cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Production of leucocytic exudates in rat granuloma pouch.

SummaryThe rat granuloma pouch has been found to be a convenient source for collection of leucocytes rich in myeloperoxidase. Of a number of irritants tried, a suspension of turpentine was most satisfactory. Within a limited range, pH of turpentine suspension had no significant effect on cellular composition of the exudate.
Efferocytosis as a regulator of macrophage chemokine receptor expression and polarization

Efferocytosis has been suggested to promote macrophage resolution programs that are dependent on motility and emigration, however, few studies have addressed directed migration in resolving macrophages. In this report, we hypothesized that efferocytosis would induce differential chemokine receptor expression. Polarized macrophage populations, including macrophages actively engaged in efferocytosis, were characterized by PCR array and traditional transwell motility assays. We identified specific up-regulation of chemokine receptor CXCR4 on both mouse and human macrophages and characterized in vivo expression of CXCR4 in a resolving model of murine peritonitis. Using adoptive transfer and AMD3100 blocking, we confirmed a role for CXCR4 in macrophage egress to draining lymphatics. Collectively these data provide an important mechanistic link between efferocytosis and macrophage emigration.
Daytime sleepiness and alertness in patients with Parkinson disease.

Study Objectives: The goal of the study was to objectively measure daytime sleepiness and alertness in patients undergoing treatment for idiopathic Parkinson disease (PD) and assess potential contributing factors. Design: Prospective study. Setting: An accredited sleep disorders center in a university-based medical center in a large urban area. Patients: Twenty consecutive subjects with idiopathic PD were recruited from a tertiary-care movement disorders clinic. Interventions: N/A. Measurements and Results: Patients underwent polysomnography, with a Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT) and a Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (MWT) on the following day. Forty-seven percent of the sample was pathologically sleepy according to the MSLT, but only 26% had abnormal MWT scores. There was also a different pattern of correlations between predictors of sleepiness and MSLT and MWT scores. Percentage of stage 1 sleep had the largest correlation with MSLT (-0.42), while pergolide equivalents had the largest correlation with MWT (-0.70). Conclusions: In this sample of subjects with PD, severe daytime sleepiness was common and was related to poor sleep quality. Daytime alertness as measured by the MWT was impaired as medication burden increased.
Metabolites Associated With Malnutrition in the Intensive Care Unit Are Also Associated With 28-Day Mortality.

Background: We hypothesized that metabolic profiles would differ in critically ill patients with malnutrition relative to those without. Materials and Methods: We performed a prospective cohort study on 85 adult patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome or sepsis admitted to a 20-bed medical intensive care unit (ICU) in Boston. We generated metabolomic profiles using gas and liquid chromatography and mass spectroscopy. We followed this by logistic regression and partial least squares discriminant analysis to identify individual metabolites that were significant. We then interrogated the entire metabolomics profile using metabolite set enrichment analysis and network model construction of chemical-protein target interactions to identify groups of metabolites and pathways that were differentiates in patients with and without malnutrition. Results: Of the cohort, 38% were malnourished at admission to the ICU. Metabolomic profiles differed in critically ill patients with malnutrition relative to t...
Setting of the Stage

Between the Mediterranean and Syria four longitudinal strips can be delineated: a narrow maritime plain, in places a mere ribbon; the Western Lebanon (Lebanon proper) soaring above the famous cedar grove to an alpine height of 11,024. feet above the sea; a central plateau, al-Biqa, fertile and well-irrigated; and the Eastern Lebanon culminating majestically in Mount Hermon 9383 feet above the sea. These four, as far as the watershed of the Eastern Lebanon, form the modern Lebanese Republic, constituted in 1920. This is roughly the area that forms the subject of our study.
Robust speed control of a permanent magnet synchronous motor system

In this paper, a sliding mode controller (SMC) and a linear active disturbance rejection controller (LADRC) are applied to a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) respectively for speed control. PMSM is a major part of electric drive systems. It has its inherent problems of nonlinearity, coupling, and structured uncertainties, and is subject to external load disturbance. Both LADRC and SMC can successfully drive the speed output of a PMSM to a reference signal despite the presences of uncertain dynamics and unknown disturbance. Simulation results verify the effectiveness and robustness of the LADRC and SMC. The speed control performances of both controllers are compared with each other. The comparison study shows that the SMC is superior to LADRC in being robust against parameter variations while the LADRC is better than SMC in disturbance rejection.
Bad Apps: mHealth Apps Doubling as Medical Devices

ABSTRACTSmartphones and mobile devices are a common sight to see today and this rise in use has garnered an abundance of apps, known as mHealth apps, aimed to help consumers manage their health. While some apps have been found to be useful, such as fitness trackers, logs and diaries, others have been found to potentially be harmful. These potentially harmful apps pose as alternatives to medical devices and lead consumers to believe that they function just as accurately. Healthcare professionals and consumers both need to become more aware of mHealth apps and the different functions they serve so they may better be able to avoid potentially harmful apps.
Detection of electron tunneling across plasmonic nanoparticle-film junctions using nitrile vibrations.

