FANCC (n=1), MSH6 (n=1), NBN (n=1), PRSS1 (n=1), and PTEN (n=1). In the entire cohort, the mean 21-gene RS was 20.4 in carriers and 18.0 in non-carriers (p=0.11). We performed individual analyses on specific genes identified in ≥ 5 patients (table 1). Compared to the mean RS in non-carriers (18.0), higher mean RS were observed in patients harboring BRCA1 (38.8, p=0.002), PALB2 (26.6, p=0.0724), and BRCA2 (23.2, p=0.0453). The RS in CHEK2 and ATM carriers were comparable to those of non-carriers. Conclusions: We observed differences in RS score distribution based on specific mutated breast cancer predisposition genes. Further validation of the distribution and performance of the 21-gene RS in germline carriers is needed. Citation Format: Karthik V Giridhar, Grace M Choong, Siddartha Yadav, Eric C Polley, Roberto A Leon-Ferre, Minetta C Liu, Matthew P Goetz, Fergus J Couch. Distribution of the 21-gene recurrence score (RS) assay (Oncotype DX) in carriers of germline mutations associated with breast cancer predisposition syndromes [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-03-07.
Single Cell Patch-Clamp Analysis of Mouse Cardiac Myocytes

The last few years have seen an explosion in the number of transgenic mouse models being generated. Exciting new data have been obtained. In particular, in the field of cardiac electrophysiology, the use of single-cell patch-clamp techniques on isolated cardiomyocytes offers a powerful method with which we can utilize to analyze the effects of selective genetic manipulation on the electrophysiological process of the cells.
Examining Inferences from Neural Network Estimators of Binary Choice Processes: Marginal Effects, and Willingness-to-Pay

To satisfy the utility maximization hypothesis in binary choice modeling, logit and probit models must make a priori assumptions regarding the underlying functional form of a representative utility function. Such theoretical restrictions may leave the postulated estimable model statistically misspecified. This may lead to significant bias in substantive inferences, such as willingness-to-pay (or accept) measures, in environmental, natural resource and applied economic studies. Feed-forward back-propagation artificial neural networks (FFBANN) provide a potentially powerful semi-nonparametric method to avoid potential misspecifications and provide more valid inference. This paper shows that a single-hidden layer FFBANN can be interpreted as a logistic regression with a flexible index function and can be subsequently used for statistical inference purposes, such as estimation of marginal effects and willingness-to-pay measures. To the authors’ knowledge, the derivation and estimation of marginal effects and other substantive measures using neural networks are not available in the economics literature and is thus a novel contribution. An empirical application is conducted using FFBANNs to demonstrate estimation of marginal effects and willingness-to-pay in a contingent valuation and stated choice experimental framework. We find that FFBANNs can replicate results from binary choice models commonly used in the applied economics literature and can improve on substantive inferences derived from these models.
The xenobiotic receptors PXR and CAR in liver physiology, an update

Pregnane X receptor (PXR) and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) are two nuclear receptors that are well-known for their roles in xenobiotic detoxification by regulating the expression of drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters. In addition to metabolizing drugs and other xenobiotics, the same enzymes and transporters are also responsible for the production and elimination of numerous endogenous chemicals, or endobiotics. Moreover, both PXR and CAR are highly expressed in the liver. As such, it is conceivable that PXR and CAR have major potentials to affect the pathophysiology of the liver by regulating the homeostasis of endobiotics. In recent years, the physiological functions of PXR and CAR in the liver have been extensively studied. Emerging evidence has suggested the roles of PXR and CAR in energy metabolism, bile acid homeostasis, cell proliferation, to name a few. This review summarizes the recent progress in our understanding of the roles of PXR and CAR in liver physiology.
Opening Possibilities: An Approach for Investigating Students’ Transfer of Mathematical Reasoning

How can teachers and researchers engender opportunities for students to engage in mathematical reasoning across a range of situations? We posit an approach, opening possibilities, in which we link theory and method to investigate students’ transfer of mathematical reasoning. The approach affords the interweaving of multiple theoretical perspectives—Lobato’s theory of actor-oriented transfer, Marton’s variation theory, and Thompson’s theory of quantitative reasoning—to theorize students’ transfer, discernment, and reasoning. To demonstrate the viability of the opening possibilities approach, we report empirical data to provide evidence of a student’s transfer of a particular form of mathematical reasoning, covariational reasoning. By interweaving theories, we foreground difference and similarity in an actor-oriented transfer perspective. Through this approach, we expand objects, theories, and methods for researchers’ investigations of students’ transfer and in turn engender opportunities for students’ engagement in mathematical reasoning.
Design of a Robust Memristive Spiking Neuromorphic System with Unsupervised Learning in Hardware

Spiking neural networks (SNN) offer a power efficient, biologically plausible learning paradigm by encoding information into spikes. The discovery of the memristor has accelerated the progress of s...
Generation of glucocorticoid-resistant SARS-CoV-2 T cells for adoptive cell therapy.

Adoptive cell therapy with virus-specific T cells has been used successfully to treat life-threatening viral infections, supporting application of this approach to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We expand severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) T cells from the peripheral blood of COVID-19-recovered donors and non-exposed controls using different culture conditions. We observe that the choice of cytokines modulates the expansion, phenotype, and hierarchy of antigenic recognition by SARS-CoV-2 T cells. Culture with interleukin (IL)-2/4/7, but not under other cytokine-driven conditions, results in more than 1,000-fold expansion in SARS-CoV-2 T cells with a retained phenotype, function, and hierarchy of antigenic recognition compared with baseline (pre-expansion) samples. Expanded cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are directed against structural SARS-CoV-2 proteins, including the receptor-binding domain of Spike. SARS-CoV-2 T cells cannot be expanded efficiently from the peripheral blood of non-exposed controls. Because corticosteroids are used for management of severe COVID-19, we propose an efficient strategy to inactivate the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) in SARS-CoV-2 CTLs using CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing.
Supply Chain Efficiency in the Discount Store Industry Post COVID-19: Applying the Supply Chain Efficiency Ratio

Over the course of calendar year 2019, businesses around the globe have experienced supply chain disruption due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. The strategic significance of the supply chain has been thrust into the forefront for businesses, economies, and society at large. It has become recognized by researchers and industry that there is a need for higher efficiency within the supply chain while remaining responsive to consumer needs. However, the fragmented and diverse nature of supply chain management, coupled with the complex accountancy and financial outputs of the supply chain, has resulted in limited development of a theoretical foundation specific to supply chain management. The aim of this investigation was to develop a new model (the Supply Chain Efficiency Ratio) that measures supply chain efficiency using financial ratios and by extending the Efficiency Model. Data for this investigation were obtained from U.S.-based public discount stores in the United States. The results of the multiple regression performed indicated that the Supply Chain Efficiency Ratio holds predictive value of an organization's supply chain efficiency p<0005. From the study it was found that the Supply Chain Efficiency Ratio can be used as an indicator of supply chain efficiency in discount stores.