The significant electric field enhancements that occur in plasmonic nanogap junctions are instrumental in boosting the performance of spectroscopy, optoelectronics and catalysis. Electron tunneling, associated with quantum effects in small junctions, is reported to limit the electric field enhancement. However, observing and quantitatively determining how tunneling alters the electric fields within small gaps is challenging due to the nanoscale dimensions and heterogeneity present experimentally. Here, we report the use of a nitrile probe placed in the nanoparticle–film gap junctions to demonstrate that the change in the nitrile stretching band associated with the vibrational Stark effect can be directly correlated with the local electric field environment modulated by gap size variations. The emergence of Stark shifts correlates with plasmon resonance shifts associated with electron tunneling across the gap junction. Time dependent changes in the nitrile band with extended illumination further support a build up of charge associated with optical rectification in the coupled plasmon system. Computational models agree with our experimental observations that the frequency shifts arise from a vibrational Stark effect. Large local electric fields associated with the smallest gap junctions give rise to significant Stark shifts. These results indicate that nitrile Stark probes can measure the local field strengths in plasmonic junctions and monitor the subtle changes in the local electric fields resulting from electron tunneling.
Furosemide, Bumetanide, and Ethacrynic Acid

Furosemide and, less commonly, bumetanide and ethacrynic acid are potent diuretics administered to horses for a variety of reasons, including prophylaxis of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. These drugs affect urine volume and composition, and furosemide has marked effects on plasma volume and composition and on systemic hemodynamics at rest and during exercise.
Independent and Stochastic Action of DNA Polymerases in the Replisome

It has been assumed that DNA synthesis by the leading- and lagging-strand polymerases in the replisome must be coordinated to avoid the formation of significant gaps in the nascent strands. Using real-time single-molecule analysis, we establish that leading- and lagging-strand DNA polymerases function independently within a single replisome. Although average rates of DNA synthesis on leading and lagging strands are similar, individual trajectories of both DNA polymerases display stochastically switchable rates of synthesis interspersed with distinct pauses. DNA unwinding by the replicative helicase may continue during such pauses, but a self-governing mechanism, where helicase speed is reduced by ∼80%, permits recoupling of polymerase to helicase. These features imply a more dynamic, kinetically discontinuous replication process, wherein contacts within the replisome are continually broken and reformed. We conclude that the stochastic behavior of replisome components ensures complete DNA duplication without requiring coordination of leading- and lagging-strand synthesis. PAPERCLIP.
Comparative analysis of signature genes in Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV)-infected porcine monocyte-derived dendritic cells at differential activation statuses.

Activation statuses of monocytic cells, e.g. monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs), are critically important for antiviral immunity. In particular, some devastating viruses, including porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), are capable of directly infecting these cells to subvert host immunity. Monocyte-derived DCs (mDCs) are major target cells in PRRSV pathogenesis; however, the plasticity of mDCs in response to activation stimuli and PRRSV infection remains unstudied. In this study, we polarized mDCs, and applied genome-wide transcriptomic analysis to compare signature genes involved in mDCs activation and response to PRRSV infection. Our long-term goal is to integrate activation status with antiviral responses in these cells and to functionally modulate them for a prototypic cellular adjuvant/vaccine that is ideal for potentiating antiviral immunity. Porcine mDCs were polarized with mediators for 30 hours, then mock-infected, infected with PRRSV strain VR2332, or a highly pathogenic PRRSV strain (rJXwn06), for 5 h. Total RNA was extracted and used to construct sequencing libraries for RNA-Seq procedures previously optimized. Comparisons were made between each polarized and unpolarized group (i.e. mediator vs. PBS), and between PRRSV-infected and uninfected cells stimulated with the same mediator. Many of the genes showing the most variability were related to cellular structure and innate immune response. The magnitude of differentially expressed gene profiles detected in HP-PRRSV rJXwn06 infected mDCs as compared to VR-2332 infected mDCs was consistent with the increased pathogenicity of the HP-PRRSV in vivo .
Comparative analysis of low complexity regions in Plasmodia

Low complexity regions (LCRs) are a common feature shared by many genomes, but their evolutionary and functional significance remains mostly unknown. At the core of the uncertainty is a poor understanding of the mechanisms that regulate their retention in genomes, whether driven by natural selection or neutral evolution. Applying a comparative approach of LCRs to multiple strains and species is a powerful approach to identify patterns of conservation in these regions. Using this method, we investigate the evolutionary history of LCRs in the genus Plasmodium based on orthologous protein coding genes shared by 11 species and strains from primate and rodent-infecting pathogens. We find multiple lines of evidence in support of natural selection as a major evolutionary force shaping the composition and conservation of LCRs through time and signatures that their evolutionary paths are species specific. Our findings add a comparative analysis perspective to the debate on the evolution of LCRs and harness the power of sequence comparisons to identify potential functionally important LCR candidates.
An algorithm for computing unstable solutions of semilinear boundary value problems

We present a partially interactive algorithm for accurate computation of unstable solutions of semilinear Dirichlet boundary value problems.
Earth Systems Thinking: Global Consumerism, Climate Change, and the Spiritual Value of the Earth

In this paper we consider the root cause of climate change to be the industrial waste heat by product of increasing global consumption. The embodied energy associated with the conversion of Earth’s resources into consumer goods has largely been driven by fossil fuel based energy. Using available data, we show how a) the rate of annual CO 2 emissions to the atmosphere is increasing, b) the land+sea temperature anomaly index is increasing, particularly the last 3 years, c) the rate of heat addition to the world’s oceans is also accelerating as this is in direct response to a globally increasing consumption per capita. In short, all of our human induced rates related to consumption are accelerating with increasingly severe consequences to the Earth system that maintains us. This is occurring amidst the reality that humans are in a necessary physical partnership with nature. Despite this, many human cultures have pursued dominance over the Earth’s resources. This dominance is asserted by the mechanical philosophy of Descartes. Under this world view, the Earth is just a (soul-less) machine and man is distinct from nature and therefore entitled to dominate it; the Earth has no spiritual value. So this gives us license to dig up the planet to create the escalating distribution of products to global consumers and this is exactly what can be verified from the data. We refer to this as the business as usual trajectory. To correct this course trajectory, we propose two avenues: a) extend the concept and legality of the Public Trust Doctrine to all of Nature’s resources so that current generations have an obligation to ensure the future generations can same similar access to these resources, b) adopt a systems thinking approach that prioritizes human equity, dignity, environmental justice and environmental health over escalating global GDP. In short, global justice should be our priority, not global profit. From the systems thinking viewpoint, the Earth is not a market commodity subject to resource exhaustion, it is rather a sacred equilibrium system for the welfare of all.
Association of Surgical Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion With Subsequent Stroke and Mortality Among Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery.

Importance Surgical occlusion of the left atrial appendage (LAAO) may be performed during concurrent cardiac surgery. However, few data exist on the association of LAAO with long-term risk of stroke, and some evidence suggests that this procedure may be associated with subsequent development of atrial fibrillation (AF). Objective To evaluate the association of surgical LAAO performed during cardiac surgery with risk of stroke, mortality, and development of subsequent AF. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective cohort study using a large US administrative database that contains data from adult patients (≥18 years) with private insurance or Medicare Advantage who underwent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) or valve surgery between January 1, 2009, and March 30, 2017, with final follow-up on March 31, 2017. One-to-one propensity score matching was used to balance patients on 76 dimensions to compare those with vs without LAAO, stratified by history of prior AF at the time of surgery. Exposures Surgical LAAO vs no surgical LAAO during cardiac surgery. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcomes were stroke (ie, ischemic stroke or systemic embolism) and all-cause mortality. The secondary outcomes were postoperative AF (AF within 30 days after surgery among patients without prior AF) and long-term AF-related health utilization (event rates of outpatient visits and hospitalizations). Results Among 75 782 patients who underwent cardiac surgery (mean age, 66.0 [SD, 11.2] years; 2 2091 [29.2%] women, 25 721 [33.9%] with preexisting AF), 4374 (5.8%) underwent concurrent LAAO, and mean follow-up was 2.1 (SD, 1.9) years. In the 8590 propensity score–matched patients, LAAO was associated with a reduced risk of stroke (1.14 vs 1.59 events per 100 person-years; hazard ratio [HR], 0.73 [95% CI, 0.56-0.96];P = .03) and mortality (3.01 vs 4.30 events per 100 person-years; HR, 0.71 [95% CI, 0.60-0.84];P Conclusions and Relevance Among patients undergoing cardiac surgery, concurrent surgical LAAO, compared with no surgical LAAO, was associated with reduced risk of subsequent stroke and all-cause mortality. Further research, including from randomized clinical trials, is needed to more definitively determine the role of surgical LAAO.
Pathway networks generated from human disease phenome

Understanding the effect of human genetic variations on disease can provide insight into phenotype-genotype relationships, and has great potential for improving the effectiveness of personalized medicine. While some genetic markers linked to disease susceptibility have been identified, a large number are still unknown. In this paper, we propose a pathway-based approach to extend disease-variant associations and find new molecular connections between genetic mutations and diseases. We used a compilation of over 80,000 human genetic variants with known disease associations from databases including the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), Clinical Variance database (ClinVar), Universal Protein Resource (UniProt), and Human Gene Mutation Database (HGMD). Furthermore, we used the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) to normalize variant phenotype terminologies, mapping 87% of unique genetic variants to phenotypic disorder concepts. Lastly, variants were grouped by UMLS Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) identifiers to determine pathway enrichment in Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. By linking KEGG pathways through underlying variant associations, we elucidated connections between the human genetic variant-based disease phenome and metabolic pathways, finding novel disease connections not otherwise detected through gene-level analysis. When looking at broader disease categories, our network analysis showed that large complex diseases, such as cancers, are highly linked by their common pathways. In addition, we found Cardiovascular Diseases and Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases to have the highest number of common pathways, among 35 significant main disease category (MeSH) pairings. This study constitutes an important contribution to extending disease-variant connections and new molecular links between diseases. Novel disease connections were made by disease-pathway associations not otherwise detected through single-gene analysis. For instance, we found that mutations in different genes associated to Noonan Syndrome and Essential Hypertension share a common pathway. This analysis also provides the foundation to build novel disease-drug networks through their underlying common metabolic pathways, thus enabling new diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.
Effects of interface properties on the mechanical properties of bio-inspired cellulose nanocrystal (CNC)-based materials

Abstract Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) is a new family of cellulose materials with outstanding mechanical and chemical properties that have been successfully demonstrated to have potential for many applications. Understanding the mechanical behavior of individual CNCs and their interaction at nanoscale is very important for improving the manufacturing process and mechanical performance of the resulting materials at macroscale. However, due to time and length scale limitations for both, experimental observations and atomistic modeling, predicting the mechanical performance of a system consisting of many CNCs is still challenging. We present a coarse-grained model of CNCs based on both mechanical properties and crystal-crystal interactions to overcome this limitation. Parametrization of the model is carried out in comparison with all-atom (AA) molecular dynamics and experimental results of some specific mechanical and interfacial tests. Subsequently, verification is done with other independent tests. In particular, we note that the parameters of the model can be calibrated to capture the properties of both twisted and untwisted CNC interface without sacrificing the mechanical properties of the individual particle. Finally, we analyze the effect of interface properties on the mechanical performance of CNC-based materials including, bending test of a crystalline bundle, tensile test and fracture in two representative bioinspired architectures. The results revealed different failure mechanisms depending upon the interfacial configuration. For instance, well-aligned CNCs lead to a more brittle and catastrophic failure mechanism, whereas naturally twisted interfaces promote toughening mechanisms that helps attained optimal mechanical performance.
Simulating precursor steps for fibril formation in methylcellulose solutions

We use coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to study the precursor steps for fibril formation in methylcellulose solutions. Simulations of ring stacking between two collapsed methylcellulose chains demonstrate the existence of a capture radius that is much larger than that predicted by polymer diffusion alone. When two rings are in very close proximity, they stack together to form a fibril precursor. Simulations of stacks of such rings suggest that this structure is metastable. In contrast, chains that are within the capture radius but not in close proximity, as well as for systems containing both ringlike and relaxed chains, fibril-like structures form via a distinctly different mechanism. Irrespective of their initial arrangement, the chains undergo two specific conformational changes: (i) a part of either a ring or a randomly coiled chain splays out and (ii) the splayed chain subsequently engulfs a nearby chain if it is within a certain capture distance. The latter results are consistent with recent experimental measurements of fibril formation by short methylcellulose chains, which suggests the formation of a twisted bundle.
Entertainment for All: Understanding Media Streaming Accessibility

Despite the increased demand, popularity, and cultural significance of streaming media and digital entertainment, many individuals with disabilities are unable to experience this content. Specifically, many video streaming technologies require input devices and content browsers that are inaccessible to individuals with sensory and physical impairments and do not work with their current assistive technologies. Our team of engineers, designers, and clinicians took an inclusive approach to assessing and redesigning these streaming service products, with the aim of creating more universally accessible experiences. We recruited 9 participants with diverse abilities to evaluate the accessibility of a large telecommunication company's commercially available video streaming products. This evaluation revealed significant accessibility barriers and informed the design of a participatory design activity to create accessible remote-controls, an onboarding assistance prototype, and a content browsing prototype that is screen reader accessible and supports audio descriptions. We evaluated these accessible prototypes with 11 additional participants and found they were more accessible, flexible, and enjoyable to use compared to the off-the shelf products. In this paper we summarize these findings and discuss how future streaming technology must support customization and follow established accessibility guidelines and standards.
Measuring Inter-city Network Using Digital Footprints from Twitter Users

City connectivity is an important measurement in characterizing human dynamics from regional to international scales. World City Network has been built based on companies' communication. The interactions between spatial and social dimensions of cities have both conceptual and practical significance. To further expand the studies of inter-city network in the big social data context, this research builds a network at the county level using digital footprints from Twitter users. Retrieving geotags from Twitter users, we identify the connection strength of each pair of counties based on the amounts of shared users who leave digital footprints on both counties. Using the shared user amount as the weighted link and each county as the node, we build a county-to-county user flow network. Various network structures have been detected at the state level. In addition, by creating a direct flow chain, we can identify influential counties and its hinterland. This network demonstrates how human mobility operate across various spatial settings and distances. Results of this study can be used in transportation planning, regional planning and metropolitan management.
Poor performance of a common crevasse model at marine-terminating glaciers

Abstract. Crevasses are both affected by and effect stresses and surface mass balance of glaciers, potentially exerting important controls on meltwater routing, glacier viscosity, and iceberg calving, yet there are few direct observations of crevasse depth. Here we assess one of the most common models for crevasse formation, in which crevasse depths depend on the local stress state, through analysis of 52644 crevasse depth observations from 19 Greenland glaciers. We find that modeled depths are uncorrelated with observed depths and are generally too deep. Model performance can be improved with glacier-by-glacier tuning of viscosity and water depth parameters, but spatial variations in tuning parameters are unlikely to have a physical basis, and the model still fails to capture smaller-scale variations in crevassing that may control calving. Thus, numerical ice flow models drawing on this parameterization are likely to yield inaccurate projections of glacier mass change or crevasse depth-driven terminus position changes.
The Avermectin Family as Potential Therapeutic Compounds for Alcohol Use Disorder: Implications for Using P2X4 Receptor as a Drug-Screening Platform

Abstract Alcohol use disorders (AUD) continue to have a staggering impact on individuals and society. Current available therapeutics are few and only produce limited results. This chapter discusses the preclinical investigations of avermectins as novel AUD treatments. We found that the ability of certain avermectins (e.g., ivermectin, moxidectin) to reduce ethanol intake in mice strongly correlates with their ability to antagonize ethanol inhibition on purinergic P2X4 receptors (P2X4Rs) in vitro. The use of P2X4R knockout animal model confirms that the majority of the antialcohol effect for these avermectins comes from their activity on P2X4Rs. Drug treatments did not cause any signs of overt toxicity, tolerance, or dependence. Overall, our findings support the potential clinical utility of avermectins as a novel group of compounds for the treatment of AUD and that P2X4R can be used as a platform for the continuing development of more effective antialcohol medications.
Chronic Hemodialysis Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19: Short-term Outcomes in the Bronx, New York

Background Patients with ESKD who are on chronic hemodialysis have a high burden of comorbidities that may place them at increased risk for adverse outcomes when hospitalized with COVID-19. However, data in this unique patient population are limited. The aim of our study is to describe the clinical characteristics and short-term outcomes in patients on chronic hemodialysis who require hospitalization for COVID-19. Methods We performed a retrospective study of 114 patients on chronic hemodialysis who were hospitalized with COVID-19 at two major hospitals in the Bronx from March 9 to April 8, 2020 during the surge of SARS-CoV-2 infections in New York City. Patients were followed during their hospitalization through April 22, 2020. Comparisons in clinical characteristics and laboratory data were made between those who survived and those who experienced in-hospital death; short-term outcomes were reported. Results Median age was 64.5 years, 61% were men, and 89% were black or Hispanic. A total of 102 (90%) patients had hypertension, 76 (67%) had diabetes mellitus, 63 (55%) had cardiovascular disease, and 30% were nursing-home residents. Intensive care unit (ICU) admission was required in 13% of patients, and 17% required mechanical ventilation. In-hospital death occurred in 28% of the cohort, 87% of those requiring ICU, and nearly 100% of those requiring mechanical ventilation. A large number of in-hospital cardiac arrests were observed. Initial procalcitonin, ferritin, lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein, and lymphocyte percentage were associated with in-hospital death. Conclusions Short-term mortality in patients on chronic hemodialysis who were hospitalized with COVID-19 was high. Outcomes in those requiring ICU and mechanical ventilation were poor, underscoring the importance of end-of-life discussions in patients with ESKD who are hospitalized with severe COVID-19 and the need for heightened awareness of acute cardiac events in the setting of COVID-19. Elevated inflammatory markers were associated with in-hospital death in patients with ESKD who were hospitalized with COVID-19.
MSW interns in the public library: a case study in community partnership

This article examines the partnership between the public library in Long Branch, New Jersey and Monmouth University School of Social Work and how these entities collaborate to meet the varied socia...
Recovery of riverine fish assemblages after anthropogenic disturbances

Disturbances within many communities are common, but the recovery of riverine fish assemblages from anthropogenic fish kills is often not well documented. Quantification of fish community recovery is needed to assess how rapidly or whether recovery occurs without mitigation. To address this need, we evaluated the temporal dynamics of six streams located in central Illinois, including systems impacted by fish kills and an undisturbed reference system. We found species richness and the index of biotic integrity experienced dramatic shifts within the first year after the disturbance event, while fish density varied less within most streams. Interestingly, local extinctions following a kill event were not limited to only rare species, with some dominant components of the local community also lost. Some impacted streams experienced small compositional changes, similar to those within the reference system, while other streams experienced large and continued compositional shifts following disturbance. The rate of compositional change decreased significantly with time since disturbance in all locations, especially within the first year. Most metrics of recovery reached a level of relative stasis three years after the disturbance event. Based on this, we recommend disturbed streams should be monitored for at least three years to fully document recovery dynamics and to determine whether active restoration efforts are warranted. Streams which do not recover during this time frame will likely require direct intervention to achieve recovery. Our results also highlight the importance of regular stream monitoring to document a stream's baseline composition and dynamics if a disturbance were to occur.
Identification of Trigeminal Sensory Neuronal Types Innervating Masseter Muscle.

Understanding masseter muscle (MM) innervation is critical for the study of cell-specific mechanisms of pain induced by temporomandibular disorder or after facial surgery. Here, we identified trigeminal (TG) sensory neuronal subtypes (MM TG neurons) innervating masseter muscle fibers, masseteric fascia, tendons, and adjusted tissues. A combination of patch clamp electrophysiology and immunohistochemistry on TG neurons backtraced from reporter mouse MM found 9 distinct subtypes of MM TG neurons. Of these neurons, 24% belonged to non-peptidergic IB-4+/TRPA1- or IB-4+/TRPA1+ groups, while two TRPV1+ small-sized neuronal groups were classified as peptidergic/CGRP+ One small-sized CGRP+ neuronal group had a unique electrophysiological profile and were recorded from Nav1.8- or trkC+ neurons. The remaining CGRP+ neurons were medium-sized, could be divided into Nav1.8-/trkC- and Nav1.8low/trkC+ clusters, and showed large 5HT-induced current. The final two MM TG neuronal groups were trkC+ and had no Nav1.8 and CGRP. Among MM TG neurons, TRPV1+/CGRP- (somatostatin+), tyrosine hydroxylase+ (C-LTMR), TRPM8+, MrgprA3+ or trkB+ (Aδ-LTMR) subtypes have not been detected. Masseteric muscle fibers, tendons and masseteric fascia in mice and the common marmoset, a new world monkey, were exclusively innervated by either CGRP+/NFH+ or CGRP-/NFH+ medium-to-large neurons, which we found using a Nav1.8-YFP reporter, and labeling with CGRP, TRPV1, neurofilament heavy chain (NFH) and pgp9.5 antibodies. These nerves were mainly distributed in tendon and at junctions of deep-middle-superficial parts of MM. Overall, the data presented here demonstrates that MM is innervated by a distinct subset of TG neurons, which have unique characteristics and innervation patterns.Significance StatementIdentification of sensory neuron subtypes innervating masseter muscle (MM) will enable the study of cell-specific mechanisms of masticatory myofascial pain, including temporomandibular disorder and after restorative surgeries involving MM. Combining back tracing from MM, patch-clamp electrophysiology, and immunohistochemistry with sensory neuronal markers on mouse and nonhuman primate tissues, we identified trigeminal neuronal groups innervating MM (MM TG neurons). MM and adjacent tissues are innervated by 9 distinct types of TG neurons, some of which are substantially different from L3-L5 DRG neurons. However, MM fibers, tendon, muscle-tendon junction, and fascia in mice and common marmosets are exclusively innervated by medium-to-large neurons. These neurofilament heavy chain-positive sensory nerve fibers are mainly distributed in tendon and at junctions between deep, middle, and superficial parts of MM.
Improving imaging to optimize screening strategies for carotid artery stenosis

Carotid stenosis is a major risk factor for ischemic stroke. Recently, the United States Preventive Services Task Force issued a recommendation against screening for carotid stenosis in the general population. There is the potential for efficient risk-stratifying or staged screening approaches that identify individuals at highest risk for carotid stenosis and stroke, but these tools have yet to be proven effective in external validation studies. In this paper, we review how medical imaging can be used to detect carotid stenosis and highlight several areas that could be improved to identify potentially efficient screening strategies for carotid stenosis.
NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase from the house fly, Musca domestica: Improved methods for purification, and reconstitution of aldrin epoxidase activity

NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase was purified from microsomes prepared from adult phenobarbital-induced house fly abdomens. The reductase was purified 360-fold from a detergent solubilizate of these microsomes by affinity chromatography techniques. The homogeneous reductase has an apparent molecular weight of 74,000, as judged by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Its specific activity ranged from 32 to 40 mol cytochrome c reduced/min per mg protein, and the enzyme was active in reducing house fly cytochrome P-450 in a reconstituted aldrin epoxidase assay. An important factor in the purification procedure was the inhibition of membrane-bound proteases by chymostatin and leupeptin. Attempts to purify the reductase in the absence of these inhibitors yielded a proteolytically processed form of the reductase that was active with artificial substrates, but did not function with cytochrome P-450 in a reconstituted mixed function oxidase (MFO) assay.
Frequency control over the heating patterns in a solid-state dual-source microwave oven

While the high-power solid-state sources are known for their potential to principally improve the control over microwave thermal processing, specific effects of the controlling parameters on the heating patterns remain insufficiently clear. This paper reports on alternations in dissipated power distribution inside the load in a dual-source rectangular cavity. Switching between the resonant frequencies excited by different sources is shown as making a major impact on the heating patterns. The effect from the phase shift may be significant if the related sources operate at the resonant frequencies they excite in the cavity.
The effect of anterior palatine blocks on bleeding in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia nasal surgery

Objectives/Hypothesis When combined with local sphenopalatine (SP) injection and moderate hypotension, transoral or transcutaneous local injection of the anterior palatine (AP) vessels reduces intraoperative bleeding in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) patients undergoing nasal surgery. Study Design Retrospective chart review of 55 consecutive HHT patients undergoing a bevacizumab injection for recalcitrant epistaxis. Nineteen patients received local injections to only the SP vasculature, and 36 patients received AP and SP injections. Methods Main outcome variable was estimated blood loss during nasal surgery. Independent variables included sex, age, epistaxis severity score, surgical techniques (including laser), and blood pressure parameters (baseline, preinduction, and postintubation). Results The mean blood loss in HHT patients receiving SP injections alone was 111 mL, whereas it was 22 mL for those receiving both AP + SP injections. This difference between groups approached statistical significance (P = .075). Blood pressure parameters were similar in both groups with no appreciable difference between intraoperative systolic and mean arterial blood pressure. Conclusions The addition of either sublabial or transcutaneous AP injection to the standard SP block markedly reduces blood loss in HHT epistaxis nasal surgery. Level of Evidence 4. Laryngoscope, 123:2598–2600, 2013
Abstract IA22: The immunobiology of the melanoma tumor microenvironment and efficacy of immunotherapies

Two major categories of melanoma metastases have been observed based on gene expression profiling and confirmatory assays. One subgroup of patients has an inflamed phenotype that includes expression of chemokines, T cell markers, and other immunoregulatory factors. In contrast, the other major subset lacks this phenotype and appears to display immune “exclusion”. The optimal immunotherapeutic interventions may be distinct in these two global subsets. The T cell-inflamed tumor microenvironment subset shows the highest expression of negative regulatory factors, including PD-L1, IDO, and FoxP3+ Tregs, and evidence for T cell-intrinsic anergy has also emerged aided by a recently defined functional role of EGR2. In addition, the mechanism of induction of these inhibitory mechanisms has been elucidated—PD-L1 and IDO are induced by IFN-γ, and Tregs are largely recruited by the chemokine CCL22, both being produced by activated CD8+ effector T cells. Preclinical experiments have confirmed a critical role for each of these mechanisms in limiting anti-tumor T cell efficacy in vivo, giving candidate treatment strategies for translation back into the clinic. These include anti-PD-1/PD-L1 mAbs, IDO inhibitors, and approaches to deplete CD25+ Tregs and/or reverse anergy. The presence of multiple inhibitory mechanisms in the same tumor microenvironment argues that combination therapies may be advantageous. Preclinical data have indicated synergy between anti-CTLA-4 +/- anti-PD-L1 +/- IDO inhibition. The mechanism of synergy is striking, as it correlates with a marked improvement of IL-2 production and proliferation of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells. Clinical translation of these combination immunotherapies is promising and ongoing. In contrast to the T cell-inflamed melanomas, a new paradigm may be needed to promote de novo inflammation in cases of the non-T cell-infiltrated tumor microenvironment. Natural innate immune sensing of tumors appears to occur via the host STING pathway, type I IFN production, and cross-priming of T cells via CD8α+ DCs. New strategies are being developed to engage or mimic this pathway as a therapeutic endeavor. The molecular mechanisms that mediate the presence or absence of the T cell-inflamed tumor microenvironment in patients are being elucidated and should open up additional new treatment approaches. Citation Format: Thomas F. Gajewski. The immunobiology of the melanoma tumor microenvironment and efficacy of immunotherapies. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Melanoma: From Biology to Therapy; Sep 20-23, 2014; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(14 Suppl):Abstract nr IA22.
An electrophoretic analysis of Drosophila histones. II. Comparison of larval and adult histone patterns in two species of Drosophila.

Abstract There are certain features in the histone profile which characterize the larval stage in the two species of Drosophila studied and serve to distinguish it from the adult. These are (1) a characteristic decrease in the amount of one of the F3 (arginine-rich) subfractions of larval histone and (2) the presence of a larval-specific basic protein moving with an electrophoretic mobility somewhat greater than that of the lysine-rich histone. Evidence is presented arguing against the idea that this larval protein is a histone. Several significant quantitative differences are observed in a comparison of the histones of D. melanogaster with those of D. virilis at either of the growth stages. Mostly, differences are observed between the adults from the two species.
Progesterone-binding components of chick oviduct. IV. Characterization of purified subunits.

Abstract The cytoplasmic progesterone-binding proteins of chick oviduct are shown to consist of two major 4 S fractions which occur in equal amounts. They are separated from each other by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. Purification of the two components, A and B, was about 800- and 3000-fold, respectively, from estrogen-primed chick oviducts following ultracentrifugation, ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration, and ion exchange chromatography. The components have identical hormone-binding kinetics and steroid specificities, suggesting that the same class of hormonebinding site is involved on both A and B. The components differ in their stabilities on low salt sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation, in which component A is unstable but B remains a 4 S species. Component A is also less stable than B in solutions without 1-thioglycerol. The two forms cannot be interconverted or recombined. These experiments have permitted an analysis of the progesterone-binding capacity of oviduct cytosol free from major contaminants. The results obtained confirm work already published using crude preparations of binding proteins.
Progress on the Journey to Total Quality Management: Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Adjective Check List in Management Development.

The objective of this paper is to describe and assess a management development process utilized in the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), a public sector agency that has implemented Total Quality Mana...
Detecting and locating cell phone signals from avalanche victims using unmanned aerial vehicles

Scores of avalanche injuries and fatalities occur annually. This research presents an avalanche search and rescue (SAR) proof-of-concept option that utilizes a small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) helicopter with a payload capable of detecting and locating a buried victim's cell phone. Cell phones involved in this research were modern-day fourth generation (4G) Long Term Evolution (LTE) devices with an application specifically designed for potential SAR detection. This study focused primarily on radio frequency (RF) propagation modeling through snow and air. The analysis and associated field trials demonstrate that it is feasible to detect these cell phone devices through avalanche debris up to 7 feet deep. Alpine UAS inclement flight demonstrations were also conducted. Although many studies have been published on detecting the position of mobile cellular devices, this is the first of its kind to quantify the detection of a cell phone that is buried under the snow.
Percutaneous device therapy to prevent and treat acute decompensated heart failure.

Introduction Acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is the most common cause for hospitalization among Medicare beneficiaries and is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Approximately 4% of patients will die during their hospitalization and 44% will be re-admitted within six months.1-3 In a subset of patients with relative hypotension and cardiorenal syndrome (renal dysfunction at the time of admission or worsening renal function during therapy), the inpatient mortality rate for ADHF increases to 21%.1 The associated economic costs are equally as staggering, with two-thirds of the annual $25 billion heart failure costs attributable to managing ADHF. Given the poor clinical outcomes of patients with ADHF and the high healthcare-related costs, there is an urgent need to adopt aggressive strategies that may favorably alter the course of this increasingly common and potentially deadly condition. This review will highlight the evolving role of percutaneous device therapy to monitor hemodynami...
Anharmonic perturbation theory of electrostriction in a perovskite oxide at finite temperature

Abstract The hydrostatic electrostriction coefficient of SrTiO 3 and its temperature dependence have been calculated on the basis of anharmonic many-body perturbation theory. Contributions from several lowest order diagrams have been evaluated using an anharmonic shell model originally used for calculating the electrostriction coefficients of the static crystal. The calculated temperature dependence is in agreement with experiment.
The optimal fusion rule for cooperative spectrum sensing from a diversity perspective

Cooperation among secondary users can greatly improve the spectrum sensing performance in cognitive radio. In our previous work [1], we proposed the diversity as a measure of the cooperative gain and developed cooperative spectrum sensing schemes based on some pre-defined local threshold selections. In this paper, on the other hand, we start the cooperative spectrum sensing development from the fusion rule selection. The detailed analysis of two relatively simple and mathematically tractable rules, namely the AND and the OR rules, is provided in this paper. Interestingly, it is found that the AND rule results in the same performance as the non-cooperative sensing strategy and thus cannot achieve diversity gain at all. On the other hand, it is shown that when SNR is large, the OR rule is optimum according to the large deviation analysis [2] and proved to achieve the maximum diversity gain with better performance than our previous sensing scheme developed in [1]. Based on the fixed decision rule, we find the optimal local sensing threshold accordingly. Numerical results are provided to verify our analyses.